pappabearbooks Chapter 161 Xu Longxiang's Shock! Jiang Qingxue actually risked her life to save Qin Mu?!
Chapter 161 Xu Longxiang's Shock! Jiang Qingxue actually risked her life to save Qin Mu?!
Xu Longxiang was dressed in pure black night clothes, his face covered with a black cloth, only his eyes were visible.
But those eyes were fixed on Jiang Qingxue, like iron nails drawn to a magnet.
He saw her moon-white figure, saw Qin Mu holding her hand, and saw her occasionally turning her head to look at Qin Mu's profile.
The distance was quite far, and the face was not very clear in the moonlight.
But he saw it clearly.
On Jiang Qingxue's face, there was no pain or struggle as he had expected, no forced smile, and not even obvious fear or resistance.
She walked quietly, her head slightly lowered, occasionally glancing at the man beside her.
That look in his eyes… bathed in the hazy moonlight and swaying shadows of the trees, gave Xu Longxiang a strange illusion—
There seemed to be a... complex tranquility there.
Even a hint of extremely subtle dependence seemed to flash deep within his eyes?
Do not!
impossible!
Xu Longxiang roared inwardly, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles cracking softly, and the veins on the back of his hands bulging, almost bursting through the taut fabric of his night clothes.
How could Qingxue possibly look at Qin Mu like that?!
She must hate him!
It should be fear!
They must want to escape every single moment!
Just like the hatred surging in his heart right now, enough to burn away reason!
But why... does this scene before my eyes exude an eerie harmony?
Moonlight, a garden, figures side by side, slow steps...
It's as beautiful as a meticulously painted picture of a nighttime palace tour.
The people in the painting are an emperor and his favorite concubines, not plunderers and the plundered.
This scene, even more so than the humiliating overlapping shadows on the window paper last night, made Xu Longxiang feel a chill that penetrated to the bone and a sense of panic.
He suddenly recalled the profound words of Empress Zhao Qingxue of Liyang:
Sometimes, ignorance is a kind of luck. But more often than not, ignorance... is the deepest tragedy.
Xu Longxiang dared not think any further.
"Your Highness."
Beside him, Mo Ya's hoarse, low voice, like the friction of sand and gravel, abruptly pulled Xu Longxiang back from his turbulent thoughts.
Mo Ya, also dressed in black, was almost pressed against the rock wall of the artificial mountain, his aura so concealed that it was nearly nonexistent.
His gaze, however, did not fall on Jiang Qingxue at that moment.
Instead, with the sharpness of a hawk, it repeatedly scanned every shadow, every tree, and every corner within ten feet of Qin Mu.
"This is an opportunity."
The black crow's voice was so low it was almost carried away by the wind.
"Qin Mu was out for a nighttime stroll alone with his concubine, and it seemed that no guards were following him closely, at least not openly. Perhaps a probing attack now could force out whether there really is a terrestrial immortal by his side."
Xu Longxiang was startled and abruptly turned to look at Mo Ya.
Under the moonlight, the eyes above the mask of the black raven gleamed with an eerie light that was both fanatical and calm.
"Are you crazy?!"
Xu Longxiang forced out the words through clenched teeth; though he tried his best to keep them low, the shock and anger in them were still palpable.
"This is the heart of the imperial palace! Qin Mu must have something to rely on to dare to act this way! A rash attack would be a death sentence!"
"That is precisely why it is the best time to test the waters."
Mo Ya spoke extremely fast, and his thoughts were frighteningly clear.
"Your Highness, don't forget Empress Li Yang's third condition: we must prove that we have the ability to deal with, or at least ascertain, the true nature of the terrestrial immortal beside Qin Mu. As long as this matter remains uncertain, the alliance with Li Yang will be like a castle in the air, ready to collapse at any moment."
He paused, then turned his gaze back to the two figures in the distance, his eyes sharp as knives:
"Look, Qin Mu seems completely unguarded at this moment. If there really were a terrestrial immortal by his side, would he be so arrogant? This in itself is a huge point of suspicion. Perhaps... that so-called terrestrial immortal is nothing but a figment of Qin Mu's imagination, a decoy used to intimidate the world!"
Mo Ya's words were like a key, instantly unlocking Xu Longxiang's heart.
