Chapter 101: The Siege (Part Two)

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Regardless of how chaotic and brutal the outside world had become, Zou Jiren stumbled several times after entering the familiar passage. He steadied himself against the wall, quickly pressed key acupuncture points to stop the bleeding, then darted relentlessly toward the Goddess Hall.

Meanwhile, the sacrificial ritual had reached its final moments. Of the original ten, only the old crone, the little girl, and the Saltless Woman remained. As the last drop of blood fell, the three trembled nervously, huddling together in a corner.

Fan Si removed the corpse from the beam and exchanged a glance with Liu Kouzhang. The latter immediately approached the three, grabbing the little girl by the arm. The sudden motion scared her so much that she forgot to cry, her body shaking uncontrollably—a vivid display of her fear.

Though the old crone was kind-hearted and may not have been a remarkable figure capable of grand deeds, she could not bear to see such a tiny child die. She threw herself forward, clutching Liu Kouzhang’s ankle tightly and pleaded, “Immortal Lord, have mercy. I am old and my legs cannot keep pace on the road to the Yellow Springs. Please, grant me this mercy and let me go first. I shall repay your great kindness in the next life.”

Liu Kouzhang frowned slightly and forcefully shoved the old woman to the ground. “Get out of the way. If it’s your time to go, what’s the rush?”

The old crone lost her footing, her head striking the stone wall. Blood trickled from the corner of her eye, but she paid it no mind and clung again to Liu Kouzhang’s ankle. “Immortal Lord… please be magnanimous and spare me.”

“Scram.”

The old crone spat blood. The Saltless Woman quickly caught her, cushioning their fall against the stone wall.

“Don’t waste my time, or I have ways to make you beg for death,” Liu Kouzhang warned, brushing dust from his shoes.

Ignoring the pain, the Saltless Woman held the old crone tightly, pressing her fingers on the old woman’s wrist. Her heart sank as Liu Kouzhang’s two kicks had clearly injured the old woman’s internal organs.

But what did it matter now? They were abandoned by heaven and earth alike. No matter how loudly they cried out or how desperately they pleaded, no one would hear.

This was their fate.

The old crone tried to reach for the little girl, but the pain from her injuries was unbearable, making even speech a luxury.

Suddenly, “Pfft...”

“Grandma?” the Saltless Woman cried out, but the old crone had already fainted.

Looking at the little girl hanging upside down from the beam, tears finally broke free.

They did not want to die... they did not...

But facing reality, she could only close her eyes in resignation.

At that moment, a flash of sword light appeared, cutting the hemp rope and catching the little girl.

Before the Saltless Woman could react, a voice beside her said, “Who are you?”

“Run! I’ll cover you,” Zou Jiren said as he set the little girl down and swiftly released the three from their bindings.

Just as he was untying the last knot, Liu Kouzhang’s blade came slashing from behind.

“Watch out!”

Zou Jiren frowned, swiftly sliding back and narrowly slipping under the blade.

Liu Kouzhang’s strike missed. He turned in surprise only to see Zou Jiren leap into the air, sword gleaming cold and sharp as it descended.

Liu Kouzhang twisted his blade, held it aloft with both hands, barely blocking the sword, then pushed hard at Zou Jiren’s waist to knock him away.

Fuming, he growled, “Jiren, brother, this isn’t right! Even if emotions run out, how can you help outsiders kill your own people?”

Zou Jiren landed and swung his sword again, the blade flashing like a meteor shower scattering stardust. “Disaster is imminent, yet you remain blind. I am a lesson from the past, and you two still don’t understand? Lin Mao can discard me, but who is to say my yesterday isn't your today? How foolish.”

Liu Kouzhang retreated, blade crossed against the sword, exchanging glances with Fan Si to flank Zou Jiren.

But having worked with them for so long, Zou Jiren knew their tricks well. Suddenly, he vanished and reappeared behind Liu Kouzhang, delivering a palm strike infused with spiritual energy.

“Pfft...” Liu Kouzhang staggered forward and fell, only caught in time by Fan Si.

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Seizing the opportunity, Zou Jiren swiftly released the three and slashed forward, carving a path to escape.

He glanced aside and shouted urgently, “Run!”

The Saltless Woman knew there was no time for mercy. She gritted her teeth, supporting the old crone and carrying the little girl, rushing out of the Goddess Hall with Zou Jiren.

“Pursue them!”

“Not a chance.”

Hearing the rustling of robes, Zou Jiren dashed after them. Amidst the chase, all fled from the Goddess Hall.

At that moment, the goddess statue, having absorbed energy to a critical point, suddenly lost its source of sacrifice. The woman known as Zhao Hongzhuang, seated in the waterside pavilion, coughed blood and collapsed.

“Demon child?”

Qing Fen rushed into the pavilion, helped Zhao Hongzhuang sit upright, and poured demonic energy into her body.

After a while, Zhao Hongzhuang finally regained consciousness and began healing using Qing Fen’s demonic energy. This continued for about half an hour.

“Pfft...”

“How do you feel? Any better?”

Wiping blood from her lips, Zhao Hongzhuang rose with Qing Fen’s support, then waved her off. “No need. I am unharmed.”

She then gathered energy in her palm and sent a powerful strike toward the horizon.

Staggering back, Qing Fen hurried to steady her. “Demon child?”

“Cough... It’s nothing. Though I didn’t fully recover my strength, ninety percent is enough.”

Blood trickled again from her mouth, making her already stunning beauty seem even more hauntingly fragile.

“What happened? Why use such a destructive strike? Couldn’t you have ordered your people instead?”

