The man frowned after hearing those words. A fox demon? A rock panda? Flood?

The man was confused but suddenly he heard a familiar voice behind.

“That is right,” The voice said. “I also noticed them a while ago but they didn’t join the fight and was just quietly watching as if they were ‘tasting the water’.”

When that voice appeared, all the people immediately turned their heads to look at the owner of that beautiful voice.

Two women, one was wearing a white veil covering her face and silently walking towards Allen’s group while the one behind was wearing a black dyed veil, her clothes, all black and on her hand was a black colored straight sword.

“You!” the man who spoke to Allen just now was surprised after seeing them and called out.

“Why are you here? Didn’t your father tell you to stay inside the city?”

But the two women completely ignored him as they continued walking… then brushed past him.

“Hey!” he called out but none bothered with him.

The two women only stopped after arriving in front of the monsters that was letting out threatening growls. It’s as if they were expressing that with just another one step, they will attack.

But the woman with the white veil wasn’t fazed and instead bowed politely, “It’s been a long time, Wushuang. I’m happy for your arrival~”

Allen looked at her and responded, “When did you become so polite, Liu Muxiao?”

His voice indifferent but it also held some coldness.

Allen’s voice made Liu Muxiao involuntary trembled but she clenched her fists and stayed calm. However, before she could answer, the woman behind her spoke out.

“Young master, Lady Muxiao is…”

“Stop, Sun Lingling this isn’t your matter!” Liu Muxiao hastily stopped Sun Lingling from talking.

“Xiao Ling? Is that you?”

“Yes, young master!” Sun Lingling immediately kneeled in front of Allen.

“I’m happy to see you again, young master!”

“So you also remembered…” Allen’s voice became soft and gentle.

“That’s great, I couldn’t say this before but, thank you for everything… and sorry that I couldn’t save you at that time…”

Through the eyes that could be seen from the mask, a flash of guilt and affection was reflected in his eyes.

“Young master, it’s not your fault.” Sun Lingling sobs. “…it’s never been.”

Sun Lingling stood up and rushed at Allen’s bosom. She clasps him tightly as if she was afraid to let go.

The monsters that were guarding Allen, part way and let her past. Seems like they know how to read the mood~

It was a moving scene for those who were watching it. It’s as if, those two have been separated for a long time but now, they finally got reunited. It was so dramatic.

However, for some reason, one person was feeling the opposite.

Liu Muxiao, in a daze, looked at them.

Not without heartache.

Not that she had not thought what it would be like if they met again like this one day, as Liu Muxiao and Ye Wushuang.

But she did not expect they did not even have the affection to say “Long time no see.”

Looking at Sun Lingling, she felt envious. It should be her and not Sun Lingling…

But what could she have used to compete with her? On the same day which her sect declared war against him, she had already lost.

Allen – unexpectedly she recalled his ice-cold eyes on that day and heartless words. There was a trace of light throbbing pain in Liu Muxiao’s heart, almost impossible to sense, nevertheless it was there.

Certainly, it would be best to give up after seeing their past. However, for Liu Muxiao, Allen was akin to the sunshine, the sunshine she wanted to refuse yet could not. So she decided to choose this path in this second life.

Behind them, she could hear some whispers amidst the ongoing battle.

“Hey, isn’t that Miss Liu?”

“The Heavenly Cloud Sect’s prodigy? That one?”

“Right, that’s her. What is she doing here?”

Whispers spread in the area but Liu Muxiao didn’t care about them. In her eyes, covered by the veil, only one person was reflected on them.

She wanted to say, ‘Hi’, wanted to greet him, and say, ‘It’s been a long time, how have you been?’

But all of these words stuck in her throat and couldn’t get out.

“Xiao Ling, what are you doing with her?” She suddenly heard Allen’s voice.

“Young master, that’s…” Sun Lingling looked hesitant. She wanted to say something but she couldn’t, she could only cast Liu Muxiao a gaze.

Liu Muxiao bit her lips. Not in anger but frustration.