He suddenly recalled his previous speculations, the unusually smooth infiltration last night, and the possible bluff behind Qin Mu's various actions.
"But……"
Xu Longxiang's eyes struggled violently, and his gaze involuntarily drifted back to Jiang Qingxue under the moonlight.
She seemed to gently gather her wind-blown hair, her profile appearing exceptionally soft in the moonlight.
This subtle movement, like a needle, pricked him hard.
"That's too risky."
Xu Longxiang's voice was hoarse, "If... if it really is true, you will surely die. Even if it isn't, if the palace guards are alerted, you will have a hard time escaping."
"Your Highness!"
Mo Ya's voice suddenly became more forceful, carrying an undeniable loyalty and urgency.
"My life was given to me by the Xu family. If it weren't for the old prince's rescue back then, I would have starved to death on the streets long ago. Now, being able to investigate for the sake of the young master's great cause, what does it matter if I die?!"
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming.
"Besides, I am not without confidence. Have you forgotten my specialty?"
He moved his fingers slightly, and a few wisps of extremely faint, almost invisible black mist seemed to swirl around his fingertips before instantly dissipating.
"Following like a shadow, scattering like a black crow, this method of concealment and escape has been honed by me for decades. I am confident that even if I were a true immortal, it wouldn't be so easy for me to be captured in an instant. As long as I can force the person in the shadows to make a move, or confirm that no one is making a move, I will immediately flee far away."
"At that time, regardless of the outcome, this intelligence will be of paramount importance to the Crown Prince and the Northern Territory!"
Xu Longxiang fell silent.
He knew about Mo Ya's skills in concealment and escape.
That was Mo Ya's most secret technique, originating from an extremely obscure and bizarre ancient tradition. It was said that when mastered to its peak, it could truly transform into a shadow and vanish in an instant.
It is precisely because of this skill that Black Raven has become one of the most mysterious and feared spies in the North.
The conditions for leaving Yang, the doubts about reality and illusion, the stability of the alliance, the future of the Northern Territory... countless pressures came crashing down in an instant.
In the distance, Qin Mu seemed to bend down slightly and say something to Jiang Qingxue.
Jiang Qingxue nodded slightly, her posture revealing a kind of... submission?
This image ultimately became the last straw that broke Xu Longxiang's back.
A surge of anger, resentment, and a desperate, reckless energy rushed to his head.
He stared intently at Qin Mu's retreating figure, his eyes bloodshot.
"it is good."
Xu Longxiang's voice was hoarse, like a broken bellows, yet it carried a kind of icy resolve.
"You... be careful. Hit and run, never linger. If things become unfavorable, retreat immediately; survival is paramount!"
He finally added the last sentence.
Mo Ya's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he nodded emphatically: "Understood!"
Before he finished speaking, his entire aura seemed to instantly merge into the shadow of the artificial hill beneath him.
Even though the person is still there, they give off an eerie feeling of "not existing".
The next moment, his figure swayed slightly, like ink scattered by the wind, and he silently slid down from the top of the artificial mountain, merging into the deeper darkness below.
Then, they silently stealthily moved in the direction where Qin Mu and Jiang Qingxue were.
Xu Longxiang remained perched atop the artificial hill, his gaze fixed intently on Mo Ya's almost elusive trajectory, his heart pounding as if gripped by an invisible hand.
His hand rested on the short sword "Po Jun" that he never parted from at his waist. The hilt was icy cold, but it couldn't stop the cold sweat seeping from his palm.
Clear snow...
Brother Longxiang... may be about to do something very dangerous.
For the future, so that I can truly save you.
The cold moonlight quietly spilled into the Imperial Garden.
Two people taking a walk, a stealthy shadow, and a pair of eyes filled with torment and despair on the artificial hill in the distance.
........
The night in the Imperial Garden was eerily quiet.
The moonlight spilled like mercury onto the bluestone path. Qin Mu held Jiang Qingxue's hand, walking at a leisurely pace.
He seemed completely immersed in the tranquility of the autumn night. The cuffs of his dark nightgown fluttered slightly in the night breeze, and his profile appeared exceptionally serene under the moonlight, even carrying a hint of languid comfort.
Jiang Qingxue's heart pounded uncontrollably.
