Chapter 13

The wind howled as it rushed through the narrow alley.

The South Qi gang members, armed with knives and swords, slowly advanced, forming an ironclad formation that surrounded the young man in the center holding a blade and the girl standing beside him.

The boundless wind swept his waist sash, and the jade ornaments on it clinked softly in the morning light.

“It’s you again!”

The leader of the South Qi gang, Ruan Wujie, stood at the forefront, eyes fixed on the young man in front of him. “I’ve seen you before in the chaotic battle on the street not long ago… it’s a pity that arrow didn’t kill you!”

“Yeah,” the young man chuckled lightly. “Such a pity.”

“Ruan Wujie.”

He raised the tip of his blade, unconcerned, and directly called out the leader’s name. “I’m here today to deal with two people. Release them, and I won’t harm your people.”

“Who are you exactly?” Ruan Wujie demanded harshly. “I’ve never seen anyone like you in the Jianghu!”

“I’m still an unknown nobody,” the young man answered lazily.

The wind blew his robe, and the knife in his hand spun in the air. The young man, in his crimson attire and jade belt, lifted his wrist, his blade pointing directly at the enemy in front. He tilted his head and smiled.

“—But soon, I’ll be famous in the Jianghu.”

“Attack!” Ruan Wujie ordered coldly.

“Cover your ears,” Xie Zhiyuan whispered.

Yun Miao quickly covered her ears with her hands and tightly shut her eyes.

Both sides moved at the same time!

The South Qi gang members, armed with weapons, rushed toward the center, while the young man, gripping his knife, faced them head-on.

The howling wind collided with the sounds of swords and blades, creating a sharp, high-pitched ringing of metal. The deep crimson figure weaved through the crowd, expertly plunging his blade into the right shoulder of one of the burly men.

The man cried out in pain, and the young man, sneering at his ear, said, “Did you betray me?”

Before the man could respond, a second blow landed, the blade sinking into his left shoulder.

Blood gushed out, and the man let out a howl like a wounded animal. The young man continued, “I remember my bounty was for you to deliver someone to Pingkang Fang, not to hand them over to the South Qi gang in Wangyue Tower.”

“A little job worth seven hundred taels of silver,” he spoke as if certain, “Certainly not as worthwhile as joining the South Qi gang, right?”

“I…” The man gritted his teeth, trying to speak, but a third strike pierced his chest, causing him to scream hoarsely in agony.

In the gory splatter of blood, the young man stepped on the man’s chest, bending down to look at him.

His eyes were clear and innocent, like a mischievous child watching its disobedient pet. There was a coldness in his smile, as if frozen.

“I hate betrayal the most,” he whispered, twisting the knife.

Amid the deafening, agonizing cries, the twisting blade shattered the man’s heart. Blood flowed like a stream across the ground. The man died with his eyes wide open, staring blankly at the sky.

The other burly man, who had been his companion, shuddered and tried to escape by pushing through the crowd, but in the next moment, he was cornered by the young man.

“It wasn’t me!” the man trembled, his voice shaking. “I didn’t betray you! I advised him to follow the bounty instructions…”

“Is that so?” The young man tilted his head and looked at him.

“Yes, yes!” The man scrambled, “I… I tried to…”

“You’re lying.” The young man spoke softly.

Before the words were finished, a flash of blade cut open the man’s throat. His massive body collapsed to the ground, and the young man casually flicked the blood from his blade, the blood splattering across the bricks like ink on a painting.

The surrounding South Qi gang members instinctively stepped back a pace, their fear palpable.

“Now, you.” The young man turned and smiled, raising his blade to point at a guard in the crowd. “Did you touch my person?”

“I didn’t…” the guard instinctively shook his head.

The young man walked toward the girl, still covering her ears, and gently wiped the blood from her forehead and neck. His clean fingers stained with a little blood from her cheek, resembling a small flower that had bloomed.

Yun Miao remained where she stood, her eyes closed and hands pressed firmly to her ears, unwilling to see the blood or hear the jarring sound of swords.

“She’s mine.” The young man spoke softly, as if to himself. “Anyone who touches my people deserves to die.”

Xie Zhiyuan’s voice was soft, but the South Qi gang members surrounding them all heard it.

His tone, clear as broken jade, was as cruel as a demon from hell.

The guard who had kicked Yun Miao trembled, and his companion, who had pressed her down, turned to flee.

“Don’t retreat!” Ruan Wujie roared in fury. “All of you, move forward! Anyone who retreats will be executed!”

“Make sure you see clearly! He’s alone!”

Ruan Wujie raised his iron whip high, shouting, “Charge!”

The South Qi gang members, armed with weapons, pressed forward. Ruan Wujie, like a tiger pouncing from above, whipped his long whip toward the young man.

Xie Zhiyuan raised his blade to meet the strike, and at the moment when the blade clashed with the iron whip, he brushed past Yun Miao.

In that instant, his lips grazed the back of her hand, still covering her ears. She heard him whisper softly in her ear, “A Miao.”

“Hmm?” Yun Miao removed her hands from her ears.

“Someone’s coming.” Xie Zhiyuan spoke quietly. “We should avoid them.”

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of horses’ hooves broke through the dawn light!

A group of black-clad bandits on horseback charged into the alley, their swords forming a sweeping arc, and the shouts of battle quickly filled the space, drowning out everything else.

“Blackwater Stronghold! Blackwater Stronghold!” The South Qi gang shouted, raising their weapons, turning to face the approaching bandits, and the battle quickly devolved into a chaotic alley fight.

Before Yun Miao could react, a hand gently covered her eyes.

“We retreat,” Xie Zhiyuan whispered in her ear.

