When the Summoning Demon Array had just erupted earlier, they couldn’t move at all, especially those few who usually had heavier hostility, who almost instantly fell into demonhood.
Later, when the dragon breath pressed down, it finally gave them a chance to breathe. It could be said that it completely saved their miserable lives.
Now, hearing Gu Baiqing say this, they naturally felt as if they had swallowed a fly, utterly stifled.
Some of those with backbone, upon hearing this, wanted to rush in and handle their own matters themselves. They couldn’t accept being saved by the heir of the Primordial Demon. But facing the barrier created by the fragment of the God-Slaying Sword, they were completely powerless.
Ji Chuling and the others also arrived. Upon discovering that both Li Xiuran and Mo Xuanli were gone, Ji Chuling naturally wanted to rush in to take a look, but she too was blocked.
Si Chun and Xie Qingrong hurried over to try as well. Here, only Jingzhan and Half-Step Mad could help explain things to them. Qian Yue had already taken the incubus and avoided the area.
The people of Zixiao Sect and Wuxiang Temple had been farther away at the time and were affected slightly less. It was also thanks to them chasing after and killing off the demon clan, otherwise, the group that entered earlier would have been completely slaughtered by the demon clan lying in ambush the moment they fell into demonhood.
Gu Baiqing didn’t want to deal with them anymore. Just as he was about to turn around and enter the dense fog, he was questioned by the people of the Hidden Gods Clan. “What is this?”
Thinking about how matters regarding mixed-bloods and the Primordial Demon were almost all spread by them, Gu Baiqing couldn’t help but sneer sarcastically. “Aren’t you supposed to know a lot? Why ask me? Anyway, Li Xiuran and Mo Xuanli have gone in. If the Summoning Demon Array can’t be destroyed, this world is finished. If it can be destroyed… then when the time comes, you’d better not thank Mo Xuanli, he can’t bear it.”
The faces of the Hidden Gods Clan members instantly turned colorful. Although they were not affected by the Summoning Demon Array, this was their mission, they couldn’t possibly ignore it. The clan head and elders disregarded Gu Baiqing’s sarcasm and stepped forward to try themselves, but it was useless.
“There must be some special condition. That brat Li Xiuran carries a fragment of the God-Slaying Sword, and Mo Xuanli is the heir of the Primordial Demon, so…”
Before they could finish speaking, they saw Gu Baiqing lift his foot and walk in.
The people who had just been analyzing so eloquently were instantly slapped in the face.
If that were the case, how could Gu Baiqing also go in?
And Half-Step Mad understood in an instant what method Gu Baiqing had used. With a sudden inspiration, he actually left Ascending-Cloud Stork behind and went in as well.
Now everyone was dumbfounded, and could only think it had something to do with strength.
Watching the figures of the two about to disappear into the dense fog.
Clan Head Ji suddenly shouted, “There are two prerequisite conditions for a special mixed-blood to evolve into a Primordial Demon. First, he must be strong enough. Second, he must abandon his current life and no longer want to live. Absolutely do not let him reach that step.”
Gu Baiqing’s figure paused. He turned his head to look back. His handsome face, faintly visible in the dense fog, was now filled with killing intent.
“Since you know so clearly, he doesn’t have to become a Primordial Demon. Then why must you drive him to extermination!” Gu Baiqing said, suppressing his anger.
Beside him, Ji Chuling also looked at her grandfather in shock and questioned, “Xuanli would never abandon his current life. He can’t bear to. So he will never change.”
“This is our clan’s mission. The affairs of the world are unpredictable. For the sake of everything in this world, we cannot place the safety of the entire world on a single person. Human hearts are fickle, let alone with the demon clan doing everything they can to force him to change. Who can guarantee that his mind will remain firm and unaffected forever! When that time comes, there will be no way back,” Clan Head Ji said in a deep voice.
He had no selfish motives, nor did he want to target anyone, but this was fate.
Clearly knowing that the other party was just an ordinary person, yet carrying a weapon capable of destroying the world, wasn’t the only correct course of action to keep him under watch, or to eradicate him?