Qin Mu's calmness and the warmth from his palm were like two completely opposite forces, pulling at her heart.
She dared not think too deeply, and could only mechanically follow along, her gaze occasionally sweeping over his well-defined jawline before quickly looking down again.
Just then—
A sudden and unexpected change has occurred!
From the shadow of a dense clump of fading autumn chrysanthemums beside the path, a dark figure emerged silently like a ghost!
The movement was so fast that it defied visual perception; it was as if a mass of darkness had suddenly come to life, breaking free from the shadows and transforming into a sharp and incomparable edge!
It's a black crow!
He seemed to blend into the night, except for his eyes, which peeked out from above his mask and flashed with a venomous cold light the moment he made his move!
With no weapon in hand, only his bare palms, fingers forming claws, he aimed straight for Qin Mu's unsuspecting back with a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air!
This strike embodied his life's work, without reservation or any intention of testing the waters.
What he wanted was a thunderous strike!
To force out Qin Mu's true reaction! To force out the terrestrial immortal who might be hiding in the shadows!
Jiang Qingxue's pupils contracted to pinpoints in an instant!
She didn't even see how the dark figure appeared; she only felt a chilling killing intent, like a tangible ice spike, piercing her back!
And the one who bore the brunt was Qin Mu, who was walking in front of her!
Time seemed to stretch out infinitely and stand still at this moment.
Just as Mo Ya's fingertips were about to touch Qin Mu's black nightgown—
Qin Mu's reaction completely surprised everyone!
"An assassin—!!!"
A shout filled with panic, even with a slight crack in his voice, suddenly burst out from Qin Mu's mouth!
The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet Imperial Garden, completely devoid of its usual languor and sense of control, leaving only the most instinctive fear of a sudden attacker!
At the same time, he seemed to be stunned, his body suddenly stiffened, and he subconsciously staggered to the side to dodge.
His movements were hurried and chaotic, lacking any semblance of skill, as if an ordinary person who had never practiced martial arts had encountered a fatal danger.
A look of extreme astonishment flashed across Mo Ya's eyes!
How is this possible?!
Qin Mu's reaction was unexpected!
But in the blink of an eye, his fierce and unparalleled attack was already too late to stop!
Just as the fingertip, imbued with a faint black aura, was about to tear apart the opening Qin Mu had created when he fell backward in panic, the aftershocks could even hit Jiang Qingxue, who was staggering forward!
At this critical moment—
Another thing happened that no one expected, including Mo Ya himself.
Jiang Qingxue's mind went blank for a moment.
An almost instinctive reaction suddenly erupted at this moment!
Perhaps it was because Qin Mu's words, "Don't be afraid, I'm here," left an imprint on my subconscious.
Perhaps it's because over the past two months, she has become accustomed to playing the role of a submissive, dependent, and even willing concubine who would shield him from disaster in front of Qin Mu.
Or perhaps, it is merely a distorted dependence on Qin Mu and a conditioned reflex-like behavior under extreme fear.
In short, at the very moment when Mo Ya's fingertips were only three inches from Qin Mu's heart, and the killing intent had already torn Qin Mu's clothes apart—
"Your Majesty, be careful!!!"
A scream, tinged with tears, burst from Jiang Qingxue's throat!
She suddenly found a surge of strength and broke free from Qin Mu's hand, which had loosened slightly due to his "panic".
Instead of taking the opportunity to dodge, he used all his strength to crash between Qin Mu and that terrifying black shadow!
The moon-white nightgown unfurled in the night breeze, like a fragile white butterfly suddenly startled, resolutely plunging into the deadly darkness.
She wanted to use her body to shield Qin Mu!
This action was so abrupt it was almost absurd!
At the top of the artificial mountain, Xu Longxiang's breathing stopped completely for a moment!
His eyes widened so much they almost popped out of their sockets!
The blood in my body seemed to flow backwards instantly, only to freeze into ice in the next moment!
He wasn't shocked by Qin Mu's performance, but by Jiang Qingxue's completely illogical behavior!
What did he see?!
Qingxue... Qingxue actually took the blow for Qin Mu?!
She actually used her own body to protect the enemy who took her away, humiliated her, and destroyed everything she had?!