Chapter 548: Reverse Strategy 07

The next day, as the sky just began to lighten, Jin Chen was disturbed by the commotion outside the courtyard and frowned displeasedly.

Just trying to get some sleep, why are there so many pesky things disturbing me?

He suddenly opened his eyes to see a boy curled up in his embrace, sleeping peacefully.

His face was unusually flushed from sleep, his expression calm and at ease, as if he were completely relaxed here.

The Slaughter Formation General outside, drawn by human souls, was actually coming for this person, yet he was sleeping so soundly.

He utterly lacks any sense of danger—no wonder he's always being bullied.

Jin Chen reached out and, mischievously, pinched the boy's nose, not letting him breathe.

Chenshu swatted his hand away, mumbling, "Don't mess around."

His tone held both reproach and anger, as if he were acting spoiled.

This made him instinctively pull his hand back, and he even helped pat the boy's shoulder.

Soon after, Jin Chen realized: "……?"

Does this kid even get a bigger temper when he sleeps?

What's going on with my completely instinctive reaction?

This time he wouldn't have it; he grabbed the person's shoulder and lifted him up, trapping him in his own embrace.

"Get up, no more sleeping."

Chenshu let out a muffled grunt, unable to tolerate the noise, turned his head and buried it in the neck crook, rubbing, "Don't make a fuss, I…"

He hadn't finished speaking when his waking consciousness cut him off.

Forgot—this is a small world.

Chenshu blinked, then rubbed again in a coaxing way, "The sky just lightened, Great King, how are you already awake?"

His words were full of reliance, instantly satisfying Jin Chen's earlier mood; he stroked the boy's exceptionally pleasant-feeling nape, his tone languid.

"I don't really want to either; listen carefully outside."

Only then did Chenshu perk up and listen to the commotion.

From outside the courtyard came the heavy dragging of iron chains on the ground, occasionally accompanied by a few rough gasps.

He flinched slightly, tightening his hold in Jin Chen's embrace, "Is that the Slaughter Formation General outside the courtyard?"

"Great King… I'm scared."

Chenshu practically employed coaxing and spoiled behavior to the extreme; his tone was clear with a hint of softness, making listeners feel pity.

Jin Chen was naturally no exception.

Moreover, he had just promised this person last night that he would help him.

"The Slaughter Formation General arises naturally within the formation; as long as the seal isn't broken, he will never disappear—he is the spirit of the formation's eye in this seal."

Jin Chen feared he wouldn't understand, so he rephrased it in plainer terms.

"I have not yet restored my normal strength, and my Monster Power is suppressed by the seal, so the Slaughter Formation General can only be repelled, not slaughtered."

Chenshu nodded, half-understanding, his long black hair spilling over his shoulders, cute and obedient, "I won't leave the Great King's side even half a step; that way the Slaughter Formation General can't devour me."

Jin Chen paused slightly; his original intention had merely been to scare this kid, yet it had this extra effect.

"Alright, I'll go drive him away."

He flicked the boy's nose with a fingertip, his teasing tone tinged with helplessness, "I even managed to find myself a trouble."

The trouble chuckled, then deliberately rubbed against Jin Chen's palm, "The Great King is a Yao King whose word is binding—so you must keep your promises."

After a night passed, Chenshu felt less of the initial fear and fright he'd had toward Jin Chen yesterday; instead, due to the shift in their relationship, he felt a bit more reliant.

Jin Chen was pleased with this development; he fastened his crimson outer robe, rose, and walked outside, his tall, slender frame with a vertical silver thread at his waist loosely tied with a single cord.

At the instant the courtyard door opened, nine fox tails extended from behind, his entire aura shifted instantly, hidden in the morning mist; though his lips held a smile, there inexplicably arose a chilling, forest-cold aura.

And opposite Jin Chen was the very eye of the entire seal—the Slaughter Formation General.

To seal the powerful Yao King, the Slay Demon Sect almost exhausted all the treasures in their secret manuals, and indeed they managed to find an ancient demon-trapping formation.

However, when the seal is activated, it requires seven people to sacrifice their lives; their souls are scattered and recombined into the Slaughter Formation General, becoming the eye that suppresses the Monster Power.

Thereafter, after each interval, fresh sacrifices must be replenished.

For example, Chenshu, who was thrown in.

The more souls are replenished, the stronger the seal's suppression on Jin Chen becomes.

Thus protecting Chenshu is not merely because he finds this kid amusing and fun.

As his thoughts flowed, the Slaughter Formation General, having smelled the fresh soul from the opened door, already moved his form.

He stands a full three meters tall, his whole body like a small mountain, his limbs bound by massive iron chains to prevent the eye from losing control.

At this moment he rushes toward Jin Chen, and within the courtyard it's as if the earth shakes and mountains tremble, kicking up a cloud of flying dust.

Jin Chen stands at the doorway, completely disregarding him; he slightly lifts his hand, fingers curled into hooks, and the sharp, gleaming claw marks flash in the air for an instant, sweeping toward the Slaughter Formation General.

At the same time, the nine fox tails instantly elongate, each brimming with terrifying Monster Power.

"If I can't break the seal, does that mean I can't even defeat you, this monster?"

Jin Chen's voice was low and deep, like a vast, dark, icy abyss.

After just a few exchanges, the Slaughter Formation General was overturned by the fox tails, crashing down in a cloud of dust and carving out a huge pit.

The entire courtyard shuddered three times along with it.

Having failed to absorb a fresh soul and still being beaten, the Slaughter Formation General is obviously unwilling, its hollow, dark gaze fixed relentlessly on Jin Chen.

Under the seal's influence, it quickly replenished its monstrous strength, attempting to rise again.

But it's nowhere near that easy.

Jin Chen teleported, and in the blink of an eye he was beside the pit, looking down coldly at the Slaughter Formation General at its bottom.

The nine fox tails swayed in the air, Monster Power blossoming; an extremely eerie mist rose around Jin Chen, trapping the pit's surface and lingering without dispersing.

At the same time, demonic flames ignited at the bottom of the pit, instantly engulfing the struggling Killing Formation General.

Seeing that victory and defeat were settled with no room for reversal, the indestructible Killing Formation General instantly flipped and vanished, returning to the seal to await its next appearance.

The fox tail gradually retracted, and Jin Chen's cheeks flickered with strange silver-white runes, an eerie allure that quickly faded.

Chenshu, who had been watching the show and clapping his hands, preparing to appear, saw this scene, frowned slightly in puzzlement, as if pondering something, and only when Jin Chen turned around did he hastily adjust his expression.

"Great King!"

Chenshu ran to Jin Chen's side, nervously gripping his arm to check him.

"Are you hurt? The Killing Formation General looks terrifying."

Jin Chen, annoyed, tapped the boy's head, saying, "I'm not that weak."

Holding his head, he replied pitifully, "I was just... worried about the Great King."

Chenshu lowered his head uncomfortably, feeling that he had brought Jin Chen unpleasant emotions, and blamed himself.

"You should be worrying about yourself; this place is so filthy, yet you ran out barefoot."

Jin Chen also saw the boy's sincere worry, his heart stirred, and he easily lifted the boy into his arms.

Walking to the courtyard gate, he casually waved his hand.

Instantly, the dilapidated courtyard transformed, as if renewed with vitality; all furnishings and decorations became neat and tidy, and even exquisite pastries appeared on the table.

Chenshu watched these changes and, at the right moment, displayed a happy, surprised expression before Jin Chen.

No wonder this person remains emotionally stable even when trapped; he actually has this trick up his sleeve.