“Don’t you already know why I’m here?”
Chu Lingwei looked at the Seven-Colored Divine Flower in her hand and then at the woman before her. “You went to great lengths to lure me here, all for the Seven-Colored Divine Flower in my possession, didn’t you?”
The woman sneered, “A mere little demon flower, I don’t care for it at all.”
“Then why bring me here?”
Chu Lingwei looked at the lake before her, which had transformed. A stream of clear spring water was flowing, emitting a pure aura. She surmised this must be the Shuishui that Yan Baili had spoken of.
“Weiwei, could this be the Shuishui Yan Baili mentioned?” The Illusion Cat’s eyes lit up with excitement. A demon realm Shuishui! It seemed like something to take back.
“It should be.”
Chu Lingwei grew increasingly suspicious of the woman’s intentions in bringing her here. “Speak, if you don’t, I can’t guarantee what I might do.”
“The flower in your hand will bring you no benefit. Discard it.”
The woman’s expression shifted, a hint of urgency in her eyes. “You want Shuishui? I can give it to you, but there’s a condition.”
“Speak.”
“You take me away from here.”
Chu Lingwei had prepared herself for negotiation, yet, upon hearing the woman’s words, her eyes couldn’t help but widen.
“What did you say?”
“I want to leave this place.”
The woman’s voice was resolute. Her gaze fell upon the ring on Chu Lingwei’s finger. “You can take me out.”
Chu Lingwei lowered her head and looked at the ring on her finger. It was a spatial ring, capable of holding living beings, gifted to her by her senior brother.
“You recognize this ring?”
Chu Lingwei was surprised. Who was this woman? Why would she know her senior brother’s ring?
“Yes, not only do I recognize this ring, but I also know it can definitely take me out.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t have led Chu Lingwei here.
“Why do you recognize this ring?”
Chu Lingwei furrowed her brow, no longer in a hurry. The woman needed something from her, so she should be the one rushing.
“There’s no time to tell you this now. Hurry and take me away. I will tell you everything you want to know,” the woman’s voice became urgent.
“No. There’s no free lunch in the world. Why should I take you away?”
Chu Lingwei chuckled softly. It seemed the woman was in quite a hurry.
“Don’t you just want Shuishui? I can teach you how to take Shuishui away,” the woman’s voice held a trace of arrogance. “Is this trade possible?”
“Not satisfactory.”
Chu Lingwei smiled. “I guess you’ve encountered something dangerous. If you don’t leave soon, you’ll only have one outcome.”
The woman’s face stiffened, and she glared at Chu Lingwei. This woman was far more difficult to deal with than the last.
“So, if you want Shuishui, why shouldn’t I just wait until you’re dead?”
Chu Lingwei could sense the woman’s murderous intent. It seemed she had used the same method to kill many people.
“Kill her.”
The woman was enraged. How dare she be toyed with? She deserved to die.
“Weiwei, be careful.”
The Illusion Cat leaped forward to intervene, but was directly sent flying.
“With just you?” Chu Lingwei sneered. With the Nine Heavens Nine Forms, her spiritual sword pierced towards the woman. Demonic energy and spiritual power clashed, sending both their bodies flying.
“You’re not a demon?”
The woman was astonished. The demonic energy within the female demon cultivator before her was merely a disguise. Once she realized this, she burst into laughter. “Since you’re not a demon, then you’ll never get out of here.”
“It seems you are one too.”
Chu Lingwei was not worried at all. The demonic energy from the woman earlier contained a trace of spiritual power, something Chu Lingwei clearly saw. “A cultivator who has converted to demonic cultivation, yet still retains spiritual power within her body… how interesting.”
“I will kill you.”
The woman’s face changed drastically. This female cultivator was too sharp. She couldn't possibly keep her here. Since she couldn't keep her, she would kill her here instead.
“That remains to be seen if you have the ability.”
They both knew each other’s identities. Chu Lingwei hid nothing, sending waves of spiritual power towards the woman.
She was a former cultivator. The demonic energy within her body would not fuse, making her most afraid of spiritual power.
“You are ruthless.”
The woman retreated continuously. Suddenly, with a wave of her hand, dozens of demonic beasts appeared before Chu Lingwei, surrounding her in less than a breath.
“Eat her.”
The woman’s command was issued, and the demonic beasts lunged towards Chu Lingwei.
“Damn it.”
Chu Lingwei retrieved demon talismans from her spatial storage and threw them at the demonic beasts. With the Illusion Cat, she seized an opportunity and quickly escaped.
“That woman is gone.”
After they escaped, the woman was nowhere to be seen, leaving only the flowing Shuishui.
“This isn’t Shuishui, is it?”
The Illusion Cat’s eyes held doubt. The woman had left so easily. This water must not be important.
“How did that woman become like that? She was undoubtedly a cultivator before.”
“Perhaps she accidentally entered the demon realm. If she didn’t convert to demonic cultivation, there was only death awaiting her.”
If a cultivator entered the demon realm and their identity was discovered, there was only death. Unless they converted to demonic cultivation before being discovered, however, this kind of demon cultivator was considered the lowest of the low in the demon realm.
Without strength, they could face death at any moment.
“Let’s take some of this water to test.” Chu Lingwei found an empty jade bottle and collected some of the so-called Shuishui.
Once in the bottle, the Shuishui immediately turned black and was filled with demonic energy.
“Weiwei, this might really be Shuishui!” The Illusion Cat exclaimed upon seeing the change. He had seen descriptions of Shuishui in Yan Baili’s library, and it matched this appearance.
“I’ll try the Seven-Colored Divine Flower.” Chu Lingwei was surprised. Was this Shuishui so undervalued?
Chu Lingwei placed the Seven-Colored Divine Flower on the ground and poured some Shuishui onto it. The divine flower became visibly more vibrant at a rapid pace.
“It really is.”
Chu Lingwei didn’t expect to be so fortunate. She took out the jade bottle and began filling it with Shuishui. Regardless of its usefulness, she’d take some back for now.
“The woman leaving so easily only proves there’s something fishy. Weiwei, let’s be careful,” the Illusion Cat scanned their surroundings. The woman had vanished as if she had never been there.
“Let’s go quickly.”
Chu Lingwei sensed a figure rapidly charging towards them. With a flash, she and the Illusion Cat left their spot. Simultaneously, a hidden barrier enveloped them.
“It’s the Demon Lord.”
If they had escaped any later, they would have already fallen into the Demon Lord’s monstrous maw.
“That woman must have known the Demon Lord would appear sooner.” The Illusion Cat felt a surge of fear. They had almost been devoured.
“Mmm, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to escape so quickly,” Chu Lingwei nodded. This Demon Lord was different from Yan Baili.