148 – Breaking out of Encirclement
The torrent of water gradually subsided.
The unconscious Chihen was washed away to parts unknown along with several Iron Armor Oxen.
Qi Qiqi looked back and saw a faintly discernible water-colored pattern and afterglow not far away.
High-density water qi remains shimmer faintly in the air like fireflies. Amid this scene, Shui Yun’er is sitting on the ground, and she is gasping heavily.
It seems that the water spell just now has put a heavy burden on her.
She worked hard… If Shui Yun’er hasn’t done her best to cast the spell just now, Qi Qiqi would not have been able to easily defeated Chihen.
Qi Qiqi leaped up lightly and landed beside Shui Yun’er.
“Little Sister Shui, are you okay?”
Qi Qiqi asked with concern as she supported Shui Yun’er to stand up.
Weakened, it took Shui Yun’er some effort to get up, unsteady.
“I’m okay, just a little dizzy…”
Shui Yun’er, whose forehead is covered with beads of perspiration, answered with a smile. Her smile appears a bit forced.
“It was hard on you…”
Qi Qiqi sighed apologetically.
Shui Yun’er smiled and said, “Don’t mention it.”
The other people from Merak Temple are still fighting the Iron Armor Ox herd. Scoldings, roars, and the sounds of metal striking metal are ringing in Qi Qiqi’s ears.
Having said that, if Merak Temple’s Young Ancestor hadn’t stopped the charge of the Iron Armor Ox herd in a timely manner, the disciples might have already been engulfed by the torrent of iron armor, and the current chaotic battle scene would not have taken place. Of course, if Xue Qilin wasn’t tied down by Xihe, who appeared later, and was able to continue with her attacks, Merak Temple’s people wouldn’t have been surrounded by the Iron Armor Oxen and wouldn’t have been caught in this chaotic battle scene.
Now that Chihen lost, the martial demon side has no way to stop Merak Temple from breaking out of the encirclement. Seriously lacking in terms of Human Realm and higher realm combat power, they are suppressing Merak Temple’s people purely with numbers.
But Merak Temple has two Earth Realm experts Qi Qiqi and Xia Xue. With this overwhelming combat power, it is enough to make a breach in the encirclement.
In other words, the original deadlock will collapse any time now.
Of course, Qi Qiqi also has plans to break out of the encirclement.
She looked around and searched for Xia Xue’s figure on the chaotic battlefield. Soon she saw Xia Xue, who is constantly changing her position thanks to her agility technique and using guerrilla tactics to tie down a dozen plus Iron Armor Oxen.
With her gaze remaining focused on Xia Xue, Qi Qiqi leaning her head towards Shui Yun’er and asked “Little Sister Shui, can you stand on your own?”
“… I can.”
Shui Yun’er nodded.
However, when Qi Qiqi let go of her, Shui Yun’er started rocking.
“Hey, be careful!”
Qi Qiqi supported Shui Yun’er the moment before the latter fell.
“If you can’t do it, just say so! Don’t force yourself! What if you get hurt!”
Qi Qiqi discovered that Shui Yun’er’s legs are shaking, then wrinkled her eyebrows and reprimanded the other party.
“The way you put it, Big Sister Qi, it seems like it’s really grave… but it looks like I was indeed a bit reckless.”
Shui Yun’er smiled wryly.
“It’s good that you’re aware of it!”
The look of criticism suddenly faded from Qi Qiqi’s eyes, and her face became gloomy.
“But I also have to take some responsibility… if I was a bit more useful and was able to deal with the martial demon called Chihen alone, you wouldn’t have to push yourself so hard.”
“Big Sister Qi, you’re mistaken.” Shui Yun’er shook her head, “It’s because you can’t deal with everything by yourself that companions have meaning, isn’t that right?”
People are called “people” because they can rely on each other.
Qi Qiqi froze for a moment, and then her face turned slightly red.
“Yes, this is indeed the case!”
How come even you give me sermons! After grumbling thusly, Qi Qiqi called Gong Tianqing and asked her to support Shui Yun’er.
“We need to break out of the encirclement as soon as possible…”
“What, what about the Young Ancestor?”
Gong Tianqing asked with a worried expression.
Qi Qiqi frowned and looked into the distance in response.
