Chapter 69 Ugly as a Yaksha

Chapter 69: Ugly as a Demon

Cheng Ge pushed off with his legs and began climbing up the rope.

His arms were taut, each inch upward taking a huge effort.

Hauling two people's weight, every step was extraordinarily difficult.

But thinking of Lin Nanshu still hanging by a thread, he gritted his teeth and refused to let up.

Halfway up, Cheng Ge’s arms began to tremble, sweat drenching his clothes.

Cheng Ge glanced down, wiped his face on his arm, and stepped on a rock to his right.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped on it, the rock gave way and fell, making Cheng Ge lose his balance and swing.

The rope burned his hands as it rubbed fiercely, but he held on tight, refusing to let go.

Thunder cracked right next to his ear, a lightning bolt split the dark sky, illuminating Cheng Ge’s face.

Cheng Ge’s heart lurched as he swung back and forth several times, trying to find his balance.

His palms were sticky, leaving a red stain on the rope.

Cheng Ge’s chest heaved, his mouth bone-dry. He blinked hard, his wet lashes sticking together, and looked around.

He steadied his breath, and with a big swing, he grabbed a small tree in a crevice.

His foot finally found solid footing, and his body steadied again.

Cheng Ge gasped, each breath burning his lungs.

But he knew he couldn’t stop; once he did, he’d lose his momentum. He had to push through and make it to the top in one go.

A light rain started to fall, hitting his face, blurring his vision.

Cheng Ge took a deep breath, gripped the rope again, and continued climbing upward.

Lin Nanshu, shaken awake by the movement, opened his eyes groggily, his gaze shifting.

“Muyu…” His voice was so faint you could barely hear it up close.

Cheng Ge gritted his teeth, clamping the rope between his legs to steady himself.

He glanced sideways at Lin Nanshu and forced a smile to reassure him.

“Don’t worry, your bro’s got this! Nobody knows climbing like I do…”

He was just bluffing—his hands were already numb, every finger felt dead.

He licked the corner of his lips, adjusted his posture, and continued climbing.

Thunder boomed like war drums, each crack piercing his ears, like a death knell.

Cheng Ge felt like a stubborn carp, dead set on swimming upstream to leap the dragon gate.

If he made it, he’d become a dragon and ascend to godhood; if not, he’d end up on a plate.

“Ha… so I came all this way to save you… you’re… ha… touched to death, right?”

Lin Nanshu pressed his face into Cheng Ge’s neck, breathing slow and weak, he replied faintly, “Mm.”

Cheng Ge suddenly laughed. “We’re brothers who’ve been through hell together now.

Your family’s huge—got any hot cousins or sisters you can hook me up with? My happiness is in your hands.”

Lin Nanshu didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned his head and wrapped his arms around Cheng Ge’s waist, staring at the pale nape of Cheng Ge’s neck, wanting to bite it.

After a long pause, Lin Nanshu’s weak voice came in Cheng Ge’s ear. “No.”

A moment later, he added, each word clear and deliberate, “No pretty ones. They’re all ugly as sin…”

Cheng Ge: “…”

“No way. You look pretty good yourself. Are you just saying that so I won’t steal your family’s prized cabbage?”

Lin Nanshu pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and stayed quiet, his hands slowly tightening on Cheng Ge’s waist.

Cheng Ge quit joking. Seeing the cliff top was less than ten meters away, he took a deep breath and lunged upward.

Just as he was about to reach the top, a commotion erupted from below.

“There! Someone’s there!”

Cheng Ge’s heart tightened. He looked down and saw a group of black-clad figures holding torches, quickly making their way to the bottom of the cliff via a narrow path.

Cheng Ge: “!!!” So unlucky? Did I pick up something cursed?

Without a second thought, he sped up his climb.

But the black-clad figures seemed to catch on to his intent, and some began drawing bows and shooting arrows.

Arrows whistled through the air, forcing Cheng Ge to dodge constantly, completely disrupting his climbing rhythm.

“Damn! Damn!!!”

Cheng Ge cursed wildly while twisting frantically, like a giant monkey on a wire.

An arrow grazed his shoulder, leaving a bloody gash. He grunted but didn’t stop.

At this point, he couldn’t care less—if he didn’t die climbing, he’d climb to the death.

Finally, Cheng Ge’s hand grabbed the edge of the cliff. He pushed hard, hauling both their bodies onto the top.

But no sooner had they landed than a flash of blade light came at them.

Cheng Ge: “!!!” This is just too much…

Reacting quickly, Cheng Ge shielded Lin Nanshu behind him and sidestepped the lethal strike.

Before he could steady himself, several more blade strikes came from different directions.

Gritting his teeth, enduring the sharp pain in his shoulder, Cheng Ge swiftly drew a long knife from his waist and blocked upward.

In an instant, his tiger’s mouth went numb, and a rush of blood surged up his throat.

Raindrops splattered against the blade, sending up sprays of blood.

Lin Nanshu was placed on a rock nearby, while Cheng Ge raised his blade and charged at the men.

The men didn’t take Cheng Ge, with his delicate features, seriously. They fanned out around him and closed in swiftly.

Cheng Ge’s eyes were cold and sharp as he gripped the long blade tightly, rainwater sliding down the blade.

Seizing an opportunity, he lunged at one of them. The long blade cut a cold arc through the air, then swung swiftly with the force of an army.

The strike came down like a thunderbolt, leaving no time to dodge.

He spun around smoothly and thrust backward. With a "pfft," the blade sank into the man’s abdomen.

In an instant, blood splattered, staining the ground around them.

"All show, no go..." Cheng Ge pulled out the long blade, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

The man’s eyes widened in disbelief, still not realizing how he died, until he collapsed completely.

Seeing this, the others stepped back involuntarily.

The blade work was fierce and brutal, more like military style.

"Attack together!" The leading assassin gritted his teeth and barked the order.

Two of them struck from both sides. Cheng Ge sidestepped, simultaneously sweeping his blade at one man’s leg, causing him to stumble.

At that moment, another tried a sneak attack from behind, but Cheng Ge was ready. He spun around, blocking the strike with his long blade.

Then, he kicked the attacker in the chest, sending him flying.

Realizing the tide had turned, the leader’s eyes hardened. He turned and charged straight toward Lin Nanshu, blade raised.

Lin Nanshu watched the long blade hurtling toward his face, his pupils trembling violently. He instinctively raised his hand to block.

"Time to die..."