CHAPTER 2: Part 8

"Are you crazy, Xiaowei?" Luo Ran said, his eyes sweeping over the large group of soldiers. For the first time, apprehension flickered on his face. Drawing closer to Lin Jiang, he continued in a hushed voice, "Why did you have to shout so loudly?"

Wei Lin Jiang's face had turned ashen; uncertainty evident from his restless gaze. "I…I….I…." he stuttered, taking a step back from the advancing soldiers. He seemed at a loss seeing so many soldiers surrounding them on all sides.

Luo Ran shook his head and prodded him with his elbow. "Stuttering isn't going to help you, Xiaowei. Show them the Jade trinket," his voice was laced with equal amounts of annoyance and impatience.

Lin Jiang's eyes lit up, "Yes, the Jade Trinket. I have the Jade Trinket." Licking his dry lips, he nodded his head in an enthusiastic gesture. As far as he showed the token to the soldiers, they would probably let them go.

His hand moved towards his waistband and he was about to pull out the jade trinket when a soldier pointed at him and shouted, "Look! He has the Jade trinket. He must be the one who stole it from Madam Luo!"

Wei Lin Jiang's face turned paler than a ghost and he staggered; almost bumping into Luo Ran. How could that be? Lady Xiu had given the trinket to him with her own hands. Worry clouded his looks and a sense of deep dread settled in his heart. The guards didn't look like they would listen to anything he said.

"Move aside," an authoritative voice sounded and a man dressed in blue robes moved to the front. His steps were brisk and his demeanor exhibited a sense of pride. The long scar on his face distorted his otherwise decent appearance. He didn't seem bothered by the scar though; he carried it off with pride and elegance.

He came to a halt right in front of Lin Jiang; his expression taking on a ghastlier appearance; hate and disgust seemed to be spewing through his gaze. Unsheathing his sword, he pointed at Wei Lin Jiang and spoke in a harsh tone, "Thieves like him should be killed on sight."

The moonlight caught on the sharp blade giving out a dazzling glint. Zap! The sword sliced through the air; almost brushing the skin of his throat. Ling Jiang's entire life seemed to flash before his eyes in that micro second. His eyes widened in horror and his jaws hung open but the rest of his body went numb; causing him to freeze on the spot.

With a swift movement, Luo Ran grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the blade's way. Then, with a twirl resembling a soft flower that has just fallen from a tree, Luo Ran pulled Xiaowei behind him. His piercing gaze met the man's furious ones, "Wei Lin Jiang didn't steal the Jade trinket. It was given to him."

The man's expression turned mocking and he burst into a peal of laughter, "Does a thief ever admit that he is wrong?" Taking a step towards Luo Ran, he taunted, "Why are you defending him? Can it be that….tch…" he rubbed his chin as if in deep thought. "Can it be that you have been colluding with him the entire time?"

Luo Ran's expression turned colder than the northern ice, "No matter what I say, you won't believe me, will you; Officer Luo Dai? Luo Ran chewed out the last part of the sentence with the utmost vehemence.

Something flashed in the Officer's eyes but when he spoke, his voice was unwavering, "There is no reason for me to trust you."

"Fine then, I will give you more reason to distrust me," with those words, Luo Ran grabbed Xiaowei's arm and jumped over the boundary wall with a single leap.

"Catch them! Hurry! Run after them," Officer Luo Dai's infuriated voice rang in Wei Lin Jiang's ears as they landed with a soft thud on the other side.

He gazed at Luo Ran; eyes brimming with admiration, "How did you do that Xian Shen? That wall must have been at least twenty feet high but you jumped over it like it is a child's play to you."

Luo Ran didn't reply; his gaze was distant as if his mind was reeling with something. Wei Lin Jiang was about to repeat his question when a rising cloud of dust beyond the boundary wall caught his attention. It seemed to move in their direction.

The sound of thundering footsteps grew louder too; accompanied by the neighing of horses and the thudding of hooves. Wei Lin Jiang shook his head incredulously and muttered, "Did that officer dispatch an entire army?"

"He has the power to do so, we should not stay here any longer," Luo Ran said as he patted his shoulder. When Xiaowei didn't respond, he explained in an impatient voice, "Climb on my back, you idiot."

"B…but," Xiaowei stuttered. After seeing the gallant display of Luo Ran's power, he felt guilty for having exploited him earlier. A nagging sensation had developed in his heart that he had disrupted something big in his stubbornness.

Luo Ran snorted and forced Xiaowei to lace his arms around his neck. Lifting him in a piggyback, he said, "You didn't feel ashamed when you tricked me into helping you out of the tunnel. What are you feeling flustered for now?" With those words, he swished into the air and landed on the roof of a nearby mansion.

"Whoah!" Xiaowei couldn't restrain his excitement as he felt the sensation of floating in the air for the second time. "Xian Shen, you are really an expert at this…. For a moment, I felt like I am flying in the air."

Luo Ran didn't reply. His attention was fixed on the cloud of dust that was drawing closer with each passing moment. His eyes flashed with unwavering confidence and he took off with a soft grunt.

The tiles on the roof clattered as he glided over them; like a seagull skimming the surface of the water. Reaching the edge of the roof, he took a long jump.

Lin Jiang's heart jumped to his throat. Staring at the vast space in front of them, he gasped, "Xian Shen! Are you trying to get us killed?"

Luo Ran remained unperturbed. With the adeptness of an expert master, he landed on the next roof almost twenty feet away. He didn't stop this time; instead, his pace increased and he started moving way faster than before.

Lin Jiang's grip grew tighter; holding on for his dear life. His heart brimmed with fear and admiration as he watched Luo Ran jump from one roof to another like tiles of hopscotch. Within a few minutes, they had left the troops behind….