Chapter 165: Could You Bear to Turn Away and Leave?

When Grandma Wang came out again, she was carrying two more sets of clothes. They were unmistakably the long, traditional robes worn by the people they had seen in the capital that day. Both garments were brightly colored, shades most young girls favored.

“These clothes belonged to my daughter. Alas, it is a pity that she was born under an unlucky star. She can never wear them again…”

Grandma Wang’s eyes were filled with tenderness and sorrow, yet she could do nothing but submit to that cruel, unwilling fate.

Jiang Miaomiao and Qin Sheng exchanged a glance before accepting the clothes from Grandma Wang.

“You two are about the same age, so they should fit. Hurry and try them on.”

Grandma Wang turned away and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Only after her grief had somewhat subsided did she turn back and wave off Jiang Miaomiao and Qin Sheng, who had been about to comfort her.

In the end, the words of consolation lingering at their lips were swallowed back down.

After changing in the inner room, the two girls emerged one after another.

Jiang Miaomiao wore a pale green dress with a light outer robe. A pale green sash was tied beneath her chest, accentuating her figure perfectly.

Qin Sheng, meanwhile, wore a red long robe. With the Tang saber strapped to her back, she possessed the bearing of a young heroine of the martial world.

The moment they stepped out, Grandma Wang showered them with praise. Jiang Miaomiao’s hair had grown considerably longer as well, so Grandma Wang styled it into a bun and applied some makeup. After dressing her up from head to toe, Jiang Miaomiao looked every bit the refined young lady of an aristocratic household, with the graceful air of a girl from an ancient painting.

Qin Sheng’s hair was not very long, so Grandma Wang simply tied it up. Qin Sheng was naturally beautiful, and the valiant appearance of a swordswoman suited her spirited features perfectly.

The more Grandma Wang looked at them, the more she liked them. She held their hands and praised them for a long while.

The two girls were praised until they became embarrassed.

This world was utterly different from their own, and Qin Sheng and the others had now experienced that for themselves.

Qin Sheng was not particularly concerned about it, but Jiang Miaomiao seemed to love her outfit dearly. She examined herself from every angle, unwilling to look away.

“Tomorrow, I’ll take you both into town to have several new outfits made. These clothes have been stored for too long and are rather old now.”

At those words, Grandma Wang could not help sobbing again. Seeing the garments she had once made brand-new finally being worn brought unmistakable joy to her face.

Qin Sheng felt a pang of sympathy and asked softly, “Grandma Wang, what exactly happened to your daughter? Perhaps we can help you.”

Grandma Wang shook her head and let out a quiet sob, evidently unwilling to revisit the memory. She merely summarized it in a few words.

“I don’t know what happened. I woke up one morning, and she was simply gone…”

Missing?

She had vanished overnight?

This might not be an ordinary case of someone going missing. Qin Sheng caught the faint scent of a conspiracy.

“Several people disappear from the capital every month. We used to think they had merely gotten lost or something, but we never imagined that someone could vanish right from their own home…” Grandma Wang was crying so hard that she could barely catch her breath.

Qin Sheng’s brows drew together slightly. She realized that this matter was certainly not as simple as it appeared.

“Didn’t you report it to the authorities?” Jiang Miaomiao quickly corrected herself and changed her wording.

Grandma Wang shook her head. Clearly, reporting the matter had been useless.

Qin Sheng pressed her lips together before shaking her head helplessly. She had only just arrived in this world, and there were many things beyond her ability to accomplish. The only thing she could do was offer Grandma Wang a little comfort.

“Never mind. It’s all in the past now. Don’t speak of it anymore. Where has that old man gone? He mustn’t let you two go hungry…”

The instant Grandma Wang finished speaking, they heard movement from the main gate outside.

Puzzled, Qin Sheng walked out of the room and happened to see Grandpa Wang bracing himself against the tightly shut door, panting heavily as though he were hiding from something.

“Grandpa Wang…”

Qin Sheng had naturally heard the commotion outside and called to him in a lowered voice.

Grandpa Wang turned around at once and signaled for her to remain silent.

