HEART PROTECTION: CHAPTER 64
The torches sputtered and popped as they burned. A couple disciples from each sect sent to guard San Chong Mountain appeared in the forest. Everyone gathered around. The torches were so numerous that it seemed like the dark sky was lightening.
Yan Hui followed the group of disciples she encountered to this area. She mingled into the ground, and used the person in front of her to block her from view; she also kept her head down. But from her position, she could clearly see what was happening.
Pu Fang was trapped by the crowd. Her eyes were red, and long fangs protruded from between her lips. Her sharp fingernails also had faint traces of bloodstains from scratches. Demon aura surged from her body, and her chest heaved with rapid breaths. She was like a trapped animal, eyes filled with anger and despair.
From the looks of it, Pu Fang was making her last stand. Yan Hui gritted her teeth. Aside from inwardly cursing Pu Fang for being so willful, there was nothing else Yan Hui could blame her for.
In front of Pu Fang stood Ling Fei, who was wearing a veiled hat. The veil obscured her entire face. However, occasionally the breeze would lift the gauzy fabric. Yan Hui could clearly see the wounds left behind by the air blades Tian Yao used back in the inn. The wounds had scabbed over, and they looked like a mesh grid covering her entire face. It made Ling Fei look dark and frightening.
Ling Fei's hat would've looked something like this but with the veil also covering her face
Perhaps it really was because the wounds haven't healed that Ling Fei lost some of her lofty, ice-cold arrogance. She seemed more testy and harsh when she spoke:
"Before I came to San Chong Mountain, Zhenren Su Ying summoned me specifically to tell me to keep an eye out for any demons that plan to destroy the sky-splitting seal."
When Yan Hui heard those words, she became apprehensive. She couldn't tell if Su Ying told her younger sister what happened all those years ago, but it was true that she was wary of Tian Yao. Zhenren Su Ying wasn't as calm and collected as Tian Yao thought. She was panicked about Tian Yao's return for vengeance. Otherwise, why else would she summon Ling Fei?
"I didn't think that any demon would be suicidal enough to rush at the sky-splitting seal. Who would've though, tonight there would actually be one."
From what was being said, was the sky-splitting seal somewhere in the vicinity..........
"Speak, what is the purpose of the demon clans to find the sky-splitting seal?"
Yan Hui thought those words were so stupid for someone, who was in the same generation as the shifus in Chen Xing Mountain, to ask.
The demon clans and the xian sects were about to go to war. Aside from beating up xian cultivators, what other reason would the demon clan send someone to find the sky-splitting spell except to be a little more happier when beating up the xian cultivators?
But it did bring hardship to Pu Fang. Her reason was something much more simple........
As expected, Pu Fang didn't answer. Her red gaze warily swept across the crowd encircling her. Then, it stopped on a man's body. That man stood a few steps behind Ling Fei. He wore plain, gray robes. If it wasn't for Pu Fang persistently looking at him, Yan Hui completely wouldn't have noticed him.
He withstood Pu Fang's gaze and stood there without a word. He was like a monk meditating, unaffected by all that was happening around him.
"Heh." The silence didn't last long before Ling Fei coldly laughed. "It's not matter if you don't speak. We'll just kill you now."
At the end of her words, the disciples behind her rapidly set up a spell. The spell shone golden on the ground and stopped where Pu Fang stood. It formed a circle, making her a prisoner inside.
Yan Hui's hands curled into fists. She planned before the spell was finished to take action and rescue Pu Fang.......
But at this time, Pu Fang released all her control on her magic. The surrounding aura immediately became stronger. Pu Fang fixed her gaze onto Xi Feng. A blood droplet formed in the corner of her eye. It left a sinister trail as it rolled down her face: "I came to see you. I missed you.......That's why I so recklessly came."
Pu Fang hadn't finished speaking when the entire place was thrown into an uproar.
The taboo between demon and xian was deeper than the taboo between shifu and disciple.
Pu Fang's eyes, which had at first filled people with fear, were now filled with despair and grievance. It was like she couldn't hear the noisy surroundings. She looked only at Xi Feng: "I wholeheartedly waited for you. Did you once also wholeheartedly wait for me, even just a tiny bit?"
Xi Feng looked at her. He finally opened his mouth to speak, but it was just one sentence: "Demons should not enter San Chong Mountain."
