Chapter 146 She was cowardly and timid, as insignificant as a weed...
Li Liuyun was entangled by an invisible force, the turbid and icy river water dragging him like ghostly claws, omnipresent and impossible to break free from, no matter how he slashed or stabbed with his sword.
This was also the first time they had dealt with such a rare evil spirit as the Wangxiang. They tried all sorts of talismans on their bodies, but none of them were enough to subdue the Wangxiang.
Wang Xiang lurked in the waves, trying to drag Li Liuyun into the water and drown him.
In his desperate struggle, Li Liuyun grabbed a piece of floating log and slammed it against the current that was holding him back. He managed to surface and catch his breath, but was dragged back underwater halfway through, nearly choking on a mouthful of murky river water.
On the shore, Lian Zhao and Yu Heqi were surrounded and attacked by several cloaked demons. They had already suffered several new wounds from being slashed, and they could hardly protect themselves.
Chen Ying looked arrogantly at the several teenagers who were about to die and said contemptuously, "Trying to arrest me? You're asking for trouble."
"Don't you even look at what happened to those who offended her? Capturing her is just courting death," Chen Ying stared at Li Liuyun, who was about to drown, as a string of bubbles rose on the surface of the water. "The blind master risked all of you to save one person. So when you get to the underworld, don't blame the wrong person."
Without further delay, Chen Ying turned and swam towards the riverbank.
Qin San stared at Chen Ying as she walked ashore from the water, his throat gripped by fear.
She came closer, soaking wet, like a vengeful ghost that kept dripping water.
Qin San could barely breathe as he watched the "evil spirit" approach, almost bursting into tears from fear.
What to do? What to do? What should she do? Will she be taken back again? And then live in constant fear every day?
Qin San trembled uncontrollably. She turned to look around and saw several teenagers fighting desperately against Wang Xiang, too busy to help them.
Suddenly, Lu Bing's weak voice rang out from behind: "Qin San, you should leave quickly."
Walk?
Yes, she could run away, but… she caught a glimpse of a sword on the ground in fear. It was Wen Yi's sword. Qin San picked it up abruptly, gripped it tightly with both hands, pointed it at Chen Ying who was coming ashore, and said in a trembling voice, “Don’t come any closer…”
Chen Ying stared at the sword that was trembling so badly she could barely hold it. She chuckled and approached step by step.
Qin San was on the verge of collapse: "Don't come any closer!"
Chen Ying scoffed: "You?"
Yes, her? Tears streamed down Qin San's face. She knew this was futile, but she was truly at her wit's end.
They finally escaped, they barely managed to escape.
She thought she and Constable Lu were finally rescued and had escaped to safety...
Just now, hiding under the small window, she was overjoyed to see Zhou Yaren arrive and burst into tears. She even thought that after escaping, she would still stay by Officer Lu's side and take care of him for the rest of her life. They were both unfortunate people who had suffered the same fate, their families destroyed by Chen Ying... She would never abandon him.
Yes, we will never leave each other.
Qin San cried out. She wouldn't run away. They had relied on each other for survival during the darkest, most painful times. Although she was useless, she would never abandon Constable Lu and escape alone, not even in death.
Yes, I would rather die than.
Then let's fight to the death, it's better than surrendering and living a life of humiliation under the noses of our enemies.
"Qin San, don't do anything foolish, let's go."
Qin San pointed his sword at Chen Ying, who was approaching, his hand trembling uncontrollably. She shook her head, crying.
No, she wasn't being foolish; she just had no other choice.
Perhaps, timid and cowardly as she is, she's as insignificant as a weed. But in a moment of crisis, she can muster enough courage to risk her life for someone.
However, she could no longer take care of Officer Lu.
"Qin San!"
Lu Bing couldn't stop her, and Qin San, sword in hand, charged towards Chen Ying without looking back.
Knowing full well it was suicide...
With a single move, Chen Ying disarmed Qin San and held the sword in her hand, then slit Qin San's throat with her other hand.
