Chapter 33: Chapter 33: A Night of Peril
Chapter 33: A Night of Peril
As night fell, Lin Shuying leaned against Qin Luo’s chest in the quiet room and murmured softly, "I was... he did that to me..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Luo couldn’t help but chuckle. "Since you’ve already undergone marrow cleansing, you certainly cannot conceive a mortal’s child... unless..."
"What?" Lin Shuying breathed a sigh of relief.
"There is a lost method said to make cultivators extremely fertile," Qin Luo said, frowning slightly.
"It’s good that it’s been lost..." Lin Shuying murmured, leaning closer into Qin Luo’s arms once more.
"Oh, right—there is actually another way." Qin Luo suddenly thought of something, but he noticed Lin Shuying’s breathing had already become steady and even. Looking down at the sleeping beauty in his arms, he shook his head gently and blew out the candle by the bed.
Just moments earlier, the sight of Lin Shuying’s body after being taken by Bai Feizhang had stirred something in Qin Luo. He vaguely felt as though he had reached the fifth level, and an urge to draw his sword and practice surged within him. A beam of moonlight quietly fell upon the withered branch by the window.
Qin Luo held the warm, soft figure in his arms and was about to drift off when he suddenly heard the sound of tables and chairs being knocked over downstairs.
He extended his divine sense slightly and was startled. In an instant, he rolled out of bed.
Still half-asleep, Lin Shuying sat up with her shoulders slightly exposed. "What’s wrong?"
"Get dressed and leave!" Qin Luo urged.
Lin Shuying reacted quickly. Though she didn’t know what was happening, she dressed as fast as she could.
"What about you?" she asked.
"It’s too late for me," Qin Luo replied, his brow furrowed as the sound of footsteps grew clearer from below. "Nine lanes in Bianliang, three households to the south. Take Bai Feizhang and meet me there."
Seeing the rare nervousness on Qin Luo’s face, Lin Shuying knew there was no time to hesitate. She grabbed the sword by the bedside and gave a firm nod.
"Take care!" Her eyes welled with tears. She had never seen Qin Luo so anxious before.
Qin Luo only relaxed slightly when he heard Bai Feizhang’s surprised exclamation from the next room, confirming that Lin Shuying had already taken him and escaped through the window. The footsteps downstairs were now approaching rapidly.
As soon as Qin Luo looked up, a figure smashed through the wall sideways, shattering the wooden round table in the room.
"Young... Young Master..." Through the bloodied face of the fallen man, Qin Luo recognized Zhao Qingshi—the loyal disciple of White Cloud Palace who had been secretly escorting him.
"Quick... go..." With his final breath, Zhao Qingshi spat a mouthful of black blood and fell still.
Before Qin Luo could mourn, a dangerous aura surged toward him. He dodged instinctively as a stream of true qi brushed past, nearly grazing him.
"Hehe."
A soft laugh echoed. Two men in black—one fat and one thin—walked through the newly created hole and entered the room.
"I hired a few third-level cultivators as bodyguards," the thin man dusted himself off and said with a sneer. "It seems White Cloud Palace really looks down on us."
Since descending the mountain, this was the first time Qin Luo had faced such immediate danger. The previous men in black had not come for his life, but these two clearly had. Even from a distance, Qin Luo could feel their sinister killing intent closing in.
"Who are you?" Qin Luo asked, buying time now that Lin Shuying and the others had escaped.
The two men seemed unconnected to the earlier attackers. Otherwise, with their superior cultivation, they would have easily sensed the escaping group.
Or perhaps... they wanted to kill me first before chasing after her.
"Catching the Wind."
"Catching Shadows."
The two spoke slowly and confidently, looking at Qin Luo as if he were already dead.
"Why use nicknames when you’re just out for a stroll?" Qin Luo teased, still trying to stall.
"Hehe, you’re the first person I’ve seen with such a mindset while facing death," the thin man, Bu Feng, laughed. He clearly had no interest in wasting more words. He slowly pulled a soft rope from his waist and flicked it through the air. Though the motion looked weak, it produced a sound like thunder.
"It’s still uncertain who will die today..." Qin Luo pressed his hand against the withered branch at his waist. True qi flowed around him as gusts of wind stirred. He prepared to use the Autumn Sound technique once more.
A soft sound rang out, but Qin Luo suddenly found he could not draw the branch. Glancing down, he saw that Bu Feng’s soft rope had already wrapped tightly around the hilt.
There’s something strange about that rope! A flicker of panic crossed Qin Luo’s eyes.
"You think you can kill with just one move of Autumn Sound?" Bu Feng sneered.
"Do you dare take a sword strike from me?!" Qin Luo provoked, knowing the two were at least at the sixth level.
"Do you think this is child’s play?" The silent Zhuoying finally spoke. He pulled out a spiked club and advanced with a cold grin.
In that moment, everything became clear to Qin Luo. These two had come prepared. They must be connected to the man in black from the temple.
With a whistling sound, Zhuoying’s spiked club came crashing down. Qin Luo dodged, but the club still grazed his shoulder with brutal force, sending him flying from the second floor all the way to the ground floor.
