Chapter 609: Only Self-Rescue

Azure Dragon heard the words, a flicker of cunning and satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

But Azure Dragon did not relax his grip; he continued to hold You Nianchu.

Azure Dragon's blade…… pressed tightly against You Nianchu's neck.

Azure Dragon snarled:

"Hmph! Now you know to compromise? Why should I believe you? First throw away all the Silver Needles on your body, then retreat step by step to me! If you try any tricks, this girl's throat will be slit instantly!"

Lin Yuan watched the bloodstain spreading continuously on You Nianchu's neck, his expression grave.

Lin Yuan hesitated not at all; he slowly raised his hand, took out all the Silver Needles from his palm and pocket, and flung them hard onto the ground.

The "clink-clank" sound…… was especially piercing in the silent hall.

Lin Yuan slowly lifted both hands, indicating he had no weapon.

Then, Lin Yuan stepped forward step by step toward Azure Dragon……

Lin Yuan's gaze locked firmly on Azure Dragon, his eyes icy cold.

When Lin Yuan had walked to a few steps before him……

Azure Dragon suddenly gave a cold laugh, his tone sinister: "You can follow us, but you must first cripple your own cultivation!"

After saying that, Azure Dragon exerted a slight force with his Long Sword,

The bloodstain on You Nianchu's neck deepened a bit more.

Azure Dragon sneered, "Sever your meridians, abolish your ancient martial foundation, otherwise who knows if you'll secretly resort to tricks and strike back?"

"Lin Laoshi…… don't!" You Nianchu heard the words, her beautiful eyes trembled.

She ignored the stabbing pain of the blade at her neck, shaking her head desperately.

You Nianchu's voice, choked with sobs, urged: "Lin Laoshi, don't listen to him! You must not cripple your meridians!"

She would rather suffer harm herself than see Lin Yuan destroy his cultivation.

"Pa!"

A sharp slap rang through the hall; Azure Dragon backhanded You Nianchu with a vicious slap.

This slap made You Nianchu's cheeks instantly red and swollen, with a trace of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Little girl, when is it your turn to speak?" Azure Dragon's eyes turned ferocious; he shouted angrily, the arm gripping You Nianchu's neck tightening further, "If you dare talk back again, I'll first slash your face!"

Lin Yuan's expression suddenly tightened, his aura dropping to a frightening low.

He looked at You Nianchu's swollen cheeks and the blood at the corner of her mouth, a surging fury raging in his eyes.

But Lin Yuan was still firmly restrained by the hostage situation.

"Don't move her!" Lin Yuan gritted his teeth.

Lin Yuan understood; this Azure Dragon was no ordinary bandit.

Severing one's meridians…… in traditional Chinese medicine…… is the most thorough method to abolish internal strength and cultivation.

Ordinary ancient martial practitioners may not necessarily know the key to it.

Yet this Azure Dragon could propose it precisely……

Evidently, this Azure Dragon also understands the art of meridians in traditional Chinese medicine……

Azure Dragon, he had calculated that this move could completely subdue him.

Azure Dragon watched Lin Yuan's ashen face, growing more smug: "Not move this girl? Sure, you first cripple your cultivation. How about it? Not daring anymore?"

"Either cripple your meridians, or watch this girl die—pick one!"

Azure Dragon's Long Sword pressed against You Nianchu's skin……

Blood kept seeping out, staining the white collar of her clothes red.

Lin Yuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath.

When he opened them again, only resolve remained in his eyes.

To save You Nianchu, he had no other choice.

Only seen, Lin Yuan slowly raised his right palm……

His palm gathered the remaining strength……

Then, Lin Yuan without hesitation…… struck hard at the meridian point on his left arm!

"Bang!" a muffled sound!

Accompanied by the faint crack of meridians breaking, one of Lin Yuan's main meridians was instantly shattered.

Blood…… instantly surged wildly from the wound on Lin Yuan's left arm.

Blood, flowing from his severed fingertips, dripped down, quickly pooling into a small patch of crimson on the ground.

Lin Yuan's left arm also instantly lost strength, limp and drooping.

His left shoulder, even his heart…… transmitted a piercing, heart-rending pain.

Lin Yuan's forehead beaded with fine cold sweat, his complexion instantly turned ashen as paper.

Yet Lin Yuan still gritted his teeth, his gaze fixed firmly on Azure Dragon: "I have already crippled my meridians; now, can you release her?"

