The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Without turning back, she executed the Spectre Steps and dashed into the forest.

  “Do you think you can escape!”

  Without any hesitation, Li Zhuxin chased her.

  “Wait a moment! …”

  Wang Chong lifted his hand in an attempt to stop Li Zhuxin, but before he could utter a word, the other party had already charged in the direction of the Eastern Islands female assassin.

  By the time he finished spouting those words, the duo had disappeared without a trace. All that was left was the rustling wind which lingered at the mountaintop and the floating tree leaves.

  “Fast! …”

  Wang Chong slowly retracted his outstretched hand.

  While the Eastern Islands female assassin was fast, Li Zhuxin wasn’t slow either. They had both cultivated speed-type secret arts, albeit the two being of different nature.

  Their disappearance caused a sudden moment of silence in the forest.

  “Young master, what do we do now?”

  Meng Long instinctively turned to ask Wang Chong. Li Zhuxin hadn’t taken down the female assassin yet, and this meant that they were still in danger.

  “Young master, I’m sorry. It was due to my negligence that brought her here.”

  Shen Hai apologized remorsefully with a lowered head.

  Excited, all of his attention was focused on scaling the mountain to deliver the good news to the young master. He couldn’t have even imagined that the Eastern Islands female assassin was tailing him.

  Wang Chong waved his hands nonchalantly.

  “This isn’t your fault. The female assassin hasn’t completed her mission, and even if not for you, she would have surely found some other ways to get here. Unless we choose to never leave the mountain to enter the city, it is just a matter of time before she gets on our trail. The reason why I employed Li Zhuxin from the Home of the Adventurers is in preparation for such a situation.”

  “Besides, this isn’t the time to be talking about this.”

  “What we have to do now is to consider our next course of action.”

  A contemplative look appeared on Wang Chong’s face as he said these words.

  Li Zhuxin had left too quickly, leaving behind a huge breach in Wang Chong’s defense. Even though the Eastern Islands female assassin wasn’t a match for Li Zhuxin, in this mountain forest terrain, her Spectre Steps granted her a huge advantage over the latter.

  Thus, it was unlikely that Li Zhuxin would be able to take her down.

  “Young master, why don’t we leave for now? This place isn’t safe.”

  Meng Long suddenly said.

  That female assassin’s presence had truly left him horrified. Without Arloja, Ablonodan, and Tuoba Guiyuan, none of them was a match for that lady.

  In this terrain, she didn’t even have to cross blows with them. With a slight side step, she would be able to circumvent their defense easily. In terms of nimbleness, ten Shen Hai and Meng Long wouldn’t be a match for her.

  “No!”

  Wang Chong rejected his suggestion immediately.

  “We are too far away from the official path. Without a day or two, it is impossible for us to escape from the mountain forest. Given the time and distance taken to do so, we’ll just be giving her plenty of opportunities to assassinate us. Since that is the case, we will be in a better position here.”

  “Furthermore, if we were to leave, what about them?”

  Wang Chong pointed at the workers whom Shen Hai brought along. The situation a moment ago had scared them, and they were all trembling in fear.

  Seeing the situation, Shen Hai and Meng Long frowned.

  Wang Chong was right. If they were to bring them along, it would only slow the group down. On the other hand, if they chose not to bring them along, given their lack of knowledge of the surroundings and the beast pack in the forest, they would be in grave danger.

  Furthermore, they had limited rations. Once they finish the rations or got lost in the forest, they would be goners. Leaving them here was no different from killing them outright.

  If Madam were to find out about this matter, she would be infuriated.

  But taking them along wasn’t an option either.

  “Let’s stay here for now!”

  Wang Chong said after a moment of contemplation.

  “Li Zhuxin has already gone to chase her. If he can’t find her, he should return here. If we stay here, he might be able to find us on time. At this moment, this is our best bet.”

  There was something else that Wang Chong didn’t say.

