Chapter 98 - Separation
The wolves were there to seek vengeance and It seemed they had called out to the whole pack this time around. Wolves were overprotective creatures by nature and killing one cub was enough to infuriate the pack. It was even more insulting to them that Huang Ni Yang had killed the cub in front of them. The wolves circled them and waited for their alpha's command.
The wolves gnashed their sharp teeth as their breathing became heavier. They glared at them with bloodshot eyes. They stomped the ground heavily with their paws as they readied themselves. They were ready to kill.
"It's not good," Lory murmured and drew out her arrows. "Can you do something with your powers?"
"I'm afraid I would hurt you instead," Zhao Li Xin shook his head. He knew his weakness well. He was unable to control his power completely even after many years. He wouldn't have cared about his shortcomings if Lory wasn't involved in the situation. This was the first time he realized the lack of control was his biggest flaw. He turned to Lory and reminded, "Don't stray away from me."
"I'll try…" It was hard to stick to each other in such a situation. Lory knew the wolves hunting habits. Wolves liked to separate their prey from the rest of the herd. They would start from the weakest link and end with the strongest. She suspected the wolves would see her as the weakest link if they were to judge them by their cultivation strength.
The wolves jumped towards them to attack and they all scattered. Everyone drew out their weapons as they dodged the angry beasts. Lory released her one of her poison arrows and stunned the wolf heading towards her. It staggered and collapsed on the ground. She was satisfied to know the poison worked.
The other wolves became more aggressive when a member of their pack died. Their attack became sharper and more vicious. The wolves no longer cared if they got hurt as they aimed to harm the people. The difference between the wolves and the humans' fight was that humans cherished their lives while the pack was more frantic and didn't mind dying.
The sound of screams and tearing flesh echoed through the cave. The pungent smell of spilled blood invited other beasts to the fight. The humans had to now fight both the wolves and the other beasts lured by the blood. It was chaotic as some beasts fought other enemy beasts and the humans had to fight them all.
Unbeknown by Lory and Zhao Li Xin, Huang Ni Yang gave a cunning smile while this was happening. Huang Ni Yang glanced at her brother, Huang Zi Feng, to signal his contractual beast. Huang Zi Feng gave his beast a subtle nod which was understood by the beast.
Lory released multiple arrows when she was suddenly hit by the corpse of a wolf. She fell face-first to the ground. She quickly dodged to the side when more beasts tried to jump on her.
"Ri Yi!!" Zhao Li Xin called anxiously when she got separated from him.
"I'm okay!" Lory reassured him but something strong pushed her further away. She fell and hit the ground hard. She grunted in pain as the fall hurt her back.
Separated from Lory, Zhao Li Xin released his Qi like a shockwave. He no longer cared about the beasts and humans that were forcefully pushed away from him as he leaped towards Lory at a high-speed. Lory could hear him call her desperately. She lifted her head and pulled herself up but her hand accidentally pushed something on the wall. It was followed by a click sound.
"Uh-oh," Lory gasped with wary as a metal door suddenly fell from the ceiling.
Lory could see Zhao Li Xin's panicked expression as the door closed heavily before her without warning. There was no time to react as she was closed off from the rest. Lory looked around and wondered if she had been pushed into a tunnel. She knocked on the door before her to see how sturdy it was. Her hand then traced the door as she looked for an opening mechanism once she realized she couldn't break the door.
"Holy crap!" Lory muttered helplessly when she didn't find one.
A small light orb flew out of her chest and transform into a beautiful bird with a long golden tail as she talked to herself. Lory was glad Girsha was inside her as she was no longer alone.
[They really got you now!] Girsha snickered as he perched on her shoulder.
[Who?] Lory frowned. She didn't know who wanted to kill her.
[The stupid Huang siblings] Girsha reminded her.
[Why?] Lory asked in disbelief.
Girsha rolled his eyes helplessly [Envy, jealousy, hatred… Did you not learn anything, your highness?]
