Published at 2nd of April 2019 3:35 am

Chapter 8

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

“Ding ding dang dang. Ding ding dang dang…” The familiar tinkle of Sky Slave bells rang incessantly in the dungeon. She has not heard this sound for half a year at least, and the constant ringing sounded quite piercing to her ears.

She consoled herself with the fact that Bai Ming Sect’s dungeon has always been clean and devoid of torture instruments. She and Deng Hai Tang were led through rows of cages where Sky Slaves were being imprisoned. When she passed one of the cages, she passive gaze lingered on a hunky Sky Slave locked inside. His eyes were closed as if he was resting, and he did not look at the newcomers.

Their jailor opened the door of the cage next to his and shoved them inside. Deng Hai Tang nearly tripped but she held her up just in time. As the iron doors closed with a loud “clang!”, Deng Hai Tang said heatedly: “This is as good as declaring war against the Central Plains pugilist world. Is the Bai Ming Sect Leader crazy?”

Jiang Wu Bo nodded her head feelingly and sat down cross-legged against the side of their cage which bordered the next cage.

Deng Hai Tang continued. “Miss Jiang, I have brought trouble upon you.”

“I am still ok.”

At her words, the Sky Slave in the next cage opened his eyes abruptly and stared at the back leaning against his cage.

Jiang Wu Bo eyed Deng Hai Tang with interest. So this was how a female heroine behaved. In contrast to the gentle and soft-spoken woman who spoke to Xian Yun the other time, she was all self-reliant at times like this. So strong! But...

“Miss Deng will not succeed in finding a way out. Why not wait for rescue?” Unlike her, she was a parasite and would wait for a convenient rescuer.

An unreadable expression crossed the face of the Sky Slave in the next cage.

“Wait for rescuers? When will that be? What do you think is their aim for capturing us?”

Jiang Wu Bo sighed. “Ay, Sect Leader wants the resurrected Huang Fu Yun.”

“Huang Fu Yun? The Bai Ming Sect Protecter who died in an explosion half a year ago?”

“Yes, you see…” Jiang Wo Bo lowered her eyes and played with her belt. “many people did not believe that she has died. Bai Ming Sect Leader is one, the brother of He Rong Hua is another. Sect Leader is waiting for an opportunity but he has fatally injured himself with his malpractice of the martial arts, so he does not have much time left. As for He Yue Hua, he too believes that she is alive, so he willingly returns to Bai Ming Sect and stays in the dungeon, believing that she would return for him one day. Even though Tian He Manor claims that he is at the manor, he has faith that Huang Fu Yun would be able to see through the lie and know where he really is.”

Deng Hai Tang was shocked and shifted her eyes from Jiang Wu Bo to the big man behind her.

“Miss.” That man finally spoke, his voice hoarse and full of emotion.

Jiang Wu Bo continued to look at the floor. “He Zai, do you think you can beat me when it comes to playing games?”

“No.” His face shone with happiness. “Miss has a soft heart and would return sooner or later.”

“And how could you tell that I am soft hearted?”

He fell silent before replying with a voice choked with emotion: “Miss. I have never wanted to abandon you. He is my father’s youngest son and would also be his only son. His character is not as strong as Miss and I thought: Miss is not someone who would give up easily. Even if you have fallen off a cliff, even if there are swords swinging wildly at you, you will not give up until the last breath. So I…. Once I have rescued him, I went down the cliff to look for you but I could only find a body, a Sky Slave bangle and the jade flute.” His last sentence was ripe with pain.

Deng Hai Tang eyes widen. “You are Huang Fu Yun? But Huang Fu Yun does not look like you! She has a tattoo on her face.”

“I am afraid of pain so that is not a tattoo, just make up.”

“But… but the Sky Slave bangle is impossible to remove…”

“I have figured out how to remove it since I was fourteen. I only continued to wear it for fear that others would know that I know.”

Speechless, Deng Hai Tang could only stammered. “You… really fell off the cliff?”

She smiled. “Of course I fell off the cliff. I broke my bones, my head and my intestines were shaken out of place.”

She finally stood and faced He Zai. She lifted her fringe to reveal a scar on her forehead. “You are right. I have thought that there was no hope that day. I was waiting to move on to Western Paradise (heaven) but my survival instincts kicked in at the last moment. The result is four months of bed rest, no thanks to my excellent endurance skills, without which I would have needed even longer to recover.”

