The enormous snake head swooped down, its gaping maw snapping open, its sharp fangs drawing out a transparent thread.
Looking at the thick saliva in the snake's mouth, only one word came to mind: poison!
That's the venom of this giant python.
Mu Ange struggled to pull out his spear, dodging the python's gaping maw, but fell into the icy pool with a splash.
Water splashed everywhere.
The cold pool water enveloped every inch of my skin, clogging all the pores.
A relentless chill seeped into my body, the pain feeling like being sliced by a knife.
Mu Ange was a good swimmer, but after falling into the icy pool, her whole body gradually froze, and she couldn't move at all.
Before long, he will drown in this pool because his body will stiffen.
Although the giant python saw Mu Ange dodge and fall into the pool, its gaping maw showed no sign of closing.
With a snap, it bit into half of the beast's head.
Blood trickled out and flowed into the pool.
Mu Ange was shocked by what she saw. These mindless beasts bit anyone they saw, not even their closest companions.
Fortunately, the beast's scalding blood warmed the pool water by a few degrees. Mu Ange dared not delay and quickly swam to the center of the pool. Without hesitation, she reached out and picked the Xifu Tianlian.
The ferocious beast's mournful cry echoed through the valley.
Its eyes were bloodshot, and it stretched out its sharp claws to slap Mu Ange's back. Instantly, water splashed up and waves rose.
After the waves subsided, the pool remained still, with no sign of Mu Ange. Only a patch of scarlet blood slowly spread across the water...
~~
The Imperial Palace.
An Ning suddenly sat up in shock from the bed, her forehead covered in cold sweat.
"What happened?"
She clutched her chest and murmured.
The scene in my dream felt so real, like it happened right before my eyes. Even now that I'm awake, I still feel a lingering fear.
She finished dressing and looked up at the roof: "Black Wind, are you there?"
There was no response.
An Ning continued, "I want to leave the palace. I want to see Mu Ange."
Earlier today, she heard that he was seriously ill. Although she did not know if it was true or not, the dream was so real that she had to risk leaving the palace.
Black Wind appeared silently in front of her: "Okay."
Half an hour later, at the Third Prince's residence.
Chen Xun was so scared when he saw An Ning suddenly appear beside his bed that he almost peed his pants.
"Eunuch Ning? Eunuch Ning, what are you doing?"
Chen Xun, filled with shame and indignation, pulled the blankets tighter and kept shrinking back.
An Ning's expression was grave: "Where is the Prince? I just went to his bedchamber and there was no one there. Wasn't he seriously ill?"
Chen Xun hesitated, unsure whether to tell her about the prince's whereabouts.
"Uh, but...maybe..."
Seeing his stammering manner, Anning knew he wasn't telling the truth.
"I dreamt that he was covered in blood in a pool, and he seemed to be desperately trying to climb out."
Chen Xun suddenly stood up: "What?" There is indeed an ice pool in Liuxi Valley.
Chen Xun dared not hide it any longer: "The prince went to Liuqi Valley to get the medicinal ingredient for the Golden Toad Gu for you. The depths of Liuqi Valley are extremely dangerous. Nine out of ten people who have gone in have never come out."
Without a second thought, An Ning said, "Let's ride horses and go find him."
"good."
The long street was silent in the dead of night.
She broke the curfew and left the palace against the rules, using her less-than-perfect horsemanship to control the Akhal-Teke horse beneath her.
Anning had ridden horses at tourist attractions before and picked it up quickly, so she thought it wouldn't be difficult.
But when the whistling wind rushed past her ears, she truly witnessed what a woman as swift as the wind was.
She was terrified, so terrified that she dared not move her eyes, and all her strength seemed to be gathered in her hands as she gripped the reins tightly.
Chen Xun glanced at him; his riding posture was strange, and his face looked extremely pale.
He asked with concern, "Eunuch Ning, are you alright?"
An Ning shook her head, her face deathly pale: "No." She really hadn't; she was just terrified.
The checkpoints in the capital are difficult to cross, but Mu Ange is very resourceful and it's not too hard for him to pull some strings.
An hour later.
An Ning and Chen Xun stopped to rest at the gate of Pingchang City.
Chen Xun glanced at the map: "It's not far after passing Pingchang City."
"good."
An Ning was about to get up when Chen Xun pulled her behind a tree.
"There's someone there."
A rustling sound came from the dense thicket on the outskirts of the city.
Chen Xun instantly became alert: "Shh."
~~
"Deacon, shall we go into the city?"
The person referred to as the deacon shook his head: "Just stay outside the city and wait for Mu Ange to come out."
"I've heard that Mu Ange has some martial arts skills, but he's not exactly a master. Do we all need to take action?"
The deacon glared at him: "Why are you talking so much?"
"yes."
The night wind grew colder and colder.
As dawn broke, they had been waiting there for most of the night, but Mu Ange was nowhere to be seen.
"Steward, why hasn't he come out yet? Did he die in Liuxi Valley?"
Given how incredibly dangerous Liuxi Valley was, it's not surprising that he died there.
The steward glanced at the sky and said in a deep voice, "The city gates will open soon."
Three-quarters of an hour later.
With a creak, the city gates swung open.
A silver-white Akhal-Teke horse suddenly rushed out from the city gate, carrying the unconscious Mu Ange on its back.
"They're here, let's get started."
"yes."
With a whoosh, all the assassins hidden in the bushes were unleashed.
Mu Ange remained unresponsive on horseback, seemingly unaware that the assassin's blade was about to strike her neck.
"Your Highness, please be careful."
Chen Xun appeared out of nowhere, his longsword blocking the killing blows, and instantly engaged in a fierce battle with the assassins.
With several branches stuck in her body and a willow crown on her head, An Ning, who had made a half-finished ghillie suit, crept stealthily toward Mu An Ge, stopping every step of the way.
She has no martial arts skills, and her sudden appearance would only be a hindrance. All she can do now is to secretly pull Mu Ange over and hide her so that Chen Xun can concentrate on dealing with the bad guys.
One step, two steps.
As she got closer and closer to Mu Ange, her heart began to race uncontrollably.
The sounds of fighting ahead were incessant, interspersed with occasional screams.
Two inches, one inch.
An Ning reached out and touched Mu Ange's jet-black night clothes.
Turning to look at him, his pale face replaced his usual carefree expression. His lips, which were always full of wild words, were now completely bloodless, and the bloodstains at the corners of his lips had congealed, the dark red marks standing out starkly against his face.
"Mu Ange!" An Ning called him softly, only realizing her voice was trembling as she spoke.
Suddenly, Mu Ange reached out and grabbed An Ning's collar, pulling her close to him until their noses were almost touching.
The next second, with a whoosh, a broken sword grazed her back and plunged into the ground behind An Ning.
Mu Ange barely opened her eyes and looked at An Ning.
An Ning swallowed.
Those were once eyes that could hold the entire starry sky, but now they are bloodshot and look utterly exhausted.
Are you alright?
Are you alright?
The two spoke at the same time.
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