Qin Feng spun around suddenly, his eyes locking on the young woman who had quietly appeared behind him. His gaze, sharp and cold as lightning, bore into her delicate, playful face.
The young woman stood in the hallway, her hair adorned with purple-blooming flowers that shimmered with a dangerous gleam. Her green top and pale yellow skirt complemented her tall, slender figure, and with each step, her chest swayed like a beguiling ocean, capable of leading any man to ruin.
Her oval face was stunningly beautiful, with strikingly perfect features, yet there was still a hint of youthful innocence in her expression, as though she were still a girl not fully grown. Dimples marked her cheeks, and a lock of hair fell across her brow, but it was her eyes—twin orbs that sparkled with a chilling, murderous intent—that truly captivated.
Her red, delicate hands peeked out from beneath her long sleeves, fingers trembling slightly as they revealed purple-tipped nails.
The scent of her perfume wafted toward Qin Feng, and he took a deep breath, his voice cold as he said, "You don't know me, and I don't know you."
The young woman giggled softly, her laughter light and playful. "Young Master, it's just the two of us here. No one else is around. Why be so cold? Why claim you don't recognize me?"
She had moved right up to him, almost nose to nose, and despite being a master swordsman who was rarely rattled, Qin Feng couldn't help but lower his gaze, avoiding the intensity of her seemingly affectionate yet lethal stare. His voice remained frosty as he responded, "Don't forget who we are. Remember, there are still two people in this room."
She burst into a fit of tinkling laughter, causing her entire body to sway with the sound, her charm radiating in waves, enough to make any man's heart race.
"My lord, that's not quite right. Since you remember my identity so well, why did you allow your brother to... indulge in such base acts last night?" she teased, her tone now darkening. "You know I despise such people. But what really bothers me is that he's not just defiling me; he's even taking advantage of my cousin. My purity is lost, but what's worse is that he won't even spare my kin."
At this point, the playful smile disappeared from her face, and her voice grew serious, a faint yet unmistakable wrath in her eyes.
This girl was no ordinary woman. Any woman who had lost her chastity would, under normal circumstances, never admit it publicly. Yet this one spoke without sorrow, her anger seemingly more directed at her cousin than at herself—though, in truth, her chastity had been stolen just the same. Her fury, however, was directed outwardly, masking her own vulnerability.
No doubt remained—this was none other than the leader of the Seven Imperial Spies, the imperial concubine's daughter, famed as the "Poisonous Beauty"—Qin Ni'er.
Qin Feng lowered his head, his voice tinged with helplessness. "Ni'er, this isn't my brother's fault. It was all my plan. If you want to place blame, it should be on me."
Qin Ni'er froze for a moment, then let out a soft laugh, her smile tinged with sadness. "Qin Feng, how could you, someone I trusted so deeply, do this to me?"
For the first time, Qin Feng lowered his head before someone, yet he didn't feel any shame. He knew this was a mistake he and his brother had made, and there was no denying it.
"Ni'er, I was just trying to solve the case of the Lianzhou family as quickly as possible. The Emperor is anxious about it. The leader of the Demonic Sect has ties to several righteous factions in the martial world, and even to the southern barbarian tribes. This is a serious threat to the safety of the empire. If we don't solve this case quickly, the chaos that will follow will tear the Empire apart. My brother infiltrating the Lianzhou family and working with you to investigate the case would have been the fastest way, and it's also our best shot. Besides, my brother isn't a bad person. Though his martial skills are lacking, he's intelligent, charming, and handsome. He's only fifteen, unmarried, and not yet promised to anyone. He's great with women, and most importantly, he has no ambition. He doesn't want to dominate the martial world or the kingdom. Such a man is one of a kind—a treasure from heaven. If you give him a chance, you'll find he's quite lovable. Our Qin family produces nothing but the best. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
The once cold and distant Sword Saint had now turned into an eager matchmaker, singing his brother's praises, speaking with such enthusiasm that even Qin Ni'er couldn't help but laugh.
In her eyes, Qin Feng had always been the aloof and cold older brother who rarely spoke more than ten words a day, treating everyone with indifference. Yet, whenever Qin Ren was mentioned, his demeanor changed entirely. He spoke passionately, with a gleam in his eye, and his icy face appeared to glow with warmth.
"Alright, alright, enough," Qin Ni'er teased, rolling her eyes. "You've convinced me. Since you speak so highly of your brother, take me to him. I'll spare the two women in the room, as long as you guarantee they won't repeat what they've heard."
"They won't utter a word, I swear," Qin Feng assured, then sighed. "But the truth is… my brother has already fled."
"Fled?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "Did you reveal my identity to him and scare him away?"
Qin Feng nodded. "I must protect my brother's safety."
"I don't care," she said, her voice turning commanding. "If you don't take me to him, I'll abandon the mission and handle this myself. I'll leave you to clean up this mess!"
Qin Feng could only shake his head helplessly. "Fine, go find him. I'll handle things here. Don't worry, I'll make sure the Lianzhou family is dealt with before you find him."
Qin Ni'er nodded, her smile as sweet as ever. "Then I'll remove Lianzhou Luo'er from the equation. Without her, you'll have an easier time. But remember, no harm must come to the Lianzhou family. Even if you find evidence of their crimes, it must be dealt with by me."
With a resigned sigh, the mighty Sword Saint nodded. "As you wish, my leader."
"Good. I'll take care of things. If your brother is as wonderful as you say, I might just spare his life." She winked, then turned to leave, but not before tossing one final remark over her shoulder. "Unless, of course, he becomes too troublesome. In that case, I'll have him castrated and send him to the palace to become a eunuch."
Qin Feng's smile froze on his face.
As he rode out of Wan Hua City, Qin Ren sneezed and rubbed his nose, muttering, "Damn, who's talking about me behind my back? It's gotta be the old man!" He smirked. "I bet Qin Ni'er's already gone after him, and the old man's probably sold me out to save his own skin. The old saying holds true: brothers are only good for selling out!"
He laughed to himself, planning to head north to the Iron Blooded Howling Sky Fortress to lay low with his uncle. It had been seven years since he last saw his uncle. The safest place right now was with him, away from the reach of the imperial spies.
With that, Qin Ren spurred his horse forward, and the rhythmic sound of hooves filled the air as he embarked on his journey—one that would soon lead him into a world of thrilling adventure and danger.