Chapter 1233

Tian Tian stared blankly at Zhu Zhong, unsure how to react.

Zhu Zhong's plight struck a chord in her, and she sympathized with his situation.

But the problem was, she didn't want to marry this man.

Zhu Zhong saw that Tian Tian remained silent for a long while, and felt a sudden pang of disappointment in his heart. He said a few more kind words to comfort her, then took his leave.

After he had walked far away, Tian Tian finally raised her head and said to Ximen Wudi,

"Daddy, Zhu Zhong only deceived me to save his own life.

Let's just help him out!"

Tian Hu frowned, thought for a moment, and said,

"This matter isn't ours to decide. Let's wait for your grandfather to make the call!"

Although the Tian family head was a bit soft-natured, when it came to important matters, he could still keep a clear head.

Inside the Tian family head's room.

Tian Tian told her father Ximen Wudi her plan.

Ximen Wudi deliberated for a moment and said, "Although Zhu Zhong deceived Tian'er, in the end he didn't cause any great disaster.

Not only must we not punish him, we must also treat him well.

Otherwise, wouldn't our Tian family be ungrateful?"

Tian Tian pouted. "Daddy, we don't owe him anything. Why must we humiliate ourselves like this?"

Ximen Wudi, however, refused firmly. "We owe him too much. Just consider it compensation for him."

With no other choice, Tian Tian had to agree.

"Daddy, I want to go into the mountains to gather spiritual herbs!"

After finishing the meal, Tian Tian suggested to Ximen Wudi, "Send some people to follow me."

"Fine, but you must bring enough food.

There are many wild beasts and poisonous insects on the mountain. Caution is wise."

Ximen Wudi gave a few reminders, then ordered his subordinates to follow Tian Tian to gather herbs.

The next day, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

Tian Tian led the herb-gathering team toward Shenshan.

She walked at the very front of the group.

Suddenly, her ears twitched—she heard a rustling sound.

She immediately crouched down, carefully listening to the movements around her.

"Who's sneaking around over there?"

She gave a low shout and swiftly drew the long sword at her waist.

The next second, a black shadow pounced out like lightning.

Tian Tian was startled and quickly sidestepped to dodge.

But the black shadow seemed dead set on catching her, not giving her any chance to catch her breath.

Tian Tian panicked, waving her arms to resist while shouting, "Help! Help! Someone come quickly!"

"Heh heh, stop struggling. Out here in the wilderness, no one will pay attention to you!"

The black shadow let out a sinister laugh and slashed a palm toward Tian Tian's neck.

"Hold it!"

Ximen Wudi happened to be passing by and rushed over in time, shoving the man to the ground.

"Daddy, why did it take you so long? One more step later and you'd never have seen me again!"

Tian Tian sat sprawled on the ground, patting her chest with a look of lingering fear.

"Tian'er, are you alright?"

Ximen Wudi helped Tian Tian up with concern.

"I'm fine."

Tian Tian shook her head, then shifted her gaze to the man in black and demanded coldly:

"Who are you, and why did you ambush me?"

"Brat girl, this old man is neither a thief nor a scoundrel!"

The man in black snorted coldly. "This old man is a man of the Wuzhelian Alliance, ordered to take your dog's life!"

"What Wuzhelian Alliance? I've never heard of it!"

Tian Tian was baffled.

Ximen Wudi frowned tightly and barked coldly, "The Wuzhelian Alliance is one of the four great powers of Wu Zhou!"

"The four great powers!"

Tian Tian's heart trembled slightly at the words, deeply astonished.

"No wonder I felt you all were no ordinary fighters!"

Tian Tian suddenly understood. She sneered, "Since you came to kill me, you should have investigated my background.

But you don't even know where my home is. How pathetic."

"Heh, we're just following orders. Who cares where your home is!"

The man in black sneered, "Miss Tian Tian, just surrender obediently!

Don't worry, our Wuzhelian Alliance absolutely won't let you get hurt!"

Tian Tian let out a cold laugh and mocked,

"You won't harm me in the slightest!"

The words barely fallen, she suddenly sprinted out, drawing her sword to attack the man in black.

Her speed was extremely fast—in the blink of an eye she was right before the man in black.

The man in black started, hastily raising his sword to meet the enemy.

Clang!

A shower of sparks flew out.

The man in black only felt his Hukou go numb, nearly failing to keep a firm grip on the long sword in his hand!

"What tremendous strength!"

The man in black couldn't help exclaiming in a low voice.

He dared not be careless, hurriedly retreating several steps; once the distance was opened, he attacked with his sword once more.

At this moment, Tian Tian also noticed that this man in black was no simple matter.

"This is the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining!"

Tian Tian secretly thought.

Moreover, she discovered that the cultivation art practiced by this man in black was actually exactly the same as hers!

"Hahaha, stinky girl, did you notice?"

The man in black laughed darkly and said, "Today you won't escape even if you grow wings!"

As his words fell, he exerted force with his hand; the long sword hummed and rang, and an extremely sharp sword-gleam burst forth.

Tian Tian's heart turned cold; not daring to clash head-on with the man in black, she could only employ her lightness skill to dodge.

"Stinky girl, what are you dodging!"

Seeing Tian Tian use her lightness skill, the man in black hurriedly changed his move, shifting from defense to offense.

Tian Tian gritted her teeth and resisted.

Unfortunately, the man in black's strength was too high; even though she exerted all her power, she still could not match him.

Puchi!

The long sword pierced through Tian Tian's shoulder.

Fresh blood dripped down along her arm.

The pain instantly spread throughout her entire body.

Tian Tian's face went deathly pale, and her body staggered backward.

She clutched her bleeding right shoulder, with great difficulty straightened her body, and stared coldly at the man in black.