Chapter 569 - 324: Sudden Winds Arise, Frost Covers the City
Chapter 569: Chapter 324: Sudden Winds Arise, Frost Covers the City
"Oh, oh? How... how did the plague..."
Before Liu Taofang could finish his sentence, his entire body stiffened at the table. His eyes turned pitch black, and blood oozed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Within just two breaths, he lost all signs of life.
Liu Hong watched him quietly, his facial muscles twitching slightly, as if he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
After a long while, he finally picked up his cup, finished his wine, and got up to walk outside.
Whether it was because of the silvery moonlight cascading down or some other reason, Liu Hong’s black hair appeared completely silver-white.
A faint song echoed through the air.
"Once the torches burned red, a sudden wind brought frost over the entire city, and the bells of the Horse Gang rang..."
Song Jinjian revealed his figure from a corner, silently watching him disappear around the bend.
"Liu Wu...
"How dare you ruin the Lord’s grand plan? I cannot let you live!"
***
Between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM, before the sky had brightened, the clamor within the Prefecture City continued. The commoners dared not go outside, while the government officials went from door to door, occasionally plastering a seal on the outside of a house.
Although the Wandering Martial Artists who had come here were panicked, they relied on their Martial Arts Cultivation and had some degree of confidence. However, they too dared not run around recklessly. They could only squeeze into inns and taverns, complaining bitterly.
"It’s truly bizarre."
"Ever since we arrived in Shu State, there hasn’t been a single day of peace."
"Tell me about it."
"Horse bandits, the Barbarian Race, soaring grain prices, the plague, and refugees on top of that... Do you guys think Immortal Bai might have issued another prophecy?"
"Damn it, that’s it! It has to be him!"
"Stop talking nonsense. No one has even seen Immortal Bai, how could it be him?"
"Why not!"
"Have you forgotten who we’re here for?"
"Immor—"
It was unclear who started it, but a rumor soon began to spread throughout the Prefecture City. The rumor claimed that Immortal Bai had secretly arrived in Shu State and issued a prophecy for someone with a poor destiny, which in turn triggered these numerous incidents. Surprisingly, quite a few people actually believed it, and Liu Zhaoxue was one of them.
She suddenly remembered the fortune-telling she had received outside the East Market a few days ago. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that the person who read her fortune was Immortal Bai.
"Bones of gold and jade, a heart of orchids...
"The phoenix is noble and aloof, drinking only morning dew and eating only bamboo seeds. Thus, its standards are exceptionally high, making it prone to feelings of loneliness."
This prophecy wasn’t considered incredibly profound, and Liu Zhaoxue herself felt a sense of loneliness, finding herself entirely out of place within the Jing State Liu Family and the lands of Shu State. She didn’t think she was the person mentioned in the rumors, but she knew someone who was—Ling’er.
With these thoughts in mind, Liu Zhaoxue scanned Xinglin Hall on South Street but couldn’t spot Ling’er anywhere. Just as she was about to continue her search, she suddenly saw several figures dressed in Mountain Race clothing outside the Medicine Hall. Not far from them was the very person she was looking for—Ling’er of the Five Poison Sect. However, it was glaringly obvious that the Maid who usually feigned compliance by her side was now completely devoid of life.
Liu Zhaoxue’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. She covered her mouth, too terrified to make a single move. The people of the Mountain Race had actually come to seek revenge at a time like this!
Pei Ze noticed her gaze and cast a sidelong glance at her. A cruel smile was the only expression that surfaced on his gaunt face before he turned and left. Here in Shu State, when the Mountain Race took action, no one dared to stand in their way. Let alone Jianghu People, how many within the Government Office would be blind enough to interfere at such a time?
Liu Zhaoxue only snapped back to reality after waiting for them to walk far away. She hastily led her people back to the house to pack their belongings. To her surprise, just as she finished packing, she heard a hoarse voice behind her.
"Liu Zhaoxue?"
"You..."
Before Liu Zhaoxue could react, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck and fainted.
"Consider yourself lucky. From now on, you’ll be staying by my side..."
As the voice faded, the guest room was left completely empty, with only a glimmer of light shining in from the east. It was neither bright nor warm.
***
Two days later.
Chen Yi slowly "woke up," calling out weakly with a hoarse voice, "Xiaodie, Xiaodie..."
Xiaodie, who had been sound asleep by the window, jolted awake. Upon seeing Chen Yi’s eyes open, she abruptly stood up and ran outside.
"Mr. Chen is awake!"
"Miss! Miss! Mr. Chen is awake!"
Chen Yi turned his head to watch her run off. He couldn’t help but blink, thinking to himself, "If I don’t wake up soon, my ears will fall off from your constant nagging."
Thanks to feigning illness this time, he managed to discover Xiaodie’s little secret.
He thought, "’The Biography of the Second Son-in-Law of the Marquis’s Mansion’... What a terrible title. Even ’The Legend of Mr. Qingzhou’ would have been better..."