Chapter 34 Falling into the Tiger's Den Again
The tunnel in Wolf Fight Ridge Dungeon leads to a small path between Sky Fox Mountain and Red Butterfly Valley.
When Mu Yao led Zhang Xiaofan out of the tunnel, it was already dusk. A slanting red glow hung on the distant mountaintops, and the sunset stretched across the sky like a colorful ribbon.
Mu Yao led Zhang Xiaofan to a small path and said, "If you keep walking south along this path, you'll reach the southwest gate of Fox Hill. Since you were able to break through the mountain, the barrier probably can't stop you. However, if there's any unusual activity in the barrier, my master will know very quickly. I'll go back and hold him off. You need to leave as soon as possible."
The last rays of sunlight filtered through the lush green trees, gently bathing Mu Yao. Zhang Xiaofan gazed at her profile, radiant in the golden light, and a certain string in his heart seemed to be gently plucked.
Why did you let me go?
"There's no reason why, I just let it go."
"Then what will you do? Will Qin Wuyan punish you?"
Mu Yao smiled gently: "Don't be afraid, my master is just a paper tiger, he won't do anything to me. You should leave quickly, otherwise my master will be here. If he attacks you, I can't protect you."
Zhang Xiaofan was speechless for a long time. His eyes were filled with tears, and he choked out, "Thank you..."
He took a few steps forward, then suddenly turned back: "By the way, I still don't know your name."
Mu Yao smiled and said, "My surname is Mu, and my given name is Yao. It's quite a coincidence, the same Yao as Bi Yao."
"Mu Yao?"
Zhang Xiaofan murmured to himself, perhaps because she looked just like Biyao and her name also contained the character "Yao," which stirred up an indescribable feeling in his heart.
"You should leave now!" Mu Yao urged.
Zhang Xiaofan added, "If you ever go to Yudu in the future, you can always eat at Zuiyaolou. It's a restaurant I own. I'll never charge you!"
Mu Yao smiled broadly: "Really!"
However, the joy on her face quickly vanished, and she frowned, saying dejectedly, "We'll see. Maybe my master will never allow me to go down the mountain again..."
Zhang Xiaofan added, "It's alright! If you really want to eat it, you can ask a stray dog to buy it from me and bring it back for you!"
Mu Yao nodded, her smile as beautiful and radiant as the evening clouds: "Okay! Then you must remember what you said today. If I want to learn cooking from you in the future, you must teach me too!"
Zhang Xiaofan said with a beaming smile, "Yes, I will! I will definitely remember!"
"Then you should leave quickly!" Mu Yao urged again. If they didn't leave soon, she really didn't know if Qin Wuyan would suddenly appear.
Zhang Xiaofan glanced at her reluctantly and said, "Okay, I have to go now. Take care!" With that, he walked down the mountain in the direction Mu Yao pointed.
Mu Yao breathed a sigh of relief as she watched him walk away. Turning to return to Peach Blossom Garden, she hadn't taken more than a few steps when suddenly a large net descended from the sky, trapping her completely. She hurriedly cast a spell, but someone had already beaten her to it, raising a long sword from behind and swiftly slashing towards Mu Yao's neck.
"Who?" Mu Yao was about to turn around when the person reached out and covered her eyes. "Don't move! Or you'll die right now!"
She pushed Mu Yao, who was bound by the fishing net, around and shouted towards the distance, "Come out!"
Although Mu Yao couldn't see her, the voice sounded very familiar... like Xie Qingqiu? But why was she grabbing her?
As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Hong led a group of people out of the woods, and one of his disciples held a sword to another woman's neck.
Xie Qingqiu held a sword in one hand and grabbed Mu Yao's shoulder with the other, saying to Yan Hong, "I've captured her for you. Release my sister."
Upon hearing this, Mu Yao became even more certain of who this person was. She asked in confusion, "Sister Qingqiu, what exactly do you want to do?"
