“Eliminate a scourge on behalf of my master’s sect?”
In other words, Han Yunxi means to say Celestial Mountain Sword Sect is her master’s sect?
“Han Yunxi, since when were you a disciple of Celestial Mountain Sword Sect?” Duanmu Yao asked doubtfully.
Han Yunxi only pointed at her with a sword. “You don’t need to know.”
Duanmu Yao only turned mocking. “What, you think you’re a disciple just because you dual cultivated with Long Feiye? I bet he taught you your internal energy skills, right?”
She suddenly laughed out loud. “Han Yunxi, if that’s the case, Long Feiye’s your master! Hahaha, this princess is Long Feiye’s only junior sister and your sole martial aunt! Hahahaha….” Duanmu Yao was cackling in glee. She thought she’d lost everything, but she still won in terms of status.
“Hahah, Han Yunxi, this princess has higher status than you! I’m on equal terms with Long Feiye! You want to eliminate a scourge for your master’s sect? Come at me, then!” Duanmu Yao was so happy she didn’t care if she was going to die.
Han Yunxi maintained her calm as she gently patted her stomach, waiting for Duanmu Yao to finish. Duanmu Yao eventually sensed something amiss and stopped. She even felt a little stricken as she demanded, “Han Yunxi, did this princess say the wrong thing?”
In truth, Han Yunxi saw Duanmu Yao as no different from a lunatic right now. She refused to answer and curved her lips up into a smile. As expected, Duanmu Yao began to panic. “Han Yunxi, what are you smiling for? Did this princess say the wrong thing?”
Ignoring her, Han Yunxi slashed thrive with her sword. Each of them aimed for Duanmu Yao’s weak spots but didn’t truly injure her. They were only glancing blows. The speeds of her attacks were quick, but Duanmu Yao still managed to spot them! That was because they were none other than moves from the Xuan Nǚ Swordplay! She hadn’t used those techniques in years!
Duanmu Yao was dumbfounded.
How did Han Yunxi...learn this?
“Familiar? My master’s not Long Feiye. Take another guess,” Han Yunxi grinned.
“Is it my master?” Duanmu Yao’s heart had all but shattered. Does Han Yunxi have to steal everything from me? She even learned the Xuan Nǚ Swordplay? She exists just to provoke me!
Duanmu Yao felt inferior, but her expression showed she refused to lose. When it came to Celestail Mountain’s leader, at the very least...at the very least, she beat Han Yunxi in terms of time!
With a cold smile, she said, “Even if you take my master as your own, so what? If you won’t call this princess ‘marital aunt,’ you at least need to say ‘senior sister!’ I’ve studied the Xuan Nǚ Swordplay too, but I tossed it aside!” Her expression tightened before she rushed over to stab at Han Yunxi’s stomach with a concealed dagger. Unfortunately, Han Yunxi had long antic.i.p.ated this and grabbed her wrist before crus.h.i.+ng her bones!
The dagger fell to the ground as Duanmu Yao’s voice was stolen away by pure pain.
“Duanmu Yao, you’re wrong! I didn’t take Celestial Mountain’s sect leader as my master, but Luo Qingling. The Xuan Nǚ Swordplay belongs to her, not the sword sect master. I’m studying it openly and righteously while you did it sneakily in the dark!”
Growing serious, Han Yunxi asked, “Tell me, does it make a difference who came first, who came last? I am Luo Qingling’s only student, just as Long Feiye will soon be the sword sect master’s sole disciple. That’s because...I changed my mind.
“I don’t want to dirty the sword that Long Feiye gifted me. I’ll send you to Celestial Mountain and have the sword sect master personally expel you from the sect.”
Duanmu Yao had colluded with Heretical Sword Sect, kidnapped her master, and caused he death of an Honored Elder. Any one of these crimes was enough to get her banished from Celestial Mountain Sword Sect. Even if the sword sect master spared her life, the rest of the sect would definitely move against her!
“Luo Qingling...you took Luo Qingling as your master, you…” Duanmu Yao was speechless. She couldn’t believe her ears! Why...why did Han Yunxi think of that? Why...why didn’t I ever use the same idea?
Han Yunxi pushed Duanmu Yao aside. “Duanmu Yao, this princess doesn’t even refer to myself as ‘this princess’ in speech. Please refrain from doing the same while you’re in the presence of our East and West Qin royalty.”
As Han Yunxi sheathed the Moye sword, Duanmu Yao was left sitting blank-faced on the ground.
What was more satisfactory and cruel than trampling such an arrogant woman’s pride to pieces?
When it came to beauty, hers was wrecked.
When it came to martial arts, hers was ruined.
When it came to status, hers was pathetic.[1]
Duanmu Yao even realized in despair that there was no point in living on anymore. Han Yunxi might not have killed her, but she mercilessly destroyed her heart! After sheathing her sword, she placed one hand on her hip, the other on her stomach, and turned to leave the room. Duanmu Yao would never forget the figure of her back for the rest of her life. It would even haunt her in her nightmares.
