13 Chapter 12 – The Purple Azaleas (Part 2)

"Is it still there?"

"Yes, yes! But... They are going to auction it to the highest bidder in a few days! Yun Shang Xing Yu's paintings are exceedingly rare and ever since the private collections have appeared in the market, it had garnered a lot of attentions. A lot of rich buyers are interested in it. The black-market owner will organize an auction and sell them to the highest bidder. I am just being commissioned by the boss to gather potential buyers..." Liu Fu answered honestly as he did not know what Meng Yu would do to him if he lied. He could feel her murderous glare at the mention of the auction. Meng Yu slammed her hand on the table angrily.

"Absurd!" Liu Fu was taken aback by Meng Yu's outburst. He did not understand why this little lady was so furious upon hearing the news. Little did he know that Meng Yu was actually the owner of the private collection.

Meng Yu began pacing back and forth in the store with her hand behind her back as she fumed in anger. Someone was actually trafficking her precious treasures after her fake death!

"When is the auction?"

"3 days from now..."

She stopped in her track and paused for a while. Then she turned to look at him with a devious smile on her lips. "Truth be told, the master I am serving is someone who appreciates Yun Shang Xing Yu's painting. He will be extremely interested to join in the auction."

"Ah?" Liu Fu stared blankly at the abrupt changes in the situation.

"You will get me an invite to the auction." Meng Yu commanded as she folded her arms in front of her.

"But, but... it is not that easy to get an invite.." The rest of his words were swallowed back into his throat when Meng Yu glared at him.

"If you do not wish to die, then you will get me an invitation."

Liu Fu's heart trembled under her threat, and he knew in his heart that she was not joking. This woman did not care about his life, and she will not hesitate to kill him here and now if he did not agree to her request. He swallowed his saliva nervously.

"Well, I am not saying that it is impossible to get an invite. It is just that... " He made a sign with his finger and Meng Yu immediately understood his meaning. Such a greedy man!

"How much?"

Seeing her quick understanding, Liu Fu burst into gleeful smile and whispered the amount to her. Meng Yu grumbled in annoyance as she replied," Fine. 3 days later, I will come and find you with the money. You better not play any games!"

"Of course not! I am just trying to earn a living here. As long as you have the money, then I will get you the invitation!"

Satisfied with his answer, Meng Yu exited the shop without as much as a backward glance at Liu Fu. She lowered her gaze in deep thoughts, devising her next move, before she was snapped out of it by a familiar sharp cry.

Wait, isn't this Xiao Yun's voice?

Alarmed, she quickly dashed over and saw the other two servant girls who was accompanying Xiao Yun lying on the ground in tears.

"What happened?"

One of the girls pointed at the rooftop and stammered in fear, "Xiao Yun... Xiao Yun was taken away by a man!"

Meng Yu turned toward the direction and saw a man dressed in black carrying Xiao Yun over his shoulder, as he escaped by jumping deftly from one rooftop to another. She quickly chased after him in a flash.

Noticing Meng Yu following from behind, the man finally stopped at a quiet valley, and put the fainted Xiao Yun down. Standing high on top of the rooftop, he turned around to face Meng Yu who was pursuing persistently on her foot.

Hiding beneath the mask, his glare was murderous as he stared down at her. Meng Yu stopped suddenly, and realization dawned on her when she saw the man smirked cunningly back at her. He quickly raised his hand up, and arrows began showering down from the rooftop without warning. Caught in an ambush, Meng Yu nimbly dodged the rain of arrows, and was forced to use her bare arms and legs to deflect the arrows away. She managed to avoid being hit at her vital spots but received numerous injuries on her body.

As soon as the arrows stopped, the man immediately pounced straight at her with his two swords. His swords slashed at her shoulder, and Meng Yu staggered backward in pain.

Despite her injuries, Meng Yu sneered at the man in front of her.

"You will resort to such underhanded tactic just to kill me?"

The man laughed coldly. "Underhanded or not, as long as you die, then it doesn't matter."

