Chapter 264: With Me Here, No Accidents

Dong Yong violently sat up from the icy ground, like a drowning person rescued, gasping heavily with big breaths.

He instinctively reached out to touch his neck—his hand met warm skin, his head still properly attached to his neck! He looked up, and Yu Lin's calm face came into view.

The dazed relief of having survived was replaced by stronger anxiety; he jumped to his feet, even forgetting etiquette, grabbed Yu Lin's sleeve, and shouted urgently:

"Young Master Yu! Someone! Someone is coming to seize Qimei! They're after Qimei! Please, hurry and save her!!"

Yu Lin gave a slight nod: "I know."

"Shouldn't we first pull you back?"

"Wait."

Before his words had fully faded, Dong Yong felt his vision blur; Yu Lin's figure had already vanished like a ghost, as if he had never appeared.

He once again collapsed helplessly to the ground, his gaze falling on the clear footprint Yu Lin had left in the snow, his heart churning with tumultuous waves, and he unconsciously murmured softly:

"Young Master Yu……indeed not a mortal……that rainy day……"

"Ah, now I only pray that Qimei remains safe and returns unharmed……"

…………

Elsewhere.

The Seventh Fairy Maiden was trudging through the snow-covered wilderness, step by step, running desperately, the cold air stabbing her lungs.

She repeatedly called in her mind the familiar titles of the immortals and gods she knew, pleading for help, but like a mud ox entering the sea, there was no response at all!

Even the faint connection with the Heavenly Court was completely severed!

She felt as if the whole world had abandoned her in this icy mortal snow night.

She gritted her teeth, placing all her hope in reaching Jingyun County and finding Yu Lin……

Bang!

With a blast, the frozen ground not far ahead exploded, snow and dirt flying everywhere, brutally cutting off her path!

As the smoke and dust cleared slightly, a burly man turned, his face bearing a cat-toying-with-mouse smirk, sizing her up:

"Running? Keep running then?"

"You, what exactly do you want to do?!"

"Worried we'll violate you? Hah." He snorted, his gaze sweeping over her face, deliberately made to look ordinary even ugly,

"With that appearance of yours, besides that blind village bumpkin, what could we brothers do to you? Rest assured, come along obediently, and you'll surely get your share of benefits!"

As his words fell, several more figures flashed out from the surrounding shadows, forming a encirclement that tightly trapped the Seventh Fairy Maiden in the middle.

The Seventh Fairy Maiden's heart clenched; she glared at this wolf-like gang and demanded sharply:

"Where is Elder Brother Dong?! What have you done to him?!"

The burly man ahead crossed his arms, smiling silently.

Meanwhile, Zhang Si beside him slowly raised the blood‑still‑wet long sword, which flashed a cold light in the chilly moonlight, his face showing undisguised cruelty and mockery:

"How about it? You don't know your place, blocked the brothers' road, and even dared to wound the superior's noble body… what do you say, what else can be done?"

He deliberately slapped the sword blade against his palm, producing a chillingly cold sound.

Boom——!

Like a thunderclap exploding in his mind!

The Seventh Fairy Maiden felt a surge of icy despair instantly seize her heart, the strength of her limbs seemingly drained in an instant.

Her vision darkened, she staggered on her feet, with a "plop" she collapsed helplessly onto the icy snow.

The icy snow water soaked her garments, yet it fell far short of the bone‑chilling cold in her heart.

Dong Yong........... dead?

Just then, hoofbeats thudded.

Wang Yuan rode his horse, slowly approaching, looking down from above at the Seventh Fairy Maiden sitting collapsed on the ground, lost and dispirited.

A glint of calculation flashed in his eyes, as if he had suddenly changed his mind, his tone becoming "magnanimous":

"Rest assured, he's not dead."

"I am merciful, I won't hold his injuring me against him; I merely crippled one of his arms as a light punishment."

He shifted his tone, openly threatening:

"But… whether he lives or dies from now on depends on your performance."

"If you are willing to work honestly and wholeheartedly for us……"

He deliberately drew out his tone, throwing out a bait,

"If you do well, I'll release him and let the two of you flee far away—it's not impossible."

"But if you don't cooperate………… you know what the consequences are."

Having said that, he gave the Seventh Fairy Maiden no chance to think or bargain, directly ordering Zhang Si:

"Zhang Si, knock her out, bring her back."

Zhang Si immediately bowed and replied: "Yes!"

He wore a ferocious grin and strode toward the Seventh Fairy Maiden.

However, as his first foot landed, his second step seemed bound by an invisible shackle, unable to move forward.

His pupils contracted sharply, his gaze locked onto the space before the Seventh Fairy Maiden—when, a figure had appeared there!

A figure that seemed to have stood there since ancient times, yet also as if it had just materialized out of thin air.

He simply stood there silently, yet seemed to separate heaven and earth, blocking all wind, snow, and malice.

Zhang Si's scalp went numb; he forced himself to stay calm and shouted sternly:

"Who are you?! Dare to meddle in our affairs?!"

No answer.

There was only a single gust of night wind, unknown where it came from, gently sweeping across the arena.

In the next moment, Zhang Si and the several surrounding bandits who had encircled them felt the scene before their eyes begin to spin…… They saw the snowflipping landscape, they saw the moonless night sky.

Finally, they saw their own headless corpses, having lost their heads, slowly collapsing……

「It's over…… this guy is tough……」

This was their final thought before their consciousness fell into eternal darkness.

Too lazy to say, not worth listening to.

Yu Lin turned around, looking at Wang Yuan on the horse.

At this moment, Wang Yuan's composure and calculation on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by extreme terror and incredulous shock.

That eerie night wind, that silent slaughter, completely shattered all his reliance and mental defenses!

His body shook uncontrollably, his teeth chattered, and the fine horse beneath him seemed to feel that suffocating pressure, uneasily pawing at the ground!

Yu Lin said nothing, merely raising his hand and making a grasping motion toward Wang Yuan's direction.

Wang Yuan instantly felt an irresistible force seize his whole body, and he was uncontrollably yanked off his horse.

As if pulled by an invisible rope, he flew through the air several zhang, with a 'plop' he heavily knelt in the snow before Yu Lin, his knees striking the frozen ground and emitting a dull thud; the sharp pain was but a fraction of the fear in his heart.

「Who sent you here? 」

Wang Yuan, scared out of his wits, trembling all over like a sieve, desperately swallowed saliva before he could barely move his stiff tongue, his lips quivering as he stammered his answer:

「I… I report to the… Immortal… it, it is… Magistrate Xu of Jingyun County........... 」

His words had not yet been fully spoken.

He also stepped into the rear path of Zhang Si and the others.

Yu Lin didn't even glance at the fallen corpse, as if he had merely brushed away a speck of dust.

He turned around, looking at the Seventh Fairy Maiden, and spoke softly:

「I have let the princess be frightened. 」

「Leave this matter to me to handle. 」

Seeing he was about to leave, the Seventh Fairy Maiden hastily rose and asked: «Brother Dong, how is he? »

「Rest assured, I have already rescued him back. 」

「Thank you, Young Master Yu! 」

By the time the Seventh Fairy Maiden rose, Yu Lin had already vanished without a trace.

She also had no time for anything else, hastily returning the way she came.