The atmosphere between the two people was silent for a moment.
Just at this moment, the sound of the drums and gongs came closer, and the bustling crowd on Dragon Gate Road slowly started to split into two.
The dragon dance group had arrived.
Under the night sky, the lanterns were magnificent, eight massive golden dragons were under the magnificent lanterns on Dragon Gate street, flying up and down, fighting fr a dragon pearl ahead. Nimble as a living dragon, men, women, elderly and children smiled, sang and clapped, following the golden dragons.
Qiu Yutong stood along the large street, staring at Lu Xiao who was opposite him, hesitating slightly for a moment
Just now, when the dragon dance troupe came, the crowd noisily parted to the sides. He took advantage of the chaoticness of the people and crossed the street.
There was no time, before tonight, he had to find San-Shixiong.
Previously, in Daning Palace, San-Shixiong said, he would only stay in the capital till the end of the Lantern Festival, which was also tonight. If he missed this chance, it would be very hard to find another suitable chance to return to North Snow City.
Lu Xiao stared rigidly at the retreating back, lightly shutting his eyes, slowly clenching his fists.
He used so much strength that the veins on the back of his hands protruded out.
The wound caused by Night Rain on his palm had not healed fully today. Using this strength caused the wound to burst open again. Thick and warm fresh blood dripped down the seams, splattering against the stone floor below, yet he didn’t feel a thing.
So, you still want to leave.
So, you never wanted to acknowledge me.
So, even if you were flogged, even if you had to kneel in the snow… you aren’t willing to call me just once, Xiao-er.
When you travelled the mortal world, saving and helping me, was it all only for righteousness?
… Then what about me? What do I count as?
……
Qiu Yutong walked past a few alleys and quickly reached the start of Juanlian Alley. He hesitated for a bit before walking in.
Juanlian Alley was also extremely lively tonight. With exquisite lanterns were hung everywhere. On these lanterns were drawn many pictures that would cause people to blush. Many people* were walking around, unusually lively. Occasionally, there were the soft and intimate voices of women, enthusiastically greeting Qiu Yutong.
[T/N: This phrase used here can mean many escorts of that nature or the birds and the bees.]
“This Young Master, come in for some fun.”
“Young Master, this servant has been waiting for you for so long!”
“Aiyah, this Young Master, come to this sister’s place.”
Qiu Yutong did his best to evade the slim arms of these women and braced himself to continue forward. Not long later, he came to the front of a small building. He looked up. The words, “Yanzhi Pavillion” were written flexibly on the board.
That’s right, it’s here.
At the doors of Yanzhi Pavillion sat a married woman who was still attractive despite her age. When that married woman saw Qiu Yutong, her eyes lit up slightly as she tenderly said, “Young Master, is it your first time? Allow this sister to accompany you, how about it?”
Qiu Yutong’s scalp went somewhat numb as he stammered, “I didn’t come here to play, I came here to find someone.”
The married woman’s expression sunk for a bit and her originally tender voice raised, “Find someone? If you have the ability then manage your family’s man yourself, why are you coming to this old woman’s* place to find someone?!”
[T/N: A very self-important way to address oneself.]
Qiu Yutong, “…”
This face had changed too quickly, even faster than those cultivators from Shu prefecture.
Seeing Qiu Yutong’s hesitant demeanour, the married woman rolled her eyes then suddenly reached out and pinched Qiu Yutong’s cheek, “However, based on your looks, even if your man doesn’t want you, this sister’s Yanzhi Pavillion will welcome you, okay?”
Qiu Yutong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He brushed off her hand then pushed open the curtain and walked inside.
“Aiyah, another customer’s here!” A few prostitutes in the hall came over. The dense and greasy fragrance of cosmetics could cause people to get drunk.
“Atchoo! Atchoo! I’m not here to play…” Qiu Yutong sneezed a few times in succession, but he didn’t dare to stay for long. He pushed against them, afraid that he would push against the wrong place as he did his best to walk towards the stairs.
However, after he had painstakingly pushed out of the crowd and stood at the stairs leading to the second floor, he paused suddenly.
Which lady was San-Shixiong with?
Lady Xiang Xue? No, he had already changed people… Qiu Yutong hesitated for a long while but he still couldn’t remember.
What should he do? Don’t tell him that he had to search the rooms one by one?
It’s fine if it was a teahouse, but this place…
Even though Qiu Yutong didn’t understand worldly wisdom, he knew that in such a place as Yanzhi Pavillion, he should never knock on each door.
But it was very late then, after Zishi*, Sam-Shixiong will have left.
[T/N: 11pm – 1am]
If not, he only had this way.
Qiu Yutong clenched his teeth and stopped hesitating. He jumped out of a window at the end of the corridor and lightly landed on the ridge of the roof.
