4049.第4046章 重逢3
Backstory: SL has been chased into a dangerous valley ruled by a lion beast. She has in her possession the Vast Sky Hammer, one of the twelve Paladin Artifacts. The divine martial sect and Ashura World are chasing her for it. Earlier it was revealed the now amnesiac NL is nearby with his squad on a ship to chase after the Ashura. SL has lead the sect, some pirates, and the Ashura on a merry chase through sea and land, poisoning them, setting beasts to ambush them, until she’s stolen the item they were using to track her. They wounded her even as she’s devastated and wounded them. Now she’s fled into the valley. She finds another Paladin Artifact, the Falling Sun Blade, while scrounging for herbs in the valley. She somewhat befriends or bribes the lion into not eating her by cooking for it. Her few remaining enemies lay siege outside the valley and think of ways to get at her.
4046 It’s night in the valley. In the Wind Chasing Hairy Lion’s den, SL politely rubs the lion before sleeping by its side. They’re in the deepest part of the cave. It’s warm and feels safe. The lion snores. SL detects movement outside. This person has great courage she thinks. As the person gets closer to the cave, SL kicks the lion. The lion completely ignores her. She kicks harder in a more sensitive area. It awakens and is about to roar at her when she tells it someone’s come, she suggests this person can barbecue for him! The lion gives one look outside, roars, and chases the man. Sir Green sees this and runs. He’s thinking to himself, didn’t they say it should be asleep right now? He came to confirm SL’s death and dig out the Falling Sun Blade marked on the map. Normally the lion would just roar at the man and instantly kill him, but it’s tasted barbecued Jade Volcanic Chicken and wants more people to cook for it. It doesn’t take long before the lion grabs him by the leg and brings him back to the cave. The lion tosses him to the ground. When he comes to, he sees an incredibly beautiful girl sitting across from him. He identifies her based on her description and names her. He’s surprised she’s alive. They thought she would’ve been eaten days ago. SL states he’s still alive, why wouldn’t she be? The lion looks at her. She feeds it and says something cryptic to the lion about watching Sir Green. He’s scared and wonders what’s going on.
4047 The lion roars at Sir Green for more barbecued Chickens. SL kindly explains to Sir Green, “You must give him a chicken every day, if not…” SL looks to the lion for confirmation, “you’ll be spanked.” The lion very seriously nods. Sir Green wants to cry. Green asks why only one and not two. SL explains this is something decided by the God of Cooking. You may only barbecue one chicken a day, otherwise the god will punish you.
He laughs, he laughs so hard his belly hurts, “I can’t believe you’re using this excuse.”
SL: “Sir Lion, isn’t this person laughing at the God of Cooking? Won’t the God of Cooking not even give you one chicken now?”
The lion is furious. Green looks at the lion and points at SL as it asks the lion if it really believes her story. The lion doesn’t answer but it’s clear it believes SL. Green is broken, the lion is that easy to trick? SL chimes in to say if you don’t work, you don’t eat. Green tries to convince the lion, but it asks him if he wants to die. Green relents, he has some experience and barbecues a chicken for the lion. The Lion eats it, then spits it out, roaring at him, calling him a fool. The lion kicks his butt and orders him to cook.
4048 The lion’s kick to his butt almost splits it into four buttocks. Green glances at SL, she gives him a helpless gesture. Green almost roars in anger. Green practices cooking but makes too much smoke in the cave. The lion chases him out. He wants to run away but he’s afraid the lion will kill him. He hears a voice calling him, “Little Green, Little Green.” It’s Little Ming on his team. They usually compete for their bosses attention. Sir Ming asks him for a report, the boss wants an update. Sir Ming wonders, Sir Green is rather beautiful, maybe he’s trying to seduce SL. Perhaps he’ll win the Vast Sky Hammer without losing anything? Ming asks him how he hasn’t been eaten by the lion. Tries to get him to give information. Green knows he won’t give him any credit if he tells so he instead tricks him by saying if Ming helps, he’ll give Ming all the credit and he’ll tell him how to survive the lion.
4049 Green makes up this story about using tickle grass, which causes severe itching, will keep the lion from eating you. The idiot Ming believes him, he doesn’t even notice Green is clean and doesn’t smell of tickle grass. Ming tests it out and he doesn’t seem to lure the lion so he goes to find Green. The lion enjoys another chicken and asks SL when more cooks will arrive. SL asks Green when a third person will arrive. Green says soon. The itchy Ming arrives. Green tells him SL is inside and whether or not he can capture her will depend on his own skill. Ming sneers at him and goes inside. He finds her very beautiful and thinks this is why Green hasn’t acted. He notices the large lion.
4050 Ming is terrified speechless. His itchiness reminds him he’ll be fine. The lion really does seem to ignore him. He becomes more and more arrogant with each step. He decides to wiggle his hips in front of the lion to taunt it. SL’s eyes go dull, she’s never seen such a stupid man. The lion stares at him a moment, he’s been waiting for his chicken, not to be insulted by a human. The lion swats him silly. The lion asks SL if all men are like this.
SL: “Some people are just dumber than others.”
They have a third cook now. Lord Song notices Ming is gone. He sends someone to find out what’s going on and finds that Ming and Green are both in the cave. He also finds out the lion really likes chicken. They don’t realize SL is using something called Purple Yang Dragon Orchid to cook with the chicken. Lord Song thinks this is great and orders 100 chickens to be cooked. He shouts to the lion that he will give the lion a hundred barbecued chicken if it will hand over SL. They let the smell of a hundred chickens cooking permeate the air.
4051 Sir Yi throws a chicken inside to the lion. The lion is happy at first, but then spits it out, it’s terrible! Sir Yi ran out earlier so doesn’t know what it said, he just hears a roar and thinks it wants more. He throws four more. The lion feels insulted. It roars at the humans outside. Yi’s ears bleed and barely gets away. Lord Song is furious and finds the other two men by his side are hurt by the roar.
Lord Song: “Little Yuan, how’s the Flying Silver Haired Frost Beast recovering?” It’s a very strong beast king comparable to the lion. It’s been suffering internal injuries for a while and has been cultivating in a space to recover.
Yuan: “Three days and it will be well.”
Song: “We’ll wait three days, then we’ll have the beast attack the lion to keep it busy. Yuan, you watch Su Luo. Yi, Ming, Green, and I will search for the Falling Sun Blade.” Three days later, the beasts fight. SL is stunned.
4052 It’s too late to run for SL. The five men surround her. Even the weakest of the five could easily kill her. SL is a 3 star Deity. If they were the same strength, she has the confidence to run, but they’re too strong. Yi says he will watch her. Song tells him he can kill her, as long as they get the hammer, the rest go searching. They’re looking for Dragon and Phoenix Grass, it’s the indicator of where the blade is hidden. SL is thinking while backing away. Yi follows her until her back is against the wall. He starts to creepily touch her hair. They have a short exchange about whether she’s afraid before he says, “you should be scared” and starts to strangle her. SL’s out of options, the token godfather gave her is used up, Black and White masters are not around, things changed so fast she didn’t have time to prepare for this. She thinks of NL and wonders if he’s doing alright at the Longfeng Clan.
4053 She wonders if he’s really lost his memory. She starts thinking about all the things she has left to do. She hears the sound of battle but thinks she’s hallucinating. The hand holding her up let’s go and she falls. After catching her breathe she realizes there’s a battle going on between the five and another squad. There’s 8 people dressed in black. One in particular slowly examines the five. A beautiful girl attacks using a blade against Yi before taking him down and withdrawing. SL is wondering where they came from before she spots NL and is stunned. She feels embarrassed because her hair is messy and her clothes are soiled. She doesn’t move though. Looking at him gives her a sense of grievance, as if she’d been wronged. She’s trying not to cry. NL feels someone’s hot gaze upon him, when someone attacks him from behind. SL shouts for him to watch out. NL grabs Song by the neck. Song is shocked, 10 years ago he tangled with NL. NL was 2 star Deity at the time. Song is so shocked he doesn’t know how to react.
4054 NL is strangling Song. Lin Xiao Yue and the others in black have taken care of Yi and are cleaning up. Lin Xiao Yue notices SL and feels an unprecedented threat when she sees how beautiful SL is. She’d always thought in the Capital, Gongsun Ling Yu had one of most beautiful faces, but upon seeing SL, she’s shocked to a standstill. As she observes SL and notes just how beautiful every part of her is, she becomes incredibly angry when she sees SL staring in an odd way at NL. LXY saw how Yi was strangling SL earlier and can see the bruises on her neck. LXY doesn’t care and charges towards SL.
LXY: “Evildoer of Ashura World, watch my blade.”
She’s aiming to cut SL’s throat, Yi was taken down by this blade, SL doesn’t stand a chance. NL turns his head following her movement and notices SL. All of a sudden, the figure of unparalleled beauty in front of him, and the figure in goose-yellow in his dreams merge together. NL moves faster than he can think, a flying leaf strikes the blade out of LXY’s hand, she’s hit so hard she almost takes internal injuries, her body is shaking.
LXY slowly turns in shock towards him, “Why?”
NL’s eyes do not sense her presence, they are concentrating entirely on SL. SL returns his gaze with her own silly stare. SL starts to go teary eyed. NL feels a trace of doubt, confusion, and puzzlement. The calm as a mountain NL places a hand over his heart. He can feel his deathly calm and solitary heart has begun to move after seeing her.
4055 NL’s face is calm, but it flashes with doubt as he frowns coldly at SL. SL takes two steps towards NL when LXY coldly tells her to stop. Her words interrupt SL’s sense of grievance. SL turns her red and swollen eyes towards LXY in confusion.
LXY: “If you take one more step towards the Lieutenant Colonel, you’ll die!”
LXY cannot ignore how NL has a hand on his chest. The atmosphere becomes a touch odd. SL heart has a thousand words to say, but when she sees NL’s confused eyes, her excitement collapses. His eyes do not hold her reflection. SL drops her head with a heavy look in her eyes, her fists clench, knuckles white. He really has forgotten her. NL frowns, normally he’s not tolerant of others, especially women, but when he sees this little girl drop her little head and look like she’s about to cry from some grievance, he feels a slight sense that he cannot bear this. He cannot help but feel the desire to reach out and rub her little head. For someone as cold as him to feel like this, it really is strange. NL shakes his head and he feels he must have some sort of problem.
