Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 93
by Little PandaVolume 4: The Perils of the Jianghu
Cliff
The elders used to say that because the Valley was excessively merciful, many people who should have been dealt with were ultimately spared1. They were only put into confinement, and not long after, they were released.
The taboos of Changsheng Valley are practically the bottom line of human decency. So, those who violated these taboos, which one of them didn’t have some darkness in their hearts?
How could there be no consequences when such people were released?
Feng Zhu didn’t know who among those released had been set free, but undeniably, this had indeed affected Changsheng Valley.
“Miss Feng Zhu, we don’t mean to blame you.” Su Yi saw her lower her head, thinking she was dejected, and comforted her, “It was just that the situation earlier forced our hand…”
“I’m fine.” Feng Zhu shook her head and forced a smile. “We need to get more torches. As we continue on this path, who knows how many more gu we’ll encounter.”
“You’re right.” Ji Qingchi immediately ordered her guards to take out more materials from their bags and start making torches.
After they finished making over twenty torches, the gu-infected tiger had also mostly burned. Feng Zhu went over to inspect it and found no traces of remaining gu. She nodded, “We can continue forward now.”
The group thus continued onward. Along the way, they encountered a few more animals, all of them normal, not as shocking as the tiger from before.
However, everyone did not let down their guard because of this. After walking for a while, sure enough, they encountered ferocious beasts again.
And this time, it wasn’t just one, but several.
Three tigers with yellow and black stripes, two wild oxen, and three bears.
They were like mad, tearing at each other.
Everyone immediately tensed up as if facing a great enemy. The guards readied their swords, poised to strike. However, these ferocious beasts showed no signs of attacking them. They fought amongst themselves, constantly roaring.
Among the guards, one who came from a background of hunting in the mountain forests said doubtfully, “Strange, why do these calls sound like mating calls? It’s not spring yet, is it?”
Those fighting beasts were all male. Looking left and right, they didn’t see any female beasts. Who were they trying to mate with?
“Since they’re not attacking us, let’s ignore them,” Ji Qingchi said. “Let’s keep moving forward.”
“Yes.”
They continued to advance. Not long after, they heard miserable howls from behind. They sent someone to check, and that person returned with an expression that was hard to put into words.
“The beasts that lost the fight just now were treated as females, and the others were all mounting them…”
Ji Qingchi interrupted her, “Alright, no need to say more. Since it doesn’t concern us, let’s go.”
I didn’t expect to encounter such an explosive scene when it’s almost autumn.
But those beasts just now were all different species, Su Yi lamented internally. Ah, public morals are truly degenerating, even wild animals are so open-minded these days.
They hadn’t gone far when a “susu” rustling sound came from the air.
Ji Qingchi listened intently, then suddenly stopped and shouted in a low voice, “Form a circle, shields up!”
The guards immediately complied. Dozens of them raised impenetrable iron shields, surrounding Su Yi, who knew no martial arts, and the doctors in the center.
In the very next instant, thousands upon thousands of arrows rained down from the sky, so dense they almost blotted out the sunlight.
The moment Ji Qingchi detected the sound, she soared into the air, drew her pliant sword, and using her true qi to protect the area above, she simultaneously split all the incoming arrows with her sword.
The arrows came ceaselessly. Amidst the “swoosh swoosh” sound of them tearing through the air, the sound of clapping was particularly prominent. “Truly impressive. One person, able to withstand so many arrows.”
The arrows stopped. Ji Qingchi was slightly out of breath, her grip on her sword tightening, her icy gaze fixed on the source of the voice.
—Unbeknownst to them, several figures had emerged from the depths of the forest. Five men and one woman, all dressed in practical, tight-fitting attire. On the left sleeve of their clothes was embroidered the distinctive spider emblem of Xuanji Tower.
Ji Qingchi sneered, “The experts of Xuanji Tower. So, you’re what’s left? You don’t look like much.”
Her words stung the newcomers. There had originally been ten of them, but four were killed in a single encounter. If word of this got out, it would truly damage the reputation of their Ten Great Experts.
