The flying talisman struck the Ghost Swordsman’s form, but he did not break stride. From his mouth came a low screech like that of a hawk or falcon, and with a single sweep of his sword, he effortlessly shattered the spiritual energy laid down by Qin Yao’s talisman and drove his blade straight at her.
Seeing how formidable this creature was, and with his long sword already thrusting toward her chest, Qin Yao leapt backward immediately, retreating to the roof of the carriage canopy. She quickly drew the Soul-Devouring Bell from her breast and summoned the Fire Dragon.
The three Fire Dragons had not been let out for a good while and were brimming with pent-up energy. Unable to produce any sound from their mouths, they made up for it with fervor, flying at the ghost with great enthusiasm and snapping ferociously as they went.
But when the Fire Dragons touched the ghost’s form, they could not swallow it whole as they should have. The man and his horse, in that very instant, transformed into a swirl of black mist and dissipated into the night.
Qin Yao stood calmly atop the carriage, concentrating her senses on the murderous energy surrounding her. The three Fire Dragons, having failed to get their meal, seemed somewhat disgruntled. Their claws spread wide, brimming with the power of wind and thunder as they coiled slowly around the carriage.
Suddenly, a dark shadow flickered at the far end of the alley. Qin Yao’s eyes narrowed. She lightly tipped her feet and flipped down from the carriage rooftop, sprinting straight toward the shadow. The Fire Dragons were faster than Qin Yao — they surged past her, serpentine bodies undulating, and lunged forward.
Wang Da had been frightened out of his wits. Though he had martial skills of his own, he had never in his life seen anything so uncanny — a young girl with three Fire Dragons coiling around her was, if anything, more terrifying than the ghost rider that had appeared just moments before. He was so frightened that his body had forgotten how to move, and his wide-open mouth could not close for a long while as he watched Qin Yao run into the distance.
Qin Yao had sprinted some distance when she suddenly sensed that something was wrong. A silent alarm flared within her — she had nearly fallen for the ghost’s ploy to lure her away. She wheeled around at once and ran back toward the carriage at full speed.
From inside the carriage came a sharp cry — the Ghost Swordsman had come back. He reached into the carriage and seized Liu Bingyu, pulling her out and cradling her against him, then turned and fled with terrifying speed.
Qin Yao was seized with fury. Her will moved and the Fire Dragons, sensing their mistress’s anger, moved with even greater speed than before, streaking like a gale after the malevolent ghost and swiftly disappearing at the entrance to the alley.
“A’Yao—!” Pei Min, frantic, leaned out of the carriage and shouted after Qin Yao as she flew past: “A’Yu has been taken!”
Qin Yao had no time to answer. She chased out of the alley, and raising her eyes she saw the figure of man and horse just ahead, not far off. In the darkness, the figure seemed to be on the verge of merging with the mist. Though the Fire Dragons gave tireless pursuit, they always maintained a fixed distance from the Ghost Swordsman and could not close it.
On the wind came the sound of Liu Bingyu’s terrified sobbing: “Help! A’Yao, save me!”
Qin Yao stopped short immediately and with all her might drove her full internal energy outward. Beneath her direction, the dragons’ scales blazed with a brighter light, their undulating speed surging more powerfully than ever, and the gap between them and the Ghost Swordsman rapidly narrowed.
At this moment, a figure came charging from the opposite direction. In the darkness, all that registered was an extremely tall and powerful frame. The figure took in the scene in an instant, then with a sudden flick of his wrist, hurled a rope-like object through the air toward the ghost rider.
The Ghost Swordsman seemed completely unprepared. The rope coiled swiftly around his neck.
The figure gripped the rope tightly and strained against the ghost rider, the two locked in a contest of force. After a prolonged struggle without a clear victory, the figure wrapped the rope around his own body, let out a great shout, and was on the verge of wrenching the Ghost Swordsman from his mount.
