But something strange happened again.
Although the Nightmare Demon had moved swiftly enough, he knew that nothing he did could possibly escape Dao Lord Qing Ci's discerning eyes. The instant he sent A Meng's soul into Su Jiu's body, his entire body tensed as he waited for Dao Lord Qing Ci to lash out.
Yet who would have thought that Dao Lord Qing Ci, who should have flown into a rage, would merely cast him a casual glance before looking away?
If he had seen correctly, that gaze had even held a hint of mockery.
The Nightmare Demon hoped he was overthinking things, but the unease in his heart slowly began to swell.
Meanwhile, Chu Luohen and the others left the courtyard.
The moment they stepped through its gates, they were greeted by this bizarre scene.
The Buddha Child had coughed up blood and lost consciousness. Dao Lord Qing Ci leaned against the trunk of a withered tree, watching coldly from the sidelines, while the Nightmare Demon stood guard beside Su Jiu, traces of anxiety occasionally flickering in his eyes.
Seeing Chu Luohen and the others appear, the Nightmare Demon instinctively moved to stand in front of Su Jiu.
Yun Huanling, Ning Fan, and the others had yet to realize what had happened, but Chu Luohen's expression changed first. He sensed that Su Jiu's aura had changed. It was no longer pure, as though something else had been added to it. Moreover, her aura was growing unstable, wavering between strong and weak. Those fluctuations were clearly abnormal.
Looking at Su Jiu in this state, Chu Luohen first frowned. Coupled with the Nightmare Demon's expression just now, it stirred a faint, ominous premonition in his heart.
"What have you done to A Jiu?!"
Killing intent surged around Chu Luohen, and even