LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

Xing didn"t want the Emperor to die because she liked him for one and also if he dies, there won"t be anyone to succeed him to the throne and it would be hard for her to fulfil the G.o.ds plan for her to save their kingdom.

Others couldnot see anything except the flaming arrows approaching but Xing could feel each and everyone in the opposition similar to the way she could see s.h.i.+hong back in the spring Banquet and could hear their heart beats even. This was the first time she was able to see this many people in the dark. She could see even their movements from the little noises they made... The sound of their shoes on the ground, the small rustling sounds of their clothes and even their even their breathing. She could pinpoint each and every one in their group that contained more than forty people who had almost surrounded their campsite.

Xing saw the fire arrows approaching and she knew that releasing those arrows is a distraction and another group in stealth mode around them will move forward and attack them. It"s a usual and good strategy to blindside someone less in numbers but talented. While they are dodging the fire arrows, the others attackers would attack them from other directions making it hard for them to fight back.

At that critical time when the arrows were released, Xing"s thoughts were simple...

Right now Yukiko is going through one of the greatest suffering a woman would go through and she needs to rest. Another thing was she herself had a long day and felt like going to sleep and if the fire arrows makes her tent to get burnt, she"d have no place to sleep for tonight. And all the food is inside the tent.

I need sleep! Nothing can be burnt tonight! And I"m hungry! If only there was one big s.h.i.+eld to protect the tents!

Xing not only has weird ideas but she had the capability to impliment them too! She stepped forward and closed her eyes and took a deep breath and formed a s.h.i.+eld around their campsite with her ability to control wind.

Simple, right? Food and Good night"s sleep... Confirmed!

Others who had formed a circle by now and ready to defend all attacks were petrified to see the arrows stopping midair, the fire getting extinguished and then them falling on the ground as if they had lost their momentum.

Xing with her eyes closed, could see the attackers" heartbeat intensifying except one who was calm and collected as always, the familiar heartbeat she is too accustomed to, the heartbeat that always comforted her...

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She knew of Chenglie"s presence immediately after she noticed the attackers. Only his heartbeat was high by then and he was the only one with swift motions that even Xing could hear only lightly. He is the most talented of them all and when everyone else panicked seeing the arrows falling down as if they hit an invisible wall, only he was calm knowing why that happened.

My Prince! I know your heartbeat rises the moment you see me! Wish I could see you clearly...!

While Xing was listening to the steady heartbeat of Chenglie filtering out others, she could hear his low voice like a whisper that tickled her ears,

"My love!"

Xing turned to her left and opened her eyes to see the slight view of him behind a tree. As he was wearing white, she could see his form only slightly in that dimlit area. He was hiding because only she could see him and others don"t know him and might attack him. He also didn"t want to create doubts among his accomplices too.

Xing and others were in a slightly more brighter place as the tents still had light and he was able to see her more clearly. The odour of smoke was driven out by a gentle breeze that pa.s.sed and Xing and Chenglie were looking at each other while the others were too perplexed to think what to do next.

The gentle sound of the rustling leaves of the trees and soft noises of the weapons that were moving towards her, mixed in the air along with the chirping of crickets and the two lovers were staring at each other making the ambience of that place romantic as if they are here in a secret tryst than of an a.s.sa.s.sination attempt and the noises around them are a soothing music of a flute.

"Attack!", one of the attackers shouted and Xing who was disturbed looked to her side to see a group of men welding swords running towards them and another group drawing arrows from their bows.

The others in her group including Yi Kwan and Ying Ryuga stepped forward to attack the a.s.sa.s.sins hiding Kouki and Ayane behind them. Emperors must be protected.

"Tsk", she clicked her tongue. They aren"t letting me talk to my Prince!

Xing was impatient and sighed at them making little gusts of wind attack the attackers and they fell on the ground dropping their weapons, holding their abdomen as if they were punched hard in their solar plexus.

The ones who had drawn the arrows felt like they are losing oxygen and they were unable to move and coughed and gasped for air.

In the entire group of a.s.sa.s.sins, only Chenglie was standing firm and Xing could hear his slight chuckle amongst the other noises and Xing focused only on him.

"Didn"t know you were here, my moon!", he whispered.

"Yeah", Xing was too happy, she didn"t know what to tell him in her excitement. She had forgotten everything happened till now and was focusing only on him.

"Capture them", Yi Kwan shouted and they ran towards the fallen men who had now gathered their strength to stand up.

"Retreat!", Chenglie"s dominant voice echoed in that dark night in that mountain.

"Is that...", brother? The Emperor was shocked.

Xing didn"t hear Kouki as she was listening to Chenglie, "You Vixen... ! I really really miss you... A lot... I want you...", he said, his voice gentle and filled with longing and only she could hear him.

Chenglie was there as he was asked to a.s.sa.s.sinate either the Emperor or at least the Empress of the Water Kingdom as there visit here was leaked by someone inside the palace. He knew that hooded fool who tried to woo his woman would be here too and came here to warn him of the involvement of s.h.i.+hong in the Water Kingdom"s affairs.

But when he reached here, boy wasn"t he pleasantly surprised? His moon was there and how beautiful was she with the fire from the arrows brightened her perfect porcelain face! And how is she there with a sword in her hand and not using it but their men are falling down like they were hit by ten men?

How amazing is she? And why is she getting more prettier with each day pa.s.sing? How could she be this alluring...? "My Love", he whispered unconsciously while he traced over her with his fingers.

How close you are, yet I can only touch thin air!

He wanted to just walk right to her, kiss her silly until she loses her breath and take her back with him to a far place...And... Huh, This girl... Those lips and those hands...

Before he knew it he had called her that word again... Bad boy...! He chided himself but he could not forget the pleasures he got that day in the water.

He had been thinking of that day a lot with her not by his side these days... If that felt that good... How good would the real thing be..?

Vixen!

A cuss word, But for Xing, it reminded her of the last time he called her that... In that hot spring in the mountains and what followed after that and her entire face turned red. She was gutsy back then and did everything but remembering that made her embarra.s.sed.

"Rascal Prince!", she hissed within her mouth and the Wind carried her voice straight to the man and her husky voice that reached his ears made him feel weird.

Just her voice makes me feel this way...! He sighed. No wonder they say monks who had tasted meat will never become vegetarian again...

"Hmmm", he let out a long sigh and turned to leave. Now is not the time to think about those things. All the men with him are scared witless and running with out even turning back. s.h.i.+hong won"t doubt them if they return empty handed.

She is my woman! Even a hundred men cannot be compared to her...!

Also since my troublesome woman is already here, there would be no need to give any clues. She"d have already known s.h.i.+hong is involved in other kingdoms too.

Xing saw Chenglie giving a slight nod to her before turning to leave. Yi Kwan and Ying Ryuga who tried to follow those men could not catch a single one as everyone ran away.