Chapter 11: Danger
“Beauty, come here.”
It was Zhao Linxu’s voice.
How could he have come…!
Why was it him?
“I… I can’t,” Li Jianyu said hoarsely. “I can’t see.”
The other person paused for a moment, then said with full confidence, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll get you out.”
The floating platforms bobbed on the lake’s surface and couldn’t bear the weight of two people. Worried it would sink, Zhao Linxu didn’t go to Li Jianyu’s side, but his tone was firm. “Don’t be afraid.”
Li Jianyu pressed his lips together. “Why did you come? You are the Emperor. You absolutely should not have taken such a risk.”
“People can’t be divided into high and low like that. The smart ones contribute ideas, and those who know martial arts must use their skills. I have martial arts, so I will naturally protect you.”
“Besides, the Arrogant Dragon Gang’s leader, Long Ye, even brought his masters to help me. They’re nearby and will send a signal as soon as they spot the monster. The disciples of the Hundred Flowers Sect are also waiting by the lake.”
Zhao Linxu had insisted on coming to find Li Jianyu, and both the Arrogant Dragon Gang and the Hundred Flowers Sect had wanted to help. If Hua Huanxi hadn’t been held back due to her injuries, she would have come as well.
Li Jianyu’s vision was still completely dark, but his heart slowly calmed down.
Zhao Linxu’s voice was in his ear.
“Listen to my instructions and walk. Trust me. Do exactly as I say, you understand?”
Li Jianyu nodded.
“Good. Now, there’s a floating platform to your left. You can reach it with one big step.”
“That’s right, a little bigger.”
Occasionally, if they were close enough, Zhao Linxu would reach out and steady Li Jianyu’s shoulder.
Li Jianyu had never had such an experience before. His eyes saw nothing, and nothing was under his own control. He was just blindly entrusting his life into another person’s hands.
If Zhao Linxu lied to him, or made a mistake, then Li Jianyu would die.
A sense of panic slowly grew in his heart, and his mind was a chaotic mess.
“Beauty?”
“Li Jianyu!”
Splash—
Li Jianyu felt his foot miss its mark and his whole body pitched forward. But the expected pain never came; instead, he fell into an embrace.
The sound of splashing water rang out, and Li Jianyu was pushed back onto the floating platform by Zhao Linxu.
“Don’t lose focus!”
Li Jianyu barely came back to his senses.
“Are you hurt?” Li Jianyu was extremely frustrated that he couldn’t see at this moment and couldn’t tell Zhao Linxu’s condition. He had clearly heard the sound of water just now, which meant someone had touched the deadly lake water. He was unharmed, so Zhao Linxu must have been injured.
“I’m fine. Just concentrate! Do you have a death wish?!”
Li Jianyu bit his lip and nodded seriously.
Trust him.
And so, with one giving instructions and the other following, Li Jianyu limped forward and returned to the shore, shaken but safe. Long Ye and his men had also returned.
“City Lord Li!! You’re alright!” Li Jianyu’s ears were filled with a cacophony of voices. First, it was Hua Huanxi’s voice, tinged with tears, then came a flood of questions and concerns…
“Brother, what happened to your leg!”
“Quick! Bandage it for him.”
Li Jianyu’s heart sank. He grabbed Zhao Linxu’s sleeve and said in a muffled voice, “You’re injured.”
“It’s just a flesh wound, nothing serious,” Zhao Linxu said lightly.
Li Jianyu lowered his head. He hadn’t trusted Zhao Linxu, but the one who got hurt wasn’t him, but Zhao Linxu.
“I’m sorry.”
Then, Li Jianyu felt a pair of rough hands on the top of his head, rubbing his hair vigorously.
“Alright, alright, it’s a small matter.”
After the bandaging, everyone left the cavern for the time being. They had all just fought a battle with the monster and were exhausted. If they wanted to get the spirit mushroom in the cave, they would have to rest and recuperate before going back in.
There was a disciple in the Hundred Flowers Sect who was skilled in medicine. After examining Li Jianyu, she said it was nothing serious, gave him a few pain-relieving pills, and said that it would be fine after another day or two with occasional rinsing with clean water.
Zhao Linxu led Li Jianyu out of the cave, and they rested with the others in the shade of a nearby tree.
“Did you encounter the monster on the floating platform?” Zhao Linxu asked as he wiped Li Jianyu’s eyes.
Li Jianyu thought for a moment. He was about to shake his head, but then he nodded.
He had originally thought that mentioning the monster would inevitably involve the tattoo, exposing himself. But then he felt that Zhao Linxu had been sincere with him, protecting him without reservation. He had already hidden so much about that night; he absolutely shouldn’t continue to deceive him.
“I felt the monster appear beside me, but after a short while, it suddenly sank back to the bottom of the lake.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” I really don’t know why the monster left as soon as it saw the tattoo, Li Jianyu thought.
“Then you’re very lucky.”
“City Lord Li.” As they were talking, Li Jianyu felt someone approaching him.
The person knelt down in front of him. “I’m sorry. It was my negligence.”
It was Hua Huanxi’s voice.
“It’s fine. It’s not your fault.”
Hearing no sound from the other side, Li Jianyu asked in confusion, “Are you… crying?”
In his eyes, Hua Huanxi had always been a forthright, iron-willed heroine. She could actually cry? Could it be that she was frightened by that unprecedented monster?
Li Jianyu didn’t know how to comfort her, so he reached into his inner robe to take out a handkerchief to hand to her.
…Huh?
