Chapter 98

Inside the inn, in a room.

Sheng Ningyu sat by the window without lighting a lamp, letting the thin morning light spill through the window frame, casting a hazy outline around her.

Her fingers unconsciously caressed the cool porcelain of the teacup, her gaze falling on the rising smoke from the chimneys downstairs, yet seemingly piercing through them to look towards a more distant place.

The door was knocked three times and then pushed open.

Rong Que stood outside the door, his long robe brushing against the threshold, bringing with it a wisp of evening breeze and the fragrance of jade hairpin flowers. He gazed at the serene figure by the window and spoke softly, "Junior Sister, did you anticipate my arrival?"

Sheng Ningyu turned her head, her eyes reflecting the light of the morning sun, shining brightly.

She raised her eyebrows and said, "I have been waiting for you for a long time, Senior Brother."

Her words seemed respectful, but her demeanor was languid, showing no sign of "waiting for you."

No matter the time, Sheng Ningyu always seemed so carefree and unrestrained.

Everything is in her eyes, but nothing is in her heart.

Rong Que stepped into the room, the door closing silently behind him. He sat down in the chair opposite her, his gentle gaze sweeping over her face: "I thought Junior Sister would avoid me for a while longer."

Sheng Ningyu paused in pouring tea, and sighed, "Second Senior Brother really understands me."

Rong Que smiled faintly: "But I guessed wrong."

"Second Senior Brother was right." Sheng Ningyu handed Rong Que a cup of tea. "But I have a favor to ask."

Rong Que took the tea but didn't drink it. Instead, he looked at Sheng Ningyu and then smiled helplessly: "Can't you speak your mind? When did we become so distant, Junior Sister?"

Sheng Ningyu blinked and leaned closer to Rong Que: "I heard that Senior Brother is capturing demons with Senior Sister Mingyue."

Rong Que nodded slightly, lowered his eyes, and took a sip of tea: "Not bad."

Sheng Ningyu then asked, "Is that demon named 'Hua Liu Yan'?"

Rong Que nodded again: "Yes."

Sheng Ningyu leaned forward slightly, and at that moment the dawn was ignited by the sky, the leaping light illuminating the unmistakable determination in her eyes.

"Please, senior brother, take me to see her."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Rong Que put down his teacup and looked up at Sheng Ningyu.

Those eyes, which were always gentle and smiling, were now like deep pools, reflecting the flickering firelight and her unyielding expression.

After a long while, he sighed very softly, a sigh that carried a complex, almost pity-like quality.

"Junior Sister." His voice remained steady, but was slightly lower than usual. "I said before that demonic and ghostly things are most likely to bewitch people's hearts."

Sheng Ningyu felt displeased and her expression turned cold: "I have heard about it, but shouldn't those people... Never mind, Second Senior Brother, I haven't met her yet, so I dare not say anything more."

She dared not say more, but the expression on her face said it all.

"I heard? Who told you that?" Rong Que sighed when he saw her remain silent. "Do you know what kind of thing you want to see?"

She looked up at Rong Que, her eyes filled with undisguised expectation and inquiry. Her plain white dress was bathed in the dim light, flowing with the tranquil moonlight.

Silence fell again in the room.

Rong Que thought that she was still too young to understand how terrifying demons and ghosts really were.

Just then, the first rays of sunlight broke through the window.

A sharp ray of dawn pierced the morning mist without warning and crashed into the room. The light surged like a waterfall, instantly engulfing all the dark corners.

The sudden light stung Sheng Ningyu's eyelashes, making her tremble and almost bring tears to her eyes.

She instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes, but Rong Que opposite her remained seated, not even lifting his eyelids, as if he were completely unaware of the blinding light.

"Second Senior Brother?"

"good."

What?

Sheng Ningyu looked up in a daze, but Rong Que had already left his original position and walked to her side.

His warm palm gently covered her wrist, which was hanging in mid-air, and he calmly lifted her up before letting go.

The touch was perfectly measured, as if the moment before was just an illusion.

The relationship between fellow disciples should be one of balance, gentle yet distant.

