C18 Escape

Lee Huiye chuckled upon hearing the news. "The Yu family certainly knows what's what. Very well, go on then. After you've changed, come back and let's see how stunning you look."

Yu Wen let out a sigh. With no other option, she followed his instructions and headed toward the side courtyard.

Zhang Loong gestured, and his men tidied up the blood-stained courtyard.

Of all those gathered, only Lee Xian had never been through the thick of battle. The rest were veterans of combat, accustomed to all manner of scenes, so a little bloodshed wouldn't put them off their meal.

Raising his glass, Lee Huiye toasted Zhang Loong, who stood nearby, "Mr. Zhang, I offer this drink to you. Thank you for allowing us to use your esteemed grounds for my son's wedding."

With a smile, Zhang Loong lifted his glass in response. "It's all so sudden, and we're unprepared. Is this really okay?"

"Ah, we're all part of the martial fraternity. There's no need for pomp and circumstance. Let's keep it simple. If my daughter-in-law feels slighted, well, she doesn't really have a say," Lee Huiye declared, downing his wine in one gulp.

Zhang Loong matched him, emptying his glass and continuing their casual conversation.

Yet, the look of dissatisfaction in Zhang Loong's eyes was unmistakable.

Yu Wen returned to her room in the side courtyard and shut the door behind her.

Once inside, her expression of discontent and sorrow gave way to a smile.

On the table before her lay a sizable backpack.

Yu Wen carefully opened the backpack.

Instead of a festive red wedding dress, she was greeted by a blinding golden glow!

Startled by the sight, Yu Wen quickly closed the backpack, trapping the golden light inside.

She brushed away a tear and peered out the window. It was empty; even the Zhang family member who had shown her the way had disappeared.

With a faint smile, she mused, "Is this the Zhang family's doing?"

Yu Wen and Jie Mu had come to the banquet because she was confident they could escape. That confidence was rooted in the backpack before her, crafted using "DL Type Machine Arts."

Strapping on the backpack and gazing out the window, Yu Wen resolved to leave and made her way outside.

On a small hill at Crouching Dragon Slope, two individuals were seated cross-legged, facing each other. One of them sported sunglasses, giving off the impression of a blind person.

His counterpart was a strikingly handsome young man with an ostentatious appearance that belied a profound depth of character. He wore a white shirt adorned with a pendant engraved with the number "8," lending him an air of melancholy.

The young man smoothed his bangs and offered a warm smile. "Little Eleven, why don't you come home with me? Once we're back, you can apologize to Big Brother and Fourth Brother."

"Big Brother, especially, is such a good soul. You left him so upset that he never returned. If it weren't for our one-sided communication with Lishu, we might have thought he had disappeared."

Facing him was Jiang Feng, who inhaled deeply before responding, "Eighth senior brother, I ask for your understanding. The events of the past have been settled."

"Jiang Feng may have erred, but he will not defy our teacher's verdict. Please step aside, eighth senior brother. The youngest junior sister is in grave danger inside, and I need to go down to her."

The eighth senior brother gave a nonchalant shrug. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Part of my mission is to escort you back to the academy, not to facilitate a rescue for the youngest junior sister."

"Moreover, you've already lent her your backpack. If she can't fight her way out with that, then perhaps we don't need such a junior sister."

"Even the compassionate seventh senior sister, upon hearing this, wouldn't hold it against us."

Upon hearing these words, particularly the solitary mention of the seventh senior sister, Jiang Feng's fists tightened, and he was on the verge of unleashing a formidable aura.

But before he could, a hand rested on his shoulder. The eighth senior brother, previously seated across from him, had somehow moved behind him with astonishing speed.

Indeed, it was he who had informed Yu Wen and Jie Mu via voice transmission that he would ensure their safety at the banquet.

He had given Yu Wen the backpack, hoping she could hold on until his arrival, buying some time.

Eighth Senior Brother stood behind Jiang Feng, his smile still present but his voice tinged with a hint of coldness. "Little Eleven, just come back to the academy with me. You know I excel at speed. Even when your eyes were fine, you couldn't catch my movements, much less now."

"If things escalate to a fight, I can't promise what might happen. Though intimidation has its uses, it shouldn't be wielded recklessly."

"We wouldn't want to alarm Lee Huiye down there and risk involving our youngest junior sister. That would be no laughing matter."

Jiang Feng's inner energy settled back into his dantian as he let out a sigh. "Eighth Senior Brother, I'm aware of your true intentions. You have no desire to escort me back to the academy; you're just trying to prevent me from descending!"

At this, Eighth Senior Brother chuckled heartily. "You're quite astute, Little Eleven. But this time, I'm not inclined to adhere to the mission's rules."

