Finest Servant

Chapter 394 Can Even a Fairy Die?

The horizon was tinged with the pale white of a fish's belly, indicating that it was nearly the fifth watch of the night. The wind and rain had gradually lessened, leaving the surroundings open and eerily quiet. The two reached the peak and hid behind a rock, peering across.

A dark shadow emerged from the cave opposite, occasionally poking its head out to look around, appearing and disappearing as if observing the situation outside. The surrounding soldiers had already received the order from their leader and loudly made disturbances, pretending to see nothing, cursing and retreating, leaving behind a few capable scouts hiding in the shadows, carefully watching every move across.

The person on the other side looked around for a while, seeing that there was no one guarding nearby, waited a bit longer, then suddenly threw a rock. It smashed into the cliff on their side with a dull thud, followed by echoes that resounded through the empty valley, lingering for a long time.

"Cunning creature!" Lin Wanrong muttered under his breath, turning away and stretching his back, catching a glimpse of the Fairy Ning beside him, hiding behind the rock, her eyes fixed on the front. She leaned against the rock, her body slightly tilted forward, buttocks slightly raised, her full and voluptuous body forming a wonderful curve that looked quite tempting.

Lin Wanrong laughed softly, lowering his voice, "Sister, can you let me go? I really have urgent matters to attend to, my wives at home are waiting for me to warm the bed!"

Ning Yuxi tightened her hand, locking his wrist pulse, and smiled at him, "It was you who said you would assist me, I never threatened you. Besides, this is to help you. If you're not here, who knows if something might happen while I'm distracted? Don't blame me for not warning you in advance."

Having been with him for so long, even the Fairy has become so cunning, learning to threaten him. Lin Wanrong was secretly annoyed. He had finally gotten Fairy Ning to take action, but this Fairy was no easy target; she had seen through his tricks and was pulling him in to take the fall. Unlucky, truly unlucky.

His anger inside was hard to quell, and he was stuck by the Fairy's hold on his pulse, so he twisted his hand and moved it towards Ning Yuxi's soft, slender hand holding his wrist. "Ouch!" Lin Wanrong yelped, his wrist stopped in mid-air, unable to move. Ning Yuxi's lips curled in amusement, adding strength to her hold, and no matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free.

‘Damn, met my nemesis,’ Lin Wanrong sighed, "It's not fair, so unfair. Why is it that you can touch my hand, but I'm not allowed to touch yours? Is there no justice in this world?"

‘Speak to me of justice? With a face as thick-skinned as yours, I've never seen anyone talk about justice,’ the Fairy smiled lightly, turning her face away and ignoring him.

Across, the spy deliberately made a noise and waited a long time without any response, thinking that the government troops had indeed retreated. He finally relaxed, slowly sticking his head out from the hidden cave. The man was not tall, his face waxen yellow, thin, and his eyes rolled around nimbly; clearly, he wasn't an honest person.

"Fairy Sister, what do you see?" Lin Wanrong moved closer to her, gazing at her white and tender earlobes. Feeling a tickle in his heart, he couldn't help but blow a breath of fairy energy at her crystalline ear, asking with a teasing smile.

Ning Yuxi's body trembled, and a few strands of red cloud appeared on her cheeks. She turned her head and glared at him angrily, "What are you doing? Stay away from me!"

"Fairy Sister, it's not that I want to stay away from you, but you are too enthusiastic, making it impossible for me to leave you," Lin Wanrong wagged his wrist, which she had tightly gripped, and his face habitually broke into a sly smile. This Fairy Ning might be high and lofty, but her body's sensitive spots were no different from ordinary women, and Master Lin had a sure touch.

Ning Yuxi hummed in disdain and turned her eyes to the cliff opposite. The man there put his finger in his mouth and blew a whistle. In no time, a few more heads appeared behind him, holding strong crossbows, laden with short arrows and flashing a pale blue glint, signaling that they were poisoned.

"These thieves are as cunning and malicious as you," Fairy Ning's eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if recalling something.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, knowing she was referring to the time when they first met in the forest, and he had shot a poison needle at her. It was indeed treacherous, but it was a matter of life and death, and she couldn't blame him. With an innocent expression, he said, "You flatter me, I merely did what I had to. Compared to you, Fairy Sister, I am far from a match."

The several men on the other side surveyed the surroundings, chattering and then forming a line, holding their poisoned crossbows and standing guard at the mouth of the cave, looking around vigilantly. The thin man who came out earlier tested the rock a few times, nodded to the others, and then with a forceful leap, like a frog diving into the water, clung to the precipice.

Lin Wanrong's eyes widened, "Is this guy trying to die, jumping like that?" But the world is full of strange things. Rather than falling as Lin Wanrong had expected, the man's hands and feet clung to the vertical steep rock like suction cups, unmoving. From a distance, he looked like a gray gecko. After a brief pause, he raised both hands, kicked his legs, and clung to the protruding crevices of the rock, climbing straight up. His movements were nimble and agile, like a flexible monkey.