Meeting Sheng Ningyu's still puzzled gaze, Rong Que smiled gently, his hand hidden under his robes lightly twirling his fingertips.

Rong Que softened his tone: "No rush."

The gentle, ethereal immortal turned his head to look out the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through the windowpane to see something.

"Since you've made your decision, Junior Sister, please rest for a while. When the time comes, I will take you to see her."

...

The hemp rope chafed the old wounds on his wrists, and every step he took felt like walking on a knife's edge.

Hua Liuyan opened her eyes somewhat blankly.

She was captured in the wilderness.

She remembered killing many people before she went on the run.

The night wind howled, and in the distance, Hua Liuyan vaguely heard the cultivators saying, "The Sword Pavilion has also sent disciples... that Immortal Mingyue's swordsmanship..."

Jian Ge.

Bright moon.

Hua Liuyan slowed her pace.

Her memory was hazy, but amidst all the blurriness, the bright moon shone so brightly that it illuminated almost everything.

Until she was bound by the Spirit-Binding Whip and dragged into the dungeon of the city lord's mansion, she vaguely heard the whispers of the escorting cultivators: "Immortal Master Mingyue said... demons and ghosts are vicious and wicked, and cannot be treated as human beings. They must be strictly guarded."

Ruthless and vicious.

Those four words, like icicles piercing my heart, shattered the bright, high-hanging moon of my memory in an instant.

...

When Hua Liuyan awoke again, she was already in the dungeon.

But no matter what kind of blood it was, it all smelled fishy and foul, making her look so wretched.

The monk guarding her glanced at her with disgust and whispered to his companion, "A demon is a demon, look at that indelible aura of malevolence."

...demons and ghosts.

It turns out she was a demon.

Hua Liuyan chewed on the word repeatedly, a familiar yet vague hatred welling up in her heart, but she didn't know where the hatred came from.

She raised her hand to look at her palm. The lines seemed to have been embedded with bloodstains, but now they were empty, and even her memories had become vague.

Vaguely, Hua Liuyan seemed to remember that she had killed many people.

But she also remembers that some people said she did the right thing, and others personally wiped the blood off her hands bit by bit without any disgust.

Who is it?

Hua Liuyan's mind felt like it was about to explode, but she couldn't even lift her hand to rub her temples.

Who exactly is it?

Why can't she remember anything at all?

The restraints on her body bound her tightly, making it difficult for Hua Liuyan to breathe, and her vision blurred.

In a blur, she was led out of the dungeon and through the corridors of the city lord's mansion. Along the way, servants would "accidentally" spill dirty water at her feet, or maids would point at her in "surprise" and exclaim, "Her eyes...have they turned red?!"

"Is she planning to kill someone again?!"

"As expected, it's a demon! It's so repulsive."

Everyone covered their noses and avoided the area, their eyes filled with disgust.

Hua Liuyan lowered her head. Others thought she was afraid because she was bound by the Spirit-Binding Whip, but only she knew that was not the case.

Something was pounding in my chest, clamoring to tear this body apart.

I want to...I really want to kill someone...

Kill them...kill everyone...

Isn't she a demon or ghost? It's only natural for demons and ghosts to kill people.

The Spirit-Binding Whip on his body wasn't very strong; it couldn't restrain a demon who wanted to go on a killing spree.

...That's the sentence.

Are you injured?

Who is it? Who is asking her?

Hua Liuyan raised her head blankly, only to find that she had been pressed down in the center of the square without her noticing.

Ning Jiao frowned slightly and asked the guard beside her, "Has she acted strangely along the way?"

The guard was puzzled: "Reporting to the Immortal Master, there is nothing unusual." He recalled Hua Liuyan's disheveled appearance, curled his lips in disgust, and then flattered, "How dare a mere demon dare to be so presumptuous in front of the Immortal Masters of the Sword Pavilion."

Ning Jiao frowned.

This shouldn't be the case.

According to her plan, once inside this illusion, her demonic and ghostly nature would be amplified, and she would be back in the place where she had suffered humiliation. The sect leader of the Half-Body Sect should have gone on a killing spree.

