Grayish-white mist coiled within the lamp's wick.
Hao Yinqin ceased forming hand seals and lightly exhaled a breath of black qi.
"Ye Hai, my disciple, matters on that side need not concern you for now. Once the final battle between righteous and demonic sects concludes, I will send someone to seize that woman and place her before you!"
Pu Yehai's face merged into the gray mist, hazy and indistinct. "Master, if You Yan Gate is defeated… what will become of us?"
Hao Yinqin's brows locked tight. "Ye Hai, how could you think such a thing? You Yan Gate will not be defeated!"
"The previous setbacks were only because we grew overconfident. This time, aside from Demon Sovereign lending his strength, I have even secured aid from people of the Central Domain!"
"Even if Miaoyun Sect from the Central Domain intervenes, this so-called righteous–demonic war cannot be won."
Pu Yehai's voice sounded lost.
A trace of anger surfaced on Hao Yinqin's face. "So you lost once at the hands of a woman, and all your blazing will to fight is extinguished? Ye Hai, that was their territory, and a Divine Transformation Zūnzhě guarded it. For you to fall there is not such a great matter!
Your Diseased Spirit Physique has already reached maturity. As long as a shred of your soul remains, you will never truly die. In this great battle, countless will be injured and sick. That will be the perfect chance for your return!"
Among tens of thousands of demon cultivators, Pu Yehai was chosen as Hao Yinqin's disciple precisely because his Diseased Spirit Physique was terrifyingly strong.
This unique constitution could absorb the feeble aura clinging to the sick and wounded.
The sicker he appeared outwardly, the more terrifying the techniques he could unleash.
Yet as he listened, Pu Yehai remained silent. He already knew there was no Divine Transformation Zūnzhě on Gu Ling Mountain or Lone Star Peak. It was only Yao Ranran alone who could match one.
And beyond that, he had a feeling—
Yao Ranran's return to Gu Ling Mountain would shift the entire situation in the Eastern Wilderness.
Seeing his quiet demeanor, Hao Yinqin sighed. "Ye Hai, compose yourself. Even if Ding Ping had lived, with his aptitude he would never have set foot upon the road of ascension. You are different. Your comprehension and talent far surpass his. So long as you cultivate well, sooner or later you will slay a Divine Transformation cultivator and avenge him!"
"I have already lost."
Pu Yehai's figure sank deeper into the gray mist, no longer speaking.
Hao Yinqin frowned, still trying to persuade him. "This war's sudden outbreak is not unrelated to the appearance of that supreme spiritual vein in the Central Domain. All powers covet it. If the Eastern Wilderness is unified, we can dispatch men to seize the thief who stole that spiritual vein!"
Pu Yehai gave no reply. For the first time, he thought his master laughably deluded. Supreme spiritual vein… violet spiritual qi. She did not steal it. It was simply claimed by one strong enough.
He had never seen such power. Beneath that blue lotus, none could escape her judgment. Once she intervened in the war of righteous and demonic, the entire balance of the Eastern Wilderness would overturn…
Pu Yehai closed his eyes, shutting out his master's self-conceited words.
Hao Yinqin, finding no response, shook his head. "Such a pity I do not even know the name of the one who stole that spiritual vein. They say she is as beautiful as a celestial maiden, though who can tell how true that is."
Pu Yehai still ignored him. Hao Yinqin clasped his hands behind his back and turned away.
"The Demon Sovereign's soldiers should be arriving soon…"
Longyin Village
"Do not cry anymore. Perhaps he is not yet dead."
Yao Ranran lifted the sealing formation and spoke calmly to Tang Xiangyin.
"Not… not dead?" Tang Xiangyin pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, touching Pu Yehai's body that was cold and without heartbeat. Her lips trembled.
How could this look like someone still alive?
"The body perishing does not always mean the person is gone."
Yao Ranran had long since grown used to such things. Disciples of grand sects and great clans always had countless secret means. Tears still glistened on Tang Xiangyin's lashes. After wiping them away, she looked somewhat better.
"Who locked up Rong-yé in there… ah, it finally opened!"
Xiao Rong angrily shoved open the door. He used too much force and bounced back, landing on the ground with a thud.
"Xiao Rong, quickly take this antidote. Otherwise your roots will start to rot!"
Yao Ranran tossed the antidote over.
Hearing the words "roots rotting," Xiao Rong hurriedly swallowed the pill. Then he asked in confusion, "Boss, what antidote? When did I get poisoned… wait, why is Physician Ye lying on the ground?"
As he got up, his eyes caught Pu Yehai's corpse.
"Oh, that. He's dead."
Yao Ranran followed his gaze and answered evenly.
Xiao Rong's face went blank. "D… dead?"
"Wuu wuu wuu, yes, Physician Ye… Physician Ye is gone!"
Tang Xiangyin, recalling her time with Pu Yehai, could not hold back her tears.
"What kind of play are you two putting on?"
Xiao Rong frowned, stepping beside Pu Yehai.
"You even painted his body so white. What did you smear on him?"
Curious, Xiao Rong rubbed Pu Yehai's hand, surprised. "It doesn't even rub off!"
Yao Ranran said, "Or perhaps… when someone dies, their body stiffens and loses color. That is why he looks so pale and unchanging."
Xiao Rong: "... Boss, Xiao Tang, you are serious about this?"
"Look at Xiang Yin's tears. If it were fake, would she be crying so hard?"
Yao Ranran shook her head.
Tang Xiangyin sniffled. "Xiao Rong, listen to me. Physician Ye was a demon cultivator!"
"Wh… what?"
Xiao Rong's tongue nearly tied itself in knots from shock.
"His true identity was Pu Yehai, disciple of You Yan Gate's sect master. Once I discovered it, I killed him."
Yao Ranran explained calmly. It was like a thunderclap from clear skies. Xiao Rong stood frozen.
"I was gone to the latrine for just a moment, and Boss already butchered him?"
"If I had not struck, he would have killed us."
Hearing this, Xiao Rong fell silent.
After a long while, he burst out crying.
"Physician Ye, what a tragic end! Boss, you heartless, merciless woman, how viciously you struck!"
"I did not even get to see you one last time… Did Physician Ye leave any last words before he died?"
Suddenly, Xiao Rong turned to look at Yao Ranran and Tang Xiangyin.
"What you mean is inheritance, right?" Yao Ranran asked blandly.
Caught red-handed, Xiao Rong's cheeks reddened. "Ah, Boss is just too perceptive!"
"There was none. His room was very clean. What he left for you should only be this pile of herbs."
Yao Ranran glanced around and gave him the heartbreaking truth.
"Forget it, I will just snack on spiritual fruit." Xiao Rong sighed and lifted a fruit plate.
"Those fruits are poisoned. You cannot eat them!" Tang Xiangyin cried.
Xiao Rong's little hand shook, and several fruits rolled onto the floor.
Mouth agape, realization dawned on him. "No wonder Boss stopped you from eating fruit earlier. So you never really had any 'unclean fertilizer' at all?"
Tang Xiangyin awkwardly admitted, "Yes, that was only an excuse."