To have Xuan Xiao commit suicide was, of course, something Xuan Xiao refused. The Dali Temple constables, led by Luan Wen Cheng, made the first move. However, Zhuge Qing Feng was a step behind, stepping in front of Feng Luan and shielding her.
The reward he had sought for the pill he gave Huan Er that day was to protect Luan Wen Cheng and the others, not to act as their muscle. Although the Myriad Cave Tower had some reputation in the martial world, and its vice-leader was a formidable character, if Luan Wen Cheng and the others attacked together, even if they couldn't defeat Xuan Xiao immediately, they wouldn't be routed by Xuan Xiao and his servant. It was a back-and-forth struggle, with each side gaining the upper hand in turn.
Xuan Xiao's weapon was a long whip, tied to his waist. With a casual flick, the whip uncoiled from his waist and flew towards Luan Wen Cheng's face.
Luan Wen Cheng blocked it with his sword, the soft whip colliding with the blade, emitting a sharp, grating sound.
The servant beside Xuan Xiao took something resembling a short blade or a firearm from his懷. He pulled the ring hanging from the bottom of the object, and silver needles shot out like a torrential rain towards Luan Wen Cheng and the others.
It was the Thousand Branch Tree, a hidden weapon.
The silver needles were coated with poison. A mere touch would cause the poison to attack the heart, leading to death. Zhuge Qing Feng swung his long saber, its blade spinning, deflecting the silver needles with clanging sounds.
The skirmish lasted only a moment, and Luan Wen Cheng and his men were forced back. Xuan Xiao and his servant stood on either side, their clothes not even ruffled.
The Dali Temple constables are truly useless!
Nan Shiying drank her tea, scoffing inwardly. It was no wonder they were being pressured to this extent by the Ghost Sha Sect. Possessing intellect but lacking martial prowess was like a child holding a deadly weapon; they could kill, but only the weak and frail. Faced with a strong adult, they were merely prey.
She put down her teacup and tapped the table.
A white figure leaped out, and Xuan Yi attacked Xuan Xiao with his sword.
Xuan Yi's swordsmanship was incredibly fast and fierce, the resulting gale forcing Luan Wen Cheng and the others to retreat. The servant flew forward to block, but his hidden weapon was immediately flicked away by the sword's tip. Xuan Xiao kicked off the table edge, sending a stool flying backward with it. He whipped out his long whip, which moved like lightning, its afterimages appearing due to its speed.
The whip, carrying a gust of wind, was dodged by Xuan Yi. It struck the ground, instantly breaking the wooden floor in two. Splinters flew, hitting one of the constables in the face. He felt a sharp pain, and hot liquid began to flow.
Xuan Yi's sword lunged directly at Xuan Xiao's face, while the whip coiled back, sweeping from the ground towards Xuan Yi's spine.
Xuan Yi did not turn to block, but instead thrust his sword forward, pushing the tip a few more inches towards Xuan Xiao's face. In this situation, it was a contest of who was more willing to risk it all.
Was it more worthwhile to have their throat slit or their spine shattered by a whip?
A hint of madness flashed in Xuan Xiao's eyes.
He did not retract his hand or whip to block the sword that was about to pierce his throat. Instead, he gambled everything, determined to shatter the opponent's spine.
Zhuge Qing Feng, watching the two lunatics intent on trading their lives, instinctively glanced back at Feng Luan.
She remained calm and indifferent, as if nothing in the world could stir the depths of her heart. Even if the sky were to fall the next day, she would maintain this serene demeanor.
Zhuge Qing Feng felt that she was not only a devil but also a complete madwoman.
The sword's edge grazed Xuan Xiao's neck and pierced his chest, while Xuan Yi firmly grasped the whip. Under the whip's arc, his palm was torn open, but compared to Xuan Xiao's life-threatening injury, it was so minor it was hardly worth mentioning.
"Master!"
The servant, whose ribcage had been broken by Xuan Yi's kick, struggled desperately to crawl towards Xuan Xiao. Xuan Xiao pulled out the sword embedded in his chest, stepped on the ground, grabbed the servant who was crawling on the floor, and fled out the door.
Xuan Yi dropped the whip and pursued them with his sword.
The air was thick with the smell of blood. Nan Shiying fanned herself with a hint of disgust. When the waiter came out, he stared at the broken tables and chairs and the floor in the hall, his eyes widening almost out of their sockets.
Wh-what happened? He had only just gone into the kitchen, and their inn was almost torn down?
In his panic, the waiter still remembered to deliver the dishes to Nan Shiying's table. Seeing that the master and servant had disappeared, he had a clearer picture. The panic in his expression subsided considerably. He forced a smile and began to introduce the dishes to Nan Shiying: "Divine Physician Feng, this fish was caught from the river today. After catching it, we didn't kill it immediately but kept it in a water缸. We filled the缸 with seven parts water, then added two parts wine. Once the fish was drunk to death, we gutted it, cleaned it, and steamed it directly. During steaming, we added spices like star anise and coconut, making it not only fresh and sweet but also with a hint of wine's mellow fragrance." m..oΓg
Seeing that the waiter seemed to be oblivious to the surrounding mess, Zhuge Qing Feng scratched his scalp. After his introduction, he suddenly felt that the food he had just eaten was not fit for human consumption.
He took a breath, inhaling the aroma wafting through the air.
Hiss, it smelled so good!
Nan Shiying took the chopsticks handed to her by the waiter and picked up a piece of fish. As he had said, it was fresh, sweet, and fragrant, leaving a lingering aftertaste. She nodded in approval and even praised, "Good."
With just two words, the waiter felt immensely honored. His face flushed, his back straightened, and his hands trembled slightly.
"I'm glad you like it," he said in a booming voice, then turned and returned to the kitchen to prepare more food. His stride towards the kitchen was less like going to the kitchen and more like a general who had gained military command marching towards his barracks.
It was… quite absurd.
Not long after, Xuan Yi returned to the inn. His sword was stained with blood. He went to the counter, wiped the blood off with the cloth on the counter, and then walked to Nan Shiying's side, kneeling and apologizing: "Your subordinate has failed to fulfill his duty and did not manage to sever the villain's head. I await your punishment, Master."
Nan Shiying's eyelids lowered slightly, as if she hadn't heard or seen anything. She picked up a piece of crystal-clear meat, put it into her mouth, chewed slowly, and swallowed. She then put down her chopsticks, picked up her teacup, and took a sip of tea. The taste of the food was neutralized by the tea, leaving only the aroma of tea in her mouth. Nan Shiying then slightly turned her head, looked at Xuan Yi kneeling on the ground, and her voice was neither loud nor soft, impossible to discern her mood, light and airy, without any weight, yet something seemed to subtly emerge in the air, pressing down on everyone, making it difficult to breathe.
"The person isn't dead?"
"I await your punishment, Master!"
Xuan Yi lowered his head, holding his sword with both hands.
Zhuge Qing Feng loosened his collar but still felt suffocated. His eyes were fixed on Feng Luan. It was through her that he clearly understood, for the first time, what "presence" meant.
Compared to Zhuge Qing Feng, Luan Wen Cheng and the others' faces had already turned pale.
Even the powerful ministers in the capital did not possess such a commanding aura.
In a daze, Luan Wen Cheng thought that the person sitting before him was not the divine physician Feng Luan, but rather the young and powerful Regent Ji Jin Mo of Lin Yuan, who controlled the imperial court!