Chapter 55
On seeing that the person with the bloodied face is not Hua Wu Que, Tie Xin Lan may have heaved a sigh of relief, but seeing this person who is more vicious than wolves, seeing this cruel but strange scene, she can’t help but start shivering.
Luckily she saw Hua Wu Que immediately! Hua Wu Que was now standing far away beneath a tree opposite Wei Huang Yi.
Every vein and muscle in his body is tensed up, his pair of eyes staring unblinkingly at Wei Huang Yi’s pair of hands. Although both of them stood there motionless, but such a situation is more tense than anything else. Even Tie Xin Lan, who was standing on a cliff far away, was almost breathless from the tension.
Suddenly Wei Huang Yi roared madly and leaped towards Hua Wu Que! Although he now has no eyes to see, but he can listen with his ears! This leap is not only incomparably fierce, but the direction extremely precise.
But right at this time, Hua Wu Que’s right and left hand both flicked a piece of stone, while he himself burrowed under Wei Huang Yi’s body with lightning speed! With a crack, a tree that was wider than a face basin which was behind Hua Wu Que was broken by Wei Huang Yi’s body! He actually did not collapse, but with a jump, turned back again.
He turned his head left and right, and laughed eerily, “Hua Wu Que, I know you are there, you cannot escape. Today neither of us shall leave here alive, I want to die here with you!”
Actually he has no idea where Hua Wu Que is. Hua Wu Que is opposite him, but his head unconsciously turned left and right.
Looking at him, Tie Xin Lan felt both fear and pity, if not for the fact that Hua Wu Que is still not out of danger now, she really cannot bear to continue watching.
Obviously Hua Wu Que could not bear it too, and can’t help but sigh, saying sadly, “I really cannot bear to strike against you, I would advise you to…”
Wei Huang Yi suddenly jumped up and roared, “I do not need your pity, I… even if I cannot find you, I do not need you…” He could not continue his words, but he started beating his own chest, his mouth emitting a quiet humph, although he was not crying, but it’s ten times more piteous than crying.
Tie Xin lan actually can’t help but weep as she witnessed this scene. Even if Wei Huang Yi is the world’s most evil and cruel person, she still cannot bear to see him endure such suffering. She can’t help but sigh, “You better leave quickly, I know that Hua… Master Hua will never stop you.”
Wei Huang Yi laughed hoarsely, “Leave… don’t you know that the followers of Wu Ya, rather be killed than humiliated…”
Amidst the mad laugh, he suddenly leapt up with all his strength, straight towards Tie Xin Lan who was on the lower cliff, and laughed sinisterly, “You should not have talked, although I cannot kill Hua Wu Que, but I can kill you!”
Tie Xin Lan is already stunned by his mad look, and did not know how to evade him at all.
Before Wei Huang Yi finished his words, he is already on the cliff, his steel like arms clutching at Tie Xin Lan, laughing madly, “Even if I die, there must at least be one other to accompany me!”
Tie Xin Lan only felt as if her body is breaking, that face flowing with fresh blood, that two bloody black holes, is right in front of her, she was so shocked that she could not even scream!
Suddenly there was a ‘puff’, and Wei Huang Yi’s mad laughter broke off suddenly, his arms suddenly slack. He took half a step back and plunged down the cliff.
Hua Wu Que is already in front of her. Tie Xin Lan could not take it any longer and threw herself into Hua Wu Que’s arms, crying loudly.
Hua Wu Que caressed her hair and said sadly, “I could not bear to kill him initially, I…”
Tie Xin Lan cried bitterly, “I was wrong, I should not have spoken, or else you won’t have to force yourself to kill a sightless person. I… why do I always make a mess out of things.”
Hua Wu Que replied gently, “Do you think you’re wrong? You’re just too soft hearted, you’re not at fault, you only want to do everything well. You’ve tried your best.”
