Seeing the approaching figure stumbling toward her with his sword pointing straight at her, Suzhen broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, he suddenly checked his momentum, using his sword tip to support himself against the ground—only then did her startled soul settle somewhat.

It was the blue-robed man she had encountered during the meal earlier?!

Leng Xue had been right—he was indeed injured… A patch of purplish-red seeped from within his clothes, staining the front of his chest.

Above their heads, starlight sparkled brilliantly, yet his complexion was as pale as paper cicada wings. Strangely, there was a trace of deep red on his lips, which stirred countless romantic allure.

Suzhen suddenly felt that this man’s appearance bore some resemblance to Young Master Li—equally handsome like Young Master Li.

However, his eyes held a dark depth, his features ten times more profound than what she had seen earlier. Though he appeared to be only in his twenties, this composure far beyond his years gave off an oppressive aura. No one had ever given her such a feeling before.

With several swooshing sounds, multiple black shadows leaped down from the eaves. These people had their faces covered, their weapons gleaming coldly with threatening chill. The undisguised killing intent in their eyes made her barely settled heart jump back to her throat.

The blue-robed man seemed unable to support himself any longer and stumbled urgently toward her.

Suzhen’s first instinct was: jump away, flee, save herself.

The man slightly narrowed his eyes, looking at her with a half-smile, as if he had already seen through her thoughts. Suddenly, he reached out and grasped her hand tightly.

In her heart, Suzhen cursed his ancestors eighteen generations over. Given his severe injuries, she might not be unable to break free if she tried.

Who exactly was this man? What had happened that he was being pursued and hunted in the deep of night?

However, the situation didn’t allow her to think further. Several long swords thrust viciously toward them both—Suzhen cursed silently, snatched the man’s sword, and blocked a strike aimed at his abdomen by an assassin. Yet this man proved extremely formidable as well, using both hands to deflect the other two swords, turning aside their momentum.

She had a vague thought: if he weren’t injured, these people might not be his match!

This exertion finally caused the man to collapse, unable to support himself any longer.

“He still has someone protecting him here. This youth’s martial arts are superior—to kill him, we must first kill this youth!”

The black-clothed man fighting her spoke coldly. The other two nodded, their gazes instantly sharp, all turning to strike at her.

Suzhen’s heart cried out desperately. She had no connection whatsoever with this man, and her martial arts weren’t superior at all. She barely knew any martial arts—it was just that her teacher’s martial arts were formidable. Though she had only learned two defensive moves, she had gained some foundation.

But that was merely a few moves.

She cursed the man on the ground to die a horrible death—damn it, how could he so coincidentally collapse behind her, making her block swords? Damn it, this was intentional, fuck!

She couldn’t bear to see people die, but she also didn’t want to be killed. Yet in this life-and-death moment, unlike usual times when she could plan her escape, in the blink of an eye three swords had reached her chest. Thinking of her parents and brother, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Just as she felt shocked and pained, she heard a series of slashing sounds—Leng Xue had somehow appeared, glancing at her coldly before engaging the assassins in combat.

Large amounts of blood seeped from his left arm.

Was this a self-inflicted wound? Using pain to counter the drug’s effects?

Suzhen’s heart ached. She hadn’t called for help earlier, nor had she fled to the guest rooms, precisely because she absolutely didn’t want to implicate Leng Xue. But now…

Sword flowers scattered everywhere. Leng Xue, still under the drug’s influence, was already forcing himself to fight and quickly fell to a disadvantage. She was desperately anxious and was about to step forward when one of the black-clothed men thrust his sword into Leng Xue’s shoulder. At that moment, the blue-robed man on the ground suddenly snatched her sword and flung it out, knocking away another black-clothed man’s fatal strike aimed at Leng Xue’s chest and abdomen. The opponent was startled. Then her vision blurred again as she saw light and shadows flashing on the eaves. Several daggers came through the air, and all the black-clothed men were pinned and fell dead.

“Young Master…”

Multiple figures leaped down, gathering around the blue-robed man to anxiously examine his injuries.

Besides the few people she had seen during the day, Suzhen noticed an additional elderly man and a youth. This elderly man had an extremely dignified appearance, while the youth also had fine features—bright teeth and clear eyes, graceful and spirited. He quickly glanced at the blue-robed man, and after confirming he had no serious injuries, joined the others’ gaze in examining her with considerable surprise, saying: “Did you save my brother?”

Watching Leng Xue approaching her, Suzhen felt an unstoppable chill in her heart. Perhaps her eyes were too cold, making everyone even more astonished. The youth angrily said: “Hey, ugly boy, I’m talking to you.”

Before she could “seek rescue” from the blue-robed man, her body went numb as Leng Xue touched her pressure points, and as her consciousness faded, she only heard the blue-robed man say calmly: “Thank you both for your rescue. Unfortunately, I still have urgent matters to attend to, so I must take my leave. I am the nephew of Protector General Marquis Murong Jing. You may come to the Murong residence in the capital to request any reward.”

Much later, Suzhen often wondered: if she had broken free from that man’s grip that night, would the outcome have been completely different?