The Life of a Necromancer as a Swashbuckler

Chapter 5: Shi Jingyu and the Mingyu Pills

“Snap out of it!” A sharp, alert female voice suddenly rang in my ear, causing my fading consciousness to snap back into focus as if I’d been pricked by a needle. I suddenly opened my eyes. It hurt so much. The first sensation flooding my brain was excruciating pain. I looked down and saw that I was lying in a field, with two bloodstains on my chest; the blood seemed to have already clotted. That’s right—I’d been suddenly attacked by Xuan Yinzi and had collapsed to the ground. I should have died from the poison, but unexpectedly, I’d come back to life. Where was the poison? I checked my body; the excruciating pain of “Ten Thousand Snakes Piercing the Heart” had vanished, and my blood was no longer boiling. The only remaining discomfort was a slight ache in my chest—probably just a flesh wound, nothing serious. Where am I now? I felt around on the ground—I was still where I’d fallen. I had no idea how long I’d been unconscious. Glancing around, I heard grunts and groans ringing in my ears; two figures were fighting. Looking more closely, I saw that Gu Yuntian and Xuan Yinzi had started fighting at some point—and the battle was in full swing. At the sight of Xuan Yinzi’s silhouette, my head suddenly throbbed, and a wave of malice surged from the depths of my heart—I longed to get up immediately and tear him to pieces. But I had to wait; I wasn’t a match for him yet. In an instant, I regained my composure. I surveyed my surroundings once more. Behind me, I detected a mingled scent of blood and perfume. Glancing back, I saw that Miss Shi Jingyu had also been wounded at some point—fortunately, not fatally—and was now leaning against a rock, recuperating. The three bandit henchmen in the distance were already foaming at the mouth, their bodies turning black—clearly, they had died from poisoning. The bandit leader on the ground, blood pooling in his mouth, was glaring furiously at Xuan Yinzi. It seemed that after my death, Xuan Yinzi had achieved quite a few more feats. Turning my attention back to Gu Yuntian and Xuan Yinzi, their battle was in full swing. For the moment, it seemed impossible to determine a winner, but it was clear that Gu Yuntian, having just endured a fierce battle, was gradually slowing down. It was highly likely he would be defeated by Xuan Yinzi within a few more moves. The situation was growing increasingly dire. I needed to find a way to help Gu Yuntian. I struggled slowly to sit up. “Ah!” It turned out to be Shi Jingyu behind me, who, upon seeing that I wasn’t dead yet, cried out in surprise. “Young Master, you’re still alive?” Her concerned voice reached me. “Mm-hmm,” I replied. “Are you all right, Miss Shi?” I asked as I crawled over toward her. “I’m fine. Young Master, weren’t you poisoned just now? We all thought you were… Are you all right?” “I’m fine. A petty ambush isn’t enough to kill me,” I had to brag a little in front of such a beauty. “What’s going on? Why are my junior master and his nephew fighting?” As I spoke, I sat down beside the injured beauty. “After Xuan Yinzi ambushed you just now, he killed another bandit. When he was about to kill the bandit leader, Brother Gu stopped him. The two exchanged some insults about betraying their masters and dishonoring their ancestors, and then they started fighting. Actually, everyone in the martial arts world knows that Xuan Yinzi betrayed his sect long ago, causing his master’s death from grief, and was expelled from the Xiaoyao Sect long ago. But Xuan Yinzi’s poison techniques are formidable—he won poison-fighting competitions against the Poison Dragon Valley,the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, and the Shouchun Hall, and has been revered as the “Poison Sovereign.” He calls himself the “Xuanyin Venerable” and is notorious throughout the martial arts world. His return to the entrance of Xiaoyao Valley this time is likely a deliberate attempt to stir up trouble—perhaps Brother Gu is his target.” “So that’s how it is. Zheng Family Village is right at the entrance to Xiaoyao Valley—no wonder Gu Yuntian showed up here. Then Xuan Yinzi’s