Tie Xin Lan said through her tears, “You’re always so good to me, and yet I… I…”
Hua Wu Que dared not look at her any longer, he turned his eyes, lowered his head and stared at the body of Wei Huang Yi beneath the cliff. He heaved a long sigh and mumbled, “The followers of Wu Ya, what formidable followers of Wu Ya, Jiang Xiao Yu, can you handle them?”
With just a passing sentence from him, he changed the subject to Xiao Yu’er.
Tie Xin Lan’s body really trembled, the gratitude and feelings she felt in her heart for Hua Wu Que, really turned into concern for Xiao Yu’er immediately.
Hua Wu Que sighed, “The followers of Wu Ya are already so formidable, much less Wei Wu Ya himself. Jiang Xiao Yu oh Jiang Xiao Yu, I really can’t help but worry for you.”
Tie Xin Lan finally could not take it and asked hoarsely, “Jiang Xiao Yu, could he have already…”
Only now did Hua Wu Que turn his head back, and said solemnly, “I’m afraid he has already arrived at Turtle Hill now, I’m afraid he is soon going to meet Wei Wu Ya!”
On the second day, Hua Wu Que brought Tie Xin Lan and journeyed straight towards Turtle Hill.
Either consciously or unconsciously, he was keeping a distance from Tie Xin Lan. When travelling he will be following behind Tie Xin Lan, while eating he will deliberately look for something to do, and only come to the table when Tie Xin Lan had finished eating. Even when they stayed at inns at night, he does sleep in the room next to Tie Xin Lan’s but will find a room far, far away.
Their hearts were heavy, and there was hardly a smile the entire day.
After travelling for two days, they stayed the night in an inn. Hua Wu Que went to his room very early to sleep, but how can he really sleep.
Hua Wu Que stared at the flickering candlelight, thinking of Xiao Yu’er, thinking of Tie Xin Lan, thinking of the Floral Princesses, and thinking about that mysterious ‘Mr Copper’. Everyone was tied into a dead knot in his heart, and he really does not know how he should handle it. Suddenly there was a light knock outside his door.
Hua Wu Que took it as the innkeeper coming to add water, and said, “The door is not closed, come in.”
He really did not expect that the person who was pushing the door and coming in is Tie Xin Lan.
Under the light, she was wearing snow white clothes, her long jet black hair flowing over her shoulders, her eyes seemed to be a little swollen, her eyes seemed a little dazed.
But she lowered her head, her dazed eyes never looking up. Hua Wu Que felt as if his heart has gone into sudden spasm.
Tie Xin Lan said with her head lowered, “I… I can’t sleep, I have something I wish to tell you.”
“Please sit.” He really does not know what he should say, and could only say the two words ‘please sit’, but he does not know how cold and how distant these two words sound.
She hesitated for a long while, and as if she was mustering up her courage, said sadly, “I knew for the past few days you deliberately treated me coldly, distancing yourself from me.”
Hua Wu Que was silent for a moment before he sat down heavily and sighed, “You want me to speak the truth?”
“You’ll have to say it sooner or later, why not say it now?”
Hua Wu Que carved out a section of wax from the candle stand, and pinched it with his fingers, as if he is pinching his own heart.
“You know, once humans get close to one another for a long time, they will inevitably develop feelings, especially during times of misery and difficulty.” He said each word slowly, with much difficulty.
Tie Xin Lan stared at the wax in his palm in a daze, as if the thing he is pinching is her heart.
“I’m not afraid that you will let him down, but I’m afraid of myself, I…” He gritted his teeth, and continued “I can’t bear to throw your emotions into confusion, if I get too close to you, not only will I suffer, you will suffer as well.”
Tie Xin Lan lowered her head again. Tears already flowing from her eyes.
She suddenly lifted her head, and looked at Hua Wu Que with tears in her eyes, saying loudly, “But I…I am a lonely girl, I only wish to treat you as my real brother, I hope you can believe me…”
Hua Wu Que did not speak.
