Heart Protection

HEART PROTECTION: CHAPTER 88

 Tian Yao had retrieved his dragon heart from Guang Han Sect, but the fight between the front-line demons and the cultivators Su Ying was leading still continued. Su Ying had carved out many demons' neidan. Finally today at dusk, news came. Su Ying got the letter informing that Guang Han Sect had been raided. Only then did she retreat at last and rush through that night to return to her sect.

However with that piece of news the envoy brought was accompanied by another piece of news ----

The nine-tailed fox demon's heir-apparent's daughter, Xian Ge, had been captured by Su Ying in battle.

There was no more news of Xian Ge after that. No one knew if she had been killed or if her neidan had been cut out because no one had seen her corpse. Su Ying also hadn't released a hint of information. She quietly captured Xian Ge. 

The instant Yan Hui heard the news, her first thought was Su Ying definitely knew Tian Yao had taken away Liu Mu Sheng. That's why Su Ying did something like that. It was to check and balance Qing Qiu.

The nine-tailed fox demon princes were too strong to capture. That's why she captured Xian Ge. The nine-tailed fox demons, who placed heavy attachment on bloodlines, definitely wouldn't ignore Xian Ge. 

Su Ying's move wasn't unwise.

When Yan Hui heard the news from Zhu Li, Tian Yao was also there. He glanced at Yan Hui: "Do you want to go save Xian Ge?"

"Yes." Yan Hui firmly affirmed but followed with a shake of her head, "But I can't go." She looked at Tian Yao, "Right now, you can't guarantee you'll win against Su Ying, right?"

Tian Yao silently agreed.

Yan Hui looked at the silently frowning Zhu Li: "The nine-tailed fox demon clan hadn't declared their stance yet, haven't they?"

Zhu Li immediately replied: "I would go rescue her with no thought of the danger, but........" He paused and looked down, "The king hasn't said anything." 

With all said and done, it was as Yan Hui said. The nine-tailed fox demon clan was keeping silent.

Yan Hui said: "As long as Liu Mu Sheng remains in our hands, Su Ying won't dare to do anything toward Xian Ge." She looked down. "The only thing to do now is plan and wait to see what game Su Ying wants to play. We only need to quietly make a move."

Tian Yao didn't make a sound while Yan Hui talked. When she finished, he lightly rapped twice on the tabletop: "You've matured quite a lot. You're not so rash anymore."

Yan Hui smiled, but her expression was a little sour: "If this is maturing, then I would rather the Heavens not give me a chance to mature in this life."

Tian Yao didn't speak again. Yan Hui looked into the distance. In her heart, she knew that since Su Ying captured Xian Ge, there was a good chance Su Ying wanted to exchange Xian Ge for Liu Mu Sheng. For Qing Qiu, Liu Mu Sheng was the check and balance toward Su Ying. However, he might not be as important as one's own family. Xian Ge might be able to come back safe and sound.........maybe.

The moon was shining bright deep in the night. Su Ying stood amide the ruins of the hall at the foot of the mountain.

Ling Fei's corpse was wrapped in white cloth and laid out in front of Su Ying. Su Ying pulled away the cloth around Ling Fei's face. This was the first time she saw Ling Fei's face since returning to the sect. What she was was Ling Fei's face filled with terrible wounds, a pitiful figure, and a chest covered in bloodstains. Her eyes were still open. Su Ying saw Ling Fei's expression was filled with unwillingness and hate.

Cultivator Meng Yu was standing by Su Ying, and she saw Su Ying's fingers which pinched the cloth were slightly trembling. Meng Yun dipped her head in remorse and sorrow: "........At that time when Zhenren Ling Fei entered the hall's barrier, I also wanted to go too. But that dragon demon was guarding the entrance. I couldn't get close........" Meng Yun was sorrowful. "Zhenren.......don't be too sad."

