"We’re saved..."

But You Su didn’t relax; he still wore a troubled expression.

In the next moment, changes arose in the cave again. The black mist seemed to be attracted to each other and actually reconvened once more! They first turned into black droplets, then gathered together to form a gigantic tentacle large enough to blow up the entire cave. Each sucker on the tentacle was as big as a human face!

You Su gasped for breath, gripping the sword hilt tightly. He genuinely hadn’t expected that the tentacle could recombine after being crushed to a bloody pulp. What on earth could kill it?

"Is this... really a creature that should exist in this world..."

Ji Xueruo stared in shock at the gigantic tentacle, the small hope that had just been ignited was extinguished once more. She had only heard of evil spirits, but she never imagined that the first one she’d see with her own eyes would be far more powerful than any she had ever heard of.

You Su was still thinking about the next move with anxiety in his heart. Upon hearing Ji Xueruo’s lament, it was as if a new world had opened up to him, and a flash of insight struck his mind—

Of course! This can’t possibly be a real creature! This is the tentacle of the water god! The little white fish that claims to be a water god, isn’t it best at creating bubbles that lead people into illusions!

You Su’s eyes shot out a gleam of understanding. If this was an illusion, then everything made sense!

It wasn’t that he hadn’t struck the tentacle, but rather, like when he touched the enlarged little white fish that day, these things never had substance to begin with! It voluntarily broke off because it didn’t want him to discover this point. Hence, no matter how he hacked at it, it could always recover!

You Su suddenly smirked contemptuously. He initially thought this evil spirit named itself as the water god and belonged to the five elements, but he didn’t expect it to belong to a Dream Master!

Once the mysterious veil of a Dream Master’s evil spirit is seen through, it poses no further threat.

The massive tentacle, which seemed to cover the sky, came crashing down on You Su, but this time You Su was the one who remained still, neither evading nor dodging.

"Get out of the way!" Ji Xueruo shouted anxiously upon seeing this, "Run! You can’t die! Don’t worry about me!"

You Su turned his head back, a look of relaxed and calm smile, as if giving up, he didn’t even raise his sword:

"Miss Ji, I haven’t married your sister yet, of course, I won’t die."

This fool! Clearly, you’re about to be crushed into pulp, and yet you have the nerve to talk about marrying my sister... If you don’t come to rescue me, it would be fine. If you die because of me, wouldn’t I owe Lingruo even more...

Ji Xueruo closed her eyes, unable to witness You Su’s death, but the huge noise of a tentacle smashing the ground she imagined didn’t occur; all around was a deathly silence. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

She slowly opened her eyes, only to be surprised to find the tentacle had vanished, and You Su was approaching her with a sword slung over one shoulder, calmly and breezily.

"Wha-what’s going on?"

Ji Xueruo asked in disbelief. Although the pool of black water and dark cave clearly existed, the tentacle had mysteriously disappeared.

"Thanks to Miss Ji’s reminder, the monster was actually fake. It truly wasn’t a creature belonging to this world."

You Su reached Ji Xueruo, explaining patiently.

The tentacle dissipated into nothing right after striking You Su, without stirring even a mote of dust. In the case of illusions, as long as you don’t believe in them, naturally you won’t be affected by them.

"Fake?" Ji Xueruo hesitated, "Are you sure?"

"I’m sure, so long as we believe it’s real, we won’t ever be able to kill it," You Su said, deliberately glancing at Xiaoyu hiding nearby to remind her.

"Will Yui Zhen come out again?" Ji Xueruo asked, still fearful.

"The tentacle is fake, but the black pool is real. The illusion is merely the trick of the evils under the black pool, designed to deceive prey into giving up struggling and surrendering themselves. Yui Zhen has already been dragged into the black pool, presumably becoming ’water god’s’ sustenance."

"An evil of his own making."

Ji Xueruo muttered, quickly regaining her composure, and asked:

"Why... How did Mr. You end up here?"

"By chance, I was attacked by a monster in the Jade Ring Pool, which brought me to this cave. Does Miss Ji know where this is?"

Ji Xueruo was about to answer but was abruptly interrupted by a scream; unexpectedly, another tentacle extended from the black pool, firmly gripping Xiaoyu.

This all happened too suddenly. You Su couldn’t save her in time, shouting, "Don’t believe it!"

But for a timid mortal girl, it was too difficult. The tentacle already wrapped around Xiaoyu’s body, pulled her down swiftly, disappearing into the black water!

Witnessing this drove Ji Xueruo’s heart into a frenzy, but there wasn’t much time for sorrow. She immediately said, "This place is not safe for a long stay! Head back the way you came!"

You Su understood, realizing they needed to be wary not only of the man behind Yui Zhen but also of the unending illusions, making it clearly an unsafe place for talking.

"Forgive me."

Without hesitating, You Su bent down, collecting Ji Xueruo and Xiaoyu’s fish body in his arms, carrying her horizontally once more. Ji Xueruo’s face became somewhat awkward, but the urgency of the situation left no room for concerns.

Carrying Ji Xueruo like this, You Su hurriedly rushed back. Throughout, he was careful not to touch the fish body beneath Ji Xueruo’s black skirt, seemingly not wanting the girl to recall the bizarre transformation of her own body.

Yet only the girl knew the sharp pain and foreign sensation from her lower half were pushing her endurance to the brink, her complexion growing increasingly pale and lips losing their color.