My enemies became my companions

Chapter 620 No Mercy (Part 2)

Qin Qingluo walked right past him without stopping, and to avoid alerting her, Chen Yi didn't look at her much either. He kept his eyes straight ahead, but felt a vague unease in his heart. At the time, he was worried that his identity would be exposed and cause trouble.

When Chen Yi suddenly heard shouts of killing erupting from inside the ancestral temple, he realized something was amiss. In a daze, he smelled a faint scent of blood and heard some strange, indistinct murmurs.

Without even thinking, one ascends to the summit, treads through the clouds, and enters the abyss.

So much so that it came at a rather unfortunate time...

She possessed the radiant light of the crystal, so there was no need to save her; no number of assassins could harm her. However, Chen Yi's heart only settled when he saw her figure, her robe stained with blood yet standing proudly. A self-mocking thought then surfaced: a hero saving a damsel in distress? How ridiculous…

Just then, the female prince turned to the side, a strong wind surged, and her golden sleeves, stained with blood, billowed and danced.

She gave him a deep look, her gaze slightly disappointed.

Only after that did hatred begin to surge.

Chen Yi arrived in a flash, paused briefly, and said repeatedly, "I've come to save you..."

The words hadn't even landed yet.

The enormous blade was already slashing horizontally.

Chen Yi's words were abruptly cut off. The power of this strike was terrifying, abruptly severing his speech. The puppet general blocked his way like an iron tower. This single strike was enough to split mountains and shatter the earth.

The cleavage of the blade came crashing down, as if a head was not being cleaved but being smashed to pieces. Faced with life and death, Chen Yi remained calm and suddenly drew his sword, his powerful sword intent instantly spreading around him.

The sword blade sliced ​​along the blade's energy, bursting forth with a series of dazzling sparks.

The sword intent that gathered in an instant collided with the puppet general, causing the latter's armor to tremble and a thick aura of blood to rise up as if steaming in a steamer.

The veins wrapped around the armor bulged, the blade energy surged, and a force as powerful as a dragon and elephant struck at the point where metal and stone clashed. Chen Yi was thrown backward, and when he looked again, he saw blood mist rising around the puppet general, surging outward and actually tearing apart Chen Yi's world of sword intent.

Chen Yi's pupils contracted slightly. Even though his cultivation had declined due to the rupture of his meridians and his energy was not as strong as before, his sword intent remained and the world was still the same. However, he was torn apart by this colossal iron tower-like creature. Memories flooded his mind, and he recognized the puppet that Zhu E had mentioned.

The so-called official puppets have neither soul nor thought, and are no different from marionettes. It is precisely the method of making such marionettes that caused bloodshed in the martial arts world a hundred years ago. Both the righteous and the demonic sects flocked to it. The reason is simply that these puppets were made by martial artists who had extremely high martial arts skills in their lifetime, retaining 30% of their former power. They are extremely good at killing and can be passed down for three or four hundred years.

Every gain comes with a price. The puppet-making method used by the official craftsman was extremely vicious, a heinous crime. It required skinning a master, dissecting their internal organs, and having the master remain conscious and maintain their martial spirit until it solidified and fixed within the iron armor. Because of this, this method, along with its sect, was wiped out a hundred years ago by Wu Buyu, who was then a sword saint. Ironically, contrary to popular belief, the armor was not made by a demonic sect, but by a legitimate Buddhist sect.

Over the next hundred years, time passed and things changed. The martial world was filled with endless battles. The puppets of officials and generals were either destroyed or kept as family heirlooms in aristocratic families and sects, eventually disappearing without a trace. But disappearance does not mean annihilation. The puppet of officials and generals before us was forged by the ancestor of the Qin family. It is said that after he was enfeoffed in the southern border, one of his generals, who had made great achievements in battle, volunteered to be his armor and protected the Qin family for four hundred years. He never uttered a sound of pain when his flesh was torn apart and his internal organs were dissected. In the end, this puppet of officials and generals was left with great killing power, retaining 50% of its original strength. Even among its kind, it was a one-in-a-million existence.

