Volume 2 Chapter 25 - Another Encounter with Jin Yu, How Tragic!
Riding fast from Pingzhou to the border would still take three days. Leng Jiu didn’t stop once after leaving Pingzhou, racing for half a day until her legs were numb, and she had to stop and rest. She tied her horse to a tree nearby and ate some dry rations. Just then, the sky began to darken, and by the time she was ready to ride again, a light drizzle had started, with signs that it would only get heavier.
It was March, the time of endless spring rains. It had been raining continuously for the past few days and had only cleared up recently, yet here it was again, now accompanied by the rumbling of thunder, making it impossible to stay in a good mood!
Fortunately, Leng Jiu had a cloak with her. She tied it on, covered her face with a piece of animal hide to block the rain, flicked the whip, and galloped forward through the rain!
She could have traveled much farther, but due to the rain, her journey was cut by more than half. Roads at night in the rain were hard to traverse and incredibly dangerous, so Leng Jiu didn’t dare be careless. She found an inn in a small town, planning to continue at dawn.
Many others were traveling in the rain, so the inn was packed with people when Leng Jiu arrived. There were no upper rooms left, just a basic room, which she accepted without fuss, tossing some silver to the attendant and heading to her room.
Knowing the commotion outside, Leng Jiu didn’t wander around, instructing the attendant to bring food and hot water to her room. After eating, she washed up quickly and went to bed. Rainy days were perfect for sleeping, and she needed to gather her strength.
In the middle of the night, Leng Jiu was jolted awake by a loud clap of thunder, a sound so intense it seemed to tear the sky apart, making her heart pound! She couldn’t fall back asleep once startled awake. The rain continued pouring outside, with no end in sight!
Just as she was about to close her eyes and rest, she heard someone hurrying in outside, speaking to the innkeeper.
“Attendant! Get us some food quickly; we’re starving!”
The innkeeper’s sleepy voice responded, “You’re traveling so late, sirs?”
“Traveling? More like fleeing for our lives!” replied another person in a tone of relief.
“Exactly! If we hadn’t left in time, we’d have been swept away like the others!”
The innkeeper immediately became more alert. “What do you mean, swept away?”
“The village less than fifty miles from here. It was raining heavily there too. We were just getting ready to stay for the night when we heard rumbling. We saw water flowing down and sensed danger. We mounted our horses and ran. Luckily, we hadn’t checked in yet. Even ten miles away, we could still hear the terrifying rumbling. When we looked back from over two ridges, the whole village was underwater. We’re probably the only ones who made it out!”
“Heavens! Such a thing actually happened!” exclaimed the innkeeper in shock.
“It rains the most this time every year, but this year seems worse than ever. Who knows how many others have suffered!” the man sighed.
“Indeed! With the border war breaking out, now there’s also a disaster here. This year’s going to be hard!”
“You gentlemen came from the southwest; has there been trouble at the border? Isn’t General Leng stationed there to stop any barbarian invaders?”
“Don’t mention it. Three months ago, the most powerful tribe among the Eighteen Prairie Tribes suddenly produced a ruthless Crown Prince of Chi Yin. He’s not only brutal and fierce but also a highly skilled fighter, without a single opponent able to match him. As soon as he appeared, he led five thousand iron cavalry to wipe out a medium-sized tribe, occupied their land, then, after only two days of rest, attacked the next tribe. In less than three months, ten out of the Eighteen Prairie Tribes are now under his control. Everyone on the prairie knows of him and fears him!”
“Something like that actually happened?”
“Yes! Recently, fur traders who traveled to the prairie have been fleeing back, claiming the Chi Yin Prince has gathered an army of two hundred thousand and is bent on teaching General Leng a lesson. Last year, General Leng drove their people away, and now they’re back for revenge!”
“Doesn’t that mean trouble for General Leng? He may have fifty thousand Eagle troops, but the enemy has two hundred thousand!”
“Enough talking! Just get us some food; we’re starving!”
“Got it! Right away!”
The innkeeper ran to the kitchen, while the two men outside continued chatting, this time about the leather trade and other things. Leng Jiu paid no further attention.
If what they said was true, then Leng Yue was in serious trouble. In this situation, leaving his post was impossible, meaning her own affairs would have to be set aside. However, with such an issue arising, Long Yi would undoubtedly be preoccupied, and likely wouldn’t have the mind to bother about her matters. It seemed this situation might ease up a bit.
