Chapter 81: Disappearing into the Darkness

Drip! Drip!

Blood slid down Pang Jian's arm and to his fingertips before dripping to the ground.

The stone tiles of the city absorbed his blood like a ravenous demon, leaving no trace behind.

Pang Jian retreated to the main entrance of the City Lord's Mansion, where he watched Zhou Qingchen disappear into the Mirror Tunnel. He let out a sigh of relief.

The one Dong Tianze wanted to kill was him. Even if Zhou Qingchen had fought desperately to block Dong Tianze, Dong Tianze would have used everything he had to prevent Pang Jian from escaping.

It would be almost impossible for Pang Jian to escape with Dong Tianze targeting him. However, he judged that if he stayed behind to distract Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen had a slim chance of survival.

And Pang Jian's judgment was right.

"You truly value your brotherhood with Zhou Qingchen," Dong Tianze remarked, studying Pang Jian's injuries and watching as blood streamed down his hand.

"You tried to assassinate the one from the Sword Pavilion twice. I admit you have guts, but you're just a cultivator in the Meridian Opening Realm. Aren't you thinking too highly of yourself just because you managed to ambush and injure me in that deep hole?"

To this day, Dong Tianze still could not accept what had happened at Black Orchid Lake.

If not for the sudden disappearance of the strange scarlet lotus and the Spirit Devils' attacks, he would not have been in such a sorry state when he landed in the deep hole, and Pang Jian would not have had the chance to attack him!

Dong Tianze said this to clarify to Pang Jian that his display of power in the deep hole was merely an accident.

Drip!

Pang Jian stayed silent. He heard his blood dripping onto the ground as he watched Dong Tianze approach.

The first sea of golden dagger lights had pierced him several times. The essence of the Celestial Phoenix had tempered his bones, but all that guaranteed was that his head would not leave his body.

Dong Tianze was a cultivation realm above Pang Jian and was armed with his dreaded Ghost's Cry. Pang Jian knew his body would struggle to withstand the onslaught.

There was not only the disparity between him and Dong Tianze, but also with Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion.

Pang Jian lagged far behind in all areas: cultivation realm, techniques, and spirit artifacts.

"You have nowhere to run now, huh?" Dong Tianze sneered. Pointing at the Mirror Tunnel, he ordered Leng Yuan, "Keep an eye on the Mirror Tunnel for me!"

Luo Hongyan was not far from the Mirror Tunnel, and Dong Tianze wanted to prevent her from escaping while his attention was elsewhere.

Leng Yuan understood his intention and said, "Rest assured, I won't let anyone else escape!"

Dong Tianze nodded coldly, gaze fixed on Pang Jian like a cat sizing up its prey. He thought over something before remarking, "You're different from the rest. Simply chopping off your head won't give me much satisfaction. Let me think, how should I—"

"Dong Brat, don't be impatient," Qi Qingsong interrupted, finally breaking free from the violent storm.

Qi Qingsong stood up among the debris of rocks, covered in blood with his white spirit sword in hand. He then said, "You let one of the brats who dared to attack me escape. You're really useless, aren't you?"

Dong Tianze's face darkened.

"Please give me a moment," Qi Qingsong said, taking off his tattered blue garments in front of everyone. He then took out a bottle of green liquid and poured it over his head.

His exposed wounds, deep enough for the bone to peek through, started to heal rapidly.

Qi Qingsong sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

Pulling out brand new clothes in the same style as before, he put them on before saying to the girl in white, "If I'm not mistaken, your name is Yuan Lengshan, right?"

The girl in white frowned.

She did not continue her assault on Qi Qingsong after her violent storm was nullified because Lin Beiye had been staring at her from the raised platform. If she made any sudden movements, Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong would attack her.

"It's fine if you don't want to speak." Qi Qingsong was in no hurry. He needed time for his wounds to heal. Raising his head, he glanced at Lan Xi and said, "I heard your master recently took in a new personal disciple. One who appears to have won her favor."

Hearing his words, Lan Xi from the Demon Sect chuckled and nodded.

"Those from the Demon Heart Sect always like to complicate things just to show off." Qi Qingsong chuckled disdainfully and said coldly, "One in the open, one in the shadow. One of you sat conspicuously on the raised platform, pretending not to intervene, while the other lurked in the shadows, concealing her true identity.

"You quietly plotted to have the one in the shadows eliminate me, then Dong Tianze, before joining forces to bring down Lin Beiye.

"The Demon Heart Sect's modus operandi has always been to leave nothing for others. You covet all four treasures in the pool and have no intention of sparing anyone."

Qi Qingsong looked back at the girl in white. "Am I right?"

"I am Yuan Lengshan," the girl finally admitted.

Dark "Demon" characters appeared on her snow-white dress, gleaming with a terrifying black light that sent shivers down one's spine. Crimson "Heart" characters also emerged and mingled with the dark "Demon" characters on her dress.

Dark demon, crimson heart. This was the unique emblem of the Demon Heart Sect.

The appearance of the "Demon" and "Heart" characters meant that she no longer intended to hide anymore.

Since her carefully laid plans had been exposed, she could only resort to a more direct approach and use brute strength to remove all the obstacles in her path.

"Even without the two from the lower world, I could still easily kill you. But doing so would reveal my identity and prematurely alert Lin Beiye," Yuan Lengshan said. Her expression was indifferent, but her tone was arrogant. "I originally intended to hold back, working with those two to kill you, then the one surnamed Dong. I didn't expect you to figure out who I am."

