It Would Be Best if He Got Hurt-Then I Could Escape

"What's so impressive? It was just a blind cat stumbling onto a dead mouse." Black Shadow was still unconvinced, every word edged with hostility.

"Black Shadow," Feng Moyuan said mildly.

"Yes, Demon Venerable!" Black Shadow turned around, his face full of reverence.

"Go test what these beasts can do." Feng Moyuan's face was expressionless, a faint chill radiating from his violet eyes.

Black Shadow was startled, but he had no choice but to obey the Demon Venerable. He could only steel himself and fly forward, directing his sword straight at the flock of Zhitu.

"Caw, caw, caw!"

Attacked by Black Shadow's sword, the Zhitu cried even louder. One after another, they took flight and spewed fire at him.

Remembering what Su Ying had said, Black Shadow immediately channeled his power to form a barrier around himself.

The Zhitu wasted no time attacking the barrier, trying to blast through it with their flames, while others charged toward Feng Moyuan and the rest.

"This is bad!" Bai Mang exclaimed. "The Zhitu are enraged! They're attacking us!"

In the blink of an eye, Feng Moyuan realized something was wrong and erected a barrier.

Su Ying and Bai Mang were sheltered within it as well.

"Black Shadow!" Bai Mang looked anxiously at Black Shadow, who was out in front.

"I'm fine!" Black Shadow poured all his strength into the barrier, sealing himself securely inside.

While maintaining the barrier, Feng Moyuan sent the Dragon Roar Sword weaving through the Zhitu.

Many Zhitu were killed or wounded.

But there were so many that Bai Mang drew his sword to help.

Feng Moyuan continued slaughtering them with the Dragon Roar Sword, but their overwhelming numbers gradually began to outstrip his strength.

Su Ying sighed and shook her head helplessly.

A thick trickle of blood escaped the corner of Feng Moyuan's mouth.

Seeing this, Su Ying shook her head again.

[Host, aren't you going to help?]

[Are you stupid? Why would I help? It would be best if he got hurt-then I could escape.]

The system reminded her, [But Host, these are Zhitu, Ancient Spirit Beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas. If you don't help and his injuries leave him without enough power, the Zhitu might devour him.]

Su Ying frowned.

[Once the Demon Venerable is devoured by the Zhitu, the plot will be changed beyond recovery. Whether or not it continues afterward, the Female Lead won't marry the Demon Venerable. Even if the Male Lead takes her back and you continue your mission, without that palm strike from the Demon Venerable, your mission will still fail. Besides, without the Male Supporting Character, can this even count as the same plot?] the system explained. [So, Host, I still advise you to be kind.]

[Pah, what a pain.] Su Ying crouched down and took a basin of water out of her Spatial Ring.

Bai Mang had thought she had a solution. At the sight, he closed his eyes in despair. "Demon Venerable, if the barrier breaks, take Miss Su and leave immediately. Black Shadow and I will cover your retreat."

Their duty was to protect Feng Moyuan, so he would make that choice no matter the circumstances.

"You're not going to die," Su Ying said, flinging the water straight outside the barrier.

"Caw, caw, caw!"

The few Zhitu splashed with water cried even more fiercely, only to collapse onto the ground in an instant.

The flames on their bodies had mysteriously vanished.

Su Ying hadn't expected it to actually work. She hurriedly pulled out several Water-Type Talismans and threw them outside the barrier.

In an instant, another swath of Zhitu fell.

"Zhitu are afraid of water. If any of you practice water spells, you can deal with them easily," Su Ying said. Most of the spells she practiced belonged to the wood element, and wood fed fire, so she didn't dare act recklessly.

Bai Mang's eyes lit up. "The Demon Venerable and I both do."

At her words, Feng Moyuan was the first to cast the Water-Summoning Art on the Zhitu outside the barrier. Thunder instantly rolled across the sky, and the next moment, water poured down in torrents.

Flame Mountain was an extremely arid place that went an entire year without a single rain.

As the rain fell, Bai Mang hurriedly summoned water spheres as well, hurling them at the Zhitu.

A scorched smell immediately swept over them.

The Zhitu collapsed and died one after another.

Su Ying frowned. That charred smell was truly foul.

"This is bad. They're heading for the crater," Bai Mang said when he saw them.

"Vile beasts, don't even think of escaping." Feng Moyuan dispelled the barrier and flew straight to the crater, erecting another barrier to block them.

The Zhitu wailed, "Caw, caw!" In mere moments, all the rain-soaked Zhitu had fallen to the ground, lifeless.

Feng Moyuan looked at Su Ying. Without her suggestion, they would not have been able to resolve this anytime soon.

Su Ying paid little attention to Feng Moyuan's expression, only studying the Zhitu scattered across the ground.

"Miss Su, what are you looking for?" Bai Mang asked.

Su Ying shook her head. "I'm just curious. A flock of Zhitu usually comes from a single one, and that original one isn't so easy to kill. I want to find where it is."

Seeing how knowledgeable she acted, Black Shadow couldn't help saying, "Don't pretend to understand what you don't. They're all dead. How could any still be alive?"

Su Ying didn't want to bother with him and continued searching.

Bai Mang searched as well.

Seeing this, Black Shadow said to Bai Mang, "Why are you believing her too? These things are clearly dead. There can't be any survivors."

"I think Miss Su has a point," Bai Mang said. "Why don't you help us look?"

"You still won't believe me? Didn't you say these things live in flocks? How could anything that lives in a flock still be alive?" The moment Black Shadow finished speaking, a "caw" rang out.

All four of them immediately looked toward the crater.

A massive Zhitu leaped out of it.

Su Ying frowned. "That's the one born from the fire vein."

"Ordinary water won't work on one born from a fire vein. And we can't leave it alive. If it harms anyone else later, it'll be able to spawn countless more lives."

Su Ying relayed what the system told her.

Feng Moyuan's violet eyes darkened. He soared into the air, and the Dragon Roar Sword instantly flew from his hand.

"Demon Venerable!" Bai Mang watched anxiously.

Standing there, Su Ying suddenly sensed something.

She abruptly rose into the air.

[Feng Moyuan, damn you!] Su Ying cursed inwardly. He had flown too far away, triggering the Step-Separation Curse, and she hurtled toward him.

"Aaaaaah!" Su Ying screamed.

The Step-Separation Curse moved her so fast that, seeing she was about to crash into Feng Moyuan, she instinctively threw out a talisman.

With a bang, the talisman landed directly on the Zhitu.

"Caw!"

The Zhitu shrieked without retreating an inch. The flames on its body burned even hotter and fiercer as it took aim and lunged at Feng Moyuan.

"I'm dead, I'm dead." Su Ying closed her eyes.

The Step-Separation Curse sent her straight into Feng Moyuan's arms.

Their bodies collided, and pain shot through her back.

The Zhitu had struck Su Ying directly in the waist.

"Urgh." Su Ying spat out a mouthful of black blood, feeling her cultivation plummet.

"Su Ying!" Watching the flames eat into her skin, Feng Moyuan's heart clenched.