Su Qianqian pushed herself to the absolute limit.
She felt her mind and body reaching the verge of collapse, and before she could dodge, a giant hammer-shaped artifact struck her, sending her flying through the air!
She felt herself falling, crashing through one giant tree after another, and then slammed hard against a cliff, leaving a deep pit in the rock!
At the same time, Su Qianqian coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, nearly losing consciousness.
Her vision blurred as she saw a group of people approaching—still a good distance from the Forbidden Zone.
Was it really going to end here…?
“Su Qianqian!”
A familiar voice called out in her ear.
Luo Wuhen, who had been conserving her strength among the pursuers, suddenly surged ahead of everyone, scooping Su Qianqian into her arms!
Su Qianqian inhaled, that nostalgic yet repellent scent filling her nose…
“Luo Wuhen…”
“I’m here. Don’t worry, recover your strength. I’ll get you out safely!”
Su Qianqian raised her head, gazing at Luo Wuhen’s stubborn expression.
She forced herself to stay alert and pointed in a direction for her.
“Head for the Forbidden Zone over there, and then leave me there. I’ll survive inside.”
“There?! How can—huff… I trust your judgment, but I want to go in with you.”
“……”
Su Qianqian fell silent, giving no response as she curled up in Luo Wuhen’s embrace and tried her best to recover.
The pursuers, whose minds had been corroded by Heaven Abyss Power, needed Su Qianqian alive—for the sake of the sacrifice, and also because if she died, her consciousness would instantly return to the Lunar Divine.
So, they couldn’t risk killing her with a fatal attack while she tried to escape.
But it was different for Luo Wuhen.
“Pfft—!”
Su Qianqian felt a sudden warmth on her face, the scent of blood thick in the air.
She looked blankly at Luo Wuhen, whose face had turned pale.
Luo Wuhen noticed Su Qianqian watching her, and offered a reassuring smile—but the blood at the corner of her lips made her look terribly battered.
Su Qianqian wiped Luo Wuhen’s mouth for her, taking a deep breath and exhaling heavily. “Let me go. If this continues, neither of us will survive. Go back. Xiao Siqian can’t lose both of her family members.”
Luo Wuhen didn’t answer right away.
She only comfortingly patted Su Qianqian’s head, and spoke as if coaxing a child: “We’ll both make it out alive.”
Su Qianqian was helpless, sighing: “I really dislike you, always being so self-centered.”
“I know.”
Luo Wuhen’s breathing was rough from her injuries, and she gave a bitter smile.
“For the sake of my possessiveness, I locked you up in the palace, forced you to have a child with me. After you were taken from me, I went ahead and gave birth to Siqian on my own. I never considered your feelings in any of it. I know I’m selfish, and deserve to be hated. I can’t change the past, and I should pay for my mistakes. Even if you hate me or ignore me, I still want to tell you—I’ve always loved you. Now and always.”
Before Su Qianqian could respond, another attack slammed into Luo Wuhen’s back.
Holding Su Qianqian tightly, Luo Wuhen tumbled away, blood trailing through the air.
Luo Wuhen felt the distance between her and the pursuers stretch to the limit.
It was enough…
A jade talisman appeared in her hand.
Su Qianqian recognized it immediately—an expendable Teleportation Talisman from the Treasure Vault.
It could transport them ten thousand miles instantly, but at this distance, with the pursuers’ cultivation and Luo Wuhen’s current state, they would soon catch up again.
With a bloody hand, Luo Wuhen crushed the jade talisman.
In an instant, both their figures vanished, reappearing ten thousand miles away.
The pursuers didn’t pause—they kept chasing relentlessly…
Luo Wuhen hadn’t planned to use this as a means of escape.
She only needed this brief distance and the cover of mist!
The moment they reappeared, Su Qianqian felt herself transferred into another’s embrace—this one much smaller.
She looked at Luo Wuhen, and saw in her arms a figure identical to herself, even the aura was indistinguishable!
Before Su Qianqian could react, Luo Wuhen was already clutching the “Su Qianqian,” glancing sideways, leaving behind a question she didn’t expect an answer to: “If we both survive, will you give me a chance to start over…?”
Su Qianqian froze, staring at Luo Wuhen’s retreating figure, not knowing how to respond.
Even if she answered, Luo Wuhen wouldn’t hear it.
“We need to hide~, no sound, suppress your aura~.” Chu Youtong, who had caught Su Qianqian, did everything she could.
Taking advantage of everyone’s attention being focused on Luo Wuhen and the fake Qianqian, she used illusion to completely hide both their figures and presence.
After a while, confirming that the group had been led away, Chu Youtong led Su Qianqian towards the Forbidden Zone she had pointed to.
On the way, Su Qianqian learned of their plan…
“I’m already good at concealing my aura, and with her help, I followed along inside her Zhatian Bag.”
“Well? That flesh doll, isn’t it flawless? You should know, the Substitute Flesh Doll was originally created by our Hehuan Sect. Hmm… Though its purpose has drifted from the original. At first, it was meant as a different kind of ‘substitute’ entirely.”
“Aiya, I hope you really can hide safely inside the Forbidden Zone—and come out again safely. Otherwise, counting that person too, we’d be three deaths for the price of one.”
