NOVEL NEXT Chapter 90: Stop Using Me as Your Tissue!
Before his body was fully taken over by the Heavenly Demon Monarch, Feng Fan had left a small trace of spiritual qi attached to his consciousness, hidden in his left hand as a precaution.
He wasn't sure if it would work, but if the Suppression Relic could absorb any kind of energy, then the soul, being a form of energy, should be no exception. As long as the Heavenly Demon Monarch's soul remained within his body, it could be absorbed!
Using the last remnants of his consciousness, Feng Fan willed the Suppression Relic to absorb the foreign soul invading his body.
The Heavenly Demon Monarch, who had been basking in his victory just moments ago, suddenly felt an overwhelming force pulling at his soul.
He immediately recognized the source.
"N-No! Impossible! How do you have it? How can you have it?! This artifact should be in the Immortal World!"
Despair flooded his mind as he realized he had no chance of escaping, but he still fought with every ounce of strength he had left.
"I can't accept this! I can't accept this!"
In a few seconds, the Suppression Relic fully absorbed the Heavenly Demon Monarch's soul, causing the chains and the array that had trapped Feng Fan to vanish.
"That was close!" Feng Fan said, regaining control of his body.
Feng Fan looked at the Suppression Relic with a warm smile. "You're the best partner anyone could ask for, little brick!"
With that, he focused his consciousness and entered the Suppression Relic. Inside, he immediately spotted the Heavenly Demon Monarch's soul writhing and struggling against its confinement.
The moment the soul noticed him, its fury erupted.
"Brat! I swear I'll kill you! Do you hear me? I'll kill you!"
Feng Fan smirked, unfazed by the threat. "My friend, you seem to be forgetting who's holding the reins here."
"AAARGH!" The Heavenly Demon Monarch's voice echoed with rage and frustration as a tearing pain spread through his soul.
Feng Fan willed the Suppression Relic to exert its pressure. A surge of force attacked the trapped soul, causing it to tremble violently.
"Stop! Please, stop!" the Monarch cried out, his defiance crumbling under the unforgivable assault.
Feng Fan ceased the attack, his expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Demon Monarch was consumed by shame. To be forced to beg for mercy, by a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, was a humiliation unlike any he had ever endured.
"W-What do you want?" the Heavenly Demon Monarch asked, his voice trembling.
Feng Fan smirked. "What could you possibly offer me? I already took your space ring, and honestly, you're dirt poor!"
The Monarch's face twisted in anger, but he bit back his fury. Losing control now would do him no good.
"My lord, those items in the space ring are supreme techniques! Any one of them could fetch countless treasures in the Immortal World. You can't be serious!"
"Sure, they're useful," Feng Fan replied casually, "but I can't sell them here, and I still need resources for my cultivation. Got any of those?"
The Heavenly Demon Monarch hesitated, then forced a conciliatory tone. "If you release me, I can gather all the resources you need for your cultivation."
'The moment I'm free, I'll kill you, you insufferable brat,' he thought venomously.
Feng Fan's grin widened as he picked up on the Monarch's thoughts. Without a word, he willed the Suppression Relic to apply pressure once more.
"ARGH! Stop! Stop!" the Monarch screamed, writhing in pain.
Feng Fan's tone turned mockingly sweet. "Oh, my friend, you must think I'm an idiot. Do you really believe I'd fall for such an obvious lie? You can't offer me anything useful right now, so why don't you sit tight and rot here for a while? We'll chat again later. Bye-bye!"
"Wait! No, don't leave!" the Monarch shouted desperately, but Feng Fan ignored him.
Feng Fan withdrew his consciousness from the Suppression Relic, leaving the furious and helpless soul behind.
Feng Fan glanced at the ground before him, where Gong Long lay, slowly regaining consciousness.
"Ugh, I… I…" Gong Long mumbled, his voice shaky as his eyes fluttered open.
When he looked up and saw Feng Fan standing before him, his eyes immediately welled up with tears.
Without warning, Gong Long sprang to his feet and threw himself at Feng Fan's legs, clutching them tightly. Tears and mucus streamed down his face, staining Feng Fan's robes.
"Feng Fan! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Gong Long cried, his voice trembling with emotion.
Having been trapped within his own body, powerless to control it or even see what was happening outside, Gong Long had never felt so helpless in his entire life. But the moment he regained control and saw Feng Fan, he instantly understood who had saved him.
Feng Fan looked down at Gong Long, who was sobbing uncontrollably and smearing tears and mucus all over his robes. His expression twisted with mild disgust.
"Seriously, bro? If you want to thank me, at least stop using me as your tissue!" he said, taking a step back.
Realizing his behavior, Gong Long quickly released Feng Fan and wiped his face with his sleeve, stepping back to compose himself.
He straightened his posture, looked Feng Fan directly in the eyes, and spoke with conviction.
"Thank you, Feng Fan. Despite how I treated you before… you still saved me when I needed it the most. I swear, from this day forward, I'll treat you as my best friend!"
Feng Fan, quietly listening to Gong Long's thoughts, could sense his sincerity. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
Gong Long's so-called animosity had never bothered him. Their petty disputes had always felt like nothing more than childish bickering to Feng Fan—hardly worth taking seriously.
"Alright, alright. No need to take it too seriously. Xue Qiang should have called an elder by now. Let's wait for her to return. If we're not here when they arrive, she's probably going to worry herself sick."
Gong Long nodded, but when he heard Xue Qiang's name, a wave of shame washed over him.
He had pursued her for so long, even though she had repeatedly rejected him. Worse yet, he had antagonized someone who had generously saved him, all because of jealousy.
Gong Long felt incredibly petty.