Seeing him through the fence gaps, little Yun Ya’s face flashed with fear, and he stepped back twice.

He recognized this person.

Feng Miaojun, up in the tree, clenched her fists. These monsters had so many tricks—when appealing to emotions and reasoning didn’t work, were they now trying to intimidate him?

The woman turned and blocked the courtyard gate, exclaiming anxiously: “What are you doing!”

This sentence was spoken loudly, finally reaching Feng Miaojun’s ears.

The black-robed man stopped.

He had his back to Feng Miaojun, so she couldn’t hear his words or see his lips moving, but she could see the woman opposite him. Her small mouth opened and closed rapidly as she spoke, while vigorously shaking her head, her shoulder-length black hair almost flying up.

She was refusing something.

The man grew impatient and reached out to push her aside. Unexpectedly, she suddenly drew out a water-splitting dagger and thrust it toward his chest.

In an instant, the two were engaged in combat.

Looking at little Yun Ya in the courtyard, he had completely changed from his previous dazed, wooden state. With both hands on the fence, he stared unblinkingly at the battle outside, his face filled with worry.

His attention had been captured.

The battle outside was decided in a flash. The black-robed man deflected the water-splitting dagger and pierced the woman’s right shoulder with his sword!

She cried out in agony as fresh blood dripped from the sword tip, falling onto the fence and ground—and before little Yun Ya’s eyes.

He had been biting his lip all along, but now couldn’t help but cry out: “Mother!”

The child’s voice was sharp and piercing, traveling over ten zhang to reach Feng Miaojun’s ears, causing her pupils to contract slightly.

As expected.

The woman turned back to give him a reassuring smile, her lips barely moving.

Feng Miaojun deduced that she probably said, “Don’t be afraid.”

The black-robed man pulled out his weapon, raised the long sword high, its blade still flashing cold light in the dim sky, and then slashed toward her neck.

If it struck true, it would be a beheading with one stroke!

To Feng Miaojun, this speed seemed deliberately slowed, but little Yun Ya, lacking an adult’s composure and experience, was terrified until his face turned pale. Suddenly, he stood on tiptoe and reached up to grab the crossbar on the door!

He couldn’t bear to see his mother beheaded before his eyes. In this instant, all hesitation and doubt were completely overwhelmed by the affection and fear in his heart. He only wanted to protect his mother and pull her away from death’s grasp.

Feng Miaojun had her full attention on little Yun Ya. As soon as he stood on tiptoe, she knew it was bad. This small courtyard was the last stronghold in Yun Ya’s sea of consciousness world. If he opened the door to let the monsters in, he would have lost this battle!

The consequences would be truly chilling.

Feng Miaojun cursed under her breath, her toes using the treetop as leverage as she sprang forward like an arrow!

The monsters here were endless, and Yun Ya’s spiritual awareness was clouded, likely unable to help her. Normally, she wouldn’t even consider such a suicidal rescue mission against overwhelming odds.

But now, the situation was critical.

All considerations, calculations, and strategic planning were thrown to the winds, leaving only one simple, pure thought in her mind:

Save him!

Just as little Yun Ya began to pull the door bolt, a streak of light like a bolt of silk suddenly arrived from over ten zhang away, first cutting off the black-robed man’s head!

The cold light gleamed like snow, illuminating the surrounding dimness.

Another woman appeared outside the courtyard gate. With her curved blade not yet withdrawn, she urgently shouted at him: “Yun Ya, your mother is already dead, she’s fake!”

In the moment, she knew long explanations would be useless; only a direct shock could work.

Indeed, when Yun Ya heard the words “mother is already dead,” the panicked expression faded, and his brow furrowed slightly. At this time, the black-robed man beheaded by Feng Miaojun had his head roll on the ground twice, yet not a drop of blood spurted out. Then both head and body simultaneously transformed into black smoke, drifting away.

Seeing this, little Yun Ya’s face showed a thoughtful expression.

This was what the monsters feared most. If the controller of this world regained clarity, what could they accomplish? The woman shrilly said: “She’s the fake one. Mother is injured, good child, open the door quickly!” As she spoke, she pounced toward Feng Miaojun.

As soon as they engaged, Feng Miaojun knew this woman was profoundly skilled, far beyond the few small fry she had dealt with earlier. Considering she could transform into Yun Ya’s mother with such lifelike accuracy that it was almost indistinguishable from the real thing, her abilities and rank among the monsters must be very high.

Indeed, when she opened her mouth to shriek, listeners felt as if their hearts were struck by a giant hammer, their souls shaking, unable to resist covering their ears. However, Feng Miaojun merely frowned slightly, her speed not slowed at all.

Her will was as firm as bedrock, so the shriek had little effect on her. She was more concerned about Yun Ya, but when she glanced back, this young master was staring straight at her, seemingly unaffected.

The woman’s attacks were unpredictable. Her physical form was like smoke; one moment she was struck in front of Feng Miaojun, and the next she might vanish and ambush from behind. This fighting style was particularly novel, momentarily leaving Feng Miaojun at a loss.

Worst of all, seeing victory within reach, how could the surrounding black shadows allow her to ruin it? Immediately, smoke surged, all floating toward her, transforming into various monsters as they approached, attacking without a word.

No matter how formidable Feng Miaojun was, two fists could hardly fight four hands, let alone the seemingly thousands of monsters here. She dodged a heart-snatching claw from the woman while urgently calling to Yun Ya: “I’m An’an! You triggered the magma eruption in Red Demon Mountain and fought fiercely with the King of Yan underground, don’t you remember?”

Little Yun Ya blinked, showing a confused expression, as if he hadn’t understood.

The woman gave an impolite sharp laugh. Those trapped in an illusion couldn’t comprehend complex language. This little girl was skilled in combat but lacked insight into human hearts; otherwise, she would know to guide him with a gentle voice at this moment.

Little idiot! Where did your usual cleverness go? Feng Miaojun cursed silently but still tried earnestly: “Our spiritual powers are connected!”

At this, little Yun Ya didn’t even move his eyeballs.

Indeed, he had never cared much about their shared spiritual power, so Feng Miaojun’s choice of words had no impact on his resolve.

This heartless, unfaithful man didn’t even react to her nickname. Did he not take her seriously at all in daily life? Just as this thought flashed, the woman’s sharp claws grazed her ribs. Feng Miaojun, still dealing with other shadows, couldn’t dodge in time and let out a hiss of pain.

Though this wasn’t reality and she was only a spirit form, the pain of injury was identical to the outside world.

Little Yun Ya’s hand remained on the door, so no one noticed when his hand suddenly tightened, gripping the door bolt.

The woman’s gaze fell on her wound, and she suddenly hissed loudly: “You’re human!”

Feng Miaojun, enduring the pain, replied: “You’re not!” When the woman charged at her chest, she unexpectedly neither dodged nor evaded, but instead reached behind her back with her left hand!