Qin Yining didn’t know why Tianji Zi would say such a thing, but the hand gripping her wrist was so forceful it seemed it would separate flesh from bone—enough to show Tianji Zi’s current tension.

Qin Yining remained half-skeptical about Tianji Zi’s divination claims, but Tianji Zi indeed possessed abilities that ordinary people lacked, doing things that defied explanation in certain matters. She couldn’t say all of these were coincidences, especially since Tianji Zi was currently saving her life.

She quickened her pace, using all her strength to run frantically with Tianji Zi. Unfortunately, though her health had improved these past days, her stamina was still not what it once was. In just a moment, she was gasping like an ox and seeing stars.

“Whoosh—thunk!”

A sound of cutting air passed by her ear. Looking back, she saw an arrow shaft quivering as it embedded in a large tree beside her—it had nearly struck her.

Not daring to delay, Qin Yining hurriedly urged Bingtang and Ji Yun: “Quick, quick, quick! You two protect Ge’er and Jie’er—move as fast as you can!”

“Princess Consort!”

Ji Yun tried to turn back to pull Qin Yining along, but Qin Yining said: “Hurry! This is an order—you two protect the children!”

Ji Yun drew the soft sword coiled at her waist. Cold light flashed as she struck down an arrow shaft with all her might, nodded heavily, and caught up with the wet nurses.

Xie Yue and Manager Zhong were older and running out of breath, but she was unwilling to abandon them.

Tianji Zi gritted her teeth and spat: “Such hindrance! Quickly find somewhere to hide!”

Several people slipped under their feet. The forest floor was covered with a thick layer of dead leaves beneath the snow, and they slid down the steep slope.

A wet nurse cried out in alarm, and the two children burst into wailing.

Qin Yining’s heart clenched as she heard the pursuers shouting loudly: “Over there! Chase them!”

“No good—we can’t all go in the same direction. You protect the children and go southeast.” Qin Yining lowered her voice to instruct everyone who had fallen down the slope with her. “I’ll go in another direction. They probably want to capture me alive!”

Tianji Zi angrily said: “You’re seeking death! Don’t forget—you killed Li Helan! Li Qitian is looking to capture you for revenge right now. Going out there means death! Those two little brats would have a better chance of survival if captured!”

“No! Those are my children—how could I only think of my own escape and send my children into the tiger’s mouth!”

“You! Stubborn fool!” Tianji Zi ground her teeth in anger.

The footsteps of the Capital Guards searching in the distance gradually drew closer. Sweat beaded on Tianji Zi’s forehead.

Qin Yining immediately turned and ran in another direction.

Manager Zhong’s eyes widened. He wanted to call out but feared drawing people over, so he could only clench his fists tightly.

Ji Yun and Bingtang covered the two children’s mouths, their hands full of the children’s tears. They had to be careful not to smother the children while watching Qin Yining run away, their hearts filled with despair and sorrow.

They had finally escaped, but were they ultimately unable to escape this calamity?

Tianji Zi wiped her face: “I really owe her!” She suddenly turned and told Xie Yue: “Go southeast about fifty zhang until you see an ancient towering tree. Head toward where the branches are dense—you’ll find a tree hollow hidden in the snow. All of you hide inside.” She then said to Bingtang: “Give those two children acupuncture to keep them quiet—that might resolve this difficulty!”

Everyone looked grave and didn’t immediately respond.

Tianji Zi’s reputation in the martial world was too great. Everyone naturally knew she had abilities, but she had always acted deviously—for a moment they didn’t know whether to trust her or not.

Tianji Zi’s eyes swept over everyone as if seeing through everything, and she sneered: “Suit yourselves. If you don’t trust me, go wander around and die!”

With that, she turned and chased after Qin Yining.

Ji Yun and Bingtang looked questioningly at Xie Yue: “Master Xie, what should we do?”

Xie Yue watched the direction Tianji Zi had run. In the darkness, orange torch light could gradually be seen on the slope. His heart clenched as he said quietly: “There’s no other way now. Let’s follow her instructions first. Go!”

Everyone nodded and together protected the wet nurses, following the route Tianji Zi had described.

By this time, Qin Yining had circled around and climbed up the gentle slope, quietly hiding among dead branches and broken wood. She saw the chaotic battle not far away—Jingzhe and the Elite Tiger Guards were fighting while retreating in this direction. The first group of pursuers had few left, but the second group of twenty all carried bows and arrows. Some were searching in the forest while others shot cold arrows from ambush—victory or defeat remained uncertain.

Footprints were hardest to conceal in winter. Qin Yining worried the pursuers would chase toward the children’s direction, so she had to crouch and run in the opposite direction, not caring when she accidentally stepped on dead branches.

Though this sound was quite faint amid the forest melee, Capital Guards carrying bows still spotted her figure.

“Over there!”

“Chase her!”

Seven or eight Capital Guards with bows were immediately drawn by Qin Yining’s attention and chased in her direction.

Seeing the enemy take the bait, Qin Yining immediately used all her strength to run frantically, using the forest’s winding, complex terrain to dodge left and right, avoiding arrows.