The silver beast from earlier returns and Song commands the beast to devour SL. He knows she has the Vast Sky Hammer. As long as she’s swallowed, he can take the Hammer back to Ashura World. The beast attacks SL.
LXY shouts in excitement, “Yes!”
Once that disturbingly beautiful girl is swallowed, her sense of unease will disappear. NL steps in to block the beast with his right arm. LXY is scared. The beast and NL have fought before and NL suffered wounds while the beast was unhurt. The beast ferociously bites into NL’s right arm, there’s blood. NL shouts at it to “Scram!” The beast’s eyes start to grow confused, it let’s go and dizzily goes away.
4056 Song is dumbfounded at the sight. He can’t shout at it, he’s now being held by the throat. The beast doesn’t seem to care and leaves without a trace. The lion comes back and asks where the beast went. Everyone else is shocked, SL points in the direction of the beast. The lion soars away in the direction she pointed. SL is staring at NL’s arm, and unconsciously goes over to him to tend to his wound.
NL pushes her away and asks “Who are you?”
SL is startled still. She’s contemplated this moment many times. Whenever she imagines him coldly asking her this question, her heart hurts and she becomes unable to breathe. When her previous thoughts, and the scenario itself actually occur, that’s when SL realizes what’s it’s really like to be forgotten by the one she loves most, just how much pain the heart can endure. SL lowers her eyes, takes a deep breath, tightly clenches her fists, it seems this is the only way she’ll have the strength to continue.
NL: “You, just who are you?”
SL doesn’t answer. NL coldly takes her chin and fiercely lifts it. They stare at each other. NL is disappointed to find his heart is still beating away.
It’s like he’s met a ghost. NL is not pleased, he coldly stares at her while holding her jaw.
He’s really forgotten, he’s completely forgotten, not a trace. Her heart hurts even more, she feels some sense of despair. From the corner of her eye, her gaze falls disinterestedly upon the two bite marks on his arm. Seeing his dripping wound, her heart can no longer endure. She seriously looks at him while concealing her pain, her faint voice has a nasal quality when she slowly asks, “Who do you think I am?”
NL: “…”
He frowns. This is obviously the first time they’ve met, why does he have this strange sense they’ve met before? For what must be the first time ever, NL doesn’t aggressively pursue the matter and lets her go.
SL doesn’t move, she looks determinedly at him, “I’ll help you dress the bandage.”
LXY tells SL to scram and somehow appears in front of her. Her eyes are like swords, she looks like she wants to tear out SL’s heart.
LXY: “The Lt. Col is known for his sense of cleanliness. Is he someone a stinking girl of unknown origins may blaspheme?”
She’s using the Lt. Col to vent her own anger. If NL were not here, she would’ve killed SL already. NL has already protected SL twice now. Once even sending her own blade flying.
4057 The second time he protected her and took a wound. NL normally wouldn’t even look at a woman twice, but he’s making an exception for this girl. LXY again feels an unprecedented sense of threat.
LXY’s bluster restores SL’s mood. In this world, only NL can make her feel this sense of grievance, she will not tolerate this from anyone else.
SL lifts her clever beautiful eyes to look at LXY, “I am an apothecary.”
LXY sneers: “An apothecary, great! I am also an apothecary.”
SL: “I am a half step Imperial Level Apothecary. The flying silver haired frost beast exudes a strong toxin from its mouth when angry. Can you handle it?”
LXY clenches her teeth. She’s an Advanced Apothecary who spends most of her time cultivating. How could she compare to a half step Imperial level Apothecary. NL frowns when SL approaches and pushes her aside. SL notices him treating the poison using an evaporation technique. She knows of it from her master’s notes, the vaporization technique has very harsh conditions to pull off. She then recalls back when they were at Metamorphosis, NL was able to vaporize Aquamarines. LXY is relieved to see NL refusing treatment from SL but is still confused why he protected her. LXY threatens to kill SL if she doesn’t explain who she is or why the Ashura wanted to kill her. SL looks at Song, he’s the only one left alive of his squad.
SL gives a shallow smile, “I’m sure you won’t believe anything I say. Why don’t you ask him. Ask him why he’s trying to kill me. I’m also quite curious.”
LXY blusters some more. She’s never met anyone who can resist her spirit energy’s pressure like this and still talk and laugh, never mind this person is only a little girl who’s just a three star Deity. LXY doesn’t like it but what SL says is reasonable. LXY turns to NL. NL is coldly looking at SL.
SL looks at him with a bright sweet smile, her lips fresh, “I am Su Luo.”
LXY: “I didn’t ask what you’re called!”
LXY was deliberately trying to keep her nameless and more forgettable. SL completely ignores her.
SL’s smile at NL is as bright as a star. “Before today, you may not remember my name, but after today, you will engrave it into your bones and inscribe it in your heart.”
4058 Lin Xiao Yue sneers in disdain: “Insanity.”
SL very seriously: “Don’t you think this way, Sir Nangong will remember this more profoundly, making it much more difficult to forget?”
LXY is speechless, she’s never seen face with such thick skin.
SL has made up her mind and has a resolution. NL has forgotten her? It breaks her heart, but it’s ok! NL may have forgotten, but there are some sentiments remaining. After all, he did involuntarily, reflexively step in front of her to save her. SL has decided she will be thick skinned and pester him, pester him until she’s at the top of his mind.
NL continues treating himself. SL starts to silently, slowly, like a snail, sneak over towards NL.
She makes it half way when LXY grabs her, her face black, “What do you want?”
SL spits her tongue at her, “Taking a leak.”
LXY wants to strike her heart dead, she says she doesn’t care who she is, what she’s doing, leave now. SL doesn’t want to leave, it’s so difficult to meet NL. LXY threatens to kill her if she doesn’t leave now. SL looks at NL. He’s calmly still treating himself, he’s indifferent whether she leaves or not. Song also doesn’t say anything, he’d rather SL have the Vast Sky Hammer than the Imperial Army. She’s easier to deal with in his opinion.
NL comes out of his current mental state of treating the poison and coldly asks SL, “Half Step Imperial Apothecary?”
SL desperately nods her head, “En, en, en.”
NL: “What medicines?”
SL gets a little nervous under his gaze, takes a deep breath and gives a lost list of herbs that can be used to create a Purple Phoenix True Pill that will cure him after 7 days of continued usage. SL asks for an hour, NL gives her half an hour. SL agrees and teleports away to collect the herbs.
4059 The True Pill is between half step Imperial and Imperial, it’s double the difficulty of a half step Imperial. LXY doesn’t believe she’s able, nor do Black1 through 8. NL takes Song to the outskirts of the forest. No one knows what NL does, but when they return Song’s head is lowered and he seems listless. LXY is counting time and when the half hour is up starts shouting.
SL comes running with the pills in hand, “Coming, coming.”
She stuffs a pill in NL’s hands with a little smile, “Take daily for seven days, I’ll keep the rest for you.”
NL has an odd look in his eyes. Because of his cold and unfeeling aura, most people are terrified of making a decision without his permission, this inexplicable girl is courageous.
LXY has a mocking smile on her face, NL hates it when people touch him. Right as she’s chuckling at SL, NL says “Fine.”
LXY is mad, why is SL treated differently?
The two beasts are not heard from again. Black8 carries Black2 back from scouting, Black2 is wounded. Black8 explains while crying and treating Black2 that the Ashura have caught up and sent a high level elite team. They’re unable to give details on how much stronger, other than all of the Ashura are stronger than Black8.
Song starts laughing triumphantly, “They’re here!”
4060 Black1 grabs and interrogates Song. Song explains they’re the Blood Edge squad. It’s a squad made up entirely of Lt. Col. Their own squad only has one. Blood Edge has 15. NL orders his death. Black1 nods and pierces Song’s heart. Black8 calls for help for Black2, LXY normally handles all medical matters, excepting NL; she can’t touch him. LXY tries to help Black2 but is useless. SL squats near Black2, they all try to shoo her away. She insists she can heal him. LXY wants to object but remembers the True Pills and stays silent.
4061 Black1 remembers she’s a half step Imperial apothecary and begs for her help. Normally a 3rd step Deity of a little girl would be nervous before a group of 9 star Deities. SL is calm and tells NL she only needs time. NL asks Black8 how long until they arrive. Black8 says he left a bewildering formation to delay the enemy for about 15 min. SL immediately states she needs 30 min. They’re embarrassed.
NL stands and nods at SL, “I’ll go distract the enemy.”
SL grabs his sleeve, and tells him he needs to stay and be her assistant or the surgery will fail. He’s silent and looks at her hand holding his sleeve. Her mouth thins, but she slowly let’s go. Hmph! Before, a certain person ignored you, so you grabbed that person’s hand everyday. Now just grabbing your sleeve is not allowed? In light of him not remembering anything, and earlier protecting her by stepping forward to block an attack, she’ll graciously forgive him.
SL says she needs someone at Grand Completion 3 star or above to help protect Black2’s heart. SL asks NL what his strength is, making everyone else gasp.
NL: “Grand Completion 3 stars.”
SL asks if there are other Grand Completion 3 stars or higher. They shake their heads. SL says they’ll need to send the second strongest person to distract the enemy. Everyone looks at LXY. LXY is furious.
SL smiles at her, “My assistant must be at least Elite level.”
LXY is angry at being told she’s not good enough, “Must be great to be a half step Imperial Apothecary!”
SL: “Isn’t it just for saving a person’s life? It’s not that great.”
LXY has determined SL is her heaven sent nemesis. Before SL came, she was the only female on the team.
4062 LXY is unhappy but agrees to go. NL gives her an All Mountain Divine Stone. LXY is happy to receive it. SL asks what it’s for. Black1 explains it’s also known as the Time-space marker. He explains it will allow Officer Lin to mark this current position, and then when she crushes the marker, it will instantly move her to the marked position. SL figures a space mage must’ve made it and wants to look into it in the future. SL & NL begin operating on Black2. SL uses her golden needles.
4063 SL uses a combination of needles and other medical tools to work on Black2. NL protects and regulates the heart. NL is puzzled by how she works. NL can’t seem to take his eyes off her. He feels that there’s something wrong with himself. NL and the others think SL’s surgery is magic. LXY had warned the Black soldiers to watch SL carefully, that she will betray them. They silently cheer SL on as Black2’s internal wounds visibly heal.
SL finishes, “Done.”
Black1: “That’s it?”
SL: “What else do you want?”
She tells NL to slowly stop supporting him.
NL does as he’s instructed and asks “are you sure there aren’t any problems?” He’s suspicious, he’s never seen an operation like this.
