Chapter 38 Enemy Captured

A small single boat crosses the beautiful island where hundreds of butterflies once inhabited. After several hours of sailing, they finally reached the closest dock. They abandoned the boat and continued to walk away. They know that this place is still part of the territory of Seventy-Two Islands.

Rao Zhengsheng was seriously injured and had a high fever, but he refused to slow down. He felt that he is responsible for the lives of the other four people who walked with him. He continued to walk side by side with the four people. After the group of five walked for two hours, Rao Zhengsheng suddenly fallen toward the ground in exhaustion.

Xue Horan quickly supported him to prevent him from falling to the ground. He touched Rao Zhengsheng's forehead. He shouted, "Yongzheng, da shixiong can't stand it anymore, we have to rest."

Yongzheng helped Xue Horan sit Rao Zhengsheng next to a boulder. He said, "We can't rest for too long. If he can't walk, I will have to carry him."

Xue Horan nodded. He said, "Just a while, so everyone can catch their breath. There is a stream below. I'll get some water."

Dong Lanying, "I will accompany you."

Rao Zheng had such a high fever. He kept mumbling Xue Horan's name.

Yuan Xiurong said, "Horan, you rest here with him, and I will go with Lanying." She stood up and walked to Dong Lanying.

Xue Horan held Rao Zhengsheng, took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off Rao Zhengsheng's forehead. He said, "Da shixiong, I'm here. You don't need to call my name anymore."

Rao Zhengsheng opened his eyes and hugged Xue Horan, "Horan, you are still angry with me. I'm sorry...I never intended to hurt you."

Xue Horan said, "Da shixiong, I am not angry with you."

Rao Zhengsheng murmured softly beside Xue Horan's right ear, "You are still mad at me because you stop calling me Zhen ge."

Xue Horan, "We are no longer on Butterfly Island. I have to address you this way to get use to it."

Rao Zhengsheng said, "Horan, you are a bad liar."

Yongzheng turned around and saw Rao Zhengsheng still holding Xue Horan tightly inside his arms. Yongzheng said, "We have to leave now. A large group of people is heading this way."

Wu Jinghua threw two daggers at Yongzheng. He soared into the air, avoiding two daggers. Wu Jinghua sent two more daggers to Yongzheng's feet. He flipped forward and started a fight with Wu Jinghua.

Xue Horan helped Rao Zhengsheng to get up, and they began to run away, because they knew that staying would only become a burden for Yongzheng.

Dong Lanying, "Let's go." She grabbed Yuan Xiurong's hand, and the two women who were fetching water began to flee from the lake. As they ran away they saw Yongzheng started fighting with Wu Jinghua on the hill.

Striking from the right side is Jiang Koshing, and from the right is Hu Hong. Yongzheng blocked their strikes with his hands. Then Yue Kong flew in from behind Yongzheng with a powerful kick. Yongzheng left foot slid back doing a quick split on the ground. Yongzheng pushed his upper body into the air with both hands, over the four leaders of Seventy-Two Islands. The four leaders of Seventy-Two Islands attacked in the air, but failed to hit Yongzheng. Yongzheng grabbed a handful of stones and threw them at the four leaders of Seventy-Two Islands. When the four leaders of Seventy-Two Islands gathered again, Yongzheng had already left.

Xue Horan tightly grasped Rao Zhengsheng's hands and waist, supporting him to escape. Standing on the far right are Cao Wenyan, Red Mice, and twenty Beixing disciples.

Cao Wenyan said, "Rao Zhengsheng, today you will be crushed to death by me." He drew his sword out of the sheath and rushed towards Rao Zhengsheng and Xue Horan.

Xue Horan pushed Rao Zhengsheng back, blocking Cao Wenyan's attack. The rest rushed to the seriously injured Rao Zhengsheng. Rao Zhengsheng drew his sword out of its sheath, ready to fight until his last breath. He started killing the disciples one by one.

Xue Horan's thrown punch went directly at Cao Wenyan's chest. Cao Wenyan grabbed Xue Horan's fist, yanked Xue Horan's hand forward, switched his sword to his left hand, and placed his sword at Xue Horan's throat.

Cao Wenyan shouted, "Rao Zhengsheng, stop."

Xue Horan, "Da shixiong leave me. Just leave…"

Cao Wenyan said, "Leave and he die."

