12.
A dozen minutes later, his enormous tail flung me away, and I plummeted to the ground.
He… was strong.
It looked like I couldn’t beat him.
Minh Uyên ran over to help me up, but I raised a hand to stop him.
“I’m fine.”
Getting beaten so badly in front of Minh Uyên—wouldn’t that be humiliating?
I brushed the dust off myself, drew my magical weapon, and prepared to charge in again.
I hadn’t gone more than a few steps when Minh Uyên grabbed my arm. “Ruyi, wait. Don’t be reckless.”
He looked up at the enraged Hoàng Tiên. His usually calm expression had turned serious. “Give me the Demon-Subduing Mirror.”
I turned to him in surprise. “What are you going to do?”
Minh Uyên smiled at me. “It’s been a long time since we fought together. I may be a little rusty, so I hope Master Ruyi will bear with me.”
Right now, only a wisp of his demon soul remained, dwelling in Lâm Nguyện’s body. He could wield very little demonic power.
Before, he’d been able to handle those paper figures, but how could I feel at ease letting him fight Hoàng Tiên alongside me now?
What would I do if something happened to him?
So I started to refuse. “No. Stay here and wait. Watch me beat him!”
After saying that, I prepared to charge in again, but Minh Uyên still held my arm tightly and wouldn’t let go.
I turned to look at him.
Minh Uyên smiled. “What? You think I can’t handle it?”
His tone and attitude were exactly like mine before we entered this house. Even now, he still had the nerve to joke around with me.
Clearly, our attitude had enraged Hoàng Tiên too.
“You dare flirt while dueling me?”
Me: “…”
I wanted to explain, but he clearly wasn’t listening. His enormous hand swung down toward us.
I pulled Trần Linh back to dodge the blow, while Minh Uyên hurriedly leaped aside.
Through the billowing dust, he and I exchanged a look. Then I drew the Demon-Subduing Mirror and tossed it to him. “Catch!”
The Demon-Subduing Mirror was originally his magical weapon, and it would be more effective in his hands than in mine.
I ushered Trần Linh, who was on the verge of having her soul scattered, into a hiding place. “Hide in there, and stay safe!”
Then I nodded to Minh Uyên, and we charged at Hoàng Tiên together.
13.
I’d truly underestimated Minh Uyên. Even with only a fraction of his demon soul left, his strength was still terrifying.
With his help, I could finally hold my own against Hoàng Tiên.
Still, neither of us had gained the upper hand yet.
But soon, I discovered his weakness… the little weasel.
I kept attacking his legs, and Hoàng Tiên could only grit his teeth and take the hits to protect his son.
Before long, he was wounded.
“Despicable!”
I laughed. “Thanks!”
He probably didn’t know that Vân Như Ý had never fought fair.
Was his son’s life the only one that mattered? Didn’t my life matter too?
He kept trying to kill me, after all!
Minh Uyên struck down at him and said, “Let’s end this quickly!”
After a few more exchanges, Hoàng Tiên was thoroughly on the defensive.
I bound his right arm with the demon-binding cord, while Minh Uyên restrained his left.
Hoàng Tiên was now under control. All that remained was the final blow.
“Let me help you!”
Trần Linh’s voice rang out from below.
I looked down in alarm. I saw her take off the bracelet on her wrist and hurl it at Hoàng Tiên.
She had pretty good aim—it hit him right between the eyes.
Hoàng Tiên’s enormous body suddenly went still. A few seconds later, he crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud.
…
Minh Uyên went to check on the old yellow weasel and the little one.
I stood in front of Trần Linh, studying her with a stern expression.
Trần Linh shrank her neck. “What are you looking at?”
I asked her, “Why did you suddenly think of throwing your bracelet at him?”
Trần Linh scratched her head. “I don’t know either. I just had a feeling you might need help, and I didn’t have anything handy, so I figured I’d snatch off my bracelet and throw it over. I heard the little weasel say it was pretty powerful, too.”
I smirked. “You sure got lucky. You actually hit him.”
Trần Linh smiled sheepishly. “I’m just glad I could help.”
I looked at her bare wrist. “What will you do now without your bracelet?”
Trần Linh: “I don’t know. I’ll just take things as they come.”
Seeing her dazed expression, I couldn’t help giving her head a gentle pat.
“All right, I won’t let you lose out. I’ll get you an even better one next time!”
While we were talking, Minh Uyên returned.
He pointed to the two yellow weasels bound tightly not far away. “It’s done. They’ve both lost a good deal of their cultivation, so they can’t threaten us anymore.”
I asked him, “What should we do with them?”
Minh Uyên said, “Take them to Đông Sơn Đại Trạch. With my true form there to keep them in line, they won’t cause any more trouble.”
I nodded. “That’s not a bad idea.”
14.
Hoàng Tiên had been captured, but his Demon Realm couldn’t disappear right away.
Unless someone outside broke the Demon Realm’s balance, we’d have to stay here another full day and night.