Killing Qin San would be as easy for her as crushing an ant. An ant trying to kill an elephant is truly overestimating itself.
Lu Bing stared in disbelief, his eyes wide as he watched Qin San's body stiffen for a moment before he collapsed with his back to him.
Chen Ying casually tossed aside her sword and walked towards Lu Bing, whose eyes were glazed over. She squatted down and looked directly at Lu Bing: "I gave you everything, I staked everything on you, and you actually want to abandon me?"
Lu Bing stared at Qin San, who was lying motionless on the ground, filled with grief and indignation. He tried his best but couldn't lift his hand to strangle Chen Ying. Tears welled up in Lu Bing's eyes, and he roared, but Chen Ying covered his mouth tightly.
He couldn't shout, his face flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead, and he bit down on the hand that was covering his mouth.
"How could I possibly let you go?" Chen Ying covered Lu Bing's mouth tightly, seemingly oblivious to the pain even as her hand bled from being bitten. She cruelly said, "Lu Bing, do you see? No one can save you. These stinking Taoist priests from Taihang are no good, and neither is Zhou Yaren. If they dare to come, they'll all die. You're so kind-hearted; you certainly don't want to see them lose their lives for you, do you?"
Despite her teeth being deeply embedded in her flesh, Chen Ying didn't even flinch. She said, "Lu Bing, you can't escape. I will keep you in my grasp forever, until I die!"
Lu Bing was filled with despair and indignation; salty tears seeped into her palms, mingling with her hot blood.
Li Liuyun finally broke free from that invisible ghostly claw. He discovered that although the Wangxiang dissolved in water, there were still traces to follow.
The Wangxiang is a murky, dark liquid, more turbid and darker than river water, somewhat dark and black, like a shadow cast by a person under light. The Wangxiang is more like a volatile water shadow.
The water slammed into Li Liuyun, causing a dull pain in his chest. Li Liuyun was a decent swimmer, and he quickly twisted his body and dodged, avoiding the undercurrents stirred up by the monstrous object.
The water in this section of the river was already turbid, and now it's getting even more turbid with all the stirring, making it impossible to discern anything.
The water was Wang Xiang's domain. Li Liuyun was eager to get ashore, but he was caught off guard by a dark "surging wave" that carried a sharp dagger.
Just as Li Liuyun emerged from the water, a heavy surge of force hit his back, and he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. The turbulent river water instantly turned red.
Li Liuyun dared not hesitate for a moment and leaped out of the water. As he looked down, he saw a dark shadow of water carrying a short knife, like a splashing wave, trying to grab his leg or stab him again.
Li Liuyun turned around and saw the Gu Master holding Lu Bing firmly, his hands covered in blood as he tried to drag him away.
Lu Bing was rescued by Ting Fengzhi at great personal risk, and was entrusted to them with many instructions. Since he had made a promise, he could not go back on his word.
However, just as he raised his sword to stab the Gu Master, someone suddenly bumped into him from the waist, almost breaking Li Liuyun's ribs.
Li Liuyun was violently knocked away. In his hasty glance back, he saw that the person who had shoved him away was Wen Yi.
A broken blade slashed through the air, whistling sharply as it passed Li Liuyun before plunging into Wen Yi's abdomen!
The force of the blade piercing through his abdomen lifted Wen Yi into the air, sending him crashing into the ancient tree behind him, pinning him firmly to the trunk!
The trembling force of the broken blade traveled up his spine to his throat, causing large gulps of blood to gush out, filling his throat and choking him so he couldn't make a sound.
In that instant, Li Liuyun could barely react; it felt as if all the strength in his body had been completely drained.
He believed that he was cold and aloof by nature, and that he would never sacrifice himself for anyone like Tingfengzhi, so naturally no one would risk their life for him.
However……
Li Liuyun stared at Wen Yi in shock. He was stung by Wen Yi's appearance at that moment, and his limbs were too weak to get up.