Lory's mouth twitched. The bird only called her 'your highness' when he mocked her. She wondered why the siblings were jealous of her. Was it because of Zhao Li Xin? It was not like Zhao Li Xin paid any attention to Huang Ni Yang. She also didn't understand why Huang Ni Yang hated her since she had not stolen her man. It seemed like there was something wrong with the Huang siblings.
Lory failed to understand the depths of the human heart once again. Lory failed to understand that a woman who was used to having everything she desired would not let an insignificant person like Lory stand in her way to anything. Huang Ni Yang chose to easily get rid of her as it was normal to do that in this world.
Huang Zi Feng, on the other hand, was a shallow person. He chose to hurt an innocent person to make Zhao Li Xin angry and desperate. He was not afraid of Zhao Li Xin turning on them, even when he didn't know his opponent's true power. Lory shook her head as she came to a conclusion. The Huang siblings were stupid.
Zhao Li Xin remained frozen on the other side of the door. His mind kept replaying Lory's shocked face when the door fell before her, separating them. He was a second too late from saving her. Zhao Li Xin clenched his fist and gathered his Qi in his hand and hit the door in anger.
A thunderous sound could be heard from the impact and the ceiling shook at the assault. However, the door remained intact without a scratch.
Zhao Li Xin's eyes darkened as he hit the door once more, but it did not move. He repeated his actions over and over. The ground shook and some stones fell from the ceiling but the door didn't budge.
Mong Ki and the others were caught unaware by their lord's anger. Their lord looked like he was in a trance as he hit the door over and over. They searched for their future madam but were unable to see her. Coldness crept into their hearts as they got a bad premonition.
"OH NO!" They all thought.
The Huang sibling gloated at their victory. Huang Zi Feng was delighted to see Zhao Li Xin's desperation, while Huang Ni Yang rejoiced as she had gotten rid of the weak woman. She believed she could now get Zhao Li Xin's attention as Lory was gone. The siblings had yet to know they had unleashed the Demon Lord from the depths of hell.
No one knew better than Hei Shen Sect members about the calamity that would befall them. Anguish filled them as they unconsciously took a few steps back, even Jin Hao who tended to look aloof was also apprehensive. They scattered to find a place to hide as one. The other sects members were puzzling over their behavior when a raging fire emerged from Zhao Li Xin's body.
A tornado of fire swirled around him in his madness. The fire spread over the ground and crept up the ceiling. The beasts shrieked and the human screamed in fear as the fire spread everywhere but Zhao Li Xin didn't care as his mind was on breaking the door.
"Mong Yi, do something!" Bei Li Yan yelled at Mong Yi who was close to him.
"My…my legs can't move, master Bei," Mong Yi legs shook badly.
"Why don't you do something?" Jin Hao threw the words back to Bei Li Yan.
"Because I don't wanna die!" Bei Li Yan stated the obvious.
"We are all gonna die if he uses his full power to break the door. We must do something to stop him!" Jin Hao became hysterical.
"Milord, we need to find Miss Lao Ri Yi immediately. Miss Lao Ri Yi must be waiting for us on the other side. You can't use all your power now as the ceiling might collapse and put Miss Luo Ri Yi in danger," Mong Ki shouted as he tried to calm Zhao Li Xin. He repeated Luo Ri Yi's name over and over. It was said important words must be repeated at least three times and he tried to emulate it.
Zhao Li Xin woke from his frenzy when he heard Lory's name. His mind cleared a little as he thought of Mong Ki's words. His subordinate was right. He couldn't put her in more danger than she was already in. The raging fire around him reduced. Zhao Li Xin remembered his savior was a mysterious person who wouldn't easily die. He needed to find her before she got exhausted. Hope rose within him but there was something he needed to do first.
Zhao Li Xin's eyes shifted away from the door to Huang Zi Feng and Huang Ni Yang. The siblings had wanted his attention and he was now ready to give them his full attention.