Only Shizun would be able to handle them.

“Forget it, enough talk. I’ll give you a gift.” Realizing they had already revealed too much, the mysterious figure tossed out these words before vanishing before Zhao Ruorui’s eyes.  

“No threat to life, huh?” Zhao Ruorui pressed his lips together.  

But this only made him more uneasy.  

After the stranger disappeared, Zhao Ruorui warily scanned his surroundings.  

Nothing seemed to have changed—so what had they left behind? Unbeknownst to him, the “gift” had already seeped into his body.  

…

“An inverted formation?” Shen Qixi asked in confusion.  

Elder Huaying flicked her fan lightly. “Exactly.”  

The two walked side by side.  

Not long after Shen Qixi fell into the Fusheng Scroll Secret Realm, she had encountered Elder Huaying.  

While investigating the secret realm, Huaying explained the situation to her.  

“Don’t be fooled—this secret realm may look the same as before, but everything inside has been altered. This is the reverse formation.”  

“The reverse and the original formations coexist, but when the array is activated at Kunshi Cliff, cultivators usually only trigger the original one.”  

“Someone tampered with it?” Shen Qixi’s expression darkened as she guessed.  

“Mn.” Elder Huaying’s eyes flickered. “To be precise, there’s a traitor among us.”  

“So, Fellow Daoist Shen, you must be careful. From now on, trust no one except disciples from your own sect.”  

“Alright, this area should be safe—it’s free from demonic beasts. I’ve left protective measures here for you. I still need to find the disciples of Wuyue Sect, so I’ll have to take my leave for now.”  

Elder Huaying slowed the movement of her fan.  

She studied Shen Qixi.  

As an elder, staying with her would naturally guarantee safety.  

Even some cultivators, let alone mortals, might resent her departure in such a crisis.  

This mortal, left alone here… Will she be afraid? Perhaps even resent me?

To her surprise, Shen Qixi said, “Thank you, Elder Huaying.”  

“You’ve told me so much, and I’ve remembered it all.” The girl stood beneath a tree, dappled shadows dancing across her face. Her aura was pure, the faint glow of spiritual energy around her making her seem like a dust-covered pearl.  

Elder Huaying moved her fan aside, the corners of her lips curling into a bewitching smile. “You won’t be in any life-threatening danger.”  

With that, Elder Huaying of Wuyue Sect bid Shen Qixi farewell.  

Moments later, Huaying thought to herself, As expected, my charms had no effect on her…

Then the changes in the Fusheng Scroll Secret Realm won’t influence her either.

Elder Huaying had no intention of searching for Wuyue Sect’s disciples. Wuyue Sect prioritized individual gain—survival of the fittest. Its disciples were long accustomed to such trials. And Huaying herself, ever fond of spectacles, was hardly the type to selflessly rush to anyone’s aid.  

She rendezvoused with the black-robed figure and soon donned a concealing cloak herself.  

“Your replicated illusion was far too meddlesome—it even hindered my actions,” the mysterious figure complained.  

Elder Huaying smiled faintly. “This is only the beginning of His Excellency’s resurrection. Caution is paramount.”  

The figure grunted in acknowledgment before pressing, “Was the Bewitching Demon Factor implanted into the Immortal Venerable’s wife?”  

The Immortal Venerable’s wife bore Rong Xueci’s protective seals, which was why Huaying had deliberately approached Shen Qixi to plant it.  

The Bewitching Demon Factor was a unique spell derived from the blood of the Bewitching Demon—a beast sealed away centuries ago.  

The very “His Excellency” they spoke of.  

The factor could silently birth and nurture a cultivator’s inner demons, untraceable by ordinary means. Eventually, the demonic aspect would overwrite the original self, leading them swiftly down the path of demonic cultivation.

This was the Bewitching Demon’s method of expanding its followers.  

“No.” Elder Huaying shook her head.  

“What do you mean, no?”  

“The Bewitching Demon Factor has no effect on her. She’s unaffected.”  

“What?! How is that possible?”  

Huaying sighed. “Perhaps because the Immortal Venerable’s wife is a mortal.”  

The cloaked figure stomped their foot in frustration. “The Immortal Venerable’s wife is the one who can influence him the most. To overturn the cultivation world, we must implant the factor into that mortal!”  

“If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. Getting worked up won’t change that.” Huaying sighed languidly.  

The figure let out a displeased grunt.  

Before they could argue further, Huaying interjected, “The Bewitching Demon Factor we pre-planted in the Fusheng Scroll Secret Realm will eventually seep into every cultivator here. Our mission is already complete. If we linger any longer, the righteous factions’ reinforcements will arrive.”  

“It’s time to withdraw.”  

“…Fine.”  

The two figures vanished on the spot.  

…

Elsewhere, Zhao Ruorui encountered a dense mist. When it cleared, he saw Shen Qixi waiting beneath a large tree.  

“Protective barrier?” Zhao Ruorui examined it.  

“Left by Elder Huaying,” Shen Qixi summarized briefly.  

“Whatever. At least Elder Huaying protected Shiniang. That’s good.” Zhao Ruorui said.  

Shen Qixi gave him a strange look.  

Zhao Ruorui had always regarded her with hostility—why would he suddenly be relieved she was unharmed?  

Had she misjudged him?  

As a disciple of Beichen Sect, he should prioritize righteousness.  

“Shiniang, I need to find the other Beichen Sect disciples. Will you come with me?” Zhao Ruorui asked.  

After a moment’s thought, Shen Qixi agreed.  

There was no telling how long Elder Huaying’s barrier would last. If it faded, she’d be in danger. And if she encountered someone else next, the risk was unpredictable.  

Though Zhao Ruorui clearly disliked her, he didn’t seem intent on killing her—at least not now.  

It was safer to regroup with the other Beichen Sect disciples alongside him.  

“As the leader, I have a compass that tracks the others’ locations.” Zhao Ruorui summoned a magical tool. “Shiniang, follow me.”  

Along the way, Zhao Ruorui shielded Shen Qixi, pushing her behind him whenever they encountered demonic beasts.  

Shen Qixi observed his actions closely, thinking she might try to improve their relationship.  

If Rong Xueci’s disciple could accept her, perhaps her bond with Rong Xueci would grow stronger too.  

Lately, Rong Xueci had been spending less and less time with her.  

When they first married, they often acted as husband and wife should.  

But as time passed, their intimacy dwindled—until now, there was none at all.  

Their relationship wasn’t bad, but it had become overly polite.  

She didn’t understand why Rong Xueci had chosen her.  

But she had always loved him, hoping their relationship could change—to break through the ice between them.  

“I have some magical artifacts here.” Shen Qixi spoke up, channeling spiritual energy to retrieve something useful from her storage ring.  

But Zhao Ruorui was too fast—in the blink of an eye, he had already slain all the beasts.  

A little extra help wouldn’t hurt, though.

Shen Qixi rummaged for a suitable gift for Rong Xueci’s disciple.  

As his shiniang, she ought to give him a welcoming present.  

Zhao Ruorui barely listened. Once the last beast fell, he glanced at her, mistaking her use of spiritual energy for nervousness.  

“There’s no need to worry. I’ll protect you.”  

“Because Shizun still has a use for you.”  

Shen Qixi’s fingers stilled on her storage ring.  

His words made her sound like a tool.  

It left a bad taste in her mouth.  

“What?” Shen Qixi frowned.  

Zhao Ruorui looked at her with something close to pity.  

“You really don’t know?”  

“Shizun plans to use you to kill his wife and prove his Dao.”