Right now, the echoes of Su Yi’s declaration of “the Developers' Favor for Clumsy Hands” had yet to fade.
With his cultivation at peak Qi Condensation, relying on the UI’s Combat Assist Feature and its uncanny predictions, he struck the enemy’s spiritual power flaws every single time, staggering them into momentary paralysis.
Not only did he have the pack of “pseudo-Foundation Establishment” demons scrambling in disarray, but he even had the leeway to direct the other disciples in forming cooperative battle formations. For a time, the situation seemed entirely under his control.
The demons grew increasingly alarmed and frustrated the longer they fought.
Seeing that their sustained assault bore no fruit and that their side was being subtly suppressed instead, one demon shouted in exasperation, “Capture the leader to catch the bandits! Take down that Su Yi first!”
Another demon beside him immediately snapped back irritably, “Capture my ass! Can’t you see how bizarre that Su Yi is? Why don’t you go try and capture him?!”
Right at that moment, another demon with sinister, hawkish eyes seemed to recall something and blurted out, “Wait! What he says isn't unreasonable! Didn't the guy who escaped back with the message say... this Su Yi cares unusually deeply about a Junior Sister by his side? He even went so far as to squander precious pills on her!”
The moment these words left his mouth, the other demons’ assault slowed as they exchanged glances. “You mean...?”
“Exactly!” A vicious sneer of sudden realization spread across the sinister demon’s face. “If we can’t take him down in a direct clash for now, we strike where he cannot afford not to save!”
They traded glances and instantly reached an unspoken consensus. The next moment, the dozen-odd demons feinted in unison and abruptly wheeled around. Abandoning their clash with Su Yi, they lunged like starving wolves toward the rear of the righteous camp—the area housing non-combatants and disciples acting as protectors!
As they charged, they bellowed smugly in an attempt to rattle Su Yi’s concentration: “Su Yi! Stop, or don’t blame us for being merciless to your Junior Sister!”
Su Yi’s heart gave a sudden jolt. His first thought was: Not good! They want to disrupt Yunzhi’s Foundation Establishment!
In his urgency, he was even prepared to drop all concealment and unleash his Late Foundation Establishment cultivation to intercept them with thunderous force.
However, the scene that unfolded next made him freeze in his tracks, an unprecedented look of astonishment and sheer absurdity washing over his face.
The demons didn't rush toward Tantai Yunzhi, who was currently establishing her foundation atop the Spirit Platform. Instead, with unerring purpose, they pounced straight toward the corner where someone was being “protected”—in reality, kept under guard—by two disciples: Zhao Qian!
They continued to bark threats as they moved: “Didn't expect this, did you, Young Manor Lord Su?! That guy you let back to deliver a message told us all about your ‘weak spot’!”
“You fed this Zhao Qian high-grade Demon-Cleansing Pills every day, caring for her with utmost devotion! You must cherish her beyond measure, unable to bear the thought of her falling by demonic hands, wouldn't you say?! Cease your resistance and surrender immediately, or we’ll slit her throat this instant, obliterate her divine soul, and consign her to eternal damnation!”
Zhao Qian: “???!”
How in the world does this involve me?!
She had originally been hiding behind the crowd, secretly cursing Su Yi and wishing the demons would hack him to pieces. Now, suddenly surrounded by several menacing demons and threatened by name, she was thoroughly dumbfounded. Her face was a portrait of bewilderment and terror, having no clue how this fire had ended up spreading to her.
Su Yi: “...”
He stared blankly at first, then nearly burst into laughter on the spot.
He had racked his brains trying to find a reasonable way to “deal with” the hidden menace of Zhao Qian to no avail. Who could have imagined these demons would voluntarily offer themselves up as the executioner’s blade?
This was truly... wearing out iron shoes in a fruitless search, only to find what you sought without the slightest effort!
Joy bloomed in his heart, yet his face instantly shifted into a breathtakingly convincing display of intense struggle, agony, and even a faint pallor.
He abruptly halted all offensive moves. The hand holding his sword trembled slightly as he looked at Zhao Qian, who was now held hostage (or so the demons believed). His eyes brimmed with profound “guilt” and “reluctance.”
With a voice dripping with deep sorrow, sounding as though every word wept tears of blood, he spoke: “Junior Sister... Zhao Qian! Senior Brother... Senior Brother has failed you!”
He drew a deep breath as if arriving at an excruciatingly painful decision. His voice suddenly rose, carrying the tragic resolve of a warrior cutting off his own arm: “Yet right now is the most critical juncture of our three commanders’ Foundation Establishment! If we retreat, they will suffer severe backlash and fail their breakthrough!
“When that happens, we will have no chance of turning the tables, and every fellow cultivator here will be buried in this place!
“Junior Sister Zhao Qian! You... you are a fine disciple of Divine Might Manor, and an even finer Junior Sister to me! Do not fear! If calamity befalls you today, Senior Brother swears here and now that I will flatten the Demonic Domain and slaughter every demonic scum present today to avenge you! Your sacrifice... Senior Brother and Divine Might Manor will remember for all eternity!”
These words were so heartfelt and resonant, soaked in the tragic nobility of having to sacrifice one’s own for the greater good. Hearing this, the righteous disciples—completely oblivious to the truth—were deeply moved. Their gazes toward Su Yi filled with admiration and sympathy, while their looks toward Zhao Qian took on shades of regret and respect.
“Senior Brother Su... truly has it so hard...”
“To think that for everyone’s sake, he must personally let go of the one he loves...”
“Senior Sister Zhao... is so noble and selfless!”
Noble my ass! When the hell did I ever say I wanted to sacrifice myself?! Hearing the whispers of the surrounding disciples, Zhao Qian almost spat a mouthful of blood.
Yet while some disciples were still moved to tears by Su Yi’s righteousness, they would never know that the Senior Brother Su who was “parting with his beloved through sheer agony” was merely furrowing his brows to mask the violent twitching at the corner of his lips. Inwardly, he was screaming wildly: Just a little longer... wait until the demons make their move...
Meanwhile, hearing Su Yi’s speech, some of the demons grew uncertain about what to do instead.
Do it already! What are you idiots waiting for?! Hurry up! Kill her and that old demonic soul inside her! I can barely keep up this act! I can’t hold down the corners of my mouth much longer! Su Yi deliberately slowed his “rescue” pace, screaming internally with urgency.
Surrounded by the demons and listening to Su Yi’s “heartfelt confession,” Zhao Qian stood stunned at first before trembling from sheer fury, nearly grinding her silver teeth to dust! Su Yi! You shameless bastard!!
Just then, a demon shouted to his companions, “Don't be scared! This Zhao Qian is definitely Su Yi’s weak spot! Grab her, quick! Su Yi says he’s willing to abandon her, but I don’t buy that he can let her go so easily!”
Right!
It was as if enlightenment had struck the other demons.
Things had already come to this; seizing Zhao Qian might actually be their only sliver of hope!
With that, several demons struck away the disciples guarding Zhao Qian with sweeping palms and lunged their demonic claws toward her.
As for Zhao Qian, she could only roar frantically in her heart. Given the circumstances, she couldn't even voice a single word in defense.
She could only watch helplessly as the demons—whipped into even greater fervor by Su Yi’s words, convinced they had gripped his true weak spot—closed in with sinister leers, billowing demonic qi surging forward to envelop her.
Even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she wouldn't be able to wash herself clean!
Rate on N.U.
