449 True Colors (1/2)
Shangguan Yun had nearly all the typical facial features of the Shangguan family. He had a long thin face and sunken eyes, and his facial skin tone was slightly dark. In Gu Shenwei's eyes, such a face was only suitable for an expression of indifference or cruelty, and a charming smile should never appear on it.
Nevertheless, in the queen's eyes, this was the most handsome face in the entire world, and the innocent smile did not look incongruous with the face in the least bit.
”Kill him now,” shouted the queen while sliding backward and further into her bed.
”Chop off his hands and feet first,” added the little prince, while pointing one of his remaining fingers at the Dragon King. With Shangguan Yun backing him up, he looked much more confident than before.
”Don't rush, let's take our time,” Shangguan Yun replied, his eyes still fixed upon the Dragon King. When he had first met the Dragon King several years ago, who had been Slave Huan at that time, he had not shown so much interest in this young man.
”Don't rush? He's a cruel beast and will kill me and my son at any time,” said the queen, anxiously. Being trapped in the same room with the Dragon King, she could not feel at ease.
”Don't worry, my beauty. Now you're his protective talisman, he won't harm you guys. Isn't that right, Dragon King?”
Shangguan Yun particularly emphasized the words ”Dragon King” but did not sound sycophantic or sarcastic. He talked as if he was greeting an old friend. Even if this friend had just gotten a rise in his status, he still had the right to sweet talk him.
”I can't make such a promise, and maybe I'll chop off a few more fingers.” Gu Shenwei said while his saber was only a few meters away from the queen and the little prince.
Stung by the harshness of the Dragon King's words, the little prince burrowed into his quilt.
”Well, that's alright. Just a few fingers. No one will die from that,” Shangguan Yun said, pretending not to understand the irony.
”What're you talking about?” the queen got a little pissed off and said crossly. All this while, she had been putting herself in danger and waiting for Shangguan Yun with pious gratitude. Beyond her expectations, when he finally showed up, he did not show much concern about her. ”What do you even bother talking with him? Didn't you say that you could kill him with just one move?” asked the queen.
”Oh, my beauty is impatient. She's always short-tempered,” Shangguan Yun said unhurriedly and even a little bit sarcastically.
Despite that, he still pushed the door open and came into the room.
The queen's bedchamber was well designed. It consisted of two parts, and when the back part of the chamber sunk into the ground, the front part would remain intact and in its original position. All the doors and windows of the back part would be blocked up when it was below the surface of the floor, but once it fell into its position, a hidden door of the room could be opened and serve as the only entrance to the room.
When Shangguan Yun was only halfway through the door, Han Fen, who had been hiding behind the Dragon King all this while, launched a surprise attack on him. She moved so fast, and even the flame of the small oil lamp on the wall flickered because of the sudden airflow. Han Fen kept rapidly swishing her hands, and at the same time, some light-colored powder began drifting out of her sleeves, mouth and hair.
However, it was herself who collapsed to the ground the next moment.
Shangguan Yun continued to walk into the room, while slightly lifting up his right hand to block the powder. He used his Internal Strength to scatter most of it away while the rest drifted into Han Fen's nostrils.
”I hope that she'll be fine. Why do beautiful women always act so hastily,” said Shangguan Yun.
He did not close the door behind him, so Gu Shenwei could see a long narrow passage outside. He was not worried about Han Fen and was pretty sure that she was just lying unconscious at the door for now. He was certain that as a disciple of the New Moon Hall, she was already immune to all the toxins produced by her own sect, even if it was a lethal toxin for common people.
The queen was excited to see her lover knock the evil woman down with just a movement of his hand, although she could not figure out how he managed to do that.
”Shangguan Yun has learned many different types of kung fu. He practiced saber skills in the Golden Roc Fort during his childhood. When he turned 13, he swore not to draw out his saber again and went traveling in jianghu. He learned many other kung fu skills during those few years. When he returned to Jade City and joined the Joy Pavilion, his kung fu levels were further improved.
”However, only an exceptionally strong Internal Strength could enable him to block the power with just one movement of his hand. That means he has learned Wayless Qigong,” Gu Shenwei thought to himself.
Instead of taking the chance to launch a sneak attack on Shangguan Yun, he said, ”Congratulations.”
In the Golden Roc Fort, the Supreme King had exclusive use of Wayless Qigong. Shangguan Ru and Shangguan Fei had once stolen the Wayless Book from the Six Kill Temple and stealthily practiced it. Shangguan Yun had always known the whereabouts of the book and even offered Shangguan Ru this information, but he had never been allowed to practice it. Now, he was able to use it adeptly, which meant that his father had already permitted him to practice it.
”It's not that great. It's nothing more than another shackle on me,” said Shangguan Yun.
He did not like Wayless Qigong for a reason. To practice this Qigong, he had to kill people and make himself a lot of enemies. In the meantime, he had to face the inevitable consequence of practicing it, which was the self-destruction process. During such a period of vulnerability, he would be unable to protect himself from his enemies.
Gu Shenwei seemed to be infected by Shangguan Yun's relaxed attitude. He inserted his Five Peaks Saber back into its sheath and stopped being so tense.
Upon seeing that these two men, who had a dozen years' difference in their ages, suddenly gave up confrontation, the queen felt bewildered. She put on airs and said, ”Hey, this is my bedroom.” Now, she looked as arrogant as she had appeared when she had first met with the Dragon King.
”Please give us more time, Beautiful. We'll be done very soon,” said Shangguan Yun.
He always called the queen ”Beautiful” and made no attempt to conceal his affection toward her, so much so that even Gu Shenwei started feeling very uncomfortable and experienced goosebumps from time to time. However, the queen clearly enjoyed it very much. ”Be quick. I don't want any other men to see me like this,” said the queen.
Shangguan Yun smilingly nodded and said, ”I think the Dragon King will never forget about this moment.”
It's hard to tell whether he was complimenting or mocking her. The queen was stunned at first and then quickly chose to perceive it as a nice compliment with a nice relaxed smile on her face.
Shangguan Yun managed to pay equal attention to all the people present, a deep boredom hidden behind his cordial attitude. Even in the face of a dangerous enemy, the Dragon King, he still did not appear particularly cautious.
”You're so talkative. It's not the style of Golden Roc killers,” said Gu Shenwei. Golden Roc killers never wasted their time chatting with their targets. For them, killing was just a task to complete and nothing more.