Xiao Man somersaulted in mid-air, dissipating the force, and landed safely on the ground. Her gaze fell upon Feng Mo Ran, finally dropping the pretense? Finally revealing her true colors, and all this disguise was for her?
Feng Mo Ran looked at the sword in his hand, his eyes filled with coldness. "Tian Gan, you could have learned from anyone, but you chose to learn from her!"
The renowned sword Tian Gan, passed down for a hundred years, now lay broken in two in Feng Mo Ran's grasp. A flicker of pain flashed in Xiao Man's eyes, though she concealed it well. This sword had been her companion for many years, becoming an extension of herself, and now it was destroyed by Feng Mo Ran's hands once more.
"So, you're enraged now?" Xiao Man steadied her mind, forcing herself to remain calm. Facing Feng Mo Ran, she absolutely could not let anger consume her, or she would fall into his trap. "Master, don't you want to know who poisoned you?" Su Dan Novel Network
Feng Mo Ran stared at Xiao Man in disbelief. "It was you!"
"Yes, it was me." Xiao Man's eyes crinkled into a smile. "The formula was given to me by Senior Wan Du Zi. Based on his recipe, I made some improvements. Your disciple has developed this 'Fa Sui' [Bone Marrow Cleansing] and gifted it to you, Master. Master, do you like it?"
A surge of blood rushed to Feng Mo Ran's head. All this time, the one who had plotted against him was none other than Xiao Man!
"I'll kill you!" Feng Mo Ran roared, lunging at Xiao Man. Xiao Man, if nothing else, possessed peerless lightness kung fu. Even Feng Mo Ran couldn't match her speed. In his fury, Feng Mo Ran moved with incredible swiftness, yet he still couldn't catch Xiao Man.
Feng Mo Ran's heart seethed with hatred. He had devoted himself to Xiao Man, schemed for her sake, even humbling himself before the Empress. Yet, she had stabbed him in the back. This feeling was more agonizing than having his heart gouged out!
"Master, didn't you say you would never be angry, no matter what I did? It seems you were just saying it."
"I should have strangled you the moment you were born!"
"Indeed, a man's words are deceitful like a ghost." Xiao Man continued with an expression of utter disappointment. "On one hand, you claim you'll never be angry with me, and on the other, your face is contorted with rage, as if you want to devour me. Which one is the real you?"
Suddenly, Feng Mo Ran felt his breath catch. He immediately clutched at a nearby tree and vomited a mouthful of blood. His internal Qi and blood surged violently, forcing him to spew blood repeatedly.
"You... you did this on purpose!"
Xiao Man stopped, her smile widening, as radiant as an innocent maiden. "Master, why aren't you chasing anymore?"
"You... what exactly did you do to me?"
"Master, that's the wrong question. You should ask Lan Ruo Yu what she did to you." Xiao Man's smile vanished. "Didn't anyone tell you, never bully a woman who likes you? Because when they go mad, they are far more terrifying than you can imagine."
"Lan Ruo Yu! Xiao Man!"
Xiao Man's lips curved into a slight smile. "Master, don't rush. This is just the beginning. Lan Ruo Yu's entire cultivation cannot be used by just anyone. Using her as a cauldron to detoxify yourself only temporarily suppresses the 'Fa Sui.' The real torment is yet to come. You must savor it!"
"Xiao Man!" Feng Mo Ran never imagined that Xiao Man would dare treat him like this!
Xiao Man watched Feng Mo Ran stumble to the ground in his current state. She raised her arm, aiming it at Feng Mo Ran, and pressed the mechanism on her arm. Despite his body weakened by poison, Feng Mo Ran desperately tried to escape.
Xiao Man watched the disheveled Feng Mo Ran fleeing for his life, a sneer of mockery in her eyes. "Master, are you afraid of dying too?"
"Why? Why would you do this to me? Everything I did was for you!"
Xiao Man's smile vanished. "Harming me under the guise of wanting what's best for me, Master, you are truly shameless!"
Xiao Man picked up her bow, nocked an arrow, and shot it towards Feng Mo Ran without hesitation. She had initially intended to watch Feng Mo Ran writhe in agony, unable to live or die. But now, she had changed her mind. She wanted to kill him!
Hatred filled Feng Mo Ran's eyes. He had never hated anyone so much, let alone the wolf cub he had raised with his own hands. Even in his hatred, he could only grit his teeth and endure!
Just as Feng Mo Ran was being pushed to the brink, a squadron of dark guards emerged, shielding him as they fled. Xiao Man tried her best to stop them, but Feng Mo Ran still managed to escape. Not only Feng Mo Ran escaped, but Mu Rong Sheng Rui also fled with him, taking Mu Rong Zi Heng along for the ride.
Xiao Man's expression turned grim. After a moment, she turned and left. "Since we know his stronghold, everything will be easier. Yun Qi, it's not like Mu Rong Sheng Rui has the final say."
Mu Rong Sheng Rui dragged Mu Rong Zi Heng, who looked like a drowned rat, gave him an antidote, and tossed him onto the ground. Mu Rong Zi Heng, still shaken, had raw scratches on his neck from being pulled. He lay on the ground, looking up at Mu Rong Sheng Rui.
"Who is she?"
Mu Rong Sheng Rui took out a handkerchief and meticulously wiped the blood from his hands. "The Blue Moon Empress, Xiao Man."
"She's more than just Xiao Man, isn't she?"
"Then who do you think she is?" Mu Rong Sheng Rui retorted. "Feng Mo Ran's beloved disciple, the Empress of Blue Moon, Xiao Man. Who else do you think she is?"
"She..." Mu Rong Zi Heng felt a chill creep up his spine. Xiao Man's tone and demeanor felt both familiar and terrifying. The reason he agreed to Tian Hao's plan to target Xiao Man was not only because Tian Hao claimed Xiao Man had desecrated Du Gu Man's corpse. He also wished to weaken Blue Moon, and by exploiting Nan Gong Yu's feelings for Xiao Man, he could further divide Mu Rong Sheng Rui's forces.
"She is who she is, the Empress of Blue Moon." Mu Rong Sheng Rui smiled wickedly. "What, are you that cowardly now? You've only been chased by Xiao Man once, and you're already scared?"
"Why would the Shura Guards obey Xiao Man's orders?" Mu Rong Zi Heng asked, his heart pounding. Not only Wei Wu Ji was afraid, but he was too. The Shura Guards, like the Red Feather Iron Cavalry, belonged solely to Du Gu Man. Yet, now both the Shura Guards and the Red Feather Iron Cavalry were at Xiao Man's side!
"Perhaps they reached some sort of agreement with Xiao Man," Mu Rong Sheng Rui said nonchalantly. "Can you still walk? If you can't, the pursuers will be here soon."
Mu Rong Zi Heng quickly got up and followed Mu Rong Sheng Rui. "Eunuch Wei doesn't seem to have caught up yet."
"Don't worry about him. He's far more slippery than you. He'll be alive and well even if you're dead," Mu Rong Sheng Rui said coldly. "Why did you make a move against Xiao Man?"
Mu Rong Zi Heng was taken aback and guiltily turned his face aside. "Wasn't I afraid you would die at her hands?"
"For the sake of this Emperor?"
"Of course!" Mu Rong Zi Heng puffed out his chest. "Of course. Now that the four kingdoms are in turmoil, with remnants of the First Qin, Nan Gong Yu of Yu Sheng, and Xiao Man of Blue Moon, none of them are easy to deal with. There are also formidable individuals in Northern Rong. If anything were to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to bear the consequences."