Chapter 20: Ning Fan Severely Injured? Kidnapped!!

Having formed a plan in his mind, a cold, ruthless glint flashed through Ning Fan's eyes. His figure blurred as he lunged directly toward the two half-step Yellow Extreme Realm Demon Beasts!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Faced with Ning Fan's aggressive assault, the white wolf and the ape chose to engage in a chaotic melee. One man and two beasts instantly fell into a bitter, ferocious struggle.

Ning Fan's every strike was savage, showing no fear whatsoever before the two beasts.

Ordinarily, a martial artist would be bound by caution when facing Demon Beasts. Human martial artists always sought a clean kill without taking damage. After all, no one wanted to trade wounds with a beast, let alone engage in a reckless life-or-death brawl. Bound by this mindset, they often failed to unleash their full combat potential.

But Ning Fan carried no such burden-he had Ye Honglian to share his injuries!

Ye Honglian's cultivation realm far surpassed his own, and she was currently absorbing every ounce of physical damage he sustained.

Boom!

Ning Fan drove a fist straight into the white wolf's lower abdomen. The white wolf was sent flying, letting out a sharp whimper mid-air.

With a swift follow-up kick, he struck the ape, forcing it back several paces.

Of course, to keep up appearances during the fierce clash, the "injuries" on Ning Fan's body grew increasingly severe. Horrifying wounds ripped across his torso.

His robes were shredded into ragged strips that hung loosely from his frame, and he was completely drenched in blood.

He looked exactly like a blood-soaked god of war.

The two Demon Beasts, feeling the tide turn, finally showed signs of wanting to retreat.

Right then, Shao Hong's orb of spiritual light drew closer. Ning Fan could already distinguish the man's face and figure through the trees. Seizing the timing, Ning Fan let his body sway unsteadily.

Then, he collapsed heavily to the ground.

Thud!

"Junior Brother Ning!"

Shao Hong arrived just in time to see Ning Fan collapse. He rushed forward, his heart jolting with shock when he beheld the gruesome sight of Ning Fan covered in blood.

"Demon Beasts... several of them..." Ning Fan gasped, his voice as faint as a thread. "All of them half-step Yellow Extreme Realm. Senior Brother Shao, run..."

Yet beneath his seemingly weak and fading gaze, a sliver of hidden scrutiny remained fixed on Shao Hong.

Indeed, since Ning Fan had detected the scent of a conspiracy, he decided to play along by feigning critical injuries. He wanted to see exactly who was pulling the strings from the shadows, and what they were ultimately after.

"Let's go!"

Shao Hong scooped Ning Fan up and carried him quickly back toward the campsite. Fortunately, Ning Fan had not wandered too far into the woods. In about the time it took an incense stick to burn, Shao Hong brought him back to the clearing.

"Husband!"

"Junior Brother Ning!"

"Junior Brother Ning!!"

Several startled cries rang out. Yun Qingyao, Li Xiaonuan, and Bai Ran had been waiting anxiously outside the tents, while Ling Tian had also just returned.

Seeing Ning Fan's miserable condition, Yun Qingyao threw herself forward and held him tightly.

The others displayed expressions of deep concern.

Ning Fan closely observed their reactions. On the surface, everyone seemed perfectly normal, showing no obvious flaws. Yet a powerful premonition lingered in his mind-the mastermind behind this plot was definitely standing among them.

"Fortunately, his life is not in danger," Bai Ran noted, her tone incredibly grave. "The night is far too treacherous. Even if there are Yellow Extreme materials up for grabs, we cannot continue searching blindly. Acting so recklessly will only cost us our lives."

"I am deeply sorry. This is my fault," Ling Tian said, lowering his head with a voice full of remorse. "If I hadn't made that suggestion, Junior Brother Ning wouldn't have encountered such peril. With injuries this severe, it might even hinder his ability to explore the Fated Chance tomorrow."

He paused, flipping his palm to reveal a gleaming medicinal pill. "I happen to have a Yellow Extreme healing pill. Please accept it as my apology to Junior Brother Ning."

Ling Tian stepped forward, intending to feed the pill directly to Ning Fan.

