Chapter 108

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By the time they had engaged in their duel, they had already left the Xiao family's residence, reaching a wide-open area where they didn't need to worry about being overheard.

Xiao Qingxuan's eyes were downcast, her eyelashes slightly trembling. After a long while, she said, "Telling you all this is of little use. I don't need anyone else meddling in my affairs." Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NovᴇlFɪre .ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Qin Xian'er giggled charmingly, "Senior sister, matters of mutual attraction between a man and a woman are beyond rescue. If it can't be remedied, why not just go with the flow and follow the will of the heavens? That's the proper way, unlike you, torturing yourself. However, since you know I fancy him, you can't compete with me, or else, I'll surely kill you."

Xiao Qingxuan replied coldly, "Lin Wanrong and I are like-minded friends, not as ignoble as you imagine. If you have feelings for him, it doesn't necessarily mean your wish will be fulfilled. He already has someone in his heart."

Qin Xian'er laughed flirtatiously, "You needn't remind me, senior sister, I'm well aware. I have my own plan. But the way you care about him, is it truly just friendly concern? His behavior is entirely different from yours, so how did this friendship come about?"

Xiao Qingxuan's face remained serene. After a pause, she finally said, "I won't fight with you today. If you are truly in love with him, then take good care of him. He's always getting into trouble without the ability to protect himself, and he doesn't have anyone by his side, I worry about him--" She bit her lip, cutting herself off.

Listening to her, Qin Xian'er stopped bantering and sighed deeply, "That man, truly as stubborn as an ox. I hinted to him discreetly some time ago, advising him to leave the Xiao family, but he kept evading. I tried notifying him again today, but he's nowhere to be found. I wondered why he couldn't bear to leave the Xiao family, it turns out he can't part with Second Miss Xiao, the little vixen."

In her heart, Xiao Qingxuan thought, ‘It's you who's the vixen, yet you dare to speak ill of Miss Xiao.’ However, reflecting on Lin Wanrong's unique character, she also sighed, "I wonder who could persuade him. Some time ago, I suggested he learn some martial arts, but he declined mercilessly. I really can't tell what he's thinking."

Qin Xian'er giggled, "So, senior sister has been harbouring such thoughts too, which is not so different from me. I've gifted him many classic books, but he doesn't even give them a glance. Yet, with his particular temperament, it's hard to know whether to be annoyed or pleased with him."

Upon hearing Qin Xian'er's candid words, Xiao Qingxuan thought, ‘This Qin Xian'er truly is a bewitching white lotus, so straightforward with her words.’ She contemplated for a moment, then chuckled, "Actually, we may have underestimated him. He is indeed intelligent. What we gave him, although coveted by many, may not be suitable for him. He's already quite old, unless some extraordinary opportunity arises, starting from scratch at this point would hardly yield noticeable results. Even if he were to learn, it would only be a few basic moves, barely sufficient to fend off the high-flying thieves from your White Lotus sect."

Qin Xian'er glanced at Xiao Qingxuan but didn't dispute her words. Instead, she just listened to her continue. "You and I have been practicing martial arts since we were young. We've consumed countless spiritual medicines and undergone years of guidance from our elders. After more than twenty years of arduous training, we've achieved our current skills. He, as an ordinary man of his age, would find no use in our doctrines and regular training methods. He'd just end up owing us a favor. A shrewd man like him wouldn't make such a loss-making deal."

At this point, Xiao Qingxuan chuckled lightly, obviously reminded of the cunning merchant's savvy demeanor, always different from the others. A smile also emerged on Qin Xian'er's face. Surprisingly, these two adversaries were thinking along the same lines.

Suddenly, Qin Xian'er glanced at Xiao Qingxuan and said, "Senior sister, with your deep understanding of him, I'm afraid you've fallen for him already."

Xiao Qingxuan was taken aback, finding it hard to believe the words that had come from her own mouth. Fortunately, her lifelong training had centered on calming the mind, and she quickly recited a few mantras, regaining her composure.

After a lengthy silence, Qin Xian'er let out a slow sigh. "Senior sister, despite our fights, we can't seem to sever our ties with that man. Is this the destiny of us women?"

