Ye'er?
Even Grand Concubine Yi wouldn't call Long Feiye by such a nickname. Han Yunxi was extremely astonished by the sudden voice and turned around to seek the speaker. She saw a woman dressed in black arrive. She was about 40 years old, but her features were exceptionally well preserved. Her lithe and graceful figure was no less fine than that of a 20 year old girl. Combine that with the lingering charms of her age and she was someone who exuded an indescribable glamor and charm.
At first glance, one might mistake her for a dignified and noble dame, but closer scrutiny would reveal the cold and ruthless look in her eyes. This definitely wasn't an easy woman to deal with. Even though Han Yunxi had already seen her, she still remained calm and collected to study her back. Her unscrupulous gaze was fierce. When Long Feiye saw that Han Yunxi's attention had wandered, he immediately withdrew his palm strike, as if fearful that he'd hurt her for real. The black-robed woman took in all of this before suddenly breaking out into a smile.
"Ye'er, when did you start to learn how to show pity and tenderness to a woman?" she ridiculed.
Long Feiye tightened his grip on Han Yunxi with an expressionless face and retorted, "When did Aunt Ru1 arrive? Where's Tang Li?"
Aunt?
Han Yunxi was a little stunned by the moniker, but with Gu Qishao at death's door, she couldn't be bothered with who this woman was right now. In a low voice, she murmured, "Long Feiye, human lives are of monumental importance. Let go!"
Long Feiye ignored her, his attention wholly focused on Aunt Ru as she drew closer and closer. Aunt Ru didn't reply Long Feiye either, but kept her attention on Han Yunxi as she measured her up and down multiple times. She didn't look away as she asked Long Feiye, "I've heard her poison skills are formidable?"
Was there anyone who belittled a person right to their face?
Of course Han Yunxi had sensed that Aunt Ru was examining her with a sense of superiority because her intentions were unkind. In fact, she was certain that she was this woman's target. But she didn't have the time to keep her company! There really was no time left. Leaving aside the fact that the Man-Eating Vine would eat Gu Qishao, there was Gu Beiyue as well. He'd definitely find it difficult to escape.
She had to go save them!
"Long Feiye, we can talk when we get back, can't we?" Han Yunxi was practically begging him, but her voice was low enough so that Aunt Ru wouldn't hear. Unfortunately, Long Feiye remained unmoved, his thoughts completely on Aunt Ru.
He didn't introduce her or explain things, but simply said, "I'll return after I send her back." So speaking, he was about to leave with Han Yunxi when Aunt Ru extended an arm to stop him.
In a cold tone, she said, "Ye'er, what's the rush?"
Han Yunxi was shocked. Anyone who dared to block Long Feiye had to have formidable origins!
"It's getting late. If Aunt Ru doesn't make it to the peak, you would've come for nothing today," Long Feiye said as he detoured around her arm.
He still wanted to leave, but Aunt Ru simply grabbed Han Yunxi by the shoulder and asked her directly, "Girl, you have the Perplexing Butterfly Illusion?"
Long Feiye's unpleasant expression turned even more gloomy at those words. Before he could reply, Han Yunxi exclaimed, "It has nothing to do with you. Let me go!"
But Aunt Ru simply increased the pressure on her shoulder and said sternly, "Uncultured girl, hand it over!"
Does being 'cultured' mean letting a senior like you disdain me for no reason? And make a move against me? Respect has to come from both sides!
"It doesn't even belong to you, so why should I?" Han Yunxi rebutted unhappily.
For a moment, Aunt Ru was unable to utter a word. Then she increased the pressure on Han Yunxi's shoulder again and ordered, "Take it out!"
Han Yunxi's shoulder was in serious pain! She took out a porcelain bottle and directly tossed it behind her. "What a piece of junk! I don't need it at all!"
"Blasphemy!" Aunt Ru raged as she released Han Yunxi, giving her a chance. At the same time, Long Feiye let her go as well to follow after her. Han Yunxi took the chance to run as fast as she could in the opposite direction. It'd be a lie to say she wasn't curious about Aunt Ru's identity, but this wasn't the time for that!
Gu Qishao, Gu Beiyue, you guys have to be all right!
She ran for her life to find them. Meanwhile, Aunt Ru picked up the porcelain bottle and her entire expression changed. Her cold laughter was filled with meaning. "She actually tricked me? Well, then!" Without a doubt, this was simply a similar bottle, not the Perplexing Butterfly Illusion. Han Yunxi hadn't even taken it out when faced with the Xuan gold door, much less now. Long Feiye had gave her the thing, so she'd only give it back to Long Feiye and no one else.
Long Feiye stared at the broken pieces of porcelain on the ground. Though his heart was in a terrible state right now, he still couldn't help but smile. The corners of his lips tugged upwards into an almost imperceptible grin. Aunt Ru gave Long Feiye a severe glance before turning to chase Han Yunxi, but this time Long Feiye blocked her way.
"Aunt Ru, if there's anything to say, save it for when we get back."
Aunt Ru arched an eyebrow and gave a cold snort. "What things? Tang Li's already made a full confession. What right does this useless woman have to know of the existence of Perplexing Butterfly Illusion?"
That bastard Tang Li, just what had he 'confessed?' Things related to the Shadow Clan? Or other details?
Under these circumstances, Long Feiye didn't explain, but simply said, "She doesn't know what the Perplexing Butterfly Illusion is."