Xie Qingqiu sighed and said helplessly, "I had no choice. They kidnapped Qingwan to threaten me, I had no other option."
Mu Yao quickly said, "If you let me go, I will help you save Sister Qingwan!"
Xie Qingqiu ignored her and looked only at Yan Hong.
Yan Hong signaled her men to release Xie Qingwan. At the same time, three or five disciples stepped forward and grabbed Mu Yao from Xie Qingqiu's hands. Mu Yao angrily shouted, "What are you trying to do by taking me?" She once again activated the Heartbreak Flower, trying to break the net, but no matter how sharp the sword that the Heartbreak Flower transformed into was, the net was as hard as iron, and she couldn't do anything about it.
Yan Hong smiled smugly: "Don't waste your energy. This Heavenly Net is made of molten iron from the Nine Heavens Profound Iron and the finest silk from the East Sea. It's impervious to swords and spears, and you can't break it."
She then looked at Xie Qingqiu and said, "Qingqiu, I really have to thank you this time!"
Xie Qingqiu said coldly, "I've removed the barrier at the southwest gate. You'd better leave now. I hope you'll keep your promise this time and not come looking for me again."
Yan Hong laughed and said, "Helping me is also helping yourself, isn't it? Don't think I don't know that you've developed feelings for Qin Wuyan all these years. Otherwise, you wouldn't have used us to get rid of her."
Xie Qingqiu didn't answer, but simply tightened her grip on Xie Qingwan's hand.
As Yan Hong led the group from Fenxiang Valley away from Fox Hill, Xie Qingqiu said to his sister, "Qingwan, stab me with your sword!"
Xie Qingwan was shocked: "Sister, how can this be?"
Xie Qingqiu frowned and said seriously, "If you want to stay with me in Fox Hill in the future, you have to listen to me, otherwise the sect leader will not forgive us."
"But...but you're my sister, how could I do that?"
"You must take action, and you must be ruthless. If I do it myself, the sect leader will surely see through my disguise. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Go ahead and do it!"
Xie Qingwan gripped the sword, her hand trembling. "Sister...please bear with it..." She closed her eyes and thrust the sword into Xie Qingqiu's abdomen. With a "whoosh," she felt the warm blood splatter onto her face, blood and tears mingling, she was horrified.
Xie Qingqiu's face turned deathly pale. Qingwan drew her sword and hurriedly tried to help her up. But Xie Qingqiu pushed her away: "You should go back quietly, don't let anyone find out. I... I'll pretend to be injured and report to the sect leader later..."
"elder sister!"
Xie Qingwan cried her eyes out. If it weren't for her, her sister wouldn't have been coerced. But she knew that if she didn't act injured, Qin Wuyan would become suspicious. She gritted her teeth, hardened her heart, and ran off down another road on her own.
...
"Sect Master! Sect Master!!" A disciple rushed into Peach Blossom Garden in a panic: "Sect Master, something terrible has happened!!"
Qin Wuyan had already sensed the disturbance in the barrier, and upon hearing the shout, his brows furrowed even more, and he asked sternly, "What happened?"
"The Left Protector said that today the Vice Sect Master injured the guards of the dungeon and escaped from Fox Ridge Mountain with Zhang Xiaofan!"
"What?" Qin Wuyan stepped forward and grabbed the disciple: "Explain yourself clearly!! What do you mean by escaping Fox Hill with Zhang Xiaofan?"
"metropolitan……"
Before the disciple could reply, Xie Qingqiu was helped into the courtyard by two disciples. Her face was covered in blood, and although she was trying to stop the wound on her abdomen with her hand, bright red blood was still flowing out from between her fingers, soaking a large part of her clothes.
Qin Wuyan was shocked: "How could you be injured like this?"
Xie Qingqiu's face was deathly pale, and her voice was weak and feeble: "Sect Master, Hall Master Jiang and the guards of the dungeon were all knocked unconscious by the Vice Sect Master. The Vice Sect Master, along with Zhang Xiaofan, fought us fiercely at the Southwest Mountain Gate, and broke through the barrier during the fight. I'm sorry, Sect Master, I... I couldn't stop her..."
