Love & Redemption
Chapter 250: The Final Volume: I am Liuli - Nine: Divine Witch (Part Three)

Chapter 250: The Final Volume: I am Liuli - Nine: Divine Witch (Part Three)

Updating earlier today. ^_^

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"Brother Liu..." Xuanji was at a loss for words when it came to him.

Liu Yihuan coughed twice, attempting to look serious, but his gaze kept involuntarily drifting over to Azure Dragon.

Too beautiful! She was the spitting image of the lover of his dreams! She was exactly his type—her eyebrows, hair, eyes, lips... even her husky voice seemed incredibly seductive to him.

Azure Dragon’s face flushed and paled alternately under his stare. With her venomous temperament, she somehow held back from lashing out, only stomping her foot before turning and walking away. She marched right up to Tengshe. Her expression darkened, and with a lightning-fast move, her greenish claws plunged into his abdomen. Not only did Tengshe wail in extreme pain, but the surrounding people also screamed in shock. Even the always composed Wuxiang was taken aback and sternly demanded, "What are you doing?!"

With a successful attack, Azure Dragon quickly retreated behind Vermilion Bird, snickering sinisterly, "I, Azure Dragon, take orders from no Divine Witch. Don’t think that because Emperor Bai sent you to speak a few words, you can lord over us. He trapped me with Fire Wings for quite a while. How can I rest without avenging this grievance?"

Tengshe had been clawed right in the softest part of his insides, turning his face green with pain and causing cold sweat to bead on his forehead. The always smooth-talking him couldn’t even curse, showing just how much pain he was in. Xuanji, who had been restraining herself up until now, could no longer bear it upon seeing him severely injured and kneeling on the ground unable to move. She drew the Bengyu Sword and brandished it towards Azure Dragon.

Liu Yihuan cried out, "Ah yo," and tugged at Xuanji’s sleeve. She glared at him coldly, frightening him into retracting his hand as he whispered softly, "She... she’s ruthless... don’t kill her..."

Xuanji’s wrist twisted, and a blast of Sword Qi shot out. Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon both dodged, one shouting, "War God, calm your anger!" and the other shouting, "You brat, are you trying to rebel?" Xuanji wanted them to separate, and with a swift move, she appeared right in front of Azure Dragon. Although Azure Dragon always regarded herself as the deadliest and cleverest and never took anyone seriously, thinking the War God was nothing but a girl with an inflated reputation, she realized too late that Xuanji was truly skilled. As the Bengyu Sword descended towards her head, she found herself unable to dodge and closed her eyes to await death.

In his panic, Liu Yihuan suddenly jumped up shouting, "Don’t kill, don’t kill! Have you forgotten Si Feng’s words?"

Indeed, at the mention of Si Feng, Xuanji immediately halted. Seizing the opportunity, Azure Dragon scrambled away in panic, grabbing Liu Yihuan’s clothes and hiding behind him, not daring to move. She realized then that he was protecting her, and the War God seemed to listen to him quite a bit. Sticking with him seemed like the right choice!

"Hero! Save my life!" Her features distorted with fear, she forced a pitiable look with her harsh voice, grating on the ears.

Liu Yihuan saw the beauty leaning towards him and immediately felt overjoyed, but then he noticed Tengshe bleeding profusely and couldn’t muster any more joy, resorting to coughing awkwardly and saying, "Well... what you did was wrong... but she acted impulsively as well. You guys... um, you should..."

Azure Dragon caught his sleeve and gently tugged it twice while looking up at him with pleading Phoenix Eyes. His hero’s heart instantly softened, and he smiled foolishly, at a loss for words.

"Brother Liu," Xuanji had completely lost faith in him. She called to him, and he didn’t react at all, his eyes glazed over. Left with no other choice, she sheathed her sword and bellowed, "Liu Yihuan!"

He started slightly, reluctantly moving his gaze from Azure Dragon’s face and muttered, "What’s the matter, girl?"

