Chapter 731 - 189: The Emotional Silk Snaps, the Killing Trap Begins

That hand was icy and unyielding, imbued with a mountain-shattering force. In an instant, her meridians were sealed, leaving her completely unable to struggle!

The next moment…

PFFT!

CRACK!

Two distinct sounds rang out almost simultaneously, intertwining to form the song of a Broken Soul.

One was the sound of Hong Mei'Er's dying counterattack. Mustering the last of her will, her knuckles bent backward at an unnatural angle, and a single, most venomous strand of Emotional Silk shot out, striking Chu Fan's broad chest.

The other was crisper, more decisive.

It was the sound of her exquisite neck being impassively—and brutally—crushed by Chu Fan!

THUD!

A dull thud. It wasn't loud, but it struck like an invisible sledgehammer, shattering the last wisp of the bewitching dream that had filled the woods.

Chu Fan casually tossed Hong Mei'Er's corpse to the ground as if discarding a piece of trash, not even bothering to spare it a second glance.

Her bewitching face, one that could captivate all living things, was now frozen in endless shock and confusion as it lay pressed against the cold, decaying leaves.

Her once soul-stealing eyes stared blankly at the overcast sky. A trickle of blood snaked down from the corner of her slightly parted lips, seeping into the soil.

Chu Fan glanced at his chest. Beneath his torn clothes, the strand of Emotional Silk had left a faint white mark.

'The power of that Emotional Silk... it's even stronger than a High-Grade Profound Weapon!'

'Could it be an Ancient Treasure used in conjunction with a Secret Technique?'

"..."

Nearby, Xia Qiu stood frozen on the spot.

SNAP... SNAP SNAP...

The extremely faint yet clear sounds of snapping came from all over his body.

Those bizarre strands of Emotional Silk—which had bored into his marrow, bound his heart's meridians, and were formless yet tangibly real—were now snapping and dissolving one by one, following the death of their caster.

The restraints on his body and the suppression of his Primordial Qi suddenly vanished. He felt light-headed and staggered, nearly losing his balance.

Scattered on the ground were several segments of the threads, now dull and grey. They turned to ash at a speed visible to the naked eye, then were swept away by the forest breeze, leaving no trace behind.

'It's over?'

Xia Qiu stood as if rooted to the spot by an Upper-Grade Immobilization Spell. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung unconsciously open. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he couldn't utter a sound.

That single, absurdly simple thought replayed over and over in his mind, laced with profound disbelief.

'The Demoness Hong Mei'Er—the one with unfathomable power and bizarre methods, who'd hunted him to the ends of the earth, leaving him with no place to run—she died? Just like that?'

'Crushed to death so casually by Chu Fan, by a Demon Suppression Guard?'

'It was too fast...' ℯℯ𝑙.

'Too easy!'

'Like swatting a buzzing, annoying insect!'

Xia Qiu's nearly vacant gaze followed Chu Fan's every move.

He watched as the figure in martial attire calmly bent down. Without the slightest hesitation or aversion, Chu Fan placed his fingers on Hong Mei'Er's still-pliant, jade-like fingers and, with a gentle tug, slid off her Sumeru Ring, which was embedded with an eerie red gemstone and faintly pulsed with Spiritual Light.

Then, Chu Fan's hands began to expertly pat down Hong Mei'Er's curvaceous body, his movements as practiced as if taking inventory of his own private collection.

Piece by piece, jewelry glowing with an unusual light, Jade Pendants, small bronze bells, and a silk pouch embroidered with an acacia blossom pattern... He removed them from her hair, neck, wrists, and waist, placing everything into his own Sumeru Ring.

Finally, a flash of Spiritual Light sparked at Chu Fan's fingertips, slicing through Hong Mei'Er's undergarments. From a hidden pocket in the innermost lining, he retrieved a Jade Shuttle. It was no more than three inches long, crimson all over, and shaped like a drop of clotted blood.

The moment the Jade Shuttle appeared, the surrounding air seemed to twist, emitting an ancient and unsettling pulsation.

On its surface were fine red lines, like tiny blood vessels...

'An Ancient Treasure!'

'Hong Mei'Er really was hiding a powerful Ancient Treasure!'

'Those bizarre red threads, the ones that seemed alive, they were shot from this Ancient Treasure!'

Xia Qiu's heart leaped.

'She possessed such a powerful Ancient Treasure and Secret Technique, yet she still died so easily at Chu Fan's hands.'

'Chu Fan didn't even draw his blade!'

'For a Demon Suppression Guard to be so terrifying!'

A fresh wave of cold dread washed over Xia Qiu.

He had just experienced firsthand the feeling of the Emotional Silk invading his body. Not only was his Primordial Qi sealed, but more terrifyingly, his Divine Soul was being eroded. A bizarre feeling of affection had sprung up from within, making him willing to submit completely, to live and die for her. He had lost all thought of resistance, feeling only that her will was absolute.

In the instant before Chu Fan crushed Hong Mei'Er's neck, Xia Qiu had felt a heart-rending pain, a despair like the world was ending, and he had nearly rushed forward to stop it.

It was only after Chu Fan killed Hong Mei'Er that the strange affection finally dissipated.

'But those bizarre and terrifying Emotional Silks had bound Chu Fan, and he showed no reaction at all!'

'And Hong Mei'Er's final attack clearly struck Chu Fan's chest, so why...'

GULP.

Xia Qiu's throat was parched. He swallowed hard, trying to calm the frantic pounding of his heart.

Just then, Chu Fan straightened up and turned to face him.

Their eyes met.

Xia Qiu shuddered violently, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him, sending a chill from his head to his toes.

Those eyes were calm and profound, showing no excitement or fatigue from defeating a powerful enemy, nor any greed from collecting the spoils.

"Come here."

Chu Fan beckoned to him. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an authority that couldn't be denied.

'Run!'

The word screamed in Xia Qiu's mind. His instincts frantically urged him to turn and use every trick he had to flee from this source of immense danger.

But reason—or perhaps, a deeper fear—nailed his feet to the ground.

He had seen Chu Fan's ghost-like Body Technique when he dodged Hong Mei'Er's fatal strike. He had seen the "casual squeeze" that concealed terrifying power.

'Run?'

'Inside this Secret Realm, heavily injured as I am... what are my chances against an opponent like that?'

'There's no chance to escape.'

The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably as he forced a fawning smile that looked worse than a sob. He shuffled his feet cautiously, slowly drawing closer.

"Th-Thank you, Lord Chu, for saving my life..."

When he was still about ten feet from Chu Fan, Xia Qiu stopped and bowed, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "If Lord Chu hadn't intervened, I would have surely met a terrible fate today! I will never forget this great kindness as long as I live!"

"If there's anything at all I can do for you, just give the word. I... I'd go through fire and water for you, without hesitation!"