Chapter 106: Reunion

The forest, once a lush sanctuary of chirping birds and buzzing insects, had fallen into a deathly silence. Only a few crows circled overhead, their harsh, guttural cries announcing the gruesome carnage below.

Corpses of beasts, merchants, and warriors lay scattered in a chaotic, mangled heap. Rivers of crimson blood had pooled together, and flesh was piled like walls. Fortunately, the scorching midday sun had already begun to bake the blood, though this only accelerated the release of a thick, nauseating stench that made one want to retch. To the vultures circling above, however, it was a feast. They dove down, plunging into the carcasses of horses and great beasts to gorge on the bloody banquet.

At the front of the caravan, the carnage was at its worst; the remains of men and beasts were so intertwined that they were indistinguishable, casting an icy, bone-chilling aura over the heart of midsummer.

Beside this mound of gore, nineteen figures in black, their faces masked, circled a man and a woman. Both were stained with blood. The woman hung limp, her eyes tightly shut, swaying like a withered leaf in the breeze, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.

One of the black-clad men, unable to contain his impatience, reached for his weapon, but was checked by Yan Qing.

"I cannot fathom this man's true strength, and he bears no malice toward the young mistress. Wait before you act. Do not forget why we are here."

Yan Qing transmitted his voice to the reckless subordinate, signaling him to leave Su Bo alone. Simultaneously, his gaze flickered toward the frozen corpse of Qin Feng. The subordinate followed his gaze, saw the body, and immediately stepped back.

In truth, Shang Wenyi had suffered no internal injuries; she was merely paralyzed by shock, and Su Bo had delivered a sharp strike to her neck to render her temporarily unconscious. Su Bo’s goal was not to protect her for the sake of kindness, but because his mind had been racing, calculating how best to navigate the predicament he found himself in. The letter he had scavenged from the lone traveler was already tucked into Shang Wenyi’s tunic—a desperate measure, not evidence of any ulterior motive.

Finally, Su Bo opened his eyes. He scanned the group, retracted his internal energy, leaned Shang Wenyi against a nearby boulder, and stood up to face the assassins eye-to-eye.

"I have been recuperating within this caravan under the lady's kindness. Are you all with this man?" Su Bo asked, gesturing toward Qin Feng’s frozen corpse.

"You misunderstand, sir. We are here to rescue our young mistress," Yan Qing replied first, bowing with a polite, practiced air. "May I ask where you serve?"

"I am merely an inner-sect disciple of the Dayan Sect. I was sent on a mission by my master, but after being ambushed, I had no choice but to follow this caravan south," Su Bo answered without hesitation. His expression of indignation at the mention of the ambush was so convincing that no one could find a flaw in his story.

However, the more he spoke, the closer the men pressed in on him.

"So, an elite of the Dayan Sect! As it happens, the Shang family is currently recruiting heroes and righteous men from across the land. Why not join us and seek a position?" Yan Qing sneered, stepping closer with every word.

Just as the men were about to move against Su Bo, Shang Wenyi awoke. "What are you doing!" She stood up, stumbling slightly, and her hand brushed against a dagger she had somehow acquired.

Seeing her grasp the blade, Yan Qing raised a hand to halt his men. He was not afraid of any threat she might pose, but he feared that this kind-hearted young mistress might harm herself for the sake of a stranger. As a practitioner of the Transcendent Realm, he could theoretically control the minds of those below the Condensed Spirit Realm, but his mental control was not precise; a slip could cause permanent damage. He knew well the fragility of her mind compared to others.

"Miss, we are merely following orders. Please, do not make this difficult for us," Yan Qing said, bowing slightly, his face expressionless. He had always despised the weakness of the young mistress, especially her bleeding-heart sensibilities.

Su Bo chuckled inwardly. He had intentionally placed the dagger behind Shang Wenyi, waiting until she was nearly awake before rising, precisely to ensure she would wake up to intervene.

Watching her raise the blade, he feigned alarm: "Put it down! These people mean us no harm; they are only here to bring you home."

Shang Wenyi was kind, but she was not a fool. She knew exactly what Yan Qing intended. She did not drop the dagger; instead, she held it firmly against her own throat.

"Miss, what are you doing?" Yan Qing asked, his tone flat. If not for her status, he would not even have bothered to speak to her.

But the next moment, the blade pressed closer, and thin trickles of blood began to seep down the cold steel. She pressed harder, and it became clear that she would truly die before his eyes if he pushed further. Even Yan Qing, accustomed to life and death, frowned. *When did she develop such backbone?*

In his memory, she could not even stand the sight of blood. Utterly thrown, he was forced to concede: "Fine! We will not touch a hair on her head." He pointed to the dagger at her throat, signaling her to lower it. "Lower that thing, Miss, and we will keep our word."

Shang Wenyi did not trust them. She glanced at Su Bo, saw his look of feigned urgency and concern, and gave him a reassuring nod. Turning back to Yan Qing, she said, "Let him leave on horseback first, and then I will drop the blade."

Her tone was iron-clad, brooks no argument. The way she gritted her teeth was a far cry from her usual demeanor.

Yan Qing took a deep breath and transmitted a message to his men: "Leave a mark on him later. Once the mistress's suspicions are eased, pursue him and see that he is killed."

The men exchanged glances, understood, and stepped aside, leading a horse toward Su Bo. Su Bo took the reins, exchanged a meaningful look with Shang Wenyi, and swung onto the horse. He bowed slightly. "Until we meet again."

Shang Wenyi’s eyes were filled with resolve. In this moment, she had finally seen the true nature of her brothers and the ruthlessness of her father. Blood had been spilled, but it had taught her a lesson. She watched Su Bo’s figure fade into the distance, finally feeling a sense of relief.

Half an hour later, Yan Qing looked at the sun. "Miss, he is far away now. You can put the knife down."

Shang Wenyi slowly lowered her hands and collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at the sky.

"The two of you, go after him. Do not return if he is still alive," Yan Qing commanded his men. He turned to the others: "Take the mistress and leave this place. Leave a few men behind to hire locals to repair the carriages, then silence them all. Someone will come to collect the cargo within the month; sell the seasonal produce locally at a low price."

"Understood."

"What about the mistress's wounds?" one man asked, bowing his head.

Yan Qing, having been outmaneuvered by the "weak" woman, had no patience left. "Give her the medicine; she can tend to herself."

"Yes." The man handed the golden sore ointment to Shang Wenyi and waited quietly.

"Miss, we are short on time," Yan Qing said coldly, seeing her still sitting on the ground.

Shang Wenyi did not even look at him. She seemed like a different person. "I need to retrieve something before I go."

Yan Qing could only suppress his rage, nodding and stepping aside.

Shang Wenyi stood up, tucked the ointment away, and felt a letter hidden in her tunic. She had been so tense that she hadn't noticed it until now. She realized immediately that Su Bo had hidden it there to keep it from the others. She kept her composure, brushed past Yan Qing, and began searching the wreckage of the carriage.

Soon, she found a rough, silk-bound scroll, stained heavily with blood. It was smaller than a standard scroll, but she knew it was what she had been looking for. She noticed a slight bulge in the scroll, as if something were hidden inside.

"What is hidden in here?" she wondered, feeling the letter in her tunic. She turned her back to Yan Qing and frowned. *What are these two messages trying to tell me?*

Blinking away her thoughts, she resumed her mask of vulnerability and walked toward Yan Qing. Seeing she was ready, he didn't waste another word. He ordered her onto a horse, selected two for himself, and the group departed for the south.