Chapter 454: Cut Sleeves, Shared Peaches
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT, Rock
How would Shui QianHuan be aware that not only was he maligning Yu ManLou, he had also wrongly accused the entire Yu Family. From start to the end, the Yu Family had merely acted out of self-preservation and defense, and the whole scheme was actually cooked up by the goddess in his heart, the one whom he regarded as his beloved, Miss Ling Chen! If he were to find out the truth, he would probably lose his will to live!
Furthermore, this was merely a small portion of the grand scheme had Ling Chen had come out with...
Shui Seven sighed once, before retreating in silence. As the hidden bodyguard of Shui QianHuan, how could he be unaware of the feelings his master had towards the maiden Ling Chen? However, no matter the case, there was no salvaging this situation. Even regarding the fact of Shui QianHuan expecting Ling Chen to lend her troops for his revenge, Shui Seven himself believed that there was not even athe tiniest chance that would actually happen!
Both our families are only working on the context of mutual benefits, and now that you have already lost your worth, to have Miss Ling Chen not kick you while you're down would already be good enough, how do you expect her to help you? This sentence was of course spoken silently in Shui Seven's heart, and not out loud. However, these were his true thoughts. Upon thinking of how Ling Chen had looked at his young master with the eyes as though she saw a repulsive toad, Shui Seven silently sighed to himself. To plead for help, forget about having the door, even the window would probably not be open to him!
He could not fathom, just how was it that all the guards around his young master could see the situation crystal clear, but his intellectually peerless young master could actually be such an imbecile at this time? Could he not see that this was an impossibility?
***
"You're awake?" Ling Tian blandly spoke. By his side, Ling Jian had just completed a cycle and was slowly opening his eyes.
"Yes!" Ling Jian struggled to get up, "Many thanks to young noble for saving me."
"Lie down properly, are you really that eager for death?" By another side, the Little Miss Li Xue impolitely scolded, "With such huge injuries, why are you struggling for?"
"Ling Jian has brought trouble to young noble and should have paid for it with his life!" Ling Jian coldly glanced once at Li Xue, his tone unchanging. While he did not know who this lass was, and why she was together with his young noble, his deep-rooted thinking from young would not allow him to be lying down while his young noble could still stand. Even if he was injured, as long as he had that bit of strength, he had to be at least seated!
Disregarding the obstruction from Li Xue, Ling Jian still pulled himself into a sitting position. Due to the extreme loss of blood, he could only use his arms to prop up his weak body. The whole time, he trembled nonstop, as he guiltily spoke, "Ling Jian has failed the expectations of young noble and even made you expose yourself to danger. I really feel extremely uncomfortable in my heart, may young noble please grant me punishment!"
Ling Tian indifferently stared at him as he used a hand to rub his own cheek, saying in a grave tone, "Forget about it, there's no need to mention this matter anymore. This time, I also came over to Bright Jade City to scout the deployment and trump cards of the Yu Family. However, I never expected you to have already created such a scene before I arrived there. While it seems like you overestimated your capabilities a little, this also allowed us to see the true strength of the Yu Family. I guess this counts as a sort of achievement, so we can nullify your punishment. However, there's something that I must berate you about!"
"Many thanks to young noble! May I know what is it regarding? Please explain further!" Ling Jian gratefully replied, a faint concern suffusing his expression as he continued, "Not sure how Ling Nineteen and the rest are faring now, I originally ordered them, that if they did not receive any news from me at 3 am, then they were to immediately retreat out of Bright Jade City."
"They'll be alright." Ling Tian drily replied, as he stepped forward and grasped hold of Ling Jian's shoulders. Sending a stream of internal energy in, he nodded with satisfaction upon seeing that Ling Jian's internal injuries had taken a turn for the better. He then continued, "I've already sent them a hidden signal, telling them to conceal themselves properly. I estimate that by tonight, they would come looking for us."
"That's good, luckily young noble had reached here in the nick of time, otherwise I wouldn't know what those kids would do." Upon hearing the reassurance, Ling Jian's taut nerves finally relaxed. With the aid from Ling Tian's energy, his body and spirit improved yet another notch.
"Ah'Jian, do you know what's the real reason that I want to rebuke you about?!" Ling Tian suddenly spoke.
"Young noble wants to blame Ling Jian for overestimating his own capabilities, jumping headfirst to spy on the dragon lair or tiger's den, right?" Ling Jian replied.
"No, how could I not understand your good intentions? You wish to pave the road for me in the future and to know your enemy, that's not a bad thing. However… have you thought about it? If your actions today result in the fact that you would never be at my side in the future, so what if I own all under the heavens? I wish to have all under the heavens to share with my brothers, with you, Ling Chen, Ling Chi, as well as all of our other fifty brothers! And not to end up the only one standing alone on a lonely peak, do you understand?!" Ling Tian's gaze grew gentler.
