Chapter 60 First published on Jinjiang Literature City
After the group tidied up for a while, Yao Sisi noticed that Qi Mu's wound was bleeding less. She said, "We're different from others. If we have any injuries, we have to get out sooner. However, the first ones to leave are more likely to be targeted."
Qi Mu didn't want to be a burden: "I'm fine, we can wait and see for a while longer."
Yao Sisi said, "There isn't much hemostatic powder left. Waiting any longer isn't a solution, especially since excessive blood loss will lead to a host of side effects. Now let's change into the gray linen clothes we prepared earlier, and keep our hair ornaments simple. The more disheveled we look, the better."
Qi Mu nodded gently. In most cases, he wouldn't argue with her, especially when she was considering his feelings. Only in times of crisis could one see true sincerity. Seeing her brilliance warmed his heart, as if a fine wine had suddenly been poured into his soul, making him feel light and intoxicated.
He shouldn't be thinking about these random things at this time, but he shamelessly couldn't control himself.
Ri Jiu interrupted their eye contact and hurriedly said, "Then let's hurry up and pack, I still feel uneasy!" After saying this, he glanced at Yao Sisi, waiting for her to comfort him, but she didn't realize it, which was like giving a flirtatious look to a blind person.
The group sat back to back, took off their outer garments, and put on very inconspicuous gray linen clothes, looking poor and down on their luck.
Yao Sisi: "In that case, even if we are the first to go out, the people staking out the area may not necessarily target us. As for our appearance, we are far away and we can run fast, so we are not likely to attract attention."
Of course, this is just wishful thinking on their part; whether the criminals will actually intercept and kill them remains to be seen.
Before long, the pillar of light in the secret realm opened wide, and many people gathered around it, but everyone kept their distance, some hiding behind trees and some hiding among the lush foliage.
Besides the dangers outside the secret realm, where one could easily encounter murder and robbery, the interior of the secret realm was also unsafe. Yao Sisi and her companions were very close together, and those with ill intentions preferred those who were alone. Some people with malicious intent simply ignored them when they saw the three of them grouped together.
It seems the internal strife has come to an end, as Yao Sisi sensed that many people were eager to leave and didn't want to cause any more trouble.
Soon a thick fog appeared ahead, and slowly the fog dissipated, making it possible to vaguely see the outside world.
Just then, someone shouted, "The exit is open!"
As soon as he finished speaking, many people rushed toward the exit. Many of them had powerful backers, so even if they got out, they wouldn't be in much danger. They could even pass on messages to their elders about who had good stuff.
Since ancient times, wealth has been a powerful motivator, and there have always been some unscrupulous people among the crowd who seek shortcuts and unethical means.
Yao Sisi glanced at Qi Mu's arm; his newly changed hemp clothes were wet again. If this continued, he would faint. "Let's go!"
The three of them affixed speed talismans and rushed towards the exit at top speed. The area outside was crowded with people, even more than when they came in. At this point, they couldn't care less. Yao Sisi chose a direction and led Qi Mu away quickly, while Ri Jiu followed behind them, keeping an eye on the movements behind them.
He said, "I sensed that there were people following us, and quite a few of them."
Yao Sisi: "There are too many people around here. No matter how many people are behind us, let's get away from trouble first."
Rijiu nodded in agreement: "It's too inconvenient here. Even if we win, it will attract trouble."
The Swiftness Talisman was hand-drawn by Yao Sisi, and its effect was better than those circulating in the market. It was precisely because of this that they were not caught up so quickly, and after running for more than ten miles, the number of people following them decreased.
Yao Sisi supported Qi Mu, feeling that the person beside her was getting colder and colder. Even with the use of the Swiftness Talisman, his speed had decreased significantly. If this continued, he would be caught up sooner or later, but this position was obviously not suitable for fighting.
"Ri Jiu, three people are too conspicuous. It will be easier to escape if we spread out. You go first in a bit."
Ri Jiu felt a little uncomfortable seeing him helping someone walk, but she also knew that she was protecting him. With his skills, even if he was really injured, as long as he transformed into his original form and rushed into the forest, it would be difficult for anyone to recognize him. It was like a fish leaping in the sea and a bird flying in the sky. But what about them?
"I'm not afraid of death, how can I leave first..."
Yao Sisi glanced at the tail hidden under his heavy clothes, as if she could see it wagging unhappily, trying to make her take back what she had just said, but she couldn't. She could sense that Ri Jiu didn't seem to have any friendship with Qi Mu and only relied on her. She couldn't delay Qi Mu's escape just because she wanted to save him.
“It’s not that you’re afraid of death, but I can’t take care of two patients by myself. Besides, your internal injuries need to be treated as soon as possible. Running with me would be bad for all three of us.”
Ri Jiu: "I have no internal injuries!"
Yao Sisi looked at him disapprovingly, drew the large sword from behind her back and pointed it at him, "What time is it for you to keep talking nonsense? I told you to go first, so go first, hurry up!"
Ri Jiu was scolded by her, and the words of explanation stuck in his throat. He really didn't have any internal injuries. He just wanted her concern before, but now she had misunderstood and was convinced that he had internal injuries.
Yao Sisi's heavy longsword carved a deep mark on the ground, and the chilling aura of the blade stopped Ri Jiu in his tracks, signaling him not to follow.
Ri Jiu pursed her lips, truly regretting lying this time.
Yao Sisi was anxious, but she didn't show it on her face. After a moment of stalemate, Ri Jiu gave in and left. He was afraid that any further delay would be detrimental to their escape, so he could only leave in frustration.
