Chapter 833

When Jin Yulin deflected Huo Shengnan's opening three arrows, he still thought her archery, though superb, should still be within his control, until Huo Shengnan shot the fourth arrow, and only then did he realize her true level; the goose-feather saber had no time to be pulled back, in danger he flung his body backward, nearly lying flat on the saddle, barely dodging that arrow. Yet his heart filled with fear; in the time he dodged that arrow, she had ample opportunity to fire again.

Huo Shengnan had the bow drawn but did not release the arrow, coldly saying, "Get lost!"

Jin Yulin broke out in a cold sweat; if Huo Shengnan had not held back, he would likely be dead or seriously injured now. Jin Yulin only then realized he was no match for the two of them; from the archer's voice he judged it to be a woman, and certainly not a mute. Of course, these two were not from the Falling Cherry Palace, otherwise they would not have spared his life.

Jin Yulin straightened up without a word, glanced at Huo Shengnan, then spurred his horse forward. Hu Xiaotian had not intended to let him go easily; watching his retreating back, he raised the great sword in his hand, trying to unleash another sword energy. Huo Shengnan came to his side and said, "Forget it; he wasn't aiming at us."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "I've noticed you're becoming more and more soft-hearted."

Huo Shengnan said, "Spare him when you can; you didn't hear what he just said, thinking we're some Falling Cherry Palace folks."

"Falling Cherry Palace?" Hu Xiaotian, not knowing much about jianghu sects, assumed Huo Shengnan would know more: "Do you know what the Falling Cherry Palace does?"

Huo Shengnan shook her head, "Never heard of it!"

Just then, an eagle's cry rang from the sky; both looked up, only to see the hawk that had been soaring high now lower its flight altitude again.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Shengnan, you should be able to shoot it down with one arrow, right?"

Huo Shengnan smiled faintly, "Better to have less trouble than more; you already think we have enough problems. Do you still want to pry into others' affairs?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded, "You're right; better to have less trouble than more." At that moment the wind died down, the drifting dust gradually settled, the scenery before them became clear and bright, the air grew much purer. Hu Xiaotian lifted his mask, drew several deep breaths, and sighed, "Surviving in this godforsaken place really does take some courage."

No sooner had his words faded than he faintly felt the ground tremble; listening closely, a troop of horses was galloping toward their position. Hu Xiaotian worried it was a squad sent by Zhao Dengyun of Wuxing Commandery to pursue them, so he and Huo Shengnan hurried to hide behind the loess pillar ahead.

Just as they hid, they saw a contingent of about twenty riders pass by; aside from the male leader, the rest were all women, dressed uniformly in white veils. Their mounts were all pure white horses with no mixed hairs. Judging by their attire, they didn't look like government troops, and Hu Xiaotian silently breathed a sigh of relief.

That contingent passed their hiding place behind the loess pillar without stopping, continuing onward.

After they had gone, Hu Xiaotian smiled at Huo Shengnan and said, "Nine times out of ten, they're chasing after Jin Yulin."

Huo Shengnan asked, "Should we take a detour?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, "Let's wait and see; let's rest a bit."

Seeing him walk toward another loess pillar, Huo Shengnan asked curiously, "What are you doing over there?"

"Nature calls!"

Huo Shengnan spat, "Lazy donkey at the mill!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Everyone has urgent moments; I don't believe you never have a moment to relieve yourself."

Huo Shengnan, angry, took down her long bow, nocked an arrow, aimed at Hu Xiaotian, making as if to shoot him; Hu Xiaotian laughed and fled. When he reached a point more than ten zhang behind Huo Shengnan's loess pillar, he leisurely pulled out his own treasure and, facing the loess pillar, let loose a torrent straight down.

While he was relieving himself, he heard the hoofbeats from earlier return, growing nearer as if they were turning back toward them; the ground trembled slightly, and the loess covering the surface was kicked up by the vibration.

【25】 Hu Xiaotian hastily pulled up his pants. Just then a feathered arrow shot through the loess pillar, its tip less than two cun from his forehead. Seeing the arrowhead suddenly appear, Hu Xiaotian broke out in a cold sweat, thinking Huo Shengnan was joking with him, and was about to protest.

【26】 But in the distance a rider came galloping desperately toward him—it was Jin Yulin, whom they had just driven off.

【27】 Jin Yulin's body had already been struck by several arrows, and the black horse beneath him had taken three feathered arrows in its hindquarters, deep in the flesh. Not far behind him, the group of white-clad people was advancing in a semicircle to surround them.

