Chapter 364: The Withering Camellia ②

Chapter 364: The Withering Camellia ②

In the southern part of Northwind City, within the Northern Tea House.

On the third floor, a group of five sat around a table in an ancient-style private room.

The table was positioned by the window.

Deng Yuxiang sat on a wooden chair, her elbow resting on the windowsill, gazing down at the bustling crowd below, a scene filled with celebration and harmony.

Hu Jiaojiao sat closely beside Deng Yuxiang, and directly across from her was Lu Ran, also leaning against the window.

"Squeak~"

The wooden door opened, and several waiters dressed in traditional attire entered, carrying tea and snacks.

"Miss, it's been a while since your last visit."

The leader was a middle-aged man, his overly enthusiastic smile displaying the words "fawning."

Hu Jiaojiao glanced at the man, "Have I caused you trouble?"

The man was startled and quickly replied, "No, no trouble at all. This room is reserved especially for you."

Hu Jiaojiao watched as the fruits, dried fruits, and pastries were arranged on the table. She waved her hand, "Alright, you may leave now."

"Yes, if you need anything else, just let us know." The man led the waiters out, backing away from the room and carefully closing the door behind them.

The room fell silent, and Lu Ran, who had been facing the window, finally turned around, "Miss Hu, you have quite the reputation."

Hu Jiaojiao: "If I don't have any other talents, at least I can get a private room."

As she spoke, she looked at Deng Yuxiang beside her and sighed deeply.

Lu Ran remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Is it true that the Northwind City Lord is surnamed Hu?"

Bai Man Ni's hand paused as she was pouring tea, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked at Hu Jiaojiao.

Under the table, Deng Yu Tang gently patted Bai Man Ni's leg.

Bai Man Ni immediately lowered her eyes and continued pouring tea for the others.

"I think so," Hu Jiaojiao replied, looking at Lu Ran with her bright eyes, and blinking playfully.

Lu Ran turned to Deng Yu Tang beside him and smiled, "Your sister's friends are all so impressive?"

Deng Yu Tang really wanted to ask, aside from Miss Hu, who else is your sister's friend?

But he held back.

Hu Jiaojiao casually picked up a teacup and smiled, "Then, who do you think is more amazing, me or Frosty?"

Lu Ran hesitated.

Yan Shuangzi and Deng Yuxiang were of the same type, both exuding a mature and capable aura, like a powerful broadsword.

Hu Jiaojiao had a doll-like face with cute features, short hair that framed her ears, and big, sparkling eyes.

Judging by her face alone, one might assume she had a petite figure.

However, Hu Jiaojiao and Deng Yuxiang were of similar height, and their figures were explosively voluptuous. Lu Ran, of course, was not easily fooled by appearances.

Having been exposed to the beauty of Jiang Xianzi, his eyes had become discerning.

Moreover, Lu Ran had long passed the stage of judging people solely by their appearance.

Hu Jiaojiao was like a short dagger.

Hmm, perhaps even two.

Sharp and deadly.

"Rustle~"

The sudden sound of fabric rubbing against itself interrupted their conversation.

Deng Yuxiang still wore Lu Ran's white down jacket, her arms not fully inserted into the sleeves.

Her icy fingers fiddled with the collar, slightly lifting it.

"Hehe~" Hu Jiaojiao turned to her friend, "You usually ignore everyone and wish they'd stay far away.

Now, after I've said a few words, you come to my rescue?"

Deng Yuxiang continued to stare out the window, expressionless and silent.

Lu Ran: "You're different."

Hu Jiaojiao showed great interest and immediately asked, "How are we different?"

Lu Ran shrugged, "A broadsword and a short dagger are different in every way."

Hu Jiaojiao's beautiful eyes shone as she looked at Deng Yuxiang, "No wonder you're the pride of the Xia Dynasty, far superior to the fools in the city."

"Hmph," Deng Yuxiang coldly hummed.

