Chapter 35: End of Cooperation

Ruan Huoying’s spiritual barrier surrounding her was on the verge of collapsing.

The Magic Disk Treasure also faintly showed cracks.

She threw out a Spirit Blade, pushing back the Devil Cultivator directly ahead, attempting to break through the encirclement of the three enemies.

However, in the next moment, two Evil Spirits shrieked and lunged at her.

“I’m in so much pain!”

“It hurts so much!”

The Evil Spirits screamed in harsh, grating voices, their demonic sounds striking directly at Ruan Huoying’s soul.

She had no choice but to retreat.

But it wasn’t over yet.

In the dimness, a long blade filled with murderous intent came crashing down viciously!

“Crack!”

The barrier shattered!

Ruan Huoying’s expression darkened.

She flipped her wrist, grasping the Hundred Demon Picture Scroll in her hand, a flicker of pain flashing across her face.

Swish, swish, swish—three pages were torn off!

The three sheets of paper, driven by spiritual power, transformed into three ferocious Demon Beasts that pounced on the Devil Cultivators before them.

“Zhong Lai!”

Ruan Huoying barked sharply once more.

A ball of light flew from the center of her brow.

The light expanded rapidly, ultimately transforming into a massive bronze bell over five meters tall.

With a thunderous crash, the bronze bell fell, trapping two Evil Spirits inside.

Ruan Huoying seized the Magic Disk Treasure in her hand and slammed it down with force!

“Boom—!”

A deafening explosion followed, and the bronze bell shattered violently!

The two Evil Spirits dispersed along with it.

“All my secret cards…”

Ruan Huoying felt like crying, her heart sinking in sorrow.

But there was no other way.

No matter how precious her trump cards were, they were meant to be used by the living… not the dead.

Now, taking advantage of the Devil Cultivators being entangled with the transformed Demon Beasts, she began a fighting retreat.

Yet in the next moment, from within a white mist, a black shadow burst forth!

“There’s still more?”

Ruan Huoying’s face instantly turned pale.

One against three was already her limit.

Now one against four—no matter how many pages she tore from the Hundred Demon Picture Scroll, victory was impossible.

Fortunately at this moment,

Someone silently stood by her side.

“Li Feiyu!”

Ruan Huoying looked over in surprise.

Lin Ci had naturally already taken down two Devil Cultivators, but… he looked quite troubled by the four opponents before him.

To be honest, the three Golden Core Devil Cultivators he’d just defeated were all due to luck and cunning rather than direct confrontation.

And now, with four cautious enemies before him, his usual surprise tactics wouldn’t work.

If he faced them head-on without tricks, he could bully those below his realm, but not those at his level.

Actually, Lin Ci wanted to grumble: Ruan Huoying, how can you be so weak? You can’t even handle three at once without dying?

Silently, Lin Ci fell back behind her and whispered:

“We can’t win this fight. We have to run.”

“Run? Where to?”

Ruan Huoying asked anxiously.

“To find Bu Liugu…”

Lin Ci thought it through.

Though there was still the threat of a Nascent Soul Devil near Bu Liugu, she had a Spirit Boat!

The Spirit Boat was their only hope of escaping alive.

“Alright!”

Ruan Huoying nodded, looking at Lin Ci with trust.

“Li Feiyu, you’re so smart. You really have a plan.”

“First we survive… then we figure it out. Watch the sword!”

Lin Ci suddenly shouted.

The four Devil Cultivators were startled, immediately preparing themselves.

Although it was too dark to see what he was doing, the fact that he had “directly” killed two Golden Core cultivators meant he probably had some hidden killing move.

However, the next second,

Lin Ci grabbed Ruan Huoying and turned to run…

“Damn it! We’ve been played!”

“Hurry, mount your swords! Don’t let them into the city!”

The four Devil Cultivators yelled angrily.

The Ancient Celestial Master had ordered them to guard the city gates strictly.

If they let anyone in and the Ancient Celestial Master found out, they’d all be finished!

They quickly mounted their swords and gave chase.

At that moment, a black poisonous rhombus flew straight at them.

The group didn’t dare take it lightly and hurriedly drew their weapons, deflecting it away.

Immediately after, five transformed Demon Beasts charged up, entangling them all midair.

With that, Lin Ci finally managed to slip into the city.

