Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 1133: Chapter 802: At All Costs

”A tiger fears a pack of wolves” is not an empty saying; in the natural world, even a kingly beast like the tiger finds it hard to triumph over a bloodthirsty wolf pack, which surrounds and charges relentlessly, completing the kill and then another pack comes snapping.

As they say, two fists cannot match four hands, especially against such an overwhelming wolf pack.

In her twilight years, the Dowager Empress Xiao, though having been in the Transformative Realm for some time, faces only a decade of her next opportunity for Body Seizure. She must break through with Xiao Han Mo and the other three little ones, while simultaneously manifesting Spirit Bodies to protect them completely. It’s easy if she uses all her cultivation for a desperate fight. Yet it’s difficult too, for if she uses all her power indiscriminately now, she will only have a fifty percent chance of finding a host again to be reborn in the world ten years later.

This is why, as a Master of the Transformative Realm, she decisively submitted to Liaodong upon learning of Zhou Mu and Gu Changsheng’s strength—she can no longer protect Liaodong for much longer!

Human nature is inherently good, but selfishness is also a part of human nature. Self-preservation is a primary consideration when facing danger!

This is not the Dowager Empress Xiao’s fault, for as the protector of the Jin clan of the Liaodong Imperial Family, her life and death determines the survival of the whole clan. Thus, she must be extremely cautious!

The wolf pack is bloodthirsty, growing even more frenzied at the sight of blood.

In front of Dowager Empress Xiao, the ground has already been stained red with wolf blood.

The night is eerie, the bright moonlight already obscured by dark clouds, towering trees rustling gently, stirring up a scene of wind and blood.

Seeing their companions die, the wolf pack grows even more fierce. Their eyes glow like scarlet gems, fur standing on end like steel needles, as they hunch and launch wave after wave of dense attacks!

Kill them and they keep coming!

Kill them and new ones arrive!

This is the wolf pack!

This is the wolf pack’s tactic!

Bloodthirsty madness, fighting till death!

Dowager Empress Xiao sustains multiple Spirit Bodies to safeguard Xiao Han Mo and the others, and the color slowly drains from her elderly face, weighed down with growing despair.

So many wolves!

So many wolves indeed!

Around the road, it is a supposed safe zone; despite passing through mountains, there should be no threats from tigers or wolves—let alone such a plentiful wolf pack. It’s not just one or two mountains’ worth of wolves.

It seems all the wolves within a thousand miles of mountains have been summoned here!

This...

This truly is a calamity!

...

Under the night in Xunyang City, far away from the Guo Residence, a little girl stood anxiously beside a burly man in a desolate courtyard. Under the faint moonlight, her pretty face was filled with worry.

”Don’t worry, Shushu. The lady is determined to have Gu Changsheng’s son. She has even mobilized all available forces in Liaodong just to capture the child as a future bargaining chip with Gu Changsheng. As long as Gu Changsheng’s son doesn’t reach Xunyang, doesn’t enter the Guo Residence, you won’t be used!” The rugged man was Duo Ao, whose rough face was now soft with unrestrainable tenderness, gazing affectionately at the little girl.

”Brother Ao, it’s not that easy! It’s not easy at all! Others may not know, but haven’t we, who have been lurking in Liaodong for generations, understood? Dowager Empress Xiao is the protector of the Liaodong Imperial Family, her cultivation is unfathomable. To seize someone from her mouth, even at the cost of all our forces cultivated over generations in Liaodong, might prove futile! Gu Changsheng’s son will eventually reach Xunyang, and will ultimately reunite with his mother. The lady’s plan, I’m afraid...” If Gu Changsheng’s son arrives in Xunyang, he would inevitably stay at the Guo Residence. When that time comes... The little girl raised her head sorrowfully and resigned herself.

Under the moon, her small delicate face was elegantly visible, her eyes shimmering like watery waves, so pitiful. Within those eyes lay regret, unwillingness, and submission...

If Gu Changsheng were to see this, he would be surprised to find that this little girl was none other than Yu Shu from the Guo Residence!

At this moment, she was dressed in black attire, her hair covered under a black veil, her small form alert and ready for action at any time, clearly a master skilled in moving under the cover of night!

”No! It won’t happen! I will never let you fall into danger! It will absolutely not happen!” Duo Ao looked at the petite girl, with deep sympathy flashing in his eyes. He swung his long arm to gather her into his embrace, speaking resolutely, ”From the moment I rescued you, I promised you safety throughout your life! Shushu, I won’t let you be endangered; neither the Guo brothers nor Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu are good opponents. If you act under their noses, the slightest mistake could mean eternal doom. Rest assured, I will not let your peaceful life in the Guo Family be disturbed. I won’t let Gu Changsheng’s son enter Xunyang, trust me, they must be deeply trapped in the wolf pack by now, blood splattering...”

”Brother Ao!” Yu Shu gasped with shock, raising her head in disbelief and clutching his shirt nervously, ”Brother Ao, you... did you use a Blood Sacrifice to summon the mountain wolf pack?”

