Shen Li was anxious to chase after him but the fallen man from earlier blocked her path. His eyes were full of cold malice as he roared, "Prepare to die!"
He only spoke those three words before Shen Li sliced his eyes with her spear. She hurriedly leapt away from him towards Fu Sheng; she wanted to capture him no matter what. Unperturbed, Fu Sheng calmly waved his sleeve in her direction.
Shen Li didn't notice anything amiss at first, but a few seconds later her vision turned black and her body froze up. She toppled over.
The last temple man jumped over to Shen Li and proceeded to pummel her abdomen with both fists, as if he was trying to shatter her internal organs. Done with that he lifted her up by the neck, trying to choke her to death. Before they had been on the ground amidst the debris.
Shen Li stared after Fu Sheng's back as he gradually disappeared from sight. A sense of powerlessness came over her as she endured the attack. Despite her high tolerance for pain, blood gurgled out of her mouth and poured down the front of her, dying the hands of the temple man red.
"This…what's going on here?" An extremely cold voice sounded from the hall's entrance.
The temple man turned and saw a figure in white standing by the entrance. He roared and used Shen Li as a weapon, hurling her at the newcomer.
Shen Li had no control over her body, but she suffered no injuries despite the throw. It was as if a hand was supporting her back, twisting the momentum away from her as she spun towards the entrance. By the time she could see clearly again, she had already settled into Xing Zhi's embrace.
Shen Li had a strange thought when she saw Xing Zhi's bloodstained clothes. She was constantly staining his clothes wasn't she? Fortunately she wouldn't have to help wash them this time. Wasn't it more troublesome than slaughtering the yao shou?
"How many injuries did you receive?" His tone was low, filled with an anger Shen Li had never heard before.
Shen Li shook her head. "The man behind it… escaped."
Xing Zhi persisted. "How many injuries?"
Shen Li didn't answer, not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't. She wanted to tell him her injury wasn't life threatening, that it was more important he not miss this opportunity to chase after the mastermind. The reputation of the Demon realm and the demon emperor rested on this. She didn't want her home to be maligned.
Xing Zhi held her wrist to read her pulse.
As if to proclaim his presence, the temple man roared while rus.h.i.+ng to them. The added noise from his large body trampling over the ground only made it harder for Xing Zhi to read Shen Li's weak pulse. Xing Zhi glanced over at the temple man, and with an expression as cold as ice yelled, "Get lost!"
All movement immediately ceased. The once fluttering dust particles stopped moving and dangled in place. Meanwhile the temple man was completely frozen, locked in mid-stride. It was like time had stopped in ice.
Witnessing the power of the words nearly made Shen Li nearly pa.s.s out. She stared distractedly at the high G.o.d in front of her. She understood now how powerful a spell when uttered from Xing Zhi's lips could be.
He went back to listening to her pulse. It was so quiet that Shen Li could hear her own weak but accelerating heartbeat, however she chose to ignore both it and Xing Zhi, not giving a voice to the subtle change. [that change is the pitter patter of someone's heart going doki doki over a certain someone.]
Xing Zhi failed to pick up on it. All he could tell was that something was wrong with her body. Frowning he said, "You've been poisoned."
Shen Li could see her reflection in his eyes. Her mouth was severely bruised and her face was deathly pale. In a weak voice she said, "Poison can't hurt me. The mastermind…"
Shen Li had barely finished speaking when the sounds of chanting rang out in the room. It started softly but then rose in pitch. The volume made Shen Li's head ache and she involuntarily clenched her teeth.
Xing Zhi could see something was wrong from her expression. He asked anxiously "What is it?"
"Sounds."
Xing Zhi's expression turned cold. It was obvious whatever it was, it was only targeting Shen Li.
Suddenly a noise came from behind them. Turning around, Xing Zhi saw a man with a partially sliced head crawl out from the rubble of bricks. A second man, the one Shen Li had smashed to death, fell from the crater in the wall. Both men were covered in blood. They ignored Xing Zhi's presence, acting as though he wasn't there, like they were obeying someone's command.
Shen Li's fingers tightened, flexing unconsciously, when she saw them. She attempted to get up but was held in place by Xing Zhi. Pressing her down by the shoulders he spoke in a cold and severe voice. "Do you no longer wish to live?"
Shen Li twisted her mouth at his words. "It's because I wish to live that I must rise and fight."
Xing Zhi pursed his lips. A feeling he couldn't keep in check floated up from the bottom-most part of his heart. He didn't bother turning his head, but instead simply drew five-point configuration. A loud sound, like the roar of the early morning erupted. The previously smoggy air cleared up as extremely clean, pure air flowed from Xing Zhi's body. Bright light shot out and burned everything around them to ashes.
"I will keep you alive."
A muddled-headed and confused Shen Li felt a murmur rise in her heart. these hearts are working overtime today aren't they? She couldn't resist muttering before pa.s.sing out, "Before… Xing Zhi there wasn't anyone."
Xing Zhi's grip on Shen Li's shoulders tightened as he gazed at her. It was hard to gauge his mood from his dark eyes.
