Chapter 81

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Facing those long spears and long knives that surrounded and stabbed at her once more, Shaowei leapt upward with a light body; her movements were extremely fast, the long spears in the encircling killers' hands simply could not be retracted or extended in time, the spear tips collided and crossed in mid-air, Shaowei stepped on those interlocked spear tips, lowering her upper body while raising her right leg high, the long knife in her hand slashed out afterimages, one slash swept past, two Fine Clothes Guards' necks instantly spurted pillars of blood, at the same moment her rear right leg rotated left in a sweeping kick, a scorpion-tail wag with astonishing leg wind, also swept back two Fine Clothes Guards behind her.

In one move and one style, she actually caused two deaths and two injuries; ferocious yet not lacking superb skill.

Zhu Zhi watched this with his own eyes; he had originally tried to discern this strange girl's martial arts lineage, but watching further he simply could not discern it at all, only feeling shock in his heart.

Although he did not know why she appeared here, or what her relationship with Liu Qi was, such a monster absolutely could not be left alive!

As Shaowei landed, her foot hooked up a long spear, she raised her leg and kicked it horizontally, that long spear whistled as it struck toward a Fine Clothes Guard blocking in front of Zhu Zhi.

Zhu Zhi finally could not restrain himself and flashed out, raising his knife to chop at that monster girl.

Shaowei did not retreat, meeting him with her knife; the blades in the two people's hands clashed clang-clang-dang-dang, Shaowei pressed forward step by step.

Shaowei was single-mindedly intent on killing Zhu Zhi, yet simultaneously constrained by Zhu Zhi's moves; at the height of the confrontation, Shaowei failed to dodge in time, her left ribs were suddenly wounded by a long spear attacking from behind, her clothes torn open, flesh and blood split apart.

Shaowei frowned and withdrew two steps to the side; a long spear thrust straight at her face, she twisted her body and leaned back to avoid it, at which moment Zhu Zhi seized the timing and knocked the long knife from her hand.

"Quick!" At the same time a squad of several dozen Fine Clothes Guards holding torches rapidly surrounded toward Zhu Zhi to protect him.

Zhu Zhi looked at that girl who had been stripped of her weapon; no matter how powerful a monster, once its claws and fangs were pulled it should show a panicked, trapped, retreating look——

But she did not.

She not only did not, but instead clung desperately to this last fleeting opportunity, gathering power in her legs, suddenly flying up, pouncing straight at him to kill!

This reaction could be called anti-human nature put into action; her hand now held a dagger that had slid from her sleeve, using a tiny dagger to oppose one holding a long knife, simply a fantasy——normally, Zhu Zhi seeing this scene would probably laugh out loud, but at this very moment, that girl with blood staining her face had cold, ruthless eyes; she had no fear, no retreat, even seemed to have no pain sensation, employing a desperate, life-disregarding fighting style, simply ferocious to an inhuman degree.

Zhu Zhi considered himself full of fierce baleful qi, yet now he encountered something even more fierce and baleful than himself; he involuntarily retreated a step, that was the reaction of the human body's deepest instinctive consciousness being awed.

Moreover because the poison mist inhaled in his body had not yet been completely cleared and expelled, this huge sense of awe made him feel dizzy again, but waiting for death was absolutely impossible; Zhu Zhi's reaction was a beat slow, missing the best timing to actively strike, but he still hurriedly raised his knife to block before his body——

The tall, ghost-and-spirit-fearing Fine Clothes Guard Commander used his wide, heavy long knife to hastily block the dagger the girl thrust at him; this scene would likely become the former's lifelong shame.

Just before the dagger tip was about to collide and snap against that long knife, that girl who held the reaction advantage twisted her wrist, the dagger impossibly changed to a reverse horizontal grip, the blade edge along the knife body suddenly struck out sparks, fine fragmented sparks streaked straight toward the left side, in an instant slicing across Zhu Zhi's knife-gripping right fist and right wrist!

All this almost took place in just a few short breaths; from the back of his hand to his wrist Zhu Zhi was sliced open with a blood line, he hurriedly changed from block to attack in pain, several Fine Clothes Guards at his side had also already attacked Shaowei, separating the distance between her and Zhu Zhi.

Zhu Zhi sensed something was wrong, retreated several steps, raised his hand to look, only to see the blood at the wound had already turned pitch black!

His confidant saw this and was greatly shocked and pale; this was clearly the work of a deadly poison!

Zhu Zhi, shocked and angry, raised his head to look at that surrounded vicious girl: "Capture her, keep her alive!"

He wanted the antidote, the antidote!

And benefiting from his this order of "keep alive", Shaowei managed in the split second before that dense squad of Fine Clothes Guards arrived, to fight her way out a bloody path with all her might, escaping the encirclement.

How would Zhu Zhi let her leave, he immediately ordered pursuit and encirclement.

Zhu Zhi's confidant seeing Zhu Zhi's face faintly beginning to turn white, the situation growing ever more chaotic, losses already heavy, he supported Zhu Zhi, had no choice but to urgently order: "Pass the order down, withdraw out of the mountain!"

