Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1497 - 934: Blade Killing_2

Seeing her alluring pose, Bai Yuanduo’s rage intensified:

"Unlike you, who has the White Sun Golden Immortal as your shield. I am merely an ordinary mortal with meager abilities. You can roam the Mortal World as you please, harming beings without consequence. Even if the Three Sects apprehend you, they would not dare to truly punish you. But I have no one to rely on, my family is weak, and should this matter be exposed, my fate would be no better than those mere demons! Do you comprehend my words?"

Ting Yan let out a soft chuckle: "Why does Bai Lang continue to bring up the White Sun? Such envy appears utterly foolish. Though I am but a lowly fox demon, I possess self-awareness. What kind of person is the Golden Immortal? How could a person like me tarnish such noble intentions so casually? Yet, the disciples from noble families in the Immortal Sect, catering to your desires... I am passed around like a concubine among many, and you do not seem as enraged."

For decades, Bai Yuanduo had found himself powerless against this fox demon. Regardless of how cold he treated her, she consistently responded with warmth.

She wielded a gentle blade, with every strike proving fatal.

At this moment, Bai Yuanduo felt an overwhelming weariness: "At this crucial juncture, Li Bansheng could catch up at any moment. I have no inclination to engage in a dispute with you."

"Young Master Bai is far too vigilant. Li Bansheng will not catch up, but I shall."

A silhouette cloaked in black materialized silently behind Bai Yuanduo.

His voice was a low growl, akin to sandpaper scraping against the ear, his pale, cracked visage flickering in the dappled light, resembling a specter emerging from the pre-dawn darkness.

Bai Yuanduo’s hair stood on end, his body trembling as he turned to behold the black-clad youth clutching a blade.

"Is it you?"

He recognized the young man with a scar etching his face and eyes that seemed to drift unfocused. Bai Yuanduo recalled him from Anle Workshop, where he had been no more than a servant.

Clad in a simple blue cloth shirt, a rag slung over his shoulder, he had spoken little, yet exuded an aura of an unremarkable, common man. Were it not for the distinctive scar, he would have blended seamlessly into any crowd, impossible to pick out quickly.

But now, an unmistakable aura of cold malevolence radiated from him, an intent to kill that Bai Yuanduo could not ignore!

He observed the narrow blade in the youth’s grasp, its design uniquely peculiar—slender, thin, lacking a sheath, and utterly devoid of a hilt. The crude hilt was fashioned from black iron, merely bound with simple strips of cloth.

Without a second thought, Bai Yuanduo hesitated, swiftly bending to attempt to lift the demon fox Ting Yan, his immediate intention being to flee.

However, just as his hand extended, his vision seemed to momentarily blur as if assailed by a gust of wind.

A chilling sensation at his wrist was followed by his entire arm succumbing to a profound and agonizing paralysis.

Bai Yuanduo’s body stiffened, his gaze snapping to the blade, resembling a paper-thin slice, embedded in his wrist.

Before he could even register a blink, the slender blade was withdrawn with a light flick.

No bead of blood emerged, only a fine spray of blue oil—mist-like, rain-like—the Tung Oil originating from the puppets within Shifang City. Bai Yuanduo’s entire arm drooped, akin to a puppet whose strings had been severed, completely devoid of sensation.

His heart churned with turmoil.

Drawing upon years of honed instinct for danger, he recognized the formidable nature of this youth.

Yet, Bai Yuanduo did not consider himself easily defeated. He walked the path of an Evil Cultivator, and although his cultivation spanned less than a century, he possessed Ting Yan as his ultimate trump card.

He cultivated by drawing Spiritual Power from her being, achieving double the results with half the effort, and had already attained the Chengling stage. While his foundation was unsteady due to achieving Chengling through the Dual Cultivation method, this deficiency had been rectified after exchanging for this puppet body.

As long as the one arriving was not an individual of the caliber of Su Jing or Yin Baishuang, true prodigies, Bai Yuanduo was confident that among the younger generation, he might not be invincible, but he could certainly escape without suffering harm.

But this youth…

He exuded an aura only at the Tuo Hai level, yet he managed to strike him silently with a blade!

If the youth had not deliberately aimed his blade to the side, Bai Yuanduo believed his head would have been severed and tumbled at the youth’s feet.

A sudden and bewildering dread crept into his heart. He had never encountered such a monstrous figure emerging from the Mortal World.

