Chapter 406: Lotus Escort Agency – An Old Acquaintance

After severely injuring Steward Qi, Zhang Xiaohua no longer struck out and instead darted toward another area. As for the government soldiers who had just been miserably bullied by Steward Qi, how could they possibly let such a golden opportunity slip by? With a great uproar, they rushed up together and hacked him down to the ground.

In just over a dozen flashes and shifts, Zhang Xiaohua had already brought down all the most skilled members of the gang. Behind him, a group of government soldiers who were eager to take advantage had already gathered. This—this was truly the bearing of an expert! With a single strike, he rendered his opponent utterly defenseless, then tossed them aside to seek out a tougher foe, leaving the credit of capturing the enemy to others. Who wouldn’t want to follow someone like that?

Seeing that the situation was now under control, Zhang Xiaohua thought of the still-unconscious Little Orange and no longer lingered. He shifted his longsword into his right hand, pushed off forcefully with his feet, and, with a spin, leapt out of the melee. The soldiers behind him were all filled with reluctant admiration, their eyes practically pleading with one voice: “Hero, you’re leaving already? Not going to slay a few more?”

At the rear of the battlefield, Yu Deyi and Le Zhichun had long been stupefied. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t imagined that Zhang Xiaohua might be highly skilled in martial arts and could lend them a hand, but this level of martial prowess wasn’t it a bit too high? He’d barely entered the fray, and before a few cups of tea’s time had passed, the most formidable dozen or so enemies had already been dealt with. Could this man truly be one of those famed experts of the Jianghu?

The same thought surfaced in both their minds at the same time.

“Exactly. Otherwise, with martial arts that strong, why would he hide his face?”

“Perhaps that’s just the style of a true master—he doesn’t wish others to know his whereabouts. Isn’t this what they call a ‘dragon whose head is seen but tail is not’?”

“Such a master must be befriended at all costs.”

In that instant, Yu Deyi couldn’t help but deeply regret how he had failed to show proper respect to the old man a few days ago. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—how could he have been so blind to it?

When Zhang Xiaohua returned, the two men immediately leapt down from their still-warm saddles, unusually respectful. Zhang Xiaohua took one look and knew they had something to say, so he didn’t waste words. He cupped his hands and said: “What remains here, this old man shall no longer interfere in. I trust General Le will have no trouble handling these small fry.”

Le Zhichun hastily replied: “Great Hero has already pulled out the enemy’s fangs. From here on, it is up to me. I will certainly not let Senior down.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled. “Very well, then I can depart with peace of mind. Oh, right—Yu Deyi, your niece is in the hall beneath this manor. There are also several dozen other young girls inside. I ask that Young Master Yu see to their proper care.”

“Yes, please be assured, Senior. I shall do everything in my power to see that they are well looked after. Ah—Senior, you’re leaving already?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded slightly, his face hidden behind the handkerchief, giving him an air of unfathomable mystery. With exaggerated solemnity, he said: “Young Master Yu, is there still any reason for this old man to remain here?”

Yu Deyi’s heart trembled, and he quickly replied with great deference: “Of course not. What remains can be left to us. It’s just that…”

Zhang Xiaohua’s figure rose into the air, his voice ringing out: “Just that what?”

Seeing that Zhang Xiaohua was about to leave, Yu Deyi hurriedly called out: “It’s just that Senior has yet to leave behind a name. If those young girls ask us who it was that saved their lives, how are we to answer?”

Ah, what a flattering line—it rang out with resounding clarity. At that moment, Zhang Xiaohua was already midair. He laughed aloud and replied: “This old man is but a carefree crane roaming the clouds. What need have I for empty fame?”

Even as he spoke, he had already soared to land atop a pine tree several zhang away.

Yu Deyi and Le Zhichun both cupped their hands in farewell, their eyes practically sparkling with admiration. “Senior! A true master! A true master!”

Besides those words, there truly were no better to describe Zhang Xiaohua’s bearing.

Yu Deyi, still unwilling to give up, called out loudly: “Old Senior, at least leave us a title or moniker so that we may carry our gratitude in our hearts!”

Desperate to grasp something, Yu Deyi had even blurted out “Old Senior,” despite Zhang Xiaohua clearly having a head full of black hair. In his flustered state, he had somehow promoted him to an “old senior” on the spot.

From afar, Zhang Xiaohua’s long voice echoed back: “Young Master Yu, we are old acquaintances—an old friend from the Lotus Escort Agency!”

In Zhang Xiaohua’s mind, he had already spoken quite clearly. The two of them had exchanged blows more than once; they could be considered to have gotten to know one another through combat. Surely this fellow would recall something.

And yet, Yu Deyi only thought for a moment before his face lit up in delighted realization. He cupped his fists once more and called out loudly: “So it was Fourth Master Wen! Xiao Yu pays his respects!”

From afar, Zhang Xiaohua, already retreating through the treetops, stumbled with a loud clang, nearly falling from the pine canopy. “Seriously? Yu Deyi, do I really look that old?”

Back below, Yu Deyi saw the heroic figure of Fourth Master Wen nearly fall from the treetop and couldn’t help but worry for him: “Ai, Fourth Master Wen is really something—at his age, still leaping so high. When you get old, you shouldn’t be forcing yourself like this. Still, his hair is awfully black. I wonder what kind of dye he uses.”

