https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-104-The-Dialogue-of-the-Strong-Xian-Tian-Prohibition/13688262/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-106-Desperate-Pursuit-A-Shocking-Arrow/13688264/
Chapter 105: Ma Gu's Bad Luck
Ma Gu felt like he was cursed.
Right now, he lay face-down in a muddy pit deep within a forest, his body buried beneath a thick layer of fallen leaves. From above, the spot looked completely undisturbed—no sign of life beneath the debris.
But Ma Gu didn’t dare relax. He knew the men hunting him were all martial arts masters, some even on par with him. One wrong move, one careless breath, and they’d spot him. If surrounded, even his intimate knowledge of this terrain wouldn’t save him—there’d be no escape.
“What kind of nightmare is this?!”
The thought churned in his mind again.
He truly regretted his decisions over the past two days.
Lately, the situation in the county had been tense—like a powder keg waiting to explode. Fearing the worst, his clan had begun preparing a backup plan, secretly transferring some of their assets to the provincial capital. A few days ago, Ma Gu had been assigned a task: escort a shipment to the provincial seat. Once that was done, he’d planned to stop by the Big Market to check on Xiao Tian and the others.
After informing his fellow clansmen, he’d slipped away from the group.
Now, looking back, Ma Gu wanted to slap himself. Why had he been so foolish as to go to the Big Market?
It had only brought him this disaster.
Two days ago, after leaving the clan’s convoy, he took a shortcut through the mountains, aiming for the Big Market. But when he passed a narrow ravine, a band of riders burst from the trees.
They wore silver armor, radiating a chilling aura. They formed a triangular formation, shielding a woman and a young man in the center. The woman looked wounded—her face pale, one arm hanging limp.
The moment Ma Gu saw the boy, he knew trouble had found him.
Because he recognized the boy. And he recognized the silver-armored guards too.
It was Young Master An of the Wei Family, and the Yin Yue Wei.
Ma Gu wanted to flee—but it was too late.
The moment the boy saw him, he shouted, “Ma Gu? What are you doing here?”
That cry instantly drew the guards’ attention.
“Sir,” the lead guard, a man with a powerful presence, narrowed his eyes. “Who is this?”
“This is Ma Gu from the Ma family,” the boy replied. “Back when I was injured, our guards stayed at his house for a time.”
“Correct,” another guard confirmed. “We did stay at his home.”
“Ah,” the leader—Pang Huhui—softened slightly, but his wariness remained. Ma Gu appearing here was too strange. Had he been waiting for them? Only the fact that Ma Gu seemed weak and alone kept Pang Huhui from suspecting a trap.
“Those behind us are temporarily gone. First, treat The Lady of the Wei Family,” Pang Huhui ordered.
One of the guards immediately produced Golden Wound Medicine and handed it to Young Master An, who applied it to The Lady’s wounds.
“Greetings, Young Master An. The Lady of the Wei Family,” Ma Gu forced himself to step forward, bowing. He didn’t know why they were here, but the bloodstained armor, the tense atmosphere, and the recent chaos in the city told him one thing: he’d stumbled into something he shouldn’t have seen.
Had the war finally begun?
And was he about to be silenced?
Ma Gu’s heart sank.
He couldn’t run. These Yin Yue Wei were all stronger than him. He had no chance.
“Ma Gu,” Young Master An asked, “what are you doing here?”
“I was just returning to the Big Market,” Ma Gu lied smoothly. “I didn’t expect to run into you.”
At that moment, rustling echoed through the trees. The guards stiffened.
“Captain,” one of them said, voice tight. “They’ve caught up.”
“I know,” Pang Huhui sighed. “They have Nei Fu Jing masters among them. With The Lady and the Young Master in our care, we can’t outrun them.”
“What now? They outnumber us. Even if our formation holds for a while, it won’t matter. And The Lady is wounded—she won’t last long without proper treatment,” another guard fretted.
