Chen Yu's gaze followed Semiaya's rapidly moving figure as she penetrated deep into the banyan forest. Wherever the female lizardfolk passed, blood splattered everywhere with severed limbs and dismembered bodies littering the ground.
Her muscle lines were smooth and elegant, each burst of power carrying tremendous visual impact, yet her hunting techniques maintained a precise and concise style, like a hunting warrior dancing on the edge of blades.
And her prey were precisely those corrupted lizardfolk.
"Sekashi, you should go back now."
"With your sister here, even a fool like you can be reassuring."
Chen Yu withdrew his gaze, jumped out of Sekashi's embrace, and landed on the damp mossy ground.
"Hmm..."
Although she had been mentally prepared, Sekashi's current joy was still considerably diluted by the parting.
She knelt on the ground, crossed her hands over her chest, performing her final prayer before departure.
Compared to the strange-sounding demi-human language, this prayer sounded more like sleep-talking from dreams.
Probably even the lizardfolk couldn't understand it.
Was this thing really not something her father made up to fool her back in the day?
"Envoy, when I have time, I'll come back again."
"I'll bring lots and lots of gray gravel crystals to see you."
"And the beetles and moss monsters you like to eat..."
Chen Yu stood on the high ground, imagining himself like a peerless master with hands behind his back, leaving only an aloof... round silhouette.
Even hearing about his favorite beetles, he could pretend to maintain a detached demeanor.
"Go ahead."
He said no more.
This was always the way of masters—even in sorrowful partings, they could speak the briefest words.
After bidding farewell, Sekashi finally left the high ground.
......
Within the green jungle, several figures leaped over decaying trees and giant rocks, traversing the terrain as if walking on flat ground.
"Lady Semiaya, spare us!"
The corrupted lizardfolk clutched their shoulder wounds, stumbling as they fled ahead, their restless vertical pupils filled with unease and terror.
From behind, a green shadow like death rapidly pursued. Semiaya's gaze indifferently tracked the few fleeing corrupted lizardfolk, her eyes devoid of any emotion, as if looking at several corpses.
She drew a short spear from her back, aiming at the fleeing figures, her cold gaze like ice that could pierce straight into one's heart.
Eventually, one lizardfolk couldn't bear the fear of imminent death accompanying them, broke down, stopped running and screamed madly:
"Come on, come kill..."
Cold light pierced the gloom, blood blurred the rain lines, pattering down on the mossy ground, staining it with a touch of crimson.
The terrified lizardfolk clutched at the bone blade piercing through their neck, then collapsed with a crash.
The fleeing corrupted lizardfolk were terrified to the extreme, as if swallowed by despairing darkness that drained all their strength and senses. They could no longer run, even breathing became extremely difficult, almost squeezing every bit of strength from their bodies.
Watching Semiaya approach step by step holding her short spear, carrying the aura of death.
The corrupted lizardfolk cursed, shouting with false bravado.
"Stop, stop right there!"
"Don't you want to know where Sekashi is?!"
At these words, Semiaya's icy gaze finally showed some change, stopping for the first time.
"Where is she?"
"One wrong word, and you die."
The three corrupted lizardfolk exchanged glances.
"She's right... die!"
They suddenly burst into action, blades piercing through the air, whistling as they brought up sharp, bloody winds.
The gray scales enlarged in Semiaya's amber vertical pupils, her expression showing no change at all. She only retreated half a step, drew her bone blade, and was about to strike.
"Vine Entanglement!"
At that moment, a clear yet powerful female voice rang out from the high ground behind Semiaya!
Semiaya's pupils sharply contracted! That voice!
"Rustle—!"
Countless tough vines surged madly from the ancient banyan's branches like living creatures, instantly entangling the corrupted lizardfolk's bodies, particularly binding their claws that had just gathered strength! Their forward momentum abruptly stalled!
Semiaya mercilessly swept her bone blade across the corrupted lizardfolk's throats, blood lines appeared, and three heads fell simultaneously.
But she had no mind to deal with these filthy heretics, instantly turning around, her gaze passing over the arriving Rotten Moss hunting team, accurately capturing the familiar figure hiding under the collapsed rotten wood!
Dark green scales, shaman's bone ornaments, and those eyes filled with concern and anxiety!
"Sekashi!"
The frozen killing intent on Semiaya's cold face instantly melted away like spring ice thawing, replaced by an incredible, immense surprise!
Little sister!
She was alive! Right before her eyes!
"Sister!"
Sekashi waved joyfully, running over while holding her staff.
Even when she reached her, Semiaya still seemed somewhat unbelievable.
"I heard those traitors say you accidentally entered the swamp forest, how did you appear here..."
"Hehe, I'm Putu's most devout believer. Lord Putu couldn't bear to watch me get eaten by magical creatures."
Sekashi ultimately didn't reveal the existence of Putu's envoy, not just because of the surrounding Rotten Moss warriors, but simply because she felt the envoy seemed to dislike being disturbed.
"Coming back is what matters."
"Come, leave this place with me."
......
In the dark swamp, Chen Yu watched as Sekashi followed the group of lizardfolk away, gradually withdrawing his gaze.
He currently had no plans to contact the lizardfolk tribe.
Only this foolish shaman would believe he was Putu's envoy.
Other lizardfolk wouldn't trust others so easily, especially when the object was a magical creature.
"With corrupted lizardfolk running everywhere at the swamp's edge, it's really too unsafe."
For a magical creature, the swamp was more suitable for him.
At least there weren't so many intelligent beings there, nor scheming and intrigue—only pure strength mattered.
Fighting for pleasure was the way to go.
He planned to first go to the abandoned shelter Sekashi mentioned, let the wasp soldiers take shelter from the rain, and return to the oak territory after the heavy storm.
But without Sekashi carrying him, his travel speed could only be described as snail-like. It took him half a day just to find the shelter.
Chen Yu hid in the dry, concealed stone cave, while the remaining eight poison-stinger wasp soldiers perched on nearby rocks, cleaning the heavy water droplets from their wings.
His expression was thoughtful as he scanned the forest swamp through the gloom.
Actually, when the lizardfolk were fighting, the queen wasp had told him something was hiding nearby, seemingly a surviving human.
"The heavy storm is coming. If that poor guy doesn't leave the swamp soon, he probably won't survive tonight."
"Forget it, not my concern."
That night, thunder pierced the swamp forest's tranquility. The rain fell heavier and heavier, with occasional beast roars heard from the forest.
It was truly terrifying.
That human was probably indeed done for.
Until the next day, the heavy rain continued falling.
They suddenly burst into action, blades piercing through the air, whistling as they brought up sharp, pungent winds.
But with this travel speed, he couldn't expect to move quickly. He could only study talisman drawing while traveling to pass the time.