The stone disc was engraved with a formation that continually gathered immortal energy to empower it. For those from immortal sects, all they had to do was turn the disc. It was a simple task.
But Mei Nü was a demoness. As she turned the disc, her hands were also being eroded by immortal power. It felt as if needles were stabbing into her hands, and she had to keep pushing them in even deeper.
The markings seemed to shift only a little, but for Mei Nü, each movement was agonizing. Before long, her beautiful hands were stained red with blood.
Watching from a distance, Gongye Jiwu's heart ached terribly. By now, he had forgotten all his earlier plans. All he could do was cry out in anguish,
"Bing Chang, stop! Don't keep going!"
Hearing her lover's desperate cry, Mei Nü gave him a bittersweet smile. Her lips trembled with pain, but she still smiled as she reassured him,
"Brother Lin, it doesn't hurt!"
"Wait for me. I'll be done soon!"
But how could it not hurt? The answer was plain from the bite mark she had absentmindedly left on her own lip.
The people of Hengyang Sect had noticed Mei Nü as soon as she appeared. They hadn't intervened only because of the plan they had devised, and had deliberately played along so that Mei Nü would think she had gone undetected.
The recording pearls set up inside Hengyang Sect had captured every step of Mei Nü's efforts to conceal herself with demonic energy, as well as the pain she endured. The scene was being broadcast live in a nearby hall.
The disciples knew it was all an act, so the mood was fairly relaxed. Still, watching what was happening, they couldn't help but feel their hearts tighten.