From the very start of the battle, she was destined not to make a single mistake. A single error would lead her to an irreversible doom.
Bai Ya simply wasn’t good enough. She hadn’t mastered the Blade of Insight for long; her skill was still at a novice level. She had no sense of timing for the backlash caused by overusing her mental strength, and this desperate situation was the result of a series of flaws.
Perhaps the expectations were too high—one could even call it intentionally unfair. But if Bai Ya wanted to survive, she had no choice but to accept this unjust treatment. She had to be flawless, or she would be doomed.
Shi Cang didn’t have high hopes for Bai Ya. He was a truly straightforward person; in his eyes, there were only two possible outcomes. Either Bai Ya overcame all her weaknesses, defeated the Ogre, and achieved victory, or the Ogre devoured the helpless Bai Ya.
Now, it seemed Bai Ya’s time was almost up. If she couldn’t create a miracle in this merciless predicament, then destruction was her only fate.
“It’s over.” Ryumiou’s face was deathly pale, sickly white. The Samsara Heavenly Prayer had already confirmed to him that Bai Ya had lost consciousness, which was as good as pronouncing her dead.
Brother Arthur’s smug laughter and the Ogre’s heavy footsteps twined around his heart like poison-soaked thorns. He felt like he was about to go mad; watching Bai Ya march step by step toward death only accelerated the collapse of his spirit.
Once Bai Ya died, he would be killed sooner or later.
Ryumiou regretted this gamble. He didn’t want to die; even if he had to live on miserably, he still wanted to survive! He was still young. He hadn’t yet created the future of his dreams! He still hadn’t saved those two hopeless brothers of his!
“No… please no…”
As if to trample his last shred of hope, the Ogre, under the gaze of hundreds, slowly walked up to the defenseless Bai Ya and raised its massive foot, bringing it down hard.
The shadow of its foot covered Bai Ya’s waist. In moments, she would be split in two, her body becoming two bloody halves.
With Bai Ya unconscious, there was no way she could dodge this fatal blow. Just as Shi Cang had thought, she had reached her limit—she was powerless to resist.
If Bai Ya had left behind anything, perhaps it was courage.
The sound of rapid footsteps had long since replaced the Ogre’s stride.
A pair of bestial eyes, brimming with killing intent and majesty, had been watching the Ogre’s every move. As the Ogre prepared to deliver the deathblow to Bai Ya, he finally made his decision—fully unleashing his wild instincts!
“Roar——!”
A red-maned wild lion, fur bristling, charged and roared, rushing at the Ogre with the force of a storm. The moment he leaped, he bared his sharp fangs, biting into the Ogre’s shoulder, toppling it to the ground with overwhelming force, dragging it for over a dozen meters.
“Take her and run!”
The red-maned wild lion shed his beast form, limbs returning to those of a human, transforming into the familiar lion-headed, human-bodied warrior. He was Lionman Ren Xin! He had left the safety of the tunnel to save Bai Ya all by himself.
Clamping his arms tightly around the Ogre’s chest, enduring immense terror and the urge to cry, he roared back at the people behind him as if venting his own fear.
The Ogre, realizing what was hindering him, clawed at the brick and stone on the ground, pressing down on the dirt, trying to push himself upright and continue his attempt to kill Bai Ya.
“I won’t let you move! Not a single step!” Ren Xin, eyes red and brimming with tears, used his full weight to pin down the Ogre. Even if it meant wagering the weight of his own soul, he would never let the Ogre hurt Bai Ya.
“Ren Xin… you took that step…” Luo Shi picked up Bai Ya. He, too, left the tunnel and stepped once more into the arena that terrified him to his core. But witnessing Ren Xin buying time and sacrificing himself to block the Ogre, the spark that Bai Ya had ignited within him burst into flames.
The Ogre realized that his greatest obstacle was the “food” clinging to his waist. Slowly, he raised his fist and then smashed it down onto Ren Xin’s spine.
The arena echoed with the sound of bones shattering and blood splattering. A gaping hole appeared in Ren Xin’s chest, exposing ruined organs. His face contorted with a mix of snot, tears, and terror. He let go of the Ogre, his arms falling limp as he collapsed flat on the ground, a pool of blood quickly forming beneath him.
“Ren Xin!”
Ren Xin’s pupils quickly lost their light. He knew very well that they were simply not on the same level—the moment he blocked the Ogre’s path, he had no chance of survival. He knew this all along.
How ridiculous, to make such a foolish move.
Freed from restraint, the Ogre was about to stride forward, aiming a sneak attack at Luo Shi, who was fleeing with the unconscious Bai Ya on his back—when he felt his ankle snagged by something.
“How… how is this possible! How could the humans steal all the glory!” Ren Xin struggled to lift his bloodied face, looking like a Rakshasa demon.
“We beastmen are the bravest warriors! Why is a little human girl the one fighting?! I… I have a noble and powerful soul too!”
“I’ll kill you! I’ll cut off your head! Drink your blood, eat your flesh! I’m not afraid of you!!”
