Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 581: Nightmare and Reality

(This chapter is 3000 words long, almost 3 times the normal chapter length. So basically you are getting a 3 in one chapter. Enjoy.)

“You big bad wolf, keep pretending,” Zhao Min huffed, unable to hold back her disdain. “You’re always hung up on these trivial details. Have you forgotten something important?”

“Something important?” Song Qingshu was momentarily stunned, unsure of what she meant.

“Of course, your eyes only have room for your sweetheart,” Zhao Min sneered. “Did you climb up to Blackwood Cliff just to save her?”

Song Qingshu finally realized what she was referring to. “Ah, you’re talking about the poison in your body? Don’t worry, I already have a solution.”

Zhao Min shook her head. “I’m not as optimistic as you are. That time, Ping Yizhi clearly said that the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill he concocted could only be cured by him. Even if we go to Blackwood Cliff and get Ren Woxing’s antidote, it may not work.”

“Maybe he was just bluffing,” Song Qingshu comforted her. “We’ll have to try to know for sure. Besides, going to Blackwood Cliff might not only get us Ren Woxing’s antidote but also the one belonging to Dongfang Bubai. I refuse to believe that neither of their antidotes can cure the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill in your body.”

Song Qingshu recalled the original plot of “The Smiling, Proud Wanderer” where Ren Yingying was poisoned by Dongfang Bubai’s Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill. Near death and unwilling to let Linghu Chong see her in a pitiful state, she went to Dongfang Bubai’s former quarters to find rouge to put on makeup. To her surprise, the rouge turned out to be the antidote to the poison.

According to reports from spies on Blackwood Cliff, after Ren Woxing reclaimed the position of sect leader, he declared Dongfang Muxue’s former residence off-limits. Presumably, the rouge and other items should still be there. Even if they were gone, he could return to the Forbidden City and ask Dongfang Muxue for another batch.

However, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but wonder what reaction Dongfang Muxue would have upon learning that the antidote was for Zhao Min.
“How can you be so sure you’ll get Dongfang Bubai’s antidote?” Zhao Min asked, eyeing him thoughtfully.

Song Qingshu’s heart skipped a beat. His relationship with Dongfang Muxue was his greatest secret. Although he had a favorable impression of Zhao Min, they were still on opposing sides. He wasn’t foolish enough to lay everything bare.

“Haven’t I told you before? I’m a genius who knows everything from birth,” Song Qingshu replied ambiguously.

“Yeah, right. Like I don’t know better,” Zhao Min rolled her eyes dismissively.

“What do you think you know?” Song Qingshu’s heart tightened.

“When Ren Woxing reclaimed the sect leader position, you fought side by side with Dongfang Bubai. You two must have quite the relationship,” Zhao Min speculated, analyzing as she spoke. “The rumors in Jianghu said that after that battle, Dongfang Bubai fell into a bottomless abyss and was smashed to pieces. But since you, who fell with him, survived, there’s a chance he might not have died either.”

“Is that so?” Song Qingshu responded with an ambiguous smile.

Zhao Min carefully observed his reaction. Unable to find any flaw, she frowned, silently thinking to herself: ‘As expected, he’s a cunning little fox. He’s not so easily tricked. Let’s probe him further.’

Zhao Min’s eyes sparkled as she continued, “Given Dongfang Bubai’s proud nature, for there to be no news of him for so long, there are only two possibilities: either he’s dead, or he’s hiding somewhere to recover. We can rule out death, which leaves the possibility that he’s healing. According to intelligence from the Prince of Ruyang’s residence, Dongfang Bubai seemed to have an ambiguous relationship with Blue Phoenix of the Five Poison Cult in recent years… If my guess is correct, he must be hiding in the Five Poison Cult to recover.”

Song Qingshu admired her insight, thinking, ‘Zhao Min truly is one of the most intelligent characters in Jin Yong’s works. She deduced nearly everything from mere scraps of information. The only thing she doesn’t know is that Dongfang Bubai has long left the Five Poison Cult and is currently the emperor in the Forbidden City.’

Zhao Min kept her gaze on Song Qingshu’s expression and noticed the slight change—the initial surprise followed by a faint, subtle smile. Frowning, she muttered, “Hmm, I guess I was wrong.”