Who could propose a better method?
If he said once, “I won’t,” would that truly mean never, forever?
Gu Baiqing understood Clan Head Ji’s meaning. He didn’t know whether Clan Head Ji brought this up now to help Mo Xuanli avoid becoming a Primordial Demon, or because he was worried that once Mo Xuanli became a Primordial Demon, they wouldn’t be able to deal with him.
Either way, it counted as providing Gu Baiqing with information.
Gu Baiqing suddenly spoke. “Rest assured, if my disciple truly is going to become a Primordial Demon, I will kill him with my own hands! I absolutely will not give him the chance to endanger the world.”
Clan Head Ji wanted to say that it wasn’t that easy. Even without becoming a Primordial Demon, with such a bloodline, he was destined to be extremely difficult to kill. Even the Hidden Gods Clan would only dare to say they could temporarily seal him.
Hearing this, the others instead felt it was only natural, something Gu Baiqing was capable of doing.
But Jingcheng, who was maintaining his state of mind nearby, was slightly stunned. He opened his eyes and looked at Gu Baiqing. He felt that Gu Baiqing wouldn’t do it. After what happened last time, he had already completely understood Gu Baiqing’s intentions.
Fu Zhiyi was in the distance, fanning himself and slightly narrowing his eyes.
“Master!” Seeing that Gu Baiqing was about to leave, Three Bean shouted and wanted to rush in together, but was still bounced back.
Gu Baiqing said, “Three Bean, guard Ao Heng well. Help us buy as much time as possible. If…” Gu Baiqing coldly swept a glance around at the people outside and said, “If these ungrateful people cause trouble, then have the true dragon stop directly. If they’re willing to contribute, that at least means they still have some conscience and brains, then keep accepting it.”
After saying this, Gu Baiqing turned around and left together with Half-Step Mad.
The people outside hesitated for a long while. When they saw the younger generation, as well as the people from Zixiao Sect and Wuxiang Temple, directly channeling spiritual power to the true dragon, the others also joined in one after another. If they didn’t help now, and the true dragon couldn’t hold on, then everyone falling into demonhood would be disastrous.
At this moment, the people of the cultivation world could be said to be working together with one heart. Some helped the true dragon, some dealt with the attacking demon clan, and some tried to break through the dense fog.
As for those who had suffered qi deviation, they could only be protected in a miserable and stifled state.
“Do we really have to wait for Mo Xuanli to save us?” someone gritted their teeth and said unwillingly.
“Don’t forget, Li Xiuran is also inside. It’s not just Mo Xuanli alone.”
“With the power of the God-Slaying Sword in hand, it will definitely be Li Xiuran who destroys the Summoning Demon Array.”
“If you ask me, he’s a mixed-blood on the verge of demonic transformation. At this moment, he definitely can’t do anything. Others who had even a slight tendency toward qi deviation have already been demonized, let alone Mo Xuanli. We should pray that Mo Xuanli doesn’t drag Li Xiuran down inside. What if he’s affected by the Summoning Demon Array and turns on them?”
“That makes sense. He shouldn’t have gone in at all. If he betrays them, then we really have no hope.”
The implication was that they would be grateful enough to Li Xiuran, who was paying the price for them. As for Mo Xuanli, who knew what was genuine and what was fake.
At this time, Jingzhan stabilized the situation and passed by with Xie Qingrong’s support, coldly saying, “If you’re so suspicious, then don’t enjoy the power of other people’s contracted beasts. Get out of the dragon breath’s protection zone!”
Seeing it was Jingzhan, the people speaking immediately retorted, “We didn’t say anything wrong.”
“Fine. I’ll go tell the true dragon to stop right now, and have him remind that master and disciple to come out and stop meddling. Let us in the cultivation world save ourselves,” Xie Qingrong said coldly, making as if to turn around. He was immediately stopped by a chorus of voices.
