Chapter Fifty-Seven: Two Sovereigns

Bai Shengyun recalled how Xie Yingying had constantly sought to escape, resisted him time and again, and rejected him entirely. A hint of intrigue flickered in his eyes, although there were other, more ambiguous emotions mixed in, leaving his expression enigmatic.

At that moment, Shen Ruru happened to look up, catching the playful glimmer in his gaze. Her face changed; she was startled and alarmed. She had never seen anyone stir even the slightest ripple in Bai Shengyun’s heart, yet Xie Yingying alone had drawn such a look from him. She froze for a moment, then an even more terrifying and chilling murderous aura surged from her, billowing upward with ferocity.

The guards, about to step forward to escort her away, sensed this change. Their bodies trembled, and they halted in place, unsure what to do. Instinctively, they glanced toward the study, but the young emperor was nowhere to be seen. The once shattered wooden door had somehow been restored, with no trace of the previous chaos.

Shen Ruru clenched her teeth, secretly making a decision.

Bai Shengyun stood in the room, raising his hand to cast a more stable formation. This time, he didn’t use his own spiritual sense as the core but took an artifact from his sleeve to serve as the array’s heart. Though this would make the formation less powerful, at least it would be more durable and wouldn’t disturb his spiritual sense—a worthy trade-off.

He resumed his work, channeling his demonic power with one hand. His spiritual sense was forcibly separated into several parts, each entering one of the exquisite artifacts on the table. As soon as his spiritual sense entered, the artifacts glowed faintly and trembled, drawing close yet keeping their distance, as if resonating in unison but also repelling one another.

After some time, the artifacts—each of different colors and shapes—finally locked together tightly, leaning upon one another. In that instant, they erupted with a mighty brilliance that pierced straight through the ceiling.

Bai Shengyun felt as if he had broken through some barrier; his spiritual sense was no longer obstructed, flowing smoothly toward the distant white light.

Soon, his spiritual sense crossed the Evil Sect’s shield and reconnected with a strand of consciousness still dormant deep within the Purple Gold Bell.

He guided that strand, sending it deeper into the bell to search for the artifact spirit that had wandered off once again.

Half an hour passed; Bai Shengyun was drenched in sweat, nearly having scoured the entire inner space of the Purple Gold Bell. The gathered artifacts’ light had dimmed and loosened their grip. Sensing this in time, he focused his spiritual sense within each artifact to reinforce their strength.

The artifacts clustered together again, but he knew they couldn’t hold out much longer. He sped up his search for the artifact spirit.

Bai Shengyun furrowed his brow, the red nine-tailed fox mark between his brows flashing briefly.

He spent more time, and finally, within the chaotic space, he spotted a pale, glowing sphere. Its light was faint, with several cracks running across its surface—this was the artifact spirit of the Purple Gold Bell.

It wasn’t only his soul that had suffered damage; the artifact spirit had been wounded as well and was now recuperating.

The spirit’s glow flickered as it sensed his presence. Upon realizing that the mysterious attacker had returned, it was furious.

A gale suddenly swept through the bell’s space, accompanied by slender lightning bolts like fingers. Iron thorns sprang up everywhere, encircling Bai Shengyun and closing in, threatening to impale him.

Bai Shengyun snorted coldly, raising a shield of spiritual power. A blizzard erupted, swirling wildly and piercing into the heart of the artifact spirit.

The lightning snakes released by the spirit writhed on the ground, as if in agony. The glowing sphere rolled frantically, and faintly, Bai Shengyun heard the cries of a child echoing in his ears.

“Do you yield?” he asked, his gaze icy, unmoved by the plaintive cries.

The sphere froze, halting its rolling and standing upright. The thunder within the space surged and ebbed, as if the spirit were cursing Bai Shengyun in anger.

He narrowed his eyes, snorted again, and slowly formed a spiritual sword in his hand.

Without another word, Bai Shengyun raised the sword and plunged it into the fissure of the sphere.

Instantly, blinding light exploded, flooding the entire space with fierce white radiance. The child’s cries grew louder and more wrenching.

Bai Shengyun remained unmoved, withdrew the sword, and asked again, “Do you yield?”

The sphere went completely still; even the cries ceased, its light fading further as if it had died.

Following the records, Bai Shengyun drew a drop of soul-blood, fusing it into the artifact spirit. He then commanded the unformed spirit to peer into the outside world.

This time, the spirit offered no resistance. Under his coercion, it even shielded Xie Yingying’s spiritual sense, transmitting the surrounding scenery directly into Bai Shengyun’s mind.

Thus, the Purple Gold Bell now had two masters.

Within the Evil Sect, shrouded in ghostly laughter.

Xie Yingying sat on a stone chair, gazing at the sea of silk tree flowers dancing in the gentle breeze not far away. Her heart soared with joy—she had been back in the Evil Sect for some time, and Bai Shengyun had not come for her. Perhaps he had already decided to give up!

Her excitement and delight were impossible to contain; she was so happy she could hardly believe it. The thought that she might never see Bai Shengyun again filled her with elation.

Most importantly, she had survived the ordeal alone!

“Oh yeah!” Xie Yingying jumped up, shouting “Yeah!” as she bounced, unable to resist her youthful exuberance, her voice brimming with excitement.

“Yingying?”

She stopped immediately and looked toward the voice, seeing the man in green. She smiled awkwardly.

“Yingying, what are you doing?” he asked, surprise and amusement on his face.

Xie Yingying sheepishly touched her nose, her cheeks reddening. “I… was learning a dance. Yes, that’s right.”

“A dance?” The man laughed. “Your dance is quite unique.”

To avoid embarrassment, Xie Yingying quickly changed the subject, though a bit stiffly. “Didn’t you leave some time ago? Why are you back?”

“I never really left,” the man replied with a smile. “I have a wish—I wonder if you could help me fulfill it?”

She nodded. “Of course, as long as it’s not too outrageous.”

“It’s nothing outrageous,” he said frankly. “I just want you to accompany me back to my home.”

“Hm?” Xie Yingying was puzzled. “Why?”

At her question, the man’s ears inexplicably turned red. “I want to walk back with someone I like.”

Xie Yingying raised her brows slightly, hardly believing that was all he wished for.

“Please,” the man said, his face earnest and unwilling to let go. “That’s all.”

Seeing his sincerity, and thinking about how long she’d been cooped up in the Evil Sect without a chance to go outside, she agreed after some thought. She gestured for him to wait and dashed into the house.

Inside, Xie Yingying gathered all her protective artifacts, wary that he might try something improper.

Once everything was hidden on her person, she emerged, smiling confidently. “Let’s go!”