Chapter 11

"Clang!"

The sharp knife the young woman held high dropped to the ground.

"Wuu wuu!"

The moment the knife hit the ground, the young woman suddenly turned and hugged Xia Daoming, bursting into tears.

Feeling the softness in his arms, especially the moving, fair skin he could see when he looked down, Xia Daoming, who had just been killing people decisively, suddenly felt a bit at a loss.

However, his heart softened, and he didn't push the young woman away.

"I'm sorry, benefactor, this concubine has lost... ah!" After a long while, the young woman's emotions finally calmed down. Then, seemingly remembering something, she hurriedly let go and bowed her head to apologize to Xia Daoming.

But halfway through her sentence, she felt a chill on her chest. She immediately shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her hands subconsciously covering her proud chest.

Xia Daoming looked at the young woman's panicked and shy appearance as she covered her chest and couldn't help but be speechless.

Just a moment ago, she was hugging him tightly and refusing to let go!

What was the point of screaming and covering her chest now?

"I'll step aside for a moment!" Although he was very speechless inside, Xia Daoming still said it very politely.

"Ah! Benefactor, don't go!" Seeing Xia Daoming about to leave, the young woman suddenly panicked and cried out.

"I forgot that someone died here. Why don't you go to the side hall to tidy up, Madam? I'll stay here and clean up," Xia Daoming said, stopping and turning his back to the young woman.

"Benefactor has saved this concubine twice in a row. My life already belongs to you. As long as you don't feel it dirties your eyes, there's no need to avoid me at all," the young woman said.

Seeing that the young woman had a strong intention to repay him with her body, Xia Daoming was startled and hurriedly said, "Acting righteously is something our kind should do; you don't need to take it to heart, Madam."

"This concubine is Liu Qiaolian. Benefactor can just call me Lian'er," the young woman said.

"So it is Madam Liu. Men and women should not touch; you should go to the side hall to tidy up, Madam," Xia Daoming said, still with his back to Liu Qiaolian.

Liu Qiaolian looked at Xia Daoming's back with complex eyes, bowed, and said, "Yes, benefactor."

Having said that, Liu Qiaolian walked to the corner of the temple, picked up a bundle thrown on the ground, and headed toward the dilapidated side hall.

After Liu Qiaolian left, Xia Daoming began to deal with the corpses.

Before dragging the bodies outside the temple to bury them hastily, Xia Daoming naturally didn't forget to loot them.

To Xia Daoming's surprise, he actually found over a thousand taels in silver notes and loose silver on the three Martial Masters, including the pea-eyed man.

A month or so ago, when he killed the six Martial Masters of the Hundred Herbs Hall, one of whom was a fifth-rank Great Wu Shi, he had only managed to loot a thousand taels in silver notes.

Of course, Xia Daoming didn't count the four Three-Origin Blood-Returning Pills.

But even if he did, given their cultivation and numbers, they were still far inferior to the pea-eyed man and the other two Martial Masters.

When Xia Daoming finished dealing with the three corpses and returned to the main hall of the temple, he saw Liu Qiaolian standing quietly in front of the pockmarked young man's corpse.

She wore a green tight-fitting outfit that perfectly outlined her plump waist, and her jet-black hair was tied in a simple flowing cloud bun, making her look dignified and generous without losing her mature charm.

Hearing footsteps, Liu Qiaolian hurriedly turned around, bowed to Xia Daoming, and said, "Lian'er greets benefactor."

"No need for formalities, Madam. How should he be dealt with?" Xia Daoming asked.

"His name is Liu Zhong, and he was my cousin. However, ever since the Liu Family Village was slaughtered, he was the only relative this concubine had left in this world.

This concubine also treated him as a younger brother, helping him learn martial arts with everything I had, hoping that one day he would achieve something in the martial way to avenge our family's blood feud.

But I never expected fate to play such a trick. The person I treated as my closest relative, in order to save his own life, first pushed me toward the Blood-Xin Yuying with his own hands, and then pushed me toward that gang of thugs."

As she spoke, crystal-clear tears slid silently across Liu Qiaolian's delicate skin.

Her watery eyes were filled with desolation and confusion, making one unable to help but feel pity.

"On the contrary, benefactor, you are not related to this concubine, yet you saved me twice in a row. This concubine has nothing to repay you with. I am willing to be your servant for the rest of my life. Please, benefactor, take me in!" As she spoke, Liu Qiaolian bowed deeply.

"I already said that acting righteously is something our kind should do. You don't need to take it to heart, Madam, and there's no need to talk about being a servant to repay me," Xia Daoming said, startled by her words.

"Is benefactor disgusted by this concubine's humble appearance?" Liu Qiaolian looked up at Xia Daoming, her face filled with desolation.

"Of course not. If you are humble, then there are no beautiful women in this world," Xia Daoming said without hesitation.

"Is benefactor worried that this concubine is doing this so you will avenge my family?" Liu Qiaolian asked again.

