Chapter 145: Return All

"What is Lu Ye doing?"

Everyone's eyes focused on Lu Ye.

Liu Changfeng, Yue Hongling, Ji Changming, Daoist Qinghuo, Linghu Wushuang...

Too many, far too many.

They watched Lu Ye's movements, and a chill ran down all their spines.

Because what Lu Ye was doing now didn’t look like he was trying to save Bai Qiulan.

Was this guy actually about to commit matricide in broad daylight?

"Senior Brother, what are you doing?"

Yue Hongling’s eyes widened. The excitement and joy that had just begun to rise in her were instantly doused as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her from head to toe.

She lunged toward Lu Ye.

Shen Xitong stepped forward.

"Ex-wife Yue, what are you panicking for? Don’t tell me you still think Big Brother’s going to kill Master Bai?" Shen Xitong batted her innocent-looking eyes and spoke to Yue Hongling in a sweet, syrupy voice.

"Get out of my way!"

Yue Hongling lashed out in fury.

This time, Shen Xitong didn’t indulge her. She gently extended a finger and tapped her.

In an instant, Yue Hongling was completely immobilized.

Only her mouth could still move.

"Why is it that you can never trust Big Brother? If he really wanted to kill you all, he would’ve done it a long time ago. Do you think you’d still be alive right now?"

"Big Brother is obviously such a kind person, but you all always treat him like the worst villain in the world. No wonder Big Brother gets so heartbroken."

"Not like me—I only ever ache for him."

Hearing Shen Xitong’s words, Yue Hongling was furious, but she also calmed down.

That’s right. If Senior Brother had wanted to kill them, they would’ve been dead long ago.

She had once again assumed the worst of him.

Yue Hongling couldn’t help but feel sick—disgusted at herself, and also at Shen Xitong.

"Can you stop being such a green tea bitch? You’re disgusting. All that fake sweetness—gross!"

"Ding... hehehe..."

Shen Xitong nearly let out a string of cheerful “ding-ding-ding” giggles.

"I can’t help it. Only women who live in happiness can be this delicate. Not like you all—who, even surrounded by happiness, can only poison people."

With that one sentence, the expressions of the three conscious women all shifted.

Yue Hongling burned with rage. She felt like she was just a hair’s breadth away from breaking free of this restriction. If she weren’t injured, this kind of restraint wouldn’t have affected her at all.

"Big Brother!"

With a radiant smile on her face, Shen Xitong opened her arms and walked toward Lu Ye, a posture like she was asking for a hug.

She was about to launch a full-on frontal assault—right in his face.

Lu Ye glanced at her.

Shen Xitong’s steps halted, and her expression returned to one of icy indifference.

"Honestly, how boring. A bunch of old, sick, and disabled people... there’s nothing here to stir my fighting spirit."

Mn, Lu Ye had the word “Scram” on the tip of his tongue, but when he saw Shen Xitong floating slightly above the ground suddenly drop back down to standing properly, he swallowed the word back.

The Taiyin Marrow Worm egg had fused into Lu Ye’s bloodstream. Drawn by the power of the Chaotic Supreme Yin, the entire Taiyin Marrow Worm trembled with excitement.

It rapidly approached Bai Qiulan.

Perhaps because the Yin force inside her body had become so abnormal, Bai Qiulan suddenly awakened under the stimulation.

Through a haze, she saw Lu Ye.

An endless, bone-chilling cold swept over her. The feeling was far too familiar—Lu Ye was in front of her again.

It really felt like she had returned to the past.

"Hus... husband... so... so cold..."

"Master, you’re mistaken. I’m Lu Ye, your disciple. Not anyone else." Lu Ye’s voice was calm as he spoke.

Those words snapped Bai Qiulan’s blurry mind into clarity.

A sickly blush appeared on her pale face.

"Right... I’m sorry."

"It’s alright."

