Chapter 10: Ahem, Avert Your Eyes from What is Improper
The scent of this man was that of ebony in the snow—clear, sharp, and cold, as if from a sheer cliff, sweeping over her with the killing aura of the harsh winter, irresistible.
Fu Tangli subconsciously grabbed the lapel of his robe.
Xuanyan seemed to let out a snort from his nose. The low, resonant sound brushed past Fu Tangli’s ear. She couldn’t tell what it meant, but for some reason, she felt a pang of guilt and gripped him even tighter.
He suddenly soared into the air, meeting the enemy head-on. A fierce aura burst forth, descending upon the scene like a violent storm.
Fu Tangli was not short, her figure well-proportioned and full, but at this moment, cradled in his arm, she seemed so delicate and small. Her toes couldn’t even touch the ground. She was spun and moved about against her will, the glint of blades and swords flashing past her eyes, making her dizzy.
The assassins were powerfully built and ferocious, wearing soft armor with their arms bare, each wielding a sword or saber. They swarmed in with a death-defying ferocity.
Xuanyan, who usually possessed the cool, otherworldly air of an immortal, detached from the mortal world, now seemed like a different person—proud, fierce, and savage. He was surrounded, unarmed, and protecting a weak woman, yet he was as arrogant as if he were in an empty land. He clenched his fist and struck out, the sound of it cutting through the air like thunder. Wherever he struck, flesh and blood flew.
The assassins were like crazed beasts, knowing neither pain nor fear. Even with broken arms or legs, their eyes remained bloodshot as they lunged forward, as if they held a deep-seated, mortal hatred for Xuanyan.
Not wanting to prolong the fight, Xuanyan let out a sharp cry, and with a sudden kick, crack, he broke an assassin’s arm. The man screamed in pain, and his longsword flew from his grasp.
Xuanyan paused his foot, then leaped up, catching the sword in mid-air. He spun around and swung it.
It was like iron cavalry charging across a frozen river, a storm sweeping over a calm plain—unstoppable speed and power. The blade sliced through a human body with a sharp, clean sound. The glint of the sword and sprays of blood flew together.
In an instant, the assassins were all killed, collapsing to the ground. Most were already dead, their eyes still open.
One last man remained. Seeing he was no match, he let out a hoarse roar and charged from behind, swinging his saber like a madman.
Without turning his head, Xuanyan swung the sword back in a straight cut.
With a squelch, a large head flew into the air, and a torrent of blood gushed from the man’s neck.
Fu Tangli’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her eyes were wide with shock.
Xuanyan suddenly reached out, raising his sleeve to shield Fu Tangli’s face. With a faint splat, the blood splattered all over his sleeve and face.
With another thud, a headless body fell to the ground.
Then, the surroundings returned to silence.
Xuanyan slowly released Fu Tangli and looked down at her. His voice was still calm. “How are you?”
The ground around them was littered with corpses, shattered limbs, and unrecognizable remains scattered about. Dark red blood was spattered everywhere, looking particularly glaring against the white snow.
Fu Tangli’s legs felt weak. She was horrified, almost unable to move. She stood there, gasping for breath for a long time before she shook her head, slowly let out a breath, and managed to say, “I’m alright.”
No fainting, no screaming, no crying. Her voice was just a little shaky. Indeed, she was alright.
Xuanyan was satisfied with this and offered a perfunctory reassurance. “Very good.”
Fu Tangli was still in shock. “Where did these villains come from? From the looks of it, they weren’t after money, but rather to take a life. It’s very strange. Now they’re all dead. It’s terrifying. We must report this to the officials immediately.”
Xuanyan carelessly tossed the sword in his hand. “I had a dispute with someone in the past. He was no match for me and held a grudge, so he came here seeking revenge. You just happened to run into it. It’s nothing important, just a few ants. Someone will come to deal with this later.”
At this moment, he was covered in blood. On his head, face, and hands, the blood had not yet dried and was still dripping. It was even mixed with some kind of yellow, thick liquid—brain matter or bone marrow, perhaps—in sticky clumps.
His expression was indifferent, his features as sharp as a sword, the killing aura not yet faded. His eyes still held the color of blood, like an Asura. The ground was covered in dead bodies, a gruesome scene, yet he spoke of it so lightly.
A breeze blew past, carrying the smell of blood mixed with a damp, salty scent. Fu Tangli had been able to control herself just now, but now she felt a chill run down her spine, almost to the point of nausea. She couldn’t help but cover her mouth with her hand.
Xuanyan, however, just gave a faint smile and began to untie his belt.
Caught off guard, Fu Tangli took a step back, almost crying out in alarm. But remembering his dislike for noise, she managed to stifle it.
Xuanyan walked toward the pool. His movements were swift and decisive. He took off his clothes, letting them fall as he went. Soon, even his inner robe was off, revealing his lean, muscular back.
Fu Tangli’s heart was pounding. It had already been beating fast, and now it felt like it was about to leap out of her throat. She hurriedly turned around, not daring to look.
From behind her came the splash of someone entering the water.
Fu Tangli couldn’t help but ask, “What is the Daoist Master doing?”
“Covered in filth, the stench is unbearable. I must wash it off with water.”
