Chen Ping's Sword-Chapter 60: Above the Great River
Under the fierce onslaught of the sword-shirted woman, the more than twenty black-clad men protecting the carriage finally couldn’t control their inner fear.
After seventeen or eighteen had died, they shouted and scattered in panic to escape.
However, at this moment, trying to escape was clearly already a bit too late.
The sword-shirted woman retrieved her broadsword from atop the shaft of the second carriage, caught up with the three running away, and killed them one by one before turning her gaze to Zuo Duanshou, who had just emerged from the bushes.
"Did you come with that person?"
When Black Wolf and Leopard blocked Chen Ping and the other, the distance wasn’t too far, and not only Zhuang Hongyi could see it, but others in the convoy could also clearly see it.
"Yes, Seventh Brother instructed me not to appear before the battle stopped," Zuo Duanshou hurriedly answered.
Earlier, at the entrance of the restaurant within the city, he felt this tall woman was somewhat daft, being lured step by step into a trap and tricked into swallowing poison...
Now, looking again at the black-clad men lying in disarray on the ground and the bodiless Meigu, he felt he was the truly foolish one.
The other side wasn’t foolish; perhaps she was a bit too kind-hearted, protected too well from seeing the world’s darkness. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Thus, she completely let her guard down and was deceived by that little girl.
But once she recognized the truth, it didn’t stop her from transforming into a blood-handed Rakshasa, utterly merciless.
In the eyes of someone like her, black is black, white is white, just that simple.
If anyone thought she was truly easy to deceive, they’d better pray to never slip up in front of her for a lifetime or give her a chance. Otherwise, they’d end up like Meigu, with no chance to regret.
"The task of rescuing people and returning to the city is yours."
She brandished the enormous long sword, hastily dropped a sentence, and turned to pursue toward the dust-settled direction.
She understood the principle of "eliminating evil completely."
However, she had also heard the saying: "Don’t chase a cornered foe."
As a child listening to her mother’s stories, pursuing the enemy in such situations always led to many unforeseen events.
Sometimes, turning the tide against the wind happened in a moment.
During the life-and-death struggle between Chen Ping and Zhuang Hongyi earlier, although she was anxious to save people and wanted to slay all the black-clad bandits as quickly as possible, doing her utmost to protect those women.
Her peripheral vision was always on them, and she knew that Chen Ping wasn’t really Tier Three Qi Blood, nor was he necessarily at the peak of Tier Two.
Because the opponent’s strength was divided into three segments: Bone and Flesh Power—Breaking Sword; Large Muscle Power—Breaking Hand; Internal Organ Power—Shaking.
Being able to exert Qi to shatter the Red Silk Short Sword from opponents six or seven meridians away was nothing short of extraordinary Divine Power.
The punch power was at least five or six thousand pounds.
If he truly reached Tier Three, with muscles, bones, skin, and internal organs, the attack method would be different.
All the forces would combine into one, forming a unique Blood Essence Power, breaking through Inner Qi of a Tier Three Meridian Passage Stage Qi cultivator without employing such complex means.
Due to her simultaneous cultivation of Qi and Blood, she could sense it distinctly.
Understanding that the previous situation couldn’t be replicated.
Although her opponent’s arm was crippled, his Inner Qi was still substantial and not without the power to counterattack.
Moreover, the woman had exquisite lightweight skills, capable of fleeing and fighting. Although currently at a disadvantage, who knows when it might turn favorable.
With a single mistake, that youth might even get counterattacked and killed.
Kindness to save a life must be repaid.
Of course, mainly, she had been deceived so terribly, almost falling into an extremely miserable situation.
If the mastermind behind it all didn’t die, she wouldn’t feel comfortable.
She had to pursue.
...
Chen Ping had the same thought.
He didn’t even need to doubt to know that this Chizi Hall Incense Hall Master Zhuang Hongyi had hidden strongholds in Xingqing Prefecture City, undoubtedly with support and background.
This alone could be inferred from how the city gate could be opened freely at night.
There existed a force behind the scenes of the Seven-Colored Hall, commanding from afar.
Simply cutting off a weapon in someone else’s hand was meaningless; if he didn’t find the one wielding it, his mind wouldn’t come to rest.
Hua Lian’er had mentioned some secrets, but only with suspicion, unable to confirm if it was indeed her "brother."
For someone like Zhuang Hongyi, she may appear cold and indifferent, but it depended on whom she faced.
With connections wide enough to set up such a grand scene... one couldn’t assume any of her acquaintances was the mastermind.
The best approach, of course, was to capture her and ask in detail.
Moreover, he suspected that the girls Zhuang Hongyi transported this time were not all of them...
Judging by the scale of the Cyan Hall Incense Hall alone, Chizi Hall Incense Hall should have at least several hundred people. Even if fewer elites, there should be a hundred.
Otherwise, could just these twenty-odd by the carriage support an incense hall?
In that case, she still had subordinates active elsewhere... quite possibly, another batch of unfortunate women hadn’t been transported away.
Therefore, even if he had to chase her to the ends of the earth, he couldn’t let this frantically fleeing Incense Master Zhuang get away.
For a Body Refining Practitioner, initially, handling Qi practitioners might not hold many tricks, being at a disadvantage in techniques.
However, in terms of physical strength and endurance, Qi cultivators couldn’t even remotely compare.
Chen Ping even felt that at his current speed, he could run for three days and nights.
Whereas Qi practitioners, once their Inner Force was depleted, their strength would plummet.
Even more so, with Zhuang Hongyi injured, needing to protect her injuries from worsening while urging her lightweight skills to escape, she couldn’t hold out long.
Because she didn’t dare to stop to heal.
Nor did she dare to run to the city gate and call for it to open.
...
Ahead lay a wide river, shimmering under the moonlight, appearing serene and tranquil...
Zhuang Hongyi glided over grass and climbed trees, her body technique nimble, turning direction repeatedly, traversing five or six small paths, yet she hadn’t shaken off Chen Ping, and a sense of urgency grew within her heart.
She realized that not only did the opponent have abundant stamina and unbelievably fast running speed, but every time she thought she had shaken him off, he could suddenly accelerate, his body trailing afterimages.
Though he didn’t possess lightweight skills, he wasn’t far off from them.
’Is this really a Body Cultivator from Qi Blood cultivation’s Outer Sect?’
She secretly lamented, yet had no idea what to do.
The wide river blocked the path ahead, while behind, the force pressed aggressively.
Zhuang Hongyi dared not turn back to engage in battle.
Not that she lacked the power to fight, but her confidence in victory was gone, fearing to miss the greater picture.
As long as she survived this calamity, knowing this person’s identity, she could later return with stronger forces and crush him.
Thus, no need to take excessive risks now.
"Not good."
Just as this thought crossed her mind, Zhuang Hongyi sensed a powerful gust of wind rising behind...
Glancing back, she saw seven afterimages yet to fade, and among them, another seven emerged.
A palm had quietly reached her back.
’Afraid I’ll escape by water? At this point, having tried all my trump cards, with no further variables, he now strikes with full force?’
At this moment, Zhuang Hongyi gritted her teeth and hated inwardly, abandoning any trace of wishful thinking.
Life or death.
Only one all-out effort...
