Chapter Fifteen: A Calculated Attack

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Looking back on her journey out of the frontier, Meng Xiaoli realized that she had truly escaped death countless times. Had fortune not favored her, she would have died several times over. Yet who could guarantee that fortune would always smile upon her? This time, she owed her life to the cold-faced scholar, who was not only a master of martial arts but also possessed a strong sense of justice. He had rescued her from the brink of disaster, so she once again thanked him. “You’ve saved my life three times. I truly don’t know how I could ever repay you.”

The cold-faced scholar ignored her and continued walking. “The martial world has its rules. Huang Dayou and Xie Zhihuan ran a criminal establishment beyond the frontier and robbed travelers. That was how they made their living, and outsiders were not supposed to interfere. Countless people have died at their hands; you were merely one of the lucky survivors. By intervening, I exposed myself. When you were abducted, I had no intention of getting involved again. If the Beggars’ Sect had not been fighting among themselves in the back courtyard, you would have been dismembered and no one would have cared. I rarely travel beyond the frontier. I only happened to encounter you and saved your life in passing. I never imagined you would be captured again. Saving you twice was already more than enough. There was no need to violate the rules of the martial world for your sake. Yet you, you foolish woman, even gave me away. Otherwise, I would truly have been too lazy to bother with you.”

His words left Meng Xiaoli utterly ashamed. She did not dare even breathe too loudly as she hurried along behind him in tiny steps. The cold-faced scholar glanced back at her and continued, “Since I’ve saved you, I don’t need any repayment. Go back wherever you came from. Why are you following me?”

Meng Xiaoli was just about to answer when the wind above their heads suddenly whistled again. Thinking that Huang Dayou and the others had caught up with them, she widened her eyes in alarm. Instead, a group of men in plain clothes landed nearby. Their leader approached the cold-faced scholar with a smile and bowed. “Second Senior Brother, the Beggars’ Sect battle is over—”

Before he could finish, his eyes drifted toward Meng Xiaoli behind the cold-faced scholar, and he stopped. “Who is this young lady?”

The cold-faced scholar ignored the question and waved his hand. “Pay her no attention. Continue.”

The men began walking and reporting as they went. Their leader said, “Guo Jian of the Beggars’ Sect exchanged several dozen blows with Liang Keyong, and neither could gain the upper hand. Although Guo Jian did not inherit the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, the Twelve Swords of the Guo family are no weak art, and he was evenly matched with Liang Keyong. In the end, Guo Jian seized an opening and struck Liang Keyong with his sword, piercing his shoulder blade. Liang Keyong endured the injury and unleashed a move called ‘Staff Sweeping the Pack of Dogs,’ striking Guo Jian heavily and wounding him badly. Knowing that there was nothing to gain from prolonging the fight, Guo Jian withdrew hurriedly with his men. I have left someone behind to keep watch on Liang Keyong’s side.”

When he finished, the leader asked, “But, Second Senior Brother, how did you end up being exposed?”

The cold-faced scholar did not wish to discuss it. He pointed behind him and sighed. “Because of her.”

Everyone turned toward Meng Xiaoli. She gave an awkward smile. The leader of the plain-clothed men teased, “Second Senior Brother, have you fallen into another romantic entanglement?”

No one dared laugh aloud. They merely pursed their lips and lowered their heads.

The cold-faced scholar did not lose his temper. He only said sternly, “Once we reach the town, I’ll arrange an inn for you and give you some travel money. Then go back wherever you came from.”

Meng Xiaoli realized that he was speaking to her and quickly replied, “Saving my life is already more than enough. I couldn’t possibly trouble you for travel money.”

The cold-faced scholar said nothing more and turned to speak with the others.

When they reached the town, the cold-faced scholar sent all but the leader of the plain-clothed men away, then went straight into an inn. Meng Xiaoli felt deeply grateful for having been rescued. Now that they had reached the town, she did not dare impose on him any longer and prepared to take her leave.

The cold-faced scholar did not stop her. Instead, he said to the remaining man, “Give her some travel money and let her go.”