You Nianchu watched Lin Yuan's drooping left arm, the spurting blood…… and his ashen yet resolute face……

In that moment, You Nianchu collapsed, bursting into tears instantly.

This was the first time she shed tears for a man……

Tears mixed with the blood trace at the corner of the little girl's mouth slid down.

You Nianchu's crying was hoarse and desperate.

She never imagined that Lin Yuan would, for her, truly be willing to sever his meridians and abolish his cultivation……

This weighty protection made her heart feel as if cut by a knife, yet she was powerless to change it.

You Nianchu could only bite her lip hard, tears blurring her vision.

Azure Dragon saw the situation, a flash of fierce triumph light crossed his eyes……

Azure Dragon turned his head, pointing at the hall corner ground, and shouted sternly: "White Tiger! Come over! Tie him up tightly with rope for me!"

His words had just fallen……

The White Tiger Dharma Protector, who had originally been immobilized by the Silver Needle sealing his acupoints and collapsed on the ground, was now gritting his teeth and struggling to sit up.

The acupoints on the White Tiger's neck and shoulders still felt numb and sore.

The White Tiger, however, forced himself to stand…… and walked over to the other restrained remnants of the Thunder Tiger Sect.

He bent down, pulling out the Silver Needles from his comrades' bodies one by one.

Those people paused a moment, their stagnant qi and blood gradually smoothing, and they also rose to their feet one after another.

The remnants of the Thunder Tiger Sect, each with a fierce gleam in their eyes, closed in on Lin Yuan.

The White Tiger untied the coarse hemp rope prepared beforehand from his waist and quickly walked up to Lin Yuan……

The White Tiger looked at Lin Yuan's limp, powerless left arm and pallid face, a flash of cruelty flickering in the depths of his eyes.

The White Tiger, without mercy…… wrapped the hemp rope around Lin Yuan's body.

The remaining remnants also stepped forward to help, some pressing down Lin Yuan's right arm, others gripping his legs tightly……

Layer upon layer of wrapping, the coarse hemp rope…… bound Lin Yuan's entire body so tightly that not even air could pass.

Even Lin Yuan's wrists and ankles were left with red marks from the binding.

Lin Yuan was bound tightly, completely cutting off any possibility of resistance.

"Go! Take him to the vehicle!"

Azure Dragon gripped You Nianchu, pressing the Long Sword against her back, signaling the others to escort Lin Yuan outward.

Lin Yuan was half-carried by two remnants, his stance staggering, the wound on his left arm reopening from the dragging.

Fresh blood soaked through his clothing.

Yet Lin Yuan still fixed Azure Dragon with a deathly stare, gritted his teeth and shouted: "Release You Nianchu! You promised!"

Azure Dragon snorted, his tone full of cold laughter: "Don't worry, why the rush? Once we're in the vehicle and safely withdraw from this school, we'll naturally release her."

Azure Dragon deliberately emphasized the words "safe withdrawal".

But obviously, Azure Dragon had no intention of lightly fulfilling his promise.

He said these words merely…… to steady Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan's heart sank, and in an instant he saw through Azure Dragon's thoughts.

But at this moment, Lin Yuan, because his whole body was bound and his meridians severed,

plus You Nianchu still being in their hands……

Lin Yuan was utterly unable to resist.

He feared that if he resisted, Azure Dragon would harm You Nianchu.

Lin Yuan could only clench his fists tightly.

He allowed the remnants to half-carry him forward.

Lin Yuan's gaze…… fell upon You Nianchu's swollen, reddened cheek, filled with concern.

You Nianchu watched the tightly bound Lin Yuan, her sobs gradually subsiding.

Her beautiful eyes were complex, somewhat on the verge of collapse.

If it weren't for her own carelessness, Lin Yuan would not have ended up in this state.

At this moment, Cai Zhengfang, Zhou Yang, and the arriving school security guards were gathered at the hall entrance……

The school security guards each had solemn expressions……

But everyone, hindered by You Nianchu having the Long Sword pressed against her, dared not step forward rashly.

The security guards could only watch helplessly as this gang of bandits escorted the two out of the teaching building step by step.

Outside the teaching building's open space, three unlicensed vans were already parked,

The van doors were open, the drivers had already started the engines, the engines emitted a low rumble, ready to depart at any moment.

The bandits escorted Lin Yuan and You Nianchu forward at a quick pace.

The bandits roughly shoved Lin Yuan into the middle van.

Azure Dragon then gripped You Nianchu and followed closely behind, while the remaining remnants swiftly piled into the three vans, moving quickly and efficiently.

