Chapter 12#

The green-robed boy looked at him solemnly for a while, then suddenly laughed out loud, like spring returning to the earth: “I have also been concerned about you, Young Master. I wonder if that beautiful night was ecstatic. But… seeing your face full of satisfaction, I know that since that night, favors have been constant, and marital happiness has been enjoyed…”

Hua Jinian didn’t seem too angry. At this moment, between these two young men of similar age who had just reached adulthood, any conversation with smiles and laughter, no matter how elegant and warm the content, hid sharp blades and surging undercurrents. Under the smiling faces, blades were hidden. Whoever got angry first, the other side would definitely draw their sword.

Strangely, Hua Jinian wasn’t too angry. Or perhaps one should sigh… such a deep and painful humiliation was deep and painful enough to make a boy with a childlike heart grow up overnight, becoming as worldly and smooth as a gray-haired old man.

He smiled and said to the green-robed boy: “Thank you for your concern… Every time we meet, you are doing some sneaky things. A gentleman is not afraid of others insulting him, but afraid of insulting himself. Young Master has self-knowledge, which makes me feel inferior. Could it be that your return this time is because you miss Hall Master Wu’s benefits day and night? That’s right, the ‘great gifts’ Hall Master Wu presented to the Fortress Master, which one hasn’t been trained by him? Even missing him is human nature.” Hua Jinian paused here, his smile becoming more and more warm, and said softly: “Since this is the case, I am willing to be the matchmaker, to connect the mandarin duck register, so that Young Master can continue the predestined relationship and share the rain and dew with Hall Master Wu’s concubines. You don’t need to be shy. Confucius said, food and sex are human nature—”

There seemed to be anger in the green-robed boy’s eyes, but it flashed and disappeared. He smiled and replied: “The Book of Songs says, a gentleman makes a good match.” He looked at the slight surprise in Hua Jinian’s eyes and continued: “I heard that there are dozens of brothels large and small under Futu Fortress, with hundreds of strong men. Presumably, Young Master has become a frequent visitor, that’s why every sentence is about romance.”

Qiuyi listened beside them until her face was red and ears were hot, and finally shouted sternly: “You two—”

Before she could finish this sentence, the two flew up almost at the same time. A sharp sound came from the green-robed boy’s sleeve. His wrist straightened and reversed, then wound back to his chest from under his armpit like a spirit snake. Double knives were already held between his hands. The blades were of the same size, thin as cicada wings, reflecting the deep green color in the woods, like a touch of grass color in the misty rain.

The boy leaped about a zhang high, kicked hard on the giant tree behind him with both feet, and attacked Hua Jinian like an eagle pouncing on a rabbit. Hua Jinian spread his wide sleeves in mid-air, his eyes black as lacquer. Set against his picturesque appearance, in this forest mountainside with ancient trees crisscrossing and vines entangled, he was elegant enough to make one’s breath stop.

The precious knife flowed with brilliance, illuminating Hua Jinian’s somewhat handsome face in an instant. Seeing Hua Jinian’s eyes illuminated by the knife light below, Qiuyi impulsively attacked Hua Jinian with a move of Water Sleeve Flowing Clouds. Hua Jinian’s face was as calm as lake water, a slight smile still on his water-red lips. His wide sleeves were blown open by the forest wind, and his figure slowly glided backward. The scenery retreated, and he was as elegant as strolling in a courtyard. He always kept a distance of three feet from that knife and sleeve, unable to shorten it by half a point.

In this instant, the superior and inferior were distinguished. Cold sweat had already appeared on the green-robed boy’s temples, wetting his ink-dyed hair. He couldn’t retract his move, so he could only urge his true qi repeatedly. Seeing the knife tip finally getting closer to Hua Jinian’s white sleeve, before he had time to breathe, Hua Jinian suddenly let out a clear whistle. His upper body leaned back with incredible flexibility, his lower body did a split. He drew the silver flute from his waist with a backhand, and slashed towards the green-robed boy’s chest following the inertia of leaning back.

Only a tearing sound was heard, followed by the boy’s suppressed groan. The figures crossed and separated. Hua Jinian held the silver flute lightly in his hand, almost like holding a flower. Unknown when, a section of light purple blade popped out from the end of the silver flute, with a few drops of blood congealed like beads on it.

Hua Jinian smiled and said: “Coming again?”

The green-robed boy covered his chest with one hand and held the knife with the other, smiling bitterly: “Can I say no?” Under his palm, blood gushed out, staining a large piece of his clothes in an instant.

Hua Jinian lowered his eyes slightly and whispered: “An eye for an eye. You will be the first person I kill.” As he spoke, he held the silver flute vertically, blade facing outward, gripping the flute tail tightly, his eyes flowing with the two-colored tassels decorating the flute tail. At this time, Qiuyi stared closely at Hua Jinian’s face with a flickering expression. Suddenly she took out a bamboo whistle from her sleeve, put it in her vermilion lips and blew. The whistle made a clear and long sound.

In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the sound of dense wings flapping came from the mountains and forests. Hua Jinian’s face finally changed. He looked up and found that the green sky in the mountain was covered by black shadows. Looking closely, he discovered that the dark shadows were composed of sparrows. It was uncountable whether there were thousands or tens of thousands. Maybe they were birds on this peak, or maybe all the birds on this mountain range. At this moment, they flapped their wings simultaneously, poised to pounce down.