The person who had talked back still wanted to say something, when suddenly a sword intent cleaved over, accompanied by demon clan corpses, directly smashing several of the speakers into the dense fog, then bouncing them high up before they fell back down in a sorry state.
Angrily lifting his head to look, he only saw Chu Fei holding a heavy sword, saying coldly: “Blind? If you’re not killing enemies, don’t get in the way. You’re blocking my sword path.”
After saying that, without caring about that person’s reaction, Chu Fei went off to kill enemies again.
But next, half-dead demon members were continually sent in front of those people who had been making sarcastic remarks.
As a result, their mental states became unstable and they all had to get up to kill demons, ending up in a sorry state, getting injured again and again.
And at that time, Jingzhan and Xie Qingrong had already walked to the side of Tianyuan Sect’s forces.
Looking at Sect Master Baili, whose whole body was already wreathed in demonic qi, and who was actually the one most deeply fallen among them, Jingzhan’s expression turned ugly. He could not help but let out a self-mocking laugh. Then he looked again at his already recovered elder brother and called out once.
The once bright and gentle eyes of Jingcheng had already turned somewhat dull and lifeless.
Jingcheng opened his mouth for a long time before finally speaking: “Zhen…”
“Fine.”
Jingcheng looked at Jingzhan’s bedraggled appearance and said: “I’m sorry.”
Jingzhan looked at Jingcheng’s single arm, his eyes immediately reddening. “No, the person you should say sorry to isn’t me.”
“…I know.” Jingcheng gave a bitter smile, said no more, stood up, and began to transmit spiritual power to the true dragon.
But the power of the demon-summoning array was still extremely formidable. It not only boosted the strength of the demon clan, it also suppressed the strength of the cultivators.
Gradually, some cultivators with ulterior motives finally could not withstand the obsessions in their hearts and completely demonized.
Most of them could not accept the fact that they had demonized and ran off like madmen. There were also some who were perfectly clear about their own stance and defected on the spot.
All of this looked just like a joke, people who had just moments ago been loudly declaring demon extermination and defense of the Dao could, in an instant, themselves turn into demons.
Just as everyone was exhausted dealing with the situation, the two most troublesome people entered a half-demonized state.
“No, no… no…” He Jingyuan was the first to fail to hold on. He frantically tried to push away the demonic qi swirling around him, roaring and even beginning to use the little remaining spells he had to attack himself, hoping to drive the demonic qi back.
But the more he did this, the more severely he demonized.
The siblings He Zixuan and He Zixiao rushed up to help suppress him, repeatedly telling He Jingyuan that Li Xiuran and the others would soon resolve the problem, telling him to hold on a bit longer.
He Jingyuan was painfully pressed to the ground by people from his own sect. He felt his heart being swallowed bit by bit, which made him even more panicked and afraid.
Finally, at a certain moment, he shamefully prayed in his heart that the disciples he had cast aside and the mixed-blood he had targeted could resolve the problem faster and save him.
But when he thought that he actually had such thoughts, he became even more unable to face himself. He could only struggle in agony, already devoid of the bearing of a sect master.
Sect Master Baili’s problem was even more severe. He had many knots in his heart, and at the instant he lost control, he directly attacked Jingcheng.
As if he had mistaken Jingcheng for his own younger brother, “It’s all your fault, it’s all your fault. Why didn’t you listen to me, why did you create such a monster? Look at what kind of children you’ve produced, turning us all into this state, it’s all your fault. I was once so proud of you, why did you leave behind such a stain? You should have been perfect, why? Why!”
If Xie Qingrong and Jingzhan had not happened to be nearby, Jingcheng might truly have died at Sect Master Baili’s hands.
Listening to his father’s words, Jingcheng’s heart truly turned icy wave after wave.
“Ah! Kill me, kill me, I don’t want to demonize, I don’t want to become a demon clan member, I don’t want to… demon clan are all filthy, all filthy.” Sect Master Baili regained clarity for a moment, then went mad again. “I don’t want that mixed-blood to save me, I’d rather die. Mixed-bloods should all die. Sons, Jingcheng, Jingzhan, you must remember the iron decree of our Tianyuan Sect: mixed-bloods must be slaughtered to the last, slaughtered to the last. They are humiliation, the shame of cultivators. They absolutely cannot be allowed to exist!”
