For the next three days, Jiang Yin focused on nurturing the puppet, drawing blood daily, or finding some magical beasts to throw into the stone coffin. Under her deliberate cultivation, the puppet inside the stone coffin seemed to have more “life essence,” almost as if it had truly come to life. But in reality, it was all an illusion, merely a trick using the power of the soul jade marrow mixed with Yin Li’s aura.
Since that day, she hadn’t infused any more of Yin Li’s soul into the puppet, fearing that the increasingly strong “vitality” might be sensed prematurely by the Demon Emperor, disrupting her plans.
Bai Ling was still angry but couldn’t help worrying, so it would come by every day to check on things. It hated the puppet and never got close, only lying on a platform formed by ice crystals, slowly absorbing power from the hidden cold pool water.
It didn’t speak, and Jiang Yin pretended not to see it, never paying it any attention.
Bai Ling grew more and more frustrated, mentally stabbing a voodoo doll of her countless times.
Today was no different. It was venting its anger on the doll when Jiang Yin suddenly spoke up.
“What is she doing?” With only two people and a fox around, it was obvious who “she” referred to.
Bai Ling lazily looked up, “Cultivating.”
In recent days, Tang Muxi seemed to have changed her ways, no longer treasure hunting but instead soaking in the cold pool every day, diligently meditating and cultivating. Of course, Bai Ling believed it was more likely that she had already taken most of the valuable items nearby and was now focusing on cultivation.
These two sisters, both were money-grubbers, always thinking about wealth.
Jiang Yin nodded, “We move tonight.”
“Oh.” Bai Ling initially didn’t react, instinctively responding before continuing to lie down. After a moment, it suddenly realized and jumped up from the cold pool, asking in a panic, “Are you ready?” Jiang Yin responded with a faint “hmm.”
It thought nurturing the puppet would take a lot of time, but it was completed in just three or four days. Hearing that they would act tonight, it felt a bit nervous, “Are you really ready?” Bai Ling asked again uneasily, but Jiang Yin, now too lazy to respond, just glanced at it indifferently before looking away, as if the previous conversation was just an illusion.
Bai Ling: “…” I’m telling you, you’re going to lose me as a friend if you keep this up! However, such protests could only be kept in its heart.
At dinner, Tang Muxi prepared grilled meat and vegetable soup as usual. She sprinkled seasoning on the meat, brushed it with sauce, and grilled it over the fire, the oil sizzling and popping. The desert nights were cold, and the aroma formed a white smoke that slowly rose and dispersed with the wind.
“It’s ready.” She said, handing a piece to Jiang Yin first, then to Bai Ling, and finally to herself.
She always kept things clear, separating disagreements about escaping from mealtime. Even during a cold war, she wouldn’t let the Great Demon Lord go hungry.
Jiang Yin didn’t say thanks, casually cutting the meat and starting to eat. She took a few bites of the fragrant grilled meat, sipped the warm vegetable soup, feeling quite content. Life was simple, but it was surprisingly more comfortable than her previous life in the Demon Emperor’s palace. And all of this was thanks to Tang Muxi.
Tang Muxi ate more elegantly, carefully cutting the meat into small pieces, skewering them with wooden sticks, and dipping them in a special sauce.
The Great Demon Lord liked spicy food, while she preferred sweet. So, she always paired her food with a sweet and sour sauce with a hint of savory flavor, which she called sweet sauce.
While eating, a jade-white hand suddenly reached over, grabbed a skewer of meat, dipped it in sweet sauce, and took it away.
Tang Muxi looked over and saw Jiang Yin chewing the stolen meat with a contemplative expression, her brows furrowed.
“Not tasty.” Jiang Yin commented nonchalantly after finishing the meat, showing no guilt under Tang Muxi’s gaze.
Tang Muxi pursed her lips, thinking: It wasn’t meant for you anyway… But she didn’t show it on her face and simply said, “I can make a special batch just for you, Senior Sister.”
Jiang Yin’s mood brightened at the word “special”: “Alright, but next time. We’re leaving soon, so there’s not much time to eat.”
“Okay then.” Tang Muxi saw her refusal and went back to eating.
After a while, a piece of meat got stuck in her throat. She hurriedly drank some soup and widened her eyes in disbelief: “L-leaving soon?” Jiang Yin, still unbothered, nodded in confirmation.
Too fast, too sudden. Tang Muxi had thought they would prepare for a few more days. She stared at Jiang Yin, wanting to say something but hesitated. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Jiang Yin’s cold, warning gaze, and swallowed her words.
Jiang Yin nodded in satisfaction when she saw Tang Muxi remain silent: “If you know it will upset me, then keep your mouth shut.”
What could be the problem now? It was nothing more than “killing the innocent” again. Jiang Yin was used to doing as she pleased, having killed more people than she had eaten meals. To her, killing was just killing, so what? Even though she had changed her mind now, she couldn’t be bothered to explain such a concept.
Sometimes, she couldn’t understand Tang Muxi. Usually, she would shower her with sweet words and go along with everything. But at critical moments, she would always be stubborn. Last time it was “escape,” this time it’s “kill.” She wouldn’t let her do this or that. Even knowing it would anger her, she remained obstinate.
Jiang Yin didn’t like this; she wanted someone who would listen.
Though no argument arose, the atmosphere turned cold. Tang Muxi remained silent, eating her meal to express her displeasure.
Jiang Yin ignored it, pretending not to see.
Clearly, explaining the revised plan would restore their harmony, but she kept her mouth shut.
Bai Ling, watching from the side, was anxious, not understanding why Jiang Yin was deliberately provoking Tang Muxi.
