Chapter 632

Mei Mei Qinghe on his back was silent.

You Zi'ang also bit his lip, running forward in silence.

It was meaningless.

He knew Mei Mei Qinghe was already dead.

The essence of [Hilt-Bone] was simple—to completely and actively dissipate one's "life," and then pour all of one's pure "nature" into a single sword strike. After this strike, both nature and life would be exhausted. Since they had no means to sustain life, Mei Mei Qinghe’s death was already fated.

His stubbornness and stupidity were meaningless.

It might even cost him his own life.

But for some reason, he just didn't want to let go.

This was not because of any personal friendship with Mei Mei Qinghe; in fact, given her personality, there were only a handful of people in the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard who could get close to her. It was just that he felt it wasn't worth it... he wasn't worth the chance to escape that Mei Mei Qinghe had traded her life for.

As the one with the least talent and lowest realm among Li Miao’s subordinates, and always doing errands like delivering letters, he had always felt inferior. The one who brought him the greatest sense of inferiority was Mei Mei Qinghe, who had also entered the Embroidered Uniform Guard because of the Plum Blossom Thief, with only a few days’ difference in seniority.

Inferiority led to shame.

Knowing shame led to courage.

If it were someone else, he might have made a rational choice.

But being traded life-for-life by Mei Mei Qinghe, he could no longer cast aside this inferiority.

Being traded life-for-life by Mei Mei Qinghe, even if he survived, he could never wash away this shame.

Therefore, he could not let go.

Dying here was better than living in shame.

It was just that reality would not shift because of the person’s state of mind.

The Mount Wudang old Daoist pursued them, constantly unleashing pure Taiji force, tugging at You Zi'ang’s legs. Within a few seconds, he had halved the distance again—a distance sufficient for him to strike.

He suddenly waved his sleeve!

Taiji Cloud Hands!

Taiji force was unleashed, smashing through the air toward You Zi'ang’s back.

Ordinary Ordinary Jianghu people always thought Taiji Fist was a slow and gentle martial art; this was actually an illusion. Combining hardness and softness, Yin and Yang, was the essence of Taiji. It was just that Mount Wudang descendants were often unwilling to strike too heavily during sparring, so they always used soft force against enemies... but this did not mean Taiji Fist could only be soft and not hard!

In terms of hardness and ferocity, Taiji Fist was also a martial art that stood at the peak of many supreme techniques!

This Taiji Cloud Hand strike drew a shrill sound as it broke the air, the solidity of the true Qi even faintly outlining a physical silhouette under the moonlight, smashing toward the two in front like a giant boulder!

"We're done for!"

You Zi'ang’s ears twitched, and in alarm, he dodged to the side.

But he couldn't dodge it.

Carrying Mei Mei Qinghe, facing an opponent with a realm gap of more than two stages, he couldn't dodge... unless he was willing to throw Mei Mei Qinghe away and watch her be beaten into a pool of blood in mid-air.

"If I can't dodge... then I won't."

You Zi'ang dodged desperately, but still couldn't escape the attack range of the Taiji Cloud Hand.

In this instant, he felt Mei Mei Qinghe, who was already like a corpse, move suddenly. She raised her remaining right hand, drew the Lady Xu sword from his waist, and slashed toward the Taiji Cloud Hand.

Mei Mei Qinghe was not yet completely dead.

This did not make You Zi'ang happy; instead, he smiled bitterly.

Because Mei Mei Qinghe had already exhausted her life, she couldn't swing the sword, and her consciousness might not even be clear. This strike was likely just an instinctive action of a final flash of life... it couldn't block the Mount Wudang old Daoist.

Clang!

The Lady Xu sword was swept away in mid-air.

The Taiji Cloud Hand roared down.

Clang!!!

What followed, however, was the sound of metal clashing!

At the instant before the Taiji Cloud Hand was about to kill You Zi'ang and Mei Mei Qinghe, a figure darted out from the dense forest, blocking behind them. A ferociously powerful Taiji Cloud Hand was suddenly struck out, colliding with the Taiji Cloud Hand unleashed by the Mount Wudang old Daoist!

Dust and smoke rose suddenly!

"The two of you, go first!"

"Head south, Pacification Commissioner An is waiting for you!"

"Leave this place to this poor Daoist!"

In the dust, the newcomer shouted urgently.

You Zi'ang’s expression changed, and he immediately recognized the newcomer’s identity.

The Mount Wudang Heaven-Man, the sleepy old Daoist who came to support the Embroidered Uniform Guard during the Yingzhou Rebellion!

How did he get here!

But You Zi'ang also knew this was not the time to talk. He shouted, "Daoist, be careful," and left with Mei Mei Qinghe.

Thus, only the two old Daoists remained, staring at each other.