Xie Zhaolin was caught off guard and stumbled forward. Her pupils reflected the beast's closing fangs, her face twisted with fear.
"Ah—!"
A sharp, piercing scream ripped through the night sky. But just as the magic ape's claws were about to tear into her throat, she slipped and fell to the ground. Its fangs grazed past her hair, slicing off a few strands.
To everyone's surprise, the magic ape didn't go after her again. Its green eyes locked onto what looked like its weakest prey, but its massive body instinctively stepped back half a pace. The beast's instincts screamed that this human was dangerous.
Liu Feng stood nearby, his eyes full of dread. He'd clearly seen it just now — at the moment Xu Nanfeng shoved her, the cold smile flickering at the corner of Xie Zhaolin's lips.
"What's wrong with this damn beast?" Lu Xun snarled through clenched teeth. "It's ignoring that useless trash!"
Zhang Yuanzhi's face darkened. "It must've gotten scared! She's just stupid lucky!"
Xie Zhaolin curled up under the tree, hugging her arms and trembling like a frightened rabbit. No one noticed the second burst of powder flicking from her fingertips — this time it was Blood Frenzy Dust, which could drive a beast into a killing rage.
The magic ape let out an even more violent roar. Its eyes turned blood-red and it stopped picking targets, lashing out at everything in sight.
"Crap! It's gone mad!" Xu Nanfeng yelped, stumbling back with a gash on his arm so deep the bone was showing.
Sun Yun's talisman burst into sparks on the ape's hide. "My Binding Talisman doesn't work on it!"
The fight fell into chaos.
All five of them were Foundation Building cultivators, but against a completely berserk tier-two magic ape, they were quickly getting overwhelmed.
Lu Xun's sword strikes grew sloppier, Zhang Yuanzhi's defensive artifact was cracking, and Sun Yun was running out of talismans. As for Liu Feng, though his attacks looked heavy, he was barely using any spiritual power at all, just putting on a show.
"This isn't working!" Lu Xun suddenly shouted, his eyes flashing with malice. "Someone's gotta draw this thing away!"
Several gazes turned on Xie Zhaolin.
Xu Nanfeng immediately chimed in, "Senior Brother Lu's right! Junior Sister Xie, it's time for you to contribute to the sect!"
"You…" Xie Zhaolin backed away, terror on her face. "What are you planning?"
Sun Yun put on a fake sympathetic smile. "Don't be scared, Junior Sister. This is your honor. Giving us time to regroup is your blessing."
Zhang Yuanzhi yanked out his sword and pointed at her. "Trash should be used like trash! Go feed the beast and at least die with some value!"
Lu Xun even put on a righteous tone. "Junior Sister Xie, sacrificing yourself for the greater good is our duty as cultivators. Don't worry, we'll ask the sect for credit for you after this."
But just as Lu Xun's hand was about to grab Xie Zhaolin's collar, she suddenly moved, slipping aside with impossible speed.
Everyone blinked — the girl who should've been easy prey was already three zhang away.
"You…!" Lu Xun's hand froze midair, his face filled with disbelief.
This wasn't speed a sixth-layer Qi Refining cultivator should have!
Before they could recover, the magic ape's massive claw came crashing down.
Rip!
With a sickening tearing sound, Zhang Yuanzhi's right arm was ripped off. Blood sprayed everywhere as he screamed, the severed limb drawing an arc of red before hitting the ground with a thud.
"My arm! Ahhh!" Zhang Yuanzhi collapsed, rolling in agony.
Lu Xun didn't even get the chance to react before the magic ape slammed a paw into his chest. The crack of breaking ribs was loud and clear. He flew like a ragdoll, slammed into a tree, bounced back, and coughed up blood.
Sun Yun's scream cut off as the ape's fangs tore open her shoulder to the bone. She crumpled to the ground, her robes rapidly turning crimson.
Xu Nanfeng barely managed to raise his sword, but the ape bit through it. Shards flew and cut bloody lines across his face.
Then a paw came down, smashing him into the dirt. Nobody could tell if he was alive.
Only Liu Feng had prepared in advance, retreating the moment the ape lunged. He avoided a fatal blow, but flying stones still opened cuts along his arm.
In the blink of an eye, the four who'd been so arrogant moments ago were now groaning in pools of blood. The magic ape stood in the center, blood-red eyes scanning for any prey still moving, half a severed arm hanging from its jaws.
Xie Zhaolin stood not far away, her robes spotless, swaying gently.
She watched the scene, the corner of her lips curling. "Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, do you need a hand?"
"Bitch… it's all you…" Zhang Yuanzhi glared at her with bloodshot eyes, fresh blood still gushing from his stump. "I'll tell my master… I'll make you wish you were dead…"
Xie Zhaolin let out a soft sigh and walked up to him, her embroidered shoe landing squarely on his severed arm. She pressed down lightly.
"Ahhh!" Zhang Yuanzhi shrieked, curling up and convulsing.
"Senior Brother Zhang," her voice was sweet, almost gentle, "you're still like this and you haven't learned to shut up?"
Lu Xun and Sun Yun stared in horror.
Only now did they realize — why had the magic ape gone quiet?
They turned their heads, trembling, to see the beast actually retreating half a step from Xie Zhaolin, growling low but not daring to attack.
"Looks like…" she twirled a strand of broken hair around her finger, "even a beast knows better than some people."
Liu Feng stood at a distance, cold sweat soaking his back. He could clearly see it — the magic ape was afraid.
Afraid of Xie Zhaolin.
"You… you were faking all along?!" Lu Xun coughed blood, staring at her in disbelief. "Why? You had this strength all along…"
Sun Yun's voice shook. "It was a trap from the start, wasn't it? You lured us on purpose…"
Xie Zhaolin blinked in mock surprise, as if she'd just heard a ridiculous question. "Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, what are you saying? I'm just a little sixth-layer Qi Refining disciple, where would I get any strength?"
She chuckled, strolling forward, her shoes leaving faint marks as they stepped over blood. "I was just playing along with you, why'd you take it seriously?"
Sun Yun suddenly saw Liu Feng still standing and hope flared in her eyes. "Senior Brother Liu! Help us! You're from the Law Enforcement Hall, you can't just watch us die!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Liu Feng.
Xie Zhaolin's smile widened as she looked at him. "Yes, Senior Brother Liu, are you going to save them?"
Under the weight of all those stares, Liu Feng's face turned white as paper. He looked into her smiling but ice-cold eyes, then at the dying disciples on the ground, and slowly…
With a dull thud, he dropped to his knees.
"Your subordinate… wouldn't dare." His forehead touched the bloody ground, his voice hoarse. "Please forgive me, Master."
The world went silent.
Sun Yun's hope shattered into total despair. Lu Xun spat blood and passed out. Even Zhang Yuanzhi, still writhing from his severed arm, froze, forgetting his pain.
Xie Zhaolin let out a low laugh. She walked up to Liu Feng and used her shoe tip to lift his chin. "Good boy."
Then she turned her bright eyes to the ashen-faced Sun Yun, her tone light and cheerful. "See? Even your Senior Brother from the Law Enforcement Hall thinks you deserve to die."