No One Leaves! . . .
Indeed, the death of the black-clad man was a minor matter. Cha Nantian knew that, and so did Cha Eun Xiao. In the grander scheme, one more death meant little when the ultimate reckoning took place, whether Cha Nantian himself stepped in or Cha Eun Xiao was to wield his lethal skills. The man's death was a mere preamble to the inevitable.
Yet, to Bing-Er, it was different. The sensation of taking a life for the first time weighed heavily on her conscience. It was an unsettling paradox: the act brought a sense of eerily detached calm even as it stoked the fires of her aggression, making her yearn for more bloodshed. A single death had set off a chain reaction within her, and the signs pointed to a disquieting transformation.
As Song Jue observed this profound shift in Bing-Er, he couldn't help but consider an unsettling possibility: was she destined to become a martial world figure?
The thought was simultaneously shared by Cha Eun Xiao, who had always maintained an unwavering claim on Bing-Er. To him, she was irreplaceable, off-limits to anyone who dared encroach on her purity.
The seven black-clad men, having resolved to seize Bing-Er with ruthless determination, descended upon her in an unremitting onslaught. The sky became a tempest of raven attire, their malevolence undeniable.
Amid the storm of assailants, Bing-Er knew that a direct confrontation was untenable. She sidestepped their onslaught, her trembling sword a vessel of pent-up ferocity, poised to erupt and consume her adversaries.
And then, as if a tempest had summoned its master, a voice both cold and resolute pierced the chaos. "You pitiful wretches, how dare you stir trouble in my domain, toying with the idea of taking what's mine. It seems your life's worth is little more than dust. Very well, prepare to meet your end."
At the sound of that voice, three of the black-clad assailants crumpled, their darkened intents abruptly extinguished.
The remaining four, frozen in terror, stumbled backward, their gazes locked on the source of the voice. Inexplicable dread swept through them as they turned their eyes to a young man, resplendent in white robes, whose visage exuded icy determination. His hands rested placidly behind him as he advanced unhurriedly, a cold smile dancing upon his lips. His demeanor bespoke utter indifference, a dispassion that concealed the ever-ready capacity to obliterate the world itself.
This chilling smile drained color from their faces. "Ye Xiao!" their leader stammered.
"Master!" Bing-Er cried, her voice heavy with relief and affection. Her love for Ye Xiao and her adoration for him manifested in her voice, her worries and anxieties dissipating upon his arrival.
The volatile power that had hovered on the brink of eruption vanished as she beheld Ye Xiao, its malevolence quelled in the presence of her beloved.
Following the burst of her violent surge, Bing-Er's body weakened, and she teetered precariously, nearly succumbing to the inexorable exhaustion that had descended upon her. Her trembling limbs could scarcely support her, their trembling bearing testimony to the relentless strain she had endured.
It was then that Cha Eun Xiao, swift as a wraith, darted between two of the black-clad assailants. His velocity was such that neither of the bewildered men could even muster a reaction before he had breached their line. Gently, he encircled Bing-Er's waist, effortlessly cradling her in his protective embrace.
His movement was so ethereal that the seven assailants were left aghast, their hearts gripped by an all-encompassing chill. His sudden appearance had not only defied their expectations but had also conveyed a formidable truth: an unassuming figure had casually traversed the path between them, rendering their presence meaningless. These warriors, once steeled in their certainty, were reduced to timorous doubt.
Unwavering caution held sway over their collective consciousness, as they pondered the enigma of this extraordinary martial prowess that had so effortlessly penetrated their ranks.
The three assailants who had earlier been incapacitated by Cha Eun Xiao's needles were likewise taken aback. Their agony had been momentarily eclipsed by the sight of the swift and cryptic martial art that had surpassed the bounds of comprehension.
Cha Eun Xiao, cradling Bing-Er tenderly, offered solace in a gentle tone. "Do not fret; I am unscathed. It is you who has endured too much."
In a voice quivering with relief, Bing-Er responded, "Master, I am overjoyed that you remain unharmed. I feared that they might have inflicted harm upon you." As she spoke, her eyes welled with tears, emotions surging within her like an unbridled river.
In her darkest moments, she had dreaded the prospect of never seeing her master again, though she was loath to admit it. The desperate anguish she had suffered had kindled a fierce resolve, compelling her to draw forth her latent strength. But now that her master had returned to her side, her inner fortitude wavered, supplanted by a profound vulnerability.
At that moment, Bing-Er was nothing more than a fragile, trembling girl.
Yet, with her master by her side, she was invulnerable. No threat in the world could menace her.
At this realization, her fragility became all the more apparent.
Cha Eun Xiao, still holding her close, gazed fiercely upon the black-clad men who had encircled them. "You shall not escape unpunished. These wretches will meet their doom. No one will leave this place alive. You can witness how steadfast their camaraderie is; they will face their demise as brothers, entering the void together."
A voice laced with menace soon echoed, raising the tension to unbearable heights. "Ye Xiao, what deceitful tricks have you employed to wound my brothers?" The leader, unaware of the details of the wounds, had only heard Ye Xiao's voice, and shortly thereafter, his three comrades had fallen. It was an enigmatic turn of events, fueling his unease.
But further adversities awaited the black-clad assailants. Another voice, steeped in foreboding, declared, "It is irrelevant how these injuries were incurred. What truly matters is that all of you will meet your end this night. Not a single one of you shall survive. None shall leave this place alive, I assure you."
Their gazes followed the sound to find a figure suspended in the sky, a dispassionate visage and hands nestled serenely behind him. It was as though he traversed not the air but, rather, a solid path extending upward into the heavens. It was the unmistakable presence of Song Jue.