What to do if you receive the wrong package?

Xuan Yi held Shen Mujin's hand tightly as the two hurried through a dense forest. The trees whizzed past them, seemingly offering a sliver of shelter as they fled from their pursuers.

Shen Mujin's heart was pounding in her ears, and she could feel the sweat on her palms. This wasn't the first time she had been chased, but when she saw the rain of arrows raining down, she was still terrified. If Gu Yan hadn't pushed her in time, and if Xuan Yi and the others hadn't fought back so desperately, she probably would have been riddled with arrows.

Suddenly, she saw a dark shadow flash by on her left, and was greatly startled. She quickly grabbed Xuan Yi, stopped running, and crouched down. Xuan Yi protected Shen Mujin, hiding them both behind a clump of thick bushes, keeping a close watch on their surroundings without moving.

A small, finger-sized wound on Shen Mujin's forehead was oozing blood, and the strong smell of blood filled their nostrils. Xuan Yi turned his head, glanced at her wound, and silently handed her a clean handkerchief.

Hmm, this handkerchief looks familiar.

Shen Mujin gripped the handkerchief tightly, afraid to move, lest the act of wiping away the blood would reveal her and Xuan Yi's location and attract the relentless pursuit of the masked men. She slowly exhaled, her sharp gaze falling on a thin peach branch, about the length of a chopstick, in the grass. She immediately picked up the branch with her left hand and held it tightly in her grasp.

Xuan Yi looked at Shen Mujin's cautious appearance with some heartache. Ever since he appeared by Shen Mujin's side, it seemed that he had brought her only bad memories, such as being chased and being injured.

Yes, how could someone who walks on the edge of a knife year after year possibly provide Shen Mujin with a stable life? It seems he is not worthy to stay with her.

Shen Mujin was on edge, constantly observing her surroundings. The dark figure that had just appeared had completely vanished. Just to be safe, the two of them hid behind the bushes for a few more moments before revealing themselves and continuing their sprint forward.

She had only run a few steps when she suddenly felt the ground shake. Shen Mujin quickly grabbed a thick tree beside her to steady herself and looked at Xuan Yi in surprise.

"what happened?"

"I don't know, it might have been done by those masked men, who knows."

The tremor passed quickly. Shen Mujin looked at Xuan Yi's cold expression and his furrowed brows, and couldn't help but reach out and smooth them out. "Frowning makes you ugly, and if you look ugly, I won't want you anymore."

Xuan Yi felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing Shen Mujin's words, and smiled at her, saying, "I am still very confident in my appearance."

"Yes, yes, you're the coolest. Did you know who those masked men were or what their backgrounds were?"

“I’ve never seen this before.” Xuan Yi pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “This place is not safe to stay in. Let’s leave first.”

After running for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xuan Yi and Shen Mujin finally emerged from the dense forest. After walking a few steps, a dilapidated temple appeared before them.

The two exchanged a glance, walked around the fallen stone platform in front of the door, and Xuan Yi pushed the door open first. The huge, dilapidated wooden door creaked open slowly. The temple was covered in dust, the Buddha statues were long gone, leaving only a rickety lantern and two or three old cushions.

Xuan Yi carefully checked their surroundings to make sure no one was following them. Shen Mujin squatted beside the mat, her face filled with exhaustion and unease.

"Mumu, it's safe here for now. You can rest for a while."

"Xuanyi, what... what should we do?" Shen Mujin asked, trembling.

Xuan Yi walked over, squatted down in front of Shen Mujin, put a hand on her shoulder, and gently comforted her, "Mumu, don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, I will protect you."

Xuan Yi's sincere words and gaze gave Shen Mujin some strength. She stared blankly at the gentle man in front of her, and her heart, which had finally calmed down, began to pound wildly again.

Shen Mujin quickly lowered her head to avoid looking at the dust on the mat, still somewhat worried: "I wonder how Ayan, Brother Bai and the others are doing?"

"Don't worry, with Jiang Si around, Bai Yanhuai is perfectly safe. And don't underestimate Lao Bai and Li Hengzhi, they're both quite skilled."

Xuan Yi looked out the window from the bay window; the sun had already moved westward. He reached out his right hand, pulled Shen Mujin up from the ground, and calmly said, "We can't stay here too long. This place is too obvious; they'll find us. We need to find a safe place, and then figure out how to contact them."

"Back to the inn?" Shen Mujin's eyes lit up instantly.

“No,” Xuan Yi shook his head, directly rejecting Shen Mujin’s suggestion. “This time the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. Before we figure out the enemy’s details, we should not go back to the inn to avoid exposing too much information and getting ourselves into trouble.”

Shen Mujin nodded as if suddenly realizing something, "Then where do we go?"

"Let's leave here first and see if there are any villages around. We'll stay here for the night."