【28】 Hu Xiaotian cursed his bad luck, tightened his belt, and hurried toward Huo Shengnan to join her.

【29】 Seeing the two, Jin Yulin did not try to avoid them; instead he spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Brother Huo, save me!"

【30】 Hu Xiaotian felt vexed; Jin Yulin was being devious, clearly trying to drag them into trouble. He shouted, "You've mistaken the person—I don't even know you!"

【31】 Whoosh! A white feathered arrow came from behind along a spiral trajectory, striking the black horse's right hind leg; the arrowhead pierced the horse's knee, shattering its bone. The horse gave a mournful cry, collapsed with a plop, and loess flew up.

【32】 Jin Yuan's body leapt from the horse's back, covered in blood, a horrifying sight.

【33】 His eyes full of pleading, he looked at the two and said, "Save me… I'll give you all my wealth!"

【34】 Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan did not want to invite this trouble.

【35】 At that moment two white feathered arrows flew from afar, arcing from left and right to strike Jin Yulin's legs. He made no attempt to dodge; the arrows sank deep into his flesh, reaching the bone, the pain so great he could no longer stand, his legs gave way and he sat down on the ground.

【36】 The white-clad group had already surrounded them from all directions, encircling not only Jin Yulin but also Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan.

【37】 The leading man, seated on his horse and looking down at the fallen Jin Yulin, sneered, "Lin Jinyu, you actually dared to kill my brother and steal the Falling Cherry Palace's supreme treasure!" It turned out that Jin Yulin's real name was Lin Jinyu.

【38】 Lin Jinyu sat on the ground, pressing his bleeding legs, looked up at the man and said, "He seduced my elder brother's wife, caused my elder brother's death; killing him wouldn't even ease the hatred in my heart."

【39】 The man nodded; his white jade bow shone like the full moon, the arrowhead glinting coldly as he aimed at Lin Jinyu. He loosed arrows in rapid succession, striking Lin Jinyu's both hands, pinning his palms to the loess ground; the scene was a bloody mess, horrible to behold.

【40】 Two white-clad women dismounted, went to Lin Jinyu's side, took all his belongings and searched them thoroughly, but found nothing they were looking for. They looked up to the man and said, "Reporting to the young master, the item is not here."

【41】 The man snapped, "Where is it then?"

【42】 Lin Jinyu chuckled, "I burned it! Your Falling Cherry Palace's damnable True Classic of Shooting the Sun—I burned it!"

【43】 The man nodded, then shot forth a white beam of light; drawing and releasing his bow with such speed it reached the extreme, his motions flowing seamlessly, a blur too fast to follow. Hu Xiaotian, a novice in archery, felt nothing special, but Huo Shengnan, an expert, could tell at once that this man's archery had reached the pinnacle of perfection. A fine archer can pierce a willow at a hundred steps, hit every shot, or shoot two eagles with one arrow, but few can freely control the trajectory of a feathered arrow. Huo Shengnan, by altering the tail feathers, could make the arrowhead fly a curve, or by modifying the tip and tail, make it spiral; yet the arrowhead this man used looked no different from an ordinary one.

【44】 Though the white jade bow was exquisitely beautiful, its material was hardly suitable for a bow stave, yet this man could make such a bow shoot trajectories that changed endlessly; his archery had already reached a godlike level, presumably by using internal energy to alter the arrow's path. He was not only a master of archery but also an adept of internal skill. Even the twenty white-clad women at his side were each extraordinary archers, and Huo Shengnan felt a twinge of nervousness, for although they had no connection to Lin Jinyu, she could not rule out that these people might suspect them.

【45】 The man's arrow struck Lin Jinyu's right foot, pinning his sole to the loess ground.

【46】 Hu Xiaotian also felt a pang of pity; this man's methods were utterly cold-blooded and cruel—if Lin Jinyu had done him wrong, a single arrow to kill would suffice; why prolong the torment?

【47】 Lin Jinyu wailed, "Tang Jingyu! Even as a ghost I won't let you off!" That man was the young master of the Falling Cherry Palace, Tang Jingyu.

【48】 Tang Jingyu chuckled coldly, "You won't even get the chance to be a ghost!"

【49】 At that moment two white-clad women approached Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan, pointing at them in a commanding tone, "Open your luggage; we need to inspect it!"

