Chapter 199
Chapter 199
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 199
>Chapter Title: It Moved
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The massive warhorse leaped forcefully over the corpses, carrying its master charging straight toward Li Huowang.
Li Huowang barely dodged it. As he turned back with sword in hand, Peng Longteng was already swinging her heavy halberd down toward his face.
The whistling gale from the swing blew Li Huowang's hair back.
With such force, Li Huowang didn't dare block it with his own weapon.
Even if he could block it, his body would be crushed flat.
Just as Li Huowang dodged, the immense halberd swept horizontally after him with unimaginable weight.
Suddenly, a tall figure surged in from the side—it was Jian Dun.
Roaring, he swung his wolf-tooth club toward the long halberd.
With a dull "clang," the halberd was knocked slightly off course.
But the halberd hooked, sending the sturdy Jian Dun flying effortlessly.
"Ding ding ding~!" The bells rang again as the Wandering Lord descended from above, lunging toward Peng Longteng.
Yet just as those line-drawn arms were about to touch her, its body twisted and it flew away swiftly.
Facing the murderous, fully armored Peng Longteng, the Wandering Lord didn't even dare make contact.
Li Huowang quickly glanced back and saw a deep gash on Jian Dun's right arm, bone-deep, blood pouring out.
"I'll hold this woman off! You all get out of here quick! It's me she wants!"
But no one listened to Li Huowang. Everyone stood firmly behind him.
The clopping of hooves sounded again as Peng Longteng circled in place a few times with her horse in tow.
Peering through the slits in her faceplate, she saw the scene and a mocking grin spread across her ferocious face.
"Little pup, looks like these people think highly of you. How about this—we duel one-on-one. If you win, I promise to let you take your people and go. Deal?"
Without waiting for Li Huowang's answer, she yanked the reins hard, charging at him again like a squat mountain.
Facing Peng Longteng head-on, Li Huowang desperately shifted to the left.
"No good. I have to knock her off the horse. This is way too passive."
With a swift bend backward, he dodged the sweeping halberd. As they crossed paths, Li Huowang gritted his teeth and slashed his sword toward the horse's rear leg.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Li Huowang felt like there were eyes on the horse's body staring at him.
Veins bulging, the horse's leg seemed to anticipate it perfectly—pulling back before kicking out.
Li Huowang soared into the air, crashing through a nearby low shed.
When Li Huowang staggered out from inside, Peng Longteng laughed.
"Not bad. Looks like you Si Qi spies have some skills. Come on, let's go again."
Staring at the woman before him, Li Huowang spat several mouthfuls of blood onto the ground.
Her martial prowess was overwhelming; he was completely on the defensive. If he didn't get ruthless soon, they really wouldn't make it out today.
With a clatter, the bamboo slips spread out on the ground. Li Huowang steeled himself and placed his left hand on them.
He pulled a dagger from the pile of torture tools and sliced down toward his wrist.
Peng Longteng's expression tightened. She gave a slight lift of her chin.
In the next instant, a black shadow shot toward Li Huowang's face.
He jerked his head aside to dodge, but that shadow was just a distraction.
With a squelch, a black iron spear pierced straight through Li Huowang's palm, pinning his hand to the ground.
Peng Longteng rode slowly up to Li Huowang, dragging her halberd tip along the ground.
It flung the spread-out Great Thousand Record onto the nearby rooftop.
"Who'd have thought a spy like you was tangled up with those madmen from the Sitting Cult."
"This your idea of one-on-one?" Li Huowang gritted his teeth, glaring at Peng Longteng.
"Heh, kid, you actually believed me? Let me tell you, the first rule of warfare: all's fair in war."
"No method's off-limits if it works—like right now."
"Here's another lesson for you: feint east, strike west. Come on, lads—go kill those actors."
"Take your time with it. Torture them slow. Make 'em scream loud so this kid can't focus, too busy saving one to save the other."
Her words made veins bulge on Li Huowang's forehead as rage ignited within him.
