Chapter 007: Ingenious Hunting

A tenant, trembling and trying to escape, was suddenly lifted by Huajian Tao, resulting in a head injury and bleeding, with a large area beneath his pants becoming wet

The inn was illuminated with flickering lights, and the voices of people had not yet ceased. The elongated shadows swiftly retreated, and soon cries of alarm echoed both inside and outside. A dozen or so individuals tumbled and crawled their way out, while the terrified staff trembled in fear, obediently lighting one lantern after another, casting a brightness that made the inn appear as if it were in broad daylight

Amidst the flowers, a sense of annoyance arises, "It appears to be around fifteen or sixteen, but I do not know which sect this person belongs to."

The steamed buns are freshly made, carrying the sweet aroma of wheat flour, while the scent of pickled eggs is also quite enticing, and the sound of eating is very subtle

Yet he saved her, and there is certainly no reason to resent the benefactor who saved her life, but he is indeed a stranger, and even if he is young, there should be a distinction

Two fierce spirits departed, and after a while, someone in the inn peeked out to confirm that the calamity had passed. Gradually, there was some movement. Some guests hurriedly rolled up their bundles and fled, while the remaining ones gathered around the innkeeper and the staff, arguing for a refund.

The girl did not know when she had fallen asleep, as if she had not experienced such peaceful slumber in a long time

The town was thrown into chaos as two assailants swiftly came and went, searching the inn and tavern with a ferocity akin to a storm. They brazenly intruded into private homes, causing the townspeople to be filled with fear and anxiety, hastily shutting their doors and extinguishing their lights, terrified of falling into the eyes of the criminals. Hua Jian Tao searched from one end of the town to the other, yet remained unwilling to give up; however, the young girl seemed to have transformed into a wisp of night wind, quietly vanishing without a trace

He said nothing, continuing to walk ahead of her. When passing by a farmhouse, he paused for a moment, and during the rest, he not only had fire paper, a roll of soft felt, but also a clean bowl.

The fat man was furious upon seeing his companion, half in confusion and half in mockery, "Old Tiao, are you deliberately setting a trap to fool me into making excuses for you in front of the ancestor?"

Hua Jian Tao kicked open the guest room one by one, with a fierce expression, and said, "What does it matter to deal with a woman? We have always walked sideways in the Jianghu; which son of a b*tch dares to offend us?"

He turned his head back, and while gliding, he said, "They think I will send you back to Jingzhou, and they will definitely monitor the land routes and the docks. Once you head that way, it would be equivalent to walking into a trap"

When she returned from behind the stone, her forehead to her neck was flushed red, and she did not dare to lift her head

In the empty wilderness, where no one was around, he seemed to understand her embarrassment about eating, and took the opportunity to avoid the situation while assessing the circumstances. This allowed the girl to relax slightly, yet she felt a bit uneasy about being alone. After hesitating for a while, she finally unwrapped the oil paper from the cake.

The early morning was particularly tranquil, and he naturally heard it. He immediately stopped in his tracks and placed her beside a broken tree stump

He turned his head to take a glance and quickly explained, as if fearing she would burst into tears. "The villains will not discover us; I will take you to board the ship in Yuzhou, and it will only take two days to reach Jingzhou"

The target is not here, the two have vanished once more, the silent courtyard is devoid of sound from the flora, only the wind rustles through the green bamboo.

The girl slightly parted her lips and stared for a while before realizing that she was leaning on someone's back

Su Xuan felt a bit embarrassed under the intense gaze. "I know a little lightness technique."

She did not know who the young man was, nor did she know if the demon would appear again, and she was even less certain if she would ever see her longed-for family again. Yet, in this moment, under the protection of a stranger's embrace, hope suddenly emerged, no longer consumed by boundless fear

This year, the famine is severe. Although this is hard, it can stave off hunger when eaten, and it can last for ten days to half a month without spoiling, which is quite good. He smiled slightly, wrapping up the remaining half of the cake and putting it back in his bosom. Suddenly, he remembered, "If you need to use the restroom, you can go over there"

Going home

The broken green bamboo, with its branches and leaves, fell with a rustle, overshadowing the singing from the adjacent building. The stout man smirked silently, took a curved hook glistening with a dark sheen from behind his waist, about the size of an adult's palm, and said, "You need not be angry; he won't get far with the woman. It won't take much effort to search the town. Once I have him subdued, you can take your time to concoct your plans."

