Xiao Ran.
“It’s probably the Magic Potion taking effect.” Hei Maliu’s expression darkened slightly.
This variable wasn’t huge, but it was troublesome.
If he’d known, he shouldn’t have probed so much earlier and just taken her down directly. Thinking was one thing, doing was another. If he really skipped the probing and went straight in, and Yang Liuqing was actually feigning weakness to unleash a heavy blow, he’d be crying without a single tear.
“Take her down now!”
Na Yin didn’t care about any of that. She shot out like a dragon leaving the sea, her two Crescent Blades spinning with her body, turning into a meat grinder, hunting Yang Liuqing down. This was a killing move born of selfishness—she wanted to shred her into pieces and devour her flesh and blood. If she’d known the Magic Potion was in her heart, her target wouldn’t have been the throat.
Hei Maliu saw through her intent but didn’t stop her. His task was just to bring Yang Liuqing back, dead or alive. Whether the merchandise looked good or not wasn’t his call.
Na Yin attacked the upper path, Hei Maliu attacked the middle path, his staff sweeping in with a speed far faster than before. They were getting serious now.
Yang Liuqing faced the danger without fear. Crimson Flame Sword in her left hand, Thunder Light Sword in her right, she blocked high and low, defusing both their attacks. With all her stats boosted now, even if her stamina and energy hadn’t recovered much, she wasn’t at a level an A-rank could instantly kill. She spun like a top.
Na Yin rapidly twisted her body, her two Crescent Blades turning into cutting edges, a hundred strikes per second! Yang Liuqing dodged the brunt of it, trying to reduce her losses. But Hei Maliu, that clinging shadow, followed her wherever she went, his staff dancing in chaotic shadows.
Through several exchanges, Yang Liuqing finally figured out the secret of his staff. It was a Nine-Section Staff, and with a trigger mechanism, he could freely switch the number of sections for attacks. For direct thrusts, extending three to five sections was enough; the same for back-and-forth whipping. In its full nine-section form, it could be used like a whip. It was versatile and hard to predict in its attack trajectories.
The only thing she didn’t need to pay much attention to was the flame bursting from the staff. Compared to the Crimson Flame Sword’s fire, it was at most firework level. Hei Maliu had self-awareness and simply didn’t use the flames, instead increasing the rhythm variation. Yang Liuqing found it troublesome to deal with, but not truly tricky—at most on par with Tixianren’s Mind Threads. If it were Ke Ling’s attacks with dozens of Light Swords changing trajectories at once, she’d have a headache. The Spiritual Space Special Training really was useful.
Never landing a hit on her made Hei Maliu slightly irritated, as if he were fighting a slippery loach. Na Yin, relying on her bizarre Snake Movement, managed to get some advantages instead. Yang Liuqing’s tracksuit showed more tears. The strange bloodstains she’d gotten earlier had already discolored, dull like old spots. She’d only bought and worn it not long ago, yet it had the beauty of aged rags.
Don’t let her current advantage fool you—if this dragged on, it would get painful. Simply put, the Magic Potion’s intermittent stimulation wasn’t much different from occasionally injecting adrenaline into the body. After the high wore off, there might even be severe overdraw problems. The effective time was very short.
Yang Liuqing swung the Thunder Light Sword, and purple lightning crashed down, blasting Na Yin away. The scream came half a beat late. That strike couldn’t kill her, just wound her a bit. Anyone who could reach A-rank as a Transcendent wouldn’t have poor defense. If physical quality wasn’t up to par, it couldn’t contain powerful strength.
Hei Maliu spun the Nine-Section Staff, a mad snake frenzy, dazzling to the eyes. This kind of rhythm-changing attack, relying only on visual tracking, was hard to predict. Yang Liuqing relied entirely on Perception, not even using her Magic Eye. Hei Maliu’s round of wild attacks yielded nothing. The intense frustration made him especially displeased.
He brought the staff back together, stopped attacking, and his body suddenly swelled. His lean frame bulged with muscles, nearly bursting the black suit. A vast Qi hidden inside surged out in an instant.