Tie Xin Lan continued, “I came only to tell you, you do not have to avoid me, or be on your guard against me. As long as in our hearts, we are above board, we need not fear letting anyone down, nor fear what others might think.”
Hua Wu Que finally smiled and said, “Only now do I realize you’re very courageous. This courage, is not normally seen, but at the correct time, you are more courageous than anyone else.”
Tie Xin Lan let out a long breath, and also smiled, “After saying these words, I really feel much better now, I really feel like having a drink in celebration.”
Hua Wu Que suddenly stood up and laughed, “I too feel much better, and I also feel like having a drink to celebrate.”
After the two of them spoke out what was troubling their hearts, it was as if they have suddenly opened a lock. A pity that there is no more wine and food in the inn, so the two of them walked out into the streets.
The lights on the street are sparse, and the shops have all closed, only the furnace of a noodle shop at the corner is still burning. Whiffs of fragrance from the beef soup, seem to be extremely concentrated in the night breeze.
Tie Xin Lan said with a smile, “Drinking wine at a small noodle shop like this, is quite an experience as well, just that I wonder if you’ll find it dirty?”
Hua Wu Que gave a little smile, “Do you really see me as the kind of people who would only drink wine in a classy restaurant?”
Tie Xin Lan suddenly laughed, and they have not even reached the noodle stall when she shouted, “Give us half a catty of beef, and a catty of wine.”
Next to the noodle stall there were two wooden tables placed haphazardly, which were both empty right now. Only a skinny person clad in black was squatting on the long bench in front of the stall, drinking his wine.
In the hazy heat and under the lamplight, the man in black’s skinny face, seemed to be even more dried up than the braised vegetables in the little wooden cabinet. But his pair of eyes, were brighter than the stars in the sky.
He was on the bench, chewing on a duck head and drinking his wine at the same time, but his thoughts seem to be at a far away place.
A downtrodden person, sitting on a bench at a noodle shop drinking, chasing after his lost youth and joys. This is a very common scene, and Tie Xin Lan and Hua Wu Que did not pay him much notice.
They chatted freely, but later they suddenly realized that no matter what they chatted about, it all seems to have some relation to Xiao Yu’er.
Hua Wu Que smiled, “Such a fine night, with wine and meat, this should have been enough, but I keep feeling that there is something lacking, and only now do I realize what is lacking.”
Tie Xin Lan lowered her head, “You mean… lacking a person?”
Hua Wu Que sighed, “Without him, how can you and I be truly happy?”
Tie Xin Lan was silent for a moment, and lifted her head, “Do you think, there will be a time when the three of us can drink together?”
Hua Wu Que replied, “Why won’t there be?”
He raised his cup with a smile and said, “Come, let us toast to Jiang Xiao Yu.”
Once the three words ‘Jiang Xiao Yu’ was uttered, the person in black suddenly threw down his duck head, put down his wine cup, and his eyes shot towards them like lightning.
Tie Xin Lan downed her cup in one gulp, her face even redder. Although she was smiling, but there were tears in her eyes, and said sadly, “If I am also a man, how good that would be…”
He raised his head, and suddenly realized that a skinny, skeletal man in black, have walked to them, a pair of shining eyes kept looking at both their faces. Hua Wu Que and Tie Xin Lan were both stunned.
That man in black looked them up and down a few times, and suddenly asked, “You are Hua Wu Que?”
Hua Wu Que was even more astonished, “Exactly, you are…”
That man in lack did not listen to his words at all, and has turned to Tie Xin Lan, “You are Tie Xin Lan!”
Tie Xin Lan nodded her head, so shocked that she could not speak.
That man in black’s eyes became even larger, and asked “Did you just drink a toast to Jiang Xiao Yu?”
