Chapter 87

Deep within the tree canopy, two more arrows were shot out. Murong Feiyan deflected them consecutively, feeling that the force of these two arrows had weakened compared to before. There were usually two possibilities: one was that the opponent's strength was beginning to wane, and the other was that the opponent, seeing the beast master killed, had started to flee, with the power of the arrows decreasing as the distance increased.

Murong Feiyan saw the branches and leaves of the distant treetops shaking and determined that the opponent had already begun to flee. She angrily shouted, "Where do you think you're going?" She leaped onto the treetop and saw a black figure rising from the branches ahead, then turning in mid-air and shooting three arrows in quick succession.

Murong Feiyan used the branches to shield herself from the opponent's shots. Thud! Thud! Thud! The three arrows were nailed into the branches in quick succession. Taking advantage of the time Murong Feiyan spent dodging, the opponent had pulled away, almost entering the bamboo forest ahead.

Murong Feiyan made up her mind, determined not to let this person escape. She stomped hard on the branch, which bent like a bow under her full force. Then, using the branch's strong resilience, she propelled herself upward, soaring about three zhang high. At the highest point, she extended her arms like a bird spreading its wings and glided forward.

The black-clothed archer, seeing Murong Feiyan in hot pursuit and unable to shake her off, temporarily abandoned the idea of continuing to flee. He drew three arrows from the quiver on his back, nocked them on the bowstring, and with a full draw, the bow formed a perfect crescent. He quickly released the bowstring, and the three arrows shot toward Murong Feiyan from different angles. The construction of the tail feathers on these three arrows was slightly different. The two arrows on the outer sides had unbalanced tail feathers, which determined their flight paths. The central arrow shot straight at Murong Feiyan's chest, while the two outer arrows traced curved trajectories, ultimately converging on Murong Feiyan as their target.

Facing the three arrows coming from different angles, Murong Feiyan did not deflect them with her sword but fell straight down like a broken kite, allowing the three arrows to pass over her head.

Murong Feiyan's long sword flew out of her hand, spinning like a windmill in the air, the cold blade heading straight for the black-clothed archer.

The black-clothed archer had exhausted his arrows and, facing Murong Feiyan's thrown sword, could only use his longbow to block. He raised the horn bow to intercept, but the sword struck the bow, which snapped with a crack. The sword's momentum continued, and the narrow blade pierced the black-clothed archer's chest. The archer, unable to believe what had happened, stared at the hilt in his chest as he fell to the rocks, the sound of his bones breaking clearly audible.

After landing, Murong Feiyan quickly approached, grabbed the hilt of the sword, and, fearing the black-clothed archer was still alive, pushed the blade down another inch. Seeing that the archer was no longer moving, she pulled the sword out, cleaned the blood on his body, and hurriedly headed toward the pile of boulders.

Hu Xiaotian and the little girl were struggling hard, their bodies already covered in blood. Black eagle feathers were scattered all around, and over a dozen black eagle corpses lay haphazardly on the large rock. Most of these had been killed by the暴雨梨花针 (Bao Yu Li Hua Zhen), but the death of their companions did not deter the black eagle legion, which continued to attack recklessly.

The wolves below quickly devoured their fallen comrades and launched a new, fierce assault. Hu Xiaotian, after a series of intense battles, had reached his physical limit. He mustered all his strength to swing the water-fire staff, striking the head of a green wolf that had successfully climbed onto the large rock. The green wolf dodged to the right, and the staff missed, landing on the rock with a crack, breaking in half and causing Hu Xiaotian's hands to throb with pain.

The green wolf, having dodged Hu Xiaotian's full-force strike, pounced fiercely. Hu Xiaotian, with only a two-foot-long broken staff left, could only point the broken end at the green wolf in a desperate move, which was more of a gesture than a real threat.

Hu Xiaotian's eyes met the green wolf's eerie blue eyes, and his mind went blank, hearing only the sound of his own heartbeat. Was he really going to die here?

At the critical moment, the little girl raised the暴雨梨花针 (Bao Yu Li Hua Zhen) and aimed it at the green wolf's head, firing all the needles in one go. Whether due to nervousness or uncertainty about whether this round of shots would kill the green wolf, she fired three times in quick succession, emptying the暴雨梨花针 (Bao Yu Li Hua Zhen).

The green wolf fell to the ground with a whimper. Before Hu Xiaotian could recover, a black eagle swooped down toward his face, its sharp claws aiming for his eyes.

The little girl shouted, "Be careful!"

Awakening from his daze, Hu Xiaotian threw the half-staff in his hand, striking the black eagle forcefully. The black eagle spread its wings and flew in a curve, almost grazing the edge of the large rock, successfully dodging the half-staff. However, a gray wolf, stepping on the bodies of its companions, suddenly leaped up from below, accurately biting the black eagle's neck. Soon, three more wolves successfully climbed onto the large rock.

The little girl's暴雨梨花针 (Bao Yu Li Hua Zhen) was now empty, and Hu Xiaotian's water-fire staff was completely broken. Each of them held a dagger, watching the wolves climb onto the large rock one by one. Although the black eagles had temporarily stopped attacking, they still circled overhead, unwilling to leave.

Hu Xiaotian had never experienced such a dangerous situation in his life. He sighed inwardly, thinking that he had endured so much to come here to serve as a ninth-rank official in Qingyun County, but he never imagined he would end up as food for the wolves.

The little girl's voice rang in his ear, "I've held you back, I'm sorry!"

Hu Xiaotian turned his head in surprise and saw the little girl's pale face, her bright eyes fixed on him. It wasn't because Hu Xiaotian was particularly handsome, but because she was afraid to look at the ferocious wolves.

Facing death, Hu Xiaotian was no longer as afraid. He laughed, "I don't need to argue with a little girl, but dying together means we have a connection."

The little girl handed a porcelain bottle to Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian was surprised, "What is it?"

"Antidote!"

Hu Xiaotian was at a loss, wondering why she would think of giving him the antidote at this moment. Did it matter? He would die whether he took it or not. The Seven-Day Soul-Cutting Needle! He hoped his flesh was poisonous, so the wolves would die after eating him.

The wolves pressed closer, and Hu Xiaotian protected the little girl behind him. Although they were doomed, he decided to show his magnanimity and fearlessness at this critical moment, a commendable quality of his.

The little girl was stubborn, "I don't need your protection, I'm not afraid of death!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. I was hit by your Seven-Day Soul-Cutting Needle, so my flesh is poisonous. Let them eat me first. If I can poison them, you might have a chance to survive." His words were touching, but he knew it was impossible. Both of them would end up as the wolves' meal.

Seven wolves had already climbed onto the large rock. They did not rush to attack but formed a circle, slowly closing in. To the wolves, the two humans were already their prey.

Hu Xiaotian sighed, "It's too late!" His eyes still gazed into the distance.

The little girl said coldly, "Are you still hoping she will come to save us?" She shook her head, "In times of great danger, everyone fends for themselves. She has already left!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled. Although the little girl was young, she was extremely cautious and lacked basic trust in others. He believed Murong Feiyan would not abandon him, but it was too late today.

Hu Xiaotian gripped the dagger in his hand, preparing for a final fight. He whispered, "What's your name? Who are you?" Before dying, he wanted to know for whom he was dying, to have a clear understanding.

"My name is Qiqi!"

Hu Xiaotian pondered this strange name. Even at the last moment, the little girl still harbored suspicion, unwilling to reveal her surname. Was Qiqi a code name or her birth order? Hu Xiaotian did not intend to delve deeper, as he had no time to think or ask. He raised the dagger and lunged at a green wolf, thinking that taking one down would be a gain.

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