Chapter 3, The Widow is Fierce

The young lady has clearly already attended the courtyard banquet and stayed for quite some time, so why did she deceive us by saying she has not been there yet, hmm?

Murong Qi : `` ... ... ''

He covered his chest, which had been struck by her palm, lowered his head and let out a soft gasp, sighing: "Yanran, your strike was quite heavy"

When that strange softness completely vanished, Feng Yuan's lips lingered on her neck, fluttering like a butterfly. Murong Qi was instantly enraged and, without a second thought, swung her hand to slap him.

This time he did not speak again, and in the small cellar, only the sound of suppressed breathing remained, clearly indicating that the place where she had struck him was quite painful

Having said that, without waiting for her to respond, he reached out and groped along the stone wall for a moment, and immediately a crack appeared in the stone slab above his head

His smile appeared quite pleasant, yet Murong Qi found it difficult to discern whether he was genuinely indifferent or merely pretending to be so. She had never been adept at dealing with such individuals, so she could only reach out and touch the stone slab above her head, saying, "Forget it, let me out, and I will help you deal with your enemies, on the condition that what just happened is considered as if it never occurred. How about that?"

Having said that, he took out a green jade ring from his bosom and placed it in Murong Qi's embrace, saying: "This is for you"

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Moreover, I am much stronger than you

The female assassin snorted coldly: "What are you pretending? If you are not from the Phoenix Palace, why do you defend Young Master Feng so fiercely?"

The trap beneath her feet was not deep; as Murong Qi just gathered her breath, her toes had already touched the ground. She hurriedly steadied herself, instinctively supporting the person beside her with one hand, while cautiously feeling around with the other. She sensed that all around her, above and below, were cold, hard stones, revealing that it was an extremely narrow cellar.

My name is Yanran! Murong Qi replied swiftly, "Can you let me out now?"

The beeswax used to entertain distinguished guests at Tanhuafu is mixed with 'Peach Blossom Drunk' to enhance the festivities. If one drinks the palace's secret brew during the banquet, the aphrodisiac effect is even better. His voice was gentle, yet Murong Qi felt a chill run down her spine. No wonder she had always felt something was off with her body, soft and numb, both hot and thirsty, and easily distracted; it turned out to be the wicked deeds of Beigong Tanhua.

Feng Yuan, who was not skilled in martial arts, was immediately unable to stand firm after being struck by her. She staggered back several steps and collided sideways against the stone wall, causing her silver mask to fall to the ground with a "thud".

Feng Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "You are sympathizing with me, so you have decided to forgive me?"

What do you mean, am I very familiar with you?

The man in white was taken aback for a moment and smiled, saying: "Thank you, miss, for considering my reputation."

Murong Qiyu, still seething with anger, tugged at the fallen collar of his garment and huffed, "You deserve it"

Murong Qiban covered his face and said with mild anger: "You are being too rude!"

The coolness on Feng Yuan's lips carried an intoxicating and elegant aura, momentarily making her feel as if she had consumed fine wine, causing her to involuntarily let down her guard. Her originally resistant hands softened and were tightly held in his palm.

Feng Yuan simply ignored her

"Compensation," Feng Yuan said, "You mentioned that for 200 taels, you would help me get rid of her. However, I do not have that much money on me. Take this; whether you use it or exchange it for cash, in any case, I have already paid the compensation."

This young lady merely collects money from others to help them avert disasters

That face, from the forehead to the cheeks, was covered with a network of hideous and intersecting scars, making it nearly impossible to discern its original features

Are you a person from the Phoenix Palace

She suppressed the throbbing pulse with her internal energy and gritted her teeth, saying: "You, stay away from me."

Murong Qi nodded slightly, then hurriedly shook his head, saying randomly: "Actually, you look quite good when you are wearing a mask"

What kind of peach blossom intoxicates?

Feng Yuan paused her hands that were styling her hair, raised her eyes to look at her, and found herself at a loss for words.

Upon hearing these words, the man in white not only did not step back, but instead moved even closer. The hand that was originally wrapped around her waist gradually tightened, caressing her back, his voice deep and affectionate, with a hint of dreamy brilliance in his eyes

Desires and dissatisfaction can be understood, but it is wrong to casually take action against strangers. Her expression remained quite grim, yet she managed to suppress her anger and spoke earnestly.

Although the dual-handed blade techniques are fierce and bizarre, they are ultimately more suited for assassination than for dueling. Murong Qi's skills are extensive, with an array of strange moves emerging one after another. As time passes, the female assassin finds herself somewhat clumsy in response. Noticing that time is running short, Murong Qi decides to resolve the matter swiftly. She flashes forward against the blade's trajectory, daringly evading a strike, and deftly seizes the knife from the female assassin's left hand, thrusting it back towards her opponent's chest.

Murong Qiqi said: "Then why did you come down?"

Ah... Che?

However... his fingers had already traced along her spine and landed at her ear, gently caressing her earlobe, warm breath swirling and brushing against her: "If I had a way to unravel the intoxicating fragrance of 'Peach Blossom Drunk', would you want it or not?"

Murong Qi was stunned after just a glance

Murong Qi casually picked up the brocade robe that Beigong Tanhua had just discarded and draped it over herself. The red-clad female assassin, upon seeing this, slowly stood up, drew the two knives that were stuck in the ground, and pointed one of the knives at her face, her voice as cold as the melting ice of March

So if I cannot help but pounce on you, wouldn't that be too much of a loss for you? For the sake of your honor, young master, you might as well open the mechanism and let me go out to compete with your enemy. As for the matter of money, we can negotiate it well.

