Yun Dehe and the others stared wide-eyed at the scene before them.
Lu Ziqian cupped his hands apologetically. "Many thanks to Demon Sovereign for your cultivation, but the demonic path harms countless lives. Forgive me, I cannot walk this road with you any longer."
Li Luoqi writhed in unbearable agony, his face twisting grotesquely.
He could still hear Lu Ziqian's voice, yet endless pain swallowed him whole. His soul flickered in a pitch-dark night without end, while his body endured torment beyond measure.
Only one thought echoed in his mind.
Even pain that seared bone and marrow could not compare to this torture.
"Yao Ranran!!!"
He threw his head back and roared, nearly descending into madness.
Yao Ranran felt her breathing pause as she noticed the demonic arts within her body quietly stirring.
At his final moment, Li Luoqi erupted with terrifying strength, awakening the dormant demon seed hidden deep inside Yao Ranran.
He laughed manically. "Even if I die, I'll drag you down to hell with me!!!"
"Not good, Li Luoqi has triggered the demon seed!" Zhao Lingyi clenched his fists in alarm.
Worry clouded Yun Dehe's face. He suddenly turned to Lu Ziqian. "Mo Jiang Daoyou, if Fairy Yao Ranran's demon seed is drawn out, will she be in danger?"
Lu Ziqian's clear eyes betrayed no ripple of emotion. With gentle calm, he replied, "Rest easy, Sect Master Yun. I believe Master foresaw this outcome long before she acted. We need only watch from the side and refrain from meddling."
Hearing this, Yun Dehe and the others exhaled together in relief.
"As long as Fairy Yao Ranran is safe, all is well. Her strength is truly unfathomable."
Zhao Lingyi glanced at Lu Ziqian, slowly loosening his clenched hands.
No one saw the twitch at Yao Ranran's lips upon hearing those words.
This little disciple…
Even more confident than his own master!
She silently complained, channeling more spiritual qi into Li Luoqi's body, even as the demonic arts within her surged faster and faster.
Li Luoqi's laughter grew wilder. "Ha ha ha! Useless! The more power you pour in, the more the Mother Demon Art I cultivated will rebound to me! Give me all your strength, my demon fruit! Ha ha ha, ha ha ha!"
His laughter rang so loud that the clouds in the heavens scattered, fleeing from the sound.
Yun Dehe and the others all glanced in unison toward Lu Ziqian. But Lu Ziqian remained calm, eyes fixed on Yao Ranran's back, filled only with reverence and admiration. Seeing this, Yun Dehe and the others immediately set their worries aside.
"No problem, no problem. This was all within Fairy Yao Ranran's foresight!" Yun Dehe reassured the disciples of Yun Gu Sect.
The disciples sighed in relief, whispering in awe. "What an incredible fairy…"
Yao Ranran gazed into Li Luoqi's blood-red, maddened eyes. The demonic art in her body spun out of control at terrifying speed.
"Hahaha! Ha—"
Li Luoqi's crazed laughter suddenly cut short.
Because…
After fully activating the Parent-Child Demon Art, he realized all his demonic energy was surging backward into Yao Ranran. Not only his ancient demonic bloodline, but also the cultivation he had accumulated proudly for years was being sucked away!
Yao Ranran frowned, pained. Under Li Luoqi's frenzied gaze, she slowly opened her lips.
"Hic~"
She let out an involuntary belch.
"Swallowed too much demonic energy… it's hard to digest all at once…"
Li Luoqi: "…"
"Give it back! Spit it out! Witch, you witch!!!"
His complexion turned sallow, his eyes sunken. Had he not been bound by the Demon Locking Chains, he would have strangled Yao Ranran with his own hands.
"Witch…?"
Yun Dehe froze, staring at him.
A Demon Sovereign, actually daring to call Fairy Yao Ranran a witch? Who exactly was walking the demonic path here?
Yao Ranran's gaze sharpened. "I hadn't intended to keep absorbing more, but since you called me that, I see no reason to spare you."
Even clay man had tempers.
She placed her other hand upon him. Power surged through both palms, distinct yet overwhelming. Within moments, Li Luoqi had withered, his curses fading to weak whispers, his struggles no stronger than an ordinary mortal.
The onlookers gaped.
Clang!
The Demon Locking Chains clattered from his body.
Yun Dehe's shock left him speechless.
Lu Ziqian bent to pick up the fallen chains. Looking down at Li Luoqi with cold authority, he gestured for two others to release him.
Thud!
Li Luoqi collapsed to his knees. His head drooped weakly, knocking against the ground before Yao Ranran in a hollow kowtow. His spine jutted sharply, his frame gaunt, resembling a worldly elder at the brink of death.
Zhao Lingyi noticed his hands twitch feebly.
It was not unwillingness to resist. He simply no longer had the strength to stand.
"Fairy Yao Ranran… has she drained all of Li Luoqi's demonic power?"
Countless doubts flashed through Zhao Lingyi's mind, but at last he believed the truth before his eyes.
A flicker of puzzlement crossed Yao Ranran's gaze. She herself did not know why it had turned out this way. Perhaps it was tied to the spiritual qi within her body.
Li Luoqi had tried to devour her demon seed with the Child Demon Art, but instead her spiritual power had absorbed his.
She shook her head. "This is Li Luoqi's rightful end. I merely followed the will of Heaven."
The demonic path was ruthless. Li Luoqi, as Demon Sovereign, had slaughtered not thousands but tens of thousands. There was no pity to be spared.
Li Qingtin nervously raised his chin with her sword scabbard, revealing the withered yellow of his cheeks.
"This… Li Luoqi truly has not a trace of demonic energy left!"
Li Qingtin exclaimed in shocked delight.
Yun Dehe and the disciples of Yun Gu Sect came closer, scrutinizing him for a long time before laughter burst forth, spreading through the sky.
"Li Luoqi has finally been subdued! Peace will return to the Eastern Wilderness!"
"Our Yun Gu Sect is saved! We will live!"
"All thanks to Fairy Yao Ranran. She is the new master of the Eastern Wilderness!"
"…"
But Yao Ranran did not join their jubilation. She carefully pulled the storage ring from Li Luoqi's finger, crossing her arms and standing aside, the cold wind brushing her silently.
Among the celebrating crowd, Lu Ziqian saw his master's lonely back. His heart clenched. He pushed through the throng to her side.
"Master, when you first arranged for your disciple to infiltrate the demon race, you must have made a difficult decision…"
Yao Ranran blinked in surprise. Truth be told, she had not thought that far. A lone star of misfortune—keeping him too close would only spell trouble.
After pondering, she replied, "You need not dwell on it. I trusted your strength. Even among demons, you were bound to carve out a place for yourself."
In truth, a den like the demon abyss was the very soil most suited for him to thrive. Her eyes flicked toward the horde of demons behind him, and the corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
She wondered if her foolish disciple had noticed the secret within himself.
Lu Ziqian's eyes brimmed with gratitude. "Without Master's guidance, I would never have risen to the rank of Grand General!"