Chapter 4730 — Now It's All Over

Huo Yudie's movement arts were swift and light, and a Yuanying consummation cultivator like her was second only to Scarface himself—few among the crowd could match her. Scarface was busy winning over hearts and minds just now, and had no attention to spare for this side of things. This was the perfect opportunity.

Silent and soundless, she was on the verge of slipping through clean when, just as she began to feel a flicker of relief, a burly figure suddenly loomed before her. Another Yuanying consummation expert—his presence even a notch above Huo Yudie's—it was Han Chen, the very man Scarface had held up before the crowd as a model.

Huo Yudie's expression shifted at once. Because of Han Chen, the eyes of the others quickly swung over, and one after another they scrutinized Huo Yudie and Wei Zhao on her back with astonishment.

Huo Yudie's heart pounded wildly. Now it's all over!

Han Chen's gaze traveled up and down Huo Yudie's lithe figure, and he drooled with lust. Especially when he noticed the fatal bloody hole bored through Wei Zhao's abdomen, his mind began to race.

If that ruthless bastard Wei Zhao were alive, Han Chen would not have dared touch a single hair on Huo Yudie's head even with ten thousand times the courage. But things were different now—the ruthless bastard was dead! And even if not dead, he was not far from it. What was there to fear?

"Heh heh, you're a pretty little thing. How about keeping this brother company for a while?" Han Chen reached out with a lecherous grin to stroke Huo Yudie's face. Cooped up in this place for so many years, he had long since been burning with desire, and to get a good time in before leaving—why, this was a gift sent straight from heaven!

But before his hand could reach her, a fierce surge of qi erupted beside him, and Scarface's form appeared at his shoulder. Without a word, Scarface sent him flying with a single slap. Han Chen saw stars and could not get up for a long while.

Huo Yudie was startled at the sight. She had already been prepared to fight. If her opponent were merely a Yuanying consummation expert, she should not lose—she was, after all, a prodigy disciple of East Continent's Morning Pride Academy, and her methods far outstripped those of ordinary experts of her level.

But now it was suddenly Scarface instead—a peak early-stage Xuan Sheng expert—and Huo Yudie's heart sank straight to the bottom of her chest. How on earth could she beat him?!

Yet unexpectedly, Scarface did not lay a hand on her. Instead, his face was wreathed in apologetic smiles—an expression so fawning no matter how one looked at it that Huo Yudie was left utterly dumbfounded.

"Boss... chief... what was that for..." Han Chen, dizzy from the slap, stared at Scarface with an aggrieved and speechless look. If you wanted the woman, just say so—you're the chief, would I dare refuse to hand her over? Was there any need to get physical?

At that, Scarface rushed over, seized him by the collar, and hissed through clenched teeth, "You'd dare touch this woman? If you want to die, go die after you get out—I won't stop you. But don't drag me down with you!"

"Isn't that ruthless bastard already dead? What's there to be afraid of?" Han Chen said with a dismissive curl of his lip.

"Is your head full of water or what? Have you forgotten the lesson of that armored man already? How many days has it even been?" Scarface spat, exasperated at his failure to grasp the obvious. "That armored man got laid low too, didn't he? But the one beside him was still a ruthless bastard—one none of us can afford to provoke! You see this one lying there now, but how do you know what this little woman has up her sleeve? What if like attracts like, and she's another ruthless bastard hiding her true depth?!"

"This..." Hearing Scarface's line of reasoning, Han Chen broke out in a cold sweat. Thinking it over carefully, it did seem to make sense—he had nearly let lust cloud his judgment and made a terrible mistake.

"We're about to get out of here. Don't capsize the boat in the final stretch. If you stir up trouble at a time like this, I won't forgive you!" Scarface said sternly.

"Yes, yes. Chief, rest assured, I absolutely won't bring trouble on you. Absolutely not." Han Chen nodded and nodded in assurance.

Under Huo Yudie's peculiar gaze, Scarface finished lecturing his subordinate, then turned back with a fawning smile, forcing out an expression he imagined to be amiable, and greeted her, "Miss, so you're heading back?"

Huo Yudie nodded. Though the two men had spoken softly, she had still caught it, so her heart was now completely at ease. Amid her inward amusement, she was no longer especially nervous.

"Oh, oh. Shall I have someone escort you?" Scarface offered eagerly.

"No need," Huo Yudie said coldly. With that, she paid the crowd no further heed and hurried off with Wei Zhao on her back.

Beyond the oasis, the road ahead was nothing but the same endless desert. On the way in, she had found it unbearably dull and tedious, but for Huo Yudie now it could not have been better—because however dull it was, it beat crisis after crisis by far. Besides, there was precious little time left, and she could not afford the slightest delay.

Time flew by, and three days later Huo Yudie finally reached the teleportation array. By now several trial participants were already queued there, and those leaving at this juncture were naturally all Yuanying consummation experts.

When the crowd saw Huo Yudie and the barely-alive Wei Zhao on her back, beyond their astonishment they had no other particular reaction. After all, two West Island experts were here keeping order, and anyone who wanted to make trouble in this place would have to pay the price.

Moreover, Huo Yudie was herself a Yuanying consummation expert; if it truly came to a fight to the death, they might not gain any advantage, and even if they did, they would surely be gravely weakened and unable to recover for a long time—and then they could forget about ever getting out.

Huo Yudie, carrying Wei Zhao, quietly queued behind the others. After the people ahead departed one by one, Huo Yudie was just about to step into the teleportation array when a West Island expert stopped her.

"Only one person may enter. If you bring him along, you won't be able to pass through yourself," the West Island expert explained mildly.

"What?!" Huo Yudie was startled. Before the West Island trial began, she had vaguely heard Yan Xinlan mention something like this, but she had not taken it to heart at the time. Now, unexpectedly, it had become a fatal roadblock!

"This is decided by the teleportation array. No one can change it. Even if what you carry on your back is a dead man, it makes no difference. Only one person may pass at a time—though natural treasures and the like are not restricted." The West Island expert glanced at Huo Yudie with some sympathy. (To be continued)