Backstab

"Alright."

Since Ji Yuan had spoken, Qiu Qianhai did not bother with pointless explanations about how Xiong Youfu was fine and worthy of trust.

"What do we do now? Run or kill? I'll listen to you."

Ji Yuan instinctively wanted to say kill, but when the words reached his lips, he suddenly stopped.

A person only had one life. He absolutely could not be careless.

With things like drawing talismans or refining pills, he could make countless mistakes. But in a life-and-death battle, he could make at most one.

So in the end, he said, "Run!"

Run if they could; kill only if they could not. That was Ji Yuan's principle.

"Alright."

"If we run, do you have somewhere to go?" Ji Yuan asked.

"I do." Qiu Qianhai nodded. "Blackwater Ward. Among the many markets in Cloud-Rain Marsh, Blackwater Ward is the most chaotic. Like Clearwave Pool, it is a place where fish and dragons mingle. I used to hide there."

That would work. Ji Yuan was just about to change direction and head for Blackwater Ward.

He planned to send Qiu Qianhai there first. Once he was sure there was no problem, he would return to Zengtou City.

"Old Qian! Old Qian!"

Shouts suddenly rang out from the other side of the island. Immediately afterward, a cyan Spirit Vessel skimmed over the water, with a burly man standing aboard it.

The instant he saw him, Qiu Qianhai rose to his feet.

"Old Xiong, what are you doing here?!"

The newcomer was Xiong Youfu, the close friend Qiu Qianhai had spoken of—the one with whom he had shared life-and-death bonds.

Xiong Youfu first glanced at Ji Yuan, panic flashing through his eyes instinctively. But very quickly, his gaze returned to Qiu Qianhai.

"I heard something happened on the Qin Household's