Mercenary Princess - Chapter 140
"Liu Zhiyi, let's see where you run this time!" Dongfang Lie slowly approached Liu Zhiyi from the passageway cleared by the soldiers. His face was as cold as iron, and the killing intent emanating from his body made people want to take three steps back.
Hiding in the distance, Rongyue heard that hate-filled voice, and her heart leaped into her throat! A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime; she herself was innocent, but her father was guilty! Hatred extends to the house and its inhabitants; if he caught her, death would be far more than just a death sentence!
I felt cold all over.
No, she can't just sit here and wait to die!
Clinging to the bark of the sycamore tree beside him, he struggled to his feet, his legs stiffening. He gently pounded his leg bones and, with light, stealthy steps, slowly moved away from them...
Damn it! When did the Eastern Dynasty's army stationed in Jieloulan? Why didn't he get any prior warning? And that Liu Zhiyi, when exactly did he infiltrate the imperial city, causing the deaths of nearly a thousand of his assassins due to his strange skills, and ruining his years of hard work!
Tuoba Jie became more and more unwilling. Just the thought of failing at the last minute filled him with rage that seemed to reach the heavens!
Looking around at the menacing Han Yi Tie Shuo, Tuoba Jie gripped his longsword tightly, silently calculating his chances of escape. As long as he survived, he could always rebuild. He had lost this time, and he accepted it, but that didn't mean he was defeated! With his strategy, he believed he would rise again one day!
Speaking of strategy, he suddenly thought of Rongyue, whom he had left aside. He quickly turned his head, anxiously searching for that petite figure, and just then saw her carefully moving her body outwards.
"Trying to run?" Tuoba Jie sneered. "Even if we die, we'll die together!"
Just as he was about to leap forward to capture her, Liu Zhiyi, following his gaze, spotted Rongyue. His old eyes flashed with a sharp light, and Tuoba Jie quickly slapped his hand and leaped forward to grab Rongyue.
Thinking Liu Zhiyi was trying to escape, Dongfang Lie revealed a sinister look. With a wave of his hand, torches on the high walls of the four gates, one after another, flickered and sparks revealed a row of arrows standing on the high walls, exuding a chilling aura.
What exactly is Liu Zhiyi trying to do?! Is he using his own daughter as a threat?! How ridiculous! Rongyue, whose neck was being gripped by Liu Zhiyi, was both angry and amused by his sudden action. Could this old man have been driven mad, thinking he could just grab anyone and use them as a hostage?
That petite figure looks so much like...
His heart pounded erratically for a moment. Dongfang Lie kept telling himself it couldn't be her, while simultaneously hoping for a miracle...
In a flash, their eyes met!
A complex mix of emotions—shock, astonishment, surprise, doubt, and longing—was intertwined in Peach Blossom's eyes, forming a net that stretched straight towards Rongyue, seemingly trying to bind her tightly and imprison her forever.
In contrast, her almond-shaped eyes, aside from a fleeting hint of annoyance, were utterly cold and devoid of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness. It was as if what she saw was nothing more than the most ordinary of things, unable to stir any emotion within her. But unbeknownst to her, beneath this calm surface lay a raging storm, a tempestuous tempest crashing against hidden reefs, wave after wave churning her, leaving her utterly unsettled!
Rongyue's normal expression infuriated him.
Casting a chilling gaze at Liu Zhiyi, Dongfang Lie's voice was as cold and menacing as ice: "Liu Zhiyi, have you become desperate and jumped to the wrong place? You've actually used your own daughter as a hostage! It's utterly ridiculous!"
The intense light emanating from Dongfang Lie's eyes upon seeing Rongyue could not escape Liu Zhiyi's keen old eyes.
He pressed Rongyue's neck tighter, and Rongyue's face turned bright red in no time. Liu Zhiyi then unsurprisingly saw a fleeting look of tension on Dongfang Lie's face.
"Let me go, or I'll snap her neck!" Liu Zhiyi said fiercely, staring into Dongfang Lie's sharp, alluring eyes, showing no sign of backing down.
"What does her life or death have to do with me! Besides, she is your daughter, the descendant of a treacherous official. I really wish she were dead! Ha, now it's perfect. You can do it for me, so I don't have to lift a finger! You want to kill her? Go ahead!" His words were cruel, but only Dongfang Lie knew how nervous and scared he was at that moment. His clenched hands were already covered in cold sweat.
