A moment of leisure in the garden was interrupted by a pigeon that flew overhead and soon landed on Ye Ziling's hand.
She rose and looked at Ling Xi, who was leaning against the rockery, his long, straight legs crossed, eyes closed as if asleep.
She quickly walked to a spot where he couldn't see her, took the letter from the pigeon's leg, unfolded it, and her face fell as she recognized the familiar handwriting.
Although Jing Mo was dead, his spies among the Immortal Candidates had not been cleared. She had intended for Mu Heng to kill these minor demons and then frame Jing Mo for the forgery of the Sun and Moon Sacred Lamp. Unexpectedly, this time Mu Heng had failed spectacularly.
Hadn't Mu Heng always been efficient before?
What was he up to this time?
Regardless, the Peach Banquet was over, and she had to return to the mortal realm to silence the remaining minor demons.
Ye Ziling narrowed her eyes, looking at Ling Xi who was sleeping peacefully beside her. Her gaze lingered for a moment before she walked out of the garden.
By the time she arrived at the Red Sleeve Inn, she saw Mu Heng pacing restlessly at the entrance, his expression grave.
Upon seeing her, Mu Heng stopped his pacing and hurried to her, frowning. "Something terrible has happened. Those minor demons were captured by Shen Qingfeng. Jing Mo left a contingency, and it's likely that our previous actions will be exposed."
Ye Ziling's eyes darkened. "Why were the minor demons let go?"
Ye Ziling knew Mu Heng's skill. Even if his martial arts were not refined, he shouldn't have been unable to deal with a few minor demons.
Mu Heng lowered his head, his gaze deep, as if avoiding her questioning.
"I... I encountered Shen Yueru on the road, and she was almost killed by a demon beast. I intervened for a few moves, and the minor demons who had just been captured seized the opportunity to escape..."
Although he disliked Shen Yueru, the girl didn't deserve to die. His soft heart led him to rescue her. Who knew those few minor demons were so cunning, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Seeing Mu Heng's ashamed expression, Ye Ziling was furious, but considering the current situation, she still had to find a solution.
The night grew thicker, and the evening breeze blew open the window, disheveling Ye Ziling's hair. She didn't have the time to tuck it behind her ear.
Mu Heng had gone to track the minor demons, leaving her alone in the room.
She hadn't left herself without options. At worst, she wouldn't follow the plan. She might not be able to retreat completely, but she could fight to the death. In any case, she never intended to live.
If there were corpses strewn everywhere, rivers of blood, and she was asked to ascend a mountain of knives, descend into a sea of fire, or be cast into hell for eternal damnation, she would accept it.
At that moment, a knock came from the door. "Young Master Mu, are you inside?"
It was Shen Yueru's voice.
Why was this girl here at this hour?
Ye Ziling pressed her forehead with one hand and waved her sleeve impatiently, opening the door.
Shen Yueru, dressed in a white pomegranate skirt, her dark, beautiful hair unbound, her pretty face flushed with nervousness. Seeing the door open, she quickly entered, closing it behind her. She showed no surprise upon seeing Ye Ziling, instead offering a strange smile.
"Our Commander Mu is not here. Miss Shen, if you are looking for him, you will have to wait until tomorrow."
Ye Ziling pressed her temples, looking up at Shen Yueru. Her tone was neither warm nor cold, but Shen Yueru knew what she was worried about.
"I came to find Young Master Mu to thank him," Shen Yueru smiled, then nonchalantly lifted her skirt and sat opposite her.
Seeing Ye Ziling's displeased expression, she felt a sense of smugness, her lips curving into a smile. "Miss Ye's divine pill is truly effective. It's been half a month, and my memory hasn't returned."
Ye Ziling paused. Seeing Shen Yueru smiling at her with ill intent, she knew she must have remembered what happened that day.
Those minor demons were already a headache. She should have silenced Shen Yueru then and there.
"Then, Miss Shen, would you mind taking another one?" Ye Ziling stood up with a light smile, picked up the teacup from the table, took a sip, her eyes fixed on Shen Yueru, the ice in her gaze seeming to freeze the person before her.
