Chapter 1024 Into The Mountain
It was not difficult for Li Mo Zhen to follow in Yang Xi Ying's footsteps, especially with the help of Yuan Shao who used to travel alone in the Zhuang Dong continent where most of the territory was desert so it was more difficult for anyone to track anything in such an environment when compared to the forest which had solid ground, tree and branches, therefore, it's easier for Yuan Shao to track Yang Xi Ying whereabouts.
"She went here" Yuan Shao looked at the broken branch then turned his gaze to the marks on the tree branch, his brows furrowed, "She seems to be running with all her might…"
Ming Yue Yin pursed her lips anxiously then subconsciously muttered, "She's running for her life..."
Li Mo Zhen's face immediately darkened with guilt appeared on his face that everyone could see, Ming Yue Yin realized that she had said the wrong thing she quickly apologize "Sorry Master Li, I didn't mean to...I'm sorry..."
"You didn't say anything wrong, empress" Li Mo Zhen shook his head dejectedly, his heart sinking like a rock as he imagined what Yang Xi Ying had gone through "Xi Ying must be really scared…" he said heavily.
"We'll find her!" Yuan Shao interrupted then beckoned them to follow him "Look over here, Miss Yang seems to stop here!" Yuan Shao stopped at one of the trees then he crouched beside the tree while checking the ground carefully not long after he found traces of someone sitting not long ago, " I think she sits here, the mark seems new..."
Yuan Shao didn't dare say that there was a possibility that Yang Xi Ying suddenly sat here because something must happen to her that forced her to stop and consider that she was pregnant a sense of worry lingered in Yuan Shao's heart.
Yuan Shao then looked for more clues about what happened to Yang Xi Ying and then he found another footprint but the size was slightly different from Yang Xi Ying's not to mention the print of the shoe was also not the same so he was sure it must be someone else, could it be Yang Xi Ying meet other people in this forest but the question is this person friend or foe?
Ming Yue Ying saw Yuan Shao's troubled expression, she impatiently asked, "What's wrong? What are you looking at?"
Li Mo Zhen saw the footprints, and he immediately knew what Yuan Shao was worried about, "Someone with Yang Xi Ying?" worries flowed from his voice then he continued to find traces left by Yang Xi Ying.
Meanwhile, Ming Yue Yin was dumbfounded she had the same worries as Yuan Shao and Li Mo Zhen, "Who is the person?"
"I don't know....but there is no blood or fighting marks so this is good news" Yuan Shao tried to comfort Ming Yue Yin but failed because even though Yang Xi Ying wasn't injured it didn't mean she was safe, as that person could threaten Yang Xi Ying or maybe do the worst.
Yuan Shao didn't say anything knowing it was useless, he checked the footsteps to see where they were going, "They went here!" Yuan Shao said Ming Yue Ying immediately followed him, Ming Yue Yin couldn't wait to find Yang Xi Ying but suddenly Li Mo Zhen exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"We must find Xi Ying immediately!" he passed Yuan Shao and Ming Yue Yin in long strides without even looking at them.
The tension mixed with the panic on Li Mo Zhen's face made Yuan Shao and Ming Yue Yin worry, Ming Yue Yin and Yuan Shao exchanged anxious glances then quickly check what Li Mo Zhen had seen soon after they understand what scared Li Mo Zhen.
On the ground, there were the footsteps of a giant animal with sharp claws not far from Yang Xi Ying, from the looks of it the animal might be a lion but the size and depth of the footsteps shown were not a real Lion and what came to their mind is Hybrid Beast.
The hairs on their necks stood on end at the sight of the Hybrid Beast tracks that seemed to be newer than Yang Xi Ying's and seemed to be following Yang Xi Ying's footsteps, they didn't know if these beasts had accidentally walked in the same direction as Yang Xi Ying or followed him but whatever. it was not a good thing for Yang Xi Ying, without further ado Yuan Shao and Ming Yue Ying chased after Li Mo Zhen who was already way ahead of them.
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____Back to Yang Xi Ying and Tao Bing Wen's situation___
They heard the beast's heavy footsteps getting closer and closer until they could feel the hot breath from the beast's mouth. Tao Bing Wen's hand crumpled the talisman paper in her hands and his face turned deathly pale and sweat was running down his back, while Yang Xi Ying was trying to stay calm in her head she kept counting her actions while thinking about what Lory or Ming Yue Yin will do in her position.
Yang Xi Ying tried to remain positive by reminding herself that she got a sheer amount of weaponry in her spatial ring she also has the protective stone talisman from Lory so she's sure she'll be fine....she should be fine, right? Yang Xi Ying gulped nervously.
The giant Hybrid Beast is now right beside then Yang Xi Ying could see the muzzle of the beast next to her and her heart immediately jumped to her throat.
Yang Xi Ying held Tao Bing Wen's hand while then giving him a look signaling him to get ready. Tao Bing Wen's eyes were filled with fear and but he force himself to put on a tough look on his face then nodded firmly at Yang Xi Ying, he knew this was not the right time to do so. coward if today is the day he will die then he will die bravely like a man therefore he will not embarrass his parents in front of his ancestors.
All of a sudden out of nowhere appeared a giant gorilla attacking the Hybrid beast. and the two beasts huddled on the ground and scratched and bit each other while roaring loudly.
Yang Xi Ying and Tao Bing Wen gasped in shock but Yang Xi Ying is the one who first realized to take this chance to escape, swiftly she pulled Tao Bing Wen's hand to run away.
As the two giant Beast fought fiercely they were crawling among the bushes while two creatures were fighting each other, they had to leave quickly as the trees between them were crushed by the fight between the two giant beasts.
Yang Xi Ying grabbed Tao Bing Wen's wrist who looked dazed in the midst of this chaos, they continued to lower their heads while occasionally crawling between the remaining bushes and trees until they finally managed to escape into the forest. they didn't hear the sound of the two beasts fighting.
Yang Xi Ying and Tao Bing Wen panted heavily, Yang Xi Ying leaned against the tree while hunched over her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Tao Bing Wen saw Yang Xi Ying his fear turned to worry.
Yang Xi Ying waves her hands "I'm fine...I just need to take a breather" she blows her cheeks letting out long exhales.
While Yang Xi Ying was catching her breath, Tao Bing Wen swept his gaze around him then he looked up to see the gray smoke in the sky and muttered "I think we are getting closer to Yin Shan Mountain"
Yang Xi Ying heard this and then looked up at the sky as well, the smoke looked very close. Tao Bing Wen is right, fortunately, they didn't lose their way while running away from the Hybrid Beast.
"We're lucky that a high-level beast suddenly attacked the evil creature" Yang Xi Ying breathed a sigh of relief.
Tao Bing Wen nodded in agreement "Yeah, I didn't expect to see the twin-tailed monkey god that I only read about in my father's library, according to the book the beast is supposed to live on the top of a mountain and rarely ever come down that's why I didn't expect to see it here"
"Perhaps the presence of Hybrid Beasts and other dark creatures disturbed the twin tail monkey god, after all, the Twin tail monkey god was known as the guardian of the forest so the beast might sense the threat from the presence of Hybrid Beasts and other dark creatures" Yang Xi Ying speculated, but if that was true then that means it's good news for them she hopes the twin tail gorilla will manage to kill the Hybrid Beast but she doesn't want to take the risk so she turns her head at to Tao Bing Wen "Come on, we have to hurry to Yin Shan Mountain!"
Tao Bing Wen wiped the sweat on his forehead his face already back to normal "Let's go!"