Heart Protection

HEART PROTECTION: CHAPTER 1

After leaving the mountain for awhile, there were two things that troubled Yan Hui the most. First, from now on she could never eat the food Fatty Zhang made daily. Second was poverty.

From when Yan Hui was little, she knew the pain of poverty. After being accepted by Ling Xiao as his disciple, every month Chen Xing Mountain gave her two silvers. They were like a regular balm for her mind. It got rid of her pain from poverty

But when Yan Hui was expelled, everything she kept in Chen Xing Mountain's storeroom was confiscated. When she was kicked out, the Shifus didn't even let her keep her jian. Thus the Yan Hui that went down the mountain only possessed herself. She didn't even have the money to buy a steamed bun.

But now the situation has turned for the better. At the bottom of the mountain under the direction of a person, Yan Hui found a way to make money------ Jianghu's Valorous Hunts [1].

When Yan Hui looked at the hunt list, she luckily just happened to see a rich man's post at the very top of the tasks: Search for and return the family heirloom stolen by a snake demon 100 years ago. Rewarding 88 taels......of gold [2]!

88 taels of gold!

It was enough hire several Fatty Zhangs to be a personal cook for six days and eat well! Yan Hui's eyes were green with greed. She didn't even think before ripping off the hunt.

What was a 100-year-old snake demon? Back when she first met her former Shifu, she helped him kill an over 1000-year-old rattan spirit!

Yan Hui borrowed money from a friend and bought a peach wood jian. She rushed to Tong Luo Mountain to kill the snake demon and take its gallbladder. She originally thought this was an extremely easy task, but!

The expected demonic aura rocketed into a ruthless, giant snake demon! It actually came out! To scare her!

She had been walking around this mountain for five, six, seven, eight days now. She didn't even see a clever monkey. It was clear this mountain's spirituality was nonexistent. Yan Hui thought if this snake demon had a smidge of sense, it wouldn't stay here to cultivate.

Yan Hui looked almost to the point of despair. With a look, she saw it was noon again. Her stomach was hungry again. She sat on a tree root and sighed in frustration. Right now the person she missed the most was the unsurpassable Fatty Zhang.

When Yan Hui sighed, she felt the "tree root" under her butt move. She was astonished. She looked down and then discovered it wasn't a tree root at all. Clearly it was a scale-covered snake skin!

The demonic aura behind her filled the air. Yan Hui looked behind and saw the snake's body was as thick as a water barrel. It was staring at her with a pair of raw-red eyes, watching her spit out apricots.

Yan Hui immediately leapt up. She just grasped her peach wood jian when the snake demon's tail wound around her body. It gaped open its mouth to bite her. Yan Hui didn't avoid or dodge it. She cast a spell on the jian and stabbed it into the snake demon's mouth.

But the snake demon's mouth was huge. Unexpectedly it swallowed the jian whole!

If Yan Hui didn't rapidly pull back her arm, then she wouldn't have an arm left.

Yan Hui was indignant: "You're very impolite. That jian was bought with borrowed money!"

The snake demon didn't heed Yan Hui's nonsense. It only wrapped around Yan Hui until its entire body was exerting strength. It intended to squeeze Yan Hui to death.

Yan Hui was greatly suffering the loss of her peach wood jian and didn't avoid it. She pulled together her body's spirituality and met the snake demon force by force. Yan Hui deeply exhaled and her entire body burst with spiritual strength. It forcefully shook the snake demon apart.

The snake demon suffered heavy injuries. It randomly turned around a few times on the ground to find a direction to flee. Yan Hui vaulted ahead and threw herself on its back. She deathly gripped the seven inches [3] between her legs and held onto its head. She gathered spiritual energy in her hand and ruthlessly thrashed it twice on its head: "Spit my jian out!"

The snake demon was suffering. It lifted its head, intending to throw Yan Hui off. But it didn't succeed. Instead it made the annoyed Yan Hui thrash it two more times. The snake demon's throat pulsed twice. With a coughing sound, it spit out Yan Hui's peach wood jian. Yan Hui rolled off and picked up the peach wood jian from off the ground. The snake demon seized the chance to flee, but Yan Hui was unexpectedly quicker. She swiftly and violently whirled around, piercing the peach wood jian through its scales and nailing its tail to the ground.

The snake demon hissed toward the sky in pain. The sound caused a flock of birds on the mountain to burst out.

Only then did Yan Hui release her temper. She stood up and brushed off her clothes. She proudly walked toward the snake demon that was curled up into a ball and looked down on it: "Well, do you yield?"

The snake demon shuddered in pain.

Yan Hui knelt down in front of it: "I'll be frank. I have no animosity toward you. I don't want to kill you. You stole the Zhou Family's heirloom, didn't you? Return it and I'll let you go."