“Damn it, couldn’t you have shown your real strength earlier!” Na Yin, blasted away by the lightning, cursed loudly. She’d been fighting seriously the whole time, while her family’s lackey slacked off—no one would be happy about that. Hei Maliu let it go in one ear and out the other, completely ignoring her words.
Their lack of coordination gave Yang Liuqing breathing room, letting her occasionally hit them with something fierce to gain more advantage. Now, facing Hei Maliu at full power, that approach clearly wouldn’t work. If possible, it was best to take out Na Yin first. That snake-like, slimy woman—given any chance, she’d latch on and deliver a fatal blow.
Hei Maliu leaped high, gripping the staff with both hands, and slammed down viciously. Yang Liuqing retreated quickly while keeping an eye on Na Yin. The black staff hit the ground, cracking and lifting the thick concrete floor, sending debris flying. If that hit a person, they’d be reduced to a pile of scattered parts. As time passed, they were losing patience. Whether Yang Liuqing lived or died didn’t matter—as long as the Magic Potion was still in this body. Even if she broke into several pieces, they could take her back to report.
Seeing her retreat, Na Yin lunged in, the two Crescent Blades flashing cold light. Just as Yang Liuqing was about to strike, Hei Maliu’s staff thrust in again. Three sections extended, attack range surged, faster and fiercer than before. Yang Liuqing used Hound Body Movement to dodge, but the next moment, Na Yin was on her again. Using that technique against two or more enemies only served as basic evasion. Dodge one, but not both. For someone like Na Yin with assassin traits, keeping an eye on her was easy—but once she latched on, Hei Maliu’s threat skyrocketed.
The energy Yang Liuqing had barely recovered was drained again by them. A deeper exhaustion surged up, spreading through her entire body.
“This isn’t looking good.”
Ke Li observed for a moment and reached a conclusion. Yang Liuqing’s consumption wasn’t keeping up with recovery. Na Yin and Hei Maliu had only just appeared and still had plenty of stamina to wear her down.
“It’s fine, just tempering Master’s resolve along the way.”
Ke Ling remained optimistic. The scene only looked dangerous; their Master was handling it with ease. Clearly, the two little ones viewed the battle from a very different angle than Yang Liuqing. She was stretched to the point where her nerves were nearly snapping. One more push and she might be done for. Under the sustained high pressure, cracks spread through her inner self. When they’d shatter, even she didn’t know. The motto was simply to hold out as long as possible.
Hei Maliu’s staff tapped in rapid succession, targeting Yang Liuqing’s vital points. Na Yin slithered around, seeking assassination opportunities. The two had no coordination, yet they caused no small trouble. Yang Liuqing felt she couldn’t hold on and simply gave in to desperation. She filled the Crimson Flame Sword with energy and swung a soaring flame at Hei Maliu. He was about to block with his staff when a dangerous premonition surged through him—he decisively dodged. The flying flame sliced off a corner of an old factory building like a hot knife through butter, crashing to the ground. Hei Maliu’s mouth twitched hard—if he’d blocked, both his staff and body would’ve been cut in two.
Na Yin started to panic. Her assassination arts basically required getting close to the opponent. If Yang Liuqing hit her with the same attack at close range, the thought alone made her scalp crawl. The surprise move didn’t achieve its expected effect, but Yang Liuqing unexpectedly intimidated both of them. Na Yin’s attack frequency dropped, but Hei Maliu did the opposite—fighting more directly. He closed the distance fast, not giving Yang Liuqing any room or time to act. That move worked. Yang Liuqing was forced into meaningless attrition, exhausted in body and mind to the breaking point, close to collapse, yet barely holding on.
Na Yin circled behind her and suddenly struck. Sensing the malice from behind, Yang Liuqing’s right-hand Thunder Light Sword erupted violently, electricity blasting out, sending Na Yin flying. Hei Maliu seized the chance, snapping his staff into a nine-section whip, dancing wildly. If struck even once, bones would break. Yang Liuqing quickly condensed a Spirit Particle Shield, trying to block the attack. With a bang, the freshly formed shield shattered under the staff, which swung toward her head. Yang Liuqing didn’t dare hesitate—the Crimson Flame Sword blocked the black staff’s horizontal sweep, the immense force sending her flying. Na Yin picked her moment and lunged, Crescent Blades aiming to slice her throat.
