Chapter 9: 009: Gone

009: Gone

Ming Zun merely looked up at Sheng Luo once, his expression remaining completely unchanged. However, his figure suddenly leaped, charging toward Xiao Moyun!

Mu Yan and the others, left behind on the spot, were dumbfounded! The Lord wasn't actually going to save that woman, was he?! Everyone's eyes snapped toward Sheng Luo, who was still swaying in the wind, wrapped up like a zongzi, and then toward her face, which was so filthy that her original features were unrecognizable!

They all shook their heads in unison. No, no, no! They had forgotten—their master hated being threatened more than anything. Anyone who dared to threaten him would either die or be left crippled! Their master was merely striking out to teach Xiao Moyun a lesson for threatening him; he was absolutely not trying to save this woman!

It took them only a second to realize this. They watched as Ming Zun and Xiao Moyun exchanged several moves. Xiao Moyun had already drawn his sword; with a leap, the sound of clashing blades instantly echoed through the surroundings.

Above, after exchanging several blows, Xiao Moyun’s expression grew even more grim! He hadn't expected Ming Zun's cultivation to have progressed so much in just a few short months. During the battle at Yueming Peak months ago, he had barely managed a draw with Ming Zun. But now, Ming Zun's power was clearly several levels higher than his own!

As he thought this, a wave of palm wind swept toward him. He barely managed to dodge the strike by tilting his body, but as he retreated, he saw Ming Zun's next palm strike already rushing toward him!

Xiao Moyun retreated again and again, seeing that he would soon be unable to dodge! Suddenly, seeing Sheng Luo still dangling from a tree branch a few meters away, a wicked smile curled at the corner of his lips. With a suction of palm wind, he pulled Sheng Luo toward him, and then with a flick of his hand, he hurled the startled Sheng Luo toward Ming Zun!

"This Palace shall return the Lord's woman to you! Please, Lord, catch her well!"

Sheng Luo gritted her teeth. She had been enjoying this rare, free live-action martial arts performance when she was suddenly sucked in by Xiao Moyun and thrown out again. Hearing his words, she roared in anger, "Who the hell are you calling whose woman?!"

On this side, Ming Zun had been aiming a palm strike at Xiao Moyun. Seeing Sheng Luo being thrown toward him, his brain hadn't yet processed the reason before he withdrew his palm force. Withdrawing the force was one thing, but seeing Sheng Luo hurtling toward him, his heart inexplicably wanted to reach out and catch her. However, while his thoughts were one thing, years of instinctual habit remained unchanged! With a tilt of his body and a flick of his hand, he swatted the approaching Sheng Luo away!

A loud *thud* and a *crack* rang out. Ming Zun's heart skipped a beat. When he turned to look, he saw Sheng Luo sliding down a tree trunk to the ground. Wrapped in white silk, she showed no sign of life, looking as if her neck had been snapped—a truly gruesome way to die...

Dead!

She died just like that!

Just as he still didn't understand why he had withdrawn his palm force for her, this strange woman had died just like that!

"What a tragic death! Didn't this Palace say for the Lord to catch your woman well?" Seeing Ming Zun's reaction, Xiao Moyun let out another wicked laugh. He knew this woman wasn't so simple to Ming Zun! What a pity, to let her die like this!

"You seek death!" Ming Zun turned his head, his cold, murderous gaze meeting Xiao Moyun's. Since he couldn't figure out that matter, he stopped thinking about it; he would simply treat the unbearable rage coiling in his chest as something that could only be released by killing Xiao Moyun.

True Qi condensed in his palm, the momentum so powerful that the surrounding branches and twigs trembled!

"Heavenly Extinction!" Xiao Moyun was greatly alarmed! Before he could condense his own palm force, Ming Zun had already swept in front of him like a speeding bolt of lightning. In an instant, a heavy palm strike slammed into his chest. He immediately spat out a large mouthful of blood, his body sent flying backward!

"Pavilion Master!" There were casualties among the guards of both sides, but clearly, Xiao Moyun's guards had suffered much more heavily. In a short amount of time, they had been slaughtered by Mu Yan and the others until almost none were left. The remaining few possessed decent martial arts, but facing elite guards like Mu Yan, they could only barely hold their own. Seeing Xiao Moyun heavily injured, they immediately retreated, two of them leaping forward to catch him.

"Retreat!" Caught by the two guards, Xiao Moyun spat out more blood. Upon his command, the two guards supported him and leaped toward the forest.

Mu Yan and the others wanted to give chase, but the remaining guards of Xiao Moyun fought desperately to hold them back. After dealing with them, the group immediately moved to Ming Zun's side.

"Master! Shall we pursue?" Mu Yan asked for instructions.

"Gone."