Su Ying was silent for a long time: "Don't be too sad?" She murmured Meng Yun's words with a cold tone.  "I have very little family in my life. My parents passed away early. Su E is my closest relative. I thought cultivating to the highest level would protect her and let her live a peaceful and worry-free life. But now........" Her voice paused. "You actually somehow want me to not be too sad."

"I left Guang Han Sect for a mere few days. Half of the disciples' channels were severely damaged. They may not be able to cultivate again. Mu Sheng was taken away by that dragon demon, unknown if he is alive or dead. And my little sister died with her eyes wide open and a score still unsettled!"

 Towards the end of her words, Su Ying's naturally cold voice started to tremble and rasp. A blizzard raged in the depths of her murderous eyes: "That traitorous Yan Hui, malicious demon dragon, and those demons in Qing Qiu.........." She gritted her teeth. It was like she could cut through bone. "They will pay for blood with blood."

The words had scarcely finished when Meng Yun felt a gale whip around Su Ying and immediately bring Su Ying into the horizon. It drew a pearly white streak in the sky, heading towards Qing Qiu.

Guessing what the furious Su Ying was going to do, Meng Yun chased after her: "Zhenren! Don't be rash!" But the still wounded Meng Yun couldn't catch up. She watched the white streak disappear form her sight. Meng Yun turned back and to Guang Han Sect and immediately summoned a disciple: "Quick! Go to Chen Xing Mountain and ask Daoist Priest Ling Xiao to come! Sect Master is filled with grief and went to Qing Qiu by herself!"

Back at Qing Qiu, Yan Hui couldn't sleep well tonight because of Xian Ge's capture. As her usual practice, she went to the cold spring, and as usual, she saw Tian Yao in his original dragon form soaking in the spring.

Tian Yao's head rested on the bank. He listened to Yan Hui's footsteps from afar come close. He opened one eye when Yan Hui approached and immidately closed it again as always.

The dragon head shifted over. The place where his head had rested was warmed by his own body heat. As per their custom, Yan Hui sat on that warmed spot and propped herself against the dragon head. The chilly autumn air would seep into a person, but Yan Hui didn't feel a hint of cold sitting there.

"Tian Yao."

"Hm."

"If Qing Qiu isn't willing to exchange Liu Mu Sheng for Xian Ge," Yan Hui paused. "Do you think Su Ying will kill Xian Ge?"

"I don't know."

"You said I matured," said Yan Hui. "But when my head empties, I can't help thinking that Su Ying act like how she killed other demons. She'll first kill Xian Ge and then dig out her neidan.........When I think about it, I can barely sit still." Yan Hui took a deep breath and gazed up at the sky. "But even if I can't sit still, I still can't do anything."

Tian Yao was silent.

"I'm not going to think about it. In the end, I still can't think of a solution." Yan Hui patted her head and quietly sat there, looking up at the sky. Suddenly, a question flashed through her mind. She turned and looked at Tian Yao, "Tian Yao."

 Her voice was more serious than usual: "Speaking of, what about your neidan?"

Tian Yao suddenly opened his closed eyes. His dragon head slightly shifted to look at Yan Hui.

"Demons all have neidan. You're not an exception, right?" Yan Hui looked at him. "But then how come I never heard you mention it?"

Tian Yao had no answer.

As they gazed at each other in silence, from the sky suddenly came a frighteningly cold wind. The surrounding's temperature plummeted. In a split second, the vegetation frosted over and withered, just like if winter had suddenly arrived. The animals in the forest rushed around in confusion and wailed. 

Tian Yao, who was still in the cold spring, instantly turned back into a human.

A white light streaked over. Tian Yao severely frowned. There wasn't time for him to say anything before yanking Yan Hui to the side in avoidance. Ice needles pelted down in a heavy stream. Tian Yao could only endure it and create a fire barrier around them to melt the needles. However, it seemed like his magic strength wasn't enough. Only a few moments had passed, yet Tian Yao's fire barrier was becoming thin where the ice needles concentrated its attack.