“Assassins from Xuanji Tower?” Su Yi was protected in the center and couldn’t see the people, but hearing Ji Qingchi’s words, she knew who had arrived. “Weren’t they still outside Changsheng Valley?”
“Either they infiltrated on their own, or someone from Changsheng Valley let them in.”
Yue Ling wiped the blade in her hand and looked at Feng Zhu, whose face had instantly paled. “However, to have the time to set up this trap of ten thousand arrows firing at once, I’m afraid the latter possibility is more likely.”
Feng Zhu lowered her head and said nothing. She had her fellow martial brothers and sisters take out the poison powders from their medicine chests and hand them to the guards protecting them.
Yue Ling didn’t stand on ceremony either, directly telling the guards to apply all of it to their blades.
Just six people, wanting to fight against so many of them? They’d have to see if they had the strength for it.
The lead male assassin’s face was ashen. He was just about to shout abuse when a pale-faced woman to his right tugged at his clothes.
The man moved his lips, managing to swallow his words with difficulty. His face still ashen, he raised his hand and waved. “Attack!”
This command was like a fuse. Instantly, countless ferocious beasts and poisonous insects rushed out from all directions, each one seemingly crazed, pouncing towards them.
Some of the animals only had half their bodies left, and dark substances could be seen surging beneath their skin.
“Not good, it’s gu!”
“Quick, use the torches!”
The crowd stirred, lighting the torches around them. The gathered firelight made the beasts wary. They roared at them tentatively but didn’t dare get too close.
Seeing this, the assassins cursed a few times, and two men turned and disappeared into the woods.
Yue Ling waved her torch. “Not good, they might be going to get something to extinguish the fire.”
Feng Zhu said, “These gu fear fire, and also water. Let’s run towards a place with water.”
Everyone used their torches to clear a path, charging towards the encirclement of beasts. After tearing an opening, they rushed towards a place with a water source.
Ji Qingchi picked up Su Yi and said to the crowd, “The trees to the south in this forest are tall and lush. That must be a sunny spot with ample water. Let’s head that way.”
Seeing this, the lead male assassin spat. “Damn it, they’re trying to escape! These beasts aren’t much use anymore. Let’s chase after them.”
The pale woman frowned. “But the Young Master said…”
“Young Master said! Young Master said! The Young Master isn’t even here! How can he judge the current situation?”
The man glared at her. “The boss is dead! I’m in charge now! Everyone listen to me! Let’s chase them!”
The woman pursed her lips and didn’t retort further. The remaining people also didn’t dare to contradict the enraged man. The few of them immediately gave chase.
A “swoosh” tore through the air from behind. Ji Qingchi sidestepped, and a Bone-Melting Dart and three Blood Nails brushed past them, embedding themselves straight into a tree trunk.
The man immediately said, “That woman’s skills are good! She can run so fast while carrying someone. Both she and the woman in her arms are quite good-looking. They should be the Imperial Daughter and the woman from the Marquis’s Manor the Tower Master ordered us to kill. Go, quickly chase them!”
Bone-Melting Darts, Blood Nails, poison cores, and other hidden weapons were thrown at them one after another. Those people had also prepared iron claws and iron hooks. Soon, very few guards remained by Ji Qingchi’s side. Other guards who tried to approach were stopped by the hidden weapons from behind. The guards’ blood splattered onto Ji Qingchi’s face and also onto Su Yi in her arms.
Seeing more than ten guards die protecting them, Ji Qingchi’s brows furrowed tightly. She said to Yue Ling opposite her, “Lin Yue, come over and catch Miss Su.”
Su Yi immediately realized Ji Qingchi intended to lure the assassins away by herself. She instantly gripped Ji Qingchi’s clothes tightly. “I’m not going with her.”
Ji Qingchi looked down, a rare seriousness in her eyes. “Following me, you might die.”
Even if her martial arts were superb, against four experts plus those gu-infected beasts, she couldn’t guarantee she’d escape unscathed.
“You will definitely live.”
