Chapter 374 - 33: Pond Full of Lotus Blossoms
Three days later.
The second largest city under Feiyun Sect, Qiyun City.
Forty li outside the city.
In an official road built by cutting through mountains and forests.
Dozens of men dressed in black, embroidered with gold snakes, surrounded two prisoner carts heading south.
"Fourth Sister, do you know where we are going?"
A man stood at the edge of a prisoner cart, laughing towards the woman inside.
The woman in the cart had disheveled hair, her body covered with whip marks, and her hands and feet were shackled with chains that could suppress Spiritual Power, weakly leaning against the iron bars of the cart.
Hearing the man’s words, she slowly raised her head to reveal an alluring face, though it was somewhat swollen, clearly after much torture.
Yet the woman showed no signs of pain and sneered:
"I am the Commanding Disciple of the Zhenyang Sect. You don’t dare to deal with me arbitrarily, you can only take me to the Zhenyang Sect. Only after they judge my crime can you escort me back to the West Imperial Dynasty."
"Oh, Fourth Sister, you’re still so clever." The man laughed heartily, a cruel expression on his face:
"You are the third senior sister of Xiyue Peak and even a Fairy on the Beauty Ranking with countless admirers. I wonder what their expressions will be when they see you like this?"
"Heh." The woman looked at him mockingly: "That’s just perfect. I could tell them how Lord Si Mingcheng used to cry at my feet like a dog when he was a child."
"Si Minglan!!"
Si Mingcheng was furious, picked up the God-piercing Whip, and lashed it across Si Minglan’s already swollen face, leaving a deep scar on her delicate complexion.
Si Mingcheng laughed loudly: "Si Minglan, I’ve smeared poison on this God-piercing Whip’s tip, so the wound won’t heal. Your face is ruined, and not only will you die, but I also want you to lose everything before you do!"
Si Minglan calmly looked at him: "You have no evidence. You can’t kill me."
Si Mingcheng sneered: "We have witnesses. Your friends in Yunling Town can testify that you killed the Eldest Prince!"
Si Minglan smiled faintly, her face mocking: "You can’t find them, and even if you do, they know nothing about me, because they’re not my friends. Someone like me could only have a treacherous brother like you, not friends."
"Is that so?"
Si Mingcheng sneered: "Qin Gengyun and Qiu Zhihe might not be your friends, but what about Fang Xue? She is your junior sister. We’ve checked; the two of you are very close."
Si Minglan looked at him coldly: "Junior Sister Fang knows nothing; finding her won’t help. Si Mingcheng, after all these years and you haven’t improved at all."
Si Mingcheng approached the cart, reached in, and pinched Si Minglan’s chin:
"You’ve always looked at me like this since we were kids, and I dislike it greatly. Yes, I’ve never improved, but what if the Empress acts?"
Si Minglan’s indifferent gaze instantly shifted.
Seeing her face finally change, Si Mingcheng laughed triumphantly, gripping her chin tightly:
"Fourth Sister, even if you don’t admit to killing the Eldest Prince, once the Empress brings your dear junior sister to the Zhenyang Sect to personally testify against you, do you really think you can escape?"
"I once testified against Si Yuanwu and sent him to the execution block. Now that your most beloved junior sister testifies against you, it seems you two father and daughter share the same fate, hahaha!"
Si Minglan suddenly grew sharp teeth and bit Si Mingcheng’s hand, making him scream in pain.
"Ah!! Si Minglan, let go, ah, let go of me!"
Finally getting free, he saw that a piece of skin was torn off his hand, making Si Mingcheng furious, ordering his men:
"Beat her, beat her hard!"
A few Golden Snake Guards approached, picking up the God-piercing Whip and harshly whipping it at Si Minglan inside the cart.
In an instant, blood splattered, splashing onto the adjacent cart, making Yun Yan and Yun Yu cry out:
"Don’t hit Sister Si, don’t hit her, Sister Si, wuwuwu..."
