Chapter 009: Local Tyrant

Su Xuan remained silent, carrying the girl on his back. About ten guards rushed in, but they were swiftly kicked to the ground, bloodied and disoriented. Granny Feng stood there in shock, watching as Su Xuan's final kick landed on Li Kun's leg, followed by a sharp cracking sound. Li Kun lost control of his bowels and fainted on the spot

She had a restless night, waking up repeatedly, needing to see him to feel at ease. By the next day, the girl's emotions had calmed down; she leaned against the edge of the bed, her beautiful and timid eyes gazing at him. Although she could not speak, it was evident that she was puzzled as to why he did not sleep.

Su Xuan, having been gazed at for a long time, took the initiative to explain, "I am a martial artist; this is a method of practice that can replace sleep with meditation, allowing for the enhancement of my skills and making myself stronger"

Su Xuan had no choice but to drag a long bench and sit cross-legged at the farthest end from the bed.

Madam Feng was not worried at all, as there were guards both inside and outside the room, ensuring that she would not escape. Without waiting for instructions, a guard at the door intercepted her, easily grabbing the girl's long hair and forcibly dragging her back.

Understanding her fear, Su Xuan comforted her, "There are both good and bad martial artists; a small number of them rely on their martial prowess to act recklessly and commit wrongdoings, which leads to innocent individuals like you suffering the consequences"

The sound of the shop assistant calling came from outside the door. Su Xuan went to receive the tray and handed her the medicine bowl. Then she said, "It will be fine once you return, and you won't encounter any more ill-intentioned people. Consider these experiences as just a dream, and be sure not to mention them to others"

The tips of her brows furrowed slightly, revealing some unease, as she seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

The girl curled up in a corner and cried for quite a while. Taking advantage of the two people's unpreparedness, she suddenly got up and ran outside

The girl reluctantly swallowed the remaining medicine, rinsed her mouth with tea, and felt her cheeks flush slightly due to the loss of composure. When she stole a glance at him and saw that he was completely unconcerned, she finally felt relieved. She wanted to chat a bit more, but seeing him lost in thought and uninterested in conversation, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

The garment, heavy with sweat and the scent of cosmetics, was pierced open by Su Xuan's sword, revealing that the woman had nimbly leapt onto the rooftop several zhang away.

Su Xuan could only stop in her tracks, while the girl beside her had never witnessed such a scene, staring in astonishment.

Passing by a tavern, a man stumbled out, pursued and scolded by a flamboyantly dressed stout woman behind him. The stout woman was tall and fair, heavily made up to the point of being overwhelming, and she was hopping in anger, reproaching her husband for spending all day drinking and squandering money on the courtesans.

The man was beaten to the point of jumping around in distress, cursing furiously. The stout woman's plump arms waved along with her shawl, her coarse words creating a tremendous uproar. The crowd watched, shouting and laughing, as the scene grew increasingly chaotic, blocking the path of the two individuals.

She did not quite understand and asked a question that seemed to indicate partial comprehension

The goods are undoubtedly of the highest quality; even though the wind lady has seen many such beauties in the flower building throughout the year, few can compare to this girl's appearance. Although her hair is disheveled and she is sobbing to the point of breathlessness, it is still evident that she is a remarkable beauty, and with a little grooming, she will surely become a person of great wealth in the future. However, the girl cannot speak, yet her slender fingers surpass jade, her silky hair shines with a luster that can be admired, and her skin is exceptionally delicate, clearly not something that could be nurtured in a humble household. If one were to take her in, it would not be for great fortune, but rather for great calamity. However, the girl cannot speak, yet her slender fingers surpass jade, her silky hair shines with a luster that can be admired, and her skin is exceptionally delicate, clearly not something that could be nurtured in a humble household. If one were to take her in, it would not be for great fortune, but rather for great calamity.

Su Xuan understood the situation, disregarding the need to conceal her presence. She sprang up and landed on a tall pole by the street, scanning the area but finding no trace. As she descended, she intended to capture the plump woman. Unexpectedly, the woman shrank back and began to shout in a strange and eerie manner.

Feng Mama is the most feared person among the young ladies in the building. She is over forty years old, dressed elegantly, adorned with gold and jade like a wealthy matron, and has fine lines on both sides of her nose, which gives her a somewhat stern appearance. At this moment, she is inspecting the girl sent by Li Kun from head to toe, feeling uncertain in her heart.

Su Xuan's temporary departure is truly unavoidable. This time, staying in Yuzhou for several days, she also needs to rent a boat to travel downstream, and the money she has on her is already insufficient

Su Xuan guessed from the lip movements, "Yes, that villain is also skilled in martial arts; both he and I are people of the jianghu."

Madam Feng calculated in her heart, maintaining a calm demeanor on the surface. She instructed the turtle servant to serve tea, casually inquiring about Li Kun, deliberately displaying her grandeur. The red gold bracelet on her wrist dazzled Li Kun, and in just a few exchanges, the matter was already settled.

Chunfeng Tower is the foremost flower house in Yuzhou, a den of extravagance for the wealthy elite

The woman exerted herself too much and, for some reason, twisted her foot. Unsteadily, she leaned towards the two people, and Su Xuan raised her hand to support her. The woman stumbled half a step, swaying unsteadily, and her plump, pale body pressed even closer. Su Xuan had no choice but to step back. As she brushed aside the swaying shawl, she was suddenly startled; the surroundings were chaotic and noisy, with people crowding the street, and the girl who had been there just a moment ago had vanished.

