Nine Nether Dragon Emperor

Chapter 427: I was careless, and all four of my limbs were pierced by you!

You Ruo turned her head to look back at the battlefield and countered with a question, "You don't really think that everyone who came here was like those good-for-nothings from before, do you?"

"Of course not. There must be experts here," Ning Xuan immediately denied, shaking his head.

You Ruo nodded very seriously. "Not just experts, but super-experts!"

"Like who?" Ning Xuan asked her.

You Ruo gave him a sideways glance. "If I could know of their existence, would they still be called super-experts?! But you, hiding inside a rock... I thought you already knew."

"Aren't you hiding too?" Ning Xuan immediately retorted.

"My strength is too weak; I have no other choice," You Ruo said matter-of-factly.

Ning Xuan nodded. "I'm also quite self-aware."

You Ruo had been waiting for just that reply and immediately seized the opportunity. "So, if we want to succeed, we must cooperate!"

"Uh, let's just forget it," Ning Xuan refused, enduring the severe pain. "I have others to look after, and I'm afraid I'll just drag you down."

Wu Pianpian was truly ruthless. After all, it wasn't her own arm she was twisting so mercilessly.

"You'd better leave now. If that girl comes back, I really won't be able to stop her!" Ning Xuan gritted his teeth, on the verge of tears.

"Alright, but my offer is always on the table," You Ruo said. She glanced at Wu Pianpian, and then her figure flickered and vanished.

SMACK!

Ning Xuan slapped Wu Pianpian, stunning her.

"You jerk, where are you hitting..."

Before she could erupt, Ning Xuan had already rolled up his sleeve to show Qian Yourong, tattling.

"You two should be thinking about how to get the Xuan Ge!" Qian Yourong said, annoyed.

Wu Pianpian was unconcerned. "Isn't that what this little hooligan is for?"

"You've crippled my arm! I'd say the Xuan Ge is out of the question now!" Ning Xuan huffed.

Qian Yourong knew what Ning Xuan was implying. "Ning Xuan, you need to find a safe place for us," she said immediately.

Ning Xuan's horseplay with Wu Pianpian was all for her sake. The worry in her eyes moments ago had surely been noticed by him. Realizing she was only holding them back and couldn't help at all, Qian Yourong also made up her mind.

"Alright then. When the time comes, you'll have to make do with staying in here," Ning Xuan said, not feigning politeness now that he saw Qian Yourong's resolve.

He would leave the Heavenly Sacrifice Cauldron to protect the women. With it, even if they were discovered by the most powerful experts, they would be safe for a time.

"No! You have to take it!" Qian Yourong immediately disagreed.

You Ruo's power has grown so immense, yet she still has to hide. If Ning Xuan goes without his weapon and something happens, I'll never forgive myself.

"Yourong, you don't trust my abilities, do you? Go ask Cheng Dabao. When we first met, would she have ever found me if not for Ye Qingqing? I didn't even have the Heavenly Sacrifice Cauldron back then," Ning Xuan said with a confident smile. He was like a completely different person from the one who had been so cautious in front of You Ruo moments before.

Qian Yourong was about to say more, but Ning Xuan cut her off. "That's enough. Either I leave the Heavenly Sacrifice Cauldron, or I take you all with me!"

In the end, Qian Yourong compromised, and Ning Xuan soon found a hiding place for them.

"Eldest Martial Brother, you're the strongest, so you need to stay and protect them!"

Just as Wu Pianpian was excitedly getting ready to follow, Ning Xuan's words made her frantic. "No! Isn't the Xuan Ge supposed to be mine? I have to go!"

"Didn't I promise to give it to you as a gift? Since it's a gift from me, what sense does it make for you to go fight for it?"

Wu Pianpian was stumped by his words and didn't know how to respond. By the time the dumbstruck girl came to her senses, Ning Xuan was long gone.

Wu Pianpian stomped her foot, ready to give chase, but Qian Yourong pulled her back.

"Pianpian, stop being so willful!"

Wu Pianpian was about to argue, but when she turned and saw the look on Qian Yourong's face, she immediately backed down.

"You rotten junior brother! You'd better bring back that Xuan Ge for me, or I'll make you pay!" Wu Pianpian muttered as she stomped back.

「Elsewhere.」

Ning Xuan ran wildly for over thirty miles, yet he didn't see a single soul. However, he periodically saw corpses that had been sliced in two. Clearly, this was Cheng Dabao's handiwork.

Damn, how did this little girl become such a killing maniac? Something is definitely off! Ning Xuan thought, growing more vigilant.

His nostrils twitched, and he landed on the ground. He couldn't smell any trace of blood in the air! That wasn't normal.

After landing, he examined the corpses, but at first, he didn't notice anything unusual. It wasn't until he saw a corpse whose upper torso was hanging upside down from a massive rock, with no blood dripping from its head, that his sharp senses told him something was wrong.

He took a closer look.

Good heavens.

The blood was actually flowing backward! It trickled down the boulder below and vanished directly into the earth!

A thought struck Ning Xuan, and he began turning over the other corpses. Without exception, the blood had completely dried up wherever the bodies touched the ground!

Immediately, Ning Xuan formed a bold hypothesis. Something beneath the ground is devouring blood essence! It might even be the Xuan Ge itself! And Cheng Dabao's newfound bloodlust is likely its doing, a result of its covert influence!

"I'll be able to confirm this for sure once I find You Ruo," Ning Xuan murmured before vanishing on the spot.

You Ruo had also killed quite a few people earlier. Seeing her current state and asking a few questions should yield some results.

This time, it didn't take long for Ning Xuan to sense a fluctuation ahead. By the time he arrived, he saw You Ruo killing two more people.

WHOOSH!

The moment Ning Xuan got close, a peerless beam of light tore through the sky, slashing toward him. He had just dodged it when You Ruo let out a low growl and attacked again.

This time, Ning Xuan saw clearly: You Ruo's eyes were blood-red! It seems my suspicions were mostly correct!

"Wake up!" Ning Xuan roared.

You Ruo's delicate body froze for a second, but instead of coming to her senses, her aura grew even more ferocious. With a howl, her fingers erupted with a sharp light as she charged toward Ning Xuan, clawing wildly.

WHOOSH!

But Ning Xuan was faster. While You Ruo was still searching for his position, Ning Xuan had already appeared behind her. He struck out with both palms, unleashing his Bloodline Power. The malevolent aura surrounding You Ruo was instantly dispelled.

"What are you doing?!" You Ruo demanded, sensing the remaining energy after a moment of stunned confusion.

"I just saved you, and your first reaction is to question me? That really hurts, you know... ahem..." Ning Xuan said.

You Ruo turned and saw Ning Xuan's limbs were covered in blood!

She was startled. "What happened to you?" she asked quickly.

"I was about to ask you the same thing! When I got here, your eyes were blood-red, and you attacked me on sight. I was careless for a moment, and you pierced all four of my limbs!" Ning Xuan's expression was one of pure indignation.

You Ruo instinctively moved to check his wounds, but Ning Xuan backed away, his eyes full of wariness. "Don't move! Don't you try anything!"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me... Oh, right, this is for healing. It's very effective. I usually can't bear to use it myself!"

Ning Xuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately beckoned.