"What kind of skill is this?" Master Lin was dumbfounded, thinking that with such ability, this person would undoubtedly be invincible at a rock-climbing competition.

Ning Yuxi, having seen much of the world, wasn't particularly surprised. Seeing Master Lin's astonishment, she smiled and said, "The world is vast and full of wonders. There are scholars and beauties, and also people who are cunning thieves or masters of special skills. There's no need to be surprised."

"Not surprised, not surprised! Whether it's a gecko or a spider, one shot, and they're all done for. I wonder how many of these 'geckos' they have?" Lin Wanrong rubbed his cheek, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said, still in shock.

Ning Yuxi, with a smile at the corner of her mouth, shook her head and said, "Don't worry, this skill is very difficult to master. Having one such person is already rare in the world. Not everyone can be proficient in it. He is probably going up to set a forward position, then lowering a rope basket to assist his accomplices below."

As they were speaking, the "gecko" had already climbed to the top of the cliff, turned over with a roll, and quickly got up.

Lin Wanrong finally saw clearly that the man had a rope tied around his waist, presumably as a safety belt. If he lost his footing and fell, he could still be pulled back. Lin Wanrong was dumbfounded to think that bungee jumping existed in this era and no longer revered the mysterious wall-climbing technique as he once had.

After reaching the top of the cliff, the man searched around and found nothing unusual. He slowly untied the rope from his waist and secured one end tightly to a large tree. Standing on the edge of the cliff, he mimicked three bird calls. A large basket was handed up from the cave below, with a thick rope tied to it and a person crouching inside.

As Fairy Ning had predicted, only one of the bandits was skilled in the wall-climbing technique; the others all relied on him to pull them up. Just as Lin Wanrong was about to praise Fairy Ning, he heard her shout softly, "Go—"

As her voice fell, he felt a gentle, jade-like hand take his, and Fairy Ning pulled Lin Wanrong up. They leaped into the air, soaring like graceful swallows, shooting straight forward.

Between the two cliffs was a complete void, several yards apart, with the wind howling and causing their clothes to flap loudly. Fairy Ning's feet did not touch the ground as she seemed to fly, covering the distance to the edge of the cliff in just two steps.

Master Lin looked down and was instantly terrified, seeing only emptiness beneath his feet, and below that, a bottomless abyss. Wisps of smoke slowly rose, and he was walking on air, as if he had become an immortal riding clouds and mists.

"Ah—" Master Lin was about to cry out, but a gentle hand covered his mouth, and Fairy Ning's voice whispered in his ear, "Do not make a sound, lest we alert the bandits."

Looking to his side, Fairy Ning was gliding, her white robe floating, her feet above the clouds, leaping across several yards to reach the opposite cliff top.

‘By heaven, I'm flying, I'm flying.’ Even after setting foot on solid ground, Lin Wanrong was still shaken, repeatedly patting his chest, ‘Even this is possible? A fairy truly is a fairy!’

With movements as swift and gentle as a breeze, Fairy Ning passed by without anyone noticing. The thin "wall-climbing" man, facing away from them and about to talk to his accomplice below, suddenly felt a slight wind and found himself unable to move or speak, as if turned to stone.

‘What is happening?’ He thought in horror, only to hear a voice near him laughing, "Brother, your pose is quite unique, full of power and beauty!"

A healthy-looking young man was grinning in front of him, beside a breathtakingly beautiful woman, elegant and pure, like a celestial fairy who had descended to earth, captivating the eye.

Seeing the man's gaze fixed on Fairy Ning, unmoving as if entranced, Lin Wanrong grew angry, and with a fierce kick to his behind, the man toppled over like a stone.

"Fairy Sister, are you alright?" Master Lin asked with concern. Fairy Ning frowned, not understanding the meaning of his words. Lin Wanrong chuckled, "I saw this fellow staring at you, and I was worried he might harm you."

Fairy Ning snorted. ‘This man looked at me only once, and you were worried he would harm me. But you stare at me so shamelessly every day, is that supposed to be to my benefit?’

"Time is of the essence; we must not arouse the suspicions of the thieves below. Hurry and question him," Ning Yuxi said, smiling helplessly.

The bandit on the ground didn't have time to speak before Lin Wanrong kicked him, saying, "Boy, I warn you, only I'm allowed to peek at this Fairy Sister, not you. If you dare to look again, I'll gouge out your eyes, cut off your little thing, and throw you into the Yangtze River to feed the turtles."

Ning Yuxi's face turned red with embarrassment and anger, and she wished she could kick Lin San off the cliff. What was he thinking at a time like this?

