Chapter Eighty: The Weeping Cuckoo

Upon entering my room, I found that Dong Xixiang hadn't left. Given how hurried she had seemed earlier, I was puzzled by her now calm demeanor and decided to ask her about it.

She simply replied, "The Master still has some instructions for me. I can't leave until I've completed them."

Dong Xixiang was originally just here at Qiongyun Sect to make clothes, but now she was caught by Quanyou because of me. Looking at her, I felt a surge of sympathy.

"What else did he ask you to do? Once it's done, will he let you go? Tell me, and I'll see what I can do to help."

Dong Xixiang's eyes were gloomy. "He just asked me to leave a few new outfits for you, and once the Master is satisfied, he will let me leave." She nervously twisted the embroidered handkerchief in her hands.

"Don't worry. You just need to finish the clothes, and I'll personally see you off when the time comes. No need to worry." I sat on a stool, took a sip of tea, and muttered absently, "Leaving here would be wonderful."

As for me, I had no idea when I'd be able to leave this place.

"I heard that Ling Lu is also at Moon Shadow Sect. Do you know where she is?"

I looked up at her. "Do you need something from her?"

Dong Xixiang nodded cautiously. "Sect Leader Que personally killed the thousand-year-old Purple Demon Spider and entrusted me to make a dark purple silk dress for Ling Lu. It was almost done when the Master brought me here, so it still lacks some finishing touches."

So the dark purple silk Ling Lu was wearing came from such a source.

I felt uncomfortable upon hearing this and briefly pointed out where Ling Lu was staying.

Since Ling Lu needed her dress to be finished, she wouldn't be able to wear it during the process. I thought for a moment, took a dress from the cabinet, and handed it to Dong Xixiang, adding, "Give this to her to wear, but don't tell her it's from me."

After Dong Xixiang left, I changed out of the dark purple silk dress and, feeling weary, lay down on the bed to rest.

I slept deeply and when I woke up, it was already past Hai hour. A red wooden box filled with food was placed on the table.

I got up, lit the lamp, opened the box, and touched the porcelain plates to find they were still warm.

Could someone have come in and reheated the food?

I wasn't particularly hungry, so I just ate a few bites before hearing a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Wondering who would visit so late, I saw Quanyou push the door open, his face expressionless.

"Master, what brings you here so late?"

"I have important matters to discuss." Quanyou's expression was hard to read, his tone cold.

He indeed seemed troubled this time, so I refrained from provoking him further and calmly asked what he wanted.

Quanyou looked at me thoughtfully before speaking, "It's about your cultivation. You've been in Moon Shadow Sect for half a year now, and I've noticed that your techniques aren't pure, making it difficult to advance further."

"I know that already. I'm not in a hurry to advance my realm."

"I understand." Quanyou nodded, pacing back and forth with his head lowered before speaking again, "But the most crucial practice in Moon Shadow Sect is demonic cultivation. If you cultivate demonic techniques, they will inevitably conflict with other arts. You can't have both... Anyway, think about it and take your time."

Quanyou finished his words but didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. He poured two cups of wine from the red wooden box and handed one to me, saying, "Here, try this Longevity Wine."

I didn't refuse, taking the cup and downing it in one go.

The spicy liquid burned my throat, followed by a rich fragrance that rushed to my head, making my vision blur.

"This wine..." Realizing something was wrong, I stepped back in a panic, pleading with Quanyou, "I don't need to cultivate demonic techniques. My current skills are enough."

Quanyou smiled faintly, wiping his mouth with a cloth, and suddenly transformed into a strange woman.

The woman was ghostly, her light blue silk ribbons dancing in the eerie wind, wrapping coldly around my neck as she slowly approached.

It felt like my consciousness was being stripped away, and everything went pitch black.

A scream tore through the darkness, and my vision suddenly cleared.

My fingers touched something sticky, and the pungent smell of blood filled my nostrils. I sprang to my feet, slipping on the crimson liquid, and ran outside, only to see corpses strewn across the cold ground, blood trailing into the room.

Amid the bodies of the disciples was a flash of peach-colored clothing. As I approached, I saw it was Dong Xixiang.

They were all dead.

I crouched down to check her pulse, finding she had been dead for some time, killed by a single blow to the throat. The other disciples' bodies were still warm, their hearts torn apart by magic. It was clear that the Dong Xixiang in my room earlier was an impostor.

Who could it be? My head spun, and a sense of powerlessness dragged me down. I tried to muster my spiritual energy, but I couldn't even cast a cleansing spell.

Had that woman erased my cultivation?

Barely managing to resist the bloodthirsty aura, I heard coughing from a nearby doorway.

It was Huaying. She seemed severely injured, her bright yellow dress stained with blood, her lips pale.

"Huaying, who hurt you? What happened?"

She struggled to open her eyes and pointed weakly at the white porcelain bottle hanging around her neck.

I took it from her, poured out a pill, and helped her swallow it, saying, "Sorry, I can't use my magic to heal you."

She shook her head and began to circulate her energy, finally exhaling a pale mist.

"It's the Qiongyun Sect. The Master captured their leader's bride-to-be, so naturally, they couldn't stay calm." Huaying, now a bit stronger, wiped the blood from her mouth.

"Where are they now?"

"They've probably reached the Shenlian Hall. This sudden attack means Quanyou will likely lose much of his power if he survives." Huaying yawned, her tone completely different from before.

A sudden thought struck me. Huaying was a true demon; even Da Xian of Qiongyun Sect couldn't have subdued her so easily.

Could it be that the person before me wasn't Huaying?

