Mǎlínsī, who had escaped Zhanxue Fortress, didn't dare to linger. Jiāsīdíyà's power was like a nightmare that gripped his heart. Only by getting away from that terrifying woman could he have a chance to survive and complete his revenge.
"You're quite slow at running away..."
The voice that suddenly sounded in his ear made Mǎlínsī's heart tremble. He had no intention of resisting, only wishing he could go faster... faster...
"Why run? I won't eat you..."
Looking at Mǎlínsī, who was fleeing at top speed, Jiāsīdíyà jumped for joy, a happy smile on her face. Such energetic experimental material was truly rare.
"What should I do with you...?"
Jiāsīdíyà, walking as if strolling through a leisurely garden, suddenly pointed a finger into the air. Mǎlínsī, as if pierced by something invisible in the shoulder, let out a muffled groan. He managed to steady himself and continued to flee.
"This... is simply a delicacy from the mortal world..."
Fresh blood trickled down Jiāsīdíyà's cherry lips. Having never tasted such a peculiar flavor, Jiāsīdíyà carefully collected every drop of the spilled blood. These were rare specimens; waste would be a luxury.
"Damn... damn... damn..."
The constantly fleeing Mǎlínsī gradually resisted the fear of Jiāsīdíyà due to his survival instincts. He concealed his form, gripped his blade tightly, and waited for Jiāsīdíyà's arrival.
"Hee hee..."
A light laugh came. Jiāsīdíyà, walking with elegant steps, had a rosy face and was like a cheerful little bird, singing aloud.
"A great harvest... a great harvest..."
Looking at Jiāsīdíyà's cheerful demeanor, Mǎlínsī, forcing himself to calm down, adjusted his breathing. He had only one chance, a chance to live.
"Die..."
Seeing Jiāsīdíyà squatting down to collect the spilled blood, Mǎlínsī suddenly sprang from his hiding place and swung his blade fiercely towards Jiāsīdíyà's head.
"What a disobedient little kitty..."
Collecting the blood, Jiāsīdíyà smiled faintly, completely ignoring Mǎlínsī attacking from behind.
Clang...
The sword swung down. Mǎlínsī, looking at the silhouette so close, was stunned. The sword, which he thought would surely hit its mark, not only failed to injure Jiāsīdíyà in the slightest but instead became intimately entwined with her.
"Little darling, don't be afraid..."
Jiāsīdíyà's beauty was undeniable, but the moment her jade hands touched Mǎlínsī's cheek, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. Mǎlínsī instantly retreated, his fighting spirit extinguished by fear.
"I don't want to die..."
"I must live..."
"I must live..."
Driven by the instinct to survive, Mǎlínsī fled tirelessly. But at this moment, Jiāsīdíyà frowned. The decay before her made her unwilling to dirty her clothes.
"Hmm... this is so troublesome..."
Jiāsīdíyà, losing patience, used a dry branch to test the road ahead. She immediately abandoned this chase route and took a large detour.
His heart filled with fear, Mǎlínsī fled aimlessly. Any slightest disturbance behind him would cause him to change direction. Confusedly, he brushed past Jiāsīdíyà.
"So troublesome..."
Jiāsīdíyà, following Mǎlínsī's scent, angrily kicked a dead tree. The sudden booming sound startled Mǎlínsī, exposing him to Jiāsīdíyà's view.
Facing the Grim Reaper chasing him closely from behind, Mǎlínsī, fleeing without direction, plunged into the Snow Mountain. This action made Jiāsīdíyà pout. She grabbed some snow and began to knead it fiercely.
Mǎlínsī's mind calmed slightly in the cold wind of the Snow Mountain. He glanced behind him and climbed upward without hesitation.
The biting cold wind on the Snow Mountain was bearable for Mǎlínsī.
Instead, it helped him gradually break free from his fear.
The wind and snow masked Mǎlínsī's scent. Jiāsīdíyà, having lost his trail, did not give up. As if heartbroken, she took out a wisp of blood from a delicate small bottle and smeared it on her eyes.
"I see you..."
A faint figure appeared in the snow-white world. It was Mǎlínsī, who had chosen to rest due to fatigue.
"Heh..."
Forming snow into ice spears, Jiāsīdíyà smiled slightly as she aimed. She suddenly threw the ice spear.
Boom... boom boom... boom...
The ground roared, and the mountains shook. Mǎlínsī, sensing the approaching danger, rolled on the spot, barely dodging the ice spear.
"That crazy woman..."
Not daring to stop for a moment, Mǎlínsī took to his heels. But the rumbling sound in his ears made his face turn ashen. He immediately lunged forward, rolling down the Snow Mountain.
