Chapter 395: 【Ambush】 (Part 2)

Ji Feihua soared to the highest point, dodging two of the arrows, and grabbed one; the arrow in his hand went Peng! and exploded, green smoke instantly enveloping Ji Feihua's body, and he let out a cry, plummeting straight down from the high altitude.

Seeing Ji Feihua struck by an arrow, the gray‑robed man couldn't help but rejoice, drawing a curved blade from his waist and emitting a strange whistle; the colorful python beneath the water surged upward, lifting his body into midair. The gray‑robed man lunged toward where Ji Feihua would fall, his blade flashing a cold light capable of rending the night, aiming to slash Ji Feihua's waist.

Hu Xiaotian lost the protection of the Iron Wing, and under the enemy's tide‑like assault he could only retreat, retreating again and again into the woods, using the trees for cover; in this situation the enemy's spear also lost its usefulness.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian swiftly climb up the tree trunk, the black‑armored warrior shouted, his spear splitting in two; he leapt from the snow, trampling back and forth on the trunk, his body continually rising.

Hu Xiaotian's Golden Spider Eight Steps, though marvelous, lacked real‑world experience; the enemy's relentless, step‑by‑step pressure left him breathless. He cursed inwardly, 'I haven't even killed your comrade—debt has its source—why are you chasing me?' As the distance between them narrowed, he steeled himself for a death‑match with the black‑armored warrior. Suddenly a large net fell from beside him, perfectly ensnaring that black‑armored warrior.

The black‑armored warrior panicked, struggling desperately to free himself from the net. At that moment a black shadow swooped down from the tree, a staff striking the warrior's helmet with brutal force. Though the helmet remained intact, the staff's tremendous impact shattered his brain, blood pouring from his seven orifices—clearly fatal. The one who rescued Hu Xiaotian in the nick of time was Ji Feihua's carriage driver, Wu Renxing.

More than ten warriors surged from the woods, and only then did Hu Xiaotian realize Ji Feihua had prepared in advance, deliberately luring the enemy to Azure Cloud Lake to set a trap and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

The cold gleam of the saber was less than a foot from Ji Feihua's body; the gray‑robed man seemed to envision Ji Feihua cleaved in two, his green eyes blazing with light and excitement. Just as the blow was about to land, a flawless white jade hand shot out, seized the saber, and the blade's light seemed to sink into the palm, vanishing without a trace.

The gray‑robed man stared wide‑eyed in disbelief, exclaiming, 'Impossible. You were clearly hit by the Seven Wound Divine Arrow……'

Ji Feihua's smile blossomed; his right hand shot out like lightning, two spring‑onion fingers spreading like orchid buds, performing the ordinary Two Dragons Seeking Pearl—his fingers had already pierced the gray‑robed man's eyes.

The gray‑robed man let out an anguished cry, lifted his leg to kick Ji Feihua, trying to shake off the attack.

With a crisp 'Bang!', the saber in Ji Feihua's palm shattered into countless fragments, which, propelled by inner strength, shot like arrows from a powerful bow into the gray‑robed man's body; his frame clenched in pain then burst apart under the force. Like a red sprite, Ji Feihua pursued the fleeing man at unimaginable speed, landing seven consecutive punches on his body in an instant.

Two colorful pythons surged from the water, their gaping jaws lunging at Ji Feihua from front and back. Ji Feihua's swift form turned into a red streak in the night sky, the light coiling around the serpents like a red spirit snake entwining them. The red glow vanished from the serpents' side, and Ji Feihua appeared on a floating plank at the lake's center.

The two pythons still held the posture of leaping from the depths, then their long bodies split apart, dozens of flesh segments slowly disintegrating and sinking into the dark, icy lake water.

Ji Feihua held a one‑foot‑three‑inch curved blade, its edge like a crescent moon, chilling; a drop of crimson blood on the tip finally succumbed to gravity, sliding slowly down in the night breeze. He sighed softly, twirling his orchid‑finger to tidy the disheveled hair at his temples, and said gently, 'Jielong, why do you put yourself through this?'

In this battle, Ji Feihua lost seven subordinates, killed five enemy masters, beheaded the two pythons, and Jielong fled after suffering grave injuries. His eyes were ruined, he had taken seven punches from Ji Feihua—his escape was not due to his own strength or luck, but because Ji Feihua deliberately let him go.

Wu Renxing removed the helmets of the two fallen Iron Wing warriors; the skull of the one he had beaten to death with his staff was already smashed beyond recognition, while the other, killed by a crossbow, retained an intact face. After identifying them, Wu Renxing reported to Ji Feihua: 'Commander, the five dead are likely three of the Black Wind Nine Riders, and these two black‑armored flying‑wing warriors are brothers, all formerly belonging to the Heavenly Mechanism Bureau.'

