The inn was located in a very remote area, and there were no martial artists among its patrons. Lou Mingyue breathed a slight sigh of relief before slipping out through the narrow ventilation window, swiftly darting away like a hare evading a hawk.
But she was severely injured and couldn’t hold on for long. Struggling, she found a patch of withered grass about half a person’s height and plunged into it.
Gazing at the sky tinged with the golden hues of dawn, a faint mist flower escaped her lips, veiling her pale, paper-like face in a hazy glow.
Every sunrise marked a new beginning, so even in the face of setbacks, hope lingered in one’s heart. Yet for her, each day in the quagmire of despair only dragged her deeper.
At times like this, Lou Mingyue would entertain thoughts of retreat—returning to Mo Sigui’s side, accompanying him as he ascended to the pinnacle of the way of medicine. In the past, she had been carefree and ambitious, dismissing such notions with disdain. But now, she found them precious. Perhaps this was human nature—what was within reach seemed trivial, while what remained unattainable became a treasure.
She had once recuperated for a few days on Plum Blossom Village Island. Back then, she had considered simply staying. But the torment of vengeance was unbearable. The mere thought of her enemy living freely in this world robbed her of sleep and appetite. If she didn’t exact revenge, the suppressed hatred would drive her mad one day.
Lou Mingyue had joined the Crane Control Army’s Wei Yue unit and directly secured the mission to assassinate Yelü Huangwu. This was her fourth attempt.
The first assassination attempt had been on the road. She had lain in wait for months, only to be intercepted by a sudden ambush of ghost tigers when she was still twenty zhang away from the carriage, nearly losing her life.
The second attempt was at a private gathering. Yelü Huangwu, burdened with endless affairs, was usually either in the princess’s residence or the imperial palace, making such opportunities rare. With her enemy so close, Lou Mingyue couldn’t resist acting. But without a meticulous plan, she failed again. This time, she had come within a dozen zhang of Yelü Huangwu.
The third attempt was the most agonizing. Yelü Huangwu had left Shangjing to personally lead the Liao army against Ling Ziyue’s fierce assault on the Liao border, escorted by only twenty riders. Lou Mingyue and six other Wei Yue operatives set up an ambush. The location and timing were impeccable—sixteen of the enemy were killed, but all six of her comrades fell in battle. She alone slew ten of the formidable ghost tigers. With her companions dead, she closed in to within ten zhang of Yelü Huangwu, grievously wounded but refusing to retreat. Through the remaining ghost tigers, she locked eyes with Yelü Huangwu, and in that moment, all her grief and hatred surged like a tsunami. In that instant, she unleashed power nearing the Transformation Realm, her sword dancing like a dragon, striking with thunderous force. Against all odds, she slaughtered the remaining ghost tigers. Yelü Huangwu was within reach—even if it meant mutual destruction, the thought filled her with fierce satisfaction.
But just as the last ghost tiger fell, dizziness overtook her. In her blurred vision, she saw the hideous woman beside Yelü Huangwu raise a crossbow and fire.
As she collapsed, despair threatened to consume her. Her vengeance remained unfulfilled—she couldn’t die. She absolutely could not die!In the haze, Lou Mingyue faintly heard the cold voice of Yelü Huangwu, "To fight ten alone—such a rare talent, yet she cannot be of use to me."
It sounded like praise, like regret, and also like suppressed fury.
"A woman like this in the world is truly lamentable," the ugly woman murmured softly.
Perhaps these words struck a chord with Yelü Huangwu. She paused before saying, "Have someone collect the bodies of the fallen Ghost Tigers. This woman faced death without fear, her sword aura stirring the winds and clouds. Let her keep her whole corpse."
"Yes," the ugly woman replied.
Lou Mingyue, in her dazed state, thought dimly that it seemed this ugly woman had deliberately spared her life...
Suddenly, she felt warm breath near her ear and heard the ugly woman whisper in an extremely faint voice, "Go find Mo Sigui, or you will surely die."
As the sound of hoofbeats faded into the distance, her consciousness gradually cleared. The itching and pain from the crossbow wound grew sharper, spreading rapidly through her limbs and body. From experience, she knew this was a sign of severe poisoning. After hastily tending to her injuries, she hurried back to the Song Dynasty to seek Mo Sigui.
Originally, she had resolved never to have anything to do with him again in this lifetime. But in that near-death moment, the regret and despair had been too profound—she could not die.
Later, Lou Mingyue learned that the ugly woman by Yelü Huangwu's side was named Ning Yanli, a renowned Miracle Doctor of the Liao Kingdom, who had merely used her to compete against Mo Sigui.
In a way, Mo Sigui had indirectly saved her life.
And this time marked Lou Mingyue's fourth assassination attempt on Yelü Huangwu. At such close range, she could almost see her own reflection in Yelü Huangwu's calm, dark eyes.
Though she failed once more, each time she closed the distance, a flower of hope bloomed in the abyss of hatred and despair.
—Sooner or later, she would have her vengeance.
Only by killing her enemy with her own hands could she quell her hatred, appease the spirits of her father and mother, and account for the innocent lives of the Qiu and Lou clans. Perhaps only then could she truly live freely.
Lou Mingyue felt as though she had been frozen in an ice cellar for days and nights, her limbs numb beyond sensation, no longer even feeling the cold. Silently, she prayed, "Mo Sigui, grant me the strength to survive this trial."
No matter what misfortunes she had endured, Mo Sigui remained the purest and most beautiful part of her life, a warm, flickering light in the endless darkness.
If possible, she too wished to traverse this boundless night and draw warmth from his presence.
Dry grass rustled, and ice crystals from the branches fell onto Lou Mingyue's face, lingering without melting.
The sun rose as it always did.
On the island of Plum Blossom Village, chaos reigned.
Mo Sigui had fallen asleep in the pavilion the night before and was abruptly awakened by strange noises at dawn. Rushing over, he saw Xiao Yue—a Tracking Tiger specially prepared for Lou Mingyue—running wildly through the woods like a headless fly, already battered and bleeding, its once-blue eyes now blood-red as it snarled in agony, its nose wrinkled in pain.
Mo Sigui's heart sank, and his steps halted abruptly.
Xiao Yue and Lou Mingyue both carried a parasitic Gu within them. Normally, it had no effect on the body—the Gu lived as long as the host lived, and died when the host died. But if one was near death, the other would sense the threat and begin to struggle. The host would then suffer excruciating pain as the Gu writhed inside, experiencing the same near-death sensation.Now that Xiao Yue had suddenly gone mad, there could only be one reason for it!
Xiao Yue spotted Mo Sigui and immediately rushed over, shrinking at the roots of a tree before him, trembling with fear in her eyes and emitting low whimpers.
Through Xiao Yue, Mo Sigui seemed to see Lou Mingyue's current state. His mind exploded with the realization, leaving his limbs weak and his heart utterly chilled. (To be continued...)
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