Before the gates of Tian Yan Sect.
The moment Chu Xingchen finished speaking, several streaks of light surged from within the sect and took up positions on all sides, surrounding Dong Gua and Wu Kong.
Wu Kong ignored Dong Gua's hate-filled glare. He looked straight at Chu Xingchen, silently asking what was happening.
Chu Xingchen raised his hand. The next moment, Wan Ban flashed forward.
Wu Kong couldn't react in time. He could only watch.
Wan Ban had pierced straight through Dong Gua, pinning her like a skewer. Fresh blood stained the thin layer of accumulated snow.
Cultivation two full major realms above her own meant Dong Gua had no time to react. She only felt her chest turn ice-cold in an instant.
The spiritual essence within her body shattered and scattered, completely beyond her control.
THUD.
Dong Gua's body collapsed onto the snow.
"Since you've shown your sincerity, I'll take it at face value that you truly wish to abandon the darkness and step into the light."
Chu Xingchen recalled Wan Ban with a flick of his wrist and leaped to stand before Wu Kong.
"I have no objections if the Buddhist sect falls entirely to your side. But you'll need to tell me clearly—who are the remaining targets?"
Wu Kong stared at Chu Xingchen's imperious expression. He took a slow breath and spoke.
"Naturally. But this person I went through the trouble of bringing—you just killed her, just like that?"
Chu Xingchen scoffed. "With the extermination at hand, a small fish is useless to keep. She's an eyesore. What, do you feel reluctant to part with her?"
Dong Gua lay with her face pressed against the blood-soaked snow. She didn't dare move a muscle. She even stopped breathing, focusing entirely on preventing the massive hole in her chest from healing.
Chu Xingchen's sword had been meant to pierce her soul and erase her completely.
But a flower had inexplicably bloomed within her Sea of Consciousness—a Flower of the Venerable—and it had intercepted the soul-severing strike on her behalf.
Now she merely had a gaping wound in her chest. For a Spirit Severing cultivator, this level of injury wasn't necessarily fatal.
The real danger was the follow-up attack meant to finish her off.
As one-time injuries went, calling this a minor wound wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Dong Gua remained motionless, but her ears drank in every word of the two men's unguarded conversation.
Terror spread through her entire body.
This monk truly was a demon—that much was certain. But he was a demon who had betrayed his own kind.
Chu Xingchen had turned his back on the Buddhist sect, while this Buddhist mole had sacrificed his fellow demons for the sake of the sect.
It was a transaction. It was a betrayal.
And she had been the initial sincerity. The sincerity that followed would, without question, be the remaining Heavenly Demons.
Chu Xingchen and Wu Kong's conversation continued.
Dong Gua committed their words to memory, but she stopped trying to analyze them. Instead, she focused on whether she had any path to survival left.
Chu Xingchen might believe her soul had been destroyed. But that didn't mean her remains wouldn't be disposed of.
This was the entrance of Tian Yan Sect. Faking sudden resurrection and catching them off guard wasn't a realistic escape plan.
Dong Gua could only place her hopes on the Flower of the Venerable blooming within her Sea of Consciousness.
She guided her faint wisp of divine sense toward the flower.
A familiar voice soon echoed softly in her mind.
"You have a certain quick-wittedness about you, little one. I'll give you a chance to live. Whether you can seize it is up to you."
Upon hearing this, Dong Gua immediately ceased all movement. She didn't dare ask questions. She could only focus with absolute intensity on every sound and shift around her, waiting for the so-called opportunity.
Chu Xingchen gave a perfunctory response to Wu Kong, who was still visibly confused. Then he turned his gaze to Dong Gua's body lying on the ground.
The system's attribute inspection had one useful limitation—it didn't work on the dead. The same principle applied to demons.
Whether she was truly dead or not was, for Chu Xingchen, simply a matter of taking a look.
Sure enough—the [Seed of the Desire Demon] was no ordinary thing. Since she wasn't dead, he would let her go back.
News this critical needed Dong Gua to spread it far and wide once she returned.
Dong Gua, having earned such merit, would naturally receive the reward she desired as well.
