Chapter 37: A Chess Piece
When Xie Bailu woke up again, she found herself still lying in the same old place. When she looked up, she realized that she hadn’t been unconscious for long.
In the sky, the red figure was almost just an afterimage, while the man in the black mask, who had been suppressing Ling Song, was now dodging with great difficulty.
She heard Xiao Xing’s anxious voice still in her ear. “Master, wake up!”
She said in a low voice, “I’m awake, Xiao Xing.”
Xiao Xing paused, then said excitedly, “That’s great, master! You don’t know how scary it was just now! I thought you were dead!”
Xie Bailu said, “Don’t worry, I’m not dead.”
She slowly sat up and found that her injuries were not as serious as she had thought. It was just that the impact of the fall had been too great, which was why she had fainted.
The heart-protecting mirror she had been wearing and had complained about being lewd had already shattered. It was it that had helped her absorb most of the sword qi, so her Dantian was not destroyed.
She looked at the man in the black mask with lingering fear, thinking that he probably couldn’t notice her at this moment. But she had a bit of a psychological shadow and didn’t dare to continue to use the Divine Movement Art to run.
Just then, she saw a small pond not far away. If she lay in it, it would just be able to cover her entire person.
So, while the two in the sky were fighting fiercely, Xie Bailu quietly moved over, while whispering, “Xiao Xing, can this Turtle Breathing Art be used for optical invisibility?”
Xiao Xing was speechless. “…?” Another word I don’t understand!
Xie Bailu quickly explained, “For example, that pond in front of us is very shallow. If I lie in it, others can still see me. But after I use the Turtle Breathing Art, can others still see me?”
Xiao Xing understood and immediately said, “Don’t worry, master, they won’t be able to see you!”
Xie Bailu quickly ran into the pond and lay down. The pond was only knee-deep. After lying down, she could still clearly see everything that was happening in the sky.
She immediately performed the hand seals. When the Turtle Breathing Art was activated, she felt as if she had merged with the entire pond, and her whole person became quite peaceful.
In the sky, Ling Song’s eyes, even the whites, were crimson, like a mindless killing machine. He had even abandoned Shishang and was only using his hands as weapons. His long, slender, fair hands were now like the most terrifying meat grinder. If they were touched, a piece of flesh would be torn off.
The man in the black mask now had a deep wound on his arm that showed the bone. He had been injured by carelessness at the beginning. After realizing that he couldn’t dodge Ling Song’s attacks, he also became fierce and no longer dodged.
However, Ling Song’s attacks became more and more fierce as time went on. At a certain moment, after his abdomen was pierced by Ling Song’s claw, a rare panic finally arose in the man in the black mask’s heart.
Just as he was in a disadvantage and was about to escape, a cauldron-shaped magical treasure suddenly appeared, covering Ling Song’s head. He immediately clutched his head in pain and fell straight to the ground.
Another man in black with a white mask appeared and floated in mid-air with the man in the black mask, looking at the motionless Ling Song who had fallen below.
The man in the black mask clutched the wound on his abdomen, his voice hoarse and fierce. “If we let him advance in his realm again, we won’t be able to control him.”
The man in the white mask’s voice was also hoarse and unpleasant, and it was impossible to tell if he was a man or a woman. “You were too hasty.”
The man in the black mask said, “It’s that fool from the Ling family’s fault! He actually let him go to the forbidden area! If he finds out… things will be bad.”
The man in the white mask looked around. “What about that little girl?”
The man in the black mask also looked down, but to no avail. He said, “She actually escaped!”
The man in the white mask said, “You still want to kill her? If she dies, where will we find a second one?”
The man in the black mask said, “I just wanted to test if she was worthy. Ling Song really cares about her, to the point of activating his bloodline for her.”
The man in the white mask said, “Let’s go. Interfere less in the future, so as not to mess things up!”
The man in the black mask was silent for a moment, as if he was not convinced. After a long while, he said, “One year. If you don’t make a move within a year, I will. We can’t let him grow any further.”
The man in the white mask did not say anything, perhaps as a silent agreement. The two of them plowed the surrounding area with their spiritual sense, confirming that there were no intelligent demons or humans, and also threw the unconscious Zong Sheng a little further away before leaving one after another.
Xie Bailu had heard all of their conversation, but she was still under the influence of the Turtle Breathing Art, in a state of merging with the entire small pond, with no extra thoughts in her mind.
