Chapter 113 Retaliating: Has no one ever taught Li Tanhua what indecent assault is...?
"Miss Lingxing."
Niannian looked up and saw a group of martial arts practitioners dressed in tight-fitting clothes and carrying long swords at their waists.
The sword appreciation ceremony had not yet begun, and despite her young age, none of them showed any disrespect, and they all clasped their hands in greeting.
He paused for a moment, nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and walked past without looking up.
As the shadow of the eaves fell, she had just passed through the flower hall when her waist and abdomen suddenly tightened. The heat of blood and the fragrance of medicine wafted over her, a weight pressed on her left shoulder, and hot breath brushed against her neck and shoulder.
She instinctively bent over, grabbing the hand clasped around her waist and trying to pull it away. Before she could exert any force, the arm seemed to sense her struggle and loosened its grip on its own.
The newcomer didn't speak, but bent his spine downwards and buried his head in the crook of her neck.
Niannian turned around, gave him a shove in annoyance, and widened her upturned cat eyes slightly: "Who gave you permission to hug me outside?"
This time, no magic was used, yet Li Xunhuan was no match for that force and staggered back two steps, his head hanging low in defeat.
Nian Nian was speechless, and sighed inwardly: treacherous and cunning.
Those emerald green eyes were so desolate that she instinctively withdrew her fingertips, turned her head away, and stopped looking at him.
Li Xunhuan remained silent for a while, then slowly approached her and slipped the wooden carving from his sleeve into her palm.
The touch of her fingertips was warm and delicate. She lowered her gaze, and the first thing she saw was a pair of unruly cat eyes. The natural wood grain of the pupils, like burn marks, was set in these wild and untamed eyes, already giving them six or seven parts of their charm, not to mention how delicate the interplay of deep and shallow engravings was.
It's easier to carve the form than the soul; Nian Nian knows best how much effort it takes to carve wood to this level.
only......
She hadn't forgotten how harshly Li Xunhuan had spoken to her when she asked him for the wood carving.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She glared at the belated puppet and said coldly, "I hate puppets the most. Who gave you permission to carve mine?"
How could I dislike it?
Li Xunhuan stared blankly into her eyes, which now held an even stronger intensity, and answered in his heart: But the first thing you asked me for was a puppet. Whenever you need to use an object as a metaphor, you always unconsciously bring it up. And in the mansion, if you didn't like it, why would you be nestled in his arms, carving puppets that you could never finish carving? Thinking this, he unconsciously recalled those amber-colored afternoons.
He couldn't remember how she had sculpted, carved, shaved, and chiseled it. More than a puppet, he always watched her trembling eyelashes when she lowered her eyes, fluttering like plum leaves rustling in the wind.
He stared intently at those dark eyelashes, and suddenly said out of the blue, "Who taught that there is only one plum tree in the world?"
All the sarcastic words she wanted to say stuck in her throat. Niannian bit her lip, completely unable to understand what he was babbling about.
Knowing she's not very knowledgeable, yet she insists on saying things that are obscure and difficult to understand, can't she just speak plainly and make her point clearer?
Remembering how he used to tease her for being a "bookworm," she raised her head defiantly and glared fiercely into his eyes: "Stop doing unnecessary things."
With a 'thud,' the puppet crashed heavily into his arms.
Li Xunhuan pursed his lips and held it tightly in both hands.
He had carved countless puppets, but this was the best, and the most like her. He wondered if he would be so lucky next time, finding a piece of wood with natural scorch marks to add the finishing touch.
Many of the good fortunes in the world only come once in a lifetime.
He stared intently at the receding figure and whispered, "If you don't like it, I'll carve something else for you."
He had decades left, so he kept carving and carving until he could get her approval.
...Otherwise, decades would be too long.
The sword appreciation gathering was scheduled for noon. When Niannian arrived at the back mountain, the place was already bustling with activity. Heroes from all walks of life had gathered, and everywhere in front of the Twin-Winged Swords, there were sword fights, verbal battles, and a tense yet deadly atmosphere.
Xi Rao's gaze swept over her, paused for a moment, and then strode off the stage, completely ignoring everyone present, and anxiously asked, "Junior sister, are you injured?"
