Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Hua Wu Que was silent for a moment, before looking heavenward and sighed, “I will never hate you, although I cannot be with… with you, but I will treat you like a sister for the rest of my life.”

He smiled and continued, “Also, I want to tell you, I have never hated Jiang Xiao Yu. He may be fated to become my enemy, but he is the only true friend in my entire life. If you… you can be together with him, I’ll feel very happy as well…”

Tie Xin Lan suddenly exclaimed, “Big… Big Brother, I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life, really grateful to you.”

She was smiling as she cried, and really doesn’t know if it’s sadness or happiness. Hua Wu Que also does not know if it’s sadness or happiness. He knows with Tie Xin Lan’s cry of ‘Big Brother’, it can never be changed for the rest of their lives. Although they might have built up some feelings, but such feelings has been totally changed by this cry of ‘Big Brother’. This cry of ‘Big Brother’ was uttered so affectionately, but so alienated as well.

Hua Wu Que looked towards Heaven, and finally could not help but heave a long sigh, saying, “I hope that he will not let you down… will not let you down!” This is a wish, a prayer, and also a pledge, a kind of self-release and putting his mind at ease… It is unlikely that anyone else can understand the complexity of the feelings in these two sentences.

But no matter what, now the both of them are more confident about their feelings. The two words ‘Big Brother’ is a like a wall, making them feel that their feelings will no longer flood over.

Tie Xin Lan finally smiled, and asked, “Big Brother, why are you here?”

Hua Wu Que replied solemnly, “I was entrusted by someone to come look for a person.”

Tie Xin Lan pressed on, “Are you here to look for Hero Yan?”

Hua Wu Que can only nod. Tie Xin Lan’s eyes shone, and asked “Could it be he was the one who entrusted you?” Hua Wu Que replied, “Yes.”

Tie Xin Lan asked, “He… why didn’t he come himself?”

Hua Wu Que did not reply, but instead asked “Why is Hero Yan not here, but you’re here instead?”

Tie Xin Lan lowered her head and said, “Last night, Hero Yan found me, and told me many things. He told me to wait for him here today. You should know, Hero Yan’s words, no one would disobey.”

Hua Wu Que asked, “What did he tell you?”

Tie Xin Lan’s face reddened, and biting her lips, replied “Hero Yan said, he wants me… me to chat with him first, and then…”

Suddenly a person could be heard laughing loudly from outside the woods, “Have you two young lovers talked, am I too early?”

Hua Wu Que turned around suddenly, and saw Yan Nan Tian taking large strides into the woods. On seeing him, his laughter stopped abruptly, he expression changed, and he bellowed, “Why are you here? How did you come?”

His lightning like gaze swept Tie Xin Lan’s face, and asked, “Where is Xiao Yu’er?”

Tie Xin Lan unconsciously lowered her head and said, “I don’t know, he said…”

Hua Wu Que continued, “Jiang Xiao Yu asked me to inform Hero Yan, that he can’t make it for the appointment today.”

Yan Nan Tian asked angrily, “Why can’t he come?”

Hua Wu Que heaved a long sigh and said, “He has been imprisoned by someone, I’m afraid his moves will be restricted….”

He knows that once he said those words, the outcome would certainly be unimaginable. Before he finished his words, Tie Xin Lan’s expression changed as expected. Yan Nan Tian fumed, “Who imprisoned him?”

Hua Wu Que hesitated for a while, but finally said, “An Elder in Wulin, whom everyone addresses as ‘Mr Copper’!”

Yan Nan Tian suddenly roared, “Mr Copper? I have roamed the Martial Arts realm for ten over years, I’ve never heard if a person called ‘Mr Copper’ in the Martial Arts realm. Did you make up that name!”

With a step, he was right in front of Hua Wu Que, and shouted, “Have you secretly hurt him, and yet you dare to come here and pretend to be a good guy!”

Hua Wu Que fearlessly replied, “I was entrusted by someone, it’s a matter of loyalty. Hero Yan only need to ask, and I will tell all that I know, but Hero Yan keep having doubts about my character, I…” Hua Wu Que said each word clearly, “I may not be Hero Yan’s match, but I must still have another duel with Hero Yan!”

Yan Nan Tian looked heavenward and laughed hysterically, “You still dare to say such a thing? You are very bold!”

Hua Wu Que replied calmly, “I am not bold, but I am not a coward who’s afraid to die!”

Yan Nan Tian shouted, “Since you are not afraid to die, then I shall grant you your wish today!”

Before he finished his shout, Tie Xin Lan had already rushed over, crying out, “Hero Yan, I know him. He is not a liar no matter what!”

Yan Nan Tian shouted, “Xiao Yu’er has already fallen into another’s hands and yet you are speaking up for him! No wonder Xiao Yu’er ignored you, you are also a fickle minded woman!”

