LongFei could easily sense MengYao's bloodlust directed at BaiXue. It made his heart thump wildly and uncontrollably in urgency. However, he could not seem to break out of the obsessive thoughts about FengJiao in his mind that held him there.
His face scrunched up in annoyance and agony. His mind compelled him to fly back to tend to FengJiao and give her the cure-all antidote. His heart warned him that there was something else far more important than FengJiao that he had to attend to right now.
All of a sudden, the softest yet most significant cry of pain in his life reached his ears, and struck a chord within him. It snapped him back to the present and he looked towards the source of it. The sight of a maroon rabbit all curled up into a ball and shivering uncontrollably with a black phoenix nearing dangerously close to her made him see red and lose his mind in a panic. He flew at the fastest speed he could go and the sound was like cutting through wind itself.
MengYao fanned out flames the moment BaiXue was in his range. Within the next moment, LongFei appeared in his line of fire and swung his tail powerfully. The strength of his swing was so strong that the wind generated from it blew MengYao's flames back towards him and knocked MengYao back a short distance away.
LongFei was so enraged that he roared out in anger and spewed out flames that was twice the size of MengYao. Although MengYao surrounded himself with his fire shield while flying desperately out of its range, he could not escape unscathed this time. The biting cold from LongFei's flames was especially strong just as it was big. It weakened and seeped through his shield. He suffered significant burns and collapsed into the sea of trees below him, breaking tons of trees in his wake.
LongFei huffed then turned back to find BaiXue. Although it surprised him to no longer find her where he last saw her at, he quickly spotted her again a little distance away. However, she was still in the same state that she was in earlier. Only this time, there was a badly injured nine-tailed fox right in front of her. He immediately inferred their exchange and flew down to BaiXue's side.
LongFei gently blew out cold air. His light blue aura glistened as it surrounded BaiXue, before fading away. Being brought up to be the strongest, LongFei had been taught the way to use his aura to resist and dispel the nine-tailed fox hallucination magic. It was something his ancestors had perfected. However, this was his first time trying it, so he was still a little nervous about its effectiveness. He held his breath while he monitored BaiXue's condition.
The pain disappeared as suddenly and randomly as it had appeared. It was replaced by a different kind of cold. The cold was no longer biting but refreshing. So refreshing that it cleared her mind completely and broke the control FenFang had over her senses. Without thinking much about how it happened, BaiXue opened her eyes and went for FenFang's neck.
Just before she could bite down, she was held back and pulled away like she was a rabid rabbit on the loose. At the same time, black flames covered where she was previously at. MengYao appeared soon after and everyone was finally gathered at the scene.
MengYao was enraged when he saw how LongFei protectively stood by BaiXue's side. "I thought you cared about FengJiao! Didn't you protect the village with her?"
"How is that even relevant?"
"Because the culprit is the person you're protecting now!"
"Impossible."
"How can you be so sure? Were you with her every moment of the day?"
"..." LongFei frowned. He knew that there were indeed times when he was not with her but he was sure that she could not go down the mountain by herself. Even if she did, he believed that he would be sharp enough to notice.
However, his mind once again became gripped in uncertainty. A sliver of doubt appeared in his mind. /What if she actually could go down now that she has a mystical form?/
His brows furrowed even more as the doubt in him grew uncontrollably. He instinctively looked at BaiXue, wishing to seek solace, and found a pair of calm and clear grey eyes looking back at him. His heart felt calmed and it thumped steady and strong for her. It helped him fight against the paranoia in him.
BaiXue looked past LongFei's fierce and intimidating expression to study the doubt and struggle in his eyes. Knowing the mental struggle he must be in, she concluded that he could no longer help her. So, she focused entirely on how she could kill FenFang before she was offered up on a silver platter to MengYao. /One more hit is all it takes... It's now or never./
BaiXue subtly contracted the muscles in her hind legs.
"You... Did you li-"
BOOM!
The loud explosion shocked everyone still, especially BaiXue who was the closest to the source of it.