"I do intend to bring you back to the academy, but only if you're willing."

Having said that, Eighth Senior Brother swiftly returned to his original spot and sat down cross-legged.

Jiang Feng snorted, choosing to ignore him. He refrained from making another move, realizing that his backpack had been triggered.

...

In a separate courtyard within the Crouching Dragon Villa, a shadow darted by, unnoticed by the two black-clad guards below. They were oblivious until a flash of golden light and a sudden coolness at their necks transported them to the afterlife.

Yu Wen was aglow with golden brilliance, her body encased in armor crafted by the Machine Arts, obscuring even her face.

Without a second glance at the two men she had just dispatched, she continued forward. Barely a few steps later, a black-clad man emerged from behind and aimed a punch at her. Before, she might not have been prepared, but Yu Wen was now a changed fighter.

She seized the man's fist, yanked it downward with force, and delivered a punch to his face, ending his life instantly.

It wasn't that Yu Wen lacked mercy; the sheer force of the Machine Arts was overwhelming, beyond her ability to moderate given her current level of skill.

If it weren't for the residual inner strength of the eleventh senior brother in her backpack, Yu Wen would have been unable to activate it.

Yu Wen pressed on, encountering numerous obstacles, yet she was invincible.

With the unleashing of her "Distance Suppressing Mountain Splitting Fist," no one there could withstand even one of her punches. Her speed and strength far exceeded the capacity of those present.

Among them were no strangers to combat; the leader was a peak Acquired realm expert, yet he was no match for a single punch from Yu Wen.

As Yu Wen fought her way through, her armor was stained blood-red. The blood at the corner of her mouth was not from an enemy's blow, but from the strain of the Machine Arts armor.

Despite the inner strength from her eleventh senior brother, Yu Wen still had to use her own. She was pushing herself to the limit, making it to the door of the room where Jie Mu was held captive.

With a powerful punch, Yu Wen burst through the door and called out, "Jie Mu, we need to go, now!"

Turning, she struck down another adversary, splattering more blood onto herself.

Then, from inside, two burly men were hurled out, already dismembered.

Jie Mu emerged, breathing heavily, sword in hand.

Upon seeing Jie Mu, Yu Wen collapsed, her golden glow and armor fading away.

Her inner strength was depleted, but she had dealt with the last of her opponents.

Jie Mu hurried to Yu Wen's side, supporting her. Her pallid face and bloodied mouth filled him with urgency. He quickly administered a Nine-fragrance Light Pill to her.

Without hesitation, he hoisted Yu Wen onto his back and fled in the direction from which she had fought her way.

"Eleventh senior brother didn't make it after all!"

"It's just as father said, relying on others will lead to disappointment. In the end, you can only depend on yourself."

Back in the main courtyard, Lee Huiye clinked glasses with Zhang Loong once more, shaking his head as he glanced at the person standing behind him.

"Why hasn't my wife arrived yet? Quickly, send someone to fetch her."

No sooner had he spoken than a bloodied man in black rushed over and knelt on one knee, exclaiming, "Hall Master, it's bad news! That girl has abducted the boy and slain many of our brothers."

Upon hearing this, Lee Huiye's grip tightened, shattering his wine glass. He gestured fiercely to his men, "Go, capture those two young ones for me!"

"Heh, I refuse to believe that two little ones without even a hint of Dark Strength could slip through my grasp!"

He clenched his fist, seemingly channeling boundless power.

Once he finished, all members of the Qilin Society, except for Lee Xian and the two beside him, swiftly exited the room.

Zhang Loong turned to his son with a smile, "Zhang Xuan, take some men with you. It's a fine opportunity to stretch your legs."

The Zhang family's Young Lord bowed, agreed, and with a few strides, he was gone.

Lee Huiye looked at Zhang Loong and, with a respectful gesture, said, "My Sixth Hall experts are in West Qin. It's not far, but mobilizing them is a hassle."

Zhang Loong dismissed the concern with a wave, "Now, Mr. Lee, you're being too formal. This incident occurred on Crouching Dragon Slope. If word gets out, I'd lose face."

Lee Huiye chuckled heartily and raised his wine cup again, "Then I must ask Mr. Zhang to block off the River Crossing Bridge. If those two youngsters cross it, they'll be tough to handle."

Zhang Loong laughed in response, yet he remained silent, fully aware that sealing the bridge would mean a complete fallout with the academy and East Prosperity—a declaration of war.

He wasn't foolish enough to take such a drastic step over two youngsters.

Seeing Zhang Loong's silence, Lee Huiye simply smiled back, "Very well, if Mr. Zhang won't dispatch anyone, I'll send my own."

After finishing his statement, he waved his hand, signaling the person behind him to quickly depart.