The man on the ground groaned in pain, unable to speak. Ning Yuxi twisted her delicate hands in the air and swiftly swept them across the man's neck. A bright silver needle appeared in her palm.

"You... who are you?" The man on the ground finally managed to speak, though his voice was hoarse and weak, his face contorted with pain. If it were not for Lin Wanrong's keen hearing, he might not have understood what was said.

Lin Wanrong looked at the Fairy Sister in confusion, and Ning Yuxi said indifferently, "I have severed his tendons and veins with this needle. If he screams, it will cause excruciating pain. I don't think he's brave enough to try that. Go ahead and question him."

The man had not expected such a beautiful and ethereal woman to have such skills. His face turned pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his face.

‘The Fairy Sister has this trick? It's terrifying! I've been pricked by her countless times. If she's in a bad mood one day, won't I die without realizing it?’ Lin Wanrong felt his courage falter and his body go numb. He stopped looking at the fairy's beautiful face and smiled at the man on the ground, kindly saying, "You will find out who I am soon enough. But don't be afraid, this Fairy Sister is just trying to scare you. This needle won't tear your heart or lungs; it will only cause bleeding from your orifices. It's not serious; you'll recover after lying down for seventy or eighty years."

The man was rendered speechless. Lin Wanrong laughed heartily and said kindly, "Heaven rewards the kind-hearted. Just answer my questions honestly, and I won't trouble you. I'm always very kind; you can see that, can't you?"

The man quickly nodded, flattering, "I can see, I can see. You have a full forehead and kind eyes, surely a future filled with many wives and children, and great wealth and honor." His voice was soft, clearly fearful of Ning Yuxi's needle.

Lin Wanrong chuckled and pointed at the man's head, "You are quite clever to figure out my identity so quickly. Indeed, I am Lin San. The government troops below the mountain are under my command. What's your name?"

"So you are the renowned Master Lin, known as 'the fish leaping through the dragon's gate.' I am Pan Shao, and I have long admired your name." The man was astonished at hearing Lin's name.

"Young Master Pan?" Lin Wanrong's face darkened, and he angrily said, "In front of me, Brother San, you dare to call yourself Young Master Pa? Fairy Sister, give him another needle. Paralyze him for life, so he's impotent and crippled!"

Pan Shao shuddered and quickly waved his hands, saying, "Please forgive me, Master Lin. I didn't mean to take advantage of you. My surname is Pan, and I come from the capital. I've been the youngest one wandering around for many years, so my parents named me 'Shao,' hence the name Pan Shao!"

[TL: "少" or “Shao” in Chinese can mean "young" or "little", but it can also be a shortened appellation of Young Master.]

That name seemed to match up well with some of the important figures in the area. Lin Wanrong nodded and said, "Tell me, Pan Shao, since you were born in the capital, why did you run up to these mountains instead of staying in the city?"

"Hunting, I came here for hunting!" Pan Shao quickly answered, his eyes shifting.

"Fairy Sister, give him an injection!" Master Lin commanded without blinking.

Ning Yuxi raised her slender hand, and dozens of silver needles appeared, poised to strike. The sight even caused Lin Wanrong to break into a cold sweat. Pan Shao hastily cried out, "Spare me, my lord, spare me. I'll tell you everything. We came here to wait for your lordship's army to arrive."

"Wait for my army to arrive for what? Are you planning to enlist?" Lin Wanrong said, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"No, no," Pan Shao hesitated for a moment, but seeing Master Lin's expression change, he hurriedly continued, "Someone instructed us to obstruct you here, to prevent you from advancing."

"Obstruct us? Who sent you?" Master Lin raised an eyebrow and snorted.

Pan Shao quickly answered, "I don't know exactly. I was chosen because of my climbing skills, brought here, and promised a substantial reward to work for them."

"Really?" Master Lin smirked coldly, "Hasn't the master of your royal mansion taught you how to lie?"

Hearing this, Pan Shao's face changed dramatically, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead. "Don't talk nonsense; I have nothing to do with Prince Cheng—"

Lin Wanrong burst into laughter, "The Prince truly has great vision, with thousands of followers and countless extraordinary talents, even finding someone like you who's proficient in gecko skill. I can't help but admire him. Tell me, Pan Shao, how much gunpowder have you buried down there?"

"How... how do you know?" Pan Shao exclaimed, feeling a sharp pain in his internal organs as he raised his voice. Remembering the fairy's words, he quickly lowered it.

"What can't I do when I can accomplish feats like fish leaping over a dragon's gate?" Lin Wanrong boastfully bragged, his face full of confidence as if everything was under his control. "Pan Shao, you're not being honest. It seems I'll have to give you an injection."

Fearing Master Lin's mythical abilities, Pan Shao didn't dare say more and kowtowed on the ground, "No! Please give me one more chance, my lord. I'll report everything truthfully and will no longer hide anything!"

