“Are you sure it’s this pharmacy?” Minister Yao asked from a hidden corner, constantly peering outside.
Old Ma felt guilty. Truthfully, he wasn’t certain the man would return to the same pharmacy, but under Minister Yao’s pressure, he could only insist.
“I’m sure.”
Time passed little by little.
Old Ma prayed silently in his heart. Then, from the corner of his eye, he spotted the tall figure of a man approaching.
Relief flooded through him.
“That’s him. He’s here.”
Minister Yao followed his gaze.
The moment he saw the man’s face, his eyes widened in shock and fury.
It was the very assassin the Heir Apparent had been hunting several months ago.
A sudden realization struck him.
Back then, Commander Lin had been searching for that assassin and, for some inexplicable reason, had nearly searched Yao Manor’s embroidery tower.
Minister Yao’s anger surged.
Could it be that this man had been hiding in his daughter’s embroidery tower at the time?
Had they already been involved with each other then?
Had they been secretly carrying on beneath his nose for half a year?
How had he raised such a shameless daughter?
Grinding his teeth, he barked,
“Capture that scoundrel at all costs!”
Even if his daughter had lost her chastity and could no longer marry the Heir Apparent, he could still present this man to him and earn favor.
Meanwhile, the moment Gong Yue stepped out of the pharmacy, he sensed something wrong.
His footsteps paused slightly.
Sharp eyes swept across the surroundings.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he entered a nearby shop and bought a packet of preserved fruits.
Slowly, deliberately, he led his pursuers toward a secluded forest.
Once there was no one else around, he tucked the preserved fruits into his robes, gripped his sword, and said coldly,
“Come out.”
Instantly, dozens of Yao Manor guards emerged from hiding.
Armed and armored, they surrounded him from all directions.
Minister Yao stepped forward from the center.
“You insolent bastard! Hand over my daughter immediately!”
To his surprise, Gong Yue lowered his sword and met the older man’s gaze calmly.
“If I return her to you, how will you treat her?”
Minister Yao snorted.
“How dare a criminal like you covet my daughter? Wei’er is beautiful and renowned throughout the capital. She should marry a prince or nobleman.”
Renown?
The reputation built upon imprisoning his daughter in an embroidery tower for years?
Such fame was worthless.
“The Heir Apparent is not a suitable husband,” Gong Yue said. “His character is poor. He frequents brothels and keeps many concubines.”
Minister Yao laughed mockingly.
“So what? What man isn’t fond of women?”
Gong Yue lowered his gaze.
He said no more.
“You don’t deserve to be called a Father.”
Blinded by ambition, utterly indifferent to his daughter’s happiness.
Minister Yao flew into a rage.
“Take him!”
The guards charged.
But Gong Yue’s sword moved first.
The blade flashed.
Sword qi burst forth with unstoppable force.
The harsh sounds of metal clashing echoed through the forest.
Though the Yao Manor guards greatly outnumbered him, Gong Yue alone possessed the momentum of an army.
Within moments, screams erupted one after another.
Blood splattered through the air.
Every guard Minister Yao had brought collapsed to the ground.
Terrified, Minister Yao fell backward onto the dirt.
His plump face had turned deathly pale.
Cold sweat drenched his body.
This man…
This man was terrifying.
The blood-stained sword pointed directly at his chest.
Gong Yue’s eyes were dark and cold.
“Wei’er and I are already married. Do not come looking for us again.”
“She does not wish to return, and I will not send her back.”
No matter how despicable Minister Yao was, he was still Wei’er’s Father.
Gong Yue only intended to frighten him.
He had no desire to kill him.
His purpose achieved, he sheathed his sword and departed.
Even after defeating dozens of men, not a corner of his clothing was disordered.
…
“Host, run!”
Every sound lodged in An Jin’s throat.
Breathing became difficult.
Her eyes grew wet.
Run?
How?
Not only was her body weak from illness, she could barely manage a few steps.