Amid the scattered tables and chairs, Qin Luo struggled to his feet. The two assailants leaped down after him.
Bu Feng flicked his long rope, and Qin Luo hurled the withered branch toward the door in response. The pain in his shoulder was excruciating—the spikes had pierced his skin despite his defenses. It felt as if his bones had been shattered.
"My brother spared your life, yet you repaid kindness with enmity. You deserve to die!" Zhuoying leaped forward again.
Another heavy blow struck Qin Luo’s chest. He spat out a mouthful of black blood and fought to stay upright. Though his true qi was nearly depleted, he still tried desperately to summon the withered branch.
A faint rustle came from outside the door, but there was no further response. Bu Feng watched Qin Luo’s death throes with amusement and withdrew his rope. "Two sixth-level cultivators plus a magic weapon—your death was worthwhile."
Qin Luo could only shake his head and smile bitterly. Facing two sixth-level experts with almost no treasures left, today truly seemed like his end.
"Who... is your master...?" he panted, leaning against a broken table.
"Go ask him in the underworld," Zhuoying sneered, raising his spiked club high. His eyes gleamed with vengeful pleasure.
"Die!"
As the club slammed down, a deafening roar erupted. Qin Luo opened his eyes in shock. A massive hole had been smashed in the opposite wall. He turned his head with difficulty, and his eyes brightened with hope.
In the chaotic inn stood a burly man calmly brushing dust from his shoulders. He looked at Bu Feng with a stern gaze.
"White Cloud Palace has more than one disciple."
Bu Feng’s expression changed drastically. The golden light swirling around the young man filled him with terror.
"Great!" Qin Luo exclaimed with joy.
"Senior Brother." Da Niu looked at Qin Luo, his stern expression softening instantly.
"Don’t move yet. Let me kill these two bastards to avenge you."
The disheveled Zhuoying slowly rose from the rubble, staring at Da Niu in confusion. He had never heard of White Cloud Palace taking in another disciple.
Da Niu glanced at Bu Feng, then walked straight past him and stood before Zhuoying.
Enraged, Zhuoying raised his spiked club. "Such arrogance!"
Da Niu smiled faintly and closed the distance in an instant. Before Zhuoying could gather his true qi, a powerful punch slammed him back into the ground.
Dust billowed up. Da Niu shook his head in disappointment as he looked at the crater. "Too weak... Smashing rocks would be more satisfying."
Bu Feng hesitated, his golden soft rope useless against such brute strength. Seeing Zhuoying powerless, he thought of fleeing.
Another punch landed. Before Zhuoying could recover, he was driven into the ground again. Bu Feng knew he was no match and turned to run.
But as he spun around, he froze. A stunning woman in white was gracefully approaching.
Who is this?!
A powerful surge of true qi instantly enveloped him, rendering Bu Feng completely immobile.
"Mother!" Qin Luo struggled to his feet. His wounds were already healing at a visible rate.
"Thankfully, I wasn’t too late."
Nangong Muyun smiled gently, her voice ethereal and melodious.
"Master!" Da Niu grinned, pointing at the pit where Zhuoying lay. "Should we kill him?"
"Kill."
At Nangong Muyun’s command, Bu Feng trembled violently.
Nangong Muyun had descended the mountain too!
Bu Feng’s face paled. The two brothers’ luck had run out.
Da Niu grabbed Zhuoying by the shoulders and lifted him into the air.
"Who... are you...?" the broken man mumbled.
"The second disciple of White Cloud Palace."
Da Niu poured his strength into his grip. A deafening roar echoed as he tore Zhuoying apart with raw power.
With graceful steps, Nangong Muyun approached Qin Luo. The sight of the white-robed fairy with a loving expression, set against the bloody mist behind her, was both beautiful and terrifying.
"After reaching the fifth rank, the Azure Dragon Technique grants even stronger vitality," she said. Qin Luo looked down and saw his shattered shoulder had already healed.
He waved his arm experimentally and found the bones completely intact.
"Master, what about this one?" Da Niu asked, still eager as he approached Bu Feng.
"Let him go." Nangong Muyun helped Qin Luo up.
Though disappointed, Da Niu obeyed. He turned and smiled brightly at Qin Luo. "Senior Brother, was I good?"
Qin Luo was surprised by his mother’s decision to spare the man, but he didn’t press the issue while still recovering.
He soon noticed something unusual about her attire. Though she wore her usual plain white dress, a thin layer of soft fabric now covered the normally open front. Faint black marks were visible on her slightly exposed chest. Qin Luo frowned but said nothing.
"Let’s head to the capital first," Nangong Muyun said, motioning for Da Niu to carry Qin Luo on his back.
...
This battle caused an uproar throughout the lower realm.
After so many years, people finally remembered the unsung woman behind Qin Zheng—the white-robed sword immortal whose strength was unfathomable.
That night, disciples of White Cloud Palace scattered across the world received a secret order of just six words:
The Palace Master has entered the mortal realm. Prepare for war.
