Chapter 90: Exposure

“Phew... I’m exhausted.”

Sikong Xu sat by the shore of Mirror Lake, dangling his bare feet in the water.

He had just been thoroughly trounced by Gai Nie... no, not trounced; more like they had fought to a draw, and he was drenched in sweat. If he had not been beaten half to death a few days ago by Duanmu Rong for bathing in Mirror Lake, he might really have been tempted.

“Heehee, Brother Sikong, are you all right? You look pretty beaten up.” Beside him sat Gao Yue, who, for some reason, had also taken a liking to soaking her feet in the lake.

“Hmph. I was going easy on Uncle Nie. I’m a junior, after all. How could I dare lay a hand on an elder?” Sikong Xu curled his lip and openly fixed his gaze on Gao Yue’s delicate little feet.

Ah, look at that skin...

And look at that shape...

Sigh, why only show the feet...

The innocent little girl did not notice his wicked stare. She smiled at him and said, “Brother Sikong, we should head back now. I came out to help Sister Rong gather herbs, and you kept dragging me around for so long. If we don’t go back soon, I’m going to get scolded.”

“Sure.” Sikong Xu smiled, then immediately put on his shoes.

His main purpose in coming out this time was still Gao Yue.

Ahem... don’t get the wrong idea. Being into little girls was really far too... no, far too wicked.

Sikong Xu knew the plot of the original story well. He knew that during this period, Gao Yue would be controlled by Chi Lian’s Enchanting Flame Art and poisoned into attacking Gai Nie. What he wanted was to prevent exactly that.

In the original story, Gao Yue was lured out of the courtyard by one of Chi Lian’s rare venomous snakes. But over the past few days, Sikong Xu had been keeping watch over Gao Yue every day, and he had not seen a single poisonous snake.

So he guessed that Chi Lian might choose to strike when Gao Yue was out gathering herbs. That was why he followed her out.

Unfortunately, Gao Yue had been in a hurry this time, likely because she needed to gather some especially important medicinal ingredients. Sikong Xu had let his attention slip for a moment and lost her. By the time he found her, the little girl had already finished gathering the herbs.

Well... he just hoped she had not fallen victim to Chi Lian’s poison hand.

He glanced at the lively, beautiful little girl, then followed her back to the Medical Manor.

“Sister Rong, we’re back!”

The moment they arrived, Gao Yue ran straight into Duanmu Rong’s room and said with a bright smile, “We finally found the herbs this time. Good thing I picked them in time, or their medicinal properties would have suffered.”

After seeing Gao Yue rush into Duanmu Rong’s room, Sikong Xu felt it would be awkward to go in as well. In truth, it was not that he felt awkward, but that he did not dare. The memory of Tianming barging in without permission the last time and getting beaten into a pig-faced wreck was still fresh in his mind.

“Ah, Uncle Nie is drilling Tianming.”

Turning around, Sikong Xu spotted Gai Nie and Tianming standing in the courtyard.

Perhaps because Sikong Xu had stirred him up, Tianming had recently begun diligently studying martial arts under Gai Nie.

“Ha-ha, Brother Sikong, just wait. In a few days I’ll surpass you. A generation’s great hero is about to be born, ha-ha!”

Upon seeing Sikong Xu, the little trickster immediately fired off a few taunts.

Gai Nie merely smiled and shook his head at Tianming’s words. The boy’s terrifying talent for swordsmanship still gave him lingering chills. Tianming spent all day loafing around; wanting to catch up to someone like that? Dream on.

“How is it coming along?” Gai Nie looked at Tianming, then turned his gaze to Sikong Xu.

“Not bad. The Hundred-Step Flying Sword truly deserves its reputation as a peerless sword art that shakes the world. I’ve pondered it for a long while and only just managed to grasp a little of the outline.”

What Gai Nie was asking about, of course, was Sikong Xu’s progress in learning the Hundred-Step Flying Sword.

Sikong Xu had already obtained the introductory section from Gai Nie. Unfortunately, this sword art was truly profound. Even with his Infinite Martial Tempering, progress had been painfully slow in such a short time.

Gai Nie nodded and said nothing.

The Hundred-Step Flying Sword was the peerless art of his own lineage. If some brat learned it in only a few days, would he, the Sword Saint, not have to go smash his head against a block of tofu?

Bang—

A wooden sound rang out as Duanmu Rong pushed open her door. She must have finished preparing the medicine and come out for some air.

“Your injuries are almost healed, so in a few days you can take these two children and leave.” Duanmu Rong cast a cool glance at Sikong Xu and Tianming, while Gao Yue behind her stuck out her tongue adorably.

There was nothing to be done. Duanmu Rong had a naturally cool and reserved temperament and disliked bustle, but who were Tianming and Sikong Xu? One of them got restless if he did not cause trouble for a single day, and the other was so shameless he could practically discard his face altogether. Neither of them were the quiet type. How could Duanmu Rong possibly endure the pair of them?

“Please rest assured, Miss Duanmu. We will leave after disturbing you for a few more days.” Gai Nie cupped his fist in salute. With those two making such a racket, he could hardly keep up appearances himself.

“Also, over the next few days, be more careful. Go out less. Qin has recently stepped up its search. Though this island on Mirror Lake is well hidden, there are many capable people on Qin’s side as well.” It was rare for Duanmu Rong to speak this much.

Gai Nie had just started to say something when Sikong Xu suddenly interjected, “I think we may not need to be quite so careful anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Duanmu Rong’s expression remained icy.

“There.” Sikong Xu pointed to a tree behind them.

On one of the branches sat a small bird with brilliantly colored plumage.

The instant she saw it, Duanmu Rong’s expression changed. With a flick of her finger, a specially made silver needle shot straight from her hand and struck the bird down.

“That is a spywing bird, specially trained for tracking,” Sikong Xu explained from the side.

At that moment, Gai Nie also found a white feather on Tianming’s person and handed it to Duanmu Rong.

“This is the talisman feather of the White Phoenix!”

Now Duanmu Rong’s cold expression finally shifted.

Who in the martial world had not heard of the White Phoenix? The leader among the Four Heavenly Kings of the Flowing Sand Organization, he could command all birds under heaven and was exceptionally skilled at tracking, earning him the title of King of a Hundred Birds.

What was more, his lightness skill was unrivaled in the world, practically the best of the present age, and his internal power was equally profound. In Flowing Sand, aside from Wei Zhuang, no one was his match.

“This place has been exposed. We must leave at once.” Duanmu Rong was extremely decisive.

Grandmaster Ban had already left, and only the five of them remained in the Medical Manor. Everyone quickly packed the necessary belongings and boarded the boats.

Clearly, Duanmu Rong had long been prepared for the possibility that the Mirror Lake Medical Manor might be exposed. After they boarded the small boat and left the island, they immediately saw a carriage waiting by the shore. Without another word, the group climbed aboard and fled for their lives.

However, the carriage was obviously not large enough for all five of them. With no other choice, Gai Nie had to take the reins outside, while Sikong Xu ended up miserably perched atop the carriage roof.