AVL Chapter 5

“Then where’s my benefactor?” Xi Jianlan said, “Find a benefactor to save me.”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Let this bastard fend for himself!

 

Xi Jianlan had been hiding and fleeing for six years, and had long developed the ability to keenly sense trackers without using spiritual power. He walked into the alley without changing expression, saw the beautiful osmanthus flowers blooming nearby, and even reached up to pluck a cluster.

 

Feng Yu was getting anxious for him when the little paper figure poked out its head and saw the sickly person holding the crushed flowers to his pale lips, extending his tongue to gently lick the tiny osmanthus petals into his mouth—a scene both languid and sickly yet strangely seductive.

 

The osmanthus flowers didn’t taste particularly sweet when eaten, but carried the bitter astringency of their juices.

 

Feng Yu was stunned.

 

Those words he had treated as entertainment suddenly gained a hint of reality.

 

With Xi Jianlan’s face, he really could make someone fall deeply in love with him.

 

Sheng Jiao was only called “Heavenly Dao” by others, but wasn’t truly heartless and emotionless.

 

After eating a cluster of osmanthus flowers, Xi Jianlan creaked through the snow back to Shi’er Ju clinic.

 

Feng Yu snapped back to attention: “Since someone’s tracking you, why are you going back? Aren’t you afraid they’ll destroy your hideout?”

 

“That shopkeeper knows where I live. If the tracker used the Yutan flower to lure me out, they definitely know too.” Xi Jianlan closed the door, saying lightly, “Since I’m already exposed, there’s no need to hide.”

 

Feng Yu frowned.

 

“Besides…” Xi Jianlan reached out to touch Feng Yu’s little paper figure and smiled, “I know you’ll definitely save me.”

 

Feng Yu: “Hah, ptui. Like hell I’ll save you.”

 

Xi Jianlan said affectionately: “You’re just saying that in anger. I don’t believe it.”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Feng Yu felt like Xi Jianlan had drawn out all the anger he’d have in his lifetime. He held it in and held it in, almost bursting his lungs.

 

But he really couldn’t just watch Xi Jianlan die, so he reluctantly said: “See that mirror?—Not that one, the diamond-shaped mirror on the left, yes that one. I put a teleportation array inside it.”

 

“Where does it go?”

 

“To where I am, naturally.”

 

“Guchangsi Temple?” Xi Jianlan hesitated, “Every time Guchangsi Temple sells spiritual objects, many prestigious families from Central State go there. Check first if any of my enemies are there… oh right, especially look for Sheng Jiao.”

 

Feng Yu said impatiently: “The sale doesn’t start until evening. How would I know who’s coming? I’m currently in the ghost forest outside Guchangsi Temple catching ghosts for fun. Come or don’t come, up to you.”

 

Xi Jianlan had to say: “Coming, coming, coming.”

 

He didn’t hesitate and quickly walked toward the diamond-shaped mirror.

 

The mirror surface was covered with a layer of water vapor, with black mist-like yin energy swirling above it—indeed a teleportation array from Fengzhou.

 

Xi Jianlan raised his hand to touch it.

 

But just as his fingertip was about to touch the mirror surface, a sudden gust of wind attacked from behind, whistling past Xi Jianlan’s ear.

 

Clang—

 

The diamond-shaped mirror shattered with the sound.

 

Xi Jianlan: “…”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Xi Jianlan spun around abruptly.

 

The clinic door was still tightly closed, but two people had appeared beside the medicine cabinet at some point—one in black, one in white, looking like the Black and White Impermanence come to collect souls in the dim clinic, not to mention they were staring fixedly at Xi Jianlan with piercing gazes.

 

A gust of wind broke through the paper-covered windows, making their thin robes flutter loudly.

 

Divine beast Xiezhi-patterned robes.

 

—They were from Xiezhi Sect.

 

Feng Yu inhaled sharply: “Xiezhi Sect’s Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan. They’re Sheng Jiao’s right and left hands. You’re finished.”

 

Anyone Sheng Jiao would trust must also be heartless people who recognized no family ties.

 

Xi Jianlan was hit by the cold wind head-on, choking him into muffled coughs as he staggered back several steps.

 

Sheng Jiao knew he was in Wuyin City?

 

No, that wasn’t right.

 

If he knew, Sheng Jiao would have come personally to take his life, not sent two subordinates to capture him.

