In just a quarter of an hour, Demon Lord Yeshuang had lost the two people closest to her. One had died for her, the other had been killed by her. The one who died for her was merely a maid, while the one she killed was her lover across two lifetimes. The impermanence of worldly affairs could hardly be more profound than this.
Mo Tiange couldn't help but wonder: if it were her, what choice would she make? Would she persist in pursuing the next life, to be together forever? Or would she cleanly end things in this lifetime?
Just then, Qin Xi spoke as if having gained some insight: "So his weakness was there..."
"..." All her profound sighs were instantly strangled. Mo Tiange turned her head and glared at him.
Qin Xi looked utterly clueless: "What's wrong?"
Nie Wushang had a different realization: "So the talk of past lives and present lives truly exists..."
Everyone knew that humans had souls, yet the matter of reincarnation and rebirth belonged to the laws of heaven and earth, beyond their reach. Therefore, past and present lives were merely theoretical; no one had ever witnessed them firsthand. But from what they had just heard Demon Lord Yeshuang and Tian Xuan say, they not only confirmed the existence of past and present lives but had also found the person after reincarnation.
A moment later, Demon Lord Yeshuang had regained her composure. She collected Tian Xuan's corpse, then began searching Hongxiao's body.
Soon, she held something in her hand.
Mo Tiange had just glimpsed that what Demon Lord Yeshuang held was a grayish light sphere when a flash of black crossed her vision. Just as Demon Lord Yeshuang raised her purple silk, the gray light sphere in her hand vanished.
"Venerable Songfeng!" Mo Tiange abruptly stood up.
In an instant, the clash between the two Late-Nascent Soul cultivators was over. Venerable Songfeng transformed into a black cloud, carrying the gray light sphere as he swiftly fled, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.
Demon Lord Yeshuang stood where she was, not giving chase.
Venerable Songfeng's movements had been far too fast. Mo Tiange and the other three hadn't even had time to react, and Demon Lord Yeshuang had only managed to protect herself.
She looked at her empty palm, gave a bitter laugh, and retrieved Hongxiao's corpse.
After finishing this, Demon Lord Yeshuang turned and walked toward them.
"Fellow Daoists, you have a way out, don't you?"
Qin Xi watched her impassively: "Why is Fellow Daoist Yeshuang so certain?"
Demon Lord Yeshuang said calmly, "Although I've only met you once, I've also heard many things about you. The two of you are so composed; you must have had plans long ago."
Qin Xi smiled slightly, admitting frankly: "Correct."
Demon Lord Yeshuang showed no surprise. "In that case, could you take me out with you? Of course, the compensation won't be lacking."
"Fellow Daoist Yeshuang," Jing Xingzhi interjected, "your disciple just perished, and you're already thinking of a way out?"
This sentence was practically deliberate mockery. They had no prior grudges; he really shouldn't have said this. Demon Lord Yeshuang turned to look at him, somewhat surprised.
Jing Xingzhi's face wore a playful smile, but his gaze was sharp.
Demon Lord Yeshuang wasn't angry, but she didn't explain either, merely saying calmly, "Fellow Daoist is not a party involved, so naturally you wouldn't understand." Having said that, she looked back at Qin Xi. "May I?"
Qin Xi said, "What price is Fellow Daoist Yeshuang willing to pay?"
Demon Lord Yeshuang reached into her Qiankun Bag and tossed out an object: "This item is called the Phantom Void Immobilization Bell. It flowed out from a secret place in the Guixu Sea over thirty years ago. Its immobilizing effect is extraordinary."
Qin Xi caught it but said, "This item doesn't seem to have immobilized you, Fellow Daoist."
Demon Lord Yeshuang gave a bitter smile. "Against a Late-Nascent Soul cultivator, the effect is naturally somewhat diminished. However, it's not completely ineffective. My disciple was a demonic cultivator, and his blood and Qi were impure, so he couldn't unleash this bell's proper function. You are Daoist cultivators. If you properly refine it, it will have a certain effect even against Late-Nascent Soul cultivators."