With the mountain flood blocking the road ahead and Leng Yue facing such trouble, Leng Jiu was unsure whether to continue forward or turn back. After thinking for a moment, she firmly decided to go to the military camp. Since she was already here, there was no reason to back down, and besides, it was an ancient battlefield—she had to witness it with her own eyes.
With her decision made, Leng Jiu closed her eyes and slept, rising early the next day to eat and set out on horseback. It continued to rain, not heavily, but endlessly, leaving a gloomy mood.
In less than half a day, she saw traces of floodwater across the road. Although this area was small and hadn’t affected the surrounding houses, the road here was still blocked, clearly making further progress impossible.
Leng Jiu rode upward, following a higher road toward the west. Last night’s mountain flood had caused damage in many areas, and along the way, she saw people carrying bundles, obviously fleeing the disaster.
After traveling for half a day, she reached a mountaintop, where she looked down and was shocked by the scene before her. Beside her was a gorge that should have been lush and vibrant with spring growth, but it was now covered in thick mudslides. Ma.s.sive trees, too wide for one person to wrap their arms around, had been snapped and swept down, blocking the entire gorge.
From here, she could see far into the distance, where mudslides stretched endlessly across miles. The surrounding trees were all flattened. There was no doubt that the village the two men spoke of last night had likely been buried completely.
Even with today’s advanced technology, humanity cannot always avoid the destructive power of natural disasters. In this ancient world with no such advancements, it was even worse. She mounted her horse and left, knowing that disasters like this often bring plagues and wanderers in their aftermath. She had to get out of here quickly!
Heading straight west, she went south once she bypa.s.sed the affected area, continuing southwest. Along the way, she saw people covered in mud, staring blankly at the ruins of their buried homes, or holding the bodies of loved ones, crying despairingly. In some places, officials were present to address the situation, but their efforts were limited, and in certain large towns, refugees were even driven away. Such cold-heartedness!
This was a government road, several meters wide, usually quiet, but now it was filled with people. However, they all wore expressions of gloom and despair.
“Wah wah!” The cries of a child shattered the stillness, but everyone continued with blank faces, as though they didn’t hear it.
“There, there, Bao’er, don’t cry, don’t cry!” A young woman in her early twenties held a toddler, her clothes tattered and patched. Her delicate face was streaked with tears, and she walked alone with her child.
“Wah wah wah!” The child cried even louder, likely starving, but there was no food. The people around them didn’t care; they didn’t even have food for themselves, so they certainly weren’t about to pity this mother and child.
Leng Jiu still had some rations, but she didn’t give any. If she took them out, people would see, and both she and the mother and child would be robbed. That would help no one and only bring more harm.
“Wah wah wah!” The child’s cries grew louder, and Leng Jiu raised her whip to continue riding. Yet in the end, she couldn’t ignore that last bit of kindness within her. She leaned down, lifted the woman onto her horse before she could scream, and covered her mouth. “I’ll take you along.”
Leng Jiu was disguised as a man and acted boldly. The young woman was naturally startled, but Leng Jiu’s words and composed behavior rea.s.sured her. In such times, anyone willing to help shouldn’t be thought of as a scoundrel!
“Wah wah wah!” The child continued to cry, but Leng Jiu paid no attention as she quickly galloped ahead. This road had other riders, mostly wealthy families, and some on donkeys or oxen, so Leng Jiu’s presence didn’t stand out.
“Hyah!”
The official road led to a large town, which wasn’t allowing refugees entry. However, Leng Jiu’s clean, well-dressed appearance set her apart from the refugees, so she was let through. The guards a.s.sumed the mother and child were simply people she had taken pity on, which was seen as no great issue.
Leng Jiu found a small inn, dismounted with the young woman, and went inside. “Innkeeper, prepare some rice porridge and a meal!”
She tossed a silver ingot to the innkeeper, who nodded and hurried off. The young woman, grateful, sat in a corner holding her now-exhausted, sleeping child.
Leng Jiu sat across from her, poured herself tea, and poured a cup for the woman as well.
The young woman looked at Leng Jiu for a long time before nervously speaking, “Thank you, young master, for saving us.”
Leng Jiu raised her eyes upon hearing this. “You should be grateful that I haven’t completely lost my last bit of conscience, but I’m not sure if this counts as helping you.”
She took out a small silver note from her sleeve and placed it in the child’s clothing. “This is all I can do for you. Beyond this, you’re on your own.”