“Stop speculating. Let’s focus on how to infiltrate Blackwood Cliff,” Song Qingshu quickly diverted the topic to prevent her from picking up any further clues. “Blackwood Cliff is the headquarters of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, heavily guarded at all times. The three of us moving together will be too conspicuous. You and Li Mochou should wait for my news at the base of the mountain.”

“No way,” Zhao Min refused outright. “I’m going up Blackwood Cliff with you.”

“Why?” Song Qingshu frowned.

“No reason,” Zhao Min replied defiantly, lifting her chin. “I just want to see what the legendary Sun Moon Holy Cult headquarters looks like.”

“What about Li Mochou?” Song Qingshu’s frown deepened.

“Leave her at a nearby inn. My men can keep an eye on her,” Zhao Min suggested, pouting and gesturing toward the carriage driver outside.

“Absolutely not!” Song Qingshu rejected her plan immediately. Ever since the Golden Serpent Camp had been betrayed by Zhao Min, he no longer trusted her completely. Who knew if her men would kidnap Li Mochou once he was up the mountain to hold her hostage against him?

Zhao Min seemed to read his mind but didn’t bother explaining. She simply stated stubbornly, “I don’t care. I’m coming with you. As for Li Mochou, take her along if you can manage.”

“Fine, I’ll take her!” Song Qingshu gritted his teeth. With his current martial arts skills, far superior to the past, he figured bringing the now defenseless Li Mochou would only be a minor inconvenience, not a danger.

Zhao Min shot him a warning glance. “Just don’t bite off more than you can chew. Don’t drag this princess down if things go south.”

“No problem!” Song Qingshu responded firmly, his face dark.

“How could I forget? Our Young Master Song is the unrivaled martial artist who defeats all heroes,” Zhao Min teased, her tone laced with mockery. “But let me make this clear—if we encounter danger, and you can only save one person, who will it be?”

“Why do you women love asking such pointless questions?” Song Qingshu felt exasperated.

“Answer me. Who will you save, her or me?” Zhao Min pressed, her gaze intense.

Faced with Zhao Min’s bright, soulful eyes, Song Qingshu felt his breath quicken. Feeling awkward, he replied, “Of course, I’ll save Li Mochou. With your status, even if you fall into the hands of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, they wouldn’t dare harm you. I’d still have the chance to rescue you later. But Li Mochou is in critical condition. Any delay, and even an immortal might not save her.”

“While your reasoning makes sense, this princess is still very upset. Before we reach Blackwood Cliff, you are not allowed to speak to me!” Zhao Min sulked, turning her back to him and facing the wall of the carriage. True to her word, she refused to say another word.

Watching her childish behavior, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but chuckle. He closed his eyes and began meditating to restore his energy.

It was unclear how much time had passed when the carriage suddenly came to a halt. The driver’s voice sounded from outside. “Your Highness, we’ve reached the outskirts of Blackwood Cliff. Going any further might alert the Sun Moon Holy Cult.”

“Faster than expected…”

Song Qingshu’s eyes flashed with a trace of surprise. However, considering his journey from the Golden Serpent Camp, even though he had been stopping and starting along the way, Shandong was not far from Hebei. The Snow Moon Town where Zhao Min met him was only about a hundred li from Pingding Prefecture. Moreover, the horses used to pull this carriage were among the finest, so their speed was understandable.

Zhao Min ignored the coachman outside and instead glared at Song Qingshu in disbelief. “It’s been over an hour, and you really haven’t said a single word to me?”

“Didn’t you say I wasn’t allowed to speak to you?” Song Qingshu smiled as he looked at her.

“You’ve never been this obedient before,” Zhao Min said irritably. “Let’s go.” She was the first to step off the carriage, instructing the coachman to wait nearby and not let anyone discover them.

Song Qingshu smiled faintly and was about to pick up Li Mochou when he noticed her eyes were open. Overjoyed, he said, “You’re awake?”

“Did I interrupt your little romantic conversation?” Li Mochou’s voice was noticeably stronger, but her expression remained cold. It wasn’t necessarily that she had feelings for Song Qingshu, but her past heartbreak made her instinctively detest all lovers in the world.

