Chapter 8 Part 2 of 2

Half a month later.

He was extension of the shadows and moved swiftly like a bird of the night.  If someone caught sight of him, he would have thought it was just a shadow and not a cause for alarm.

He leaped up a building where the dark roof tiles would provide further camouflage. After he left Bai Ming Sect six years ago, he has retained a vague map of the place in his mind.  Thankfully, his lack of direction sense was not acting up today and he was able to locate the dungeon after only half an hour.

Crouching, he removed a roof tile carefully.

Yup, it was indeed the dungeon below.

Listening to a faint voice which floated up from below, he moved twenty steps forward to where he thought was directly above the voice, and removed another roof tile.

“Master He, are you awake?”

He Zai leaned against his cage and muttered a sound in response but did not open his eyes.  Deng Hai Tang was worried.  “Miss Huang Fu, no, Miss Jiang has been brought away.  Do you think she will be fine?”

On top of them, the man’s eyes gleamed.

“Since it is not ordered by Sect Leader, she should be fine.”

“Do you think it is because Che Yan Yan has discovered Miss Jiang’s true ident.i.ty?  What good thing can happen when she gets her Sky Slaves to bring her away in the middle of the night?”

“Miss is very good at enduring. She will be fine.”

“But…”

The man on top of the roof straighten soundlessly.  After thinking about it, he took out a small woven pouch, placed a piece of broken jade inside and flicked it to the cage below.

He Zai was awake in an instant and caught the pouch.  Deng Hai Tang nearly gasp but controlled herself in time and moved forward to peer at the pouch.

Inside were two pills and a broken piece of jade.

She was confused, especially when He Zai pa.s.sed her one of the pills.  At the same time, He Zai said rather loudly: “Protector Che asked many questions about Gentleman Xian Yun before taking Miss away.  Given the character of Protector Che, Miss must have been taken away because of this man.”  He smiled as he looked at the jade piece. “I have seen this before.  The original jade was a good piece but Miss has broken it into four.  Who would have thought the jade would find its way back to its original owner?”

When the person on the roof remained silent, He Zai continued.  “Since Protector Che wants a private inquisition, it would naturally be held at her private quarters.  To go there, just turn east from the dungeon until you see a red house.”

Back on the roof, the man headed east without pausing to check if the people below have swallowed the pills.

After more roof hopping, he finally found the red house.  The house and its courtyard were dimly lit, but he could see about ten Sky Slaves standing neatly in a row inside the house.  Since he had no clue what Che Yan Yan was thinking, he removed yet another roof tile to better observe what was going on.

Under the flickering light, Che Yan Yan pursed her lips.  “You don’t like him either? Hey, I am giving you a chance, Jiang Wo Bo.  Although these Sky Slaves are a choice of the moment and they have tattoo on their faces, but they are definitely on par with Xian Yun.”

“Since Protector Che thinks that they are on par with Xian Yun, why not let them accompany you instead?”

Both women were seated.  Jiang Wo Bo stifled a yawn, but was unable to control her smile when she saw Che Yan Yan’s serious face, so she asked: “What is so good about Xian Yun that you are fixated on him?”

“Humph.  The man I want must also fall for my charms.”

“That is simple.”  Jiang Wo Bo stifled another yawn. “Do you best to chase after him.  I promise I will not stop you.”

“It s not my style to rob another woman of her man.  When I wanted any man in the past, he would be mine once I captured him and if he does not yet have anyone in his heart.  But if he already has someone, to make him fall for me would be a test of my powers.  However, I will not shortchange their sweetheart and will always compensate them.  Since I am intent on compensating you, you take a good look at these men, choose someone you like, and finish the deed tonight.”

Jiang Wo Bo nearly fell off her chair.  “You call this compensation?  Are you sure you are not engineering a betrayal before you come between a couple?”

Che Yan Yan was so angry that she stood up.  “You sounded annoying familiar and the more I hear you speak, the more detesting you get.  If you do not choose a Sky Slave tonight, I will personally pick one for you!”

Jiang Wo Bo can only sighed to herself.  A few years back, she has heard about Che Yan Yan’s method of seduction.  She must get the man she wanted and yet do so in a way that maintained her image as a female fetale.  On the surface, she would not resort to robbery or murder in order to get her man if the man already has a sweetheart.  Who would have guessed a mere listener like her to become a victim tonight?  Luckily, she was very good at endurance.  She could stand this, no problem.

Taking a closer look at Che Yan Yan’s Sky Slaves, they were actually quite good looking without their masks.  No wonder this Right Protector wanted to keep them around.