He held two official ranks during his lifetime.

Chen Yi exhaled and surveyed the situation before him once more. No matter how complicated things were, he understood that it was not the assassins' rampage and the prince's peril that he had previously predicted, but a pure hunt. The ambitious female prince had woven a giant net to capture those who harbored rebellious intentions.

He couldn't help but smile bitterly. Perhaps from the very beginning, Qin Qingluo didn't need him to go through all this trouble.

Instead... he got himself involved.

As he was lost in thought, for some reason, a faint sound drifted past his ears, and Chen Yi felt a strange sensation welling up in his heart. He tried to listen carefully, but he couldn't make out where it came from.

Is that low murmur again?
The low murmur came from the ancestral temple. Chen Yi's eyes narrowed slightly; his purpose this time was precisely the ancestral temple.

The surrounding assassins fought desperately to break through the encirclement, but they were like straws before the puppet general. They were easily swept away and cleaved by the massive blade, which was as large as a door panel. Limbs and screams filled the air. The iron lump that crawled out of the ground was a killing machine. The blood vapor escaping from the gaps in its armor carried a sulfurous, metallic smell, and the ground trembled with every step it took.

After sweeping away the assassin's life like ants, the official general stomped his foot, and the enormous body suddenly shattered at an unnatural speed.

A knife.

He appeared in front of Chen Yi in an instant, as if he had flashed into existence.

He could even feel the cold blade almost brushing past his nose, the force of the wind whipping his cheek.

But he still turned aside, his third eye already open, his eyes gleaming with light.

"Boom!"

The giant blade slammed down on the spot where he had just stood. The hard, iron-like blue brick floor was sliced ​​open as if it were tofu, and pebbles flew in all directions, dust filled the air, and the air currents churned, making Chen Yi's robes flutter loudly.

However, he narrowly dodged the fatal sweep, and an even sharper, more concentrated killing intent, like a leech, attacked from his side and rear! A chill instantly shot from his tailbone to the top of his head!
It's Qin Qingluo!

She gave Chen Yi no chance to catch his breath. In the instant Chen Yi retreated to dodge the giant blade, the spear she had snatched had already transformed into a deadly streak of black light!

His body moved with the spear, his python robe fluttering like dragon scales, so fast that he left only a blurry afterimage, his target aimed directly at Chen Yi's vest, which was caught off guard as he dodged the giant blade!

A giant blade shatters mountains ahead, while a poisonous dragon pierces the heart from behind.

Chen Yi's pupils contracted sharply, and his body twisted forcefully in mid-air. Once again, his sword became the heaven and earth, invisibly altering the direction of the spear tip. He flicked his longsword in mid-air, grazing the spear and producing a clear buzzing sound.

Qin Qingluo's snake-like eyes shone with golden light as she caught the clue. She swung her wrist down, turning the thrust into a smash.

clang!
The deafening clang of metal against metal echoed through the chaotic temple courtyard.

The spearhead struck Chen Yi's sword spine with perfect precision.

An overwhelming and terrifying force surged forth from the longsword, causing Chen Yi to feel a sharp pain in his tiger's mouth, as if he had been struck by an iron hammer. His entire arm went numb instantly. The force was not only fierce but also carried a tremendous penetrating power.

He raised his sword with his left hand, slashing through the wind and rain. Qin Qingluo parried with her spear, and the metal and stone collided again. Chen Yi used the shock to dart backward. When he stood still, the sword was still trembling, as if the previous force had not yet dissipated.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared, illuminating the cold, handsome face of the female prince.

She had said she would keep her distance from him from now on, so he wrote to her several times, but she never replied. During this time, she had some emotional turmoil, but eventually she calmed down. She once advised Zhu E to let go of her feelings for him and expose his hypocritical face. Why be deceived by him for a lifetime? But Aunt Zhu did not listen and insisted on her own way. She said no more and slowly forgot about him over the next three years. As long as he did not enter the Prince's Mansion and did not appear in front of her, the past would be like smoke and clouds. Even that deep-seated hatred was only remembered now.