To avoid the mountain path becoming difficult to traverse in the darkness after sunset, the two rested briefly before setting off again. Before leaving, Xuan Yi looked at the marks left on Shen Mujin's wall and raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure Bai Yanhuai's brain can understand them?"

"Don't worry, only Ayan can understand this code." Shen Mujin smiled mysteriously at Xuan Yi and walked out of the temple first.

They hadn't gone far from the temple when a sudden gust of wind blew, causing the tree branches to sway wildly. Startled, Shen Mujin, who had been walking proudly ahead, immediately cowered behind Xuan Yi, even tugging at his sleeve and following him closely.

Xuan Yi took Shen Mujin's hand and held it firmly in his, saying, "Don't be afraid."

The warm touch came from Shen Mujin's hand, making her feel shy and a little unreal.

Oh my god, she actually held hands with Xuan Yi!

Shen Mujin quietly turned her head and was somewhat mesmerized by Xuan Yi's profile as he hurried along.

Xuan Yi was handsome; she had always known that. His long, curled eyelashes, like a small fan, made her heart flutter with a sense of unease.

No, no, how can I think about such nonsense at such a tense moment?

Shen Mujin shook her head slightly, silently exhaled, and stared straight ahead, forcing herself to calm down.

After walking for a while, the two of them saw wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys in the sky ahead.

"Xuanyi, there's a village ahead." Shen Mujin pointed to the smoke ahead and said excitedly, pulling Xuanyi's arm.

"Go and have a look."

The two quickened their pace and soon reached the edge of the village. The village didn't look very big, with only a dozen or so households, and the vast majority of them were elderly people.

Because many outsiders had recently appeared in the village, when Xuan Yi and Shen Mujin entered, the village chief greeted them familiarly and asked warmly, "Please wait a moment, gentlemen. I am the village chief. Are you here to find lodging? Would you like to find an empty house or a villager's home for the night?"

Xuan Yi took out a piece of silver from his pocket, handed it to the village chief, and said politely, "Hello, village chief. My wife and I originally wanted to go up the mountain for a stroll, but we didn't pay attention to the time. We have no choice but to come here and bother you. Please find us an empty room."

After accepting the silver coins, the village chief's smile widened. He personally led Xuan Yi and Shen Mujin to an empty wooden house and said considerately, "You two are too kind. This house was just cleaned recently. There's a well, and you can boil water in the small shed next door. Are you satisfied with what you see?"

"Satisfied, satisfied. Thank you for your hard work, Village Chief." Xuan Yi took a quick look around the house and nodded with a smile. He then slipped a piece of silver into the Village Chief's hand. "My wife and I haven't had dinner yet. We might need to trouble you to arrange some food for us."

"No problem, no problem. Please wait a moment, I'll be right back." The village chief's dark face was full of smiles, and his eyes were wrinkled.

After watching the village chief leave, Shen Mujin nudged Xuan Yi with her elbow and said, feigning anger, "What couple? Who's with you as a couple?"

Xuan Yi quickly closed the door, patted her head, lowered his head to her forehead, and touched her temple. His voice was gentle, as if coaxing her, or perhaps pleading: "Of course it's you and me, although not now, but who knows in the future."

"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you." Shen Mujin glared at Xuan Yi with a shy expression, then turned around and sat down in a chair to rest.

Xuan Yi chuckled twice, tossed the remaining silver coins in his hand, and gazed out the window in the direction the village chief had left. "That village chief is quite interesting."

"What?" Shen Mujin didn't understand what was wrong with the village chief.

"Although this person appears very enthusiastic, most of that enthusiasm is just an act. If it weren't for the few taels of silver I have, he probably wouldn't be so easy to talk to."

"Perhaps it's because too many outsiders have come lately, causing endless trouble. This place is originally far removed from worldly affairs, but a rumor has attracted martial arts practitioners to flock here. If you encounter a reasonable and easy-going person, that's fine. But if you run into a thug or a rogue, you'll suffer an undeserved disaster. It's already quite good that you get a friendly look; don't expect too much."

Shen Mujin carefully examined the cabin. The cabin was indeed very small, and the furniture consisted of only a simple, commonly used table, four round stools, and a bed.

Shen Mujin stared at the bed in front of her, lost in thought: Oh my god, I'm not going to be sleeping with Xuan Yi tonight, am I?

Xuan Yi looked at Shen Mujin, who was in a daze again, and thought that today's events had still frightened her. He felt a mix of emotions and looked at her with a deeper gaze, as if he was thinking about something.

"Hey, what's wrong with you today? What are you thinking about? Were you scared?"

Shen Mujin turned her head and saw Xuan Yi's gloomy expression once again.

"Mumu, I have sent a message to Fengting. You stay here for the next few days. Fengting will come to protect you. I will come back to find you after I find the others."

"Hmm? No way." Shen Mujin refused without even thinking.

