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The shadow guards formed a tight circle of protection around them while the Carefree City mercenaries stood before them in three rows. At the head was its elders and a few eldest sons with the strongest martial arts. Xu Donglin recognized them from the last scuffle at the City of Daughters, but one of them was unfamiliar to him. He was a bearded man about fifty years old, holding a double-edged blade in his hands. His gaze was cold and authoritative. Standing there, he resembled a demon with killing intent so potent that even Han Yunxi sensed it.

“Mistress, he...is he...” Xu Donglin stuttered, but Han Yunxi was calm enough to reply.

“He should be Carefree City’s city lord, Qi Zonglin,[1] the fourth-ranked martial arts expert in all of Cloud Realm Continent right after Tang Zijin.” She couldn’t help but mutter to herself. “I didn’t think he’d come. This wangfei’s life is certainly valuable.”

“Mistress, we can’t defeat them!” Xu Donglin wasn’t belittling their forces or overestimating their enemies. This was the truth!

“Indeed, we can’t...” Han Yunxi sounded calm, but her back had long turned cold. Even Qi Zonglin himself was enough to take on all 50 of her shadow guards. Just how much did people want to kill her to send out an entire mercenary city?!

“Mistress, could Medical City have hired them?” Xu Donglin guessed.

Han Yunxi rejected that idea. Both the City of Daughters and Carefree City had terrible reputations. The medical academy wouldn’t be stupid enough to publicly hire assassins to kill her because it’d only make them the subject of wagging tongues. Moreover, Long Feiye’s slaughter of Lady Leng Yue was enough to frightened Carefree City. Qi Zonglin couldn’t have brought the whole city to kill her just to get paid. Without ample guarantee, Qi Zonglin would never risk coming out personally. He couldn’t afford to offend Long Feiye, much less all of Celestial Mountain.

There was something fishy about all this!

“If he doesn’t have a motive, he must have gotten some intel,” Han Yunxi guessed.

“Mistress, no matter what their motives are, let’s figure out how to save our lives first! When we start fighting, I’ll help you escape. There’s a fork in the road about one li ahead. We can go our separate ways then.” Xu Donglin said seriously. “Mistress, remember this: you go right while I go left. I’ll find a way to lure them after me. You just keep running forward until you find a place to hide.”

Han Yunxi smiled helplessly. “Xu Donglin, do you think we have any chance of escaping in this situation?”

Xu Donglin stared into her eyes before he said, both sincere and persistent, “Mistress, we have to flee even if we can’t! Even if everyone gives up their lives, they’ll find way to buy time for you. Please believe in us!”

Han Yunxi’s usual care for these shadow guards were worth it! Her gaze grew complicated before she spoke. “I don’t want to run, much less die. I’ll try my best to stall for time while you find a way to get in touch with Celestial Mountain. Have them send over reinforcements.”

They had already entered Western Zhou territory. Here, the country had yet to declare its stance on her status as a Poison Sect descendant. However, it’d be impossible for the imperial family to help her. Most of Long Feiye’s hidden forces in this country were concentrated in the imperial capital which was over 10 days’ worth of travel away. Thus, her only choice was to send back for help from Celestial Mountain. That was only five days again, so Xu Donglin’s lightness techniques could get him there faster. He could travel the distance of two days in only half a day and didn’t need to reach the peak. As long as he sent out an SOS signal flare, someone would deliver help.

Han Yunxi had no idea how long she could stall, but she had to do her best. She needed to live on! Gu Beiyue was still waiting for her to save him, and Long Feiye was waiting for her to return!

Her life was very valuable!

Observing the two forces from a distance, it looked like they were about to cross swords. Despite this, Han Yunxi walked out of her circle of protection to face the Carefree City denizens. Everyone noticed her approach, giving Xu Donglin the chance to slip away from the back.

“Heheh, I expect that this is the famed Qin Wangfei Han Yunxi?” Qi Zonglin was quite surprised.

“I suppose this must be the fourth ranked fighter in the martial arts world, Carefree City’s City Lord Qi? I’ve long looked forward to meeting you,” Han Yunxi greeted politely.

But Qi Zonglin had no mind to play nice. “Since you know who this old man is, then give up without a fight. Otherwise, I’ll make a move!”

“Yunxi wants to die clearly. Who wanted to buy off Yunxi’s life?” Han Yunxi askd.

Qi Zonglin only replied, “Carefree City is taking this chance to kill the Poison Sect’s descendant for the good of world this time! We didn’t take a cent!”

Han Yunxi finally broke into a cold laugh filled with scorn.

“What are you laughing about?” Qi Zonglin asked.

“City Lord Qi, when did you start doing such moral deeds? What, did the Duke of Qin scare Carefree City? Are you that eager to get in the good graces of the righteous sects? You’ll earn a hot face for a cold ass,[2] what’s the point?” Han Yunxi guffawed.

“You’re still so stubborn even on the brink of death. This city lord would like to see how long you can keep smiling!”

Before the wrathful Qi Zonglin could make his move, however, Han Yunxi suddenly grew serious. “Qi Zonglin, who told you that this wangfei was the descendant of the Poison Sect?”

