Chapter 8, The Femme Fatale

Liu Yu's intelligence is extraordinary; it is indeed remarkable that so much can be inferred from her one act of contrivance

Liu Yu's ears perked up as the sound of hooves faintly echoed from the official road outside the city. He thought to himself that if he were to leave immediately, he might encounter the rear guard of the Qin army. The wiser course of action would be to distance himself from this enchantress, observe the situation from the northern wall, and then decide on his next steps. However, despite this reasoning, his feet felt as if they were rooted to the ground, unwilling to move at once, and he found himself returning to his original position, peering down the long street like her.

Her jet-black hair, as soft as satin, cascades freely down her back, exuding an artistic flair. The delicate, jade-like complexion harmonizes beautifully with her elegant attire, further accentuating her flower-like beauty. Most captivating are her expressive eyes, which seem to convey an innocence and naivety, as if unaware of the world's complexities, rendering her pure and beautiful like a budding white lotus.

Liu Yu was filled with rage, secretly thinking that although he did not provoke her, she dared to come and offend him, showing no regard for her own life. She was clearly a demoness who, despite appearing celestial, treated human lives as mere grass. She was not much better than that Taoist from Taihu. However, at this moment, dealing with the poison was of utmost importance, so he chose not to hold her accountable for the time being. He merely snorted coldly in response, then focused on his technique, directing the severe poison invading his body back to the deadly weapon that had inflicted it, and if necessary, he could return it to its original owner.

An Yuqing redirected the dagger downwards, striking directly at the poisonous thorn that was shot towards her. The concealed weapon fell to the ground, producing only a faint sound of contact, akin to a "wave," demonstrating the skill and precision of her effort.

An Yuqing was momentarily taken aback; hearing him call out her surname left her flustered. She then shot him a glance and playfully scolded, "You rascal, consider yourself fortunate!"

The beautiful woman is dressed in a plain green tailcoat with overlapping pleats and adorned with flowing ribbons, while below she wears a white silk brocade skirt, cinched at the waist with a wide sash. This attire seems more suited to a noble family within the capital of Jiankang, and is utterly incongruous with the atmosphere of this place. However, her demeanor is so effortlessly natural that it transforms all that is unreasonable into the reasonable

An Yuqing's dagger was aimed at Liu Yu, who deftly flicked the poisoned thorn with his fingertips, targeting the opponent's alluring waist with a precise and clever angle. If the enchantress maintained her original form, she would undoubtedly be hit due to the close distance. At the same time, he moved backward, his movements fluid and graceful, clean and decisive

Yan Fei jumped from the dilapidated courtyard of the back row into the residential area, moved to the shops facing the street, and looked out through the broken window. The troops of Fu Qin had just departed, and a flash of light from the shop diagonally across the street was clearly a reflection of weapons, which puzzled him greatly. However, although it was only a street apart, it felt like thousands of rivers and mountains away. Before the Qin army left the city, he found it impossible to cross the street to see for himself.

Liu Yu cast his gaze upon the charming face that still amazed him to this moment and said: "Speak! I do not have much patience."

An Yuqing calmly said: "You cannot speak, can you? The poison in you is one of the nine types of elixir toxins refined by my father during the alchemical process. It will seal your throat upon seeing blood, and this time you are surely doomed. Do not blame others for it, and after your death, do not seek revenge on anyone. You can only blame your own bad fortune and the unfavorable timing of your birth for being a hindrance here."

An Yuqing glanced over at him, and Liu Yu felt guilty, awkwardly shifting his gaze away. The former chuckled lightly and said, "You lecherous ghost!"

The rear of the Qin army had just left a section of the street outside the window

Liu Yu did not know whether to be angry or amused; she did not blame herself for using poison, but instead blamed herself for not being poisoned. At this moment, the sound of crying had faded away, and he became more resolute in his suspicion that the opponent was afraid of exposing their whereabouts. Then, as if the wind had completely filled the sails, he lowered his voice and said: "Put away the dagger for me"

Liu Yu secretly laughed to himself and deliberately said: "I have no interest in these matters; the best course of action is to leave."

Although Liu Yu was well aware that not a single word she spoke was true, the presence of such a charming and enchanting woman, with her captivating voice and delicate demeanor, expressing words of affection towards him, immediately softened his resolve by three parts. He could only manage a bitter smile and shake his head, returning to the scabbard, and said: "I am about to leave"

Her voice is pleasant and crisp, filled with a melodious charm, translucent and sparkling, possessing an enchanting power akin to her captivating beauty

His hair is styled in a large bun on top, covered with a crown, appearing neat and tidy, and his looks are not unpleasant. He has a friendly expression on his face, as if he is ready to joke with anyone at any moment, which gives him a somewhat comical appearance. However, it is only his eyes, which are slightly purple and glimmering with a sharp intelligence, that reveal to discerning individuals that he is not someone to be trifled with.