“You’re so annoying!”
When it came to being troublesome and irritating, Yang Liuqing felt Na Yin was worse than Tixianren. At least Tixianren didn’t constantly try to grapple her in close quarters. Na Yin didn’t care if you liked or hated it—she lurked in the shadows, draining the opponent’s energy while hunting for a one-hit kill. Yang Liuqing found her hard to deal with, but she found Yang Liuqing just as hard. Clearly on the back foot, yet she kept getting stronger. Na Yin had nearly exhausted her tricks and still couldn’t take her down. You’re frustrated? I’m frustrated too! Na Yin nearly laughed in anger. A mere Potion Person—can’t you just shut up?! She wanted to silence her. Silence her forever.
The two Crescent Blades flickered with ghostly light, Na Yin’s speed doubled as she spiraled forward. Yang Liuqing’s eyes widened slightly. Her right-hand Thunder Light Sword spewed purple lightning, forming a net of electricity. Na Yin was too fast to stop, flying straight into the trap, letting out a strange squeal of [kiiyaaah]. Faced with such a golden opportunity, it would’ve been strange if Yang Liuqing didn’t follow up. Just as she was about to condense a Light Sword to kill Na Yin, the watchful Hei Maliu pounced. Couldn’t this guy deliberately lag half a beat? Yang Liuqing reluctantly gave up the chance to kill Na Yin, kicking her just before the electric net faded.
“Guwaa!”
Na Yin was kicked, her body curling like a boiled shrimp, mouth wide open, face twisted. Seeing her sent flying with a kick, Hei Maliu’s mouth twitched upward slightly, then quickly returned to normal. His black staff swung out fiercely, morphing into its nine-section form. In Yang Liuqing’s eyes, it was a stubborn black viper. As the saying goes, an inch longer means an inch stronger—the nine-section was the king of kings.
Hei Maliu had Tixianren’s agility, something close to Zhanzhengjiqi’s ferocity, and even faster reaction speed. Many of her attacks were dodged by him, wasting plenty of energy. At this rate, her body would give out first. The Magic Potion was still trickling her supplements, but it was a drop in the bucket. Maintaining the Twin Swords form alone was a massive drain. Add the sustained consumption from two rounds of attrition warfare, and the overdraw was severe. If she didn’t find a way to take out one of them, she’d likely run out of power all at once from failing to recover.
On one side, she was barely coping. On the other, they were grinding their teeth, shooting venom with their eyes. Na Yin, clutching her abdomen, rose from the ground, her damp gaze filled with hatred. She took a black pellet from a hidden compartment in one Crescent Blade’s hilt, injected energy into it, locked onto Yang Liuqing, and, in the moment Yang Liuqing dodged Hei Maliu’s nine-section staff flurry and hadn’t yet steadied herself, hurled it.
Sensing danger, Yang Liuqing glanced sideways, a flicker of confusion rising. A black pellet? What was that? Not particularly fast, yet it carried a subtle danger. Without a second thought, she condensed a small Spirit Particle Shield in front of her. Hei Maliu noticed the pellet too and immediately halted his pursuit. That unusual reaction made Yang Liuqing’s hair stand on end. The black pellet flying in was indeed no ordinary thing, but she had no time to dodge.
The black pellet slammed into the Spirit Particle Shield and exploded with a bang. The force only warped the shield, but the spreading shockwave rattled Yang Liuqing’s body, like taking a vicious uppercut to the jaw—the connection between her head and body seemed to short out. A buzzing filled her ears.
“Hahaha, how’s our Na Family’s custom Micro Shock Bomb taste?!”
Na Yin laughed as she slithered closer. She was going to take Yang Liuqing down while she had the chance. Hei Maliu moved like thunder, his staff sweeping in. Her body in an unexpected state, Yang Liuqing faced attacks from both sides, teetering on the edge of death. Her mind replayed memories of the past—a bad omen.
“Sister, Xiao Qingqing’s in trouble!”
Ke Li condensed two dark-red Flying Swords in her hands, ready to rescue.
“I know.”
