Chapter 18: Boohoo, You're Bullying Me

Chapter 18 Wailing... You're Bullying People

Chen Yi furrowed his brow, as though dismissing the notion.

First, it was certain the visitor did not know him; otherwise, his earlier inquiries would have been unnecessary.

Second, the one who had found him must be connected to his wife, Xiao Jinghong.

Xiao’s enemy?

Perhaps. After all, Xiao Jinghong, as the general guarding Shu’s safety, had few foes.

Chen Yi’s brow twitched involuntarily. How formidable must be this martial artist to bypass the Hou family’s guards and reach the Spring Lotus Garden?

Such thoughts struck him.

Chen Yi slowly shifted his weight, leaning against clusters of purple bamboo, scrutinizing his surroundings with wary eyes.

Just as he was about to speak again, probing further, a gust of wind brushed his back.

At the same moment, a clear, melodious laugh echoed: "Heh heh heh—"

Without hesitation.

Chen Yi stomped his foot, crouched low, and rolled aside, his hand slapping the ground to send the intruder sprawling. He peered directly at her, but only saw a tiny, fleeting figure.

How swift!

The shadow vanished, then reappeared, closing the distance. A silver pendant swung at her throat, tinkling softly.

"Since you addressed me as a female warrior, I’ll spare you further pain."

The words barely formed before her pale palm slammed down behind him.

Chen Yi’s gaze locked onto the approaching hand. The world around him faded—the murmur of voices, the rustle of leaves—all silenced but for that palm.

His internal energy surged instinctively, flowing from his dantian’s sea of qi down through sinews, bones, skin, and limbs.

Then, instead of retreating, he advanced. His hands clasped at his wrists, crouched low, and blocked—Collapsing Peak—Upward Style!

*Thwack!*

The moment her palm met his, Chen Yi gripped her wrist, ready to interlock his fists and wrench her arm, while his elbow drove forward with collapsing peak force.

But before he could finish, the woman—startled—collapsed completely, her body hanging limp in his grasp.

"Stop, stop, stop—*Ouch!*"

"..."

Chen Yi’s elbow hovered just above her chest, his hands still clutching her arm. The lantern light from the wooden floor above illuminated her face.

She was a girl with countless braids tied in a headband, her cheeks rosy and glistening, a silver bell dangling from her neck.

Her attire was strange—reminiscent of the mountain tribes he’d seen earlier, dyed in red and blue, with a low neckline plunging deep to her chest and even splitting open to the knees.

"Who are you?"

"I—I’m Pei Wanlu..."

"Why attack me?"

"Attack? A—attack?"

She tilted her head up, pitiful and wide-eyed, her gaze flicking to his gripped wrist. "I wasn’t going to kill you—I just wanted to play!"

"Pei Wanlu?" Chen Yi frowned, not easily swayed. He twisted her arm behind her, pressing his knee into her back.

"Playing like that justifies striking me?"

"If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll hand you over to the palace guards. I’m sure those military men in their finery will love a delicate little thing like you."

"N-No, I’m telling the truth! I really just wanted to play—I saw Xiao Jinghong earlier!"

Pei Wanlu stammered, her voice trembling, desperate to escape. Simultaneously, she wondered: How could this man have such strength? At least he must be a ninth-grade cultivator, maybe even higher. His martial techniques were no joke—he’d dodged her strikes and subdued her in an instant. If only she’d known, she’d have poisoned him beforehand.

"Have you met my wife?" Chen Yi said, half-believing. "And more?"

"More, more—I’ve known Xiao Jinghong and my grandmother for years. Our tribe only survived because of her kindness. Afterward, we traded with her, exchanging goods."

"Then why didn’t you say so?"

"She wouldn’t let me attend Old Master Hou’s birthday celebration, so I thought I’d tease you to make her angry..." She twisted her head toward him, tears welling in her eyes. "Brother, I’m sorry—I’m sorry!"

Hearing her words, Chen Yi’s lips twitched. He believed her now.

"Get up."

But after releasing her, he stepped back cautiously, ever watchful.

Pei Wanlu rose, rubbing her bruised arm, her eyes fixed on the darkening bruises on her wrist. Tears streamed down her face.

"I’ll tell Xiao Jinghong—you bullied me!"

"I’ll tell my brother, grandmother—how they’ll beat you up, *wah!*..."

Chen Yi sighed, his brow creased. Not because of her tears or her brother and grandmother, but because he suddenly realized—

If this girl knew Xiao Jinghong well, and they were close, then his hidden martial arts and techniques would be exposed!

"Stop crying, let’s talk."

"I d-don’t want to... Huh? Huh? Where are you taking me?"

Without patience for her, Chen Yi dragged her into another wooden chamber within Xiao Jinghong’s estate, dropping her onto a bench.

The room was pitch-black, and her eyes darted between the darkness and her captor’s irritated expression. Fear flickered in her heart.

"Sister, brother—what are you going to do?"

"Don’t do anything rash. I-I-I’ll tell you, in our tribe, girls are infested with a special bug from childhood. If you do *that*..." She shuddered, "You’ll die horribly."

Pei Wanlu froze, her tears forgotten. "I’m telling the truth! And Xiao Jinghong knows—she won’t let you go easy!"

"..."

What nonsense!

Chen Yi glanced at her, her features undeniably pretty, yet clearly someone he couldn’t let disrupt his quiet life.

Thinking it over, he settled beside her, calmly saying, "How about a trade?"

Pei Wanlu clutched her chest, wary and frightened. "T-trade? What kind of trade?"

"For tonight—I can make sure nothing happens to you. But you can’t tell a soul about this."

"J-just like that?" Pei Wanlu eyed him carefully.

Chen Yi nodded. "Just like that. Let’s pretend it never happened."

I don’t have to say it out loud, I don’t have to say it out loud…

Pei Milu thought of the rumors she had heard earlier, a flash of insight crossing her mind.

“Are you afraid of people finding out about your martial arts skills? You want to hide it from Jing Hong-sister, right? So you’re deliberately concealing it, all to harm the Xiao family?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi shook his head helplessly, that fool.

“If you disagree, I’ll hand you over to Hou Mansion’s personal guards under the pretext of execution.”

“That would expose your martial arts as well.”

“Who would believe it?”

“Jing Hong-sister would believe it.” Pei Milu glanced at his calm demeanor, her heart still a bit uneasy, and slightly moved her bottom a little further away.

Chen Yi said earnestly, “I’ve only been practicing martial arts for a few days. Who would believe it?”

“A few days… impossible!” Pei Milu suddenly stood up, pointing at him, “You, you, you… are lying to me, aren’t you?”

No one could achieve such a level in martial arts in just a few days.

If it were that easy, then her being stuck at the ninth grade, upper stage, for so many years wouldn’t be anything special.

Chen Yi glanced at her, “The facts are as such, believe it or not.”

“In any case, if you disagree, we’ll just part ways. Maybe one of the personal guards will take a liking to you, and you could be in the bedroom tonight.”

…

Pei Milu glared at him for a long time, as if looking at a monster.

After a while.

She looked around for a moment, then slightly approached him, a round face blooming with a compliant smile, “Brother, how did you do it? Teach me, would you?”

(The chapter ends here)