Chapter 34: Arclight Villa
Within a prison on Taiqing Island were a group of a few unconscious Taiqing disciples. Ma Shan, Tang, and nine other disciples had escaped from imprisonment. They were standing outside the prison and watching the chilly rain, as though awaiting someone.
"Senior Brother Ma Shan, although Chen Ran managed to drug these disciples unconscious and save us while Zhao Yuanjiao's not on the island, we're still on enemy territory. We had better leave while we can, before anything unexpected happens!" Tang urged.
"Oh? If you hadn't ratted us out, would we have had to suffer like this?" Ma Shan retorted, his eyes blazing.
"As I explained, it was Chen Hai who ratted all of you out. I didn't say a single word. It's not my fault!" Tang replied.
"Chen Hai's already dead. Who can confirm what you said?" Ma Shan asked.
"I really didn't betray everyone! Please believe me. Furthermore, can't we leave Taiqing Island right now? What are we waiting for?" Tang urged again.
"Nanfeng caused us to suffer for a few months, and Chen Hai died because of him. We can't take this lying down. We're going to take revenge for Chen Hai with his life," Ma Shan replied, clenching a fist.
"Right, we can't let him go this easily!" the other disciples cried out fiercely.
"But this is Taiqing Island! We're still in dire straits." Tang continued trying to persuade his fellow disciples.
"No matter. We're right by the shore. Once Chen Ran tricks Nanfeng over and we kill him, we'll be able to leave immediately," Ma Shan replied.
"But will Chen Ran be able to trick him? Nanfeng's sly and devious, and I have an uneasy premonition."
"Chen Ran's extremely cautious and good at acting. I'm sure he'll be able to lure Nanfeng over," Ma Shan replied confidently.
"Nanfeng's very difficult to deal with," Tang murmured, frowning.
"Oh? Do you think he can beat Chen Ran? I specifically asked Chen Ran to bring him over unharmed so that we can take our anger out on him. Otherwise, Chen Ran alone would be enough to deal with him!" Ma Shan added.
Just then, a pained cry came from afar.
"Help! Someone, help!" The shout could easily be heard amidst the rain.
"Is that Chen Ran? Something's gone wrong! We have to leave him and run!" Tang blanched.
"Run? What's there to fear? If Chen Ran's able to shout, that means that those attacking him aren't unable to suppress him fully. There's no need for the likes of us to run. Come, let's have a look!" Ma Shan urged.
The group of enemy disciples climbed up a small hill and saw the two disciples fighting from afar—no, it wasn't a fight any longer, but a one-sided assault.
Xiao Nanfeng's punches struck like bombs, and illusory afterimages misguided his opponent. Chen Ran screamed as he was pummeled.
"What? How can Nanfeng be strong enough to defeat Chen Ran? This is impossible!" Ma Shan cried out in disbelief.
"As I said, Nanfeng's difficult to deal with! It's only been a few months, and he's already able to beat down someone at the peak of Acquisition. Come on, we have to leave!" Tang urged.
Down below them, Xiao Nanfeng, who was prepared to give Chen Ran a killing blow, suddenly grew alert. He raised his head and saw the eleven figures on the small mountain, the familiar figures of Ma Shan and Tang among them.
"This many accomplices? Have Ma Shan and Tang both escaped from prison?" Xiao Nanfeng blanched and ran.
"Stop him!" Ma Shan commanded.
Ten disciples dashed straight toward Xiao Nanfeng like prowling tigers.
Tang watched them go, an uneasy expression on his face. "Are you all crazy? I'm not going to join you and get caught again." He turned around and ran toward the sea.
"Are there any Taiqing disciples around? Enemy spies are trying to kill me! Help!" Xiao Nanfeng yelled out.
However, they were in a rather remote location, and the sound of the waves and rain served to prevent anyone from hearing Xiao Nanfeng's cries. He could feel those disciples behind him closing in.
"Catch him!" The group of enemy disciples drew closer in the rain.
If Xiao Nanfeng were to retrace his footsteps and flee through wide-open paths, he would be caught in no time at all. He had no choice but to scamper into the forest, making use of the obstacles in his path to hinder his pursuers.
The ten disciples followed rapidly behind him. Xiao Nanfeng could even hear their footsteps. He didn't dare shout any longer in fear of exposing his current position. He didn't know how long he ran before he found himself surrounded by mist.
"Why do I feel like I keep going around in circles? Am I trapped in an array?" Xiao Nanfeng glanced around him in worry.
When Ma Shan and the others saw the mist, they too thought to retreat. However, upon hearing Xiao Nanfeng's footsteps before them, they didn't want to back down just yet. Gritting their teeth, they continued chasing after him.
Icy rain drenched his clothes, causing him to fill a chill all over. He wandered around for two whole hours in the mist. Just as he was about to grow vexed, he suddenly saw a villa appear in the valley up ahead. It was shrouded by mist, and a font of desolate music seemed to be emanating from within.
"Is there someone present? Wonderful!" Xiao Nanfeng rushed toward the source of the music.
