The Great Sacrifice (Part 2)

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Ji Yu and his comrades evaded the vines rushing towards them. Looking at this situation, their faces were as white as a sheet.
Swarms of ants rushed over rapidly and instantly engulfed any empty surface of the swamp. Some of the ants had even climbed onto Zhan Beiye and started biting him profusely. Panic surged through Meng Fuyao, and her vision went black.
On the other hand, Zhan Beiye was surprisingly calm. His eyes were glued to the ants and spared no glance towards Meng Fuyao. As those ants came closing in, Zhan Beiye immediately opened his mouth and forced out his Qi.
The force of the Qi flipped the ants over, and they rolled out of the way. However, as he exerted force, Zhan Beiye sunk into the swamp.
Meng Fuyao opened her eyes. Cold sweat drenched her forehead and dripped into her eyes. Her eyes burned with the acidity of the sweat yet she dared not lift her hands up to wipe away the sweat nor blink. Her hands alternated, pulling up Zhan Beiye from the swamp. She quickly calculated the rate Zhan Beiye was sinking - every time he produced Qi, he would sink half a finger worth of depth. But every time she exerted force to pull him out, she would pull him out by a finger's worth of depth. Though it would be slow, eventually, she could still pull him out from the swap safely.

But heavens forbade things to go smoothly. Just as she came to this conclusion, a soft "Kacha" resounded in the silence around her.
A tiny crack appeared on her whip.
The sound of the crack resembled that of a death horn. The color on everyone's face drained from the shock, and Meng Fuyao's heart sank, almost puking blood.
'What rotten luck this is!'
The whip could no longer be used. Once it broke, there would be no longer enough time to save Zhan Beiye. But Meng Fuyao would rather die than watch him slowly sink in helplessly.
Meng Fuyao went pale and bit her lower lip. She stared at the slowly enlarging crack, eyes filled with worry.
Zhan Beiye suddenly called, "Fuyao."
Meng Fuyao remained silent.
"Bring them away, Ji Yu knows the route. After getting out of the mountain, take the chance to leave. Don't involve yourself with Tiansha any longer."

Meng Fuyao ignored him.
Suddenly, Zhan Beiye slowly drew the sword that hung around his waist. This movement caused him to sink further, worsening the crack on the whip.
"Zhan Beiye, what are you doing!" Meng Fuyao screamed anxiously.
Zhan Beiye only looked at her and gently placed the sword on the sludge.
An item that was laid flat would not sink easily. That long sword laid on the sludge in all its glory, with a glistening sharp blade and the pattern of the Black Dragon on its grip, it was as though the sword would turn into a soaring dragon with a few brushstrokes. The eyes of the Black Dragon were made with rubies so red that it looked like it was coated with fresh blood.
"Fuyao..." Zhan Beiye lowered his voice, "Look at my sword, the grip of this sword is engraved with the pattern of the Black Dragon. The rubies symbolize the eyes of the supreme God of Swords. In the Tiansha royal family, legend has it that the God of Swords incarnated into a dragon and descended upon the Tiansha royal family. Therefore, every disciple of the Tiansha Royal family has their own God of Sword's eyes that no one else but them can touch. When one places his middle finger this position, no one else can replace."
He pressed down on the red ruby with his middle finger and turned the grip. "Fuyao, your dagger is too short, too blunt to ensure your safety. I will hand this sword over to you and from this day forth, apart from me, only you can touch the most sacred eyes of the God of swords, and... my everything."
Meng Fuyao tossed her head.
She refused to listen.

She refused to accept.
What are these words? His last words?
Who decided that she would have to listen to his last words at this time of the day? No, she refused to listen until the last moment! Regardless, the whip had not broken, and even if it did, she would definitely come up with a solution.
Meng Fuyao thought for a second.
A silent gust of wind made its way through the woods, sweeping up her silk-like hair, concealing this moment of resolution that reflected in her eyes.
She took a deep breath, turning her head slightly towards Ji Yu, and shouted, "All of you turn around and walk 10 meters away."
Surprised, Ji Yu glanced towards Zhan Beiye. "Turn around!" Meng Fuyao yelled.
Ji Yu gritted his teeth and ordered, "Turn around!" Then, he turned around to lead the rest.
All but one soldier followed the order silently. A thin and small soldier that walked slowly at the back could not help but turn back, but Meng Fuyao had no time to care about him. She stared at the widening crack in the whip, the whip that could break any moment.

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