Du Yiyi, a woman, faced four assassins from the Misty Rain Pavilion alone.
Already weakened and needing to protect the severely injured Xiao Han, she was in a desperate situation.
With her whip ensnared and fighting barehanded, her disadvantage was even more pronounced.
Facing the swords and blades upon her, she was powerless to resist, closing her eyes to await death.
But at the critical moment, she heard a celestial sound—from her best and most trusted friend, Su Xiaoqi.
Yet, she thought, her entry was merely a ruse; how could Xiaoqi possibly come?
Impossible, impossible!
As Du Yiyi denied her own thoughts, Su Xiaoqi, while calling out, had already sent Zhang Yufei forward.
Her soft sword swept out, wounding the two ambushers simultaneously.
The warm blood splashing onto Du Yiyi's face brought her back to her senses. She quickly opened her eyes, realizing the scene before her was real.
Sister Xiaoqi had not only arrived but had saved her the moment she did.
"Sister Xiaoqi," Du Yiyi called out.
Su Xiaoqi nodded at her. Seeing Du Yiyi's unsteady footing, she quickly stepped forward to support her.
With Zhang Yu's abilities, she was more than capable of handling the four alone.
Soon, Zhang Yu had subdued them.
However, she hesitated, unsure whether to kill them.
Before she could ask Su Xiaoqi, Xiao Han, who had been supporting himself with his sword, suddenly stood up. He stepped forward and, with a sword strike each, finished them off.
He himself was at the end of his strength, collapsing onto the ground, gasping for breath. But his dark eyes were fixed on Su Xiaoqi.
Though she knew Du Yiyi, who had saved him, he was now like a startled bird, trusting no one easily.
After all, the deepest stab during his assassination attempt had come from his closest guards.
If not for that, he would not have been forced into this Devil's Stone Forest to seek refuge.
Yet, even then, they had caught up to him, nearly finishing him off. Fortunately, he had met her!
Xiao Han looked at Du Yiyi, her face smeared with blood.
When they first met, he thought she was an enemy. But seeing her rush to save him without a word, nearly sacrificing her life,
He thought perhaps he could try to trust her.
The fact that she could risk her life to save him once proved she could do it a second time.
He knew she was trustworthy, but why?
Xiao Han asked why, and Du Yiyi, without dwelling on it, told him directly that she had seen him before.
He had appeared at the Duke of Yu's mansion with her elder cousin.
Xiao Han remembered that as a youth, he had accompanied his master to the Duke's mansion to find his junior disciple.
At that time, he had seen a young girl, a soft and sweet-looking girl.
After several years, she had grown so much, and meeting here again, fate was truly marvelous.
Neither of them was one to dwell on things. After quickly exchanging information, they began to fight side by side.
But the enemy had too many people, like persistent cockroaches, closely following them.
They defeated one wave, and another appeared.
Even an iron man could not sustain such a constant struggle.
This led to Su Xiaoqi witnessing this scene.
Both of them could no longer hold on.
After hearing the full story, Su Xiaoqi asked doubtfully,
"Isn't this a maze? A slight difference leads to a thousand miles astray. How could they find him so accurately?"
Du Yiyi was also despairing. She shook her head, saying she didn't know. If she knew, she would have solved it.
"This place is full of huge stones, tall and layered. Even climbing one section, one's vision is limited.
It's impossible to see where the other party is at a glance. I think the reason they could find us is likely because of an invisible scent on him... a smell."
Su Xiaoqi quickly deduced that Xiao Han must have a scent that allowed them to track him easily.
Su Xiaoqi took a deep breath in Xiao Han's direction and frowned, "Such a strong sandalwood scent."
Xiao Han also rolled up his sleeve and sniffed. He smelled it and said that he had been using this sandalwood fragrance all along, and it was very common.
Moreover, this scent was not strong enough to be smelled from afar.
Su Xiaoqi said, "Humans can't smell it from afar, but have you considered that perhaps they weren't people who found you?" She pointed to a type of black beetle on the ground.
"See this? These insects love this sandalwood scent. Once they catch the scent, they will chase after it relentlessly."
So, it was evident that the assassins from the Misty Rain Pavilion had found them by following this scent.
"Sister Xiaoqi, can you help Xiao Han? We really can't fight anymore." Du Yiyi leaned on her, pleadingly.
If they continued to attract people endlessly, not only Xiao Han would be in danger, but also Sister Xiaoqi and Zhang Yu, who had just joined them.
The enemy's numbers were simply too great, scattered throughout the stone forest, popping out in waves from time to time.
They couldn't escape, they couldn't kill them all, was waiting to die the only option?
Su Xiaoqi thought for a moment and said with some difficulty, "I left in a hurry and didn't bring any medicine, only this. The smell might be a bit unpleasant."
Su Xiaoqi took out a small black bottle with a round body and a wide mouth from her embrace and tossed it to Xiao Han.
Xiao Han stirred and managed to catch it, then gasped heavily and coughed violently.
Su Xiaoqi only knew he was injured, but she didn't expect him to be so severely wounded.
The sound of his coughing was so severe it seemed to tear his throat, his entire chest resonating like a broken bellows.
"Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were injured..."
"Sister Xiaoqi, save him. He was stabbed in the chest and bled a lot. I used the wound medicine you gave me to stop the bleeding, but... but I don't know how to stitch the wound."
Du Yiyi vaguely remembered Su Xiaoqi telling her some things about treating wounds, but hearing it was entirely different from doing it.
"It's alright, let him apply that medicine first. Those black beetles won't be able to find his scent, and then we'll be temporarily safe, and we'll have time to treat his wound. Hold on a little longer, my husband will find us soon."
Su Xiaoqi was both comforting Du Yiyi and herself.
For them, a group of frail and injured people, escaping this maze was unlikely. Hope had to rest on Shen Yun.
Xiao Han took the porcelain bottle and sniffed it, his features immediately contorting. He looked at Su Xiaoqi in disbelief.
Did he really have to apply this?
"It's smelly, yes, but it's very effective. The sandalwood scent on you is too strong. Nothing else can cover it," Su Xiaoqi explained, rubbing her nose.
In fact, she had other ointments, but only this one had the strongest smell and the best effect.
They couldn't afford any more trouble now. It was best to get it right the first time and avoid any further accidents.
So, she had given him a stronger medicine.
Now, being looked at with questioning eyes by Xiao Han, she felt a bit guilty.
"Xiao Han, don't hesitate. Listen to my Sister Xiaoqi, she won't lie to you."
Du Yiyi's trust convinced Xiao Han. He held his breath and quietly applied the ointment.
Instantly, the scent of the ointment filled the narrow alley, quickly masking the sandalwood scent and even the strong smell of blood from before.
The people who smelled it reflexively covered their noses.
"Spread out, sniff it, you'll get used to it," Su Xiaoqi said innocently, blinking her eyes.
Then, she moved her ear, signaling them to quickly find a place to hide: "Someone is coming."
They were all martial artists with good hearing and could hear some movement.
Xiao Han, in particular, hurried to find a place to hide.
But he was too severely injured, so Du Yiyi and Zhang Yu had to help him up and carry him into a crevice between the rocks of a branching path.
The four of them crouched inside, and Su Xiaoqi, going in last, even used vines to disguise their hiding spot.
And on another branching path, a group of eight people had found their way.