Chapter 493: Enemies Meet Again
Translator: Tim Editor: GlobeGlotter
On the outskirts of the Mei Nei snow mountains, a woman arduously climbed. She wore a blue puffer jacket and carried a huge climbing backpack. It wasn't the best climbing season; she was alone. The wind tossed her hair, but her cold expression showed perseverance, a refusal to give up.
She knew she was far from the peak. Ye Mo would recognize her: Yangzhu, the woman he'd saved twice. Although she hated him, she had to admit he'd saved her last night. Still, she suspected his intentions.
Regardless of her instincts, she left the city that night, not returning to Beijing. Her master, Tan Jiao, was in solitary training; her martial uncle, Luan Qingfeng, was absent following a recent incident. Even if her master weren't in seclusion, she couldn't rely on him. Since his return, his attitude had become apathetic, a consequence of Ye Mo. She needed to forge her own path.
Without her master's support, she dared not return to Beijing with the black rising pill. Even without interference from the hidden sects, she couldn't withstand Beijing's powerful families. Her master disliked her, and the Song family was gone. She was a lone wolf.
She never expected to encounter Ye Mo again after the attack in Beijing. She left the ghost city that night and came to the Mei Nei snow mountains. She knew her power was weak; killing Ye Mo and avenging her family wouldn't be easy.
At Broken Top Mountain's tomb, she obtained three things: a jade slip, a yin yang fish, and a map from tomb raiders. The map led to a tomb in the Mei Nei snow mountains. Normally, she wouldn't have cared, but her Broken Top Mountain finds changed her mind.
She'd overheard the raiders; the tomb belonged to a descendant of Yuan Tiangang, a Tang dynasty mage said to possess dao art. She might obtain it from the tomb. The fish remained a mystery, but the jade slip contained an inner qi cultivation method.
Upon focusing on it, the jade slip returned to normal. Initially thinking it an illusion, she practiced the method and found her inner qi significantly strengthened overnight. This delighted her, though further investigation yielded nothing.
This fueled her desire to reach the ancient tomb in the Mei Nei snow mountains. She remained puzzled about her unconsciousness in the tomb; who had saved and returned her? The question haunted her.
The Cang Lian River was beautiful. Reaching it, Song Yangzhu forgot her purpose. She rested at a branch, where the reddish water was known as the "peacock river." Lost in thought, she imagined herself there with a loved one, if not for her family's revenge.
"Such a pretty place," she murmured, setting down her bag. She'd stay the night, leaving in the morning.
She made a simple tent, then went to wash her face. Days of high alert allowed for some relaxation. Approaching the river, she found a shocking sight: a body.
Alive or dead? She dragged the man to the bank, discovering sword wounds. He seemed an ancient martial arts cultivator, likely dead from his injuries. She grabbed a branch and turned him over.
When Ye Mo fell unconscious from his flying sword, he knew it wouldn't end well. Lacking chi, he'd fallen into the river. The cold water briefly roused him.
Unable to heal himself, or even move, he could only resort to inner breathing, prolonging life for a few days at most. Turning him over briefly woke him, but unconsciousness loomed.
"It's you?" Song Yangzhu gazed at Ye Mo, dazed. The man she'd tried to kill lay before her, helpless.
Was this fate? The heavens had delivered him for her revenge. Without hesitation, Song Yangzhu produced a dagger.