Chapter 782: Feint East, Strike West (Part 1)

Because most of his internal energy had been sucked away by the black corpse, Hu Xiaotian's dantian qi sea was extremely empty at this moment. The black corpse's meridians were connected to Hu Xiaotian's, and in the crisscrossing meridian network, the emptiest part was Hu Xiaotian's dantian qi sea. Water flows downward, and internal energy is the same. Hu Xiaotian circulated the Formless Divine Skill, gathering the remaining internal energy throughout his body toward his dantian qi sea to replenish it. As the saying goes, pull one hair and move the whole body. The black corpse forcibly built a bridge between their meridians, thereby sucking Hu Xiaotian's internal energy. Hu Xiaotian's meridians suddenly reversed flow, driving the internal energy that the black corpse had just sucked away to also flow backward.

The black corpse initially did not pay attention to the fluctuation, but soon felt that Hu Xiaotian's internal energy had escaped its control. Moreover, the internal energy already absorbed into its own body flowed backward like seawater, all rushing back into Hu Xiaotian's body. The black corpse tried to channel internal energy to reintroduce the internal energy into its own body, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop the reflux of internal energy.

The black corpse began to panic. Hu Xiaotian's dantian qi sea was like an insatiable bottomless pit; the emptiness created when his internal energy was just drawn away produced an unprecedented powerful suction, which not only drew its own internal energy but also seized all the internal energy within the black corpse's body.

The black corpse wanted to shake off Hu Xiaotian's arm, but their hands were stuck together as if glued, tightly adhered. At this moment he felt something was very wrong.

He bent his elbow to strike Hu Xiaotian's vital point, but Huo Shengnan grabbed his right hand desperately. He had originally intended to trap both Huo Shengnan and Hu Xiaotian, but instead he ended up entangling himself. Now Huo Shengnan became a barrier for Hu Xiaotian, and Hu Xiaotian was devouring his internal energy at an astonishing speed.

Huo Shengnan also sensed the change in the black corpse. After her hands were freed, she elbowed the black corpse's chest hard. Huo Shengnan did not know exactly what had happened, only feeling that the black corpse's binding force was growing weaker and weaker. Finally she broke free from between the two of them. She picked up the dagger on the ground, intending to stab again.

Knowing the situation was unfavorable, the black corpse gathered all his strength to drive Hu Xiaotian's body toward the wall, trying to separate from Hu Xiaotian by ramming. Their bodies slammed into the stone chamber wall with a bang! Dust rose.

Hu Xiaotian also wanted to fling the black corpse away, but he could not separate their palms. After hitting the wall, the black corpse crossed his arms and twisted, his body flipping over Hu Xiaotian's head. They stood back to back, but their palms remained stuck together.

Hu Xiaotian summoned his divine might, roared loudly, and grabbed the black corpse's arm. He lifted the black corpse whole and slammed him hard against the wall. Their internal energy waxed and waned; Hu Xiaotian not only reclaimed all the internal energy he had just lost, but also absorbed about half of the black corpse's internal energy. The internal energy waxed and waned, and their strengths completely reversed. Hu Xiaotian's formidable power now left the black corpse unable to resist. Hu Xiaotian repeatedly slammed the black corpse's body against the wall.

Although the white corpse had the upper hand in the bitter fight with Zong Tang, it could not defeat Zong Tang in a short time. Seeing the black corpse suddenly fall into danger, it feinted a move, tapped its toes, and rushed toward Hu Xiaotian, intending to rescue the black corpse.

How could Huo Shengnan let her approach? She drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and shot three arrows in succession at the white corpse.

The white corpse's figure was elusive, like a ghost. While running, it twisted and turned, successfully dodging the three feathered arrows.

Seeing her movement so swift, Huo Shengnan anxiously raised her spiral spear to meet her. The spiral spear in her hand traced a cross in the air, stabbing at the white corpse's four vital points.

The white corpse raised her right hand; five chilling lights shot straight at Huo Shengnan's face. Huo Shengnan dared not be careless; she waved her spiral spear, wind and rain unable to penetrate, and knocked down all the dark projectiles aimed at her.

Zong Tang seized the opportunity, came behind the white corpse, and slammed his right fist hard into her back. With a bang! like hitting rotten cotton, the white corpse's body continued forward, her ten fingers bending, her hands like bird claws reaching for Hu Xiaotian's face.

Hu Xiaotian grabbed the black corpse's body and shouted, "Get lost!" With all his strength he broke free, actually throwing the black corpse's body away. The black corpse's internal energy was largely absorbed by Hu Xiaotian; his body went limp, becoming a heap.

The white corpse caught the black corpse's body in midair.

At this moment Huo Shengnan shot three more arrows in succession. The white corpse used her body to shield the black corpse, taking two arrows in her body, blood continuously dripping. She had no heart to continue fighting; her body leapt over Zong Tang's head and fled madly down the passage they had come from.

Hu Xiaotian roared, "Don't let them escape!"

Zong Tang snatched the half‑broken horse‑cutting saber from the ground and threw it at Hu Xiaotian. Hu Xiaotian caught the saber, suddenly swung it, and this time actually succeeded in emitting saber qi outward. A chilling, peerless saber qi burst forth, striking the white corpse's legs. The white corpse screamed, her legs snapped in half, and she fell from midair while still clutching the black corpse's body.

