At that man's command, the crowd surged toward the cave entrance like a tidal wave.
The refugees inside wanted to get out, while the monks outside wanted to come in to help; inside, vicious evil spirits were chasing them, while outside, a strange fog shrouded the area.
Chaos and despair, like the inextinguishable flames of hell, scorched the soles of everyone's feet and hearts.
Knowing that he could no longer stay here, You Su grabbed Ji Lingruo's hand and blended into the crowd, preparing to leave.
The crowd made it difficult for them to move, You Su simply picked up Ji Lingruo around the waist, pressed her tightly against his body, and used his Ruyi Wind-Controlling Technique to move through the sea of people.
"You Su."
In his haste to escape You Su suddenly heard someone calling his name, but everything around him was too chaotic, and even holding his breath, he couldn't find the source of the sound. He simply ignored it and continued rushing towards the cave entrance.
"You Su."
The voice rang out again, making You Su extremely irritated. He recalled carefully and realized that it was Wu Cheng's voice!
In a daze, in You Su's Sea of Consciousness, a person's figure became clearer and clearer amidst the ever-flowing crowd. He stood motionless in place, You Su also stopped and looked in his direction.
Seeing that You Su had finally noticed him, Wu Cheng smiled at You Su from afar, his smile unrestrained and confident, as if he had spotted prey that couldn't escape.
You Su couldn't see the other person's eyes, but he felt a chill. Without lingering, he turned and ran.
Wu Cheng relentlessly pursued him, and the two engaged in a fierce chase across the crowd.
You Su's Movement Method was exceptional, and he quickly reached the cave entrance first. The bustling crowd was scrambling to squeeze through, completely blocking the cave entrance.
"Senior brother, what should we do?"
Ji Lingruo in her arms was also somewhat anxious. She had guessed that "Mistress" was likely the instigator of all this, and if she were caught by it, the consequences would be unimaginable.
You Su didn't answer her, but only hugged her tighter. At that moment, a person who was halfway out of the cave lost his balance and fell, knocking down a group of people who came after him. You Su didn't have time to save people. He judged the opportunity and leaped up, soaring out of the cave.
In a sense, blind refugees are no different from zombies. They are selfishly trying to survive and have no pity for the strangers who are trampled underfoot in the crowd. They trample on their bodies and fill the hole again.
A large number of people had already gathered Auspicious Cave, while anxious cultivators were trying to maintain order. Many more cultivators chose to take a detour and enter the Auspicious Cave to help through a small path reserved for emergencies.
You Su buried his head and blended into the crowd, his heart still unsettled. What worried him was not Wu Cheng, but the Dream-Eating Ghost was hiding somewhere and manipulating things.
Several more people struggled to squeeze out of the hole. Like drowning people breathing fresh air, they greedily tried to push themselves up and climb out completely, but suddenly it was as if a female ghost at the bottom of the water grabbed their ankles and pulled them down.
The cave entrance suddenly became empty, and a handsome young man gracefully leaped out, supporting himself with one hand on the ground.
"Senior Brother Wu, your... your leg is healed?" a cultivator asked tremblingly.
"He's mostly recovered." Wu Cheng paused for a moment, then patted the man's shoulder warmly, "I remember you were the one who found me with Sect Master Bai this morning. Thank you."
The cultivator was of lowly status, merely an Outer Disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect. Being thanked by the usually aloof Wu Cheng filled him with a sense of pride, and he couldn't help but say:
"Of course, Senior Brother Wu."
"Yes, I'll go report to Sect Master Bai."
After speaking, Wu Cheng glanced at the people around him. He licked his lips and looked at the open side door, about to step out, when he heard the cultivator mutter to himself:
"Fortunately, it was Senior Brother Wu Cheng who survived..."
The cultivator had barely finished speaking when he was surprised to find that Wu Cheng had turned back, placed his hands on his shoulders, and looked directly at him. The cultivator was clearly startled as well, and said:
"W-What's wrong, Senior Brother Wu?"
Looking at Wu Cheng's sinister smile, the cultivator thought, "How can someone with such a handsome appearance... smile so horribly?"
"I'm giving you a gift to express my gratitude."
Wu Cheng patted him on the shoulder as a reward, then rushed out through the side door and disappeared into the mist.
The cultivator stood frozen in place, not understanding what gift Wu Cheng was referring to, when he heard people around him screaming in alarm. The next second, a blood-red octopus extended tentacles from his seven orifices and sucked him dry.
"Senior brother, where should we hide?"
Ji Lingruo been set down and was walking hand in hand with You Su through the mist.
The surrounding area was a narrow alley, the outlines of low walls visible only through the fog. The two of them had slipped out of the City Lord's Mansion amidst the chaos and were now quite a distance away.
You Su suddenly stopped and was bumped into by Ji Lingruo was caught off guard.
"We won't hide." You Su helped Ji Lingruo her feet, his tone icy. "We're waiting to kill someone."
Ji Lingruo's beautiful eyes widened, and she quickly realized who You Su was referring to.
Just then, light footsteps sounded. Ji Lingruo quickly moved away from You Su and turned to look at the alleyway from which the footsteps came.
"Why did you stop running? You Su, I haven't had enough of chasing you yet."
Wu Cheng's tall figure gradually emerged from the mist, his face serene, like an old friend coming to exchange pleasantries.
"You're possessed." You Su shielded Ji Lingruo behind him, his Ink Pine Sword already drawn, gleaming softly in his hand.
"Aren't you the same?" Wu Cheng shrugged, as if wondering what was so surprising about it.
"Your brother will be ashamed of you." You Su lowered his body, his eyes as dark as ink.
Wu Cheng's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly. "What are you saying? I only have a younger brother, no older brother."
"Stop pretending, Wu Ping. The stench emanating from someone like you is easier to spot than any evil spirit."
Upon hearing this, Wu Cheng immediately pulled up his shirt and sniffed it intensely. He frowned slightly; how could he smell any foul odor?
Upon seeing his actions, You Su couldn't help but sneer, a laugh that made Wu Cheng turn cold, his hostility instantly revealed.
"You don't think the stench I'm talking about is just a simple stench, do you? Wu Ping, your ugliness can't be hidden no matter how good your appearance is."
Wu Cheng raised his head slightly, staring coldly at You Su: "Even my mother couldn't tell, how did you figure it out?"
"Your brother protected your master so well last night, how could he possibly abandon him like you and shamelessly crawl here?"
Wu Cheng laughed in extreme anger, and said in a light tone:
"Is it wrong to want to live? You all keep telling me, 'It's good that it's Wu Cheng who's alive,' as if everyone assumes I should have died out there. I never thought even my mother would feel the same way, so I sent her to see her only son."
You Su gripped the sword hilt tightly, unable to help but recall the first woman who had been drained dry by that evil spirit.
"Only I am grateful that it is you who are alive, Wu Ping! Because only by living can I take revenge on you beasts who only judge by appearances!"
"If that's really what you think, then why use your brother's body?"
Wu Cheng sneered, his face completely calm:
"What are you talking about? I ate his flesh, it grew on my body, how can it be considered his body?"