Chapter 38 As the saying goes, one sword can break all laws, no…
Sensing several strong gusts of wind behind him, Shen Guitang immediately moved Hengbo into his arms, but Hengbo drew his sword from behind him even earlier. With a flick of his wrist, the arrows that came flying through the air were all broken.
As for Ji Run, although he didn't know what had happened, his survival instinct made him close his eyes and roll on the ground, thus dodging several sharp arrows.
However, although the three of them dodged this attack, arrows continued to rain down on them from behind.
Moreover, the arrows were likely controlled by a crossbow, and their range gradually increased as they retreated.
Hengbo was able to hold on while protecting Shen Guitang, but Ji Run, who had rolled around several times, was already panting and in a sorry state. It was unlikely that he could hold on until he was out of range of the crossbow.
Taking advantage of the gap between the two attacks, Hengbo broke free from Shen Guitang's embrace, pointed in the direction from which the arrows came, and then pointed to himself.
Because of the urgency, she rushed over without waiting for Shen Guitang's reaction, but after taking just one step, she felt her sleeve being tightly pulled and then immediately released.
That fleeting resistance seemed like a brief illusion, but Hengbo knew it had indeed existed; it was Shen Guitang's worry and trust.
In an instant, another volley of arrows flew towards them. Hengbo, who had already turned back and rushed forward, darted back and forth on the stone wall with light touches of his toes, trying to cut down as many arrows as possible that were going to hit them.
However, as the horizontal wave got closer to the crossbow, the space where she could use her agility to avoid the arrows became smaller and smaller, making it increasingly difficult for her to move forward.
Yet, despite facing what could be described as a hail of arrows, she pressed on relentlessly.
The second move of the Spring Startling Sword Technique: Silent Drizzle.
This time, however, the fine rain was no longer a weapon to tear the opponent to pieces, but rather a suit of armor for him to defend himself.
Every arrow that could have pierced her flesh was gently brushed away by the fine spring rain, without any chance of anything happening.
As the crossbow bolt approached, the person behind it finally felt a sense of apprehension.
Seeing that the crossbow bolts were ineffective against Hengbo, he finally gave up the idea of letting her be pierced by a thousand arrows.
He moved nimbly through the darkness, his light and steady steps revealing his familiarity with the terrain.
Hengbo realized he had abandoned the crossbow but dared not let her guard down, anticipating he must have another trick up his sleeve. Holding her breath, she was sure enough, a sharp weapon whistled through the air and aimed directly at her brow.
Hengbo's heart skipped a beat, and she dodged to the side. However, just as she moved, the jade-white longsword in her hand was tightly wrapped by a soft yet tough thread-like object, and with a forceful pull, the sword was gone.
It was a feint!
The feeling of being brushed by the tough silk threads still lingered on Hengbo's hand, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Could this person be a spider spirit?"
The old spider demon laughed gleefully after succeeding: "Without your sword, what do you plan to use to fight off my rain of arrows? Come and die!"
Just in case, Hengbo has rarely taken out the Hengbo Sword since entering Yujing. This time, he left it at the Shen family's residence and did not bring it with him when he came to the imperial mausoleum. Now he can truly be described as unarmed.
The old spider demon's laughter was so arrogant that it echoed repeatedly in the passage, naturally reaching the ears of Shen Guitang and the other two who had escaped unscathed.
Shen Guitang was dragging Ji Run, whose legs were trembling with fear, through the darkness, dodging the rain of arrows. He was silently counting the time in his mind. When the next round of arrows came but there was no movement, he felt uneasy and immediately turned to walk back, but Ji Run grabbed him.
"Are you crazy? How can mortal flesh and blood withstand arrows made of refined steel? If we go, we'll only be throwing our lives away!"
Shen Guitang shook off his restraint and said coldly, "Brother Ji, you may flee for your life. I, Shen, will go alone."
Ji Run had developed some friendship with him along the way, so how could she really watch him go to his death? Just as she was about to persuade him again, the old spider demon's laughter spread along the empty stone path.
Ji Run reacted quickly this time, immediately grabbing Shen Guitang's waist to stop him from going back, "Your servant is probably already in grave danger, but as long as we're alive, we can always fight again."