The masked man appeared relaxed, but he was blocking the only exit.
As though amused, the Ghost-faced man slowly traced the jade flute from her chin down to her neck.
“Gong Yue wants to leave Fengyu Tower.”
“The Tower Master is very displeased.”
The flute was cold.
Where it touched her skin, goosebumps rose.
Then he leaned close and whispered into her ear.
“So he sent me… to kill you.”
An Jin shuddered.
She lifted her face slightly.
Moisture glimmered in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to cry.
Unfortunately, that expression only made her more tempting to destroy.
The Ghost-faced man stared at her as if entranced.
His gaze became hazy.
“Actually, I’ve changed my mind.”
“A beauty like you would be wasted if I killed you immediately.”
“How about I enjoy you first?”
The jade flute slipped beneath her collar.
Then lifted.
A large expanse of snowy skin was exposed.
“No!”
Covering her chest, An Jin bit her pale lips.
Yet sobs still escaped through clenched teeth.
She could accept Gong Yue because she loved him and because their feelings were mutual.
But another man?
She couldn’t.
Not at all.
[System, can you help me?]
The system remained silent.
Despair swallowed her.
Just as she was on the verge of breaking, the system suddenly spoke.
[Gong Yue is almost back.]
[I can freeze him for three seconds. Only three seconds. Run.]
[Now! Go!]
The system’s voice was urgent.
An Jin held her breath.
Her mind went blank.
Using every ounce of strength she possessed, she shoved the man away and sprinted for the door.
She didn’t even have time to put on shoes.
Three seconds vanished in an instant.
The moment she burst outside, she heard furious cursing behind her.
“Damn it!”
An Jin didn’t dare look back.
Suppressing her terror, she ran blindly forward.
Then—
A man emerged from the forest mist.
Moisture clung to his hair.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead, illuminating the sharp, commanding lines of his face.
Through tear-blurred vision, she looked at him.
Just like the first time they met.
Unable to contain her fear any longer, tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Yue’er.”
The broken cry sounded like the whimper of a wounded animal.
It carried all her fear and helplessness.
The expressionless mask on Gong Yue’s face shattered instantly.
Without hesitation, he leapt forward and swept her into his arms.
Wrapped in his warmth, An Jin clutched his clothing tightly.
Her entire body trembled.
Frowning, Gong Yue was about to ask what had happened when he spotted the man stepping out of the cabin.
His expression changed immediately.
A chilling aura spread from him.
One arm held his beloved.
The other gripped his sword.
His face was cold and emotionless.
“Why are you here?”
The Ghost-faced man smiled.
“The Tower Master merely wanted me to see what kind of extraordinary woman could make you so determined to leave Fengyu Tower.”
He held his flute behind his back.
Looking at the young woman hiding in Gong Yue’s embrace like a frightened rabbit, his face darkened.
He had waited days for an opportunity.
Not only had he failed to complete the mission, he hadn’t even managed to take advantage of her.
Beauty truly clouded the mind.
Feeling that venomous gaze on her, An Jin shivered again.
But with Gong Yue here, she was no longer afraid.
Pointing at the masked man, she immediately complained,
“That’s not true!”
“Yue’er, while I was asleep, he tried to pull open my clothes!”
“When I woke up, he even tried to kill me!”
Gong Yue’s arm tightened around her.
His eyes turned icy.
“I intended to leave Fengyu Tower long before this. It has nothing to do with her.”
“You should never have involved her.”
The moment the words fell, he attacked.
That sword strike resembled collapsing mountains.
It carried endless killing intent.
The Ghost-faced man’s expression changed drastically.
He hurriedly raised his flute to block.
Forced backward several steps, he barely managed to stop the attack.
Dropping to one knee, he coughed up blood.
A sinister light flashed through his eyes.
He lifted the flute to his lips.
A mournful melody drifted through the forest.
Beautiful.
Deadly.