4064 SL nods, feeds Black2 a ground up pill and gives a brief summary of what she repaired and did. SL says he will wake in a minute and there won’t be any sequela. No one believes her. Black2 wakes up. They stare at her.
SL: “I already told you he would wake up in a minute.”
They ask to confirm there will be no sequela. NL takes Black2’s pulse for a long time before finally nodding that he seems alright.
NL: “He’s fine?”
SL smiles at him as if they were together again, it’s incredibly warm, triumphant, her cute little fangs are exposed, “It’s fine.”
NL is not at all accustomed to how intimate SL is with him, as if they are familiar with each other.
NL: “When can he hit the road?”
SL: “5 minutes. Let his blood settle before letting others carry him.”
NL looks at SL’s pale wrist, there are three wounds there. He’s been carefully watching her the whole time. He watched as she gave some of her blood to Black2, only then did Black2’s own natural blood coagulation restore function. She exposed how valuable her blood was to him.
NL: “Was it worth it?”
4065 SL just laughs and sweetly smiles at him, showing her charming little dimples, “You will help me guard this secret.”
NL: “You trust me just like that?”
He can tell she purposely sent away the Black squad members and LXY to hide her blood, but she deliberately showed it to him. NL heart feels complicated but he’s secretly pleased to be so trusted. NL really does think he’s going crazy, why is he becoming so strange?
SL looks a bit sad, but she persists, “Maybe for you, this is our first time meeting, but, for me…”
NL is confused: “En?”
SL’s takes a deep breath, her eyes clear up, “Some things take time, even if I tell you now, you would not believe it.”
NL: “What things?”
SL, in a joking tone: “For example, if I said we’ve been lovers for many years, would you believe it?”
NL finds this joke not at all original, and mockingly shakes his head. SL sees NL’s mocking smile and ridiculing laugh, it’s hard for her to endure, but her face is cold and she humphs at him, righteously criticizing him, “What are you laughing at. Didn’t I say it was an example? You don’t like the example?”
When NL sees this little white bunny becoming a little witch, he can’t help but think a women’s heart is as difficult to understand as finding a needle in the ocean. SL then tells them that Black2 will vomit some blood in a few minutes, don’t make a fuss, it’s a good thing, it means he’s fine. He starts vomiting blood three minutes later. It looks scary. LXY comes back and starts lashing out at SL.
LXY: “If it weren’t for you saying you could cure Black2, we would’ve given up on him long ago and been on our way. If you’re delay causes us to fall into danger, I’ll be the first to kill you!”
SL doesn’t say anything, just watches her.
4066 Black2 is done vomiting and Black1 helps him up.
LXY looks like she’s seen a ghost, “How are you standing?”
All of Black squad is looking at LXY with complicated expressions. They all heard her say “If it weren’t for you saying you could cure Black2, we would’ve given up on him long ago and been on our way.” They all feel pain in their chests. Black2 wasn’t dead yet and she’d already given up on him. What will happen in the future when one of them are wounded? Will she give up just as easily?
Black2 looks at her coldly, “I didn’t die, you don’t seem very happy.”
All of Black squad is glaring at her.
NL: “Let’s go.”
Everyone drops it and gets ready to move, including SL.
LXY looks at SL, “Let’s dump her.”
SL helplessly looks at her, this woman really likes getting in her way.
LXY: “Our worst is at 8 star Deity. She’s not fast enough. She’ll be a burden. We should dump her.”
Black2 gives SL a look, “I’m not at peak condition. I’ll also be burdening everyone. Do you also want to dump me as well?”
LXY is exasperated, how dare this kid talk back to her.
Black2 turns towards NL, “Lt. Col., bring her. Our lives will be more secure. This Black2 suggests bringing her.”
The other members all jump in with the same opinion. LXY is angry and confused.
4067 Everyone turns to NL for his opinion. NL notes SL’s trembling fist as she waits.
NL coldly, “Bring her for now.”
LXY is optimistic and thinks SL can be abandoned later, so she’s pleased. SL is relieved, as long as she can keep up, she won’t let NL dump her. SL is a bit depressed at how coldly he said those words.
Everyone sets off. Black1 is the pathfinder. Black3 is at the rear hiding their tracks. They move very quickly, a normal 3 star Deity absolutely would not be able to keep up. SL is fusing her space and fire magic and using teleportation to keep up. Of the 108 cycles of the fire & space fusion, SL is at the 30th cycle. SL may be at 3 star Deity but her speed is at 8 star Deity level. LXY has been watching SL the entire time, SL is lagging behind but she’s able to keep up. LXY furious and wants to smack her flying.
After three hours, NL frowns, “They’ve caught up.”
Black squad is surprised, so fast?
NL coldly asks LXY: “What’s going on?”
According to NL’s calculations, they should’ve had at least another hour.
LXY looks down in shame. LXY fled at the first sight of the enemy. If she had taken a risk, she could’ve delayed them for another hour. LXY admits she did not lead the Blood Edge squad very far. Black3 is furious and condemns her.
4068 LXY should’ve known better. With NL’s calculating abilities, of course he would notice. They all look to NL for what to do. Black1 returns from the front and reports that 500 miles ahead is the entrance to the Devil’s Forest. Black1 had already received orders to scout ahead from NL. It’s clear NL already anticipated LXY’s failure. NL orders them in. LXY protests because of the danger.
Black1 smiles coldly at her, “Who do we have to thank for entering the Devil’s Forest?”
LXY shuts up.
Blood Edge is catching up fast and notices very quickly they’re heading for Devil’s Forest. They’ve received orders not to enter Devil’s Forest because of how dangerous it is. They ask their leader if they should enter. The leader asks if the Twelve Paladin Artifacts are more important, or their own lives. They answer the Artifacts, and charge forth. Blood Edge quickly catches up to Black squad and they look to NL for orders.
NL: “Follow you’re established routes, Black1 you lead.”
4069 Normally LXY would be in charge, but NL has bypassed the chain of command.
LXY has no face left, she begs, “Lt. Col., allow me to remain and aid you.”
SL: “I too wish to remain. I can help you. I can use poisons and I have bombs.”
NL looks at SL, then looks at LXY and tells SL to stay.
LXY is triumphant. SL’s knuckles become white. Black2 tugs on SL’s sleeve, urging her to come with them and not be a burden.
SL to herself, a burden, I’m a burden?!
SL reluctantly smiles at NL, “I’ll wait ahead for you. Return quickly. Don’t make me wait too long or I will be angry.”
SL leaves quickly, as if she were trying to hide tears from him. NL feels uneasy watching her retreating back. He can only attribute it to him being unwell and needing to recover.
LXY mocks and laughs at SL after she’s gone, “Or you’ll be angry. Who do you think you are? Who cares whether you’ll be angry or not.”
NL just stares at her coldly. LXY feels like her body is slowly becoming entrapped in ice.
Black2 offers to carry SL, they can tell she’s fast but struggling. SL declines. They all saw how she was rejected by the Lt. Col. They know she’s down and are wondering how to cheer her up. Black2 tries to let her down gently saying NL has always been cold and indifferent to everyone. SL then realizes, she’s been away from NL for decades now, but these people have accompanied him all this time. SL asks if NL is indifferent to everyone in the family?
4070 Black2: “Of course.”
SL innocently, “Are there a lot of women who like the Lt. Col.?”
Black2 is caught off guard but feels it would be impolite not to answer. “There are no women who meet the Lt. Col who do not like him. The number cannot be counted on one’s fingers.”
SL is speechless, she almost stamps her foot, how could you?! Black2 advises her to give it up.
SL refuses, “He’s destined to be mine.”
They all look at her stunned. Just what kind of person is the Lt. Col., no one will yield him to another. They can hear the buzzing of Demonic Giant Shadow Mosquitoes coming. Everyone runs but the mosquitoes follow. Black1 tries to direct the squad in another direction but SL stops and starts gathering herbs instead. They do not notice immediately that they’ve left SL behind. They realize they are trapped by the mosquitoes from all directions and so return to SL. They berate her, but surround her to protect her.
4071 Black squad protects SL and hope NL comes back soon. SL ignores everything, she’s making a Demonic Shadow Drug. Black squad fights on. Black8 is poisoned. Black7 is next. SL finishes and forces a dose down Black8’s throat. Black8 is completely dizzy from the poison. The mosquitoes that drink his blood soon stop, spit it out, and begin to attack the other squad members. The others saw what happened and don’t question SL, they rush up and each take a dose. SL does not forget to give herself one as well. The mosquitoes start to cry, “Wah, Wah.” They’re helpless to do anything, the blood of the humans are now all poisonous.
4072 The mosquitoes are led away by their leader in a huff. Black squad praises SL. SL informs them what the medicine is, do they recognize it? It came from her master’s notes. They say they’ve never heard of it. The medicine makes them less afraid of the forest. SL asks if the mosquitoes will have any effect on Blood Edge squad. Black2 says they will. SL nods, disappears for a moment, then reappears pleased with herself. Black2 asked what she did, but she only raises a finger to her lips in a gesture of secrecy. NL and LXY come back. LXY sees the mosquito bodies and asks how the squad is not dead yet. Black2 praises and points out SL.
LXY mockingly asks, “Just her?”
Black2 proudly confirms.
4073 LXY doesn’t believe it. SL is in the middle of refining a pill. SL finishes and gives each member of Black squad a pink pill.
SL: “This will expel the poison from your body. Eat it like candy. It has a strawberry flavor.”
They believe her and eat it up. LXY screams that SL is possibly a spy, how can they dare to eat it.
Black2 fakes a laugh, “Would a spy save my life twice. Officer Lin, that’s not funny.”
NL looks at SL thoughtfully. SL asks about them being gone for so long, they should’ve been able to delay Blood Edge for quite some time. LXY takes this time to mock SL about how NL chose her and how SL wouldn’t have been able to do anything even if she came.
SL looks at NL, gritting her teeth: “Is that so?”
SL looks reproachfully at NL.
NL frowns, “5 minutes to eat, then we hit the road.”
SL grits her teeth, glares at NL blamefully, then turns around and sulkily sits with her depressed back to him. SL knows she’s being too emotional and impatient. However, the thought of how much he used to spoil her compared to now is unsettling.
