Chengfeng did not notice Su Yuehan’s complicated emotions at all. After carefully bandaging Zhao Xiaobao, he leaned against the door frame to rest, catching his breath. Then, his eyes sprung open as he stood up.
Su Yuehan blurted, “Where are you going?”
He looked up slightly, expression solemn as he looked at the unconscious Xiaobao determinedly. “To the Hidden Beauty Court!” Then, he rushed out. Although he did not look fast, he was already far away in just a few steps.
Su Yuehan stared blankly, concerned. Hidden Beauty Court? What’s he going to do there? Unless… is he going to beg someone from the Hidden Beauty Court to save Zhao Xiaobao?
Chengfeng sped up and ran as fast as the wind, his heart now burning like a fireball as he sprinted towards the Hidden Beauty Court.
The sky was grey, lightly snowing. The winter breeze pelted his face with grainy snow bits, stinging him. He continued to run against the wind, sprinting down the mountain path that was quickly turning from green to white.
When he arrived at the Hidden Beauty Court entrance, the sky was already darkening. He was drenched in sweat, steam rising from his head and shoulders, his face red and sweat dripping off his face.
“Half! Males are not allowed to enter the Hidden Beauty Court territory!” Before he arrived at the entrance, two female cultivators with three green embroidered stripes appeared.
He did not even look at their faces when he greeted them with the Hidden Sword Court greeting. “I am Li Chengfeng of the Hidden Sword Court. I’d like to meet the Grand Senior Sister…
He wanted to mention her name but paused when he realised he did not know her name, so he awkwardly trailed off.
The female cultivator on the left yelled, “How ridiculous! Do you think you, an incompetent newcomer from Hidden Sword, can meet her whenever you please?”
The female cultivator on the right smirked. “Don’t waste your time! Just go!”
If this was a regular day, Chengfeng would have raged from a bruised ego. At this moment, as if he did not hear them, he said determinedly, “Please just send my message to her. Hidden Sword Court’s Li Chengfeng is begging Grand Senior Sister to show some compassion and save a person’s life!” Then, he fell to his knees.
Both of the cultivator’s expressions did not change. The girl on the right had high cheekbones and a thin face forming a permanent look of contempt. She smirked. “Oh? Do you think any random person can just kneel and kowtow and our Grand Senior Sister will come to the rescue? That’s too easy! If everyone comes and kowtows, she’d have no time for anything else!”
The cultivator on the left laughed, her laughter piercingly shrill.
But Li Chengfeng did not give up. He stared at them and the entrance behind.
Hidden Beauty Court’s mountain entrance was unique. It did not feel like the tall, intimidating mountains at Hidden Brocade Court’s entrance or as cold and murderous as Hidden Sword Court. Both stone pillars on its sides were shaped like flowing water, supporting a crescent arch. On the arch was an elegant lady with billowing robes and flowing hair and silks. She sat on the arch, quietly watching everything below the mountain. She looked so life-like and beautiful, yet far from one’s reach.
It was not an ordinary entrance, more like a boundary. Li Chengfeng could feel the gap between himself and the two cultivators.
Everything he was proud of was useless in the face of such a powerful entity. In the past, with his capabilities, he was practically king of the jungle and did whatever he wanted.
Now that he needed a favour, he must bend his knees and his back, placing his pride so low everyone could step on it until it crumbled.
Li Chengfeng had felt this humiliation when he met Sun Boren. This was the second time.
The first time, he had bent his knee for his mother. This proud Young Master thought that was worth it.
This time, for his own brother, he bent his knee once again in submission. His pride and dignity were not important if he could save Zhao Xiaobao!
My brother’s life is more important than anything else!
Li Chengfeng did not look at the two cultivators as he said loudly, “Li Chengfeng of Hidden Sword Court sincerely requests for Grand Senior Sister to show some compassion and save a man’s life!”
The cultivator on the right roared, “Hey, you, that’s enough! Just go home, Grand Senior Sister isn’t coming!”
As if he did not hear her, he said once again, “Li Chengfeng of Hidden Sword Court sincerely requests for Grand Senior Sister to show some compassion and save a man’s life!”
The cultivator on the right raged, “You idiot, are you challenging the Hidden Beauty Court?”
Li Chengfeng looked up at her. “Senior Sister, is there a rule in the sect that says I cannot call for help before your entrance?”
“You!” The cultivator looked angry but she could not speak.
The cultivator on the left had long eyes and a generally unfriendly disposition. She turned to the other girl. “Let’s not waste our time on this. He can yell and kneel all he wants. You can kneel until Grand Senior Sister comes out for all I care!” Both of them looked at each other, then burst into laughter.
Li Chengfeng gazed deeply into their eyes, as if to burn their faces into his mind, then looked away at the mountain entrance. He yelled, “Li Chengfeng of Hidden Sword Court sincerely requests for Grand Senior Sister to show some compassion and save a man’s life!”
Only
He yelled for two whole hours. The sky darkened and snow fell heavier. The entire Spiritual Mountain was covered in a layer of white. There was even a thin layer of snowflakes on his shoulders and hair. He yelled once every five minutes, sending his bright voice deep into the mountain. He was not sure how far in his voice could penetrate past the entrance either.
The two Hidden Beauty female cultivators in charge of watching the entrance initially stayed to watch but after a while, they got bored as he remained kneeling on the ground and did not move. In a flash, they disappeared. Li Chengfeng knew that if he moved now, they would reappear immediately. They were probably watching the surroundings somewhere away from the snow.
After another two hours, the fluttering snowflakes turned into solid snow. This was the heaviest snowfall of the region this winter. In just 15 minutes, everything green on the mountain had been turned white. As the sky turned black, the gibbous moon carved on the Hidden Beauty arch glowed softly.
Li Chengfeng knelt before the entrance alone, soon turning into a snowman himself. He did not move but his voice was as bright as before, “Li Chengfeng of Hidden Sword Court sincerely requests for Grand Senior Sister to show some compassion and save a man’s life!”
His voice travelled far. The two female cultivators guarding the entrance remained stone-hearted, scoffing at his behaviour. However, Su Yuehan, who had quietly followed and was hiding far away, couldn’t help but tear up.
They might be master-and-servant but he treated Xiaobao as family. He had suffered so much to come to Spiritual Mountain Sect.
From far, Li Chengfeng’s figure looked so tiny and helplessly alone. However, in Su Yuehan’s heart, he was tall and mighty. He had put his dignity on the ground for outsiders to step on, yet her impression of him slowly rose to the heavens.
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