“Ah!”
An Jin felt the sound drilling directly into her mind.
Her nerves screamed.
Pain stabbed into her ears.
She quickly covered them.
The swordsman moved like lightning.
In a single leap, he appeared beside the Ghost-faced man.
One strike knocked the flute from his hands.
The next pierced directly through his left arm.
“You came under orders. I won’t kill you.”
“I’ll take one arm as a warning.”
“Tell the Tower Master this.”
“My decision is final.”
“If anyone from Fengyu Tower dares harm my wife again, I will kill them.”
Murderous intent blazed openly in Gong Yue’s eyes.
The Ghost-faced man screamed miserably, clutching his ruined arm.
Hatred burned in his gaze.
The world’s greatest swordsman truly deserved his reputation.
As Fengyu Tower’s second-ranked assassin, his flute had killed countless people.
Yet he couldn’t do a thing against Gong Yue.
Unfortunately, that very strength made the Tower unable to tolerate his independence.
He might be powerful.
But could he withstand the pursuit of the entire martial world?
The Ghost-faced man suddenly laughed.
A vicious smile.
“Gong Yue, opposing Fengyu Tower will not end well.”
“Especially now that you possess such an obvious weakness.”
The moment he finished speaking, he snatched up his flute.
Afraid of retaliation, he immediately fled.
In an instant, he vanished into the forest.
Gong Yue paid no attention to his threat.
Carrying An Jin back into the cabin, he settled her on the bed.
In her panic, she had run out barefoot.
Her feet were now dirty and covered with debris.
Kneeling beside the bed, he placed one of her feet on his knee.
Holding her ankle gently, he carefully wiped it clean with a cloth.
“I’m sorry.”
“I shouldn’t have left you here alone.”
His eyes remained lowered.
An Jin couldn’t see his expression.
But instinctively, she knew he felt terrible.
Perhaps guilty.
She lightly kicked her foot.
Softly, she said,
“Yue’er, you arrived just in time.”
“I wasn’t hurt.”
“You saved me again.”
Yet this danger had come because of him.
Gong Yue’s expression darkened.
Intense emotions flickered in his eyes before fading once more.
After cleaning her feet, he slipped fresh socks onto them.
Then he rose.
The medicine simmering on the stove had finished brewing.
He carried the bowl over.
“The physician said two more days of medicine should cure you completely.”
Knowing his mood was poor, An Jin didn’t complain.
Obediently, she drank every drop.
Seeing her unusually cooperative behavior, the tension between his brows eased.
Reaching into his robes, he produced a packet.
“Here.”
“It won’t taste so bitter after this.”
An Jin’s eyes lit up.
The fright from earlier finally faded.
With everything that had happened, she had completely forgotten about the preserved fruits.
“Thank you, Yue’er.”
“Mm.”
As she sat on the bed eating the sweet preserved fruits to wash away the bitterness, she noticed Gong Yue packing their few belongings.
“Yue’er, are we leaving?”
Looking at the young woman on the bed, he didn’t hide the truth.
“Yes.”
“This place has been discovered.”
“It’s no longer safe.”
No one understood Fengyu Tower’s methods better than he did.
They would send assassin after assassin.
If he were alone, he feared nothing.
But now he had a wife.
He could not gamble.
Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of failure was too much.
An Jin felt a faint sadness.
They hadn’t lived here long.
Yet this had been the first place she stayed after escaping the embroidery tower.
The place where they had married.
“Then where will we go?”
Gong Yue gazed toward the distant horizon.
A loneliness impossible to describe lingered around him.
After a long silence, he finally answered.
“I don’t know.”
Uncertainty flashed across An Jin’s face.
Then determination replaced it.
Taking his hand, she looked at him with warm, unwavering eyes.
All the grand vows of eternal devotion sounded too cliché.
So she simply said:
“Yue’er, wherever you go, I’ll follow you.”
The world was vast.
Surely there would be a place for them.