"What do you want?" The snake demon suddenly opened its mouth. It was an unexpectedly pleasant male voice: "The Zhou Family gave you money to find a treasure? I'm willing to give you three times the amount......"

Wha......what!

The demon actually knew how to bribe!

And it was......three times! She could hire many Fatty Zhangs!

At that moment Yan Hui started to waver!

She was astonished. She wasn't considering the snake demon's terms at all. Rather she was pondering how much the Zhou Family's reward times three was. However while she was using her poor math skills to figure it out, the snake demon couldn't wait any longer.

He suddenly made a move. The tail that was pinned by Yan Hui hurt like it was being split into two. He suddenly whipped toward Yan Hui.

Yan Hui's head was filled with swirling gold. She only heard a whistling sound by her ear. Immediately her head hurt. It had been whipped onto the ground.

She crawled up, face covered in blood. She was still unsteady when the snake demon pounced over and bit her neck!

Yan Hui felt pain where the venomous fangs pierced her shoulder and neck. Immediately half of her body lost feeling: "Can't you do business properly?!" Yan Hui clenched her teeth. Energy concentrated at her fingertips. Flames immediately sparked around the snake demon's body and burned.

"Little girl actually knows the Fire Technique!" The inferno was blazing hot. It made the snake demon hiss toward the sky.

Yan Hui fell onto the ground and spoke through gritted teeth: "You don't know what's what. Why in the world would I use an inferior technique?" Immediately following this, the fire on the snake demon's body became even more intense. The pain grew even more, and he didn't dare annoy Yan Hui again. With his body on fire, he panicked and ran, disappearing into the woods without a trace.

Sure enough, a person shouldn't be greedy......three times the reward was gone. Now the original reward might be gone too.

Yan Hui's heart had a burst of hatred. She covered her shoulder and used spiritual energy to stop the blood, but it was unable to stop that snake demon's poison from spreading in her body. Not long afterwards, Yan Hui felt her heartbeat quicken, like a horse galloping. It made her whole body feel like it was heating up inside with dry heat.

She felt unbelievably thirsty. So much that she didn't care if movement would make the poison spread faster. She rapidly started walking to look for water.

From childhood, Yan Hui cultivated the fire-related techniques. Since she was small, her body temperature was higher than others. She could also withstand much more heat. But now it was different from the heat from before. Even though in the past she was shut into a fire cave as punishment, she didn't feel the pain like this broiling heat.

She didn't know how long nor far she staggered. Finally Yan Hui saw in front of her a merry brook.

In a split second, the desire in her seemed to give her body strength. She hurriedly threw herself forward, but she forgot the stones by the brook were covered in moss. It was incredibly slippery. Her foot twisted, and she plunged head-first into the brook.

The icy water didn't relieve the dry heat inside of her. She lifted up her head to breathe. She felt like her eyes have been roasted by the heat inside to the point they couldn't see clearly anymore.

Her head was getting even more muddled. It seemed like she could see the shifu that brought her to Chen Xing Mountain so long ago.

She subconsciously touched her neck and grabbed the pendant around it. That pendant was from the day she left Chen Xing Mountain. It was the piece of the broken jade hairpin she picked up.

In a dazed spell, Yan Hui seemed like she could see the pure xian using his own hairpin to pin up her loose hair. It seemed like she could hear him by her ear say, from now on he would be her shifu, she didn't have to fear being humiliated by others again, didn't have to starve again, didn't have to be homeless and drift about.

But look at her now......

She was thrashed until her face bled, beaten and exhausted......

In this drifting state, countless thoughts floated by Yan Hui, but these thoughts were ultimately ended by a few sentences spoken with a native accent:

"It's a gurl, eh!"

"Where at?  Why she 'n tha river?"

"Dunno, guess she was carried 'ere from in the moun'ain by tha river. Let's fish 'er up an' sell 'er."

"Right, eh! Give 'er to that Xiao Family ol' lady's dumb grandson as a wife! That's great!"

"Right on!"

Hold......hold on!

What, dumb grandson! What, wife! What, right on!

Don't randomly make decisions for others!

They didn't wait for Yan Hui to refute. The people on the shore used a stick to fish her out and prodded the wrong spot. They directly jabbed her on the head which made her pass out. After that, she didn't have a clue what was happening.......

When Yan Hui once again woke up, she saw a roof that was leaking a little bit of light. She wiggled a little and discovered her arms and legs were bound.

What a joke. Using an ordinary piece of rope to tie her up? Did she learn nothing while she was learning how to cultivate? [4]

She disdainfully sighed. Exerting some strength in her hand......

And then she blanked.

Could......could it be she really learned nothing?

To her surprise she didn't get free!

She used even more strength; even her toes flexed, but......she still couldn't get free......

She was alarmed and hurriedly explored inwardly. She was instantly covered in cold sweat.

Her cultivation, her internal breath, actually overnight was, completely! 100%! Gone!