Rubbing her nose, she stifled another yawn.  She blamed her sleepiness on the bad habit she formed at Cloud Manor.  To remain healthy, all must sleep early.  If her head touched a pillow now, she would be dead meat.  If there ever was an occasion to showcase her endurance, it would be tonight.

Che Yan Yan gave her a cold smile: “Actually, how can you and Xian Yun be suitable for each other?  Before I caught you the other day, he was happily chatting with the young Miss from Tang Manor.”

Jiang Wo Bo replied politely: “Protector Che, did you use the wrong phrase to describe what happened?”

“Huh? Wrong phrase?  I shall not keep it from Miss Jiang.  Your rescuers are already gathered at the foot of the mountain and I am sure Xian Yun is among them.  However, he has been inseparable with Miss Tang for the past two weeks.  Do you get my drift?”

It was impossible to discern the expression of Jiang Wo Bo under the dim candlelight, but she said suddenly: “I do recall a Miss Tang at the wedding.  She is about eighteen years old and very pretty.  I have wondered why she is dressed differently from the current trend, so it is because she is trying to outshine me.  If it is her and Xian Yun, they are indeed well-suited.”

As the man on top of the roof glared at her, she stood and continued.  “Since he is heartless, I shall not remain true either.  Come, come everyone! Line up so that I can take a look who is better!”

A true heroine can bend with the tide.  Rather than blatantly opposing Che Yan Yan and risk a forced encounter, it would be better to choose someone easy on her eyes.  She circled the men and reached out from habit for her jade flute.  A pity she has pa.s.sed it back to He Zai before she was escorted from the dungeon so it was not with her now. Sigh!

Each man had his own merit, but there was none who could set her heart aflutter.  In any case, she just had to find a way to delay this till dawn.  Once the rescuers reach the mountain, she would have pa.s.sed this hurdle.

Che Yan Yan tried to hurry her to pick one when she came to a stop in front of a youth who bore multiple whip wounds on his body.  Just when she was about to say that she will choose him, all the lights suddenly went out and the house and its courtyard was engulfed in total darkness.

“What happened?”  Che Yan Yan hollered. “Men! Light the candles immediately!”  Some Sky Slaves rushed to the candle stand but found that the tip of the candle had been cut off.  When they tried to turn, someone sealed their meridian points and they were immobilized.

Before Jiang Wo Bo could react, she felt someone grabbing her waist and into his arms.  The sound of wind whistled in her ears as she was carried past several motionless Sky Slaves and landed a secluded spot far away.  Next she knew, her chin was lifted and a pair of lips forcibly parted her own as she was devoured in a kiss.

She froze at the familiar scent.

The kiss was intense and seemed to go on forever.  Was he making use of the fact that she could not see his expression, to be kissing her with such abandon?

She eyelids fluttered close, and open. Close and open.  Her heart was racing a little fast but she thought her control was still intact.  She has seen such pa.s.sion…. alright, she has to admit that although she has seen bit in her twenty years, she has only encountered such things once, which was in her erotic dreams.

But she could hold back.

No, wait.  What was she holding back for?  Some matters need not hold back.  Just when she has decided to go ahead and make lemonade to repay his gift of papayas*, she found that he has pushed a pill to her with his tongue and stepped back.

She touched her moist lips and swallowed the pill.

“Are you alright?” he whispered hoa.r.s.ely.

“I am still ok, except that my heartbeat is a bit faster than normal.  Did you just feed me poison?”

In the darkness, she could hear his suppressed laughter.  In the next instant, she was in his arms again as he held her very, very tightly.  Has she been too focused on being alone that she overlooked his fear of not being able to save her time and time again? Although he was holding her very tightly, it did not feel like a pa.s.sionate hug.  Rather, it was as if he was afraid he would fall off a cliff again.

This man was so upright, anyone could put themself safely in his hands. But why did she get the feeling that she was comforting him at this instant?

“You need not feel apologetic since I would have come back for He Zai sooner or later. This time was merely going along with the flow.”

He only made a non-committal sound.

She lifted her head and the movement brushed her cheeks against his smooth forehead.  She could imagine his forthright smile and she suddenly felt a lot happier.  It was weird, but she found herself remembering how he would smile at home frequently in the last two weeks.  Her next thought that follow, was that it was not good to indulge since it could easily lead to disappointment.

