"Do you need us to help?"

 

Xia Yan hesitated for a moment before replying, "do you have a sword?"

 

Su Muqing shook her head, "I'll go buy one." afterwards, she led me outside again. Since it was still early in the morning, people were heading to work as well as setting shop up.

 

Luckily the weapon shop was already up at this time. When we entered into it, there were already some customers inside. The shopkeeper nodded at us, however he didn't come over. Su Muqing led me around, "Xiao Xiao, anyone's you prefer?"

 

Seeing me shake my head, she went and picked 3 swords out. They were around .7 meters long, and 5 cms wide. The swords also came with their own sheaths. Su Muqing brought them to the counter before paying the shopkeeper a few silver coins.

 

"Here, this one yours from now on."

 

Nodding, I took the sword before following her back to the inn. Xia Yan was already standing up and doing a bunch of punches into the air, and different movements, as if getting accustomed to her body.

 

"??" I turned to look at Su Muqing. She first went over to the table to place the swords down before giving me a simple explanation, "her body had grown stronger because of the poison. In another term, she had in a way stepped into the path of body cultivation."

 

"Oh.."

 

Xia Yan came over after awhile to take her sword.

 

"thanks...ummm..."

 

"I'm Su Muqing, and this is Ling Xiao," she patted my shoulders before telling her my name.

 

"Thanks Sis Muqing, Ling Xiao," she bowed at us, "after everything is over, I'll do my best to repay you."

 

"No need," Su Muqing waved her hand, "I've only saved you because it was convenient to. Also, we're not going to help you take revenge."

 

Afterwards, Xia Yan unsheathed the sword to look at the blade when she suddenly jumped before dropping it, causing a large clang sound to reverbrate.

 

She absentmindedly touched her right cheek using her hand, the area where her dark purplish veins were showing.

 

"After you finish refining the poison, you'll be able to get rid of those traits," Su Muqing stored away our swords, afterwards we left the room, probably to give her time alone again.

 

We began to walk along the streets again, this time instead of the weapon shop we went to a tea shop. She ordered two drinks again before passing me one. They were different from the ones she ordered last time. Happily taking it, I started to sip it through the straw. I especially enjoyed the cold feeling that spread throughout my heart while drinking it.

 

After exchanging drinks with her again, we finished it before continuing to walk around.

 

"Sis Muqing, can I buy a sewing kit?"

 

"Nn," she led me towards a general store before buying me a set, "I'll hold onto it for you."

 

I nodded before giggling, "why bother saying that when everything is already held by you."

 

She smiled at me before patting my head, "let's go."

 

Afterwards we made our way to the park. She took out a ball again before throwing it over me. Turning around, I chased after it before catching it before it landed on the ground. Afterwards, I threw it back.

 

She easily caught it before throwing it towards the side, causing me to run towards it. Pouting, i decided to throw it at a different angle as well, when the ball suddenly curved into her hands, causing me to widen my eyes.

 

"Unfair!"

 

She chuckled before throwing it again, causing me to run.

 

We continued until I was tired when she brought me over to the grass like usual. Sitting on her lap, I leaned back lazily while staring at the sky in a daze.

 

"Xiao Xiao, no slacking off,"

 

"Oh..."

 

Taking the book she passed me, I started to stare at the diagram, "Sis Muqing, I don't really feel like looking at it..." for some reason, i didn't have the patience to look at it.

 

Su Muqing didn't force me and simply took back the book, "then let's just remain like this." She held my waist with one hand while patting my head with the other.

 

___

 

"Let's head back, it's going to rain," Su Muqing suddenly when the time was mid afternoon. Getting me off her lap, she got up before leading me back to the inn. Just as she said, clouds began to gather, signaling that it was going to rain. She picked me up before dashing lightly through the streets. There were some people who were rushing as well, trying their best not to get caught in the rain.

 

Upon reaching the Inn, it had started to drizzle, before growing heavy, when someone charged insied as well. It was a man who had become completely soaked.

 

He laughed bitterly at us, "looks like I didn't make it in time."

