Chapter Seventy-Nine: I... Love... You...

“Their seal has already been broken fifteen percent—hurry up!” Xuan Yao declared, taking the lead as her companions followed, unleashing their spiritual words. A barrage of attacks in every color rushed forth instantly.

“Oh my, challenging me, are you? All those sharp little looks make me feel so shy, so manly, you say!” Youba watched as everyone charged at him with unwavering resolve, their fierce, death-defying aura infecting him. He gently stroked his cheek, reveling in their intensity.

“Wait, something’s wrong!” Suddenly recalling something, he crouched on the ground, looking aggrieved. He seemed oblivious to the approaching attacks, drawing circles on the earth with his finger.

“You dare to attack me directly? That means I’m still not man enough! Not so manly that you fear and tremble before me. Otherwise, how could you dare such reckless acts? So sad—I'm really so sad! Not manly, not manly at all!”

As he spoke, tears began to fall from Youba’s eyes.

“You actually dare to try and move mountains as ants before me. I, the MEN, must punish you properly, but your death-seeking courage is worthy of praise—ah, I’m so conflicted, how severe should your punishment be…”

Youba twisted shyly from side to side, embarrassed. But while he was distracted, the attacks from Building A’s group arrived, startling him into shutting his eyes tight and screaming. He only felt gusts of wind brush past him, and when he opened his eyes again, he was unscathed. Everyone had bypassed him entirely, heading straight for Nuonuo.

“Hehe, really now, is it alright to so flamboyantly ignore Uncle Youba? Uncle Youba is famous for being a sensitive pretty boy…” Nuonuo continued teasing, engrossed in controlling the serpentine bone blade that savagely assaulted Mu You’s crimson golden phoenix feathers.

“Who cares about him? Let my Mu You go!” Xuan Yao shouted, seeing Mu You’s struggles weaken. Her eyes, streaked with blood and tears, shattered into a vast mist of blood, threatening to engulf Nuonuo. The others joined the assault, energy surging and roaring, astonishing to behold.

“Sister, you’re so brave. But brave ones must pay the ultimate price…” Nuonuo didn’t dodge, smiling sweetly as her dimples deepened until they seemed bottomless.

Youba, seeing himself completely disregarded, stood frozen. His affected gestures faded, and his voice returned to its robust male timbre.

“I’ve been rejected again… After all the pain I’ve endured as a condemned prisoner, all I ever wanted was for someone to notice me, just once. Now I’m an S-class peak Beast Tamer, yet you still won’t even glance at me? Why must you all reject me? Have I become so pathetic that even a glance is too much? Not manly, not manly at all!”

“Watch out!” From afar, Jing Fei, torn with indecision, cried out, “Building A, get out of the way!”

“Get out of the way? All of you, come back here!” Youba suddenly roared like a madman, his blood surging and transforming into countless sticky tentacles that instantly ensnared all those about to reach Nuonuo, slamming them back to their original positions.

“Open your eyes and look at me! Pay attention to me! I demand that you look at me, do you hear?” Youba bellowed viciously, all traces of his earlier posturing gone. Semi-transparent crimson tentacles bound everyone tightly, the more they struggled, the tighter the grip. He hauled the seventeen from Building A—all except Jing Fei—before him, forcibly prying open their eyelids and twisting their heads to face him.

“When Building A ranked its members, you all hid your powers, never showing up. Only I was present, and you made a fool of me! What, am I so beneath you as an opponent that you scorn me? Hide! Dodge! If you have the guts, keep ignoring me! Scorn me, think I’m utterly lowly! Now my powers are only eighteen percent unsealed, and all of you together are no match for me! Keep pretending, keep acting superior, look down on me if you dare!”

“What’s wrong with you? What nonsense about being scorned or not?” Hu Lei tore the tentacles from his mouth and shouted what everyone was thinking.

“Heh, now that I have the strength to make you submit, you naturally fear me and acknowledge me! Ah… what a glorious feeling it is to be strong… hehehe~” Youba’s voice switched back to a feminine lilt, raising his orchid fingers.

“You lunatic, you freak!” Hu Lei retorted, his body shining with a metallic sheen, transforming instantly into a Vajra Arhat.

“Ah! What is this—stop, ah!” Suddenly, Xuan Yao’s frightened and embarrassed cry rang out. She struggled desperately, but her strength faded while her face reddened and sweat soaked her brow. She clamped her legs together in a last, frantic defense.

“Stop! What have you done to my daughter?” Hu Lei exploded with golden light, tearing at the tentacles around him, but the more he fought, the deeper he sank.

“Didn’t you call me a freak? Let me show you what a freak can do. My precious tentacles penetrate everywhere, into every hole!” By now, Youba’s tentacle patterns had reached twenty percent activation. The tentacles binding everyone surged, their color deepening, ravaging every part of their bodies. Their suckers latched onto skin, secreting a numbing, lubricating gel, gradually drawing blood to the surface and sapping their strength.

At this point, even someone as old as Wan Yan Cang’s expression had grown awkward and embarrassed—these tentacles really could invade anything. Everyone tensed their bodies, covered their noses and shut their eyes, determined not to let the tentacles find a way in.

