In that instant, an opening was created, which was exploited. Miao Feng could feel the sword energy piercing his body without even turning around. He used one hand to support Xue Ziye's back and rapidly channeled his inner energy into her, while his other hand met the blade barehanded, striking directly at Fei Pian's heart—knowing that he could not possibly withstand this full-force attack with one hand, he had completely abandoned defense at this moment, not seeking his own survival, but only to kill the enemy at the same time!
Only in this way can Xue Ziye have a glimmer of hope.
The sword pierced his back muscle, and at the same time, his hand struck Fei Pian's chest. Neither of them paused for a moment—the eyes of these two assassins, born from a battlefield of carnage, were filled with the cold, resolute determination of someone ready to sacrifice themselves!
"Click." Suddenly, a strange light swept through the wind.
Miao Feng felt the person he was holding suddenly jolt, as if a great force emanated from Xue Ziye's waist, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the snow with her in his arms. At the same instant, Fei Pian let out a scream, as if struck head-on by some terrifying force, her body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, already lifeless when she landed.
In the blink of an eye, it was as swift as a rabbit leaping and a falcon swooping; even someone like Miaofeng was completely unaware of what had happened. Miaofeng lay on the snow, staring in disbelief at the woman in his arms who had quietly opened her eyes.
"Are you alright?" He rarely suppressed his smile, and was taken aback.
"That was close..." Xue Ziye's face turned pale as she let out a breath. "You really don't care about your own life?"
She was still breathing weakly, perfectly conscious. She lowered her hand from the spring, opened her eyes, and gave him a sly smile—he was stunned by this smile: just now… just now, was her near-death state just an act? She actually saved him!
"Hey, are you alright?" she asked weakly, her fingers tracing the wound on his back as they went around his shoulder. "It's a deep wound... we need to bandage it quickly... You weren't even on guard. Did you really want to risk your life to save me?"
"Rain of Pear Blossom Needles?" His gaze fell on the empty spring at her waist, and he exclaimed softly.
—This is clearly a top-secret hidden weapon of the Tang Clan in Sichuan, but it has disappeared from the martial arts world since Tang Que died. How could it be here?
"It was...it was money they gave me as collateral for my medical treatment...I'm fine..." Xue Ziye murmured weakly, her face pale and her breathing rapid. "But, please...please stand up quickly, okay..."
"I'm...I'm sorry." Realizing that he had been pressing down on her and making it hard for her to breathe, Miao Feng looked embarrassed. She released her grip on the snow and tried to stand up, but as soon as she moved, she coughed up a mouthful of blood, and everything suddenly went black—
Xue Ziye stretched out her arm to support him, and exclaimed in surprise, "Miaofeng!"
When I woke up, it was already completely dark.
The wind howled in my ears, snowflakes fell on my face, yet my body felt warm. My wounds had been bandaged, and the pain had noticeably subsided.
Was he saved? Apart from the King, no one had ever saved him in all these years. Was he actually saved by someone else this time? He lowered his head in a daze and saw the lynx fur coat wrapped around him and the purple-clad woman next to him who was almost frozen stiff.
"Valley Master Xue!" he exclaimed, and quickly picked her up from the snow.
She had already fainted from the cold, her lips purple and her hands and feet icy. He untied the lynx fur coat and wrapped it around her, pressing his hands on her Xintai acupoint on her back to dispel the chill—however, after a fierce battle, he himself was severely injured, and his internal energy flow was not as smooth as usual. She did not wake up for a long time. Miao Feng was anxious, and the smile on his face vanished unconsciously; he simply held Xue Ziye tightly in his arms.
Her body temperature was still very low, and her face was getting paler and paler, like a dying little animal, tightly curling up to resist the bone-chilling cold coming from inside and outside. Her bloodless lips were tightly closed, snowflakes covered the corners of her eyes and eyebrows, and her breath gradually weakened.
"Valley Master Xue!" He grabbed her shoulders in a panic and shook her. "Wake up!"
Yet she remained silent. In that instant, an unprecedented fear surged within Miaofeng—a feeling he had never experienced since entering the Great Bright Palace more than a decade ago.
He remembered how he had persuaded her to leave the valley: she cared about his life and didn't want to see him die, so she risked everything to leave Medicine Master Valley with him—even though he was just a stranger.
Apart from the King of Pop, no one ever cared about his life or death. On the journey back west, all sorts of troubles followed one after another, and he, as the protector, was repeatedly saved by a woman who knew no martial arts.
He used the Spring Breeze Technique to its fullest extent, almost like a madman, continuously sending his inner energy into that cold body.
"Xuehuai..." Finally, the person in her arms let out a murmured sigh and curled up, "So cold."
Miao Feng suddenly froze.
Xuehuai... Is that name the boy under the ice—the boy from the same village as Tong?
The first time she asked about Tong, he was already on guard, but years of training allowed him to conceal the truth without batting an eye. After following her to that village, he became even more certain of this woman's past—yes, he had seen her many years ago!
The blood and fire of that night resurfaced before his eyes. The snow swirled wildly in the dark night. He silently closed his eyes…
How many years has it been? How many years have passed since he first entered the Shura Field and carried out his first mission? The reluctance and guilt he felt when he first killed someone have long since vanished; he can even crush their heart with a smile.
So much blood and corpses piled up together, soaking the first half of his life.
He had long since become completely numb to killing. Yet, it was precisely because of her appearance that he felt that burning pain and the struggle that almost tore his heart in two.
The massacre of that night is still vivid in my mind—
Blood.
raging fire.
One scream after another.
The house was burning fiercely.
And countless men, women, and children are also fleeing...
A young boy and girl staggered away from the village, hand in hand, while the demon-eyed boy brought out of the dark house by the cult leader chased after them frantically, calling out to them in a hoarse voice.
"Wind, bring him back." The Pope sat on his jade throne, his hand adorned with a jeweled ring pointing at the boy. "This is my pupil."
"Yes." The fifteen-year-old put down his blood-stained sword, bowed his head, and smiled.
Yes. That boy is the Pope's target this time; he's someone who might be more useful than himself in the future. Therefore, no matter the cost, he must not let him go.
He chased after the boy, but the boy chased after his two companions.
The Pope sneered coldly from behind: "Everyone has already abandoned you, Tong, why bother chasing after him?"
The boy was struck dumb, suddenly stopping on the ice, his shoulders trembling. He cried out in despair, "Xiao Ye! Xue Huai! Wait for me! Wait for me..."
However, those who fled did not turn back.
He caught up in that instant, grabbed the boy's shoulder, and smiled, "Tong, everyone has abandoned you. Only the Pope needs you. Come... come and be with us."
"No...no!" The boy suddenly pushed him away frantically and stubbornly chased after them along the icy river. In no time, he was only three zhang away from the young couple. However, the two of them ran away without looking back, their hands clasped tightly, fleeing along the icy river.