“I won’t let go! I have courage too! I’m not a coward! I am Lionman Ren Xin!” Struggling with the last of his strength, Ren Xin gripped the Ogre’s left foot with both hands—this was all he could do.
“Run… Luo Shi…”
Amid the angry roars in his ear, the Ogre’s face twisted with rage. He lifted his other, unimpeded foot and mercilessly stomped down on the hands gripping his ankle, crushing them into mangled, bloody pulp before moving on.
“You little bastard… come kill me…” Ren Xin’s face twisted in unwillingness, but the corners of his lips curled faintly as he slowly closed his bloodstained eyes.
He must be dying. In truth, it wasn’t a painful process, for at this moment, his heart brimmed with pride.
After seeing Bai Ya’s battle, Ren Xin thought: clearly, Bai Ya hadn’t even set foot on the path of cultivation—she was just an ordinary human girl. She didn’t have the strength to punch through thick walls, nor razor-sharp fangs to tear flesh, nor a physique as robust as a bull. In every way, she was far inferior to him—yet why was it her, and not him, who stood against the Ogre?
It was courage. Even with almost nothing, Bai Ya held onto her courage. She would not yield to cruel fate; no matter how battered, she fought to the very end. She was a true warrior.
Did he possess courage too? Ren Xin realized with sadness that he had been deeply afraid of the Ogre—his heart demon, his insurmountable terror. There was no way he could face such a monster with courage!
Until he saw Bai Ya injure the Ogre, saw her dodge fatal blows again and again, saw her finally launch a sneak attack on the Ogre and nearly kill that terrifying fiend—in that moment, he was utterly convinced by this human girl.
Now he understood why Tabu chose to follow Bai Ya. Her beautiful fighting form was mesmerizing; her soul was incomparably strong and pure. Luo Shi was right—she was a savior! She truly could awaken miracles!
Someday, she would become a renowned figure. He was willing to follow her, to work for her, to witness her legend.
When Bai Ya, unconscious after suffering backlash, was about to be killed by the Ogre, Ren Xin instinctively took a step forward. Then a second, a third—he broke into a run. An unprecedented power flowed through him, as if warm sunlight were shining all over his body.
He had no more fear. He had transformed from a coward into Lionman Ren Xin—the true Lionman Ren Xin, a brave beastman warrior!
Now, at the brink of death, Ren Xin found little regret in his heart. If only he had met Bai Ya, this human girl, a little sooner.
“She shouldn’t die here…” Before his consciousness sank into darkness, Ren Xin moved his lips, whispering words only he could hear.
“Ren Xin won’t last much longer, and I’m afraid I’ll be next—especially if I keep carrying this one.” Luo Shi ran as far from the Ogre as he could, but no matter where he went, he felt the hateful, frenzied gaze burning into his back.
Carrying Bai Ya was like painting a target on himself; he would draw all the Ogre’s wrath. Bai Ya was a time bomb—after what she’d done to the Ogre, there was no way he’d let her go! Looking at it that way, abandoning her and running alone was his best shot at surviving.
Luo Shi sighed helplessly. Why had he rushed out with Ren Xin to rescue Bai Ya? All they’d achieved was risking both their lives for nothing.
He stopped running, turned to face the Ogre, and gently unwrapped Bai Ya’s arms from his neck, laying her carefully behind him as if she were a precious treasure.
The Ogre had already become a blur, charging at him. Luo Shi knew there was still time to run away. That was enough. He didn’t want to die yet—using Bai Ya as bait, he might buy himself a few more moments.
Luo Shi took a deep breath, shifting his stance to let the Ogre pass.
He could hear the cheers of the nobles for himself, and the cries of despair from the tunnel.
There was nothing he could do… Luo Shi closed his eyes, not wanting to witness this brutal scene.
A cold gaze lingered on him for a moment, then moved away. Luo Shi’s pores all over his body tingled in terror.
He didn’t need to look; he knew the Ogre was behind him, especially with that monster’s thirsty breathing echoing in his ears.
The Ogre was about to kill Bai Ya.
“Well, guess I have no choice!”
In a flash, a swift figure leapt above the Ogre’s head. A silver gleam flashed—the blade sliced into the Ogre’s neck from the side. Luo Shi’s face twisted with effort as he pressed the longsword with both hands, intending to sever the Ogre’s neck entirely!
“I guess I can understand Ren Xin’s feelings, at least a little! Hey, hey, hey! She’s the savior I’ve chosen—I won’t let you have her!!”
He attacked the Ogre too! He was no less than Ren Xin!
Luo Shi felt the blade sink into flesh, but almost immediately hit massive resistance—steel bones and iron muscles were no joke! At that moment, the Ogre twisted its head 180 degrees, its crimson tongue lancing out like lightning to pierce Luo Shi’s shoulder!
With the pain and fear of death overwhelming him, Luo Shi shouted desperately at the unconscious Bai Ya.
“Hey! Did you see that?! I’m no coward! I can fight too!”
“I can only trust you! I believe in you!”
“Hey, hey, hey! Please! Wake up and do something!”
“If you really have that crazy confidence, then save us—Savior!”