As the group was preparing to leave, Ying Yi sensed danger and immediately shouted, “On guard.”
His face tensed, and he stood ready for battle, guarding the Wangye. The Shadow Guards and other guards also moved forward to shield Jin Wang.
Jin Wang pulled Bai Fei Wan even tighter into his arms. Only when she was right under his nose could he feel at ease.
Ying Yi said, “There are more of them this time than before. Wangye, you and Bai Zhuzi should leave first. We will hold them off. I have already sent a signal; the Shadow Guards are on their way.”
Jin Wang knew this was not the time for bravado. “Alright. Protect yourselves.”
With that, he pulled Bai Fei Wan along and continued running west.
Bai Fei Wan said nervously, “Zi Zhu.”
Jin Wang replied, “Don’t worry, Jiang Shun will bring her.”
Jiang Shun took Zi Zhu and followed Jin Wang, leaving first with sixty or seventy Shadow Guards to protect the prince. A moment later, the sound of clashing swords erupted behind them, sounding even more brutal and intense than before.
Bai Fei Wan clung tightly to Jin Wang, not daring to look back. Jiang Shun also pulled Zi Zhu along, and the group quickly ran into the mountains.
They could hear the footsteps behind them drawing closer and closer. Judging by the sound, the pursuers were highly skilled in martial arts, more formidable than the first group and far more numerous.
The group ran up the mountain, but it wasn’t long before their pursuers caught up.
Several Shadow Guards stayed behind to block the way.
Jin Wang held Bai Fei Wan’s hand tightly, afraid she would suffer the slightest harm. On the other side, Jiang Shun also held Zi Zhu securely as he engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy.
For a time, the air was filled with the ceaseless sounds of battle cries and clashing weapons. The four of them were besieged by numerous enemies. As time went on, more and more enemy reinforcements arrived, and the situation grew increasingly tense.
While protecting Bai Fei Wan, Jin Wang nimbly dodged the enemy’s attacks, occasionally striking back with a few moves of his own.
Bai Fei Wan stayed close behind Jin Wang, wielding a short sword and striving to prevent the men in black from attacking his back. Her beautiful face was now filled with resolve, her eyes radiating an unyielding light.
Jin Wang realized that being purely on the defensive was not a long-term solution, as more and more enemies were arriving. He made a swift decision, pulling Bai Fei Wan into a fighting retreat. They slowly broke through the enemy’s encirclement and ran toward the mountain forest.
The two of them ran with all their might, the enemy in constant pursuit. Even with Bai Fei Wan’s excellent physical conditioning, she was becoming exhausted.
“Wangye,” she panted as she ran, “we can’t go on like this. I really can’t run anymore. You go on ahead. I’ll only slow you down.”
“No, I won’t leave you.” He didn’t want to re-experience the fear and despair he had felt just now when he saw assassins chasing her. Besides, for some unknown reason, he felt that if they separated, he might lose Bai Fei Wan forever.
He swept Bai Fei Wan up into his arms. His figure moved like a phantom, using his swift Qinggong to race forward. But even with his formidable Qinggong, the prolonged run was gradually draining his stamina.
If this continued, once he was exhausted and caught by the relentless pursuers, he feared he wouldn’t have a shred of strength left to resist.
Just then, his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, his gaze lit up. He saw that the terrain here was quite complex, and one corner looked perfect for hiding.
He stopped, deciding to rest here for a moment and evade the enemy’s pursuit.
Jin Wang quickly glanced around, carefully observing every detail. Soon, he noticed a small slope not far away, and beneath that slope, a cave seemed to be hidden.
He cautiously approached and, after confirming there was no danger inside, returned to Bai Fei Wan’s side and said softly, “It’s relatively safe here. I’ll hide you in this cave first. Remember, no matter what happens, don’t come out.”
With that, he gently lifted Bai Fei Wan, slowly placed her inside the cave, and carefully concealed the entrance with weeds and branches to ensure it wouldn’t be easily discovered.
