Chapter 8: Xian Yuan’s Daring Escape

Spotting the momentary opening, Shen Xiulan, ever-resourceful, seized her chance.Utilizing Heavenly Gate Island’s formidable ‘Sea Moon Shadow’ technique, she combined it with a mystical artifact, instantly appearing beside Xian Yuan.

Xian Yuan, for his part, was utterly petrified.

“Mama mia, someone save me!”

As Xian Yuan gazed at the throng of furious women, a deep regret gnawed at him. He’d foolishly courted disaster, and now he was truly playing with fire.

“What good is regret now? Come, run with me!”

Just then, a voice echoed beside Xian Yuan’s ear. He spun around to find a woman, exuding an aura of timeless maturity, actively channeling her immortal essence to dismantle Zhou Ci’s restrictive enchantment on him.

“You’re Xiulan?”

For a fleeting moment, Xian Yuan struggled to place her.

“Just how many confidantes do you actually have?”

Shen Xiulan rolled her eyes, yet she persisted in undoing Zhou Ci’s binding spell. Fortunately, since the wedding ceremony was imminent, Zhou Ci’s restrictive power wasn’t profoundly deep, allowing Shen Xiulan to swiftly dismantle it.

“No time for talk now—we need to go!”

Clutching Xian Yuan’s arm, Shen Xiulan immediately activated ‘Sea Moon Shadow,’ and in a flash, the two vanished from the scene.

Amidst the furious ongoing battle, Zhou Ci remained oblivious to their escape.

Once they had successfully fled, Shen Xiulan glanced back at the Immortal Jade Pavilion, now receding into the distance, and declared, “I’ll need a strand of your hair!”

With that, Xiulan plucked a single strand of hair from Xian Yuan’s head. As she recited an incantation, a young man, an exact replica of Xian Yuan, materialized beside them.

“Ah, what was that for?”

Wincing from the sudden tug, Xian Yuan glared at her, yet the sight of the identical puppet immediately clarified Shen Xiulan’s intentions.

“If you don’t wish to be dragged back, then follow my lead.”

Shen Xiulan shot Xian Yuan a sharp, exasperated glare, her eyes silently accusing him of being a heartless cad.

“Oh….” Xian Yuan muttered a sheepish reply, nodding docilely. There was no denying it; his reputation as a scoundrel had clearly preceded him.

With their preparations complete, the two swiftly departed.

****

Meanwhile, back at the Immortal Jade Pavilion, Zhou Ci and her companions finally realized Xian Yuan’s disappearance.

“What happened? Xian Yuan escaped!”

With a grimace, Zhou Ci fixed her gaze on the spot where Xian Yuan had vanished, her words laced with a palpable, grinding fury.

A chilling murderous intent gleamed in her eyes. She sensed, with absolute certainty, that Xian Yuan was not dead but had been spirited away amidst the chaos. Zhou Ci yearned to flay the rescuer alive, even more eager to uncover their identity.

Yet, a profound worry also gripped Zhou Ci. She feared that if nefarious individuals were behind his escape, it could inflict immense harm upon her husband.

“Hmph, hmph, it seems even Daoist Zhou has her days of miscalculation, hmph, hmph!”

Nearby, Jun Jinghong, battered and bruised, slowly rose to her feet. Her Grand Void Sword was riddled with nicks and chips, and her aura felt incredibly frail, yet her spirit remained fiercely heroic.

As Jun Jinghong stared at the spot where Xian Yuan had vanished, a maelstrom of complex emotions swirled within her.

“Hmph! Jun Jinghong! I spare your life today, but on another day, I shall personally tear you limb from limb!”

Zhou Ci scoffed, withdrawing her hand.

Jun Jinghong retorted with icy indifference, “I await that day!”

“Do you truly believe you’ll live to see it? Let me tell you, though I grant you this reprieve today, my Immortal Jade Pavilion will assuredly raze your Grand Void Sword Pavilion to the ground!”

Zhou Ci spat venomously, then swept away with her retinue.