Ling Xiao did harbour a trace of fondness towards Situ Hongyan, so he was unwilling to kill her.
But if this woman remained stubbornly foolish, then he would no longer hold back.
Since others insisted on courting death, if you did not let them die, would that not be letting them down too much?
“I will not make a move.”
Situ Hongyan was very wise.
“Of course, do not misunderstand. It is not that I fear you. I simply feel that acting for the sake of that old hag is not worth it.”
These were her true thoughts. If the Corpse Granny were someone who made her feel great admiration, then even if she knew today she was no match, she would still fight Ling Xiao.
Even if she died in battle, it would be willing.
But the reality was not so.
The Corpse Granny was utterly despicable and shameless. She could not muster even the slightest desire to act on her behalf.
“That is a smart choice. You may leave now. However, she cannot.”
Ling Xiao could let Situ Hongyan go because they would not become enemies.
But the Corpse Granny was different.
With such a perfect opportunity to kill the Corpse Granny, he would never give it up.
“Ling Xiao, you just said it is better to resolve enmities than to deepen them. This old woman knows she was wrong. I should not have framed you. This old woman intends to reform completely. From now on, I will absolutely never trouble you again. May I leave?”
At that moment, the Corpse Granny suddenly spoke.
Blood was still flowing from her arm, yet the smile she revealed was full of flattery.
This fellow was actually capable of begging!
“You know you were wrong? Heh heh heh, I never thought an old hag like you would admit a mistake. Do you really take me for a three-year-old child? If you were not gravely injured, if Situ Hongyan had not chosen to step aside, would you be obedient enough to beg for mercy?”
Ling Xiao sneered disdainfully. “Are you perhaps thinking that once your injuries heal, you will definitely kill me so that no one learns of your ugly behaviour today?”
Situ Hongyan looked at Ling Xiao. A hint of admiration appeared in her eyes.
She too wished she could be like Ling Xiao, unafraid of authority, able to openly reprimand a shameless person like the Corpse Granny.
Unfortunately, she was not Ling Xiao after all. She truly could not take that step.
“How could that be?”
The Corpse Granny refused to admit it, but in her heart, it was exactly as Ling Xiao had said.
Today she bowed her head because she was gravely injured and no match for Ling Xiao. But once her wounds healed, she would never let him go. That was her truest thought.
“Why bother, Corpse Granny? You were so imposing just now, yet now you grovel so lowly. Do you not feel ashamed?”
Ling Xiao smiled faintly. “You hate me to the bone and want to kill me. I too have killing intent towards you. Why not have an open and honourable battle? You might not necessarily lose to me.”
“Ling Xiao, whatever you want, as long as this old woman can obtain it, it is all yours! Including this Situ Hongyan. I see you seem to have some interest in her! And after you possess her, you can toy with her as you wish without bearing any responsibility. How about it?”
The Corpse Granny retreated another step. The smile on her face was ugly, and the words from her mouth were even uglier.
At this point, she no longer dared to fight Ling Xiao, let alone the fact that Leng Mei was also by his side.
Even at her peak, she could not defeat Leng Mei, much less now when she was gravely injured.
So no matter how shameless she had to be, she wanted to live. She had to preserve her life first. Everything else was unimportant.
“Corpse Granny, although I, Situ Hongyan, am a disciple of Blue Wave Island, I am not your tool. It is impossible for me to serve whoever you tell me to. If you say such things again, I will kill you myself!”
Situ Hongyan’s face flushed with anger, and her breathing grew rapid.
She had not been insulted by the legendary devil, yet she was being treated so cheaply by her own side. This caused her immense pain and sorrow.
“You old thing, you truly are beyond saving. Not only do we have enmity, but even if we did not, today I would still kill you without fail!”
Ling Xiao’s sword intent soared into the air. Even his voice carried overwhelmingly intense killing intent.
With the Corpse Granny alive, she was simply a scourge. Who knew how many innocent people would be killed by her?
“Kill me? Are you willing?”
Just as Ling Xiao was about to strike, two white bony hands suddenly shot out from the ground. They grabbed Situ Hongyan and pulled her towards the Corpse Granny.
“Heh heh heh, Situ Hongyan, since you refuse to save this old woman, I can only use you as a shield.”
The Corpse Granny revealed a ferocious smile, then looked at Ling Xiao and said, “Does it hurt? Hee hee hee, it hurts for nothing! Let me tell you, if you do not let me leave today, then I will kill this delicate fresh flower!”
Ling Xiao could not help but pause.
Was there something wrong with this person’s head?
“Is your brain sick? Situ Hongyan is from your Blue Wave Island, and you use her to threaten me? Did I hear wrong, or did you say it wrong yourself?”
After a moment, he could not help but ask with a smile.
Situ Hongyan was not surprised, but she did feel some regret.
She was not surprised because she had long known the Corpse Granny’s character. Doing something like this was not strange.
She regretted because she had been too careless. She had clearly been wary of this old thing before, yet because she wanted to protect her, she had stood too close. Now there was no chance to dodge.
She did not expect Ling Xiao to save her.
As Ling Xiao had said, she was a disciple of Blue Wave Island. Ling Xiao had no relation to her. Why should he save her?
And let a great enemy go because of it?
Was that worth it?
No matter how she thought about it, this deal was not worth it at all.
Yet she still harboured a faint fantasy.
She had heard that Ling Xiao had many female confidantes around him, all devoted to him utterly.
Not for any other reason, but because Ling Xiao was the kind of person who would face powerful enemies for these women without ever retreating.
As the saying goes, beauties love heroes.
Situ Hongyan was no exception.
Even though she did not think Ling Xiao would fall for her, she still hoped that Ling Xiao might lend her aid simply because she was a woman.
Of course, this was merely a faint hope.
This hope was somewhat illusory, somewhat ethereal, far too unreal.
“She is indeed from our Blue Wave Island, but such a delicate fresh flower, are you truly willing to watch her die at the hands of a shameless person like me?”
The Corpse Granny sneered.
She actually admitted her own shamelessness herself. That was at least worthy of praise.
As she spoke, black qi released from her body had already enveloped Situ Hongyan. One could see Situ Hongyan’s blood and primal energy flowing along this black qi into the Corpse Granny’s body.
This old fellow cultivated an ancient witchcraft, utterly sinister and wicked.
“Whether she withers or not, what does it have to do with me?”
Ling Xiao repeated the same words, showing no intention of stopping. The Phantom Shadow Sword in his hand thrust straight towards the Corpse Granny.
Even though Situ Hongyan was still shielding her.
At this moment, Situ Hongyan felt some disappointment.
However, she did not hate Ling Xiao.
She even felt a little grateful to him. Dying under Ling Xiao’s sword was still better than dying to the Corpse Granny’s evil arts.
