READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 64: Driven into a Corner
Zheng Yuanqiu's eyes widened in disbelief when he saw Huangfu Rou and the others behind Shen Qing, an indescribable panic welling up in his heart.
He was sure he had been cautious enough, leaving no traces behind, so why had he still been found?
Zheng Yuanqiu couldn't figure it out no matter how much he thought.
But now was clearly not the time to ponder this.
Shen Qing and Huangfu Rou had discovered his trail, and if they captured him, the consequences would be unimaginable. Discover hidden content at empire
To pry open the secrets in his mouth, they would only make his life a living hell.
He had to leave.
Upon realizing his predicament, Zheng Yuanqiu's eyes flashed with decisiveness as he intended to use the cover of the snowy forest to slip into the vast mountains.
At that moment, Shen Qing already saw through his intentions, raising the Cloud Splitting Bow with his right hand, his eyes shining brightly.
He secretly operated the Heavenly Bow Technique, channeling Supreme True Qi through his hands onto the arrows.
The surrounding air seemed drawn by this power, coalescing into a barely visible vortex of Spiritual Power, swirling around the tip of the arrows he held.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Three arrows with a chilling gleam released almost simultaneously, cutting through the air and leaving indelible scars in their wake.
Boom, boom, boom!
Thundering explosions erupted continuously from the deep mountain, blasting open walls of snow several meters high, perfectly sealing all of Zheng Yuanqiu's escape routes.
The powerful force carried by the arrows compelled Zheng Yuanqiu to retreat backward continuously.
Witnessing this, Huangfu Rou couldn't help but feel a surge of astonishment.
She had long heard of Shen Qing's unparalleled archery skills, but seeing it firsthand, she was still left speechless; she had never seen anyone hone their bow technique to such an extent.
"What a 'Heavenly Net and Earthly Web' archery!"
Huangfu Rou, filled with admiration, quickened her pace, employing Qinggong movement technique, sprinting towards Zheng Yuanqiu's position.
Zheng Yuanqiu, thwarted, found Huangfu Rou and the others already closing in on him, his expression turning grim.
He fixed his eyes on Shen Qing, showing deep-seated hatred.
"You caught my weakness, you reported me in secret, you found me, and finally, you blocked my retreat…"
"Damn it! It's never-ending."
"I originally intended to let you live a few more days, but since you're so eager to die, I'll oblige!"
Seeing that he had no time to escape, a vicious glint flashed in Zheng Yuanqiu's eyes.
Suddenly, the Spiritual Power within him surged wildly as he turned and charged towards Shen Qing.
With undeniable killing intent, Zheng Yuanqiu's figure moved like lightning, instantly crossing the distance between them, unleashing a fierce palm strike aimed at Shen Qing's vital point.
Shen Qing's muscles instantly tensed, activating the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Skill to its peak in a split second.
The Zheng Yuanqiu before him, after all, had the cultivation of the Dan Realm, a whole Great Realm above him, unlike those he had faced before.
He had to be cautious.
However, at that moment, Huangfu Rou's figure expanded, stepping in front of Shen Qing.
"Zheng Yuanqiu, your opponent is me!"
Huangfu Rou shouted coldly as Spiritual Power surged from within her, launching a palm strike.
A cool, pale blue glow radiated from her palm, landing in front of Zheng Yuanqiu.
The powerful Spiritual Power surged like a torrent, tearing through the surrounding space, causing it to tremble slightly under the impact.
Huangfu Rou and Zheng Yuanqiu, both strong in the Dan Realm, had equivalent cultivation levels, matching each other strike for strike.
Both were forced back several steps under the other's moves before stabilizing themselves.
"Huangfu Rou, you have remarkable courage. I didn't expect you to stand up for a lowly dispatch officer," Zheng Yuanqiu sneered at Huangfu Rou with a grim smile.
He had long been familiar with the nature of Yongzhou's officials, who pursued results over the lives of their subordinates.
Someone like Huangfu Rou was indeed unusual.
"I, Huangfu Rou, do not need a traitor like you to comment on my actions." Huangfu Rou's response was succinct and powerful.
With that, her brows furrowed like swords, exuding a commanding presence, surrounded by a brilliant spiritual light, akin to dawn breaking.
Then, Huangfu Rou summoned all her Spiritual Power, and with a soft chant, a blue brilliance materialized out of thin air.
Instantly, the space seemed torn apart by an invisible hand, and Huang Fuqi's form gradually blurred under the astonished gazes, ultimately transforming into a radiant blue light, darting towards Zheng Yuanqiu.
This was the secret technique passed down through the Huangfu family — the Da Xu Technique.
It allowed one to shift form and attack unexpectedly, catching the opponent off guard.
Faced with this sudden change, Zheng Yuanqiu's anger surged, yet it also sparked unprecedented fighting spirit.
His form burst forth like a lone boat braving raging seas, directly meeting the blue light.
As they clashed, the void trembled violently, light scattering in all directions.
Each collision between them stirred destructive waves of power.
The snow atop the surrounding forest was instantly melted under their pressure, revealing the grayish, decayed soil beneath.
Countless trees were destroyed in an instant.
After exchanging dozens of moves, at a certain moment, Zheng Yuanqiu's actions subtly lagged.
His entire Gang Qi finally showed signs of instability under Huangfu Rou's fierce onslaught.
In a moment of brilliance, Huangfu Rou seized the fleeting flaw, delivering a heavy strike, akin to a falling star, utterly destroying Zheng Yuanqiu's defense.
All the light dispersed, revealing Zheng Yuanqiu's figure.
His face flushed red, unable to stop a spurt of murky blood from escaping his lips.
"This woman is tougher than I imagined. If this drags on, who knows what reinforcements will come next. I must go!"
Zheng Yuanqiu shouted fiercely, lunging forward, unleashing a forceful punch.
Huangfu Rou dared not take it lightly, meeting it with both palms.
Boom!
A tremendous explosive force erupted between them.
Zheng Yuanqiu's lips curled into a grin as he used the explosion to retreat violently, turning to flee.
The punch was merely a feint, a ploy to retreat through advance.
Just as he thought he had successfully escaped, a blazing aura suddenly emerged.
During their battle, Shen Qing had silently maneuvered behind them in the forest using the Hunting Scripture technique.
Seeing through Zheng Yuanqiu's plan, Shen Qing decisively attacked.
The Heaven Defying Style of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Skill and the Mountain Embrace Seal were launched in unison, sweeping towards Zheng Yuanqiu.
The "Heaven Defying Style" and "Mountain Embrace Seal" interlaced, combining to unleash tenfold power.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, the Mountain Embrace Seal crashed onto Zheng Yuanqiu's back like a towering mountain.
The defensive Gang Qi Zheng Yuanqiu painstakingly maintained shattered like thin ice beneath a scorching sun, torn apart in an instant.
The searing True Qi flooded into his internal organs.
"Bleh!"
Zheng Yuanqiu spat out a mouthful of foul blood mixed with fragments of his organs, his face turning deathly pale.
His body, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted heavily to the forest's rotten soil, splattering a wave of mud.