"What a sorry sight."
"So, do you need help?"
The black-clad figure extended a palm, effortlessly blocking Tie Li's mighty arms, his expression calm and indifferent.
"Bei Bei… Bei Bei, is that you?"
Tang Ya felt no pain where she expected it. The crushing pressure around her vanished. She opened her eyes in a daze, murmuring.
"Hm? Lost her mind?"
The shadow paused, frowning slightly.
"No matter. The sect has pharmaceutical technology anyway. Not everyone's brain works as brilliantly as mine—allowing for fools is only natural."
"Who are you? Why are you helping this Evil Spirit Master?"
Tie Li's face flushed red, blood surging in his veins. He realized this person before him far outstripped his own strength.
"Do you have the right to speak here? Get lost!"
With a casual wave, the black figure sent Tie Li flying with an invisible force. He slammed against the thick rear wall, blood flowing from his seven orifices.
The two elders beside him were blasted away as well, their lives uncertain.
"How could the Sect Master have known an Evil Spirit Master talent would show up here? He even recalled Nightmare Douluo from guarding Heaven Dou City… I don't get it."
This man was the Masked Douluo, stationed here on Zhongli Wu's orders.
"Little girl, do you want revenge?" he asked Tang Ya softly.
"I do!"
Tang Ya's bloodshot eyes locked on the vomiting Tie Li. Her body trembled with the uncontrollable urge to kill him and devour him—to avenge her parents.
"Then he's yours."
With a flick of his hand, Masked Douluo dragged the burly Tie Li into his grip, then tossed him in front of Tang Ya.
Tang Ya, her emotions and mind already unstable, didn't even consider who the old man was. All she saw was her mortal enemy, collapsed on the ground yet still alive.
With vengeance before her, her body shuddered with excitement. She raised her delicate hand, finger pointed at Tie Li.
"Tie Li, did you ever imagine that killing my parents and seizing my Tang Sect's foundation would bring you to this end? Today, I'll offer your life as sacrifice to my parents' spirits in heaven!"
Her hands flickered rapidly—dozens of golden streaks shot into Tie Li's body.
At once, his expression twisted in agony. His body convulsed as though in spasms, unable to move but writhing on the ground.
"Ahhhhhh!"
"Spare me! Spare me!"
Tie Li's cries of torment echoed as he rubbed against the ground, desperate to lessen his pain.
"Cry! Cry louder!"
Tears shimmered in Tang Ya's eyes as a crazed smile twisted her lips. Her voice was hoarse with fury.
"Click. Hah… a total pervert. Mentally unstable."
Masked Douluo clicked his tongue, glancing at her in fascination.
"Talent's not bad. Heart's cruel enough. But still far inferior to the Holy Son."
"Ah, once you've seen that full moon brilliance, all other so-called geniuses are but faint fireflies."
"Rise again—no, return to me, my Holy Son…"
He sighed inwardly, then pulled out a rabbit head and gnawed at it.
"Spicy flavor's the best. Authentic."
Tang Ya, still unsatisfied, unleashed hidden weapons like a Thousand-Handed Asura. Blades, needles, and darts poured forth—not at Tie Li's vitals, but systematically carving his limbs, then moving toward his torso.
"Hehehe… hehehehe…"
The louder Tie Li screamed, the more exhilarated Tang Ya became, her face twisted in ecstasy.
Under such inhuman torture…
Before long, Tie Li perished.
"Father, Mother! Xiao Ya has avenged you!"
"But… I've become an Evil Spirit Master! I've become an Evil Spirit Master!"
She stared at her blood-soaked hands, crying out in anguish, then turned blankly toward Masked Douluo.
"Yeah, and? Do you want me to give you a medal?"
"I'm not human anymore…"
"… …"
What kind of logic was that—being an Evil Spirit Master means you're not human?
"Little girl, let me tell you: in this world where the weak are prey to the strong, hardship alone won't make you stronger…"
"You must eat people to grow!"
Masked Douluo's voice dropped low as he reached toward Tang Ya.
"Alright, enough madness. Come with me."
"I won't go! This is my home!"
Tang Ya stumbled back, her face full of resistance.
His brow furrowed. With a chop of his palm, Tang Ya's Blue Silver Grass had just begun to rise in defiance when a numbing force spread through her body. She collapsed, limp.
"Troublesome. Missions are annoying enough—you just had to make it worse."
Masked Douluo snorted. Originally, he was supposed to accompany the Sect Master in attacking Shrek Academy.
He'd even prepared Soul Tool cannon shells, planning to put on a dazzling fireworks show for Shrek. But the Sect Master secretly reassigned him, forbidding him from going.
Claimed his brain wasn't good enough, sending only Worship Hall elders to Shrek, without even Zhang Peng.
"Isn't this screwing me over? If the Holy Son comes back and finds out, how will I make progress?"
Shaking his head, he scooped up Tang Ya and vanished.
Only after they were gone did Heaven Dou's city guards arrive. Masked Douluo had blanketed the Ironblood Sect with spiritual power from the start, preventing any outside detection.
"It's bad—the Ironblood Sect's been destroyed!"
A soldier's face paled at the rivers of blood.
After half an hour of searching, two soldiers returned to report to their captain.
"Well? Any findings?"
"The culprit should be an Evil Spirit Master. Their psychology must be highly deranged. Preliminary judgment is that Sect Master Tie Li was tortured to death."
"Any other evidence?"
The two exchanged glances, struggling to contain their expressions.
"Only one thing, sir… we found a half-eaten rabbit head at the scene."
"Yes. Spicy-flavored," the other soldier added.
"… …"
Onto the Body Sect.
Three figures stood at the mountain gate.
"Well? Isn't it impressive?"
Poison Undying pointed toward the boundless sea of clouds with a proud smile.
"Impressive," Jiang Jue nodded slightly, marveling inwardly.
The Body Sect was built upon a natural chasm, a perilous location. Without a guide, no one could ever find it.
"Weina, this young man beside you is Jiang Jue. You're about the same age—you two should get to know each other."
Poison Undying glanced at Weina, then at Jiang Jue, his eyes flashing with some hidden intent.
"Sect Master, we already know each other," Weina said softly. Her gaze at Jiang Jue brimmed with grievance, her cheeks puffed red with anger.
"That scoundrel stood me up!"
She thought bitterly. Jiang Jue had told her to meet him the evening after tomorrow—yet that was today, and instead they were heading to Star Dou Forest for spirit rings…
"Oh? You've already met?"
"Excellent, excellent."
Looking at the handsome young man and lovely maiden side by side, Poison Undying's heart swelled with joy.
(End of Chapter)