《Addicted to Boundlessly Pampering You》


 Chapter 1 - Reflection in the Water

    Chapter One Reflection in the Water


    Origin


    I wanted lots of love, but nobody was willing to give it to me.


    Was it because I wasn¡¯t obedient?


    Why does everyone want to abandon me?


    But even if it¡¯s like this, I won¡¯t give up hope.


    I know that there isn¡¯t someone that could certainly stay with one until they grew old.


    If I had a second life,


    I definitely don¡¯t want to be like this.


    Just staying alive for the purpose of staying life.


    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


    It really is very exhausting. A very strange feeling.


    My mouth felt very obscure and there was an intense feeling of hunger.


    After an exhausting struggle to waken, I finally opened my eyes and discovered that my hand held a lotus leaf. What was even more depressing was that my mouth also had that obscure and strange odor. It was the smell of this lotus leaf.


    What was this disorderly circumstance, ah¡­¡­.


    Why would I be at this type of exquisite, ancient lakeside pavillion? Why would she be stupid to the point of eating a lotus leaf? Why is her stomach so hungry, ah?


    With her dizzy and blurry vision, she realized that she had gotten scared¡­..


    In front of her, burts of urgent footsteps could be heard accompanied by melodious and surprised voice. ¡°Miss, miss, Aunt Qing found delicious things!¡±


    Food? Without thinking, she snatched the things in the other person¡¯s hands. Several pastries nearly fell on the floor alongside some chicken legs that had already had a few bites taken out of it. Wu wu wu wu¡­¡­ She wolfed down the food.


    Wu wu wu wu. If this was during an ordinary time, she wouldn¡¯t even glance at these things that were usually given to the dogs to eat!


    Her stomach finally stopped protesting. The voice once again sounded out, carrying a bit of a sobbing tone, ¡°Miss, enjoy your meal, don¡¯t choke. Aunt Qing¡¯s to blame, she can¡¯t find food, allowing Miss to be hungry to this extent.¡±


    Satisfied, she rubbed her stomach. She finally lifted her head up, seriously and clearly looking at the person in front of her: the person looked to be about seventeen or eighteen with a delicate face. Their hair was combed into two buns, one on the right and the other on the left side of her head. They wore a green garment¡­¡­ The clothing was extremely traditional, one of a maid from a soap opera.


    Eh, who came to inform her of her current condition?


    Okay, her only concern was herself. She had no mother and no father. She led a talented life with intelligence and adaptation. With good intentions, she saved an elderly lady crossing the street, afterward, she lost consciousness. After awakening, she discovered that she became a ¡°Miss¡± and also saw a servant girl from the ancient times.


    Out of habit, she extended her fingers to cover her temple and ponder. She just discovered a big question: How did her hand become so small, it was like one of a five or six year old child.


    ¡°Ah, how could it be like this?¡±


    When these words came out, she hurriedly closed her lips. Such a breastfed sounding and smelling voice [1], it couldn¡¯t have been produced by her, right?


    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s going on?¡± That Aunt Qing worriedly asked, holding onto her body.


    Rising up, she went towards the lake. The clear lake water reflected the image of a child with fair and jade-like skin. Embedded in her circular and apple-shaped face were a pair of big, bright and beautiful eyes that were presently filled with disbelief. She had long eyelashes, a delicate nose, cherry colored soft lips, and soft black hair that was put into two cute buns.


    Very adorable, ah! Don¡¯t tell me, this was herself?


    She let out a dispirited breath. She needed time to clear her head and think about whether or not she really reincarnated in someone else¡¯s body, just like the stories from the legends. Although, she felt unreconciled to the fact that she was twenty and in the prime of her life when she substituted for an elderly lady, entering her current situation and re-living life wasn¡¯t necessarily impossible.


    Ancient times, ah! Let her first faint, OK!


    [1] breastfed sounding and smelling voice ¨C a childish sounding voice

 Chapter 2 - Cruel Reality

    Chapter Two Cruel Reality


    She finally understood how this adorable little girl died.


    The answer caused her to become speechless. That¡¯s right, she died of starvation. One character, cruel!


    Her mother was just the servant girl of a manor who had been stained by the master of the manor when he was under the influence. After becoming pregnant, she was bullied by the several madams of the manor. Then, she had a complicated birth and died in the process. So, the child was entrusted to a close friend. This close friend was Aunt Qing, the servant girl who looked after her (the main character), and up until now, she still hadn¡¯t been given a name. Aunt Qing called her Miss and others called her Za Zhong [1]. She was frequently humiliated and destitute. Being beaten or cursed was a common occurrence. It was no wonder that her white and tender skin was filled with bruises. What a pitiful child, your death freed you. But, you¡¯ve added more hardship to my, Gu Weiyi¡¯s, life, ah¡­¡­.


    Now, one could only keep moving forward, the situation had already started.


    Aunt Qing was third madam¡¯s maid. Third madam¡¯s personality was crafty and harsh, she would beat and scold subordinates. Only after the noon and evening meal would Aunt Qing have a chance of seeing her (Gu Weiyi) and giving her food. This time wasn¡¯t always accurate either, some days, she (Aunt Qing) wouldn¡¯t come to see her at all. Just like now, she had already been starved for an entire day. It¡¯s no wonder this body died of starvation.


    Rubbing her stomach, it had already begun grumbling again. Letting out a resigned sigh, she began to look for more food.


    Raising her small body up, she began to sneak her way towards the kitchen.


    By now, the evening meal had ended a while ago and the kitchen staff were no longer busy. She was only going to try her luck and see whether or not there were any leftovers.


    They were truly worthy to be called a rich and honorable household, even their kitchen was big enough to intimidate people. She tiptoed inside and climbed on top of the kitchen stove, then with great effort, she opened the enormous pot.


    Wu wu wu wu, unexpectedly, it was a pot of boiling water!


    Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t be discouraged, continue looking¡­¡­.


    Oh, there were three leftover steamed buns that were still warm! There was also a small bowl of chicken soup. Tonight, she finally didn¡¯t have to go hungry.


    She quickly decided to eat two steamed buns and leave one for Aunt Qing. She was also frequently hungry, ah. Presently, it was time for the bowl of chicken soup. She, Gu Weiyi, had stayed here for the greater part of a month. At last, she could eat meat again.


    She had just brought the bowl to her lips when she heard someone loudly suck in their breath. ¡°Who!¡±


    ¡°Pu tong [1]¡­..¡±


    A voice able to shatter pottery and porcelain sounded out. The little bowl dropped on the floor, breaking into thousands of pieces and juice spilled everywhere.


    Wu wu wu, her chicken soup, ah¡­¡­


    A large red lantern lit up and a plump dashen [2] appeared in front of her. She recognized this person because she had already explored around the kitchen for numerous days, this was the main cook, Fu Ma. One time, she was fortunate enough to be able to steal some braised lion¡¯s head pork meatballs that Fu Ma had made¨C ¨C the remainders. That flavor was something one never forgot in their lifetime, ah.


    Fu Ma was a good-natured person, this could be seen from her interactions with her (Gu Weiyi) and other subordinates. Nothing could be done, now, she had to make use of her adorable doll face and act pitiful.


    ¡°Wu wu wu wu, so hungry, want to eat food¡­¡­¡±


    Forgive her for using this childish method to win sympathy. In this world, the thing that didn¡¯t allow people to set defenses against was precisely a child¡¯s tears.


    Over the past few days, Fu Ma discovered that the food had been decreasing. Thus, she began to suspect that someone was stealing it, so tonight she had been in the kitchen, waiting all along. But, she never would¡¯ve thought that the thief was a child who was approximately five years old. Upon seeing the child¡¯s mournful tears, she panicked and promptly went over and carried her (Gu Weiyi) into her (Fu Ma¡¯s) embrace.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. Ai you [3], where did this child come from, how could she be starved to this extent? Truly sinful, ah! Where is your mom?¡±


    She blinked her big, watery eyes and mournfully sobbed, ¡°No mother, so hungry, wu wu wu wu¡­.¡±


    Distressed, Fu Ma brought the jia huo [4] even closer. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Fu Ma will find food for you, be good.¡± After saying that, she stood up and took out two baked sesame seed coated cakes from the top level of one of the cupboards. Gu Weiyi wasn¡¯t polite, taking the cakes, she devoured them.


    ¡°Yes, eat slowly. Drink some water, don¡¯t choke.¡± Fu Ma¡¯s soft voice sounded in her ear. Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart was grieved and her tears dropped down.


    ¡°Ai you, how come you¡¯re crying again?¡± Fu Ma was bewildered, how could such an adorable child cry so much her appearance caused one¡¯s heart to hurt.


    ¡°No, nobody has treated me as good as Fu Ma¡­¡­.¡± Choked with emotion, Gu Weiyi cried even louder.


    Fu Ma hurriedly gathered her little body closer and comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. In the future, ah, Fu Ma will be good to you. Following this, you ah, come to Fu Ma¡¯s place and eat good food every day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Weiyi¡¯s tears turned into laughter. Out of excitement, she loudly kissed Fu Ma¡¯s face with two ¡°pu pu¡± sounds, causing Fu Ma to joyously laugh. ¡°Really is a good child.¡±


    [1] Za Zhong ¨C this can be loosely translated to ¡®mixed breed¡¯


    [2] Pu tong ¨C the sound of an object falling into water


    [3] dashen ¨C the wife of her father¡¯s older brother


    [4] Ai you ¨C similar to ¡°Oh my¡±


    [5] jia huo ¨C could be loosely translated to either fellow or child

 Chapter 3 - Sudden Change Inside the Manor

    Chapter 3 Sudden Change Inside the Manor


    Ever since she formed an intimate relationship with Fu Ma, this ¡°wealthy person¡±, she, Gu Weiyi, finally had good days. Each time the manor had a feast, she would always secretly run to the kitchen when it had finished. There, there were many yummy things left over by Fu Ma for her. The rest of her time was spent amusing herself or losing herself in her thoughts in the pavillion she woke up in that day. There was a small abandoned garden there that usually didn¡¯t have anyone visiting it. She could stay in there and be at ease until Aunt Qing came to call her back. Although these days were boring, at least there was no one to bully or humiliate her. They could be considered smooth and steady.


    The second half of the month passed, Gu Weiyi passed her days the same way a pig would- when she finished eating, she would sleep and when she woke up, she would eat. She didn¡¯t have to strive to study. Didn¡¯t have to da gong [1]. She didn¡¯t need to stay up late at night nor suffer through a boss¡¯s abuse. And she didn¡¯t have to make a living in order to struggle to live in society. This sort of tranquil life was actually exceptionally beautiful.


    Taking off her shoes, she stepped into the lake and the feeling of the cold water made her let out a pleased breath. The little fishes in the water also swam over, kissing the soles of her feet. Sharp and clear ¡°ge ge¡± sounds could be heard as her young and melodious laughter rang beside the pavilion. As the sun was setting, she became tired from playing and climbed on top of the pavilions fence to sleep.


    In a daze, she didn¡¯t no how long she slept for, by the time she woke up, it was already pitch dark. The frogs and insects of the summer all repeatedly called out and the soft, bright light of the round moon spilled out, allowing one to faintly see the surrounding scenery to be faintly visible.


    Strange, why didn¡¯t Aunt Qing call for her today? Looking around, she could see that it was already late and her disobedient stomach also began to sing songs. With an empty mouth, she sat up.


    It really is very strange, ai. On the road, she didn¡¯t see any servant girls or little manservants and when she ran inside the kitchen, it was a chaotic mess inside. There wasn¡¯t even one person, forget about there even being food.


    What can be done, ah? If she wanted to go look for Aunt Qing, she would need to pass by the manor¡¯s large hall. If she was found by one of those little concubines, she would surely suffer a miserable death.


    The maids¡¯ quarters were located in the rear court and the kitchen just happened to be in the opposite direction. Usually, Aunt Qing didn¡¯t want her to go looking for her, to avoid a beating. But, currently, Fu Ma was also absent and she was so hungry, ah.


    She didn¡¯t care anymore and decided to test her luck, she may not even bump into anyone.


    Following the long corridor, she lightly ran. The thumping sounds she produced seemed abnormally clear in the empty night. She suddenly stopped, if someone heard her it wouldn¡¯t be good. She softly and quietly walked out of the corridor and made her way to the large hall.


    There was a strange sweet fishy smell in the air that was rather nauseating. Gu Weiyi¡¯s head felt somewhat dizzy and her stomach suddenly felt queasy, she really wanted to throw up, ah¡­.


    From far away, she spotted the large hall. Leaning against the wall, her small head went inside to explore. It was dead silent, nobody was alarmed. Patting her chest, she felt relieved and strode inside. Turning around, in the main hall, there were people! But it was very strange, those several bodyguards were all lying on the floor and the bloody smell in the air was even more condensed.


    A bad premonition rushed forward in her heart and she hoped that it wasn¡¯t what she thought. Walking over, she crouched down and turned that person¡¯s body over and stumbled, falling onto the floor.


    Blood, blood was all over their entire body! Their eyes were wide open with fright and their body was strangely twisted. Under the moonlight, they expressed extreme fear.


    Vomit¡­


    Goodness, what¡¯s going on! Did someone massacre the manor? These people dying didn¡¯t matter, but the two people, Aunt Qing and Fu Ma, were good to her. She couldn¡¯t help but worry, ah!


    Her eyes were slightly red, Gu Weiyi forced herself to become cool headed. She must find Aunt Qing and Fu Ma!


    Walking further inside the large hall, it was filled with dead servant girls and bodyguards. There were also several beautifully clothed females, presumably they were her cheap father¡¯s concubines. Resisting her fear and disgust, she began to look one by one, none of them (the bodies) were them (Aunt Qing and Fu Ma)! Letting out a breath, she half staggered and half ran out.


    In her panic, she randomly chose a road and looked around. She practically hadn¡¯t walked around inside the manor, how could she possibly find the roads. Gu Weiyi had some desperate tears, she had always been a strong person, crying was a show of weakness. In fact, she cried very rarely. But a type of Asura-type purgatory scene was something that opened in movies. For a twenty year old girl, that was born in a peaceful decade, to personally experience such fear and helplessness was self evident. Let alone to say that she was currently a five year old little girl. With this small and weak body, if Aunt Qing and Fu Ma also died, how was she going to keep on living?


    In front of her, she heard a noisy shout and saw the lantern¡¯s light. Her heart was pleased and Gu Weiyi silently walked forward.


    This was the back garden of a small courtyard, at this moment, it was fully packed with the shadows of other people. Ten or so masked people wearing black clothes had their backs turned towards her, they were filled with death and somber breaths. Across from them was a group of shivering men and women huddled together. Inside, there was two figures, one purple and one green. Looking at their appearances, they seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen years old. From Weiyi¡¯s point of view, she couldn¡¯t see their faces, but she could see that they were the only ones moving inside the group of people. In addition, there were those black clothed people respectfully standing, staring at them. These two youths were the eldest children! She faintly suspected, Gu Weiyi stretched her neck out.


    She looked for Fu Ma and Aunt Qing¡¯s figures in the group of people. As expected, she saw Aunt Qing and a small servant girl shivering and curled up together, nestled behind a large tree. But with these current conditions, how could she save her. Really is a headache, ah!


    She hatefully stared over at the group of people, the middle-aged man being hugged by a flock of female children seemed to be her cheap father. The other servant girl was his little concubine and child. Die old man, you provoked some enemy family, didn¡¯t raise me, and now you even want me to die alongside you? No way!


    [1] da gong ¨C this can be loosely translated to a job that¡¯s temporary or casual

 Chapter 4 - Asura gege

    Chapter Four Asura gege


    Her cheap father trembled as he looked at the two devilish purple and green youths. With forced calmness, he angrily said, ¡°Bas****! My most unfortunate case is that I¡¯m your father, how can you guys act like this to me!¡±


    ¡°Father?¡± The purple clothed youth¡¯s sharp and cold voice sounded out. There was some ridicule in his voice, as if he heard something hilarious and he strangely laughed.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha¡­¡­¡­ Unexpectedly, you still have the face to say you¡¯re our father! Jing Wuchang, you use your sons lives to drag on your own ignoble existence. We can¡¯t afford this sort of ¡®grand¡¯ father!¡±


    That old man, Jing Wuchang¡¯s complexion was ashen. He hatefully said, ¡°You two are monsters, from birth you subdued Father. To be able to be used to continue your father¡¯s life, that¡¯s your honor!¡± That cheap father¡¯s face was full of anger. His words with forceful and filled with justice, as if they were proper and expected. His eyes were filled with even more undisguised hatred and dread towards these two youngsters.


    Although she was puzzled by what she heard, Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but still roll her eyes. This damned old man, unexpectedly, he was so shameless, cold, and ruthless. He didn¡¯t even care about his sons, let alone to say herself, a girl born from a little servant girl.


    But, Gu Weiyi also had some things she wasn¡¯t clear about. Father and son wanted to destroy each other? How odd, ah! No matter, first she must hear more before saying anything!


    To the side, the green clothed male suddenly extended his hand out and pinched the old man¡¯s neck. ¡°Monster? Yes, ah. Then just come and see how these two devils, that you gave life to, destroy your Jin Feng villa!¡± The youth let out a strange and sinister light laugh and released the old man. Turning around, he grabbed a nearby male that was over twenty years old and walked in front of the old man.


    ¡°This one seems to be your eldest son. I¡¯ve heard that he is multifaceted, earning your favor, ah!¡±


    The young male¡¯s face evoked a clearly arrogant and willful expression. At this moment, his whole face was already filled with hostility. ¡°Monster, stop being wanton!¡±


    ¡°He he he he, is it so?¡± The purple clothed male also walked over, ¡°I insist on being wanton, what can you do about it? You say, how do you want to die? Do you want my twenty strong guards to properly serve upon you here,¡± His sinister smile deepened and the purple clothed youth opened his maliciously mouth again, ¡±Or, use you as a Medicine Person?¡±


    The male¡¯s face held horror as he stared at him in panic. His previous brave and fierce act disappeared until there was practically none of it left. Paralyzed, he timidly curled up into a ball. ¡°You, you¡­.¡±


    The green clothed youth stopped smiling as his expression quickly flashed with ruthlessness. ¡°Drag him down!¡±


    From the group of black clothed guards, two people emerged and supported him out. Soon after, the male¡¯s mournful cries were heard alongside sounds of sexual intercourse¡­¡­¡­


    Tightly covering her mouth, Gu Weiyi was shaking from head to toe. So merciless, those two youths were simply too merciless!


    Some womenfolk already lost consciousness and died. Hearing the blood-curdling screeches from behind the wall, Jing Wuchang¡¯s face paled and he began to violently shake.


    The purple clothed man seemed to be unsatisfied as he gloomily opened his mouth, ¡°Look at your several sons and daughters, they¡¯ve grown really pretty, ah. It would be better to send them to be herdsmen and to brothels. There will certainly be lots of men that like them.¡±


    Jing Wuchang suddenly spit out a mouth full of blood. He resentfully and helplessly pointed at the purple clothed youth, ¡°You guys are simply not human!¡±


    The green clothed youth kicked him and his originally well-built body flew outside, smashing squarely into a tree, causing him to bleed.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ah¡­¡­¡­¡± A woman mournfully shrieked.


    ¡°Lord¡­.¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡­..¡±


    The green clothed youth wiped his hands as if he was disgusted and lazily said, ¡°You said it correctly, we aren¡¯t human, we¡¯re monsters! Wasn¡¯t this what you said?¡±


    ¡°Males will be sent off to be herdsmen and females will be left behind to be Medicine People. Drag the old man¡¯s corpse out. I want them to experience a living death!¡±


    The cruel words the green clothed youth said caused Gu Weiyi to quiver from being scared. She fell backwards and coincidentally, she fell onto a flower pot in the corner, emitting a loud noise.


    Tragic! In despair, she closed her eyes. Screwed!


    There was a strong wind behind her and she felt her neck being picked up. Someone picked her up and flew some circles in the air before stopping. She heard the youth¡¯s overly sweet, nearly frightening voice. ¡°As it turns out, there¡¯s a fish that escaped the net, ah!¡±


    ¡°Must not!¡± It was Aunt Qing that shouted, she must have recognized her. ¡°Begging you two youths to let off Miss, she¡¯s innocent, ah!¡±


    Her heart felt moved and sad, this foolish Aunt Qing. Unexpectedly, in these types of circumstances, she¡¯s still thinking about her safety, really is an idiot!


    ¡°Miss? That is Jing Wuchang¡¯s daughter,¡± A magnetic voice carrying traces of venom sounded out. In an instant, it turned grim and unfeeling, ¡°Sell to a brothel!¡±


    What? She doesn¡¯t want to be a prostitute!


    Suddenly opening her eyes, Gu Weiyi wanted to open her mouth and rain curses down. But upon seeing those serene, green eyes, that beautiful and pure color, it caused her to think about the bluish-green lake during June. Clean and without any impurities. She nearly forgot she was on the line of life and death, she foolishly indulged herself in that boundless green.


    ¡°Very beautiful¡­¡­¡±


    Lowly mumbling to herself, she suddenly extended her small hands and gently stroked the edges of those beautiful eyes. Raising her head up, she leaned forwards and lightly kissed it.


    In an instant, all noises faded away.


    Something flashed in those green eyes and before her expression could come back, a pair of hands carried her over. Her small black eyebrows puckered up, without anytime to grumble, she seemed to have bumped into a vast ocean of purple. As if she entered a lavender flower ocean and could no longer swim out.


    Unexpectedly, it¡¯s purple eyes!


    Sighing in admiration, she latched onto the person¡¯s neck. What danger, what fright. She completely forgot about all of it, all she did was mumbled to herself, ¡°Very beautiful eyes¡­¡­¡±


    She finally came back when there was odd silence all around and she finally clearly understood what the current situation was. This was the first time she found that she had a slow response. Meeting Aunt Qing¡¯s worried and frightened expression, she didn¡¯t know what to do now. There was only the option to rigidly wrap around the purple clothed youth¡¯s neck and frightfully and beseechingly look towards him. ¡°Don¡¯t want to die and don¡¯t want Aunt Qing to die. Gege [1] don¡¯t¡­¡­¡±


    The current her could only gamble with a childish innocence. But she knew, as Jing Wuchang¡¯s daughter, she would certainly not be faced with extra difficulties. But, from the discourse of words she just heard, she discovered that she had an opportunity to live. That was that she had been similarly abandoned by Jing Wuchang.


    Aunt Qing¡¯s petite body shivered but she still firmly begged for forgiveness. ¡°Young man, let Miss off. She¡¯s still small, doesn¡¯t understand anything, ah!¡±


    Making a firm resolution, Gu Weiyi let out a deep breath and timidly looked towards Aunt Qing who was kneeling on the floor, naively and doubtfully saying, ¡°Aunt Qing, why do you have to beg gege?¡±


    The green clothed youth raised his hand and pointed at a indistinguishable corpse on the floor, that was Jing Wuchang¡¯s corpse. ¡°Bad old man, is that him?¡±


    Seriously nodding her head, her sweet and milky voice angrily said, ¡°Aunt Qing said that, that scoundrel of an old man defiled mother and didn¡¯t want her. Mother died, they all bullied¨C ¨C, didn¡¯t give¨C ¨C food, and beat¨C ¨C!¡±


    Miserably sobbing, pea sized teardrops fell down as Gu Weiyi lifted up her sleeve, exposing unhealed bruises and scars.


    The green clothed youth¡¯s questioning expression looked towards Aunt Qing and nodded his head. Aunt Qing hurriedly said, ¡°This servant¡¯s good sister was sullied by the manor¡¯s master when he was drunk, not something defiling. After giving birth to Miss, she suffered humilation everyday. Miss¡¯ days in the manor pass by worse than even a servant girl¡¯s, frequently beat and starved. Begging the two young men to let Miss off, she truly is innocent.¡±


    Aunt Qing was a good person. Hard to imagine she was normally foolish, unexpectedly, she¡¯s so smart currently. She understood as much as herself (Gu Weiyi).


    She timidly looked into the eyes of the purple clothed boy again and saw that there was still unlimited coldness inside, but the killing intent had already vanished. Her heart loosened, actually, when she had kissed the eyes of the green clothed male and genuinely admired him, the killing intent had weakened. And to add onto the fact, after these few sentences between them, Gu Weiyi could already completely put her heart at ease. She knew that these boys wouldn¡¯t kill them.


    Her big eyes had turned red from crying and after passing by such a long time on an empty stomach as well as the immense fear she had experienced, everything before her turned black. Gu Weiyi¡¯s small and soft body fell asleep in the purple clothed youth¡¯s embrace just like this. She vaguely heard Aunt Qing¡¯s impatient and anxious shout¡­¡­


    [1] gege ¨C older brothe

 Chapter 5 - Miss of a Wealthy Family

    Chapter 5 Miss of a Wealthy Family


    The number one villa in martial arts circles completely burned three months before. Simultaneously, a new organization was formed at Jin Feng villa¡¯s original location¨C ¨C Xiu Luo [1] villa. It was different from Jin Feng villa¡¯s righteousness and benevolence. As it was, Xiu Luo villa was the earth¡¯s purgatory. In these short three months, it already became Yin Yue country¡¯s most frightful assassins organization.


    Nowadays, the world was divided into three; Yin Yue country, Chi Yu country, and Xue Yu country. As a result of the three countries¡¯ strength being equal, they currently lived together in harmony, peacefully going along. However, regarding Gu Weiyi, these things were nothing more than dispensable matters.


    The current her was extremely happy, truly is very blessed.


    Jin Feng villa already became Xiu Luo villa, the master of the manor became Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue, and she became Xiu Luo villa¡¯s da xiao jie [2]¨C ¨C Xue Wushang. Of course, this name was chosen for her by the two gege. Outsiders didn¡¯t know the existence of Xiu Luo villa¡¯s miss and inside Xiu Luo villa, she was still called Gu Weiyi.


    In the early morning inside a delicate female¡¯s boudoir, on top of a large, soft bed, a petite child laid on a secondary white chest, deeply asleep. A silver colored thread came out of her soft and small red lips and fell onto the jade-like face of the youth whose embrace she was resting in. Long eyelashes covered the pair of quick-witted eyes, her small nose slightly moved as she rhythmically breathed, seeming to be exceptionally pampered and simple-minded.


    ¡°Little fellow, drooling!¡±


    A youth¡¯s pleasant and indulgent voice sounded out as the scented canopy lightly moved and three vague silloughtes appeared. Of course, there was two thirteen to fourteen year old boys and in their embrace there was a small head concealed between them. Between the two boys, one was on the right and one was on the left. Their inky black hair was tangled together alongside the little person¡¯s that was between them, appearing to be exceptionally beautiful. The boy on the left side indulgently opened his mouth as his slender and jade-like hand gently stroked the smiling child¡¯s tender cheek, the face was delicate and peerless. Peerless peach blossom eyes were slightly curved as his brilliant purple eyes roamed around, imitating an indolent, charming Persian cat. He was absolutely a beautiful person, pretty and flirtatious yet he was also classical and refined. These two extreme differences were both present on him, but there wasn¡¯t any bit of contradiction. A pair of strange and enchanting purple eyes caused his indolence to blend into mystery, as if he was an evil spirit who brought misfortune in people¡¯s lives, causing people to yearn for him and feel timid. And the youth on the right side, although he possessed the same complexion to the opposite side, nobody would mistake the two of them. He had a pair of lonely and serene greenish-blue eyes that were filled with coldness. His skin was the same color as snow with the clear splendor of flickering moonlight, completely lacking any flaws, enticing people to gasp in surprise. But in this way, he also resembled a blooming jade lotus who was apathetic, estranged, and unfeeling.


    The little person in the middle was about five-years-old with a round, apple shaped face, emitting a rosy sweet fragrance. The tender skin was rosy and white, her soft and slippery hair was shoulder length and was messily wound around her neck. She resembled a delicate, homeless, and miserable baby, causing people to want to cup her in the palm of their hands and spoil her.


    Something flashed in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes, as if ripples emerged in the dark-green lake, clearly moving. His snow white and slender arm softly lifted and from the dressing table, he took out a handkerchief, lightly wiping the corner of the little person¡¯s mouth as pampering and tender feelings appeared in his eyes. When he finished wiping, he threw the handkerchief on the stomach of the brother [3] that got drooled on. His head didn¡¯t lift, he just went lower and softly kissed the little person¡¯s bright and clean forehead.


    Xue Yunge didn¡¯t get mad, he took the handkerchief and wiped his stomach clean.


    ¡°Should we wake her up? She slept for so long already, it should be time to eat the noon meal!¡±


    ¡°En,¡± nodding his head, Xue Zhuyue took the little fellow¡¯s nose and softly bit it. She was the one who loved to lay in bed the most, but she was also the most ticklish. Every day, all you had to do was lightly kiss her and she would feel itchy and quickly wake up.


    Softly saying, Xue Yunge also dipped his head, kissing that tender face. Looking at the little person puckering her eyebrows, he stopped, satisfied and waited for her to wake up.


    Those butterfly wing-like long eyelashes lightly trembled, slowly opening up and exposing a pair of black, starry eyes. Because she just woke up, they were exceptionally hazy and blurred,  like a black lotus blossoming in the mist, mysterious and bewitching. When she focused on the pair of incomparably beautiful appearances in front of her, she erupted into pleasant sounding and blissful laughter.


    ¡°Ge¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Stretching her two arms out, she allowed the two gege to dress her. Either way, she was still a child, and having someone who would serve you, what can you do about it. Xue Zhuyue¡¯s slender finger softly and lightly rubbed against her forehead, as if he was petting a small animal. By the time he combed her hair into a child¡¯s bun, Xue Yunge also finished putting clothes on her. Carrying her small body, Xue Yunge walked out of the room and began walking towards the large wall.


    ¡°Yi Yi, today gege has something to attend to and can¡¯t accompany you. When you finish eating your noon meal, stay inside the manor okay?¡±


    They passed through exquisite pavilions and kiosks as Xue Zhuyue closely followed behind. Gu Weiyi nodded her head, she wasn¡¯t a child that would cause trouble without reason, even if she had the appearance of a child currently.


    ¡°Do you want gege to bring back anything for you?¡±


    Inside the large hall, Aunt Qing had already placed down the bowls and chopsticks. The three people sat down and like before, Gu Weiyi was still in Xue Yunge¡¯s embrace.


    Earnestly thinking, ¡°I want Poison King¡¯s Hundred Bite and Medical Sage¡¯s Hundred Split. These two people are always fighting, I want to see who¡¯s more awesome between them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t have anymore?¡±


    Opening her mouth, she swallowed the chicken soup second brother fed her. But when she shook her head, the juice flowed out.


    ¡°Look at you, how can you be so careless!¡±


    Xun Yunge gathered her closer, he moved closer to her red lips and extended his tongue, lightly licking her chin.


    ¡°Ge¡­¡±


    The cheeks on her round face flushed and Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart began to wildly beat. Eldest brother and second brother frequently kissed her, but they had never kissed her lips so ambiguously. But she knew that they liked to be so close with her because they were different in other people¡¯s eyes. They were treated as monsters, banished by others, but they grew in the hate. Their hearts were already incapable of trusting anyone. It was only because she had opened a window that she was allowed in, but she was also not allowed to walk out. Inside the manor, only servant girls attended to her, there were no little manservants. So much so that apart from Aunt Qing, even servant girls weren¡¯t allowed to get too close with her. With regards to their intense possessiveness, she didn¡¯t resist it. Perhaps to other people, this was losing her freedom. But who also knew that she, Gu Weiyi, was originally a cold-hearted and unfeeling person. Apart from a few people that she cared about, she didn¡¯t have any interest in other people, matters, or objects. Besides, she was so young now, what capabilities did she have to go out and protect herself? This world wasn¡¯t the same one as the one in her previous life, with law and order in society. Here, the weak were pray to the strong. She was already tired after living through and struggling in her previous life. She just wanted to be a little rice weevil. To be able to raise and love her own people in her own world, she would already be very happy.


    [1] Xiu Luo ¨C Xiu Luo is Asura, I just felt it sounded nicer than Asura villa


    [2] da xiao jie ¨C the eldest daughter of an affluent family


    [3] brother ¨C the raws actually say ÐÖ³¤ (xiong zhang) which is what a male would refer to another male if both are around a similar age

 Chapter 6 - Secret

    Chapter Six Secret


    Wan Li mountain, doctor¡¯s grave.


    Wan Li mountain, there were generations upon generations of doctors here, it could even be said that the world¡¯s best apothecaries resided here. There was also the Medicinal Valley, who was said to be able to get people to rise from the dead. But in order to request treatment, one must complete the Medicinal Valley¡¯s three requirements, otherwise it would impossible. Wan Li mountain was filled with poisonous mechanisms, if an outsider tried to force their way in, they would definitely end up dying of poison.


    Currently, there were two brothers managing Wan Li mountain, Mo Mi and Mo Xie. Brother Mo Mi was good with poisons and Mo Xie favored medicines. The two often fought against each other, one poisoned and the other detoxified, they never seemed to tire of it. The two were brothers, but they were also rivals. But even more than that, they were each other¡¯s close friends. So although they frequently quarreled over which was senior, medicine or poison, in a manner one would with an enemy, they had never reached the stage of mutual hatred.


    But today, Wan Li mountain met destruction and calamity. It was usually peaceful and worry-free, but at this moment, corpses could be found all throughout it. Blood flowed everywhere and the air reeked of blood. There were several masked people wearing black clothes with strange and cruel martial arts. Soon, there were corpses everywhere in Wan Li mountain.


    Returning to Chun hall, the main hall where the doctors usually gathered to discuss medicine, Mo Mi and Mo Xie¡¯s whole bodies were blood stained. They cut a sorry figure as they leaned on bamboo chairs, gasping for breath, there were several other clansmen around them. Thirty black clothed people were standing there, expressionless. They surrounding the entire hall and didn¡¯t continue moving, as if they were waiting for something.


    Looking at the clansmen that were at their last breaths, Mo Mi and Mo Xie felt bitter and hateful. But, they didn¡¯t understand, Mo family always shunned the world and didn¡¯t leave. How could they attract such a vicious foe, who, unexpectedly, wanted to destroy this Wan Li mountain.


    But if they knew that this disaster was just because a little girl spoke, without thinking, of a wish, what would their expressions be!


    All the black clothed people in the doorway suddenly all kneeled down, there seemed to be some sort of sound breaking the quiet air. Mo family brothers all attentively watched the front door, they knew that the master had arrived. They really wanted to know who was it and how Wan Li mountain had offended them to cause them to want to exterminate them.


    When the two youths walked into the main hall, everyone forgot to breathe.


    One purple and one green, two twin brothers possessing the same complexion but different eye colors, seeming as if they were twin lotus flowers blooming in a pond of blood. Strange and enchantingly beautiful, everyone¡¯s eyes were attracted to them. The pretty and flirtatious youth with purple eyes filled with tossing billows was like a devil, bloodthirsty and cruel. The green clothed youth¡¯s complexion was cold and detached. His dark green eyes were deep and his white, jade-like delicate face carried frostiness and mercilessness, causing people to lack the courage to approach him.


    They clearly had a beautiful complexion, but when matched with their strange and frightening different colored eyes, they seemed to be devils who came from Hell. Bloodthirsty and merciless devils.


    ¡°Hand over Hundred Bite and Hundred Split and you won¡¯t die!¡±


    The youth¡¯s voice indifferent, carrying traces of force and bloodthirstiness, it held no room for resistance.


    The Mo family brothers let out distressed smiles, as it turns out this calamity was actually because of these guarded clan treasures. But in front of the life or death of their clansmen, what worth could these treasured books have. They had no other choice.


    They called people to bring the treasure chest over, two people mutually extorted their internal force and two silver threads appeared. These Mo family clan books had such a mysterious method to conceal the key, really is brilliant.


    Once they obtained the key, the demonic youth opened his mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll honor my word. From now on, Wan Li mountain will be under Xiu Luo villa¡¯s protection.¡±


    The two people were filled with alarm. Unexpectedly, it was Xiu Luo villa, it¡¯s no wonder they were so vicious and pitiless. At this moment, everyone understood. What ¡°protection¡±, it was merely Xiu Luo villa occupying one of Wan Li mountain¡¯s ports. Disappointingly falling over, the two honest, middle-aged men seemed to have turned old overnight.


    From now on, this world no longer had Wan Li mountain or Medicinal Valley.


    Xiu Luo villa¡¯s only pavillion.


    In a small and elegant loft, a petite figure rested on a long couch, diligently reading travel notes. The sun shone on her body, her eyelashes dropped down as the sun created a golden halo on it, causing her to seem like a fairy who lived high in the clouds.


    The two brothers arrived at the door, after cleaning off all the dust, and saw this peaceful and pure scene. Immediately, both their eye colors dimmed. Regarding their bloody hands and filthy bodies, could they still truly have her? They had also been called monsters because of their different colored eyes, the current Yi Yi was merely a child. Would it be because she was a child that she wouldn¡¯t know what these strange eyes actually represented? So she would consider these colors were beautiful? After she recognized the meaning of these eyes, would she be like others and become afraid and banish them?


    Their hearts were in turmoil and filled with dread, they were unable to reconcile. So, they stubbornly locked her inside the manor and didn¡¯t allow her to contact the outside world¡¯s people or matters. As long as she was eternally a pure hearted child, it would be fine. She would forever be loved and pampered by them, forever accompany by their side. As long as it could be like this, even if the heavens were destroyed and the earth was extinguished, what harm was there? This world was evil, it had already been so cruel to them. Now that they had the means to resist, regardless of everything, they had to keep the things they wanted.


    Purple eyes and green eyes shared a firm glance between each other and began walking towards the brilliant and translucent angel.


    Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t have to lift her head, a familiar scent was in the air, letting her know that her gegehad returned. Cheerfully turning around, she saw them heading towards her. Just as she was about to stand up, Xue Zhuyue already swept her into his embrace. She habitually drew herself towards his neck, sitting on the couch with him. Big brother Xue Yunge also sat down and took out two yellowing, ancient texts. ¡°Yi Yi, Ge brought back the books you wanted.¡±


    She randomly threw it onto one of the book couches, Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t take one look at it. She originally just spoke without thinking, nothing more. Moreover, if she wanted to read it, there would be plenty of time later.


    ¡°Gege, why did you leave for so long? Yi Yi really missed you.¡± She hugged Xue Zhuyue¡¯s neck and lazily acted spoilt. To tell the truth, it was actually quite boring to stay alone in the loft, Aunt Qing was busy with other matters. And Fu Ma, she no longer saw her after that night. She knew that she was already dead. Although she was sad, life had to continue moving on.


    She was very lazy. Didn¡¯t want to study martial arts or the four arts [1]. In order to defend herself, she specially chose medicine and the poison arts. But it wasn¡¯t such an easy matter. She had to memorize many medicine names, the use of medicines, and complicated acupuncture points of the human body. It was good that she was a willful and resolute person and her ability to memorize wasn¡¯t bad. The characters here were traditional Chinese characters, she could basically identify them all and learning it all was comparably easy. She was still small now, but if she stayed in the villa forever, she would become depressed.


    [1] the four arts ¨C zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting

 Chapter 7 - Requesting

    Chapter Seven Requesting


    Carrying the soft little body in his embrace and hearing her warm words and spoilt act, a trace of warm light streaked across his dark green eyes. Kissing the tip of her adorable little nose, he indulgently mumbled in her ear, ¡°Spoilt!¡± Gu Weiyi felt ticklish and laughed, making ¡°ge ge¡± noises and lightly struggling in his embrace. Xue Zhuyue allowed her to be noisy but didn¡¯t notice the gleam flash in the little guy¡¯s big, crafty eyes. The little hand seamlessly left a colorless and odorless thing on his body, then she waited for him to react.


    But after some time, second brother still held her in his embrace. She suspiciously raised her head, don¡¯t tell me her own medicine didn¡¯t have any effect? But she clearly already tested it on small animals, ah?


    Xue Yunge looked at the little darling¡¯s adorable puzzled face and couldn¡¯t help but start laughing. That intoxicating person¡¯s purple eyes overflowed with a warm smiling expression, as if a wide expanse of lavender all began to simultaneously bloom. Gu Weiyi foolishly looked at him with a face full of infatuation. The smiling expression in Xue Yunge¡¯s eyes deepened. Only she would hold such an admiring expression towards the purple eyes that endlessly terrified everyone.


    He leaned over to kiss her red cheek and with a face filled with joy, he teased, ¡°Little fool, Gege is already immune to all sorts of poisons. Your little tricks, Yue has already seen through earlier!¡±


    At this moment, Xue Zhuyue¡¯s icy and beautiful face was also filled with smiles. Just thinking about the little jia huo¡¯s ¡®got away with it¡¯ happy expression and the following confused cute expression, he couldn¡¯t help but want to continue teasing her. This buffoon, ah, how would they be willing to part with her?


    ¡°O¡­¡­¡±


    Defeated, she pouted her red lips, but her eyes flashed with unwillingness. Her pitch black eyes spiritedly turned around, and hidden in her broad sleeves, her hands also began to move. ¡°Second brother, your face seems to have something dirty on it, ai!¡± Leaning closer to the beautiful face that resembled a lotus, Gu Weiyi made a show of being very earnest and neared it.


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Holding the soft face, Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but sigh with sorrow. Second brother¡¯s face is so smooth, o, skin is really good. But she can¡¯t be softhearted. Her left (hand) pinched and her right groped until the perfect appearance in front of her was filled with red marks. When it turned comical and ridiculous (looking), she finally felt satisfied and stopped.


    Xue Yunge laughed as he looked at the ¡°avenged¡± Weiyi and Xue Zhuye also smiled. He clearly knew the prank on his face, but Xue Zhuyue still let her act willfully, allowing her to vent her heart¡¯s discontentment. Liked to pamper her, liked to see her enthusiastic appearance.


    ¡°Okay, look at how you fooled with Yue!¡± He lovingly pulled her wandering hands down and hugged her closer. Xue Yunge looked at her dirty palm and looked at the stripes on Yue¡¯s face, then he softly pinched her cheek. ¡°Really dirty!¡±


    In a currying favor manor, she laughed towards big brother. ¡°Second brother didn¡¯t blame me, big brother won¡¯t be angry right?¡±


    ¡°Go take a bath!¡± He helplessly poked the tip of her small nose. Xue Yunge carried her and began walking towards the bathroom.


    The bathroom was very large, resembling a small swimming pool. Steam hovered, rose petals were scattered all around, and the air had an exceptionally sweet smell. Rustling noises of taking off clothes were heard and Gu Weiyi¡¯s small body quickly became naked. She jumped inside the pool, played with the droplets and appreciated the beauty and ¡°elegance¡± of the boys taking their clothes off. Big brother and second brother were truly God¡¯s masterpiece, their whole body was perfect. In her former life, where was she able to see such a beautiful male, let alone a pair of beautiful twins. Don¡¯t even talk about earning their doting. So, Gu Weiyi was extremely grateful and satisfied.


    Xue Zhuyue first stepped in the bath and drew Weiyi¡¯s small body into his embrace. Then, to Xue Yunge, who was on the side, he said, ¡°Ge, bring the jasmine essential oil and peppermint dew over here.¡±


    As a result, older brother washed her short, black hair. Using the peppermint dew, he lightly pat her soft, black hair. Meanwhile, second brother used the jasmine essential oil and moistened it on her body, rubbing it until thin bubbles appeared. Bored, Gu Weiyi moved her four limbs around in the water, singing the Shower Song, offkey.


    ¡°I love to bathe, skin is good, e e e e e e e,


    Be careful of fleas, many bubbles, e e e e e e e,


    Mermaids, want to run away¡­¡­.¡±


    Pinching her small nose, Xue Yunge laughed. ¡°What are you singing? Very strange tune!¡±


    Resentfully slapping his large hands, Gu Weiyi puckered her slender eyebrows. Annoying gege, always pinching her nose. In the future, it¡¯ll definitely fall off¡­¡­


    ¡°Gege, I also want to go out with you guys.¡±


    The movement of their hands stopped and after a while, Xue Yunge opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Why? You¡¯re still too small, the outside world is too dangerous. You can¡¯t go out.¡±


    Xue Zhuyue didn¡¯t speak, but his hand increased in strength, causing Weiyi to feel slight throbs of pain.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say right now! When I finish learning my poison methods, we can go out together. I also want to help gege, ah!¡±


    ¡°The affairs that gege do, don¡¯t need your help!¡±


    ¡°Then why have you been always been so busy, these past few months, that you lose sleep at night? Don¡¯t try to deceive me. In addition, staying inside the manor all day, Gege, Yi Yi is very bored, ah!¡±


    She coquettishly rubbed against big brother¡¯s body, miserably pleading. But seeing that big brother didn¡¯t pay any attention to her, she switched directions to second brother. Kissing his snow white, beautiful face, ¡°Gege, agree to Yi Yi. Yi Yi promises she will be very well behaved, very obedient!¡±


    Regardless, regardless. She put all her energy into acting coquettishly and kissed him, she had to wear them down until they agreed, then she would stop.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± He finally couldn¡¯t stand her nagging, big brother opened his mouth, ¡°I agree, but you need to wait until you¡¯re twelve-years-old. In addition, if your poison methods haven¡¯t been all learned, it also won¡¯t do!¡±


    ¡°Thank you big brother, Yi Yi loves big brother the most!¡± She excitedly gave him a big kiss and turned around to give second brother one as well, ¡°Yi Yi also loves second brother, won¡¯t favor one and discriminate the other!¡±


    Her deadly earnest words stirred up both brothers¡¯ spoiling smiles. And Gu Weiyi¡¯s goal today could be considered to have been achieved.


    After the bath, the three people went on the bed to rest. Gu Weiyi quickly began to dream in the two people¡¯s embrace.


    When Xue Zhuyue was certain she had fallen asleep, he quietly said, ¡°Ge, why did you have to agree to her? Don¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t scared¡­¡­¡±


    Xue Yunge interrupted him, ¡°Yue, sooner or later, Yi Yi will want to go out. I think that we shouldn¡¯t regard her as an ordinary child. She actually understands a lot. I believe the matters we¡¯re concerned over won¡¯t happen. Even if it really happened, we also have to face it, we can¡¯t avoid it.¡±


    ¡°But, we absolutely can¡¯t lose her!¡±


    ¡°I know. Yue, she likes our eyes so much, this can¡¯t be doubted. I believe, Yi Yi will forever be ours!¡±

 Chapter 8 - Merciless

    Chapter Eight Merciless


    The early morning sunshine was warm and gentle, mischievously spilling all over the earth. An exquisite, zigzagging walkway that had been built on the lake and a small and exquisite pavilion was constructed in the middle. Small jade stools surrounded the white jade table and it all looked extremely elegant. Lotus flowers had been planted inside the clear lake water and golden fishes were frolicking and playing around. A white figure rested on the protective railing, calmly facing the lake.


    The lake reflected his complexion and picturesque features. The male had a pure and heroic spirit that brought on females¡¯ love. He had large and serene, glassy eyes. His long eyelashes flickered, sweeping out a lovely and moving breath. Straight and raised nose, thin and ruddy, cherry red lips. No matter how one looked, his complexion was unarguably delicate. Although his age was too young and exhibited youthfulness and immaturity, but one could still vaguely see that he would be peerless and magnificent later on.


    How could Gu Weiyi not understand, seven years ago she was clearly an adorable Lolita, but now, she had unexpectedly grown up to look like this. But, she was actually quite satisfied, a proper male¡¯s and proper female¡¯s appearance. Whether it was male clothes or female clothes, it was all beautiful, ah! Moreover, when she went out to play, she didn¡¯t have to worry about someone finding out her identity. Anyway, her body had only started developing, any female characteristics had still yet to become distinct. Cheap father¡¯s heart was slightly black, but his genes weren¡¯t bad. He gave life to her, Xue Yunge, and Xue Zhuyue, these three remarkably beautiful people. It could be considered the good fortune he accumulated in his past lifetimes.


    In order to be able to help gege, she had used great effort to study medical and poison techniques over these past seven years. Furthermore, two years ago, she had completely taken over affairs relating to Wan Li Mountain, as well as Xue Yu country¡¯s Ghost Valley. These two were the most powerful medical valleys inside both countries. Although she knew that gege¡¯s influence spread to the other two countries, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp in surprise. But, gege didn¡¯t want to tell her and was also reluctant.. Inevitably, there would be a day when gege would be honest and tell her everything. For her previous pain, she didn¡¯t have the power to have them recall and suffer.


    If one was using modern words, Ghost Valley and Wan Li Mountain was a large scale, medical treatment organization. In these past two years, under modern methods of running and operating, it¡¯s medical shops could be said to cover all three countries. They had prestige among the people and great financial resources, it had become in charge of medical treatment in all three countries.


    When she supervised Ghost Valley and Wan Li Mountain, she would occasionally go outside to make rounds, with a male¡¯s appearance. Gradually, people began to recognize her and people gave her a name, ¡°Ninth Gongzi [1]¡±. Because she was very mysterious and cunning, nobody knew her genuine appearance. She was the like the nine-tailed fox [2], she had no shadows nor footsteps, so she was given this odd name. Regarding gege¡¯s enterprises, she knew that apart from these, there was another mysterious organization in Chi Yu country¨C ¨C Ming Xue Gong. And it¡¯s power was very formidable, it wasn¡¯t her that wanted to pay attention to this issue, she knew its existence was extremely hidden and gege didn¡¯t want her to be too infected.


    After a moment, she recalled that gege should be settling affairs in Lian Yu hall right now. Standing up, she walked out.


    From far away, an immense palace hall appeared in front of her. This building was strange and entirely black. Those two gege¡¯s characters were twisted, they were fond of these frightful and gloomy things. It resembled big brother, aside from his purple clothes, his entire body was pitch-black. Second brother was the opposite, aside from his green clothes, everything else was white clothes. Indeed added with their unique temperament, in other people¡¯s eyes, their existence must be that of a demon¡¯s. From the first time they met males who were strong and haughty had been sent to a small herdsmen shop, allowing them to suffer utter humiliation; females were delicate and humble, day and night, they had to suffer the pain of poison experiments.


    This cruel retaliation and torture caused her to feel frightened and distressed. Gege must have also suffered something equivalent to that, most likely, even more bitter and painful sufferings. If not, they wouldn¡¯t loathe this world so much and adopt such malicious methods for revenge.


    She lived under their care, becoming the treasure in their hearts, boundlessly indulged and pampered. But she knew that she was unique, she was fond towards their different eye colors, becoming their sole redemption. If she betrayed them, this world would certainly become Asura ¡®s stage under their hands, there would only be blood and tears. They granted whatever wished she asked for, but they strictly prohibited her from being on contact with any other male, they were afraid. They didn¡¯t believe her, anxious that she would leave at any time. They wanted to confine her in their cage. How could she not tell, as she grew older, they became closer with her. Even though she was already twelve-years-old, she still bathed together with them. Small kisses couldn¡¯t satisfy them anymore. They loved to nag her red lips until they were red and swollen and couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. She never refused, but those two fools couldn¡¯t see her acceptance and blindly felt alarmed.


    But neither was she honest, the bottom of her heart held small, vicious thoughts. She liked to see their anxious appearance over her. She liked to tease them and seeing their helpless smiles.


    When she entered Lian Yu hall, the pungent smell of blood hit her in the face. Seeing the room in a mess, she pursued her eyebrows in loathing. Ten black clothed guards with weapons stood to both sides of the hall. On top of the large, gold throne was her second brother, who languidly rested his head on his hand, lazily sitting there. Seven years had passed and now, he was a twenty-year-old fully grown man. He had a tall, thin, and handsome build. His white clothes set off his indifference and proud nature. His skin was still icy and snowy, emitting cold air that froze people and gave the feeling of him being too busy to bother about you. His serene green eyes was like the ruthlessness of tranquil lake waters. His long hair reached his waist, but he didn¡¯t bind it and put it in a hat like other men who were fully grown, instead it draped over his shoulders, seeming to be a black waterfall on his back. In contrast, big brother had purple eyes and wore purple clothes. His long black hair was bound high up by a jade hat, threatening people with his aggressive and demonic charm. His gentle and delicate face held traces of a sinister smile. At this moment, he was standing in the middle of the hall, pinching a man¡¯s neck. The ground was filled with blood. To the side, there were several wounded men who were gasping for breath. They were desperately and frightfully looking at the male, who was at his last dying breath.


    Gracefully getting up, Xue Yunge took out a white handkerchief and wiped his bloodstained hand clean. He cast sidelong glances at the oldest middle aged male in the group and coldly opened his mouth, ¡°Say, where is Cloud Dance Secret?¡±


    Unyieldingly raising his head. Yuan Li, master of Gui Yun Manor, opened his mouth with difficulty, ¡°Don¡¯t dream!¡±


    Lightly snorting, he (Xue Yunge) mockingly said, ¡°It seems like, regarding his most capable subordinates, Yuan Manor¡¯s master isn¡¯t so caring, ah. I just don¡¯t know if you are as ruthless towards your own kin?¡±


    Xue Yunge used his foot to raise the chin of one of the youth¡¯s on the floor, exposing a thread of that pure and childish complexion. Terrified of Xue Yunge¡¯s mercilessness, the youngster¡¯s expression was overwhelmed with horror, his whole body shook like a leaf.


    Yuan Li¡¯s heart was filled with grief, Jie¡¯er was his sole son, but Cloud Dance Secret was the secret passed down from his ancestors. At this moment, he really couldn¡¯t imagine giving it up.


    Xue Yunge seemed to like watching him struggle. He didn¡¯t force him, he merely opened his mouth to entice him.


    ¡°This way, do you want your son or the secret book. If you choose your son, hand the book over and when I massacre your manor, I¡¯ll spare your son; but if you use your son¡¯s life to exchange for the secret book handed down from generation to generation, I¡¯ll let you off. I¡¯ll even let Gui Yun Manor become the overlord of the martial arts circles. How about it?¡±


    The demonic and poisonous words echoed in Yuan Li¡¯s ears and his eyes was already filled with perplexion.


    Xue Zhuyue, who was sitting at the top, suddenly opened his mouth and his clear, cold voice sounded out, ¡°Think about it well, a son that¡¯s dead can be reborn. Wait until Gui Yun Manor becomes the overlord of the martial arts circles, what woman can¡¯t you have? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid you won¡¯t be able to produce sons?¡±


    Yuan Li who was on the floor became somewhat hysterical and he began mumbling to himself, ¡°Correct, ah. I¡¯m not old yet, I can still produce many more sons¡­¡±


    To the side, Yuan Jie¡¯s heart was extremely shocked as he listened to these words his father said. His face was filled with extreme despair and he mournfully yelled, ¡°Father, don¡¯t want, ah! Jie¡¯er is your son, ah! How can you be so heartless!¡±


    A vicious expression suddenly showed on Yuan Li¡¯s face, looking at Yuan Jie as if he was looking at his enemy. ¡°In order to assume an overlord position over the martial arts circles and bring Yuan family higher, Jie¡¯er, sacrifice your life. Yuan family will forever remember you!¡±


    Yuan Jie weakly stood on the floor, his eyes were filled with despair. Yuan Li looked up and looked towards Xue Yunge, ¡°I choose the secret book. You can¡¯t go back on your word!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I, Xue Yunge, keep my promises!¡± The corner of his mouth hooked up into a strange smile, ¡°But, I want you to personally kill him!¡±


    Yuan Li¡¯s tall body paused, his face was filled with pain, but a moment later, his face became firm. Taking the sword on his waist, he advanced towards Yuan Jie.


    ¡°Jie¡¯er, don¡¯t blame daddy!¡± His hand raised and the sword fell¡­.


    ¡°Pu chi¡± was the sound of the sword stabbing into his skin as drops of blood splashed on the floor.


    Yuan Li¡¯s tall body fell to the floor, his face was twisted with anguish, doubt, and shock. And behind him was Xue Yunge taking out the dagger with a mocking smile in his face.


    ¡°Why¡­..¡±


    Why? Looking at Yuan Li on the floor, who wasn¡¯t breathing, he hatefully opened his mouth, ¡°Throw it out!¡±


    The armed guards stepped forward and dragged the corpse away.


    [1] Gongzi ¨C the son of an official or nobility


    [2] nine-tailed fox ¨C a mythological creature, you can read a bit more about it here

 Chapter 9 - Leaving the Manor

    Chapter Nine Leaving the Manor


    On the youth¡¯s seductive face there, there was an unfeeling chilliness. Even the wooden Xue Zhuyue had a murderous intent flash through his eyes.


    Gu Weiyi walked inside. Today¡¯s scene was the same as the matters seven years prior, when a power hungry father abandoned his own child in exchange for his own benefit. If Yuan Li didn¡¯t choose this road, he definitely wouldn¡¯t die.


    ¡°Ge¡­.¡±


    She threw herself in Xue Yunge¡¯s embrace, silently comforting him. She didn¡¯t open her mouth about the ache she received from her shoulder when she entered his embrace.


    The youth on the floor lacked any anger, at this moment, his eyes were already cold and indifferent. Xue Zhuyue walked off the golden seat and coldly looked at him. ¡°Your father already abandoned you, how do you feel? From this day forward, Gui Yun Manor is yours. I trust you won¡¯t disappoint us?¡±


    The youth looked like a corpse, silently standing up. Then, he respectfully bowed down, ¡°Master!¡± His originally childish appearance had been replaced by calmness and determination. Within a day, any so-called family love and power had disappeared in an instant.


    ¡°Withdraw, the armed guards will arrange your future assignments.¡±


    Inside the main hall, they were the only three people who remained. The faint smell of blood lingered, causing the scene to appear sorrowful. Blood and tears, ah, it forever had to be separated from one another. Clearly it was so painful, but one had to pretend like nothing happened, laughing to keep on living.


    The three people calmly embraced each other, as if they could receive warmth this way.


    ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C


    Yin Yue Country, Xi Yue capital.


    The noisy carriage went along the noisy street, attracting people¡¯s envious and surprised gazes. Inside the large carriage, an exquisite blanket laid over three people¡¯s bodies. A white clothed youth powerlessly rested on the soft cushions, their lapel had already been dragged down a bit, exposing their fine collarbone. Pressed down on their body was two other males, whose builds were slender and strong. A purple clothed male seized their red lips with lingering emotion and another green clothed male gnawed on their elaborate collarbone, leaving behind red marks.


    The fragile youth let out a delicate moan, and when the male finally withdrew his mouth, the youth let out a soft cry. ¡°Ge, don¡¯t want¡­. Hurts¡­..¡±


    Regret flashed through the purple eyed male and he turned to lightly reprimand his gnawing didi. ¡°Yue, lighter.¡±


    The male lying on the youth raised his head. His usually cold complexion was stirred and rosy. His tranquil, green eyes looked abnormally pretty and flirtatious.


    ¡°Yi Yi, gege didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    His voice was rough and carried a thread of emotion and unspeakable charm. Gu Weiyi had, all of a sudden, become puzzled. She no longer opened her mouth to cry out her aches, instead, she acted spoilt, grumbling, ¡°Second brother always bites me, if you didn¡¯t mean to, then you must be purposefully doing it!¡±


    Helplessly nodding his head, Xue Zhuyue laughed and indulged her, ¡°Okay, gege purposefully did it.¡±


    Xue Yunge brought her into his embrace. He tidied up her messy clothes and disheveled hair, and covered up all the love bites on her collarbone. Gu Weiyi¡¯s recently kissed cheeks were bright red, her eyes were watery, and her inflamed, pink lips resentfully pouted. She looked exceptionally coquettish.


    Originally, they agreed that when she was twelve-years-old, she could come out on her own. But the gege weren¡¯t at ease about this and weren¡¯t at ease about that. In the end, they may as well merge together with her. This time, Gu Weiyi¡¯s main objective was to look at Wan Li mountain¡¯s activities inside Yin Yue country. Recently, a new medical building abruptly appeared¨C ¨C People¡¯s Welfare Hall. They used low prices to draw away many customers, and they even had the delusional dream to replace Wan Li mountain as the overlord. If they wanted to divide the profits, that would still be alright. At least, they would have an alliance and monopolize the market and Wan Li mountain wouldn¡¯t suffer any losses. But bad was bad, they made a move they shouldn¡¯t have, they spread rumors that Wan Li mountain sold fake medicine. This caused Gu Weiyi a great deal of anger. When this matter was resolved, she would go sightseeing in Yin Yue country, to relax herself. This the plan she had for her first outing out of the manor.


    With big brother and second brother traveling with her, she felt much more relieved, saying she wasn¡¯t worry-free would be a lie. Moreover, if there were any difficult to solve problems, they would solve them for her. This time, she was still wearing men¡¯s clothes. Naturally, her identity was Xue family¡¯s little di¨C ¨C Xue Wushang.


    The carriage slowly rolled forward. After two hours, they arrived at Xi Yue¡¯s second courtyard. Compared to Xiu Luo villa¡¯s eccentric building style, it was much more normal here. Red brick walls, glazed roof tiles, elegant pavilions, and little streams. It really had the charm of Jiangnan¡¯s shui xiang [1].


    On the second day, Gu Weiyi, accompanied by second brother, visited Wan Li Medicinal Shop. Yesterday evening, big brother received a letter by flying pigeon and went to deal with emergency matters of the villa. Naturally, she didn¡¯t ask many questions, in any case, second brother accompanying her was the same thing. Today, second brother also wore white clothes. As early as three years ago, she developed a medicinal liquid that could alter big brother and second brother¡¯s eye colors, making it convenient for them to go out. This type of medicinal liquid could only last for a month, but it was extremely healthy. Not only did it not have any side effects, it could also brighten up one¡¯s eyes. This was the achievement that she was most proud of. Although they didn¡¯t show it, they were fairly happy that they could now stand in a crowd of people and not be shunned by everyone, having to see their terrified stares.


    Second brother, whose eye color had been altered, was still the ice-cold beauty. He seemed cold, hard to predict and hard to approach. The clear, lake-water expression in his eyes was no longer there, but it was still deep. Upon seeing him, one couldn¡¯t help but fall. But, Gu Weiyi still thought the green-eyed him was the most enchanting.


    After getting off the carriage, the two of them immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. A detached and beautiful male, with a handsome and lofty temperament. He seemed to be a blooming snow lotus herb that hadn¡¯t been polluted by the secular world¡¯s odors. A dainty youngster, seeming as if he was a delicate and lovable glass doll. With an innocent and pure complexion, people couldn¡¯t help but want to hold him in the palm of their hands and cherish him.


    At the doorway to Wan Li Medicinal Shop, the manager was already waiting to welcome the Valley Master. Although he had never seen the Valley Master, there was a blood jade to use as a token. As long as he saw the blood jade as well as the secret signal, it was the Valley Master.


    The inside and outside of the Medical Shop had been built according to the look of modern hospitals and on the street, this sort of building was particularly eye-catching. The two people entered the Medicinal Shop and flashed the blood jade towards a male dressed like a manager. Then, Gu Weiyi charmingly opened her mouth and said, ¡°Emperor covers the tiger.¡±


    The manager immediately replied, ¡°The river pagoda subdues the goblin.¡± Although he was shocked that the Valley Master was such a delicate youth, the fact was, these past few years, Wan Li mountain was only able to develop into such a large scale because of the Valley Master. Immediately, he respectfully invited them inside.


    Only heaven knew how much Gu Weiyi wished to laugh. Although she still had to keep a solemn appearance, she had almost restrained herself to the point of an internal injury. Such a tacky and uncommon secret signal could only be thought up by her.


    Entering the manager¡¯s office, the male knelt down and loudly proclaimed, ¡°Subordinate Ma Yu pays respect to valley owner!¡±


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    Although she managed both Wan Li mountain and Ghost Valley, her subordinates didn¡¯t know that her true status was actually a person of Xiu Luo villa. Gege¡¯s activities were completely independent and didn¡¯t have any association with hers. It could be assumed that it was to prevent against someone usurping the power. Regarding their subordinates, gege would never truly trust them. It seems as if second brother could only bear the grievance and play as her bodyguard.


    Without any politeness, she sat down on the manager¡¯s chair and lazily said, ¡°This is my personal bodyguard, Yue.¡±


    Ma Yu respectfully replied, ¡°Hello, bodyguard Yue.¡±


    Second brother didn¡¯t acknowledge him at all, but Yu Ma¡¯s face was thick and he didn¡¯t become angry. Instead, he turned towards Gu Weiyi to say, ¡°Valley Master, subordinate has already arranged the ledgers of these past few months¡¯ data and recent trends for People¡¯s Welfare Hall on the table, requesting Valley Master to take a look.¡±


    ¡°I understand. You may go down first, if there¡¯s any matters, I¡¯ll call for you.¡±


    After Ma Yu left, Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, laughing so much that she even cried. Xue Zhuyue walked closer to her, bringing her into his embrace, he asked with bewilderment, ¡°What are you laughing about?¡±


    Wiping the tears away, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Second brother, just now, did I seem like a master, was I imposing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very imposing!¡± He earnestly nodded his head. That without the slightest doubt appearance let Gu Weiyi understand that she had been very indifferent, just now. Second brother was just like this, following her no matter what.