Upon hearing these two words, she finally underwent a change

She anxiously tried to speak, but no sound came out when she opened her mouth, her brows furrowing into a knot.

Perhaps due to excessive shock, the young girl remained unresponsive, as if she had lost her senses.

As Su Xuan turned around, she saw her cheeks flushed, and Mo Yingying's eyes glistened with tears, her entire head seemingly wanting to sink into her chest

He became somewhat embarrassed instead, "I have food, those are for you"

He thought for a moment, smiled gently at her, and said, "Don't be afraid, I will take you home"

He withdrew his gaze, and after a while, his collar was tugged at. The young girl, holding the other half of the steamed bun and an egg, looked at him timidly

The dazed eyes welled up with tears, gradually becoming as full as two springs, unable to contain their depth, rolling down the young girl's chin like rippling water, an unstoppable surge, her frail figure trembling uncontrollably

It was not her that was flying, but the young man

The flatbread was unrecognizable in its composition, possessing a strong alkaline taste, coarse and difficult to chew, causing a painful sensation in her throat as she swallowed. She had never consumed such inferior food before, yet hunger compelled her to sit on a tree stump and make an effort to gnaw at it. Before long, she could no longer resist the urge to drink water, but just as she was about to open the water bag, she paused again

Upon waking, the early morning light of dawn reflected on her eyelashes, and the cool, damp breeze brushed past her cheeks, enveloping everything in a layer of soft mist. She thought she had transformed into a bird, lightly lifted by the wind, as the scenery along the roadside swiftly changed, and the surroundings were tranquil and silent, with not a single sound of footsteps.

At the southeast corner of the second floor of the inn, two half-open window panes suddenly shattered, and two individuals burst forth like shooting stars

One is slender, the other is stout; the two are moving up and down on the eaves, searching and glancing around, exuding an aura of murderous intent.

She stared at him in a daze, unsure of why he was so certain.

She stared in astonishment, as if he had grown two invisible wings

In the midst of the flowers, the furious roar echoed like thunder, "Which blind fool dares to disturb the earth on the head of the Tai Sui? It seems they are tired of living. Once I find them, I will personally flay their skin and strip their tendons!"

She knew that she could still go home, which gave her a slight sense of relief. After a while, she remembered that she was still holding a fuzzy peach, hesitantly sniffed it, but did not yet detect any fragrance, and her stomach had already let out a rumble.

The water bag belongs to him, naturally it has been drunk by him

Suddenly, she felt afraid again, the color of blood imprinted in her memory. She did not know whether the demon would come after her. The young man might encounter misfortune while trying to save her, suffering dismemberment and a broken neck, never to run swiftly again

Her heart raced as she tightened her grip on his slender fingers

The fearful imagination made her shiver slightly, and the young man suddenly turned his head, tightening his grip on her hand, offering a comforting understanding, "Do not be afraid, the wicked will not pursue us for the time being"

The shadow of the wall, deep and intertwined with bamboo, shifted slightly, revealing a person kneeling low, hidden behind the layers of intertwined green bamboo, with their back turned to the courtyard, listening intently.

"That little girl cannot fight; I have sealed her acupoints, and she cannot move a step. She must have been abducted by someone." Hua Jian Tao clearly understood that she had added another layer of suspicion to herself, and she suppressed her anger, swearing, "If this is false, may I die a terrible death."

She was both hungry and thirsty, holding the water bag and hesitating for a long time, unsure of what to do, and felt like crying again

Su Xuan took out a paper-wrapped flatbread from her bosom and placed it along with a water pouch in her hand. "It is my fault for not noticing that you haven't eaten for a long time. I only brought these with me, so please make do for now."

Although she has not yet reached the age of maturity, she is aware that this is highly inappropriate

The youth's clothing carried the scent of grass and dew, his ears were thin and well-proportioned, a slight sheen of sweat was visible on his neck, his back was slender and warm, radiating heat that enveloped her in warmth, as he darted about incessantly, like a nimble antelope

Every time she drinks water, she cannot help but feel guilty, stealing glances at his uneven sleeves

The fat man was taken aback and immediately burst into laughter, "You actually can't handle a kid who hasn't even grown all his teeth yet?"

Su Xuan had always practiced martial arts and swordsmanship alongside her senior brothers and sisters in the sect, never feeling that there was any difference being a girl. However, upon encountering the delicate young lady from a noble family this time, she was afraid that even a single word might startle her. At this moment, seeing the young lady in an extreme state of embarrassment, he too felt an inexplicable awkwardness.

