Hua Manman noticed sothing was off about Xiao Hong and knew the poison was taking effect.
’She had no gentlemanly notions about a fair duel.’
’Strike while he’s poisoned!’
Hua Manman seized the opportunity, raising her blade and slashing at him!
The poison slowed Xiao Hong’s movents, making his reactions a beat too slow.
He barely managed to dodge the first strike before Hua Manman’s second slash ca right after.
This ti, Xiao Hong didn’t dodge.
He raised his blade to block, his mind reeling with frustration and regret.
’If my food was poisoned,’ Xiao Hong quickly realized, ’does that an everyone else’s was, too?’
The commotion they were making was considerable, yet no one had co to investigate.
That alone spoke volus.
Xiao Hong’s heart sank.
He had thought he’d backed Hua Manman into a corner, forcing her to swallow her pride and marry another man. Now it seed she had been turning his own plot against him, deliberately using the wedding banquet as an opportunity to poison everyone.
’As expected of the woman who beca Princess Consort Zhao. She’s just as treacherous as Prince Zhao!’
’If I had known, I should have severed the tendons in her hands and feet the mont I caught her, turning her into a complete cripple.’
But it was too late for regrets.
At this point, frustration and regret were futile.
But Xiao Hong was not entirely without a plan.
He quickly produced a small porcelain vial from his sleeve, tipped a tiny white pill from it into his mouth, and swallowed it after a quick chew.
Seeing this, Hua Manman had a bad feeling.
’Don’t tell he has an antidote?’
The next mont, Xiao Hong put forth a sudden burst of strength, violently knocking away the blade pressing down on his own.
The force sent Hua Manman stumbling backward.
Xiao Hong exhaled sharply and remarked in a low voice.
"Good thing I carry a Detoxification Pill."
While this Detoxification Pill couldn’t cure all poisons, it could delay their onset.
He had fought on the battlefield for years, facing countless life-or-death situations. He’d long ago developed the habit of carrying dicines like Detoxification Pills and styptics.
In fact, this habit had saved his life several tis.
And tonight was no different.
Seeing things were turning against her, Hua Manman turned and fled.
’I know my own limits,’ she thought. ’I’m no match for Xiao Hong.’
’If we really fight it out, I’ll be the one to lose.’
Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing was the best option.
She had to get out of there, fast!
As if Xiao Hong would let her go. He imdiately gave chase, blade in hand.
Hua Manman had only learned Swordsmanship and Fist and Foot Skills from Li Ji; she hadn’t learned any Lightweight Body Technique. Even running with all her might, she was no match for Xiao Hong’s speed.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Hong had caught up to her.
Xiao Hong knew the poison in his system was only temporarily suppressed, not completely neutralized. He had to finish this woman off before it flared up again.
So this ti, he wasted no more words, striking with his most ruthless and decisive killing blows.
Hua Manman was forced into a steady retreat, completely powerless to parry.
Her arm and then her calf were wounded. Blood seeped slowly from the cuts, and the pain made her face turn pale.
The blade in her hand had been sent flying.
Now, she couldn’t even defend herself, let alone counterattack.
Xiao Hong announced coldly, "The ga of cat and mouse is over."
With that, he raised his blade, preparing to deal the final blow.
’No matter how treacherous and cunning this woman is, she’s still just one person. Once I get rid of her, the crisis will be over. Then I’ll have plenty of ti to deal with the poison in my system.’
Staring at the cold, gleaming blade, Hua Manman’s eyes suddenly widened, and she cried out in astonishnt.
"My Prince! What are you doing here?"
Xiao Hong instinctively froze.
Hua Manman seized the montary opportunity. She snatched a handful of dirt and flung it in his face.
The cloud of dust obscured his vision.
Xiao Hong was forced to step back, raising a hand to wave the dust away.
By the ti his vision cleared, he saw that Hua Manman had already put a considerable distance between them.
’Tricked by that woman again!’
Gritting his teeth in fury, Xiao Hong pushed off the ground and used his Qinggong to give chase.
Enduring the stinging pain from her wounds, Hua Manman scrambled and stumbled toward the village entrance.
She had spent her free ti wandering around the village and had long since morized the lay of the land.
Even in the dim light, she could accurately find her way to the village entrance.
Hua Manman knew she might not be able to escape from Xiao Hong.
But she had to lead him away. It was the only way to create an opportunity for Si Yun and He Qiuwen to escape.
She ran for her life. More and more blood flowed from her wounds, dripping down her pant leg to leave a winding trail of crimson on the ground behind her.
As they passed near a threshing ground, they saw the other West Liang people.
The West Liang people were sprawled on the ground, motionless. It looked like they had been knocked unconscious by the poison.
At this sight, the killing intent in Xiao Hong’s heart flared even stronger.
’This woman cannot be allowed to live!’
He pushed his speed to the absolute limit and was just about to catch Hua Manman.
In her panic, Hua Manman tripped on a rock and went sprawling forward.
Right in front of her was a slope.
She tumbled all the way down the slope, miraculously putting so distance between herself and Xiao Hong once more.
She didn’t stop until she slamd into a tree.
Her injuries had worsened considerably. Now, she couldn’t even stand up.
Xiao Hong caught up to her again.
This ti he didn’t say a single word. He simply raised his blade, ready to swiftly finish off the treacherous woman.
Hua Manman lay on the ground, covered in wounds.
She had already given up the struggle, but when she saw sothing behind Xiao Hong, she suddenly spoke.
"I think there’s soone behind you."
Xiao Hong sneered. "Did you think the sa lie would fool twice?"
But in the next instant, he heard the whistle of sothing slicing through the air behind him.
His brain hadn’t even processed it before his body reacted on pure instinct, dodging to the side.
Even so, he only managed to avoid a fatal blow. An arrow pierced his arm.
The imnse force of the impact sent him staggering backward.
Seeing this, Hua Manman blinked. "See? I wasn’t lying this ti. There really is soone."
Xiao Hong’s heart filled with a mixture of shock and fury.
He spun around, glaring in the direction the arrow had co from. A tall, imposing man erged from the depths of the woods.
In the bright moonlight, Xiao Hong got a clear look at his face.
It was Prince Zhao, Li Ji!
He wore black light armor, a longbow in his hand and a sword at his waist. His narrow eyes radiated a chilling, murderous aura, making him look like an unstoppable god of slaughter descending upon the mortal realm.
A single glance was enough to strike fear into one’s heart.
Hua Manman’s eyes widened, her heart racing. She asked in delighted surprise,
"My Prince, is your nickna Cao Cao?"
Li Ji: ???
Hua Manman: "To think you really show up the mont you’re ntioned!"
Li Ji: "..."
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