Xuanji pointed to Azure Dragon behind him. Her greenish claws were almost at his throat and he remained blissfully unaware, still wearing a silly smile. When Azure Dragon realized her ruse had been exposed, she was extremely embarrassed and quickly let go, attempting to flee, but Liu Yihuan caught her wrist gently and said softly, "Don’t go far from me, or she might hurt you."

Azure Dragon looked incredulously at the man; though he might be foolish, his gaze was truly gentle. Being a Divine Beast never felt meaningful to her; everyone despised her, calling her filthy and malevolent, unwilling to associate with her. It was rare to meet a man like this and, despite her own cold-heartedness, she felt touched. Blushing, she pulled her hand away and gave him a disdainful look before floating off to hide by herself.

Liu Yihuan’s spirit seemed to drift away with her, and Xuanji sighed, deciding to let him be as Tengshe’s condition was now the most urgent. She walked over to Tengshe and said softly, "How are you feeling? I have some antiseptic medicine here, shall I apply it to you?"

Tengshe was in so much pain that veins throbbed on his forehead and cold sweat dripped down. He managed to squeeze a few words through clenched teeth, "You... stinking brat... can’t you see... I’m injured internally! Antiseptic medicine... is bloody useless!"

Xuanji asked anxiously, "Then what should we do?"

Tengshe replied with a trembling voice, "You... transfer your power to me!"

Xuanji, now knowing how to transfer power, immediately pulled out the Bengyu and was about to chant his name when she suddenly felt a chill on her right shoulder, as if something cold had pierced through it. Her body instantly stiffened and she could not move, and the Bengyu clanged as it fell to the ground. Above her, she heard Wuxiang’s indifferent voice say, "You carry the burden of sin. Will you needlessly drag a Divine Beast along with you? Break your contract with him at once!"

Xuanji was frozen in place, her heart pounding in shock, as she demanded, "What did you use to subdue me?!"

Wuxiang did not reply, and Tengshe managed to raise his head only to see him holding a completely white dagger, as if it were forged from ice and snow, the dagger’s tip pointed at Xuanji’s right shoulder. Both Xuanji and Tengshe had fire element-based natures, and that dagger, being a water-attribute Divine Artifact, instantly suppressed her. Tengshe recognized the object; it was a dagger Emperor Bai always carried with great affection, never leaving his side, but now it was given to Wuxiang, to keep Xuanji in check.

Liu Yihuan finally came to his senses at this point and was taken aback by the situation that had unfolded. He kept knocking on his own head, not knowing what was best to do. Now, with only a hint of demon energy, he was nearly no different from an ordinary person, entirely incapable of providing any help, and could only rub his hands together in anxiety.

"Wuxiang’s voice was even colder than black ice as he said, "Hurry and undo the contract, and don’t drag him down!"

Faced with no other choice, Xuanji could only say with a trembling voice, "I don’t know how to undo it!"

Wuxiang said indifferently, "It’s very simple. Whichever hand you used to make the contract with him, just sever it. The contract will naturally be dissolved."

A spiritual beast serves its master as its left arm and right wing; thus, severing a hand also signifies the end of the contract with the spiritual beast, severing all ties. Xuanji’s face turned even paler than a sheet of white paper. After a long pause, she said, "I... don’t believe it."

The Vermilion Bird, who had been standing by, said, "General, Wuxiang is not deceiving you. That’s how the contract is undone. However, Wuxiang, this matter must be her own will, how can you coerce her?"

Wuxiang said, "Tengshe is also your colleague. Are you really willing to see him lose his life over a contract he never wished for?"

With nothing to say, the Vermilion Bird stood in stunned silence for a while, then sighed, turned his back, and looked no more.

Xuanji stared blankly at her right hand, which she couldn’t move; it was with this hand that she had made the contract with Tengshe. To actually sever it? Would she be without a right hand from then on? But if she didn’t, Wuxiang was right; she was indeed a burden to Tengshe. He was originally under house arrest with no issues, but it was she who ran off to Kunlun Mountain. If this contract wasn’t revoked, he, as her spiritual beast, would probably end up with some kind of collective responsibility like Ting Nu.