He used all his strength and his weight to suppress Shen Guitang, who had crippled his martial arts years ago and now only knew some self-defense techniques. How could Shen Guitang escape his attack?
In his rage, another wild laugh echoed from the passageway: "You want to get close to me? You're asking for a quick death!"
Shen Guitang knew he couldn't delay any longer. With a flick of his wrist, a dagger as sharp as a blade was pressed against Ji Run's neck. A ghostly voice rang out above him: "Let go, or ten Wen Yue won't be able to save your life."
Ji Run was taken aback, then released his hand, his face showing undisguised disappointment: "I sincerely considered my brother's feelings, but Brother Shen's speculation is truly disheartening."
Shen Guitang sneered: "Wen Yue sent you to test my attitude towards the late Crown Prince and the current Emperor, but didn't tell you the reason. Can't you use your brain to think about it?"
Ji Run was startled by his stern voice, but then she suddenly thought of Hengbo's face, which looked exactly like the late Crown Prince. Her face turned deathly pale, and she stammered, "What do you mean by that?"
Shen Guitang felt he had no obligation to help Wen Yue teach students, and disregarded the turmoil in Ji Run's heart. He turned and ran headlong into the darkness ahead.
Upon getting close to the old spider demon, Hengbo finally realized what the spider silk-like thing was. It turned out to be a modified whisk.
Unlike the usual fly whisks used for welcoming guests or as ceremonial objects, this fly whisk's handle is actually a sheathed short knife, and its bristles are not made of ox or horse tail, but of a fine, flexible, and sharp silk thread.
With its bizarrely designed weapons, cunning and ruthless moves, and the enemy's adaptation to the dark environment, Hengbo was quickly drawn to blood.
Wiping away the blood droplets flowing down her forehead from a wound, Hengbo felt a surge of anger. This old spider demon seemed to be enjoying injuring her, and was not in a hurry to fire her crossbow to kill her, but instead teased her like a cat playing with a mouse.
But she was now isolated and helpless, and had no other choice but to fight to the death.
It must be said that this is the most troublesome person Hengbo has encountered since he came down the mountain. This person's skill may be comparable to the Third Elder of Cangjian Manor, but his understanding of weapons and moves is far superior to the latter.
However, transverse waves never allow themselves to bleed unnecessarily.
On Mount Biyun, Qingxuzi once asked her, "Do you know why martial arts are divided into four levels?" Xiao Hengbo shook her head. She had never considered advancing in martial arts as her original intention, so this was a question she had never thought about.
Facing the boundless sky, Qingxuzi said with the air of a master, "At least below the Heavenly Rank, all techniques have a weakness. As long as the enemy doesn't have the strength to kill you in one blow, you always have the possibility of turning the tables."
He concluded, "Therefore, among those of the same rank, everyone has a chance of winning."
Hengbo clapped her hands at the right moment to cheer her on, then opened her big, watery eyes wide with doubt: What if you encounter an enemy who is one level higher than you?
Qingxuzi remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."
At this moment, Hengbo was certain that although the enemy before her was difficult to deal with, he had definitely not reached the Heavenly Rank. Since that was the case, she still had hope.
She forced her feverish mind to calm down and finally realized that in all the back-and-forth exchanges with this person, he had never defended himself.
He always retaliated against his own attacks with unexpected moves and a variety of weapons, but never passively defended himself.
Is it really because this person has trained his body into an impenetrable fortress, so he disdains defense? Yokoha doesn't think so.
On the contrary, she even felt that this person's physical skills were too weak, so he could only use proactive attacks to cover up his own defensive deficiencies.
Since that's the case, all we need to do is use that one move, and everything will be solved.
Startling Spring Sword Technique, Fourth Form: Daytime Drumming Thunder.
This is the most powerful and explosive move in the Spring Startling Sword Technique, but it is also a move that Hengbo will only use as a last resort.
This move emphasizes transforming oneself into lightning, charging forward without hesitation.
The thunder of spring is powerful but never returns. Therefore, the person who uses this move must abandon all defenses. After all, what is there to fear from rolling thunder in the face of swords and spears?
Seeing that Hengbo was no longer trying to protect the vital points around his body, the old spider demon, who had lived in darkness for a long time and therefore had excellent night vision, exclaimed in surprise, "Huh?" However, he only paused for a brief moment before continuing his relentless attacks.
