Seeing that Fang Qiuyue still had the strength to stand, both the male owner and the fierce woman were greatly surprised. A cup of tea had already passed; it was strange enough that this girl had not been knocked out by the sleeping incense, yet she somehow still had the strength to get up.
"Miss Fang, what's wrong?" Seeing Fang Qiuyue's pained expression, the old woman asked with feigned concern.
But Fang Qiuyue, having already sensed the danger, ignored her and directly drew the White Rainbow Sword, slashing at the door.
"Crack!"
The wooden door shattered in response, and Fang Qiuyue hurriedly rushed outside.
The three people in the room were all stunned. They had not expected this foolish girl to suddenly become clever, but they were not worried in the slightest. Since she had entered this residence, there was no way she could escape again.
Sure enough, the moment Fang Qiuyue rushed out of the little house, she saw more than ten burly men grinning viciously at her. They held all manner of blunt weapons and nets, clearly intending to capture her alive.
"Get out of my way!"
Fang Qiuyue shouted, thrusting the White Rainbow Sword in her hand fiercely toward the burly man at the very front.
"Aah!"
The leading burly man let out a scream, clutching the wound in his chest as he repeatedly retreated.
"Damn it, she's been smoked for so long already. How does this girl still have so much strength?"
A Big Beard beside him burst out laughing when he heard that. "Hahaha, Lao San, I think you're the one who can't cut it. Move aside and watch me subdue this little girl."
Having said that, he swung a Copper Hammer and smashed it toward Fang Qiuyue.
"Clang!"
The White Rainbow Sword was swift as lightning, knocking the Copper Hammer flying in a single stroke. At the same time, Fang Qiuyue flicked her wrist, and the White Rainbow Sword bent at a strange angle as it pierced toward Big Beard's throat.
Fortunately, a young man behind Big Beard was quick-eyed and deft-handed. He hurriedly yanked Big Beard backward, barely allowing him to evade Fang Qiuyue's killing move, though a bloody mark was still left across his neck.
"This one's pretty thorny..."
Big Beard touched the blood seeping from the wound on his neck, unable to keep from feeling lingering fear.
"Ha... ha..."
Seeing that her "Glimpse of a Startled Swan" had failed to kill Big Beard, Fang Qiuyue, whose breathing had already fallen into chaos, hurriedly circulated the Returning Heart Skill to steady herself.
Like most second generation disciples of the Returning Heart Sect, Fang Qiuyue had already trained her inherited martial art, the Simple Heart Sword, to Dacheng before entering the sect. Moreover, she had practiced breathing techniques for years under her father's guidance since childhood, so her physical foundation was quite strong.
Combined with the Returning Heart Skill's effects of expelling poison and protecting the heart, that was why she still had the strength to wield her sword in this state.
"A bunch of useless trash! I tell you to train properly every day, but all you know is how to go out drinking and chasing pleasures. Now you can't even handle one little bitch! All of you, move aside!"
Just as all the burly men hesitated to advance, a Scholar-like Youth walked out from a small room to the north and roared. Then he made a welcoming gesture toward the room. "Gu Oldest, my useless men have made a fool of themselves before you."
Following the scholar's somewhat fawning voice, a bladesman with a face full of pockmarks walked out and laughed loudly. "That little girl does have some skill. It's only natural that those mediocrities under you cannot beat her."
"Yes, yes, yes. Luckily, Gu Oldest came here to drink with me today. Otherwise, I really would have had to watch a cooked duck fly away. I'll have to trouble you to subdue that little bitch, so my useless men can witness what an expert truly is."
"Easy, easy. I'll lend you a hand, then. Consider it repayment for your wine."
"Gu Oldest, what are you saying? I invited you to this wine in the first place. There will naturally be further compensation for troubling you to act."
"Hahaha, brother Zhang knows the way of the world. Then watch closely."
With that, Gu Oldest walked toward Fang Qiuyue as though strolling through his own courtyard.
By now, Fang Qiuyue had begun to feel dazed, but her fierce desire to survive told her that she had to hold on.
As long as I kill him... I'll still have a chance to escape.
Having understood this, Fang Qiuyue no longer hesitated and used all her remaining strength to thrust at Gu Oldest.
White Rainbow Purple Lightning!
This was the fastest of all Fang Qiuyue's sword moves. As a ring of white radiance appeared around the blade, the White Rainbow Sword shot toward Gu Oldest's throat like a bolt of lightning.
Faced with such a powerful strike, Gu Oldest remained utterly calm. With merely a sidestep, he easily evaded it. Then he casually drew the Purple Copper Saber at his waist and jabbed Fang Qiuyue in the stomach with its hilt.
"Ungh!"
Fang Qiuyue cried out in pain, clutching her stomach as she dropped to one knee. Her body had already been close to its limit, and this jab made her feel as though all her internal organs had twisted into a knot.
At the same time, three options appeared before Jiang Beiran, who had been watching from the rooftop.
