Chapter 374 Deafening (Two in One)
The early morning sun shone refreshingly through the woods, completely dispelling the gradually dissipating fog.
Mei Cheng'an took Fan Xian's arm and gently helped him up. Fan Xian gritted his teeth and hissed several times.
"Is it okay?"
Mei Chengan asked with a smile.
Fan Xian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, gritted his teeth and uttered a word.
"Row!"
Mei Chengan smiled and said softly.
"Let me help you take a look, don't move."
As he said this, he extended his hand to his back and roughly stroked along the spine from top to bottom using his thumb and middle finger as a ruler.
"Hiss, that's it, it hit the tip of the rock."
Fan Xian narrowed his eyes in pain.
Mei Cheng'an nodded, slightly turned his body, and touched the painful spot again.
"It's not a big problem, at most there are some fractures."
After saying that, he raised his hand, put his index finger and middle finger together, and tapped several acupoints on his back with his fingers as fast as lightning.
"now what?"
Fan Xian twisted his back slightly to feel it, and the continuous pain was indeed greatly relieved. He hissed, glanced at his fellow villager, and then took a few steps, twisted his waist, squatted, jumped, and did various tests. After a pleasant surprise, he gave his fellow villager a thumbs up.
"Awesome, although it still hurts a little, it doesn't affect anything at all. It's amazing, how did you do it?"
Mei Chengan waved his hand.
"It's just a small method to temporarily block the pain. It's nothing surprising. Now that everything is fine, let's go over there. Let's go."
Fan Xian looked back at Sean and shrugged.
"Let's go and talk to him."
After saying that, the two of them walked towards that direction side by side.
"Teach me that move later."
"Easy to say."
Fan Xian nodded, then suddenly remembered something and looked around.
"So it's just you, where's Lao Wang?"
Mei Cheng'an didn't explain it to him in detail, and just spoke briefly.
"He is not needed here for the time being, so I will let him go back to the mission first. There is still work for him to do over there."
Fan Xian thought he was talking about leading the people from the Supervisory Office to investigate the identity of the traitor, so he said "oh" and didn't ask any more questions.
"Hasn't shown up yet?"
He was asking about the other groups of people, and Mei Chengan shook his head slightly.
"I haven't seen it or sensed it, so it probably hasn't arrived yet."
Fan Xian frowned, then relaxed after a moment.
"It's better if you don't come. It will save us trouble."
Mei Cheng'an shrugged and said nothing.
As they were talking, the two met Gundam, who had been posing in the same place since he landed. Gundam first bowed to the two of them, then looked at Fan Xian and asked with concern.
"Is your Excellency all right?"
Fan Xian waved his hand casually.
"It's okay, it's okay, let's go together."
Gundam nodded and followed the two.
In front of the boulder.
Fan Xian stood in the middle facing Sean, Gao Da stood behind him holding a sword, and the other tiger guards seemed to be standing in scattered positions but were actually tightly packed. The scene was quiet and no one spoke for a while.
Mei Cheng'an stood at one side, holding the long sword in front of him with both hands, quietly looking at Sean in front of him, who remained calm and composed with his eyes closed even though a knife was at his neck. He glanced at his right arm which was still bleeding, frowned, and snapped his fingers at the tiger guard not far away from him.
The tiger guard looked at him.
"grown ups."
Mei Chengan casually pointed at Sean.
"First tie up his hands, wrap them a few times, then stop the bleeding and bandage him up, don't let him bleed to death."
Upon hearing this, Sean suddenly opened his eyes and looked at him, his eyes calm with a hint of teasing. Mei Chengan raised his eyebrows and smiled at him. Sean did not give any response and slowly closed his eyes again.
"Yes."
The tiger guard responded and left.
Sean cooperated very well throughout the whole process. Not only did he actively put his wrists together to help the tiger guards tie him up, he also didn't even frown when the tiger guards roughly bandaged his wounds. He didn't seem to feel any pain and his expression was very peaceful.
"You're not as strong as I thought."
After the tiger guards retreated, Fan Xian, who had been watching quietly, suddenly spoke.