 

The black-clothed man named Juan Xunfang expressionlessly took out a capture jade token from his sleeve, saying coldly: “Xi Jianlan, suspected of slaughtering the entire Xi family. By the Sect Master’s command, we’re taking you back to Xiezhi Sect for interrogation.”

 

As soon as the capture jade token appeared, Xi Jianlan seemed to take a hard blow, his eyelashes trembling as he desperately covered his right shoulder, his knuckles turning blue-white from the force.

 

His body was too weak—even being blown by cold wind could make him seriously ill, let alone going to Xiezhi Sect, that “Gates of Hell” with no return.

 

Even the lightest “interrogation” punishment could cost him half his life.

 

The little paper figure in his sleeve suddenly fell to the ground, transforming into a ghostly human figure.

 

Feng Yu said coldly: “Just on suspicion, you want to drag someone to Xiezhi Sect for punishment? What kind of logic is that? Get Sheng Wuzhuo to come!”

 

The white-clothed girl Shang Yuan beside him was slightly stunned, as if convinced: “Yes, Lord Juan, it’s just suspicion. Why arrest him?”

 

Juan Xunfang glared at her: “Shut up! Do you listen to him or to the Sect Master?”

 

“Oh.” Shang Yuan looked a bit dull. Her delicate white hand lifted slightly, and dozens of zhang of ice-cold chains suddenly appeared, coiling around her like a slender swimming dragon.

 

She tilted her head, “Then I’ll listen to the Sect Master.”

 

As soon as she finished speaking, the chains chimed and whistled through the air toward Xi Jianlan.

 

Those were Xiezhi Sect’s Binding Silk—once caught, there was no escape.

 

Feng Yu grabbed Xi Jianlan and angrily said: “What are you waiting for? There’s another teleportation array in that broken pond in the backyard…”

 

“Bang—”

 

The Binding Silk grazed Xi Jianlan’s shoulder and struck the wall directly, destroying half the wall with just one hit. If it had hit his body, he’d be dead or half-dead.

 

Xi Jianlan pressed hard against his back shoulder. The Binding Silk seemed to only want to bind him, with no killing intent.

 

Feng Yu used his wisp of divine consciousness to block Shang Yuan’s Binding Silk attacks while dragging Xi Jianlan to the backyard.

 

The small pond was carefully tended by Xi Jianlan, with several lotus flowers blooming even in the heavy snow.

 

Two koi fish swam freely in the crystal-clear water.

 

Feng Yu held on for a long time, but his wisp of divine consciousness was finally about to dissipate. He suddenly pushed Xi Jianlan forward, saying quickly: “I’ll wait for you at Guchangsi Temple!”

 

Just as he finished speaking, the Binding Silk came from behind, completely shattering Feng Yu’s divine consciousness with a bang.

 

The little paper figure turned into fragments, falling like snowflakes.

 

Shang Yuan walked over cheerfully. Seeing this, she exclaimed “Ah!” and finally reacted: “Someone from the Feng family of Fengzhou? Oh no, I’ve caused trouble.”

 

Juan Xunfang hadn’t intervened from beginning to end. He played with a strange ball of spiritual energy in his palm and pointed with a finger.

 

“Drip.”

 

A drop of water fell into the pond, creating ripples that spread out like an array formation.

 

Xi Jianlan had no time to think and directly flipped into the pond.

 

Shang Yuan immediately tried to use her Binding Silk to catch him.

 

But just as she reached out, Juan Xunfang suddenly stopped her: “Enough.”

 

Shang Yuan’s Binding Silk stopped in mid-air: “Didn’t the Sect Master say to bring him back?”

 

Juan Xunfang glared at her: “The Sect Master also said not to harm him. If you whip him with that Binding Silk, would he still be alive?”

 

Shang Yuan was probably a blockhead, frowning worriedly: “But the Sect Master said…”

 

“What are you worried about?”

 

Juan Xunfang slightly closed his five fingers, and that ball of spiritual energy instantly dissipated into scattered points of light: “…Haven’t I already sent him to the Sect Master?”

 

Shang Yuan tilted her head.

 

In the pond, the koi fish scattered in fright. The water became clear again, but only one koi remained hiding in the corner.

 

***

 

Outside Guchangsi Temple, in the ghost forest.

 

Feng Yu sat cross-legged beside a small water pool, staring at the surface and waiting quietly.