“I’ll kill you, you bastard!” Hu Lei, sensing the tentacles’ intentions and knowing Xuan Yao’s predicament, lashed out with mounting fury, but his spirit abilities were defensive—his attacks dissipated into nothing, leaving himself battered.

“My tentacles don’t just secrete anesthetics, you know. They can blow bubbles, too—maybe into your skin, or… your blood vessels and organs, hmm?” Youba’s expression twisted, dark and eager.

“Let go… of my sister-in-law!” Xu Chen cried, “Ice Frost—Soul Chill!” Freezing air swept over the tentacles binding Xuan Yao, temporarily immobilizing them.

Xuan Yao paused, hearing Xu Chen’s cry.

“Annoying ice attribute!” Youba sneered, waving his hand. A tentacle shot into Xu Chen’s mouth, enveloped him, and dragged him into the sea of tentacles.

“Release my daughter!” Hu Lei bit free a tentacle, roaring.

“Shut up, too!” Youba sneered, and Hu Lei vanished from sight, bound as Xu Chen had been.

With that done, the tentacles around Xuan Yao broke free and wrapped around her anew.

“So, you and that boy aren’t strangers, hmm? Looks like he’ll die soon, so I’ll send you off together, make you a couple of ghostly lovers! Ha ha ha!” Countless tentacles engulfed Xuan Yao, sucking her dry.

The suffocating pressure made Xuan Yao dizzy; the ravaging tentacles recalled her childhood, that hellish experience—the evil laughter of countless men seemed to echo ceaselessly in her ear.

She was terrified, tried to scream, but no sound came. Dimly, she heard her father’s distant shouts, merging with those fading shouts from her memories.

Father, your daughter has become your burden once more…

You once had a chance to escape. This time, because of Xuan Yao’s recklessness, you’ve been dragged down again… And everyone in Building A… How useless I am, always the burden…

If I die here, perhaps Father will finally be freed…

Thinking this, Xuan Yao’s tears overflowed. Before they could fall, the tentacles absorbed them.

“Hang in there, Sister-in-law! We still have to save Mu You!” Suddenly, amid the cold tentacles, a pair of warm hands clasped Xuan Yao’s, and Xu Chen’s persistent shout echoed.

Sister-in-law…

“You don’t hate me? I dragged you all down. If not for me…”

“What are you saying, Sister-in-law? Weren’t you also trying to save Brother Mu?” Xu Chen interrupted her.

Sister-in-law…

Those words struck like thunder, shattering years of Xuan Yao’s suppressed feelings.

Sob… ah, sob…

Xuan Yao looked at her hands, crying harder and harder until her grief tore at her heart.

A woman defiled, what right did she have to be the beloved of such an outstanding young man? She didn’t want to become the laughingstock that would bring shame to Mu You. She couldn’t even forgive herself, let alone risk making herself his burden again—she’d only hurt him! Someone as remarkable as him deserved the company of a dazzling woman like An Ru Xiang. And she—what was she?

But… but why did her chest ache so much, bleeding with pain? She couldn’t bear to let him go, even as she denied herself.

“Sister-in-law, hang on! I’m coming for you!” Xu Chen fought desperately, freezing the tentacles around him to buy time for Xuan Yao and Hu Lei.

“I’ve caused you all this harm—what right do I have to join you in saving… him…” Xuan Yao’s heart bled.

“What are you talking about? We’re companions! Isn’t that what companions do—lick each other’s wounds, support each other?”

Companions…

Xuan Yao suddenly opened her tear-stained eyes wide.

“Silly child, you are your father’s greatest pride. No matter who you are, I support you unconditionally. In this world, what parent wouldn’t believe in their child? I believe in you, always…”

Another pair of warm hands grasped Xuan Yao.

“Yes, I believe in Sister-in-law, and so does Brother Mu. He saved your life—don’t give up. When he was losing his mind, he didn’t give up either!” Xu Chen roared.

Boom, boom, boom!

Outside the tentacles, attacks never ceased. The rest of Building A fought madly, shouting the names of the three within.

“Hang on, Xu Chen!”

“Hu Lei, Xuan Yao, endure! Damn it, die!”

“Xuan Yao, hang in there! Mu You is waiting for us to save him!”

“Sister-in-law, companion, pride, and… Mu You.”

Xuan Yao murmured these words, clenching her fists. Her bangs hid her face, but a tsunami of fierce determination surged within her.

So what if she was a burden?

So what if her spiritual abilities were mediocre?

So what if her body had been defiled?

Her companions were by her side, her father always believed in her, and the love of her life was still fighting to protect them all—she had no excuse to give up!

She couldn’t stop here, never! She had to save her companions, her father, and him…

A flash of inspiration struck her mind—a boy’s mischievous grin appeared before her.

Mu You!

Even if she vanished, she would rescue him. Even if she died, she would let him live, let everyone live.

She, Xuan Yao, had been a burden her whole life. Now, at least once, she would ‘show off’ to everyone, just as her name implied.

Mu You, don’t forget me—I am Xuan Yao, and I love you~~~~

Xuan Yao smiled poignantly, her body suddenly taut, then erupted with a brilliant, blood-red spiritual light!