Chapter Eight: Destined Fate—Mutual Creation and Restraint

The once proud and aloof woman, who had seemed so cold and dazzling, now stood before Xiao Yin like a frightened bird, panic and terror written all over her face. Yu Shang couldn’t help but wonder, “Why is she so afraid of Xiao Yin? What secrets lie between them that I’ve never understood?” As he watched Xiao Yin, wearing a hint of smugness and confidence while deftly maneuvering around the woman, Yu Shang felt the distance between himself and Xiao Yin widen, their camaraderie growing faint and unfamiliar.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yin raised his left hand gracefully, tracing a beautiful arc in the air. A faintly glowing vapor quickly gathered within the curve, forming a massive ball of energy. Suddenly, his right hand struck out forcefully at the sphere, which, propelled by his strength, transformed into a beam of white light shooting straight for the woman’s neck. The light itself had yet to harm her, but the surging force it unleashed had already caused everything around them to wither and decay, leaving the ground bleak and unsightly.

The woman twisted aside, dodging swiftly, then swung her fire whip at Xiao Yin. The tiny flames dancing along the whip seemed to sense their enemy approaching, each one restlessly leaping to the tip, accumulating until they formed a blazing fireball. Curiously, it did not detach from the whip to become a separate entity; instead, it appeared to grow from the whip itself, swaying with its movement in a mesmerizing display.

Witnessing this, Xiao Yin felt not the slightest fear. Instead, his signature wicked smile curled at his lips. Seeing that smile, Yu Shang knew at once—the real battle was about to begin.

In a flash, Xiao Yin soared into the air, rushing toward the woman with the speed of lightning. Just as he was about to collide with her mutated whip, his true self—the blood-red Serpent Spirit—burst from his body and coiled around the woman’s fire whip.

“A snake!” the woman cried out in terror, dropping her whip and stumbling backward, her body trembling, her face pale as snow, hands clenched tightly, suddenly looking less like a queen and more like a frightened girl. Of course, it wasn’t just the woman who was stunned—Yu Shang too was dumbfounded. He had never imagined Xiao Yin possessed such a move. What shocked him even more was that someone who appeared so courageous and powerful, always exuding a regal presence, could be so terrified of snakes, just like any ordinary woman. It was almost amusing to think about.

Watching the woman so shaken by his true form, Xiao Yin felt a strange sensation rise in his heart. Seeing her so afraid of him made him feel stifled, uneasy, but he didn’t dwell on it. He quickly discarded the fire whip, allowing his Serpent Spirit to return to his body and merge once more. Then he raised a finger and commanded, “Freeze!” Instantly, the woman was immobilized.

“How could you be so certain she’d be frightened by your true self? If you’d guessed wrong, your Serpent Spirit and her fire whip would have tangled in battle, and both of you might have ended up wounded. There’s no guarantee you alone could defeat her. Besides, using such a move must drain a lot of your energy, right? I’m really curious—how did you dare to gamble on this fight?” Yu Shang looked at the trapped woman, voicing his question to Xiao Yin.

For once, Xiao Yin didn’t respond with his usual playful grin, but answered quietly, “It was just intuition. When I saw her instinctively afraid of me from the start, I had this idea. Now, it seems this trick worked perfectly on her.” With that, he walked over to the woman and shouted loudly in her ear, “Come back to your senses! Wake up!”

After a shudder, the woman seemed to recover somewhat, but upon seeing Xiao Yin before her, she cried out again in terror, “A snake! Stay away from me! Don’t come any closer, go away!” Attempting to retreat, she realized she was completely immobilized.

“Why are you holding me captive? Let me go, at once! Don’t you want to leave this place?” The cold arrogance returned to her face, but now it was tinged with fear and urgency.

“Of course, we want to leave, which is why we need to restrain you! Otherwise, what if you slipped away while we weren’t looking?” Xiao Yin deliberately leaned closer as he spoke.

Seeing Xiao Yin draw nearer, the woman’s beautiful face twisted in distress and disgust. “How could I? I said before, if you defeat me, I’ll open the illusion gate and send you out. I won’t break my word!” Now, a hint of forced friendliness appeared on her face, no longer as distant as before.

“You’re really that afraid of me, huh? How amusing! Little girl, tell your elder, what’s your name?” Xiao Yin feigned enthusiasm as he looked at the woman.

“Lan Wu.” She answered without the slightest hesitation, fearing that this devilish man would come even closer.

“Lan Wu? A lovely name, just like you. But that surname doesn’t suit you. Most importantly, remember—my name is Yin!” Xiao Yin spoke to Lan Wu with utmost seriousness, as if determined to carve the words into her heart.

Lan Wu replied quietly.

“All right, let’s have her open the illusion gate now! I have a feeling our time here is running out. I don’t want to miss anything.” Yu Shang, silent for so long, finally spoke up. Whatever else Xiao Yin had intended to say, he wisely set aside in favor of the urgent matter.

“Little girl, when I let you go, don’t try any of your tricks and attempt to escape! I believe you know well what will happen if I catch you again?” Xiao Yin smiled at her, his expression more caring than threatening, though the effect on Lan Wu was quite different; cold chills swept down her spine.

With another gentle gesture, Lan Wu was freed from her restraints and regained her liberty. She immediately stepped back several paces, pressed her hands together, and conjured a gateway resembling a barrier. Stretching out her left hand, her fallen fire whip flew back into her grasp. With a surge of energy, she swung it forcefully, and the gate opened softly. Before another word could be spoken, Lan Wu had already fled. Xiao Yin looked toward where she had vanished, sighed helplessly, and hurried after Yu Shang, who had already entered the illusion gate.