[Option One: Go down and kill every evildoer surrounding Fang Qiuyue. Completion Reward: Double Peaks Pierce Ears (Mystic Middle Grade)] [Option Two: Shout loudly and draw over the night patrol constables. Completion Reward: Wrought Iron Steel Spear (Yellow Rank Middle Grade)] [Option Three: Rescue Fang Qiuyue without harming any evildoer. Completion Reward: Random Basic Attribute Point +1]
Though number three really is the least effort, why does it sound like such a high-difficulty option?
After grumbling inwardly, Jiang Beiran took two small black balls from his Universe Ring.
Below, Fang Qiuyue, already driven into a desperate corner, was filled with regret. She could not understand why things had turned out this way. She had clearly only wanted to help that old woman, so why had she ended up like this?
In stark contrast to her emotions, the evildoers burst into laughter and began lavishly showering Gu Oldest with rainbow farts.
"Gu Oldest is Gu Oldest indeed! With one move, you subdued this little bitch! With skills like yours, you won't find a second man like you in all of Sunset Glow Town!"
"Not just Sunset Glow Town! Even across all Luo Nan Prefecture, Gu Oldest could walk sideways with these skills."
"Sigh, if I could have even one-tenth of Gu Oldest's abilities in this life, I'd die content."
Listening to all the rainbow farts, Gu Oldest laughed heartily, clearly enjoying every bit of it.
Only after his underlings had finished flattering him did the Scholar-like Youth step forward and cup his hands toward Gu Oldest. "Gu Oldest's martial arts truly cover the world. This little brother admires you deeply."
"Enough, enough. I merely dealt with a little bitch. It was as easy as reaching out and grabbing her. Nothing worth praising."
Seeing that Gu Oldest was satisfied, the scholar stopped praising him. He turned and kicked Fang Qiuyue hard in the shoulder.
"You stinking whore! You dared hurt my brother? Today, I'll show you who's boss."
"Hahahahaha!" The evildoers who saw this burst into loud laughter.
At this point, Fang Qiuyue, kicked to the ground, had been completely terrified out of her wits. Though she desperately wanted to retreat backward, her body could not muster even the slightest bit of strength.
Save me... Someone save me...
Watching the scholar approach her again with a vicious gleam in his eyes, Fang Qiuyue cried out in despair within her heart.
"Bang!"
Just as the scholar lifted his foot to kick Fang Qiuyue again, a cloud of black smoke exploded.
"What happened!?" the scholar cried out in alarm.
Though it was already nighttime, the scholar could still see what was before him by moonlight. But as the black smoke spread, not only could he see nothing at all, he could not even hear his own voice.
Gu Oldest beside him frowned. Just as he was about to draw the Purple Copper Saber and slash away the black smoke, he felt an immense force forcibly press his half-drawn saber back into its sheath.
So strong!
Frightened, Gu Oldest repeatedly retreated. Though this could barely count as an exchange, he already knew that he was absolutely no match for the newcomer.
"May I ask which senior expert has graced this place with his presence? I am Gu Louqing, Hall Master of the Yellow Gang. If I have caused offense, I ask that you forgive me."
Though Gu Louqing could not hear his own voice, he knew that the expert surely could. Thus, in order to save his life, he immediately announced his identity, hoping the other party would show some measure of restraint.
Silence—
There was no reply at all, yet Gu Louqing did not dare move recklessly. He simply stood there stupidly, frozen in place.
Only when the black smoke gradually dispersed did Gu Louqing's vision finally recover somewhat. At the same time, he heard Zhang Jijin's voice at his side.
"Gu Oldest, are you all right!?"
Feeling as though he had survived a great calamity, Gu Louqing calmed himself and answered, "I'm fine. How are you all?"
Zhang Jijin immediately looked around. Seeing that all the underlings wore frightened expressions but were otherwise unharmed, he finally relaxed. "The brothers are all fine."
"Boss! That little bitch is gone!" Big Beard, whom Fang Qiuyue had stabbed earlier, shouted.
Hearing this, Gu Louqing hurriedly said, "Shut your mouth. Can't you understand even now? You touched someone you should never have touched."
Big Beard immediately covered his mouth, anxiously looking about in every direction.
After a long while, seeing that nothing else happened, Gu Louqing finally let out a breath. "It seems that expert still gave the Yellow Gang some face and spared us."
Only then did everyone awaken as if from a dream, repeatedly thanking Gu Louqing. "Luckily Gu Oldest was here today. Otherwise, we'd all be finished."
If even Gu Louqing called him an expert, how could these evildoers not know what kind of existence they had just encountered?
Waving a hand at the crowd, Gu Louqing let out a long breath. "Keep your eyes open when you kidnap people in the future. Don't think you can trick just anyone, or sooner or later you'll have a day of bad luck."
"Gu Oldest's lesson is correct. We'll definitely learn from this, definitely learn from this."
The old woman who had lured Fang Qiuyue here was now so frightened that she could barely stand. Today, that person had spared them out of respect for Gu Oldest and the Yellow Gang—but what about tomorrow...? She had been the mastermind, after all. If that expert truly came looking for her, who among those present would dare guarantee her safety?
"Isn't this taking my old life?"
