Chapter 23 - Quid Pro Quo
Did I really just lose to her?
Baili Gucheng couldn't comprehend what had just happened. He couldn't figure out just how he lost. How could this woman always avoid his sword qi? How was she still unharmed even though his final strike had clearly struck her?
The scattered lake water, which had been blasted across the oasis with his last sword, drizzled from the sky. The woman put her umbrella to good use as she walked toward Baili Gucheng, looking like a mythical river goddess who stepped out of an ink painting.
At this time, the chaotic sword energy around Baili Gucheng raged further out of control like a miniature tornado. Yang Lu's hair and clothes flowed back and forth in the wild wind as she walked towards him. Baili Gucheng was in great distress, as the rampant sword qi within him constantly ravaged his meridians.
Yang Lu squatted in front of Baili Gucheng and grabbed him by his wrist. Baili Gucheng immediately broke out of her grip, glaring at the woman above him.
"Don't move!" She patted Baili Gucheng's head. "I'm treating your wounds."
She held his wrist again.
Baili Gucheng's internal energy was in chaos at this moment, although he was fuming to be patted on the head like that, he was unable to say anything about it.
A warm current began to flow from the wrist Yang Lu was holding to the rest of his body. Baili Gucheng felt as if a spring breeze had blown over him; it was so comfortable that he almost moaned.
The warm current traveled along his meridians, instantly calming any chaotic sword qi that it encountered as if they were gently soothed by an invisible hand before continuing onward.
As the sword qi within him gradually settled down, Baili Gucheng felt much better, and only then did he calmly look at the beautiful woman in front of him.
"What martial technique is this?" Baili Gucheng marveled, managing to sit upright.
Yang Lu brushed aside the strands of hair the wind had blown into her mouth and playfully teased Baili Gucheng, "Why don't you guess?"
Baili Gucheng's mouth twitched and he tried to change the topic. Hesitantly he voiced the question that was eating away at him. "How did you dodge that last strike?"
By the time he asked, Yang Lu had finally sorted out the rampaging sword energy within Baili Gucheng. She stood up and let out a long breath saying, "Phew... It's done. I've temporarily suppressed the sword qi inside you."
"… Thank you." Baili Gucheng's voice was barely audible.
"No need to thank me, Impending Sword. I came here to ask for your help." Seeing that Baili Gucheng had recovered well enough to get up, Yang Lu finally spoke.
Baili Gucheng dusted himself off and eyed Yang Lu. "What is it?"
"To kill someone." Yang Lu's mischievous eyes turned serious. "You help me to kill someone, and I'll cure what ails you."
Baili Gucheng chuckled coolly. "Why should I help you kill someone? Besides, you can even defeat me, so why don't you do it yourself?"
Yang Lu covered her mouth with a light laugh, her eyes twinkled charmingly. "Impending Sword, you don't actually think I'm stronger than you, do you~?"
Baili Gucheng gave her a sidelong glance, clearly reluctant to admit anything, and waited for her to continue.
"I only won because of the technique I practice, the 'Spring Zephyr Art.' It specialises in controlling the wind. No matter how fierce your sword qi is, it’s still just a deadly form of wind. Unless you draw your sword, how could you possibly harm me?"
Yang Lu extended her hand, and the lingering sword qi began to swirl around it as if dancing in the palm of hand.
"So, just because I beat you doesn't mean I can beat others. Does that make sense?"
Baili Gucheng nodded in understanding.
"So you want me to kill someone, and I can only do it by drawing my sword?"
Yang Lu nodded, but just as she was about to speak, Baili Gucheng snorted coldly, flung his sleeve, and turned to leave.
Yang Lu hurriedly followed and grabbed Baili Gucheng's sleeve, saying, "I understand your difficulties, but don't be so quick to leave~"
Baili Gucheng turned around and coldly stared at her.
Yang Lu began to make her case. "I know that before your Concealed Sword Art reaches perfection, you cannot draw your sword. If you forcefully draw it, every time you do, you'll lose five years of your life—"
"If you know that, why are you still asking me? Is your real goal to try to harm me?" he objected.
"Baili Gucheng! Really think about it. I'm the only one in this world who can cure you! If you draw your sword for me just once, you'll only lose five years. Afterward, your cultivation path will be free of obstacles!
"If you don't help me, the more you cultivate, the worse your condition will become. Eventually, you'll lose control of the sword energy within you, and it will tear your body apart... You'll be killed by your own power," Yang Lu said as she stared intensely at Baili Gucheng.
Baili Gucheng locked eyes with the woman in front of him.
"Then why don't you cure me right now?" Baili Gucheng finally spoke.
"Ah?" Yang Lu turned her head away somewhat awkwardly and stammered, "Be-because, I'm still missing a few ingredients, and also—"
"And also what?" Baili Gucheng asked as he frowned in confusion, sensing something was off.
"And also I… haven't fully mastered the 'Spring Zephyr Art' yet." Yang Lu blushed slightly and quickly added, "But don't you worry, I will definitely cure your illness!"
Baili Gucheng finally understood. The beautiful woman before him was clearly here to get something for nothing. He let out a cold laugh, shook off her grip on his sleeve, and turned to walk toward the small house.
"Goodbye, I won't be sending you off."
Behind Baili Gucheng, the woman suddenly raised her voice and shouted, "Baili Gucheng! If you don't kill that man, not only will you die, but the fifty thousand refugees at the border behind you will all die too!"
Baili Gucheng spun around. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "You seem to know quite a lot?"
Yang Lu smiled and looked into Baili Gucheng's eyes as she laughed and said, "I do know quite a bit about you~"
Baili Gucheng's eye twitched, and he walked back and asked, "Who exactly is this person?"
Yang Lu's tone filled with murderous intent as she replied, "The external prime minister, Qi Zongbi."
Upon hearing this name, Baili Gucheng's eye twitched even more violently before he finally asked, "What does his life or death have to do with the refugees at the border?"
Yang Lu gave Baili Gucheng a deep look before she gravely said, "If you don't agree, then I can't tell you."
Baili Gucheng fell silent, and after a moment, he asked, "Why don't you find someone else? Why are you so sure I'll help you?"
Yang Lu sat down on the large rock by the lake and looked at the now peaceful surface of the lake.
"Who else is there? Among the 'Nihil,' I am most familiar with Unbound Bodhisattva and you, the only other ones that I know of are Reminiscing Past and Ephemeral Requiem."
She put away her umbrella and then continued, "But, you Nihil are already so hard to track down. Where would I find them? I couldn't even find Unbound Bodhisattva. Besides, you're the only one I might be able to defeat."
Yang Lu turned her head and gave Baili Gucheng a hopeful smile.
"... I will help," Baili Gucheng promised. He clenched the sword at his waist and said to the beautiful woman smiling at him, "Now tell me what this has to do with the refugees at the border."
Yang Lu put away her smile, gathered her thoughts, and then slowly revealed the horrific truth, "There is going to be a war… The two towns of fifty thousand refugees and soldiers will be sacrificed by the imperial court… and left for the Northern Qiang to devour…"
Baili Gucheng's pupils contracted.
"This plan was proposed by Qi Zongbi."
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