After doing all this, Jin Wang urged her again, “You must stay here obediently. Wait for me to come back for you.” Only then did he leave the cave with peace of mind to single-handedly confront the enemies who were catching up.
A short while later, Bai Fei Wan heard the sound of clashing swords from above. The number of people seemed to be increasing. She had no idea who could have been so extravagant as to send so many people to assassinate Jin Wang.
This wouldn’t do. If this went on, no matter how skilled Jin Wang was, he couldn’t defeat so many people. The small amount of poison she had on her wouldn’t be enough to harm all of them.
She looked around the cave. It was a small hole dug into an earthen slope, large enough for three people at most.
There were burnt pieces of charcoal in the center, along with a pot and a bowl. It must have been dug by hunters who came up the mountain to rest. She then looked at the wall behind her, which was covered in a layer of white.
Bai Fei Wan’s heart leaped with excitement. It was Saltpeter. There was burnt charcoal on the ground. She could make Gunpowder. No matter how many or how skilled they were, no one could stand against modern weaponry.
Right, sulfur! She happened to have sulfur on her. She had been in her room preparing medicine and mixing some poisons when Jin Wang told her he was taking her out. For safety, she had put the poisons and medicines she was working on into her small crossbody bag, and the little bit of remaining sulfur had been tossed in as well.
She immediately sprang into action! After all, she was a bona fide science prodigy. What seemed like complex, profound knowledge was just a piece of cake for her.
Especially the simple process of making Gunpowder—knowledge any modern high school student would know: one part Saltpeter, two parts sulfur, three parts charcoal. For her, it was as easy as flipping her hand.
After all, she had performed countless operations while buried in all sorts of experiments in the lab. So, faced with the simple materials and tools before her, she already had a clear plan in mind. With a focused gaze, she began to work…
Meanwhile, the fight above grew more intense. Jin Wang’s body was covered in cuts of all sizes, and his movements began to slow. The enemies saw that Jin Wang was starting to weaken. They knew they were no match for his martial arts, so they planned to wear him down in a battle of attrition. All they had to do was kill him before his reinforcements arrived.
Seeing Jin Wang weaken, one of them shouted, “Brothers, he’s almost done for! Kill him!”
The enemies’ attacks became even more ferocious. A sword pierced Jin Wang’s shoulder.
Hearing the sounds from above, Bai Fei Wan’s heart pounded with panic. Her hands moved faster and faster, hoping Jin Wang could hold on.
After another quarter of an hour, Bai Fei Wan was finally done. She immediately scrambled up the slope and saw Jin Wang, covered in blood, his shoulder bleeding profusely. Bai Fei Wan’s eyes turned red, and she forcefully wiped away the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
Jin Wang was facing Bai Fei Wan. When he saw her emerge, his pupils contracted violently. Distracted for a moment, his arm was slashed.
Bai Fei Wan immediately made a hand gesture to Jin Wang, telling him to get away.
Jin Wang saw that she was holding something, not knowing what she planned to do. But seeing her tears fall like they were free, his heart ached so much he was willing to listen to anything she said. Furthermore, he was indeed at the end of his strength. He obediently used his last ounce of energy, executing his Qinggong to distance himself from the men in black before collapsing from exhaustion.
The men in black saw Jin Wang fall and were about to move in for the kill.
Seeing that Jin Wang was likely out of the blast radius, Bai Fei Wan unhesitatingly threw the two homemade explosives she was clutching toward the group of men in black! Then she quickly dropped to the ground at the bottom of the small hill.
In an instant, a flash of fire was followed by a deafening “BOOM!” The massive explosion was so loud it seemed to make the very heavens and earth tremble.
Along with the earth-shattering blast, the more than one hundred men in black, who had been so menacing just a moment ago, were instantly engulfed in a sea of fire.
Some were blasted high into the air, their bodies twisting into grotesque shapes; others fell directly to the ground, a bloody and mangled mess, too gruesome to look at.
The shockwave and flames from the explosion raged in all directions. Nearby trees were snapped in half, their branches and leaves flying everywhere. Thick smoke billowed up, obscuring the sky and making it nearly impossible to see what was happening.