Days Before The Imperial Banquet - 24.1

"Ru Wen Cheng and his disciple Ying Xiao Li is with her." Fan Song Xue said in reply to Fan Hui Zhong's question.

Hearing his answer, Fan Hui Zhong calmed down and nodded before he thought to ask, "But why isn't there anyone accompanying you? what about that boy, Xiao Dan?"

"Wen Cheng sent Xiao Dan out personally to procure some herbs discreetly to avoid any mishaps since he has higher cultivation than our family's servants. Besides, his sister Xiao Li stayed behind to help Wen Cheng out."

"Your son understands. If you'll excuse me, I would just like to check up on my daughter."

"Go. Once you get an update on her condition, come back and inform me how she's doing."

Nodding his head, Fan Hui Zhong then left while Fan Hui Liang shot a questioningly look towards the old patriarch.

Sighing, Fan Song Xue started explaining what happened, meanwhile Fan Hui Zhong arrived at the room where Fan Zhu Xia was at and saw Ru Wen Cheng checking up on her while Ying Xiao Li was at the side cleaning up what seems to be leftover medicine.

His abrupt entrance drew the two's attention while Fan Hui Zhong's eyes remained glued on to Fan Zhu Xia's wan face and closed eyes.

"Lei Wangye, You're here!" Ru Wen Cheng exclaimed the moment Fan Hui Zhong entered.

"What happened?"

"Answering Lei Wangye, the Young Miss pushed herself too much when treating the Old Patriarch and caused her to suffer some side effects."

Frowning at the words he heard, Fan Hui Zhong's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his face to look at Ru Wen Cheng.

"What side effects?"

"For starters, she had exhausted her qi too much and even her high cultivation couldn't keep up with the rate of consumption which is why her body's having trouble coping with it and to make matters worse, whatever treatment she did had placed tremendous pressure on her not only physically which was already quite evident with the internal injuries that I saw she suffered but also on her mind and soul! For now, I've already stabilized her condition but it is best to let her rest while we keep a close eye on her state before doing anything just to try to wake her up."

Coming close to the bed, Fan Hui Zhong sat beside it and gently held Fan Zhu Xia's limp hand with his own before he spoke.

"Then what should we do?"

"I've already addressed the mattet of her internal injuries and there shouldn't be any problems arising from that. Now we should wait for my disciple; Xiao Dan to come back first. I've sent him to go and get a list of herbs that I could refine to make pills suitable to adress her qi deficiency and also to lessen the damage her mind and soul suffered."

"So there isn't anything we can do for her right now?"

"I'm sorry Master but no... All that needs to be done and can be done, this one has already finished doing it." Ru Wen Cheng replied helplessly.

"Very well then. What about father's condition? Can you tell me more about it?"

Hearing his question, a complicated expression appeared on Ru Wen Cheng's face as he said, "About that... the Old Patriarch wouldn't let me check up on him until I finished checking up on the Young Miss so I am unable to tell Master anything about the Old Patriarch's condition."

Hearing that, Fan Hui Zhong couldn't help but let out a low chuckle as he shook his head.

"Stubborn, old man... Wen Cheng, go on and check up on my father first. Since nothing can be done until your disciple comes back then go on and make sure my father is okay. I'll stay here with my daughter for now."

"This lowly one understands." Ru Wen Cheng said in reply before shooting his disciple, Ying Xiao Li who had remained quiet and unobtrusive from start to finish a look before the two of them excused themselves and left quietly, leaving the father and daughter alone.

Meanwhile, outside the estate, Ying Xiao Dan was facing troubles of his own.

"Sir Ying, please go on ahead and escape once you see a chance!" a guard clad in Lei Sha Di Army's armor lowly said to him in an urgent manner making Ying Xiao Dan's expression turn ugly.

"I can't just leave you guys here to die!" he bit out frustratedly as he parried an attack from a black clothed man.

Currently they were on a desserted street and since it was still quite early in the morning, the commonly bustling street was empty and adding on the drizzling rain that made the skies overcast and gloomy, even the usual early risers had chosen to sleep in and linger in their homes.

The only reason that they were out here was because Ying Xiao Dan had to call upon some of his acquaintances to procure some high-quality herbs that he heard they had in their possession.

Who knew that they would meet with an ambush along the way?

It was a good thing that he had thought to ask a group of soldiers from the Lei Sha Di Army to accompany him or else he would have been dead meat by now.

The only thing he regrets is that the group of soldiers he asked where all his friends and fairly young new recruits. The only one who can be considered a veteran was their squad leader and trainer, the same person who told him to run; Luo Yang.