She fell into an embrace filled with a faint scent of grass and wood, as the young man covered her eyes and led her to one side. With his other hand, he wielded his blade to cut through the arrows that came flying in the chaos.

The Blackwater Camp and the Nanqi Gang were sworn enemies. In the previous street brawl, both sides lost many people. Now, facing each other again, the hatred was palpable. The battle quickly turned into a chaotic fight, with no one paying attention to the young man and woman caught in the crowd.

The hand that had covered her eyes was removed, and Xie Zhiyuan coughed softly.

“Xie Zhiyuan?” she asked nervously. “Are you injured?”

“I’m fine. It’s just the arrow wound from last time,” Xie Zhiyuan casually answered, swinging his blade through the crowd while leading her toward the other end of the alley.

At the end of the alley, in the darkness, a young girl in black armor stood holding a blade at the narrow gap.

She swung her sword to deflect the incoming arrows, the curved blade drawing sharp and lethal arcs in the air.

Cloud Miao paused for a moment and recognized her as the knife-wielding girl, Luo Xiaojiu, who had leaned against the door of the Wangyue Building.

Xie Zhiyuan led Cloud Miao into a safe gap at the back, then turned around, leaning against the wall, and coldly asked, “Where is the eldest daughter of the Qinglian Luo family?”

Luo Xiaojiu, too lazy to respond, pointed toward a further corner of the wall.

There, leaning against the wall, was a girl dressed in a long gown, unconscious. Her forehead and cheeks had visible injuries.

“Ah Li!” Cloud Miao rushed over and grabbed Luo Li’s hand.

“She fainted,” Luo Xiaojiu said, glancing at them from a distance.

“Weren’t you supposed to keep an eye on her?” Xie Zhiyuan impatiently asked. “How did she faint?”

“My task was only to confirm that she was alive,” Luo Xiaojiu replied indifferently. “She fainted from fright.”

“Take her back to Luo Mansion,” Xie Zhiyuan said coldly.

“Extra payment,” Luo Xiaojiu didn’t even look up.

“Seven hundred taels,” Xie Zhiyuan replied calmly.

“One thousand taels,” Luo Xiaojiu’s voice was cold. “Third Prince, you’re injured and can’t carry two people. If you want to send Luo Li, it has to be me.”

“Two thousand,” Xie Zhiyuan said casually, doubling the price. “Take her to the medical center for treatment.”

“If her father, the censor of the Imperial Court, can’t find his daughter, he’ll report the Qi Wang’s actions in Pingkang Fang to the court.”

He muttered to himself, “…and I don’t want to pressure my imperial brother too much for now.”

“The treatment costs are not included in my fee,” Luo Xiaojiu said淡淡ly.

“Pick it up tomorrow at the Baigui Fang counter,” Xie Zhiyuan nodded.

“What about the young lady from the Yin Chuan Yun family?”

Luo Xiaojiu turned her head to look at the girl over there. “I’m aware of my capabilities. I can’t carry two people under these circumstances.”

“You don’t need to carry her,” Xie Zhiyuan said as he stood up, drawing his three-foot-long blade. “I’ll take her myself.”

“And,” he softly added, “I have something else to do.”

At that moment, a loud horse whinny sounded again!

“Jinwu Guard is here! Jinwu Guard is here!”

A tall horse turned wildly outside the alley, and a soldier in a robe shouted orders from the horse, “Arrest everyone!”

With the arrival of the soldiers, the chaos escalated. The Nanqi Gang and Blackwater Camp were entangled in battle while trying to fend off the incoming officers.

Three forces collided together, and arrows and blades filled the air.

“The Jinwu Guard is here, the Blackwater Camp will retreat soon.”

Xie Zhiyuan whispered, “Now.”

Luo Xiaojiu drew her blade and leaped into action! Amid the flying arrows, she grabbed a horse, hoisted the unconscious Luo Li onto it, and, cutting through the crowd, galloped out of the alley.

Xie Zhiyuan remained behind, blocking countless arrows, protecting Cloud Miao closely as they moved step by step backward.

“Charge! Charge!”

A Blackwater Camp member yelled.

As more and more officers entered the scene, the Nanqi Gang was pushed back, and they were losing the battle to Blackwater Camp.

The Blackwater Camp bandits rode their horses into the fray, killing many Nanqi Gang members, capturing several, and dragging them onto horses as they stormed out.

For the Nanqi Gang members, being captured was worse than being killed. The longstanding grudge between the Blackwater Camp and Nanqi Gang meant that those taken to Blackwater Camp would face brutal torture before being executed and dumped outside the city as a warning.

“Sss—”

At this moment, a tall horse reared up, and a Blackwater Camp bandit on horseback swung his blade down!

“Xie Zhiyuan!” Cloud Miao shouted.

The bandit from Blackwater Camp clearly mistook them for Nanqi Gang members. She was trying to warn Xie Zhiyuan about the attack from the side.

With a clang, the young man beside her suddenly threw his blade away.

“Xie Zhiyuan?”

Cloud Miao was stunned. “What are you doing?”

“We can’t fight back,” Xie Zhiyuan said.

Cloud Miao: ??

…I don’t quite believe you!!

But just then, the young man suddenly let go, falling like a kite with its string cut.

In the rising wind, Cloud Miao instinctively reached out to catch him. The fallen young man landed softly in her arms and gently closed his eyes.

The next moment, from the charging horse, the bandit grabbed both of them and dragged them onto the horse, along with many other captives. They sped out of the alley, galloping along the long street before finally bursting through the southeast city gate.

At the end of the dust, Cloud Miao and Xie Zhiyuan were both tied to the horse’s back, disappearing into the distant mountains.

Where she couldn’t see, the young man’s lips curled into a sly smile.