She sank her pearl white teeth into the ambrosial lotus bun as they walked. Her eyes shined as her face blossomed blissfully. With the way how Yu Liang was enjoying her gourmet food, he felt a strange sense of jealousy toward the bun.

Her lethargic eyes dosed in euphoria, glanced toward the jaded name tablet hanging from his waist belt, along with his own pendant.

“Huo Wei Hu, thank you,” she softly said, her words utterly sincere.

An unprecedented rhapsodic light flashed across his enigmatic eyes. His lips curved into a bewitching smile as he savored the way how his name rolled off her sweet tongue. He never would have imagined he could be so immersed in ecstasy just from hearing her called his name. His cold heart was elated beyond expectation.

Of course Yu Liang wasn’t aware of his status and identity or the fact that one couldn’t casually call him by his name unless they were tired of living. In the demonic world, his name brought endless terror and trepidation even among the strongest and most atrocious beasts.

If any of them were to bear witness to this scene, they would have kowtowed to her for her unabashed bravery. Yu Liang was clueless to the calamity she had avoided. Don’t know what good deeds she had done in her past life to have amassed such great fortune.

Suddenly remembering his teasing remarks, she frowned and shot him a dirty look.

“You sure are a frivolous man. How many butterflies and flowers are you trying to attract?”

Detecting the displeasure in her voice and hearing that he was the culprit behind their cat fight, made him grinned deeper. Seeing his infuriating smile, Yu Liang clenched her teeth tightly and glared at him.

“That old witch Yan Xia, was like a rooster stuck in a cockpit, believing the enclosed area to be her whole world and that speck of light above her to be her sun. It just so happened you became her speck of light and she came knocking on my door like a madwoman! Since she went through the trouble, I ought to repay her. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! At least she appeased the appetite of those Koi fishes.”

The more she talked, the bigger his smile grew. In the end, she swallowed her indignation and accompanied him quietly, punishing Huo Wei Hu with a temporarily silent treatment.

Concentrating on their surroundings, her intelligent eyes darted from the tall mountains on the west, to the lush forest of the east, and back to the vast sea flowing north. The woods and forest were supposed to be familiar terrains for Yu Liang, but she felt an uncanny apprehension about this place. How was it remotely possible for a miniature world to exist within the pagoda? The hairs on her body stood upright, prickling all her danger sensors.

From a short distance, a rustle of movement was flying toward them at a rapid pace. An unstable and confused young boy tumbled out of the woods, relief presented on his small round face as he ran toward them. It was Yu Tian!

Before she could even cry tears of joy, the figure beside her dashed at lightning speed. His nimble footwork and agile movements were so fast, rendering her incapable of reacting in time. Multiple conflagration of fox-fire shot toward Yu Tian, burning the target as he loudly wailed in excruciating pain.

Her alarmed heart rooted her in place; her eyes captured the scene of her beloved brother ignited in searing flames. Not long after, she flew into a fist of hysteria. Her speech incoherent as tears violently rolled down her cheeks.

“Huo Wei Hu! What have you done! Do you know what you’ve done! Why? Why? Tell me why?” Yu Liang sobbed as her two balled up fists constantly pounded against his chest in grief and anguish.

No matter the amount of strength she fired behind her punches, he remained grounded, like a massive immovable mountain. A firm pair of hands gripped her shoulders. The frosted gaze she sent him would have chilled a lesser man to the bones.

“Look closely, that’s not your brother” he hoarsely said. His voice was low and raspy, as if he was emotionally affected by her mental state of mind.

Those simple words persuaded her to scrutinize the burning victim once more. Her eyes expanded so huge, she felt as if they could fall off any moment. Within the conflagration, the figure she thought to be her brother had transformed into an enormous green-scaled komainu.

“High ranked magical beasts, with shape-shifting abilities. They tend to travel in packs; more might come, we need to leave!” Before he even finished speaking, Huo Wei Hu had swiftly lifted her off her feet, carrying her in his embrace.

Nine majestic tails swayed behind him as he sprinted through the third level pagoda. Tyrannical air encompassed the wicked man; his entire figure was like a sinful demonic beast, fiery in nature. A fire nine-tailed fox, dignified and imposing.

Yu Liang was shocked when he revealed his true form, but surprisingly, she wasn’t afraid of him. Instead, within his overbearing arms, she felt safer than she had ever been. She sensed his unrestrained strong desire to protect her despite how she had acted. She allowed herself to trust him as she relaxed into his embrace, snuggling closer to his warmth. The arms around her tightened as if he was afraid she would reconsider and escape from him.

An alluring smile garnished her fair face. Sheltered in the arms of this domineering man, she leisurely inspected the area.

In the lush forests, plants and vegetables spirits who made it to the third trial, had buried themselves deeply into the rich soil. Likewise, the vast sea was now home to water demons while the land demonic beasts claimed their territory within the woods and mountains.

What the hell was going on? Yu Liang failed to wrap her brain around the 360 change in their fellow contestants’ attitude.

“Huo Wei Hu…” she gently called him. He gazed down at her with adoration in his eyes. His pupils reflected only her. The words got stuck in her throat, but he didn’t make things difficult for her.

“The celestial triangular formation is a powerful, complex magical seal created to trap souls within this illusionary dimension. The lush forests contained sacred soil of the highest quality used to attract spirit plants; however sacred soil is not meant for spirits who became sentient. Once they gained awareness through years of cultivation, they are no longer mere plants. Prolong exposure to the sacred soil will eventually revert them back to being regular plants or crops used for cooking.”

He slightly paused as he sensed a strong wave of curiosity behind those bright eyes of hers. She gave him a coy smile, eagerly anticipating more.

Was his little Yu Liang being coquettish with him? His eyes lighten in delight as he wholeheartedly indulged her. His endurance for patience was only reserved for his little human girl as he enthusiastically continued,

“The sea here is blessed with holy water and the mountain consecrated with mystical air. Any sentient demons or spirits who linger too long inside this formation, will have their spiritual energy gradually absorbed. They will lose their cultivation over time and revert back to regular animals or fishes, cursed here forever until they die. For the stronger ones who could resist the temptations, they were left for the komainus to deal with. Think of them as guard dogs of this formation.”