Yang Tianyou faltered slightly as the burly man retrieved his large saber.
Seeing Yang Tianyou's hesitation, the burly man's courage swelled. He swung his saber, then said to Yang Tianyou, "It's not difficult for a frail scholar like you to play the hero saving the damsel. Each of you owe me twenty coins, not a single one can be spared. Hand over the money and I'll let you be, otherwise, hmph! Today, I might not just rob you of your wealth, but also your lives!"
Yao Ji and Nü Wa both saw that the burly man was all bluff and no substance. Yang Tianyou, however, was delighted to hear this and couldn't help but ask, "How much for each?"
The dark-faced burly man scratched his head and replied, "If you think it's too much, fifteen coins each will do!"
Yang Tianyou immediately waved his hand. "No, no, no, brave sir, not hero. Here, sixty coins. Take it!"
Without further ado, Yang Tianyou thrust the sixty coins into the dark-faced man's hand.
At this moment, Yao Ji also recognized the man as the one who had bumped into her earlier.
After the dark-faced burly man left with the money, Yang Tianyou returned and also recognized Yao Ji. His heart involuntarily quickened, and he said somewhat shyly, "Miss, we meet again!"
Yao Ji smiled slightly and immediately introduced, "This is my younger sister, Nü Wa. My sister and I thank you, young sir, for your rescue."
After speaking, Yao Ji took a hairpin from her hair and offered it to Yang Tianyou. "Our travel expenses ran out while we were in the city. Please accept this hairpin as a token of our gratitude for saving us."
Yang Tianyou repeatedly waved his hands and said, "Miss, you are too kind. It was merely a small effort."
Nü Wa, unable to bear it any longer, immediately interjected, "Sister is giving it to you, so take it. Stop with the unnecessary words!"
Having spoken, Nü Wa forcefully pressed the hairpin from Yao Ji's hand into Yang Tianyou's. Then, she grabbed Yao Ji and left!
Yao Ji cast an apologetic glance at Yang Tianyou before being forcefully dragged away by Nü Wa.
After the two had gone some distance, Yao Ji, puzzled, looked at Nü Wa. "Little sister, what are you doing? He was helping us!"
Nü Wa rolled her eyes. "Who asked for his help? We could have handled it ourselves. He just ruined my plan. Otherwise, I would have beaten that scoundrel up! Why learn from others and start robbing people!"
Yao Ji shook her head helplessly. "He meant well. You were too rude!"
"Rude? Sister, if we revealed our identities, we could treat him like our grandfather's grandfather, and I'd still find him too young. What are you talking about, rude or not?"
Nü Wa's words made Yao Ji laugh. Nü Wa suddenly turned to look at Yao Ji, and asked hesitantly, "Sister! You don't… you don't happen to fancy that kid, do you!"
Upon hearing this, Yao Ji immediately grabbed Nü Wa's ear. "Little sister, you're getting bolder and bolder! You dare to joke with your sister!"
Although Yao Ji didn't use much force, Nü Wa feigned great pain. "Sister, ouch ouch ouch, I was wrong! I won't say it anymore!"
Seeing Nü Wa concede, Yao Ji let go of her.
Nü Wa chuckled and couldn't help but ask, "Sister, when will you find me a brother-in-law?"
Yao Ji's face darkened. Just as she was about to discipline Nü Wa, her expression suddenly changed, and she immediately rushed towards Yang Tianyou's direction.
Nü Wa pouted and couldn't help but mutter, "You still say you don't fancy him, and now you're going to find him again!"
Despite her grumbling, Nü Wa didn't slow down and followed closely behind Yao Ji.
Meanwhile, Yang Tianyou, on the other side, encountered trouble not long after Yao Ji and Nü Wa departed.
After seeing Yao Ji and Nü Wa leave, Yang Tianyou put away the hairpin Yao Ji had given him and was about to head home. Suddenly, a black wind knocked him to the ground, and the black wind then transformed into a man clad in a black robe.
"Hahaha, excellent, excellent! My Black Wind Great Technique is only missing a virgin's pure yang essence. I never expected to encounter one today! If I consume you, I will ascend to the heavens and smoothly enter the Great Luo realm, hahaha!"
While the black-robed man was spouting nonsense, Yao Ji had already reached Yang Tianyou's side. "Young sir, are you alright?"
Yang Tianyou gently shook his head, indicating he was fine, then immediately pushed Yao Ji away and said urgently, "This is a demon! Hurry and leave, I'll hold him off for you!"
The black-robed man sensed that Yao Ji's cultivation was not weak. Seeing that Yao Ji and Yang Tianyou were wasting time, he immediately conjured a long sword and lunged at Yao Ji.
Seeing this, Yang Tianyou pulled Yao Ji towards him, then used Yao Ji's body as a pivot to spin behind her before forcefully pushing her away.
Yao Ji was pushed away, but Yang Tianyou himself suffered the consequences. He was directly impaled by the black-robed man's sword, his chest pierced through. He was on the verge of death.
Yao Ji's expression changed. The black-robed man, who had intended to attack Yao Ji, was surprised when Yang Tianyou blocked him. He immediately shook the sword, creating a gaping hole in Yang Tianyou's chest. He was left between life and death.
Seeing Yang Tianyou perish at his hands, the black-robed man roared, "My son of pure yang! You owe me my son of pure yang!"
Yao Ji's pretty face grew cold. At this moment, Nü Wa also arrived. Upon seeing Yang Tianyou's tragic state, her heart sank, and she muttered, "You court death!"
Nü Wa's eyes immediately turned blood red, and her pupils transformed into the shape of a Jingwei bird. Two blood-red swords shot from Nü Wa's eyes, directly slicing the black-robed man into a bloody pulp. Not even his soul could escape.
After the black-robed man died, Nü Wa's eyes returned to normal. She approached Yao Ji and, seeing the gaping hole in Yang Tianyou's chest, knew he was beyond saving.
Just as Nü Wa was about to speak, Yao Ji and Nü Wa suddenly felt a presence from the Underworld. "Sister, the underworld's emissaries are here. Should we avoid them?"
Yao Ji shook her head without hesitation. "Since he died saving me, I cannot stand idly by. I will handle this here. You immediately return to Kunlun and ask Master for a Seven-Revolutions Returning Yang Pill!"
Nü Wa hesitated. Seeing this, Yao Ji urged, "Hurry!"
Nü Wa, realizing the urgency, immediately headed towards Kunlun.
After Nü Wa left, Yao Ji looked at Yang Tianyou lying on the ground, tears streaming down her face. "Why are you so foolish? His cultivation is inferior to mine, how could he have hurt me? Why did you have to play the hero!"
Having spoken, Yao Ji immediately took out two pieces of white cloth, drew a talisman on each with her own blood, placed one beneath Yang Tianyou, and then covered him with the other.
After completing these actions, Yao Ji cast an invisibility spell and vanished from the spot.
Shortly after Yao Ji disappeared, two figures completely shrouded in black robes arrived, dragging a group of pale-faced individuals with chains. One of them spoke, "Strange, there should be a soul here. Where did it go?"
The other black-robed figure replied, "Perhaps he was taken away by someone from the medical arts to help him return to life? This kind of situation is not uncommon. Let's return and report to our superiors, so they can ascertain the situation before escorting him to the Underworld."
The first black-robed figure nodded, and the two then disappeared from the scene with the group of pale-faced individuals.