Allen noticed Sun Lingling’s ambiguous actions and frowned.

He followed Sun Lingling’s gaze and looked at Liu Muxiao.

He gave her a killer stare, and his voice sounded cold as ice. “What are you planning Liu Muxiao? Are you planning to do something to Lingling?”

“Young master that’s not…”

“Uh, no I wasn’t ……” Liu Muxiao did not know what to say but her hesitant attitude would only reaffirm his opinion.

Allen did not say anything, his expression frigid as he glanced at her, obviously not believing her.

“Wushuang,” Liu Muxiao took a deep breath and calmed her surging emotions.

“I’m not really planning on doing something to Sun Lingling, I swear…”

She gritted her teeth. “I thought that you have known me… better than this…”

There was silence. His beautiful eyes shone awkwardly and resentfully in the night.

His voice sounded strangely indifferent and cold: “Indeed, I thought that I have known.”

!?

“But, when you tried to defend those people even after knowing what they have done to Xue Ling and Sun Lingling, I realized I was wrong.” Moreover, what you ‘did’ is also unforgivable…

Allen's gaze flashed a sorrowful look.

“Wushuang, that’s-!”

“Liu Muxiao, I didn’t continue my revenge, not because you have begged but because I thought that it was the last thing I could do for you.”

Liu Muxiao was stunned. She wanted to defend herself but she couldn’t muster any words much less say anything. Only tears started flowing out from her eyes.

Fortunately, she had her veil and no one had noticed it.

“Young master, you’re mistaken! Lady Muxiao is…”

“Lingling.”

Looking at Sun Lingling’s strange expression, the emotions showing in Allen’s eyes gradually faded. Returning his gaze to Liu Muxiao, Allen’s eyes somewhat soften and filled with deep sadness- though it only lasted for a moment.

“Forget it!”

He coldly spits out the two words, swiftly turned around and started walking towards Tang Yu and the others. He called out the Grimoire and called back the monsters aside from Madam White.

In any case, the battle is going to end as more and more monsters started retreating. They aren’t needed anymore and could go back to rest.

However, before he could start walking away. Suddenly, he heard a soft ‘Thud’ and gasp from the surrounding.

“Liu Muxiao! What are you doing!?”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry!”

Allen heard a soft but sobbing voice behind him, muttering, ‘sorry, sorry’ all over again like a broken radio.

Allen’s steps halted. His body trembled for a moment before he turned around, only to see Liu Muxiao kneeling with her forehead touching the ground.

Allen frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Wushuang, I don’t have any excuse but please, please give me a chance to explain.” Liu Muxiao ignored the dumbfounded surroundings as she begs for Allen’s forgiveness.

It was humiliating but she thought to herself that she deserves it.

When Xue Ling and Sun Lingling died, she was there, watching as it happened.

She wanted to help but she was beaten by her responsibility and couldn’t move.

She could only watch as swords pierced through Xue Ling’s unprotected body and Sun Lingling who madly rushed in order to save Xue Ling but was instead impaled by a spear and burned by fire. All of these happened, in front of her.

When Allen turned mad and started his revenge, she shamelessly showed herself in front of him and begged for the murderers to be spared. At that time, she has no choice since all the people who ordered such thing was the entirety of the [ Ten Hidden Martial Sect ] and even the [ Thirteen Aristocratic Family ].

But they were the backbone of the country. If something happened to them, it will greatly affect the people living on it.

If Allen continued his vengeance, China will be left unprotected.

So she decided and chooses her responsibility rather than her personal feelings.

Allen had killed her father but she wasn’t a naïve little girl and didn’t hold any grudges against it. Killing rather than be killed, this is already the unspoken rule within rivers and lakes.

One must be ready to die at any moment. Grudges must be settled, blood must be repaid with blood.

It wasn’t Allen’s fault that her father had died but because of fate.

Karma that intertwined within this world, like a tight knot.