The blades embedded in the whisk slashed her body, leaving wound after wound, while sharp threads swept across her exposed arms and neck, leaving patches of red marks. Blood even seeped out immediately from some of her delicate skin.
However, what appears to laymen as a situation where Hengbo is being thrashed is something insiders can immediately point out as a shift in the balance of power between the two.
Hengbo has no sword in her hand, yet her sword aura is natural, and with each breath she exhales, the sword aura emanating from her body is rising at an incredible speed.
Conversely, the old spider demon's attacks became increasingly chaotic, and it even attempted to retreat to the crossbow and repeat its old tricks.
But he knew it was too late.
Finally, her swordsmanship reached its peak, without any dazzling movements or leaving her opponent any opening. The spring thunder roared, the insects swarmed, and her enemy had nowhere to retreat.
If you cannot end it before the spring thunder falls, then you can only endure its thunderous wrath.
Thus, the immense force struck his aged and frail body without reservation.
As the spring thunder subsided, the old spider demon looked down and saw a slender hand covered in scars gently resting on his right shoulder. Then, this seemingly weak and powerless hand forcefully severed all the tendons and veins connecting his right shoulder to his sternum.
As the saying goes, "One sword can break all laws," and this is exactly the case.
However, Hengbo did not take his life, simply because she wanted to know who this person, who was impersonating the late emperor and putting on a show of supernatural powers, really was.
Yes, not only Hengbo, but also Shen Guitang and Ji Run, no one doubted that the person who kept referring to himself as "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I" or "the Emperor") was the late Emperor.
It wasn't because they all witnessed the late emperor's death, but because the late emperor favored Crown Prince Ji Jin the most, and even when he deposed the crown prince, it was merely as a warning.
At least before the Eastern Palace Incident, no one had ever doubted that the next emperor would not be Ji Jin.
If the late emperor were still alive, how could he have stood by and watched his beloved son die unjustly?
However, before the transverse wave could make any move, a sudden wave of dizziness struck.
In the darkness, she stumbled, and the old spider demon began to squawk triumphantly again: "Hehehe, old ginger is spicier."
After gloating, he took the whisk with his uninjured left hand, pointed the blade at Hengbo's heart, and said with a mixture of anger and delight, "Ouch, it hurts so much! You wicked woman, you actually want to kill me again! Today, you can go down and join me. In a few days, I'll bring your good son down with me, hahaha..."
Hengbo felt the sharp blade aimed at his vitals touch his clothes, but his whole body seemed to be nailed down and he couldn't move at all. Even his head was spinning, and in his daze, he even saw his parents smiling and waiting for him under the ginkgo tree in the backyard of the Crown Prince's mansion.
That's it. Actually, I'm already very tired.
Unfortunately, the expected pain didn't arrive. Instead, a gentle yet irresistible force pulled me back to a familiar chest, followed by the sound of clashing weapons, the old spider demon's foul curses, and something warm yet sweet-smelling liquid being poured into my throat...
...
No, this isn't the taste! It's so bitter!
The person lying in bed suddenly coughed and choked. Er Gou, who was sitting beside the bed feeding her medicine, immediately stood up with surprise, put down the medicine bowl, and ran to the door shouting, "She's awake! Cuihua's awake!"
Hengbo had just opened her eyes and was still in a daze when she was startled by Ergou's loud voice and sat up abruptly. However, she had already lost too much blood, and now that she was suddenly sitting up, her already unclear mind became even more confused.
Who am I? Where am I? Why does my mouth taste so bitter?
When Shen Guitang arrived and saw Hengbo in this state, he couldn't help but feel worried. Could this child have been poisoned and gone mad?
Hengbo paused for a moment, finally remembering who she was. But looking at the furnishings in the room, she realized she had returned to the Shen family mansion.
Seeing that her eyes had finally regained their clarity, Shen Guitang casually tossed her a candied fruit and said leisurely, "I know you have a lot of questions, don't rush, take your time."
Hengbo did have many questions in her mind at this moment, but her biggest problem was: Could I have another candied fruit? My mouth tastes so bitter!
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-02-05 22:06:51 and 2024-02-06 22:27:53!
Thank you to the little angels who irrigated with nutrient solution: Xishu Daoguang 10 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
