Chapter 598: Found You!

Chapter 598: Found You!

…

Chen Huaian had done many things in the Cangyun Realm.

But for the Earth Star it was less than half a day.

The alarm at the Exorcist Division in Province C suddenly blared, startling everyone on duty—though that did not include Wang Shouyi and Hua Jin, who were engrossed in cultivating the Heavenly Demon Art.

“Someone brazenly broke into our Province C Exorcist Division? What nerve!”

Zhao Ying’s face darkened.

Did those people not know the Province C Exorcist Division was under the protection of Governor Chen, whose power dominated the era?

She wanted to see who was acting so recklessly.

She opened the surveillance feed.

What stormed the gate of the Province C Exorcist Division were not demonic beasts or evil spirits, but a group of Ascenders in tattered clothing, looking utterly wretched.

“Ascenders?!”

Zhao Ying froze for a moment, then zoomed the image in.

When she saw the robes those Ascenders were wearing, her expression shifted slightly.

If she wasn’t mistaken, those were the ritual robes of Ascenders from Kunlun Immortal Palace.

Although the robes were now bloodstained and shredded, her experience and exceptionally strong memory let her recognize them instantly.

As everyone knew, Kunlun Immortal Palace was a top-tier power.

Even demonic beasts and evil spirits took detours when they saw people from Kunlun Immortal Palace. Why were disciples of such a mighty sect so miserable now?

And why had they come looking for the Exorcist Division?

Zhao Ying realized there were already two people from Kunlun Immortal Palace inside the Exorcist Division: one was the chief disciple and the other the chief seat.

She did not let those Ascenders in.

Nor did she act rashly; instead she strengthened Province C Exorcist Division’s defenses.

Then she turned and headed for Containment Cell No. 1.

Wang Shouyi and Hua Jin were inside.

…

Inside Containment Cell No. 1.

Wang Shouyi and Hua Jin were in passionate entanglement, oblivious to the world.

At first they were still a bit restrained.

But after tasting the wonders of the Heavenly Demon Art, they completely let go.

Whatever was convenient, they did.

Whatever position felt good, they struck it.

The effects of the Heavenly Demon Art were entirely different from ordinary internal cultivation. Other internal arts, if practiced long enough, would exhaust one’s spirit and tire the body.

Heavenly Demon Art was different.

The more one practiced, the stronger the body became; physical strength upgraded directly during practice, and each upgrade made the physique feel reborn.

As for spiritual drain...

What spiritual drain could a technique that lets inner demons launch attacks at will possibly have?

If a practitioner of Heavenly Demon Art also possessed overwhelmingly strong spiritual cultivation, other arts would be obsolete.

They were cultivating at an exquisite height.

They experienced the supreme realm of mutual pervasion—your self within mine, mine within yours.

Their affection naturally soared at that moment, but a sudden, urgent doorbell snapped them back.

“Her Eminence, someone’s come.”

Wang Shouyi was the first to break off; his eyes cleared instantly.

Hua Jin, though reluctant, playfully pinched Wang Shouyi’s nose. “Go see what it’s about. What if Elder Chen urgently seeks us?”

Wang Shouyi left Hua Jin with some reluctance. He smoothed the rumpled collar, steadied his breathing, and went to the cell door to open it.

He only opened a narrow crack to ensure whoever stood outside couldn’t see inside.

“What’s the matter?”

Seeing Zhao Ying, Wang Shouyi’s respect eased a little and a trace of caution entered his gaze.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Zhao Ying.

Mainly, Hua Jin’s condition was dire now—her cultivation was less than a tenth of what it used to be. In plain terms, she was extremely frail; even a Foundation Establishment could kill her outright.

He had to be on edge.

A gust of corridor air blew in; Zhao Ying sniffed, frowned, and gave a strange look, but she didn’t fuss over it.

Her tone steady, she said, “Ascenders from your Kunlun Immortal Palace have come. They’re outside the Province C Exorcist Division trying to force their way in.

What’s your stance? If it’s inconvenient for you to receive them…

we’ll have to take compulsory measures against this intrusion.”

Kunlun Immortal Palace disciples?

Wang Shouyi’s expression turned grave.

Normally he’d be glad to see Kunlun Immortal Palace disciples, but today he avoided former fellow disciples like venom.

He pondered for a moment, then asked cautiously, “How are they?”

“Not good.” Zhao Ying shook her head. “They’re bruised and battered, wounded all over. One looks near death, like they just fought a massive battle.”

Wang Shouyi’s face paled further.

Among Ascenders, Kunlun Immortal Palace disciples were certainly among the front ranks.

For them to be collectively so badly injured suggested another power of similar caliber had struck.

