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It was that lonely; that desolate.

Even though it was nearly the fifth month, however, in the frigid North, once night fell, it was still extremely cold. The night wind whistled past her ears, blowing the cry of the dismal gra.s.sland.

Hua Zhu Yu was not wearing any clothes that could keep out the cold. In order to prevent her ident.i.ty from being discovered, her armor and mask had been discarded by her long before. Her silky hair scattered around in the wind while she wore a white robe dyed with scarlet blood. Not even a single person would be able to tell that she was the Silver Masked Ashura.

After 2 days, there were no mere pursuers. Hua Zhu Yu was very familiar was the topography of the West Borderland (Xi Jiang) and so she knew that beyond the forest that stretched beyond her, she would arrive in the North Kingdom. By then there would be shepherds from which she could ask for warm clothes.

Actually Hua Zhu Yu had not thought that she would return to the North Kingdom again so soon.

That day, in order to return to the South Kingdom, agreeing to Xiao Yin’s request was expedient. Although Xiao Yin was not actually planning on getting her help, because he himself was very haughty. What thing would he not be able to do? The only difference would be the time it took.

However, she still needed to go since the North Kingdom was currently the safest place for her and because if she promised someone something, she would definitely do it. She was never willing to owe others. However she didn’t know if she would be able to walk to the North Dynasty.

She felt waves of coldness. Although she had already briefly dealt with her wounds, they had ripped open again after two days of traveling. Her eyes darkened; her four limbs slowly became frozen numb. She was probably sick. After carrying a wound and running in the cold night for two days, she was definitely sick.

Nevertheless, she still needed to hold on. Maybe, after she went past the forest and to the North Kingdom there would be tents of the nomadic people. With this thought, Hua Zhu Yu urged the horse on. The horse already left the forest. Her ears picked up the sound of horses neighing. Countless torches shone through the sky like bright stars, lighting up the wild gra.s.sland. Hua Zhu Yu was startled. She tried to get her yanzhi horse to move faster, however it continued to pace instead of galloping. The horse was most likely too tired to run. But out of her expectations was that not only did the horse not run, rather it neighed towards the front. Hua Zhu Yu lifted her eyes to see tens of cavalry come closer. The torchlight seemed like it could sting people eyes.

When they heard the cry of Hua Zhu Yu horse, they all moved their torches toward her direction. Countless sharp gazes landed on Hua Zhu Yu. The moment they saw her, they were all filled with surprise. With her current appearance that is not like a person yet also not like a ghost, anyone who saw would be shocked.

A horse cry came from the group in front of her. Only a black horse trotted towards Hua Zhu Yu. She squinted and immediately recognized it: it was Xiao Yin’s black horse.

Since Xiao Yin’s horse is here, then these soldiers should be Xiao Yin’s. Hua Zhu Yu released out a breath of air. She would have never imagined that there would be a day in which she would feel more secure with North Kingdom soldiers than South Kingdom soldiers.

The horse galloped beside Hua Zhu Yu and suddenly lower its head to rub its head against Hua Zhu Yu’s horse. Who knew, the yanzhi horse that Xiao Yin had lent her was actually a pair with Xiao Yin’s black horse. After a long time of separation, the two horses were actually quite affectionate.

The soldiers became 囧. They had originally been pointing their swords at Hua Zhu Yu, however, seeing that her horse was actually his highness’s horse, they all politely led her down the horse. Under the lead of the soldiers, Hua Zhu Yu staggered forward a couple steps.

Those soldiers suddenly moved away. On the gra.s.slands before her, there was a thick carpet. On the carpet was a long table, and behind the table sat a person.

It was North Kingdom’s Xiao Yin.

His golden coronal jade belt, black robe, long eyes all reclined on the seat as he played with his gyrfalcon. The gyrfalcon was originally ferocious with sharp and cold eagle eyes, yet under Xiao Yin’s hand, it became adorable and obedient.

Xiao Yin played with the gyrfalcon while also cutting a piece of meat into thin slices and feeding it to the gyrfalcon. A light smile hung on his handsome face.

“Reporting to his highness, the person...” A soldier was about to report, but Xiao Yin raised his hand, stopping the rest of the sentence.

He fed the gyrfalcon the last slice of meat, and then wiped his hands on a brocade handkerchief. Hui Xue hastily poured onto cup of wine. Xiao Yin raised the wine cup and lightly sipped it before finally turning his gaze to Hua Zhu Yu.

A fire burned brightly in his eyes. His purple eyes narrowed slightly before suppressing the tremble in his gaze.

Hua Zhu Yu let out a self-deprecating smile. She looked down and saw that her plain robe had been cut apart by many sword slices, leaving slashes of scarlet red blood. Blood flowed out through the cuts in her robe. Actually, this was not the heaviest injury Hua Zhu Yu had received. Even though it hurt, but she was used to it. It was nothing special.

However, to Xiao Yin who is someone who has experienced countless battles, he didn’t need to be so shocked toward such a miserable appearance, right?

“Considering you came back so fast, you finished your matter?” Xiao Yin coldly said, lifting up the wine cup in his hand.

“Why are you here?” Hua Zhu Yu didn’t respond to his question and instead softly asked out her own query.

“Bendianxia is hunting here. How coincidental, bendianxia actually met you here!” Xiao Yin sipped at his wine again.

The corners of Hui Xue’s lips could help but twitch. She endured for half a day before finally resisting the urge to speak.

(half a day – an expression that shouldn’t be taken literally, it just simply means a long time)

Hunting?! Coincidental?!

Going in the middle of the night to hunt in a place a couple hundred miles away from the capital, other than wolves, what other animals would there be? Or could it possibly be hunting for wolves? And he also said it was coincidental! Just who was it that sent out tens of soldiers to search for the person riding a yanzhi horse? In the end, it was the gyrfalcon who found the person. It was only then that he rea.s.suredly waited. This wait was an hour long.

Waiting for someone in the dark night for a hour. Can this be even called coincidental?

Who would believe it such words!

Nonetheless, Hua Zhu Yu believed it. If someone said that Xiao Yin was specifically waiting for her, she wouldn’t believe it at all!

However, Hua Zhu Yu didn’t have the time to contemplate whether to believe his words or not, because she currently couldn’t even stand stably. Her eyes blurred, while her body became colder and colder. Her legs gave out and she landed on the gra.s.s. At the same time, a deep abyss-like darkness rushed towards her.