Chapter 7

Huff huff huff... Chen Yi He collapsed on the ground, his breathing so rapid he was about to suffocate, he had never been this tired before!

Xiao Yu leaned against a big tree, fallen into a coma. Her curved eyelashes still had dew from the tree stuck on them, the crystal-clear dew reflected the bright moonlight, her delicate face showed no ripple, a white dress made her graceful figure even more alluring...

Chen Yi He looked at Xiao Yu, recalling when he saved her and held her, that soft body, that fresh fragrance, his heart stirred, unconsciously wanting to get closer...

"Damn it! What are you thinking?!" When Chen Yi He came to, his mouth was only a few centimeters from Xiao Yu's cheek; he might as well go all the way. Who let her treat him as a lackey, and besides, he had saved her life!

Chen Yi He quickly kissed Xiao Yu on the lips. He had only intended to kiss her cheek, but the feeling of triumph exploded.

"No, kiss me again! You don't like bullying me, do you?"

After kissing, he also used his phone to take a photo of Xiao Yu.

After feeling pleased for a long time, Chen Yi He finally realized he had lost his way; he had only been thinking about escaping, unfamiliar with Clearwater City, he didn't know where he had ended up!

Xiao Yu is now seriously injured; how should he save her?

The next morning, the sun rose, Chen Yi He woke up, his waist sore and back painful, he spread his hands and noticed the white specks on his palms were denser and clearer.

He saw Xiao Yu meditating, and he breathed a sigh of relief; he cautiously got up, planning to slip away, he really didn't want to stay by Xiao Yu's side—it was too dangerous, not only did he have to guard against Xiao Yu, but also against the black-clad men hunting her… the gold ingots were still there, enough for him to squander!

"Where are you going?" Chen Yi He had barely taken two steps when Xiao Yu's voice sounded from behind him, "You stole my martial arts and still want to run away?"

"Uh..." Chen Yi He stopped, he didn't dare turn back, feeling extremely guilty inside!

"Come back, I'll take you somewhere."

"I don't want to! I've already been expelled from the master's school by you!"

"If you leave me here, the black-clad men will find me and I'll still die, making all your efforts last night wasted!" Xiao Yu actually used her own life to threaten Chen Yi He.

Chen Yi He felt helpless, so he turned around and walked back to Xiao Yu's front; looking at her face, especially her mouth, he involuntarily revealed a wicked smile… this was his secret…

It's hard to imagine Xiao Yu having a pitiful appearance, Chen Yi He hadn't expected it, but he saw it. Xiao Yu pleaded with him, "Can you send me home?"

Only when he lifted Xiao Yu onto his back did Chen Yi He understand why she had wanted him to come back! Her injury was so severe she couldn't move.

"There, gold, silver, treasures, beautiful women, martial arts manuals—everything is there; as long as you get me there, I guarantee you won't make the trip for nothing!" Xiao Yu spoke with great confidence.

Chen Yi He certainly didn't agree because he was soft-hearted; he wanted that martial arts manual! With a golden finger in hand, obtaining the martial arts manual would make him ever stronger!

Walking the martial world, who wouldn't want to dominate the martial arts realm?!

The place Xiao Yu wanted Chen Yi He to take her to was actually Clearwater City's castle! It lies in the center of Clearwater City, with an excellent location, but Xiao Yu referred to a secret path that no one could detect their movements.

The massive and splendid castle left Chen Yi He stunned; the guards stopped him. The armor the guards wore was exactly the same as that of the city guards he had seen that night…

"Is… this your home?" Chen Yi He stammered.

With a wave of Xiao Yu's hand on Chen Yi He's back, the guards immediately made way, and they entered the castle through the back gate.

Chen Yi He saw from afar a middle-aged man striding over, looking about forty, with big bright eyes, slight stubble on both cheeks, dark skin, a tiger-backed, bear-waisted build that made him, who was half a head taller than average, walk with great momentum; he definitely had profound inner strength… Behind him followed a middle-aged woman who resembled Xiao Yu quite closely…

"Father! Mother!" Xiao Yu shouted anxiously, her heart racing, causing her body to tremble again.

