The Legend of Su Kuang By Piao Deng - Chapter 03
Chapter 3: « Prelude: Breaking the Formation – Dragon’s Roar » (Part 3)
1. Crimson Dawn
2. Whispering Dragon
Proud and furious, soaring through the clouds
The Wu Hook once cleaved through storms
Dragons roam the wilds
Phoenixes dance in crimson flames
Startled Yunyun
« The peacock flies south— » lamented the mournful cry of flight upon flight.
« Clouds stretch as wild geese soar— » He cheered, stretching his arms wide.
« Peach blossoms flow as mandarin fish ‘fly’— » Nonsensically, he leaped about like a madman.
« Sister, can I fly too— » Jingjing finally stopped her flailing about and fluttered timidly toward Long Qing, « Look at me, I can do it too, right? I want to fly— »
« Enough! » Long Qing’s impatience flared, her voice sharp and cutting.
Jingjing was startled by the outburst. Fragments of old memories surged in her mind—her sister’s past gentleness now buried beneath layers of coldness. Biting her lip, she lowered her head, a single tear clinging to her lashes.
That fragile demeanor struck Long Qing like an arrow of guilt. In a sudden wave of remorse, she reached out and pulled Jingjing into her arms. « Jingjing, my dear… Sister was wrong. I… I shouldn’t have… »
Don’t worry, I’m used to it by now. » Jingjing instantly brightened, summoning her trademark cheerful expression. « I know Sister loves roast goose best—I’ll go prepare it right away.
Her face was tenderly pink, slightly plump, with an upturned little nose—utterly devoid of worldly traces. Her eyes sparkled with clarity, evoking both pity and guilt.
« Little sister, » Long Qing called softly.
Suddenly, she saw in her a reflection of her own past resilience and burdens. Here was a sister—one forever young, forever innocent, a soul pure enough to be sheltered from life’s storms. In her own youth, she too had been a younger sister, her slender shoulders bearing the weight of an older sibling’s responsibilities. Now, observing this girl who had been sent to her side by fate, Long Qing gently stroked Jingjing’s forehead and murmured, « Little sister, how fortunate I am to have you… truly, how fortunate. »
« Really? » Jingjing, touched by her sister’s sudden warmth—like a spring breeze on a winter night—turned and ran to the corner. There, beneath the bed, lay a small wooden box she treasured.
« Sister, gift gift! » Jingjing eagerly lifted the box, her eyes sparkling.
The box contained a rather peculiar-looking wooden statue. Long Qing was startled, murmuring: « This… this is? »
Jingjing’s enthusiasm immediately cooled, her lips pouting.
Ah, sister is so… » Long Qing suddenly realized: « A stool?
You’re absolutely right, Jingjing’s face was unbearably pale. Long Qing exerted her utmost skill in deduction and reasoning, trying to discern any clues from Jingjing’s expression. After a long while, she finally blurted out: « Could it be… the current Phoenix Xi? »
« Damn right it’s her! » Jingjing seemed about to spit fire.
Long Qing suddenly felt an intense longing for her younger sister back home, who was skilled in the mystical art of divination. If she were here now, she might have already figured it out. Admitting her failure in deduction, she randomly guessed: « The Mandala Palace? »
Jingjing raised her hands, her voice trembling with a hint of tears: « Sister, can you see? The swans from Dahu Lake… they, they just flew away from here, those flying white swans! »
Ah, no, wait. » Longqing turned around in surprise: « Jingjing, the swans from Dahu Lake flew away? How did you notice that?
Jingjing sighed with a hint of melancholy and said, « Sister, you always sleep in until the fifth watch when the lanterns are still lit and the roosters haven’t even crowed. How can you possibly cultivate such lazy habits into true martial prowess? »
Hmm… truly, truly diligent and hardworking… Long Qing felt rather ashamed. The more she thought about it, the more stubborn and sharp-tongued she became, and the later she stayed in bed. The aroma of food made her stomach growl as she crawled out, completely forgetting about her little sister waiting for her. Awkwardly, she chuckled and said, « Late… again? Well, no matter what, I probably won’t make it in time to see the last of the morning dew. »
Do you really like the morning dew that much, sister? » Jingjing’s voice grew quieter, then suddenly perked up again: « Oh, sister, wait for me! I’ll carve you a little goose right now!