His eyes contracted at her news. “Miss…”

She smiled and gave a casual wave with her hand. ”He Zai need not feel guilty. Isn’t this the way of the world? If you can save me, I will be deeply thankful. If you cannot save me, we can still pursue our separate paths. Years ago, you have no choice but to become my Sky Slave. I was only ten that year and I worried day and night that you would kill me, so I keep emphasizing equality as the basis of our relationship. If you have to wear the Sky Slave bangle, so would I. If you are forced to tattoo your face, I will wear the same mark on my face. I taught you martial arts but I did it not for you to bring it to greater heights but to protect me in event of danger. That is the truth of our relationship for the past ten years - taking what we need from each other. And my aim of coming today is to tell you thus. We no longer owe each other anything. I will help you remove your Sky Slave bangle and we will walk our separate paths from henceforth.”

He watched her expression and said slowly: “I have already guessed your intentions when I saw the Sky Slave bangle and jade flute at the foot of the cliff that day.”

She did not reply.

“Has Miss been happy in the past half a year?”

“Not too bad. My name now is Jiang Wu Bo. I have things to eat, a place to sleep. Life is quite carefree.”

“Jiang Wu Bo?” He pondered on the name and laughed. “No waves on the River? I should have guessed it earlier. So it was indeed Gong Sun Yun who saved you. I was hoping he could lend a hand that day, but the unexpected darts that shot out from the woods stopped him. So he saved you afterall. Does Miss like him?”

She arched her brow and smiled. “Am I that transparent?”

He Zai stroked the jade flute by his side gently. “Has it been Miss of the old, she would have left the moment she recovered and will never be seen again.”

“And yet you would stay at a place like this to wait for me?” She got a bit angry just thinking about it. Since the first time she heard that He Zai was at Tian He Manor but that no one has seen him, she had known that this guy was not at Tian He Manor at all. How could she not know his character after ten years?

In order to force her to reveal herself, to confirm that she is indeed alive, he would definitely return and wait by Sect Leader’s side be it for one year or two years. Ten years was sufficient time for a person to change and the He Yue Hua of today was no longer the Eldest Young Master of Tian He Manor of yester eve. If there comes a day in future where he needs to kill someone from the orthodox sect, he will not hesitate. That is He Zai.

He Rong Hua could not see it but she has understood. Such a person was no longer suited to stay at Tian He Manor. Should she be grateful for his firm belief that she has sufficient self-protective skills and will not die?

“Would Miss be willing to give me another chance? I have already returned the gratitude of birth and have no other ties.”

She looked at him. “Am I really that important to you?”

He returned her look but did not reply, silently stroking the jade flute that symbolizes them. She pretended she did not see and looked outside the cage. After a while, she said: “He Zai, you are no longer a Sky Slave material and I am no longer Huang Fu Yun of the past.

“I know.”

She smiled and to his delight, she took the jade flute from him. “We spent ten years together. Although you are no longer a Sky Slave and I am no longer Huang Fu Yun, but it did not change what we have shared. This flute is you - no matter where you are, so long as there is a sword in the flute, it would mean that I have not forgotten you. Do you think this is a good arrangement?”

His eyes were brimming with emotion as he replied: “Miss is generous beyond my expectations.”

“If I am still wearing long belts that reach the floor, I would never have come today.”

At his confused look, she smiled again. “I am only trying to make amends.”

“Amends?”

“In the past, you were a flower-youth, very easy on the eyes. Every heart that sees you will be set aflutter. But ever since you started learning martial arts of the Huang Fu family, you have developed these big muscles.” She shook his head and sighed. “Thankfully I only trained till I am fourteen.”

He Zai stared at her and insisted. “Big muscles are the hallmarks of a real man.”

She nodded obligingly. Men are like that; only their attributes are manly. Put the same thing on someone else and the spin may be totally different. Her expression softened and she stroked the slightly-damaged flute. “There are some things I have to clarify.”

“When I was bedridden, Gong Sun Zhi would nag, nag, nag and nag about the most mundane things every day. Sometimes, I wished I have died at the foot of the cliffs instead.”

“Does Miss want me to kill him?”

She glared at him. “The first strategy is always to endure, and things have not reach desperate status yet. What I mean is, thanks to him, I heard many jianghu gossip including those of the Gong Sun family. Their family has this bad tradition of marrying their relatives such as marriage between sworn siblings, cousins, et cetera. They may not do it intentionally but somehow, destiny has it that they always inter-marry.” Which was why many people had wanted to become sworn siblings with Gong Sun Yun. Unfortunately, she was the destined one.

He Zai narrowed his eyes. “And Miss is trying to say…?”

“Are there any bad traditions that run in your family? If there are, tell me now in case I fall into some trap in future.”

“None.” Absolutely nothing at all.