"Ah... this is troublesome..."
The booming sound from the Snow Mountain also made Jiāsīdíyà's expression change. Fortunately, they were only at the foot of the mountain, and escaping was not difficult.
"Live... I must live..."
The cold wind whistled past his ears. Mǎlínsī, tumbling down the Snow Mountain, tried desperately to control his body, but still lost his balance due to inertia. The world instantly inverted.
The surge of power gave Mǎlínsī hope to survive. Despite being hit repeatedly, Mǎlínsī gritted his teeth and finally managed to roll to the foot of the mountain.
"Go..."
Mǎlínsī, with multiple fractures, didn't stop and dashed into the forest.
"Oh dear, my clothes are torn..."
Jiāsīdíyà, moving like a swift swallow and leaping back and forth between rocks and fallen trees, lost her usual elegance. She occasionally waved her hand to destroy obstacles in her path, finally escaping the avalanche safely, albeit with some trouble.
Boom... boom...
The violent avalanche buried the forest, erasing any traces and allowing Mǎlínsī to escape the pursuit.
"Go up the mountain..."
The avalanche had not completely stopped. Mǎlínsī glanced at the destroyed forest and, without a second word, headed back up the Snow Mountain. But in the distance, a figure stood on a treetop, their eyes full of rage.
Although the mountain path was more rugged after the avalanche, it exposed hidden pitfalls. Mǎlínsī, moving like a nimble monkey among the rocks, suddenly felt a gust of wind behind him. He turned sharply and saw a gale of snow and wind, so powerful it blew him into the air.
"Whoa..."
A mouthful of blood sprayed out. Mǎlínsī crashed heavily against the rock face. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and continued to climb upwards.
"Yo yo yo... you're quite resilient..."
Jiāsīdíyà, her anger subsiding slightly, pushed off with her toes and used the rebound from the trees to ascend the Snow Mountain.
"I can't mess around anymore, my skirt is torn..."
Landing softly on the snow, Jiāsīdíyà looked heartbrokenly at her damaged skirt. It was her favorite one, and she would make him pay for it properly later.
"Damn..."
Although Jiāsīdíyà's figure was not visible, Mǎlínsī, sensing he was locked on, stomped his foot, destroying the ground beneath him, hoping to slow her pursuit.
"As expected, it's no use..."
With a growing sense of crisis, Mǎlínsī suddenly smiled. He gathered all his strength and unleashed it at the Snow Mountain. Since death was inevitable, let them become lonely souls of the Snow Mountain together.
Crack...
A soft sound was heard. The thick ice wall was destroyed by Mǎlínsī's strike. Accompanied by a roar, the heavens and earth exploded.
"Let's die together..."
Looking at the figure chasing him, Mǎlínsī roared, laughing heartily, only to be buried by the vast ice and snow in an instant.
(38) Bargain
"Run... keep running..."
What is despair? The Mǎlínsī of the past could not answer, but the Mǎlínsī of today knew that the woman before him was despair, a despair that offered no hope.
Five minutes ago, Mǎlínsī, who had closed his eyes to accept death, did not feel the snow burying him. Instead, he heard the roar of the wind. When he opened his eyes, he saw himself being dangled in the air by one hand, with the all-destroying avalanche overhead.
The roaring avalanche could not get within three feet of the woman. By the time the avalanche completely subsided, Mǎlínsī, awestruck by the woman before him, offered no resistance.
"Why did you stop running...?"
Silently, a bloody hole appeared on Mǎlínsī's shoulder, blood gushing out like a fountain. The pain jolted the stunned Mǎlínsī awake.
"Jiāsīdíyà..."
In the past, upon seeing this woman, Mǎlínsī would have turned and fled. But now, he had lost his courage, lost the will to resist her.
"What is it...?"
Having drunk the blood, Jiāsīdíyà's complexion recovered somewhat, and her elegance returned.
"Exchange my life for Sā'ěr's death..."
Jiāsīdíyà laughed, a very happy laugh. Her slender fingers drew circles on Mǎlínsī's chest.
"Do you think I would agree to that...?"
Looking at the woman within arm's reach, Mǎlínsī, pale-faced, tore open his chest, revealing a unique red crystal.
"You will agree..."
The appearance of the red crystal immediately captured Jiāsīdíyà's full attention. This red crystal was different from any she had seen before. Two large and two small crystals formed an irregular shape, something even Jiāsīdíyà had never encountered.
"This is the product after you devoured your parents...?"
