055 Gentle Ruthlessness (Second Update)

Yun Feiyue reined in her horse, gazing at the one-armed soldier. “Speak slowly. What happened?”

The soldier pointed toward the Nangong estate and spoke again, “The Nangong family set up an ambush—they must have known we would launch a night raid. Third Young Master is fighting in the chaos. Miss, you must leave quickly…”

At such a critical moment, telling her to flee was absurd. “Go and inform Grandfather to send reinforcements. I’ll find Third Brother.”

“M-Miss…” he called out, but Yun Feiyue was already galloping away, leaving him no choice.

The clash of weapons grew louder. In the darkness, the wind rushed past her ears as she urged her horse faster. Not far ahead, Yun Feng was fighting desperately.

He wielded the Verdant Spiral Sword, drenched in blood, surrounded by several martial artists of the seventh rank, all attacking at once, leaving him no room to maneuver.

“You Yun brats think the Nangong family is to be trifled with? Tonight, old man, I’ll cut you into mincemeat!”

The Nangong elders thrust their swords viciously at Yun Feng’s chest.

He parried swiftly, but there were simply too many enemies. Unable to break free, he took a blow to the arm.

At that moment, Yun Feiyue arrived. She raised her hand, lightly brushing the air; a surge of martial power radiated from her fingertips, and in an instant, flames erupted like a raging dragon, crashing into the enemy ranks.

Taking advantage of the inferno, she rode up to Yun Feng.

“Third Brother, get on!”

Yun Feng had no desire to continue fighting; he leapt onto Yun Feiyue’s horse, forcing out, “Yue’er, go!”

“Think you can escape? Not so easily!” With a shout, several Nangong experts surrounded them.

“Looks like we’ll have to use that,” Yun Feng murmured at Yun Feiyue’s ear. “I’ll hold them off—no matter what, you must escape.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Third Brother!” Yun Feiyue knew Yun Feng meant to break his own Yun Seal, but given his injuries, it would be dangerous.

“You keep your strength; leave the rest to me.” Yun Feiyue raised the blood-soaked Buddha Butterfly, gripping the Soul-Snaring Bell at her waist between her teeth.

Suddenly, flames roared like wild wolves, engulfing the surroundings. Yun Feiyue sprang into action—Buddha Butterfly stabbed toward the enemy, while the Soul-Snaring Bell emitted a soul-piercing chime.

All she needed was a second—just one second.

But before true experts, the bell’s effect was minimal. Even that fleeting moment drained her to the core.

She felt the Snowfield Eye within her trembling violently, interfering with her strength. As expected, something not truly her own would not obey. Suppressing the backlash, she thrust at her foe.

Blood spattered, mingled with agonized moans. Yun Feiyue channeled her energy, silently reciting an incantation to unseal the Yun Seal.

Just then, a faint fragrance wafted through the alley’s end. A man in dark lotus robes strolled forward—leisurely, yet with such a peculiar gait that in the blink of an eye, he stood before Yun Feiyue.

Mo Xiangqing turned, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. With a gentle wave of his broad sleeve, he said, “Leave, or die.”

The Nangong experts glanced at one another. They knew this man was formidable. Yet, given the situation, they could not let Yun Feiyue and Yun Feng escape.

“What? You refuse?” Mo Xiangqing raised his head, eyes soft but exuding a chilling aura.

“Attack!” the Nangong warriors finally decided.

Mo Xiangqing nodded. “Very well. Cleaning up means I won’t soil my clothes.” He was insufferably arrogant.

With a sweep of his sleeve, an immense force burst from him. His body seemed to contain endless, radiant power, unleashed in a single gesture.

“Mark of Death!” As he intoned the spell, a massive white sigil descended from the sky, crushing down upon them.

The overwhelming power pressed even Yun Feiyue in the distance, her body compressed as if by an invisible weight.

With each word of his incantation, the pressure intensified.

“In this world, only those who glimpse the divine arts are anything more than insignificant,” Mo Xiangqing said softly. As his words fell, the group of experts collapsed to their knees beneath the crushing force.

They all writhed in agony, resisting the unstoppable might.

“Who… who are you?” someone finally gasped from the ground.

“Mo—Xiang—qing.” He answered quietly, withdrawing his hand, and with a pinch of his fingers, snuffed out a life.

Blood and death seemed as commonplace to him as dust; his eyes held no compassion, no hesitation. How could someone be so gently ruthless?

Tch, just what kind of upbringing could produce such a warped character? Now she understood what it meant to kill without batting an eye.

The Mo family truly bred aberrations.

One by one, the Nangong men died, their despair dissolving them into pools of blood.

Only then did he turn, looking at Yun Feiyue, nodding courteously. “Miss Yun, greetings. We meet again.”

Yun Feiyue snapped back to herself, removing the Soul-Snaring Bell from her mouth and hanging it at her waist. “You’ve helped me again. I’m deeply grateful. By the way, you’re the second son Mo Feiyuan mentioned, aren’t you?”

Mo Xiangqing gave a faint smile. “Miss Yun, perhaps your attention would be better focused elsewhere. In the future, be cautious. If you walk on the wind’s edge, you must be prepared for scrutiny and persecution.”

Was this a lecture? If someone else had said such things, Yun Feiyue might have retorted, but facing Mo Xiangqing, she found herself unable. He was too gentle, yet too formidable…

“Who could persecute me? Even counting on my fingers, I’m not next in line. Besides, when I kept a low profile, I was schemed against just the same. So, position has nothing to do with it. You’re from the Mo family too, but you’ve treated me well. In fact, you’re the first Mo I’ve met. We must have some fate. You’ve saved me twice—what do you want in return? Don’t say you’re after my beauty and charm; we could always stroll beneath the moon together.” Mid-sentence, Yun Feiyue began to digress.

Mo Xiangqing’s gentle expression stiffened slightly as he stared at her for a long moment. The cold wind drifted by; their eyes met.

“Soul-Snaring Bell,” Mo Xiangqing finally said.

Yun Feiyue pursed her lips. “Pretend I didn’t ask.” There was no way she’d part with her master’s treasure.

“Then Mo Xiangqing desires nothing else.” He turned and walked away down the alley, pausing not an instant.

Damn, he’s impressive! Yun Feiyue marveled as she urged her horse into a wild gallop back to the Yun estate. With her strength alone, she could not destroy the Nangong family tonight. Her priority was to get Yun Feng home; the rest would be left to her grandfather’s army.

——End of chapter——

Ah, the second update~ Group hugs.