Qi Qingsong sighed with a bitter smile. "With people from the Demon Heart Sect around, I had to be cautious."

None of the cultivators from the Second World paid any attention to Pang Jian. Even Dong Tianze was only mentioned in passing.

As a cultivator in the Meridian Opening Realm, Pang Jian was nothing more than an ant they could crush at will.

"Enough. Since things have come to this point, that brat is worthless to you now," Qi Qingsong said. "If you don't mind, would you let me deal with him first to let off some steam?"

"Do as you wish," Yuan Lengshan replied in disinterest.

Pang Jian watched all of this unfold from the entrance of the City Lord's Mansion.

Yuan Lengshan, who had used him and Zhou Qingchen; Lin Beiye and Lan Xi, who ignored him; and Qi Qingsong, who held control over his fate.

The apathy and disdain these upper world powerhouses showed toward their lives ignited Pang Jian's inner fire.

His frosty gaze repeatedly swept over them, as if etching their indifferent faces into the depths of his soul.

Pang Jian will forever remember this moment!

"As long as you're fine with it." Qi Qingsong smiled as he leisurely approached Pang Jian and said, "I've never even met you before, yet you attempted to stab me with a spear from below the raised platform after entering the City Lord's Mansion. Despite that, I generously spared your life. But here you are, being instigated to make a second attempt on my life."

Qi Qingsong shook his head angrily, his expression grim.

"Qi Qingsong..." Dong Tianze expressed his displeasure.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Get lost!" Qi Qingsong's expression turned hostile. "You couldn't even kill the one who escaped through the Mirror Tunnel. What right do you have to talk to me?"

Hearing Qi Qingsong's words, Dong Tianze shot Leng Yuan a fierce glare and fell silent.

Far from the pool's edge, Li Jie sat up in his recliner. A reed straw dangled from the corner of his mouth, but he no longer sipped the green fruit juice.

His usual smile faded as he stared at Pang Jian. He then glanced at where Luo Hongyan stood silently below Lan Xi's raised platform.

Li Jie had sensed that another soul was residing within Ning Yao's body.

The woman clearly cared greatly for Pang Jian, and he was eager to see what she would do.

"I wonder what your next move will be," he muttered.

"I told you countless times to stay out of Zhou Qingchen's business and to ignore that girl's instigations, but you just wouldn't listen." Luo Hongyan sighed, staring at the blood-covered Pang Jian. She shook her head helplessly and prepared to intervene.

Pang Jian was baffled. "Why aren't you leaving?"

Luo Hongyan smiled and said, "I don't want to leave yet."

"Oh." Pang Jian nodded and gave her a serious look, before leaving her with a simple farewell. "Take care of yourself."

"Keep an eye on the Mirror Tunnel!" Dong Tianze shouted.

Leng Yuan tightened her grip on her colorful ribbons as she preemptively circulated dense spiritual power through them.

Contrary to what both she and Dong Tianze anticipated, Pang Jian did not rush toward the Mirror Tunnel that was blocked by the sea of golden dagger light.

Before this, Lan Xi, Yuan Lengshan, and Lin Beiye could not be bothered to spare Pang Jian a glance, but now they could not help but look over in surprise.

Pang Jian charged toward the tunnel leading out of the City Lord's Mansion.

The passage was engulfed in the darkness of the Fifth World and was filled with the thick, putrid stench of decay! It was a restricted area utterly inhospitable to any normal being!

"Pang Jian, get back here!" Luo Hongyan shouted anxiously.

She abandoned the white jade bottle within arm's reach and flew straight toward the tunnel.

But Pang Jian had already rushed into the darkness.

Li Jie shook his head, reed straw still dangling from his mouth, and said to Luo Hongyan, "It's too late."

Luo Hongyan flew to the entrance to the tunnel and shouted in a tone that did not quite fit her usual demeanor. "Pang Jian, get your ass back here!"

At that moment, she was the true Luo Hongyan.

Whoosh!

When Pang Jian did not respond, she charged into the darkness!

However, as soon as she touched the darkness, the sinister energy from the Fifth World surged toward her soul, threatening to corrupt her very essence.

Luo Hongyan paled.

Half-swallowed by the darkness, she was forced to retreat into the light of the City Lord's Mansion.

She turned around and glared at Dong Tianze and the still-approaching Qi Qingsong.

"You lot..."

A deep crimson hue emerged in her icy gaze.

Dong Tianze screamed, "You're not Ning Yao!"

She nodded and gracefully flew to the raised platform Dong Tianze had previously occupied. Extending her hand, she pointed at the sea of golden dagger light.

Scarlet stars flew gracefully from her fingertips toward the sea of golden dagger light, instantly riddling it with holes.

The tiny scarlet stars also swarmed Leng Yuan and disappeared into her body.

She was a Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator from the Sinister Soul Temple, but when the scarlet stars entered her body, she grabbed her hair in terror, nearly ripping it from her scalp.

In her sea of consciousness, the scarlet stars all vied to be the first to devour her soul.

Thud!

Leng Yuan fell into the pool, becoming one of the many floating corpses.

Luo Hongyan sat gracefully on the platform and glanced at everyone with a cold smile. "The man I'm interested in doesn't die so easily."

With a wave of her hand, the white jade bottle containing the Crystal Snow Lotus landed in her palm.

She raised the white jade bottle at Lin Beiye and said mockingly, "Do you want it? Then come and try to take it from me."

Lin Beiye's expression hardened, but he did not move. He asked in a grave tone, "Who are you?"