    ¡°Okay, second brother, I¡¯m going to look through the ledgers now. You help me look through People¡¯s Welfare Hall¡¯s data.¡±


    [1] Jiangnan¡¯s shui xiang ¨C (½­ÄÏË®àl) Jiangnan is a region in China with lots of water, here¡¯s a picture if you¡¯re interested in how it looks like

 Chapter 10 - Encounter At Intoxicated Fragrance House

    Chapter Ten Encounter At Intoxicated Fragrance House


    An extremely quiet period passed, the two working people were both completely concentrated and forgetting the time. Xue Zhuyue looked at the People¡¯s Welfare Hall¡¯s information, his sword eyebrows [1] creasing. Unexpectedly, behind the People¡¯s Welfare Hall was Yin Yue country¡¯s seventh prince, and with the imperial family¡¯s struggles, this was a thorny situation. It wasn¡¯t that they lacked power and mutual aggression, it was that, provoking the imperial family would cause the aftermath to be harder to deal with. Moreover, they didn¡¯t wish to take part in the imperial family tearing apart their relations.


    This seventh prince was currently the most doted on by the emperor and he had extraordinary means, he wasn¡¯t an easy person to deal with. But according to Yi Yi¡¯s nature, they would definitely fight against each other, no matter what. He didn¡¯t know which was the best way to settle this matter.


    ¡°What?¡±


    After saying her own misgivings, Gu Weiyi turned silent. Naturally, she knew the power of influence. What was called the people having no part in government struggles because ordinary citizens had no way to resist or rebel against the power the government had. Even if gege were extremely wealthy, they wouldn¡¯t be able to contend against a country.


    It seems like they could only negotiate with the seventh prince by distributing benefits. After all, the medical shop had only recently rose up, compared to Wan Li mountain, the difference was too large.


    ¡°Ge, I want to have a chat with that seventh prince.¡±


    ¡°Out of the question!¡±


    Xue Zhuyue immediately denied her without a second thought.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gu Weiyi doubtfully questioned, ¡°Ge can accompany there, ah. Why can¡¯t I?¡±


    Xue Zhuyue frowned and tried to persude her, ¡°Yi Yi, that seventh prince isn¡¯t simple. He¡¯s extremely dangerous and his thinking is extremely profound. Ge is anxious you won¡¯t be able to take him.¡±


    Gu Weiyi laughed, in her previous life, in order to survive, what sort of experience hadn¡¯t she gone through. Although she enjoyed a carefree life as a rice weevil, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her skills in associating with other people. She had smoothly settled all sorts of crafty plots on the business scene, why would she be scared of a person from the ancient times?


    ¡°Second brother, do you still not believe in my strength? Moreover, even if I can¡¯t cope, don¡¯t I still have you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back and consult with big brother. Yi Yi, regarding this matter, you can¡¯t be willful.¡± Xue Zhuyue muttered to himself and didn¡¯t give her a direct answer. But Gu Weiyi knew, second brother, basically, wouldn¡¯t oppose her. She just needed to pass through big brother, that checkpoint, and everything would be ok.


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s almost wu shi [2]. In a moment, Ge will bring you to Intoxicated Fragrance House to have your noon meal. That is a restaurant famous in the capital, the flavor is like no other, o.¡±


    Gu Weiyi really looked forward to this. She had already heard of Intoxicated Fragrance¡¯s reputation, now that she was allowed to come out, she wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    After handling the data and ledgers, the two people left together.


    The capital¡¯s streets were bustling. All sorts of brightly and magnificently dressed males and females walked to and fro and peddlers¡¯ shouts rose one after another. It all seemed exceptionally lively.


    In high spirits, Gu Weiyi looked all around as she walked behind Xue Zhuyue. He led her by her small hand as they walked along the pedestrian side.


    She saw Intoxicated Fragrance¡¯s sign from far away, and subsequently, bursts of the smell of the food and drink also floated over. Taking a deep breath, it was full of the smell which enticed people¡¯s appetites. She excitedly pulled at Xue Zhuyue¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Ge, let¡¯s go faster. Yi Yi¡¯s stomach is very hungry.¡±


    Tall, vermillion walls, elegant and gorgeous spiral staircases, classical yet modern decorations. The boss of Intoxicated Fragrance really was an expert at doing business. It all nearly caused Gu Weiyi to suspect whether or not this boss had come from the twenty first century as well.


    Entering the building, there was a large screen that was horizontally arranged. On the screen, there was a rhyming couplet written in regular script. There were guests milling all around, softly talking. In the wake of Xue Zhuyue walking into a private room on the second floor and having a waiter take their meal, Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth and ask, ¡°Little brother, what¡¯s going on here, why is there so many people?¡±


    The waiter had worked at Intoxicated Fragrance House for over ten years, he had seen countless high officials and noble persons, but he hadn¡¯t ever met such graceful and beautiful gongzi before. Although the senior gongzi was cold and detached, he was beautiful enough to cause people to gasp in surprise; and although the younger gongzi wasn¡¯t as beautiful yet, he was also extremely exquisite, one could vaguely see his magnificence later on. Hearing Gu Weiyi¡¯s question, he was extremely happy to clear up the confusion. He promptly answered, ¡°Little gongzi doesn¡¯t know? Our Intoxicated Fragrance House has released a Infinite Absolute. If anyone can correctly solve the couplet, they will receive the privilege of eating any and every meal, free of charge in any Intoxicated Fragrance House, for all eternity. Does little gongzi have any interest in trying it out?¡±


    So difficult? She had seen this couplet in a book before. Indeed, it was really difficult, but regarding her, who had long since already known the answer, answering it was extremely easy. But, she wished to see if anyone could correctly answer it in this dynasty. The wisdom of ancient people was actually very high. In later generations, they had only been able develop based on their (the ancient people¡¯s) foundation.


    ¡°Ge, what do you think? My second brother is so intelligent, you can definitely answer, right?¡±


    This demon, first she let him where a dunce hat, if he couldn¡¯t answer correctly, she would certainly tease him. Xue Zhuyue warmly laughed, somewhat helpless.


    He muttered in his heart and quickly thought of an answer. Looking at Yi Yi¡¯s expectant gaze, he ordered the waiter to bring ink and paper, writing the antithetical couplet down. To the side, Gu Weiyi watched him and when she saw the first sentence he wrote down, she was endlessly astonished. Second brother is truly too awesome, what he wrote down was the exact same as the standard answer, ai! Xue Zhuyue turned around to instruct the waiter, ¡°Give this to the manager.¡±


    ¡°Second brother, are you correct?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Xue Zhuyue was puzzled. Gu Weiyi stuck out her tongue, really is rubbish. In any case, second brother was the same as her, she had done so many things, how could he still feel amazed?


    They ordered several of Intoxicated Fragrance House¡¯s signature dishes. Gu Weiyi ate with gusto, really wasn¡¯t bad, it was comparable to food from a five star restaurant in modern times. Xue Zhuyue took out the fishbones for her, placing the deboned fish inside her small bowl. Gu Weiyi loved to eat fish, but she always felt that the fishbone was inconvenient. However, with big brother and second brother, she never had to worry about these matters.


    Sometimes she would think, what good deed did she do in order to warrant her meeting them and experience such happiness.


    Opening her mouth to eat the food that second brother personally put in her bowl, Gu Weiyi was very relaxed.


    Right at this moment, a knock sounded at the door. It was the waiter.


    ¡°Gongzi, the manager wishes to meet you. Are the two of you willing to follow er de [3] to the loft?¡±


    ¡°Second brother, it must be the antithetical couplet you wrote down, scaring them into becoming celestial beings, so they wish to meet you!¡± Gu Weiyi happily said, ¡°Let¡¯s go meet Intoxicated Fragrance House¡¯s legendary manager, okay?¡±


    Xue Zhuyue couldn¡¯t bear to throw away her good mood and nodded his head, ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    The so-called loft was the third floor, which was forbidden to people to enter. As it turned out, it was actually Intoxicated Fragrance House¡¯s manager¡¯s personal room. When they entered the room, there was the faint smell of incense. It was unusually and elegantly decorated. In the middle of the room, there was a sliding plum blossom screen, and a round table made of real wood emitted the faint smell of sandalwood. Placed on it was exquisite food and drinks, and at this moment, a black clothed scholarly gongzi sat there. His existence was practically the explanation of gentle as jade. He was simply sitting to the side, but the people who saw him felt their hearts immediately calming down. His five sensory organs weren¡¯t the most handsome, but it caused people to feel like he was unmatched in his generation. His brows and eyes, lips and nose seemed as if a woman had used the softest brush to draw them, using the warmest mood to portray him. He was as gentle as water.


    Gu Weiyi looked at him and couldn¡¯t believe it.  Weren¡¯t all merchants and businessmen treacherous and had deep features? At the very least, this type of person ought to be a cultured and refined gongzi of an influential family.


    Upon seeing them enter, the black clothed gongzi gently smiled. Suddenly, it felt as if a hundred flowers had bloomed. ¡°Two gongzi, please sit.¡±


    His voice was clear, like spring water, causing people to become intoxicated. This was the first time Gu Weiyi, apart from the two gege, felt a good opinion towards a male and lowered her vigilance.


    But, Xue Zhuyue wasn¡¯t too pleased, Yi Yi¡¯s admiring gaze caused him to feel jealous. This male was quite remarkable and possessed a sunshine-like warmth that they (the two brothers) would never possess. They lived in the darkness, they were monsters with hands were covered in blood. They could only forever struggle in despair. And this male was so dazzling, his existence was something they (the two brothers) both envied and hated.


    [1] sword eyebrows ¨C you can read about these eyebrows here


    [2] wu shi ¨C 11am to 1pm


    [3] er de ¨C I (when speaking to a superior)

 Chapter 11 - Guitar

    Chapter Eleven Guitar


    The scholarly male¡¯s warm voice sounded out, ¡°Zai xia [1] is Mu Yalun, the manager of Intoxicated Fragrance House. Gongzi is very talented in literature, zai xia completely admires you. So, zai xia boldly invited gongzi to come up, please forgive me.¡±


    Xue Zhuyue indifferently replied, ¡°It¡¯s no bother.¡±


    Mu Yulan laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t know what the two gongzi are called?¡±


    ¡°Zai xia is Xue Zhuyue, this is bi ren¡¯s little brother, Xue Wushang.¡± Following Xue Zhuyue¡¯s introduction, Gu Weiyi impatiently opened her mouth, ¡°Hello, ah. Very happy to meet you.¡±


    Mu Yalun looked at these two outstanding brothers and sighed in admiration in his heart. Their beauty could be described as that of celestial beings, but not too much. The senior male most of all, had world-shattering beauty and a cold energy. His icy and lofty character seemed to be above this world. But, there was a faint moodiness in his appearance. There seemed to be a small bit of killing intent in his eyes. But, but, why did he feel that this killing intent came about because of himself? Shaking his head, he thought that it must be because he was thinking too much.


    The youth¡¯s figure seemed to be someone fragile. He appeared to be a white jade figurine that had been carefully carved, uncontaminated, pure, and clean. His big eyes were like colored glass. They were filled with an amazed expression was he looked at him. Both people had sharp, pointed chins and serene eyes. Truly does look like they were brothers. Good-naturedly revealing a smiling expression towards him, Mu Yalun warmly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Just now, gongzi created a satisfying phrase to answer the couplet. Gongzi surpasses others in literary talent, breath of mind is bold and uninhibited. Not sure if this one has the honor of being friends with big brother Xue?¡±


    ¡°Zai xia isn¡¯t idle and is like a crane, I¡¯m afraid zai xia doesn¡¯t have the qualifications to be friends with Mu gongzi.¡± Coldly stating, Xue Zhuyue¡¯s expression was indifferent.


    ¡°I only want to make friends, don¡¯t care for power. Saying this, I¡¯m nothing more than a lowly businessman, where am I noble?¡± Regarding Xue Zhuyue¡¯s refusal, Mu Yalun was unconcerned, he was still as warm as before.


    Although she knew that gege would never trust other people, Gu Weiyi still wished gege would have sincere friends. After all, they were truly too lonely. But for them to trust this world or having another person exist who isn¡¯t afraid by their different eye colors, was truly too hard.


    ¡°But, I don¡¯t want.¡±


    He no longer beat around the bushes with Mu Yalun, Xue Zhuyue directly refused him. Even the naturally mild Mu Yalun couldn¡¯t help but show an awkward expression on his face. His temperament was naturally meek. He was an amiable person, but he didn¡¯t enjoy making friends. Nowadays, it was very rare for him to want to make friends with someone, yet he had been declined with no room to maneuver. He felt regret and a thread of shame in his heart, but the other party was unwilling. How could he keep insisting?


    ¡°It was I who was rude.¡± Resuming his mild complexion, Mu Yalun opened his mouth to say, ¡°But since gongzi was able to correctly answer the couplet, Intoxicated Fragrance House¡¯s jade tablet still has to be given. With this jade tablet, gongzi can come to Intoxicated Fragrance House, at any time, and eat for free.¡± Mu Yalun took out a round piece of purple jade from his bosom and handed it over to Xue Zhuyue. But it was snatched away by the curious Gu Weiyi as she began to fiddle with it in her hands.


    Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t know if this jade piece was good, but if it was from Intoxicated Fragrance House, it must certainly be the best quality. Although the jade looked ordinary, an orchid was engraved in the middle, it was exceedingly beautiful. Even Gu Weiyi loved it too much to part with it. When Mu Yalun saw that she loved it, he felt extremely happy. This Xue Wushang was innocent and unaffected, really attracts people¡¯s affections. What a shame he couldn¡¯t be close friends with him.


    Saying goodbye to Mu Yalun, the two people walked back onto the street. Gu Weiyi thought for a moment then opened her mouth to ask, ¡°Ge, that Mu Yalun isn¡¯t bad. You can try being friends with him, ah!¡±


    Xue Zhuyue¡¯s face was chilly as he looked at her, ¡°Yi Yi thinks he isn¡¯t bad?¡±


    It sounded like an ordinary tone, but Gu Weiyi knew there was an undercurrent concealed in it. ¡°Second brother, you misunderstood. I only think that big brother and you are too lonesome. Yi Yi wants you to be like ordinary people and possess friendship and even romance!¡±


    The unpleasant expression on his face vanished and Xue Zhuyue pulled at her hand, tenderly replying, ¡°Yi Yi, gege doesn¡¯t cherish those things. As long as gege has you, gege will be satisfied.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, we should head back to the second courtyard, big brother should¡¯ve returned by now.¡±


    The wind blew across the exquisite courtyard, the peach blossoms fluttered about the flirtatious and pretty youth sitting beside the white jade table. His face lowered and his long eyelashes faintly trembled, seeming to be completely immersed in the book in his hands. In the wind, his hair flew upward and his long brocade gown fluttered about behind him. The red and romantic scene around him gave birth to a sort of strange charm. To the side, there was a thick peach tree that a pair of jade hands caressed. The owner of the hand possessed a body of white (clothes), hair that had yet to be put into a hat flowed down like a waterfall and in the midst of the wind, a long stream appeared. His perfect face was cold, that was the type of beautiful which was cut from the rest of the world, something one could see but couldn¡¯t attain. The two people were calm and neither one opened his mouth, they were silent like a painting.


    ¡°That ya tou [3] stirred up trouble again?¡± The male¡¯s charming voice sounded out, attracting people¡¯s lust.


    ¡°She wants to go see Lan Sheng Ling.¡±


    Xue Yunge knit his brow, ¡°Yin Yue¡¯s seventh prince? He isn¡¯t easy to get together with!¡±


    The clear like a spring voice was still detached like before, but there was a faint thread of concern woven in it. ¡°People¡¯s Welfare Hall is his, you also know Yi Yi¡¯s temper.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, let her have her way. Make an appointment, we¡¯ll accompany her.¡± His face was filled with indulgence and helplessness. Xue Yunge couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth and ask, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Shou [4] used a month to produce the things she wanted, right now she¡¯s looking at it. In a moment, she¡¯ll come show off.¡± Xue Zhuyue answered.


    Sure enough, five minutes passed and the figure that was in their hearts appeared holding a large calabash-type item in both her hands as she ran over in high spirits.


    Gu Weiyi was extremely happy, this was the only musical item she could play in her previous life¨C ¨C Guitar! At last, it had been produced! Qiao Shou is truly the best skilled workman, ah. Too awesome! Now, she wanted to give gege a big surprise!


    She ran too fast and the foot under her was unsteady. She tripped and fell, Gu Weiyi let out an anguished wail. Disastrous, disfigured, her good looks, ah!


    A black and white figure rushed forward. Gu Weiyi steadily landed in Xue Yunges embrace and the guitar was caught by Xue Zhuyue. The two people¡¯s faces were deathly white. The scene just now nearly caused their eyes to bulge out and their heart and soul to scatter. Immediately, he brought the little jia huo, that never let them feel at ease, closer into his chest. Xue Yunge¡¯s beautiful and big hands ruthlessly smacked Gu Weiyi¡¯s small butt.


    ¡°Pa!¡±


    ¡°Little witch, do you want to scare gege to death? Why are you always this muddle headed? Looks like we¡¯ve pampered you too much, have you forgotten what is called danger?¡±


    ¡°Pa pa¡± sounded out several times before ultimately stopping. In the end, Xue Yunge hated to do it. After recovering from the shock and having the pain from her butt catch up, Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but begin bawling, sounding extremely miserable. Putting the guitar down, Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eternally undisturbed face appeared anxious and distressed. He stepped forward to gently caress her face, ¡°Yi Yi, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t cry. Ge, why did you have to hit her, she was already startled!¡±


    Xue Yunge also felt endless regret and distress. Upset, he said, ¡°I was too anxious. Yi Yi, I¡¯m sorry. Ge ge shouldn¡¯t have hit you¡­¡±


    But Gu Weiyi continued crying, her voice gradually lowered but she still softly sobbed, causing the two people to feel even more distress.


    After a good moment, Gu Weiyi looked up and exposed her red, rabbit eyes. ¡°Gege, it¡¯s Yi Yi whose wrong. Yi Yi caused gege to feel anxious, I deserved to be hit. Originally, I wanted to give gege a nice surprise but I brought fright. Blame Yi Yi for not being careful.¡±


    Seeing her recover, the two people put their hearts down and carried her closer, kissing her eyes and lips. Xue Zhuyue asked, ¡°Originally, what surprise did Yi Yi wish to give gege?¡± Tearing away her attention, he wanted to have her forget the matter that just happened.


    Sure enough, Gu Weiyi¡¯s downcast mood became happy again. Holding the guitar, ¡°It¡¯s this, guess what it is gege?¡± Xue Yunge lovingly blew on her nose, ¡°Gege is too foolish, can¡¯t guess.¡± He truly didn¡¯t know. Gu Weiyi proudly raised her head and loudly proclaimed, ¡°This is a type of musical instrument, it¡¯s called guitar. Gege, I¡¯ll sing a song for you to listen to.¡±


    ¡°Good, ah!¡± The two brothers tenderly looked towards her as the corners of their mouths lifted up into smiles.


    [1] zai xia ¨C myself (humble)


    [2] bi ren ¨C your humble servant, I


    [3] ya tou ¨C girl or servant girl; in this case he¡¯s using it affectionately and calling her girl


    [4] Qiao Shou ¨C this literally translates to ¡°skilled hands¡± but I think referring to someone as ¡°skilled hands¡± (in English) is a little strange, so we¡¯ll stick to Qiao Shou

 Chapter 12 - First Period Arrives

    Chapter Twelve First Period Arrives


    Under the peach blossom tree, there was a young lady holding a guitar. She had big and reddened eyes, her snow-white face had traces of tears on it, but her eyes held a happy expression. This caused Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s heart to feel anxious. The young lady¡¯s clear and emotional singing voice was sauve in the wind, forming an aesthetic scene. This image buried itself into the two brothers¡¯ minds, never vanishing.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I won¡¯t have enough time, I want to hold you now. Until I feel like your wrinkles are lined with age.


    Until I¡¯m certain you¡¯re real, until I no longer have the energy to move. For you, I am willing.


    I have to watch you even if I can¡¯t move, until your hair turns white.


    Until I lose my sight, until I lose my breath. Let us be inseparable.


    Even if I could give up the whole world, at least there¡¯s you that I can treasure.


    And you¡¯re here, your existence is a miracle.


    Even if I could forget the whole world, I wouldn¡¯t want to stop getting news about you.


    I will always remember that mole in your palm.


    We don¡¯t have it easy, we can¡¯t act on our own will.


    I¡¯m afraid time passes too quickly and I won¡¯t be able to look at you too closely.


    And yet I am also scared that I might lose you if the time passes too slowly. It would be best


    if we could grow old in a night and stay together forever.¡±*


    The world¡¯s most romantic thing was slowly growing old together with you. But, I¡¯m very worried, time is always too fickle. Whether or not we can be together is uncertain. So, to be able to use youthful complexions to exchange with love, I would rather have a head full of white hair, never to part (with you).


    This is the romance that transcends life or death.


    In split seconds, those two heartless and gloomy youths had cheeks streaming with tears when they heard the young girl¡¯s tender and loving singing voice.


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Weiyi¡¯s Boudoir.


    Under the spacious and soft pink gauze were the inseparable bodies of two men and a woman in the midst of dreams. The atmosphere was comforting and peaceful. Suddenly, a youth opened his eyes and exposed a pair of charming and bewitching purple eyes. Looking at the young girl asleep in his embrace, a tender expression flashed through his eyes. But looking at the young girl¡¯s white undergarments, he saw scarlet. Time froze, the surroundings of the young girl¡¯s butt was all covered in bloodstains. Even the bedsheets alongside himself and didi¡¯s clothes were stained. He turned pale from fright and from head to toe his body emitted a grave killing intent, rousing the green eyed youth to his side.


    ¡°Ge, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yi Yi¡¯s injured!¡± He lowly roared, his voice was riddled with remorse and anxiety. Unexpectedly, when he was unaware of his feelings, he harmed Yi Yi. Who had such big capability, or, did he overestimate himself?


    ¡°What!¡± With great alarm, Xue Zhuyue hurriedly got up and saw Gu Weiyi¡¯s lower body stained with blood. At once, he examined her body. But, he couldn¡¯t find any injured places. Indeed, there didn¡¯t seem to be any wounds. Then how did that bloodstain come about? Grasping her veins**, he felt that her pulse was somewhat weak, but it seemed to be because of yin deficiency. But there weren¡¯t any large and bleeding wounds, ah? These two people, who boasted that their medical skills surpassed others, were presently at a loss as to what to do.


    Gu Weiyi, after being tossed back and forth by these two, gradually began to wake up. But after raising her head and seeing the two gege¡¯s anxious expressions, she questioned, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Xue Yunge anxiously looked at her, ¡°Yi Yi, does it hurt anywhere? You¡¯re bleeding, but gege can¡¯t find the wound.¡±


    Pain, she really did have some pain, her stomach felt strange. Blood? Bowing her head to search over herself, she became startled. It can¡¯t be, unexpectedly, her period arrived! After being a child for so long, she had forgotten all about women¡¯s characteristics. Looking at gege¡¯s restless expressions, Gu Weiyi¡¯s face turned as red as an apple. Heavens, ah, how humiliating! Gege are too stupid, they were people who were outstanding in medical skills. How could they not know what¡¯s wrong with her, still having such a concerned appearance?


    Groaning, she opened her mouth and whispered, ¡°Gege, didn¡¯t¡­ there¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s unimportant.¡±


    ¡°How can it not be important! Quickly tell gege, where does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°I, it¡¯s just that my period arrived¡­¡± She softly stated, sounding as quiet as a mosquito¡¯s battle cry.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Her little face turned redder. Bad gege, stupid gege. She couldn¡¯t help but furiously yell.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s period merely arrived!¡±


    When the sentence finished, it suddenly became absolutely silent. Xue Zhuyue and Xue Yunge¡¯s exceptional complexions also blushed, they awkwardly sat on the bed, not knowing what to do.


    ¡°That thing¡­ Yi Yi¡­¡±


    Yeah right, ah. But, just now, she didn¡¯t feel the cramp in her stomach. In her past life, she would also frequently feel menstrual pain. After switching bodies, why did she still have pain, ah? Painfully covering her stomach and a few beads of sweat also appeared on her small face.


    Xue Zhuyue discovered her abnormal behavior and worriedly said, ¡°Yi Yi, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Pain, quick, quickly call Aunt Qing¡­¡±


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Under Aunt Qing¡¯s assistance, Gu Weiyi was able to change her underwear and clean the lower part of her body. Gu Weiyi weakly reclined on the bed. Xue Yunge pressed his hand on her stomach, transferring his internal power into her to bring relief to her pain. Xue Zhuyue was extracting herbs and preparing a meal for her.


    Holding big brother¡¯s warm body, Gu Weiyi held him tighter. In her previous life, she could only lay down on the bed by herself, coldly shivering as she endured the piercing pain. Nobody was there to care for her, she even resisted going to buy medicine. But now, she had loving gege by her side. She could embrace their warmth. She could act like a spoiled child as she vented about her pains. She didn¡¯t have to worry about everything¡­


    ¡°Yi Yi, is it better now?¡±


    ¡°Gege, it¡¯s very hard on Yi Yi. Yi Yi doesn¡¯t want her period.¡± Acting like a spoiled child, she grumbled.


    He laughed as he massaged her hair, ¡°Yi Yi  is a girl. Naturally, this will come.¡± His cheeks were slightly warm as he comfortingly said, ¡±This indicates that Yi Yi has grown up, no longer a child now.¡±


    Naturally, I knew this. ¡°Whether or not Yi Yi grows up causes whether ot not gege will care for Yi Yi?¡± She miserably pulled her small face, Gu Weiyi¡¯s face showed a concerned and anxious expression.


    Xue Yunge kissed her cheek, ¡°How can that be, gege will love Yi Yi more dearly.¡±


    Xue Zhuyue opened the door and walked in and in his hands, he carried a tray. On the tray, there was a bowl of medicine and a bowl of lotus root congee. From far away, you could smell the unpleasant smell of medicine. Gu Weiyi puckered her eyebrows, ¡°Gege, I don¡¯t want to drink medicine!¡±


    Xue Zhuyue, apparantly having seen through Gu Weiyi¡¯s thoughts, insisted, ¡°Not possible, you must drink it.¡±


    ¡°But, the medicine is very bitter. Gege¡­¡± She pulled at his sleeve, acting like a spoilt child.


    ¡°Originally we were worried about this, ah. Be good, gege added licorice root.¡±


    Unwillingly opening his cherry lips, she tasted the faint bit of sweetness spill from the tip of her tongue. She happily faced second brother, ¡°It really isn¡¯t bitter, gege is so good!¡±


    With a pampering smile he replied, ¡°You can drink it now.¡±


    She raised her head and drank it in one gulp and by this time, Xue Zhuyue had already brought the congee in front of her and began feeding it to her. Happily opening her mouth, Gu Weiyi enjoyed gege¡¯s intimate service and gradually, she felt as if the pain in her stomach also slightly faded away.


    Gu Weiyi laid on the bed for two days, by the second day, she felt as if it didn¡¯t hurt anymore. But gege made a big fuss out of nothing and insisted she continue to rest. She obeyed their wishes, but because of her period arriving, the peace talks she wanted to have with People¡¯s Welfare Hall had to be postponed to another day.


    *for this song translation, I used the translation provided on musixmatch with a few modifications to the wording to make it flow smoother (in my opinion). You can listen to the whole song here


    **he didn¡¯t actually hold her veins. I¡¯m pretty sure he just held her arm and felt her pulse through there.

 Chapter 13 - Negotiating A Treaty

    Chapter Thirteen Negotiating A Treaty


    The gorgeous carriage slowly stopped in front of Intoxicated Fragrance House. A tall bodyguard pulled open the carriage¡¯s curtain and a slender green figure appeared and jumped out of the carriage. Then immediately after, the figure turned around to face the carriage, not allowing people to see his complexion. Following this, a delicate, jade hand extended from inside the carriage. Then, a body threw themselves into the green figure¡¯s embrace and then, a purple gongzi appeared from inside the carriage.


    The three people entered Intoxicated Fragrance House together, drawing everybody¡¯s admiring gazes towards them.


    ¡°Ge, why would that seventh prince select to meet us in Intoxicated Fragrance House?¡± Gu Weiyi was somewhat confused.


    ¡°Intoxicated Fragrance House isn¡¯t just a restaurant, it¡¯s Yin Yue¡¯s most confidential organization. Regarding it¡¯s customers private businesses, it tightly protects it, not letting even a thread of information leak out. Thus, it¡¯s the best place to conduct private business.¡± Leading Gu Weiyi along, Xue Yunge began to ascend up the staircase. Opening his mouth, he slowly said, ¡°Be careful as you walk.¡±


    So it¡¯s like this, ah. She suddenly recalled the gentle as jade man that she had met a few days prior, sure enough, he wasn¡¯t as simple as he appeared to be!


    And the seventh prince they were to be meeting today, what type of fierce character would he be?


    When they reached the doorway to the private room, they saw two black clothed bodyguards standing on either side of the doorway. Upon seeing them, one of them nodded their head and said, ¡°The seventh prince has already waited for a while, please come in!¡±


    The room was different from the one they had dined in the other day, this room was elegant and resembled a study used to conduct business in. The seventh prince must be a serious and self-disciplined person. After coming to this conclusion, Gu Weiyi looked up.


    She saw tall and sturdy figure wearing a black brocade gown decorated with a silver colored collar and gold lace qilins [1] embroidered in it (the gown) in a veined pattern. In all aspects, the figure emitted the air of a monarch. A beautiful and deep face that looked as if it had been carved by a knife, resembling a devil from Greek mythology. He emitted a dangerous and sinister aura. He had sharp eyes that looked as if he was waiting for action after having accumulated power but they also resembled those of a graceful and languid black leopard!


    After meeting his gaze, Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but walk back a step and hide behind second brother. A very scary and profound guy, she was glad she didn¡¯t walk into here acting brave.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, come sit.¡± His brief and cold words showcased his experience and astuteness. Listening to his words, Xue Yunge sat down on one of the wooden chairs. Comfortingly pulling Gu Weiyi¡¯s hands, Xue Zhuyue and Gu Weiyi also sat down together in a seat.


    ¡°I believe seventh prince is already clear on the purpose as to why we¡¯ve asked to meet with you today. We are merely business men, naturally, we don¡¯t have the power to fight against seventh prince. But, Wan Li mountain can¡¯t be so easily destroyed.¡± Xue Yunge opened his mouth and went straight to the subject, his tone carried traces of mocking and unyielding-ness.


    The seventh prince seemed unconcerned as he sneered back, ¡°Able to investigate and find that ben gongzi [2] is behind People¡¯s Welfare Hall explains that you guys have some strength. I admire this quite a bit. Say, do you have any interest in submitting to ben gongzi as my subordinate?¡±


    This seventh prince, clearly they were here to negotiate, but he still wanted to buy their hearts and rope in more power. Really is worthy of a member of an imperial family, his thoughts were complex and difficult to pick apart. He didn¡¯t let any chances of scheming and exploiting pass him by.


    ¡°Although our roots are mere businessmen, we understand the reason that a wise man looks after his own hide [3] and we appreciate seventh prince¡¯s good intentions.¡± Something flashed in Xue Yunge¡¯s charming and bright eyes as he tactfully declined.


    The seventh prince didn¡¯t have many good thoughts, his keen and cold eagle eyes were threatening, ¡°This way, ah. Then I can¡¯t think of anything else that we can speak of.¡±


    Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help it anymore. This seventh prince really was bullying intolerably and even began to threaten them!


    ¡°Seventh prince, I have words to say!¡±


    Xue Zhuyue was greatly alarmed. Didn¡¯t this ya tou say that she would have big brother settle this matter, why is she adding to the chaos! Capturing her rising body, he worriedly opened his mouth, ¡°Yi Yi, what are you doing?¡±


    Pushing second brother¡¯s big hand away, Gu Weiyi firmly looked at seventh prince. ¡°Although your People¡¯s Welfare Hall is becoming more prosperous each day, your position, prestige, and reputation among the people can¡¯t be compared to Wan Li mountain¡¯s, even if it has some strength. Although you can use your status to gain privilege, you can¡¯t replace Wan Li mountain!¡±


    Looking at Gu Weiyi with interest, the seventh prince pondered over Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s nervous expressions before languidly opening his mouth to reply, ¡°Correct, continue.¡±


    ¡°Rather than having both sides suffer and neither winning, we can combine and grow stronger, taking control of the medical treatment circles in Yin Yue country and splitting the profits.¡± Gu Weiyi slowly stated this, spitting out enticing words, ¡°We can evenly split the profits. You also need the secret medicine, we can offer it to you as friends. The only condition is that we¡¯re each our own independent business. Between each other, we cooperate but we won¡¯t merge!¡±


    The pondering in seventh prince¡¯s eyes nearly all disappeared as he seriously looked at the youth in front of him. They were a beautiful and fragile looking child, but to his surprise, they had shrewd thoughts and excellent business capabilities. So much so that he could vaguely guess the things that this child would accomplish in the future. Secret medicine? It¡¯s no wonder he could develop a medical valley to such an enormous scale. Xue Wushang, you have evoked my interest.


    ¡°I agree with you, join and grow!¡± He emphasized the final two characters¡¯ pronunciations. The seventh prince raised his head up and wiped away his smiling expression and deeply looked at Gu Weiyi. Suddenly, Xue Yunge felt somewhat uneasy and stood up to obstruct his line of sight. His lowered voice said, ¡°Seeing it like this, our business deal has been decided on. Seventh prince, I hope that we may happily cooperate in the future.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment. Seventh prince, it¡¯s best if we both sign the contract now.¡± From the bag she carried, Gu Weiyi took out two contracts that had already been written a long time ago. She placed it in front of seventh prince and a shrewd and naughty smile appeared in her eyes, ¡°If someone decides to back out, there will be proof (of this deal), right?¡±


    Deeply gazing at Gu Weiyi for a moment, the seventh prince¡¯s serious attitude turned into unruly laughter, ¡°Xue Wushang, good Xue Wushang!¡± His large hand waved and several flamboyant and large characters appeared on the paper. Satisfied, Gu Weiyi took the contract back and wrote her own name on it.


    ¡°Okay, we each get a contract. Seventh prince, from this day forward, we are partners.¡±


    Regarding the fact that she settled such a large business deal, Gu Weiyi felt very satisfied. She left Intoxicated Fragrance House together with the two gege and didn¡¯t discover the strange smiling expression in the eyes of the black clothed male.


    ¡°Ge, I¡¯m awesome, right!¡±


    ¡°Yi Yi is very awesome.¡± Xue Zhuyue warmly smiled and obediently agreed, as he indulgently massaged her long hair. Xue Yunge pinched her cheek with rebuke, ¡°Still have the nerve to show off. Just now, gege was nearly scared to death by you. From now on, don¡¯t do such a dangerous thing!¡± Changing directions to Xue Zhuyue, ¡°Yue, don¡¯t always indulge her. Her handling matters so impulsively without any concerns will bring about big inconveniences in the future for her!¡±


    Resentfully explaining she said, ¡°Where was I impulsive, this time I maturely reflected, okay? In the end, didn¡¯t I reach an agreement with the seventh prince?¡±


    No longer nagging her about this matter, he carried her small body up into the carriage.


    [1] qilin ¨C a mythical hooved creature, you may read more on it here


    [2] ben gongzi ¨C he¡¯s referring to himself, it¡¯s kind of like ¡°this prince¡±


    [3] a wise man looks after his own hide ¨C to put one¡¯s safety before matters of principle

 Chapter 14 - To Reach Marriageable Age

    Chapter Fourteen To Reach Marriageable Age


    The courtyard was filled with blooming peach blossom trees, the petals fluttered and danced about a young girl dressed in white clothes as they fell down. The breeze swept by, picking up her ink colored hair that was originally draped over her shoulders, exposing her bright and peerless complexion. She had pink lips, not too pointy nor too delicate. Her pitch black eyes resembled stars in the night sky and her delicate smiling expression put the peach blossoms to shame.


    At the doorway of the courtyard, two handsome and slender figures suddenly appeared. The first person was a purple clothed and eyed enchanting beauty who had a both classical but seductive complexion. He was even prettier than some women, to an extent. Soon after followed a white clothed, green eyed male. He was quiet and cold, resembling a lotus. His body was made up of cold flesh and jade bones which revealed his indifferent nature. The two people¡¯s gazes were like the falling petals, they danced across the girl wantonly, their eyes were filled with tenderness and concentration.


    The girl turned around and fell down and out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the two males standing to the side. A joyous expression appeared on her face as she stood up and ran over to the two men, throwing herself into the purple clothed male¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Gege, tomorrow is Yi Yi¡¯s fifteenth birthday. Do you have any presents for me?¡±


    ¡°What does Yi Yi want, tell gege?¡± Horizontally carrying Yi Yi, Xue Yunge directly sat down on the couch under the peach blossom tree and leaned over to kiss her lips.


    ¡°En..¡±


    Gu Weiyi, whose lips had been blocked up, was unable to open her mouth. She could only resort to making ¡°wu wu¡± sounds to demonstrate her dissatisfaction. Bad gege, if she tells him what she wants, then what¡¯s the point of the birthday present? But saying this, she didn¡¯t lack anything right now, so she wished for any surprise!


    The wet tongue naughtily got into her cherry mouth and was nagging her tongue. As Xue Yunge kissed her, he went deeper and deeper. It was only until her face was flushed and she was gasping for breath that he hesitatingly released her, leaving a strand of ambiguous and silver colored drool. And to the side, when Xue Zhuyue saw the intimacy of these two people, his ice cold complexion suddenly turned faintly pink and a deep desire flashed in his eyes. When big brother released Yi Yi, she turned around her small head and willfully covered her bright red and swelling lips, softly turning around.


    In the time it took to separate, the expression in Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyes already blurred and she softly leaned on second brother¡¯s shoulder, lowly gasping for breath. They were always like this. If they didn¡¯t kiss her until she collapsed, they wouldn¡¯t stop. And when she was taking a breather, they would kiss all over her body. Apart from the very last step, they had basically done everything else. They would still act so unrestrained  in front of the old servants and ya tou, often causing her to want to die because of humiliation.


    ¡°Tomorrow, gege will accompany Yi Yi all day, isn¡¯t that great? Whatever Yi Yi wants, gege will comply with you.¡±


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Xiu Luo Villa, Weiyi¡¯s Boudoir.


    A red clothed young lady sat in front of a huge and fine dressing table. In the middle of her forehead there was a red dot of plum makeup, just like a cuckoo in full bloom. Behind here there was delicate and pretty, thirty year old woman who was brushing the young lady¡¯s hair. Her fingers were nimble as she brushed the young lady¡¯s waterfall-like hair. Soon after, a noble young lady¡¯s look appeared.


    ¡°Aunt Qing, your hand is very skilful!¡±


    Looking at the dignified and elegant woman in the mirror, Gu Weiyi could hardly believe that was her. It was like she had transformed in a night, like the butterfly emerging out of a broken cocoon. It¡¯s no wonder that people of ancient times attached such importance to coming of age ceremonies. Females reached marriageable age at fifteen, signifying that they were going to get married, obeying the husband for the rest of their life.


    But, if regarding Gu Weiyi¡¯s say in this, this was impossible.


    Looking at the grown up girl in front of her, her scowl and speech were all magnificent. The older servant felt tears pooling in her eyes. She suddenly thought of Yage and their former happy days they had as innocent playmates. The two people were bought together by the villa and they both took care of Master together. But soon after, she was assigned to serve Madam Lan and Yage was tarnished by Master when he was under the influence. After giving birth to Miss, she passed. Such a brief life and her youth had already disappeared. Nowadays, Miss didn¡¯t have to worry about food or clothes and even had the two Young Masters¡¯ boundless pampering and indulging, she should feel relieved. But, the possessiveness the Young Masters had over Miss already surpassed the boundaries of gege. Thinking of the fact that Miss slept and bathed together with the Young Masters, these things regarding a miss¡¯ reputation was extremely damaging. In any case, Miss and the Young Masters were brothers and sisters, this was unlikely to change. Now Miss had already reached marriageable age, sooner or later, she would have to be married off. Although Miss was brought up by the two Young Masters, her mind was as simple and pure as a child¡¯s. She was completely unaware of relationships between men and women.


    Thinking up to here, she still decided to open her mouth. ¡°Miss is fifteen and can now get married.¡±


    Married? Suddenly thinking of her in a crimson gown and being married to gege, Gu Weiyi blushed. ¡°Aunt Qing, what are you talking about?¡±


    Looking at Gu Weiyi¡¯s blushing cheeks and expectant expression, Aunt Qing became even more determined to assist Miss. Although Miss was brought up under Oldest Young Master and Second Young Master, she still survived and even became the Young Miss of Xiu Luo villa. But the Young Masters were ruthless and had different colored eyes, she couldn¡¯t allow Miss to be confined by them for her entire life and allow them to destroy Miss¡¯ future. Miss was an innocent, clever, and beautiful young lady, she ought to have a doting husband. She should enjoy an ordinary and fine life; not in this frigid Xiu Luo villa, hidden away her entire life.


    In Aunt Qing¡¯s gentle and timid eyes, something flashed that didn¡¯t belong to her. And the embarrassed Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t catch it. If Gu Weiyi had paid attention to her facial expression at this moment, the matters that occurred later would¡¯ve certainly been avoided. Up to the extent that she wouldn¡¯t of had to depart from her beloved gege for so long.

 Chapter 15 - Lian Yu Lake

    Chapter Fifteen Lian Yu Lake


    When Gu Weiyi, who was adorned in beautiful clothes, appeared in front of Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue, both people unconsciously held their breath. Their Yi Yi could be so beautiful. They were incapable of using words to describe her beauty, apart from her, their heart couldn¡¯t hold anyone else.


    Quickly walking forward, Xue Yunge took her hand in his and went on the carriage together. This was their promise to her, to accompany her for an entire day.


    Inside the carriage, Gu Weiyi lacked any form as she leaned against Xue Yunge, her mouth endlessly chattered on. ¡°I want to go to Flower Cloud Temple to see cape jasmine. I also want to go to the capital¡¯s most famous, Lian Yu Lake and go touring on the boats. I also heard that the capital has lots of good food, gege must go to the snack street with me. You must not dislike the filth! Also, also, Aunt Qing says that today is the annual lantern festival. Tonight, there will be beautiful lights everywhere, I¡¯m looking forward to it very much¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Everything will be according to you. Don¡¯t fiddle too much, your beautiful clothes are quickly getting creases in it.¡± Xue Zhuyue carried her, making her properly sit on his knee and tidying up her messy hair and clothes. He softly kissed her nose, ¡°However, Yi Yi can¡¯t be too mischievous and stray too far away from gege. There are a lot of people in the capital, it¡¯s very easy to stray away. Yi Yi can¡¯t cause gege worry.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Gu Weiyi felt that gege made too big a deal out of such a minor issue. She wasn¡¯t a child. ¡°Speaking of this, Aunt Qing will also be accompanying me. Right, Aunt Qing?¡± She turned around to look towards the gauze that separated the inside of the carriage from the driver¡¯s seat. A barely visible servant appeared to be behind the gauze, without permission, they couldn¡¯t enter the carriage.


    The servant outside softly replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. Miss, Aunt Qing will constantly be protecting Miss by her side.¡±


    Proudly looking towards the two gege, ¡°Just like I said, ah. No need to worry.¡±


    Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Xue Yunge poked Gu Weiyi¡¯s small head and softly scolded, ¡°Little idiot, Aunt Qing doesn¡¯t know martial arts. At most, she can just care for your daily trifles. Outside, people are sinister, how can she protect you.¡±


    ¡°What is this, gege don¡¯t forget, Yi Yi isn¡¯t a weak woman whose hands are tied. If someone wishes to cheat me, I¡¯ll poison them to death!¡± She fiercely opened her mouth, but what she didn¡¯t know was that this fierce appearance of hers looked like a child throwing a tantrum, it seemed exceptionally comical.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Lian Yu Lake first, by the time we finish touring around on the boat, it¡¯ll be wu shi [1]. Then we¡¯ll go to Intoxicated Fragrance House to order a table of delicious food, afterward eating, we¡¯ll admire the flowers. When night falls, we¡¯ll participate in the lantern festival. As we walk around, we¡¯ll eat snacks. Are these plans good?¡± After Xue Yunge informed the bodyguard, he turned around to ask Gu Weiyi her opinion.


    ¡°Good.¡± Nodding her head, the carriage began moving forward.


    Pulling open the carriage¡¯s window curtains, Gu Weiyi stuck her head outside and enthusiastically looked at the beautiful scenery. Seeing her so excited, the two brothers didn¡¯t prevent her, today she could have her way. It was also to avoid Yi Yi saying that they were always nagging her, like an old wife.


    The villa was located in the outskirts, so it took awhile to enter the capital. Along the way, there were only the woods and public roads, from time to time, some brooks and streams could be seen. It was truly a beautiful scenery. Suddenly, Gu Weiyi really wished to sing a song. The light breeze passed through, slipping between her fingers. She happily closed her eyes, what song should she sing? Without much thought, she opened her mouth and began to sing Chen Qizhen¡¯s In What Corner Have I Caught A Cold [2]. She softly hummed the tune, extremely content.


    There weren¡¯t any lyrics, just a satisfactory melody. Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue sat with faces filled with smiles as they listened to their treasure¡¯s beautiful singing voice. Naturally, it loosened one¡¯s heart, cheered it up, and made one carefree and without worries. Their hearts had never loosened before. It was gloomy, full of pain, or hatred. This was their life, but after her appearance, a new dawn came. Therefore, they didn¡¯t want to spare anything in order to capture her and block her line of sight. They wanted to isolate her from others¡¯ care, so that apart from them, she wouldn¡¯t rely on anyone else.


    Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t bother to look at their expressions, she just hummed to her heart¡¯s content. During this happy moment, the sound of a horse¡¯s hurried hooves sounded. Curiously raising her head, she just happened to meet the gaze of the armored male sitting on horseback. For a split second, she was startled.


    After her expression returned, he had already rode far away. The only thing that remained was the dust behind him, there weren¡¯t any other traces. Gu Weiyi returned back inside the carriage, her mood suddenly dropped. She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt as if something out of the ordinary would happen today. Alongside her excited mood, there was a trace of anxiousness. It must be because she was too happy.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Xue Yunge looked at Gu Weiyi¡¯s unnatural expression and concernedly asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just tired. Ge, I want to rest for a bit first. When we arrive, call for me, ah!¡± She habitually cuddled in his embrace and closed her eyes. It¡¯s up to the tall guys to worry if the sky falls. [3] Gu Weiyi decided she was enjoy this large moment in her life, reaching a marriageable age.


    After about two hours, the carriage drove into the capital. The crowd was bustling with activities, peddlers¡¯ peddling voices could be heard shouting, and there was the fragrant smell of food. It was truly bustling with noise and excitement, ah! At the gate of the capital, Gu Weiyi had already turned excited. Now, looking at the streets, because it was the lantern festival, there were colored lanterns for sale all along the road. In addition, there were a few masked females amusing themselves as they were accompanied by guards.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anything worth seeing yet, when it¡¯s night time, it¡¯ll be bustling with noise. Yi Yi, bring your head back in. We¡¯re going to Lian Yu Lake, wait for half an hour more and we¡¯ll be there.¡± Xue Zhuyue tenderly pulled at Gu Weiyi¡¯s restless body as he said persuading words.


    ¡°O.¡± She agreed then obediently sat back inside the carriage. ¡°Gege, what fun things will there be to do when we go tour the lake?¡±


    ¡°We can appreciate the scenery, or we can view the official scholar¡¯s sons competing against each other in poetry, who pretend to love the culture. There should also be female singers singing.¡± He hesitatingly opened his mouth. Xue Yunge also hadn¡¯t participated in any lake touring activities, this knowledge was only acquired after his subordinate asked around.


    She sighed in boredom, the activities of ancient people¡¯s leisure times were truly very few and very dull, ah. Only, when touring the lake, one could appreciate the scenery and enjoy delicious food. You could also look at the beautiful, female singers of the ancient times. It could also be seen as reaping a harvest. Anyway, there was at most, two hours before it was wu shi. Looking at ancient people competing in poetry wasn¡¯t bad.


    Lian Yu Lake definitely belonged to the capital, it was even bigger than Hangzhou¡¯s West Lake. A large, man-made bridge had been constructed across the lake, and all around, there were fluttering willow trees. The bluish water rippled and from far away, elegant lotus flowers stretched across the vast lake. Between dancing and singing, dragonflies fluttered about in the breeze, and occasionally, there would be a gorgeous ship rowing in the lake. It was as beautiful as a fairyland. Her originally, somewhat disappointed mood immediately raised up again. This type of heaven on earth, she wouldn¡¯t be tired of looking at it even if she did so for an entire day. Gu Weiyi had some regret that she only had two hours to waste here.


    Urgently excited the carriage, Gu Weiyi forgot all about gege¡¯s words of advice and impatiently raced forwards. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many people by the lake currently. Gu Weiyi¡¯s figure as she walked around was like a butterfly, it was exceptionally eye-catching.


    [1] wu shi ¨C 11am-1pm


    [2] In What Corner Have I Caught A Cold ¨C here¡¯s the song


    [3] It¡¯s up to the tall guys to worry if the sky falls ¨C she¡¯s not going to worry about these things; looking at it with a positive outlook

 Chapter 16 - Storm Clouds Approach

    Chapter Sixteen Storm Clouds Approach


    ¡°After all, the scenery at Lian Lake during the sixth month is different from all other seasons. The lotus leaves stretched to the horizon, all bluish-green. The sun shone down on the lotus buds, peerlessly red.*¡± Shaking her head, her wandering mind recited this and without a trace of shame from stealing this from someone else, Gu Weiyi proudly looked towards the two gege for praise.


    ¡°Ge, what¡¯s wrong? Is the Yi Yi¡¯s poem good?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, very creative. Unexpectedly, our Yi Yi is a talented girl, ah!¡± Sincerely praising her, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes were filled with admiring smiling expressions. In fact, they had never invited a teacher to teach Yi Yi, they let her learn as she wished. They weren¡¯t concerned over it either, as long as she was happy, it was okay.


    ¡°Yi Yi, follow us on the boat.¡±


    In front of them was a luxurious ship that was five meters tall. It had phoenix ceilings and at both ends of the boat, there was a winged eagle on the stern of the bow. The ship looked exceptionally luxurious and imposing. This was the first time Gu Weiyi had seen such a large ship, moreover, it was one from ancient times. The excitement in her heart caused her to resemble a colorful butterfly fluttering in the wind as she rushed inside.


    ¡°Really is a child.¡± Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Xue Yunge looked at Yi Yi¡¯s running figure. Faintly smiling dotingly, he and Xue Zhuyue entered the boat together. Following them was Qing Yi [1].


    After the anchor raised, the boat slowly began to move forward. While eating light refreshments, Gu Weiyi was nestled in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s embrace. She was very satisfied, on one end, she admired the lake¡¯s beautiful scenery. On the other side, she listened to Big Brother narrate Lian Yu Lake¡¯s tales. Beside them there were other boats, some rich families¡¯ young masters and misses invited female singers to perform so they could pass time, drink, and recite poetry. The scene was quite poetic.


    After amusing herself at the lake, Gu Weiyi urged the carriage to go to Intoxicated Fragrance House. This was her second time coming to the famous restaurant, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could meet the gentle as jade man again. This thought only flashed in her mind, after all, he wasn¡¯t someone she cared about. Obviously, she wouldn¡¯t spend time to let herself become troubled over this.


    As before, they reserved a seat in one of the rooms in the upper floor, but it wasn¡¯t the same as last times. By the time the waiter arranged their food, only the three of them were left in the room. Qing Yi and several bodyguards were subordinates, they weren¡¯t qualified to share the same table as their masters. Consequently, they ate their meal in the public room downstairs.


    ¡°Big Brother, last time, Second Brother and I met Intoxicated Fragrance House¡¯s manager here. When Second Brother wrote down an antithetical couplet, he couldn¡¯t wait to meet us.¡± Gu Weiyi sincerely exclaimed in admiration, ¡°Second Brother is really awesome.¡±


    ¡°That Mu Yalun is a very good person to be in contact with, he¡¯s also good looking.¡± The sentence she unintentionally let it out caused Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s complexions to change in an instant. Xue Yunge lightly pursued his lips and carelessly said, ¡°Does Yi Yi really like him?¡±


    Gu Weiyi stammered with a mouth full of food, ¡°It can¡¯t be considered liking. En, it¡¯s just that the impression wasn¡¯t bad.¡±


    Dotingly taking out a napkin, he wiped at the stain in the corner of Gu Weiyi¡¯s mouth. Xue Zhuyue and Big Brother exchanged a mutually understanding gaze, then they urged Gu Weiyi to eat.


    The room was brimming with love and harmony, at this moment, they didn¡¯t know that a storm was imminent.


    In the dark room, there wasn¡¯t any light. The two people¡¯s images were faintly discernible. In the darkness, a woman¡¯s soft voice was heard, but it carried a trace of chilliness.


    ¡°At night, they will go to the lantern festival. I¡¯ll draw the young master¡¯s line of sights away. You have to take advantage of the confusion and take Miss away, do you understand? Wait for me for a moment, we¡¯ll go to ¡®Cloud Room¡¯ to meet up, during this time, you must guarantee Miss¡¯ safety!¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± The male¡¯s voice was hoarse and gloomy as he agreed, ¡°After this, we no longer owe each other.¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t have to be said. After this, you¡¯ll go your way and I¡¯ll go my way!¡± The female¡¯s voice lowered and divulged a thread of mockery, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s leave faster, lest we attract someone¡¯s suspicions.¡±


    The male¡¯s figure flashed, and in an instant, his figure disappeared as if he had never been there in the first place. The dark room became even more quiet, the female¡¯s weak figure softly sat on a chair to the side. She was silent for a good while, then she stood up and seemed to have made a firm resolution. Opening the door, she let out a graceful complexion.


    The weak but solid complexion, red clothed female, was shockingly, none other than Qing Yi!


    Qing Yi raised three inch gold lotuses, she was just about to set out when a shadow suddenly appeared in front of her. An assertive but ridiculing baritone voice sounded out.


    ¡°Qing Yi, where did you go to, so urgently?¡±


    Terrified, Qing Yilifted her head and looked at the male blocking her way. Her eyes were guarded, ¡°Who are you? How do you know my name?¡±


    The male was twenty years old, he had a beautiful complexion and from head to toe, he had the type of manner that terrified people. His eyes were extremely arrogant and cold. In a split second, Qing Yi understood that this was someone who couldn¡¯t be provoked. If compared to the two gongzi, he wouldn¡¯t be outdone. The bottom of the abyss in the man¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t be seen, it seemed like stagnant water that was deep and unrising. Nobody could cause a ripple. Ruthless, cold-hearted, suspicious, calm, strong; this was a profound male!


    The caution in Qing Yi¡¯s eyes deepened, after seeing the man¡¯s severe gaze, her body didn¡¯t stop lightly trembling. Drawing back two steps, she walked back inside the room, calming herself she said, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± His lips lifted up into an unsmiling smile, ¡°Naturally, I¡¯m here to help you, smoothly accomplish what you want to do, ah!¡±


    Falling onto the chair, Qing Yi wasn¡¯t certain whether or not the male heard anything. Coldly laughing, ¡°What nonsense are you saying, there¡¯s nothing I want to do. This gongzi trespassed into a married woman¡¯s room, this isn¡¯t proper for a nobleman to do!¡±


    Not paying any notice to Qing Yi¡¯s words, the man walked forward and directly sat down on the wooden chair beside her, his eyes stared straight at the stiff Qing Yi. ¡°Why so reluctant, I won¡¯t harm you. Heng, overestimating one¡¯s abilities! Or you¡¯re underestimating the strength of your family¡¯s masters, do you think it¡¯s just possible through luck?¡± He sneered and lightly laughed, but his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    ¡°You eavesdropped on our conversation?¡± Understanding that her opponent completely knew all her goals, Qing Yi couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth and angrily ask.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the time to discuss this matter? Qing Yi, do you want to collaborate?¡±


    His enticing, devilish voice lingered in Qing Yi¡¯s ears, her heart couldn¡¯t help but waver. Indeed, she didn¡¯t trust that she could properly handle the matter, however, she currently had no other means and could only rely on him. Now, this male said he wanted to help her. Although her heart was moved, she didn¡¯t have trust in him.


    ¡°Why do you want to help me?¡± Even though she was a woman this lifetime, Qing Yi was an exceptionally bright and considerate person. There wasn¡¯t a free lunch in this world, she couldn¡¯t hand Miss over to a stranger whom she didn¡¯t trust. Cautiously opening her mouth, she closely watched the male, she didn¡¯t let any of his expressions pass by her eye.


    *I think it¡¯s pretty well established that I¡¯m so bad at translating any songs or poetry, but the gist of this is that the lake is completely covered in the lotus flowers, which have blue-green leaves and are bright red. The lotus flowers are seen until the water meets the sky (as far as the eye can see). Anyway, this is one of Yang Wanli¡¯s  poems, this poem is about Hangzhou¡¯s West Lake.


    [1] Qing Yi ¨C Qing Yi is Aunt Qing¡¯s name

 Chapter 17

    Chapter Seventeen Calamity and Fate


    ¡°Honestly speaking, I¡¯m very interested in him.¡± Faintly laughing, they deeply thought, full of emotions. ¡°O, wrong. Saying ¡®her¡¯ would be correct.¡±


    ¡°With this type of reasoning, how do you expect me to trust you.¡± Mockingly speaking, Qing Yi¡¯s eyes were filled with ice. ¡°I can¡¯t be assured of someone who can¡¯t protect Miss.¡± Qing Yi responded with a strongly suggestive tone, she wished to gamble. She was certain that he, being such an intelligent person, would be able to clearly understand her idea. She couldn¡¯t completely have trust in Ren¡¯s* strength, she believed that this strange male had the strength to protect Miss. Currently, she couldn¡¯t attend over much more. Moreover, this male was, undoubtedly, excellent. Based on Miss¡¯ capabilities and appearance, capturing such a male¡¯s heart should be relatively easy. So, don¡¯t even talk about being able to attract his interest.


    Meaningfully looking at Qing Yi, the male replied, ¡°I can guarantee that she¡¯ll be able to escape Xiu Luo villa, and to give her everything she wishes for. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Good, agreed.¡± Qing Yi¡¯s face showed a happy look, ¡°I hope gongzi won¡¯t disappoint me, but, will gongzi tell Qing Yi who he is?¡±


    ¡°My surname is Lan.¡± A simple three characters, but it caused Qing Yi¡¯s complexion to change. ¡°I rank number seven in the house.¡±


    Who didn¡¯t know that Lan was the surname of a country [1], Qing Yi let loose a breath. With this sort of family background, Miss shouldn¡¯t experience any troubles.


    ¡°Then, how have you prepared to arrange tonight¡¯s matters?¡±


    ¡°Be at ease, I have an excellent plan.¡± The male deeply laughed and a mysterious expression appeared on his face.


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡?¡¡¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    It¡¯s June, and blistering hot. Deep in the mountains, in this old Buddhist temple, the air had a type of minute coldness. There were many people who visited Flower Cloud Temple, but very few of them visited the temple to sightsee, like Gu Weiyi was. The majority of the people were there to burn incense, worship Buddha, and ask for all sorts of desires. Adding onto that fact was that it was currently the lantern festival, therefore, many women were there to pray for a marriage.


    The mountain behind Flower Cloud Temple had a large amount of jasmine, but to be able to enter it, one would need the consent of an abbot. The distant temple¡¯s doors appeared in people¡¯s eyes, there were all sorts of people coming and going. Their clothes were gorgeous or simple, all of them were kneeling down and praying towards the gold-plated statue. In the courtyard, a hundred-year-old cinnamomum camphora tree was filled full of red, silk ribbons. From time to time, there were young women who would pass by and put their palms together, in prayer, then they would throw their red ribbon onto the tree.


    Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t believe in supernatural things, but she placed her hopes in the existence people¡¯s beautiful wishes. Even though it was fabricated, what harm was there? Looking at those female¡¯s expectant faces, it resembled a group of girls, from the modern times, wishing on a shooting star. She couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    Xue Yunge noticed her expression and thought she also enjoyed this. Tenderly saying, ¡°Yi Yi, do you want to try?¡±


    At first, she wanted to shake her head. But thinking twice about it, they came today, there was no harm in wishing for good luck, ah. Having a beautiful and predestined relationship was every girl¡¯s end goal. Although she, Gu Weiyi, didn¡¯t wish to rely on any male, she still wished to find someone who would love her. She turned around to look towards her gege to the side, who was caring in every way to her, and happily smiled.


    Making a sound of agreement, Xue Zhuyue smiled back to her. Entering inside the temple, he accepted a piece of red silk and handed it over to her. Gu Weiyi took it and walked under the cinnamomum camphora tree. Faintly raising her head to look around, she saw that there were red silk ribbons everywhere on the tree¡¯s dense leaves and branches. She really didn¡¯t know where to find a spot. If she couldn¡¯t hang it on, wouldn¡¯t she be disappointed.


    Although Gu Weiyi studied medicine, she had never touched martial arts. Her strength was basically the same as any other female¡¯s. Under gege¡¯s attending, it was even more obvious how weak she was. This cinnamomum camphora tree was still considered tall, with her dainty body, it really wasn¡¯t enough. Looking up, she still tried.


    Looking for a branch that suited her height, Gu Weiyi found an angle. Under gege¡¯s expectant gazes, she threw it towards one of the branches.


    The beautiful, red ribbon slowly ascended in the air and the three pairs of eyes looked at it. Suddenly, the wind picked up and the red ribbon was switched into multiple directions by the wind. Unexpectedly, it flew away from the cinnamomum camphora tree and began to float outside.


    Stunned, she opened her eyes wide, Gu Weiyi turned around and looked towards gege, ¡°What¡¯s to be done?¡±


    Xue Yunge¡¯s seductive eyes were filled with a smiling expression, ¡°Forget it, Yi Yi just take another and it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Take another, recovering the red ribbon would be the same. She heard that, in Flower Cloud Temple, each woman could only take one red ribbon to show their sincerity. This was the only way to gain blessings. Her body consciously began to move, Gu Weiyi chased the red silk ribbon in the direction it was blown in. But when she saw the scene in front of her, she stopped.


    In front of her was a white clothed male, he was just calmly standing there. In his hands, there was a red ribbon flying around, carefree. He resembled a supernatural character. One white and one red, it provided an intense visual impact to people. The scarlet red coloring allowed the white clothed celestial being to have the breath of someone from the mundane world for a moment, but it felt like it was for forever. The scene seemed to be frozen and meaningful. It caused Gu Weiyi to not have the heart to step forward and break this delicate fantasy.


    After the white clothed male¡¯s expression returned, he looked at the searching Gu Weiyi and faintly smiled. It was just like a blooming, white lotus flower. That jade-like brilliance made people feel as if they had been cleansed by the spring breeze. From head to toe, their whole body felt as if it was filled with warmth. His face wasn¡¯t the most beautiful type, but each place was tender and soft. It caused people to think that he was peerless and be unable to shift their eyes away.


    Shockingly, that male was Mu Yalun. Even though she had only seen him once, she was sure she wouldn¡¯t forget such a male who was as soft as water and brilliant as jade.


    ¡°Did you drop this? Guniang [2], be careful next time.¡± Mu Yalun softly smiled and slowly walked closer. He placed the red, silk ribbon in Gu Weiyi¡¯s hands. And at this moment, Gu Weiyi was somewhat expressionless. She clearly saw the indifference in the other person¡¯s eyes. According to reason, because she and Mu Yalun had already met before, one must not react like this, ah! Thinking again, then, she was wearing men¡¯s clothes. Compared to now, she had on gorgeous women¡¯s clothes. Indeed, the difference was too large. Temporarily, he didn¡¯t examine her, so it was understandable.


    Smiling, Gu Weiyi softly opened her mouth, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As before, Mu Yalun still had his constant smile. In fact, when he first saw this girl, he felt an indescribable feeling of familiarity. If not, his seemingly kind nature would have been cold and detached instead. This red, silk ribbon fell into his hands for a moment, so he would let it go without any concern. The girl in front of him looked exceptionally delicate and adorable. Her hair was combed into the hairstyle of someone who had reached marriageable age and there was a red plum flower in the middle of her forehead. Her eyes were pure and busy; accompanying her red clothes, it resembled fire. Unexpectedly, it gave birth to a faint charming allure. Her complexion was elegant and like snow. Not gorgeous, not deep, instead it gave the person the feeling of it being both male and female [3]. It looked as if someone had used the most beautiful, white jade to carve her face. Pure and sparkling, it caused people to want to take her in their hands and cherish her.


    This feeling was truly very familiar. If he didn¡¯t remember incorrectly, then he has never seen such a girl before. If not, the current him would certainly lose his manners.


    ¡°No need, guniang has also come here to wish for something. I wish guniang can have her wish fulfilled.¡±


    Turning around, he left. Gu Weiyi also nodded her head and turned to run towards gege¡¯s direction.


