t
Han Yunxi recognized Duanmu Yao’s voice immediately. It dispelled her foolish expression and turned her face cold. She hated interruptions like these when she was so close to seeing Long Feiye again. Not just anyone could enter the Abstinence Hall. She was here under the name of serving Long Feiye’s sentence with him. Something big must have happened for Duanmu Yao to be standing right outside her door.
She didn’t dare to treat this carelessly, but quickly opened the door of her room to see Duanmu Yao, Cang Qiuzi, Granny You and her ten main disciples all standing outside. Despite her alarm, she walked calmly outside and rested her hand on the door.
With a cold look towards Duanmu Yao, she asked, “s.l.u.t cursing who again?”
“You!” Duanmu Yao raged.
“What’s the s.l.u.t cursing me about?” Han Yunxi retorted with a smile.
Granny You was tense, but couldn’t help but smile at those words. Only then did Duanmu Yao realize Han Yunxi had turned the slur against her and cried, “Han Yunxi you s.l.u.t, you had the gall to poison me!”
Han Yunxi had to roll her eyes. I thought it was something important, but it’s just poison again!
Over the past month, it’d either been random disciples getting poisoned who needed her help or venomous animals appearing out of the blue that needed her to capture them. She was already sick of it all. Couldn’t they come up with better excuses? Is it fun to play poisons against me all the time?
She already knew that Duanmu Yao had Rose Rattan poison as soon as she opened the door. For the sake of threatening her, this woman had actually gotten thrown in serious stakes.
“Where’s the proof?” Han Yunxi asked.
Duanmu Yao immediately produced her witness, but before the servant girl could speak, Han Yunxi said, “She’s one of your people and too suspect. She doesn’t have qualifications to be a witness.”
Like before, Duanmu Yao exposed her wrists. By now the vines had already climbed to her shoulders. “Who else but you could have poison like this?”
“Jun Yixie, ah! Everyone knows how you allied with him…” Han Yunxi trailed off to look at Cang Qiuzi. “You should know too, right? Head Elder Cang?”
Unusually for him, Cang Qiuzi simply stared at the stone door behind Han Yunxi in the room without saying a word. Han Yunxi found that puzzling, but by now Duanmu Yao had already drawn her sword and pointed it threateningly. “Han Yunxi, is this princess stupid enough to poison myself? Hurry up and hand over the antidote and I’ll leave you with an intact corpse!”
So she’s not planning to spare my life even after I hand over the cure? Han Yunxi’s heart grew colder. However, as Duanmu Yao was only twenty percent recovered, her stance didn’t give off any killing intent at all.
Before Han Yunxi could speak, Granny You cut in. “Yunxi, just give them the antidote for now. We can discuss the matter after the sect head emerges from his cultivation.”
Wouldn’t giving them the antidote mean admitting that I’m guilty? Of course, Granny You wasn’t so foolish. She was the head of the Abstinence Courtyard after all. Her words were simply a reminder that the sword sect master couldn’t s.h.i.+eld her either while he was in closed door cultivation. Her only hope now laid in Long Feiye’s hands.
Han Yunxi was smart enough to understand with a hint. Her heart rate sped up. The sword sect master just emerged from his cultivation a month ago. Why is he back at it again? Moreover, he knows that Long Feiye’s cultivating right now while being concerned with my welfare. It’s impossible for him to go missing now!
Although the sword sect master disliked her, he wouldn’t do her dirty. The only reason she could think of was that he’d succ.u.mbed to a fit of insanity again. Finally, Han Yunxi realized that Duanmu Yao had come prepared. Even Granny You couldn’t stop them, so her only choice was to delay and stall until Long Feiye came out.
Han Yunxi stared at Duanmu Yao’s sword before her gaze turned shrewd. “Alright, we’ll help her cure the poison first. When grandmaster comes out, we can figure out where she got it from!”
“Grandmaster? You think you’re worthy of calling him that?” Duanmu Yao scorned.
