Chapter 718: Chapter 390: The Graceful Assassin (Part 2)

"Then why did you save me?"

"Was it Jiang Qianliu who sent you? That can’t be right, he got captured too. If you can rescue me, you should be able to rescue him as well."

"Saving him is useless."

The man in black turned around and spoke indifferently.

"Then saving me is useless too."

"Who said it’s useless?"

The man in black said softly:

"Someone paid three thousand taels in patterned silver for your head. Do you think you’re useless?"

"Who would do that?"

Left Zhongtang was flabbergasted, that the Young Sect Leader of the Profound Mystery Sect himself would have a hit ordered on him.

"Do you think, as an assassin, I would reveal my client’s identity to you?"

The smile of the man in black carried a mocking tone beyond words.

The look in his eyes was so cutting, Left Zhongtang was gravely hurt by it:

"If you won’t say, you won’t say. But since you want me dead, you could have just let me die in prison. Why go through the trouble of bringing me out?"

"Naturally, it’s because I have to do justice to those who entrust me. Even an assassin must have his own manners. If you had died in prison, I couldn’t take this silver in peace."

"..."

Left Zhongtang forced a bitter smile:

"So, I’m better off locked up... That Third Young Master might not kill me, at least he would understand my relationship with the Mirror of Sin first.

"Too bad he can’t witness that he’s really caught the wrong person.

"I really have nothing to do with you lot... Speaking of which, your martial arts are so high, why don’t you bother that Third Young Master instead of me?"

"Because... no one offered a hit on him."

"I’ll do it!!!"

"Where does a dying person get the money?"

"I have it on me, silver notes from Wanbao Money Shop, totaling five thousand taels. If you agree, I’ll give them all to you."

"Foolish, once I kill you, those five thousand taels will still be mine."

Left Zhongtang was so furious he could curse, and he spoke through gritted teeth:

"Didn’t you say you are a killer with manners? How can you do this?"

"My manner is in personally killing every one of my targets, earning every penny honestly."

The man in black’s demeanor was cold, yet carried an air of sincerity.

Left Zhongtang had no energy left to argue, slumping to the ground:

"Whatever, let it all end, I’m tired."

The eyes of the man in black turned peculiar, just about to say something, his brows suddenly furrowed.

He came to this place, a fairly remote corner of Immortal Cloud Mountain.

Yet someone was coming...

But it was clear that the coming person’s martial arts weren’t particularly impressive.

The man in black pondered briefly, suddenly grabbed Left Zhongtang, and leaped onto a tree.

Left Zhongtang was shocked:

"Are you planning to kill me by pushing me off the tree?"

"Silence."

The man in black said softly.

Left Zhongtang smirked indifferently, but just then, his pupils shrank sharply.

In his view, two more figures appeared.

It was none other than Cheng Xiao he had seen earlier in the day, along with the man called A Shu.

As they walked, they talked and laughed softly. It wasn’t clear what they were saying, but judging by the expressions, it was evident that Cheng Xiao was very happy...

Cheng Xiao’s joy made Left Zhongtang feel anything but joy, but rather a sense of bitterness.

The man in black shot Left Zhongtang an even odder look.

He pondered and asked:

"Do you know them?"

"Adulterer and harlot!!"

Left Zhongtang gritted his teeth and spat out those words.

Suddenly, he spoke to the man in black:

"I’m going to die anyway, so I’m offering the five thousand taels of silver notes on me to hire you to kill someone for me!"

"You’re using my silver notes to hire me to kill someone for you?"

The man in black’s tone carried a hint of ridicule.

Left Zhongtang was taken aback, nearly jumped down in anger. How did it become your silver notes?

It’s clearly mine! Mine!!!

Yet the words stuck in his throat, sighed in his heart, and thought, whatever.

After all, since he was going to die, these worldly possessions weren’t worth lamenting over.

He thought about his previous impulsive idea and realized it wasn’t worth making a scene and causing disgust when he was dying.

Left Zhongtang felt as if all the strength had been drained out of him in that instant.

He listlessly lay against the tree trunk, watching the two men approach the cliff edge. Cheng Xiao supported A Shu while cautiously advising:

"Be careful, your wounds haven’t healed yet. This cliff is steep, don’t lose your footing."