After an unknown amount of time, the Turtle Breathing Art was automatically released. She came out of the pond and slowly walked to a position about a zhang away from Ling Song.
He was covered in blood, his eyes closed, lying miserably on the muddy ground. From the rise and fall of his chest, he was still alive.
But Xie Bailu still didn’t dare to get close. It was only now that she felt how amazing his combat power was when he was out of control. And at that time, he had a non-human feeling, not speaking, only knowing how to kill.
She recalled the conversation she had just heard and felt a little ironic. Ling Song, who looked so powerful, was actually just a chess piece for others. Everything about him was under the calculation of others.
But, those chess players probably hadn’t expected that Ling Song was also calculating them in return. They thought that Ling Song was so in love with her that he couldn’t extricate himself, but in fact, this was just an act by Ling Song. He wanted them to think that way.
Xie Bailu was thinking whether she should leave first, or wait for Ling Song to wake up and say goodbye before leaving, to finish the act, when she saw Zong Sheng running over in a hurry. When he saw Ling Song on the ground, he said with joy, “Is my brother dead?”
Xie Bailu was speechless. “…” I wish, but I don’t dare to deliver the finishing blow.
Just now, Ling Song, with his bloodline activated, could fight with the man in the black mask. She would be gone in a single encounter. She was now particularly glad that she had been cautious enough last time and had run fast. If she had been a little later, her life would have been over.
She tempted, “He was just ambushed and is seriously injured and unconscious. What do you think we should do?”
Zong Sheng probably didn’t know about Ling Song’s bloodline problem. She didn’t dare to deliver the finishing blow, but what if Zong Sheng dared? What if Zong Sheng succeeded? If Zong Sheng didn’t succeed, she would immediately go back into the pond and play dead.
When Zong Sheng heard that Ling Song was seriously injured and unconscious, the joy on his face grew even stronger. He no longer hid his motives and gripped his black long knife, slowly walking towards Ling Song.
As for Xie Bailu, who was standing at the side, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he didn’t even put her in his eyes. He would just kill her to silence her after he killed Ling Song.
Zong Sheng walked towards Ling Song step by step, but each step became smaller and smaller. He walked slower and slower, and finally, as if he had been rooted to the spot, he stopped about half a zhang away from Ling Song.
He found that his hand holding the knife was trembling slightly, not from excitement, but from fear.
He was very excited at the thought of Ling Song dying, but when he thought that he had to do it himself, he was trapped in the fear of Ling Song waking up at any moment and could not extricate himself.
Seeing Zong Sheng standing there as if frozen, Xie Bailu couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. No wonder Zong Sheng could only be beaten by Ling Song. Zong Sheng didn’t even know that Ling Song could play dead. He was given such a good opportunity, but he was useless!
Although she was calling Zong Sheng a good-for-nothing in her heart, Xie Bailu herself was still standing a zhang away from Ling Song, unwilling to move forward a single step.
And Zong Sheng also stood straight and firm, with no sign of moving, just like Xie Bailu.
Just as the two of them were standing there like door gods, Ling Song spat out a mouthful of blood and woke up.
At this moment, the two of them felt a sense of relief and at the same time, a surge of disappointment.
Ling Song slowly sat up, his long legs half-bent, looking at Xie Bailu and Zong Sheng who were standing at the side. This somewhat familiar scene brought back his memories. He casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gave a slight smile. “Are you protecting me?”
Only Xie Bailu understood Ling Song’s humor. She pretended to be happy. “You’re finally awake! My brother and I have been waiting for you to wake up. We were so anxious!”
Ling Song scanned the two of them, looking at one standing a zhang away and the other half a zhang away. Her words were really unconvincing.
Zong Sheng also quickly said, “That’s right, brother! I was so anxious to see you not dead!”
Xie Bailu was speechless. “…” You said it out loud!
Ling Song’s gaze fell on Zong Sheng. Only then did he realize that he had accidentally said what was on his mind. He quickly changed his words. “Not waking up, not waking up!”
Ling Song ignored him, slowly stood up, and saw his Shishang not far away. He walked over and picked it up, looked at Zong Sheng, and grinned. His smile was clearly gentle, but it looked sinister. “I’m seriously injured now. If you want me to die, do it yourself. Come on.”
Zong Sheng was like a startled bird and suddenly retreated several zhang, quickly saying, “No, I was just beaten unconscious. My head is so dizzy, I can’t!”
Xie Bailu was speechless. “…” If you’re so cowardly in front of Ling Song, then don’t be so cheeky!