Chapter 2:

“Too dangerous.”

Yao Yao shivered with fear after encountering such a weak and helpless demon. This demon was not even as big as the little finger of the pitiful demon she had heard about earlier.

Why would he dare to come here alone? He must be fearless.

Yao Yao held Chong Yan’s hand; it was as cold as if it had just been washed in ice water, yet her warmth enveloped it. Strangely enough, Yao Yao’s previously slightly throbbing meridians seemed to stabilize a bit.

The fierce ancient demon stood still.

It had been tens of thousands of years since anyone had spoken to him. Chong Yan paused for a moment, then forcefully pulled away his hand from her hand. His cold and stern expression intensified, speaking harshly.

“Who are you?”

Yao Yao blinked.

Her meridians were congested, leaving her dizzy, and as she looked at his tense jawline and moving lips, she thought, heavens, not only was he more handsome than a 2D drawing, but his voice was also so alluring.

Like a brisk winter wind cutting through ice, her heart raced when he spoke.

Yao Yao noticed the white collar peeking out from Chong Yan’s black robe, the one she had gifted him, now tattered at the edges. She wanted to introduce herself but suddenly found it difficult. “Uh, I, um…”

Chong Yan lowered his gaze at her, his eyes showing no distinction from observing a suicidal ant.

This person was much weaker than the other cultivators who entered the Forsaken Abyss. She had no cultivation techniques or spiritual tools on her, not even a trace of spiritual power flowing within her. Chong Yan didn’t need to move; he could instantly kill this weak human in countless ways.

So, he didn’t understand why she dared to approach him.

“You… have no cultivation.”

“……”

Yao Yao tugged at her dress, suddenly feeling embarrassed to introduce herself.

It felt like an anonymous benefactor finally had the chance to visit the impoverished child they’d supported for a year, only to be exposed as utterly incompetent by the child.

Embarrassing.

Yao Yao blushed even more, but then she thought, it’s okay. Even though she’s not very strong, Chong Yan is weaker.

Her blood was quite formidable.

So Yao Yao confidently straightened her chest. “I’m here to protect you.”

Chong Yan lowered his gaze, his heterochromatic pupils reflecting the Soul Anchoring Nail she held in her arms. As she was too close to the demon himself, the warnings from the Soul Anchoring Nail had stopped, leaving only a trembling buzz.

Her Soul Anchoring Nail was the brightest among the others, symbolizing the central point of the blood array.

It could deliver the deadliest blow to him.

Chong Yan remained silent; sharp bone spurs silently slid out again on his arm, like water turning into ice.

Lies.

Kill her.

Just as he raised his fingertip, the girl in front of him, as if discovering something, caught his hand’s bone with her soft palm.

“You’re injured.”

Wide-eyed, Yao Yao stared at the bloodied cut on the side of his hand, already whitened by soaking in icy water, at least three centimeters long.

For a year, she had kept a close eye on the little demon, ensuring no other foul demons bullied him.

“Who did this?” She was indignant.

A hint of confusion finally appeared in the fierce demon’s eyes.

Did this injury on his hand even count?

Countless wounds were hidden under his clothes, some so deep that bones were visible, with large portions of his body rotting away. Compared to those injuries, the cut on his hand was inconsequential in Chong Yan’s life of enduring harm.

Yet, her eyes were so earnest, making Chong Yan suddenly feel annoyed.

Why?

He couldn’t fathom this person’s actions. Why did she have to ask this way?

At that moment, a sharp sound echoed in the sky, a distant azure light flashed.

Countless runes in the sky forcefully pressed down, trapping the fierce demons within the array, invisible yet intense currents encasing them.

Chong Yan suddenly dropped to one knee, supporting himself with one hand as blood gushed forth unexpectedly.

“Oh.” So, it was a ploy.

Feigning concern, by keeping him occupied here, her accomplice could continue.

Chong Yan raised a pale hand, wiping away the blood from the corner of his lips, tightening into a sharper, self-loathing line.

The icy, piercing wind and snow grew more frenzied. Countless snowflakes turned into ice-edged blades, rising like a thousand arrows behind him, all pointedly aiming at that deceitful young girl.

“Die.”

The demon spat blood.

Hidden in the shadows, a disciple of the Wuji Sect clenched fists in excitement, joyously dancing around. It was the same person who had swapped Soul Anchoring Nails with Yao Yao not long ago.

He never imagined that the seemingly fragile young girl would dare face that monster. Yet, since she was so noble to willingly hold back that thing, he couldn’t waste this once-in-a-millennium opportunity.

He had considered the consequences of dropping soul anchoring nails when she was so close to the demonic entity.

Even though the demon was severely injured, it could undoubtedly instantly crush the girl in front of it, and she had no means to fight back.

But among these unlucky fellows, there would always be someone unluckier, wouldn’t there?

Though she was brave and noble, a cultivator’s life depended on luck and opportunities. She was beautiful, but why wasn’t she protected like Su Yilin from Changyang Peak? Perhaps dying here was her fate.

And for him, getting the chance to live on would make her death meaningful.

Now that six soul anchoring nails had been succeeded, the Ancient Seal was almost entirely reinforced. Even if the last one couldn’t be successfully dropped, the curse upon the monster would be as heavy as ten thousand mountains, cutting through his spirit like knives. The fact that he just knelt and spat blood was him enduring the curse.

Satisfied, the disciple turned, preparing to find a way through the snowstorm, aiming to be a survivor.

When he glanced back, however, he suddenly noticed the entire ice field had been silently filled with something.

As he looked around, it was densely packed, shimmering with eerie glows.

They were thousands upon thousands of greedy eyes.

At that moment, he belatedly realized that when the ruler of this domain was severely injured, it would lead to a consequence.

All the creatures from the depths of the abyss were now swarming out.

“W-wait, wait!”

He slid backward on the snow, trembling uncontrollably.

“Don’t come any closer, ahhh!”

The wind carried a chilling scream, a prelude to some ominous agitation.

Chong Yan’s eyes remained indifferent.

Countless ice blades surged towards the girl, ready to pierce her heart at any moment.

Yet, Yao Yao acted as if she hadn’t seen a thing.

She gazed down blankly at the pool of blood Chong Yan had coughed up on the snowy ground, finding it painfully glaring.