Pain came from his back and more than half of his wounds split open. But Qiu Yutong didn’t care about that, he half knelt on the roof and hesitated for a moment before carefully uncovering a single tile.
Below was an empty room without anyone.
Qiu Yutong released a breath.
After that, he walked lightly ahead a few steps and uncovered another tile.
This time, there was a charming and attractive youth in the house, standing beside the bed as he shed his clothes.
Qiu Yutong blinked, complaining in his heart, with such a face, he still had to visit and prostitute?
In the next moment, a large hairy hand extended from behind the bed curtains, grabbing onto the youth’s slender waist, strongly pulling him in. Not a moment later, the youth’s hands came out again, clutching the bed curtains so tight that his fingers were white, hoarsely crying out, “Ah…”
Eh, Yanzhi Pavillion didn’t only have ladies.
Qiu Yutong finally understood, flushing with anger as he covered up the tile.
Heavens, what exactly was he doing here?!
But, but… since the situation had reached this point, he had to find San-Shixiong!
Qiu Yutong silently stood on the roof for a moment, bracing himself carefully before he gently uncovered a roof tile.
This room was very clean, a tiny lamp was on the table where two people sat.
An old fellow with a goatee opened his mouth, “Is there still no news from that side?”
Another lean middle-aged man said lowly, “Be at east, Lord, the target has entered the trap, soon.”
Qiu Yutong was stunned, “Target?”
He vaguely remembered that this was the secret jargon in the mortal world that referred to a person they wanted to deal with or someone they wanted to rob.
The man with the goatee muttered, “The target didn’t bring the imperial guards this time, and that strange sword is also broken. We have numbers, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”
The lean middle-aged man said, “This time, the prince, in order to be sure of success, sent out eight topnotch expert criminals*. The target is only one person, he’s definitely not their opponent.”
[T/N: The raws mean expert martial artists from the Jianghu that are also criminals which is too long.]
Strange sword? Prince?
Qiu Yutong vaguely understood something and frowned deeply, paying careful attention.
“This chance was hard to obtain, we cannot fail again.” The old man with the goatee murmured.
“Lord can be reassured, the target has been bewitched by the male pet the prince sent. He didn’t bring a single imperial guard, only that male pet.”
“En, but we still have to be careful.”
“Naturally.”
When Qiu Yutong heard this, he couldn’t help but feel a chill at his back.
The lean man exclaimed again, “The prince is extremely clever, sending a male pet to entice the target, making him leave the palace by himself, this is extremely smart! Mister, you* planned out the whole strategy, your contributions won’t go unnoticed!”
[T/N: Polite you]
“After this is done, you all also have some merits.” The old man with the goatee nodded.
“Come, this lowly official will first toast to the future Grand Secretariat!
“Do not speak nonsense.”
“How did this one speak nonsense, Chen Siru merely uses his power to bully others. Once the prince ascends the throne, seeing how much he values you, the position of Grand Secretariat will be yours sooner or later.”
“I don’t dare.” The man with a goatee smiled slightly and the two of them clinked their glasses.
Qiu Yutong lightly pursed his lips.
Looks like the information that Lu Xiao had gone incognito for a tour had somehow been found out by Prince Jin, and Prince Jin is extremely daring, actually sending out eight topnotch expert criminals to seize this opportunity to kill Lu Xiao.
What should he do?
There was still an hour before it was Zishi. If he missed this timing and didn’t find San-Shixiong, it would be very difficult for him to return to North Snow City… And those eight criminals may not be able to deal with Lu Xiao.
But, but…
Qiu Yutong clenched his teeth and twirled down the roof, heading towards the capital!
He forcefully circulated that insignificant amount of spiritual energy in his body, enduring the acute pain in his back and followed the streets, doing his best to head to the place he had left. He was suddenly extremely terrified, if, if…
Dragon Gate Street, the lanterns were splendid and the golden dragon was dancing wildly.
Lu Xiao had his hands behind his back, standing at the place he left, staring at the eight golden dragons flying about, with no expression on his handsome face.
Eight golden dragons, eight experts…
Qiu Yutong suddenly figured something out and shouted, “Hurry up and move!”
Just at that moment, eight black-clothed people suddenly tore open the dragon heads, eight shining long swords, like eight sharp arrows with ear-piercing whistles as they shot through the sky, thrusting towards Lu Xiao!
Qiu Yutong casually took some scholar’s sword and recklessly raised the spiritual energy in his body, and flew up in a circle!
“Chi——Chi——Chi——Chi——”
“Chi——Chi——Chi——Chi——”
Nine Questions Swordplay, Third Question, Questioning Plum Form.
“Merciless Falling Flowers*,” no one could stand against it.
[T/N: The raws, 落红, actually refers to the blood on the first night of a marriage. It can also mean falling flowers.]
After eight soft sounds, the throats of the eight black-clothed people, sprayed out fresh blood that covered the sky.
