Chapter 76

Outside the door, light footsteps sounded, and it was the little girl who walked in. She whispered, "In fact, you've already gotten yourself into trouble!"

Andequan looked at the little girl, his eyes filled with boundless relief.

The little girl's clear, beautiful eyes fixed on Hu Xiaotian as she said, "My grandfather and I have offended a very powerful enemy. They have been tracking us all the way. Grandfather was severely injured protecting me, and he killed a few of them, but some still survived. With their abilities, they will soon track us down here."

Hu Xiaotian said, "What does this have to do with me? I helped you save someone, and that's the end of it. We should leave now and part ways amicably." Although he wasn't afraid of trouble, he didn't want to invite more. These two were strangers to him, and there was no need for him to take risks for them.

The little girl said, "I have something important on me, which I just threw off a cliff. The reason they are chasing me is to get this thing."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I have no interest in your affairs. Goodbye!" He lifted his foot to leave.

The little girl calmly said, "If my enemies find me, I will tell them that I gave the thing to you! Huxian County Magistrate Hu Xiaotian!"

Hu Xiaotian's body stiffened. "Damn, I repeatedly warned you not to reveal our identities. Who the hell are you, to spill my information like that?"

Hu Xiaotian slowly turned around. This little girl was ruthless; if she said it, she would do it. Regardless of what important thing she had, from the severity of Andequan's injuries, it was clear that their enemies were very powerful. If they believed her and knew his identity, they would surely come after him at his official residence. Hu Xiaotian smiled, thinking, "I can always quit this low-ranking official position. You can't threaten me that easily."

The little girl seemed to see through his thoughts and said softly, "You are the only son of the current Minister of Revenue, Hu Buwei, and your future father-in-law is the Governor of Jiannan and Xichuan, Li Tianheng. My enemies are not ordinary people. Even if your father and your father-in-law join forces, they might not be able to protect you. You can leave, but have you thought about the consequences?"

Hu Xiaotian felt a chill run down his spine, his back drenched in cold sweat. "Damn, how old is this little girl? She's so devious and vicious. This is clearly a setup to drag me into this mess, trying to get me killed! What's more, some bastard has given her such detailed information about me. Could it be Murong Feiyun? Damn, this woman can't be trusted. She'll stab you in the back without hesitation when it matters."

The little girl, believing she had control of the situation, looked at Hu Xiaotian proudly and said, "So, you'd better cooperate. After you escort my grandfather and me to Xiezhou, we'll go our separate ways, and it will be as if we never met."

Hu Xiaotian chuckled.

The little girl, not knowing why he was laughing, looked at him coldly.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Threatening me? Your idea is good, but you've overlooked one thing."

The little girl's clear eyes fixed on Hu Xiaotian, showing a hint of confusion.

Hu Xiaotian said, "An old man, severely injured, and a minor child. I helped you out of compassion, but you not only don't know gratitude, you even try to turn the tables on me. Aren't you afraid I might get angry and silence you? I could destroy you and burn this place to the ground. Your enemies wouldn't even find a bone, so how could they accuse me? How would they know I met you?"

The little girl's face changed. Although she was cunning, she was still a child and not as experienced as Hu Xiaotian, who was a master of manipulation.

In fact, Hu Xiaotian was just trying to scare her; he didn't really intend to kill anyone. He might be ruthless, but he wasn't a murderer. The little girl's words had already put him in a bind. He knew he was in for trouble, and he would have to help whether he wanted to or not.

"Stop!" the little girl shouted.

Hu Xiaotian stopped and slowly turned around. He wasn't obeying her but was curious to see what she would do next. The little girl held a rectangular black box aimed at him, her eyes full of killing intent. The box looked harmless, but Hu Xiaotian knew it wasn't a simple toy.

This posture and distance were reminiscent of someone holding a gun. Hu Xiaotian didn't dare to be careless. He squinted his eyes, smiled, and said, "Little girl, don't be naughty. Scaring people isn't nice. What if you scare someone? Even if you don't scare a person, scaring the flowers and grass isn't good either."

The little girl's face showed no trace of a smile. She said coldly, "I'm not trying to scare you. This box is called the 'Bursting Plum Blossom Needle,' one of the seven most powerful hidden weapons in the world. No matter how skilled you are, you can't escape it within ten feet. Do you think you can dodge it?"

Hu Xiaotian knew she wasn't bluffing. Although he was nervous, he maintained a calm expression. "Little girl, I don't think I've done anything to deserve this. Even if you're young and don't understand gratitude, you shouldn't repay kindness with malice. Let's part ways. You go your way, and I'll go mine. I'll even let you use this temple to recover. Goodbye, goodbye!" Hu Xiaotian turned to leave, but the little girl said, "If you take one step, I'll kill you!"

The air was fresh and damp, but a hint of bloodshed suddenly filled it. Every pore on Hu Xiaotian's body tensed. Andequan, however, smiled as if the situation had nothing to do with him.

Murong Feiyun passed by the long corridor, heading to the back yard. Hu Xiaotian tried to signal her, but unfortunately, they didn't have the默契 (understanding) to communicate effectively. She didn't realize the danger Hu Xiaotian was in and walked past him.

Hu Xiaotian sighed and finally nodded. "Fine! Let's cooperate. No need to be so hostile and life-threatening." He slowly turned around, and the little girl still held the black box pointed at his chest.

Hu Xiaotian smiled. "I've agreed, so why don't you put the box down?" He was buying time, trying to get her to lower the 'Bursting Plum Blossom Needle.'

The little girl nodded, and the black box lowered slightly. Then she pressed the trigger, and a blue light shot out. Hu Xiaotian didn't have time to dodge, and he felt a sting on his left arm.

Hu Xiaotian winced and pulled up his sleeve. He saw a small red dot on his left arm, and the needle had clearly embedded itself in his muscle.

The little girl said coldly, "This is the 'Seven-Day Soul-Cutting Needle.' I'm keeping you alive for now. If you safely escort us to Xiezhou, I'll give you the antidote. If you try any tricks along the way, you'll die from the poison in seven days."

Hu Xiaotian looked at the red dot and couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. How could a little girl of eleven or twelve be so vicious? No wonder they say, "The viper's tongue and the wasp's sting are not as deadly as a woman's heart." Even a little girl could be so ruthless. He had been too complacent, and a young girl had outsmarted him.

The little girl put away the black box, and the killing intent on her face vanished as if nothing had happened. She smoothed her hair and sighed. "Now we can sit down and talk." With control over Hu Xiaotian's life, she had the upper hand in the situation.