Qin Sheng nodded and quickly concealed her breathing.

Only after the sounds outside had completely faded did Grandpa Wang finally let out a breath of relief.

“What happened, Grandpa Wang? Xingyu and Lin Xing didn’t come back with you?”

Seeing that Grandpa Wang had returned alone, Qin Sheng asked in confusion.

Grandpa Wang’s brows knitted tightly. He slapped his thigh and said, “This is bad! I just heard that the Listening Wind Pavilion has people patrolling the streets and conducting a strict inspection for outsiders tonight. I was thinking only of getting you girls back quickly, and I left those two children behind at Old Li’s butcher shop.”

Qin Sheng was not too worried about Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing’s safety. Their supernatural abilities would protect them. However, they were unfamiliar with this world, and their clothes made it obvious that they were outsiders. If they encountered anyone from the Listening Wind Pavilion, they might very well be walking straight into danger.

“Grandpa, where is Old Li’s butcher shop? I’ll go look for them.”

Qin Sheng thought that now she had changed clothes, she should have no trouble going out to search for them.

Grandpa Wang was still uneasy. “I’ll make another trip. The capital at night can hardly be called safe…”

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“It’s all right, Grandpa. I know martial arts, and I have this Tang saber with me. Nothing will happen.”

As she spoke, Qin Sheng strapped the Tang saber to her back.

Grandpa Wang glanced at the weapon behind her and finally told her where the butcher shop was.

Jiang Miaomiao was worried about Qin Sheng and had originally intended to go along, but Qin Sheng firmly insisted that she stay behind to look after Grandma Wang.

When Qin Sheng emerged from the narrow alley beside Grandpa Wang’s home, she happened to encounter a squad of people in black robes and capes, weapons strapped to their backs, running past her.

Qin Sheng reacted swiftly and slipped into her spatial realm. The leader of the group seemed to sense something unusual and stared toward the alley for a long time. Only after finding nothing did he leave.

Once the area was empty, Qin Sheng emerged from the spatial realm.

She had not used her supernatural ability just then, yet she had nearly been discovered. All she could do now was silently pray that Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing had not used theirs.

By the time she reached the butcher shop, Qin Sheng knew she had arrived too late.

The fluctuations of supernatural power were extremely clear, and the squad had arrived at the same time she did.

When their eyes suddenly met, Qin Sheng nervously clenched her palm. There were plenty of wandering swordsmen carrying blades in the streets, and she was wearing the same kind of clothing, so she did not draw anyone’s attention.

Even so, Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing had been captured despite using their supernatural abilities.

The people of this world did not seem surprised by the existence of such powers. That did not surprise Qin Sheng, but she could not help wondering why they had suddenly begun conducting strict inspections of outsiders that very day.

For some reason, Qin Sheng felt that tonight’s events were connected to the disappearances Grandma Wang had mentioned.

She could not act recklessly. These people possessed supernatural abilities as well, and if she confronted them head-on, she could not guarantee victory.

In the end, Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu were taken away by the squad.

Qin Sheng waited until they had gone some distance before following. They could sense fluctuations of supernatural power, so she could not conceal her movements with her ability. All she could do was rely on the breath-control techniques she had trained herself to use and trail the group from behind.

“Song Qing’an, don’t those two people being escorted by the Listening Wind Pavilion look rather similar to Qin Sheng’s clothes?”

Lu Shencheng propped his head up with one hand as he watched the traffic flowing along the street. For some reason, his attention was drawn to the two people being escorted by the Listening Wind Pavilion.

Song Qing’an had originally been reclining in a chair with his eyes half closed. Perhaps he had sensed the name Qin Sheng, for he suddenly opened his eyes and looked in the direction Lu Shencheng indicated.

The moment he saw them, his expression changed.

Those two people being escorted were none other than Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu!

Song Qing’an rose quickly and straightened his clothes.

“What is it? Are you going to rescue them?”

Song Qing’an ignored Lu Shencheng. He merely left behind a single sentence before stepping onto the window and flying out of Spring Garden.

