SFS Chapter 187: Breaking the Deadlock with Wisdom and Courage
Chapter 187: Breaking the Deadlock with Wisdom and Courage
Shadow Assassin!
The four words, like icicles, instantly froze the noisy air around them.
Ye Shuli's pupils suddenly contracted, her eyes sharp as knives, chillingly cold.
The crowd, who had just been basking in the praise of the "Spirit King," now felt as if they had been choked, and every pore of their skin screamed for danger.
A chilling, oppressive atmosphere filled the air, making it hard to breathe.
The assassin lurking in the shadows, like a venomous snake, exudes a chilling aura.
His figure was blurry, as if he had blended into the night, only his eyes, which shone with a cold, eerie light, were like will-o'-the-wisps from hell, sending chills down one's spine.
"Little Ye, don't be afraid, I'm here!" Jiang Ye shielded Ye Shuli behind him, his voice firm, like a majestic mountain protecting her from all the storms.
This sudden protection warmed Ye Shuli's heart, but she remained calm and composed on the surface.
The Shadow Assassin has made his move!
He emerged from the darkness like a ghost, a flash of cold light in his hand, and a dagger coated with deadly poison was thrust straight at Ye Shuli's throat.
This move was fast and ruthless, with a tricky angle; it was clearly a meticulously designed fatal blow.
The surrounding cultivators gasped in shock, holding their breath for Ye Shuli.
"Holy crap! That's so insidious!"
"This assassin went for the kill!"
The tense atmosphere grew even stronger, as if the air itself had frozen.
However, Ye Shuli remained completely calm.
She moved with the lightness of a butterfly, deftly dodging the fatal blow.
The dagger grazed her cheek, bringing a cool breeze, and she could even feel the chill of the blade.
"That's it?" Ye Shuli's lips curled into a cold smile, her eyes flashing with contempt.
She did not rush to retaliate, but instead kept dodging the assassin's attacks while carefully observing his moves and looking for his weaknesses.
The assassin's attacks were like a storm, relentless and ruthless, each strike aimed directly at vital points.
Ye Shuli is like a small boat in a stormy sea; seemingly in danger, she always manages to turn the tide.
"This woman's got some skills!"
"As expected of the Spirit King, his skills are absolutely amazing!"
The surrounding cultivators were dazzled and amazed.
While dodging, Ye Shuli's eyes suddenly sharpened, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips.
“I’ve found you…” she said softly, her tone tinged with a hint of mockery.
Ye Shuli suddenly stopped dodging, her eyes flashing with a sharp light.
She quickly formed hand seals and chanted incantations, and a powerful spiritual energy wave spread outwards from her.
"A mere trick, yet you dare to show off your meager skills before an expert!" she shouted softly, and the spiritual energy in her hand gathered into a dazzling white light, like a small sun, illuminating the entire night sky.
"Heavenly Thunder Technique!"
With a delicate shout from Ye Shuli, the ball of white light suddenly transformed into a massive bolt of lightning, like a roaring dragon, carrying an aura of world destruction, and fiercely struck the Shadow Assassin.
"Holy crap! What kind of move is that? It's incredibly powerful!"
"This is so cool! No wonder he's the Spirit King!"
The surrounding cultivators were stunned by this sudden turn of events. They stared wide-eyed and gaped, as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.
The Shadow Assassin was clearly caught off guard by Ye Shuli's sudden and powerful attack. He hastily raised his dagger to defend himself, but was instantly struck away by lightning and crashed heavily to the ground, spitting out blood, his body charred black, and looking utterly wretched.
"That's it? You couldn't even withstand one of my moves, and you still have the nerve to embarrass yourself?" Ye Shuli glanced contemptuously at the assassin lying on the ground, her tone full of disdain.
"You..." The Shadow Assassin struggled to get up, but found himself powerless, and could only glare at Ye Shuli with resentment.
Just then, the young master of the Gu family suddenly jumped out, pointed at Ye Shuli and shouted, "Ye Shuli, you brought assassins here, causing us all to suffer. What are your intentions?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Shuli thought, "This assassin was clearly coming for me, so how did I end up attracting him?"
Are you trying to frame me on purpose?
"
Young Master Gu was startled by Ye Shuli's imposing aura. He subconsciously took a step back, his face pale, but he still stubbornly said, "Who knows if you've offended someone and deliberately lured the assassin here to kill someone using someone else's knife?"
"Using someone else to do your dirty work? Young Master Gu, you certainly have a vivid imagination!" Ye Shuli sneered. "I think you're the one with ulterior motives! What business is it of yours who I offend? Why are you so eager to jump out and accuse me? Are you hiding something?"
The surrounding cultivators also expressed their dissatisfaction with the young master of the Gu family's behavior. Some whispered among themselves, "This young master Gu is such a scoundrel. Miss Ye was almost killed by an assassin, and he's still kicking her while she's down."
"That's right, I think he's just jealous of Miss Ye's strength and is deliberately picking a fight."
The young master of the Gu family was the subject of much gossip, his face turning pale and then red, but he dared not say anything more.
He glared at Ye Shuli fiercely, then turned and left.
Ye Shuli watched the departing figure of the young master of the Gu family, a cold smile appearing on her lips.
She turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding crowd before finally settling on an inconspicuous corner.
"Come out! Aren't you tired of hiding like this?"
Ye Shuli's gaze was sharp, fixed on an inconspicuous corner in the crowd.
There, a man dressed in a black robe was trying to slip away quietly. Although his movements were discreet, Ye Shuli still managed to catch them.
