Free Web NovelChapter 187: Chapter 180: The Woman in Red
The moment the youths stepped out of the great hall, they were immediately hit by an ancient, wild aura. Before the group had a chance to take in the canyon’s scenery, a sudden, urgent sound came from the sky.
As one, the youths raised their heads. High overhead, several enormous, monstrous birds were diving at lightning speed. Their sharp beaks and cold, gleaming talons were reaching for them from afar!
"AHH—"
A few youths who couldn’t dodge in time were snatched up by the monstrous birds. These youths all had the cultivation of the Martial Arts Fifth Layer, but their Fifth Layer cultivation was completely useless against these creatures. After a brief struggle, they were dragged into the sky. One unlucky boy was swallowed whole in an instant, only his thrashing, twitching legs left dangling outside.
"AHH!!"
Witnessing such a horrifying scene, the surviving youths were scared out of their wits. They let out a collective scream and scrambled desperately into the canyon.
’These monstrous birds are even stronger than a Martial Artist of the Martial Arts Sixth Layer! We haven’t even properly entered the canyon and we’ve already run into such terrifying creatures. This test is going to be dangerous!’ Seeing the birds in action, Zhaang Ye couldn’t help but gasp.
After the birds snatched several people, the urgent sound of flight echoed through the air again. Zhaang Ye had no time to think. He pushed his Cloud Stepping Technique to its limit, his body skimming across the ground like a cloud. He shot past dozens of other youths, entering the canyon and heading straight for a dense forest.
These monstrous birds were huge, their wingspans stretching over three hundred feet. If he could hide in the dense forest, he could use the tall trees to block their attacks.
Zhaang Ye had thought of this, and so had the other youths. For a moment, the ground was a blur of flashing figures. The force of their Body Techniques kicked up clouds of dust that soared into the sky.
"AHH—"
A youth ahead had just darted into the dense forest when he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Zhaang Ye looked closely and saw a long, completely red vine coiled around the youth’s entire body. The vine was like a monster; its sharp tendrils writhed, tearing through his clothes and burrowing into his flesh.
Zhaang Ye was only a few dozen feet from the forest. Seeing this terrifying scene, he was startled and immediately gave up on entering the woods. He spun around, using the moment to scan his surroundings, then flashed toward the edge of the canyon.
The edge of the canyon was all rock. These bare cliffs could block the monstrous birds’ attacks, and any other dangers would be visible at a glance. It was the best place to hide for now.
"AAAHHH—" As Zhaang Ye moved, a few more monstrous birds swooped down, snatching away several more youths. One of them was grabbed just forty or fifty feet away from Zhaang Ye. Despite his usual composure, a hint of anxiety flickered in his eyes, afraid the birds would target him next.
"SWOOSH!"
Zhaang Ye pushed his Cloud Stepping Technique to the limit, his speed reaching its peak. With a single flash of movement, he arrived at the canyon’s edge. Looking up, he spotted a small, faint cave in the rock face—just big enough for a person to hide in.
A look of joy appeared on Zhaang Ye’s face when he saw the small cave. It was a little small, but it was perfect for hiding from the monstrous birds.
Zhaang Ye’s figure flashed. Just as he arrived outside the small cave, another red figure suddenly zipped over, their speed not the least bit inferior to his own.
"BANG!"
Startled, they both struck out with a palm, and both stumbled back. Zhaang Ye, possessing the Dragon Elephant Skill and a Force-Dissipating Technique, recovered instantly from the stagger. With a WHOOSH, he dove into the cave.
Seeing Zhaang Ye get inside first, the other person let out an angry huff. Even in her haste, the sound was surprisingly pleasant. Following the huff, a crisp voice shouted, "Hey, kid! I saw this cave first! Get the hell out!"
Zhaang Ye snorted and ignored her.
’In a place like this, it belongs to whoever claims it first. Now that I’m inside, it’s mine.’ Zhaang Ye had absolutely no intention of giving up this prime spot.
Zhaang Ye’s attitude instantly enraged her. A figure flashed outside the cave entrance, and a snow-white palm, carrying a sharp gale, shot toward him. As it neared, it morphed into a claw, intending to drag him out.
’Damn, how arrogant!’ Zhaang Ye sneered. With a slight flip of his right hand, he shot it out at an incredible speed and grabbed her palm.
Her palm caught by Zhaang Ye, the newcomer grew furious. With a soft grunt, her snow-white hand suddenly vibrated. A profound force erupted from it, instantly blasting Zhaang Ye’s hand away.
’Hm?’ Ever since Zhaang Ye started his Cultivation of the Dragon Elephant Skill, no one had ever managed to break free from his grasp. Seeing this person escape so easily, he was momentarily stunned. "Nice moves!" he said.
