Chapter 713: Parting Ways, Raising the Banner

When Tuo Ba Yu said those words, Gu Jiu Ling was startled for a moment, looking at the seductive man before her in disbelief.

She had only known that Tuo Ba Yu pretended to be a pig to eat a tiger, a hidden master, and had once shown kindness to her and Xiao Yin.

But she never expected his mind to seem as if kicked by a donkey, actually daring to say such words?

The anger in Gu Jiu Ling's eyes could not be suppressed; her expression bristled with killing intent: "Tuo Ba Yu, you set a trap to snatch away my two children, and now that my children are missing, you actually want me to follow you and become the queen of Bei Di?"

"Do you really think Gu Jiu Ling is what kind of person? A soft persimmon you can manipulate at will?"

When the child was mentioned, Tuo Ba Yu felt a pang of insecurity; he also hadn't expected that little brat to vanish in the desert storm.

If it weren't for Bai Xiaosheng's puppet who could smoothly exchange Gu Jiu Ling out of the palace, he wouldn't have wagered his child against Bai Xiaosheng to trade for Gu Jiu Ling; now the situation is gradually becoming uncontrollable.

Tuo Ba Yu's stunned gaze met Gu Jiu Ling's eyes, and Gu Jiu Ling felt a sudden thump in her heart—could the child really be in trouble?

A previously unseen murderous intent erupted in him; the hidden dagger in his sleeve slipped silently into his palm, then he drew it swiftly and thrust it toward Tuo Ba Yu's chest.

The dagger had previously been hidden in Gu Jiu Ling's hair ornament, making it hard to detect.

These days she and Yun Duo were trapped, so she took the dagger out and concealed it in her sleeve.

Even at night she never left it on her person, and now it finally has a purpose.

Tuo Ba Yu tightly grasped Gu Jiu Ling's wrist; he knew this woman had no martial skill at all and posed no threat to him.

He didn't expect Gu Jiu Ling to strike him outright; instinctively he loosened her wrist and stepped back.

Although Gu Jiu Ling's blade speed was swift, the opponent before her was a top-tier master, even capable of matching Xiao Yin.

As a woman, she naturally couldn't seriously wound Tuo Ba Yu, yet she still managed to slash a long cut across his sleeve cuff.

Tuo Ba Yu's face turned ashen as he stepped back, a flash of anger passing through his eyes.

At this point Tuo Ba Yu couldn't reason with the woman, so he decided to take her away directly.

He had almost exposed all the nails he had planted on the island, which led to a fire and allowed him to finally see Gu Jiu Ling.

The longer they lingered here, the more time Bai Xiaosheng would have to react; not only would he be unable to take Gu Jiu Ling away, even he wouldn't have time to escape.

"Hurry, let's go! I'll take you away first!"

"Get lost!" Gu Jiu Ling's face darkened as she stepped back; just as Tuo Ba Yu moved forward to seize Gu Jiu Ling's arm, she unexpectedly launched another hidden weapon from her arm.

It turned out to be a cluster of poison‑coated silver needles, aimed at Tuo Ba Yu's vital points.

In that instant Tuo Ba Yu felt a surge of anger—how many hidden weapons did this woman actually conceal?

Hadn't Bai Xiaosheng searched her before?

If he weren't so skilled, she would have been stabbed long ago.

Though his strong internal force could expel the toxin from his body, after all, those are poison needles.

Gu Jiu Ling is also a poison expert; Tuo Ba Yu's forehead broke out with a cold sweat, and he dared not step forward any further.

At that moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard, in chaotic haste.

The irritation in Tuo Ba Yu's eyes could not be suppressed, yet he had no solution.

If she didn't cooperate, it would be impossible to rush a person this large off the island.

"Gu Jiu Ling, wait for me."

Tuo Ba Yu dropped that line, turned, leapt onto the roof and vanished into the dim night.

With a bang, the courtyard gate was kicked open from outside; Bai Xiaosheng, wearing a plain white robe, his hair still loose on his shoulders without a crown, strode in quickly.

Upon hearing that a fire had broken out near where Yun Duo lived, Bai Xiaosheng was instantly terrified and rushed over.

He saw Gu Jiu Ling standing at the courtyard entrance with a strange expression.

Bai Xiaosheng couldn't bother to check on Gu Jiu Ling; he rushed straight into the warm chamber, passed the screen, and saw Yun Duo hastily sit up from the bed.

Yun Duo clearly had been startled awake from a dream.

She was naturally cold and beautiful, exuding a chill aura that ordinary women lack.

Her hair was disheveled, sweat beads even beading on her forehead, making her look irresistibly captivating.

Bai Xiaosheng stepped forward, intending to take Yun Duo's hand.

Yun Duo moved back; Bai Xiaosheng chuckled awkwardly, withdrew his hand, and, standing by the bed, said with a smile, "Water has flowed outside, the fire is fierce; I worry you were frightened."

Yun Duo claimed she didn't resent Bai Xiaosheng, but that unreasonable person had taken her away from her master's side without permission.

After being ground down to this point, Yun Duo, hearing Gu Jiu Ling's words, suppressed her disgust, looked at Bai Xiaosheng and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, I'm fine."

Since Yun Duo could speak to him calmly, Bai Xiaosheng, already feeling like a burnt incense stick, hurried to soothe her and let her rest, then left the warm chamber.

He turned and saw Gu Jiu Ling standing in the side hall.

Bai Xiaosheng smiled lightly, "Aunt Gu, you're not sleeping; what are you doing?"

Bai Xiaosheng focused his gaze on Gu Jiu Ling, trying to read an answer from her face.

Gu Jiu Ling hadn't disclosed Tuo Ba Yu's search for her; some cards still needed to be kept hidden.

Since Tuo Ba Yu also arrived on this island, when Yun Duo gets married, she'll cause a complete upheaval.

"Can't sleep, how about looking at the moon?" Gu Jiu Ling, irritated over the child issue, naturally had little pleasant tone for Bai Xiaosheng.

Bai Xiaosheng paused, then smiled lightly, "Then Aunt Gu, rest early, early."

Bai Xiaosheng immediately ordered more guards to the area, then led the group away briskly.

Mo Bei is dotted with scattered small oases and tribes; at this moment, two people emerged early from a southwestern grassland tribe.

Aida Han rode a camel with his son Da Bo toward Wan Chuan City.

The father and son had been raising two abandoned little kids well these days, but no matter what, they were still other people's children.

So many days have passed; the child's parents might be frantic by now.

Aida Han decided to bring his son to Wan Chuan City to look for clues, to see if any wealthy families had lost children; if so, he would investigate personally.

The journey from their tribe to Wan Chuan City took two days and a night; when the two rushed their camel through the city gates, they were already exhausted.

"Father, this city is so big; I don't know where to start. How about we find a scribe to help us post some notices about the child on the walls, or…"

"Impossible," An Da Han said hurriedly: "Listening to those two kids' meaning, they were kidnapped by bad guys on the road and brought here."

"If we really posted a notice, wouldn't that be harming those two kids?"

"After all, people in Myriad Rivers City can see it; we can't be sure the kidnappers won't see it either, so we'll quietly inquire; going to a teahouse is also suitable. Come on, Dad will take you for tea."

The father and son were just about to head to the teahouse when they unexpectedly brushed past a pair of rather ordinary-looking merchants in a caravan.

The leader of the group, a young man, although his appearance was ordinary, his aura was impossible to ignore.