Chapter 7: I Count Three Seconds

After Yuan Yao finished bowing, she felt the Red Thread tighten her right ankle more, pain making her face turn pale.

Yuan Yao bit her lip, unable to hide her grievance, "You don't need my apology, right?"

Xie Yan gave a cold laugh.

What use is an apology?

He said in a cold tone: "Yes."

As his words fell, before Xie Yan could react, a high-grade spiritual artifact came flying at him and exploded instantly with a "bang bang bang"; at the same time, a net of spirit silk flew to envelop him.

Xie Yan, due to a relapse of his old injury, had greatly diminished strength and could not dodge at all.

Crack—

The Red Thread was cut by Yuan Yao with a pair of high-grade spirit scissors.

Fortunately, her master had stuffed her with many high-grade magical devices.

Yuan Yao looked at her bloody ankle, her face turning a few degrees colder.

She raised her eyes and looked at Xie Yan, not far away, enveloped by the spirit silk net; at this moment Xie Yan was in a miserable state, his hair and clothes scorched by the explosion of the high-grade spiritual artifact, and he himself had suffered severe injuries.

A cultivator enveloped by the spirit silk net is equivalent to having their spiritual power bound.

"Cough cough…" Xie Yan choked on the smoke and couldn't help coughing.

After Yuan Yao leisurely tended to her wound, she limped over to Xie Yan and said with a smile, "Since you don't like my apology, there's nothing to be done; I'll just give you a little lesson."

Her tone carried a hint of being deserving of a beating.

Xie Yan stared at her with an indifferent gaze, hinting at a trace of killing intent.

Yuan Yao now had no fear of him; seeing his miserable appearance, she couldn't help bursting into laughter, "hahahahaha…"

However flashy he was when he first appeared, he is now just as tragic.

Xie Yan looked at her smug expression and pressed his lips together.

He actually ended up in the hands of someone at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

It was because he underestimated the enemy too much.

Yuan Yao stood with her ankle hurting badly, so she simply sat down opposite Xie Yan and feigned regret, saying, "How should I deal with you? Should I kill you to eliminate future trouble, or first break your leg so you can taste the fruit of your own actions?"

The voice of the 250 System suddenly sounded: 【Target person Xie Yan belongs to the irreplaceable. Host, he cannot die by your hand.】

Yuan Yao slightly furrowed her brows, "What does 'irreplaceable' mean?"

【Target persons are divided into replaceable and irreplaceable. If this person is replaceable, the host may choose not to pursue them. If this person is irreplaceable, the host can only pursue them.】

"Why is his Awakening Value –100?"

【Host, you currently lack the qualifications to unlock the reason.】

Yuan Yao: "……"

Yuan Yao silently cursed, then gave a light cough and showed Xie Yan a standard smile: "How about we shake hands and make peace?"

Xie Yan felt surprised by her sudden change in attitude, but he did not speak.

"You don't want to?" Yuan Yao sighed helplessly.

After two seconds of silence, Xie Yan did not answer but countered, "If I agree, will you then release me?"

Yuan Yao nodded, "Yes."

"All right." Xie Yan gave her a faint glance, indicating she should remove the spirit silk net binding him.

Yuan Yao, however, took no action, only saying, "First swear a heart‑demon oath, guaranteeing that after you free yourself you will absolutely not harm me nor kill me."

Xie Yan's cultivation is high; even the Eldest Senior Brother at the early Golden Core stage cannot defeat him.

Even if she possesses many high-grade magical devices and the eight life‑saving talismans her master gave her, they might not be able to block his killing intent.

Xie Yan remained silent, his jet‑black eyes like a venomous snake lurking in the depths, coldly staring at Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao felt no fear; instead, she took out a five‑color variegated long sword from her storage space and probed his chest with it, neither too light nor too heavy.

She asked with a beaming smile, "How about it? Do you want to swear an oath?"

Xie Yan's brow twitched violently; he had never seen anyone so reckless in front of him, and this sword… it's ugly to an absurd degree.

"All right." Xie Yan answered with a smile.

He slowly raised three fingers, "I swear that after I free myself, I will absolutely not kill you."

A beam of light belonging to the heavenly‑earthly rules fell upon him, and the oath was sealed.

"No, swear another." Yuan Yao shook her head dissatisfied, then poked his shoulder with her five‑color variegated long sword, saying, "Not only will you not kill me, you will also not harm me."

Xie Yan gave her a deep look.

"What's your name?"

"Why are you asking that?" Yuan Yao's heart instantly went on alert; she feared he would remember her name, locate her sect, and if he couldn't retaliate against her, he'd take revenge on her sect.

Yuan Yao raised her sword and struck his head heavily with the blade, "Hurry up and swear! Otherwise I can't guarantee I won't slip and run you through with a sword."

Xie Yan, after a long time, felt the pain in his forehead and suddenly let out a muffled laugh.

"Pfft."

In this quiet, dark cave, it's still eerily creepy.

For a moment, Yuan Yao felt goosebumps rise all over her body.

Yuan Yao's intuition has always been sharp; upon meeting Xie Yan's dark, deep gaze, she instantly sensed danger, her face changed abruptly, and she swiftly drew her sword to restrain him.

But it was already too late!

As the spirit silk net was broken, the long sword in Yuan Yao's hand was also knocked to the ground.

Clang—

Xie Yan's hand suddenly clamped onto Yuan Yao's slender neck, applying gradual pressure.

"Unh…" Yuan Yao was being choked to the point of barely breathing; she reached out to pry his fingers apart, "Loosen… let go!"

Xie Yan's fingers were as hard as ten‑thousand‑year black iron, impossible to bend, and his whole hand exuded an eerie cold; the chill seemed able to seep through her skin into her blood.

At this moment, Xie Yan had already recovered his strength.

"Trash." Xie Yan gave a cold snort, "I won't kill you, but tormenting you is still easy."

Speaking, Xie Yan's other hand suddenly lashed out a palm strike toward Yuan Yao.

Boom!

Yuan Yao was slapped away, her back smashing into the stone wall, then she tumbled to the ground, apparently knocked unconscious.

Xie Yan rose to his feet unhurriedly, and he formed a Pure Dust Technique for himself.

He stepped toward Yuan Yao.

Just as he was about to reach Yuan Yao, a sound suddenly came from behind; he swiftly turned and, with a casual swipe, knocked the five‑colored longsword to the ground.

And when he turned back, Yuan Yao's figure was already gone from the ground.

Xie Yan's eyes narrowed suddenly, a dangerous glint flashing in their depths.

His gaze swept sharply over the surroundings, finally landing on the spot to the left, and he gave a light smile: "I'm actually a bit curious now—who exactly are you? A mere Qi Refining Ninth Layer trash, yet you possess so many life‑saving high‑grade magical artifacts."

"I'll count to three; you better come out obediently."

"Three."

"Two."

Just as he was about to shout "one," Yuan Yao revealed herself voluntarily.

"Fellow Daoist Xie, I know I was wrong."

Xie Yan: "Heh." Again, the same line.