Chapter 28

"Who are you?" the Judge panted.

"Your savior!"

"I mean your identity!" the Judge emphasized.

"Your savior!"

"……, fine, I'll remember to repay you."

"About time! You were just wasting time. The Heavenly Eagle Gang has already entered the Tianlang Ancient City and the Escort Agency to stop Prince Qing's musketeers. Tuotuo is probably chasing after Qinglong. I'll have to go help him after I put you down." Ling Xiao said with satisfaction.

"Can you really help him? With your gun?" the Judge mocked.

"Hmph! What do you know, my big gun is already itching to go!"

"Do you know where they are?"

"……"

That question really stumped him. He saved the Judge because of his influence in the desert, and being close to the emperor was like being close to a tiger; one day the emperor might be in a good mood and cut him off. It would be nice to have a place to run to and a friend to rely on!

But he had overlooked the problem with Qinglong. According to the movie's plot, the final battle seemed to take place in a large, dilapidated temple. But Tianlang Ancient City was so vast, who knew where the temple was!

Frustrated, he scratched his head. If Qinglong died, would he have come all this way just to eat sand? He could only take it one step at a time and head to Tianlang Ancient City first.

———————————————Riding at full speed———————————————

Whistle! Whistle! Whistle!

"How did you end up here? If I hadn't seen you, I would have thought a female ghost was blocking the road!" Ling Xiao looked awkwardly at Qiaohua, who was squatting by the roadside and crying.

"It's you! Quick! Quick, go after the jade seal!" Qiaohua grabbed Ling Xiao's sleeve and shouted, as if she had found a lifeline.

Ling Xiao was startled. Another twist? Why did he say "another"? "What happened to the jade seal?"

"The jade seal was stolen by a man in black!"

"What kind of man in black? Prince Qing's people?"

"I don't know. He was masked and used a pair of crescent-shaped weapons." Qiaohua thought for a moment.

"That's probably not Prince Qing's people; they don't need to wear masks. By the way, did he hurt you?" Ling Xiao asked, looking at Qiaohua, who was unharmed.

"He didn't have time, because four women and a man came, and the man in black was scared away."

"How come every stray cat and dog is getting involved! What kind of four women and one man?" Ling Xiao asked, feeling depressed.

"Four women in white silk, with swords at their waists, and they were all top-notch beauties! The strangest thing is that they were carrying a magnificent sedan chair. When it passed by me, a gust of wind lifted the curtain, and inside was a man drinking tea!" Qiaohua recalled for a while, seemingly unable to find words to describe the man.

Ling Xiao blinked. "Just tell me where Qinglong is!" Such a grand entrance! It must be a character like Long Aotian. He didn't have the main character's treatment yet, so he should ignore it.

"Jin Gang Temple, to the west of Tianlang Ancient City!"

Ling Xiao was surprised. "Why are you so straightforward this time? It seems that compared to Qinglong, the jade seal is just trash!"

Qiaohua's face immediately flushed with two red clouds, as if they were about to bleed. Ling Xiao didn't have time to tease her further and spurred his horse toward Tianlang Ancient City.

...

Jin Gang Temple, located to the west of Tianlang Ancient City, was filled with many Buddha statues. It was said that the incense offerings here used to be very prosperous, but for some unknown reason, the main hall's Buddha statue was destroyed one day, leaving only the fierce-looking Buddha statues.

"Before I complete my mission, anyone who stands in my way, be it friend or foe, will fall first!" Qinglong's voice echoed through the empty hall.

Countless traps fell, but under Tuotuo's bizarre lightness, they didn't have much effect. In the end, it was a battle of blood and flesh.

Qinglong was the most skilled martial artist in the Jinyiwei and the only one at the innate realm. The Fourteen Postures of the Ming Dynasty were the perfect weapon for him, containing fourteen steel knives of various sizes, suitable for both long-range and close combat. Qinglong was the only one who could use them perfectly, displaying both wild and meticulous styles with the different knives.

In close combat, even three Tuotuos would have been cut down if not for his bizarre lightness. Thanks to Ling Xiao's reminder, whenever they were entangled, Qinglong would enter within half a step of Tuotuo, using a small knife to attack, even if it meant taking a wound.

