235

Chapter 235: The Mysterious Man

That man laughed viciously and reached out for Murong Xue’s delicate face.

Sensing that the hand was about to reach her cheek, Murong Xue suddenly opened her eyes. Drawing a cold light in the air with a hairpin in her hand, she stabbed it into the man’s throat ruthlessly, and blood gushed out…

The man widened his eyes abruptly. He pressed his hands firmly against his neck, but still couldn’t stop the bleeding, which dyed the front of his robe red. He looked at Murong Xue, his eyes flashing with shock and disbelief!

He wanted to warn his partner outside, but could utter strange sounds: “ho ho ho…”

Murong Xue sat up slowly. With a cold smile on her face, she grabbed the hairpin and pulled it out hard. With a “poof”, blood splashed onto the flapping carriage curtain, bright red and dazzling…

The man held his head up and stiffened for a moment before he fell down with a “plop”. His eyes were wide open, as if he died with everlasting regret!

Bright sunlight shone through the window and on the hairpin in Murong Xue’s hand, which reflected the dazzling light. The residual blood on the hairpin gradually gathered at the tip and condensed into a drop which dropped on the ground with a “tick-top”, which could made people’s hair stand on end…

“What’s going on?” The man driving the carriage realized that something was wrong. He lifted the curtain and looked inside.

Murong Xue’s gaze turned cold. With a “whoosh”, the hairpin in her hand was suddenly pressed against that man’s neck. She asked coldly, “who sent you after me?”

The man was dazed for a moment before he returned to normal and responded coldly: “I hope you’ll figure that out in hell!”

As soon as his voice faded away, a gleam of malevolence flashed across his eyes. He raised one hand to push away Murong Xue’s hairpin and slammed the other mercilessly at her.

Murong Xue turned sideways quickly to avoid his attack. She bent her slender arm, which directly bypassed him, and stabbed the hairpin ruthlessly into his chest. Blood gushed out and formed a particularly eye-catching scene with the bright sunshine from outside the window…

He stood stiff for a moment before he fell to the ground, his eyes wide open…

Murong Xue, as if she had not seen it, took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the blood off the hairpin: this hairpin was a gift from Ouyang Shaochen, and she must wipe it clean, or else that stingy man would think that she had not cherished what he had given her and find fault …

Suddenly, the carriage began bumping violently. Murong Xue almost lost her balance before she grabbed the edge of the carriage and steadied herself. She looked up and saw that the fast horse, having lost its driver, was running wildly and aimlessly along the rugged road, and a steep slope was looming in the front. Murong Xue narrowed her eyes slightly and, with the hairpin in her hand, jumped off the carriage…

As she landed on the ground steadily, she heard a loud crash. The horse and carriage fell down the steep slope, stirring up a cloud of dust…

Murong Xue’s gaze were meaningful. Having fallen from such a slope, the men in black and the carriage must have been smashed to pieces. They were indeed martial artists and secret keepers. Their leader would definitely be mysterious as well. But she was now out of the wood with no immediate concerns about her life. It didn’t matter that the men in black had not provided any information of value. She could investigate by herself and find the mastermind behind.

The priority at the moment was to meet up with the invisible guards of Lord Freedom’s Mansion, who had been trying to catch up with them!

Murong Xue looked around and saw that she was standing in a valley, with winding roads in the front and behind, as well as undulating mountains on both sides!

What the hell was this place?

In order to avoid the invisible guards of Lord Freedom’s Mansion, the men in black had taken such a remote way. It would certainly be difficult for the invisible guards to find this place…

Cursing inwardly, Murong Xue stumbled along the way back on the rough road. After a few dozens of steps, she heard hunger rumbling in her stomach.

Looking up and around, she saw bare and empty surroundings except for the soil and rocks, but around 100 meters away, halfway up the hillside, there were some fruit trees.

She frowned and walked slowly along the zigzag catwalk towards the fruit trees.

She did not know how large this dreadful place was, or how long she would have to walk to leave it, not to mention whether there were any dangerous animals or people around. She needed enough physical strength to sustain her ability of self-protection!

The efficacy of the delirium smoke had not completely worn off. She was feeble and extremely hungry, so she had to find something to eat first.

A quarter later, Murong Xue arrived at some fruit trees, and saw that they were lush and full of fruits, which looked invitingly red and ripe, and intensified her hunger.

