Lady Yun, You Run First

Li Jinshui was currently pondering how to sneak away.

The woman surnamed Yun was lying inside, and even with such heavy injuries, she still put on airs; he didn't want to stay for even another moment.

Yet, he dared not run openly—if that woman truly had a trump card to drag him down with her, his life would be forfeit.

He had to find an opportunity, take advantage of her lack of attention, and slip away quietly with Monkey and Er Gou.

He was just thinking this when the burly man suddenly crawled in from the cave entrance, his face pale.

"Boss Li! It's bad!"

Li Jinshui's heart tightened: "Speak."

The burly man lowered his voice: "A squad of Di soldiers has arrived outside, at least twenty of them, and they are searching this way! It looks like they're combing the mountain!"

Li Jinshui's brain spun rapidly.

Combing the mountain?

Twenty Di soldiers?

He could win, but it would expose their position.

If it attracted more...

He made a split-second decision and signaled to Monkey and Er Gou.

The two understood immediately and quietly shuffled toward his side.

Run.

They had to run.

Take advantage of the fact that they hadn't been discovered yet, slip away from the back of the mountain, and let this group fend for themselves—

"Stop."

A weak yet icy voice came from behind him.

Li Jinshui's heart sank.

He turned around and saw Yun Ruoxi leaning against the stone wall, limping out.

Her face was terrifyingly pale, her forehead covered in cold sweat, yet those eyes remained as haughty as ever.

"Lady Yun, you..."

Yun Ruoxi interrupted him: "I heard. Twenty Di soldiers."

Li Jinshui didn't speak.

Yun Ruoxi stared at him, enunciating every word: "Let them enter, set an ambush. Kill them all."

Li Jinshui was stunned.

Ambush?

He glanced at the wounded soldiers in the cave—seventeen people, with fewer than ten capable of fighting, and all of them were only at the seventh or eighth level of Body Forging. He could fight, but if he alerted a larger force...

"Lady Yun, this is too risky," he began. "What if they have reinforcements..."

Yun Ruoxi looked at him coldly: "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

Li Jinshui swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

Yun Ruoxi continued: "These Di soldiers are combing the mountain; they will find this place sooner or later. Rather than waiting for death, it is better to strike first. Kill them all, destroy the bodies, and we can live a few more days."

She paused, swept a glance over the soldiers in the cave, and finally let her gaze rest on Li Jinshui:

"You lead them to the ambush. I will hold the line from the back."

Li Jinshui looked at her pale face, looked at her broken leg, and looked at how she couldn't even stand steadily.

Hold the line?

What line are you holding?

The line on the ground?

He was cursing wildly in his heart, but he said: "Fine."

Yun Ruoxi nodded slightly, leaned against the stone wall as she walked back, slumped against that rock, and closed her eyes.

Li Jinshui watched her back, gritted his teeth, and turned to beckon the others.

"You all heard? Prepare the ambush."

A quarter of an hour later.

The squad of Di soldiers walked into this patch of forest.

Twenty-three men, two at the early stage of the Inner Strength Realm, one at the middle stage of the Inner Strength Realm, and the rest all at the Body Forging stage. They were spread out, using their blades to push aside the brush as they walked, cursing and swearing.

Li Jinshui hid behind a large tree, staring at them, his mind calculating rapidly.

Once they entered the encirclement, he would kill those two in the Inner Strength Realm first; the rest would be easy to handle.

It was getting closer.

Even closer.

Thirty paces.

Twenty paces.

Ten paces—

"Kill!!!"

He erupted from behind the jagged rocks, his Black Iron Blade transforming into a streak of black lightning as he slashed directly at the leader, a mid-stage Internal Strengthening expert!

The Di soldier was shocked, hastily raising his blade to parry!

"Clang!"

Sparks flew in all directions, and the man retreated three steps, the webbing between his thumb and forefinger splitting open!

"Enemy attack!!!"

The Di soldiers instantly erupted into chaos!

But Li Jinshui's blade was faster!

He unleashed the White Tiger Blade Technique with all his might, the blade light shimmering like snow, strike after strike forcing the mid-stage Internal Strengthening expert into a continuous retreat!

"Ahhh..."

[+15]

The ambushing soldiers charged out from all directions, their battle cries shaking the heavens!

Screams, shouts, and the clashing of weapons merged into a chaotic din!

Li Jinshui fought with increasing ferocity, the White Tiger Blade Technique pushed to its absolute limit in his hands; someone fell with every single strike!

[+3]

[+5]

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[+8...]

Suddenly, a Di soldier pulled something from his bosom and threw it into the sky—

"Whew—Bang!"

A firework exploded in mid-air, blindingly red.

Li Jinshui's pupils constricted.

Damn it, a signal!

His hands moved even faster, cleaving the Di soldier who had launched the signal, but it was already too late.

That firework could be seen for dozens of miles around.

A streak of fire shot into the sky and exploded in mid-air!

A firework!

A signal!

Li Jinshui's expression shifted, and he hacked the Di soldier to death, but it was already too late.

That firework exploded in the sky with a blinding glare, visible for dozens of miles around.

"Kill them quickly! Withdraw the moment they're dead!" he shouted.

The remaining Di soldiers were quickly wiped out.

But Li Jinshui did not stop; he looked up at the sky—

In the distance, several black dots were rapidly growing larger.

Pulse-Opening Realm!

Three of them!

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" He turned and began to run back.

But after running a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and glanced back.

In the direction of the cave, a purple figure was quietly sneaking out from the other side.

Yun Ruoxi.

She was trying to run.

Running alone.

Li Jinshui's mind raced.

With injuries like that, can she even get away?

Those Pulse-Opening Realm experts are coming for the signal; if they see her, who will they chase?

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Then he took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Lady Yun! You go first! We'll stay behind to hold them off!"

His voice was so loud that the entire forest could hear it.

In the distance, those three black dots visibly faltered, then changed direction and gave chase to the purple figure!

Yun Ruoxi whipped her head around, staring fixedly at Li Jinshui from dozens of yards away.

Her face was twisted beyond recognition.

Anger, terror, and malice—all churned together, looking hideous to the extreme.

Li Jinshui waved at her from afar, his face full of righteous indignation:

"Rest assured, Lady Yun! We won't let the Di People catch up to you!"

Li Jinshui continued to shout: "Go quickly! You are in the Pulse-Opening Realm; your life is more important than ours! We will hold them off! Run!"

The voice echoed through the valley, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Yun Ruoxi opened her mouth as if to say something, but those three black dots were already drawing closer.

She gritted her teeth hard, turned around, and ran!

Limping and stumbling, she fled toward the depths of the forest with all her might!

Those three in the Pulse-Opening Realm flew right over Li Jinshui's head without even sparing them a glance, charging straight after the purple figure.

Soon, the sounds of intense combat drifted from the distance, intermingled with the screams of Yun Ruoxi.

Li Jinshui stood where he was, listening to those sounds, the righteous indignation on his face slowly fading, replaced by a meaningful smile.

Monkey ran over, panting as he asked: "Jinshui, aren't we going to save her?"

Li Jinshui glanced at him.

"Save her?"

He turned and began walking in the opposite direction.

"Let's go."

Monkey and Er Gou froze for a moment, then hurriedly followed.