I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

Damn, this guy’s skin is really thick, turning into an old actor as soon as he opens his mouth.

However, now was not the time to turn against him; at the very least, he needed to figure out how to escape this predicament first.

“Brother Gui Xuan, do you really think so?”

Long Xue’s eyes, as she looked at Gui Xuan, flickered with tears. A person at death’s door speaks kindly; seeing her fellow disciple about to make amends moved her.

Regrettably, there is no medicine for regret in this world, and they were soon to be executed.

“It’s too late to say these things now. I know you hate me, and you should. It was I who led you astray!”

Gui Xuan shook his head with a sigh, his face full of remorse.

“Had I known this would happen, why did I ever begin?”

Li Xiaobai’s expression was indifferent as he quietly watched the other’s performance. For a young man, he wasn’t a bad actor, but unfortunately, he was up against him.

“In a quarter of an hour, it will be the third quarter past noon. Do you have any last words?”

“This official will allow you to ask one last question.”

Suddenly, a resonant voice came from behind them, belonging to the official in charge of the execution. A group of executioners stood on either side, ready to rush forward to behead the three on his command.

“How can we avoid death?”

Li Xiaobai took the initiative to ask.

“Well, everyone says you are the last disciples of the Demon Sect, but I always feel there are other demons lurking in the world. If you can help me root them out, it wouldn’t be impossible for me to spare your lives,”

said the voice behind them after a moment’s thought.

“I am willing!”

“My lord, as long as you spare us, I will surely uncover the other hidden demons for you!”

Before Li Xiaobai or Long Xue could react, Gui Xuan beat them to it, speaking first; being outpaced twice by Li Xiaobai had irritated him somewhat.

He had realized that this official was their only chance at life; the opportunity for survival mentioned by the other party was the key to breaking out of this situation.

But what he didn’t see was the strange expression that flitted across Li Xiaobai’s lips.

“Oh?”

“Is that true?”

asked the official behind them with interest.

“These evil spirits deserve death. Being able to do my part for the people of the world is our duty!”

Gui Xuan said with an air of righteousness.

“Brother Gui Xuan, you!”

“Just now you had repented and amended your ways, so why are you now willing to degrade yourself to become a hound for the Imperial Court?”

Long Xue’s gaze at Gui Xuan changed completely, the emotions she had felt earlier instantly dissipating. In her eyes, he had become a man who would stoop to any means for benefit and survival.

“Sister, brother is doing this to keep us alive!”

“Bear with the moment, calm seas come; take a step back, the sky’s the limit—as long as one survives, there’s hope for a brighter future, Brother Li offers you the comfort of a home!”

Gui Xuan said with a smile, trying to console.

He was not the same man in the Illusionary Realm who feared death; with a god’s eye view, he knew just how to break the game.

But his smile faded in the next moment.

“Hmm?”

“Who said all of you could live?”

“We must investigate other possible demons first, it suffices to spare one among you, the rest must be executed immediately in front of the people!”

“Decide amongst yourselves, who lives, who dies!”

The official behind them spoke again, his voice tinged with a coldness that made Gui Xuan shiver. Suddenly, he seemed to realize he had oversimplified the Old Dragon King’s test.

He thought the official’s words were his lifeline, yet he hadn’t expected there to be a second part to his statement, designed to provoke infighting; that was the real purpose of this test.

There was no doubt, this was a test of character, and it’s absolutely impossible to accept such a condition. Anyone who agreed for the sake of survival would truly have a flawed character.

Looking around, Long Xue was biting her lips, her face deathly pale with a look of utter despair, while Li Xiaobai had his eyes tightly shut, seemingly resigned. Gui Xuan smirked with self-satisfaction; with the situation as it was, what could possibly be used against him?

All he had to do at this moment was utter some sweet nothings, show his true heart to Long Xue before they died, thus earning her favor. Then let the executioner finish them off together, ensuring his victory after the Illusionary Realm ended.

Li Xiaobai, oh Li Xiaobai, to think that your performance within the Illusionary Realm would be so pitiful, not even instilling in me the desire to crush you underfoot. Truly disappointing!

With a sneer in his heart, Gui Xuan turned to look at Long Xue, about to offer his comforting words, when suddenly he heard the person beside him declare loud and clear, “My lord, we have made our decision—I live, they die!”

At these words, both Long Xue and Gui Xuan were astonished; they couldn’t believe that, at the last moment, this unremarkable little Disciple would betray them.

Gui Xuan was stunned, not understanding what was happening. Had his fellow disciple turned to darkness?

But this maybe wasn’t such a bad outcome. The worse Li Xiaobai performed in the Illusionary Realm, the more his favor with Long Xue would diminish, and the greater Gui Xuan’s own chances would grow.

Immediately, his brows furrowed, and he rebuked harshly, “Li Xiaobai, how could you act like this?”

“To cling to life, you choose to harm your fellow disciples?”

“I always thought you were an honorable man, but I never expected this from you—I was wrong about you!”

“Don’t be afraid, Xue’er, even in death, your brother will be with you!”

“Actually, there’s something I’ve held in my heart for a long time, always too afraid to say, but at this moment, I must speak it out loud…”

Without regard for anything else, Gui Xuan launched into a tirade against Li Xiaobai and then turned to Long Xue with eyes full of tender feelings, prepared to let loose all the romantic words he had been retaining.

Unfortunately, Long Xue wasn’t listening to him at all. Her mind was completely occupied by Li Xiaobai, unable to understand why he would do such a thing.

“It can’t be, Brother Li wouldn’t do that, Brother Li is a good person!”

Long Xue muttered to herself, her eyes unwittingly filling with tears.

Gui Xuan ignored all this, continuing to pour out his feelings for her. In his view, the scenario was bound to end with their beheadings. If there were other trials ahead, the Illusionary Realm would reconstruct itself for those trials.

Before then, he needed to do everything to belittle Li Xiaobai and elevate himself to gain Long Xue’s favor. Yes, Long Xue was his primary concern—it mattered not what happened in the Illusionary Realm, life or death.

Li Xiaobai, gathering all this within his sight, shook his head slowly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes for this unaccomplished fool.

The other’s intentions were clear to him, but how could the Illusionary Realm end so easily? This foolish fellow failed to see through the true nature of this world!