Unshed tears hung on Ling Jian's eyes as he choked, "The emotions of Young Noble have been deeply remembered by Ling Jian!"
"Just remembering it isn't enough. I want to you swear to me, that from today onward, no matter how dangerous of a situation you face, you are not allowed to give up so easily. Even if the chance comes for you to use your life to trade for Yu ManLou's, or anyone else's, you must not act rashly! Swear to me!" Ling Tian suddenly snapped.
"Yes!" Ling Jian also raised his voice in response, his body trembling.
Ling Tian now allowed Ling Jian to lie back down, for the few moves he had made had already caused his wounds to seep out blood once more.
"Look at this, your wounds have opened again! Why were you so emotional, you really don't know what it means to die! I already told you not to move, so why are you moving so much! All my efforts have gone to waste!" A voice with suppressed anger sounded. Other than suffering under Ling Tian's hands, Li Xue had never been at a disadvantage before, even when facing Justice. Looking at how Ling Jian was treating her like the air he was breathing in, she could not help but be incensed, and with her furrowed brows, she really looked quite fierce.
"This lady is…?" Ling Jian narrowed his eyes, a bright ray shooting through them as he eyed her intently. While he was heavily injured, and while he could feel that this lass had skills far surpassing him, Ling Tian was still the only one whom he would listen to. Other than him, while he would maintain the utmost respect, but even the monarch of a country wouldn't enter his eyes! Let alone this total stranger of a lass that was talking to him in such an impolite tone.
It was just that this lass was together with Ling Tian right now, and while he was unable to determine her identity, he did not dare to act rashly. However, his voice quickly became icy.
"What this lady, that lady?" Li Xue snorted, and her eyes grew large as she quickly thought, "You should call me Madam, or…" As she spoke, looking at Ling Jian's face, she was already cursing Ling Tian to the high heavens. Who said that he was someone of his own free will? One look at him and everyone would know that he only listened to Ling Tian himself, completely not placing others in his eyes! How was this different from the case of Jing WuMing, who was only loyal to ShangGuan JinHong? 1
However, Li Xue was not stupid. She immediately knew that if she wanted to pressure Ling Jian, unless she used the name of Ling Tian, she would not be able to do anything even with her martial skills. As such, she immediately termed herself as the Madam, believing that it would be of some use. However, she never expected that the moment she opened her mouth, Ling Tian at the back immediately face planted on the floor...
"You're the official wife of young noble?"
Ling Jian's next move however shocked Li Xue. Even after she had used this 'killing move', Ling Jian's expression remained unchanged, only that his gaze grew sharper and colder, even a bit of cold killing intent! As though he was treating her like his sworn enemy!
To think that she dared to name herself the official wife! Ling Jian was fuming inside his heart. Our lass Chen has already silently sacrificed herself for over a decade for the young noble, to the point that her presence was not even felt, just trying her best to live on for the young noble; even the little princess of the number one family, Yu BingYan was unable to shake Ling Chen's position, only lass Chen had the qualifications to be the wife of Ling Tian! A woman that had just appeared out of nowhere wants to be called Madam? Forcing Ling Chen below her? She was the one who did not know of death!
Ling Jian's care and concern towards Ling Chen was well known. In his heart, the only two people who had a place were his master Ling Tian, and the one he always viewed like his blood sister Ling Chen. At this point, seeing that Li Xue was actually threatening the position of Ling Chen, how would he treat her kindly?
Li Xue was incomparably depressed. What was up with this kid? The word Madam seemed to have given him quite a provocation, but that seemed to be the only course to take for her to obtain control over him. Could it be... Li Xue's eyes slowly grew larger and rounder as she turned to look at Ling Tian. A jade white hand immediately sprang out to cover her mouth as her eyes opened big, and she immediately swallowed the sentence she was about to spit out. Could you guys be…'comrades in bed'? Brokeback mountain?!!
Seeing Li Xue's expression, Ling Tian immediately guessed what Li Xue was thinking about, and could only laugh and smack her on the head in annoyance. "What are you thinking about? This time you're in trouble. No one has ever dared to claim to be my wife in front of Ling Jian. Your guts are really huge, this Ling Jian here is the famed First Pavilion Head, the number one assassin. Whoever he wants to kill will die without a doubt, he has never failed!"
"Could it be that you guys are… cut sleeves, and… shared peaches, 2 so it turns out you are now into such a thing." Li Xue's eyes were round in astonishment. Obviously, she did not place the fact of Ling Jian being the number one assassin in mind, but rather...