Chapter Eighty-Two: The Difficulty of a Mortal Heart (Part Two)

Seeing Quanyou's descent into madness, I immediately rejected his proposal, trying to bring him back to his senses. "I don't think it's necessary to go this far. Where did you put that Shen Pearl? That's the key to turning things around!"

He was unmoved, releasing countless blood vines from his palms to bind my arms. His eyes had lost their sparkle, moving mechanically like a walking corpse as he proceeded with his insane plan.

The sharp blood-red vines pierced my skin, and black mist emanated from Quanyou's pale palms, using the vines as a medium to invade my body. My flesh felt as if it were being torn apart, the black mist rampaging through my veins and spiritual channels, burning them as if they were being scorched. My mind was overwhelmed with pain.

In the darkness, a gray-yellow eye appeared, with black and red blood vessels intertwining around its needle-like pupil, resembling the roots of withered trees. The eye slowly fixed its gaze on me, emitting a light as bright as daylight. A chill surged through my heart, and my vision turned completely white.

If hell existed, I had seen its blood-red world.

Now, it felt like I was in the Abyss. The blanks in my memory and the seams of my body were filled and driven by a violent, insane thought. The sickly sweet, nauseating scent became intoxicating, making my bones and flesh feel weak and drunk, craving more of this suffocating taste.

Blood surged wildly in my heart.

An old voice echoed, "This is just the appetizer. Becoming a demon, blood is the cheapest pleasure, and the most vibrant living beings are the most delicious."

The voice, like a ghoul on its way to a burial ground, hovered near my ear, weaving more and more alluring words.

The violent thoughts pounded wildly in my chest, desiring to seize, to replace, to eradicate everything that had ever been a hindrance!

My vision turned blood-red, like the membranes of a stomach undulating with desire, wanting to pick up a knife and cut everything open to see clearly.

Gradually, I felt something in my hand, like the handle of a knife. I thrust it forward, and as I did, I snapped out of the blood-red fog, the crazed thoughts suddenly retreating back into the depths of my mind.

The noise outside the hall reached my ears, no longer a blur but becoming clearer. Upon careful listening, I realized it was the sound of the disciples of the immortal sect breaking through the formation.

I remembered what I needed to do. As I tried to stand, Quanyou's hoarse, weak voice stopped me, "It's not over yet, don't move!"

"Just one more layer of demonic cultivation, and you can become a true demon." Despite everything, he still managed a faint smile.

"And what about you? You plan to give me your cultivation and demonic energy and then go out to die?" I couldn't understand his intentions. Even if he succeeded, what could he achieve? He couldn't do it himself, and I certainly couldn't face a hundred enemies alone.

He should know that more than anyone, I want him dead.

After transferring the final layer of demonic cultivation, he exhaled a faint mist, and the red glow in his eyes dimmed to gray. He pressed the base of a vase behind him, and a hidden door behind the screen opened, revealing dozens of Moon Shadow Sect disciples.

"All disciples, listen to my command," Quanyou said with his last bit of strength. "Protect the new Sect Master with your lives and help her escape the pursuit of the immortal sect. Find Hua Ying and assist her in becoming the Red Underworld Ghost God."

"Yes!" The disciples responded in unison, walking toward me. "Please come with us, new Sect Master."

"Quanyou, what is the meaning of this?" The Moon Shadow Sect was already finished. It was understandable that he would choose to die, but I couldn't comprehend why he was passing the leadership to me, someone who couldn't possibly help him manage the sect.

Quanyou was already too weak to speak, his eyelids drooping. "Don't worry, after this, Little Qingyue can do whatever she wants. Even if you want to disband the Moon Shadow Sect, they will secretly help you with everything."

Countless uses of forbidden techniques had severely damaged his vitality, and after battling multiple sect leaders to this point, he was indeed at his limit. This was my perfect opportunity to strike; with my current level of cultivation, these disciples couldn't stop me.

I gathered demonic energy in my hand and struck his abdomen fiercely. He spat out blood that splattered on my face. I coldly looked up at him. He seemed to have anticipated this, still smiling at me before collapsing to the ground.

I spoke coldly to the disciples, "You might as well all attack at once, so I don't have to deal with you one by one."

To my surprise, the disciples all knelt down, saying in unison, "We are terrified and do not understand the Sect Master's intentions."

I was stunned. "Your previous Sect Master is dead. Aren't you going to avenge him?"

"We received no such command from the former Sect Master. Our only instruction is to take care of the new Sect Master, nothing more."

…They are truly insane.

Previously, I thought the Moon Shadow Sect disciples, though different, had emotions just like anyone else. Now, it seemed I was wrong!

One disciple, seemingly clueless, asked, "Did we displease the Sect Master in some way?"

"Indeed, you are just like Quanyou… utterly heartless." I noticed that the barrier to the south had some holes, so I infused some demonic energy to repair it.

