Chapter 75: Do You Know You Could Die?

There were too many wolves. Hua Qinci grew anxious, both hands flickering as she revealed a myriad of silver needles.

Surrounding her were some twenty or thirty wolves, with more still moving in her direction.

A howling call rose from the pack leader, and in an instant, the other wolves charged at her in a frenzy.

She stumbled backward in haste, silver needles flying from her fingers and felling several vicious wolves in a heartbeat. They whimpered and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

Yet, though frustrated, the wolves only grew bolder and fiercer with each attack.

Forced to dodge left and right, Hua Qinci, who was once as cold as ice, now found herself drenched in sweat.

Another howl came from the leader, and the rest of the wolves seemed poised to launch themselves at her again.

“Heh! You really do have no fear of death!” Hua Qinci couldn’t help but admire the wolves’ reckless courage. She thought, too, of that man—how he had once tried so hard to win her favor, she who had been as merciless as a demon. It was all a calculated submission, a prelude to betrayal.

So, behind that righteous façade, he had always been using her pure affections for his own ends.

Her attacks grew more ruthless. After a few more exchanges, her pouch of silver needles was empty. With no other choice, she grabbed a dried, cracked branch from the ground.

But the wolves were too fierce. If only she had a sword, things might have been different.

Her head grew heavier, her body harder to control.

She kept reminding herself: she must hold on. Now that fate had granted her this second chance, how could she give up so easily? She would fight to the very end, with no thought of surrender or death.

Repeated bouts of dizziness and distraction left her battered and scarred, forced to retreat at every turn.

The fog thickened. Under the starlight and moon, she could only rely on her hearing and the wolves’ glowing eyes to judge where to strike.

She would not give up. She would never die at the teeth of these beasts, for she had once been more cold-blooded than any wolf or tiger.

“I won’t give up! Even if I have only one breath left, I will never give up.”

She retaliated and dodged endlessly, shouting to bolster her courage.

“I won’t give up! Never! Die—just die, all of you!”

She tore at the wolves with her bare hands—surely Hua Qinci was the first woman to do such a thing.

Fortunately, her childhood had been one of hardship and struggle, honing her quick wits and agility. She was a woman who cared nothing for the domestic arts.

Otherwise, how could she have survived this ordeal today?

After dozens of exchanges, neither she nor the wolves had gained the upper hand.

She was drenched in blood, and so were the wolves.

Gazing at the increasingly savage pack, hearing the distant calls of tigers and leopards, she knew that if she didn’t break free soon, death was certain.

She tightened her grip on the blood-soaked stick in her hand, unsure whether the blood belonged to the wolves or to herself.

“Is this really how I’m going to die? Me? I—how could I die here? The only ones who die will be you!”

She swung and fought with all her might.

“Qin Youtian, you are my nemesis—you’ve brought me to this!” she shouted, venting her rage on Qin Youtian.

The wolves began to retreat. Hua Qinci was overjoyed, thinking she’d finally frightened them off, but then a piercing tiger’s roar sounded behind her.

She turned, her lips twisting in a grimace, her teeth clenched so hard they creaked. She felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured down her back.

Before she could even think how to face this new threat, the tiger lunged at her.

“Don’t be afraid!”

Just as Hua Qinci readied herself for a desperate attack, a warm embrace enveloped her.

With a thunderous crash, the charging tiger was sent hurtling away in the blink of an eye.

Another deafening crash, and the tiger hit the ground, howling in pain before falling silent.

Sweat drenched her body as she looked up sharply. The one who had come was none other than Qin Youtian.

“How is it you?” She stared at him, her eyes shining with surprise, excitement, and a strange, unspoken emotion.

“Who else but me would risk their life to find you?” Qin Youtian’s fists were as sharp as blades. In no time, he cut a path through the beasts and slew the pack leader. Without its command, the wolves scattered.

When another tiger roared and lunged, Qin Youtian quickly scooped Hua Qinci onto his back and dashed through the dense forest like lightning.

Only when they reached safety did he finally stop.

“You’re hurt?” Only now did Hua Qinci notice the blood seeping from Qin Youtian’s hand. Forgetting her own pain, she hurried to tend to his wound, cleaning and bandaging it with practiced care.

Qin Youtian pulled his hand back. “It’s just a scratch—nothing serious.”

Seeing Hua Qinci covered in blood as well, he began checking her injuries, his voice full of worry. “How are you? Why did you go into the forest alone?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Why are you here? Where did you run off to so early? I’ve been looking for you for hours—do you have any idea?” she snapped irritably as she fumbled for her hemostatic powder, her frustration clear. She had nearly died searching for him.

“Do you know how dangerous it was just now? If I hadn’t heard your screams, you would have died! Do you understand?” Qin Youtian shot back, bandaging her wounds as he spoke.

Hua Qinci rolled her eyes at him. “You knew I was in danger, so why did you only just arrive? You know I’m not familiar with these mountains—why didn’t you come looking for me sooner?”