The man looked surprised. “It’s public money. If Stormcloud Hall asks about it, how am I supposed to explain myself? I can hardly say that Second Senior Brother incurred another romantic debt!”

He chuckled as he spoke. The cold-faced scholar raised the Heartpiercing Brush and threatened him. “Enough nonsense.”

Seeing the brush in his hand, the man evidently remembered its power. He hurriedly wiped the smile from his face, pulled out a money pouch, and separated some silver from it before offering it to Meng Xiaoli.

She did not dare accept it and quickly waved her hands. “No, no. How could I take your money?”

The man grew impatient. “If I’m giving it to you, then take it. Why make things difficult for me?”

Meng Xiaoli had no choice but to accept it. She thanked him and said, “I may never be able to repay you for saving my life, but I will certainly return this money.”

The cold-faced scholar was unwilling to say anything more. He turned and walked away. The plain-clothed man, however, called after her teasingly, “If you want to repay it, go to Stormcloud Hall in Zhejiang.”

With that, he turned and vanished in a flash.

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“Stormcloud Hall in Zhejiang?” Meng Xiaoli repeated.

Though she had never entered the martial world, she had heard of all its major schools and factions. Stormcloud Hall in Zhejiang traded in information and gathered intelligence. Officially, the Brocade Guards held the highest authority, but in truth, Stormcloud Hall was the Great Ming’s largest intelligence agency.

So the cold-faced scholar, Wu Yuqiu, must be the hall’s second disciple. Together with the eldest disciple, the Peerless Young Master Li Yuran, he was known as one of Stormcloud Hall’s Twin Paragons. One wielded the Heartpiercing Brush, while the other carried the Blacksteel Fan, and together they had stirred the secret affections of countless young women.

Meng Xiaoli had once heard this from Long Ye, but only now did she remember. She thought to herself, “Wu Yuqiu is so gallant and righteous. How could people call him the cold-faced scholar? Perhaps they have judged him only by his appearance. Beneath that cold exterior, he must actually be a warm-hearted and decent man.”

What Meng Xiaoli did not know was that the title “cold-faced scholar” had not been bestowed upon Wu Yuqiu by the martial world. Just like the title “Peerless Young Master” given to Li Yuran, it had been coined by women captivated by their looks. Wu Yuqiu had never been interested in romance. Whenever admirers confessed their feelings, he rejected them directly and showed them no mercy at all. That was why everyone called him the cold-faced scholar.

After receiving the money, Meng Xiaoli bought a small purse from a street stall and tied it around her waist. With her bundle on her back and her sword in hand, she walked along the nearly deserted street.

A girl in plain clothes came hurrying toward her and asked anxiously, “Sister—”

The single word made Meng Xiaoli’s stomach turn. It instantly reminded her of the detestable Jin Xiaodao and that vicious face of hers, which Meng Xiaoli would never forget for the rest of her life. Consumed by resentment, Meng Xiaoli failed to hear what the girl said. By the time she turned back to ask, the girl had already gone.

Puzzled, Meng Xiaoli looked around. Then, lowering her head by chance, she discovered that the money pouch at her waist had vanished. Only then did she realize that the girl in plain clothes had been a thief. She immediately turned and gave chase.

Meng Xiaoli’s martial ability was ordinary, but she had inherited the Xuanmo School’s once-famous Lightness Art. Her movement skills were exceptional. In the blink of an eye, she found the girl, who was now at a street corner with another boy, opening the money pouch to look inside.

Only then did Meng Xiaoli realize that the two were accomplices. One distracted their victim by engaging her in conversation while the other carried out the theft.

Meng Xiaoli leaped in front of them and stretched out her hand. “Give it back!”

When the pair saw that she had actually caught up, they panicked and turned to run.

Meng Xiaoli sprang after them and seized the boy by the shoulder. He twisted free, swung around, and threw a punch at her.

“So you know a little martial arts,” Meng Xiaoli thought.

