A sword flashed, and blood flew!
'Chu Qing' still wore a murderous look of cold indifference, but his hands moved on their own to clutch at his throat.
His body tilted. He struggled forward another two steps, then fell face-first to the ground with a thud and went still.
The attacker's figure vanished in the blink of an eye. With a single step, he was already atop the courtyard wall.
Then he looked back... and leaped away the next instant.
"Who was that?"
"Did he kill the Chu Family Third Young Master?"
"Are you stupid? That was obviously a fake. How could the real Third Young Master kill his own father?"
"But what if he's a heartless bastard?"
The entire front courtyard erupted into discussion.
Only Wu Qianhuan reacted in an instant.
She leaped up, first stepping on a nearby table, then using it to launch herself after Chu Qing.
"It's him!!"
Though Chu Qing wore a bamboo hat, he had even put on a mask beneath it when no one was looking.
Yet the moment he looked back, Wu Qianhuan still saw his eyes.
There was no mistaking him!
He had shed his servant's clothes and disguised himself as a guest of the Chu Family.
"Stop right there!!!"
As if Chu Qing would stop... Not only did he keep going, he ran even faster.
Wu Qianhuan gritted her teeth and chased after him.
With the experience she'd gained before, this time she kept Chu Qing firmly in her sights. No matter how many tricks he had up his sleeve, he wouldn't escape her view!
In the blink of an eye, the Chu Family estate was far behind them. The city gate lay just ahead.
Wu Qianhuan shouted from a distance:
"Stop him!!"
The Heavenly Dance Guard stood before the gate. Hearing the shout, they wondered who could be so rude.
Did the Heavenly Dance Guard have to listen to just anyone who called out?
Then they took a closer look—and saw that it was their own Eldest Young Lady!
They hurriedly formed ranks, ready to block the swordsman ahead... but as he reached them, he sprang into the air and stepped on empty air.
The Heavenly Dance Guard craned their necks to watch him pass overhead.
A few masters leaped up to seize him, but the figure, who should already have been flagging, suddenly shot three feet higher into the air. He kicked off the walls of the gate tunnel in rapid succession and crossed the entire passage in the span of a breath.
Wu Qianhuan was furious.
"Move aside!!"
The Heavenly Dance Guard nearly wept. First she told them to stop him, now she was telling them to move...
What exactly were they supposed to do?
But before they could get out of the way, Wu Qianhuan had already vaulted into the air, using the heads of several guards as stepping stones.
The guards she stepped on felt no shame—in fact, they were proud.
The Eldest Young Lady stepped on my head. Can any of you claim the same honor?
Wu Qianhuan had no idea what the guards were thinking. Her whole mind was set on catching Chu Qing.
After vaulting over the city gate, Chu Qing seemed somewhat distracted.
He'd sensed something was off earlier, but couldn't put his finger on what.
Now, though, he was beginning to understand.
He glanced back at Wu Qianhuan and felt a little at a loss.
At this rate, she wouldn't stop until she caught him today.
But remembering what Chu Yunfei had said earlier stirred strange feelings in him. The one who had wronged Wu Qianhuan was the original owner of this body, but now that he'd inherited this life, it was only natural that those troubles would fall to him.
With that thought, Chu Qing let out a breath, turned around, and stopped.
Wu Qianhuan stopped as well, watching him coldly. Even the smile at the corners of her eyes had vanished.
"Not running anymore?"
"I'm out of breath."
Chu Qing smiled.
"You're a young woman, chasing a grown man this far. Aren't you worried something might happen?
"To tell you the truth, I'm no good man."
"...Then tell me. Who are you, exactly?"
Wu Qianhuan's lips twitched, her eyes carrying a trace of mockery.
"And what reason did you have for breaking into the Chu Family estate and saving the Chu Family Head?"
"What if I don't tell you?"
Chu Qing raised his brows slightly. His gaze, visible through the mask, was rather roguish.
"Then I'm afraid you won't be leaving today."
Chu Qing gave a helpless smile.
"Fine, fine. To tell you the truth, I'm a wandering martial artist who kills for money to make a living.
"I came to the Chu Family estate this time at someone's request."
"...An assassin?"
The mockery on Wu Qianhuan's face deepened.
"I've heard of assassins taking money to kill, but never of them taking money to protect someone. Do you really not know how to lie?"
"The Eldest Young Lady of Heavenly Dance City naturally has no idea how hard life is for nobodies like us, scraping by at the bottom of the martial world. As long as you pay, I'll do anything—even save someone."
"Good."
Wu Qianhuan pulled a gold ingot from her robes.
"Take this money and remove your bamboo hat and mask."
Chu Qing: "..."
Wu Qianhuan sneered.
"Didn't you say you'd do anything for money?"
"You have to understand, people in my line of work can't show their faces. If my true identity is exposed, I might not live to see another day.
"That gold in your hand is certainly tempting, but compared with my life... it's not worth much."
Listening to him made Wu Qianhuan feel as if her frustration were about to burst.
She was already nearly certain of who he was, yet the man had a crooked argument ready for everything, leaving her unable to refute him.
Furious, she stopped caring about the niceties. One hand on her sword hilt, she advanced slowly and spoke coldly:
"Arguing with you is a waste of time.
"If you won't do it willingly, then I'll strip away that disguise myself and see who you really are!"
"...Miss, wait!"
Chu Qing hurriedly waved his hands.
"As the saying goes, men and women shouldn't touch. How could we undress each other when we've only just met? I may be doing this for money, but I won't sell myself like that... Watch out!!"
At the very end, Chu Qing suddenly cried out.
"What you should watch out for is..."
Wu Qianhuan was so angry she was about to see stars, but before she could even finish saying "you," she sensed something wrong in the wind behind her.
She whipped around—and saw a massive fist already upon her.
Xin Youhen, the Overturning Sea Dragon Fist!
What was he doing here?
Wu Qianhuan's expression changed, but fortunately her sword was already in hand. She flicked up its keen edge, and moonlight rose.
With a boom, sword energy collided with Fist Momentum.
Wu Qianhuan had been forced to meet the attack in haste. She grunted and staggered back a step, then looked at Chu Qing.
"Why aren't you running!?"
At her words, Chu Qing glanced at her.
"You're no match for him."
"So what?"
A vein nearly popped on Wu Qianhuan's forehead. Of all the times to make sarcastic remarks!
But the next moment, she heard Chu Qing say with a smile:
"How about you give me some silver, and I'll kill him for you?"
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