socalfunplaces Chapter 123 Purple Maiden
Chapter 123 Purple Maiden
Any one of these assassins could be a formidable figure in the martial arts world, capable of shaking three provinces with a single stomp.
Even more astonishing was that Lin Tian remained relaxed and calm throughout, his clothes were perfectly in place – clearly, he hadn't used even 30% of his strength.
"Didn't make a move? You're quite clever." Lin Tian chuckled. "Have you thought through your suggestion from last time?"
The black crow lowered its head and remained silent.
Lin Tian shrugged, carrying Li Kai as he passed by him, waving goodbye as he went: "Forget it, I don't have time to argue with you today. You should think about how you're going to explain this to Ji Wuye when you get back."
The red owl and all the elite birds lay dead, but he alone was unharmed—this was something that even a hundred mouths couldn't clear up.
The Red Owl dropped a crimson card, its combat power considerable, even surpassing that of the Vulture, yet Lin Tian had never heard of this person before—demonstrating how insignificant their influence was. Dropping a crimson card was to be expected; the others dropped blue and indigo cards, which Lin Tian, too lazy to examine individually, simply rolled up his sleeve and stored in his card space, to be categorized later.
When he returned to Zilan Pavilion, the entire building was shrouded in darkness, and the windows were completely dark. Lin Tian stood under the corridor, his heart tightening slightly.
Although it didn't take much effort to wipe out the Poison Scorpion Sect, their hideout was located halfway across Xinzheng City from Zilan Pavilion. The back-and-forth trips were exhausting. To make matters worse, Zhong Lijian and his group of Bai Niao interfered, dragging things out until almost midnight.
Nongyu had already gone to bed, and Madam Hu was most likely resting in her room as well. How could Lin Tian possibly knock on the door again and disturb her peaceful sleep? And looking at Li Kai's current disheveled appearance—did he think he could use that face to attract Madam Hu's attention? Ha... that would be as difficult as climbing to heaven.
He simply set up a quiet room for Li Kai and summoned several clever maids to clean and bandage his wounds, and to groom him so that he could present a dashing and handsome appearance the next morning and steadily carry out his "handsome man scheme".
Lin Tian chose an elegant little house, lay down on the couch, closed his eyes, and slept more soundly than anyone else.
……
"Who lives in this room?!" Zi Nu stopped the maid who had just come out of Li Kai's room. Her voice was not loud, but it carried a hint of coldness.
"Replying to you, sister, it is a guest brought back by Young Master Lin," the maid replied, bowing her head.
Zi Nu frowned slightly, a sense of helplessness rising in her heart. How many secrets were hidden in Zi Lan Xuan, yet Lin Tian simply walked in and led people in without even a word of greeting.
"Just do as Young Master Lin instructs." Her tone became indifferent.
"Yes, sister."
Zi Nu didn't say anything more. It was past midnight, and the night air was cool. She turned around and went back to her room.
She could identify every inch of the room's furnishings even with her eyes closed. Since it was late, she decided not to turn on the lights. She took off her earrings and hairpins, took a hot bath, wrapped herself in a plain-colored bath towel, and walked to the bedside.
In the darkness, her gaze swept across the bed—the bedding was slightly disheveled. She raised an eyebrow, assuming it was a careless oversight by the maid in her haste. Someone had already died today, and the entire building was in a state of panic; such trivial matters were unacceptable.
She threw off the covers and lay down, her body sinking into the soft pillow, when her back suddenly straightened.
I could hear very soft breathing, right next to my ear.
anyone? !
The thought had barely formed when an arm was already wrapped around her waist. Then, a muffled whisper reached her ear, like a dream, or perhaps a coquettish plea:
"Hmm... Yu'er, what brings you here in the middle of the night...?"
How could Zi Nu possibly hold back any longer?
"Lin—Tian—!!"
His jaw was clenched so tightly that each word burst out from between his teeth, accompanied by sparks.
That tone... why does it sound so familiar?
Lin Tian shuddered, his sleepiness vanishing instantly. Looking down again, he saw cascading purple hair, burning eyes, and flames burning at the corners of his eyes.
"Miss Zi Nu?!" He was completely dumbfounded.
The pair of shorts underneath had long since flown away, leaving the two of them completely exposed, so open it was almost suffocating.
The position was awkward, with one person above the other, and Lin Tian even subconsciously glanced up and down—
That's purple too... Hmm, no doubt about it, it's definitely her. Wait! Where are my eyes looking? He slammed his eyes shut, wishing he could gouge them out.
"Have you seen enough? If you have, get out of here right now!" Zi Nu's voice was extremely low, yet it sounded like a blade scraping against a blue stone.
Lin Tianru, feeling pardoned, grabbed an outer robe and hastily wrapped it around himself. He stood firmly against the wall, barely breathing, afraid of startling this fearsome figure.
Zi Nu grabbed the brocade quilt and wrapped herself up tightly, her eyes fixed on his face without blinking.
That look was clearly that of someone eyeing a thief—and at that moment, Lin Tian was indeed a thief breaking into a burglar's house.
She didn't speak, just stared, making Lin Tian sweat and feel a tingling sensation in the back of his neck.
Time seemed to stretch out and stand still. Lin Tian felt as if every breath was being tortured on a hot coal fire.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to speak: "Um... Miss Zi Nu, I was sleeping soundly, how come you suddenly lay down next to me?" — He quickly calculated in his mind to establish an innocent persona first, so that he wouldn't sound inferior when he spoke later.
Zi Nu sneered, and before she could finish speaking, Lin Tian froze on the spot:
"I also want to ask you, how did you sneak into my room and climb into my bed?!"
"Huh?! This...this is your house?!" Lin Tian was dumbfounded.
"Otherwise what?" Zi Nu retorted coldly.
He lived in Zilan Pavilion for nearly a month, leading a very structured life: having breakfast in the morning, listening to the zither in the afternoon, and sleeping peacefully at night. He could hear every note plucked by Nongyu's fingertips clearly.
The Purple Orchid Pavilion was filled with the chirping of birds and the sounds of beautiful women. Lin Tian, always reserved, never ventured into the back courtyard, so he naturally didn't know where Zi Nu lived. When he accidentally pushed open the door, he found the room exceptionally elegant—the window frames were intricately carved, the curtains hung perfectly, and a delicate, cool fragrance floated in the air, like a delicate orchid blooming after a snowfall, refreshing and delightful. He instinctively assumed it was a private retreat for a distinguished guest, without considering anything else. After all, in the entire Purple Orchid Pavilion, which young lady's room didn't have a touch of perfume?
Lin Tian's Adam's apple bobbed, and the words were already on his tongue: "How about... we pretend nothing happened tonight?" But those words got stuck in his throat and he couldn't get them out.
He'd seen it, he'd touched it… just one last step away from completely crossing the line. To pretend ignorance now would make even him blush and feel guilty.
After much deliberation, he couldn't find any room for maneuver. His shoulders slumped, and he sighed resignedly, "Be it beheading or being forced to work like a slave, Miss Zi Nu, I will obey your every word without hesitation."
He stood with his hands at his sides, looking like a prisoner awaiting trial. Zi Nu gazed at him silently, her eyes misty, churning with indescribable emotions. After a long while, she finally spoke: "You must completely erase everything that happened tonight—not a single trace is allowed to remain."
"Huh?" Lin Tian was stunned, his mind going blank. That's it? Not even a condition? He had already blocked all his escape routes, and he had even gritted his teeth and prepared to agree to help Han Fei.