Rao Zhengsheng threw the butterfly swords on the ground, and the Red Mice hit Rao Zhengsheng's stomach with a heavy fist, causing him to kneel to the ground and spit out a mouthful of blood.

Cao Wenyan, "Hit him."

The remaining nine disciples began to kick Rao Zhengsheng away.

Xue Horan cried, "Da shixiong…da shixiong. Please don't hit him anymore. If you continue to hit him, he will die." He looked at Cao Wenyan. "Cao gongzi, please have them stop hitting him?"

Cao Wenyan turned to look at Xue Horan. For a split moment. He thought he saw Mu Dishi standing in front of him.

Xue Horan cried and pleaded, "Cao gongzi, please tell them to stop. I'm begging you. Please…"

Cao Wenyan shouted, "Stop."

Cao Wenyan lowered his sword from Xue Horan's throat. Xue Horan quickly rushed to Rao Zhengsheng. Xue Horan held Rao Zhengsheng and wipe away the blood on Rao Zhengsheng's face with his right sleeve.

Rao Zhengsheng coughed, "Horan, why don't you run?"

Xue Horan cried and said, "Zhen ge, I stayed, for the same reason you dropped your swords."

Cao Wenyan said, "Take them back to Beixing Sector and wait for father's order."

The two disciples tied the hands of Rao Zhengsheng and and Xue Horan with ropes and dragged them back to Beixing Sector. Along the way, Cao Wenyan refused to let Rao Zhengsheng eat or drink. The sun is rising high and the weather is very hot. The thirteen people decided to rest.

Rao Zhengsheng and Xue Horan sat under a smaller tree and were supervised by two men. Cao Wenyan walked to Xue Horan with a bowl of water. Cao Wenyan handed the bowl of water to Xue Horan. Xue Horan stretched out his hand and grabbed the bowl of water from Cao Wenyan.

Xue Horan said, "Da shixiong, you drink first." He raised the bowl to Rao Zhengsheng's mouth, but Cao Wenyan slapped the bowl from Xue Horan's hand.

Cao Wenyan picked up the bowl, poured in more water, and handed it to Xue Horan. As soon as Xue Horan raised the bowl to Zhao Renshu's mouth, Cao Wenyan knocked the bowl from Xue Horan's hands again. Then Cao Wenyan picked up the bowl, poured in morewater, and handed it to Xue Horan. This time Xue Horan took the bowl of water and began to drink. Cao Wenyan watched closely. After drinking the water, he handed the bowl to Cao Wenyan, who turned around and left.

Xue Horan grabbed Rao Zhengsheng's face and kissed Rao Zhengsheng. He passed a large sip of water in his mouth to Rao Zhengsheng's mouth. Cao Wenyan looked at Xue Horan and Rao Zhengsheng.

Towards the evening, the group of thirteen people came to an old tavern on the outskirts of a village. There are waiters waiting for them. When the waiters saw the group of men. One of the waiter hurriedly greeted, "Are you Cao gongzi?"

Cao Wenyan said, "What does it matter if I am him or not?"

The waiter replied, "If you are not, then this tavern has already been reserved. If you are Cao gongzi, then this tavern has already been reserved for you by a lady."

Cao Wenyan said, "Who is this young lady?"

Cao Yanmei shouted from inside the tavern, "Ge!" She walked to Cao Wenyan's and looked at Rao Zhengsheng whose face is completely bruised. "Ge, you caught him?"

Cao Wenyan nodded, "Father said to meet here. Where is he?"

Cao Yanmei, "He left?"

Cao Wenyan, "Where to?"

Cao Yanmei, "He went to Sword Village to clear his name. Father wanted me to tell you that you should return to Beixing Sector first. He will see you in Shaolin on the fifteenth of next month."

Cao Wenyan asked, "How is mother doing?"

Cao Yanmei said, "She is in good health, but she has a cold, but she has recovered. Da ge, don't worry. When I left Beixing Sector, she sent me out."

Disciples, "Gongzi, Rao Zhengsheng has been tied up."

Cao Wenyan, "Let's eat and rest. It will take us two days to get home."

Cao Yanmei walked into her room and closed the door behind her. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her neck and pressed her against the wall. She raised her head and asked frantically, "Who the hell are you?"

Yongzheng said, "Cao gu niang, it's me."

Cao Yanmei recognized his voice, but could not recognize his face. Then she asked, "You? Who?"

Yongzheng said, "Yongzheng."

Cao Yanmei asked confusedly, "Stinking Taoist?"