eurekapd Chapter 788 Lin Xue's Bloodshed in the Stone Chamber
Chapter 788 Lin Xue's Bloodshed in the Stone Chamber
At the end of the dark, damp passageway was a simple stone chamber. The flickering torch cast the long, distorted shadows of Lin Xue and the mysterious man onto the mottled stone walls. The rebel soldiers roughly shoved them inside, and the iron door slammed shut with a loud clang, leaving behind a deathly silence.
The man said in a low voice, "It seems we've all been exposed." His voice was calm, without a trace of panic.
Lin Xue's heart skipped a beat. Could he also be...? But she had no time to think about it. She tightened her grip on the poisoned dagger hidden in her sleeve, her sharp gaze sweeping across her surroundings. She knew that the real test had only just begun.
After an unknown amount of time, the iron gate opened again, and a chilling aura rushed in along with the light. Several men dressed in black, with a fierce presence, entered first. Their eyes were sinister, clearly indicating they were all masters of internal martial arts. Following them, a burly, cold-faced middle-aged man slowly stepped in. He wore a black cloak, and an ancient longsword hung at his waist. He exuded an imposing presence; this was none other than Zhao Hu, the rebel general tasked with investigating spies.
Zhao Hu's gaze swept over Lin Xue and the man, finally settling on Lin Xue's face. He sneered, "What a stunning dancer! What a pity, she's a vixen. Speak! Who sent you? How many accomplices do you have in the city?"
Lin Xue's beautiful eyes turned cold, but she said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "General, you are joking. I am just a dancer who performs for a living. I don't know what you are talking about."
"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences!" A lean man beside Zhao Hu shouted sternly. "General, there's no need to waste words with her. Let me loosen her muscles first!"
Zhao Hu waved his hand, staring at Lin Xue with a sinister look: "I know you have some skill, otherwise I wouldn't dare to risk it alone. Considering your handsome appearance, if you're willing to confess obediently, I might spare your life and let you..."
"Shut up!" Lin Xue interrupted sharply, her eyes filled with murderous intent. "Traitorous lackeys, how dare you have such delusions!"
Before she finished speaking, Lin Xue moved swiftly, closing in on the nearest lean man like a ghost. A short dagger flashed from her sleeve, aimed straight for his throat! She knew there was no escape today; she had to fight to the death!
"You're asking for death!" The lean man was taken aback, not expecting this seemingly delicate woman to be so ruthless and swift in her attack. In his haste, he raised his palm to block. With a soft "plop," the short dagger tore through his sleeve, drawing a string of blood beads.
"Move! Take her down! Alive!" Zhao Hu's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he gave the order in a deep voice.
The other experts immediately pounced, unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks with ferocious force. The cramped space of the stone chamber made dodging and maneuvering difficult, and Lin Xue was quickly surrounded. However, she remained calm, her movements fluid and graceful, like a willow catkin in the wind—seemingly light, yet each turn revealing exquisite footwork. Her cultivation had reached the peak of the Profound Realm, making her a standout among her peers. She had managed to withstand the combined attack of these experts, all at the Great Perfection of the Profound Realm.
The short dagger in her hand transformed into streaks of cold light, sometimes like a serpent's tongue, cunning and ruthless; sometimes like a pear blossom in full bloom, impenetrable and formidable. The clanging of metal against metal and the whistling of fists and palms echoed fiercely within the stone chamber. The mysterious man was held firmly by two soldiers, forced to watch anxiously.
"What superb skills! What a pity, a pearl cast before swine!" Zhao Hu stood with his hands behind his back, coldly observing the battle. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by greed. If he could recruit such a beautiful woman with such skills, or force her to reveal information, it would be a great achievement.
In the midst of the fierce battle, Lin Xue spotted an opening and thrust her short dagger in a backhand motion, striking one of the attackers squarely in the ribs. The man screamed and staggered backward. But another expert's fist was already raining down like a hammer. Lin Xue hurriedly dodged to the side, but the force of the punch still struck her shoulder, causing her blood to surge and a trickle of blood to spill from the corner of her mouth.
"Peak of the Profound Realm, huh? Interesting." Zhao Hu nodded slightly, seemingly having a new assessment of Lin Xue's strength, but the contempt in his eyes did not diminish. "However, she's still not enough to impress me!"
He slowly drew the ancient longsword from his waist. The sword hummed, and an aura far more powerful than that of the previous experts spread out, making the air in the entire stone chamber seem to freeze.
"Earth Realm!" Lin Xue's heart trembled violently, and her face instantly turned pale. She could clearly sense that Zhao Hu's aura was unfathomable, far surpassing her own, and that he had reached the Lesser Completion of the Earth Realm!
The difference between Earth Realm and Profound Realm is only one word, but it is as different as heaven and earth! Earth Realm experts can release their inner force, and every move they make has great power.
"Surrender, and I may spare your life!" Zhao Hu stood with his sword drawn, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, an invisible aura locking onto Lin Xue.