Tie Xin Lan’s tears were bursting out again, and fluttered, “If Jiang Xiao Yu is in danger, Junior would save him even if it costs me my life, but Hero Yan said Master…. Master Hua is lying… Junior would not believe it even in death.”

Yan Nan Tian laughed icily, “You want to fight with your life for Xiao Yu’er, and also want to die for Hua Wu Que, how many lives do you actually have?”

Tie Xin Lan sobbed, “No matter how Hero Yan berates me, even if you think Junior is a… is a loose woman, there is nothing Junior can do ….”

She collapsed onto the floor and cried hoarsely, “Junior only ask that Hero Yan let Master Hua off. If in future Hero Yan finds out that he was lying, even if you tear my body to pieces, I would be willing.”

Yan Nan Tian laughed fiercely, “Fine! Since you want to vouch for him with your life, but a fickle woman like you, how much can your life be worth?”

This famed hero, already has a fiery character, and now that he is worried about Xiao Yu’er, all the more his anger flared, and cannot be stopped.

Hua Wu Que’s expression changed and he said, “Yan Nan Tian, I respected you as a Hero of our times, and have been tolerant towards you. I did not expect you to actually say such words to a girl. This kind of hero, heh heh, how much is he worth?”

Yan Nan Tian has already struck out his fist with a furious shout. Hua Wu Que also moved his body, and charged up.

Tie Xin Lan knows that once these two fight, no one in the world would be able to stop them. Once she thought about the injustices and grievances she had suffered for Xiao Yu’er and Hua Wu Que, which not a single person can understand, once she thought about the hard efforts she had made, which only resulted in being scorned as ‘fickle’, her efforts totally useless…. she finally could not take it any longer and starting wailing loudly. Her piteous cries were even more heartbreaking than a cuckold who cried out blood. The energy from the fist and palm shattered the flowers, which dropped like rain.

This is literally a duel between the two strongest martial artists in the martial arts realm belonging to the old and new generation! This literally is the most earth-shattering duel in the martial arts realm in the last hundred years!

The last time, they used swords, but this time, they’re only using their hands, but the excitement and intensity of this duel is not below that of the previous one! Yan Nan Tian’s fist moves were like his sword moves, sweeping with overwhelming power. The power of his strokes is incomparable in the world! Floral Palace’s martial arts have always countered brute strength with subtleties, and striking only when the enemy has struck. Hua Wu Que’s gentle and brooding character is also due to this type of martial arts, which he had learnt since young.

But now, his moves have totally changed!

He actually executed a forceful strike, attempting to attack at every opportunity! It’s because without this kind of moves, there is no way he could vent the anger he is feeling! This battle, is no longer entirely a battle for his life! It is a battle to protect the person he cared for most in his entire life!

He may be a gentle and quiet person, but Tie Xin Lan’s heart rending cries, have triggered the ferocity in his blood! This hot, furious blood, is inherited from his mother – his respectable mother, who for love, faced death without fear, and died smiling.

Floral Palace’s cold and solemn upbringing may have gradually turned Hua Wu Que’s blood cold, but the fire of love, have rekindled it! He suddenly felt that life and death is not really that important.

The most important thing is, he is going to have a duel to the death with Yan Nan Tian. He wants to use his own blood to wash the injustice that the person he cares about most has suffered, and also to wash the injustice he himself has suffered. The intensity of power of his palm attacks, seemed to have shocked heaven and earth.

Hua Wu Que’s palms kept attacking, straight attacks, diagonal attacks, side attacks, his moves were strong yet nimble, but Yan Nan Tiam’s fist moves were like an iron wall. Hua Wu Que could not even make a single successful attack!

His hair was in a mess, and the messy strands of hair landed on his pale forehead, but his cheeks were red from the hot rush of blood. Anyone would have thought that to use ferocious moves to attack Yan Nan Tian, that person must be tired of living.

His palm attacks may be as sharp as nails, but Yan Nan Tian’s fist attacks is like hammer, the heartless hammer, beating down on him heartlessly.

He only felt himself slowly suffocating, slowly losing his breath, Yan Nan Tian’s dance-like fists, seemed in his eyes to be growing bigger, growing bigger…

He knows that this time Yan Nan Tian will not let him off! But he did not give up, did not despair, as long as he still have one last breath in him, he will not give in even in death!

Who would have expected that Yan Nan Tian suddenly somersaulted, retreated seven feet, and shouted, “Hold it!”

He saw that he could have killed Hua Wu Que with his fists, and yet he suddenly stopped.

Hua Wu Que was surprised, and can’t help but asked as he panted, “Why do you want me to stop?”

