After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: No Hesitation

She thrust the sword into Yu Yingxia’s heart without a single moment of doubt.

“What nonsense are you talking—mmph!” As soon as Yu Yingxia opened her mouth, an invisible force clamped shut over it.

Yan Huaixi’s hands, hidden beneath her sleeves, tightened slightly. The sharp sting of her fingernails against her palms forced her to calm down instantly.

“Heh.” She let out a sudden, cold laugh. The crimson in her eyes churned, and a bone-chilling killing intent instantly flooded the cramped, dilapidated space.

Even Yan Zheng, faced with such a visceral eruption of murderous aura, couldn’t help but take a half-step back.

For a thousand years, he had watched the Yan family crumble into insignificance. He hadn’t expected that a thousand years later, a junior with talent rivalling Yan Qingxu would emerge. But only someone like this could provide the final missing piece for his ascension to immortality!

Within the man-sized mass of black fog, two red lights flickered like bloody eyes. Behind that glow lay his unbridled greed.

It was a stroke of luck that, for reasons unknown, no one including this genius could learn the original techniques passed down by Yan Qingxu. If Yan Huaixi had mastered that manual, he would have had no choice but to remain in hiding.

But now? So what if she was a genius? Even if she were only half a step from the Great Dao, as long as she practiced the standard Yan family arts and carried the Yan bloodline, her power would be utterly suppressed by him!

The Soul Tower was the perfect stage for his performance. For this, he really had to thank the “Protector Yu” at his feet. Without her, it would have been difficult to find such a perfect opening.

As a reward, he would ensure Yu Yingxia died quickly at Yan Huaixi’s hands.

As for any actual rewards or titles? Yan Zheng never intended to give them to her. He knew that once Yan Huaixi learned the “truth,” she would surely kill Yu Yingxia. He wouldn’t waste energy trying to save a pawn.

Yu Yingxia’s misery was unspeakable. Yan Zheng clearly didn’t want her to talk. If his lies truly enraged Yan Huaixi and made her believe she had been betrayed, Yu Yingxia would die with a grievance that could reach the heavens!

Talk about a disaster falling from the sky. She noted this mentally: This guy better never fall into my hands!

But for now, all she could do was hurl silent insults. She had hit the ground hard and was in pain, but she couldn’t even stand; Yan Zheng’s power was pinning her to the floor.

Yu Yingxia struggled to lift her head, trying to communicate with her eyes, but the woman across from them seemed to have gone mad with rage. Seeing Yan Huaixi smile in such a moment, Yu Yingxia could only interpret it as being so angry she had looped back to laughter.

“So… she was your person all along.” Yan Huaixi’s frigid gaze landed on Yan Zheng. After that initial flicker of shock, she showed no more panic—only blatant loathing.

“Indeed. It wasn’t easy planting someone by your side,” Yan Zheng’s laughter became more unrestrained.

Yu Yingxia made muffled “mmph” sounds. Yan Zheng glanced at her and said in a gratified tone, “You did well. Once we return, I will grant you everything I promised. The position of Protector will be yours, along with other rewards. After all, being a mole by her side all these years was no small feat.”

He then transmitted his voice to the panicked Yu Yingxia: [Don’t think I don’t know about your little side-dealings. If you want to live, shut up. Since you were helpful, I might give you a path to survival.]

Yu Yingxia froze. Yan Zheng, assuming she had submitted, turned back to Yan Huaixi. “You see for yourself. This place is a trap specifically for you. You can’t even exert half your strength here. Surrender, and I’ll give you a chance at reincarnation.”

“Do you think I’d believe you? This may be our first meeting, but the Yan ancestors recorded your ‘deeds’ to warn every generation.” Yan Huaixi produced a pipa made of a material like red jade, its body shimmering like flowing blood.

She plucked a string. The crisp note transformed into a blade of energy that surged toward Yan Zheng. He mobilized his power to dissolve the attack. The sonic wave carved a long trench into the floor, finally stopping less than half a meter from his feet.

The edges of the black shadow were frayed by the impact, momentarily revealing the soul-body within.

Yan Zheng’s laughter died. The black, flame-like shadows retracted slightly, mirroring his darkening mood. Yan Huaixi was more troublesome than he had anticipated.

In that heartbeat of hesitation, Yan Huaixi vanished. Yan Zheng’s face changed, and he threw up a barrier without a second thought.

The next instant, a red blur appeared before the barrier. A tidal wave of sound, heavy as a blood-red sea, slammed into him! The barrier creaked. He was stunned even with his innate suppression of her power, her attack was this potent. He shuddered to think what she would do to anyone else.

However… given the scale of that attack, it was clear Yan Huaixi intended to kill Yu Yingxia as well.