  The matter with the Eastern Islands female assassin mustn’t be allowed to get away, so Wang Chong had to remain here as a bait.

  What that stood beneath his feet was an extremely precious spirit vein. Countless prestigious clans would be willing to shed blood and die for it.

  Unless he decided to abandon this spirit vein, he had to find a way to settle her.

  “Her Spectre Steps allows her to maneuver around obstacles easily. Shen Hai and Meng Long, cut off the trees in the surroundings. By cutting down these trees, the effectiveness of her Spectre Steps will be reduced.”

  Wang Chong said.

  “Yes, young master.”

  Shen Hai and Meng Long nodded. This was the best that they could do at this moment. They weren’t a match for the Eastern Islands female assassin, but clearing away the trees wasn’t a problem.

  As long as all of them gathered together on a flat ground, they should be able to fend her off for quite awhile.

  “Come, get up. Listen to young master’s orders and clear away the trees here.”

  Shen Hai and Meng Long hurriedly instructed the crowd.

  This time, with a clear threat on their lives, the group worked diligently. Creating tools on the spot, they immediately launched into action.

  While the crowd was busy cutting down trees to prevent the Eastern Islands female assassin from making use of the terrain against them, Wang Chong wasn’t idling about.

  “I should scan the surroundings.”

  Wang Chong thought.

  Wang Chong knew that just cutting down the trees wasn’t sufficient to stop the female assassin. He had to think of another idea. Leaving the top of the mountain, Wang Chong began examining the area carefully.

  Upon catching sight of a slope, Wang Chong’s eyes suddenly lit up.

  “Indeed, there’s that!”

  He saw a short plant with a small purple flower on the slope. Stretching his hand, Wang Chong grabbed several round fruits from it and crushed them. Then, holding them in his hands, he returned back to the top of the mountain.

  Hua!

  Not long after Wang Chong reached the mountaintop, a slight rustling sound echoed in the air.

  “Mister Li is back, Mister Li is back!”

  “Li Zhuxin! Li Zhuxin! This is great!”

  …

  The group cheered. Even Shen Hai and Meng Long heaved a long sigh of relief as their tensed heart finally loosened. As long as Li Zhuxin was here, they would be safe.

  Having witnessed Li Zhuxin’s powerful strength, the crowd held absolute trust in him.

  “Mister Li, have you caught that lady yet?”

  Delighted, Shen Hai rushed forward.

  “Wait a moment!”

  Of the entire crowd, only Wang Chong frowned. He felt that something was amiss.

  “Hehehe…”

  The soft chuckle of a lady sounded but there was an indescribable eeriness to it.

  “It’s a pity but I’m not the Mister Li you all are looking for!”

  From a gap between the trees, a figure suddenly walked out. Dressed in tight black clothes and a mask, she held onto a saber in her hands. Her figure was slender and elegant, but at this moment, they could see her as nothing but a god of death.

  Sou!

  Without any hesitation, the Eastern Islands female assassin dashed straight toward Shen Hai with astonishing speed. A gleam flashed in the air.

  “Shen
Hai, be careful!”

  “Lord Shen, look out!”

  …

  Upon seeing this sight, everyone was scared out of their wits.

  Klang!

  Without any hesitation, Meng Long and the other guards of the Wang Family Residence drew their swords and charged forward. However, there was a figure who reacted faster than they did.

  Almost as soon as the Eastern Islands female assassin spoke, Wang Chong had already known that there was something wrong. Before anyone else could react, Wang Chong had already dashed over, executing Single Character Consecutive Slash.

  The instantaneous burst speed of Single Character Consecutive Slash wasn’t inferior to any speed-type secret art, surpassing them even.

  Boom!

  Even though Wang Chong moved slightly later than the Eastern Islands female assassin, as though a flash of lightning, his sword managed to appear before the other party’s sword before the latter could strike Shen Hai.

  Klang!

  The scene that had occurred in the Wang Clan study half a month ago played once more. With a brilliant flash of light, half of the other party’s blade was sent flying.