Long Qing barely had time to react to Jingjing’s enthusiasm before a hurried voice came from outside— »Sister, Fifth Master Feng has sent someone to ransom you! »
Again? » Long Qing frowned. « That old man really enjoys playing tricks—Jingjing, be careful, don’t hurt yourself.
Feng Xi stood boldly in the hall, glancing at Long Qing with a lazy, indifferent stretch.
Miss Long, » Zuo Tianleng said coldly, his hostility evident. « Let’s be clear. Otherwise, we might end up with five thousand taels of gold—
The boxes were filled to the brim, stacked with silver notes, pearls, precious jade… illuminating the entire room with their dazzling brilliance.
Long Qing picked up a piece of emerald with a faint smile, examining it carefully in the shimmering light.
Damn impatient! » he spat. « Fifth Master tricked us into coming here, saying the treasure chest was full of valuables. Grandma! Should we brothers just snatch this girl and demand ransom? Or should we grab Su Kuang? Hurry up and hand them over!
Long Qing’s face turned cold. With a flick of her finger, a piece of jade shot toward the man’s mouth. He yelped « Aiya! » and crouched down, clutching his cheek as blood flowed from his shattered teeth. The jade fragment fell to the ground with a clatter.
« Get lost! » Long Qing pointed sharply, her voice icy.
The man roared in fury: « Long Qing, you—you don’t know what’s good for you— »
Long Qing slightly curled her lips and said, « I despise people like you the most—those who speak with foul mouths, especially when they dare to snatch things from others. You reek of filth—get lost! »
With a kick, the chest toppled over, scattering pearls and jade across the floor, filling the room with dazzling treasures.
Daring to be angry but not daring to speak, he hurriedly chased after the jewels, glaring fiercely at Long Qing.
Who dares?! » Long Qing casually lifted the chest with one hand and slammed it onto the table with a loud crash: « Get lost! You promised five thousand taels of gold, so pay up with five thousand taels of gold. Don’t try to fool me with worthless labor vouchers. This young lady has no patience for such nonsense!
In an instant, pearls scattered wildly across the ground, making it clear that searching for them would be futile. His face turned ashen with rage—along with the loss of the jewels, he feared he wouldn’t even have enough to cover the dowry for his daughter’s marriage.
Fine, I’ll relay your message to Feng Xi on your behalf— » Long Qing sneered coldly: « If you want redemption, then bring the money. Don’t send some vulgar, despicable lowlifes to waste my time!
Sister scolded me… » Xiangxiang patted her chest, « I… I’m afraid I’ve offended Fifth Master Feng…
Long Qing raised her chin arrogantly: « Feng Xi? Hmph, who does he think he is? If he dares to snatch young girls and indulge in such depravity again, I’ll slap him dead—what kind of beasts are these Golden Eagle Gang members anyway? Do they think they can act with impunity just because they’ve found a new master? »
In the past, the Golden Eagle Gang was notorious for their cruelty. They took pleasure in abducting young women, violating them, and abandoning their corpses in the wilderness. Countless innocent souls had become food for vultures. The herdsmen on the grasslands dared not let their daughters sleep alone at night, living in constant fear of these human-faced beasts.
After the Golden Eagle Gang pledged allegiance to Feng Xi, Long Qing repeatedly advised against it. Yet Feng Xi stubbornly refused to expel them, arguing— »They haven’t committed any major crimes recently, haven’t they? With proper discipline, they’re just former bandits after all. Why can’t we reform them and incorporate them into our ranks? Isn’t that better than leaving them to their own devices? »
Long Qing inherited Feng Xi’s methods of governance and, with the help of the Diao Clan, managed to tame the unruly bandits completely, making them too afraid to repeat their past wickedness. However, this only deepened her sorrow and anger—for she knew that these people would never truly repent and turn over a new leaf, no matter how much they pretended to chant Buddhist scriptures.
« Even if they chant scriptures all day long, so what? How can they ever wash away the blood on their hands or redeem the lonely souls they’ve wronged? » Long Qing sneered, her face darkening with contempt.