Lin Yuan, who had been shoved into the van, turned his head to look at Cai Zhengfang and the security guards outside, his eyes flashing rapidly.

Lin Yuan gave them a subtle glance.

Lin Yuan shouted to the people outside the school, "Don't worry, I'm fine. Wait for me, I will definitely bring You Nianchu back safely."

Cai Zhengfang exchanged a glance with Lin Yuan and could only nod worriedly.

The school's teachers and security guards could only stand in place……

They watched helplessly as the doors of the three vans slowly closed.

The three vans, engines roaring, sped off like untamed horses toward the school gate……

Soon, the three vans drove off the campus, disappearing at the far end of the distant street……

Only after the vans vanished completely from sight did people dare to approach……

Cai Zhengfang looked at the bloodstains and scattered Silver Needles on the ground, his face solemn as he pulled out his phone:

"Hurry, immediately contact the police, inform them of the bandits' escape direction and vehicle characteristics, and request interception along the route!"

……

Inside the van, the air was oppressive enough to feel suffocating.

The moment the van doors shut, two bandits stepped forward, roughly pulling black hoods over Lin Yuan and You Nianchu's heads……

The thick fabric completely blocked their vision.

Only the engine's roar... and the sound of tires rubbing against the ground remained.

Lin Yuan was pressed firmly into the rear corner.

The wound on his left arm, constantly tugged by the vehicle's jolts, sent piercing pain spreading through his nerves throughout his body.

The car did not drive straight out of the city; instead, it repeatedly accelerated and decelerated, frequently making U-turns and sharp turns, the tires screeching on the road.

Lin Yuan, relying on his keen perception, could clearly sense the chaotic trajectory of the vehicle.

Obviously the kidnappers were deliberately taking a detour to shake off any possible pursuit and confuse the escape route.

Lin Yuan felt a chill in his heart, knowing the kidnappers' thoughts were meticulous; relying on outside tracking for rescue would be no easy task.

At this moment, he could only hope in himself.

Beside him, You Nianchu trembled slightly from fear, her breathing also a bit hurried.

Lin Yuan could feel her unease.

Taking advantage of the kidnappers' focus on driving and observing the road conditions,

Lin Yuan quietly moved his bound arms.

He painfully grasped You Nianchu's icy cold palm.

The warmth transmitted from the palm…… made You Nianchu's whole body stiffen.

Immediately, she felt Lin Yuan lightly pinch her fingertip……

That was a silent reassurance, signaling her to stay still and not act rashly.

You Nianchu gradually steadied her breath, tightly gripping Lin Yuan's hand, her fingertips conveying reliance and trust.

Just then, Lin Yuan's fingertip twitched slightly.

He used the cover of their clasped palms, with his fingernail…… slowly tracing across You Nianchu's palm.

Lin Yuan wrote on You Nianchu's palm, stroke by stroke, the pressure gentle yet clear.

You Nianchu focused to feel it, her heart jolted suddenly……

Lin Yuan wrote: 'Jump from the car, run.'

She instantly panicked, her body tensing reflexively.

At this moment, both of them were tightly bound with coarse hemp rope, wrists, ankles, and even torso wrapped so tightly not even air could get through……

The two could hardly lift their heads, let alone jump from a speeding van.

Besides, the hood obscured their vision.

They had no way to judge the road conditions or speed.

Jumping from the car like this would undoubtedly be a suicide.

You Nianchu wanted to speak up and ask.

But Lin Yuan beat her to it, lightly pinching her hand again, signaling her to calm down and wait patiently.

The kidnappers in the front seats did not notice the two's secret interaction.

One kidnapper turned his head and snapped: 'Behave! Move again and I'll break your arms!'

Saying that, the kidnapper also lifted his foot…… and kicked Lin Yuan's knee, the force brutal.

Lin Yuan let out a muffled groan, yet still kept his head down.

No one noticed the faint curve at the corner of his mouth…… Lin Yuan, he had already prepared.

Even before being bound by the kidnappers, Lin Yuan had deliberately hidden a tiny silver needle under his tongue.

He pressed the needle firmly with his tongue tip, evading the kidnappers' search.

Now the moment was gradually becoming favorable.

Lin Yuan took advantage of the vehicle's another sharp turn and the kidnappers' unsteady stance……

Lin Yuan slowly relaxed his tongue tip, placing that silver needle, glowing with a cold light, between his teeth.

Immediately, Lin Yuan slightly opened his mouth, letting the silver needle slowly surface at the edge of his lips.