“Young master! I can’t accept any more of your money. You’ve already done me a great kindness by bringing me here!” The young woman hurriedly refused when she saw Leng Jiu’s gesture.
Ignoring her, Leng Jiu reached out to pat the child, who was actually quite cute despite having dirt on his face, making him look messy.
The innkeeper brought over the rice porridge, and Leng Jiu pushed it towards the woman. “Feed it to her quickly!”
The young woman didn’t refuse, as the child was indeed starving and now lacked even the strength to cry. She carefully fed the child, blowing on the food before each spoonful. The child opened his mouth wide, eagerly swallowing, clearly very hungry!
The food was soon served, and Leng Jiu took half for herself. After finishing, she patted the child once more, turned, mounted her horse, and rode off! She had done what she could, and that was enough. After another three days of travel, Leng Jiu finally arrived at the borderlands. In her mind, the borderlands were like the Mongolian gra.s.slands—green pastures, cattle and sheep, and walls made of sand. But when she arrived, she couldn’t help wondering if she had come to the wrong place. There was nothing but yellow sand and hardly a tree in sight. Was this really the gra.s.slands beyond the frontier?
Leng Jiu went to a sand town and found a family, saying she was here to join General Leng. Hearing this, they immediately pointed her in the right direction. Just ten more miles south lay the Eagle Corps’ camp. Hearing this news, Leng Jiu breathed a sigh of relief; after all this travel, she was finally close.
Ten miles wasn’t far—if she hurried, it wouldn’t take an hour. Leng Jiu spurred her horse on, first through yellow sand, and then patches of gra.s.s began to appear. After five or six miles, the green plains came into view, lifting her spirits.
Just as Leng Jiu relaxed and slowed her pace, the sound of thunderous hoofbeats echoed. Recognizing it as the sound of many horses, along with the clinking of metal, Leng Jiu’s expression sharpened. It was an army—but was it the gra.s.sland tribes or Leng Yue’s forces? Without seeing them, Leng Jiu couldn’t be sure and cautiously rode to a nearby hill, letting her horse stay below while she lay flat on the hillside.
The troop soon arrived, a grand sight of over a thousand cavalry, dressed in tribal clothing, with sabers at their waists and braids swaying as they rode.
To be honest, an army of this size couldn’t rival a modern one, but without firearms, their combat skill would definitely surpa.s.s most modern soldiers, nearly like special forces. Leng Jiu’s eyes narrowed, a trace of excitement stirring within her.
“Boom, boom, boom!” The troop seemed to have urgent business and galloped past without stopping, quickly disappearing into the distance.
The danger had pa.s.sed, so Leng Jiu should have felt relieved, but something felt off. Her intuition, which had saved her countless times, suddenly made her turn around. Unnoticed, someone was standing behind her, and she hadn’t sensed a thing. If he had attacked her, she wouldn’t have had a chance to retaliate. A faint sense of fear rose in her heart, and she narrowed her eyes.
Was this the so-called “enemy meeting on a narrow road”?
The person was dressed in a flawless white robe, his hair flowing freely in the wind, his face ethereal and otherworldly, with a cold aura, as if he had descended from the heavens. Who else could it be but the man she had encountered in the capital before?
Though their encounter had been brief, she was well aware that his abilities far exceeded hers, perhaps by a considerable margin. Her instincts told her that nothing good would come from this meeting, and whatever happened next would be anything but pleasant!
Her face darkened, one hand reaching for the dagger in her sleeve while the other pressed against the Nine-Turn Sakura bracelet. If he dared make a move, she’d strike without a second thought, consequences be d.a.m.ned!
Jin Yu lightly flicked his sleeve, his cool voice tinged with ambiguous meaning. “Three months since we last met. I was planning to get what I needed and return to the capital to find you, but I didn’t expect you, little slave, to deliver yourself here. How considerate of you; here’s a reward.”
With a flick of his finger, a pill fell directly into Leng Jiu’s mouth, and before she could react, she had swallowed it. She was instantly horrified, and even more so when she realized her body couldn’t move!
Staring coldly at Jin Yu, her eyes were filled with fury. “What did you do to me?”
Jin Yu’s expression paused before he sighed. “It seems Long Yueli hasn’t mentioned me to you. But it’s understandable, as he treats me like a thief.”