LXY smiles to see SL so deflated. She gently speaks to NL and offers him some meat. SL has already setup a grill and is barbecuing some meat. She’s using Red Lotus and her Spirit Water. Black squad compliments the smell. SL generously gives each member an entire chicken. More compliments, this time on the taste. LXY looks over doubtfully, she sees how lively it is over there compared to how cold and desolate it is with just her and NL.
4074 NL can tell SL is doing it this way because she’s mad at him. But NL’s thoughts are, are we even familiar with each other? He thinks SL is just trying to get his attention. NL little bit of goodwill towards her vanishes when he realizes she’s just like all those other women who want his attention. NL ignores her and gracefully eats his meal. LXY notices SL putting an egg like ball in the ashes of the fire. LXY is happy to have something to accuse SL of. She goes up and grabs SL’s hand, and again accuses her of being a spy. Black1 grabs LXY’s hand and tells her to let go. The other Black squad members tell her to let go of SL. LXY mocks them for defending SL.
SL looks at her slyly, “Before even proving my guilt, you already want to sentence me to death?”
SL looks at her previously white as jade arm, it’s now purple. LXY let’s go, uncovers the egg and says SL poisoned the chickens. Black squad is uncertain but back SL.
4075 They say they believe her because NL hasn’t done anything. If SL were a spy, NL would’ve taken care of her already. LXY cracks the egg open and mosquitoes pop out and try and drink LXY’s blood. LXY and NL have not drunk the medicine before. NL’s aura scares them so they can only attack LXY. LXY gets bitten multiple times. SL watches and only intervenes when NL is about to move. SL will not let NL save LXY, only she is allowed to save LXY. LXY is delirious and accepts the medicine without resistance. The mosquitoes leave her alone and then try to flee, but SL traps them in another egg. Black2 recognizes it as a Space Egg, similar to a spatial bag but more difficult to make and more fragile. LXY accuses SL of trapping her.
SL: “You take yourself too seriously, Major Lin.”
LXY: “What does that mean?”
4076 SL explains it was a trap meant for Blood Edge, it had a one hour timer on it. SL shrugs helplessly. Everyone is silent. Everyone looks at LXY. LXY thinks to herself, what, am I the villain now? She accuses SL of lying. SL asks LXY to please use what little brains you have to explain why I would use mosquitoes when I had just saved Black Squad from mosquitoes. LXY accuses SL of framing her and somehow poisoning everyone.
LXY turns to NL, “You believe me right?”
SL stares unblinkingly at NL.
NL looks upon LXY disdainfully, “Stupid people lay blame on the plots of others.”
NL leaves. LXY is stunned, he called me stupid?
SL thinks to herself, figures he would know everything. Everyone leaves, they know SL has left a trap behind to buy them more time.
SL is suddenly grabbed by a vine and dragged away. She can’t teleport away. NL disappears and reappears next to her and rips the vine to shreds.
4077 SL loses her balance and NL grabs her and places her on the ground correctly. Black2 is concerned but SL says she’s fine. NL is glaring at Black2’s hand which is on SL’s shoulder. Why does he find that hand so offensive? Black2 tells SL to stay between him and Black1, they’ll keep her safe.
NL: “Are your injuries alright?”
Black2 brags about how great SL is and says he’s about 70-80% well.
NL: “Go to the rear.”
Black2: “Huh?”
NL is mad, “Do you need me to send you an invitation?”
Black2 is confused but obeys. Black1 can tell NL is mad, he doesn’t know why, but it’s got something to do with SL. Black1 apologetically smiles and pats his own head, “I’m going to scout ahead.”
SL frowns at NL, “What are you doing?”
NL stares at SL, he’s shocked and terrified of himself. What is he doing?
NL, looks at her coldly, “If you drag down the team again, well you know the consequences.”
NL leaves. SL has a sly mischievous smile. SL watches his retreating back as he moves to the front, her hands on her hips. Although he’s cold and indifferent, fierce and mean, and doesn’t have a single nice word to say to her, his unconscious reactions are the most honest. SL’s mood becomes much better and she’s now cheerfully walking through the forest as if it were a playground. SL being happy makes LXY very unhappy, she fiercely pushes SL with her shoulder. SL staggers and her head hits NL’s back.
4078 SL’s nose hurts, she holds onto NL’s waist to keep her balance.
Black2 shouts at LXY, “Why did you shove SL? Don’t you know she’s fragile? Did she push you first?”
Black1 & 2 go to SL, “Are you ok?”
That’s when they realize SL is grabbing NL, the neat freak who doesn’t let others touch him, by the waist. NL is frozen stiff. NL touches SL’s tight grip on him. With one wave, he can send her flying. He notices how soft and delicate, how smooth and silk like her hands are, his heartbeat quickens. It’s that weird feeling again! Everyone is watching as NL is frozen.
SL notices everyone’s gaze. She pushes hard away from NL and straightens her clothes with an embarrassed cough. They’re shocked. NL didn’t push her away, she pushed him away so hard he lost his balance. NL didn’t do anything, he let her do all of this.
Black2 thinks NL is going to beat SL to death for this. Black1 is ready to protect SL from NL. NL just staggers forward two steps, then he slowly turns around and glares at SL.
SL hurriedly waves her hand, “I didn’t want to push you, I’m a victim too, look at my nose, it’s all red!”
SL thinks Black2 is too great, his shout made it known that this was all LXY’s fault. NL continues to coldly look at SL. Anyone else would be reduced to a crying state, but SL just smiles at him and has a silly laugh. NL frowns, he’s decided he’s not going to argue with this silly girl.
NL: “If you don’t want to die, then let’s go.”
NL marches to the front. LXY glares at SL, and rushes up to NL’s right side. If she hadn’t pushed SL, SL never would’ve had the chance to embrace NL.
NL gives LXY a cold look, “Fool!”
NL walks faster and leaves her behind. He absentmindedly recalls that scene over and over again, his nose is still filled with that fresh and elegant smell.
4079 That familiar gentle sensation on his back, it intoxicates him, it causes him to become fretful. The always cold and emotionless NL is at a loss as to how to handle all these emotions. He turns and viciously glares at SL. SL happens to be speaking with Black2 when she feels his gaze and unconsciously looks up. Their eyes meet. SL’s breaks out into an enormous smile, she assaults him with her most brilliant smile, her little white tiger fangs flash and dazzle him. NL’s face becomes darker and his glare becomes fiercer. SL fights back with an even more luminescent smile. NL ignores SL, turns ahead and marches forward, his great strides meteor like. Black2 got to see all of this and is dumbfounded. The Lt. Col. is always so calm, like a mountain. However, when he looks at SL, he shows emotion, he’s angry, irritable, mean…this is strange.
Black2: “SL, don’t you think the Lt. Col. treats you differently from everyone else?”
SL: “You only noticed now? Your powers of observation are lacking.”
Black2: “Hey girl, can’t your face be a little thinner?”
SL: “Young man, don’t you know, a man chasing a woman is like lifting a mountain, a woman chasing a man is like spinning yarn.” [I think the the lifting mountain, and spinning yarn almost rhyme in chinese]
Black2: “Then you chasing our leader is like you crossing the La Ya Mountains.”
SL just smiles and doesn’t speak. To others, NL is a as cold as a god, but to SL, he’s just a mortal. Although she is currently being wronged, and the road will be winding, she believes the future will be bright. Everyone can hear their conversation.
LXY speaks in a low voice to NL, “Do you want to discipline her?”
LXY makes an across the neck gesture.
NL glares at her, “You dare!”
LXY is terrified and freezes. Isn’t he against SL? LXY starts to feel like something is squeezing down on her chest, it’s difficult to breathe.
4080 NL moves faster. If before he had heard a woman wanted to possess him, he would’ve been disgusted and thought she and her family will not have a good end. However, when he hears SL taking things for granted, he finds himself not angry. Not only is he not angry, on the contrary, he’s secretly nourishing a guilty sense of pleasure. The hell with this guilty pleasure, he definitely doesn’t feel any!
Blood Edge squad is not having a good time, first they were delayed by NL’s brilliance, then they ran into SL’s tricky trap. They haven’t even caught site of their quarry yet and they’ve already lost four members. They’re down to 11. Blood Edge is furious and redoubles their efforts, they recklessly charge forward. NL can sense them closing in. He orders everyone into the Black Miasma Forest, he will stay behind to delay Blood Edge. They object.
NL: “If there are no problems, I’ll catch up to you in 15 minutes.” They ask to replace him, but none can take his place. LXY tries to join him again.
NL: “Advanced Level Apothecary?”
LXY blushes.
NL: “That’s not good enough, not useful.”
LXY’s face is red from shame. She intends to train hard as an Apothecary when she gets back.
4081 NL looks at SL’s eager eyes, “A three star Deity isn’t good enough.”
Right as he says this, SL promotes. Everyone else is surprised. NL’s eyes show not a hint of surprise.
NL frowns, “Still not good enough.”
SL promotes again. Black squad worships SL. NL is looking at SL with a mystified expression. Such a thing is possible?
SL triumphantly laughs at NL and she proudly says, “You’re not allowed to not bring me. Heaven wills it! Defying heaven will bring about a disaster.”
NL is stunned, this is the first time he’s felt what it’s like to be speechless.
NL: “Let’s go.”
NL shows the others down a path. SL tells him to wait, she dumps a heap of pills on Black1 & 2. She gives them a large number of half step Imperial level pills, blood clotting pills, body strength pills, spirit power pills, anti-miasma pills.
SL happily waves goodbye, “You guys take care now, we’ll meet again.”
SL doesn’t see where she’s going as she walks backwards, she nearly falls into a pit, but NL grabs her and plants her back in her original position. A cold humph comes from his mouth. SL & NL disappear into the trees.
Black1 &2 recover after NL’s cold aura is no longer present, they’re in shock at how many half step Imperial pills there are. If they survive the forest, they want to thank SL later.
4082 LXY is jealous. She commands that they go on. Black squad objects, NL put Black1 in charge. LXY curses them. They just stare at her and then walk away. LXY inwardly wants to chase after NL.
Black1 sneers at her, “Blood Edge will catch up soon, if you think you can reach the leader before then, and can convince him to abandon SL to save you. You go ahead.”
LXY becomes pale when reality smacks her. They all proceed into the forest.
SL is now 5 star Deity, she’s much faster now. She’s confident she can now outrun Black1. However, she still can’t keep up with NL. NL appears to be taking a peaceful graceful stroll. SL is panting from teleporting so much. They continue like this for three days. Whenever she’s tired, she’s stuffs down a body strength pill, whenever her spirit power is depleted, she swallows a spirit power pill. When she can’t teleport she runs with her legs. A total of 9 days pass. SL is exhausted, no rest, no food, no sleep, just run, run, run. SL is stumbling and almost delirious. NL mouth purses slightly and he has a complicated look in his eyes when he sees SL’s state.