She did not know how he did it, but there was a faint light suddenly.  Taking a quick look around, she found that they were behind a boulder and on his palm was a short candle stub.  She lifted her eyes to his and felt her heart quake.  He was dressed in black and his hair was not tied up in his customary bun atop his head. Instead, he has pulled his hair to a knot behind and some tendrils had fallen over his forehead, giving him a rather rakish beauty.

So it was not that he actually favoured whites; He probably wore white to accentuate his aloof exterior instead of wearing other colours that would bring out his warmth and steal people’s souls away. This devil.  Her heart thought that her endurance training was really all for tonight.

He did not look anywhere else except at her, as if he could never looked enough. She licked her lips and asked softly: “I figured you are not here to rescue us tonight?”

His lips curved.  “No.”

“So what was the pill you fed me?”

“Miss-you-like-crazy pill.”

She blinked at his answer and took in his enticing look again.  The seductive scent of spring…. she swallowed her saliva.

“That…”

“If you have a question, you need to ask quickly.”

She gave it two seconds before she started laughing.  What questions could she ask? What was there to ask? Perhaps she should ask him how he felt about Miss Tang?  That would be a truly useless question.

“Nothing much.  I just want to tell you that I am well and you need not worry about me.”

At her words, he smiled and snuffed the candle.  As darkness engulf them once more, he said “When you return to your cell, try to exercise your qi.  The pill will help to protect your major arteries.”

She wanted to protest that she was not that weak but he continued.  “I cannot bring you away now.  Since Bai Ming Sect dares to abduct the bride of the martial arts scholar, its aim is to rouse the court officers present at the wedding to stage a rescue.  They are at the foot of the mountain as we speak, and will arrive up the mountain in the morning. Per our ancestors’ teachings, Cloud Manor disciples are not allowed to interfere with the happenings of the wulin. Although I have never met Bai Ming Sect Leader, you have mentioned before that he gone off the deep end and should anything happen tomorrow, you would be the first to get hit.  I may not be able to protect your well-being but with this pill, it will at least help protect your heart.”

“So you are here to send me medicine?”

“Correct.”

She smiled.  “I understand.”

He hugged her again before releasing her.  “You take care.  Let me send you back.”

She suddenly reached out to pull him down by the neck and touched the corner of his lips.

As she guessed, his lips were not curved and it was his aloof look.

She figured his warm look a few moments ago was put on for her benefit.  Beneath his calm surface, he was actually agitated and could not help but to rush up at the earliest opportunity to check out if she was alive, if she was safe?

When she was fighting Che Yan Yan and her Sky Slaves at the wedding, it was inevitable for some to get hurt, for blood to be spilled.  As he stared at the blood stains after the fight, did he also wondering whose blood was it on the floor?

She felt something very foreign, but the strange feeling also brought a wave of happiness to her heart.  Surely, even a poppy flower is allowed to lose a little, little bit of control especially when the other poppy flower around her is radiating its poison like crazy? So she stood on her toes and gave him a small peck on his lips.

“This will really be the last time.” He whispered.  “There will never be such happenings ever again.”

She was a bit skeptical but she decided now was not the time to delve further so she smiled.  “Xian Yun, at this very moment, I am thinking it is not too bad to eat the nutritious meals at Cloud Manor.”

“You will come to know the pain in future.”  This time, she could finally hear the smile in his voice.

She was held in a tight embrace and the next she know, she was back at the hall.  He brushed his finger gently over her forehead and in the next instant, he hit her meridian points and rendered her immobile.  As his familiar scent floated away, she found a faint smile lingering on her face.

From outside the hall, a Sky Slave stumbled in and started lighting the candles.  She heard him shout for Protector Che and from the corner of her eye, she saw that Che Yan Yan and all her Sky Slaves where immobilized too.

The Sky Slave quickly freed Che Yan Yan, only to earn a slap from her.  “Useless fools! How could you allow someone to waltz in and grab my… wait, you are still around?”

Jiang Wo Bo gave Che Yan Yan her most innocent look.

While Che Yan Yan was suspicious as she went around releasing everyone’s meridian points, she finally came to Jiang Wu Bo and freed her.

Jiang Wo Bo took a deep breath.  “That was so scary!  I thought it was you who struck me.”

“Why would I do that for?”

“I only know you were lamenting that I was not a man the other day.  How would I know what you wanted to do with me?”

Che Yan Yan gave her a furious stare, before turning around and barked.  “Why are you all still standing here?  Go seal the roads immediately! I want to see who dares to challenge Bai Ming Sect.  Men, bring her back to the dungeon!”