Perhaps realizing her tone was harsh, Li Mochou added, “Thank you for continuously using your inner strength to suppress my injuries.”

“No need to take it to heart. Honestly, I can’t shirk responsibility for the state you’re in,” Song Qingshu said with a smile as he bent down to lift her into his arms. “I’m planning to take you to Blackwood Cliff. Ren Woxing’s Cosmic Absorption Technique should be able to heal your internal injuries.”

“Life and death are destined; you don’t need to trouble yourself too much, young master.” Li Mochou’s pale cheeks flushed slightly as he held her. Then, realizing something, her expression became complicated. “Earlier…my clothes…did you dress me?”

“Yes,” Song Qingshu admitted awkwardly. “It was an urgent situation. I hope the fairy won’t blame me.”

Li Mochou let out a soft sigh. “You’ve already seen what you should and shouldn’t see; it’s not a big deal.” Knowing she was likely to die soon, she had grown indifferent to many things.

“Ahem. Are you two done flirting? If we delay any longer, it’ll be daylight soon.” Zhao Min’s impatient cough came from outside the carriage.

Li Mochou’s breathing hitched, and she wanted to retort, but her weak body betrayed her. Excitement quickly turned into a wave of drowsiness. Before she lost consciousness again, her last thought was: Hmph, if I recover my strength, I’ll make sure to ‘repay’ that little brat properly!

Carrying Li Mochou out of the carriage, Song Qingshu looked at Zhao Min helplessly. “Princess, your words are sharper than a blade. She fainted from your teasing again.”

“She’s just too thin-skinned,” Zhao Min snorted triumphantly. Glancing at the silhouette of the mountains ahead, she added, “With this burden, how do you plan to sneak into Blackwood Cliff?”

“And you’re not a burden yourself?” Song Qingshu replied with a sigh. Before Zhao Min could lose her temper, he wrapped an arm around her slim waist. “Of course, we’ll walk in openly.”

As expected, Zhao Min’s attention was successfully diverted. Her cheeks instantly flushed. Though she had been carried by Song Qingshu before, it had never been this intimate while she was fully conscious. Feeling awkward, she bit her lip and said, “This time, I’ll let it slide since it’s an emergency. But in the future, don’t touch me without permission!”

“Alright, next time, I’ll make sure to get your permission first,” Song Qingshu replied. With one arm holding Li Mochou and the other around Zhao Min, he moved swiftly. By the time he finished speaking, the three of them had already disappeared into the mountain range. The coachman stared in shock, marveling that the princess had brought no other experts with her. With this man here, he could replace an army of masters.

This wasn’t Song Qingshu’s first time at Blackwood Cliff, and he was already familiar with the terrain. Although the defenses were strict, they hadn’t been able to stop him before, let alone now.

Unlike his previous visit, where he deliberately chose remote paths to avoid detection, Song Qingshu boldly walked up the main road with the two women in his arms.

At first, Zhao Min thought he was insane and intended to storm the place by force. Before she could stop him, she was stunned by what she saw. None of the guards along the way attempted to stop them, as if they didn’t even see them.

Zhao Min, being well-versed in the world, quickly recovered from her initial shock. She realized that Song Qingshu’s Qinggong had reached an extraordinary level, allowing him to cover vast distances in a single step. To the guards, the trio was merely a passing breeze; by the time they sensed something, the three were already far ahead.

“I once thought Wei Yixiao’s Qinggong was unmatched, but seeing Song Qingshu now, it’s as if he has surpassed the limits of human capability,” Zhao Min murmured, gazing at Song Qingshu’s profile.

The moonlight seemed to bathe him in a soft glow, adding a touch of gentleness to his sharp and handsome features.

For a moment, Zhao Min was entranced.

“What is it? Have you fallen for my unparalleled handsomeness?” Song Qingshu teased, his voice snapping her back to reality. Zhao Min’s face turned crimson as she shoved him away in embarrassment.

After retreating a few steps, she noticed they were now in a secluded courtyard. With her sharp eyes, Zhao Min immediately recognized the intricate design of the pavilions and railings. It must have been meticulously crafted, but it was now overgrown with weeds. Strangely, there wasn’t a single guard in sight.