4083 He didn’t think SL could keep up. He knows how hard this is. Rushing like this for nine days, this is at War God Camp, Elite Training standards. This is something the great masters can only maintain for one or two days, and they’re all Nine Star Deities or above. But this little girl of a Five Star Deity, with her mind all but gone, is able to keep gritting her teeth and persist. If he didn’t stop, he’s afraid she would’ve run herself to death. NL starts to pity her. He’s brightening up to her. He thought she was just a little smart from what she did before, but now he’s shocked.
SL jogs past him, he grabs her, she collapses immediately and he catches and holds her. SL falls into his chest and circles her arms around his waist, “Nangong…” Her voice has a bit of pride, grief, affection, pain, many different emotions all whispered into those two syllables. NL is always neat and clean so when he’s helping the sweaty SL stand upright, he feels the urge to push her away. However, those two syllables burst through his ears and sends his mind tumbling. Why does it sound so familiar? It’s so similar to the girl in his dreams dressed in goose-yellow. NL holds SL, unmoving. He frowns. He watches her as she rests her head on his chest, breathing deeply. It really does seem like she’s exhausted. NL hand slowly, slowly, moves bit by bit towards her head. He places his palm down on her head. Her soft hair is so familiar. How can it be familiar? He just met her! NL is a bit confused.
NL is not trying to leave Blood Edge behind. If Blood Edge loses track of him, they’ll go after Black squad. He carries SL on his back and moves on. The Spirit World’s Nangong 2nd Young Master, this is his first memory of carrying a girl on his back. In the past, Ning3 would also ask him to carry her on his back, but… NL expels Ning3’s image from his mind and quickly leaves with SL.
It’s next morning when SL awakens. NL’s senses are sharp, as soon as he notices, he reflexively drops her on the ground. The proud NL threw SL on the ground. Thankfully, the grass is tall and soft so it didn’t hurt too much. She was half asleep, and is now entirely awake.
4084 SL opens her sleepy eyes, she’s in a bit of pain. She asks what happened. NL doesn’t answer and doesn’t seem to want to look at her. No matter what happens, she’s sure she would not just lay down and sleep in the grass. She tries to recall what happened, she was running, then someone held her, then she fainted?
When NL sees her not asking any more questions, he mockingly says, “You fell while sleeping in a tree, is it such a glorious thing?”
SL lifts her head and sees an old tree nearby, her mouth thins, she doesn’t quite believe it. But if that’s his answer, she’s unable to refute him. All of a sudden, he pulls her into his arms. She’s stunned, what’s going on, is he suddently being nice to her again? Just as suddenly, he pushes her away. Now she’s really confused. She follows his gaze and sees a dead 7 colored python on the branch of the tree. A 9 star deity, it was targeting her. SL thanks NL. It’s difficult for her to say. Before, he had told her between the two of them, she would never need thank him, but now they’re strangers. NL coldly snorts at her thanks, and he tells her he doesn’t like it when others thank him.
“Why?”
“Because they’re trying to fool or manipulate me.”
SL realizes he had once said this before, it looks like the two NL’s are the same.
NL: “We’re having snake stew today, you cook.”
SL: “Aren’t we running?”
NL: “We’ve gone too far. We’ll rest one day.”
SL wonders if he’s being too arrogant, he’s being chased by over 10 people of equivalent strength. Her skill in cooking need not be mentioned, she uses spirit water and her Red Lotus to cook the snake. While it’s cooking, she finds a private place to bathe with the Spirit Water and changes into a clean and comfortable goose-yellow dress.
4085 SL finishes her grooming, her white skin is a touch pink. With the goose-yellow dress and her own outstanding looks, she looks like a beautiful elf lost in the woods. When NL comes back and sees that familiar yellow, all the blood rushes to his head. He walks up to her and seizes her hand, turning her towards him. The two stare deeply into each other’s eyes. She admires his features.
NL then pushes her away and arrogantly says, “Change the dress!”
SL’s shocked awake, “Why?”
NL coldly: “You think it’s good looking?”
It irritates him that the beautiful figure in his dream and SL are overlapping.
SL is not that easy to dismiss, “That’s right, I do think it’s good looking.”
NL: “Are you changing or not?”
SL’s intuition tells her that the goose-yellow dress is a special memory to him. It’s very difficult for her to break is glacier like calm, how could she give this up now? She quickly runs past him, saying she needs to tend to the snake stew. NL is incredulous, ever since he was young, no one had ever defied one of his orders, never! This is a new experience. SL virtuously serves him some snake stew. NL drinks the soup, but coldly stares at her yellow dress. SL feels uncomfortable from the stare but continues to ladle out more servings of the soup. He doesn’t refuse, he keeps drinking and staring at her yellow dress.
SL: “…What is it with you and the goose-yellow dress?”
NL coldly: “Change it.”
SL proudly lifts her chin: “And if I don’t?”
NL suddenly stops.
SL puts her hands on her hips, head held high, looks NL in the eyes, and loudly announces, “I’m not only going to wear goose-yellow today. Tomorrow I’ll wear goose-yellow. From now on, everyday, everyday, every single day I will wear goose-yellow.”
NL just looks at her, not even a little miss of one of the four great families would be this courageous.
NL finally drops it, he proudly says, “Whatever!” and turns away.
SL: “Ah, wait for me, wait for me!”
She tosses everything into her space and quickly runs after him.
4086 SL is curious about NL’s odd behavior regarding the goose-yellow dress.
She runs up to his side and asks, “Why do you hate the goose-yellow dress so much?”
He ignores her.
“Or maybe the person you like prefers goose-yellow dresses?”
Ignore.
“Or maybe you’re afraid of liking me, so you want me to change?”
Ignore.
She keeps asking questions and he keeps ignore her. She finds the experience both frustrating and novel. She’s really curious and continues to chatter while they travel. If this were LXY, he would’ve scolded her quite harshly for being a fool. With SL, he ignores her, but doesn’t do anything else. Finally, SL says she’s tired and sits on a rock to drink some water. NL also stops.
“Hey, you actually stopped. Doesn’t this mean you don’t hate me?”
“You think too much.”
He’s speaking in a cold manner but she thinks his attitude is improving. She inwardly gives herself a victory gesture. She recalls how the past few hundred years, it’s been NL who’s been chasing after her, spoiling her. Now it’s her turn. SL doesn’t mind.
NL is keeping watch over the area while listening to her. SL proudly declares to him she will bind him to her. NL looks at her like she’s an idiot, but he feels like his heart is missing something. Normally he’s confident no one could acquire him, but he’s starting to lose a bit of that confidence. As he’s talking with SL, he observes there are six potential threats in the area. These magic beasts are all 2 star Grand Completion. NL is confident in handling them all simultaneously within 3 minutes, but he’s not confident in keeping SL alive during those three minutes.
4087 He shakes his head at the thought of her dying. He decides to kill the beasts one by one. In the wake of SL’s chattering, a young Horned Fire Dragon follows them. SL is completely unaware and has her hands on her hips while talking to him. He suddenly tugs her behind him and kills the dragon within three seconds. SL wonders how this happened. NL explains it was following her voice. She becomes unhappy when she realizes why he let her keep chattering. He notices and asks if she’s unhappy. SL says no, but she feels useless and of no help.
NL: “You can be bait.”
SL gives him a dirty look. Being qualified only as bait is exactly why she’s unhappy!
NL: “You being bait is already considered being useful.”
She drops her head and clenches her hands. NL feels the urge to comfort her, he wants to rub her little head and say, don’t be unhappy, I’m here.
How could he have such impulses? He rubs his temples in irritation. SL raises her head just in time to see the odd expressions on his face and steps forward to inquire. NL is afraid she will further affect his mood, and tells her not to come near.
SL: “O…”
She looks at him with aggrieved eyes.
NL: “Enough, let’s go.”
He’s trying to guard against her affecting his emotions so he pushes her away, but seeing her pitiful appearance after doing so also affects his emotions. Nangong Liuyun, just what is wrong with you!
SL appears weak to the beasts and NL is deliberately hiding his aura. SL is the bait, NL kills them. The beasts do not sense any great threat and approach one by one and are eliminated one by one.
4088 SL is excited as she watches the last great beast fall: “Are there more, are there more?”
NL grumpily looks at her, “Haven’t had enough?”
Although he is here, being the bait is still dangerous, one false move and she will die without a burial.
SL, with shining earnest eyes, “I trust you.”
They stare into each other’s eyes for a moment. NL breaks off first, coughs, and brings a fist to the side of his lips to cover his embarrassment.
SL triumphantly smiles, “Nangong Liuyun, you’re embarrassed!”
“Who’s embarrassed!”
He’s the dignified NL. He has seen myriad flowers, not so much as a leaf has stuck to his body. How could one little girl cause him to become embarrassed. Humph!
SL drops her hands to her hips and looks up at him, “You see, your ears are all red, and you still say you’re not embarrassed.”
SL reaches out and pinches his earlobe.
NL is too fast and grabs her hand, “How can your face be so thick?”
SL calmly: “Only towards you alone is my face so thick.”
NL can’t stand it anymore, he stares at her for a moment, then turns and leaves.
SL: “Hey, Nangong Liuyun, wait for me, don’t go so fast, I can’t keep up. Hey, Nangong Liuyun, look, your ears really are red, I’m not lying. Hey, Nangong Liuyun…”
NL is proud and aloof and no matter what strangers say or do, they cannot get close to him. But towards SL, no matter how he treats her, she says what she wants and does what she wants. NL suddenly stops and SL runs into his back. SL knows something is up and tries to ask, when he grabs her and takes them both to hide flat within bush. Her mouth thins to show him she understands the need to be quiet.
A great beast nears, SL recognizes it from her studies, it’s a Blue Eyed Snowflake Lion Leopard Beast, the most terrifying beast of the Devil’s Forest. SL can tell it’s roughly comparable to NL, possibly stronger. She stares at NL. He notices and helplessly looks back. She acts cute and sticks her tongue out at him. He turns his head back and realizes he really can’t handle this girl. The beast lies to rest near a tree trunk.
4089 They wait an hour. SL finally pokes NL. He ignores her. Poke. Ignore. Poke. He helplessly turns towards her.
SL soundlessly asks, “What’s it doing?”
