The cave fell silent for a moment.

After a while, Tian Fangfang laughed: “So nothing happened at all.” He spoke cheerfully: “I knew it – how could anything have happened!” Despite his words, his tone carried some disappointment.

Disappointment?

Mendong glanced at Gu Baiying, and whether it was his imagination or not, that gaze even carried a trace of dissatisfaction, as if disappointed that iron wouldn’t become steel. Gu Baiying’s brow twitched: “What kind of expression is that?”

Meng Ying coughed lightly: “Junior Sister, previously at Yuemo Mountain, there were too many people and too much chatter, so I didn’t have a chance to ask you. Now that we finally have an opportunity, how exactly did you become part of the Demon Clan, and why did you go to Gufeng Mountain?”

This matter would have to be explained sooner or later. She had already told Gu Baiying once last night, and today she had to tell it again. Zanxing picked up the teapot on the table, poured herself a cup of tea to moisten her throat, and began: “Actually, how things developed to this point was really beyond my expectations…”

She recounted everything – how she obtained the Xiaoyuan Pearl, how she discovered her demon clan identity, and finally how she was thrown into the Extreme Ice Abyss by Gui Yansheng and encountered Bu Jiang. In the end, Zanxing sighed: “Before I went to Gufeng Mountain, I didn’t know I was part of the Demon Clan. If I had known, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the sect seeking death.”

Gu Baiying’s gaze flickered slightly.

Before she could speak, Mu Cengxiao continued: “Speaking of which, that Xiaoyuan Pearl seems to have great affinity with Junior Sister. Back then, at the water stream, you fell to the bottom to protect Yunxin and obtained the Xiaoyuan Pearl. Could it be that because the Xiaoyuan Pearl sensed your demon clan identity, even ‘Yu’ was affected?”

Zanxing fell silent. How could it be that the Xiaoyuan Pearl sensed her demon clan identity? It was probably because of the Xiaoyuan Pearl that the “Heavenly Dao” changed, forcibly arranging a demon clan identity for her. But saying this wouldn’t be believed by anyone.

“Fortunately, Master Uncle separated a strand of his primordial soul back then and saved Junior Sister’s life. That Junior Sister could walk out of the Extreme Ice Abyss shows she’s someone with great fortune. We people are fine, and Master and the others would certainly be happy to know you’re still alive, but people from other sects probably won’t let this matter rest. That immortal Lingxin Daoren will cause trouble again. We need to think of a way to resolve this matter.” Tian Fangfang said.

“I’m not worried about that.” Meng Ying shook her head: “Now that the major sects have been severely damaged by Gui Yansheng’s killings, they probably don’t have the energy to trouble Heishi City. What I’m worried about is Junior Sister.”

“Me?” Zanxing asked: “What are you worried about regarding me, Senior Sister?”

“Back then, your father, Demon Lord Gui Diao Tang, went mad from cultivating the Xiaoyuan Pearl and was ultimately consumed by it, losing his sanity. Now the Xiaoyuan Pearl has been split into two. Although Junior Sister, you seem fine now, who knows if the Xiaoyuan Pearl might leave hidden dangers in the future? And the other half of the Xiaoyuan Pearl is now in Gui Yansheng’s hands. Gui Yansheng has an unpredictable temperament and kills without reason. Right now, he’s injured and hiding, but someday, if he also completely refines the Xiaoyuan Pearl, what he might do to the world, none of us knows.”

Zanxing fell silent.

She had originally not refined the Xiaoyuan Pearl, and Gui Yansheng had possessed the Xiaoyuan Pearl for two years without refining it either, showing that refining the Xiaoyuan Pearl was definitely not an easy task. But now that half the Xiaoyuan Pearl had flown into her body and automatically merged with her spiritual body, presumably, Gui Yansheng’s half might not be different.

Previously, Gui Yansheng still had the hope of reviving Xiao Chun, but now that the Two Lives Buddha Wheel had been destroyed, Xiao Chun’s resurrection was no longer possible.

What would a person without hope do while living in this world?

She didn’t know either.

……

The cave was very damp.

Shrubs blocked the cave entrance, leaving only a bit of cold moonlight to slip through the cracks and illuminate the face of the person inside.

The young man’s robes gradually seeped with large patches of bright red. His face was pale as paper, large drops of sweat rolled down from his forehead, and blood mixed with sweat, making his entire appearance like that of a fierce ghost.

From Gui Yansheng’s body, black mist slowly seeped out inch by inch. This black mist gradually condensed into countless human figures, roaring as they circled him like beasts stalking their prey, waiting for the prey to show weakness before swarming forward to tear him to pieces.

The cave seemed even colder. The sticky mud reached up to their toes like some terrifying creature. The thinly-dressed young girl sat to one side, her shoulders shivering, unable to help but look toward the young man sitting with closed eyes, worry flashing in her eyes.

After escaping from Heishi City, she had encountered Gui Yansheng, who brought her to this place, and she didn’t dare to flee. While waiting, just when Rong Chun thought Gui Yansheng would never return, this young man came back covered in wounds.

And the first thing he said upon seeing Rong Chun was also surprise, only asking: “You haven’t left yet?”

Rong Chun mumbled, not daring to speak.

She had met Gui Yansheng in the Asura Ghost Path.

The Asura Ghost Path was a forbidden land that made all cultivators in Duzhou turn pale at its mention. Only those with no way out or extremely bold gamblers would set foot there. The Asura Path also had ten thousand ghosts and asuras that devoured human souls. Rong Chun’s family had been captured by evil cultivators practicing heretical ways, to be used as stepping stones to open the Asura Ghost Path.

The long path stretched endlessly, and even before entering, one could already smell the overwhelming bloody stench. She heard ten thousand ghosts wailing. The evil cultivators pressed Rong Chun’s parents’ hands against the gate of the Asura Path. When human blood touched the gate, instantly, that deep, dark gate opened with a thunderous roar, and countless pale, withered arms stretched out from within, forcibly dragging the living inside.

She heard her parents’ heart-rending screams, and she too was pushed inside.

Then, Rong Chun saw a young man.

He was a pale young man covered in blood, his robes no longer showing their original color, covered with large patches of dark blood stains – whether his own or others’, she couldn’t tell. He had a pair of beautiful golden eyes that looked at her as if she were an insignificant ant, without the slightest emotion.

He walked toward Rong Chun step by step.

This person had walked out of the Asura Ghost Path alive; he was someone more vicious than evil ghosts.

Despair suddenly arose in Rong Chun’s heart. Countless pale arms pulled and dragged her deeper into the corridor, and she could even hear the sounds of those evil ghosts chewing bones.

This young man walked through the bloody ground, through the corridor full of severed limbs, past Rong Chun’s side, with no intention of helping, his eyes as cold as if he weren’t even alive.

Rong Chun closed her eyes. In the depths of darkness, her mother’s dying call reached her: “Xiao Chun…” Then there was no more sound.

The footsteps treading on white bones suddenly stopped.

She felt the forces pulling at her around seemed to lighten somewhat. Opening her eyes, she saw that golden-eyed young man standing in front of her, his tone inscrutable: “What’s your name?”

“Rong, Rong Chun.”

He was slightly stunned. The next moment, a black mist flashed, and the arms wrapped around Rong Chun instantly shattered. The young man looked at her, his tone ice-cold: “Come here.”