This time the middle-aged man was no longer calm; he strode over, glanced at Chen Yi He, without a word lifted Xiao Yu down, and asked, "Xiao Yu, what's wrong?"

"Yu'er, are you alright?" Looking at her daughter's pale face, the middle-aged woman almost burst into tears…

"Mother, Yu'er is fine." Xiao Yu forced a smile.

The middle-aged man seemed to just notice Chen Yi He, he asked his daughter, "Who is this?"

"Hehe, he's Chen Yi He, who stole our Xiao family's internal cultivation method, the Withering and Flourishing Heart Scripture!" Who knew Xiao Yu would suddenly change her expression!

The middle-aged man stared for a moment, then looked at Chen Yi He with a scrutinizing gaze, "Oh?"

Chen Yi He had calculated everything, but never expected Xiao Yu to turn on her lifesaver like that! He involuntarily stepped back two steps…

The middle-aged man looked at Chen Yi He, not moving, but the guards had already taken position, sealing the back gate.

"Stealing our Xiao family's Withering and Flourishing Heart Scripture? That's a major taboo in the martial world!"

"You… you… Xiao Yu, how could you do this?! But I saved you!" Chen Yi He roared helplessly.

"Someone, lock him up in the great prison!" the middle-aged man ordered; the guards stepped forward, pressed Chen Yi He to the ground, shackled his hands and feet, and dragged him away.

"Clang!" The sound of the iron prison door closing echoed in this empty place… Chen Yi He was locked in the innermost cell of the great prison.

This middle-aged man is Xiao Yu's father, the lord of Clearwater City, Xiao Feng. Xiao Yu is naturally the princess of Clearwater City. In the whole Clearwater City, the Xiao family is absolutely the foremost power.

Xiao Yu was the apple of her parents' eye; they had always protected her with utmost care. It was precisely because of excessive indulgence that she developed an arrogant and domineering personality.

Xiao Yu is just sixteen this year; half a month ago she stole out of the castle with the newly obtained Withering and Flourishing Heart Scripture, and lacking guidance, she went berserk during practice, leading to today's situation.

"Yu'er, feeling any better?" Xiao Feng sat beside Xiao Yu's bed and asked softly.

Xiao Yu had just awakened from her coma, having been unconscious for three days and three nights, "Father, much better."

"Father has already infused you with true qi to help clear your meridians; after another ten days or so, your injuries will heal." Xiao Feng affectionately rubbed his daughter's head.

"How could you be hunted?" He had received the news three days prior that the Dafu Inn had been surrounded by a group of mysterious black-clad men the previous night, only he hadn't expected they were targeting his own daughter.

"I don't know either."

"Alas, another turbulent autumn; from now on, don't leave the castle!"

"If I don't leave the castle, I'll be bored to death!"

"That's also not allowed!" Xiao Feng had made up his mind this time; he had surrounded Xiao Yu's room with guards, to the point that not even a fly could get in!

Xiao Yu feigned grievance, "Well… Father, what are you planning to do with that brat?"

"Stealing our Xiao family's martial arts leads only to a dead end!" Xiao Feng said decisively.

"What? Father, you want to kill him?"

"Hmm. He's likely a spy sent by some sect in the martial world; we can't keep him, the Xiao family's martial arts must never be passed on!"

Xiao Yu panicked at once; she knew that being back home meant her freedom would be restricted. She had originally wanted her father to arrest Chen Yi He for her amusement… but now that he's to be killed, how can she still play? Her father, as the city lord, always follows through on his words; she regretted her impulsive remark…

"But he did save Yu'er's life; killing him would look terrible if it got out! Besides, he only learned the heart method, not the techniques—useless!"

Looking at his daughter's tear-filled eyes, Old Xiao Feng's heart indeed softened…

Xiao Yu furrowed her brows, thought a moment, and said, "In Yu'er's view, we should cripple his martial arts, lock him up in the castle, and let Yu'er play with him—how about that?"

"Alright, wait until you've healed your wounds!" Xiao Feng knew that whenever his daughter used the words "play around," it was tantamount to a fate worse than death…