Holding a lantern, guiding souls across, Lady Hou comes from the underworld.

The cramped cabin was filled with cargo.

As the hatch opened, the rising sun shone through, and dust rose everywhere.

Sensing someone approaching, Xia Ximo tried to open her eyes, but her body felt heavy and out of control. She tried, but couldn't even lift her eyelids.

Although the floating soul gradually returned to its place, the body lacked yang energy and the soul fire was unstable, making it difficult for the soul to attach itself to the body for the time being.

But as the footsteps drew closer, they carried with them a pure yang energy.

The restless soul was nourished, and even its limbs and bones felt a touch of warmth, finally settling down for the time being.

Xia Ximo struggled to open her eyes, only to find a tall, slender figure standing beside her.

The man's face was indistinct in the backlight, but his upright and honest aura made even the wandering ghosts in the corners instinctively disappear.

Who is he?

……

Ren Fengjue never expected to see such a scene.

In the cabin, which reeked of strong alcohol, a woman dressed in coarse linen clothes lay among a pile of wine jars.

He had no idea how much he had drunk that night, and he was still completely drunk, oblivious to the dangers around him.

He hesitated for a moment, and the assassin in the shadows made his move.

Suddenly, the shelf next to him began to shake violently, and it looked like it was about to collapse. In a moment of panic, he could only reach out and pull the woman up from the ground.

With just a little effort and a gentle pull, that frail body floated lightly into his arms.

Ren Fengjue was slightly taken aback, only then realizing that this person was indeed quite drunk, her whole body limp and weak, and she needed to be supported by him to prevent her from falling.

The shelf fell to the ground, smashing the wine jars with a dull thud, but it didn't disturb her in the slightest.

This woman!

Ren Fengjue frowned, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the black-clad assassin hiding behind another row of shelves.

"This cabin is only so big, how long are you going to keep hiding?"

As he spoke, he tried to put the woman back on the ground.

But suddenly, a pair of hands touched his waist.

Then, the woman hid half of her body under her cloak, pressing herself tightly against him through several layers of clothing.

"..."

Even Lord Ren's perpetually calm and collected face now showed a touch of handsomeness.

In a moment of distraction, the assassin seized the opportunity, leaped forward, and attacked the two with a short sword.

Seeing this, Ren Fengjue could only grab the woman in his arms and retreat repeatedly, dodging as he went.

The cabin was cluttered with miscellaneous items, making it difficult to maneuver.

The assassin unleashed a series of powerful thrusts, forcing the two men into a corner where they had no way to escape.

Ren Fengjue composed himself, calculating the timing of the opponent's next move. He quickly pulled the "burden" in his arms aside and suddenly swept his leg out.

This strike was accurate and powerful.

The assassin had no choice but to discard his short sword, and with a swift flip, he distanced himself from the two men.

Suddenly, he raised his hand again and heard the soft click of a mechanism; six plum blossom-shaped sleeve arrows were ready to be fired at any moment.

Ren Fengjue was taken aback. Considering his situation with the drunk woman, he didn't have time to think it through. He could only swing his arm to open his cloak and pull her into his arms.

The arrows grazed his ripped robes, some were deflected, some were deflected, but one still struck his shoulder.

The assassin was secretly pleased. He rolled over, picked up the short sword from the ground, and was about to press his advantage.

However, at the moment he raised his hand, the woman in Ren Fengjue's arms raised her head.

A pair of clear, deep eyes looked over...

In an instant, an indescribable sense of oppression came from above, and my hands and feet inexplicably froze, my body frozen in place.

Ren Fengjue saw this and kicked the sword out of the opponent's hand. In just a few moves, he swiftly and decisively countered the attack.

"Lord Ren!"

Outside the door, Yu Lang waited anxiously for a moment, but finally couldn't hold back and rushed in.

He immediately noticed Ren Fengjue's shoulder injury, which startled him so much that he raised his voice even higher.

"Lord Ren, you...you're injured?!"

After being reminded, Ren Fengjue glanced down at the wound, but said calmly, "It's nothing. The hidden weapon wasn't poisoned; it's just a superficial wound."

Just as he was about to give some instructions, Yu Lang darted forward and stomped the assassin under his feet.

"Speak quickly! Who sent you to assassinate Lord Ren?"

The assassin seemed to snap out of his daze, his eyes involuntarily glancing at the woman in the corner, and he inexplicably shuddered.

Yu Lang then realized that there was actually another person inside the cabin.

A thin, poorly dressed young woman, who looked like she came from a poor background, was quietly leaning against the corner.

Presumably due to extreme fright, her face was pale and bloodless, and her little face was completely expressionless.

Pitiful!

He was considering what words of comfort to say when a muffled groan came from beneath his feet. It turned out that the assassin had quietly poisoned himself.

Yu Lang was annoyed: "I haven't even asked anything yet!"

Ren Fengjue, who was standing to the side, was not much surprised by this result. Instead, he calmly straightened his robes.

"I was just about to remind you to be careful that he doesn't commit suicide."

"..."

Yu Lang sheepishly withdrew his foot, muttering under his breath, "How could I not have foreseen this? I was just a step too late."

Ren Fengjue overheard this and feigned a serious expression, saying, "You abandoned your post without permission and haven't told me what the situation is like outside?"

"Don't worry, Lord Ren, those petty thieves have been thoroughly subdued and dare not cause any more trouble."

Fearing that Lord Ren would blame him, Yu Lang respectfully added, "This humble official has already searched everywhere, and this assassin has no accomplices."

Ren Fengjue nodded, understanding dawning on his mind.

It's difficult to hide on a ship, so assassination with concealed weapons is the best option.

However, the assassin's skills were mediocre. It was unclear whether the mastermind was too careless or had other motives.

After a moment's thought, Ren Fengjue's gaze fell on the hidden arrow at his feet. He bent down, picked it up, and examined it closely.

After a long pause, he gave the order: "After we get ashore, take the body back and have someone thoroughly investigate its origins."

Judging by the time, the ship should have reached the waters off Kyoto.

He was about to walk outside when he noticed a pair of eyes staring at him from the corner.

Ren Fengjue glanced back, but before he could speak, Yu Lang interjected, "This girl must be terrified. Lord Ren, what do you think... we should offer her assistance?"

"..."

The situation just now was indeed dangerous, but the woman didn't seem afraid at all.

Instead, the way they looked at me was filled with a sense of inquiry and consideration.

Ren Fengjue was naturally suspicious, and couldn't help but frown slightly.

He glanced at Yu Lang and replied, "Young Master Yu has always been chivalrous and considerate of women. You can make the decision on this matter."

"However, this woman appeared in the cabin with the assassin just now, and we still don't know her background."

"Why don't you ask Yu Shaoqing as well?"

Upon hearing these words, Yu Lang felt a jolt in his heart, instantly experiencing the pain of having shot himself in the foot.

He tapped his head and reluctantly bowed again.

"Your humble servant obeys."