As she spoke, she coughed up another mouthful of blood. Qin Wuyan quickly took out a pill from his person and gave it to her to swallow. He then instructed his disciple to take her to Crimson Butterfly Valley to seek treatment from the Medicine King before hurriedly leaving.
Only a few injured disciples remained at the southwest gate of Fox Hill, and their account matched Xie Qingqiu's.
Qin Wuyan searched the foot of the mountain but found no trace of Mu Yao and Zhang Xiaofan. Overwhelmed with heartache and worry, he was at a loss for what to do.
She had only met Zhang Xiaofan once, yet she still went against him for his sake.
Is it really true that her ill-fated relationship with Zhang Xiaofan can never be broken?
A pang of pain shot through Qin Wuyan's heart. He closed his eyes briefly and let out a long sigh. His mind quickly returned to normal. Mu Yao had been with him for many years; she couldn't possibly have really abandoned him like this. Zhang Xiaofan had most likely said something to deceive her. After much deliberation, he still hurriedly headed towards Yudu.
After all, her safety is the most important thing. The Soul Eater lurking behind the scenes has been elusive for so many years, and he can't let personal grudges prevent him from going to find her.
However, when Qin Wuyan barged into Zuiyao Tower, he only saw Zhang Xiaofan sitting peacefully at the table, with Lu Xueqi applying medicine to him. Mu Yao was nowhere to be seen.
His brows furrowed even more, and he pointed the sword at Zhang Xiaofan's throat, his killing intent palpable: "Zhang Xiaofan! Where did you take Mu Yao?"
Zhang Xiaofan asked疑惑地, "She didn't leave Fox Ridge Mountain with me." He suddenly stood up abruptly, exclaiming in panic, "She's gone? What happened?"
Qin Wuyan asked again, "She really didn't go down the mountain with you?"
Zhang Xiaofan nodded: "After she released me from the dungeon, she told me to leave on my own."
Qin Wuyan should have been happy to hear that Mu Yao hadn't gone with Zhang Xiaofan, but he was even more worried. If she hadn't left Fox Hill, where had she gone? And why did Xie Qingqiu lie to him?
Lu Xueqi, who was standing to the side, spoke up: "I guess she might have been captured by the people of Fenxiang Valley."
Qin Wuyan and Zhang Xiaofan were both shocked. Lu Xueqi continued, "That day, Senior Sister Yan came to me and asked us to cooperate with her, saying that as long as we captured Miss Mu Yao, we could save Xiaofan. I did not agree. Now that Miss Mu Yao has disappeared, it is very likely that she has fallen into Senior Sister Yan's hands."
Upon hearing this, Qin Wuyan immediately withdrew the "Severing Longing" technique, turned around and left. Zhang Xiaofan chased after him, saying, "I'll go with you to save her."
Qin Wuyan had been suppressing his anger, and when he heard that Zhang Xiaofan was going to follow, he became even more furious. He drew his long sword again, and Zhang Xiaofan was caught off guard and was stabbed in the shoulder, bleeding profusely.
Qin Wuyan's voice was as cold as ice: "She doesn't need you to save her! Zhang Xiaofan, I advise you to stay away from her, or I will definitely kill you."
Incense Valley.
After capturing Mu Yao, Yan Hong led a group of disciples back to Fenxiang Valley on their swords. While the night outside was dark, the underground palace of Fenxiang Valley was brightly lit.
Mu Yao's hands and feet were bound by Xuanhuo Iron Chains, and her eyes were covered with a black cloth. When a person cannot see, their other senses become more acute. She vaguely heard footsteps, which grew closer and closer until they stopped in front of her.
"Who are you?" Mu Yao asked warily.
Yan Hong sneered, not answering her question, but only sighing, "So alike, so incredibly alike. If you weren't only fifteen, I would really doubt whether Qin Wuyan had actually brought that demonic cult witch back to life."
