Chapter 92: My Prey

While she was lunging towards the open space, she saw a ghost-faced youth suddenly appear not far away.

The youth was tall and slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist; his white robe embroidered with flowing cloud patterns fluttered in the wind, accentuating his graceful and handsome posture, and a jade-green gourd hung at his waist.

Beneath that hideous and terrifying ghostly face, a pair of beautiful eyes could be faintly seen, now gazing at her with a half-smile, half-not-smile expression, revealing some teasing and mockery.

As soon as Yuan Yao met his gaze, she knew he had come to watch the show.

The youth's voice carried a chill: "Little trash, want to make a bet? Will you die at the hands of the Nightmare Beast? I bet you will."

"Xie dog, I won't die!" Yuan Yao gritted her teeth, feeling Xie Yan this damned thing was extremely hateful.

The youth fixed his eyes on the Nightmare Beast behind Yuan Yao and coolly said: "Don't mess up, or else."

His tone carried a threatening intent.

The Nightmare Beast instantly understood his meaning: he wanted her to kill this human freak, otherwise he would kill her!

Its heart jolted.

It naturally wouldn't let this human freak off; if not for her, how would it have ended up like this—cultivation damaged, foundation destroyed!

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao glared fiercely at the ghost-faced youth.

She then stopped, turned around, and raised her sword to meet the Nightmare Beast's attack.

In just one exchange, Yuan Yao was severely wounded by the Nightmare Beast.

Yuan Yao suppressed the fishy sweetness rising in her throat; she caught sight of the ghost-faced youth watching the show not far away from the corner of her eye, a faint gloomy light flashing in his eyes.

While blocking the Nightmare Beast's assault, she feigned weakness and retreated toward the ghost-faced youth's direction.

Soon, the Nightmare Beast's huge claw swept over, breaking through Yuan Yao's spiritual defense with a "Bang!", sending her flying backward, and she happened to fall at the youth's feet.

The youth frowned, as if disdainful, and moved a step back.

In the next instant, the youth's eyes shifted slightly; his ankle was entangled by a rope conjured by the Phantom Spirit, and just as he was about to cut the rope, Yuan Yao gripped the other end tightly and gave a hard pull.

Trying to yank him to the ground!

Yet he didn't budge at all.

"Tsk." The youth gave a contemptuous smile.

Yuan Yao, angry and embarrassed, clambered to her feet.

At this moment, the Nightmare Beast had already caught up, charging toward Yuan Yao's direction.

Yuan Yao turned her head, pupils constricting, face panicked as she ran toward Xie Yan, lowering her voice: "Xie Yan, please..."

Xie Yan stared blankly.

By the time he reacted, Yuan Yao had already run over and taken cover behind him; he furrowed his brows slightly, about to sneer at her with a few remarks—

Yuan Yao suddenly lifted her foot and kicked his butt hard, "Please your ass!"

Xie Yan was kicked forward a few staggering steps; if he hadn't dodged in time, he would have been flattened by the Nightmare Beast's paw.

He felt a subtle pain there.

The youth's brow twitched violently, a faint anger burning within.

He sharply glanced at Yuan Yao.

"Heh heh heh." Yuan Yao made a face at him.

"Do you like kicking people that much?"

The youth's gaze fell on her feet; her shoes were stained with mud and blood, yet she dared to kick him.

He seemed to laugh in extreme anger: "Looks like you don't want your feet anymore."

Having said that, he raised his hand, and the Red Thread appeared out of thin air, wrapping around her feet.

Yuan Yao swiftly dodged, barely avoiding his attack.

She snorted coldly: "I don't like kicking people, but I like kicking you."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yan's eyes turned sinister; he suddenly recalled that a few days ago he had still warned Witch Liuyun for her sake, and now thinking about it, it was truly laughable!

He flickered and arrived in front of Yuan Yao in an instant.

He reached out, intending to seize Yuan Yao's neck.

Yuan Yao seemed to have anticipated his move; she quickly reacted—her body slightly arched, head lowering naturally, cleverly dodging his strike! Then she lifted her head, like a ferocious beast, and slammed hard into Xie Yan's hard chest!

This blow, Yuan Yao exerted all her strength.

With a "Bang!", Xie Yan was shoved back half a step, his chest feeling a dull ache.

He grabbed her collar with one hand and yanked her away forcefully.

Yuan Yao was shoved, staggering a few steps, her head aching so much she couldn't help but tear up.

Xie dog's chest was as hard as a wall; hitting him was like hitting a stone.

The Nightmare Beast, which had originally been somewhat dazed seeing them fight, now seeing them separate, gathered its attack again and lunged toward Yuan Yao!

Yuan Yao sensed danger, she quickly raised her hand to summon the Phantom Spirit Sword to block.

Boom!

She was blasted onto the wall, her whole body seeming to fall apart, pain turning her complexion deathly pale.

At this moment, the Nightmare Beast lifted its massive arm and slammed down hard toward where Yuan Yao was!

Yuan Yao rolled over, swiftly rolling to dodge its strike.

Although she dodged, the tremendous impact again shook her mind and spirit, blood spreading from the corner of her mouth.

The Nightmare Beast's assault did not cease.

Yuan Yao paid no heed to her sorry state; she crawled up, rolling and climbing to her feet, then faced the Nightmare Beast.

She fell time and again, yet each time she dodged the fatal blow.

After just a moment, her hair was disheveled, her mouth bloody, her whole body covered in dust, extremely disheveled.

Seeing Yuan Yao in such a state, Xie Yan frowned disdainfully.

True viscera.

At this moment, Yuan Yao deeply realized she could not defeat the Nightmare Beast; therefore, the only way to break the situation now was to let the Nightmare Beast deal a lethal blow to her, and only then could she trigger the life‑saving talisman her master gave her!

Yuan Yao raised her hand, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and sneered: 'Nightmare Beast, you're too weak—even I, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, can hold my own against you for this long; you, a sixth‑rank demon beast, are just all show.'

Hearing this, the Nightmare Beast's anger built up.

Yuan Yao continued to provoke it: 'Is that all you've got? If this gets out, wouldn't it make everyone laugh their heads off?'

'You're courting death!'

The Nightmare Beast put all its strength into a fierce swipe at her.

At this moment, Yuan Yao neither dodged nor blocked, nor did she draw her sword to fight or defend.

She… seemed to have made a resolve to die.

Seeing this scene, Xie Yan rubbed his fingers over the green jade gourd.

At this moment, Yuan Yao felt an endless pressure crushing down on her, and an indescribable pain spread across her body.

Blood welled from the corner of her mouth.

And as the giant claw was about to strike her, Yuan Yao instinctively closed her eyes.

Clang—

Sword cries rang out, accompanied by the Nightmare Beast's miserable howl.

Yuan Yao suddenly opened her eyes, only to see the Nightmare Beast's skull split in half!

Afterwards, it rolled to the ground, and the ghost‑faced youth crushed it with a foot.

The youth turned his head, lifted his gaze toward Yuan Yao.

'Truly weak.'

'You… why… would you save me?'

Before she could finish, the youth's mocking tone cut her off: 'You wouldn't think I did this to save you, would you?'

Yuan Yao froze.

She secretly thought: 'Could it not be so?'

At that moment, the half‑remaining skull tried to flee, but the ghost‑faced youth ruthlessly crushed it again.

Even its soul was cleaved by the youth!

In an instant, the Nightmare Space began to shatter.

As Yuan Yao was about to lose consciousness, she heard his cold voice: 'My prey can only be killed by me.'