Arc 3 – Chapter 169, The Vicious Princess Wants to Reverse Fate (63)

Zhou Min and the masked man had exerted all their internal energy in their clash. The palm strike had shaken Zhou Min's heart meridian, yet she gritted her teeth and sprinted towards the river valley, carrying Shangguan Qi.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, causing Shangguan Qi's eyes to deepen with worry.

"Zhou Min, you can't continue using your internal energy!" He warned his hand on her wrist, gaze filled with concern. If she continued, her body would suffer from the reverse flow of her meridians due to the depletion of internal energy. At best, she would lose all her martial arts skills; at worst, she could die.

Zhou Min turned to look at Shangguan Qi, smiled softly and reassured him, "It's okay, we will make it out. I won't let you die."

"Zhou Min, this is not about making it out anymore. You'll die if you continue to recklessly drain your internal energy!" Shangguan Qi looked at the woman beside him, her smile serene despite the danger, and for the first time, he loathed his powerlessness and Zhou Min's stubbornness.

"Shangguan Qi, Zhou Min, neither of you will escape!" The masked man was closing in on them, his eyes fixed on the man and woman running desperately ahead of him, a cruel smile on his face.

"Over my dead body…" Zhou Min retorted, her tone dismissive and cold, infuriating the masked man in pursuit.

Glancing over her shoulder, Zhou Min caught sight of the masked man and his enormous team of killers. With an indifferent sweep of her eyes, she looked back at Shangguan Qi, a faint smile curling at her lips as if to comfort him. But Shangguan Qi felt no relief. Instead, a dull pain welled in his chest as he looked at Zhou Min's pale face. He was in awe of her determination and the affection in her gaze.

"Is there any way I can increase my strength instantly? I can already feel the pain in my meridians!" Zhou Min asked.

"Zhou Min, are you mad? Do you know the consequences of rapidly increasing your internal energy?" came the worried response.

"Will I die?"

"No! I will protect your vital points and heart meridians."

"Will I be paralysed and unable to complete my mission?"

"No, but you will lose all your martial arts skills, and your body will suffer from irreversible damage due to this forceful attempt."

Zhou Min was willing to take the risk as long as she wouldn't die or be hindered in completing her mission. She knew that the male lead, Shangguan Qi, couldn't die. But given the current situation, Shangguan Qi might indeed meet his end here if she didn't risk it all.

"I've sensed it. Shangguan Qi's subordinates are hurrying over here. All you need to do is hold on for another fifteen minutes," the voice urged, not wanting Zhou Min to gamble everything.

"I can't hold on for even a minute longer. If I fall…" Zhou Min didn't finish her sentence, but the voice understood her intention.

"Zhou Min…" The voice sighed helplessly, "I will protect your heart, meridians, but your body has already reached its limit. I can only help you hold on until Shangguan Qi's subordinates arrive. Be careful."

Zhou Min smiled. Her body, which had been in intense pain and felt weak, suddenly found a source of strength. Her dim eyes brightened, and her limbs seemed filled with boundless power. She kicked off the ground, her speed suddenly increasing. Her red clothes fluttered in the wind, turning into a rainbow shadow, like a vibrant flame that quickly darted into the dark forest.

"Boss, what an amazing burst of power!" The assassin behind her exclaimed in shock, seeing Zhou Min, who had reached her limit, explode with power again.

"It seems our employer didn't anticipate this situation! We can't let Shangguan Qi escape this time, or it will harm our reputation! Chase them; I don't believe Zhou Min can hold on much longer!" The masked man sneered, waving his hand for everyone to quickly chase after them.

After running a distance on her numb legs, Zhou Min looked up at the crescent moon in the sky and then turned to look at Shangguan Qi. She gave a bitter smile, frustrated by the relentless pursuit of the men behind them. She couldn't help but wonder who held such a grudge against Shangguan Qi.

"Shangguan Qi, do you know something?" Zhou Min asked, looking at him as if he knew everything.

Caught off guard by Zhou Min's question, Shangguan Qi looked at her with complicated eyes. Before he could respond, the masked man had caught up.

Zhou Min didn't expect Shangguan Qi to reveal anything in this situation. She just kept running, her eyes lighting up joyfully when she heard rushing water nearby.

She stopped suddenly, looking at Shangguan Qi with eyes full of excitement and joy, "Shangguan Qi, we're here!"

Before Shangguan Qi could react to what she meant, Zhou Min kicked off the ground, propelling them both forward.

When they got closer, Shangguan Qi finally saw a rapid river in front of them, with a waterfall at the end of the river valley, like a sleeping dragon. The sound of water crashing against the rocks was deafening.

The masked man and his men caught up before Zhou Min could say anything to Shangguan Qi. Seeing Zhou Min and Shangguan Qi standing on the edge of the river valley, their backs to the wide chasm below and the rushing river, they laughed manically.

"This is the end of the river valley… Ha ha, Shangguan Qi, Zhou Min, your escape ends here!"

Standing not far from Shangguan Qi, the masked man laughed, waving his hand for his men to surround them. Behind Zhou Min and Shangguan Qi was the river valley.