After all, Ran Hongxia was the future Sword Saintess. Additionally, she had also been strengthened by an Insect Core. Although her Spiritual Energy was incomparable to Li Jiayu’s, it was still considered rather tough.

In the moment just before the devil vines lashed toward her, Ran Hongxia had long since broken free from the effect of the spiritual cyclone and recovered her consciousness.

“Ah! This is bad!”

Ran Hongxia turned pale from fright as she saw there were five to six abyssal devil vines coiling toward her. Out of conditioned reflex, she raised up the Nepal army knife and swung it twice at the vines that encroached! This time, she pulled off the attack really well, unexpectedly releasing a half-meter-long wave of sword energy from the tip of the knife blade! With ample power, Ran Hong Xia sent the vine ricocheting backward, causing tree sap to burst out!

After doing that, Ran Hongxia had originally wished to flee from the scene. However, she saw an axe-wielder coughing up blood after his thigh had been punctured by five to six vines. Immediately, she used her Nepal army knife to slash several wounds onto the devil vines, forcing all of them to retreat. Moreover, Ran Hongxia had heard Lan Xiaoyue’s cry for help. Her gaze flickered as she seemed to be thinking how to rescue her.

‘I knew it! She, who liked to put on a front of righteousness and love for all— I knew this overwhelmingly hypocritical woman would be like this! Moron! Bimbo! Lan Xiaoyue can’t be saved. With your mediocre kungfu, everything you do will be futile! If you truly manage to provoke the Abyssal Vine Demoness, you’ll pull everyone down into the grave with you!’

Sarcastic words flashed through his heart. However, he cared greatly about Hsiao Wanqing’s impression of him, so he restrained from speaking out loud. At this time, the second wave of attack soon lunged toward Ran Hongxia!

“Li Jiayu, hurry up and help us!”

Who knew what kind of drugs Ran Hongxia ate, but her pupils cleared up and linked up perfectly with the Nepal army knife. Her hand-eye coordination had become inconceivably quick and although she did not destroy many vines in the first collision, she actually forced them back with her a.s.sault. However, Ran Hongxia"s situation was extremely precarious. If she was could not hold for at least three seconds and Li Jiayu wouldn’t help her, then she would only end up getting captured.

“Oh…”

After being urged by Ran Hongxia, Li Jiayu"s ankle moved. Out of conditioned reflex, he had almost reached out a hand to help her, but he snapped out of it in a flash.

"Help? As if. I wish she dies sooner!"

Li Jiayu got frustrated every time he saw Ran Hongxia because he would be reminded of unhappy events. The most crucial point was that Ran Hongxia was Li Jiayu’s G.o.ddess of misfortune. Whenever she appeared beside him, ill fortune was bound to befall him. Maybe this chance encounter with the Abyssal Vine Demoness was due to her misfortune!

"Yes, who cares about her life or death… Let her die. Let her die!"

"However… why do I feel so hesitant?"

"At this very moment, the thing I should do is cast her away and flee without looking back!"

"Is the one shred of conscience within me causing this?"

"Impossible! I can have a conscience for anyone but definitely not for Ran Hongxia! This stinking woman forced me into a corner and made me kneel for mercy so many times. She had even burst one of my "eggs". The hatred between us is irreparable’"

"Oh… I"m probably afraid that Ran Hongxia may have too terrible an end. Maybe the previous me, who was always considerate to women, does not want to see her dying miserably?"

"That"s probably the case."

The Abyssal Vine Demoness was one of the more vicious kinds of creatures that existed within the Abyssal Dimension. It specialized in gathering female mammals with high IQs. However, after arriving onto Earth, it naturally switched its sights onto female humans. Moreover, they weren’t just normal females humans but high-quality ones. These creatures would place the gathered women together and the flower buds on their heads would release pollen into the victims’ bodies to condense all of their Yin Essence. Then the creatures would absorb it all.

Naturally, these would lead to the victims’ life forces being severed and they would become mummies, with simply bones covered in skin.

The most sinister thing was the gigantic eye of the Abyssal Vine Demoness. It had the ability to confuse the target’s mind, allowing them to seal the souls of women forever in the mummies. These mummies would then be manipulated at will and turned into the playthings of the Abyssal Vine Demoness.

After the Abyssal Vine Demoness devoured a sufficient amount of Yin Essence, the flower bud on their head would give birth to a new life.

As to what that living thing was, Li Jiayu did not know. After all, he was merely speculating. Besides, the emergence of these Abyssal Vine demonesses was rare. The number of those who encountered these creatures numbered even fewer. Usually, creatures that were similar to the Abyssal Vine Demoness that specialized in devouring female Yin Essence, were perverted creatures that absorbed the fresh blood of men. These creatures, however, would be beaten up till they were completely and utterly dead.

Perhaps, Li Jiayu had long since treated Ran Hongxia as a very important part of his life. As she was his pre-destined rival, he really did not wish to watch Ran Hongxia’s Yin Essence get absorbed and her body turned into a mummified puppet… 

‘That’s right. The only that that can mistreat Ran Hongxia is me, Li Jiayu! It’s not your turn yet, you insignificant Abyssal Vine Demoness!’

Li Jiayu pondered and felt his mind flare up with recklessness as he took two steps forward and brandished his sword! 

He helped Ran Hongxia deflect three devil vines, pulling her back from the edge of danger!

“I… What am I doing? I actually saved her for the second time? Oh, heavens!”