But even after knowing all this, she still begs Allen, even though it might look shameless but she still did it. At that time, Allen’s hurt and cold eyes stared at her and even his words pierced through her but she didn’t give up and still shamelessly begs for mercy.

Fortunately, Allen listened and stopped but that was the very last time they had seen each other as Liu Muxiao and Ye Wushuang.

Ever since that day, she couldn’t forget Allen’s eyes and pained appearance, looking at her.

Who would let the murderer who killed someone very important to you go free?

Who would let go of the vengeance that was killing you inside?

In fact, they don’t have a deep relationship but Allen still sees her as a friend sometimes.

Eating and drinking together whenever they met.

At that time, surely, Allen must have thought that Liu Muxiao has betrayed him and his trust. He thought that she will understand his pain but she hadn’t and instead choose the other side…

“Lady Muxiao!!” Sun Lingling was startled by what Liu Muxiao did and immediately run towards her.

She tried pulling her up but she wouldn’t budge and kept on kneeling.

Without any choice, Sun Lingling turned her gaze towards Allen.

“Young master, please forgive Lady Muxiao, she, she…” Sun Lingling similarly kneeled. But she couldn’t continue her words and instead bowed her head to Allen.

“Sun Lingling,” Muxiao noticed Sun Lingling and called out.

“… This is not for you but for my master.” Sun Lingling whispered and said in a cold voice.

“Don’t think that I had forgiven you, this is all for my master.”

“Hm…”

Looking at Liu Muxiao and Sun Lingling, Allen’s cold gaze somewhat soften. Truthfully, he had heard what Sun Lingling said but, what did she mean by that? Why is she doing this and protecting Liu Muxiao?

For me?

Did she mean that she didn’t want me to stay in the past and grieve? Is that what she meant by that?

Allen was almost certain that it was this. After all, he believed that Sun Lingling would never do anything that would harm him.

But a deep part of him also thought of another possibility.

But that possibility… how could it change Sun Lingling’s views of Liu Muxiao like this, so Allen disregards that possibility...

Allen’s mood became calmer, and he said in a soft voice. “Stand up you two, we’re in the middle of a battlefield.”

After he said that, Allen arrived at Liu Muxiao’s front and forcefully pulls her up.

He glanced at her and said softly: “This is not the previous world so I don’t have any right to judge the ‘you’ in this world.”

!?

“However, it doesn’t mean that I will act like an old friend.”

After saying, this Allen dragged Sun Lingling and started walking away, leaving Liu Muxiao standing in a daze.

“All- Wushuang!” Liu Muxiao called out. “I, I…”

“You don’t need to be so anxious,” Allen muttered as he slowly walked away. “I didn’t come here to do anything like revenge, so you can set your mind at peace.”

Allen said in an icy tone but if one listened clearly, there was also a hint of disappointment and bitterness hidden behind it.

“However, if they insist on courting death, then that is yet another matter. It would be rude of me not to play along in their games.”

“And if that happens, even if you kneeled and beg in front of me again, my beasts will still come out and play…”

Allen and Sun Lingling slowly walked away while the later kept on glancing behind her, looking at Liu Muxiao.

“Young master!” Tang Yu approached Allen and Sun Lingling. She then stopped and looked at the latter, feeling complicated.

“Is that you, Tang Yu?”

“S-sister Lingling…” Tang Yu faintly muttered.

Sun Lingling step forward and pulled Tang Yu to her bosom. “It’s been a long time~”

“H-Hm…” Tang Yu awkwardly nodded. Truthfully Tang Yu didn’t felt anything against Sun Lingling, is just that, she doesn’t know how to react.

In the previous life, Tang Yu and Sun Lingling aren’t that intimate as the latter always teased Tang Yu whenever she had free time.

Tang Yu, on the other hand, was scared of her, especially after seeing the state of her enemies after the battle… that really can traumatize the people~

--- ---

( Liu Muxiao as I envisioned her in my head... (^-^///)V ) [ From https://www.pinterest.com/pin/757097387327691318/ ]

( You know while wearing this... )