It was only then that Zhaang Ye noticed that the person who had attacked him and slipped from his grip was a strikingly beautiful girl of seventeen or eighteen, dressed in fiery red with features as fine as a painting.
A hint of anger on her face, the red-clothed girl withdrew her hand. Then, her palms blurred into a flurry of afterimages, striking straight for Zhaang Ye.
The red-clothed girl’s hands were as translucent as snow, a pleasing sight to behold, and her movements released waves of a faint, pleasant fragrance. But these palms brought not aesthetic pleasure, but chilling killing intent. Zhaang Ye could clearly feel it: as her hands moved, hundreds of terrifying streams of True Qi, like countless sharp blades, sliced toward his vital points. If he misjudged this, his body would be cut into hundreds of pieces.
’What a vicious woman!’ Zhaang Ye was both shocked and enraged. He quickly formed a Hand Blade and executed a Reverse Flow Slash. Empowered by the Dragon Elephant Skill, his entire hand transformed into a streak of golden light, chopping straight toward the girl’s shoulder.
The girl’s Palm Technique was complex and terrifying. Trapped in the narrow stone crevice, Zhaang Ye could neither dodge nor block. Under the circumstances, his only option was to meet her attack with one of his own and force the vicious red-clothed girl back.
The red-clothed girl’s Palm Technique was like a flurry of sharp knives, while Zhaang Ye’s palm was like a heavy, swift axe. Before it even landed, a terrifying Dark Force was already bearing down on her. If she didn’t dodge or evade, she might cut Zhaang Ye into pieces, but his one strike would cleave her in two.
The red-clothed girl let out a small cry of surprise. Her hands, like two clouds, moved to block Zhaang Ye’s Hand Blade.
"BANG!"
With a loud crash, Zhaang Ye felt a bizarrely tyrannical force press down on him, making his body shudder as if he were about to be driven into the rock wall. The girl, too, was forced back several steps by his power, a look of disbelief in her eyes.
"CAW!"
Just then, a piercing cry came from the sky. The red-clothed girl looked up in horror to see one of the giant monstrous birds suddenly tuck in its wings and dive straight for her. While it was still hundreds of feet from the ground, the terrifying gale from its body was already kicking up stones from the earth!
The red-clothed girl shrieked and shot off like an afterimage, heading straight for the small cave where Zhaang Ye was hiding. Zhaang Ye was startled and about to strike when the girl yelled, "Move over a little, I’m coming in to hide!"
If Zhaang Ye had struck first, the red-clothed girl would have never made it into the cave. But seeing the storm of dust and stones outside, he knew she must have been targeted by the bird. If he attacked, she would have no way to escape. After a moment’s hesitation, Zhaang Ye let her enter the small cave, merely raising his palms slightly in a silent, defensive posture.
The small cave Zhaang Ye was hiding in was only big enough for one person. As the red-clothed girl squeezed in, she filled the space completely. Zhaang Ye’s body was pressed tightly against hers, and the faint, pleasant fragrance from her immediately filled his nostrils.
The red-clothed girl had just entered the cave when a terrifying screech sounded from outside. Following the screech, a massive talon scraped across the ground, gouging a deep pit in the hard earth.
Seeing this, Zhaang Ye’s heart leaped into his throat. The cave was very shallow and very small. If the monstrous bird discovered it, a single light swipe of its claws would spell his doom.
Fortunately, Zhaang Ye’s worries did not come to pass. The monstrous bird had missed. It immediately swooped away, snatching a youth over two hundred feet away and carrying him into the sky, soon disappearing from sight. freёwebnovel.com
Once the danger had passed, the red-clothed girl finally realized that her entire body was pressed into Zhaang Ye’s embrace. The scent of him overwhelmed her, making it hard to breathe. A blush spread across her face, and she suddenly shot out of the cave. "Kid," she said coldly, "don’t you dare tell anyone what happened today, or I’ll beat you to death!"
Zhaang Ye knew that if he said anything now, the girl, in her mix of shame and anger, would probably attack him with killing intent. After their earlier exchange, Zhaang Ye knew this red-clothed girl’s Cultivation was even more profound than Zhaang Yijian’s. Her power was astonishing, not the least bit inferior to his own. If they were to fight, he had no confidence he could win.
Realizing how formidable the red-clothed girl was, Zhaang Ye wisely remained silent.
After her threat, the red-clothed girl’s body transformed into a streak of red light and shot forward. Zhaang Ye peeked his head out and saw that there were far fewer monstrous birds in the sky. He no longer hesitated. He flashed out of the small cave and headed deeper into the canyon. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
