Clang!
The clash of tal echoed as Chou Gang suddenly drew his blade, the Horse-slaying Saber seed poised to cleave Chen Yi in two.
Chen Yi twisted his body and dodged, intending to step on the blade, but Zhang Xuqu surged forward at lightning speed, delivering a punch straight toward his face.
A narrowly dodged head turn sent Zhang Xuqu’s fist into the rock wall, splitting it into sinister fissures as the entire cave seed to tremble.
Chen Yi prepared to counter with a frontal slash of his blade, but Chou Gang’s Horse-slaying Saber suddenly tilted upward with fierce wind roaring, seemingly ready to sever Chen Yi’s arm clean off.
Manipulating objects with Qi.
The long sword on his back flashed out of its sheath and slamd into the Horse-slaying Saber, while Chen Yi multitasked, launching a whirlwind strike at Zhang Xuqu.
The Tongbei Divine Ape rely chuckled, calmly retracting his arm, shoving off with one palm, moving slower but still arriving first, pressing onto Chen Yi’s chest.
Chen Yi staggered back several steps, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.
Ultimately, two fists couldn’t prevail against four hands.
Although he had exploited Chou Gang’s spring-autumn reputation for avoiding rampant killings, focusing his attack on Zhang Xuqu with almost all lethal moves unleashed, he was still being relentlessly overwheld.
Chen Yi gripped the Brocade Spring Blade tightly, Yin Tingxue watched the scene with panic and fear.
From start to finish, perhaps due to the unwritten rules among martial artists, or simply because neither attacker had the ti to spare, no one paid any attention to her.
Yin Tingxue fidgeted nervously; amidst the chaos before her, she could do almost nothing to intervene. Apart from the Sword Intent left by Zhou Yitang, she had no other resources to rely on.
The blade glead like flowing water as Chen Yi gasped for breath, staring at the advancing Zhang Xuqu and Chou Gang.
Under normal circumstances, he would have a forty percent chance to exchange injury for injury and rely on bluffing or other unconventional tactics to force them both to retreat.
However, after establishing his cavern refuge, the rivalry between Primordial Qi and True Qi had disrupted the flow of his qi energy, lowering his forty percent odds to a re twenty percent.
The situation was extrely unfavorable.
Chen Yi clenched the Brocade Spring Blade tightly, madness swelling within his mind.
If he were to gamble,
to bet on that twenty percent chance,
and add Yin Tingxue’s Sword Intent into the mix...
Chen Yi pondered, his breath quickening, his body already slightly crouched.
Zhang Xuqu slowed his steps, while Chou Gang approached with his blade raised high, his gaze filled with blazing hatred but also undeniable caution, treating Chen Yi as a formidable enemy.
Just as life-and-death combat was about to erupt,
a Buddhist chant suddenly sounded from the forest.
"Namo Fundantal Master Shakyamuni Buddha."
Everyone simultaneously turned to look, seeing a Western Region monk with deep-set eyes and high brows erging from the woods, hands pressed together as he said:
"Dear benefactors, why must you fight to the death?"
Zhang Xuqu’s gaze flickered as he responded coldly:
"Monk, are you here to stop us by force?"
The Western Region monk nodded slightly and replied:
"That is indeed my intention."
Chou Gang’s eyes blazed with fury upon hearing this. He had waited for this mont for so long, the day to avenge his late friend finally at hand—how could he let it slip away?
"Why does the monk intervene in this matter?" Chou Gang asked.
Chen Yi glanced at the monk, equally bewildered by his abrupt appearance.
The Western Region monk spoke plainly and without deceit: "I am here for the Heavenly King statues in Chen benefactor’s possession."
"Then, monk, why not join forces with us to take down this fiend?" Chou Gang relaxed his rage and proposed.
"A monk does not kill or create bloodshed,"
The Western Region monk took a combat stance resembling a still dragon elephant, then turned to Chen Yi and said:
"Moreover, saving your life only requires exchanging the Heavenly King statues; surely Chen benefactor would not refuse?"
Chen Yi deliberated for a mont and then nodded slightly.
Though their encounters had been few, he could discern that this monk was a trustworthy individual.
Furthermore, he hardly had other options at the mont.
Zhang Xuqu’s gaze grew more sinister as he asked harshly:
"Bald donkey, do you truly believe you and another person can defeat the two of us?"
