My Husband and I Today

Embroidery and Seven Killings felt their hearts plunge into an icy abyss.

"Embroidery, run first—I'll hold him off!" The moment the words left his mouth, Seven Killings flung off Embroidery's hand and shoved her three steps back. "Go!!"

Embroidery opened her mouth, but when she saw him take that step forward, the strip of cloth wrapped around his severed arm fluttered in the night wind like a flag riddled with holes.

Seven Killings turned to face Wei Zhaoting, gathering his inner strength in his right fist before smashing it toward that young face filled with the weariness of ages.

The wind from his punch tore through the night, carrying shattered stones and dust as it blasted toward Wei Zhaoting's chest like rolling thunder.

Wei Zhaoting raised one hand, his palm meeting the edge of the punch.

Seven Killings felt his force sink into a ball of cotton, utterly dispersed.

His heart tightened, then he gave a cold laugh.

"Martial Fighter realm?" He exerted force with his lone arm, and his punch swelled again, knocking Wei Zhaoting back two steps. "Even if this tiger has fallen to the plains, I'm not someone a Black Banner dog at the Martial Fighter realm can humiliate at will!"

With an angry roar, Seven Killings threw three consecutive punches with his one arm.

Each punch retained the lingering force of the peak Martial Master realm. Though the Spring Lotus had corroded away more than half of his inner strength, the bearing remained.

But Wei Zhaoting's movement technique was bizarre beyond measure...

He was like a shadow gliding along the ground. Seven Killings' fists brushed past the hem of his clothes, every blow missing its mark.

"Why bother?" Wei Zhaoting said with a smile as he evaded. "You've lost an arm and still insist on showing off. Even your girl has more sense than you."

Seven Killings gritted his teeth and said nothing, his punches growing fiercer.

But the lingering Spring Lotus poison within him chose that moment to flare up. A twisting pain tore through his dantian, and his inner breath abruptly stalled.

Wei Zhaoting seized the opening and jabbed a finger into his chest. Seven Killings flew backward, crashing into the ground and splashing mud and water everywhere.

"Out of tricks already?"

Just as Wei Zhaoting was about to step forward, a hidden weapon tore through the air from the side.

He tilted his head aside to avoid it. Embroidery had already rushed in front of Seven Killings, spreading her arms to shield him behind her.

"Didn't I tell you to leave?! Why are you still here?!" Seven Killings struggled to rise.

"I've already betrayed my best friend. I can't abandon my child's father too." Embroidery did not turn around, her words short and sharp as a blade.

Seven Killings froze.

He wanted to say something, but it felt as if a stone were lodged in his throat. His eyes burned, and he could not utter a word.

"Tsk, tsk." Wei Zhaoting took an unhurried step forward. "Two dignified peak Martial Masters, driven to this state by a mere Martial Fighter. That's a rare sight indeed. Having fallen so low, why cling so stubbornly to your pride?"

"Warriors, why not hand over the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus? Otherwise... I wouldn't mind having a taste of this young lady." His gaze swept over Embroidery's shoulder.

Seven Killings' eyes darkened.

"Don't even think about it!" Embroidery's voice was colder than a blade. "You Black Banner scum joined forces with the Demon Race to trample my mountains and rivers and slaughter my countrymen! Even if I die today, I will never let the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus fall into your hands!"

Seven Killings raised his eyes.

He saw Embroidery's back, like a wall standing immovable before him.

Bracing himself against his knee, he slowly rose to his feet and stood beside her, clenching his fist tight.

"That's right! Sooner or later, the Demon Suppression Directorate will tear you thieves to pieces!" Seven Killings' throat bobbed. "Even if the two of us die here today, we—"

"My husband and I." Embroidery suddenly spoke.

Seven Killings was stunned. He turned his head and stared at her in disbelief.

Embroidery shot him a look, as though saying:

Idiot, what are you so surprised about? In my heart, I married you long ago.

Seven Killings opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing. He merely clenched his only fist even tighter.

Then the two turned at the same time, fixing their eyes on Wei Zhaoting.

"My wife and I," Seven Killings said, "even if we die..."

"Will take you down with us," Embroidery finished.

Before her words had even faded, Embroidery lunged forward.

Seven Killings moved almost simultaneously. One to the left and one to the right, they trapped Wei Zhaoting between them.

Their fists and palms crossed in a seamless assault, their coordination as perfect as if they had trained together for a lifetime.

Wei Zhaoting's blocks began to show strain. After all, his body was only at the Martial Fighter realm. No matter how keen his eye or how seasoned his experience, a flaw emerged under their desperate joint assault.

"Why bother?!" Wei Zhaoting sneered as he fought them off. "What do you think the Black Banner is? The Demon Suppression Directorate has suppressed us for years, yet not only have we not been destroyed—we've grown ever stronger. Have you never considered who is backing us from behind?"

Embroidery chopped down with her palm, but he twisted aside and avoided it.