Yan Nan Tian stared at him with bright eyes, and said each word clearly, “Although I have never heard of this name ‘Mr Copper’, neither do I believe that ‘Mr Copper’ really exists in this world, but I now believe that you did not lie.”

Hua Wu Que said, “Oh?…”

Yan Nan Tian continued, “If you had lied, you would surely have felt guilt, a guilty person would never be able to execute such ferocious moves!”

Hua Wu Que was silent for a moment, and looking heavenward, laughed, “Don’t you feel that it’s a little too late to believe me now?”

Yan Nan Tian said with a deep voice, “If you felt that I have insulted you earlier, then I sincerely apologize.”

Hua Wu Que heaved a long sigh, “Admitting a mistake without trying to shift the blame, a hero of the world indeed, even if I want to fight with you to the death, I will not be able to strike now!”

Yan Nan Tian shouted, “But I will still strike!”

Hua Wu Que was again surprised, and asked, “Why?”

Yan Nan Tian replied, “You may not have lied, but I still cannot let you go. No matter who that ‘Mr Copper’ is, he is surely related to you, right?”

Hua Wu Que thought about it, and said, “Right.”

“He imprisoned Jiang Xiao Yu, is it because of you?”

Hua Wu Que replied with a bitter smile, “I did not ask him to do it, but it’s true that was his intention.”

Yan Nan Tian roared, “That’s it then, since he kept Jiang Xiao Yu, then I will keep you! The time he releases Jiang Xiao Yu, will be the time I release you!”

He took a step forward, and said fiercely, “If he kills Jiang Xiao Yu, then I’ll kill you!” Hua Wu Que’s expression changed, but he heaved a long sigh and said, “That sounds very fair.”

Yan Nan Tian replied, “I have always been fair in my dealings.”

Hua Wu Que said coldly, “But the words you said to Miss Tie were most unfair.”

As he said these, he suddenly realized, that Tie Xin Lan is no longer under the tree. No one knows when this heart broken girl left!

Yan Nan Tian roared, “Do you stay willingly, or do you want me to fight with you again?”

Hua Wu Que’s expression paled, and he said out each word, “Even if you want me to leave now, I will not leave. If something untoward were to happen to Tie Xin Lan, even if you let me off, I will not let you off!”

Yan Nan Tian laughed heartily and said, “Good, very good! Before I find Tie Xin Lan and Jiang Xiao Yu, I think the two of us cannot be separated, right?”

Hua Wu Que replied, “Exactly!”

Mr Copper carried Xiao Yu’er and flew up the tree top again.

The branches on this tree were dense and at the tip of the tree, the circumference was about ten feet or more. The branches were firm yet supple, able to hold the weight of a few hundred catties. Mr Copper placed Xiao Yu’er at the top, and only pressed the branch down a little, and the dense leaves were wrapping Xiao Yu’er up like a blanket. Unless it’s a flying bird, or else no one would realize there is someone being hidden there.

Although Xiao Yu’er could not move, but he was still grinning and said, “This is really a good place to hide. It seems that I can have a comfortable sleep here.”

Mr Copper said coldly, “You better honestly sleep.”

Xiao Yu’er asked, “Are you leaving? You are such a loner, and loves cleanliness so much, I just know that you will not guard over me forever.”

Mr Copper smiled coldly, “You can forget about running away. Once I have finished my work here, I will bring you to a safer place.”

Xiao Yu’er said, “I can’t even move my fingers, even if you were to put me on the road, I won’t be able to run.”

Mr Copper replied, “It’s best that you can understand this point.”

Xiao Yu’er rolled his eyes and commented, “If it rains, and I don’t have a very good constitution, I’ll fall sick once I get caught in the rain. It’s no big deal if I fall sick, but if I’m injured due to my sickness, won’t it spoil your reputation? You promised, never to let me be injured, right?”

Mr Copper said icily, “No matter how sick you are, I will be able to cure you.”

Xiao Yu’er thought for a while, and continued, “I’m heavier than an ox, if this branch can’t take my weight and break into half, and if I fall and break my arm or leg, can you patch them up as well?”

Mr Copper replied, “Even if two of the branches were to break, you still would not fall.”

Xiao Yu’er widened his eyes and smiled, “What if there were eagles or similarly large birds that flew over my head, and thought my eyes were pigeon eggs and pecked me. Can you mend that as well?”

Mr Copper suddenly exclaimed, “Why are you so annoying!”

Xiao Yu’er laughed, “Since I was born, I don’t have any other ability other than annoying others. If you find me annoying, why don’t you kill me. A dead person won’t be annoying.”

In Mr Copper’s entire life, he has really never met such an irritating person. If it was anyone else, that person would have been cut into eight pieces long ago.

He was so angry his body was shaking, but he had no choice but to take out a silk handkerchief to cover Xiao Yu’er’s face, saying fiercely “Is this better?”

