Chapter 473 Framed (Two in One)
Jiang Lan's pretty face flushed an astonishing crimson, like a ripe peach, almost dripping with blood.
She could clearly feel a large hand covering her soft spot, carrying an undeniable sense of control, making her whole body numb and almost causing her to collapse.
Only one person could freely enter and exit this place, and do this without her noticing.
"Your...Your Highness..."
She stiffly turned around, frantically trying to stand up, but the young man gently pressed her down.
Gu Yun's lips curved into a faint smile, and the raging fire in his eyes made the hearts of the two girls, who were playing on the grass, race.
Their bodies stiffened, as if a immobilization spell had been cast upon them.
"Laner, what did you just say you were going to help Xiao Qing with?"
"Tell me too? Hmm?"
Gu Yun slowly approached and asked with a smile.
The anger that had been stirred up by Aunt Zi and then forcibly suppressed seemed to have found a perfect outlet now.
"No...nothing...Your Highness..."
Jiang Lan was so embarrassed by his words that she wanted to find a hole to hide in.
Her heart was pounding with fear, her cheeks were burning, and her eyes darted away.
"Oh? A joke?"
Gu Yun chuckled, and with a flick of his hand, a desk appeared out of thin air.
Jiang Qing felt an uncomfortable lump behind her back, and if not for the tiny blades of grass still clinging to her hair, she would have felt as if she had woken from a dream.
Close at hand was her aunt's equally flustered and frightened face.
Their noses were almost touching, and their breaths were audible.
It was like a collision of fire and earth; they could both feel each other's restless heartbeats.
"Laner, you should know that some jokes aren't to be made lightly."
Gu Yun's voice was low and magnetic, carrying a hint of playful scrutiny as he meticulously examined every part of Jiang Lan.
"Mm~ Your Highness, Laner knows her mistake..."
Jiang Lan turned her head, staring intently at Gu Yun, tears welling up in her beautiful eyes.
"That's not enough; you need to be punished."
"Then...then should Xiao Qing leave first?"
"No, it's better if she stays here."
"You two, you seemed very arrogant just now!"
A huge shadow completely enveloped the two girls, and from then on, they would never forget the terror of that day!
On the other side, Bai Hao, who had put away the communication jade slip, also calmed down a little.
"I didn't expect even my Eldest Brother to attach such importance to this person; it seems I was indeed a bit too hasty before."
Previously, when Gu Yun reminded him to be careful of Bai Li, he hadn't taken it seriously, only making those preparations out of respect for Gu Yun.
He didn't expect them to actually come in handy, but even so, he still didn't take this adopted brother seriously.
Just a guy whom his father didn't love and his mother didn't care for; how could he possibly contend with him?!
But it wasn't until today that he truly saw the light and had an epiphany.
He was truly foolish to not make good use of his greatest inherent advantage!
"Really, Eldest Brother is indeed the greatest in the world; he clearly has no need to contend for any family property, yet he understands the techniques in this area so well!"
"My foolish plans are simply like those of a three-year-old child in front of Eldest Brother!"
"Hmph, hmph, Bai Li, the Bai Family is mine, and it always has been."
"There has never been a place for you here, so why do you insist on forcing your way in?"
"Wouldn't it be better to just be a little beggar wandering the streets? At least you'd still be alive!"
Bai Hao's expression turned cold, and the aura around him became as sinister as a venomous snake.
Supreme Divine Dynasty, Bai Family Merchant Guild Headquarters.
The atmosphere in the hall was solemn.
At the head of the table, Bai Shihong, one of the four helmsmen of the Zongheng Merchant Guild, had a grim expression, his gaze lowered, revealing no emotion.
Beside him sat the Bai Family's Madam, Liu Yun, her makeup exquisite, but her eyes held scrutiny and detachment.
In the center of the hall stood a young man, dressed simply, even with a hint of dusty earthiness, which was completely out of place in the magnificent hall.
He lowered his head slightly, his eyes hollow, his hands seemingly at a loss for where to rest.
This was none other than Bai Li, the eldest son who had recently been found and brought back to the Bai Family.
Bai Hao, on the other hand, stood proudly at his side, dressed in a brocade robe, with a perfectly appropriate look of arrogance on his face.
His gaze occasionally swept between Bai Li and another elegant and charming woman beside him, a faint cold smile playing on his lips.
With just a small trick, he had put Bai Li in such a passive situation.
Bai Hao was indeed worthy of being Eldest Brother's most trusted younger brother.
Bai Hao was quite satisfied with his plan.
"Lady County Princess."
"Is the matter truly as you say?"
Seeing that all relevant parties had arrived, Bai Shihong put down the calming pearl in his hand and looked at the elegantly dressed woman beside him, asking softly.
This person was named Liu Ruyan, the most beautiful woman in the capital.
Her status was even more extraordinary; her father was Liu Tianfeng, the King of Zhenhai, the biological younger brother of the current Her Majesty the Empress of the Supreme Divine Dynasty.
After the Her Majesty the Empress's major purge, the imperial family members of the current Supreme Divine Dynasty suffered heavy casualties.
Only the King of Zhenhai, who had been raised by the Her Majesty the Empress since childhood, had an excellent relationship with her and was not implicated.
He later followed the Her Majesty the Empress and rendered outstanding military service in the process of eliminating remnants and expanding territory.
He was a truly powerful prince of the Supreme Divine Dynasty, with an extremely respected status.
And recently, the King of Zhenhai was preparing to break through to the Great Emperor realm, and all matters related to the King of Zhenhai's Mansion were handled by his most beloved and only daughter.
Her status was so noble that few in the entire younger generation of the Supreme Divine Dynasty could surpass her.
She nodded slightly at this moment, her demeanor graceful, but her charming peach blossom eyes held a hint of appropriate indignation and lingering fear.
She parted her red lips: "Uncle Bai, please discern clearly.
Although Ruyan is not talented, she has been taught by the King's Mansion since childhood and would never speak carelessly."
"Patriarch Bai, today Ruyan was invited by Young Master Bai Hao to discuss the supply of East Sea Jade Marrow."
"After the discussion, I intended to rest for a while in this garden, waiting for my carriage.
But unexpectedly..."
She paused at this point, perfectly timed, and gently smoothed an inconspicuous wrinkle on her sleeve with her slender fingers, her face veiled by light gauze, looking as if she was about to cry: "But unexpectedly, behind the rockery, I encountered this...Young Master Bai Li."
"He was in a state of madness, his eyes cloudy, muttering to himself, and then...he suddenly lunged at me, attempting to commit an indecent act! If not for the protective spiritual jade I carried, which activated its shield in time, I'm afraid...I'm afraid..."
Liu Ruyan's eyes were slightly red, and she turned her head away, her voice choked.
The hall instantly fell into a dead silence.
Everyone was shaken, and many whispered amongst themselves.
"This Bai Li, I didn't expect him to be so audacious as to even dare to molest Miss Liu!"
"Yes, he's truly a troublemaker; our Bai Family has really suffered an undeserved calamity."
Seeing this situation, Bai Hao's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.
He seized the opportune moment to step forward, a look of heartfelt grief on his face: "Father, Mother! Eldest Brother...he grew up wandering outside, lacking discipline, so it's understandable that he picked up some bad habits."
"Normally, we turn a blind eye and don't bother to discipline him, but we never expected him to be so disrespectful to Lady County Princess!"
"This...if this gets out, how will our Bai Family explain it to the King of Zhenhai's Mansion? How will we establish ourselves in the Divine Dynasty?"
Every one of his sentences seemed to be excusing Bai Li, but in reality, each word was like a knife, firmly pinning the blame on Bai Li and elevating the situation to the level of the family's survival.
Madam Liu Yun's face grew even uglier upon hearing this.
Her gaze towards Bai Li was as cold as frost, and she was the first to speak, her voice sharp: "You rebellious son! Why don't you kneel down! You've completely shamed the Bai Family! If I had known this, I shouldn't have allowed you to return to the family!"
Although Bai Shihong didn't immediately flare up, his brows were tightly furrowed, and his gaze, like lightning, shot towards Bai Li, carrying heavy pressure: "Bai Li, what do you have to say?"
All eyes were focused on the young man in the hall who had been keeping his head down.
Bai Li slowly raised his head, his face pale, shaking his messy head.
He finally understood everything that was happening.
His eyes were no longer hollow; instead, they held a strange calm, those deep eyes like an abyss, extremely cold.