"The situation outside is complex and dangerous; a slight misstep could cost you your life."

"Xuanyi, I know you're worried about me. I'm worried about you too. You choose: either I'm with you, or you're with me. Don't even think about anything else." Shen Mujin's handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his attitude hardened.

Looking at Shen Mujin's persistent and stubborn appearance, Xuan Yi felt a pang of tenderness in his heart.

"Have you thought it through? If you follow me, you might encounter many hardships along the way."

"Okay! I've thought it through." Shen Mujin nodded obediently. "If I don't go with you, I'm afraid someone will snatch you away halfway because you're so beautiful."

Seeing her obedient appearance, Xuan Yi's heart melted, and he wished he could hold her in his hands and protect her at all times. He raised his hand and ruffled Shen Mujin's hair, his mood suddenly brightening. If he couldn't even protect Shen Mujin, what else could he do?

"Don't worry, I belong to you alone."

"Hey, what are you doing? You can't retaliate like that." Shen Mujin covered her disheveled hair and quickly turned around, her back to Xuan Yi, so that he wouldn't see her flushed cheeks.

A moment later, the village chief knocked on the door with dinner in hand. Xuan Yi took the tray, politely handed the village chief a piece of silver again, and inquired, "Village chief, was there an earthquake just now?"

"Young master, you also sensed it? Some villagers said it came from the west side of Qixia Mountain, as if there was something in the west, and they said they saw a large dark shadow."

"A large dark shadow? Did you see what it was?"

"Most of the villagers have only heard about it, saying it looks really big, but we don't really know what it looks like." The village chief waved his hand, pocketed the loose silver, and politely took his leave.

Shen Mujin, who was leaning against the door listening to the story, glanced at the food on the tray and nodded with great satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad. There are vegetables, meat, rice and soup. I thought it would be cornbread with pickled vegetables."

"Since you think it's good, come and eat." Xuan Yi handed chopsticks to Shen Mujin and thoughtfully served soup and vegetables.

After a long day of fleeing, Shen Mujin was starving. She took the chopsticks and bowl without any hesitation and started eating quickly without caring about her image.

"Eat slowly, no one will take it from you."

"Hiccup... I can't help it, I'm hungry." Shen Mujin mumbled, her mouth full of food.

After the two finished their meal, Shen Mujin patted her round belly and sighed contentedly, "I feel like all the fatigue from the day is gone after eating this."

Xuan Yi tidied up quickly, picked up the tray, and left the room. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shen Mujin rushed to the bedside, slipped on her slippers, lay down, and stretched out a big yawn, almost humming with pleasure.

But what will happen when Xuan Yi comes back? How will he sleep in this bed?

With these questions in mind, Shen Mujin silently turned over, intending to think about it seriously, but she couldn't resist the drowsiness and fell asleep with her head tilted to the side.

When Xuan Yi returned with the hot water, he saw that Shen Mujin had already fallen asleep, so he gently picked up the damp white cloth and wiped her down.

The dim candlelight flickered on and off. Xuan Yi unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth, reached out, and touched the soft cheek of the person in front of him with his fingertips.

"Stop fooling around." Half asleep, Shen Mujin waved her hand and turned over. Her clothes were a little disheveled from the roll, revealing her fair and delicate neck, and her rosy mouth was slightly open, breathing in small gasps with each breath.

Xuan Yi swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a bit thirsty. He quickly covered Shen Mujin with the blanket, extinguished the candle, and quietly left the room.

The May night was still a bit chilly. A cool breeze blew over Xuan Yi, gradually calming him down. He leaped onto the roof. Sitting on the roof, looking up at the calm moonlight, watching over Shen Mujin who was sleeping soundly inside, Xuan Yi suddenly felt that this kind of night was also very beautiful.

"Cuckoo"

With the signal, a dark figure appeared beside Xuan Yi in the moonlight, completely hidden in the shadows, with only a vague outline visible.

"See your Lord."

"How was the check?"

"Your Majesty, the great earthquake was caused by a huge black object emerging from the mountains west of Qixia Mountain. However, this object is not a physical entity, but rather a phantom."

"Illusions?" Xuan Yi nodded slightly. "Where are those masked men?"

"The masked men in black were the first to arrive at the epicenter and completely took control of the area. Anyone who tried to sneak in was killed on the spot. Moreover, according to the investigation, these masked men in black seem to have some connection with Liu Jindao, the leader of the Wind and Rain Sect."

"Ha, the Wind and Rain Sect. This Sect Leader Liu is practically half-buried in the ground, yet he still thinks about coming out and causing trouble. Send someone back to tell Feng Ting to continue investigating this group's background. The rest of you, secretly follow me and do as I command."

"Yes, I am resigning."

The man in black came and went in a hurry. Xuan Yi looked westward by the moonlight, a slight smile playing on his lips.

It looks like tomorrow will be quite lively.