Without paying attention to the old woman who was nearly scared into wetting herself, Gu Louqing looked at Zhang Jijin and said, "Don't go out for the next few days. Stay home and keep your heads down. I'll return to the gang to investigate and see which sect's expert has come to Sunset Glow Town."
Gu Louqing was cautious by nature. Though the expert had spared them today, the grudge had already been formed. Who could guarantee that person would not come seeking trouble later? He had to make the proper preparations, perhaps even find an opportunity to strike first!
"Yes, yes, yes, we'll listen to you. We absolutely won't run around. This time, we're relying entirely on Gu Oldest." Zhang Jijin, already at his wits' end, nodded repeatedly.
"Mm, go back." Gu Louqing waved at Zhang Jijin, then turned and left the courtyard.
On the other side, Fang Qiuyue, who had been rescued, was still in a state of disbelief.
I was saved? And it was that cowardly... Senior Brother Jiang who saved me!?
As countless thoughts raced through her mind, Fang Qiuyue, curled up in Jiang Beiran's arms, raised her eyes and stared blankly at the face beneath Jiang Beiran's sun-scorched cloth.
"Senior Brother, I..."
"Shh, don't speak. You were affected by sleeping incense, and its poison has spread throughout your body. Sleep for a while first. Once we reach somewhere safe, I'll treat you."
Hearing Jiang Beiran's gentle voice, Fang Qiuyue, who had remained tense all this time, instantly felt a sense of security. At the same time, she thought to herself.
Sigh, if I had listened to Senior Brother earlier, how could I have fallen so low?
"Senior Brother... I'm sorry."
After saying this, Fang Qiuyue, whose mind had finally completely relaxed, fell into a deep sleep.
"No... no... no!"
In Inn Room 3 Renzi, Fang Qiuyue, her face covered in sweat, suddenly sat upright in bed and looked around with lingering terror.
"It's all right, it's all right. Big sister is here. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Liu Zijin hurried over and embraced Fang Qiuyue.
"Sister Zi Jin!" Fang Qiuyue threw her arms around Liu Zijin and burst into tears.
Only at this moment did she know for certain that last night had not been a dream. She truly had been saved by Senior Brother.
"It's all right now, it's all right." Liu Zijin gently comforted her, stroking Fang Qiuyue's back.
Only after venting for quite a while did Fang Qiuyue accept the Brocade Handkerchief Liu Zijin handed her and wipe away her tears.
"Wait here. I'll go call Senior Brother Jiang over." Seeing that Fang Qiuyue had calmed down, Liu Zijin walked to the door of the neighboring room and knocked.
With a "creak," Jiang Beiran opened the door and asked, "She's awake?"
"Mm, she just woke up." Liu Zijin nodded.
"Good. Let's go see her." After saying that, Jiang Beiran closed the door and followed Liu Zijin back into their room.
Seeing Jiang Beiran enter, Fang Qiuyue hurriedly tried to stand, only to find that she still had no strength in her body.
"Just lie down. Don't move around."
Fang Qiuyue nodded and lay back down.
"Give me your hand." Jiang Beiran sat at the bedside and held out his hand.
Once Fang Qiuyue extended her hand from beneath the blanket, Jiang Beiran placed his fingers on her wrist and began taking her pulse.
As Jiang Beiran carefully felt Fang Qiuyue's pulse, Fang Qiuyue secretly looked at him from beneath the blanket.
Strange... How had I never noticed that Senior Brother was so... so handsome before?
At this moment, in Fang Qiuyue's eyes, Jiang Beiran's face was like polished jade, his temples cut as if by a blade, his brows painted in ink. His pair of eyes were like two black drops of mercury floating in white mercury, like cold stars hanging above his knife-carved nose bridge.
"Mm, it seems to be only ordinary sleeping incense. There is indeed no other poison." Releasing Fang Qiuyue's hand, Jiang Beiran took three Heart Cleansing Pills from his Universe Ring and handed them to her. "Take one every two hours. Once you finish them, you'll be fully recovered."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Taking the Heart Cleansing Pills, Fang Qiuyue clenched her other hand into a fist and said to Jiang Beiran, "Senior Brother, I was wrong. I shouldn't have treated your words like wind past my ears, and I... I shouldn't have said those things about you."
After Fang Qiuyue finished speaking, three options appeared before Jiang Beiran at once.
[Option One: "It's fine. It's all in the past, and Senior Brother did not take it to heart." Completion Reward: Ten Absolute Divine Flash (Earth Grade Low Rank)] [Option Two: "It's good that you know you were wrong now. Now you know Senior Brother is wise and brilliant, right?" Completion Reward: Six Ren Records (Mysterious Grade High Rank)] [Option Three: "You don't need to apologize to me. Why do you think I appeared in time? Because I had been following behind you all along. The reason I did not stop you was because I wanted you to suffer a little." Completion Reward: Random Basic Skill Point +1]
PS: Not cutting off a chapter really is a technical job. First, I merged two chapters into one so I would not have to cut it off. It came to exactly 4,000 characters without writing the options at the end, but then I was afraid you all would bombard me to death. I'm such a coward.
But next time, I might dare to do it. [sideways grin]
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