The carriage rumbled along the road, with Li Yue Shu leaning against the innermost seat, eyes closed in repose. Shen Wei sat quietly not far away, while Hong Dai drove the carriage from outside. Aside from the sound of the wheels, there seemed to be nothing else around.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. The unexpected jolt caused Li Yue Shu to instinctively lurch forward. Just as she was about to regain her balance, Shen Wei’s arm circled her shoulder, catching her steadily. Li Yue Shu crashed into his embrace, and she could almost hear his heartbeat. Shen Wei was also taken aback. The woman's delicate fragrance wafted to his nose, momentarily rendering him speechless.
It was Li Yue Shu who recovered first, quickly pulling herself out of his arms. Shen Wei, snapping back to his senses, saw her slightly flushed ears and a smile flickered in his eyes. Li Yue Shu lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed, and quickly lifted the curtain. "Why did we suddenly stop..." Her voice trailed off.
Shen Wei looked puzzled and followed her out of the carriage, only to see an old man blocking their path. This was the same elder from the pharmacy earlier. Li Yue Shu clearly recognized him too and spoke first, "Elder, is there something you need?"
The old man stroked his beard and smiled faintly. "Madam Shen, this old man has something he wishes to discuss with you privately. Would you accompany me?" Li Yue Shu looked at him doubtfully and stepped down from the carriage, but did not walk over. "Elder, please speak your mind."
The old man's smile remained unchanged. He glanced at Hong Dai and then at Wei Zi Miao in the other carriage. "What a pity. This old man only intended to take one person today." At these words, everyone became instantly wary. His words were not as kind as he appeared.
Hong Dai leaned against the carriage door, smiling at the old man. "Elder, what are you saying? Am I not pleasing to your eye?" The old man seriously appraised her. "Miss, you are indeed beautiful, but it is rare for this old man to encounter a beautiful woman with medical skills. If things do not go smoothly with Madam Shen, this old man could always seek you out later."
"This old man's words are not to my liking," Hong Dai's gaze turned cold. "Who you take away is not for you to decide." The old man remained composed, showing no sign of fear despite facing so many people alone. He said nothing in response to Hong Dai's words, a smirk playing on his lips as he suddenly lunged forward.
The next moment, Hong Dai moved too. She sprang from the carriage, a red silk ribbon whipping out from her sleeve, whistling through the air and striking directly at the old man. Undisturbed, the old man dodged the attack and charged straight at Hong Dai. They instantly became locked in combat.
Everyone quickly disembarked from the carriages. The Wei family guards immediately drew their weapons, protecting Li Yue Shu and Wei Zi Miao. Shen Wei instinctively shielded Li Yue Shu, his gaze warily fixed on the two fighting. Hong Dai's martial arts were excellent, her moves lethal, making her appear like a professionally trained assassin. In comparison, the old man gradually began to show signs of disadvantage.
The fight seemed to be heading for a foregone conclusion. Just then, the old man flicked his hand, and a cloud of powder was sprinkled from his sleeve. In the next instant, Hong Dai's body froze as if time had stopped. With a thud, she fell to the ground, her condition unknown.
Li Yue Shu cried out in alarm and instinctively moved forward, but Shen Wei grabbed her. "A Shu, don't go over, it's dangerous." Li Yue Shu stopped, her gaze still fixed worriedly on Hong Dai, who lay motionless on the ground.
The old man maintained his gentle demeanor. "This old man did not wish for such trouble. I did not expect it to come to this." As his words fell, he suddenly charged towards the group. The Wei family guards immediately became vigilant, but before they could make a move, a surge of internal energy, carrying white powder, drifted towards them.
"Quick, hold your breath!" Everyone reacted swiftly, covering their mouths and noses with their elbows, but the powder was absorbed upon contact with the skin. Li Yue Shu felt a strange sensation in her body. Without thinking, she retrieved a syringe from her spatial dimension and, using her sleeve as a cover, injected it into her arm.
Thud, thud, thud! By the time she retracted the syringe, everyone around her had collapsed, leaving only her and Shen Wei standing. However, Shen Wei swayed precariously, and if she hadn't supported him, he would have fallen.
The old man stared at the two of them in surprise, his eyes flickering with a strange light as he looked at Li Yue Shu. "How did you do that? Why are you completely unaffected?" He knew exactly how potent his concoction was. This ordinary-looking man might have lasted due to sheer willpower, but not for long. Yet, this beautiful Madam Shen seemed entirely fine.
Li Yue Shu looked at him warily. "Who are you?" This was merely a drug that caused instant unconsciousness. He did not seem to intend to kill, but his inexplicable actions warranted caution. The old man stroked his beard, exuding an air of a wise immortal.
"Madam Shen, if you accompany this old man, you will know who I am." With that, he strode forward. Shen Wei, full of apprehension, instinctively tried to channel his internal energy, but as soon as he moved, the energy he had painstakingly gathered seemed to vanish. His legs gave way, and he sank downwards.
"Shen Wei!" Li Yue Shu cried out in alarm, reaching to catch him, but the old man was already upon them. With no time to think, she tried to resist, but suddenly smelled a strange fragrance. The next moment, Li Yue Shu's body went limp, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Damn it, my butt! Li Yue Shu's face contorted in pain. She landed directly facing Shen Wei. "A... Shu..." Shen Wei tried to reach out and grab her, but with all his strength, he could only move his fingers. In that instant, Shen Wei felt a fear he had never known. The next moment, his consciousness gradually faded, and darkness consumed him.
Li Yue Shu saw the look in his eyes, and her heart felt as if it were being squeezed. Before she could react, her collar was grabbed. The old man's kind and benevolent face appeared before her. "Madam Shen, we can talk privately now." With that, he picked her up and leaped away.
The world spun around her. Li Yue Shu wanted to curse, but she was unable to move or speak, forced to endure silently. Just then, she saw a figure appear, heading straight for the unconscious Shen Wei. The person looked somewhat familiar.
"Master!" Li Yue Shu heard the person cry out anxiously. Thinking of something, her expression darkened.
The old man, unaware of what had transpired, only noticed her icy expression when he finally set her down. He paused, then seemed to recall something and smiled faintly. "Madam Shen, why be angry? This old man has brought you here for a good reason." With that, he took out a small bottle from his robes, poured a pill into it, and placed it in Li Yue Shu's mouth.