Chapter 480 - 467: Holding Me Back
Cheng Hao had been keeping an eye on the situation over here. Upon seeing the sudden appearance of the black-clad men, each exuding an overwhelming aura of evil qi, his heart lurched.
That fiend had been in Phoenix City for some time, and naturally, he had sent people to inquire about the other party’s background. It would have been better not to inquire because, after finding out, any thought of resistance was completely quashed.
It was an aristocratic family with hundreds of years of legacy, a family of prophets, beyond the secular world, with unfathomable strength.
Now, he saw his sister in conflict with them.
He moved at once.
A large group of people, trained and disciplined, retreated into the underground city.
The remaining thirty or so, slightly injured, picked up their weapons and surrounded them one after another.
Cheng Hao and Qi Fei stood to the left and right, side by side in front of Cheng Xiaoxiao.
Although both were weak in strength, the resilience in their eyes was unwavering, unaffected by the unbearable pressure.
Even though their hands holding the swords trembled, their ferocity remained undiminished.
The other thirty or so surrounded them back to back, supporting each other, bracing against the cataclysmic pressure from the other side.
Beads of cold sweat from their foreheads trickled down, converging into small streams, dripping onto the ground, soaking it.
Facing strong enemies, everyone’s hearts raced uncontrollably, pressing in so tightly it was suffocating.
In this extremely tense moment, the system’s voice suddenly appeared in their minds.
"Host, the mission reward from Tianyuan City has arrived."
Cheng Xiaoxiao glanced over, seeing that the completion rate of the task had reached 50%, with system rewards and gratitude points reaching new heights.
This reward for reaching halfway through a long-term task was an unexpected delight!
’It came just in time,’ Cheng Xiaoxiao communicated with the system in her mind.
This round of rewards directly elevated Cheng Xiaoxiao to level six.
"The host has leveled up too, wonderful!"
Level Six Host: Cheng Xiaoxiao
Star Age: Bone Age 14
System Coin: 315221.0 coins
Strength Value: 1077
Sensitivity Value: 350
Five Senses Value: 350
Special Skills: Healing Light (Enhanced)
Rare Pet: Red Shadow Wind Fox (Juvenile Beast Stage)
Level Six Host Reward: Special item Water Bubble, use limited to five times (Note: As the name suggests, the water bubble encases physical objects, ignoring all physical damage)
’Wow! It’s a defensive item reward. This time the headquarters is really generous,’ Cheng Xiaoxiao marveled, thinking the old farts from the system finally did something right.
System: Ahem, if they didn’t come, they wouldn’t be people. Why bother doing it?
"They’ve been quite generous this time." If the old folks at headquarters could always be so generous, she wouldn’t have to beg for every little favor.
Cheng Xiaoxiao looked towards the fiend opposite, a thought striking her, ’What if I encase the enemy with it?’
Doesn’t it ignore all physical damage? The same logic should apply.
"Hmm... how about the host tries it?"
With anticipation, Cheng Xiaoxiao felt a surge of electricity coursing through her, a sense of ease and comfort as if she had reached the peak of Void Power, just a step away from Innate Great Perfection.
The oppressive force coming at her seemed to lessen substantially.
Invisibly she fortified her confidence, feeling that even without a big shot stepping in, she could handle this.
She also had Xiao Li... yes, she could attack on two fronts simultaneously.
A perfect plan formed in her mind, reinvigorating her entire being.
"It seems this egg, Phoenix City, won’t turn back without hitting a stone first," Sikong Yinlong’s fiendish face flashed a hint of malice. The opponent’s repeated affronts would anger even the most composed temperament.
With a gesture, the black-clad men simultaneously reached for the hilts at their waists.
"Wait a moment." Cheng Xiaoxiao raised her right hand, stopping the impending battle.
Sikong Yinlong’s mouth slowly curled into a smirk.
Has the little wildcat finally come to her senses?
"Sikong Family Master, dare you make a bet with this City Lord?"
Cheng Xiaoxiao’s devilish smile seemed full of confidence.
In truth, she was calculating how to coax those around her to leave.
Even if she could barely entangle the fiend, her side couldn’t fight off those twenty black-clad men; it wouldn’t take even a teacup’s worth of time before they were decapitated, blood splattering everywhere.
So she could only take a different approach.
"Bet or don’t bet, what’s the difference?"
Sikong Yinlong was not at all worried about what tricks the other side might play.
Even if she had some bizarre methods, in his eyes, they were negligible.
In this world, those who had reached his level of cultivation were few, let alone a little girl at a lower realm, and her followers were even lower, merely a bunch of weaklings.
So, what was her confidence?
Still smiling so cunningly, was she deliberately luring him into a trap?
Really naïve.
The Sikong Family, with its hundreds of years of legacy; even against masters of the same level, he might not lose, let alone to a little girl from a realm below his.
"Sikong Family Master, you pride yourself on being smart and skilled in martial arts. Dare you engage in single combat with me? If you win, Phoenix City will belong to the Sikong Family. If I win, then we go our separate ways. Fair enough, right?"
Cheng Xiaoxiao spoke with assertiveness, seemingly assured of victory.
Sikong Yinlong, however, burst into laughter.
He roughly guessed her intentions: trying to use her own power to hold him, the commander, at bay to protect those behind her. She surely was too naïve.
Phoenix City without the Little Xiao at the helm was nothing but a pile of loose sand.
"What, Sikong Family Master, are you scared?"
Cheng Xiaoxiao teased with a raised eyebrow.
"The little wildcat’s offer is interesting. I can accept it, but there needs to be an additional condition."
"Please speak, Sikong Family Master."
As long as they agreed, it was all good.
"If you lose, not only will Phoenix City become a subsidiary of the Sikong Family, but you..." he stretched out a pale, slender finger pointing at Cheng Xiaoxiao, "will belong to me."
Cheng Xiaoxiao’s previously lively eyes suddenly turned dark.
He truly was a pervert.
In her mind, she silently communicated, "Big guy, big guy, someone’s trying to take your little brother, but don’t worry, you don’t have to step in. Watch me deal with him."
What a whimsical person, still thinking about having her, why not just ascend to the heavens?
"Host, that person is too arrogant, crush him."
The system was also angered; after all, this was its host, and someone dared to snatch her away.
Behind her, Qi Fei and the others couldn’t sit still.
"Leader, you mustn’t."
"Xiaoxiao, don’t fall into his trap."
"City Lord, please don’t accept his terms; that person doesn’t mean well."
Everyone around urged fervently.
"Relax, when have you ever seen me fight an unprepared battle?"
Cheng Xiaoxiao reassured those around her, lowering her voice and secretly telling Cheng Hao, "When the battle starts, brother, lead everyone back to the underground city."
"No!" Cheng Hao refused sternly.
"I won’t go back; I want to fight alongside the boss. Even if it means death, I’ll stand in front of you," Qi Fei said anxiously.
"Right, right, we won’t go back. We vow to advance and retreat together with the City Lord."
"Little Xiao, the other party’s strength is unfathomable; you mustn’t take the risk. At worst, we... we....." Cheng Beiniu faltered, unable to finish his words.
Cheng Xiaoxiao smiled, knowing well that, gritting her teeth slightly, she said, "I know everyone is very worried about me. But don’t you think staying here will be holding me back?"