The Mantis and the Oriole: Feng Yue

The white-robed woman, seeing her magic tool successfully block Han Li’s golden blade, wore a smug expression on her face.

“And here I thought you’d jumped out without a lick of sense! Turns out you’ve got a top-grade magic tool backing you up,” she sneered, but her hands didn’t pause for a moment. With a flip of her wrist, she produced a pink crystal ball and sent it floating above her head.

“Not good! That crystal ball can corrode other people’s magic tools. Junior apprentice-brother, stop her quickly! My tools were all destroyed that way.” The yellow-robed woman’s face changed color as she hurriedly warned.

Han Li’s heart lurched. Without a second thought, he raised his hand and hurled the silver hook he had been holding, turning it into a streak of silver light that shot toward the woman’s crystal ball.

The white-robed woman curled her lips scornfully. Her ten fingers formed a strange hand seal, and she struck a beam of red light into the crystal ball above her head.

The crystal ball, absorbing the spell, immediately flared with crimson light. It began to spin on its own, spewing streams of pink liquid that coalesced into a liquid cloud centered around the orb. Though only about ten feet across, it dyed the space above the woman a brilliant red.

Han Li hesitated. He didn’t dare to risk sending the silver hook directly into the red liquid. Instead, he steered it downward, aiming straight for the white-robed woman below.

At the same time, he quietly released his other high-grade magic tool—the Green Vine Cord. Like a spirit serpent, it slithered silently along the ground, creeping forward without a sound.

“Go!”

The white-robed woman suddenly pointed at the crystal ball. A small portion of the liquid cloud detached and flew downward, enveloping the streak of white light that was passing beneath it. The trapped light slowed and revealed the original form of the silver hook.

Seeing this, Han Li’s anxiety spiked. He steeled himself, abandoning the silver hook, and instead directed the Green Vine Cord, which had just arrived, to coil around the white-robed woman in a single, ghostly motion. It bound her tightly, wrapping both her protective shield and her body into a large, makeshift cocoon. Though the white-robed woman had many magic tools at her disposal, she was momentarily caught off guard and unable to break free.

Without the slightest hesitation, Han Li pulled out his talisman treasure, the Golden Brick.

He had no idea how long the Green Vine Cord could hold her, but now he could only take the gamble. He hoped to kill her with the talisman treasure before she could break free.

The yellow-robed woman, though plain in appearance, was not without wit. Even without any powerful magic tools or talismans left, she began pelting the liquid mass trapping the silver hook with small spells—fireballs, ice shards—and the small mirror as well. She hoped to free Han Li’s trapped tools and increase their chances of victory.

Unfortunately, her attacks were useless, like trying to scratch an itch through a boot.

“Hmph, you think a mere high-grade magic tool can hold me? I’ll show you how foolish you are in a moment!” Despite being bound by the Green Vine Cord, the white-robed woman still spoke with arrogance.

Han Li couldn’t be bothered to reply. He held up the Golden Brick talisman treasure, mentally preparing himself for another massive drain of his mana.

But just then, a terrifying surge of spiritual energy erupted from the dense forest behind the white-robed woman.

Han Li was startled. Before he could even react, a blindingly bright yellow light shot out from the woods like lightning. It pierced straight through the Green Vine Cord, the woman’s protective shield, and her body itself, running them all through in one clean strike. The white-robed woman didn’t even have time to let out a scream before she collapsed on the spot.

Seeing this, Han Li was first shocked, then immediately realized what must have happened. He made to spring away, but it was too late.

A blue-clad figure flickered like a shooting star, appearing beside the woman’s corpse in a few flashes. He ripped the storage pouch from her waist and burst into loud laughter, his face filled with unbridled jubilation.

Knowing he was too late, Han Li sighed in frustration. But for the sake of his own life, he forced himself to stay alert, watching the newcomer’s every move with cold eyes.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man whose face was covered in scars. He had narrow, long eyes and a hooked nose, and his entire being radiated a fierce aura that made anyone seeing him shiver and instinctively want to keep their distance. Judging by his cultivation, he was already at the peak of the thirteenth layer, and Han Li’s heart grew heavier still.

“Feng Yue! You’re the madman Feng Yue of Tianque Fortress!”

