Chapter 9

In the dense forest, in a hidden cave.

Tanyu suddenly felt a chill all over his body, not knowing how long he had been asleep.

When he opened his eyes, the cave was still pitch black, but the sky outside was already slightly gray with the dawn. Snowflakes were falling like wind-blown fluff, and he couldn't tell what time it was.

Looking at the fire, he saw that it had long since gone out, leaving only some embers.

He had been woken by the cold.

Tanyu smiled bitterly. He had traveled through the snow at night, but the heavy snowfall had changed the landscape, and he had become lost in this vast forest.

In the dark of night, he couldn't see anything clearly and couldn't find his way out. Tired and exhausted, he had finally found this small, clean cave, free of wild animals, to spend the night.

He curled his body slightly. If he went out now, he wouldn't be able to find any dry branches for a fire. He decided to endure it a bit longer and doze off again, waiting for dawn.

Just as he was thinking this, a sense of danger flashed in his mind. Tanyu, startled, quickly moved to one side.

His left upper arm immediately felt a sharp pain, which shot to his brain.

Tanyu pushed off the ground with his legs and right arm, rolling to the side. "Clang!" The sound of metal rang out as his arm deflected a sharp sword.

At the same time, "Click!" Tanyu pulled the trigger with his right hand.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" These actions were purely reflexive. Tanyu's mind was still a blur, not fully awake, but his body had already made the correct choice.

"Ah!" A low exclamation came from the attacker, who clearly hadn't escaped Tanyu's close-range counterattack. But the voice was already at least three yards away.

Cold sweat trickled down Tanyu's forehead.

What a ruthless strike! What a graceful movement!

There were actually such formidable stealth assassins in the world. If he hadn't been woken by the cold, he would have been killed in this silent and invisible attack, with no chance of escape.

Tanyu put down the crossbow that had saved his life and touched his left arm. Fortunately, it was only a minor flesh wound, not serious. He quickly took out the self-prepared medicine he had prepared in advance and applied it.

A warm sensation enveloped his skin, and the wound immediately stopped hurting.

The entrance to the cave was dimly lit, and the snow-covered ground outside revealed that someone seemed to be standing there.

Tanyu stood up, reached out his right hand, and gripped the black-tipped spear leaning against the side.

"Who are you?"

"Sorry!" The voice was clear and gentle, belonging to a young woman. "It was dark, and I mistook you for a wild animal. I startled you, young man."

Tanyu was filled with hatred and anger. This female assassin was even mocking him. He focused his attention and saw that she was dressed in black, with a slender figure and a fine veil covering her face, making it impossible to see her features. Her left hand seemed to be moving in front of her, likely tending to a wound.

"Since we are fellow travelers in the snow, why don't you come in and take shelter from the cold?" Tanyu's spear slowly lowered, the tip pointing toward the cave entrance.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I can't accept it," the black-clad woman said, her eyes moving over his slowly moving spear. She glared at him coldly. "However, this cave is too small! Why don't you let me have it and find another place to shelter from the snow?"

Tanyu paused, thinking to himself whether he could injure her with a sudden spear thrust.

He had often roasted animal organs and practiced breathing techniques for years, which had given him night vision. He hadn't expected this woman to have such keen eyesight, able to see in the dark as clearly as if it were lit by a candle.

"In this desolate mountain, with heavy snow, who cares about such formalities? I have some rice wine here; would you like to have a drink?" He said casually, his right hand tightening slightly.

A gentleman does not let a grudge go unavenged! Even in the cramped cave where the spear couldn't be fully utilized, he had to avenge this sword strike.

"Enough talk." The young woman said coolly. "I don't drink."

"What is your name, miss?" The spear turned slightly, locking onto her.

"I am here to kill you!" The young woman's eyes were filled with sarcasm. "Does a dead man need to know my name?"

Suddenly, a flash of sword light appeared, and a two-foot short sword thrust toward Tanyu's heart, the sharpness of the blade piercing through the darkness.

A thin, three-inch green light, as fine as a steel needle, glimmered in the darkness before the sword.

"Is that a sword aura?" Tanyu was greatly startled. If it weren't for the darkness in the cave, he wouldn't have noticed such a faint light.

She had taken the initiative!

Although he was prepared, he was still taken aback. Her footwork and sword skills were fast, accurate, and ruthless, making it difficult to defend.

His left arm swept outward with force, and with a "clang," the short sword was deflected. The spear in his right hand, which had been ready for a long time, suddenly burst forth, forming a strange flower.

"Steel Arm Technique?" The young woman snorted, not commenting on his spear skills, clearly not taking them seriously.

She confidently flipped her wrist and slashed back with a reverse grip.

"Clang!" Another crisp sound, and the short sword was knocked away.

"Even the spear shaft is made of fine steel?" The young woman was slightly surprised and angry. Her body suddenly darted to the side, barely avoiding the spear's tip. She lunged forward, pressing against Tanyu's body.

The cave was not spacious, favoring close combat over long weapons. Although the young woman's short sword had been disarmed, her eyes and movements were still extremely skilled. Once she entered the inner circle, she raised her left hand and grabbed the upper half of the spear shaft. Her right hand, with sharp fingertips, suddenly stabbed toward Tanyu's throat.

Tanyu felt a sudden rush of fragrance, and a soft, jade-like body pressed against his chest. Realizing the danger, he quickly moved his left hand to block his chin, but it was struck by her sharp fingertips.

It hurt! The three-layered wild boar leather gloves were pierced, and his hand felt a sharp pain. Tanyu, enduring the pain, closed his hand and grabbed the young woman's wrist, squeezing it tightly.

"Ouch!" The young woman also cried out in pain, her sharp nails breaking off two. She tried to pull her hand back but couldn't. She tugged lightly on the spear shaft, and her right knee lifted, taking advantage of the momentum.

At this moment, the young woman felt her left hand lose its grip, and the spear shaft was now in her hand. Her body lost its balance and she fell backward.

It turned out that Tanyu's black-tipped spear was made of several shorter steel rods joined together with a mechanism similar to mortise and tenon joints. He had secretly loosened the joints before the fight, intending to adapt to the narrow cave by turning a long weapon into a short one. In the current passive situation, he suddenly had a brilliant idea and let go of the spear, which had an unexpected effect.

The young woman was taken by surprise and hadn't thought of how to respond. She saw Tanyu suddenly lunge forward, using her backward momentum to pin her to the ground.

"Ugh!" Tanyu felt a sharp pain in his left hip, having been hit by her knee during the fall, but fortunately, it wasn't a vital spot.

The young woman's right hand was still in Tanyu's grip, and her entire body was pinned under him. She was shocked and struggled to find a way to counterattack. Tanyu, unprepared for her fierce resistance, was thrown off balance by her leg movements. He quickly supported himself with his right hand, feeling a soft and plump sensation, which made his heart race.

He had pressed his hand directly on her left chest.

PS: I've received a tip from Baozou Wang and the care from Left Hand Alchemist. A few days ago, a classmate asked if there is any ** content in this book... Well, it's hard to say. There is some ** content, but it's all based on the plot and the needs of the readers. Hehe, do you need it?

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