He stepped closer and, in a rare act of humility, crouched down to look at her. “I dislike introducing myself, but I’ll make an exception for you, little slave. In the martial world, I’m known as the Demon Doctor or Ghost Doctor. Although it may sound arrogant, aside from my late master, Ghost Hand, no one surpa.s.ses me in medicine. However, I enjoy using poison even more than medicine. Now, do you understand?”
Leng Jiu immediately thought back to when he flicked his sleeve. If she was right, he had poisoned her then!
Seeing her realization, Jin Yu seemed pleased and lightly brushed his hand across her lips. “The pill you just swallowed is my unique poison, something I developed recently, and there’s no antidote. Didn’t you once say you’d do anything for me? Now you can help me test its effects!”
Leng Jiu couldn’t even bring herself to speak, nor did she want to give him even a glance. She was furious, so she simply closed her eyes and ignored everything.
Seeing her sudden compliance, Jin Yu was slightly disappointed, though he knew her well and had plenty of time to figure her out. He bent down, lifted her, and used his light footwork to fly across the gra.s.slands, quickly catching up with the troop that had just charged ahead. At the center of the group was a strikingly beautiful horse, entirely white. Anyone knowledgeable about horses would recognize it as the rare Snow Dragon, an exceptional breed close to extinction.
Jin Yu landed with Leng Jiu on his back, catching the attention of those around him, though no one dared to say a word as they continued galloping forward.
Leng Jiu’s entire body was stiff at this moment, a result of the poison he’d initially administered. Then her abdomen felt hot, and her throat began to heave, clearly from whatever he had just made her swallow! Trapped and helpless, Leng Jiu had never felt so unlucky. Just how much bad luck did she have to encounter to cross paths with this b.a.s.t.a.r.d? And Long Yueli, he actually knew Long Yueli, and evidently knew her ident.i.ty. Thinking of that dreadful demon, Leng Jiu felt like biting him to death. He hadn’t warned her about someone this dangerous, it was infuriating!
Unable to run or move, she only had her mouth left, but even then, she didn’t feel like speaking. She regretted not learning the a.s.sa.s.sins’ trick of hiding a blade under the tongue back then; if she had, she could kill him with her mouth right now!
Not thinking about him anymore, Leng Jiu slightly tilted her head, noticing for the first time that this group was actually heading toward the desert, with endless yellow sand stretching ahead, with nothing in sight! She was about to look away out of disinterest when she noticed that the horse beneath her was exceptionally bright white, as if each hair was as clear as snow. It even carried a slight snowy fragrance, running swiftly without a trace of jarring movement. It was undoubtedly a fine steed. Leng Jiu looked toward its head, noticing it was taller than most horses with a slightly longer face, and its large eyes sparkled with an almost divine gleam, instantly endearing it to her.
Jin Yu glanced down, noticing the delight in her eyes. His gaze flickered, and a faint smile curved on his lips, “If you help me test a hundred types of medicine, I’ll give it to you. How about that?”
Leng Jiu immediately closed her eyes and played dead. She still wanted to live, and even if she didn’t die from all that testing, she’d probably end up half-dead. She wasn’t stupid enough to risk her life for a horse!
Seeing her lack of response, Jin Yu seemed somewhat disappointed, “This is the world’s only Snow Mountain Dragon, and you can’t buy it no matter the price. I was prepared to part with it, but you don’t seem tempted!”
Leng Jiu lifted her eyelids, her tone chilly, “My life is also one of a kind. I don’t want to part with it!”
Jin Yu chuckled lowly at her reply, laughing out loud for once, with both expression and sound. His typically aloof face finally bore a hint of mortal warmth, even a touch of bewitchment, though different from Long Yueli’s, yet equally tempting Leng Jiu to stomp on it.
“Who said you’d die? With my medical skills, if I don’t want someone dead, even the king of the underworld can’t take them!”
“Don’t boast. The higher you brag, the harder the fall,” Leng Jiu replied expressionlessly.
Jin Yu’s face hardened, “You doubt my medical skills?”
“Wrong! I doubt your character!” Leng Jiu said seriously.
Jin Yu choked momentarily, then responded, “So, in your view, my character is that poor?”
“Not poor! Nonexistent!” With that, Leng Jiu closed her eyes again, unwilling to entertain him any longer.
Jin Yu lowered his gaze, watching her closed eyes with a strange glint, his lips curving subtly before he, too, fell silent.
