Chapter 142: A Mysterious Reversal

The rain continued to fall heavily. Before long, the burning houses and haystacks in Qin City were brought under control; the fire, unable to withstand the intensity of the downpour, slowly flickered out.

Xue Xue stopped her movements and stood by the Qin River. The drizzle and the wind blowing along the banks made her clothes rustle. As she ceased, the vortex in the river gradually calmed, and the small stones trapped within it sank into the deepest part of the riverbed, vanishing without a trace, as if the whirlpool had been nothing more than an illusion.

She looked up, rain landing on her face, soaking the white silk band covering her eyes.

"So it really was you." A voice, certain and tinged with an alluring, bewitching quality, reached her. Zuoqiu Liye had arrived at the Qin River first, standing on the opposite bank, watching the woman across the water.

Even he did not know why he was in such a hurry. Was it because of her extraordinary abilities, or simply to see this person named Xue Xue?

She stood right before him, close enough that it would not be an exaggeration to say they were within reach. Yet, it was a case of seeing but not being able to touch. Her verdant green robes and clean features seemed entirely out of place in the dark of night.

Hearing him, Xue Xue tilted her head. She was not surprised by Zuoqiu Liye’s appearance; it was likely that the commotion she had just caused had drawn him here.

"Greetings, Lord Wu. It has been quite a while," she said calmly, devoid of panic or astonishment. "Your performance today was quite brilliant, Lord Wu, though I am afraid you chose the wrong time for it."

"Why say such things, Little Xue? Simply being able to draw you out means I have already gained the upper hand," Zuoqiu Liye replied nonchalantly. He reached out to touch the fine rain in the air, a charming smile curling his lips, like a seductive flower blooming in the night.

Gradually, the forces from the Wu Kingdom gathered along the banks of the Qin River. Elder Yue looked at the now-calm river and the thin, silken rain. Stars still twinkled in the dark sky, and the downpour was slowly tapering off.

"I thought Lord Wu was being rather childish," she remarked. She had almost forgotten that Zuoqiu Liye was the type of person who acted entirely on his own whims.

"In my eyes, Little Xue, you are worth it." His words were ambiguous, his gaze locked onto her.

Xue Xue could not be bothered to entertain him and turned to leave. Suddenly, a warm cloak was draped over her, covering her head. Someone stood beside her, his arm naturally wrapping around her waist, shielding her from the wind and rain.

Qing He, who had been guarding her, stepped back and bowed respectfully to the newcomer.

"The wind is strong by the river, and you didn't wear enough," he said, holding her waist, his tall frame enveloping her in his scent.

"Why are you here?" She shook her head, thinking of Zuoqiu Liye on the other side of the river, and felt a sense of foreboding.

"You are here; how could I not come?" He gently removed the damp white silk from her eyes and replaced it with his own black silk hair ribbon.

Zuoqiu Liye watched their intimacy, their effortless closeness. She was rarely this docile around anyone but Ji Wuqing; toward him, she was always cold and guarded.

"It seems King Ji is quite the strategist—not only winning the person but also the talent," he said, his eyes narrowing. He could not stand the way they acted together. "I suppose King Ji knew of the talents Little Xue possessed long ago?"

"Are you questioning me?" Ji Wuqing gave him a cold look. "What you are experiencing is likely the frustration of desire unfulfilled. Furthermore, Xue is my wife; even if I were to rely on her, it would be my prerogative."

*Cough, cough...* Rely on her?

Xue Xue let out a soft laugh; the phrase sounded incredibly strange coming from his mouth.

"What are you laughing at?" Ji Wuqing pinched her cheek. "Do my heartfelt words strike you as funny? Or does Xue truly believe I am the type to live off his wife?"

"I dare not," Xue Xue said, waving her hands, though the smile on her lips remained. "It is just that those words do not suit you at all."

"Exactly. So, don't give me the chance to do so, Xue," he said, pinching her cheek earnestly.

"I only wanted to help you, and I happened to have the ability. Isn't that a perfect match?" She knew he wanted to protect her and keep her from revealing her supernatural arts. But protection was reciprocal; he shielded her, so she would shield his kingdom for him.

"You two are truly a devoted couple. But now that the Wu Kingdom’s troops have broken through your city gates, is it really wise for King Ji to choose the beauty over the empire?" Zuoqiu Liye sneered, his hands involuntarily clenching into fists. Watching them flirt as if no one else were around was an unpleasant feeling.

"Is that so?" Ji Wuqing raised an eyebrow. "Lord Wu might want to turn around and see the state of his own military camp." A malicious curve touched his lips; his scheme had clearly succeeded.

Suddenly, a sound came from not far away. A commander stationed at the camp rushed over, shouting, "Disaster, my Lord! The Ji Kingdom’s troops have launched a fierce, sudden attack! Our men cannot hold them back!"

"What is happening?" Elder Yue asked, a look of shock crossing his face.