Since there was bleeding, they would not be dry corpses. Hu Xiaotian, Huo Shengnan, and Zong Tang gathered around. Huo Shengnan aimed the arrowhead at the black corpse's skull and asked in Black Hu speech.

Zong Tang and Hu Xiaotian could not understand what they were saying; they could only stare at each other.

After Huo Shengnan finished asking, she slowly lowered the arrow tip and said softly to the two, "They are experts invited by Wanyan Chixiong. Earlier they had received news that someone might infiltrate, so they specially lay in ambush here to deal with us. There is nothing here of what you said." Her gaze turned to Hu Xiaotian, full of doubt, obviously suspicious of the purpose of his operation this time.

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted. If everything these two assassins said was true, then they had undoubtedly fallen into a pre‑arranged trap, meaning that all the information Xi Yan had given him was false.

Zong Tang said, "Let's get out of here quickly!"

Huo Shengnan nodded.

Hu Xiaotian raised the half‑broken horse‑cutting saber, intending to kill the two assassins before leaving to avoid future trouble.

But Huo Shengnan stopped him, saying, "I promised them I would spare their lives."

Hu Xiaotian helplessly shook his head, but seeing that the two assassins had completely lost their combat ability and reckoning they could never recover today's strength, he finally nodded as well.

The three hurried out of the stone chamber. Before they even reached the surface, they already heard fierce fighting sounds from outside. Apparently Dong Tianjiang's whereabouts had been exposed, and he was fighting alone outside.

They drew their weapons, leapt out of the underground hole, and saw the gate of Wild Goose Tower wide open. Dozens of Black Hu warriors poured in from outside. Dong Tianjiang gripped his spear and had already been battling at the gate for a long time; more than ten corpses lay at his feet.

Huo Shengnan drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and instantly shot down two Black Hu warriors.

Dong Tianjiang realized that the three of them had already emerged from underground. His spirits lifted instantly; he thrust his spear forward, piercing the heart of a Black Hu warrior ahead, let out a loud roar, lifted the corpse high, shook it hard and flung it into the crowd, smashing down three more warriors.

Zong Tang said, "First retreat upstairs, then we'll talk."

The four fought their way out a bloody path and retreated to the second floor of Wild Goose Tower.

Dong Tianjiang finally got a chance to catch his breath and cursed, "Damn it, you just left and these Hu people swarmed in, surrounding this place completely. Did someone leak the news?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Hu Xiaotian, who looked innocent and said, "What does it have to do with me? I'm not that stupid to deliberately court death."

Huo Shengnan said, "Now is not the time to assign blame; everything can wait until we leave Red Mountain Guild Hall."

Dong Tianjiang asked, "Have you found any evidence of their spying on military intelligence?"

Zong Tang replied, "No, the Black Hu people had already received the news in advance."

"Damn it!" Dong Tianjiang couldn't help but swear, glaring fiercely at Hu Xiaotian. Although he couldn't be sure this was a trap set by Hu Xiaotian, it was obvious that they had been screwed by Hu Xiaotian. Although Hu Xiaotian was also deeply disappointed in his heart, after all he had found something—the Ice Soul Stabilizing Spirit Pearl. As long as he had this, Huo Xiaoru's life could be saved. But that's another story; the urgent matter now is how to get out.

Hu Xiaotian crept to the window, tore the paper to look outside, only to see the Black Hu warriors already withdrawn from Wild Goose Tower, encircling the building completely. Over a hundred Black Hu warriors holding torches lit up the entire Red Mountain Guild Hall as bright as daytime.

The leader was none other than the Fourth Prince Wanyan Chixiong, who shouted loudly, "People inside, listen to me! I already know your identities. You had better surrender obediently now, otherwise I will immediately order the tower set on fire and burn you all alive inside Wild Goose Tower."

Dong Tianjiang sucked in a cold breath of air and said, "Troublesome—he actually knows our identities."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said, "Impossible. With our appearance, how could he recognize us? He's just bluffing."

Wanyan Chixiong continued shouting, "Dong Tianjiang! Why hide your head and show your tail? What kind of hero are you?"

Dong Tianjiang's scalp tightened: "He mentioned my name!"

Hu Xiaotian comforted him, "He's trying to trick you—don't pay attention to him."

Wanyan Chixiong went on, "Huo Shengnan! Haha, you're also inside, right? Actually joining forces to sneak into Red Mountain Guild Hall—I'd like to see how you Da Yong people explain this to me."

Dong Tianjiang and Huo Shengnan both looked at Hu Xiaotian. Wanyan Chixiong didn't mention his and Zong Tang's names, but this time the black pot will definitely fall on the two of them.

Hu Xiaotian laughed a little stiffly: "I think this is also a trick on you—don't believe it..."

Dong Tianjiang angrily said, "Hu Xiaotian, Hu Xiaotian, if my identity is exposed, you won't end up well either." He was ashamed and angry, seeming ready to expose Hu Xiaotian as well.

Huo Shengnan said, "I think what Sir Hu said is correct; they cannot possibly know our identities, they are just bluffing to sow suspicion among us. The more they do this, the less we must fall for their scheme. Only by uniting can we have a chance to escape." (To be continued~^~)

I think what Sir Hu said is correct; they cannot possibly know our identities, they are just bluffing, trying to sow distrust among us. The more they do this, the more we must not fall for their scheme; only by working together can we have a chance to escape. (To be continued~^~)