"Tsk tsk, they really came as a group." Ye Shuli's lips curled into a playful smile. "Little Ye, and everyone else, don't let these 'little cuties' get away. Let's give them a 'surprise'!"
"Alright!" Jiang Ye replied excitedly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He had noticed something was off about these men in black a long time ago and had wanted to make a move for a while.
"Brothers, grab your weapons and trap these bastards!" he commanded. The other cultivators responded and quickly surrounded the black-robed man and his accomplices.
"Holy crap, there was an ambush?"
"Now there's something good to watch!"
"The Spirit King is mighty!"
Exclamations and cheers rose and fell from the crowd, instantly igniting the atmosphere.
Ye Shuli ignored the henchmen and focused her attention back on the Shadow Assassin.
At this moment, the assassin was like a tiger whose teeth had been pulled out.
"What, still want to struggle?" Ye Shuli slowly walked towards the assassin, each step carrying a powerful sense of oppression.
"What a pity, your performance time is over."
"You...you stay away!" the assassin cried weakly, his voice trembling, clearly terrified by Ye Shuli's formidable strength.
Ye Shuli gave him no chance to catch his breath. She pushed off with her feet and moved like lightning, instantly rushing to the assassin's side.
She swung her fist, and spiritual energy gathered at the tip of her fist, emitting a dazzling white light.
"boom!"
With a loud bang, the assassin was sent flying by Ye Shuli's punch like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the wall with a dull thud.
His body slid down limply, completely losing his fighting ability.
"That's it? It's really weak." Ye Shuli clapped her hands, as if brushing off dust, and said with a relaxed expression, a hint of unsatisfaction on her face.
"That's incredible! This strength is simply unbeatable!"
The surrounding cultivators erupted in thunderous cheers once again, completely captivated by Ye Shuli's formidable strength.
When the young master of the Gu family saw this scene, his face turned ashen, and he was so jealous that he almost ground his teeth to powder. He did not expect Ye Shuli to be so powerful, even more so than he had imagined.
After the battle, Jiang Ye immediately ran to Ye Shuli's side, looked her up and down, and his face was full of worry.
"Little Leaf, are you hurt? Is anything bothering you?"
Looking into Jiang Ye's concerned eyes, Ye Shuli felt a surge of warmth in her heart.
She shook her head and gave a relaxed smile.
"I'm fine, it's just a minor injury, nothing serious."
Jiang Ye was still worried. He reached out and gently stroked Ye Shuli's cheek. "Don't push yourself so hard next time. It hurts me to see you like this."
Ye Shuli's heart trembled. She looked at the caring young man in front of her, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes.
She leaned gently against Jiang Ye, feeling the warmth emanating from him.
Those around them smiled knowingly at the sight, and an ambiguous atmosphere filled the air.
"Little Ye, you..." Jiang Ye was about to say something, but Ye Shuli stopped him by raising her hand.
"Shh..." She put her index finger to her lips, a sharp glint in her eyes, and whispered, "This isn't over yet..."
Ye Shuli leaned against Jiang Ye's chest, feeling his strong heartbeat, but a wave of unease washed over her.
This shadow assassin's skills are far from ordinary; the person behind him is the real threat.
She took a deep breath; the faint smell of blood in the air made her even more alert.
Jiang Ye sensed Ye Shuli's unusual behavior, tightened his arms, and pulled her into a deeper embrace.
"Don't be afraid, little Yezi, even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you!" His tone was firm, like a reassuring pill, which made Ye Shuli's originally tense nerves relax a little.
She looked up and met Jiang Ye's clear eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"Hold on? Are you sure your little body can handle it?" Even in such a tense moment, she didn't forget her sharp tongue.
Jiang Ye pouted, feigning grievance: "Little Ye, if you say that, my young heart will be hurt!" He gently pinched Ye Shuli's cheek, his tone filled with doting affection.
Ye Shuli rolled her eyes at him. This clown, he didn't forget to be silly even at the crucial moment.
But she knew in her heart that Jiang Ye's appearance was like a ray of sunshine in winter, illuminating her originally cold world.
Suddenly, a sound transmission talisman pierced the night sky and headed straight for Ye Shuli.
She reached out and caught it, unfolded it, and her expression instantly turned serious.
"Little Yezi, what's wrong?" Jiang Ye noticed her change and asked with concern.
Ye Shuli handed the communication talisman to Jiang Ye and said in a deep voice, "It's the Spirit King Instructor. He said he found clues related to the mastermind behind it all."
After reading the communication talisman, Jiang Ye's expression turned serious.
"It seems that things are more complicated than we thought."
"We'll meet force with force, and we'll dam water with earth. What's there to be afraid of!" Ye Shuli's eyes were firm, and her tone exuded a fearless and domineering aura.
The two exchanged a glance; no words were needed, everything was understood without being said.
"Let's go!" Ye Shuli grabbed Jiang Ye's hand, leaped into the air, and disappeared into the night.
The clues provided by the Spirit King mentor point to a mysterious place—the Misty Forest.
The place is shrouded in thick fog all year round, with complex terrain and extreme danger. It is said that nine out of ten people who go in do not come out alive.
Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye stood at the edge of the Misty Forest, looking at the vast expanse of white before them, as if it were a gateway to another world.
"Little Ye, are you ready?" Jiang Ye gripped Ye Shuli's hand, his voice tinged with worry.
Ye Shuli smiled confidently: "Of course, I'm going to be the woman of the strongest! This mere Misty Forest, can it stop me?"
She took a deep breath, grabbed Jiang Ye's hand, and stepped into the mist without hesitation...
"Remember, stick close to me." Ye Shuli's voice echoed in the mist, carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Deep within the mist, something seems to be stirring restlessly...