Qiuyi looked at Hua Jinian, gritted her teeth and forced a smile: “Do you really think birds don’t eat meat? As long as I give an order now, they can bite you into a skeleton.”

Hua Jinian silently looked at the girl’s painful and angry eyes, suddenly smiled gently at her, pulled out that piece of green and heavy jade from his collar, and said warmly: “Didn’t you give me this?”

Qiuyi smiled sadly: “Do you think this jade can ward off birds? Wrong… I gave you this because the fragrance on it attracts my birds. It would be more convenient for me to find you in the future… Don’t plan to throw this thing away. As soon as your hand moves, my whistle will sound. Do you think you throw faster, or the birds pounce faster?”

Hua Jinian smiled calmly at her: “Jade protects peace. In any case, you always hoped for my safety at that time.” As he spoke, he stared at the green-robed boy’s face, which was already pale as paper, and sneered: “Although I deceived you, didn’t you also deceive me? This person insulted me so deeply. Even if we perish together, I only feel happy in my heart.”

As he spoke, he reached out and stuffed the jade back into his collar. Stared at by his grim eyes, Qiuyi actually dared not move for a moment. Until Hua Jinian put the silver flute horizontally to his lips, she seemed to suddenly realize and blew the bamboo whistle. Almost at the same time, a desolate flute sound came out sobbing, mixed with strands of true qi permeating the woods. Tree shadows danced, dreams and souls broken.

The green-robed boy looked up and saw the birds all over the sky blocked by this flute sound. Suppressing the internal force backlash from hearing the flute tune, he laughed low: “I never thought this ‘Song of Leaving the Branch’ had such a wonderful use. ‘Flowers live on the tree, die leaving the branch; birds are happy in the forest, sad leaving the flock.’ Young Master, do you want to use this song to persuade the flock of birds to return to their nests?”

Hua Jinian couldn’t answer. His forehead was covered with cold sweat due to the rapid loss of internal force. The tune suddenly rose, then rose again, like a flowing spring on a dangerous peak, a pine tree on a precipice, then rushing down a thousand miles, turning around, and seeing a solitary peak of a hundred feet—Just at this time, the shrill bamboo whistle sounded again, continuous and endless, gradually covering the flute sound.

Hua Jinian’s body trembled a few times, and a trace of thin blood slowly oozed from the corner of his mouth. Seeing the birds flapping their wings like locusts, rushing down densely from the sky, his eyes rolled, and he suddenly laughed loudly a few times. He rushed forward a few steps and tackled the green-robed boy. The two rolled a few times on the ground, dust flying. Qiuyi was greatly shocked and quickly dropped the bamboo whistle in her mouth. Winning this blink of respite, the two boys began to wrestle, using a set of small grappling hands, fists and feet coming and going, displaying vividly in this square inch.

The green-robed boy’s wound was pressed by Hua Jinian. He was still sneering and coughing blood: “Qiuyi, ignore me. Why are you stopping—I told you to blow the bamboo whistle—” As he spoke, he punched hard and finally knocked Hua Jinian off his body. Then he followed up with a move of muscle-splitting and bone-dislocating hand. Hua Jinian kicked quickly with both feet, supported himself on the ground with his right palm, did a somersault backward, still holding a lock of the boy’s long hair in his hand. He pulled hard and dragged him to the ground again.

Qiuyi watched several rounds from the side, sweating profusely, but couldn’t intervene at all. She only saw drops of blood constantly dripping on the ground, black hair flying, blue and white clothes intertwining and rolling. Her body swayed a few times, tears about to fall from her eyes. She knelt on the ground and whimpered.

The green-robed boy was stepped on the ground and took several punches in a row without making a sound. Only a layer of dark red floated on his dark eyes. Qiuyi suddenly screamed: “Young Master Ruan—Don’t!” The green-robed boy didn’t listen to a word. A wisp of blood light was seen slowly wandering along the veins on the boy’s fair skin. Before Hua Jinian had time to be surprised, he felt a huge force coming like a monstrous wave, pushing him away fiercely for several zhang, and then he fell awkwardly into the dust, splashing a ground of green leaves.

A vortex slowly appeared under the green-robed boy’s feet. The air was pushed to rotate by huge internal force. His feet were supported in mid-air about three feet from the ground by this qi force. His long black hair was blown high by the strong wind. Dark red blood light flowed in his eyes. A wisp of blood color moved at his fingertips. The boy reached out and pointed urgently. Hua Jinian watched dumbfounded as that wisp of blood light flew towards him. Subconsciously, he closed his eyes tightly and crossed his arms to protect his face.

After a loud noise, Hua Jinian didn’t feel any pain. He opened his eyes hesitantly and saw a tall figure standing in front of him, blocking the attack with just one hand. The person’s originally wide sleeves were tightly tied into black wrist guards. Red robe and black belt. A few strands of hair were combed to the back of his head, mostly scattered on his shoulders, fluttering wildly with the wind. Under the great shock, Hua Jinian cried out involuntarily: “Father!”

Following this shout, the man turned around expressionlessly and half-carried Hua Jinian up from the ground. This action made the originally noisy and chaotic scene quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Hua Jinian stayed for a long time before murmuring: “Father.” In front of him, the green-robed boy had landed back on the flat ground. His long black hair hung quietly on his shoulders, and his face was full of surprise. His eyes flickered, looking at Hua Jinian, and said word by word: “You… are actually his son. I finally understand why you wanted to kill me so much…”