Before the blue-clad man even spoke, the yellow-robed woman had cried out in terror, her expression as if she had encountered the most horrifying demon imaginable—far more afraid than when she was being hunted by the white-robed woman.

“Heh heh! Didn’t think a little girl like you would recognize me. Stand there and stay put. I’ll decide what to do with you two after I’ve seen what I’ve got here,” the blue-clad man said, barely glancing at the yellow-robed woman. He lowered his head to inspect the storage pouch in his hands, paying them no further attention.

Han Li rubbed his nose, gazing at the man flatly, his eyes flickering with calculation. He had no idea who this man was or what reputation he carried, but he was thoroughly dissatisfied with his senior apprentice-sister’s overreaction.

To Han Li, no matter who came, he couldn’t let himself fall into disarray. The stronger the enemy, the more he had to keep his composure.

He glanced at his freed magic tools and reached out to summon the golden blade and the silver hook back.

The golden blade was still fine, as good as new. But the silver hook made him jump. The once brightly gleaming tool was now covered in rust and pitted with holes, as if it had become a broken blade, its spiritual energy greatly diminished and no longer fit for use.

It was only then that Han Li understood what the yellow-robed woman meant by “destroyed magic tools.” The pink liquid sprayed by the crystal ball was incredibly vicious! Any magic tool that touched it would have to steer clear.

After his moment of reflection, his attention was drawn to the dazzling yellow light hovering in front of the blue-clad man.

It was a strangely shaped short knife with a handle. The handle was a full foot long, but the blade itself was only three or four inches. The entire thing was crystalline and translucent, emitting a piercing yellow light.

It was this odd-looking object that had killed the white-robed woman in a single strike.

Han Li stared fixedly at it, his expression gradually sinking. A dark cloud seemed to press down on his face, and his lips were tightly sealed. But the word “talisman treasure” kept flashing through his mind.

The power of the short knife, its nearly light-like appearance, the terrifying burst of spiritual energy—all of it confirmed that this object was, like his Golden Brick, a talisman treasure possessing the might of a true magical treasure.

This realization left a bitter taste in Han Li’s mouth.

He looked up at the murky yellow sky. He couldn’t tell what time it was, but it had to be the morning of the second day. He wondered if he had used up all his luck on the first day, only to run into such terrible misfortune on the morning of the second.

First, a fellow sect senior apprentice-sister had dragged him into a fight, forcing him to go up against that treasure-hoarding woman from the Moon-Masking Sect. Her top-grade magic tools were terrifyingly powerful; he had barely managed to hold his own.

And now this “Madman Feng Yue” had appeared. Not only was his cultivation level far above Han Li’s, but he also had a talisman treasure on him, making him even more dangerous than the treasure-hoarding woman. How was Han Li supposed to escape this?

He didn’t think this madman would let the two of them go just because he was in a good mood. It seemed Han Li would have to fight for his life.

Just as he was thinking this, Feng Yue finally finished inspecting the storage pouch. He lifted his head with a hint of satisfaction, obviously pleased with his haul.

He let out a cruel grin and was about to say something to Han Li and the others when his eyes landed on the small mirror and the crystal ball that had fallen to the ground. A flash of greed passed through his gaze, and he waved his hand, trying to draw the two magic tools toward him.

But before they could even rise, a small fireball came flying from a distance, interrupting his attempt. He was forced to take a step back and release a fireball of his own to cancel it out. This infuriated Feng Yue, and a murderous expression spread across his face.

The fireball had been Han Li’s doing. Having seen the power of the small mirror and the crystal ball, he had no intention of letting them fall into the enemy’s hands. The yellow-robed woman, however, was terrified by Han Li’s action and nearly let out a scream.

Feng Yue slowly turned to face Han Li. The scars on his face began to writhe like living earthworms, a sight that would make anyone’s blood run cold. After savagely sizing up Han Li for a moment, he suddenly spoke:

“How do you want to die? Shall I skin you alive, slice by slice, or roast your flesh inch by inch over a fire?”

Hearing this, the yellow-robed woman trembled, her face turning deathly pale. Unable to contain her fear any longer, she couldn’t help glancing left and right, already thinking of other options.

“I want you to die,” Han Li replied with a smile. His smile was very natural, very open.