"It’s alright."

A Shu’s voice was gentle as he gazed at Cheng Xiao, then looked up at the sky:

"The stars are so brilliant tonight. I wonder if there will be another chance to watch them with you in the future."

"What do you mean by that?"

Cheng Xiao shook his head:

"In the future, you and I will be together for a long time. No matter how many starlit nights there are, we can see them all."

Upon hearing this, A Shu drew back his gaze from the sea of stars and looked intently at Cheng Xiao in front of him.

Cheng Xiao also looked at him, and there was a faint eagerness brewing between the gazes they exchanged.

Zuo Zhongtang was almost biting his lip hard enough to draw blood...

How ridiculous, why did he have to witness this before dying?

Why must my life be so tragic?

But just then, Cheng Xiao suddenly pushed A Shu away:

"No, emotions can be expressed but must be restrained... We haven’t married yet."

"Alright."

A Shu showed no anger at being rejected, and instead suddenly asked:

"Will you regret giving me the Profound Mystery Sect’s Secret Technique [Phoenix Cry] in the future?"

"No, I won’t!"

"That was given to you by Zuo Zhongtang, wasn’t it?"

"He owes it to me!"

Cheng Xiao’s good mood seemed to sour suddenly at the mention of Zuo Zhongtang’s name.

"We will take [Phoenix Cry] and find a place unknown to others, a place where no one knows us, and start anew.

"We will marry, have children, and we will lead a completely different life!"

Cheng Xiao reached out and gently caressed A Shu’s face.

A Shu nodded lightly:

"You’re right..."

As soon as these four words fell, Cheng Xiao suddenly heard Zuo Zhongtang’s voice:

"Xiaoxiao, get out of the way!!!"

Get out of the way?

Why is he here?

Why at this moment!

At the moment these thoughts arose in her mind, a stabbing sound was heard, followed by intense pain spreading to her heart.

In disbelief, Cheng Xiao looked down, only to see a knife embedded in her chest, thrust upward, buried to the hilt, showing the ruthlessness and decisiveness of the stab.

She looked up at A Shu in bewilderment:

"Why?

"Three years ago... you, you saved my life... Today, why, why do you want to kill me..."

"The one who saved you three years ago wasn’t me at all."

A Shu’s voice was colder than it had ever been.

Chaotic footsteps were heard, and A Shu was suddenly pushed hard by someone.

As he looked at Cheng Xiao’s expression, as if struck by lightning, Zuo Zhongtang’s face was filled with pain:

"Xiaoxiao, how are you? Don’t scare me..."

He hurriedly picked her up, reaching for the knife, but just as he was about to grasp the handle, he dared not touch it again, glancing around desperately for help, but there was no one to ask.

Looking at the person in front of her, a glint of something different shone in Cheng Xiao’s misty eyes. She clutched Zuo Zhongtang’s collar tightly:

"You... you tell me... when and where did we first meet?"

"Xiaoxiao, don’t speak anymore, you’re coughing blood."

Zuo Zhongtang hurriedly tried to cover her mouth to stop the blood, though knowing it was useless. Seeing Cheng Xiao’s determined gaze, he sighed:

"Three years ago, at Iron Peak Ridge, when the phoenix came."

"It was you!?"

Cheng Xiao smiled, her tears and blood mingling, her smile full of pain and bitterness:

"Why didn’t you tell me!?"

"... I wanted you to be fond of me not because I saved you, but because I... because I’m Zuo Zhongtang."

Zuo Zhongtang held Cheng Xiao:

"If I had known, I should have taken advantage of having saved you... I should have told you long ago."

"Mm, saying it now is not too late."

Hearing the voice, Zuo Zhongtang looked up quickly, seeing the black-clad man throw A Shu to the ground.

Looking at Zuo Zhongtang again, he sighed:

"I’ve long known you’re a hopeless romantic, it’s likely that even if the Profound Mystery Sect does have dealings with the Mirror of Sin, they wouldn’t let you know, otherwise you’d share it as a little secret with this girl.

"Such a waste of time..."

With that, he casually removed his mask, revealing himself to be Chu Qing.

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