Chapter 69: Now That I'm Here, I Have to Take Something
"No matter how you look at it, the source of your fear ultimately stems from Ji Wuye."
Qin Xuan gazed at the most conspicuous General's Mansion in Xinzheng City, a dark, fortress-like structure that seemed to suck the light from the setting sun. A playful smile suddenly appeared on his face.
"Just now, when Bai Feng was about to lose control, you probably wanted to make a bet with him. A gamble to see if you could save the white bird without harming the falcon, thereby diverting Bai Feng's attention, right?"
"How about we make a bet too?"
Upon hearing this, Mo Ya immediately had a bad premonition. His hand instinctively tightened on his arm. 'Could it be... Bai Feng?'
Qin Xuan seemed to read his mind and said calmly, "Don't worry, I'm not interested in the fledgling beside you. Let's bet on whether I can eliminate the fear in your heart. The source of it."
"If I win, you come with me and serve me from now on."
"And if you lose, sir?" Mo Ya breathed a sigh of relief, though his voice was still tense.
"Then you can continue to be Ji Wuye's falcons." Red light surged from Qin Xuan's right hand, and to Mo Ya and Bai Feng's astonished gazes, a golden longsword flew out from his palm.
He leaped onto it.
"Who is the owner of the Sparrow Pavilion today?"
"It seems to be a woman named Nong Yu," Mo Ya hesitated for a moment before replying.
'It seems today is the day of 'Empty Mountain Birdsong,'' Qin Xuan sighed inwardly, saying nothing more. He stepped on the flying sword, which pulsed with a light that was not of this world, and headed straight for Xinzheng City.
He disappeared into the afterglow of the setting sun shortly after, a streak of gold against the crimson sky.
Once Qin Xuan left, the jungle became quiet again. Too quiet.
Bai Feng crossed his arms, his white hair ruffled by the wind, his voice sharp with anger. "Don't you know that Ji Wuye is a man who can't tolerate any sand in his eyes? You just gave him a name!"
At this time, he had not yet been taken by Mo Ya to meet Nong Yu.
But he knew Ji Wuye's cruelty. Once the matter of Mo Ya revealing the Sparrow Pavilion owner's name reached Ji Wuye's ears today, even if it was a trivial matter, Ji Wuye would not let Mo Ya off.
Mo Ya, however, was unconcerned. He looked in the direction of the Sparrow Pavilion, the tallest building in the General's Mansion, and said with a playful, fatalistic smile, "Do you think Ji Wuye can survive today?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the originally magnificent Sparrow Pavilion, visible even from this distance, burst into a raging fire. A column of flame and smoke erupted, and it quickly began to spread to the entire General's Mansion.
The intense flames illuminated the night sky of the entire Xinzheng City.
Flames soared into the sky, almost burning through the entire building. Shouts of panic and the clash of armor echoed from the courtyards below, but the fire was unnaturally fast, unnaturally hot.
But the woman inside the Sparrow Pavilion, in the very heart of the inferno, had eyes as calm as autumn water. She was still maintaining the posture of playing the zither, though the strings had long since snapped from the heat.
Until footsteps came from behind her.
"All the servants in the entire Sparrow Pavilion have left. Why haven't you?"
Qin Xuan touched the jade crown on his head. Jingni had prepared it for him, for convenience when traveling to her world. Although it was handsome, wearing something on his head was really uncomfortable.
The woman elegantly stood up. The firelight danced on her green robes. "Some people's fate is decided from the very beginning. My fate lies here."
[System Profile: Nong Yu, 17 years old, only daughter of Li Kai, former Right Sima of Han, and Madam Hu of Baiyue Fire Rain Villa. Spirit Power: Level 25 (internal cultivation converted to spirit power). Spirit: Zither (unawakened). Talent: A+. Favorability: 55 (Curious)]
Qin Xuan glanced at Nong Yu's system panel and said, "You are very brave, but also very foolish."
