Zhong Minyan saw that Yu Sifeng was in extreme danger, about to be captured and disemboweled, and immediately ran over, tearing off his belt and throwing it out, securely wrapping it around Yu Sifeng's waist before yanking it with all his might—he forgot to control his strength until Yu Sifeng collided heavily with him, then he remembered that he only needed to use a fraction of his strength.
It was already too late. The two of them fell together, both crying out in pain from the impact. Luckily, the fall landed them in a side passage, a narrow space where the Gu Diao couldn't fly in for the moment, it could only roar and charge around outside the passage, its wings nearly overturning the cave.
Zhong Minyan, having narrowly escaped a great disaster, was still frightened and said with a trembling voice, "I didn't expect... it to be so powerful!"
The Yu Sifeng beside him grunted, followed by a cry of pain—clearly, the force of their fall was great and he had injured his muscles and bones. He said coldly, "It's almost become a spirit! Even your master, isn't, its match. Let alone you! That was, really!"
Zhong Minyan's face flushed with shame, and feeling embarrassed, he said nothing.
Yu Sifeng struggled to sit up and glanced back at Xuanji who was lying inside. He spoke softly, "With all this commotion, she still, hasn't woken up."
Zhong Minyan followed his gaze and saw the little girl curled up on the ground, sleeping soundly and deeply. Her fingers tucked shyly by her cheek, her cheeks were like jade, eyelashes trembling, not knowing what dream she was having, her brow furrowed tightly, she looked quite troubled.
"Really like a pig." He sighed, and for some reason, he felt the urge to laugh again, a sense of relief. At least they had managed to keep Xuanji safe, this big burden.
Yu Sifeng wiped his face and suddenly froze, "My... mask..." he said as he frantically searched through the rubble around him, but couldn't find it anywhere.
Zhong Minyan laughed, "It fell off a long time ago, stop looking for it."
Yu Sifeng slumped back down, and after a long while, he said in a low voice, "Master, will scold me to death."
Zhong Minyan stared at his pale face. Probably because he always wore a mask, his complexion was much paler than most people, and it was a kind of sickly pallor. Yet even with such pallor, it couldn't hide his natural handsomeness, those brows, those eyes, that nose, those lips... Zhong Minyan thought to himself how good-looking this kid was!
It wasn't the fragile beauty of a woman, but a bright and elegant one. Those clear eyes, slightly pursed lips, and that expression filled with pride and the unique greenness of youth, made one think of green bamboo or a crane, anyhow, very elegant and refined things.
Zhong Minyan saw him fretting to death, mumbling endlessly, and couldn't help but give him a hard pat on the shoulder, "Hey, are you a man or not? It's just showing your face! Don't nag like women! If it weren't for the mask falling, it would have been your life that was lost! Your master can't be that terrifying, right!"
Yu Sifeng retorted hatefully, "You are, the woman!"
His command of the Central Plains' language wasn't good, and these few words, uttered through clenched teeth, sounded even more comical. Zhong Minyan couldn't help but burst into laughter, and eventually, even Yu Sifeng couldn't help laughing. After what they had been through together, they could be considered sworn brothers, and had long forgotten the previous friction between them. In such a dangerous environment, they started to talk and laugh, each sharing amusing stories from their respective sects.
The side passage was narrow but not deep, taking only a few steps before reaching the opposite wall. Even though the Gu Diao couldn't enter for the moment, the situation was still very perilous.
But they knew that even if they were to fight with all their might, they couldn't overpower it. Now, all they could do was huddle here, chatting and waiting for the adults outside to come and rescue them.
After talking for a while, they noticed that the noise of the Gu Diao rampaging outside began to diminish, which likely meant it was wounded and finally tired. If it could leave the cave on its own, they would be very fortunate; otherwise, they had no idea how long they would be waiting there.
"You, are you hurt?" Yu Sifeng asked Zhong Minyan, seeing the bloodstains on his chest, unable to hold back his concern.
Zhong Minyan wiped his chest and sighed, "A minor wound, just a scratch. You, however, got hit by its wing earlier, are you all right?"
Yu Sifeng shook his head, "It's just a flesh wound..."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Xuanji behind him seem to call out something. The two hurriedly turned back, only to see her, for some reason, showing a profound expression of agony, her face flushed red, her forehead covered with beads of sweat as she writhed in pain on the ground.
Zhong Minyan was so frightened he quickly moved closer, reaching out to touch her face—it was burning hot! He promptly patted her face, calling her softly, "Xuanji... Xuanji?! Hey! Wake up! Can you hear me talking?"
She was completely unresponsive, as if enduring some immense torment. Her teeth bit into her lower lip, forming a deep bloody mark.
Yu Sifeng quickly grabbed her arm and checked her pulse, "Her heartbeat is so fast!" He frowned, "This doesn't seem like she's sick..." This situation was somewhat reminiscent of a qi deviation. Strange, she was clearly a girl who knew nothing special, how could she suddenly experience qi deviation?
Just as he was about to take a closer examination, without warning, Xuanji's wrist turned over, as fast as lightning, her fingers hooked, and she fiercely grabbed his wrist. He shivered in pain, and looking down in disbelief, he saw that the girl had actually opened her eyes!
Her gaze was blank, staring at him fixedly, but it was as if she was looking through him, through the dim cave walls, out towards some distant, obscure place.
"Xuanji!" Zhong Minyan shouted her name, but she showed no reaction at all. The terrifying flush on her face gradually faded, her complexion turned as white as freshly fallen snow, while an ominous aura flitted across her brow. She looked very eerie.
"...seek, death." She stared blankly at that unnamed place, and from her mouth, she uttered two words very slowly and faintly.
"What?" Zhong Minyan didn't catch it, "Stop scaring people, will you! Chu Xuanji!" he yelled.
No sooner had he spoken than the Gu Diao outside suddenly let out a sharp cry, like ten thousand newborn babies crying out at once. This overwhelming noise, within the narrow confines of the cave, came wave after wave, more terrifying than a tide.
Both Zhong Minyan felt their blood boil, their mouths opened as they wanted to vomit, but covering their ears was useless against the sound that struck straight at their hearts. If it weren't for mustering up their True Qi with all their might, they would probably have coughed up blood and died on the spot.
"This is bad!" Yu Sifeng barely managed to shout, "It! It's coming in!"
He only got that much out before he collapsed on top of Xuanji, motionless. It turned out that he had been internally injured by the Gu Diao's wings earlier, and had just been putting on a brave face; now his meridians suffered another heavy blow. Despite his great wit and skills, he was, after all, just a thirteen-year-old boy.
"Hey! You can't be down too!" Zhong Minyan panicked, uncertain what to do when he saw a dark shadow flicker at the fork in the cave, and that Gu Diao actually folded its wings, inching closer and closer to the cave wall!
He was terrified, intending to pull out his sword to fight, but the sword had already fallen outside the fork—in any case, he was no match for it! He was at a loss, terrified... Is this... the end?!
He looked down at Xuanji, who still lay there quietly, the painful expression gone from earlier.
That's good, at least she wouldn't die in pain.
He closed his eyes and suddenly lunged over Xuanji, using his body to protect her tightly.
Her body was as hot as a red-hot iron, unbelievably scorching. Zhong Minyan was slightly startled, then saw her eyes closed, the hand that had grabbed Yu Sifeng's just now slowly lifted—