Senior brother is so awesome!

By the end, she was sobbing uncontrollably. The thought of Situ Ze dying right in front of her made her heart ache so much that she could hardly breathe, and she wished she could die with him!

The man in black paused, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes hidden beneath his black robe, and roared hoarsely, "Attack!"

Just as Qin Yuechan was about to rush forward to save him, a cold and sinister voice suddenly sounded behind her: "Wait."

She turned around in disbelief, only to see a tall figure in a dark purple robe slowly walking out of the narrow entrance, which was about the height of a person. He was like the most dazzling pearl in the darkness, and once you looked at him, you couldn't take your eyes off him.

His exquisitely handsome face, seemingly crafted by a master craftsman, held a faint, cold smile. The sharp aura emanating from him made people hesitate to approach. When he caught sight of that slender figure in the center of the cave, his gaze softened, and he said in a tone that was both punishing and tender, "Aren't you coming over here!"

The moment she saw Zhong Zhichen, she knew that this time she had escaped unscathed, not just guessing, but certain.

Her body was pulled behind her, and the broad back almost completely blocked her view. She looked anxiously at the sky. Situ Ze had already fainted at some point, and several men in black were circling around, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Zhong Zhichen's gaze, devoid of any warmth, fell upon the man in black robes. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he asked in a cold voice, "Who exactly are you?"

The man in black robes had remained silent since he entered, and Qin Yuechan could not see the expression on his face hidden beneath the robes. Yet, she could strangely sense his silence, a deathly silence, and this feeling was inexplicably familiar.

"The Regent truly lives up to his reputation," he chuckled, leaning against the cave wall and speaking in a hoarse voice.

Hearing his voice, Zhong Zhichen frowned slightly, glanced at Situ Ze hanging in mid-air, and said with an icy look, "State your reasons."

"Reason?" The man in black chewed on the two words, then suddenly pointed at Qin Yuechan, who was hiding behind him, "I want her dead!"

The roar was shrill, like fingernails scratching on a blackboard, making anyone who heard it feel uncomfortable!

Qin Yuechan clutched Zhong Zhichen's clothes, her brows furrowed. She didn't remember ever offending this person, so why did he want to kill her?

Zhong Zhichen's thin lips curled into a cold smile as he tightened his grip on her hand slightly. "Do you think you can walk out of this cave alive?!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a clanging sound of swords being drawn was heard, and with the sound of orderly footsteps, a group of guards quickly filed in from the cave entrance behind them!

Dressed in dark purple, all masked and wielding knives, they swiftly and agilely surrounded the entire cave, forming a circle. The black-robed figures leaned against the wall, standing motionless.

Several men in black, no longer paying attention to Situ Ze, quickly surrounded the man in black robes, warily scanning the suddenly appearing guards.

Qin Yuechan stared in disbelief at the sudden turn of events, then tugged at his hand and whispered, "How did you know I was here?"

He glared at her expressionlessly, "I'll settle the score with you when we get back!"

"..."

In less than a minute, the situation took a dramatic turn for the worse. The one who was initially threatened suddenly became the dominant one. Zhong Zhichen ordered his guards to go forward and arrest the men. The three men in black fought desperately, but were ultimately outnumbered and defeated. What was terrifying was that the moment they fell to the ground, they all bled from their mouths and noses, convulsed, and died!

The man in black robes stood motionless in the corner the whole time, his large hat covering his face, which was shrouded in darkness.

The guards dared not underestimate him. To prevent him from escaping, the encirclement they formed around him grew smaller and smaller, but the man in black robes still did not react!

"he's gone."

Zhong Zhichen turned around, his brows furrowed. "What did you say?"

She raised her small face and said very calmly, "I said, that person has already escaped."

Although it was very strange, when the guard touched the robe, the originally upright black robe instantly went limp on the ground, no different from an ordinary piece of clothing, and a hole the size of a bowl appeared in the ground beneath the black robe!

Seeing this, everyone present felt a chill run down their spines. They were the Regent's top purple-clad guards, yet this person had vanished silently right before their eyes!

They had no time to investigate the matter. After taking the unconscious Situ Ze away, they hurried to Luoxue Pavilion.

In the evening, a banquet was held at Sanqing Mountain. Master came to take a quick look and then rushed back, taking Fifth Senior Brother and Junior Senior Brother with him. As the eldest senior brother, Zhong Zhichen could not miss the banquet and could only follow Master with a frown.

The look in her eyes as she left was chilling. Qin Yuechan shrugged innocently, "I'll tell you when I get back."

Situ Ze's injuries were severe, even appalling. Her once white undergarment was now barely recognizable, replaced by a shocking crimson that filled her eyes and welled up with tears.