Sean opened his eyes and looked at him, pursed his dry lips and replied lightly.
"I'm not as strong as I think. If it were back then, you would have died a long time ago."
Fan Xian sneered.
“When a person starts to talk about the past frequently, it proves that he is old.”
Sean was silent for a moment and sighed.
“Time is unforgiving, and no one is exempt from it.”
Fan Xian suddenly felt that this topic was boring, so he changed the subject.
"Why didn't you kill me before?"
The question he asked was very jumpy, and Sean's thinking was also very jumpy, so he easily reacted and understood what he was asking. After a moment's silence, he suddenly asked a question in return.
"Why don't you do it? You deliberately exposed a flaw to lure them to rescue me from the mission, isn't it just to kill me?"
Fan Xian was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
"No hurry, I have something to ask you before I kill you."
Sean's tone was slightly cold.
"You and I are both people in this business, and we should know that the longer something is delayed, the more likely it is that unknown variables will arise."
Fan Xian gave him a strange look.
"You seem to be in a hurry to die."
Mei Chengan on the side suddenly looked at Sean and smiled.
"Since you guessed we were fishing, why are you in such a hurry? There are still several fish that haven't been hooked yet. It would be a pity to reel in the rod now."
Fan Xian's mouth twitched and he glanced at him, thinking to himself, it has to be you, my friend. It's not enough that you just acquiesced to the misunderstanding, but you also took the opportunity to pretend. Wow, 666.
Sean tilted his head and looked at Mei Chengan, speaking coldly.
"Be careful not to mess up."
Mei Chengan shrugged.
"Don't worry about that, Senior."
Sean suddenly said.
"There is a team to pick me up in the north."
He was not betraying his own people, but wanted to find out the current situation of the team by testing the reactions of the two young men.
Fan Xian glanced at his fellow villager. He had always been in charge of the liaison with the Black Cavalry. He really didn't know the specific situation over there, but he thought that with the Black Cavalry out, it should be foolproof.
Mei Cheng'an said nothing, just said "oh" lightly.
He sent Shadow's two beloved disciples to deal with this group of people, but they haven't returned to report yet, so he doesn't know the result, but he thinks it shouldn't be a big problem... right?
The calm look on the two men's faces made Sean's heart sink. It seemed that the support team was most likely in danger. It was just a pity that he didn't know whether they were Hu'er's subordinates or Jing'er's.
Sean lowered his eyes and remained silent.
Fan Xian snapped his fingers twice to attract his attention and asked again.
"So, why did you show mercy to me before? I have been thinking about it and I still can't figure out why you did this."
Sean looked at him quietly, a hint of hesitation and entanglement in his eyes. After a moment, his eyes calmed down and he opened his mouth.
"Do you know Tanzhou?"
Fan Xian was stunned when he heard this, and subconsciously glanced at his fellow villager with some confusion in his eyes.
Noticing his gaze, Mei Cheng'an curled his lips at him, shrugged his shoulders, and spread his hands, indicating that he didn't know either.
Fan Xian frowned and looked at Sean, then thought for a moment and spoke.
"I grew up in Danzhou."
Upon hearing this, Sean nodded slightly and said "oh". His expression was calm without any change. He slowly lowered his head and stopped talking.
Fan Xian frowned and hissed. "What do you mean? Why are you suddenly asking Danzhou why? Does Danzhou have anything to do with you not killing me?"
Sean had no intention of answering his question, nor did he care whether it would anger him. At this moment, he had already put life and death aside. He just slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the slightly damp fresh air in the early morning of the lakeside stone forest. He had not smelled such a natural smell for many years. Although it might not be as fresh as the air on the meadow in front, it was much better than the smell in the dungeon of the Inspectorate. In the dungeon of the Inspectorate, all he could smell was the smell of rusty hay. After smelling it for so many years, he was really sick and bored.
Fan Xian frowned and looked at him very depressed. This damn old man had no moral principles. He answered two of his questions, but he refused to answer any of them. His quality was really poor!