He looked at the indignant Bai Hao, then at the pitiful Liu Ruyan, and finally at his high-and-mighty parents.
"Heh heh...hahaha..."
He suddenly let out a low laugh, dry and desolate, which sounded particularly harsh in the silent and oppressive hall.
"Bastard! What are you laughing at?!!"
Bai Shihong's face completely darkened.
For Bai Li to act like this in public was simply to show him no respect.
He had gone to the trouble of bringing the young man who had been wandering outside back home, letting him be the young master of the Bai Family for a few days.
Bai Li stopped laughing, raised his head, and his voice was hoarse and cold: "Confess?"
"Hahaha, me? What crime have I committed?!!"
"Presumptuous! Are you questioning Lady County Princess's honesty?!"
Bai Hao shouted sternly, his voice extremely cold.
Liu Ruyan even cast a disgusted look at the young man, then turned her head away.
"Isn't that true?!"
Bai Li stood his ground, his voice suddenly rising, "I never went behind any rockery today! Nor have I ever met Lady County Princess!"
"Since returning to the mansion, my movements have been limited.
When have I ever been without 'eyes and ears' around me? If Father doesn't believe me, you can immediately retrieve the records from the shadow screens throughout the mansion; a quick check will reveal the truth!"
At his words, Bai Hao's face changed imperceptibly.
Important areas of the mansion indeed had shadow screens that recorded images, but he had already made arrangements, and the records of the relevant areas today had "coincidentally" suffered a "malfunction."
Bai Shihong's brows furrowed even tighter, and he did not immediately order an investigation, only saying in a deep voice: "The matter of the shadow screens can be discussed later.
Lady County Princess's status is noble; how could she falsely accuse you for no reason?"
"Hahaha! What a 'noble status, how could she falsely accuse'!"
Bai Li seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, his laughter filled with indignation and sarcasm, "Just because she is a County Princess, her words are law?"
"And I, a wild bastard who wandered outside, crude and uncouth, deserve to be trampled in the mud, where even defending myself is a crime?!"
He suddenly turned to Bai Shihong and Liu Yun, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes completely extinguished, leaving only bone-chilling coldness: "Father? Mother? Was there ever a moment when you truly treated me as your son? Was there ever a moment when you believed me even a little?"
"From the moment I stepped into this household, all I received was disdain, estrangement, vigilance, and baseless suspicion!"
"My younger brother repeatedly provoked and framed me, and you turned a blind eye! The servants secretly embezzled and made things difficult, and you ignored it! Now, based on the one-sided word of an outsider, you want to nail me to the pillar of shame!"
"You..." His voice trembled with extreme anger and disappointment, "When have you ever given me a way to live?!"
"Since you never considered me your child, why did you bring me back from outside in the first place?!!"
Bai Shihong's face was ashen, and Liu Yun was so angry that her lips trembled, pointing at him: "You, you rebellious son! How dare you talk back to your parents like that! This is rebellion! Truly rebellion!"
"Parents?" Bai Li sneered, his smile bleak and resolute, "Born but not raised, treated as an enemy, what parent's kindness is there to speak of? This magnificent Bai Family, to me, is nothing but a cold cage! Your so-called blood kinship is sickeningly hypocritical!"
"Presumptuous!! How dare you speak to your mother like that?!!"
Bai Shihong roared, unleashing his peak Quasi-Emperor cultivation without reservation.
Bai Li felt as if his throat was being choked, unable to breathe.
Bai Hao's lips curved slightly.
He received a message from Liu Ruyan in his mind: "You said you would introduce me to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince after this matter; you can't go back on your word."
"Of course, Miss Liu, I'm sure someone of your stunning beauty will surely captivate my Eldest Brother."
"If you can become the Gu Family's Madam in the future, you must not forget my recommendation."
"Easily said..."
"If it succeeds, I will naturally remember."
"I imagine with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's status, he should be able to silence my father, that old stubborn man!"
Liu Ruyan's mood was incomparably joyful; all the farce in the arena was no longer relevant to her.
As the legitimate daughter of the King of Zhenhai, there was no one more noble than her in the Supreme Divine Dynasty except for Her Majesty the Empress.
The Her Majesty the Empress had no heirs; setting aside Gu Yun, who was nominally the Crown Prince, she was the second in line of succession!
Liu Ruyan's ambition, of course, was not something others could casually guess.
Now, by using Bai Hao's power to seize Gu Yun, the future was basically on the right track.
As for Bai Li's life or death, it was irrelevant to her.
In the arena, Bai Li took a deep breath, his eyes sunken, his whole body trembling, and he suddenly straightened his slightly hunched back.
At this moment, his weakness was completely shattered, and an indescribable aura erupted from him.
His gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over everyone present, finally settling on Bai Shihong's face, his voice terrifyingly calm, yet carrying an undeniable resoluteness:
"Since this family cannot tolerate me, and you still treat me as an outsider."
"Then today, I, Bai Li -"
His voice suddenly rose, like an oath, echoing throughout the entire hall:
"Voluntarily renounce the Bai Family and sever my bloodline!"
"From this day forward, I and the Bai Family, our ties are broken, and we have no further connection!"
"Life and death, honor and disgrace, each to their own fate!"
//474//
Chapter 474 Demonic Soul (Two in One)
As his voice fell, the entire hall was stunned!
Everyone stared blankly at the young man in the hall, as if truly seeing him for the first time.
Voluntarily withdraw? Sever bloodlines? Break off all ties?
What kind of joke was this?
This was the Bai Family of the Zongheng Merchant Guild, a colossal power that countless people desperately tried to cling to!
He was a bastard child, picked up halfway through his life, who had never experienced such glory, wealth, and high status. Now, he actually wanted to give it all up just like that?!
Bai Hao was also slightly startled, but then came immense joy.
He hadn't expected Bai Li to be so resolute, not taking the path of bitter pleading and justification, but instead choosing the most extreme method.
He had thought this cheap brother, who had grown up used to hardship, wouldn't be able to part with the Bai Family's glory and wealth. After all, as the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality.
The Bai Family might not be good at other things, but they were excellent at raising good-for-nothings.
Not at the center of power, not competing with the top Heavenly Talents, just being a carefree rich man, enjoying the family's resources and protection – wouldn't that be a wonderful life?
He hadn't expected Bai Li to give up so easily. It really was beyond his expectations, but… perfect!
Bai Hao was overjoyed. In his mind, an image of Gu Yun appeared, and he wished he could hug and kiss him for three days and three nights.
Fantastic!
If he could get rid of Bai Li so easily, that would be the best possible outcome!
He just wondered what his face-conscious father would think?
A trace of surprise also flickered in Liu Ruyan's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by more disdain: Foolish! Cutting off his own escape route!
Without the Bai Family's protection, what could a mere good-for-nothing do to establish himself in the Three Thousand Dao Domains?
The reactions of the others were mostly fear, especially the Bai Family Patriarch, Bai Shihong, who believed he controlled everything. His expression finally changed, no longer as indifferent and unperturbed as before.
No matter how useless Bai Li was, he was still Bai Shihong's eldest son in name, acknowledged by his own words!
To openly betray the family like this was to slap his face, the face of the entire Bai Family!
"Presumptuous!" Bai Shihong slammed the table, rising abruptly. A powerful aura, like a towering mountain, pressed down on Bai Li. "Rebellious son! Do you know what you're saying?! How can a family be something you just leave at will?!"
However, that pressure, enough to suffocate ordinary Xiantai Realm cultivators, fell upon Bai Li, making the young man's bones crackle.
As if he would fall to his knees the next second, his figure swayed violently, his face turning incredibly pale. But his eyes remained bright, unyielding, facing the imposing might from Bai Shihong head-on!
"I certainly do!!"
Bai Li's voice remained calm: "Though you gave me life, you did not raise me."
"I never experienced the Bai Family's glory from a young age, so the Bai Family's misfortunes will ultimately have nothing to do with me!!"
"As for what you are worried about, that I will tarnish the Bai Family's name? That I will bring disaster to the Bai Family? Heh heh, rest assured, even if I, Bai Li, starve to death on the streets, I will never again step foot into the Bai Family, nor will I… ever again bask in the Bai Family's glory in the slightest!"
After speaking, he no longer looked at anyone, turning sharply and walking resolutely out of the hall.
His back was straight, proud, yet carried an indescribable sense of sorrow and tragedy.