She met his attack. To her surprise, the boy was knocked to the ground in fewer than three moves, clutching his stomach and groaning. The girl rushed forward to intervene, but after barely two exchanges, Meng Xiaoli shoved her against a wall.

Meng Xiaoli snatched the money pouch from the boy’s hand and snapped, “It took me great effort to get a little silver, and you still wanted to steal it? What outrageous behavior. I may not be able to deal with martial arts masters, but surely I can handle the likes of you.”

Having vented her anger, she turned and walked away.

After eating her fill and spending the night in town, Meng Xiaoli set out southward. On leaving the town, she passed near her old home and decided to return for a look.

But the place was deserted. The courtyard had fallen into ruin, and Long Ye and Jin Xiaodao had already left together.

Grief and anger welled up in Meng Xiaoli’s heart. She decided to sever her lingering attachment to Long Ye. After bitterly tending her daughter’s grave, she walked away without looking back.

Carrying that pent-up hatred within her, Meng Xiaoli followed a mountain road. As she walked, she recalled her encounter with the bandits in the ravine beyond the frontier. Bandits had always been ruthless killers who robbed people of their lives, their wealth, and their virtue, leaving nothing untouched. She herself had been extraordinarily fortunate. A single spark of mercy from her attackers had spared her life.

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As she walked, she suddenly heard repeated screams from a woman and the boisterous laughter of men. Meng Xiaoli wondered why there would be a crowd in such a remote wilderness and followed the voices.

After crossing a ridge, she saw a group of rough-looking men wrestling with a woman.

Startled, Meng Xiaoli thought, “Could this woman have fallen into the hands of bandits, just as I once did? I was lucky, but she may not be.”

She was about to turn away, but then she remembered the despair she herself had once felt. If she ignored someone in danger, her conscience would never let her rest.

With her sword in hand, Meng Xiaoli leaped onto the ridge and shouted, “Let go of that girl!”

The men were startled by her sharp cry and turned to look. When their leader saw her, he grinned. “Well, well, another one has come along. We’ll deal with both of you together.”

At once, the men charged.

Meng Xiaoli flew into the crowd with her sword and unleashed the Fire stance of the Xuanmo School’s Five Elements Art. She thrust and slashed among them, only to discover that, despite their rugged and powerful appearances, the men were nothing but painted pillows. Their martial skills were utterly pathetic. Meng Xiaoli might not have been able to stand against true martial arts masters, but compared with these men, she at least belonged to a legitimate school.

After taking more than a dozen blows from her, the men were all wounded. Seeing how fiercely she was advancing, they immediately stopped fighting and admitted defeat.

Satisfied, Meng Xiaoli sheathed her sword and beckoned to the woman. The woman hurriedly put her clothes back on and ran behind Meng Xiaoli.

With great swagger, Meng Xiaoli led the woman away from the men’s sight. She felt secretly delighted.

So this was what it felt like to act as a gallant heroine and uphold justice! She could not understand why the cold-faced scholar, Wu Yuqiu, had seemed unhappy after rescuing her. She, on the other hand, was overjoyed.

Behind her, the woman thanked her in a gentle voice. “Thank you, heroine, for coming to my aid. I will never forget that you saved my life.”

Being called a heroine made Meng Xiaoli feel even more elated. She quickly replied, “It was nothing. There’s no need to thank me. But why would a delicate woman like you be out here in the wilderness?”

“Because…”

While Meng Xiaoli was still basking in her triumph, the woman behind her suddenly revealed a vicious expression and drew a knife.

“Because I’m one of them.”

Before the words had even faded, she drove the knife into Meng Xiaoli’s side.

Meng Xiaoli felt a sharp pain in her waist, and her pupils widened. She could never have imagined that her good intentions would be repaid with such a cruel ambush.

In disbelief, she turned to look behind her. The woman’s delicate expression had become savage. She wiped the blood from the blade with a silk handkerchief, then saw Meng Xiaoli crouching on the ground in agony.

The woman removed Meng Xiaoli’s money pouch, weighed it in her hand, and, satisfied, turned and rejoined the group of rough men.

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