    According to the two people, this time¡¯s encounter, unbeknownst to them, was both a calamity and fate.*I¡¯m not entirely sure what the author is trying to convey. I translated Øð (ren) as a name, under the assumption that the person Aunt Qing was speaking to before is called Ren. But, it could also just be a typo on the author¡¯s part.


    [1] Lan was the surname of a country ¨C Lan is the surname of one of the country¡¯s royal families


    [2] guniang ¨C girl


    [3] it gave the person the feeling of it being both male and female ¨C I wasn¡¯t really sure how to word it less awkwardly, but what I¡¯m trying to get at is that her complexion resembles both a male¡¯s and female¡¯s, so when Gu Weiyi dresses in male clothes, people would think she was a male and vice versa

 Chapter 18

    Chapter Eighteen Extinguished Colored Lantern


    Evening, during twilight. The fireworks already began to start along the river. All sorts of colored lanterns were already being held up by men and women, looking for their own predestined other half. In the crowd of the people coming and going, Gu Weiyi¡¯s party of people seemed exceptionally eye catching. From time to time, there were a few shy but bold girls who stepped forward to give the Xue brothers their colored lanterns. There were even some girls who offered their spice bags and handkerchiefs. After they stuffed it in the two brothers¡¯ hands, they hurriedly walked away. Gu Weiyi wasn¡¯t actually angry. She merely grabbed one of the handkerchiefs and saw that, embroidered on the handkerchief, there were a pair of mandarin ducks [1] playing in the water, as well as the girl¡¯s surname. It seemed to be a convenient way to propose marriage, even the family¡¯s daughter embroidered it, it was indeed amusing. Regarding romance, the girl¡¯s of ancient times were the opposite of brave, ah. Regarding Gu Weiyi¡¯s interest, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were indescribably offended. Xue Yunge was completely a man full of big smiles and evil intentions. On ordinary days, no matter who he meets, he wears a seductive and charming smile. His complexion was even more beautiful and delicate when compared to girls. There was a tear birthmark on the corner of his eye, drawing people¡¯s attention. Even when males saw him, they would become infatuated. But what people never thought, was that, under this beautiful and smiling expression, there was much bitterness and viciousness; he was extremely dark and merciless. The pure and cold, lotus-like Xue Zhuyue looked like he hadn¡¯t been contaminated by the mundane world. Pure white and busy, the expression on his face was eternally indifferent; but, that clean lotus, it was actually grown out of the filthy sludge, ah. The sludge in the pool was filled of darkness, other people were incapable of imagining it.


    They grew up in the darkness, struggled in the darkness, after their rebirth. They disliked people, most of all, the touch of people. Confronting today¡¯s scene, what smiling expression, what indifference, they couldn¡¯t maintain it at all. Both people¡¯s faces were dark, the angry color was clearly visible. What they hated even more was that the person they cared about didn¡¯t have any reaction, they couldn¡¯t help but want to resist those repulsive, eager women. They also wanted to drive away the men who coveted their treasure, it could even be said that they were too busy to respond.


    Their eyes were as sharp as knives, cold like ice. Originally, there were many women who adored the two people, but they all couldn¡¯t help but halt in their footsteps, restlessly stopping in their place. Gu Weiyi walked in front, but didn¡¯t pay attention to these people, she looked at the various colored lanterns, full of interest. Some were in the shape of an animal and some were the shape of plants, there were also drawings of people and beautiful women. The wisdom of the predecessors amazed the two, the craftsmanship of the lanterns caused one to gasp in surprise.


    Looking at her interest towards the colored lanterns, Xue Zhuyue stepped forward to pull on her small hand and softly opened his mouth to ask, ¡°Yi Yi, are there any you took a fancy to?¡±


    She shook her head, the colored lanterns were very pretty, but there weren¡¯t any she was especially fond of. There were many patterns, but it wasn¡¯t bright enough. Gu Weiyi held second brother¡¯s hand and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s look more, I feel like these colored lanterns aren¡¯t beautiful enough!¡±


    Gu Weiyi had unintentionally said these words, but it attracted the dissatisfaction of one of the peddlers selling the colored lanterns, to the side. It was a man over forty-years-old, he originally saw this party of people of handsome men and a beautiful woman. Their clothes were also impressive, they ought be the young masters and miss of of a rich family. He thought he could make a profit; but he didn¡¯t expect to run into a group of picky masters, his heart was inevitably angry. He immediately, resentfully opened his mouth.


    ¡°Miss is too picky, if you want the most beautiful colored lantern, there is an event in the city. If you have the ability, then go there.¡±


    Once these words came out, the two Xue brothers had faces full of killing intent. Unexpectedly, a lowly person dared to say such words to Yi Yi. A fierce intent flashed through their eyes.


    The peddler¡¯s tone of voice wasn¡¯t bad at all, Gu Weiyi knew that it was her own words that offended him. It was her fault, but she wasn¡¯t angry. She softly replied, ¡°Uncle [2], I apologize for my words just now. It was my fault, but it wasn¡¯t because I¡¯m picky, I¡¯ve seen better and more beautiful colored lanterns, it¡¯s hard to not to be able to put these in my eyes.¡±


    It seemed as if he never thought that Gu Weiyi, this rich family¡¯s Miss, would apologize to him, the peddler had some helplessness. Stammering, ¡°Little, Miss [3]. Don¡¯t, need not¡­¡±


    ¡°Your colored lantern is very well made, but the pattern is mediocre. Actually, you can make a unique and unmatched lantern, that is a lantern with a carousel of paper horses.¡±


    Gu Weiyi merely saw that this person was dressed in a poor person¡¯s clothes, but his body was proud. If it were another peddler, they would just brag and fawn upon her. They wouldn¡¯t bluntly speak to her like so. Today was also her birthday, helping people also counted as inviting good luck. She planted the idea of creating a carousel of paper horses in the lantern.


    ¡°Exactly, the scene in the lantern can move. Uncle can draw some sort of small story, and so on. This way, when people look at your lanterns, they¡¯ll feel interest.¡± After simply thinking, Gu Weiyi opened her mouth.


    ¡°After making lanterns for a lifetime, the things I [4] know aren¡¯t equal to what Miss knows. Just now, I spoke words of contradiction, I [4] am really ashamed. Ten thousand prayers for Miss¡¯ forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°This didn¡¯t inconvenience me. You merely spoke bluntly.¡± Delicately teaching this method to the peddler, Gu Weiyi¡¯s expression was extremely serious.


    Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue looked at their treasure, the killing intent in their hearts slowly faded away. So beautiful, so kind-hearted. They didn¡¯t wish to kill more. Her intelligence and ability to understand others was their favorite part about her. The most amount of chasing couldn¡¯t let them believe that they didn¡¯t have the right to be compatible. Even though she knew about their killing nature, she had never blamed them.


    Bidding farewell to the deeply grateful peddler, Gu Weiyi walked closer to gege¡¯s side. In a low voice, she asked, ¡°Ge, Yi Yi told such a money making method to another person, you guys won¡¯t be angry?¡±


    Suddenly they realized that this was indeed a huge business opportunity, but this was a kindness she gave away. Gu Weiyi felt some embarrassment, gege seemed to be omnipotent. She wanted to help them, but couldn¡¯t find a place to start. Apart from staying by their sides, it seemed as if there weren¡¯t any other good ideas. This part of herself caused her to be very annoyed.


    ¡°What? Yi Yi did very good, gege will never get angry with Yi Yi.¡± With a soft voice, he stroked her cheeks. Xue Yunge tenderly smiled, bending his big, charming eyes. The tear birthmark on the corner of his eye looked to be on the verge of collapsing. That sort of gentle expression, really, exceptionally beautiful¡­


    Her heart suddenly felt soft, this type of loving gege, ah. What good things did she have to be troubled over, she merely had to be herself and do what she believed was right, to allow them to be happy.  She didn¡¯t need to think of much else.


    Pulling on second brother¡¯s hand, she joyfully began walking forwards, drawing the crowd¡¯s peculiar gazes. But, what was that worth, they were happy. That was enough, ah!


    But, the current Gu Weiyi would¡¯ve never thought that her long awaited happiness would be annihilated in a split second. Following that would be endless waiting and anguish.


    Circumstances would become more oppressive, but everyone would be friendly and at ease, not too ruthless. Circumstances would be hard to part with, ah¡­


    [1] mandarin ducks ¨C symbol of a happy couple; lifelong couple


    [2] uncle ¨C he¡¯s not her actual uncle, it¡¯s to show respect for him


    [3] Little, Miss ¨C the peddler said С£¬Ð¡½ã; С½ã is young lady/miss & С is young/small/few, etc.


    [4] I ¨C when he¡¯s addressing himself, he¡¯s addressing himself humbly; СÈË (xiao ren) instead of ÎÒ (wo)

 Chapter 19

    Chapter Nineteen Twin Flowers


    ¡°Ge, didn¡¯t that Uncle say that there was a carnival, let¡¯s go take a look.¡±


    ¡°Okay, ah. Originally we were going to go there anyway. This is the finale event of the lantern festival this year!¡± Xue Zhuyue smiled as he replied, his normally ice-cold face was filled with warmth currently.


    The carnival was a high platform. On it was the type of platform that Gu Weiyi had seen on television, those platforms were used for martial art tournaments. Not only were they exceptionally gorgeous, the high frames had approximately ten layers. There was a beautiful lantern hung up on each layer. No matter what handiwork or model those colored lanterns were, they were all excellent. No wonder Uncle said that the most beautiful colored lanterns would be here. Earnestly looking, she followed the layers as she looked further up. Her eyes stopped at the colored lanterns at the highest layer. Romantic red and snow white, this lamp actually had two different colors on it. Naturally, it looked to be a very large flower bud. Looking at it gave one the feeling of enchantment but also pureness. This flower was very strange, but it was very interesting. Rumors say that it¡¯s color was black, there were also other theories of it being white. But, there had never been any talk of this type of distinguished color twins.


    For a long time, Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyes stayed on that colored lantern. It wasn¡¯t only her, there was also Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue, as well as the other people in their surroundings. Undoubtedly, this colored lantern was everyone¡¯s target tonight.


    This carnival had a fierce process, there were three methods. Composing poetry, answering rhyming couplets, and guessing riddles. The contestants choose the one they¡¯re best at, the winner gets a colored lantern. Looking at the layers of colored lanterns being taken, Gu Weiyi suddenly opened her mouth.


    ¡°Ge, I want that colored lantern.¡± The ordinary and firm voice showed Gu Weiyi¡¯s current determination. There was a thread of magic power that attracted her interest. Whatever she, Gu Weiyi, wanted, she must get.


    At this time, Qing Yi, who was to the side, suddenly stepped forward. ¡°Miss, Young Masters, nubi[1] has some matters. Is it possible for nubi to retire for a moment?¡±


    ¡°What matter?¡± Xue Yunge coldly questioned, sparing Qing Yi a glance. The strict color in his eyes scared her heart for a moment, she thought she had exposed her wishes.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Her face showed an awkward expression, Qing Yi was suddenly speechless, it was still Gu Weiyi who helped her out of her embarrassing situation.


    ¡°Gege, women will inevitably have matters that cannot be so easily said to men. How can you be like this to Qing Yi, ah!¡± Then she turned around to kindly look at Qing Yi, ¡°Aunt Qing, it¡¯s no issue, you may go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Miss, Young Masters.¡±


    Seeing Qing Yi¡¯s retiring figure, doubt flashed through Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes.


    On the terrace, it had finally come to the competition for the colored lantern at the very top. A purple clothed, middle aged man seemed to be the host as he addressed the audience, ¡°This is the final colored lantern. You don¡¯t need to answer a riddle, put a poem together, or a rhyming couplet. As long as you can say what object this colored lantern is, this lamp will be yours!¡±


    When these words were said, the audience began to spiritedly discuss. For a long time, nobody stepped forward.


    ¡°Twin flowers.¡±


    A quiet and elegant woman¡¯s voice sounded out and in succession, everyone¡¯s eyes fell upon the clear and red clothed woman¡¯s body.


    ¡°There¡¯s a type of flower and a colorful tree trunk. The stem is combined and there are two flowers, not too many and not too few. The flower is black or white, but few have heard of two different colors. If among these two, one of them withered, the other flower wouldn¡¯t survive either. Upon seeing the twin flowers, three people will become involved in a tangle. If only one person sees it, they¡¯ll experience a profound romance.¡±


    Everyone looked at her, the two gege¡¯s eyes were also filled with disbelief. The girl¡¯s sharp and clear voice was still going, bringing everyone into a psychedelic world.


    ¡°But twin flowers in itself are also a legend. Nobody knows it is and nobody has seen them before.


    One day, there was a woodcutter who stumbled upon an extremely odd scene when deep in the forest. A cuckoo tree was filled with flowers, among these was a yellow branch. The branch was neatly extended out. At the end of the branch were two stems of black flowers, they were exceptionally eye catching.


    The woodcutter looked at this novelty and cut the branch off. He wanted to bring it home to let his family take a look.


    The road deep inside the woods were hard to walk through. The woodcutter carefully carried the flower in his bosom and finally left the woods. Outside of the forest was a public road, the woodcutter¡¯s house was located beside a brook that was across from the public road.


    On the river, there were two logs that supported a makeshift bridge. A few days prior, there was heavy rain and now, the water in the river was to the brim.


    After stepping onto the bridge, the woodcutter finally decided to throw the flowers away.


    The woodcutter brought the firewood across the bridge and the flowers lay on the public road.


    Not long after, a carriage passed by.


    Far away, there was a black car print that extended out a long distance before finally fading away.


    On the public road, the yellow branch got squashed and the black flowers also got squished. The air was filled with an indescribable fragrance, it was laden with grief, but there was also the feeling of happiness.


    Even through death, they were together. In that sort of ruin, there was still a type of happiness.¡±


    Carrying a faint thread of grief and joy, the woman¡¯s voice gradually faded away. Everyone was still staring blankly.


    It was the purple clothed, middle-aged man that returned first, without consulting his master, he directly said that the flower was called Twin Flowers, but he didn¡¯t say anything else. This woman actually knew this amount of detail, it was very surprising.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, all these colored lanterns will be given to Miss. Is it possible for Miss to follow me backstage to choose your colored lanterns? My family¡¯s master wishes to meet the person who¡¯s able to guess what this colored lantern is.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± She hesitatingly looked at her gege, who were standing to the side. Her eyes were filled with pleading. Not bearing to have her disappointed, Xue Yunge helplessly opened his mouth. ¡°Okay.¡±


    [1] nubi ¨C slave servant


    Translator Note so sorry everyone for the inconsistent updates as of late, I keep getting unexpectedly busy with work at random times. I¡¯m considering picking a day where I can possibly start writing many chapters in advance, so that way (in the future) there¡¯s at least a steady flow of chapters. That can also enable the ability for readers to support me and get advance chapters, but I¡¯m not too sure on this yet. What do you guys think?

 Chapter 20 - Parting

    Chapter Twenty Parting


    The two people followed her to the backstage area, but they were blocked by the middle aged man.


    ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Xue Yunge¡¯s charming appearance immediately seemed to have been covered by a black cloud.


    ¡°My apologies, my master doesn¡¯t like to meet outsiders. Only this Miss may enter.¡± The middle aged man was neither servile nor overbearing when he replied.


    Coldly snorting, the cold lotus-like Xue Zhuyue replied in his detached voice, ¡°What thoughts is your family¡¯s master harboring, if little sister enters and meets a mishap, we shouldn¡¯t worry?¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, let me report to my master first.¡± Hesitating for a moment, the man turned around and made his away into the room backstage.


    ¡°Ge, aren¡¯t you too anxious?¡± Gu Weiyi questioned, but she didn¡¯t oppose their clinging. She understood their thoughts and didn¡¯t want to be troublesome or let gege worry.


    Not long after, the man walked back out and apologetically said to them, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, my family¡¯s master doesn¡¯t wish to meet any outsiders. If you two insist on accompanying the guniang, then, master says that you shouldn¡¯t meet him. This colored lantern is one that Miss has won. Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll call for someone to bring it out.¡±


    This master was truly an odd person. Gu Weiyi thought and reluctantly said in her soft voice, ¡°Okay.¡±


    At this time, a loud sound suddenly came from the tall terrace. Dazzling fireworks graced the skies, exploding mid air. It was all exceptionally beautiful. The people around the tall terrace were all startled by the sudden sound. Together, they raised their heads to look up at the sky. Gu Weiyi followed suit, she hadn¡¯t expected that the ancient times would also have fireworks, how beautiful! These fireworks were like petals of a jasmine, blooming in the sky, it was gorgeous and aesthetic. Carefully counting, she counted that four flowers had already exploded in the night sky.


    The people submerged in watching the sky were suddenly given another scare. Suddenly, a group of black clothed people fell down from the sky, each one of them was holding a long sword. Whenever they met someone, their swords would fall. Soon, the smell of blood spread throughout the air. There were sounds of men and women¡¯s anguished screams, the scene was endlessly bloody and chaotic. The frantic crowd disorderly ran in all four directions.


    Gu Weiyi was tightly protected in Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s embrace. Qing Yi was also following behind and their guards held out their swords. They guarded them at the front, blocking people from entering and colliding.


    As they gradually drew closer to the black clothed people, they suddenly split into two groups. From left and right, they both attacked Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue. The two persons single-handedly confronted the enemy whilst never letting Gu Weiyi depart their protective circle. Saying that Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s martial arts skills were the best in the world wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement. Facing off against these four people, they did so skillfully and easily. Although Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart was in her throat, she didn¡¯t rush forward to bring inconvenience to gege. If the current situation allowed her to use poisons, she would have long broken away and not needed gege¡¯s protection.


    The black clothed people fought for a long time without success when suddenly, there was the sound of a wooden panpipe being blown. Xue Yunge knew this wasn¡¯t good and retreated backwards along with Xue Zhuyue who was shielding Gu Weiyi. The guards were in a tangle with the other black clothed men. And Qing Yi was a woman, so she ran backwards alongside the two retreating people.


    Sure enough, a moment later, more black clothed people fell from the sky. Xue Yunge knew that, tonight, these people had all come for him. Although he didn¡¯t know whose people these people were, he knew that they must hate Xiu Luo villa to their bones. But, right now, they had to protect Yi Yi. They hadn¡¯t brought any hidden guards, looks like they would have to expend a great deal of effort to deal with them.


    The black clothed people doubled and fought against the two again, gradually, the two people turned weaker and weaker. These people were first class experts, Rao was their uninhabited expert, but they couldn¡¯t balance out this fight. With the wind in their ears, these people saw they couldn¡¯t fight against Xue Zhuyue. So, they turned and began to strike at Gu Weiyi. Xue Zhuyue¡¯s heart was suddenly startled, without thinking, he extended his hand and took the knife. Blood dyed Xue Zhuyue¡¯s long gown and splashed on the floor.


    ¡°Second brother!¡±


    Gu Weiyi panicked and shrieked, her heart was filled with grief! Looking at the constant flow of blood, it felt as if it was dripping onto her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but begin to cry.


    ¡°Yue!¡± Xue Yunge was also anxious. For his own brother to receive injuries, he felt as if he was the one receiving them himself. A killing intent appeared on his body. His sword moved, it looked like the silver snaked jiaolong [1]. In the midst of lightning, the four black clothed people who was previously attacking him, suddenly fell with blood flowing onto the floor.


    ¡°Qing Yi, bring Miss and quickly leave! Ren, you protect the two people and return to Xiu Luo villa!¡±


    ¡°Subordinate will follow your orders!¡±


    ¡°Ge!¡± Gu Weiyi knew that now wasn¡¯t the time for Ren to show off his abilities. Her departure would allow gege to not worry about her and let them attack their enemies at full strength. But, she was worried about gege¡¯s injuries. Her gege¡¯s martial arts were so excellent and they had so much killing intent, two fists were no match for four legs, ah! With so much people attacking, she couldn¡¯t help but think of such a dreadful aftermath. She couldn¡¯t help but blame herself, why did she have to goof off and not practice martial arts. If not, she wouldn¡¯t have become a burden on gege at this moment!


    ¡°Miss, walk faster!¡± Qing Yu tugged at her sleeve and urged her.


    Casting a reluctant gaze at them, Gu Weiyi¡¯s expression suddenly turned firm. Turning around, she resolutely left. Qing Yi glanced at her and an indescribable ray flashed through her eyes. Immediately, she opened her mouth to ask, ¡°Miss, you walk first. Qing Yi will protect you from behind!¡±


    Gratefully looking at Qing Yu, Gu Weiyi felt exceptionally touched. Due to gege¡¯s blocking these past few years, her relationship with Qing Yi wasn¡¯t as close as it used to be. But, she never forgot that it was this woman who gave her the most beautiful warmth in the past. ¡°Qing Yi, thank you!¡±


    ¡°Foolish Miss, what thanks. For you, Qing Yi is willing to do anything!¡± Qing Yi tearfully replied, the emotion in her eyes was strong and unquestionable.


    Pulling on Qing Yi¡¯s hands, Gu Weiyi ran forward, dodging the murderers behind her. Soon after, the guard called Ren looked left and right for any enemies that could appear.


    With great difficulty, she ran into a dark alleyway. Gasping for breath, Gu Weiyi stilled her steps. Just as she was about to turn her head, she felt an ache in her neck. Her vision blurred and her slender body softly fell down.


    Behind her was Ren, who had knocked her unconscious, and Qing Yi, who caught up to her.


    [1] jiaolong ¨C an aquatic dragon, it¡¯s wikipedia page is here

 Chapter 21 - Betrayal And Love

    Chapter Twenty One Betrayal And Love


    Xiu Luo villa, Lian Yu hall¡¯s prison.


    Dusky lighting illuminated the dark interior¡¯s general situation. A large wall was filled with various torture weapons. Nearby, a petite body was chained to a strange iron controlling mechanism. Only the person¡¯s wrist was hooked to the machinery, their other limbs weren¡¯t supported. Although there weren¡¯t any movements of torture, this type of hanging still caused people extreme pain. It was very possible that the person could die of pain three days later. The person¡¯s clothing was ragged and messy, their long black hair was damp and clung to their face, covering their features. On their exposed skin was threads of red whip marks, it looked to be an exceptionally tragic sight. Underneath the person were a pile of corpses that reeked of blood, causing people to feel nauseous.


    Five meters away from the torture instruments was another scene. On immense, glistening jade benches were two beautiful, languid males that seemed even more remarkable than the jade. The purple eyed male had on black clothes, hatred was on his delicate and enchanting face. The green eyed male had on snow, white clothes, he strongly contrasted against the green eyed male. But, his pure lotus-like features held the same ice cold cruelty. Indifference shown in his eyes, which held a thread of desperation.


    ¡°Qing Yi, you¡¯re still not speaking?¡± Dangerously narrowing his enticing, purple eyes, the strictness on Xue Yunge¡¯s face deepened.


    ¡°I, I won¡¯t say anything. You, you should kill me!¡± Weakly opening her mouth, Qing Yi expended great effort to raise her head, her eyes were stubborn.


    ¡°Heng, I won¡¯t kill you because you¡¯re someone Yi Yi cares for. Even though we don¡¯t let her care about anyone else apart from us, you¡¯re certainly an exception. Who told you to first become acquainted with Yi Yi, we can only say that we had bad luck. But, we can¡¯t let you off just because we won¡¯t kill you. You¡¯ve already seen Ren being tortured, I¡¯ll let you feel the same pain he felt. But, you won¡¯t lose consciousness and die!¡±


    His cruel words caused Qing Yi¡¯s heart to tremble and her whole body shuddered. Correct, ah, she personally saw Ren¡¯s death and Ren¡¯s suffering. That beautiful and bewitching Young Master only used his slender hand to slowly dismember Ren. First, he cut off his tongue, so that Ren couldn¡¯t even shout if he wanted to. Then, his body slowly started to fall apart and he withered away  in front of her eyes. All that was left was a pile of flesh and bones that emitted a dense, fishy smell. This caused her pain, caused her to blame herself, and caused her to give up all hope.


    ¡°Qing Yi, when all¡¯s said in done, why did you have to betray Yi Yi?¡± After being silent for a good while, Xue Zhuyue opened his mouth and suddenly opened his mouth.


    His questioning didn¡¯t anger Qing Yi who immediately opened her mouth to say, ¡°I didn¡¯t betray Miss! What I did was to help Miss, it let her escape from your evil clutches!¡±


    ¡°Evil clutches? Ha ha ha ha ha¡­¡± He erupted into laughter, naturally it was the constantly cold Xue Zhuyue. An expression that he had never worn before appeared, not only Qing Yi, but even Xue Yunge was started by his own didi.


    ¡°You ignorant woman! Why would you think that Yi Yi was in evil clutches when she was with us? Why!¡±


    Somewhat scared now, but still firm, Qing Yi seemed as if she was throwing caution into the wind and said with determination in her eyes, ¡°Young Masters, you are devils with your green and purple eyes. Demons in the chaotic world is an old saying, it isn¡¯t wrong. If Miss is with you guys, she¡¯ll only get hurt! Forget about the fact that you¡¯re Miss¡¯ blood-related gege, ah. The way you guys treat her, imprisoning her. Don¡¯t tell me that Young Masters don¡¯t understand that this is wrong? You guys and Miss will never have any results!¡±


    ¡°Never have any results?¡± Xue Zhuyue muttered and suddenly staggered, spitting out a mouthful of blood. The blood was red in color, painting a picture of death.


    ¡°Yue!¡±


    Suddenly crying out in surprise, Xue Yunge waved his big hand and Qing Yi immediately slumped, seeming to have lose consciousness. He comforted Xue Zhuyue, letting him lean against the jade chair. Resting the palm of his hand on his back, he channeled inner power into him.


    ¡°Yue, quickly breath in air, don¡¯t go overboard. You¡¯re currently at a crucial time in your cultivation progress, how can you be so reckless with yourself!¡± He softly criticized, but his tone covered up his concern.


    ¡°Ge, nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Weakly opening his mouth, Xue Zhuyue¡¯s complexion was tired and sad. ¡°Just thinking of our Yi Yi, I actually lost yi Yi! Without Yi Yi, I¡¯ll die. Ge¡­¡±


    Tears dropped out of his beautiful eyes. The pure, cold and lotus-like man was now so helpless, hopelessly weeping like a child would.


    ¡°Ge, what can we do? I¡¯ll truly die. My Yi Yi, I really miss her. Every moment apart hurts my bones. Why did Qing Yi have to say that, my Yi Yi, I¡¯ll give her nothing but happiness. How could I harm her? We¡¯re devils, why are we devils? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of our eyes?¡±


    He hysterically mumbled, but the listening Xue Yunge couldn¡¯t bear it, his purple eyes sparkled with unshed tears. They were twins, they were closely knit. He could feel that Yue¡¯s heart held so much pain because this same pain also accompanied him. But he was the big brother, he couldn¡¯t fall apart. And although Yue seemed to be indifferent, he was actually the weakest. They had gone through those dark days already. They no longer had hopes for this world. Yi Yi was the one thing they wanted. For the first time, they wouldn¡¯t be the same as before and endure the insults. They would definitely get whatever they wanted, nobody could obstruct them!


    ¡°Ge¡­¡± Like a lost child, he closely grasped onto Xue Yunge¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s truly because of our eye color right? I understand that we received so much humiliation because of this. But, didn¡¯t Yi Yi say before that our eyes were beautiful? Yi Yi won¡¯t turn her back to us, right?¡±


    Without rhyme or reason, he shouted out with his eyes filled with hope. His previous wounds from being abandoned, the pain from being ignored, his unstable heart didn¡¯t believe he could possess happiness. With great difficulty, his life was filled with hope again, but was it really so brittle?


    ¡°I knew ge, I knew all along. I was afraid to lose Yi Yi. Each night, if I didn¡¯t hold her, I wouldn¡¯t believe that she was by my side. For ten years, I looked at her everyday, held her everyday, kissed her, and even began to forget that I had stolen this happiness. That, one day, this happiness wouldn¡¯t belong to me anymore. Has this day come? Ge, I¡¯m very unwilling, but I¡¯m also very hopeless. Don¡¯t tell me that we¡¯ll no longer have happiness?¡±


    ¡°You shut up!¡±


    ¡®Pa¡¯ sounded out as Xue Yunge slapped Xue Zhuyue¡¯s face and in an instant, all was quiet.


    It was as silent as death.

 Chapter 22 - Searching and Appearing

    Chapter Twenty Two Searching and Appearing


    The current Xue Yunge was dangerous. His hair danced about in the wind as his demonic and beautiful face held an angry expression.


    Xue Zhuyue didn¡¯t believe what happened as he covered his red face, distracted.


    ¡°Xue Zhuyue! What are you thinking, look at what you look like now!¡± Straightforwardly yelling his didi¡¯s name, Xue Yunge was truly angry. ¡°Yi Yi didn¡¯t leave us, and she isn¡¯t dead either. Currently, she was taken away from us by others. Don¡¯t be remorseful here, lamenting about your unobtainable happiness. Ever since we killed our father twelve years ago, we had to clearly understand that anything we wanted, we must take from other people¡¯s hands. And don¡¯t you dare say that Yi Yi is someone else¡¯s, she is ours! Naturally, our guarded treasure can¡¯t be longed for by other people! Now, we need to find who took Yi Yi and bring Yi Yi back. Then, we have to make that person pay the price in blue!¡±


    Moving his head, the emotionally moved Xue Yunge withdrew his hands that was transported internal power. ¡°First, go to the secret room to take care of yourself. Regarding Yi Yi¡¯s affair, I¡¯ve already sent people out to go find her. After you¡¯ve finished self-cultivation, Yue, I don¡¯t want you to be like you are now.¡±


    Finished speaking, he left without looking back. All that was left was Xue Zhuyue foolishly sitting there.


    The outside world was lightly raining. Xue Yunge raised his head and looked towards the boundless sky, not paying attention to the rain water falling on him. Suddenly, he began recalling those hopeless days, the memories that he never wished to remember. They had slowly submerged into his memories over time, until even a little bit of evidence wasn¡¯t left behind. But those pained moments rested at the bottom of his heart, the feelings of hopelessness and fleeing were like a poison deeply embedded in his bones, one that he could never absolve himself of.


    Something slid down his cheek, but he didn¡¯t know whether it was the rain or his tears.


    Yin Yue Country, Yan Zhou City, Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard.


    Inside of a gorgeous room, on a large and beautiful bed, a woman was lay deeply asleep. If you looked closer, you would find that the woman seemed to be in a restless sleep.


    Her delicate hands tightly clenched the bed sheets, outlining profound marks. She was curled up and her beautiful and pure complexion seemed to be filled with countless beads of sweat, as if she was in extreme anguish.


    Beautiful fireworks exploded, painting the sky with brilliant, red rays of light. There was a black clothed person fighting as well as white clothed, lotus-like male, whose hand was bleeding. Running, pain, then it was endless darkness.


    ¡°Ge¡­¡±


    Her uneasy whispering was seen by the brocade robe wearing male that just walked in. His ice cold lips curved into an unknown smile, then towards the adorable, little servant girl behind him, he said, ¡°In the future, you¡¯ll serve her. Carefully look upon her, if any problems arise, immediately report them to me. If she wants to know anything, tell her what you know.¡±


    ¡°Servant understands.¡±


    ¡°When she wakes up, come call for me.¡± Before leaving, he took one last glance at the figure sleeping on the bed and then strode out of the room.


    And the woman deeply stuck in her nightmares was still fast asleep. The clever and adorable little servant girl stepped forward and carefully wiped away the beads of sweat on the woman¡¯s face, but her face was detached and cold.


    The horses hooves flew, kicking up dust in the air as they ran towards the forest on the public road. One was white and another was black, the two were both fine horses. They ran forwards, but when they entered the forest, they were suddenly blocked by a group of reckless, black clothed people.


    ¡°Gongzi, what has happened here? It¡¯s already been the tenth day someone was sent to assassinate us, who have we provoked?¡± The man speaking was wearing a purple chang pao [1] and he looked to be about forty-years-old. His face wasn¡¯t very nice, but it was also clear and smart. Looking again, wasn¡¯t this the middle aged man at the carnival in the lantern festival?


    As he was angrily speaking, he was also surrounding them with the other black clothed people. The middle aged man really couldn¡¯t understand. From that night at the lantern festival, he had people nonstop tracking and trying to assassinate him, there was even more than one person. He and gongzi had urgently rushed back to Yan Zhou, but this road was continuously blocked. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that gongzi¡¯s martial arts were high and that, he, Zhuang Sheng, was also considered to be an expert, he was afraid that they would have been buried by these people.


    Seeing his family¡¯s gongzi being so awesome, Zhuang Sheng felt admiration in his heart. And with a solemn expression, he also began to move against these people. Soon, a black clothed person died in the forest. Finally cycling around, the green clothed male retrieved his sword. And if one carefully looked, he actually didn¡¯t get a single drop of blood spilled on him!


    ¡°Zhuang Sheng, let¡¯s leave.¡± The green clothed male turned around and exposed a smooth, jade-like face with gentle and tender facial expressions, one felt as if he had the temperament of an immortal. He had a clear as water voice¡­ He didn¡¯t have an extremely beautiful appearance, but it still caused people to be unable to move their gaze away.


    Mu Yalun, surprisingly, it was him!


    ¡°After returning to Yan Zhou, we need to clearly investigate the strange matters that have happened to us lately. Release a feather message, let¡¯s meet up with another team and return together!¡±


    ¡°Yes gongzi!¡±


    A feather-like firework exploded in the air, it drew people¡¯s gazes, causing them to stop and look up at it. Those beautiful colors and beautiful image lasted for only a minute before disappearing without a trace.


    Yan Zhou, in a magnificent second courtyard a male dressed in brocade robes languidly sat on a large chair draped with tiger skin as he listened to a subordinate¡¯s concise report.


    ¡°Your Majesty, those people have already sent out a signal. It is currently developing in the direction that Your Majesty has expected.¡±


    ¡°Very good, you may retire!¡±


    A stern smile blossomed on the beautiful and profound male¡¯s face, ¡°The game has begun.¡±

 Chapter 23 - Waking

    Chapter Twenty Three Waking


    In the midst of a nightmare, Gu Liufeng suddenly cried out in fear and woke up.


    The unfamiliar room was gorgeous and delicate. The faint smell of incense lingered in the room, the entire room seemed very comforting. But it couldn¡¯t dissipate the anxiousness and terror in Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart. Holding onto her slightly wet forehead and remembered that everything before she fell unconscious, it was allAunt Qing. Aunt Qing knocked her unconscious, but why? She was the woman who raised her all by herself. She (Yi Yi) didn¡¯t want to doubt her, but the fact was that she did do so (knock her unconscious). What was this all about? And after all, what position was she in? There seemed to be a huge scheme in the assassination during the carnival, but she didn¡¯t know anything else.


    Just as she was deep in thought, a girl walked in carrying a basin. When she saw that Gu Weiyi was awake, she was immediately pleasantly surprised and stepped forward. ¡°Miss, you woke up?¡±


    Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t pay attention to the woman¡¯s expression. This wasn¡¯t Xiu Luo villa, nobody here was trustworthy. Although she, Gu Weiyi, was infinitely naive in front of gege, nothing could change the shrewdness and indifference she had deeply embedded into her.


    ¡°Who are you? What place is this? Who brought me here?¡± Coldly looking at her, Gu Weiyi rapidly fired questions towards her.


    The woman didn¡¯t seem to have caught her displeasure and, just like before, she was all smiles as she replied, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re suddenly asking Ya¡¯er so much, Ya¡¯er doesn¡¯t know how to start responding?¡±


    ¡°Just start answering in the order I asked the questions.¡± There wasn¡¯t even a bit of her trying to reach out to her, Gu Weiyi responded coldly and calmly.


    ¡°Hee hee, Miss is truly scary. Miss has scared Ya¡¯er!¡± The woman didn¡¯t bother with her and directly teased her.


    For the first time, Gu Weiyi had the urge to kill someone. This woman called Ya¡¯er seemed to be an affable, simple, and ignorant person; but she was truly a deeply scheming and hard to deal with person. The type of person she, Gu Weiyi, hated the most was a person who was good at pretending, but would stab someone in the back in their moment of carelessness.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t speak nonsense with me, I believe your Master should have told you how to act with me?¡± Hatefully pursuing her lips, Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t wish to get into a tangle with her.


    Taking back her pure smile, Ya¡¯er¡¯s face became icy and she coldly snorted, ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t a simple person ah, Master¡¯s estimate was wrong! This is the second courtyard of the master of Yan Zhou. You, naturally you were sent here by that Aunt Qing person.¡± She mockingly looked at Gu Weiyi, seeming to want to see the expression of pain on her face when she found out that she had been betrayed by someone close to her. What a pity that she was bound to be disappointed. Even Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyebrow didn¡¯t move, her face was filled with detachment.


    ¡°Heng, you will soon know who my family¡¯s master is. Rest here for now, Miss! [1].¡± Ya¡¯er coldly snorted and then stormed off in a huff.


    Gu Weiyi sat on the front of the bed in deep contemplation. Even the servant girl is such an aggressive person, who will this Master be?


    The door was tightly closed to the spacious room, but it still couldn¡¯t contain the sounds of the man¡¯s gasps and the woman¡¯s tender moans. Ya¡¯er stood outside the door, her pretty face turned pale and filled with an envious and sinister look. Her fine hands clenched into fists, turning white from the strength she clenched them with. Her sharp fingernails penetrated deeply into the bone, it was better to feel pain and she needed to stay clear-headed.


    Stubbornly remaining calm, Ya¡¯er took in a deep breath. She wasn¡¯t very loud nor was she very quiet, it was just loud enough for the people inside the room to hear her.¡±


    ¡°Master, that guniang is awake.¡±


    What she was replied with were the ambiguous moans of men and woman. Then after a moment, she heard the sound of a man¡¯s hoarse voice, ¡°Go prepare a bath, I¡¯ll go find her in a moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes Master.¡±


    Inside the piping hot baths, Ya¡¯er¡¯s eyes were filled with tenderness as she washed the man in her mind¡¯s body. The strength in her hands was soft, but she attentively washed every inch of his body. She seriously washed him, as if she wanted to wash away all traces of the affection he just experienced a few minutes before.


    ¡°Master, that guniang isn¡¯t the same as the information we received said. She is a unsophisticated and pampered little servant girl!¡±


    ¡°O, how to say?¡± The man¡¯s deep and magnetic voice echoed in the room. His voice carried a different type of charm.


    ¡°Master.¡± Ya¡¯er¡¯s charming face was slightly red as she proceeded to reply, ¡°When that guniangwoke up, she didn¡¯t possess any of the restlessness and terror that someone who found themselves in an unfamiliar place would. When she saw slave servant, she wasn¡¯t the same as other the other Miss¡¯ of influential families, regarding slave servant as a life saving medicine. Instead, she saw through Ya¡¯er¡¯s disguise. It seems like she¡¯s very calm and collected!¡±


    Her tone carried traces of respect. Although she had much loathing towards the other women by Master¡¯s side, this woman wasn¡¯t the same. She was merely a bargaining chip that Master took from Xiu Luo villa, nothing more. Master wouldn¡¯t bother with her, it was even less likely that he would fall in love with her. Master was this type of male, what type of woman be able to obtain his heart? Thinking to here, she couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat sad.


    ¡°Change clothes!¡±


    A tall and handsome figure, with good-looking flesh, a slender and well proportioned body, and a handsome and bold complexion. This type of male¡­ Ya¡¯er¡¯s face suddenly blushed and her heart sped up. Then, she immediately went forward to pick clothing up and help Master dress.


    ¡°Go to Searching Fragrance Garden.¡±


    And at this moment, Gu Weiyi had just finished splashing her face with the water from the basin, waking herself up. She was just about to walk outside of the room to see what type of place this was. When she pushed opened the door, she was greeted with the view of a small and exquisite courtyard. There were all sorts of artificial flowers and plants in flower pots as well as naturally growing green bamboo. It looked to be extremely pleasing and calming, causing people¡¯s mood to become exceptionally agreeable. Above the arched door, there were the words ¡°Searching Fragrance Garden¡±, these three words written on it. The styles were written in kuang cao [2] style, it was extremely bold and unruly. Towards this writing, Gu Weiyi was actually, extremely admiring of it. But towards this name, she was less than pleased with it¡¯s tackiness.


    ¡°What, Xue guniang is so interested towards zai xia¡¯s characters?¡±


    A lofty man¡¯s voice sounded out behind her. Gu Weiyi turned her head and looked towards that person, suddenly she felt as if her head was spinning. Abruptly, she had some more understanding as to why she was captured.


    [1] miss ¨C what I¡¯ve been translating as miss is made up of the two characters С½ã. the servant girl said ¡°Ð¡¡¢½ã!¡± which could be literally translated as ¡°little¡± (С) and ¡°older sister¡± (½ã), but in english, ¡°little, older sister¡± doesn¡¯t make much sense, so i¡¯ve kept it as such


    [2] kuang cao ¨C a style of writing, you can see a sample of it here, searching ¿ñ²Ý on google will also give you more pictures

 Chapter 24 - Imprisoned

    Chapter Twenty Four Imprisoned


    ¡°Yes, this kuang cao is very wild and bold. It seems to grasp the gorge between the heaven and earth in its hands. A bold and tyrannical method, these are good words!¡± Gu Weiyi paused for a moment and seemed to change her tone of voice, ¡°But, ah¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± Stepping forward, the man asked full of interest. This woman really couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Such trifling words, but it let her realize his deeply hidden, ambitious goals.


    ¡°Heng [1], but these words are the swords side stroke. Showing off one¡¯s ability is rarely a big accomplishment! Don¡¯t even talk about using the characters ¡°Searching Fragrance Garden¡±, such a distasteful name. Unexpectedly, seventh prince¡¯s opinion and insight is only like this?¡± With keen eyes, Gu Weiyi closely watched him, her tone was filled with mocking.


    ¡°Shut up! Unexpectedly, you dare to humiliate our Master!¡± Ya¡¯er¡¯s face changed colors, quickly moving, her head was just about to land on Gu Weiyi¡¯s pure and angelic cheek.


    But just as her hand streaked across, Ya¡¯er was shocked into taking a few steps back, with a face of disbelief, she looked at her own Master.


    ¡°Ya¡¯er, you must not be rude. Xue gongzi is a visitor here, how can you act so wanton!¡± Lan Sheng Ling languidedly opened his mouth, but he didn¡¯t even cast her a glance. Ya¡¯er tightly closed her mouth and her face held a wronged expression. Angrily, she cast a glance at Gu Weiyi and retorted with unwillingness in her tone, ¡°It was Ya¡¯er that was reckless, requesting Xue guniang to forgive me!¡±


    Gu Weiyi listened to this conversation, both people seemed to be singing a duet, it was merely a farce. ¡°I can¡¯t dare to accept Ya¡¯er guniang¡¯s apology, I can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    She was so angry, her face turned white, but Ya¡¯er didn¡¯t dare to act wanton. But Lan Sheng Ling still held on, his profound and handsome face held a smiling expression as he said, ¡°Xue guniang, don¡¯t tell me that you want to eternally stay in this doorway? How about we go inside and talk?¡±


    ¡°I never said this!¡± She turned around and entered the room. Gu Weiyi sat down on one of the chairs, her face was solemn. ¡°Let me get right to the point Seventh Prince, why did you capture me and put me here?¡±


    ¡°He he, is there any need to be so anxious?¡± Lan Sheng Ling languidly opened his mouth, ¡°Ya¡¯er, go prepare a cup of top-notch biluochun [2].¡±


    ¡°Master!¡± Ya¡¯er was somewhat willing in her heart. What need to prepare good tea, it was nothing more than excuse to get rid of her. Did Master still not trust her? She disappointingly turned around, she couldn¡¯t disobey Master¡¯s order.


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t keep your act up. Seventh Prince, haven¡¯t we already agreed to work with you? Why are you doing such actions now, don¡¯t tell me that you wish to destroy the contract? Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯ve already signed our names on the contract, you can¡¯t go back now!¡± Gu Weiyi looked straight at him, her voice was unyielding. Even though she had no bargaining chips on her currently, she could never take something lying down. This was a lesson that Gu Weiyi learned in her previous life.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s already like this, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. As you think, cooperating isn¡¯t my idea, nor is merging my purpose. What I really want is for everything to be in my control, all for my use!¡± The languid male¡¯s tone of voice suddenly turned tyrannical and rude.


    ¡°Your purpose of capturing me was to threaten Xiu Luo villa, to make my gege submissively hand Wan Li Mountain over to you?¡± This sickening male, how very despicable and lowly! Such a grand prince, unexpectedly, he has lowered himself to using such methods. It really made people feel contempt for him!


    ¡°You dream!¡± How could gege¡¯s strengths be so easily defeated. Gu Weiyi calmed herself down, they would definitely think of ways to save her. She didn¡¯t need to lose her head and randomly kick.


    ¡°He he he¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    The handsome and bold man suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Gu Weiyi¡¯s chin, his cold eyes held mock in them. ¡°Little guniang, you¡¯re truly too childish! Such an insignificant Wan Li Mountain, how could it enter this* prince¡¯s eyes.¡±


    What? Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyes were wide open with astonishment. What did he mean with these words? Don¡¯t tell her that what he wanted was Xiu Luo villa? This male had such large ambitions. Never, never satisfied as just a prince. What he wanted most was tens of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, boundlessly beautiful and the allegiance of the whole world!


    She heard gege say that this Seventh Prince had immense power in the imperial court. He had nearly two-thirds of the court councilors¡¯ support, and now, he even had one-fifth of the country¡¯s wealth in his hands. Adding onto this was the power of the jianghu [3]. Wouldn¡¯t all the land under the heaven be easily earned!


    Jianghu was filled with two powers, black and white. The easiest to control ought to be the upright and influential families. Moreover, Xiu Luo villa was the overlord of the black side. If he was able to gather it in his hands, the result could already go without saying.


    Her brain rapidly analyzed the information and went around in a circle. At last, Gu Weiyi finally understood the basics of this man¡¯s thinking, but she couldn¡¯t help herself and sucked in a cold breath. This man was truly too terrifying! If one had him as an enemy, one would get no benefits. Would gege be able to deal with him?


    ¡°What are you thinking about? I can see the astonishment in your eyes. Little jiahuo, what have you thought of? It seems like you really aren¡¯t a simple, little servant girl, ah!¡± Lan Sheng Ling captured Gu Weiyi¡¯s lower jaw, he carefully looked at Gu Weiyi¡¯s expression and his eyes held a trace of admiration, but it quickly disappeared. Intelligent people, ah. They would never live a long life, especially intelligent women. But he, Lan Sheng Ling, refused to believe that he couldn¡¯t settle an insignificant woman. Soon, everything would be in the palm of his hand. The net has already been cast, before long, his fisherman would come to collect.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯ll stay here in your future days. If you find that Searching Fragrance Garden is a distasteful name, I¡¯ll change it into Matchless Garden. In addition, Ya¡¯er will serve you in the future, she¡¯ll be your personal slave girl.¡± Releasing Gu Weiyi, Lan Sheng Ling returned to his seat and resumed his languid posture again.


    Rubbing the pain away on her lower jaw, Gu Weiyi disdainfully glanced at him and coldly said, ¡°What personal slave girl, she¡¯s nothing more than something used to monitor me, timely reporting my every movement to you. It was said so nicely!¡±


    Lan Sheng Ling wasn¡¯t angry that his thoughts had been exposed. He stood up, as if he was going to leave.


    ¡°As long as you know, it¡¯s good. So, don¡¯t vainly attempt to escape. Aside from Ya¡¯er, there¡¯s also my secret guards posted all around. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, Xue guniang, ah!¡±


    Looking at his departing back, Gu Weiyi was angered to the point that her teeth itched!


    [1] heng ¨C the sound of someone snorting


    [2] biluochun ¨C a type of green tea that¡¯s grown in the Dongting Mountain region near Lake Tai, here¡¯s more information on it


    [3] jianghu ¨C refers to the martial world, but the literal translation is ¡°rivers and lakes¡±


    *i¡¯m now translating ±¾ (ben) as ¡®this¡¯ instead of ¡®ben¡¯

 Chapter 25 - Eavesdropping

    Chapter 25 Eavesdropping


    The water faintly moved around in the pond full of lotus flowers, the white lotus flowers were still in full bloom. But the woman by the pond who was coincidentally smiling beautifully was already gone. Xue Yunge was laying on the fence, he was mindlessly breaking the lotus petals. The expression on his face was lost and pained. His Yi Yi had already been gone for three days. The absurd him believed that his own strength was strong enough, but he couldn¡¯t even find a bit of the trail. Even all the black clothed people from that night had killed themselves using poison. He didn¡¯t even know who the opposite party that hired them was. He was already sick of these waiting days! If he knew who took Yi Yi away, he would¡¯ve already killed them a long time ago. There was no need to waste time here. Yue was already in seclusion, he didn¡¯t dare tell him of his own incompetence. Yi Yi still hadn¡¯t been found, if he heard that, he (Yunge) was afraid that he (Yue) would spit out another mouthful of blood! Self blame, powerlessness, and deeply rooted longing wound around him. It was constantly pestering him, causing him to be almost unable to breath.


    ¡°Yi Yi, my Yi Yi, where are you?¡±


    He took the wine cup next to him and drained it in one gulp. The wine sprinkled out, wetting the corner of his mouth and dampening his lapel. His ordinarily enchanting and beautiful features turned extremely haggard. The tears welling in his eyes were on the verge of coming out, causing his comparably peerless looks to carry a sort of miserable and sorrowful feeling. It wasn¡¯t because he wasn¡¯t sensible, eager, or sad enough, it was because he couldn¡¯t lose his head, collapse, or lose hope. In outsiders¡¯ eyes, they were sinister and cruel devils who wouldn¡¯t have emotions, wouldn¡¯t have happiness or sadness. But who could know the pain and longing that laid at the bottom of his heart. He understood Yue¡¯s loss of self control for a moment. It wasn¡¯t that it didn¡¯t hurt, it was just that he couldn¡¯t yell out his pain. He buried all his uneasiness and concern at the bottom of his hurt, but during that instant of loss, he was incapable of stopping himself from collapsing. But the Yue that truly expressed his mood was a rarely seen scene. They couldn¡¯t allow themselves to lose control.


    ¡°Lord!¡± A shadow appeared and bent down on his knee.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± The unhappy Xue Yunge threw the wine cup in his hand, but the shadow didn¡¯t dodge. ¡°Pa¡± sounded and the pottery shattered into thousands of pieces. A few bloody scars already appeared on the shadow¡¯s face.


    ¡°Lord, there is some news of Miss!¡± The kneeling figure didn¡¯t move and reported with detachment in his voice.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you said anything then!¡± He emotionally stood up and arranged his messy hair and clothes, Xue Yunge returned to the alluring Xue Yunge again.


    ¡°We still aren¡¯t sure about where Miss is, but we found out that those black clothed people, from that evening, were heading towards Yan Zhou. According to our intelligence, those people went into Blue Snow Stronghold.¡± The shadow was neither overbearing or servile, but he turned around and expressed his meaning.


    Blue Snow Stronghold was the number one organization in jianghu. It was an extremely mysterious organization, but the people in the lead in the martial arts circles all blindly followed them. It was just like Xiu Luo villa, who was on the black side, but it was definitely much stronger than Xiu Luo villa. Blue Snow Stronghold was one hundred years old, it was an organization that survived a century worth of ups and downs. All along, it commanded the martial arts circles. With this type of strength, it was bound to be more powerful than Xiu Luo villa, which had only been established for ten years. But Xue Yunge didn¡¯t feel dread, even if he had to put Ming Xue¡¯s strength to use, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°Assign people to infiltrate Blue Snow Stronghold and gain information on Miss¡¯ whereabouts. Once you find information, immediately report. After second gongzi comes out in ten days, we¡¯ll set out to Yan Zhou!¡±


    ¡°Yes Lord!¡±


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡?¡¡¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Yan Zhou, Water Pavilion, Second Courtyard


    ¡°I said, can you not follow me?¡± This damned Lan Sheng Ling, ever since he assigned Ya¡¯er, this shadow, she never stopped following behind her. Gu Weiyi had nearly been driven mad. Eating food, sleeping, even going to the bathroom, this Ya¡¯er would follow her. Not only that, she also frequently used that hated stare to gaze at herself. Gu Weiyi knew that, if it weren¡¯t for Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s command, she (Ya¡¯er) would certainly immediately kill her (Yi Yi)!


    But, she still had methods to deal with her, that was to go to Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s study. Previously, Lan Sheng Ling had issued an order that nobody could enter his study without his command. But, ever since last time she said she was bored and wanted to read, the study room wasn¡¯t restricted to her anymore. No matter what the reason why Lan Sheng Ling allowed her to enter the room, it was better than having Ya¡¯er eyeing her covetously twenty-four seven. Although it was because of this that Ya¡¯er looked at herself with eyes full of, not only, hatred, but also jealousy. She, Gu Weiyi, didn¡¯t have the good intentions to pay attention to a servant girl¡¯s emotions. Let misunderstandings just be misunderstandings, infuriating her was the best. She couldn¡¯t look upon Lan Sheng Ling, that rotten person. Apart from gege, there weren¡¯t any people that could enter her, Gu Weiyi¡¯s, eyes in this world.


    ¡°Master gave an order, slave servant must follow Miss at all times!¡± Ya¡¯er responded with clenched teeth, her facial expression was cold and full of hatred.


    ¡°Is that so, then I won¡¯t be stubborn. Today I¡¯ll go to the study. Ya¡¯er stay here, go to make some pastries for me. When I come back, it¡¯ll be the best time to pad my stomach, yes?¡±


    Pretending to be carefree and opening her mouth, she satisfyingly watched as Ya¡¯er instantly stiffened and her face filled with embarrassment. Happiness blossomed at the bottom of her heart! What a pitiful woman, getting feelings for Lan Sheng Ling, that ruthless male, indeed it¡¯s very sorrowful. But none of these matters concerned her, if one wanted to feel pain, then go feel pain. Wasn¡¯t she also suffering?


    From far away, she saw the study¡¯s large doorway. What was strange was, apart from the hidden guards all over her own Matchless Garden, this entire second courtyard only had two guards. Especially this study, there wasn¡¯t even one guard around. If she had the chance could she escape from this place?


    As she secretly thought about this, she observed the terrain around this study. Unknowingly, she walked underneath one of the eaves by the window, beside her was the wall. Looking up, she estimated the height of the wall and thought about whether or not she could climb up the walls. But the outcome was extremely clear. The wall was three times Gu Weiyi¡¯s height, the only way she could climb up the wall was with a ladder. But where could she find such a tall ladder? Such a large affair, she had a small body, not to mention the fact that she couldn¡¯t carry it (the ladder) up. Dragging it in second courtyard, only if one was a blind person, nobody would not know that she was trying to escape.


    Abandoning this idea of climbing the wall, she was just about to leave. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a male¡¯s voice come through from inside the window. That voice appeared in Gu Weiyi, each time, in her nightmares. It was Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Have the Xue brothers been found?¡±


    ¡°Master, they will certainly come to Yan Zhou after ten days. When that moment comes, I¡¯m afraid that they won¡¯t answer unless we bring Xue Wushang* out, that bargaining chip.¡±


    ¡°Heng, I want them gone forever! Summon all the hidden guards and bring them to Yan Zhou.¡±


    ¡°Yes Master, subordinate will go do this at once!¡±


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡?¡¡¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Covering her mouth, Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t even dare to breath and quickly stopped. Until the sounds in the room stopped and the sounds of the men¡¯s footsteps gradually faded away, she quietly stepped up and ran to Matchless Garden.


    But she didn¡¯t see that the two people in that room didn¡¯t leave at all. All they did was trick her hearing by putting a facade up, nothing more. From the beginning, Lan Sheng Ling had been paying attention to her every movement. Everything had already been prepared at an earlier time, all that was left was her, Gu Weiyi¡¯s, arrival.


    A strange smiling expression hung on the profound and handsome male¡¯s face.


    *just as a reminder, Xue Wushang is Yi Yi¡¯s identity to the world outside

 Chapter 26 - Flower Ecstasy

    Chapter Twenty Six Flower Ecstasy


    ¡°Master, why do you want to do this?¡±


    The one speaking was a male that was about forty-years-old. But what was strange about him was that he seemed to be abnormally short, at most, he seemed to only be about one meter tall. But, his face seemed to be covered by a black cloth, covering his facial features. His voice sounded like it had been burned by a flatiron, it was dull and monotonous. His voice was hoarse and unpleasant to the ear, in modern times, it would be as if a tractor had crushed it, it caused people to feel annoyed when hearing it. If one closely paid attention, they would discover that his face under the veil was riddled with wounds, causing him to look fierce and sinister.


    Dangerously narrowing his eyes, Lan Sheng Ling looked down upon him and said, ¡°Does this one¡¯s decisions need you to call them into question? You only need to do your part in this one¡¯s arranged plans, this one has a final conclusion for the rest!¡±


    The short male was quite for a long while, seemingly to be trying to calm himself down, at all costs. After a moment, he finally opened his mouth and said with a hoarse voice, ¡°Subordinate knows.¡±


    Languidly laying to the side of the desk, Lan Sheng Ling gracefully thumbed through a book. Towards the male, he let him leave. ¡°Withdraw. Regarding this one¡¯s plan, you have to perform properly, don¡¯t make any mistakes!¡±


    ¡°Subordinate understands!¡±


    Gan Ya¡¯s unpleasant voice finally faded from the room, but the faint smell of scheming didn¡¯t leave, instead it lingered for a long time.


    In Matchless Garden, after tightly closing the door, Gu Weiyi buried herself in the quilt, her heart was pounding. Fear, concern, restlessness, and anxiety all coiled together in her heart, throwing her mind into chaos. What could be done? Gege already knew where she was, they only needed to rush over. But, she couldn¡¯t feel happy. Because this place had long since been a trap, all that needed to happen was for them to come before the attack was set off. Gege would certainly be concerned about her safety, when they came, they would be extremely eager and their guard would be low. During that time, adding onto that fact was she she was in their opponents hands. With her as a bargaining chip, gege wouldn¡¯t dare to act blindly. How could this sort of situation not be to passively take a thrashing. What a good Lan Sheng Ling, ninth prince, this plan was extremely clever, ah! He knew that she was gege¡¯s weakness. As long as he controlled her, the entire Xiu Luo villa and all the properties under their names would become his. What was funny was that she was the main culprit of everything. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she originally met with him, it wouldn¡¯t cause this seventh prince to pay attention and it wouldn¡¯t spiral into this situation. For a small medicine shop, they would fall into poverty and have to pay their entire Xiu Luo villa!


    Remorse and self blame came rushing in. The always strong Gu Weiyi shut herself inside the quilt and wept, but she didn¡¯t allow anyone to see her weakness. After she tired herself out from crying, she pondered. Although Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s plan was good, how could gege be so easily dealt with. Since they knew she was in Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s hands, they wouldn¡¯t be immobile and obediently cast her aside. It was her that overthought the situation and underestimated gege¡¯s strength. Perhaps in the confusion, she only focused on blindly wondering about the possible dangers that could happen, and neglected to reflect upon gege¡¯s wisdom and power. It wasn¡¯t worse than the ninth prince¡¯s, ah! Now, she had to put all her energy into thinking of ways to escape. Without her, this big bargaining chip, gege¡¯s odds of success were much higher. But, how could she escape from this garden, which had hidden guards posted all over it? She didn¡¯t know any martial arts, all she knew how to do was manufacture poisons. Oh right, manufacturing poisons! Once she became cool-headed, Gu Weiyi practically wanted to slap her face. Unexpectedly, she even forgot her own abilities. In this entire second courtyard, there weren¡¯t any poisonous flowers or plants. But, she knew how to turn harmless into poisonous, ah! Over these past few days, she investigated the terrain around here. Apart from her own courtyard¡¯s walls being relatively short, she could go out. The others were too tall. But the courtyard she resided in had hidden guards everywhere. If she practiced ¡°scattered soul¡± well, she could take advantage of being let out during the evening. There should be a chance to escape, right?


    Anticipating accomplishment. Over these past few days, Gu Weiyi was no longer cold-faced and ridiculing towards Ya¡¯er. She let her bring her around the entire second courtyard, looking around while saying beautiful words. She walked the most around each courtyard¡¯s flower bed, picking many flowers up in passing. These actions of hers didn¡¯t raise much suspicion in in Ya¡¯er. Naturally, girls like flowers. But it was Gu Weiyi no longer being annoyed at her that caused her to raise some suspicions, but she couldn¡¯t figure out the reason why.


    ¡°Ya¡¯er, have you smelled these flowers?¡± Giggling, she brought a purple flower petal under Ya¡¯er¡¯s nose, causing her to urgently walk a few steps back. Guarding against her, she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ya¡¯er jiejie, really! Wushuang only wanted you to smell the flowers! This flower is actually useful for moisturizing the skin, Wushuang just wished to ask if Ya¡¯er is fond of them, I wanted to give you an oil bath, ah! Really doesn¡¯t know one¡¯s good intentions!¡± Her accusing mouth was deflated, as if she had been wrong. Gu Weiyi turned around to mutter this to herself, but it was just loud enough for Ya¡¯er to hear.


    ¡°Since Ya¡¯er doesn¡¯t like it, Wushuang won¡¯t be stubborn either. This flower can be used for an oil bath, it can allow one¡¯s body to continuously have a wonderful fragrance and allow one¡¯s skin to become better and better.¡±


    She acted as if she wished to throw the basket that was half full of flowers away, but it was quickly seized by Ya¡¯er. Gu Weiyi complacently tilted her head up, but she didn¡¯t allow that to show on her face and doubtfully blinked her eyes. ¡°Ya¡¯er jiejie, what do you mean by this?¡±


    Turning around, Ya¡¯er¡¯s cheeks were slightly red, but she still maintained a fierce appearance. ¡°Are the words you just said true?¡±


    ¡°Ya¡¯er jiejie, what did I just say? Oh that¡¯s right, I want to throw these flowers away!¡± Naughtily pretending as if she suddenly realized, Gu Weiyi teased her.


    ¡°You! You just said that these flowers could moisturize the skin and even make your body carry a wondrous fragrance.¡± Resentfully casting a glance at Gu Weiyi, Ya¡¯er still opened her mouth to reply. Gu Weiyi stepped closer to her as Ya¡¯er continuously recoiled backwards.


    ¡°Ya¡¯er jiejie, what are you doing? It¡¯s not like I wish to harm you. And even if I want to, I don¡¯t have that skill, ah! Smell me, am I not fragrant?¡± Looking at her drawing back in fear, Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. This Ya¡¯er, making her seem like a Dengtu Zi [1] who was indecently assaulting her.


    After her expression returned, Ya¡¯er¡¯s face turned green and then white. It really was because she thought too much. Complying with her words, she walked forth to sniff Gu Weiyi. The sweet scent from Gu Weiyi¡¯s body assaulted her nose, but at the end of it all, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint which flower this smell came from. It smelled like jasmine, but it also smelled like rugosa rose. But she wasn¡¯t able to prove either wrong, this smell was faint, but it was very distinct. And surprisingly, it even had a hint of enticement, even she, as a female, couldn¡¯t help but become attracted. If she was also like this, then would Master take more pity on her?


    Thinking to here, Ya¡¯er suddenly turned red-faced. She stammeringly asked, ¡°Is this flower truly this effective?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t your nose already experienced it first-hand? Stilling calling it into question. What, Ya¡¯er jiejie, do you want it?¡±


    ¡°I want, you, you give it to me so I can prepare a few bottles of it.¡±


    A few bottles? Gu Weiyi lowly laughed and covered the ridicule in the corner of her eyes. I¡¯m afraid that you can¡¯t enjoy it, ah!


    [1] Dengtu Zi ¨C a character famously known for being lecherous

 Chapter 27 - Plan To Escape

    Chapter Twenty Seven Plan To Escape


    Xiu Luo villa.


    On the large, gorgeous, and extravagant bench, Xue Yunge was silently sitting while looking at the information in his hands.


    On the night of the lantern festival, the hitmen came out after the middle aged man said to accept or reject the colored lantern. After the assassination attempt, they caught up just in time to see Qing Yi handing an unconscious Yi Yi to a black clothed person. Although they tried their best to run up, they were suddenly surrounded by the hitmen again. And even though they captured Qing Yi and Ren, they hadn¡¯t obtain any information. Ren owed Qing Yi a friendship, he only agreed to help bring Yi Yi away, he had no clue who he gave her to. Qing Yi obviously knew everything, but she obviously recognized she would die. No matter what torture she went under, she didn¡¯t say even a fraction of information. That vile woman. If he could, he wished to immediately kill her and dismember her body.


