250 Chapter 249: Rescue mission (2/2)

”Follow me!”

Lian Rou led the way. Being the person most familiar with the Toxic Marshes, she knew the place well enough to sound out the safest route. Stepping into a worn trail, she guided us into the trees and allowed us to disappear from view. Behind us, I could still hear the vicious din as Song Ting Yu and her bodyguards continued to clash against the Black Venom Cultists.

The enemy was still fighting against the stronger Martial Arts Alliance experts with a defiance that was almost admirable. Knowing Song Ting Yu, she wasn't lying when she claimed that her forces had the skill and power to exterminate the Black Venom Cult.

Best to leave it to them then. For now, I focused on getting the hell out of here.

Our group moved quietly through the Toxic Marshes for what seemed like hours. Lian Rou took care to take the safest routes, avoiding potential dangers such as venomous creatures, or hazardous terrain in the form of bogs, soft soil and marshes. Too many insidious creatures lurked under the surface of the swamp, ready to ensnare an unsuspecting victim and drag him under. Worse was the quicksand-like areas where a person would just get sucked into the soil and disappear.

Fortunately, Lian Rou knew where these danger spots were, and skillfully navigated around them. We might be taking the long route, but in the long run we were saving time. If we had to stop and rescue people from quicksand or fight off magical beasts and monstrous creatures every time, or treat poisoned patients whenever they got bitten or stung by a venmous monster or a bug every time, we would never get out of here.

The ex-prisoners didn't complain. To my surprise, they soldiered on determinedly, not even uttering a word of pain. They appeared exhausted, but they refused to stop, pushing themselves to keep up with our punishing pace to the point I admired their tenacity. Don't forget, these were untrained, non-martial artists. They were physically and spiritually weaker than us.

Just what sort of horrors did they experience when abducted, to become so tenacious…or perhaps so numb? They were so traumatized that they didn't mind trekking through such a treacherous swamp just to get away from their abductors.

Those Black Venom Cult bastards…

”!!!”

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I froze when I suddenly sensed something. Turning around, I brought my hand up to my glasses.

”What is it?” Tong Xue asked, noticing that I had halted. I shook my head and continued to scan the forest.

”We're being followed.”

Tong Xue paused for a moment as he extended his own senses or techniques to detect the stalkers. He then nodded. ”You're right. Three of them. About two hundred meters south of us, and approaching fast.” He glanced at the kidnapped prisoners, who weren't exactly moving very quickly. ”They'll catch up at this rate.”

”Worse…they're from the Black Venom Cult.” I gritted my teeth. From my own Heaven and Earth Senses, I had come to the exact same conclusion as Tong Xue. ”They've found out that we've taken their guinea pigs.”

”They probably want to use us as guinea pigs as well,” Yi Ding Si muttered, his face pale. He shuddered, evidently remembering the demise of his two friends, Zi Sha and Jiu Bu Liao. Given his name, he would definitely die, just like how Zi Sha committed suicide, and how we weren't able to save Jiu Bu Liao.

”I won't let that happen.” I stood my ground, turning around to face the approaching enemy. ”You guys go ahead.

”Are you sure?” Lian Rou asked, concerned. I nodded.

”I'll stay with you,” Tong Xue offered, but I shook my head.

”Then who's going to protect Lian Rou and the prisoners?”

”Can you really hold them off by yourself?” Yi Ding Si sound skeptical.

”I'll make sure I do. By any means necessary.” I was already retrieving Azure Lotus Sword and Shadow Fox, while activating my Snow Aegis. ”Now stop wasting time and go!”

Spurred on by my words, my group moved immediately. Just as they did, the first figure broke through the cluster of trees.

”You bastard!' he snarled, a gray streak that dashed forward. I stood in his way, holding both my swords up.

”You shall not pass!” I bellowed and swung them, unleashing a Heavenly Draonic Meteor Strike that sliced deeply into him. Blood spurted out from his wounds and he faltered. I took advantage to deliver a roundhouse kick that sent him smashing into a tree. The trunk splintered and the whole tree crashed down on him, burying him in the soft soil.

However, while I was distracted with my current opponent, I heard a cry. Turning around in horror, I saw one of the other two emerging from the foliage. He had accelerated suddenly, taking me by surprise. I tried to use my footwork techniques, but I was too late.