NL grumpily but also soundlessly responds, “What do you think?”
SL: “Sleeping?”
NL looks her like she’s an idiot. She thinks about it, but can’t figure it out, she pokes him again. He gives her a serious look. SL responds with an innocent and confused expression.
NL’s head hurts, takes a deep breath, he soundlessly asks, “Aren’t you an apothecary, can’t you use your brain and eyes?”
SL: “Too long, couldn’t understand.”
NL: “…”
She pesters him some more before he feels the urge to rub her head to make her smarter, “Because it’s having a baby.”
SL is shocked and starts blabbering out questions. NL flicks her forehead. It hurts. The beasts seems to sense something and expands its aura to look around. NL resists its aura just fine but SL begins to feel pain. NL places one hand on her back and another over her belly to protects her with his own aura, however, the conflict between the two auras inside her is an incredibly warm and comfortable feeling, she almost cries out. NL is almost scared by SL. This beast is so powerful, he’s sure to be overwhelmed by it, never mind taking care of this little girl. Both his hands are occupied fighting the beast’s aura inside her body so he ruthlessly shuts her lips with his own. The moment he touches her lips, SL’s mind feels like it’s exploding and she opens her eyes to look at NL.
When he touches her lips, he…
4090 His mind goes blank. So soft, so warm, so familiar, it’s like a tide washing over his head. He instinctively ravages her lips. NL draws all the breath from SL. The beast returns to its position and continues to be in labor. NL eventually comes to and breaks away. However a thin transparent trail is left hanging, connecting their lips, like a thread of silk. NL quickly turns away.
SL is quite dizzy.
Amnesiac NL kissed her.
Amnesiac NL proactively kissed her.
Amnesiac NL proactively kissed her and then shyly turned away?
Because he turned away, she has a clear view of his red ears. NL is so strong, all but omnipotent, but he can’t control the color of his ears? SL has recovered and is now looking upon NL with a playful expression a cat might give to a mouse. NL turns back and glares at her. SL just grows more amused.
NL: “Keep laughing and I won’t help you manage the spirit energy!”
SL points out the beast has already gone back to giving birth. The always so intelligent NL realizes the beast has stopped emitting its aura and he no longer needs to touch SL’s belly and back. NL quickly takes his hands back but SL isn’t about to let him go. They’re hiding under a bush, he has nowhere to run.
She leans into him, scoots over closer and closer with a teasing smile “You’re sure that wasn’t on purpose?”
NL turns away, he has decided he’s going to ignore this troublesome little girl. SL touches his cheek to turn him back to face her. He wouldn’t otherwise be able to see her lips when she mouths what she wants to say. NL angrily glares at the hand holding his face. This is the first time a girl has touched his face with her hand. If it were anyone else, he would’ve chopped them to pieces. But he can only helplessly glare at her angrily.
SL places her entire body into his chest and between his arms.
NL: “Eh…” His Adam’s apple bobs.
The beast hears and glares around.
NL: “…”
SL roguishly laughs, “Even if you shout until your throat goes hoarse, no one will hear you.”
NL: “…”
The contradiction of such outrageous speech and roguish behavior from such an extraordinarily transcendent goddess leaves him helplessly unable to do anything.
SL has broken NL’s rhythm and now seeks the initiative, “Now that we’re level again, let’s get back to the previous topic.”
NL puzzled: “What?”
4091 SL: “Say, did you do that on purpose?”
NL pretending to be disdainful turns his head, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
SL quickly drags his face back towards her. With NL’s strength, even if SL used 100% of her power, she would not be able to force him if he didn’t want to.
SL smiles: “You still dare to deny it. Hey, hey. When the beast came over, you didn’t take me to run, but instead you had us hide. Speak, weren’t you trying to create an opportunity to get closer to me?”
NL is staring at SL, the beast is still there, he would have to fight, he cannot run!
“Also, just now you kissed me, you kissed me of your initiative.” SL proudly raises her chin, “You tell me, didn’t you deliberately plan this all out?”
NL: “…”
NL feels that it was all subconsciously done, it was as if there’s a ghost inside him making him do it! Just then, a dangerous force targets SL. NL whirls about to cover her, his back to the origin. The beast has found them!
NL tells SL who’s underneath him, “Don’t run about.”
SL assures him she won’t. Instead of running, she scrambles up a tree and hides in the foliage. Better than nothing, NL wryly smiles while shaking his head. He quickly helps cover her further with a masking enchantment before turning towards the beast. Both NL and the Beast are going all out. The beast is a 4 star Grand Completion. NL is three star. SL can only watch and wish she were stronger. SL sees a flash of red.
4092 NL’s back has a bloody wound. SL doesn’t recall him getting injured during the fight. It was when NL was protecting her from the initial attack. SL is rather distressed and hates the beast. NL is trying to create a situation to leave but the beast just keeps on aggressively attacking. NL exposes himself on purpose and takes another grievous wound but is able to kick the beast away. The beast is in pain but is busy protecting its womb. NL takes this opportunity to grab SL and flee while carrying her. SL demands he let her go, concerned for his wounds.
NL: “Shut up!”
His expression shows no pain but he’s very pale.
SL: “But you’re wound…”
NL calmly says, “You not moving or speaking would be of greatest aid to me now.”
SL no longer speaks, wishing not to distract him.
4093 SL: “This is an Imperial level Blood Coagulation pill, take one.”
SL shoves the last of her master’s pills into NL’s mouth. They continue to flee. SL hates herself for not being able to do something as simple as running. NL stops and puts her down.
“We can’t run any further. You run first. Move quickly. No matter what, don’t look back.”
SL tries to reach for his hand, she’s terrified of the decisive look in his eyes. He pushes her away.
“I’m going to lead Blood Edge away. You remember, run!”
He leaves. She runs, at least for a little while before stopping. SL is determined to help. She starts circling around until she finds the beast again, maybe she can use it. NL has been surrounded by Blood Edge. SL discovers this and sneaks away. The infant beast is born smoothly. SL inwardly apologizes and snatches the cub. The mother beast takes a moment to discover it’s missing before going mad with rage. SL quickly runs away.
4094 The mother beast is right behind her. SL aims for the dragon bearded man who’s suppressing NL, “Boss, caught the beast, quick, catch it!”
This is the leader of Blood Edge. SL throws the cub over to him. Blood Edge’s leader is at a loss. Who is this pretty girl? And what is this newborn cub, still wet from birth? Still, these types of beasts are worth a lot of money and can be trained to be quite strong. He’s pleased and catches it. Just at this moment, the mother beast leaps over SL for Blood Edge’s leader. Dragon beard now understands he’s been fooled. The other members of Blood Edge mercilessly attack SL. NL is able to break free. Blood Edge’s leader is battling ferociously with the mother beast. The mother beast is furious at having it’s child stolen. Dragon beard is so angry he almost vomits blood but is helpless. He will remember this pretty girl. It’s just like they say, the prettier the girl, the less reliable!
Dragon beard: “Nangong Liuyun has been hit by my 18 Blades. They’re poisoned. He can’t get far. Five people split off, chase and kill him.”
The leader of Blood Edge keeps the mother beast busy. Blood1, 3, 5, 7, 9 split off to chase. They ignore the girl, she’s so weak, anyone of them could send her flying with one blow. SL doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
4095 There’s nothing SL can do. NL is once again carrying her and she doesn’t want to distract him. With one hand wrapped around his neck, the other grabs a half step imperial pill, she’s out of Imperial level. She starts shoving pills into his mouth but finds his consciousness is gradually slipping. She takes his pulse and tells him he’s poisoned. He grunts. She tells him he needs immediate treatment. NL responds that will lead to death. She talks about creating a distraction but he shoots that down. They decide carrying on as they are will buy her time to make a pill for him, half an hour. She’ll need to create an Imperial level antidote in her space because her failure rate is so high, she’ll need ten attempts. He’s not confident in the plan but does it anyway. SL makes many attempts, over ten and they’re all failures. SL considers that Blood Edge might capture NL and give him the antidote then so they can use him as a hostage but she won’t allow that to happen.
4096 She finally succeeds. NL is not looking well but his running speed is being maintained. She gets him to swallow it. They both know he needs to sit down and cultivate to process the pill. With Blood Edge giving chase, they’ll need a distraction. NL tells her there’s a powerful magic beast nearby and that she can borrow its strength. He vomits blood. SL climbs down from him. NL leans on SL’s shoulder. She leads him towards the beast. Blood Edge reaches their previous position and tests NL’s blood on the ground. They smile, confirming he’s poisoned. There are two possible paths. They take out a blood butterfly which sucks up the blood on the ground and then leads them in the correct direction. The butterfly loves this type of poison so they’re confident in tracking NL. SL continues to teleport with NL, leaving a poison trap behind after each teleport, hoping to delay their pursuers. It works. Blood9 steps on a bomb and is half blown to pieces. Blood Edge learns to fear.
4097 Blood Edge slows down as because of the traps. As a result when SL reaches the magic beast, they still haven’t caught up. SL sees that it’s a Jade Faced White Cloud Tiger. They look into each other’s eyes. NL mumbles that it’s a 5 star Grand Completion. SL’s legs go soft. She starts to backup. The tiger approaches. SL starts talking about how it can’t eat her, her big brother is coming! The tiger licks its’ lips.
“My big brothers are strong! If you dare eat me, they definitely won’t let you go”
The tiger slyly smiles at her, it’s been so many years, no one has ever threatened it before. SL throws more threats at it while backing up into a tree.
“You see, here are my brothers now.”
The tiger sees 5 people coming.
“Big brother, help me! The tiger’s going to eat me!”
SL takes NL into the trees.
The tiger looks dismissively at her, so to eat you I have to kill them first? It regally strides towards the five. Blood edge is shocked at the tiger. They try to reason with it but it doesn’t respond, instead it charges at their weakest member. Blood9 was already the weakest, he was injured by SL’s trap. There’s a bang and Blood9 is in the tiger’s mouth. Blood1, 3, 5, and 7 scream, “No!”
4098 The tiger spits out Blood9 after chomping him in half. Because of SL’s poisons running through his body, his taste and smell are unpleasant, entirely unsuitable for the noble and elegant Tiger.
“No sincerity.”