    The middle aged man and his supposed master also suddenly disappeared after that evening. All the spearheads pointed towards him. Adding onto that was that the hitman that managed to escape that night, was also running towards the direction of Yan Zhou. Then, the person who took Yi Yi away must be the Master of the lantern festival, that is the newly appointed master of Blue Snow Stronghold! But why would he take Yi Yi away? It had been so many days, but he hadn¡¯t seen the opponent make any moves. Reason said that Yi Yi was a menacing bargaining chip against Xiu Luo villa. But from beginning to end, the opponent didn¡¯t raise any demands, they didn¡¯t even state that Yi Yi was in their hands. He couldn¡¯t think of what was concealed inside this.


    No matter what was said, they would certainly make a trip to Yan Zhou. What number one stronghold, what respected martial arts circles, as long as Yi Yi could be found, what harm was there in dying the whole world red! A bloody light streaked across the enchanting, purple eyes.


    Yan Zhou.


    The flourishing street was filled with people coming and going. On the broad streets, a pair of white and black horses appeared. On the black horse was a middle aged man, whose face eventually showed a smiling expression that hadn¡¯t appeared in a long time. There was a continuous stream of assassination attempts over these past few days. It had finally ended when they arrived in Yan Zhou. Along with the Ling Yu¡¯s arrival, they hadn¡¯t needed to worry anymore.


    ¡°Gongzi, let¡¯s first find a tavern. Ling Yu will soon hurry over. Moreover, we¡¯re already in Yan Zhou, our own territory, what is there to be afraid of!¡± Zhuang Sheng followed behind Mu Yalun, seeming to be inquiring, but put down his own idea.


    After muttering for a bit, Mu Yalun nodded his head. ¡°Also good.¡± This long and indescribable chain of assassination attempts needed to be thoroughly understood. He faintly felt disturbed, but he couldn¡¯t say why.


    And in Water Pavilion¡¯s second courtyard, Gu Weiyi already started to prepare for her escape.


    Inside the secret room of the large study, Lan Sheng Ling put a secret letter inside a circular bamboo tube. Then, he tied it to the leg of a pigeon and walked closer to the window, letting the pigeon fly away. Inside the room, there was that short and strange man. He was still wearing black clothes and a black cloth covering his face. But he had a weird air to him that was hard to distinguish.


    ¡°Hidden guard comes to report. These few days she has been especially calm. Everyday all she does is amuse herself in the second courtyard, pick flowers, and play with butterflies. There¡¯s no exceptionally unusual movements.¡± The voice was dry and rough, as if it blocked a magnetic radio. It (the voice) was disjointed and without emotion.


    He coldly smiling, no movement? In private, he was afraid an undercurrent had already violently surged up. What movement would she have? This caused him to be very expectant, ah.


    ¡°Have the replacement people already been found?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, they¡¯ve already secretly entered Blue Snow Stronghold with the support of our people.¡±


    ¡°He he he he.¡± Cheerful laughter sounded out, this was the first time that Lan Sheng Ling had let out a happy expression around the short man. ¡°Mu Yalun has already arrived in Yan Zhou. This one time, everything is in place, all that¡¯s left is for the people of Xiu Luo villa, those two people, to arrive on the stage.¡±


    ¡°Subordinate feels much admiration for Your Majesty who killed two birds with one stone.¡± The short male roughly praised him.


    ¡°Refrain from this behavior, I don¡¯t care what Gu master you were before, your life is mine now. All I require from you is obedience. Arrange for secret guards to closely watch Xue Wushuang, I suspect that she¡¯ll soon begin to flee. No matter what she does, don¡¯t mind her. Even if she leaves the second courtyard, all you guys need to do is follow behind her.¡±


    ¡°Yes Your Majesty.¡±


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡?¡¡¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Using the pretext that she wished to make the oil, she asked for a large pile of flowers and plants, Gu Weiyi began to refine the poison. The advantage of ¡°Scattered Soul¡± was that even though it had color and smell, other people would only regard it as perfume and wouldn¡¯t put up their guards against it. In addition, it¡¯s fragrance was rich, it spread extremely quickly in the air. All it needed was a careless person to breath it in, they would immediately enter a state of delusion for the entire day, completely unaware of anything happening in their surroundings. Therefore, when Ya¡¯er said she wished for a few bottles, she (Yi Yi) was afraid that she would never wake again in this lifetime. After an exhausting day, the finished product was done. Tightly gripping the little porcelain bottle in her hands, Gu Weiyi¡¯s face carried a smile. Apart from ¡°Scattered Soul¡±, she had also refined ¡°Vanish¡± and ¡°Cloaking Appearance¡±.


    ¡°Vanish¡± was a type of poison that couldn¡¯t be neared. Regarding her, a weak female who knew no martial arts, she wanted to get less trouble, it would cause others avoid it. This type of poison would cause one¡¯s body to emit an extreme stink, causing people to feel nauseous and not dare to approach. And when ¡°Cloaking Appearance¡± was eaten, it would cause one¡¯s appearance to become extremely ugly, comparable to having no face. Both of these Poison X¡¯s only lasted a day, eating more would cause the body to have surplus Poison X in it. Fortunately she had been refining poisons since she was young and didn¡¯t need to worry about this.


    Then she restfully napped, feeling as if she had slept peacefully for the past few days. Tomorrow was a new day!


    The enormous sky was bright. Gu Weiyi was wrapped inside a quilt, unable to bring herself to get up. In anycase, the affairs she needed to do weren¡¯t happening until evening.  Today she had to liven her soul up. But the Heavens didn¡¯t want to have her wishes fulfilled. On ordinary days, Ya¡¯er didn¡¯t mind her much. Today, she had come knocking at her door early on, and even prepared water to wash her face with. Asking for people, even the servant girls she forgot about on normal days she began to remember. It wasn¡¯t that she had been neglected, originally it was Lan Sheng Ling who assigned Ya¡¯er as her servant girl. Privately, Ya¡¯er didn¡¯t accepted this and found another servant girl to care for her. Regardless of whether Lan Sheng Ling knew or not, based on the fact that he has not said anything about this means that this Ya¡¯er still had his trust. Thinking about it, it must be because she was extremely loyal to him for him to put up with her being so unbridled.


    ¡°I say Ya¡¯er, what¡¯s up with you today, ah. I¡¯m still sleeping!¡± Opening her sleepy eyes, Gu Weiyi hugged the quilt as she grumbled on the bed.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t sleep anymore. The sky is already bright, wake up and wash your face.¡± Forcefully pulling Gu Weiyi out her quilt, she stubbornly helped her wash her face by herself. This scene start.ed Gu Weiyi so much, her eyeballs nearly fell out. Even that bit of sleepiness disappeared without a trace. She knew that Ya¡¯er was doing this for those few bottles of oil, but she didn¡¯t expect that she would go as far as to be this attentive.


    ¡°Okay, okay. You need not be like this, I¡¯m still not accustomed to it!¡±


    These blunt words stirred up Ya¡¯er¡¯s embarrassment and anger. This woman was really hard to please. She already gained the currying of others, yet she was still being so difficult.

 Chapter 28 - Escaping and Searching

    Chapter Twenty Eight Escaping and Searching


    Taking out a porcelain bottle, Gu Weiyi handed it to her and carefully said, ¡°Bathe in this each night, after the evening meal. After a month, you¡¯re guaranteed to have all men going crazy over you!¡±


    Carefully and solemnly putting the porcelain bottle away in her embroidered pouch, embarrassment, that seldom came, arrived on Ya¡¯er face. She said with slight anger, ¡°What are you saying, what men?¡±


    The man in your heart, does it still need to be said? Secretly giving her a look, Gu Weiyi crawled back onto the bed. ¡°Okay, your goal has been achieved, no need to disturb my rest any longer.¡±


    Not looking at Ya¡¯er response anymore, Gu Weiyi pulled the quilt up and went to sleep!


    Night arrived, the sky had already darkened. After eating the evening meal, Gu Weiyi nervously sat by the window, paying attention to everything outside. It was quiet all around her. There was the sound of crickets echoing in the night sky, and the swishing sound of wind as it passed by, scraping the branches outside and causing them to rustle. It was clearly an ordinary scene, but Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart trembled. Was escaping really so easy? Success or failure would depend upon this night¡¯s actions. Tightly gripping the ¡°Scattered Soul¡± in her palm, she breathed a sigh of relief and stilled her heart.


    Quietly opening the door to her room, she walked out. In her hands, she carried some jewelry, there was no way Lan Sheng Ling would¡¯ve given her money. After running out, the matter of finding gege was still a difficult problem. Without money, she would be extremely miserable. Walking quietly, she light ran under the big tree in the middle of the garden. Then, she looked all around her before she slowly pulled the porcelain bottle¡¯s cork out, letting ¡°Scattered Soul¡±¡¯s strong fragrance spread around the yard.


    After awhile, the sound of a stuffy groan and then the sound of falling sounded in the darkness. Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart filled with happiness, but she still didn¡¯t dare to randomly move about. After roughly half an hour, she made certain that there weren¡¯t any other sounds before she started walking again. She stepped onto the rock, that she had spent great strength moving up to the wall during the day, and climbed onto a tree next to the wall. Then from the tree, she jumped down.


    Underneath were some rocks that formed a makeshift pathway. Despite it hurting after she fell, Gu Weiyi clamped down her jaw to prevent herself from making any noises. Firmly standing up, she didn¡¯t have a thread of fondness as she rapidly faced the light coming from the night and ran. Her small figure gradually faded into the night.


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard, study room.


    ¡°Your Majesty, she left.¡±


    ¡°He he he.¡± Muffled laughter sounded as Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s stern mouth curved into a light smile. ¡°Really is a naive woman, yet she¡¯s also intelligent. Relying on her little bit of skill, she still dares to show off in front of this Highness! If it weren¡¯t because I deliberately let her off, does she still think she could really leave?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty is clever, already assigning hidden guards to follow her.¡± The hoarse and unpleasant voice continued to echo, ¡°But, the hidden guards lying low in the garden have all been poisoned and aren¡¯t waking.¡±


    Seemingly as if wanting to deliberately shock Lan Sheng Ling, the short male gently opened his mouth. Sure enough, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s face changed and he coldly said, ¡°What poison?¡±


    ¡°Subordinate doesn¡¯t know. Those people seemed to have entered a land of fantasy.¡±


    The large hand waved and the chair in the corner instantly broke into pieces. Clenching both pieces, Lan Sheng Ling angrily said, ¡°Even you can¡¯t see what it is?¡±


    ¡°That woman cannot be underestimated. She is an expert at manufacturing poisons.¡±


    After muttering to himself for awhile, Lan Sheng Ling coldly narrowed his eyes. ¡°Tell the hidden guards not to let her discover. Carefully monitor her every move, don¡¯t deviate from my plan!¡± He wouldn¡¯t let any slip appear in his plan, his every move on the chess board must be perfect.


    ¡°Your Majesty, your maid fainted in the public bath. She has a smiling expression on her face, just like the other hidden guards, she has been poisoned by that Miss.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    This time, Lan Sheng Ling was truly angry. He raised Ya¡¯er up with his own hands, whether it was martial arts or shrewdness, she was a good one! But she had been cheated by a little servant girl, and was even poisoned by her. How could he not be angry!


    Immediately, he involuntarily smiled again. This Xue Wushuang really causes him to be very surprised! What expression would she have on her face if she knew that she was just the bait that he let out, when she saw with her own eyes in the future the preparations he made?


    He was very expectant, ah!


    Numerous trees were all orderly lined up, the horse¡¯s hooves kicked up bursts of dust and earth. Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue bent their body and dashed forward. Behind them followed twenty hidden guards wearing snow clothes. The steeds rushed forward. They had already traveled one day and night on this road, without stopping once. And on this journey, three or four exceptional colts had already died.


    ¡°Master, there¡¯s a tavern ahead. Masters should rest here tonight!¡± The shadow speaking was the head¨C¨C Que. He could be said to be the person that the Xue brothers had a little bit of trust in. And apart from Gu Weiyi, he was the only one who dared to speak his true thoughts in front of them! Such a hurrying pace, they had already traveled for three days and nights without stopping. Especially Master Yue¡¯s injury, with all this jolting, how could it be good?


    Xue Zhuyue coldly swept his gaze at Que, causing Que¡¯s heart to tremble and his eyes couldn¡¯t help but shift to Xue Yunge. Even though Xue Yunge wasn¡¯t easy to get along with, his own didigenerous and attentive. Sure enough, Xue Yunge opened his mouth.


    ¡°That¡¯s all, Yue, we should still rest for a bit. I¡¯m afraid your body will be unable to withstand such a toil. Let alone to say meeting Yi Yi in this state, ah. If we let her catch sight of our sorry state, I¡¯m afraid that she¡¯ll become angry and say we don¡¯t love ourselves enough!¡±


    ¡°Okay. ¡° Nodding his head, Xue Zhuyue understood that some matters couldn¡¯t be rushed. If not, the gains wouldn¡¯t make up for the losses.


    ¡°Ge, I¡¯ve always felt that this time¡¯s matters aren¡¯t simple.¡± On the large bed in the tavern, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were laying side by side. And between them was an artificial, cloth doll. In this world, this affair was improbably to happen. It was extremely evident that this was definitely done by Gu Weiyi. It was a doll that was the size of a ten year old. It had crow black hair, beautiful and clean facial features, and black-ink eyes, as if the figurine was carved out of the finest white jade. If it wasn¡¯t Gu Weiyi, then who was it?


    ¡°Correct. If it was Blue Snow Stronghold who kidnapped Yi Yi, why wouldn¡¯t they let out even a peep and come to threaten our Xiu Luo villa? But when Yi Yi was kidnapped that evening, all sorts of trails were made known. Apart from Blue Snow Stronghold being the one to kidnap Yi Yi, it couldn¡¯t be any other person or organization. There must be a plot in here.¡± Softly stroking the doll¡¯s hair, Xue Yunge¡¯s eyes were calm and distant.


    ¡°Ge, I don¡¯t know why, but I have a bad premonition.¡± Worriedly looking outside at the night sky, Xue Zhuyue faintly opened his mouth. His tone carried traces of unconcealed anxiousness. There was no particular reason, it was only a premonition that rose from his heart. However, it seemed like something that would happen, causing him to be unable to bear it. This type of intense fear and anxiousness seemed like a nightmare that hadn¡¯t appeared for over ten years, as if it was going to suffocate him.


    That day when he forgot himself and exploded was the first time he exposed his weakness. But it was the last time he would indulge himself. He would only allow himself to be weak this one time, from now on, there wouldn¡¯t be a second time. He was Xue Zhuyue, he could dote on and protect Yi Yi. He was a strong and tender man!

 Chapter 29 - Beggar’s Place

    Chapter Twenty Nine Beggar¡¯s Place


    Yan Zhou, Blue Snow Stronghold.


    Although Blue Snow Stronghold was the number one stronghold, and was the most respected commander in the martial arts world, nobody actually knew it¡¯s exact location. Everyone knew that Blue Snow Stronghold was in Yan Zhou, but nobody knew what it looked like, how large it was, and how many people there were there. But this didn¡¯t rock their dominance in the martial arts circles. They had numerous strongholds throughout the country. And in regards to the martial arts circles, they knew it all like the back of their hand.


    Yan Zhou¡¯s west doorway belonged to the poor and beggars. Here was the greatest amount of beggars in Yin Yue Country, it was also home to the largest beggar legion. The declining but tidy streets lined dilapidated and undersized houses. Shabby clothed people with dirty faces made up the crowds on the street. In the air, this all faintly emitted a stink. All in all, it was a misery that couldn¡¯t be endured by the rich people who wore brocade clothes and lived in magnificent houses. But who couldn¡¯t say that this was paradise on earth? Those filthy people wore satisfied and happy smiles on their face. In their eyes there was a type of sincerity, a naivety that hadn¡¯t been contaminated by the secular world. No matter how low and insignificant lives they led, their happiness couldn¡¯t be hated on by anyone.


    And at this moment, two magnificently dressed males appeared in this dirty and commoner hole. Despite their clothing being disharmonious with their surroundings, their faces didn¡¯t carry even a thread of revulsion. And when those poor people saw them, they weren¡¯t nervous. Instead, they looked to be emotionally moved, causing a disturbance.


    ¡°Young Master returned, Young Master returned!¡±


    ¡°It really is Young Master!¡±


    ¡°Respectfully welcoming Young Master back!¡±


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡?¡¡¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    Noisy and delighted voices rang out. Mu Yalun had a soft smile, but he didn¡¯t stop it, directly walking onward. Zhuang Sheng following behind him actually felt emotionally moved, excitedly calling out alongside the crowd.


    When they reached the end of the alley, Mu Yalun suddenly stopped. In front of him was a stone wall. It seemed to be ordinary, it could even be said to be crumbling. It caused people to feel disdain when they looked at it even once. From his bosom, he took out a jade annulus. It was blue colored, and strangely beautiful. All that was seen was Mu Yalun taking the circular hollow part of the jade annulus and bringing it up to the sky. Then, a glaring white light penetrated the jade annulus and breaking the wall. The light slowly enlarged, covering the whole wall, bit by bit. Gradually, a bizarre phenomenon appeared.


    Suddenly, the wall¡¯s color changed. It turned from dark and ashy to a type of ceramic white. Besides that, a door like the ones on European castles appeared in the air. It was classical and gorgeous. Along with the doors opening, a person¡¯s shadow gradually appeared. It was actually a white as snow clothed male, welcoming them. When he saw Mu Yalun, his eyes held a bit of joy and he pleasantly said, ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ve [1] returned!¡±


    Slightly nodding his head, Mu Yalun smiled at the male.


    ¡°It¡¯s your duty today Fu Guang?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ah. Fu Guang is truly fortunate to be able to receive Young Master back to the stronghold!¡± The male called Fu Guang was clearly very respectful of Mu Yalun. His face was full of adoration and worship for him.


    When they entered the wall, the light instantly disappeared and the wall was still the wall. Destroyed, miserable, not able to draw even a bit of attention from others. And it seemed as if that amazing sight hadn¡¯t just happened. Nobody in the slums took any interest, and there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone who wanted to make a trip here. But nobody could¡¯ve thought that the Blue Snow Stronghold that led the martial arts circles was actually concealed in the beggar slums.


    The world only knew of gold and jade and shabbiness. But they didn¡¯t know that the best mask was hiding gold and jade in shabbiness.


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard.


    Standing next to the study¡¯s window, Lan Sheng Ling looked up at the sky with rapt attention and suddenly felt weary. Vast territory, after ten years of painstaking planning and vomiting all his heart¡¯s blood, he finally had enough power. Although this power had been achieved through stepping on the skeletons of others, he wouldn¡¯t give it up! The current Lan Sheng Ling was no longer that child that curried favor and bore humiliation. He was no longer a lowly and abandoned child that was painfully struggling to survive. He wouldn¡¯t let himself be beat up just for a bowl of cold congee, wouldn¡¯t let himself be castrated just for winter clothes. He, Lan Sheng Ling, wouldn¡¯t let himself experience those despicable days of providing amusement for others again! Regardless of the person, they had to kneel at his feet, begging! Soon, this Yin Yue Country would be under his role. And it was now the time for those people to pay him back, one by one.


    This world had much darkness, how dark were the hearts of people. The winner becomes king and the loser becomes the foe, once the achievement was completed, there would be thousands of dried bones. He, Lan Sheng Ling, wanted to be the one to step above those dried bones until he arrived at the top and became the supreme person. Even though his hands were covered in blood and he was to be eternally damned, he couldn¡¯t turn back anymore.


    In the darkened study, the short, black clothed man pretended like he was invisible. But he suddenly let out a sound, letting others know of his existence.


    ¡°Lord, the Xue brothers have already gone on the road to Yan Zhou.¡± His rough voice stammered, lacking any trace of fluctuation.


    They¡¯re already coming, they came several days earlier than he had predicted. He had already been planning for this situation for five years. Ever since he saw Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s strength, he already wished to possess it. Blue Snow Stronghold had already existed in Yin Yue Country for a hundred years. A mysterious castle that has stood for a hundred years, but the world had no other trace of it¡¯s existence. Even so, it was able to firmly sit at the top of the martial arts circles, having everyone at their beck and call, following them blindly. With this sort of strength, he was afraid that even a country couldn¡¯t waver it! Even just finding Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s location caused him to enter a hidden chess game, depleting most of his ¡°fatal moves¡±. And it took three years before he was able to have people sneak into Blue Snow Stronghold, so he could see the mysterious and formidable power behind it. The hidden guard arranged to enter inside was apart of the group of killers that he spent ten years training. Even though his strongest person was already inside the stronghold, he was still incapable of giving him much information pertaining to Blue Snow Stronghold. What was funny was that he was still like a devil. The intense longing stirred at the bottom of his heart, calling out, telling him that he needed that power. Plundering, possessing, something for him to use at his own will. This was his heart¡¯s true longing.


    When Xiu Luo villa first appeared, it was originally an accident. A small hitman villa on the dark road, originally it couldn¡¯t even enter his eyes. But unexpectedly, one year later, he met and saved Bai Lifeng, that is the black clothed person that had been by his side. This meeting was what changed his mind.


    How ridiculous. Who would¡¯ve thought that this short, ugly man whose face was ruined and whom didn¡¯t dare to meet anyone was actually the previous valley master of Xue Yu¡¯s Ghost Valley! Such an ugly man. Who would¡¯ve thought that it was Bai Lifeng, the incomparably handsome male who was nicknamed the number one most beautiful male! Fifteen years ago, he was popular in the three countries! What caused him to be more surprised was that the current valley masters of Ghost Valley were the two masters of Xiu Luo villa! Although Bai Lifeng never said anything, he could already tell that something had happened between them. Bai Lifeng hated the Xue brothers, automatically, he wished to join hands with him. As long as he could forcibly take back the position of master of the Ghost Valley, he would help him take Yin Yue¡¯s martial arts circles.


    Very outstanding terms. What a pity, ah. What he wanted was more than that, ah¡­.


    [1] you¡¯ve ¨C he¡¯s addressing him formally here

 Chapter 30 - Bitterness of Longing

    Chapter Thirty Bitterness of Longing


    How I long for you, but you¡¯re in Changan [1]. By the well¡¯s elaborate rails, cicadas sing their autumn song. The weather is faintly frosty and miserable, the bamboo mats are cold as ice. A shady lamp shadows my yearning, which only intensifies. Rolling up the screen, I deeply sigh as I gaze at the moon. A beauty as beautiful as the flowers is as far from me as the clouds are. Above me is the blue and soaring sky, underneath me lies a clear pond full of ripples. The sky is endless and the road is long, this is the distance that troubles our pining souls. Even in our dreams, our souls are unable to bypass the distance and reunite.*


    How I long for you, how this longing devastates this heart of mine. The sun¡¯s light has faded away, a fog has descended to conceal the flowers. Although the moon is clear and bright, misery brings about insomnia instead of sleep. Getting up, I strum my Zhao zither, but then I mute it by holding it¡¯s phoenix neck and begin to fret. Taking my Shu guqin, I play a melody on this instrument that¡¯s used to woo. Sadly, there¡¯s nobody around to be in a playful mood with me. I think of you without end, but an endless sky lies between us. The eyes that used to portray coquettishness now serves as a spring that sheds endless tears. If you doubt my distraught feelings, why don¡¯t you come back and have a glance at the mirror before me.*


    People walked to and fro on the busy street, clamor and the sound of hawking (one¡¯s wares) filled the air. Brightly dressed men and women came and went. Their faces held a range of emotions. There was joy, concern, anxiousness, and haughtiness. Alongside the city walls and houses, in the corner of a small alleyway, there were several beggars crouching or laying down on the floor. Their clothing was shabby, creating a clear distinction from the passersby. Their long hair was messy and partially covered their dirty faces. Their bodies were pitch-black and held a stink. And their extremely filthy hands held shattered porcelain bowls, which held a few copper coins inside. Lowly laying against what could be considered their own corner, their faces were simple and didn¡¯t hold much expectation.


    A small beggar walked alone on the street. Although his clothes seemed neat in comparison, it was still quite filthy and even emitted a stink. The gentle, long hair became extremely matted, the mess covered his face. All that could be seen was big, black eyes that had a pure and crafty light. But if you peered at his face, you would discover a big red spot that started from his forehead and extended to the corner of her mouth. It appeared exceptionally ugly and fierce. If this type of person wasn¡¯t a beggar, then what were they?


    When people saw him, their faces showed sympathy or disgust. The people who neared him immediately walked away, and even gave him a glance of revulsion. But the little beggar seemed as if he didn¡¯t see their glances. As he was walking, he was looking everywhere around her, seeming to be looking for something. When he caught sight of a steamed bun, he stilled. His big eyes were filled with greed as he looked at the fragrant and hot steamed buns that had just been taken out of the steamer basket.


    Beaming from ear to ear, the peddler didn¡¯t seem to have smelled the beggar¡¯s body odor and cordially opened his mouth. ¡°Do you want to eat the steamed bun?¡±


    Nodding his head, the gluttonous light in his eyes condensed, emitting the flavor of appreciation and longing. There are still plenty of good people in this world, ah. This boss is still such a good person, he would definitely remember him for forever!


    ¡°If you want to eat, then take money out to buy it. If you don¡¯t have money, then get lost!¡± Looking at the peddler whose face quickly became hostile, the little beggar foolishly stood in his place. The expression on his face was frightened and disbelief, his embarrassment was hard to show.


    After a moment, the little beggar held back his mouth and began to leave. But he still gave one more reluctant glance at the steamed buns. There are truly very few good people left in this world, ah!


    Leaving the crowd, the little beggar walked outside of the city and lied down under a large tree. She expressionlessly looked at the horizon when suddenly, some sparkling and translucent tears rolled out of her eyes. If, if she was still in her original position, unrestrainedly enjoying the pampering they gave, then she would certainly no longer harbor that little bit of viciousness in his heart. She didn¡¯t dare to imagine how much pain she gave them when she left. Especially second ge, he had always been so cautious and worried about her. But they didn¡¯t wish to make certain, to believe that happiness rested right under their noses. He was skeptical and concerned, at all times, he seemed like he was walking on thin ice. And she was hateful, clearly seeing his worry but deliberately ignoring it in order to purposely make it so that he loved her even more. Not giving anything, but you still want to have it all. Gu Weiyi, you¡¯re truly too greedy, too vile! Self-righteously receiving love and care. All the affection you invested can¡¯t even measure up to one thousandth of the amount they invested!


    When you left them, you enjoyed the secular world. Gu Weiyi already became nothing. Merely an ordinary woman that didn¡¯t possess an outstanding appearance and didn¡¯t have any remarkable skills. This version of herself, how could she enjoy the love they give, without scruple, and selfishly avoid investing anything? Just because she didn¡¯t mind their eyes, they sincerely treated her, cautiously protecting her. If this world had another person who crossed over, she would also feel that their eyes were comparably beautiful, ah! Her fondness and not minding was only because this world was blind and narrow minded towards others. Regarding different people, they banished and excluded them. If it was in her own world, they would be standing on the world¡¯s stage, dazzling and brilliant, someone hard to approach. How would she be able to even get close to them? Even thinking like this now, possessing their unrivalled love?


    Gu Weiyi, you¡¯re truly very vile, ah!


    The tears in her eyes surged forward more. Restlessness, guilt, bone aching longing, as well as the love, that she hadn¡¯t thought was there, all came forward. In this moment, it all erupted. Regardless of whether it was the cold, selfish, and untrusting of love Gu Weiyi or whether it was the current Gu Weiyi who was disguised as someone simple, kind hearted, and simple-minded; she had to admit one fact, that her love had already sprouted for them.


    Entering the door of pining, knowing the bitterness of yearning. But even if she experienced the bitterness a second time, the mutual happy and touching emotions of an embrace, for that split second, could balance all the suffering. Gu Weiyi thought about the mermaid who would rather turn into sea foam, and would chase the prince, regardless of everything, for that split second to absolve herself of that pounding. Was it because that happiness was poison that deeply sunk into the bones and had no medicine that was able to heal it.


    Then when she found out she had been poisoned, was she going to find her antidote? Because she herself was also their antidote, ah.


    Ge, if I can return to your side, I¡¯ll exhaust all my strength to give you guys happiness. I would let you guys feel restless or uncertain anymore, so they can clearly see what happiness looks like.


    ??¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-¡¡?¡¡¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-??


    ¡°Master, the hidden guard has something to pass on.¡±


    ¡°Let him in.¡± Putting the papers in his hands down, Lan Sheng Ling raised his head up. A black clothed man with ordinary appearances entered the room and knelt on one knee.


    ¡°Master, subordinate has lost Xue miss. Asking Lord to punish!¡±


    ¡°Lost?¡± The tone of the question was ordinary, it was hard to hear happiness or anger out of it. The hidden guard on the floor couldn¡¯t help but begin to shiver. But he still kept his body on the floor, accepting any punishment given from above.


    ¡°Requesting Lord to punish. Xue Miss ran into the west door¡¯s slums. All along, subordinate followed behind her, but she seemed to have apparently realized subordinate was there.¡± When he reached this point, the male¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but show shame. ¡°The people in the slums are too great, subordinate didn¡¯t dare to rashly follow her. This one thought that because Xue miss¡¯ clothes are magnificent, subordinate would definitely be able to find her at night. But didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that she had already changed her clothes and was playing tricks on you, this idiot?¡± As before, his voice was still neutral. Interrupting the hidden guard¡¯s words, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s eyes watched the hidden guard closely.


    ¡°Subordinate is uneducated and willing to accept punishment.¡±


    He no longer tried explaining himself. The hidden guard knew that the more he tried to justify his actions, the more he would be punished. His Majesty had always been cruel towards subordinates that didn¡¯t accomplish their missions.


    [1] Changan ¨C the capital of China during the Tang Dynasty. Today, it¡¯s known as Xi¡¯an


    *Both of these poems were written Li Bai, a famous poet from the Tang Dynasty. The poems are titled ¡®How I Long For You¡¯ and they¡¯re split into two parts.


    Translator Note when Yi Yi was disguised as the beggar, she was supposed to be seen as male. so that¡¯s why the beggar starts off as being called ¡°he¡± and then abruptly switches to ¡°she¡±

 Chapter 31 - Ugly Beggar Slave

    Chapter Thirty One Ugly Beggar Slave


    ¡°Since it¡¯s already like this, then have your little finger chopped off. If you still can¡¯t find the person within ten days, then you don¡¯t have to come back either. In addition, cut off all news pertaining to Wan Li Mountain and the medical shop in Yan Zhou city. If anyone asks, regardless of their gender, grab them!¡±


    He let loose a breath, this time, it seemed like his Majesty¡¯s mood was great, and didn¡¯t want his life. The hidden guard took a dagger out and directly cut his finger off in front of Lan Sheng Ling. he didn¡¯t even cover his bleeding, and knelt down, letting the blood drip down onto the floor.


    Coldly glancing at him, Lan Sheng Ling opened his mouth after a long time. ¡°Okay, withdraw.¡±


    ¡°Thanking Lord.¡±


    Yan Zhou city¡¯s noisy streets.


    At this moment, Welcoming Customer teahouse was fully booked, the room was filled with voices. The customers could be heard leisurely drinking teas, eating melon seeds and small fruits, and passionately gossiping. Looking at the grand occasion, the shopkeeper couldn¡¯t disguise his smile. Suddenly, he noticed a small figure, leaning against the corner, and couldn¡¯t help but become angry.


    ¡°Ugly slave! You¡¯re still not sweeping the floor, are you standing there to goof off?¡±


    ¡°Shopkeeper, ugly slave will immediately go. Don¡¯t always be so angry.¡± A soft voice came from the ugly slave¡¯s body, it caused people to be unable to feel amazed. Unexpectedly, this ugly person¡¯s voice was pleasant to hear. For some unknown reason, the shopkeeper suddenly calmed down, turned around and began to furiously beat his abacus.


    Lowly muttering to himself, the shopkeeper didn¡¯t know what to make of himself.  It¡¯s alright that this ugly slave was born ugly. But the slave was also clumsy, bringing water to the customers along with the tea. If he didn¡¯t burn the customer, then he overturned the tea. In the end, he was helpless and arranged for him to sweep the floor, but he even flipped the tables over. What made him more depressed was that he, Wang Jixiang, for a lifetime was nicknamed as Iron**Poison Shopkeeper, but he would feel sympathy towards this subordinate. He made so many mistakes, but not only did he not chase him out, he even let him stay and eat for free. He didn¡¯t know why, when he saw that ugly slave¡¯s eyes and heard his soft pleading voice, his unfeeling heart couldn¡¯t remain stone-cold!


    Shaking his head, the shopkeeper no longer dwelled on the confusion in his heart. Steeling his expression, he began to calculate bills.


    And the ugly slaved picked up the broom again and occasionally scraped at the floor. Turning his back to the shopkeeper, he began to listen to the storyteller and people coming again. Not only this, he also leisurely grabbed a handful of melon seeds and tapped them. If he was caught by the shopkeeper, he would definitely anger him again.


    After listening for half a day, the surroundings only discussed the same few things over again. Some official or lord married some di [1] branch¡¯s young qie [2], some person¡¯s son caught some sort of illness, or how beautiful and delightful that Welcoming Spring House¡¯s guniang was.


    ¡°As for the Ghost Valley¡¯s Poison lord, ah. Twenty years prior, he was popular in all three countries and was nicknamed the most beautiful person! According to legend, the Poison lord, Bai Lifeng, was a little more than eight chi [3] tall. His appearance was outstanding and handsome, countless females adored and yearned for him in their hearts. He¡¯s elegant and graceful, gentle and scholarly, and seldom seen walking in the Jianghu. He never stopped his good deeds of saving the lives of others, it¡¯s unknown how many people he¡¯s saved, ah! But unfortunately, ten years prior, all news of this Poison lord faded away, all information regarding this Poison lord in the world disappeared.¡­¡±


    Ghost Valley? Listening up to here, the ugly slave¡¯s thin eyebrows slightly raised and his face turned thoughtful.


    ¡°Ai, you, this fellow, how do you walk, ah!¡± The sound of scolding sounded out. A short male with a black cloth accidentally knocked against the tea customer, spilling water on their clothes and attracting their discontentment.


    The short male seemed frantic, but he didn¡¯t apologize to the tea customer. After steadying himself, he rushed out. But this run was intercepted by the fruits on the floor and he tumbled onto the ground. The black cloth on his face accidentally fell off, exposing the short male¡¯s face.


    Naturally, it was an unbearable face, ah! If one were to say that ugly slave was already ugly enough, then this male was at the limit of ugliness! The ugly slave only had a red spot that started at the corner of his eye and extended down to the chin, it only seemed a bit surprising. But not this male. His face seemed like a ravine, it was bumpy, like a sandbox that had been pelted by rain. Parts of his face was swollen and protruded out, other part were rigid and dried up, closely sticking to his face, this combination already covered his eyes. He had black eyebrows, a drooping nose, and big, violet-red lips. His face seemed to have been burned by fire, causing violet-red and black spots. Even his neck and a part of his arm was exposed. They were covered with unsightly scars and dead skin. This appearance wasn¡¯t natural, it had to have been a person using extremely cruel methods to garner this result.


    After a good moment, the tea customer let out a light call, filled with ridicule and disgust. ¡°So it¡¯s an ugly person, ah!¡± Immediately, the entire room burst into laughter.


    When the short male discovered his veil had fallen off, he let out a hoarse cry and immediately snatched it up and put it on his face again. And when he saw the tea customer acting so insulting, the eyes, that had been covered by the dead skin, filled with ferocity. But he didn¡¯t say anything, all he did was resolutely look at the tea customer, and then he quickly left.


    Then, the teahouse resumed its liveliness, as if nothing had ever occurred. That tea customer wiped at the corner of his jacket and then ruthlessly spit out, ¡°Sh**, I, your father, ran out of luck today. Running across such an ugly person, it can be said to be bad luck!¡±


    However, the ugly slave by the side watched the departing person in deep contemplation. Before that person left, the sorrow and ruthless cruelty in their eyes wasn¡¯t fake. It seems that something unpredictable will happen.


    ¡°Ugly slave, what are you doing, foolishly standing there? Still not coming over to give I, your daddy, ah! ¡­.¡±


    A cry of pain rung in everyone¡¯s ears. Not only the ugly slave, but everyone else in the teahouse didn¡¯t dare to believe the scene they saw in front of their eyes. The tea customer, that had slapped the table and was half stood up, stood motionlessly. His entire body had blood. His five organs; eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and ears were all bleeding. It was like a small stream. The blood surged out, falling onto the floor, creating a bigger and bigger puddle as it went.


    Alarmed cries rang out, the tea customers that became terrified, from the scene in front of them, all ran out of the teahouse in succession. The originally loud, but orderly, Welcoming Customer already turned chaotic and endlessly dismal. The tables and chairs had already been stepped on, causing them to be in a disarray. Teacups and wine bottles all shattered on the floor. Speechless, the shopkeeper looked at the current scene with shocked eyes.


    They still hadn¡¯t given money! Who was he supposed to find to pay for all the damage on the floor! Welcoming Customer had someone die in it, in the future, who would still come to drink tea and chat? What could be done with his business? In the future, how was he supposed to raise his family? He was Iron**Poison Shopkeeper, unexpectedly he would also meet such an end one day. Someone tell him what power he had offended?


    His head spun and Wang Jixiang¡¯s plump body fell to the floor. All that he heard was the waiter¡¯s call echoing in his ear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong shopkeeper? Wake up shopkeeper, ah¡­¡±


    [1] di ¨C number, so the second branch, third, etc.


    [2] qie ¨C concubine


    [3] chi ¨C a Chinese foot, one third of a meter


    [4] ai ¨C a grunt of agreement/recognition

 Chapter 32 - Frightening Encounter

    Chapter Thirty Two Frightening Encounter


    Holding the bundle gifted to her, he faced the shopkeeper and bowed. After expressing his thanks, he departed. Inside the bundle there was some old, but clean, clothes, as well as some copper coins. He didn¡¯t blame the shopkeeper, on the contrary, he was grateful toward him. If it weren¡¯t for the shopkeeper, then he would¡¯ve starved to death a long time ago. This stingy shopkeeper was considered to have treated him extremely well. Welcoming Customer experienced an accident, so he had to accept responsibility for all the losses. But, like before, he still gifted him clothes and money. This Iron shopkeeper was actually an adorable, but awkward, old man.


    He walked up to the shore side and peered into the crystal clear water, in front of him, appeared his face. Half of his face was covered by the red spot, but even inverted, it wasn¡¯t ugly, it was merely a piece of skin that was colorless. However, he was afraid that he would have to resume his original form tonight. Fishing out the bottle from his bosom, he saw that ¡°Cloaking Appearance¡± was nearly completely used up. This was because he needed to frequently use it in order to work and inquire about information. However, ¡°Vanish¡± hadn¡¯t been used.


    The day she initially ran away from the second courtyard, she was very excited, at first. But, she accidentally discovered someone had been following her, planting a seed of doubt in her mind. Then when she thought about it some more, she came to the conclusion that she couldn¡¯t have escaped so easily. So, at first, there had been someone that followed her. This way, no matter where she ran to, she would be wasting her strength. In order to lose the fellow behind her, she randomly selected a place that was extremely dirty and regularly had poor people milling around. Then, she hastily changed her clothes and used both, ¡°Vanish¡± and ¡°Cloaking Appearance¡± on herself in order to completely change her appearance. As expected, the person lost their trail. But when her stomach began to grumble, she realized that, in her haste to escape her shadow, she threw her jewelry away. This time, her own situation carried one word, tragic. After going hungry for the entire day, she had been tricked by a peddler selling steamed buns, for their amusement. Without another choice, she crouched down in the corner and became a beggar. And although everyone rolled their eyes and scorned her, she didn¡¯t have even an iota of grievance in her heart. She was Gu Weiyi, and only Gu Weiyi. She wasn¡¯t noble, nor was she lowly. She would do whatever was required in whatever circumstances she found herself in. The most tragic thing about humans, ah, was that they either thought too highly of themselves or too lowly, they didn¡¯t see reality for what it was. The best way to survive was to go with the flow, if it was supposed to be like something, then have it be like that. But she couldn¡¯t erase her feelings. Apart from longing for gege, she cherished their memories together, more and more, as the days went by, causing her heart to throb with pain.


    In reality, she could go to one of the branches (of store) that belonged to Wan Li Mountain. As long as she arrived there, the shopkeeper would be able to notify gege and they would be able to come face to face again. But there was one glaring problem. The only time she had ever left the villa was to go into the capital city, and that was during her fifteenth birthday. Let alone to say that she was captured and brought to Yan Zhou city. Here, she couldn¡¯t make sense of any directions and she didn¡¯t have any tokens on her. With her current appearance as a beggar, who was supposed to believe that she was that Eldest Young Miss? And adding onto that, outsiders of Xiu Luo villa didn¡¯t even know of Xue Wushuang¡¯s existence, if she were to go first, she would just be treated as a swindler. And the cherry on top was that Lan Sheng Ling would never allow her to meet gege so easily. On this road, there would certainly be people that would block her. How could she take the risk of letting Lan Sheng Ling find her first, before gege did?


    She regretted her own rashness and the use of poison X, but she wasn¡¯t worried or concerned. When she originally chose this teahouse, she did it with the intent to ask around for information. Who would¡¯ve known, over these few days, that she came up empty handed. The only piece of information she got was related to the Ghost Valley¡¯s Poison Lord, but the current master of Ghost Valley was her two gege. That was twenty years ago, the former Valley Master would only be about forty years old now, this would be the prime of their life, ah. Why would he wish to hand his position over to gege? She puzzled over this thought, her mind was all jumbled together at the moment. But, now wasn¡¯t the proper time to mull over this matter. Right now, she needed to focus on returning back to Xiu Luo villa¡­ No, wrong. She recalled that Lan Sheng Ling had said that gegehad already set out. If she went back now, she would be missing them. But second courtyard was full of dragons and tigers, so that wasn¡¯t a possibility either. Could it be that she was destined to be a beggar and aimlessly search around? Oh god, this was the first time that Gu Weiyi felt so powerless.


    Now, it should just stay how it was currently. She took ¡°Vanish¡± out and poured a drop on her hand. After she smeared it over her body, her body distributed a very pungent stink that caused people to want to stay away. She put on her tattered clothes and messed up her hair. Then, she picked up half of a black pottery bowl. Soon, a genuine beggar appeared in her place. After being a beggar these few days, she already gained some knowledge. But the most important piece of knowledge she learned was how to listen to information, so she can return to gege¡¯s side at the earliest time.


    Walking along the crowded street, Gu Weiyi looked at all the people that came and went, none of them were familiar to her. The combination of ancient clothes, bound hair, and archaic expressions came together and formed a dreamland-type scene. But, this scene wasn¡¯t a dream, it truly appeared in front of her face. If it weren¡¯t for gege, she was afraid that she would never be able to completely accept this world. Unfamiliarity, emptiness, and loneliness flooded her. Her thoughts were completely different from these people, it was as if all the lonely people in the world were gone and only she remained. This was the type of helplessness that she was filled with.


    Gu Weiyi aimlessly walked around as if everything in front of her already turned hazy and she could no longer see anything. During this moment, she fell into a deep sense of loss and began to question her existence in this world. Why would she be inexplicably reborn into these times, gaining a beautiful romance and two immortal-like gege that pampered her? This type of happiness all seemed to be part of a dream. But now, she was left to be a beggar, alone, endlessly seeking for that former doting. It had been so long, how was gege doing? Had they fallen into a trap? Had they run into danger? When would they be able to reunite and resume their careless days?


    Unconsciously, she had already walked into the middle of the street. Everything in front of her was too blurred, so she didn¡¯t make out the carriage speeding towards her. On the carriage, there was a male sitting on the driver¡¯s seat, as he violently pulled at the reigns, he was loudly yelling at her. ¡°Get out of the way, quickly get out of the way!¡±


    It was a pity that Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t process what she heard, because she didn¡¯t even know where she was anymore, nor did she realize that the driver was talking to her. The carriage rushed closer and closer to her, seeming as if it was going to crash into her slender body. But during this matter of life and death, a white figure suddenly jumped out of the carriage and pulled the wooden Gu Weiyi down to the floor.


    Everyone surrounding them let out a sigh of relief. But when some people realized that it was just a small beggar, they felt disappointed. Even if this life disappeared, nobody would care. The driver stopped the carriage and walked over to their side. But, when he smelled the unbearable stench on Gu Weiyi¡¯s body, he puckered his eyebrows in disgust and covered his mouth. With a face full of undisguised dissatisfaction, he stared at Gu Weiyi and began to speak to the white clothed male.


    ¡°Master, this youngster is already fine. Why are you still carrying her? She really is dirty and smelly! Young Master¡¯s body is noble and invaluable, do you need to disgrace your body for this beggar?¡± Finished speaking, he extended his hand out and prepared to pull Gu Weiyi away.


    ¡°Okay, Zhuang Sheng, you need not be like this.¡± Stopping his extended hand, Mu Yalun softly reprimanded him. It was his own carriage that was careless and knocked against someone else. Moreover, even if it was just a small beggar, every life was important. He, Mu Yalun, wasn¡¯t more nobler than anyone else. Removing this body¡¯s skin and family background, he was nothing more than an ordinary person.


    ¡°Are you still okay?¡±


    The soft voice echoed in her ear and Gu Weiyi awakened from the confusion in her head. Somewhat blankly opening her eyes, she looked towards the figure in front of her.


    The person¡¯s eyes were as black as paint, they were like an endless abyss, she couldn¡¯t see the bottom. Her big, misty eyes slowly opened. They were filled with some beautiful purity and charm. This deer-like expressions moved Mu Yalun¡¯s heart. Even though this person¡¯s face wasn¡¯t beautiful, and could even said to be ugly, the red patch covering more than half of her face, the tattered clothes on her body, and the unpleasant stench on her still caused a favorable expression to raise in him.


    Gu Weiyi was finally able to clearly look at the face in front of her. His face was as gentle as jade, his temperament was like it had faded into the spring wind, and his voice was as clear as water. So it was him, ah.


    But, Gu Weiyi was only able to give him a glance before she fell unconscious.

 Chapter 33 - Water-Like Male

    Chapter Thirty Three Water-Like Male


    The large bed was soft and faintly smelled of something sweet. A warm quilt rested on the bed and the smell of an incense stick filled the air. These days were cozy and relaxed, she hadn¡¯t experienced them for a long time. It felt as if she was still in Xiu Luo villa, waking up in gege¡¯s warm embrace, waiting for their kisses and pampering. Yearning for sleep, she would stay on the bed, refusing to wake up. In turn, gege would take advantage of her week point by kissing her until she felt ticklish. This would cause her to be unable to stop herself from opening her eyes.


    But, she knew that the thoughts in her heart were nothing more than a fantasy.


    She was already awake, but she wasn¡¯t willing to face reality. Even though her feelings only lasted for a split second, she wanted to indulge herself. This way of thinking caused her to become even more unwilling to wake up. But during this time, she heard the door to her room being opened and the sound of a man¡¯s discontent grumbling.


    ¡°Young Master, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that youngster. He was just too tired and frightened, that¡¯s all. After resting for a night, he¡¯ll be fine. Why do you have to descend from your nobleness to attend to a small beggar, ah!¡± This was what Zhuang Sheng kept repeating over and over, without stopping.


    ¡°Okay, if you weren¡¯t violently driving the carriage through the street, would this xiong di [1] have received such a fright? It was out fault in the first place, naturally, we must assume responsibility.¡± Mu Yalun¡¯s soft and tranquil voice rang out in the air, carrying small traces of rebuking.


    ¡°What! Young Master, it was him that suddenly appeared in the middle of the street, causing the horses to become frightened!¡± Opening his mouth in shock, Zhuang Sheng¡¯s tone was full of dissatisfaction. ¡°This beggar is so filthy, ugly, and smelly. But Young Master still carried him for so long, unwilling to let him down. I don¡¯t even dare to go near him!¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s life is equal. Beggars are still people, a life is still a life. I don¡¯t feel that I¡¯m that grand. Him and I are the same, we¡¯re both people.¡± Faintly replying, Mu Yalun¡¯s tone had traces of anger in it. Zhuang Sheng was well acquainted with the Young Master¡¯s temperament, so he lowered his head and didn¡¯t dare to voice out his thoughts any longer.


    At this moment, Gu Weiyi, who was wrapped up in the quilt and faking sleep, felt warmth rush up in her heart. For this type of male to come into existence in this world, ah, was truly a miracle. He didn¡¯t have any thoughts of being superior, he treated everyone the same, with respect and equality. She, very clearly, knew how her current circumstances were. The smell of ¡°Vanish¡± was unbearable, even to herself. Everyday, she used a medicinal herb that suppressed her sense of smell. This was the only way she could have held on for so long. But Mu Yalun didn¡¯t avoid her, in fact, he even carried her all the way to the inn. In this world, a filthy and lowly beggar¡¯s life was worthless. But in his eyes, she was on an equal level as him. This showed unprecedented levels of respect.


    Mu Yalun. At first glance, this water-like man caused her to feel good feelings. Sure enough, he didn¡¯t disappoint her.


    When Mu Yalun saw her eyelashes faintly moving, he softly laughed and his pleasant voice rang in Gu Weiyi¡¯s ears. ¡°Awake? You should be hungry, wake up and eat some things. I¡¯ve asked the kitchen to simmer some congee. How about you take a bath first, then come eat some breakfast?¡±


    Opening her eyes, Gu Weiyi laughed at him, with embarrassment in her tone. But she wasn¡¯t aware how big of an impact her laughing state was in her current dirty appearance. Zhuang Sheng couldn¡¯t bear to look at her any longer, so he turned his head and looked away. But towards Mu Yalun¡¯s ever present, elegant laugh, Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t feel anything towards it. Gratefully smiling at him, her smile became even more blinding.


    ¡°Thank you, ah!¡±


    Gu Weiyi felt sincerely grateful. This male was similar to gege, he had qualities that allowed her to put down her wariness. And in Mu Yalun¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t even notice Gu Weiyi¡¯s extremely ugly face. All of his attention was focused on her brilliant, star-like eyes. Her eyes were so gorgeous, they were able to make others forget about her appearance. Furthermore, her voice was so clear and beautiful, any attention toward her face was directed elsewhere. Even Zhuang Sheng was captivated. When he heard Gu Weiyi speak, he couldn¡¯t help but turn his head around and gaze at her with shocked eyes.


    ¡°No need to thank me xiong di. Go take a bath first, I¡¯ve already bought some clothes that fits you. They can be found by the side of the screen. When you finish bathing yourself, come downstairs to have some breakfast, we¡¯ll wait for you.¡± All along, Mu Yalun¡¯s face carried a smile that seemed to have bathed in the spring breeze. He turned around to hint at Zhuang Sheng and the two of them walked out of the room and walked downstairs.


    Closing the door to the room, Gu Weiyi walked over to the screen. Sure enough, she saw some a light blue set of clothes, fit for a boy, resting by the side. And regarding this steam bath bucket, Gu Weiyi was extremely inticed by it, due to the fact that she hadn¡¯t had a bath in several days. Hurriedly shedding her clothes, she rushed into the bath bucket and let out a sigh of contentment.


    After bathing, her body became clean again and her hair already stopped itching. Walking out of the bucket, she picked up the clothes Mu Yalun gave her and began to put them on. Surprisingly, they were extremely well fitted. This Mu Yalun was truly, very considerate, ah! At this moment, her stomach began to loudly protest. As she rushed out of the room, she bound her still wet hair up and recalled that food was downstairs. With this in mind, she rushed down into the tavern.


    When the two people waiting downstairs saw Gu Weiyi¡¯s cleaned up appearance, they suddenly became stunned.


    Was that youth dressed in light blue clothes really the same beggar they rescued? The relatively small youth seemed extremely young. His facial features looked pure, like an angel¡¯s and his eyes were as black as paint. His entire person seemed to have been carefully carved out of white jade. His long, ink black hair was was damp and messily tied up. Several strands of his hair naughtily stuck out of the binding, swaying on his forehead as he ran. Unexpectedly, there was the hint of a charm to him, it was a type of beauty that seemed to belong to a woman. But the youth¡¯s spirit and temperament didn¡¯t seem to be one that a woman would have. But it was impossible to deny that this face was held hints of females and males, that mixed together until it was indistinguishable.


    ¡°You are the small beggar?¡± Stuttering, Zhuang Sheng questioned him with disbelief coating his voice. Gu Weiyi looked at the pair of people¡¯s stunned expressions and became clear. ¡°Vanish¡± and ¡°Cloaking Appearance¡± only lasted for one day. Ordinarily, she would take great care to paint some on herself, everyday. But today, she was overwhelmed in joy and forgot to smear more on, after her bath. She couldn¡¯t help but became annoyed at herself because of this.


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Mu Yalun seemed to have realized the truth, but his voice didn¡¯t seem to carry much shock when he said this. He felt somewhat emotionally moved. Long ago, he met this youth in Intoxicated Fragrance House. Even though he had only seen him once, he still remembered him However, wasn¡¯t that youth accompanied by an extremely beautiful, lotus-like male? On that day, they looked as if to be Masters from a rich family. How come he has fallen into these circumstances now?


    Cleverly, Mu Yalun concealed the slight astoundment at the bottom of his heart. Faintly laughing, he opened his mouth and said with certainty in his voice. ¡°Xue Wushuang.¡±


    Gu Weiyi was actually extremely surprised by this. She hadn¡¯t thought that he had remembered her name after just seeing her twice. However, she didn¡¯t remember him, all she remembered was that he caused gege to eat vinegar [2]. But when she thought about gege, bursts of pain suddenly filled her heart.


    ¡°Mu gongzi, I hadn¡¯t thought that you would still remember me.¡± Gu Weiyi recalled her sadness and allowed appreciation on her face. ¡°Thank you for your kindness for saving me, Wushuang is extremely thankful.¡±


    ¡°Us meeting is thanks to fate. Xue gongzi, please have a seat. You should be hungry, let¡¯s eat some congee, okay?¡±


    After saying this, he put a bowl of century eggs and weak congee in front of her. Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but feel emotionally moved because of this. This male was so attentive, he already knew that her current self was already extremely hungry. This clever way of diverting the topic defended her dignity.


    Sitting down, she followed the courtesy of eating slowly. But it wasn¡¯t because she wanted to follow courtesy, it was because she had been hungry for so long, so it would be easy for her to harm her intestines. After she directly ate two big bowls of congee, Gu Weiyi finally felt her stomach stop protesting. This entire time, Mu Yalun had a faint smile on his face, showing traces of indulgence when he looked at her. To the side, Zhuang Sheng ate his food while he occasionally swept distrusting glances at the pair of them.


    [1] xiong di ¨C younger brother


    [2] eating vinegar ¨C a common saying that means feeling jealous

 Chapter 34 - Indescribable Trust

    Chapter Thirty Four Indescribable Trust


    By the time they returned to their room, all three of them had already eaten breakfast. Mu Yalun sat down on the circular, wooden chair. The light smile on his face caused everyone to feel much more comfortable.


    ¡°How have you fallen to this state Xue gongzi? What of your ling xiong [1]?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Gu Weiyi stilled in her speech. She didn¡¯t wish to lie to Mu Yalun, but she didn¡¯t wish to tell him about gege¡¯s affairs either. Although he was someone that she held trust in, this matter was something huge. And, currently, he was nothing more than a familiar stranger to her.


    But Mu Yalun saw that Gu Weiyi looked awkward and wasn¡¯t speaking any longer, so he no longer showed interest in the topic. Everybody had their own secrets and he would never be the person to force someone else to divulge their own pains. Instead, he diverted the topic to something else. ¡°Then, what are Xue gongzi¡¯s future plans?¡±


    Plans? Gu Weiyi was somewhat at a loss. Naturally, she wished to find gege, so that they could resume happily passing their days by. But what could the current her do? Should she tell Mu Yalun her secrets and ask him to help her find them? And even if she said this, would he agree to help? After all, they had only met two times. He had no obligations to help her and neither did she have any grounds to ask him for help. Thinking up to here, Gu Weiyi suddenly hung her head and shut her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    When Mu Yalun saw Gu Weiyi¡¯s dispirited appearance as she hung her head low, he couldn¡¯t help but reach out to comfort her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as you don¡¯t dislike me, Xue gongzi can follow me back to my humble home.¡±


    When Mu Yalun said these words, they sparked Zhuang Sheng¡¯s surprise, and he immediately opened his mouth to protest this. ¡°Young Master, impossible! How can a strange enter into the stronghold? If any information is leaked out, then¡­¡± When he reached this point, Zhuang Sheng seemed to have realized what he was saying and stopped himself. ¡°In short, Young Master, Xue gongzi cannot follow us back!¡±


    ¡°Zhuang Sheng! It seems like I¡¯ve indulged you too much. Have you forgotten who the Master is?¡± Mu Yalun immediately reprimanded him, his usually soft face suddenly turned cold, it was as if he was a completely different person from the soft person he normally was. Zhuang Sheng looked in disbelief at his Master who was emitting anger and killing intent. Then, he turned his head to resentfully shoot a glance at Gu Weiyi, before he bitterly hung his head and stiffly said, ¡°Subordinate doesn¡¯t dare.¡±


    When she saw this scene, Gu Weiyi felt embarrassed. She didn¡¯t wish to be the person who tore up others¡¯ friendships. To them, she was also a stranger. How could she be so easily trusted? She didn¡¯t blame Zhuang Sheng for his discontentment and cold actions at all. After all, everyone was like this, the desire to protect oneself against others was indispensable.


    ¡°Mu gongzi, please do not make things difficult because of me. After all, I¡¯m a stranger that just arrived, I can¡¯t be so easily trusted. Xue appreciates gongzi¡¯s kindness.¡± Opening her mouth to tactfully decline him, Gu Weiyi¡¯s face carried sincerity, and honesty laced her tone.


    Faintly smiling again, Mu Yalun, once again, resumed his previous expression. It was as if his previous anger had never existed, his entire person was as gentle as the spring wind and rain. Mu Yalun¡¯s fondness towards Xue Wushuang, this spirited person, sprouted from his heart, his trust in her didn¡¯t have any particular reason. It was a subtle feeling, he wanted to see him to stay by his side. From the first time they encountered each other at Intoxicated Fragrance House, he had these thoughts. It was very strange. He always felt as if they were connected by fate and his feeling was extremely intense. Perhaps they would, one day, become intimate friends. And regarding Zhuang Sheng¡¯s rudeness, he had been angry about it all along. He disliked how he judged others on appearance alone, and disliked how he felt that he was superior above others. He had followed him for so many years, yet he remained so stubborn, refusing to change. But his anger didn¡¯t mean that he wished to issue an excessive action against him. Although he was stubborn, his loyalty was unquestionable. Moreover, over all of these years, he was fortunate enough to have Zhuang Sheng constantly by his side, being responsible and diligent regarding his own health. He was someone who could tell right from wrong. No matter how gentle he was, he also had a side of him with a bad temper.


    ¡°Xue gongzi, don¡¯t be suspicious. My family¡¯s slave has offended you, let me apologize again. I very sincerely wish to invite you to be a guest at my house, please, Xue gongzi, give me this honor.¡±


    On the surface, these words seemed pleading and mild. However, they carried an undercurrent of threat, suggesting that, if she didn¡¯t go to his home, it would mean she despised him. Gu Weiyi felt somewhat helpless. She hadn¡¯t expected that a person so easy to get along with would be so underestimated. His words were soft, yet firm, it left people to be unable to refuse them. But she knew that he did this just to protect her honor and dignity, nothing more. Mu Yalun was such a thoughtful and considerate person, he had such a good character. She didn¡¯t know which woman would be fortunate enough to receive this man¡¯s love. However, although she thought this way, she didn¡¯t feel any envy. Because, as long as she found gege again and returned to their side, she would become the happiest person.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, Xue won¡¯t decline anymore.¡±


    By the side, Zhuang Sheng looked at Gu Weiyi with ruthlessness in his eyes, as if he were looking at an enemy. This youngster was so handsome, he was even able to cause Young Master¡¯s usual wisdom to fade away. But it was uncertain whether or not this youngster only entered their lives because a sect had paid him to come be a spy and deliberately seduce Young Master!


    If Gu Weiyi heard the words in Zhuang Sheng¡¯s heart, just now, she would probably erupt into laughter. She was currently disguised as a male, how was she supposed to seduce his Young Master? Don¡¯t tell her that Mu Yalun was a homosexual, this Zhuang Sheng¡¯s way of thinking was truly too amusing.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for our fates to intertwine, wouldn¡¯t it be better if we called each other brothers? How about I call you Xue di and you call me Mu gege?¡±


    Gu Weiyi hiccuped, feeling like she was about to let off cold sweat. Xue di and Mu gege? She played with her fingers and uneasily said, ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem good. It would be better if you call me Wushuang and I call you Mu xiong!¡± Directly calling each other names was still close, but they must not call each other the names that he had just mentioned.


    After muttering to himself for a second, Mu Yalun looked at Gu Weiyi with a smile. ¡°This way is also good. I¡¯m going to be honest with you Wushuang, I¡¯m the master of Blue Snow Stronghold. At this moment, I¡¯m going to be returning back to the stronghold to attend to some matters.¡±


    Blue Snow Stronghold? She hadn¡¯t heard it before, but she saw the proud expression on Zhuang Sheng¡¯s face. Could it be that this was a well-known faction? Gu Weiyi shook her head at Mu Yalun. ¡°To tell you the truth, Mu.. Mu xiong, I spent my entire childhood deep in the mountains. Regarding the outside world, I¡¯m unclear of many things. So, I don¡¯t know where Blue Snow Stronghold is, asking Yalun to not take offense, ah!¡±


    So it¡¯s like this, ah! Mu Yalun¡¯s heart moved when he heard his words. No wonder he looked as if he didn¡¯t know anything and seemed so pure. In reality, it was because he was a piece of fine jade that hadn¡¯t been polluted by the filthy, outside world. In his heart, an even bigger fraction of pity raised for Gu Weiyi. However, by the side, Zhuang Sheng still hadn¡¯t come around. The gaze he looked at Gu Weiyi with was one that someone would look at a country bumpkin with. He cast Gu Weiyi a disdainful glance, as if he wanted to say: Ignorant! But, he completely forgot that he was just thinking that a certain person was a spy. He believed that Blue Snow Stronghold was so well known that everyone under the heavens knew of it and wished to enter.


    This person, Gu Weiyi had long since known that he was the same host of the carnival at the lantern festival that night. Then, Mu Yalun must be the person who created the twin lanterns, and he must also be the master that Zhuang Sheng kept mentioning on that night. Unexpectedly, the male that seemed so competent on that night was actually such an overly suspicious, petty person. You really couldn¡¯t judge a person based on their appearances. She didn¡¯t wish to mind him, but then a thought spun around in her mind: On that night, the killers appeared during the time that Zhuang Sheng went to get the twin lanterns. Gege would definitely send people to follow him. So perhaps she would get some news of gege when she entered Blue Snow Stronghold.


    She definitely had to enter this Blue Snow Stronghold before she would be assured.


    [1] ling xiong ¨C esteemed older brothe

 Chapter 35 - Brushing Past

    Chapter Thirty Five Brushing Past


    Mu Yalun was truly a gentle and attentive person. His pampering towards Gu Weiyi would often cause her to sink into a fantasy, one where it seemed like she was still by gege¡¯s side and they had never been separated. They stayed in the tavern for three days, in those three days, Mu Yalun finished dealing with his business there. They were planning to head back to the manor and Mu Yalun had already instructed Zhuang Sheng to begin packing their luggage. Naturally, Gu Weiyi would be following them as well. However, she didn¡¯t have anything on her to pack, so she was very idle and sat down inside the carriage with Mu Yalun, waiting for Zhuang Sheng to finish.


    ¡°Wushuang, you don¡¯t seem to be very happy. Is something bothering you?¡± Mu Yalun was keen and noticed the difference between now and the time they first met. Then, he was accompanied by his gege, and towards him, he saw the unconcealed smile that he had when he looked at him. But up until now, he never saw that unconcealed smile again. Something must have occurred. He had seen the doting expression his gege had when he looked toward him, his gege would not abandon him like this, refusing to even acknowledge his existence.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Forcing a smile on her face, Gu Weiyi felt moved by his considerate actions, but she didn¡¯t wish to dwell on this topic any longer. She was convinced that she would soon reunite with gege. If the meaning of her rebirth was to exist together with them, then naturally they wouldn¡¯t meet then become separated, never to meet again.


    A streak of distress and disappointment flashed across Mu Yalun¡¯s face at her response, but it was gone in a second. He softly replied, ¡°The road back to the manor is somewhat far. I¡¯m going to go buy some snacks for you, so you won¡¯t be bored on the road. Wait for me here, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    When he finished speaking, he moved the carriage¡¯s screen and walked out. By the time Gu Weiyi said anything, it was already too late. With the current state she was in, when would she be in the mood to eat snacks, ah! Moreover, did he think she was still a child? She was already fifteen, as a male, this was already considered grown up. Snacking like this was something that children ten and under enjoyed to do.


    Helplessly, she closed her mouth. She was really fidgety, ah!


