Chapter 14: Saving a Life

After the group of four regrouped, they hadn’t even run out of the forest when two first-tier beasts blocked their path.

They worked together with some tacit understanding and quickly slew one of the beasts. Just as they were about to strike down the second, two more first-tier beasts appeared.

Zhao Xiaoshi realized the situation was dire. Fighting these beasts alongside them here would only lead to certain death.

When it came to slipping away unnoticed, no one was better than herself.

But she couldn’t flee recklessly; if she did, the others would follow, inevitably drawing the beasts toward them.

She had to find a way to buy time and space for herself to escape by distracting the others.

“The honor of the Demon Suppression Division is to die beneath the claws of the beasts!” Zhao Xiaoshi shouted, then continued, “Brother Dong! You handle that lynx beast!”

“Me and Cheng Meimei will take care of that giant rat!”

“Lingling, you hold off the last one. Once we’re done here, we’ll come to support you immediately.”

“Got it!” Dong Qin responded promptly.

“Charge!” Zhao Xiaoshi called out and dashed forward toward the beasts.

The others followed suit, rushing at the beasts.

In everyone’s sight, Zhao Xiaoshi twisted her body, and with a muffled thud beneath her feet, she leapt backward.

“Farewell, everyone.”

The three who had been deceived were already surrounded by three beasts.

“Zhao Xiaoshi, how dare you trick us!” Dong Qin shouted loudly.

“If I’m going to live, why should I die with you?”

“Don’t worry. On the first and fifteenth of every month, I’ll burn extra paper money for you to repay my life-saving favor.”

“Goodbye…”

Zhao Xiaoshi’s figure flickered and vanished into the forest.

The three at the first stage of Qi cultivation couldn’t defeat three first-tier beasts.

At the brink of life and death, the three simultaneously unleashed astonishing willpower, coordinating more seamlessly, exchanging blows with the beasts and gradually gaining the upper hand.

But inexplicably, another first-tier beast appeared in the forest.

In an instant, their fighting spirit shattered completely.

While Cheng Meimei was stunned, a beast pounced on her. Luckily, she reacted swiftly, only receiving a scratch on her back.

That wound on her back would become the spark that led to her death.

As the battle continued, more first-tier beasts appeared in the forest.

Not all of them joined the fight; some went to gnaw on the corpses of the cultivators.

Nourished by spiritual energy, the flesh and blood were like candy to the beasts.

“Fang Lingling, at least one of us must live to tell Deputy Xu about Zhao Xiaoshi betraying her teammates,” Dong Qin said, then added, “I’ll rush the beasts with all my strength. You hide behind me and escape when you get the chance.”

“I…” Fang Lingling hesitated.

“Don’t say it. We can’t let Zhao Xiaoshi get away with this!”

With that, Dong Qin shouted fiercely, draining the last bit of spiritual energy from his body, sword in hand, charging at the beasts.

“Now!”

Dong Qin charged with a death wish. His sword pierced the beast’s abdomen, but his shoulder was bitten by the beast.

He dropped his sword and grabbed the beast, yelling:

“Run!”

Fang Lingling dashed out of the beast’s encirclement without looking back.

Suddenly, she tripped on something and fell heavily to the ground.

She tried to get up and keep running, but couldn’t stand steadily.

Looking down, she saw her right calf was missing, blood gushing out.

A sharp pain overwhelmed her, and she clutched her leg, collapsing in agony.

Before her appeared a scorpion beast, a small leg dangling from its tail.

The scorpion’s tail whipped, discarding the leg.

Its body crawled above Fang Lingling, the venomous stinger slowly piercing her chest.

“Profound Thunder Sword Technique!”

The dim forest suddenly burst into light, crackling with the sound of surging waves of energy, louder than New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Pale golden lightning bolts split the night sky, weaving through the trees.

The first-tier scorpion beast was struck by the golden lightning and died instantly.

Its massive body wobbled, about to crush Fang Lingling beneath it.

Chu Chen appeared beside the scorpion with a flash, lifting his foot and kicking it over.

He immediately crouched down to check on her.

“How are you?”

Seeing Chu Chen, Fang Lingling recoiled in fear, blood pouring from her chest.

“Chu Chen, don’t come near me. It’s all Zhao Xiaoshi’s doing—she’s the one who wanted to harm you.”

“Zhao Xiaoshi betrayed us too.”

“She sent us in first and ran off to save herself.”

“Chu Chen, don’t come after me... I’m almost dead...”

It was no wonder Fang Lingling misunderstood. Chu Chen’s current appearance was more ghostly than human.

His hair had been burned, some long strands, some short, all tangled atop his head.

His clothes had been soaked in the digestive fluids of corpse-guarding beasts, wrung dry with the help of three giant pythons, leaving them all wrinkled.

They had also been slashed by the feathers of blood demon hawk beasts.

By day, he looked like a beggar; by night, a wandering ghost.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m Chu Chen.”

“I know you are, but please, let me go. Go after Zhao Xiaoshi for your revenge…” Fang Lingling replied tearfully.

Now understanding, Chu Chen stepped forward.

He grabbed Fang Lingling’s wrist and pressed his cold palm to his own forehead.

“I’m not dead.”

Feeling the warmth of his palm, Fang Lingling stared at him in disbelief.

Her gaze shifted to the floor littered with beast corpses. After a long pause, she asked:

“…Did you do all this?”

“Yes,” Chu Chen admitted.

“Heh…” Fang Lingling sneered, then sighed deeply, collapsing weakly.

Seeing her calm down, Chu Chen quickly spoke:

“Wait here. I’ll see if I can find something to heal you.”

As he spoke, his consciousness entered the Illustrated Gallery.

Having just slain eight first-tier beasts in succession, he hoped the gallery’s reward might include a pill to heal wounds.

Just as he retrieved the pill, a loud roar suddenly rang in his ears.

“Chu Chen, go to hell!!”

Startled, he snapped back to reality to see a sword pressed against his chest, stopped by his silver-threaded armor.

The sword wielder was none other than the dying Fang Lingling.

The first strike failed; she drew the sword again and stabbed repeatedly.

“Die! Die! Die!”

No matter how many times she struck, she couldn’t harm Chu Chen.

“You’re so powerful, why do you pretend to be weak?”

“This is all your fault! You’ve ruined us!”

Chu Chen slowly stood up, his eyes devoid of mercy.

“Xu Xiaoyao didn’t lie. I’m the one who killed that beast in Huangling.”

“I never denied it; it was you who didn’t believe me!”

“When you pushed me off the carriage, did you ever think it would come to this?”

“Fang Lingling, don’t blame others for everything. What’s your brain for?”

Fang Lingling fell silent, silently handing over her sword.

“Chu Chen, we deserved this.”

“Please do me a favor—take our Demon-Slaying Swords back to the Jin Nan Demon Suppression Division.”

“Tell Deputy Xu that Zhao Xiaoshi betrayed the team.”

Chu Chen took the sword and agreed.

“I will.”

He sheathed all three Demon-Slaying Swords at his waist.

From the dark night to the break of day, he traveled.

When he finally encountered a passerby and greeted them, the person was so frightened they fled.

After asking several people, he finally learned the way to the Jin Nan Demon Suppression Division from a frail old lady with failing eyesight.

“Young man, you’re headed to Jin Nan County…”

“Jin Nan County is westward. Just head west.”

“Thank you, Grandma.”

After thanking her, Chu Chen checked the sun’s position, confirmed his direction, and set off westward.