The soldiers escorting the two old women released their grip the moment Feng Jiu’er waved her hand, retreating several steps back.

At this moment, there was no one beside the two old women, yet they were surrounded on all sides.

“After the Three-Ring Formation, your power is nowhere near what it once was. If you don’t want to die too horribly, kill yourself!” Tang Xiaohua said, looking at the old woman.

Seeing Chen Hong again, Tang Xiaohua no longer felt as agitated as before.

Everything would end today, and her heart felt at peace.

The old woman that was Chen Hong in disguise tore off the human-skin mask on her face, revealing her true appearance.

She didn’t look at Feng Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, or Tang Xiaohua, but instead looked at Yue Jianfei.

“Jianfei, I’m asking you — did you ever have feelings for me? If it weren’t for Tang Xiaohua…”

“No!” Before Chen Hong could finish, Yue Jianfei cut her off mercilessly.

“Chen Hong, today I’ve come for my second child. Die!”

The moment his words fell, Yue Jianfei drew his sword and leapt up.

Chen Hong watched the incoming blade, not dodging at all, and instead looked toward Feng Jiu’er, the corner of her mouth curling slightly.

Feng Jiu’er met Chen Hong’s sudden gaze, her brows furrowing tightly.

Suddenly, as if realizing something, she shouted, “Brother Yue, wait!”

Yue Jianfei withdrew his sword in time, the tip having already reached right before Chen Hong.

Chen Hong looked at the silver-gleaming blade and burst into laughter.

“Hahaha… hahaha…”

She threw her head back and howled with laughter; the boat shook, and even ripples appeared on the river’s surface.

“Hahaha…”

Yue Jianfei’s thick brows knit together, and he stepped back twice.

After a burst of shrieking, tearing laughter, the river finally fell silent.

“Chen Hong, what exactly did you do to Jian Yi?” Feng Jiu’er stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Yue Jianfei.

The others followed as well, together facing this demon.

“If I die, he certainly won’t survive either. If you don’t believe me, try it!”

The corner of Chen Hong’s mouth curled up, her voice as if coming from the abyss, filled with malice.

Her pale, fair face appeared even more ashen after over-exhausting her internal energy.

At a glance, she truly looked like a demon.

Feng Jiu’er stared at her for a moment, then asked coldly, “What do you want?”

If Chen Hong’s voice came from the abyss, then Feng Jiu’er’s voice now came from hell itself.

She hated Chen Hong, and hated herself too — why had she let Jian Yi take the risk back then?

“I…” Chen Hong met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, a smug, self-satisfied smile rising on her face.

Suddenly, her expression turned grave, her gaze falling on Tang Xiaohua.

“I want her dead!”

“If she dies, I can help unlock the demonic formation on your man. It’s that simple!”

“Impossible!” Before anyone else could speak, Feng Jiu’er said coldly.

“Sister Hua is just as important as Jian Yi!”

“Since you refuse to speak reason, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

After her cold words, Feng Jiu’er flicked her small hand.

Five silver needles shot out together, one striking the woman also dressed as an old lady.

The woman tried to dodge but couldn’t; a single needle killed her instantly, and with a “thud,” she collapsed onto the deck.

The other four silver needles simultaneously pierced several acupoints on Chen Hong.

Even at full strength Chen Hong wouldn’t have been Feng Jiu’er’s match, and now, having lost at most eight-tenths of her power, she was far from being a match at all.

She had thought her Three-Ring Formation would surely be impossible for anyone to break, so even at the cost of eighty percent of her internal energy, she’d gone ahead and set it up.

Just as Tang Xiaohua had said, after the Three-Ring Formation, Chen Hong was like a toothless old tiger — not that hard to deal with anymore.

It was only that no one had expected Jian Yi’s life might now hang by a thread, tied to Chen Hong’s.

Feng Jiu’er’s strike had been fast and precise; Chen Hong hadn’t had time to dodge, and was forced to take all four needles.

As the silver needles pierced into her body, Chen Hong clenched her teeth and collapsed to the ground.

She groped all around herself, unable to find the needles at all.

These small, fine things had already entered deep into her body.

Chen Hong clenched her teeth, straining to endure, but still couldn’t hold back a pained scream.

“What… what exactly did you do to me? You… save me! Come save me quickly!”

Suddenly, with a “bang,” part of the cabin burst open, and a figure in white robes trailing black smoke rushed over at high speed.

“Everyone be careful!” What Feng Jiu’er had feared had indeed happened.

She had guessed that Chen Hong could control Jian Yi at any moment, and not wanting Jian Yi to harm any of the brothers, she’d had no choice but to keep him by her side at all times.

And just as she’d feared, Jian Yi had “come alive” again.

The corrupted Jian Yi still looked just as handsome, but his eyes were like they’d lost all focus.

Jian Yi burst through the wooden planks and leapt in front of Chen Hong, sword raised, facing Feng Jiu’er and the others.

“Kill them, they want to hurt your wife,” Chen Hong shouted weakly.

With a “clang,” Jian Yi turned his silver sword and lunged at the people in front of him.

Sure enough, the shameless Chen Hong had controlled Jian Yi into believing she was his wife.

Hearing Chen Hong’s words, everyone was furious.

But now wasn’t the time for anger — it was their own Jian Yi they faced.

The memory of those five thousand undying guards from the day before still lingered vividly in their minds; and now Jian Yi looked no different from them.

“Everyone scatter!” Feng Jiu’er raised both hands, sending out a gust of palm wind.

Those beside her heard this and stepped back a few paces.

“Jiu’er, be careful!”

“Miss Jiu’er, watch out!”

Qiao Mu and Yu Jingfeng’s voices rang out at the same time.

They only retreated a step or two before wanting to rush forward.

“Miss Jiu’er,” Yu Jingfeng reminded again, “be careful!”

Feng Jiu’er did not dodge, but she also wasn’t foolish enough to just stand there, betting that Jian Yi could recognize her in this state.

As Jian Yi’s long sword slashed downward, she raised her short blade and blocked his sword.

The clash of sword and blade rang out with a “boom.”

Not only was the sound loud, but a burst of internal energy surged outward from where the blade and sword met.

That internal energy was extremely powerful.

Even Yu Jingfeng and Qiao Mu, though close by, had to stop and steady themselves to avoid being pushed back.

In an instant, everyone’s hair and robes billowed around them, and those with weaker internal energy were forced to retreat several steps.

“Jian Yi.” Feng Jiu’er’s clear, melodious voice rang out on the quiet deck.

“It’s me, Jiu’er. Look carefully, it’s me, I’m not your enemy.”

Feng Jiu’er was relieved that Jian Yi hadn’t gone all out.

This meant he still retained some of his own consciousness, didn’t it?

“Jian Yi, that woman isn’t your wife, she deceived you. Jian Yi, look carefully, it’s me, it’s Jiu’er.”

Feng Jiu’er stared unblinkingly at the man who, after that single downward slash, had gone still.

“Miss Jiu’er, be careful!” Yu Jingfeng arrived at her side in two steps.

He and Qiao Mu had arrived almost at the same moment.

“Miss Jiu’er, we’re worried!” the other brothers also called out, urging caution.

Feng Jiu’er shook her head, not letting anyone come closer.

“Jian Yi, it’s me, Jiu’er, do you see clearly now?”

“It’s me, Jiu’er, we…”

“Jian Yi.” Chen Hong, though rattled to her core, quickly composed herself.

“They want to kill your wife, kill them!”