Chapter 16: A Critical Moment

The vortex wind cannot be sustained indefinitely, and this black shadow is no ordinary thing; although it was injured by the vortex qi just now due to carelessness, it has now recovered its senses, condensing the black qi around its body into a net. Within this black net lies golden thread, which actually traps the vortex qi inside.

Only at this moment did the black shadow have the leisure to look at the person who had just inflicted harm upon it.

What came into view was a little girl with a face full of shock, wearing patched and mended old clothes. She seemed to be only in her teens; although she looked fairly delicate and spirited, she was clearly malnourished, and no matter how one looked at her, she appeared to be an ordinary village girl. How could she possibly emit such magnificent vortex qi?

"Could it be that she accidentally obtained some treasure, and the treasure automatically protects its master?"

The black shadow's mind raced, greed instantly flashing in its eyes. Without further hesitation, while still manipulating the black net with one hand, a withered, sharp claw wreathed in black qi extended eighteen feet, reaching out to grab the embroiderer once more.

"Ying-ying!"

"Ding!"

A beam of white light struck the sharp claw, causing the claw to pause and emitting a sound of clashing metal.

It was that white shadow; seeing the black shadow entangled, it spat out a beam of white light to block the black shadow, then swept past the embroiderer.

Seeing the white shadow sweep past, the embroiderer naturally reacted, realizing that the protective talisman given by Gu Zhao had taken effect. Feeling the heat in her chest gradually cooling down, she dared not hesitate and turned to run.

But the embroiderer was just an ordinary little girl; the speeds of that white shadow and the black qi just now were so fast that she could barely see them clearly. How fast could her own speed possibly be?

"Jie-jie-jie!"

Sensing that the vortex wind was merely water without roots, and seeing the embroiderer turn and run, the black shadow surmised that the magical treasure on her body had only one strike left. Without further hesitation, its entire form turned into a mass of black qi and lunged at the embroiderer again.

The embroiderer felt a wave of chilling yin coldness descend upon her once more.

"Give me... eh?"

In the next instant, another surge of vortex qi, imbued with the light of the sun, moon, and heavens, suddenly rose from the embroiderer. It instantly locked onto the source of the chilling yin coldness, transformed into a vortex wind, and swept toward the black shadow.

"How is there more?"

The black shadow let out a strange cry. In its desperation, it opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of black smoke containing Jin Guang, which protected its entire body. Although it blocked the fierce vortex wind, the Jin Guang within that black smoke had almost faded completely.

"My Golden Thought Threads!"

The black shadow cried out in heartache, and the look in its eyes as it gazed at the embroiderer was filled with ferocity and bloodlust.

But at this moment, the Great Heaven Talisman had just been activated and was at its most violent peak. Furthermore, he had already been injured by the first vortex qi and still had to manipulate the black net to block the remaining vortex qi, leaving him unable to act freely for the time being.

Hearing the strange cry of the black shadow behind her and feeling the second Great Heaven Talisman gradually cool down, the embroiderer's expression was frantic, yet her gaze remained firm. She gritted her teeth and focused solely on fleeing.

Seeing the black shadow entangled, the white shadow also perceived the embroiderer's situation. Sensing that the magnificent vortex qi seemed to recognize only a specific aura, she did not dare to act rashly, fearing she might draw trouble upon herself.

Beneath that magnificent light of the sun, moon, and heavens, she felt only her own insignificance. The demon power within her body shivered in fear. At this moment, she did not know if the embroiderer could continue to activate the vortex qi, nor whether it would target her, so she did not dare approach the embroiderer, following her at a safe distance.

"Ying-ying-ying!"

The white shadow darted past the embroiderer, finding a suitable path for escape.

The embroiderer glanced sideways and finally saw the true form of the white shadow: it was actually a fox with snow-white fur all over. However, at this moment, it was somewhat dirty and carried traces of blood, clearly having also been injured by that black shadow just now.

One human and one fox ran through the forest, fleeing in panic without choosing a path, yet the embroiderer subconsciously ignored the direction of the village and that small hill.

The village... I cannot go there!

Gu Zhao... Grandpa said the Young Master might be injured; I don't know if he has recovered yet...

I can escape on my own!

But just as the embroiderer felt she had run for a long time, no longer hearing the distant roars behind her and feeling the heat on her chest fade, a cloud of black smoke suddenly appeared before her eyes.

"Little wench, where do you think you are running?"

A sinister voice emerged. As the black smoke gradually dispersed, a man with a figure suspended in mid-air, wearing black tight-fitting clothes partially covered by armor, a pale face, and eyes with entirely black pupils, blocked the embroiderer's path.

The embroiderer slammed on the brakes, falling to the ground.

The white fox also stopped instantly, its fur bristling all over.

The man first glanced at the white fox, then cautiously looked at the embroiderer.

Those two surges of vortex qi had not only injured him somewhat but also consumed a wave of his magic power; even the Golden Thought Threads bestowed by the Sect Leader had been damaged significantly by that vortex qi.

Therefore, the look in the man's eyes as he gazed at the embroiderer was both wary and greedy, yet he did not dare to make a rash move.

"That treasure cannot harm me, nor can it protect you!" The man stuck out his tongue to lick his lips. "Hand over the treasure, and I will spare your life; otherwise, I will extract your soul and tear it apart, leaving you unable to live and unable to die!"

Seeing the man stop and issue a threat, the embroiderer suddenly understood and immediately said, "That treasure was bestowed upon me by my Young Master. What kind of thing are you, to dare covet the Young Master's property?"

The man indeed stopped, his expression filled with shock and suspicion. However, after a moment of silence, he suddenly laughed. "With your village girl appearance, where did you get a Young Master? You must have found a treasure in some remote corner of the mountains. Fearing I would forcibly take it, you are using empty words to intimidate me."

The man's eyes flashed, and with a flick of his fingertip, a wisp of black-gold thread appeared out of thin air, transforming into a beam of light that shot directly at He Xiuniang's forehead.

"Ding!"

A soft sound rang out; the golden thread was blocked, and then a wisp of white light flew back into the white fox's mouth.

"Ying-ying-ying!" The white fox bared its teeth at the man.

The man's face grew gloomy as he understood the white fox's plan.

He used the Golden Thought Threads, which could sever the connection at any time, to probe; the white fox could block him then. But if he exerted his full strength, it would easily trigger a counterattack from that vortex qi.

You are clever at finding ways, but do you think I will be hindered by such a method?

The man sneered, baring a set of white teeth. He reached out with his hand, which transformed into a withered, sharp claw. It suddenly extended ten feet and fiercely grabbed for the white fox.

"If I deal with you first, won't everything be settled?"

"Ying—"

The white fox let out a sharp scream and instantly dodged behind the embroiderer.

That sharp claw paused slightly, then changed direction, sweeping horizontally toward the embroiderer again. However, the man's expression was very serious, and he was prepared to let go and defend himself at any moment.

Although the embroiderer also understood the white fox's plan, she was already desperate.

Neither the white fox nor the man knew, but she was very clear: if she had not yet had time to give the second Great Heaven Talisman to Grandpa, she would already be dead.

But those two Great Heaven Talismans are already exhausted. From where would I get the power to block this dark, sharp claw?

The embroiderer closed her eyes, and in her mind, the figure of that noble yet unarrogant, kind and gentle person flashed once more.

Then she seemed to hear his voice again.

"Thunder chases thunder, heaven and earth as the eye. Righteous qi from all eight directions, lightning flashes!"