That could only be the Great Thunder Temple.

But the Great Thunder Temple had no reason to do such a thing.

There was another possibility.

Internal strife within Kunlun Immortal Palace.

The situation he dreaded most seemed to have occurred.

After Her Eminence went missing, a power struggle had indeed erupted inside Kunlun Immortal Palace.

These disciples could very well be supporters of Her Eminence.

With the palace’s internal conflict resolved and new victors established, these followers had likely been purged and expelled—meaning Kunlun Immortal Palace had changed hands and a new chief seat emerged.

But the exact circumstances required contact with these disciples first.

“Don’t take compulsory measures yet.”

Wang Shouyi said solemnly, “Let me make contact with them first.”

If they’d come, there had to be a reason.

He feared the Exorcist Division’s forced actions would push them into full panic.

That would be very bad for Hua Jin.

Zhao Ying nodded. “Come with me.”

She led the way, then suddenly looked back at Wang Shouyi and said, “Hey, do you really not need the pink little umbrella?”

Wang Shouyi froze for a moment.

Then he realized what Zhao Ying was referring to.

He felt his face flush; his affair with Hua Jin had clearly been exposed somehow.

He just didn’t know how it had been found out.

“We Ascenders don’t need that thing. If we don’t want anything to happen, we can control it completely, so—”

“So you and Hua Jin have done it, right?”

Zhao Ying didn’t turn around; her voice floated down the corridor.

Wang Shouyi was stunned for a beat.

Well I’ll be...

He’d thought Zhao Ying was offering advice.

Turns out she was fishing for a confession.

As expected from the subordinates taught by that senior—each one gets smarter than the last!

In that instant, Wang Shouyi’s admiration for Chen Huaian welled up like an endless river.

He followed Zhao Ying to the Exorcist Division gate.

When the gate opened, a group of Ascenders who looked like beggars came into view.

Their condition could only be described as tragic.

Ten-odd people, hardly a single one was intact. Each carried injuries—some more, some less—the least wounded had lost a hand at the wrist.

As he scanned them, he realized they were all once followers of Hua Jin the True One: elders, disciples, and several deacons with status a bit above disciples.

At the sight of Wang Shouyi, the woman at the front immediately burst into tears. She stumbled forward on a warped knee and prostrated herself before him, sobbing, “Chief Wang! Disaster has struck! There’s been an uprising at Kunlun Immortal Palace—please take us to see Her Eminence!”

Wang Shouyi maintained a calm facade, but his heart dropped.

“Uprising” was clearly a euphemism for a coup!

“Her Eminence is not here…” Wang Shouyi feigned surprise. “I thought Her Eminence had already returned to Kunlun Immortal Palace?”

The old woman froze at his words.

Her face, smeared with blood and wrinkles, instantly filled with despair and disbelief.

Then, as if clutching at a last straw, she suddenly fumbled deep into her ragged collar and produced a jade token.

The token pulsed rhythmically at its center, like a beating heart.

At the sight of that jade token, Wang Shouyi’s face darkened further.

He hadn’t expected the elder to possess a sect-issued token personally bestowed by Her Eminence.

Sect tokens can sense each other’s locations.

Her Eminence must have one on her person.

“Chief Wang! You’re deceiving me!”

The elder’s voice cracked with emotion as she raised the jade token. “Her Eminence must be nearby! Though her aura is faint, there’s no mistake! We risked our lives to escape only to seek Her Eminence’s shelter—why would you…”

“Have you turned traitor too?!”

Before her words finished—

Squelch!

A sickening sound of a sharp object penetrating flesh split the air!

In Wang Shouyi’s narrowed eyes and Zhao Ying’s horrified gaze,

a slender, curved blade entirely formed from viscous, dark red blood shot without warning into the old woman’s hunched back, brutally driving through her body and shredding organs in its wake.

The blood-soaked blade protruded, its tip pointed straight toward Wang Shouyi inside the gate!

The old woman’s anger and frenzy were instantly replaced by utter agony and bewilderment.

She stared at the gruesome blood blade lodged in her chest in disbelief, trying to raise a hand to cover it, but her strength had gone; only ragged gasps left her throat.

Sizzle—!

The blood blade trembled violently; the viscous blood writhed and swelled like a living thing!

Above the old woman’s still-upright body,

a ghostly figure quickly formed out of thickened blood plasma.

The specter’s features were blurred but resembled an old woman, its mouth stretched into an exaggerated grin, and its scarlet eyes fixed on Wang Shouyi.

That gaze was cruel, covetous—a look of triumph about to be savored!

“Ho... heh heh heh...”

A low chuckle escaped the ghost’s mouth.

“Found… you!”

…