”You think we'll just let you go like that?!” the Black Venom Cultist roared as he lunged at one of the prisoners, his hands outstretched, as if to grab them. The girl who he was aiming for recoiled in horror, tears welling up in her eyes when she realized that she was his target.

Damn it! I wasn't going to make it in time!

To everyone's astonishment, it was Yi Ding Si who reacted first. Imposing himself between the approaching Black Venom Cultist and the girl, he raised his hands and intercepted the assailant's attack. The both of them sprang apart after the violent collision of qi, with Yi Ding Si spitting out a mouthful of blood.

I finally reached them, just as the Black Venom Cultist fell back, and beheaded him while he was stumbling from shock.

”Yi Ding Si! Are you all right?!”

Our newest teammate was frightfully pale, blood streaming from his mouth. He looked up, and forced a smile.

”I've felt better.”

I was about to reply to that when I noticed the guy I had kicked earlier slowly emerging from the broken tree where I had buried him under. Not only that, the third and last guy was fast approaching. He seemed more powerful than the other two, judging from the tremendous amount of his qi, but at least he was slower.

”Get them out of here!” I yelled at Tong Xue and Lian Rou. Tong Xue nodded and quickly approached Yi Ding Si to help him up, but Lian Rou stopped him.

”He's badly poisoned!” she cursed as she fumbled for an antidote in her medical pouch and fed it to him. ”Take this for now. It should slow the poison, though I don't know if it will neutralize it completely.” she glanced at Tong Xue. ”Don't touch him yet.”

”Then how…?”

”Wait.” Lian Rou produced a bunch of bandages, and wrapped them around Yi Ding Si's hands. Once they were securely bound, she then stepped back and nodded. ”You can touch him now. That should stop the poison from spreading.”

Tong Xue tepped forward wthout hesitation and helped Yi Ding Si up, throwing his arm around his shoulders. They then proceeded after the ex-prisoners. Lian Rou hurried to the front, taking the lead once again.

”Follow me!”

”You guys go ahead.” I was already slashing at the rising Black Venom Cultist, but he swiftly dodged my swords. He retaliated with a poisonous palm strike, but I spun away with an elegant footwork technique and avoided getting hit. It wouldn't matter, since I was immune to poison, but it was to give Lian Rou and the rest a peace of mind. ”I'll hold them back!”

”Hah!” the Black Venom Cultist snorted. ”You think you can defeat us by yourself, brat?”

I grinned. ”Actually, I can.”

Then I kicked him in the gut, sending him flying once again. The poor bastard coughed out another mouthful of blood, but slowly rose to his feet.

”I'll admit, you're strong. But you're still no match for my senior!”

The third guy who was approaching must be his senior, huh? He wasn't exaggerating. I could literally feel the potent qi emanating from the last guy. No wonder, he was so confident.

However, I wasn't stupid enough to assume that strength was the deciding factor. Just because the guy had a lot of qi and was powerful didn't mean I was no match for him. No doubt this would be a difficult battle, so I couldn't underestimate him, but I definitely wasn't going to give up just because he was powerful.

All this time I had been fighting strong opponents, and while I didn't win all the time, I had often taken them by surprise, and even snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Unlike bullshit xianxia stories, I wasn't going to automatically roll over and surrender just because my enemy was of a higher realm or whatever.

A match between martial artists was a lot more complex than a simple contest of qi and strength. Speed, tactics, skill and other factors came into play too. As long as I played this right, I might just be able to prevail.

Swallowing, I took another step back and steeled myself for the confrontation to come.

Ducking under another palm strike from the Black Demon Cultist, I retaliated with a riposte that cut his chest. As he staggered, he roared in fury.

”Don't get too cocky, brat! Once my senior get here…!”

”How pathetic. To think you can't even take care of a kid on your own.”

A deep voice rumbled and the third and last guy landed in the clearing. I watched in awe as the grass and plants around him began to literally wither from just being in contact with his poisonous qi. This guy was literally the walking embodiment of toxicity.

”Now then…” the gigantic Black Venom Cultist cracked his knuckles as he glared at me. ”Where did you take all our guinea pigs to?”