Lin Wanrong snorted, "Then tell me, how much gunpowder is buried in the belly of this mountain?"

Pan Shao, sweating profusely, whispered, "The whole cave below is filled with gunpowder. I didn't calculate it in detail. But they said it's enough to flatten two large mountains."

Flatten two large mountains? Lin Wanrong inhaled sharply. ‘Damn it, these bastards are really going all out. How many people are in that cave? Who's in charge?’ he demanded coldly.

Pan Shao answered obediently, "The cave is packed with gunpowder, guarded by over twenty people. There are also four or five Dongyin people, led by someone called Tsugumi—"

"Tsugumi?" Lin Wanrong was taken aback, "A Dongyin person? Tsugumi from the Imperial Palace?"

Seeing Lord Lin's face filled with anger, Pan Shao nodded cautiously, "He's a man from the Dongyin, fierce and arrogant. The idea to rob the silver in Shandong was theirs. After you retrieved the silver, Tsugumi Takeshita took the initiative to bury explosives here to annihilate you, Lord Lin. That's all I know. They commanded me to come up and observe the situation."

‘This Tsugumi Takeshita must have harbored resentment against me since I beat him up last time in court. He was so determined to get rid of me. Damn it, on my Great Hua's land, there's no room for you Dongyin to run rampant.’ Lin Wanrong's anger was ablaze as he said fiercely, "Do you have a way to call them all up here?"

Pan Shao quickly shook his head, "My Lord, they only kept me around because I can climb cliffs, and I'm of some use. That Dongyin person, Tsugumi, is extremely cunning, hiding in the cave, never to leave until the last moment."

"Pan Shao, what are you doing? Why haven't you pulled the rope?" An impatient voice came from below the cliff. These bandits had sent scouts in pairs, and Pan Shao, having a unique skill, naturally had to lead.

Lin Wanrong snorted and nodded at Pan Shao, who slowly pulled the rope. After a while, a cursing voice came up, and as soon as a head appeared, it was brushed away by Fairy Ning. The man softly hummed and then fell silent. Pan Shao watched, secretly terrified, deeply grateful he had not struggled earlier.

"What do we do now?" Ning Yuxi looked at Lin Wanrong and asked softly.

Lin Wanrong was silent for a moment, then suddenly grabbed her hand, "Fairy Sister, are you really sure?"

Ning Yuxi shook her head faintly, "There's no certainty, only doing our best."

"Good, I'll be waiting for the good news of your victory." Lin Wanrong said with great righteousness, about to turn and leave, but was stopped by Fairy Ning, who snorted, "Are you thinking of running away? Have you forgotten what I said earlier?"

"Run away? No!" Lord Lin laughed, "I'm just going to prepare a victory banquet for you. I'm a very passionate person, as you well know."

"No need." The fairy smiled, "This is for you, so you can't escape. The bandits in the cave are very cunning and alert. If I go down alone, it'll be hard to make a move with all eyes on me. Someone must distract them."

"Let me distract them? Sister, are you joking? I'm only good at attracting young girls." Lord Lin took a few steps back, ready to flee at any sign of trouble.

Ning Yuxi found it amusing and ignored him, turning to Pan Shao with a cold look, "Tell them below that nothing unusual has been found and prepare to return immediately!"

After Pan Shao passed the message, Ning Yuxi waved her delicate hand, knocking him unconscious, then said to Lin Wanrong, "Quickly, put on his clothes."

Realizing her plan, Lin Wanrong understood. It seemed that Sister Ning had figured it all out. Seeing Ning Yuxi standing motionless, Lord Lin couldn't help but curiously ask, "Sister, why aren't you changing into their clothes?"

Ning Yuxi snorted, "How can I wear such filthy garments? You the spitting image of them, so it's just right for you to wear them."

‘A spitting image? Praising me? Go on and praise me!’ Official Lin chuckled dryly, noticing Pan Shao's clothes were in a terrible mess. He quickly stripped off another person's grey long robe and put it on himself, randomly fastening a few buttons. Just as Fairy Ning had said, with his temperament, he looked more like a bandit than the bandits themselves. When playing the part of a bandit, he didn't need any makeup at all.

Ning Yuxi looked him up and down, suddenly covered her lips with a laugh, and softly scolded, "A base bandit indeed!"

With her laugh, like a hundred flowers blooming in the cold winter, the world itself seemed to lose its color. Lin Wanrong's heart pounded, he muttered, "A bandit is a bandit, one who robs both wealth and beauty."

"What are you standing there for?" Ning Yuxi snapped at him, annoyance in her eyes, as she rummaged around in the carrying basket, "Hurry up and get in!"

Official Lin's heart raced, his legs trembled. Damn it, this was no game. Who knew how much dynamite was hidden below?

"Sister, can you hug me a hundred times? I'm a little scared, I need your encouragement!" Official Lin's voice quivered.

