[TCFO] Arc 3 – Chapter 136

The Vicious Princess Wants to Reverse Fate (30)

The giant python's dying strike came with a sudden sweep of its tail, rushing towards Shangguan Qi. The whistling wind tore through the air, and the river water churned, creating towering waves. Zhou Min, who was exhausted and had numb hands, suddenly unleashed her potential. Her speed was so fast that Shangguan Qi only had time to see the rainbow-like figure flying towards him!

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Min arrived before Shangguan Qi. Without hesitation, she embraced him and took off, attempting to dodge the impending strike. However, the dying python's malicious intent was relentless. Its final furious attack left Zhou Min with no chance to escape. All she could do was shield Shangguan Qi.

"Bang!"

"Ugh, pfft—" A muffled groan rang in Shangguan Qi's ears, and the scent of blood lingered. In his shock, they were already soaring through the jungle following the python's force.

The forceful lash felt like a tearing pain on Zhou Min's back, as if her internal organs had shifted. Yet, thanks to her timely defences, her vital organs were protected.

However, at this moment, she couldn't help but want to roar to the sky, "What happened to the promised permanent pain relief?! You deceitful merchandise! I want a refund... refund... refund!!"

The intense pain eventually overwhelmed Zhou Min's remaining consciousness. But as they plummeted, she thought that Shangguan Qi currently had no trace of internal force. He couldn't protect himself from the free fall. Even in her unconscious state, Zhou Min instinctively reversed their positions, hoping to shield Shangguan Qi during the descent.

As their positions swapped once again in mid-air, Shangguan Qi looked at the woman who had just been on top of him but had instantly become positioned beneath him. When she tried to act as his human cushion, the shock in his heart stirred up huge waves. Or rather, when she stood in front of him, firmly embracing him, stubbornly enduring the blow meant for him, that's when he was truly shaken.

In the moments when she left and returned, whenever it happened, it had to be said that Zhou Min, in such situations, left him both puzzled and astounded. He felt a dampness on her back as he held her in his arms. It wasn't hard to imagine that the once-healed wounds were likely tearing open again, especially with the python's tail delivering a brutal strike. Internal injuries were also a significant concern.

Though seemingly unconscious, she continued to swap their positions, wanting to use her last bit of strength to protect him.

As they rapidly descended through the air, Shangguan Qi attempted to push Zhou Min's body away or swap their positions back. Intuitively, he felt the python's tail strike might have injured Zhou Min's vital arteries. If she, without regard, continued to act as his human cushion, she...

No matter how Shangguan Qi tried, Zhou Min tightly clasped her hands behind him, seemingly exerting a force of a thousand pounds that he couldn't shake. Whenever he tried to flip or change positions, Zhou Min instinctively resisted.

It appeared her body had become a habit, a subconscious routine, protecting him by instinct.

At this moment, Shangguan Qi felt deeply powerless. Without internal force, he was just a patient with slightly more strength than an ordinary person.

Shangguan Qi managed to increase the distance between them in the struggle slightly. Yet, he was still shaken by the consciousness-deprived yet stubborn woman beneath him.

The wind howled in his ears, and the night sky was silent except for the wind and his heartbeat. Zhou Min's dishevelled hair danced freely in the wind, occasionally striking his face with a painful sensation, yet it brought an odd warmth. It was a kind of tenderness someone would stubbornly guard with all their might.

Her jet-black, shiny hair, finely shaped arched eyebrows, closed eyes casting a shadow on her blood-stained, pale face, and lips stained with fresh blood presented a strangely enchanting image. This version of Zhou Min lacked a vibrant and energetic demeanour, replacing it with a fragility and an undeniable sense of otherworldliness.

In her enchanting red attire and lustrous black hair entwined by the wind, Zhou Min's side profile swept toward him. The hair strands seemed to entangle his heart from her face to his eyebrows and eyes.

As he looked at her tightly closed eyes and the approaching jungle, Shangguan Qi's gaze was filled with confusion, perplexity, contradiction, and profound contemplation as he observed the woman beneath him.

Zhou Min, what exactly do you want to gain from me...

Suppressing the contradictions and astonishment in his eyes, Shangguan Qi, as they landed, subconsciously held the person in his arms tightly. His hands protected her head and waist. The vast canopy of the tree gradually slowed their descent, and the branches emitted a series of creaking sounds as they broke when they finally fell.

"Boom!"

"Ugh—"

Zhou Min and Shangguan Qi, along with the debris and leaves from the high fall, and due to the weight of Shangguan Qi pressing on her and the force of the descent, Zhou Min felt suffocated. In the instant they landed, her eyes suddenly opened, and a mouthful of blood spewed out.

However, because Shangguan Qi had tightly embraced her during the fall, her fresh blood sprayed directly onto his chest. The scalding blood, sticky through the clothes, adhered to his left chest. This blood also heated his heart, making it skip a beat.

At this moment, Zhou Min's hands, which had been holding him tightly, became limp. Thanks to her final protection, Shangguan Qi was unharmed. But upon seeing Zhou Min's condition, he immediately flipped over and knelt beside her. Placing his hand on her pulse, he felt her faint and delicate pulse. Zhou Min's internal injuries were severe, but surprisingly, they did not affect her heart.

This might be an unexpected stroke of luck amidst misfortune, and Shangguan Qi couldn't help but smile. Despite such severe injuries, it miraculously spared her heart. He couldn't help but be amazed. His slender fingers traced her delicate eyebrows and eyes as he murmured, "Could this be the so-called ancient curse? Zhou Min..."

Realising what he was saying, Shangguan Qi chuckled. Nevertheless, he didn't dare to be negligent. He planted her sword in the ground, lifted her by the waist, and carried her to a temporarily sheltered giant tree he found nearby.