"Who are you?" the man grunted, painfully getting to his feet and glaring at Su Ziyan. He hadn't expected her martial arts to be so formidable.
"Waste no more words. Kill me or hack me to pieces, I don't care. Even if I die today, I won't let you leave alive," Su Ziyan said with firm resolve. This time, she was determined to kill this scoundrel, to prevent him from harming the villagers any further.
"You stubborn brat, refusing a toast and opting for a forfeit! In that case, I'll kill you first," the man snarled, his eyes fixed fiercely on Su Ziyan.
A cold, bloodthirsty curve flickered across Su Ziyan's lips. "Come, fight!"
"Seeking death!" The man lunged at Su Ziyan with his long sword, his movements swift and every strike aimed at a fatal point, giving Su Ziyan no room to breathe.
Although Su Ziyan's cultivation talent was not high, it did not mean her combat experience was lacking.
"Bang!"
With a forceful thrust, her silver spear pierced the man's chest. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down at the spear embedded in his chest.
Su Ziyan withdrew her spear, then shoved him hard. The man collapsed to the ground, unable to rise again.
She cast a cold glance at him, then turned and ran towards the thatched hut where her father lay, unable to abandon him.
As she approached the hut, Su Ziyan got a clear look at her father's condition.
He was lying on the bed, unconscious. His face was flushed, his breathing labored, and his body burning hot.
Su Ziyan's face paled in alarm. She quickly took out a medicinal pill and tried to feed it to him, but he couldn't swallow. She then helped him up, pried open his mouth, and forced a few drops of Jade Dew Elixir down his throat.
After a few cups of Jade Dew Elixir, Su Yuanfeng finally managed to regain his breath.
Su Ziyan quickly examined his injuries. Fortunately, they were only superficial flesh wounds, requiring nothing more than a plaster and bandaging with a wound healing powder.
She then administered an antidote pill. Her only current deficiency was the lack of antidote pills.
There were no antidote pills on this continent, as many people died from various illnesses each year.
After taking the pill, Su Yuanfeng slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Su Ziyan.
"Yan'er!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with emotion. He thought he would never see her again.
"Father, I'm alright. How are you?" Su Ziyan asked, grasping his hand.
"Cough, cough..." Su Yuanfeng coughed weakly. "I'm fine, just some superficial wounds. I should recover with some rest."
Su Ziyan frowned. "Father, why were you being chased?"
She remembered he had fled with her mother. They should have left that desolate courtyard long ago. Why had they encountered these people?
"We were being pursued, and then we fell here."
Su Ziyan's brow furrowed. Could it be enemies from the past?
"Rest assured, we will help you find the mastermind and ensure they are brought to justice!" A chilling glint flashed across Nangong Che's handsome face.
"Thank you. I don't know who sent them," Su Ziyan replied, pursing her lips. In her heart, she detested the woman who had betrayed her father.
"Miss, we were merely following orders," an elder beside him said calmly.
"Father, you must rest well. I will definitely help you seek justice. And don't worry, from today onwards, I will stay here with you," Su Ziyan said softly. The surrounding woods were ideal for hiding.
She needed to plan carefully. After avenging him, she would take her father and sister away from here and live elsewhere.
Su Yuanfeng looked at Su Ziyan with joy. "Yan'er, you're willing to stay here and take care of me?"
"Of course, you're the one I love most. Who else would I take care of?" Su Ziyan playfully glared at Su Yuanfeng.
Hearing her call him "the one I love most," Su Yuanfeng felt a surge of sweetness. He had finally waited for her to be willing to stay by his side.
"Father, you should get some rest," Su Ziyan said gently, stroking Su Yuanfeng's head.
"En," Su Yuanfeng nodded with a gentle smile and closed his eyes. He was indeed tired.
Once Su Yuanfeng fell asleep, Su Ziyan quietly got up to leave. She needed to find an antidote pill.
Nangong Che followed her, sensing that Su Ziyan was no ordinary person. He wanted to see what kind of person she was.
Su Ziyan searched the vicinity for a long time but found no herbs.
She had no choice but to return. She planned to search for herbs tomorrow and focus on taking care of her father tonight.