Xiao Qingxuan gave her a glance, thinking, 'You may be a demoness of the White Lotus sect, and that man may be a villain, but I wonder who will triumph when the demoness and the villain clash.' After a moment of thought, she realized that regardless of who won, it would no longer concern her. She felt a pang of bitterness, quickly gathered herself, and her expression became serene again. The two women, who had been locked in fierce combat just moments ago, now stood in unified silence, making one marvel at the wonders of the world.

After a moment, Qin Xian'er suddenly beamed, "Senior sister, after some thinking, it seems to me that you pose the greatest threat to me. Without me, he will surely fall for you. I won't be at peace until I've killed you."

As she spoke, she leapt forward, her delicate fingers flicking. Tiny white flashes of light sped towards Xiao Qingxuan like bolts of lightning. One moment they were chatting and laughing, the next moment deadly intent filled the air. The rapid shifts in the demoness's demeanor might even make Lin Wanrong admit his inferiority.

Xiao Qingxuan shook her head helplessly. ‘A demoness will always be a demoness; no matter how much she changes, she can't change her nature.’ As she mused, her hands were not idle. She flicked her slender fingers and caught all the projectiles, which turned out to be several silver needles.

Qin Xian'er laughed lightly and retreated, her voice coming from the distance, "Sister, I'm off to take care of that man now. Be careful, I'm definitely going to kill you."

Xiao Qingxuan gazed at her retreating figure and sighed deeply. The demoness seemed genuinely fond of Lin Wanrong. However, she appeared to be struggling within the White Lotus sect. Could she really protect him?

"Miss..." A soft voice interrupted Xiao Qingxuan's thoughts. Turning her head, she saw her own maid, Xiu He.

"What happened?" Xiao Qingxuan asked.

"It seems that the group has left the city. I followed them for a while and left some markers before returning," Xiu He reported.

"As long as we can locate them, things will be easier." Having finished her words, Xiao Qingxuan turned to leave.

"Miss, should we call for some troops from Jiangsu?" Xiu He quickly inquired.

Xiao Qingxuan pondered for a moment and said, "The city of Jinling has been troubled by the White Lotus bandits recently, and it may well be that they have connections within the local government. I don't quite trust Cheng De, the Commander-in-chief of Jiangsu, not to mention that I don't have a military token to command him. Luo Min, the governor of Jiangsu, only has some patrol soldiers under him, which wouldn't be of much use. Our priority for this journey is to rescue people. We can deal with other matters later."

Xiu He nodded and followed her mistress. Their slender figures disappeared into the twilight.

Meanwhile, Lin Wanrong was completely oblivious to these developments. He was annoyed, thinking, 'I am merely a servant, you have plundered the Xiao family, that's one thing, but why drag me into this?'

Walking alongside Eldest Miss Xiao, held captive by the same group, she glanced at him, her eyes filled with confusion. She seemed to question, 'I am the owner of the Xiao family, it makes sense for them to kidnap me, but why did they take you, a servant, as well?'

Lin Wanrong forced a bitter smile, thinking, 'You think I came looking for them for a friendly visit? Damn it, I've clearly been set up this time.'

Both of them were immobilized by their captors, unable to move or speak. Although Eldest Miss Xiao put on a strong front in front of the bandits, she was, after all, a woman. Fear naturally gripped her heart, and she turned her gaze to the servant, who was smiling at her. Even though she was a strong woman in the business world, this was a situation she had never encountered before. In this critical moment, having this annoying rogue beside her gave her some comfort.

The bandits placed them in a carriage and unlocked their acupuncture points. The bandit chief stared at Eldest Miss Xiao for a long while, swallowing before grinning at her. "Miss Xiao, I apologize for this inconvenience. But I believe you'll thank me for it in the future, haha."

He signaled to a woman by his side, who reached out to frisk Miss Xiao. Terrified and furious, Xiao Yuruo exclaimed, "What are you doing? If you dare to touch me, I will end my life right here!"

While the bandit chief seemed sleazy, he was surprisingly considerate of Miss Xiao, leaving the pat down to the woman beside him. Seeing the woman's intention, Xiao Yuruo sneered, "If your filthy hands dare touch me, I will die before you."

The woman hesitated, glancing at the bandit chief, who chuckled, "Miss Xiao, don't misunderstand. This is merely a precaution. As long as you promise not to harm yourself, we won't make things difficult for you."