A strength from an unknown source was able to contend with Bai Shihong's pressure. However, at this moment, everyone was so shocked by Bai Li's actions that they paid no attention to anything else.
"Stop him!" Bai Shihong roared.
The guards outside the hall immediately stepped forward to block him.
Bai Li paused, turned to look at his father, his expression still cold: "What more do you want to do now?"
"Since this family cannot tolerate me, then I shall leave. Why must you relentlessly persecute me?!"
"Hmph." Bai Hao snorted lightly: "After causing such a big incident, you just want to walk away? Can there be such a good thing in the world?"
"Bai Li, have you forgotten, there's still no explanation for offending The Princess!"
"Exactly! Bai Li, you committed the offense, so bear the consequences yourself! Don't think of shirking responsibility and just leaving!"
"Our Bai Family isn't your scapegoat! Why aren't you kneeling before The Princess and begging for forgiveness?!"
A group of Bai Family disciples eagerly kicked him while he was down.
Bai Shihong's expression became extremely ugly. He looked at his arrogant second son and sighed softly, but he couldn't stop him.
Not to mention his close relationship with Gu Yun, Liu Ruyan was now clearly leaning towards the other party, and he was the popular choice within the Bai Family.
He now felt a terrible headache. From a personal perspective, he didn't want to ruthlessly eliminate his eldest son, to whom he owed so much. However, from the perspective of the Bai Family's interests, Bai Li's disappearance was the cornerstone of the family's stability.
Otherwise, as long as Bai Hao was uneasy, he would never settle down.
As the Patriarch, he naturally did not lack the courage to make a difficult decision.
Taking a deep breath, Bai Shihong had already made his decision: "Guards, take this rebellious son, Bai Li, away and await his punishment!"
"The Princess, if you wish to personally deal with Bai Li, we can also…"
"No need!" Liu Ruyan said coldly. It was just a small matter, and she was too lazy to get involved in the subsequent events: "Patriarch Bai can decide for himself. Such a lustful scoundrel, I imagine, is not fit to remain in the Bai Family."
"Furthermore, regarding the cooperation…"
"Our Bai Family is willing to cede thirty percent of the profits to the Zhenhai Prince's Mansion."
"Agreed." Liu Ruyan consented, then left directly, her figure like the wind, noble and aloof. From beginning to end, she did not spare Bai Li another glance.
The latter's fists clenched, grinding audibly. He watched Liu Ruyan's departing figure, wishing he could tear her to shreds.
"Bai Li, you still dare to look at The Princess with such eyes? It seems you haven't changed your ways." After Liu Ruyan left, Bai Hao said with a cold sneer.
Bai Li snapped back to reality, looking at these bastards he called family, his eyes as cold as if he had emerged from the Nine Nether Purgatory.
"Bai Li, it's one thing for you to cause trouble and act recklessly on a daily basis, but how dare you be so audacious as to commit such an outrageous act now!" The Bai Family's Madam, Liu Yun, looked at her son, speaking with a tone of disappointment.
"Heh heh, heh heh heh heh!" "What are you laughing at!!" "After making such a huge mistake, you still don't repent? Are you trying to destroy our Bai Family!!" Bai Shihong grew even angrier, slamming the armrest and roaring.
"Repent?" "What do I need to repent for!!" "Rulers and subjects, fathers and sons - if you had even an ounce of parental decency, you wouldn't be here judging me indiscriminately!"
"The evidence is conclusive, what more do you have to quibble about?!"
"Bullshit evidence! It's all Liu Ruyan's one-sided story, and you treat it as gospel."
"I know your intentions too well. You merely want to use this as an excuse to forge deeper connections with the Zhenhai Prince's Mansion and the Supreme Divine Dynasty."
"An insignificant fellow like me, if you want to sacrifice me, you'll just sacrifice me casually."
"Since you've already made these decisions, why are you still here pretending? What do you want to do? It's truly nauseating!!"
"Bastard! What nonsense are you spouting? Why would my Bai Family need to curry favor with any power?!" Bai Shihong was furious.
"Heh heh, if the Bai Family is truly invincible, then what does it mean to make him follow a little brat, who is countless years younger than himself, around calling him 'Big Brother'?"
"Is this the only level of your Bai Family's family tradition?!"
"Presumptuous!! How dare you disrespect my Big Brother!!" Bai Hao's eyes blazed with fury. What kind of joke was this? Insult him, fine, but insult his Big Brother? Absolutely not!
"Hmph, a lackey. The genius that the Bai Family poured all its resources into cultivating is only this caliber."
"What dignity does such a family have? Truly laughable. You are nothing but a bunch of hypocritical good-for-nothings, failures."
"Enough, Bai Li, how are you speaking to your father?" "Do you know how much he has done for the Bai Family!" Liu Yun looked at Bai Li, her eyes unable to hide her disappointment.
"Heh heh, I don't know how much he has done for the Bai Family. I only know that his biological son was abandoned by him from a young age, wandering the streets, living off scraps."
"When it was time to enjoy blessings, you didn't think of me. But when it comes to contributions and sacrifices, you all jump out?"
"Bastard! How dare you speak to Father like that!" "You, take this good-for-nothing down and throw him into the dungeon!!" The guards on either side received the order and immediately moved.
Liu Yun's expression changed drastically: "Hao'er, what are you doing? He's your brother, you…"
"What brother?" "I, Bai Hao, have no such disloyal and unfilial bastard as a brother!" Bai Hao said coldly, his eyes revealing a murderous intent.
"How... how could this be?" Liu Yun seemed to lose all her strength, slumping back into her chair, at a loss.
"Shihong, Shihong, quickly stop him." Bai Shihong's eyes were cold. He looked at his second son and ultimately remained silent.
"You…" "Hahaha, hahahahahaha!!!" "Do you really think you are worthy of judging me!" Bai Li burst into laughter, his aura suddenly surging and becoming extremely powerful. All the cultivators in the hall felt a sense of suffocation.
It was as if a ferocious beast that had slumbered for eons had subtly opened a sliver of its eye!
The two guards at the forefront bore the brunt of it, as if struck by a heavy blow to the chest. They flew backward, convulsing, and died on the spot.
"How is that possible?!!!" Bai Hao almost doubted his sanity. These were two Saint Realm guards. How could Bai Li do this?!
Bai Li suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face instantly turning ashen, but he used this recoil force to slide backward like a ghost, his speed erupting, actually exceeding the limit a Dao Palace Realm cultivator should possess!
"Stop him!" Bai Hao was the first to react, shouting sharply.
Many powerful cultivators poured in from outside the door, and even a Quasi-Emperor Realm expert was already waiting.
"No—!!!" Liu Yun's expression changed dramatically, somewhat disbelieving how things had escalated to this point.
Bai Shihong, on the other hand, sighed slightly, as if he had aged several years, looking at his spirited second son, Bai Hao, who was pontificating about the world, with a complex expression.
The sudden terrifying attack caught Bai Li off guard. He hadn't expected the Bai Family to be so merciless.
They didn't give him any chance to escape.
He looked back at Bai Shihong and the other two, his eyes filled with an unconcealable murderous intent.
"Father, this is the last time I will call you father."
"From now on, all ties between us are severed!"
"In the days to come, you all better wait, a ghost from hell will come to claim your lives, I swear it!!"
The Quasi-Emperor expert who had suddenly appeared showed no mercy. With a single move, he unleashed an Emperor Dao killing blow, striking Bai Li's body.
The young man's body instantly exploded into a mist of blood.
"No!!!" Liu Yun couldn't bear to watch such a scene and directly fainted.
"It's done." Bai Hao's lips curled into a cold sneer. With Bai Li's death, a burden on his mind was finally gone.
The Bai Family was his Bai Family, the one he had managed since childhood, the one he had always strived for!
Why did Bai Li appear? Why did he come back? Why did he get a share?!
Bai Shihong sighed. If it was like this, then all was well. He and Bai Hao would both turn a blind eye, and it would be as if Bai Li had never appeared.
When he brought Bai Li back, he indeed hadn't considered Bai Hao's feelings.
He was just a son with mediocre talent, who shouldn't have received such importance from him. Yet, he never expected his relationship with the Gu Family Emperor Child to be so good that he could even invite Liu Ruyan to stage a play and force him to make a decision.
This boy was ruthless and decisive, much like his younger self.
Just when everyone thought the dust had settled.
"Jie jie jie… Jie jie jie jie—!" A spine-chilling, evil laugh suddenly and without warning echoed from within the still-unscattered blood mist!