Tuotuo had never fought such a thrilling battle. As an assassin, she liked to play with her prey, but her identity as an assassin meant she rarely faced stronger opponents. So, whenever this happened, she was somewhat at a loss, though not without a strategy. Her master once told her that her only chance to defeat a strong opponent was her chameleon-like lightness, or rather, her body-switching technique.

Qinglong approached again, his small knife aimed at Tuotuo's vital point. Normally, Tuotuo would have flown backward, and Qinglong had already planned his next moves.

To his surprise, the knife actually hit! Qinglong was taken aback, then his eyes narrowed, realizing a possibility.

The Tuotuo who was hit suddenly became ethereal, leaving only an outer coat floating in the air. The sense of danger made Qinglong's back drenched in sweat. The long knife hidden behind his back suddenly shot up, and a fierce silver whip struck it, sending sparks and a splash of blood!

Qinglong rolled forward to avoid Tuotuo's next attack, feeling grateful to Ling Xiao. If he hadn't mentioned this lightness technique, that whip would have seriously injured him.

For a Saint Fighter, the same move is useless the second time, but this isn't exclusive to Saint Fighters. If it doesn't work the first time, it won't work the second, especially for experts. Tuotuo knew this, so her relentless pursuit was the best strategy.

Chameleon-like lightness requires a shell to shed! Ling Xiao had warned him, and he had seen it with his own eyes. Qinglong was cautious, and countless missions had taught him to know his enemy. How could he not prepare?

He flicked his wrist, and a liquid sprayed from his sleeve, evenly covering the long knife under his true qi. The pungent smell quickly filled the air, and Tuotuo suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Qinglong elegantly dragged the long knife across the ground, and flames rose, covering the blade.

Roar!

Perhaps not wanting to be outdone by Tuotuo, Qinglong roared before she could let out her signature scream. This roar also guided Ling Xiao, who was circling outside.

Qinglong and Tuotuo collided like a comet hitting the earth, and the heat was intense. The thin veils were set ablaze by the long knife, and blood splattered as the long knife and silver whip clashed, creating a spectacular and tragic scene.

Qinglong's wounds increased, and Tuotuo's clothes decreased. It was a raw, primal battle, devoid of any romantic sentiment. The Fourteen Postures of the Ming Dynasty had detached from his back, and his head ornaments were shattered in the struggle. The battle, which seemed long but was only a few breaths, was coming to an end.

Chameleon-like lightness has its limits. Like last time, Tuotuo had nothing left to shed except her undergarments! Qinglong approached again, and this was an awkward distance. The silver whip couldn't reach, and the long knife was too long. Her wounds also made her too weak to retreat.

Uh!

Tuotuo grunted, and a slight turn of her body allowed her to dodge the head-on strike. The long knife, burning with flames, slashed her chest. The sensation in his hand told Qinglong that her collarbone was shattered!

Qinglong's vision blurred in Tuotuo's eyes. She knew her condition well; the severe injuries made her weak and dizzy. Darkness gradually enveloped her, and her eyelids slowly closed. At that moment, Prince Qing's kind and authoritative face flashed before her like a meteor.

"Father! Let me do one last thing for you!" she silently vowed, and her vision instantly cleared, her spirit reaching its peak, even surpassing her prime!

Qinglong was startled. This phenomenon had a sad name: the last flicker of life! Tuotuo's silver whip fell to the ground, and her free hands grabbed Qinglong's arms, ignoring the long knife still in her chest, and lunged at him!

Qinglong, seeing her resolve to die, refused to die with her. He infused his arms with true qi and tried to pull the long knife out, but it was locked in her flesh. By the time he tried to drop the knife and retreat, his arms were already caught.

This was the first time Tuotuo had embraced anyone, and the first time she had been so close to a man. The strong male scent overwhelmed her. They seemed like deeply in love lovers, inseparable even in the midst of a storm. Unfortunately, this intimate scene harbored a flower of death!

Tuotuo's head rested on Qinglong's shoulder, her arms like iron bands, tightly clamping him. At the same time, she tapped her foot, and a pebble flew toward the Fourteen Postures of the Ming Dynasty lying nearby!

Creak!

Qinglong's eyes widened in anger. He was too familiar with this sound. The last steel knife of the Fourteen Postures, called "Serving Heaven and Becoming a Martyr," was used for suicide if a mission failed. He never imagined it would be used against him by an enemy.