【50】 Hu Xiaotian said, "We're just passing merchants, we have nothing to do with him!" He wasn't lying about that, but before his words finished, Tang Jingyu had already shot an arrow at him.

【51】 Huo Shengnan also did not expect the other side to be so unreasonable, black and white, launching a killing move outright.

【52】 Hu Xiaotian's reaction was also lightning-fast; in the flurry he raised his right hand and struck the arrow shaft with the back of his hand—smack! —the high-speed shaft was deflected by his blow, veering off target and embedding itself in the loess pillar behind him, with a puff! the entire arrow drove in, its tip emerging from the opposite face of the pillar, showing the tremendous force of the shot.

【53】 Hu Xiaotian struck the feathered arrow away with his palm; the skin on the back of his hand was scraped by the friction with the high-speed shaft, causing a burning pain.

【54】 Tang Jingyu evidently had not expected Hu Xiaotian's reaction to be so swift, nor that he could knock away his own arrow barehanded; it seemed his martial prowess was not insignificant.

【55】 Two updates guaranteed, keep sending a hundred Monthly Tickets per First Update! Please continue to show your support! (To be continued…~^~)

Hu Xiaotian hurriedly pulled up his pants. At that moment a feathered arrow shot through the loess pillar and emerged, its tip less than two cun from his forehead. Hu Xiaotian stared at the suddenly protruding arrowhead, breaking out in a cold sweat, thinking Huo Shengnan was joking with him, and was about to protest.

Translation: Hu Xiaotian hastily pulled up his pants. Just then a feathered arrow shot through the loess pillar, its tip less than two cun from his forehead. Seeing the arrowhead suddenly appear, Hu Xiaotian broke out in a cold sweat, thinking Huo Shengnan was joking with him, and was about to protest.

But he saw a rider frantically galloping toward him from afar—it was Jin Yulin, whom they had just driven away.

Translation: But in the distance a rider came galloping desperately toward him—it was Jin Yulin, whom they had just driven off.

Jin Yulin had already been struck by several arrows, and his black mount's hindquarters had taken three feathered arrows, sinking deep into the flesh. Not far behind him, the group of white‑clad individuals was fanning out to surround them.

Translation: Jin Yulin's body had already been struck by several arrows, and the black horse beneath him had taken three feathered arrows in its hindquarters, deep in the flesh. Not far behind him, the group of white-clad people was advancing in a semicircle to surround them.

Hu Xiaotian muttered curses, tightened his belt, and hurriedly ran toward Huo Shengnan to meet up with her.

Translation: Hu Xiaotian cursed his bad luck, tightened his belt, and hurried toward Huo Shengnan to join her.

Seeing the two, Jin Yulin didn't try to avoid them; instead, he spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Old brother Huo, save me!"

Translation: Seeing the two, Jin Yulin did not try to avoid them; instead he spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Brother Huo, save me!"

Hu Xiaotian felt resentful—Jin Yulin was being devious, clearly trying to drag him and Huo Shengnan into trouble. He shouted, "You've mistaken me for someone else—I don't even know you!"

Translation: Hu Xiaotian felt vexed; Jin Yulin was being devious, clearly trying to drag them into trouble. He shouted, "You've mistaken the person—I don't even know you!"

Swish! A white feathered arrow came from behind, following a spiral trajectory, striking the black horse's right hind leg. The arrowhead pierced the horse's knee, shattering its bones; the horse let out a mournful cry and collapsed with a thud, kicking up a cloud of loess.

Translation: Whoosh! A white feathered arrow came from behind along a spiral trajectory, striking the black horse's right hind leg; the arrowhead pierced the horse's knee, shattering its bone. The horse gave a mournful cry, collapsed with a plop, and loess flew up.

Jin Yulin's body leapt from the horse's back, covered in blood, a horrifying sight.

Translation: Jin Yuan's body leapt from the horse's back, covered in blood, a horrifying sight.

His eyes filled with pleading as he looked at the two and said, "Save me… I'll give you all my wealth!"

Translation: His eyes full of pleading, he looked at the two and said, "Save me… I'll give you all my wealth!"

Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan had no desire to get involved in this trouble.

Translation: Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan did not want to invite this trouble.

At that moment two white feathered arrows flew from a distance, arcing from left and right to strike Jin Yulin's legs. He made no attempt to dodge; the arrows sank deep into his thigh muscles, their heads reaching the bone, causing him such pain that he could no longer stand, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground.