“Shixiong—” Qin Yao recognized who it was and exhaled with profound relief. She poured even more effort into driving the Fire Dragons forward.
The Ghost Swordsman, seemingly hindered by the grass rope in A’Han’s hands, could not sustain the grip of both arms. Liu Bingyu’s body tilted to one side — she was about to tumble from his embrace.
At this moment, the Fire Dragons had caught up and were just about to swallow the Ghost Swordsman whole — but the Ghost Swordsman, just as before, vanished in an instant like dissipating mist.
Liu Bingyu, suddenly bereft of any support, fell with a startled cry from the now-empty space in midair. A’Han instantly retracted the grass rope and leapt forward, catching Liu Bingyu safely and steadily.
Qin Yao recalled the Fire Dragons and, seeing that Liu Bingyu had been rescued, thought of how the ghost rider had retreated and returned once before with no real intention of fighting — she turned and ran back to Qingzhu Alley at full speed.
“A’Yao—” A’Han called after her twice, and seeing Qin Yao gone without so much as a backward glance, he was thoroughly bewildered. With no better option, he held Liu Bingyu in his arms and followed after Qin Yao at a run.
Liu Bingyu had nearly fainted from fright and was still trembling with shock. It took a good while before her senses began to settle. She raised her head and saw that the person holding her was a young Daoist, whose chest was broad and warm — a world apart from the cold, death-suffused chest she had been crushed against moments before.
The heart that had been suspended in terror finally swayed and settled back into place. She let herself be carried along through the jolting run, and thinking of the young Daoist’s agile and skillful movements just now, she could not help but study him more closely. All she could see, however, was the clean line of his jaw; his full features were hidden from her.
Qin Yao ran back to Qingzhu Alley and found Wang Da still standing motionless in front of the carriage. She threw back the curtain, and Wang Yingning and Pei Min both shrieked simultaneously, terrified — then, recognizing Qin Yao, their faces crumpled and they said, nearly in tears: “A’Yao, is that thing gone?”
“It’s gone.” Qin Yao answered, still catching her breath. “This is not a safe place to stay. Let’s get back to the academy immediately.”
“What about A’Yu?” Wang Yingning pressed urgently, her complexion quite poor.
Qin Yao was about to reply when A’Han came running up with Liu Bingyu in his arms. Wang Yingning and Pei Min leaned out for a look, and saw that Liu Bingyu had buried her head against the young Daoist’s chest, her hands clutching tightly to the front of his robe. Her body was still shaking, but clearly she was unharmed.
“A’Yao, what exactly just happened?” A’Han had reached Qin Yao’s side. He forgot entirely to put Liu Bingyu down, and simply looked at Qin Yao with a face full of bewilderment.
Liu Bingyu, in his arms, heard A’Han speak and suddenly snapped back to her senses. She stirred slightly and made a move to step down.
A’Han only then remembered that he was still holding someone, and hastily — and rather clumsily — set Liu Bingyu on her feet.
Liu Bingyu straightened up and looked at A’Han. He was clear-featured and fine-looking, though his expression, for some reason she couldn’t quite name, had a somewhat guileless air. Her face flushed with an inexplicable warmth, and she said in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum: “Thank you.”
Qin Yao, noticing Liu Bingyu’s uncharacteristic bashfulness — so unlike her usual self — gave her a curious look. Thinking that perhaps her spirit had not yet fully returned to her body, she handed her a Three-Yang Pill to take, and said gently: “Get in the carriage first; we can talk on the way.”
The two of them boarded the carriage one after the other. Qin Yao told A’Han to sit beside Wang Da, and instructed Wang Da to drive away quickly and leave Qingzhu Alley.
From inside the carriage, Qin Yao recounted everything that had just happened to A’Han through the curtain. When she had finished, she asked her senior disciple: “Why are you alone? Where is Master?”
A’Han said: “Master went to buy medicinal herbs from a northern merchant — he’s been away from the temple for the past two days.”