Not to mention, as the female protagonist, Ji Qingchi couldn’t possibly die. Even setting that aside, Su Yi couldn’t feel at ease letting Ji Qingchi go alone.
Su Yi gripped her clothes tightly and said firmly, “I want to go with you.”
Ji Qingchi looked down at her intently for a moment, then held her tighter. “Alright then, we’ll escape together.”
Executing her qinggong, she fled in the opposite direction of the guards, not forgetting to shout back at Yue Ling, “Get them out of here!”
The assassins behind them immediately gave up chasing the guards and went after Ji Qingchi and Su Yi.
“Miss!” Yue Ling was greatly surprised. She never imagined that the legendary ruthless and cruel Ji Qingchi would choose to put herself in danger for the sake of her guards.
She looked at the corpses on the ground, took a breath, and said, “Let’s follow them.”
Ji Qingchi fled all the way, carrying someone, and felt she was about to exhaust her strength. The assassins behind her were not only in hot pursuit but, seeing they had no torches, also herded the beasts towards them.
A cheetah, running the fastest, caught up to them almost instantly and bit Ji Qingchi’s left leg.
“Ugh…”
Su Yi was buried in her embrace and didn’t see this. Hearing the sound, she immediately asked, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just a bit annoyed seeing those people chasing relentlessly.” Ji Qingchi’s figure swayed slightly, and she pressed Su Yi’s head back into her embrace. “Don’t look, those gu-infected beasts are too disgusting.”
“Mm.” Su Yi buried herself in her embrace and obediently stayed still.
Ji Qingchi smiled, endured the pain, killed the cheetah with a stab of her sword, and continued to flee. After fleeing for a short while, she stopped.
Ahead, it grew brighter, and the trees became sparser. She leaped out to take a look and found it was a cliff. The bottom of the cliff was shrouded in heavy mist. A waterfall on the opposite cliff face splashed down, sending a chill through one’s body.
A cliff before them, pursuers behind them. The roars of tigers and leopards almost echoed through the heavens.
Without a second thought, Ji Qingchi leaped off the cliff, still holding Su Yi.
Her choice was too unexpected. Not only were the pursuing assassins stunned on the spot, but Su Yi was also utterly shocked.
However, considering Ji Qingchi’s personality, it was understandable. Su Yi immediately hugged her tightly, neither crying nor making a fuss, just snuggling into her embrace.
Ji Qingchi smiled faintly. Turning her head, she could vaguely see the shocked expressions of the people on the cliff above. She said coldly, “Even if we are smashed to pieces, we will not be caught by you.”
After this declaration, their figures could no longer be seen from the cliff.
“Damn woman!” The lead assassin knelt on the cliff edge, craning his neck to look down. After confirming he couldn’t see them, he slammed his fist on the ground.
A slightly shorter man said, “Second Brother, they jumped off the cliff. Should we go back and report?”
“Report what? Maybe they’re not dead! We need to see them alive, or their corpses if they’re dead! Go to the bottom of the cliff and search! See if there’s anyone!”
“Yes.”
The man immediately turned around. After a few steps, he saw the pale-faced woman still standing on the cliff, looking dazed for a long time. He went over and nudged her. “What are you doing, Jing You2? Second Brother has spoken. Why aren’t you looking for them? What are you spacing out for?”
“They…” Jing You pointed at the cliff where no one could be seen, wanting to say something, but swallowed her words when they reached her lips.
“Stop dawdling, hurry up and find them! Otherwise, Second Brother will get angry. He’s got a fiery temper. If he complains about us to the Tower Master, we’ll all have to bear the consequences3.”
“Okay.” Jing You lowered her eyes and silently followed him away.
The cliff was very high. Falling directly from the top was no different from a dead end.
However, after her first fall from a cliff, Ji Qingchi had learned her lesson. She had specially commissioned a blacksmith to forge a retractable iron claw from meteoric iron, capable of cushioning impacts. She had brought it in her bag and used it in time when they fell. It caught onto a large tree on the cliff face, slowing their descent and preventing them from falling directly to the bottom.
