Chapter 137: In Peril, A Persistent Shadow

Before Shen Qianmo and Baili Xiao could take any further action inside the carriage, a barrage of arrows rained down upon them like a sudden storm. The air was filled with the whistling of arrows and the harrowing, desperate cries of horses.

"Baili Xiao, protect Qianmo!" Ye Qinglan shouted from outside. The relentless clashing of steel against steel echoed continuously; clearly, she was using her sword to deflect the downpour of arrows.

Baili Xiao, now fully awake, shook off his lethargy and leaped forward, positioning himself in front of Shen Qianmo. "Brother Xie, don't be afraid, stay behind me!"

Shen Qianmo’s lips twitched slightly. Given Baili Xiao’s slight frame, she doubted hiding behind him would be of much use. Nevertheless, she was deeply moved by his wholehearted attempt to shield her. Just as she was about to tell him to go and assist Ye Qinglan, the sound of the arrows gradually thinned and finally ceased.

"Who are you people?" Ye Qinglan’s clear, stern voice rang out.

She was met with a few sneers of disdain. "Shen Qianmo, aren't you quite capable? Why are you hiding in the carriage like a cowardly turtle?"

Shen Qianmo knew this voice all too well. It was Lou Xinyue. She closed her eyes, feeling speechless at Lou Xinyue’s persistent inability to let things go.

Baili Xiao clearly recognized the voice as well. His eyebrows twitched as he muttered, "Why is it that shrew again? How did she find us here?"

"We were likely targeted from the very beginning," Shen Qianmo replied coolly. Her expression remained unchanged as she rose and stepped out of the carriage first. Had they not been followed from the start, she was confident that their disguises would have been impenetrable.

Outside, Ye Qinglan stood with a soft sword in hand, her face cold and resolute, guarding her companions like a protective deity. Seeing Shen Qianmo emerge, she leaped gracefully from the carriage to stand by her side. Baili Xiao followed, guarding her other flank.

Opposite them stood Lou Xinyue, draped in a rose-colored dress, as delicate and charming as a blooming wintersweet flower. Beside her was a tall, burly man with dark skin and a thick, bushy beard that obscured his features. Standing together, they looked like a classic pairing of beauty and the beast. Behind them, a dark mass of over a hundred fully armed men made it clear that Lou Xinyue had come well-prepared.

Seeing Shen Qianmo step slowly from the carriage, the mountain-like man paused, turned to Lou Xinyue, and asked, "Little Yue, is that the woman who stole your beloved?"

His voice boomed like a bell, yet his tone was laced with skepticism. This… this was no woman; it was clearly a man with such an ordinary face that one would forget him the moment they looked away!

Lou Xinyue shot him an annoyed glare and pouted. "Fifth Brother, you are so foolish. Don't you know about the art of disguise? Their original appearances aren't like this at all."

Hearing Lou Xinyue call him "Fifth Brother," Shen Qianmo deduced his identity: he was likely the fifth son of the Tuba tribal chief. She was correct; the man, Na Kuotai, was indeed the chief's son. Though he possessed the strength of an iron-armed giant, he was simple-minded and doted on the sweet-talking Lou Xinyue, obeying her every word.

Upon hearing this, Na Kuotai had an epiphany. "Little Yue, you are so smart. Just wait, Fifth Brother will grab that woman for you right now so you can vent your anger."

Before Lou Xinyue could respond, he hoisted two heavy steel blades and charged toward Shen Qianmo.

"Qianmo, step back." Sensing that Na Kuotai was a formidable opponent, Ye Qinglan warned her, flicked her soft sword, and leaped forward to engage his thunderous, overwhelming assault.

Though the "Flying Frost" sword in Ye Qinglan's hand was not as legendary as the Soul-Extinguishing Sword, it was still a fine weapon. Light as a swallow, she wove through the fray, her blade flashing with icy, silver light, holding her own against Na Kuotai's crushing force.

Na Kuotai possessed immense strength, but he was cumbersome and lacked agility. Ye Qinglan, however, was nimble and graceful. As the old saying goes, "the weak can overcome the strong, and softness can master hardness." Her sword was the perfect counter to his heavy blades.

Na Kuotai was a man of brawn, not brains. He spent his energy lunging and slashing at Ye Qinglan’s elusive figure, but every strike missed its mark. After hundreds of exchanges, he grew agitated and exhausted. Ye Qinglan smirked, having anticipated this. Since becoming a bounty hunter, she had dealt with dozens of outlaws like him.

Seeing her opening, she launched a counterattack. Her sword flared with cold light, and she moved with the speed of lightning. With a sharp *shing*, she bypassed his guard, leaving a deep, tearing gash across his chest. Blood gushed out, instantly staining his front crimson.

Na Kuotai looked down in shock, his dark face filled with bewilderment. He had assumed this unremarkable, slight youth was merely a servant, never suspecting such profound swordsmanship.

However, he was thick-skinned and hardy; such a wound only fueled his natural belligerence. The Tuba tribe was the most warlike of all the Northern Di clans, and Na Kuotai was their most renowned strongman—which was exactly why Lou Xinyue had gone to such lengths to coax him out.

Lou Xinyue, watching from the sidelines, wore a dark, stormy expression. She had expected Na Kuotai to make quick work of Shen Qianmo so she could whip the woman and satisfy her hatred. Thinking of how she had been fooled by that "Seven-Day Heart-Breaking Pill" and hearing from the Old Madam He that Shen Qianmo was carrying Meng Yuanheng’s child, she was consumed by a jealous rage that nearly cost her her sanity.

Why, she wondered, did she sacrifice so much for Meng Yuanheng only to be ignored, while this woman received his deep affection? Why should she be forced to live under someone else's roof while Shen Qianmo enjoyed happiness?

Seeing Na Kuotai failing to gain the upper hand, Lou Xinyue clutched the piece of exquisite blood jade at her chest, her eyes blazing with murderous intent. "All of you, attack together! Whoever captures that boy in the green robe alive will be heavily rewarded!"

The armed guards surged forward. Driven by the promise of gold and their natural aggression, they fought with renewed fervor.

Ye Qinglan, unable to break free from Na Kuotai, shouted to Baili Xiao, "Baili Xiao, protect Qianmo!"

Baili Xiao responded by pulling a pouch from his waist and tossing a handful of powder toward the approaching guards. A yellowish mist erupted in the air. The guards nearest to them immediately felt their limbs go limp and collapsed to the ground, unable to rise.

"It's poison! There's poison!" Panic rippled through the ranks, and the guards retreated, not daring to advance further.

"Haha!" Baili Xiao laughed triumphantly. "Now you know the power of my Soft-Muscle Powder! Any more of you want to try, and you won't be leaving in one piece!"

"A bunch of useless trash!" Lou Xinyue cursed, drawing her own whip and lashing out at her men.

Seeing Na Kuotai falter under Ye Qinglan’s relentless assault, she grew desperate. She shouted to him, "Fifth Brother! That troublesome youth you’re fighting is actually a beautiful woman! If you can capture her, she’s yours—take her back and do whatever you please with her!"