Hoarse, distorted, filled with endless malice and madness.
"Good, you are indeed very good."
"Bai Shihong, Liu Yun, this is how you treat your own biological son!!"
"Very well, I will return this physical body to you today. From now on, I have no further connection with the Bai Family!"
Bai Li's mournful roar resounded, and an aura of demonic energy slowly rose: "When I return, that will be the time for your Bai Family… to pay its blood debt!!"
Accompanied by mad and resentful laughter, that pure, black shadow, condensed from endless hatred and ancient demonic energy, suddenly shot into the sky!
Boom!
The sturdy roof of the hall was directly blasted with a huge hole. Amidst flying bricks, stones, and tiles, the demonic shadow transformed into a black demonic rainbow that tore through the sky, instantly disappearing into the horizon. The terrifying aura also receded like a tide, leaving behind only widespread devastation, cold demonic energy embers, and a group of dumbfounded Bai Family members, as if just awakened from a nightmare.
"Damn it!" The sudden, earth-shattering change completely disrupted Bai Hao's plan.
His expression became extremely ugly. The worst outcome had occurred; Bai Li was not dead, but had instead become a hateful demon.
When exactly… And why did he become like this?
Dead silence. A deathly stillness permeated the scene.
Bai Shihong took a deep breath, looking at the gaping hole in the dome, and said coldly: "Bai Li cultivates the Demonic Dao; his crime deserves death!" His gaze swept over every still-shaken member of the Bai Family in the hall, his eyes sharp as knives, carrying the unquestionable authority of the Patriarch.
"Today's incident is a misfortune for my Bai Family, to have such a rebellious son who has fallen into the Demonic Dao!"
"This fiend harbored evil intentions, enduring until now. If not for Hao'er's awareness of his wrongdoing and The Princess's keen insight, my Bai Family would have almost suffered an unjust accusation and brought about a great disaster!"
"By my Patriarch's order!"
"Bai Li betrayed the family, murdered his kin, and cultivated demonic arts. His crimes are heinous. Effective immediately, he is expelled from the Bai Family's genealogy and removed from the Bai Family's name! All members of the Bai Family, kill him on sight! Furthermore, announce this fiend's crimes to the world, issue a warrant for his arrest, and offer a reward for his capture! Anyone who provides clues or slays him will be handsomely rewarded by my Bai Family!"
"Now, during this tumultuous time for the Supreme Divine Dynasty, I hope everyone will lend their full support and not let such a demonic bandit cause trouble within the Divine Dynasty!"
//475//
Chapter 475 Demonic System (Two-in-One)
As Bai Shihong issued command after command, the previously somewhat flustered members of the Bai Family seemed to find their backbone, accepting their orders and beginning to clean up the mess, treat the wounded, and seal off information.
Bai Hao quickly walked to Bai Shihong's side, a perfectly timed expression of grief, indignation, and lingering fear on his face: "Father! It is all your son's incompetence; I failed to detect Big Brother's… no, that demon's true face in time, causing the family such loss and alarming Father and Mother!"
Bai Shihong looked at him deeply, his gaze complex, but in the end, he merely patted his shoulder, his tone softening slightly: "This is not your fault. That scoundrel chose to degenerate and hid too deeply."
"Now that our Bai Family has escaped this great calamity, you deserve the most credit."
"The position of Young Master is yours, unshakable…"
"Then many thanks, Father."
The father and son, each with their own hidden agendas, Bai Hao bowed in thanks and then turned to leave.
Bai Shihong's gaze lingered on Bai Hao's retreating back for a long time, silent.
…
At the same time, Bai Hao had already returned to his exceedingly luxurious courtyard.
After dismissing his attendants, the grief and sorrow on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of extreme excitement and the wild joy of having achieved his ambition.
"Hahahahaha!!"
He couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter echoing through the empty courtyard, filled with the exhilaration of having achieved his goal.
With this, the last lingering concern in his heart was completely removed.
"Bai Li! My dear Big Brother! You finally fell! You fell completely and utterly! Hahahaha!"
He paced back and forth, rubbing his hands excitedly: "Demon? Hahahaha, that title is good! Too good!"
"From now on, who would dare mention that good-for-nothing is my brother? Who would dare question that I, Bai Hao, am the Bai Family's only heir?!"
With Bai Li's exposure as a demonic cultivator, the reason for his previous furtive exits from the Bai Family also became clear.
He must have been meeting his demonic cultivator accomplices!
His previously ecstatic expression calmed down, and Bai Hao recognized the seriousness of the problem: "Now Her Majesty the Empress is in the Northern Frontier."
"The great war has already begun, and the Supreme Divine Dynasty is at its most vulnerable, with all sorts of demons and monsters trying to seize this opportunity to emerge and make trouble."
"I must first inform Big Brother about this."
Bai Hao immediately made a decision. Among the four great families of the Zongheng Merchant Guild, the Bai Family's network of interests was primarily within the Supreme Divine Dynasty. Once order collapsed, it would be a devastating blow to the guild.
The situation in the Northern Frontier was already tense, with even the Zhenhai Prince's Mansion having to come and increase weapon orders. This was an excellent opportunity for the Bai Family to make a fortune.
Bai Hao knew that this forced abdication had revealed some of his strength, and after driving away Bai Li, it also declared his legitimate status.
Now, everyone in the Bai Family was watching him. If he messed things up, it would be very detrimental to his future control of the Bai Family.
He could only rely on Gu Yun's power. As the Crown Prince of the Supreme Divine Dynasty, he certainly wouldn't want to see demons rampaging within the Divine Dynasty's territory.
The two had the same interests, and given their already good relationship, cooperation at this moment was a matter of course!
Bai Hao immediately took out a specially made communication jade talisman, a fawning smile on his face, and reported in detail everything that had happened today, especially the news of Bai Li falling into the demonic path, betraying the family and fleeing, and being fully hunted by the family.
At the same time, he clearly stated all his judgments, including the inference that demonic cultivators might have bases in the Supreme Divine Dynasty.
After doing all this, he put away the jade talisman with satisfaction, a smile slowly curving on his lips.
A storm was brewing, and he, Bai Hao, would also be one of the trendsetters!
In the shadows, Gu Yun and Ying'er witnessed everything.
In his Sea of Consciousness, all information regarding Bai Li's identity quickly emerged.
[Name: Bai Li]
[Age: 50]
[Cultivation: Dao Body Realm early stage]
[Identity: Male Protagonist of "Born but Not Raised, Don't Cry and Beg Me to Come Back!"]
[Golden Finger: Demonic God System (System Value: 2300)]
[Physique: Heaven-Devouring Demonic Body]
[Halo: Child of Destiny Halo (Gold)]
[Destiny Value: 80000]
[Associated Female Protagonists:???, Hong Yu, Leng Huayun…]
Demonic God System, huh?
Indeed, there had been a change. Bai Li's Golden Finger could not be seen from Bai Hao's script.
Because he basically played the role of someone who was slapped in the face, his living goal was to offer his face for Bai Li to slap hard.
Naturally, Gu Yun couldn't tell before whether Bai Li was purely cultivating demonic arts or possessed a system.
Of course… there was another possibility.
Just like Lin Chen at the time, in order to make the plot of Jiang Qing and Jiang Lan, these two female protagonists of destiny, proceed more reasonably, a system-type protagonist was parachuted in.
And achieving this was also very simple; one could just pull people from other worlds.
Gu Yun opened the first page of the script "Born but Not Raised, Don't Cry and Beg Me to Come Back!" which confirmed his idea, and then closed the book.
Bai Hao's actions helped Bai Li awaken the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Body in advance, and at the same time, reduced the opponent's system value by 200 points.
It played a certain role. A Child of Destiny of golden quality, from the perspective of a system flow, was not considered powerful.
It's just that his female protagonist is very interesting.
"'???'"
"Could it be one of the two people who ranked before Master?"
There seemed to be some kind of taboo regarding people and events in the Immortal Realm, so even the system wouldn't provide him with information in that regard.
This was not something Gu Yun needed to consider at the moment. As for the other two female protagonists, a faint smile appeared at the corner of the young man's mouth: "The Child of Destiny I met at the Hundred Flowers Holy Land back then, his fate seems to have completely fallen off now."
Gu Yun had some estimation. With Luo Hanyan's physique problem resolved, Su Hao had lost all his value.
His Pure Yang Saint Body had been stripped away by him, and even the female protagonist had entered a new development trajectory.