“Where is this place?” Zhao Min asked, her cheeks still flushed. She deliberately ignored his earlier teasing.

“This is the former residence of Dongfang Bu… the former leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult,” Song Qingshu remarked wistfully as he revisited the place. Holding Li Mochou in his arms, he entered the central room and laid her down on the bed. Memories of his past interactions with Dongfang Muxue in this very place flooded his mind.

Zhao Min stepped in, curiously examining the furnishings. The more she observed, the stranger it all seemed. When her eyes landed on the dressing table, she blurted out in surprise, “Dongfang Bubai was a woman?”

Song Qingshu shook his head, deliberately misleading her. “He was nothing more than an androgynous person.”

Zhao Min suddenly recalled the intelligence from the Prince of Ruyang’s estate about Dongfang Bubai having a male lover named Yang Lianting. Disgusted, she spat, “How revolting! I don’t want to stay in a place that such a creature once inhabited!” (G: Before someone gets offended, consider the time, culture and context. Not every culture will be the same, and we should learn to respect them, and let them be. Life is more beautiful with variety.)

Suppressing his amusement, Song Qingshu replied, “But I need to leave to search for the Cosmic Absorption Technique and can’t take care of you two. This is the safest place on the entire Blackwood Cliff. Please bear with it, Princess.”

“No, I want to go with you,” Zhao Min insisted, pouting.

Frowning, Song Qingshu firmly refused, “I have many things to handle on this trip, and I can’t bring you along.”

He wasn’t joking. With Zhao Min by his side, many of the methods he intended to use on Ren Yingying would become impossible. Moreover, knowing Ren Yingying’s thin skin, any external presence would make things doubly difficult.

Not to mention, convincing Ren Woxing to reveal the Cosmic Absorption Technique required a certain step that involved a personal secret—something Zhao Min could not know.

Zhao Min, being exceptionally clever, immediately discerned from his tone that he was determined to leave her behind. Stamping her foot in frustration, she sat down beside Li Mochou, pouting. “Fine, but you better come back soon. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee I won’t carve a flower on your lover’s face or something.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back as quickly as possible,” Song Qingshu assured her. Just as he was about to leave, an inexplicable premonition struck him. Returning, he warned Zhao Min, “Although the Sun Moon Holy Cult members generally avoid this place, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Stay alert.”

Hearing the concern in his voice, Zhao Min felt a warmth in her heart and couldn’t help but smile sweetly. “Got it, you nag. While my martial arts may not compare to yours, I can still handle ordinary members of the Sun Moon Holy Cult. But…”

Song Qingshu tensed. “But what?”

Zhao Min’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “But if there are too many enemies, don’t expect me to risk myself to save your sweetheart.”

Song Qingshu snorted. “If you ever save her, the sun might rise in the west.”

As Song Qingshu headed toward the room in his memory that belonged to Ren Yingying, a nagging feeling lingered in his heart. It felt as though he had overlooked something…

“Don’t… no, don’t!” Ren Yingying suddenly sat up in bed, trembling all over. It took her a while to calm down.

“Another nightmare,” she sighed softly. Lately, she had been haunted by a terrifying dream. In it, that scoundrel Song Qingshu shared a bed with her, shamelessly caressing her legs. She wanted to resist, but her body was paralyzed, leaving her helpless under his touch.

Feeling a chill, Ren Yingying realized her undergarments were soaked with cold sweat, making her extremely uncomfortable. Just as she was about to change into fresh ones, she felt a slippery sensation between her legs. Stunned at first, she was quickly overcome by grief, hugging her knees and sobbing. “Yingying, how could you be so shameless…”

In the dream, she had already been vi0lated by Song Qingshu countless times. Though her heart vehemently resisted, her b0dy betrayed her, releasing embarrassing signs of pleasure. This left her not only ashamed but also angry and terrified. As a young lady, having such a ludicrous dream felt degrading.

“Song Qingshu, I will definitely kill you!” Ren Yingying clenched her delicate fists and gritted her teeth as she forced out the words.

“Ah, does the young lady truly hate me so much?” A gentle sigh came from beside her, sending chills down Ren Yingying’s spine. She instinctively jerked her head up in alarm.

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