Rong Yu was locked in combat with Gu Baiying’s long spear when he saw Zanxing charging forward. He sneered coldly: “Seeking your death!” He turned and struck with his palm, demon qi surging like mountains and seas, yet when it met Zanxing’s long staff, ripples spread in layers, momentarily preventing him from advancing.

“Junior Sister Jing Hua Shui Yue has improved again,” Tian Fangfang said joyfully.

Zanxing suppressed the invasion of demon qi, raised the Panhua Stick in her hand, and aimed at the pitch-black scales on his chest, striking down fiercely.

The tip of the staff seemed to hit something hard, with a “clang—” sound, and it bounced back. Zanxing was shaken away by the demon qi, but Rong Yu’s expression changed slightly.

Seeing his expression, Zanxing knew she had guessed correctly. She shouted to Gu Baiying: “Master Uncle, the merfolk’s heart is one inch to the left, that’s his weakness, attack his weak point!”

In an instant, the merfolk’s expression darkened. The silver scales on his face dimmed considerably, and the black mist around him became even more dense. Before Zanxing could raise her Panhua Stick again, a wave of demon qi came crashing down, knocking her to the ground. The next moment, Rong Yu’s face appeared before her.

He grabbed Zanxing’s throat with one hand, lifting her like a small chicken. Zanxing was horrified to discover that her Yuanli was as weak as candlelight in this merfolk’s grasp, unable to even gather strength.

Gu Baiying’s gaze sharpened as he shouted: “Let her go!” His silver spear thrust straight toward Rong Yu.

Rong Yu turned to meet the attack, while the black mist surrounding him became like ropes, instantly binding Zanxing tightly and throwing her into the air.

“Junior Sister, I’ll save you!” Tian Fangfang raised her axe and charged forward, but when the Qianyang Axe’s blade struck the black mist, it was completely useless. Meng Ying flew up trying to catch Zanxing, but the black mist seemed to perceive her intention, wrapping Zanxing within it and rushing forward rapidly.

The disciples of Xiangling Sect and Yinfeng Sect were all helpless against this black mist. They could only watch helplessly as the black mist carried Zanxing away to a well.

A well? How could there be a well in this imperial tomb?

Rong Yu and Gu Baiying were fighting fiercely, evenly matched. Gu Baiying couldn’t spare himself and could only warn sternly: “Release her, and I can spare your life.”

“How naive of you, Immortal Master. How could I let someone who can see through my weakness live in this world?” Rong Yu chuckled softly.

The black mist suddenly dispersed, and the woman wrapped within it lost her support, falling into the well.

“Junior Sister—” Tian Fangfang’s cry echoed throughout the entire imperial tomb.

Mu Cengxiao flew up and swept into the well, but emerged moments later with empty hands.

“Where is Junior Sister Yang?” Meng Ying asked.

“In the well… there’s nothing there,” Mu Cengxiao replied in a daze.

Rong Yu, in the night sky, suddenly burst into laughter. Gu Baiying’s silver spear struck like wind and rain, the young man’s voice urgent: “What did you do?”

“That well contains a demon-exterminating formation left by the old demon daoist who sealed the merfolk years ago. I planted my demon qi into Yang Zanxing’s body, so the demon-exterminating formation thinks she’s a demon and will naturally annihilate her.” Rong Yu’s eyes were filled with overwhelming malice: “You know what a demon-exterminating formation is, don’t you?”

“That woman is probably already scattered to the winds by now, not even a trace of her primordial spirit left to find!”

……

This was a dark, damp place.

Zanxing felt around her body – it was wet and sticky, mixed with some unpleasant smell, like the scent of rotting water plants, carrying a muddy fishy odor.

She had been thrown into the well by Rong Yu, but this didn’t seem to be the bottom of the well. The surroundings were spacious, and there seemed to be light in the distance.

This place felt uncomfortable to stay in.

Her Qiankun Bag had been lost during the fighting. All Zanxing had on her was a Panhua Stick. She supported herself against the wall to stand up and quietly moved toward the light. No matter what, she had to leave this place first.

After walking about dozens of steps, the light ahead gradually brightened.

This was a long corridor. Torches hung on the stone walls of the corridor, still burning, with light emanating from these torches. But these torches were also strange – there was wind in the corridor, yet these flames didn’t move at all, as if they were fake. The surroundings were deadly quiet, and that fishy smell mixed with rotting water plants gradually intensified, making her dizzy for a moment, unable to support herself, half-kneeling on the ground.

Just then, a voice came from behind: “Are you… Alright?”

Zanxing turned around abruptly.

A beautiful face appeared before her. The young man had a pair of azure blue eyes, delicate features like a painting. She didn’t know when he had appeared, but he was crouching in front of her.

“Rong Yu!” Zanxing was startled and swung her staff at him: “How are you here?”

The young man slightly shifted to avoid Zanxing’s staff tip. He blinked in confusion: “Rong Yu? Are you calling me? Who are you?”

After swinging that staff, Zanxing realized her Yuanli was draining severely. She stepped back two paces and said: “Are you a fish’s memory? We just fought outside… wait, you’re not Rong Yu?”

This young man’s features were identical to Rong Yu’s – ordinary people really couldn’t be born with such captivating beauty. However, looking closely, there were differences. Rong Yu had silver scales from under his eyes to his cheeks, but this young man’s skin was very fair with nothing on it. His gaze toward Zanxing was somewhat bewildered and seemed nervous, without any trace of hostility, looking particularly different from Rong Yu.

Moreover, Zanxing’s gaze moved downward – this young man’s chest also lacked that pitch-black scale. He also had no fish tail, seeming like just an ordinary mortal.

But how could he look exactly like Rong Yu? With this innocent appearance, could Rong Yu have a split fish personality?

“Who are you?” Zanxing asked tentatively.

The young man pressed his lips together and answered carefully: “My name is Yinli. I’m a trace of the primordial spirit of the merfolk sealed here.”

“Primordial spirit?” Zanxing was stunned. She reached out to grab the young man’s arm, but the moment her hand touched his body, it passed through him like touching air.

Indeed, it was a primordial spirit.

“You’re a primordial spirit, so who is that person outside who looks exactly like you? Could he have taken over your body?” Zanxing asked.

“Body possession?” Yinli looked at Zanxing in surprise: “That’s impossible. My soul scattered years ago, and my physical body is long gone. Where would body possession come from?”

“Soul scattered years ago…” Zanxing suddenly understood: “You’re the merfolk from forty years ago!”

Forty years ago, Emperor Shengning of Li’er Kingdom, to extend his lifespan and achieve immortality, harmed innocent young women everywhere, then conjured up a merfolk scapegoat. Zanxing had never been quite clear whether the legendary merfolk were real or just a fabricated target created by the royal family to cover up the ugly truth. Until Rong Yu appeared, Zanxing thought he was the merfolk returning for revenge, but now it seemed that this young man named Yinli before her was the real scapegoat from back then.