After lending her a hand, he gawked on dumbfoundedly. He didn’t understand what he’d just done. Had water entered his brain? With no sense of priorities, he had actually helped Ran Hongxia. The present circ.u.mstances were vastly different from the previous situation in the cla.s.sroom. The Abyssal Vine Demoness was a hundred times stronger than an ordinary Corrosive Worm.

“Jiayu, what should we do now? We must think of a way to save Xiaoyue…” Ran Hongxia gasped.

“Save— my a.s.s! If you don’t want to lose your life, hurry up and escape. When you have a mountain, you do not need to fear that you’ll run out of firewood! If we run, we still have a chance of avenging Lan Xiaoyue!” Li Jiayu was furious.

“How can we do this...”

“Then you can wait for death! I don’t want to bother with you anymore!”

As he finished talking, a few thick vines then lunged over. These vines were at least twice as thick than the previous ones. Obviously, the Abyssal Vine Demoness had begun to get restless and was starting to show its true prowess.

These devil vines seemed to be a darker shade than the previous ones. They had thicker bark and faint, round lumps riddled all over. Additionally, it carried a bizarre, foul, fishy stench. The crux was that they were much more agile, pretty much just like water snakes zigzagging and twisting extremely quickly!

The first vine, that Ran Hongxia engaged in a battle with, received a blow of sword energy! Unexpectedly, the sword energy had merely left a shallow mark on the bark and not a drop of tree sap seeped out. Its movements did not seem to have been hindered in the least. Swiftly, it coiled its way to Ran Hongxia’s wrist, while the vines at the back coiled and bound her remaining limbs and waist, suppressing her completely!

“f.u.c.k! I knew it! When the Abyssal Vine Demoness gets serious, Ran Hongxia will definitely be destroyed in a heartbeat… This is bad. Retreat!”

He could not be bothered with what Hsiao Wanqing thought of him. Li Jiayu turned around and ran, but how could his speed exceed that of the Abyssal Vine Demoness?

Another five coa.r.s.e and thick vines followed Li Jiayu closely, managing to catch up after him after a moment. Li Jiayu had no choice but to meet the enemy head-on. However, one of his hands held Hsiao Wanqing and another grasped onto Frost Moon; where in the world could he gather strength from? Besides, Frost Moon’s frost attribute had no suppressive effects at all when it came into contact with the d.a.m.nable thing. Even if the tree sap got frozen, it all amounted to nothing!

Less than two seconds into the fight, the vine lashed at Li Jiayu, wounding him in the shoulder. The wound was abnormally painful and it slowed him down. The vine seized this opportunity to s.n.a.t.c.h Hsiao Wanqing from Li Jiayu’s grasp!

It was fine if the others had gotten s.n.a.t.c.hed away, but Hsiao Wanqing definitely should not be touched!

“b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Return her to me!”

Li Jiayu panicked and his pupils contracted to the size of a pinhole. Like a bull that was seeing red, he burst forth with a ruthless aura and let out a yell that sounded like the cry of a wounded beast, then he dashed toward Hsiao Wanqing.

Bang!

As another vine lashed over, Li Jiayu gritted his teeth. With all his might, he united his three energies into one. This actually brought forth some fragments of sword light. In addition to the sharpness of Frost Moon, it actually managed to slice through the vine. It caused sticky tree sap to splatter all over Li Jiayu, but he gave no regard.

“I will not watch blankly as she slips away from my side again!”

Li Jiayu’s eyes turned into an unprecedented shade of scarlet as his handsome face began to distort. There seemed to be a faint electrical current scurrying through his heart as though there was something spreading internally. However, before this sensation could spread even further, a devil vine whipped toward his wrist.

Clang!

Frost Moon fell to the ground, causing a crisp sound!

Li Jiayu’s wrist was whipped to the bone!

Bang!

Another sound resounded and Li Jiayu was whipped in the calf. He was unstable on his feet and dropped pathetically to his knees on the ground. Then the vine lashed out once more at his chest and sent him flying three meters away, where he lay limply on the floor.

As the quality of the Abyssal Vine Demoness"s new acquisitions, Ran Hongxia and Hsiao Wanqing, was too high, the Abyssal Vine Demoness was eager to examine these two women. If this wasn’t been the case, Li Jiayu might have long since been strangled to death!

“Ugh…”

Li Jiayu lay sprawled out on the ground lifelessly for several seconds, then recovered his senses. He gazed up grimly at the dark skies and the intermittent rain dripped on his face. It was very cold and stung him with every touch.

“I have no other choice! Even if I die, I shall drag you down with me into the depths of h.e.l.l!”

With a trembling hand, Li Jiayu pulled out a bright Insect Crystal from his pocket. Rain fell onto the crystal and made it appear even more l.u.s.trous as it refracted a mesmerizing light.

This was the Insect Core from the Scythe Beetle Lord.

Although it was merely a Higher First Tier trash item...

A Royalty’s Insect Core still contained an abundant amount of power.

Originally, Li Jiayu had first considered using a spirit oriented Insect Core, while his second choice was undoubtedly this Royal Insect Core. As long as he devoured this royalty type Insect Core, Li Jiayu’s body would receive a great strengthening. Not only would the strength of his arm increase by three to four folds, the strength of the other parts of his body would be upgraded as well. The tenacity of each part would undergo varying degrees of improvement. It could be said that this was “achieving many benefits with one move”.

However… Looking at the dire situation, the usage of this Royal Insect Core might have to be shifted forward!

He ignited it!

Li Jiayu ignited his own soul!

Despite the terrible consequences that might follow, Li Jiayu would never hesitate!

Even if this cost was half of Li Jiayu’s body or even half of his soul!

“Strength! I need strength! Royal Insect Core, burst! Burst! Burst!”