She knows that Xiao Yu’er have quite a lot of enemies, she thought that this man in black is also here to look for trouble, but who would have expect this man to actually pull over a stool, sat down and said, “Good! You drank a toast to Jiang Xiao Yu, I must at least drink three toasts to you!”
He actually lifted the wine jar, and poured for all of them. Tie Xin Lan and Hua Wu Que looked at the wine in front of them, and do not know if they should, or should not drink it.
That man in black have already downed his wine and stared at them, saying “Drink! Could it be you’re afraid that the wine is poisoned?”
Hua Wu Que was still suspicious, but Tie Xin Lan had already replied loudly, “Sorry, we do not have the habit of drinking with strangers. If you want to offer a toast to us, at least you must tell us who you are?”
The man in black replied, “You don’t have to bother who I am, you just have to know I am Jiang Xiao Yu’s friend.”
Tie Xin Lan stared at him for a while, and said “Fine, since you are Jiang Xiao Yu’s friend, I will drink this cup.”
The man in black turned towards Hua Wu Que and asked, “You?”
Hua Wu Que smiled slightly, “I will drink three cups.”
That man in black laughed loudly, “Good, you’re very good, a good friend indeed.”
He drank three cups with Hua Wu Que, and continued, “With such stars, sitting here with such a beauty drinking wine, and yet your heart did not forget Jiang Xiao Yu, good… good, I’ll offer you another three toasts!”
The wine bottle is almost empty. Although the eyes of the man in black is still sharp, but his expression carried a tinge of tipsiness. He no longer cared if others were drinking, or if others were talking, only downing the wine into his stomach cup by cup, looking up at the sky once in a while, as if he’s waiting for someone. Who is he waiting for?
Tie Xin Lan stared at him, and can’t help but ask again, “Are you really friends with Jiang Xiao Yu?”
The man in black widened his eyes, “Jiang Xiao Yu is not some remarkable or important person, why would I pretend to be his friend?”
He paused and suddenly said, “If you see him, you can send him my regards.”
Tie Xin Lan tested him and asked, “When we see Xiao Yu’er, who should we say you are?”
The man in black said with a low voice, “Just tell him it’s his Big Brother.”
Tie Xin Lan suddenly stood up and asked fiercely, “Who are you really!”
“Didn’t I just tell you…”
Tie Xin Lan smiled icily, “Bullshit, Xiao Yu’er will never acknowledge anyone as his Big Brother, do not think to fool me.”
The man in black suddenly laughed loudly, “Fine, fine, you are really Xiao Yu’er’s bosom friends, I’ve always wanted him to call me Big Brother, but he always called me just brother.”
Tie Xin Lan can’t help but ask again, “Hey, you seemed to be troubled? Right?”
The man in black stared again, “Troubled? What troubles could I have?”
Tie Xin Lan continued, “If you really treat us as Jiang Xiao Yu’s friends, why don’t you tell us your troubles, maybe… maybe we can help you.”
The man in black suddenly threw his head heavenward and laughed madly, “Help! Would I need anyone’s help!” His high pitched laughter, was actually full of pain and anger.
Tie Xin Lan wanted to ask further, but was stopped by Hua Wu Que’s eye signal. In the distance, the night watcher’s drum could be heard, it is already three in the morning.
The man in black suddenly stopped his laughter, and stared at Hua Wu Que and Tie Xin Lan, saying “All right, each of you shall offer me three toasts, and that would be considered helping me.”
After drinking six cups of wine, the man in black looked heavenward and laughed, “I should be spending the night alone, but who would have expect me to meet you, and drink the night with me away, this is also considered one of the greatest happy moments in my life…”
The man in black suddenly stood up, as if he had something to say, but he did not say a single word, but turned around and left.
He walked to the front of the noodle stall and emptied everything in his arms, and there were actually a few bars of gold, over ten pearls, and he threw it on the stall, saying “This is to pay for the wine, all for you.”
The noodle stall boss was stunned, by the time he wanted to say ‘thanks’, that man in black has already walked far away, the yellowish lamplight, cast his long shadow on the floor. He looked so lonely and dejected.