Within Gu Ta Town,

As soon as Lin Ci and Ruan Huoying entered, they concealed their aura and slipped into a narrow alley, taking whichever path was most confined.

“Ha… ha…”

Ruan Huoying ran hurriedly behind Lin Ci, suddenly realizing her hand was being tightly held.

Having never been touched by a man before, she protested twice softly like a mosquito’s buzzing, then stopped speaking.

They were running for their lives now… it wasn’t intentional on his part…

She reassured herself quietly.

Ahead, Lin Ci sensed a murderous aura flying overhead.

He frowned at the sky and led Ruan Huoying into a stable.

Inside, the stall was piled high with hay.

They both crawled into the soft haystack, then Lin Ci shook the dry grass on top, covering them while leaving a small gap to peer out.

Both concealed their aura; as long as they didn’t use spiritual power, they wouldn’t be discovered here.

But the space inside the hay was cramped.

They had no choice but to press tightly against each other…

Once she realized this, Ruan Huoying’s delicate body trembled slightly, and her cheeks gradually burned red.

Though it was already winter, as cultivators, they only wore thin single-layer clothes.

Being pressed so closely together caused the thin fabric to carry a faint and subtle implication.

Ruan Huoying clearly felt the warmth radiating from him.

Her soft chest was pressed flat against his solid chest.

All for survival, all for survival…

She blushed and silently recited this to herself.

By moonlight, she slowly looked at the face so close to hers.

Because of the cramped space, Lin Ci had to remove his wide bamboo hat when entering.

So Ruan Huoying clearly saw his eyes, then covered her mouth in surprise.

They were a pair of eyes as sharp as a biting cold wind, especially under the cool moonlight, exuding a fierce, ruthless aura…

So handsome…

Ruan Huoying couldn’t help but imagine how much more handsome Li Feiyu would be if his lower face wasn’t disfigured.

Even if his lower face was ordinary, those cold, ruthless eyes alone would make him uniquely handsome.

“They haven’t found us yet…”

Lin Ci didn’t notice Ruan Huoying’s reaction.

He kept watching through the grass gap, waiting a moment before whispering.

“Oh… okay.”

Ruan Huoying hesitated for a second then nodded in agreement.

“Are you injured?”

“No… no, I’m fine.”

Ruan Huoying quickly denied it, then changed the subject.

“Hey, where did these Devil Cultivators come from?”

“I don’t know either, but they’re definitely after Bu Liugu.”

Lin Ci analyzed calmly.

“Among these Devil Cultivators is a Nascent Soul Devil who knows Bu Liugu is in the city. He’s probably found her by now.”

“Then… what do we do?”

Ruan Huoying furrowed her brow, her face anxious.

“Bu Liugu is in danger; we have to go support her!”

“Indeed. The Spirit Boat is still with her. Where’s your guesthouse? Is it far? Can you point the direction?”

“Hm… roughly southwest, a few hundred meters.”

“Good. Stay concealed and follow me!”

Lin Ci nodded and stepped out of the haystack first.

After ensuring the surroundings were safe, he signaled to Ruan Huoying.

She crawled out as well.

Just as they prepared to leave,

Suddenly, a heavy spiritual pressure descended from the sky with a tremendous roar, engulfing all of Gu Ta Town!

Both instantly felt as if a thousand-pound weight bore down on their shoulders, almost impossible to resist!

“It’s that Nascent Soul Devil who’s making a move!”

Lin Ci immediately realized.

Apparently, the Nascent Soul Devil had detected their presence and unleashed a citywide oppressive aura to force them out.

If they used spiritual power to resist the pressure, their location would be immediately exposed.

But if they continued to hide their aura… they’d be crushed by the pressure!

Meanwhile, screams rang out from house to house in the town.

Every passing second, more mortals died unable to withstand the pressure.

Clearly, the Devil Cultivator cared nothing about life or death.

In this life-or-death moment, Lin Ci hesitated a moment before sighing softly.

It seemed there was only one option left…

As for the consequences, he could no longer worry about them.

Survival came first.

Lin Ci immediately unleashed his spiritual power, fiercely pushing back against the oppressive aura in the sky!

The next moment,

More than ten murderous auras locked onto Lin Ci’s location from above!

“Ruan Huoying, you go find Bu Liugu and leave with her… don’t come back looking for me.”

Lin Ci’s voice was cold.

“Our cooperation ends here!”