Feng Xi’s approach had subdued the wicked, but it had also saved countless innocent lives—this was the undeniable truth.
Long Qing’s path was not Feng Xi’s. Hers was dark, and no amount of washing could cleanse it; his was bright, and no stain could ever tarnish its purity.
He liked things clean and tidy, which seemed odd to others. Having wandered the world for so long, he just couldn’t wrap his head around the word « compromise. »
Sister! » He stumbled toward her, clutching his chest, gasping for breath— »Sister, Su Kuang is… he’s here!
The old man had barely managed to grab a weak moment to escape, dragging his frail body through half the night just to redeem himself from that gang of bandits. As for Su Kuang and Long Qing, those two unlucky souls, aside from being shackled, they were locked up in what was practically the gang’s private prison—no different from being buried alive.
The girl was nearly in tears: « Sister, Su Kuang said he’d never run away. He was just here a moment ago—how could he vanish like a ghost? »
Ghost? » Long Qing’s face turned pale—no matter how you looked at it, Feng Xi’s scheme was too sinister. She was so anxious she could barely speak. « Xue, have our sisters gone out to search for her?
Xue nodded repeatedly. « We’ve sent two teams out, and even dispatched the whip squad to scour the area. Sister, let’s head to Hongya ourselves and settle the score with Feng Xi! »
Long Qing shook her head, knowing full well Feng Xi’s fiery temper and unpredictable moves. She seemed to be weighing her options. « Fine, send out more people, even the Eight Squads if necessary… If we still can’t find her after searching everywhere, then so be it. »
Xue cried out urgently, « Sister! »
Long Qing sighed bitterly: « Since Feng Xi’s people sent the eagle to help lure the enemy, they must have also sent someone to intercept Su Kuang… Given the current situation, Su Kuang is likely to be captured, and I will bear the blame for this. Since things have come to this, I might as well swallow my pride and wait quietly to see how it unfolds. »
Xue’er hesitated for a moment, then finally lowered her voice: « Yes, sister, I will follow your orders. »
Mm. » Long Qing nodded slightly, then added another sentence: « But if Feng Xi’s people find out… Never mind, even if they do, they must have miscalculated. At worst, I’ll just have to find another way.
Long Qing was not wrong in her calculations. By the Hour of Chen, figures began to emerge one after another, but within a radius of a hundred li, there was still no trace of Su Kuang.
The little sister carefully wiped the dust off her face. Long Qing couldn’t help but smile faintly. If those sparkling eyes were to dim, it would probably spoil all the fun, wouldn’t it?
A spark of realization flashed through Long Qing’s mind—Jingjing! Amidst the chaos of the mandala flowers, where had that little girl gone?
Jingjing’s room was next to Long Qing’s, a simple bamboo hut paved with smooth pebbles she had gathered from the lakeshore. The bed was neatly made, draped with pristine white gauze curtains, in stark contrast to the messy and disorderly celestial palace Long Qing had imagined. It made her feel almost ashamed of her own untidiness. Yet, in the daylight, the bamboo hut was serene and bright. The afternoon sun cast its rays upon the pebbles, filling the room with a gentle, soft glow, as if quietly revealing the mischievous little girl’s faint smile.
Daring to act swiftly, Long Qing turned her horse around and entered the house. She pressed her index finger to her lips and let out a sharp whistle—a streak of fiery red flames shot diagonally upward like an arrow. Long Qing flipped back onto her horse, grabbed the whip from the saddle, and cracked it through the air with a resounding snap. She shouted, « Red Robe, go! To Lake Dada! »
The vast expanse of Lake Dahu stretched endlessly under the twilight sky… Jingjing’s timid voice trembled faintly in the wind, barely audible yet carrying a sliver of hope. Long Qing’s crimson robe fluttered like a dying ember in the dusk. Today, he had endured the cruel lash of betrayal—those he once trusted, those he once called brothers from the Eagle Gang—now dared to lay hands on Jingjing. Long Qing’s grip on his whip tightened until his knuckles turned white, as if he could crush the very weapon in his fury.
