Chapter 581: Trust thrown to the dogs (1/2)

Chapter 581: Trust thrown to the dogs

Despite falling to one knee, Gu Beiyue was already clutching a small golden dagger in his fingers. This time he was using his left hand, because he had no way to lift his right arm anymore. But Chu Yunyi knew him too well and knew he still had a weapon, so he kept his distance. Instead, he aimed an arrow at his left shoulder next.

This traitor. So he’s defected to Long Feiye and Han Yunxi’s side after all.

Gu Beiyue saw Chu Yunyi raise his arrow from a distance as his clear gaze grew turbid and complex. Because the Nether and Shadow Clans had worked together for generations, he never expected Chu Yunyi to suspect and plot against him. Neither did he expect someone as shrewd as Long Feiye to fall into Chu Yunyi’s trap. In the space of time it took to brew a cup of tea, his still and serene face was already in marked contrast to the stormy depths of his heart. His thoughts were in chaos, leaving him distracted and unfocused.

This time, he knew he wouldn’t be able to protect Miss Yunxi. There was only one choice left. Although it was just a temporary solution, it could at least preserve Miss Yunxi’s life and keep her from getting injured.

And that was to reveal her true noble identity!

The Nether Clan was overwhelmingly ambitious. They had been searching nonstop for the West Qin imperial heir just so they could control them and rule in their name. But if he told Chu Yunyi about Han Yunxi’s identity, the man would still fear and respect her too much to injure her! Even if he could block Chu Yunyi’s next arrow, there was no telling whether he’d be able to dodge a third or a fourth. Thus, Gu Beiyue made his decision!

But Han Yunxi chose that moment to move from her hiding spot behind him!

The entire time, Gu Beiyue had been paying attention to the woman behind him, worried that she’d be frightened or hurt. But now all he felt was an overwhelming killing intent! Unless one was a high-level martial arts expert, it would be impossible to sense the powerful aura emanating from her form. Nor was it possible for anyone who didn’t know martial arts to give off such a field!

This woman not only knew martial arts, but wanted to kill him!

Gu Beiyue’s taut lips suddenly drew up into a self-mocking smile. For the first time ever, even I’ve been tricked! Is this what they mean by ‘caring makes one careless?’

The woman behind him wasn’t the real Han Yunxi at all. Neither was the fallen man by his feet the real Long Feiye!

What a Long Feiye! He’s fooled us all!

As Chu Yunyi released his arrow, Gu Beiyue turned sideways to avoid the weapon, which narrowly flew past the fake Han Yunxi. Chu Yunyi saw this and smiled inwardly. Gu Beiyue isn’t on close terms with Long Feiye’s group at all. Looks like he’d rather pick self-preservation in the face of death.

“Someone come, apprehend him!” Chu Yunyi commanded. He would never let Gu Beiyue go after the man had shown his true face today.

Aside from the self-deprecating smirk, Gu Beiyue’s face didn’t reveal any other expression. His shoulder wound wouldn’t affect him much beyond a handicapped limb in battle, but his injured leg directly affected his shadow arts. It would be difficult for him to escape with a bad leg!

But as long as Han Yunxi was safe, he didn’t care.

Chu Yunyi had the majority of his archers move to surround Gu Beiyue while he went after “Han Yunxi.” He thought he could take his time against a woman who didn’t know martial arts, but as soon as he shot his arrow, the fake dodged out of the way and leaped onto the ginkgo tree. By the next signal, she had shot a signal flare into the air!

Chu Yunyi suddenly realized that he’d been tricked!

Long Feiye didn’t come? Han Yunxi hadn’t come either. But I clearly saw them get into their disguises to stand by my side. Did someone replace them during the journey? His heart grew flustered from the sudden shock! Since Long Feiye hadn’t come, he was the oriole stalking the mantis after the cicada in this dog-eat-dog game! Heaven knows what kind of scheme Long Feiye had put in place after the fake Han Yunxi’s signal flare? In truth, Chu Yunyi dreaded the man even more than the Western Zhou imperial clan.

“Someone come, hurry and find what we’ve come for. Prepare to withdraw!” Chu Yunyi ordered immediately.

Of course, he didn’t forget to shoot the fake Han Yunxi either. Now that he knew the woman had martial arts, he put up his guard. Within five arrows, she was dead. Meanwhile, a few poisons masters disguised as court ladies approached the thousand-year ginkgo tree to search for the Wood of Ten-Thousand Poisons.

Chu Yunyi still couldn’t bring himself to accept the deceit. He approached the fake Han Yunxi’s body and ripped off her face veil to verify that it was indeed a completely different person. Then he went to pull off the fake Long Feiye’s beard and found the same thing.

“Long Feiye!” Chu Yunyi gnashed his teeth in loathing, but it was then that the dead “Long Feiye” sprang up and stabbed him in the arm! Chu Yunyi had shifted to dodge at the first sign of movement, but he was still late by a step. The dagger sank deep into his right arm! For archers, that was their important shooting arm! Now that it was injured, his arrows would be less powerful than before!

The fake Long Feiye had clearly planned out all this in advance. Perhaps his only mission here was to injure his arm so as to cripple his Driving Arrow Arts!