Chapter 781 She...she's here too.

The voices of Master Han and Huo Xiang could be heard. Song Chunxue quickly crawled out of the low hole, but was frightened by the tall statue in front of her.

The eldest disciple was kneeling on the ground, his eyes bloodshot as he dug at something, his fingernails worn raw but he didn't stop. When Master Han stepped forward, he was also violently thrown aside.

"Senior Brother, what's wrong?" Song Chunxue grabbed his arm and looked at Huo Xiang beside him. "Is he under an illusion spell?"

Just as she was asking Master Han for help, she discovered that he had transformed into a black creature as thick as a water vat, rapidly traversing the hall filled with runes.

Indeed, this space is more like a palace several stories high, with sunlight even filtering through from dozens of meters high, making it golden and dimly lit inside.

Huo Xiang used the rope in her hand to tie up Lord Zhao's hands, shedding her carefree demeanor and staring seriously at the surroundings.

"Try to find a way to wake him up. They've clearly entered an illusion and seen their inner demons." Huo Xiang turned to look at Wu Bing behind her. "Your guards have also fallen for it. Alas, poor thing."

Wu Bing trembled like a kitten, hugging herself, tears streaming down her face as if she had seen something.

"I'm curious, why didn't you get infected?" Huo Xiang stroked her chin. "Perhaps they don't need saving. They'll recover once they pass this test. Just keep an eye on them, and make sure they don't accidentally kill themselves..."

The next moment, Huo Xiang darted out and stopped Lord Zhao, who was gritting his teeth and glaring fiercely at his wrist.

Song Chunxue looked at Wu Bing and said, "I'm also curious. How can a demonic cultivator like you have such a calm mind? I should have inner demons, but they're not as severe as mine. Actually, I can see several children in front of me, and those children are my inner demons."

"Isn't it Lord Xie?" Huo Xiang snatched the dagger from Lord Zhao's hand and tied him up with a stronger rope.

“I believe everything is preordained; if you don’t crave, you won’t fear losing.” She looked up at the carved beams and painted pillars above her. “Where did Master Han go? Is he in danger?”

"It's alright. I guess his inner demon is someone he admired when he was young. Snakes are inherently lustful, and it's much harder for them to have reached their current level of cultivation than for ordinary men. They've encountered more romantic relationships. But the fact that he doesn't even have a female mosquito around him now means he's chaste and has someone he can't forget. He's probably hiding somewhere crying right now. Don't disturb him."

Song Chunxue sat on the ground, wondering why she hadn't been infected.

Actually, she really wanted to see how her deceased older sister was doing, how her child's father was doing, whether her parents had been reincarnated, and what her birthday was...

But clearly, even if you get infected, it's just wishful thinking, and all your sorrow will be in vain.

This is more like a test set up by our predecessors, a trial of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, a mirror to see our own hearts.

She quickly took out the burlap sack from her storage ring, and sure enough, it was empty.

The gold that had given her such joy was gone.

We don't know what the final test will be, or what the reward will be after passing it.

In her eyes, the eldest brother, who was always imposing and composed, was acting like a child, sometimes crying, sometimes cursing angrily, and sometimes calling out to the void, "Mother, don't go."

She sat quietly on the ground, listening to their cries of pain, her heart pounding.

What makes us human is that we have seven emotions and six desires, good and evil coexist, and we experience selfishness and pain.

Hearing their heart-wrenching cries, no one could remain unmoved.

The pain that Song Chunxue experienced was accumulated little by little, like a frog being slowly boiled in water. When she realized that she could not avoid it and could only grit her teeth and persevere, she probably quietly accepted these hardships and pains.

Otherwise, from childhood to adulthood, just recalling being beaten at her second uncle's house, being pushed and driven out of her home to be sent to the Jiang family as a child bride, waking up to find her husband dead... any one of these events could become a demon in her heart.

