Ye Luan, running desperately, froze on the spot in shock as she saw the two fall into the Wangchuan River.
"Tantai Ye!"
At this moment, a mournful cry rang out.
Not far away, a warship sped across the Wangchuan River, and a figure clad in red shot out, leaping into the river.
Xiao Chizhan, his eyes bloodshot, immediately ordered, "Go down and save them. Bring them back alive, or find their bodies."
"Yes."
Countless soldiers plunged into the water to rescue them, and the entire Wangchuan River was filled with swirling mist.
Wei Qingge stared blankly as the two fell into the river. When she came to her senses, she also wanted to jump in to search for them.
Xiao Chizhan grabbed her, "Stay put."
With that, he flew onto the forbidden ground, drew his saber, and faced Xie Beihan.
Upon seeing him, Ye Luan's rigid expression immediately regained clarity. She suppressed the grief in her heart and rushed forward.
Xie Beihan grabbed her and pulled her behind him.
Xiao Chizhan's eyes were filled with malevolence, and he struck like a phantom.
Chi Yan and Xu Qing wanted to step forward to help but were stopped by Xie Beihan.
"All of you, stand down. I want to have a proper fight with him."
Their sabers met, stirring up gusts of wind.
Xiao Chizhan looked at his wicked eyes and said coldly, "Xie Beihan, today, either you die, or I die."
"Very well," Xie Beihan sneered sinisterly. "Only one of us will live."
The somber sky crackled with lightning, and heavy rain mixed with a biting wind fell furiously, bathing the entire Wangchuan River in a bloody hue.
Li Qiongyu surfaced from the riverbed, his face filled with fury. He leaped onto the forbidden ground and roared as he looked at the two figures fighting in the air.
"Xie Beihan, you are seeking death!"
Saying this, he soared into the air and slashed at him.
Xu Qing immediately moved to block him, a silver light flashing, his saber strike sharp as light, causing the surrounding wind to tremble.
Chi Yan, holding her sword, was about to help.
Ye Luan swiftly flashed forward and blocked her, the razor-thin hilt of her blade coiling around her hand like a lotus.
"If not for Xie Beihan, would you even be worthy of fighting me?"
Ye Luan ignored her provocation, her blade sharp, swift, and ruthless as she slashed at her.
Wei Qingge, watching anxiously from the side, saw no movement from the riverbed and tears welled up in her eyes.
The Wangchuan River, bottomless and eerily strange, offered no hope of survival.
She thought of the frail Mu Rou, and her tears flowed even more fiercely. She took out the small dagger she held, leaped onto the forbidden ground, and went to help Ye Luan.
"A'Luan, let's kill her together and avenge Mu Rou."
It was all because of these people, all because of them, that Mu Rou had met such a tragic end. She wanted to kill them!
Chi Yan, entangled by the two, showed no panic. Having spent years on the battlefield, she was accustomed to life-and-death combat, and dealing with the two was more than enough.
She looked at the vociferous Wei Qingge and chuckled condescendingly.
"Little girl, don't get so riled up. Since ancient times, the victor is king, the vanquished is a bandit. There is no right or wrong. Tantai Ye died because we are natural enemies."
Wei Qingge, her eyes red, roared, "You are despicable, utterly shameless!"
"Who in this world is unsullied?"
Chi Yan had no intention of harming a mere girl. She struck her away with a palm, intending to help Xu Qing.
But Ye Luan kept her engaged, and she couldn't break free, her brow furrowing in impatience.
"Don't be so audacious, relying on Xie Beihan's favor. You are no match for me."
Ye Luan sneered, "We are also natural enemies."
"Heh."
Chi Yan let out a cold laugh. She moved with a sudden burst of speed, several cold lights flying out from her sleeves simultaneously, her figure like a phantom as she pressed her attack.
Ye Luan immediately dodged the hidden weapons, but her shoulder was grazed.
A sudden pain shot through her, but a cold blade lunged from behind her back, pressing directly against her.
Wei Qingge saw this and, from her fallen position, immediately leaped up and kicked out.
Chi Yan's eyes narrowed, and she quickly dodged, her icy gaze sweeping over the two, and she scoffed.
"You seek death!"
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Luan twisted her body in an extremely peculiar manner, her saber fiercely piercing Chi Yan's shoulder. The latter's eyes instantly turned red, and she drew her saber, lunging at her.
"A'Luan, dodge."
Ye Luan sensed it, but Chi Yan's speed was too great. As she dodged, a small piece of skin was grazed, but it was nothing serious.
She swiftly picked up her saber and parried.
"If not for Xie Beihan's infatuation clouding his judgment, he would have killed you long ago. Why let you be so presumptuous?"
Ye Luan sneered, spotting her chance, and swung her saber.
"His ambition is too great; we are not of the same path."
Chi Yan burst into laughter, "Hahaha, I truly pity him."
Ye Luan didn't wish to say more. Her saber whistled through the air with a powerful gust, and her hands showed no mercy.
The two fought to a draw, but Xu Qing, previously injured by Tantai Ye, was no match for Li Qiongyu and was steadily pushed back.
Seeing him sustain internal injuries, Chi Yan's eyes narrowed. She leaped forward, seized Wei Qingge, and fled with her towards the back of the valley.
Ye Luan quickly pursued.
The torrential rain fell on this dark green, secluded valley. She smelled a strange aroma around her, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
"Li Qiongyu, chase them quickly!"
Chi Yan's Qinggong was excellent; she couldn't catch up.
Li Qiongyu heard the sound, narrowed his eyes, and saw that they had gone behind the mountain.
He swiftly flew over and pursued them towards the back of the valley.
Xu Qing, severely wounded, coughed up blood. He clutched his chest, glanced at the two fiercely battling figures behind him, his eyes darkening, and flew after Chi Yan.
The army was confined outside the sacred tower. The vast forbidden ground was desolate and silent.
The heavy rain poured down, striking the eerily beautiful, crimson Mandarava flowers. From a distance, they resembled a path paved with blood, shockingly red.
The two figures in black and purple, fighting in the air, were suddenly blown apart by sword energy and both fell onto the land covered in Mandarava flowers.
Xiao Chizhan knelt on the ground, his crimson pupils glowing with intense killing intent. He rose, holding his saber, the cold wind whipping his robes.
The cold wind howled past, and the red flowers swirled around him.
Xie Beihan propped himself up with his saber, his cold fingertips wiping the blood from his lips, his wicked eyes filled with arrogance.
The wind blew, and the world was desolate.
The sharp glint of blades split the sky like lightning, and sword energies crisscrossed, shooting out like arrows from a bow, tumbling through the air with overwhelming power, making the very ground tremble.
In the midst of the pouring rain, surging sword energy sliced and weaved like a tide, making the surrounding wind unbearable and chillingly cold.
The piercing sound of wind breaking through the clouds echoed, and the shockwaves of terrifying sword energy collapsed from the air, causing landslides and rolling boulders in the surrounding valleys.
Their blades and swords clashed, emitting a violent screech.
Xiao Chizhan's crimson pupils were filled with terrifying killing intent, "Xie Beihan, your time of death has come."
Xie Beihan laughed, "If you want to kill me, come on."