She said seriously. “That is good. Since I take the flute, I want to have whatever you have. And whatever I have, you will have the same. In the past, I see you as my family but yet I would suspect you will betray me one day at the back of my mind. Now that we swear to become brother and sister, we will become family for real and will depend on each other. We will call each other by name without regard for seniority, but if you marry, I will address your wife as my elder sister-in-law.” Finished, she stuck out her hand.

He looked at her and repeated her “depend on each other” with rare gentleness. “After my abandonment, Miss has actually learn to put your faith in others. It seems that Gong Sun Yun’s credit cannot be ignored.”

His sounded a little bitter but he strike her offered hand decisively nonetheless. “From henceforth, if I ever forsake Miss again, let me be strike by lightening.”

She blinked and touched her jade flute. Finally, she said. “I like to say I believe you but I still need time. Right now, I can only tell you that I am not afraid. Even if you leave me behind again, I will still think of you as family, and family will never abandon each other. You, He Zai, will always be my first family in my heart.”

***

Half a month later.

He was extension of the shadows and moved swiftly like a bird of the night. If someone caught sight of him, he would have thought it was just a shadow and not a cause for alarm.

He leaped up a building where the dark roof tiles would provide further camouflage. After he left Bai Ming Sect six years ago, he has retained a vague map of the place in his mind. Thankfully, his lack of direction sense was not acting up today and he was able to locate the dungeon after only half an hour.

Crouching, he removed a roof tile carefully.

Yup, it was indeed the dungeon below.

Listening to a faint voice which floated up from below, he moved twenty steps forward to where he thought was directly above the voice, and removed another roof tile.

“Master He, are you awake?”

He Zai leaned against his cage and muttered a sound in response but did not open his eyes. Deng Hai Tang was worried. “Miss Huang Fu, no, Miss Jiang has been brought away. Do you think she will be fine?”

On top of them, the man’s eyes gleamed.

“Since it is not ordered by Sect Leader, she should be fine.”

“Do you think it is because Che Yan Yan has discovered Miss Jiang’s true identity? What good thing can happen when she gets her Sky Slaves to bring her away in the middle of the night?”

“Miss is very good at enduring. She will be fine.”

“But…”

The man on top of the roof straighten soundlessly. After thinking about it, he took out a small woven pouch, placed a piece of broken jade inside and flicked it to the cage below.

He Zai was awake in an instant and caught the pouch. Deng Hai Tang nearly gasp but controlled herself in time and moved forward to peer at the pouch.

Inside were two pills and a broken piece of jade.

She was confused, especially when He Zai passed her one of the pills. At the same time, He Zai said rather loudly: “Protector Che asked many questions about Gentleman Xian Yun before taking Miss away. Given the character of Protector Che, Miss must have been taken away because of this man.” He smiled as he looked at the jade piece. “I have seen this before. The original jade was a good piece but Miss has broken it into four. Who would have thought the jade would find its way back to its original owner?”

When the person on the roof remained silent, He Zai continued. “Since Protector Che wants a private inquisition, it would naturally be held at her private quarters. To go there, just turn east from the dungeon until you see a red house.”

Back on the roof, the man headed east without pausing to check if the people below have swallowed the pills.

After more roof hopping, he finally found the red house. The house and its courtyard were dimly lit, but he could see about ten Sky Slaves standing neatly in a row inside the house. Since he had no clue what Che Yan Yan was thinking, he removed yet another roof tile to better observe what was going on.

Under the flickering light, Che Yan Yan pursed her lips. “You don’t like him either? Hey, I am giving you a chance, Jiang Wo Bo. Although these Sky Slaves are a choice of the moment and they have tattoo on their faces, but they are definitely on par with Xian Yun.”

“Since Protector Che thinks that they are on par with Xian Yun, why not let them accompany you instead?”

Both women were seated. Jiang Wo Bo stifled a yawn, but was unable to control her smile when she saw Che Yan Yan’s serious face, so she asked: “What is so good about Xian Yun that you are fixated on him?”

“Humph. The man I want must also fall for my charms.”

“That is simple.” Jiang Wo Bo stifled another yawn. “Do you best to chase after him. I promise I will not stop you.”

“It s not my style to rob another woman of her man. When I wanted any man in the past, he would be mine once I captured him and if he does not yet have anyone in his heart. But if he already has someone, to make him fall for me would be a test of my powers. However, I will not shortchange their sweetheart and will always compensate them. Since I am intent on compensating you, you take a good look at these men, choose someone you like, and finish the deed tonight.”

Jiang Wo Bo nearly fell off her chair. “You call this compensation? Are you sure you are not engineering a betrayal before you come between a couple?”

Che Yan Yan was so angry that she stood up. “You sounded annoying familiar and the more I hear you speak, the more detesting you get. If you do not choose a Sky Slave tonight, I will personally pick one for you!”