"What are you scared of?! I'm with you!" Ning Yuxi raised an eyebrow, standing straight up. Her white shirt and skirt danced with the brisk mountain wind, making her look like a celestial being.

Driven by lust, Official Lin climbed into the basket, but as soon as he was inside, he realized something was wrong. Ouch, he was deceived! This was a bewitching art, even more potent than Sister An!

"Get out, I want to get out! I have acrophobia!" Lin Wanrong cried out urgently, but it was already too late. With a graceful movement, Fairy Ning let out the rope, and the basket fell halfway. Official Lin's flailing magical claws touched Fairy Sister's hand for a moment before dropping down.

He'd lost, he'd lost, despair filled Master Lin. All day long, flirting with young girls, but today he was played by a young girl. He hadn't even touched her hand and now was sent down to risk his life. He'd failed Qingxuan, Ning'er, Eldest Miss, and Madam Xiao!

The rope rustled as it was slowly let down. Below him was a bottomless abyss; the shaking of the basket made him dizzy and frantic. Chilled by the piercing wind, his body felt cold as if he could hear the call of Death.

The rope was released a bit, and the cave was in sight. Heads peered out looking upward from time to time. Lin Wanrong quickly pulled his collar up, covering half his face.

"Zhang Laosi, why are you covering your face?" A bandit below shouted.

Startled, Lin Wanrong quickly feigned a voice, "None of your damn business! Damn it, I'm up here in this heavy wind and rain, freezing, while you're down there cozying up with a woman—"

A burst of strange laughter from the men reached him, and the few hidden sentries by the cave dispersed. Master Lin collapsed in the basket, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. Looking up, the first thing he saw was a pair of exquisitely embroidered shoes. Fairy Ning, dressed in white, as light as a swallow, one hand pulling the rope, one foot on the rope, was descending with Lin Wanrong.

A human flying through the air! Lin Wanrong stared blankly, entranced. Ning Yuxi smiled faintly, suddenly waving her hand at him and pointing downwards. Lin Wanrong turned his head to see that the basket had already touched the cave wall. A head poked out from the cave and demanded, "Password?!"

Lin Wanrong chuckled, whispering, "The white day's clothes are exhausted, and the Yellow Dragon returns to the stream. Do you understand, you?"

Before the sentinel could even speak, his eyes bulged, and he froze on the spot. Lin Wanrong flipped out of the basket, carefully catching his breath. "Granny, that scared me to death." A faint fragrance wafted by, and Fairy Ning, graceful as a falling leaf, landed beside him, humming lightly, "What did you just recite?"

"A great poem. If you like it, I have even more spectacular ones!" Lin Wanrong whispered in her ear, smiling. The two were standing side by side at the cave entrance, and Master Lin, though among bandits, was not afraid of her raging.

Knowing how low and despicable he was, Fairy Ning ignored him and took a silver needle from the sentry's body, looking inward. Although the cave entrance was small, facing it was a stone chamber, several yards wide, with four or five bandits drinking and feasting, seemingly very merry. Looking further into the quiet and eerie depths, Master Lin wondered how deep the cave was, but burying tens of thousands of pounds of explosives was certainly no problem. He also wondered how the bandits had found this place.

"Fairy Sister, I've done my part. Now it's up to you; I'll just wait here for you," Lin Wanrong whispered in her ear.

Fairy Ning glanced at him, softly chuckling, "It's fine if you stay here, but I fear the bandits will come charging out—"

"Oh, it's warmer inside. I'll just stick close to Sister. We'll be inseparable in life and death, unwaveringly faithful," Master Lin hastily corrected himself.

Fairy Ning smiled and nodded, "Then follow me, and remember, don't try to play the hero!"

‘You wish! At a time like this, it's good enough if I don't play the fool.’ Lin Wanrong nodded solemnly and followed Fairy Ning, sneaking in behind her.

Inside the stone chamber, four or five bandits were drinking merrily when one with a keener sense of alertness suddenly exclaimed, "Eh, where are Li Dakui and Zhang Lao San? They haven't come in yet."

"Who cares? Let them drink the northwest wind," another bandit replied, laughing as he bit into a chicken leg.

With a flick of her wrist, Fairy Ning sent several silver needles flying like they had eyes, swiftly and silently striking their targets. The room suddenly fell silent, creating a stark contrast with the earlier commotion. This unexpected stillness made Fairy Ning frown, apparently taken aback by the situation.

Lin Wanrong was secretly terrified by the sudden change. If the people inside were alerted, and thousands of pounds of explosives went off together, he and Fairy Sister would be going to the underworld together. His face turned pale, and he quickly held his breath. Fairy Ning also stood still, the silence in the room becoming so profound that both could hear their own heartbeats.

