249: Pursuit and Rescue

Two days and two nights of non-stop flight had exhausted Ji Ruxue's physical strength and mind. She specifically chose the most treacherous paths, attempting to lead the pursuers away from Qin Feng and the others, but the combined tracking network of the Blood-Filled Tower and the Yin Demon Sect was, after all, like an inescapable dragnet, gradually tightening.

In a desolate valley full of jagged rocks, she was finally intercepted.

Ahead was her Senior Sister Ye Wuyou, with a complex expression and holding dual blades.

To the left was the Blood-Filled Tower's diamond assassin "Ghost Claw," a thin, withered old man with refined gold claws on his hands and an aura as cold as a venomous snake. Half-step Martial Emperor.

To the right was another diamond assassin, "Iron Mask," his face covered by a metal mask, wielding a pair of heavy Mandarin Duck Axes, silent as an iron tower. Half-step Martial Emperor.

Not only that, but four Protectors dressed in Yin Demon Sect attire, all with auras at the Late Stage Martial King, were scattered in all directions, sealing off all escape routes with greedy and ruthless eyes.

"Qing Xue." A Yin Demon Sect Protector took a step forward, his gaze lingering on her body, especially on the Ice Spirit Ghost Shadow Bracer on her wrist and her clothes that faintly shimmered with treasure light. "We finally caught you. Speak, where are the others? That kid Qin Feng and the girl from Medicine King Valley, where are they hiding?"

Ji Ruxue leaned against the cold rock wall, slowly regulating her breathing. The purple moon dagger quietly slid into her palm. Her cold face showed no fear, only a resolute chilliness. "Them? They've already left safely. If you want to find them, keep dreaming."

"Left? Just because you led us away, they could escape?" The Protector grinned hideously. "If you're smart, tell us their whereabouts and plans, and maybe you'll suffer a bit less. Otherwise... this fine skin of yours and your treasures will belong to us!"

Ye Wuyou stood not far away, her dual blades lowered and her eyelids slightly drooping, her expression unreadable, as if she were just an outsider.

"Enough talk!" Ji Ruxue knew it would be hard to end things peacefully today; she could only fight to the death. Taking a deep breath, she activated the Ice Spirit Ghost Shadow Bracer first, and a frigid Domain suddenly spread out. At the same time, her figure moved like lightning as she proactively lunged at the Yin Demon Sect Protector who had spoken! Striking first to gain the upper hand!

"You're looking for death!" the Protector shouted, striking out simultaneously with his three fellow disciples. Cold palm winds, poisonous sword light, and heavy saber energy attacked from all sides!

"Clang! Shh! Bang!"

Ji Ruxue pushed her Earth Rank Peak Grade movement technique to the limit, performing amazing evasions in the small space as the purple moon dagger turned into streaks of purple lightning, precisely parrying and counterattacking. However, two hands were no match for four, especially with the two diamond assassins, "Ghost Claw" and "Iron Mask," watching like tigers from the sidelines, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

She endured a saber strike from the side. The Earth Rank High Grade Inner Soft Armor flashed with light, and although it neutralized most of the force, it still shook her Qi and blood. Taking this opportunity, the purple moon dagger in her hand burst forth with unprecedented sharp light, a subtle and exquisite thrust that caught the moment of flaw when the Protector in front had just exhausted his old strength and hadn't yet generated new strength!

"Puff!"

The dagger sank deep into his chest, and the icy True Essence instantly froze his heart meridians! The Protector's eyes widened in disbelief as he fell to the ground, dead.

But Ji Ruxue's aura also stagnated because she had forcibly used a killing move. Another Yin Demon Sect Protector on the left grinned hideously, slamming a palm condensed with ten percent of his power toward her back! "Bitch! Die!"

If this palm strike landed solidly, even with the protection of the soft armor, it would be enough to seriously injure her and make her lose her combat capability!

At this critical moment, the Heaven Rank Low Grade Ice Spirit Ghost Shadow Bracer on Ji Ruxue's left wrist burst with light! A layer of deep blue ice crystals, as solid as substance, instantly condensed on her back!

"Bang!"

A dull explosion! The ice crystal shield shattered upon impact, but it also neutralized more than half of the palm's power. The remaining force was transmitted to Ji Ruxue, causing her to groan and stumble forward several steps, blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth and her internal organs damaged, but she wasn't heavily injured to the point of falling. The combination of the Earth Rank soft armor and the Heaven Rank bracer had saved her life.

"What a good treasure!" The attacking Protector's eyes grew even more greedy. Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, he lunged again, this time aiming directly at the bracer on her wrist and her extraordinary-looking clothes. "It's a pity to kill you. I'll cripple you first, and then these treasures will be mine!"

His five fingers formed a claw, surrounded by poisonous True Essence, as he grabbed for the vital points on Ji Ruxue's wrist, while his other hand struck toward her Qi Sea, intending to completely destroy her cultivation.

Ji Ruxue's old strength was exhausted, and she had new injuries. She was about to fall victim to his poisonous hand.

"Swoosh—!"

A dark blade light that almost blended into the night seemed to stab out from the void. With an incredibly fast speed, it accurately swept across the neck of that Yin Demon Sect Protector!

The Protector's forward movement suddenly froze, the greed on his face solidifying into extreme shock and confusion. He fruitlessly clutched his blood-spraying throat, making a rattling sound before collapsing.

The one who struck was actually Ye Wuyou! She had silently moved closer at some unknown point and was now slowly retracting her bloodless short blade.

