Chapter 291: Borrowing a Hand
Chapter 291: Borrowing a Hand
"Not good."
Upon sensing the situation turning unfavorable, Hu Ma was about to draw his saber and rush forward to assist.
The Red Wine Miss's shadow puppetry skills were truly eye-opening, even injuring the Beggar Gang leader, Ji Tang, who seemed impervious to blades and bullets.
However, the key was that Ji Tang wasn't foolish. He had located her through the fine thread, and with a sharp blade in hand, she was just a member of the Deception Sect. She might have many tricks up her sleeve, but how could she possibly gain the upper hand in close combat against an experienced New Year Guardian like Ji Tang?
As Hu Ma watched, the Red Wine Miss was forced to engage Ji Tang, and he feared she would be at a significant disadvantage.
"This guy must have guessed that I would take this opportunity to eliminate him."
Just as Hu Ma was about to charge forward with his saber, the Red Wine Miss's voice suddenly sounded beside him. At the same time, a slender jade hand rested on his shoulder. Hu Ma quickly turned around and saw the Red Wine Miss standing by his side.
She spoke calmly, "I just checked the surroundings, and there doesn't seem to be any ambush."
"It seems he's quite confident in his skills. He stole a treasure saber and thought he could kill me with it."
"I have to admit, this method is simple but effective. The silk threads I use to control the shadow puppets are made from silk spun by ice silkworms fed with Blood Emperor. If not for that treasure saber, it wouldn't have been cut."
"..."
"You... she..."
Hu Ma looked at the contemplative Red Wine Miss, then turned back to the side of the ancient tree, only to realize that there was no sign of the Red Wine Miss fighting Ji Tang.
Ji Tang was fiercely slashing with his saber, attacking a wooden figure wrapped in red cloth tied to the tree.
But strangely, as Hu Ma stood there watching, the red cloth on the tree didn't resemble the Red Wine Miss at all. Yet, Ji Tang was earnestly and ferociously hacking at the wooden figure.
The scene was bizarre and unsettling.
However, upon closer inspection, even before the Red Wine Miss appeared beside him, when he looked at the tree, he also thought it resembled the Red Wine Miss.
Illusion?
But what level of illusion could deceive a seasoned New Year Guardian like this?
Where had the Red Wine Miss been hiding before?
"Watch carefully. Consider this a training session for you."
At this moment, the Red Wine Miss spoke softly, "Or, consider it a lesson on how to protect yourself after entering the Mansion."
"Protect myself?" Hu Ma asked, turning to her.
"It's difficult to kill a New Year Guardian, but it's not impossible. The move I'm about to use on him is something others might use on you in the future. By seeing him at a disadvantage, you'll know what to guard against."
The Red Wine Miss glanced at him and explained, "Is there any better way to protect yourself than this?"
Hu Ma listened, and the more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
"Not only has he fallen for my illusion, but he's also under the influence of Old Millet Liquor's nightmare spell!" The Red Wine Miss observed Ji Tang wildly slashing at the tree and the wooden figure with his saber, and she coldly laughed, "Yesterday, when he was enjoying himself with his lover, Old Millet Liquor waited outside his room, wanting to obtain something of his. It's not that difficult."
"By taking his belongings, Old Millet Liquor can cast the nightmare spell on him and diminish his fortune."
"When fortune arrives, heaven and earth lend their strength; when it departs, even heroes are not free."
"With the Beggar Gang leader's intellect, he shouldn't have been trapped by this illusion for so long. But under the influence of the nightmare spell, with his fortune diminished, his mind becomes dull, his perception clouded, and he makes foolish moves."
"At times like this, one must remain calm and composed, avoiding impatience and anger. Don't make hasty decisions; patiently wait for this bad luck to pass."
"One's fate will naturally dispel the nightmare spell. As long as one can endure this period, the influence will fade. But if one insists on making decisions, especially important ones, during this time, the faster they act, the sooner they'll meet their end."
"..."
Hu Ma listened intently, deeply impressed by her words.
Not only Ji Tang, under the influence of the nightmare spell, but even ordinary people might experience such moments.
Sometimes, out of the blue, it feels like a streak of bad luck is about to strike, and the more one tries to resolve it, the angrier they become, the more complicated the situation gets.
When fortune is not on your side, one can only patiently wait for the bad luck to pass. Of course, Ji Tang had no choice but to fight in his current predicament.
"However, even with all this, killing a New Year Guardian is still extremely difficult..."
As he was thinking, the Red Wine Miss slowly stepped forward and spoke softly, "We must cut off his retreat before this mad donkey realizes what's happening."
As she spoke, she opened her palm, revealing several icy-cold, glowing silver needles. After a moment's thought, she handed one of the needles to Hu Ma, saying, "I'll borrow your hand in a moment. Just pierce the needle straight ahead."
"What do you mean by borrowing my hand?"
Before Hu Ma could fully react, the Red Wine Miss had already moved forward.
She picked up a silver needle, found the right angle, and blew gently. The needle flew from her palm with a soft 'whoosh' and lightly pierced Ji Tang's neck at a specific acupoint, barely breaking the skin.
