Since the guards the Youning Emperor assigned her included Xiao Huayong’s people, it was highly likely that others had infiltrated as well. These individuals might share the same mastermind as the tomb robbers, and perhaps they had even discovered this hideout before she did.
“Hongyu, we must head up the mountain. Mo Yuan and the others may have fallen into a trap!” Shen Xihe grabbed Hongyu, who was pulling her to flee in the opposite direction.
If these people truly served the same master as the tomb robbers and had learned of this hideout before her, they were likely lying in wait for her to make a move. Once she acted, they would not allow her or her people to leave alive.
“My lady, Mo Yuan and Sister Zhenzhu will surely be safe. We cannot go up the mountain.” Hongyu pulled Shen Xihe toward the carriage, only to find it had been tampered with. She had no choice but to lead Shen Xihe toward the village instead.
As Hongyu and Shen Xihe fled down a narrow path, they saw a figure standing ahead with his back to them, gripping a large sword planted on the ground. Hearing their approach, he turned around—it was actually the leader of their guards, Commander Wei!
“My lady, why must you meddle in affairs that don’t concern you?” Commander Wei’s usual upright demeanor was gone, replaced by a cold, sinister glare.
“Who is your master?” Shen Xihe remained calm and composed, showing no trace of panic.
“Why not ask the King of Hell!” Without wasting words, Commander Wei drew his long blade and charged toward Shen Xihe.
Hongyu spun around, drawing the soft sword from her waist, and met his attack.
Shen Xihe raised her hand and blew the bone whistle she had been clutching. In the desolate mountain wilderness, the sound of the bone whistle rang out clear and sharp. The first to arrive was not Haidongqing, but Duanming.
Among Shen Xihe’s maidservants, all were skilled in martial arts, but only Moyu specialized in it. The others were not weak, but neither were they exceptionally strong. They could easily take down three to five ordinary men, but against someone like Commander Wei—a fifth-rank military officer who had risen through sheer martial prowess—they quickly found themselves at a disadvantage.
Just as Commander Wei’s blade knocked aside Hongyu’s soft sword and swiftly swung toward her head, Duanming leaped past the back of Commander Wei’s head, forcing him to turn and slash at the creature.
“Duanming!”
Commander Wei’s blade was too fast. Shen Xihe only saw a white flash as Duanming flew past the sword. Her eyes followed as Duanming landed, tumbled on the ground, then quickly scrambled up and dashed toward her. Only then did Shen Xihe breathe a sigh of relief.
Commander Wei, who could have dealt a fatal blow to Hongyu, was interrupted by Duanming. Not only did he fail to harm Hongyu, but she seized the opportunity to slash his waist with her sword.
However, Commander Wei was too agile and dodged swiftly, leaving only a shallow cut.
At that moment, a piercing cry split the night sky as a massive dark shadow swooped down from the mountain peak, darting toward Shen Xihe in the blink of an eye.
Watching Haidongqing rush toward her, Shen Xihe realized that while she could summon the eagle with the bone whistle, she did not know how to command it as Xiao Huayong did. Haidongqing likely only knew to protect her. She called out to Hongyu, “Hongyu!”
Hongyu flicked her wrist, her sword dancing like a flower, then twisted her body and retreated toward Shen Xihe. Commander Wei pursued, but before his blade could descend upon Shen Xihe, a massive shadow enveloped him. He was fast, but Haidongqing was faster. As he spun around, his blade had yet to fully extend when Haidongqing swept past his head.Sharp claws tore half of his face open, and as his piercing scream echoed, Hongyu couldn't help but tremble on her left side.
Seizing the moment while the guard captain writhed in pain on the ground, she swiftly approached and knocked him unconscious with a chop of her hand.
Duanming insisted on rushing forward immediately, scratching the guard captain's right cheek with its claws before calling out to the circling Haidongqing in the sky: "Meow, meow."
Shen Xihe and Hongyu:
This finally caught Haidongqing's attention. The bird dove toward Duanming like lightning. Shen Xihe, terrified, immediately tried to blow the bone whistle but was too late. Haidongqing's claws swept past Duanming's head and headed straight for Shen Xihe.
Shen Xihe felt herself knocked down by Haidongqing, as several sharp arrows whizzed over her head.
Lying on the ground, Shen Xihe quickly rolled over and saw Haidongqing soaring high into the sky. She breathed a sigh of relief,
fearing that the bird had been struck by arrows after pushing her aside. Such a magnificent bird—Shen Xihe knew she could never find another like it to repay Xiao Huayong. With the archers joining the fray, Haidongqing could no longer protect Shen Xihe at close range. Arrows were shot at them, while others charged at them with drawn blades.
Haidongqing tried several times to fly over but was blocked by the arrows. Shen Xihe held back Duanming, who was eager to rush forward and protect her, and rolled down the slope to evade both the arrows and the pursuers.
However, these assailants were determined to take her life. When Shen Xihe reached the bottom of the slope, she looked up to see the glint of a blade. Raising her already prepared wrist, she pressed the trigger, and a fine needle shot straight into the attacker's forehead.
At that moment, Haidongqing flew over again. She had reached the lowest area, temporarily out of the archers' range.
Her eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, and she found a large tree to hide behind. She removed her cloak, used Duanming's sharp claws to tear open the lining—which was filled with small packets of gunpowder—and propped the cloak up against the tree roots with a branch. Holding Duanming, she quietly moved to another spot.
No sooner had she hidden herself than the pursuers and archers arrived above. They only saw the cloak propped against the tree roots, as if someone were sitting there. The obvious exposure made them cautious, and they approached slowly.
Shen Xihe listened to the sounds, estimating their distance. Her eyes remained calm, showing no trace of tension or panic.
When she heard the sound of the branch she had left behind being stepped on, Shen Xihe decisively struck a firestarter and blew on it forcefully. The moment it ignited, she leaped sideways with Duanming in one arm and threw the firestarter with the other.
As she fell to the ground, the firestarter landed on the oil-coated packets inside the cloak. With a roar, the packets ignited. By the time the assailants realized what was happening and tried to retreat, flames shot skyward, and a deafening explosion erupted.
Amid the explosion, a fragrant scent spread along with the gunpowder.
The massive tree was shattered. Though few were injured, before they could stand up, the sweet fragrance filled their nostrils, causing their heads to spin and sending them collapsing once more.Xiao Huayong rode at breakneck speed, traveling day and night while changing horses four times along the way, only to reach Shen Xihe's location in the shortest possible time. From afar, he spotted Haidongqing circling overhead, while the soaring flames reflected in his bloodshot eyes. The deafening explosions that startled the horses into whinnying echoed like thunderclaps in his chest.
"Youyou!"
His face was as cold and grim as an asura emerging from the underworld.
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