Wuxia 11

Liu Zhong told everyone to stay calm. He and his brother would find the antidote, cure everyone's poison, and then lead them out of Wan'an Temple and Dadu.

The people from the five sects were anxious, but they knew that finding an antidote would not be easy.

A poison that potent would certainly be closely guarded by the court. No one would find it easily.

So they had no choice but to wait patiently.

"Two young heroes from the Song family, do you remember the woman who gave birth by the Han River, and the family you helped back then?"

Just as Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua had finished speaking with Abbess Miejue and were about to leave, a female Emei disciple suddenly spoke up.

The two turned to look at her.

She was exceptionally beautiful, like an orchid growing in a secluded valley. Her bright eyes seemed full of feeling as she gazed at them.

When Song Qinghua saw her, his heart skipped a beat, and his face turned red.

At the woman's words, Liu Zhong immediately recognized her.

Had Zhou Zhiruo still joined Emei?

Song Qinghua recognized Zhou Zhiruo as well. "Are you Zhiruo?"

Zhou Zhiruo smiled happily. "Brother Qinghua, it's me."

The two gazed at each other as if no one else were there.

Liu Zhong raised an eyebrow and said to Abbess Miejue, "Please forgive him, Abbess. My younger brother has run into someone he knew as a child, and he's a little carried away."

"Think nothing of it! It's fate that Zhiruo knows the two of you."

Her expression remained calm, but her mind was turning over a hundred possibilities.

The Song brothers' martial arts were formidable, probably no worse than that little devil Zhang Wuji.

If Zhou Zhiruo and Song Qinghua became a couple, Emei would gain a powerful ally.

Liu Zhong tugged his reluctant brother away. "Once we've rescued everyone, you'll have plenty of time to woo Miss Zhou."

Song Qinghua's face went scarlet. "I-I'm not wooing her. Don't make things up, Brother."

"Making things up?" Liu Zhong scoffed. "Dare you say you don't like Miss Zhou?"

"I, I..."

"I have eyes. How could I not see what you're thinking? You're lucky, too—Miss Zhou likes you as well. You're both in love, and your families are well matched. When the time comes, Father can go to Emei and ask for her hand on your behalf."

He was far happier than Song Qingshu in the original story.

Who would have thought Zhou Zhiruo liked Song Qinghua?

Was it because Song Qinghua had met her before Zhang Wuji did?

If Song Qingshu had met Zhou Zhiruo first in the original story, would she have fallen for him instead?

Song Qinghua's face grew even redder, and his voice brimmed with delight. "Big Brother, do you mean it? Miss Zhou really likes me?"

"Miss Zhou made it so obvious that even Abbess Miejue noticed. It wasn't just me."

Song Qinghua let out a startled "Ah." "Will Abbess Miejue make things difficult for her?"

"Don't worry. Abbess Miejue would be delighted. She's happy at the thought of Emei and Wudang forming an alliance through marriage."

Song Qinghua breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

The brothers had been waiting in Dadu for almost a month when Zhao Min finally returned to the Ruyang Prince Mansion with her entourage.

That very night, after receiving the news, Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua sneaked into the mansion and made their way to Lu Zhangke's quarters.

Lu Zhangke was highly skilled, but he was no match for the brothers.

Of course, to avoid alerting anyone, they made sure Lu Zhangke never noticed them. They didn't kill him, either; they simply stole the antidote hidden inside his weapon.

The two immediately went to Wan'an Temple and distributed the antidote to the people from the five sects imprisoned in the pagoda.

The prison had originally been meant to hold them, but it now served as a natural shelter where they could work on curing the poison without interruption.

Once they had taken the antidote, everyone began treating their poison with peace of mind.

Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua didn't stay to wait for them to finish. They arranged to return to Wan'an Temple the following night to discuss their escape.

But the very next day, Zhao Min came to Wan'an Temple. She made several people from the five sects fight her subordinates so she could secretly learn their martial arts.

Although He Taichong and Ban Shuxian had recovered their inner strength, they knew they couldn't fight their way out against so many powerful enemies surrounding Zhao Min. They could only swallow their anger and pretend they still hadn't recovered. Zhao Min's men cut off one of their fingers.

The two buried their hatred and swore to make Zhao Min pay.

After sending He Taichong and Ban Shuxian away, Zhao Min had someone summon Zhou Zhiruo.

Zhou Zhiruo exposed Zhao Min's intention to steal their martial arts. Even when threatened with having a finger cut off, she refused to fight Zhao Min's subordinates.

Zhao Min threatened to disfigure Zhou Zhiruo. Zhang Wuji couldn't hold back and leaped out, hoping to play the hero and save the beauty.

Although the scene of feeding Zhang Wuji by the Han River had never happened, when Abbess Miejue captured him and Zhu'er, Zhou Zhiruo had taken pity on them and treated them with great care. Zhang Wuji had developed feelings for her.

But Zhang Wuji was a step too late. He saw Zhou Zhiruo in the arms of a handsome man dressed in blue, far away from Zhao Min and her people.

Zhang Wuji was startled. Who was this man?

Held in the arms of the man she loved, Zhou Zhiruo was overjoyed.

Every time she found herself in danger, he came to save her.

"Who's there?" Zhao Min demanded.

She stared at Song Qinghua, noticing that he was every bit as handsome and impressive as Zhang Wuji.

"I'm Song Qinghua of Wudang," he replied coolly.

"Second Song Senior Brother!" Zhang Wuji cried out in delight.

"Song Qinghua? Never heard of him," Zhao Min scoffed.

He was an unknown nobody, not worth the attention of a princess.

"It's only natural that the princess hasn't heard of a wandering martial artist like me," Song Qinghua said coldly.

Zhao Min glanced at Zhang Wuji, then at Song Qinghua and Zhou Zhiruo holding each other. A strange smile crossed her face.

"Miss Zhou is so beautiful. No wonder two young heroes have fallen for her. I wonder which one she likes?"

Zhou Zhiruo's face turned scarlet. She slipped out of Song Qinghua's arms and said coldly, "Your Highness, please mind your words. Senior Brother Song and I are old acquaintances. I merely know the leader of the Ming Cult."

Zhao Min burst out laughing. "Leader Zhang, did you hear that? Miss Zhou sees you as no more than a stranger she happens to know. She and this young master Song are the ones who are truly close."

Zhang Wuji felt a pang of disappointment. Miss Zhou is wonderful. It's only natural that someone would fall for her.

He's Senior Brother Song, and they make a perfect couple. I should wish them well.

He pushed down his disappointment and said, "Miss Zhao, Miss Zhou and I are only acquaintances. Please don't spread rumors and sully her reputation."

Zhao Min laughed again and didn't press Zhou Zhiruo any further.

In high spirits, she smiled and lifted her pale jade wrist, waving it lightly.

"Seize them!"

At her words, the Xuanming Elders, who had already been poised to attack, lunged at Zhang Wuji together.

Ku Toutuo charged at Song Qinghua and Zhou Zhiruo.

Yang Xiao and Wei Yixiao, who had been hiding nearby, hurried out to help Zhang Wuji fight the enemy.