As things gradually quieted down, a beautiful young girl named An Yuqing, claiming to be the daughter of An Shiqing, suddenly appeared in the north. She challenged the three Daoist altars of the Taiyi Sect, provoking the followers of the Taiyi Sect to rise up in pursuit, yet she vanished without a trace. The woman before us is undoubtedly her.

Liu Yu was intently observing the movements of the plump Daoist Fengshan, when he heard the melodious voice of An Yuqing, deliberately lowered yet filled with musical charm, saying: "Fengshan the demon Daoist is a favored disciple of the Taiji Sect's master, Jiangling Xu. Do not be deceived by his smiling face; the more he smiles, the more he desires to kill. Hmph! I truly wish I could slay him with a single knife."

Amused at heart, the sound of the wind suddenly intensified, and four figures emerged from the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest directions, casting their shadows onto the Daoist Fengshan, brandishing swords and blades in unison

Liu Yu was drawn to look outside, at this moment he had already guessed that the Daoist brother mentioned by Feng Shan was indeed that Taiping sorcerer, unable to resist the feeling of watching the tigers fight from the mountain.

An Yuqing's gaze fell downwards, her expression calm. Suddenly, a gleaming dagger appeared in her hand, and with a flash of light, she drew it towards Liu Yu's neck.

An Yuqing's delicate voice reached my ears again, saying: "Without going into details, the two of them fought fiercely over a precious jade map related to two immortal pills. The result was mutual destruction, and neither could gain the upper hand over the other. They had no choice but to return to their respective regions to recuperate, agreeing to send their disciples for a decisive battle three years later to determine the ownership of the jade map. If you help me obtain the jade map, how about they give you one of the immortal pills?"

The cries gradually faded away, and suddenly a faint, mournful groan came from the back row of houses to the northwest, causing my heart to tremble involuntarily, and I became fully alert.

Liu Yu simultaneously realized that the terrifyingly skilled Taiping Daoist did not deliberately assassinate Hu Bin; rather, it was merely a spontaneous act of opportunity while on the way to Ruyin. Observing An Yuqing's inquiry about whether he was a member of the Taiyi Sect, it was evident that significant matters concerning Daoism were about to unfold here, prompting the Taiping Daoists, An Yuqing, and others to rush to this city that had already become a ruin

The plump man turned around with a twirl and laughed, saying: "Safe indeed! Fengshan is here to seek guidance."

Liu Yu felt a stirring in his heart, realizing that her deliberate provocation concealed ill intentions. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of breaking wind echoed through the long street.

An Yuqing glared at him fiercely and said: "Three years ago, the leader of Taiyi, Jiang Lingxu, and the leader of Taiping, Sun Si, hey! Do you even know who they are?"

Liu Yu felt puzzled; just a moment ago, she was intent on taking her own life, yet now she was explaining the situation to him as if they were close friends. Suddenly, he realized that she was afraid he would escape, and she, unable to act for fear of alarming Feng Shan, was deliberately saying these words to keep him there

The house across the way is shrouded in darkness, with no signs of movement. The moonlight gently bathes the long street, yet it remains as silent as a ghostly realm. If there is such a thing as lingering spirits, one can be certain that thousands of ghosts are currently floating within the ruins, lamenting their own deaths and perhaps bewildered as to why they have become wild spirits.

He could not help but feel grateful to the heavens for granting him such a remarkable pair of hands. Liu Yu joined the army at the age of sixteen, following one of Liu Lao's right-hand men, the deputy military officer Sun Wuzhong. He was selected by Sun for special training as a personal guard. In less than two years, his martial arts and mental techniques surpassed those of Sun Wuzhong, who was known as one of the Ten Heroes of the Northern Army. This made Sun Wuzhong regard him with new eyes and promote him to the position of military officer in the residence, specifically responsible for reconnaissance missions deep within enemy territory.

At that moment, he felt a sensation in his hand. His right hand swiftly reached out and caught the hidden weapon that had shot out from An Yuqing's sleeve. The tip of his finger touched the extremely sharp object, and he realized it was an iron dart. It had already pierced through his fingertip, and a painful, tingling discomfort immediately spread from his fingertip along his palm to his forearm, clearly indicating that it had been coated with a potent poison

An Yuqing was indeed caught in the trap and quickly said: "Don't you want to know why he came here?"

Drip

At this moment, Liu Yu thought of immediately distancing himself after the Qin army had passed.

An Yuqing smiled sweetly, her expression innocent as she opened a pair of slender, snow-white jade-like hands, playfully saying: "It’s gone!" Indeed, the dagger had been hidden away by her, demonstrating quite a remarkable skill.