My hand quietly moved to my waist, but before I could reach the dagger, a cold sword was pressed against my neck.

"Don't move."

That voice was so familiar.

My mind raced through memories of that voice, and then I smiled knowingly. "Uncle Ye Xiao, long time no see."

The sword at my throat trembled ever so slightly.

My heart pounded as I swiftly blocked the blade with my dagger and pressed the attacker's hand down with my elbow.

Looking into those familiar eyes confirmed my suspicions. The owner of those peach blossom eyes spoke with a coldness matching their gaze, "Nephew, it's been a year, and you've changed so much."

Uncle Ye Xiao was the master of Yier and Senior Brother Luo Xi. Four years ago, he rescued me from a beast in a cave on Qiongyun Mountain. True to his name, he was always carefree and often elusive. During my three years at Qiongyun Sect, I rarely saw him.

He had always despised killing and was known for his cleanliness. Yet now, his fingers were stained with blood.

He smirked and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Nephew, do you think this is fair to your uncle?"

"Uncle, why are you here at Moon Shadow Sect?" I asked.

Ye Xiao sneered, "I went on a journey to the mortal world for a few months, and upon my return, two of my disciples were dead. Why do you think I'm here?"

I feared Ling Lu had misled him, so I quickly explained, "Senior Brother Luo Xi and Yier weren't killed by me. It was Ling Lu who brought Xinghuo Hall..."

"I know," Ye Xiao interrupted, his gaze darkening. "That's why I won't harm you."

Because of my trust in him due to Yier and Senior Brother Luo, I sheathed my dagger and turned to leave for Shenlian Hall.

Ye Xiao called out from behind, "You have no cultivation left. Going there is useless."

Of course, I knew that.

I clenched my fists, trembling as I exhaled a hot breath.

I was going to gamble everything.

If the Mirage Pearl was in Quanyou's possession, there might still be a chance.

I ran desperately, the hot, acrid wind filling my nose and mouth, tearing fragile membranes, and my feet felt like they were weighed down by lead, crushing my bones. My ears buzzed incessantly with a noise like insect chirping.

In front of Shenlian Hall, a scene of carnage and bloodshed unfolded. The Moon Shadow Sect disciples were almost all wiped out under the siege of the various sects, while the Grand Immortal was battling several sect leaders against Quanyou.

Quanyou fought five enemies alone, not showing any sign of disadvantage. His demonic fan sent out a gust of wind mixed with dark blades, knocking one of the sect leaders to the ground, breaking the encirclement, and he lightly landed in front of Shenlian Hall.

Quanyou, in his silver-gray robes, had several bloodstains on his pale face. His eyes glowed red, exuding an eerie charm, his demonic energy overflowing due to his heightened excitement.

I rushed to Quanyou's side, intending to ask about the Mirage Pearl, but Ling Lu's voice echoed from above.

"It's her, Brother Que. This demoness killed Brother Luo Xi and his sister, scarred my face, and captured and tortured me here!" Ling Lu's voice was filled with grievance and fragility, making even me feel a pang of sympathy.

The Grand Immortal glanced at me and then quickly looked away.

In his eyes, I was now just a ruthless, evil disciple of Moon Shadow Sect, a person who had once saved him with a demon pill but was now a heartless, vicious member of the sect.

He looked at me with pity. Yes, he was no longer my Grand Immortal; he was the sect leader of Qiongyun Sect, Que Han.

I laughed coldly, glaring at her. "Is that so? Don't you fear nightmares for speaking such hypocritical lies?"

"Still putting on an act when death is near!" Ling Lu, enraged, flew at me with a palm strike.

I tried to summon the ice lotus, but before I could react, someone pulled my collar from behind, and a figure shielded me from the blow.

It was Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao took Ling Lu's palm strike, and frost instantly crept up his entire arm. He let out a light breath, circulating his internal energy to dispel the cold, but a black-red mist-like substance lingered in his palm, refusing to dissipate.

This seemed like a frost spell mixed with malicious energy—a technique that originally belonged to me.

Ye Xiao chuckled. "Junior Sister, have you had some extraordinary encounter recently? Your skills have improved."

"No extraordinary encounters, just captured by this demoness!" Ling Lu summoned a glass-like ice lotus, casting a provocative glance at me. Then, frowning, she asked, "But Senior Brother, what are you doing? Why are you protecting this demoness?"

"I'm not protecting anyone. I just want to get to the bottom of things."

Ling Lu, her brows furrowing in anger, retorted, "I already told you! Luo Xi and his sister were killed by this demoness. I'm here to avenge them. Please step aside, Senior Brother."

"Truth and falsehood must be thoroughly examined before drawing conclusions. If I find out that what you say is true, I won't stop you. But if it's not clear, I cannot hand her over."

"You!" Ling Lu took a deep breath, her tone softening. "Senior Brother, we've been in the same sect for over ten years. Don't you trust me?"

Ye Xiao's tone was firm. "I never believe one-sided stories. I only believe the truth."

The situation grew tense.

Ling Lu slowly gathered her energy, seemingly determined to take my life then and there.

Ye Xiao stood protectively in front of me, readying his sword.

"Forget it, Luer. Let's help Que Han kill that demon first; then we can deal with this," a slender woman in blue broke the stalemate. She walked over to Ling Lu and whispered a few words. Ling Lu withdrew her ice lotus and left with her.

Seeing that woman in blue, I realized she resembled the "fake Quanyou" I saw before I lost consciousness.

Thinking that she might be connected to the loss of my cultivation and magical artifacts, I asked, "Uncle, who is that woman?"

Ye Xiao coughed a few times and replied indifferently, "Sui Qiu."