Unexpectedly, the girl opposite her seemed to have changed into someone else. Meeting Ye Ziling's gaze, she laughed wantonly. "Ye Ziling, I thought you were some pure and unblemished high mountain flower, but it turns out you're just a demon beast!"
Ye Ziling's eyes lit up, and she stared at her with some confusion.
...What?
A demon?
She, the dignified Heavenly Goddess, was being called a demon?
"Demon? I don't know what Miss Shen is talking about. Could you have been frightened silly by those minor demons a few days ago?"
Ye Ziling glanced at her indifferently and said with a smile.
"You thought I didn't know? You released those minor demons. Mu Heng is a demon, and you are also a demon. None of you demon beasts are good! Tell me, did you kill my senior brothers?"
Shen Yueru slammed her hand on the table, glaring at her, her face contorted in rage, wishing she could pounce and strangle her right now.
Looking at Ye Ziling's calm demeanor, the young girl's娇气 face became even more gloomy.
Ye Ziling suddenly brought her lips together and smiled, her smile bewitching and graceful, but with a hint of mockery in her eyes. "Miss Shen thinks too highly of me. Those people did die because of me, but not entirely because of me."
However, they brought it upon themselves!
If these people, who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, hadn't tried to seize the Sun and Moon Sacred Lamp, if these people hadn't been so greedy, how could they have killed each other?
She had merely thrown a spark, and they themselves had rushed into the flames.
A trace of dark red, ethereal fire ignited in Ye Ziling's pupils. The bloody dark red stained her eyes like a smear of sweet blood, and her expression became wild, like a vengeful spirit crawling out of hell.
With one hand, she swept the teacup off the table. The sound of shattering porcelain echoed throughout the room, and scalding tea water splashed everywhere.
"Then I must thank your father for his good deeds more than ten years ago. But the cycle of retribution is turning, and it's just retribution," Ye Ziling snorted, a hint of coldness appearing in her eyes.
Back then, when Shen Qingfeng led other schools to slaughter her Sacred Doctor clan, did he ever think that one day half of his Shao Lin disciples would die at her hands!
"Not only will I slaughter your Shao Lin, but I will not spare Seven Immortal Pavilion or Cui Ling Xuan."
Ye Ziling's voice was low and sharp, like a demon from the abyss of hell.
Before Shen Yueru could recover, she saw Ye Ziling walk up to her, their faces mere inches apart. The killing intent emanating from her made Shen Yueru tremble and instinctively retreat.
"You... what do you want to do? I'm telling you, if you kill me, my Senior Brother Ling won't let you go." Shen Yueru gritted her teeth, feeling extremely frightened, yet trying to maintain her composure.
Ye Ziling froze for a moment. The hand hanging at her side still moved towards Shen Yueru's neck, her smile pleasant. "I'll send you to see your fellow disciples, and by the way, ask them if it was worth dying at the hands of their own people."
Saying that, she tightened her fingers, gripping her slender neck and lifting her up.
"Hmph, demon beast, if you kill me, my father won't let you go!"
The young girl struggled and cried out, but with her neck choked, she had no strength to break free. She felt her breath growing difficult.
Shen Yueru subtly glanced towards the shadows outside the door, her eyes falling on the flowing black robes. Two lines of hot tears slid from the corners of her eyes, and she choked out three words indistinctly: "Ling... Senior Brother Ling, save me..."
"Your Senior Brother Ling won't come to save you. Goodbye." Ye Ziling looked at the girl's contorting face, completely oblivious to another figure behind her.
No matter how much Shen Yueru cried out, there was no sign of help from outside the door.
She closed her eyes in despair.
But just as she thought she was going to die, the pressure on her neck suddenly eased.
Ye Ziling's heart skipped a beat. The girl's tears dripped onto her wrist. For some reason, a heavy stone seemed to press on her heart, making it difficult to breathe.
If Ling Xi knew she had killed Shen Yueru, would he forgive her?
But her hands were already stained with the blood of countless people. If she turned back now, all her efforts would be ruined.
The girl on the ground coughed a couple of times, clutching her neck where red marks had appeared, and retreated repeatedly.
Ye Ziling crouched down, her fingers gently stroking her pale cheek, and then forcefully stuffed a pill into her mouth. She turned and left without looking back.