Chapter 83: The Black Blade’s Gleam

Luo Long fixed his gaze on the two figures ahead—Ye Cheng and his companion—who were struggling desperately to resist. His handsome, resolute face twisted into a cold sneer. With a sudden wave of his palm, the already surging waves of vital energy swelled further, the lances of elemental force erupting with even more terrifying power.

Ye Cheng strained to muster his blood energy, constantly gathering his defenses, barely managing to withstand the lances of vital energy shooting from Luo Long’s hand. Blood streamed steadily from his palms, dripping onto the muddy earth at his feet.

Seeing the sudden surge of power within those vital energy lances, both Ye Cheng and Nangong Xue’s expressions changed, yet they had no other choice. They could only grit their teeth and hold fast to their barrier—abandoning it meant certain death, with not even the faintest hope of survival.

The vital energy lances pelted down like hail, slamming relentlessly against their defense under the duo’s focused gaze. Soon, to their horror, cracks began to appear in the blood energy shield they had fortified.

The barrage did not cease. The blood energy defense began to fracture rapidly, and the remaining vital energy lances pierced through. Once the blood energy barrier broke, even the ground beneath lost its cohesion, as if it were nothing but a thin sheet of paper, easily penetrated.

The first lance of vital energy broke through all defenses. Fortunately, Ye Cheng reacted quickly, twisting his body so that only his shoulder was grazed, leaving a bloody gash. Nangong Xue, beside him, also managed to dodge the attack.

But what came next made Ye Cheng’s eyes widen in shock. Countless lances of vital energy now pierced the shattered defenses, bearing down on them with lethal intent.

At this critical moment, Ye Cheng made a decisive choice. He abandoned the defense, swiftly grabbing Nangong Xue’s delicate, cool hand. After a fleeting struggle, she too realized the gravity of their situation and let him hold her hand without resistance.

Ye Cheng pulled Nangong Xue with him as they retreated rapidly, narrowly dodging the incoming barrage. Yet as the two of them moved, evading the deadly lances, a figure suddenly appeared before them like a wraith: Luo Long.

Without warning, Luo Long threw a punch at them. Though seemingly unremarkable, the blow was wreathed in a terrifying swirl of vital energy. At their current level, mastery over such power came as easily as breathing.

On Nangong Xue’s cool and elegant face, a trace of despair flickered at that moment. She closed her eyes, abandoning any attempt at defense—when suddenly, she felt strong arms wrap her tightly, drawing her into a man’s embrace. A breath, warm and masculine, brushed her cheek, prompting her to open her eyes in surprise. There she saw Ye Cheng holding her close, turning his back to face Luo Long’s assault.

“You…” She was stunned, the words catching in her throat.

“Heh, a hero saving the beauty?” Luo Long sneered. “Then let me grant you your wish.” With that, he struck Ye Cheng’s back with a merciless palm. A deep, muffled sound echoed as Ye Cheng clung to Nangong Xue, both of them sent flying by the force of the blow.

The impact made Ye Cheng taste blood; he felt as though his organs had been violently displaced. As their bodies hurtled through the air, he could not help but cough up blood, splattering it across Nangong Xue’s fair face. Forcing his body to turn, he ensured he hit the ground first, crashing heavily, but keeping Nangong Xue safe in his arms.

This sudden turn left Nangong Xue wide-eyed, stunned, Ye Cheng’s blood stark against her face. Never had she imagined that, in such a desperate moment, he would choose to take the blow himself to protect her. Just as when they first met, he had saved her from the Golden-Furred Ape King’s attack in a similarly selfless manner.

Realizing she was lying in his arms in a most intimate way, Nangong Xue struggled free from his tight embrace. As she did, a strange and unfamiliar emotion grew within her.

At that moment, Ye Cheng could only let her go, utterly spent. His whole body ached bitterly as he forced himself upright, swaying unsteadily, his face deathly pale, utterly devoid of color. He did not notice that, as Nangong Xue glanced at him, a faint blush briefly bloomed on her exquisite features before she returned to her usual icy composure.

Seeing Ye Cheng covered in blood, Nangong Xue could not help but ask, “Are you alright?”

“These are just minor injuries. I’m not dead yet.”

Feeling the pain coursing through his body, Ye Cheng forced a grimace, trying to summon his blood energy once more. Yet his wounds were far too severe; the effort only aggravated his injuries, causing him to spit out several more mouthfuls of blood.

Turning his focus inward, he found his meridians empty of blood energy—worse still, several had been ruptured. No wonder any attempt to summon blood energy brought such agony, cold sweat beading on his brow. Yet compared to the pain he’d felt in awakening his devouring constitution and forging new meridian paths with the Soul-Devouring Art, this was but a trifle.

Seeing all this, Ye Cheng’s pale face twisted into a wry smile. He had not expected Luo Long’s blow to be so devastating, leaving him on the brink of death. Another attack, and his life would end here.

“I’m sorry, Miss Nangong,” Ye Cheng wiped the blood from his lips, addressing Nangong Xue. He then turned his gaze to Luo Long, who had been watching them as if they were already dead, and spoke with unwavering determination, “But if the mongrels of the Luo family want to kill you, they’ll have to step over my corpse first.”

“If they want to kill you, they’ll have to step over my corpse first!”

Nangong Xue’s heart trembled. That strange, suppressed emotion rose again within her as her gaze settled on Ye Cheng. Though he was battered and exhausted, his words struck a deep chord, for her own father, Nangong Xiong, had once said the same to her.

“You two still have the leisure for conversation?” Luo Long sneered, his eyes growing increasingly cruel. “Very well, this time I’ll send you both on your way, so you can cultivate your affection for each other on the road to the underworld.”

With a flick of his hand, a blue blade appeared in Luo Long’s grip. He swung with all his might, and a blade of blue elemental energy, dozens of meters long, materialized out of thin air, descending on Ye Cheng and Nangong Xue like a bolt of lightning.

At that instant, from within the forest, another blade of energy—equally vast, but pitch black—swept out. Trees in its path were silently cleaved in two. Unlike the blue blade, this one was shrouded in darkness. Under the astounded gazes of all present, it crashed fiercely into Luo Long’s attack.