Sect Master Baili’s cries echoed in everyone’s hearts. It was only when the people of Wuxiang Temple freed up their hands to help that the two were temporarily stabilized.
But as time passed, everything would head toward the worst possible direction.
At the same time, Gu Baiqing and Half-Step Mad had already been walking in the mist for quite a while.
Suddenly, they felt the thick fog in front of them being separated by a mirror-like surface, like a layer of rippling water.
“Xuanli is in this direction…” Gu Baiqing pointed to one side.
“I have a way to locate the male lead over here. It’s in this direction.” Half-Step Mad pointed in the opposite direction and said, “They’ve been separated. They should be undergoing different trials respectively.”
“What will be inside?” Gu Baiqing asked with a frown.
“According to the settings I once wrote, the most likely thing is an illusion realm. Digging into the heart, breaking through oneself, after all, later-stage cultivation advancement mostly relies on comprehension of the Heavenly Dao,” Half-Step Mad said.
“The two of us shouldn’t be affected. Then let’s split up.” Gu Baiqing said.
Half-Step Mad nodded in agreement. Seeing Gu Baiqing about to leave, he couldn’t help but speak up: “You just said, if Mo Xuanli became the Primordial Demon, then you would…”
Gu Baiqing turned back and glanced at Half-Step Mad. “Yes.”
“But before, you clearly weren’t…” Half-Step Mad said anxiously.
Gu Baiqing, however, said with a solemn expression: “If the system wanted you to kill, would you kill?”
Half-Step Mad froze.
Gu Baiqing didn’t say anything more, only added: “Don’t forget, if there’s a task, remind me.”
After saying this, Gu Baiqing directly walked into the water mirror without looking back.
With one step forward, dazzling sunlight shone down, instantly making Gu Baiqing blank out for a moment. Before his eyes was unexpectedly a picture of idyllic rural beauty, like a paradise beyond the world, lively villages, cooking smoke rising from rooftops, herds of cattle and sheep, chickens and ducks, and streams of people coming and going. Gu Baiqing quickly reacted, this was an illusion.
Gu Baiqing immediately tried to sense Mo Xuanli’s presence, but could no longer sense it. Clearly, the illusion had blocked everything.
Generally, in this kind of illusion, one only needs to follow along, and after watching it through, one can basically find Mo Xuanli.
Suddenly, a mother and daughter walked past in front of Gu Baiqing.
Gu Baiqing froze on the spot in an instant.
It wasn’t because the mother and daughter were simply dressed yet astonishingly beautiful, but because… they both looked very much like one person, like Mo Xuanli.
The woman was carrying a large belly, at a glance, the month was almost full, yet her appearance was radiantly peerless, not showing the slightest trace of a pregnant woman’s fatigue. Dressed in plain clothes, she was still stunning enough to topple cities and kingdoms. She looked to be in her twenties; a pair of eyes gleamed with light, appearing extremely intelligent and not easy to provoke, yet even so, she was beautiful beyond the mortal realm.
The little girl holding her hand was about five or six years old, also unbelievably pretty, like a little elf, innocent and carefree, petite and delicate. A pair of jet-black, large eyes fully revealed her lively cuteness.
The little girl held her mother’s hand, her face full of innocent smiles. “Mother, can Father make it back in time? I miss Father so much.”
The woman smiled gently and said, “He’ll be back in another month.”
“Ah?”
Seeing the little girl’s face full of regret, the woman smiled and said, “Your father is a great figure of the cultivation world, a great hero, exterminating demons and guarding the Dao, punishing evil and promoting good. Many things rely on him to handle. We should support him, right?”
“But the aunt next door said that Mother is about to give birth, so won’t Father miss seeing little brother being born? Before, Father even complained to me, saying he didn’t see me being born and felt very sad, very sorry to us.” the girl said innocently.
