1623 Stepping on Blood, Barefooted
All of a sudden, Nikai ascended into the air.
Xia Fan had seen plenty of people who possessed the Flight special ability, but never had he seen someone who could fly as gorgeously and elegantly as she did, almost like a beautiful full moon rising in the sky, giving off a soft and mystical glow.
The ugly Demonic Demi-dragons surrounded Nikai, thirsting for her blood. Meanwhile, the beautiful and svelte figure of a woman with skin as pale as a baby’s flew out in an arc, using her little knife to cut her own wrist.
Blood drops slid down her body like silk, every drop mesmerizing.
The Demi-dragons went crazy. They let out their roars in unison, baring their fangs and claws at Nikai, eager to swallow this lady alive.
“What are you doing!?!” Xia Fan yelled. Nikai was flying higher and higher, rising past the height which Xia Fan could leap to. She was already surrounded by the creatures, and Xia Fan had no way of saving her.
“Thank you for taking care of me all the way,” Nikai raised her head, exposing her white, swan-like neck. But her voice was resolute. “Aside from father, there has not been another man who I could trust with such complete faith. As long as you were by my side, no matter how dangerous it was, I would always feel at ease. That was because I know you’re very smart, and that you’d always find a solution, never abandoning me.
“But this time is different. We’re already surrounded and backed into a corner, falling for the enemy’s trap. These Demonic Demi-dragons have an utter lack of self-preservation, so we’ll both just end up dying if we carry on like this.
“During this period of time, you’ve saved me plenty of times, and as a descendant of the Demon Slayer Clan, I refuse to be a burden to you anymore. Quick, run! Flee while I can still draw their attention toward me!”
Nikai’s virtuous words were awe-inspiring, sounding like a heroine who was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Unfortunately, Xia Fan did not agree with her.
Xia Fan accelerated in an instant, transforming into a beam of light. He stepped onto a rock wall, and went up the near vertical incline like a gecko. When he got near a certain height, strength flowed into his two legs like a pair of powerful engines. Full horsepower!
*Whoosh*
Xia Fan went sailing through the air like a rocket, the sword in his hand a blur as he rained a series of cuts through the pack of Demi-dragons, carving out a bloody path. He made his way to Nikai’s side after a moment, grabbing her with his right hand as he wedged her under his arm.
Not good. Before Nikai could even get far, she ended up being caught by Xia Fan again. She was like Sun Wukong, forever unable to escape the palm of Buddha!
“Trying to bully me just because I can’t fly?” Xia Fan smirked. “Don’t forget that I’m much faster than you. It’s not gonna be that easy running away from me.”
How depressing…
Nikai realized that not only did she fail to get away, she had no idea when Xia Fan had managed to bandage her wrist with a thick layer of gauze to stem the bleeding.
But she felt a warmth while being held under Xia Fan’s armpit, protected. His gaze very clearly said, ‘Do you think you can run? It’s not your turn to be the hero as long as I’m still standing.’
*thud*
Xia Fan accelerated once more the moment he landed back on the ground with Nikai. Cutting an oblique path, they ran far away from the frenzied Demi-dragons.
Yggdragon blood was injected into his body, and the energy levels in his body surged, turning Xia Fan’s pupils blood red.
*Crunch*
Xia Fan crushed a Grade Nine Energy Crystal and absorbed it. He did not devour it, but rather used a more brutal method of turning the solid into molecules so that it could be melted into his bloodstream directly, spreading to every pore of his body.
“My clan was never in the habit of abandoning our comrade-in-arms,” Xia Fan said. “And you’re making things difficult for me. When it comes to being partners, the most important aspect is the desire to work together. You are not like Traveling Buddha in this detail. While Traveling Buddha has a strange personality, I’ve always allowed him to do whatever he wanted ever since we started being partners.
“But you enjoy being the heroine for no reason. While it is admirable, I still feel that we ought to work together. Follow me and listen to my commands, and don’t just spread your wings and fly however you want. It’s really hard on me to chase after you like this.”