/What's he up to now?/ BaiXue looked at LongFei with wide incredulous eyes.
LongFei had his face half buried into the ground, indicating the strength he had put into his headbutt.
When BaiXue had so nonchalantly broke their eye contact to look elsewhere, complicated feelings arose inside him. He felt abandoned for it seemed that she still did not care if he was there or not. He felt disappointed for it seemed like she did not care if he believed in her or not. He also felt guilty for even doubting her. Despite it all, he could not stop the words from leaving his mouth.
Refusing to allow even his words and behaviour to further betray and accuse BaiXue, which would further lower her opinion of him, he slammed his head into the ground, hoping that it would stop himself. At this point, he did not care if he looked ridiculous to everyone else.
LongFei lifted his head and shook the dirt off his face.
MengYao decided to make his move while LongFei was distracted. He flapped his wings and flames flew towards BaiXue. BaiXue's ears twitched. After using her hearing like she did earlier, it was as if she unlocked a new skill and she could detect sounds really easily. This time, besides the roar of the flames, there was a swifter and quieter sound of something thin slicing through the air.
Just as BaiXue jumped up high to dodge whatever was hiding among the flames, LongFei opened his eyes and swished his tail. The same thing from before happened again. Everything was reflected back towards MengYao. MengYao kicked off the ground into the sky to dodge. So, everything headed towards FenFang instead.
FenFang had been silently edging away from the trio, hoping to escape their notice. As a result, the flames dispersed just as it singed the tips of her tails. However, before she could feel relieved, she caught sight of MengYao's sharp black feathers that had been hidden among the flames. Her pupils constricted. She shrieked when the feathers pierced into her tails, bum, and back. "Noooo!!"
FenFang quickly shook and removed the feathers off of her body. But it was too late. A gradual burning sensation began from where she was pierced and spread throughout her entire body. FenFang's eyes turned red and watery. She knew the torture that she was about to suffer.
The sweltering hot sensation slowly spread from head to toe, then gradually increased in intensity. She was basically getting cooked from the inside, in an excruciatingly slow manner. The pain from her all previous injuries could not compare to it. She began to roll around on the floor as if attempting to put out a nonexistent flame. Her body also started to convulse as tears covered her face.
LongFei witnessed the pain that FenFang was put through. /BaiXue could have been the one./ His eyes turned red as his anger continued to rise.
Dead silence that was only broken by FenFang's cries stretched for what seemed like eternity. MengYao and BaiXue could feel LongFei's increasingly dense killing intent and no one dared to move lest they would trigger him.
For once, BaiXue truly had no idea what LongFei would do. She believed wholeheartedly that he would somehow fulfill his role as the second male lead, and that would not spell anything good for her. However, his recent and current behaviour completely baffled her.
"We leave." LongFei finally spoke.
BaiXue was at a loss for words. It would make sense if he was talking to MengYao because that would mean they would be going to save FengJiao. However, she somehow felt that it was directed at her.
Not minding her lack of response as usual, he continued in a slightly gentler tone, "Let's go." Everyone could still hear his concealed and suppressed anger, especially when his killing intent had not subsided in the least.
He curled around BaiXue's body, ready to carry her away, but she jumped out before he could secure his hold on her.
"I'm not done with what I have to do." BaiXue insisted on staying to accomplish her mission.
"Do you think I don't want to finish off that insolent bird?! I'm only leaving because it's not safe for you!" LongFei bit out harshly.
BaiXue frowned and stubbornly stayed in her defensive stance against him, ready to take off if he tried going after her.
"WHY do you have to do it?" LongFei asked through gritted teeth.
BaiXue got a little stumped by his question. /Why?/
"... I... I just..."
Her body slackened and she blinked blankly. /Why have I been trying so hard all these time? I'm already dead. My family's no longer with me./
LongFei patiently waited for her to answer while MengYao did not dare to interfere. He may be hot headed but he knew not to rush to his death. LongFei was currently a ticking time bomb as compared to any moment before this.