Liu Yu shrugged and said: "So what if I know? What benefit is it to me?"

Yan Fei faintly sensed the presence of an additional neighbor. This individual, after committing murder in a house behind him, quietly slipped into the neighboring shop, and he detected their movements from the subtle rustle of their clothing. This person could very well be Qi Fu Guo Ren, or perhaps someone else. However, it was certain that they were a skilled individual. If the one pursuing him were not Qi Fu Guo Ren, he would have left immediately. Yet, the mere thought that the Heavenly Eye might be hovering above the ruins, observing, made it prudent to remain hidden in a place sheltered by tiles.

At that moment, the sound of fluttering garments was heard, and a figure appeared before me; another person had emerged on the street.

Sun Wuzhong is a person of exceptional insight, and his evaluation is characterized by a pair of magical hands. Not only does he grasp various skills with ease, but he also possesses an extraordinary sensitivity and touch, which sets him apart from his peers and makes him a rising star in the Northern Army.

An Yuqing perhaps because he was able to timely use his unique technique to launch a silent and nearly invisible hidden weapon, looked at him for the first time with a direct gaze, as if nothing had happened, and exclaimed: "I didn't expect you to have such skills."

Even though what was seen was the peaceful demon path, it still did not provoke such a reaction from Liu Yu, as what came into view was unexpectedly a charming young woman, a beautiful lady who should not have appeared at this time and place

He is not considered short, but due to his obese physique, with a bulging belly and buttons that barely fasten, he appears to be shorter than others.

In the northern regions, the Taiyi Sect, which venerates Zhang Ling, the founder of the Ta Qing Xuan Yuan Tianshi Dao, as its ancestral master, flourished the most. Its leader, Jiang Lingxu, with the title of Ta Qing Yuan Gong, held significant influence in the Yellow River basin, and was in fierce contention with Sun Siyan for the position of succession to the great authority, resulting in an irreconcilable conflict between them.

An Yuqing's expressive eyes first flashed with disdain, then shifted to a frowning and stubborn expression, and she said irritably: "What is wrong with you? The other party has already surrendered, yet you still shout for fighting and killing. To be honest, seeing your remarkable skills, they suddenly developed feelings of admiration; do you still want to fight?"

In the center of the street appeared a stout man dressed in a white robe, with red and black Taiji symbols embroidered on the front and back of the robe. The red contains black dots, and the black contains red dots, representing the yin within yang and the yang within yin, making it very eye-catching.

Suddenly awakening to the realization, although this enchantress is as venomous as a snake and difficult to approach, she nonetheless exudes a powerful allure towards him. Instantly, he felt a dangerous thrill akin to playing with fire. Unable to help himself, he glanced at her; under the dim moonlight, she appeared focused, her profile exquisitely sculpted, flawless in its contours. Her skin was smooth and delicate, radiating the vibrant vitality of youth. Her graceful, swan-like neck emerged from her collar, evoking irresistible thoughts of the alluring figure it was connected to, undoubtedly a rare gem among mortals.

Liu Yu said with a smile: "Speak up! My Lady An."

With this thought in mind, I made a firm decision, disregarding whether the Heavenly Eye was monitoring from above, and resolved to return to the border wasteland gathering at full speed

Independent of the two major Daoist traditions, there is a representative figure named An Shiqing, nicknamed "Dan Wang" or "King of Elixirs," who specializes in the art of alchemy. He refers to himself as a Daoist rather than a follower of Daoism and regards the Taiping and Tianshi sects as heretical beliefs that deceive the common people, positioning himself beyond both factions. Few are aware of his character and conduct, as he is a wanderer without a fixed abode, frequently traversing famous mountains and rivers in search of auspicious locations for alchemy. His notoriety stems from the fact that Jiangling Xu and Sun Sijun sought to obtain certain Daoist treasures from him, dispatching two groups of skilled individuals to the mountains in search of An Shiqing. However, they were met with defeat, suffering heavy losses, with some dying on the spot. Those who were injured returned but ultimately succumbed to their wounds. These two incidents caused a sensation throughout the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and from then on, Jiangling Xu and Sun Sijun no longer dared to entertain thoughts of pursuing him.

Liu Yu suddenly thought of someone, feeling a shock within, and shook his head, saying: "I am merely a wandering hermit passing by"

Liu Yu was filled with anger and also found it strange why she spoke of the toxins in such an esoteric manner, while he himself could clearly and easily expel the toxins from his body.

Do you want to take advantage of others with your eyes

An Yuqing moved to the window and waved, saying: "Where are you going? The fun is about to start; isn't it more enjoyable to stay here and watch the excitement with everyone?"