The cavalry raced through the desert, quickly crossing the not-so-large expanse of sand before reaching a green oasis. In the center of the oasis was a small lake, with a grove of trees covering an area of less than a thousand square meters by its sh.o.r.e—their target location.
Jin Yu patted the Snow Mountain Dragon’s neck, and the horse obediently halted. The thousand-strong cavalry squadron also stopped. Five hundred riders surrounded the grove, while the remaining five hundred began digging. Yes, digging! Leng Jiu hadn’t noticed before, but now she saw that each horse was equipped with a shovel strapped to it. They took the shovels and began digging immediately. Half of the team was digging while the other half moved the soil outside. Since the area was mainly sandy soil, it was easy to dig.
Soon, a ten-meter-wide pit began to take shape, and they started digging downward. Leng Jiu watched in confusion—what were they digging for in the middle of the desert?
Jin Yu continued to watch the pit from atop his horse, then after a while glanced down at Leng Jiu with a subtle tone and an odd expression, “The king of the desert, a giant double-winged king snake that’s rare to see in a thousand years. Are you excited?”
Leng Jiu involuntarily shuddered at the mention of a snake. She had no interest in such a creature, no matter how long it had lived. A snake was a snake, only differing in size! However, Leng Jiu found herself speechless. The last time she’d encountered him, it had involved a snake; this time, it also involved a snake. Truly, nothing good ever came of meeting him!
The ten-meter pit was gradually dug deeper. As the saying goes, there’s strength in numbers, and soon the pit was over five meters deep. They didn’t stop, continuing to dig even deeper. After two full hours, Leng Jiu’s entire body was so numb it was close to cramping, and they were still digging.
Leng Jiu’s body was unbearably uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to show weakness. Who knows, he might try to make some conditions for an exchange, so she endured!
“It’s done!” Finally, someone climbed out to report, and Leng Jiu breathed a sigh of relief.
Jin Yu fed a pill into Leng Jiu’s mouth. “This will let you move freely, but I’ve added quite a bit of ‘extra’ to it. If you want, feel free to leave!”
With that, he left Leng Jiu lying on the horse’s back, then jumped down with a smile.
Leng Jiu wanted nothing more than to bite him to death!
Looking up at the sky, she soon recovered, moved her stiff body into a sitting position, and raised her hand to stroke the Snow Mountain Dragon’s mane, feeling unable to put it down. “Tsk, tsk! If only I had such a fine horse!”
The Snow Mountain Dragon seemed to understand her words, tilting its head to glance at her, then moving its hooves twice.
Leng Jiu smiled, patting its neck. “Come on! Let’s go see what that b.a.s.t.a.r.d is up to!”
The Snow Mountain Dragon paused, then trotted elegantly to the edge of the large pit, stopping two steps away. Leng Jiu looked down, startled. It was a pit of over a hundred square meters and seven or eight meters deep. Some powder had been scattered on two walls, and an unknown material had been used to make a net, leaving only the wall facing the grove uncovered. At this moment, Jin Yu stood in the center of the pit, wielding a long sword on the ground. Dozens of weapons placed around him were lifted by his inner strength, landing where he directed them. Leng Jiu, though unfamiliar with formations, vaguely understood he was setting one up, and her curiosity was piqued.
There was no denying Jin Yu was quite captivating. His face and that cool, immortal-like aura were enough to move countless women’s hearts. And at this moment, as he swung his sword, hair flowing and gaze cold, his pale lips and indifferent eyes gave him a mesmerizing allure.
With the last sword plunged into the sand, a powerful gust swept through the pit, kicking up dust and sand that blurred the onlookers’ vision. Amid the swirling dust, Jin Yu, dressed in white, descended like a fallen deity, breathtakingly beautiful. Leng Jiu squinted, muttering, “Demon indeed!”
Jin Yu waved his hand, and the soldiers who had been shoveling immediately mounted their horses and retreated dozens of meters, surrounding the pit.
He then appeared behind Leng Jiu, softly asking, “Do you know what this snake king likes most?”
Leng Jiu didn’t answer. How could she possibly know?
Jin Yu hadn’t expected an answer, lowering his gaze as a slightly wicked smile crossed his lips. “It loves live prey, and the more precious, the better it lures.”