    By herself, she sat in the carriage, completely bored now. But suddenly, the carriage¡¯s screen was pulled open by Zhaung Sheng. He resentfully looked at Gu Weiyi, however his tone carried excitement when he spoke. ¡°Where is the Young Master?¡±


    This fellow, what deep hatred did they have? She, Gu Weiyi, had always been liked by all. This was the first time that someone expressed their hatred for her so openly, it caused her to feel  uneasy. She was sure that she had never done something wrong, nor did she interfere with any of his matters. So why would he treat her like this?


    Nevertheless, she stilled her face. She, Gu Weiyi, was a generous person. She wasn¡¯t stingy nor indifferent when she said in response, ¡°How would I know?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? You and Young Master were sitting on the carriage together. Now that Young Master is missing, you say you don¡¯t know where he is? Smelly youth. Don¡¯t think that just because you have a pretty face, that you can cheat my Young Master and even get him to bring you into the stronghold. I¡¯m telling you now, I¡¯ll always be watching you. If you do anything or let any of our Stronghold¡¯s secrets out, I¡¯ll kill you, and if I don¡¯t, then my name isn¡¯t Zhuang Sheng!¡±


    ¡°O.¡± Gu Weiyi looked at him with eyes carrying slight ridicule. ¡°Then okay, you can just be called ¡®Zhuang Si*¡¯, I won¡¯t force you!¡±


    ¡°You!!¡± Ferociously opening his eyes wide, he glared at her as his whole body shook with anger. ¡°Feel proud now, but I¡¯ll definitely expose your mask in front of Young Master!¡±


    If he had the skill, then he could try and tear up her, Gu Weiyi¡¯s, face. There wasn¡¯t any mask for him to tear off anyway! She couldn¡¯t bring herself to care about him anymore, he would suffer the consequences of his own actions. Directly closing her eyes in front of him, dark thoughts floated up in her head.


    When he saw that Gu Weiyi didn¡¯t even spare him a glance, Zhuang Sheng became angry all over again. However, he had no other alternative. Resentfully closing the screen to the carriage, he set out to find Young Master.


    However, Gu Weiyi, whose eyes were closed, didn¡¯t notice the two figures that appeared on the street right when the screen closed. One of the two newcomers was a purple clothed, seductive male, while the other person by his side was a white clothed, lotus-like male. On their identical faces, there was endless sorrow, exhaustion, and worry. The meeting was just for a second, but they were destined to just brush past each other.


    If Zhuang Sheng hadn¡¯t recklessly come out at this time, would she have noticed her gege at this moment? However, it would remain forever unknown, for time would never reverse, nor would it start over.


    In Yan Zhou city¡¯s large streets, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue appeared, but they weren¡¯t in the mood to appreciate the bustling scene. Last night, they received a secret report, from a shadow guard, that Yi Yi had been captured by Blue Snow Stronghold and was currently being held in prison. Their Yi Yi, from childhood, had been protected by them in the palm of their hand. Even a small wound would cause them to worry for half a day. How could their Yi Yi her days in a prison, without any sunlight? When they thought about Yi Yi receiving any wrongs or suffering, they felt extremely unwell. Then, anger arrived. This time, they must destroy Blue Snow Stronghold, this number one stronghold in the martial arts circle!


    ¡°Ge, this time the operation is important. We must plan for a period of time before we can make any moves. Blue Snow Stronghold has always been mysterious, even the location of the stronghold is known by few people. We must not make any moves blindly.¡±


    ¡°I understand, let¡¯s first go to Snow Root Villa then.¡±


    Urging their horse to turn around, they just barely glanced over a exceptionally familiar figure that was just in the corner of their eye. Their hearts violently began beating, could that delicate figure be their Yi Yi?


    ¡°Wait a moment!¡±


    Turning the horse around, Xue Yunge began to chase after the carriage. And Xue Zhuyue seemed to have realized something, as he also turned around to chase after the carriage himself.


    On the other hand, Mu Yalun had just finished buying some snacks and some books to relieve boredom. He was walking towards the carriage, ready to begin the journey. He ignored Zhuang Sheng¡¯s discontent grumbling and went on the carriage. Currently, Gu Weiyi had her eyes closed as she took a nap. When she heard some noise, she opened her eyes. Softly smiling, Mu Yalun shook the things in his hand. ¡°We¡¯re ready to begin the journey.¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Gu Weiyi nodded her head. Mu Yalun turned to give a hint at Zhuang Sheng, who pulled the screen down and began to drive the carriage.


    And on another side, the Xue brothers chased after the carriage. One of them rudely took out a long sword and threw it toward the carriage screen. But, when they saw the terrified, unfamiliar face sitting in the carriage, and disappointment and sorrow flashed through their eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t her, ah. It wasn¡¯t their Yi Yi! Although their figures were very similar, it was actually a dispensable stranger. They have been missing Yi Yi for such a long time. Even a tiny bit of resemblance would cause them to chase after it, but the result was always endless disappointment and frustration. How long would it take for these days to go away? When would these endless days of searching and anxiousness fade away?


    God, if you wanted to make us demons, then you should let us briefly experience the feeling of love before we become real demons carrying intense hate, changing the world into hell. But why would you give us hope before cruelly taking it away, right when we catch sight of love? Or do you think that all the suffering we¡¯ve faced isn¡¯t enough to have us perish and start this world again with a new mind?


    No! Absolutely not! They were no longer that child, from ten years ago, who was a weakling and ignorant. They would no longer let their own fate be held in someone else¡¯s hands. They would no longer be made a fool out of and stepped on by others. If this world really had fate, then they would be the God controlling it. They would control their own fate, as well as everyone else¡¯s, it would all be in their hands! Regardless of the price they had to pay, they would bring Yi Yi back to their side and they would never split again!


    *She¡¯s calling him dead (ËÀ)


    Extra chapter sponsored by Kounu, thank you for your support! ?

 Chapter 36 - Blue Snow Chess Piece

    Chapter Thirty Six Blue Snow Chess Piece


    The delicate and flamboyant but not gorgeous, carriage traveled through Yan Zhou¡¯s western gate. In the carriage, Gu Weiyi saw visions of herself foolishly pretending to be a beggar here and had some suspicions as to whether or not they were in the right place. Here, were the famous slums that everyone knew. On the day of her escape, she had no other option but to run into this beggar¡¯s den in order to escape Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s guard from chasing her. How come she was here again? She felt as if she had just walked around in a circle.


    When Mu Yalun laid eyes on Gu Weiyi¡¯s suspicious eyes, he let out a mild laugh and explained, ¡°You¡¯ll understand in a moment, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The carriage continued traveling through the streets. Strangely, none of the poor people looked calm at the sight of the carriage, not even an iota of wonder could be seen on their faces. Instead, there were quite a number of people carrying worshipping and admiring expressions who neared the carriage. Currently, Zhuang Sheng, whose expression usually carried arrogance, seemed as if he could reach up to the skies if he was given a tail at this very moment (he¡¯s feeling very proud of himself). But frankly speaking, Gu Weiyi always disliked these types of people. They acted as if the halo was theirs, believing themselves to be superior over others. In fact, he was nothing more than someone Mu Yalun* hired to work, that¡¯s all. Why must he act as if he was the master instead, strutting around like he was. It looks like both she and Zhuang Sheng looked at each other with mutual disgust, ah!


    The carriage kept driving until it reached a lonely alleyway. Once the carriage completely stopped, Mu Yalun stood up and motioned that they could step out of the carriage. Gu Weiyi cast a curious glance at him before lowering herself out of the carriage.


    In front of here, there was a wall that was extremely destroyed. Don¡¯t tell her that this was Blue Snow Stronghold?


    Her inquiring eyes met with Mu Yalun¡¯s smile. He merely nodded his head and walked over to the wall. Taking a blue jade out, he pointed it toward the midday sun and allowed the sunlight to sink into the jade¡¯s hollow hole before it reflected out and toward the wall. Gu Weiyi could see the wall slowly begin to be filled with the sun¡¯s radiant light. Before long, the entire wall was covered in the light and a large, European-styled white doorway appeared in front of the three people.


    Widening her eyes in amazement, Gu Weiyi shook her head and rubbed her eyes in disbelief. She felt as if she entered a magical world! Laughing at her foolish expression, Mu Yalun went over and carried the still wooden Gu Weiyi into Blue Snow Stronghold.


    Once they walked through the doorway, a giant flower bed appeared before their eyes, and in front of the flower bed was a gigantic, white spired castle that looked like it had three floors. When Gu Weiyi first saw it, for a second she thought that she was in America, her eyes were packed with disbelief. Situated around the castle were lush, evergreen shrubbery as well as various sorts of plants and flowers that she didn¡¯t even know the name of. Having the palace sitting in the midst of this gorgeous scene caused it to seem as if they had entered some sort of fairyland, the beauty was completely unimaginable. Below them sat a well-maintained, orderly lawn. Just stepping across it caused Gu Weiyi distress. In the sky, beautiful birds and lively butterflies danced around in the breeze. Nature¡¯s most beautiful sounds rang in the air as they constantly sung to their heart¡¯s content.


    ¡°Is this a fairyland on Earth?¡±


    Lowly muttering to herself, Gu Weiyi was completely entranced.


    Mu Yalun looked at her with a faintly doting expression. He looked at her entranced appearance and felt gratified. He didn¡¯t know why, but he could see the sorrow and loneliness in his eyes, but he was merely fifteen years old, what could have caused him to lose his happiness? He couldn¡¯t describe it, but he wished to have him feel joy again, no longer immersing in this grief. However, this matter was related to romance.


    Suddenly, a person with white clothes who looked handsome walked up to the three of them and bowed toward Mu Yalun. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ve** come back.¡±


    ¡°Fu Guang, go prepare a room. One beside my Snow Palace hall will do just fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± The male named Fu Guang looked at Gu Weiyi with an astonished gaze before he turned around and began to exit.


    Mu Yalun then turned around to face Gu Weiyi, ¡°Wushuang, this is Blue Snow Stronghold. How about I bring you around for a stroll first? In a moment, you can go bathe in the hot springs. Then, I¡¯ll lead you to your room.¡±


    She nodded her head in response, this plan was very suitable. Presently, she was itching to take a look around this gorgeous and beautiful castle! This was because it really caused people to feel great wonder. The building¡¯s style was similar to that of European castles, but how could this style appear in this ancient world? Furthermore, she felt as if she had seen that jade ornament in Mu Yalun¡¯s hand somewhere. The mysterious Blue Snow Stronghold seemed to have a primer that was leading her along, it was as if there would be things she wanted here, in the future.


    Currently, the entire stronghold was completely quiet, it felt as if nobody was around. Occasionally, people wearing similar clothing to Fu Guang could be seen walking around, it was as if they were patrolling around. However, before Gu Weiyi could properly form any suspicions, Mu Yalun opened his mouth to clarify to her.


    ¡°These are Snow Guards, if you have any matters, you can ask them. Their primary purposes are to guard and settle any problems.¡±


    ¡°But, how come I feel as if there aren¡¯t much people in the stronghold, ah?¡±


    ¡°He he,¡± Faint laughter rose up in the air and Mu Yalun warmly answered, ¡°Blue Snow Stronghold is extremely hidden, there¡¯s no way a person would be able to find it. They¡¯re all hidden, naturally you wouldn¡¯t be able to find them. Unless an incident occurs in the stronghold and the alarm sounds, they won¡¯t come out. I wish to make Blue Snow Stronghold a heaven on Earth that doesn¡¯t have any conflicts, noise, or suffering. What do you think?¡±


    Heaven on Earth? It was very pleasant sounding, but it was also a hard wish to accomplish! For the first time, Gu Weiyi seriously examined the face before her. It was mild and delicate, one brow and one eye flowed together and seemed endlessly warm. Alone, his facial features weren¡¯t all that remarkable. However, when put together, they attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Every movement was noticeable, youthful, and peerless. His heart was just like his name [1], his appearance was elegant and mild. He was concerned about common people, looked at everyone¡¯s life equally, longed for a peaceful and undisturbed life, and wished for a tranquil world. Even in the modern world, that consumer society, that so-called equal society, there was nobody that was the same as he was, that sincerely treated everyone beside him the same.


    ¡°Your wish is very beautiful. But, I know that this is very hard to accomplish. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t approve of what you¡¯re hoping for, it¡¯s just that this world is actually very self-interested. There are some things that are unable to be changed, even if you try with all your might. This is because man¡¯s appetite is never-ending.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Mu Yalun looked at her, but remained silent. He wanted to justify his wish, but felt incapable of doing so.


    ¡°Okay, dont¡¯ think of such unhappy matters. Mu xiong, didn¡¯t you say you want to bring me around Blue Snow Stronghold?¡± Reluctantly smiling again, Gu Weiyi clumsily diverted the subject.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, ah.¡± Cooperating with her, he smiled as well. Mu Yalun understood his intentions. It was only because he (Yi Yi) truly regarded him as a friend that he spoke so bluntly. It was just like he said, this world wouldn¡¯t change just because of his way of thinking. All along, he embellished everything too much.


    But, his wish should be possible in a small space. However, he didn¡¯t know that his rejoiced way of thinking would soon be burnt to ashes on a day soon after.


    *The text actually says Lan Sheng Ling, but I think it¡¯s an error. I¡¯ll change it if something contradicts this statement in the future


    **He¡¯s saying you respectfully


    [1] his heart was just like his name ¨C ĽÑÅÂÚ; Ľ (m¨´) means admire, ÑÅ (y¨£) is elegant, ÂÚ (l¨²n) means classify

 Chapter 37

    Chapter Thirty Seven Doubt


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard.


    ¡°Your Majesty, they¡¯ve already reached Yan Zhou. But, no actions have been taken yet.¡± Chu Ga¡¯s voice rang out in the silent room. Lan Sheng Ling cast him a glance, his face was calm.


    ¡°They won¡¯t be able to find Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s entrance. Moreover, they¡¯re (Blue Snow Stronghold) such a large power, how could they be so easily taken down?¡± After muttering to himself for awhile, Lan Sheng Ling opened his mouth again.


    ¡°Tell the people over there to lead them in and tell them that Xue Wushuang is undergoing punishment. I don¡¯t believe they won¡¯t be anxious!¡± An aggressive light flashed in his eyes, ¡°In addition, quickly bring Xue Wushuang back for me. Return to the place she should be at right now, she¡¯s our last bargaining chip!¡±


    ¡°Yes Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡­


    In the dark room, the light of a candle faintly flickered and a slender figure faintly appeared sitting on a dark phoebe zhennan chair. In front of the figure, on the desk, were a few stacks of papers that laid to the side. On the exceptional-looking chair, there was an equally exceptional male sitting on it. At the current moment, he was hanging his head down, seeming to be contemplating something.


    Suddenly, the door to the room opened a shadow walked inside. Without hesitating, the shadow bent his knee and in a low, steady voice, he said, ¡°Subordinate Nuo meets Lord.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the shadow hiding in Blue Snow Stronghold?¡± Darkness swam about above the male¡¯s head, his eyes were crystal bright, purple color. He was clearly in the darkness, but the light his eyes emitted it seemed as if he was underneath the sunshine. His appearance was beautiful and demonic, causing people to be unable to breathe.¡±


    Nuo lifted his head and quickly lowered it, not daring to look at those strange eyes. Sure enough, he was a bewitching type of beautiful, but he was also a demonic type of person, ah!


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Narrowing his green, water-like eyes, Xue Zhuyue, who was by the side and quiet the entire time, ordered, ¡°Lift your head up.¡±


    Hesitating, Nuo finally lifted his head up after a moment, revealing an ordinary face. Looking at Xue Zhuyue¡¯s green eyes, an abnormal thread flitted through his eyes. But, he quickly forced himself to stay calm and allow Xue Zhuyue¡¯s keen eyes to scan him over, from head to toe.


    ¡°How come I¡¯ve never seen you before then?¡± Skeptically eyeing Nuo, Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes contained coldness that couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    ¡°During the day, Lord is extremely busy. How could Lord have the time to see Nuo, a nobody.¡± Nuo replied to his question neither too fast or too slow and on his face, there was calmness and indifference.


    ¡°Correct, ah. Apart from twenty snow-clothed guards, we haven¡¯t seen much of other subordinates. Your reasoning is adequate, I have nothing to say.¡± Xue Zhuyue replied, his tone wasn¡¯t good. He felt doubtful of this person. He couldn¡¯t list any reasons, but it was a gut feeling of his.


    ¡°Okay, Yue.¡± Xue Yunge cast a warning glance at Xue Zhuyue. No matter how suspicious one was, they couldn¡¯t let it be this obvious. It wouldn¡¯t be good if they beat the grass to scare the snake. He turned around and looked at the shadow on the ground, ¡°Nuo, right? Where is Blue Snow Stronghold?¡±


    Calmly asking the question he desperately wanted the answer to, Xue Yunge towered above and looked down at Nuo.


    ¡°Yan Zhou¡¯s western door.¡±


    ¡®Heng!¡¯ Sneering, Xue Yunge¡¯s cold expression was as sharp as a knife. Dangerously opening his mouth, ¡°Nuo, is it that you no longer wish to live and dare to play tricks on us?¡± Everyone knew what place the western doorway was. Nuo¡¯s words didn¡¯t win over their trust.


    ¡°When Master follows subordinate to the western gate tomorrow, Master will to know if subordinate is lying or not.¡± Nuo was calm-headed, unhurriedly responding, he seemed as if he wasn¡¯t affected by Xue Yunge¡¯s anger.


    ¡°Is that right? Then this Master will see if your words are truthful or not and take a stroll with you tomorrow.¡± After being silent for a moment, Xue Yunge replied to him with chilliness laced in his tone and coldly gazed at him.


    ¡°Subordinate has been hidden in Blue Snow Stronghold for a year, definitely doesn¡¯t dare to lie to Master.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, then tell me what the circumstances are in Blue Snow Stronghold.¡± This time, it was the indifferent Xue Zhuyue, who was sitting to the side, that spoke up.


    Nuo guiltily lowered his head in response, ¡°Subordinate is incompetent. In the stronghold, subordinate is merely a foot soldier that patrols around the stronghold¡¯s prison. Without the Stronghold Master¡¯s permission, apart from the white clothed envoys, nobody is allowed to enter inside the inner stronghold. Consequently, subordinate doesn¡¯t know the current state of Blue Snow Stronghold.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡±


    Something flashed in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s long, narrow, and green eyes. He suddenly extended his hand and his body flashed, leaving only a gust of wind behind him. Quickly, he arrived in front of Nuo and clutched his neck with his hands, angrily saying, ¡°Enough, from the beginning, your words have been filled with holes! If you entered into Blue Snow Stronghold, how could you not know the circumstances inside, in detail? If Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s defense is as tight as you claim it to be, how would you know that Yi Yi is imprisoned if you¡¯re merely a small jailer?¡±


    As he fired menacing questions at him, the force with which he gripped his neck became increasingly stronger. Nuo¡¯s face quickly turned purple and red, evidence that he couldn¡¯t breath. Nuo struggled to shake his head, his eyes were filled with anxiousness accumulated from wanting to answer his questions. Unfortunately, Xue Zhuyue didn¡¯t have any inclination to release him, instead, a deep killing intent appeared in his eyes.


    ¡°Mas¨C Master.¡­¡±


    All along, Nuo was groaning between gasps for breath. He moved his four limbs, intending to attempt to break free, but he didn¡¯t expect for Xue Yunge¡¯s power to be so extraordinary, he didn¡¯t stand a chance. Fortunately for Nuo, Xue Zhuyue didn¡¯t have any intent to truly kill him. Regardless of whether he (Nuo) was lying or not, they needed to grasp any chance they had to find Gu Weiyi.


    ¡°Okay, Yue, let him go and speak.¡± After a while, Xue Yunge opened his mouth. His words seemed as if he was pleading for leniency on Nuo¡¯s behalf, but his words were extremely lazy.


    Releasing Nuo¡¯s neck from his grasp, Xue Zhuyue turned around to languidly lay on the bench again. Except, the chilly expression in his eyes didn¡¯t leave.


    ¡°Sub¨C Subordinate didn¨C didn¡¯t tell lies. The few days before, subordinate was on duty and sa¨C saw Miss being punished¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Angrily standing up, the hundred-year old wooden chair Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were sitting on suddenly split apart! Even the white marble on the floor showed traces of cracking. This was evidence of the violence and anger that lay in their hearts. Momentarily, their intense murderous spirit filled the small, darkened room. The pitiful Nuo had just been picked up and was momentarily unable to breathe. Now, he had to face the depressing and ruthless aura of death that permeated the room. It felt like an ice-cold blading that was simultaneously cutting into every inch of his skin.


    The intense pressure caused Nuo to vomit a mouthful of blood and helplessly lay on the floor.


    Not wanting to repress the killing intent in his heart, Xue Yunge coldly cast a glance at Nuo and forcibly calmed himself, ¡°Get out!¡± Nuo couldn¡¯t die right now, but if he continued to stay here, his insides would undoubtedly die off within an hour. He and Yue had already cultivated to the height of Mirror, now, they lacked any scruples to releasing energy. Ordinary people would be completely unable to shoulder it. Even an expert at the very top would be unable to resist, even using all of their strength. And, even if they cultivated for half a year, they wouldn¡¯t be able to fully recover.


    Rushing to get out of the room, Nuo¡¯s figure stumbled out of the doorway. Xue Yunge¡¯s eyes held gloominess and he suddenly let out a burst of intense energy. Apart from the four walls around them, which were on the verge of collapsing themselves, the table, chairs, books, china, and hardware in the room exploded and turned into powder, falling to the floor.


    At this moment, they were too angry and the restlessness, worry, and even hatred repressed at the bottom of their hearts caused them to have no other choice but to set it all free. Otherwise, they were bound to go overboard. The one stipulation with cultivating Mirror was that they had to see blood and ruin everything if they wished to kill someone.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter Thirty Eight Strange Grove


    Squashing their anger, the pair walked out of their secret room and back into the regular room.


    ¡°Ge, that Nuo¡¯s words can¡¯t be entirely trusted.¡± After Xue Zhuyue changed his clothes, he leaned down on one of the chairs and opened his mouth, exhaustion was painted all over his face. Xue Yunge wordlessly stepped forward and held his wrist, transporting some true qi to Xue Zhuyue, but it was rejected by him.


    ¡°Ge, I don¡¯t want it. Just then, your true qi was also used up in that outburst, I¡¯m fine.¡± Xue Zhuyue took his hand back and began to mutter to himself, ¡°Ge, has Yi Yi truly been beaten? I¡¯m really worried.¡±


    ¡°I know. But, right now, all of our worries are useless, Nuo is lying.¡± After speaking, Xue Yunge collapsed onto the same chair. Both of them leaned on each other, depending on each other¡¯s warmth. No matter how much they longed for and worried about Yi Yi, they wouldn¡¯t let themselves lose their minds. Nuo¡¯s problem was that he had been too confident. All of the words he spoke seemed too natural and he seemed too at ease. It all felt as if it had been rehearsed multiple times. His seemingly perfect show was the one hole in his plan. It seems like the current matter truly isn¡¯t simple, ah. However, Yi Yi was currently suffering hardship. Regardless if that was real or not, they had to go to ensure that she was undamaged. Right now, they would focus on getting to Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s entrance tomorrow, attacking would be something to worry about later.


    Yi Yi, when can you return to gege¡¯s side?


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard


    ¡°I received injuries, but tomorrow, the Xue brothers will definitely make their way to Blue Snow Stronghold. I¡¯m convinced that they¡¯ll start a battle soon. I¡¯m extremely expectant over this sandpiper and clam fighting with the fisherman catching them both [1]!¡± On the profound and handsome male¡¯s face, he had an unsmiling smile hanging on his lips and his calculating eyes held an abyss so deep, the bottom couldn¡¯t be seen.


    Blue Snow Stronghold was peaceful, beautiful, and mysterious. Gu Weiyi was reclining on the quiet, blue-green grass while she looked up into the blue sky. But, her eyes were vacant. She didn¡¯t wish to look into Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s mysteries, but gege¡¯s matters weren¡¯t that simple. Living like this for the remainder of her life wasn¡¯t what she wanted either. Even though she escaped from Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s perusal and no longer had to live the challenging days of a beggar, she still wasn¡¯t happy. If they had been separated just so she could know how important they were, she currently, truly, knew how important they were, she had been enlightened. She just wished for this moment of bitterness to depart, for this period of her life to be short, and for it to never occur again. She, Gu Weiyi, no longer wished to experience this pain again.


    Today, Mu Yalun had matters to take care of and went to the castle with an elder. That castle¡¯s name was Xue Yan, and all together, it had three floors. The first floor was a large hall used to hold gatherings. The second floor was a conference hall for Mu Yalun and the elders to talk over important matters. And finally, the third floor was a study room. It was rumoured that there were various rare books that were extremely beneficial toward martial artists, however, apart from the stronghold¡¯s master, nobody else could enter. In any case, she didn¡¯t have much interest in these things, nor did she have much fondness for practicing martial arts, therefore, she didn¡¯t hold any curiosity over this place.


    Bored, she got up from the ground. For a lonesome person to be enjoying beautiful scenery, it would forever be colorless, regardless of the beauty. Without anyone to share the happiness and beauty with, it was just like the beautiful snow lotus herb that grows in sheer cliffs and steep rocks, it could only use up it¡¯s own time in a quiet valley. This sort of beauty was pitiful.


    The enormous flower bed and blue lake that sat behind the castle was normally Gu Weiyi¡¯s favorite place to visit. But once in a while, some of the white clothed emissaries would float by, like a specter, not understanding Gu Weiyi¡¯s actions at all. Honestly speaking, this place resembled a paradise on earth. It was just that the people here treated her coldly and indifferently, causing the tiny bit of joy in her heart to completely fade away. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she didn¡¯t wish to make things awkward for Mu Yalun, she would¡¯ve spoken about leaving a long time ago. She saw that, that mild as jade male treated her sincerely. He cared for every movement of hers, each detail in her life, and meticulously looked after her. He was scared that she would feel wronged and didn¡¯t wish for her to have even an ounce of reserve, so he told everyone that she had access to everything, even the study that was restricted to everyone else in Blue Snow Stronghold wasn¡¯t for her. But he didn¡¯t know that the more he acted like this, the more she would be rejected by the people in the stronghold. Each time Zhuang Sheng caught sight of her, he looked at her as if he was looking at his enemy; the people in the stronghold were extremely sensitive towards outsiders. Perhaps this was because they only wished to live a smooth and steady life and were scared that outsiders would bring about unforecastable disaster. This was how Gu Weiyi reassured herself, neglecting the tiny drop of worry that still resided her in heart. But she truly didn¡¯t know that her arrival actually triggered the series of events that would lead Blue Snow Stronghold to forever say goodbye to it¡¯s peaceful days until all that was left of it was ruins.


    She aimlessly walked around and unconsciously drew away from the castle, eventually walking into a small grove. This grove was a bit of distance away from the castle, but if she turned her head, she could still faintly see the silhouette of the castle in the distance. The grove was truly small, outlined by only a few hundred trees that encircled it. What made it odd was the faint fragrance of flowers, even though no flowers or plants could be seen anywhere around. She didn¡¯t understand why, but she was actually somewhat afraid of this place. However, this place seemed to have some sort of magic in it, causing her to be unable to stop herself from wanting to go inside.


    After standing outside for a bit, she was finally unable to ignore the longing that stemmed from the bottom of her heart. Gu Weiyi lifted her foot and stepped on the green and muddy soil. Looking up, she saw that the trees here were quite unique, their leaves were quite long and lush. The shape of the tree leaves resembled the six edges of snowflakes, it was extremely beautiful. She reached up and took one of the leaves from the branch. Then, she placed the leaf over her nose, and immediately, a pure and sweet fragrance could be smelt. To her surprise, she found that the fragrant smell of flowers actually came from these tree leaves! Filled with amazement, she took another deep breath before she continued forging ahead.


    The further she walked inside the grove, the stronger the smell of flowers became. All around her was tranquility, apart from the rustling of the leaves, there were no other sounds. As she walked inside the grove, she felt it really was quite strange. From the outside, the grove didn¡¯t seem all that large, however, she had been walking all this time but still hadn¡¯t felt as if she reached an end. Although Gu Weiyi had some doubts about this, it didn¡¯t deter her from continuing to walk further inside. She kept going straight forward until she was suddenly confronted by the scenery in front of her. She gasped in surprise and foolishly stood there, forgetting to advance forward.


    An immense tree appeared in front of her eyes, one which would¡¯ve taken about ten people to be able to fully encircle it. But what made this tree strange were the blood red streaks that ran through the trunk and up into the branches. The streaks resembled human veins and Gu Weiyi wasn¡¯t sure if she saw correctly, but she could¡¯ve sworn that she also saw a faint pulsing in the veins. This whole scene was truly extremely odd. But, none of this caused Gu Weiyi to feel fear. This was because those blood red streaks weren¡¯t what she was focused on.


    What had captured all of Gu Weiyi¡¯s interest were the snow white flowers that were abundantly blooming on the tree. Large petals surrounded the flower buds, creating flowers that resembled Yulan magnolia, yet they weren¡¯t. The petals were as big as the petals on lotus flowers and the pistils in the flower¡¯s heart were the same blood red color as the streaks on the trunk. They proudly extended out, like the tongue of a serpent. And in the snow white petal¡¯s embrace, there lay a fruit that sat in the exact center of the flower. It resembled a three year old female baby, just like the the ginseng fruit in the Journey to the West.


    Suddenly, Gu Weiyi felt a sense of sadness flood her and she felt as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. Everything here was just so strange. So strange it left her mind completely blank. Why was this happening?


    Suddenly, the tree began to lightly shake. It was truly moving!


    Staring at the tree with eyes full of fear, Gu Weiyi wished to leave. But, her feet felt as if it had been filled full of lead, she was frozen in place and unable to leave. The tree continued to shake and slowly, a red substance seeped out and slowly pooled on the ground.


    It was just like it was bleeding!


    [1] sandpiper and clam fighting with the fisherman catching them both ¨C to my knowledge, there isn¡¯t an English idiom that¡¯s similar to this, but it¡¯s basically like two people fighting and then a third party coming in and reaping the benefits

 Chapter 39

    Chapter Thirty Nine Prophecy


    This was the first time Gu Weiyi had seen such a thing, so even though she desperately tried to calm herself, she was unable to and could only limply lay on the floor.


    Eventually, the tree stopped moving, but those large flowers suddenly wilted in seconds. The countless flowers all suddenly turned yellow in the blink of an eye. Then, the female baby fruits that were cradled between the flower petals fell down from the tree and onto the ground, conveniently rolling right in front of Gu Weiyi.


    These fruits were a blue color and actually looked like it were an infant carved out from a piece of blue jade. The infant had exquisite hair, a small, beautiful face, faint eyebrows, tiny, closed eyes, long eyelashes, and cherry lips. In addition to all of this was it¡¯s soft body and adorable hands and feet. Each part of it resembled an actual human!


    Gu Weiyi reached her trembling hand out and hesitantly touched the fruit. Upon contact, she felt how cold the fruit was, telling her that this fruit was just in the shape of a human, not one itself. With great effort, she forcibly calmed her restless heart down. Summoning her courage, she took the human-like fruit and placed it in front of her eyes to closely examine in. This fruit, just like everything else here, was extremely weird, filling people with an indescribable feeling. The fruit emitted silvery blue shimmers as she examined it, and the more she looked at it, she more she felt as if it was truly alive. However, the entire time that Gu Weiyi stared at the fruit, her expression was vacant. But suddenly, Gu Weiyi looked as if she had lost her soul as she began to take mouthfuls of the fruit, completely eating it. For a few moments, the only sound in the air were the sounds of Gu Weiyi¡¯s eating.


    When she finally finished eating all of it, Gu Weiyi¡¯s expression was still just as blank. But in the middle of her clean forehead there appeared a silvery blue colored six edged snowflake mark, but when one looked closer at it, one would find that no trace of it.


    In the quiet grove, there was suddenly the sound of a sigh. Instantly, a gray haired elder wearing white clothes appeared in front of Gu Weiyi. He caught sight of the silvery blue color on Gu Weiyi¡¯s forehead as well as the lifeless expression in her eyes. The elderly man seemed remorseful, but he had also had courage and comfort in his face.


    ¡°Xue girl had been hidden from the world, but the mark has reappeared. The tree has cried blood, forecasting a major disaster is coming upon us. But, in order to ¡®protect¡¯ her, he will pay the entire Blue Snow Stronghold over. And even after doing so, his heart will still smile, regardless of everything, just to protect her¡­¡±


    The old man gave another remorseful sigh, that faded away into the air. It was silent for a moment before he finally began to mutter to himself, ¡°Ten million years have already passed, blue oceans have already changed into fields, yet you still haven¡¯t agreed to give it up¡­¡±


    Lowly sighing one last time, the old man steadied himself. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll just follow you.¡±


    After saying that, he reached inside his clothes and took a small glass bottle out. He then proceeded to poor the contents out into his hand and rubbed it on Gu Weiyi¡¯s forehead. Immediately after, the six edged snowflake mark disappeared from her forehead without a trace, it was as if the mark had never been there. At this moment, Gu Weiyi opened her inquiring eyes wide as she stared at the old man, the expression in her eyes clear. She looked at the old man wearing white clothes that suddenly appeared and was given a fright. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to be a bad person with his benevolent appearance and wise and mild eyes. Therefore, Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t all that scared. All she did was nervously ask him, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Who I am isn¡¯t important anymore. Xue girl, you go out of the grove. Right now, the seal can still be put on for a period of time, but I¡¯m soon going to become helpless. Just remember to always trust your gut, and in any event, ¡®guard¡¯ and ¡®protect¡¯. These will all be unswering from beginning to end.¡±


    The old man stared at her whilst saying these bizarre words in a saddened tone. Once he was finished, he suddenly vanished. Gu Weiyi still stood in the same place, her head was in complete confusion, unable to figure out what had just happened. She couldn¡¯t be too sure if the old man was from her imagination or not. Tiredly lifting her head up, she discovered, to her surprise, that the tree filled with flowers suddenly couldn¡¯t be seen any longer! Concern and fright suddenly intertwined together in her heart as she stood back up on her weak legs, beginning to leave this strange grove.


    Still frightened and full of doubt, she returned back into her room and collapsed onto the large, soft bed. Gu Weiyi felt as if today was just like the movie Alice¡¯s Adventures in Wonderland. She had seen such unimaginable things today, it was all so tiring! Once she hit the bed, she fell into a deep sleep.


    After a while, she woke up from her sleep and saw that it was already nightfall. Getting out of the bed, she walked over to her dressing table to wash her face. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she turned to look at the scenery just outside of her window. After thinking for a bit, she decided that she couldn¡¯t just aimlessly wait here. It¡¯s time for her to propose leaving to Mu Yalun. She really missed her gege, ah. She no longer had the strength to sit and wait here any longer. Her yearning for them had already began to seep into her bones. She urgently wished to return to their sides, to see their beautiful and pampering faces, to sit in their warm bosoms, and to laugh unrestrained. Just by beginning to think of these things, her heart had already begun to ache.


    But a burst of anxiousness suddenly formed in her heart, causing Gu Weiyi to be unable to restrain herself from rushing out of her room and over to the large hall.


    She had only visited this hall once, which was when Mu Yalun had given her a tour of the castle. So, she knew the general direction to head in to get to it. During nightfall, rays of golden sunlight streaked across the castle, dazzling wherever it touched. When Gu Weiyi finally reached the entrance to the hall, she felt somewhat nervous, but she steeled her heart and walked in. Upon entering, she saw that the first floor hall was completely vacant. Apart from the snow white fox fur coat that rested on the topmost jade seat, there was nothing. At this moment, with the hall completely empty, the stillness felt somewhat strange. Gu Weiyi knew that Mu Yalun was most likely discussing business on the second floor. Making her way over to the staircase, she quietly began to walk up, her soft steps echoing in the silent room.


    As she neared the top, the sounds of voices speaking got louder and louder and once she reached the last step, she silently hovered at the corner of the doorway, unsure of whether or not she should go in.


    ¡°Young Master, there¡¯s a spy in the stronghold! Lately, our patrols have seen strangers roaming around the slum housing area, this subordinate is worried that¡­¡± The one speaking was Zhuang Sheng, his voice carried traces of worry. Regarding that ¡°spy¡± he was talking about, Gu Weiyi was certain that he would proclaim, without hesitation, that the spy was her, if she stood right in front of him at this very moment.


    ¡°Yes Young Master!¡± Agreeing voices sounded out after Zhaung Sheng¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Young Master, subordinate has investigated and found that those people have been sent here by Xiu Luo villa.¡±


    ¡­.


    What? Gu Weiyi covered her mouth. Xiu Luo villa¡­ Why were gege prying into Blue Snow Stronghold instead of going to find her? Or was it that gege already knew she was in Blue Snow Stronghold and wanted to come save her? Temporarily putting the confusion in her heart to the side, Gu Weiyi stilled her breath and continued to eavesdrop.


    ¡°We, Blue Snow Stronghold, have never come into contact with Xiu Luo villa, nor have we had any contradictions. So, why would the opponent come over here?¡± This time, it was Mu Yalun¡¯s mild voice that now carried some doubt.


    ¡°This subordinate doesn¡¯t know either. Could it be because they want the stronghold¡¯s treasures and rare books?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Apart from the elders and you, who else knows of Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s secrets?¡± It was Mu Yalun¡¯s voice again, carrying slight anger as he reprimanded Zhuang Sheng.


    ¡°Subordinate knows his wrongs.¡±


    The voices slowly faded away until Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t hear them anymore. She had decided to return back into her room. Since knowing of the most recent developments regarding gege, she decided that she no longer wanted to leave Blue Snow Stronghold. She would wait here for gegeto come get here, if she left, she may even pass by them again.


    She lifted her foot, just about to take a step when she heard wind and before she could react, two tight fists made their way around her neck and picked her up.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter Forty Suspicious Relations


    ¡°Let.. Let go¡­.¡±


    Weakly struggling, Gu Weiyi used all her force to try and move that hand away, but she was too weak. That hand was like an iron hoop, she was helpless against it and couldn¡¯t free herself from it. Only when Mu Yalun heard her weak cry from inside the room was she finally released. He rushed over to her side and pulled her away from the elder¡¯s grasp, carefully bringing her into his embrace.


    ¡°Wushuang you¡¯re fine right?¡± Mu Yalun¡¯s concerned voice rang in her ears and she weakly shook her head in response. She calmed her rapidly beating heart and between dry coughs, she stammered out, ¡°I¡¯m.. I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Master, who is he?¡±


    The one who spoke was the elder who had just gripped Gu Weiyi by her neck. He had a hair full of long, pale white hair that wasn¡¯t bound and he seemed to be about forty or fifty years old. His face was grave and cold, sending shivers into Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart when she saw him. Adding onto this was the fact that he had just nearly killed her, so it¡¯d be safe to say that Gu Weiyi was scared of him. Inside the room, there was Zhuang Sheng standing as well as several other elders wearing white clothes sitting beside a long desk similar to those that could be found in the offices of modern times. Zhuang Sheng was standing as straight as a stick which intimidated Gu Weiyi when she peered into the room. She timidly shrunk back and hid behind Mu Yalun, pulling at his sleeve for support. For some bizarre reason, this action of hers immensely pleased Mu Yalun. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt as if he was the best person that could protect her.


    ¡°Elder Fu this is Xue Wushuang, the guest I invited over to the stronghold.¡± He mildly smiled as he explained, but the protective glimmer in his eye could be plainly seen by anyone. Elder Fu¡¯s icy expression seemed to be holding something back as he indifferently swept a glance at Gu Weiyi before slowly opening his mouth to say, ¡°Lao fu [1] doesn¡¯t wish to call Young Master¡¯s guest into question, but can Xue gongzi explain why he suddenly appeared in the conference hall?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that Xue gongzi appeared here so suddenly. It¡¯s hard for people not to doubt your intentions, ah!¡± This time, it was actually Zhuang Sheng, who had always been displeased with Gu Weiyi, who poured oil into the fire in front of everyone.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Seeming to have been scared witless under everyone¡¯s gaze, Gu Weiyi¡¯s actions displayed weakness. Upon seeing this, tenderness almost immediately rose in Mu Yalun¡¯s heart. Softly, he comforted her, ¡°Wushuang, don¡¯t be scared. Tell me, why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°I.. I came to find you.¡± Timidly opening her mouth, Gu Weiyi whispered her response, ¡°Normally, you would¡¯ve come to my room at this time to have dinner, but today, you were late. So.. So I came here to find you.¡±


    Her considerate words caused Mu Yalun great distress, without much doubt, he was convinced of her words. Let alone to say that what she said was a fact. Everyday, at this time, Gu Weiyi did have dinner with Mu Yalun.


    ¡°It was my carelessness that caused me to forget to inform you that I have business to deal with tonight. You can go back first, don¡¯t wait for me.¡± Tenderly replying to her, Mu Yalun¡¯s words were extremely gentle.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intentionally mean to listen to your words, moreover, I really didn¡¯t even hear anything!¡± Innocently grasping Mu Yalun¡¯s hands, Gu Weiyi began to cry. With her angel-like face and crying eyes, she truly invoked a lot of pity from others.


    Mu Yalun¡¯s heart softened at this sight and his slender fingers reached up to gently stroke her ink-like hair. He comforted her, ¡°Wushuang, I truly believe you, really. Go eat your dinner first, don¡¯t starve yourself.¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Looking like a deer, she blinked her teary eyes and nodded her head. Under Mu Yalun¡¯s watchful gaze, she turned around and began to walk down the stairs, away from the conference hall. Only until she could no longer feel a gaze watching her back and she was outside of the castle did Gu Weiyi let out a breath. All of a sudden, her lovely and pitiful face turned cold and solemn.


    If Lan Sheng Ling wished to use her to threaten gege, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have let out any information regarding her escape. In that case, why wasn¡¯t gege going to find her and striking up a deal with Lan Sheng Ling instead of digging around Blue Snow Stronghold? Could it be that it was actually like Zhuang Sheng said, that they were digging around for some sort of treasure? No, it¡¯s not possible. She could doubt anyone else, but she couldn¡¯t doubt the love that gege had for her! There must be something else hidden in this mess, something that they couldn¡¯t understand¡­ But what was it?


    After thinking for a bit more without results, Gu Weiyi decided not to continue abusing her small head. First she was calmly watch from the sidelines. All of her doubts would inevitably have a day where they were explained.


    After eating dinner, Gu Weiyi was reclined on her bed in a restless sleep. Today, she had already slept enough. Instead, thoughts of this afternoon¡¯s adventure flooded her mind. One after another, she recalled the mysterious grove and that blood red tree. But what happened after that? She remembered watching the tree bleed, then she faintly recalled seeing an old man appear and say some strange words. Something about a Xue girl, seals, and protecting something, but she couldn¡¯t remember it all clearly. Was it that everything she saw today was all apart of her imagination? After all, the mark that she supposedly obtained there couldn¡¯t be found at all and nothing had been left behind.


    Gu Weiyi slept just like this tonight, with her imagination running wild.


    At this moment, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were both inside the Snow Origin Room and thinking about the amazing sight they saw at noon today. Nobody would¡¯ve thought that, that ruined piece of wall was the entrance to Blue Snow Stronghold. But what confused them was that this sort of barrier wasn¡¯t strange to them at all. This was because Ming Xue was exactly the same. Could it be that there was some sort of link between Ming Xue and Blue Snow? And could it be that Yi Yi was kidnapped due to this link? However, Ming Xue¡¯s existence was very hidden. It wasn¡¯t like Blue Snow Stronghold, which, despite its location being unknown, was known by everyone, world-wide. What sort of secret was hidden in here? Was the person behind the scenes the master of Blue Snow Stronghold? Could it be that the opponent knew of something that they didn¡¯t and also knew of Ming Xue¡¯s existence?


    Once they reached this thought, the two brothers¡¯ facial expressions simultaneously changed and turned grave. They wished that they were thinking too much. But even if they were willing to give up Xiu Luo villa and hand over Ming Xue¡¯s power just to get Yi Yi back, they still didn¡¯t see the link!


    If others wanted to enter Blue Snow Stronghold, then they were afraid that their only opportunity to enter would be at noon. Fortunately, entering the stronghold could be considered to be easy for them. They knew how to break through the barrier. Like this, countless inconveniences were avoided for them. Who would¡¯ve known that the barrier that left so many others empty-handed and helpless would be seen by them as a child¡¯s game?


    They would surprise attack the stronghold the following night. This time, they were determined to win!


    ¡°Pass this down, I want all of our shadows to be concealed in all corners of the slums. I want all four sides surrounded! Keep your eyes open, don¡¯t let anyone come out of the stronghold. If Young Miss appears, closely protect her and don¡¯t let any accidents happen! Additionally, summon twenty snow clothed guards to march into Blue Snow Stronghold tomorrow night alongside us!¡±


    ¡°Yes Master!¡±


    They couldn¡¯t allow any mishaps to occur this time. This was regarding Yi Yi¡¯s life, so they wouldn¡¯t be at ease unless they personally lead the march into the stronghold.


    Yi Yi, gege will arrive soon!


    [1] lao fu ¨C used to reference oneself by an elderly person

 Chapter 41

    Chapter Forty One Broken


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard, Study Room.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Xue brothers have already begun to plan to attack tomorrow night. Everything will fall within Your Majesty¡¯s expectations.¡±


    The hidden guard¡¯s flattering didn¡¯t please Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s heart, instead he coldly laughed and with a heavy expression, he asked, ¡°Has Xue Wushuang still not been captured?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± The hidden guard bowed his head and was unable to formulate a response.


    ¡°Subordinate is incompetent!¡±


    ¡°Can just saying you¡¯re incompetent settle the issue?¡± The pressure in the room suddenly amplified and the hidden guard struggled to breathe, so he secretly began used his internal force to resist the pressure.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you another two day¡¯s time. If you still can¡¯t find Xue Wushuang before the two Xue brothers see through my plan, find a way to off yourself!¡±


    ¡°Yes, this subordinate definitely wouldn¡¯t bring disgrace to this one¡¯s life!¡±


    Blue Snow Stronghold.


    For the first time, the usually empty and spacious main hall of the grand, white stronghold was filled full of white clothed emissaries. Everyone was neatly standing in the hall with solemn and grave expressions on their faces. And shockingly, the person sitting on the big chair with the fox fur coat was Mu Yalun. Right below him there were five white clothed elders and Zhuang Sheng.


    They were headed by Mu Yalun, whose mild appearance, for the first time, wore a solemn expression. This time, a true crisis had occurred. Over these past few days, not only had there been strangers scouting out the place, yesterday night, many people even encircled the entire western door. He just simply didn¡¯t know when they had provoked such a difficult to deal with person, but according to Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s power, they shouldn¡¯t be concerned about being unable to fend off against them. But, he didn¡¯t want the stronghold¡¯s tranquil atmosphere to be broken. Currently, emergency measures were imposed in the stronghold, creating an atmosphere that he didn¡¯t enjoy.


    ¡°I trust that everyone here knows that, as of late, Blue Snow Stronghold has been encircled. Although we have our barrier to protect us, we¡¯re still forced to be on guard. All white clothed snow guards must be on high alert at all times and must start patrolling at the entrance of the barrier. Don¡¯t let outsiders in!¡±


    ¡°Yes Master!¡±


    Their voices all clearly rose up in unison. On each of the white clothed snow guards¡¯ faces was loyalty and firmness.


    ¡°Meeting adjourned, Elders please follow me to the conference hall.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, although Blue Snow Stronghold has always held the senior position in martial arts circles, nobody has ever knew the exact location of our stronghold. Yet now, so many people have arrived at the western gate. It¡¯s obvious that there¡¯s a traitor within the stronghold who leaked out the secrets of our barrier.¡± The one speaking was Elder Fu, the same one who captured Gu Weiyi that time. Currently, he was sitting to the side of the desk in one of the seats with a respectful and solemn face.


    Although Mu Yalun didn¡¯t comment on his words, his mild features visibly creased in response. What the Elder said wasn¡¯t wrong, apart from the fact that there was a spy within the stronghold, how could outsiders know of the stronghold¡¯s secrets? But, who was this spy? There were so many people in the stronghold, it would be beyond their control to figure it out. Just who could this suspicious person be?


    ¡°As I see it, that Xue gongzi is definitely questionable, ah!¡± By the side, Zhuang Sheng resentfully opened his mouth to guess, which provoked Mu Yalun¡¯s angry gaze land on him.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Mu Yalun tried his best to calm his sudden temper and said, ¡°Zhuang Sheng, I don¡¯t wish to hear anymore slander coming from your mouth about Wushuang!¡± Even words that were just the smallest bit bad weren¡¯t allowed.


    Zhuang Sheng¡¯s face whitened when he heard Mu Yalun¡¯s words. Ever since his Young Master met Xue gongzi, he had become a completely different person. In the past, his Young Master would never get angry, and on top of that, he would never raise or lower his voice at him. His Young Master was gentle and refined, he was amiable and tender toward anyone he met. Yet for that Xue gongzi he acted cold over and over again, even going as far as to want to commit murder for him. This type of Young Master wasn¡¯t the Young Master he was familiar with. This was all caused by that Xue Wushuang!


    At the bottom of Zhuang Sheng¡¯s eyes, a flash of hatred quickly flitted across, but because his head was bowed, nobody saw it. And as the nearby Elder Fu watched the scene in front of him, a deep streak of happiness flashed through his eyes.


    ¡°Send someone to go find out who our opponent is and arrange for all of our white clothed emissaries to wait. I¡¯m going to return first, we¡¯ll leave this matter how it is right now.¡± Somewhat tiredly rubbing his forehead, Mu Yalun waved one of his hands and stood up to leave.


    Outside, the scenery was exceptionally breathtaking. The sky was extremely blue and the clouds were especially white. Everything was just as beautiful as it had always been. But his mood was incapable of calming down. He didn¡¯t like Zhuang Sheng acting like that toward him (all the him¡¯s in this sentence are referencing Yi Yi), didn¡¯t like seeing him upset and frowning, and didn¡¯t like others slandering him. Various thoughts flooded his mind in no particular order, but they were all about him. That person was so simple and innocent, how could they be the spy? Let alone to say that he had been brought into the stronghold by himself and after entering, he hadn¡¯t left. Furthering this was the fact that he (Yi Yi) spent the greater part of his time, each day, passing it by with himself (Mu Yalun). Where would he have the time to leak out secrets? Not only this, but since Wushuang had entered Blue Snow Stronghold, he hadn¡¯t once asked any questions pertaining to the stronghold¡¯s affairs. What intention would he have to go leak out Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s secrets?


    As he was walking, lost in his thoughts, he unconsciously walked over to the window that belonged to Gu Weiyi¡¯s room. Mu Yalun peeked inside and looked at the youngster who was currently whole-heartedly drawing something. His jade cut-like face was filled with concentration as he was drawing. His slender fingers danced above the rolled up paper and every once in awhile, he would still and tilt his head up with a gentle and longing smile hung on his face, as if he had recalling something. Then, he would look back down at his own drawing and either nod or shake his head. Currently, he looked like a simple beauty and busy child. This scene caused Mu Yalun to want to protect him even more fiercely, even to the point that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give up his life for him.


    How strange it was that he, Mu Yalun, would have such thoughts toward a slender youth. But he was certain that he didn¡¯t have any other thoughts toward this youth. Although, even if his heart did have the slightest bit of pounding when he saw the youth, the wooden Mu Yalun wouldn¡¯t know what it meant either. Because he didn¡¯t have any dirty thoughts in his heart, perhaps the true simple person was him!


    He didn¡¯t want him to be concerned, nor did he want him to feel guilty, so Mu Yalun deeply looked at him once more before turning around to silently leave.


    And the person who was still earnestly drawing, using her thoughts to put stroke by stroke into her painting hadn¡¯t discovered anything. As before, she was still deeply immersed in her own world, with her heart and eyes filled full of love.


    Yan Zhou, Western Door.


    In the dark of the night, Xue Yunge¡¯s seductive figure dressed in purple clothes and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s pure, cold, lotus-like figure, dressed in green clothes, were silently standing atop the city¡¯s tall walls. From a distance, they silently surveyed the Western Door¡¯s poor people¡¯s district. As they watched, the undercurrent in their eyes surged up.


    Que, dressed entirely in black clothes, silently appeared in front of them and respectfully said, ¡°Masters can begin.¡±


    ¡°After entering the stronghold, have the snow guards immediately start looking for Young Miss. If you come across any of the stronghold¡¯s people, don¡¯t kill them yet, try your best to avoid them. If any accident happens, I¡¯ll send out a signal. At that time, don¡¯t worry, act however you have to act!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After giving out their orders, the two figures promptly disappeared from the city wall, just like an arrow being shot from a bow. Soon after, Que, followed by twenty snow guards, also departed.


    In the quiet night, the two slender, beautiful figures stood in front of the broken wall. Xue Yunge carefully examined his surroundings and exchanged a silent glance between Xue Zhuyue. After a long time, Xue Zhuyue finally opened his mouth, ¡°Ge, it was right, it¡¯s a ¡°hidden snow¡± barrier, the exact same as Ming Xue¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that right now, break it Yue!¡± Toward Xue Zhuyue, he nodded at him, indicating something. Soon after, the two people both took out a blue jade from the bosom. The blue jade was actually practically identical to the one that Mu Yalun used!


    The two blue pieces of jade reflected a serene blue and fiery green light under the moonlight.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter Forty Two Entering The Stronghold


    Engraved in the middle of the jade pieces was a moon. When the moonlight shone onto the jade pieces, an aperture gradually condensed where the moon engravement once was. The moonlight passed through the stone and cast onto the wall acting as a barrier. Gradually, the wall melted away and a white European style door appeared.


    Behind them, Que watched the scene in front of him and his eyes showed shock. The twenty snow guards behind him all found it hard to disguise their astonishment. But they quickly collected their expressions and their blank faces returned, after all, they had undergone extremely cruel training in order to become snow guards. Therefore, their ability to bear surprises was much better than others. They cautiously stared at the door and mentally prepared themselves for anything they could possibly face once they enter through that door.


    As the door slowly opened, all of the snow guards stopped breathing as their bodies practiced martial law. What was strange was that there was nobody behind the door. Perhaps it was because nobody had anticipated that they would attack at night, nor did they figure that they would be able to bypass Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s barrier, so they neglected to have someone defending currently.


    In fact, these guesses had some merit. Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s door can only be opened during the day and the stronghold¡¯s people all believed that their home¡¯s secret barrier caused it to be hard to enter. But in actuality, they thought too highly of themselves. Even though Mu Yalun instructed everyone to practice martial law, Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s people were too arrogant. They only assigned one guard to defend the door and at this late hour, that guard most likely had grown lazy and left. Or perhaps there were other reasons within this situation.


    Sure enough, a white clothed person suddenly appeared in front of the door. The snow guards immediately prepared to shoot him dead but they were stopped in their tracks by Xue Yunge with a wave of his hand. The white clothed person walked a few steps toward them and respectfully bent down and quietly greeted, ¡°Guo meets Masters!¡±


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    Skipping past the formalities, Xue Yunge asked the only question that his heart desperately wished to know.


    ¡°Young Miss is in the prisons, please follow subordinate down there Masters.¡± When he said this, Nuo didn¡¯t move to lead them down, instead he cast a glance at all the snow guards and said, ¡°The snow guards aren¡¯t allowed to come.¡±


    ¡°Heng! Who do you think you are Nuo? Why should we listen to you?¡± One of the snow guards immediately asked back. Nothing but a minor shadow actually dared to act like this and order him to do something.


    ¡°Today, this subordinate switched places with the patrol that was supposed to be on duty, just to be able to meet Masters. Blue Snow Stronghold is currently practicing martial law and it¡¯s very strict. This subordinate suggests for the snow guards to conceal themselves first. If there¡¯s too much people, we may accidentally alert the enemy before we¡¯re ready.¡± Nuo said these words, acting neither servile nor overbearing. When he calmly finished speaking, he stood in place, not showing any indication that he would lead them down to the prisons. It was clear that they must leave the snow guards outside.


    Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue turned to look at each other. Pretty and flirtatious purple eyes met watery and a tossing billows green eyes. A strange look streaked across both of their eyes. Immediately after, Xue Yunge turned around to instruct the snow guards, ¡°You guys stay outside first and wait for orders. Without our orders, you aren¡¯t allowed to enter the stronghold.¡±


    Que knowingly nodded his head, ¡°This subordinate will do as instructed.¡±


    ¡°This matter has been settled. Nuo, can you bring us in now?¡± Xue Zhuyue coldly opened his mouth to ask Nuo. Towards this Nuo, his heart would never accept him. This type of person¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t pure, he couldn¡¯t be someone from Xiu Luo villa. There was something in here that would soon be exposed. Watery and billowy eyes darkened, they were serene and without conjectures.


    Nuo¡¯s ordinary features didn¡¯t have any expression as he nodded. Rising up, he finally began to lead them, ¡°Asking Masters to follow this subordinate.¡±


    In the dark of the night, Blue Snow Stronghold seemed transparent. As they walked further inside, they walked past a winding walkway and from a distance, they saw a large white castle. When they saw this, both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue turned to look at each other and they stopped breathing. But immediately after, their expressions turned calm again as they hid the turbulent undercurrent in their eyes. This place was practically the exact same as Ming Wang, ah¡­


    ¡°What place is that?¡± Xue Yunge¡¯s voice rose up in the quiet night air. Nuo, who was walking in front of them, didn¡¯t turn his head to look as he indifferently explained, ¡°That is Blue Snow Castle. However, aside from the stronghold¡¯s Master, Elders, and white clothed guards, nobody else can enter. This subordinate is merely a minor patrol guard, so I lack the qualifications to enter inside there.¡±


    They continued walking and eventually passed a grove. They walked for another half an hour before Nuo finally stopped and pointed at a gray house. ¡°Masters, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Somewhat doubtful, Xue Zhuyue took precautions as he asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t we seen anyone on the way here? Didn¡¯t you say that Blue Snow Stronghold is practicing martial law right now?¡±


    ¡°Subordinate has already started to prepare these things as early as one month ago. People rarely pass by this strip of road and moreover, Blue Snow Stronghold thinks very highly of itself, so there¡¯s likely to be an aspect they overlook.¡±


    Correct, he secretly sneered in his heart. Nuo, I look forward to what you want to do in the end.


    The obscure, ash-colored prison door was softly opened. Naturally, as the jailer, Nuo had the keys. When they saw the door being opened, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were jolted. In their eyes there was expectation, longing, nervousness, and even a bit of worry. A mix of indistinguishable emotions fermented in their brains, but they both took a deep breath and steadied themselves. They began their journey down, following the prison¡¯s stairway.


    Even with various torture instruments laying around, Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s prisons weren¡¯t messy like other prisons. This place gave one the feeling of being in a basement with it¡¯s tidiness. However, the further you walked inside the prison, the darker it became and the more intense and apparent the putrid smell became. There was even the faint smell of blood in the air.


    When the sensitive Xue Zhuyue smelled this, his heart couldn¡¯t help but jump to his throat. Could Yi Yi truly be punished here? Once he thought of this possibility, raging flames immediately burst from his heart and he felt a heart tearing pain. He impatiently ran in with Xue Yunge hot on his tail. Once they lit a candle, the candle¡¯s flame lit up the dark room. In the room, they saw a woman being hung above a frame. Powerless, she seemed to ignore the fact that her body was suspended mid air. She wore disarrayed and torn clothes and her originally clean, jade-like skin was covered with red welts. The sight was extremely horrifying to see. Wasn¡¯t the slender figure, the figure whose face was being partially covered by her hair.. It was the figure with which they were so familiar with¡­ Wasn¡¯t it the person that they treasured the most in their hearts?


    Purple clothes flashed and an icy beam shot toward the rope. Xue Yunge¡¯s seductive purple eyes were filled with killing intent, brightening up the ashy, gloomy room. Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes darkened, the green color turned richer and became filled with bloodthirstiness. His snow white figure flashed and caught the falling figure.


    ¡°Yi Yi, don¡¯t be scared, gege came.¡± Xue Zhuyue¡¯s voice was choked with emotions. As he spoke, his voice slightly hoarse and trembling. His words were clearly spoken in order to calm the person in his embrace, yet when he spoke them, he found it especially challenging. He hugged the weak woman closer and even his body was slightly trembling.


    The woman in his embrace seemed to have not yet awoken. Xue Zhuyue pushed aside some of the woman¡¯s long hair and it now covered only half of her white jade-like, delicate face. Who else but Yi Yi could have such a face? Suddenly, the woman in his embrace seemed to be suffering through a nightmare. Her whole body shook as she mumbled incoherently. Seeing her so helpless and weak, Xue Zhuyue held her even closer and silently comforted her. By the side, Xue Yunge was also extremely distressed. Alongside Xue Zhuyue, he also carried her. ¡°Yi Yi don¡¯t be scared, gege is here!¡±


    ¡°Big brother, second brother, quickly come and save me, quickly come and save me¡­¡±


    The woman, who caused others to be extremely distressed, restlessly began to shout out in the midst of her nightmare. This brought upon the two persons¡¯ tenderer and closer embrace. The two people were deeply immersed in switching between feelings of happiness and sadness that they didn¡¯t discover that the woman in the arms had already opened her eyes.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter Forty Three Calculating Defeat


    From further back in the tunnel, Nuo finally caught up to them. He unhurriedly walked over, wearing a strange smile on his face. The woman¡¯s, in the beautiful man¡¯s embrace, eyes suddenly met with Nuo¡¯s and became firm. Her slender hands slowly made their way into her cuff and took out a silver knife. Silently, she walked behind Xue Zhuyue.* By the side, Nuo silently watched her as the needles in his hand had long already been positioned at Xue Yunge¡¯s life vein.


    ¡°En!¡±


    ¡°Pu chi!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A smothered groan, the sound of a sharp knife cutting into skin, and a man¡¯s pained scream all sounded out at the same time in the gloomy prison. The smell of blood wafted up and filled the entire room.


    ¡°Second brother.. Why.. Do you.. Have to be like this to Shaung¡¯er?¡±


    Dark red blood flowed out of the woman¡¯s open abdomen. The person whose face looked like it had been carved out of white jade looked at Xue Zhuyue, whose expression was heavy. She looked at him in awe and sorrowfully yelled these words out. Those pitch black eyes were full of disbelief and despair.


    And that pained cry was actually let out by Nuo. When that needle was shot out, Xue Yunge waved his hand and the needle directly flew into Nuo¡¯s heart! A purple streak flashed and Nuo was promptly stepped on by Xue Yunge, blood flowed out of his mouth and onto the floor.


    ¡°Heng!¡± Using great force, Xue Zhuyue pushed the woman in his arms onto the ground and swatted his clothes as if they had been dirtied. Then he coldly looked at the miserable woman, who had heavily crashed onto the ground. He was looking at her as if he had come across something dirty.


    ¡°Second brother¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, shut up!¡±


    His green eyes were turbulent, they looked just like a ride rushing forth, but they were full of ruthlessness. ¡°Nauseating woman, why are you calling me this name!¡±


    She stared at Xue Zhuyue in disbelief and a flash of terror showed in her eyes, but she quickly forced herself to be calm, ¡°Second brother, why are you acting like this to Shuang¡¯er?¡±


    ¡°Shuang¡¯er?¡± He increased the pressure of his leg on the person under him and a crack could be heard sounding from Nuo¡¯s ordinary face. His cheekbone had actually been broken by Xue Yunge¡¯s foot! The immense pain that washed over Nuo afterward caused him to be unable to stop himself from crying out in extreme misery!


    ¡°Do you want to know where the hole in your plan was?¡± Coldly laughing, Xue Yunge¡¯s voice was somewhat ridiculing as he asked this question. As he spoke, he directed his loathing gaze at the lovely and pitiful woman on the floor, ¡°Who is Shuang¡¯er? We¡¯ve never known a person by our side who was called Shuang¡¯er!¡±


    ¡°I.. I am Wushuang, ah!¡± The woman replied, shaking in fear as her eyes dodged around the room, looking at anything except Xue Yunge.


    ¡°Heng! Everyone in the world believes that Xiu Luo villa¡¯s Third Young Miss¡¯ name is Xue Wushuang. What a pity, who would¡¯ve known that, that was only an alias! Foolish woman. When we initially came in here, we had been tricked by you. Whether it¡¯s your figure or voice, there aren¡¯t many differences between you and Yi Yi. But, from the moment we carried you, we had already determined that you were not Yi Yi!¡±


    ¡°Yi Yi¡­¡± It was the woman who was lowly mumbling to herself, ¡°Isn¡¯t she called Xue Wushuang?¡±


    ¡°Your smell is sickening!¡± Xue Zhuyue stated this whilst he looked at her with eyes full of disgust and hate. His words caused the woman¡¯s face to immediately pale. Regardless of who it was, but especially women being insulted like this by males, it was hard to take such an insult. However, in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes, she was nothing more than a lowly and filthy woman. Even casting her a glance was an insult and rude to him.