Xia Daoming was stunned when he heard this.

He hadn't even thought about taking Liu Qiaolian in, so how could he have thought about so much?

"From the moment Liu Zhong pushed me toward the Blood-Xin Yuying, I had already given up the idea of revenge. Later, when Liu Zhong pushed me toward that gang of thugs, I was completely heartbroken.

Fortunately, benefactor saved me once again, sparing me from defilement, but I no longer know how to live the rest of my life, or why I am living? Wuu wuu!" As she spoke, Liu Qiaolian suddenly squatted on the ground, covering her face and sobbing uncontrollably.

Watching the woman cry so sadly and desperately, Xia Daoming suddenly understood.

Liu Qiaolian wanting to be his servant wasn't just to repay his kindness; it was because after experiencing major blows one after another, the obsession that supported her to live had collapsed. She needed to find a reason, a goal, to give herself the courage to continue living.

If he refused her now, even if he wasn't forcing her to die, he would be forcing her to become a walking corpse.

"Actually, my own life has no direction at the moment..." After a long while, Xia Daoming finally couldn't bear it and said.

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. This servant has saved some savings over the years. Wherever the Master wants to settle, we can go there to set up some property. Master only needs to focus on practicing martial arts; I will handle all the daily life matters.

And I also know some trade routes between the north and south. If the money is not enough, I can continue to be a traveling merchant between the north and south." Seeing Xia Daoming's tone soften, Liu Qiaolian suddenly stopped crying and looked up.

Xia Daoming looked at Liu Qiaolian, whose face was tear-stained and indescribably beautiful, and listened to the words coming out of her mouth. He was completely dumbfounded, his worldview completely overturned.

If he really agreed to this, those guys from his previous life who lived off women would be nothing compared to him!

"Cough, cough, Madam Liu, you really don't need to do this. This makes me..." After a long while, Xia Daoming finally regained his senses and spoke.

"Master can just call this servant Lian'er. And this servant has never been married, and will never marry for the rest of my life. I only wish to serve Master to repay the kindness of saving my life twice," Liu Qiaolian said hurriedly.

Xia Daoming felt a headache.

Although he had saved this woman twice, if he were to live off a woman like this, he would feel like he was too much of a beast.

But if he didn't agree, looking at this woman's appearance, there was a high probability she would kill herself to prove her sincerity.

If that really happened, how could he, Xia Daoming, bear it!

"If Master doesn't agree to let this servant repay this kindness for the rest of my life, even if I die now, I will not be able to close my eyes in peace!" Liu Qiaolian suddenly knelt on the ground and said.

My goodness, as expected!

Forget it, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. If I don't go to hell, who will? If I'm a beast, so be it!

Seeing this, Xia Daoming sighed helplessly toward the sky and said, "Lian'er, get up. Although you and I are now in a master-servant relationship, if you ever regret it and want to leave, you can do so at any time."

"I, Liu Qiaolian, swear to use the rest of my life to repay benefactor's kindness for saving my life twice. If I break this oath, I am willing to be struck by five thunders and never be reincarnated!" Hearing this, Liu Qiaolian not only didn't get up, but instead swore with a solemn face.

"This..."

Xia Daoming didn't know if he still didn't understand the women of this world, or if a woman like Liu Qiaolian was an exception.

But no matter what, things had reached this point, and Xia Daoming could only accept it.

"Lian'er, how should he be dealt with?" Xia Daoming brought up the old topic, only the address had changed.

"No matter how he treated me, we were cousins after all. This servant will go and bury him now," Liu Qiaolian said.

"Hmm!" Xia Daoming nodded and went to drag the corpse.

As a result, Liu Qiaolian said he was the Master and refused to let him do this.

Even digging a hole or something like that was not allowed.

Xia Daoming had no choice but to let her be.

Ever since Xia Daoming agreed to take her in as a servant, Liu Qiaolian seemed to have found a new goal and meaning in life.

After she buried Liu Zhong, she began to clean the temple, tidy up the bed for Xia Daoming, go to the well in the backyard of the temple to fetch water, boil water...

Watching Liu Qiaolian busy back and forth, Xia Daoming, who came from a modern civilized society, couldn't bear it and wanted to intervene to help, but Liu Qiaolian wouldn't let him at all.

Xia Daoming had no choice but to sit in meditation and circulate his Qi and blood, ignoring it.

Night fell quickly.

The temple lit up with long-lost firelight.

Xia Daoming ate the dinner prepared by Liu Qiaolian while chatting with her.

Through chatting, Xia Daoming learned that Liu Qiaolian, who was dressed like a young woman, was actually a year younger than him, only twenty-three years old this year. Besides traveling between the north and south as a traveling merchant with Liu Zhong from time to time, she usually lived in Li Cheng.

"You live in Li Cheng! That's a coincidence. I'm going to Li Cheng this time to apprentice at the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts Hall. You should know the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts Hall, right?" Xia Daoming said with pleasant surprise.

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