  ——There weren’t many weapons that could withstand the sharpness of the Wootz steel sword.

  “You’re courting death!”

  The Eastern Islands female assassin eyes narrowed for a moment. For an instant, she looked as though a tiger who had her claws and fangs torn off. But in the next, menacing killing intent shot out from her eyes.

  Chi!

  An imposing aura burst forth from the Eastern Islands female assassin. Cold light shone in the air as she stabbed the remaining half of the sword she was holding straight toward Wang Chong. At the same moment, she swiftly grabbed a spare dagger by her waist and prepared to stab it toward Wang Chong in the off case that the latter manages to deflect her first strike.

  A capable assassin could lack neither strength nor speed nor dexterity. In a split instant, when the others could only manage to send a single blow in, a capable assassin should be capable of sending two or even three blows.

  Sou!

  Yet, the attacks which were supposed to seal Wang Chong’s doom fell empty. Wang Chong’s figure leaped into the air under this seemingly impossible situation, and which a chi sound, a sharp pain suddenly assaulted her shoulder.

  ——The Eastern Islands female assassin was injured!

  The Eastern Islands female assassin couldn’t believe her eyes. She was wounded! Furthermore, by a weakling whose strength was far beneath hers!

  She had never seen such swordsmanship before. The skills that Wang Chong had displayed was completely foreign to her!

  “I will kill you!”

  The strong sense of humiliation, accompanied with anger and shock, caused the Eastern Islands female assassin’s final string of rationality to snap. A powerful and massive surge of Origin Energy immediately erupted from her as though a torrent.

  “Protect the young master!”

  “Stop her!”

  “No matter what, she mustn’t be allowed to get close to the young master!”

  …

  All of these had happened in just a few instant. Shen Hai first struck the Eastern Islands female assassin’s body, and Meng Long and the other guards soon followed suit as well.

  All of them burst forward with all their might.

  “Be careful! She’s injured! ——”

  Wang Chong suddenly shouted.

  “Even if I am injured, I will still be able to kill you!”

  The Eastern Islands female assassin spat through clenched jaws. Boom, with a sudden burst of strength, Shen Hai, Meng Long, and the others were sent flying backward.

  The Eastern Islands female assassin immediately charged straight for Wang Chong.

  “If you wish to kill me, come then!”

  Wang Chong yelled as he operated the consecutive slash to bolt away. Behind him, the Eastern Islands female assassin remained tight on his trail.

  But this time, even Shen Hai and Meng Long could sense that she was injured. Compared to before, her speed had drastically reduced.

  Taking a closer look, her movements weren’t as nimble as well.

  “Li Zhuxin has wounded her!”

  A thought flashed across the crowd’s mind. Even though Li Zhuxin ended up letting her get away, he managed to wound her.

  Her current strength had been reduced tremendously.

  Otherwise, given the disparity in strength, they wouldn’t have just been jolted away just now.

  Chapter 133: Take Down!

  “Not good!”

  Shen Hai’s heart fell into the cold abyss. After neutralizing the female assassin’s attack, Wang Chong didn’t come to group up with them. Instead, he escaped swiftly into the depths of the forest.

  Even the group of them weren’t a match for the female assassin. Wasn’t facing her alone no different from suicide?

  “The young master is in danger! Stop her! ——”

  Upon seeing that Wang Chong was in danger, everyone disregarded their lives and charged straight at the Eastern Islands female assassin. However, they weren’t speed-based martial artists and their cultivation was inferior to her as well, so how could they possibly catch up with the other party?

  “Hmph!”

  Sneering coldly, the Eastern Islands female assassin didn’t pay them any heed. It would take a miracle for these guards could catch up to her.

  In her eyes, only one person mattered—Wang Chong.

  However, to her dismay, the swordsmanship the lad had learned was extremely peculiar, and it granted him bizarre and unreadable movements. The concept behind it was completely different from any other techniques she knew. He was able to change his directions freely, and to her astonishment, it wasn’t inferior to the Spectre Steps at all.