“They’re Qin Sheng’s friends.”

Hearing those words, Lu Shencheng immediately realized what had happened.

Qin Sheng had seen the note he left behind, and there was a very good chance that she had come to the Otherworldly Continent!

“Wait for me…”

Before Lu Shencheng could finish speaking, Song Qing’an had already landed in front of the squad.

The squad reacted swiftly when someone blocked their path, drawing their weapons at once. But after seeing who had stopped them, they hurriedly put them away.

The captain quickly stepped before Song Qing’an and saluted.

“Greetings, Young Master.”

When Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing saw Song Qing’an, their eyes widened in astonishment. Unfortunately, their supernatural powers had been restrained, leaving them unable to move.

Qin Sheng, who had always kept her distance from the squad, naturally sensed that they had stopped.

She followed their line of sight, and a familiar face entered her vision—familiar yet strangely distant. She knew she would never see eyes more beautiful than those gentle, captivating eyes.

Song Qing’an. It has been so long…

Qin Sheng spoke silently in her heart, yet she remained where she was, unmoving.

“Release them. You may leave.”

Song Qing’an had no patience for formalities and directly ordered the squad to hand them over.

The few guards exchanged uncertain glances.

“This… Young Master, the Pavilion Master…”

Song Qing’an’s brows drew tightly together. Before the man could finish speaking, he felt the anger and coldness radiating from Song Qing’an.

“Yes, Young Master.”

The squad had arrived quickly and departed just as quickly. In the street, only Song Qing’an, Lin Xing, and Chu Xingyu remained.

Song Qing’an raised one hand slightly, and the restraints of supernatural power around the two men vanished.

“Brother Song!”

“Brother Song, what are you doing here?”

The moment they were freed, the two immediately asked why Song Qing’an had appeared there.

Song Qing’an lightly pressed his lips together and asked directly, “Why are you here?”

Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing exchanged a glance before answering in unison.

“We came here with Sister Sheng!”

At the mention of Qin Sheng’s name, Song Qing’an visibly froze. He pressed his lips together once more.

“It is already late. I’ll arrange a place for you to stay.”

“No need, Brother Song. Auntie and Miaomiao are waiting for us to return.”

Lin Xing had been worried about that all along, so he politely refused.

Song Qing’an lowered his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

“All right. Be careful on the way.”

Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing exchanged another glance. Before they had a chance to ask why Song Qing’an was there or why he had saved them, a girl’s clear, lively voice rang out from behind them.

“Xingyu, Lin Xing, let’s go home.”

The voice he had missed for so long finally sounded clearly beside him. Song Qing’an immediately lifted his head and looked toward its source.

A girl in red stood behind them, her hair loosely swept up, the wind lifting her robes. She looked like a spirited heroine of the martial world.

The shock in Song Qing’an’s eyes quickly faded, replaced once more by his usual indifference.

“Since someone has come to fetch you, I won’t stay.”

After saying this, Song Qing’an rose and flew between the rooftops, vanishing into the darkness.

“Wait…”

Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing had never imagined that Song Qing’an, who had always been so attached to Qin Sheng, would treat her like a stranger upon seeing her that night—speaking of leaving and disappearing immediately afterward.

Qin Sheng glanced at Song Qing’an’s departing figure. Her heart felt heavy, filled with anger and an indescribable sense of grievance.

“Let’s go.”

She said nothing more. Turning around, she began walking back in the direction from which she had come.

Lin Xing looked at Chu Xingyu in confusion, trying to find an answer from him.

Chu Xingyu merely shrugged, indicating that he knew nothing about it either.

The two of them had no choice but to hurry after Qin Sheng.

After returning, Song Qing’an sat down once more in his former seat. He seemed somewhat flustered and quickly poured himself a cup of peach-blossom wine, tilting his head back to drain it.

Lu Shencheng had naturally noticed what had just happened, but he did not know how to persuade him.

“The person you miss is right in front of you. Why insist on refusing to see her?”

Song Qing’an picked up the entire jug of peach-blossom wine, gave a bitter laugh, and drank from it with his head tilted back.

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