Translation: At that moment two white feathered arrows flew from afar, arcing from left and right to strike Jin Yulin's legs. He made no attempt to dodge; the arrows sank deep into his flesh, reaching the bone, the pain so great he could no longer stand, his legs gave way and he sat down on the ground.

The white‑clad group had already closed in from all directions, surrounding not only Jin Yulin but also Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan.

Translation: The white-clad group had already surrounded them from all directions, encircling not only Jin Yulin but also Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan.

The leading man, seated on his horse and looking down at the fallen Jin Yulin, sneered, "Lin Jinyu, you actually dared to kill my brother and steal the supreme treasure of our Luoying Palace!" It turned out that Jin Yulin's real name was Lin Jinyu.

Translation: The leading man, seated on his horse and looking down at the fallen Jin Yulin, sneered, "Lin Jinyu, you actually dared to kill my brother and steal the Falling Cherry Palace's supreme treasure!" It turned out that Jin Yulin's real name was Lin Jinyu.

Lin Jinyu sat on the ground, pressing his bleeding legs, looked up at the man, and said, "He seduced my sister‑in‑law, caused my elder brother's death—killing him wouldn't even ease the hatred in my heart."

Translation: Lin Jinyu sat on the ground, pressing his bleeding legs, looked up at the man and said, "He seduced my elder brother's wife, caused my elder brother's death; killing him wouldn't even ease the hatred in my heart."

The man nodded, his white jade bow shining like the full moon; the arrowheads glinted coldly as he aimed at Lin Jinyu, loosing a volley that struck both of his hands, pinning his palms to the loess ground, the scene a bloody mess too horrid to behold.

Translation: The man nodded; his white jade bow shone like the full moon, the arrowhead glinting coldly as he aimed at Lin Jinyu. He loosed arrows in rapid succession, striking Lin Jinyu's both hands, pinning his palms to the loess ground; the scene was a bloody mess, horrible to behold.

Two white‑clad women dismounted, approached Lin Jinyu, took all his belongings and searched them thoroughly, finding nothing they sought. They looked up at the man and reported, "My lord, the item is not here."

Translation: Two white-clad women dismounted, went to Lin Jinyu's side, took all his belongings and searched them thoroughly, but found nothing they were looking for. They looked up to the man and said, "Reporting to the young master, the item is not here."

The man snapped, "Where is it then?"

Translation: The man snapped, "Where is it then?"

Lin Jinyu chuckled, "I burned it! Your Luoying Palace's so‑called 'Shooting the Sun True Classic'—I burned it!"

Translation: Lin Jinyu chuckled, "I burned it! Your Falling Cherry Palace's damnable True Classic of Shooting the Sun—I burned it!"

The man nodded, then shot another white beam of light; his bow‑draw, nock, and release were executed with such blinding speed that the motions flowed seamlessly, leaving observers dazzled and unable to discern the details. Hu Xiaotian, a novice in archery, felt nothing special, but Huo Shengnan, an expert archer, instantly recognized that the man's skill had reached the pinnacle of mastery. A fine archer can pierce a willow leaf at a hundred paces, hit every shot, or bring down two eagles with one arrow, yet few can freely alter an arrow's flight path. Huo Shengnan knew that by modifying the fletching's shape one could make the arrowhead follow a curve, or by altering both tip and fletching produce a spiral trajectory, but the arrowheads this man used looked no different from ordinary ones.

Translation: The man nodded, then shot forth a white beam of light; drawing and releasing his bow with such speed it reached the extreme, his motions flowing seamlessly, a blur too fast to follow. Hu Xiaotian, a novice in archery, felt nothing special, but Huo Shengnan, an expert, could tell at once that this man's archery had reached the pinnacle of perfection. A fine archer can pierce a willow at a hundred steps, hit every shot, or shoot two eagles with one arrow, but few can freely control the trajectory of a feathered arrow. Huo Shengnan, by altering the tail feathers, could make the arrowhead fly a curve, or by modifying the tip and tail, make it spiral; yet the arrowhead this man used looked no different from an ordinary one.

Although the white jade bow was exquisitely beautiful, its material was unsuitable for a bow stave, yet this man could shoot infinitely variable curves with it—his archery had reached a miraculous level, likely achieved by using inner force to alter the arrow's trajectory. He was not only a master archer but also an adept of internal energy. Even the twenty white‑clad women at his side were each extraordinary archers, and Huo Shengnan felt a twinge of anxiety, for though they had no connection to Lin Jinyu, she couldn't rule out the group suspecting them.

