Chapter 559: Rain from a Clear Sky (Part 2)
Gu Shuo resisted with all his might, catching the tip of the descending sword with his hand. He forced it back, and with a flick of his fingers, the Soft Sword snapped back with shocking speed, striking at the man’s face.
The man in black reeled back in shock, and the tip of the Soft Sword flashed past him.
The man gasped, sucking in a sharp breath.
Though it had missed his face, a deep gash was carved across his chest.
Gu Shuo released his grip on the Soft Sword. It coiled around the hilt of the man’s longsword like a silver serpent, then shot up the blade toward his face.
The man stumbled backward, still clutching his longsword. It was all happening too fast; he didn’t even have time to drop his weapon.
PFFT... AAGH!
The Soft Sword viciously pierced through his face.
The two men in black surrounding Qian Fanji heard the scream. When they turned, they saw the Soft Sword piercing straight through their comrade’s head, and their hearts trembled in terror.
"Where do you think you’re looking? Your opponent is me," Qian Fanji’s voice was filled with icy malice.
The men hastily gathered their Inner Strength to defend themselves.
Chu Yue, who had been watching the approaching fire, heard the scream and turned, her expression one of shock. ’This can’t go on,’ she thought. She pushed off her toes and plunged into the fray.
Seeing this, Gu Shuo didn’t dare hesitate and flew forward to block Chu Yue.
Luo Wen and Ying Ge were fighting one of East Shu’s highest-ranking royal Hidden Guards. They were taking a brutal beating, but they were relentlessly tenacious. No matter how many times they were sent flying, they would immediately charge back into the fight as if they couldn’t feel their injuries.
The Hidden Guard from East Shu was losing patience. He could see the mountain fire surging toward them; it would reach their position in the time it takes an incense stick to burn.
’No more waiting.’ His eyes blazed with murderous intent as he gathered his Inner Strength.
"Go help Boss Gu! I’ll handle him," Luo Wen said grimly.
"You can’t stop him." Ying Ge didn’t budge. ’The two of us can’t beat him. How could one person do anything but get killed?’
"I can do it. Just go!"
Luo Wen knew that, by blood, Gu Shuo and Qian Fanji were the Young Miss’s fathers. Even though she hadn’t acknowledged them, he could see that Boss Gu and Minister Qian treated her very well.
"But..."
"Ying Ge, if anything happens to Boss Gu or Minister Qian, the Young Miss will be devastated! As her guards, we cannot let her down!" Luo Wen shouted, his grip on his longsword tightening.
’As her guards, they couldn’t disappoint their master. They had to protect not only the Young Miss but also the people she cared for.’
Ying Ge understood. "Be careful," she said.
With that, she dashed toward Gu Shuo and Qian Fanji.
The gravely wounded Ying Yuan struggled to her feet. She staggered over to her fallen longsword, picked it up, and without a moment’s hesitation, moved toward the sounds of battle.
Though Qian Fanji was struggling to hold off two opponents by himself, he kept them both tied down.
Having finished off one of the men, Gu Shuo quickly moved to Qian Fanji’s side.
One-on-one, his opponents’ chances were slim. With one of the men in black dead, the tide of the battle had turned.
SWISH!
A blast from Qian Fanji’s palm sent his opponent flying. He lunged forward to press the attack, but just as he moved, a whip coiled around his ankle. In the next instant, his entire body was flung into the air.
Chu Yue was an expert with a double-headed whip. With a flick of her wrist, she sent Qian Fanji spinning through the air and slammed him against a large tree.
Qian Fanji’s head spun. It took him a few seconds to recover. He planted his feet against the tree trunk, using the leverage to push himself upward as he slashed his longsword at the whip around his ankle.
"Once you’re caught in my whip, don’t even think of escaping!" Chu Yue tightened her grip and yanked, the force sending Qian Fanji flying once more.
He was swung around like a human kite.
It was impossible for Qian Fanji to steady himself. Just then, the man in black he had blasted away flew back, charging at him again.
Seizing the opportunity, Chu Yue swung her whip, flinging Qian Fanji directly at the tip of the man’s longsword.
With his body out of his control, Qian Fanji could only watch as he hurtled straight toward the blade.
THUD. PFFT.
Suddenly, Qian Fanji’s body was knocked aside, and the whip around his ankle fell away.
Ying Yuan had shoved him out of the way. Her own longsword was knocked from her hand, and the enemy’s blade pierced through her left shoulder.
Qian Fanji hit the ground and leaped forward without a moment’s pause.
At the same time, Chu Yue sensed killing intent from behind. She spun around and cracked her whip, its length wrapping around the longsword that Ying Ge had thrust at her.
Ying Ge knew how dangerous the whip was. She pulled back her longsword and leaped into the air.
With a savage look on her face, Chu Yue sent her whip lashing up after her.
Ying Ge dodged again and again. She knew she couldn’t win, but her goal was simply to keep Chu Yue occupied and unable to help the others.
After several failed attempts to catch Ying Ge, Chu Yue was drenched in sweat from the searing heat. It was too hot; the inferno was nearly upon them.
"Your Highness, there’s no time! You have to go!" one of the men in black shouted.
Chu Yue glanced at the fire, shocked by its speed. They were at the edge of a sheer cliff, and the drop was so deep that a fall would mean certain death.
The only place to take refuge was the cave, but she had underestimated how fast the fire was spreading. Now, even with her fastest Qinggong, she could no longer reach it.
Suddenly, she spotted a figure moving swiftly through the flames. Her eyes locked onto the silhouette, and as it drew nearer, she finally saw who it was.
It was Ye Qianning!
Chu Yue’s face twisted into a vicious snarl. The sight of Ye Qianning made her left eye throb with a dull ache, yet a sliver of dark joy rose in her heart.
’Since you’ve come back, I’ll be the one to personally take your head!’
Zhan Chi arrived carrying Ye Qianning and Sang Zhi. The wildfire was only a few hundred meters behind them, raging at their backs.
It looked as though the fire was chasing them, yet it also seemed as if they had come riding the flames.
"Ye Qianning, I’ll kill you!" Chu Yue shrieked, pulling back her whip and charging at Zhan Chi.
Zhan Chi had only just arrived and hadn’t gotten a clear look at the situation when he looked up to see a whip striking toward the person in his arms.
Ying Ge turned and saw them arrive. She leaped into the air and threw her longsword, which struck the whip Chu Yue had just lashed out.
CRACK!
The whip was deflected, striking a nearby tree and splitting the massive trunk in two.