Free Web NovelChapter 1126: Chapter 1097: From an Ancient Family
The stimulation of the tear glands blurred his vision.
Even though his sight was blurred by tears, the flash of silver that shot out still made Number Two wary. He rapidly retreated to open up the distance between them while freeing his right hand, curling it stiffly into a claw and slashing swiftly in front of his chest.
What is that? When Number Two finally saw what was attacking him, he couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air. A pair of grim and vicious eyes were fixed intently on him, and the exposed fangs looked as if they might tear him apart at any moment.
Maybe because he was in a crisis, Number Two’s full strength erupted without reservation, and his final hidden killing move was unleashed as well. As that tightly hooked right claw slashed at high speed, it gradually turned a dark greenish-black, and the faint, illusory green qi that lingered around his body visibly gathered toward his palm.
Although the scene looked unbelievable, and that illusory green qi made it hard to tell whether it truly existed or was just a trick of the eye, no matter what, the fact that Number Two’s right claw was turning black was real.
Moreover, its lethality was very likely even greater than that whirlwind sword from before. Even Xiao Lin, who had stopped moving, couldn’t help the slight tremor in his gaze, his eyes locked tightly on Number Two’s black hand that was dancing with afterimages. Poison? Just then, this strange word popped into his mind at the most fitting moment.
He had once seen this kind of evil art in Dragon Soul’s library. The hands looked soft, but were actually as hard as steel, and once they so much as scratched your skin, the toxin at his fingertips would immediately seep into your bloodstream. If it was an ordinary person who hadn’t trained any kind of martial art, they would definitely die within five seconds of being poisoned.
There really is such an unbelievable technique?! Fortunately, his heart had already been tempered a few times by that shadow’s terrifying Ghost-like speed just now; otherwise Xiao Lin would have been stunned again by Number Two’s incredible display. But since the guy used poison, it actually didn’t do much to him personally.
Still, the appearance of these people this time really broadened Xiao Lin’s horizons. The world is vast and full of wonders; what ordinary people know is just a tiny corner of the great wide world.
But no matter how strong Number Two was, he could never have predicted that at this moment a ferocious beast would dart out from the side, and at such a blistering speed, with such razor-sharp power.
Just as Number Two stopped his tears and was about to stop retreating, Xiao Lin, who had long been waiting for an opening, suddenly accelerated. Silent as a ghost and swift as lightning, he appeared at Number Two’s flank, and the exposed claws swung down viciously at his blood-smeared shoulder!
Crow let out a beastly roar at Number Two. After witnessing Xiao Lin being heavily injured, it had been lurking nearby with the mindset of protecting its master. Even without receiving any order from Xiao Lin, it still shot out and landed a heavy blow on Number Two. No wonder this beast had such a bond with Xiao Lin; after living together day and night, the tie between them had become impossible to sever.
Bang! A sound like wooden blocks colliding rang out suddenly. Crow’s claws pierced through the already blood-soaked flesh and slammed hard into the bone. As Number Two trembled, it yanked down with force, ripping off a strip of flesh nearly two fingers wide!
But Crow’s assault didn’t end there. It might be an animal, but its intelligence was not much worse than a human’s, especially when hunting prey! Taking advantage of the moment when Number Two’s old and new wounds overlapped and his heart was shaken with fear, Crow, having succeeded with one strike, moved again.
Its nimble body flipped with unstoppable speed to Number Two’s back, and its sharp claws slashed fiercely at his ankle.
Puff! A crack, blood spraying. Number Two’s body shuddered violently, and he stumbled, almost tumbling to the ground. But as his body flipped, he happened to catch sight of Crow flashing away. Although it was just a flicker of white light, in that instant he locked onto its aura.
In pain and fury, Number Two roared, his right claw, wreathed in black qi, sweeping toward Crow. However... Crow’s performance at that moment not only stunned Number Two, it also made Xiao Lin, who was about to call it back, freeze for a second. Crow not only didn’t dodge the deathly black claw swinging toward it, it even swung its own claws, meeting it head-on in a vicious clash.
Clang! A sound like metal striking metal rang out suddenly. Number Two’s swinging right claw clearly paused for a brief moment, while Crow, though knocked flying, exploded forward again as soon as it landed. Taking advantage of the dazed opening when Number Two was stunned by the impossible, it flashed up to his chest and slashed ruthlessly at his throat bone.
Hiss... Sucking in a breath in secret shock, Number Two snapped his neck aside, both blackened hands rigidly hooked into claws, sweeping out in enraged strikes. Squeak... The cold gusts whipping past its back and sides made Crow let out an unwilling low cry. Then its body curled slightly and sprang outward. Its astonishing speed was in no way inferior to that monster Chou Mu, and was even a bit faster.
Staring blankly at Crow, which had landed by his feet and was roaring provocatively at Number Two, Xiao Lin rubbed its big head. "When did you learn my moves?" To be able to crack a joke at his pet at a time like this—this was indeed the same Military Doctor Xiao Lin whose name terrified both the underworld and the righteous sects.