Ke Ling was faster than her, seven electrified Light Swords appearing in the void. Just as they were about to act, Yang Liuqing fell into a strange state. She was falling endlessly. Falling in infinite darkness. Only falling, endless falling. Time became meaningless here. Not a glimmer of light visible. Like her future. Black beyond the reach of her hand. Was she going to die? She’d never been this close to death before. Yet her heart was unexpectedly calm.
She was running. For eighteen years, she’d been running. Reality was too cruel—if she didn’t hide her true self, escape to a place with no one around, she’d be devoured. Like now. Treated as medicine, as treasure, eaten into the stomach, digested completely. Fine, let it end like this.
“Xiao Qingqing!”
“Master!”
Just as her consciousness was sinking to the bottom, familiar voices rang out in the depths of her soul. It was Ke Li and Ke Ling. Two adorable yet pitiful Sword Spirits. If they hadn’t gotten tangled up with her, nothing would’ve happened. Unworthy. I’m unworthy to be your Master. Why don’t you understand? It was just bad luck that bound us together. Then, unluckily…
The Magic Heart suddenly pounded, cutting off her thoughts, violent energy surging through her limbs and bones. The spiritual pool in the Spiritual Space kept expanding, becoming a lake. Drops of water fell into it, rapidly filling it to the brim.
“How could I die like this!”
She’d promised herself and the two sisters things she hadn’t done yet—how could she simply give up? So what if the future was dark, so what if she was on the brink of death? I’ll cross over and show you! Stagnant time flowed again. Her cry held no anger, no sorrow—only a hunger to survive. The dark abyss vanished.
“What the hell is this?!”
Na Yin slithered near Yang Liuqing and immediately sensed something wrong.
“Run!”
Hei Maliu forced himself to steady his stance, his pupils contracting sharply. Yang Liuqing now had purple and red auras bursting wildly from her body, intertwining, spiraling upward. Na Yin twisted desperately to flee. Hei Maliu broke into a cold sweat, spinning around fast. Neither looked like they had victory in hand anymore—they were like wild boars trapped in a pit. This Yang Liuqing was treacherously cunning beyond expectations! Clearly, they both thought she’d deliberately feigned weakness to lure them to their deaths. No matter what, it was too late to run now.
The purple and red auras exploded outward in an instant, blasting them dozens of meters away. Their bones felt like they were falling apart, organs churning. The violent impact made both vomit blood, nearly passing out from the pain. But the second shock of slamming into the ground jolted their shutting-down brains awake, bringing an even more agonizing sensation. They rolled on the ground, utterly pathetic. The distant black helicopter sensed something wrong and hurried back to check.
Yang Liuqing’s consciousness returned as she gasped for air. After that unreasonable outburst, she felt exhausted beyond measure. If her eyelids closed, she’d definitely collapse. Her already overdrawn body could barely hold the Twin Swords. The one-time boost from the Magic Potion was mostly spent in that explosion. Even so, she didn’t let go, gripping them with difficulty. The battle wasn’t over.
Hei Maliu struggled to rise, spitting out a mouthful of filthy blood. He felt like nine ribs were broken. Internal bleeding—that was a hundred percent certain. Seeing Yang Liuqing look like she could barely stand, he still didn’t dare approach, afraid of falling for another trick and dying inexplicably. Na Yin got up, blood trickling from her lips, her face terrifyingly pale. Her gaze at Yang Liuqing held hatred and uncontainable fear. If she hadn’t fled early, that terrifying energy surge would’ve destroyed her. She’d always been the one scheming, never expecting to get schemed so viciously this time.
Yang Liuqing stood in place, barely upright, unable to straighten her back. Neither of them dared step forward to test the waters. Hearing the helicopter’s roar, they exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. At this point, there was nothing to hesitate about. Na Yin took a white pellet from another Crescent Blade’s hilt, injected energy, and hurled it at Yang Liuqing with all her might. Yang Liuqing’s expression shifted slightly, but she made no move, letting the white pellet fly toward her. Was this a test, or what? Either way, she couldn’t react.