Zhao Hongzhuang smiled faintly and coldly. “Lin Mao is useless. He couldn’t even handle such a small task. He sent a few defective pawns to fill the ranks, but the worst is he allowed them to break the ritual. Truly detestable.”

Qing Fen immediately understood and said, “I get your method, but have you considered that such a grand display might alert the righteous immortals? We’re not ready to openly clash yet. If discovered, it would give them leverage.”

Zhao Hongzhuang leaned on the railing and smiled alluringly. “What’s there to fear? Everyone knows each of the ten demon children has their own specialty. I am the weakest. I’ve been injured for years without full recovery, relying on the sect leader’s favor to remain in the demon realm. Who would suspect?”

“And besides, do you remember where we are?”

Qing Fen was stunned, then understood what Zhao Hongzhuang meant.

This cave realm looked ordinary but harbored a mysterious charm: any strike launched here would have its true location obscured. Even the most cunning mind couldn’t pinpoint the exact spot.

Moreover, that strike didn’t seem typical of the Heart Demon Clan—it resembled something else...

Zhao Hongzhuang suddenly pressed a finger to her lips, signaling Qing Fen to be silent. “Good girl. See but don’t speak. You understand what I know.”

“Yes.”

Outside the Willow Heart Studio, the guards suddenly launched attacks. Brilliant beams of light erupted, blocking the flying strike from the heavens.

But after a short while, many cultivators couldn’t sustain it, vomiting blood.

Yi Qingchen and the others urged their energy to fight on. Glancing at Sui Yu and the others, Yi Qingchen said, “Xiao Luonian, lead them back quickly.”

Xiao Luonian panicked. “What about you? And... them?”

“Can’t worry about that now. If we don’t retreat, no one will escape.” Yi Qingchen tossed out the Four Symbols Pipa and pressed the strike upward.

Taking the chance, Xiao Luonian hurriedly led the group to retreat several dozen miles from the Willow Heart Studio.

Yun Xingyu had come just to observe and only put in thirty percent effort, watching the fight unfold.

Seeing Yi Qingchen’s desperate effort, his brow furrowed. He feigned indifference and asked, “How is it?”

Yi Qingchen swallowed the metallic taste in her throat and forced a reply, “I’m fine.”

She then looked at Sui Yu, who still refused to leave. “Go.”

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That foolish girl, leave or not? Did she want to die with them?

Sui Yu shook her head stubbornly. “I won’t leave. They’re still trapped inside. If we withdraw now, they’ll have no way out.”

Her eyes filled with tears—mostly fear.

Fear that the one she cared about would never know someone loved him and that she would die like this.

Fear that love, unspoken and unshared, would die with her.

But in truth, Yi Qingchen felt the same—she had resolved to stand or fall with Su He, even if it meant death.

Yun Xingyu’s heart stirred faintly. The long-silent strings within him seemed to hum a long-lost melody.

Suddenly, memories of his late wife’s smile and voice surfaced, vivid and clear. But the scene abruptly shifted to a nightmare he could not escape: his gentle wife, bloodied and fallen in filth, ravaged by beasts.

“Darling...”

The sudden voice jolted Yun Xingyu from his trance. Snatching the pipa, he gathered Yi Qingchen and Sui Yu, retreating swiftly from the Willow Heart Studio.

In a blink, they reached safety.

No sooner had he set them down than Sui Yu slapped him. “Who told you to meddle?”

“Where are you going?”

“None of your business.”

Yun Xingyu glanced at Yi Qingchen. “Stop her.”

As expected, Yi Qingchen swiftly struck Sui Yu’s acupuncture points. “Don’t be impulsive.”

“Sister Yi?” Sui Yu was frantic. “When did you start helping outsiders? If we’re too late, they... the others... I don’t want to think about it.”

“Let’s listen first.” Yi Qingchen was annoyed too. Yun Xingyu’s actions had undoubtedly doomed Su He and the others. How could she not be?

“Go on,” Yun Xingyu handed the pipa back to Yi Qingchen, then looked away. “They won’t die.”

“How do you know?”

Before he could answer, Sui Yu snapped back.

Yun Xingyu didn’t want to engage further. Except for his late wife, none of this concerned him.

“Hey? Why the silence?”

Yi Qingchen frowned but caught the subtle meaning beneath Yun Xingyu’s words. Since he claimed they wouldn’t die, he must have some reliance.

She urged Sui Yu to calm down.

Meanwhile, the perimeter barrier of Willow Heart Studio was breached. Lin Mao was the quickest to seize the chance. Before others could react, he used nearby Liu Mu Bai as a shield, feinted, then vanished instantly through earth teleportation.

Su He withdrew Min Shu from Liu Mu Bai’s body and struck at Ye Yu, breaking Huai Yin’s encirclement. “Take them away.”

Huai Yin glanced back, just in time to see Saltless Woman leading the old crone and little girl rush through the Full Moon Arch. Huai Yin swept his sleeves and fled.

Ye Yu wanted to pursue but was blocked by Su He. “Leave.”

Ye Yu hesitated, then drew her sword and left.

Turning, she collided with Fan Si and Liu Kouzhang, followed by Zou Jiren, who immediately drew his sword to feint an attack.

None of them knew what had happened outside the Goddess Hall. They scattered in panic to escape.

Su He seized the moment, taking Zou Jiren and told Gen Ci and others, “Retreat.”

Gen Ci, Scar Three, and Bian Qing immediately covered their sleeves to escape. Su He, with Zou Jiren in tow, realized time was short. She raised a palm to the sky and instantly pushed them out.

Zou Jiren glanced back, his heart breaking. “Bai Li Su He...”