Jiang Wo Bo can only sighed to herself. A few years back, she has heard about Che Yan Yan’s method of seduction. She must get the man she wanted and yet do so in a way that maintained her image as a female fetale. On the surface, she would not resort to robbery or murder in order to get her man if the man already has a sweetheart. Who would have guessed a mere listener like her to become a victim tonight? Luckily, she was very good at endurance. She could stand this, no problem.

Taking a closer look at Che Yan Yan’s Sky Slaves, they were actually quite good looking without their masks. No wonder this Right Protector wanted to keep them around.

Rubbing her nose, she stifled another yawn. She blamed her sleepiness on the bad habit she formed at Cloud Manor. To remain healthy, all must sleep early. If her head touched a pillow now, she would be dead meat. If there ever was an occasion to showcase her endurance, it would be tonight.

Che Yan Yan gave her a cold smile: “Actually, how can you and Xian Yun be suitable for each other? Before I caught you the other day, he was happily chatting with the young Miss from Tang Manor.”

Jiang Wo Bo replied politely: “Protector Che, did you use the wrong phrase to describe what happened?”

“Huh? Wrong phrase? I shall not keep it from Miss Jiang. Your rescuers are already gathered at the foot of the mountain and I am sure Xian Yun is among them. However, he has been inseparable with Miss Tang for the past two weeks. Do you get my drift?”

It was impossible to discern the expression of Jiang Wo Bo under the dim candlelight, but she said suddenly: “I do recall a Miss Tang at the wedding. She is about eighteen years old and very pretty. I have wondered why she is dressed differently from the current trend, so it is because she is trying to outshine me. If it is her and Xian Yun, they are indeed well-suited.”

As the man on top of the roof glared at her, she stood and continued. “Since he is heartless, I shall not remain true either. Come, come everyone! Line up so that I can take a look who is better!”

A true heroine can bend with the tide. Rather than blatantly opposing Che Yan Yan and risk a forced encounter, it would be better to choose someone easy on her eyes. She circled the men and reached out from habit for her jade flute. A pity she has passed it back to He Zai before she was escorted from the dungeon so it was not with her now. Sigh!

Each man had his own merit, but there was none who could set her heart aflutter. In any case, she just had to find a way to delay this till dawn. Once the rescuers reach the mountain, she would have passed this hurdle.

Che Yan Yan tried to hurry her to pick one when she came to a stop in front of a youth who bore multiple whip wounds on his body.Just when she was about to say that she will choose him, all the lights suddenly went out and the house and its courtyard was engulfed in total darkness.

“What happened?” Che Yan Yan hollered. “Men! Light the candles immediately!” Some Sky Slaves rushed to the candle stand but found that the tip of the candle had been cut off. When they tried to turn, someone sealed their meridian points and they were immobilized.

Before Jiang Wo Bo could react, she felt someone grabbing her waist and into his arms. The sound of wind whistled in her ears as she was carried past several motionless Sky Slaves and landed a secluded spot far away. Next she knew, her chin was lifted and a pair of lips forcibly parted her own as she was devoured in a kiss.

She froze at the familiar scent.

The kiss was intense and seemed to go on forever. Was he making use of the fact that she could not see his expression, to be kissing her with such abandon?

She eyelids fluttered close, and open. Close and open. Her heart was racing a little fast but she thought her control was still intact. She has seen such passion…. alright, she has to admit that although she has seen bit in her twenty years, she has only encountered such things once, which was in her erotic dreams.

But she could hold back.

No, wait. What was she holding back for? Some matters need not hold back. Just when she has decided to go ahead and make lemonade to repay his gift of papayas*, she found that he has pushed a pill to her with his tongue and stepped back.

She touched her moist lips and swallowed the pill.

“Are you alright?” he whispered hoarsely.

“I am still ok, except that my heartbeat is a bit faster than normal. Did you just feed me poison?”

In the darkness, she could hear his suppressed laughter. In the next instant, she was in his arms again as he held her very, very tightly. Has she been too focused on being alone that she overlooked his fear of not being able to save her time and time again? Although he was holding her very tightly, it did not feel like a passionate hug. Rather, it was as if he was afraid he would fall off a cliff again.

This man was so upright, anyone could put themself safely in his hands. But why did she get the feeling that she was comforting him at this instant?

“You need not feel apologetic since I would have come back for He Zai sooner or later. This time was merely going along with the flow.”

He only made a non-committal sound.

