Chang Lili's hands and feet were ice cold. She subconsciously looked at Meng Yuxiu, who made a shushing gesture and they quietly withdrew.
Chang Lili rubbed her frozen hands vigorously, her teeth chattering.
“I know who the old lady was talking about. This Hu Cheng is good for nothing, but his filthy and despicable thoughts are like leeks – once you pull them out, there’s always another bunch.”
Meng Yuxiu sneered: "Since he likes the snow mountain, it would seem heartless of us not to let him stay there permanently."
Chang Lili was taken aback: "What are you planning to do?"
Meng Yuxiu said, “I have observed the valley. The mountain peaks are difficult to climb and require the creation of tools, which is a poor strategy. Hu Cheng’s actions have actually helped me. If the ice path is destroyed, the impact could cause the snow mountain to collapse, making it much easier to walk through.”
“No way,” Chang Lili immediately retorted. “We didn’t intentionally cause the ice to collapse. Besides, the impact of an avalanche is not to be underestimated. Not only will they die, but we will too.”
"Hu Cheng has already made preparations for us, we'll be fine. Calm down and listen to me." Meng Yuxiu explained the plan he had conceived to Chang Lili, bit by bit.
Chang Lili's face grew paler with each word: "Why wasn't I the bait?"
“Compared to you, Hu Cheng hates me more.” Meng Yuxiu leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. “This is my selfish reason; I want to protect you.”
Chang Lili shook her head vigorously, disagreeing with Meng Yuxiu's decision to risk his life. Meng Yuxiu did not force her to accept it, but instead analyzed the situation from various perspectives.
“If Hu Cheng discovers us, he will strike first. If we avoid his attacks, every step we take will be a trap. No matter what, we will die. The only way out is to destroy the ice road and get rid of him.”
Chang Lili ground her teeth in resentment.
She hated herself for her weak martial arts skills, which prevented her from helping Meng Yuxiu, yet she had no choice but to agree to his plan.
As they approached, she hid in the shadows, watching Meng Yuxiu grip the Mengli Sword tightly, his entire being like a drawn sword, more chilling than the snow and wind of the cold mountain.
Hu Cheng felt a chill run down his spine and suddenly turned around.
"I thought I was seeing things, Hu Cheng, it really is you," Meng Yuxiu said. "Did His Majesty send you to help me gather herbs?"
"good."
Hu Cheng walked towards him step by step, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and the dagger in his sleeve gleamed coldly.
Meng Yuxiu laughed: "I don't think so. His Majesty's edict didn't mention you. Speak, what do you want to do? Or will you wait until you return to the capital and speak to His Majesty before you can say it?"
"Of course—I want you dead!"
Hu Cheng's eyes flashed with ferocity, and his dagger suddenly slashed out, aiming straight for Meng Yuxiu's neck.
Meng Yuxiu leaned back to avoid the kick, then kicked Hu Cheng hard in the chest. Hu Cheng tried to block with his hand, but was kicked several steps away. His left hand was almost powerless, and he was in excruciating pain.
The ice spikes overhead trembled slightly, and the guard exclaimed in alarm, "We absolutely cannot make a move here! The ice path is fragile and could collapse at any moment!"
Hu Cheng secretly resented his subordinate's recklessness. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Meng Yuxiu's hesitant expression and sneered, "A dignified general, are you perhaps afraid?"
Meng Yuxiu nodded in agreement: "You are not worthy of being buried with me. I find you repulsive."
Meng Yuxiu retreated, and Hu Cheng, furious, was not about to let such a golden opportunity slip by: "He has no bodyguards by his side. No matter how skilled he is, he's still just one person. Chase after him! Whoever takes his head will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold!"
Lured by the promise of profit, everyone present was tempted and picked up their weapons, chasing after Meng Yuxiu's back with the intention of taking his head.
After a moment, the ice path fell silent. Chang Lili looked out through the crack and saw that there were still one or two guards left on the path.
She paused for a moment, then aimed the hidden arrow at her neck and, as she released it, quickly aimed at another person.
The two guards let out a soft "uh," their hands tightly pressed against their bleeding necks. Before they could even understand what was happening, they collapsed heavily to the ground.
Chang Lili turned her head, opened the wooden box, took out the ** inside, tied the line, sprinkled the **, and waited until everything was ready.
She took out a wire saw, her eyes fixed on the two huge icicles at the top. She climbed up the frame and began to grind them down little by little. When they were about to break, she stopped immediately.
A cold, curved blade came slashing down, which Meng Yuxiu blocked with his own sword. At the same time, he ducked to avoid the cold sword aimed at his back and slashed at his abdomen with his own sword.
The guard, unable to avoid it, clutched his bleeding abdomen and knelt on the ground.
"Your title of God of War has come to an end, die!"
Hu Cheng stepped forward, swung his sword, and attacked Meng Yuxiu's lower body.
Meng Yuxiu rolled away to avoid the attack, and the other guards seized the opportunity to slash at his arm.
Meng Yuxiu seized the opportunity to entangle him with swordplay, closing the distance between them while simultaneously striking the guard in the chest with his elbow, causing the guard to spit out a mouthful of blood onto the snow.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, it's time.
Meng Yuxiu caught the curved blade that was slashing at him, used the momentum to retreat, and rushed into the cave, closing the mechanism, leaving Hu Cheng and his group looking terrified.
"No, he's trying to escape! Chase after him!"
Hu Cheng kicked the ice wall aside, leaped into the air, and roared, "Is the mighty God of War all you can do?!"
Meng Yuxiu did not linger in the fight, ignoring his provocations, and quickly created distance. He caught a whiff of the increasingly strong smell of gunpowder and the lit fuse, realizing that the plan had succeeded, and his figure flashed even faster.
"You want to blow up the ice passage? Don't even think about it! Even if I die, I'll drag you down to hell."
Retreat was too late, so Hu Cheng pinned all his hopes on intercepting Meng Yuxiu.
Meng Yuxiu was not so easy to catch up with. Just as they were about to reach the exit, Hu Cheng was shocked. He saw Chang Lili standing in the wind and snow, raising her arm high towards the icicles above, her eyes fixed on Meng Yuxiu.
Meng Yuxiu was calculating the time when he suddenly stopped.
Chang Lili raised her voice in disbelief: "What are you hesitating for?! Meng Yuxiu! Come out!"
With a path to survival within reach, Hu Cheng's face lit up with wild joy.
Meng Yuxiu did not answer, but stopped Hu Cheng, who was trying to break out, and kicked him hard, using the force to retreat.
The moment he stepped out, with a "whoosh," the arrow shot straight at the ice cone, and with a crack, it fell heavily to the ground, blocking the exit.
Immediately afterwards, a rumbling sound came from inside. Chang Lili jumped down with Meng Yuxiu in her arms and hid under a sloping layer of snow.
One deafening roar after another shook the heavens, making people's heads buzz as if they were in a cradle, the snow beneath them trembled, and the snow on their bodies grew thicker and thicker.
Chang Lili instinctively covered Meng Yuxiu's ears, and then covered her own ears as well. The two of them stood close together, ignoring the sounds outside.
The sound stopped, and it seemed like a long time had passed. Chang Lili forcefully peeled the snow off her body, revealing her snow-covered body, and gasped for breath. Then, she reached for Meng Yuxiu's hand. After she had caught her breath, anger welled up in her heart.
"Are you really courting death? You'd go to such lengths just to kill Hu Cheng?"
Meng Yuxiu brushed the snow off her body: "I can't let him have any chance of escaping."
Chang Lili was so angry that she laughed instead.
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