Granny You didn’t want Han Yunxi to provoke Duanmu Yao any further and popped in again. “Yes, yes, let’s cure the poison first! Although it’ll only take effect after three days, it’s not good to leave it in the body.”
Han Yunxi seized her chance. “It’s true that Rose Rattan will react and bloom in three days’ time, but…”
“But what?” Duanmu Yao grew uneasy.
Han Yunxi smiled coldly, keeping her in suspense on purpose.
“But what? Hurry up and say it!” Duanmu Yao panicked.
“But once the vines cover the entire body, their scars will remain even after the poison’s cured.” Han Yunxi was lying, but Duanmu Yao shrieked out loud at her words.
“I don’t want that! Han Yunxi, where’s the antidote?! I want the antidote!” Her face was already wizened and old. If her body grew disfigured as well, how was she supposed to keep on living? She was going to get her antidote today and guarantee her own life. As long as Han Yunxi handed it over, she could bite her back and accuse her of being the culprit. As long as Han Yunxi was declared guilty, she would have plenty of reason to kill her.
Duanmu Yao had planned everything out perfectly, but Han Yunxi only replied, “How am I supposed to have a pre-prepared antidote? I don’t have poisons like these. I’ll tell you which ingredients I need. Find them for me and I’ll make it as soon as I can.”
Of course, when she finished the prescription would be all up to her.
This woman’s stalling for time! If Han Yunxi dragged things out until tomorrow, Long Feiye would emerge and the plan would fail. While Duanmu Yao was hesitating, Cang Qiuzi suddenly drew his sword and raged, “Han Yunxi, still up to your tricks! You won’t cry until you see the sight of your own coffin!”
What was wrong with Cang Qiuzi? Duanmu Yao didn’t get it, but she played along. “Martial uncle, please seek justice for Yao Yao!”
Cang Qiuzi wasn’t planning to be so direct, but he had sensed something off about the inner room as soon as they arrived. An overwhelming strength was hidden within, enough to make him feel fear. Granny You and Duanmu Yao weren’t high level enough to sense it, but he’d felt it immediately. He suddenly realized that Long Feiye wasn’t being punished at all. He’s cultivating in there!
What a Li Jianxin. He lied to me to leave this ace up his sleeve!
Perhaps Li Jianxin must have taught Long Feiye some peerless martial arts, or transferred his inner energy to the man. Otherwise, how could Long Feiye ever possess such enormous strength? With the ranking matches near at hand, he refused to let the man own such power!
For a second, Cang Qiuzi looked like he was going to launch a surprise attack on Han Yunxi. But instead, he cleaved open the door to the room instead. Han Yunxi was stunned, while Granny You grew alarmed. She quickly went to s.h.i.+eld Han Yunxi and avoid Cang Qiuzi’s blade. How could an expert like him miss? He was doing this on purpose, but for what reason?
Cang Qiuzi wanted to enter the room, but Granny You simply blocked him with her sword. At the same time, her disciples came to s.h.i.+eld Han Yunxi as well while avoiding Duanmu Yao’s blade. Soon enough, Granny You and Cang Qiuzi began to fight in earnest. The disciples handed Han Yunxi over the a servant girl who’d rushed ovr and hurried to aid their master. Granny You was a sixth level expert while Cang Qiuzi was seventh. The difference between them was as wide as Heaven and Earth. Even with ten more disciples on her side, it was very difficult for her to keep up. She couldn’t seize any advantage in the duel, much less gain the upper hand. All she could do was stop Cang Qiuzi from entering the room. She didn’t know what kind of martial arts Long Feiye was practicing in that inner room, but this was the final day. It had to be the most crucial point, so no slipups were permitted. Han Yunxi didn’t understand martial arts, but she could tell that Cang Qiuzi was aiming for Long Feiye!
Under the protection of the servant girl, Han Yunxi ignored Duanmu Yao’s pestering and sent poison after poison towards Cang Qiuzi. But he was too powerful and dodged every one of her needles. This was the Abstinence Hall, free from cloud and mist. It was impossible for her to try a toxic fog here too.