She went forward, picked a fruit, wiped it with a silk handkerchief, and took a bite gently. Almost instantly, its fresh and sweet taste filled her mouth…

Murong Xue’s eyes lit up and she nodded with admiration. It tasted really good! Holding the fruit, she took a few more bites…

All of a sudden, she felt a pair of eyes looking her way and her gaze turned stern. She immediately looked back and saw a man in a black brocade robe standing in front of a large rock a dozen meters away. He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, very good looking, and his eyes were as clear as a spring without any trace of impurities…

“Why are you here?” the man looked at her expressionlessly, his eyes twinkling with a hint of perplexity.

“Passing by.” Murong Xue replied carelessly.

“Oh!” the man nodded. Seemingly at a loss, he did not ask further questions, just like the son of a wealthy family who was ignorant of worldly affairs.

Seeing that the man posed no harm to her, Murong Xue withdrew her gaze and took a few more bites. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the man approaching quietly. Her eyes suddenly narrowed and she turned to look at him abruptly: “what are you doing?”

The vigilance in her voice startled the man, who suddenly stopped and said: “this kind of fruits is harmful to your health if you eat too much. Plus, they cannot really fill you up. I’ve got some pastries and water. Do you want to try some? ”

The man slowly reached out, holding an open food box that was small and delicate, inside which there were a bag of water and a plate of pastries. The pastries were still steaming, making her mouth water…

The hunger was almost killing Murong Xue. She hesitated for a moment before taking the food box: “thank you!” She wasn’t used to having food from a stranger, but now she was really starved. The pastries and water seemed clean. Also, the man in front of her didn’t seem like a villain. She could make an exception…

“Anytime!” The man’s smile was comforting, and his dark eyes were like a clear spring.

Murong Xue let her defenses down, picked up a piece and put it into her mouth. She looked at him emotionlessly and said: “where are we?”

“In Mingzhou!” said the man casually.

Mingzhou? Wasn’t that the territory of Nanjiang? How come she woke up to find herself here? Had she been sleeping for days?

Murong Xue looked up at the man and said word for word, “what date is it today?”

The man gave the accurate answer gently with a clear stare!

Murong Xue narrowed her clear eyes abruptly: deducing from the date, she had not only slept for an hour or two, or for a day or two, but she had slept for nine whole days. She had just inhaled a little of the psychedelic smoke, and had slept for such a long time, which meant that its efficacy was really strong. With such strong psychedelic smoke used on her, where were those men in black trying to take her?

Chapter 235: The Mysterious Man

That man laughed viciously and reached out for Murong Xue’s delicate face.

Sensing that the hand was about to reach her cheek, Murong Xue suddenly opened her eyes. Drawing a cold light in the air with a hairpin in her hand, she stabbed it into the man’s throat ruthlessly, and blood gushed out…

The man widened his eyes abruptly. He pressed his hands firmly against his neck, but still couldn’t stop the bleeding, which dyed the front of his robe red. He looked at Murong Xue, his eyes flashing with shock and disbelief!

He wanted to warn his partner outside, but could utter strange sounds: “ho ho ho…”

Murong Xue sat up slowly. With a cold smile on her face, she grabbed the hairpin and pulled it out hard. With a “poof”, blood splashed onto the flapping carriage curtain, bright red and dazzling…

The man held his head up and stiffened for a moment before he fell down with a “plop”. His eyes were wide open, as if he died with everlasting regret!

Bright sunlight shone through the window and on the hairpin in Murong Xue’s hand, which reflected the dazzling light. The residual blood on the hairpin gradually gathered at the tip and condensed into a drop which dropped on the ground with a “tick-top”, which could made people’s hair stand on end…

“What’s going on?” The man driving the carriage realized that something was wrong. He lifted the curtain and looked inside.

Murong Xue’s gaze turned cold. With a “whoosh”, the hairpin in her hand was suddenly pressed against that man’s neck. She asked coldly, “who sent you after me?”

The man was dazed for a moment before he returned to normal and responded coldly: “I hope you’ll figure that out in hell!”

As soon as his voice faded away, a gleam of malevolence flashed across his eyes. He raised one hand to push away Murong Xue’s hairpin and slammed the other mercilessly at her.