The crimson-robed figure moved swiftly, his mind racing as he calculated the distance. In less than half a moment, he reached the lakeshore, where the surroundings were eerily quiet—not a shadow in sight. Glancing around, he admired the picturesque scenery, but the dragon’s gaze suddenly sharpened. With a flick of his whip, the crimson-robed man winced in pain and, in an instant, leaped high into the air before plunging into the lake’s depths.
The cool lake water soaked her clothes, startling Long Qing awake. She hastily abandoned the shore, wrung out her garments, and with a swift leap, plunged back into the lake. Her figure moved as gracefully as a dragon, gliding through the rippling waves without even disturbing the leisurely drifting geese.
Almost as if sensing Long Qing’s presence, a shadow swiftly skimmed across the shore. Following the rolling waves, half of the clothes on the shore were soaked. He casually picked up a piece, then suddenly startled, letting out a surprised « Huh? »
The crimson-robed figure let out a sharp whistle, and Long Qing immediately planted both feet firmly on the lakebed, diving into the depths. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished without a trace, leaving only ripples on the water’s surface—a sight rarely seen indeed.
« Drunk Dragon’s Chant? » Long Qing couldn’t help but frown slightly as she immediately noticed the bamboo token pinned to her dampened lapel—the soaked token now faintly revealed the once-hidden, flamboyant characters that seemed to dance across its surface.
« Recognize this token from the northern frontier… » Long Qing said coldly. « The more I look at it, the more familiar it seems! » His fingers traced the faint marks left behind, gripping the piece of paper tightly as he slowly unfolded it—a sheet of vine paper, soaked and disintegrating, the traces of ink barely discernible. Yet, he could vaguely make out the outline of a fledgling swan, poised to take flight, just as it had been when it first left the nest.
Long Qing shook her damp hair, draped her outer garment, and leaped onto her horse. The corners of her mouth held a trace of determination as she galloped toward the opposite shore of the lake—there, atop the mountain peak, Feng Xi stood majestically, his figure crimson.
In the darkness, a shadowy figure silently observed everything, murmuring in a low voice: « So this is Long Qing? Heh, decisive and resolute indeed, truly worthy of being the disciple of Zui Long Yin… »
The dark red stones, like thousands of hellish molten rocks, bore a sinister chill, piling up into towering clouds that cast a gloomy, oppressive shadow over one’s vision.
Alas, the urgent beacon fire blazes, yet someone dares to rashly disturb the slumber of Feng Xi, the Fifth Lord Feng—truly courting misfortune.
Who exactly is this Fifth Lord Feng? Some say he is a prodigy born in the grasslands, a proud and unruly soul commanding a thousand elite riders. Others claim he possesses extraordinary innate talents, his martial arts having long transcended mortal limits. Still others whisper of his mercurial temper, where killing is as effortless as blinking. And yet, under Fifth Lord Feng’s rule, this thousand-strong elite force moves as one, responding to his slightest gesture with seamless coordination…
No matter what excuses were made, one could hardly overlook Feng Wuye’s formidable presence—his commanding aura made it impossible to ignore despite his youthful age. Over the years, countless tributes of rare herbs had been offered, yet even the mere mention of the number « five » carried an air of mystery and taboo. Among those who presented these herbs, there was one man whose trembling hands hinted at a deeper story—the Crimson Phoenix, Feng Xi, was involved.
Ah— » The man called Feng Xi suddenly turned his head, his dark eyes seemingly accompanied by a faint smile, respectfully addressing him as « Master.
This… was an exception to all rules.
Long Qing raised her whip, pointing to the figure at the helm of the ship’s peak, and shouted: « Feng Xi! Get down here right now— »
The guards hesitated, not daring to block her, yet not daring to let her pass either. Their faces were filled with extreme awkwardness as they cautiously held their weapons, carefully trying to stop Long Qing’s advance.
« Feng Xi! If you don’t come out, this lady won’t be polite! » With a swift flick of her whip, Long Qing forced the surrounding bandits to instinctively step back, their faces twisted in distress—if she wasn’t going to be polite, there was no need for pleasantries. She simply used the blades of these insignificant lackeys to clear her path.
