The Villain Marked the Protagonist's Fiancée (Through the Book) - Chapter 24

Fang Zhiluo slowly raised her hand, but it eventually fell. She turned her head away, her voice cold and hard: “I have a fiancé.”

Yun Xiao didn’t release her; instead, she tightened her embrace. “He doesn’t care about you, and you don’t love him. You don’t need to be with him.”

Fang Zhiluo forcefully pushed Yun Xiao away, turning to face her sideways. “I’ll pretend I never heard those words.”

Before she finished speaking, she tore open a Swift Travel Talisman and vanished from Yun Xiao’s sight.

Yun Xiao stared blankly in the direction Fang Zhiluo had disappeared, the sound of shattering echoing in her ears.

She retreated a step, a bitter smile on her face. Her peach-blossom eyes, once brimming with starlight, gradually dimmed, even standing became difficult.

Weakly leaning against the stone wall, she let tears stream down her cheeks.

She repeated to herself, over and over, Don’t be sad. You tried your best. At least you won’t have any regrets when you look back on this.

But her heart still ached terribly.

Sliding to the ground, Yun Xiao curled up, burying her face between her knees. Her body occasionally twitched, gradually merging with the darkness.

Fang Zhiluo, having already left the Cave Abode, waited at the entrance for half an hour, but Yun Xiao still didn’t emerge.

She turned to go back, but her foot paused mid-stride. She glanced deeply into the cave, pursed her lips, and left.

She needed to join her fellow disciples early.

Even a Tenth-Tier Demonic Beast couldn’t harm Yun Xiao, so there was no need to worry about her safety.

Yun Xiao emerged the next day, her usually radiant eyes now tinged with sorrow. Her entire demeanor had shifted, lacking its previous vibrancy.

Unable to resist, she glanced around.

As expected, no one was there.

She let out a self-deprecating chuckle and used the Light Body Technique to glide toward the Secret Realm’s exit.

Meanwhile, in the southeastern part of the Secret Realm:

Bai Mofeng stared in terror at the Black Heaven Giant Python, which had reared up on its tail. He retreated cautiously, his defenses raised.

Xie Yunfan, his injuries mostly healed, muttered a curse under his breath—”Useless trash”—and hurled out a High-Grade Flying Artifact to escape.

Chu Hui mentally cursed Xie Yunfan for his cowardice. Steeling her resolve, she was about to speak when the python’s tail lashed out toward them.

Even with a Seventh-Tier Defense Formation activated, it proved utterly ineffective against the Tenth-Rank Black Heaven Giant Python.

The Defensive Formation shattered, and Chu Hui was sent flying by the massive tail.

The others fared no better, all knocked to the ground, unable to rise.

Chu Hui struggled to her feet, confirming that the Black Heaven Giant Python had departed. She staggered toward the motionless Bai Mofeng, calling out, “Senior Brother Bai, Senior Brother Bai, are you alright?”

After a long silence, Bai Mofeng finally stirred, forcing out a few words: “I’m fine.”

Chu Hui’s heart, which had been suspended in anxiety, finally settled. She turned to call out to her fellow disciples.

Though all were injured, their lives were thankfully not in danger.

After taking a Spring Return Pill, Chu Hui slammed her fist angrily into the ground. “What ‘noble gentleman’? Senior Yun was right—he’s just a conceited and shameless scoundrel! We risked our lives to escort him, and it’s because of him that the Black Heaven Giant Python turned its wrath on us. And what does he do? He abandons us and runs!”

The others echoed her sentiments, their words dripping with contempt for Xie Yunfan.

Feeling somewhat recovered, Bai Mofeng interrupted them. “Enough. We’ve fulfilled our duty.”

Activating a Sixth-Rank Defense Formation, he ordered, “Everyone, enter the formation and meditate to recover.”

Xie Yunfan, who had fled on a High-Grade Flying Spiritual Artifact, was faring no better. The Black Heaven Giant Python’s speed was overwhelming, and it had already caught up to him.

He frantically called out to Old Qiu in his Sea of Consciousness, “How can I shake this beast off?”

“With your current cultivation, you’re no match for this creature. Your only option now is to redirect the danger—turn the tide eastward and buy yourself a chance to escape.”

Xie Yunfan glanced back. The Black Heaven Giant Python had closed the distance, its contemptuous gaze mocking his futile struggle.

His competitive spirit flared. Gritting his teeth, he vowed, “I’ll kill this beast.”

Ignoring Old Qiu’s warnings, he charged forward resolutely.

The Black Heaven Giant Python halted, its massive form towering over Xie Yunfan. “Return what is mine, and I’ll spare your life.”

Xie Yunfan threw back his head and laughed derisively. “A mere beast dares challenge me? Today, you die.”

He summoned his Lifebound Sword and engaged the python in a fierce battle.

“Your swordsmanship surpasses that female cultivator’s, but you lack her inexhaustible Spiritual Power,” the python remarked, effortlessly parrying Xie Yunfan’s strikes. After thirty-odd exchanges, Xie Yunfan began to falter.

Xie Yunfan retrieved the Top-Grade Mist Fruit he had stolen from the python and took a large bite right in front of it.

As expected of a Spirit Fruit coveted even by Void Refinement cultivators, a single bite unleashed a surge of Spiritual Energy within him.