"Please forgive us, Sect Master. A week ago, Quanyou instructed us to wholeheartedly take care of the new Sect Master, and to discard everything else from our minds, so… so…" The disciple suddenly clutched his head in pain.

Was it… soul manipulation?

Could he have erased these disciples' emotions? A week ago… I remembered a female disciple tried to kill me because I had killed her friend.

Could it be…

"Enough, you don't need to think about it!" I controlled the disciple, stood up, and said, "The former Sect Master treated you well. Take his body and leave. Do not return." With that, I retrieved the broken jade staff from both sides and flew out of the hall.

Standing in front of the blood-stained hall, I sealed the door with a wave of my hand and declared loudly, "Quanyou is dead. Who else but I should take the position of Sect Master? If you have any grievances against him, come and settle them with me!"

Linglu, with a scornful look, sneered, "Demoness, you truly are a traitor. There is irrefutable evidence that you infiltrated Qiongyun and killed the former Sect Master. Even ten lives wouldn't be enough to repay that debt!"

I glared at her angrily, "Shut up! How did I kill the former Sect Master of Qiongyun? What irrefutable evidence? Moreover, I am no longer a disciple of Qiongyun, so how can I be a traitor?" My veins bulged with fury; I had tolerated her for far too long.

Linglu tilted her head contemptuously, her crimson lips spewing venomous words, "Still trying to argue? You've committed countless crimes, unforgivable sins. The immortal sects cannot tolerate you, and only a corrupt sect like Moon Shadow could harbor someone like you for so many years... Tsk, tsk." She shook her head mockingly.

"Enough talk with her. Since this demoness is so brazen, let's not hold back. Today, if you have grievances, air them; if you have enmities, settle them." Suiqiu's words hit the mark, quickly rallying the immortal sects. They charged at me with their weapons.

And he, he just stood there silently, neither condemning nor defending me.

I gathered my strength and fought them, my gaze always drifting toward him.

Why won't he fight?

To him, I must be nothing more than a stranger now.

Demonic energy flared between my fingers as I summoned wind vortices to hurl the disciples to the ground. A familiar chill brushed past my eyes; I looked up to see Linglu attacking me with the Nine Nether Ice Lotus.

I stomped the ground, sending a wave of demonic energy that knocked away those around her. Grabbing the ice lotus from her fingers, I struck her, shouting, "You are not worthy of wielding it!"

But the ice lotus in my hand grew increasingly cold. Looking down, I saw frost spreading across my palm from the chilling aura. This had never happened before when I touched the ice lotus...

While I was pondering, pain shot through my shoulder as Suiqiu's silk ribbon pierced into it.

A surge of inexplicable rage rose within me. I channeled demonic energy to dispel the ice, gripping the ice lotus and the ribbon on my shoulder. With a fierce squeeze, I destroyed both artifacts.

The backlash from destroying the artifacts severely weakened Suiqiu, who collapsed unconscious.

However, destroying the Nine Nether Ice Lotus also backfired on me. Shards of Nether Ice penetrated my palm, sending waves of cold into my body, causing my mind to blank.

As the wind howled, a familiar sword aura struck me, forcing me to retreat.

This sword aura, cold as snow, freezing to the soul, was all too familiar.

I never thought the day would come when I would be attacked by it.

Enduring the pain of the artifact's backlash, I gathered demonic energy to deflect the sword, but it struck true, piercing my heart.

His eyes were filled with confusion, but quickly, he masked it with a frown, asking, "Why... would the Nine Nether Ice Lotus backfire on you?"

An artifact is linked to its wielder's life force. Once bonded, if the artifact is destroyed, the wielder will suffer greatly from the backlash.

I retorted, "And what do you think?"

"Junior Sister said that long ago, I gave the ice lotus to her. Today is my first time seeing it... so..." His voice trailed off, growing fainter. I knew he wasn't confused; he simply didn't dare to believe, didn't dare...

To be associated with a demoness like me!

"Then believe whatever you want." I pulled out the sword, and the cold from the Nine Nether Ice quickly froze the wound.

Seeing I didn't want to talk further, he stopped questioning and resumed his attack.

I didn't know when he learned the Immortal-Slaying Sword Technique, but his moves seemed weaker than Linglu's.

The Immortal-Slaying Sword Technique is powerful but difficult to control. If one tries to restrain its force, the sword's edge will harm the user's tendons.

Was he holding back because he saw I was gravely injured?

"Don't look down on me. Even if I'm gravely injured, I don't need your immortal sect's pity!"

Despite my words, I was indeed struggling. After dozens of more exchanges, I was defeated.

He quietly said, "Take her away."

The other sect leaders seemed puzzled: why not kill me?

But he ignored their stares, offering no explanation. After all, it was Qiongyun Sect that eliminated the head of Moon Shadow Sect, so the other sects couldn't object.

"Quite impressive..." Ye Xiao walked over, mocking me with a smile, though his expression lacked genuine joy.