Fortunately, this sudden chaos lasted only a short time. Soon, the "Melting Snow and Fragrance" protective technique she had practiced since childhood began to circulate automatically due to the abnormal blood flow within her body, gradually dispelling the heat. Her mind became increasingly clear, and she could even distinctly feel the other person's heartbeat—despite such an intimate moment, his heartbeat remained steady, and the warmth of his lips was not fervent.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he quickly noticed her naivety, and his actions became even more unrestrained. Murong Qi was fully aware that she was being taken lightly, yet within her body, it felt as if a small flame was burning, causing her limbs to weaken in waves, leaving her with a desire to indulge in his embrace.

If you thank me, then let me go out

She hurriedly changed her words: "You are not that ugly without a mask..."

Feng Yuan, however, smiled and said, "If you do not speak, then you must stay here to accompany me."

The sallow-skinned round face suddenly vanished, and the true appearance revealed beneath the mask caused the man in white to momentarily lose his composure. He then slowly curved the corners of his lips, his gaze deep and profound, and said with a light laugh

She stared in astonishment at the weapon nailed beside her feet—a one-foot-seven-inch long black iron dagger with a dark tassel.

Feng Yuan cast her a glance filled with deep resentment

The air was filled with a refreshing and elegant masculine aura, seeping into every pore of Murong Qi's body like a gentle mist, awakening even her most subtle senses. She stood upright against the wall, her heart feeling as if it were being scratched by a cat's paw, both itchy and numb, struggling to say: "Young Master, to be honest, I am actually a widow..."

Young master, is this not a good time and place for exchanging names and discussing the book machine

After a while, Murong Qi noticed that he was still leaning against the stone wall without getting up, and became somewhat worried. He stepped forward to support his shoulder and said, "Are you alright? I only used two points of my strength, you are too weak to withstand it."

While tying her hair, Murong Qi heard this and asked in confusion, "What is Fengyou Palace?"

The man in white did not respond, but focused intently on the fine beads of sweat on her forehead. He slightly tilted his head and gently sniffed at her temple, saying: "Have you been affected by the peach blossom intoxication?"

My name is Fengyuan, what about you?

Murong Qi wanted to cry but had no tears, tightly clenching her lips as she blurted out two words: "No, don't!"

Is it really good to burn bridges after crossing them, my lord

So what

The other party seemed as if they had not heard, suddenly applying force with their fingers, swiftly removing the mask that she had carelessly pressed against her face

Thunder, thunderbolt... She raised her head in guilt and saw, not far away on the wall, a familiar tall figure standing under the dim moonlight, the black hem of his clothes fluttering in the wind. In his right hand, he held an identical weapon, and the gem on his ring reflected the moonlight, shimmering with a faint glow

Before the echoes faded, Murong Qi's hand was pulled down, and immediately a soft, cool object covered her lips. By the time she realized what it was, she was already unable to speak.

Returning to the pavilion, the woman in red, the assassin, had not yet left; she was sitting cross-legged quietly in the center of the courtyard

"This is a secret chamber, not a hidden passage," said the man in white. "There is no food or water here, we cannot stay for long"

This move transforms the knife into a sword, swift as lightning, unavoidable.

"Yanran." He slowly rolled these two characters on his tongue and said with a gentle smile, "Alright, I will remember it."

He gave her a push on the shoulder and said, "Hurry up, be careful not to let her find out about me"

How did Ji Che return?

Feng Yuan stared at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "That's fine."

In the small cave, only a few strands of dim moonlight filtered through the cracks in the stone, but Murong Qi imagined that his expression must be quite unpleasant at this moment. The mildly hallucinogenic spice did not manifest violently, but its continuous and dense effects were quite tormenting, especially now that someone had pointed it out. The previously overlooked heat, due to the frequent occurrences, surged up again, and the part of his skin close to the person in white was exceptionally sensitive, radiating waves of scorching heat even through the fabric.

Feng Yuan, however, remained calm, reached out to pick up the mask and put it back on, and said lightly: "Did I scare you?"

Just as the technique was only halfway through, a whistling wind rushed by her ear, and a dark shadow flew in, striking the back of her knife with great force, causing her to feel a numbness in her tiger's mouth, and the Hu knife slipped from her hand, falling to the ground

After a cup of tea, the distinction between Murong Qi and the red-clad female assassin gradually became apparent

What is this? Murong Qi noticed that the jade ring was intricately carved with elaborate patterns, its luster soft and the color reminiscent of water, clearly indicating that it was a treasure of exceptional quality

Murong Qi's first reaction was—oh no! Cake!

"I don't know who you are talking about." Murong Qi, feeling somewhat impatient, picked up the stool that Feng Yuan had just sat on, weighed it in his hands, and then threw it forcefully, his body following closely behind as he leaped out.

She couldn't help but let out a "tch": "Young master, you are not being honorable. Clearly, there is a secret passage for escape, yet you tricked me into standing against your enemies."

After holding back for a while, she cautiously asked: "To be honest, is it because of your appearance that no women are willing to pay attention to you?"

What do you want? Can't you speak properly

Feng Yuan straightened up with her movements, and the long hair that had covered her face slid down, revealing the features that had been concealed by the mask

" ? ''