If the Commander falls here, no one else to command the situation, only fear they will all become trapped beasts…… two hundred elite Fine Clothes Guards are the Son of Heaven's private property, if they perish here inexplicably, when heavenly wrath descends who can bear the responsibility!

The Fine Clothes Guards who had long since sprouted thoughts of retreat in this weirdness-ridden mountain forest, hearing this, retreated one after another, half fighting while retreating, half successively surrounding Zhu Zhi, another ten-odd people threading through the mountain forest pursuing that strange girl who had wounded Zhu Zhi.

If it were ordinary days, Shaowei could shake off the pursuers behind by using lightness skill, but she right now had multiple wounds on her body, blood loss unceasing, and due to consecutive days and nights of rushing the road was nearly exhausted, lightness skill could no longer be fully employed, only relying on a will to survive in her flight.

Like a wounded beast, she habitually threw herself into pitch darkness; pitch darkness to her meant she could evade enemies, in the mountain forest she feared nothing.

Torches flickered in and out behind, the Fine Clothes Guards' shouts came near and far: "Over there, quick, catch her!"

"Swoosh——"

A cold arrow attacked from behind, Shaowei relied on hearing and the instinct to sense danger to sidestep and avoid, never once turning her head, only caring to run forward.

Those Fine Clothes Guards still wanted to shoot arrows again, only to see a white shadow appear before their eyes, no time to react, already pecked in the eyes by that white shadow diving down, he screamed covering his eyes, retreating in panic.

That white shadow still kept flapping its wings driving him away, its mouth mimicking human speech: "Evil thing disperse, disperse!"

The several archers following close behind saw clearly it was merely a bird, one person thus waved a torch boldly to drive it off, the rest either continued pursuit, or jumped to high ground to seek suitable sightlines to shoot arrows.

However the several archers who leapt to high ground instead became others' targets, successively shot through by sharp crossbows flying from the darkness and falling down.

Shaowei still fled, physical strength and perception both declining, no longer seeing torch lights swaying, she judged the pursuers behind must have already pulled open a stretch of distance, so after rushing into a dense forest ahead, she hurriedly took out hemostatic pills from her bosom and swallowed them into her mouth, however the pills had not yet been fully swallowed, a hand suddenly reached out from the darkness, grabbed her in one handful: "Come with me this way!"

All around pitch black, Shaowei was pulled stumbling and running; she was choked by the pill stuck in her throat and coughed for a while, wretched to the point of seeing stars, nearly losing consciousness.

She wanted to shake off that person, but at this moment her qi strength was truly feeble, ran a stretch of road, her foot tripped, her legs also had no strength to support, suddenly she fell to her knees.

That person still held Shaowei's one arm, at this moment bent down wanting to lift her up, but Shaowei was unwilling to go with him, at this moment deliberately sinking her strength and body, she was like a heavy, solid, stubborn stone block, not easily lifted, unless moved entirely.

Sensing her resistance and rejection, the other party lowered his voice to explain one sentence: "You and I are friends, not enemies!"

This voice carried a few parts muffled feeling, but still could be heard as a young man; Shaowei panted heavily and raised her face to look, by the extremely faint moonlight, only saw the other party's face covered by a White Ze Divine Beast Wu Nu Mask.

Shaowei's mind at this moment was near chaos; the weaker she was, the more vigilant she became; she naturally could vaguely also distinguish the other party came from another side opposing and slaughtering Zhu Zhi's forces, but this did not mean he was completely reliable to her; one sentence "friend not enemy" could not win her a shred of trust.

Mental state already stretched to the limit, one step away from going mad and biting the whole world, Shaowei followed her self-preservation instinct, suddenly raised her right hand and slashed at the other party, the dagger she had been tightly gripping all along drew a terrifying cold light in the night sky.

The dark-clothed youth turned his head to dodge, yet still was sliced at the ear-side mask corner.

The White Ze mask scattered and fell, the torches ahead flickered, tearing at the clear faint moonlight, the youth suddenly revealed his true appearance, skin like toad-light, handsome brows black eyes, bone appearance clear and transcendent, outstanding and unworldly.

Shaowei was surprised.

It was actually this person.

Shaowei no matter what had never imagined she would actually encounter Liu Qi at this time in this mountain.

This situation, this scene, unexpectedly meeting a previous-life Yellow Springs companion, she hazily returned to the moment of death in the previous life, Shaowei muddled and laboriously thought, could it be fate still wants to verify in advance in another way?

Shaowei used her last strength to prop herself on both hands and glare at Liu Qi; Liu Qi was also looking at her.

Those approaching torches were obviously his people; he at this moment also did not rush to grab Shaowei and run, he dropped one knee and knelt down, looking at Shaowei, suddenly laughed once: "I said how so fierce-god-evil-spirit, turns out it's still you."

Although only a snowy-day one-meeting acquaintance, but these eyes and this temper and this face that every time hangs with blood are really too unique, one glance can make a person recognize.

Shaowei's breathing gradually weakened, her body trembling; she had not spoken a word until now, nor did she respond to him.

Liu Qi seemed to sense something and raised his hand to touch behind his ear; his fingertip was stained with a trace of blood, dark black in color—exactly from the wound her dagger had inflicted just now.