Qin Xi released his divine sense, letting it roam over the bell for a moment, then nodded. "It is indeed a treasure."
"Surely this isn't the only item?" Seeing Qin Xi seemed inclined to agree, Jing Xingzhi hurriedly said, "There are four of us!"
Demon Lord Yeshuang swept a glance at him, took another item from her bosom, and tossed it to him: "This sword manual was also obtained from the Guixu Sea. It's useless to me, so I'll give it to you, Fellow Daoist." She turned to Nie Wushang. "As for you, Fellow Daoist, I can teach you the Body Transforms Into Formlessness technique."
Nie Wushang's eyes lit up: "Fellow Daoist means that divine ability to transform into demonic Qi, impervious to harm?"
"It's not truly impervious to harm; one must find the right weak point. Also, I must remind you, Fellow Daoist, this technique isn't something just anyone can master. Although my aptitude and cultivation both surpass Tian Xuan's, I am completely ignorant of this technique."
Nie Wushang nodded: "I have no other requests."
Demon Lord Yeshuang said no more, taking a jade slip from her Qiankun Bag and tossing it to Nie Wushang.
"As for Fellow Daoist Mo..." Demon Lord Yeshuang looked at Feifei, curled up in a corner intently absorbing the White Tiger's Breath. "I have an item that should be of great use to you, Fellow Daoist."
She then took out a bracelet and handed it over: "This item is called a Spirit Beast Bracelet. It can store spirit beasts. Unlike a spirit beast bag, this item can store up to ten spirit beasts. Moreover, cultivating inside the Spirit Beast Bracelet is much better than inside a spirit beast bag."
Mo Tiange took it, released her divine sense to inspect it, and finally nodded. "What Fellow Daoist says is true."
Each of the four had received an item, none of them insignificant. A seasoned Late-Nascent Soul cultivator indeed had an extraordinary hand.
The four exchanged glances, all quite satisfied. Qin Xi then said, "In that case, we'll be frank with you, Fellow Daoist. Soon, someone will come to rescue us. When that time comes, you can leave with us."
Hearing this, Demon Lord Yeshuang frowned slightly: "There are so many ghost cultivators here. How will they rescue us?" Seeing Qin Xi's considerable confidence, she hesitated briefly, then nodded. "Very well, I trust you."
Having said that, she straightforwardly chose a corner neither too close nor too far and sat down.
Although Demon Lord Yeshuang sat cross-legged, her eyes were open, fixedly staring ahead.
Seeing this, Mo Tiange glanced at Jing Xingzhi and sent a sound transmission: "Do you dislike her?"
Jing Xingzhi wore a roguish smile and also replied via sound transmission: "How could that be?"
"If not, why did you speak to her like that?" Mo Tiange was blunt. "If it were me, I'd have slapped you dead with one palm."
Jing Xingzhi curled his lip. "If Qin Shoujing died..."
"Nonsense!" Before he could finish, Mo Tiange glared at him. "Say another word and I won't be polite!"
"Fine. I just think she's fake. Since they were lovers across two lifetimes, why didn't she hesitate at all when striking? Earlier, she insisted on finding his reincarnation!"
"..." Mo Tiange began to understand. Jing Xingzhi, this person, seemed heartless on the surface, but he actually valued sentiment deeply inside. So, seeing Demon Lord Yeshuang kill Tian Xuan without hesitation made him uncomfortable.
"You don't understand," Mo Tiange said, looking at Demon Lord Yeshuang with a sigh. "If it were me, I might make the same choice as her."
"Why?"
"Because... he had already fallen into a demonic obsession. Even if she set him free, his life would be ruined. Better to end it cleanly and start anew in the next life." Mo Tiange smiled at him. "I actually think she will still go looking for Night Slaughter's reincarnation. However, she definitely won't acknowledge him again. Perhaps she'll just take him as a disciple. Perhaps she won't even see him, merely protecting him for a lifetime of peace."
