A Waste of Time

Chapter 162: Tactical Mischief

“I see... playing hard to get, eh!”

Daemon twisted aside as the horns of a water buffalo barely missed his ribs, then flicked his wrist. A wave of Fire Qi burst from his palm, scorching a cluster of green wasps that had tried to cut off his escape. Sparks flared around him as the burnt husks fell smoking to the forest floor, but his mouth didn’t stop running.

Three black veins pulsed on Liu Yuying’s forehead. “The only thing you’re gonna get today is pain!” she snapped, already rolling up her sleeves. “We’re here to bully you, you brat!”

Daemon’s laughter echoed between the trees. He spun midair, axe-kicked another water buffalo square on the neck, and used the recoil of the blow to launch himself backward—just in time to evade a suicidal dive from the wasps.

“You girls better behave now,” he warned, voice low but sharp enough to slice through the noise of battle.

His tone carried an unspoken weight—an edge that pressed down on the two beauties before they could even process it. His aura unfurled like a wave, cold and heavy. Han Ruyue and Liu Yuying froze for a heartbeat, their instincts reacting before their minds caught up.

“I might do something crazy,” he added, eyes glinting with mischief.

“Like what?” Han Ruyue asked, the words escaping her lips before she could stop them. She felt the heat rush to her face beneath her calm exterior but buried it deep, masking the flicker of shame with her usual collected grace.

Daemon smirked, catching her glance before turning back toward the chaos. His Blade flashed through the air as he countered another charge from the buffalo herd, carving a clean arc of silver light.

“Like having these creatures target the two of you,” he said coolly. “And believe me… that’s the first wicked idea that comes to mind right now.”

Liu Yuying gawked, then her expression shifted into a slow, wicked grin—half amusement, half challenge.

“Little brother,” she purred, brushing an errant lock of hair from her face. “I hope you won’t hold it against this Big Sister for disappointing you… but that plan of yours won’t work this time.”

Her confidence was radiant. With a teasing smile, she stepped forward—and flew straight into the battlefield.

Daemon’s eyes widened in disbelief. She passed through the herd of water buffaloes and the swarming wasps like a ghost. Their horns and stingers sliced through her body without resistance, as though they were nothing but mist and illusion.

“H-how…?”

He didn’t even get to finish the question. The horde of buffaloes roared, hooves pounding the earth as they gathered Water Qi once again. The air trembled with pressure as they formed into a massive charging wave.

“Tehehe…” Liu Yuying’s laughter floated through the chaos, sweet and mocking. “If you promise to behave whenever you’re around this Big Sister, then maybe—just maybe—I’ll teach you everything you need to learn.”

Her voice carried that infuriating mix of charm and arrogance that made Daemon’s brow twitch. She basked in it, savoring the sweetness of victory that lingered on her tongue like rare honey.

Even Han Ruyue couldn’t help but smile, a faint curve tugging at the corner of her lips. Watching the boy struggle beneath the storm of wasps while his colorful barrier flared to shield him from the combined onslaught of Water Qi and venom, she found the scene oddly satisfying.

He was fierce, reckless, clever—and infuriatingly alive.

Daemon’s stance shifted almost imperceptibly — his shoulders relaxed, but every muscle in his body coiled with instinctive readiness. The air between him and the two girls thickened; the faint hum of Qi resonated around his feet like distant thunder. Liu Yuying and Han Ruyue could both feel it — the wheels turning behind those calm, black eyes.

He wasn’t underestimating them. Not for a second.

Despite the confidence radiating from him, Daemon knew it would be utter foolishness to think he could take on two Foundation Establishment Cultivators at once, especially while still trapped in this cursed trial.

Crack. Crack.

The sound echoed, sharp and deliberate. Liu Yuying smiled sweetly — the kind of smile one might expect from a harmless kitten. Yet the sound of each cracking knuckle betrayed something far less innocent. “So… how’s it going to be, little brother?” she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side. Wind Qi swirled around her feet in gentle coils, lifting her hair into soft motion. Two short swords shimmered into existence in her hands, their silver edges singing faintly as if eager to taste battle.

Daemon’s gaze flicked toward Han Ruyue — just a quick glance to confirm her intentions. But the moment he saw her retrieve a transparent bead and a long, polished wooden ruler, his heart sank.

So she is joining in.

And to make her stance unmistakable, she nodded once, her black eyes flashing with the restrained fury she’d been holding ever since that day — the day he broke free from her confinement.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Daemon raised both hands, stepping back slightly as if to fend off their rising aggression. “Hol’ up, hol’ up, hol’ up! Let’s… talk this one out, alright?” His grin was the very definition of forced — awkward enough to make even his enemies cringe. “We haven’t seen one another in so long; there’s no need for fists and blades to do the talking now.”

He gestured toward the chaos still unfolding around him — the water buffaloes stomping, the wasps swarming, the air trembling from the energy of the Formation. “How about you two wait for me to handle these creatures before we all sit down and talk like civilized people, yeah? Catch up a little?”

Liu Yuying’s smile widened — silly, radiant, and utterly self-satisfied. Her eyes sparkled like a cat that had cornered her prey. She’d already won this exchange, and she knew it.

What Daemon didn’t know, however, was that these two weren’t here to exact revenge for what he’d done during their first encounter. Their punishment after failing that mission had long been offset by the gift of his Life-Blood — the very essence that had helped both ascend to the next Major Realm.

“Good,” Liu Yuying said at last, her tone playful yet final. With a flick of her wrist, she dismissed her short swords back into her Space Ring and crossed her arms, taking up her post like a smug queen surveying her battlefield.

Han Ruyue drifted closer, her steps light as air until she hovered beside her friend. The two stood in silence, their long hair swaying gently in the wind. When their eyes met, countless unspoken thoughts passed between them — amusement, admiration, and something neither could name.

Below them, Daemon resumed his fight. His Blade flashed, and the earth trembled beneath his movements.

The more they watched, the quieter they grew. Shock and awe took root in their hearts.

This boy — this stubborn, reckless, maddening boy — wasn’t just holding his ground. He was controlling the flow of the battle, dancing on the edge of danger, revealing just enough to prove his strength while keeping the depths of his power veiled behind that calm, infuriating smile.

He could have held them both off, perhaps even the beasts, if he wished.

But instead, he chose to yield — to play the fool — just to make sure they never caught even a glimpse of his true secrets.

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