The corner of Pu Fang's mouth tightened. Off to the side, Ling Fei coldly laughed: "A mere demon can actually be 'wholehearted'?"
Pu Fan didn't even glance at Ling Fei. She still continued to stare at only Xi Feng. Her lips whitened, voice shaking: "Do you also think that way?"
Can a mere demon actually be wholehearted..........
What a hurtful view.
Xi Feng frowned; he still didn't speak. Ling Fei waved her hand, and magic rushed toward Pu Fang. It struck her, making her take a step back. Her foot landed on the golden spell. Immediately, Pu Fang's face contorted in extreme pain.
Xi Feng's eyes slightly shook, but he still didn't make a move. Pu Fang laughed, shoulder slightly shaking: "I've never loathed anyone before so much. You xian cultivators are so cold and indifferent."
Through her despair, the fainest trace of murderous anger could be barely sensed.
Yan Hui knew this wan't good. The reason why demon were viewed as heretical cultivators was because their tempers were also fickle and changing. The less cultivation a demon had, the more they were influenced by their mood and could become out of control.
"You want to cultivate the xian path. Then I'll destroy your cultivation!"
Done speaking, the aura around Pu Fang's body dramatically grew stronger. Her power surged and directly rushed against the golden light at her feet, breaking it inch by inch. Bloody tears spilled from her eyes and rolled down her face. She pitted all her life's energy and overcame the killing spell!
Her figure was like the wind, immediately rushing toward Xi Feng. Along her path, xian cultivators tried to stop her, but Pu Fang paid them no heed. She pierced through their chests with her claws and discarded them off to the side like paper dolls.
Right now, Pu Fang was like some evil spirit from the underworld. Her entire body radiated murderous anger.
Everyone there was extremely astonished. Ling Fei reached out and grasped into the air. Her fingers wrapped around the coalescing horsetail whisk, and she waved it towards Pu Fang. Pu Fang neither ducked nor dodged. Instead, she forcibly raised her arms and blocked Ling Fei's attack. But Ling Fei wasn't that easily handled. With a turn of her whisk, she sent another spell at Pu Fang.
Pu Fang was furious. Her scarlet red eyes, nearly turning to black, aimed at Ling Fei. Demon magic coalesced in her claws; she planned to face-off against Ling Fei.
Yan Hui's heart constricted. She knew that Pu Fang was out of control. However strong Pu Fang was, it still might not be enough to beat Ling Fei. Yan Hui was just about to help when Xi Feng suddenly moved. She stood in front of Ling Fei, blocking Pu Fang's attack.
Claws savagely raked across Xi Feng's shoulder. The wound was so deep that bone could be seen.
But there was no reaction from Xi Feng; His eyebrows didn't even twitch. With a flick of his hand, he struck Pu Fang's shoulders. Pu Fang's body tilted back. A gale rushed in, blowing her backwards. If she was swept along, she probably wouldnve been blown far away.
Yan Hui was shocked. This xian cultivator was helping Pu Fang.
He wanted to let her get away........
However his plan barely started when Ling Fei, who was being blocked by Xi Feng, suddenly unsheathed her flexible jian. In the dark, it looked like silver snake that shot out and wrapped around Pu Fang's waist. The edge of the blade streaked across Pu Fang's side. Blood squirted out. Ling Fei didn't stop. With a twist of movement, the flexible blade like colored streamers became hard and stiff like ice. The tip of the blade stabbed through Pu Fang's heart.
This series of actions happened in a blink of an eye.
Yan Hui didn't expect it. No one present expected it. Everyone didn't think that Ling Fei could move that fast.
As Xi Feng watched Pu Fang's body fall like a soulless puppet, his pupils widened.
Yan Hui gritted her teeth and threw caution to the wind. Her body flickered to Pu Fang's side and grasped her elbow. Yan Hui raised her hand and sealed Pu Fang's main acupuncture point to stop her blood. Then Yan Hui immediately hoisted the limp Pu Fang onto her shoulder., planning to use the Escape Earth technique to escape.
Suddenly she heard Ling Fei coldly snort: "Want to leave?"
Yan Hui intended to leave as rapidly as possible. She completely had no way to guard against Ling Fei's sudden spell. It struck Yan Hui right where her heart was.
Yan Hui immediately felt her inner breath disappear. The Escape Earth technique wasn't possible.
She searched within and felt a burst of pain from her jingmai meridian. If she forced through it, she would be able to use magic again. However, she would have to gather up her inner breath again, which would take time. And right now, the slightest delay could cost them their lives.