Regardless of who resided in that building, he would be safe—as long as the resident was a Taiqing disciple.
Xiao Nanfeng had no time to waste knocking. He mustered his strength and leapt up from the ground straight past the wall.
"He's in there! He jumped over the wall!" Ma Shan cried out.
Upon seeing the name of the villa, however, the pursuing disciples all stopped short, not daring to proceed further.
"Arclight Villa? Damn it, how did we end up here?"
Xiao Nanfeng leapt over the wall to find its interior saturated with fog.
"Is someone around? Someone, please help!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out.
Even so, no one within the villa responded. Xiao Nanfeng ran through the outskirts of the villa, only to find no one around.
"Is it empty? Then where's this music coming from?" Xiao Nanfeng followed the source of the music, still not seeing anyone in sight. However, he finally arrived at an inner courtyard of the villa from where the music emanated.
"Is anyone there? Disciple Nanfeng seeks an audience!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out.
He received no response save the music.
Eventually, taking a deep breath, Xiao Nanfeng pushed open the gates into the inner courtyard. The interior and the exterior of the courtyard were two different worlds. A hot, steaming pool awaited him within. Beside the pool were all manner of plants and grasses, vibrant in color and intensity.
Warmth and fragrance suffused Xiao Nanfeng, and he finally found the source of the music. Under the eaves of the inner courtyard, there was a small stove bubbling with tea. A woman sat playing the erhu, her eyes shut in peaceful repose. The desolate notes were coming from the erhu.
The woman seemed not to have discovered Xiao Nanfeng's intrusion. She continued devoting her entire attention to the erhu. Her skin was snowy-white, her face exquisite, her neck thin and slender like a swan's. Despite her closed eyes, she exuded a sense of elegance and purity. Her robes were royal blue. She seemed almost otherworldly, so unsullied by mortal affairs was she. In association with the flowers and plants that grew within the courtyard, she seemed like a queen of nature receiving the adoration of her subjects. Despite how many beauties Xiao Nanfeng had seen on-screen in his past life, he was shocked by her appearance.
"Esteemed elder, I am one of the new disciples of the Taiqing Sect, Nanfeng. I apologize for the intrusion, but there are demonic spies making a fuss outside. Would you help me deal with them?" Xiao Nanfeng bowed respectfully.
However, the woman seemed unmoved. She continued playing the erhu, as if she couldn't hear Xiao Nanfeng.
"Elder, can you hear me?" Xiao Nanfeng asked again, more loudly.
However, the woman didn't seem to react. Even when Xiao Nanfeng walked closer to her, she continued playing the erhu without making any indication that she sensed his presence.
Xiao Nanfeng glanced curiously at the woman in blue, then asked one final time, "Elder, are you able to play the erhu despite being deaf?"
When the woman remained as impassive as ever, Xiao Nanfeng confirmed his hypothesis. "Ah! I thought I had found a savior, but you're deaf! It must be difficult for you to have learned to play the erhu without being able to hear—and it's little wonder your music is atrocious."
Xiao Nanfeng sighed to himself, not realizing that the woman's face had spasmed a little upon hearing his words. However, she seemed unable to stop playing for the time being, and continued as though nothing were amiss.
"Elder! Ah, perhaps not. If she can't even sense my presence when I'm right before her, her cultivation must not be too advanced. Perhaps she's still a junior disciple?" Xiao Nanfeng murmured to himself.
Quiet though he was, the woman seemed to be able to hear him. Her face was as impassive as before, but a vein protruded from the back of her right palm as she exerted too much force for a single stroke of her bow.
"I apologize for unintentionally intruding in your villa. Don't worry, I'll lure the demonic sect disciples away—at the very least, your peaceful life won't be disturbed." Xiao Nanfeng sighed.
This woman would be unable to help him; he couldn't count on her.
Before he left, he glanced askance at the teapot.
"Might I have a cup of tea to ease the chill of the rain?" Xiao Nanfeng asked politely, eyes bright.
The woman ignored him. Xiao Nanfeng stepped forward, poured a cup of tea for himself, blew on it to cool it, then gulped it down.
After having a few cups of tea, Xiao Nanfeng felt a warmth radiating throughout his belly. He was just about to put the cup down when he realized that there was a fresh red mark by the rim of the cup.
He glanced at the woman in blue's red lips with a flush. Was this a cup she had used?
"Forget it. I don't mind too much. Let me help you clean the cup."
He cleaned the cup using a vat of rainwater, then placed it where it had been. He didn't realize that the woman's forehead had begun to bulge with pale veins, as though she were growing furious.
"Junior Sister, I'll lure the demonic spies away right now. Take care!"
He stepped outside the little cottage and shut the gates.
The moment he did so, the woman in blue opened her eyes wide. Her beautiful eyes seemed to be flaming, and an oppressive killing intent emanated from them.
The teacup that Xiao Nanfeng had just used cracked, then burst apart.
As the woman's gaze swept through the yard, the flowers trembled, their petals closing up into buds, as though unable to bear the woman's fiery gaze.
It was clear that she had been enraged by Xiao Nanfeng's actions.
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