Only now did Bai Qiulan notice her situation. Her arms were bleeding continuously, and Lu Ye’s finger was pressed against the flowing blood.

"What are you doing?" Bai Qiulan asked, her body trembling.

A faint smile appeared on Lu Ye’s face.

"The treasure that Master once bestowed upon this disciple—this disciple is unworthy to receive. I can only return it, with all due respect. I beg Master’s forgiveness."

Bai Qiulan???

Her pupils suddenly contracted.

"Tai... Taiyin Marrow Worm?"

Lu Ye gave a slight nod.

And at that moment, the Taiyin Marrow Worm arrived at Lu Ye’s fingertip. His skin split open slightly.

The worm egg couldn’t wait to escape from Lu Ye’s body—like a dragon returning to the sea, it surged straight into Bai Qiulan’s body.

In an instant, Bai Qiulan was completely encased in ice, her features frozen in an expression of agonized distortion.

The Taiyin Marrow Worm hatched from the egg and immediately triggered a violent detonation of all the Chaotic Yin Poison.

It devoured wildly.

Was the Taiyin Marrow Worm a blessing or a curse for Bai Qiulan?

Of course—it was a curse.

It would induce a massive outburst of Chaotic Supreme Yin force and selectively absorb only the purest portions of that energy, leaving behind all the Yin force laced with impurities.

Because it was hatching now, it ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) would undoubtedly absorb a vast quantity of Chaotic Yin force.

Bai Qiulan’s aura began to weaken, plummeting down from the Tribulation Crossing Realm.

Waves upon waves of Chaotic Supreme Yin force burst out from within her, only to be devoured by the Taiyin Marrow Worm in greedy gulps.

At this moment, Bai Qiulan was walking the razor’s edge between life and death.

Whether she would survive or not—it all depended on her luck.

Of course, that wasn’t to say it was purely harmful.

In order to continue absorbing Chaotic Yin energy long-term, the Taiyin Marrow Worm might very well become Bai Qiulan’s guardian.

Devouring on one side, protecting on the other.

This kind of suffering was long-lasting.

...

A warm sensation returned to Lu Ye’s body.

Lu Ye smiled.

That felt good.

But things weren’t over yet.

He turned and began walking toward Chu Ling.

Outside the Grand Dao Sect, tribulation clouds were already beginning to gather. The Eternal Teachings Sect couldn’t hold back any longer—they had started attempting a breakthrough to ascend.

Lu Ye didn’t care.

Back when he was in the Convergence Realm, he had some reservations about Great Ascension cultivators.

But now that he had reached the Tribulation Crossing Realm, Great Ascension cultivators were no longer invincible to him.

He arrived in front of Chu Ling.

"Young Master..."

Chu Ling tried to bow, but her injuries were too severe—both her arms had been severed. Though the bleeding had stopped, her face was deathly pale, completely drained of color.

"I’ve said it many times—don’t stab your allies in the back," Lu Ye said.

"Your Ling’er knows her mistake. Ling’er won’t dare to do it again..."

Lu Ye couldn’t help but laugh.

See? When you loved her, no matter how earnestly or patiently you spoke, she wouldn’t listen, doing as she pleased.

But now that you don’t love her anymore, say the exact same thing, and she immediately admits fault and promises never to do it again.

Is this what they call the favored are always fearless?

What a pitiful thing.

Lu Ye struck with a palm.

Boom!

Chu Ling’s body didn’t even move. A phantom Sword Mountain was forcibly blasted out of her Nascent Soul.

Her Nascent Soul spat blood violently.

Chu Ling was coughing up blood too.

Her aura plummeted all the way down to the Spirit Refining Realm—and even then, only to the eighth layer.

What belongs to others, should be returned to them.

There’s no reason you can just say “I was wrong, I won’t do it again,” and then keep someone else’s Sword Mountain.

Chu Ling’s body crumpled to the ground.

Lu Ye turned his gaze toward Shangguan Huanling.

Shangguan Huanling...