The white pellet exploded before reaching Yang Liuqing, turning the surroundings blinding white. It was a Micro Flash Grenade! Ke Ling and Ke Li in midair were about to rescue her when sudden change struck. All three were hit at once, eyes seared shut by the white light. A stronger roar followed, a storm sweeping through. By the time Yang Liuqing’s eyes adjusted, the two had climbed up the rope ladder lowered by the black helicopter, drifting away.
“It’s over.”
Yang Liuqing felt no dissatisfaction with this result, only relief. If they’d actually probed, they’d have found a spent husk, nothing to fear.
“Xiao Qingqing!”
“Master!”
The two little ones flew over quickly, faces filled with both worry and joy. Seeing them wear such expressions, Yang Liuqing felt a sense of healing in body and mind. She wasn’t fighting alone. She showed them a strained smile, only to see their expressions change abruptly.
“Master, behind you!”
“Xiao Qingqing, run!”
Their shouts seemed to come from very, very far away, ethereal and faint. Yang Liuqing was bewildered. Hadn’t the crisis just ended? She used the last shred of her strength to turn around, only to see a mass of bright red surging from the void, rapidly forming a giant blood-red hand. A stench of gore filled the air, blood-light shooting skyward! Where did this blood hand come from? Yang Liuqing was completely stunned. She hadn’t sensed it at all—it was like it flashed into existence from nowhere, abruptly appearing. And the timing was impeccable. She didn’t even have the strength to run. Only despair. Only unwillingness. If just a bit more time passed, the Game would be over. Why? Why did this happen? She didn’t understand. She was confused. She was wronged. She was enraged. The Negative Emotions she’d barely suppressed surged up again, rushing into her mind. A falling snowflake landed between her and the blood hand—so sudden, so inexplicable.
Zhanzhengjiqi’s situation was much better. He’d completely sealed his body, no different from a human-shaped boulder. The lightning struck him and was immediately grounded, leaving him at most shaken with some chest discomfort. At that moment, he had no idea what was happening outside. Until a pain hit his chest, followed by a fierce burning sensation across his body. He quickly opened a slit in his Rock Armor and saw Yang Liuqing completing a diagonal slash with the Crimson Flame Sword. The rock layer on his chest was cut open by the sword, flames pouring in.
“Aaaah!!!”
Realizing it wasn’t an illusion, he couldn’t help but scream in agony, staggering and falling to his knees, crawling backward. Yang Liuqing steadied herself and didn’t pursue. Her stamina and energy were nearly spent, and she urgently needed to catch her breath. Just then, a rumbling roar came from above. Everyone looked up, expressions varying.
“Retreat…”
Tixianren, heavily wounded, was unwilling but had no choice. The scavenger this time was troublesome to deal with, and at full health, he could’ve handled it. Now, ravaged by Yang Liuqing’s attack, he had no strength left to compete.
“Damn it, that bastard.”
Zhanzhengjiqi was equally resentful. Such a good opportunity, and they’d missed it.
Ke Li was puzzled: “Xiao Qingqing has awful luck. Truly one wave after another.”
Ke Ling mused to herself: “Truly one wave after another. Who’s to blame?”
Yang Liuqing watched the black helicopter descend, the rotor wash whipping her hair and making her tracksuit snap. She stayed silent, eyes dim, a wave of indescribable weariness washing over her. When would this endless fighting ever end?
The black helicopter dropped to a dozen meters. Through the open cabin door, everyone saw a man in a black suit with a red tie, lean build, holding a black staff, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. It was Hei Maliu. He looked down coldly, locking onto the target on the ground.
“Now.”
Zhanzhengjiqi whispered. Tixianren, still in Connection, nodded quickly and used his remaining strength to drive Zhanzhengjiqi into a run. Yang Liuqing didn’t even glance at them. Their priority dropped to near zero the moment Hei Maliu appeared. Ke Li and Ke Ling felt the same. The immediate crisis was what mattered.
Hei Maliu gave the fleeing pair a contemptuous look, then locked onto Yang Liuqing and leaped from the black helicopter. Bang! He didn’t even use Force Redirection—just landed, cracking the ground beneath him.
“I’ve been looking for you a long time, Yang Liuqing.”
