"Tsk, you really do talk too much."
Everyone backed away, leaving the stage to Ning Xiang.
Ning Xiang summoned the Azure Sea Sword and slashed sideways with several elegant sword moves. The trunk, charred black by the raging flames, instantly split apart.
"Look, everyone! What's that?"
Everyone looked toward the voice. Countless dark red blood vessels densely lined the Demon Tree's trunk, all connected to a heart that was still thumping away. Black demonic qi wreathed the heart.
"Could that be the Great Demon's heart?"
"So you guessed it? As long as I have this Undying Heart, I'll soon cultivate a tree body again! And then I'll be even stronger than before!"
"I see..." Ning Xiang nodded as though enlightened. "Looks like I can't let you come back to life."
The Tree Demon raged, "Did you even hear what I was saying?"
"I heard you. You don't have to shout," Ning Xiang said with a beaming smile. "Any last words? You won't get another chance in a moment."
The Tree Demon nearly passed out from anger.
"Langhua, it's your time to shine."
The Langhua Sword radiated a light as pure as moonlight. Then Su Lang thrust it into the beating heart.
White light flashed. Everyone's eyes stung, and they raised their hands to shield them.
Everything fell still. Aside from the blackened ashes on the ground, it was as though none of it had ever happened.
"Whew, we dodged a disaster." Wen Maimai breathed a sigh of relief.
Before she could relax for long, however, the ground began shaking even more violently. Unable to keep their footing, everyone swayed and stumbled.
The earth beneath their feet suddenly caved in. Everyone used the Wind-Riding Art and flew several yards away.
A Demon Vines shot out from underground and wound around Ning Xiang's ankle. Its slimy touch made her deeply uncomfortable.
Su Lang raised the Langhua Sword, sending a slash of sword light toward the Demon Vines.
Yet the Demon Vines seemed to have eyes, dodging behind Ning Xiang.
Ning Xiang immediately launched a verbal barrage at Su Lang. "Eldest senior brother, is that all you've got? I suggest you hurry up and run for your life."
Everyone thought, Senior sister Ning, isn't that a little heartless?
Ning Xiang maintained a lovely pose. Even if a demon creature abducted her, she couldn't let her image fall apart!
She thought, [Hahaha, how could eldest senior brother possibly let me get hurt? Relax, relax. All these people combined aren't as dependable as him alone.]
Su Lang gave Ning Xiang a long look. "Junior sister, I won't betray your trust."
Ning Xiang thought, What the heck? I've humiliated him like this, and he can still keep his composure? Did I not go hard enough?
Yu Tingchao looked at Su Lang sourly. What's so great about eldest senior brother? Why does senior sister trust him so much?
"Didn't you hear what I said? Go! Even if I die, even if I jump down from here, I, Ning Xiang, will never let you save me! You..."
Before Ning Xiang could finish, the Demon Vines yanked her ankle and dragged her entire body down.
Boohoo, villains really do die from talking too much.
Without a moment's hesitation, Su Lang jumped down after her.
Wen Maimai wiped away a tear. "How touching. Senior brother Su followed Xiangxiang to die for love."
Bai Yueguang and Zhou Ruoxue nodded in agreement.
Yu Tingchao fell silent.
Only Feng Xiaohan retained a shred of calm. "Without senior sister Ning and senior brother Su, won't it be hard for us to get out of the Maze Forest?"
"Oh, right." Wen Maimai came to her senses and reached toward the abyss, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Xiangxiang, don't leave me behind-"
"Drip..."
The sound of dripping water reached her ears.
Ning Xiang looked at the graceful, jade-like man beneath her.
As everyone knew, China wasn't under Newton's jurisdiction. Thus, the instant they fell into the abyss, Su Lang had pulled her tightly into his arms and protected her throughout their descent.
Ning Xiang propped herself up.
[Isn't eldest senior brother supposed to loathe me? Why did he save me? I know. He must have done it out of regard for our bond as fellow disciples.]
Ning Xiang reached out to check Su Lang's heartbeat. Her hand had barely touched his chest when he caught it.
Su Lang opened his eyes, his gaze as gentle as ever.
"Are you feeling unwell anywhere?" Ning Xiang withdrew her hand. The skin his palm had touched felt inexplicably warm.
Su Lang shook his head, stood up, and took out the Jade Glow Pearl to illuminate their surroundings.
The underground space was vast, as though it had been hollowed out, with countless narrow paths extending in every direction.
Ning Xiang looked up but couldn't see a single glimmer of light.
"Let's head up first." Holding Ning Xiang's arm, Su Lang stepped onto the Langhua Sword. Just as he was about to fly up on it, a man's faint voice reached them.
"Are you... senior brothers from the Profound Heaven Sect?"
The two exchanged a glance and walked toward the voice.
They found a disheveled but reasonably good-looking male cultivator lying on the ground. His cultivation was around the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and his entire body was covered in blood.
Su Lang asked, "Who are you?"
The man panted. "I'm a disciple of the Pill Sect. I followed my martial uncle to Thousand Calamities Valley to gain experience, but... but three Demon Beasts ambushed our group. Several cultivators in our group were eaten by them. I was the only one who fell into a hole in the ground, and that was how I managed to escape."
Ning Xiang and Su Lang exchanged a look.
"Let's get out first."
When the three reappeared aboveground, Wen Maimai let out a cry and ran over to hug Ning Xiang, bouncing up and down.
Seeing the extra person, Bai Yueguang nearly jumped. "You've gone too far! How could you secretly recruit a new member behind our backs?"
Ning Xiang snapped, "Shut up!"
The male cultivator from the Pill Sect looked frantic. "Fellow Daoists, please come with me to save them! If we're too late, they'll all be eaten by the Demon Beasts."
Ning Xiang drawled, "From your description, those must be extremely powerful Great Demons. Wouldn't we just be going to our deaths?"
The Pill Cultivator said indignantly, "Could it be that you cling to life and fear death, senior sister, and don't dare save them? Or is everyone in the Profound Heaven Sect as timid as a mouse, just like you?"
Ning Xiang nodded. "That's right."
The Pill Cultivator froze for a moment. Clearly, Ning Xiang's reply had left him at a loss for what to say next.
He looked at Su Lang. "I've long heard that senior brother Su is as upright as a clear breeze beneath a bright moon, with justice in his heart. Surely you wouldn't stand by and do nothing?"
Ning Xiang nodded on Su Lang's behalf. "He would."
Now the Pill Cultivator was completely speechless.
His face turned deathly pale, and he struggled to his feet. "In that case, I'll go back alone. No matter what, I would never abandon my teammates!"
The Pill Cultivator radiated righteousness.
Deeply moved, Ning Xiang said, "By all means."
She truly showed not the slightest intention of accompanying him.
The Pill Cultivator was so angry he nearly spat blood. How could such a shameless female cultivator exist?
"Forget it. I was going to go through the motions and come along with you, but I'm so hungry now that I don't want to waste the effort. Whatever tricks you have, bring them out."
Before you continue