“You’re injured!”
Nikai grabbed Xia Fan’s right arm. A Demi-dragon had managed to scratch Xia Fan’s arm during his reckless gambit to snatch Nikai out from mid-air. Although he had sprayed some clotting agent on it, it still looked rather gruesome since the wound was deep enough to show bone.
“I’m fine,” Xia Fan merely glanced at his injury. “It’s a battle, how could I be unscathed?
“Do you remember what I just told you? Since we’re partners, we have to cooperate to the best of our abilities, both you and me. Don’t be a hero today. We want to survive, so we can watch a movie, drink beer, and enjoy fried chicken together in the future.”
Future…
Nikai nodded firmly, “I understand now. I’ll heed your words. We’ll survive and eat fried chicken together. You can drink the beer, and I’ll just pour you a glass.
This sounded like it was a promise, but Xia Fan did not register her words. He merely shrugged, “Okay, then that’s decided. Right now, unfurl your wings so we can charge out from this accursed place.”
*Whoosh*
Xia Fan charged out at full speed, dashing left and right in the devil’s nest.
He suddenly appeared on the left side, then miraculously leaped to the right in the blink of an eye. He was able to demonstrate this mild misdirection strategy to its fullest thanks to his superior speed.
Nikai was holding onto Xia Fan tightly, hugging his firm back with her wings unfurled, protecting Xia Fan’s back and side flanks.
Nikai shut her eyes, almost as if she had accepted fate. Knowing that she had no way of escaping the clutches of this man, all she could do was obediently follow him and listen to his orders. In the future when Xia Fan wished to drink some beer, she would be responsible for pouring it!
Countless black Demi-dragons and their many sharp talons and fangs came clawing for them, forming layers after layers of walls that obstructed their way out.
There was a limit to any power, and while Xia Fan could kill thousands with his speed alone, he was currently surrounded by over a million Demi-dragons. It was like dropping someone right in the middle of an ocean, such that endless seawater stretched out in every direction no matter where they looked.
—
An hour passed. Xia Fan was now covered in his own blood, which oozed out from fresh wounds. Nikai’s wings were no longer as radiant and spectacular as before, dimming to the point they were but a shadow of their glorious selves. Though there were plenty of Demi-dragon corpses littering the ground, it was still not enough.
“I’m already at my limit,” Xia Fan could not help but admit. “Sorry. I’m still unable to get you out of here, so I’m afraid we’ll be dying soon. Guess there’s no way we’ll be sharing some fried chicken and beer after all.”
In his final moment, Xia Fan was actually able to calmly express words about their impending demise. Meanwhile, Nikai did not feel any fear, and simply hugged him even more tightly.
“I know. I don’t blame you. Being able to die in battle with you is good,” Nikai replied feebly.
It was a touching scene, but all of a sudden, just as the two were at the end of their ropes, they saw the long-awaited light at the end of the tunnel.
The light appeared from afar, and instantly washed the dark cavern with light.
The Demi-dragons let out cries of anguish as they quickly retreated to the darkness. It was almost as if they were afraid of this light, a glaring display that would further rot their decaying bodies, destroying them upon exposure.
But this light was not harmful to either Xia Fan or Nikai. In fact, the two even felt that this light was filled with warmth and hope.
A skinny little girl came strolling over, barefoot. Her feet stepped on the sharp rocks, over the fresh blood that came from the dead Demi-dragons, as she slowly closed in on Nikai and Xia Fan with every step. Nearby, the Demi-dragons were howling, fleeing in every direction. It was almost as if this light contained some sort of divinity.
Arriving by Xia Fan’s side, a barefooted young woman dressed in her pajamas took Xia Fan’s hand and led him toward the exit.
The Demi-dragons gathered at a distance, letting out a series of roars, yet none dared to come near the young woman. They could only watch, drooling, as their prey got further and further away from them.
“Le Jiajia? How are you here?” Xia Fan exclaimed the moment he saw her face.