After a moment of silence with no signs of movement, Lin Wanrong finally exhaled, glancing at Fairy Ning beside him. Her eyes were calm, her face showing no tension, but her small hand was tightly gripping several silver needles.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!" Lin Wanrong reassured her, patting her fragrant shoulder with a righteous look.

‘Could you say something like that?’ Fairy Ning suppressed a laugh and glanced at him. The two carefully crept forward, and as they passed through the stone chamber, they reached a corner. The sounds of conversation drifted from within, and the two lightly stepped and hid behind the rock, staring inside. Both were momentarily dumbstruck.

The cave ahead unexpectedly branched into two paths, and from the entrance of each branch, bags were piled up tightly, stacked five or six people high, reaching the top of the cave and extending inwards. It was impossible to see how far it went, and there were several guards on each branch path. The bags were dyed black, with powder seeping out, and the entire cave was filled with a pungent odor.

Lin Wanrong turned his back, his heart pounding violently, and he couldn't help but take a deep breath. Gunpowder, all this was gunpowder. If ignited, it would be more than enough to level the entire mountain in the relatively confined space of the cave, let alone the tens of thousands of troops and horses. It was too damn terrifying!

Though Fairy Ning was worldly and remained calm in chaos, seeing this mountain of gunpowder, she couldn't help but be greatly alarmed. Her voice slightly trembling, she grabbed Lin San's sleeve and asked, "What shall we do now?"

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!" Lin Wanrong gritted his teeth.

This time, Fairy Ning was extremely calm. In this intense fear, only Lin San's seemingly joking words could give her some strength.

"What's that?" Fairy Ning suddenly grabbed him, pointing to something standing at the fork in the road.

It looked like a thick lever, supported in the middle by a wooden frame, of equal length on both sides. On the right was fixed a small iron bucket filled with tung oil, with a thick wick coming out of it. On the left was a lead block tied to a small oil lamp, not yet lit. Below on the ground was a paper box, filled with gunpowder, connected to the pile of gunpowder. There was also a large hole at the bottom of the box, leading straight to the ground, with gunpowder flowing in, as if it connected to the outside.

"It's a timer," Lin Wanrong glanced and quickly understood the principle, "When they retreat, they just need to fill the iron bucket on the right with tung oil, light the wick, and then light the oil lamp on the left. When the tung oil on the right burns out, the balance tilts to the left, and the fire from the oil lamp falls into the pile of gunpowder, igniting it."

Listening to his explanation, Fairy Ning understood. To create such a sophisticated timer, these bandits must have been preparing for a long time. Lin Wanrong frowned and said, "But what does the large hole under the powder box lead to? Could there be another detonation device outside?"

It was already too late to go outside and examine it further. Fairy Ning's brow furrowed slightly, and she gently shushed, "Don't talk, someone is coming!"

On both sides of the mountain-like piles of gunpowder, small paths just big enough for one person to pass through had been cleared. The sound of footsteps rustled from within. The guards on both sides immediately perked up, gathering their strength.

"Baka!" Several shouts in the Dongyin language came, and a few men dressed in samurai attire, with samurai swords at their waists, came out from the cave. They pointed at the Great Hua guards at the entrance and roared furiously.

Lin Wanrong furrowed his brow as he failed to find the figure of Tsugumi Takeshita. Turning to Fairy Ning beside him, he asked, "What did they say?"

Ning Yuxi, fluent in the Dongyin language, gritted her teeth and hummed, "The Dongyin people are too bullying, daring to insult our Great Hua compatriots like this!"

Since those words could make the usually gentle Fairy Ning so angry, it was enough to guess what the Dongyin people had said. Lin Wanrong's fingers crackled with anger. "These servile and kneeling people dare to call themselves citizens of Great Hua?! Sister Ning, let's first kill these Dongyin people, and then deal with these traitors!"

This idea was in perfect agreement with Fairy Ning. Seizing the opportunity, Ning Yuxi's fingers slightly spread as she sent several silver needles whistling away, while simultaneously leaping forward, brandishing her long sword, and charging towards the several men in front. Lin Wanrong also did not show weakness, picking up a plain blade he found outside and chopping it down on the neck of a Dongyin soldier in front of him. The Dongyin soldier didn't even have time to cry out before his hot blood splashed up, staining half of the wall red.

With Fairy Ning's skill, several silver needles were deadly. The Dongyin people had roused her killing intent, and she showed no mercy. Several Dongyin people who were in the front were killed in the blink of an eye. The two of them working together, in one concerted effort, swiftly eliminated more than ten men in the passageway, cleanly and quietly, without making a sound.

After all the enemies had fallen, Fairy Ning looked at the two branching paths ahead and whispered, "Which way shall we go?"

"Let's split up." Lin Wanrong held the plain blade, blood dripping down its tip, his body exuding an air of murder.

Ning Yuxi shook her head firmly, "No! We must stay together!"

