“Do you have any conscience at all?” Knowing she was no match for him, she stood her ground and cursed, “Ungrateful wretch!”
“I told you, call the woman,” the man said, unmoved. The silver blade glinted as it left a shallow cut on Xiao Cheng’s neck.
Xiao Cheng, unaware of how shallow the wound was, screamed in terror and fainted.
“Where’s the valley master?” Lü-er, out of options, turned to one of the other maids, frantically signaling with her eyes. “She’s still in the Winter Pavilion, right? Hurry, go tell her! And bring a few more people!”
It would be best if that debt collector, Huo Zhan Bai, came too—he’s the only one who can handle this snake.
But before the maid could leave, she called out, "The valley master is already here!"
Everyone froze, turning to look outside. The snow had stopped, and the moonlight was bright, casting a white sheen over the lake, where mist rose like a gleaming mirror. Standing on the ice was the woman in purple, still gazing quietly down into the lake. Next to her stood Shuang Hong, dressed in red, who had rushed over from the Autumn Courtyard to report the situation.
She slowly lifted her head and glanced toward them.
Though the distance was great, the moment her eyes met his, the hand holding the silver knife trembled.
Hiding in the shadows, his pale face remained expressionless, but his heart shook violently. What’s happening…? How could a simple glance from so far away, where he couldn’t even see her face clearly, cause such a reaction? Could it be… does this female healer also know the art of the Eye?
Suddenly, a sharp pain flared in his head.
It must be from overusing the Eye technique, leading to mental exhaustion and triggering this chronic headache.
“Tell her… tell her to come over!” His voice was hoarse, struggling to maintain his composure.
“Miss!” Lü-er shouted loudly, seeing that Xue Zi Ye had noticed them, “The patient is holding Xiao Cheng hostage and wants to see you!”
The woman in purple on the ice slowly stood up, her voice calm: “Come here, I’m right here.”
Once again, his body jolted—That voice! He had vaguely heard it while he was unconscious, and it had unsettled him even then. Now, hearing it clearly in the cold night air, it filled him with a strange, chilling sense of dread. The pain in his head intensified, and it felt as if countless memories were threatening to surface. What’s happening? Could this healer… also know the technique of Seductive Sound?
He gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the rising panic.
As a killer, he had been fighting for his life since his teenage years, always ready to draw his sword in an instant. He had never let his guard down for a moment. But now, inexplicably, a powerful urge was pulling him, tempting him to break his own rules and step closer to see the healer’s face more clearly.
Dragging the unconscious Xiao Cheng, he leaped out of the room, stepping onto the ice as he made his way toward the lake.
Xue Zi Ye watched him approach, feeling a sudden wave of dizziness. It was the first time she had seen this man fully. As she had suspected… those eyes… tinged with blue and pure black—they were unmistakable.
“Hand over the Dragon Blood Pearl,” he growled, pulling the unconscious Xiao Cheng closer, his voice strained. “Or else—”
The words froze the moment their eyes met.
In that instant, his hand began trembling violently again. He stared at her, unable to tear his gaze away. It wasn’t because the healer had the power of the Eye technique—no, it was because… her eyes… those eyes! He had seen them before… somewhere…
The pain in his head exploded once again, and darkness swiftly engulfed his thoughts.
He heard the cold, emotionless voice of the woman beneath the moon: “Patients shouldn’t be wandering around.”
How… how is this voice so familiar? Where… where had he heard it before?
His body wavered, his vision growing blurry.
His vision swayed erratically, finally breaking free from her eyes. It wandered aimlessly before suddenly fixing on the ice, where it froze in shock. He let out a low cry. What was that?
A pale face quietly surfaced beneath the ice, staring back at him through the bluish glow.
This—how could this be? Who was that? Who had imprisoned him under the ice?
The man, now utterly horrified, stared at the face beneath the ice. His body began to tremble, and suddenly, he could no longer contain himself. Clutching his head, he let out a wail of anguish, his silver knife clattering to the ice as he cried out in pain.
“Valley Master! Valley Master!” The maids in the distance rushed over, shouting in alarm.
