Chapter 37: Losing Little Six Again
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Fang Cheng Lang approached a disciple kneeling on one knee. Placing his hand on the young man’s shoulder, he gently helped him to his feet. Inspired, the other disciples followed suit, rising with renewed determination.
Tears brimmed in Zhang Jun’s eyes as he watched Zhou Jin Yue’s retreating figure. He clenched his fists and silently made a vow. “Senior Sister Jin Yue, I too will dedicate my life to protecting our sect and our brethren, just as you have!” he swore to himself.
Zhou Jin Yue didn’t look back, but she could hear the sounds of their departure. A smile of relief spread across her face. They were safe, and that was enough for her. She had no regrets in death—well, perhaps just one.
She thought wryly, “Sister Yu Zhao’s divinations really are unreliable! I should stop believing in them.”
As the disciples of the Five Elements Sect made their escape, the Crimson Flame Lion, far from reacting, languidly licked its paw, seemingly unconcerned with the fleeing humans. But just as the last disciple was about to leave the area, the lion suddenly expelled a blast of red flames from its maw and charged at them like lightning.
“Your opponent is me!” Zhou Jin Yue snorted coldly, stuffing a handful of spiritual pills into her mouth. Her meridians swelled with a surge of power that almost burst her body. Grimacing through the pain, she grasped her longbow with her left hand and swiftly pulled back the string with her right.
One after another, dark golden arrows streaked through the air like a tempest, aimed directly at the Crimson Flame Lion. The arrows clanged harmlessly off its hide, and it continued its relentless charge. Within moments, it was less than ten miles from Zhou Jin Yue. As it closed the distance, the oppressive aura of a fourth-tier demon crashed down on her.
Her hands trembled momentarily before steadying. She knew she had to make her sacrifice count, to hold the beast long enough for her team to escape. She couldn’t retreat now.
Elsewhere, Fang Cheng Lang and his group sped through the forest on their flying swords. The flight was rough, zigzagging erratically, but no one dared stop to adjust. Their eyes blazed with a mix of rage and determination as they pushed their spiritual power to the limit.
“Senior Brother,” a timid voice suddenly called from the right side of the bushes.
“Keep going forward! Don’t stop!” Fang Cheng Lang ordered, then turned his direction and flew towards the front of the forest.
“Junior Sister, is that you?” Ye Cong Xin’s face appeared, filled with relief. “It’s me, Senior Brother.”
As soon as she spoke, Fang Cheng Lang used his spiritual power to pull her onto his flying sword. “Hold on tight,” he said, and they sped off to catch up with the others.
Fang Cheng Lang’s face was pale, his lips white. Already injured, he now felt the strain of carrying two additional people. But thinking of Zhou Jin Yue, who had bought them this chance to live, filled him with strength.
Just then, Lan Zi Yu’s voice came from not far off. “Junior Sister, why isn’t Yu Zhao with you?”
The question hit Fang Cheng Lang like a hammer, making him dizzy and his vision blur. He had rescued the Junior Sister, but what about Little Six? He had lost her again!
Fang Cheng Lang’s concentration faltered, and his control over the flying sword slipped. Ye Cong Xin, who was at the back, saw their path veering dangerously close to a mountain wall and screamed.
In the nick of time due to the noise, he gathered all his spiritual power to halt the flying sword, but the effort caused him to fall from the sky.
“Senior Brother!”
“Fang Brother!”
The other Five Elements Sect disciples stopped in their tracks, unable to bear the thought of losing another comrade.
Lan Zi Yu hurried over, concern etching his features as he gripped Fang Cheng Lang’s hand. “Senior Brother, are you okay?”
Fang Cheng Lang clutched his hand tightly, his voice filled with anguish. “Zi Yu, Little Six, she didn’t keep up. I’ve lost her again!”
“What?” Lan Zi Yu was incredulous, his eyes widening in shock. “Where is Yu Zhao? Let’s go back for her now!”
But Fang Cheng Lang held him back. “We can’t go back!”
Lan Zi Yu’s response was a desperate yell. “Fang Cheng Lang! That’s Yu Zhao, our Junior Sister! How can you abandon her?”
“But I am the leader of this team. I cannot risk everyone’s lives for one person! Our lives were bought by Senior Sister Jin Yue’s sacrifice. Do you want her to have died in vain?”
Fang Cheng Lang didn’t want to leave Yu Zhao behind either, but he had to think of the greater good.
Lan Zi Yu collapsed to the ground, his spirit broken, causing all who saw him to feel a profound sadness.
“Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, you can’t save Sixth Sister because she has gone to find Senior Sister Jin Yue,” Ye Cong Xin finally burst out.
She wanted to curse Fang Cheng Lang and Lan Zi Yu with the harshest words she could muster. Now was the time to flee, and instead of leading everyone to safety, they were arguing, wasting precious time!
Ye Cong Xin kept glancing back, panic rising. Zhou Jin Yue couldn’t hold off the demon much longer; if they didn’t leave now, they wouldn’t be able to at all.
“Junior Sister, are you saying that Yu Zhao, she—”
Not just Fang Cheng Lang and Lan Zi Yu, but everyone was shocked by Ye Cong Xin’s news.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Even they couldn’t handle a fourth-tier demon; Yu Zhao, a mere Foundation-building cultivator, had gone to face it. She truly was fearless.
Seeing that they were still hesitating, Ye Cong Xin added fuel to the fire. “Sixth Sister insisted on helping. I couldn’t stop her, and she called me a coward, only caring about my own life. I—I just didn’t want to hold everyone back…”
The others’ faces darkened. Yu Zhao’s words were an indirect criticism of them all. They too wanted to stay and help, but the odds were too great, and they had no choice but to retreat.
Fang Cheng Lang took a deep breath and shakily stood up. “Since it was Yu Zhao’s decision, we have no right to interfere. Keep moving; we must leave this place before dark.”
“Yes.”
The group responded listlessly, remounting their flying swords.
Just as they prepared to leave, a tremendous explosion erupted behind them. The ground shook, and an invisible blast spread out, sending clouds of dust into the air.
They turned in horror, knowing full well that their Senior Sister Jin Yue had fallen.