“I’ll go upstairs to take a look,” A’Shui said quietly. Her eyes glanced toward the second floor—Lin Bu was hanging from the sign on the second floor. “See if I can find a chance to free Young Master Lin.” Yu Tuan’er lowered her voice. “It’s too dangerous. There are definitely masters upstairs. How would you rescue him?” A’Shui shook her head. “I’ll just go up to look. If I can’t find an opportunity, I absolutely won’t act rashly.” She gently patted Yu Tuan’er. “Little sister, this elder sister is a few years older than you and has experienced more things, so elder sister isn’t afraid. You sit here carefully. If you can’t handle it, just hold Fengfeng and jump over the wall to escape.” Yu Tuan’er said in a low voice, “I absolutely won’t flee, but I will definitely protect Fengfeng.” A’Shui nodded, stroked her hair, turned and headed toward the stairs.
Yu Tuan’er sat in the courtyard holding Fengfeng while picking vegetables, watching A’Shui’s departing figure. A’Shui was slightly taller than her, with a graceful figure and calm steps. She had always felt this elder sister was very unfortunate, with a bumpy life experience. Sometimes she was very detached—so detached that people found her difficult to approach, so detached she seemed like just an empty shell. But sometimes she made people feel that beneath her calm and composed appearance, that heart of hers might not be entirely without desires.
A’Shui came back down from the stairs and went to the busy kitchen to fetch several cups of tea. Yu Tuan’er saw from afar that someone seemed to ask her a few questions. She didn’t know what A’Shui answered, but that person was very kind to her, pointing to the second floor and saying a few things before A’Shui went upstairs carrying the tea tray.
Yu Tuan’er held the soft Fengfeng, unable to see A’Shui’s figure, and felt lost for a moment. No one came to tell her what to do in such a place with people coming and going, where every face was strange. Originally she had been very fortunate, hiding alone in uninhabited deep mountains, where she met Liu Yan and Shen Langhun. Although their faces were both ugly, they were both very good to her… The people she met afterward—Fang Pingzhai, A’Shui… everyone had been genuinely kind to her, never making her feel lonely. And Sister A’Shui… Yu Tuan’er lowered her head to pick vegetables. Sister A’Shui probably had never been fortunate.
A’Shui carried the tea upstairs. As soon as she stepped onto the second floor, several blade edges suddenly appeared at her neck. Raising her head, she saw the second floor was full of old acquaintances from the Romantic Shop, led by Bai Suche. Seeing her come up, Bai Suche pressed her blade harder and asked coldly, “It’s you. What are you here to do?” A’Shui lowered her head. “I was captured by Miss Tao’s subordinates on the road. Hearing that the Venerable Master would come, Miss Tao sent me here.” Bai Suche’s eyes flashed slightly. “Really?” A’Shui nodded. Bai Suche withdrew her blade and stood up, and the others also withdrew their weapons. “Miss Tao isn’t coming to this place, so how would she send you here?” A’Shui lowered her head. “I was captured by Xiao Jing.” Bai Suche said “Oh.” “I see. Sit down. According to scout reports, there’s already news of Liu Yan. You sit by the window so everyone in all directions can see you.” She pointed to the window where Lin Bu was hanging. A’Shui walked over, facing the window—Lin Bu was hanging right below the window.
On the second floor, someone was eating a plate of pig’s feet and was covered in grease. This person was extremely fat and missing one hand—it was Fu Cui. Seeing Bai Suche direct A’Shui to stand by the window, she laughed heartily. “This girl actually didn’t die—how strange. With her standing here, we needn’t fear the Venerable Master won’t come! I think we should also bind her hands and feet and hang her next to Young Master Lin. Such a talented man and beautiful woman, a perfect pair—it would be a real pity not to hang them both.”
On the second floor was another person in all black clothes with a human skin mask over his face, standing to one side. His gaze swept over A’Shui’s face, eyes flashing with sharp light. Bai Suche said indifferently, “Eastern Princess’s idea isn’t bad. I think we should hang this girl down too, to avoid other complications.” Fu Cui nodded repeatedly. “I’ll tie her up!” Bai Suche said coldly, “If you secretly crush her hands and feet, and if Liu Yan comes back to die for love with her, can you bear responsibility before the Ghost Master?” Fu Cui’s throat made a gurgling sound as she laughed strangely. “Su Su really is the worm in my belly. You tie her up then.”
