Chapter 27 (1/2)

27 – Guilt

It seemed to be particularly dark this evening.

Unlike the previous few days, the air wasn't as dry, and you could even feel the moisture of the air when you breathe it in.

Xue Qilin turned her upper body and looked through a small window inlaid with iron bars.

The thick clouds covering the moon hang very low, looking like they would bear down on the earth at any moment.

… is it going to rain?

It has been six days since she fell into that trap and was imprisoned by Hua Tianji.

“Hua Tianji, you s.h.i.+tmuncher, you'd better don't let me leave here alive if you got the guts. Otherwise, just you wait! I'll pummel you into the c.u.mstain that you are!” Xue Qilin murmured resentfully. At the same time, she raised her left arm, and the chains rattled.

White cloth wrapped around her arm was exposed from under the ragged big sleeve. Hua Tianji had ordered for someone to bind her up in order to staunch the bleeding.

She slowly untied the white cloth, which still had some not yet dried blood. As she peeled off the layers of white cloth, the bolt wound underneath gradually became visible.

The wound has scabbed, and some fragments of herbs exuding a medicinal fragrance that smelt like dead trees could be seen on it, yet the fragrance still couldn't cover the smell of blood.

“Hiss!” Xue Qilin clenched her teeth and pressed the wound lightly, squeezing out some watery blood. Subsequently, the pain stimulated her nerves, making her take in a breath of cool air.

“To h.e.l.l with you, Hua Tianji! What if it leaves a scar? I'm such a cute loli, yet you dare to hurt me? Aren't you afraid of the heavens' retribution?” As tears overflowed her eyes due to the pain, Xue Qilin severely scolded the absent culprit. At the same time, she gingerly wrapped her arm again.

If Hua Tianji hadn't sealed her true qi, this level of injury would have healed by now.

Even so, compared to an average person, her wounds still healed faster, which was likely due to her const.i.tution being strengthened by true qi.

Anyway, Little Qing and Little Qing [1] should have returned to the Merak Palace. I don't know if that la.s.s Little Seven knows that I was captured… Ah, they probably don't know that I'm alive. After all, before they left, I still haven't fought with Hua Tianji.

Even if the people of the Merak Palace know that I was captured and plan to save me, they cannot storm in blindly and throw their lives away…  There's more than one Heaven Realm expert here after all!

Xue Qilin sighed uneasily. Although she had known the people of the Merak Palace for less than a month, but she didn't want them to meet with mishap. After all, the Merak Palace was the only place in this world she could call home. But…

“… it wasn't us who poisoned you.” Xue Qilin suddenly recalled Hua Tianji's words that day.

It wasn't the Heavenly Sword Gate? No, I can't believe his words! Maybe he just wants to drive a wedge between us! Xue Qilin bit her lower lip and forced herself to dispel the doubts coiling around her heart.

If I continue to mull over it, my imagination will just run wild, so I might as well stop! Xue Qilin stopped indulging in her thoughts.

Just as she calmed down, she noticed an abnormality. It was strangely quiet. She could even hear her ears ring.

“Hey, is there anyone?” As her voice reverberated, the prison seemed empty and lifeless.

Although her true qi was sealed, but it didn't mean that she couldn't get away via some special method. Aware of that, Hua Tianji arranged for disciples with impressive cultivation base to watch over her all day. But now it was so quiet that you could hear a needle drop. Earlier, she could clearly hear the Heavenly Sword Gate's disciples in charge of guarding talk and laugh not far away.

What's going on? Where are the guards? Xue Qilin frowned, feeling that something was off.

As if a sudden burst of fireworks in the dark, a tremendous aura suddenly erupted and headed westward.

“…Hua Tianji?” Each martial pract.i.tioner's aura was unique. Xue Qilin, who has previously fought Hua Tianji, was naturally quite familiar with his aura.

Why did he leave all of a sudden? Xue Qilin frowned, shocked. Then she mused – did something happen? Did the Merak Palace really send people to rescue me? The more she thought about it, the more she felt like it was a possibility. Her premonition soon came true…

“…!” A strong wind swept past, the torch on the wall went out in a flash, and darkness immediately swallowed everything around her.

In this darkness, there was the faint sound of clothes fluttering approaching from afar.

Xue Qilin's body tightened reflexively. Due to the contraction of the muscles, she felt a bust of pain coming from her wounds, and she frowned.

As she listened to the sound of gentle footsteps approaching, Xue Qilin held her breath.

Finally, a familiar figure stopped on the other side of the steel bars.

“… Are you working out?” A voice full of surprise and helplessness sounded. Xue Qilin was familiar with this voice.

With the faint moonlight coming through the small window, the appearance of the person on the other side of the iron bars was finally revealed.

The bright red eyes s.h.i.+ning brightly and the curled up lips were inexplicably rea.s.suring.

“… Little Seven!?” Xue Qilin's eyes widened when she saw Qi Qiqi.

“What? Is it strange to see me here?” Qi Qiqi said angrily, and then drew her greatsword with her left hand and cut off the lock of the prison cell with a sword strike.

“… How did you get in? This is the Heavenly Sword Manor! Where's Hua Tianji?! Have you lured him away?” Xue Qilin inundated the counterpart with many questions.

“Why do you have so many questions? It was Vice-palace Master Ye who led Hua Tianji away!” After rolling her eyes at Xue Qilin, Qi Qiqi entered the prison cell. When her eyes fell on the white cloth wrapping around Xue Qilin's thighs, her eyes widened, and then she asked hesitantly: “… you're injured, is it serious?”

“Eh…” Xue Qilin answered blankly, “It's nothing much.”

Qi Qiqi pursed her lips, saying no more. She raised her greatsword, which was slightly reddish in color, and swung it five times, tracing one red ripple after another in the air. In response, five clear sounds rang back and forth.

All the shackles, were cut off. Only the collar around her neck still existed. Instead, the chain connecting the collar to the wall was split in two.

“Why haven't you cut open the collar?” Xue Qilin asked doubtfully as she ma.s.saged her sore arms and legs.

“Don't mind it!” Qi Qiqi's cheeks reddened slightly, and her eyes swayed for some reason.

“…” Xue Qilin looked at Qi Qiqi suspiciously.

“What are you looking at?”

“… You haven't missed, right?”

When she heard Xue Qilin's question, in a rare fas.h.i.+on, Qi Qiqi didn't retort, and instead looked away and snorted.

This la.s.s has clearly a guilty conscience! Xue Qilin suddenly had chills go down her spine. If she had been a bit off, wouldn't my head be separated from my neck?

At this thought, she broke out in cold sweat, drenching her back, “Twenty One, if you're not confident, then don't use such gorgeous swordsmans.h.i.+p! Take it easy!”

“That's not it! I'm just not confident that I can cut open the collar without cutting your face!”

“Really?”

“Why would I deceive you?”

“Okay, I'll believe you for now…” After turning her back to Qi Qiqi, Xue Qilin went on to say, “Come, help me pull them off.”

“What do you mean?”

Xue Qilin put her hair over her right shoulder and pulled it towards her chest, exposing her back.

“… this…”

Xue Qilin looked over her shoulder. Seeing the shocked Qi Qiqi staying in place, she urged: “Hurry up, I can't use my true qi.”