Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 863: What Can You Do to Me?

Zhang Songxi tugged at Song Yuanqiao’s sleeve and whispered, “Isn’t she that mysterious woman in the yellow dress from the Lion-Slaying Assembly? Song Qingshu actually has a thing with her… Heh, Senior Brother, your son is quite something.” 

Zhao Yingluo had made a stunning appearance at the Lion-Slaying Assembly, leaving a deep impression on many. No wonder even a middle-aged Taoist like Zhang Songxi couldn’t resist gossiping.  

“They might not be that kind of relationship,” Song Yuanqiao replied uncertainly, though inwardly, he felt a surge of relief. Years ago, he had worried that his son would remain forever single, pining after Zhou Zhiruo while she was entangled with Zhang Wuji. Yet now, not only had his son married Zhou Zhiruo, but he also seemed to have ambiguous ties with several of the martial world’s most outstanding women…  

“Should I remind him to be more devoted?” Song Yuanqiao, being upright by nature, instinctively disliked his son’s romantic entanglements. But then he reconsidered—having more wives to expand the Song family lineage wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Remembering Zhang Sanfeng’s teachings about following the natural course of things, he dismissed the thought of lecturing him.  

Noticing the odd expressions around her, Zhao Yingluo quickly realized the unintended implication of her earlier words. The thought of Song Qingshu’s father witnessing this made her pale cheeks flush with a delicate shade of pink.  

“Take your time catching up. I’ll rescue them first,” she said coolly, knowing that explanations would only complicate things further. Deciding to cut the problem at its root, she prepared to leave this troublesome place.  

“Sister, these princesses of the Song Dynasty are still in my hands. Shouldn’t you ask for my opinion first?” Zhao Min’s eyes sparkled as she took a light step forward, blocking Zhao Yingluo’s path.  

With a cold snort, Zhao Yingluo signaled her hidden subordinates, who swiftly surrounded Zhao Min’s remaining battered forces. “Over half of your men are dead or wounded, and the Xuanming Elders are severely injured. With your current strength, you can’t stop me.”  

Zhao Min smiled sweetly and clung to Song Qingshu’s arm, pressing herself against him. “But I still have Brother Qingshu.”  

Watching her actions, Zhao Yingluo’s eyebrows twitched in irritation. ‘Mongolian women truly have no shame, flaunting their intimacy with a man in broad daylight.’  

“Don’t delude yourself, Princess. Young Master Song is my ally. Why would he help you?” Her voice was icy.  

“That’s not necessarily true. You’re just allies, but we…” Zhao Min deliberately trailed off, feigning shyness. “Brother Qingshu, are you going to help her… or me?”  

Song Qingshu felt a headache coming on. “Whoever I help, can we focus on getting these women out of the palace first? The palace guards have been diverted, but enough time has passed—the Jin Court will react soon. If they send reinforcements, none of us will escape.”  

Zhao Min giggled. “Since Brother Qingshu says so, I’m not an unreasonable woman. Fine—if you beg me personally, I’ll hand the princesses over to this pretty sister.”  

“How do you want me to beg?” Song Qingshu asked, exasperated. Even in such a critical moment, she remained playful. Yet, seeing her radiant, rose-like smile, he couldn’t bring himself to be angry.  

“Simple—just agree to one condition.” She tilted her head, blinking her large eyes at him.  

Song Qingshu rubbed his temples. “Not another ‘I’ll think of it later’ condition, right?”  

Zhao Min’s eyes curved into crescents. “Brother Qingshu is so smart.”  

Zhao Yingluo frowned. “Young Master Song, there’s no need to indulge her whims. Her forces can’t stop me anyway.”  

Zhao Min released Song Qingshu and circled Zhao Yingluo, studying her leisurely. Unnerved, the latter snapped, “What are you looking at?”  

“Don’t worry, sister. I won’t make any troublesome demands—like forbidding Brother Qingshu from marrying you…” Seeing Zhao Yingluo’s brows shoot up, she quickly added, “Of course, I’d never make such a request.”  

As Zhao Yingluo trembled with anger, Song Qingshu hastily intervened. “Fine, I agree. Now release them.”  

Delighted, Zhao Min gestured to her subordinates. “You, you, and you—all of you, return to your posts. No need to follow me anymore.”  

The Xuanming Elders looked aggrieved. “Princess, how can you go unprotected?”  

“If I relied on you two, I’d have died countless times already,” Zhao Min scoffed, tugging Song Qingshu’s sleeve. “Now that Brother Qingshu is protecting me, what’s the problem?”  

The Xuanming Elders exchanged helpless glances before slinking away with their men. For some reason, Ouyang Feng’s group made no move to stop them.  

Meanwhile, Zhao Yingluo had already gathered the Song princesses under her protection. Learning her identity and their imminent rescue, the princesses wept with joy.  

Song Qingshu glanced at them before turning his attention to Murong Bo. “Elder Murong, if not for your son, my severed meridians might never have healed. I owe him, but that debt has been repaid. Now, we must settle the matter of your attack on my father and uncles.”  

Unlike Song Qingshu, Murong Bo was a decades-renowned top-tier expert. Being challenged by a junior, even if wary of his skills, he refused to show weakness publicly. “I did it. What can you do to me?”  

“Hmmph!”

Song Qingshu’s cold snort reverberated through the hall, shaking the minds of those present. 

Weaker individuals felt nauseated, and even Murong Bo, despite his formidable cultivation, felt his spirit waver.  

A seasoned veteran, Murong Bo knew his opponent would strike after this intimidation. He retreated preemptively—just as Song Qingshu stepped forward.  

That single step covered over a dozen zhang in an instant. Had Murong Bo not anticipated it, he would’ve ended up as disgraced as Gongsun Zhi.  

Yet Murong Bo felt no relief—only terror. Without time to ponder how Song Qingshu achieved such near-teleportation speed, he crossed his arms, unleashing the Murong family’s ultimate deflection skill, ‘Great Cosmic Transformation’.  

‘Great Cosmic Transformation’ was one of the world’s supreme counterforce techniques, and Murong Bo’s mastery far surpassed Murong Fu’s. He was confident he could contend with opponents twice his strength. 

‘How could this young man’s decades of cultivation possibly surpass mine by that margin?’