As an undercover agent, one must keep a low profile.
Especially when you’re a spy from the demonic path infiltrating the righteous path. If you slip up, you’re dead for sure.
Tian Fang prided herself on being perfect in this regard.
What does it mean to keep a low profile? The weakest? No, the weakest often stand out. Among a group of Foundation Building disciples, a Qi Refining one would be too conspicuous.
The strongest? The strongest can’t be considered low profile either.
Not too weak, not too strong, neither drawing attention nor being ignored—that’s the true way to keep a low profile.
Keeping a low profile involves every aspect: appearance, personality, speaking style, attitude towards others… In short, you can’t have any distinctive features!
But finally, finally, there’s no need to pretend anymore!
“Don’t make any rash moves, my great hero,” Tian Fang said to Tang Xin, unable to suppress her wild laughter. “You’ve been poisoned with a special demonic path’s Burning Heart Poison. Once it activates, you’ll feel the pain of being burned alive.”
“You…!”
Lian Xin’s face changed dramatically, and she immediately raised her hand.
“Princess, you shouldn’t move either,” Tian Fang glanced at her. “I can tell you, I don’t have the antidote for this poison, only something to accelerate its effects. If you don’t behave, I can make her wish for death instantly.”
Hearing the warning, the demonic path’s saintess froze her arm in mid-air.
She wasn’t lying.
Lian Xin also recognized this demonic poison. Judging by Tang Xin’s reaction, what Tian Fang said was likely true.
This poison not only causes immense pain but can also be controlled by the one who administered it.
“Senior Sister Tang, you should be feeling the pain by now, right?”
Tian Fang walked up, lifting Tang Xin’s chin with her finger, a sinister smile of triumph on her face.
“I thought the one helping Lian Xin would be Shangguan Qing’er or Liu Mei, or maybe some foolish disciple seduced by her beauty. I never expected it to be you…”
“What do you want?”
Tang Xin frowned.
“Hehe,” Tian Fang touched her cheek, seemingly enjoying this wanton pleasure, and laughed, “I’m quite interested in you. I wonder what it would be like to corrupt a high and cold righteous cultivator like you into a demonic cultivator?”
“Let her go!”
Lian Xin shouted angrily.
“Your target should be me, right? Take me away, this has nothing to do with her!”
“My princess,” Tian Fang cast a disdainful glance at her, “she’s in my hands. Do you dare not follow me? Unless you don’t want her to live.”
“How did you know we were here?”
Tang Xin stood still, sweat dripping from the sides of her forehead, looking as if she was enduring immense pain.
“It’s no harm telling you,” Tian Fang said with a victorious air, “we have a way to know if Lian Xin has left the Hundred Poison Mountain Range. You disappeared from the Poison Flower Valley for so long and stayed in the mountains. Besides the Hundred Poison Hall, what other place could attract you so much?”
“And these righteous cultivators…”
“Of course, I lured them here,” Tian Fang laughed, “I knew you had a way to escape… I didn’t want to use such a dangerous method, but you kept hiding like mice.”
As a righteous disciple, Tian Fang reported the location of the Hundred Poison Hall through indirect means, which was a simple task.
But this method carried significant risks. If Lian Xin were captured by the righteous cultivators, she wouldn’t be able to rescue her.
The blame could only be on the prolonged delay of this operation. If they didn’t bring Lian Xin back soon, even they would have to retreat.
“Who exactly are you?” Lian Xin frowned, “Causing such a big commotion just to capture me? You shouldn’t lack the little knowledge in my head, right?”
These foreign demonic cultivators were much more organized and planned compared to the local ones. Their goal was very clear; they weren’t interested in demonic relics, only in capturing Lian Xin.
With such strength, they were definitely not an ordinary force.
“It seems the princess still doesn’t know her true value,” Tian Fang said sympathetically, “Knowledge is secondary. The key is your bloodline… that’s the precious thing.”
“Demonic Sovereign bloodline?” Tang Xin asked, “What exactly is it for?”
“Hehe.”
Tian Fang smiled, deliberately keeping them in suspense. She didn’t answer but glanced at Tang Xin’s arm to confirm the spread of the poison before speaking.
“The poison has already taken effect,” she said, then turned to Lian Xin. “I’ll give you a choice: come with us and save your friend’s life, or leave her behind and take your last chance to escape?”
Lian Xin looked at Tang Xin.
The other party had gone to great lengths to capture her, likely harboring a more terrifying plot than those followers. Falling into their hands was unimaginable.
But if she really escaped, then Tang Xin…
“I suggest you escape first,” Tang Xin said with a forced smile. “If you can’t leave the Hundred Poison Mountain Range, my fate won’t be any better… We’re just acquaintances, right? You don’t need to worry too much about my safety.”
“Wow,” Tian Fang couldn’t help but clap. “A true hero indeed, thinking of saving others even when you can’t save yourself!”
Lian Xin’s face twitched.
If only her strength were greater, the people around her wouldn’t always suffer such misfortune…
“Don’t you want to save more people?” Tang Xin said. “If they catch you, how can you save anyone? Trust me, escape first.”
She… was she really willing to sacrifice herself for others?
In this moment of choosing between “for oneself” or “for more people,” she unhesitatingly chose the latter!
A window in Lian Xin’s heart seemed to quietly open.
So, there really are people like this in the world…
Kind, righteous, and strong-hearted.
“Every good person deserves to be saved,” Lian Xin thought, shaking his head. “I can’t just watch you suffer!”
“Wow, how touching!”
Tian Fang sneered.
“Listening to this makes me sick… Enough with the nonsense, come with me! Hey, you trembling cat demon, stop pretending, you’re coming too!”
“Are you really not going to escape?”
Tang Xin looked at Lian Xin.
The latter nodded resolutely.
“Alright, it doesn’t make much of a difference…”
Tang Xin twisted her neck, then coughed twice, spitting out a black pill from her mouth.
“You…”
This sudden change left Tian Fang utterly shocked.
“Everyone knows that demonic spies are good with poison. Did you think I wouldn’t be prepared?” Tang Xin glanced at her. “Before entering the dungeon, I swallowed an anti-poison pill. Demonic poison? Sorry, it has no effect on me!”
“Hmph,” she extended two fingers, making a victory sign, and sneered, “Compete with me? You’re two thousand years too early!”