Luo Yang was an old friend of Min Sheng from the time he was still in the Thunder Vale Army under General Fan Hui Zhong.

Luo Yang only followed his friend's example and joined the Lei Sha Di Army when he retired due to a leg injury.

If it wasn't for this old injury then Luo Yang wouldn't be assigned to training new recruits but would be one of the few captains of the elite guards.

Little by little, Ying Xiao Dan can see how their group was being pushed back into a proverbial corner.

"Brothers I'm sorry for dragging everyone into this..." Ying Xiao Dan said in a low voice filled with guilt and regret.

"What are you saying? As brothers, we help each other even in the face of death!"

"Nicely said, Little Bo!"

"See Brother Xiao? Even Brother Chen agrees with Little Bo, what more of I when my father is here with us?"

Looking at his three friends, Bo Jian, Chen Shu and Luo Ming, Ying Xiao Dan couldn't help but tear up at their sincerity but because of this, he felt even more unreconciled and unable to accept their impending deaths.

It was at this moment that one of the assassins suddenly collapsed to the ground where a puddle of blood pooled under him which was then slowly washed away by the rainwater.

Seeing this, the assassins were surprised and half of them quickly diverted their attention to search for the one responsible.

In the next instant, two figures appeared on top of one of the nearby roofs.

A handsome man clad in elaborate and attention-grabbing robes and a woman with an alluring willowy figure clad in a black dress and a veiled black hat that covered her face.

Seeing the man, Ying Xiao Dan couldn't help but call out in surprise.

"Second Young Master!"

Hearing that, the remaining nine assassins killing intent soared and four immediately turned their attention towards the two new arrivals and simultaneously attacked while the remaining five resumed their attack on Ying Xiao Dan's group.

Unperturbed, Fan Yong Rui nomchalantly said, "Little Five, go and help them. This Young Master would take care of this four."

"As you desire, Master!" the black-clothed lady replied in a low seductive purr before she disappeared in place and reappearing near Luo Yang who had just parried an attack and pushed an assassin away from him.

Just as the assassin was recovering his center of gravity, he felt something pierce his chest from the back and just as he looked down, he managed to see a faint shadow before it fully dissipated and he breathe his last.

Not only the opponents were surprised at her strength but also Ying Xiao Dan's group was shocked.

Seeing the looks directed her way, the lady in black giggled bewitchingly while the revealing front of her dress showed her cleavage which jiggled as she laughed in delight.

"Please, keep your eyes on me and let me show you a great show!" she coyly said before she suddenly moved in fast, phantom-like steps to arrive in front of one of the assassins who barely had any time to react before he felt a single finger poke his head and his head exploded with shadows coming out.

The sight alarmed every single one of their attackers so much that the two out of the four assassins who was about to deal with Fan Yong Rui was about to split off to help their comrades when Fan Yong Rui finally moved.

"Where do you think you're going?" Fan Yong Rui asked with a smirk before he launched a fist straight towards the masked face of the assassin causing it to cave in with the force and blood spurting out as the assassin unceremoniously fell to the ground causing the remaining three to immediately be on guard.

Rolling his shoulders back, Fan Yong Rui flicked his hand to remove any remaining blood from his fist before turning to the remaining assassins in front of him.

"Now, why don't you three tell this Young Master who sent you and maybe that would put this Young Master in a good mood and might even decide to let you go."

Angered, one of the assassins furiously said, "Courting death!"

With a signal, the three simultaneously rushed towards him while brandishing their weapons aggressively.

On the other hand, Fan Yong Rui was parrying their attacks left and right as if swatting flies as he launched attacks of his own making his opponents suffer countless internal injuries.

Just a short moment passed when a soft yet alluring voice echoed out and said, "Master, I'm finished!"

Upon hearing that, Fan Yong Rui smirked and then lazily spoke which was in total contrast to his sudden change of pace as he launched one furious attack after another, pummeling the three assassins to the ground one by one.

"Too bad no one spoke, now no one can go."

With his eyes glinting dangerously, he kicked the last one standing in the midsection so hard that the assassin's front practically exploded with only his spine and remaining muscles in the back kept his body from splitting in half.

Using his qi to coat his body, Fan Yong Rui pulsed it outward and all the blood and gore was washed away by the ongoing downpour of rain before he made his way to Luo Yang and Ying Xiao Dan's group.

"Luo Yang, Xiao Dan, what are you guys doing out here?" Fan Yong Rui questioned.

"Second Young Master, we were accompanying Sir Ying to get medicinal herbs needed to treat the Young Miss." Luo Yang answered in reply.

"Young Miss? Wait a minute, something happened to Little Xia?!"