His future was completely bleak, but after all, he was once a Child of Destiny of orange quality, so Gu Yun naturally intended to send him to reunite with Dragon Chen, Fang Yue, and others.
Children of Destiny of the same level should be neat and tidy, shouldn't they?
"Let's go, we've wasted too much time here."
Gu Yun's figure flickered, and Ying'er asked: "Your Highness, Bai Li has escaped. Do you need Ying'er to…"
Gu Yun turned to look at her, a smile playing on his lips: "Then what do you think we are going to do on this trip?"
Ying'er was stunned, somewhat aghast: "How can this be? Your Highness is of noble birth, how can you put yourself in danger to personally deal with that demonic fiend Bai Li?"
"No, absolutely not!!"
"Can you mobilize my Master's Shadow Guards?"
Gu Yun waved his hand, stopping Ying'er from continuing her words.
Ying'er was taken aback: "If I were to ask for instructions."
"No need to ask. Master is currently in the Northern Frontier, not playing around with the Eternal Imperial Dynasty and the Ziwei Imperial Dynasty."
"Do we really need to trouble her for such a small matter?"
"This…"
"I can try."
Ying'er hesitated for a moment, then finally agreed.
"Go quickly, and remember, don't let Senior Shangguan know."
"Yes!"
Ying'er took the order and left.
Since her status had risen to the Quasi-Emperor Realm, her position among the Shadow Guards had also risen accordingly.
Everyone knew she was a favored person by the Her Majesty the Empress, so they naturally had to give her extra respect.
Now with Gu Yun's endorsement, mobilizing the Shadow Guards was a matter of course.
"The Shadow Guards monitor all officials. Now that they are moving, all eyes are on them."
A faint smile slowly appeared on Gu Yun's lips. With the Her Majesty the Empress on the battlefield in the Northern Frontier, the Divine Dynasty's interior was vulnerable.
Even minor demonic cultivators dared to raise their heads, let alone those with ulterior motives.
In the vast Supreme Divine Dynasty, perhaps only Qiu Yueci, Shangguan Yaya, Old Mr. Huo, and a few others were truly loyal to the imperial family.
Now that the opportunity was gradually appearing, he would naturally not give it up.
This was actually very good. Gu Yun only feared these guys disappearing and hiding. Once they showed their heads, it would be a thunderous strike!
He would use Bai Li as a shadow and clean up things first before Master returned.
Since that demonic organization dared to raise its head, he would use it to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys!
With this thought, the young man's figure also transformed into a long rainbow and disappeared.
The Gu Family reinforcements previously dispatched for the Jiang family's Lin Chen invasion could now also be put to use.
…
At this moment, a million miles away, in an ancient mountain range, desolate and filled with resentment.
A demonic rainbow descended from the sky, crashing heavily to the ground and stirring up a cloud of dust.
Demonic energy permeated the surroundings, gradually dissipating, finally revealing the figure of a pale-faced young man whose eyes were extremely cold and dark.
It was Bai Li, who had abandoned his physical body and fled in a hurry.
"No destruction, no construction."
"The compensation this system gave me is very practical."
He looked down at his current body, reshaped by pure demonic energy, feeling the ancient and powerful source of power within him, though weak. A cold and sinister arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Just now in the Bai Family's main hall, a strange segment of memory inexplicably appeared in his mind.
It was a bizarre world, completely different from the Three Thousand Dao Domains.
Bai Li quickly realized that he had suddenly awakened his past life memories, and along with his past life memories, came—the Demonic God System!
Bai Li was incredibly excited. Although he had contact with those demonic fiends before, he had never thought of falling into the demonic path.
All of this was forced upon him by those bastards, Bai Shihong, Bai Hao, and Liu Ruyan. Now that he had abandoned that weak body and was given the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Body by the Demonic God System, Bai Li felt as if his entire being had been sublimated and transformed. Now, with just one strike, he could erase that bastard Bai Hao from this world!
All of his everything would become nourishment for his growth!
"But I am not yet a match for Bai Shihong and those Bai Family guards."
"I cannot act rashly for now."
The excitement of surviving the ordeal gradually faded, and Bai Li suppressed his surging blood and hatred.
He sat cross-legged and began to introspect, communicating with the Demonic God System to understand the abilities he now possessed.
Instantly, a translucent, dark light screen, visible only to him, unfolded before his eyes, displaying his current status.
In addition to specific items like age and cultivation, he also had three special abilities: Demonic Thought Conversion, Demonic Blood Spiritization, and Demonic God Whisper.
Furthermore, there were common features like the System Shop and the Lucky Draw System.
Many items within made even the current Dao Body Realm Bai Li drool with desire. Although these things were treated like candy by Bai Hao and others when he was in the Bai Family, he, as the young master, had never tasted them.
However, just as Bai Li was about to exchange items, he suddenly received a prompt.
[Ding! Detecting that the host's current demonic essence reserve is negative, please complete system tasks as soon as possible to reserve demonic essence.]
Only then did Bai Li notice his demonic essence value, which was as high as "-200000" points, and his expression twitched.
"What are you kidding me? I thought I had that much starting capital."
His complaint was like a stone sinking into the sea.
"What a machine."
Bai Li, finding no satisfaction, asked: "What tasks can I do now?!"
[Ding! Main Quest: The Beginning of Vengeance]
[Quest Description: Annihilate the Bai Family, personally kill your enemies Bai Hao and Bai Shihong. Erase the Bai Family from Northern Frontier City!]
[Quest Reward: One million demonic essence]
[Failure Penalty: Lose a random organ]
[Quest Time Limit: One year]
"Pfft… Annihilate the Bai Family in one year?!! What the hell are you kidding me, I * * * * *"
Bai Li couldn't help but start cursing, but his system completely ignored the young man's breakdown.
[Side Quest: The Rise of the Demonic Path]
[Quest Description: Join or create a demonic organization and become its core figure (Note: You can use the power of the demonic organization to annihilate the Bai Family).]
[Quest Reward: One hundred thousand demonic essence]
[Failure Penalty: Cultivation drops by one major realm]
[Quest Time Limit: One month]
"A demonic organization, huh…"
A figure appeared in Bai Li's mind, and his face showed a look of longing and greed.
If he had her help, there might really be a chance.
Although the Bai Family was prosperous, in front of that organization, it was nothing more than a slightly larger small fry.
What he needed to do was to go from reaching the peak of the Quasi-Emperor Realm within a year to gaining influence within that organization.
Bai Li believed this was not difficult at all. He possessed a system; he only needed to complete some system tasks, and if he casually revealed a little, he would surely become a honored guest, revered by all.
"Of course, the most urgent matter is to restore my cultivation."
"Currently, I only have the shell of a Dao Body Realm, and cannot fully exert its power."
Bai Li thought to himself, his gaze continuing to slide down to the last mandatory task.
[Quest: Restore Strength]
[Quest Description: Obtain the essence of ten Dao Body Realm cultivators / one hundred Dragon Transformation Realm and above cultivators to restore current weakened state.]
[Quest Reward: One thousand demonic essence, stabilized demonic body.]
[Failure Penalty: Cultivation returns to Dragon Transformation peak]
[Quest Time Limit: Three days]
"It seems I must act immediately!"
Seeing the quest time limit and failure penalty, Bai Li felt as if a Sword of Damocles was hanging over his head, ready to fall and pierce him through at any second.
"Boy, weren't you very tough before?"
"How did you end up like this now?!"
Just as Bai Li was about to leave, a cold and mocking voice sounded in his ear.
///476//
Chapter 476 Demonic Cult (Two in One)
The sudden words instantly put Bai Li on alert. He abruptly looked up, his eyes sharpening.
The thin demonic energy around him instinctively gathered, and he looked in the direction of the voice.
He saw a mysterious person, completely shrouded in a black robe, appear. His voice was incredibly hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing, making one's eardrums throb faintly.
"It's you," Bai Li said, his voice cold.
"I advised you before, join the Demonic Sect."
"You can get everything you want."
"Your father, Bai Shihong, doesn't fully support Bai Hao. He's merely intimidated by the Immortal Ancient Gu Family's power."
"You didn't have to break with him completely."
"Just come with us to… deal with…"
Before his words were finished, Bai Li interrupted him directly.
"Heh heh, so what?"
"His heart has always only held the Bai Family, never me, this child he accidentally picked up."
"Instead of wasting time dealing with a father-son relationship with him, it's better to kill, kill them all!"
