While the two spoke in the spatial realm, outside, Ming Jiu Xiao and Huo Ying had already begun fighting.
The embroidery needles Ming Jiu Xiao threw were incredibly fast in the pitch-black night, making it difficult for people to see them clearly.
Huo Ying was unlucky enough to be hit by two of Ming Jiu Xiao's embroidery needles, which pierced through the flesh of her palm and arm, landing on a poplar tree behind her.
Then, Ming Jiu Xiao subtly moved the white threads on the two embroidery needles, pulling them upwards as if controlling a puppet. She gritted her teeth in pain.
Huo Ying, with her uninjured hand, immediately drew the dagger she kept at her waist, attempting to cut the thread. However, the thread Ming Jiu Xiao used for her "flower needles" was no ordinary embroidery thread; it was not easily cut.
After trying to cut it with her dagger for a long time, Huo Ying was in agony.
Subsequently, Ming Jiu Xiao threw two more embroidery needles, aiming to secure her other arm. This time, however, she was unsuccessful as Huo Ying dodged them.
After struggling for a moment, a glint of light flashed in her eyes, which were like black gemstones submerged in a deep pool.
She took a flint from her sleeve and burned through the two threads that pierced her body.
With the threads severed, Huo Ying finally gained her freedom and immediately unleashed a surge of internal energy towards Ming Jiu Xiao's position. Ming Jiu Xiao swiftly withdrew her hand, spreading her palms in front of her. With a rapid convergence of seventy to eighty percent of her internal energy, she met Huo Ying's attack.
The next instant…
The point where the two internal energies collided emitted a blinding flash of light. Leng Ruo Rui, standing not far away, quickly raised his hand, shielding his eyes with the wide sleeve of his robe.
Thus, Huo Ying and Ming Jiu Xiao were locked in a stalemate in mid-air for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Huo Ying began to falter.
At this moment, Ming Jiu Xiao exerted a powerful force, and Huo Ying took a direct palm strike. Suspended in mid-air, Huo Ying spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, unable to halt her backward momentum. She was sent flying into the woods more than ten meters away and disappeared.
Immediately, Ming Jiu Xiao and Leng Ruo Rui gave chase. However, when they reached the patch of grass that had been damaged by Huo Ying's fall, they found that Huo Ying had already vanished. The only thing left in the grass was a pool of blood.
Then, the two searched the surrounding woods for a long time but still found no trace of Huo Ying.
Ming Jiu Xiao intended to broaden the search area, but Leng Ruo Rui quickly stopped him.
"Jiu Xiao, stop searching. Let's go back and check on Li'er and the Cold King first," Leng Ruo Rui persuaded him.
Hearing this, Ming Jiu Xiao nodded.
"I'll let Huo Ying off this time. If she dares to cause trouble looking for Li Kai again, I, Ming Jiu Xiao, will definitely kill her."
As Ming Jiu Xiao spoke these words, his expressionless handsome face held eyes filled with icy coldness.
Later, he and Leng Ruo Rui returned to the place where they had fought with Huo Ying. There, they saw the Cold King and his consort tending to their personal guards.
"Li'er, Cold King, where did you two go just now? Jiu Xiao and I couldn't find you. We only saw Huo Ying and your carriage parked here, and even your two personal guards were nowhere to be seen. We thought something had happened to you," Leng Ruo Rui asked with concern upon seeing them.
"Big Brother, we were hiding. Ye Ba and Ye Jiu were blown into the woods during our fight with Huo Ying and were knocked unconscious. We only just found them. Fortunately, they are alright," Leng Ruo Li replied concisely to Leng Ruo Rui.
"Oh, as long as you are alright, that's all that matters. We were so worried when we couldn't see you two earlier," Leng Ruo Rui sighed with relief.
At that moment, Leng Ruo Li looked at them curiously. "Big Brother, why did you and Ming Jiu Xiao come out of the city?"
Upon hearing this, Ming Jiu Xiao raised his handsome eyebrows.
"It's all because you two didn't return to the King's manor so late. Yin Chen wasn't here, and Ye Ying had been assigned to an errand. The housekeeper was very worried about your safety and arranged for other guards to welcome you. Coincidentally, I overheard it.
"So, I took on the task of finding you two. But as soon as I stepped out of the manor's main gate, I encountered Big Brother Leng. I didn't expect him to be looking for you too. Then, when he heard that you hadn't returned to the manor by nightfall, he came out with me to search for you.
"As a result, not long after we flew out of the city gates, we heard sounds of fighting from the woods. So, we sped up and flew here, but we only saw Huo Ying and your carriage, along with a pile of corpses of black-clothed men lying here. You two, however, were nowhere to be found," Ming Jiu Xiao explained meticulously to Leng Ruo Li.
"Oh, that makes sense," Leng Ruo Li said, finally understanding their situation.
"It's getting late. Let's head back to the city quickly," Leng Ruo Rui reminded everyone.
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded. They loaded the two unconscious guards onto the carriage, and they all headed towards the city gate.
When they returned to the Cold King's manor, to everyone's surprise, Leng Jin Yu was also there.
"Father, why haven't you rested?" Leng Ruo Li asked curiously.
"Alas, my eyelids have been twitching severely tonight. I was worried something had happened to you, so I asked your elder brother to check on you at the Cold King's manor. But your brother, it turns out, has been out for almost an hour and hasn't returned. So, I came to the Cold King's manor myself to check on you. As it happened, the housekeeper told me that you and the King hadn't returned, and that Rui'er and Jiu Xiao had gone to look for you. I was also going to look for you, but the housekeeper, seeing that I had just recovered from my injuries, absolutely refused to let me go. So, I had no choice but to wait for you in the living room," Leng Jin Yu stated truthfully.
Leng Ruo Li was very touched by his words.
"Father, it's my fault for making you worry." Leng Ruo Li said with a face full of apology.
"As long as you are all well, it doesn't matter how long I wait," Leng Jin Yu said, smiling.
"Father, it's late now, and you must all be hungry. I'll make a pot of noodles for everyone as a thank you." Leng Ruo Li said to everyone.
"Alright, speaking of food, I'm starving. I've heard that Li'er's noodles are delicious, but I haven't had the chance to try them yet." Upon hearing that Leng Ruo Li was cooking again, Ming Jiu Xiao's eyes lit up.
As soon as he finished speaking, Leng Ruo Li shot him a glare, while Jun Mo Han gave him a killing look. *Why did my wife end up with this glutton? He gets excited as soon as he hears there's food.*
However, Leng Jin Yu said, "Li'er, Father just heard from the housekeeper that you've been busy at the manor all day and must be very tired. You should get some rest. Your elder brother and I should also head back to our manor to rest."
Leng Ruo Li felt a surge of emotion upon hearing his words.
Ming Jiu Xiao, however, lowered his head in shame. "Alas, General Leng is right. Why didn't I think of that just now?"
"Father, it's alright. We had many people working at the manor today. Everyone chipped in a little, and we finished the work in no time," Leng Ruo Li explained. After speaking, she asked Jun Mo Han to accompany Leng Jin Yu and the others for tea and conversation. She then hurried to the kitchen to make a pot of beef noodles. Less than an hour later, she emerged. The group ate the noodles, chatted, and everyone enjoyed their meal thoroughly.