Chapter 1033: Meeting Qin Yue

Chapter 1033: Chapter 1033: Meeting Qin Yue

Ye Qingchen’s eyes flickered with a hint of fierceness, his grip suddenly tightened, the servant only felt his neck being clamped by an iron-like hand, making it extremely difficult to breathe.

He opened his mouth desperately trying to inhale, but he simply could not catch his breath, his eyes filled with pain and despair.

"I’ll ask you one more time, where is the side hall?" Ye Qingchen’s voice was lower, carrying a suffocating pressure.

His gaze was cold as ice, staring into the servant’s eyes as if he could see through his thoughts instantly.

Feeling Ye Qingchen’s killing intent, the servant finally collapsed, tears mixed with sweat slid down his face, pleading incoherently, "It’s... in the northwest direction... right behind the main hall... Please spare me... I’m telling the truth..."

Upon hearing these words, Ye Qingchen’s gaze shifted slightly, but he did not loosen his grip, instead, he tightened his grasp on the servant’s neck more forcefully, staring coldly at him, ensuring there’s no possibility of lying.

A moment later, Ye Qingchen released his hand, the servant gasped heavily as if relieved, yet Ye Qingchen did not intend to give him any chance to call for help or escape.

He casually tossed the servant aside, the servant’s body crashed heavily to the ground with a thud, instantly losing consciousness again.

Ye Qingchen stood up, his gaze coldly sweeping over the two he had subdued, confirming they were incapable of resistance.

He then turned around, quickly sneaking towards the northwest direction indicated by the servant.

Following the servant’s guidance, Ye Qingchen swiftly and stealthily traversed the palace city’s paths, finally arriving in front of the side hall.

This side hall was located at the northwest corner of the palace city, appearing particularly desolate compared to the main hall.

The surroundings were dark and silent, seemingly rarely visited, only a few old trees swayed lightly in the night wind, making a rustling sound, as if this place had long been forgotten in the corner of the palace city.

The exterior of the side hall was quaint and majestic, but due to long neglect, the walls were covered with climbing plants, and in some places, they had even started to peel, revealing mottled bricks and tiles.

The large doors in front of the hall were tightly closed, a heavy iron lock firmly securing the door panels, seemingly untouched for a long time.

Despite this, surprisingly, there were no guards outside, and no patrol soldiers passed by, making the place exceptionally quiet.

Ye Qingchen was slightly alert, but at this moment, anxious to rescue, he dared not hesitate.

He carefully observed the surrounding environment, confirmed no one was noticing, then cautiously approached the side hall. He gently pushed the door, the iron lock remained solid, evidently unable to enter from the front door.

Thus, he shifted his gaze to the nearby window.

This window was half-closed, not locked. Ye Qingchen cautiously approached, using his fingers to gently part the window frame, slowly sliding the window open, ensuring no sound was made.

The window frame wobbled slightly, revealing the dim scene inside.

Ye Qingchen took a deep breath, then with both hands on the window, he nimbly flipped himself inside.

His movements were as agile and light as a cat, when his feet touched the ground, he barely made any sound. His gaze quickly swept through the room, confirming the surrounding safety.

The environment inside the side hall was as desolate as the outside. The interior was furnished simply and aged, only a few ordinary pieces of furniture placed around. Even in the corners, faint dust could still be seen accumulating, clearly not cleaned for a long time.

A faint damp smell permeated the air, creating an oppressive feeling.

Just then, a subtle noise suddenly reached Ye Qingchen’s ears, as if someone was breathing lightly.

He immediately became alert, his body tensed, eyes as sharp as a hawk, quickly searching for the source of the sound.

The interior door of the side hall was half-closed, faintly revealing a bit of light.

As he drew closer to the inner room, a slight sound suddenly emanated from within.

Ye Qingchen paused his steps, held his breath, and continued observing. Through the crack of the door, he saw a blurry figure quickly rising, seemingly preparing to confront the sudden intruder.

That figure silently picked up the weapon placed beside, a delicate short sword, its blade reflected a cold gleam in the dim light.

The person holding the sword was slender, but moved swiftly and forcefully, evidently trained rigorously.

Her eyes emitted a glow of calm and vigilance, her whole body slightly bent, ready to meet any potential danger.

Ye Qingchen’s heart tightened, realizing immediately that this person was Qin Yue.

Although she seemed weak, the alert and resolute aura undeniably demonstrated she still maintained a high combat capability. Ye Qingchen knew if he moved further, Qin Yue would very likely attack without hesitation.

He dared not act rashly, instead softly called, "Qin Yue, it’s me, Ye Qingchen."

Upon hearing this familiar voice, Qin Yue’s movements slightly paused, her grip on the short sword remained tight, but her gaze shifted from vigilance and caution to suspicion and probing.

She slightly inclined her body, peering through the half-open door looking outward.

Confirming the voice indeed belonged to Ye Qingchen, Qin Yue’s tense body finally eased a bit, the caution in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an incredulous and complex emotion.

Her hand still gripped the short sword, but she slowly lowered the tip, her breathing slightly steadied.

"Ye Qingchen, is it really you?" Her voice trembled slightly, unable to conceal the shock and unease in her heart.

Ye Qingchen gently pushed open the half-closed door, slowly entered the inner room, trying to pace his movement to prevent Qin Yue from tensing up again.

His gaze softened, looking at the woman he hadn’t seen for long, a wave of sourness surged in his heart.

Her face was pale, evidently suffering quite a bit during this period, yet her clear eyes still gleamed with resolute light.

"It’s me, Qin Yue." Ye Qingchen softly said, attempting to use the most peaceful tone to reassure her. "I’ve come to rescue you."

Qin Yue’s hand finally loosened its grip on the short sword, and the weapon gently slipped onto the floor, making a light sound.

Her body slightly wobbled, seemingly affected by emotional upheaval, feeling a bit helpless. She strived to steady herself, preventing tears from flowing, faintly revealing a bitter smile: "I thought... I’d never see you again."

Ye Qingchen felt a pang in his heart, quickly stepped to Qin Yue’s side, reaching out to hold her shoulder, sensing her body still trembling slightly.

He looked at her, his tone firm yet gentle: "Don’t worry, I will take you away from here, never to let you suffer any harm again."

Qin Yue looked up at Ye Qingchen, her eyes revealing complex emotions, filled with joy, concern, and a fragility after a long separation reunion.