Strands of demonic energy leaked from Bai Li's eyes, making him even more eerie and sinister than the suddenly appearing black-robed person.
"Haha, hahahaha."
"You, you're now more like a demon than I am."
The black-robed person suddenly burst into laughter, their voice abruptly becoming melodious and lingering, like a nightingale.
The black robe, formed by demonic energy, vanished, and a woman in a crimson gauze dress slowly emerged.
She was extremely beautiful, but carried a dangerous allure, like a poppy.
Her skin was so fair it was almost transparent, forming a strong contrast with the fiery red dress she wore.
A pair of phoenix eyes, with slightly upturned corners, had a rare deep purple color, flowing with a casual laziness and a condescending scrutiny.
She was barefoot, her slender calves gently swaying in the air, with a string of small silver bells tied around her ankles, yet strangely, they made no sound.
"You always like to tease me like this," Bai Li said with a slight sigh, seeing the other party finally reveal her true form.
"How about it, what choice will you make now?"
"You can't go back to the Bai Family."
"As things stand, only my Heaven Devouring Demonic Art can accommodate you."
Hong Yu looked at Bai Li with a half-smile, as if everything was within her grasp.
"You know everything?" Bai Li looked at her coldly.
"Are you talking about where it started?"
"From when that Liu Ruyan pretended to walk towards you?"
"If it's there, then indeed…"
Hong Yu had witnessed everything, but she didn't make any changes. Liu Ruyan's technique was very clumsy, and she didn't even want to touch Bai Li.
But as soon as she spoke, her words were like a golden pronouncement, capable of knocking Bai Li from the clouds to the bottom of a valley.
This was exactly Hong Yu's intention. She had advised him countless times before, hoping he would join the Demonic Sect, but he had always refused.
Now that there was finally another opportunity, she naturally wouldn't let it go, nor would she change anything.
"You…" Bai Li clenched his fist, finally speechless. This woman's face changed faster than flipping a book, and her aura was even more unpredictable. At present, he had no way to control her.
Her inaction only helped him see the ugly faces of those people, and there was nothing wrong with that.
"If I join the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, what can I get?"
The young man finally chose to compromise; this was the only thing he could do.
Whether it was the system's guidance or his current predicament, both dictated that this was his only path to survival.
The corners of Hong Yu's lips curved into an enchanting arc, her deep purple eyes shining with brilliance, like a blooming poisonous flower: "This is for the best. I believe that in the near future, you will be glad of the choice you made today."
…
"Heaven Devouring Demonic Art?"
Gu Yun's figure appeared on the mountaintop, and he had captured all of Bai Li and Hong Yu's conversation.
[xuan qing treasure mirror Page Thirty-Four]
[Name: Hong Yu]
[Age: 356]
[Affection: -20]
[Cultivation: Saint Realm]
[Identity: Female Lead of 'Born but Not Raised, Don't Cry and Beg Me to Come Back!']
The woman's information appeared. Her identity was Bai Li's guide into the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, and she was also a relatively important female lead for the other party.
Previously, Gu Yun had seen this name in Su Hao's script.
However, with the loss of the Child of Destiny's fate, this woman's identity had undergone a tremendous change.
"I didn't notice this woman back in the Hundred Flowers Holy Land."
"Could it be that she also had some arrangements in the Hundred Flowers Holy Land?"
Su Hao's plot was already completely unrecognizable, and the information within it had no research value whatsoever.
Now, Hong Yu's reappearance seemed to herald the beginning of a new chapter for Gu Yun.
"-20 affection. The Supreme Charm Halo is a passive skill, recording the value that would appear the first time I met her."
"So, without the influence of this handsome face, her affection would be—[-80]?"
"Good heavens, did I kill her whole family?"
Gu Yun didn't understand, but he would soon.
"Your Highness…"
"The Shadow Guards have assembled."
At this moment, Shadow's voice appeared, and her figure, dressed in black night clothes, reappeared beside the young man.
Her Quasi-Emperor Realm cultivation was incredibly profound, and the two people in the field were completely unaware of her.
"Not bad," Gu Yun said, patting Shadow's head in approval.
Shadow rubbed her head against the young man's palm: "Three hundred Shadow Guards are waiting on the periphery, all Xiantai Realm experts, led by two Quasi-Emperor Realm Shadow Guard Captains, awaiting Your Highness's command."
"Shadow has followed Your Highness's instructions and has not alarmed Senior Official."
"Mm, you did very well."
Gu Yun gently hooked Shadow's chin, lifted her black veil, and pecked her pink lips.
"It is Shadow's blessing to be able to share Your Highness's worries."
Shadow was flattered, her pretty face flushed red.
"The three hundred Shadow Guards are the same. With just one command from Your Highness, we will not hesitate to face death!"
"Don't worry, I won't send you to your deaths," Gu Yun said somewhat helplessly. "Pass down the order for the Shadow Guards to scatter and lie in wait."
"Watch my movements and do not act rashly!"
"Yes!" Shadow acknowledged the order, her figure quietly merging into the shadows to relay the instructions.
Gu Yun, meanwhile, stood with his hands behind his back, at ease, his divine sense like an invisible spiderweb, carefully sensing below.
"Did that system send Bai Li here, hoping he would go directly to the Demonic Sect headquarters?"
"Not necessarily. That Demonic Sect Leader is no ordinary person; he must know the principle of a cunning rabbit having three burrows, otherwise he wouldn't dare to oppose my Gu Family in secret."
"This place should just be one of their altars."
"In any case, this Saint Realm woman should have some status within the Demonic Sect. If I capture her and interrogate her severely, I should be able to investigate many things."
A smile appeared on the corner of Gu Yun's mouth. For such stubborn female criminals, he knew best how to pry open their mouths.
…
"This is the un Spread the secret of my Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, the Devouring Heaven Demonic Scripture. Since you have sworn to join my Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, you should naturally cultivate this path."
Hong Yu's slender fingertip lightly tapped, and a black light flew from her glabella, hovering before Bai Li.
It was not a jade slip or a scroll, but a strange rune that constantly twisted and changed, as if condensed from the purest darkness and the intent of devouring, emitting a heart-palpitating aura.
"This is the Demonic Seed, the general outline of the 'Devouring Heaven Demonic Scripture'."
Hong Yu's voice carried a hint of seduction, and also a barely perceptible scrutiny.
Bai Li stared at the Demonic Seed, which seemed alive. He could feel the terrifying power contained within it, as well as the almost insane desire to devour.
Without the slightest hesitation, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly opened his mouth, directly sucking it into his body!
"Ugh ah—!"
As the Demonic Seed entered his body, Bai Li let out a painful groan, his body trembling violently.
Beneath his skin, countless black worms seemed to be frantically wriggling, his blood vessels bulging, displaying an ominous dark black color.
Vast and violent demonic energy uncontrollably erupted from his body, impacting the surrounding rocks and producing rumbling sounds.
Hong Yu stood not far away, her bare feet lightly tapping the void, a faint red glow emanating around her, easily deflecting the shockwaves.
She watched Bai Li struggling in pain with interest, a calculating glint in her deep purple eyes.
"His mind is quite ruthless; he might be a formidable character in the future."
"However, after swallowing the Demonic Seed, you won't be able to escape the palm of the Sect Leader."
She muttered to herself, watching everything with indifference.
The process of refining the Demonic Seed was extremely bloody and painful. If Bai Li couldn't even endure this, then he wasn't qualified to join the Demonic Sect.
However, Bai Li at this moment was not as she had imagined.
[Ding! Pure demonic source detected invading, components being identified]
[Ding! Identification successful, Emperor-level Demonic Dao Origin]
[Does the Host wish to convert it into Demonic Essence?]
"Convert!"
Bai Li felt like he was about to explode from the sudden influx of power. Now that he had a chance to use the system to cheat, he naturally chose to apply it.
[Demonic Essence converting… Current progress 30%… 40%…]
In Hong Yu's eyes, Bai Li was enduring endless pain, but she never imagined that this was actually helping Bai Li pay off his debt.
A debt of 200,000 points of Demonic Essence was quickly reduced by 30,000 points.
"This is great, I didn't expect this Demonic Sect to give me such a big gift right away!"
Bai Li was very happy and did not notice the hidden killing intent of this Demonic Seed.
His system also wouldn't give him any hints.
"I didn't expect you to be quite talented, completing the conversion so quickly."
