It seemed they knew what they were thinking, Gu Diao emitted a sky-piercing cry that made one's teeth sour. With a wave of its wings, it attempted to flee, knowing it was fighting alone and would suffer, it decided to avoid the brunt temporarily.
Chu Lei would not let it escape, raising his hand, a row of sharp hidden weapons flashing blue light silently flew out. With their way blocked by this move, the three had already gained time, each controlling their swords to fly up, surrounding it from three sides, cutting off its escape route.
Zhong Minyan and Yu Sifeng hid at the cave entrance and looked up, but they could hardly see what techniques were used! Firstly, it was dark, and secondly, the movements were too fast, only seeing the sword lights flickering everywhere, surrounding Gu Diao completely. Although it was not injured temporarily, they had also made it impossible for it to escape.
"I didn't expect this Gu Diao to be so formidable!" It was Zhong Minyan's first time seeing a Great Demon, and he couldn't help exclaiming, "What if we can't catch it?"
Yu Sifeng, watching the three's actions attentively, said slowly, "No. We definitely can, catch it!"
As his voice fell, only to hear Chu Yinghong shout sharply, "Hit!", her sword striking right into the left eye of Gu Diao, splashing her with black blood, both stinking and scalding. The Gu Diao, in pain, roared fiercely, its cries shocking, almost like thunder exploding from the ground. Those two huge wings fiercely swept, and its body suddenly shot up several meters, turning around to fly away.
Chu Lei didn't wait for it to escape, immediately threw out the demon-binding rope, entangling its claws, the three pulled together forcefully downwards. However, they couldn't overcome its struggling force, nearly being dragged from their swords.
Zhong Minyan exclaimed, drawing his sword and moving forward to help, but Yu Sifeng was faster, with a flick of his blue robe, he was already on his sword. With a light tap of his toe on the sword, he seemed weightless, floating lightly up!
He spread his sleeves, and from within flew out another sword, tapped lightly by him, flying even higher.
Zhong Minyan watched agape as he tossed out five or six swords from his sleeves, climbing up effortlessly. The three combating Gu Diao suddenly saw him, all stunned. Chu Yinghong, worried, hurriedly said, "What are you doing up here? Go back quickly!"
Yu Sifeng didn't speak, his sleeves gathering, suddenly scattering a large amount of white powder, fluffy and like falling snow.
The three and the Gu Diao were all caught off guard, covered in it. Chu Yinghong reacted fastest, wiping her shoulder and lightly tasted it on her tongue: it was salt!
Clever boy! All three were overjoyed.
Indeed, the Gu Diao, its eyes sprinkled with salt, couldn't help but cry out in pain. One eye was blinded, and the other was injured by the salt, instantly becoming blind though it was open. Its wings lost direction suddenly, and it plummeted from the sky.
"Stop it!" Dongfang Qingqi shouted loudly, his sword suddenly elongating, plunging into the soft, unguarded belly of the Gu Diao. Just as he was about to cheer loudly, unexpectedly the Gu Diao struggled wildly, lowering its body and darting around as if trying to find a place to hide in the woods.
Its claws were still tied with demon-binding ropes, the ropes split into three branches, each tied to the waists of Chu Lei's group. The injured demon beast, with its violent dashing force, was extremely terrifying, and despite the group's full strength, they could barely hold it, now up in the air, now plunging to the ground, their feet's swords long gone, being dragged until they were dizzy.
Seeing the situation worsening, Chu Lei was about to cut the demon-binding ropes with his sword when he heard Chu Yinghong cry out in alarm. It turned out her inner strength was insufficient, and after enduring for so long, she suddenly couldn't hold on any longer. Yanked brutally by the Gu Diao, she fell harshly on the thorny ground, half her body bleeding profusely.
Dongfang Qingqi, reaching out to help her, was swept fiercely by the Gu Diao's wing, flying sideways, crashing against the cave's stone wall with a thud, immediately going silent, not knowing if he was dead or alive.
Seeing two of them injured in a blink of an eye, Chu Lei inwardly cursed, not daring to be careless, quickly waving his hand to cut the three demon-binding ropes, first pulling Chu Yinghong out from the thorny ground to inspect her injuries. Fortunately, the thorns were not poisonous, and although half her body continued to bleed, it was just superficial wounds, not too serious.
"Where's the Gu Diao?" Chu Yinghong asked weakly, while grimacing in pain as she pulled out a barb from her shoulder.
Chu Lei shook his head, "Today, I'm afraid we can't capture it. We hadn't expected it to be such an almost enlightened old demon. Being unprepared, we'll have to wait for next time."