BaiXue's image of Desmond suddenly overlapped with the image of the original soul's older brother. The following words slipped out of her mouth in the smallest and most timid voice before she could comprehend it, "My brother... was proud of me."
/Even though I was nothing, till the moment I died. Till now./ Tears slowly gathered in her eyes as she processed what she said and thought.
LongFei could see the tears gathering in her eyes. His heart felt like it got clenched in a tight grip. He asked her in a strained voice, "Even if it means you'll die for it...?"
BaiXue stared into his pained eyes then nodded resolutely.
LongFei's face reflected the conflict and turmoil inside him. He really wanted to give BaiXue what she wanted. He knew that he would be able to protect her, but his gut feeling that told him that things will not end well had not gone away. Every cell in his body was dying to whisk her away and keep her locked up and safe, even more so now that he no longer felt the annoying voice and compulsive thoughts he had about FengJiao. Nothing else seemed to matter anymore but BaiXue.
However, he wanted her to be happy too.
Another period of silence dragged on while LongFei and BaiXue looked into each other's eyes. One pair held a gaze that was firm with no intention of backing down. The other pair held an intense but complicated gaze, resulting from the struggle between two intense desires.
He finally took a look at FenFang's current condition. /One hit is all it takes to end her life. Just one hit. Just a few seconds. But what if that few seconds is all it takes for things to go awry? I can't take the risk. I can't lose her. I can't./
"Please?" BaiXue somehow felt that she was losing this battle, so she asked him once more.
/No, don't ask me this nicely. Please, don't./ LongFei hung his head low. Finally, he whispered his reply in a mournful voice, "I'll do my best to back you up."
BaiXue smiled slightly to show her gratitude. Then, they both took off in sync before MengYao could understand what was going on.
The impact of BaiXue's jump created yet another crater in the ground. LongFei kept up with her movement to keep himself between MengYao and BaiXue, and he fired the largest fire he could manage. BaiXue had already made her body as streamlined as possible, so that she would go faster. However, MengYao and LongFei were still faster. In that short distance she covered between her position to FenFang's writhing body, they had exchanged enough blows to cover the forest in black and blue flames. A sudden burst of speed boosted MengYao and he finally appeared by BaiXue's side just as she spun in mid-air to land on her hind legs. LongFei spat out even stronger flames to force MengYao to take a detour, then speedily positioned himself between MengYao and BaiXue once again. LongFei swung his tail and the strong gale threw MengYao back into the trees. This time MengYao was driven deeper into the ground as compared to before. SPLAT! The sound of a body being squash
Luna opened her eyes and found herself back in the same dark black space. "Luna?" "..." "Luna? Are you okay?" BaoBao was worried that being impaled reminded her of the way she died in the second world. "Mm." Luna did not feel like talking and simply floated in space with a spaced out look. "Luna? You can sleep like the last time if you need to." BaoBao remembered that she did not have much rest in the night before the final showdown with FenFang. Luna finally noticed BaoBao's worries so she reassured him, "I'm fine BaoBao. That death was nothing compared to the second world's. Also, it was more torturous fighting the fake LongFei. This death is really not too bad." "Then... What's wrong?" BaoBao looked at her with worried eyes and gently touched her forearm. Luna blinked her eyes in surprise. Although she was not thinking about anything in particular and had told him that she was fine, BaoBao was now a
Luna opened her eyes to find herself in complete darkness. If not for the intense ravenous hunger she was feeling, she would have thought that she was still in the same space from before. This hunger, unlike the previous world's, drove her crazy. She clenched her jaw and fists hard. It took up all the self control she had to prevent herself from going berserk and going on a rampage. What made matters worse was that she smelt a tantalizing meal nearby. Feeling it odd, she wanted to know what she was dealing with first before she did anything. /BaoBao!/ BaoBao immediately knew that she was ready to receive the information and so stimulated the memories of this body. The original soul of this body was a human named Vanora. An only child born to a poor but happy couple. Her parents did all they could to provide her the best but that did not mean they spoilt her. She had to earn it by helping out with the household and work. Her father was a