The more she thought about it, the less reconciled she felt, and her well-contained fury was about to erupt.

Why should she? She hadn’t done anything to deserve this. Were they going to capture and kill everyone who had ever spoken with Wuzhiqi? With the intent to kill rising in her heart, she suddenly remembered Yu Sifeng’s words and struggled to endure. She had come this far; she couldn’t give up lightly.

She racked her brains for a solution when suddenly she heard Tengshe say from across her, "I don’t need her to undo the contract! You, Divine Witch, mind your own business!"

Xuanji looked blankly at Tengshe. My God, were these words really coming from Tengshe’s mouth? Had she misheard? Hadn’t he just been clamoring for her to release the contract?

Wuxiang said indifferently, "You have no say in the matter of the contract; it is entirely up to your master to decide. However, I must remind you not to disappoint Emperor Bai’s compassion. No matter how indulgent, there will be a limit."

"What’s it to you?!" Tengshe, in so much pain that beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, still couldn’t help but show off, "Get lost!"

Wuxiang ignored him and said to Xuanji, "Have you decided yet? Will you dissolve the contract? If you choose not to, then there’s no need for further talk. Today, right here, I will execute you, this heaven-defying traitor, on behalf of the Heavenly Emperor!"

Xuanji clenched her teeth, grabbed the Bengyu in her left hand, and whispered, "Tengshe, I’m not exactly the best master anyway, and now I’ve even dragged you into this mess. I wouldn’t be able to look at myself. That day... you kept asking me to release the contract, and I didn’t agree, but now I do. It’s just one hand; it’s not a big deal. So... let’s do it!"

She lifted the Bengyu high, and amidst Liu Yihuan’s cries of alarm, she chopped down towards her own right hand!

In that instant, Tengshe found the strength from somewhere and leaped up, flinging the congealed blood from his wound at Wuxiang. Tengshe’s blood was hotter than boiling oil, and Wuxiang, aware of its potency, didn’t dare to take the hit and had to dodge quickly. This allowed the dagger in his hand to drop its guard against Xuanji.

"Stupid girl! Won’t you call my name?!" Tengshe roared hoarsely.

Xuanji’s body suddenly regained the ability to move. Hearing him now, she understood his intention. But her left hand had used too much force and couldn’t retract in time. She moved her right hand aside and the Bengyu Sword clanged onto the ground as she pressed it down and immediately called out his name, "Tengshe!"

Tengshe’s Fire Wings unfurled behind him with a transparent cyan luster, attempting to envelop Wuxiang in a brushstroke. Wuxiang placed his left index finger on his lips, muttering some True Words, and lightly flicked his other hand’s fingers across the back of his left hand. All of a sudden, Xuanji and Tengshe felt the ground shaking beneath their feet and leapt up just in time to hear a ’whump’ as the place where they were standing sank into a depression.

The same strange strength that had hit Tengshe’s temple was likely Wuxiang’s ability. Disrupted by his actions, Tengshe’s Fire Wings naturally failed to wrap around him. The Nine Heavens Mysterious Fire was too tyrannical; anyone touched by it would be reduced to ashes immediately. Even though he was audacious, he wouldn’t dare to recklessly ignite the Nine Heavens Mysterious Fire on Kunlun Mountain, so he quickly retracted his Fire Wings.

Xuanji spotted Wuxiang’s moment of weakness, pushed off with her toes, and the Bengyu radiated a dazzling light, about to ensnare him within. Unexpectedly, Wuxiang stomped fiercely on the ground, and in an instant, he dissipated like the wind, vanishing without a trace. From a distance, they could still hear his voice, "So stubborn! The young one is impudent!"

Seeing him gone, Tengshe exhaled in relief. The pain in his wound flared up again, and his legs gave way, causing him to sit down with a thud, beginning to groan and sigh. (To be continued. For more details, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available, so support the author and lawful reading!)