Xu Wanzhi nodded, “Let’s go together.” He walked directly towards that direction.
Xu Wanzhi quickened his pace, a hint of gloom in his heart. These people came with him, so absolutely nothing could happen.
Xu Wanzhi was truly a bit angry. It had nothing to do with him, of course he wouldn’t care, but something happening right under his nose couldn’t be ignored. He stepped forward and suddenly gripped Wang Sanniang’s waist and abdomen. She was startled and then heard his impatient low question: “Tell the truth, and also, did they do anything?”
The words were clearly simple, and the hand on her waist still carried warmth, but she suddenly stammered: “My lord, I am telling the truth.”
Xu Wanzhi’s fingers pressed on her acupoint, and a cold, painful sensation spread throughout her body. When he spoke again, his voice was completely cold: “You only have one chance.” He had no time to waste with her.
Yan Ziye had never seen this expression of his. The bodyguard was even more unaware that when the lord threatened someone, his aura was intimidating. He said to Wang Sanniang: “The Qu family can dispose of a servant, and the authorities will not pursue it.”
“Why are you treating me like this? I am also a victim!” But the victim was full of lies!
Xu Wanzhi was worried about Qing Li and that Ayang, and he no longer had patience to waste time with her. He flipped his hand and pressed towards her spine, intending to cause unbearable pain. Yan Ziye and the bodyguard were shocked, unable to comprehend where he learned such a technique!
Wang Sanniang felt it deeply. Her whole body trembled and she immediately crouched down, shrieking: “I’ll talk!”
Xu Wanzhi struck her neck, and Wang Sanniang’s eyes went wide as she collapsed heavily.
Yan Ziye looked at the approaching people, thinking: So it turns out there was no need to speak.
Wang Erniang held Qing Li hostage, her eyes somewhat crazy. She said: “Return my sister to me!”
The bodyguard coldly watched her: “Where is Ayang?”
Qing Li, already terrified in Wang Erniang’s grasp, immediately shouted: “She was injured, hit against a tree trunk—”
“Slap!” Wang Erniang backhanded him, cursing: “When a woman is speaking, what right does a lowly person have to interrupt!”
The slap was extremely heavy, instantly silencing Qing Li. Xu Wanzhi, seeing her treat a weak youth like this, narrowed his eyes slightly and said softly: “Let him go.”
Wang Erniang glanced at her unconscious sister, completely disregarding Xu Wanzhi. She laughed manically: “It was all because of your kite flying that caused this trouble!”
Xu Wanzhi stared at her hand and insisted: “Let him go first.”
A person was lying horizontally on the tree trunk ahead, unconscious and bleeding, apparently Ah Yang.
Xu Wanzhi called to Yan Ziyan: “Yan Liu, check on her. If possible, rescue her first.”
Stepping forward and turning the person over, Yan Ziyan checked several key acupoints and smiled, shaking his head: “Don’t worry, she’s fine. Just superficial wounds, some cuts but nothing life-threatening.” He exhaled, relieved no innocent life was lost because of him.
The Wang sisters shouted: “How long will you follow us? Aren’t you afraid we’ll kill him?”
Do you think we won’t dare jump?”
“Don’t get excited,” Xu Wanzhi laughed silently, his neck already showing red marks. “What will you threaten me with if you cut him?”
“Let’s make a deal. Release him. I’ll pretend I didn’t see that you’re not from the Qu family. Leave immediately. Just don’t let me encounter you again. Of course, if you face Qu family’s retaliation, that’s not my concern. Agreed?”
“What difference is that from death? Why not take someone down with us, especially such a noble master we could never normally touch!” They spoke with a hint of madness.
Yan Ziyan frowned: “If you don’t release him, you have no chance of survival.”
The sisters, having failed their plan and driven to desperation, gradually approached a cliff’s edge, sneering: “Disable your own acupoints and let us go, or we’ll jump immediately. After this, we have no way out anyway!”
She wouldn’t easily believe them. Even from a distance, she could see it was a bottomless abyss. Her black eyes calculated a forceful solution. The Wang sisters, highly tense, sensed her intentions and suddenly pulled Xu Wanzhi, causing him to nearly lose balance and hang over the edge.
Yan Ziyan was shocked, ready to act, when Xu Wanzhi steadied himself, his muffled voice carried by the mountain wind: “Stop now. I won’t kill you. At Qu Xiaojue’s place, I’ll guarantee your lives.”
Wang Er Niang mockingly pushed him and sneered: “You, a powerless man, dare to speak such words?
Xu Wanzhi, who had long walked life’s edge, knew he might have jumped if not threatened. Angered, he responded: “One, you have no choice. Two, I mean what I say.”
The sisters were momentarily stunned by his calm demeanor, uncertainly gazing at the misty endless space beneath the clear sky.
Yan Ziyan suddenly threw a white silk ribbon that wrapped around the three of them, pulling them back and throwing them to the ground. She quickly grabbed Xu Wanzhi and immobilized the Wang sisters, who could only lie there in helpless rage.
A Yang bowed and said: “Master, please allow me to return first and report, and immediately send someone to pick us up.”
Xu Wanzhi shook his head: “You are still injured, rest a bit more.”
A Yang insisted: “I am fine and can immediately take Wang Er Niang and San Niang away.” She was a dignified woman, and having been saved by her master already made her feel deeply ashamed.
“Then let’s go back together.” Seeking help from others is not as good as helping oneself, Yan Ziyan nodded and sprang up, straightening her clothes.
A Yang followed orders, pulled several thick vines from the side, tightly binding the Wang sisters together, and holding the vine whip, made them walk themselves.
When they came, their attention was elsewhere, but now after walking for half a day, they could not find the way out. A Yang walking in front sensed something was wrong and immediately stopped. Yan Zi Yan frowned: “How strange!”
Xu Wan Zhi ultimately fell into deep silence, naturally raising his tone: “Could we have encountered the legendary mystical formation?”
The scenery before their eyes seemed somewhat different from before, or perhaps they had unknowingly taken a wrong path. Hearing this speculation, Yan Zi Yan laughed and glared at him: “Do you think this is some place where an unprecedented master is hiding in the Qu family’s back mountain?”
“If we keep walking in one direction, we’ll eventually get out,” they decided.
This was their only option now. The guards pushed the Wang sisters forward. They had been up here for some time, and it should have passed noon, yet the sunlight was gradually shrinking, becoming increasingly dim as they moved forward. Wang Er Niang suddenly shouted: “There are ghosts!”
A Yang forcefully pulled the vine and kicked her, rebuking: “Nonsense!” Wang Er Niang winced, then burst into wild laughter, appearing crazed. Wang San Niang had been quiet this whole journey.
Seeing her sister’s madness, she turned and glanced at her, softly advising: “Sister, calm down.”
“Pah!” She now feared nothing, loudly declaring: “Whether we can get out depends on divine protection. You’re so submissive, unworthy of being a Wang family descendant!”
“Sister!” Wang San Niang stomped her foot and no longer paid attention.
Xu Wan Zhi carefully observed the surrounding landscape. Although his own experiences were already strange enough to force him to believe the impossible, his subconscious still rejected ghost stories, especially in broad daylight. Hearing the Wang sisters’ argument, he said softly: “You’re so bold, just walk out by yourself.”
“You!” Wang Er Niang glared hatefully but said nothing more.