Hua Wu Que said slowly, “On the night before his death, he thought he would have to spend it alone, he actually could not find a friend to spend his last day with.”
Tie Xin Lan exclaimed hoarsely, “The night before his death?”
Hua Wu Que sighed, “Can’t you tell…” He suddenly stopped speaking, and flew over, dragging Tie Xin Lan with him.
The man in black was staggering, as if he was walking very slowly, but in a blink, he suddenly disappeared, as if he had been suddenly swallowed up by night. After flying past a few roofs, Hua Wu Que put Tie Xin Lan down and told her, “I’m going to chase him, you’ll wait here!”
Tie Xin Lan can only wait. But her heart cannot remain calm.
Who is this man in black? Why would he die? Xiao Yu’er and him… a flash of a shadow, Hua Wu Que was already in front of her.
Hua Wu Que said, “Come with me!”
The two of them flew past a few more roofs, and Tie Xin Lan can’t help but ask, “How do you know he’s about to die?”
Hua Wu Que sighed, “He kept taking note of the time, obviously he has some important task to do.”
Tie Xin Lan concurred, “I’ve noticed this as well.”
Hua Wu Que said slowly, “But since he is Jiang Xiao Yu’s friend, how can we sit there and watch him die?”
Tie Xin Lan chewed on her lips, and said, “His Lightness Skill is considered extremely highly skilled, even if he can’t defeat the other party, he should be able to escape. But he did not harbor any hope of escape, his opponent, won’t he be very frightening.”
Hua Wu Que replied seriously, “That’s why you must be extra careful, I’ll be there, so you must never strike unnecessarily.”
Tie Xin Lan suddenly realized that at the foot of the hill in the near distance, there is a large temple, it looks as majestic as the mansion of a wealthy family.
At this time, at this instance, the backyard of this temple is still aglow with lights. Tie Xin Lan commented, “Could he have come to this Taoist temple.”
Hua Wu Que interrupted, “When he went in, his actions were extremely careful. With his Lightness Skill, others would definitely not find out for the time being, that’s why I rushed back to look for you.”
Tie Xin Lan glanced over, and saw that although the lights in the temple are not extinguished, but there is no sound of human activity at all, and she can’t see even a trace of danger.
Hua Wu Que furrowed his brows and said, “You wait here, I’ll go in and take a look.”
Tie Xin Lan held him back, and said with a lowered voice, “I think there must be something amiss here, it could be that he had set up a trap with someone, and deliberately lured us here!”
Hua Wu Que smiled slightly, “If this person really meant to trick me, then all the more I want to take a good look.”
He gentle pushed Tie Xin Lan’s hands away, and with a flash, disappeared into the darkness.
Looking at his disappearing back, Tie Xin Lan smiled bitterly, “I can’t imagine that this person’s temper is exactly like Xiao Yu’er’s sometimes.”
Hua Wu Que moved to the backyard from the dark roof, and realized that this lighted backyard, is no longer a temple. Regardless of the design of the building or the décor in the rooms, there is not much difference from those of a wealthy family.
The weirdest thing is, there is no sound of any human activity in the backyard at all, nor could anyone be seen. But in the elaborately decorated hall, on the lush carpet, was a ferocious tiger lying prone.
The hall seems to be bigger in size than this, but there was yellow curtain so long that it was touching the ground in the middle, which separated half of the hall, the tiger lying in front of the yellow curtain. Why is there a need to separate this hall with the curtain, and what secret could there be behind it?
He went over silently in the darkness, not because he is extremely fearless, but because he is confidant about his Lightness Skill. He naturally did not let out any sound as he moved. Who would have expected that right at this time, the ferocious tiger which seemed to be sleeping, suddenly leaped up with a roar that shook heaven and earth, that caused the leaves in the courtyard to fall from the trees.
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