Others might not know, but Ning Jiao, as the city lord's wife, knew that the previous city lord and the one from the Nine Heavens Pavilion had left behind many valuable things in the city.

For example, this dungeon hidden beneath the city lord's mansion.

This place once gathered countless women who died unjustly, simply because the master of this place needed demons and ghosts.

Those who become demons and ghosts must have suffered immense torment in their previous lives. They harbor extreme resentment towards this world, and even at the last moment of their lives, they can rise from the pool of blood, transforming their obsession into their future reincarnations, remaining here forever.

Those who can become demons and ghosts are naturally not just women.

It is common knowledge that women are the most soft-hearted and easily moved by love, and also the most resilient and easily devoted to love. If one can satisfy both of these qualities, one is very likely to become a demon.

The one in the Nine Heavens Pavilion probably only needs a nominal title for his wife and daughters, while the Lord of Hehuan City has other plans.

Some of this information was told to her by Qi Baiya, and some was known to Ning Jiao herself.

But at this moment, within this world forged by the Yin-Yang Blood Array, she neither transformed into a person from the Nine Heavens Pavilion nor into the City Lord of Hehuan City.

Ning Jiao decided to make use of this blood array.

Forming an array with blood can open up the yin and yang.

If she succeeds, she will definitely... she will definitely become the number one person in the Three Realms!

Just imagining it made Ning Jiao's breathing quicken.

She suddenly stood up and stared intently at Hua Liuyan in the arena.

Ning Jiao went to great lengths, almost exhausting herself, to lure this half-sect sect leader into the formation, all for the sake of her demonic resentment! If Hua Liuyan were to start the killing spree first, combined with the things hidden in the city lord's dungeon earlier…

But why didn't she take action?!

Several richly dressed elders sat in the hall, with an elder in the center whose face was filled with compassion, holding a string of jade prayer beads in his hand.

"Hua Shi." Having received a signal from Ning Jiao, the elder finally spoke, his voice solemn, "Do you know your crime?"

Flowers and willows, smoke and mist, all in a hazy, indistinct scene.

"You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people; your sins are already committed." The elder's voice was icy. "Considering the suffering you have endured, the City Lord's Mansion is willing to give you a chance to repent. As long as you are willing to return with us to the 'Purification Array' to cleanse your resentment and shed your demonic body, you can re-enter the cycle of reincarnation."

Before she could finish speaking, Hua Liuyan suddenly looked up.

She didn't know what the cultivator said, only that the word "beast" pierced her confused mind like a needle. In an instant, countless shattered images exploded!

A man's sinister grin, cold chains, his own bloodstained face reflected in the mirror...

There is also a hand.

A hand reached out to her.

But now, that hand is also becoming blurry in my memory.

She couldn't catch it, she couldn't catch it.

"I'm not..." Hua Liuyan's voice was hoarse as she tried to argue.

She is not...

Someone once said that those people...

"shut up!"

Hua Liuyan herself didn't realize she had made a sound. She only felt her blood rushing backward, her bones creaking, and a layer of crimson seeping into the edges of her vision.

"Please be patient, everyone!"

The cultivator just shouted, "She has a Spirit-Binding Whip on her body; she can't move!"

That's true.

The moment her killing intent arose, the Spirit-Binding Whip on her body shone brightly, and Hua Liuyan lowered her head in pain.

In the gleaming reflection of the blood, she pieced together her current appearance: her skin cracked inch by inch, revealing the dark red flesh beneath, her eyes bloodshot, and her ten fingers extended into sharp claws.

"Look, everyone! This is the true face of demons and ghosts!"

The cultivator retreated several steps, his voice sharp with triumph, "Have you all seen clearly? All that sorrow and innocence is a facade! Demons are demons, bloodthirsty and stubborn!"

Hua Liuyan wanted to say something, but only a strange hoarse sound came from her throat.

She's a monster.

What they said is true.

At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to fall silent.

