The Nine-Tailed Fox reacted instantly. She wrapped one arm around Qingxue and curled her tail around the Giant Egg.
She pushed off the ground and shot backward like an arrow, carrying both burdens with her.
Boom!
A gigantic gourd came crashing down from the sky, smashing into the woods and splitting the ground. The surrounding trees toppled from the impact.
When the dust cleared, the enormous gourd stood at the bottom of the crater.
Shuten-doji stood atop it, his expression cold.
The Nine-Tailed Fox had dodged his ambush, but she didn't stop. Holding Qingxue, she turned and fled into the distance.
She hadn't gone far when another Shuten-doji stepped out from behind a tree and blocked her path.
The Nine-Tailed Fox immediately changed direction, only for a third Shuten-doji to appear and cut her off.
She kept changing course without pause, but each time, another Shuten-doji blocked her way.
After several failed attempts to break through, the Nine-Tailed Fox and Qingxue were surrounded by more than a dozen Shuten-dojis. Three more hovered in the air above them. They were trapped in a complete encirclement.
The Nine-Tailed Fox gritted her teeth in frustration. "Damn it, I let my guard down."
She must have relaxed too much while they were resting, giving Shuten-doji a chance to catch her off guard.
That guy had quietly set up the encirclement before revealing himself, leaving them no chance to escape.
"Put me down."
Qingxue opened her eyes and said weakly, "We agreed earlier—you wouldn't let me hold you back."
"Shut up!"
The Nine-Tailed Fox cut her off angrily. "I'll do whatever I want. You don't get to remind me."
The dozen or so Shuten-dojis closed in, their icy gazes seeming to pierce the Nine-Tailed Fox through.
From the start of the Lord of Ten Thousand