Chapter 35: Entering the Vessel

Tang Tang's words hadn't even faded when her aunt shoved her head back into the car, and the black, overbearing large G sped away leaving dust.

The black-clothed men quickly retreated toward the Tang family aunt, also preparing to withdraw.

I quietly reached out and tugged Li Qingying; she instantly understood, and we turned and ran.

But after just a few steps, we came face to face with a white-haired, childlike-faced old lady leaning on a cane.

Behind the old lady stood a group of Bai family members, staring at us tiger-eyed.

Behind us, the Pearl Coil River's waters boiled, the ground faintly trembled, and in the water it seemed as if tens of thousands of horses were galloping, as something rolled about, about to break the surface.

I was greatly startled in my heart—could it really be Chen Ping?

Just then, the old lady shouted loudly: "Continue the sacrifice!"

Continue the sacrifice?

Just now they had wanted to use Tang Tang as a substitute for me in the sacrifice, but now that Tang Tang has been rescued, the old lady still isn't giving up, and has retargeted me.

Bai Jingmo rushed forward, blocking me in an instant, and said: "Grandmother, you promised not to move against Xiao Jiu; you can't go back on your word."

"Jingmo, you've messed up." The old lady snapped, "Do you still want the whole Bai family to be buried with this woman? Wake up!"

She waved her hand, and someone immediately rushed forward to subdue Bai Jingmo.

Bai Jingmo fiercely resisted, grappling with those people.

Meanwhile, more people charged at us, and Li Qingying drew her long whip, firmly shielding me in front.

But we were outnumbered, and besides the Bai family, the Yellow Skins and Giant Rats also joined the fight.

Soon, Li Qingying and I were surrounded, step by step driven toward the red coffin that had been dragged out of the water.

Li Qingying let out a long breath and whispered to me: "Xiao Jiu, I'll break out from the north, carving an exit; you go around to the north and return to the Dang Pu—once inside, you'll be safe."

I shook my head: "Sister Qingying, don't say I can't break out; even if I managed to escape by luck, I couldn't just abandon you—we advance and retreat together."

Saying this, Li Qingying and I stood back to back, fingers flying as we formed seals, and I shouted loudly: "Feng Wu, appear!"

Liu Junyan had feared I would fall into this predicament, so she beforehand transmitted true qi to me.

With the true qi bolstering it, when Feng Wu appeared, its entire body was wreathed in flame.

She hovered in midair, especially eye-catching in the dark wilderness night.

I reached out and gripped the bow's body, took a deep breath, and pulled the string hard.

The bow was full, the string taut.

I aimed the bow at the old lady.

Accompanied by a hollow sound, the air in the whole space seemed to tremble, and a ball of fire, like an arrow released from the bowstring, shot straight at the old lady's face.

Perhaps she never imagined I could unleash such energy; the old lady didn't even regard me, causing a sudden mishap, and those around her had no time to react.

In the emergency, her confidant threw his body sideways to block in front of the old lady.

That ball of fire burst with a bang into the confidant's forehead!

That confidant spat a mouthful of blood mixed with fire, then crashed to the ground with a boom.

The old lady herself was also affected, staggering on her feet; she kept from falling only by gripping her cane tightly with both hands.

This move temporarily subdued the Bai family members.

But I know, the true qi Liu Junyan gave me is only enough to sustain this one strike.

I pulled Li Qingying and we broke out toward the north.

But the old lady reacted just as quickly: "Stop them for me!"

The Bai family members clung to us like bone‑eating maggots, never letting go.

At that moment I deeply understood what it means to be at the end of one's rope.

In that situation I had no leisure to pay attention to the Tang family aunt's side.

At the moment I summoned Feng Wu and drew that hollow sound, she halted her steps, turned, and looked over toward me.

Just one glance, and she froze in place, her eyes becoming complex and profound.

Her lips parted slightly, as if she murmured "Feng Wu".

Afterwards, she formed a sword finger with her right hand, swept it across the entire riverbank, and spoke a single word resoundingly: "Kill!"

Dozens of black‑clothed men, like spirits of the night, surged back at the Tang family aunt's command.

For a time, the whole riverbank was filled with the sound of killing.

But before I could catch my breath, the six‑corner palace lamp in my hand suddenly began to shake wildly, the point of fire inside jerking back and forth, as if sensing something.

My first thought was that this wisp of spirit from Fu Wan's final soul offering had sensed Zhao Zixun's presence, making it go berserk.

When I looked toward the river surface, I instantly felt as if plunged into an ice cellar.

Zhao Zixun and his troop of soldiers were still there, seated on their horses, unmoving.

But the water surface beneath the horses' hooves kept rising, the rolling river water surging toward me in waves.

Beneath that black river water lay what seemed to be a flood‑beast, ready to swallow me whole and tear me apart!

Not only was I afraid, the Bai family members were afraid too.

Among the Bai family, some were strangled by the black‑clothed men, while others fought while retreating; but before they had taken a few steps, the old lady roared: "Charge forward—anyone who deserts will be killed without mercy!"

Yet those charging at the front, upon touching the river water, all collapsed.

Their bodies fell into the water, dragged down by whatever lay beneath, vanishing without trace.

The old lady who had just been shouting now dragged Bai Jingmo away in flight.

Whoosh!

A short arrow shot from the south, slanting into the clouds.

I glanced sideways and saw the Tang family aunt holding a crossbow; that short arrow just now had been fired from it.

Accompanying the arrow's release, the earlier chanting sounded again.

The tail of the short arrow exploded a spark in midair; a rune ignited in the void; in the night, the rune spread out a net, falling headfirst toward the water surface.

The surging river water quickly receded under the enveloping of the rune net, and the river surface returned to calm.

The Tang family aunt put away her crossbow, the black-clothed people also retreated, a group of people got into the vehicles, and the convoy departed in a mighty manner.

She didn't even give me a chance to thank her!

Li Qingying pulled me aside and reminded, "Xiao Jiu, let's go back to the pawn shop first; we'll talk about the rest later."

The things in the Pearl Coil River were temporarily suppressed by the Tang family aunt, but I'm not sure how long this suppression will last, and whether the Bai family will launch a counterattack.

So I didn't dwell on it much, and together with Li Qingying I returned to the pawn shop.

As soon as I got back, I immediately called Tang Tang to ask what had happened.

But no one answered the phone, and my messages went unanswered.

Li Qingying made me brown sugar ginger tea; I held the cup with both hands, feeling the warmth of the tea, and only then did I feel truly alive again.

I recalled what had happened to Tang Tang in Wufu Town these past few days.

She appeared warm toward Bai Jingmo on the surface, but secretly guarded against him; she heeded my warning, and that phone call the night before she left the pawn shop...

I suddenly understood.

That phone call, Tang Tang must have been calling her aunt, asking her aunt to come help me!

She threw herself into the trap, set up tonight's scheme, and won me a precious chance to escape.

But how could she know that Bai Jingmo would surely target her and use her to exchange for me?

Furthermore, the sacrifice required in Wufu Town needs a pure yin body; not just anyone can casually take my place in the sacrifice.

Could it be… that Tang Tang's physique is also special?

Just what is Tang Tang's background?