Suddenly, she saw a corpse lying under a large rock ahead. She immediately approached cautiously.
She froze upon seeing the corpse. It was a man, dressed in blue, with an ordinary appearance. He was covered in wounds, his death a gruesome sight. Judging by his clothing, he appeared to be a martial artist.
Seeing what the man held between his fingers, Su Ziyan's expression changed slightly. It was a letter.
Why had he died here? And who had written this letter to him?
"Miss, what are you doing?" Nangong Che walked over, his gaze filled with curiosity.
Su Ziyan looked up at Nangong Che and sighed softly. "This man was one of the masked men in black from yesterday. He had been passing letters to that group. They probably chased him here to silence him."
"You mean they were a group?" Nangong Che raised an eyebrow.
"En. Judging by their attire, they should be servants or subordinates of some royal family member from the Northern Ling Kingdom," Su Ziyan said calmly. She didn't tell Nangong Che that they were after her, as it concerned her and her mother's safety. If he leaked this information, her mother might also be in danger.
A grim coldness flickered in Nangong Che's deep pupils. "So that's how it is."
Su Ziyan chuckled. "I didn't expect you to be so smart, to guess that they were a group."
"You're too kind," Nangong Che said dotingly, reaching out to ruffle Su Ziyan's hair.
"No, I'm telling the truth," Su Ziyan replied with a bright smile.
"Alright, whatever you say is true. Come, let's leave this place quickly. Those people won't give up," Nangong Che said, taking Su Ziyan's hand as they hurried towards the village.
...
"Your Highness, your subordinate has failed. Please punish me," the leader of the dark guards reported respectfully, kneeling on the ground.
Nangong Chen sat in his chair, pondered for a moment, and said faintly, "Get up. You did your best."
Upon hearing this, the leader of the dark guards rose and retreated behind Nangong Chen, remaining silent.
"Have you investigated their origins?" Nangong Chen looked up at the man kneeling below.
The leader of the dark guards shook his head. "No clues yet. That group was too cunning. They deliberately lured him to the cliff edge and then pushed him down."
Nangong Chen's expression grew grim. That group was clearly after him, and it was a targeted attack. But how had they found his location?
Could his mother have betrayed him?
Considering this possibility, a cold indifference surfaced on Nangong Chen's face. It seemed his mother's suspicion was growing.
"Continue the investigation. You must find the culprits. Report any news immediately," Nangong Chen commanded, his voice cold and devoid of emotion, a bloodthirsty cruelty flickering in his eyes.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"Retire," Nangong Chen waved his hand.
The leader of the dark guards bowed respectfully and quickly left the room.
After the door was closed, Nangong Chen's expression became solemn and serious. He had to resolve this matter quickly to avoid any further complications.
Su Yuanfeng's injuries had stabilized, and he had regained consciousness. At Su Ziyan's insistence, she let him continue to rest in the room.
Su Yuanfeng did not object.
Su Ziyan, accompanied by Nangong Che, wandered nearby, hoping to find an antidote pill. However, the entire cave was empty. Not only were there no antidote pills, but not a single herb could be found.
"Mother, why don't we go to the other side of the mountain range? There should be antidote herbs there," Su Ziyan said, looking at the dark sky outside. The moon had already risen high, and most people were likely asleep by now.
"That's a good idea. You get ready, and we'll leave immediately," Su Yuanfeng nodded. Although he had not fully recovered, he could walk without difficulty. At least there were no major issues.
"Father, are your injuries much better?" Su Ziyan asked, walking to Su Yuanfeng's bedside with concern.
Su Yuanfeng gently squeezed Su Ziyan's hand and chuckled. "Don't worry, Father's body has almost fully healed."
His injury this time was due to an old wound. What he needed now was slow recuperation.
"That's good."
After a simple preparation, the father and daughter walked out of the valley.
As they passed the withered tree, Su Yuanfeng stopped and stared at the man lying under the withered tree, his expression changing slightly. "Little girl, do you smell anything?"
Su Ziyan followed his gaze and sniffed carefully, her eyes widening in surprise. "There's a faint scent of blood."
"Let's go take a look."