The stout man followed the flower path into the courtyard and searched, chuckling, "What a coincidence, you were quiet all the way, and as soon as you entered the town, you were caught in the act. It seems you have attracted attention; perhaps there are experts in the woman's family who have come after you."

Hearing the sound of water, he caught a glimpse of the young girl twisting open a water pouch, pouring the water into a lotus leaf to sip from. Her forehead was soft and beautiful, and her small fingertips resembled finely carved jade, still exuding elegance amidst the fleeting moments

Hua Jian Tao grew increasingly resentful and angry, "Is there any doubt about this? Bring the powder head from earlier and ask him, I personally threw the person onto the Hu couch."

After a moment of eye contact, he suddenly realized, turned over and found that he had brought nothing with him. Silently, he tore off a piece of his sleeve and handed it over.

New grievances and old grudges surged in my heart, in a fit of rage I swung my golden hook among the flowers, severing a cluster of green bamboo. "That brat came suddenly and left just as quickly, I was caught off guard and fell into his trap. His actions are similar to this time, it must be him!"

The girl was completely stiff, curled up against the wall with her knees hugged to her chest, staring wide-eyed at the boy in front of her

She had already become much haggard, her tears making her even weaker, as if she were a flower brushed by a cold wind, unable to withstand even the slightest hardship

The term "fatty" was originally said in jest, but unexpectedly, there really is a rival. "What kind of guy is he?"

He appears to be slightly older than her, with clear and bright features, composed and calm. His arms are resting on her shoulders in a protective manner; although they are close, he still maintains an appropriate distance, speaking softly to her. "They have left, and for now, we are safe"

She continued to gaze at him, not understanding why he had to swallow the coarse flatbread

The stout man appeared to be skeptical, his small eyes darting back and forth. "This is quite strange; to be able to steal someone right from under our noses is no ordinary feat. What have you been up to lately, and whom have you offended?"

The shopkeeper and the shop assistant witnessed the thin man with a wolf-like face shatter the table with a single punch, leaving them too frightened to breathe, trembling in fear behind the counter. The inn was as quiet as a graveyard, with only the lively music from the adjacent building still resonating.

At the eaves, a flowered branch stands, he is concealed in the night, a resentful voice comes through, "Once I find out which sect it is, I will definitely kill the old man who taught him as well."

Su Xuan inhaled the fragrance and rubbed her nose, leaning against the tree trunk while nibbling on a flatbread, which still bore the small bite marks of her teeth. He was unconcerned, having already consumed half of it in just a few bites

The layout of the inn in the small town is not large; the courtyard is enclosed by several stones and a cluster of green bamboo, complemented by a low fence and a stone path, barely resembling a winding path to tranquility. In reality, it is overgrown with trees and grass, lacking any charm. Among the flowers, the character named Tao was searching around when he suddenly froze upon hearing the words, his expression turning fierce. "This reminds me of a young man who caused me trouble in Jingzhou. If it weren't for him, I would have secured that little girl during the rain prayer."

She followed the direction indicated and saw a stone that was as tall as a person. She was momentarily stunned, her face growing increasingly red, like a piece of white paper blushing with rouge, and she looked at him in a flustered manner

The overweight man unnecessarily plucked a nose hair, "Where have people gone these days?"

She did not understand what light body technique meant, and he did not explain it either. He opened the lotus leaf package he had brought back, revealing several steamed buns and two preserved eggs. "I found a farmhouse nearby, this cake is too hard, you probably are not used to it, so eat this instead."

In the distance, a figure appeared; the young man resembled a flying wild goose, rising and falling a few times before arriving before me

It turns out that nightmares do not last forever, and reality is not as cold and terrifying as it seems. It turns out that she still has a chance for salvation, even in the dark and bottomless abyss, there will be strangers offering warmth and assistance

She remained motionless, and he comforted her again, "The reason you cannot speak is that he has drugged you; a doctor can easily cure it."

The young man passed through a wild forest and casually picked a wild peach to hand to her, "Do you know why the villain wants to capture you? He intends to offer you to his master, who is an even worse villain, currently in Yuzhou. They certainly do not expect that we are heading towards Yuzhou."

Suddenly, a shadow swept through the air. A shop assistant in the courtyard caught a glimpse of it, covered his mouth, and trembled as he crawled back into the house. The noise quickly faded away. The fat man returned after a brief absence, spinning in the air before landing on the wall, and remarked towards the direction of the eaves, "It seems this fellow has some skills; he is not a novice."