Chapter 1276: Ma Ling's Vengeance (Part Two)
The reason Ma Ling allowed the dagger to approach Fu Yan inch by inch, instead of plunging it directly into his chest as she had intended earlier, was to confirm one thing: whether the hidden protective barrier around her would still restrict her actions.
As Fu Yan watched the dagger slowly nearing him, he couldn't help but hold his breath, his expression betraying an unconcealable nervousness. At first, neither he nor Ma Ling spoke, both lost in their own thoughts, their attention fixed entirely on the dagger.
However, as Ma Ling's dagger drew ever closer to Fu Yan, he finally lost his composure. The nervousness he had initially tried to hide was now utterly impossible to conceal, laid bare entirely across his face.
"Young lady, don't be impulsive. Let's talk this through properly. There's no knot in this world that can't be untied, and violence can't solve problems. I believe you should understand this principle. Don't let. . ."
Fu Yan had not yet given up hope; he still wanted to persuade Ma Ling with words. Yet, the further he spoke, the more terrified he became, for the dagger gripped in Ma Ling's hand was drawing ever closer to him, already having surpassed the distance it had been from him moments ago. He knew well what this meant, and thus, panic surged within him. The reason he shut his mouth before finishing his sentence was because Ma Ling's dagger was already pressed against his chest!
This sight filled him with despair. Conversely, a smile reappeared on Ma Ling's face, only this smile was cold, like ten thousand-year-old ice.
"Heh heh, why aren't you speaking anymore?"
As Ma Ling spoke, the dagger in her hand plunged down inch by inch. The sharp blade pierced the skin over Fu Yan's chest, continuing to penetrate deeper as Ma Ling increased her force.
The pain stimulated Fu Yan's nerves, intensifying the panic on his face. Were it any other time, this small ache would be nothing to him, and he wouldn't lose his composure over it. But the current situation was entirely different. He knew that if Ma Ling's dagger continued to plunge in this manner, his heart would surely be pierced. Once his heart was pierced, if there were appropriate means for timely rescue, saving his life wouldn't be impossible. Yet, given his current predicament, bound as he was, he had no ability to save himself, nor was it possible for anyone to come to his rescue. Thus, he would face only one outcome: death!
Precisely because he knew the tragic outcome he might face next, his heart was gripped by utter panic. He struggled with all his might, yet his struggles seemed utterly futile. Even with every ounce of strength in his body, he could only make his body tremble slightly, utterly unable to free himself from beneath the dagger.
"Young lady, stop quickly! If this dagger truly plunges in, my life will be forfeit! This is no laughing matter!"
At this moment, Fu Yan was like a desperate man grasping at straws. Although he knew his words probably wouldn't make Ma Ling stop, he truly had no other option but this. He could only cling to a sliver of hope, praying Ma Ling would halt her hand.
To his utter astonishment, after his words fell, Ma Ling actually stopped. The dagger, which had been plunging in inch by inch, no longer went deeper.
Fu Yan was stunned, for a moment unable to determine Ma Ling's intent. If someone had told him Ma Ling planned to let him go, he wouldn't have believed it even if beaten to death, for the intense killing intent Ma Ling radiated towards him had not vanished simply because she stopped. Since the killing intent remained, it meant Ma Ling had no intention of sparing him.
But why did Ma Ling suddenly stop?
Fu Yan hadn't had time to figure this out when Ma Ling spoke at that very moment.
"Your words actually reminded me," Ma Ling said coldly, "if I continue to stab like this, your little life will indeed be forfeit. To let you lose your life so easily, that would be truly regrettable. I should torment you a bit more, otherwise, it'd be too easy on a scoundrel like you!"
Ma Ling spoke coldly. As she uttered these words, the dagger inserted into Fu Yan's chest was slowly pulled out by her. But during this process, she deliberately twisted the dagger a few times, making Fu Yan grimace in pain!
As these words fell, the dagger in Fu Yan's chest was completely pulled out by Ma Ling. An extremely ominous premonition seized Fu Yan's heart, for Ma Ling had already made herself very clear: the reason she pulled out the dagger was not because she was preparing to let him go, but because she now intended to use even more cruel methods to deal with him!
Reality was not even slightly different from what Fu Yan had guessed. After Ma Ling pulled out the dagger, not only did she not stop, but she plunged it fiercely into Fu Yan's thigh at an extremely fast speed!
The dagger plunged into Fu Yan's thigh, and he let out a scream because of it. However, this was merely the beginning of Ma Ling's revenge against her enemy, Fu Yan. After she forcefully twisted the dagger, amid Fu Yan's screams, she fiercely pulled the dagger out again and re-inserted it, only this time, the place she inserted it was different from the last.
"Young lady, ah! Young lady, stop! Ahhh! Listen to me! Ahhh!"
In the time that followed, Ma Ling repeatedly did the same thing: continuously pulling out and re-inserting the dagger in different places. Each time before extracting the blade, she would forcefully twist it a few times, using this method to inflict even more pain on Fu Yan.
And Fu Yan, in the time that followed, also repeatedly did one thing: while emitting shrill screams, he loudly begged for mercy, hoping Ma Ling would stop. But his pleas for mercy had no effect whatsoever. Ma Ling seemed as if she hadn't heard his pleas, coolly continuing to plunge the dagger into various parts of his body, one after another!
Above the cave, as Yang Haoran moved to block the few individuals attempting to rescue Fu Yan, the alluring woman also launched her attack against him. This alluring woman appeared delicate and frail, like a mere vase, but the truth was quite the opposite. Not only was her strength not weak in the slightest, but her methods were ruthless and her attacks insidious. Judging solely by the power fluctuations she unleashed, most of the mid to high-ranking members of the Corpse Sect were no match for her.
However, her powerful strength was merely secondary; what truly made her unpredictable was her deadly Enchantment Art. Every one of her movements, every word, and even every expression possessed a fatal allure for men. Especially when facing an opponent like Yang Haoran, she unleashed her full seductive power without reservation, pushing it to the extreme. Her only goal was to use this method to bewitch Yang Haoran and create the perfect opportunity to kill him.
If it weren't for Yang Haoran's strength being far superior to hers, coupled with his firm will and having cultivated the Enchantment Art — one of the two great secret arts of the fox clan — he would certainly have suffered greatly against this alluring woman. This seemingly delicate woman, who appeared to possess little combat prowess, was, on the contrary, an incredibly difficult opponent. If one were to underestimate her, they wouldn't even know how they lost their life.
As Yang Haoran exchanged blows with the alluring woman, he was equally concerned about the situation in the cave below. After all, his main purpose for this trip was to bring Ma Ling back, not to come to Tong Continent just for a fight. His current intervention was due to the urgency of the situation, not because he particularly wanted to fight anyone. Therefore, even though he had already set up a protective barrier for Ma Ling, his attention to her did not waver, for he simply didn't want her to suffer any harm.
It was precisely because of this that he knew the situation at the cave entrance below. He had witnessed the scene where Ma Ling was restricted by the protective barrier. So, relying on his understanding of talisman arts, he subtly employed a small trick, which caused the protective barrier on Ma Ling's body to become hidden and no longer restrict her movements. If it weren't for his discreet intervention, how could a perfectly fine protective barrier have suddenly hidden itself?
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