Hit by an arrow!

Chu Sheng and five mounted city guards were racing towards them from a perpendicular road . It would not be long before they cut off their path of escape.

"We can't even catch our breaths…" Xian Wu sighed.

Despite being laid over the horse like a sack of luggage, it was still easier for him to see what was happening behind them. He could crane his neck around while Lai Yiteng was busy steering a horse without reins.

"Let's see...there's one, two, three, ah! Seven of the city guards, three men in black."

Lai Yiteng just scrunched his brows as he saw the outer city gate. He pressed his heels and legs into the horse's sides harder, urging it onward.

Xian Wu continued to say, "I understand your idea of wanting to escape through the gate...but it's shut tight."

And the city gate obviously wasn't a flimsy piece of drift wood. It was a towering structure made of thick lumber that had to be drawn up with ropes during the day by laborers to open it.

But Lai Yiteng was not deterred. "No issue. I'll just make a hole."

"..." After all, thought Xian Wu, this Lai Yiteng was the violent sort. "That's pretty ruthless, they put a lot of effort into building those gates."

Lai Yiteng had another vein throbbing on his forehead. "Why do you care? You were the rudest oaf at Pleasure of Jade tonight. Can't you just shut your mouth?!"

Xian Wu laughed, but then tensed as he shouted, "Watch out!"

An assassin had been keeping watch on the outer gate as well. He had seen the two approaching on horseback and an arrow was already shooting towards them.

It was black and thin, a streamline shape that could cut through the air easily and at great speed.

Lai Yiteng had no time to unsheathe his knife to block it, and Xian Wu was…still in bondage.

Only a few split seconds passed as the arrow whizzed closer.

Lai Yiteng was first planning to twist his body so that it would only hit his shoulder and not impale itself into his chest...but suddenly Xian Wu had wormed upright in front of him. The man's broad shoulders shifted as though he were about to block the arrow for Lai Yiteng!

Lai Yiteng was indescribably livid. Even if the most rational decision would be to let Xian Wu suffer the blow for him--he instinctively rejected such a gesture.

He did not want to be 'saved' by anyone.

The only person he ever wanted to care about again was himself.

Thus, Lai Yiteng's head butted into the back shoulder blades of Xian Wu, shoving the man back down as the arrow lodged into his upper arm. The pain hit him like a torrent of wasp stings. It burned and sizzled. He could only suck in a shallow breath of pain, but it did not reach his lungs.

"Rip it out quick!" Xian Wu had lost his calm expression. "Hurry!"

Lai Yiteng would have done so without being told. He hand latched onto the arrow and his teeth were grit in pain as he wrenched it out.

A chunk of his pale skin was lost with it, that flawless white sleeve of his stained with yet more blood. And it wouldn't stop bleeding, either, thick crimson dripping down his forearm and onto the flank of the horse. Previously, his jade white skin was almost ethereal and translucent, but it had taken a down turn to an unhealthy wan shade in a matter of moments.

Thus, he was unable to react when Xian Wu somehow broke the rope on his hands and ankles.

Xian Wu grabbed the arrow Lai Yiteng had only just pulled out and sent it hurtling back at the assassin on the rooftop with a speed no less than the crossbow's.

It hit square into their heart, and he had killed the assassin in one clean move.

But Lai Yiteng didn't have the leisure to process this. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out with the poison coursing through his veins. He could only tap into his reserves of strength while he could and stir their steed to gallop even faster towards the gate.

As soon as they reached the main gate, the two faced a pair of city two guards who stood with firm expressions, their spears raised.

Lai Yiteng vaulted off the horse and placed one foot down as a pillar, the other flew out with force. There was a cutting wind around his leg, and soon a hole the size of a horse was shattered into the gate in a thunderous explosion. Wood splinters flew everywhere.

…the guards who had thought about interfering decided not to.

*cough cough* After all, these two caused a ruckus around the city for good reason, best to leave their capture to more trained personnel.

But wow, what a strong lady, she was even able to kick a hole into half-meter thick gate!

Lai Yiteng wanted to remount the horse, but stumbled, his vision going vague. All he could see where blurred outlines and strange shadows dancing about.

"Urgh…" he groaned.

There was a spiking pain in his arm that tampered with his ability to think. His breathing was no longer steady and it felt like he was close to suffocating. No matter how much he tried to take in a good breath of air, it only felt shallow and insufficient.

He did not expect a firm grip to latch onto his uninjured arm and pull him up.

Xian Wu pressed his legs into the horse. He needed to hurry, before it was too late...

Lai Yiteng mumbled with his last dregs of energy. "…wasn't that a good opportunity to ditch me?" He was helplessly leaned into something that was a bit soft, but firm, and it smelled like alcohol.

Xian Wu's arm gripped around his stomach to keep him steady, tucking Lai Yiteng's body into his own to try and lessen the painful jostling of the road. He kept on guard until they made it a mile out from the city, frequently checking that Lai Yiteng was still breathing as they went.

But even when they'd temporarily escaped harms way, the horse wasn't allowed to slow its pace.

It kept being sent down strange and old dirt roads that wheedled and twisted around bends. The poor thing might even die from overwork. But well, if it were not a matter of life and death for Lai Yiteng, Xian Wu wouldn't push it so hard.

The younger man in his arms was only hanging onto his consciousness by a thread. Perhaps it was due to the stubbornness that Xian Wu had witnessed on multiple occasions this night.

Lai Yiteng's long lashes were flickering open and closed lethargically. The white veil he wore had slipped off his head and fallen onto his chest, only kept hanging off his neck by a ribbon. Sweat dotted his ashen brow.

Xian Wu frowned and finally replied, "Who said I wanted to ditch you? I still haven't upheld my promise. I will explain later, you just focus on staying alive for now! Fuck. I didn't intend for the situation to take a bad turn like this. I should have been more careful...just don't die, okay?"

His ranting voice was growing faint in Lai Yiteng's ears.

But Xian Wu might just keep rambling on with no one to hear him. What a fool.

Lai Yiteng certainly did not know why he weakly mumbled, "I won't…" in response.