Qin Yao paused. During this stretch of time she had been mostly in the academy and had forgotten that every year at this time, Master always left for a few days. He said it was to buy medicinal herbs, but every time he set off he would bring large sums of money, and when he returned he would bring back a great parcel of strangely shaped herbs, exhausting a whole year’s worth of hard-saved savings in one go.
Even now, she could not fathom what purpose all those herbs served that Master would spend so lavishly on them.
Thinking of how A’Han had appeared at such a perfectly opportune moment, she asked: “Shixiong, how did you arrive so timely?”
A’Han scratched his head. “When Master left, he gave me his grass rope and said that the celestial signs have been unusual of late, and he feared another great malevolent thing might be on the prowl. He told me to take the compass with me at night and walk the streets when there’s nothing else to do. I was patrolling nearby just now when the compass started turning on its own, so I followed where it pointed — and that’s how I ran into that ghost creature.”
In the carriage, Liu Bingyu, though draped limply against Wang Yingning, couldn’t help but prick her ears and listen attentively to A’Han’s voice from beyond the curtain.
Perhaps from fear that the ghost might return again, Wang Da drove with tremendous force, and before long the carriage had rolled past Baoyuan Alley and come to a stop before the academy gate.
Wang Yingning and the others descended from the carriage one by one. Qin Yao said to A’Han: “Shixiong, that ghost creature is a formidable one. Be careful during your night patrol. Oh — and today I entrusted something to the Young Heir to send to the temple. When Master returns, make sure to show it to him.”
A’Han responded: “Don’t worry, A’Yao.”
It was truly late by now, so the group dared not linger any longer and turned to make their way inside the academy.
A’Han did not remain at the spot either and strode off the way he had come.
Liu Bingyu kept glancing back toward A’Han as he went, until the gate opened and Pei Min and the others had entered. Only then did she, with a flushed face, pull her gaze away.
Inside the academy, only a few lamps were lit for illumination — there was no noise or bustle, and clearly the other students had already retired for the night.
After the harrowing events they had just been through, everyone was extraordinarily subdued, even Liu Bingyu, who was ordinarily the most talkative of them all, was strangely quiet.
When they reached Weirui Hall, it was brightly lit inside, and a figure stood at the door. As Qin Yao and the others drew close, they saw it was Official Lu.
She stood ramrod-straight, her expression entirely blank. She watched as Qin Yao and the others approached and suddenly said: “Why are you so late returning?”
Wang Yingning and the others knew they were in the wrong and quickly stepped forward to bow. “We greet you, Teacher. The carriage experienced some trouble on the road — it took a long time to repair, which is why we were delayed in returning to the academy.”
Official Lu’s gaze was fixed intently on Qin Yao, though the words she spoke were addressed to Wang Yingning. “The carriage broke down? Yingning, you are ordinarily the most rule-abiding among them. How is it that today you are going along with such unruly behavior? From noon when the holiday was given, the few of you went out together and only return at this hour. The academy has long had the rule against returning after nightfall. Afraid of punishment, you dare make up all manner of excuses. No need to say more — someone clearly put you up to this.”
These words were unmistakably directed at someone in particular. Wang Yingning and the others simultaneously felt a strange misgiving and exchanged glances with each other, not daring to rashly speak.
Official Lu’s gaze toward Qin Yao grew even sharper with distaste. “Speak — who led today’s outing? Such utter lack of rules is not the conduct of a properly raised young woman of a respectable family! Name this person, and the other three need not be implicated. Otherwise, this teacher shall punish all four of you together!”
The four looked at each other. Liu Bingyu, seeing that Official Lu was clearly targeting Qin Yao, raised her brows and was about to open her mouth to take the full blame herself.
Wang Yingning quietly seized Liu Bingyu’s hand and shot her a pointed look. Official Lu had launched this sudden assault with an unclear motive — stay composed and see what she intends. Don’t fall into disorder.