"Let me remind you again, since you plan to kill me not far from this border, you'd better do it now."
As he spoke, Sean opened his eyes and looked at Fan Xian indifferently.
"This way, we can frame the Northern Qi soldiers who are supporting me. Otherwise, when the Northern Qi delegation arrives, if you want to kill me again, you will have to consider the life and death of your colleague."
Mei Cheng'an and Fan Xian were not surprised at all that Sean could guess their plan. On the contrary, it would be strange if he could not guess it. Therefore, they were very calm when they heard it. Since the Northern Qi general Shangshan Hu sent people to help Sean escape, then it was reasonable for Sean to die unexpectedly in the chaos of the battle. This should be a reason that the young emperor of Northern Qi could and must accept. After all, they were in the wrong. After all, the delegation was backed by the powerful army of Qing.
As for whether the killing failed... then so be it. This was just an attempt. As long as Sean does not escape the official control of the two families, it will be fine. Consideration for Yan Bingyun's safety is only one aspect. The main reason is that Mei Cheng'an and Fan Xian are lazy and are not that enthusiastic about completing the tasks, except for the secret mission. Of course, this is more important to Fan Xian because it concerns more information about his mother. As for Mei Cheng'an, he is more interested in whether the fish can be caught. It is not purely for a breakthrough, but mainly because he can fight with the world's famous masters, which is the most interesting thing on this journey.
So the two of them didn't care about what Sean said at all. Killing him or not was not as important as he thought.
"What are you hesitating about?"
Sean asked with a smile, and then talked to himself without waiting for the two to answer.
"Don't always think that I'm still the fierce tiger I was back then. Now I'm just an old, skinny tiger with all my teeth gone. I've only survived because I know something that others don't. In Qing, I'm a prisoner. In fact, if I return to Northern Qi, I'll probably still be a prisoner, so I have to take a gamble. At my age, I'm not really afraid of death... but I'm very afraid of losing my freedom."
Fan Xian frowned.
"You don't have to belittle yourself to this extent just to seek death. Although you are not as strong as I imagined, you are still the first truly strong person I have challenged alone so far."
Fan Xian said this not because he couldn't stand the pretentious manner of a powerful man who was madly belittling himself and begging for mercy, but mainly because he was belittling himself so badly and what had happened to himself after being beaten up by him at one point.
Mei Cheng'an glanced at him and burst out laughing.
Hearing the voice, Fan Xian glanced at him. Coincidentally, Mei Cheng'an was also looking at him with a smile. The moment they looked at each other, Fan Xian immediately realized that his little thoughts had been seen through. His old face immediately turned red. He subconsciously touched his nose, coughed lightly, and looked away.
It's so annoying. Just see through it. Why laugh? It's so embarrassing. I'm speechless.
Fortunately, Sean spoke up in time, helping Fan Xian resolve the embarrassment on his face and the shame in his heart.
"Strong, hehe."
Sean smiled wryly and shook his head.
"I am not a strong man. I was just bluffing along the way..."
Fan Xian stretched out his hand.
"Stop, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's change the subject and talk about those secrets that you know but others don't know."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mei Cheng'an's ears suddenly moved, and he glanced behind him calmly, with the corners of his mouth curled up.
So you are here, Begonia Duoduo.
The reason why he was so sure it was her was because she was the only one who cared about this secret. If Yan Xiaoyi had arrived, he would have shot the arrow directly, and if Uesugi Hu had arrived, he would have definitely rescued people directly.
Mei Cheng'an turned around quietly and glanced at Gundam who was standing behind Fan Xian. When Gundam noticed that his eyes were looking at him, he secretly made a gesture to him.
Sean suddenly laughed, and his eyes and laughter were full of mockery when he looked at Fan Xian.
"You've locked me up for so many years, and I didn't tell you anything. That old dog Chen Pingping has lost his patience and picked me out to be your sharpening stone for your trials. Would I tell you, a young brat, at this moment?"
Fan Xian seemed not to notice that five out of seven of his tiger guards were gone, nor did he care about Sean's ridicule of him. Instead, he smiled.