“Then let me stay behind,” The Lady of the Wei Family said, her voice weak. “Take An away. I’m the mistress of the Wei Residence. They want me alive to pressure the family head. They won’t kill me right away.”
“Mother!” Young Master An cried out.
“No!” Pang Huhui snapped. “Protecting The Lady is our duty. As long as any of us still draw breath, they will not touch a single hair on her head!”
“But if we keep running, we’ll all die,” The Lady insisted. “I won’t let my death drag you all down.”
“There’s still a way,” Pang Huhui said, trying to calm her. “Don’t panic.”
But the sounds behind them grew louder. Pang Huhui scanned the area—then his eyes landed on Ma Gu, standing quietly nearby.
“Sir,” he asked Young Master An, “can we trust him?”
Young Master An hesitated, then nodded. “Ma Gu’s decent enough. When I was unconscious, it was his advice that saved me.”
Pang Huhui wasn’t fully convinced—but he had no other choice.
He turned to Ma Gu, gritting his teeth. “Ma Gu, I have a request.”
Ma Gu’s heart lurched. He forced a smile. “What is it?”
“Protect The Lady and the Young Master. Get them to safety. If you succeed, the Wei Family will repay you handsomely.”
Everyone froze. Ma Gu’s face paled.
“Sir, you’re joking,” he stammered. “You can’t even protect them. How can I, a mere Jin Gu Jing, hope to do so?”
He knew what was coming. The enemy was strong—strong enough to drive an entire squad of Yin Yue Wei to their knees. If he ran into them, he’d be dead before he could blink.
“Listen,” Pang Huhui said coldly. “You have no choice. They’re already close. Without our help, you won’t make it out of these woods. And they don’t spare anyone. If they find you, they’ll kill you without hesitation.”
Ma Gu’s face went blank.
That was exactly what he feared.
Those men had driven the Yin Yue Wei into retreat. Whoever was behind them was terrifying—unrestrained, merciless.
In the city, Ma Gu had seen their cruelty. Out here, beyond the law, they’d be even worse.
“Even if we split up,” Ma Gu said, “why not send one of your guards? Any of them would be better suited than me.”
“Normally, yes,” Pang Huhui said, shaking his head. “But we lost men during the ambush. We can’t spare anyone to guard her now.”
He clenched his jaw.
He hated this.
If not for the early ambush, they’d have enough strength to maintain the Yin Yue Zhan Zhen formation and protect The Lady. But now, they were barely holding together.
And yet—here he was, asking an outsider to carry the burden.
“Only if you agree,” Pang Huhui said, his gaze sharp, “will we have a chance to buy you time. Ma Gu, what do you say?”
Ma Gu stared back. After a long silence, he let out a bitter laugh.
“I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“Then I entrust them to you,” Pang Huhui said, suddenly dropping to one knee. “Ma Gu, please.”
“Captain!”
“Pang Huhui!”
The other guards and The Lady of the Wei Family gasped in shock.
Even Ma Gu was stunned.
A Nei Fu Jing master—bowing to him?
A mere Jin Gu Jing?
He’d never imagined such a thing in his wildest dreams.
Seeing the desperation in Pang Huhui’s eyes, Ma Gu felt a surge of something he hadn’t felt in years—pride. Honor.
“Don’t worry,” Ma Gu said, voice firm. “I’ll die before I let anything happen to The Lady and Young Master An.”
He thought back to the moment he’d made that promise.
Now, lying in the mud, he wanted to slap himself again.
Why had he boasted like that?
Now he was going to die for it.
After agreeing, the Yin Yue Wei launched a surprise counterattack, forming their battle array and charging into the woods—drawing all the enemy’s attention.
The commotion was massive. Soon, the entire forest was filled with the sound of battle.
While they fought, Ma Gu carried The Lady of the Wei Family and led Young Master An away through a different path.
But soon, he realized the perimeter was already sealed. No escape.
With no choice, he turned deeper into the mountains.
Thankfully, years spent hunting in these woods during his time in the Big Market had given him a deep knowledge of the terrain.
