I had no intention of entering the martial world.

Chapter 28 The White Butterfly

No, to be precise, it's about Chu Xueya.

Because Chu Xueya is too conspicuous.

Dressed in white, with an ethereal air, she was like a bright pearl fallen into a pile of rubble in this dilapidated temple.

Sure enough, after eating a couple of bites of dry rations, the leading officer spoke:

"This young lady looks unfamiliar. She's not from around here, is she?"

Chu Xueya didn't even look up: "Just passing by."

"Where to?"

"go home."

"Where is your home?"

Chu Xueya finally raised her head and glanced at him: "Is this any of your business?"

The officer smiled, a cold smile on his face: "Normally, it wouldn't matter. But Jiangling City has been rather unsettled lately, and we've been ordered to check all suspicious individuals. Young lady, all alone in this dilapidated temple in the middle of nowhere, don't you find that suspicious?"

"Where is it suspicious?" Chu Xueya asked, her tone still calm.

"First, it's unusual for a young woman like you to be traveling alone." The officer stood up and slowly approached. "Second, you have a sword on you—though you're not carrying it now, I saw the sword mark at your waist. Third…"

He stopped in front of Chu Xueya and looked down at her:

"I recognize you. Chu Xueya from the Emei Sect, known in the martial arts world as the 'Ice Fairy,' right?"

Chu Xueya finally put down the withered branch in her hand.

She raised her head, looking at the officer with icy eyes: "Since you know, why ask?"

"Because I want to know," the officer said, his hand on his sword hilt, "why would a high-ranking disciple of the Emei Sect appear in Jiangling? And why would he be with an injured young man at a time like this?"

His gaze shifted to Lu Chenzhou.

"And you," he said, "who are you? Why are you hurt?"

Lu Chenzhou remained silent.

He just stared at the fire, as if he hadn't heard anything.

The officer's face darkened: "I'm asking you a question!"

"He's my friend," Chu Xueya interrupted the officer. "We were traveling together when we encountered bandits and he was injured. Is there a problem?"

"Friends?" the officer sneered. "Miss Chu, do you think I'm stupid? You, a direct disciple of the Emei Sect, would be friends with someone of unknown origin? And..."

He suddenly reached out and pointed at Lu Chenzhou:

"I've seen this person on the wanted poster. Lu Chenzhou, the survivor of the Qixia Town family massacre, is suspected of multiple murders and is currently wanted by the government!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the temple suddenly became tense.

The other two officers had already stood up, their swords half-drawn.

The old monk stopped chanting, and the scholar put down his book, watching nervously.

Only Lu Chenzhou remained sitting quietly.

He didn't even look at the three officers; he just stared at the fire as if he were looking at something interesting.

"Miss Chu," the officer stared at Chu Xueya, "you are a disciple of a prestigious sect, you should know what to do. Now, please step aside, we need to arrest someone."

Chu Xueya did not move.

She didn't even look at the three officers; she only looked at Lu Chenzhou.

Looked for a long time.

Then she said:

"What if I don't allow it?"

The officer's face turned completely cold.

"Then don't blame us for being impolite." He waved his hand. "Take it down!"

Two constables drew their swords and rushed forward, attacking Lu Chenzhou from the left and right!

The blade flashed like snow, gleaming coldly in the firelight.

Lu Chenzhou still didn't move.

Because he knew someone would make a move.

Sure enough, just as the blade was about to strike, a white shadow flashed past.

Chu Xueya made a move.

She didn't draw her sword—it was in her bundle, far away. She simply extended two fingers and touched it lightly.

"Ding! Ding!"

Two soft sounds.

Both knives flew out of his hands at the same time and stuck to the temple pillar, their hilts still trembling.

The two officers clutched their wrists, staggered backward, and turned deathly pale.

They didn't even see how Xueya made his move.

"You!" The head officer was both shocked and furious. "Chu Xueya, how dare you obstruct official business?!"

"Official business?" Chu Xueya looked at him, her eyes icy. "Are you really government officials?"

The officer was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"Officials need documents and evidence to arrest people," Chu Xueya slowly stood up. "Do you have any?"

"Of course!" The officer pulled a roll of paper from his pocket and unfolded it—it indeed contained a portrait of Lu Chenzhou and bore the official seal of Jiangling Prefecture. "Look closely! This is an arrest warrant!"

Chu Xueya glanced at it and nodded: "It's true."

"Then why aren't you moving aside!"

"But I have another question," Chu Xueya said. "Why did the arrest warrant from Jiangling Prefecture track down to Xiangyang? This area is no longer under the jurisdiction of Jiangling Prefecture."