Xuanyan’s tone was the same as usual, cold and proud, but Fu Tangli detected a hint of gritted teeth in it.
Suddenly, the tense, murderous aura vanished, and he returned to his usual self, the Daoist Master who was like a banished immortal, detached from the mortal world.
Fu Tangli secretly touched her own cheek. It was burning hot, but her heart was slowly relaxing, and she couldn’t help but want to laugh. “Isn’t the Daoist Master cold? Why not wait until you get back and heat some water before washing? In this weather, the spring water must be freezing. To just jump in like that…” She shivered. “Why not bear with it and deal with it when you get back?”
Xuanyan’s tone was clearly displeased. “How can I bear it?”
So fussy. Let him freeze to death, Fu Tangli cursed inwardly.
The sound of water came from behind her, very close. It was probably the sound of him scooping up water and letting it run down his body.
Fu Tangli felt at a loss. She prided herself on her strong will; no matter how the situation changed, she could always handle it with ease. But now, she felt awkward. She looked east, then west, but didn’t dare to turn around. She even felt like burying her head in the snow.
She shifted her feet, rubbed her hands, and felt that she couldn’t stay here any longer. She coughed twice and said politely, “Since everything is fine now, Daoist Master, please take your time washing. It’s inconvenient for me to disturb you, so I will take my leave.”
“Stay,” Xuanyan stopped her curtly. “The villains came in a group. Who knows if there are accomplices still hiding in the shadows. You stay right there. Do not leave my sight.”
The corpses were still strewn on the ground. A sword was stuck in the snow, blood flowing down the blade and freezing halfway, leaving a glaring streak of scarlet.
Fu Tangli’s scalp tightened, and she immediately stopped. “It’s alright. There’s nothing to do anyway. I’ll wait for the Daoist Master to finish bathing and leave with you.”
Xuanyan made a low sound from his nose, probably indicating his agreement, but he didn’t say anything more.
Fu Tangli didn’t know what else to say, so she fell silent, standing there awkwardly and waiting for him.
Not too far, not too close, with nothing to block the view, her back turned, pretending as if nothing was amiss.
The sound of water was incessant, splashing and gurgling, as if he were scrubbing and rubbing, washing his body over and over again with water.
Fu Tangli waited and waited. After a long while, she finally spoke, asking considerately, “On such a cold day, one must still pay attention to one’s health. You can’t soak in cold water for too long. Daoist Master, are you done washing?”
Xuanyan said coldly, “Be patient. I need to send for clean clothes.”
So he’s already done washing, but he finds his original clothes too dirty to put on.
Fu Tangli tentatively suggested, “In that case, shall I go back to Yunlu Temple and deliver a message for you?”
Then she felt that was not right. She was still afraid of dying. She immediately corrected herself. “Never mind. It’s just a short walk. Since you’re not afraid of the cold, why don’t you… just walk back like this? Er… I’ll just close my eyes and not look.”
“Silence!” Xuanyan cut her off, his tone sounding a little dangerous, tinged with a murderous intent.
This man is really difficult to deal with.
Fu Tangli sighed helplessly. “This is not acceptable, that is not acceptable. What is acceptable then? You tell me.”
Xuanyan suddenly let out a few whistles, some long, some short, with a unique rhythm. The sound was high-pitched and clear, echoing in the empty mountains.
Before long, the sharp cry of a hawk came from the high sky, as if in response to Xuanyan, shrieking and piercing through the clouds, coming from far to near.
Fu Tangli looked up in surprise and saw a massive white gyrfalcon flying from the distance. When it reached them, it suddenly swooped low, like a cloud, passing over her head.
The wind from its wings messed up Fu Tangli’s hair, and she quickly ducked her head.
From behind her came a fluttering sound, as if the gyrfalcon had landed.
Fu Tangli was dying of curiosity but didn’t dare to turn around. “Is this a hawk raised by the Daoist Master?”
“Mm,” Xuanyan replied nonchalantly, then said to the gyrfalcon, “Yaoguang, go back. Fetch someone.”
He patted the hawk’s head. The white hawk, named Yaoguang, let out another cry, preened itself proudly, spread its wings, and took flight again.
But it didn’t fly far. It circled around and landed in front of Fu Tangli, took two steps, and lifted its head.
It was nearly half a person’s height, with white feathers and jade-like claws, its entire body a pure, uniform color without any stray feathers, blending in with the snow of the world. This was a Haidongqing of divine and handsome bearing. Its eyes were golden, glowing with a fierce light, and it stared straight at Fu Tangli.
Fu Tangli, completely bewildered, met its gaze… and met its gaze… and continued to meet its gaze…
Suddenly, the Haidongqing spread its wings, let out a sharp “Gaa,” and lunged.
Fu Tangli screamed and turned to run. But remembering the improper sight behind her, she squeezed her eyes shut and charged forward blindly.
She had only run a few steps when she heard a splash as someone broke the water’s surface. A pair of hands pressed against her shoulders, bringing her to a dead stop.
“Halt,” Xuanyan’s voice scolded sternly. “Any further, and you’ll fall into the water.”
Startled, Fu Tangli instinctively opened her eyes.