Li Jianyu pulled out something that felt like a branch.
“Oh my god…!”
“Eh?”
Zhao Linxu and Hua Huanxi suddenly exclaimed. The commotion attracted Long Ye, who let out a low cry. “Isn’t that the spirit mushroom?”
Li Jianyu sat frozen on the spot.
The spirit mushroom???
Hua Huanxi lowered her head for a closer look. “It really is the spirit mushroom!”
Long Ye smiled from the side. “City Lord Li, you’re not being very honest, getting the spirit mushroom and not telling us.”
Li Jianyu was completely bewildered.
When did he get the spirit mushroom?
In his hand was a small branch with a few leaves growing on it. Li Jianyu couldn’t see what the spirit mushroom looked like, but his grip on it unconsciously loosened a little.
“Are you stunned?” Seeing Li Jianyu’s blank expression, carefully holding the spirit mushroom without moving, Zhao Linxu smiled and couldn’t help but rub Li Jianyu’s head again.
“Ah…”
Li Jianyu came back to his senses, and his heart was slowly filled with excitement.
The spirit mushroom… it really was the spirit mushroom!
They had worked so hard to come up the mountain, fighting people all the way, and had even nearly died in the belly of a monster. They had thought that getting the spirit mushroom was eighty percent hopeless, but who knew that it would suddenly appear in his arms, like a pie falling from the sky?
“I… we got the spirit mushroom.”
“Yes, we did.” Zhao Linxu’s voice was also filled with joy.
“When did you get this thing?”
“I don’t know either…” Li Jianyu frowned slightly.
Could it be…
“Maybe the monster gave it to me.”
Hua Huanxi exclaimed again, saying it was impossible.
“I encountered the monster on the floating platform, but it just pressed on my neck and chest and then suddenly left. Maybe that’s when the spirit mushroom came.”
Everyone was silent for a moment. Long Ye shook his head. “City Lord Li is truly a marvelous person.”
“Perhaps it was captivated by Beauty’s looks,” Zhao Linxu said with a laugh.
This remained a mystery. No matter how much they questioned Li Jianyu, he couldn’t explain it. In any case, the spirit mushroom now had an owner, and neither the Hundred Flowers Sect nor the Arrogant Dragon Gang would snatch it from Li Jianyu’s hands. So, after packing up, they prepared to go down the mountain.
Before they parted ways, Long Ye couldn’t resist striking up a conversation with Zhao Linxu.
“May I ask who this little brother is, and from which master and sect did you learn?”
Zhao Linxu raised an eyebrow slightly.
“I am the Emperor. I learned from my royal father.”
Hua Huanxi burst out laughing with a “pfft.” Long Ye shook his head. “Young hero, you really love to joke.”
Long Ye believed that Zhao Linxu was intentionally hiding his identity, but he was unwilling to lose contact with him. So, he had no choice but to take a jade pendant from his sleeve. “I hope to have a good match with you again in the future, young hero. You can bring this jade pendant to the Arrogant Dragon Gang to find me. If you are interested in participating in the Wulin Assembly at Lingxiao Peak next year, that would be a wonderful thing. Show this jade pendant, and I guarantee you a good seat.”
“You should treasure this jade pendant,” Hua Huanxi said with emotion. “With this jade pendant, you’ll have the support of the Arrogant Dragon Gang if you encounter any difficulties in the future.”
Zhao Linxu accepted the jade pendant and thanked him sincerely.
Long Ye patted Zhao Linxu’s shoulder. Not everyone could receive this token. It was just that this young man was truly a fine piece of jade. Long Ye had a sharp eye for people, and Zhao Linxu was upright and his martial arts were high. He truly admired him.
“We’re leaving.”
Long Ye smiled and led his men down the mountain with Hua Huanxi. Before she left, Hua Huanxi kept looking at Li Jianyu, as if she still hadn’t gotten over it, but she didn’t say anything more.
On the way back, Li Jianyu and Zhao Linxu rode on horseback, leisurely enjoying the breeze.
“The people of the jianghu are truly righteous and interesting,” Zhao Linxu said, shaking his head. This was his first contact with the jianghu, and he had never expected it to be so much fun.
“That’s because you encountered the number one sect, the demonic cult that gives all the righteous sects a headache, and a sect that is as powerful as a city. They are all prominent figures. If it were others, they wouldn’t be so easy to talk to. There are also many despicable villains in the jianghu.”
“I’ll get a chance to see them all one by one.” Zhao Linxu was pleased to see Li Jianyu leaning against him comfortably and talking more.
At least they could get along well now.
“Speaking of that Joyful Moon Cult, judging by their posture, I thought we would see them in the cave.”
“Perhaps they were delayed by something on the way.”
Zhao Linxu was about to reply when his body stiffened. He pulled on the reins, bringing Yuefeng to a halt.
Li Jianyu looked back at him in confusion.
“Don’t be afraid.” Zhao Linxu placed one hand on Li Jianyu’s shoulder and the other on the iron whip at his waist.
You’re good, Zhao Zhanqi. He had been wondering why he hadn’t seen many assassins on the way up. It turned out that he wanted him and his shadow guards to fight with the other jianghu masters, and then, after their strength was depleted, he would come to reap the benefits.
Zhao Linxu had naturally considered this before coming. The shadow guards were more than enough to deal with the jianghu people and assassins, but the monster was truly unexpected.
“Are there enemies? Your leg…”
Before his voice had even faded, Li Jianyu heard the “swoosh, swoosh, swoosh” of something cutting through the air.
