Chapter 2: Escape from Death

"What lowly scoundrel dares to snatch this old man's opportunity? You seek death!"

Hua Changxi awoke amidst the clamor of battle; the moment she opened her eyes, she squinted against the pillar of light before her.

When she focused her gaze again, she realized it was a circular pillar of light about a meter in diameter, rising from the center of the stone platform.

Within the pillar, a golden pillar as thick as an arm supported a round stone shimmering with brilliant red light.

Hua Changxi had no mood to admire this red stone, which sparkled brighter than a diamond; shifting her gaze outward, she looked toward the two figures engaged in fierce combat in the distance.

Of the two, one was an old man in red robes, and the other was the young lady who had untied her.

Watching the young lady fight the red-robed old man to a standstill, Hua Changxi was greatly surprised; seeing that both seemed intent on rushing toward her, her gaze fell once more upon the red stone within the pillar of light.

The red-robed old man and the young lady were fighting over this red stone!

Hua Changxi shook her dizzy head, and while the two combatants were distracted, she pulled out her hairpin, slashed her clothing with it, laboriously tore off a strip of cloth, and bound her bleeding wrist.

Originally, Hua Changxi had planned to continue feigning unconsciousness, waiting for the red-robed old man and the young lady to determine a winner and leave before she sought a chance to escape.

But unexpectedly, the fight between the red-robed old man and the young lady grew increasingly fierce, and the aftershocks of their attacks struck others on the stone platform.

Those struck by the aftershocks were sent flying, their bodies torn apart—some losing arms, some legs, others simply split in half.

Witnessing this scene, Hua Changxi was filled with both shock and terror.

The red-robed old man and the young lady would surely come her way; by then, even if she hadn't bled to death, she would be torn to pieces by the aftershocks of their attacks.

Hua Changxi glanced at the young lady and the red-robed old man locked in battle, then at the red stone in the pillar of light, her mind racing as she calculated her chances of survival.

Both the red-robed old man and the young lady appeared determined to claim the red stone; if she obtained it, she would have a bargaining chip.

Even if negotiations failed, it would buy more time for her father to find her.

Thinking thus, Hua Changxi moved.

"Bastard!"

"Put down the red stone!"

The red-robed old man and the young lady were locked in an inseparable struggle; both believed the red stone was already theirs, assuming that once they eliminated the other, the stone would inevitably be in hand.

Neither expected that in a single moment of lapse, someone would snatch the red stone right from under their noses.

The red-robed old man and the young lady halted simultaneously and rushed toward Hua Changxi in unison.

Hua Changxi had already sprinted to the edge of the stone platform; holding the red stone aloft with both hands, she shouted, "Stop! If either of you dares take one step closer, I will throw this red stone into the magma!"

The red-robed old man and the young lady changed color simultaneously.

The young lady said, "Do not act rashly."

The red-robed man was furious, yet dared not confront Hua Changxi directly at this moment; gnashing his teeth, he growled, "Hold that red stone steady, girl. If it falls, this old man will strip your skin and pluck your sinews."

Hua Changxi shouted even louder than the red-robed old man, "You had best not frighten me now; if my hand trembles even slightly, the stone will fall."

The red-robed man's face darkened, his gaze turning vicious as he stared at Hua Changxi.

Noticing the red-robed man seemingly gathering strength secretly, Hua Changxi quickly warned, "Do not think to ambush me; if you dare attack, I will jump into the magma clutching the red stone. Even if you are a martial arts expert, you cannot move faster than I can."

As she spoke, she shifted the red stone slightly further beyond the edge of the platform.

The young lady lost her composure and hurriedly pleaded, "Ninth Lady Hua, do not act rashly."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi's expression changed; looking at the young lady, she asked, "You know me?"

Realizing she had misspoken in her urgency, the young lady looked somewhat annoyed, but quickly recovered; without answering Hua Changxi, she merely said, "Everything can be discussed calmly; you must absolutely hold that red stone steady."

Hua Changxi knew this was not the time to probe why the young lady knew her, so she ignored the evasion and simply replied, "I only wish to live."