    ¡°Yi Yi rarely calls us Big Brother and Second Brother. Almost always, she calls us ¡®ge¡¯, moreover, she doesn¡¯t call us in the way that you do. Yi Yi tends to drag out the intonation and softly call me gege.¡± Seeming to have sunk into beautiful memories, a gorgeous smile floated onto Xue Zhuyue¡¯s face. The woman watching blushed and her eyes filled with obsession as she watched. But when she looked at those pair of wolfish green eyes, her face paled again. All of her facial expressions were all clearly observed by Xue Yunge on the side. A wave of loathing washed over him. The people on this world all became infatuated by their beautiful looks, but rejected their different colored eyes just seconds later. Hypocritical! Apart from there Yi Yi.. Only their Yi Yi would be fond of their eyes and regard them as a treasure.


    His eyes couldn¡¯t help but hold disdain. This disgusting woman actually dared to pretend to be Yi Yi, practically dishonouring Yi Yi¡¯s beauty in their hearts! Coldly extending his hand, Xue Zhuyue condensed a round ball of light that looked just like a copper mirror. Then, he closed his fingers and the ball of light instantly ruptured in the air, changing into broken pieces.


    ¡°Crack!¡± He spit one word out from his romantic, red lips. The woman¡¯s expression twisted at his words and then slowly became transparent before she finally shattered into tiny pieces and pieces of blood splattered everywhere, just like the ball of light had just done in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s hands. The splatters of blood added to the reeking smell of blood in the prison, but not a drop of it landed on his spotless, white clothes. After dealing with one thing, Xue Zhuyue turned around to look at his Elder Brother.


    ¡°As for you,¡± Xue Yunge sarcastically looked at Nuo, who he was still stepping on and continued, ¡°you thought you acted flawlessly and there was no hole? Ha ha, how ridiculous. Did you really believe we would be tricked so easily?¡±


    ¡°You were too calm, perhaps that is exactly what a hidden guard should have, but your calmness and remarkable display is what gave you away! Moreover, you said you had already started preparing one month before, but Yi Yi hasn¡¯t even been missing for a month! Tell me, who was it that paid you to come and do this? What was the purpose of doing this?¡±


    Nuo closed his eyes and urgently breathed, but he didn¡¯t open his mouth. Xue Yunge lifted his foot up, allowing Nuo to finally breathe correctly. After a few moments, he collected himself and calmed down. Slowly, he opened his eyes again and his eyes were filled with determination, as if he wasn¡¯t afraid of dying. By the side, Xue Zhuyue saw all this and secretly said, ¡®not good¡¯. Extending his hand out, he pointed at Nuo, who wished to move, and he immediately froze. Pulling open his mouth, Xue Yunge extracted a black pill from inside and stepped back, sneering at him.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy to die!¡±


    Taking a blue pill out from his sleeve, Xue Yunge then proceeded to force Nuo to swallow it. This pill would cause a person to lose all of their strength, that way, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to pick up a small knife. With Nuo being such a hidden guard, he would be completely loyal to his Master. So, they wouldn¡¯t be able to extract any information from him for a bit. Killing him would be a pity, it really was a piece of rib**!¡±


    ¡°Ge, we fell into the trap, we just don¡¯t know who the person behind this is. Could it be Blue Snow Stronghold or another power?¡±


    Xue Yunge nodded his head, ¡°Leave this person here first and instruct the snow guards to come pick him up. It¡¯s not certain yet if Yi Yi is even in Blue Snow Stronghold. But, we still have to search around.¡±


    Nuo thought that all of the hidden guards were outside of the stronghold, but how could he have known that they had suspected him from the beginning and wouldn¡¯t follow what he asked for. Presently, all of the hidden guards should have already entered Blue Snow Stronghold and began searching for Yi Yi.


    A pair of white and purple silhouettes suddenly disappeared from the prisons. All that was left in the darkened prison was Nuo, who weakly and powerlessly laid on the floor. In his eyes, resoluteness, struggle, and pain flashed through. Even though he practically had no strength left, he used the tiny bit of strength he had and pulled a small ball out of his sleeves.


    Perhaps it was because he couldn¡¯t hold onto it properly, but by accident, the little ball slid out of his hands and rolled away. Looking at the small ball that was probably just about one meter away from himself, Nuo¡¯s eyes flashed with despair. But still resolute, he painfully began to crawl over. One step at a time, he finally held onto the small ball again.


    With the ball in hand, a faint smile bloomed on his face. Nuo used a bit of energy and a serene snow blue colored appeared in the air before gradually disappearing.


    In the prison, a wave of peace arrived and even the sound of breathing could no longer be heard.


    *Perhaps the author made a mistake and meant to switch their names around, since the woman can¡¯t really sneak behind someone if she¡¯s being held¡­


    **something that would be useless to keep but would be unfortunate to discard/you couldn¡¯t bear to discard it

 Chapter 44

    Chapter Forty Four Chaotic Fighting


    Once the two people exited the prison, they directly rushed over to the gorgeous, white castle. Que, who was guarding by the castle¡¯s gate, saw the two people hurrying over and stepped out to face them, ¡°Masters, all of the snow guards are hidden in the stronghold now!¡±


    ¡°Very good, act according to plan. Oh right, enter the prisons and capture Nuo for me, prepare him for questioning.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Xue Zhuyue smelled a faintly sweet fragrance in the air and pursued his eyebrows. It wasn¡¯t because the fragrance was unpleasant, he just thought it was strange, why would there be the smell of flowers at this time?


    ¡°Ge, what is that smell?¡±


    Xue Yunge also discovered it and deeply sucked in another breath before replying, ¡°This fragrance doesn¡¯t seem to be poisonous. It should be the smell from dutchman¡¯s pipe cactus flowers blooming in the night.¡±


    Although he still had his concerns, Xue Zhuyue couldn¡¯t find another explanation. All he could do was hold his worries in his heart and leave. Right now, finding Yi Yi was the most important thing and he didn¡¯t want to waste effort on pointless things.


    And at this exact moment, overhead Blue Snow Stronghold, a beautiful firework suddenly exploded in the sky. But, accompanying it was complete silence, it was as if nobody had seen nor noticed it.


    Along with the smell of the flowers becoming stronger, the dormant Blue Snow Stronghold suddenly awakened. Mu Yalun already put on his clothes and entered the meeting room. Inside the room, the Elders and Zhuang Sheng were already sitting inside and waiting for him. Everyone¡¯s expressions were grave as they looked at him and the atmosphere was stifling and thick with nervousness.


    ¡°Young Master, people have entered inside the stronghold, but up until now, there has been no movements from them. What should we do?¡± Zhuang Sheng¡¯s voice carried anxiousness as he asked Mu Yalun. The other five elders were also looking at Mu Yalun, waiting for his command.


    ¡°If you see them, kill them!¡± Finally, Mu Yalun¡¯s face was heavy. This time, Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s secret could no longer be ignored.


    ¡°In addition Young Master,¡± When he started his sentence, Zhuang Sheng hesitated for a moment before firmly saying, ¡°Young Master, we¡¯ve already discovered who the opponent is. The white clothed guards detected that the people who are surprise attacking us and snuck into the Blue Snow Stronghold come from Xiu Luo villa!¡±


    Xiu Luo villa, it was the number one hit man organization? Mu Yalun sunk deep into thought. Although they were like fire and water, completely incompatible forces, Blue Snow Stronghold had never gone over to provoke them. They certainly never gave them any reasons to want to chase after and kill them and to infiltrate the stronghold! Although XIu Luo villa is the number one hit man organization, Blue Snow Stronghold has never made trouble for them in the martial arts world. Why would they suddenly decide to attack the stronghold? Could it be that they really discovered the stronghold¡¯s secrets? If not, why would they have broken the entrance barrier? The opponent must have known and prepared in advance to be able to break into the stronghold so easily! Blue Snow Stronghold was the sacred place that he pledged his life to protect, he definitely wouldn¡¯t allow outsiders to invade and trample over it! It looks like this time, there was no way to avoid a battle!


    ¡°Young Master, Xiu Luo villa¡¯s Masters are a pair of twins that are surnamed Xue. The Eldest Master is named Xue Yunge and the Second Master is named Xue Zhuyue. According to legend, Xiu Luo villa also has a Third Young Miss called Xue Wushuang!¡±


    Third Young Miss.. Xue.. Wu.. Shuang¡­


    In complete disbelief, Mu Yalun raised his head and rigidly stared at Zhuang Sheng. His voice was husky as he lowly said, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Young Master, do you still not understand? That Xue gongzi isn¡¯t some gongzi, instead she¡¯s Xiu Luo villa¡¯s Third Young Miss! Tonight, the people who snuck into the stronghold are from XIu Luo villa. Apart from Xue Wushuang, who else could be the spy! It was her that prepared this all a long time ago and deliberately approached Young Master!¡± Emotionally moved, he was practically shouting. Up until this moment, Zhuang Sheng still held hatred for that beautiful woman that confused his Young Master.


    His heart¡­ Felt extremely painful. Mu Yalun didn¡¯t know why he would suddenly have this feeling. But, he still firmed his sight and slowly opened is mouth to say, ¡°I don¡¯t trust it, it wasn¡¯t her. It¡¯s impossible!¡± One word at a time, Mu Yalun resolutely said this, firmly clinging onto this belief. Like this, he wanted to trust her, regardless of everything. Even if she personally lead the enemy right in front of his face, he would still want to trust her¡­


    ¡°Young Master!¡±


    Even the Elders hadn¡¯t foreseen that Mu Yalun would be so stubborn, even after hearing such concrete evidence. It seems like that Young Miss Xue truly made Mu Yalun obsessed with her. Now, regarding Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s safety, the Young Master still insisted on believing that beautiful woman!¡±


    ¡°Young Master, you can¡¯t be like this!¡±


    ¡°Quit it! Leave this matter to rest here and prepare to meet the enemy!¡± Unyielding, Mu Yalun harshly spoke, interrupting Zhuang Sheng¡¯s words.


    In an instant, the meeting hall became extremely tense and charged full of hostility. In the midst of this, the meeting hall¡¯s doors were pushed open by a blood soaked white clothed guard who weakly came in and anxiously reported, ¡°Young Master.. Not.. Not good! Outsiders.. Have invaded the stronghold¡­ Fighting has¡­ Has already begun!¡±


    ¡°What!¡± One of the Elders angrily burst out and all of the Elders looked at Mu Yalun with unsatisfied eyes. Currently, Mu Yalun¡¯s face was ashy and heavy.


    ¡°Prepare to fight!¡± After a moment, the immortal-like male slowly opened his mouth, ¡°But there¡¯s no need to tell Xue Wushuang.¡±


    ¡°Young Master you¡¯re still shielding that woman at this time?! You aren¡¯t our Young Master, you were never like this in the past!¡± Zhuang Sheng looked at Mu Yalun in disbelief when he heard him continuing to protect that Xue Wushuang, his eyes were full of disappointment and grievances. He could be considered to have watched Young Master grow up. He was tender but detached toward everyone, he had always been someone he worshipped and was proud of. In his heart, he was forever a god-like figure, noble, graceful, and untouchable by ordinary people! His beautiful Young Master had been ruined by a woman. He became sullen, cowardly, and even felt feelings when she appeared. For that woman, he would smile, become angered, and even risk Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s death for her!


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense Zhuang Sheng! Right now we¡¯re facing off against a powerful enemy and we must meet them head on, not sit here and argue about arbitrary things!¡± After coldly reprimanding Zhuang Sheng, Mu Yalun turned around to face the Elders and said, ¡°Prepare to go down and order all patrols to return to their regular posts, the barrier has already been broken so there¡¯s no need to continue guarding there. Be on full alert and be prepared to fight against the intruder!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Helpless, they could only withdraw. Their Young Master was their God, regardless of the decision he makes, they had to go along and mustn¡¯t oppose it.


    And outside, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue had already begun to fight against a group of white clothed emissaries. For a moment, a bright light shone following behind the trace of a sword and blood spattered! Because they were anxious to find out, once and for all, whether or not Blue Snow Stronghold had Yi Yi, the two people were relentless. Ever since they had smelt that strange fragrance, they began to encounter attacks from the stronghold¡¯s people. It seems like that fragrance was a secret signal.


    After fighting back and forth for a while, Xue Yunge already began to become bored and no longer wished to spend time on this senseless fighting. Right now finding Yi Yi¡¯s whereabouts was the most important thing, a few nobodies weren¡¯t worth them spending so much time and effort on.


    ¡°Que, don¡¯t leave any behind!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Sharing a wordless glance with Yue, the two people both left from this trouble spot in the battle and disappeared.


    All that was left behind were Que and the snow guards fighting against Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s white clothed emissaries. The snow guards were hit men, once they moved their hands, their knives became deadly.


    On the other hand, Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s people have been isolated from the world for a number of years, naturally they wouldn¡¯t be as skilled and vicious as hit men. So they soon found themselves at a disadvantage.


    When Que noticed this, he put more effort into each of his blows. The faster they settled this matter, the faster they would be able to find Young Miss. Then, Masters would be able to be at peace. Furthermore, XIu Luo villa would be just like it was previously and those two people would be happy again.


    Translator Note finally done! i hope you enjoyed reading all of these chapters, i¡¯m so sorry for being gone for so long and leaving you guys without chapters to read!! updates will return to normal after the 25th (:

 Chapter 45 - Captured

    Chapter 45 Captured


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Other Courtyard.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Nuo and the substitute have both died.¡±


    The room was completely dark and the windows were closed, not a hint of light was able to make it¡¯s way inside. A lofty, beautiful man sat motionless on the desk, seemingly accustomed to the darkness. In the pitch black, his sharp, hawk-like eyes shone.


    ¡°Dead, then what about them?¡±


    The shadow bowed his head, ¡°The assassination plan failed, they saw through our schemes.¡±


    ¡°Failed.¡± Throughout the entire conversation the man¡¯s voice remained steady, unchanging. It seemed as if none of this had affected him. Lan Sheng Ling continued to ask, ¡°Then have both sides started fighting?¡±


    ¡°Before Nuo died he sent out a signal. It¡¯s inevitable that Blue Snow Stronghold and Xiu Luo villa begin fighting.¡± The shadow¡¯s voice held a hint of joy. Although His Majesty¡¯s plan didn¡¯t completely succeed, His Majesty¡¯s layout wasn¡¯t destroyed and everything could proceed as usual. It was just that a small hiccup had occurred in the plan, nothing more.


    But the shadow didn¡¯t know that this tiny change of expression and inward joy cost him his life.


    The corpse that fell onto the floor was completely silent. Then, as if rehearsed, a short male wearing a black cloth stepped forward with a porcelain bottle in his hand. He proceeded to pour a fine powder over the corpse and moments later, thick clouds rose up from the body. Once the smoke cleared up, the body had been reduced to nothing more than a puddle of thin blood.


    ¡°Prepare for both the hidden guards and Imperial Military to encircle the western doorway. I want both sides to suffer and disappear!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A hoarse and unpleasant sounding voice answered, having predicted everything that was taking place.


    Blue Snow Stronghold.


    Everyone from Xiu Luo villa and Blue Snow Stronghold had continuously fought each other. Numerous white clothed emissaries rushed out, blocking the snow guards from advancing further inside. Overall, their offensive strategies and martial arts were much fiercer than the previous group¡¯s. In total there were thirty snow guards and each one could take one ten people. Yet, they couldn¡¯t continue resisting so many people¡¯s attacks and the battle gradually tilted to the other side.


    Que¡¯s long sword thrust into one of the white emissary¡¯s mouth at the same time a snow guard collapsed. Que could do nothing but bite his teeth at the sight. The snow guards had trained together for ten years. Although conflicts and competition existed between them, he was the head of the snow guards and couldn¡¯t bear to watch one of his own die like this.


    From his bosom, he took out a circular cylinder. Taking the wooden lid off, a ¡®peng¡¯ sound erupted and the night sky became illuminated.


    ¡­


    ¡°Young Master it¡¯s not good, more and more intruders are entering the stronghold!¡±


    A white clothed emissary staggered into the meeting hall and anxiously reported. In an instant the Elder¡¯s faces all changed color and Mu Yalun¡¯s elegant face turned even more grave. This time, the surprise attack was too sudden and they weren¡¯t prepared, truly puting them at a disadvantage. But, they must not allow Blue Snow Stronghold sink into a state of peril.


    ¡°Recall all of the ling yu* around the country!¡±


    ¡°This!¡± Several Elders looked at each other in dismay. He wanted to suddenly recall all of the ling yu¡­ What was to be done with the supervision of those divisions then? How could they control those figures in the martial artists¡¯ circles if they recalled all the ling yu?


    ¡°Young Master this absolutely cannot be done, ah!¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Mu Yalun muttered to himself before saying, ¡°But right now we can¡¯t change our circumstances. Besides we¡¯ll only be secretly removing the ling yu, we won¡¯t allow others to discover this.¡±


    The hall became heavy and became filled with low sighs. Each of the Elders understood that this move was the only option now.


    ¡­


    On the large, beautiful bed, Gu Weiyi tossed and turned, feeling like it was impossible to sleep. In actuality, she had been sleeping, but she had been awoken by a strange sound that alarmed her. Tonight she felt something abnormal within Blue Snow Stronghold, causing her to feel nervous in her heart.


    In the midst of her worrying, she spotted a light movement outside the window and instantly became alert. Soon after, the sounds of paper being damaged** could be heard and a thin bamboo pipe was pushed into the room, letting off a subtle fragrance in the room. In her heart, Gu Weiyi sneered and she began to control her breathing. She¡¯d grown tired of such cheap tricks from watching soap operas. Moreover, how could her body be affected by such a minor confusing fragrance when it was resistant against a hundred poisons? She had to find out who had something against her!


    After a moment, the room¡¯s door slowly swung open and Gu Weiyi shut her eyes, feigning sleep. Relying on her keen sense of hearing, she heard the sounds of someone nearing her. The person¡¯s footsteps were light, indicating that they were an expert. The footsteps stilled by the side of her bed and Gu Weiyi could feel the person intensely staring at her. For some unknown reason, Gu Weiyi felt that the person wasn¡¯t filled with good intentions and their staring sent shivers all over her body.


    The person continued to intensely stare at Gu Weiyi for a long time and didn¡¯t make any movements to stop. So, Gu Weiyi continued to feign sleep, but the entire time she was so scared that cold sweat practically started to come out. This guy was acting like so and didn¡¯t hurry up and do whatever they wanted to do, she was practically about to stiffen and give herself away.


    Just before Gu Weiyi was about to involuntarily give herself away, the person finally made their move. Stooping down, they hoisted Gu Weiyi up and put her over their shoulder. Carrying her like this, they quickly flew out of the room. The person seemed to hold no tender feelings for the fairer sex as their actions were quite rough. It caused Gu Weiyi to bitterly complain in her heart. Her body ached due to this person¡¯s movements, but she couldn¡¯t voice her complaints and could only try her best to endure. Whoever this damned guy was, she, Gu Weiyi, silently vowed to herself that she would pay them back for their actions tonight, by tenfold!


    She felt the person fly faster and faster. Even as a frequent flier, this was still the first time Gu Weiyi had experienced such rough treatment. On top of this, she still had to pretend like she didn¡¯t feel any of this and keep her breathing steady. In this position, her upper body was left hanging upside down and she could feel all her blood rushing to her brain. This feeling of hyperemia was truly torturous. Her face felt like it was burning and Gu Weiyi knew that her face had to be shockingly red from the increased blood flow. Luckily it was night time and the person hadn¡¯t seen her face, because if they did, she wasn¡¯t sure what would happen.


    Gu Weiyi secretly opened her eyes and despite it being dark, she could still see that it was one of Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s more desolate corners. In this corner there was a small house that was used to store unused items. She ha dcome across this house once when she had been bored in the stronghold. She asked about it but never went inside. Why would this unknown person bring her to this remote corner, what would they do to her?


    The man softly landed on the ground in front of the house. She heard the sound of a door being pushed open as well as a man¡¯s soft voice. Immediately, Gu Weiyi shut her eyes. Soon after she felt a light and deducted that it had most likely come from a candle that had been lit.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, how is it?¡±


    The voice was completely serious and carried a hint of vigor. When Gu Weiyi heard it she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that the voice was somewhat familiar, she must¡¯ve heard it somewhere before¡­ But who could it be?


    ¡°Reporting to Elder, she¡¯s already fallen into a deep sleep. This beautiful woman doesn¡¯t have any martial arts, it seems like Xiu Luo villa is truly assured, ah!¡±


    This voice was Zhuang Sheng! The same Zhuang Sheng that could never see her in a good light, the one that always wanted to drive her out of the stronghold! Now he was acting like this, did he intend to go against Mu Yalun and secretly bring her out of the stronghold? She hadn¡¯t expected that he disliked her so much. Her heart darkened. She, Gu Weiyi, also had such a defeated time. Were their current actions an attempt to get rid of her, or was it in preparation to silence her by killing her? But, Elder¡­ That voice¡­ Could it be the same old man that had grabbed her by the neck that day? Had Zhuang Sheng allied with him and they both schemed against herself?


    She thought over all of these in her heart and everything was all in a jumbled up mess. In her ear she heard Elder Fu¡¯s gloomy voice, ¡°Regardless of how it is, bind her up. She¡¯s going to be used as blackmail material against Xiu Luo villa! They already fought their way into the stronghold. If we have their mei mei [1], I don¡¯t believe that they won¡¯t have any worries!


    Fought their way in? Did they invade Blue Snow Stronghold? It couldn¡¯t be her gege, how did they know that she was in Blue Snow Stronghold? According to what she heard from eavesdropping outside the window that day, hadn¡¯t Lan Sheng Ling already leaked out information that she was in his hands? Even if she did escape, Lan Sheng Ling would certainly never tell gege this information. It was likely that he would even find a substitute to deceive gege. In that case, why would they come invade Blue Snow Stronghold?


    In seconds, Gu Weiyi became extremely confused! If gege had truly fought their way into the stronghold, they wouldn¡¯t let Blue Snow Stronghold off lightly, according to their extremely ruthless methods. In that case, wouldn¡¯t this human paradise be destroyed because of herself? If such an outcome truly happened, how was she meant to look Mu Yalun in the eye? She couldn¡¯t just ignore this soft as water male¡¯s tender treatment toward herself.


    *I first interpreted this as a person, but it seems it¡¯s the name of some sort of group


    **In classical Chinese architecture, paper was commonly used for window screens and even doors (traditional Chinese doors had windows)


    [1] mei mei ¨C younger siste

 Chapter 46 - Watching Fires Burn From Across The River

    Chapter 46 Watching Fires Burn From Across The River


    But she unconsciously lost self control for a brief moment, which was what gave her away. Both Elder Fu and Zhuang Sheng were first class experts, how could they not notice? Gu Weiyi also realized that she had involuntarily given herself away and inwardly said, ¡°Not good.¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t lose consciousness, ah!¡± Zhuang Sheng¡¯s calculating voice rang out in the silence. Gu Weiyi opened her eyes, she could no longer pretend. She arrogantly lifted her head up to meet his gaze, her eyes were completely calm.


    ¡°Your cheap tricks can¡¯t stump me!¡± She, Gu Weiyi, couldn¡¯t bring herself to bow her head in front of Zhuang Sheng, no matter what.


    ¡°Heng. Beautiful woman, even if you¡¯re awake, it doesn¡¯t change anything. Don¡¯t think that your gege can save you just because they fought their way into the stronghold. Even if you can¡¯t become a bargaining chip, if something happens in Blue Snow Stronghold, I¡¯ll absolutely make sure to kill you at that moment and let you be buried with the dead!¡±


    ¡°Heng. Why would my Xiu Luo villa come attack Blue Snow Stronghold? We¡¯ve suffered no wrongs nor have we any hatred, so why would we come and do such a difficult and thankless task?¡± She didn¡¯t trust him, there had to be lies in this!


    ¡°It isn¡¯t Xiu Luo villa? Do you take our Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s ling yu as vegetarians? Could it be that your status can¡¯t be investigated?!¡± Zhuang Sheng¡¯s sneered at her with a face full of anger, confusing Gu Weiyi. Although this middle aged man was quite disagreeable, the absolute adoration he held toward his home was undeniable. Gu Weiyi believed that he wouldn¡¯t joke at this moment. Then could it be that gege had truly began fighting with Blue Snow Stronghold? But, what could their motive be?


    ¡°Why would Xiu Luo villa wish to attack Blue Snow Stronghold?¡± This question was genuine, stemming from her heart. But when she asked, it caused Zhuang Sheng and Elder Fu¡¯s furious gazes to land on her. Elder Fu coldly looked at Gu Weiyi and mockingly said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be asking you this?¡±


    Ask her? How would she know? She was very confused by the whole situation now.


    ¡°Regardless of how you guys learned of Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s mysteries, we will never allow you guys to have your way!¡± Zhuang Sheng fixed his hate filled gaze on Gu Weiyi. Before she could try and explain herself, she felt a pinch on her neck and her vision quickly darkened¡­


    ¡°Properly bind her Elder. What should we do now?¡± Zhuang Sheng looked at Gu Weiyi with satisfaction clearly shown in his eyes. Currently Gu Weiyi was unconscious on the floor and being bound up like a rice dumpling. He loathed this woman, despite the fact that she seemed to truly be beautiful and pure. But, it was this woman that caused the god in his mind, his Young Master, to turn into just any other person. She even brought disaster to Blue Snow Stronghold. This woman couldn¡¯t be forgiven, no matter what!


    ¡°Naturally we should bring her to the main hall to act as a hostage.¡± A slight smile suddenly bloomed on Elder Fu¡¯s face. For such a smile to abruptly appear on his serious face was really quite strange. When Zhuang Sheng saw Elder Fu¡¯s expression, he had some doubts.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Elder Fu¡¯s keen eyes quickly spotted Zhuang Sheng¡¯s stunned expression and he suspiciously asked. Awkwardly coughing, Zhuang Sheng shook his head and said, ¡°Nothing, nothing happened.¡±


    A complex light streaked across Elder Fu¡¯s eyes at the response. He turned to look out the window and changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡±


    The game has started!


    ¡­


    Water Pavilion¡¯s Other Courtyard


    ¡°Your Majesty, our people found Xue Wushuang in Blue Snow Stronghold!¡±


    The male, who had just been engrossed in the book he was reading, lifted his head up. A peculiar light flashed across his keen hawk eyes. A profoundly mysterious smile grew on his beautiful face.


    ¡°I truly looked so hard for her and now I find her right under my nose! Xue Wushuang entering Blue Snow Stronghold is just what I wished for. It seems like even the Heavens are helping me this time, ah! Pass on the instructions to further provoke Xiu Luo villa and Blue Snow Stronghold. The fiercer it becomes, the better!¡±


    ¡°Your instructions will be followed Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ll let it just be like this and watch the two tigers fight across the river?¡± The person who asked this was the short man who was always by Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s side.


    ¡°Heng, how could I let it be so easy for them? I want to be both the old fisherman and the black-headed goldfinch*. I want both the righteous and underworld parts of the martial arts world to be in my hands. Once I have both powers under my control, the day I ascend the imperial throne will be right in front of my eyes!¡± That pair of profound and keen eyes held a longing to win power and sow destruction!


    Looking at the short male wearing a black armband, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s eyes carried slight warning as he said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve selected the path of vengeance, you have to listen to my words. I don¡¯t want you to turn soft hearted when the time comes and become unable to bring yourself to act, ah!¡±


    The masked male¡¯s figure instantly stiffened and in his rough voice, he said, ¡°What does Your Majesty mean by this?¡±


    Coldly snorting, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s voice carried ridiculing and pondering as he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you clear in your heart? Even if you haven¡¯t said anything to me, do you think I don¡¯t know what you used to do?¡±


    The short male began to tremble. Despite the fact that his face was hidden under the veil, Lan Sheng Ling knew that it had become distorted. His fingers dug into his palm in an attempt to control himself. It was evident that the short man was having a hard time calming himself down. After a few moments, he slowly said, with great difficulty, ¡°Your Majesty sent people to investigate me?¡±


    ¡°Heng. It¡¯s called knowing yourself and your enemy, that¡¯s how you stay victorious. How could I trust you so easily? Naturally I had to have some sort of bargaining chip! You understand this, don¡¯t you? Moreover, you have many things that you hid from this Majesty, ah!¡± Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s handsome face remained as indifferent as ever, something that could send immense fright to anybody.


    ¡°Your Majesty really allowed Bai Li to receive instructions!¡±


    Seeming to not have heard the other person¡¯s mocking and resentful tone, Lan Sheng Ling raised his head and squinted his eyes. With a dangerous aura surrounding him, he looked at him, ¡°Compared to your conduct before, how I am now is just an appetizer, right? Valley master Bai Lifeng?¡±


    ¡°Asking Your Majesty not to say this name anymore!¡± Bai Lifeng slowly uttered each word, one at a time, as if they were filled with lead, with a surprisingly tough tone. Yet, his words carried a hint of despair and depression beneath them. No matter how much he tried to control himself, his small body still slightly shook.


    ¡°As long as you properly perform this Majesty¡¯s duties, we can nicely talk over anything. Besides, this Majesty was just reminding you, nothing more. If you dislike me bringing up this topic, then this Majesty won¡¯t talk about this topic in the future.¡± It felt as if Lan Sheng Ling had suddenly switched people, his eyes were suddenly soft again. However, the overbearing expression he wore told Bai Lifeng that he couldn¡¯t betray him!


    He didn¡¯t know how long he would be under someone else¡¯s control, it was truly sorrowful, ah! Under Bai Lifeng¡¯s veil, there was a type of mocking look in his eyes. He, Bai Lifeng, actually fell into such a day. Should he blame this on himself or the two children for enticing him as well as his own bitterness?


    Everything was all in vain.


    ¡°Are the shadow guards and imperial army ready?¡± Lan Sheng Ling switched the topic, becoming aloof and assertive again as he began planning strategies.


    ¡°It¡¯s already been properly arranged. They¡¯re ready to besiege all of Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s people at any time.¡±


    ¡°Very good. Wait until both sides are suffering and neither has won. You guys know what to do then, right?¡±


    ¡°This subordinate knows.¡±


    Right now in Blue Snow Stronghold, there was blood everywhere, as far as the eye could see. The fighting had already been happening for one whole night. Alongside backup guards continuously entering into the fight, Xiu Luo villa¡¯s current situation was in a downward spiral. The previous fairyland that had always been removed from worldly affairs now turned into a hellish scene full of carnage! Scarlet red blood and a repulsive fishy smell remained around snapped limbs and broken bodies. The previously crisp lawn no longer the type of green that people hoped for. It had already become stained with red, representing death and farewells.


    *Both have the same general concept that the saying ¡°mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind him¡± represents

 Chapter 47 - The Fatal Blow

    Chapter 47 The Fatal Blow


    He had different colored eyes, beautiful features, and purple clothes. He was both sinister and beautiful, like a demon who brought nothing but disaster. The man behind him wore white clothes, but he had the same incomparably beautiful face as the person standing before him. He held a distinctly cold aura around him, causing him to look aloof, like the snow lotus herb. The difference was that he had green eyes that were simultaneously pretty and weird. In the middle of the night the two persons¡¯ slender figures looked attractive. But painted on their beautiful faces was a boundlessly willful determination to kill!


    Standing opposite to them was an immortal-like, gentle man that wore clothes as white as snow. Looking at the beautiful faces, that were nearly identical, standing in front of him, Mu Yalun suddenly recalled Wushuang¡¯s gege that he had met at Intoxicated Fragrance House that day. It looked like it was that green eyed, white clothed male. Although he didn¡¯t know why his eyes were black then and green now, Mu Yalun¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t hold any shock as he looked at the two brothers. But a streak of pain and sadness did flash in his eyes and quickly die. After all, Wushuang had kept himself in the dark. She had never told him about her identity, even hiding the fact that she was a woman the entire time. However, his feelings had come from the fact that he was disappointed that Gu Weiyi never trusted him enough to tell him the truth. From the start, he never believed that she was a spy sent to sneak into Blue Snow Stronghold.


    The three people standing opposite to each other didn¡¯t make any motions. Behind Mu Yalun there were three Elders and a few white clothed emissaries. On the other hand, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue didn¡¯t bring along anyone to attend them. Indeed, the two people¡¯s intense killing intent caused Mu Yalun¡¯s heart to tremble. From their breaths and figure, Mu Yalun was able to see that their martial arts levels were extremely high, yet they remained a mystery as to how high. In fact, he didn¡¯t even know if they surpassed his or not. If it was just one person, perhaps they would have the chance to gain an upper hand in the fight. But now, for the first time, Mu Yalun felt flustered and uneasy. There was even an inkling of concern, he had a premonition that a large calamity would truly strike Blue Snow Stronghold this time.


    ¡°You two are Xiu Luo villa¡¯s Masters? My Blue Snow Stronghold has never provoked you guys, why would you wish to fight Blue Snow Stronghold?¡± After muttering to himself for a long time, Mu Yalun finally stacked up the courage to open his mouth and ask.


    A mocking smile streaked across his eyes and Xue Yunge broke out into an enchanting smile. The tear birthmark that was on the verge of collapse* become even more prominent, but it carried a hint of unspeakable bloodiness alongside it.


    ¡°Senior is really too forgetful. Your Blue Snow Stronghold stole my Xiu Luo villa¡¯s most precious treasure and now you actually go as far as to pretend like you¡¯ve done nothing?¡± Although he had a charming smile on his face, his eyes held bloodthirstiness and killing intent.


    Treasure? Now Mu Yalun became extremely confused. He had never sent people to Xiu Luo villa before, nor did he even know that Xiu Luo villa had any precious treasures. How could he have stolen something like they claimed? Could there be some misunderstanding, or was it that Xiu Luo villa knew Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s secrets and made up some excuse just to come attack them? After making all these guesses in his mind, Mu Yalun said with a magnanimous expression, ¡°Could the two Masters have been mistaken? My Blue Snow Stronghold has always remained isolated from the world, how could we have snuck into Xiu Luo villa and stolen a treasure?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking in riddles. Today, I will let your Blue Snow Stronghold cease to exist on this world!¡± The person who opened their mouth was actually Xue Zhuyue. His face was heavy and his clear cold eyes were overflowing with killing intent. It was as if the spotless, white snow lotus herb had changed into a blood crying red spider lily!


    The murderous spirit increased in his body and the lake water-like eyes actually had a hint of blood red color in them. From his waist he took out the soft sword [1] and ruthlessly said, ¡°Ge, what¡¯s the point of being so wordy with him? Kill him!¡±


    The contempt and arrogance in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes became even more evident which enraged one of the Elders. The Elder¡¯s thick-skinned face turned extremely red. He unsheathed his sword and directly pointed it at Xue Zhuyue, menacingly saying, ¡°Ignorant and egotistical child! Today lao fu will teach you, let¡¯s see if you still dare to act so insolent!¡±


    In response to the Elder¡¯s threat, Xue Yunge was actually coldly smiling. They dared to act brash because they had the resources and abilities to! It wasn¡¯t that they were arrogant, they didn¡¯t place this world in their eyes. Even so, they had to at least have the ability to destroy the people outside indiscriminately! They would rather perish together. They wouldn¡¯t let anyone control them, even if it meant losing their own lives!


    Provoked by him, the Elder moved to charge toward Xue Yunge. When Mu Yalun saw what he was about to do, he shouted out in alarm, ¡°Wait a moment Elder Ke!¡±


    But it was already too late!


    ¡°You overestimate yourself!¡± Xue Yunge mocked the Elder as he ran toward him and made no move to take out a weapon. He merely waved his hand at the reckless Elder who had taken out a sword whilst charging toward himself. A bright light appeared and everyone only saw the Elder¡¯s body slump down and limply lay on the ground. There wasn¡¯t even a wound on him, he passed away just like this.


    A lifeless and dried person laid on the floor. Mu Yalun looked, with sorrowful eyes, at the dead Elder Ke. The other two elders behind him looked at the scene in front of them with shock coloring their faces, not daring to believe what had just happened. Elder Ke¡¯s martial arts weren¡¯t considered low, in fact, he could be said to be one of the best in the entire Blue Snow Stronghold. Even if you placed him in the martial arts world, he would still be considered a rare opponent. Yet this demonic youngster had taken his life so easily. So much so that there wasn¡¯t even a mark left behind. They were Elders, they bragged that they learned martial arts, yet couldn¡¯t even name this strange and formidable technique that these brothers used! Could it be that they were old, unenlightened, and past their prime?


    ¡°You guys are so wanton as to take lives of my own men in my Blue Snow Stronghold, if you really didn¡¯t have a reason, then don¡¯t blame me for being rude!¡± His sudden anger had come from watching one of his Elders die. Mu Yalun felt a burst of pain in his heart. Elder Ke had died because of himself. If it wasn¡¯t so weak or kind hearted, how could they have arrived here? They were harming innocent lives in the process!


    Xue Yunge knew that everyone here, apart from Mu Yalun, would be unable to stand a single blow from either himself or his brother. But if he and Yue joined hands, it would be two against one. Then Mu Yalun could be considered an appetizer! Regardless of how many unfair advantages they used, they weren¡¯t one of those demure, upright martial artists of the martial arts world. Any methods could be used as long as they achieved their goals!


    Xue Yunge looked at Mu Yalun with sharp eyes as he took off the long, red whip that hung on his waist. He and Yue actually rarely used weapons, but they were familiar with all eighteen types. However, the one he felt was easiest to use was the long whip. On the other hand, Yue was an expert in soft swords. His whip had been made with a ten thousand year old Chinese redbud and was infused with the most poisonous poison in the world. Forget about people being able to escape his whip, his whip could be said to be infused with death. As long as the person¡¯s skin had been injured by the whip, poison would sink into their blood. Without an antidote, they would succumb to the poison. As for Yue¡¯s weapon, the best craftsman spent five years time making his sword. There was no need to speak of poisons, even though his sword was extremely soft, it was still incredibly sharp. When they usually killed people, they relied on using the Mirror¡¯s force. Killing people through invisible means was their favorite game. But today they were facing against a powerful enemy and had to finish this as soon as possible.


    Seeing that the opponents¡¯ faces were grave, Mu Yalun knew that this time they were going to use their full force. Mu Yalun immediately took out his own, ¡°Broken Cherry¡± and prepared himself for battle. This could be considered to be their fatal blow, but was there any purpose for these three beautiful men¡¯s fight in Blue Snow Stronghold? Or was it some ridiculous snare that trapped them?


    But they, who didn¡¯t even know the full situations clearly themselves, were just about to step into the eye of the storm. In the end, would there be ruins or rebirth?


    *not literally, it¡¯s just referring to the placement of the birthmark


    [1] soft sword ¨C (Èí½£) a type of sword that¡¯s soft, (like the name suggests, haha) which allows it to be worn around the waist, somewhat like a belt

 Chapter 48 - Besiege

    Chapter 48 Besiege


    ¡°Young Master, go deal with that arrogant youngster. We¡¯ll besiege this purple eyed one! Since they¡¯re both criminal scum, we have no need to lecture them about morals!¡± The person speaking was the first Elder. At this moment, he was staring at Xue Yunge as he, the other two elders, and the white clothed emissaries moved to surround him.


    Xue Yunge¡¯s lips lifted into a sneer and his demonic, purple eyes gleamed. They were stupid and reckless things. Even if they all ganged up on him, he, Xue Yunge, wouldn¡¯t be scared. It was truly ridiculous! Mu Yalun was just about to open his mouth and refute the idea, but he was suddenly attacked by Xue Zhuyue and became wrapped up in battle. Perhaps his thoughts stemmed from teachings he was taught since he was young, but in his eyes, the act of besieging was a disgraceful move for any martial artist to do. Noblemen should always fight in a one on one challenge! Xue Zhuyue saw through his way of thinking and had deliberately attacked him at this moment, preventing him from opposing the idea. In his heart, he disdainfully laughed at these so-called noblemen¡¯s way of thinking. In his eyes, it was extremely false. Whoever beat who was the rightful king, this was this world¡¯s unspoken rule. Those so-called upright individuals looked honorable on the surface, but inwardly, they were extremely filthy. What they had gone through was enough proof that this world was filled with darkness. How were they supposed to express the ruthlessness built up in their heart? Slaughtering people, aside from slaughtering people, there wasn¡¯t any other way!


    The anger and killing intent that surged up from the bottom of Xue Zhuyue¡¯s heart caused his actions to become fiercer and fiercer. On the other hand, Mu Yalun held no killing intent in his heart, so he didn¡¯t use all his strength to resist the blows. The longer he fought, the further he retreated. His actions caused Xue Zhuyue to become even more angered. Did he think that he would fall over from just one blow? He even went as far as to give in to him and retreat backwards? Mu Yalun thought too highly of himself!


    Watching as his opponent became more and more vicious, Mu Yalun turned serious. They had reached a critical point now, he shouldn¡¯t continue following those regulations in his heart. At this moment, he realized that this person wasn¡¯t a good person, he didn¡¯t need to let him off leniently.  However, he was aware that his opponent¡¯s martial arts were equal to himself, it could even be said that he was a bit higher than himself. The concerns in his heart didn¡¯t need to exist.


    Xue Yunge¡¯s red whip flew in the air with a gorgeous red streak trailed behind it. All the white clothed emissaries that attempted to near him were hit by the whip. Not wanting to give up, the few people rushed over again. Xue Yunge sneered at their efforts and began to condense internal power in his fingertips. He neared those few people and ruthlessly scattered his internal power over. Those people ran away at the sight of danger and only gained a few bloodstains on their cheeks. The white clothed emissaries rejoiced over the fact that they escaped danger, but not long after, they were incessantly crying in pain. All people saw was their faces turning black. Slowly, the black spread down until it had fully festered and turned their entire body black. Pained shouts ensued as they all began to scratch and claw at their own skin, leaving behind horrifying scars from their fingers. In the end, their body became rotten and they died. This was an extremely severe way of killing someone, it was really too cruel!


    Mu Yalun saw this devastating scene and his heart throbbed with grief. Suddenly he heart felt unstable and he slowly went in a downward spiral under Xue Zhuyue¡¯s attacks. Seeing this opportunity, Xue Zhuyue reached for his soft sword. A silvery light flashed as he swiped his soft sword directly at Mu Yalun¡¯s throat. Mu Yalun¡¯s tender face flashed with terror. He took the opportunity to quickly bend down. Narrowly avoiding the soft sword, he stagged back a few steps.


    ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡±


    ¡°Heng, what despicable or not despicable. When I kill you, I want to see if you¡¯re still spouting about that so-called justice!¡± Coldly smiling, Xue Zhuyue continued his attacks.


    Ink colored air flew in the sky alongside the red colored whip¡¯s jumping motion. Seductive purple eyes that confused people and graceful yet vicious killing intent. If it weren¡¯t for the corpses littering the floor and the blood splatters everywhere, this scene would¡¯ve definitely the scene of a gorgeous dance! Beauty was sometimes disastrous, it was sometimes the cause of disasters, and it could also sometimes be the most ferocious weapon. It could recruit people, or it could invisibly kill people. The two seductive youngsters used their picturesque bodies to create their own death dance in Blue Snow Stronghold.


    Most of the white clothed emissaries were already dead, even though there were a few still laying on the floor, moaning in pain, they were like an arrow at the end of it¡¯s flight; they were hopeless. Some Elders were lucky and were able to suppress the poison from spreading in their body. They strenuously dealt with Xue Yunge¡¯s increasingly brutal attacks and had already recoiled back many steps, now they completely lacked any strength to move any longer. The few people who had faced their enemy head on spit out a mouthful of blood as they staggered along. Upon seeing this, Mu Yalun wanted to immediately tear away from his fight with Xue Zhuyue and go save them.


    How could Xue Zhuyue let him have his way? He turned around and blocked Mu Yalun from going further. Xue Yunge stood in front of Mu Yalun with an enchanting smile etched on his face. His smile was full of ridicule and despise, it looked as if he was laughing at him for his powerlessness. Mu Yalun saw that Xue Yunge¡¯s eyes looked as if he had, had all of his wishes fulfilled. It caused Mu Yalun to go into a rage, he was unable to control himself anymore.


    Mu Yalun really lost control over himself now. He looked at the white clothed emissaries, that were like his brothers, dying and watched as his Elders suffered under the brothers¡¯ attacks. He felt so powerless, his heart twisted, producing an aching pain. It was okay to call him weak, it was fine if he didn¡¯t possess the imposing aura that a Young Master possessed; he, Mu Yalun, was just an ordinary person. Ordinary people experienced feelings of love and regret. Even though he acted aloof at times, those were the people that had stayed by his side for years, the people he had always interacted with. It was impossible not to feel something, to not feel affected. This was his weakness, he was too kindhearted, he cared too much about others¡¯ lives. This was a valuable trait, but it was Mu Yalun¡¯s mortal flaw.


    However, even at the consequence of losing his own life, he didn¡¯t feel regret. When he thought of that slender figure, that angel-like face, and that faint smile, he felt unwilling to part with that. In that split second, he didn¡¯t want to continue living for his brothers, or even for Blue Snow Stronghold; he only wanted to do it for her, for the smiling expression between her brows. This way of thinking became more and more intense each time it appeared, it caused him to feel restless. How could be so selfish? To let Blue Snow Stronghold lose it¡¯s life and fade away, to possess such greed? His entire life had been dedicated to protecting and preserving Blue Snow Stronghold, how could he let himself indulge in such things now?


    All these complex thoughts flooded his head for only a split second. In this moment, Mu Yalun had already given up on himself. Even though he felt much reluctance, to give up that figure, in his heart, he decided to do the better thing. He was going to let her go; to give her freedom and happiness. Even if that person would never be his. He was very clear in his heart that it had been his own wishful thinking from the beginning. That greedy way of thinking matured, until the point where he could no longer control it. It grew so strong that he didn¡¯t even know when these intense feelings appeared, to the extent that it would be so hard for him to get rid of them.


    In the second he was absent-minded, Xue Zhuyue had already left a cut mark from his sword on him. Fortunately he recoiled in time and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s sword only cut the corner of his clothes. While this happened, Xue Yunge¡¯s long whip finally swept in front of the Elders. Accompanying this was the sound of blood-curdling screeches. The Elders were no longer able to stand it and fell to the floor. They could no longer help Mu Yalun. Mu Yalun raised ¡°Broken Cherry¡± and put all his strength into one blow. Surprisingly, he was able to leave a streak of blood on Xue Zhuyue¡¯s beautiful face!


    Xue Zhuyue turned away from Mu Yalun and bent down. He didn¡¯t look at him for a long time before finally turning around. He deeply looked at Mu Yalun and with a heavy voice, he asked, ¡°You cut my face?¡± His face was most beloved by Yi Yi, Yi Yi loved to stroke and kiss his face the most, yet it had actually been damaged by this person!


    Anger appeared on Xue Zhuyue¡¯s face. His faintly bloody and beautiful face was actually so incomparably sinister and extremely ruthless. Mu Yalun was obviously unclear as to how cutting his face was such a big matter, he only concerned himself with the safety of his Elders and didn¡¯t see or sense any abnormality within Xue Zhuyue. On the other hand, Xue Yunge, who was standing to the side, saw all of this very clearly. A flirtatious smile appeared on his face, clearly showing he was taking joy in disaster. Although Yue seemed incomparably cold and pure, he was actually the most impatient, bad tempered, and irritable. If someone offended him, only himself and Yi Yi could calm Yue down! This time, he was afraid Mu Yalun would have to suffer his own consequences and walk the road of disaster. Yi Yi loved to stoke that face of his the most because it was very soft and smooth. Even though Yi Yi most likely only enjoyed doing so because she enjoyed the touch, Yue treated it very seriously and cared for his face greatly. And now, Mu Yalun just happened to make the biggest offense to Yue possible.


    Completely calm despite the impending doom, Xue Yunge cupped one hand in the other and stood there, no longer bothering to chase after those old men. This gave Mu Yalun the opportunity to go over to them, but Xue Zhuyue was even faster than him. His gorgeous sword swung at them and those few Elders instantly lost their lives.


    Translator Note wow, hard to believe that there¡¯s only 10 chapters left in this first volume.. (there are 2 volumes with around 100 chapters in total)

 Chapter 49 - Coercing

    Chapter 49 Coercing


    The white as snow clothed youth stood and brandished a sword under the moonlight. His ink colored, long hair flew about in the wind, creating an aesthetically pleasing scene. Scarlet red blood dripped down from the tip of his sword, falling onto the ground that was littered with corpses. Another man blankly stood by the side. His faintly immortal-like face was expressionless and looked like it had host all perception.


    ¡°You.. you killed them?¡± Mu Yalun seemed to not want to believe that they had already been killed, so much so that he had even dropped his sword and didn¡¯t attempt to resist anymore.


    Xue Zhuyue retrieved his soft sword and didn¡¯t answer his questions. He walked over to him and horizontally laid his sword down on his neck, coldly saying, ¡°Hurry up and hand Yi Yi over!¡±


    Yi Yi? Mu Yalun shook his head, not understanding. Who was Yi Yi ah? He had no clue. All he knew right now was that he had let the people that had constantly been loyal and protective to him lose their lives.


    He was supposedly this grand Young Master, but he was really a failure. He wasn¡¯t fit to be a Young Master!


    When Xue Yunge saw Mu Yalun¡¯s absent-minded state, he opened his mouth and faintly said, ¡°Yue, right now he¡¯s like waste material. He¡¯s not going to listen to our words anymore, kill him and let¡¯s begin searching the stronghold!¡±


    Xue Zhuyue muttered to himself for a few seconds before faintly nodding his head at Xue Yunge. He then lifted his soft sword up and aimed right at Mu Yalun¡¯s stomach!


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    A person¡¯s figure rushed into the large hall. When they came closer, they each got a clear look of the person¨C It was actually Zhuang Sheng! Behind him there was Elder Fu who was carrying a delicate figure that was bound up on his shoulder. Xue Zhuyue coldly laughed. What was he? What power did he have to command him to stop and expect him to?


    Not paying any attention to his order, Xue Zhuyue used force and cut Mu Yalun¡¯s clothing with his soft sword. Everyone could see that the sword was mere seconds away from cutting into his skin. Terrified, Zhuang Sheng cried out, ¡°Stop! Do you guys not want Xue Wushuang¡¯s life anymore!?¡±


    These words caused Xue Zhuyue to pause and lift his head up. His features deepened as he looked at Zhuang Sheng. A glint flashed through Xue Yunge¡¯s eyes and he clucked his tongue, ¡°You still wish to cheat us?¡±


    ¡°Cheat? Why would we wish to cheat you? Your mei mei is in my hands, if you guys so much as to even touch a hair on Young Master¡¯s head, I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Zhuang Sheng angrily retorted and walked up to support the Young Master he held in his heart.


    ¡°Do you think that woman from the dungeon last time had a good end? Don¡¯t try and play your tricks!¡± Xue Yunge coldly said. Did they think that Yi Yi was so ordinary? That any woman they found would be able to substitute her?


    ¡°What woman in the dungeon? I don¡¯t know anything about that. However, this woman is definitely your mei mei!¡± Zhuang Sheng then hinted toward Elder Fu, who laughed and brought the unconscious Gu Weiyi down from his shoulder. After doing so, he directly started at Xue Yunge.


    ¡°Yi Yi!¡±


    ¡°Yi Yi!¡±


    Two voices cried out in surprise. They were Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue who both shouted out at the same time. That person was their Yi Yi. One glance was all they needed to confirm that it was her. That familiar face and smell, only their Yi Yi would have it! But why was their treasure currently unconscious and even bound up? Why was her complexion so pale? She looked so thin and pallid. Anger and killing intent became apparent in the air. Xue Yunge¡¯s purple eyes became serene and he firmly asked, ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, all we did was knock her unconscious!¡± Zhuang Sheng replied, ¡°If you guys dare to act against Young Master or Blue Snow Stronghold, I can¡¯t guarantee that her life will be intact!¡±


    Xue Yunge dangerously narrowed his eyes. Under the moonlight, his seductive features were especially confusing to people. ¡°You¡¯re.. You¡¯re threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Heng, what threatening you? If you guys don¡¯t retreat, I¡¯ll kill Xue Wushuang, what¡¯s the harm in that?!¡±


    ¡°You dare!¡± Both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue spit out this ruthless warning. The endless murderous spirit caused Zhuang Sheng to secretly shiver and his heart to run cold.


    When Mu Yalun, who had been soaked in the midst of sorrow, heard Zhuang Sheng¡¯s words, he suddenly returned to his senses. He saw Xue Wushuang, who was also Gu Weiyi, lying limp on the floor and his heart felt bursts of pain. He stood up and picked her up, cradling her in his bosom. But he wasn¡¯t aware that this action of his thoroughly offended Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue. Their different colored eyes glared at the pair of hands that were currently carrying Gu Weiyi. Envy flashed through their eyes at the sight.


    ¡°Release her!¡± Hoarse shouting was heard and purple eyes could be seen filled with blood red ruthlessness.


    Unfortunately, all of Mu Yalun¡¯s heart was put onto the unconscious Gu Weiyi and he didn¡¯t even hear their warning. Carefully cupping her white jade-carved face, Mu Yalun¡¯s heart was filled full of distress for her. His negligence allowed Zhuang Sheng to harm her. He clearly knew Zhuang Sheng¡¯s prejudice toward her, yet he still ignored him. Why did he always harm the people by his side?


    ¡°Zhuang Sheng! Why did you injure her?¡± With disappointed eyes, he looked at the equally disappointed and bitter Zhuang Sheng. In a split second, a hundred feelings raced around in his heart. He actually shouldn¡¯t be blaming Zhuang Sheng, after all, he only wanted to protect him. When he thought about it, all of these wrongs were his own.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorrow.¡± He murmured, but Zhuang Sheng heard it. He faintly shook and turned around to mutter, ¡°Subordinate¡¯s life is Young Master¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, you* shouldn¡¯t blame your subordinates. Right now Wushuang is the bargaining chip that will keep Blue Snow Stronghold protected. Asking Young Master to carefully think this through!¡± Elder Fu suddenly spoke up, breaking his previous silence. He turned around to see the ferocious Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue standing by the side and slowly said, ¡°As long as you guys leave Blue Snow Stronghold, we¡¯ll return her to you! From now on, Xiu Luo villa and Blue Snow Stronghold will no longer be associated!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! This time, we attacked the stronghold because you guys took our little sister. Now you¡¯re actually saying such words, Blue Snow Stronghold is truly hypocritical!¡± Xue Zhuyue coldly sneered. They were a group of nasty people!


    When Mu Yalun heard these words, he became puzzled and suspicious. Even Zhuang Sheng was confused and exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You guys didn¡¯t attack Blue Snow Stronghold for our treasures? Xue Wushuang isn¡¯t the spy you guys sent from Xiu Luo villa?¡±


    ¡°Heng, you¡¯re speaking one lie after another! On the evening of the lantern festival, you guys took little sister away. We chased you all the way here, yet now you¡¯re still refusing to admit what you¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°Incorrect! I rescued her half a month before at an intersection of Yan Zhou. At that time she was a beggar, this definitely isn¡¯t wrong. My Blue Snow Stronghold has never captured her!¡± Once Mu Yalun spoke up to here, both his and the Xue brothers¡¯ faces changed at the same time. It seems that they had fallen into a trap!


    On the evening of the lantern festival, Blue Snow Stronghold hosted a carnival. After it ended, black clothed people suddenly appeared and seized Yi Yi. Then, the black clothed people all committed suicide. But, how come a fish still escaped and ran toward the direction of Blue Snow Stronghold? The entire journey here, they hadn¡¯t thought about the possibility that someone else deliberately aimed all the spearheads toward Blue Snow Stronghold in order to create contradictions between the two of them. Blue Snow Stronghold was the best stronghold in the martial arts world and Xiu Luo villa was the best assassination villa in the underworld. If two tigers fight, one is bound to get injured in the process. Or, it could be that someone wanted both sides to suffer and ultimately hold the entire martial arts¡¯ world in their hand! Someone with such large ambitions must have power and influence beyond measures. Who could this person be?


    In the dark of the night, these few people all stopped fighting and silently contemplated this question. After a good while passed, a low sigh suddenly sounded out in the dead silent night.


    ¡°We¡¯ve all been trapped!¡±


    *He¡¯s saying you respectfully

 Chapter 50 - Ambitious

    Chapter 50 Ambitious


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha, you guys finding out now could be considered to be late!¡±


    An arrogant, somewhat aged, and proud laugh sounded out, breaking the silence. In complete disbelief, Zhuang Sheng looked over at Elder Fu who was faced upward and laughing out loud. Astonished, he said, ¡°Eld.. Elder?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s spy is you!¡± Mu Yalun stood up and remorsefully said, his eyes were filled with endless sorrow. He could¡¯ve never guessed one of his most intimate people would betray himself and his home.


    ¡°Heng, so what if it¡¯s me?¡± Elder Fu let out an arrogant laugh. Then, he suddenly grabbed Gu Weiyi in speed of lightning and thunder and retreated ten feet away. Both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue inwardly said ¡®not good¡¯. Xue Zhuyue took out his soft sword as it grew in his hand and threw it toward Elder Fu. For a moment, Mu Yalun was also startled, but he quickly regained his senses and took out his ¡°Broken Cherry¡±, throwing it at Elder Fu as well. But, Elder Fu had already long since run away. And behind Elder Fu, a group of black clothed people suddenly appeared! Their way of disguising themselves caused the Xue brothers¡¯ eyes to flash with a bloody light. It was them, the people who took Yi Yi away that night!


    ¡°Why?¡± Mu Yalun sorrowfully asked.


    ¡°Naturally it¡¯s for the position of Master of this Stronghold. He he, Young Master, laofu (I) believe that my martial arts and capabilities aren¡¯t lower than yours, so you can rest assured. I¡¯ll bring Blue Snow Stronghold to the top! When that time comes, Blue Snow Stronghold will lead the entire martial arts world and become immortalized!¡±


    Mu Yalun didn¡¯t respond to him and stayed silent. Then, he unexpectedly thought back to the conversation he had with Wushuang. In this world, people¡¯s desire was endless, the peace he wanted was merely a delusion. It was beautiful, but easy to destroy. In the end, everything was just apart of his extravagant dreams ah.


    ¡°You.. You traitor! Blue Snow Stronghold doesn¡¯t need prestige, it¡¯s already respected in the martial arts world! All you want is just the position of Master of the Blue Snow Stronghold, it¡¯s all just to satisfy your own ambitions!¡± Zhuang Sheng furiously opened his mouth, his eyes were full of hatred.


    At this moment, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were unable to see these abrupt changes as a farce. The person that had been seized by their opponent was Weiyi, the one person who held the most important role in both of their lives. They care about the changes in Blue Snow Stronghold nor did they care for who was the most honored in the martial arts world. As long as the person in their heart was able to return to their sides, everything else in the world was superfluous!


    Narrowing his charming eyes, Xue Yunge coldly addressed Elder Fu, ¡°Who is the person behind you? As long as you hand over the woman in your harms, my Xiu Luo villa can help you earn the position of Master of this stronghold!¡±


    ¡°Heng,¡± The light in Elder Fu¡¯s eyes flashed, ¡°His Majesty¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong, this woman is very important toward you two! Although your conditions are very attractive, I don¡¯t need your assistance to earn everything. Besides, His Majesty also wants Xiu Luo villa. If I capture you, I can make another contribution to His Majesty!¡±


    His Majesty, the Seventh Prince! Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s faces turned unsightly. They hadn¡¯t imagined that all that had happened was all the Seventh Prince¡¯s doings! It seems like them originally allowing Yi Yi to exit the manor was a mistake. It brought about an annoyance that shouldn¡¯t be provoked and she became someone else¡¯s tool. Right now they had to go under someone else¡¯s control all because the person in their opponent¡¯s hand was their true love whom they¡¯d rather die than harm. They couldn¡¯t release their pride and insolence, all they could do was endure and adapt.


    ¡°Then, what do you guys want to do?¡± Xue Zhuyue coldly began speaking, ¡°No matter what the conditions are, we agree!¡±


    ¡°He he, Master Xue truly agrees ah. Then in that case, what if I say I want your Xiu Luo villa?¡±


    An aggressive and arrogant voice sounded from behind them. This voice was impossible for both Xue Zhuyue and Xue Yunge to forget in their entire lifetimes. They turned around and were greeted with a yellow clothed, calm, and tyrannical male. He possessed handsome and profound features and keen, hawk-like eyes. A ridiculing smile hung on his face, causing Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue to want to step forward and tear him to shreds!


    Lan Sheng Ling brought a crowd of black clothed people and a short male who wore a black armband and had a covered face who stood behind him. However, at this moment, the man had an unusual reaction as he was walking in. His whole body was shaking, it looked like he was trying with all his might to restrain himself. Five men, who all wore the same set of clothes, currently surrounded Lan Sheng Ling. Each of them stood respectfully in their spot, perfectly surrounding Lan Sheng Ling in the middle of their circle. However, judging from these people¡¯s careless breathing and stiff faces, there seemed to be some irregularities surrounding them as well. Even further back, there seemed to be a big group of people who all wore the same clothes. Those people belonged to the imperial household¡¯s Yu Lin army! Looking at the scene, Xue yunge inwardly muttered to himself. It seems like Lan Sheng Ling really put his mind on eliminating blue Snow Stronghold! From this beginning, his plot and plans were to be pulled on Xiu Luo villa, his every move was flawless. This type of man had enough ruthlessness, he had the ability to be the person above all people! Faced by such intricate scheming and superior methods, Even he, Xue Yunge, felt ashamed!


    But, why would he want to involve Xiu Luo villa? One was upright and the most honored and the other was the head of the underworld. They were the two biggest powers in the martial arts world. Because in the end, when both sides have suffered, he, the Seventh Prince, would be able to reap all the benefits. He would hold all the power in the martial arts world in his hand. Adding onto this was his power in the imperial court. Therefore, even in sudden changes, he would definitely come out the victor! Donning the yellow gown [1] was just around the corner for him! Their (Yunge and Zhuyue) so called care clouded their mind. They both cared about Yi Yi too much, their display was too obvious. Consequently, exploiting Yi yi caused themselves and Blue Snow Stronghold to clash. The black clothed people who ran away on that day were the Seventh Prince¡¯s people. How funny, he was able to divert and blur their line of sight so easily. Xue Yunge inwardly blamed himself for being so careless and unwillingly stared at Lan Sheng Ling.


    ¡°Seventh Prince¡¯s plans, strategies, and schemes are profound, Xue admires them. As long as you hand over my mei, Xiu Luo villa is yours!¡±


    ¡°O?¡± Lan Sheng Ling lowly laughed and satisfaction appeared on his thick face. He looked at Xue Yunge and slowly opened his mouth, but his words were actually for Elder Fu¡¯s ears, ¡°Fu, bring Xue Wushuang over here for me!¡±


    Carrying Gu Weiyi on his shoulder, Elder Fu directly flew over to Lan Sheng Ling. Xue Yunge, Xue Zhuyue, and Mu Yalun¡¯s eyes all closely watched that unconscious figure, their eyes were packed full of impatience and worry. Lan Sheng Ling carried Gu Weiyi in his bosom and looked at their three expressions, letting out a pondering smile.


    ¡°It seems like this Majesty has found the right bargaining chip! This little girl¡¯s charm is sure large, even the Master of Blue Snow Stronghold has become infatuated with her.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to act like this Your Majesty?¡± Looking somewhat awkward, Mu Yalun seemed like he didn¡¯t like others being able to see through his thoughts. His jade cheeks also held a light blush, he looked like a bashful young lady.


    ¡°Why? Hasn¡¯t Fu already clearly stated why? This Majesty wants your Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s immense power, naturally I must have some methods. But, you should feel honored. This Majesty has wasted five years to plan and prepare for this exact day. To be able to cause me to be so careful, you wouldn¡¯t feel regretful even after dying!¡± Absentmindedly opening his mouth, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s slender fingers lingered on Gu Weiyi¡¯s soft and smooth face. It looked like he was granting Mu Yalun a great favor.


    Mu Yalun¡¯s jade-like complexion instantly paled and he became distressed. ¡°Then are the assassins, that followed me since the night of the lantern festival, people that you sent to do so?¡±


    ¡°Naturally. The black clothed people sent to assassinate you would cause Xiu Luo villa to misunderstand the situation and for you guys to believe that it was Xiu Luo villa¡¯s doing. It¡¯s a perfect plan, is it not?¡± He let out a light and cheerful laugh. He glanced down at the still unconscious woman in his bosom and slyly began to speak.


    ¡°Originally, Xue Wushuang running away wasn¡¯t apart of any of my expectations. I had thought that I wouldn¡¯t be able to go through with my plan, I even arranged for a substitute. But, when I learned that Xue Wushuang actually entered Blue Snow Stronghold, all my worries became unnecessary. Even the substitute dying doesn¡¯t affect anything.¡±


    Lofty and disdainful eyes looked down at them and Lan Sheng Ling meaningfully remarked, ¡°Fu used all of his capabilities in order to draw misunderstandings between you guys. He he, and Zhuang Sheng, your contribution wasn¡¯t small either ah!¡±


    Zhuang Sheng¡¯s complexion instantly changed and he looked at Mu Yalun. He frantically shook his head and tried to explain himself, ¡°Young Master, this subordinate didn¡¯t do it on purpose! This subordinate doubted Xue guniang, but isn¡¯t the stronghold¡¯s traitor!¡± Ruefully turning around, Zhuang Sheng shouted, ¡°Elder Fu! As it turns out, you used me!¡±


    [1] donning the yellow gown ¨C an idiom for becoming the emperor


    *The author asks you to prepare yourself, provide your own tissues, remain calm, and not to commit violent acts! She promises there will be happiness at the end of the bitter, bitter storm that¡¯s coming!!

