After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Severe Injuries

Before she dies, she will release the Puppet Seal.

“Kill her or not?”

“I’m afraid killing her will invite trouble.”

“But we’re already in trouble! Since it’s come to this, we might as well pull up the roots!” The man who had been blasted in the face by Yu Yingxia’s lightning stepped forward, his voice trembling with rage.

The attack hadn’t done much physical damage, but it had wounded his pride. He was a far superior cultivator, yet he’d been knocked out of a tree like a common bird. He had endured the ridicule of his peers all the way here; he was going to have his revenge.

[Even if her backers use a life-tablet to retrace her final moments, all they’ll see is a Qian clansman doing the deed,] he transmitted to his companions.

With no further objections, he raised his blade, aiming the sharp edge at Yu Yingxia’s throat.

The figure curled on the ground seemed to be in the throes of a seizure. She was deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat, and looked utterly defenseless. They didn’t know what had happened to her, but it was a stroke of luck—she had been unexpectedly fast for someone of her level.

“Great news! The Master says the plan is a success! That person can no longer make waves—the pillar is proof that the Master has suppressed Yan Huaixi!”

At the sound of that voice, Yu Yingxia, whose consciousness was blurred by pain, twitched her fingers. She forced her eyes open, desperate to hear their conversation.

“Hurry up, we need to regroup with the Master.”

“I know!” The executioner didn’t hesitate. With a feral expression, he swung his blade down toward her neck.

But to everyone’s shock, his blade was parried by a flash of red light just inches from her skin. Not only that, but a terrifying force erupted from her, a counter-shockwave that slammed into the attacker.

His blade shattered into pieces, and he was sent hurtling backward. He smashed through several trees, the sound of breaking wood echoing like thunder, before finally coming to a stop far in the distance.

His companions rushed to check on him, but he was already dead—eyes wide, life and soul extinguished. He still wore the savage grin he’d had when he tried to kill her.

A cold shiver ran through the group. Simultaneously, a faint white mist began to drift through the air, blurring their surroundings.

The half-dead Yu Yingxia suddenly stood up. Though still pale, she no longer looked like she was on the verge of death.

“It’s a trap!” The survivors were panicked. Their comrade hadn’t been weak, yet he’d been killed in one shot. Whoever was protecting her had to be far stronger than them!

Yu Yingxia stood there as if she had lured them into this trap on purpose. In reality, it was the protective energy Yan Huaixi had left in her, but the enemies couldn’t tell the difference. Using Yan Huaixi’s power to “borrow the tiger’s skin,” Yu Yingxia put on a show of calm strength. Terrified, the remaining men turned and fled, fearing they would be next.

Only when they were gone did she allow her composure to slip. She looked at the black pillar of light in the distance. The aura it radiated made it hard to breathe. The Puppet Seal told her that Yan Huaixi was in a very bad state.

What can I even do?

BOOM!

A massive explosion rocked the Soul Tower.

Yu Yingxia’s pupils shrank. Countless “pustules” erupted from the black pillar, and a second later, they burst, releasing a swarm of black tentacles.

That was Yan Zheng’s power, but to Yu Yingxia’s surprise, the tentacles targeted his own men. The fleeing survivors were skewered before they could even realize what was happening. Their flesh and souls were sucked dry in an instant.

Yu Yingxia backed away, fearing she was next. But red runes suddenly flared at the base of the tentacles, tightening like glowing chains. The runes grew more vivid as they strangled the corruption, eventually severing the rampaging tentacles at the source.

Yu Yingxia clutched her heart; the discomfort was becoming unbearable.

She tried to think. The only one strong enough to intervene was Fang Yuetong, but she was too far away—and even if she came, she might kill them both. System? Useless.

The only hope was Yan Qingxu.

Yu Yingxia pulled out the secret manual. “Yan Qingxu, the last descendant of your family is in danger. I want to help her, but I’m too weak. Can you hear me?”

She shook the book, she pleaded, she whispered. For half a minute, there was nothing.

Then, the severed tentacles on the ground dissolved into points of black light and were absorbed into the book. The manual began to glow with a soft, white radiance. Yu Yingxia tried to grab it, but her hand passed right through.

The book dissolved into stardust and condensed into a small, warm ball of light in her hand. The death energy that had been pressing in on her was instantly pushed back three meters. This tiny orb held an incredible power.

“Senior… Yan?”

There was no voice. Yan Qingxu’s soul fragment had likely been exhausted during their last conversation. This was the final dregs of the manual’s power.

The light merged into Yu Yingxia’s body. The agonizing pain in her heart vanished instantly. Her breathing steadied, and though the Puppet Seal remained, the negative feedback loop was broken.

The orb leaped from her hand, hovering in the air. It spun a thread of light around her wrist and conjured a soft cloud to lift her off the ground. It couldn’t speak, but Yu Yingxia understood: Let’s go help the Yan girl kill Yan Zheng.

“I’m counting on you,” she whispered.

The orb carried her across the realm at incredible speed, shattering any undead that dared to get in their way. It didn’t go into the tower but flew directly into the black pillar of light. Upon its entry, the pillar already strained began to crack, leaking blood-red energy.

Inside the tower, the battle had leveled the first and second floors. Amidst the chaos, a red shadow and a black shadow were locked in a stalemate. The black power was swallowing the red, yet the red was so sharp that it cut the black from within, preventing total consumption.

The ghost-shadow was fading, revealing the man inside he was heavily wounded. Opposite him, Yan Huaixi’s red dress was soaked through with blood. Because of the color, it was hard to tell just how much she was bleeding.

This was the most restricted fight of her life. Every move she made was dampened to a fraction of its power. It was sickening. But she fought with a desperate, practiced frenzy. She was used to fighting harder the more she bled. Even a madman like Yan Zheng felt a sliver of fear at her tenacity.

He was waiting for her to exhaust herself. She knew his plan, but she had a final move: the moment she died, she would take him with her.

Only… the Puppet Seal linked her life to Yu Yingxia’s.

Yan Huaixi looked at the invisible thread on her pinky finger. Her crimson eyes softened. She had always kept the seal as a precaution because Yu Yingxia was hiding secrets from her, but now it was a burden.

If I can’t walk out of here, I will at least give her back her freedom.

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