When he thought about it, this could be considered a win for both sides.
Chu Xingchen looked at Wu Kong and spoke calmly.
"We can discuss the details inside. There's no need to talk out here. The matter here can be left to them to handle."
Wu Kong glanced once more at the motionless Dong Gua. In the end, he could only nod in agreement.
Chu Xingchen gestured for Wu Kong to proceed. Then his gaze shifted to Chen Baiqing, who stood waiting at the sect entrance—she had come along with him.
He took one more look at Dong Gua on the ground, then covertly flicked his fingers.
Chen Baiqing made no overt movement. She merely lowered her eyes slightly—a signal that she understood.
Chu Xingchen did nothing further. He turned and walked into Tian Yan Sect alongside Wu Kong.
Chen Baiqing stepped forward a couple of paces and looked up at the inner sect disciples hovering in the air.
"I'll need your help. This matter requires a somewhat unusual approach. Please follow my instructions."
The leading disciple immediately cupped his hands.
"Please speak freely, Senior."
Chen Baiqing approached a few steps closer, though she maintained a considerable distance from Dong Gua.
"Actually, we don't need this many people. Two will suffice. The rest of you can return to your duties."
Too many people present, and even if Dong Gua still had the ability to flee, she might not realistically get away.
Two people would be enough to maintain the appearance of security while still leaving plenty of room.
The lead disciple glanced at the person beside him. The others understood and dispersed back into Tian Yan Sect.
"How should we handle this one, Senior?" the lead disciple asked in a hushed tone.
He hadn't expected that disposing of a single corpse would come with such specific instructions.
Chen Baiqing looked at the lead disciple—whose cultivation was notably deep—then turned her gaze to the other remaining disciple, whose cultivation was lower.
"Drag the corpse some distance away and burn it. Just make sure it doesn't pollute Tian Yan Sect's feng shui. This thing carries very heavy ill fortune."
"Huh?" The lead disciple blinked in surprise.
Chen Baiqing looked at him. "Is there a problem?"
The lead disciple quickly shook his head.
"No…"
The other disciple cupped his hands and used spiritual energy to drag Dong Gua away, transforming into a streak of light and heading into the distance.
Chen Baiqing watched the receding light and followed at a distance.
The lead disciple trailed close behind her.
Suddenly, a surge of crimson-black energy erupted from Dong Gua's body as she was being carried away by the Tian Yan Sect disciple.
The disciple reacted swiftly, immediately drawing his spiritual treasure and bringing it down on the seemingly reanimated Dong Gua.
From the hollow cavity of Dong Gua's chest, a black flower with crimson-red petals bloomed in macabre splendor.
A terrifying aura pulsed outward from it, sending the sword-wielding disciple flying.
Chen Baiqing came to a halt, her expression calm as she watched the scene unfold.
The lead disciple beside her immediately moved to assist, but Chen Baiqing called out to stop him.
"Wait. Observe the situation first. Don't be hasty."
The lead disciple froze, his face tight with urgency.
"Senior—life and death can turn in an instant."
Chen Baiqing lowered the Azure Heaven Treasure Ring into her hand. She said nothing, her eyes locked on the scene ahead.
The gaping wound in Dong Gua's chest healed rapidly. Her eyes snapped open.
She didn't pursue the disciple she had sent flying. Instead, she immediately bolted eastward at full speed.
The crimson-black energy coiling around her body tore open a rift in space, accelerating her escape.
Chen Baiqing raised the Azure Heaven Treasure Ring again but made no move to throw it.
The lead disciple watched Dong Gua vanish into the distance and pressed urgently.
"Senior, should we give chase?"
"No need." Chen Baiqing spoke calmly, then called to the dazed Tian Yan Sect disciple who was just recovering.
"The fault is mine. It has nothing to do with any of you."
"Return to Tian Yan Sect and have your injuries checked. Rest well. Your mission will still be counted as completed."
The lead disciple exchanged a glance with his companion, and both cupped their hands.
"Thank you, Senior."
Chen Baiqing lowered her gaze and gave a faint nod.
With that, the task her master had assigned her could be considered properly completed.
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