But Aunt Ru only scolded, "Knowing the words 'Perplexing Butterfly Illusion' already merits death!" Then she pushed Long Feiye's hand aside, only to be blocked by him again. This time, he didn't waste words but simply pushed and withdrew his arm like a movement in taichi. The seemingly light push ended up sending Aunt Ru stumbling backwards a few steps until she almost fell over. By the time she recovered her bearings, Long Feiye had long gone after Han Yunxi.
"Ye'er, you actually dared to shove me for the sake of some useless woman?" Aunt Ru's face was filled with astonishment. Her gaze grew heavy before she gave chase.
When Han Yunxi ran back to her original location, she was shocked! Gu Qishao and Gu Beiyue were gone, but so was the wildly growing Man-Eating Vines. The only thing left of them were two of their giant, toothless mouths lying on the ground. One was open while the other was closed—a rather comical sight.
Where did the people go? And the vines? And the teeth?
Just what happened here?
"Gu Qishao! Gu Beiyue!" Han Yunxi yelled loudly.
Eh? …Master's voice.
Hidden on one side was Lil Thing, who was currently feasting on a meal. It immediately jumped out from the grass and chittered a few times as if to say, 'Master, I'm over here!'
"Lil Thing!" Han Yunxi was surprised. She quickly ran over, but was shocked by the sight once again. Lil Thing was sitting atop a pile of dead Man-Eating Vines, holding a Man-Eating Vine incisor in each paw as it munched noisily. Because it was enjoying himself so much, the scene looked cute instead of disgusting.
Truthfully speaking, this little thing was more discerning that the detox system when it came to quality goods. Man-Eating Vine wasn't a poison, but its teeth were important ingredients for creating poisons. Moreover, they weren't made of bone, but another extremely hard material. Han Yunxi exhaled. "Where's Gu Beiyue and Gu Qishao?"
If Lil Thing could eat leisurely in a place like this, then those two guys must be all right. It must have saved their lives. Lil Thing was too busy eating, eating, and eating to pay attention to Han Yunxi, who simply plucked it up and asked, "Where are the people?"
Only then did Lil Thing lift its head to look up. But suddenly, it struggled free from Han Yunxi's hand and ducked into her medical pouch as if startled. Even its half-eaten vine incisor had been discarded.
"What happened?" Han Yunxi was still puzzled when Long Feiye's fierce voice rose from behind her.
"Han Yunxi!"
Han Yunxi was frightened once again. She quickly removed the hand resting on her medical pouch and calmed herself down before looking back.
"Where's Gu Beiyue and Gu Qishao?" Long Feiye was a formidable man. At a glance, he could tell that something strange had happened, especially with those toothless Man-Eating Vines. Han Yunxi didn't reply, but took out the real Perplexing Butterfly Illusion from her sleeve and handed it over.
"I'm returning this to you."
Long Feiye stared at the Perplexing Butterfly Illusion as his hands slowly clenched into fists in a clear demonstration of his wrath. This woman couldn't tell good from bad!
When Long Feiye didn't react, Han Yunxi took a step forward and prepared to stuff the bottle into his hands when a sudden needle shot out from the side as quickly as splitting bamboo. Long Feiye pulled Han Yunxi into his arms, turned around, and left.
"Ye'er, you stay put!" Aunt Ru shouted as she caught up. Long Feiye turned a deaf ear and didn't even look back. Angry and impatient, Aunt Ru sent out a succession of hidden weapons: needles, darts, and daggers that all went flying towards them at the same time.
Long Feiye kept evading them all, but it was getting hard to ward off blows when he didn't counterattack. He could only chose to keep ascending the mountain, where the dense growth of trees made it more difficult to use assassination weapons. Han Yunxi was clutched tightly in his arms. She wanted to look back multiple times, but Long Feiye's grip was too tight for her to even move. She'd always assumed she'd carried enough poison needles herself, but never expected someone else to hide even more weapons than her. Moreover, they were multiple types and varieties. She already considered the Tang Clan's assassination weaponry a powerful force, but never thought this woman could be fierce enough to force Long Feiye on a singular path to the peak.
She had to be someone from the Tang Clan? Aunt Ru? Could it be that she was Long Feiye's real aunt? His mother's sister? Thinking up to here, Han Yunxi was startled and suddenly grew anxious. Now she really wanted to look behind them. As they fled, the pursuer kept chasing them with her endless barrage of weapons. Fortunately, it was Long Feiye doing the running. Anyone else would've fallen prey to such expert level weaponry skills, but he wasn't hurt in the slightest.
Finally, Aunt Ru lost her temper and demanded, "Feiye, you stop right there. Can't you hear me?"
Long Feiye insisted on ignoring her as he headed for the mountaintop. Soon enough, they actually reached the peak. Unlike other mountains, which were pointed and narrow at the peak, this one had a flat top. Moreover, it was a thick forest that grew tall and straight, with only enough room between the trunks for two people to pass side-by-side. The entire patch of forest was like a maze, making it impossible to keep the directions straight once one entered. Long Feiye's steps paused at the entrance, hesitant to go in. Meanwhile, Han Yunxi had lost herself completely in the detox system, which kept prompting her about highly corrosive poison plants nearby.
Most likely, Long Feiye's original intentions were to take her along to this peak and look for poisonous plants. Han Yunxi used her detox system to track down the source of the corrosive toxins and figured, since they were already here, she might as well tell him where they were. But before she could determine a travel direction, Aunt Ru had appeared.
1. Aunt Ru – Ru yi, in which Ru is a surname that means "eat," and yi means "aunt."