 

The teleportation array would have a few moments’ delay. He silently counted to ten, then reached into the pool prepared to fish someone out.

 

But he frowned and searched for a long time, stirring up all the water, yet Xi Jianlan, who should have been transported here through the array, was nowhere to be seen.

 

There was only a koi fish in the water that had appeared at some point.

 

Feng Yu and the confused koi fish stared at each other. His heart jumped heavily, and he suddenly had a bad premonition.

 

Where was Xi Jue?

 

—Xi Jue was currently cursing.

 

He was also waiting for Feng Yu to fish him out, but his cloak was too thick. After being soaked with water, it dragged him down toward the bottomless depths.

 

Xi Jianlan struggled to remove his outer robe and swam upward wearing only his inner garment.

 

But his body was too weak, his back shoulder still ached faintly, and without spiritual power to hold his breath, he lost strength after just a few strokes.

 

The water surface seemed within reach, but Xi Jianlan had no strength left. His body grew colder and colder, as if a strange chill was slowly drilling into his heart.

 

That was… the cold aura of death.

 

Xi Jianlan choked out a breath, his ears gradually buzzing as countless voices clamored around him.

 

“Xi Jue…!”

 

“The Xi family massacre—are you involved?!”

 

“What is your Xiangwen? Did your Xiangwen go out of control, causing the Xi family’s disaster?”

 

“What exactly did you see that night?”

 

Overlapping questions filled his mind, as if trying to shatter his consciousness.

 

Xi Jianlan’s eyes gradually became vacant. In his confused state, he couldn’t help thinking: ‘Is there truly justice in this world?’

 

Everyone said Sheng Jiao was impartial and upright, but why did Xiezhi Sect determine his guilt based on just one Tianyan pearl?

 

Xi Jianlan was surrounded by water, his breath growing weaker. He could only instinctively raise his hand upward.

 

He seemed to want to grasp something, or perhaps seek a trace of justice from the Heavenly Dao, whether it existed or not.

 

But when he opened his five fingers, he couldn’t even hold onto the last bit of warmth in his palm.

 

Just as he was about to suffocate, a hand suddenly reached down from the water surface, forcefully grasping Xi Jianlan’s slender wrist and dragging him out.

 

Xi Jianlan suddenly gained breath and gasped heavily, but cold wind rushed into his lungs, immediately choking him half to death.

 

“Cough…!”

 

The violent coughing made his head throb with pain. Xi Jianlan’s black hair was soaked and appeared even darker, constantly dripping water. His eyes were clear and bright as if about to shed tears, his cheeks carried a sickly flush, and even his breathing was broken, as if he couldn’t catch his breath.

 

“Feng…” Xi Jianlan knelt on the ground, instinctively reaching out to grab the hem of the person beside him to steady his swaying body, saying intermittently, “I… cough, I’ll die by your hands sooner or later.”

 

Which family puts a teleportation array underwater?

 

Wasn’t Feng Yu afraid he’d drown?

 

No answer came.

 

Xi Jianlan belatedly realized something was wrong.

 

If it were normal, Feng Yu would have already noisily retorted. This time, why…

 

The earring was still on his ear, and he could faintly hear the soft sound of his black hair dripping water onto the ground.

 

Xi Jianlan’s heart jumped, and he looked up in confusion.

 

Within his sight, first was his own slightly raised hand—he was grasping a thick crane cloak, half his body leaning against that person’s leg. His pale five fingers trembled slightly, revealing the familiar pattern on the robe he was clutching…

 

The divine beast Xiezhi dark pattern.

 

Xi Jianlan was stunned.

 

He was probably frozen senseless in the water, his brain not reacting for a moment.

 

Until a sword gleaming with cold light silently fell against Xi Jianlan’s neck, the bone-chilling coldness making him shiver uncontrollably.

 

“Xi Jue,” that person said.

 

Xi Jianlan’s whole body trembled, and a burning sensation struck his thin back shoulder again, the pain instantly clearing his muddled consciousness.

 

Through his wet clothes, the Xiezhi Sect brand that had been burned into his shoulder long ago flickered with blue thunder patterns.

 

—It was the character “Zhuo” (burn).

 

——————–

 

Author’s Note:

 

Xi Jianlan: Often walk by the river, and you’ll fall… fall into the water…

 

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