The officer's expression changed.

"Furthermore," Chu Xueya continued, "real officials wouldn't be wearing brand-new official boots in the rain—your shoes aren't even a speck of mud on the soles. Real officials also wouldn't stare at the sword mark on my waist the moment they walk in—that spot is very well hidden, unless they already know who I am."

She paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:

"You are not government officials. Who sent you?"

The temple was deathly silent.

There was only the sound of rain and the crackling of the fire.

The leader of the "officers" changed his expression several times, and finally, he smiled.

His laughter was cold and eerie.

"As expected of a top disciple of the Emei Sect, your eyes are truly sharp." He tore off the human skin mask from his face—revealing a completely different face, pale, thin, with a scar at the corner of his eye. "Since I've been seen through, I won't pretend anymore."

He clapped his hands.

Outside the temple, amidst the sound of rain, footsteps could be heard.

Many footsteps.

A dozen or so men dressed in black emerged from the rain and surrounded the dilapidated temple. They were all masked and carried a variety of weapons—knives, swords, guns, clubs—but their movements were synchronized, clearly indicating they were well-trained.

"The Immortal Seeking Gathering." Chu Xueya uttered three words, his voice carrying a serious tone for the first time.

"That's right." The scarred man grinned. "Miss Chu, our master admires you. As long as you hand over Lu Chenzhou, we can spare your life."

Chu Xueya remained silent.

She simply turned around and glanced at Lu Chenzhou.

Lu Chenzhou also looked at her.

Eyes facing each other.

It was a very brief moment.

But Lu Chenzhou saw the determination in her eyes.

Then, Chu Xueya turned back and said to the scarred man:

What if I don't pay?

"Then..." the scarred man waved his hand, "kill them all!"

A dozen or so men in black pounced at the same time!

The small, dilapidated temple was instantly filled with the glint of swords and the clash of blades.

Chu Xueya finally drew her sword.

The sword was an ordinary steel sword, but in her hand, it seemed to come alive. Its light was like snow, like ice, like moonlight pouring down. Every strike was precise, every strike was deadly.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Three men in black fell to the ground, a red dot on their throats.

But even more people rushed forward.

Chu Xueya's swordplay was like a rainbow, weaving through the crowd like a white butterfly dancing in a black storm. Wherever she passed, blood splattered and screams echoed.

But she was all alone after all.

The other side had more than a dozen members.

She was quickly cornered.

The scarred man grinned maliciously and slashed at her face with his knife!

Chu Xueya raised her sword to parry.

"clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere.

She was so shocked that she took a step back and bumped into the wall, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Just as the scarred man was about to press his advantage, he suddenly stopped.

Because a hand was placed on his shoulder.

It's very light, like a feather.

But he was unable to move.

He turned around stiffly and saw a pale, expressionless face.

Lu Chenzhou.

"You..." The scarred man wanted to say something, but before he could finish speaking, his hand squeezed hard.

"Snap!"

The sound of a shoulder blade cracking.

The scarred man screamed, and the knife fell from his hand to the ground.

Lu Chenzhou didn't look at him, but instead looked at the men in black.

His eyes were empty and cold, like two bottomless ancient wells.

Then, he moved.

There was no sword—the sword was still in the bundle in the corner.

He simply raised his hand.

Like in the stone chamber, he made a vague gesture towards the crowd.

"laugh--!"

The sound of air being torn apart.

A streak of azure sword light appeared out of thin air and swept across the area.

Five men in black cut him in half at the waist.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the ground red.

The remaining men in black were stunned and even forgot to attack.

But Lu Chenzhou did not stop.

He raised his hand again and made another stroke.

Five more fell.

The last three turned and tried to run away.

But Lu Chenzhou raised his hand for the third time.

This time, he didn't paddle.

It's just a fist made of five fingers.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

All three heads exploded simultaneously.

Like an overripe watermelon being smashed.

The temple fell silent instantly.

The only sounds were the dripping of blood and the increasingly loud rain outside.

Chu Xueya leaned against the wall, looking at Lu Chenzhou with a complicated expression.

There was shock, fear, and a hint of...emotions she couldn't quite explain herself.

Lu Chenzhou withdrew his hand, looked at the corpses on the ground, and then at his own hand.

My hands are clean, there is no blood.

But the smell of blood was so strong it was impossible to ignore.

He turned around, walked to the fire, sat down again, and closed his eyes.

It was as if nothing had happened.

Chu Xueya walked over, stood in front of him, and looked at him for a long time.

Finally, she asked:

"What exactly are you?"

Lu Chenzhou opened his eyes and looked at her.