Chapter 522 - 292: A Surge of Killing Intent (Part 2)
Chapter 522: Chapter 292: A Surge of Killing Intent (Part 2)
"Bring him in."
A moment later, two attendants carried an iron cage into the hall.
Chu Qing saw the person inside the cage and his expression slightly darkened:
"Brother Gongyang, what is the meaning of this?"
Chu Qing didn’t recognize the man, who looked quite young, around eighteen or nineteen.
He was curled up inside the cage, seemingly lost in a sweet dream, with a smile on his face.
However, it wasn’t hard to see the man had suffered a lot, with bruises on his face and hands that hadn’t fully healed.
Gongyang Chou quickly explained:
"Third Young Master misunderstood, he wasn’t captured by us... but... but..."
He paused here, a bit conflicted, with a somewhat peculiar expression on his face.
Chu Qing was puzzled:
"Just say it..."
"He ran to Heaven-Reaching Ridge on his own."
Gongyang Chou said helplessly:
"Third Young Master and these two behind you, having ventured deep into this place, know how mysterious and deceptive Heaven-Reaching Ridge is, unlike anywhere else.
"The mountain paths are often rugged and difficult to traverse... One might say that for an ordinary person who recklessly ventures into Heaven-Reaching Ridge, they would surely perish in one to two days, or at most three to five days within the ridge.
"But this person, through sheer willpower, managed to persist all the way to Heaven-Reaching Manor.
"Seeing the scars that still remain on him now, it’s unimaginable... At first glance, I thought he was a ghost, not a human."
Chu Qing felt he had heard the most outrageous thing ever...
To make a group of charlatans truly believe they had seen a ghost.
And yet he was just an ordinary person.
Chu Qing couldn’t help but scrutinize the person again; his hands and feet were quite coarse—with closer inspection, there were many calluses.
There were still marks on his legs from traversing Heaven-Reaching Ridge, scraped by rocks, ice, snow, wild grass, and vines, etc.
Judging by the look of it, he seemed like a person of hard fate.
Chu Qing looked up and questioned:
"Even so, they’ve surely realized he’s human and not a ghost by now, haven’t they? Why keep him in a cage?"
"That’s precisely where the problem lies."
Gongyang Chou replied gravely:
"Whatever he experienced left him unable to rest easily in a bed; he was on pins and needles.
"Even on the ground, he tossed and turned.
"Finally, I found him sleeping soundly in a dog cage, and understood the issue.
"So I had this iron cage made for him to rest in, and indeed he sleeps deeply.
"Even with our discussion and observation here, he remains unaware."
Chu Qing frowned at the explanation.
This man likely suffered long-term abuse, hence the habit.
Maybe, he used to live in a cage.
Only when enclosed could he avoid beatings... could sleep assuredly.
With this thought, Chu Qing sighed and said to Gongyang Chou:
"Brother Gongyang, showing me this, is to...?"
Gongyang Chou said emphatically:
"The greatest danger within Heaven-Reaching Ridge is the word ’lost’.
"Hence, it’s rare to see ordinary people here... Seeing this one now, and judging from his condition, he must have endured much inhumane torment.
"However... the Ghost Emperor Palace has no place for him.
"We can’t follow him back to see what’s he has been through, nor can we provide justice...
"Driving him away might be easy, yet we’re worried it could have fatal consequences.
"So, haven’t we run into the Third Young Master?
"Hence, we ask Third Young Master for help, to take him back to Lingbei and properly settle him."
After thinking a while, Chu Qing actually nodded:
"Alright, I’ll take on this task."
Though there’s some chivalrous intent, it’s not the main reason.
As they say, where there’s oppression, there will be resistance.
Seeing this man rush furiously into Heaven-Reaching Ridge, reaching Heaven-Reaching Manor, though he seems to evade, it’s actually a form of resistance.
Chu Qing wants to see who exactly is oppressing, and among the resistors, if anyone is willing to pay for an assassin to remove this ’mountain’ weighing on them.
If so, wouldn’t that mean more profit?