  Despite her capability and the advantageous terrain, she found herself being unable to catch up with the other party at the moment!

  “Let’s see where you can escape to!”

  The Eastern Islands female assassin gritted her teeth furiously. That ridiculously strong gray-robed middle-aged man had been lured away by her, so she was safe at the moment. However, it wouldn’t be long before he returns, and before that happens, she had to take down this young lad. Once she did so, the other party wouldn’t be able to make a move on her.

  Peng!

  The right leg of the Eastern Islands female assassin pushed against the bucket-thick tree trunk in an attempt spring straight toward Wang Chong, as though an arrow on a drawn bowstring, when a dull thud suddenly sounded. Before many people’s astonished eyes, the Eastern Islands female assassin fell uncontrollably from the tree and smashed heavily onto the floor.

  Sss!

  At the same time, a black slithering bizarre snake with a triangle-like head which was previously camouflaged with the tree trunk fell from the tree, and it swiftly darted straight for the depths of the forest and disappeared.

  “Be careful, it’s a Dark Mamba!”

  From the back, a farmer shouted in alarm as he pointed at the escaping snake. Fear clearly shone through his face. The other guards of the Wang Family Residence might be unaware of its identity, but he happened to be familiar with it.

  This snake possessed incredibly lethal poison, and as long as it draws blood, it won’t be long before the other party breathes his last.

  “It’s a poisonous snake! It’s a poisonous snake!”

  Shen Hai and Meng Long immediately reacted as well. When they were entering the mountains, the young master had told them that there were a lot of poisonous snakes here, and they had to be careful.

  To think that the poisonous snakes would end up doing them a huge favor, biting that female assassin instead of them. This female assassin possessed incredible skills, and utilizing her supreme speed-based secret arts, she was able to maneuver around the forest freely, ‘flying’ here and there. No one could have thought that she would actually lose to a mere poisonous snake on her home
ground.

  “Well done! This is truly retribution!”

  Shen Hai and Meng Long were delighted. Drawing their swords, they led the guards over and surrounded the Eastern Islands female assassin tightly. However, they didn’t take make a move on her immediately.

  ‘A centipede doesn’t topple over even when dead’. Who knew how much strength that female assassin still possessed, and how violent her retaliation would be?

  “Don’t worry, she doesn’t have the strength to do anything.”

  Wang Chong had been making use of the movements from the Single Character Consecutive Slash to maneuver adeptly around the forest to avoid the Eastern Islands female assassin’s pursuit. At this moment, he did a flip and landed softly from the top of the tree.

  Turning his palm downward, he carefully threw some fruit shells in his hand out.

  “You intentionally led me into this trap!”

  Upon seeing Wang Chong, she immediately understood that this had to be one of Wang Chong’s schemes, and she felt both anxious and infuriated. Back then, at the Wang Family Residence study, Wang Chong made use of a sleeping gas pellet to trick her. This time, using some unknown tricks, he managed to get a venomous snake to assault her.

  Having being done in by a person far weaker than her two consecutive times had made the Eastern Islands female assassin so furious that steam was almost puffing out from her apertures.

  The core of assassination was being unscrupulous. All could be forgiven as long as one was able to assassinate one’s target. However, the means of this youngster before him seemed to be even more unconventional than hers.

  For an assassin to be done in by her own target… If word were to spread out, even if she wasn’t poisoned, she would die of mockery.

  “Don’t get angry. If you get agitated, the snake venom will act up even faster!”

  Wang Chong chuckled as he slowly walked over. At the same time, he cleared himself of the scent that the fruit could have left on him.

  “Bastard!”

  Maddened, the Eastern Islands female assassin started cursing furiously with an incomparably awful complexion. The tenacity to fight to the bitter end welled up in her, but she found herself being unable to exert any strength.

  ——Wang Chong was right. The angrier she got, the faster the poison acted.