“Mumu.” In the moonlight, Bai Shuo wasted no words, simply calling Fan Yue’s name.
With a swift strike of his silver chain, the barrier in front of Hua Hong shattered.
Bai Shuo pulled a small vial from her Qiankun bag and tossed it to Hua Hong. “Here, take this—the antidote for the Spirit-Suppressing Grass.”
Hua Hong raised her brows in surprise. “You can make this stuff? I thought you didn’t know how to process Spirit-Suppressing Grass?”
“Not knowing how to make poison doesn’t mean I can’t make an antidote. You really have no idea what I’m capable of.” Bai Shuo raised an eyebrow with a small huff. “Now, stop dawdling. Take the antidote, and let’s go rescue the others.”
Without hesitation, Hua Hong swallowed the whole bottle, feeling a cool clarity spread through her spirit platform. “Where are they?”
“They’re in the stone hall below the Yiren King’s palace. I suspect the Yiren King is trying to boost his spiritual power with dark arts again. He’s already at the peak of the supreme lord rank, yet he continues these vile practices—it’s no wonder you want nothing to do with him!”
Bai Shuo grabbed Hua Hong’s arm, urging her along. “I saw that creature we encountered in the city in the blood pool of the stone hall. I fear the Yiren King has lost his mind and plans to slaughter every young celestial and demon here, all while colluding with that fiend.”
Hua Hong abruptly stopped in her tracks. “What did you say? That creature was in the blood pool?”
“Yes,” Bai Shuo replied, stumbling slightly from the sudden stop, confusion evident. “Why?”
“Nothing,” Hua Hong lowered her gaze, “let’s go.”
In the distance, torchlight flickered—it was clear the Yiren King was heading to activate the dark array. Bai Shuo’s heart clenched, and she hastened Hua Hong forward.
“Let’s go this way,” Hua Hong said, nodding toward the torchlight. “There’s a small path that leads directly to the back of the hall.”
“Alright, you lead the way.” Trusting Hua Hong’s familiarity with the palace, Bai Shuo followed her lead.
The Yiren King’s palace was a labyrinth, but within moments, Hua Hong skillfully guided them to the back of the grand hall. Seeing that the torchlight had yet to reach them, Bai Shuo exhaled in relief and moved toward the entrance to the stone hall.
“The entrance to the stone hall is right here; follow me.”
Bai Shuo pushed open the entrance and was about to jump down when a sudden surge of spiritual energy struck her between the brows, rendering her immobile. Beside her, Fan Yue also froze, his eyes narrowing as he looked behind Bai Shuo.
A chill ran down Bai Shuo’s spine, and she gritted her teeth. “Hua Hong?!”
Hua Hong calmly walked in front of them, a blade of grass dangling from her lips once more.
“Hey, don’t shout—it’s me.”
“You’re in league with the Yiren King! Was everything you said a lie?” Bai Shuo whispered furiously.
“Don’t associate me with that scum.” Hua Hong rolled her eyes and, without hesitation, grabbed Bai Shuo and Fan Yue by their collars. With a powerful leap, she lifted them into the night sky.
As they flew farther from the Yiren King’s palace, Bai Shuo’s eyes widened, feeling a deep urge to bite the one she had once trusted.
“Oh, I know your eyes are wide, no need to stare like that.” Hua Hong’s taunting manner was identical to her master’s at Hao Yue Hall, delivering cutting remarks with a grin.
“If you’re not the Yiren King’s accomplice, why won’t you save them?” Bai Shuo snapped.
Hua Hong shrugged. “If they die, the celestial clans will be without heirs for a century. It’s no harm, only benefit, to Hao Yue Hall. Why should I save them?”
“You have no honor!”
“Tut-tut. Girl, hasn’t your master taught you how harsh this world is? Why trust the words of a demon?”
“You’re a scoundrel!” Bai Shuo’s eyes flared with anger.
“Right, right, I’m a scoundrel, but who told you to believe me?” Hua Hong laughed wildly, landing near the city wall. She propped them in a corner, placing Fan Yue gently against a wooden post—after all, he was her senior—and then sat comfortably on a large rock nearby, stretching.
“This spot is closest to the city gate. In one hour, the Wu Tong Martial Banquet will end, and Jin Yao will surely have realized something is wrong in the Foreign City. When the barrier opens, I’ll take you out of here. As for the Yiren King and his dark arts, Jin Yao can handle them. Nothing to do with me.”
“You!”
Hua Hong was as immovable as a stone in a latrine pit—stubborn beyond persuasion. She had lived a hundred years as a demon and was far too cunning for Bai Shuo’s little tricks. Perhaps even those sorrowful stories she had shared were no more than fragments of memory to her, used to deceive even herself.
0 Comments