A cold wind blew across my face, making my sleeves flutter, and the smell of blood permeated the ancestral temple.

Chen Yi stopped, not wanting to fight Qin Qingluo, and shook his head at her.

Qin Qingluo lowered her eyes, realizing that she could not detect a trace of killing intent from Chen Yi...

Come to think of it,

He hid it very well.

Countless times, Qin Qingluo could not find a trace of killing intent or murderous aura in him. However, after he severed two corpses, there was no trace of killing intent or murderous aura to be found. Moreover, when this person violated Aunt Zhu three years ago, how could there be any killing intent to speak of?

Such despicable people are consumed by lust.

Blood splattered inside and outside the temple, gradually fading into silence. Most of the assassins were either killed on the spot, on the verge of death, or captured without resistance. The chaotic noise subsided slightly, and pairs of eyes looked over the mess with panic towards the last remaining "assassin".

The guards, armed with knives and guns, had formed a circle around him, their eyes gleaming coldly as they eyed him menacingly.

Amidst the smoke and blood mist, Chen Yi raised his head. The unfolding events offered him no chance to explain, or rather, even if he did, no one would believe him in this context of assassination and treason.

Directly in front of him, the twelve-foot-tall puppet general, like an eternal god of slaughter, slowly turned its massive body, and the hollow mask once again "stared" at him.

Blood dripped slowly down the blade of the giant sword. It raised the sword again, and blood splashed into the air like freehand ink.

The colossal iron body, standing twelve feet tall, appeared before Chen Yi in an instant, like a giant pagoda. Its blade, carrying a powerful wind capable of splitting mountains and splitting the earth, slammed down with terrifying force!

Woo——!
Before the blade even arrived, the wind pressure crashed down like a solid city wall, instantly turning the shattered floor tiles beneath Chen Yi's feet into dust. His robes clung to his body, threatening to tear in the wind. Faced with this third-grade killing weapon, which proved its power purely through brute force, to withstand it head-on was a path to death.

Chen Yi's pupils shrank to the size of needles. The old wounds from the broken meridians throbbed with pain under the surging pressure. However, his sword mind was clear. With a flick of his wrist, the overwhelming sword intent once again spread. This time, the sword intent no longer pursued the grandeur of covering the world. Instead, it collapsed inward, condensing within three feet of the sword tip, transforming into a perfectly round and flowing "small world".

clang!
The sword's edge did not parry directly, but rather precisely struck the least stressed arc on the side of the giant blade. The sword intent flowed smoothly and rounded, like a high-speed rotating millstone, completely dissipating, deflecting, and guiding the fierce and powerful blade energy to both sides. The air was torn apart, emitting a piercing shriek.

Even so, the moment the sword touched the hundreds of pounds of black iron halberd, the blood energy emanating from the gaps in the puppet's armor suddenly surged! A pure and violent killing intent, originating from an ancient battle spirit, surged upwards, transforming into unimaginable power, tearing at Chen Yi's sword intent microcosm like a gaping maw from an abyss!
How could a second-rank master easily defeat someone with only 50% of their former strength?
scoff!

The small world that had been formed let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain, as it was actually torn open by the tyrannical and domineering bloodthirsty power! The violent power surged straight into the meridians along the sword!

Chen Yi grunted, his body jolting violently as he slid backward, carving two deep furrows beneath his feet! His tiger's mouth split open, blood instantly staining the sword hilt red. A gust of wind, thick and turbid like a white thread, lashed against his body, causing his already overburdened armor to shatter.

Qin Qingluo moved again. The stone bricks where he had just stood shattered, and the spear in his hand, like a hundred-foot-long python, shot into the sky!

She showed no mercy.

No, she should have been ruthless. She moved with the momentum, the sharp edge of her spear sweeping over with boundless hatred.

Chen Yi used his left hand to wield a sword that cut through wind and rain, blocking the puppet general, then turned and raised his sword to block again.

The sword wind howled, the spear energy collided with the cold light, and the narrow Hou Kang sword was pressed down by the enormous force and bent strangely.