He continued to strike ruthlessly at Meng Yu who tried her best to evade his attacks. "You and I do not have any vengeance! Why do you keep trying to kill me?" Meng Yu's expression remained stoic, despite knowing her own disadvantageous situation. She refused to let her opponent to see through her weakness.

"A dead man has no need to know the reason!" He signaled for his people who were hidden on the roof to attack Meng Yu. One after another jumped at her like a vicious wolf seeking its prey.

Meng Yu's eyes grew cold as she tightened her fist.

"Since you are the one who seek death, then do not blame me." As soon as the words left her lips, her movements quicken, and her strikes became deadly. Every blow was aimed toward her opponent's vital points, and one after another man was strike down ruthlessly by her.

Blood was spurting out everywhere in the savage battle, just like scarlet rain cascading from the sky. The masked man was stunned as he watched in disbelief at the horrid scene unfolding right in front of his eyes. Meng Yu broke the neck of one man barehandedly and smashed another's head against the wall, killing the attacker instantaneously. Even though she had suffered severe injuries, she remained standing straight, not displaying any sign of vulnerability. Her robe and hands were drenched in scarlet blood and lying haphazardly before her were a pile of bodies. Her remorseless eyes stared back at the only remaining person standing in front of her.

The man took off his mask, and sure enough, her suspicion was confirmed. Jin Di was the man behind the mask. His expression was grim as he spoke, "You are truly not ordinary. These people are all elites among elites, but you singlehandedly took them down. Not to mention, your skills are too savage."

A cold smile formed on Meng Yu's face as she replied tauntingly, "It is either kill or be killed anyway. Does it matter how it was done?"

Jin Di frowned upon hearing her words. "I was right. A person like you must not be allowed to continue living."

Jin Di thrusted his swords forward without any hesitation. Meng Yu could barely avoid it as the previous fight had drained her energy and injured her severely. As they fought back and forth, Meng Yu was losing her stance, and inevitably received a few heavy blows from Jin Di. She stumbled backward and fell on her knees. Jin Di was not entirely unhurt either as Meng Yu also managed to break a few ribs of his. However, he was relentless, and would not stop until he took her life. Seeing her vulnerable state, he wasted no time and pounced forward with a finishing blow.

Time seemed to slow down as Meng Yu stared back fearlessly at the man striking down at her. She fought hard to maintain her consciousness, even as her last bit of strength was draining out of her. Her claws dug deep into her palms, drawing blood.

Just as Jin Di's sword was about to reach her, a fan came out of nowhere and momentarily blocked her blurring vision. All she could hear was a loud clank, and the next thing she knew, Jin Di was retreating a few steps away from her. Someone had blocked Jin Di's fatal attack for her.

"Murdering in broad daylight. How uncivilized." the person spoke lazily as he stepped out of the shadow.

Meng Yu caught a glimpse of a pair of intricate jade blood pendant hanging on the person's waistbelt as he walked past her. When she raised her head, she only saw his back standing straight with a dignified posture in front of her. She might not see his face, but she recognized his arrogant voice.

"Tsk tsk. Jin Di, you are getting more careless nowadays. How can you commit such brutal act in broad daylight?" Yin He commented nonchalantly, as he played with the tassel on his fan.

Jin Di's expression turned ugly at the sight of Yin He.

"This is my personal problem, Lord Yin He. Please do not get involved." He replied sternly.

Yin He smirked gleefully, as he looked up at Jin Di. "Oh? I think it is a bit too late to ask me not to get involve now? You should know my personality. Since I already took one blow from you, naturally I will need to repay." His eyes twinkled in excitement.

Alarmed, Jin Di quickly dodged as Yin He's fan flew forward and narrowly missed his neck. Without further ado, Jin Di jumped back up onto the rooftop, and quickly escaped from the scene.

"Chase." Yin He ordered curtly, and his subordinates immediately rushed forward to chase after the escaping Jin Di.

"What about her?" One of the subordinates pointed at Meng Yu. Yin He turned around and took a good look at Meng Yu's bloodied condition, and his lips curled up. He replied impishly, "Bring her back."