The Demoness

After the deaths of Lu Ping and Ma Qiquan, Li San and Hu Jiu no longer dared to casually sell Fang Huai off, so they had no choice but to temporarily keep him under wraps.

With the danger of being sold gone, Fang Huai threw himself into studying the Little Corpse Meteor Insect.

Ever since this little guy appeared, the mother insect had stopped moving, as if dead.

The little one would occasionally burrow out from Fang Huai's skin, seek out poisonous things to feed on by itself, and after finishing its meal, crawl back into Fang Huai's body.

What amazed Fang Huai was that the little guy seemed to understand his commands.

With the Little Corpse Meteor Insect around, Fang Huai's days were no longer boring.

Directing the Little Corpse Meteor Insect to burrow here and probe there, even sneaking into Li San and Hu Jiu's room to steal food, he whiled away the dull days.

Others tamed people or beasts; he, Fang Huai, tamed insects.

A life with food and drink seemed not so bad, but he still missed his old acquaintances.

Was Zhang Zhu still that simple-minded fool? Would Shen Yuan still fall for others' schemes over petty gains? Had Liu Xiange broken through to the First Layer of Qi Refining?

And as for himself—if he ever managed to escape, would the sect still acknowledge him as an Outer Disciple who had never reported in?

Just as his thoughts were wandering, the hall's doors swung wide open. Li San and Hu Jiu, flattering obsequiously, ushered in a heroic-looking female cultivator.

Her face was cold, and Sha Qi seeped from her body. The moment she entered, the temperature in the hall dropped several degrees.

One hand held a sword, while the other dragged a woman who was like a corpse behind her. She spoke in a low voice:

"This woman is my personal Human Puppet. I am leaving her here in your care. You must look after her well, and there must be no mishaps."

Li San and Hu Jiu hurriedly agreed: "Rest assured, Senior Sister Jiang."

Fang Huai frowned deeply, his gaze fixed on the information above the woman's head.

[Jiang Jing] [Qi Refining Perfection Realm] [Bloodthirsty (Red)] [Corpse Sha Possession (Red)] [Bloodthirsty (Red): Even if you don't provoke her, she will rack her brains to take your life.] [Corpse Sha Possession (Red): Her entire body has been thoroughly soaked in dense Corpse Sha aura.]

Jiang Jing's gaze was piercing, her killing intent overwhelming. The oppressive pressure she exuded was even fiercer than the Foundation Establishment Realm centipede demon beast he had encountered last time.

After giving a few more instructions to the two men, Jiang Jing turned and left.

Li San and Hu Jiu's stomachs were already churning. Once Jiang Jing's figure completely disappeared beyond the hall's doors, they forced down their nausea and tied the woman Jiang Jing had dropped off to a bronze pillar. Immediately after, they broke into a heart-wrenching fit of dry heaving.

Li San leaned against the bronze pillar, doing his best to avoid looking at the woman: "What exactly did Senior Sister Jiang do to this Human Puppet? To ruin her into this state!"

In their eyes, the woman before them was rotting and decayed. Apart from her face, the rest of her body no longer resembled anything human.

To prevent the Sha Qi and toxins emanating from the woman from contaminating the other Human Puppets, Hu Jiu produced a yellow talisman and stuck it to the bronze pillar, then said:

"Which of the sect leader's lineage has a sound mind? I reckon this Human Puppet is just her outlet for venting.

Don't say too much or ask too many questions. Whatever Jiang Jing says, we do it. Don't make her unhappy, or she'll kick our heads around like balls."

After that, the two left.

Fang Huai frowned deeply. In his vision, the woman showed no abnormality at all.

Her shoulders were as if carved, her waist as if bound by a ribbon of silk. Her skin was white and lustrous like jade, as though fine mutton-fat jade had been steeped in moonlight—not a trace of decay.

Just as he was puzzled, another Human Puppet turned its head to look at the woman and immediately let out a wailing howl, shouting that it wanted to gouge out its own eyes.

In their eyes, the woman was still a rotting, stinking monster.

Doubt rose in Fang Huai's heart. Why was the monster in everyone else's eyes a beautiful young maiden in his own?