She walked in through the dark back door into the space illuminated by the torches, feeling an inexplicable and eerie sensation. Although Liu Yu was captivated by her beauty, he felt that her sudden appearance was very unsettling, and he secretly heightened his vigilance

Yan Fei's thoughts turned to Tuoba Gui, who did not underestimate Fu Rong. The issue lay in not accounting for He Rong's reaction. To be precise, it was because Tuoba Gui acted urgently to save him that his whereabouts were exposed. One could see that Qifu Guoren easily guessed that he was the one who attempted to assassinate Murong Wen, which indicates that Qifu Guoren already knew in his heart that the person who saved him was Tuoba Gui, as the deep enmity between Murong Wen and the Tuoba clan is well known.

The benevolent Daoist stood leisurely on the street, as if he could wait like this until the end of time.

He clearly sensed that tonight's Ru Yin abandoned city was not as calm as it appeared on the surface, but rather fraught with danger

Among the Northern Army, he was responsible for reconnaissance and was very familiar with the situations in both the North and the South. Therefore, he recognized early on that the assassin who ambushed Hu Bin was related to Sun Si. A single coded question from this woman reminded him of a ruthless woman who had once roamed the North, and he immediately realized that he was unfortunately caught in great danger, with the risk of losing his life at any moment

Liu Yu knew that she could draw her dagger at any moment, yet he was unable to take any action against her. In fact, he, like her, was unwilling to be discovered, in order to avoid unnecessary troubles and to not jeopardize important matters. He smiled and said: "I have changed my mind! I am determined to avenge grievances with grievances and to repay enmities with enmities, and I will kill you!"

The voice of Fengshan resounded in the street, saying: "Fengshan has come as promised. If the Daoist brother still refuses to show himself, Fengshan will have no choice but to return and report to the Supreme Being."

Thinking deeper, she was just about to take her own life, perhaps for reasons similar to those of the Taiping sorcerers, aiming to eliminate all nearby witnesses to prevent certain unspeakable secrets from leaking. It is even more likely that this woman is using him, while he, under certain circumstances, could become of utilitarian value.

She seemed oblivious to Liu Yu, suddenly appearing on the other side of the window, peering outside, and softly uttering: "Zhong Huang Tai Yi!"

The pressing urgency at hand is to eliminate the toxins from within before the Qin army departs; otherwise, without any reservations, this enchantress might very well strike at me with lethal intent

Fu Rong ordered the Qin army outside the city to be brought inside, leading him to feel that his speculation, though not entirely accurate, was not far from the truth. Not only was Tuoba Gui in great danger, but the Xianbei allies who had a secret connection with him were also facing imminent disaster. If Fu Rong were to capture Tuoba Gui, he might spare his life in order to interrogate him about the secret hideouts of his clan. If he could return in time, he might still be able to do something, and at most, he would only have to pay with his life.

Zhong Huang Taiyi is the deity worshipped by the Yellow Turban rebels during the late Han Dynasty. The Yellow Turban rebels had two major systems, namely the Taiping Dao founded by Zhang Jiao and the Tianshi Dao established by Zhang Ling. After the downfall of the Yellow Turban rebels, both sects of Daoism were passed down and split into multiple factions. Sun Si is a master figure of Daoism in the south, claiming to be the successor of the Taiping Dao, and is known for integrating the essence of both the Taiping Dao and the Tianshi Dao.

Liu Yu questioned his own inability, and a thought crossed his mind; he guessed that she was afraid of being overheard, which would expose her actions and intentions. The potential adversary could be the Qin army, but it was more likely to be someone from the Taiping cult or the Taiyi sect. With this in mind, he already had a plan. As his body was about to press against the wall, he suddenly halted, drawing his thick-backed knife from its sheath, pointing it at the beautiful opponent who resembled a celestial being. Instantly, a chilling aura from the blade enveloped and locked onto her. Liu Yu felt a surge of immense confidence within him; regardless of how formidable his opponent might be, he was certain he could seize her life, and he would not concern himself with her enchanting beauty.

Liu Yu could almost be certain that even if there were an elixir, there would only be one grain. She merely claimed there were two grains to deceive him, and he was even less inclined to believe in any elixir or magical medicine; otherwise, those who refined the elixir would have consumed it at the first opportunity.

An Yuqing huffed, "If it weren't for seeing your impressive skills, I would have kicked you into the Yellow Springs long ago. How could there be no benefits? There are indeed great benefits!"

An Yuqing indeed did not take the opportunity to advance; she stood gracefully still, her protective vital energy naturally countering the encroaching blade aura. Her pair of seemingly affectionate and expressive beautiful eyes revealed a look of astonishment as she scrutinized him from head to toe, displaying an attitude of reassessing him. With a light breath, she said: "No more fighting! You, how can you not fear the poison of the elixir?"

Blood flowed down from the thorns, falling onto the floor