We’d had Tưởng Thiếu Thiên wait outside and prepare to come to our aid, but now we couldn’t get in touch with him.
So all we could do was hope he’d be like Trần Linh—suddenly get an idea and try opening the door to see what was inside.
After waiting for an hour, the door finally showed some signs of movement.
“Tưởng Thiếu Thiên really comes through when it matters!” I was so moved that tears sprang to my eyes.
Before I could even express my joy, my face froze. The door opened from the outside, and a head cautiously poked in.
It was Vương Nhiễm.
As she poked her head in, she muttered, “I clearly saw them come this way. When did this house appear? I’ve walked back and forth so many times and never saw it…”
As soon as the door opened, Hoàng Tiên’s Demon Realm broke apart.
Vương Nhiễm looked up and saw us in a sorry state. Her gaze landed on the two yellow weasels, and she looked astonished.
“Perfect!” She nearly ran inside, pointing at Trần Linh and me as she stammered.
“I told you two were up to no good!”
“The illegal wildlife trade is against the law!”
Her voice was full of smugness. “Just watch—I’m reporting you!”
Me: “…”
“There’s got to be a reason you’re being so secretive and making so much money.”
As she spoke, she ran forward and scooped up the yellow weasel on the ground. “This is evidence! Let’s see what you have to say now!”
I panicked. “Put it down! Now!”
Vương Nhiễm scoffed. “Now you regret it? Too late!”
Before she could finish, the little yellow weasel in her arms suddenly turned to look at her. “Another wife! Heh heh!”
Vương Nhiễm: “…”
“Come here, wife! Give me a kiss!” The little yellow weasel bit her wrist.
Vương Nhiễm screamed and flung the little yellow weasel away.
“M-monster!”
“A talking weasel! Help!”
Vương Nhiễm ran around the courtyard like a madwoman.
I sighed and kicked her legs out from under her.
Before she could get up, I raised a hand and chanted a spell, striking her on the back of the head. “Forget everything.”
Vương Nhiễm stared blankly for a few seconds, then lay down and fell asleep.
Trần Linh cautiously came closer. “Ruyi, is she all right?”
“She’s fine. She’s just taking a nap.”
I explained, “When she wakes up, she won’t remember what happened tonight.”
Trần Linh looked at Vương Nhiễm in surprise, then took my hand. “Ruyi, I want that too.”
I was puzzled. “Huh?”
Trần Linh said, “I don’t think this is a good memory for me. It could even affect my life. If possible, could you help me forget it?”
She was pretty easygoing. When she saw me nod, she brightened and offered me her neck.
I chuckled and patted her head.
“If I knock you out now, are you expecting me to carry you home? Walk on your own. We’ll deal with it once we’re back at the dorm.”
Trần Linh realized. “Oh, right.”
She pointed at Vương Nhiễm, lying on the ground. “Then what about her?”
“Sister Ruyi! I’m here!”
A familiar voice came from outside.
Three seconds later, Tưởng Thiếu Thiên charged in with a fierce air. “Where’s the monster? I’m here to help!”
Trần Linh and I looked at each other and couldn’t hold back our laughter.
Sure enough, backup had arrived.
15.
Because it had expended so much energy, Minh Uyên’s demon soul soon fell into a deep sleep, and Lâm Nguyện’s consciousness woke first.
Lâm Nguyện followed behind us, looking dazed.
In fact, Lâm Nguyện still remembered the whole process of capturing the demon just now.
Noticing he was acting strangely, I deliberately slowed down to walk beside him. “What’s wrong? Scared?”
Lâm Nguyện shook his head and came back to himself.
“No, I just think it’s… amazing. There are demons and demon hunters in places we don’t even know about. Your lives are completely different from ours. They’re much more interesting!”
I chuckled and patted the young man on the shoulder. “Kid, your perspective is still too narrow. If you live life to the fullest, anyone’s life can be fascinating. Besides, you don’t need to envy us. You’re one of us now, too.”
I winked at Lâm Nguyện, then quickly took a few steps to catch up with Trần Linh.
…
A week later, Tưởng Thiếu Thiên and I went to the hospital again.
After Hoàng Tiên was captured, we returned two souls to Trịnh An Kỳ.
After a week of rest, her soul had completely returned to its proper place.
With a little more time, An Kỳ would make a full recovery.
Trần Linh’s mother had fallen and been hospitalized, but fortunately her injuries weren’t serious.
Tưởng Thiếu Thiên had found her a tutoring job that paid pretty well and wasn’t too demanding.
Trần Linh now had to shuttle between school and home, so she was pretty busy.
Everyone’s life gradually settled back into a routine… except Vương Nhiễm’s.
Ever since she was bitten by the yellow weasel, she’d been seriously ill. She even missed her final exams and had to make them up when the new semester began.
For a college student, that was a truly awful punishment.
I told you before…
Your careless words will bring you retribution.
—THE END—