Amidst the rising and falling strains of the zither, the two gradually lost themselves and lashed out in fury—not at the women, but at each other in mutual slaughter.
In just a short while, Ye Lanshan’s face had turned pale, her spiritual power drained. Fortunately, the two lacked firm resolve, allowing her to control them.
But it was only for a brief moment. Still, that fleeting bout of self-destruction was enough. Though neither died, both were gravely wounded.
“Was it you who caused this?” The woman in red snapped back to reality as the zither’s notes faded, her eyes regaining clarity first.
“That’s right, it was me. Now, do you think you can still stop me?” Ye Lanshan, pale-faced, barely managed to stow the zither into her space.
“Is that so? Just because we’re injured, you think we can’t escape you?” The red-clad woman let out a tinkling laugh, pulled Jiang Kui toward her, bared two fangs, and sank them into his neck. In no time, Jiang Kui withered from a robust form into a dried corpse.
She tossed him to the ground with a thud, raising a puff of dust, while she herself, once severely wounded, emerged unscathed.
“Ye Yutian, can you handle this woman in red?” Ye Lanshan hadn’t expected the red-clad woman to be like a vampire, healing herself by drinking someone’s blood.
“Leave it to me.” A long spear appeared in Ye Yutian’s hand, and upon closer look, tiny sparks could be seen dancing along its length.
Yue Shu was clearly in no state to fight anymore. Now, it seemed they had to fight tooth and nail to annihilate them completely before they could rescue anyone quickly.
Ye Lanshan downed at least twenty pills before her spiritual power finally recovered.
But her method of consumption made others twitch their lips in disbelief. Who else could eat pills as casually as a meal, treating them like they were nothing?
Anyone who saw it would feel a pang of regret. Even Sikong Kuang wouldn’t dare devour pills so lavishly.
Luckily, Ling Chunian was unconscious at the time. If she’d been awake, she’d have rushed over and clung to Ye Lanshan’s leg, never letting go.
“You’re wasting pills like this? Today, I’ll teach you a proper lesson!” The blue-clad man winced in pain at the sight—over twenty pills, gone in one mouthful.
“I’m afraid you won’t teach me a lesson.” Ye Lanshan lightly tapped her toes on the ground, using her agility to approach him with the Wood Heart Lotus. Catching him off guard, she struck with a swift blade, managing to wound him.
But the injury wasn’t severe; he still had the strength to fight.
Would she really have to summon Guan Shangxin and the others? No matter how clever or talented Ye Lanshan was, she was still just a Great Mystic General, far too weak compared to a Mystic Emperor.
Even with the Wood Heart Lotus, she couldn’t overcome the blue-clad man. At this critical moment of life and death, Ye Lanshan had no choice but to summon Guan Shangxin. Yet before she could, Yue Shu blocked the attack for her.
“Yue Shu!” Ye Lanshan watched Yue Shu fall before her, screaming in anguish.
Her spiritual power surged wildly. With a raise of her hand, Guan Shangxin appeared in the air. With Guan Shangxin’s help, the battle turned easier.
As the red-clad woman lay dying, there was no despair in her eyes. Instead, she calmly said to Ye Lanshan, “Ye Lanshan, you’re finished. By provoking both us and the Saint Emperor’s forces, no one can protect you anymore.”
“I don’t need anyone’s protection. And anyone who provokes me—no matter how strong—I’ll find a way to defeat and destroy them. So don’t worry about my life or death.” Ye Lanshan stared coldly at her, flicking a wisp of Red Lotus Flame onto her. Soon, she vanished in the blazing fire.
“Roar!” Though the divine beast was covered in wounds, the fighting spirit in its eyes remained unquenched. Under its relentless assault, the Flame Tiger showed signs of breaking through to divine beast level.
Finally, the last divine beast could hold on no longer and collapsed. Before dying, it transformed into human form one last time, but it spoke to Ye Lanshan with gratitude, “Thank you.”
It was finally free, no longer forced to do what it didn’t want to.
Ye Lanshan had no time to dawdle now. She pulled out bottle after bottle of pills, pouring them into Yue Shu’s mouth as if they cost nothing. Under the forceful push of the medicine, Yue Shu slowly regained consciousness.
“Are you alright?” Yue Shu’s first concern upon waking wasn’t himself, but Ye Lanshan.
“What could happen to me? You’re the one in trouble now. Don’t move, take this.” Even after Yue Shu woke, Ye Lanshan remained uneasy. She produced a pill—the highest-grade one she’d refined so far—which should at least alleviate his poison somewhat.
“I’m injured too, but you don’t seem to care about me.” Ye Yutian’s resentful gaze clung to Ye Lanshan, who was busy fussing over Yue Shu.
It felt like everyone was gathered around Yue Shu, leaving him standing alone in isolation. This made Ye Yutian feel incredibly desolate.
He had met her first, confessed first, and now he was utterly devoted to her. Why did her attention always drift to Yue Shu? Did she despise him that much?
“Sorry, take this.” Hearing his words, Ye Lanshan realized she had been unfair. After all, he had helped her many times and was injured because of her this time. It was only right to show some concern.
Ye Yutian took the pill she offered, feeling a bit better.
“Ye Lanshan, that girl who brought us here seems to be dead.” Yue Shu coughed lightly, noticing Ling Chunian lying on the ground, motionless as if dead.
Ye Lanshan followed his gaze and saw Ling Chunian lying still.
She walked over, checked her breathing, and stuffed a pill into her mouth. “Don’t worry, she’s just unconscious.”
“Chieftain.” Ling Chunian woke up and struggled to rise, but fell back halfway.
Ye Lanshan channeled some spiritual power into her, and she improved slightly, managing to stand.
“Alright, lead the way.”
“Yes, okay.”
The group walked deep into the dungeon and finally spotted Qing Dai and the others.
“Young master.” Qing Dai’s initial joy at seeing Ye Lanshan turned to panic. “Young master, go quickly! Don’t worry about us—it’s dangerous here!”
“Dangerous? We’ve already dealt with the biggest threat here. Don’t worry, there’s no more danger.” Ye Lanshan frowned at the lock before her. There was no key, and she didn’t know how to pick it.
“Let me. I’m quite good at picking locks.” Ling Chunian pulled a hairpin from her head, fiddled with the lock for a moment, and the door swung open.
“Young master.” Qing Dai’s expression held no joy, only growing more anxious.
“Take your time, don’t rush.” Ye Lanshan took her hand, giving her a bit of strength.
“Xia Ri has been locked up somewhere else, and Lady Huo Feiyan has been captured too. Someone has betrayed you, young master, and leaked our secrets.”