But this also left her right hand a bloody mess.
When Su Yi saw it, her heart instantly clenched. Ji Qingchi was still holding her, and her right hand was also gripping that thing—it was almost like being hung up and tortured.
Ji Qingchi panted, looking down at the expression on Su Yi’s face. She smiled and rubbed her chin against Su Yi’s cheek. “It’s rare to see you feel sorry for me. This trip to the forest was really worth it.”
Su Yi didn’t dare to move, afraid of adding to her burden. “Still in the mood to joke. It seems Your Highness isn’t too badly injured.”
“Yeah, not serious.” Ji Qingchi smiled faintly, biting her tongue to keep herself conscious.
The wound on her left leg throbbed painfully, and her head was dizzy. That cheetah was gu-infected. She didn’t know if that bite had transmitted gu-insects into her body.
“This Palace has fled all this way, I’m so tired.” Ji Qingchi rubbed against her affectionately and chuckled, “My mind is a complete mess right now, can’t think of any way to get out of this. Miss Su, you’re known for your outstanding intelligence. Quickly think, is there any way for us to leave this place?”
Su Yi shot her a look. “I think Your Highness is just trying to slack off.”
Ji Qingchi said, quite confidently, “Yes, This Palace just wants to be lazy.”
Su Yi gently bit her chin, then stopped bickering with her. She tilted her head to look down. Since there was a waterfall flowing down the opposite cliff, there was obviously water below. However, she didn’t know how deep the water was, or if it would be dangerous to jump directly into it.
She told Ji Qingchi about this. Ji Qingchi just laughed and said, “It’s nothing. We’ll continue to descend. If there’s a tree, we’ll hook onto it. When we’re not too high up, we’ll check the water situation and then drop. No matter how high this cliff is, it must have a bottom.”
There was nothing wrong with what she said. Moreover, given the current situation, this was the safest approach.
It’s just that, if they did it this way… Su Yi looked at Ji Qingchi’s right hand. There was hardly any intact skin visible there anymore.
“Feeling sorry for This Palace?” Ji Qingchi naturally saw her gaze and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, This Palace has suffered far worse injuries in battles before. This is nothing. Alright, hold on tight, we’re going down.”
Su Yi immediately hugged her waist tightly. Ji Qingchi retracted the iron claw and continued to descend. After catching onto trees five or six times in a row, when they were tens of meters from the bottom of the cliff, the white bone of Ji Qingchi’s right hand was faintly visible, and she was drenched as if washed with water. They finally got a clear view of the cliff bottom.
By sheer luck, the water from the cliff had formed a lake at the bottom. The banks were soft earth, with no sharp rocks. Jumping down shouldn’t be too problematic.
“We’re jumping,” Ji Qingchi said, retracting the iron claw and informing Su Yi, before leaping down with her in her arms.
With a “plop,” a large splash erupted on the water’s surface, followed immediately by streaks of bright red blood spreading across it.
Su Yi knew how to swim. The moment she entered the water, she held her breath. After feeling Ji Qingchi release her, she surfaced. Once her head was above water, she looked around but couldn’t find any sign of Ji Qingchi.
A chill ran through her heart. She dived back under and found Ji Qingchi not far away, her eyes tightly closed, her left hand still in the motion of releasing her. Her long black hair fanned out, her exquisite face appearing exceptionally serene underwater, just floating silently at the bottom.
“Ji Qingchi!” Su Yi’s heart felt like it had turned to ice. She quickly rushed forward, grabbed her, and using all her strength, struggled to bring her to the surface.
Footnotes
- 放了一马 | fàng le yī mǎ | Literally “let off a horse.” An idiom meaning to spare someone, to let someone off the hook, to give someone a break.
- 镜又 | Jìng Yòu
- 吃不了兜着走 | chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu | Literally “if you can’t eat it all, you’ll have to carry it away.” An idiom meaning to face unpleasant consequences that one cannot avoid or handle; to be in deep trouble.
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