After the meal, Jiang Yin took Tang Muxi to the planned location. It wasn’t far from the demonic vein. According to Jiang Yin’s calculations, the demonic vein would first tear open a space here when it exploded, creating a rift. Thick demonic energy would then spill out, allowing Bai Ling and Tang Muxi to hide within it and quickly relocate, leaving Tianji Gate.
Jiang Yin would crush the secret realm token at the moment of the demonic vein’s explosion, exit the secret realm, and use a divine artifact to draw attention. She would then find the right moment to “resurrect” Yin Li, relying on the appearance of the Demon Emperor to throw everyone into chaos and escape amidst the confusion.
The plan was perfect, with the only uncertainties being the Soul-Exterminating Disk and the Heavenly Demon Halberd.
Although the Demon Emperor had injured his cultivation and meridians by forcibly activating the divine artifact last time and shouldn’t be able to do it again, who knows what someone in a fit of rage might do, especially someone as proud as a supreme ruler of a realm.
This is a matter of luck.
Everything was ready.
Jiang Yin held the Secret Realm Token, glanced at Bai Ling, and upon seeing her barely perceptible nod, immediately detonated the demon vein.
The demon vein, a convergence of surging demonic energy forming an earth vein, though still shallow, possessed considerable power. The moment it was detonated, the entire desert trembled. The violent and rampant force broke through the thick layers of sand, reaching the surface in an instant.
Countless demonic energies surged violently like terrifying waves, covering the sky and earth. The deafening explosion echoed through the clouds, and the twisted, oppressive force tore through space, resonating between heaven and earth.
At the same time, Jiang Yin crushed the token, was extracted from the Secret Realm, and appeared in the plaza where she had started.
As she had expected, the place was crowded. All twenty elders of the Tianji Sect were present, and even the heavily injured Sect Master Chen Qing appeared the moment he sensed her presence.
“Traitor, hand over the artifact, and you may be spared,” the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator descended instantly, like an insurmountable mountain pressing on everyone’s hearts.
“Traitor?” Jiang Yin laughed wildly, recalling the hypocritical actions of these so-called righteous people in her past life, wishing she could slaughter them all over again.
They prided themselves on being righteous, but were more selfish than anyone. The places illuminated by sunlight were bright and upright, but the price was the darkness and filth hidden behind the scenes.
It was nauseating.
Her laughter was wild and unrestrained, infuriating the elders. Usually proud and noble cultivators, they couldn’t tolerate such disrespect. One of them immediately leaped up, intending to cut down the traitor: “Insolent wretch, surrender now!”
However, in the next moment, a pitch-black demonic blade appeared out of thin air, shrouded in sinister energy, and with a single strike, decapitated him.
As his body and head separated, the elder’s face was still filled with anger, seemingly not realizing he was already dead.
Jiang Yin nonchalantly drew her blade, stabbing the sinister blade into the elder’s corpse. In an instant, the corpse’s blood and flesh were drained by the blade, leaving only a shriveled husk.
This was a power she had discovered recently while slaying demonic beasts. The Imprisoning Demon Blade could devour flesh and soul, strengthening itself while feeding back to its master. Although the feedback was minimal, it was better than nothing.
“Who is the traitor?” Jiang Yin’s face was splattered with blood, demonic energy surging, her raven-feather-like eyelashes fluttering lightly, her words dripping with nonchalance.
The crowd was in an uproar, and Chen Qing was incredulous: “Wretch! You disregard all morals, attacking your elders so brutally!”
The Great Elder was heartbroken: “A remnant of the demon clan must be eliminated! Be wary of the artifact in her hand. Let’s all move forward and suppress this demon!”
Jiang Yin scanned the crowd. Among the elders, only Zhang Xu looked at her with disbelief, neither joining in nor attacking, just watching her with sorrow.
This made her breathe a sigh of relief, thinking, it’s good that Zhang Xu didn’t step forward. Otherwise, if she had to kill him, that person would be angry again.
All the elders moved out, but before they could attack, a powerful wave suddenly erupted from a distance. Space was torn apart, and an overwhelming surge of dense demonic energy poured out, like a descending beast, continuously assaulting the mountain-protecting formation.
For a moment, the entire Tianji Sect was thrown into turmoil.
“Not good! The Mountain Protection Array!”
“Hold steady! Hold steady! Seal the mountain immediately!”
The chaotic noise was drowned out by the boundless surge of demonic energy. A few elders went to check the secret realm, but most were still besieging Jiang Yin.
Bai Ling dared not delay. The moment she exited the secret realm, she activated her power and transferred Tang Muxi. However, she didn’t expect her spatial transfer to be greatly weakened, and it took two consecutive jumps to reach the border of Tianji Gate. By then, the Mountain Protection Array had already been activated, enveloping the entire Tianji Gate in a massive formation, making it impossible to leave.
To avoid detection, she had to temporarily hide with Tang Muxi at the foot of the mountain, ready to escape at any moment.
Outside, countless disciples were drawn by the battle within the gate, running back and forth, occasionally shouting, “Suppress the demon!”
Tang Muxi’s heart tightened, and she asked, “Where is Senior Sister? Why didn’t she come out with us? Why is there only demonic energy and no spiritual energy?”
Bai Ling stammered, unable to answer.
But soon, Tang Muxi understood the reason without needing Bai Ling to explain.
In the distance, a beam of blood-red light shot straight into the sky. A mass of barely human-shaped flesh was infused with a fragment of Yin Li’s soul, and a hoarse, dry voice spread like a ghostly whisper: “Father, save me!”
