Chapter 548: Just an Owl
"I don’t know." The man in black was also confused.
"Split the cauldron open."
Chu Yue snapped. The pain in her eye made her breathing ragged.
The man in black stepped forward.
Chu Yue retreated. ’Making a giant cauldron appear out of thin air is impossible, no matter how skilled one is. It’s even more impossible for Ye Qianning. Could it be true, what she said? Is there a master hiding in the shadows?’
The man in black’s longsword slashed horizontally across the top of the cauldron, leaving only a narrow fissure. The cave was small and the cauldron was wedged in tightly; even if they split it open, it would be difficult to move.
"Princess, your injury can’t be left untreated," Qin Huai said from the back, his heart aching for her.
Chu Yue gritted her teeth. "I’ve lost an eye. I’ll make her pay with her life! You useless trash, hurry up and split it open!"
The man in black gathered his Inner Strength, gripped his sword with both hands, and brought it down from above. The blade scraped against the cauldron, sending sparks flying.
—
Ye Qianning led Sang Zhi to a ledge. She took a sleeve arrow out of her spatial storage, tied it to her wrist, and looked up. The sky was pitch-black; she couldn’t see any anchor points above.
"Come down," she said softly.
Sang Zhi was confused. "What?"
Ye Qianning ignored him and kept her gaze fixed upward. A moment later, a rather large bird screeched and flew down.
The night was ink-black, and the sound of something speeding toward them from above was loud. Sang Zhi instinctively grabbed Ye Qianning’s hand.
"It’s alright. It’s just an owl." Ye Qianning patted the back of his hand.
"How did you know?"
Ye Qianning didn’t answer him.
The owl landed on the ledge, tilting its head with great curiosity.
"Wrap this around a tree. Remember to loop it several times." Ye Qianning offered the other end of the sleeve arrow’s line to the owl.
The owl looked at it, then took the line in its beak and flew up toward the broken peak.
It was very dark, so Sang Zhi didn’t see this happen. Hearing her speak, he asked in confusion, "Who are you talking to?"
"The owl."
"It can understand you?"
Sang Zhi noticed that right after she spoke, the owl flapped its wings and flew away.
Ye Qianning ignored him again.
Sang Zhi pressed his lips together and wisely fell silent.
The line from the sleeve arrow on Ye Qianning’s wrist went taut. She gave it a tug; it was secure.
"Hold on tight."
Sang Zhi obediently bent down to wrap his arms around her small frame. He had just mustered all his strength to lift the little fatty off the ground when, abruptly, his own body was yanked upward. He was so startled he nearly cried out.
The sleeve arrow’s line retracted quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the two of them were on the broken peak.
Sang Zhi stood there, somewhat dazed, his mind completely blank.
Ye Qianning retracted the sleeve arrow. ’From here, it would take several hours to get down the mountain, even if I were alone and moving at top speed. If I had to bring Sang Zhi along, it would take at least twice as long.’
’Besides, there are still people from East Shu on the peak. If we’re discovered, we won’t have the advantage we had in the cave out here in this vast, dense forest.’
’When I came, Luo Wen and the others were left behind. I don’t know if they can find this place.’
It took Sang Zhi a long moment to come to his senses. His gaze fell on Ye Qianning’s pensive face. ’So much shock and amazement... To have such abilities at her young age.’
"This way, to the left." Ye Qianning grabbed his hand, not daring to linger.
’There are people not far down the mountain, and the stench of blood from some beast is strong to the right. The most important thing for now is to find a place to hide.’
Sang Zhi let her lead him away, his heart a whirlwind of emotions. He felt so incredibly stupid.
After they had walked for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Sang Zhi’s stomach let out a loud RUMBLE that was especially clear in the quiet night.
Ye Qianning turned back to look at him.
"I’m not hungry."
Sang Zhi turned his little face away, his blush a clear sign of his stubborn pride.