"Stop!" A sharp shout rang out as a long sword slashed through the curtains, whistling as it came.

Shi Lan's senses were sharp, and she had already withdrawn her attack and dodged to the side before the blade arrived.

The blade spun past her ear and shot straight into the cylinder behind her.

The blade, over two feet long, was completely embedded in the hilt, with only a small portion of the blade still attached to it, vibrating and emitting a buzzing sound. Shi Lan turned and stared at the hilt for a moment before looking intently at the newcomer.

Judging from the force with which the blade pierced the pillar, she knew she had encountered a master.

The gauze curtain was ripped open with force, and a tall man strode in.

The man glared fiercely at Shi Lan, then waved his large, fan-like hand and shouted behind him, "Chop this thief into mincemeat!"

A group of guards quickly emerged from behind him, wielding weapons and attacking Shi Lan swiftly.

As soon as the man appeared, Shi Lan recognized him as Ashina, who was close to Bu Mingbo. After seeing his most vulgar and unbearable side, even though she was wary of his amazing brute strength, she really couldn't be afraid of him.

The guard brandished his sword and slashed at Shi Lan, but Shi Lan nimbly dodged it and slowly moved closer to the wisp of black silk two steps away.

Since taking it by force is no longer possible, the only option is to proceed according to the original plan. However, Shi Lan felt a little regretful that she had wasted such a great opportunity.

With a slight shift in her footsteps, she dodged the sharp blades with incredibly mysterious steps. With a twist of her waist, her supple limbs contorted into bizarre arcs that no ordinary person could achieve. In an instant, her fingers swiftly flicked, her fingertips deftly hooking a strand of hair. Just as she was about to lift it up, she caught a glimpse of a large foot hurtling towards her.

Shi Lan was bent over backwards, and if she were kicked hard, her head would explode on the spot.

In the critical moment, Shi Lan quickly took two steps back, dodged to the side, and stood still. She then looked coldly at the owner of the big foot.

The man was none other than Ashina, who was known for his volatile temper. Seeing that the guards were unable to subdue the person, he couldn't resist taking matters into his own hands.

Ashina was a renowned warrior in the tribe. His missed kick earlier made him feel humiliated, and he immediately showed his anger, swinging his fist to strike again. At the same time, to make up for his slow movements, he also used a kick to block Shi Lan's side.

Shi Lan had lost all will to fight. At this moment, all she wanted to do was pick up her hair and leave as soon as possible. So, as he attacked, she quickly spun around, dodging his fist, which was as big as a bowl, and his strong, powerful thighs, and bent down to pick up her hair.

Ashina's attack missed, so he changed his move on the spot, switching from kicking to pressing down. Shi Lan was short, and after Ashina changed his move, he lowered himself by half a foot to Shi Lan's supple waist.

Shi Lan dared not let that thigh, which was as thick as her waist, touch her. She immediately rolled away like a lazy donkey to dodge the attack. At the same time, in the process of pressing and rolling, she nimbly reached out and successfully grabbed the hair.

This Ashina had a simple and honest appearance, and his words and actions were crude and barbaric, but when it came to fighting, he was the fastest among everyone present.

Shi Lan was naturally agile, while Ashina was clumsy and heavy. In theory, Ashina would have no chance against Shi Lan. However, Ashina was good at seizing opportunities. Just as Shi Lan paused while twisting his hair, Ashina raised his toes and changed from pressing to lifting.

Just as Shi Lan grabbed a strand of hair and was about to grasp it in her hand, her wrist involuntarily tensed up for a moment. Ash seized this moment and quickly flicked Shi Lan's wrist. Shi Lan couldn't react in time, and her wrist was inevitably grazed by Ash's toe.

A sharp pain struck, and Shi Lan's arm went limp, the stray hairs between her fingers fluttering down.

The intense pain stimulated her cerebral cortex. Shi Lan clenched her teeth and swallowed back the cry of pain that was about to come out of her mouth. In an instant, her forehead was covered with cold sweat.

Ashina grinned menacingly. He knew his own strength; even a strong, eight-foot-tall man couldn't withstand it, let alone this little mouse with barely any flesh.

Shi Lan took a half step back, reflexively clenching her fists, instinctively wanting to use a bewitching spell.

Yue Zhan's reputation was earned through real battles. His martial arts skills were arguably the best in the world, if not the best. Shi Lan felt that since the Bewitching Technique could take him down, dealing with Ashina would be no problem.

After all, his martial arts skills were undeniable, while Yue Zhan stood in the way like a mountain blocking the way. If Ashina were truly stronger than Yue Zhan, Liu Weng wouldn't have had to rack his brains and try every possible method to obtain the token through coercion and bribery.

However, looking at the room full of people, Shi Lan still hesitated. How much of her spiritual energy would she have to expend to knock out so many people at once? She had chosen to act at night because she didn't want to expend too much energy, but now things had turned out like this. She estimated that she would not only have to give up the cultivation she had been cultivating for a while, but also lose some more. The key point was that even so, she could not guarantee that she would succeed, especially with the incessant clanging sound of blades scraping against their sheaths outside the window.

Ashina saw that Shi Lan was trembling slightly, as if she was afraid. He was very pleased with himself. Capturing Shi Lan was equivalent to saving Liu Weng's life. Moreover, in front of everyone, he was sure to be the one to claim the title of Liu Weng's savior.

Shi Lan's face was cold and his eyes were fixed on Ashina. As Ashina pressed closer, Shi Lan pinched his fingers, and a wisp of golden light appeared and disappeared.

The surroundings fell silent. The guards formed a circle, all staring at the two of them. For a moment, the only sound was the heavy 'tap-tap' of Ashina's footsteps.

Suddenly, a series of rapid cracking sounds broke the tense atmosphere.

A tall and slender figure descended from the sky amidst scattered shards of tile. As soon as he landed, he wielded a three-foot-long sword, his menacing aura driving him straight toward Ashina's face.

None of the people present expected that there would be someone on the roof. Ashina was not quick to react, and he stared at the person for a moment before he came to his senses. He drew the waist knife of the guard next to him and also pounced on the person fiercely.

The man's face was covered with a black cloth, and his dark eyes were calm and composed. He wielded a green sword swiftly and fiercely, deflecting several guards who attacked him. He even managed to parry Ashina's sword the moment it came down, and then smoothly swung it horizontally. The cold, sharp blade sliced ​​through Ashina's sheepskin waistband as easily as cutting tofu, and a stream of bright red blood immediately spurted out.

Ashina touched his waist and abdomen, raised his hand to look at it, and the bright red blood stimulated his bloodthirsty and cruel nerves.

Ashina roared, like a mad bear baring its teeth and claws as it pounced.

The two immediately engaged in battle.

Shi Lan reacted reasonably well. Seeing someone blocking her way, she quickly looked around. The surrounding guards' eyes were all focused on the two of them.

Such an opportunity was too rare for Shi Lan to pass up.

At this point, she hadn't given up on the idea of ​​taking his hair, especially after she saw that Liu Weng was hiding behind the guards like a quail. She knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if she missed it, taking his life would be as difficult as climbing to heaven.

The footsteps startled the nearest guard, who swung his sword at Shi Lan. Shi Lan nimbly dodged, and others nearby, recovering from their shock, quickly joined the attack. (To be continued.)