"Shit! They're dead!" The scarred man coldly spat, hoisting the unconscious young girl on his shoulder a little tighter. His legs were like the wind as he shot through the forest. At the moment, the life talismans of his two partners had shattered in his storage ring, indicating their untimely demise.
What should've been a simple snatch & grab operation had led to such a huge disaster. When he left the two to deal with their tail, he didn't expect their deaths. They were veterans with boundless experience and decisive killing intent. Even if the cultivator was a Yin Form Phase expert, they would be able to hold their own and even kill.
Yet…
His heart was currently racing, but he maintained a calm mind. The decades of experience made him act as such, and he started to figure out various things. The girl's status was investigated, and she shouldn't have had any backing of this level. So, the only option was a random good Samaritan who came upon their action of kidnapping this girl.
If so, then abandoning this girl would be the best course of action. His eyes twitched as he struggled with this decision, but soon a flash of decisiveness emerged in his dark pupils.
However, while he was debating his actions, a flash of silver qi shot towards him like piercing lightning, aiming to slice into his back and his beating heart. His reaction was not slow, using the girl's body as a shield.
As he expected, the saber qi veered off course. It sliced a nearby tree in half causing a loud thud. The cut was clean and smooth, like a layer of glass.
He stopped, held the girl's neck with his right hand, and his eyes revealed dense killing intent as he eyed the world. A figure revealed itself. It was of a woman with black hair, pure black hair, and an indifferent expression. She wasn't a beauty of the ages, and that look could send cold shivers down a polar bear's spine.
Within her palm was a saber. The bloody aura emitted by this saber was heart-palpitating.
The scarred man used his fingers to grip the neck of the girl harder, causing her unconscious body to wince in pain and become roused from her state. She seemed still drowsy.
"I don't want to fight you to the death," the scarred man was wise, unwilling to fight and die for a girl he had just known of a few days ago. If his life ended today because of her, he'd be restless in his grave for eternity. After all, he had prospects and women waiting for him. She was completely not worth it.
Su Mei remained calm, her eyes regarded the man with little emotion.
Seeing Su Mei's lack of response, his heart chilled. Was she here for him? But when had he ever offended such a fearsome expert? With clenched teeth and shouted, "If you don't want her to die, then leave!" He gambled.
Step.
Su Mei walked forward without care, her saber glowing faintly with sharp, silver saber qi. A keening sound emanated from the saber, and it resembled the cries of dead men.
"Shit!" The scarred man felt himself backed into a corner. He had already realized that Su Mei's cultivation was above his own and her combat prowess was beyond normal Yin Form Phase experts. Fighting her meant a grueling struggle for his life with barely any chance for a tomorrow. That being said, he wasn't a coward.
His eyes narrowed viciously. If he had to, he would self-detonate. "Fine! If that's what you want," he harshly gripped the girl's neck causing faint indicating signs of her spine breaking. A single clench and her neck would be twisted into an unnatural angle and her life would soon end.
Su Mei didn't halt her steps, seemingly unaffected by the threatening stance. Instead, that faint saber qi started to rapidly increase in intensity and caused the surrounding grass to wave chaotically about.
"Fuck!" The scarred man now knew that if he killed this girl, all inhibiting variables of Su Mei would end. In fact, she was preparing and waiting for him to kill her. So, how could he? She was his only chance at survival, so his bluff didn't work. After all, the saber qi veered away when he used her as a shield. If he continued to use her as a shield, perhaps he could get an advantage.
Shiing!
Just as he loosened his grip and readied to fight to the death, with the final option being mutual destruction, a dagger appeared abruptly in his vision. Soon, the entire left side of his vision was overwhelmed with the sharp glint of a dagger with a white hilt.
Psuush!
It stabbed into his left eye and entered his brain instantly. A surge of qi exploded the moment it was inserted, his brain turned into mush, then pop! His head exploded into a gore of white, red, and pink matter and bodily fluids.
Su Mei paused, momentarily stunned by the abrupt development. From her position, she witnessed the young girl awaken and then not even struggle when her neck was held. Her eyes were strangely calm.
Then, the moment the man's grip loosened, the woman was like a flash as a dagger was taken from her thigh and jabbed without an ounce of hesitation. She had saved herself.