Perhaps it was too much? Her pain tolerance was extremely high. She didn't complain or blame others, understanding that blaming fate for being cruel was useless, so she let herself go.

"Mother, Mother!" The eldest brother struggled desperately on the ground, his heart-wrenching roar sending chills down one's spine.

Song Chunxue walked over and grasped his hand tightly.

"Senior Brother, it's me."

Huo Xiang stood in front of Wu Bing and took out a steamed bun from her bosom and handed it to her.

About half an hour later...

The spacious hall gradually quieted down as they emerged from the illusion.

Zhao, feeling embarrassed, withdrew his hand. Seeing Song Chunxue's scratched hand, he lowered his head, touched his nose, and took out a bottle of wound medicine, handing it to her.

"I'm sorry, I lost my composure."

Song Chunxue stood up. "It's nothing. I'll go find an exit."

Lord Han also returned, leaning against the large pillar in a daze, closing his eyes to calm his mind.

After thanking Huoxiang, Wu Bing took small bites of the steamed bun and ate it all up, leaving not a single crumb.

Huo Xiang followed behind Song Chunxue, tiptoeing and whispering, "How embarrassing! What should we do? We'll be friends through thick and thin from now on. What if we can't bear to part ways after we leave?"

Song Chunxue looked at him with some surprise, "Then let's not separate. Anyway, you live quite close to Lord Zhao and Daoist Han. If you shamelessly come to their door for tea and chess, they definitely won't kick you out. They might even be able to persuade you to join the Zhengxiu sect."

Huo Xiang pursed her lips, seemingly considering the feasibility, "But what if I like to be the Demon Cultivator Lord?"

"There's no conflict. You can continue, and let the demonic cultivators under your command be just like you. Different paths, same destination. You will also ascend in the future."

Huo Xiang scoffed, "Who knows what it'll be like after ascension? I just want to eat, drink, and have fun, enjoying each day to the fullest."

"Who isn't like that? The reason we cultivate ourselves is simply because we've realized that we've been living a life of pleasure for too long, and we need to elevate our state of mind so that we can be happy without any burden, isn't that right?"

"Oh ho," Huo Xiang put his hand on her shoulder, "Brother, you have a high level of understanding. No wonder you advanced so quickly. You have good comprehension and high level of skill. I have learned a lot from you."

Song Chunxue shook off his hand, "Who's your brother? I'm a woman, stop putting your arm around me, or I'll tell your wife..."

"By the way, that Liu Niang is no ordinary person. I ran into her and came here because I was afraid that their Sword Emperor expert would snatch Wuyou away. It seems she came with me. Are you planning to take her as a concubine?"

Song Chunxue said earnestly, "I'm afraid it's just a temporary measure, and her real purpose is something else, such as wanting the position of the main wife, wanting to get rid of your Demon Lord, or she has joined forces with the evil cult to set you up, and she doesn't have a child in her arms at all."

"Or perhaps she really is doing this for her daughter. Have you thought this through?"

Huo Xiang was greatly troubled. "Let's see her daughter first. In any case, I won't hurt the lady because of her."

As they were talking, they crossed a long wooden bridge. Suddenly, Wuyou, who was in front of them, stopped and hid behind them.

"I can't afford to mess with something that even your Wuyou is afraid of. Let's go back the way we came. I still prefer the sunny road." Huoxiang quickly admitted defeat.

“Since we’re already here,” Lord Zhao, now as composed as ever, caught up and strode past them. “You’re the one who called us here. If you back out now, I’ll have the Lady of the Lord’s family divorce you.”

Huo Xiang was startled. "She's here too?"

P.S.: Sorry, I chatted with my writing partner for a while and was delayed.

I previously thought that an imperial edict was a formal decree, not as formal as a royal decree. After searching on Baidu, I learned that it was a decree issued by the Empress Dowager or the Empress herself, and that the term has since been changed.

I always check before uploading, but there may still be oversights. Thank you for your understanding.