"Mumu!"
Just as a pair of lifeless hands lunged for Bai Shuo’s neck, she let out a shriek and squeezed her eyes shut in terror.
The hands that had reached her throat were severed mid-air, and Bai Shuo was yanked backward, stumbling until she landed by Hua Da Tie’s side. Hua Hong stood behind her, but the one who had saved her…? Bai Shuo turned and saw her young disciple holding a silver chain, blocking the creature that had attacked her.
“My god, are you insane?! You damaged your own spiritual veins to break the seal just to save her?!” Hua Hong’s face was grim as she shouted in frustration.
Bai Shuo quickly looked back, and her heart lurched at the sight of blood at the corner of Mumu’s mouth.
“Mumu.” Her heart twisted with fear, but before she could speak, Hua Hong’s voice broke through in surprise.
“What… what is that thing?”
At the same time, in the stone hall beneath the Yiren King’s palace, the Yiren King gripped a stone sword, hovering over a blood pool. Dark energy pulsed from the sword, transforming into countless claws that lunged toward the young celestial and demon disciples in the hall. The claws became tendrils of malevolent energy, sinking into their foreheads. The hall filled with agonized screams as streams of spiritual energy were forcibly extracted from the disciples, surging toward the blood pool.
Back by the city wall, Bai Shuo’s breath hitched as she finally saw the creature that had attacked her.
It resembled a person, but its features were twisted and horrific—blood poured from its eyes, its face was deathly pale, and veins bulged grotesquely across its skin. Its fingertips, severed and fallen to the ground, exuded a dark, sinister energy. This was no ordinary being; it was a Yiren consumed by malevolent energy.
The creature hunched over, baring its fangs at Mumu in a snarl, holding its mangled arms in front of itself.
“A Yiren?”
Bai Shuo froze, watching as the Yiren let out a guttural roar and lunged at Mumu again.
“Watch out, Mumu!” she shouted anxiously as Mumu’s silver chain slashed down.
“Wait!” Hua Hong’s face paled as she tried to stop him, but it was too late. The Yiren’s legs were cut cleanly at the knees, and it collapsed with a thud.
Hua Hong rushed over to support the creature, reaching for its wrist. Suddenly, it twisted around, snapping its neck and lunging at her with open jaws. The putrid stench of dark energy filled the air. Hua Hong’s pupils constricted as she leapt back, and a silver flash severed the creature’s head, which fell to the ground. Even in death, its mouth continued to snap and bite at the air, rabid and unyielding.
Hua Hong recoiled, her expression grim.
“Mumu!” Bai Shuo, still immobilized, called out softly to her disciple. Strangely, she felt uncharacteristically hesitant, despite usually bossing him around with ease.
Mumu didn’t turn, but he released a wave of spiritual energy from his palm, undoing the seal on Bai Shuo’s forehead. Freed, she ran to his side.
“Mumu,” she called again, but Mumu remained silent.
Feeling chastened, Bai Shuo fell quiet, hesitant to speak. She had promised not to abandon him, yet here she was, ready to risk her life and leave him behind. Her disciple was far too precious to waste.
Nearby, Hua Hong crouched to inspect the fallen Yiren’s body. Mumu’s cold voice warned her, “Don’t touch it. The dark energy can devour spirits.”
Hua Hong drew back immediately. Even though Mumu had lost his memory, she trusted his instincts implicitly.
“Dark energy that can devour spirits?” Bai Shuo’s curiosity got the better of her, and she took a step closer, only for her arm to be grabbed by Mumu. She felt a small surge of hope at his touch but deflated as he turned away from her without a word.
Disheartened, Bai Shuo looked toward Hua Hong. “Hua Da Tie, how did a Yiren become corrupted by dark energy?”
Hua Hong shook her head, about to answer, when a low, beast-like growl echoed around them, seeming to come from all directions at once.
“What’s that sound?”
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