Straightening up, Hei Maliu gripped the middle of the black staff, spun it twice, stepped forward with his left foot, and took a battle stance. At the same time, another figure leaped from the black helicopter. Unlike Hei Maliu, she dissipated the force of her fall the moment she landed, light as a swallow. The woman had a long braid, a long face with squinty eyes, wearing a white floral qipao, holding two Crescent Blades in her hands, edges gleaming. The black helicopter rose slowly after she landed safely and flew off the battlefield.
Yang Liuqing watched these two new Hunters. Hei Maliu—she recognized him; she had relevant Intelligence on him. The white floral qipao long-faced woman left no impression; she was probably connected to the [Na Family]. After all, Hei Maliu belonged to the Na Family of Pengcheng.
“You look so much better in person than in photos. Nice. Is it the Magic Potion’s effect? Or were you always like this?”
The long-faced young woman [Na Yin] appraised Yang Liuqing with interest.
“Hehehehe, let me carve up that pretty face of yours later…”
“Ugly hag, go away.”
Yang Liuqing found her voice instantly irritating, like facing a croaking frog that wouldn’t stop. Na Yin froze for a moment, a cold glint flashing through her narrow eyes. A mere Potion Person dares humiliate me!!! She gripped the two Crescent Blades tightly, her tongue slipping out to lick the corner of her mouth.
Hei Maliu frowned, displeased with his young lady’s actions. He’d planned to first intimidate the clearly exhausted Yang Liuqing into submission. Why did she go provoking her out of nowhere? The plan was ruined! Some women were just too jealous.
“You’re Hei Maliu?”
Yang Liuqing’s expression was flat as she shifted her gaze from Na Yin.
“Oh, you know me?”
Hei Maliu feigned surprise, inwardly unbothered, quickly amending his plan in his head. If he could make Yang Liuqing submit without much effort, a few pointless words were worth it. Little did he know, Yang Liuqing was deliberately talking to him to buy time to recover some energy.
“Heard of you. You’re from the Na Family in Pengcheng, right? Whatever they’re paying you, I’ll give you double?”
“????”
Na Yin’s head filled with question marks at that. Wow, you’re trying to poach him right in front of the family head! How dare you?! Hei Maliu’s brain short-circuited, blinking a few times before recovering.
“You mean… you want to recruit me?”
“Mm. You sell your life to whoever pays.”
Yang Liuqing nodded, expression relaxed, but her Twin Swords stayed firmly gripped. This fight was unavoidable—she just needed to buy some time to adjust her condition a bit. The battle with the assassin duo had drained her too much; she didn’t expect to recover much. But something was better than nothing.
“Sorry, but I’ve no interest in working for you.”
Hei Maliu slowly shook his head. “Tell you what—come quietly with us, and I’ll give you a quick death.”
“Why waste so many words with her?”
Na Yin raised her hand impatiently, checking her white ladies’ wristwatch. Not much time left before the Mini Game ended. After catching her, they still had to loop back to pick up her grandfather and discuss how to split the Magic Potion. She had zero qualms about cannibalism, almost wanting to bite Yang Liuqing right now for a taste.
“Ugly hag, none of your business here.”
Yang Liuqing shot her a glance, deliberately provoking her. If she could hold back, Yang Liuqing would keep running her mouth to buy time. In this Mini Game, staying alive was the priority. If it came to open battle, rage made it easier to expose weaknesses. She could tell Na Yin’s strength wasn’t on Hei Maliu’s level. The latter hid a powerful aura within.
“Master’s in decent shape.”
Ke Ling sighed in relief from nearby.
“Xiao Qingqing’s stalling for time—those two idiots have no idea how crazy her recovery is.”
Ke Li taunted. Unfortunately, Hei Maliu and Na Yin couldn’t sense their presence. Their Spiritual Perception was very low.
That said, for Yang Liuqing right now, both were significant threats. Who was stronger or weaker didn’t matter. Either way, they weren’t easy. Her mind felt foggy, hovering between clarity and blur, slowing her thinking. That was a bad sign. It meant that even if her body recovered a bit, there were issues mentally. Yang Liuqing only vaguely noticed a subtle difference from her usual self.