At that moment, the wooden gates of the mountain stronghold suddenly burst open, and a tide of bandits surged out like a flood. Among the chaotic crowd, one figure stood out—though not necessarily towering in stature, amidst the throng, he was unmistakably the one leading the charge.
The black-clad leader strode forward briskly, his dark satin cloak embroidered with silver threads fluttering behind him. The bandits blocking Long Qing’s way immediately brightened, bowing respectfully in unison, « Fifth Master! »
Feng Xi stared intently at Long Qing and asked bitterly, « Miss Long, why are your eyes so red? Have you been crying? »
Long Qing seemed to have been pricked by something, replying coldly, « Stop wasting your breath. Su Kuang is gone, and Jingjing is dead. »
Jingjing? » Feng Xi frowned. « What does that have to do with anything?
Long Qing sneered, « Stop playing dumb, Fifth Master Feng! Jingjing is dead, and we have nothing to do with each other—don’t pretend to be innocent. Hand over that damned beast, or I’ll make sure you pay for this! »
Feng Xi’s smiling face suddenly darkened: « Long Qing, you’re going too far. »
Long Qing angrily demanded: « Are you going to hand it over or not? »
Feng Xi flicked his sleeve with a flourish: « Enough with the nonsense. Hand over the antidote to my brothers, Long Qing. Or do you really want to disgrace Feng Wu’s face? »
Long Qing sneered coldly, « The Beggar Gang? What kind of shameless people are they? »
Feng Xi clenched his fists tightly, then slowly relaxed them, doing his utmost to suppress his anger as he said, « Long Qing, are you afraid of me? »
Long Qing chuckled darkly, « Oh? Since when has Fifth Master Feng been afraid of anyone? Your people, your rules—how could I possibly dare to disobey? »
Feng Xi’s face finally showed a trace of anger as he took a step forward, « Since that’s the case, Miss Long, let’s settle this here. »
The surrounding crowd grew increasingly tense, some secretly delighted, others impatient with anxiety, while a few sighed helplessly—who would have thought that the once inseparable pair, Dragon and Phoenix, would come to this? With just a few words from Feng Xi, the onlookers quietly retreated a step, forming a loose circle that left the two figures isolated in the center.
Long Qing leaped up and shouted, « Feng Xi, if you win, I’ll give you Jingjing, Su Kuang, and everything else. Just hand them over to me. »
Feng Xi sneered, her face darkening as she finished adjusting Long Qing’s restraints, then said coolly, « Miss Long, do you admit defeat? »
Long Qing answered without hesitation, « If I lose, I’ll sever my right arm and never practice martial arts again. »
Feng Xi scoffed dismissively, « Do you think I care about your right arm? Long Qing, if you lose, you must apologize for offending my Scarlet brothers and return the Mandala to me. Are you willing? »
Though seething with rage, Long Qing hesitated for a moment before replying, « I am. »
Feng Xi responded, « Oh? »
Long Qing shook her head: « You’re using my own words to gamble with me. Fine, let it be. I’ll let you have your way this time. »
Feng Xi burst into laughter: « Ha! The sharp-tongued Long Qing has finally conceded. Alright, I won’t provoke you further—I should even thank you. You’ve taken my bet! »
The two of them stood facing each other, the surroundings suddenly turning solemn. The snowflakes drifted down like goose feathers, and all disputes seemed to fade into silence, leaving only the outcome of the wager hanging in the air.
« What kind of weapon is this? » Long Qing tightened her grip on the whip.
Feng Xi sneered arrogantly: « No need, Long Qing. I’ll handle this alone—no weapons required. »
Long Qing giggled mischievously: « Feng Xi, you’ve got a problem—thinking too much makes you clever, but your calculations always fall short— » With a flick of her right wrist, she unexpectedly whipped out a slender sword two fingers wide from her sleeve. Cold as frost, gleaming like snow, its chilling aura instantly numbed the opponent’s twin pressure points with pain.
Feng Xi exclaimed in shock: « The Wu Hook Sword! Long Qing, no wonder you dared to draw your blade so boldly—are you the drunken old man Long Zheng’s disciple? »
Long Qing wore an expression of utter indifference, casually shaking her wrist to weave a sword flower: « Here you go! »
Without waiting for Feng Xi’s response, her twin robe sleeves billowed like drums, revealing an astonishing surge of energy. With a flip of her palms, the sleeves coiled like flowing clouds—one strike aimed at the upper body, another at the lower, displaying extraordinary momentum.