"So, Sister cares for me so deeply; I am truly grateful!" Lin Wanrong said, grinning.

Ning Yuxi ignored his teasing, speaking seriously, "I think you understand my point. If we split up, I will not be able to protect you fully. My duty is to ensure your safety, and I will not accept any other decision. If necessary, I will forcibly take you away from here. Choose for yourself!"

At this critical moment, Fairy Sister had indeed become stubborn. Lin Wanrong looked left and right, only to nod in agreement. All in all, they had already eliminated seventeen or eighteen bandits along the way. The remaining three, including Tsugumi Takeshita, must be hiding in one of these two paths.

The two of them ventured deeper into the left tunnel, and after a moment, they saw a dimly lit stone chamber ahead. Ning Yuxi nodded to him, and they looked inside. On the table inside the room lay a samurai sword, and beside it, two warriors were sound asleep.

Lin Wanrong felt relieved, and Ning Yuxi quickly moved forward, dealing with the two Japanese warriors in the blink of an eye. Lin Wanrong turned their bodies to look at their faces but found no sign of Tsugumi Takeshita. Counting the numbers, he was the only one missing.

"Tsugumi is on the other side!" Lin Wanrong grunted, and Fairy Ning, without uttering a word, grabbed him and ran quickly outside. Just as they reached the fork in the road, a loud shout came, "Baka, enemies have broken in, they're dead!"

"Not good!" Lin Wanrong was alarmed, leaping out. He recognized that voice; it was Tsugumi Takeshita.

Fairy Ning's movements were faster than his. In an instant, she moved, flitting past him like a wisp of light smoke, her traces almost invisible to the eye. As they reached the fork in the road, they encountered a Dongyin Samurai with a fierce and hideous face, looking at the body of his comrade, his eyes blood-red: "For the honor of Dongyin Samurais, for the great His Majesty the Emperor, I will die with you. Lin San, you are as good as dead!"

He laughed wildly towards the sky and ignited the oil lamp in his hand, ready to throw it at the box of gunpowder.

Ning Yuxi was still several steps away and it was too late to intervene. At the critical moment, Fairy Ning let out a delicate shout and a short sword flew from her sleeve with the speed of lightning, striking the Samurai's chest like a bolt of thunder. The force of the blow was extraordinary, and the short sword penetrated his chest without losing momentum, carrying his body several feet before finally stopping at the mouth of the cave. The Samurai, Tsugumi Takeshita, spat out a mouthful of blood, half of his body hanging out of the cave, motionless.

With the strike of the sword, the oil lamp fell from Tsugumi Takeshita's hand, but Fairy Ning was as quick as lightning. Before the lamp could hit the ground, her delicate hand reached out and caught the ignited lamp, mere feet from the pile of gunpowder on the ground. The entire process was extraordinarily perilous; had Fairy Ning not been highly skilled, the mountains would have become their grave that day.

Lin Wanrong arrived in haste, just in time to see Ning Yuxi catch the oil lamp, the flames almost touching the gunpowder. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, and it was a long while before he opened his eyes. Fairy Ning held the oil lamp and gently extinguished the flame. She smiled at him and handed the lamp to him.

At that moment, the two were close. Fairy Ning's crystalline nose was tinged with sweat, and a faint fragrance lingered. Considering her skills, she was normally unaffected by heat or cold, yet now she had perspired. Her duty as a guard was indeed performed to perfection.

Master Lin stood up, seeming to regain some strength and cheerfulness. He laughed, "Thank you, Sister, for saving my life. Shall we hug? Don't worry; this time, it's entirely pure, truly pure!"

Ning Yuxi chuckled, "You're the type who forgets the pain once the wound has healed, acting like this again."

A faint blush spread across her incomparably beautiful face as sweat beaded her small, exquisite nose. This was an unprecedented sight in Ning Yuxi, making her appear less unapproachable and more like an ordinary woman, giving an incredibly genuine and intimate feeling.

Lin Wanrong sighed, "Fairy Sister, I like you best at times like this, close to people's hearts, warm to the touch."

Ning Yuxi's face changed instantly, her eyes briefly closing. When they reopened, her calm, rippleless demeanor was restored.

She has turned back into a fairy! Lin Wanrong saw this with some disappointment, shaking his head with a bitter smile. Recalling Tsugumi Takeshita's treachery, he glanced around, only to find that the body at the cave's entrance had vanished without a trace.

"Tsugumi is gone!" Lin Wanrong shouted, and Fairy Ning was equally startled. The two rushed to the cave's mouth, finding only a thick trail of blood, flowing down the cliff.

Could he have fallen down? The two exchanged glances, finding this possibility unlikely.