Tuotuo seemed to sense Qinglong's surprise. "The most skilled martial artist in the Jinyiwei must be treated with extra caution. To eliminate you, Xuanwu had already told me the secret of the Fourteen Postures!" She closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips, a mix of nostalgia, relief, and peace. At that moment, her smile was pure and beautiful.

Qinglong stopped struggling. Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque, and Xuanwu. Zhuque was killed by Xuanwu, Baihu became a wanted criminal, Xuanwu was punished by Qinglong, and now he would die because of Xuanwu's betrayal. The Jinyiwei had done too many wrongs, and the fratricide was their retribution! The Jinyiwei was a short path, and today it had reached its end! It was a pity that the love he had found in these last few years would end tragically with his death.

The mechanism sprang, and "Serving Heaven and Becoming a Martyr" shot out, splitting into four blades that would pierce the entangled couple in the next moment!

"Watch out for the hidden weapon!"

A huge roar echoed in their ears, and a strong wind pressure suddenly hit them. Boom! A fierce-looking stone Buddha statue crashed into them.

Puff! Both of them spat blood and were thrown back, their tightly clasped arms loosening, and "Serving Heaven and Becoming a Martyr" pierced the statue and pinned it to the distance.

"Bro, my gun skills may be poor, but I have a promising future with hidden weapons, don't you think?" The voice was cheeky, hoping for an affirmative response. Who else could it be but Ling Xiao, who had arrived at the last moment.

"Hehe, cough, cough, if the hidden weapon could be a bit smaller, that would be great!" Qinglong laughed after a few violent coughs.

Ling Xiao pouted. "I'm sorry to interrupt your intimate moment, but I owe this uncle a lot, so I had to painfully break you two up!"

"It's you again!" Tuotuo panted, her eyes filled with hatred, but the light of life was fading.

Seeing the dying female assassin, Ling Xiao sighed. "Still so stubborn in your last breath! Fine, let you die with your eyes open. Qiaohua was robbed of the jade seal on the road!"

Tuotuo was stunned, then died with a smile.

Qinglong, seeing Tuotuo dead, asked solemnly, "How is Qiaohua? Is she hurt? And the jade seal…"

"Take a closer look, she's quite a beauty!" Ling Xiao interrupted, squatting beside Tuotuo and gently covering her face with a coarse coat. "The world is big, but not as big as the missing piece in your head! Didn't you see I was trying to make her die faster?"

"But my intuition told me you weren't lying to her, or she wouldn't have died so peacefully." Qinglong insisted.

Is this the intuition of an innate expert? Why haven't I experienced it! "Of course I didn't lie to her, I never lie!" Ling Xiao said confidently, and Qinglong fell silent.

Seeing Qinglong's discomfort, he said, "The jade seal was indeed stolen, but the thief might not be from Prince Qing's side. She just fell into a mental trap."

"What about Qiaohua?"

"Come on! We're talking about the jade seal! Can you not change the subject so quickly? Qiaohua is fine; the thief was scared away by the four women and one man." Ling Xiao said, looking at Qinglong's anxious face with disdain.

Qinglong's face turned red and he asked, "What four women and one man? Who are they?"

"Four women and one man, that's it!"

Qinglong didn't ask further. He understood Ling Xiao in some ways. There were only two possibilities for his attitude: either it had nothing to do with him, or it was beyond his capabilities!

Qinglong was clearly mistaken. Without even seeing the four women and one man, how could he know if it was within his capabilities! Ling Xiao didn't care because he genuinely didn't care. Qinglong's life was more important than the jade seal! Besides, even the emperor wasn't in a hurry, so why should he be? He wasn't a eunuch!

"Damn! You and Tuotuo had some fun, didn't you? There are quite a few whip marks on you!" Ling Xiao said, applying medicine to Qinglong's wounds and mocking him.

Qinglong smiled, not minding. Having Ling Xiao around made him feel at ease, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. "Why did you come?"

"I did some calculations and realized I owed you a lot. Baihu also agreed to work for my master for free. It wouldn't be right not to come!" He laughed, imagining Baihu being bossed around by Ling Lingfa.

Qinglong's expression was strange. "Your master specializes in gynecology, doesn't he?"

"……"

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