Chapter Seventy-Five: Punishment

"Let's go back." A voice suddenly sounded in my ear. I looked up to see Mo Zhuo.

"Okay." I nodded, unable to hide the trembling in my voice due to my sadness. "If we're late, Quan You might become suspicious."

As I walked to his side, he suddenly said, "Return to Qiongyun."

I looked at him, surprised.

His expression suggested he wasn't joking.

Although puzzled, I quickly steadied myself and calmly told him about the burdens I carried. In my current state, there was no way I could return to the Qiongyun Sect.

He remained silent and handed me a glowing silver orb.

A Mirage Pearl?

I looked up at Mo Zhuo. He said, "This isn't an ordinary Mirage Pearl. It's a Mirage Spirit Pearl I found on Hong Yi. It records his contacts with various sects over the years and his cooperation with Ling Lu."

Hong Yi had committed numerous evil deeds over the years. I understood why he would keep this pearl as a protective charm. But why didn't he destroy the Mirage Spirit Pearl before his death?

What puzzled me even more was why Mo Zhuo gave me the Mirage Spirit Pearl.

His eyes were bright, like flickering flames in the darkness, and the moonlit lake at night. They held a mysterious and shimmering depth, a brilliance I had never seen before.

Bright and intense, yet restrained, they were like a moth drawn to a flame, determined despite the danger.

Facing him, I didn't know what to say.

The surroundings were silent.

So silent that I could almost hear my own breathing.

"How did it go? The sect leader is getting impatient," an untimely voice suddenly broke the silence.

Hua Ying?

I was about to speak, but Mo Zhuo interrupted, "The task is done. I have the demon core. I'll go back with you to deliver it to the sect leader."

Hua Ying glanced at me curiously and immediately refused. "Qing Yue also needs to report back."

"Fine."

"What do you mean 'fine'? You go first." Mo Zhuo stood in front of me, his exorcism blade emitting a menacing black aura.

"Hehe~ What, are you going to fight?" Hua Ying laughed innocently. She lightly raised her finger, pointed at the blade, and pretended to shiver in fear.

"I've heard that exorcism blade owners feed the blade with blood, gaining immense power close to true demons. But this method of cultivation has a fatal flaw…"

Mo Zhuo frowned. "What flaw?" It seemed he wasn't fully aware of the blade's nature.

"That is…" Hua Ying's eyes took on a mischievous glint. She then cut her own finger and let her blood drip onto Mo Zhuo's blade. The black aura vanished instantly, and the blade became covered in rust.

"Could it be blood…?"

"Yes, but not ordinary blood. It's demon blood." Hua Ying smiled sweetly at Mo Zhuo, licking the wound on her finger and blinking coquettishly.

Mo Zhuo was shocked. "Impossible. Even if demon blood can seal my blade, it wouldn't work with ordinary quasi-demons or low-level demon beings. Unless you are…"

By right, true demons should have vanished from this world long ago, leaving only those creatures and spirits that leaned towards demonic cultivation, gaining some demonic energy and magic, but not becoming true demons.

Beings that turned into demons from spirits were quasi-demons, practicing only demonic arts.

Demon beings were remnants of divine demons from the demon realm, their souls corrupted by demonic energy.

True demons… should have been completely extinct for centuries.

"With the sect leader, nothing is impossible." Hua Ying yawned. "Though the five of us were all created by the sect leader, what he taught us varies. Are you surprised now?"

"Even without this blade, I may not lose to you."

"Fine, if you want a duel, let's do it." Hua Ying's face suddenly darkened. "But do you think it's useful? Will the sect leader really let it go?"

She was right. Even if I returned to Qiongyun, Quan You would find other means to force me back to the Moonshadow Sect.

Thinking this, I interrupted their standoff, "No need to argue. I'll go back with you."

"But you…!"

I shook my head. "Mo Zhuo, thank you."

"This is the smart choice." Hua Ying reverted to her innocent expression, turned, and said loudly, "Let's go."

In the Shrine of the Divine, Quan You sat gracefully, holding a paper fan.

"Sect leader, we have collected all the demon cores."

"Hmm, let me see." Quan You gently shook the fan as he descended from the altar, giving a slight glance at the bag containing the demon cores. He then closed his fan and used its handle to stir the contents a bit. "One is missing."

He noticed, after all.

"I used that demon core," I quickly took responsibility.

"Oh? Then tell me, what did you use it for?"

"I encountered a bottleneck in my cultivation, so I used it to enhance my skills. I was planning to report this later…"

Quan You suddenly pressed the handle of his fan against my chin, lifting it. His eyes, which seemed to be smiling, were like deep black abysses. "Hehehe... If you've made a mistake, don't lie about it, little one. That will only anger me more, understand?" He snapped his fan shut and sternly ordered, "Hua Ying, take her and Mo Zhuo to the bottom of the Cold Abyss."

The bottom of the Cold Abyss...? I had never heard of such a place in the Moonshadow Sect. Could it be a forbidden area used to punish disciples?

This suspicion was completely dispelled when I was taken to the river's mouth.

Wasn't this the place Hua Ying had previously instructed me to deliver food to the "prisoners"?

It was still the same pitch-black cave where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. You could hear water droplets falling from the damp walls, but the iron cell at the end was empty.

At that moment, Quan You suddenly grabbed me and dragged me into the cell, casting a spell that sealed the cell with a black miasma, isolating Mo Zhuo and Hua Ying outside.

Quan You nodded, running his fingers through my hair as he asked, "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me, who did you use the demon core to save? Tell me, who is that person?"

I bit my lip and firmly said, "No one. I used the demon core myself."

"I told you, I hate it when children lie after making a mistake." Quan You's eyes revealed a trace of coldness, but his voice remained as gentle as a cloud.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my ankle.

Looking down, I saw Quan You's slender, pale hand, stained with blood, resting on my right knee. My right ankle was twisted, muscles and bones disjointedly oozing crimson fluid.

The pain was unbearable, and I cried out.

From outside the black miasma came a faint noise, with voices barely audible.

It was Mo Zhuo.

"Hehehe, does it hurt? If it does, go ahead and scream. Someone will bear the punishment for you. But if you don't scream and don't tell me who you saved, I won't stop." Quan You's voice was as soft as a ghost's, trying to enchant my mind.

His cold fingers crawled over me like centipedes, his two fingers pinching my bones like pincers. He pressed down hard, sending another wave of excruciating pain through my body.

This time, I bit down on my tongue to stifle my scream, knowing that if I didn't, Mo Zhuo might rush in...

Quan You's gaze grew more amused. One hand stroked my back while the other continued to torment my joints.

My spine felt icy cold.

Once, twice, three times, I lost count. My clenched fists went numb, and golden sparks danced before my eyes like firecrackers. Suddenly, fear gripped me.

This inexplicable terror spread through my mind, rendering my body immobile. My teeth chattered, and I couldn't see Quan You's expression clearly. His ghostly pale face appeared horrifyingly ghastly.

This oppressive fear made me gradually lose consciousness.