“Trouble! The princess consort has been discovered!” Jingzhe also noticed pursuers chasing Qin Yining. His moves became even more fierce—every strike aimed directly at vital points, not caring if he got wounded himself.

The Elite Tiger Guards swung their arms in full circles, fighting with the spirit of the battlefield like hungry tigers descending the mountain.

The Capital Guards merely had superior numbers. If it came to desperate fighting, they truly weren’t a match for the Elite Tiger Guards who had fought through mountains of knives and seas of fire. If not for the interference of cold arrows from the perimeter, the battle here would have been decided immediately.

Even so, Jingzhe’s group exerted all their strength, desperately trying to get closer to Qin Yining.

Qin Yining ran until she was gasping and weak all over. Her throat’s intense panting was like a broken bellows. By now her forehead was covered in sweat beads, and the disguise mask stuck to her face had peeled off halfway. Finding it bothersome, she tore it off and stuffed it in her bosom.

“Whoosh!”

Another sound of cutting air. Qin Yining felt a cool breeze behind her head, and all her hair stood on end. She quickly threw herself to the ground as two arrows embedded in a large tree beside her. If she hadn’t dodged, those two arrows would have pierced straight through her.

Her eyes widened. Just as Tianji Zi had said, this time the enemy didn’t want to capture her alive! Li Qitian was likely truly seeking revenge for Li Helan! For hostages, the two children were sufficient—she was being targeted today!

Rolling and crawling to get up, Qin Yining frantically ran toward a clump of bushes.

With a “buzz,” another arrow struck where she had just been.

How could Qin Yining not understand? She no longer harbored any illusions about possibly being captured alive. In this situation, the slightest mistake meant death!

At this critical moment, urgent footsteps came from outside the forest. Soon, over ten people rushed in carrying gleaming sabers. The leader had handsome features. Seeing the Elite Tiger Guards behind Jingzhe, he shouted: “Brothers, hold on!”

“Tang Xiu, you bastard—what took you so long!” The Elite Tiger Guards naturally recognized Tang Xiu. Seeing reinforcements arrive, their spirits lifted even more.

Everyone’s arms gained more strength.

Jingzhe recognized Tang Xiu and urgently ordered: “Quick! Go save the princess consort! They have archers chasing her!”

Tang Xiu’s expression became stern. He quickly acknowledged and led the dozen men with him, running toward Qin Yining’s direction.

By this time, Qin Yining was exhausted. Every breath of cold air she inhaled felt like knives stabbing her lungs. She felt her reactions growing sluggish and her legs increasingly weak. Carelessly, she was tripped by a protruding tree root.

Her cry of alarm was caught in her throat before she could make a sound. She heard a “whoosh” of wind by her ear, then her right shoulder went cold. Intense pain and numbness suddenly struck, hurting so much tears nearly fell.

Looking down, she saw her right shoulder pierced by an arrow. The sharp arrowhead protruded from her shoulder blade, and blood quickly stained her plain clothing red.

“I hit her! I hit her!”

“Quick! She’s right there!”

Qin Yining gritted her teeth and rolled to her feet, staggering forward. Bright red blood dripped steadily from her sleeves and hem. Her vision went black again, and she stumbled, falling directly down a steep slope.

“Princess Consort!”

Tang Xiu led a dozen men gradually catching up. Seeing Qin Yining shot with an arrow and tumbling down the steep slope, his eyes immediately reddened: “Hurry!”

The Elite Tiger Guards, ignoring everything else, charged up like madmen.

The seven or eight people chasing Qin Yining saw over ten men approaching with sabers and a desperate attitude, so they didn’t dare continue fighting. They anxiously shot several more arrows down the slope.

Qin Yining was in such pain that half her body was numb. Her face was buried in the snow, but she couldn’t move at all.

Hearing several more whooshing sounds, she closed her eyes and smiled bitterly.

It seemed she would truly meet her end here today.

Who would have thought that just then, a heavy object suddenly crashed onto her, knocking her vision black and making her head buzz. She couldn’t catch her breath for a long time. Immediately after, a bloody smell spread around her.

Fighting sounds came from the steep slope—the archers had been intercepted by the Elite Tiger Guards.

Qin Yining kept her eyes tightly closed, completely without strength to move.

A weak female voice gritted her teeth nearby: “Hey! Don’t you dare die.” This was followed by a pained intake of breath as the “heavy object” pressing on Qin Yining rolled away.

Qin Yining barely found enough strength to look back and was shocked to see Tianji Zi lying on her side beside her. There was an arrow in her back and another piercing through her thigh. Blood stained the white snow beneath her.

“You… Fairy maiden, how are you!” Qin Yining struggled to get up.

How could she have imagined that just now, Tianji Zi had blocked her path!

Tianji Zi lay half-prone on the ground, completely drained of strength, spitting weakly: “You troublemaker! It’s all your fault! This fairy maiden with such high cultivation—whenever I encounter you, nothing good happens! You’re trouble, a variable, a huge disaster!”

Qin Yining couldn’t move one arm and could only use her left hand to support her: “How are you? Stop scolding me for now—save your strength!”

“Calamity, calamity!” Tianji Zi’s voice grew increasingly weak. “You big troublemaker—it’s all your fault!”