--
As Han Yunxi left the cell, the stone door slowly shut behind her. She turned and saw that Long Feiye was still standing in his original spot, hugging his sword and leaning against the wall. He too, glanced at her, and she smiled and walked over. “Long Feiye, I’ve finished taking my revenge! Later, get Xu Donglin--”
“Get Xu Donglin to send her back to Celestial Mountain so master can expel her from the sect,” Long Feiye finished for her.
“You...you heard everything?” Han Yunxi was surprised. She suddenly realized the stone door had been open the entire time.
Long Feiye couldn’t hide his grin. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I wan to give you even more children. Do you want them?”
Han Yunxi’s face immediately turned beet-red. He really did hear everything! She pushed him aside, embarra.s.sed, and he laughed out loud. “So you want more?” he pressed.
Han Yunxi only glared at him silently. Long Feiye turned serious as he carefully pulled her towards him to plant a kiss on her forehead. “Only if it’s you.”
Han Yunxi, if you didn’t exist in this world, n.o.body else could do it… Long Feiye kept those words in his heart.
His gentleness was Han Yunxi’s fatal flaw. A single kiss left her smiling stupidly for ages.
“Let’s go,” Long Feiye said. He took her hand, but Han Yunxi remembered there was still someone behind them. She glanced back, only to see that Gu Beiyue had disappeared.
“Where’d he go?” Han Yunxi asked.
“He said he suddenly remembered some matters at the medical academy and left first,” Long Feiye intoned. Those were Gu Beiyue’s words verbatim, but the truth was that the man had tactfully retreated after hearing the conversation in the stone room.
Han Yunxi was happy, while Long Feiye couldn’t care less what happened to Duanmu Yao. The cheerful couple quickly left the maze.
--
Simultaneously, Su Xiaoyu had already met Bai Yanqing. Han Chen stood at the entrance of another stone room, refusing to enter or leave. He wasn’t interested in the private grudge between the other two, but to prevent Bai Yanqing from poisoning Su Xiaoyu. Despite all his injuries, Bai Yanqing’s poison skills weren’t easy to avoid. If he wasn’t around, Su Xiaoyu might end up as the old man’s hostage.
Meanwhile, Bai Yanqing was still reeling from the effects of Han Chen’s kick. He was curled up on the floor in a corner of the soon and didn’t react when Su Xiaoyu entered. The tip of her tongue was resting against her lips as she narrowed her eyes at him. In the shadows, she looked like a little devil. But she was in no rush. She had already figured out how to get revenge and was planning out an order to torment Bai Yanqing into unconsciousness.
Han Chen was leaning against the door with his arms crossed and eyes shut. It was unclear whether he was napping or thinking of other matters. The candlelight illuminated his handsome features and those divine angles of his face. He didn’t look old at all--of course, he wasn’t young either. His cool aura only accentuated the mysterious air of his mature, masculine visage. Whatever the case, he was lost in his own world and completely indifferent to Su Xiaoyu’s actions.
By contrast, his old subordinate hidden in the shadows was very much interested in Su Xiaoyu. He didn’t know if the girl had agreed to the sect master’s request, much less why she’d come to see Bai Yanqing. He was currently studying her intently.
She’s only 12 or 13 years old, right? Her looks aren’t bad, especially those big eyes. When they brighten, they looked more cunning than other children her age. She’s definitely more complicated than she looks.
All in all, Su Xiaoyu made a good first impression on him.
The room was silent. Soon enough, Su Xiaoyu opened her mouth. “Senior, can you help me tie him up? On a chair?”
“Someone, come,” Han Chen commanded.
Black-robed subordinates soon appeared. Su Xiaoyu quickly got familiar with them as she ordered them to tie Bai Yanqing up. He was soon confined utterly, unable to move a limb. But he only looked at Su Xiaoyu without a word.
“Tsk tsk, old thing. Aren’t you going to ask me what I’m planning?” Su Xiaoyu asked.
Bai Yanqing ignored her. Without a doubt, this d.a.m.ned girl was here to take revenge. He might have fallen far, but not to the extent that he’d beg a little girl for mercy.
“You want to ignore me?” Su Xiaoyu asked as she warmed up her hands. “That’s fine. It doesn’t matter if you’re paying me attention, either. And begging will be even more useless! I’m telling you now, I’m here to take revenge for my master, myself, Big Sis Ning, and your disciple Bai Yuqiao. And you don’t have to worry. Since it’s only four separate debts, I’ll finish everything in one night.”
Bai Yanqing’s head remained bowed as he sat in silence. Still, a cold smile rose to his lips. No matter whether these people wanted him dead or tortured, he wouldn’t beg for mercy! That was his final resolve that refused to lose.
Han Chen was unmoved, but the old subordinate was flabbergasted. Han Yunxi’s group has already reduced Bai Yanqing to this, but this little girl still wants to take revenge solo? Just how much does she hate him? Not only that, she’s listed out four separate debts? How is she going to take revenge four times?
The old subordinate thought this was quite interesting and began to look forward to the show.
1. By the way these three lines sound cooler in Chinese because the last words actually rhyme! They are, in order, 毁，废，卑 hui, fei, bei.