Bai Suche pulled out a white handkerchief from her sleeve, bound A’Shui’s hands, lifted her up and threw her out the window, hanging her beside Lin Bu. A’Shui was completely compliant and didn’t resist. However, not long after A’Shui was thrown out, the crowd watching outside began a slight discussion. Bai Suche and Fu Cui sensed something was wrong and both poked their heads out. Just as they poked their heads out, the rope hanging A’Shui and Lin Bu suddenly broke. A’Shui shouted loudly, “Little sister, run quickly!” and then fell down.
A light purple handkerchief fluttered up in the wind, with two large characters written on it in eyebrow pencil—”Save People”—now floating higher and higher with the wind. A’Shui and Lin Bu suddenly fell, and two figures flashed like lightning and caught the two people, landing gently. Bai Suche and Fu Cui’s expressions changed slightly. These two people were Emei’s Master Wenxiu and “Frost Sword Desolate Cold” Cheng Yunpao.
It turned out that when A’Shui first went upstairs, she had secretly written the handkerchief with those two characters “Save People.” After writing it, she went downstairs, carried up the tray, and held the handkerchief in her hand, concealed under the tea tray. When Bai Suche threw her out, she immediately released the handkerchief. Outside were all martial world people with sharp eyes—naturally they all saw it clearly in an instant. Then she used some method to break the rope, causing her and Lin Bu to fall from midair, escaping control.
Master Wenxiu and Cheng Yunpao were both excellent in martial arts. Having been warned in advance, rescuing people wasn’t difficult. A’Shui was caught by Master Wenxiu. After landing, still catching her breath, she pointed at Lin Bu. “Protect… protect this Young Master Lin.” Cheng Yunpao recognized A’Shui and knew she had close ties with Tang Lici. He immediately called out, and the Central Plains Sword Association’s people surrounded A’Shui and Lin Bu completely. Fu Cui and Bai Suche poked their heads out from upstairs, but it was already too late.
“They’re all from the Romantic Shop and already know Liu Yan’s whereabouts. This Young Master Lin is Liu Yan’s benefactor. They calculated he would come to rescue him, so they hung him on the building.” A’Shui explained urgently. “Hero Cheng, only Liu Yan can make the antidote for the Scarlet Ghost Nine Heart Pills. Everyone in the world wants to capture Liu Yan alive. And he will certainly come to rescue Young Master Lin, so we must protect Young Master Lin’s safety and not let Liu Yan be controlled by the Romantic Shop again.” Master Wenxiu asked strangely, “Who are you?” A’Shui stood there and lowered her head. “This humble woman is just a commoner…” Cheng Yunpao tore off the handkerchief binding her hands and said indifferently, “This young lady is Young Master Tang’s friend.” A’Shui shook her head and said urgently, “I have a younger sister who was in Beauty’s Residence just now. I don’t know how she is now. Please send someone to look for her, Hero Cheng.” Before she finished speaking, Yu Tuan’er was already running over from behind Beauty’s Residence, holding Fengfeng. “Sister A’Shui!” Seeing that Yu Tuan’er was safe, she breathed a sigh of relief and held her and Fengfeng tightly in her arms.
When someone had hung this azure-robed scholar on the building earlier, the crowd watching outside had already been guessing the identity of this azure-robed scholar, and some had planned to rescue him. But the Romantic Shop’s masters surrounded the second floor, and the rope binding this azure-robed scholar was made of sulfur mulberry silk—not something ordinary blades and swords could cut. If someone charged up to rescue him, they would lose the initiative and expose huge flaws the moment they tried to cut the rope. Without A’Shui’s clever plan, rescuing him would have been absolutely difficult. But how had this young lady managed to break the rope made of sulfur mulberry silk? Everyone discussed heatedly, unable to reach a conclusion.
