Planning to go out

The next evening, Lan Xing came to look for Ling Xue in the room with a letter.

The lanterns and candles in the room lit in a dim light. The room wasn't very big but had all the necessary furnishings.

"Master, the brothers have got our letter and sent us a reply." Lan Xing said and handed the letter to Ling Xue respectfully with both hands.

Ling Xue took the letter and opened it. The paper was blank with nothing written in it. But no one knew that it was a secret method of communication which she made herself.

To hide the contents in the letter, a spiritual drug called 'None' specially made by her was used and to show it, another spiritual drug called 'Seen' was used. She had named the drugs casually since they weren't really unique and had many more secretive communication techniques in the world. They used it so confidentially because she believed that no one can undo the effect of her drugs.

She took out a small red porcelain bottle and poured out some white powder on the paper. The paper suddenly started to show the content inside it.

"Oh? Lan Ying wrote the letter himself? That's rare. He must have been really worried this time. That ice block." Ling Xue chuckled softly after recognising the handwriting.

Lan Ying was the most trusted person as well as the leader of the 7 guardians. The 7 guardians were the highest ranked subordinates in XueLing cult and directly served under Ling Xue. Their duty is to protect her in any situations and would always be around her by hiding themselves. The group was formed by those seven themselves which she agreed after they pestered her when she was once injured in an assassination attempt.

This time it was different because they were held down by a great number of enemies and were plotted to be unable to be besides Ling Xue. They were also the strongest and most loyal subordinates who had been through many sufferings and seen the rise of the XueLing cult together with her so they must have been very worried when they heard that she nearly died.

"Although brother Ying doesn't show his feelings on his face, he is very loyal and devoted to your safety and wellbeing. He is cold on the outside while soft in the inside towards his comrades." Lan Xing said with a happy smile on her face when she saw her master in a good mood.

She knew that her master treated her brothers and herself as friends even though they are her subordinates. She loved them as a family which was why everyone in XueLing cult are so loyal and devoted towards her.

Ling Xue smiled warmly after hearing her.

"By the way, master. What did brother Ying say in the letter?" Lan Xing asked curiously. Although it was rude to ask your superior about such things but she knew that her master didn't care about such formalities so she could be so straightforward.

"Here. Read it yourself. Those idiots really do whatever they want." Ling Xue gave the letter to Lan Xing and shook her head helplessly. She knew that for them, her safety was top priority while everything else came second. But she wasn't angry about it and even thought to herself 'as expected.'

"Eh? Brother Ying and others are heading towards us already? But master, didn't you already tell them the plan in the letter? What if it didn't work?" Lan Xing asked worriedly.

"It's fine. Lan Ying knows about my intentions and isn't reckless. While the leader is dead, the cult will be defenseless and disorderly without any superiors to control which will be the best time for the enemies to strike." Ling Xue said calmly.

"But, what if the enemies really strike when the cult is unguarded?" Lan Xing asked.

"It doesn't matter. Since the base they would attack will just be an abandoned one. I assume that Lan Ying had already finished evacuating all the members to the main base. What would be left will just be an empty shell for the enemies. Since the opposing parties don't know my whereabouts and situation, they may as well believe that I am dead. He understands me the best so when I wrote him the letter, he already understood my hidden intention and took action in secret since I knew that they won't agree in leaving me alone while I am injured severely and that they would surely come to my side no matter what I say." Ling Xue smiled and said.

" That's so them...haha. But master, what if they try to find you?" Lan Xing said with a helpless laugh and asked.

" To find me...they first need to know who I am and what I look like. Anyway, they must arrive here in 4-5 days. So we will stay here till then and go out of the town after they arrive." Ling Xue then stretched her arms lazily and continued.

"I am hungry. Let's go and have our dinner." She then got up from the chair and burned the letter in the candle. They then went out of the room to head downstairs.

****

It had already been two days since Ling Xue and others stayed in LiuHua town.

Ling Xue and the siblings got along well in these days and she found them likeable. She liked Xiao Li even more because she always came near her and called out cutely like a small kitten which made her soften her heart to this pure and innocent little girl.

Although Ah Feng was of the same age as Ling Xue, he was slightly smaller than his peers so he looked like her younger brother instead of a peer. She herself didn't realise that she had started to treat them like her own after the past interactions between them.

Ah Mo would sometimes take Xiao Li and Ah Feng out for a short walk around the streets. They would sometimes bring her some fun toys to show which would make her smile even at such childish things.

In all these days, Ling Xue hadn't left her room other than the time to have her meals. Her external wounds have scabbed in these days and would heal fully after more rest and meditation but her inner energy was still suppressed due to her injured spiritual core. So she would mostly stay in her room to cultivate and heal her core slowly.

It was noon already. Ling Xue and others came downstairs to have their lunch.

The dining hall was bustling with customers voices and sounds of the dishes. The waiters were walking around to serve the orders of the customers.

They sat on an empty table and ordered some dishes. They talked about some random things about food and other subjects as they waited for their food to be served.

"Oh, by the way. Ling Xue, we are planning on looking around the town tomorrow. Do you want to go with us?" Ning'er changed the subject with a smile and asked her.

"All of you are going?" Ling Xue asked.

"Yes. We thought that staying inside the room all the time must be boring so we decided to take everyone out. What do you say? Do you want to join us?" said Ning'er.

"It is good to go out once in a while. But I am still weak in health so I won't go with you this time. Xing'er, do you want to go with them? You must be bored too." Ling Xue said with a smile.

"Mas- Young miss, if I went away, there won't be anyone to serve you and you are injured too so I will stay with you." said Lan Xing. She was worried to leave her since her master couldn't use her spiritual qi at the moment and danger might befall her anytime.

"Since you have to rest then we won't force you. We can look around again together after you recover. I will also make sure to take note of some delicious street foods so that you can also taste it next time. Hehe." Ah Mo said cheerfully.

"Big sister, get well soon and take me out with you too. It will be fun!" Xiao Li said with a cute smile.

"Yes, you should come with us next time no matter what." Ah Feng echoed with a slight pout. He was very shy around her at first that he couldn't even talk to her directly so it was a great progress to have him act cute around her like this, given his shy nature.

Ling Xue smiled warmly at her and said.

"Okay. I will take you out to shop around next time. I will buy you anything you want, okay?"

"Really?!" Xiao Li asked with her eyes twinkling in delight.

"I promise." Ling Xue looked at her adorable expression and couldn't make herself be cold towards her.

"Yay! Then it's a promise!" Xiao Li cheered happily and said. Ah Feng also smiled happily.

Everyone smiled in a good mood after seeing their happy smiles. The siblings were excited about going out and chatted happily as they ate. They were harmonious and warm.

An almost indistinguishable smile remained on Ling Xue's face throughout the conversation which was filled with warmth. Deep inside, she wished that this peaceful moment could remain forever.

But Ling Xue never thought that there would be a day when she would never get to see their smiles ever again.