Mu Yao knew immediately that this person was talking about her and Bi Yao. She was really tired of hearing these words lately, so she said angrily, "I've already said that I have nothing to do with that Bi Yao, so don't compare me to her."
"Oh, you've got quite a temper!" Yan Hong was still smiling, but her smile was filled with resentment. She raised the dagger in her hand: "Tell me, if I ruin this face of yours that looks exactly like Bi Yao's, will Qin Wuyan still like you?"
The cold blade slid across Mu Yao's face, and she felt a surge of tension. Although she didn't want Qin Wuyan to treat her well because of her face, appearance was extremely important to any woman, and she didn't want to be disfigured.
Yan Hong seemed to sense her fear and became even more excited, unable to resist pressing the dagger closer to her face. The sharp blade easily left a bloody mark on her snow-white skin.
"No..." The slight pain made Mu Yao even more frightened, but she also knew that begging for mercy was useless in the face of such a person, so she shouted, "If you really ruin my face, my master will definitely not forgive you!"
Mentioning Qin Wuyan only fueled Yan Hong's anger: "So what if he won't forgive me? Back then, he deceived me and took advantage of my feelings for him because of that demonic sect witch. I'm going to destroy everything he loves!"
As she spoke, she raised her hand to slash Mu Yao's face, but at the last second, the dagger in her hand was knocked to the ground with a clang.
Yan Hong was furious. She drew her longsword and turned to strike, but her movements were abruptly halted. She couldn't move an inch, and her eyes widened in terror: "Who...who are you? How dare you trespass into Fenxiang Valley!"
Standing before her were two men in black cloaks, their faces hidden within the cloaks, leaving only their eyes visible. One man's eyes were blood red, strange and terrifying, while the other man's eyes, though a normal black, had a chilling glint in them.
Red Eyes ignored her completely, walked up to Mu Yao, and slowly stretched out an arm covered with blue scales. Its scarlet nails were frighteningly long, like demonic claws reaching towards Mu Yao.
Mu Yao couldn't see the person, but she was very familiar with the ghostly aura emanating from him; it was the red-eyed man who had kidnapped her six years ago.
She still remembers those two men saying that she wasn't old enough to fight, and now six years have passed... Could it be that they've come to eat her today?
The fear in her heart grew stronger with each passing wave. She hurriedly gathered her spiritual power, trying desperately to break free of the chains, but the chains were all made of black iron, not only heavy but also naturally imbued with the power of the five elements. Her spiritual power was of the wood element, and metal overcomes wood. At this moment, no matter how she channeled her spiritual power, she could not break free. The chains only tightened, even becoming scorching hot, burning her wrists and ankles until they turned red.
At the same time, the red-eyed hand reached out to her. Mu Yao felt an invisible force coming from her chest, and her head instantly throbbed with pain, as if something was trying to suck away her soul. She desperately tried to resist, but in just a moment, the invading force disappeared. She felt something blocking her way, and she heard footsteps retreating, clearly being bounced away by something.
The red-eyed man in black stared in disbelief at the white light shield enveloping Mu Yao: "What's going on? Why can't I absorb her soul?"
The other man in black was also shocked. He looked at Mu Yao with a deep gaze: "Soul-collecting technique? Someone actually cast a soul-collecting technique on her."
"Soul-gathering technique? What is that?"
"It's complicated to explain, but all you need to know is that she has a soul-binding technique, so you can no longer touch her soul."
Red Eyes flew into a rage, yelling, "What am I supposed to do? Six years! You've made me wait six years!! And now you're saying it's no good? What am I supposed to do? Another leap month is coming up soon, am I just supposed to wait to die?"
His voice was frantic, which terrified Mu Yao even more. Who was this person? Why did he keep trying to drain her soul?
"Shh..." Another man in black gestured for him to be quiet: "Someone's coming, let's hide for a bit." With that, he pulled the red-eyed man along and they disappeared into the shadows.
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