Chapter 3919 — Wei Zhao Appears

Under ordinary circumstances, given the vast gulf in status between them, her chances of succeeding in revenge had been next to nothing—a fact Murong Zhen knew full well, no matter how deep her resentment ran.

At least for the present she had no opportunity for vengeance; perhaps after years, even decades, of painstaking effort, she might cling to the faint hope of one day holding her head high again.

Yet Murong Zhen had never imagined that day would come so soon, so abruptly—so abruptly that she had no time to react before it was already upon her.

Fortunately, her instinctive response in that instant had perfectly accomplished the goal of revenge. The displacement effect of the Phantom Finger was merely incidental; at its core, this was a genuine killing technique.

Shangguan Lan'er had never imagined that a well-meant warning would not only go unappreciated but bring down upon her such a deadly calamity. She had often heard her grandfather speak of the treachery of the jianghu, but only today had she truly learned the lesson firsthand, experiencing for herself what it meant to have a heart of snakes and scorpions.

Even now she still did not know that the other was Murong Zhen, whom she had met once before. Of course, even if Murong Zhen had declared her name to her face, she might not have been able to recall her.

Just as she had ignored Murong Zhen's provocation back then—the gap in status between them was simply too great. If Murong Zhen wished to leave an impression in her mind, she truly had little hope of doing so without committing some outrage against heaven and reason.

This time, however, Shangguan Lan'er would certainly remember her—if she could escape this calamity with her life.

In terms of strength, both Murong Zhen and Shangguan Lan'er stood at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, but Shangguan Lan'er clearly lacked combat experience. Faced now with Murong Zhen's sudden Phantom Finger, she was utterly panicked and for a moment had no idea what to do.

"Good, that's the expression I want. Be a good girl and die for me, oh lofty Miss Shangguan!" Murong Zhen's face was hideous, veins bulging on her brow.

By now she had completely cast the threat of the gigantic ugly octopus from her mind. Nothing could be more exciting or satisfying than finishing off Shangguan Lan'er, and this setting was practically tailor-made for her.

Half-Moon Lake was universally acknowledged as one of the most dangerous places on the outskirts of the back mountain. Even if Shangguan Lan'er died here, no one would ever suspect an unrelated newcomer of the Qingyun Pavilion like her.

This time, even heaven itself was on her side. A single Phantom Finger had not only let her escape the fish's jaws but also allowed her to reap Miss Shangguan's life in the bargain. Could anything in this world be more wonderful?

Watching Murong Zhen's Phantom Finger spear straight toward her throat, Shangguan Lan'er could not move at all—nothing was binding her feet; she was simply stunned senseless by the ferocity of the other's assault.

And at this moment, Wei Zhao was still atop the giant cedar across the lake. Though the straight-line distance between them was not too great, a gigantic ugly octopus lay between them, and to count on him for rescue was clearly beyond reach.

Of the three present—Wei Zhao, Murong Zhen, and Shangguan Lan'er herself—none had expected that the one to save Shangguan Lan'er's life at the final moment would be the very thing no one had paid any mind to: the little curly-furred bear, which on the surface appeared to have no fighting capability whatsoever.

In truth, the little curly-furred bear had not done anything difficult; at the last moment, it had merely given Shangguan Lan'er a gentle push. That was all.

Yet that gentle push had pulled its mistress back from the very edge of the Yellow Springs. After all, Shangguan Lan'er was also an expert at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage; so long as Murong Zhen's Phantom Finger failed to strike a vital point like the throat, it could never kill her in a single blow.

Feeling the sharp pain from her shoulder, Shangguan Lan'er finally came back to her senses from the terror of death and hurriedly fled for her life with the little curly-furred bear.

She still could not recall the other's identity; she only knew she was certainly no match. If she remained where she was, she would very likely be killed before Wei Zhao could return to her aid.

Seeing the Phantom Finger she had been so certain of fall empty, Murong Zhen ground her teeth in hatred. Her purpose in coming today had actually been the same as Shangguan Lan'er's—to try her luck at obtaining a millennium tree crystal.

But now the millennium tree crystal and all the rest had long since been cast from her mind. If she could not kill Shangguan Lan'er on such a heaven-sent opportunity, she would never have another chance so good in this lifetime. The moment must not be lost, for it would never come again!

"Shangguan Lan'er, today is the day you die—this is where you will be buried, and no one can save you!" Murong Zhen gave a savage grin and gave chase without letup.

Shangguan Lan'er possessed all the cultivation of the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage but none of the corresponding combat experience; she was no match for Murong Zhen at all. And burdened with a little curly-furred bear, she could not run fast even if she tried.

"Let's see who can save you this time!" Murong Zhen used the Phantom Finger again, in an instant closing in behind Shangguan Lan'er's head—and the little curly-furred bear that had foiled her previous strike she had already slapped away with a palm in advance.

This time, nothing could interfere with her Phantom Finger. Shangguan Lan'er, the young miss who had cast her down into the dust, was certain to die!

The finger struck—and just as Murong Zhen, overjoyed, believed she had succeeded, she was horrified to find that a familiar figure had somehow appeared at the side, and that the Phantom Finger which should have pierced through Shangguan Lan'er's vital point had been caught in a single hand and could not move.

When she saw the figure's face clearly, Murong Zhen's pupils contracted to a line, and she cried out in shock: "Wei Zhao!"

Visibility at night was already poor, and even the phosphorescence of Half-Moon Lake could not change that much. Moreover, her attention had been wholly fixed on the gigantic ugly octopus and Shangguan Lan'er, so it was only natural that she had not noticed Wei Zhao's presence.

Had she known in advance that Wei Zhao was here, she might not have dared to strike directly at Shangguan Lan'er. Never mind whether Wei Zhao would move against her—if even the faintest whisper of the assassination of Miss Shangguan got out, she was as good as dead, with no chance of survival.

"It seems I really shouldn't have let you off in the newcomer challenge match back then. I should have killed you outright—the world would be a little cleaner for it." Wei Zhao held Murong Zhen's Phantom Finger in one hand, killing intent flickering faintly about his person.

Before he had fought the mirror puppet, Murong Zhen's Phantom Finger might still have posed a threat to him, but now, relying purely on simple fists and feet, Wei Zhao was more than enough to crush his opponent utterly.

Both were at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, yet the gap in strength between them now seemed like a chasm. R1152