"I never imagined I’d have to show my left hand to one of my own people," Yuan Zhong muttered with a frown, his face full of disgust. "Your target is Ji Tan Yin? Give me a reason."
Tang Hua remained unfazed, his voice cold. “Her origins are mysterious, and her motives unclear. She’s like a hidden blade buried in the sand. Such a danger must be eliminated. If you don’t kill her, I will, one day.”
Yuan Zhong gave a strange smile. “You can’t defeat me… no, you’re not even capable of fighting, Tang Hua. Don’t make empty threats.”
Tang Hua also smiled. “I know you won’t kill your own kin. You were devastated when Zifei died, so you won’t lay a hand on me. Yuan Zhong, you have more of a conscience than I expected.”
Suddenly, Tang Hua grabbed Yuan Zhong’s left arm, shouting, “Wanqiu!”
Wanqiu, who had already been in motion, somehow retrieved the two daggers she had dropped earlier and moved like a phantom, striking toward Ji Tan Yin. Yet again, her daggers were stopped by a barrier, and despite her attempts, the result was the same.
Yuan Zhong’s voice was cold. “As long as I’m here, no one can touch her.”
Tang Hua nodded slightly. “Then we’ll just have to deal with you instead.”
In an instant, Wanqiu redirected her attack, viciously slashing at Yuan Zhong’s left arm—their target was the same as the battle spirits’—his left arm! Yuan Zhong kicked Tang Hua away, his body transforming into a flash of golden light, landing just outside the small building, a strange expression on his face.
“You’ve lost your mind,” he said, looking at Tang Hua in shock. His left arm throbbed with pain. Though Wanqiu’s dagger hadn’t touched his flesh, it was a god-slaying demonic weapon, and it had managed to cut a deep wound into his arm.
Tang Hua stepped out of the small building, watching Yuan Zhong steadily. Suddenly, he pressed his hands together and bowed deeply. When he lifted his head, tears shimmered in his eyes.
“Freeze!” he shouted. Instantly, thick, dark green vines shot up from the snow-covered ground, wrapping around Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin, binding them tightly. Wanqiu relentlessly swung her magical daggers, and Yuan Zhong could only raise another barrier in defense. His expression became increasingly strange as he turned to stare at Tang Hua, who had closed his eyes and was now sitting cross-legged on the snowy ground, tears streaming down his face.
“O Heaven, have mercy upon us! We, the Fox Clan, offer our sincere prayers…” An ancient and cryptic prayer to the heavens slowly poured from Tang Hua’s mouth. Yuan Zhong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Tang Hua was trying to kill him! He wanted to sever Yuan Zhong’s left arm, and yet here he was, reciting a prayer as tears flowed.
Wanqiu, seemingly tireless, continued slashing with her daggers. Bound by the spell, Yuan Zhong couldn’t move and grew increasingly irritated. Finally, he roared, “Release!”
The thick vines binding him instantly disintegrated. Yuan Zhong transformed into a streak of golden light, knocking Wanqiu unconscious in one blow. He turned, ready to do the same to Tang Hua, but a thunderous crash erupted from the direction of the entrance to the cave dwelling. Yuan Zhong’s expression immediately darkened—it was the sound of someone attempting to forcibly break into the cave using brute strength.
“It seems I won’t be able to carry out my orders after all,” Tang Hua said suddenly, standing up slowly and calmly brushing the snow from his robe. Despite the lingering tear tracks on his face, his expression had returned to one of cold detachment. “I’m leaving. The battle spirits will soon break through. Our clans have had long-standing grievances, and while we share the same orders, I’d rather not see them. And I certainly don’t want to see you die at their hands.”
“You led the battle spirits here? And you’re saying it so casually?” Yuan Zhong was so furious that he let out a bitter laugh. “I had no idea you’d conspired with the battle spirit clan!”
Tang Hua remained unfazed, sweeping his long sleeves as his body began to fade, becoming half-transparent—his signature wind evasion technique.
“With the heavens above…” he whispered, a single tear falling as his body vanished from Yuan Zhong’s sight.
What had happened today was beyond anything Yuan Zhong had anticipated, despite his earlier suspicions. Who was Tang Hua, after all? A noble scion of the Fox Clan! Yet, here he was, conspiring with the battle spirits, coveting Yuan Zhong’s left arm just like them.
Yuan Zhong’s heart was filled with both fury and confusion.
His body ached from several deep wounds, and even though his barrier had protected him, Wanqiu’s demonic weapons had still managed to cut him. Fortunately, the injuries weren’t too severe.
The thunderous sounds at the cave’s entrance grew louder and louder. Yuan Zhong quickly scooped up Ji Tan Yin and rushed back inside the building. He glanced down at her, checking her condition, and saw that her breathing and complexion were normal. Her eyes were clear, but she still couldn’t move. He gently touched her forehead and whispered, “Don’t worry. Just close your eyes and think of this as a nap.”
He extinguished the Chill’s Edge incense burning in the bronze censer. At that moment, Yuan Xiaozhong came running down from upstairs, panic written all over his face. “What’s that noise?! What’s going on?!”
Yuan Zhong’s face remained stern as he handed Ji Tan Yin over to him. “Take care of her. Hold on to her, and even if you die, protect her!”
Yuan Xiaozhong, confused, took Ji Tan Yin into his arms and couldn’t help but clarify, “I’m a mechanical man, I can’t die—just be smashed to pieces.”
Yuan Zhong had no patience for his nonsense and shot him a cold glare. Immediately, Yuan Xiaozhong obediently carried Ji Tan Yin back upstairs, smiling in an attempt to placate him. “Don’t worry! Even if I’m smashed to bits, I’ll protect my master!”
Yuan Zhong exhaled deeply and slowly stepped outside. In the distance, dark clouds loomed ominously over the mountains—an unmistakable sign that the cave’s entrance was about to be breached. Once the gate was broken, it would only be a matter of moments before the battle spirits stormed in.
He sat cross-legged in the snow in front of the building, murmuring incantations. A massive golden barrier, glowing and flashing, extended from his body, enveloping the entire building. It seemed there was no avoiding it—today, blood would be spilled.
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