"Perhaps." Nong Yu slowly turned around. She seemed a little amazed by the newcomer's appearance, pausing for a moment. He had walked through a wall of fire, yet his robes were untouched, his aura serene. Her star-like eyes, calm as autumn water, rippled slightly.
From the moment she entered the Sparrow Pavilion, she had prepared for the failure of her assassination attempt on Ji Wuye. She had even prepared poison in advance to end her own life.
Because she knew that this was destined to be an impossible mission.
Until the Sparrow Pavilion caught fire. She knew that today would be Ji Wuye's doomsday. This mysterious man was the source.
Death, for a woman like her living in a chaotic world, might be a liberation.
"Whether your goal is achieved or not depends on me, not on you." Qin Xuan's voice was calm, but it cut through her acceptance of death. "Now, Ji Wuye's life and death are in my hands. And the lives and deaths of those companions who sent you, a weak woman, to assassinate Ji Wuye... they are also in my hands."
Upon hearing this, Nong Yu, who had been prepared to embrace death with equanimity, finally panicked. Her face paled. "This matter was my voluntary choice! It has nothing to do with them!"
'They' naturally referred to Wei Zhuang, Zi Nu, and Princess Hong Lian. As for Han Fei, he had already gone to Qin, and was probably long gone by now.
Qin Xuan did not answer directly but threw out a golden card. "I said, the choice is mine, not yours. You can understand this card as some kind of ancient contract. One person has already signed it before you."
His mind flickered to Jingni. "Although her fate has since been in my hands, she is living very well and very happily now."
This was the same card from when he recruited Jingni. After the recruitment was successful, the character image representing Jingni had disappeared from it, but the card remained.
Although he could no longer use it to travel, Qin Xuan wanted to try if he could get other people to sign a contract.
If it worked, it would be a huge gain. He could use this to subdue subordinates without worrying about betrayal. Of course, there were some limitations; the contracting party had to sign voluntarily.
"What do you want me to do?" Nong Yu caught the card. It was warm to the touch.
"I don't know if a second signing is possible, but what you need to do is drip a drop of your blood onto it."
"If the contract is successful, from now on, you will be my personal maid. As for failure, I don't know what will happen. But in return, Ji Wuye will die, and your companions will live."
Qin Xuan said this with some deliberate exaggeration.
In reality, he had no intention of harming Wei Zhuang or the others. And Ji Wuye, even without Mo Ya and Nong Yu, he was prepared to kill him.
Who told that guy to be so annoying in his previous life?
And Nong Yu... since he was already here, he might as well take something with him. He had seen her 'A+' talent. He just happened to be in need of a warming maid.
"Is it true?" Nong Yu bit her red lips tightly, confirming again and again. "As long as I become your personal maid, my companions will be safe?"
Compared to Ji Wuye, she was more concerned about the safety of her companions.
Qin Xuan slowly nodded.
Upon receiving Qin Xuan's confirmation, Nong Yu bit her fingertip without hesitation. A drop of blood fell onto the card.
A similar situation occurred again. In the unseen, a connection was established between the two, just like when Jingni signed the contract last time. It seemed that if Nong Yu made any move to betray Qin Xuan, he could subdue her.
Qin Xuan retrieved the card and smiled, "Congratulations, you have made the right choice."
"I hope you keep your word, sir," Nong Yu used a respectful address, her fate no longer her own.
"Of course. Bring Ji Wuye in," Qin Xuan said with a smile.
As he spoke, to Nong Yu's shocked gaze, a man identical in appearance and clothing to Qin Xuan walked through the wall of fire. He was holding Ji Wuye's battle saber and carrying his corpse, which he unceremoniously dropped at Nong Yu's feet.
At the same time, Mo Ya and Bai Feng also entered, their faces pale with awe and fear.
"It seems you have made your choice," the other 'Qin Xuan' transformed into a golden flame-like energy and merged into Qin Xuan's body.
Qin Xuan said to Mo Ya and Bai Feng with his back turned, "He is dead. Your fear is gone. Now, what is your answer?"
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