Hong Yu looked at Bai Li and chuckled. In reality, she was also somewhat shocked. Having personally witnessed the process of countless Demonic Sect geniuses merging with Demonic Seeds, she naturally knew how difficult this process was, and Bai Li's speed was so fast that even in the headquarters, few could compare to him.
"Alright, with this, you won't be rejected by the grand formation anymore."
"Come with me, I'll take you to the Demonic Sect headquarters!" Hong Yu said.
"Wait a moment!" Bai Li suddenly refused at this point. "My strength has not yet recovered. Even if I go back now, I won't be able to help the Demonic Sect much."
"Why don't you come with me to hunt cultivators? With just a few Dao Body Realm cultivator origins, I can recover to my peak state."
"If I can hunt Xiantai Realm ones… that would, of course, be even better…"
Bai Li's eyes sparkled with hope.
"You're dreaming."
"The Demonic Sect has no tradition of mutual help. You want to recover your cultivation?"
"You can, go by yourself!" Hong Yu wouldn't indulge him, directly refusing and throwing out a map at the same time: "The location of the Demonic Sect headquarters is on it. When you're ready, go by yourself."
"You have the aura of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art in your body, so the protective formation won't stop you."
With that, Hong Yu left directly.
The figure in the red dress disappeared, and only then did Bai Li come back to his senses, still missing the faint fragrance and feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
He scratched his head, still a bit confused: "If she doesn't want to go, then she doesn't want to go, but there's no need to be like that, right?"
However, Hong Yu's noble beauty had already been imprinted in his mind.
This guide, proud like a high-mountain flower, he was determined to win her over!
…
"Pfft, pfft, pfft, what kind of person is he, already trying to order me around?" Hong Yu left the desolate mountain and spoke, quite indignant.
She was, after all, a major Person in charge of a Demonic Sect hall. It was bad enough that she had to personally go out and recruit members, but that guy even wanted her to be his thug?
Simply outrageous.
"Just you wait until you enter the Demonic Sect, kid. This old lady will let you know what it means to experience the harsh realities of life!"
"The harsh realities of life?"
"I wonder if the fairy's embrace is warm."
"Who's there?!"
The sudden playful voice made the relaxed Hong Yu instantly alert.
The next second, the world spun, and she found herself on a vast ocean.
"What?!"
Hong Yu was incredibly terrified, because in the first instant, she had already used all her strength.
But it was utterly useless; her methods were ineffective, and she had already been captured.
In front of the other party, she was like Bai Li in front of her, just a little lamb to be bullied.
"Tsk tsk tsk, a dignified Demonic Sect demoness, yet now displaying such a posture, it's truly somewhat disappointing."
Gu Yun's figure slowly emerged from the void. This time, he was dressed in a luxurious black robe with gold patterns, his face so handsome it was almost demonic, a playful smile on his lips.
He was now looking down at Hong Yu, who was bound in mid-air by an invisible force, his gaze playful, as if admiring an interesting collectible.
"You, who are you?"
"You don't even know who I am, yet you harbor such great hatred towards me?"
"It seems your Demonic Sect people are more interesting than I imagined."
"Hatred… You, you're Gu Yun?!!!"
Hong Yu's pupils suddenly constricted, her heart almost leaping out of her chest!
How could he be here?!
How could he silently take her into such a terrifying domain?!
"No, impossible, how could you be Gu Yun? He's just an unlearned profligate, how could he have such strength as you?"
"It seems you have a deep misunderstanding of me."
"Miss Demoness~~" Gu Yun snapped his fingers, and the surrounding scenery changed. Hong Yu appeared in a bamboo hut.
Her hands were raised high, and she was suspended in mid-air by several red ropes threaded through her body, in a very professional binding posture.
//477//
Chapter 477 Torture (Two-in-One) (Gift Plus)
The bamboo house was elegant, with a scene of misty immortal realms outside the window.
But Hong Yu had no mood to appreciate it; she was currently suspended in mid-air in an extremely shameful and inescapable manner.
Those few seemingly ordinary red ropes contained unimaginable Power of Laws, not only sealing all her demonic power but also exposing every curve of her body, in exquisite detail.
Her crimson gauze skirt was disheveled, her fair skin was faintly visible, and her feet dangled in the air, constantly kicking, the silver bells on her ankles chiming crisply.
She struggled valiantly, but it was like a butterfly caught in a spiderweb; all her movements were futile, only causing the red ropes to bind her tighter, outlining even more breathtaking curves.
"You..."
"What exactly did you do?!"
"Let go of me, you bastard!"
Humiliation and anger intertwined, making Hong Yu's expression vivid. Her voice still tried to maintain its haughtiness, but it inevitably carried a hint of tremor.
Facing Hong Yu's outwardly fierce but inwardly weak words, Gu Yun was incredibly calm, sitting leisurely on a bamboo chair nearby, a jade-boned folding fan appearing in his hand at some point, which he gently fanned.
He admired the rare scene before him, his gaze playful and teasing.
"Miss Hong Yu, you just said many disrespectful things about my Gu Family, and you openly sheltered Bai Li, a demonic cultivator who betrayed the Bai Family."
"From various perspectives, we should be enemies."
"Now that you've fallen into my hands, why should I let you go?"
Gu Yun chuckled, his voice languid.
He slowly rose and paced to Hong Yu's front. The cool bone of the jade fan gently rested on her hot cheek, slowly sliding down, passing her slender neck, delicate collarbone, and finally stopping on the full curve that rose and fell slightly with her rapid breathing.
"Tsk tsk, for the Demon Church to have such a hot-bodied beauty like you, it truly is a waste of heavenly resources."
Hong Yu's whole body suddenly stiffened, and a layer of tiny goosebumps instantly appeared on her skin. She abruptly turned her head away, trying to avoid the cold and humiliating touch, her voice sharp: "Take your dirty hands off me! I am a Hall Master of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Sect! If you dare to touch me, the Church Master will never let you go!"
"The Church Master?"
Gu Yun raised an eyebrow, pressing the fan bone slightly harder, eliciting a suppressed groan of pain from Hong Yu.
"Just a rat hiding its head and tail. If you can truly make him appear, I would be more than happy."
"But I wonder, does a mere Hall Master like you truly hold such a position in that person's heart?"
Gu Yun's gaze was almost tangible, slowly and meticulously sweeping over every inch of her bound skin, his eyes carrying a burning heat that made Hong Yu tremble all over.
"Hmph!"
"Do as you please, kill or flay, but if you want to get the Demon Church's secrets from my mouth, you're dreaming!"
Hong Yu suppressed the strange sensations in her body and the panic in her heart, gritting her teeth, her beautiful eyes filled with stubbornness and hatred.
She would never yield to Gu Yun, her enemy!
"Not bad, you have some backbone."
Gu Yun seemed unsurprised, instead nodding approvingly.
He retracted his jade fan and stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze gradually turning cold: "Since Miss Hong Yu refuses a toast and chooses a forfeit, then this Lord will have to... entertain you in a different way."
As his words fell, there was no thunderous offensive, only his fingertip in mid-air, lightly tapping the red ropes.
Buzz--!
Above the red ropes, the profound runes suddenly lit up, emitting a faint glow.
The next second, Hong Yu's eyes widened abruptly, and her body began to tremble violently, uncontrollably!
Pain!
A strange, intense pain seemed to erupt at that instant, like countless fine needles simultaneously piercing every meridian and every acupoint in her entire body.
Soon, all her resistance became futile; fine cold sweat seeped from her forehead, and her face turned incredibly pale.
"Ugh ah--!"
A short scream echoed in the wooden house.
"Gu Yun... you... you... bastard!"
Hong Yu squeezed out fragmented curses from between her teeth. Her body was taut and twisted from the extreme pain, yet she was firmly held by the red ropes, unable even to curl up to alleviate the suffering, only enduring the all-encompassing torture.
Gu Yun watched expressionlessly, his gaze as indifferent as ice: "Speak, where is the Devouring Heaven Demonic Sect's main altar? Who is the Church Master? Why did you infiltrate the Supreme Divine Dynasty?"
"Don't... even think about it!" Hong Yu almost bit through her silver teeth, her purple eyes bloodshot, yet she still stubbornly held on.
"Very good." Gu Yun tapped his finger again.
The pain suddenly intensified! And began to become unpredictable, sometimes like scorching flames, sometimes like bone-chilling ice, and sometimes like ten thousand ants gnawing at her heart!
"Ah ah ah--!"
