As Gu Qianying’s voice fell, a surprising scene suddenly unfolded.
The previously frenzied blood-sucking beasts, having suppressed the ice blades several times and attempted to move towards Bai Yufeng, were caught mid-air.
Gu Qianying’s silver needles finally took effect.
The icy aura emanating from the needles froze all their strength and oppressed their bloodlines.
All the blood-sucking beasts began to roar madly, using their limbs to struggle against the power within them.
Gu Qianying’s eyes flashed, and as they were in their frenzy, she instantly moved forward.
With the power of her palms, she created several illusory figures and suppressed them with decisive strikes.
The sounds of thuds echoed.
Five palms landed on the blood-sucking beasts, shattering their already fragile forms even further.
The five blood-sucking beasts lost all ability to resist, convulsing and falling from above.
With a loud crash, the five blood-sucking beasts, their bodies withered, fell directly to the ground.
As their five life forces dissipated, it signified the demise of these five blood-sucking beasts.
Gu Qianying exhaled a breath of stale air.
She glanced triumphantly at Bai Yufeng, then smiled leisurely and extended her slender index finger, “Young Master! Do you still dare to underestimate me?”
Bai Yufeng’s previously somber expression eased.
Instead of being angered by Gu Qianying’s provocation, he found it quite amusing.
Bai Yufeng stood with his hands behind his back, descending from mid-air to stand before Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying took out a short blade and began to cut into the blood-sucking beasts.
After some effort, the five beast cores finally landed in Gu Qianying’s hands. She smiled triumphantly and quickly put them into her cloth bag, “Excellent, as long as I obtain these, Fang Wenshan can be saved.”
Hearing another man’s name from Gu Qianying’s mouth, Bai Yufeng couldn’t help but feel jealous, a hint of displeasure appearing in his eyes. “Don’t forget, I am here to help you.”
Gu Qianying laughed heartily, “Am I not helping you?”
Bai Yufeng gritted his teeth, finally understanding what it meant to lift a rock only to drop it on one’s own foot. In the past, the person who would say this should have been him.
However, having successfully obtained the beast cores, Bai Yufeng was also very happy. At least Gu Qianying was not injured, which was excellent.
Neither of them wished to linger, and after obtaining what they needed, they decided to leave immediately.
However, as soon as they took a step, they suddenly heard faint sounds coming from not far away.
Gu Qianying’s body stiffened, and she quickly stopped, turning her head in alarm.
She frowned, “Did you hear that just now? There was a cry for help from inside.”
Bai Yufeng’s brows were also tightly furrowed, and he quickly nodded, “I heard it too.”
The cry that came was very childish, at most eight years old, and the voice was exceptionally anxious, as if in danger.
Gu Qianying quickly turned back and hurried inside.
She felt that the person inside must be a pitiable victim captured by the blood-sucking beasts, and it would be truly terrible to ignore them.
Bai Yufeng followed behind, “Be careful, don’t be tricked by anyone.”
He coldly informed Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying paid it no mind, expressing her annoyance, “Anyone who can be captured here must be a pitiable soul. Why are you being so cautious?”
Bai Yufeng was speechless and continued to follow.
As the cries grew closer, the two finally reached the girl.
The scene before them was astonishing.
A child, not yet fully grown, had clothes that were almost torn, their body covered in bloodstains. The pitiable little face was extremely emaciated, the corners of the mouth dry, as if they hadn’t eaten for a long time.
The child’s eyes were tearful. Upon seeing Gu Qianying, they were overjoyed but too weak to stand.
Gu Qianying felt immense pity and quickly offered some food, asking with concern, “How were you imprisoned here? Was it those blood-sucking beasts? They did this foolishness.”
The child, while shedding tears, devoured the food ravenously. In a short while, they had consumed an entire bag of pastries.
The child pouted and retreated warily, showing fear.
Gu Qianying’s eyes deepened. She suddenly remembered that she hadn’t introduced herself yet, so it was natural for the child to be afraid.
She quickly forced a smile and pulled Bai Yufeng closer.
“My name is…”
After some explanation, the girl finally let down her guard.
Her voice, soft and childish, gradually rose, mixed with sobs that were deeply distressing.
“My name is Xiao Zhudan. My father and mother and I came out to gather herbs, and we accidentally fell into a cave. Those blood-sucking beasts were so terrifying. My parents were all eaten by those blood-sucking beasts. They didn’t just do that; in front of me, they held my parents’ blood and flesh in their mouths, piece by piece. They also threatened me, saying that when I grew up, I would become their meal, and that I should follow them to eat blood and flesh.”
As if recalling the terrifying scene, Xiao Zhudan trembled, almost fainting from fear.
She was immersed in her pain, constantly gasping softly, “I didn’t, I didn’t do those things. I’m starving to death. I really didn’t eat the flesh and blood of those people.”
“Can they please not come looking for me? I really didn’t eat.”
Upon hearing the child say this, Gu Qianying became furious.
These blood-sucking beasts were truly despicable.
It was one thing for them to drink blood raw, but they even dared to force a child to do such disgusting things.
Gu Qianying wished she could go back in time.
When she was fighting the blood-sucking beasts earlier, she shouldn’t have resolved them so quickly; she should have tormented them slowly, making them suffer immensely, to feel the pain of others.
Bai Yufeng had remained silent, examining Xiao Zhudan’s spiritual energy from behind.
Indeed, she had no spiritual energy, but whether it was due to staying here for too long or some other reason, Bai Yufeng felt a trace of dark energy in her pupils.
Moreover, her demeanor did not seem like that of an ordinary child, but rather like someone who had lived for millions of years.
After listening to the girl’s story, Gu Qianying felt uneasy, unable to detach herself from it for a long time.
Her eyes deepened, and she approached Bai Yufeng to discuss it.
“This child is truly pitiful. Why don’t we take her with us and give her a good home? Otherwise, leaving her here and ignoring her would be no different from her dying.”
Bai Yufeng’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked Gu Qianying, “Is this truly your intention?”
Gu Qianying nodded without hesitation, “Naturally.”
He looked back at the girl, who was still eating, appearing truly starved.
He did not object and finally agreed.
“Take her with us. As you said, it’s not good to leave her here.”
Gu Qianying’s heart filled with joy, “Thank you, Young Master.”
Due to the demise of the blood-sucking beasts and the excessive force used during their fight, the entire cave had begun to shake precariously. Dust and dirt continuously fell, almost burying the place.
Gu Qianying and Bai Yufeng exchanged glances, quickly picked up the girl, and with several illusory movements, they soon returned to the cave entrance.