Qingcheng University.
The midday sunlight streamed through the broad glass windows into the quiet library.
In a corner, a delicate-featured young man sat quietly behind a table, holding a book and reading with absolute concentration. Vast quantities of spiritual energy flowed into his body like an endless river, making his demonic body ever stronger.
The stooped, emaciated old man stood respectfully before him and said softly, "Master, both Bifang Bird and Gudiao contacted me just now."
"Both?" The young man paused slightly as he turned a page.
"Bifang Bird sent me a message first, saying she had found Heavenly Dog and located the Hidden Dragon Pearl. But a powerful cultivator was searching for her, so she would need some time before she could return," the stooped, emaciated old man said.
The young man showed no delight. He merely asked calmly, "What about Gudiao?"
The young man said nothing more. He simply closed his eyes slightly and used his demonic consciousness to sense the power he had left inside Bifang Bird from afar.
After a while, his eyes snapped open. "Indeed, it has been cut off again," he said coldly. "It is undoubtedly the Nine Heavens Divine Restriction. It seems Bifang Bird's message was false."
The old man asked in confusion, "But there is one thing I don't understand. The code phrase Bifang Bird sent was correct. Even if the cultivators took her phone, she could never have told them the code phrase. How could they have known it?"
"Do you still not understand?"
The young man said indifferently, "Naturally, Bifang Bird sent that message herself. She has betrayed me."
"How... how is that possible?" the old man blurted out. "How could an Outer Demon side with cultivators? If cultivators kill her, she can at least return to 'Its' embrace. But