Carefully touching the red crystal, Jiāsīdíyà was captivated by its glow. If before she had only felt curiosity, now she was determined to obtain it; no one could stop her.
"You are the madwoman Jiāsīdíyà. Wouldn't it be more exciting for you to uncover this secret yourself...?"
Jiāsīdíyà's breathing quickened, her eyes fixed on the red crystal, seemingly struggling with something.
"Whoa..."
A mouthful of blood sprayed out, directly onto Jiāsīdíyà. Sniffing the fragrance on her body, Jiāsīdíyà slowly raised her head, revealing a radiant smile.
"Do you think you are qualified to negotiate with me...?"
Mǎlínsī, slightly stunned, also smiled. He gently rested his head on Jiāsīdíyà's shoulder. Facing others, he might indeed not be qualified, but...
"You..."
Jiāsīdíyà was furious. She grabbed Mǎlínsī's throat with one hand. With a slight squeeze, everything would belong to her.
"Do it... hurry up and do it..."
Although on the weaker side, Mǎlínsī's pale face showed a smile.
"Are you so sure you can die before me...?"
Jiāsīdíyà frowned slightly, sighing inwardly that she had indeed been too hasty. But one wrong step led to another; she had no chance to regret it.
"Running away from you is impossible, but you cannot stop me from seeking death..."
Suddenly, a faint power manifested within Mǎlínsī. It was precisely this power that made Jiāsīdíyà's expression change drastically. She hurriedly ordered him to stop.
"Crystal Dust Master..."
Jiāsīdíyà, her face ashen, retreated several steps. Even Heaven, which made Crystal People tremble, didn't faze her, but the power controlled by the Crystal Dust Master was something she could not stop at all; it was the most troublesome power.
"How about it? Can it change Lady Jiāsīdíyà's mind...?"
Mǎlínsī had not expected that the promise he made long ago would be his only trump card at this moment. The appearance of Chūn Yáo was indeed the best gift from the gods.
"Lady Jiāsīdíyà, my time is running out..."
Another mouthful of blood sprayed out.
Mǎlínsī, his face paler, slowly sat down, having lost too much blood to hold on.
"I... agree..."
Jiāsīdíyà's compromise brought a victorious smile to Mǎlínsī's face, but the smile instantly froze. Another mouthful of blood sprayed out.
"Since I've already agreed, hurry up and recover from your injuries..."
Facing Jiāsīdíyà's slight anger, Mǎlínsī showed a bitter smile.
"It seems I can't stop..."
Jiāsīdíyà's expression changed instantly. She raised her fist, wishing she could smash this scoundrel to death.
"Stop acting, get up now..."
Indignant, Jiāsīdíyà let out a cold snort, but Mǎlínsī didn't react. His body was trembling uncontrollably.
"It really won't stop...?"
Jiāsīdíyà rushed forward, her expression changing again. That surge of Crystal Dust Power was frantically destroying Mǎlínsī's body, extinguishing his last spark of life.
"I'm sorry..."
At the last moment of his life, Mǎlínsī finally let go of everything. This feeling was so liberating, but it was too late.
"Chūn Yáo... you've come..."
Looking at the playful girl before him, Mǎlínsī slowly extended his hand, a faint smile on his face.
"Life and death intertwined, you are my all, I am your entirety. We live together and die together, die together and live together..."
The promise made in the past echoed again. Mǎlínsī, gently embracing the girl, showed a brilliant smile. Happiness was right beside him; why hadn't he realized it until now? Wasn't it a bit too late...
"You want to die? Not so easy..."
Biting her finger, Jiāsīdíyà dripped blood onto the red crystal. But that faint trace of Crystal Dust Power suddenly abandoned its target and instead lunged at the drop of blood.
"This... is incredible..."
After devouring the blood, the Crystal Dust Power became strong, slowly entwining the red crystal, whose life was fading.
Crack... crack crack... crack...
Cracks appeared one after another. The irregularly shaped red crystal gradually became regular as it crumbled. An incredibly perfect, dim crystal appeared before Jiāsīdíyà.
"What a pity. If only it were crimson..."
As her slender fingers touched it, Jiāsīdíyà's expression suddenly changed, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
"Interesting..."
Looking at the faint trace on her slender finger, Jiāsīdíyà narrowed her eyes slightly, frowning. With all her power, she couldn't dispel it.
"Break..."
With a soft cry, Jiāsīdíyà's five fingers fell into the snow. But that faint trace did not disappear; instead, it appeared in her palm.
"You've indeed left me a challenge..."