Murong Xue turned sideways quickly to avoid his attack. She bent her slender arm, which directly bypassed him, and stabbed the hairpin ruthlessly into his chest. Blood gushed out and formed a particularly eye-catching scene with the bright sunshine from outside the window…

He stood stiff for a moment before he fell to the ground, his eyes wide open…

Murong Xue, as if she had not seen it, took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the blood off the hairpin: this hairpin was a gift from Ouyang Shaochen, and she must wipe it clean, or else that stingy man would think that she had not cherished what he had given her and find fault …

Suddenly, the carriage began bumping violently. Murong Xue almost lost her balance before she grabbed the edge of the carriage and steadied herself. She looked up and saw that the fast horse, having lost its driver, was running wildly and aimlessly along the rugged road, and a steep slope was looming in the front. Murong Xue narrowed her eyes slightly and, with the hairpin in her hand, jumped off the carriage…

As she landed on the ground steadily, she heard a loud crash. The horse and carriage fell down the steep slope, stirring up a cloud of dust…

Murong Xue’s gaze were meaningful. Having fallen from such a slope, the men in black and the carriage must have been smashed to pieces. They were indeed martial artists and secret keepers. Their leader would definitely be mysterious as well. But she was now out of the wood with no immediate concerns about her life. It didn’t matter that the men in black had not provided any information of value. She could investigate by herself and find the mastermind behind.

The priority at the moment was to meet up with the invisible guards of Lord Freedom’s Mansion, who had been trying to catch up with them!

Murong Xue looked around and saw that she was standing in a valley, with winding roads in the front and behind, as well as undulating mountains on both sides!

What the hell was this place?

In order to avoid the invisible guards of Lord Freedom’s Mansion, the men in black had taken such a remote way. It would certainly be difficult for the invisible guards to find this place…

Cursing inwardly, Murong Xue stumbled along the way back on the rough road. After a few dozens of steps, she heard hunger rumbling in her stomach.

Looking up and around, she saw bare and empty surroundings except for the soil and rocks, but around 100 meters away, halfway up the hillside, there were some fruit trees.

She frowned and walked slowly along the zigzag catwalk towards the fruit trees.

She did not know how large this dreadful place was, or how long she would have to walk to leave it, not to mention whether there were any dangerous animals or people around. She needed enough physical strength to sustain her ability of self-protection!

The efficacy of the delirium smoke had not completely worn off. She was feeble and extremely hungry, so she had to find something to eat first.

A quarter later, Murong Xue arrived at some fruit trees, and saw that they were lush and full of fruits, which looked invitingly red and ripe, and intensified her hunger.

She went forward, picked a fruit, wiped it with a silk handkerchief, and took a bite gently. Almost instantly, its fresh and sweet taste filled her mouth…

Murong Xue’s eyes lit up and she nodded with admiration. It tasted really good! Holding the fruit, she took a few more bites…

All of a sudden, she felt a pair of eyes looking her way and her gaze turned stern. She immediately looked back and saw a man in a black brocade robe standing in front of a large rock a dozen meters away. He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, very good looking, and his eyes were as clear as a spring without any trace of impurities…

“Why are you here?” the man looked at her expressionlessly, his eyes twinkling with a hint of perplexity.

“Passing by.” Murong Xue replied carelessly.

“Oh!” the man nodded. Seemingly at a loss, he did not ask further questions, just like the son of a wealthy family who was ignorant of worldly affairs.

Seeing that the man posed no harm to her, Murong Xue withdrew her gaze and took a few more bites. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the man approaching quietly. Her eyes suddenly narrowed and she turned to look at him abruptly: “what are you doing?”

The vigilance in her voice startled the man, who suddenly stopped and said: “this kind of fruits is harmful to your health if you eat too much. Plus, they cannot really fill you up. I’ve got some pastries and water. Do you want to try some? ”

The man slowly reached out, holding an open food box that was small and delicate, inside which there were a bag of water and a plate of pastries. The pastries were still steaming, making her mouth water…

The hunger was almost killing Murong Xue. She hesitated for a moment before taking the food box: “thank you!” She wasn’t used to having food from a stranger, but now she was really starved. The pastries and water seemed clean. Also, the man in front of her didn’t seem like a villain. She could make an exception…

“Anytime!” The man’s smile was comforting, and his dark eyes were like a clear spring.

Murong Xue let her defenses down, picked up a piece and put it into her mouth. She looked at him emotionlessly and said: “where are we?”

“In Mingzhou!” said the man casually.

Mingzhou? Wasn’t that the territory of Nanjiang? How come she woke up to find herself here? Had she been sleeping for days?

Murong Xue looked up at the man and said word for word, “what date is it today?”

The man gave the accurate answer gently with a clear stare!

Murong Xue narrowed her clear eyes abruptly: deducing from the date, she had not only slept for an hour or two, or for a day or two, but she had slept for nine whole days. She had just inhaled a little of the psychedelic smoke, and had slept for such a long time, which meant that its efficacy was really strong. With such strong psychedelic smoke used on her, where were those men in black trying to take her?