 Chapter 51 - Anguish

    Chapter 51 Anguish


    ¡°Any exploitation is out of the question. Zhuang Sheng, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re stupid!¡± Elder Fu mockingly stated, causing Zhuang Sheng to be angered beyond words. But all he could do was helplessly sigh with a distressed heart. His words weren¡¯t wrong ah, he really was stupid ah!


    Xue Zhuyue couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and anger appeared on his clear, cold features, ¡°Seventh Prince, if you want our Xiu Luo villa, we¡¯re willing to hand it all over right now, so long as you give us our mei mei back!¡±


    ¡°Give her back?¡± Lan Sheng Ling lightly laughed, his eyes were completely dark, leaving people unable to see the bottom. ¡°How deep you brothers¡¯ feelings are ah, even I feel moved!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, do you agree to our requirement or not?¡± Xue Yunge heavily asked.


    Lan Sheng Ling didn¡¯t look at him, instead he looked at the short man standing by his side and said, ¡°Fetch the Wakening Soul Fragrance.¡± The short man handed him a small porcelain bottle. Taking it, Lan Sheng Ling opened it and brought it under Gu Weiyi¡¯s nose. Not even a moment passed before her eyelashes began to faintly shake, indicating that she was about to awaken.


    Gu Weiyi had truly been awakened by that smell. Whilst in a daze she felt a burst of pain. When she opened her eyes, she discovered that she was looking right at Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s annoying face! Gloomily blinking her eyes, Gu Weiyi muttered, ¡°You scoundrel, your soul haunts me even in my dreams ah!¡±


    Once she said her words, the perfect smiling that hung on Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s handsome face immediately stiffened, ¡°I think you aren¡¯t dreaming anymore.¡±


    Not dreaming? Befuddled, Gu Weiyi turned her head to look around. But when she looked around, she caught sight of a pair of beautiful faces that were etched in her heart! Those purple clothes and forever seductive gege; that white clothed, pure and clear like a lotus gege. Could it be that this wasn¡¯t her own illusion?


    ¡°Ge!¡±


    The moment Gu Weiyi clearly saw them, tears filled her eyes and began to flow down. But she was smiling. That beautiful smile, the happiness she felt from reuniting, and all her emotions. She was already incapable of expressing her mood through words! She struggled to get up and left Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s embrace, wanting to charge over at the two gege she loved the most.


    ¡°Yi Yi!¡±


    Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were also overwhelmed with happiness. They wanted to step forward and take her away from that person¡¯s hands. They wished to closely hug her and tell her of how much they missed her. But they couldn¡¯t. They were terrified that suddenly stepping forward would bring harm to her, terrified that rushing would cause them to lose her. They could only longingly look at her. They couldn¡¯t near, step forward, or embrace her.


    Gu Weiyi could feel a strong force behind her, blocking her from being able to escape from Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s bosom. Then she looked at gege who were both looking at her with terror on their faces and immediately understood. Right now, she was Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s bargaining chip, a handle on gege. With great difficulty she had escaped from Water Pavilion¡¯s Second Courtyard. She had run in a circle, and in the end, she fell into his hands again.


    She hadn¡¯t thought that she would one day become an inconvenience, despite the fact that she knew gege would never think that way of her. However, she couldn¡¯t help but begin blaming herself. If only she wasn¡¯t so lazy, it would be okay. If only she became strong, then she wouldn¡¯t need to constantly rely on gege, causing them to always worry about her safety.


    But unknowingly, while she looked at gege with such deep emotions, and vice versa, Lan Sheng Ling saw all of it. His face greatly changed and a sinister smile streaked across his lips. He had never believed in those deep emotions. What emotion would be unable to be destroyed by reality? Just like that lowly mother of his. All those familial affections couldn¡¯t even compare to a bowl of food. Happiness? He he, he couldn¡¯t obtain happiness, so why should others be able to? In that case, he would destroy it. It was irrelevant, but he wanted to shatter those attentive gazes and emotions. It wasn¡¯t for any particular reason, just because he couldn¡¯t look on at it and because the his pitiful self didn¡¯t have it! Why did he never receive such joyous gazes? Why did they prefer to abandon all the energy they invested into him? A voice at the bottom of his heart violently whispered: destroy it, wreck it, don¡¯t leave a trace behind!


    Better if I turn my back on the world¡¯s people than if the world¡¯s people turn their backs on me!


    ¡°Then what if I said I also wanted Ghost Valley alongside Xiu Luo villa?¡±


    Once his words came out, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s expressions simultaneously changed and their faces paled. This was the first time Gu Weiyi had seen such a complex and weak expression. They had always been arrogant, proud, and wanton, and she liked them like that. They lived for themselves and willfully vented their feelings. She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt somewhat worried.


    ¡°You.. How would you know about the Ghost Valley?¡± Xue Yunge forced himself to remain calm. Even though this was the deepened wound in their heart, hadn¡¯t it already passed? He already passed away, they had no need to continue living in fear and pain.


    The pain in Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes and their pale faces didn¡¯t escape Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s notice. A casual smile appeared on his face and he slowly said, ¡°Naturally I know because this secret had been told to me by someone ah!¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Seeming to have thought of a painful matter, Xue Yunge lost himself and loudly yelled out. A ruthless streak flashed by in his green eyes! Even Xue Yunge, who was always calm, was slightly shaking. Gu Weiyi watched all of this with concern in her heart. What was wrong with gege?


    ¡°Bai Li, why don¡¯t you speak up?¡± Using a somewhat threatening glance to look at the short man behind him, an unpredictable light flashed through Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s eyes. Although he uttered the name ¡°Bai Li¡± softly, it was just loud enough for Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue to hear it clearly. Out of the corner of his eye he caught their suddenly fierce facial expression and unconcealed hatred and pain. And just like that, his mood suddenly raised. Just as he expected, everything was in his hands. He never wanted to lose this feeling ah! Therefore, he, Lan Sheng Ling, must possess power and an unsurpassable position!


    Xue Yunge¡¯s seductive, purple eyes glared at Lan Sheng Ling, ¡°What is His Highness saying?¡±


    ¡°What, you didn¡¯t hear? Bai Li, why don¡¯t you raise your head when you come face to face with old friends?¡± This time, Lan Sheng Ling grabbed the short man standing behind him and thrust him in front of everyone¡¯s faces. Gu Weiyi could clearly see that man¡¯s shivering and depressing figure. However, this person was awfully familiar. He wore black clothes and even a black veil, and his stature was short. This¡­ Wasn¡¯t this the strange male who suddenly appeared at Welcome Customer tea house that day? Gu Weiyi was certain that he had killed that customer! But, why would he be here? Unless he was Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s subordinate. On that day he seemed to lose control of himself when he heard the storyteller talking of Ghost Valley¡¯s poison doctor Bai Lifeng, and now Lan Sheng Ling was calling him Bai Li¡­¡­


    Gege was currently Ghost Valleu¡¯s valley master, she knew of this much. Is this what the legendary, most beautiful man looked like? He and gege had to have some sort of relationship, but what was it?


    And why was gege¡¯s current facial expression so unsightly? They were ruthlessly glaring at the short male named Bai Lifeng with eyes full of hatred and killing intent! This scene was even more stifling and hostile than the one she witnessed the day gege committed patricide. Such intense hatred caused Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart to become startled and it radiated anxiousness.


    ¡°He he¡± A sinister smile spread across Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s beautiful face which was painted with wickedness and an indescribable type of elatedness. His expression caused him to look like an extremely abnormal lunatic which was incomparably sinister.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you guys are just old friends who are meeting again ah. Aren¡¯t you happy to see your two favorite people Bai Li?¡±

 Chapter 52 - So-Called Love

    Chapter 52 So-Called Love


    Warning there¡¯s a pretty sad cliffhanger this chapter, so prepare yourselves (and tissues)!


    The opposing view seemed like it was frozen and there wasn¡¯t a sound to be heard. It felt as if there was an endless amount of pain and ruthlessness circulating in the air, making it hard to breathe. In this moment, the blue and green eyed twins were no longer calm. Endless and fierce hatred appeared in their eyes. That enmity carried boundless grief, as if it had been brewing for a millennium and instantly erupted, bringing about despair, pain, and helplessness. In their eyes and hearts there was a bitterness that brought them to wanting to ruin the sky and exterminate the earth. Due to injury, despair, and a want to rip everything apart, they weren¡¯t able to find an outlet to let out their deadly grief.


    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t.. Speak¡­ Anymore!¡± A shaky, hoarse voice yelled out, breaking the tense silence. The short and masked male¡¯s hands were clenched into tight fists and his fingernails dug into the palm of his hand, breaking his skin and causing drops of blood to run along his wrists and noiselessly drop onto the ground.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this subordinate is asking you not to speak any longer.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re distressed?¡± Lan Sheng Ling coldly opened his mouth to mocking laugh. Bai Lifeng remained unmoved from his taunting and didn¡¯t open his mouth again, choosing to silently stand there instead.


    However, how could Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue, who had sunken into sorrow and hostility, remain indifferent after someone had publicly dug out the extreme pain they had buried in the depths of their heart? Adding onto their fury was the fact that their beloved woman was also standing in front of them. So, killing intent spilled out from them. What was once originally purple and green eyes had turned bloody red in this moment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still aren¡¯t dead! We put you in a snake¡¯s cave and you didn¡¯t die. We fed you ¡°Ruined Limb¡± and you didn¡¯t die. All the meridians in your body were snapped and you didn¡¯t die! Bai Lifeng, this time I¡¯m going to dismember your body into a thousand pieces, let me see how you¡¯re going to emerge in this filthy world again!¡±


    A long, bloody red whip lashed out into the air with killing intent surrounding it; a silver soft sword also slowly inched toward the short male who stood in silence with a hung head. Presently, their hearts only held on word: Kill! Kill Bai Lifeng and all the people they don¡¯t deem worthy. Let their blood be a remembrance of the years that had already withered away and the ones ahead of themselves! They were already past reacting to any pain and they were even afraid to raise their head and look at Gu Weiyi¡¯s face! They were afraid to see Yi Yi¡¯s shocked, loathing, and fearful expression. Regardless of what expression she wore, they were afraid to look. During those drab years they had already lost all hope for this world. They had suffered, struggled, and prayed during those times of countless drug tests, humiliation, and pains! But there was never a reply or redemption. The more pain they felt in their bones, the more they lost hope and the more their hatred grew. The purpose of them living is to enact revenge on this world! Nobody can escape them unburdening themselves of their hatred!


    But it was just because of their feelings of inferiority and lack of courage that they missed Gu Weiyi¡¯s distressed and concerned face staring at them. They missed seeing the adoration in that pair of eyes they loved so much. How could Gu Weiyi scorn, discriminate, and fear them? For a long time now they had always been the people she cared for the most ah! What she, Gu Weiyi, loved about them wasn¡¯t their different colored eyes, beautiful complexion, or their wealthy assets; what she loved was them, that¡¯s all ah! It wasn¡¯t their past or their future, it was just them and nothing more. For a long time now she had never believed that she could love two people so much in the same way. Shouldn¡¯t romance be unrivaled? They were twins, they shared the same experiences, but they were actually different and independent, so much so that one wouldn¡¯t be able to replace the other! In that case, was her love narrow or extensive?


    In the end, what is love? She was their only one, but they weren¡¯t her only one, was this fair? But love isn¡¯t fair, it takes investment, one must fall in love, and be willing to do these things. Love didn¡¯t hold any value, it was worthless; all it has is the idea of willingness and unwillingness.


    The two people went to attack at Bai Lifeng fiercely, but they were intercepted and blocked by the five, black clothed people that were originally behind Lan Sheng Ling. Bai Lifeng¡¯s martial arts and appearance had already been destroyed by Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue. Even his body had been dried up by them, most likely leaving him as a normal person. The number one most beautiful male was now unrecognizable. He was ugly and short, how could he be the same Bai Lifeng that was the respected poisons expert who was famous in all three kingdoms? However, this retaliation wasn¡¯t enough, it was far from enough! The pain he suffered didn¡¯t even come near to the pain they did, it was more like one out of ten thousand percent. They wanted to return it to him a hundredfold! But that fiend, despite torturing them for so many years, he was able to come out alive from that snake¡¯s cave and escape from being swallowed by vipers! Weren¡¯t the Heavens too cruel toward them?! The Heavens allowed this malicious brute to live for far too long! What renowned doctor? The people he saved were just props that he used to poison and detoxify. He had poisoned them (Yunge and Zhuyue) and then acted like a good person by saving them. He gained a good name and even found a willing drug person, how could he be against that? Why was this type of scum allowed to stay alive?


    The two people who were just about to ruthlessly attack Bai Lifeng held intense hatred at the bottom of their hearts, so despite everything, they refocused their efforts and began to attack the five guards blocking their way. However when the long whip lashed onto their bodies and blood flew everywhere, those five black clothed people acted as if they didn¡¯t feel anything and continued to move forward. They weren¡¯t injured at all! What was going on?


    Unresigned, Xue Yunge channeled his inner power into his long whip and ruthlessly slashed at the black clothed person¡¯s chest. All he saw was that his whip had been stained by some black blood. Xue Yunge moved to withdraw but fell into the blood and became unable to move. The strangest part of it all was the fact that the black clothed people were still entirely unresponsive and continued to hack at Xue Yunge. At this moment Xue Zhuyue was just barely taking care of himself and couldn¡¯t withdraw. He was still attacking with red eyes and didn¡¯t notice the critical situation Xue Yunge was currently in.


    Standing to the side, Gu Weiyi saw all of this very clearly. Her eyes turned into big circles at the sight of the large knife falling down. At this moment she couldn¡¯t be bothered with anything else. She struggled and freed herself from Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s hold, running over in Xue Yunge¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Ge, be careful!¡±


    Following Gu Weiyi¡¯s terrified shout was the sound of a heavy groan. Gu Weiyi tightly shut her eyes. Even if she replaced gege and died under that knife, she wasn¡¯t scared. As long as gegewas fine, she would be happy. As long as they were fine, she would really wish to tell them that she didn¡¯t care. She only loved them, regardless of their past or future.


    However, she didn¡¯t feel any of the pain she had expected. Instead, she felt herself being pressed down onto the floor and Zhuang Sheng¡¯s annoying shout ringing in her ear.


    ¡°Young Master, what¡¯s up with you Young Master!¡±


    Mu Yalun? Gu Weiyi opened her eyes. She was focused entirely on gege just then and didn¡¯t see him at all, what was up with him? What entered her eyes was a bloodied figure. The person who pushed Xue Yunge away and used their own body to protect her was Mu Yalun? What was originally supposed to befall her body fell onto Mu Yalun¡¯s?


    Tears formed in her eyes again as Gu Weiyi stared at the male who protected herself. His jade-like face was extremely pale and his snow white clothes were dyed red from blood. However, that gentle complexion was still holding distress, concern, and nervousness as it stared right back at her.


    ¡°Wushuang¡­ You.. You¡¯re fine, right?¡±


    ¡°You idiot! How could I have any issues? The one who has issues is you, okay?!¡± As to why he would replace her and block the knife, she wouldn¡¯t open her mouth and ask him. It was just the same as to why she would choose to block the knife for gege, their reasons were the exact same. But since when did this idiot catch these feelings for her? She had always been wearing men¡¯s clothes and acted comfortable but distant from him. Even if Mu Yalun acted even better and even softer toward her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to return these sentiments. But why? He was so clever, he should¡¯ve long since already seen this ah! Why did he still have to be like this and cause her to feel guilty?

 Chapter 53 - Mu’s Passing

    Chapter 53 Mu¡¯s Passing


    Translator Warning prepare tissues¡­ ????


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Mu Yalun gently wiped her tears away and his face blossomed with a smile that resembled the spring breeze. This expression was just like the one he had when they first met. This expression of his had initially stunned her and after a long time, the tenderness and attachment still hadn¡¯t settled.


    All along he knew that she had no intentions towards him. But, when this indescribable feeling arrived, he found that he couldn¡¯t control it. How silly of him, had he still not figured it out? If it weren¡¯t for those emotions rising in his heart and the fact that he wanted to give up Blue Snow Stronghold for her, would he have never realized? All along, he had been polite and mild to everyone, but he was clear now that he had done so unintentionally. He didn¡¯t even love himself, so how could he love others? Since childhood, his goal and belief was to live for Blue Snow Stronghold. So, he never lived for himself, he only lived to protect his homeland¡¯s existence. But when he met her, he suddenly wanted to make efforts to smile, to capture that warmth, and to laugh so beautifully. All this was in an attempt for himself to blossom. That was why he cared for her so much, protected her, and was even willing to die for him. Him being so sincere toward a single person taught him what happiness was. Even if that person didn¡¯t love him¡­


    He acted as her guard. Even if he couldn¡¯t be near her, he would guard her from afar. In this world, he wasn¡¯t the person who could stay near her side. Her gege were the people who would watch over her and give her happiness. Even though they hadn¡¯t said anything, he could see the heartfelt love in their eyes. Although he also loved her, but sometimes when things have passed, then they¡¯ve passed. They missed those meeting years. The people who first protected her weren¡¯t him ah¡­


    How sad.. No. Loving someone wasn¡¯t a sad thing, it was a sweet and painful thing. Even though there was pain, he would still smile and give his well wishes, because that sweetness was enough to last him a lifetime. Just like now, she was nestled within his embrace, weeping and hurting over him. This current happiness was considered his, wasn¡¯t it?


    He faintly smiled as he spit out a mouthful of blood. That knife¡¯s strength was powerful and the hit was bold. His back had already been chopped up, was it already split in half? If he died, would half of himself be left behind to protect her? Even if he was a ghost, as long as he could see her, he would still be happy!


    ¡°You idiot, big idiot!¡±


    Gu Weiyi had already erupted into tears, her mouth wasn¡¯t able to form any other words. All she could do was cry whilst calling him an idiot. They were all idiots, but how could there be such an idiot in this world? What could she do? What was she currently supposed to do?


    She couldn¡¯t do anything. She had no medicine so she couldn¡¯t give any to treat his wounds, she didn¡¯t have internal power either, so she couldn¡¯t pour any into him and keep him alive. She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to look at his bloodied back. She was afraid she would collapse, afraid that she would be at a loss and blank out.


    But she was already currently blanked out and helpless. Gege were both still fighting the black clothed people, they weren¡¯t able to rush over and offer help. Lan Sheng Ling was watching her from afar with mocking and disdainful eyes, so much so that he didn¡¯t even bother to stop her. That¡¯s right ah. Their current circumstances deemed them ants in his palm, how would they have the chance to flee?


    ¡°Wushuang,¡± Mu Yalun¡¯s weak voice came out and Gu Weiyi anxiously looked at him whilst nodding her head, ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Can I¡­ Call you¡­ Shuang¡¯er?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can call me whatever you want! However, I would prefer if you call me Yi Yi, I¡¯m Gu Weiyi!¡± At this time, she didn¡¯t have the heart to continue using a phony name in front of him. She was Gu Weiyi, not some imaginary Xue Wushuang!


    ¡°Weiyi.¡± Faintly smiling, a peculiar blush appeared on Mu Yalun¡¯s face when he uttered her name. ¡°This name is their nickname. I¡¯ll still call you Shuang¡¯er, this can be considered my nickname for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always¡­ Always been thinking¡­ If I¡­ Could one day¡­ Intimately call you a name. You would also¡­ Act tender too¡­ Call me Ya¡­ Just like that¡­ Is that apart of the sweetness that lovers have?¡± Seeming to carry a beautiful vision, Mu Yalun¡¯s eyes held a happy and shy smile. This expression was like a stab of pain in Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. I.. I know that¡­ There are many matters¡­ Which can¡¯t be controlled by people. You¡¯ve done no wrong.. So.. I¡¯m asking you to be apart of my dreamland, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Tears fell down from her eyes and dripped onto Mu Yalun¡¯s palm. Those cold tears brought an even happier smile to his face. These tears belonged to him, even if those tears¡¯ original intentions didn¡¯t hold love.


    He turned around and saw the grieving and sorrowful Zhuang Sheng behind him. Mu Yalun¡¯s smile was still as forgiving as before, ¡°Zhuang Sheng, I don¡¯t blame you, truly. You aren¡¯t Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s traitor. You¡¯ve always been the Uncle Zhuang who has taken care of me.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t speak anymore. This subordinate knows, this subordinate understands it all!¡± Kneeling on the floor, this middle aged man¡¯s tears filled his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to help me care for Shuang¡¯er, okay?¡± Mu Yalun faintly said this, but his words were firm.


    ¡°Okay. This subordinate pledges to follow Miss Xue from this day forward. Absolutely no danger will befall her!¡± How could he not agree? How could he have the heart to disappoint him?


    At this moment, Gu Weiyi had sobbed to the point that she couldn¡¯t even make anymore noise. This was the second time she had cried in this world. The first time was when she was scared for Qing Yi¡¯s death and felt helpless. Why did she feel so pained this time? So painful that it even turned into desperation.


    ¡°Mu Yalun.. Ya.. I¡¯m begging you not to die! Don¡¯t speak these words as if you¡¯re going to die.. You can¡¯t, you can¡¯t!¡± Seeming to fall apart, Gu Weiyi yelled these words and cried on the floor, completely exhausted.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t die.¡± He tenderly said these words with fondness in his eyes. Like sunshine, he warmly engulfed Gu Weiyi in his arms and tightly held her hands, unwilling to let go. Just like this, he held her hand, how wonderful it would be. Just like this, he tenderly smiled at her and looked at her, how wonderful it would be¡­


    Those big, gentle hands slowly turned cold in hers. Terror engulfed Gu Weiyi as she tightly gripped his hand in return. She turned around to look at Mu Yalun, who had already closed his eyes, his face held an eternally happy expression. His facial features weren¡¯t the most beautiful, but they caused people to feel as if he was unparalleled, like an immortal soaring far above. But now, he was smiling so happily and ice-cold within her embrace.


    She had never thought there would be a day where she would meet him,


    Or even to go as far as to unconsciously begin loving him.


    It was fate, destined to be,


    I don¡¯t want to pay attention to logic at all,


    For you, I would lose myself.


    Romance wasn¡¯t wanting to hold you forever,


    I just want you to eternally be happy.


    I love you, and everything that¡¯s unrelated to you,


    It was nobody¡¯s fault.


    Silently watching you, calmly protecting you.


    Your response isn¡¯t needed, neither is your remorse,


    Because loving you doesn¡¯t need any reason.


    If there¡¯s one day where you¡¯ll remember, I ask of you not to forget,


    There was once a person who loved you so much.


    For you, he buried himself and went back.


    Author¡¯s Note Wu wu, Jing spent an entire night writing this chapter whilst crying miserably, I couldn¡¯t even clearly see the screen. Jing feels very emotional, just thinking of Mu Yalun causes me to weep. Perhaps Jing¡¯s writing isn¡¯t fully proficient and I lack the ability to move you guys, but Jing seriously tried to compose a romance that acted regardless of everything. This song was something Jing wrote herself ~(^_^)~ Hopefully everybody likes it

 Chapter 54 - A Turn For The Better

    Chapter 54 A Turn For The Better


    [1/5] chapter kindly sponsored by kounu ?


    Gu Weiyi miserably cried, affecting both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue, who were still fighting the black clothed people. Their hearts were hurting, but they were unable to go to her side. They were unable to injure or kill these five people. Looking at their vacant expressions, Xue Yunge knew that they were no longer real ¡°people¡±, instead, they were drug people who were neither alive nor dead! He hadn¡¯t thought that Bai Lifeng would have successfully perfected drug people! This cruel drugging technique caused the people undergoing it to experience unbearable pain, for them, dying would be better than living. And Bai Lifeng went as far as to make five of them! Regardless of how high Yue and his skills were, they would be unable to beat these undying drug people. They would just fight until they became exhausted and eventually died! Unwillingness and murder spread throughout the room as the two people fighting grew more and more annoyed.


    By this point, Lan Sheng Ling had called for people to bring a gorgeous chair over. He was sitting on it whilst watching the good show. Death, slaughter, endless blood, and a bitterly crying woman. Wasn¡¯t the world supposed to be like this?


    On the other side, Gu Weiyi and Zhuang Sheng were both still immersed in the sorrow and despair after Mu Yalun¡¯s passing. At this moment, Gu Weiyi suddenly felt tired, very tired. How could her once beautiful life turn to this state? Whose fault was it? Was it herself or was it Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s ambitions? If it weren¡¯t for him, they wouldn¡¯t have been pulled into this scheme! Hatred, never had she experienced such intense hatred. She wanted to dismember his body into a thousand parts. It was like she could only sow destruction to absolve herself of the constant resentfulness in her heart. Were gege¡¯s feelings just like this? Perhaps they were even stronger. Even death wouldn¡¯t free themselves of it!


    Favorite male? This was such a disgraceful matter, it also brought about many bitter memories! With great difficulty, they had finally forgotten those. But they had been brutally dug up by someone today. Bringing the pain that had been buried at the bottom of their heart back up and into the world! Now she understood why gege hated this world so much! The contact of the world was loathed and others touching them was nauseating, everyday they had to bathe themselves clean, so much so that their skin was rubbed until it turned red. Whilst they were hating on the world, they also hated on themselves! Dirty, filthy, they always scorned themselves, so they had even abandoned themselves. Gu Weiyi felt a great deal of pain in her heart, so much so that she couldn¡¯t even breathe anymore. No wonder they didn¡¯t seem to care about a little bit of injuries when they went out. Perhaps in their eyes, the more cuts there were, the better. In any case, they were already filthy, ruined, so nothing worse could happen. If, if it weren¡¯t for her coming into their lives, would they continue hurting themselves like this? They would. They didn¡¯t even love themselves, in fact, they scorned themselves. To them, there wasn¡¯t any meaning to being alive anymore. In that case, what was the point in confronting themselves? Inferiority and arrogance was intertwined within their hearts. Gege was so prideful, how could they be willing for their secret pain to be uncovered for her to know? But, they also thought they were inferior. They thought of themselves as dirty and undeserving of her. They were stubborn and unwilling to recover those memories, afraid that she would know of their past. So, they acted cautiously. If they held her in the palm of their hands, would they not need to worry that their happiness was just an illusion?


    Her appearance allowed them to witness warmth, but it also brought about more worry and concern. After experiencing despair, they lived their life recklessly. But after having Gu Weiyi in their life, they started feeling more worry. In that case, was her appearance good or bad for them?


    It was unclear, something that couldn¡¯t be thought with reason.


    Lifting her hazy, tear-filled eyes, she looked at gege¡¯s hazy backs whilst they fought the black clothed people. Gu Weiyi was incapable of feeling sorry for herself anymore. Mu Yalun¡¯s ice-cold body was still resting by her feet and Zhuang Sheng¡¯s cries still rang in her ears. But she was helpless, she couldn¡¯t do anything. She even needed others for protection!


    ¡°Zhuang Sheng!¡±


    An unexpected voice shouted out. GU Weiyi lifted her head and saw Que along with ten other snow guards fighting who came right after fighting with Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s people. When Xue Yunge saw Que, a happy streak floated across his face and he urgently said, ¡°Quickly protect Young Miss!¡±


    Que immediately took note of the current conditions. He sent out twenty snow guards to go protect Gu Weiyi whilst he and the rest of the guards went to go assist Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue with fighting the black clothed drug people. When Lan Sheng Ling saw this, his face changed. He quickly sent out an order and Elder Fu lead some black clothed people to start fighting with the twenty snow guards. After all, the snow guards were the top fighters within Xiu Luo villa, they were quickly able to defeat the opponent. Then, they neared Gu Weiyi and surrounded her in the middle of them. On the other hand, although the circumstances had slightly changed, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue still found themselves in a downward spiral.


    Gu Weiyi felt somewhat anxious and urgently asked Zhuang Sheng, ¡°What about Blue Snow Stronghold¡¯s white clothed emissaries? They couldn¡¯t have been entirely wiped out! Where are they? Do they not have some sort of signal?¡±


    Zhuang Sheng lowered his head, ¡°Elder Fu betrayed us, so much of Young Master¡¯s orders have been intercepted. In my haste to catch you, I didn¡¯t prepare anything either.¡±


    Gu Weiyi felt extremely disappointed. Could it be there wasn¡¯t any other way? Could she only helplessly watch on as gege continued in the same fight until they finally became exhausted and died?


    Bai Lifeng short figure began slightly shaking when he saw that Xue Yunge nearly obtained an injury. This small movement was seen by Lan Sheng Ling, who took note of it. He coldly smiled and a mocking look appeared in his eyes, ¡°What, you feel distressed?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t speak nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Heng, I¡¯m speaking nonsense?¡± Nevertheless, his sharp eyes watched Gu Weiyi, who was paralyzed on the floor. Her concerned, sad, and impatient eyes still held a tiny brightness that came from her love. And to the side, the Xue brothers were offering her comfort, despite the fact that they were fighting the drug people and putting themselves in a critical situation by consoling her. This interaction and those eyes caused him to feel angered and envious, it caused him to want to destroy it, regardless of everything!


    With the added help of the snow guards,Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue weren¡¯t as strained as before. With some of the snow guards also protecting Gu Weiyi, they were able to put their heart at rest. As Xue Yunge was waving his whip, he said, ¡°Yue, these drug people can¡¯t be killed unless we turn them into corpses. But we don¡¯t have any drugs on ourselves and we can¡¯t continue fighting like this for forever. In a moment, let¡¯s withdraw from the circle they¡¯ve formed around us and take Yi Yi away first. We¡¯ll definitely have a day to kill Bai Lifeng!¡±


    ¡°Okay, ge!¡± They were people who would submit to the circumstances. They already had the person they cared the most about, their hatred from their past wasn¡¯t worth more than Yi Yi¡¯s life. They couldn¡¯t be impatient and save a little only to lose massively! Their initial irritation and rashness calmed down as they forced themselves to press down the hatred that wished to bubble forth. There would be a day where they would return this a hundredfold!


    Signalling to Que, Xue Yunge had the snow guards besiege the group, he had already decided that he would leave first.

 Chapter 55 - That Year’s Scheme

    Chapter 55 That Year¡¯s Scheme


    [2/5] chapter kindly sponsored by kounu ?


    How could this action escape Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s eyes? Looking through their intentions, Lan Sheng Ling coldly smiled. Want to run? Keep dreaming! He waved his hand behind him and ten imperial guards from Yu Lin suddenly appeared. They were Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s confidents. They had been specially trained to reside in the imperial court, so their martial arts were outstanding. Since they couldn¡¯t even deal with those few drug people, they could forget thinking about leaving!


    The two people who had just escaped from the drug people¡¯s circle suddenly found themselves fighting with the newly arrived guards. Xue Yunge hatefully glared at Lan Sheng Ling whilst his heart was filled with regret. He had always known that this Seventh Prince couldn¡¯t be underestimated, but he had never imagined that they would fall right into his hands! But when he glimpsed Yi Yi¡¯s sorrow face, his heart twisted in distress, even though he didn¡¯t have the courage to face her because she now knew the shame and secret they had buried at the bottom of their hearts. But, what did their pride and ego count as when faced in front of Yi Yi?


    ¡°I heard that Xiu Luo villa used to be called Jing Feng villa and that the two Masters committed patricide in order to become the Masters, is that right?¡± Indifferently opening his mouth, Lan Sheng Ling appeared to have inadvertently accused them. But, this question caused Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s hearts to shake. This Seventh Prince actually looked into their background, so much so that he knew of that unbearable time in their past? Even Bai Lifeng had swore loyalty to him. Had they finally met their match this time?


    Seeing that the Xue brothers remained unmoved, Lan Sheng Ling remained calm. He followed the silence with a mocking laugh, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it feels like to crawl under a male¡¯s crotch? What does that taste like?¡±


    Once these words came out, both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue shook from head to toe as they glowered at Lan Sheng Ling. Gu Weiyi was even more furious, her face was white as she angrily yelled, ¡°Lan Sheng Ling, you shut up!¡±


    This scoundrel! How could he be like this?! How could he ruthlessly tear off the scars in others¡¯ hearts? How could he act so vile!


    But unknowingly, her scolding him like this touched Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s scales. Ever since he became the Seventh Prince, nobody had dared to yell at him like this! Then, should he punish her for her brashness and make the little feeling of displeasure disappear in his heart?


    Naturally he had to!


    ¡°Bai Li, do you want to say anything? After all, these are the two males you dote on the most ah. But, how come they¡¯ve become the masters of Ghost Valley and you, the number one male, has such a short and ugly appearance now?!¡±


    In one swoop, he tore the black armband off Bai Lifeng¡¯s face and exposed his abnormally fierce-looking face. His skin was bumpy, purple-black in color, and his skin looked as dry as tree bark. Underneath his burnt eyebrows was a pair of minute, black colored eyes. His collapsed nose was flat and the corner of his mouth had been split open. His entire face was extremely ugly and hard to look at. His body wasn¡¯t much better either, where was the beauty that a first male would have! Bai Lifeng resentfully recoiled back two steps and embarrassed, he lifted his hand and used his sleeve to cover his face. His small eyes were filled with humiliation and unwillingness. Regardless of who, if someone else saw one¡¯s own looks when they resembled that of a demon¡¯s, let alone when one used to be the great and well-known number one male, one would naturally be unable to stand it.


    But, Lan Sheng Ling was just like this. He took joy from others¡¯ pain, which could be inflicted by exposing their scars. This twisted mentality made it impossible for people not to hate him. Regardless of how he came to this step, his actions caused him to be unforgivable! For the first time, Gu Weiyi vowed that there would be a day where she would take revenge for Mu Yalun and gege; blood calls for blood!


    ¡°Your Majesty.. This subordinate agreed to follow you.. To Work together.. Things.. Please don¡¯t force me¡­¡±


    ¡°Heng!¡± He disdainfully glanced at Bai Lifeng, ¡°You think that I wouldn¡¯t know anything just because you didn¡¯t speak about it? Perhaps even the Xue brothers wouldn¡¯t know about it, right?¡±


    Towards the end, he purposefully included Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue.


    ¡°Do you guys want to know why you would reincarnate as demons and even get sold off by your own Father?¡±


    Once this question was out, both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue began shaking and their hands slowed down. Immediately, the imperial guards were able to encircle them.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Bai Lifeng actually turned pale from fright and began to plead, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m asking you not to say it!¡± He didn¡¯t want it to be said because he was afraid he, and even they, wouldn¡¯t be able to support him. Granted, his bitterness couldn¡¯t compare to theirs. He had to admit, he was softhearted. The hatred he felt because of his disfigured self and ruined limbs completely disappeared the moment he saw them. This was his own crime, he had nothing to say.


    But, why would Lan Sheng Ling go according to his wishes? He could barely even bring himself to bother with him. Wearing a sinister smile, Lan Sheng Ling opened his mouth.


    ¡°I believe that although your memories from before the age of five are blurry, they still left some impressions. When you were five, you were the fifth and sixth sons of Jing Wuchang that were born from Concubine Hu. When you were born, you were snow white and adorable, winning over Jing Wuchang¡¯s deep love. However, everything changed at the feast held for your fifth birthday.¡±


    As he slowly said this, he felt satisfied as he watched Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes turn confused, fatigued, and thoughtful. They had already slowed down all movements of fighting as well. But Gu Weiyi felt anxious. Lan Sheng Ling was always like this, disturbing gege¡¯s mind. Especially whilst in the middle of a fight, it made it very easy for them to fall into a downward spiral ah! Even though she also wanted to know why they had been banished by the world and was sure that gege wanted to know more than she did, Lan Sheng Ling must have some alternative reason to bring up this topic ah!


    ¡°On that day, Bai Lifeng was coincidentally in the group of invited guests that were just being welcomed. The exact moment he saw you two was also the same time your nightmare began.¡± Seeing that he had roused everyone¡¯s suspicions, Lan Sheng Ling paused to look at everyone. When he saw the trembling Bai Lifeng and the Xue brothers glaring at him, he continued.


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve known that the number one male and respected poisons expert Bai Lifeng was actually just a useless person with an empty reputation! I¡¯m afraid that even the devil didn¡¯t surpass his viciousness! It¡¯s just that he was adept at disguising himself and scheming, nobody knew the truth and he was even able to get everyone to praise him. Bai Li, this Majesty wants to study this point from you! Ha ha ha!¡± Then, Lan Sheng Ling let out a sinister laugh. Under Bai Li Feng¡¯s implications, Bai Lifeng¡¯s ugly face became even more twisted.


    ¡°Apart from being a shame and deceitful, the most puzzling and surprising thing about Bai Li is that he likes boys! I trust that you two now know why some things occurred. In order to obtain you two, Bai Lifeng planned for two years. First, he spread rumors around that purple and green eyes were those of demons, bringing about the world and your Father¡¯s scorn. In order to protect you two, your Mother suffered much humiliation and bullying. In the end, because she also had different colored eyes, your Father secretly killed her. And during this time, Bai Lifeng poisoned Jing Wuchang. Then, he agreed to detoxify him under the condition that he could take you two away! He he, this situation was just what Jing Wuchang was looking for. How overjoyed he felt when he knew that he could get rid of you two demons!¡±


    ¡°You shut up! Shut up! You must not speak anymore, don¡¯t speak anymore!¡± Gu Weiyi shouted. Her heart was hurting, she couldn¡¯t bear to look at gege¡¯s hopeless and sorrow-filled expressions. She didn¡¯t want to see their bloodthirsty aura become stronger. She was afraid they would collapse!

 Chapter 56 - Hatred

    Chapter 56 Hatred


    [3/5] chapter kindly sponsored by kounu ?


    Under the moonlight, the two beautiful and seductive males had already lost all rationality. Their hatred overflowed the sky. Seven years of their childhood had been filled with endless torture, drug tests, and inhumane bullying all because of this male¡¯s sinister desires. They have lived through immense humiliation, and in the end, their enemy was actually by their side all along; the beast that brought torture and suffering to their lives! Why hadn¡¯t he died yet? They thought that their revenge, anger, and hopelessness all disappeared when this man disappeared. Why was Heaven so cruel? Making them experience the humiliation and agony a second time!


    Kill him! If they killed him, they wouldn¡¯t have to recall those memories, wouldn¡¯t have to relive their hopeless and painful past, they would be able to face Yi Yi again. They had to tell Yi Yi that it was all fake. They never went through anything humiliating, they weren¡¯t filthy¡­


    Red and white lights flew around the room as the Xue brothers continued fighting. The imperial guards who had originally had the upper hand were quickly being taken over, some had even retreated under Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s brutal attacks. Their eyes were blood red and their only goal was to kill the nauseating demon that had brought so much pain in their lives!


    Lan Sheng Ling slowly walked closer to them, but his face remained expressionless. When he saw the imperial guards were practically completely defeated, his face didn¡¯t change colors either. His thin lips opened and a sneer came out, ¡°Bai Li, you¡¯re still not moving? Are you¡¯re still thinking about the taste of your old lovers?¡±


    Although these words were quite vulgar, it succeeded in infuriating Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue whose anger and killing intent increased. By this time, they had already lost all rationality and were obsessed with killing Bai Lifeng. Apart from hatred, nothing else was in their eyes. What was once purple and green colored eyes turned into a demonic shade of red. At this moment, they truly looked like demons who had come from hell!


    Lan Sheng Ling grabbed Bai Lifeng and pushed him to the front, forcing him to directly face Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s killing intent head on. His tiny stature was trembling and pain flashed through his small eyes. He had already lost his martial arts, the only thing he could use was his drug techniques now. Everything they knew was taught by him and he was very clear that their bodies would be able to withstand all sorts of drugs, this was because he had given them countless drug tests ever since the day he took them. Their body was highly toxic, any drug given to them would be absorbed and become apart of their bodies. But, in his hands right now, was a drug he spent ten years specially making. This drug would be able to seize their constitution and it was called ¡°Puppet¡±. Puppet would cause its victim to lose all consciousness, they would only follow their Master. Apart from a killer, they would not know anything else. This was the mission that Lan Sheng Ling tasked him with, which was to control two beautiful and matchless martial artists and to turn them into his puppets. In return, Bai Lifeng was promised Ghost Valley and ¡°Repairing Face¡±. On this earth, there was only one ¡°Repairing Face¡±, it was the only antidote that would be able to restore his self-esteem and confidence.


    His hands couldn¡¯t help but shake. He clenched and unclenched his hands a couple times. Why couldn¡¯t his heart stay firm? After controlling them, they would stay by his side forever. He would be able to continue testing drugs on them and keep them as a house pet to play with whenever he wished. Wasn¡¯t this everything he had dreamed of and dealt ten years of unbearable disgrace for?


    A complex light flashed through Bai Lifeng¡¯s eyes. In this moment of hesitation, Xue Yunge had already taken his long whip and lashed at him. Soon, blood started dripping down from his ugly face. The instant the blood came out, it turned black.


    ¡°Rubbish!¡±


    When Lan Sheng Ling saw Bai Lifeng hesitate, his eyes flashed with disdain and mocking. This man was truly cowardly and difficult to turn into a capable person! Fortunately, he had already anticipated this and created a back-up plan. Although ¡°Puppet¡± was refined by Bai Lifeng, that didn¡¯t mean that Lan Sheng Ling didn¡¯t have a way to get it from his hands.


    The strength that the whip hit Bai Lifeng with was bold and matchless, it directly threw Bai Lifeng down onto the ground. Adding onto this was the fact that Bai Lifeng didn¡¯t have any martial arts to help him resist the blow, all he could do was lie weakly on the floor. Like this, he just happened to expose Lan Sheng Ling, who was sitting on the chair. Xue Zhuyue immediately threw his silver soft sword at Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s cheek. But, Lan Sheng Ling quickly turned and avoided it, all that was left in his original spot was a strand of long hair that flew down onto the ground.


    Lan Sheng Ling knew martial arts, not only that, his wasn¡¯t low compared to Xue Zhuyue¡¯s. Flying up, the tip of hit foot hovered above the chair. His sharp eyes had a fighting spirit whilst he looked down on everyone with an overbearing and contempt-filled gaze. At an unknown time, he had found a long sword, which was now grasped in his hand. Behind him, his shadow guards wanted to step forward, but they were stopped by a wave of his hand. There were some things that you needed to personally do in order to succeed receive pleasure from it! He had personally directed this show, so naturally he had to personally go on stage and end it! He wanted to see if there was anyone stronger than him in this world. Were these two people worthy to be his opponent, like the rumors suggested?


    He enraged them and tore open their old scars. He did all of this just to see if there was anyone more miserable than he on this world. That way, his hate-filled heart wouldn¡¯t feel so painful; all the hardships he faced in the past weren¡¯t that important! All of his pain could be solved by watching other people face pain a hundredfold worse!


    Both the long whip and soft sword were flying around in the sky. Lan Sheng Ling wore a serious expression whilst he earnestly battled with them. In Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes, there was only the simple desire to slaughter him. Apart from him telling them the truth of their past in order to provoke them, he also released a drug known as ¡°**¡± which caused people to become confused. It was silent, colorless, and odorless. Even if Xue Wushuang knew poison or the Xue brothers were immune to most poison, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°**¡± wasn¡¯t a drug, it was merely a hallucinogen. It would cause them to sink into their minds and begin hallucinating about their painful memories, and it would leave them incapable of freeing themselves from it! He just had to use this small scheme in order to completely wipe them out! Sharply dodging the Xue brothers¡¯ attacks, Lan Sheng Ling haughtily stood on the chair, overlooking them. In front of the two hysterical people, he had already won. Toward a nearby shadow guard, he instructed, ¡°Go take Xue Wushuang!¡±


    And by this moment, Gu Weiyi also noticed gege¡¯s abnormality. Her heart felt impatient, but several snow guards stood around her, protecting her, however she didn¡¯t need protecting. She was worried about them. The person most in danger wasn¡¯t her. But she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to command the snow guards to go and help gege. If Lan Sheng Ling dared to fight him, then that meant he had something up his sleeves. If she fell into his hands at this moment, it would mean gege would lose the battle without even fighting it. Moreover, Lan Sheng Ling also had countless black clothed guards and imperial guards by his side. They were clearly at a disadvantage and they didn¡¯t seem to have any way to recover from this. She was worried that even if they summoned Xiu Luo villa¡¯s guards, they wouldn¡¯t be able to face off against thousands of imperial soldiers! Right now, how could they escape from here? The more she thought like this, the more she felt like she was a trapped animal forced to fight. Why was she so powerless? Had Lan Sheng Ling really planned everything out without missing anything?


    What was she to do?


    The three people¡¯s battle had already reached a climax. As the seconds ticked by, the battle become fiercer and the killing intent worsened. The three men were the world¡¯s devils, and Lan Sheng Ling was the most devilish of them all. At least Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue had emotions, they had an exception, Gu Weiyi. But Lan Sheng Ling had nothing apart from power. He was a truly pitiful, yet hateful person.  This person destroyed everything they worked for in ten years, he ruined their happiness, so he absolutely couldn¡¯t be forgiven!

 Chapter 57 - Perish

    Chapter 57 Perish


    [4/5] chapter kindly sponsored by kounu ?


    The shrill sound of the whip whistling as it cut through the air accompanied Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue as they walked forward, one before the other, inviting death. Gradually, Lan Sheng Ling seemed to have a harder and harder time fending them off. In his profound face, killing intent seemed to have appeared. His sharp eyes swiveled around the room until they landed on Elder Fu, who had been silently waiting on the sidelines all along. A light of unknown meaning flashed through his eyes when he locked eyes with him. Elder Fu understood the silent order and suddenly launched a surprise attack behind the Xue brothers¡¯. His sharp sword was aimed directly at Xue Zhuyue¡¯s back as he charged forward. The unguarded Xue Zhuyue was stabbed in the hand by Elder Fu¡¯s sword. He quickly spun around, glaring at him, and began engaging in combat with him. Now that Lan Sheng Ling had one less person attacking him, his face relaxed and he began focusing all of his energy on Xue Yunge. Out of the corner of his eye, Xue Yunge saw that Xue Zhuyue¡¯s hand had been injured. His heart flashed with pain and he took it personally. They were twins, so they naturally felt the same. His heart raged with flames as he worriedly looked at Yue. In the midst of disorder, he looked over.


    The one that felt the most sad was Gu Weiyi. When she saw that gege was hurt, her heart twisted in pain, but all she could do was sit there and stare at him. Glaring at Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s haughty figure, Gu Weiyi loudly shouted, ¡°Lan Sheng Ling, you¡¯re despicable!¡±


    Since he wanted to disturb gege¡¯s minds, she could also use her own means to change his. Thinking up to here, Gu Weiyi opened her mouth and began to rain curses down, ¡°You bast***.. Hoodlum.. Coward!¡±


    Normally she, Gu Weiyi, wouldn¡¯t curse at people. The words she spoke just now felt childish, even to herself. Lan Sheng Ling merely sneered, but didn¡¯t respond to her. With a bitter laugh, she concluded that life was a fail ah! She wanted to help, but in the end, she proved useless. Clearly she was anxious and afraid, but she couldn¡¯t go forward and near them. All she could do was sit back and allow others to protect her whilst she watched as her sweethearts struggled and fought for her. All because she was their weak point. She decided that she couldn¡¯t allow herself to be a bargaining chip for others to use against them. She had to suppress her emotions and remain calm-headed. She couldn¡¯t become a burden to them. But how was she supposed to manage her heart, which trembled for them?


    The three people who saw each other but weren¡¯t allowed to embrace felt such pain. They clearly met again, but they hadn¡¯t been allowed to approach each other, there was always someone to block them at each turn. From far away, they watched each other, yearning to near, yet there was still so much distance. They were so close, yet so far.


    Lan Sheng Ling was already impatient to get this over with. This play was supposed to end when the curtain drops, so it should be done with quickly; this was his method of dealing with things. Not bothering to play around anymore, he motioned to the shadow guards. Soon after, the shadow guards appeared and encircled Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue. At the same time, the imperial guards began to attack the snow guards that were protecting Gu Weiyi. Following this, Zhuang Sheng grabbed Gu Weiyi and put her behind him. He told Young Master that he would protect this woman for his entire life, so he wouldn¡¯t go back on his promise.


    This entire time, Que had been fighting against the drug people. In the first place the drug people were incapable of dying and several snow guards had already been killed whilst fighting them. With great difficulty, Que was able to extract himself from their clutches. But immediately after he left, some shadow guards surrounded him and began their attack. At this moment, Blue Snow Stronghold had resumed the disorderly fighting.


    Endless fighting, blood, and the smell of blood spread throughout Blue Snow Stronghold. Even the sky, which was nearing dawn, seemed to be tinted red. At this moment, Gu Weiyi seemed to sense a sort of despair and sorrow. It seemed that they would really be buried today.


    Both Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were already covered in blood and bruises. They had been fighting for so long, their spirit was beaten and they were dejected. They lacked their initial ferociousness and were soon going to collapse. But, when they looked at Yi Yi, who was surrounded by guards and looking at them with tear-filled eyes, they were unable to bring themselves to give up. Even if they died, they couldn¡¯t just give up! The snow guards by their side slowly fell down, one by one. In front of them, Lan Sheng Ling carried a sinister smile in his eyes, but that gradually turned hazy. He felt a sharp pain radiating from a part of their body. That should indicate that he was wounded, but by now, he was already numb to the feeling. Was he truly going to die? Actually, to them, death was freeing. They would be free from this dirty world and their filthy bodies. If they disappeared, so what? It was just that they had a fond thought, it was this fond thought that carried them forward. Even if they thought themselves as extremely dirty and they scorned this world, they didn¡¯t want to be unable to see or embrace her!


    Mechanically waving the weapon in his hands around, he felt blood spatter around and heard miserable howls. But, it was all gone from their eyes. The only thing they saw was that single person who was surrounded by so many others. All along, she had been staring at them. It was forever that tender and adorable smile and white, delicate skinned Yi Yi who would smile and say ¡®Gege, your eyes are so beautiful, Yi Yi really admires them. Yi Yi loves gege the most and doesn¡¯t ever want to leave gege¡­¡­¡¯


    That¡¯s right, never part. From the moment she appeared, they already decided that they wanted to exist in this world together. Even if they died, they couldn¡¯t be separated. Yi Yi, gege will never leave you. Right now gege is coming over, gege wants to forever hold Yi Yi and shower her with love because Yi Yi is obedient. Therefore gege is willing to give you lots of love¡­¡­


    ¡°Masters!¡±


    With great effort, they both opened their eyes wide and looked at her faraway figure. Like this, they directly stared at her and firmly imprinted her figures in their hearts. They had to remember her face, even if they died, they couldn¡¯t forget.


    Shocked, Que loudly yelled as he looked at the seemingly muddle-headed Masters. Why were they directly walking over to the drug people? Why weren¡¯t they resisting and acting as if they weren¡¯t hurt? There were only ten or so snow guards left. Today¡¯s battle was impossible to win. Even if it¡¯s like this, the Masters shouldn¡¯t act this way ah!


    He watched as a drug person used a large knife and started falling toward Xue Zhuyue¡¯s arm. His left arm was originally already injured and blood had already been dripping. Without thinking, Que charged forward and used his own self to block the blade.


    ¡°Pu chi!¡±


    The sound of a sharp knife cutting into flesh sounded out. The drug person extracted the blood-dyed knife from Que¡¯s back and behind him was Xue Zhuyue¡¯s shocked face. Once the drug person took the knife out, Que fell limply onto the floor, but toward the Xue brothers, he warmly smiled at them. In his smile there was joy, gratitude, sincerity, and purity. He was perfectly happy to die for them. It wasn¡¯t because of loyalty, rather it was due to the emotions of friends. He knew they didn¡¯t trust other people¡¯s sincerity because of how disappointed they were in the world. They were already incapable of noticing their own sincerity. He understood, because he was made to silently watch over these two as they experienced miserable youths, bringing him great distress. Even if he lived in this calculating world, he also wanted to witness true sincerity in this world. The Young Miss¡¯ appearance was the Heaven granting them their wish. He wanted to protect that wish for them, and in turn, that also counted as completing his own wish, which was buried deep in his heart.


    Looking at this world, the two beautiful Masters, and the tearful Gu Weiyi for the last time, Que faintly smiled and slowly closed his eyes.


    And in different colored eyes, darkness and hatred appeared.

 Chapter 58 - Buried

    Chapter 58 Buried


    [5/5] chapter kindly sponsored by kounu ?


    Looking at the destruction in front of him, Lan Sheng Ling dangerously narrowed his eyes while his face remained unchanged, ¡°Continue, don¡¯t leave anyone!¡±


    Since he couldn¡¯t have it, it would be destroyed. In any case, both Xiu Luo villa and Blue Snow Stronghold will be in his hands in the end. So, it would be a disaster to leave anyone, it was best to get rid of everyone!


    Thinking up to here, an ice cold killing intent appeared in Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the people you wanted has already been captured!¡± The people who the imperial guards captured was the struggling Gu Weiyi and Zhuang Sheng.


    All of the snow guards had been killed and Zhuang Sheng was unable to protect her. Both of them had been quickly captured whilst Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue were still fighting the black clothed people.


    With hate-filled eyes, Gu Weiyi glared at Lan Sheng Ling. In her heart she swore on her soul that she would never forget this hatred, even if she died and was reborn. She vowed that she would make Lan Sheng Ling suffer so much that he would rather die than continue living!


    On the other hand, her hatred and anger made Lan Sheng Ling overjoyed. This was the exact expression he wanted to see on her face. This was the pain he wanted her to feel. Wasn¡¯t this the emotion that should be in this world? If he was a lunatic, then he wanted this world to be crazy with him!


    ¡°You demon! I promise that there¡¯ll be a day where I kill you!¡± Gu Weiyi hatefully spit out her promise, she wouldn¡¯t rest until death!


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll wait for your revenge. But, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to turn into a ghost to serve it to me! Ha ha ha!¡±


    Willfully laughing, Lan Sheng Ling turned around and grabbed Gu Weiyi. His face neared hers and he yelled, ¡°Xue Masters, if you two kill yourselves in front of my face, I¡¯ll let this girl off. Moreover, I promise I won¡¯t bother her for the rest of my life and I¡¯ll even ensure that she lives her life without worries. What about it, you interested?¡±


    The moment he spit out his offer, a different color appeared in Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes. With interest, Lan Sheng Ling waved his hand to order his subordinates to cease fighting for a moment. The circle of guards surrounding Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue parted to show Lan Sheng Ling standing there, holding Gu Weiyi in his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Ge, I don¡¯t want to! I don¡¯t allow you to die! If you do that, then I¡¯ll immediately kill myself after!¡± Gu Weiyi bitterly cried and regardless of her circumstances, she struggled to free herself. With great difficulty she finally saw the two people she cared for the most, she didn¡¯t want them to die because of her and leave her all alone. She didn¡¯t want to bear the longing and pain that would follow their death. So, in that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to die with them? This way, it was like a form of happiness.


    A complicated color appeared on Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s faces. If they died, Yi Yi would be able to live happily. Then in that case, they wouldn¡¯t have an issue with immediately offing themselves. But, was Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s words trustworthy? Moreover, with the decisive look in Yi Yi¡¯s eyes, they knew that her words just then were as good as promises. Then in that case, wouldn¡¯t everything they did be rendered meaningless? Even if they did die, they would be able to make their journey to the Yellow Springs together. And once they made it, they would be able to reincarnate together. They would be clean and pure when they met, come to know, love, and guard each other¡­¡­


    A tender smile blossomed on their beautiful faces. When Gu Weiyi saw this, a happy smile unconsciously formed on her own face. They would never give up on each other. They agreed that they wouldn¡¯t let go of each others¡¯ hands. They would forever stay together, so that they would live and die together in their paradise; they would never part.


    The smile lingering on the corner of Gu Weiyi¡¯s mouth was a beautiful sight as the expressions in their eyes steadied. Turning her head, she looked at Lan Sheng Ling and faintly smiled, ¡°You saw it, we won¡¯t give up on each other.¡± With a simple, happy, and harmless smile, Gu Weiyi took out the dagger hidden in her sleeve and ruthlessly threw it right into Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s abdomen!


    Lan Sheng Ling stared at her in complete disbelief and walked back a few steps. Gu Weiyi immediately left his grasp and directly ran over to Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s embrace. Smiling, they opened their arms and welcomed her into their embrace. Their palms were warm to the touch as the familiar sweet feeling filled her whilst they hugged. She was like a lively butterfly that had finally landed in the sweetest flower and was greedily drinking all the nectar. Although it was deadly, she wouldn¡¯t leave.


    From the moment they were reunited, they could only watch her from far away. But right now, she was truly in their embrace. They were hugging each other so tightly, hugging until it hurt, but still, they didn¡¯t want to let go. They wanted to melt each other into themselves. You¡¯re within me and I¡¯m within you. Time nor fate can pull us apart.


    ¡°Ge, ge, ge, ge¡­¡­¡±


    She nonstop yelled, for this was the only way she could reassure and be at ease that they were truly here.


    ¡°Yi Yi, our Yi Yi.¡±


    She was their Yi Yi, the Yi Yi they loved so much that their heart hurt. The Yi Yi they wanted to protect and the one they were going to the underworld with. They knew that no matter where it was, Yi Yi would always be by their side. The world, heaven, or perhaps even the underworld, no matter where they were, they would rather give up everything than leave Yi Yi.


    With an overjoyed smile on their faces, the two of them brought Yi Yi even closer in their embrace. Then, two pairs of hands slowly spread six blue silver marks in the air, forming a bright light. It completely enveloped the three of them then proceeded to gradually spread all around.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Lan Sheng Ling doubtfully asked as he was being shined on by the light.


    ¡°Not good, it¡¯s Splitting Mirror!¡± Bai Lifeng exclaimed with fright after spitting out a mouthful of black blood. His eyes were wide, he didn¡¯t expect that they actually cultivated Mirror. Had they already decided they were going to perish together? If that was the case, it would make sense why they would use Splitting Mirror, which would annihilate everything. Pain, helplessness, and remorse fought over each other to be the dominant expression on Bai Lifeng¡¯s exceptionally ugly face. For a few moments, Bai Lifeng sat absolutely silent and paralyzed on the floor. Then, it seemed as if something had become undone in him as he began to laugh to himself.


    ¡°What is Splitting Mirror? Bai Lifeng, you clearly explain this to this Majesty!¡± Lan Sheng Ling pressed down on his abdomen, which still hadn¡¯t stopped bleeding. Damn it, he didn¡¯t know what that dagger was coated with, but up until now, it still hadn¡¯t stopped bleeding!


    But, Bai Lifeng only continued laughing to himself and didn¡¯t give him any response. His pained and remorseful laughter caused the atmosphere to become shaken up. He no longer wanted for honor, status, or his face, and he was no longer obsessed with poison techniques. In his absent-mindedness, he seemed to have returned to a time that was long, long ago. Then, there were two identical twin children with beautiful faces and untainted smiles. Just that glimpse caused him to sink into a pit of depravity. From then on, he had lost himself. All for the sake of robbing them, he had constantly acted as a lunatic. Yet, in the end, he had truly become a lunatic, a disgusting lunatic ah!


    If love turned into hate, why did he have to have such a hopeless love? He couldn¡¯t recount or explain and in the end, he made himself crazy and became that demon that harmed them the deepest. Could he finally absolve himself now? If wishes were real, his only wish would be to not have a rebirth¡­


    By now, the silvery blue light had become so big that it had practically enveloped the entirety of Blue Snow Stronghold. At this moment, Lan Sheng Ling seemed to have thought of something and he suddenly paled. Immediately after, he rushed over to the exit. But it was already too late. With a whoosh, the silvery blue lights shattered ad accompanying it was an earth-shaking sound. Then, blood red rays appeared and everything within them shattered.


    Lan Sheng Ling quickly grabbed a few imperial guards and hid behind them, using their bodies to obstruct the immense impact. Lan Sheng Ling then channeled all his body¡¯s power and ran head-first toward the broken wall. The second he ran over to the broken wall, a smashed board deeply fell into his mouth. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s vision turned black and he fell unconscious.


    Behind him lay the entirely annihilated Blue Snow Stronghold alongside destroyed limbs and broken bodies. Everything was already destroyed.


    Half a month later.


    The renowned Blue Snow Stronghold was completely annihilated in a night. Momentarily, everyone¡¯s opinions differed, but the entire martial arts world was shaken. Adding onto this was that the number one assassination organization, Xiu Luo villa, also wordlessly disappeared. A new league formed to replace Blue Snow Stronghold, becoming the new legend in the martial arts world.


    In Yin Yue country, Emperor Lanxuan abdicated due to illness and his seventh son succeeded the throne, becoming Emperor Lanzun. After the new emperor succeeded the throne, he reorganized the imperial court and brought order to the law. At the same time, Yin Yue Country respected these laws because punishments were serious. Regardless of whether it was an administrator or common person, they each feared it.


    Once again, Lan Sheng Ling faced the now ruined Blue Snow Stronghold. He had brought ten or so attendants along with him and they all stared at the ruins. He didn¡¯t know why he came back so much. Was it because of the envy or even grief in his heart? It wasn¡¯t because of power, rather it was because those three people, who burned together, gave him an unspeakable feeling. That strong emotion was so beautiful, it made him want to tear it apart. He was jealous and unwilling. For five years, he had exhausted himself and planned out a scheme, the mysterious power of Blue Snow Stronghold that helonged for dissipated that day. He hadn¡¯t obtained everything he wanted! How could such a defeat exist in his, Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s world! Even though he destroyed Blue Snow Stronghold and Xiu Luo villa, he didn¡¯t get all the things he deserved. Xiu Luo villa had long since become an empty shell and he didn¡¯t get Bai Lifeng¡¯s Ghost Valley either. He was unresigned, he was unwilling to give up on things just like this!


    His hands formed into fists and killing intent formed in the air, making the attendants behind him wary to approach him.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± His imposing and cold voice boomed, causing the guard who was delivering news to shiver. ¡°Your Majesty, this subordinate found this in the ruins.¡±


    With both hands, he offered an ancient book that had a ruined cover. Lan Sheng Ling took it and just by touching the book, he was able to tell that it had many years of history behind it. For the book to not have been damaged by the Splitting Mirror, meant that it wasn¡¯t a simple book. Thinking up to here, he eagerly opened the book and a set of ancient text greeted him.


    For a long time, a secretive smile lingered on the corner of Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s mouth. In the end, he couldn¡¯t hold himself back anymore and directly faced the sky and laughed! That laughter was filled with excitement, assertment, and held the manner of a King overlooking the world. He tightened his grip on the ancient book as the wind blew over the pages. In the blink of an eye, the blue ocean had been flipped over to mulberry tree fields.


    Author¡¯s Note Do you want to know what exactly happened to Yi Yi and Gege? Do you want to know what Mu¡¯s rebirth will be like? Want to know what Yi Yi¡¯s true identity in this world is? Want to know what else Lan Sheng Ling will do? Want to know if Jing will tyrannically command Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s death? Want to know what other characters will appear? Ha ha ha, if you want to know, please await the second volume. Jing will bring the fans into another, colorful world!


    Because Jing was so tyrannical in the first volume, the second volume will be slightly more relaxed and warm, but there will still be occasional tyranny. He he, fans, continue to support o!

 Chapter 59 - Volume 2 - Chapter 1 Xue Yu Forest

    Volume 2  ¨C Chapter 1 Xue Yu Forest


    Underneath the sun and twinkling stars,


    I¡¯m able to see clearly so long as I have you.


    Opening my eyes, I touch the light,


    Without you, I¡¯d rather rest for eternity than of wake.


    As long as I can see you,


    I can traverse through the world.


    Looking up at you, I can¡¯t help,


    But to breathe you in and exhale air,


    This way, I can maintain my life.


    I left my Mother¡¯s body just to find you,


    Without you, I don¡¯t want myself.


    I want to mature and die in your embrace,


    This is my chosen fate. Xue Yu Country is located at the very northern-most part of the world. All year, it¡¯s weather is bitter cold. Despite the fact that Xue Yu Country has the most land within the three countries, it¡¯s economy wasn¡¯t prosperous. By comparison, Xue Yu Country was the lowest of the three countries. However, the other two countries didn¡¯t dare to wage war against Xue Yu Country mainly due to the fact that their weather was harsh and Xue Yu country had trained a formidable army! They were able to trek across the country, resist the cold, and could be said to be invincible; they were well-known within the three countries. Xue Yu¡¯s Emperor is called Dezhao and he had succeeded the throne thirty years prior, he could be considered to be a wise ruler. Emperor Dezhao has five sons and seven daughters. Following the ancient system, the crown prince was already set, he was the eldest prince. The difference between Xue Yu and the other two countries was that Xue Yu had a national teacher. The national teacher was so noble that they were even exempt from kowtowing. Xue Yu believed in the Snow God and the national teacher was able to communicate with the Snow God and convey it¡¯s wishes. Thus, even if Xue Yu lacks an emperor, it must not lack a national teacher!