With Yao Sisi holding his uninjured arm, Qi Mu glanced back in the direction Ri Jiu had left, pursed his lips into a thin line, and then said, "Am I too useless? Am I really unlikable...?"
Yao Sisi comforted him, "Everyone has their embarrassing moments. This is nothing. Don't take it too seriously. If everyone thinks like this, I won't dare to come to you when I get hurt in the future. Wouldn't you think I'm useless?"
Qi Mu paused, realizing that she really thought so. He wondered what her past life was like and how she could be so carefree and at ease. This was something he couldn't learn. "It was my fault, Miss Sisi, please don't take it to heart."
Yao Sisi: "What's there to take to heart? It's normal for people to doubt themselves when they experience setbacks."
Qi Mu: "Then... has Miss Sisi experienced any setbacks?"
Yao Sisi: "There weren't any particularly bad setbacks, nothing that I remember vividly."
Qi Mu: "..."
Yao Sisi said awkwardly, "I live in a relatively peaceful environment, and I've always been looked after since I was a child. I've almost never experienced danger like this... But I've seen other people's experiences, and I've put myself in their shoes, so I understand you. What I'm saying to you is definitely not just to tease you."
Qi Mu: "I know." But I don't want to be left behind by you; this sense of urgency is indescribable.
Yao Sisi: "Since there aren't many people around now, I'll use the Jin Yang to take you. However, it was originally designed as a single-person flying artifact, so the space isn't big enough. Hold on tight and don't fall off."
Jin Yang was summoned by her and floated in front of the two like a large yellow leaf. It was as long as an ordinary sword and looked thin and unsafe, but it felt very solid when stepped on.
Yao Si originally wanted Qi Mu to stand behind her, but considering his current condition, she was worried that he wouldn't be in front of her. "You should stand in front. Anyway, it's not convenient for you to use your arms. I'll put my arm around you from behind!"
Qi Mu was too embarrassed to look at her at this moment, so he nodded slightly. Yao Sisi lowered Jin Yang in front of his feet, and he only needed to step on it lightly.
Yao Sisi looked back and urged, "Let's hurry!"
Qi Mu stepped on it, and soon an arm clung to him from behind, tightly encircling his waist. He felt as if he had been hit hard, and he couldn't help but sway. The feeling was strange and made it hard for him to breathe.
Yao Sisi's attention was entirely focused on what was behind her. She had to observe her surroundings from time to time, wary of any potential dangers. Jin Yang launched his attack before Qi Mu was ready. His body leaned backward as the flying artifact flew, but Yao Sisi held him firmly in place.
She said, "Jin Yang will slow us down a bit with the two of us on the go, but it's still much better than using a speed talisman."
Qi Mu was relieved that he was in front and the other person couldn't see his expression. He replied, "Thanks to the magical artifacts crafted by Miss Sisi, I was able to escape from the secret realm time and time again. People in the secret realm already know about flying artifacts, and it will probably spread soon."
Yao Sisi said, "It's okay, let them be envious for a while, consider it advertising."
Qi Mu: "What you say is true, young lady. Those people in the secret realm have gained a lot this time. If you just let it slip that you can refine flying magic artifacts, you'll definitely get a lot of materials delivered to your door."
Yao Sisi nodded and joked, "It's not the right time yet. We can only release the news after you two have recovered from your injuries. Otherwise, I'll be in big trouble if they capture me, keep me captive, and force me to forge weapons."
Qi Mu's expression softened, and she said in a low voice, "I will get better soon, and I will never let you fall into that situation again."
Jin Yang's flight requires the infusion of magic power, especially when overloaded, the effort required is even greater, but the people behind him are chasing closely and he can't shake them off. He doesn't know how they are so fast and so close.
"If it weren't for our flying artifacts, ordinary people would have been caught up long ago."
Qi Mu: "I suppose they often kill and rob treasures because of this unusual speed."
Sweat beaded on Yao Sisi's forehead. "This won't do. My cultivation is unstable, and I can't unleash my full power. If we keep chasing like this, we'll be caught sooner or later! Now listen to me, I'll distract them for you, and you go ahead alone."
Qi Mu turned to look at her, his lips accidentally brushing against her cheek, but he couldn't care less at the moment. "I still have poison powder. If they chase after us, how about we throw poison powder?"
Yao Sisi said, "No, we haven't figured out their strength or how many there are. It's too risky."
Qi Mu stubbornly refused to turn around, her eyes, usually as clear and warm as a lake, now rippled with turbulent emotions: "Then I'll go and distract them!"
Yao Sisi wanted to slap him: "What are you saying?"
Qi Mu said anxiously, "I carry poison powder on me, so ordinary people can't get close to me. Besides, you've been flying with me for so long and you're exhausted. I don't trust you to go."
Yao Sisi held him down, "Look at my cultivation level, it's far superior to yours. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse... Ugh... Why are you covering my mouth!"
Qi Mu didn't want to hear the word "death," especially coming from her mouth. "Your cultivation has increased dramatically, so you definitely won't have time to control it. It's too dangerous. Miss Sisi, let me go."
Yao Sisi tightened her grip, causing the clothes on his waist to wrinkle. "I know what I'm doing, so don't worry. Besides, we won't confront them head-on. You go find Liu Yuan according to the original plan, and I'll distract them."
Qi Mu's hair was lifted by the wind and brushed against Yao Sisi's cheek, falling to the ground like sacrificial petals. They were so close, like Daoist lovers embracing, entangled and unwilling to part.
His eyes were a little red: "Do I have no choice in your eyes?"
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