Yan Hui felt her Change Appearance technique disappear from her face. She lifted her head to look at Ling Fei. In the torch light, Yan Hui couldn't see beyond the veil covering Ling Fei's face. However, she could sense the growing anger rising from Ling Fei's body.
"Yan Hui."
Ling Fei bitterly spat out Yan Hui's name.
That's right. Their faces were both marred at the same time. But Yan Hui's appearance had healed while Ling Fei still had to wear a veiled hat, completely unable to show her face.
As arrogant as Ling Fei was, how could she let herself be seen with such a disgraceful mark.
They already had bad blood between them. Now, perhaps they were sworn enemies.
"You're actually helping that demon." Ling Fei's voice was ice-cold. "You're a disgrace to xian cultivators. Today, don't even think that you and that demon can leave."
Yan Hui held Pu Fang. She could feel Pu Fang's aura growing weaker and weaker. Yan Hui grew more frantic. She didn't even glance at Ling Fei and only spoke to Xi Feng: "She's going to die. Every day she talked about you. And now she finally met you, yet you want her life."
Xi Feng's lips reflected white in the torchlight.
"It's just a monster. Even death won't redeem it." Ling Fei lightly said to Xi Feing. "Don't be soft-hearted toward the demon. There is righteousness in our xian cultivation."
"Righteousness?" It was like Yan Hui heard a joke. "What righteousness?"
Yan Hui wanted to say more when she suddenly felt her heart warm. She automatically raised her head to look and saw an enormous fox demon running on the wind. Yan Hui indescribably felt safe.
Tian Yao had arrived.
While everyone was still shocked, a solitary figure leapt from the fox demon's back and landed by Yan Hui's side. There was no opportunity for anyone to see clearly see that person's face.
A blace rapidly spun outward from his body. It was like a cyclone destroying everything in its path. The xian cultivators were totally swept off to the side.
In the heart of the blaze stood Ling Fei and Xi Feng. Only those two were able to resist the fiery attack.
Tian Yao dipped his head down to look at Yan Hui. He saw her entire body was covered in blood and frowned: "Are you hurt?"
Yan Hui shook her head: "It's Pu Fang's blood. My meridians were just temporarily sealed, no matter." She didn't say a word more, supported Pu Fang, and started walked toward the fox demon's back.
Zhu Li was also on the fox demon's back. He paled in shock when he saw the blood-covered Yan Hui and Pu Fang: "You, you........"
"Pu Fang is badly hurt." Yan Hui set her down. Zhu Li immediately explored Yan Hui's meridians. He paled even further: "What happened?! What happened?! We need to go back fast."
Yan Hui looked back and saw Tian Yao was already walking toward them. That Xi Feng xian cultivator also took a few steps to follow. Ling Fei called out: "Demons are truly impudent! How dare you charge into out San Chong Mountain!"
Tian Yao's footsteps paused at those words. He coldly looked at Ling Fei.
Ling Fei retreated a step. It seemed like she remembered that day when Tian Yao attacked with air blades.
Tian Yao didn't pursue the matter and instead stepped onto the fox demon's back. The enormous fox demon followed the wind upwards and sped towards Qing Qiu.
Zhu Li looked after the dying Pu Fang. Yan Hui's head drooped down. She looked down at her hands, dyed with Pu Fang's blood. There was a long silence before she asked Tian Yao: "I haven't seen you in many days. What made you want to find me today?"
"I saw you weren't in your room. I searched for your aura and discovered you were at San Chong Mountain."
Oh yes, in the beginning Tian Yao planted a tracking spell on her. At first, she didn't have the power to break it. Then later, so many unexpected things happened that she forgot to break it. She just left it on her body. Up to now, there wasn't a need to break the spell. Since it was still there, then might as well leave it there.
Yan Hui nodded. But after thinking about it, she looked at Tian Yao and asked again: "How did you know I wasn't inside my room?"
Tian Yao lifted his head and looked off into the distance. He acted like he hadn't heard Yan Hui's question.
Only he secretly knew how to know if Yan Hui was in her room or not. She didn't like to sleep with the windows closed. Every time Tian Yao returned at night, he would always pass by the window to see her sleeping behind the mosquito net.
Many days had passed since they met, but it was only Yan Hui who hadn't seen Tian Yao all this time.