While Luna processed the memories, the golden specks in her eyes started to glow, making her irises look golden instead of grey. Her round pupils turned into sharp slits. Her breathing became irregular. [Lu- Luna?] BaoBao called out worriedly. However, he did not get a reply. [Luna!] Just as he yelled out her name again, he heard Luna's thoughts and saw the flashback she experienced. It was the eve of a new year. She was only 12 years old then. Just as they did so every year, her family was gathered in her father's study where her parents would review their results for the whole year. Luna knew without needing to be told that she was the only one who made no improvements in any aspect of herself whatsoever. Like she anticipated, her siblings were commended for doing well even in areas that were not their talents. Although her parents also commended Luna for being the most earnest, sincere
/For now, we can be sure that my body statistics seems enhanced. Strength, agility, speed, and all of my senses except for touch./ [And your appetite.] BaoBao added on. /What? Why?/ [... You finished an entire deer. In one sitting. Without a break!] /I did?/ Vanora looked beside her and stared speechlessly at the pile of bones. Before she knew it, she was already cooking what was left of the deer. /Oh dear./ In all the previous worlds, she would have preserved it and the deer would have lasted her days. /You're right./ [Not like you'd have a problem hunting anyway.] /... True. It's not that time consuming./ She was about to take another bite into the blue-rare meat when she heard a strange sound of air churning and warping in itself above her. She looked up warily. A man with short raven black hair and blood red ey
Her eyes glowed golden and her irises became sharp slits in the instant before she would die at his hands. Something told her to punch her hardest down into the ground at a specific spot. She followed her gut instinct and did so. The ground cracked and broke then flew upwards towards all his apparitions while she fell into the resulting crater. All of his apparitions got pierced or hit, except one. The remaining one dodged everything and easily made use of the debris to make his way towards her. She gritted her teeth hard and growled. Acting purely on instinct, she prepared to meet his attack head on. She habitually brought forth the spiritual energy in her body not knowing if the bodies of this world had it or not. Indigo flames suddenly covered her body but she felt no pain. Without a pause in her actions, she manipulated the flames to flare out and jump out around her randomly then build their way towards him. His eyes slightly widened in surprise but he soo
BaoBao quietly enjoyed the pair's interaction. He found it interesting and amusing. Vlad's quirkiness kept throwing Vanora off and distracting her from her objective. She accepted his help faster and easier than she normally would, she has completely forgotten about his kiss on her neck, and he made her forget about her insecurities. Just as he got comfortable with being the spectator, Vlad's next move alerted BaoBao. Based on his understanding of Vanora, she would not like what he was about to do. [Uhmm... You might want to look up. Now.] Vanora sensed the urgency in BaoBao's voice, so she immediately did as he suggested. Vlad's face filled her entire vision. Her heart jumped. Before her mind registered what was happening, her hand instinctively flew up and roughly pushed his chin up. Vlad looked down at her from the corner of his eye. "What's wrong?" "What's wrong? What are you doing?" "You blushed. Do you know how inviting
Vlad felt like his never-ending hunger was finally satiated and thirst finally quenched. This feeling of completeness was so amazing and sudden that it surprised him. How could it compare to what he felt when he saw that fake angel? He began to take pride in the fact that she was one of the rare created demons that kept her senses. He studied her more closely. There was clarity in her eyes and not crazed madness. Her aura was a perfect stable hue of murky red. He wondered about the object of her hate, but that was something he could find out later. More importantly, it meant that her power would be stable. She would not have to struggle with the issue of fleeting emotions. She was definitely not someone simple. This led to his curiosity about her ability, identity, and behaviour. He knew how eating was like an addictive drug to demons like her and how the quality of meat was like the quality of a drug. So, he could guess that the meat tasted passable at best. Why wou