    Xue Yu Forest was located in the country¡¯s most remote corner. Due to how frigid the climate was, traces of people were few and far between in the area. At the foot of the mountain, there were only ten or so households. Each of the families relied on hunting in the forest to sustain themselves. From here, the nearest town, Luoshui, took at least one day and night to reach. The ten or so families here would save a portion of the prey they hunted and each month, they would all set off to Luoshui to sell the animal fur and obtain daily products.


    Within the dense forest, the Snow Tree sported lush, green leaves as it thrived in the bitter cold environment. Little bits of snow rested on the tree¡¯s branches, but they were unable to bend the tree¡¯s straight branches and bark. Perhaps, the meaning of life was the same as this; unbending and tenacious, daring and struggling against fate¨C only then would one¡¯s own life be one¡¯s own. The more suffering there is, the stronger one must be, because the only person who can defeat you is yourself.


    This was a snow-covered world, but it was still a beautiful world that¡¯s full of energy and life. Suddenly, a white tiger appeared, tearing through the forest. Behind it, it brought along a frosty wind and scattered snow. Soon after, urgent footsteps and the sound of breathing emerged as a male soon appeared. His voice was rough and unsatisfied as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that I, Tie lao san [1], can¡¯t catch that big fellow! When I finally catch up to it, I must properly teach that fellow a lesson!¡±


    All around, taunting laughter was heard and it seemed to be directed to the person calling themselves Tie lao san.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you Lao san, don¡¯t come here to boast about yourself! Last time didn¡¯t you say the same about that wild boar? In the end, Xue gongzi had to act else you would¡¯ve been eaten by the wild boar!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha, that¡¯s right ah. Lao san, this time that white tiger is much more difficult than the wild boar!¡±


    Ten or so men appeared in the forest wearing humble, winter clothes made mostly of animal skins. The male leading the group appeared to be about forty years old. He sported a large beard that rested on his honest but wild face. At present, he wore a look of dissatisfaction as he looked at everyone around him; it was obvious that he was Tie lao san.


    ¡°Naturally I can¡¯t compare to Xue gongzi, but compared to you guys, I¡¯m the leader!¡± He wasn¡¯t boasting, before Xue gongzi appeared, it was he who knew where the beasts roamed and how to set up traps and trap them. But, Xue gongzi seemed to know much more than he did, leaving him, Tie lao san, feeling inferior. The two Xue gongzi¡¯s martial arts were exceptional, when they went hunting, it looked as if they were performing a dance. This was the first time he had seen someone so celestial looking, so naturally, he was happy to give up his title as King of Hunting to them.


    ¡°Okay, stop talking nonsense. That white tiger has already gotten so far away, do you want to catch it or not ah!¡±


    The ten or so people ran forward. Tie lao san took out the bow and arrow stored on his back and drew the bow, aiming it at the white figure in the distance. That was a rarely seen white tiger whose fur was bright white and even whiter than the snow on the ground. Tie lao san let go of the bow and shot his black arrow directly at the white tiger¡¯s thigh. ¡°Pu chi¡± sounded out in the forest as his arrow sunk into the skin. The white tiger howled out in pain and anger, but it still hung on and limped forward.


    ¡°Tie lao san, you¡¯re as good as ever ah! Your arrow skills are still so awesome!¡± Everyone surrounded him and praised his skills. Hardly modest, Tie lao san received all their praising words and proudly stated, ¡°Naturally, who doesn¡¯t know of my, Tie lao san¡¯s, arrow skills?¡±


    Then the group rushed forward. The white tiger was injured, so it was unlikely that it would be able to run far. Luckily, the white tiger they met today was young, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to succeed so easily. White tigers were quick and resourceful, making them a difficult catch. However, their fur was beautiful and even with a thousand gold coins, it would be difficult to buy some. If they were able to catch that white tiger, it would be enough for these few hunting families¡¯ to have food for the next month.


    With a cheer, the traveling hunters quickened their pace and followed along the bloody trail of footprints. At the edge of the forest, they saw the white tiger¡¯s figure. However, the few people didn¡¯t dare to step forward and disrupt the scene in front of them.


    A male wearing white clothes was currently squatting down and nimbly binding the white tiger¡¯s wound with his slender fingers. His head was tilted down as he focused on the task, making it impossible for the group to clearly see his face. His long hair was bound up and draped over his shoulder. It looked like an inky waterfall in the distance, that was both blurred and beautiful. On the outer corner of his eye, there was a tear birthmark, that looked like it was on the verge of collapsing, which added to his charm. Standing nearby was a male wearing purple clothes. He was silently watching as the white clothed man bound up the tiger. His eyes were pitch-black and a faintly discernible smile hung on his face.


    ¡°We want this.¡± The clear, cold voice cut through the frigid air and the white clothed male lifted his head. Exposed on his face was the same expression as the male standing nearby, except his felt looked more like that of a relaxed lotus. He lifted his slender finger and pointed at the left side of the forest, slowly saying, ¡°That, is for you.¡±


    Everyone looked over at where he was pointing and saw an immense, already dying, black bear! The black bear was easily three times the size of the white tiger! On the snowy floor, there was traces of blood everywhere, but there were few traces of a fight. Everyone shared looks of dismay at the shocking new advancement. Only Tie lao san was bold and walked closer to take a look. Nearing the black bear, he saw that it¡¯s mouth was unceasingly spitting out mouthfuls of blood, as if it had been slapped to death by someone!


    ¡°What, is it not enough?¡± The purple clothed man¡¯s seductive voice rang out, but it was laced with coldness and carried no emotion.


    Of course it was enough, how could a young, white tiger measure up to a majestic black bear?! They were obviously the one getting the upper hand in this situation. Tie lao san hurriedly nodded his head, ¡°It¡¯s enough, in fact, if Xue gongzi wishes to have the bear, you can have it as well.¡±


    His words were sincere. After the two Xue gongzi arrived, they had helped them with catching prey, making their lives many times easier. Not only that, the two Xue gongzi¡¯s were also experts in the healing arts. Whenever someone got hurt in the woods, it was always the Xue gongzi¡¯s who cured them. Each of the hunting families regarded these two Xue gongzi¡¯s with respect and fear. Although they were very kind, they were still quite cold and hard to get close to. By comparison, it was still Yi Yi that was good. She was beautiful and kind, and would even teach the children to read and write, free of charge. They were common people, where did they have the money to send their children to private schools ah? In their entire lifetime, they hadn¡¯t even seen pen or paper. However, for their children to have this opportunity, they were extremely grateful.


    ¡°Xue gongzi, nighttime is approaching, let¡¯s all head home now.¡± Tie lao san looked around before summoning the courage to open his mouth.


    However, the two beautiful male¡¯s were disinclined to pay attention to him. The white clothed male carried the white tiger and together with the purple clothed male, they both turned around and walked away, leaving only their backs to be seen.


    Embarrassed, Tie lao san scratched his head, but didn¡¯t pay much more attention to it. He was a simple person in the first place, so his heart didn¡¯t feel much toward their indifference. He felt that as such a simple person, he wasn¡¯t very worthy to speak to such celestial creatures. So, the ten or so hunting families split up into two rows and carried the black bear on their shoulders, heading outside of the forest.


    [1] Lao san ¨C I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s his ¡°rank¡± in the family, ex. He¡¯s the third (san (Èý) means three) child/son & Tie is the surname or name

 Chapter 60 - Volume 2 - Chapter 2 Golden Cover & Unshakeable Cloth

    Volume 2  ¨C  Chapter 2 Golden Cover & Unshakeable Cloth


    Dirt walls made up the base of the houses while Snow Tree bark was used as the roofs. In the small village, white smoke could be seen occasionally rising up from the chimneys whilst children joyfully laughed out loud, as well as the sound of studying, which accompanied their laughter. This formed into a tranquil and warm scene in the midst of the frosty wind.


    In the village was a newly constructed private school, which the hunting families had spent ten whole days building. Through the slightly opened window, a figure was standing inside the building. The figure was entirely wrapped in white, and they were holding a soft, fox fur coat. On her head, they wore a fox tail, which acted as a snow white cap. Her adorable cheeks were bright red as they were excitedly speaking of something. Sitting in front of her were ten or so children that were each about seven years old. The group of children was composed of girls and boys and all of their faces held inquisitiveness as they listened to their teacher tell a story.


    ¡°Therefore, good children never casually open the door and let Grandmother Wolf come inside. If that happens, the children will meet danger!¡± The girl¡¯s clear and pleasant voice intentionally carried a trace of danger as she warned the children. On the floor, the children nodded their head, half-understanding what she was saying, but they all knew that they didn¡¯t want to be like Little Red Riding Hood.


    ¡°Okay, now Teacher wants to teach everyone a song. Follow along and sing!¡± The jade-cut woman faintly smiled and hint of sweetness was distributed in the air.


    ¡°If you asked me what I would wish for after my death and what I would leave behind, I would reply:


    A good child on the earth, good children must listen and hold good thoughts.


    After all, I can¡¯t always be by your side and protect you.


    I¡¯ll give you a golden canopy and unshakeable cloth, da la da la.


    No matter how rugged the path is, don¡¯t feel afraid.


    I¡¯ll give you a good soul and kind intestines, da la da la


    No matter how beautiful the scenery you encounter, you¡¯ll still willing to share it with others.


    Yesterday night, I secretly told him of this remote opinion;


    The world only has two foolish children left


    Although foolish children are foolish ah, they¡¯re still kindhearted.


    ¡­¡­¡±


    A tender smile appeared on the woman as she enthusiastically sang her song. But unfortunately, a plump boy raised his chubby hand and timidly asked, ¡°Teacher, what is a golden canopy and unshakeable cloth?¡±


    Like a blocked tape, the woman¡¯s singing abruptly stopped and her eyes became wide open as she looked on awkwardly, ¡°This.. Is a type of outstanding martial arts skill that can protect you guys. That¡¯s right, just like that!¡±


    Very certain, the woman nodded her head while the expression on her face remained serious. But, before she could collect her bearings, a girl with an apple-shaped face raised her hand. She faintly bounced up and down in anticipation, causing her ponytail to wave back and forth, ¡°Teacher, do you really wish to give that martial arts skill to us? But, how come I don¡¯t feel any different from before ah?¡± The little girl seemed to be taking it all very seriously, as right after she asked this, she began to roll up her sleeve in order to check as to whether or not she had became a high level martial artist yet.


    Cold sweat formed and began dripping down from the young lady¡¯s forehead, this really was a difficult child ah! ¡°Actually, Teacher wasn¡¯t talking about a type of martial art skill.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it? How come Teacher has changed her story so quickly? You aren¡¯t trying to cheat us are you?¡±


    ¡°This, really is¡­¡± The young lady rubbed her forehead and tried her best to keep the smile from appearing on her face. She thought for a moment before she spoke again.


    ¡°Actually, every person has their own guardian angel. This angel can¡¯t be seen, but it¡¯ll stay by your side forever. In times of fear, it¡¯ll give you courage and hope! If you use the martial arts world to speak of this angel, it can be called the golden cover and unshakeable cloth.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, feeling a headache coming on. What nonsense was she spitting ah, she had really lost her mind this time. Hopefully she hadn¡¯t led these children astray, otherwise, it would be her sin.


    ¡°Then, there¡¯s a guardian angel by little girls¡¯ sides?¡± A little girl with goat-horn shaped braids raised her hand and expectantly asked the young lady.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, every person has one by their side!¡± A satisfied smile formed on the young lady¡¯s face. This group of children had finally been settled by her. It seems like she truly has the potential to be a kindergarten teacher ah! She seemed to have many prospects in this job, it seems like she had to continue developing it and achieve success ah!


    ¡°Ya (expressing surprise), it seems like our dads¡¯ have returned!¡± Xiao Pang [1] was looking outside the window and excitedly called out the news. When the other children heard him, it seemed like a pot had exploded. Immediately, all the children rushed out to see what prey their dads¡¯ brought back this time. Soon, the room had been entirely emptied and only the young lady was left sitting there, completely dumbstruck.


    Indeed, she had failed ah! She had thought that she had set herself up as an imposing teacher ah!


    ¡°Today, daddy defeated a large bear! Daddy is so awesome!¡±


    ¡°E! We can have yummy things to eat now! Next time, Daddy will bring maltose back for us!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hanging her head, the crestfallen girl brought the fox fur coat in her hands closer and couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was somewhat cold. In the midst of her pity-party, she felt a wave of warm breath engulf her. Without needing raising her head, she already knew who it was. Involuntarily, the young girl¡¯s mouth curved up and she threw herself in the other party¡¯s arms, closely hugging onto their shoulder.


    ¡°Ge has returned?¡±


    ¡°En.¡± His voice was light, like a soft breeze, but it carried an unmistakable trace of intense love. His slender figure and large, warm arms carried her petite frame and directly walked outside.


    Outside were the fathers¡¯ who were being surrounded by their wife and children. The children wore naive smiles as they shouted out praises and the entire town was filled with cheerful and lively yells. The scene was filled with a homely warmth. But, the group of three didn¡¯t feel any envy when seeing this scene, because they had a happiness that couldn¡¯t be entered by anyone else. Still carrying her, the two men faced the Snow Forest and began to walk into it¡¯s depths. Their home wasn¡¯t located where the hunting families¡¯ homes were, rather, their home lay in the depths of the Snow Forest, inside a remote cave. That was their home, a place that was remote and undisturbed by others. Gradually, the three people were further and further away the crowd of people. From behind, their figures seemed so harmonious and warm, making it evident that there wasn¡¯t room for another person.


    Both brothers walked side by side. Xue Yunge carried Gu Weiyi whilst Xue Zhuyue carried the white tiger. A trail of footprints followed behind them, one shallow and one deep.


    ¡°Ge, you guys caught a white tiger ah?¡± Her curious eyes landed on the white tiger resting in Xue Zhuyue¡¯s arms. Gu Weiyi extended her hand and was just about to pet it, but she was intercepted by Xue Zhuyue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Yi Yi, this white tiger has blood on it, don¡¯t touch it.¡±


    ¡°O.¡± Gu Weiyi retracted her hand, ¡°Why has gege caught him*?¡±


    Lightly laughing, Xue Yunge poked her nose and a doting smile blossomed on his enchanting face, ¡°So he can be a pet for Yi Yi ah. When gege isn¡¯t around, he can protect you and when it¡¯s cold, Yi Yi can hug it and stay warm ah!¡±


    Wrinkling her nose, Gu Weiyi said with a voice filled with discontentment, ¡°I don¡¯t want that, I want gege to be my golden cover and unshakeable cloth. How can this tiger be anywhere near as awesome as gege? And, it¡¯s hug can be as warm as gege¡¯s!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, gege is forever Yi Yi¡¯s golden cover and unshakeable cloth, we¡¯re Yi Yi¡¯s guardian angels ah!¡± How could she not be their guardian angel? Together, they protected and guarded each other. In this life, they were already extremely happy.


    Wasn¡¯t this Heaven¡¯s compensation to them? Everything was part of their past. Now was their new life, they no longer had different colored eyes, they had become ordinary people. In this remote place, they lead a simple and honest life. There was no more disorder nor were there discriminating or banishing eyes. As long as they could pass a lifetime living days where they woke up and saw that smile, then they would be delighted to do so.


    [1] xiao pang ¨C haha, his nickname translates to little chubby~


    *I¡¯m going to peg the white tiger as a male, since the author has changed it¡¯s gender so many times T-T

 Chapter 61 - Volume 2 Chapter 3 Yi Yi’s Charm

    Chapter 3 Yi Yi¡¯s Charm


    Warning mildly NSFW


    The cave was a lush, snow cave that was able to be concealed in this world of ice and snow. Lifting up the green vines and bringing Gu Weiyi¡¯s head closer into his bosom, Xue Yunge continued to walk inside. What first greeted the eye when they first entered the cave was that of a steaming hot spring. On the wall there were icicles of every size, decorating around the pool. Further inside the cave there was a large rock that Xue Yunge had already smoothed out so that it could act as a bed for the three of them. On the rock there were tiger and other animal furs sewn into a blanket. Beside the makeshift bed was a dressing table. On the dressing table, a block of ice was used as a mirror, in any case, it wouldn¡¯t melt. The snow cave didn¡¯t have many decorations inside, it was very simple. However, all the lush vegetation growing around combined with the varied types of flowers and the warm steam gently rising from the hot spring made the inside of the cave seem like it¡¯s own type of paradise.


    Perhaps it was because of the hot spring, but inside the cave, the temperatures weren¡¯t nearly as low as the ones outside, causing the inside of the cave to feel cozy and warm. Gently placing Gu Weiyi onto the bed, Xue Yunge took advantage of the situation and sat down next to her. At the same time, Xue Zhuyue put down the snow tiger in his hands and allowed it to go rest. Then, he directly took off his clothes and said, ¡°Ge, I¡¯ll go wash up first. Does Yi Yi want to come?¡±


    ¡°E.¡± A muffled voice sounded out. Gu Weiyi felt indescribably twitchy for some reason. Since a young age, she had been bathing together with gege. Even if she was a young lady now, they had never corrected this habit of theirs. As for herself, she didn¡¯t feel any embarrassment on her part either, she was already accustomed to this setup. It was just that, how could she, Gu Weiyi, be a great beauty? Her current body wasn¡¯t well enough and she didn¡¯t have any shapely features. Right now she was still young, she still had room to grow. But whatever she was supposed to have, she did have ah. Gege were two males ah, how could they not have any urges towards her? Was it that this body of hers really didn¡¯t have any enticing qualities?


    As she was gloomily pondering this question, she felt her body become cooler. It was Xue Zhuyue taking her snow white clothes off. The only clothing left on her body was a thin piece of clothing that clung to her frame. She let out a shiver and was immediately engulfed into Xue Yunge¡¯s embrace. She reveled in his body¡¯s natural warmth and sank into him, feeling infinitely comfortable. But when had Elder Brother shed his clothes? Now, he only wore a thin piece of undergarments as well. She looked at him and what greeted her was his long, inky black hair pooling over his shoulder. A small smile graced his alluring complexion. Her gaze traveled down and she was met with his jade-like chest. Heavens! Gu Weiyi¡¯s cheeks turned scarlet and she ducked her head down in shame. When had she become a lustful woman? Gege¡¯s body was truly beautiful ah!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Yi Yi? Why is your face so red?¡± Xue Zhuyue saw Gu Weiyi¡¯s appearance and curiously asked her. He lifted her head up and looked into Gu Weiyi¡¯s watery eyes and bashful blush. He couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and lightly press upon those cherry lips of hers. He smelt a light, fruity fragrance on her lips. They were so soft and hot. They were so sweet and so warm. When Xue Zhuyue¡¯s thoughts wandered, he couldn¡¯t help but pull Gu Weiyi closer and deepen their kiss. Tossing and turning, he followed along the edge of her lips. He gently licked her lips as she closed her eyes, her eyelashes gently fluttering with each touch. She felt both intoxicated and hysterical. Gu Weiyi had long since turned stupid by his kisses. A loud ¡®boom¡¯ rang in her head and her mind had already started turning foggy as she started feeling like she was burning up. Where did she have the strength to resist Xue Zhuyue¡¯s attacks? All she could do was limply rest in his embrace. And at this moment, she felt her waist being grabbed by Xue Yunge¡¯s hands!


    ¡°Yi Yi is biased and only kisses Yue. Gege also wants some!¡± A tone carrying slight complaining came from Xue Yunge¡¯s mouth. But, his face didn¡¯t have a trace of annoyance. With a slight turn, he came closer and his mouth latched onto Gu Weiyi¡¯s earlobe as he lightly licked it. Gu Weiyi¡¯s body lightly shivered as she let out soft cries. She lay paralyzed on Xue Zhuyue¡¯s body as the two tormented her.


    Heavens. How come she¡¯s in this state right now? Why was her heart beating so fast? And why did she feel like she couldn¡¯t breathe? Right now, all she saw was a pink dream in front of her. Her line of sight had long turned vacant.


    By the time Gu Weiyi collected herself, she found that gege had already carried her into the hot spring. By now, their eyes were no longer confused, like they were moments ago. Instead, their eyes were filled with a type of seriousness and purity as they used a soft piece of fox skin to wipe her clean. As they seriously bathed her, their eyes didn¡¯t hold a ripple in them. Gu Weiyi lazily rested on Xue Yunge¡¯s chest as her back was being cleaned by Xue Zhuyue. After a few moments of twirling her hair around her fingers, Gu Weiyi felt depressed again. She was like this now and they still didn¡¯t have any reaction? Just then, when they were kissing her, they were so passionate! Her little steamed buns were pressed again gege¡¯s chest, but he still turned a blind eye to them! She lowered her head and cast a sad glance over at her little steamed buns. They were really a tragic sight! No wonder gege didn¡¯t have any reaction!


    By now, Gu Weiyi had sunken deep into her thoughts again as she made herself feel more and more inferior. The more she thought about those steamed buns of hers, she felt more depressed. She was still small, so she should still have room to grow right?


    Seeing her sad appearance, an indulging smile appeared on Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue, who had been closely watching her the entire time. Their Yi Yi ah, was always this adorable. She was clearly so pure, but she wanted to pretend to be so experience; Her heart was so kind, but she still told herself to be ruthless. Perhaps because she knew that she was very softhearted that she always strove to remind herself that she shouldn¡¯t make any mistakes, else she would cause trouble for them! She understood them so well, so she was set on having herself become cruel just like them. She wished to do so just for the sake of being closer to them, to lessen the distance between their hearts. She was so headstrong. How could they not love or let this Yi Yi of theirs go?


    ¡°What are you thinking about Yi Yi?¡± His warm breath blew onto her cheeks and Gu Weiyi blurt out, without thinking, ¡°Thinking about me.. Nothing¡­ I have nothing!¡±


    How could she dare to say that she was thinking about when she would grow up? Gu Weiyi¡¯s face turned red and she quickly buried her head in Xue Yunge¡¯s neck. She didn¡¯t want them to see her in such a humiliating state. But, the shaking mass against her face told her that gegewas laughing at her. When she thought about that, she felt like she had lost even more face and further didn¡¯t want to come out.


    A large head softly stroked the top of her head, comforting her. Gradually, the hand moved down until it rested on her neck and lifted her scarlet-red face up. A light blush rested on her jade-cut face. Her large, gemstone eyes ripped with water, blurring her vision. The entire sight seemed exceptionally touching to the two brothers. Xue Yunge let out one last light laugh before leaning down to softly kiss Gu Weiyi¡¯s face. But once he started, he couldn¡¯t help but peck her over and over. Their Yi Yi ah, she was truly a treasure! Even Xue Zhuyue, who was still cleaning her back, lightly smiled as his movements became softer.


    The three quickly finished washing up and when they finished drying themselves, they walked back over to the bed. On the soft bed, the three of them embraced each other. One man was enchanting and the other was pure and lotus-like. They both possessed flawless faces This beauty of theirs was disaster-starting. The girl nestled in between their arms was the girl they endlessly chased, their true love. She was the goddess that gave them light and hope. At this moment, the expressions were all graced with happy smiles. As long as they had each other, their existence wouldn¡¯t feel so lonely.


    Closing her eyes, a ghost of a smile rested on Gu Weiyi¡¯s face. In the darkness, a tiny, pleasant voice sounded out.


    ¡°Ge, I love you.¡±


    The statement was said both softly and shyly whilst also maintaining a firmness to it. After saying this, Gu Weiyi felt satisfied and fell into a dreamless slumber. She missed seeing the tears fall down from two beautiful twins¡¯ eyes in the darkness. They felt that, for these four words, they would be willing to give up their lives.

 Chapter 62 - Volume 2 Chapter 4 I Won’t Be A Burden To You

    Chapter 4 I Won¡¯t Be A Burden To You


    [1/4] Chapter sponsored by Lore~ ?


    There was white snow as far as the eye could see. A few towering, black stakes had been driven into the snowy ground. This place was an extremely lonely place within Snow Region¡¯s Forest, for people rarely made their way over here. But, at this moment, the soft sound of footsteps could be heard approaching from the distance. Gradually, a snow-white, fox-skin clothed figure grew bigger and bigger as she neared the stakes. Her clothes were very thick, but despite that, her face was still red from the cold. However, she disregarded that and continued trekking forward. Following behind her was a bright white tiger. Originally this would¡¯ve been a ferocious animal, but it completely turned docile when following behind her.


    Stopping in front of the wooden stakes, Gu Weiyi let out a loose breath. She reached into her thick jacket and fished out a book. Flipping it open, she began to seriously read through it. She had spent a month to set up these stakes, nearly working until she was half dead. But in order to learn martial arts, she had to persevere it. She wanted to start from a simplistic stage, but she was well aware that her gege would never allow her to suffer hardship. Therefore, she secretly found some qinggong books. She trusted that the sky would give her the knowledge to be able to learn quickly. It was just that one needed to have a healthy and robust body when learning the basics. From birth, she had been a coddled young miss, so now that she wished to begin martial arts, she found that it was truly challenging. Not only was her strength not enough, but her bones were also considered too weak.


    But, even though this was the case, she still didn¡¯t wish to give up. As long as she could become strong, she would no longer be the weak point that only brought about disasters for them. This time, she definitely didn¡¯t want them to experience pain again. She didn¡¯t want to go through the same despair she felt in Blue Snow Stronghold again. After splitting mirror, the only thing she remembered was gege closely hugging her in their embrace. They all held on and refused to let go of each other, even in the face of death. It felt like a very, very long dream. After waking up, she didn¡¯t recognize any of her surroundings, nor did she recognize the endless Hell that people often spoke of. But, instinctively, she felt that she didn¡¯t need to fear. She knew that the people she loved the most would be by her side to always protect her. But, none of them knew why they hadn¡¯t died and instead had been transported to a world of snow instead. Later on, after they had met each other, they asked a couple hunting families and found out that they were in Xue Yu Country. They especially didn¡¯t know why gege¡¯s eye colors had changed into the same color as everyone else¡¯s¨C¨C black. She also didn¡¯t wish to investigate further. Although she was disappointed that she could no longer see their beautiful purple and green eyes anymore, to gege, this was a dream come true!


    This sort of life was peaceful, but they didn¡¯t know if it would one day be destroyed. In any case, if Lan Sheng Ling found out that they didn¡¯t really die, would they need to go into hiding for their entire life? Let alone to say that the hatred they witnessed Lan Sheng Ling had for them, on that day, wasn¡¯t something that could be easily forgotten! As long as Lan Sheng Ling lived another day in this world, they wouldn¡¯t be able to let their guard down for another day. And as for herself, she could no longer be the same carefree Gu Weiyi that she once was.


    She used these stakes to practice qinggong on. Every stake was spaced about one meter apart from each other. Every day, she would practice walking on these stakes. This would increase her endurance as well as her body¡¯s leaping strength. On her legs, she strapped a simple, mock sandbag using snow that weighed one kilogram.


    ¡°Cutie, go guard me, don¡¯t let others enter here, okay?¡± Gu Weiyi issued a short command to the white tiger, fastened the sandbags on her legs, and took off her thick jacket. Immediately after taking it off, the frosty wind slammed into her. Gu Weiyi couldn¡¯t help but let out a shiver as she rubbed her hands together. Lifting up her leg, she jumped onto the wooden stake.


    A meter¡¯s distance, to Gu Weiyi, who had a short body, was a very challenging distance. Gnawing on her purple lips, Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyes shone with determination. She wished to gracefully bounce from stake to stake just like a little snow bunny would. After jumping through a couple stakes in succession, a slight smile appeared on Gu Weiyi¡¯s face. Her current state was much better than when she had started. With confidence, Gu Weiyi felt a burst of heat fill her as she began to jump faster.


    As more and more sweat was collected on her forehead, Gu Weiyi felt her vision go blurrier and blurrier. ¡®Damn it, this body was still so weak, so she was quickly unable to endure the exercise.¡¯ She inwardly grumbled to herself. She had already fallen from the stakes multiple times. Luckily for her, the snow coating the floor made her landing soft, so she didn¡¯t suffer any injuries whenever she fell. Gu Weiyi was already tired to death. She lied down on her stomach atop the snowy floor, the icy feeling causing her to quake. She definitely couldn¡¯t relax or give up! Right now, she could already jump on ten or so stakes. Compared to when she started, when she couldn¡¯t even climb up one stake, she made great improvements. Right? She had to continue in order to get better achievements ah!


    Clenching her teeth, Gu Weiyi forced herself to get up from the ground and climb back onto the wooden stakes. She fell down multiple times, but the entire time, her little face was still filled with determination. She no longer wanted to be a princess in an ivory tower that needed others to protect her. Even though two were he beloved gege, she couldn¡¯t rely on them for an entire lifetime and become a burden to them.


    Looking up at the sky, she saw that it was nearing sunset. Gege had gone hunting and they should be returning soon. She prepared to head back to the cave with Cutie. Once she was inside, she would take a bath first before tidying up. She mustn¡¯t allow them to find out she was practicing martial arts. Gu Weiyi was massaging her sore body when Cutie walked up and rubbed it¡¯s soft fur against her shoulder, seeming to offer warmth and comfort. Gu Weiyi softly pressed on it¡¯s head and lovingly said, ¡°Cutie is really clever.¡± It had been a few months since gege had brought Cutie back. Although ge was the one who rescued it, Cutie clearly seemed to be most attached to her. It was said that snow tigers were the world¡¯s smartest animals, their intelligence could reach that of a six year old child¡¯s. Moreover, not only were they smart, they were also fiercely loyal. From the moment they recognized their master, they would closely follow their master for their entire lifetime. So, even though she was secretly practicing martial arts, Cutie was helping her, protecting her, and making sure nobody found out what she was doing. When she was first walking on the stakes, she would fall at nearly each step. Cutie was always underneath, ready to cushion her fall with it¡¯s body. But, it was obvious she was a little too heavy for Cutie, for each time it caught her, it¡¯s eyes would water, causing her heart to hurt when she saw it.


    Whenever it was below, ready to catch her, she would seriously concentrate and try not to fall. Over these past few days, her body was extremely sore and entirely covered in purple bruises. She was afraid of gege finding out so she began to refuse bathing with them, using the excuse that she was embarrassed and that she was already grown up. Instead, she would bathe before they came back and cover herself up with her pajamas. Then, she would sit and patiently wait for them to return. Although, each time, they expressed some doubt and loneliness, they didn¡¯t force her. But, each time, when she saw the loneliness and self-hate in their eyes, her heart would hurt even more. She wanted to tell them, but she didn¡¯t know where to start. She also didn¡¯t want them to see her current state and feel even more concerned for her.


    Cutie grew fast, it was already a formidable and majestic snow tiger. Bending it¡¯s body down, it indicated to Gu Weiyi to sit on it. She did so and soon, the two figures disappeared off into the distance, only leaving random footprints imprinted in the snow behind them.


    Steam rose up in swirls from the hot springs. Gu Weiyi was situated in the middle as she carefully cleaned every inch of her skin. Her originally jade-like skin had already turned green and purple with bruises. Not only were there bruises, but there were also traces of dried blood. Her feet was even worse off as they were already swollen. Even though she walked around carefully, she still felt large amounts of pain. It was because the weather was bitterly cold, adding onto that, her body wasn¡¯t able to adapt to the weather so quickly and as a result, she was already experiencing frostbite. By now, her small, jade toes were already extremely swollen. Gu Weiyi looked down at her body¡¯s pitiful state and her forehead wrinkled due to the pain, but despite that, her heart didn¡¯t hold even a hint of wanting to stop. Experiencing bitterness strengthened character. She understood that nothing came easily in this world.


    Taking out her self-made medicine and Growing Muscles and Meridians Syrup, she cautiously smeared it over her body. In order to prevent gege from smelling the scent of medicine in the middle of the night and raising doubts, she spent great effort to ensure that this Meridians Syrup had the smell of flowers. After ensuring that every injury of hers was accounted for, she wore her fur coat before throwing herself onto the fox fur bed.


    Because Gu Weiyi wasn¡¯t accustomed to eating just meat for all three meals of the day, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue would go out to town every one and a half months to bring some grains and vegetables back for her. And because they needed money in order to obtain these things, they would go out hunting every day and they would sell some of the animal fur for money. Aside from the animal fur, they would also sell some precious herbal medicinal plants that grew on Xue Yu Country¡¯s cliffs. Although their life now didn¡¯t compare to before, it was still filled with abundance.


    Gu Weiyi was sitting on the bed and silently reading a book about internal heart and merits when she faintly heard the sound of footsteps nearing the cave. It seems that gege had come home. She immediately set up and called Cutie over. Hugging it, she pretended she was playing with it, but in reality, her ears were listening to each and every sound.


    Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue walked into the cave carrying piles of stuff in their arms and their clothes were covered with ash. Outside of the cave, Gu Weiyi spotted a pair of horses that carried various foods. Gu Weiyi happily yelled, ¡°Ge¡¯s back.¡± After, she leaned forward, as if she wanted to immediately rush over. But, when Xue Yunge saw this, he immediately stopped her. ¡°Yi Yi, gege¡¯s bodies are cold, don¡¯t stand up.¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Gu Weiyi obediently responded. But she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. Her foot still hurt so much, how would she find the strength to rush over ah? But she couldn¡¯t let gege find out any abnormalities. Everything had to be the same as before.


    ¡°What did gege buy today?¡±


    Xue Zhuyue shrugged off his coat and tidied up the clothes he was wearing underneath before walking over to the bed and bringing Gu Weiyi into his embrace. ¡°We bought some everyday objects as well as some new snow clothes for Yi Yi. Do you want to see them?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, let¡¯s speak about it tomorrow. Ge, I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    Tenderly blowing on the tip of her nose, Xue Zhuyue took out a paper bag and took a warm pastry out. He then fed it into her mouth as a warm smile appeared on his face. ¡°Knowing that Yi Yi will be hungry, gege went to Magic Cloud Lane and bought some pastries for Yi Yi. Pad you stomach first, ge will quickly go make food.¡±


    The fragrant taste of the pastries lingered in her mouth as she happily nodded her head and swallowed them. She turned to Xue Zhuyue and kissed his white, jade-like skin.


    ¡°Gege is the best!¡± The shallow kiss Gu Weiyi left on his cheek left Xue Zhuyue with a joyful smile plastered on his face. Gu Weiyi continued to stuff her face. Today¡¯s practice really left her completely worn out. As she was eating, she was waving her hand over at Cutie, indicating for her to come over. Once Cutie walked over, she proceeded to stuff a couple pastries in it¡¯s mouth. They were good friends. If one of them had good fortune, they had to share it with the other.


    Putting down the things in their hands, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue occasionally glanced over at the pair acting like this and a faint smile graced their face, ¡°What does Yi Yi want to eat tonight?¡±


    ¡°Gege should choose. Regardless of what it is, as long as gege made it, Yi Yi will think it¡¯s delicious!¡± She sincerely praised. Gege¡¯s skills were truly incomparable! She had never known that their culinary skills were so good. Even the food she hated the most, the dreaded carrot, was able to be turned into a beautiful delicacy by them! Although though her words were somewhat exaggerated, they were still able to get her, an extremely picky eater, to like more foods. So her words were definitely not her trying to flatter them. Because she had no need to needlessly flatter them in the first place ah. In their eyes, regardless of what she did or how unreasonable she became, they would still smile and tolerate it!


    She really had no strong points ah. She didn¡¯t know martial arts, didn¡¯t know feminine arts (needlework), and didn¡¯t know how to cook. Gege was the one who always arranged everything. All she did was stand behind them and enjoy their pampering and arrangements. She had never before done something for them. She hated this about herself. She hated that she couldn¡¯t give them anything. They were the two people she loved the most. She also wanted to have the ability to protect them ah! Because she loved them so dearly, no matter how tiny she was, she would still do anything for them, regardless of anything. She was willing to give her everything. Intense power could also erupt from her small body.


    Looking at her two gege at the side, Gu Weiyi lowered her head to hide the longing tears that had formed in her eyes. In this moment, all the pain on her body already became insignificant. Cutie stepped forward and she tightly wrapped her arms around it. The snow tiger, whose spirit surpassed all others had concern showing in it¡¯s amber eyes. Their dinner consisted of four simple dishes and one soup that had been set upon the stone table. Gu Weiyi was nestled in Xue Yunge¡¯s embrace while Xue Zhuyue ladled soup and added food to her bowl. As Cutie was an animal, she didn¡¯t like to eat cooked food. Instead, she was obediently laying in a corner, grooming herself. Throughout the whole night, Gu Weiyi practically hadn¡¯t moved her hand at all. Instead, she was comfortably sitting there and eating the food Xue Zhuyue fed her. She had been this exact type of lazy person for ten years now. She had some doubts as to whether she was even able to fetch some chopsticks nowadays. For this type of pampered and happy existence, she would rather be a handicapped person for a lifetime than give it up.


    After dinner, the extremely tired Gu Weiyi soon fell into a deep sleep. The blush that was ordinarily present on her cheeks had disappeared and instead, a pale color graced her cheeks. Xue Yunge softly caressed her delicate cheek and softly said, ¡°Lately, Yi Yi has gotten a lot thinner and she gets tired much easier. It looks like her soul is exhausted. Could it be because she¡¯s not used to Xue Yu¡¯s climate? We¡¯re really useless. We can¡¯t even give her a steady life. Instead, we¡¯ve given her a great deal of pain. Yue, I really hate myself!¡±


    ¡°Ge, when don¡¯t I feel the same as well? Don¡¯t pile all the blame on your shoulders. Let¡¯s wait for a bit. Once we¡¯re done cultivating, let¡¯s go to Xue Yu¡¯s capital city and establish power there. It shouldn¡¯t be very hard for us to accomplish. But I definitely won¡¯t go back there!¡± Deep resentment and humiliation flashed across his eyes. How could Xue Yunge not know what he was referring to? He was the same, he also didn¡¯t want to go back to the same place that gave them both a lifetime worth of demons. Even though their strength there was enough for them to be able to walk down the road of revenge.


    ¡°En. Yue, we definitely won¡¯t hide in this little corner with Yi Yi for forever.¡± They wanted to give her the finest things, the best life, the sweetest pampering and emotion. They wanted her to become the happiest little princess in the world!


    Yi Yi was adorably curled up beside them. Her beautiful face, soft body, and enticing breath. To hold her like so every night and be unable to do anything was a special type of torture to them. But Yi Yi was so young, they didn¡¯t want her to experience any pain. They were willing to bear all the torture. They didn¡¯t want to see even the slightest crease form on her brows.


    ¡°Ge, I really want. Really want¡­¡±


    The sweet and scratchy voice was filled with repressed emotions. Xue Zhuyue bent his head and lightly kissed along her cheek. He really wanted her and was always crazy for her. But he felt pity and love toward her, how could he bear to hurt her? He dropped endless kisses along her neck and collarbone. He wanted to continue going down but he had been swiftly hit on the head by Xue Yunge.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough Yue, we can¡¯t right now.¡± This Yue ah, he always lacked self control.


    ¡°Ge, tell me this less. One night, I wonder who had gotten so excited that he nearly tore Yi Yi¡¯s close off!¡± The suggestive voice reprimanded. In the dark of the night, Xue Yunge¡¯s slightly red face was able to be spotted and he let out a low cough, ¡°That¡¯s enough, sleep!¡±


    ¡°Wrong Ge!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Standing up, he lightly undid Gu Weiyi¡¯s clothing. The frosty moonlight spilled into the room, letting the two of them see the bruised, purple skin hiding beneath her clothes. Soon after, they angrily, without losing their usual tender touch, tore off the rest of her clothes and looked at the traces of her tumbles on her skin. The bruises covered practically every inch of her snow white skin, looking especially sinister!


    Both anger and distress appeared on the two beautiful men¡¯s faces.  In the darkness, the two of them silently shared a look before putting Gu Weiyi¡¯s clothes back on. It was as if nothing had ever happened.


    The next morning, Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue stood on either side of her and they both lightly kissed her cheeks. They tenderly said, ¡°Gege is going to go hunting, be obedient Yi Yi. If you¡¯re bored, go find those children and play with them.¡±


    Obediently nodding her head, Gu Weiyi hugged Cutie¡¯s neck and replied, ¡°There¡¯s also Cutie. It can carry Yi Yi wherever Yi Yi wants to go. Don¡¯t be worried gege, just go!¡±


    They cast one last reluctant glance her way before picking up their weapons and hunting gear and walking out of the cave. Gu Weiyi watched them leave until their figures grew smaller and smaller before finally disappearing behind the horizon. Soon after, she straightened her body and got off the bed. After tidying things up, Gu Weiyi rushed to Cutie whilst yelling it¡¯s name, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    In one jump, she landed on Cutie¡¯s soft back. Cutie began rushing over to the back of the mountain. Gu Weiyi, who was too excited, didn¡¯t notice two slender and handsome figures emerging from behind some vines.

 Chapter 63 - Volume Chapter 5 God Sacrificer

    Chapter 5 God Sacrificer


    [2/4] Chapter sponsored by Lore~ ?


    Like usual, she fell down over and over again. But she didn¡¯t even wrinkle her brows. She was already used to it. Rather than hurting, she felt that it was actually quite funny. Moreover, she had walked for half an hour and had only fallen once, this already counted as pretty good. Patting the snow off her body, she stood up and smiled at Cutie, who was watching from the sidelines.


    ¡°Cutie, today I didn¡¯t do so bad!¡±


    As she said this, she was climbing back up onto the wooden stakes. Her forehead was beaded with sweat. Even if she took off her clothes, she wouldn¡¯t have felt cold. Not only was the current her more resistant to the cold, but she also felt more effortless when she walked. She could walk across this ground, which always had thick snow lying atop it, as if it was a level road. It wasn¡¯t like before, when one foot was deep in the snow and the other was shallow. She no longer needed gege to carry her just to be able to go back home. Her results after a month of training made her very happy.


    Thinking this far, Gu Weiyi felt even more energetic and she began to walk even faster. But she was completely unaware that all of her actions had fallen right into Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue¡¯s eyes, who were both hiding behind trees. They watched her body swaying as she tried to stay balanced on the wooden stakes, watched her tumbling onto the snow floor, and watched her clench her teeth whenever she fell. They thought of how abnormal she had been acting recently, how her body was filled with bruises, and how she refused to bathe with them. It must be because she was scared of them finding out about these injuries on her body! The woman they extremely spoiled didn¡¯t want to be their burden anymore and wanted to secretly become strong. Why did she always make them emotional and their hearts hurt? Why did she always make it so that had no other option but to dearly love her? Enough, it was really enough! If all the losses and humiliation they received in the past was able to be exchanged with her appearance, they would even be willing to experience more pain!


    They then forced themselves to turn around and leave. They understood. They no longer needed to treat her like a weak girl whose eyes needed to be covered and wings needed to be snapped. Since the beginning, they had put her behind them in order to shield her, making it so that she relied on nobody else but them. But this method was wrong. In the world of romance, nobody was someone else¡¯s dependent and one wasn¡¯t stronger than the other. They were the same, equal.  So even if she also wanted to be their guard, it wasn¡¯t that she was overestimating her abilities, it was just that she loved them too much, so she wanted to try everything.


    If Heaven¡¯s reason to give us life was just to meet you, then we¡¯re willing to give up the bitter hatred we feel for this world and only live for you.


    After returning back to the cave, Gu Weiyi was certain that Xue Yunge and Xue Zhuyue hasn¡¯t returned yet. Relieved, she untied her clothes and began to bathe herself. After she finished bathing, she climbed onto the bed and hugged Cutie while thinking about the afternoon¡¯s class. She had agreed to be the childrens¡¯ teacher, so she couldn¡¯t back out now. She wanted to be warm to them and teach them how to behave themselves. Everyday, she would recite a story before teaching them how to read. This didn¡¯t require much effort on her part. In any case, it was really quite boring everyday here in Xue Yu country¡¯s forest.


    What story should she tell? Lying on the Ice to Fetch Carp? Teaching the children to respect and love their parents and to understand filial piety was good to teach the children. Picking up a piece of paper and homemade pencil lying on the dressing table, Gu Weiyi began to write down what she remembered of Lying on the Ice to Fetch Carp. After writing the story down, she also made some notes and explanations to the story. Unknowingly to her, time had flown away.


    A warm breath tingled the edge of her ear and Gu Weiyi let out a slight laugh, ¡°Ge has returned ah. Right now I¡¯m doing this afternoon¡¯s lesson plans and explanations. Can you tell me if it¡¯s good or not?¡±


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    Before she could react, Xue Yunge pulled her into his embrace and tightly hugged her. With his strength, she was barely able to breathe. With great difficulty, Gu Weiyi returned his hug and disconcertingly asked, ¡°Ge, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    There was no response. Gu Weiyi felt a twinge of anxiety but still allowed him to hug her as she carefully pacified him. Gege had always been strong and unwavering. In front of her, they had never shown any weakness, making it so she never had to feel anxious about them. How come this time, she was able to clearly feel the intense emotions boiling around in their hearts? It was complex, making it hard for her to figure out.


    Strangely enough, Second Brother wasn¡¯t here. Gu Weiyi felt some doubt. Their actions were very strange today ah!


    Just as Gu Weiyi was worrying about this, she heard Xue Zhuyue¡¯s voice traveling closer to them. She looked up and saw his white clothed self walking over to them. ¡°This afternoon, you need not go teach the kids. Gege has already requested a leave for you.¡±


    ¡°Request a leave? Why?¡± She asked, confused. What was up with gege today? They were acting so strange.


    ¡°Today, gege won¡¯t go out hunting. We want to accompany Yi Yi.¡± Xue Yunge responded, his head was currently buried in her neck as he tightly hugged her, making his voice sound a bit stuffy when he responded. Accompany her ah? Gu Weiyi felt her some happiness flood into her heart. Even if they did nothing but hug each other in bed all day, she would still feel happy!


    After a good while passed, Xue Yunge released his hold on Gu Weiyi and sat up. His seductive, purple eyes were no longer. Instead, in their place, were a pair of black eyes that felt like a pool which was impossible to swim out of. After silently looking at Gu Weiyi for a couple moments, Xue Yunge hesitatingly said, ¡°Does Yi Yi want to practice martial arts?¡±


    The color of Gu Weiyi¡¯s face immediately changed and she timidly asked, ¡°Ge, you guys knew?¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect that they would find out so quickly. She was even worried that they would oppose her choice and would even think that she was hurting herself. They loved her dearly and didn¡¯t want her to suffer any hardships. Practicing martial arts required a lot of physical strength and they were worried about her body being unable to bear it!


    ¡°Ge, I want to learn martial arts. I don¡¯t want to be a burden on you. I don¡¯t want to be the ignorant woman who only knows to hide behind you two. I want to become strong, so much so that I can protect you two!¡± She stared right into Xue Yunge¡¯s eyes as she firmly stated this. As long as she became strong, she had no need to fear consequences. Her original idea to live as a rice weevil had already been destroyed by reality. In this strong eats weak world, the existence of something weak was impossible. She no longer wanted to be the simple and ignorant Gu Weiyi. She already clearly saw this fact.


    In her dark eyes, there was a strong presence of determination. Xue Yunge saw this and clearly understood that her determination was for them. In that case, what reason did they have to continue shielding her hidden radiance? She was originally supposed to be a phoenix that soared into the highest of the heavens. They should no longer hide her away in the dark and neglect her brilliant wings.


    ¡°Gege consents. Gege also wants Yi Yi¡¯s protection!¡± Xue Yunge murmured to her, his smile especially soft. Xue Zhuyue stepped forward and carefully took off Gu Weiyi¡¯s shoe to expose her swollen and ulcerated jade feet. Great distress immediately engulfed his weak lotus and pure face.


    His slender hands reached forward to softly caress her injuries. He also lowered his face to drop a couple warm kisses on them. This was their Yi Yi ah!


    Love wasn¡¯t about possessing and shackling someone. It wasn¡¯t about constantly thinking about ones personal gains and losses. Once you believe in love, you should unhesitatingly trust and care about each other. Because romance made everyone at an equal status ah! You belong to me just as I belong to you. We¡¯d be willing to pay our life just to protect the other.


    With their romance being like this, how could they measure love? Perhaps a three-person romance, for others, was painful. But for them, apart from romance, there was also the affection that made it feel as if their bodies and souls were connected. This taboo was something the secular world couldn¡¯t make any sense of. But even if it was like this, they wouldn¡¯t give each other up. They loved each other so much it hurt. But even so, everything seemed to turn insignificant the moment they hugged each other.


    . . .


    Xue Yu Country was bitterly cold all year. It was the country that never experienced spring. But the people here loved snow. They even believed in a Snow God. Rumor had it that the Snow God had silver hair and blue eyes. Because the Snow God was female, she also earned the nickname Blue Eyed Snow Woman. It was precisely Snow Woman¡¯s protection that kept Xue Yu Country alive for so long. So long as there was Snow Woman, everything in Xue Yu would be doing well. And the Teacher of the Nation was the Snow Woman¡¯s messenger. The Teacher of the Nation was the sole individual who could communicate with the Snow Woman and deliver her divine instructions, thus making them sacred messengers. Because of this, the Teacher of the Nation¡¯s status was very high up. But apart from the Teacher of the Nation, Xue Yu also had someone who offered sacrifice to the God. Their sole role was just to offer sacrifices to the Snow Woman.


    Castle-like courtyards and white, wide, dome-shaped buildings towered above the ground, making it all seem especially magnificent and mysterious. This was located in Xue Yu¡¯s capital, Lin Lang. Apart from the God Sacrificer, nobody could enter this building without the Teacher of the Nation¡¯s permission. Even the Xue Emperor couldn¡¯t enter this shrine¨C¨C Plucking Star Pavilion. After passing through several magnificent and complicated lofts, one would appear in front of the Teacher of the Nation¡¯s study. Passing by the slightly opened window, one could spot a slender figure sitting behind a desk inside the study. His silver hair looked like snow and his jade-like fingers were flipping through a navy blue book.


    In the enormous Plucking Star Pavilion, apart from a couple of servants who waited upon the Teacher of the Nation, there weren¡¯t many other people. This place was sacred and no ordinary person could just enter. All the people who served the Teacher of the Nation were all girls of marriageable age. Apart from waiting upon the Teacher of the Nation, they also were expected to serve him in bed.


    Every ten years, Plucking Star Pavilion would select beautiful girls of marriageable age, from Xue Yu, whose conduct also fit that of a servant. Moreover, only ten girls would be picked each time. To be able to serve the Teacher of the Nation was the dream of all girls in Xue Yu. In front of the Teacher of the Nation, even Xue Yu¡¯s most beautiful girl would be ashamed of her appearance!


    Hurried footsteps sounded out and accompanying them was a girl¡¯s weak, begging voice, ¡°God Sacrificer daren [1], the Teacher of the Nation is currently very busy. Could you please come again tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Go away!¡±


    In one swoop, he pushed the weak woman in front of him away. The expression of black clothed youth, who wanted to break the door down, deepened. But he was unable to deny the fact that he still thought this woman was beautiful, even when he was angry. She had an elegant and slim face, fair skin, mild eyebrows, and a pair of bright eyes that looked as if they were made of black crystals. But, the viciousness lurking deep in her eyes ruined eyes that would¡¯ve otherwise taken breaths away. The man possessed exquisitely soft skin and cherry pink lips. If he changed into women¡¯s clothes, this youth would turn out to be an exceptionally beautiful person. The woman who had been pushed aside by him and fell onto the floor and her thin wrist began bleeding. It was obvious that the youth had used too much strength. Unexpectedly, even when facing this beautiful person, he lacked any tender feelings for the fairer sex. But, even though the woman was injured, she still didn¡¯t give up and hugged the youth¡¯s leg.


    ¡°God Sacrificer daren, nubi [2] is begging you!¡± The Teacher of the Nation was currently reading. On ordinary days, he loathed whenever someone made a racket during his reading time. If she allowed God Sacrificer daren to enter, it would be her that would lose her job. But, she also couldn¡¯t go against God Sacrificer daren because he also possessed a majestic status. How could her, an insignificant female, contradict him?


    ¡°Alright God Sacrificer.¡±


    A voice that sounded as comfortable as a soft breeze was heard alongside the sound of a door swinging open. The two of them swiveled their head around and saw a white clothed male walking out. He possessed a head full of shiny, silver hair that looked like snow. When he turned his head and exposed his features, a beautiful face appeared.


    No matter who the person was, when they saw such an appearance, they would inevitably feel moved. He possessed a beauty that was indescribable. He had tilting, sword eyebrows that flew into his temples, silver, heavenly eyes that were like the stars in the night sky, giving off a mysterious and enticing feeling. He had white jade-like skin; a straight, up-turned nose; slightly pursed red lips. Nowhere on his entire body was there not a beautiful feature. He was like a gust of wind, bringing warmth to people, but by the time they turned around, he was already gone. Even though he was so warmly looking at you, it still; felt so endlessly barren.


    You could only look at him from afar, you couldn¡¯t go touch him ah!


    He seemed to not see the youth¡¯s obvious impatience and anger painted on his face. Instead, he focused his attention on the fallen servant. Bending down, he fished out a hand towel and wrapped it around the woman¡¯s injury. His gentle movements and rapt attention caused the woman¡¯s face to flush as she looked up at him with an infatuated stare and her heart bursting with feelings. Not only was the person the most admired in Xue Yu, he was also the God in this little servant¡¯s heart ah!


    ¡°Qian Ya Mu!¡± The impatient voice sounded out from the cold youth, who was currently clenching his teeth. His voice surprised the woman, who immediately returned back to reality and stammeringly said, ¡°God.. God Sacrificer daren.. How can you.. Directly yell out the Teacher of the Nation¡¯s formal name!¡± Not only was this a great disrespect, it was also a serious crime ah. The Teacher of the Nation could directly deal with this disrespectful person, he could even directly overlook Xue Yu¡¯s laws when he did so! Did God Sacrificer daren no longer want his life?


    ¡°Alright.¡± Finished with tending to her hand, the Teacher of the Nation, Qian Ya Mu, smiled and stood up, ¡°You may leave first.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at the hand towel wrapped around her arm, the woman felt both happy and timid. She cast one more glance at him before reluctantly leaving.


    As she was departing, she failed to see that the perfect, God  in her heart¡¯s eyebrows were slightly wrinkled. She also failed to see him taking out another hand towel and wiping his hands before throwing it out without a second thought. He acted as if he had come across something filthy.


    The beautiful youth looked on with a disdainful smile, his eyes filled with ridicule. Such a fake person ah. In this world, who wasn¡¯t like this? It was so nauseating, it made people sick!


    ¡°Our great Teacher of the Nation is truly very good-natured and universally loving ah!¡±


    Not understanding the youth¡¯s tanting, the male¡¯s face was still as calm as before. So much so that it would even make people think he was gentle. He faintly opened his mouth, his voice as clear as water, ¡°Does God Sacrificer not have any important matters when coming to my humble office today?¡±


    ¡°Heng, Qian Ya Mu. You still dare to act in such a manner the provokes the Heavens and makes others sympathize for you. I can¡¯t stand your fake good-naturedness! Furthermore, don¡¯t call me God Sacrificer!¡± Pain and hatred shone in the youth¡¯s eyes. Heng, the so-called God Sacrificer was so precious to everyone else.


    But he couldn¡¯t see it! It looked so high up, but it was nothing but an offering. He had to endure that sort of change, bear endless torture, and endure unlimited loneliness. If he could choose to, he would become an ordinary person, even if he had to sacrifice all his esteemed identities. He didn¡¯t want to go and be someone who had no future and would become a sacrifice!


    Qian Ya Mu¡¯s expression still didn¡¯t change, nor did he get angry over his disrespect. He merely opened his mouth and faintly replied, ¡°This is your destiny.¡± His beautiful, red lips spit out words that acted like a silent dagger, which pierced right into the youth¡¯s heart. It was just this pain that he couldn¡¯t bear.


    That¡¯s right, this was his destiny. The fate he couldn¡¯t outrun! He entire existence was just to be a sacrifice. He didn¡¯t have his own sense of identity, all he did was live for others. He enjoyed endless respect and riches, but it all wasn¡¯t the freedom he yearned for.


    The study was serene and simple without losing it¡¯s elegance. Neatly arranged on bookshelves were all precious books, each of them a collector¡¯s item. Sitting behind the desk, located near the window showcasing the garden, Qian Ya Mu watched the calm-faced youth in front of him. The room¡¯s atmosphere faintly indicated an underlying tension that was practically about to burst.


    ¡°I want to remove my destiny to be a God Sacrificer!¡± At last, his words left his mouth. In his beautiful eyes, there was firm determination that he held onto. Despite any possible outcomes, he wanted to be a normal person and travel the world. He didn¡¯t want to be confined to a shrine, acting as a lonely guard. ¡°You truly have such a determination? Regardless of everything? Even if it results in death, you still want to remove your fate of being a God Sacrificer?¡± Qian Mu Ya slowly said these words. It sounded like he was trying to entice the youth, but his words actually carried an undercurrent of threat in them. The beautiful youth hesitated for a moment before he resolutely nodded his head.


    ¡°Teacher of the Nation, you¡¯re Xue Yu¡¯s most respected senior, you definitely know how to get rid me of my fate.¡± Tightly pursuing his soft, pink lips, the youth¡¯s face flashed with unwillingness and humiliation. His two hands tightened. ¡°I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    He was begging him. He had already used up all his strength. For his freedom, he was willing to give up his pride and dignity. Even it it made his arrogant heart shudder, he didn¡¯t regret it.


    The beautiful, immortal-like man looked at the unyielding youth before him. His lips flattened out and a cold smile streaked through his eyes. His red lips slightly opened to spit out some enticing words.


    ¡°If you desire so.¡±


    . . .


    In the dense forest of Xue Yu, one by one, little spheres spread throughout the snowy ground, bringing a new sort of vitality in this frozen world. Listening to the soft rustle of falling snow as they spun and danced around the snowy floor was a type of romantic thing.


    In the middle of Xue Yu forest, two white figures flashed and disappeared. It was so fast that, if seen by others, they would only think they were hallucinating. It was merely the snowflakes left flying behind them that affirmed something had really just passed by. The quick, white figures were like a burst of wind. In the open air, there was the clear sound that sounded similar to a bell ringing, leaving behind an echo.


    ¡°Okay Cutie, it¡¯s here, let¡¯s rest.¡±


    A foot lightly touched down, onto the ground. A tiny branch supported the weight of a white clothed female, but unexpectedly, it didn¡¯t make any motions of moving. With her wide sleeves fluttering, a woman¡¯s figure carefreely moved about, seemingly like a snow fairy, free of dust. A pair of slender hands loosened it¡¯s hold on the tree and a figure soon jumped down from a branch and directly onto a white tiger¡¯s back, her face completely filled with leisure.


    In front of her was a snow mountain with hundreds of trees growing atop it. Because this mountain was so far out, Gu Weiyi felt that she wouldn¡¯t have even known of this place¡¯s existence if she hadn¡¯t been running around everywhere in an effort to practice her qinggong. Although the scenery here was the same in all four directions, the one strange part about this place was that the trees growing here were exceptionally thick. Ignoring the snow, the trunk of the average tree here was approximately ten centimeters wide. Furthermore, a strange substance even coated her hands when she touched it.


    She flipped her palms over to take a closer look and saw a glossy, black lump in her hands. Upon closer inspection, she noticed fine vein lines on it. Regarding this thing, Gu Weiyi felt somewhat anxious in her heart. But her anxiety was mixed together with a type of excitement. Wasn¡¯t this coal?


    Unexpectedly, there was coal buried here! Emotionally stirred, Gu Weiyi quickly bent down and dug at the snowy ground with her hands. Cutie doubtfully looked at her actions, but nevertheless, she still went over to help her. Together, the two of them used two or four limbs, respectively, to dig at the snowy ground.


    Sure enough! Sure enough it was exactly as she thought! Underneath this patch of precious land, there was coal mine that had been sitting there for who knew how many years ah! Gu Weiyi was so excited she nearly shouted out. With this precious piece of land, they would no longer needed to be scared of any future catastrophes.


    The entirety of Xue Yu could only rely on burning logs to keep warm. But, now that she had a coal mine, then based on her knowledge and gege¡¯s strength, if she wanted to monopolize Xue Yu¡¯s energy industry or even become the richest person, it was entirely possible. Countless ideas began to flood into her mind, just like snowflakes forming and falling to the ground. Gu Weiyi¡¯s eyes glistened and shone. If her plans were actually achieved, heavens ah.. Such immense attraction. Unexpectedly, it actually moved her usually cheerless heart.


    Right now, she had to go back and really think about how to form a strong castle and nation for herself and gege. So strong that even the world¡¯s imperial powers wouldn¡¯t be able to move it. The current her was no longer a helpless woman whose hands were bound. After a hard two years alongside geges¡¯ meticulous guidance, she was no longer the same person as before. This time, she didn¡¯t want to be a burden to them. She didn¡¯t want to get played and killed by others! Thinking of that warm breeze-like and tender male, she recalled how he faintly smiled as he died in her embrace. Gu Weiyi knew that he would never disappear. He was buried in her heart with untouchable pain and grief.


    Those bitter experiences weren¡¯t forgotten, it was just that she didn¡¯t bear to recall them. She was scared of pain. Scared of herself turning into a person whose heart only held hatred. Scared that their tranquil life would be shattered. But she no longer needed to avoid it. Their life had always been filled with danger. Two years prior, they lacked any ability and time. In that case, just let everything start now. She would establish a power that could contend against that person. For the former humiliation and pain they forced. For that passed life. For her heart, who didn¡¯t have time to express her apologies and grief.


    I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry. But, I don¡¯t love you.


    Curbing her sorrowful thoughts, Gu Weiyi forced herself to smile. If she let gege know that she felt distress on Mu Yalun¡¯s behalf, the two of them would definitely feel hurt and would eat vinegar [3]. Regarding the fact that he died for her, gege were grateful, but they were also rejecting toward it. That¡¯s right ah, he was someone who Gu Weiyi began caring for, but he was a male, so he was their enemy. Even though he was already dead, he still held a place in her heart, he still occupied some remote corner. They wished that apart from themselves, her heart held no others. That intense desire to hold all her heart was because they were still scared she would leave. Scared that the thing they grasped in their hands was nothing but air.


    But she didn¡¯t know how to displace their restlessness. She wouldn¡¯t blame them for harboring doubts though. It was just that they dearly loved her. Even though they already possessed her, they couldn¡¯t help the fear that they would no longer see her one day. This was their fear. It was a fear that developed from their childhood. What reason did she have to go and question their love ah?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go Cutie.¡± Right now, she no longer had the time to grieve. Furthermore, she had nothing to grieve about. Weren¡¯t they already together? Therefore, she had to cherish these precious moments of happiness ah!


    After practicing martial arts with gege for two years, Gu Weiyi was the strongest at qinggong. This qinggong was what she had taken a few years prior, Cloud Dance. It had earned it¡¯s name because it was just like lively dancing on clouds. Apart from that, she also learned some quanjiao [4]. It was an assassin¡¯s technique for it had the ability to take someone¡¯s life. It could also allow someone to gain the upper-hand in just one move. Fortunately, she had studied medicine and poisons, so she knew the human body¡¯s most important parts, joints, and positions. If she met someone with violent intentions towards herself, it was no longer a difficult situation. Learning from the last time, she started to point countless types of poisons all over her entire body. In any case, both her and gege were immune to the most common poisons, so they had no need to worry. Her weapon was the unexpected needle. It was as fast as a bullet and administered poison when it met it¡¯s target. She was certain that nobody could escape from her clutches.


    This time, there was no room for kindness nor innocence. Since gege were the only two people she cared about, whether everyone else lived or died had no association with her. She would no longer tolerate such a weak way of going down. She, Gu Weiyi, had never been an angel.


    Gege were no longer concerned about her going out alone. Surrounding them were nothing more than simple, hunting families. Apart from some violent animals in the woods, nothing else was a threat toward her. Speaking of internal strength, Gu Weiyi brought Cutie and hurriedly flew over to a hole in the ice.


    Emotionally stirred, she wrote down her thoughts on a piece of paper. Gu Weiyi¡¯s heart was so exceptionally moved as she thought of the grand occasion in the future, she couldn¡¯t help but feel motivated. Such a way of thinking already overcame her initial dream of being a rice weevil. In this moment, she could understand a bit of Lan Sheng Ling¡¯s thirst for power.


    But, with a cold smile on her face, a glimmer of ridicule flashed through her eyes. She, Gu Weiyi, didn¡¯t plan on owning power. Owning power would only lead to being confused by the power¡¯s enticing outer appearance. She wanted to hold power in the palm of her hand, completely being able to toy and clap as she wished. This way, she would be able to arrogantly laugh at the entire world!


    [1] daren ¨C a title of respect used to address seniors/superiors


    [2] nubi ¨C meaning ¡®slave servant¡¯


    [3] eat vinegar ¨C be jealous


    [4] quanjiao ¨C Chinese boxing; translates literally to ¡®fist and feet¡¯