088. The Hell Rakshasa Arrives

Later, Zhan Lianjing no longer bothered with it, after all, there were still many affairs at court that demanded his attention.

Le Qianxue thought for a moment. "So that means the Yuan family is in the main courtyard."

Zhan Lianjing gave a quiet acknowledgment. "Let us first go to the Red Manor and see what sort of place it is. Once we have a clear count of the guards, we can make our move."

Le Qianxue and Yin Susu both agreed.

However, Yin Susu and Le Qianxue walked behind. Yin Susu tugged at Le Qianxue's sleeve. "Xue'er, yesterday I said I was the Ghost Doctor. I deceived him, but if he later discovers I know nothing of medicine, then we'll be in trouble."

Le Qianxue was also worried that such a thing might happen. She, too, wanted a chance to confess the truth to Zhan Lianjing, only she did not know how to begin.

She patted Yin Susu's hand. "Take it one step at a time. It will be fine."

Yin Susu sighed. "I suppose that's all we can do. Back then I was afraid something would happen to you, so I took your place. I never imagined Zhan Lianjing had no intention of killing at all..."

Le Qianxue could only smile wryly. No one had foreseen such an outcome.

Seeing the two of them whispering in the rear, Zhan Lianjing turned his head. "What are you talking about?"

They both tensed and shook their heads together.

Yet when Zhan Lianjing saw Le Qianxue's expression, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Out in the world, he always wore a silver mask to prevent his identity from being exposed.

Le Qianxue could not make out his expression, but then he turned back around. "Le Qianxue, come to the front."

Le Qianxue froze. She had intended to refuse, but Zhan Lianjing called again, "Hurry."

She had no choice. Right now, she was almost like a little dog, forced to obey her master's command.

She slowly went forward, and Zhan Lianjing naturally drew an arm around her waist. Then he said to Yin Susu, "Follow me."

Yin Susu's lightness skill was better; Le Qianxue was still not proficient enough. If Zhan Lianjing did not carry her part of the way, they would be easily discovered.

Le Qianxue immediately understood. Zhan Lianjing took her leaping over a small grove of trees, where guards were patrolling back and forth.

But because they moved so swiftly, they slipped past with ease.

Le Qianxue clung tightly to Zhan Lianjing's waist. The Red Manor was just ahead.

The three of them landed on a great tree. From here, they could see the Red Manor clearly.

The Red Manor was the imperial family's summer retreat, grand and imposing, with ten guards posted at the gate alone.

Le Qianxue asked, "Wang Jing, can you get in touch with your two informants?"

Zhan Lianjing glanced at her, then leaned close to her ear and said softly, "Call me A Jing."

She went still. Even her palms began to sweat, and she felt a little at a loss. Why was he suddenly being so gentle? He was making it hard for her not to fall in too deeply.

Yin Susu looked at Le Qianxue in confusion and noticed that her cheeks were flushed red.

"Xue'er, why are you so red?" Yin Susu asked.

Le Qianxue let out an "ah" and hurriedly covered her face. She shook her head. "I'm fine."

Yin Susu still looked at her curiously, then at Zhan Lianjing. "Wang Jing, what did you just say to her?"

Zhan Lianjing looked as though it had nothing to do with him. "Nothing."

He casually plucked a leaf, held it to his lips, and used his inner force to blow a clear note.

In truth, he was playing a little tune, sweet and pleasing to the ear.

Zhan Lianjing said, "They should have heard it. We'll wait for them at the agreed place."

Seeing this, Le Qianxue could not help remarking, "You really do have many ways to signal one another. And you remember them all."

Zhan Lianjing replied, "If I could not remember them, I would never have come this far."

Then he took them to the agreed place.

In truth, this sort of matter was usually handled by Chasing Star and Bright Moon, but he knew a thing or two as well, so it was no difficulty for him.

It was not until evening that they saw a cook sneaking out furtively.

He had never seen Zhan Lianjing before, since the one he had always met in secret was not Zhan Lianjing himself.

Zhan Lianjing showed the token, and the cook immediately cupped his hands. "This humble one is Ma Tian!"

"Where is the other one?" Zhan Lianjing asked.

Ma Tian sighed. "That man was suspected earlier. The distinguished guest is a suspicious sort; he did not ask questions and simply had him killed."

Zhan Lianjing had already expected as much. He said, "We are going into the Red Manor now. Tell us the route, and how many people the distinguished guest has in total, as well as how many guards there are."

Ma Tian had been in hiding for many years and knew the rules. Naturally, he asked no more questions.

He said, "There are only three people in total. I heard they are an old couple and a little girl. But from time to time someone comes to visit them. I heard it is the old couple's son."

After that, Ma Tian described the route. Zhan Lianjing thought for a moment, then decided to have Ma Tian lead the way. That would be safer.

Ma Tian blinked. "Then this humble one no longer needs to remain hidden here?"

"No need. Tonight you may act as you please."

"Ha! This is wonderful! I've been holding a kitchen cleaver for half a year, and at last I can wield a proper blade!" Ma Tian was delighted. Now that the task was done, he no longer had to be a cook!

The operation was to wait until deep night, but then the situation suddenly changed.

In the darkness, Yu Zhiyang arrived at the gate of the Red Manor with a number of Shadowwind guards, and entered the main courtyard at once.