Su Mei was stunned by this. Her cultivation wasn't low, at the Second Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, External Flow Phase. That was shocking considering she looked no older than sixteen.
Even Wei Wuyin, a talented genius, only reached the Second Stage after twenty. That was better than the vast majority, yet this girl redefined talent. Her qi seemed to even carry a hint of elemental energies. She was on the border of the Third Stage.
Su Mei didn't approach. Instead, he observed her from a safe distance.
Then, the young girl regained herself as she casually brushed off the dirt on her clothing. "Fuck!" She coarsely cursed, turning around to see the headless scarred man. "Fuck, fuck!" She kicked the man's corpse in obvious frustration.
"Why are you so fucking useless?!" She kicked a few more times and then calmed her breathing, seemingly trying to realign her mentality. Those eyes of hers didn't seem to originate from a damsel, but a calm and calculated genius. To Su Mei, she reminded him of Wei Wuyin.
The young girl turned to see Su Mei, her eyes cautious yet flashed with a hint of anger. "Please tell me the other two are alive," she asked while fixing her messy hair, straightening it out with a little bit of qi and strength.
Su Mei was merely stunned by the event, but she had accomplished her goal. The girl was safe and the men were dead. Therefore, she intended to leave.
"Wait!" The young girl called out, stopping Su Mei in her tracks. "I need the other two at least!" Her tone carried a faint hint of pleading.
Su Mei calmly said, "I killed them both."
"Argh!" The young girl lowly growled, ruffling her freshly straightened her into a mess. "So much effort wasted!" She stomped a few times, then walked back to the corpse and kicked it a few times, repeating 'useless'.
Su Mei curiosity usually lacked, but this girl started to stroke her interest. She asked, "What do you mean?"
After she delivered another swift kick, this time to the man's groin, she responded with: "I needed them alive. They...shit! They were my ticket to Cai Du's estate."
Su Mei was startled. Cai Du? Wasn't that God Cai, the Waterfall Savage God. He was a renowned figure that she had heard about even while in the Scarlet Solaris Domain. In fact, all Mortal Gods were well-known and popular, but he was a notorious expert. It was said that he dealt with all sorts of black market dealings and had his hand in sex trafficking. In fact, there were rumors that he was one of the head bosses of the trade.
"You...wanted to be taken by them?" Her expression was odd as she inspected this young beauty before them. Even though her cultivation base was impressive for her age, she would never be able to kill a Mortal God, even if his guard was down.
"Oh? You're quite smart to figure that out. Was it my words or your high-level thinking that led you to that conclusion?" The young girl mocked.
Su Mei's eyes narrowed. Her saber in her hand turned slightly.
Only then, when the glint of the saber entered her view did the young girl realize she was before an actual expert. She took a step back and hurriedly said, "Sorry! I'm just frustrated by the turn of events. You see, my younger sister was taken three years ago, and I'm trying to save her."
Su Mei brows furrowed. To be purposefully captured to attempt to save your sister was commendable, but quite dumb to deliver yourself to a figure of that level. Even if her explanation could bring out some pity, she didn't feel like involving herself with it.
She sheathed her saber and turned. This matter no longer concerned her.
Seeing Su Mei unhesitantly wash her hands of the matter nearly caused the young girl to pull her hair out. Shouldn't you take responsibility?! But, considering asking Su Mei, someone she didn't know, to help her save her sister against a Mortal God was too much.
The young girl deeply sighed. All her planning went to waste.
Woosh!
She felt a gush of wind arrive.
Kree!
Just as Su Mei was about to leave, an avian cry resounded. Su Mei lifted her hair and saw a large body, golden beak, and a pair of golden eyes. Bai Lin's elegant crane body appeared and on her back was a silver-eyed figure with a faint smile.
"Su Mei, do you want to help?" Wei Wuyin calmly smiled as Bai Lin descended. He leapt off her and beside Su Mei.
When Wei Wuyin arrived, Su Mei's heart raced. She pondered for a moment and slightly nodded.
Wei Wuyin smiled. This valiant looking woman was not the indifferent warrior that was cold and cruel as she seemed. Su Mei had asked for permission to exactly save this young girl because she had a heart, warm and soft. It was because she was once that young girl.
The girl who was taken against her will.