They had only seen the man standing opposite the Valley Master, holding Xiao Cheng, but after exchanging just a few words, his entire body began to shake violently. Then, out of nowhere, he let out a blood-curdling scream, collapsing on the ice, clutching his head and rolling around as if a blade were twisting inside his mind. The maids looked on in awe. Had the Valley Master used some secret technique to subdue him in an instant?
Yet Xue Zi Ye’s face was also pale, and her body trembled slightly.
No doubt about it—this time, she had seen it clearly.
His eyes—so strange, tinged with a hint of blue and pure black, radiating immense spiritual power—bore the unmistakable traits of the now-extinct Moga Clan!
She hurriedly restrained the man, who was writhing in agony. “Quick! Take him back inside!”
* * *
Why are we still saving this man? the maids wondered as they tended to him, feeling reluctant. But none of them dared to defy the Valley Master’s orders.
This man’s condition was strange, unlike anyone who had ever come to the valley seeking treatment. After placing him on the bed, Xue Zi Ye took his pulse. She stood there in silence for a long time, her brow furrowed in thought.
“All of you, leave,” Xue Zi Ye ordered, her gaze fixed on the man lying on the bed, still clutching his head and groaning in pain. “And remember, don’t tell Huo Zhan Bai anything about this.”
“But…” Lü-er hesitated, worried about leaving her mistress alone with such a dangerous person.
“It’s fine,” Xue Zi Ye said calmly. “I’ll treat him.”
“Yes, Miss.” Shuang Hong, knowing the Valley Master’s temperament, quickly tugged on Lü-er’s sleeve, exchanging a glance with her before they both retreated. Once the maids had left, Xue Zi Ye stood up and, with a swift motion, pulled down the curtains surrounding the bed.
The room was plunged into darkness, shutting out all the moonlight and snowlight.
The moment darkness enveloped the room, the man’s screams stopped.
Xue Zi Ye hesitated for a moment, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Afraid of light? This man’s injuries were far worse than Huo Zhan Bai’s, yet he had stubbornly resisted treatment, refusing to cooperate.
She could have abandoned him. After all, he didn’t have a Returning Heaven Order, nor did he show any intention of complying with treatment. But his eyes had shocked her. The Moga Clan had been wiped out twelve years ago, and she had personally buried every one of them. How could there be any survivors? Who was this man, and how had he survived?
And although his eyes clearly bore the Moga Clan’s unique traits, there was something subtly different about them.
Those eyes held a mesmerizing power, a curse that could lock anyone’s gaze, making it impossible to look away.
Everything from those days had faded into the past. Only the figure frozen beneath the lake remained, leaving no other trace. But now, seeing those eyes again, it was as if the past had returned—there was a survivor! And if there was a survivor, then there was a chance to finally uncover the truth of that night, to learn what evil force had ruthlessly wiped out an entire clan.
She had to save him.
Xue Zi Ye reached out to touch the back of his head, but in an instant, he shoved her away.
In the darkness, he suddenly bolted upright from the bed. Without even opening his eyes, his movements were swift as a ghost, cornering her against the wall, one hand pressing tightly against her throat as he gasped for breath.
However, he couldn’t withstand the knife-like pain twisting through his brain. His body trembled, and in moments, he collapsed to his knees, unable to maintain his strength.
Xue Zi Ye stared at him in shock. Even in this condition, he had the instinct to fight back so fiercely? This man—had he undergone such brutal training that even when unconscious, he had the reflex to kill anyone who came near him?
“Ah… get away… get away from me…” The man mumbled curses from the bed, clutching his head. Suddenly, he slammed his head hard against the ground, shouting, “I want out… I want out! Let me out!”
Xue Zi Ye froze, an image flashing vividly in her mind.
In the darkness, the same desperate screams echoed in her memory—familiar, yet distant—repeating over and over, crashing against her thoughts: Let me out! Let me out!
She pressed her hands against her temples, feeling a painful throbbing as her temples pulsed.
Could it be… him? Could it really be him?
0 Comments