Using the operation of the small world, Chen Yi used his almost supernatural swordsmanship to control Qin Qingluo's immense strength and make it his own. Qin Qingluo suddenly realized this and tried to pull back her spear, but it was too late. The immense force rebounded and knocked her back.

Before being knocked back, Qin Qingluo suddenly retaliated with a punch, the force of which was almost like thunder, and finally slammed into Chen Yi's body before being knocked back.

She saw a slight sweetness in his throat, yet he remained standing there, calmly raising his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth. That blow, she thought, must have been incredibly painful.

Qin Qingluo's snake-like eyes flickered with emotion.

Strangely enough, I wanted to spare his life, but even more strangely, the words wouldn't come out.

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. After a while, she suddenly remembered that she had a conversation with Min Ning, her half-confidant, three years ago. The latter advised her to follow her heart and that all her entanglements were nothing more than hesitation, which would only lead to more trouble.

The gloom between his brows vanished, and the Prince of Annan laughed instead. As he thought about it, memories flashed by like a fleeting glance. He had always been a source of trouble, not only causing chaos for Aunt Zhu, but also leaving her... with an illegitimate child.

The blood-stained spear clenched tightly in his hand, veins bulging.

Just kill them and be done with it.

A resolute killing intent rose within Qin Qingluo.

Indeed, he has walked right into our trap and come seeking death. How could we not take his life?

Qin Qingluo's killing intent surged again and again, and even in his python robe, he resembled a demon emerging from a bloodbath.

Her python robe fluttered slightly in the chaotic airflow as she looked down at Chen Yi, her snake-like eyes icy cold.

Rainwater mixed with drops of blood that had splattered on her forehead at some unknown time slid down.

It rained heavily.

Qin Qingluo turned her head and saw that the situation inside the ancestral temple had calmed down. Pairs of eyes trembled, and without her instructions, they dared not make any rash moves.

"The bandit leader has surrendered. Those who surrender will be spared. Those who attempt to rebel again will be executed on the spot. All members of the imperial clan will remain here. Officials and ministers need not panic. Today's events will not involve the innocent. As for..."

The Prince of Annam, standing tall and straight, calmly gave his orders amidst a pool of blood, each word deliberate and methodical.

Chen Yi watched this scene, put down his hand that was wiping his mouth. Since entering the temple, he had been surrounded by swords and knives. The puppet general and Qin Qingluo had joined forces to attack him. He had managed to defend himself with his superb swordsmanship, but he could not fight against so many opponents. After fighting for countless rounds, he was not in a bad state and had not been injured. However, he was finally hit by a punch from Qin Qingluo and felt some pain.

Moreover, he was somewhat surprised.

It wasn't because of the puppet general; although it was indeed at the third rank, Zhu E had revealed its true strength, so he had expected this. What truly surprised him was that in less than three years, Qin Qingluo had actually re-condensed his martial intent, not only returning to the genuine fourth rank, but also showing signs of breaking through to the third rank through the Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness technique.

What became her intention?

"This person."

She pointed the tip of her spear at the man who darted about amidst the flashing swords and swift movements, and gave the order without room for argument:

“Kill, without mercy.”

The moment the words fell, the puppet general let out a deep, thunderous roar, took another heavy step, and raised its giant blade once more. The guards pressed even closer, their swords and spears locked onto Chen Yi's path.

Qin Qinglu lowered her gaze slightly, not thinking at all about what would happen to Zhu E if he died today.

The more you think, the more you have to worry.

The more concerns you have, the less willing you are to make a decisive break.

If he is lucky enough to survive, then so be it.

Chen Yi took a deep breath.

At this point, there is no chance of survival.

Suddenly, that strange sound entered his ears again, becoming clearer and resounding throughout his mind. He finally heard it clearly.

The voice was saying:
"...Here, here!"

Chen Yi suddenly turned his head and followed the direction of the sound. It was indeed deep inside the ancestral temple.

From... the direction of the ancestral tablet?!

Chen Yi's thoughts were suddenly seized by this strange noise in this desperate situation.