"Look quickly!" With a glance down the cliff, he saw the trail of blood slowly oozing. Several yards below the cave opening, Tsugumi Takeshita's blood-drenched body was clinging to a steep cliff, barely alive, his hand-held fire starter gleaming brightly. Not far from him was a small stone cave, from which a fuse the length of an arm was extending.

A flash of understanding went through Lin Wanrong's mind, and the image of the stone cave with a timer beneath appeared before his eyes. "No good, this is the second detonation point!" Lin Wanrong exclaimed.

Tsugumi Takeshita's face was covered in fresh blood, and with a ferocious smile, he ignited the fuse with his fire starter, shouting, "His Majesty the Emperor Banzai!" Having already expended all his strength, he collapsed after uttering these words, and his corpse fell straight down the mountain.

The fuse was only as long as an arm, sizzling and burning, and would soon reach the cave filled with gunpowder.

"Get back!" Ning Yuxi's foot landed on Lin Wanrong, kicking him far away. Her eyes flashed with determination, and she softly said to Lin Wanrong, "Lin San, remember, my 'Jade Virtue Fairy Hall' never breaks a promise to anyone!"

With these words, a charming smile appeared on her face, and she shook her long sword, gathering all her life's strength. Like a bolt of lightning, she shot straight toward the abyss.

"Fairy Sister—" Lin Wanrong cried out miserably, his eyes blood-red, frantically rushing towards the cave opening.

The fuse had already reached the gunpowder, and Fairy Ning plummeted straight down, her sword flashing, and the burning sound was instantly silenced. This sword, concentrating all of Sister Ning's lifelong power, made her graceful figure look like a dazzling meteor, plunging straight toward the bottomless abyss.

"No—" Watching Sister Ning's rapidly vanishing figure, Lin Wanrong grabbed the rock with both hands, traces of blood splitting from his fingertips, issuing a heart-wrenching scream that echoed through the mountain range.

Ning Yuxi's figure had already vanished without a trace, and Lin Wanrong sat dully on the ground, seemingly soulless. Since he had met Ning Yuxi, there were many times when they joked and few when they were serious. Even this time, when he ventured deep into the mountain to search for explosives, he had used tricks to deceive Fairy Ning into helping him, yet he never expected such an ending. It was an indescribable feeling when a fairy-like woman lost her life to save him, and her vow in his mind seemed like a joke, yet he never thought she would be willing to carry it out with her life.

"Big brother—"

"Lin San—"

"General Lin—"

A chorus of shouts came from all directions. Lin Wanrong looked up to see Luo Ning, tears streaming down her face, rushing forward, with Miss Xu following her, and Hu Bugui leading countless soldiers surging like a tide.

Lin Wanrong suddenly jumped up, his eyes bloodshot, roaring, "Hu Bugui, I order you to lead all the troops to the bottom of the cliff to find Fairy Sister! If she's alive, I want to see her; if she's dead—ah, pah, that doesn't count, alive or dead, I want her alive! If you don't find her, bring me your head!"

Hu Bugui was stunned by the order, but seeing Master Lin's disheveled hair and blood-red eyes, looking as if he wanted to eat someone, he quickly agreed and arranged for his soldiers to search the bottom of the cliff.

Upon bringing Master Lin out of the stone cave, Ning'er immediately threw herself into his arms, crying loudly, "Big brother, how can you be so foolish? You scared me to death!"

Miss Xu's eyes were aflame, tears rolling, as she angrily exclaimed, "As the Commander of the armies, risking your life so recklessly, you, you, are simply too foolish!"

"Foolish, then foolish be it!" he embraced Luo Ning tightly, "As long as Fairy Sister can survive, I am willing to be as foolish as a pig!"

"Big brother, who is this Fairy Sister you speak of? Is she very capable?" Luo Ning asked, wiping her tears.

"Fairy Sister, ah, is a beautiful bodyguard, her abilities reach the heavens! If not for her today, big brother would not have seen you again. When there's a chance, big brother will introduce you to her!" Lin Wanrong gave a bitter smile, not knowing whether he was comforting Luo Ning or himself.

"If she's so capable, then big brother doesn't need to worry." Luo Ning smiled charmingly, "I've never heard of a fairy dying, have you?"

"Ning'er, what did you say?" Master Lin looked puzzled.

Luo Ning playfully tapped his forehead and softly said, "Silly big brother, Ning'er said, 'I've never heard of a fairy dying!'"

"Right!" Master Lin clapped his hands, his face breaking into a smile, and he hugged the woman beside him, planting two quick kisses, "My little darling is absolutely right, I've never heard of a fairy dying. Darn it, I was scared silly."

The woman, both surprised and angry, rained down punches on him, "Whether she'll die or not, I don't know, but today you're going to die a miserable death!"

Seeing big brother being beaten by Sister Xu and fleeing with his hands covering his head, Luo Ning was momentarily stunned, then she covered her mouth, laughing with a giggle, her eyes filled with a rich tenderness...

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