"My Lord, we do not know! Our camp was suddenly breached. The Ji forces are relentless and are already heading this way. We must retreat, or it will be too late!" The man looked frantic, having completely lost his composure as a commander.

"My Lord, I fear this is the work of Dan Ying and the others..." Elder Yue realized immediately.

"Ji Wuqing!" Zuoqiu Liye looked across the river. He suddenly leaped into the air, crossing the wide expanse of water, his target clearly Ji Wuqing.

His hands seemed to condense a strange energy, like burning flames emitting a faint red glow. "Ji Wuqing, your schemes are truly something else!"

Ji Wuqing stood his ground and raised his hand, taking the palm strike head-on. Xue Xue felt the astonishing pressure between them; that strike radiated a bizarre energy. Standing beside Ji Wuqing, the strange aura generated by their clash made her frown.

It was truly strange...

However, before she could examine it further, Ji Wuqing released her waist, and Qing He stepped forward to lead her away from the danger.

"Attacking so suddenly will not gain you any advantage," Ji Wuqing said with a slight smile. Compared to Zuoqiu Liye’s frantic rage, he remained remarkably calm.

What had happened? To make the usually cunning Zuoqiu Liye reveal such fury—it must have been something truly significant.

"Is that so? I’d like to see you try!" Zuoqiu Liye gave a wicked smile, his lips curving into a bloodthirsty arc.

Suddenly, it was as if the wind and clouds were surging. The rain had stopped, but the wind continued to howl. The waters of the Qin River lashed against the banks, cold and merciless.

The pressure from their duel made everyone present shrink back. It was rare indeed to witness a battle between the monarchs of two kingdoms.

"Qing He, how does the fight look? Does the King have the upper hand?" Xue Xue asked, feeling a surge of worry. It was not that she lacked confidence in Ji Wuqing, but his shoulder wound had not fully healed, and such a fight could be detrimental to him.

"Do not worry, My Lady. Though they seem evenly matched, the King will certainly win," Qing He replied quickly, watching their movements. Neither was an ordinary opponent.

Xue Xue fell silent. What on earth had happened to make Zuoqiu Liye so enraged?

"Ji Wuqing, if you die today, will Little Xue be heartbroken and devastated?" Zuoqiu Liye asked, his voice laced with malice and cunning, despite his fury.

"Rest assured, I will not let such a thing happen. As for you, I fear there is no one who will ever treat you the way Xue treats me." Ji Wuqing did not yield, his voice filled with uncontrollable tenderness and doting as he spoke of her.

"Humph, let’s see how long you can be arrogant," Zuoqiu Liye’s expression changed when he mentioned Xue Xue. Perhaps even he did not realize why she had such an immense influence over him.

Ji Wuqing’s eyes narrowed, his deep gaze unfathomable.

He would never let anyone who coveted his Xue go easily.

Their fight grew increasingly intense. One wielded a folding fan, the other threw hidden weapons; every strike and maneuver was lethal.

From the south of the Qin River, Gongshen Ling'er flew over, dressed in purple, followed by members of the Dark Pavilion. She held her black jade flute, her long ink-colored hair slightly disheveled, though her cold, beautiful eyes betrayed no panic.

"Young Mistress, you are finally here..." Elder Yue breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her.

"What is going on with the Lord? Our camp has been breached; what was he thinking?" The situation was beyond repair; the Wu Kingdom had suffered a total defeat in this battle.

"This time, we have indeed suffered a crushing defeat," Elder Yue sighed. "But there is still a chance to turn the tide, though I fear the Lord will find it hard to swallow this defeat..."

Hearing this, Gongshen Ling'er looked toward the two men fighting.

Suddenly, her eyes tightened as she focused on Zuoqiu Liye’s hand gestures. That was the technique of the Blood-Thirst Art. Could he be planning to...

"My Lord, no!" Once the Blood-Thirst Art was used, it would inevitably lead to bloodshed.

Xue Xue heard Gongshen Ling'er’s voice and her heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition rising within her.

However, Ji Wuqing struck Zuoqiu Liye in the chest, and the duel momentarily paused.

In a shocking reversal, Zuoqiu Liye was struck by Ji Wuqing, a stream of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. The crimson stain looked like the petals of a vibrant peony—frighteningly red and ghostly.

"My new technique, my Lord—do you find it worthy of your eyes?" Ji Wuqing looked at his palm, his smile unceasing.

"Ji Wuqing!" Suddenly, a black flute flew through the air, aimed directly at his temple.

Ji Wuqing reacted instantly, flicking his folding fan gently. "Return to sender." The black flute spun through the air toward Gongshen Ling'er with such immense internal power that it was not something an ordinary person could catch.

"Young Mistress, watch out!" Elder Yue quickly pushed her aside and used his wide cloud-patterned sleeve to intercept the flute, successfully catching it within the fabric.

"Hmph..." Ji Wuqing snorted at the scene.

"Are you alright?" Gongshen Ling'er asked, looking at Elder Yue.

"Young Mistress, let us leave this place."