Inside the inn, Nan Shiying and Old Poison were drinking tea. The innkeeper clutched a jade pendant, his head bowed over the ledger at the counter, but his gaze frequently flickered towards the three people sitting in the center.
"Bang~"
A fiery red figure leaped down, drew a long whip from her waist, and lashed it towards the table in front of Nan Shiying.
The long whip whistled through the air, carrying an indomitable momentum.
Xuan Yi turned his head, raised his hand, and easily caught the whip. With a strong tug, the immense force almost snatched the whip away.
"Ouch!"
The figure cried out in surprise, nearly falling to the ground on her backside.
Xuan Yi, holding the whip, finally got a clear look at the person wielding it – a girl of fifteen or sixteen.
The girl wore a hairpin with tassels, a long crimson dress, and a black belt around her waist. Her almond-shaped eyes were wide with anger, her eyebrows furrowed. Her nose was delicate, her mouth even smaller, giving her the appearance of a ruffled little bird.
"How dare you! To cause trouble at the foot of Medicine King Valley!"
The girl's voice was sharp and high-pitched, but even her furious shout carried a hint of softness. Nan Shiying turned her head upon hearing the voice and appraised her from head to toe.
Her appearance suggested a hint of intelligence, so why would she say such a foolish thing?
Causing trouble?
Her own actions seemed much more like causing trouble.
Nan Shiying hadn't expected there to be such a foolish person willing to pick a fight in the inn.
She glanced at Xuan Yi. Xuan Yi leaped behind the girl, flicked his wrist, and the long whip in his grasp became like a rope, completely binding the girl. He pulled the whip, lifting her like a chicken or a dog, and brought her before Nan Shiying.
"Let me go! If you know what's good for you, release me quickly, or I swear I'll make you regret ever being born."
Suppressing her panic, the girl raised her head and glared fiercely at the three villains before her, exuding a full measure of spirit, completely lacking any self-awareness of being a captive.
"I'd be interested to know how you'll make me regret being born."
Nan Shiying's voice was gentle, with a hint of amusement, but her tone deepened at the end, sending a chill down Xuan Yi's spine, making him feel as if a gust of wind was blowing into his collar.
He released his grip, dropping her directly onto the ground.
Nan Shiying lifted her foot and stepped on the girl's back, pinning her firmly to the ground.
"You insolent wretches!"
A roar of rage echoed in her ears, and as the sound faded, a gust of force arrived.
Xuan Yi met the attack with his sword. The blade clashed against the saber, producing the sound of metal against metal. The exchange was fleeting; Xuan Yi retreated, and the saber-wielding figure also moved back.
"Zhuge Qingfeng, chop them for me."
The girl struggled to lift her head, her disheveled hair falling by her ears. A fierce glint shone in her eyes.
One couldn't tell if she was brainless or just not smart; finding herself a captive and unaware of her captors' identities, she still dared to make such demands.
Zhuge Qingfeng's expression was grim. He held a long saber, its tip resting on the ground. The blade was half as tall as a person, and three iron rings hung from its spine. As he swung the blade, the rings chimed.
No one in the Lin Yuan martial arts world used such a long saber.
Zhuge.
It wasn't a Lin Yuan surname either.
Nan Shiying raised an eyebrow, glanced at the man, then looked back at the girl pinned beneath her foot, her tone laced with amusement, "From Dali?"
Hearing her sarcastic tone, Zhuge Qingfeng's messy, thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. His voice was rough, "And if we are?"
"No if, no and!"
Nan Shiying's hand rested by her leg. She pressed down with her foot, and as expected, heard a pained gasp.
Zhuge Qingfeng gripped his long saber, a flicker of anger in his eyes.
He wanted to swing his saber and cut down the people before him, but just the swordsman alone, from their brief exchange, he knew he was no match. Now, let alone killing them, he couldn't even rescue Huan'er.
He held his breath, then exhaled deeply. Shouldering his long saber, he cupped his hands towards the trio. "I am Zhuge Qingfeng of Dali, the chief disciple of the Huanlang Sect. Huan'er is my junior sister and also the youngest daughter of Prince Ruyang of Dali. If Huan'er has offended you in any way, I will apologize on her behalf."
"Zhuge Qingfeng, why are you apologizing? Do you know who these three are? These three dare to impersonate the Medical Immortal of Medicine King Valley in Medicine King Valley's territory. They are simply seeking death! I hit them because they deserve it..." As she cursed, she turned her head with all her might, trying to look directly at the scoundrel pinning her down, but she could only turn halfway. She could only glare at him from the side, "Laugh, keep laughing. I want to see if you can still laugh when the people from Medicine King Valley arrive."
Nan Shiying fell silent for two seconds, then deliberately pressed down harder on her back.
Prince Ruyang of Dali.
Was this girl the daughter of Yuwen Ji, who guarded the frontier and resisted Beili?
"You..."
Yu Chenghuan's eyes welled up with tears from the pain. This little thief was utterly detestable; she would definitely skin and dismember her!
This time, Nan Shiying hadn't done it intentionally; she had simply pressed down subconsciously while lost in thought.
"You are Yu Chenghuan?"
"Since you know I am the county princess, why aren't you untying me quickly!"
This girl was capricious, willful, and not very bright. No wonder she was so favored by Yuwen Yi. After all, who didn't like a sweet, simple, and silly person?
Nan Shiying clicked her tongue.
The innkeeper had been observing the situation from the side, making no move to intervene. It wasn't until the guards rushed into the inn.
The innkeeper, not seeing Mr. Qing, frowned. Just as he was about to step away from the counter, the guards rushed up to him, speaking urgently, "Innkeeper, Mr. Qing said that person is Old Poison, the medical and poison expert who hasn't returned to the valley for many years, and his newly accepted disciple!"
"What?"
The innkeeper almost dropped the jade pendant in his hand in shock.
Damn it!
The medical and poison expert?
Wasn't that the Medical Immortal among Medical Immortals?
The innkeeper slapped himself. How could he not even recognize Old Poison?
The clear, crisp sound of the slap echoed particularly distinctly in the somewhat quiet hall. The guards' words landed in everyone's ears without omission.
Zhuge Qingfeng's mouth felt bitter, and his gaze towards Yu Chenghuan held an indescribable emotion.
In summary: he also wanted to step on her.