What were they compared to?

Could they even be compared to Lu Ran?

"Ouch! It's my fault for asking." Hu Jiaojiao quickly grabbed Deng Yuxiang's icy palm with her snake-like arm.

She continued to smile, "Your little brother is like the moon's radiance, I shouldn't compare him to dim light."

Hu Jiaojiao didn't deny her interest in Lu Ran.

But at this point, the real focus was on bringing her good friend back to life.

Hu Jiaojiao naturally understood that the bond between Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang was deep.

With just a few words, she had elicited a reaction from Deng Yuxiang, which was a decent achievement.

"Why are you so troubled?" Lu Ran changed the subject and looked at Deng Yuxiang.

Deng Yuxiang continued to gaze out the window.

The ancient streets of the city were brightly lit, with colorful decorations and a lively atmosphere.

From time to time, the voices of street vendors could be heard, making one feel as if they had traveled back in time.

Lu Ran stood up, reached out, and pulled Deng Yuxiang's scarf down, revealing her pale lips, which had turned white from the cold.

Her somewhat haggard face carried a broken beauty.

The once-vibrant camellia had indeed been severely damaged by the frost.

Hu Jiaojiao subconsciously tightened her grip on Deng Yuxiang's hand.

Although she understood the deep bond between the siblings, she was also familiar with her friend's style and knew what she had been through.

Hu Jiaojiao was genuinely worried that Deng Yuxiang might erupt in anger!

Fortunately, Deng Yuxiang showed no reaction, which made Hu Jiaojiao breathe a sigh of relief.

Lu Ran held a cup of hot tea and offered it to Deng Yuxiang, "Drink some, warm yourself up."

Deng Yuxiang finally turned her eyes to Lu Ran.

Her eyes, which should have been bright, were now dim and unclear.

Lu Ran stubbornly held out the teacup, his gaze unwavering.

After a long while, Deng Yuxiang slowly raised her hand.

Lu Ran: "What have you been through?"

The woman took a small sip of tea and remained silent, her head lowered.

Lu Ran spoke in a low voice, "Deng Yuxiang, tell me, why is it about to shatter?"

"Crack!"

Deng Yuxiang lost control of her strength, and the purple clay teacup in her hand shattered.

Deng Yu Tang and Bai Man Ni hurriedly stood up, searching for paper and a towel.

Hu Jiaojiao quickly pried open her best friend's palm, brushing away the broken shards of the teacup.

Others might not understand Lu Ran's meaning.

But Hu Jiaojiao's heart was clear; Lu Ran was referring to a blade when he said something was about to break.

It was Deng Yuxiang's great blade!

It was her, and it was her martial heart.

"Sister Hu, here's a towel." Bai Man Ni quickly handed over a towel.

Hu Jiaojiao took it with a gentle motion, carefully wiping her friend's hand, a trace of heartache flashing in her eyes.

Lu Ran looked at Hu Jiaojiao: "Could I trouble Ms. Hu to tell me?"

Hu Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment but eventually chose to speak: "Your sister has sparred with Senior Liao three times."

"Senior Liao?"

"The person she's challenging this time."

"She lost all three times?"

Hu Jiaojiao nodded lightly, her heart adding several sentences: It's not just losing!

It's a comprehensive crushing in terms of experience, martial arts, physical fitness, and more. Otherwise, Deng Yuxiang wouldn't have fallen to this point.

The room fell silent.

Deng Yu Tang's expression turned grim. Although he had mentally prepared himself, hearing this news still left him breathless.

Is there really no chance of winning?

Lu Ran asked, "Before the real challenge, is there still a need for sparring?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head: "There's no hard and fast rule.

But with Senior Liao's personal visit and sparring, under the watchful eyes of the disciples, it's hard for Yuxiang to refuse."

Lu Ran's face darkened.

Not easy to refuse?

It's more like she can't refuse.

Under the scrutiny of everyone, how could an extremely proud martial artist like Deng Yuxiang refuse?

