433: Chapter 433 Faced with life and death, what choice will Xu Ruyu make?

Just as Xiao Nianyin was secretly circulating her spiritual energy, intending to kill Zhao Qian opposite her with a single blow, Xu Ruyu suddenly reached out, gripped her wrist tightly, and forcibly pulled her back from the step she had taken.

The force was so great that even Xiao Nianyin, who had already recovered her Early Saint Realm cultivation, felt a hint of pain.

This caused Xiao Nianyin to be secretly shocked—impossible, he is just a small Cultivator at the Qi Refinement Stage, even with the support of countless Spiritual Artifacts, how could he possibly restrain her with just his Physical Body strength, and even hurt her with his grip?

Could it be that Xu Ruyu has been playing the pig to eat the tiger all along?

Xiao Nianyin suppressed the shock in her heart, bit her lip, and turned her head to look at Xu Ruyu.

Xu Ruyu still did not turn back; he simply stood with his back to her and shook his head slightly.

The movement was very small, so small it was barely noticeable, but Xiao Nianyin saw it.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not break free and stepped back.

Xu Ruyu remained silent. He looked at Situ E and then at Zhao Qian, his gaze as calm as water.

In his heart, however, stormy waves were currently surging.

He was thinking about how to break the deadlock.

A direct fight wouldn't work, breaking through wouldn't work, stalling for time wouldn't work, and waiting for someone to rescue them wouldn't work either.

Could it be that he was truly going to die here today?

No, that was impossible.

He, Xu Ruyu, had never believed in fate.

His gaze quickly swept over the surrounding terrain, his mind rapidly calculating every possibility.

To the left was a steep cliff with jagged rocks and no vegetation, but it wasn't impossible to climb.

To the right was a bottomless canyon, pitch-black and impossible to see to the bottom, but what was down there?

Was it a river? A forest? Or a rocky beach? He didn't know.

But if he jumped down, could he survive? He didn't know.

But it was still better than waiting here to die.

His gaze fell back onto Situ E and Zhao Qian.

These two men were at odds, each harboring their own secret agendas.

Situ E wanted Xiao Nianyin, wanted to humiliate him, and wanted to avenge the previous time he had been toyed with.

Zhao Qian also wanted Xiao Nianyin, but he wanted her life.

The two men's goals seemed identical, but in reality, they were completely different.

If he could exploit the conflict between them...

Seeing Xu Ruyu's silence, Zhao Qian took another step forward, his voice even colder: "Xu Ruyu, my patience is limited."

"If you do not answer again, do not blame me for being discourteous."

"Do you think you can protect her? You, a mere Qi Refinement Stage, what do you have to protect her with?"

Situ E watched from the side with a grin, not interrupting.

Behind him, the two Early Saint Realm Grand Elders stood left and right, blocking all paths of retreat.

Those experts from the Jile Sect were also prepared to strike at any moment.

The way they looked at Xu Ruyu was as if they were looking at a dead man.

The members of the Hehuan Sect were caught in the middle, like turtles in a jar.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Xu Ruyu.

At this moment, Situ E also put away his smile, a flicker of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, and his voice rose sharply: "Xu Ruyu, I am not as easy to talk to as Elder Zhao, and I don't have the damn time to waste with you."

"I will give you three breaths of time to consider. If you hand over Xiao Nianyin and hand over the refining methods for those Spiritual Artifacts of yours, I can spare your life."

"Otherwise—die!"

He waved his hand, and the Jile Sect experts behind him simultaneously drew their Magical Artifacts. Their Killing Intent soared to the heavens, and the light from the Magical Artifacts was exceptionally blinding in the twilight.

"One."

Situ E began to count, his voice unhurried, yet it struck everyone's hearts like a death knell.

The hearts of the Hehuan Sect members were in their throats.

Zhou Daniu's hands were trembling, but he gripped the qi-breaking gun tightly.

Li Ergou's teeth were chattering, but he gritted them and refused to retreat.

Zhao Tiezhu's fists were clenched so tightly they were cracking.

"Two."

Situ E's voice grew colder and colder, the smile on his face vanished, replaced by a naked Killing Intent.

The two Early Saint Realm Grand Elders behind him also released their pressure, like two great mountains, pressing down so hard that it was difficult to breathe.

Several Hehuan Sect Disciples with lower cultivation turned pale, and blood seeped from the corners of their mouths.

Xu Ruyu remained silent.

His hand rested on his storage ring.

The psionic rocket launcher was inside, but he knew that one shot could at most kill one Saint Realm Cultivator.

The remaining ones would be enough to slaughter the Hehuan Sect completely.

But did he have any other choice?

"Three—"

Situ E's voice was like a death knell; before the last word even left his lips—

Zhao Qian also took a step forward, his hand resting on his sword hilt, and said coldly: "Xu Ruyu, I will say this one last time—hand over Xiao Nianyin."

"Otherwise, the Tianshu Sword Sect will act on behalf of the heavens today and completely eradicate you evil heretics of the Hehuan Sect."

"Not a single one will be left."

His voice was cold and resolute, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

His eyes were filled with Killing Intent; in that Killing Intent were twenty years of hatred, twenty years of resentment, and twenty years of unwillingness.

Situ E and Zhao Qian, one in front and one behind, one on the left and one on the right, sandwiched Xu Ruyu in the middle.

Both men's gazes were fixed intently on him.