Chapter 722: Bloody Long Street (Part 1)
"I have no advice, but I do have a few explanations."
Zhou Tong struggled to catch his breath, gasping a few times before speaking. "These explanations mean nothing to others, but I think they might to you. After all, over the years, our situations have been quite similar. My so-called betrayal stemmed from fear and self-preservation, and for the same reasons, you've done many similar things in the past."
He was referring to the time when Mo Yu, hiding it from the Holy Empress, followed the Pope's wishes and secretly arranged for Chen Changsheng to enter the National Academy.
Mo Yu shook her head and said, "My fear and self-preservation stem from the world after Her Majesty, not from Her Majesty herself."
"No matter how you put it, in my eyes, since Her Majesty never cared whether we lived or died, why must we live for her? That night, when Chen Changsheng came to the North Bingmasi Alley to kill me, I nearly died. But what did Her Majesty do?"
Zhou Tong sneered. "She completely ignored my plight, only thinking about how to reunite with her son. Pity she was blind, mistaking even her own child."
When he sneered, his purple-black gums contrasted sharply with his pale face, looking quite hideous.
Mo Yu said with some pride, "Her Majesty does care about me. She let You Rong and me leave the capital first."
Zhou Tong was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "Do you really think that just because I'm poisoned, you can easily kill me?"
Mo Yu didn't explain, only stated, "I will kill you."
"You have one major problem—you're too young."
Zhou Tong said, "Youth means insufficient time. No matter how great your talent, your cultivation level can't be too high. And you lack patience. You should have waited longer, let the poison sink deeper into me. Also, you shouldn't have chosen this place. This is my home. Killing someone in their own home is always more difficult."
For most people in the world, home is the place they know best, their final fortress, their true home ground.
Zhou Tong had hidden his most cherished peace and treasures in this small courtyard, naturally making many arrangements. There were numerous traps and formations here.
With his words, the sounds of many mechanisms activating came from outside the window. The sunlight in the courtyard seemed to dim a few shades, and several powerful formation intents rose from beneath the earth.
The two precious pills had already turned into essence in his stomach, flowing through his meridians throughout his body, temporarily suppressing the poison's erosion and restoring some of his strength.
The sun in the sky had no real warmth. The breeze that came was cold. A bloody scent spread with the formation, enveloping the entire courtyard.
Without hesitation, he activated the Red Robe Secret Art. If anyone used their divine sense to observe, they would find the entire courtyard now submerged in a sea of blood.
The Red Robe Secret Art was his strongest technique, but it consumed divine sense and true essence at a terrifying rate. Especially now, with two potent poisons in his body, he couldn't sustain it for long. But Mo Yu also couldn't stay in this blood sea. If she didn't want to die together with him, she would have to retreat temporarily.
He just needed to seize the moment of her retreat to escape this courtyard. Once he reached the street, he could save his life.
This was the most effective method Zhou Tong could think of in the face of death.
The courtyard looked ordinary, but the street outside housed many extraordinary figures. When he chose this place back then, this was part of his consideration.
What happened next exceeded Zhou Tong's imagination, or more precisely, his understanding and knowledge of Mo Yu.
Because Mo Yu didn't leave. She stood by the door, letting the formless blood sea stain her palace robes a terrifying color.
She was very calm, very focused. The weariness between her brows had been completely replaced by deathly stillness.
Starlight shimmered within her palace robes, piercing through the blood-red color, beautiful to behold.
A slender sword, delicate in appearance yet carrying the weight of time and storms, pierced through the blood sea in the room, like a beam of condensed starlight.
With a soft *pfft*, the elegant sword sank into Zhou Tong's lower abdomen, the tip emerging from behind his waist, bringing with it a stream of black blood.
Zhou Tong didn't scream or howl in pain. He stared blankly at her before him, his face filled with disbelief.
Mo Yu's sword had pierced through his body.
And his blood sea had already devoured Mo Yu's divine sense.
It wasn't just that Mo Yu was only at the mid Star Convergence stage; even if she broke through to peak Star Convergence right now, she could no longer leave this blood sea or this courtyard.
In other words, she was doomed to die.
Why? Zhou Tong quickly understood—she had never intended to live.
He had tried to use the threat of mutual destruction to force her back, but she had come precisely to die together with him.
Returning to the capital was already a death sentence for her. She just wanted to take him with her.
Whether falling into the abyss or entering the sea of stars, she would take him, bring him before the Holy Empress.
Zhou Tong's face turned pale.
He didn't want to die with her.
The entire courtyard was still under his control. There were still mechanisms and formations not yet activated. He wanted to fight for a chance.
But he didn't succeed. Not because of the sword piercing his body, but because his body began to stiffen.
A pair of hands landed on his shoulders.
Those hands were thin, withered, like branches, very pale, having not seen sunlight for many days. The nails were sharp, long, and fierce, covered in grime.