He unleashed his ultimate technique, slashing his sword at the python.

Enraged, the Black Heaven Giant Python retaliated with a sweeping tail strike.

Xie Yunfan, prepared for the attack, dodged it.

The python gave him no respite, pressing its assault relentlessly until it slammed Xie Yunfan to the ground.

This still couldn’t quell the python’s burning hatred. It opened its massive jaws, intent on swallowing the thief who had stolen its Spirit Fruit whole.

Xie Yunfan fought back fiercely, but he was no match for the Black Heaven Giant Python.

Just as the python thought it had the upper hand, the Lifebound Sword Talisman on Xie Yunfan’s body activated. The Cloud Splendor Sword Sovereign’s ultimate technique, the Heaven-Shattering Sword Strike, slashed toward the python.

The python narrowly dodged the strike and engaged the Sword Talisman in battle.

The Cloud Splendor Sword Sovereign had already reached the Void Refinement stage a century ago. Now, after a hundred years of cultivation, his cultivation had advanced to the late Void Refinement stage.

Even a single Sword Talisman required the python to focus every ounce of its attention.

Seeing that the Sword Talisman couldn’t immediately kill the python, Xie Yunfan immediately sent a mental command: “Old Qiu, lend me a hand. This beast must die.”

Old Qiu sighed deeply. “Consume the remaining Mist Fruit, and I’ll give you one last boost.”

Xie Yunfan swallowed the remaining Mist Fruit. Spiritual Energy surged through his body, and he sensed that upon leaving the Secret Realm, his cultivation would advance to the Divine Transformation stage.

At that point, Yun Xiao’s death would be sealed.

Seizing his opportunity, Xie Yunfan leaped into the air. His aura abruptly shifted, his cultivation instantly soaring to the Divine Transformation stage. He unleashed the Heaven-Shattering Sword Strike upon the python.

Having mastered the essence of this technique a decade ago under the Cloud Splendor Sword Sovereign’s personal tutelage, and with Old Qiu’s assistance, Xie Yunfan wielded the strike with effortless skill.

The python couldn’t evade the attack. A section of its tail was severed.

Fueled by fresh hatred and old grudges, its eyes burned crimson as its bestial instincts surged. It would drag this damned Human Cultivator down with it, even in death.

After over twenty rounds of combat, the giant python crashed heavily to the ground, dying beneath Xie Yunfan’s sword, its heart filled with resentment and bitterness.

With the Sword Talisman’s power exhausted, Old Qiu returned to Xie Yunfan’s Sea of Consciousness. The cultivator collapsed like a beached fish, utterly drained.

After several dozen breaths, Xie Yunfan forced himself to sit up and swallowed several Spring Return Pills and Spirit Replenishing Pills in quick succession.

He glanced triumphantly at the python’s corpse and sneered, “All I did was take a few Spirit Fruits and dig up some Spirit Herbs, yet you chased me relentlessly.”

Staggering over, he kicked the python’s carcass viciously. “Now everything in your Cave Abode belongs to me.”

Old Qiu weakly reminded him, “Eighth-Tier Demonic Beasts and above have Inner Spaces. You should cut it open and check.”

Sensing fluctuations in the surrounding Spiritual Energy, Xie Yunfan hastily deployed a Seventh-Tier Defense Formation. Once his Spiritual Energy had recovered by half, he sliced open the python’s abdomen.

His eyes widened in delight as he stared at the contents. “A Spirit Treasure! This beast was hiding a Spirit Treasure!”

Undeterred by the gore, Xie Yunfan began digging through the python’s innards with his bare hands.

In the end, he retrieved three Spirit Treasures, numerous High-Grade Spirit Herbs, and over twenty top-grade spirit herbs.

He wiped the bl00d splattered on his face with a dismissive gesture, sneering, “Considering you’ve provided me with so many treasures, I’ll be magnanimous and forgive you this once.”

After casting several Dust Cleansing Spells on the pile of treasures on the ground, he was about to store them in his Storage Ring when a hand shot out faster than his, followed by a kick that sent him sprawling.

“Such a greedy display!” Yun Xiao mocked. “Stealing someone’s home wasn’t enough—you had to dig into their Inner Space too? If righteous disciples are all like you, the Heavenly Origin Realm is doomed.”

Sensing the commotion, Yun Xiao immediately changed course and rushed toward the scene.

Hearing the Black Heaven Giant Python’s roar, she tore through five Seventh-Tier Swift Travel Talismans, yet still arrived a step too late.

Fortunately, she had prevented Xie Yunfan from claiming the treasures, which would have made him even harder to kill.

Xie Yunfan spat out a mouthful of clotted bl00d, braced himself on one hand, and glared up at Yun Xiao through gritted teeth. “It’s you again! Hand over those treasures, and I’ll spare your life.”

Yun Xiao chuckled softly, her expression darkening as she teleported before Xie Yunfan and delivered another kick to his chest.

“Still so arrogant after being defeated? It’s time you learned your lesson.” Before she finished speaking, Yun Xiao had already summoned Purple Frost to strike at Xie Yunfan.

She had seen earlier that the Sword Talisman protecting Xie Yunfan had already been activated. If not now, when would she exact her revenge?