Chapter One Hundred Two
"An Jiu." Mo Sigui helped An Jiu sit up and fed her an Antitoxin pill, then used pressure points to stop the bleeding. He anxiously glanced over at Elder Qi’s battle.
Mo Sigui’s internal organs had been injured by the shockwaves, leaving him too weak to carry An Jiu.
"Hand her over to me." Cui Yichen stood before them, appearing out of nowhere.
Remembering how An Jiu had risked her life to save him, Mo Sigui would rather die than hand her over now. But with no strength to fight, he could only stall for time. "Do you have a grudge against her?"
"Indeed." Cui Yichen had been the pride of his family since childhood, rarely suffering setbacks. The last time he had tried to abduct An Jiu, he had fallen into Chu Dingjiang’s trap, suffering heavy losses and severe punishment from his master. A man who never forgot the smallest grievance, he had sworn vengeance against Chu Dingjiang—An Jiu was just an afterthought.
Even with ten heads, Mo Sigui couldn’t have imagined Cui Yichen would want An Jiu dead over something so trivial.
Cui Yichen glanced around. "If you keep stalling, Mei Shi will be finished."
Mo Sigui and An Jiu were positioned to the north, upwind. Though the breeze was light, it was enough to carry poison. As he spoke to distract Cui Yichen, his hand supporting An Jiu subtly uncorked a vial. "Death extinguishes all grudges. She’s so young—what hatred could drive you to desecrate her corpse?"
"Mo Sigui." Recognizing him, Cui Yichen suddenly smiled. "You should worry about yourself instead."
With a casual wave of his hand, a dozen black-clad men closed in around them. "Take them alive," Cui Yichen said coolly.
If they couldn’t secure Elder Qi, capturing Mo Sigui would be just as good—perhaps even more pleasing to his master. According to their intelligence, Elder Qi had grown less fanatical about the way of medicine in recent years and was deeply sentimental. Their master had repeatedly failed to capture Elder Qi’s son, who had joined the Crane Control Army. In contrast, someone like Mo Sigui should be far easier to control.
A soothing fragrance of plum blossoms gradually filled the air.
Some of the black-clad men with lower martial arts ranks began to feel weak, their swords clattering to the ground.
Cui Yichen sensed the anomaly—where would plum blossom scent come from amidst blood and flames? He leaped back, covering his nose and mouth.
From nearby, the Madman’s voice rang out. "Old man! Surrender quietly, and I won’t harm you!"
Mo Sigui stole a glance, his heart wrenching—Elder Qi was battered and bloodied, his once-gray beard now crimson, his face deathly pale.
"I know you want Elder Qi," Mo Sigui said, his eyes always carrying a hint of roguish charm. "I’ll go with you. My medical skills are no less than his now. The condition is that Elder Qi takes her body away."
"A fine proposal, but your actions haven’t been very friendly." Cui Yichen eyed the black-clad men collapsing around them.
Mo Sigui raised his hand slightly, making Cui Yichen retreat a few steps. Only when he looked down did he realize it was just a porcelain vial rolling to his feet.
Mo Sigui smirked, lazily mocking. "Antidote. Dare to try it?"
"Why not?" Cui Yichen scoffed, picking it up and tossing it to one of the poisoned men.
The man cursed inwardly—of course he dared! He wasn’t the one poisoned!Though these thoughts crossed his mind, he didn't dare hesitate in his actions. Taking the antidote, he pulled up his mask and swallowed a pill without waiting to observe its effects.
Before he could assess the medicine's efficacy, a flash of cold steel came at him. Those around who had been poisoned offered no resistance.
Mister Mo effortlessly cut through the encirclement and grabbed Mo Sigui.
"Take her too," Mo Sigui insisted, refusing to let go of An Jiu.
Mister Mo lowered his gaze momentarily before scooping An Jiu up in one swift motion.
"Yin Sha!" Cui Yichen was deeply wary of this unexpected interloper, only daring to voice his protest. "You have no ties to Mei Shi. Why meddle in affairs that don't concern you?"
No ties? When no place would shelter him, it was Mei Shi that took him in. They didn't demand he risk his life on missions, nor did he have to live that fugitive existence anymore.
Troops are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single battle. If not now, then when?
Though figures like Zhao Shanchang might be ruthless killers without batting an eye, they all held to one principle: honor and righteousness. Without such virtues, Mei Shi wouldn't have expended so much effort recruiting unrelated individuals.
"A good dog doesn't block the path," Mister Mo turned his head, casting a cold glance at Cui Yichen. Meeting the fury in those eyes, he mocked, "Don't force my hand."
Cui Yichen clenched his sword hilt until his knuckles turned white, teeth grinding audibly, yet ultimately didn't dare strike. The fearsome reputation of "Yin Sha" was well-earned—as a novice barely at the sixth rank, he'd slain an eighth-rank master, and since then had taken on countless unimaginable contracts. Cui Yichen wouldn't survive a single casual swing of his blade.
"Sir!" Mei Ru Yan rushed over.
Mister Mo passed An Jiu to her and summoned a shadow unit member from Mei Shi. "Their numbers keep growing. I'll carve a path to get you out of Plum Blossom Village. Use the Mei Shi token to enter Bianjing tonight."
Having served the imperial family, Mei Shi enjoyed certain privileges. As founding contributors with a duty to protect the throne, during the founding emperor's reign they could lead a thousand troops into the capital at will with their token. Later emperors sought to revoke this excessive privilege but faced protests from the Crane Controlling Families. After three generations, a compromise was reached—retaining the token's use but limiting the accompanying force to no more than ten.
"Elder Qi gave me the token!" Mei Ru Yan declared.
Mo Sigui hesitated—An Jiu needed immediate medical attention, yet Elder Qi was being overwhelmed in battle... How to choose between mentor and lifesaver!
Seeing his hesitation, Elder Qi roared, "Get lost!"
Mo Sigui's eyes grew moist, vision blurring with tears. Closing them briefly, he turned and followed Mei Ru Yan.
After a few steps, he stopped again. "Fifteen, take Shi Si ahead first. I'll catch up shortly!"
Mei Ru Yan nodded. "Understood."
Mo Sigui shed all his jade-embroidered garments and turned back. Elder Qi had treated him like a son—he couldn't stand by and watch this father-like figure face certain doom alone.
In his heart, Mo Sigui vowed: I'll fight to survive and save you. But Mei Shisi... forgive me. At this moment, I cannot choose you.
The siege had lasted nearly an hour. Their opponents kept coming in endless waves, throwing themselves forward without regard for life. Mister Mo's plain robes were finally stained with blood, like crimson plum blossoms blooming across snow.Rushing all the way to a small gorge at the exit of Plum Blossom Village, with pursuers growing in number behind them, Mister Mo said, "I'll hold them off. You go ahead first."
With dozens of pursuers closing in, facing them alone would be a near-impossible fight for survival.
"I won't leave!" Mei Ru Yan grabbed his sleeve, her gaze resolute. "If we die, we die together!"
"Live." Mister Mo turned his face away and sliced through the sleeve with his sword. "If I survive, we'll meet again. If I die, avenge me."
Was this his way of acknowledging their feelings?
Tears instantly welled up in Mei Ru Yan's eyes. She reached out and embraced him briefly. "Alright." (To be continued...)
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