"May I ask who you are and why you saved me?"
He remained slightly hesitant, somewhat bewildered, as if the question itself had stumped him. "I just saw it and couldn't help but act; there was no particular reason."
“But this isn’t a place you can just ‘pass by.’ So, who are you?” Ning Xian’s eyes held a hint of wicked charm as she stared intently at the man before her.
He didn't deny it. "I did come with you... but if I don't answer, will you make a move?" He looked at Ning Xian calmly, seemingly unconcerned whether she would actually intervene—in such a dangerous place, the appearance of someone of unknown origin like him was certainly not something to be taken lightly. But he simply stood there quietly, seemingly waiting for Ning Xian's decision.
Ning Xian had a strange feeling, as if what was hidden in this person's misty eyes was a contradiction—a contradiction that even he himself didn't understand, a contradiction that he was waiting for an answer to. His hesitation and confusion made Ning Xian feel that this person knew her, or at least knew her. But she had absolutely no recollection of him.
After a long eye contact, she finally smiled and said, "After all, you saved me. No matter who you are, you can't just turn around and repay kindness with enmity."
A slight look of confusion seemed to appear on his face, though it was hard to tell.
"In that case, I shall take my leave."
"Wait a minute... at least, tell me your name?"
He was about to leave when he turned back, smiled faintly, and said, "We'll meet again."
Ning Xian didn't know if letting him go was the right or wrong thing to do, but it was hard to feel hostility towards this person. And right now, she didn't have the time to dwell on it. If she was caught in an ambush, then the other two must also be in danger.
She arrived at the agreed location and found only one person waiting there. Although he was not injured, his clothes were torn in several places.
"Are you alone?"
"Yes, Lord Jialing, we haven't seen him return yet."
Ning Xian frowned slightly. The two people she had chosen were the most adaptable among her subordinates. It seemed that the Giant Axe Sect had made thorough preparations this time, and... this style of doing things was completely different from the past. She had initially thought that the new sect leader had acted rashly and wanted to break away from the Netherworld Heaven. Long Jue must have thought the same, which was why he sent her. Now it seemed that they had finally found a sect leader with a brain?
"Let's wait a bit longer. If we don't see anyone after nightfall, we'll meet up with the others and then figure out what to do!"
Regardless, now that she's accepted this task, she needs to figure it out first! This isn't just a matter of face; it's also a rule of the Netherworld Heaven—how can members of the Demonic Sect only think about relying on others?
By daybreak, they were already in the town at the foot of the mountain, but they had not waited for the last person.
"Lord Jialing, shall we go and rescue them?"
Ning Xian slowly shook his head. "Since we can't complete the mission directly, we must find out the situation. If the Giant Axe Sect intends to kill us, it's too late to rescue them now. If they didn't kill us, they must already be waiting for us to rescue them. Send one person back to report the news, and the rest of you stay and come with me to investigate again."
"Yes!" The others had no objections. This was the way of the Demonic Sect: they would take on any responsibility they could, and only hand it over when they were at their best—although not everyone would do so...
Ning Xian would occasionally think of that handsome young man who seemed calm and comfortable, and he said, "We'll meet again."
What does that mean? If we meet again, I must find out who he is.
She led her men back into the mountains. After speaking with another person who had returned from the mountains, they decided to follow the same route—since the enemy was well-prepared and the defenses were equally tight everywhere, it didn't matter where they entered. Rather than facing an unknown trap, they preferred to deal with an ambush they had already encountered.
Cold arrows, Skynet—everything has returned to normal, as if Ning Xian had never been here before.
Several people cautiously dodged the arrows, and the two who remained leaped out as the large net was spread out, slicing the ropes of the net. Ning Xian was not careless, but the moment his toes touched the ground, he still felt a sinking sensation under his feet and shouted, "There's a trap on the ground!"
Despite her extremely light weight, the ground still collapsed, revealing a trap with sharp blades stuck in it, from which thin arrows flew out one after another—only then did the last remaining people leap out in all directions, carrying those who were already facing the trap away from danger.
After entering the compound, they continued to proceed in separate groups, with those in front scouting and those behind ready to respond to any unexpected situations. Ning Xian was always at the very front; at this moment, she was completely a demonic witch from a cult, accustomed to the ways of the martial world, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to her former role as the Bai family's daughter-in-law.
A江湖人 (jianghu person) accustomed to bloodshed and violence, and a wealthy lady living a peaceful life in her boudoir—two people so different, who would connect them?
Even she herself, if she could recall it now, would probably think that her days in the Bai family were nothing but an absurd dream.
But right now, does she have anything on her mind about the Bai family?
Chapter Sixteen: The Netherworld Cult 4
The entire manor was riddled with traps and mechanisms, yet no one was in sight. They couldn't get close to the main building; even though it was right in front of them, it only fueled their impatience. Just who was this person from the Giant Axe Sect who had arranged all of this so meticulously?
I'm getting impatient, I'm getting impatient—
Her subordinates were already sweating slightly... This was a sign...
"Lord Jialing, calm down..."
"How am I supposed to stay calm after trying to break in for so long?! Damn it, girl, I'm going to fight this!!"
"J-Lord Jialing!?"
Oh no! It's going to break again—at a time like this!?
"Lord Jialing!!"
Unable to stop her in time, she leaped out and tried to force her way into the building in front of her—instantly, several flying knives shot out from the windows like a dense rain. Ning Xian thought to himself, "Does she have any other tricks besides this?!"
But the simplest moves are often the most effective. Throwing knives are different from arrows; they are fast and sharp, piercing through the air and drawing blood upon contact. Ning Xian had no room for "calmness" or "consideration" at this moment; he was prepared to rush in even at the cost of injury.
The bloodstains weren't very noticeable on her black clothes. She climbed onto the attic terrace and landed, only to find her feet slippery with a thin layer of oil. A flame was rapidly spreading from the other end of the terrace corridor—
This thin layer of oil alone is not enough to burn the building, but it is enough to burn her.
The flames were almost upon her when suddenly a hand grabbed her around the waist and scooped her up from the ground—the young man in yellow was back!?
She whirled her head, only to be met not with the peaceful, serene face she had seen before, but with a pair of cold eyes—and in that instant, her mind seemed to cool down because of that coldness. That string, barely holding on, was about to snap.
"phoenix!?"
"Hmph, so you still recognize people. I thought someone as thoughtless as you wouldn't even recognize people when you acted impulsively." The cold sarcasm and arrogance ignited Ning Xian's anger—this jerk who looks down on people! So what if he saved her?!
Feng grabbed her and flew out, throwing her to her subordinates, saying, "You're all brave but reckless. Follow me."