Not far away, Number Two, sitting on the ground with no regard for his image, had even forgotten his bodily pain. He stared dazedly at his right hand. He was very confident in his own strength, especially when his poison arts were activated. Just now, even though he had swung casually, his attack trajectory had still been swift and unpredictable. Even someone strong would find it extremely dangerous to take that blow. Yet that beast... had clearly intercepted it easily and precisely.
The aisle between the two high stacks of containers had fallen into a strange silence; it was as if the two of them had forgotten they were in a life-or-death bloodbath, and were both staring with the same bizarre look at that gray Mongolian Wolf.
Noticing the odd atmosphere, Crow very humanly licked his little nose, blinked at Xiao Lin, the fur that had been bristling all over his body slowly smoothed down, the extended claws also retracted into the pads, and he quickly returned to that innocent look. Then he leaned into Xiao Lin’s palm, rubbing his head against the center of his hand, as if asking for a reward. Or maybe just acting spoiled.
After giving another deep look at Crow, who was propped up by Xiao Lin’s leg and shamelessly acting cute, Number Two couldn’t help feeling a kind of absurd, dreamlike dislocation. He clenched his hands, which had just regained a bit of feeling, tore off a strip of cloth, and tightly bound his injured ankle. A few vicious glints flashed through Number Two’s eyes; then he slowly raised his hands wreathed in green energy, the sharp claws spread and pointed at Xiao Lin’s heart and throat.
Lightly licking his lips, watching Number Two’s movement, Xiao Lin first bumped heads with Crow in a quick, secret gesture, then his gaze sharpened. His feet twisted, and he shot toward Number Two like a bullet.
Number Two didn’t show the slightest fear or intention of retreat despite his successive injuries. His black-green hands swept out in a blur, dragging streaks of cyan poisonous mist. Just as Xiao Lin was about to reach him, his previously motionless body suddenly sprang forward.
Hup... With simultaneous shouts, the sharp soft weapon and Number Two’s black hands smashed together. In this clash the two of them didn’t use any fancy techniques, just a simple full-force collision. Xiao Lin needed to gauge exactly how tough Number Two’s blackened hands were, while Number Two needed to judge how badly Xiao Lin’s hands were damaged. Bang! A solid, meaty impact rang out; the two of them bounced apart the instant they met. But without exception, both their faces grew grave—clearly the real sensation exceeded each of their expectations by several degrees.
Their eyes solemn yet burning, the two of them crashed into each other again. Now that they had some rough measure of each other, they unleashed their ultimate skills with full vigilance and caution. Although because of their injuries their speed and finesse were slightly inferior to before, the danger in each exchange had not lessened in the slightest.
Standing solidly off to the side, Crow once again returned to that ferocious form, fur bristling, claws extended. Though his body moved wherever Xiao Lin leaped and shifted, his sharp eyes were locked dead on Number Two, cold light flickering, ready to launch a surprise strike at any moment!
"Let them go!" Just as Xiao Lin was about to make a final desperate move, a voice came from behind. Yelu Shou and Xiao Mu were hurrying over this way.
Number Two gave the newcomers a glance, turned his body, and drifted back to land among the four people behind him, not saying a word. Xiao Lin turned around, his pitch-black eyes sweeping toward Xiao Mu, full of doubt.
"You all leave! Before I change my mind, get out of here, now." Ignoring the accusation and suspicion in Xiao Lin’s eyes, Xiao Mu shouted instead at the five people behind him. The rustling of clothes sounded from behind; Xiao Lin knew they had already left.
"You owe me an explanation." Under the gaze of the two brothers, Yelu Shou walked over to Crow’s side, lifted one of his paws and checked it, then rubbed his head. He’d seen what happened just now; for this big guy he’d never liked, he suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of cuteness.
"It wasn’t them!" Xiao Mu’s explanation was flimsy, and made little sense.
"Who are they?" That was what he most wanted to know.
"They’re from an ancient family."
"The Dan Clan!" A name suddenly flashed through Xiao Lin’s mind. In fact there were many families in the country that could be called ancient—those hidden among the populace who no longer concerned themselves with the world, the fallen houses, and those that still moved in the shadows but were thought extinct. But when it came to those involved with arms, the only one he could think of was the Dan Clan.
"Maybe." Xiao Mu glanced at the man on the ground whose head had been blown apart, his reaction unreadable. "They weren’t the ones who set the fire. Someone else did it. Shou just happened to run into that person and mistakenly thought they did it."
"So you already know who it is?"
"Let’s go. We need to get out of here before the cops arrive."
Xiao Lin grabbed Xiao Mu’s arm. "Third Brother, be straight with me. What’s your real purpose in coming here this time?"
"I already said, what’s in it for me?" Xiao Mu showed his usual contempt; every lift of his hand was so casual, even tinged with a bit of disgust. "You should know perfectly well how much I hate you, right? So why would someone as high and mighty as me come clean up your mess? Truth is, more than anyone, I want to see you crash and burn, you know that?" Xiao Mu leaned in close to Xiao Lin—so close that if he just opened his mouth he could touch the other’s skin—as he spoke those rather heartless words. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
