Chapter 565: Rain from an Empty Sky 7
The water from the Spiritual Spring landed on the flames, and the massive fire was extinguished in an instant.
Everyone watched in astonishment. A mountain fire of that size, burning so fiercely, could never be doused in an instant by ordinary spring water or rain.
The red-robed man, however, had no time to be surprised by this. ’That little brat is riding on my neck! How dare she!’
’Once we’re off this mountain, I’m going to make her pay dearly—bleed her dry until she’s bankrupt! If that doesn’t work, I’ll just flatten her entire estate!’
’The nerve of her, riding on my neck!’
The group ran for about three li when the fire suddenly engulfed them. The Spiritual Spring enveloped everyone, its water ice-cold. Wherever they passed, the flames were instantly extinguished, only to roar back to life behind them.
The fire was held at bay wherever they went. Filled with amazement, the group never broke their stride.
Ye Qianning’s spatial ability was fully active, and her head grew increasingly foggy. She shook her head, trying to stay lucid. Surrounded by the inferno, if she passed out, the entire group would be instantly swallowed by the flames.
The strain of using her ability grew heavier, but she didn’t dare stop for even a moment.
Pushing her body to its limit, Ye Qianning’s group finally reached the broken cliff after running through the fire for about an hour.
"You guys jump down first," Ye Qianning said, raising a small hand.
Qian Fanji leaped down first, with Zhan Chi right behind him.
Only after everyone else was down did the red-robed man jump from the ledge, carrying Ye Qianning and Sang Zhi.
The group entered the cave, safe for the time being.
Ye Qianning lit a flint-and-steel lighter and handed it to Gu Shuo.
The pitch-black cave was instantly illuminated. A short walk ahead, they saw a massive cauldron that had been split in two, lying tilted on the ground.
"Why is there a huge cauldron here?" Zhan Chi asked, puzzled.
He was carrying Luo Wen, his back already bent so low he was almost touching the ground. The cauldron blocked their path; even a single person had to crouch down on it to get past.
The injured would have to be laid flat and dragged through...
Gu Shuo went through first, then reached back to help the injured.
Seeing the cauldron, Sang Zhi instinctively glanced at Ye Qianning.
Ye Qianning saw how much they were struggling, but she couldn’t just make the cauldron disappear in front of them. ’There’s no immediate danger,’ she thought. ’We’ll just have to manage like this for now.’
It took the group nearly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to get past the cauldron.
"There are people ahead," Ye Qianning said suddenly.
Gu Shuo, who was in the lead, listened carefully but heard nothing. He turned back to look at Ye Qianning.
The moment she spoke, Qian Fanji, Zhan Chi, and even the red-robed man all focused their Inner Strength to sense any presences within the cave.
The result was the same for all of them: nothing.
Qian Fanji, however, had complete faith in Ye Qianning’s ability. "Everyone, conceal your auras and be careful."
"Are you sure?" The red-robed man considered his Inner Strength to be substantial, yet he hadn’t detected anything. ’How could a little girl with no Inner Strength know there are people here?’
"I can’t tell how many, but I’m sure someone is there." Ye Qianning’s heightened awareness had diminished by half.
The red-robed man gave her a complicated look. If she was right, then the little girl’s hearing was truly extraordinary—a genius among geniuses.
Gu Shuo took the lead, and those behind him moved silently, concealing their auras.
After about seven or eight minutes of walking, the red-robed man finally sensed that there were, indeed, people ahead.
Gu Shuo looked back and made a hand signal, slowing his pace.
Ye Qianning could now sense them too. It seemed to be only three people.
Her thoughts turned to Qin Huai, the Prince Consort of East Shu, and two men in black. Previously in the cave, besides Chu Yue and Qin Huai, there had been six men in black. She had killed one of them.
Chu Yue had just left with three men in black, but Qin Huai and the other two were not with them.
From this, she deduced there was an eighty percent chance it was those three in the cave.