The moon rose above the treetops, casting a hazy glow over the dancing shadows of the trees.
A carriage slowly pulled up in front of the villa's main gate.
A gray - clothed man stepped forward and bowed his head, whispering, "My lord, we're here." The man had a pair of silver - gray eyes, quite unusual and distinctive.
"Very well," came a gentle and melodious voice from inside the carriage.
Then, a young gentleman in white stepped down from the carriage, holding a long sword. He wore a white - veiled hat, revealing only a slightly pointed chin.
Several servants came out from the villa and led the carriage away. Immediately after, a clear voice rang out.
"Lord Zhong."
The young gentleman in white looked up. A handsome middle - aged man in a crane - feather - colored robe walked towards him.
His slightly pointed chin lifted, and his rosy, diamond - shaped lips curved into a smile.
"Thank you, Lord Alliance Leader, for receiving me."
The candle flames flickered gently. The small window was half - open, and the crescent moon was alluring.
Su Xiaoliu rummaged through the room and finally found the silver hairpin.
"I almost lost it..." Su Xiaoliu murmured as she looked at the hairpin, carefully wrapping it in an old piece of clothing.
On the flower - cage stool beside her was a lake - blue silk dress. It seemed there would be a banquet tonight, and tomorrow would be the once - every - three - years Martial Arts Mount Ping Assembly.
Su Xiaoliu walked over and picked up the dress.
"Knock, knock." Someone knocked on the door.
Su Xiaoliu looked up. Through the paper window, she recognized the shadow as Xia Liu's.
"Come in."
The door opened, and a young woman in a peach - colored long dress walked in. It was indeed Xia Liu.
Xia Liu looked around, then closed the door. She walked in and stopped a short distance away, bowing her head. "Madam, Protector Chang is waiting for you in the back courtyard."
That hawk - eyed man wanted to see her?
Su Xiaoliu put down the dress, looked up at Xia Liu, and nodded. "I see."
The night was at its darkest.
Su Xiaoliu walked hurriedly along the dark path. When she reached the back courtyard, she glanced ahead.
This time, she was smarter. She bypassed the pavilion and went directly behind the rockery.
Sure enough, a man in black night - clothes was standing with his back to her.
"What do you want with me?" Su Xiaoliu quickened her steps.
Chang He turned around. Under his mask, his hawk - like eyes were sharp and clear. He reached out and threw something at her.
"Swallow this."
Su Xiaoliu quickly caught the object. Looking at it in her palm, she found it was a delicate small porcelain bottle.
She hesitated and looked up, whispering, "It's not poison, is it?"
Chang He scoffed disdainfully. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't use such a method."
That was true. They had no grudges against each other. It should be okay to trust him for now.
Su Xiaoliu pretended not to hear his disdain. She pulled out the stopper of the porcelain bottle and poured a silver pill into her palm. After a moment of thought, she closed her eyes and swallowed the pill.
After a long while, there was no strange feeling in her body. Su Xiaoliu heaved a sigh of relief.
She was just about to speak when she found she couldn't make a sound.
She tried to open her mouth again, but not a single sound came out!
Could it be that this medicine couldn't kill her but had made her mute?
Su Xiaoliu's almond eyes widened, and she looked at Chang He angrily.
Chang He let out a cold laugh without any emotion and said calmly, "You'll thank me for this."
Su Xiaoliu opened her mouth and glared at him fiercely.
If she could speak at this moment, the words she would say would surely be very vulgar.
Seeing that she was angry, Chang He said unhurriedly, "You don't have to hate me so much. The effect of this medicine only lasts for three hours. Once the effect wears off, you can say whatever you want." Then he added, "I'm actually helping you. You'll understand later."
What the hell! Was it fun to be mute?
Su Xiaoliu glared at him angrily, stamped her foot, and turned away.
Chang He watched her departing back, narrowing his hawk - like eyes, and let out an enigmatic laugh.
In the brightly - lit main hall, there were many unfamiliar faces sitting in two rows.
Su Xiaoliu, in a lake - blue long dress and wearing a veil, sat in the seat next to the Alliance Leader. Her almond eyes were restless, constantly sizing up the people sitting below.
Not far away sat Gu Rongxue in a purple robe. His long hair was casually let down, with a few strands falling in front of his chest. There was a faint look of weariness on his extremely beautiful face. When he met Su Xiaoliu's gaze, he smiled slightly, looking as pure and beautiful as a newly - blooming lotus.
The Alliance Leader beside her gave a soft cough, looking at her with a half - smile. He whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Madam, are you trying to embarrass your husband in public?"
Su Xiaoliu quickly withdrew her gaze awkwardly and glared at him.
The Alliance Leader let out a few soft laughs and said no more.
Su Xiaoliu turned her head and looked elsewhere.
There was an empty seat on her right. The old man sitting next to it looked very strange. He was dark and thin. When he lifted his chin, one could see his skin hanging on his bones. It seemed that a chopstick could pierce him through. How could such a frail person be in the martial arts world?
Su Xiaoliu shook her head and looked at the young man sitting on her left. He was not extremely good - looking, but among the people here, apart from the Alliance Leader and Gu Rongxue, he was the most pleasant to look at. He was wearing a dark - cyan robe and looking straight ahead expressionlessly. Su Xiaoliu thought he was quite good - looking and couldn't help looking at him a few more times. Suddenly, the person next to him nudged him. He turned his head, and as he opened his mouth, a set of ugly teeth were revealed.
Su Xiaoliu quickly withdrew her gaze and shrank her neck in disgust.
The Alliance Leader looked at her sideways and smiled. "Cold?"
Su Xiaoliu looked up at him. She wanted to speak but couldn't, so she just shook her head.
The Alliance Leader let out a soft laugh and looked elsewhere.
Su Xiaoliu lowered her head and continued looking at the person next to the buck - toothed man.
It was okay not to look, but after looking, Su Xiaoliu frowned deeply.
The man was in his fifties or sixties. He was wearing a tattered cotton - padded jacket with his chest bare. He was holding a wine cup in his hand, laughing and saying something to the buck - toothed man beside him.
What kind of people were these participants? How come they weren't swept out as beggars?
Su Xiaoliu shifted her gaze to a middle - aged man in a vermilion brocade robe on the right. The middle - aged man had a kind smile on his face and looked very amiable.
Su Xiaoliu thought he looked familiar. Suddenly, she remembered that he was the Island Master Tang from last time.
Her gaze shifted again, and Su Xiaoliu suddenly met a pair of dark - cyan eyes. She was stunned for a moment.
The man was wearing a simple and plain water - colored long gown. He had an ordinary face, but on his rather pale face, there were a pair of dark - cyan eyes, which made one's hair stand on end.
Afraid that he might notice something, Su Xiaoliu quickly withdrew her gaze and lowered her head to look at the table in front of her.
A sound of footsteps came from afar and drew closer.
The chatting people fell silent and looked towards the door.
The footsteps stopped, and an extremely pleasant voice came.
"I'm late due to some matters, causing much inconvenience to everyone. Please forgive me."
Su Xiaoliu felt as if she had heard this voice somewhere before, but it also seemed a bit strange. She looked up.
The young man in front of her was dressed in ethereal white. He had a tall and slender figure. His long black hair was tied up high, and he wore a white - veiled hat, revealing his slightly pointed chin. His rosy, diamond - shaped lips were slightly parted.
As if sensing someone beside him, he slowly turned his head and met Su Xiaoliu's gaze.