Chapter 113: Powerful Reinforcements

Xin Quan did not react in time. Seeing Qian Hui die a tragic death, his expression turned hideously grim. He had developed some feelings for the woman, but upon seeing the person who had arrived, his face drained of all color. He desperately wanted to flee, but finding two figures standing behind him, he dared not move a muscle.

The owner of the silver palm was a youth who looked to be about Zhang Shouzhen’s age, though his head was a flurry of dancing silver hair. The youth wore no shirt, his sturdy torso radiating a faint silver light. On his left chest, right over his heart, was a vibrant, bewitchingly red mark. It was more accurate to call it a mark than a rune, as Zhang Shouzhen had never seen such a thing before; it appeared as if it had existed since the ancient era.

The youth’s face remained calm, his brow not even twitching as he crushed Qian Hui’s heart.

After Qian Hui slumped to the ground, her mouth opened as if to speak, but she could not utter a single word. Her eyes were wide open, clearly unable to believe she was dying, and soon, her pupils began to dilate as her life force faded away.

The youth reached out to steady Zhang Shouzhen’s body. Glancing at his charred side, he furrowed his brows slightly before turning to call out into the distance: "Qing Yutong, Tie Niu, is this how you protect the Young Master?"

Standing behind Xin Quan were none other than Qing Yutong and Tie Niu. Hearing the youth’s reprimand, Tie Niu was startled and said, "I didn't expect the old man to intervene, and there was someone from the Qian family here too. Yin Lin, I will personally go and beg the Master for forgiveness."

Though Tie Niu was usually irreverent, he showed rare respect in the face of this youth.

The youth, known as Yin Lin, cast a cold look at Tie Niu and stopped speaking. Instead, he carefully supported Zhang Shouzhen and glanced at Qian Hui’s corpse. With a flick of his finger, a silver flame shot forth, landing on her body. Instantly, the fire flared up, and within a few breaths, Qian Hui was reduced to nothing but ash.

The youth stared coldly at the remains, his eyes filled with hatred. Only when the body was completely incinerated did his brow finally relax.

"Lifespan Corpse Fire? You’re a Silver Corpse! You actually dared to burn her soul along with her body—aren't you afraid of the Qian family’s retaliation?" Xin Quan’s face changed drastically as he shrieked at the sight of the silver flames.

"We did not participate in this gamble, so all of you disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect can go to hell!"

Qing Yutong reached into her white lab coat and pulled out a sharp scalpel. She swept a heartless gaze over the remaining Heavenly Demon Sect disciples as if looking at corpses. Her slender figure suddenly flickered, transforming into a white afterimage that swept through the area. In an instant, the throats of the dozen or so remaining disciples were slit, and blood sprayed into the air.

"Jiu'er, save Jiu'er!"

Zhang Shouzhen, his breath hanging by a thread, stared into the distance. Qing Yutong nodded, then grabbed the corpses one by one and tossed them toward Jiu'er. The bodies soon vanished into Jiu'er’s ghostly mist.

Having slaughtered every evil disciple from the Imperial Dragon High School, Xin Quan trembled violently. These had been the elite disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect, yet they had been wiped out by Qing Yutong, not a single one left alive.

He stared at Yin Lin with a strange expression, yet he did not lose his composure. He said, "Although you did not intervene in this gamble, I did not break the rules either. He is not dead."

"Oh? You want to live? That’s possible, but you must leave something behind. Our Li family’s Young Master has been hurt like this, and I don't know how I’m supposed to answer to Senior Tagu. How about this: leave an arm behind, shall we?"

Yin Lin grinned, his demeanor light and breezy, but his face radiated a chilling murderous intent.

"You... don't even think about it!"

Xin Quan gritted his teeth and threw out several yellow talismans. They transformed into black lightning in the air, pouncing toward Yin Lin like vipers, while Xin Quan slapped two more talismans onto his legs and transformed into a gust of black wind, fleeing into the distance.

"You don't know when you’re beaten!"

Yin Lin laid down the unconscious Zhang Shouzhen, his body flickered, and with a "whoosh," he vanished. A moment later, a terrified scream from Xin Quan echoed from afar, followed by absolute silence. The surroundings were deathly quiet; the remaining righteous disciples looked at one another in shock.

Tie Niu and Qing Yutong arrived at Zhang Shouzhen’s side and looked at him with great apology. Tie Niu scooped him up and headed toward the school gate.

"If you are the Young Master’s friends, you may all come to the hospital on the mountain. We will treat you for free."

With that, Qing Yutong walked toward Jiu'er. Jiu'er was covered in blood but had recovered significantly. Qing Yutong helped her reset her scapula, and only then did Jiu'er slowly stand, put away her Yin-Yang Umbrella, and bow respectfully to Qing Yutong. "Thank you, Senior Qing."

"No need for formalities. You are the Young Master’s junior sister, so it is only natural to help you. The Young Master is different from you; he is of flesh and blood. This severe injury will likely take some time to recover from. There seem to be many more of the Young Master’s friends here—bring them all to the hospital."

Qing Yutong nodded and followed Tie Niu away, her heels clicking.

The surviving righteous disciples were all dumbstruck. It wasn't until Qing Yutong disappeared that they regained their senses, weeping with joy. If these people hadn't arrived, they would surely have been slaughtered by the Heavenly Demon Sect. They all owed their survival to Zhang Shouzhen.

"Mingyue."

Jiu'er walked over to Jiang Mingyue and steadied her. Jiang Mingyue took a deep breath, clutching the fragment of the Investiture of the Gods tightly in her hand. "Jiu'er, please help me save my brother."

Jiang Puti had returned to his original form, covered in blood, but the emerald vines on his body were growing more robust, as if the blood were nourishment. Most eerily, the vines were slowly squirming as if they had a life of their own. Jiu'er nodded and went to Jiang Puti's side. She knelt down expressionlessly and reached out; the vines immediately coiled toward her. With a soft hum, Jiu'er shattered the vines with a burst of energy, then grabbed Jiang Puti and felt his pulse. "He can still be saved."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mingyue wept tears of joy. She then went to Fan Xiaopang and patted his cheeks. Fan Xiaopang slowly stirred awake. Seeing the switchblade still embedded in Jiang Mingyue’s shoulder, he was startled. He looked around in a panic and then asked, bewildered, "Where did that vicious woman go? I was almost kicked to death by her."

"She’s dead. Come on, let’s go to the hospital."

Jiang Mingyue sighed, her face extremely weary. All she wanted now was a good sleep.

...

When Zhang Shouzhen woke up again, every bone in his body felt as if it had been dismantled; any slight movement brought agonizing pain.

Jiu'er, beside him, had changed into new clothes and looked unharmed, her strength even appearing to have made a slight breakthrough, though she was currently asleep at his bedside.

In the room, apart from Jiu'er, was the silver-haired youth. Zhang Shouzhen knew clearly that this youth must be one of the four great guardians under the Ancestor. He didn't know if he was the first or second, but his strength was on an entirely different level than Qing Yutong or Tie Niu. He must have reached the realm of a Silver Corpse, for only a Silver Corpse could wield the Lifespan Corpse Fire.

"Awake? It seems Yutong’s medical skills aren't bad."

Seeing Zhang Shouzhen open his eyes, the silver-haired youth’s tense face broke into a smile that looked more painful than a cry. He hurried over, placed a hand on Zhang Shouzhen’s forehead, and frowned again. "Still running a fever. The bodies of mortals are such a nuisance."