Ji Feihua muttered, 'That old scoundrel Hong Beimo actually mustered so much core strength just to harm me this time.'

Hu Xiaotian walked over, the recent battle still vivid in his mind; seeing Ji Feihua's move, he finally understood what a true master was, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead and asked, 'Are they all Hong Beimo's men?'

Ji Feihua nodded. 'Exactly. Jielong is Hong Beimo's most capable aide; he came now to take advantage of the Zajia's weakness and attack me.'

Wu Renxing asked, 'My lord, why did you let him go?'

Ji Feihua chuckled, 'Using his own methods against him— the Zajia expended tremendous inner strength to save Jielong; I want to see whether Hong Beimo will dare to move to rescue Jielong.'

Hu Xiaotian secretly admired, 'Ji Feihua's martial skill and tactics are beyond ordinary; no wonder he rose like a comet among the eunuchs, even threatening Quan De'an's position in the palace.'

Ji Feihua gazed at Azure Cloud Lake in the night, murmuring, 'Jielong's Seven Wound Arrow is poisonous; I fear the life in Azure Cloud Lake will suffer.' He instructed Wu Renxing, 'Old Wu, pass my order: temporarily seal Azure Jade Lake to prevent innocent folk from poisoning, and quickly send Xuantian Guan personnel to detoxify.'

'Yes!'

As everyone cleared the battlefield, Ji Feihua approached the thatched hut, which the ordeal had left unrecognizable and on the verge of collapse. He nodded, raised his palm, and a gust of wind struck the roof; with a thunderous rumble the hut collapsed completely, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Hu Xiaotian stood beside Ji Feihua, blankly staring at the wreckage; though shocked by Ji Feihua's divine skill, he also felt a lingering dread.

Ji Feihua sighed, his expression full of regret; he had planned tonight to lure Hong Beimo out and eradicate him completely, but he hadn't expected the old fox to stay away, sending only a few of his capable subordinates instead.

White flotsam drifted on the lake surface; Hu Xiaotian saw it was nothing but dead fish, the water contaminated by the toxin from the Seven Wound Divine Arrow wounds, causing massive fish deaths. Ji Feihua ordered the blockade of Azure Cloud Lake precisely to keep ignorant locals from scooping up the poisoned fish to eat.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'This poison is truly formidable.'

Ji Feihua said, 'The chief disciple of Xumitian is quite skilled in poisoning.'

'Xumitian?'

Ji Feihua nodded. 'The world's foremost poison master, known as Dusheng, and Jielong is his prized disciple.'

Hu Xiaotian suddenly recalled the snake venom on Baobao—could it have been Jielong's doing? If so, Jielong deserves death even more.

Ji Feihua asked, 'Have you heard of this person?'

Hu Xiaotian nodded. 'Back in Xichuan I'd heard of him—I know he's the world's top poisoner, and that he's a Black Miao, but I never imagined his old disciple would be this capable.'

Ji Feihua couldn't help but laugh at that.

Hu Xiaotian was stunned by Ji Feihua's laughter; his remark held nothing funny, yet he didn't know why Ji Feihua laughed.

Ji Feihua said, 'Xumitian is a woman!'

'What?' Hu Xiaotian gaped, having always thought the renowned poison master was a black‑miao old man, never expecting Xumitian to be a woman.

Ji Feihua said, 'The Zajia have met her once; if I had to choose an enemy between her and Hong Beimo, I would never pick her.'

Hu Xiaotian recalled the fierce battle just fought—Hong Beimo's subordinates were fearsome, let alone the man himself; Ji Feihua's words clearly implied Xumitian is even more terrifying than Hong Beimo. A question struck him: having crippled Xumitian's prized disciple Jielong, would she seek revenge for him? He asked, 'Will Xumitian avenge her disciple?'

Ji Feihua smiled. 'To me, Jielong is merely a wayward disciple; she and Hong Beimo could never ally.'

Hu Xiaotian didn't understand where Ji Feihua's unwavering confidence came from, only hoping such events would never recur. Why must Ji Feihua accompany him personally? Could it merely be to let him witness the battle firsthand?

Ji Feihua seemed to sense Hu Xiaotian's thoughts from his gaze, and said softly, 'When you return, tell Quan De'an exactly what you witnessed tonight, and see what he has to say.'

Hu Xiaotian asked, 'Will he have a part in tonight's affair?'

Ji Feihua chuckled, 'He's certainly scheming, but not here.'

Suddenly realized today is Monday, still haven't asked for recommendation tickets, please everyone cast your recommendation tickets to Zhangyu! (To be continued~^~)