They were wolf claws. The sharp nails dug deep into the bone beneath Zhou Tong's shoulders, puncturing several bloody holes from which black blood gushed.
Zhou Tong knew his injuries were even worse—cracks had already appeared in his shoulder bones.
His body felt incredibly cold, filled with terror. He didn't dare turn his head to look.
He had already guessed who had come silently behind him like a ghost.
He had read the case files about this person killing on the snow plains back then. He knew that if he turned around, the other party would definitely bite through his neck.
At the edge of life and death, Zhou Tong stopped caring about the two poisons in his body and squeezed out even the last drop of his true essence.
In the blood-sea-shrouded room, a monstrous wave surged.
With a sharp howl, he transformed into a flash of blood light and charged toward the door.
With a *crack*, the elegant sword piercing his body snapped as his forward momentum broke it.
The person who had come like a ghost behind him didn't have time to snap his neck either. With several *ripping* sounds, streams of blood sprayed out.
Countless mechanisms activated at the same time. Several formation intents unleashed their final effects, exploding like fireworks. The rockery and screen wall in the courtyard collapsed entirely, followed by the house itself. Dust filled the air, green bamboos snapped into pieces, stone slabs shattered, and even the sunlight seemed to break.
Zhou Tong collapsed by the broken bamboo at the wall.
He used the fastest speed to push aside a fake bamboo shoot. The remaining courtyard walls all crumbled.
He was blasted out of the courtyard by the shockwave, heavily landing on the snow.
Amid the pure white snow, he was covered in blood. The scene wasn't beautiful, nor could it be called heroic.
His blood was black, reeking of rot, flowing from the sword wound in his chest and abdomen.
His back was even more miserable—clothes torn, flesh and blood mangled, ten deep claw marks clearly visible, with white bone faintly showing.
Zhou Tong had lived many years, but this was his most miserable moment.
Yet in his eyes, filled with fear and pain, a glimmer of hope finally appeared, even wild joy.
Because he had finally reached the street.
...
...
Dust filled the air, stone fragments danced wildly. The entire courtyard turned into ruins in a very short time.
Mo Yu wasn't surprised by this. She knew that someone like Zhou Tong, on the verge of death, would definitely make a huge commotion. And this was indeed his home ground. What did surprise her was that someone had managed to follow Zhou Tong out of the tunnel. Even with a detailed map of Zhou Prison's tunnels, she had never considered going down there. But when she realized it was Zhe Xiu, the surprise became a matter of course. She knew this wolf cub was best at tracking, hiding, and then killing.
She exchanged a glance with Zhe Xiu, then walked out of the courtyard. She was injured, but not too severely.
Zhou Tong's cultivation level was far higher than Mo Yu's or Zhe Xiu's. Under normal circumstances, even if Mo Yu and Zhe Xiu joined forces, they might not be his match.
Mo Yu and Zhe Xiu were the two people in this world who most wanted him dead. They had prepared very thoroughly and, without prior agreement, both chose to use poison.
Even in this situation, Zhou Tong still survived and escaped the courtyard.
But Mo Yu and Zhe Xiu weren't anxious, because Zhou Tong was only half alive, not far from death.
When they reached the street, Zhou Tong was still not far ahead.
...
...
Zhou Tong had become a blood-soaked figure. He couldn't even walk quickly, let alone use techniques to dash. He stumbled forward.
Blood continuously dripped onto the snow, dark in color, like ink.
Zhe Xiu had disappeared somewhere. The shadows along the street seemed to warp slightly.
Mo Yu came behind him. Her black hair was slightly messy, lightly brushing against her pale face.
She didn't speak, expressionlessly staring at his back.
She had returned to the capital prepared to die together with Zhou Tong, but unexpectedly, she was still alive.
She didn't care if others found out she had returned to the capital. She didn't care if she was seen.
Zhou Tong knew she was there. He tried to quicken his pace but couldn't.
The snowy street was very quiet, only the sound of his heavy breathing could be heard.
Mo Yu held the half-broken sword and slashed downward.
With a *smack*, Zhou Tong heavily fell onto the snow. A bloody gash had opened on his left ribs.
He still didn't turn back. Panting, he struggled to get up and continued walking forward.
By the street was a mansion. The main gate was vermilion red. A white banner hung from the corner of the wall, somewhat tattered.
With a *creak*, the mansion's gate was pushed open, and someone came out from inside.
Zhou Tong knew whose mansion this was. His blood-stained face showed no change in expression as he continued forward.
The sword light flashed again. Another bloody gash appeared on his body, and he fell onto the snow once more.
A startled cry came from the stone steps.
Zhou Tong lay in the snow, coughing painfully, blood splattering everywhere.
After an unknown amount of time, accompanied by a beast-like low moan, he stood up from the snow again.
Mo Yu was right behind him, sword in hand, covered in his blood.
He didn't turn back. He just stared ahead, breathing rapidly and painfully.
The snowy street was so empty and clear. Looking out, there was no one. Where was he going?