“Fine. Since you won’t accept kindness, don’t blame me for being merciless.”
Hei Maliu moved, the black staff thrusting straight in. Unlike Na Yin, he didn’t underestimate Yang Liuqing—in fact, he rated her highly. Those two A-rank assassins who just ran off were no pushovers. If everyone were at full strength, fighting both alone would’ve been tough. If everyone were at full strength, fighting both alone would’ve been tough. After probing her in the Urban Village, he’d marked her as a key rival. They’d beaten him to finding Yang Liuqing, and he’d figured the mission was a loss. He never expected her to hold her own against them and escape intact. Now, this scavenger’s prize was his. But caution never hurt—even a beast exhausted and weakened was still a threat. The earlier talk was a verbal probe; this attack was a test of real strength. If she still had something in reserve, that’d be a problem.
The black staff thrust in, but Yang Liuqing’s eyes stayed on the unmoving Na Yin, wary of a sneak attack. She knew Hei Maliu’s strength from the files—an A-rank expert. In individual combat, he might be above Tixianren, though below the Tixianren-Zhanzhengjiqi Connection state. Of course, the files could have gaps, or there might be deliberately hidden Intelligence. Yang Liuqing only half-believed them. She didn’t block head-on—she shifted and retreated swiftly. Just then, Hei Maliu’s staff suddenly extended at extreme speed, then flames erupted from it. Yang Liuqing’s pupils shrank slightly. She forcibly triggered Hound Body Movement, barely dodging the staff’s strike. That move had five segments. One slip and her body would be impaled. This guy was vicious.
Hei Maliu pulled the black staff back, the five sections retracting. His eyes held a cold chill, the corner of his mouth lifting into a cunning smile. From that strike, he knew Yang Liuqing had little left. He’d deliberately left an opening, yet she showed no intent to attack. Yang Liuqing indeed didn’t want to attack. After all this recovery, her stamina had only increased a bit. Mental exhaustion might need a full sleep to improve. If she could, she’d turn and run rather than keep tangling. Unfortunately, running was the worst option. Turning your back to the enemy was a death sentence. Not to mention, she could hardly outrun the nearly fresh Hei Maliu and Na Yin.
Rumble! The black helicopter circled in the distance, not leaving. Waiting for them to catch Yang Liuqing and return together.
“Are you playing around?”
Na Yin saw Hei Maliu casually jab his staff and nearly rolled her eyes. This unreliable guy was so annoying. She took a step, and her figure vanished eerily. Yang Liuqing’s eyes darted but still couldn’t find her. Was this the same type as Hound Body Movement? She abandoned visual tracking and switched to Perception. The next moment, she sensed something odd on the ground. So—this woman used Snake Movement! She slipped into blind spots first, then slid along the ground. Because her body was cloaked in Qi, her clothes didn’t scrape the floor, making almost no sound. Without careful listening, her path was hard to detect.
In a flash, Na Yin appeared at her feet, Crescent Blades swinging to sever Yang Liuqing’s Achilles tendons. But Yang Liuqing, having detected her earlier, had already moved. Meanwhile, Hei Maliu tracked her landing spot and swept his staff over. With nowhere to dodge, Yang Liuqing had no choice but to block with the Thunder Light Sword. Bang! The fierce sweep sent her flying several meters, sword and all. Blood seeped from her right hand gripping the blade, a numbness spreading through her body. Careless. Shouldn’t have blocked with just one sword. Yang Liuqing bit her lip lightly to ease the discomfort.
Then Na Yin, still in Snake Movement, appeared eerily, trying to coil onto Yang Liuqing’s body. Her movements were terrifyingly fast. If she hadn’t been watching the ground, she’d have taken a serious hit. The Crimson Flame Sword swung, high-heat flames bursting out. Na Yin recoiled in alarm, slithering away at speed. A moment slower, and her clothes and hair would’ve been gone.