The man appeared to be quite fearful of his wife, completely unwilling to retaliate, as he was being torn and pinched by a stout woman, leaving him in a state of utter embarrassment, which drew peals of laughter from the onlookers, as if they were witnessing a splendid performance, and in an instant, a crowd gathered around, making it impossible to pass through.

Su Xuan struck three times in quick succession, while the plump woman defended herself without restraint, using her chest to block the attacks. The crowd, unaware of the truth, erupted in laughter, and the man who had been playfully engaging with the woman had vanished. In a moment of urgency, Su Xuan charged forward, causing the woman to exclaim in surprise, twisting her waist and throwing a flirtatious glance, as she tossed her peach-colored outer garment over.

Su Xuan was filled with anger and pursued with all her might

The girl held the bowl and drank the medicine, unaware that this time it was brewed by the shop assistant and had not been finely filtered, leaving some medicinal residue at the bottom. Before she could finish drinking, she choked and began to cough, her eyes brimming with tears

Although a poor man like Li Kun drools with desire, he cannot even cross the threshold. However, this time he boasted extravagantly, claiming to have good goods, and surprisingly made an exception to enter the backyard, where he met the head steward Feng Momo, who is in charge of the Spring Breeze Pavilion's management and instruction.

The bustling crowd at the market surged, with Su Xuan carrying the purchased provisions ahead, while the girl held onto his sleeve, following closely in his footsteps

Madame Feng frowned upon seeing this, and was just about to instruct the guards to be gentler and not to harm the precious one's skin, when suddenly, a young man appeared in the room. He raised his arm to pull the young girl close and kicked the guard squarely in the chest. The burly man was sent flying, crashing into the screen with a loud bang, causing the entire room to shake

It was not until the young man had carried the girl for quite a while that Granny Feng came to her senses, realizing that her hands could not stop trembling, the golden bracelet clinking against the tea pot, producing a continuous delicate sound. The startled people gathered around to investigate, with a circle of maids and servants surrounding the room, calling for the doctor and summoning the old woman, creating quite a commotion

Feng Mama was taken aback, and upon focusing her gaze, she saw that the young man had a dignified appearance, his eyes filled with anger. The girl he was protecting tilted her head back in a daze, and upon seeing him, she began to cry, tightly clutching his arm as if afraid he would disappear.

Although the young girl was unharmed, it was inevitable that she was overly frightened and cried for a long time. Su Xuan felt guilty and helpless; even after changing her place of stay and comforting her for a long while, the girl still clutched his sleeve, unwilling to let him leave.

As dusk approached, Su Xuan had the shop assistant find a gauzy hood for the girl to wear, and they went to the market to buy some durable provisions. He was well aware that the conflict with the Chunfeng Building yesterday had provoked the local ruffians, bringing considerable trouble. The other party would surely have a backup plan, and even if they changed inns, they could not escape being targeted. Su Xuan was not afraid of direct confrontation, but he had to guard against some underhanded tactics, so he needed to prepare a stock of food in advance, ready to move at any time

Fortunately, Li Kun was carrying a burlap sack as he walked through the streets, drawing quite a bit of attention. Su Xuan returned and inquired briefly to ascertain the location, then pressed the guards of Chunfeng Tower for information. With a rush of urgency and anger, he barged in, and upon encountering the guards viciously pulling the girl's hair, he could no longer contain himself.

The original inn can no longer accommodate guests, so Su Xuan packed her belongings and moved to another one

In the midst of the crowd's watchful eyes, Feng Mama froze for a moment, and finally shouted, "Call for Xie Laoyao!"

After hearing the inside story, Granny Feng let out a sigh of relief. She had originally worried that the source of the goods was a strongman who had kidnapped someone from a prominent family for ransom. Upon learning that it was a case of private escape from another place, she felt reassured. Such disgraceful matters severely tarnish a family's reputation, and family members are unlikely to investigate thoroughly; over time, they would simply assume the person is dead.

Once her concerns were alleviated, Feng Mama felt a sense of satisfaction and began to negotiate the price. She was adept at handling someone like Li Kun, who was rather unscrupulous. With just a few words, she managed to intimidate and deceive him, causing his initial offer to be cut in half immediately

He came from Jingzhou in haste, bringing only a sword and a small amount of loose silver. It was of little concern to him alone, but now he must take care of a young lady from a noble family, with expenses for clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, which will soon become a burden.

His kick was astonishing, even Feng Mama, who was accustomed to storms, was somewhat taken aback. With a stern expression, she said, "Where did this brat come from, daring to be so reckless in Chunfeng Tower!"

Su Xuan quickly handed over a cup of tea, contemplating a suitable way to send the person back. Otherwise, it might provoke gossip and be criticized by those with ill intentions, turning the act of saving someone into a cause of harm.

Just like the Xuanyuan Temple in Jingzhou, all Taoist temples in the world fall under the jurisdiction of Zhengyang Palace. As a disciple under the sect, Su Xuan can stay at various Taoist temples. There is also a Taoist temple in Yuzhou, but it is located far away on Jinyun Mountain, and even with his stamina, it would take several hours for a round trip. If he were to take the girl along, it would not only delay their journey but also risk encountering adversaries. The renowned temperament of the Elder Chang Kong is narrow-minded and vengeful, and any slight grievance would be repaid, which could potentially implicate the Taoist temple. After much contemplation, Su Xuan decided to leave the girl behind and go alone to borrow some silver. However, little did he know that trouble would arise just half a day after his departure.

You shameless brat! Touching everywhere!