Zhan Lianjing watched from afar, his gaze tightening slightly. Why had he come?

Le Qianxue also narrowed her eyes, thinking that Yu Zhiyang must be trying to take the old man Yuan away. Now that Yuan Feng had vanished, the emperor was intent on preserving the old man Yuan as a force to use.

A short while later, Yu Zhiyang indeed emerged with three people.

A carriage had already been prepared outside the Red Manor. The three boarded it, and the carriage was driven by Shadowwind guards. More than ten Shadowwind guards surrounded it, while several dozen guards from the Red Manor followed behind.

Le Qianxue's heart sank at once. "They're bringing so many people. This is terribly disadvantageous for us."

Zhan Lianjing's tone remained calm. "No matter. This only confirms that the Gu worm manual is certainly in old man Yuan's hands. He would not leave it behind in the Red Manor."

Le Qianxue nodded. That was indeed so.

But with so many people on the other side, even the Shadowwind guards alone would be difficult to handle. What were they to do?

Just as the group was about to depart, Zhan Lianjing said, "Le Qianxue, you and Ma Tian search the Red Manor once more, in case old man Yuan did not take the Gu worm manual away."

"All right." Le Qianxue nodded and agreed.

Yin Susu then followed Zhan Lianjing to track Yu Zhiyang and the others, dividing their forces.

Zhan Lianjing and Yin Susu left first. Yin Susu still found it odd and asked, "Why not let Xue'er go with you?"

"Too dangerous," Zhan Lianjing said only that much, and the matter was explained.

Yin Susu was dazed for a moment, and sighed inwardly. It seemed Zhan Lianjing truly had deep feelings for Le Qianxue. If that was the case, then if Le Qianxue told him the truth, would Zhan Lianjing forgive her?

She did not think further. The two of them used their lightness skills to move extraordinarily fast, and soon caught up with the group in the grove.

Yin Susu was just thinking that there were so many people, how could they possibly make a move? The Shadowwind guards would not be easy to deal with.

But at that moment, Zhan Lianjing had already blown a short tune.

Yu Zhiyang heard it and immediately raised a hand to signal them to stop.

"What is it, Third Prince?" one of the Shadowwind guards asked.

Yu Zhiyang frowned. "Something is not right."

Not right? How had they not noticed anything?

Zhan Lianjing's lips curved slightly. Yu Zhiyang was indeed sharp enough to have detected something.

But it was of no consequence. In the grove, a cold wind swept through, and countless leaves fell. The accompanying guards let out shrill screams one after another, then collapsed to the ground.

Many of the leaves on the ground were stained with blood. Yu Zhiyang turned to look; though the night was hazy, he could still see clearly enough.

He immediately drew his sword, and at once numerous figures dropped from the trees!

In an instant, the two sides were locked in combat.

Yin Susu was secretly astonished. "Wang Jing, so you had already made preparations?"

"They simply happened to arrive here at the right time," Zhan Lianjing said. "Bright Moon sent them as reinforcements."

Yin Susu nodded. Zhan Lianjing's web of power was truly not to be underestimated.

At that moment, Zhan Lianjing also leaped down, charging straight for the carriage!

But the carriage was guarded on all sides by Shadowwind guards, sealed tight with no opening whatsoever.

Yu Zhiyang shouted, "Protect the carriage! It must not be lost!"

Zhan Lianjing's sword fell in a flashing arc, only to be blocked by Yu Zhiyang's longsword.

Yet Yu Zhiyang's arm went numb, because Zhan Lianjing's inner force was stronger than his.

Gritting his teeth, he stared at the masked man in silver. With his other hand he struck out with a palm. Zhan Lianjing did not evade; instead, he took it head-on, and it was Yu Zhiyang who staggered back several steps. His chest surged with turbulent blood, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

A Shadowwind guard supported him. "Third Prince, fall back! This man is not easy to deal with!"

In the darkness, Zhan Lianjing truly looked like a demon from the underworld, killing without so much as a blink.

Last time, when Zhan Lianjing had been afflicted by the Gu worm and his inner force had been greatly diminished, he had nearly been defeated by the Shadowwind guards.

But today, that would not happen.

His longsword blossomed into countless swordflowers, the blade razor-sharp; before it even fully touched a person, blood was already spilled.

The gap in inner force left the Shadowwind guards unable to withstand him.

Yu Zhiyang's side was rapidly losing numbers. Yin Susu, her face covered, used Zhan Lianjing to open the way and had already reached the carriage. With one slash, the carriage roof was severed from the body.

She landed on top of it and glanced inside. The three people were all cloaked in black capes. She thrust with her sword, her expression tightening, and for a moment she could hardly accept what she saw.

She turned and cried out, "Bad news, we've been tricked!"

Inside the carriage were only three eunuchs, all looking utterly terrified. How could they possibly be the Yuan family?

Zhan Lianjing was sharply startled and saw the smile curling at the corner of Yu Zhiyang's mouth.

He gave a cold snort and hurriedly turned back.

The Red Manor.

Ma Tian led the way in front. A number of guards had already been withdrawn from the Red Manor, and with night falling, everything was quiet.

Le Qianxue kept feeling that something was off. She looked around. Why was there not a single person anywhere?