The Dream-Eating Ghost vanished without a trace in the empty alleyway in an instant, leaving He Shutong staring blankly at the spot where You Su had disappeared.
Wangshu Fairy only just woke up. The only visible pupils on her Rabbit Mask were bright and clear, yet a deep sense of bewilderment lurked within them.
Like a child who had made a big mistake, her tone wavered for the first time:
"Master, I..."
He Shutong also came to her senses. She glanced at the disciple who looked like Goddess and said with a comforting look in her eyes:
"This is not your fault. What you just saw was what the evil spirits wanted you to see. Silently recite the Spirit Purification and Unity Art that the First Elder taught you, and forget all of that."
Wangshu Fairy nodded and began to close her eyes and chant incantations. No one knew what she had seen in the Dream-Eating Ghost's eyes that made her so lost in thought, unable to even protect the injured You Su. All that could be seen was her pure white dress, stained with the blood left by You Su.
"What's wrong with Lotus Sword Venerable?" The disfigured man strolled confidently, his face serene. "Who is that young man? Why does he attract such attention from the Venerable?"
"What's it to you?" He Shutong's eyes were like a cold pool, his words like an iceberg, and a murderous intent surged from his body.
"Of course it concerns me." The disfigured man stopped. The distance was extremely delicate; few cultivators in the world would dare to approach a renowned peerless Sword Cultivator at this distance.
"I have long harbored a deep-seated hatred for Lotus Sword Venerable, so his affairs are naturally my affairs. After all, Evil Cultivator like me enjoys taking revenge on the relatives and friends of his enemies. Just like, that person..."
"I remember now, it's Yu, Jing, Zhen, Jun."
The image of True Lord Yujing He Shutong remained silent, responding only with her sword. In an instant, the sword's power surged, and a great battle between the pinnacle of cultivators was about to erupt.
Even the City Lord Liu, who had already reached the Feather Transformation Realm, couldn't see the battle ahead clearly. He could only sense the surging Mystic Qi in the space. The Void Realm was only one realm higher than the Transformation Realm, and the difference between them was like an insurmountable chasm.
He stood frozen in place, sensing the battle between the two rising higher and higher. He didn't even know if he should continue standing there waiting for his master who had come back from the dead.
A strong sense of resentment welled up within him like bamboo shoots after a spring rain; he could not allow his century-long plan to easily become a mantis stalking a cicada in the crow's mouth.
He disappeared into the dust and mist, the unwavering determination in his eyes seeming to pierce through the fog.
After a dizzying spin, You Su slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to find that he could see again, but everything around him was completely different from what he had imagined.
He had assumed that the depths of that strange vortex of flesh and blood would be a filthy and foul place, but the pure white and boundless space around him made it difficult for him to adapt at first. He felt that he and his junior sister were the only unclean things in the white space.
Ji Lingruo regained her human form. She weakly opened her eyes and looked around in terror, but the thread binding her body still held her in place.
"Junior sister..."
Using his hands to support himself, You Su crawled with difficulty toward Ji Lingruo. He had already taken the round jade given to him by his Mistress, otherwise he would not have been able to move at all.
"Senior brother!" Ji Lingruo hurriedly struggled to crawl towards You Su, looking at the disfigured You Su with a pained expression.
"You're so silly... Why did you have to come in too!" The girl's voice was choked with sobs.
Upon hearing this, You Su simply forced a wide grin and said, "Wherever Junior Sister goes, Senior Brother will go."
The girl could no longer hold back her tears, and two crystal drops fell.
Just as You Su was about to struggle to raise her hand to wipe away Ji Lingruo's tears, Ji Lingruo trembled, leaned back, and fell to the ground.
Then she began to convulse again, her expression contorted, and intense pain erupted from her. You Su had seen her in this state before, just like that night in the cave below the well.
This time it was clearly more intense than the last; the bulging fleshy lumps were larger and frantically tried to break through the girl's delicate skin.
The girl had just willingly accepted the power of the evil spirit, and now she had to pay the corresponding price. The Tai Sui began to completely take over her consciousness and body.
Ji Lingruo like an eel writhing on a chopping board, completely out of control. Tai Sui and Ji Lingruo's faces were intertwined again, constantly switching. But this time, unlike before, they were no longer evenly matched. Tai Sui's face occupied the screen for longer and longer, and the face of Ji Lingruo that was revealed became increasingly pained.
You Su watched Ji Lingruo's transformation with anxiety and heartache. The deep sorrow in his heart turned into tears of blood that flowed down his face.
"Senior brother..."
With her Ji Lingruo called out to You Su.
You Su quickly grasped her hand, which had turned into a sticky mass of flesh, and said, "I'm here! I'm here!"
"Senior brother... do you still remember... our promise?"
"I'm so holding on... it's so hard..."
"Senior brother... please help me find liberation..."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
This was the first time You Su had ever lost his composure like this, and it was also the first time he had spoken to Ji Lingruo in such an angry tone.
"You can definitely get through this! You can! Don't give up..."
Towards the end of her sentence, You Su seemed to doubt her own words, and her tone became increasingly hesitant.
He watched helplessly as Ji Lingruo's figure continued to change, her entire lower body transforming into a Tai Sui, and this trend was still spreading, with her waist skirt about to burst.
"Senior brother... help... me..."
The face of Ji Lingruo that flashed before her eyes showed no sign of distortion. She had calmly and acceptingly accepted everything, with two lines of clear tears hanging on either side of her cheeks.
Meanwhile, Tai Sui's face kept opening its mouthparts and roaring, the stench of hot air hitting You Su's You Su as if it wanted to devour him.
You Su felt himself enduring unbearable pain. He shook his head repeatedly and tremblingly drew the Ink Pine Sword. The dark silver blade was also stained white by the surrounding whiteness, like a holy sword that judges evil spirits.
Ji Lingruo saw the trembling, raised Ink Pine Sword, she finally revealed a poignant smile. The transformation of Tai Sui's body had already spread to his chest, and the only part that still resembled a human was his head, which had not yet completely succumbed to the transformation.
"Let's do it... Senior Brother..."
You Su wept bitterly, his eyes filled with immense sorrow. Ji Lingruo's face was still flickering, but for a very short time.
With a mere swing of his sword, You Su could easily sever the head of Tai Sui. Looking at the roaring Tai Sui, he hesitated no longer; his eyes suddenly hardened with unwavering resolve. Seizing the opportunity, he struck down with all his might.
And this was the perfect moment—the instant when Tai Sui's face disappeared and Ji Lingruo's face flickered!
Ji Lingruo stared in disbelief at the sword tip so close to her neck, at the same time, You Su's hysterical roar rang out:
"Give me back my real junior sister!"
Let me explain. Some readers' comments about the chapters weren't deleted by me, but rather the specific section where you raised a question was edited accordingly, and the comments naturally disappeared. For example, the description of the Mistress's thoughts at the end of the previous chapter was considered melodramatic by some, and I thought that was quite accurate, so I changed it. Anyway, thank you very much for your suggestions.