Upon hearing this, Leng Jiu had a bad feeling. Sure enough, the next moment, Jin Yu flicked the Snow Mountain Dragon’s hindquarters. The horse neighed, leaping down into the pit, disappearing amid the endless yellow sand, and in a moment, they landed. Leng Jiu realized they were now at the center of the formation, facing the uncovered wall. Though Jin Yu hadn’t explained, Leng Jiu could guess most of it and wanted to curse. Meeting this b.a.s.t.a.r.d was bad enough; now, he had dragged her here as bait for a snake. How could her life be so miserable?
Yellow sand swirled above, but this small world was clear. Jin Yu reached out to touch a lock of Leng Jiu’s hair, his gaze softening. His eyes were like a mist clearing over a green lake, exceptionally beautiful. “What do you think Long Yueli would do if he found out you’d accidentally become a snack for the snake king?”
Leng Jiu narrowed her eyes, smiling brilliantly. “Don’t worry, Young Master! Even if I get fed to the snake, I’ll take you with me so we’ll never be apart!”
With that, she hooked her arm around Jin Yu’s neck, leaning her entire body into his embrace.
A ripple pa.s.sed through Jin Yu’s calm eyes. “Aren’t you afraid he’ll be jealous?”
Leng Jiu slid her hand across his chest, her expression shifting from helpless maiden to seductive demoness. Despite her plain makeup, her every movement was alluring. She raised an eyebrow. “That’s why it’s your honor. There aren’t many people in this world I’d be willing to die with!”
“Quite an honor indeed!” Jin Yu chuckled, raising a hand to stir up even more sand and wind. “I’ll enjoy this honor then!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Leng Jiu felt a sudden sense of danger, a suffocating feeling she’d never experienced, not even in the face of death. What kind of creature could evoke such a sensation?
The sense of its presence grew closer, and Leng Jiu’s face paled. Gripping her chest, she felt herself unable to breathe. She’d likely die of suffocation before the creature even attacked!
Noticing her condition, Jin Yu frowned slightly, then grabbed her head, pressing his lips to hers without a trace of l.u.s.t. One hand forced her mouth open as he fed her a mouthful of blood. Before she could resist, he closed her mouth, making her swallow it.
“You… made me drink blood?” Leng Jiu nearly retched from the taste. But after she spoke, she felt a marked relief in her chest, and the discomfort lessened. She pursed her lips, swallowing down the nausea.
Leng Jiu hadn’t clung to his neck, but Jin Yu wrapped an arm around her shoulders, steadying her as he softly warned, “I may have underestimated this one. If you’re scared, bury yourself in my arms and don’t look.”
Leng Jiu “obediently” tightened her grip around his neck, squeezing as if to choke him to death. She thought bitterly, Not looking no matter what! If she could leave this place, she’d strangle him right now!
Jin Yu almost choked from her hold, finding it a little amusing. He pried her hands away gently, swallowing down the taste of blood in his mouth as he adjusted his inner strength. When he opened his eyes again, their calm depths were gone, replaced by a deep darkness, like a bottomless pool that evoked terror. It was as if once caught, there would be no escape.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” An earth-shattering noise sounded, deafening them, though it was impossible to tell what ma.s.sive creature could make such a sound.
“Hissss!” The Snow Mountain Dragon was clearly frightened, beginning to retreat.
Jin Yu raised his hand to stroke its mane, offering some comfort, and only after a few pats did Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon calm down, though its hooves still kept moving restlessly.
“Boom!” Finally, a sound like an explosion erupted close by, shattering a section of the earthen wall with a hole about two meters in diameter. The wall collapsed with a thundering crash, and a ma.s.sive, dark head covered in eerie scales appeared. That head was larger than a washbasin by twice, with a wide mouth flicking out a scarlet, almost black, forked tongue and eyes as dark as black pearls.
The body slithered out about two or three meters along with the head, then it lifted its head, and like a cobra, two wings opened on each side, making the head nearly two or three meters wide. Half of its body was still hidden in the cave, but just this portion was enough to terrify anyone.
Jin Yu’s expression finally changed slightly, his eyes narrowing in surprise. “An ancient Teng Snake!”
As soon as he identified it, Jin Yu didn’t hesitate for a moment. He slapped Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon’s neck and turned to run out of the pit.
“Shhh!” Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon clearly sensed danger and broke into a full sprint, climbing out of the pit in just a few strides before bolting away.
But the Teng Snake wasn’t slow either. Its ma.s.sive wings flapped fiercely, propelling it to chase after them from above. Its long tail swung heavily, flattening the sand beneath it.
“Clang!” Just as the tail was about to strike them, Jin Yu struck, channeling all his inner power into his palms and hitting the snake’s tail hard, breaking off the last section of it with sheer force.