Hearing this, Lin Wanrong furrowed his brows. The bandit chief seemed to treat Miss Xiao with unusual caution. If their motive was merely robbery, there was no need to show such consideration towards Miss Xiao. There was only one other explanation - they had ulterior motives for Miss Xiao.

Miss Xiao knew that her life was in the hands of these bandits, but being a strong-willed woman, she said scornfully, "As long as you do not harm us, no amount of money will be too much to offer."

The bandit chief laughed, "If that's the case, I will not make things difficult for you, Miss. I hope you will not make things difficult for me either."

With a wave of his hand, he blocked their acupressure points, immobilizing them. They were already on the outskirts of the city on a remote path. He was not afraid of them shouting for help, so he generously left their voice points unblocked. Thanks to Miss Xiao, the bandits did not search her body nor pay any attention to Lin Wanrong, they turned and left.

About a dozen bandits mounted their horses, surrounded the carriage, and galloped swiftly towards the outskirts of the city.

Eldest Miss Xiao's anxiety subsided for the moment. She glanced at Lin, who seemed lost in thought, and wondered what he was thinking. 'At a time like this, he still manages to daydream,' she thought.

"Hey—" Eldest Miss Xiao called out softly. They were trapped in the narrow carriage, unable to move their hands and feet, only their mouths could move.

Lin Wanrong snapped back to reality, realizing that the only thing they could move now were their mouths. Judging from the bumpiness of the carriage, they were definitely in a desolate, wild area. Cries for help would be futile, and with the bandits surrounding them, any attempt to call for help would turn them into minced meat before any help could arrive.

Being a clever man, Lin Wanrong would never do such a foolish thing. He winked at Eldest Miss Xiao and said with a smile, "Miss Xiao, I didn't choose to get on this carriage myself, I really had no choice."

Xiao Yuruo's face reddened. The last time they shared a carriage, he had forced himself onto it. She glared at him but couldn't understand why, in such a dire situation, he still had the nerve to make light of her.

"It seems these bandits are being quite considerate towards you, Miss Xiao. Perhaps they intend to take you as their camp wife," Lin Wanrong joked. "But rest assured, Miss, even if it costs my life, I'll snatch you back."

"What nonsense are you talking about," Xiao Yuruo snapped, yet his teasing somehow lessened her fear.

But Lin Wanrong was not lying. When Eldest Miss Xiao was negotiating terms with the bandits earlier, she had included him as well, which reassured him. It appeared he held some significance in her eyes. Additionally, she was the sister of his beloved Yushuang, so it was his duty to protect her.

Since the bandit chief had demands for both of them, Lin Wanrong felt more at ease. If the bandit needed something from them, there was room for negotiation. In playing devious games, Lin Wanrong was second to none.

Thinking of Yushuang, Lin Wanrong's heart was filled with tenderness. If he could escape alive, he resolved to hold Yushuang in his arms and kiss her to his heart's content.

Eldest Miss Xiao noticed his gentle expression, a stark contrast from his usual intimidating demeanor. Her heart fluttered a bit. 'What is he thinking about to make him look like that?' she wondered.

Neither of them spoke again. Although Eldest Miss Xiao had been captured, she felt less afraid with this wily servant by her side, and even began to feel somewhat at ease.

The carriage swayed back and forth, hurrying onwards under the cover of night. Eldest Miss Xiao, who had been frightened tonight, eventually drifted off to sleep.

Seeing her furrowed brows even in sleep, as if troubled by many worries, Lin Wanrong sighed inwardly. He observed her somewhat pale cheeks and couldn't help but empathize. The young lady was under enormous pressure, not only fighting battles in the business world and managing the Xiao family but also dealing with bandits; it was indeed not easy. After pondering for a moment, he too began to feel drowsy.

'Damn it, I've been taken for a ride this time,' he thought, 'if I manage to escape, I'll spare no expense to buy something like thousand-year-old ginseng or ten-thousand-year-old knotweed [tuber fleeceflower/polygonum multiflorum] to enhance my strength.' He sighed inwardly.

In his mind, those aberrantly strong characters in martial arts novels all used these kinds of things to enhance their strength, invigorate their energy, cleanse their marrow, undergo rebirth, and become indefatigable - their effects were similar to those of Viagra and desensitizing sprays.

'Divine skills, divine skills, I must practice divine skills,' Lin Wanrong thought. This was his greatest wish before drifting off to sleep.

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