In Zhu Xian, people start to rise from plundering entries

With Biyao's support, Su Han dragged his tired body step by step toward the edge of the bamboo forest.

A strange smell, a mixture of burnt and bloody odor, filled the air.

The bamboo poles, scorched by the demonic fire, were blackened and broken, making a faint crackling sound in the evening breeze.

Just as they were about to leave this mess, Biyao suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Su Han noticed her stiffness and asked in a low voice.

Biyao did not answer, but stared ahead with a pale face.

In the dark depths of the bamboo forest, seven or eight pairs of eerie green lights, like will-o'-the-wisps, had appeared and were silently approaching them.

hiss--

A teeth-grinding scraping sound rang out, accompanied by the subtle rustling of bamboo leaves being crushed.

Three slightly smaller bloodscale lizards, also covered in dark red scales, slowly swam out of the shadows.

Their scarlet tongues flickered in and out, their vertical pupils fixed on the fallen lizard king's corpse, then turned to the exhausted Su Han, their eyes gleaming with greed and ferocity.

Clearly, they had followed the scent of blood from the deaths of their kind and the previous commotion.

"Oh no..." Su Han's heart sank. He subconsciously tried to grip the Qinggang Sword, but his arms were weak and powerless, and his spiritual energy was almost depleted. He could barely stand and was almost entirely supported by Biyao.

Biyao shielded Su Han behind her, and despite her trembling fingertips, she did not hesitate to draw a slender soft sword from her storage bag. The sword blade gleamed with a pale blue light.

"Don't come any closer!" Her voice trembled slightly, but was unusually firm.

One of the bloodscale lizards seemed to have lost patience. It let out a sharp hiss, its powerful hind legs slamming into the ground, sending a gust of foul wind flying as it charged straight at the seemingly harmless Biyao! It was incredibly fast!

"Watch out!" Su Han shouted urgently, trying to push her away, but he stumbled instead.

Biyao's eyes sharpened; the composure honed through years of gathering herbs and refining elixirs overcame her fear in this critical moment.

Knowing she couldn't fight back head-on, she twisted her slender waist and glided sideways with light steps, narrowly avoiding the attack of the sharp claws.

At the same time, she flicked her wrist, and the soft sword did not thrust straight in, but rather, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, it nimbly circled around, and the tip of the sword precisely aimed at the bloodscale lizard's eye!
The bloodscale lizard hadn't expected this human woman with such a weak aura to be so agile, and instinctively tilted its head and closed its eyes.

"Clang!" The sword tip grazed the hard eyelid scales, sending sparks flying. It failed to penetrate, but successfully repelled its first attack.

But two other bloodscale lizards simultaneously flanked from both sides, their gaping maws revealing dagger-like teeth, aiming to bite at Biyao's neck and Su Han's calf respectively! Their coordination was remarkably seamless.

Su Han gritted his teeth, mustered the last bit of his meager spiritual energy, and poured it into his legs. He then pushed Bi Yao aside and used the force to roll backward.

scoff!

Although he avoided vital organs, Su Han's already tattered clothes were torn by the lizard's claws, and several deep, bone-revealing bloodstains appeared on his waist. The intense pain almost made him faint.

"Su Han!" Bi Yao exclaimed in shock, her eyes instantly turning bloodshot as she saw her beloved injured.

She suddenly pulled out a handful of dark purple powder from her storage bag. This was a self-defense poison powder she had made by mixing highly poisonous corydalis flowers and paralyzing vine pollen. It was originally prepared for collecting certain spiritual herbs that were associated with poisonous insects.

"Look at this!" she shouted, forcefully scattering the poison powder at the nearest bloodscale lizard.

The poison powder hit its face, and the bloodscale lizard immediately let out a painful and angry hiss. Its movements visibly faltered, and it kept shaking its head and scratching its mouth, nose and eyes with its claws. Clearly, the poison powder had a strong irritating and numbing effect on its mucous membranes.

opportunity!

Without the slightest hesitation, Biyao moved with her sword, the soft blade shimmering with water as she thrust it straight at the Bloodscale Lizard, whose throat was exposed due to discomfort.

puff!
This time, the sword tip successfully pierced the relatively soft throat area. Although it wasn't deep, the intense pain drove the bloodscale lizard completely mad, and its thick tail swept out with a whistling sound!
Biyao drew her sword and retreated hastily, but was still struck on the shoulder by the tail gust of wind. She groaned and staggered back several steps. A sweet taste rose in her throat, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

The remaining two bloodscale lizards, one was struggling with its temporarily blinded companion, while the other pounced on Su Han, who was almost unable to move!
A resolute glint flashed in Su Han's eyes; he knew he could no longer hide.

He slammed his hand on the ground, using the momentum to flip over. Instead of retreating, he took the initiative to meet the onrushing Bloodscale Lizard. He did not thrust with his steel sword, but used the last of his strength to precisely pierce the Bloodscale Lizard's wide-open mouth!
"Roar!!!"

The bloodscale lizard's biting motion froze instantly, the sword stuck behind its sharp teeth. Although not fatal, it greatly limited its biting ability.

It frantically shook its head, trying to fling the sword away, while Su Han gripped the hilt tightly. He was swayed from side to side, blood gushing from his wound, his consciousness beginning to blur due to exhaustion and blood loss.

"Now! Biyao! Its eyes!" Su Han roared hoarsely, his voice cracking.

Despite the excruciating pain in her shoulder, Biyao saw the opportunity Su Han had created at the cost of his life. Tears blurred her vision, but her movements were as swift as lightning.

Ignoring the fact that another bloodscaled lizard, whose sight had been restored, was attacking from the flank, she poured all her power into her soft sword, her body transforming into a pale blue streak, shooting straight at the right eye of the bloodscaled lizard that was locked in a stalemate with Su Han!
That single sword strike embodied all her worries, fears, anger, and determination! (End of Chapter)