Looking at the dim crystal gradually turning to ash and dissipating, Jiāsīdíyà's face showed delight rather than worry. She stretched her arms, knowing these days wouldn't be boring.
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, Sā'ěr is currently wishing for death the most..."
Although his life force had clearly vanished, Mǎlínsī's face bore a smile. A wisp of cold wind blew, turning into snow and drifting on the Snow Mountain.
(39) Avalanche
"Little brother, don't run, let me study you, okay...?"
As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. If time could turn back, Xǔ Yì would have chosen to go straight down the mountain instead of appearing before this woman.
Half an hour ago, Xǔ Yì, at the summit of the Snow Mountain, was awakened by a roar. Adhering to the principle of profiting from the conflict of two warring parties, Xǔ Yì smiled and decided to give them a surprise, an unforgettable surprise.
As the saying goes, it's easier to go up a mountain than down. But this was not the case for Xǔ Yì. With agile movements, Xǔ Yì descended from the summit, rushing rapidly towards his target.
Not long after, a figure entered Xǔ Yì's sight. The woman's dejected appearance made Xǔ Yì frown slightly, but it couldn't mask her extraordinary presence.
There must be something strange about an anomaly; the appearance of a beautiful woman alerted Xǔ Yì. He followed her for a while.
The woman's footsteps were incredibly light, possessing an indescribable beauty, as if she did not belong to the mortal world and the heavens were where she should appear.
Looking at the light, ethereal presence before him, a thought, which Xǔ Yì initially dismissed, suddenly arose in his heart. This thought did not disappear with time but grew even stronger.
But fate is unpredictable. Just as Xǔ Yì was tracking the woman, the mountain wind suddenly picked up, causing Xǔ Yì to lose sight of her.
"Damn..."
The mountain wind came and went quickly. After the wind and snow subsided, Xǔ Yì, looking at the vast expanse of white before him, prepared to descend the mountain.
"Little brother, are you looking for me...?"
The soft whisper from behind made Xǔ Yì's heart skip a beat. He pushed off the ground and moved forward, creating distance between them.
"How strange. Little brother, you are clearly human, so why do you have the aura of a Crystal Person...?"
Looking at the beautiful woman before him, who looked puzzled, Xǔ Yì, regaining some composure, smiled slightly and said, "Come closer, and you'll see..."
"But it's improper for men and women to be too close. In this vast Snow Mountain, if little brother has any ill intentions, what should I do...?"
Watching the woman retreat continuously with a look of feigned fear, Xǔ Yì's smile widened.
"There is no place for me in the human world. If I lose the Crystal People's world as well, where will I call home in this vast world...?"
With a tear trickling down the corner of his eye, Xǔ Yì secretly chuckled. The Crystal People, feared by all like tigers, were indeed easily deceived. A little trick made the woman lower her guard.
The woman, wanting to get closer but also a little hesitant, asked gently, "Little brother, don't you have a home...?"
"Home... I left it long ago..."
His expression suddenly turning somber, Xǔ Yì looked up at the sky. Ever since he parted ways with his grandfather, he had never again experienced the warmth of a home.
"Brother Zhào..."
The figure of Zhào Zhèn inadvertently appeared before his eyes. Looking at his elder brother, who treated him like family, Xǔ Yì felt a sudden surge of annoyance. He wanted to drive her away but couldn't bear to.
"Little brother, you can come to my home. My home is quite large..."
Seeing the woman gradually letting down her guard, Xǔ Yì, with a smile in his eyes, casually replied, "Okay..."
"Little brother, you agree...?"
Xǔ Yì's smile suddenly froze. Looking at the woman within arm's reach, smelling her faint fragrance, his body felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar.
"Who... who are you...?"
Jiāsīdíyà's sudden closeness made Xǔ Yì retreat several steps. From the very beginning, he had underestimated this woman. He was not the hunter, but the prey that had unknowingly stepped into a trap.
"Little brother, your words are strange. We are family, family who will live together..."
Her slender fingers slid across Xǔ Yì's chest. Horrified, Xǔ Yì gathered his sickle blade and swung it at the woman.
Clink...
The sharp sickle blade was easily blocked by the woman with one hand. The innocent smile on her face now appeared as a nightmare before Xǔ Yì's eyes.
"Crystal Dust Master, that's great!
Little brother, you're actually a Crystal Dust Master..."
With a radiant smile, Jiāsīdíyà put her right arm around him, drawing Xǔ Yì into her embrace.
"Little brother, do you know how long I've been searching for a Crystal Dust Master? And not just any Crystal Dust Master, but one with the aura of a Crystal Person. You must have immense research value, perhaps you could even change the world...