Chu Yinghong sighed, "At least… it's two claws are ruined… Sect Leader doesn't need to worry about me, go find its lair quickly. It has been heavily injured now, certainly not as powerful as before."
Just as Chu Lei was about to speak, suddenly inside the cave Zhong Minyan's cry of alarm was heard, both of them hurriedly turned around, only to see that blood-soaked Gu Diao headed straight for the cave!
Xuanji was still inside the cave! Everyone was greatly alarmed, Chu Yinghong gathered her breath and tried to get up, but she paled in pain. Chu Lei held her down, "Rest for a moment, take care of Qingqi. I'll go!"
His movements were like lightning, darting toward the cave entrance, but he didn't see Zhong Minyan and Yu Sifeng. These two foolish youngsters, probably in a panic, had taken Xuanji and run further inside. This was only worse! The cave was narrow, not suitable for maneuvering, if the maddened Gu Diao caught up with them, the three were doomed to a dead end!
His heart was burning with urgency, and he immediately rushed into the cave.
When the Gu Diao flew into the cave just now, Zhong Minyan was so anxious that his hair stood on end. He was about to impulsively draw his sword but feared he might hurt Xuanji lying beside him; if he attempted to escape, the massive Gu Diao was blocking the entrance, leaving no way out.
At that critical moment, a bluish shadow flashed before his eyes. Yu Sifeng leaped past, scooped up Xuanji, slung her onto his back, and turned to shout, "What are you dazed for? Run!"
He snapped back to his senses and, no longer caring about anything else, both of them started sprinting deeper into the cave.
The Gu Diao, blind, could not see the path ahead but could smell the scent of blood on Xuanji. To it, the scent was like the most exquisite delicacy, which invigorated it. Flapping its massive wings twice, it closely followed them, catching up quickly.
"It's catching up!" Zhong Minyan turned his head and saw the Gu Diao was less than thirty feet away, which scared him to the core.
"What are you yelling for! Useless thing!" Yu Sifeng angrily said, "This way!" He suddenly turned; there was a small fork within the cave where the Gu Diao's wings could not spread. If it wanted to eat them, it would have to come inside, giving them more time to escape.
Chastened by his shout, Zhong Minyan felt both guilty and ashamed, and on impulse, he drew his sword and said firmly, "You guys go ahead! I must kill this flat-haired beast today!"
With that, he leaped forward, gripping the most common Kongming Sword Technique of Shaoyang Peak, turned on his feet, swung his wrist, and thrust smoothly. But in real combat, who would wait for him to complete his sword technique and pose properly? Hearing the sword's swish, the Gu Diao screeched long and dove down fiercely with its talons like iron hooks.
Zhong Minyan never expected it to move so fast. He barely managed to dodge awkwardly; however, his chest clothing was already slit by the cutting wind, causing a slight sting on his skin. Clenching his teeth, he forcefully executed the second sword technique, stabbing obliquely at the Gu Diao's abdomen.
Seeing his reckless attack, Yu Sifeng urgently shouted, "Don't fight it! Come here!"
Before he finished speaking, the Gu Diao spread its wings, conjuring a whirlwind in the cave, sending stones flying. Zhong Minyan's sword move was only half completed when a flying stone knocked the sword from his hand. An array of stones pelted down at him, and even though he tried dodging, several hit him, and blood streamed down his head.
He then realized that he was not at a level to handle such a demon beast and was about to dash into the side path when a sharp wind at the back of his ear signaled the Gu Diao's talons attacking.
In that instant, it was truly a flash of lightning and a matter of life and death. Zhong Minyan watched wide-eyed as the talons with backward-facing hooks lunged at him; each dark, shiny hook was thicker than his arm.
Was today the day he would die?
With no time to think further, he felt someone fiercely tug his arm, uncontrollably pulling him sideward in midair. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a bluish shadow—Yu Sifeng!
He didn't know when two short swords had appeared in his hand, gleaming brightly. Rushing in front of Zhong Minyan, he stretched out both arms, drawing a steady circle. With a snap, one of the Gu Diao's talons was harshly chopped off, and the two short swords also broke off.
This old bird, such tough claws!
Taking advantage of the Gu Diao's pained howl, Yu Sifeng turned and shouted harshly, "What are you waiting for? Take her and go in!"
This time, after being shouted at by him, Zhong Minyan readily complied, no longer daring to hesitate or show off. He swiftly moved into the side path and placed Xuanji at the innermost part.
He was about to turn back to help when he heard Yu Sifeng grunt. A brush from the Gu Diao's wing sent him flying backward, and along with his falling body, a fierce Shura mask also fell.
His mask had come off!
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I'll update another chapter tonight~~
My dears~~come take a look~~~continuing the passionate call for Siberian hula dance~~