This extremely faint sound, seemingly from the depths of the netherworld, without warning, pierced through the deafening clang of weapons, the low growls of the puppet generals, and Qin Qingluo's icy killing intent... It resounded clearly and directly in his mind.

It was a truly inexplicable sound, coming out of nowhere and containing inexplicable content, leaving people completely baffled.

Chen Yi couldn't care less about that now; that was his original goal.

With swords drawn and the puppet generals closing in, surrounded by guards, even if he managed to break through their defenses and carve a bloody path, Qin Qingluo was still watching him intently.

Even if Chen Yi firmly believed that he would not die, it did not mean that he would not be defeated and captured, especially since Qin Qingluo's words "no mercy" were so resolute.
Chen Yi looked over again, about to speak once more.

She raised her eyes slightly to meet his gaze, the hint of disappointment long gone, as if asking: You didn't come here to kill me?
Chen Yi nodded slightly.

She held her gun in her hand, the cold rain pouring down, the tip of the gun gleaming faintly, and the tall woman smiled calmly.

But I really want to kill you now.

Chen Yi swallowed.

I fear that even if he survives by sheer luck, his fate will be extremely grim. He will have all his meridians destroyed, his martial arts skills rendered useless, and he will be locked in a dungeon day and night to suffer the punishment for defeat.

The various images flashed by like fleeting shadows, and Chen Yi took another deep breath.

Look up again.

The official puppet had already pressed forward to kill, its blades rising like mountains, and amidst the rising blood and steam, the air on both sides exploded with powerful shockwaves.

The guards also drew their swords, creating a chaotic scene of flashing blades.

Chen Yi drew his sword, and a dazzling sword light exploded from the tip. The small world that had been condensed at a single point suddenly expanded outward, and the incomparably sharp sword energy surged outward like a giant wave.

Sword blades swirling,

The swords and spears that had surrounded them were swept away in an instant, and even the puppet generals were forced back a foot.

Chen Yi stepped forward, using the ultimate technique of stepping on clouds three times to reach his limit. His energy surged through his meridians and converged in his steps. His figure leaped towards the ancestral temple like a dark lightning bolt.

His target is the ancestral temple?
What solution?

The female prince knew that this was not the time to delve into the matter.

Moreover, this person has always been cunning and his actions are completely unpredictable.

Qin Qingluo's snake-like eyes narrowed slightly, and her body moved like a dragon rising from the land, followed by a spear thrusting through the air.

The gunfire roared.

This shot was relentless, and Chen Yi leaned forward with all his might. He was between the pillars and had nowhere to hide. This shot seemed to be about to pierce him through the air and splatter blood on the ancestral altar!
In that split second,
"Om..."

The faint yet penetrating hum that had once echoed in his mind suddenly became incredibly clear and loud, no longer just a sound, but a tangible pull.

From the source of the buzzing sound, in the direction of the ancestral tablets of the Qin family, a dark light of extreme darkness suddenly burst forth without warning.

The halo formed a "vortex" and was directed at Chen Yi, who was leaping into the depths of the ancestral temple.

Time seemed to freeze and stretch out completely at this moment:
The tip of Qin Qingluo's fatal shot was only three inches away from Chen Yi's back!
Just as the puppet general regained his footing after being forced back by the sword energy, the blood-red giant blade was about to be raised again!

The guards, still reeling from the shock of being swept away by the sword energy, had not yet recovered.

Chen Yi leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the approaching ancestral tablets, with only one thought in his mind: rush in!
Then, like a drop of water melting into water, the figure suddenly disappeared.

Qin Qingluo's pupils contracted to their maximum, the spear tip stopped abruptly, and the long wind generated by the sudden withdrawal of force shook the memorial tablets, causing several tablets to collapse from the altar and fall to the ground, their golden characters dimmed and lost their luster.

The others have already left.

The shot missed.
After a long while, her heart began to ache for no apparent reason.

Qin Qingluo's face was solemn.

A deathly silence reigned.

Only the trembling, buzzing spear in Qin Qingluo's hand and the lingering, sharp spear energy remained in the air.

(End of this chapter)