Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Evil Sect Unveiled

Then he raised his eyes to look at Xie Yingying, his heart sinking, and continued to persuade her. “Even so, you must not disregard your own life. Yingying, please don't try yet. Just wait a little longer.”

Xie Yingying was anxious, and his words made her angry. “I know my own body. I don’t want to wait. Every moment is precious to me now. Perhaps soon I’ll return to the West, and I refuse to die like this.”

“You—” Huo Tianqing wanted to continue, to tell Xie Yingying he was also searching for a solution for her.

But Xie Yingying’s anger only grew stronger; she interrupted him abruptly. “Master, I want to live. Don’t make me wait any longer. Since you have no way, I’ll take my leave.”

She hurriedly bowed to him, then turned and walked away decisively, her movements and words so swift that Huo Tianqing couldn’t utter a single word in response.

He watched her departing figure in helpless silence, his gaze full of worry. With a flick of his sleeve, he resolutely walked out of the Evil Sect.

Xie Yingying, still seething with anger, returned to her study in her palace and resumed searching through her books. Her unease grew stronger, as though she might die tomorrow, her thoughts weighed down like a massive stone.

Outside the Evil Sect, Bai Shengyun wandered, circling the Blood River along its banks, his spiritual sense constantly probing the grand array and the location of the Evil Sect.

He was certain the Evil Sect was near the Blood River, but its position shifted unpredictably. Each time the Purple Gold Bell transmitted information, there seemed to be a delay. Sometimes he sensed the sect to the east, but the next moment it appeared to be in the north—ever-changing and elusive.

He could only wander, hoping he might stumble upon the sect’s location by chance.

Ning Qingqing followed him everywhere, confused and suffering from aching legs. She wanted to pause, but Bai Shengyun moved quickly. Whenever she stopped, she felt him pulling away, yet fortunately, their bond kept her tethered to him; otherwise, she would have lost him long ago.

She had no choice but to hurry after him, for this place teemed with ghosts and monsters. Skulls frequently appeared, howling and screaming, and at any moment they might spot her and report her whereabouts to the little ghost.

This time, Ning Qingqing’s legs ached terribly; the muscles of her calves suddenly spasmed so violently her face turned pale and she collapsed to the ground, biting her lip to stifle any sound.

She managed to send Bai Shengyun a secret message. “Young Emperor, my legs hurt so much…”

After speaking, she suddenly sensed Bai Shengyun halt, and hope sparked in her heart.

She waited a while but found Bai Shengyun had not stopped; instead, he resumed walking slowly forward, never turning back to glance at her.

She could only keep kneading her calves to ease the pain. She’d suffered cramps before, usually they passed quickly, but this time the pain only lessened, never vanished, leaving her drenched in cold sweat.

Yet Bai Shengyun did not stop, moving farther and farther away, leaving Ning Qingqing feeling aggrieved, her eyes brimming with tears.

At long last, the pain in her legs subsided. She managed to stand, limping unevenly toward Bai Shengyun.

Soon she drew near him, just as he stopped again. The concealing talisman on his body flew out. Ning Qingqing looked on in puzzlement as the talisman slowly became visible, held in a slender, jointed hand.

Between two fingers, a flame ignited, leaping onto the talisman and burning it to ashes.

Soon Bai Shengyun’s figure appeared, the ash from the talisman lying quietly in his palm.

He dusted his hands, brushing the ash away, his expression cold and stern, brows slightly furrowed, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed ahead.

Ning Qingqing, confused, followed his gaze but saw nothing. She sent him a message, asking, “Young Emperor, what are you looking at?”

“Found it,” he replied, a smile curling at his lips.

Ning Qingqing was baffled. “What?”

Bai Shengyun did not answer, but stepped forward.

In that instant, Ning Qingqing felt something halt before her, yet she still thought it an illusion.

But Bai Shengyun kept his eyes fixed ahead, his smile widening, his gaze full of confidence.

“The Evil Sect is right before us,” he said.

Ning Qingqing was astonished. “But I don’t see anything.”

Bai Shengyun chuckled softly, his demonic power surging in his hand, the golden light in his eyes flickering. He waved his sleeve.

A fierce wind swept across the Blood River and the skeletons. The void before them twisted, then shattered with a thunderous crash.

Ning Qingqing’s eyes widened in disbelief as the gate of the Evil Sect suddenly appeared before them.

There were no guards at the entrance, only a thick cloud of evil black mist swirling in the doorway, accompanied by gusts of sinister wind and a pervasive aura of death.

Bai Shengyun stepped forward, about to enter the mist.

Ning Qingqing hurried after him. “Young Emperor, I want to go too!”

He stopped abruptly, turned to her with a solemn expression, and spoke coldly. “You should stay here.”

“Why?” Ning Qingqing pouted, questioning him.

“You lack strength. Entering is suicide, and you’ll only be a burden.” Bai Shengyun’s tone was impatient, his brows furrowed in annoyance. “I came to retrieve Xie Yingying. I don’t want to alert the enemy and end up rescuing you.”

With those words, he strode ahead, never looking back at Ning Qingqing, who stood there feeling wronged.

She bit her lips, unwilling, but she knew her own weakness and the dangers inside the Evil Sect far exceeded those outside. She had to stay put.

Bai Shengyun approached the black mist, feeling its pull. He raised a shield of spiritual power and let the mist envelop him.

Watching him depart, Ning Qingqing no longer concealed her resentment and jealousy. She took out the messaging talisman from her sleeve, her expression dark and vicious, and spoke through gritted teeth. “The Young Emperor has found the Evil Sect’s gate, south of the Blood River. He’s gone in to find Xie Yingying. He won’t let me follow, so hurry—only you can stop him from taking Xie Yingying away!”

With that, she infused her spiritual power into the talisman, silently reciting Shen Ruru’s name and picturing her face.

Soon the talisman stirred, then flew from her palm, vanishing into the air, invisibly making its way to Shen Ruru’s location.