The giant lion galloped through the vast mountain forest like silver lightning.

On Mimi’s broad back, Gu Baiying’s arms gradually tightened as he protected the person in his embrace.

Zanxing had fallen from the Wulun Pagoda, but Gui Yansheng had disappeared without a trace. Half of his Xiaoyuan Pearl had been taken away, and he had sustained many injuries from his earlier battle with Gu Baiying and the others. Cultivating the Asura Ghost Path originally required using oneself as the price. At this moment, Gui Yansheng could no longer continue circulating his yuanli and had taken advantage of the chaos to escape using his Ashura Umbrella.

Zanxing’s condition was very wrong.

After half of the Xiaoyuan Pearl was drilled into her body, Zanxing had never woken up. The demonic yuanli within her body was chaotic and violent, as if her primordial soul was undergoing an invisible tempering and tearing. The demon race members were worried about Zanxing and decided to first take her back to Heishi City.

The Demon Elimination Army had already suffered heavy losses due to Gui Yansheng activating the Two-Life Buddha Wheel, and had no strength to stop the demon race’s actions. When Gu Baiying was about to leave with Xiao Shuang, Putao blocked his way. She stood before Gu Baiying, her eyes somewhat red: “She is of the demon race—you cannot stay with the demon race!”

“Move aside.”

“Don’t forget you are the leader of the Demon Elimination Army!”

“Fellow Cultivator Pu,” Tian Fangfang stepped forward, quite rudely interrupting: “Just now, if it weren’t for my junior sister stopping Gui Yansheng in the Buddha Wheel and shattering the pagoda’s reincarnation, I’m afraid you wouldn’t have been able to get out until now. My junior sister at least counts as half your savior—do all of you from Xiangling Sect fail to distinguish right from wrong like this?” This usually good-tempered man spoke somewhat harshly for the first time: “Jealousy makes people ugly.”

Putao bit her lip, tears falling one by one.

Tian Fangfang then chased after Gu Baiying: “Master Uncle, wait, we want to go too!”

The Taiyan Sect members were worried about Zanxing and followed along to Heishi City. Before leaving, they instructed Nie Xinghong of Yinfeng Sect to notify the sects about what had happened here. Though Nie Xinghong was somewhat slick, he was fairly clear on important matters and wasn’t as rejecting of the demon race and Zanxing as Chihua Gate.

On the demon race side, the bone woman looked back at the several people on Mimi’s back, somewhat indignantly: “Lord Xiao Shuang, are we taking them back to Heishi City together? They’re people from the sects!”

“Little Highness considers them good friends, and they also helped Little Highness in the Buddha Wheel.”

Lady Zhaoling said coldly, “Those few people are one thing, but why should Gu Baiying also be allowed to go? His unclear relationship with that sect female disciple has spread throughout the entire Demon Elimination Army. Such an unchaste man in our Heishi City should be dragged out, chopped up, and fed to dogs! He wouldn’t be thinking of rekindling old feelings with Little Highness, would he? Little Highness is soft-hearted, what if…”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Xiao Shuang stopped Lady Zhaoling’s words: “I can see that Young Immortal Gu is not completely without feelings for Little Highness. This is Little Highness’s private matter—it’s not for you and me to interfere. Moreover…” he showed a genial smile on his face: “He probably hasn’t been to the Chaos Hall yet.”

The bone woman’s eyes lit up: “That’s right, the Chaos Hall plus Lord Xiao Shuang makes seven favored consorts!”

“Haha, what a good idea!” The mountain spider laughed upon hearing this: “I imagine when this Young Immortal Gu sees the seven favored consorts, he’ll be like bitter herbs mixed with aged vinegar—both bitter and sour!”

“How could that be?” Xiao Shuang smiled, his tone as gentle as always: “Young Immortal Gu is Little Highness’s master uncle. Heishi City will certainly treat him well.”

…

A continuous rain began falling over Heishi City.

The rainwater shrouded the pitch-Heishi mountain, making the already eerie city appear even more somber.

In front of the great hall, Xiao Shuang stopped Gu Baiying’s group who wanted to enter, saying: “Please wait, everyone. Little Highness is currently injured and must return to the hall to recuperate. Please wait outside for now.”

“Me, me, me!” Mendong jumped up: “I have immortal spiritual apertures, I know how to heal! I can go in together!”

Xiao Shuang smiled slightly, his manner gentle yet polite: “Young Immortal jests. Little Highness is of the demon race, you are of the human race—how can human medical arts treat the demon race? Please wait outside.”

“How can human medical arts not treat the demon race?” Tian Fangfang was puzzled: “Previously, at Gufeng Mountain, when my junior sister was injured, wasn’t she healed in the sect?”

“Previously, Little Highness had not yet awakened her Heavenly Demon bloodline. Now that she has awakened, and after that battle with severe loss of demonic yuanli, she needs to go to the Demon Yuanli Pool for nourishment.” He looked at Zanxing in Gu Baiying’s arms: “Young Immortal Gu, if we delay any longer, Little Highness…”

Gu Baiying stared at him while Xiao Shuang smiled without speaking.

After a moment, Gu Baiying silently put Zanxing down and handed her over to Xiao Shuang.

“Young Immortal Gu, rest assured. Little Highness is the future master of Heishi City—we will take good care of her.” Xiao Shuang had someone carry Zanxing into the Chaos Hall, then bowed slightly to everyone before following inside. Mimi looked back at Gu Baiying, then turned and followed into the hall.

Watching Xiao Shuang’s retreating figure, Tian Fangfang rubbed his chin: “Why do I feel like this person’s words have hidden meanings? Did you see how he smiled just now? Like he was hiding a knife in his smile.”

“Exactly,” Mendong said indignantly: “He looked down on my medical skills—how arrogant!”

“Ahem,” Mu Cengxiao cleared his throat lightly: “What should we do now? They’ve all gone.” The demon race probably also looked down on the cultivators from their sects. Despite the rain, they didn’t even find them a corner to shelter from the rain, didn’t even give them an umbrella, just left them standing in front of the hall getting soaked.

“Master Uncle?” Meng Ying looked toward Gu Baiying.

He stood at the entrance of the Chaos Hall with a calm expression, yet everyone felt the surrounding air had become somewhat cold.

Just as they were wondering what to do, someone nearby said, “I’ll go ask.”

The speaker was Master Ming Jing. For some reason, when the demon race members returned to Heishi City, he had also followed along. However, he seemed to have some connection with the demon race. Everyone looked at him, and Tian Fangfang wondered: “How will you ask?”

Ming Jing walked forward two steps. Just then, the bone woman came out from inside, and he said gently: “Miss.”

This address of “Miss” clearly pleased the bone woman. The woman gave a coquettish laugh, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him and asked: “What can this little master do for you?”

“May I ask, is Her Highness the Demon Queen currently in the hall?” Ming Jing’s voice was gentle, his brow radiating tranquility. That handsome face appearing in the eerie night rain of Heishi City produced a somewhat mysterious and alluring beauty.

“You’re looking for Her Highness?” The bone woman was slightly stunned, then covered her mouth and smiled: “Her Highness is very busy and can’t be seen just because someone wants to see her. If you have something to say, why not tell this servant…” She moved closer suggestively.

Ming Jing stepped back and opened his palm: “Please trouble yourself, Miss—please give this to Her Highness.”

In his palm lay a small silver clasp, exquisitely crafted with lustrous silver material.

It was originally a beautiful lovers’ lock.

“I see.” The bone woman’s gaze showed a moment of understanding, then she looked at Ming Jing: “Wait here.”