CHAPTER 51: MOONLIT INTRUDER

His eyelids grew heavier and heavier and soon everything in front of him faded into a blur of white...

Shang Qinghua sighed helplessly and sat up a little.

He had come here expecting to sleep well, just like the past few nights, but he hadn’t expected Yue Mingxuan to fall asleep right on top of him while giving a massage.

With a small shake of his head, Shang Qinghua turned over and gently pulling the sleeping man into his arms.

A faint and soft fragrance surrounded him instantly.

For the first time in his life, he found himself holding someone in his sleep. And this person whose sleeping posture was far from graceful made him both amused and strangely unsettled.

Shang Qinghua couldn’t explain the unfamiliar flutter in his chest.

He knew he should leave immediately, yet when he looked down at the peaceful expression on Yue Mingxuan’s face, he felt an unexpected reluctance to move at all.

The night wind blew softly through the quiet courtyard.

Everything was still and silent.

Yue Mingxuan’s courtyard was located in one of the most secluded parts of the palace, so even the slightest sound could seem unusually loud in the night.

Because of a moment of hesitation, Shang Qinghua hadn’t left right away. Yet, unexpectedly, in this remote courtyard, he suddenly heard a faint noise.

It was the light distinct sound of roof tiles being stepped on and the kind of sound only a martial expert could make when moving swiftly.

After he carefully put the sleeping Yue Mingxuan back down and adjusting him into a more comfortable position, Shang Qinghua watched for a moment as the man continued to sleep soundly. Then, with a light movement, he leapt up onto the roof of Yue Mingxuan’s courtyard.

Under the pale moonlight, a masked figure dressed in black was moving quickly along the roof ridge.

Shang Qinghua followed him immediately, his movements swift and silent.

After a few leaps, he managed to cut off the stranger’s escape at a secluded corner of the palace.

Standing at the end of the roof, blocking any possible retreat, Shang Qinghua’s voice was cold as he asked, "Why are you sneaking into Yue Mingxuan’s courtyard at night?"

Because of the face covering, the black clad man’s voice came out low and muffled. "I’m just passing through. If you don’t want to die, step aside."

"Passing through... or planning to kill someone?" Shang Qinghua didn’t want to fight if he could avoid it.

For one, the poison in his body was still not fully cured; and second, any loud noise from fighting might alert the palace guards.

"Whether passing through or killing, what difference does it make?" the man in black replied coldly as he slowly drew the blade from his side. "All I know is that those who meddle in things that don’t concern them never live long."

Shang Qinghua drew his soft sword from his waist and gave a faint dangerous smile. "The last person who said that to me, his grave is already covered with grass."

The moment his words fell, both their figures blurred and only the sharp clash of blades and the hiss of wind could be heard cutting through the stillness of the night.

After several dozen rounds, Shang Qinghua spun his sword in a swift motion and struck upward slicing off the black cloth covering the intruder’s face.

"Do you still want to fight?" His tone was as cold as the blade in his hand.

The masked man slowly lowered his weapon. "I didn’t expect it to be you."

"I didn’t expect it either," Shang Qinghua replied, his voice laced with mockery. "One of the three great assassins of the martial world, Xi Yu himself, traveling all the way to Beirong Kingdom just to ’pass through’ and by such a quiet route, no less."

"I came here for my own reasons," Xi Yu said calmly as he sheathed his knife.

Shang Qinghua slid his sword back into its scabbard and stepped closer, standing directly in front of him. "Xi Yu, the infamous killer among the top three in the martial world. Ruthless, leaving no survivors. Someone like you only takes contracts worth ten thousand taels of gold. Other than the royal family of beirong, I can’t think of anyone else who could afford you."

Xi Yu sat down right where he stood, his tone calm and careless. "So what if I am? With your skills, you might not even be able to stop me."

Shang Qinghua took two steps forward, towering over him as he looked down coldly. "You should know, if I hadn’t recognized you earlier, that last strike of mine would have cut more than just your mask. If you’re after money, I can pay you the ten thousand taels of gold you want."

Xi Yu straightened his posture slightly. "And what if I’m not here for money?"

"Rong Qinglei cannot die yet," Shang Qinghua said, he clasping his hands behind his back as he turned away. "You came through Yue Mingxuan’s courtyard because of him. If Rong Qinglei dies now, Beirong will fall into chaos and Rong Zishen will lose one of his greatest rivals."

Xi Yu clapped his hands lightly, a faint smirk on his lips. "They say Prince Shang is wise and brave. It seems the rumors are true."

The sleeve sword in Shang Qinghua’s hand slid free once more, letting out a faint ringing sound in the night breeze. "Whoever ruins my plans will dies."

His sudden move startled Xi Yu, who jumped back quickly. "Hey, Prince Shang, we know each other, don’t we? Can’t we just talk without trying to kill each other the moment we meet?"

Shang Qinghua’s face remained expressionless, his silence colder than his blade.

"I’m not here for Rong Qinglei," Xi Yu said while leaping lightly onto a nearby tree branch. "But I do know someone else who is. You should know, Rong Qinglei’s life is worth a great deal. The question is, Prince Shang, can you protect him?"

Hearing that, Shang Qinghua’s face changed slightly, though the darkness hid his expression.