“Honestly, this girl is quite pretty. It’d be such a waste to let her die just like that. Why don’t we have some fun with her first before sending her to meet the King of Hell?”
“Don’t waste time. If her Beast Husbands catch up, we’re all dead.”
“What’s there to fear? Those useless Beast Husbands of hers might not even be able to break through the Mist Illusion Array. Even if they do catch up, they’d just be coming to their deaths.”
“Is that so?”
Almost as soon as these words were spoken, an overwhelmingly oppressive voice rang out above their heads.
Looking up, they saw a black figure standing mid-air, looking down at them from above. The aura emanating from him was extremely powerful, giving off the pressure of a superior being that made them afraid to meet his gaze.
They had seen this person before – he was one of that woman’s Beast Husbands. But wasn’t he trapped in the Mist Illusion Array? How did he break through so quickly?
“A mere illusion array thinks it can trap this Demon Lord? Ridiculous!”
Xie Xingwen swept his gaze over the men and the unconscious woman lying surrounded by them on the ground.
In his consciousness, that self-proclaimed system was still chattering incessantly: [Host, the one lying on the ground is your female master. You must save her! If she dies, you will die too! She absolutely cannot come to harm, host!!!]
“Annoying!”
Xie Xingwen muttered a low rebuke before turning his attention back to the woman lying on the ground, his eyes filled with confusion.
As the esteemed Demon Lord of Tianmo Palace, how could his life and death be tied to a woman? He refused to believe that this woman could affect his fate.
Chu Xuan had actually been awake for some time, but her mind was still somewhat dazed.
She clearly remembered leading Hehuan Palace disciples in battle against those bastards from Tianmo Palace.
That great demon from Tianmo Palace had taken advantage of her parents’ absence during their travels to attack Hehuan Palace with his disciples, bullying her in her pitiful, weak, and helpless state.
The two sides had been locked in fierce combat when Chu Xuan, to protect herself, had summoned the Soul Bell. That great demon had shattered her Soul Bell with a single palm strike, causing winds and clouds to surge between heaven and earth. Chu Xuan had been sucked into a vortex and lost consciousness.
When she regained awareness, she heard the people surrounding her discussing whether to “rape then kill, or kill then rape” her.
Just as she was contemplating how to save herself, she heard these people mention her Beast Husband.
Chu Xuan’s limbs felt weak and devoid of strength. Until she understood the situation clearly, she decided to play dead and observe developments.
Perhaps because Xie Xingwen’s aura was too intimidating, the beastmen grew increasingly fearful. One of them suddenly lifted Chu Xuan from the ground, his hand transforming into sharp claws that gripped her neck as he threatened Xie Xingwen:
“This female is in our hands. If you dare make any rash moves, I’ll kill her.”
System: [Ahhh! Disaster! Host, Chu Xuan cannot be harmed! Your life forces are connected – if she dies, you will die too!!!]
“Silence!”
Xie Xingwen roared angrily, then looked down at the motionless woman whose life now hung in the balance.
He had clearly been leading his demon disciples in attacking Hehuan Palace – how did he suddenly appear here?
It must be that woman’s doing. He remembered her taking out some kind of magical treasure, and as soon as he cast a spell technique toward it, the winds shifted and clouds churned, the heavens and earth lost their color. He was abruptly sucked into a vortex.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in this forest, with something calling itself a “system” clamoring in his mind, telling him to save this female named Chu Xuan, and claiming that if this female died, he would die too.
What a joke. How could the life and death of Xie Xingwen be dictated by these ants?
All of this must be the scheme of that young master from Hehuan Palace—truly sinister and despicable. Once he escaped this place and returned to Hehuan Palace, he would definitely tear that woman into pieces to vent his fury.
Filled with resentment, Xie Xingwen’s gaze toward the beastmen was brimming with killing intent.
The leading beastman swallowed nervously. For some reason, this male beast before him gave him a spine-chilling feeling. It was truly bizarre—this male beast was only at the fifth level of ability, the same as them, but they had the advantage in numbers. If they really fought, they shouldn’t lose.
Yet, for some reason, meeting this male beast’s eyes made him feel so suffocated he could hardly breathe.
Overwhelmed by tension, the claws gripping Chu Xuan’s shoulders tightened, nails digging deep into her flesh. Blood instantly stained her clothes, and Chu Xuan broke out in a cold sweat from the pain.
Xie Xingwen still refused to believe that his life was tied to Chu Xuan’s. He looked disdainfully at the beastman holding her and said, “Do you think capturing her gives you the right to command me? Whether you kill her or cut her to pieces, do as you please.”
Xie Xingwen’s words left the beastmen utterly bewildered, and Chu Xuan was even more stunned.
Wasn’t he supposed to be her Beast Husband? Beast Husband—by definition, shouldn’t that mean he was her husband?! How could he stand by and watch her die without lifting a finger?
The beastmen who had kidnapped Chu Xuan were equally confused by Xie Xingwen’s reasoning. However, their goal from the start had been to kill Chu Xuan.
Still, it was a pity—such a beautiful female, and they hadn’t even had their fun with her before sending her to her death.
“Don’t hesitate. If her other Beast Husbands arrive, we’ll all be dead.”
If they only had to face Xie Xingwen alone, they still had a chance. But if all of this female’s Beast Husbands came together, the outcome would be uncertain.
With that thought, the leading beastman stopped hesitating. He gathered his ability in his right hand and lunged for Chu Xuan’s neck.
A suffocating sense of impending death washed over Chu Xuan. She felt as though her features were being twisted and crushed, the agony unbearable. She had a feeling that she would die in the next moment.
At that critical moment, Xie Xingwen roared and lunged forward with lightning speed. No one could clearly see his movements.
Before the beastman’s claws could reach Chu Xuan, Xie Xingwen seized his wrist and, with a slight twist, snapped it.
A piercing scream echoed through the forest!!
Seeing this, the other beastmen charged at Xie Xingwen. He swiftly pulled Chu Xuan to his side, shielding her with one arm while fending off their attacks.
Just moments before, when the beastman attacked Chu Xuan, Xie Xingwen had also felt that deadly pressure.
It forced him to believe that his life was indeed bound to this female’s. For now, he had to deal with these people first, and then find a way to sever the connection with her.
But Xie Xingwen’s soul was trapped within this male beast’s body, unable to unleash even one-tenth of his true strength. Relying solely on past combat experience and skills, he barely managed to fight these beastmen to a standstill.
After prolonged exertion, however, the male beast’s stamina could no longer keep up, and Xie Xingwen sustained numerous injuries.
“Today, all of you will die here!”
The leading beastman sneered coldly. Though astonished by Xie Xingwen’s bizarrely formidable skills—far surpassing what a fifth-level ability should possess—what did it matter?
He was ultimately alone, forced to both engage in battle and protect that female. How could he possibly prevail against so many beastmen?