Chapter Sixty: Searching for Someone, Meeting Death

After agreeing, they immediately turned and left, heading straight toward the Evil Sect. Shen Ruru stood alone where she was, recalling the glimmer of interest that had flashed across Bai Shengyun's eyes moments earlier. Rage overtook her, making her whole body tremble uncontrollably, her fingernails digging deep into her flesh. Before long, she had broken the skin of her palm.

The pain snapped her back to clarity. She lowered her head and raised her hand, gazing at the blood welling from her palm, her anger only intensifying. Her spiritual energy surged forth, instantly draining all vitality from the surrounding area.

Had anyone approached her now and told her, "Bai Shengyun would never kill Xie Yingying," she would have believed it without hesitation. But if someone had said so before, not only would she have refused to believe, she would have personally severed their head and sent them straight to the afterlife!

Shen Ruru's fury boiled and roiled within her, unconsciously expanding her domain of spiritual power over the area. The sky, once clear and boundless, now fell under the influence of her domain, thick layers of dark clouds gathering out of nowhere to blot out the blue.

The heavens grew somber, and a violent wind arose. The guards at the gate of Gu Feng Mountain watched Shen Ruru intently. They had long heard of her madness—how a single displeasure from her could mean death and destruction. Today, seeing her so enraged, they feared she might lead an assault on Gu Feng Mountain to vent her wrath. At that point, even a hundred lives would not be enough to appease her! Worse still, they might end up like Elder Qi Si’s disciple—whose corpse was stomped into a bloody crater, denied even a peaceful death!

Yet this time, Shen Ruru did nothing more. After a long while, as rain threatened to fall, she abruptly withdrew her domain and swept away, leaving in a flourish. She, too, headed toward the Evil Sect. She trusted those people little, and it was better to handle things herself.

The guards watched her leave, each letting out a sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from their brows.

Shen Ruru’s followers searched within the Evil Sect for an entire day and night, not only failing to locate the sect itself, but also being spotted by some of its members who promptly beat them up. Occasionally, they had to be wary of restless spirits wandering the Evil Sect’s grounds—ghosts who would relay information to disciples and frighten them for sport.

Thus, their journey to the Evil Sect was fraught with humiliation and frustration.

Xie Yingying, meanwhile, remained blissfully unaware of those searching for her, owing to the sect’s ever-shifting location. While they suffered and lamented, she had already emerged from her cave, aimlessly wandering about within the Evil Sect.

The spirit of the Purple-Gold Bell quietly recorded everywhere she traveled, converting her movements into patterns that transmitted directly into Bai Shengyun’s mind hundreds of miles away.

Soon, Bai Shengyun sketched out a rough map of the Evil Sect’s terrain. Now, by continually sensing the Purple-Gold Bell’s location, he could pinpoint the sect’s exact spot and sneak in undetected.

With the map complete, he rose and set out once more for the Evil Sect’s domain. This time, as Bai Shengyun entered, the sect’s masters barely noticed, only letting out a cold snort before leaving their mansions to personally hunt him down.

Among them was Guo Ruo Han, whose hatred for Bai Shengyun made her wish she could cut off his nine tails and skin him alive. There was also Huo Tianqing, who remained relaxed and unconcerned by Bai Shengyun’s arrival.

Barely had Bai Shengyun entered when he saw several figures fleeing in terror from a distance—faces familiar to him. His memory was excellent; he quickly recalled whose subordinates they were, his expression turning icy.

Seeing their terrified faces, if he hadn’t known his concealment talisman was still active, he might have thought they were running to him for help.

As they drew near, Bai Shengyun suddenly vanished, reappearing three meters ahead, hands clasped behind his back, walking onward without the slightest intention of intervening.

The two Evil Sect disciples pursuing them possessed formidable cultivation and moved swiftly. In no time, they caught up, and one woman soared through the air to block their path.

Landing, she flicked her long hair, sneering, "Still running? I’m bored, so I’ll keep you company. Run, go on!"

The fugitives, gasping for breath, were too exhausted to escape any further. They exchanged anxious glances, calculating how to survive the imminent danger.

"You from the Immortal Sect—are you all so idle? You’re so eager to become our ‘nourishment’?" Behind them, a man cloaked in black strode forward, his gaze sweeping over them with disdain. He raised his large cleaver, pressing it against the neck of the nearest, "You come and go as you please, making the sect search high and low! Speak—what do you want from the Evil Sect?!"

The man with the blade to his neck trembled, his knees buckling nearly to the ground. His eyes darted nervously, stammering, "I—we... we came..."

"To do what?" The man grew impatient, bringing the blade closer to his throat.

He knew that if he spoke, Shen Ruru would surely torture them to death. But if he remained silent, this burly, knife-wielding cultivator would just as quickly hack them into pieces!

Caught in a bind, he heard the man continue pressing him for the truth. He dared not answer; his trousers were soaked.

The woman beside him looked on with disgust. "Afraid of a knife, are you? And you wet yourself? Shameful!"

His face flushed with humiliation, but he still refused to speak.

The cleaver drew nearer, and he thought that being chopped up was preferable to falling into Shen Ruru’s hands. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes, resigned to death.

The man raised a brow, exchanging a glance with the woman.

She gave him a helpless look, then made a throat-slitting gesture. "If he won’t talk, he’s useless. Kill him, and the others too. Just kill them."

At her words, the man prepared to strike.

Their companion grew frantic with worry. Before the three could react, a skinny, shifty-eyed man emerged from behind, shouting urgently, "I’ll talk! Don’t kill anyone!"

Seeing his comrade capitulate, the first man could only force a bitter smile. The shifty-eyed man wasn’t so much trying to help but knew this was his only chance to survive. He hadn’t had his fill of life yet—how could he die now? He thought bitterly.

He trembled as he spoke, "We were sent by Shen Ruru to find someone named—"

Before he could finish, his pupils contracted, and he collapsed uncontrollably.

A massive bloody hole had opened from his chest to his back, exposing the mangled remains of his heart and lungs, pulverized by a surge of demonic power.