章節 23: Qingsha Sect
Mo Xian took a few steps before realizing that Wang Jingyuan was not following him. He turned around and saw that she had paled. "Miss Wang, what's wrong?"
"Childe Mo…" Wang Jingyuan didn't know how to tell him that the people hunting for her were now coming towards them. Mo Xian followed her panicked gaze and saw the Qingsha pupils.
"Do you know them?" Mo Xian walked back to Wang Jingyuan. He took her wrist and guided her toward a stand selling hairpins on the side. They turned their backs to the street and pretended to be looking at the hairpins. Mo Xian purposely stood so that his broad back shielded Wang Jingyuan from view.
"No. Not them specifically. But they are looking for me." Wang Jingyuan decided to tell Mo Xian the truth.
"Why? Do they know what you look like?" Mo Xian snuck a look over his shoulder. The Qingsha pupils were almost directly across the street from them. He hadn't heard which sect they were from, but he felt oddly hostile towards them. He didn't think they looked like good people.
Wang Jingyuan didn't answer Mo Xian. Instead, she slipped Feng Ming Sword off of her back and held it in front of her so no one from the street could see it. Mo Xian noticed this movement. Ah. So these people may not actually recognize Wang Jingyuan, but they will recognize her sword and in turn, recognize her.
The Qingsha pupils were a rowdy bunch. They pushed through the crowd and soon disappeared. Wang Jingyuan let out the breath she was holding.
"Childe, miss, have you two found what you're looking for?" The vendor asked, wondering why the two customers in front of his stand kept looking over their shoulders and not at his stand. They weren't thinking of robbing him, were they?
"Oh, we're just browsing. Thank you, though," Wang Jingyuan said politely. She and Mo Xian walked away from the stand. Wang Jingyuan's entire mood was ruined. She no longer wanted to roam the night market when Qingsha Sect was out and about. "Childe Mo, let's go back to the inn."
"Okay." Mo Xian didn't ask any questions. They began to walk back the way they came, towards their inn near the front of the town.
As they walked, Wang Jingyuan kept her eyes out for any Qingsha pupils—and any martial artists in general. She was surprised and dismayed to find a small handful of martial artists, some gathered in twos or threes, some by themselves, all mingling with the common people. How come she didn't notice them before? Her grip on Feng Ming tightened.
"As we get closer to the Capital, there will be more sect pupils," Mo Xian spoke up. He, too, was scanning the crowd for potential threats. "Remember, everyone is going to be going to the Hero Assembly."
Wang Jingyuan groaned inwardly. Avoiding confrontation was going to be so much harder now. "Right. I guess I'll just have to be extra careful."
"Don't worry, Miss Wang. I'm here. I won't let anyone harm you," Mo Xian said seriously.
"That's very kind of you, Childe Mo, but I don't want to drag you into my mess." Wang Jingyuan shook her head. "You're putting yourself in enough danger as it is. Maybe from now on we should travel separately."
"Absolutely not!" Mo Xian exclaimed immediately, his voice louder than usual. Wang Jingyuan looked at him in surprise, as did several other close passersby. He lowered his voice. "Miss Wang, bad things happen when people split up. I'd rather us stick together, so we can take care of each other if something happens."
"But, Childe Mo, aren't you worried about getting involved in a sect feud that doesn't even concern you?" Wang Jingyuan asked. "You're not even a martial artist to begin with."
The comment hurt a little bit. It reminded Mo Xian that at the end of the day, he and Wang Jingyuan were people from two different sectors in life. She was a martial artist, born to be free and walk the land with a sword in hand. As for him—
Mo Xian's mood soured as he remembered all that awaited him once he arrived at the Capital. These past few weeks, he's had so much fun traveling with Wang Jingyuan that he was able to pretend he was a normal person and forget about his real identity. He was able to not care about his own problems and feuds for a while, but as they approached the Capital, he would no doubt have to become serious again.
"Miss Wang, the only thing I am worried about is your safety. I promise, as long as you are with me, I will not let anyone from any place harm you," Mo Xian finally said.
Wang Jingyuan was about to speak again when someone crashed into her. "Ow!"
"Miss Wang!" Mo Xian steadied her with his hands around her shoulders. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm alright." Wang Jingyuan rubbed her right shoulder and glared at the person who appeared out of nowhere. When she took in who it was, half of her anger was replaced with fear.
"Who bumped into me? Which thing without eyes dare to be in my way?" A Qingsha pupil shouted brutishly. His gaze landed on Wang Jingyuan. "You! Little girl, watch where you're going!"
Even though Wang Jingyuan was a little afraid, she was indignant. "You came out of nowhere and bumped into me!"
"Hey, you dare to speak back to me?!" The Qingsha pupil was angry. "Young Master me is feeling nice today. If you hurry up and apologize to me, I'll let you go."
"Why should she apologize?" Mo Xian's low voice was filled with anger. He discreetly pushed Wang Jingyuan behind him. "We were walking normally, and you came barreling out of the side alley there. I think you're the one without eyes here." Mo Xian pointed at the alleyway to the right.
"And who are you?" The Qingsha pupil looked Mo Xian up and down. "Do you even know who I am?"
"A brute like you do not deserve to know who I am," Mo Xian responded coldly.
Anger flared in the Qingsha pupil's eyes. "You insult me!"
By now, a crowd of people had surrounded them to watch. Wang Jingyuan could hear the murmuring around her.
"Did you see what happened? Who's at fault?"
"Obviously the Qingsha pupil! You know how they're infamous for being rude and ill-mannered."
"Look at how the childe is protecting the young lady. What a gentleman."
"They all have weapons; maybe they're from opposing sects. Would a fight break out today?"
As the people discussed and traded opinions, the Qingsha pupil stood directly in Mo Xian and Wang Jingyuan's way and puffed up his chest. "Like I said, I'm in a good mood today, and I don't want the likes of you to spoil it. If you kneel down and bow three times to Young Master me, I'll let you both go." He jabbed a finger at Mo Xian.
"That's ridiculous!" Wang Jingyuan exclaimed furiously. The fear of being discovered was being replaced with anger at the Qingsha pupil who was obviously a bully. Well, he might be able to get away bullying normal citizens, but he ran into Wang Jingyuan and Mo Xian today, and they were not about to let him get his way.
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