A’Shui held something in her hand, gripping it tightly without revealing any trace. When Bai Suche bound her hands, she had stuffed something into her palm, then threw her out the window. She had used this very thing to cut the rope, making herself and Lin Bu fall down. Why had Miss Bai secretly helped her? Though she didn’t understand, she knew that if people found out about this, it would inevitably put Bai Suche in crisis, so she gripped it tightly, not even glancing at it.
It was a small knife shaped like a willow leaf, very delicate, with a slight curve. The handle had an extremely small spring mechanism—with a slight flick, the blade would spring out from the handle. This knife could cut iron like mud, and A’Shui had used it to cut the rope effortlessly. Now the blade had retracted into the handle, and holding it in her hand, it felt like a section of rounded short wood.
Fu Cui, who had poked her head out from the second floor, sneered coldly. “This girl actually brought ‘Kill Willow’ with her. Su Su, you didn’t search her body properly just now—what a blunder.” She didn’t find it strange that A’Shui carried such a rare precious blade. A’Shui had close dealings with Tang Lici, and Tang Lici was wealthy beyond measure—giving A’Shui a sharp weapon for self-defense wasn’t unusual. Bai Suche bowed coldly. “This subordinate made a blunder.” Fu Cui waved her hand. “Forget it. Who could have thought A’Shui would be so bold, and who knew she would think to rescue Lin Bu, much less know she carried ‘Kill Willow’ with her. Haha, Kill Willow, Kill Willow—she’s come back this time, could it be to kill Liu Yan?”
The black-clothed person quietly observing to the side said indifferently, “Lin Bu has been rescued, so it seems today’s plan has changed. But Lin Bu falling into the Central Plains Sword Association’s hands is actually no different from falling into the Ghost Master’s hands.” Bai Suche smiled faintly. “Today’s question is whether Liu Yan will actually come or not. If he refuses to appear today, or if he appears but falls into others’ hands, it will be much more difficult for us to capture Master Wenxiu, Tianxun Zi, Hongmen Sword and the others with our prepared forces—we might even be completely wiped out.” Her gaze swept over the faces of everyone on the second floor. “Currently we can no longer control the situation.” Fu Cui giggled. “The Ghost Master will return soon. Sit down, sit down, eat, eat.” She occupied the table and ate heartily while Bai Suche walked over and indifferently drank a cup of wine.
Earlier, thick black smoke had risen from behind Beauty’s Residence over a wide area. Though the various sects had no communication between them, they all knew there must be changes behind the mountain. Now that Cheng Yunpao and Master Wenxiu had rescued Lin Bu, everyone gathered around, chattering and discussing what was really happening.
“Scholar, who are you?” A beggar carrying a hemp sack squeezed to Cheng Yunpao’s side and extended his greasy big hands to grope all over Lin Bu’s body. “How could you have saved the number one great villain of the martial world? Don’t you know he’s a lecher who specializes in defiling young girls…” Before he could finish his sentence, Master Wenxiu’s face darkened. “Xing Jiao Hua, keep your mouth clean!” Several disciples under the Emei sect had been enchanted by Liu Yan and joined the White-Robed Servants, taking the Scarlet Ghost Nine Heart Pills, but they hadn’t lost their chastity, so naturally they were angered hearing Xing Jiao Hua speak this way. Xing Jiao Hua quickly shut his mouth and smiled. “This old beggar deserves death! Should be beaten, should be beaten! But this scholar looks refined and elegant—how could he have dealings with that demon? This old beggar is truly curious.”
Lin Bu stood in the center of the crowd. Since being captured, he had seen many strange people, which actually made him calmer. He just smiled, bowed to Cheng Yunpao to thank him for saving his life, and didn’t speak. Dong Hu Bi briefly asked several questions of each sect. The poisoned people in each sect varied in number, adding up to about a hundred people. Everyone wanted Liu Yan’s antidote, and quite a few also wanted Liu Yan’s life. Cheng Yunpao pressed his hand on his sword. At this moment, whether it was the Romantic Shop forces standing ready or the motley crowd of righteous martial world people, emotions had already been stirred up, all waiting for one person’s arrival.
Absolutely take him away the moment Liu Yan appears! Absolutely not let this demon disappear again! Cheng Yunpao gripped his sword tightly, his will resolute.