Hong Yu could no longer suppress it, letting out a shrill scream, her body twisting and struggling frantically, but it was all in vain.
Tears mixed with sweat streamed down, dampening her disheveled hair and collar.
Arrogance and stubbornness began to crumble little by little in the face of continuous, extreme pain.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly.
Every second was as agonizing as a century.
Hong Yu's consciousness began to blur, her ears buzzed, only the endless pain was so clear.
"...Kill me... please... kill me..."
She murmured unconsciously, her voice hoarse and weak, filled with despair.
"Tell this Imperial Son what he wants to know, and the pain will naturally end."
"No, impossible."
Hong Yu's sanity hovered on the brink of collapse, but remembering the Church Master and the deep-seated hatred she carried, she tightly sealed her lips.
Blood soon overflowed from her lips. Gu Yun stopped the spell and went forward to check.
"Did she bite her tongue and pass out from the pain?"
Gu Yun gently caressed Hong Yu's body, his fingertips imbued with a warm spiritual power. Starting from Hong Yu's bitten lower lip, it gradually moved downwards, and soon, the tiny wounds gradually healed, leaving only an alluring rosy hue.
"As expected of a Child of Destiny, she's quite a tough nut to crack."
Gu Yun muttered to himself, but his fingertips did not leave. Instead, they slid down her smooth jaw, slowly descending to her slender, fragile neck.
With just a little more force, this enchanting demoness would perish.
"Demoness of the Demon Church, if you didn't still have value, I truly would have devoured you right here."
Gu Yun gently patted Hong Yu's unconscious face, a wicked, charming smile playing on his lips.
This woman was still useful; he wouldn't kill her now.
However, pure physical attacks didn't seem to be very effective. Gu Yun felt it was necessary to understand the woman's inexplicable and deep hatred for the Gu Family and for him.
His fingertips lifted the woman's slightly open collar.
Gu Yun's eyes moved, and the Myriad Transformation Power instantly erupted, directly making Hong Yu completely exposed to him.
Her flawless figure came into view, perfectly complemented by the red ropes, making her even more alluring and captivating.
Large expanses of fair skin were exposed to the cool air. In her syncope state, Hong Yu seemed to instinctively feel cold and danger, instinctively flinching.
Gu Yun's fingertips moved, finally resting on the girl's glabella.
His divine sense, like the most delicate tendrils, carefully probed into Hong Yu's Sea of Consciousness.
Her Sea of Consciousness was incredibly complex, protected by layers of restrictions.
Above the ocean of her Sea of Consciousness, a blood-red character, "Devour," was forcibly carved.
"Is this the consequence of using the demonic seed of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art's main outline?"
Gu Yun looked at the bloody character, malice rising in his heart. With a raise of his hand, his cultivation burst forth, and the Myriad Transformation Power was fully activated. The form of this character began to change.
His divine sense, like the most precise carving knife, operated wantonly in the defenseless depths of Hong Yu's Sea of Consciousness.
The core source of the power didn't change much, but it began to carry some of Gu Yun's essence.
The blood-red character "Gu" finally formed, deeply imprinted on Hong Yu's soul origin. In her unconscious state, she suddenly convulsed, letting out an extremely subtle whimper, as if from the depths of her soul.
[Ding! Consumed 3000 villain points to counteract the Demon Church Master's investigation for the Host.]
Gu Yun retracted his divine sense and fingers with satisfaction: "Not bad, this looks much better."
Having bypassed the first line of defense, the young man's actions were like entering an uninhabited land; the intimidating, layered defensive restrictions were as good as useless.
In a short while, he had already delved deep into Hong Yu's memories.
Soon, fragmented scenes accompanied by a surging emotional torrent rushed in...
...A peaceful village, kind residents... a little girl beaming with a happy smile, parents, relatives, family, friends, working from sunrise to sunset...
...Darkness enveloped the land, cackling laughter echoed in the sky... A little girl was locked inside a room. She was scared, she was terrified, she painfully knocked on the door, but could only see outside, fireballs falling like meteors, wails, screams, destruction, desolation...
...When the dust settled, she miraculously survived... The little girl frantically smashed the window, painfully kneeling beside her parents' corpses, weeping bitterly...
...A figure shrouded in a black robe appeared, his voice hoarse: "Do you want revenge?"
"Yes."
"Then come with me."
"Who are they?!"
"Why did they do this?"
"He is Gu Changge, the true Ancestral Demon, the most vicious and cruel executioner in this world."
The black-robed figure looked up at the sky, his voice cold.
"Why did he do this? Why... destroy everything I had?"
The black-robed figure was silent for a moment, then laughed heartily: "Why? Do you need a reason to destroy a group of ants?"
"..."
"Come with me, I will give you power, to let you... get revenge."
"Who are you?"
"The Demon Church Master."
...
The girl's story continued. She joined the Devouring Heaven Demonic Sect, cultivated the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, and thanks to her extreme talent and ruthless methods, Hong Yu's cultivation and status rose very quickly, eventually becoming a Hall Master with the ability to recruit members herself.
Before Bai Li, there was another person she was quite familiar with.
"Leng Huayun, Luo Hanyan's disciple?"
It seems the Hundred Flowers Holy Land is a must-visit this time.
Gu Yun had anticipated this and didn't find anything objectionable.
Leaving the girl's Sea of Consciousness, Gu Yun saw Hong Yu's long eyelashes begin to tremble violently.
She struggled unconsciously, her hands and feet bound by the red ropes twitching slightly, uttering fragmented and painful whispers:
"Father... Mother... don't... don't die..."
"Fire... such a big fire... help..."
"Why... why did they kill them... Gu Changge... demon..."
Her voice was filled with helpless fear and heartbreaking sorrow, completely unlike her usual seductive and dangerous appearance.
Tears continuously streamed from her tightly closed eyes, dampening her temples.
If an ordinary person saw her, they would surely feel pity, but Gu Yun merely watched her in such a fragile state, his eyes dark and unreadable.
He reached out a finger and gently wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes.
Perhaps this subtle touch brought some comfort, as Hong Yu's murmuring gradually subsided, though her body still trembled slightly from time to time, like a startled little beast.
His gaze swept over the girl's body; on her fair skin were several obvious old scars, which looked like burn marks.
Gu Yun gently traced them with his fingertips, sensing carefully. The age of the scars matched her memories.
It seemed that the disaster was not fabricated.
"Could it be something that happened when he helped me condense the demonic bone?"
Gu Yun had some conjectures in his mind.
However, there were still inconsistencies. According to his understanding of Gu Changge, if he could kill creatures from restricted areas, he would absolutely not hesitate.
Rather than looking for a few ownerless small worlds in the Three Thousand Dao Domains, it would be more satisfying to delve tens of thousands of miles into a restricted area.
Yet, there was no trace of a restricted area creature on Hong Yu.
"The Demon Church... Church Master?"
"A bit interesting. I wonder if you are truly a Child of Destiny, or just a ridiculous person who overestimates himself."
Gu Yun withdrew his fingers, a cynical smile returning to his face.
Having gained some understanding of Hong Yu's story, it would be easier for him to prescribe the right remedy.
What the Demon Church Master could do, he, Gu Yun, might not be unable to do.
One must know that what was now deeply imprinted in Hong Yu's heart was the character "Gu," representing himself.
"Woo..."
Hong Yu, hanging in the air, let out a whimper. Her eyes slowly opened, hazy and unfocused.
The blurry figure before her gradually became clear. Her pupils suddenly constricted as she realized her current state, and she let out a sharp shriek.
"Ah--!"
"Gu Yun! You beast! Demon! What did you do to me?! Get out! Get out of my sight!"
She suddenly tried to curl up to cover herself, but the red ropes mercilessly pulled her back to her original position. She could only futilely twist her body, wriggling from side to side in the air, which only served to display her beauty even more clearly before Gu Yun's eyes.
She quickly realized this and stopped twisting, merely glaring at Gu Yun with hatred.
"What? Have you calmed down?"
Gu Yun ignored her agitated actions, instead beginning to comment: "What a pity, such a wonderful sight is not something one can appreciate at any time."
"Miss Hong Yu, you can continue, I don't mind."
"Gu Yun, how long will you continue to humiliate me?!"
PS: This chapter is an extra update, thanks to [Gu Tatian who loves cold spinach] for the big reward. I'm truly sorry for updating so late. Tomorrow's update will be as usual, but it might not be exactly at 8 AM, please understand.