Lu Ran asked, "Did the opponent use that Divine Weapon with a domain?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head again: "No, during the sparring, both sides used ordinary weapons."

Lu Ran's heart sank to the bottom of the valley.

Without using their greatest advantage, they won three consecutive battles?

Suddenly, Deng Yu Tang spoke up: "What level of strength does that person have?"

"Fifth Stage River Realm."

"Damn it!" Deng Yu Tang, for once, cursed.

If Deng Yuxiang had been preparing all along, up until the final challenge, she might have had a chance to win in one go.

Even if she couldn't win, at least Deng Yuxiang could have faced the enemy in her prime.

But look at her now!

Deng Yuxiang's fighting spirit had been completely crushed.

Just thinking about the possible gazes and discussions from the onlookers after the opponent's victory made Deng Yu Tang want to explode.

All along, the relationship between the Deng siblings hadn't been too good.

But no matter what, they were family, connected by blood and bone!

Deng Yu Tang truly hated.

He hated his own powerlessness.

Hu Jiaojiao finished wiping her friend's palm, feeling guilty, and whispered:

"If I had known earlier and returned to Northwind City sooner, I might have been able to protect..."

"Don't think like that." Lu Ran spoke softly, "With Yuxiang's personality, she will definitely accept the challenge."

Bai Man Ni finally couldn't hold it in and asked, "Can't she just not challenge him?"

Deng Yu Tang immediately looked at Hu Jiaojiao.

Hu Jiaojiao's eyes were complex as she shook her head: "Impossible!

Yuxiang signed a Life and Death Pact when she returned to Northwind City, and the date was set.

She signed it in front of the witnesses from the sect and in the deity's hall of Northwind City."

Bai Man Ni's face turned pale, and she tightly gripped Deng Yu Tang's hand.

The last half of Hu Jiaojiao's sentence was the most crucial.

You confirmed everything before the deity Northwind; naturally, there's no going back.

How could you play around in front of a deity?

But even without a deity, if you signed a pact in front of the many powerful figures of the Northwind Sect, there's no changing it.

Moreover, from the perspective of Deng Yuxiang's personal growth and future development, it's even more impossible for her to break the agreement.

When it's time to fight,

You may lose, and you may die.

No matter the outcome, you stand tall.

To flee at the last moment,

How will you face the rest of your life?

You're not an ordinary person; you're Vast River Jiang, with high demands for your mental state, and these demands will only increase!

From this perspective, you can't even go through the motions or engage in symbolic combat and surrender.

Because you must be responsible for yourself!

Unless

you give up the path of cultivation and prepare to return to being an ordinary person.

Deng Yuxiang suddenly spoke, uttering her first words since entering the private room:

"What do you all take me for?"

The private room fell silent.

Deng Yuxiang's gaze swept across the group, and Bai Man Ni immediately lowered her head. Deng Yu Tang opened his mouth but couldn't find the right words.

She slowly stood up, the white down jacket on her shoulders slipping off as she turned and left.

"Yuxiang?" Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly stood up.

"Sister Yuxiang?" Bai Man Ni felt extremely guilty and afraid, knowing she had said the wrong thing.

People are divided into three, six, and nine levels.

Cultivators are the same.

Deng Yuxiang was undoubtedly a Tianjiao, a great power of the River Realm!

Bai Man Ni's words were almost an insult to Deng Yuxiang!

Deng Yuxiang standing up and leaving without reprimanding them was already giving them a huge amount of face.

"I'll go." Lu Ran picked up the down jacket and quickly walked out.

Bai Man Ni's eyes turned red, but she dared not follow.

She was flustered and anxious, turning to look at Deng Yu Tang, apologizing repeatedly: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Deng Yu Tang embraced Bai Man Ni, unable to say any words of blame.

As a Red Sash Disciple, for a moment, he even considered advising his sister to prioritize her life.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end