Two zhang away from Qiao Zhao, a burly man dressed as a hunter stared at her coldly. His eyes were even more chilling than those of a wild beast.

Qiao Zhao’s back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

When the man’s gaze met Qiao Zhao’s, he smiled.

Almost without thinking, Qiao Zhao blew the bone flute that Shao Mingyuan had given her, grateful that she had strung it up and hung it around her neck.

However, this sense of relief quickly vanished without a trace as she lifted her skirt and turned to run.

The man was in no hurry. He turned and barred the nunnery gate from the inside before striding after Qiao Zhao with large steps.

Qiao Zhao ran desperately forward. The footsteps behind her grew louder and closer—thump, thump, thump. She seemed to smell the scent of death once again.

“Help—” she screamed hoarsely.

Shuying Nunnery remained utterly silent with no response. The entire nunnery seemed to have fallen into deadly stillness, like the quiet old plum tree by the wall.

Qiao Zhao’s heart plummeted.

Master Wumei, Master Jingxi, and all those nuns—were they still alive? Or had they already—

She didn’t dare think further, nor did she have time to think. She ran until her throat felt on fire, but the sounds behind her grew ever closer.

She stepped on something unknown, stumbled forward, and fell to the ground, immediately rolling over to face backward.

The man had already caught up and was now only half a zhang away from Qiao Zhao. Looking down at her from above, he asked: “Why aren’t you running anymore?”

The man’s voice was somewhat hoarse, and combined with his appearance, it made him seem rather honest.

Qiao Zhao thought that such a person, if he didn’t reveal his savage nature, would be taken by anyone as an honest, decent mountain dweller.

She simply stood up, even gracefully brushing the dust from her clothes, and said calmly: “I can’t run anymore, so I’m not running.”

The man smiled foolishly: “I didn’t expect such an interesting little lady. My waiting wasn’t in vain.”

“You were waiting for me?”

“Of course. Otherwise, if you had discovered everything early and gone to spread the alarm, what would I do?” The man stepped closer. “Now it’s perfect. After I deal with you, no one will know what happened here until at least tomorrow.”

After speaking, the man reached out and lifted Qiao Zhao, grasping her neck with one hand and pressing her against the nearby old tree.

A burning sensation of suffocation came over her, making even breathing difficult. Qiao Zhao’s jade-white face flushed red, her feet kicked weakly, and tears flowed uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes onto the man’s hand, but he remained unmoved and increased the pressure.

This man wanted to kill her immediately! Qiao Zhao suddenly realized this.

She didn’t want to die. She had just reunited with her elder brother, and the enemy who had killed her parents and relatives hadn’t been found yet. How could she die here?

If she died, her elder brother would be heartbroken, and the Li family’s parents and relatives would also be sad.

“Very… very soon… someone will discover…” Qiao Zhao used all her strength to utter these words.

“What did you say?” The man loosened his grip slightly.

Qiao Zhao breathed in fresh air in large gulps and gave the man a meaningful smile: “I said… it won’t wait until tomorrow… someone will discover this place very soon…”

The burning pain in her throat made her speech intermittent.

“What do you mean?” The man was indeed intrigued by Qiao Zhao’s words.

Qiao Zhao smiled: “You want to know?”

“You wretched girl, don’t be mysterious!” The man raised his hand and slapped Qiao Zhao across the face.

Qiao Zhao’s ears rang, but she still wore a cold smile: “Did you forget the flute sound just now? Do you think I was just playing for fun? He will come to save me.”

The man’s expression changed slightly.

Taking advantage of his moment of distraction, Qiao Zhao suddenly raised her foot and kicked toward the man’s vital parts.

Although the man was skilled in martial arts, he hadn’t expected the fish on the chopping block to dare resist, especially in that moment when he was distracted, so he was kicked.

No matter what kind of man he was, being kicked there was always painful. The man immediately groaned and covered his lower body.

Qiao Zhao turned and ran.

She knew clearly in her heart that if she were caught again, there would be no chance whatsoever.

Shao Mingyuan, when will you come?

At that moment, Shao Mingyuan was accompanying the abbot of Dafu Temple in playing chess in a stone pavilion.

The abbot was already sixty years old with snow-white eyebrows, while his opponent was so young, yet the scene looked harmonious, as if they were old friends who had known each other for a long time.

A sharp, brief flute sound rang out. To the abbot, such a sound was barely perceptible, and he paid no attention to it, but Shao Mingyuan immediately sprang up, dropped the words “There’s trouble at Shuying Nunnery,” and rushed from the stone pavilion like a shadow.

The abbot, holding a chess piece, pondered for a moment before belatedly realizing: Marquis Guanjun had gone to Shuying Nunnery!

“Amitabha!” The abbot chanted a Buddhist invocation loudly and hurriedly ordered monks to follow.

Shuying Nunnery remained in deadly silence.

“You wretched woman, you dare kick me there?” The man strode after her and grabbed Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao smiled bitterly in her heart.

Although she had fortunately managed to kick this villain, the man’s martial arts were superior, and that kick had at most bought her a moment’s respite.

“You… will regret… killing me…” Qiao Zhao said intermittently.

“You wretched woman, stop trying to delay! What would I regret about killing you?” The man held Qiao Zhao’s hands and feet tightly, no longer allowing her any chance to struggle.

This wretched woman was too hateful, actually daring to kick him there, causing him lingering pain even now. He had to kill her viciously!

“You were injured there by my kick… in the future, you can only be a eunuch, I can treat…”

Unfortunately, although Miss Qiao possessed a clever heart and mind, she didn’t understand much about the male species. She spoke these words intending to make the man hesitate and thus delay time, but forgot what a great humiliation such words were to a man.

“Eunuch?” The man’s eyes turned red. He reached out and, with a ripping sound, tore off one of Qiao Zhao’s sleeves, exposing her snow-white, fragrant shoulder. “So the little lady is worried about this for me. I’ll let you see right now whether I’m a eunuch or not!”

The man directly pulled Qiao Zhao toward himself. Qiao Zhao desperately pushed against him: “Marquis Guanjun will come to save me very soon. Do you think you’re his match? With this time, why don’t you run?”

The man grasped Qiao Zhao’s chin and smiled viciously: “Is he an immortal? Could he hear such a flute sound from Dafu Temple? Even if he heard it, before he arrives, there’s enough time for me to deal with you!”

The man directly pushed Qiao Zhao to the ground.

A dark shadow loomed over her. Qiao Zhao bit her lips until blood flowed, clutching a hairpin tightly in her hand.

She had already experienced this man’s capabilities. If she used the hairpin to stab him, she would only end up unable even to seek death, so this hairpin was reserved for herself.

The moment the man’s hand reached toward Qiao Zhao’s clothing, Qiao Zhao silently wept.

Shao Mingyuan, if you don’t come soon, I won’t wait for you.