Translation: Though the white jade bow was exquisitely beautiful, its material was hardly suitable for a bow stave, yet this man could make such a bow shoot trajectories that changed endlessly; his archery had already reached a godlike level, presumably by using internal energy to alter the arrow's path. He was not only a master of archery but also an adept of internal skill. Even the twenty white-clad women at his side were each extraordinary archers, and Huo Shengnan felt a twinge of nervousness, for although they had no connection to Lin Jinyu, she could not rule out that these people might suspect them.

The man's arrow struck Lin Jinyu's right foot, pinning his sole to the loess ground.

Translation: The man's arrow struck Lin Jinyu's right foot, pinning his sole to the loess ground.

Hu Xiaotian also felt a pang of pity; the man's methods were excessively cold‑blooded and cruel—if Lin Jinyu had done something to offend him, a single lethal arrow would suffice; why prolong the torment?

Translation: Hu Xiaotian also felt a pang of pity; this man's methods were utterly cold-blooded and cruel—if Lin Jinyu had done him wrong, a single arrow to kill would suffice; why prolong the torment?

Lin Jinyu wailed, "Tang Jingyu! Even as a ghost I won't let you off!" It turned out that the man was the young master of Luoying Palace, Tang Jingyu.

Translation: Lin Jinyu wailed, "Tang Jingyu! Even as a ghost I won't let you off!" That man was the young master of the Falling Cherry Palace, Tang Jingyu.

Tang Jingyu chuckled coldly, "You won't even get the chance to become a ghost!"

Translation: Tang Jingyu chuckled coldly, "You won't even get the chance to be a ghost!"

At that moment two white‑clad women approached Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan, pointing at them and commanding, "Open your luggage; we need to inspect it!"

Translation: At that moment two white-clad women approached Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan, pointing at them in a commanding tone, "Open your luggage; we need to inspect it!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "We're just passing merchants; we have nothing to do with him!" He wasn't lying about that, but before his words finished, Tang Jingyu had already loosed an arrow at him.

Translation: Hu Xiaotian said, "We're just passing merchants, we have nothing to do with him!" He wasn't lying about that, but before his words finished, Tang Jingyu had already shot an arrow at him.

Huo Shengnan also hadn't expected the opponent to be so unreasonable, attacking without distinction and launching a killing move outright.

Translation: Huo Shengnan also did not expect the other side to be so unreasonable, black and white, launching a killing move outright.

Hu Xiaotian's reaction was equally swift; in the flurry, he raised his right hand and struck the arrow shaft with the back of his hand—smack! —deflecting the high‑speed shaft, which veered off target and plunged into the loess pillar behind him with a puff, the arrowhead emerging from the opposite side, showing the tremendous force of the shot.

Translation: Hu Xiaotian's reaction was also lightning-fast; in the flurry he raised his right hand and struck the arrow shaft with the back of his hand—smack! —the high-speed shaft was deflected by his blow, veering off target and embedding itself in the loess pillar behind him, with a puff! the entire arrow drove in, its tip emerging from the opposite face of the pillar, showing the tremendous force of the shot.

Hu Xiaotian struck the arrow away with his palm; the skin on the back of his hand was scraped by the friction against the speeding shaft, causing a burning pain.

Translation: Hu Xiaotian struck the feathered arrow away with his palm; the skin on the back of his hand was scraped by the friction with the high-speed shaft, causing a burning pain.

Tang Jingyu evidently hadn't anticipated Hu Xiaotian's reaction speed being so fast, nor that he could knock away his own arrow barehanded—evidently his martial skill was formidable.

Translation: Tang Jingyu evidently had not expected Hu Xiaotian's reaction to be so swift, nor that he could knock away his own arrow barehanded; it seemed his martial prowess was not insignificant.

Two updates guaranteed—keep sending a hundred Monthly Tickets per First Update! Please keep supporting us! (To be continued…~^~)

Translation: Two updates guaranteed, keep sending a hundred monthly tickets per update! Please continue to show your support! (To be continued…~^~)

Two updates guaranteed, keep sending a hundred Monthly Tickets per First Update! Please continue to show your support! (To be continued…~^~)

Check: Two updates guaranteed, keep sending a hundred Monthly Tickets per First Update! Please continue to show your support! (To be continued…~^~)

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Make sure each line is a single line, no extra blank lines.

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