The place where her gaze focused on is an area shrouded in thick fog.
Xue Qilin appears to be fighting with Xihe. But Qi Qiqi cannot feel the aura of the two. Presumably, something is masking their aura.
“The fog is a bit strange… Little Sister Shui, can you sense your Young Teacher?”
Shui Yun’er has an extraordinary talent for magic, and she has a better sense of water spiritual qi than even Xue Qilin. But due to the gap between realms, she cannot compare to the Earth Realm Qi Qiqi in terms of comprehensive perception.
However, as the saying goes – a drowning man will clutch at a straw, Qi Qiqi couldn’t help but ask Shui Yun’er.
“Ever since the fog appeared, I can’t sense her anymore.”
Although the other party’s reply is within expectation, but Qi Qiqi couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed when she saw the other party shake her head.
“Hmm… I understand.”
It seems that it is impossible to notify Qilin… Qi Qiqi gave up the idea on meeting up with Xue Qilin. She is unable to grasp Xue Qilin’s circumstances at this stage. Moreover, the fog is quite strange. Without knowing anything, she cannot rashly burst into the fog to verify the circumstances.
After making a decision, Qi Qiqi immediately shouted to Xia Xue
“Senior Disciple Sister Xia, we’re going to break out of here!”
Xia Xue has just evaded the charge of a Iron Armor Ox, when she found the time to glance at Qi Qiqi and nod to express her understanding.
Then Qi Qiqi shouted loudly.
“Elder Xia and I will make an opening! Everyone, get ready to break out of here!”
Scattered responses came from different directions.
Qi Qiqi quickly looked around and began to search for weaknesses in the encirclement.
It may be that the gorge has blocked the gathering of Iron Armor Oxen, since the number of Iron Armor Oxen coming from that direction is obviously lesser than that from other directions.
But is it a trap?
They are encircled on three sides.
If they really break out of the encirclement from that direction, then once they encounter an ambush, or can’t get rid of the pursuit of the Iron Armor Oxen and are forced to the edge of the gorge, Merak Temple’s people will have nowhere to go.
She finally gazed towards the north.
The torrent of water Shui Yun’er conjured just now flowed in this direction. Therefore, a gap appeared in the surrounding encirclement. Yet is doesn’t look like the Iron Armor Ox herd intends to fill it.
Mhm, let’s choose this one! Knowing that there is no time to continue hesitating, Qi Qiqi made a decision.
“Qing’er, take care of your Big Sister Shui. We will break out of here from the north.”
“Understood!”
Gong Tianqing, who is supporting Shui Yun’er, replied firmly.
“Mhm, it’s up to you, Big Sister Teacher.”
Once Gong Tianqing agrees to something, she will do her best to accomplish it… no one knows this better than Qi Qiqi.
“Senior Disciple Sister Xia! The north!”
Qi Qiqi left Gong Tianqing’s side and shot away in the direction she has decided on.
She isn’t sure if Xia Xue will catch up with her.
In Merak Temple, no one can compare to Xia Xue, who has practiced “Treading on Clouds” to the extreme, in terms of agility technique. Thus Qi Qiqi is convinced that the bulky Iron Armor Oxen cannot stop Xia Xue in her steps.
Xia Xue responded to this trust in her very well.
“So bossy.”
Almost at the same moment when Qi Qiqi’s words sounded, Xia Xue broke away from the battlefield and came to Qi Qiqi’s side with extremely dexterous movement and a speed comparable to a swallow flying.
“Certainly not! It should be – adept at making best use of things and people.”
“Hey, then why haven’t you arranged a role for the Young Ancestor?”
“What if she messes up? I don’t want to have to help her clean up her mess!”
Although Xue Qilin’s cultivation base and strength are without question, but Qi Qiqi is very skeptical of her ability to handle things, not to mention that Xue Qilin is a willful character.
Xia Xue put on an enigmatic expression and didn’t comment.
Probably detecting the two’s attempt, several Iron Armor Oxen came to intercept them. But they were knocked down quite easily.
Then Qi Qiqi and Xia Xue rushed into a side of the Iron Armor Ox herd’s encirclement without hesitation.
The two entered the empty space and in no time successfully penetrated the encirclement. Prepared beforehand, Merak Temple’s disciples immediately broke out from that gap.