Lin Xue took a deep breath, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes instead blazing with a resolute fighting spirit. She knew there was no chance of survival today, but as a loyal bodyguard of the imperial court, she could not die in humiliation, nor could she leak any intelligence!
"Traitor, take this!" Lin Xue shouted, advancing instead of retreating, pushing her peak Xuan Realm inner strength to its limit. Her short dagger transformed into a streak of light, charging straight at Zhao Hu with a suicidal attitude! She was going to make a final stand, even if it meant death, she wanted to take someone down with her!
Seeing this, Zhao Hu curled his lips into a disdainful sneer: "An ant trying to shake a tree!"
Faced with Lin Xue's fierce and unreserved offensive, which seemed to destroy everything, Zhao Hu remained as immovable as a towering mountain, his right wrist trembling slightly.
laugh--
In an instant, a cyan sword beam, condensed to its peak, shot out from the tip of the sword with lightning speed. Its speed was like lightning cutting through the sky, and its thinness was like an insignificant cow hair, but it contained a powerful and overwhelming aura and pressure that was unstoppable and indestructible.
Lin Xue was horrified at the sight. Instinctively, she tried to dodge, but she realized she was bound by a mysterious and incredibly powerful force, causing her movements to become abnormally sluggish and slow, completely losing her usual agility and flexibility. The azure sword energy gradually became clearer in her vision, relentlessly approaching her at an astonishing speed, leaving her no time to take any effective countermeasures!
puff!
Immediately afterwards, a slight sound suddenly rang out, sounding like a fine piece of silk being suddenly torn apart.
Lin Xue's body suddenly stopped, and the momentum of her forward sprint vanished instantly. She lowered her head in astonishment, staring incredulously at her neck, where a very thin but conspicuous bloodstain had appeared.
At the same time, the sharp, short dagger she clutched in her hand slipped limply from her grasp and fell to the ground with a crisp, clear sound. At that moment, the light in her eyes quickly dimmed, and she appeared incredibly weak and haggard. She could clearly feel the flame of life rapidly extinguishing itself along with the bright red blood gushing from her neck…
With a flick of his wrist, Zhao Hu sheathed his longsword, the movement fluid and effortless. And yet, not a single drop of blood stained the incredibly sharp blade in his hand!
He stared blankly ahead, watching Lin Xue slowly tilt backward before crashing heavily to the ground. The whole process was like a predictable theatrical performance, creating an atmosphere of immense oppression and stagnation.
Peak of the Profound Realm? Heh... In the end, it's just the Profound Realm. Zhao Hu murmured softly, his voice as calm as still water, yet containing endless contempt and mockery. However, if one listened carefully, one could also catch a faint, almost imperceptible hint of regret in his words.
At this moment, Lin Xue was too weak to support her body any longer, and could only let it gradually cool and stiffen. Her eyes widened, trying desperately to see what was happening before her, but her vision had already become blurred. Before her consciousness faded, the last thing she saw was Zhao Hu's cold face and the faint smile playing on his lips...
Before her consciousness completely sank into darkness, only one thought remained in her mind: the mission... failed...
Lin Xue's body collapsed to the ground, still dressed in that sexy dancer outfit. Her face was covered in exquisite, heavy makeup, making her look glamorous and alluring.
Her eyebrows were meticulously drawn into curved willow-leaf shapes, as black as ink, with a slight upward curve that revealed a touch of allure. Her eyes were covered in thick eyeshadow, the deep color seemingly captivating, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly like butterfly wings. Her lips were painted with vibrant lipstick, as tempting as ripe cherries, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile played at the corners of her mouth.
Her hair cascaded to the ground like a waterfall, shimmering with a glossy black sheen, adorned with a few sparkling gems that shimmered faintly as she fell. She wore a tight-fitting red dance costume with a low neckline, revealing her fair skin and alluring collarbones. The tassels at the hem of her skirt swayed gently with her movements, making a crisp sound. Lin Xue's stunning beauty contrasted sharply with her current state, blood gushing from her throat. Her eyes were wide open, a gurgling sound emanating from her throat, and warm liquid flowed from her genitals, emitting a foul odor. Lin Xue's slender legs twitched twice, then remained motionless—dead.
In the tranquil stone chamber, time seemed to stand still. Only the crackling of the flickering torches echoed throughout the space, accompanied by the heavy breathing of the man, which he tried to suppress but could not completely conceal. This breathtaking duel, though short in duration, was astonishing in its tension and intensity—the final result was that Lin Xue, a peak Profound Realm expert, was fatally struck in the throat by Zhao Hu's swift swordplay, a mere Earth Realm Lesser Completion cultivator! It should be noted that, in terms of realm classification, Earth Realm Lesser Completion is two minor realms higher than Profound Realm Peak; however, in reality, a vast, insurmountable chasm, a major realm apart, existed between them!