Chapter 137: The Dragon Slayer Becomes a Dragon Knight; Where Has Aunt Gone?
"Who is this young man? Such speed!"
"And such power!"
Zhao Zhijing, who had been hiding nearby, intending to play the mantis stalking the cicada, couldn't help but suck in a cold breath. Though his focus had been on Yin Zhiping, he hadn't even noticed how Zhou Yi had arrived.
But he had seen Zhou Yi strike.
One word: fast.
Two words: swift and fierce.
Yin Zhiping didn't even have time to react before he was struck by a single palm, left in a state of life or death unknown.
Even if Yin Zhiping had been prepared, his guilt and lack of readiness notwithstanding, he still wouldn't have stood a chance.
Zhao Zhijing knew he and Yin Zhiping were evenly matched, perhaps marginally stronger, but clearly not by enough to face Zhou Yi.
He held his breath, daring not to move an inch, though his eyes brimmed with curiosity.
"Hmmph!"
Suddenly, Zhao Zhijing's head throbbed, and his consciousness plunged into darkness.
With Zhou Yi's strength, he had long since noticed Zhao Zhijing spying nearby. A single glance was enough to obliterate Zhao Zhijing's awareness, as effortlessly as squashing an ant.
Paying him no more attention, Zhou Yi turned to approach Xiao Longnu.
Under the moonlight, she was a flawless beauty, a score of ninety-nine out of a hundred.
Her pale complexion, tinged with an almost sickly fragility, only accentuated her ethereal elegance. Despite the moonlight bathing her like a radiant glow, her face remained devoid of color, adding to her otherworldly charm.
The world often describes beauty as akin to a celestial maiden descending to earth. While no one can truly define how such heavenly beauty appears, upon seeing Xiao Longnu, these words naturally sprang to mind.
"She truly is a peerless beauty."
Zhou Yi gently wrapped his arm around Xiao Longnu's soft waist, lifting her delicate form from where she lay weakly on the ground. He unlocked part of her acupuncture points with a light touch.
"Thank you."
Draped in a thin, white robe, Xiao Longnu appeared as if shrouded in mist. Apart from her jet-black hair, her entire being was snow-white, pure and exquisite. Her voice was soft, cold, and ethereal.
"I must trouble you, young master, to unlock the remaining points," she said, gazing at Zhou Yi with her serene, liquid eyes.
Though Zhou Yi's appearance was like that of an immortal descending into the mortal world, Xiao Longnu, having grown up in the Ancient Tomb Sect practicing the Jade Maiden Arts, wasn't intrigued.
This was because the sect's teachings emphasized twelve abstinences and twelve excesses for cultivating tranquility and vitality.
The twelve abstinences included avoiding excessive thought, desire, joy, and anger.
While practicing these disciplines, Xiao Longnu had become as emotionally distant as a wooden doll, remaining calm even in the face of her caretaker Granny Sun's death.
Thus, even though Zhou Yi appeared otherworldly, Xiao Longnu harbored no curiosity, nor did she overthink matters.
"This Jade Maiden Art truly does more harm than good," Zhou Yi mused with a faint smile as he studied her.
Then, he declared without preamble:
"I have long admired Lady Long. Would you be willing to leave with me and become my wife?"
Directness suited Xiao Longnu, whose isolated upbringing left her unfamiliar with the intricacies of wordplay.
Just as she had once answered King Jinlun's question about what to do if she lost a fight—"If I lose, then I lose. What of it?"—she now replied plainly:
"I don't know you, nor do I like you. Why would I follow you and become your wife?"
Zhou Yi paused.
"Then how about this?"
He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.
As someone who had cultivated the Jade Maiden Art, Xiao Longnu was akin to an unyielding block of ice. Winning her heart through conventional means was as arduous as ascending to the heavens. Breaking her cultivation and reaching her emotionally required the most direct approach.
"Mm!"
Xiao Longnu's eyes widened. Though her cultivation suppressed human emotions, she was still a young girl. Her pale skin, usually devoid of color, flushed a deep crimson, her delicate face burning with a mixture of shame and anger.
"Let me go…"
Zhou Yi, experienced and decisive, wasn't deterred by her protests. His mastery of myriad martial arts, including techniques like Lingxi Finger and the peculiar Twin-Finger Tunneling Technique, left Xiao Longnu defenseless.
In the distance, Yang Guo and Ouyang Feng were engrossed in practicing Frog Art techniques.
As Yang Guo achieved initial mastery, Ouyang Feng beamed with pride, preparing to impart more advanced skills, including the ultimate Nine Yin Manual.
Meanwhile, Yin Zhiping awoke from unconsciousness, his entire body wracked with pain as if every bone had shattered.
Memories of his defeat flooded back: the terrifying figure of a young man who had struck him down effortlessly.
"Who was he?"
"What happened to Lady Long?"
Yin Zhiping's heart burned with anger and worry. He struggled to look around, but his injuries rendered even the slightest movement impossible.
"Lady Long…"
In the darkness, the faint sound of Xiao Longnu's voice reached his ears. Despite his impaired vision, he pieced together what had transpired.
"Save…me…" Yin Zhiping choked, blood rising in his throat. Unable to cry out properly, he lay helpless as the night grew still once more.
At long last, Zhou Yi emerged from the shadows, cradling Xiao Longnu. Her tear-streaked face bore a mix of sorrow and resignation.
"Don't worry. I will take good care of you," he murmured, planting a tender kiss on her tear-stained cheek.
With her delicate body trembling in his arms, Zhou Yi carried her toward the entrance.
"Let's go home," he said, disappearing into the night.
Behind them, Yin Zhiping lay motionless, staring blankly at the sky.
Due to his angle of vision, he witnessed something astonishing this time.
Zhou Yi vanished into a shimmering portal in mid-air, carrying Xiao Longnu in his arms.
"Was that an illusion?"
Yin Zhiping's mind swirled with chaotic thoughts. He felt his injuries were so severe that they must have scrambled his senses.
"Aunt!"
Yang Guo, having just finished his martial practice, dashed over quickly.
"Aunt!"
"Huh? Where did Aunt go?"
Yang Guo's expression shifted to confusion.
In the next moment, Yang Guo's body stiffened as his gaze landed on Yin Zhiping not far away.
"It's you!"
Yang Guo leapt forward with a single bound, grabbing Yin Zhiping by the collar. His voice thundered with fury:
"Despicable Daoist, did you people take my Aunt?"
"Where is she? What did you do to her?"
"N-no… it wasn't me… I saw Dragon Girl… she seemed to have been taken by an immortal…"
"Immortal? Nonsense! Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?"
"Aunt!"
Yang Guo roared in rage as he charged toward the Chongyang Palace.
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