Long Qing’s right wrist twisted, her sword flashing like a silken ribbon as it thrust toward Feng Xiyu’s Xuanji acupoint on his chest. The sword moved with extreme speed, yet without the slightest sound of cutting through the air. The blade emitted a low hum, faintly resembling the rumble of thunder.
The Wu Hook Sword was an ancient and extraordinary weapon, and Feng Xiyu dared not confront it with his bare hands. His figure shifted like a swimming dragon, swiftly retreating.
Long Qing, clad in crimson, and Feng Xiyu, in black robes, clashed fiercely. Their movements resembled a giant bat circling flames, the cold gleam of the sword flickering like fireflies, never straying far from Feng Xiyu’s vital acupoints.
Seizing an opening, Feng Xiyu brought his sleeves together, wrapping them around Long Qing’s ribs like iron whips. The sleeves were densely lined with hidden needles—one strike could shatter bones like hammers and awls. Yet Long Qing, stubborn to the core, refused to retreat. Instead, she advanced, the Wu Hook Sword weaving a dense web of sword shadows, like a rainbow piercing the sky, aimed straight for Feng Xiyu’s throat.
Feng Xi’s right sleeve brushed against Long Qing’s waist, then swiftly withdrew. Amidst the chaos, the Wu Hook Sword coiled and Long Qing fiercely twisted, sending shreds of silk fluttering through the air. The Wu Hook Sword halted abruptly at Feng Xi’s throat.
Feng Xi flicked his left sleeve, pressing firmly on Long Qing’s right flank with his right hand. He gently exhaled, extended his index finger, and lightly tapped the Wu Hook Sword. With his left hand, he seized the moment to pat Long Qing’s waist, suddenly chuckling: « Well then, Miss Long, you’re in for some good fortune. »
« Bastard! » Long Qing cursed angrily, the corner of her mouth twitching—she hadn’t expected the two of them to still be alive, clinging stubbornly to their last breath.
With a rustle, fragments of torn clothing fluttered down like black butterflies dancing in the air, creating an eerie scene. Feng Xihe asked coldly, « Who are you? »
Long Qing sneered, « Feng Xihe, the Wu Hook Sword is nothing more than a mere weapon in your hands. »
Feng Xihe chuckled softly, slowly drawing a pitch-black curved blade from his waist with his right hand. With a casual flick, he tore off his tattered robe and tossed it aside, revealing a tight-fitting martial outfit beneath.
Long Qing stared at the curved dagger’s hilt: « The Dragon Slayer? No! No! »
The curved blade was as round as a full moon, its edge flowing with the black mist of nightmares, as if it thirsted for blood and slaughter at every moment. Feng Xi sighed softly: « Long Qing, the Five Emperors once recruited you, but you stubbornly refused to yield… Forget it. Have you heard of the legendary drunkard, Long Zheng? I wonder what kind of skills and tactics he truly possesses! »
Long Qing flicked the blade’s edge, and the sword responded with a clear chime, his gaze sharp as frost.
An inch of steel conceals a thousand techniques—once the Dragon Slayer is drawn, there’s no turning back. » Feng Xi slowly raised the sinister curved dagger inch by inch. « Long Qing, this blade was left behind by the ancients. Today, it shall taste your blood!
« Granny, watch out! » Long Qing’s sword trembled as she unleashed her attack. The tip of her blade split into two, then two into four, transforming into a thousand shadows in the blink of an eye. Feng Xi found herself completely enveloped within the storm of swordplay, unable to escape.
Feng Xi’s eyes suddenly blazed with a fierce light, his blade slashing from an impossible angle at an unimaginable speed that surpassed all human limits, striking straight toward Long Qing’s left neck.
« Clang! » The blades clashed as Long Qing tilted her sword to block Feng Xi’s saber, her sword aura flickering, revealing it to be a feint. The two exchanged several moves, their weapons—still razor-sharp—showing no signs of wear despite the fierce combat. It was a perfectly matched duel.