They simply stared disbelievingly at Qiu Yutong——how could such a sword technique exist in this world?
But, they didn’t have a chance anymore. After asking that question, they could only slowly fall onto the ground, one after the other, dying with grievances.
Eight golden dragons without their heads also loudly fell to the ground, giving rise to frightened cries from all around.
At the same time, a short burst of cheering came from a distance, large fireworks sored into the sky, bursting out into splendid and glorious golden flowers that covered the entire sky of the capital.
Night of the lantern festival, Zishi.
Under the incomparably dazzling fireworks, Qiu Yutong was like a weightless feather, gently floating down from the night sky.
As he had used up too much spiritual power, he couldn’t help but stagger when he landed. He forcefully leaned against his sword, before he was able to stand up.
He gasped for breath as he slowly lifted his head. His long deep black hair was in disarray, his white clothes were dyed through with fresh blood. Even his silk-white lower jaw had been polluted with a few drops, as if a god of killing had descended onto the world.
“Murderer, murderer!” Everyone cried out in alarm and scattered in all directions.
Not a moment later, a ring of ten metres around Qiu Yutong became empty of people.
Except for Lu Xiao.
On this completely messi Dragon Gate street, Qiu Yutong stood in the middle of a bloodpool, lightly gasping as he stared at Lu Xiao who was standing a few metres away.
Lu Xiao stared silently at him.
Their eyes met.
At that moment, Qiu Yutong suddenly figured something out, and his pupils abruptly shrunk.
“Shizun,” Lu Xiao gazed at him, finally gently speaking those two words.
Qiu Yutong lifted the bloody dripping long sword and seemed to have difficulty speaking, “You… did you recognise me long ago?”
Lu Xiao stared deeply at him and didn’t answer.
But his silence said everything.
“You did it on purpose, you had long recognised me and you obviously knew there were assassins… you knew I would come back. You’ve always been laughing at my expense, you were playing me… Qiu Yutong murmured.
Lu Xiao blinked his eyes as if he were enduring something, his voice so hoarse that it was almost unrecognisable, “I didn’t know.”
And this “I didn’t know”, he (QYT) didn’t know what he (LX) meant. Was it that he “didn’t know” there were assassins, or that he “didn’t know” whether Qiu Yutong would come back.
After that, Lu Xiao spoke again as if to himself, so softly that it seemed only he (QYT) could hear. “I only… wanted to know.”
Qiu Yutong didn’t utter a word.
He pursed his lips tightly, then looked down at the eight ice-cold corpses in disorder, feeling extremely unwell.
Every single move he made recently, in front of Lu Xiao, was simply just like a comical clown. He had been made to run in circles by his disciple, and even ridiculously did his utmost to come back and save him… Lu Xiao making such a fool of him, what did he (LX) take him (QYT) as?
Lu Xiao stared at him and slowly walked over.
Qiu Yutong unconsciously lifted the longsword in his hands and shouted lowly, “Don’t come over!”
Lu Xiao acted as if he didn’t hear it and walked over the bloody ground. Under the sky full of red fireworks, slowly and firmly walked towards Qiu Yutong, as if there wasn’t anything under the heavens that could stop him anymore.
He stood in front of Qiu Yutong then grabbed the blade of the longsword with his bare hands and pointed the sharp end of the sword at his own chest.
He said softly, “Xiao-er knows his wrongs. If Shizun is unhappy, he should finish me in precisely one stroke.”
Qiu Yutong stared blankly at the sword in his hands. His swordplay was incomparable under the heavens, but he would never point it at his own people. Yet at this very moment, this bloody dripping blade was pressed against his little disciple’s chest.
He was suddenly absent-minded, what exactly was he doing?
Lu Xiao closely watched Qiu Yutong, as if he were carefully judging his expression. Then, he, extremely slowly, took half a step forward.
The sharp end soundlessly penetrated his chest. On that moon-white cloth, a dark bloodstain slowly appeared, incomparably unpleasant to the eyes.
Qiu Yutong’s extremely steady hands suddenly trembled slightly.
The longsword clattered as it suddenly hit the ground.
“Don’t be like this,” he said roughly.
As if he couldn’t hold back anymore, Lu Xiao took a step forward and ferociously pulled Qiu Yutong into his embrace.
His entire body couldn’t help trembling. His arms were like iron hoops, firmly locking in the frail person in his arms, as if only that tiny warmth in his arms was able to support the continued beating of his heart, the continued movement of his blood, his continued… life.
Being trapped in his firm embrace, Qiu Yutong was struck dumb.
Lu Xiao immediately felt something and gently looked down, covering up the dark hungry wolf in his eyes, then slightly relaxed his hold. He muttered in an aggrieved manner, “Shizun… why were you gone for so long?”
At that moment, he seemed to have become the child in the snow once again.