She lifted her head and the movement brushed her cheeks against his smooth forehead. She could imagine his forthright smile and she suddenly felt a lot happier. It was weird, but she found herself remembering how he would smile at home frequently in the last two weeks. Her next thought that follow, was that it was not good to indulge since it could easily lead to disappointment.

She did not know how he did it, but there was a faint light suddenly. Taking a quick look around, she found that they were behind a boulder and on his palm was a short candle stub. She lifted her eyes to his and felt her heart quake. He was dressed in black and his hair was not tied up in his customary bun atop his head. Instead, he has pulled his hair to a knot behind and some tendrils had fallen over his forehead, giving him a rather rakish beauty.

So it was not that he actually favoured whites; He probably wore white to accentuate his aloof exterior instead of wearing other colours that would bring out his warmth and steal people’s souls away. This devil. Her heart thought that her endurance training was really all for tonight.

He did not look anywhere else except at her, as if he could never looked enough. She licked her lips and asked softly: “I figured you are not here to rescue us tonight?”

His lips curved. “No.”

“So what was the pill you fed me?”

“Miss-you-like-crazy pill.”

She blinked at his answer and took in his enticing look again. The seductive scent of spring…. she swallowed her saliva.

“That…”

“If you have a question, you need to ask quickly.”

She gave it two seconds before she started laughing. What questions could she ask? What was there to ask? Perhaps she should ask him how he felt about Miss Tang? That would be a truly useless question.

“Nothing much. I just want to tell you that I am well and you need not worry about me.”

At her words, he smiled and snuffed the candle. As darkness engulf them once more, he said “When you return to your cell, try to exercise your qi. The pill will help to protect your major arteries.”

She wanted to protest that she was not that weak but he continued. “I cannot bring you away now. Since Bai Ming Sect dares to abduct the bride of the martial arts scholar, its aim is to rouse the court officers present at the wedding to stage a rescue. They are at the foot of the mountain as we speak, and will arrive up the mountain in the morning. Per our ancestors’ teachings, Cloud Manor disciples are not allowed to interfere with the happenings of the wulin. Although I have never met Bai Ming Sect Leader, you have mentioned before that he gone off the deep end and should anything happen tomorrow, you would be the first to get hit. I may not be able to protect your well-being but with this pill, it will at least help protect your heart.”

“So you are here to send me medicine?”

“Correct.”

She smiled. “I understand.”

He hugged her again before releasing her. “You take care. Let me send you back.”

She suddenly reached out to pull him down by the neck and touched the corner of his lips.

As she guessed, his lips were not curved and it was his aloof look.

She figured his warm look a few moments ago was put on for her benefit. Beneath his calm surface, he was actually agitated and could not help but to rush up at the earliest opportunity to check out if she was alive, if she was safe?

When she was fighting Che Yan Yan and her Sky Slaves at the wedding, it was inevitable for some to get hurt, for blood to be spilled. As he stared at the blood stains after the fight, did he also wondering whose blood was it on the floor?

She felt something very foreign, but the strange feeling also brought a wave of happiness to her heart. Surely, even a poppy flower is allowed to lose a little, little bit of control especially when the other poppy flower around her is radiating its poison like crazy? So she stood on her toes and gave him a small peck on his lips.

“This will really be the last time.” He whispered. “There will never be such happenings ever again.”

She was a bit skeptical but she decided now was not the time to delve further so she smiled. “Xian Yun, at this very moment, I am thinking it is not too bad to eat the nutritious meals at Cloud Manor.”

“You will come to know the pain in future.” This time, she could finally hear the smile in his voice.

She was held in a tight embrace and the next she know, she was back at the hall.He brushed his finger gently over her forehead and in the next instant, he hit her meridian points and rendered her immobile.As his familiar scent floated away, she found a faint smile lingering on her face.

From outside the hall, a Sky Slave stumbled in and started lighting the candles. She heard him shout for Protector Che and from the corner of her eye, she saw that Che Yan Yan and all her Sky Slaves where immobilized too.

The Sky Slave quickly freed Che Yan Yan, only to earn a slap from her. “Useless fools! How could you allow someone to waltz in and grab my… wait, you are still around?”

Jiang Wo Bo gave Che Yan Yan her most innocent look.

While Che Yan Yan was suspicious as she went around releasing everyone’s meridian points, she finally came to Jiang Wu Bo and freed her.

Jiang Wo Bo took a deep breath. “That was so scary! I thought it was you who struck me.”

“Why would I do that for?”

“I only know you were lamenting that I was not a man the other day. How would I know what you wanted to do with me?”

Che Yan Yan gave her a furious stare, before turning around and barked. “Why are you all still standing here? Go seal the roads immediately! I want to see who dares to challenge Bai Ming Sect. Men, bring her back to the dungeon!”

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