The Palaces of the Twelve Sacred Beasts

Translated by Shiya of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

"… Gu Ting Yu!"

Soul-shattering screams echoed through the forest.

"Why did things turn out like this?!" Trembling hands applied pressure to Gu Ting Yu's bleeding wound. Zhuo Yin had never been so scared before, "Don't just stand there, you guys! … Quickly! Do something!!"

——But—

What exactly should they be doing?

None of them were good at healing. Gu Ting Yu was losing more and more blood right under their eyes, and his breathing become heavier as well.

Nian Xing's eyes were all red as he stood silently on the side, blood seeping out from where he bit on his lips.

Without a warning, a swirl of ghostly flames erupted on the other side of the river, the aura that came from the flames didn't seem to contain any malice, but it somehow made their heart's ached and their bodies weakened and numbed.

Could it be that…… (The word used in raws in Japanese is: まさか！？ Not sure if this is ok or maybe "can it be that…", I'm worried about the "me" in the sentence I'm using now.)

A new enemy made an appearance!? At a time like this??

Zhuo Yin hugged Gu Ting Yu tightly, Qing Que and Nian Xing stood in front of them, trying to block them from dangers.

The crimson red flames intensified, they didn't burn them but as of now Nian Xing was so tired that he fell to the ground.

The flames had strange powers, it was like all of their strengths were siphoned off.

At long last, the flames burned out, inside the flames came a person they weren't expecting, Qian Lu.

"Qian Lu??" Qing Que was shock, "Why was it you?"

Nian Xing who was lying on the floor was ecstatic, "…… Quickly, Xiao Yu is injured, please save him……"

Qian Lu laughed but didn't say a thing, he slowly crossed the river, water sizzled and became steam as his legs made contact with the water.

Something was off…… It couldn't be put into words, but something was definitely off……

Zhuo Yin's grip on Gu Ting Yu tightened, "Qian Lu……Where's your zither?"

Qian Lu arched his eyebrow slightly, "Umm…… I sensed that Xiao Yu was in danger, so I came right away. The zither is with Bai Zhi Ao right now."

Zhuo Yin scanned the silver-haired man in front of him, Qian Lu had a beautiful and refreshing face, but something seemed different from when they first met……

His eyes maybe?

Qian Lu's eyes were too calm, if Qian Lu saw Gu Ting Yu injured and fainted, how could he still be calm as if it had nothing to do with him?! Moreover, if Qian Lu was here to save Gu Ting Yu, why would he leave the zither with Bai Zhi Ao!?

Qian Lu smiled lightly, his face was blurry under the flames, he said lightly, "Give Gu Ting Yu to me."

Zhuo Yin wanted to back away from him subconsciously, but he couldn't move his feet, as if they were stuck to the ground.

"Give him to me." Qian Lu smiled innocently, "His wounds aren't deep, but if we leave it be too long, he won't make it."

Unease spread in the air, Qing Que who was quiet until now suddenly blocked Qian Lu.

"Wait, Qian Lu doesn't even know how to use fire magic…… Who are you, really?!"

Qian Lu slightly arched his eyebrows as he saw their alarmed expressions, "……Me?…… Haha……" He stared at Gu Ting Yu who was just a few steps away from him, flames began to form in his pupils…… He walked forward slowly.

"!!!"

Zhuo Yin's eyes widened…… How could this happen, it was as if his body had a huge gaping hole and his spirit power was fading in an alarming rate……

Qing Que spread his palm, a swirl of sharp gold sand flew towards Qian Lu…… But before the gold sand reached Qian Lu, they dissipated……

Qing Que looked at his own palm in awe, all power lost their effects when facing this person.

At this moment, they found it hard to even breath, this person's presence was like a soft but strong rope that was strangling their necks…… Nian Xing screamed and risking the complete depletion of spirit energy, he used his freezing technique to the extent that it'd be enough to freeze the ocean.

Crack!! The ground split as the wave of coldness passed through it, making its way straight to Qian Lu……

Almost there, but just before it reached Qian Lu, the wave just stopped.

The reason was that Qian Lu's face changed to someone Nian Xing was very familiar with, Gu Ting Yu.

"……Xiao Yu?" Nian Xing subconsciously turned around, he still saw the pale and bleeding Gu Ting Yu in Zhuo Yin's arms, he just fell prey to the oldest trick of misdirection!

"Nian Xing! Be careful!" Hearing Qing Que's warning, Nian Xing turned his head back towards his opponent, while the one with Gu Ting Yu's face was already less than an inch away from him, even though he had a Gu Ting Yu style smile, a hint of cunningness was mixed in.

A spark of flame slashed through Nian Xing and he fell to the ground.

"Nian……Umm!!" Qing Que realized that he lack even the slightest of strength to lift his feet up, suffocating trepidation, the stronger the person was, the easier their strength tend to get siphoned off.

The person with Gu Ting Yu's face closed in to Zhuo Yin, smiling confidently, as if he had already won.

"Are you Qian Mian Ren (i) ?" Sweat glided down the side of his head, he had only heard of the legends of that mysterious person, but he never thought that the legends were real……

No one knew his real face, but he could turn his face to anyone he wanted.

The man ordered, "Give him to me, you guys don't need to die——"

Killing you guys don't require me anyways.

"Stop dreaming!" Zhuo Yin's yellow eyes showed terrifying murderous intent.

"Hoho."(laughing while looking down on him, not santa claus, the pronunciation should be ほほ) The man smiled lightly and squatted down, "Do you…still have any strength left?"

——No sooner said than done, a dark figure appeared like lightning, pushing Tong Ying away from Gu Ting Yu right before Tong Ying could get his hands on Gu Ting Yu.

Tong Ying frowned, licking his cut fingertip, he stared at the ferocious black leopard with a sadistic smile.

"Hiya, is that you, Ye Yin Ju?"

The black leopard reverted into human form in an instant, his body was covered with obvious bruises, Ye Yin Ju's face was stiff and angry, dark flames were burning in his pupils.

"Tong Ying, I warned you before——Don't get in my way."

T/N:

(i) Qian Mian Ren means a person with a thousand faces, as in that person can turn into different faces, not they have thousands of heads.