Return of the 13th Zodiac

15: The Serpent Underneath the Flower (4)

"W-what...," Fa Xiang groaned. His expression was a mix of pain and surprise as he stared at Shu Yue, who was smiling at him like a devil. Then his gaze slid down her hand clutching the sword's hilt and to the blade piercing his chest.

Droplets of blood dripped from the blade. The front of Fa Xiang's robe turned crimson. But only an inch of the sword was buried in his chest. Shu Yue could see on his face the realization that he wasn't yet on the verge of death.

"If you dare move or do anything stupid," Shu Yue said quietly, her face as gentle as a lamb, "you'll get more than an inch of this blade." She gave the sword a tiny, slow twist. The blade parted Fa Xiang's skin even more.

Fa Xiang grimaced and bared his teeth, but remained still as instructed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lu Baiyu exclaimed. Just as his hand reached for the sword on his back, Xiao Ran stepped forward.

"If you touch her," Xiao Ran warned, his eyes cold and sharp, "your corpse will join your disciple's."

"You've got to be kidding me," Lu Baiyu said with a dry laugh. "A mere half-beast is threatening me?" He pulled his sword out of its sheath, the steel blade glinted fiercely in the sun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Shu Yue stated, freezing him in place.

The sword was dangerously inches away from Xiao Ran's neck. Despite that, the fox-human's expression didn't change. He didn't even flinch. Yet Shu Yue had noticed that his left wrist was slightly bent, likely preparing for defense against Lu Baiyu's reckless attack. Had Shu Yue not stepped in, the two would have been engaged in a furious fight. It would be too early for that. Until she got what she wanted, there would be no exchanging of blows.

"If you harm him"--Shu Yue's gaze leveled on Lu Baiyu, piercing with the sharpness of a blade--"you know what it will cost." Her eyes flicked from Lu Baiyu to the bleeding Fa Xiang and back, a small smile on her lips. "As you can see, the blade did not penetrate deeply enough to cause fatal injury, so he isn't dying yet--unless you change my mind."

Shu Yue had stabbed Fa Xiang without the intention of killing the poor young man at once. She didn't pierce his chest that deeply to avoid hitting any vital organs or major blood vessels, which could have resulted in instant death.

Instead, she'd use him as a bargaining chip.

"Young Lady Chen!" Lu Baiyu's voice echoed throughout the bamboo forest. He slowly lowered his sword with trembling hands, glaring at Shu Yue with all the rage he could muster. "I've answered all of your questions and given you the information you needed. What else do you want?

"Not an answer this time," Shu Yue replied, studying him intently. "But a book."

Before Lu Baiyu could voice his confusion, Shu Yue said, "Hand me the copy of the Claw of the Eternal Beast."

Lu Baiyu's expression turned ugly. "What are you on about? You refused my kind offer and now you have the guts to steal the manual?"

"The more you speak, the more blood your disciple loses," Shu Yue reminded with a thin smile. "Do what I say and no one dies."

Lu Baiyu narrowed his dark, flashing eyes at her and remained still. He looked so conflicted as he glared at her.

Holding the old man's gaze, Shu Yue twisted the sword slowly, causing Fa Xiang to scream in pain.

Lu Baiyu opened his mouth to speak, but bit down on the words before he uttered them when he glanced at Fa Xiang, who was groaning in pain as tears filled his eyes.

"M-master," Fa Xiang whimpered, his voice begging for salvation. He looked up and met the gaze of his master. Would Lu Baiyu comply with Shu Yue to save his life, or would he refuse in order to save his secret manual and let Fa Xiang die instead?