The First Summoner - Chapter 37

Zhuge Weiran was about to speak again when the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine moved.

The coils that had lain curled across the ground shot into the air and lashed toward him and the others.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The vines struck like snakes, swift and vicious.

Zhuge Weiran’s group immediately raised their defenses.

Clang!

His sword struck a vine but failed to sever it.

Zhuge Weiran’s face darkened.

“Everyone, leave! Forget the flags!”

Nangong Yu, Lu Shaohuai, and the geniuses from the other kingdoms acted as though they had not heard him. They continued gathering flags.

Within moments, they had collected dozens.

The temptation was too great to resist.

All they could think about was using those flags to become inner disciples of the Qiutian Sect. They would rise to greatness in a single step, envied by everyone they knew.

“I’m going to enter the Qiutian Sect!” one genius cried, his expression growing frantic.

Another threw back his head and laughed.

“These flags are mine! All mine!”

Zhuge Weiran and Ouyang Hong both sensed something wrong.

Those people looked as though they had fallen into an illusion.

Realization struck Zhuge Weiran.

“Don’t touch the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine!”

Nangong Yu’s and Lu Shaohuai’s hands froze just before they reached for another flag.

They pulled back in terror.

The five other geniuses had already allowed the vine to corrupt their minds. They were completely lost in dreams of future glory.

Nangong Yu went pale.

He had spent most of his attention watching Shen Xue and had barely gathered any flags. Fortunately, that meant he had not touched the vine.

Xue’er truly brought him good fortune.

He gazed at her in adoration.

At that moment, several vines shot toward him.

Too fast!

Nangong Yu had no time to defend himself. The vines slammed into him and sent him sprawling. Another drove straight toward his chest.

He cried out in pain. At the sight of the incoming strike, he hurriedly raised a palm to block it.

Bang!

One slender tendril fought him to a standstill.

Nangong Yu summoned his sword, gathered spiritual power along the blade, and slashed with a roar.

The vine twisted nimbly around the strike.

Then it stabbed toward his abdomen.

Shhk!

It pierced straight through him.

“Aaaah!”

Nangong Yu’s face contorted in agony.

Shen Yan watched from above, her eyes turning colder.

If he died like this, it would be far too merciful.

Perhaps Nangong Yu’s survival instinct erupted. He tightened his grip on his sword and hacked through the vine impaling his abdomen.

Panic-stricken, he fled toward the edge of the vine’s territory.

Another tendril flashed toward his lower leg.

Rip!

It punched through his calf.

Nangong Yu screamed, face twisted in pain. More vines wrapped around him and dragged him back like a dead pig.

“No!”

His face went white.

He stabbed his sword into the ground, desperate to halt his body.

The resistance only made the flesh tearing around his calf hurt worse.

More tendrils burst from the earth and coiled around him.

Terror overwhelmed Nangong Yu.

“Xue’er, save me!”

Shen Xue was struggling to protect herself.

She cursed inwardly.

*Not asking you to save me is generous enough. Now you expect me to save you? My life is worth far more than yours.*

Her face, however, showed only fear and concern.

“Brother Yu, I can’t get free! Hold on!”

Nangong Yu’s face grew even paler.

He struggled against the vines, but they only tightened around him.

Then he remembered Zhuge Weiran’s promise.

“Zhuge Weiran, save me! Didn’t you say you would never abandon an ally?”

Zhuge Weiran’s expression sank.

He did not want to save Nangong Yu.

But he had to take responsibility for his own words.

After narrowly evading another attack, Zhuge Weiran shot toward him and slashed through every vine binding his body.

Freed at last, Nangong Yu scrambled to his feet.

More than a dozen tendrils swept toward them.

“Nangong Yu, we need to—”

Zhuge Weiran turned to fight beside him.

Nangong Yu struck him in the back with a brutal palm.

Bang!

Zhuge Weiran pitched forward.

The incoming vines pierced his body.

“Ah!”

Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He reacted instantly, carving through the tendrils with his sword.

The severed vines dropped away.

Zhuge Weiran dodged the next wave and whipped his head toward Nangong Yu.

The man had used him as a stepping-stone to escape the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine’s territory.

Gravely wounded and livid, Zhuge Weiran roared.

“Nangong Yu!”

Nangong Yu had barely caught his breath after escaping death when the furious shout reached him.

He looked back.

Vines had entangled Zhuge Weiran again.

Nangong Yu sneered inwardly.

Zhuge Weiran was a fool. He had not guarded against him at all.

Then Nangong Yu saw Shen Xue trapped in danger, and his heart clenched.

But forced to choose between her life and his own, he still chose himself.

Two geniuses from the other kingdoms were killed by the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine. Their bodies were torn into pieces.

Nangong Yu shuddered at the sight.

“Xue’er, wait here! I’ll bring reinforcements!”

Without another moment’s hesitation, he turned and limped away.

Cold resentment flashed through Shen Xue’s eyes as she watched him flee.

Men claimed to love her, but it was all empty talk. The moment real danger arrived, they ran faster than anyone.

Nangong Jin saw him leave.

Fear surged in his own heart, but he forced himself to remain calm.

“Xue’er, Nangong Yu is worthless. He deserves to be matched with that useless Shen Yan. Don’t worry. I will protect you!”

Shen Xue looked at him, visibly moved.

“Brother Jin.”

Zhuge Weiran was badly wounded and near exhaustion.

“Stop fighting! Retreat now!”

Shen Xue frowned. Her expression turned grave, her voice urgent.

“No! We can no longer escape. Seventh Prince, our only choice is to fight!”

She had to obtain the Blood-Devouring Pearl.

It did not matter how many other people died.