Chapter 562: Rain Out of Thin Air 4
"That sounds good." ’If I can get close to the Broken Peak, and with the Spiritual Spring from my space, there might be a glimmer of hope,’ Ye Qianning thought. "Ying Ge, bring the Eighth Prince over here."
Leaning against a tree and covered in blood, Ying Ge heard the command. She staggered to her feet and entered the woods to the right.
The man in red’s charming eyes narrowed. He raised his hand, gripped Ye Qianning’s chin, and forced her to face him. "I really don’t like it when people placate me."
"I’m not placating you."
"Oh?"
"I’m humoring you."
"You..." The man in red gritted his teeth. ’Humoring me?’
’In his entire life, this was the first time anyone had ever dared to tell him, to his face, that they were humoring him.’
"After all, what sane person would willingly walk into a death trap for no reason?" ’He’s either a madman or a fool. You can’t reason with him like a normal person, so of course you have to humor him.’
"A death trap? I wouldn’t be so sure."
Ye Qianning gave him a long, searching look. ’Could it be he has a way to escape?’
"Don’t look at me like that. I’m not interested in a fatty like you." As he spoke, the man in red deliberately bounced her a couple of times, as if to demonstrate her weight.
"Still trying to act like an adult when your voice has barely broken?"
The handsome face of the man in red contorted. Ye Qianning’s words had clearly struck a nerve. Annoyed, his lips moved, but he said nothing more.
Ye Qianning snorted inwardly, her gaze shifting toward Chu Yue.
Chu Yue’s beautiful eyes were blazing with fire. Fuming, she sized up the man in red.
The man in red seemed to sense her murderous glare. He lowered his charming eyes. "Tsk, Princess East Shu is looking rather pathetic."
"Damn you!"
Chu Yue’s fury boiled over. With a CRACK, her whip lashed out toward the pair as she launched herself into the air.
"Princess, you must leave now!" A Royal Shadow Guard suddenly appeared, blocking Chu Yue.
Her attack blocked, Chu Yue became instantly enraged. "Get out of my way!"
"Princess, the fire is closing in! If you don’t leave now, you’ll be consumed by the inferno!"
"Even if I die in this inferno, I will kill her first! Otherwise, I’ll never be able to quell the hatred in my heart!" Chu Yue refused to back down.
"Princess, there is no point in dying here."
"I said, get out of my way!"
"If you refuse to leave, Princess, then I won’t be staying to die with you."
"You dare!" Chu Yue glared at him.
"I am one of the Emperor’s direct guards. The princess has no authority to command me. This situation is already a lost cause, and I am not willing to die here. If I must die, it will be for the Emperor. Only then will my life have been worthwhile." The Royal Shadow Guard made his stance clear.
Chu Yue stomped her foot in frustration, but there was nothing she could do. She turned to look for her Hidden Guards, only to discover her two remaining men were already dead.
The figures of Qian Fanji and Gu Shuo were rapidly approaching.
Gritting her teeth hard, she spat, "Let’s go."
The Shadow Guard turned and leaped across the Broken Peak, with Chu Yue right behind him.
Qian Fanji and Gu Shuo arrived just in time to see the two escape. Gu Shuo immediately pivoted and followed them over the Broken Peak.
Qian Fanji set down the heavily injured Ying Yuan, turned, and also leaped over the Broken Peak.
"Don’t follow them!" Ye Qianning shouted urgently.
The two of them stopped in their tracks.
"There’s nowhere to take cover up there." Ye Qianning couldn’t care less about Chu Yue; saving everyone’s lives was what mattered most.
’If we get separated, we’re really done for.’
"Put me down," Ye Qianning said.
This time, the man in red didn’t argue, leaping down from the tree.
Zhan Chi arrived, carrying Luo Wen on his shoulder.
Dragging her heavily injured body, Ying Ge emerged from the undergrowth with Sang Zhi at her side.
Gu Shuo and Qian Fanji returned with the unconscious Ying Yuan.
The raging fire cast a red glow upon everyone’s faces. Thick smoke filled the air, stinging their eyes so badly they could barely keep them open.