Chapter 239

Zhou Wenju said: "So the sooner Sir Hu leaves, the better. After Sir Hu leaves the temporary palace, I will voluntarily turn myself in; by the time they discover the truth, it will already be too late."

Hu Xiaotian's eye sockets grew moist; he tightly closed his eyes, and the faces of his parents appeared in his mind. Perhaps this was his only chance to escape alive. If he did not leave Xichuan, the Li family would take him as a hostage to threaten his father, and the imperial court would also punish the Hu family because of the marital ties between the Hu and Li families. This concerned not only him but the entire Hu clan. Only at the point of life and death did Hu Xiaotian realize that deep down he still bore a deep sense of responsibility toward his family.

But everyone has a family; Hu Xiaotian composed himself and whispered, "Sir Zhou, what about your family?"

Zhou Wenju smiled calmly: "Sir, you need not worry. Besides my medicine boy Zhou Xing, I have no relatives left in Xichuan. Before coming here, I already sent Zhou Xing back. In this world I still have two sons, but they have long since gone with their mother to her natal home; I have no attachments left in this life."

Hu Xiaotian pressed his lips; he was never indecisive, and at a matter of life and death he allowed no hesitation. He knelt respectfully before Zhou Wenju. Zhou Wenju hurried forward to support his arms, saying, "Sir, you must not!" Hu Xiaotian shouldered Zhou Wenju's medicine box and walked slowly toward the gate. Zhou Wenju lay down on the bed and whispered softly, "Sir, take care!"

Hu Xiaotian's nose tinged; two hot tears nearly fell again, but reason told him now was not the time to cry. He opened the door and came into the courtyard. Indeed, as Zhou Wenju had said, the courtyard was empty, and none of the warriors dared approach.

Upon reaching the gate, he saw Yan Zhou and Zhao Qi standing far away, guarding the sole exit, both with white cloth covering their faces.

Carrying the medicine box, Hu Xiaotian walked toward them deliberately, coughing twice midway.

Yan Zhou and Zhao Qi were startled and retreated several steps; Yan Zhou loudly said, "Sir Zhou, are you leaving?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and gave an affirmative sound before stopping.

Yan Zhou and Zhao Qi exchanged a glance; Yan Zhou asked, "How is Sir Hu's condition?"

Hu Xiaotian sighed, shook his head, shouldered the medicine box, and walked slowly outward. He controlled his steps, kept them slow, and listened carefully. Seeing that the two were not following, he let his heart settle; it seemed the plague ruse had indeed frightened many. Hu Xiaotian dared not delay; he slowly exited the gate of Heaven's Storehouse Temporary Palace. The gatekeepers, seeing his attire, felt no suspicion, because everyone's mouth and nose were covered with white cloth, creating perfect conditions for his escape.

The black donkey Zhou Wenju brought was tethered to a jujube tree on the right side of the temporary palace. Hu Xiaotian approached, untied the donkey's reins, and led it away, but to his surprise the donkey's four hooves were planted firmly, refusing to obey his commands. He muttered lowly, "Beast. Dare not obey, I will flay you and pull out your tendons."

The black donkey not only showed no fear, but instead let out a loud "jiang ang," a braying sound that immediately drew the attention of the gate warriors. Hu Xiaotian kept his composure, slapped the donkey's forehead, and threatened, "If you bray again, I will cut off your manhood and stew it for soup!"…

This trick worked astonishingly; whether the donkey understood Hu Xiaotian's words or not, it stopped braying at once. Hu Xiaotian took hold of the reins, and the donkey obediently followed him. After leaving the temporary palace's grounds, Hu Xiaotian quietly exhaled, lowered his head to look at the black donkey, and discovered it was actually a female. He spat, "You don't even have that, yet you're afraid?"

The black donkey gazed innocently at Hu Xiaotian, then suddenly let out another "jiang ang." Hu Xiaotian's heart leapt; this donkey was truly troublesome. Night fell, the streets were sparsely populated, and the donkey's loud bray carried far, unmistakably. Hu Xiaotian abandoned the donkey, hastily took what he needed from the medicine box, and hurried away.

As Zhou Wenju had previously instructed, all four gates of Xiezhou City close at night, forbidding exit; leaving the city is now impossible. He told Hu Xiaotian to go to Step Cloud Lane for temporary refuge, where an abandoned oil workshop awaits; the detailed route had been prepared in advance. However, the present era cannot be compared to that time—there are no clear road signs, no GPS navigation. In the vast Xiezhou City, not a single streetlamp exists. After nightfall, although myriad lights shine, the roads are pitch black. Looking around, alleys and streets appear much the same. Though Hu Xiaotian had the route map in hand, he still found himself dizzy and disoriented.