Yang Liuqing noticed these two had zero chemistry—each fought solo, seizing gaps. Compared to the assassin duo, the pressure was lighter. But only slightly. Hei Maliu was a major threat. Na Yin was bizarre enough to be hard to defend against. That was all manageable. The biggest problem was herself. Worn down by the assassin duo, she couldn’t fight a prolonged battle anymore. This time, she’d have to end it quickly too. But her ammunition was low. Stamina near its limit. She had to push past the limit further. Facing this dead end, her mind could no longer calmly analyze or find better solutions like before. Instead, a dark emotion tried to creep into her mind, breaking through her inner defenses. This couldn’t go on. She even forgot she had Ke Ling and Ke Li. Her mind was only on ending this fast. Finish this fight, and she’d be free. She was like a drowning person grasping desperately at the straw before her—but if she just turned around, she’d see the life preserver behind her. Perhaps, in Yang Liuqing’s subconscious, the words “ask for help” didn’t exist. Not wanting to bother people, not daring to bother people—it was carved into her bones, a personality forged by her circumstances. Many times, she could only tough it out. Before Ke Ling and Ke Li appeared, no one had helped her. To be precise, no one had helped her with genuine kindness. Those who deliberately approached to use her were plentiful. For some reason, Chen Yanran’s face surfaced in Yang Liuqing’s mind. She was one of the few good people she’d met. She helped without hesitation, lent money without hesitation. Even if that was just a sliver of goodwill leaking through her fingers, Yang Liuqing was grateful for it.
“Xiao Qingqing, what are you spacing out for!”
Ke Li’s voice suddenly rang out, snapping Yang Liuqing out of her strange state. A thick black staff was thrusting straight at her face. She hastily sidestepped, her mind clearing considerably. She’d been so foggy she’d zoned out, nearly getting impaled by that staff. This state was very bad. Body and mind exhausted to the point of drowsiness. Filthy Negative Emotions surged up again. I want to run… run to a place with no one, hide away. Never face the outside world again. Why do I have to suffer like this? Because I’m easy to bully? Or because I’m in your way? I hate it, I want to vomit, throw everything up. The good, the bad—strip it all from my body.
“Sister, Xiao Qingqing’s state is off.”
Nearby, Ke Li’s expression was worried. If she hadn’t shouted, Yang Liuqing might not have reacted at all.
“Mm, her mindset’s unstable.”
Ke Ling nodded. “But this is a good chance to temper her.” It seemed she still chose to wait and see. Ke Li felt a subtle unease, sensing she and her sister had gotten something wrong. Something fundamental.
Na Yin kept harassing her, the faint contempt gone from her face. Yang Liuqing’s agility and battle experience, rich beyond any newcomer’s, were eye-opening. The Magic Potion’s effects were truly defying heaven. Na Yin licked her lips, desire etched into her narrow eyes. The better the Magic Potion’s effects, the smaller her share. If she could have it all to herself… That was a fantasy, she knew. If it truly had defying-fate properties, she’d probably get not even a single drop. Hei Maliu was equally calculating, but he didn’t show it. As a loyal lackey, completing the mission cleanly was enough—the rest was for the Family Head to decide.
Feeling their burning gazes, Yang Liuqing’s lips curled slightly—three parts bitter, seven parts indignant. This feeling of being treated as food was awful. Crack. Something inside her split. Purple Qi burst from her body. The Magic Heart beat fast, energy surging repeatedly through her meridians. Her mind gradually sharpened. Energy was bubbling up. It seemed she was about to enter the next stage. But something was missing. Yang Liuqing didn’t understand. She wasn’t clear on her own condition. Without Ke Ling or Ke Li to explain and guide, she could only let it develop naturally.
“Just as expected of Master—she’s about to enter the transformation stage.”
Ke Ling sensed the change in her, feeling deeply gratified.
“Xiao Qingqing can do it when she wants to, huh.”
Ke Li sighed in relief. Her earlier worry seemed unnecessary. The Magic Potion inside Yang Liuqing was further activating. As long as she smoothly entered the next stage, she’d surely transform successfully. And Hei Maliu and Na Yin would likely become sacrifices to that process. As it turned out, her sister’s insistence was right. Her own worry wasn’t completely superfluous—it had some necessity. If something actually went wrong, it wouldn’t be a joke.
“What’s going on? Wasn’t she nearly out of gas?!”
Na Yin thought her Perception was glitching.