This provokes Blood Edge and they fight with the tiger. They have no time to spare for SL and NL who slip away during the fighting. After moving some distance away, SL carefully observes NL, who’s having a seizure and vomits out black blood. SL takes his pulse then tells him he needs to cough out seven mouthfuls of black blood before he’s cured. He’s on the second but it will take a while. NL tiredly leans on a tree trunk while watching her. He’s always thought of her as a troublesome girl, a burden, but since this last trip, he’s changed his opinion of her. She’s not strong enough, but she knows how to use her head, she also looks great. She’s able to make her enemies want to cry, but no tears will come out. She first abducted the Leopard cub to aid him, then she refined an Imperial level pill to aid him with the poison, then she set an poison trap to delay the enemy, and she was able to borrow a knife to kill regarding the tiger. NL has always felt that no one could keep up with his thinking, but this girl is able.
SL: “Why are you looking at me like that? Are there flowers on my face?”
She was feeling slightly uncomfortable under his gaze. NL laughs and smiles. SL is entranced at how beautiful he is. The smile gives her the illusion that things are normal again.
NL, with a trace of approval, “You’re not bad.”
“Why is it not bad? Why not very good?”
4099 NL grumpily glances at her, “Don’t you have spirit pets?”
“I do. I have two, but they aren’t able to keep up with me in strength. It really does make a person anxious.”
“Let me see.”
SL drags the two brats that only know to sleep, eat, and sleep. They’re at two star Deity. Little Dragon and Little Black Cat both stare at SL, then at NL. At the sight of NL, they instinctively shrink towards her in terror. NL picks up little dragon by the neck to examine it, he whines in pain. NL grumpily places him back in SL’s bosom and grabs Little Black Cat. The Cat is afraid too, but doesn’t show it. He just coldly stares at NL. NL hands him back after looking him over. SL complains about the two not growing, that she provides them great things to eat and drink, but that’s all they do. Eat and sleep but they don’t grow.
NL looks at her like she’s an idiot. He’s silent for a long time.
SL: “What? What did I say wrong?”
NL just rubs their heads and sighs, with a master like this, things will be difficult for them.
SL: “What does that mean?”
NL doesn’t realize it, but he’s started to talk to SL in a pampering tone. He explains that the little dragon is part of a Dragon Clan located on Dragon Island, part of the Central Continent. It’s comparable to one of the top families. It’s capable of awakening or activating its bloodline. NL uses himself as an example, if he awakens his bloodline, he would be a Longfeng, or Dragon and Phoenix King. SL realizes he’s saying Little Dragon would be a Dragon King and is shocked silly. Little Dragon is always silly and looks in confusion at her.
4100 NL looks at her helplessly, and tells her the way she’s raising them, they’ll never grow in strength. She asks how to raise them.
NL ignores the question and points at the little black cat, “Do you know its origins?”
SL: “It has an origin?”
He helplessly looks at her and a finally lays his large hand on her head and starts to rub with a long sigh, “You…”
SL looks at him innocently asking what’s the matter.
NL: “The Little Black Cat’s origins are not simple. If I remember correctly, it’s House’s Clan Chief is the Spirit Cat True God. However, whether it can activate its bloodline will depend on its owner.”
She didn’t realize she had two such exceptional pets, “So, what do I do now?”
NL feeds her two pets a red spirit stone called Nine Star Spirit Stone. It’s used to awaken their bloodlines. NL teaches her she’s been raising them wrong. They can’t just eat and sleep, they need to fight to awaken their bloodline.
NL then coldly looks away, “They’ve caught up.”
They discuss what to do next. NL still hasn’t fully recovered from the poison, he’s only vomited twice and it will take more time. NL says she stands a better chance fleeing alone, but she will not abandon him. He doesn’t understand her attachment to him. He points out a nearby cave. It has a poisonous gas and asks her opinion about it.
4101 They decide to go inside the cave. SL teleports the two of them inside, leaving no trace of their entry. SL smells the poison and states its presence. NL asked if she noticed the lack of life when they were outside. She did, but thought there was something wrong with the ground. She now realizes it’s the air from the cave.
NL: “This mountain cave has nothing alive in it. You and I may very well die here.”
They hear footsteps outside. SL is surprised they caught up so quickly. NL confirms they’ve caught up. He can hear the footsteps of seven people and believes they’ve defeated the ‘two idiots.’ SL says they should quickly proceed further in, she thinks to herself she’ll rather die of poison than be captured by Blood Edge. NL leisurely explains that they’ve found the cave but haven’t decided to enter yet. Their discussion will take some time, they need not hurry. SL calms down, if the Emperor is not in a hurry, why should the High Eunuch be anxious? The cave is only wide enough for two people at once. The cave is dark enough so that SL cannot see her fingers but her other senses grow more sensitive as they move through the cave. After 10 min, NL says they’ve caught up. NL asks if SL’s having difficulty breathing, SL says yes. NL tells her to take out her little black cat, she complies. NL flashes a wind blade at the cat, making it inhale a gasp of air in pain.
NL explains before SL can ask, “This little black cat’s ancestor is the Myriad Poisons Black Spirit Cat King. Letting him absorb a bit will allow him to activate his bloodline.”
SL doubtfully, “Really?”
NL coldly, “Although I don’t know if this poison will suit his appetite.”
SL worries a bit.
NL: “However, descendants of the Myriad Poisons King are not easy to poison to death. Try it.”
Little Black Cat is so mad he almost meows, but he proudly gives NL face. He quickly finds the area where NL drew on his lower abdomen is quickly absorbing the cold poison. It seems his body really likes the poison and he continues to quickly absorb. SL and little black cat are secretly communicating.
“I can still stand it.”
4102 SL: “If you can’t take stand it anymore, you must tell me.”
Little Black Cat nods. The cave poison is thick but the cat is able to absorb enough to thin it out for NL and SL. However, it doesn’t take long for the poison to thicken in the air again. SL wonders when NL came up with this plan. She doesn’t believe this is something she could’ve come up with so quickly. SL thinks he already had this idea as soon as he saw the cat, but didn’t bring it up until now. This man, even if he does have amnesia, is still so sly. The footsteps are getting louder, but their own pace remains the same.
SL: “Aren’t you worried that they’ll catch up.”
NL faintly smiles, “What are they going to do when they catch up?”
SL thinks about it, “You’re saying even if they catch up, they wouldn’t dare do anything?”
NL looks at her in surprise, “You can be considered not stupid.”
SL: “Towards someone who’s about to quickly promote to Imperial Level Apothecary, can’t you have some nicer words?”
SL is holding the cat while talking, she reasons aloud that if their pursuers make a move, they will only make the poison circulate more quickly through their bodies. He nods indifferently.
SL: “But we want them to continue to descend. What happens if they decide to withdraw and observe from the entrance?”
NL sighs, “Crow’s beak.”
SL is puzzled, then realizes they’ve already withdrawn. NL states not everyone is so lucky to have a descendant of the Myriad Poisons King. SL asks what’re they going to do, NL is still injured and recovering from the poison. NL asks if she hear the noise.
The dragon bearded Blood Edge Captain sneers after withdrawing his troops. They couldn’t handle the poison. He says that the poison is too thick, NL will only last seven days. After seven days, they will rush in to retrieve the Paladin artifact. Blood1 asks the Captain what happens if they have a method to survive. The Captain rhetorically asks what their strength is and Blood1 quickly recites NL’s weakened status and SL’s negligible strength.
4103 The Captain then tells them even he cannot stand the cave, NL won’t last long.
SL can sense the air is getting humid. NL believes there’s an underground river.
SL gets excited, if there’s moving water then there’s a way out, “How can you be so, so smart?”
NL grumpily looks at her, voice cold, “Isn’t this common sense?”
SL stares at him, “Do you despise me for not having common sense?”
NL: “The more you talk, the more poison you absorb, and you still want to argue with me?”
SL shuts up, she’s worried about him absorbing more poison and stuffs the little black cat into his chest and grabs NL’s wrist. He’s surprised and wants to throw her off, but her warm fragrance and soft touch startles him so he instead coldly asks, “You just wanted to touch my hand?”
In the dark, SL’s eyes are as beautiful as the stars, but she snaps at him, “I’m taking your pulse, don’t move about.” After she finishes, her shoulders slump and her head bows. NL can see that she knows.
NL faintly, “Isn’t it just a bit more poison. It’s not like the sky has fallen.”
SL is angry and asks why he doesn’t take care of himself. The poisons in his body, and the unknown poisons in the air have mixed inside his body and now the pill she gave him can no longer suppress it. She thought he was fine since he was walking and talking as if nothing was wrong. She thinks about what he said earlier about the low chance for survival and now believes he meant himself. SL can’t help but start crying. NL looks at her in frustration and asks if she really has time to cry when they should be heading for the river. SL glares at him angrily, quickly rubs her nose and stands, “Why aren’t we leaving already!”
4104 SL’s eyes are swollen, her nose is red, she looks like a cute little white bunny.
NL rubs her head and let’s out a long sigh, “We’ll be fine, trust me.”
SL: “I trust you.” She grabs his hand, “We’ll walk this path together.”
He doesn’t force her to let go. He’s thinking to himself how miserable she seemed when she was crying. Forget it, just let her hold it for a while, just this once. However, once she has his hand in her grasp, she doesn’t let go. SL is constantly taking his pulse while holding his hand. NL’s poison situation is getting worse and worse as time goes on.
SL sighs, “It seems if I do not reach Imperial level Apothecary, I will not be able to cure you of your poison.”
SL gets a sense of deja vu. This situation is similar to when they were at the Blue Sky Continent and she had to reach Grand Master to cure him of his Cold Poison. NL says she will soon promote. He recalls how she did some things he did not understand and how she refined a drug by moving her soul into her own space before feeding it to him. An ability like this is usually hidden, and yet she paraded such an ability in front of him with no intent to hide it. He cautions her not to do something like that again or others will covet her ability.
SL: “Do you covet it?”
NL face black, “Of course not.”
SL matter of factly, “So that’s why I will only refine drugs in front of you. I don’t trust others.”
NL: “Do I seem like such a trustwrothy person?”
She smiles at him, “In this world, the person I trust most is you.”
NL: “…”
He doesn’t know where this girl’s unreserved sense of trust comes from but, it’s not a bad feeling. NL frowns at himself, isn’t his attitude towards this girl a bit too good today? Both of their minds are being affected by the poison and they keep talking to keep it clear. Of course, the more they talk, the faster it circulates within them, such a contradiction. SL feels she would rather hold his hands while in the poison until the end of the world, then suffer as she did when she was parted from him for decades. SL hears a tinkling sound and asks what it is.