Xiao Yu’er took a deep breath and smiled, “Your handkerchief is really fragrant, is it some love token given to you by some lady?"”

Mr Copper bellowed, “Why can’t you just shut up?”

Xiao Yu’er said, “If you were to seal my mute acupoint, then won’t I be unable to talk? But you would also know that the mute acupoint cannot be sealed for more than six hours, or that person would die of asphyxiation.

Xiao Yu’er continued with a laugh, “So if you were to seal my mute acupoint, every three hours, you would have to come back and let me take a breath, won’t that be even more troublesome.”

Mr Copper said through gritted teeth, “You know quite a lot.”

Xiao Yu’er added, “Besides this, there is another less troublesome method.”

He deliberately paused, and continued, “That would be running away, the best plan in the thirty-six plans. Once you’re gone, no matter what I say, you won’t be able to hear me. Won’t that be a relief to your ears?”

Without waiting for him to finish his words, Mr Copper had already flown down the tree.

Xiao Yu’er deliberately sighed, and mumbled, “He’s finally gone, I hope that gentleman would not come too early, so that I can have a good sleep first.”

He has not finished his words when Mr Copper flew up again, took away the handkerchief that was covering his face, and asked fiercely, “Who is the gentleman you were referring to?”

Xiao Yu’er pretended to be startled, “Ah, the words I have just said, you’ve heard them all?”

Mr Copper said coldly, “Within a thousand feet, nothing can escape me.”

Xiao Yu’er sighed again, “You’ve hidden me on the tree, no one can see me, so how can there be anyone who would save me? I was just talking and amusing myself earlier on.”

Mr Copper asked, “Who did you think would come and save you?”

Mr Copper was deep in thought for a moment before he exclaimed, “That’s right, Hua Wu Que might come back for a look.”

He stopped speaking, carried Xiao Yu’er again and flew down the tree. He thought himself to be astute, but he did not see Xiao Yu’er secretly smiling.

Xiao Yu’er did not expect anyone to save him at all. He knows that if he stays on the tree, there will be no chance for him to escape at all. He can only harass Mr Copper, until he’s dizzy from the harassment. As soon as he is a little careless, there will be a chance for him to escape.

If it’s martial arts, Xiao yu’er is definitely not Mr Copper’s match, but when it comes to petty tricks like these, even two Mr Copper would not be a threat to Xiao Yu’er.

He carried Xiao Yu’er and flew down the tree, but hesitated again.

Xiao Yu’er asked, “Where are you taking me to? You can’t possibly just stand here carrying me.”

“Humph!”

Xiao Yu’er grinned, “I have not bathed for a few days, don’t you find it dirty carrying me?”

He has not finished his words and Mr Copper had released his hold.

Xiao Yu’er fell to the ground and cried loudly, “Aiyo, oh no, my bone’s broken!”

Mr Copper kicked his hipbone, thus unsealing the acupoint for his lower body and shouted, “Stand up and follow me!”

Xiao yu’er felt that his legs can move, but groaned, “My bone’s broken, how can I stand up, this time you really must carry me!”

Mr Copper fumed, “What is your bone made of, that it will break with a fall?”

Xiao Yu’er said, “Even if it did not break from the fall, it would have broke from your kick… aiyo, so painful!”

He might as well start screaming in pain.

Me Copper’s gaze flickered, and he finally can’t help but ask, “Is it really broken?”

Xiao Yu’er groaned, “Touch it for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

Mr Copper hesitated, but finally bent down to inspect Xiao Yu’er’s leg.

Xiao Yu’er said, “No, it’s not there.”

“Where is it?”

Xiao Yu’er replied, “Not at the thigh, it’s a little higher.”

Mr Copper’s hands suddenly shrunk back, as if he has been bitten by a poisoned snake. He stood up straight, his chest panting.

Xiao Yu’er grinned, “Why is it that you don’t even dare to touch, unless you’re a woman?”

Mr Copper bellowed, “Shut up!”

Xiao Yu’er stuck out his tongue and laughed, “You want me to shut up, even if you wish to seal my mute acupoint, you can use a cloth to stuff my mouth!”

He could have stuffed Xiao Yu’er’s mouth, but now that Xiao Yu’er had said it out first, if he were to do that, won’t it be a loss of face?

Mr Copper said icily, “Why should I stuff your mouth, I want to hear you talk.”

Xiao Yu’er tried to hold his laughter and said, “I did not expect my words to be so nice. Since you like to listen, why don’t you sit down, we can have a comfortable chat.”

Mr Copper stared at Xiao Yu’er in anger, but there’s nothing he can do. He had thought that there would be no one in the world that he cannot handle, but who would know that there would be a Jiang Xiao Yu. For the first time in his life, he felt a headache coming on.