[BL] Eternal Spring

第二十二章

"You're dismissed." A pale slender hand gestured and the servant bowed, retreating without a word. The man sitting in the chair lowered the scroll he held. His face wasn't cold but it was unfeeling. The elegant robes he wore personified him as a great hero of the Jianghu. However, the black mask covering half his face gave others the impression of evil. His robes were of fine quality, the inner set tighter fitting and the outer set with a wide collar. Similarly, the inner sleeves were tightly fitted but the outer sleeves opened halfway down the upper arm to allow for mobility.

The man's hair was long but put up simply and a fine black sword rested on its perch on the sword rack beside him. Within the room, the air was still, until the man raised his eyes and the temperature within the room seemed to drop. His limpid eyes contained not a trace of warmth nor did they contain any of the calculating mischievousness he'd had before Liu Qingyuan had left. They were simply, frighteningly empty.

This little cub who Mo Wu, had saved; why, after going out into the world, was he so disobedient? Everyday he deviated further from their purpose. The ending Mo Wu had built up since the previous Emperor's reign was slowly crumbling before his eyes. As the last true purpose left in his life, Mo Wu could not let it fail.

He glanced again at the scroll on the table, gently swirling the tea in his mouth. Just recently, the king and his personal guard had been separated from his entourage during an assassination attempt and had gone missing for a few days. They'd only returned to the palace a little scratched up a few days ago.

Mo Wu narrowed his eyes, picking up the letter and dipping the corner in the candle's flame. He watched the paper burn. All those years ago, he'd saved the little child named Liu Qingyuan and raised him as his personal disciple. With his capabilities, and the unguarded personality of the king of Qiangda, he'd certainly already located the Qiangda flower. However, why wasn't the mountain incident utilized to finish him off? His heart burned faintly of destruction and anger at his incompetence.

With a sudden violent movement, this man showed a rare moment of discomposure. The tea cup in his hand flew with such speed, it left an after image in one's eyes. It shattered into dust on the far wall. Mo Wu had an itching suspicion. The emotion that had once controlled him like a puppet on a string was now infecting his disciple. He knew himself just how far this emotion made people go. Thus before it was too late, he would ruthlessly help his disciple cut the strings. He would thank him later...definitely.

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Liu Qingyuan walked down the street, smoothing weaving through the crowds of people. The street was alight with warmly glowing lanterns swaying in lines above his head. Stalls lined the street, filled with snacks, trinkets and hawkers calling out with enthusiasm. A woman dressed brazenly with bright red lipstick brushed past him, giving him a coy look and waving her handkerchief in his face. Liu Qingyuan looked away coldly, eluding an even more distant aura. The night life in this district was as strong as the daytime marketplace. Coying calls and the heavy scent of fragrance graced the night.

Liu Qingyuan stopped in front of a building, the frown in his brow furrowing even deeper. He'd received a message earlier, but even then, why here of all places...Well, he was here already so might as well...

Liu Qingyuan's tall figure made a striking image the moment he stepped over the threshold. His features were fine and handsome and the brooding look on his face eluded a certain charm. He immediately caught the eye of several girls, one of which stepped forward to try her luck.

This girl was a slender beauty with a white face and rouge cheeks. Her pouty lips and wide eyes gave a sense of innocence but the teardrop mole by the corner of her eye shattered that. Instead, it gave her the look of a seductress. Her pale green robes were embroidered with lotuses and the collar was positioned to reveal much of her clavicle. Liu Qingyuan had a sudden thought. This girl's white face was powdered, but in contrast, the king's skin was fine like jade and his cheek smooth beneath his fingers...