In some places, even holes started to appear. It was clear to the eye that the barrier was breaking.

Tian Yao's figure flashed and immediately hugged Yan Hui in his arms. Using his body as a shield, Tian Yao blocked the ice needles with his back.

Tian Yao's embrace was weak and thin like before. His arms had strength, and his chest had broadened. In his arms was a scalding warmth. Protected in his arms, Yan Hui actually forgot all for a moment.

It wasn't that she didn't know the situation. She knew the ice needles were coming down hard and fast. That's why she knew that even though Tian Yao had retrieved all his body parts, he was still using his life to protect her.

All of the ice needles turned into water three inches away from Tian Yao's back. They pattered onto the ground. Surprisingly, none of the needles had pierced his back.

The white light in the horizon had already fallen. Standing in the dense underbrush of the forest, Su Ying looked at the two people who seemed to be wrapped in an embrace. Her expression was like frost. When she saw that the ice needles hadn't hurt the two, her hands moved without stop. More magic was sent through the air; dense clouds gathered in the sky. Thunder roared with earth-shaking strength like it had come from the highest level of The Heavens.

It fiercely struck down upon Tian Yao and Yan Hui.

Tian Yao gathered his magic and focused it all upon protecting Yan Hui. He didn't expect that after the earth-shaking thunder, there wouldn't even be a moment to catch their breath. Fiercely coming down upon them was an icy jian with a eye-splitting glare

Tian Yao was forced to release Yan Hui.

Su Ying hadn't blinked once. With a flash of her figure, she struck at Yan Hui with a jian. Her intent was to cleave Yan Hui in two.

However right before the jian's tip reached Yan Hui, there was a dragon's roar. The azure dragon's tail suddenly swept over and struck Su Ying's body. She took a heavy hit.

The force of the blow sent Su Ying flying into the trees. Many trees were broken from the force of her flight.

An enormous azure dragon was protecting Yan Hui.

The forest fell back into quiet. A seemingly unharmed Su Ying stood there in the moonlight-bathed destruction. Her expression was cold, and her eyes promised murder. She looked like a xian cultivator who had descended from the Heavens to kill demons and rid the world of evil. It was a cold sight that froze the breath in one's lungs.

The two sides stood in confrontation.

With those few attacks, Yan Hui already understood the situation. For Su Ying, those attacks didn't amount to much. However for Tian Yao, he was forced back to his original form.

It was painfully obvious. The current Tian Yao was not a well-matched opponent for Su Ying.

"Dragon demon Tian Yao." The meter-long jian in Su Ying's hand rose. "With your current strength, don't even think you can stop me from killing the one who killed my family."

However even thought the situation was like this, Tian Yao wasn't panicked. He just wrapped Yan Hui within his tail for protection. He looked at Su Ying and said with a deep voice, "Once within Qing Qiu's borders, who cares if you're Guang Han Sect's master?"

With those words, demon fire lit up in the surroundings. Within in a few moments, all the princes of the nine-tailed fox demon clan appeared. Power of a nine-tailed fox demon pressed down from the sky. It awed and intimidated those present.

Yan Hui looked up. The Qing Qiu King himself had actually come.

She turned to look at the solitary Su Ying who was surrounded by demons. Su Ying's expression was as cold as always.

Yan Hui suddenly had a stray thought about what kind of person Su Ying was. Yan Hui had never thought that Su Ying would be so angered by Ling Fei's death that she would charge in alone into Qing Qiu. But now thinking about it, Yan Hui understood.

This was a person who, in order to save the one she loved, enticed Tian Yao and then tore open his muscles and tendons and peeled his bones. This was a person who, in order to obtain the heart of the one she loved, committed all manner of crimes. She did all she could for the one she loved but never once thought about what the one she loved wanted.

She loved so selfishly and fanatically. She cultivated ice and snow magic. However, her own heart was like purgatory lava. For her own love, she would destroy the world.

This kind of person was the most terrifying but also the most lamentable.