4105 NL frowns a moment and then says it’s the underground river. They’ve only gotten this far because of little black cat, SL strokes his fur at this thought. At this moment, little black cat passes out from absorbing so much poison. She gingerly puts him away into her space. They continue towards the river when the hear a fierce roar, they abruptly part hands. A great snake appears before them and stares at them.
NL takes a deep breath and then tells SL, “It’s a peak 9 Star Grand Completion Sun and Moon White Jade Colorful Great Python.”
SL stares at him. NL nods. SL wants to vomit blood when she heard this. SL thinks to herself that this Python is stronger than all of Blood Edge combined. How can they fight it? Escape? From a peak 9 star Grand Completion? Not even funny.
SL stares at the python but asks NL, “Do you have plan?”
NL’s imposing aura bursts forth, it’s not at the level of a 3 Star Grand Completion but comparable to the Python’s, of course, it’s only an imposing aura.
The python cold stares at NL, “Want to pass the river?”
NL cold and dignified, “Yes.”
Python: “Verbal or Martial competition?”
NL and SL look at each other, eyes shining, they have a chance.
4106 NL without hesistation, “Verbal competition.”
The python is puzzled, “Most of those who come choose Martial competition. You two are really stupid.”
SL curious, “Did they pass?”
Python very seriously, “No one has ever passed.”
SL: “…” No one has ever passed, regardless of verbal or martial competition? What does this mean?
SL stares at NL for a moment then turns back to the Python, “If we fail to answer correctly, what happens?”
The Python gestures [somehow?] at it’s belly, “Here.”
SL: “…” She recalls what NL said about their survival chances.
Python: “Are you not ready yet?”
SL stares at NL.
NL indifferently, “Out with it.”
Python: “Goooood.” It starts to talk in a funny way. “Hey, hey. Here’s my question. Iiiiiiit’s an easy one. Take a guess. Yo, come, take a guess at just how long my body is.”
SL: “…” Can this peak 9 Star Grand Completion Python tease them any more? It’s adopting an odd style. Its body is hidden in the river.
Python proud and triumphant, “That’s right, that’s right. I’m letting you guess like this. Quick, quick. Guess incorrectly and you will die. Hahaha”
SL: “…”
NL smiles, he’s calm and relaxed. NL sighs in relief: “Ai.” This attracts the python’s attention. It stares at NL and tells him he has to make the guess, others don’t count.
NL shallowly smiles and faintly says, “Specifically how long your body is, I have no way of knowing. However, I do know if your tail is in the water, then your head is unable to reach the cave entrance.”
When SL hears his answer, her eyes have a sly look. Black belly NL, he’s already started to trick it. The Python disagrees and stretches it’s body out to the cave entrance.
It stares at NL, “You see, you see. Reached it”
SL: “…” Er huo Hi, Er huo Good bye. [No idea what Er huo means]
4107 NL puts his hands behind his back and calmly nods, as if he’s agreeing with the Python.
The Python waves it’s tail seeing NL’s recognition. “Did you see, did you see, did you see? This uncles strength is not something mere humans can easily guess!”
The black belly NL smiles, “You are 58 zhang and 35 cun.”
The originally proud python is shocked., “…”
SL laughs so hard she almost causes internal injuries to herself. They python understood what happened.
It waves its hand, “Doesn’t count, doesn’t count, this doesn’t count!”
SL grumpily, “You’re randomly changing the rules.”
Python, wilfully and overbearingly, “I randomly change the rules. So what?”
This time SL says proudly, “Then keep asking questions.”
You want compete with the cute and sly NL? The python comes to the same conclusion as SL and scratches its head.
It concludes it’s brainpower is insufficient and shamelessly says, “No, no, no more verbal competitions, from now on it’s a martial competition.”
“Martial competition?” SL is shocked, “We chose verbal competion.”
Python in a matter of fact way, “You humans are cunning. I want to directly crush you, so, we’re having a martial competition.”
SL is mad, “If it’s like this, then why did you have us choose verbal or martial competition at the beginning?”
It looks at her like she’s an idiot, “You’re going to die anyway. Don’t you humans like to experience a bit of joy before dying?”
SL: “…” She seems to have underestimated it and worries. She looks at NL, whenever he’s around she seems to stop using her brain.
NL: “They’ve come.”
SL realizes after a moment that it’s Blood Edge and the footsteps must be the Captain. She starts to plot a trick out of habit.
4108 SL looks upon the snake with dislike and insults him, calling him a little garden snake, not qualified to fight her, he should fight her family’s guard first before challenging her.
Python: “You dare call me a little garden snake?”
It’s incredibly insulted that he, a peak 9 star Grand Completion is being insulted by a puny Deity. SL can see it’s eager for a fight and taunts it asking if it’s afraid of her guards. She tells him not to dare attack her for she will not fight him.
The Python rages, “Where are your house’s guard? Watch as this uncle’s tail sweeps him away! This uncle will trample him. I will have you convinced!”
SL points with a figure, “My family’s guard are in the back, they’ll be here soon.”
The Python looks in the direction she points and sure enough, a man appears from the shadows. SL looks upon the figure in surprise, “Blood Guard, you’ve finally come, quick, help me beat up this great fool.”
The Python rages at “great fool.” The Blood Edge Captain is confused, what’s going on? But then he notices it’s SL and NL and his face twists into a bloodthirsty sneer. He had wasted his time carefully scanning with his spirit power for their corpses, turns out they were still alive. The Python glares at him, not giving him much time to think. Python says so you’re their guard, I’ll fix you up real good to convince the two of them.
The Captain can tell the Python is very powerful and says while waving his hands, “No, no, I’m not their guard. You have the wrong person. You guys are busy, I’ll…” He wants to run.
SL: “Blood Captain, wasn’t your son eaten by the Sun Moon White Jade Colorful Great Python? Didn’t you swear that if you ever met the Python you would peel his skin, extract his tendons, drink his blood, ravage his soul, preventing him from ever being reborn?” Bull! Who said those words? This stinking girl is trying to defraud him to death.
Captain white faced, “I didn’t…”
He wants to run, but before he can take more than a few steps, a great force pulls him back towards the Python.
Python sneers, “Peel our skin, extract our tendons, drink our blood, ravage our soul, preventing us from ever being reborn hmm?”
The Captain, paled faced, again tries to deny being their guard and says he never said those things. Has the python ever met a guard stronger than his masters?
4109 Python roars, “A master stronger than his guard, would he even need a guard then? Do you take me for a fool?”
SL quickly says, “Little Blood ah, you don’t need to be modest. I’ve instructed you to be low key when outside, but against this monster, there’s no need to follow the morals of the Jianghu. Quickly, beat him!”
The Python is incensed at these words and hits the Captain on the nose. The Captain is 5 star Grand Completion. Poor Captain gets the teeth beat out of him by the Python. NL gestures towards SL and she nods. While the Captain is being beaten to the point of vomitting blood, SL and NL sink into the river and swim off. This is the source of the river, it splits off into nine tributaries. The Captain is not blind while getting beat up, he watches as SL and NL swim away. They’re getting away! He yells at the Python that they’ve left.
The Python was smiling while happily beating him up. He turns, yikes, those two cunning fellows really did run. The Python playfully waves it’s tail, whacking the Captain and creating an enormous wave in the river, sweeping everyone away. NL tightly embraces SL. The river’s surface is calm but beneath the river, every 100 meters there’s a deadly whirlpool that kills anything that goes in. The Python triumphantly wags it’s tail, but then it grabs its mouth, oh whoops, that way goes to the pastoral village. They wouldn’t accidentally flow into that river right?
4110 The Python comforts itself saying they’re likely dead. It’s winter and cold, time to hibernate. The irresponsible Python casts away all self doubt and happily, comfortably goes to sleep. As for the three in the river, things are not looking good for them. SL is weak, NL is poisoned and seriously injured, the Blood Edge Captain was beaten black and blue by the Python. The three of them are pounded mercilessly by the river. NL’s eyes are closed tight but he holds onto SL. Several days and night pass, SL has lost count, she’s incredibly dizzy. When will this end? All of a sudden she hits a shore rock. SL vomits blood and almost faints. More rocks appear and now she really wants to faint. She gets battered over and over again, rocks start to appear with razor sharp edges turning the water into a river of blood. NL’s eyes are still closed but he grabs and holds her to his chest, he makes a grunting sound. SL clears her head and asks if he’s alright. He says it’s nothing. Then he his expression becomes stiff, it’s hard for him to say but in the end he clenches his teeth, “Put your legs up.”
“Ah?” SL is lost
4111 NL: “Wrap. Your. Legs. Around. My. Waist.”
NL closes his eyes and coldly grunts explaining that he doesn’t know when he might faint, if she holds tight to him until the end, she might make it through. SL’s two slender legs instantly and precisely encircle NL’s waist.
NL becomes silent: Why does he get the sense that this girl is incredibly practiced with this move? He must be misperceiving this. At this time, more sharp rocks appear. Just when it’s about to break upon SL’s face, NL turns his body, saving her face from a tragic fate, but taking a wound upon his back. SL turns pale hearing the horrible impact.
She grabs him and fiercely scolds him, “Why did you do that? You’re already hurt, why don’t you love yourself at all? If I get disfigured then I get disfigured, it’s not like it’s not happened before.”
NL snaps at her, “You’re a 5 star Deity, are you really comparing defenses with me?”
SL is silenced, but she’s very annoyed. She hates being so weak and allowing him to be hurt because of her. NL watches her lower her little head in an upset manner. He takes pity on her, his great palm moves, but ultimately he sets it down. He instead tells her she’s still young, she’s very talented, she just needs more time. NL thinks to himself, at only 300 years old, he may not necessarily be able to cultivate as fast as she has.
SL her voice muffled, “But I want to help you.”
Her hands circle around to his back to examine his injury. It’s a deep cut, there’s a lot of blood.
“You not moving would be the greatest aid to me.” NL closes his eyes, his voice seems to lack strength.
SL touches his forehead and becomes anxious, “You have a fever!”
He originally had a small fever but the ice cold river, plus his injuries and poisoning has made it worse. He indifferently says it’s fine. The river gets faster, more reefs beat them, SL eventually faints.
SL awakens, she sees the sun. She’s alive, how about NL. She feels like she has no strength in her body but still struggles to look around. NL is by her side.
Demonic King Chases His Rebellious Wife 