He pinched the black blood on his fingertip and naturally extended his hand: "Where is the antidote?"

Shaowei strained to raise one hand propping against the ground, pulled a small ceramic bottle from her collar, and smashed it toward him; she finally spoke, her voice hoarse yet still vicious: "... The pills inside can only temporarily delay the onset; I am the only one who knows the antidote formula! Dare to take advantage of my peril, then let us meet King Yama together!"

After speaking, Shaowei had no strength left to lift her head, letting it droop down.

Vaguely she heard Liu Qi say: "How can you repay kindness with enmity."

"Who made you block the road and meddle..." Shaowei vaguely finished this sentence, her body collapsed, completely weakened, her whole face buried in the dry leaves.

At the moment she fell into a coma, Shaowei only rejoiced that she was wise and martial enough to wound the other with a poisoned dagger.

What six or seven six or eight, she and he had no friendship whatsoever; being poisoned by her was what made it truly credible, this was her guarantee of survival, and she must keep this guarantee firmly in her own hands.

"Young Master!"

A group of people wearing Wu Nu Robes and masks came forward holding torches, swords, and blades; Liu Qi picked up the mask whose binding rope had been cut, stood up, and looked at the person on the ground: "Take her up, and make sure to save her."

He held the White Ze mask, turned around, and repeated Shaowei's words: "Otherwise I will meet King Yama with her."

Mist floated and sank; the Brocade Cloth Division had hastily dispersed, with only a few people still searching for Zhu Zhi's whereabouts of that girl.

On the other side, the person wearing Wu Nu Robes took away their own dead and wounded companions.

In the mountains there were still sobs; two hunters frightened out of their wits still guarded the hunter injured by Zhu Zhi, kowtowing and weeping before those Wu Nu colorful shadows, fearful and reverent: "Mountain God Sir, it was those knife-wielding officials who insisted on disturbing; we commoners had no intention of offense, we were truly forced to come; please save him, Mountain God Sir, save him..."

Villagers and hunters who had lived in this area for generations revered all living beings, ghosts, and spirits; they were illiterate and unenlightened, even seriously imagining that the Son of Heaven far away in the capital must look like a true dragon capable of riding clouds and mist.

They had no contact with political struggles at all, destined to be unable to imagine things beyond their cognition; and because they had personally seen snakes and insects being driven, they were even more firmly convinced that these shadows were transformations of mountain ghosts and spirits, specially punishing those harboring evil thoughts.

The corner of the White Robe half-merged into the night, halting beside them.

They immediately pleaded even more earnestly, not daring to raise their heads and offend the true appearance of ghosts and spirits.

The youth's fair, slender left hand pressed the White Ze mask onto his face; he lowered his head and looked at the injured hunter.

This hunter had been slashed in the back, but because he carried a hunting bow and arrow quiver behind him, there was slight obstruction, so he still had breath; however, blood flowed incessantly, and if carried out of the mountain like this, they feared they would not make it in time to seek a doctor.

Receiving the youth's signal, Deng Hu squatted down and took out high-quality Golden Trauma Medicine to stop the hunter's bleeding.

They all wore masks and never spoke a word throughout; only after departing into the mountain mist did the two hunters dare to raise their heads.

Poor hunters, when injured in daily life, could only mash some herbs to plaster on, or use folk remedies, naturally never having seen such precious Golden Trauma Medicine; the two saw that most of the blood on their companion's back had stopped, and felt it was truly a divine medicine bestowed by the Mountain God; they again wept with gratitude, kowtowing toward that departing line of "ghosts and spirits."

When people are in extreme fear, they often hope for protection from ghosts and spirits.

Even in a coma, Shaowei felt some unease; and the only one who could intrude into her dream sea was Jiang Fu.

In the dream, she vaguely returned to the moment of applying cinnabar; Jiang Fu's voice was full of expectation, yet inexplicably carried a hint of guilt: 【Little ghost, I told you a monstrous lie...】

In the dream Shaowei still felt pain; she was too weak to open her eyes, and wanted to speak but could not make any sound.

So she could only listen to Jiang Fu say: 【Little ghost, the time has come; you can no longer be the hidden Shaowei Star... At this moment you should emerge among the Divine Stars and become the embodiment of heavenly opportunity.】

Jiang Fu's voice seemed before her eyes, yet also from a distant place: 【Remember, carry your anger to live, cleave those Black Mountains that make you angry, cut off the surging evil sea... Little ghost, the qi of this world may be rearranged under your hands.】

The voice carried a hint of pity: 【Do not be afraid; this path is not lonely; just go choose someone worthy to walk with you.】

Shaowei had gathered strength for a long time; at this moment she finally broke through the cage of voicelessness, and cried out loud: "I choose no one! I want you to come back! Liar!"

As this explosive sentence burst forth, Shaowei suddenly woke up and sat up, her eyes wide open, her eyeballs filled with tears.

In an instant she recovered; Shaowei on the bed turned her head to look outside the bed; through a layer of clear, smoothly hanging bed curtains, she saw a youth's figure sitting cross-legged before a low table, hearing the sound and raising his head to look at her.