Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid

"Kid, I'm going to kill you."

The tall man ordered his remaining underlings to attack Li Xingluo.

Song Xue had wanted to help, but she was too badly injured. The moment she took a step, her legs gave way.

"Look out!" All she could do was cheer him on from the sidelines.

Li Xingluo drew the Wind Spirit Split-Form Sword and struck in one swift move. A giant sword formed from Dou Qi slashed toward the dozen or so men charging at him.

A sound like splitting stone and scattering sand rang out, and the dust billowed up, instantly filling the entire gorge.

Horses neighed, and people screamed, their cries filling the gorge.

When the dust settled, the dozen or so men who had been full of life moments ago were all sprawled on the ground, horses and riders alike, lifeless.

If Li Xingluo had won earlier because his opponents had underestimated him, how could anyone explain this?

The tall man had never seen anything like it. His legs turned to jelly, and he nearly fell from his horse.

He yanked the reins, raised his whip, and shouted, "Hyah!" as he tried to flee.

He had gone only a few meters when someone appeared in midair, blocking his way. When he got a clear look, he saw a pair of wings hovering behind the figure. It was none other than Li Xingluo, the boy he had just tried to kill.

"A Dou, Dou Wang? A Dou Wang in his teens?" The tall man stammered, all his earlier arrogance gone.

Li Xingluo's expression remained cold as he swooped down. Before the tall man could draw his blade, he felt a chill at his neck. When he looked down, a thick, coppery smell of blood rose from his throat.

The tall man slowly turned his head, unable to believe what had happened. His body toppled from the horse. After a few spasms, he fell still.

Li Xingluo did not even glance at the corpses on the ground. His cold, handsome bearing only made him seem more extraordinary.

Song Xue cautiously walked over to Li Xingluo. Seeing the bodies strewn everywhere, she swallowed nervously.

She had just been thinking of holding the men off so the boy could run and deliver the item. She never expected...

"Y-you're a Dou Wang?"

Li Xingluo said nothing. He simply returned the items Song Xue had given him, then turned to leave.

Just then, Song Xue's body, already at its limit, collapsed to the ground.

Li Xingluo had already started to walk away, but when he heard her fall, he looked back and saw her frail body lying on the ground. After a long inner struggle, he reluctantly went back to her.

Night fell. Beside a bonfire burning in the mountains, Li Xingluo sat cross-legged, upright, and cultivated.

Across the fire, Song Xue lay flat on her back, the wounds on her body bandaged with strips of white cloth.

After who knew how long, Song Xue's eyes fluttered open. A bonfire came into view. She slowly sat up.

She spotted Li Xingluo sitting cross-legged across from her. His handsome face and perfectly balanced features were truly captivating.

"You're awake!"

As Li Xingluo spoke, he opened his eyes. Song Xue had been so entranced that their gazes met. She instinctively lowered her head.

A gentle, clear voice came from Song Xue. "Thank you for saving me. My name is Song Xue. May I ask your name, young master? I'd like to know so that my... the Song Clan can repay you someday."

"Don't mention it." Li Xingluo had no intention of revealing his real name, so he made one up. "Just call me Luo Xing."

"Are you also going to Ink Cloud City?" Song Xue checked the bandages on her wounds. They were much better now, and a faint blush crept across her face.

Li Xingluo did not hide the truth from the adorably naive Song Xue.

"Yes."

Their brief exchange left the atmosphere awkward, especially for Song Xue. Li Xingluo always seemed to keep people at arm's length.

"I'm still very grateful to you. If you hadn't stepped in, the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid would have been stolen."

Song Xue picked up the box. When Li Xingluo heard her say it contained the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid, his calm heart stirred.

"You're saying the box contains a Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid?"

Song Xue had no guard up around Li Xingluo at all. Her eyes were clear as she nodded firmly.

The Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid was a treasure. It could be used to refine pills or swallowed directly. When cultivated alongside the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, it could double the results with half the effort. He hadn't expected such a rare treasure to appear in such a remote place.

Li Xingluo thought of Xiao Yi Xian and her Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, and he could barely contain his joy.

"Young master, you..."

"Miss Song Xue, may I ask what you need the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid for?"

Li Xingluo could tell how much Song Xue valued the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid. She had been willing to risk her life to protect it.

If he could help her out of her predicament, perhaps she might be willing to sell it to him.

Li Xingluo noticed that the lively Song Xue had suddenly become weighed down with sorrow.

As if plunged into overwhelming grief, she hugged her knees tightly, her eyes vacant.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, it has nothing to do with you. I was just thinking about Grandpa's illness."

"Do you mean your grandfather needs the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid to be cured?"

Song Xue wiped away the tears that had already spilled from the corners of her eyes. The sight was enough to make anyone's heart ache.

Song Xue slowly raised her head, still filled with sorrow and low in spirits.

"Yes. The physician said only the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid could cure Grandpa's injuries, so we went searching for one. Luckily, our efforts paid off, and we found one in a mountain range. It's just..."

Song Xue thought of the more than twenty people who had set out with her. Now, she feared she was the only one left, and she could no longer hold back her tears.

Li Xingluo wanted to comfort her but did not know what to say. All he could do was darken his expression in sympathy.

"Everyone who came with me is dead. They held off the Sand Bandits so I could escape."

Li Xingluo handed Song Xue a handkerchief. He couldn't bear to see a girl cry, especially one who was willing to lay down her life for her family.

"Thank you!" Song Xue took the handkerchief and looked at Li Xingluo, who seemed like a savior to her. Warmth filled her heart.

"Do you know the people who attacked you today?"

Song Xue nodded firmly and sat not far from Li Xingluo.

"I do. They've been based on Tiger Mountain outside Ink Cloud City for years. They rob passing merchants, giving them a real headache."

"The Song Clan in Ink Cloud City..."

Li Xingluo deliberately let his words trail off. Something about what had happened today did not sit right with him.

Song Xue seemed to have no guard up around Li Xingluo, perhaps because he had saved her.

"The Song Clan is one of the two great clans in Ink Cloud City. The other is the Su Clan."

At this, Song Xue turned to Li Xingluo curiously, blinking her big eyes in an utterly adorable way.

"Does the Su Clan also know your grandfather is seriously ill?"

"Yes. The Su Clan has been taking advantage of Grandpa's illness to suppress us for years. Could it be..."

Song Xue looked at Li Xingluo curiously, as if hoping to find an answer in his face.

Li Xingluo shook his head. From what Song Xue had told him, the ambush was definitely no simple matter.

It looked like the Sand Bandits and the Su Clan had some kind of secret arrangement. Wherever there were people, there would always be conflict.

Song Xue glanced sideways at Li Xingluo as he fell into thought.

"All right, tell me about Ink Cloud City."

"Okay." Knowing that Li Xingluo was also heading to Ink Cloud City, Song Xue launched into a lively account of everything there. It seemed she had forgotten her sorrow from just moments ago. Watching Song Xue happily tell him about the city, Li Xingluo let out a long breath of relief.