Using the advantage of the land, he managed to lose the pursuers—barely.
But now, he and the others were trapped in the wilderness, hiding in a remote ravine. He had no idea what had become of the Yin Yue Wei.
Hours passed. The forest remained silent. The sky darkened.
Ma Gu, starving for two days, couldn’t resist when a plump rabbit wandered past.
With a sudden lunge, he knocked it unconscious and snatched it up.
He didn’t linger. After covering his tracks, he carried the rabbit and slipped toward a hidden cave.
“Who’s there?” a cautious voice called from within.
“It’s me,” Ma Gu muttered, shaking his head.
Young Master An’s reaction was infuriating. If it had been an enemy, that shout would’ve given away their position.
But Ma Gu couldn’t blame him—after all, he was a noble, raised in luxury.
“Ma Gu! You’re back!” Young Master An stepped out, eyes bright with relief.
“How is The Lady?” Ma Gu asked.
“She’s still unconscious,” the boy said, worried. “Her forehead’s burning hot. Do you have any idea?”
Ma Gu shook his head. “I can’t help. Her wound hasn’t healed, she’s lost too much blood, and the poison has taken hold—just like your injury. But I’m not a doctor.”
The Lady had been slashed across her back during their escape. Though she’d applied Golden Wound Medicine, without timely treatment and proper care, her condition had worsened. By the time Ma Gu found the cave, she was already unconscious.
“Like me?” Young Master An’s stomach twisted. He remembered the pain—how helpless he’d felt.
“Ma Gu… will my mother die?” he whispered.
Ma Gu said nothing.
He didn’t want to lie.
But truth was, the odds weren’t good.
Her wounds weren’t as severe as his, but her constitution was weaker.
And without treatment, she wouldn’t last long.
Young Master An’s panic grew. “No! I won’t let her die!”
“Shut up!” Ma Gu grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall.
His voice was low, deadly calm. “Do you think screaming will wake her? If you bring the enemy here, we all die!”
Young Master An’s eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t believe Ma Gu would do this.
But as his breath grew tighter, fear crept in. His arms flailed.
Ma Gu didn’t relent. “You want me to let go? Then promise me—no more shouting. Or I’ll cut your head off.”
The boy’s face turned purple. He nodded frantically.
Only when he started gasping, nearly unconscious, did Ma Gu release him.
He watched the boy collapse, coughing violently.
A strange satisfaction stirred in Ma Gu’s chest.
Every time he’d met this boy, trouble followed.
He’d never admit it, but he’d harbored resentment.
Back then, he’d never have dared raise a hand to Young Master An.
But now?
With enemies hunting them from every direction, Ma Gu had no fear.
He wasn’t afraid of this spoiled noble.
“Young Master An,” he said, “you’re not a child. Stop acting like one. Think. How do we survive? The Yin Yue Wei gave their lives so you and your mother could live. Is this how you repay them?”
He paused, then added, “Tomorrow, I’ll go out and look for herbs to bring down her fever. You think. That’s all you can do now.”
With that, he left, carrying the rabbit to the mouth of the cave.
He began skinning it, preparing the meat.
Left alone, Young Master An stared into the darkness, silent, lost in thought.
After a while, Ma Gu returned with a large leaf, filled with fresh rabbit meat.
“Eat,” he said.
“What’s this?” Young Master An asked, staring at the pink flesh.
“Rabbit. Fresh.”
“This is raw! How can you eat it like this?” Young Master An looked horrified.
“Want to start a fire?” Ma Gu smirked. “I’ll bet they’ll come in five minutes, torch us, and take your mother.”
“I can’t eat this!” Young Master An said, trembling.
“You don’t have a choice,” Ma Gu said coldly. “You haven’t eaten in two days. If you don’t regain strength, you won’t even be able to walk. I’m already carrying The Lady—can’t carry you too. So tell me… do you want me to leave you behind?”
Young Master An flinched.
After a long silence, he reached out—grabbed a piece of meat, closed his eyes, and swallowed.
(End of Chapter)
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