But since he did not kill me instantly, there is naturally room for negotiation. Bai Yuanduo’s dry throat worked as he swallowed, and he spoke, "I hold no animosity towards you, sir. I presume someone desires my life. I am unaware of the sum offered by the other party, but I am prepared to pay thrice that amount and implore your mercy."

Qingzhi offered a faint smile, holding the blade before his eyes. A spherical drop of tung oil rolled on the blade, and with a subtle flick of his wrist, it instantly transformed into a ghostly blue flame, silently dancing across the blade, igniting his cold pupils.

"By my master's decree, I am tasked with taking your head."

Bai Yuanduo's heart plummeted into utter despair.

However, Qingzhi's demeanor shifted abruptly. "But you're fortunate to have encountered me. Within the 'One Drop of Blood' order, I'm not one to rigidly adhere to commands. There's still room for discussion between us," he stated.

Bai Yuanduo's eyes lit up. "Whatever you instruct, esteemed sir, I am prepared to obey without reservation."

Qingzhi arched an eyebrow, a cold, desolate smile gracing his lips. He pointed his blade directly at the demon fox, Ting Yan.

"If you are willing to personally extract this demon's Demon Essence, I shall allow you to live today," he declared.

Confronted with this brutal dictate, Ting Yan's expression remained largely unchanged, though the subtle spark of amusement in her eyes finally vanished.

Bai Yuanduo froze initially, the color draining from his face progressively.

Even when facing the daunting reputation of the Taixuan Sect, he had never contemplated abandoning her.

But now, with the cold steel of the blade pressed against his vital spot, Bai Yuanduo let out a profound sigh.

Uttering no words, his sleeve quivered as a dark crimson dagger materialized in his palm.

His gaze, fixed upon the demon fox Ting Yan, was as tender and deep as ever. "Fear not, Ting Niang, it will be over swiftly. Just bear with it a little longer."

Ting Yan, seated on the ground, uttered words that seemed a mixture of sorrow and mirth. "Yuanduo, my love for you has spanned seventy-five years..."

These poignant, heartbroken words did stir Bai Yuanduo's emotions, yet they could not sway his resolve.

It was as if their seventy-five years of affection had been rendered utterly meaningless.

Bai Yuanduo shook his head, articulating, "I do not question your love, but I am certain that had I remained as I was before, you could never have loved me.

You are only captivated by my appearance. If you had truly accepted all of me, you would never have proposed those wicked Forbidden Techniques, compelling me to endure years of agony.

The constant body alterations, even each vessel I inhabited had to conform to your specific preferences.

Ting Niang, to speak plainly, I am exhausted. Your desires are excessively voracious, and you merely exploit my affection, seeking to experience the world's finest men through my personas.

You present an image of great sacrifice for my sake. Perhaps you perceive my actions today as heartless, but were you ever truly fair to me?

You are simply indulging your insatiable appetites in this elaborate game."

He stepped forward, dagger in hand. "Perhaps this conclusion is the most fitting for both of us, wouldn't you agree?"

A sharp crack echoed, reminiscent of brittle leaves shattering underfoot or the piercing sound of a blade slicing through bone.

Bai Yuanduo found himself disoriented, as his hand, gripping the dagger, had exerted no deliberate force.

The world before his eyes began to blur and spin violently, culminating in his cheek hitting the cold, damp earth.

As Bai Yuanduo attempted to push himself up using his arms, another dull thud met his ears.

Beside him, his own body crumpled lifelessly.

Ting Yan's Demon Essence remained undug, yet his head had already been severed from his torso.

As a cultivator who had practiced body-switching techniques for numerous years, even decapitation wouldn't result in immediate demise.

"I offered you a chance," Ting Yan stated.

Ting Yan slowly rose from the ground, her voice resonating with a calm tone. "Bai Lang, your nature was always so gentle. No matter how many times I stumbled, you would personally help me rise.

Today's situation is no different. Had you remained steadfast in assisting me, I would have defended you with my life."

Clutching a blade that shone with an icy luminescence, her gaze was filled with a profound regret. She casually brushed away the tears near her eyes, a heartless smile gracing her lips.

"But you appear to have forgotten who bestowed upon you everything you possess now.

Even this current body was a gift from me. Now that you have displeased me, I am reclaiming it. Does that bring you any satisfaction?"

Bai Yuanduo's mouth moved silently, uncertain whether to gasp for air or attempt to convey an explanation to her.