 

We laughed back at him before returning to our room. Xia Yan had recovered from her shock already and was sitting cross legged on the bed in an attempt to refine the poison completely. The veins were retreating slowly down towards her neck.

 

Su Muqing went over to the table before taking out her swords, afterwards, she took out a knife before engraving onto the blades.

 

"??"

 

"I'm enchanting them, although they can't be considered magic weapons, they'll be stronger than mortal weapons."

 

"Oh..."

 

She smiled at me before taking out the sewing kit, as well as the skirts that I had ripped. Blushing at the one that I had ripped from the front, I took it before being extra careful while mending them. If I don't stab myself in the finger, I'll have considered it a victory.

 

While we each did our own thing, time began to slowly pass, the rain had stopped, and the cold evening air blew through the window, giving me a refreshed feeling. I almost couldn't stop myself from jumping through the window.

 

"Ow!" unfortunately it had also caused me to lose my war today.

 

My startled scream seemed to have caught Su Muqing's attention as she stopped what she was doing.

 

She reached over before grabbing my wrist before looking at the place I stabbed myself. There was a trickle of blood, although it wasn't so deep. Taking my finger, she brought it towards her mouth before placing it inside. Afterwards, I felt something soft and wet run over the placed where I had pricked. The ticklish feeling caused me to squirm a bit.

 

After she licked for a while she removed my hand before taking out an ointment from somewhere before smearing it on the wound. Afterwards, she took out a badage from somewhere before wrapping my finger up.

 

"..."

 

"Saliva helps healing~" letting go of my wrist, she nodded before going back to engraving on the sword.

 

Sticking my tongue at her, I also returned to stitching the skirt.

 

When it was deep into the night, I heard movement from the bed. Raising my head to look, Xia Yan's complexion had gone to normal. Although her lips were still darkish purple and her skin was pale, the veins and the whites of her eyes had returned to normal.

 

"Almost finished," Su Muqing replied, however she didn't lift her head up. I turned to stare at her work.

 

Running along the body of the blade was a myriad amount of lines and curves, she moved her hand slowly and steady, using the knife to carve a shallow marking into the sword. The knife did another few twists and turns before hitting onto the ends of a line. As if something awakened, the blade began to humm softly, when spiritual energy began to gather onto the weapon before stopping.

 

She took the sword before lightly swinging it, causing swishing sounds as the blade cut through the air.

 

Placing the sword into the sheath, she handed it over to Xia Yan.

 

"Thanks," taking it, she bowed at us before jumping through the window.

 

"Are we going to leave?"

 

Su Muqing shook her head, "she'll come back for help." she looked out the window for a bit before going over to the bed. Removing the bedding and folding it, she carried it out of the room to get a new one.

 

I sat on the table with a hand on my cheeks while staring out into the night.

 

___

 

The next evening, just like Su Muqing had said, Xia Yan had returned in a worse state than previously. Oh... that wasn't correct. her clothes and figure was in a sorry state, however she was definitely in better shape than when we first saw her.

 

 

"Can you help me with my plan?" she hesitated before asking.

 

Su Muqing nodded before having Xia Yan tell us about the situation.

 

She had gone through the secret passage, and snuck back into the manor, when she overheard Yao Cuihua and her Senior Sister discussing stuff. From the information she had gathered, her father was in a critical period currently, and Yao Cuihua couldn't leave the manor for a while, instead she asked for her Senior Sister to protect her hostage.\

 

Following this, she began to follow the Senior Sister, although she was caught midway, and the two began to fight. Unfortunately she wasn't her match, and had escaped in a sorry state.

 

Hence she devised a 3 part plan.

 

She would go after Yao Cuihua, and possibly lure the senior sister away, unfortunately even if it would leave her mother unguarded, there was no one who could save her, which was why she wanted to ask us for help.

 

While in the second scenario, where the Senior Sister was guarding the Mom, she wanted us to buy time so that she could capture Yao Cuihua to use as an hostage to exchange for her mother.

 

As for the 3rd scenario, it would be us saving the Mom, leaving the Senior Sister without a hostage as a bargaining chip. In this case, she would have to give up something of value to exchange for Yao Cuihua, of course that is if she values her enough.