"You are not even afraid of death, so why don't you dare to tell the secret? What are you afraid of?"
Sean curled his lips and looked at him with disdain.
"Using provocation on me is not only wrong but also ineffective. What's more, your provocation is... too clumsy."
Fan Xian chuckled and said nonchalantly.
"You are deliberately avoiding my question. It seems that I was right. You really don't dare to say it. I am more and more curious. You are not afraid of death. What are you afraid of?"
Hearing this, all the mockery and disdain on Sean's face disappeared without a trace in an instant. He was silent, his eyes flickering, as if he was not only recalling but also thinking about something. After a long time, he spoke, his voice a little low and dry.
"There are some things in this world that are more terrible than death!"
Fan Xian frowned. How could he even ask this?
Mei Cheng'an realized that the five long swords had secretly escaped to the vicinity of the target point. He moved his wrist and suddenly smiled.
"Enjoy life while you can, and face the aftermath of a catastrophe. Isn't this the self-cultivation that a selfish, violent, vicious and cruel spy chief like you should have? It's so funny. You said you're going to die. No matter how scary or dangerous it is, it's none of your business."
Sean was stunned when he heard this, his expression was very dazed.
Fan Xian was also stunned for a moment, then laughed.
Mei Cheng'an was also laughing, but as he was laughing he suddenly moved, his body flew into the air, and a slender silver needle with a bright light flashing between his fingers flew out, shooting straight at the speed of light towards the grass next to a huge rock. The sound of breaking through the air was buzzing as if it was going to tear the space apart. The reason for such a loud sound was that Mei Cheng'an had attached a large amount of compressed true energy to it.
Fan Xian suddenly turned around and looked back, his expression indifferent but with a hint of curiosity.
The five tiger guards who had disappeared earlier had secretly occupied an advantageous terrain. Mei Cheng'an launched a sudden attack without any warning, and the five long swords also coordinated very tacitly to attack the pile of grass. The bright white blades were like condensed snowflakes, and the light was cold and dazzling.
With such power and sudden attack, not to mention Haitang Duoduo who was lying in ambush in the bushes, even the unfathomable Hong Sixiang in the Qing Palace would be in a mess and pay the price of blood and flesh, Fan Xian thought secretly.
But what happened next was beyond Fan Xian's expectations. No, it was beyond everyone's expectations, including Mei Cheng'an who was flying towards that direction after throwing out the silver needle.
Just as their sudden attack, like a torrential rain, was about to cover the pile of grass, a hand, a soft and white hand stretched out from the grass, as free and childlike as a little girl catching fireflies. The index finger and thumb lightly closed together, and the silver needle thrown by Mei Chengan was clamped between her fingers.
Then the owner of the hand was carried backwards out of the bushes by the huge impact force of the silver needle, just avoiding the five snow-white long swords that would have chopped the bushes into pieces in the next second. The figure flying backwards turned freely in the air, like falling in the breeze, and with a very graceful rotation, he easily dissolved the tearing airflow attached to the tip of the silver needle.
Five long swords suddenly appeared, like snow blown by wind, covering everywhere. The figure that was still in the air got strength from somewhere and suddenly flew higher, spinning and jumping like snowflakes, actually dancing faintly among the five long swords. Finally, he lightly stepped on the tip of the sword with the loudest momentum with his toes, and his figure suddenly retreated four feet, slowly fell and stood on the ground.
Gundam groaned and retracted his sword in time, dissolving the huge force brought by the tip of his toe. With a serious face and vigilant eyes, he and several other tiger guards stood in front of the man in a close and scattered manner, fearing that this master would suddenly attack.
This master was a woman with a flowered headband on her head and a shallow bamboo basket on her elbow with a few fresh mushrooms in it. She was dressed simply and stood in a loose posture, not looking like a master at all.
To put it bluntly, judging from the way this master is dressed, she looks like... a country girl.
But everyone knew that the person who could catch the silver needle condensed with a large amount of true energy by Mei Cheng'an with bare hands without getting hurt, and who could also escape easily from the encirclement of five snow-white long swords, was definitely not an ordinary village girl!