He hadn't expected that Lingxing would only take a day to learn the forbidden technique. Although she didn't seem to have suffered any hidden injuries, the pain she heard from the communication bracelet last night made it clear that she hadn't been without pain.
Upon hearing this, Niannian paused, then, without changing her expression, fabricated a story: "I only suffered some minor injuries, and after drinking two cups of Soul-Nourishing Soup, I'm fine."
Sensing the wary gazes beside her, she lifted her eyelashes and looked over expressionlessly.
Having witnessed the true form of the precious sword at yesterday's banquet, countless people were so moved by its reputation that they rushed to Qique Manor overnight.
Xi Rao even spread the word that "the sword appreciation tournament will not be about swordsmanship, but will only have three challenges, and everyone can rely on their own abilities to win a sword."
In no time, all the martial arts practitioners in the vicinity who could come rushed over.
She glanced around and saw many familiar faces. Weren't they the 'heroes' who had surrounded the courtyard that night, along with those villains, to frame and besiege Li Xunhuan?
She gave Xi Rao a sweet smile and urged, "Senior brother, let's begin."
Xi Rao rubbed his itchy fingertips and slowly took off his emerald green cloak to put it on her.
Seeing that the purplish-brown outer garment was completely covered by the emerald green, he slowly reached out his hand, raised an eyebrow, and smiled at her.
Li Xunhuan could only stand on the outermost edge, silently watching the two clasped hands through the crowd.
A cold wind whistled, and the swords on the weapon rack jingled. Some impatient people called out, "Master Xi, there's no time to lose! Tell us exactly how you want to take the sword!"
Upon hearing this, everyone echoed his sentiments.
Xi Rao said loudly, "I know you are all anxious and impatient, but since ancient times, martial arts competitions have always inevitably resulted in bloodshed. I really do not want to see people lose their lives because of this, so I have set up three tests, including both literary and martial arts tests."
"A written exam? Do we have to write essays? We're not the third-ranked scholars!"
"As martial artists, we shall prove our true strength through swords, spears, and clubs!"
......
Xi Rao's gaze turned cold, but his expression remained unchanged: "Please calm down, everyone. The so-called written test is nothing more than a test of skill."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the servants brought out bowls of medicinal soup.
Everyone frowned. "What does this mean?"
Xi Rao lowered his eyes and smiled lightly: "Each bowl of medicine is soaked in a blade made of seven different materials. The answer is engraved on the bottom of the bowl. If you can identify the material of the blade just by touching the rust with the tip of your tongue, then you are the expert we are looking for."
"Only those who love and understand knives can break through this barrier."
The group exchanged bewildered glances. While there was no fault in the argument, ...
A burly man carrying a knife, looking travel-worn, questioned in a deep voice, "Instead of fighting with fists, you're going to use such underhanded tactics. Who knows if there's poison in this soup?"
Although everyone present harbored suspicions, they had not yet figured out the true nature of Qique Manor, nor did they want to offend anyone unnecessarily. They simply kept their eyes closed and waited for Xi Rao's response.
He wasn't annoyed. He picked up a bowl of medicine and smiled, "I know you all have doubts, but if I had any ill intentions, why didn't I tamper with the Seven Treasures Banquet yesterday?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he lightly touched the soup with the tip of his tongue, and when he looked up, he said with a hint of sarcasm, "It is indeed a bit bitter."
Niannian took the brocade pouch from her waist at the right moment, picked up a candied fruit, and held it to his lips: "Senior brother."
Only then did Li Xunhuan's breathing become unsteady, and the color and grooves on the surface of the candied fruit were magnified infinitely in his eyes.
His gaze was colder than the throwing knife hidden in his sleeve, and he stared intently at the candied fruit as if he wanted to crush it.
With the cloyingly sweet candied fruit in his mouth, Xi Rao asked in a good-natured, drawn-out tone, "May I ask you all, who would like to give it a try?"
Before he could finish speaking, and while everyone was still considering their options, someone outside the crowd chimed in, "I'm willing to give it a try."
The voice was hoarse and dry, with a faint suppressed cough, yet it was firm when responding to the wind.
Niannian looked in the direction of the sound and met a pair of eyes that were fixed intently on her.
