Chapter 63: Advancement
With that statement, the possibility that Zhu Chi was the real-life protagonist of that tragic story increased dramatically. But the situation was incredibly dangerous. She and Lü Qingyan were merely Golden Core demons.
Although their cultivation had improved, they lacked combat experience. They had power, but they hadn’t learned any practical techniques.
The situation was dire. Bai Jingxue wanted to crush the bell and summon Luo Nianshang.
But she realized, with a surge of terror, that she couldn’t move. Yi Tian’s Nascent Soul pressure pinned them to the ground.
She tried to stand, but it felt as if a mountain was crushing her. Her bones creaked as she struggled.
Yi Tian, seeing that they were easily subdued, re-established the barrier, then crouched beside Bai Jingxue, her expression a mix of triumph and a perverse satisfaction at being able to conceal her true nature.
She patted Bai Jingxue’s head, her smile twisted. “Why are you demons so foolish?”
Bai Jingxue, unable to speak, glared at her, her eyes filled with defiance.
They had been reckless. They had underestimated the dangers of this world. But if possible, she wanted Lü Qingyan to escape.
Although the pressure was still suppressing them, Yi Tian had relaxed her focus, and Bai Jingxue felt her spiritual energy slowly returning.
Once she could move, she would discreetly crush the bell. Luo Nianshang would arrive instantly.
This was frustrating. They were only at the Golden Core stage. Why were they facing a peak Nascent Soul opponent? A Nascent Soul beginner would have been more manageable.
Yi Tian, oblivious to Bai Jingxue’s inner turmoil, had been struggling ever since she had killed the whale demon. Whether she was meditating or simply trying to sleep, she could hear the demon’s voice.
She wasn’t afraid of ghosts, but her master’s obsession with the whale demon had left a deep scar on her heart.
She couldn’t believe that her master, who despised demon cultivators, had actually ventured into the Demon Realm for a newly transformed demon.
Her worry and fear were mixed with a perverse sense of satisfaction. The deeper her master’s love, the greater the pain when the truth was revealed.
She longed to see the devastation on Zhu Chi’s face. It would be a beautiful sight.
She was jealous of everything Zhu Chi possessed: her talent, her lineage, her master’s favor, and even the position of sect leader, which she had coveted.
How could someone so spoiled and foolish be worthy of leading their sect? She was the more capable one.
Bai Jingxue, staring at the woman before her, noticed a black mist emanating from her body, a sign of impending demonic influence.
But the mist quickly dissipated, and Yi Tian’s expression softened, though her eyes remained filled with a manic energy.
She suddenly grabbed Bai Jingxue’s neck, her voice laced with amusement. “So delicate,” she murmured.
Lü Qingyan, watching in horror, desperately tried to teleport, but it was no use. Her body remained frozen, her voice silenced by the pressure.
Yi Tian, not wanting them to die too quickly, released her grip when Bai Jingxue began to struggle.
Bai Jingxue coughed, her lungs burning. If this was a game, then this must be the mini-boss.
Their helplessness seemed to excite Yi Tian, her sadistic tendencies surfacing.
They might have been raised by the Sword Saint, seemingly unaware of unorthodox methods, but they had another master.
The Demon Lord, Qiu Yingxi.
For some reason, Qiu Yingxi had spent a considerable amount of time pretending to be sick, her performance so convincing that it had been almost impossible to distinguish it from reality.
Bai Jingxue had learned that skill.
She struggled to stand, then collapsed, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, her eyes half-closed, her breaths shallow and labored.
Lü Qingyan, terrified, was about to panic when Bai Jingxue whispered, “Play along.”
They were openly plotting their escape, and it worked.
Lü Qingyan’s fear instantly transformed into shock, then she mimicked Bai Jingxue’s actions, collapsing to the ground. However, she couldn’t figure out how to produce blood.
Yi Tian, staring at the seemingly dying creatures, was dissatisfied. “So fragile,” she scoffed. “And they were raised by the Sword Saint.”
She hadn’t had enough fun yet, but she was afraid of accidentally killing them with her pressure, so she withdrew it.
The moment the pressure lifted, Bai Jingxue sprang to her feet, unleashing a burst of fire, aiming for Yi Tian’s face.
Caught off guard, Yi Tian had no time to react. Her skin, unlike the male lead’s, was not impervious to fire. She screamed in pain as the flames scorched her face.
“Argh! You little beast!”
Bai Jingxue’s increased cultivation had enhanced her fire breath, its range and intensity amplified. The flames engulfed Yi Tian, her entire body burning.
The stench of burning flesh filled the room.
Yi Tian desperately tried to extinguish the flames with her techniques, but to her horror, they had no effect. Her magic simply fueled the fire.