While Yan Hui was stupefied, a wrinkly-faced, muddy-eyed old lady walked in front of her. The old lady reached out and felt Yan Hui's face: "This girl's face feels very smooth."

Yan Hui scooted back. The old lady didn't continue touching her face. Her muddy eyes curved: "Da Fu will like her."

"Definitely will."

A thin woman's voice spoke out off to the side. Yan Hui turned her head and saw a middle-aged married woman wearing bright colors walk forward from the side. The matron's face was full of smiles: "My man fished her out with a lot of effort. The clothes he was wearing got soaked. He almost fell in. Buying her won't be a loss."

Old Lady Xiao nodded her head: "Then I will count on you, Zhou Family's aunt [5], to help my Da Fu's wife."

It took Yan Hui awhile before she realized what happened. She was picked up and sold!

Even when she left completely penniless, she wasn't willing to sell herself. Who did they think they were, daring to become her master!

Yan Hui couldn't hold in her anger. She lifted her two legs and kicked at Mrs. Zhou. The direct kick made her stagger, almost falling.

"Ah! Good heavens!" Mrs. Zhou turned her head and stared at Yan Hui in astonishment and anger: "You dared to kick me!"

"You dared to buy me! Why shouldn't I dare to kick you! Spit it out! How much did you sell me for!"

The aunt derisively laughed: "Huh, a girl caring about this matter at this time. It really opened my eyes."

Old Lady Xiao anxiously asked off to the side: "The girl woke up?"

"I'm awake. Release me and let me go."

"What do you mean, let you go." Mrs. Zhou reprimanded Yan Hui. "Grandma Xiao took pity on you, all alone. She didn't know how you ended up being carried by the river here. She planned to accept you as her grandson's wife. It guarantees you'll be cared for by a man!"

"Heh, yes I am all alone, but who said I wanted to be cared for." Yan Hui wasn't pleased. "Release me."

"What a terrible mouth." Mrs. Zhou waved her hand form the doorway. Immediately two strapping men walked in. They stood to the left and right of Yan Hui and propped her up by her elbows.

Yan Hui struggled but couldn't throw them off. She decided to stop and just coldly stared at Mrs. Zhou.

Mrs. Zhou laughingly spoke to Old Lady Xiao: "Elder Xiao [6], don't worry. All kidnapped girls have a temper at first. I've been in the business for a while. I have ways to deal with them. I'll throw her in the woodshed for you."

Yan Hui let out a cold laugh. Turns out this person was a repeat human trafficker.

The two big men carried Yan Hui out. However although Yan Hui's skills were gone, her body was still in top condition. She heard Mrs. Zhou whisper into Old Lady Xiao's ear: "Here, this drug will sap all her strength if she eats. She won't be able to run away. Mix it in her food and let A'Fu [7] give it to her to eat. If she refuses to eat, then starve her for two meals. At that point most girls, even though they know the food is drugged, will still eat to live. But I see this girl has a fierce temper. Wait until she is dizzy and faint with hunger. Then mix it into porridge and give it to her......"

Yan Hui listened in fear, but now she was helpless with no way out. She had no choice but to let the two big men carry her into the woodshed. They ruthlessly threw her into the hay pile and threateningly said; "If you don't want to suffer, then be good. Once you're in the village, aside from death, there's no way to escape. Accept your fate!"

Once they finished, they closed the rickety door with a slam.

Yan Hui wiggled around in the hay pile to arrange herself in a more comfortable position. She looked all around. She looked at the rope tying her hands and feet. She only had one thought.

Fortunately Zi Yue wasn't here to see this shamefully irritating situation......

Sure enough Old Lady Xiao listened to Mrs. Zhou's words and didn't send food for the entire day.

By the time Yan Hui was able to see the moon and stars through the drafty roof, her stomach was growling.

Yan Hui sighed and scooted next to the door. She kicked while she shouted: "Weren't you guys going to give me the drugged food to eat! You said you would mix drugs into the food. You said you were going to feed me! You guys are hypocrites! I'm starving!"

She yelled so loudly the room shook and some dust motes fell. They landed on her nose and irritated it until she couldn't help sneezing a few times.

Right when she was sneezing, the woodshed's door creaked open.

The bright moon shines, a dazzling light, a young man stands in the doorway's sight. [8]

Yan Hui saw the thin young man staring at her stupidly. His coarse clothing highlighted his impoverished life. However his face that was backlit was surprisingly pretty.

Yes, pretty.

Especially that pair of star-lit eyes......

"Ba-thump!"

Meeting those eyes in an instant, Yan Hui suddenly felt like her heart beat intensely. Immediately following that, like an illusion, Yan Hui seemed to hear her own heart galloping away even faster.

"Ba-thump!" "Ba-thump!"

Her heart was beating like crazy. Could it be towards this thin young man......love at first sight?