Gongyang Chou was unaware of Chu Qing’s thoughts, quickly stood up and clasped his hands together:
"Thank you, Third Young Master."
After addressing this matter, Chu Qing inquired about Gongyang Chou and the others’ subsequent plans.
Gongyang Chou mentioned something must have happened to his elder brother; Bai Yushu doesn’t say, and Gongyang Chou wouldn’t dare let Gu Ling’Er go back with him.
But the two of them could sneak back to see whether their elder brother was dead or alive.
Chu Qing nodded, refraining from asking further.
Asking any more might entangle himself in trouble... There’s no deep bond between them, and the murky waters of the Ghost Emperor Palace aren’t easy to wade through either.
Thus, after a few casual words, Chu Qing suggested taking his leave to rest.
If early the next morning, Gongyang Chou and the others were willing to lead the way, then let them guide the group.
If unwilling, he would borrow a Ghost Emperor Palace compass from them.
Having made up his mind, wanting to sleep till dawn, but as soon as he laid down, a few scenes popped into his head.
Chu Qing suddenly opened his eyes, feeling an uncontrollable heat within.
"Trouble, trouble... Haven’t tasted meat in years, and now smelling the aroma, even tasting a little meat scent, how to suppress this?"
The scenes in his mind and the still lingering sensations on his skin made Chu Qing restless.
In this condition, he didn’t dare sit cross-legged for fear of True Qi deviating and having a Qi deviation.
After a long internal struggle, Chu Qing gritted his teeth:
"You’ve done the first wrong move, don’t blame me for the next step!
"A real man, a true gentleman, should endure when necessary; but when endurance is impossible, then endure less!!"
Gaining a bit of courage, he sneaked towards Wu Qianhuan’s room.
He decided if Wu Qianhuan was already asleep, he would turn away without disturbing... but if Wu Qianhuan, like him, couldn’t sleep, longing to merge with him.
Then he would knock on the door... to see if she would open it.
Just contemplating the reaction after knocking or not, he reached Wu Qianhuan’s room.
His movements were soft, not alerting Wu Qianhuan.
Yet he could hear Wu Qianhuan turning over repeatedly, like a frying pancake, clearly unable to sleep.
Chu Qing gently knocked on the door.
The room instantly fell silent.
The two people inside and outside the room seemed to have been touched at their acupoints.
After a long while, Chu Qing heard quiet footsteps approaching the door, as Wu Qianhuan’s voice came from inside:
"Who is it?"
"Me."
A creak, the door opened.
Chu Qing slipped inside at once, poking his head around to ensure no one noticed, then closed the door.
Turning around, he saw Wu Qianhuan trembling.
She was covering her mouth, laughing silently...
"What are you laughing at?"
Chu Qing was speechless from her laughter, what’s so funny?
"Between you and me... even our marriage certificate is done, Uncle Chu has sent his betrothal gifts to the City Lord’s Mansion, though not yet married, it’s rightful."
Wu Qianhuan grasped Chu Qing’s sleeve, burrowed into his embrace:
"But what are we doing?
"Sneaking around?"
"Ahem... As the saying goes, a wife is no better than a concubine, a concubine is no better than a secret affair, a secret affair is no better than an unsatisfied longing..."
Chu Qing casually responded.
"I beg to differ!"
Wu Qianhuan placed her hand over his mouth:
"Your mouth, why is it so shameless and glib? Is there any remaining demeanor of Mad Saber Young Master?"
"In times like these, who needs demeanor?"
Chu Qing picked Wu Qianhuan up horizontally, heading directly for the bed.
Wu Qianhuan clung tightly to Chu Qing’s neck, her head pressed close to his chest, whispering:
"Be gentle with me..."
Chu Qing nodded softly:
"Rest assured, I..."
Not finishing the sentence, a sharp sound suddenly erupted; scorching flames blazed across the sky.
Arrows ignited with fire descended from the heavens!
The latter half of Chu Qing’s sentence caught in his throat, and he spat angrily:
"Damn that Immortal Board!!"
The fury in his heart surged, a murderous intent arose...
As they say, once or twice but not thrice; being provoked repeatedly, even the Buddha would get angry!