Yun Xing’s small hands tightly gripped the iron bars of the cart, staring intently at Si Mingcheng and the Golden Snake Guards whipping Si Minglan.
He engraved the appearance of these men deeply into his mind.
...
Yunling Town.
Lotus Garden.
"Children, it’s time to eat!"
"Yay yay!"
"Wow! Grandpa and grandma’s food smells so good!"
Fang Chao and his wife happily called for dinner, and the children all rushed over, sitting obediently around the long table.
These children from Cloud Bamboo Mountain had already been living in Lotus Garden for almost a month, from initially being timid and homesick to gradually adapting now.
They had also become more familiar with Fang Chao and his wife, who had moved over to care for them, now sweetly calling them "grandpa and grandma."
Fang Chao and his wife were very happy, smiling so much that they couldn’t close their mouths. Fang Chao once secretly told Fang Xue:
"Daughter, you’ve brought us so many children; even if you don’t get married due to your spiritual practice, your mother and I won’t worry anymore."
Daily accompanied by so many adorable children, Fang Chao, who had limited time left due to Pill Poison, also felt much better in spirits.
Meanwhile, Fang Xue would sit in front of the lotus pond for her practice every day.
One day the children saw that the lotus pond, which had only a few lotus leaves, actually grew lotus flowers, and they flew into the air, the petals scattering into a rain of flowers.
The children naturally didn’t know this was a sign of the renowned Tanglian Technique reaching a higher level.
They just thought Sister Xue’s magic trick was very beautiful, all pestering Sister Xue to do it again.
Fang Xue doted on these children, often performing this beautiful magic trick, turning the Tanglian Technique into a tool for delighting the children.
"Sister Xue, it’s time to eat!"
At that time, Fang Xue was still sitting in front of the lotus pond, when several children came to call her for dinner.
Fang Xue opened her eyes, looked towards the gate, and smiled at the children:
"Zhen, Xiaoyu, be good, you go eat, Sister Xue is going to see a guest."
"Guest?"
The children were puzzled but obediently went to eat.
Fang Xue slowly rose and said to Fang Chao and his wife:
"Father, mother, I’m going out for a bit."
Fang Chao’s wife asked, "Daughter, will you come back to eat?"
Fang Xue was silent for a moment, then smiled: "I’ll come back in a few days to eat."
With that, she walked towards the gate of Lotus Garden, and Fang Chao called after her:
"Daughter."
Fang Xue turned back, seeing a hint of an aged smile on Fang Chao’s weathered face:
"Go early and come back early, we’ll be waiting for you."
Fang Xue looked at her father, smiled softly, and nodded firmly:
"Okay."
She glanced again at her mother and the children, finally turning and slowly passing the lotus pond, walking through the garden to the gate. After a moment of silence, she opened the door.
At the entrance stood a graceful and elegant woman, seemingly knowing she would come out, with a gentle voice:
"Taoist Friend Fang, do you know where I’m taking you?"
Fang Xue answered the question with her own: "Have you found my senior sister?"
Lin Yuan nodded.
Fang Xue said, "So are you going to take me to my senior sister’s side?"
Lin Yuan nodded again.
Fang Xue said, "Then I’ll go with you."
The Golden Snake Guard behind Lin Yuan stepped forward, taking out the shackles, Lin Yuan said:
"No need."
"Yes, Empress."
The Golden Snake Guard stepped back, and Lin Yuan asked Fang Xue: "Aren’t you going to say goodbye?"
Fang Xue shook her head: "No need, I will come back."
"Alright, let’s go." Lin Yuan’s voice was gentle as she turned and walked towards the direction outside Yunling Town, with Fang Xue quietly following behind her.
Lotus Garden.
Lotus flowers emerged from the water in the lotus pond, slowly blossoming.
In an instant, the pond was full of flowers, vibrant and lush, like a wonder.
The children eating were pleasantly surprised and exclaimed:
"Wow, so many lotus flowers! Sister Xue has performed magic for us again!"