 

"Sure," Su Muqing agreed to it, afterwards, we began to finalize the details of the plans, like where to meet up or actions to take in different scenarios.

 

Xia Yan grinned happily at us, revealing the fangs that hadn't retreated, probably a sideeffect due to the poison.

 

Afterwards, she led us out of the city during the night. We entered into the forest, while making sure to stay away from the beasts that were howling in the night. Our direction was the opposite side to where our cave was located.

 

When we arrived, we spotted two ghouls chained outside of the cave entrance. Which signaled that it was the correct place.

 

"Good luck," Xia Yan showed us a look filled with gratitude before turning and leaving back to the city.

 

Su Muqing took me into a tree before hugging me, "we'll begin tommorow morning."

 

"Oh..." While resting in her arms, i leaned back before closing my eyes. Luckily she was a natural bug repellent, so I didn't have to worry about anything crawling over me.

 

___

 

Early in the morning, Su Muqing began to lead me around the periphery while looking at the surroundings. Occasionally she would throw a piece of ice on the ground.

 

"Sis Muqing, what are you doing?"

 

Feeling curious, I asked.

 

"Setting up a bewildering formation," she said briefly, all done. Throwing down one last stone, she began to lead me towards the entrance of the cave.

 

"??" I tilted my head while looking at her, "I don't feel anything different?"

 

She chuckled, "if you did, then it wouldn't be a bewildering formation."

 

After freezing the ghouls at the entrance, we walked into the tunnel before entering into a wide open space. On the side of the cavern was a women who was chained up. Her hair and clothing were disheveled and messy.

 

Su Muqing suddenly pulled me towards the side when something flew past us. Turning over to look, I found that a needle had stabbed into the wall of the cavern.

 

The one who had thrown it was a pretty lady wearing a blue qipao, the senior sister.

 

"Go save Huo Suyi," Su Muqing passed me a porcelain bottle as well as the sword.

 

"Sis Muqing, be careful." taking the two, I ran towards the Huo Suyi. The sounds of metal colliding rang behind me, causing me to glance backwards. Su Muqing had taken out her sword while using it to deflect the needles that had flown her way. As for using her ice, it seemed she had decided to keep it hidden.

 

Going towards the chains, I unsheathed the sword from the scabbard, along the blade ran a myriad of complicated lines and patterns. Su Muqing had completed the enchantment yesterday. I swung the blade at the chains, and like a hot knife cutting through butter, it easily severed it.

 

Sharp!

 

After doing the same to the rest of the chains, I carefully placed the sword back into the scabbard. I didn't want to lose an arm or finger by accident. Afterwards, I took out a medicinal pill before feeding it to Huo Suyi.

 

"Can you stand?" Strength seemed to be returning to her at visible speed.

 

"Thanks..." she nodded before getting up, although she was staggering at first. After supporting her up, I turned to look at Su Muqing and Yao Cuihua's senior sister. They had stopped fighting and were staring at each other.

 

"Sis Muqing, I'm done."

 

"Nn,"

 

I began to make my way towards the entrance while Su Muqing cautiously kept herself in between me and the lady.

 

"If you want your junior sister back, then you'd best stay here," after throwing a line, she stored our weapons away, "Xiao Xiao, hold onto Huo Suyin."

 

Afterwards she took my hand before leading me out of the formation.

 

Upon reaching Lincheng City, the guards were shocked to see Huo Suyi. She began to explain the situation to them, while me and Su Muqing retreated and observed from afar. The guards formed a large band before escorting her back to the manor. Throughout the way, there were also people who were following along, mostly martial artists being nosy.

 

However upon reaching the manner, a middle aged man with a sickly complexion was waiting outside.

 

"Yin'er!" he stumbled over before hugging her.

 

"Husband!" Huo Suyi cried in his arms, "Yan'er, where is Yan'er?"

 

He shook his head, "she's doing fine, although we probably won't see her ever again..." he sighed, "Yan'er has grown up." Afterwards he glanced at our direction before nodding and leading her away.