Everyone turned around to scrutinize Li Xunhuan, but he paid no attention, his gaze passing through the crowd, only fixed on her.
His gaze was so intense that everyone could sense something was amiss. Xi Rao narrowed his eyes, licked the inside of his mouth with his tongue, and slowly nodded, saying, "Hero Li has great courage."
He personally picked up a bowl of tea and slowly walked towards Li Xunhuan.
Niannian clenched her hands tightly in an instant, her face cold as she followed.
The crowd parted to make way, their gazes seemingly able to pierce through the three of them.
The philandering scholar shamelessly spied on another man's fiancée in public, and the woman he wanted to take advantage of was a child who was many years younger than him.
The once-renowned Little Li, the master of swordsmanship, has been tainted with such a stain; how can this not stir one's blood?
I'm afraid that the next day, all the martial arts world will drown him in their spittle.
Those eerie eyes clung to his back like thorns, but Li Xunhuan seemed oblivious, his gaze brazenly fixed on the cat-eyes so close to him. Without blinking, he took the bowl of swaying medicine and took a small sip.
The moment his tongue touched Tang Bo, he croaked, "Black gold, coral iron, dark steel..."
Having said that, he turned the teacup upside down. The brown medicine seeped into the snow, covering a large area, while the line of small characters at the bottom of the bowl faced upwards—it was exactly as he had described.
Everyone watched with anticipation, trying to discern Xi Rao's expression, but he simply smiled and said, "Master Li is indeed a master at identifying gold; he truly deserves to be a respected elder who has stood the test of time for decades."
These words were a veiled compliment, how could Li Xunhuan not understand them?
But since he has revealed his thoughts in public, he is inviting the world to scorn him.
His gaze was fearless and indifferent, only revealing a hint of weakness and helplessness when he looked at Nian Nian. Li Xunhuan's moments of weakness no longer stemmed from anything else, but solely from whether another person was oblivious to them.
Niannian's face was very pale, and she could only desperately pinch her palms to suppress the rage in her heart.
Seeing that Li Xunhuan showed no adverse effects after tasting the medicine, the rest of the group breathed a sigh of relief.
While identifying a knife by its rust is an ingenious idea, all knives and swords require forging iron and casting steel, and there are quite a few people who are well-versed in this art, numbering more than twenty.
Unlike the somber expressions of the remaining people, the twenty-odd people had bloodshot eyes and were shouting that they wanted to pass the second test.
Xi Rao stepped forward and said slowly, "I wonder if any of you can see the bell tower on the mountaintop?"
Everyone looked up following his gaze, and although they couldn't see clearly, they could still vaguely make out a corner.
"The second challenge is climbing the stairs to the top. Hanging in the building is a bell made of black iron, named Jingshan. Even without wind, it can shake off the frost and snow on the mountain path."
He glanced at Li Xunhuan and said leisurely, "If you strike the bell hard, the sound will carry power. The closer you get to the top of the mountain, the stronger the power will be. You will have to use your internal energy to resist it. Those who are not strong enough will experience a surge of blood and qi and displacement of their internal organs when they climb the steps. You all need to act according to your abilities."
Among the twenty-odd people, a handsome young man couldn't help but clench his fist: "May I ask who is ringing the bell?"
If the bell ringer possesses profound inner strength, then wouldn't he be...?
Xi Rao's smile deepened, and he said gently, "Naturally, I should ring the bell; it would be unfair to invite others back."
The handsome young man's expression softened slightly, and he smiled, "Then I'll trouble Master Xi to make the trip first."
Niannian stared at him for a few moments, then said calmly, "Senior brother has profound inner strength. You can reach the top of such a high mountain in just half an incense stick's time."
Xi Rao just smiled, turned his back and walked into the mountain path.
Seeing Xi Rao's figure shrink to a dot, Nian Nian took a few steps forward, bumped the pale-faced young man aside with her shoulder, and stared coldly at Li Xunhuan. She recalled his past teachings and retorted word by word, "Has no one taught Li Xunhuan what it means to 'not look at what is improper'?"
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Author's Note: A vengeful younger sister who takes revenge point-to-point based on her vengeful diary > <
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