Ning Fan did not open his mouth. Instead, he shot a quick look at Yun Qingyao. Understanding his intent instantly, she reached out and smoothly intercepted the pill from Ling Tian's hand.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ling Tian. I will help my husband ingest it in a moment," Yun Qingyao said, offering a small, polite curtsy.

"Very well. See to it that he takes it," Ling Tian nodded.

"Alas," Ling Tian sighed. "The wilderness at night is more dangerous than we anticipated. We should all turn in early. Tomorrow, we will ascend the mountain together to seek our fortunes."

There was no need for further warnings. With Ning Fan's bloody state serving as a stark example, no one else dared to harbor thoughts of hunting for that hidden treasure in the dark.

Inside the tent.

"Husband..."

Yun Qingyao gently settled Ning Fan onto a sleeping mat. Her fingers brushed against his cheek, her face filled with intense heartache and worry.

"I am fine," Ning Fan said, catching her wrist to reassure her. Though his outer appearance looked completely wretched, he had not actually suffered a single scratch.

"What about this pill?" Yun Qingyao handed it over.

"There is likely something wrong with it," Ning Fan refused cleanly. "Something is bound to happen later tonight. Wife, are you afraid?"

"I am not afraid!" Yun Qingyao replied, her voice firm.

Neither of them slept that night. Instead, they remained entirely alert, monitoring every whisper of movement around the tent.

Roughly two hours passed, bringing the time to the Yin hour-around three o'clock in the morning. Suddenly, a faint, almost imperceptible sound rustled outside.

Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao exchanged a swift glance, both turning their attention toward the source. They watched as a slender wooden tube quietly pried open a gap in the tent flap.

Immediately after, a thin stream of mist drifted out from the tube.

Hold your breath!

Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao lay back down on the mats, shutting their eyes to feign sleep while completely sealing their breath to avoid inhaling the suspicious vapor.

With the physical constitution of a Yellow Extreme Realm martial artist, holding one's breath for the duration of an incense stick was trivial. The only real danger would have been if they had actually been asleep and failed to notice the trap.

Now, they simply had to wait.

Ning Fan wanted to see exactly what tricks the culprit was trying to pull.

A few moments later, the person outside apparently judged that the mist had taken effect. They boldly threw back the tent flap and walked right in.

Through a tiny slit in his eyelids, Ning Fan clearly discerned the identities of the intruders.

It was Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan.

Exactly as he had expected.

"Husband, we succeeded!" Li Xiaonuan's voice was hushed but laced with excitement.

"Mm," Ling Tian replied with a nod. "Now we can deliver our report."

Ning Fan's mind whirled slightly at their words.

Deliver a report? To whom?

If Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan were acting against him and Yun Qingyao, it seemed it wasn't out of personal malice, but rather because they were operating under someone else's commands. Was it the Zhao family? Or some other power?

Ning Fan grew increasingly curious to find out who was pulling the strings.

Before long, Ling Tian stepped up to Ning Fan's side, lifting him onto his shoulder. On the other side of the tent, Li Xiaonuan did the same, hoisting Yun Qingyao up.

Ning Fan remained still, choosing not to strike just yet.

He was perfectly healthy, and Yun Qingyao was secretly a powerhouse at the Heaven Extreme Realm. Even if her innocent, naive personality was currently dominant, her intrinsic power as a top-tier expert remained intact; she was in no real danger.

In truth, rather than worrying about Yun Qingyao getting hurt, Ning Fan was far more concerned that if she encountered too much stimulation, her 'Ye Honglian' persona would violently re-emerge.

During dual cultivation, he could rely on the Yin Yang Profound Scripture to keep Ye Honglian in check. But if he had to face her under ordinary circumstances without any leverage...

Ning Fan genuinely dreaded the consequences.

Heaven only knew what a fully conscious Ye Honglian would do to him.

After a brief calculation, he decided to bide his time. Whether Ye Honglian would awaken remained an unknown variable, but uncovering the enemy's ultimate destination was a concrete objective.

He would watch and see exactly where Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan were taking them.

Carrying their captives, Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan slipped out of the tent and plunged straight into the dark forest. Ning Fan could vaguely sense their direction-they were carrying them toward the depths of the mountain.

After roughly an hour of traveling through the gloom, a sudden glow of light reappeared before Ning Fan's closed eyes.

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