Chapter 298 - 157: Escape

His gaze immediately fell upon Gu Xizhi.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gu Xizhi’s longsword shot out like a dragon soaring into the sky.

But he was a step too late. Chen Zixuan somersaulted in mid-air, landing right in front of Jiang Ran.

With a flick of his wrist, he pressed his saber to Jiang Ran’s throat.

He spun around, grabbed the back of Jiang Ran’s neck, and roared,

"If any of you dare to move, I’ll kill him!"

Jiang Ran blinked and took a bite of his roasted chicken leg.

"I think you’ve got the wrong guy. We’re not exactly friends, you know."

"Why don’t you find a hostage they actually care about?"

"I can even help you find one if you want. Anyone would be a better choice than me."

"Shut up!"

Chen Zixuan roared.

"They need something from you. They won’t just stand by and watch you die."

"Are you an idiot?"

Jiang Ran said with a sigh,

"They want to borrow something from me. If I’m dead, they won’t have to borrow it, will they? They can just take it."

"..."

Chen Zixuan froze. He suddenly realized Jiang Ran had a point.

Just then, he heard Gu Xizhi and Scholar Jingtan shout in unison,

"Let the young man go!"

The two of them had shouted the exact same words.

Chen Zixuan’s confidence instantly returned.

"See? Grabbing you was the right move after all... Stay back! Don’t come any closer!"

The last part was, of course, directed at Gu Xizhi and Scholar Jingtan.

The two men exchanged a look and actually stopped in their tracks.

Meanwhile, Ruan Yuqing, Tang Huayi, and the others beside Jiang Ran also remained perfectly still.

They were all staring at Chen Zixuan as if he were some kind of strange curiosity.

If Chen Zixuan had noticed their expressions, he would have realized what a foolish mistake he was making.

Jiang Ran, however, was in no rush. He said with a smile,

"Vice Hall Master Chen, you probably don’t know much about me, do you?"

"To rush in and take me hostage like this... aren’t you afraid you can’t actually hold me?"

"...Can’t hold you?"

Chen Zixuan burst out laughing.

"Don’t think you’re some great martial artist just because you took down a few hicks from Feiyun Stronghold."

"You’ve still got a long way to go!"

"Is that right? Then I suppose you haven’t heard about what happened with Shi Pingzhang either?"

Jiang Ran asked.

"Shi Pingzhang was captured by the Five Great Sword Sects. You’re just a lowly Assassin who happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Do you really think you’re somebody special?"

Chen Zixuan said impatiently, slowly backing away as he spoke.

Jiang Ran’s eyes lit up with understanding.

"Oh, so that’s the story... Did the Five Great Sword Sects tell you that?"

"Isn’t it obvious?"

Chen Zixuan’s brow furrowed. "You talk too much. Say one more word, and I’ll cut out your tongue. See if I don’t."

"How terrifying... So, the Five Great Sword Sects didn’t tell you. You just made it up yourself, didn’t you?"

Jiang Ran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Arrogant, conceited, and utterly full of yourself."

"Xuanyuan One Slash founded the Blood Saber Hall with his own two hands. He’s a powerful man. How could he take on a disciple like you?"

"You’re not his bastard son, are you?"

"You!"

Chen Zixuan finally exploded in fury. He twisted his saber, aiming to slice off Jiang Ran’s ear.

But the blade sliced through empty air.

Stunned, he realized Jiang Ran was gone.

Then, a voice came from behind him.

"Looking for something?"

He whipped his head around to see Jiang Ran standing right behind him, still gnawing on the chicken leg. He mumbled indistinctly as he ate,

"Let me ask you one more thing..."

"Coming here to steal the Jiaowei zither... was that your idea, or your father’s? Oh, my mistake. I meant your master."

"...You... how did you escape?"

Chen Zixuan stammered, dazed.

Jiang Ran thought for a moment. He realized it was a difficult question to put into words.

So he pulled one of Chen Zixuan’s arms and placed it on the back of his own neck.

"Grip tight."

"..."

Chen Zixuan was utterly bewildered, but the moment his palm closed around the back of Jiang Ran’s neck, he was overjoyed.

He didn’t know how Jiang Ran had gotten away before.

But now that he had a second chance, he would make damn sure the man didn’t escape again.

He immediately clamped his five fingers down, gripping him with all his might.

"Ow, that’s tight..."

Jiang Ran mumbled. "Got a good grip?"

"...Got it."

Chen Zixuan replied, as if in a trance.

The next moment, however, his hand was grasping at empty air.

He looked up. Jiang Ran was standing a few feet away, looking back at him with a smile.

"That’s how."

Chen Zixuan swore to himself that he had been staring intently at Jiang Ran this time, without a single moment of distraction.

He had used more than enough force, too.

But even so, he had no idea how Jiang Ran had slipped from his grasp!

At that thought, he didn’t hesitate. He turned and fled.

Jiang Ran was far more powerful than he could have ever imagined.

Faced with a monster like that, what was the point of even trying to take a hostage?

But he had barely taken a step when he felt a sudden chill in the back of his knee. He glanced down to see an ice nail fly past, trailing a spray of blood.

Before his leg could even buckle, he felt the same cold sting in the back of his other knee.

This time he saw it clearly: a spinning ice nail burst out from the front of his knee.

Only then did the excruciating pain hit him.

THUD. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.

His forehead was drenched in cold sweat from the pain.

Then he heard Jiang Ran’s cool voice.

"Did I say you could leave?"

"You..."

Chen Zixuan looked back at Jiang Ran, his face a mask of pure terror.

He watched as Jiang Ran finished the chicken leg, gave his wine gourd a shake, took a swig, and swallowed contentedly.

"Vice Hall Master Chen, you and I have no history. No past grudges, no recent quarrels."

"But you saw an opportunity for profit and were moved by greed... you wanted to take my Jiaowei zither and my life."

"Do you have any idea what kind of catastrophe you’ve just invited upon yourself?"

"Even... the entire Blood Saber Hall might be annihilated because of you. Do you understand?"