Chapter 51: Miss Han the Heroine: No Comment!

Deep in the Great Desert

"Seventh Master, why are you upset again?"

"Jing'er, can Jing'er help Seventh Master with anything?"

Outside the felt tent, ten‑year‑old Guo Jing spotted his Seventh Master again; after a moment of hesitation, he ran to Han Xiao Ying's side, scratched his head, and asked with a naive, concerned expression.

Though he was simple‑minded and slow, he also sensed the Seventh Master's abnormality and knew how to care for the master who often looked after him.

The steppe was already howling with wind and snow, far colder than in Luoyang; the felt tent could block the wind and chill, but sitting outside was truly bone‑chilling.

Among Guo Jing's several masters, his bond with the Seventh Master was the closest. Yet since the Seventh Master returned this time, Guo Jing felt he had changed a great deal—becoming reticent, often sitting alone outside the felt tent with his sword, staring blankly into the distance.

He saw him again outside today.

"Jing'er, why are you out? Hurry back into the tent; it's cold outside."

Han Xiao Ying heard Guo Jing's voice, came to herself, did not answer him, patted the foolish boy's head, then rose and took Guo Jing's hand, leading him back into the tent.

She truly felt an urge to confide in someone; the heavy weight on her heart was genuinely painful.

But what good would it do to tell this foolish disciple? He's just a ten‑year‑old child; what could he understand?

Han Xiao Ying felt a pang of melancholy.

"Jing'er, how did your martial practice go today?"

After regaining her composure, Han Xiao Ying saw her disciple looking at her with worry, quickly set aside her thoughts, and asked gently with a light smile.

Guo Jing heard this, his eyes darkened, a hint of inferiority flashing, and he replied in a hesitant tone:

"Jing'er has let the Seventh Master down; no matter how much I train, I'm still the same."

He then lowered his head, fell silent, and said nothing more.

A trace of compassion flickered in Han Xiao Ying's eyes; she sighed softly, then crouched down, pulled Guo Jing close, and comforted him:

"Jing'er, are you giving up already? You must not disappoint the Seventh Master. Take it slowly; the Seventh Master believes you can do it."

"Seventh Sister! Seventh Sister!"

Guo Jing had not replied when a frantic shout rang from outside the tent.

When the person entered the tent, he looked like a greasy scholar.

"Second Master."

Guo Jing greeted respectfully.

It was Han Xiao Ying's sworn second brother, the skillful scholar among the Jiangnan Seven Freaks—Zhu Cong. He had lost his usual gentle openness, his face now anxious.

"Second Brother, what's wrong?"

Han Xiao Ying was puzzled.

"Seventh Sister, leave quickly! The Beggar Sect has arrived! They're at Elder Brother's side demanding you be punished!" Zhu Cong shouted urgently.

Han Xiao Ying's mind cleared; the day had indeed arrived.

That night in the temple there were only a few people; she and Niu Dingtian had appeared nearby more than once. Even if Master Liu kept silent, the Beggar Sect's spies would eventually find her.

"Second Brother, take me there."

Han Xiao Ying set aside her thoughts, her expression solemn, and whispered to her second brother.

She could not simply walk away and leave the trouble to her brothers, so she tightened her grip on the treasured sword and stepped out of the felt tent first.

"Seventh Master! Wait for Jing'er!"

Guo Jing shouted quickly and ran outside.

"My Seventh Sister! You should leave quickly; we will deal with those beggar brothers ourselves."

Seeing Seventh Sister's stubbornness, Zhu Cong hurried after her, blocked the path within two steps, and urged again.

"Second Brother, stop urging! The six of us siblings have always been united; this matter started because of me, how could I just walk away?"

Han Xiao Ying's pretty face was earnest; her gaze was firm as she spoke directly to her second brother.

Zhu Cong, seeing this, thought that letting Seventh Sister leave alone was impossible, and the rest of his words choked in his throat.

"Seventh Sister, speak later; the remaining matters can be handled by the brothers."

Zhu Cong led the way ahead, yet did not forget to look back and instruct Han Xiao Ying.

"Hmm."

Han Xiao Ying replied softly, not wanting to worry her second brother too much.

After a hundred breaths,

the three entered a large main tent.

Inside, when the newcomers were seen, the earlier argument in the tent fell silent instantly, and everyone stared at the tent entrance where Han Xiao Ying stood.

"Bang!"

A heavy iron staff slammed down.

"Hmph! Seventh Sister, what are you doing here?"

The old blind man Ke Zhen'e, hearing the commotion inside the tent, suddenly stopped, realizing his Seventh Sister had probably entered, his anger flaring; he slammed his Demon‑Subduing Staff hard, his face turning a bruised blue, and spoke.

"What? Does the Flying Bat Ke Zhen'e still intend to shield the murderer?"

Before Han Xiao Ying could speak at the tent entrance, a middle‑aged man inside the tent erupted angrily, questioning, then turned and glared fiercely at her.

"Elder Liang, what do you mean? Since when did my younger sister become a murderer? Though the Beggar Sect is powerful, the reputation of the Jiangnan Seven Freaks was not forged from mud!"

Hearing Elder Liang's words, opposite him, Ma Wang Shen Han Baoju objected, gripping his Golden Dragon Whip and pointing it at Elder Liang, his face flushed red as he shouted.

His own younger sister, regardless of whether she truly was the alleged murderer, being bullied like this by outsiders, made him want to brandish his iron whip and clash with Elder Liang on the spot.

Seeing the tension rise, a person stepped out beside Elder Liang, gave a look that restrained the irate elder, stepped forward, and slowly addressed Han Xiao Ying:

"One of our Beggar Sect elders and a helmsman were brutally killed outside Luoyang a few days ago! Someone saw Miss Han and a man inside that ruined temple; does Miss Han not intend to give our Beggar Sect an explanation?"

After speaking, he stared at Han Xiao Ying, seemingly waiting for her reply.

Han Xiao Ying saw this, tightened her grip on her precious sword, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"That day, the Helm Master Liu of your gang was also present; he personally witnessed the situation, so you can go ask him for details."

A gleam flashed in that person's eyes, then he quickly concealed himself; he certainly knew that Helm Master Liu had seen it with his own eyes, but what he saw could not possibly be the truth, so he softened his tone and continued speaking:

"We, the Beggars' Gang, will deal with that traitor ourselves! Miss Han, please tell us the whereabouts of that man, and our gang will naturally not make things difficult for you!"

This is their true purpose in coming here; they have also examined the wounds. Peng Zhanglao and Helm Master Chen were killed by a single strike of a withered wood branch, definitely the work of someone with profound internal energy. Although Yue Woman Sword Han Xiao Ying has some reputation in the martial world, she absolutely does not possess such skill.

"I have nothing to say!"

Han Xiao Ying refused without hesitation, leaving no room for negotiation in that tone.

Elder Liang, hearing this, flew into a rage, jumped out and pointed at Han Xiao Ying, shouting furiously:

"Elder Jian, why waste words on this lowly person? You're just trying to protect your lover! Just seize her and bring her back! No matter how high that person's martial skill, once the Chief returns we'll track him down, capture and kill him to avenge our two brothers!"

"Shameless!"

Upon hearing this, Han Xiao Ying instantly burned with shame and anger.

Her precious sword rang with a 'clang' as it was drawn; in the astonished gazes of the onlookers, a lingering shadow shot toward Elder Liang at lightning speed.

Sorry for the typos and garbled sentences, thanks.

(End of chapter)