”That’s right! Within a radius of fifteen hundred miles, with packs of wolves howling at the moon, I don’t believe that the Dowager Empress Xiao, that old devout woman, would dare risk everything to escape with those few little kids!” Duo Ao nodded confidently, willing to pay any price for the little girl in his arms.

”But the Dowager Empress Xiao still leads Liaodong in submission to the Southern Country. She will certainly not allow Gu Changsheng’s son to fall into our hands right in front of her...” Yu Shu whispered, hiding her worry.

”Submission? The Dowager Empress Xiao is a woman of unparalleled talent. How could she willingly submit to a woman several decades younger than herself? Shushu, human nature is selfish. I am taking the risk of letting everyone in the world know that this is the doing of our Sand Sea Wolf Tribe, using a blood sacrifice to summon the bloodthirsty nature of the wolf packs. Even if the Empress Dowager, who has already entered the Transformative Realm, doesn’t fight to the death, she has slim chances of winning. Yet if she fights to the death with all her cultivation power, her chance of succeeding in Nirvana in ten years becomes significantly lower. As a protector of the Liaodong Jin Imperial Clan, do you think that old devout woman, Dowager Empress Xiao, would risk that to save Gu Changsheng’s son?” As Duo Ao spoke, a determined arrogance flashed across his rugged face, ”I am not a brainless brute. Since I dare to do this, I have thorough plans. Shushu, I will not let anything happen to you! I am a citizen of the Sand Sea, I mustn’t betray my tribe, and I cannot disobey the Fufeng Imperial Clan’s orders, but you are different. I won’t let you take the risk! Absolutely not!”

”Brother Ao...” Hearing this, Yu Shu immediately felt touched, rushing into Duo Ao’s arms, sobbing softly.

Listening to Yu Shu’s sobbing, Duo Ao’s face was full of heartache, gently patting her back, comforting her softly, ”Don’t cry! Don’t worry! As long as Gu Changsheng’s son can’t reunite with his mother, the lady’s wish will be fulfilled, and none of this will involve you. You won’t have to take action, and you can continue to stay hidden in the Guo Residence, leading a smooth and uneventful life...”

”Brother Ao...”

”...”

The night wind rustled, the sound of wind drowning out the whispers between the two.

On the official road through the forest, the stench of blood permeated the air, with countless wolf corpses piled in heaps. Bright red blood stained the road, forming streams that flowed to the sides.

The scent of their fallen companions repeatedly stirred the bloodthirsty nature of the wolf packs. Fierce and bloodshot, eyes glowing, they lunged one after another at the few accompanying the Dowager Empress Xiao.

The Dowager Empress Xiao’s face was so dark it seemed ink could drip from it. At the corner of her heavily wrinkled eyes, a spot of fresh blood trailed down the creases, leaving a scarlet trail, bright and glaring.

The Brow Sweeping Stick in her hand swept fiercely, carrying waves of sharp inner strength towards the attacking wolves from all directions. In her eyes, there was a mixture of inner conflict.

She, having endured countless battles for generations, had seen much. If she couldn’t perceive today’s danger, she would indeed be blind!

Today, this wolf pack came strangely.

Without a word, they surrounded and attacked them, their target so clear, without the sight of blood their bloodthirsty nature burst forth, now unrelenting unto death, this was too abnormal! The wolf packs seemed to be under someone’s command, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner, attacking non-stop. If this dragged on, it would be too disadvantageous for them!

Exhaustive bombardment!

Wolf pack tactics!

How detestable!

Looking back at the four little children following closely behind, a hint of struggle flashed in the Dowager Empress Xiao’s eyes.

Utilizing all her inner strength, she had a seventy percent confidence to instantly annihilate this seemingly endless wolf pack, but the consequence of doing so would be that ten years later, her chance of completing Nirvana as a protector of the Liaodong Jin Imperial Clan could be forever lost...

”Awooo...”

Again, a wolf’s howl resonated across the sky, the wolves surged once more in a ferocious wave, leaving no time for the Dowager Empress Xiao to think, the Brow Sweeping Stick in her hand twirled again!

Choosing!

Even for the Dowager Empress Xiao, who had lived through many generations and become indifferent to the world, faced with such life and death decisions, struggled to make a firm decision.

But delaying with the wolf pack was simply a fantasy!

For the wolves’ strategy itself, of course, was delay!

No one could outlast them, nor could anyone endure longer than them!

As time went by, more and more wolf corpses piled up in front of the Dowager Empress Xiao, the blood spreading to her hem, accumulating more and more. The wolves encircled her, forcing her to protect the children like Little Roubao and others, pushing forward arduously, each step crossing over wolf corpses and through pools of blood...

Little Roubao held one hand with the solemn-faced Wuchang Yue, the other hand with the seemingly uninvolved Little Monk Bu Jie, while nearby, Xiao Han Mo guarded with a dagger, looking alert.

He craned his little neck, a heavy expression on his chubby little face, his big round eyes unblinking, fixed on the Dowager Empress Xiao clearing the path ahead, as if waiting for her decision. His plump little lips pressed tight, remaining silent.

All around, the air was filled with the stench of blood, the sound of wolf howls, the struggle of dying wolves, the cries of unwillingness, echoing in the ears...