230 To Escape an Assassination (1/2)

Disgust tinged Ji Lingxi’s expression as she replied, ”He should be seventeen this year; he’s younger than me by two years.”

Yue Rulan hesitated before saying, ”My older brother is twenty-three this year…”

Ji Lingxi frowned, retorting, ”Sister Lan, I truly only harbor respect for your older brother!”

”I know.” Yue Rulan replied, smiling.

She seemed to have something else to say but the words could not leave her lips, and she only heaved a soft sigh.

I hope my guess is wrong.

”Lingxi… if it weren’t for your sudden breakthrough last afternoon, I’m afraid… both of us would be somewhere else by now…” Yue Rulan sighed solemnly.

Ji Lingxiu was confused as well when she replied, ”You’re not the only astonished one. I’m curious too. I’ve just advanced to the seventh peak not too long ago and now I’ve reached the eighth peak instantly. After the initial excitement, all I’m left with now is confusion and a little fear.”

”What are you scared of? Breakthrough is always a good thing, especially to us right now. It’s of the utmost importance.”

Yue Rulan smiled when she continued. ”You have gained the most from this adventure of ours. Before we came out, your cultivation base is only of the fourth peak but as we go along our way, you’ve advanced to the eighth peak within a year. It’s honestly my first time hearing of advancing four levels in a year without the help of any treasured gems or spiritual pills and medicine.”

Ji Lingxi, too, was doubtful of her improvement; genuinely concerned, she mumbled, ”I don't know what is going on either. I just saw you almost being taken away then an energy somehow came from somewhere and I just charged over without thinking… Then I realized that I had a breakthrough but I didn’t even feel the rush of leveling up then… I still feel like I’m dreaming even until now. I can’t believe that I’ve gotten to the eighth peak. Sister Yue, say, will there be an interruption with my current cultivation base? Will I drop back to the seventh peak after a few days?”

Yue Rulan only hummed, regarding the question, not answering it. It was bizarre indeed but both of them were no experts of this field. Despite their deep-rooted and far-reaching family background, they had never heard of similar cases. She could not comb out any cause and effect nor pros and cons, could only keep this confusion in her heart and pose the question to someone who might be proficient in this instead in the future.

Just like what Yue Rulan had said, Ji Lingxi’s abrupt breakthrough to the eighth peak that resulted in an upgrade of her abilities would always be beneficial to their current situation!

However, such an advancement might even cause the martial experts’ eyes, like those of Ling Xiaozui and Dugu Chou, to bulge, if they were to know about it.

After the rest, the team’s energy seemed to have been replenished.

Ji Lingxi washed her face with the mountain stream water and let out a long breath, saying, ”Sister Yue, let’s go.”

Yue Rulan smiled faintly, a mournful look found its way to her face as she spoke, ”I’m afraid we can’t anymore.”

Her eyes were directed towards the sky through the lush canopy of trees.

Ji Lingxi’s gaze followed her line of sight and was greeted by a large crimson red bird that was rounding the sky and crying out sharply.

”They caught up to us again!”

Ji Lingxi’s jaw clenched tightly.

Those men were incessant hunters.

Yue Rulan looked worried. If her guess was right, this brief moment of rest was a gap their enemy had intentionally given them.

”Lingxi!” Yue Rulan’s voice spoke lowly and urgently. ”Remember Sister Yue’s words… If we are to be separated, do not look for me! Do not go home. Do not ever go to my home…”

Yue Rulan said with resolution, ”Go straight to Tiantang City, look for Yun Yang! Don’t do anything else and don’t be bothered by anything else!”

Ji Lingxi was quiet, an icy killing intent blooming in her eyes. ”Sister Lan… so you’ve guessed it too.”

”Yes,” Yue Rulan acknowledged with a deep sigh.

”They must have some grudge against our families… Or maybe someone in our families are plotting against us…”

”We’ve spent all these years outside and ignored all our family orders… I’m afraid we’ve long stirred their dissatisfaction and they… aren’t going to let us go this time!”

Yue Rulan said, ”My heart is as good as dead now, but not yours!”

Ji Lingxiu clenched her teeth.

”Sister Yue, I have an idea!”

”What is it?” Yue Rulan asked.

”Let us separate!” Ji Lingxi replied, ”But not the separate you’re thinking about… we’ll split away from our guards!”

”We’ll take a way of our own, camouflage ourselves and destroy our traces so we can flee quietly.”

Yue Rulan started with surprise before saying, ”We will still be obvious targets if we were to stay together.”

”We stay together, alive or dead.” Ji Lingxi gritted her teeth and gathered their guards over quickly, making swift arrangements and then cutting open hers and Yue Rulan’s scented sachets to let the guards carry the scented spices with them.

”Take care, all of you. Perhaps your chance of escaping will be bigger without us being with you all… If danger befalls, there’s no need to fight to your deaths; staying alive comes first… We shall proceed separately and meet at Tiantang City.”