Liu Xing did not know why the Black-Clad Woman and the masked men were locked in such a fierce battle, but he remembered the old man's warning: to stay clear of trouble, he should avoid wading into muddy waters whose depths he knew nothing about. Otherwise, he could easily draw the flames onto himself.
Judging by how desperately these three cultivators were fighting, they would not stop until a winner emerged. Whichever side ultimately prevailed, Liu Xing had no confidence whatsoever that they would leave him alone.
Logically, the safest course was to leave immediately while the Black-Clad Woman and the masked men were too occupied to stop him. But this was Liu Xing's first time seeing cultivators, and he was intensely curious about their battle. Despite knowing the danger, he remained hidden to one side, watching.
Gradually, the Black-Clad Woman's offensive slowed. Presumably, the prolonged exertion had depleted the spiritual energy within her, leaving her unable to sustain such relentless, ferocious attacks.
This made defending much easier for the two masked men. A moment later, the man on the left could no longer restrain his laughter.
"You little bitch, running short of spiritual energy? You ignored your injuries and forced yourself to attack. Your meridians were damaged long ago. Give it another moment, and even if I don't lift a finger, those injuries will drain away your power. Once you fall into my hands, you'll get a taste of what your Third Master can do!"
The Black-Clad Woman's slender brows shot up in obvious anger, and she immediately directed seventy percent of her attacks toward the fellow calling himself Third Master.
The masked man on the right appeared far more composed than his companion. "Third Brother, save your breath," he said in a low voice. "This girl won't hold out much longer!"
Third Master answered, "Yes, Eldest Brother! But three of our five brothers fell at this girl's hands today. Once we capture her, I'm going to vent this anger choking my chest."
The masked man addressed as Eldest Brother said nothing, merely nodding. Third Brother grinned viciously. "Today, we Five Friends of Meng Mountain aren't just taking the treasure. We're taking you too, you little bitch!"
At last, the Black-Clad Woman could no longer contain herself and spat, "You Five Uglies of Meng Mountain are nothing but outer servants of my Heavenly Demon Sect. How dare you show me such disrespect today? Aren't you afraid of the Tendon-Seizing Soul-Snatching torture?"
Third Brother laughed as though he had heard a joke. "You little bitch! With the Heavenly Demon Sect backing you, you order us outer disciples around like livestock. Did you really think we were willing? Today, while you're injured, all we have to do is get our hands on that treasure. Then why should we worry about finding another backer? Your Heavenly Demon Sect may be powerful, but it still isn't number one in the Universe. We're not afraid of you!"
The Black-Clad Woman snapped angrily, "You fools don't know whether you're courting life or death! Worthless trash like you dares lay a finger on that treasure? Prancing clowns who don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth!"
Third Brother gave a lewd grin. "Once you fall into my hands, you'll find out I'm not just worthless trash. I've got plenty of filthy tricks for you to enjoy!"
Eldest Brother had initially wanted to stop Third Brother's pointless chatter. But after watching him trade insults with the Black-Clad Woman, he noticed that her breathing had become even more erratic. Evidently, her injuries had left her unable to keep her mind clear, allowing a mere war of words to unsettle her.
Thus, the eldest of the Five Uglies of Meng Mountain remained silent and let Third Brother continue his verbal sparring with the Black-Clad Woman.
Liu Xing heard every word from the sidelines. Naturally, he realized that these so-called Five Uglies of Meng Mountain had originally served under the Black-Clad Woman. They had launched a surprise attack while she was injured, hoping to seize some treasure.
By any reasonable reckoning, the Five Uglies of Meng Mountain must have been far weaker than the Black-Clad Woman. Had she not been injured, they would never have dared rebel.
Now, only Eldest Brother and Third Brother remained locked in fierce combat with her. Most likely, she had killed the other three. That burst of light which had blown apart the entire spaceship earlier might well have been her ultimate attack, reducing the Five Uglies of Meng Mountain to just two survivors.
Third Brother was clearly so arrogant because he could see that the Black-Clad Woman would not hold out much longer. Otherwise, he would never have been so smug.
The Five Uglies of Meng Mountain were betraying their master to seize her treasure. If they succeeded, their first order of business would surely be to kill everyone who could reveal what had happened!
At this thought, Liu Xing realized just how dangerous his situation would become if he stayed. He began shifting his feet slowly, edging away from the battle.
Liu Xing had barely retreated a dozen meters when he suddenly heard the Black-Clad Woman give a cold snort, seemingly tinged with pain.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Liu Xing looked back. The Black-Clad Woman had stopped attacking. Pain showed on her face, and a thin trail of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. Clearly, her injuries had flared up beyond her ability to suppress them.
For some reason, the pain on her face softened Liu Xing's heart. He could no longer move even half a step and even felt an urge to rush back and help her.
Fortunately, Liu Xing had a resolute will. His last shred of reason told him that rushing over now would be no different from throwing his life away, and he forcibly suppressed the impulse. Yet he could no longer summon even the slightest desire to flee. He simply stood there, almost as though he were willing to live or die alongside the Black-Clad Woman.
In truth, the Black-Clad Woman was an important figure among the younger generation of the Heavenly Demon Sect, one of the Universe's great cultivation sects. The Heavenly Demon Soul-Confusion she practiced ranked among the finest bewitching arts in the Cultivation World.
Gravely injured, she naturally could not activate her bewitching art. Yet the allure innate to her very bones still possessed a soul-stealing charm for Liu Xing, a youth who had never seen a beautiful woman before.
Just as Xizi clutching her heart was one of the most beautiful poses in the world, the pain on the Black-Clad Woman's face plucked a string deep within Liu Xing's heart, leaving him unable to bear walking away.
PS: Brothers and sisters, I'll keep posting updates, and you keep voting! During this new book's launch, I'm eagerly hoping for your wholehearted support!
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