Hua Liuyan thought in a daze, "Then why should I pretend? I might as well break free from this fragile Spirit-Binding Whip, kill them, kill everyone, that way..."

Almost the instant the idea took shape, a commotion suddenly arose in the crowd.

Hua Liuyan turned around in the chaos, her crimson gaze piercing through the crowd.

The crowd thronged, like people watching a caged beast.

They were all watching this legendary demon that had plagued the region, and now, seeing Hua Liuyan seemingly about to go mad, their expressions varied. Some were intrigued, some mocking, some contemptuous... but few were terrified, for they knew that the Sword Pavilion would protect them.

At the end of the passage spontaneously cleared by the crowd, Rong Que, the Sword Pavilion Immortal Lord, known as the "First Young Master," stood tall and elegant, with a refined and otherworldly demeanor, truly like a person beyond the mortal realm.

However, the first person Hua Liuyan saw was not him.

Her gaze fell on the figure beside Rong Que.

A young-looking fairy chief.

The bloodshot in her eyes dyed everything in sight red. Amidst the crimson, Hua Liuyan saw that she was dressed in plain white clothes.

It's very clean.

...like the moon.

There was no fear or curiosity in his eyes, only a deep, almost piercing gaze.

Hua Liuyan didn't recognize her.

You did an excellent job.

Who? Who said that?

She staggered, her head throbbing with pain.

Just then, something thin landed on her.

It was a plain white garment.

Light and warm, like the hazy moonlight falling on her.

Hua Liuyan stretched out her claw-like hand and almost instantly tore a hole in her clothes.

She looked up helplessly, only to see the man squat down and, without a care, help her put her clothes on.

It's just a single action.

Everyone watched in disbelief as the dense, blood-red demonic aura surrounding Hua Liuyan vanished instantly, like morning dew evaporating in the sunlight.

The ferocious claws retracted, the cracked skin smoothed out, and the crimson pupils gradually faded back to their original color. The demon that had been so menacing just moments before was now nothing more than a pale-faced, bewildered woman.

All the murderous intent and bloodlust vanished in an instant.

The monks and guards, holding their magical artifacts, exchanged bewildered glances, creating an awkward and tense atmosphere. Whispers rippled through the crowd; their earlier apprehension now seemed somewhat absurd.

The fact that the blood mist and malevolent aura dissipated so easily made it seem as if their previous precautions had been completely inadequate.

Rong Que's gaze followed Sheng Ningyu, and he silently conveyed, "Is she the person that Junior Sister was willing to expose herself to find?"

Sheng Ningyu did not answer.

She stared at Hua Liuyan and raised her hand to wipe her face clean.

"Junior Sister," Rong Que called to her softly, taking her arm. "You don't know the truth, so it's not appropriate for you to interfere at this time."

"What brings you here, Junior Sister?"

Ning Jiao stepped out from the group of elders and came to Sheng Ningyu's side. She looked down at Sheng Ningyu's hand, which had been bruised again, and said with regret, "Didn't I say that I would teach you swordsmanship after I returned to the Sword Pavilion?"

Sheng Ningyu curled the corners of her mouth, stood up, and intentionally or unintentionally stood in front of the demon.

She wore only a simple white dress, without an outer robe, which only accentuated her elegant and graceful demeanor.

Sheng Ningyu said casually and nonchalantly, "I'm impatient and can't wait any longer, so I came down the mountain to find my senior sister."

Ning Jiao gave her a deep look, then suddenly turned around, her brocade sleeves billowing in a smooth yet sharp arc in the air.

"Now that my junior sister has arrived, I should naturally host a welcome dinner for her."

She turned half her face to the side, her voice carrying a faint smile, but her gaze was as still as a deep pool: "I wonder if Junior Sister would be willing to come to the City Lord's Mansion for a chat?"

Sheng Ningyu chuckled, her eyes clear and sharp.

"Of course, it is something I could not obtain."

-----------------------

Author's note: Ning Jiao knows the dungeon of the City Lord's Mansion very well, and it's not just because of "the City Lord's wife".

As for the second senior brother... he... [disappeared].