Lian Zhao and Yu Heqi turned around at the same time, their pupils trembling and shrinking, and the long sword in their hands almost slipped from their grasp.
"Wen Yi..."
Countless streaks of cold light crisscrossed chaotically, coming from all directions to encircle and attack Lian Zhao and Yu Heqi, slashing and thrusting at them.
Despite being stabbed multiple times in the chest and back, the two men continued to fight desperately.
Li Liuyun suddenly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, and he killed Wangxiang like a trapped beast.
In a flash, a curved blade pressed against Li Liuyun's sword, cunningly piercing his ribs and into his bones. When the blade was withdrawn, hot blood spurted out, instantly soaking half of his body.
"Stop!" Lu Bing shouted uncontrollably, "Stop! Chen Ying! Tell them to stop!"
Chen Ying kept dragging Lu Bing towards the riverbank.
"If you kill them," Lu Bing watched helplessly as the wounded youths gradually lost their ability to fight back, and he could only roar hoarsely, "Chen Ying, if they die today because of me, I will atone with my own death!"
Chen Ying paused, her eyes narrowing dangerously: "Threatening me? Lu Bing, what right do you have to threaten me?!"
So, knowing that she had put a lot of effort into him and couldn't bear to see him die, he dared to threaten her with his own life?
"Chen Ying, let them go, let them go," Lu Bingzhen was at his wit's end. He was just a cripple, a stray dog, with no leverage to threaten her. In desperation, he blurted out, "I'll listen to you from now on, I'll listen to whatever you say."
"Oh? You'll listen to me?" After being upset for so long, she finally smiled in a good mood. "But you're supposed to listen to me anyway."
Lu Bing pleaded, "Please."
For the first time ever, this stubborn guy took the initiative to beg her. It was really something. She neither hit nor scolded him, nor did she try to force him. Instead, Lu Bing softened and begged her.
Unbelievable...
“Okay.” Chen Ying readily agreed. Anyway, those brats were already half dead. She curled her little finger to her lips and whistled loudly. The demons sheathed their swords and then retreated in an orderly fashion.
Chen Ying waved her hand: "Take him away."
Lu Bing turned his head to look back amidst the crowd of Wang Xiang, wanting to see if the boys were still alive.
Yu Heqi lay in a pool of blood, struggling to stay upright, but after several attempts, he was unable to get up.
Lian Zhao knelt motionless, his white clothes soaked with blood, his gaze fixed on Wen Yi, who was several feet away.
Li Liuyun, using the tip of his sword to support his body, struggled to get up and moved toward Wen Yi, who was nailed to the tree trunk.
Wen Yi remained motionless, his eyelids half-closed, his eyes empty and unfocused.
Li Liuyun finally knelt before him, his hands too heavy to lift. For the first time, he didn't know what to do; he had absolutely no idea what to do.
Before they descended the mountain, the sect leader repeatedly warned them: "You must be careful on your way down the mountain. If you encounter any danger, remember not to be reckless. Come back after you have dealt with the matter in Beiqu. Come back safe and sound, do you understand?"
The Celestial Master also gave an additional instruction: "Liu Yun, I know you are calm and steady and always know your limits, but I still have to say something. You are my personally taught disciple, and your swordsmanship is superior to theirs. You must take good care of your fellow disciples and bring them back safely."
But he failed to do so; he killed Wen Yi in Shanzhou.
In an instant, it felt as if the Taihang Mountain, which they had cultivated in, had suddenly pressed down on his back, trying to crush him into the earth's veins, making it impossible for Li Liuyun to straighten up.
The knife on Wen Yi's body seemed to have stabbed into his heart, causing even his cold and hard heart, born into an imperial family and naturally ruthless, to experience a heart-wrenching pain.
He thought he had never truly connected with these fellow disciples who had come down the mountain with him, but Wen Yi seemed to have become his sworn brother.
But what gives him the right?
What did he do?
He had done nothing for them, yet Wen Yi died without a word in his place in the quiet night outside Shanzhou City.
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