"You—" Before Li Huowang could finish, Peng Longteng swung her sword down toward his face.
"No! I can't die! If I die, God knows what they'll do to Bai Lingmiao and the others!"
Li Huowang tried to dodge, but the iron spear nailed him in place—he couldn't budge.
He could only watch helplessly as the halberd drew closer to his face.
"Move! Move! Move, damn you!!"
Amid Li Huowang's roar, the halberd smashed into his skull.
But right after, it burst out from inside and slammed into the ground.
Li Huowang's head, which should have been utterly pulverized, showed no damage at all.
Li Huowang suddenly realized he could move.
Ignoring everything else, he gripped his sword tight, stepped hard on the horse's body, and thrust toward Peng Longteng's faceplate.
Peng Longteng countered with her halberd, but it only hacked wildly at Li Huowang's left side.
"Clang~!" With a sharp ring, the Righteous Family Sword—which had always failed before—suddenly pierced her faceplate!
In a flash of insight, Li Huowang pulled out the Fire Robe True Scripture and slapped it over her face.
He looked at Peng Longteng with pity as he began chanting the awkward incantation.
The wax on the book melted, flames seeping through the gaps in her faceplate to seek out the places needing "treatment."
A sizzle rose like frying meat, and Peng Longteng cursed in fury. "Damn it! It's in my eyes!"
She yanked off her faceplate and clawed inside.
Li Huowang's sword followed her hand right in.
Sensing the danger on instinct, Peng Longteng jerked her chin up.
She swung her heavy halberd toward Li Huowang's side again.
With her defenses wide open, how could Li Huowang pass it up? Foot planted on the horse's head, he thrust his sword deep inside.
Squelch. Peng Longteng's body went rigid, her massive frame toppling from the horse.
"My lord! My lord!!" Whether thief auxiliaries or short swordsmen, they all paled in horror at the sight, dropping everything to rush over.
Li Huowang leaped from the horse's back, snatched the Great Thousand Record from the rooftop, and bolted toward the nearby carriage.
"Go! Kill our way out while they're in chaos! That woman's bones are too tough—I didn't pierce through!"
Chun Xiaoman went berserk, shaking her bell and gourd frantically.
Dozens of Wandering Lords plummeted from the sky, charging at those blocking the way.
With Peng Longteng unhorsed, the other thief auxiliaries had no heart for battle.
With the Wandering Lords' help, they broke free smoothly.
But they still didn't dare relax—the thief auxiliaries could chase after them at any moment.
Li Huowang stabbed the carriage horses' rumps hard, sending all the carriages thundering down the main road.
Then he led the others with some essentials down a side path.
The hoofprints would confuse their pursuers.
They ran for a long time until the others couldn't go on. Only then did Li Huowang let them rest against the foot of the mountain.
Several massive boulders had tumbled down from the nearby slope, perfectly shielding Li Huowang and the group.
Li Huowang was utterly baffled that they'd managed to escape.
"What just happened? That woman went berserk, slashing only at my left side nonstop. What's on my left?"
Li Huowang turned to look left—nothing but barren rock.
"Senior Brother Li! Senior Brother Li, where are you?!"
Seeing her like that, Li Huowang panicked. Were Bai Lingmiao's eyes acting up? How could she not see him right there?
He stood and hurried toward her.
But after just a few steps, everyone jumped back in fright.
Following their terrified gazes, Li Huowang turned left again.
This time, he saw something—a red silhouette from behind, and the back of a head.
Half the figure was outside, half jammed into the rock—eerie as hell.
Instinctively gripping his sword hilt with one hand, Li Huowang backed away to create distance.
But as Li Huowang retreated, so did the figure, sliding out from the rock.
When Li Huowang got a clear look at the figure's garb and the bundle of torture tools at its hem, he suddenly understood—this was his body!
Li Huowang looked down and saw nothing below him.
It was as if he were just a camera floating in midair.
Stunned, Li Huowang looked back up at the red silhouette before him, murmuring to himself.
"My God... it really moved..."
(End of chapter)