The red-robed old man said, "Very well; just give the red stone to this old man, and I will let you go."

Hua Changxi snorted, "Do you take me for a fool? If I give you the red stone, you will kill me immediately."

The red-robed old man gritted his teeth, "Then what do you want?"

Hua Changxi's gaze darted back and forth between the red-robed old man and the young lady.

The red-robed old man had tied her and others up for sacrifice; he certainly did not want her alive.

That young lady was likely no good either, but since she knew Hua Changxi and had helped her earlier, negotiating with her using the red stone offered a greater chance of survival.

Thinking thus, Hua Changxi turned to the young lady: "Young lady, you also want this red stone, don't you? Kill the red-robed old man, and I will give you the stone."

Hearing this, the red-robed old man let out a cold snort, while the young lady looked helpless: "I cannot defeat him."

Unconvinced, Hua Changxi stated bluntly, "You pretended to be tied up to get here, didn't you? You came here for this red stone, didn't you? If this red stone falls into the red-robed old man's hands, he will never let you touch it; what will you do then?"

The young lady looked at the red stone clutched in Hua Changxi's arms and remained silent.

Hua Changxi continued, "In any case, only one of you two can obtain this red stone. Young lady, I only want to live; if you eliminate the red-robed old man, I will immediately give you the stone."

Before the young lady could respond, the red-robed old man launched an attack, striking at the young lady.

Watching the two instantly clash again, Hua Changxi did not lower her guard; clutching the red stone, she stood at the edge of the platform, ready to throw it at any moment.

The red-robed old man and the young lady had exchanged only a few moves when a sound came from the stone door, followed by the door swinging open.

Hua Changxi's face lit up with joy, thinking her father had arrived; who could have expected that the newcomer was a middle-aged man in wide-sleeved long robes.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the red-robed man's expression changed drastically; he viciously struck the young lady with several palm attacks, forcing her to retreat to avoid them.

Having driven the young lady away, the red-robed man said nothing and rushed straight toward Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi could not evade the red-robed man's attack; seeing him charge, she steeled her resolve, flung her hands forward, and hurled the red stone off the platform.

"Even in death, I will not let you have your way!" Shouting these words, Hua Changxi also leaped off the stone platform.

"No!"

"No!"

The red-robed old man and the young lady screamed simultaneously.

Watching the red stone plummet downward, the red-robed old man disregarded everything and flew recklessly off the platform after it.

The young lady arrived a step later at the edge of the platform; looking down, she saw nothing but rolling magma.

At that moment, the middle-aged man also reached the edge of the stone platform.

"Seventh Lady, are you all right?"

Gu Jinfan shook her head, gazing at the churning magma, and said with regret, "It seems fate has destined me to have no connection with the opportunities here."

"If I hadn't encountered people from the Jingzhao Prefecture, I wouldn't have arrived late," the middle-aged man said guiltily.

Gu Jinfan's expression changed: "You encountered people from the Jingzhao Prefecture?"

The middle-aged man nodded: "Not only did I meet people from the Jingzhao Prefecture, but also from the Six Doors; judging by their demeanor, they are all heading toward this dilapidated temple."

Clearly unwilling to encounter government officials, Gu Jinfan glanced once more at the churning magma below before saying, "Let us go."

Shortly after the two departed, a hand, scalded until flesh and blood were blurred, appeared at the edge of the stone platform, followed by Hua Changxi's face, twisted in agony.

Hua Changxi dug both hands desperately into the depressions on the stone platform, her feet straining to tread upon the protrusions of the statues surrounding its perimeter, gritting her teeth to hold on with all her might.

The stone carving was positioned too low, and with her strength exhausted, she could not climb onto the platform alone.

However, while hanging from the stone statue earlier, she had overheard the conversation between the young lady and the middle-aged man and learned that government officials were approaching.

As long as she held on until the officials arrived, she would be saved.

One double-hour?

Two double-hours?

She knew not how much time had passed; just as Hua Changxi was on the verge of collapse, the stone door swung open. Seeing the soldiers rushing in, she wept tears of joy.

"Help!"