……
"What is this made of..."
Fan Xian did not know whether to laugh or cry, he turned his head and was about to share something with the person behind him, but his fellow villager was not with him now, and the only ones he could share with were the one behind him and the two tiger guards who stayed behind. His complaints stopped abruptly because he noticed from the corner of his eye that Sean, the once-powerful and invincible devil behind him, who had never blinked even in the face of death, actually twitched his eyes twice after seeing the village girl. Fan Xian's heart moved and he raised his eyebrows.
"Know him? No, you shouldn't know him."
Sean didn't look at him, his dry lips moved slightly.
"She is the bald man's apprentice, Haitang Duoduo."
Fan Xian hissed, extremely curious. He had a lot of known information as a basis, so it was normal for him to guess that the young village girl was Haitang Duoduo. Xiao En...
"I mentioned the name Haitang Duoduo to you, but how did you recognize her as the one? What was your basis?"
Sean glanced at him.
"She smells like that bald guy."
"?"
Fan Xian sneered. This old rascal was talking nonsense. How could he smell fart from such a long distance? He guessed that he must have figured out something from his body movements and deduced it backwards. And he could even smell it. Tsk!
Looking at him with contempt, Fan Xian turned his head to look over there.
……
Mei Cheng'an landed halfway and walked forward slowly. Gaoda and another tiger guard made room in the middle and surrounded Mei Cheng'an after he passed by.
Looking at the young village girl who had been posing sideways for a long time, Mei Cheng'an smiled, and his smile was as sunny as a spring breeze.
"Are you Haitang?"
The village girl was stunned for a moment, moved her feet slightly, straightened her body, looked at him in surprise, her tone was very cute.
"Oh, I recognized you. Am I that famous?"
Looking at that familiar face, beautiful but not vulgar, with a unique and pretty face that was clear and pure, eyes that seemed to reflect the entire blue sky and white clouds and endless blue waves of the early morning, and the signature slightly thick lips, Mei Chengan smiled, feeling extremely kind.
"Of course. She is the last disciple of the Northern Qi Grandmaster. Who in the world doesn't know the name of Saint Haitang?"
Haitang smiled, still a little embarrassed.
"Just call me Duoduo."
After saying that, she suddenly hissed and shook her hand, revealing the silver needle that Mei Chengan had thrown out on her fingertips. Her shy image was instantly shattered.
"Did you give out this silver needle?"
Mei Cheng'an smiled and nodded.
"I'm sorry to make Miss Duoduo laugh."
Haitang casually swung the silver needle, which flew towards Mei Chengan.
"Give it back to you."
Mei Cheng'an raised her hand with a smile, pinched it lightly, and the silver needle disappeared suddenly with a slight movement of her wrist. She did not attach any true energy to it.
Haitang looked at him and said seriously.
"It was not easy for me to receive the force of your injection, so there is nothing to laugh at. Are you Fan Xian, the poet of Nanqing?"
Thinking about the means he would use against her when he couldn't beat her, Mei Cheng'an smiled slightly.
"Exactly!"
Gaoda and several other tiger guards were stunned when they heard this, and subconsciously looked at him with strange and puzzled expressions.
Fan Xian in the distance was also stunned, but Sean smiled inexplicably. After a moment of stunned silence, Fan Xian didn't know what he thought of, his expression suddenly changed, he put his palms to his mouth to make a trumpet shape and shouted hurriedly.
"He is not Fan Xian! His name is Mei Cheng'an! In the three characters of Mei Cheng'an, Mei means plum blossom, Cheng means reporting, and An means peace of mind. Together, they make it Mei Cheng'an. He is the poetry god of Nanqing, the poetry saint, and everything else. In short, he is not Fan Xian! His name is Mei Cheng'an. Girl, you must remember this name, don't make a mistake!"
The loud sound echoed among the stone forest, as if it were an echo that continued continuously.
Mei Cheng'an was confused and felt that the silence around him was deafening.
……
(End of this chapter)