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Me, talking nonsense?" Wei Zhaoting slapped Seven Killings' fist aside. "You two, why not let go of your obsessions, hand over the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus, and join the Black Banner with me?"

"Don't even think about it!"

"Even if you won't think for yourselves..." Wei Zhaoting's gaze dropped to Embroidery's lower abdomen. "You should at least think of this child, shouldn't you? He hasn't even been born yet, and he already has to die with you. Don't you think that's unfair?"

Embroidery's assault paused for an instant.

"He was born into this world," her voice sank, then abruptly rose, "that is his fate, and his tribulation!"

Her final palm strike poured all the strength in her body into it, and Seven Killings exerted himself at the same time.

Wei Zhaoting staggered back three steps, and at last, a crack appeared in the composure on his face.

But then his technique suddenly changed. His ten fingers hooked like claws, shooting out simultaneously from two bizarre angles to strike the vital points on Seven Killings and Embroidery's chests.

The two spat blood at once and flew backward, crashing into the mud.

Wei Zhaoting strolled forward, crouched down, and pinched the wound on Seven Killings's severed arm between his fingers, slowly applying pressure.

The veins on Seven Killings's forehead bulged. He clenched his teeth and did not make a sound.

"Where is the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus?"

Seven Killings spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm and said nothing.

Wei Zhaoting pressed his fingers several fractions deeper.

Embroidery lay prone on the ground, desperately trying to rise, but that strike had sealed her qi channels, leaving her without strength throughout her body.

"Will you talk?"

Seven Killings finally smiled, his teeth stained with blood. "You... wish."

Wei Zhaoting withdrew his hand, his expression darkening.

"Then I can only send you on your way."

He raised his hand and brought it down toward Seven Killings's crown.

Just then, a blade aura tore through the air.

A blue-white arc of light split the night sky, cleaving precisely toward Wei Zhaoting's palm.

His pupils contracted, and he retreated sharply. The blade aura grazed past his fingers, plowing a trench half a foot deep into the ground.

"Martial Master realm!"

Wei Zhaoting looked up, glanced in the direction the newcomer had come from, then turned and fled without the slightest hesitation.

Duan Hai emerged from the darkness, his Hundred-Household flying fish uniform snapping loudly in the night wind.

He held an unsheathed embroidered spring saber in his hand, the blade still carrying the lingering heat of its aura.

"Duan... Duan Hai?" Embroidery recognized him. "He's one of Black Banner's men—don't let him get away!"

"Alright!"

Duan Hai hurried after him, only to turn back a short while later.

"That bastard runs fast! I was afraid I'd fall for his tactic of luring the tiger from the mountain." He crouched down and stuffed a pill into each of their mouths. "With me here, you'll be fine."

Seven Killings panted heavily, and his tightly braced back finally sagged.

Embroidery closed her eyes as well, her chest heaving violently.

Duan Hai added one more sentence.

"By Boss Wu's orders, I'm to escort you and the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus back."

"Boss Wu..." Embroidery opened her eyes, and her eye sockets reddened.

She struggled to her feet, supporting herself on Seven Killings's arm, her legs still weak.

Duan Hai waited for a moment. Only after seeing that she had recovered some strength did he speak.

"Where's the spring lotus? We need to hurry. That man might not have gone far."

Embroidery nodded and led Duan Hai up the mountain.

Seven Killings followed behind them, his footsteps still unsteady.

At a concealed crevice halfway up the mountain, Embroidery reached inside and felt something icy cold.

She took out a jade box and turned, just about to speak...

A cold flash swept past.

Seven Killings's head flew into the air, spun twice in midair, and rolled into the grass.

Embroidery's hand froze.

She saw Seven Killings's body still standing where it was. The severed opening at his neck was so smooth it looked as though it had been measured with a ruler. Blood sprayed out, splashing her face and body.

She did not scream.

She merely stood there. Her pupils abruptly shrank, then gradually regained their focus.

"Miss Embroidery, this Earth Immortal Spring Lotus has ultimately still fallen into my hands."

Wei Zhaoting's voice came from behind her, carrying a smile.

He approached at an unhurried pace, as though he had been waiting for this very moment all along.

Duan Hai had already turned around, his blade pointed at her.

Embroidery glanced at Duan Hai...

There was no anger, no accusation, not even hatred.

Her gaze shifted from shock to sorrow, then to an indescribable calm—all in less than the time of a breath.

"You want this Earth Immortal Spring Lotus?" She hugged the jade box to her chest. "Come down and take it."

She backed away two steps. Behind her lay the cliff.

Wei Zhaoting stepped forward, but he was already too late.

Embroidery fell backward, the jade box pressed tightly against her chest as though she were holding an unborn dream.

The night wind caught the hem of her clothes and sent it fluttering twice. Soon, her figure was swallowed by the bottomless darkness.

Wei Zhaoting walked to the cliff's edge and glanced down.

There was only the sound of the wind.

He fell silent for a moment, then turned to Duan Hai.

"Find her."

Duan Hai nodded, gripping his blade as he turned and vanished into the woods.