Yan Zheng felt a twinge of disappointment. If Yan Huaixi had truly cared for the girl as she had seemed to on the road, he could have held her life as a trump card. But she was the Yan Huaixi he knew: cold-blooded, suspicious, and willing to kill a thousand innocents to catch one traitor. In that regard, she was very much like him.

Look, she’s going to kill you.

Yan Zheng’s voice rang in Yu Yingxia’s mind again. She was startled, but quickly played along, letting a look of terror wash over her face.

She was indeed frightened. Yan Huaixi hadn’t looked at her once, and the sheer power of the attacks made her heart tremble with fear. But that didn’t mean she would let this despicable man drive a wedge between them!

[If you want to live, you can’t just sit here. I gave you a treasure; you know what to do.] Yan Zheng held off the tsunami of sound. He had originally planned to let Yu Yingxia strike first before appearing, but after noticing her “little movements” earlier, he suspected she might defect to Yan Huaixi and forced the plan forward.

He still didn’t have total certainty in this battle, so he had to squeeze every bit of use out of everyone.

Yu Yingxia thought of the poisonous finger bone, but she had already given that “gift” to Yin Duo. She attempted her first voice transmission, haltingly establishing a link with Yan Zheng. He assumed she was simply too terrified to speak clearly and didn’t suspect her.

I… I know what to do. Undo my restraints first, and I’ll find a way to get close to her. To get free, Yu Yingxia was forced to play the part.

As expected, talking to smart people is easy, Yan Zheng praised. Don’t worry, I will protect you the whole time.

Yu Yingxia lowered her head, hiding the cold light in her eyes.

Thinking he had a secret weapon, Yan Zheng felt much lighter. He began chanting, and a freezing black mist rose from the floor. Countless vengeful spirits crawled out. Yan Huaixi’s music couldn’t deal lethal damage to them; even when sliced apart, they regenerated in breaths.

Yan Huaixi’s attacks shattered the surrounding walls. The entire third floor was leveled, leaving only the outer shell of the tower standing. If the Soul Tower weren’t a legendary immortal artifact, the clash between two masters at the peak of cultivation would have reduced the place to dust.

A red shadow and a black shadow traded blows at speeds invisible to the naked eye. The very space around them warped under the collision of power.

On the surface, the red power seemed dominant, its momentum vast and roaring. But only the combatants understood the exhaustion hidden beneath that terrifying display.

Yan Huaixi finally understood how Yan Zheng had caused such a massacre during the family’s peak. Her power was rapidly dissolved whenever it touched his; she could only exert thirty percent of her true strength! In a fight between equals, this was a death sentence.

Yan Zheng had sacrificed his own kin to find a twisted path to immortality, and his self-created techniques were tethered to that malice. Yan Huaixi’s orthodox arts were perfectly countered. Had she learned the techniques of the Gate of Longevity instead, Yan Zheng would be a puddle on the floor by now.

Now, she had to strike with force that exceeded his ability to dissolve it. It was the only way to do damage. But it wasn’t sustainable. She stole a glance at Yu Yingxia, who was tethered to Yan Zheng’s side, then forced herself to look away.

Yu Yingxia fumbled in her storage bag, eventually “drawing” a fake item inside to fool the eye.

Yan Zheng feigned exhaustion, beginning to retreat. Yan Huaixi narrowed her eyes. She knew he wasn’t that fragile; even after being sealed for ages, he hadn’t fallen below his current realm. He wouldn’t lose this quickly.

When things are strange, there’s a demon afoot. She plucked the strings again, every note screaming with lethal intent, though these were merely feints.

Yan Huaixi used the music to tear a hole in his defense. The moment he exposed a flaw, she closed the distance. The red jade pipa glowed with a deep, eerie light, and she drew a sword made of condensed soul power from its frame, slashing at Yan Zheng like a bolt of crimson lightning.

She was fast—so fast he almost couldn’t react. In the desperate split second, he decisively yanked the freed Yu Yingxia in front of him to act as a shield.

Yu Yingxia didn’t even have time to curse his cowardice before the soul-sword was upon her. Finally, her eyes met Yan Huaixi’s. But all she saw in those eyes was killing intent and resolve. The sword did not falter because a “shield” had been added.

Faced with imminent death, Yu Yingxia’s mind went blank. She ignored Yan Zheng’s frantic shouting.

“I am not her. I never betrayed you.”

Yu Yingxia didn’t know if her voice reached her, but she didn’t want to die with such a misunderstanding. Then, the sword plunged through her and into the black shadow behind her.

A cry of agony erupted from behind her. Even a grazing blow from that blade caused the sensation of a soul being shredded.

The sword pierced Yu Yingxia’s chest. She closed her eyes in despair.

But a moment later, she opened them again, blinking in confusion.

Strange. Why doesn’t it hurt?

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