A complicated look crept into Qi Zonglin’s eyes at the unexpected question. But very quickly he replied, “Only the bloodline of the Poison Sect could control the poison beast. Han Yunxi, your identity’s been exposed ages ago. This old man asks that you know your place and surrender!”

“Poison beast? Dare I ask City Lord Qi where you see any poison beast with your eyes?” Han Yunxi asked next.

It was true that Qi Zonglin couldn’t see a beast anywhere, but he was still convinced. “The disciples of Celestial Mountain’s two Depositories and Courtyards all witnessed it with their own eyes. How could that be false?”

“The Celestial Mountain disciples?” Han Yunxi only shook her head helplessly. “Then may I ask which of them saw it with their own eyes? And also, when has Celestial Mountain stood out to confirm that this wangfei is a Poison Sect descendant?”

Qi Zonglin had no answers. Han Yunxi’s identity was simply a source of rumor now with no concrete proof. Even Medical City had only told South Ning’s commander-in-chief’s estate to cooperate with their investigation and hand her over. Nothing had been stated clearly yet. The only reason Qi Zonglin dared to block her way now with the entire Carefree City in tow was because an unknown expert had given him pointers. This figure told him that Long Feiye’s internal injuries were severe, so it was impossible for him to recover in a short time. Meanwhile, Han Yunxi had already left the mountain for South Ning.

He didn’t believe it at first, but the expert even told him Han Yunxi’s date and time of departure and gave him a detailed itinerary. He sent people to investigate and found the facts fit perfectly. Even the stupidest person would know that the unknown expert had to be someone from Celestial Mountain. Thus, he believed them.

Carefree City and Han Yunxi had an old grudge. Then, Long Feiye had threatened them, making them unresigned. How could the mercenary world allow a couple like Long Feiye and Han Yunxi trod them beneath their feet? Qi Zonglin wanted revenge to dispel his resentment. Thus, he brought out the entire city with him today so the news could spread all across Cloud Realm Continent. He wanted the whole world to know that his city wasn’t to be provoked lightly!

Of course, Qi Zonglin had made sure Long Feiye wouldn’t accompany Han Yunxi on her journeys on account of his injuries before he dared to try this scheme. Now her words left him uneasy. Seeing him moved, Han Yunxi hastily added, “City Lord Qi, I won’t hide it from you. I came down the mountain this time so that the sword sect master, Long Feiye, and I could head to Medical City and clear up the matter about the Poison Sect. They’ve been delayed by other matters, but it won’t be long before they catch up.”

“Oh, that’s right. The grandmaster will also bring a few of his disciples along as well. I’d like to ask City Lord Qi to help us expose who told you about about this wangfei’s movements.”

Han Yunxi was quite calm and easygoing despite her blatant lies. She had long guessed that Celestial Mountain harbored spies, and that Carefree City would try to block her way because they’d gotten an inkling of intel. Otherwise, Qi Zonglin wouldn’t dare.

Thus, she’d steel her heart on a gamble.

Hearing her words greatly alarmed Qi Zonglin. He hesitated, wondering if that so-called expert had been discovered. Is Long Feiye meeting a plot with a plot to lure me out? He looked coldly at Han Yunxi without a word. She doesn’t look like she’s lying. Her words might be false, but not her gaze.

There wasn’t a single hint of fear in the woman facing down a city full of assassins. If she wasn’t self-assured already, how could she be so dauntless? Even men would be afraid in such a plight!

Faced with Qi Zonglin’s searching gaze, Han Yunxi’s back grew damp with sweat. No one knew the extent of her hidden terror. A single misstep could change his mind and have Carefree City move to kill her! But she had persisted! Her lofty gaze challenged his piercing one like a queen who feared nothing. While Qi Zonglin hesitated, Han Yunxi prepared to threaten him again when a body suddenly flew past her to land heavily on the ground.

“Xu Donglin!” Han Yunxi cried out. Someone had thrown him to the dirt, where he spat out a mouthful of blood as he laid on the edge of death!

Han Yunxi’s shadow guards moved to save him, but another figure suddenly landed from the skies--Carefree City’s young heir, Qi Yaotian. He dug his heel into Xu Donglin’s back and declared, “Father, don’t fall for this woman’s lies! She was stalling for time while sending someone to get reinforcements! Long Feiye and the sword sect master aren’t following her at all!”

“Let him go!” Han Yunxi raged before shooting out countless needles. Qi Yaotian didn’t have time to block them and was forced to back away, allowing the shadow guards to bring Xu Donglin back into their ranks. Han Yunxi was helping him up by the tim Qi Zonglin unsheathed his sword and charged. The 50 shadow guards dashed forward to meet him as she retreated to the back with the injured man. The other members of Carefree City scattered to surround Han Yunxi’s group, while Qi Zonglin faced 50 men all by himself!

His sword flashed dizzily at close quarters, felling fighter after fighter until his sword was right in front of Han Yunxi’s face...

1. Qi Zonglin (齐宗霖) - Qi is a surname that means “be level with, neat,” Zong is “sect, clan, great master,” Lin is “continuous rain.”

2. hot face for a cold ass (热脸贴脸冷屁股) re lian tian ren leng pigu - a synonym used to describe people who fawn and flatter others (with a warm face) while getting ignored in exchange (given the cold shoulder or in this case, the cold ass.