« Again! » Long Qing’s voice carried a hint of excitement.
Miss Long— » A figure suddenly burst from the crowd, rushing forward with a sturdy build, fists clenched as he stood beside Long Qing. « What have you done to my master?
Long Qing paused for a long moment, her gaze shifting to Su Kuang’s loyal attendant, Dan’er, before fixing coldly on Feng Xi. « What have I done to your master, Fifth Lord? Shouldn’t you be the one to tell me? »
Dan pointed at Long Qing’s nose and shouted, « Are you the Fifth Master? Long Qing, are you the one who killed those innocent people in Red Maple Town, you bastard? »
Long Qing’s eyes flickered with amusement. « And if I am? »
Dan gritted his teeth. « If it’s you, I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands, you murderous scum! »
Long Qing’s cold gaze swept around before landing on Feng Xiyu.
Feng Xiyu’s eyes were almost murderous as they fixed on Dan Yu.
Dan Yu and his companion were startled, stammering, « We were just passing by… We didn’t mean to intrude, really… »
Feng Xiyu’s face seemed to shed shards of ice: « Lei Xi, Lei Xiyang—you two. »
The Red Banner Bandits of the northern frontier were known for their strict discipline. The Fifth Master tolerated no delays—any hesitation was met with swift punishment, and offenders were pushed forward without mercy, their fate sealed in an instant.
Feng Xi’s face darkened with anger: « Where is Brother Lei? »
The attendant hastily reported: « He’s gone, gone, gone. »
Feng Xi raised an eyebrow sharply: « Didn’t I tell you to keep watch earlier? »
The attendant’s forehead was practically dripping with sweat as he muttered, not daring to speak up. Long Qing glanced sideways at him and remarked, « Not bad at all—our Fifth Master isn’t some paper tiger, as you can see. »
The drummer mustered his courage: « I’ll report immediately that the… the Dragon Lady has arrived early. Ah, ah… »
What insolence… » Feng Xi almost squeezed the words out through gritted teeth, then sighed, « Long Qing, you’ve always been like this. Fine, have it your way.
Long Qing raised her sword with a smile: « Well, shall we give it a try? Or do you concede defeat now? »
Feng Xi unexpectedly answered with a question: « You want to fight? On what grounds? »
Long Qing burst into laughter: « Hahaha! Well, since you’re so eager to find Jingjing, I’ll take you to her. »
« Miss Long, you’re really bold to bring this gentleman along. Miss Jingjing will surely be delighted, » Dan couldn’t help but chime in with a smile.
Long Qing tilted her head and said: « First, you must call me ‘Young Master’, not ‘Miss’; second, you must carry this chest of jewels for me—are you a fool or just pretending to be dumb, Young Master Goose? »
This chest of jewels was worth nearly six thousand taels of gold at market price. Feng Xi was well aware that she might never earn such a fortune in her entire life.
Feng Xi was naturally sharp-witted and should have grasped the situation immediately, yet she stubbornly shook her head: « You’re mistaken, we’re not siblings. I don’t want them. »
Long Qing almost suspected that Su Kuang was possessed. She jumped up and knocked his head to sober him up, scolding, « Are you blind or just pretending not to see what’s right in front of you? »
Feng Xi sneered coldly and said, « Hand over the formation token, and spare me your nonsense. »
« Tsk— » The sound was icy and mocking.
The biting wind carried the words, sending an unbearable chill down one’s spine. The already red and swollen ears felt as if they were submerged in an early spring lake filled with icy fragments. Someone chuckled softly and remarked, « Long have I heard of Feng Xi’s notorious stubbornness. Truly, it lives up to its reputation. »
Long Qing and Feng Xi seemed to be shouting— »Wait? »
A figure flew past, brushing shoulders, then… vanished into the night like a fleeting shadow.
The figure in red appeared to be seething with anger, spurring his horse into a furious gallop, its hooves pounding the ground.
Long Qing tightened her grip on the Wu Hook, staring at the retreating figure, then turned her gaze to the dark silhouette by the lakeside, picking up a cold, discarded waist token.
The faint sound of the flute hinted at who it might be..