“Roar!” Although a snake, it let out a beastly roar. Its huge body swung violently, shaking the earth as if in a landslide. The Teng Snake was enraged, and glaring with wide eyes, it prepared to pursue them. Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon had already run a long distance away during this time.
“Ahh!”
“Help!”
Desperate screams echoed from far behind. Leng Jiu raised her head slightly and caught sight of that terrifyingly ma.s.sive creature, witnessing it using its broken tail to sweep through the ranks of the thousand-strong cavalry, even swallowing a horse whole in one gulp.
She took only one look before burying her head, unwilling to see more lest it cause nightmares—not good for her health!
Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon didn’t stop, galloping past the oasis and into the desert, then speeding straight through. Its pace had doubled compared to their initial journey, and in less than half an hour, it covered what previously took over an hour and a half, arriving at the place where Leng Jiu had been captured and continuing westward.
“Phew!” Leng Jiu exhaled a long breath and finally raised her head from Jin Yu’s embrace, glancing up at him. Noticing his somewhat grim expression, she realized that the earlier events must have truly caught him off guard, forcing him to change his demeanor. When he first mentioned catching the Winged Serpent King, he had been quite relaxed, obviously confident in his plan. But with that monster appearing later on, much larger than expected and beyond his ability to handle, he immediately fled, sacrificing even his elite cavalry without hesitation.
“What was that thing just now?” After a brief silence, Leng Jiu couldn’t help but ask.
Jin Yu let go of the reins, allowing Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon to run on its own, his eyes gazing ahead. “Teng Snake! A Teng Snake with ancient bloodlines over ten thousand years old, a creature meant to exist only in myth. Even my master encountered it once, and it nearly took half his life.”
Leng Jiu was taken aback. That ancient Teng Snake from legends was the creature they had just faced? “No wonder I felt so uncomfortable back then!” Something over ten thousand years old—of course, it couldn’t be compared to anything ordinary.
Jin Yu lowered his gaze slightly. “You have no internal energy to protect yourself, and as a woman of pure yin, it’s natural that you couldn’t withstand the impact of its bloodline.”
Leng Jiu clicked her tongue. “Then shouldn’t I learn some internal energy skills?”
Jin Yu ruthlessly discouraged her, “Your bones are average, your meridians are clogged, and on top of that, you’ve lost your virginity. Even if you learned internal energy, you’d only manage a half-baked version, never enough to make a difference.”
Leng Jiu’s expression darkened. She reached out and pinched his waist hard, listening with satisfaction as he sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. “I should have just pushed you into that pit to be eaten by that monster!”
Jin Yu removed her hand from the likely bruised spot on his waist, snickering. “I should be the one saying that!”
Leng Jiu withdrew her hand, unwilling to bicker further, but imagining the bruised spot on his waist appeased her anger. She might not be able to beat him, but a little revenge was still satisfying.
Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon galloped quickly past gra.s.slands and ponds, and after nearly another half hour, finally slowed its pace. Leng Jiu lifted her head slightly, spotting a military camp ahead. White yurts dotted the landscape like mushrooms, enclosed by fences, with patrolling soldiers everywhere, dressed like the ones they’d seen earlier.
“Master Jin!” Two guards at the gate of the fence saw Jin Yu approaching on horseback and immediately opened the gate respectfully to let him in.
“Master Jin!” Those behind also bowed their heads and greeted him with great respect.
However, despite their reverence, Jin Yu didn’t even blink an eye, not sparing a single glance in their direction—a level of arrogance that made one want to step on him!
Listening to the calls of “Master Jin,” Leng Jiu finally asked, “So, your surname is Jin?”
Jin Yu finally glanced her way. “Have I never told you my real name?”
Leng Jiu honestly shook her head. “You really haven’t!”
Jin Yu’s brows lifted slightly. “You think I’m old?”
“Not old! But also not young.”
Jin Yu gave her a chilly look and coldly spat out two words, “Jin Yu.”
Just as Leng Jiu heard this, he stopped Snowy Mountain Flying Dragon, bent her over, and wrapped an arm around her waist, carrying her as if she were a blanket and leaping off the horse with her in one swift movement. Leng Jiu, her waist held in such an awkward way with her head and legs hanging down, felt incredibly uncomfortable.
Furious! This was pure revenge—the shameless revenge of an old man! That d.a.m.ned old man!