Listening to Chu Youtong’s endless chatter, Su Qianqian looked towards the direction Luo Wuhen had left, her voice hoarse as she asked, “So, Luo Wuhen went to be the decoy…?”
“Yeah, yeah, love really is selfless~, though of course I could do it too. Thinking about it, so many people are willing to die for you, you really are a sinful woman~.”
Su Qianqian closed her eyes, a tangle of complicated emotions within her.
Why was she always like this? Couldn’t she just cut all ties cleanly?
Why must people keep coming back, again and again, going this far?
“That’s why I hate her so much. Always so self-absorbed, always thinking only of her own selfish wants…” Su Qianqian muttered.
Before long, Luo Wuhen was slumped beside a nameless cliff, her messy hair covering her eyes, a gaping hole in her abdomen, one arm hanging limp.
In the end, she’d still been forced to a dead end…
Yet Luo Wuhen actually smiled, a smile full of relief and mockery!
The pursuers were confused by this, a sense of unease growing within them.
None of these developments made sense—they didn’t know why Luo Wuhen would “betray” them, or why she would go so far for this goal.
One of them violently snatched the “Su Qianqian” Luo Wuhen was protecting in her arms into the air.
Luo Wuhen made no move to stop them—her mocking smile only growing stronger.
Just then, the Substitute Flesh Doll’s effect wore off, leaving a rubbery figure suspended in the air…
Seeing the scene before her, Luo Wuhen closed her eyes contentedly.
She’d done her best; from here on, it was up to that witch to prove herself trustworthy.
After a moment, the furious, vengeful attack she’d been expecting didn’t come.
Instead, the pursuers didn’t even look back as they chose to continue the chase.
“They won’t even waste time killing the ‘traitor’ who played them. Qianqian, just what are you…” Luo Wuhen slumped weakly against the cliff, thinking…
Soon after, even though Chu Youtong did her best to conceal their tracks as they hurried onward, the group shrouded in black mist still followed like hyenas.
On top of that, Chu Youtong’s Escape Technique was honestly nothing special, and before long they were on their trail again.
When Su Qianqian saw them appear once more, panic seized her heart.
Their return could only mean Luo Wuhen had been exposed—and possibly… killed.
The thought made Su Qianqian’s breathing ragged, her limbs icy cold, an unspeakable emotion swirling in her mind.
What was her relationship with Luo Wuhen, anyway?
Su Qianqian didn’t know… But she absolutely didn’t want Luo Wuhen to die, much less die for her!
Su Qianqian covered her face, her mind in turmoil.
Suddenly, she felt her spirit begin to drift, as if it was about to “ascend.”
In a flash, her mind leapt across great distances, seeing Luo Wuhen, half-dead—but, at least still alive.
For someone of her level, being alive meant there was hope for recovery…
A trace of relief settled in Su Qianqian’s heart.
As long as she was alive, that was enough… And there was no need to worry about those chasing their heels, because they had finally arrived!
A vast, incomprehensible canyon appeared before them.
Within the canyon there were no piles of white bones, no scene of universal annihilation.
On the contrary, the canyon teemed with life, like a fairyland!
But this very “fairyland” was nearly inescapable—several mighty Divine Palace Realm experts had entered, never to return.
Su Qianqian didn’t know how she’d gotten out in her past life, but now she could only trust that once inside, she’d find a way out when she needed it!
“Chu Youtong, you know this place’s fearsome reputation. There’s still time to turn back—they’re clearly only after me. You’ve done more than enough, thank you…”
“We’re already here, what’s the point in talking? To risk one’s life with a gentleman~” Chu Youtong replied breezily.
At the final siege, the two of them looked back at the pursuers.
Su Qianqian’s face was expressionless; Chu Youtong blinked mockingly, and together, they stepped into the canyon!
The moment they entered, both vanished without a trace, as if they’d stepped into another world!
As for their pursuers, they no longer feared any Forbidden Zone.
As long as they could catch Su Qianqian, there was nothing they wouldn’t dare!
……
The smell of grass, the scent of rain-washed earth, a cool breeze brushing her face—Su Qianqian slowly awoke, as if she’d just had a long dream.
But something heavy was pressing on her?!
Su Qianqian slowly opened her eyes.
Dazzling sunlight made her squint, but as her eyes adjusted, she saw Chu Youtong sprawled across her body.
“Wake up, wake up! Chu Youtong?!”
“Let me sleep a bit longer…”
Smack!
“Ow, what are you doing~”
Chu Youtong sat up, rubbing her head in grievance—though she was still sitting on Su Qianqian’s waist.
Su Qianqian abruptly sat up, sending Chu Youtong tumbling off in confusion.
How could she be thrown by just sitting up?!
“Hey, hey, where’s my cultivation?! All my years of bitter training—gone?!”
Su Qianqian quickly checked herself.
Her cultivation was almost completely gone too, she couldn’t even use introspection.
She hurriedly looked around.
Everything was peaceful, a sense of tranquility lingering in the air.
In the distance, a small town sent up curling smoke from cooking fires…
Gurgle~
Chu Youtong clutched her belly.
She hadn’t felt hunger in a long, long time…
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