“What a fine Jade-Faced Cold Spear, Third Young Master Jiang. Excellent spearsmanship—though your temper leaves much to be desired.”
A shadow dressed in black descended lightly from above, landing steadily before the brothers. The voice sounded male, yet strangely feminine.
“Indeed. A friend comes from afar, and this is how the people of Yan treat their guests?”
Another white-clad figure followed closely behind, speaking in a woman’s voice tinged with masculine sharpness.
“Who are you? State your names!”
Jiang Chengyu lunged forward, retrieving the Dragon Cry Soulbreaker Spear with a sweeping motion before leveling its blade toward the pair.
“We are precisely the Black and White Fiends you people were just discussing—the ones who supposedly deceive and kill using tricks and poison.”
“The Black and White Fiends?”
Although Jiang Fengyu had already suspected it, hearing them admit it personally still shocked him.
The Black and White Fiends had truly come to Great Yan.
And from Black Fiend’s earlier words, it was obvious they already knew who the Jiang family was.
White Fiend arrogantly admired the claw-like fingers of the withered right hand.
“We greatly admire all of you heroes, which is why we kindly waited until dawn before acting. If you willingly hand over the treasure in your possession, we may consider sparing your lives.”
“And what treasure might the two of you be referring to?” Jiang Kun and Sun Yuluo stepped out from their tent. “Our family has been reduced to wandering refugees with nothing to our name. I fear you may be disappointed.”
No one understood the viciousness and deceitfulness of the Black and White Fiends better than Jiang Kun.
To protect his family, he could only try to stall them for now.
Inside the tent, Jiang Qingshu was just about to step out when Second Brother Jiang Yifeng quietly appeared.
“Come with me.”
“What about Father and the others?”
Jiang Qingshu knew those two enemies must be terrifyingly dangerous; otherwise Jiang Kun would never have secretly arranged for Second Brother to escort them away.
“I’ll get you somewhere safe first, then come back to support them.”
Using the tents and surrounding ravines as cover, Jiang Yifeng quietly led the women and children away.
But they had underestimated the Black and White Fiends’ control over the battlefield.
The moment the group crouched into a trench, countless venomous snakes suddenly poured in ahead of them.
The dense mass of snakes writhed together like a living tide, surging toward them.
“So many snakes!”
The children screamed in terror.
Jiang Yifeng had no choice but to shield them while retreating.
Seeing the snakes about to engulf them, Jiang Qingshu prepared to pull a gas canister from her space storage to create fire and drive them away.
But just as the thought arose, she suddenly realized something was wrong.
Snakes should have been hibernating during this season.
And such an enormous swarm gathering together was even more impossible.
She suddenly remembered what Eldest Brother had said—the Black and White Fiends used poisons to induce hallucinations.
Which meant these snakes might not exist at all.
They were merely illusions.
Realizing this, she immediately took out a waterskin filled with spirit spring water and handed it to her family.
“Drink it! It counteracts poison!”
Sure enough, the moment the spirit spring water entered their bodies, the endless sea of snakes vanished like bubbles bursting.
In their place remained only a tiny little lizard.
“Hahahahaha… How naive. None of the prey we set our sights on has ever escaped.”
“Arrogant bastards! Die!”
Jiang Chengyu’s fury erupted first as he launched his attack.
The Dragon Cry Soulbreaker Spear seemed alive in his hands, perfectly synchronized with him as though weapon and wielder were one.
The spear swept through the air, creating violent spirals of force accompanied by dragon-like roars, carrying overwhelming killing intent.
Yet the Black and White Fiends showed no panic.
Instead, disdainful smiles spread across their faces.
They rose directly into the air and hovered there effortlessly.
Jiang Kun was secretly shocked.
Even the best qinggong required footholds for leverage.
How could they remain suspended in midair?
“Still don’t understand?” Black Fiend sneered. “We exist on entirely different levels. Your attacks are useless against us, while our attacks leave you utterly defenseless!”
“Take this spear!”
With a furious roar, Jiang Chengyu swung the spear behind his neck and hurled it once more with explosive force.
“Don’t throw it—!”
Jiang Yifeng arrived at that exact moment, landing while shouting desperately.
He had drunk the spirit spring water and could now see reality clearly.
The so-called Black and White Fiends they were attacking were not the real enemies at all—
—but merely a swarm of poisonous bats gathered together.
Unfortunately, once the spear had been thrown, there was no taking it back.
The instant the spear struck Black Fiend, both figures exploded into a swarm of bats rushing toward them.
“Careful! These bats are highly venomous!”
Jiang Kun could no longer remain a bystander. He immediately drew his sword and joined the battle against the bats.
Sun Yuluo also refused to retreat. She grabbed a wooden stick and began swinging it fiercely.
The fangs of these bats possessed terrifying corrosive venom.
Even hiding inside the tents would not save them.
Meanwhile, the real Black and White Fiends had already flashed directly before Jiang Qingshu and the others.
Their target was unmistakably clear.
They had come specifically for Jiang Qingshu.
At that moment, Jiang Qingshu finally understood.
The “treasure” they sought… could it be the blood pearl?
Aside from that, she possessed nothing worthy of being called a treasure.
But how did they know the blood pearl was with her?
Could it be connected to that “prophetic dream?”
Or perhaps it had never been a dream at all—
—but rather some method they used to spy on treasures.
If she activated teleportation now, she could at least take two family members and escape.
But if she did that, everyone remaining behind might face complete annihilation.
No.
She could not run.
At least, not yet.
But if she stayed, how could this weak body possibly defeat opponents of this level?
It was absurd.
The only option now was to lure them away, buying time for her family to escape while she searched for a chance to free herself later.
“I do indeed possess something valuable,” she said coldly. “But this treasure chooses its owner. If I refuse, then even killing me and taking it would be useless.”
The Black and White Fiends exchanged glances before looking back at her.
“If you willingly hand it over, we can spare your family.”
“Fine. I agree.” Jiang Qingshu smiled faintly. “But I don’t trust you. What if you kill everyone after getting the treasure?”
“What do you want then?” Black Fiend’s voice dripped with violent impatience.
“I’ll go somewhere farther away with you. Only then can I ensure my family’s safety.” She curled her lips provocatively. “Or are you afraid?”
“Fine. Let’s go.”
“No! You can’t take her!”
Tang Shuangshuang suddenly rushed forward to stop them.
Before marriage, she had often accompanied her father, a caravan escort, and naturally possessed some martial skill.
At the moment, the Jiang men were completely occupied by the bats.
Protecting the rest of the family now fell to her.
She understood exactly what Jiang Qingshu intended—
and she refused to let her bear this burden alone.
At that moment, she had entirely forgotten she was pregnant.
She leapt forward with a flying kick aimed at White Fiend’s clawed hand reaching for Jiang Qingshu.
“You want to die? Then I’ll grant your wish!”
White Fiend flew into a rage and slashed a claw straight toward Tang Shuangshuang’s chest.
“Stop—!”
Jiang Qingshu screamed and grabbed Tang Shuangshuang, trying to pull her away—
but it was already too late.
White Fiend’s attack was impossibly fast.
Before Jiang Qingshu’s shout had even finished, the claw had already pierced through Tang Shuangshuang’s chest.
“No—!”
In the next instant, Jiang Qingshu felt herself lifted into the air.
The Black and White Fiends seized her and soared deep into the hills…