Looking at the horse on the ground and then at the merciless killer, Nan Qianyue felt a sudden surge of intense hatred and resentment.
She took a step back, then turned and ran.
The assassins all sneered, showing no hurry, following them at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, as if they were toying with a caged beast.
Nanqianyue seemed oblivious to anything amiss. She ran forward like a madwoman, heading towards the setting sun hanging halfway up the mountain.
Suddenly, she stopped abruptly, her body lurching forward due to inertia. Luckily, she was stable enough, otherwise she would have plunged into the sheer cliff in front of her.
Another cliff.
Nanqianyue turned around and confronted the assassins.
The familiar scene made her feel as if she had returned to two years ago.
Shouldn't she smile? She's unlocked another cliff; such luck is rare.
The assassin brandished his knife, threatening, "Jump down yourself, or will we help you?"
Another assassin raised his bow and arrow and aimed it at Nan Qianyue. "The master's order is to kill her. Jumping off the cliff may not kill her."
As the bowstring was pulled back little by little, Nan Qianyue's hatred reached its peak. She closed her eyes, pushed off with her feet, and jumped off the cliff.
At the same time, an arrow shot out and pierced her chest.
The pain numbed her nerves, her body continued to fall, and her vision became increasingly blurred.
In her final moments before closing her eyes, she longed for that figure in black...
——
At the other end of the woods, Qin Yi led his troops at breakneck speed, his unease growing stronger, causing the energy within his dantian to become disordered.
He clutched his chest and swallowed the metallic taste that rose in his throat.
But this slight distraction nearly caused him to be hit by a flying arrow, but fortunately, he was stopped by the young black-clad cavalry general brought by Xie Yanzhou.
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
Qin Yi shook his head and looked up at the Nanjing troops a few feet away.
The person in the lead was none other than Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen put away his bow and arrows, his cold gaze falling on Qin Yi.
He could tell that Qin Yi was seriously injured.
Another sound of hooves approached; it was Xie Yanzhou and Ye Jian, both of them wounded.
Xie Yanzhou rushed to Qin Yi's side and asked anxiously, "Didn't you pick her up?"
Qin Yi suppressed his panic and said in a deep voice, "No."
Just then, a strange noise came from the woods. Qin Yi looked up sharply and immediately turned his horse around and galloped into the woods.
Xie Yanzhou and his soldiers followed closely behind.
Xiao Chen and his group also sensed something was wrong and immediately rushed towards the woods.
Several assassins tried to sneak out by bypassing the two groups, but Xie Yanzhou and Ye Jian blocked them from the left and right respectively.
The two men wielded their weapons, brought the assassins down, and each returned to their own group with one survivor in tow.
Xie Yanzhou sealed the assassin's meridians and asked sternly, "Where is she? Speak!"
The assassin let out a wicked laugh, "She's dead. Go collect her body."
"You're asking for death!" Xie Yanzhou slammed down with a fist, smashing the assassin's eyeball.
Qin Yi raised his bloodshot eyes and stared ahead, then charged forward on horseback, filled with panic.
When the cliff came into view, Qin Yi could no longer control himself and spat out a mouthful of blood.
He dismounted and staggered to the edge of the cliff.
The marks on the cliff edge convey a bloody reality.
"Moon..." Qin Yi called out in sorrow.
But in an instant, a glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.
He quickly reached to his chest, pulled out a folded dark-colored brocade handkerchief, and unfolded it.
It's gone; that piece of material has disappeared.
That was the fabric he tore off from that jade-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).
So, she went back...
This answer made him feel fortunate, but also made him feel even more dejected.
"Nan Nan!" Xiao Chen, who had rushed over, knelt on the edge of the cliff, veins bulging at the corners of his eyes.
He was late again, just like two years ago...
Xie Yanzhou stood frozen at the edge of the forest like a wooden stake, not even having the courage to approach the cliff.
There's no river below this cliff. If she falls in... no, she'll be alright!
Xie Yanzhou turned around and glared angrily at the soldiers who were standing there dumbfounded. "What are you all standing there for? Get the ropes and go down to find them!"
The young soldiers looked at Qin Yi, who stood on the edge of the cliff, with worried expressions. "Your Highness..."
"Do as he says." Qin Yi's voice was weary.
"Yes!" The operation commenced.
On the other side, Ye Jian waved to his personal guards, "Go down and find someone."
"yes!"
Ye Jian walked behind Xiao Chen, feeling very sad. After thinking for a long time, he finally managed to utter four words.
"My lord, please accept my condolences."
"Shut up!" Xiao Chen roared, staring at the cliff.
He had a premonition that Nan Nan wouldn't die; just like two years ago, she must have returned to that distant world.
But what if they find a body at the bottom of the cliff... No, that won't happen!
He dared not think any further, his eyes were bloodshot, and hot tears streamed down his face.
Xie Yanzhou glanced at Xiao Chen coldly and said sarcastically, "Why are you crying? This is all your fault. If you hadn't kidnapped her to Nanjing, she wouldn't have suffered this."
Xiao Chen did not argue, but lowered his head and wept silently, his knees on the edge of the cliff seeming to be in repentance.
It was his fault; he failed to protect Nan Nan...
As night gradually enveloped the earth, a few torches lit up the bottom of the cliff in search of people.
The group of people on the cliff edge remained motionless, each lost in their own thoughts, waiting in silence.
Xie Yanzhou's complicated gaze fell on Qin Yi's back. He took out a bottle of pills, walked over and handed them to him, "Take two."
He paused, then added, "Don't let her worry."
Finally, Qin Yi's pupils moved. He took the pills, swallowed two, and said in a deep, hoarse voice, "Thanks."
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