Xue Liulan dodged, the judge's pen grazing his cheek. He landed lightly on the fence post, balancing as if he were weightless. But his eyes were anything but light. They were locked on Murong Jin's confused face, then shifted to the girl with a murderous intensity.
"Oh, don't be so angry. It's not lethal," the girl said, twirling her dagger. "It just makes her blind. Besides, she didn't want to see you anyway."
Murong Jin stood frozen, her grip on her sword whitening. Darkness surrounded her. No direction. No support.
Xue Liulan crossed his arms, looking down at the old man.
"Do you think that pen can stop me?"
"Since you know it's a judge's pen, you know it's here to send you to hell." The old man held his weapon ready. He had heard of Yi Mo's death. He dared not be careless.
"Leave," Murong Jin said suddenly, her voice cold. "My life or death has nothing to do with you. Just let me go, alright?"
"No." Xue Liulan snapped. "And if your life has nothing to do with me, who does it have to do with?"
She choked on her words. If even he didn't care, then in this desolate place, far from Wuchuan, who did?
"If you don't want to lose your other arm, don't touch her," he said to the old man, his voice soft. "It seems you won't leave until you've tasted defeat."
The old man tensed.
Xue Liulan leaped from the fence, landing in the courtyard. Ten paces from the enemy. Three paces from Murong Jin.
The meat was already in their mouths; they wouldn't spit it out. The old man and the girl exchanged a glance. Even injured, could he fight them both?
Silence fell. Murong Jin panicked. Did he leave? Is he hurt? Fear gripped her.
"Xue Liulan?" she whispered.
No answer. He couldn't afford to be distracted. One slip, and they would both die.
Her heart sank. He wouldn't abandon me. Silence meant he was hurt.
She stumbled forward, tripping over a stool. She fell.
But she didn't hit the ground. Warm arms caught her, enveloping her in a familiar scent.
Before she could steady herself, he spun her around, kicking the knife from the girl's hand.
The girl was fast. She switched to a claw strike, aiming for Murong Jin. Behind him, the judge's pen lunged for his back.
He frowned, tightening his hold on Murong Jin. Ignoring the pen, he leaped backward, reversing his grip on his sword and stabbing blindly behind him.
The old man hesitated, pulling back his hand.
The pen grazed Xue Liulan's back, leaving a long gash. But his sword struck true, slicing upward through the old man's wrist, severing the tendon.
"Ah!" A scream tore through the quiet courtyard.
The girl's face went white. Her master, defeated by a single, impossible strike?
Xue Liulan stopped. His back burned.
Murong Jin, still confused in his arms, reached up, trying to find his face.
He caught her hand, wincing. "Can't you be still?"
"Are you hurt?" She struggled, then let her hand rest in his.
"My life or death has nothing to do with you," he mocked, smiling down at her, ignoring the enemies.
She blushed and buried her face in his chest. "Then who? Die Man? Guo Lingyu?"
Jealous? He opened his mouth to tease her, then swallowed a groan of pain. Maybe it was better she couldn't see.
"If you don't want to lose the other arm, leave," he said to the old man, as if noticing him for the first time.
The old man shivered, clutching his bleeding wrist.
"Xue Liulan, we will have our revenge," the girl hissed, helping the old man up.
"Wait. The antidote." His voice dropped to ice. If Murong Jin wasn't poisoned, he would have killed the old man already.
The girl stopped. She pulled a pill from her belt.
"This is the antidote. The only one in the world."
He reached for it.
She swallowed it.
"You!" He gritted his teeth.
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining her bright clothes.
The old man sank to his knees with her.
"Master… I can't… stay with you," she gasped, clutching his hand. "Take care…"
"Why?" The old man wept. He had raised her like a daughter.
She smiled, her eyes fixed on Xue Liulan with pure malice. "If you hurt my master, I will make you pay."
"Tell me the formula, or I won't spare him," Xue Liulan said, his voice cold as winter.
"There is no formula." The old man wiped his tears. "If my disciple dies, I will not live alone."
"Master… no…" Her grip weakened.
He held her hand, smiling sadly. "Silly girl. I hurt Murong Jin. Do you think he would have let me live anyway?"
"No. I wouldn't." Xue Liulan held Murong Jin tighter. From the moment she married him, he had sworn no one would hurt her.
Murong Jin listened. She couldn't see, but she heard the despair and the resolve.
"Let them go," she tugged his robe. "The antidote isn't the only way."
"Too late." He sighed, leading her into the house.
"They?"
"Dead."
His back screamed in agony.
"Xue Liulan, are you hurt?" She groped for him, her hand moving toward his back.
"No." He caught her hand and settled her on the bed. "Rest."
He went outside. There was a water vat. He had to clean the wound.
Cold water washed over his back, making the cut burn. He stood shirtless in the courtyard, pouring ladle after ladle over himself.
A gentle hand touched his arm. Murong Jin stumbled up to him, tilting her head blindly.
"Do you really think your life means nothing to me?"
"And you? Did you really want me to let you go?" He looked into her sightless eyes. He hadn't wanted to ask, but the words were a knife in his heart.
She was silent for a long time. "Only if I leave," she said woodenly, "will I stop bringing you trouble."
Is that it? He laughed, a sound of pure relief.
The same words, then and now. But the meaning had changed. It was all because she loved him.