The second senior brother, known as a divine healer, couldn't even comfort her at the moment. He focused all his attention on the shocking wounds, carefully wiping away the bloodstains and sprinkling on hemostatic or anti-inflammatory powders.

"Cicada, get me some medicine."

She hurriedly wiped away her tears and stepped forward to clumsily assist her brother, following his instructions.

The fourth senior brother was already lean, but after this ordeal, he became even thinner and less human-like. His handsome, almost demonic face was brutally slashed with a knife, the gruesome flesh turned outwards, making him unrecognizable as a human.

Gazing intently at his lifeless face, she felt a sharp pain in her heart. Her little hands gripped her second senior brother's wide sleeve, and she cried out, "Second senior brother, you must heal his face! He's so vain; he'll be heartbroken if his face is ruined!"

He nodded, but because of the blood on his hands, his hand, which had been comforting her, paused in mid-air before he withdrew it. His phoenix eyes were filled with deep tenderness as he softly said, "After all this time, don't you still trust your senior brother's medical skills?"

Qin Yuechan nodded frantically yet firmly, reassuring herself, "He'll be alright, he'll be alright."

After tending to her fourth senior brother's injuries, she slumped into her second senior brother's arms, but she didn't feel much relief. She felt as if a pair of eyes were lurking in the shadows, watching her every move. What would have happened if Zhong Zhichen hadn't suddenly arrived today? What was the purpose of that man in black?

The second senior brother didn't say much, only talking about trivial things. With so much happening today, she gradually fell asleep in his warm and comfortable embrace.

It was already past midnight when Qin Yuechan was awakened by a nightmare. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and calmed her wildly beating heart. The man's face appeared more and more clearly in front of her. If it was a fog before, she could now gradually make out his features. But when she woke up, she forgot it completely and it was still a fog.

Hearing faint voices outside, which sounded like the voice of the second senior brother, and still feeling uneasy from the dream, I got out of bed, put on my shoes, and went over.

She glanced around at the furnishings; it seemed to be Sui Xin's room. Suddenly remembering that her fourth senior brother was injured and lying on her bed, she quickened her pace. But then, curious about what her second senior brother and the others were talking about, she slowed her steps.

Even so, the sharp-eared senior brothers still noticed her presence and tacitly stopped talking. Except for the third senior brother who was still in town, everyone else was there. Fortunately, the house in Luoxue Pavilion was not small, otherwise it would have been crowded if all these tall and strong men were gathered here.

Xin, who had been in a panic during her dream, calmed down upon seeing them. Under the gaze of the four men, she slowly walked over, glanced at the night outside, and said, "What time is it? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

The group sitting in the sour pear wood armchairs were slightly taken aback. The junior brother yawned and said, "What time is it? Is junior sister still half asleep?"

A chill ran down his spine. Seeing the strange expressions on the faces of the other three, he forced a smile, sat down in his second senior brother's lap, and asked, "How is fourth senior brother?"

The second senior brother gave a faint smile, "Don't worry, the fourth brother won't die so easily. He has a fever now, but he'll be better tomorrow."

She nodded, rested her head against his chest, and asked in a voice as soft as a feather, "What were you talking about just now?"

He paused slightly, then put his arm around her waist and laughed, "It's nothing, we were just discussing today's events."

The night was cool and still, the light streaming through the window into the room. The early autumn night was a bit chilly, and I snuggled into my second brother's arms, thinking about what had happened that day.

“I might know that man in the black robe.”

Looking at the lamps on the table, she said calmly.

But no one present was surprised; it was as if it were expected.

Zhong Zhichen's deep voice rang out, "In your opinion, who could he be?"

As someone who has always been immersed in power, his imposing aura is fully expressed. Even the crown prince and other princes do not have the same kind of presence that makes people want to worship him.

Qin Yuechan shook her head. "It's just a gut feeling, but I can't remember where I've seen him before." She paused, then turned her gaze to Zhong Zhichen. "But I can feel his presence, it's very strong and very familiar."

She might recall a person, but immediately shake her head and dismiss it, unless she were insane to believe that a dead person could come back to life.

Suddenly, she remembered something and asked, "How did you know I would be in the cave today?"

"How dare you say that?" Zhong Zhichen slammed the teacup on the table, the sound jolting her scattered soul in the quiet night. She looked up at his tense, ashen face and thought that if it weren't for him today, she would probably be dead by now.

"It was my fault."

She nestled into her second senior brother's arms in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, just like when she was a child in the orphanage and the teacher was about to slap her palm, but she stood behind the director for protection. Actually, the teacher's slaps didn't hurt, but she liked the feeling of being protected, instead of being a little hedgehog with her quills raised to protect herself.

Zhong Zhichen wasn't really blaming him; he just couldn't help being angry when he thought about the consequences of her acting on her own initiative.

---Aside---

Yunqing is back! I wonder if you all missed me?