She was anxious!
Even so, Duanmu Yao wouldn’t give her up. She kept stabbing as she cried, “Han Yunxi, I’m going to kill you! I’ll murder you! You made me like this! You stole my senior brother and now you’re stealing my master as well. I’ll slaughter you!”
Duanmu Yao was simply insane. If not for her wasted martial arts, she would have long killed Han Yunxi by now. Granny You and her ten disciples were in the midst of fighting when more sounds of conflict broke out outdoors.
“What’s going on?” In her moment of distraction, Cang Qiuzi seized the chance to stab her left shoulder.
“Master!” the disciples chorused as they furiously besieged Cang Qiuzi with attacks. Granny You finally extricated herself and backed away. She saw another disciple approach her with injuries in tow.
“Auntie You, the Sword and Scripture Depositories are fighting their way here.”
Granny You grew alarmed. “Are they rebelling?”
Meanwhile, Cang Qiuzi had drove back the ten disciples to walk into the room. Granny You dropped her train of thought and chased after him with sword in hand. “Cang Qiuzi, if you dare to take another step, senior brother will never forgive you!”
“This old man’s here to find Yao Yao her antidote. Senior brother will thank me instead!” Cang Qiuzi laughed coldly.
Granny You’s sword stabbed towards his back, but he expelled a ma.s.sive amount of energy to send her flying out of the room. Meanwhile, Han Yunxi quickly followed with multiple poison needles. Cang Qiuzi simply waved a hand to send them all dropping out of the air. He grabbed Han Yunxi by the neck, while she kicked at him to release another needle from her shoe. Unfortunately, Cang Qiuzi dodged that one, too.
“You’re seeking death!” Cang Qiuzi tightened his grip, turning Han Yunxi’s face red. Her kicking foot lost all strength and hung limply as her strength drained away. Her life was hanging by a thrad!
All movement ceased in the room. Granny You’s heart beat fast. She’d never been so nervous in her life.
“Cang Qiuzi, speak sensibly if you have words to say!” she exclaimed. Duanmu Yao was only thrilled and quickly ran forward. Cang Qiuzi tossed Han Yunxi to one side, where she fell heavily and spat up multiple mouthfuls of blood. Cang Qiuzi had not only choked her by the neck, but used his inner energy to injure her internal organs.
As Duanmu Yao rushed forward, Granny You kicked the girl in the back to send her sprawling. Her disciples might fear raising a hand against Duanmu Yao since she was the sword sect master’s favorite, but she went ahead and risked everything regardless. Granny You handed the seriously injured Han Yunxi over to a servant girl before moving to block Cang Qiuzi again. He struck her multiple times, but she still held on, determined to block him from entering the room. Unfortunately, the elders from the Sword and Scripture Depositories were quick to kill their way inside.
“Youmin, hand over Han Yunxi. As it turns’ out, she’s the one responsible for my Depository’s poisoned disciples!”
“Youmin, don’t accuse my Scripture Depository of not giving you face. Hand over Han Yunxi or face the consequences!”
It was obvious that Cang Qiuzi had instigated the pair to come over and seek trouble. Granny You’s disciples were no match against those elders. When they flew towards Han Yunxi, she had no choice but to protect her herself. But as soon as she left, Cang Qiuzi took large strides into the room. While Granny You dealt with two elders at once, her disciples aided from her the sidelines, leaving only a single person to protect Han Yunxi.
Despite this, Han Yunxi found the strength inside her to crawl to her feet and rush into the room…
Translator’s Note: This is totally the part in those Chinese dramas where the music comes in and takes you to the ending credits just as the action gets good. I’m mentally screaming ahhhhhhhhhhhhh CANG QIUZI YOU b.a.s.t.a.r.d YOU TOUCHED HER AND HURT HER YOU’RE DEAD AHHHHHHHH