[Jiang Miao] [Sixth Layer of Qi Refining] [Sha Qi Infusion (White)] [Sha Spirit Root (Red)]

Sixth Layer of Qi Refining?

With such cultivation and the same surname as Jiang Jing, Fang Huai couldn't help but speculate.

The Hundred Sha Technique contained many Sha Arts, one of which was called Bewildering Sha. Cultivatable at Qi Refining, once mastered, it could use Sha Qi to induce hallucinations in surrounding living beings.

It seemed Jiang Miao had used this method to fool Li San and Hu Jiu.

As for why he himself was unaffected by this Bewildering Sha, it was probably thanks to the Corpse Meteor Insect.

The Corpse Meteor Insect had [Poison-Devouring Sha-Suppressing], and since Bewildering Sha relied on Sha Qi to cast its technique, it could be neutralized by the insect.

Still, Fang Huai was a bit puzzled. With Jiang Miao's cultivation being so high, why would she pretend to be a Human Puppet and come here to suffer?

Just as he was staring intently, the woman slowly woke up, a look of terror on her face, her body trembling from fear.

And as she moved, her outer robe slipped off one shoulder, revealing the inner garment beneath. Her alluring curves were suddenly laid bare.

Fang Huai had grown used to the deformed women in the Human Puppet Room. Now, suddenly confronted with such a delicate, lively figure, he was caught somewhat off guard.

But now was not the time to study her—it was time to stay alive. Once Jiang Miao realized he had seen through the Bewildering Sha, she would surely rise up and kill him on the spot.

The thought flashed through his mind. Fang Huai immediately shut his eyes tight, deliberately slowing his breathing, pretending to pay Jiang Miao no heed.

Just as Fang Huai closed his eyes, Jiang Miao spoke up on her own: "Little brother, I know you're awake. I'm so scared—keep me company and talk to me."

Not caring whether Fang Huai responded or not, she continued: "My name is Jiang Miao. I'm a pitiful soul..."

A gambling father, a sick mother, a brother off to take the imperial exams, and herself sold off to the demon sect.

If Fang Huai hadn't heard far too many similar stories in his past life, he might have been unable to hold back his tears.

As she spoke, Jiang Miao wept like a pear blossom drenched in rain: "That Jiang Jing is an animal. She tortured me like livestock, turned me into this."

Not a single word a woman said could be trusted.

Fang Huai's gaze swept Jiang Miao from head to toe. There wasn't a trace of torture marks, not even a single wound.

"Little brother, what are you looking at?"

Jiang Miao's eyes flickered. She was very confident in her Sha Arts, but the look in Fang Huai's eyes seemed to carry some deeper meaning. So she silently recited a spell, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile.

Fang Huai was suddenly struck by drowsiness. In his haze, he heard someone calling out to him.

"Senior Brother, wake up."

His vision blurred. It seemed he had returned to his quarters in Servant Valley, lying comfortably on his bed—except his chest felt tight, as if someone was pressing down on him.

He looked up. A woman lay draped over him, her features hazy, her index finger tracing along his lips.

Fang Huai was somewhat entranced. He stared at her, his gaze dazed.

"Senior Brother, has your Dao heart been flowing smoothly lately?"

Though he couldn't make out her face clearly, the only one who would say that to him was likely Liu Xiange.

Fang Huai was about to answer when he heard the woman's voice suddenly shift: "Little brother, take a good look—who am I?"

His vision gradually cleared. The woman before him was actually Jiang Miao!

Jiang Miao laughed wildly. Her face split open, her mouth tearing all the way to her ears, countless fleshy tendrils reaching out from deep within her throat:

"Fang Huai, you really can see through me. I'm going to kill you!"

"Witch!"

Fang Huai roared, his eyes snapping open. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Fortunately, it was just a dream.

"Giggle, giggle~" A few delicate laughs rang out.

He looked up and saw Jiang Miao flashing him a sweet smile: "What kind of dream was little brother having? Laughing one moment, frowning the next—could it be you dreamed of a sweet young lady?"

Fang Huai's heart jolted. In his line of sight, the Human Puppet Hall was thick with blood energy.

Everyone inside—including him—had their lifeblood continuously drawn out of their bodies, flowing endlessly into Jiang Miao.