Seeing the sinister look on Dongfang Lie's face, as if he wished she were dead, Liu Zhiyi had a moment of doubt. Could it be that he was really wrong? Did Dongfang Lie have no other feelings for her?
Taking advantage of Liu Zhiyi's momentary daze, Dongfang Lie quickly gave a wink to one of the archers behind Liu Zhiyi.
He drew his bow and nocked an arrow, and a cold arrow suddenly shot out, piercing his back with perfect accuracy!
Just as the arrow was about to strike, Liu Zhiyi quickly dodged it. Despite his great speed, the arrow still pierced his left arm.
"Well, you dare to try something underhanded with me!"
Volume Two: The Resolute Heroines, Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Night of Resurrection
The ruthless and relentless force made Rongyue wonder if her throat would be crushed to pieces at any moment.
Her body convulsed slightly from the excruciating pain, her breathing becoming increasingly difficult, like a fish thrown onto land, barely clinging to life on the verge of death. Her vision blurred, her consciousness gradually fading. A familiar scent filled the air, dark and chilling; Rongyue knew this scent was death.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips. Could it be that tonight, fate would take back her life, which had been adrift like duckweed...?
Dongfang Lie finally lost his previous cold and aloof demeanor.
Seeing Dongfang Lie's eyes widen in confusion, Liu Zhiyi let out a sinister laugh, his grip tightening even more: "So she really is your weakness! I never expected this, I really never expected this! Hahaha..."
Rongyue's face, turning a purplish-red from lack of oxygen, horrified Dongfang Lie: "Liu Zhiyi, release her immediately! I promise to let you go!"
Another burst of wild laughter erupted, a laugh tinged with a vengeful satisfaction: "Unfortunately, I've changed my mind! You beast from the East, after so many years of fighting, I've been repeatedly defeated, but now I finally have a chance to turn the tables! The more you care about something, the more I'll destroy it, making you taste the agony of unbearable pain! Hahaha! Anyway, my empire is destroyed, and I'm nearing the end of my life. I have nothing to fear anyway! Hahaha!"
"Liu Zhiyi! Don't you care about the bond between family members at all?!" Dongfang Lie cried out anxiously.
"Family ties?" An old face was clouded with gloom: "Ask this unfilial daughter if she thought of family ties when she drove me out of Loulan!"
In a daze, Rongyue only felt her neck loosen. At the same time, the enormous pressure suddenly disappeared, and a cold, eerie wind suddenly swept across her face, carrying a strong and gloomy killing intent that rushed towards her!
She seemed to hear Dongfang Lie's terrified screams and what sounded like Tuoba Jie's roars, distant yet clear, sometimes near, sometimes far, making Rongyue wonder what was wrong with her...
Unbeknownst to anyone, the seven brilliant stars hanging in the dark sky above had coincidentally formed a neat semi-circle, their soft, clear light emitting a gentle glow.
Seven bright rays of light converged into one in the air, illuminating the entire sky. Just as Liu Zhiyi's palm was about to touch Rongyue, they were injected into Rongyue's body like lightning!
Rongyue's entire body suddenly emitted a dazzling light!
The dazzling light was so intense that people couldn't open their eyes. Everyone shielded their eyes with their hands, trying to block the sudden, brilliant light, feeling as if it possessed an unpredictable power, forcing them to take several steps back…
When the light dissipated, everyone opened their eyes and were astonished to find that Liu Zhiyi, who had looked fierce and menacing, was lying face up on the cold ground, his eyes wide open and his face contorted with rage, as if he were filled with resentment.
Beside him, Rongyue lay quietly on her side, her eyes gently closed, her long black hair cascading down her neck, as obedient and serene as its owner. One could vaguely see the slight upturn of her lips, a look of contentment and peace, like a sleeping princess from a fairy tale…
She won't, she won't...
With each step closer, Dongfang Lie's heart raced, and his eyes grew increasingly fearful. His legs felt like lead, each step heavy as a thousand pounds. When he reached Rongyue, all his strength seemed to drain away, and his legs gave way, causing him to kneel on one knee.
Ignoring the gasps behind her, Bai Jing's slender fingers, trembling, reached up to her delicate, small nose...