The Western Region monk rely smiled faintly, neither withdrawing nor showing hesitation, and replied:
"I have little assurance myself; therefore, I brought along an acquaintance of one benefactor..."
Before he could finish, a fierce gust of wind and the recitation of the Diamond Sutra surged from the forest, followed by a roar that echoed like a lion’s thunder:
"Zhang villain, surrender your life!"
Zhang Xuqu’s face shifted dramatically, recognizing the arrival of the deranged sutra master, a long-standing nesis. Without retreating, it would be over for him. He shouted to Chou Gang: "Leave!"
Chou Gang swiftly reacted; after glaring viciously at Chen Yi one last ti, he resolutely dashed away despite his unwillingness.
Once the pair disappeared, Chen Yi exhaled slightly in relief, while the crazed sutra master arrived at the cave’s entrance with Qinggong.
Chen Yi took a deep breath, cupped his hands in gratitude, and said:
"Many thanks to the two venerable monks for their assistance."
The Western Region monk nodded slightly, while the crazed sutra master glanced around as if searching for Zhang Xuqu’s tracks.
Chen Yi hesitated no further. Upon the monk’s nod, he prepared to hand over the Heavenly King statues in his possession.
Yin Tingxue, witnessing his decisiveness, felt a flicker of surprise. But she quickly understood—this was natural. Though Chen Yi was not a good person, he valued keeping a promise.
To her surprise, the Western Region monk waved his hand to refuse.
Chen Yi asked in confusion: "Monk, what is the aning of this?"
"In truth, I have held back so personal intentions," the Western Region monk said calmly, "I possess one Heavenly King statue myself and indeed require others. However, the journey ahead is perilous, and the dicine Buddha Tower fraught with deadly traps. rely relying on myself and the void-hearted sutra master may not be enough. Thus, I wish to request Chen benefactor’s aid."
Chen Yi’s eyes lit up: "So you are saying?"
The Western Region monk smiled faintly and said: "Would Chen benefactor be willing to join us on this journey?"
.........
Traveling swiftly with Qinggong, the group finally stopped to rest as dusk fell. On the mountain peak, Chen Yi set Yin Tingxue down from his back, while the Western Region monk and the crazed sutra master kindled a campfire in the shelter of the hillside.
Yin Tingxue remained silent throughout the journey, behaving very obediently. On Chen Yi’s back, she clung tightly, soft against him during the entire trip.
How could Chen Yi fail to notice her subtle flattery?
Yin Tingxue, too, was aware he had noticed. He always seed able to read her thoughts, though he said nothing all the way through, leaving her unsettled and unable to gauge his mood.
On the peak, he unpacked his belongings and laid out a simple bedroll. Yin Tingxue imdiately dove into it eagerly, curling up and coaxing herself into a semblance of sleep.
"Get up," Chen Yi said.
Yin Tingxue’s heart skipped a beat; she stiffened, glancing at his face faintly illuminated in the weak firelight of the monks below, his expression cloaked in shadow.
A cold wind swept across the peak. Yin Tingxue rubbed her small hands against her chest as he kept staring at her. Her scalp prickled, and she timidly forced a strained smile.
She stamred, "H-husband, aren’t you going to sleep?"
Chen Yi gazed at her silently for a mont before asking softly, "Little Fox, am I good to you or not?"
His voice was so gentle that Yin Tingxue froze with confusion and unease.
Was he good to her?
Yin Tingxue struggled to respond. He had coerced her into becoming his concubine, subjected her to nurous terrible things—how could she say he was good to her? Yet sohow, she found herself unable to articulate her thoughts.
Perhaps it was because, in the desolate Yintai Temple, she had montarily mistaken him as her mother.
Yin Tingxue hesitated for a long while and finally said reluctantly:
"...Good."
She saw him smirk slightly—this smile’s intention she could not discern. He softly asked again:
"Little Fox, do you think I care about you?"
Yin Tingxue grew more uneasy, his uncharacteristic tenderness stirring a restlessness in her heart. Her toes shuffled nervously.
"I suppose you do care," Yin Tingxue responded hesitantly.
Chen Yi slowly let his smile fade. After a brief silence, he said mildly:
"Since you know I treat you well and care about you, do you rember what I previously said?"
Yin Tingxue froze abruptly.
She did rember his words:
[When you return, you’ll bear children and stay out of sight forever.]
Could that have been anything other than re anger?!
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