The woman’s expression changed slightly. “Anyway, as long as Father will still love you all the same in the future, isn’t that enough? Xuanyue.”
Xuanyue immediately nodded happily. “I wonder what gift Father will bring me when he comes back this time.”
Watching the mother and daughter happily chatting as they left, Gu Baiqing confirmed their identities.
The previous generation’s Demon Clan Saintess Xuan Ji, and Baili Xuanyue, so that meant the one in the belly was Xuanli.
Gu Baiqing’s originally worried mood suddenly shifted a little. Being able to see Xuanli’s birth brought Gu Baiqing a very wondrous sense of happiness, and he couldn’t help but follow them.
The illusion shifted. When Gu Baiqing stepped into that small courtyard and had not yet had time to take a careful look around, he heard cries.
Was she about to give birth?
Was Xuanli about to come into this world?
Unable to restrain his excitement, Gu Baiqing followed the sound and ran over, only to see the entire courtyard instantly fill with demonic qi. One barrier, two barriers, three, four barriers enveloped the entire small courtyard, was this to prevent abnormal phenomena from being discovered after giving birth to a mixed-blood?
Gu Baiqing turned the corner to the main room’s doorway and saw little Xuanyue seemingly fainted by the door, probably something Xuan Ji had done.
Because Xuanyue clearly did not yet know her own identity, Xuan Ji naturally would not let her see anything abnormal.
The door was open. Gu Baiqing hesitated a bit, feeling that going in now was not appropriate, so he stood guard at the doorway, anxiously waiting, so anxious that he couldn’t help pacing back and forth.
Finally, the cry of a child rang out. Gu Baiqing’s heart stirred, and he excitedly rushed in at once.
But he saw Xuan Ji on the bed holding Xuanli, who had not yet been cleaned, staring blankly.
Gu Baiqing leaned in. All of his attention was drawn to Xuanli’s tiny infant appearance. He didn’t know if it was psychological, but Gu Baiqing always felt that this little baby, who couldn’t even open his eyes yet, was so adorable that his heart was about to melt.
The baby was crying, but the mother did not soothe him, only sitting there in a daze. Gu Baiqing truly wanted to snatch him over and hold him to comfort him.
Probably realizing that no one was going to soothe him, the baby cried and cried, then stopped. Gu Baiqing lowered his head to look at the baby, and suddenly the baby opened his eyes.
Those eyes were unexpectedly not the black eyes of a mixed-blood just born, but… one black and one red, like two incomparably clear crystal beads, with stars hidden inside, so beautiful they were beyond description. And they directly met Gu Baiqing’s gaze.
Although those eyes did not reflect Gu Baiqing, and the baby could not see him, it was only an illusion after all.
But in the instant their gazes met, Gu Baiqing still felt his heart being seized. He had seen such eyes before. Every time Mo Xuanli lay beside him, sleeping drowsily and waking up, there was that brief moment with exactly such a gaze, seeming completely unguarded against the world, all emotions too late to surface, ignorant and confused like one who had just arrived in this world.
As if seeing the grown Mo Xuanli looking at him like this.
Being looked at by such eyes, one truly wanted to move all the beauty in the world before him, to amuse him and make him happy.
Gu Baiqing was truly filled with joy. His little disciple, his little lover, his little treasure had finally come into this world.
Just as Gu Baiqing could no longer suppress this excitement, suddenly a cold flash of light appeared.
A sharp blade, carrying the oppressive force of demonic qi techniques, stabbed straight toward the baby’s heart.
Gu Baiqing’s pupils shrank. Instinctively, he reached out with one hand to grab the blade, and with the other hand, as a precaution, he placed it beneath the baby’s heart.
But everything was an illusion. He could do nothing.
He could only watch helplessly as the blade passed through his hand and was about to pierce the skin.
Gu Baiqing suddenly turned his head and shouted at the woman who had just given birth. He saw the woman’s face streaming with tears, her eyes tightly shut, yet her hand did not stop in the slightest.
“Don’t!”
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