The pain was unbearable. She rolled on the ground, trying to smother the flames, but it was useless.
Bai Jingxue stared at her, her eyes widening as she realized that the pressure emanating from Yi Tian was weakening. Her cultivation was decreasing.
She could now sense Yi Tian’s cultivation level. It was a clear indication that Yi Tian had been weakened to the same level as her.
She stared at the flames, their brilliance unusual, their intensity gentle, as they slowly consumed Yi Tian, their pace unhurried, yet relentless.
But the flames weren’t merciful. They seemed insatiable, devouring everything in their path.
Bai Jingxue had been about to crush the bell, but now, it seemed unnecessary.
Lü Qingyan, horrified by this gruesome scene, covered Bai Jingxue’s eyes with her paws. “Don’t look,” she whispered.
The sight was too unbearable. Half of Yi Tian’s face had been burned away, revealing bone.
Bai Jingxue, pushing Lü Qingyan’s paws away, her heart pounding, wanted to stop the fire.
Killing someone without evidence would create trouble for Luo Nianshang. Yi Tian couldn’t be labeled a criminal until the truth was revealed.
“Stop, fire! Please stop!”
As if sensing her plea, the flames flickered, their intensity diminishing, then they vanished.
Yi Tian lay unconscious, her body covered in burns, some so severe that bone was visible.
Lü Qingyan shielded Bai Jingxue, not wanting her to see this gruesome sight.
But Bai Jingxue was distracted. She felt her spiritual energy surging within her, her Golden Core growing denser, her cultivation rising from the early Golden Core stage to its peak.
And then, her Golden Core cracked, splitting open, revealing a tiny infant, its features identical to her past self. The infant slept soundly.
The remaining fragments of her Golden Core reformed, transforming into a small black sphere, radiating a faint demonic aura.
Bai Jingxue, overwhelmed by this sudden transformation, stared at Lü Qingyan, her voice weak. “Qingyan,” she said, “I think I’ve reached the Nascent Soul stage.”
As soon as she spoke, her body began to change. She felt her limbs lengthen, a chill running down her spine as something soft and light settled on her shoulders.
She stared at Lü Qingyan, whose body had shrunk, then felt a strange sensation in her knees. They were touching the ground.
She turned her hand over, her brow furrowing. “Where are my paw pads?”
She suddenly realized what had happened. She wanted to share her joy with Lü Qingyan, but when she looked down, she saw two red streaks trailing from the dog’s nose.
And then she realized she was naked.
Her face hardened, and she grabbed Lü Qingyan, turning her around. “Don’t look, you pervert!”
Lü Qingyan quickly covered her eyes, collapsing onto the floor. “I’m not looking, I’m not looking! Find some clothes, Jingxue!”
Bai Jingxue, staring at the dog’s wagging tail, was speechless.
They were in Yi Tian’s room. Finding clothes wouldn’t be a problem.
But the clothes she found were too complicated. She couldn’t figure out how to wear them. And Yi Tian was shorter than her. The robe was too short, exposing her ankles.
The green robe hung loosely on her frame, her hair unbound, her appearance a mix of casual elegance and untamed beauty.
Seeing Lü Qingyan still lying on the floor, she chuckled. “You can look now,” she said.
Lü Qingyan, her tail wagging furiously, leaped into Bai Jingxue’s arms, her joy overflowing.
“You’re so beautiful, Jingxue!”
Bai Jingxue had heard that compliment countless times, but coming from Lü Qingyan, it still made her heart flutter.
But this wasn’t the time for such distractions. She patted Lü Qingyan’s head, then, finding the sensation rather pleasant, she petted her again.
She resisted the urge to pet her again, her attention turning to the statue. She wanted to know if there was anything unusual about it.
She approached the statue, Lü Qingyan still in her arms. She closed her eyes, then opened them, her gaze fixed on the faint, shimmering threads surrounding the statue.
It was another barrier, concealing a hidden space behind the statue.
She examined the threads, then reached out, severing the weakest one.
The barrier vanished, and she realized that the statue seemed to open.
She had no reverence for deities. She didn’t even know which god this flower-holding statue represented. She grabbed the statue, pulling it open.
It creaked, revealing a small, hidden compartment.
And inside that compartment lay several disturbing objects: a shimmering recording pearl, a voodoo doll with silver needles piercing its eyes, and a blood-red jade slip.
Bai Jingxue retrieved the recording pearl, immersing her consciousness within it.
A moment later, her forehead beaded with sweat, and she withdrew, gasping for air, her face pale with horror.
She turned to look at the unconscious woman on the floor, her eyes filled with disgust.
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