Jing Xingzhi's expression slowly softened. "A woman's thoughts are truly incomprehensible..."
Mo Tiange said softly, "After reincarnation, we become different people. Fate only lasts this one lifetime; we must cherish it well."
After Venerable Songfeng fled, he never returned.
Qin Xi gazed thoughtfully at the stone door: "Did Venerable Songfeng leave safely?"
Hearing this, Demon Lord Yeshuang said, "What he snatched was the Soul Pearl that Hongxiao obtained from the ghost city. The Soul Pearl contains countless souls; its soul aura is extremely dense. With this item by one's side, it can deceive a ghost cultivator's spiritual sense."
"So that's how it is..."
Demon Lord Yeshuang gave a bitter laugh. "Presumably, he overheard us when we were using sound transmission earlier. I underestimated the cultivators of Tianji."
Mo Tiange, however, asked, "In that case, why were the three of you discovered even while carrying the Soul Pearl?"
Demon Lord Yeshuang was silent for a moment before answering: "The soul aura of this pearl can only conceal the aura of one person. Tian Xuan could transform his body into formlessness. Both Hongxiao and I had to rely on the Soul Pearl, so..."
"Oh..." Mo Tiange nodded in understanding. No wonder Tian Xuan had said earlier that he had no strength left to bring Hongxiao. If they abandoned Hongxiao, the two of them could have left safely. They just hadn't expected that Demon Lord Yeshuang would be unwilling to abandon Hongxiao.
Worldly affairs were truly strange. If Demon Lord Yeshuang had abandoned Hongxiao and been willing to leave with Tian Xuan alone, Tian Xuan might not have struck. After all, Demon Lord Yeshuang was a Late-Nascent Soul cultivator. Although Tian Xuan harbored thoughts of killing her, he must have hesitated in his heart. If he merely wanted her dead, he could have left alone, letting them be exterminated by the ghost cultivators. But he hadn't. Choosing to act just now must have been a momentary impulse.
Relying on the Soul Pearl, Venerable Songfeng safely escaped the tunnel. The black cloud dispersed, and he stood in mid-air above Wind-Sand City, holding the Soul Pearl in his hand, a cold smile on his face. "Just die trapped down there! Even if you used a Ten-Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman to notify Qin Jinghe, he wouldn't be able to find this place!"
Thinking of Nie Wushang, his expression changed. "Hmph! Bitch! Not killing you with my own hands is letting you off easy!"
Having said that, he was about to transform into a black cloud and flee back to Wolf Burst Mountain when he suddenly looked up, his dried-up eyeballs fixed on the east.
Several streaks of Escape Light flew over in an instant. A shining white net descended from above, aiming to envelop him.
Venerable Songfeng was startled. Transforming into a black cloud, he instantly dodged away.
Unexpectedly, where he intended to flee, another streak of Escape Light appeared. Sword Qi tore through the sky, rushing toward him without mercy.
Dodging the sword Qi, Venerable Songfeng was shocked. Then, soaring flames rushed toward him, accompanied by Dao Lord Jinghe's triumphant voice: "Old Man Songfeng! What a coincidence, you're here too!"
With the voice, several streaks of Escape Light arrived in an instant, surrounding him completely.
The Escape Light dispersed, revealing the true appearances of several people.
Flying from the east was Dao Lord Jinghe in golden crown and splendid robes, holding the Li Fire Gourd, poised to strike.
To the west was a handsome young swordsman in blue-green sword robes, a flying sword as brilliant as stars floating before him.
To the south was a taciturn Daoist in plain clothes, with a thin face and cold gaze.
To the north was a woman in white holding a zither.
Venerable Songfeng was greatly shocked. Qin Jinghe, Sword Venerable Yuanying, Dao Lord Buyan, plus Ding Luan—how had all these people come?!