Had the world started correcting itself again?

"It's still not enough, nowhere near enough. How am I supposed to catch up to senior brother at this rate?"

Ye Ningshuang muttered to herself.

Then, holding her still-dripping sword, she turned her gaze once more toward the "people" in the distance who were preparing to flee!

But before she could act, He Xiuyuan moved even faster.

He Xiuyuan charged over in an instant and slaughtered everyone trying to escape.

And he still wasn't satisfied.

He Xiuyuan began competing with the inner disciples for targets.

His actions stunned the others from the Divine Firmament Sword Sect.

"Who is that? He's so fierce!"

Qiu Shiyi also looked toward He Xiuyuan, then felt rather pleased.

"As expected of a disciple of the Divine Firmament Sword Sect. That's exactly the drive we need!"

Ye Ningshuang grew anxious.

"Old He, leave some for me!"

Ye Ningshuang hurriedly raised her sword and joined the slaughter.

Those who couldn't escape had already been desperate enough.

Now, watching the people from the Divine Firmament Sword Sect compete to kill them, they sank even deeper into despair.

"Acting like this, are you sure you're a righteous sect?"

"You animals..."

Ye Ningshuang initially paused as well and looked toward Ying Huaixu.

When she saw Ying Huaixu furtively stabbing the corpses to make sure they were dead, she smiled.

"Save your breath. You know perfectly well why we're killing you!"

Then Ye Ningshuang resumed the slaughter.

Some tried to make a desperate last stand.

But all their fury amounted to was a brief flare of anger. Those with cultivation higher than Ye Ningshuang's were immediately cut down by the other inner disciples of the Divine Firmament Sword Sect, while the remaining small fry were left to her.

He Xiuyuan was killing just as quickly.

His cultivation also successfully advanced to the second level of Meridian Opening.

"Wait, I've killed people before, but I never felt this kind of improvement!"

He Xiuyuan suddenly scratched his head.

He recalled how he had been stuck at the ninth level of Body Tempering, unable to break through. Yet it seemed he had only reached the first level of Meridian Opening after staying by Ying Huaixu's side.

And now, Ying Huaixu had been the one who forced him to go kill enemies.

Could all of this have something to do with Ying Huaixu?

If that were true, wasn't Ying Huaixu a little too terrifying?

He Xiuyuan buried the matter deep in his heart. He would take this discovery to his grave.

Above all, it was simply too shocking.

If others learned that Ying Huaixu possessed this strange ability, he would certainly be in danger.

The only thing He Xiuyuan wasn't sure of now was whether Ye Ningshuang's rapid improvement also had something to do with Ying Huaixu.

While He Xiuyuan stood lost in thought, he suddenly heard a cry for help.

"Disciple of the Divine Firmament Sword Sect, please save me!"

He Xiuyuan froze for a moment.

Then he saw a disciple of the Thousand Mechanisms Sect fleeing frantically while carrying a fat man.

"That's the city lord, and someone from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect!"

The old He Xiuyuan would certainly have saved him.

After all, the lord of Falling Radiance City had a fairly good reputation and wasn't known as some wicked villain.

Aside from being a little too fond of flattery, he hadn't actually done anything bad.

And now, it looked as though he was being held against his will by someone from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect.

But when He Xiuyuan recalled the intelligence stating that the city lord had worked with the Thousand Mechanisms Sect to set up the Blood Sacrifice Array, even planning to sacrifice everyone in the city, he decided this wasn't a good man.

So not only did He Xiuyuan refuse to save him, he even shouted up into the sky.

"Senior brothers, the ringleader is over there!"

At that shout, all the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples in the sky turned toward the city lord.

Cold sweat instantly broke out over the city lord.

Wait, what was going on?

I'm not a bad person, and I'm being held against my will right now!

Wasn't the Divine Firmament Sword Sect supposed to never kill an innocent person?

What was happening?

But the only answer he received was the Divine Firmament Sword Sect's flying swords.

The city lord could no longer keep up his act.

He directly controlled the man from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect, forcing him in front as a shield, while he transformed into a streak of blood-red shadow and plunged beneath Falling Radiance City.

Almost instantly, he merged into the ground and vanished without a trace.

As for the man from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect, the flying swords blasted him to pieces.

But the people from the Divine Firmament Sword Sect weren't worried about anyone escaping.

They had sealed off all of Falling Radiance City, both above and below ground. The city lord had no way out.

Aboard the Flying Boat-

Qiu Shiyi, who had been calmly drinking tea, could no longer sense the city lord's aura and couldn't help rising to his feet.

"Hmm? He does have some skill. Even my spiritual sense can't find him with that concealment technique!"

Meanwhile, Ying Huaixu looked utterly baffled.

They couldn't see him.

But on Ying Huaixu's map, there was a red area.

That red area marked the location of Falling Radiance City's lord.

The crucial problem was that Ye Ningshuang was right there.

Holy shit, had the world started correcting itself again?

Without a second thought, Ying Huaixu hurriedly ran toward Ye Ningshuang.

Seeing Ying Huaixu run toward Ye Ningshuang, He Xiuyuan hurried over as well.

Although he didn't know what had happened, one look at Ying Huaixu's serious expression told He Xiuyuan something was wrong!

Sure enough, the instant all three reached the spot, they felt space twist around them.

Then all three were transported straight into an unfamiliar place.

It looked like a great hall built entirely underground.

But the hall was covered in blood and filth, with corpses strewn everywhere.

In the distance, a huge, bloody maw had opened on the city lord's belly.

The city lord kept stuffing corpses into the enormous mouth on his belly.

As his belly swallowed one corpse after another, traces of pleasure began to appear on the city lord's face.

Looking at Ying Huaixu and the other two, the city lord didn't attack immediately. Instead, he spoke to himself.

"Those fools from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect were far too careless. But I'm different. Whatever I do, I always like to leave myself a way out, and I prepare enough resources for myself too!"

"I've always thought that saying made sense: better to rely on yourself than on others!"

Ying Huaixu's thoughts were in disarray.

It had changed. Everything had changed.

In the game, the city lord had been possessed.

But now, this city lord showed no sign of being possessed at all.

Still, the outcome seemed to be the same.

The city lord's gaze locked firmly onto Ye Ningshuang.

"I have a feeling that once I devour you, I won't have to fear Qiu Shiyi at all. I'll survive this disaster!"

"As for you two insects, you're in the way!"

With that, two blood-red beams instantly shot from the city lord's eyes, striking straight at Ying Huaixu and He Xiuyuan.

Both men were sent flying backward.

Of course, Ying Huaixu was faking it.

Yes, that's it!

Amid the smoke, Ying Huaixu even found a stone to use as a pillow and lay flat on the ground!

Although He Xiuyuan hadn't passed out immediately, he was down on one knee, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Ying Huaixu nearly lost his composure.

Old He, it was fine to stay down when you were at the ninth level of Body Tempering, but you're at the second level of Meridian Opening now. How the fuck are you still this pathetic?

Don't tell me you still can't escape your fate of dying!

As for Ye Ningshuang, the sight of Ying Huaixu lying motionless on the ground instantly sent her into a rage.

"I'll kill you!"

With that, Ye Ningshuang charged straight at the city lord, her sword aimed directly between his eyebrows...