appearance must have been premeditated.” “Then how did he manage to injure Miss Shi? Are you all right?” One must show concern for a beauty. Shi Jingyu, now wounded, was glistening with sweat and breathing faintly—a sight that made her all the more vulnerable and captivating, stirring an irresistible urge to protect her. “Xuanyin, the Poison Sovereign, is a cold-blooded killer. Who knows how many innocent souls have perished at his hands? I’m lucky to be alive,” Shi Jingyu said with a tone of resentment. “I wonder what Miss Shi plans to do next. If Brother Gu fails, I’m afraid none of us will escape this disaster.” “Young Master, I have an idea,” Shi Jingyu said as she leaned closer to me. A faint, delicate fragrance wafted over, refreshing my spirit. “But I’ll need your help once more.” “Tell me—whatever I can do,” I replied, feeling my focus shift away from the battlefield. Shi Jingyu’s soft, fragrant body pressed against me, her full breasts leaning forward until she was almost resting against me. “That bandit said he wouldn’t harm me and wanted me to help him retrieve something—he wasn’t lying. I do indeed have something.” “Ah,” I found my entire focus now centered on the beautiful woman before me—her bright, lively eyes and long lashes seemed almost to speak; a faint, sweet fragrance wafted from her flowing hair; her body was soft and supple, as if without bones—it felt truly wonderful. “Young Master!” Shi Jingyu also noticed something was off with me. She quickly realized the reason, her face flushing crimson as she hurriedly moved away from me. “Young Master, I have a Mingyu pellet here for self-defense. It can seriously injure Xuan Yinzi and might save us, but I’ll need your help.” So that’s how it was. At first, the bandits hadn’t dared to get close to Shi Jingyu because she was armed. I suddenly felt that getting mixed up in this mess was a bit of a waste of time, and the lustful thoughts I’d had just a moment ago vanished instantly. “Hmm, what do you need me to do?” I was feeling a bit dejected right now, but our lives were at stake. “Although the Mingyu Bullet is incredibly powerful, it still has to hit its target. Xuan Yinzi moves extremely fast, and my skill with hidden weapons is poor—I’m afraid I won’t be able to hit him. If you could distract Xuan Yinzi and keep him from dodging for a moment, our chances of success would increase.” So he wants me to be a target again? That’s way too dangerous. Xuan Yinzi’s martial arts are incredibly high-level, and I don’t know a thing about martial arts. If I draw his attention, I’ll probably be knocked out in an instant. If I die again, I might not make it back this time. What should I do? “Or maybe I’ll draw his attention, and you throw the projectiles?” Seeing my hesitation and realizing just how dangerous this was, Shi Jingyu suggested another approach. I looked at the injured Shi Jingyu, then at the three corpses in the distance, and touched the bloodstains on my body—I knew what I had to do. After all, I don’t know martial arts. Even if Xuan Yinzi stood perfectly still and let me throw it, I wouldn’t use the Mingyu Bullet—the chances of success are too low. But if I were the target, I’d be the best decoy, because everyone thinks I’m dead, and I’d be the easiest to draw attention to. Shi Jingyu, on the other hand, has trained in martial arts; the Mingyu Bullet is hers, and she knows how to use it best—she has the highest chance of success. The answer was already obvious. “Miss Shi.” “Hmm?” Shi Jingyu had no idea I’d already made up my mind. She looked up at me—what a beautiful face! Her dewy skin seemed so soft it might drip with moisture, and her pink lips were luscious and alluring. Before Shi Jingyu could even react, I leaned in and kissed her without hesitation. So soft, so sweet. Better to die beneath the flowers than to live a dull life—even as a ghost, I’d be romantic. Let this be my compensation. Before Shi Jingyu could even react, I had already stood up and was walking toward where Xuan Yinzi and Gu Yuntian were fighting, shouting furiously, “You old poisoner, come and get what’s coming to you!” Leaving Shi Jingyu behind, her hair tousled in the wind.