Liu Bingyu reluctantly held back.
Official Lu, seeing Qin Yao’s face as calm and still as water, curled the corners of her mouth in a derisive smile. “Two days ago, Noble Consort Yi added a new rule to the academy: all students are required to comply with the academy’s regulations without exception. Every violation is to be recorded. At the end of the year, the ten students with the most recorded violations shall not be eligible to be selected as principal wives for prominent households. Tonight, your late return plus your mutual shielding of one another is more than enough to be recorded as two violations. You are so intent on protecting this person — are you not afraid she will drag you all down—”
She walked slowly toward Qin Yao, then suddenly raised her voice: “Qu Qin Yao — one does one’s own deed and bears one’s own consequence. Have you the heart to see your friends suffer on your account?”
Qin Yao looked steadily back at Official Lu. She did not know why Official Lu had launched this sudden attack, but she also knew that she and Official Lu were neither kin nor acquaintances — there was no real cause for such pointed hostility. There were surely deeper complications behind all this.
She lowered her gaze and thought for a moment, then was just about to speak in her own defense when from behind her, a voice rang out: “What is going on here?”
The voice was extremely steady and gentle, yet it carried within it an innate authority that was intimidating without being angry. It was distinctive and strangely familiar. Everyone turned — and indeed, it was the Duchess of Luguo. They all bowed their heads at once. “We greet the Headmistress.”
Official Lu was briefly startled. She quickly stepped forward with a smile. “Headmistress, why have you returned at this hour?”
The Duchess of Luguo turned away from the hand Official Lu extended toward her, and walked directly up to Qin Yao and the others, looking toward Official Lu with a questioning expression. “What is going on here?”
Official Lu quickly explained: “These children have returned late without cause. According to the academy’s regulations, they should be reprimanded and a demerit recorded. The teacher was just giving them guidance.”
“Returned without cause?” The Duchess of Luguo seemed quite surprised. “These children have been with me all afternoon. In the evening, seeing that I had a great many things to attend to, they even stayed at my estate to help for a while. I was aware of everything from beginning to end — what is this talk of returning late without cause?”
Official Lu stood frozen in place, her face going through several rapid changes of expression. With great effort she managed a smile. “So that was the case — the teacher was mistaken to blame them. However, this teacher truly had no intention of making things difficult for them — it is simply that the academy’s rules are what they are, and the teacher was concerned about the students breaking them, which is why—”
“Enough.” The Duchess of Luguo cut her off coldly and said to Qin Yao and the others: “It is late. Go back to your rooms and rest.”
Qin Yao dared not delay for a moment and immediately seized the opportunity, gave her bow, and withdrew.
The Duchess of Luguo watched until the figures of Qin Yao and the others had disappeared at the end of the path. Then she slowly turned, fixing Official Lu with a gaze of clear warning before also returning to her room.
Official Lu, shaken to the core, stood frozen in place for a long while, not daring to move.
In the rear quarters of the dormitory building, a small, slight figure slipped into one of the rooms, eased the door shut, and stepped quickly into the inner chamber. Addressing Xia Yan and Chen Yuqi, who were still waiting for news, she said: “My report to the Princess — just now, Official Lu had already followed your instructions and was about to record a demerit against that Qu Qin Yao. But as luck would have it, the Headmistress suddenly returned and said that Miss Qu had been with her all along. Not only did she prevent Official Lu from punishing Qu Qin Yao, she even gave Official Lu a dressing-down. Qu Qin Yao and the others have now returned to their dormitories.”
Xia Yan’s face darkened, and she said nothing. Chen Yuqi, however, abruptly sat bolt upright. “How can this be?”
She turned to look at Xia Yan. “Qu Qin Yao and the others didn’t go to the Duchess of Luguo’s estate at all this afternoon — so why would the Duchess of Luguo go so far as to protect her?”