Up in the tree — someone was there!

Feng Jiu’er was startled. It was plain to see: she was absolutely no match for that person.

Without a moment’s hesitation, after dodging leaves sharp as sword blades, she spun around and fled into the depths of the dense forest at full speed.

But the moment she had just escaped into it, suddenly, the branches all around surged and thrashed violently.

A wild gust of wind swept up the fallen leaves from out of nowhere, and in an instant, withered leaves were tumbling and swirling through the air in every direction.

Deep within that cascade of falling leaves, a lone dark figure in black stood in solitary stillness. A pair of cold, starlit eyes — like an invisible net — ensnared her within their gaze.

The very moment those eyes locked onto her, Feng Jiu’er suddenly came to a certain realization: once he had set his sights on her, there was no escaping him.

Di Wu Ya — the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sovereign Sect!

With a sharp whoosh, the dagger was drawn from her side, its blade gleaming with a razor edge. Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath and thrust it forward with every ounce of her strength.

This strike was not only meant to wound him — it was meant to wound herself as well!

She gathered every last bit of her body’s power and concentrated it entirely onto the blade’s edge. If she failed to injure her opponent, she would collapse on the spot herself.

The force concentrated on the blade would rebound upon striking the ground — if she fell, it would surely damage her own heart meridians.

This blow held nothing back. Either he would be hurt, or she would.

She was gambling — gambling on whether Di Wu Ya was truly the Ninth Imperial Uncle. If he was, he would at least not allow her to be harmed.

Though, she had no idea where such confidence came from — the feeling that the Ninth Imperial Uncle would actually feel just the tiniest bit of concern for her.

Oh, right — the Ninth Imperial Uncle needed her blood. He shouldn’t let her be injured and bleeding.

Facing the gleaming blade, Di Wu Ya simply stood where he was, watching her in quiet stillness.

That stillness did carry something of the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s calm and unhurried elegance — yet whether this truly was the Ninth Imperial Uncle, she could not say.

In the blink of an eye, the blade had reached Di Wu Ya.

Just as the blade was about to touch Di Wu Ya’s chest, his wide sleeve suddenly swept out with a light, effortless motion.

It was as if Feng Jiu’er had been utterly engulfed by some overwhelming force. Her footing gave way, the dagger flew from her grip, and with a heavy thud, she was swept off her feet by the force of his palm and sent crashing to the ground.

Pain! That wretched Di Wu Ya — he truly refused to give her even a single helping hand! That fall hurt terribly!

Could it be — he really wasn’t the Ninth Imperial Uncle?

The moment that thought struck her, Feng Jiu’er belatedly began to feel a thread of genuine panic.

If Di Wu Ya was not the Ninth Imperial Uncle, then he would place no value on her life whatsoever! Given the current situation, killing her would be as easy as turning his hand.

Di Wu Ya, still wearing his mask, remained composed as ever, standing tall in the open air, looking down from above at the girl crumpled on the ground.

His slender legs shifted ever so slightly. She couldn’t quite make out how he moved, yet the distance between them had already closed considerably.

Feng Jiu’er’s hand had at some point closed around a fistful of withered leaves. Just as Di Wu Ya was about to lean down to look at her, she furrowed her brow.

“Take this!” She hurled the fistful of withered leaves straight at Di Wu Ya’s face with all her might.

She slammed her palm against the ground and sprang up instantly, seizing the moment while Di Wu Ya was dodging the leaves to bolt away at a frantic run!

She ran and ran without stopping, not knowing how long she had been running — until she was gasping for breath, until she had not a shred of strength left.

Seeing that there was not the slightest sign of movement behind her, she finally managed to stop before a large tree, leaning against its trunk and heaving for air.

“Out of strength already?” Suddenly, a low, husky voice sounded directly above her head.

Feng Jiu’er’s heart lurched. She spun around, ready to run.

But her body slammed straight into a hard, solid chest, and she was bounced right back.

Jiu’er’s back was pressed against the tree trunk. Before she could even react, Di Wu Ya’s towering frame had already pinned her tightly in place. “You—mmph!” Her eyes flew wide with disbelief. She couldn’t even make out the mask on his face — her lips… were already sealed.