Hu Xiaotian had always thought his sense of direction was adequate, but the roads of Xiezhou City were truly bewildering; after only a few turns he lost his bearings. He looked up at the moon, but thick clouds hid any lunar or stellar light. He silently lamented his misfortune; had he known, he would have brought a compass.

Although he could not find the abandoned oil workshop Zhou Wenju mentioned, in such a large Xiezhou City finding a place to hide should not be difficult. Hu Xiaotian decided to change his plan: randomly select an unoccupied spot to hide, survive the night, and make plans tomorrow.

He tried to avoid main roads, choosing dimly lit alleys. Turning into a dark alley ahead, Hu Xiaotian faintly felt something amiss; faint footsteps sounded behind him. Though the sound was low, it still escaped his keen ears. He deliberately slowed his pace; when he slowed, the other slowed too; when he quickened, the other quickened as well.

Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; he realized he was very likely being followed. He stopped, slowly turned around, and saw, more than ten zhang behind, a warrior in tight clothing also halted—none other than Yan Zhou, Li Honghan's trusted aide.

Hu Xiaotian's mask remained on, but Yan Zhou had already removed the white cloth from his face, gazing at Hu Xiaotian ahead and coldly said, "Sir Zhou, where are you headed?"

Hu Xiaotian deliberately hoarsened his throat and said, "Going home!"

Yan Zhou's face filled with suspicion; he slowly approached Hu Xiaotian. In fact, when Hu Xiaotian left, Yan Zhou had sensed something amiss, but fear of the plague prevented him from entering the courtyard to check the condition; otherwise this would have been exposed long ago. He had quietly followed all the way, soon discovering that this Zhou Wenju's movements were highly suspicious: first the donkey's incessant braying, then when Hu Xiaotian abandoned the donkey and medicine box, he concluded the person before him was certainly not Zhou Wenju, but most likely Hu Xiaotian using the Golden Cicada Shell Stratagem to escape the temporary palace.

Yan Zhou gripped his sword with his right hand, stepping toward Hu Xiaotian; the blade had already been drawn half a foot from its sheath. In the dark night, the gleaming sword light was dazzling.

Hu Xiaotian stood motionless.

Yan Zhou said, "Remove your face cloth, let me see your appearance."

Hu Xiaotian sighed, raised his right hand, and took off the mask.

Yan Zhou sneered, "Sir Hu, heh, I never expected your illness to improve so quickly."

Hu Xiaotian replied, "Originally there was nothing serious, just a common cold; thank you, brothers, for your concern."…

Yan Zhou said, "Sir Hu, why are you not resting in your room but coming here?"

"The temporary palace feels stifling; I came out for a walk."

Yan Zhou had already approached to within three zhang of Hu Xiaotian: "Sir Hu, you have great leisure! I also enjoy strolling; why didn't you invite me along?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I am accustomed to freedom; I have always preferred to go alone. A fortune-teller once calculated for me, saying I was born with an ill fate; whoever gets too close to me will suffer misfortune."

Yan Zhou laughed heartily, took another step forward, the veins on his right hand gripping the sword hilt bulging; a tangible, invisible killing intent spread like a net in all directions, enveloping Hu Xiaotian opposite him.

Hu Xiaotian felt an invisible pressure suffocating his chest. He focused intently on Yan Zhou's footsteps, his hand gripping the Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needle; for him this was a single chance to escape death—without absolute certainty he would not strike.

Yan Zhou's gaze fell on Hu Xiaotian's lowered right hand; he instantly became alert and whispered, "Slowly raise your left hand."

Hu Xiaotian slowly lifted his left hand.

Yan Zhou said, "Use your right hand to pull open the cuff of your left hand!"

Hu Xiaotian helplessly shook his head and slowly opened the cuff of his left hand.

The steel sword in Yan Zhou's hand had already left its sheath; although he knew Hu Xiaotian did not understand martial arts, he still maintained utmost vigilance, for a true warrior never despises any opponent. It is a pity that Yan Zhou's opponent this time is Hu Xiaotian, a man who completely disregards common sense.

Although Yan Zhou estimated that Hu Xiaotian concealed a hidden weapon in his sleeve, he did not expect this hidden weapon's power to be so formidable.

As the black box emerged from the sleeve, Hu Xiaotian decisively pressed the mechanism of the Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needle; a faint sound of tearing air followed, and hundreds of steel needles shot out simultaneously. Though Yan Zhou was highly skilled in martial arts, at such close range he could not react in time; he roared and swung his blade to block, but the speed of his strike could not match the needles' velocity. Although he deflected some needles, most still pierced his body.

Yan Zhou was no ordinary man; despite having so many needles embedded in him, he still stepped forward, raised his steel sword, and fiercely thrust it toward Hu Xiaotian's chest.

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