"Ye Wuyou! You... what is the meaning of this?!" "Ghost Claw" shouted, his withered face full of shock and anger. "Iron Mask" also took a sudden step forward, his Mandarin Duck Axes pointing at Ye Wuyou, his gaze behind the metal mask cold.

The remaining two Yin Demon Sect Protectors were even more shocked and angry, retreating a few steps and staring warily at Ye Wuyou.

Ye Wuyou flicked her short blade, her face expressionless and her voice terrifyingly calm. "It means nothing. I just suddenly remembered that years ago when I was seriously injured and dying, left in a mass grave to feed the wild dogs, it was this silly Junior Sister of mine who gave me a life-sustaining Medicinal Pill and pulled me back from the gates of Hell."

She turned her head and glanced at Ji Ruxue, who was barely standing and looking at her in shock. She twitched the corner of her mouth. "This life should have been repaid long ago. Today, it just happened to be the time."

"You... you're just like Qing Xue, betraying the Tower Master! Betraying the Blood-Filled Tower!" "Ghost Claw" was so angry he was shaking all over.

"Betrayal?" Ye Wuyou chuckled softly, with a hint of mockery. "Perhaps. But didn't the Tower Master also treat us like chess pieces, selling us out as he pleased? Compared to the Tower Master's 'great cause,' I feel more at peace repaying a life-saving debt."

"Bastard! Then you can accompany her to Hell!" Enraged, "Ghost Claw" exchanged a look with "Iron Mask," and both of them lunged forward! They could see that both Ye Wuyou and Ji Ruxue were injured, and now was the perfect opportunity to kill these two traitors in one go! The two Yin Demon Sect Protectors also gritted their teeth and attacked again.

The situation instantly turned into a two-against-four battle, with the opponents having two diamond assassins in perfect condition! Ye Wuyou and Ji Ruxue stood back to back, the pressure mounting as they faced one dangerous situation after another. Although Ye Wuyou was strong, she had previously held back and hadn't used her full strength. Now, facing a siege from assassins of the same rank while having to protect the injured Ji Ruxue, she was immediately stretched thin. Ji Ruxue was at the end of her rope, and even the light of the purple moon dagger had dimmed significantly.

Just as it seemed the two were about to be unable to hold on and would be hacked to pieces—

"Whoosh—!"

An extremely faint sound of breaking air rang out. It wasn't an arrow, but a wisp of almost invisible pale pink dust with a strange sweet fragrance. As if it were alive, it instantly enveloped "Ghost Claw" and one of the Yin Demon Sect Protectors!

"What is thi... ugh!" "Ghost Claw" reacted quickly and immediately held his breath, but as soon as his skin touched the dust, he felt a wave of numbness, and the circulation of his True Essence suddenly slowed down! The Protector's body stiffened directly, his movements slowing down by more than a beat.

At the same time, a figure as cold as a secluded spring under the moonlight appeared as if out of thin air at the edge of the combat circle. The thin sword in her hand turned into dots of peach-colored cold stars, aiming directly at "Iron Mask" and the other Protector, who had exposed flaws due to the influence of the dust!

The sword light was fast, accurate, and ruthless, carrying a chill that pierced to the bone. It even made "Iron Mask" feel a hint of threat, forcing him to pull back his axes to parry, his attack interrupted.

"Senior Sister Leng?!" Ji Ruxue was both shocked and delighted, hardly believing her eyes.

The newcomer was indeed Cold Peach Blossom! She still had that cold appearance, but there was a hint of travel-worn sharpness in her eyes.

"Qin Feng wasn't at ease, so Senior Brother Tao protected the group as they continued forward while I secretly turned back, following some traces to find you." Cold Peach Blossom spoke concisely, her thin sword never stopping as she forced "Iron Mask" to retreat repeatedly. At the same time, she gave a slight nod to Ye Wuyou. "Miss Ye, thank you for your help."

Ye Wuyou glanced at Cold Peach Blossom and said nothing. She just intensified her dual blade attacks, taking advantage of "Ghost Claw" being affected by the Numbing Dust to launch a flurry of strikes.

With the addition of Cold Peach Blossom as a fresh force, especially with her hard-to-defend poison techniques and sharp swordplay, the battle situation instantly reversed!

"Shh!" Cold Peach Blossom found an opening and pierced the throat of the Yin Demon Sect Protector trapped by the dust.

Ye Wuyou also seized the moment when "Ghost Claw's" True Essence was not flowing smoothly. Her dual blades crossed, dangerously slicing open his chest. Although not fatal, it caused him to retreat with heavy injuries.

Seeing the situation was unfavorable, "Iron Mask" made a feint, forced back Cold Peach Blossom, and then turned and fled without hesitation, completely ignoring his heavily injured companion and the remaining Protector. Seeing this, the Protector's Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and he also fled in panic.

In the desolate valley, only Ji Ruxue, Ye Wuyou, Cold Peach Blossom, and several corpses remained.

The breath Ji Ruxue had been holding finally relaxed, and she suddenly felt severe pain all over her body, swaying unsteadily. Cold Peach Blossom stepped forward to support her and quickly fed her a healing Medicinal Pill.

"Sister Peach Blossom, you... you didn't go far?" Ji Ruxue asked weakly, a complex warm current rising in her heart.

"Qin Feng guessed that the Yin Demon Sect and the Blood-Filled Tower wouldn't easily let go of you as a 'clue' and had me follow secretly to see if I could provide support." Cold Peach Blossom explained simply, her gaze turning toward the complex-looking Ye Wuyou, who was tending to her own wounds. "It's also thanks to Miss Ye."