Zhang Xiaohua barely managed to steady himself before darting forward again. What he had forgotten was that precisely because of the several times he had fought with Yu Deyi, it had left a deep impression—so much so that even if Zhang Xiaohua were to remove his handkerchief and stand openly in front of Yu Deyi now, the latter would still firmly believe he was being impersonated by Fourth Master Wen.

Fortunately, Zhang Xiaohua had no desire for empty fame; he merely wanted to act with some measure of low profile. After all, this was still the region between Pingyang City and Lu Town—exposing too much of himself might not be a good thing.

By the time Zhang Xiaohua returned to the Sibu Xiang, Huanhuan, Little Orange was still sleeping peacefully there.

He vaulted onto Huanhuan’s back, gathered Little Orange into his arms, and urged the Sibu Xiang to continue on. Only then did he send a strand of True Qi into Little Orange’s meridians.

As expected, in several places along her meridians, inner strength was knotted and entangled—it must have been some trick of that mysterious masked old man. Regrettably, this was a martial technique, and Zhang Xiaohua had no idea how to unravel it. Perhaps, with his True Qi, he could forcefully break through each knot one by one, but how exactly to do so—that was the issue. A single misstep could cause unforeseen consequences, and all his effort would be washed away like flowing water. In the worst case, he might even endanger Little Orange’s life.

Since he couldn’t act rashly, the best course was to return her to Nie Qianyu as soon as possible. Judging from her bearing, she likely came from some prestigious sect. As for this so-called “Spring Rebirth Valley”, Zhang Xiaohua had never heard of it, but seeing how that twelve-year-old Nie Qianyu could prescribe her own medicine, she was surely no ordinary girl. It would be best to ask for her opinion first.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xiaohua urged Huanhuan forward once more.

After nearly several months of recuperation, Huanhuan had more or less recovered. Its vigor and spirit were fully restored. Sensing its master’s urgency, it galloped right down the middle of the road, tearing toward Pingyang City like a streak of wind and lightning.

While Huanhuan ran with delight, Zhang Xiaohua—riding atop it—felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

Of course—how could the eighteen-year-old Zhang Xiaohua have ever been so close to a girl before? And now Little Orange was unconscious, completely limp, her body having no control of its own. She lay soft and boneless in his arms. At first, Zhang Xiaohua tried lying her sideways across Huanhuan’s back, but no matter how he looked at it, it felt like he was mistreating her. Yet if he held her in his arms, it felt like his mind might drift to improper thoughts. But if he stopped to buy a carriage and continued the journey that way, wouldn’t it be far slower than riding Huanhuan?

What’s more, Zhang Xiaohua had not once seen Little Orange eat since finding her. Who knew what method that masked old man had used to keep these girls alive without food? He didn’t dare delay for even a moment. Left with no better option, he reluctantly held Little Orange around the waist. Fortunately, Zhang Xiaohua was rather tall, and with Little Orange unconscious, she could rest quietly against his chest, as if she were simply sleeping.

With soft jade in his arms and the faint fragrance of a young girl wafting into his nose, even a heart tempered by the Dao was of no use—Zhang Xiaohua dared not further contemplate the Heavenly Dao, fearing that this overwhelming temptation would drag him into the abyss of an inescapable heart demon.

This… this was even more arduous than battling that mysterious old man.

By the time he returned to the inn in Pingyang City, Zhang Xiaohua was utterly exhausted. And—well—there was still that strange sensation lingering in his heart.

Carrying Little Orange in his arms, Zhang Xiaohua strode quickly to Nie Qianyu’s room. He didn’t even bother knocking; he reached out to push the door open, but it was bolted from the inside. Zhang Xiaohua raised his voice and called out: “Little Fish? Nie Qianyu?”

From within the room came Nie Qianyu’s flustered voice: “Big Brother Ren… i-is that you?”

As soon as Zhang Xiaohua heard that, his heart jumped in alarm. That frightened tone—it was obvious she’d been taken hostage! Without a second thought, he applied a bit of strength, and with a crisp crack, the bolt behind the door snapped in two. He pushed the door open and called out: “Little Fish, don’t be afraid~”

At the same time, a startled cry rang out from inside: “Big Brother Ren, d-don’t come in yet~”

But by then, Zhang Xiaohua had already stepped through the doorway.

Right in front of him, Nie Qianyu was sitting on the bed. Her uninjured hand was holding a piece of clothing over her chest, while her snow-white arm and shoulder were fully exposed.

Her wide eyes—frightened and shy—stared straight at Zhang Xiaohua, her face burning scarlet with embarrassment.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and hurriedly said: “Little Fish, it’s so dark in here, why didn’t you light a lamp? Hurry, light one—I couldn’t even see where you were.”

Saying that, he quickly backed out of the room and shut the door tight behind him.

“Pah,” Nie Qianyu, sitting wrapped in her quilt on the bed, spat quietly in embarrassment. She muttered under her breath: “The sun’s already high in the sky—who still needs a lamp?”

But as she recalled the moment just now, her cheeks flushed with heat once more.

Then, she suddenly remembered: it seemed Zhang Xiaohua had been carrying someone just now. “Ah—could it be that Little Orange has been rescued?”

Overjoyed, Nie Qianyu threw off the covers and made to get out of bed, but immediately sensed something was amiss. She hurriedly put on all her clothes, then took a damp towel to gently wipe her burning cheeks. Only then did she go to open the door.

Sure enough, Zhang Xiaohua was standing outside, a little absent-minded. When he saw Nie Qianyu open the door, he said awkwardly: “Little Fish…”