Then, she circled to the side and quickened her steps, employing a different technique. With a gentle flick, she threw out another silver needle.
It, too, pierced Ji Tang's body, finding its mark in another acupoint.
Including the four silver needles already embedded in Ji Tang's body, there were now six silver needles on his person.
However, Ji Tang remained oblivious, still engaged in combat with the ancient tree and the wooden puppet. He attributed the slight tingling sensation to the injuries he had sustained during his direct confrontation with Red Wine Miss.
Red Wine Miss, on the other hand, had moved to a position slightly closer to him. She aimed at the Pox Zhong acupoint on his chest, and with two fingers, she was about to press into his acupoint.
Unexpectedly, at that very moment, Ji Tang, who was chopping at the tree, suddenly flashed a menacing look in his eyes. He took a swift step forward and swung his saber directly at Red Wine Miss, who was on his left and about to administer the needle.
His saber attack was fierce and ferocious, seemingly fueled by his long-suppressed anger.
"Oh no!"
Hu Ma's heart skipped a beat as he glanced at the scene, instantly understanding the situation.
That fellow wasn't unaware of being under an illusion; he was merely biding his time.
He appeared to be in a frenzied and tiger-like state, engaging the tree in combat and deeply immersed in the illusion, seemingly unaware of anything. But in reality, he had already sensed something amiss and was just waiting for the right opportunity.
When Red Wine Miss attempted to administer the needle, he patiently endured it. However, he also used the silver needle to break through the air and gauge the angle of force on his body, thereby determining Red Wine Miss's true location.
Until this moment, with the position confirmed and the distance at its closest, he had been enduring for so long, and now he unleashed a ferocious saber attack, sending a chilling shiver down his opponent's spine.
"Hmm?"
Red Wine Miss was also slightly startled, seemingly caught off guard. She then gently raised her hand, and in response to her opponent's violent and terrifying saber strike, her movement was the exact opposite—it appeared slow, and her action was so gentle that it seemed almost non-existent.
Facing the sharp saber blade, she lightly pushed her fingers, slightly altering the trajectory of the descending saber. It grazed her body and barely fell, stirring up a cloud of dust and sand.
This was a display of exquisite skill, pushing the boundaries of finesse, and there was an artistic beauty in her movements.
"I've finally found you..."
However, a cold and sinister laugh escaped Ji Tang's throat.
In the next moment, he took a step forward, intensifying the ferocity of his saber attack.
When facing the Deception Sect, it was difficult to discern reality from illusion. But now, he knew he had found the true culprit.
Whether it was a controlled shadow puppet or an illusion, no matter how real it seemed, it was impossible for it to exert such exquisite skill.
For the New Year Guardian, capturing the true culprit meant the end of the battle was near.
He followed up with one saber strike after another, each more ferocious and ruthless than the last.
Even Hu Ma sensed the danger Red Wine Miss was in. It was a real danger, and even though Red Wine Miss could hold on for a while with her finesse, how could she possibly survive under such relentless saber attacks?
He was already considering drawing his saber and joining the fight, but he recalled Red Wine Miss's instructions and dared not make a rash decision that might ruin her plan.
She had said she needed his help, and he could only wait for her to borrow his hand.
Just as he was growing anxious, he suddenly heard Red Wine Miss's voice: "It's time."
Hu Ma's thoughts raced, and without further hesitation, he tightly gripped the silver needle and thrust it forward.
As his hand made contact, he felt a cold and slippery sensation, as if clumps of yin energy were freezing his palm. No matter how precise his needle strike was, under the influence of this yin energy, it would inevitably veer off course.
However, Hu Ma was also a New Year Guardian, capable of transforming life into death. His hand, though stiff and rigid, held the needle firmly and accurately, and he thrust it forward without deviation.
"Pfft!"
In the instant the silver needle descended, Hu Ma knew.
He had hit the mark.
...
...
At this moment, in the eyes of Ji Tang, the leader of the Beggar Sect, he had finally caught the true culprit of the Deception Sect, and he couldn't let her escape now.
Indeed, although he looked miserable, with blood and flesh blurred, the New Year Guardian didn't take these injuries seriously. Instead, he unleashed his full array of skills, and his saber attacks became increasingly fierce, intending to kill Han Womzi with a single strike.
He was also aware that Han Womzi had approached him to administer the silver needle.
However, he didn't really care because the New Year Guardian could manipulate his yin energy, causing her needle to miss even if she managed to pierce his body.
Moreover, if the needle did miss, it would be no more painful than a mosquito bite.
On the contrary, he had seized the opportunity and deliberately exposed a weakness in front of Han Womzi, revealing his Pox Zhong acupoint. Then, he used this opening to force Han Womzi's hands into a blocking stance, and he was about to take her life.
But he hadn't anticipated that Han Womzi would suddenly extend a third hand from her embrace, and this hand also held a silver needle, unafraid of his yin energy, and stabbed directly at him.
With perfect precision, the needle pierced his chest, hitting the large acupoint.
Ji Tang was suddenly startled and thought, "Oh no."
At that very moment, Red Wine Miss lightly retreated and said calmly, "It's done."
(End of Chapter)
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