Chapter 88: Chapter 88: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (23)
Trial Secret Realm.

In the dense jungle, a figure swiftly streaked by.

Several figures were chasing after him, they sped up to intercept the man.

“Demon Head, surrender!”

Li Tang turned around, blood was smeared on his face, his usually pitch-black pupils were now emitting a strange red light.

Demonic Qi rampaged over his body, making his whole appearance somewhat sinister.

Li Tang raised his hand, wiping the blood from his face, and then, under the wary eyes of the people opposite him, he suddenly pounced towards them.

Li Tang took down those few people, he discarded the sword he had snatched, and clutching his chest, he staggered back a few steps.

The intertwining red light in his eyes grew increasingly piercing.

“Li Tang.”

“Li Tang…”

Li Tang looked at the woman who suddenly appeared before him, her flirtatious smile clinging to him as she pressed against his chest.

“Li Tang, I’ve missed you so much,” the woman leaned against his neck, her arms wrapped around him, whispering in his ear, “Do you miss me?”

Li Tang abruptly reached out and grabbed her throat.

The woman’s flowery face lost its color, her eyes brimming with tears, “Li Tang, you’re hurting me.”

With a surge of red light in his eyes, Li Tang twisted his hand forcefully, and the illusion vanished before him.

“She would not laugh like that.”

And she would not act like that towards him.

Li Tang quickly left the place, finding a secluded spot to lean against a rock wall and catch his breath.

Not long after entering the Secret Realm, Li Tang realized that it was prepared for him; all the information he’d obtained earlier was to lure him in.

Ziyun Sect knew he was from the Demon Clan, they knew who his father was, they knew what he was investigating… They planned to kill him here.

The Illusion Realm of the Secret Realm magnified his innermost thoughts inexorably, even giving rise to a Heart Demon.

A Demon Clansman birthing a Heart Demon… he would either soar to the highest echelons of the Demon Clan or fall under the control of the Heart Demon, becoming a mere puppet.

Li Tang feared losing his sanity; he resisted his own yearning for her.

Yet in his heart, a voice kept echoing, tempting him to fall into the abyss.

—You yearn for her, don’t lie to yourself, you want to possess her.

—With just a single thought, you can have her, she belongs to you, yours, she’s yours!

Li Tang clutched his wrist, covered in bloodstains, all made by his own scratching.

“Ah——”

–

Ziyun Sect’s main peak hall.

Chuzheng listened to several Elders and the Sect Master speaking with disinterest, joining the conversation occasionally.

“By the way, there’s something I’d like to ask Miss Chu.” Suddenly, an Elder spoke.

Chuzheng’s fingers were tapping on a wine glass, and upon hearing this, her cold gaze swept over.

The Elder continued, “Do you perhaps know Song Li?”

“Who?”

“Song Li.”

“I don’t know them.” She hadn’t even heard of them.

“Are you quite certain you don’t know?” The Elder’s tone grew slightly heavier, with a touch of doubt and interrogation.

Chuzheng flicked her fingertip, and the wine glass slid across the table, fell to the floor, and smashed to pieces.

Sudden silence fell within the hall.

Chuzheng pulled back her hand, resting it in front of her, her fingers habitually tapping on her wrist.

“Speak plainly if you’ve got something to say.” Don’t beat around the bush!

The girl opposite her had an expressionless face, yet those present could feel the faint murderous aura emanating from her.

The Sect Master caught on and intervened, “Miss Chu, we were just asking if you knew Song Li, nothing more.”

“Who is Song Li?” I’m owed a ‘Song’ too.

The Sect Master and a few Elders exchanged glances, Chuzheng appeared truly not to recognize Song Li.

The questioning Elder stood up and apologized, “If Miss Chu does not recognize him, then let it be, please prepare a new wine glass for Miss Chu.”

The last sentence was directed towards disciples standing nearby.

The new cup was quickly brought over, and the disciple filled it with wine for Chuzheng.

Chuzheng didn’t touch the cup again, and neither the Elder nor the Sect Master pressed her, changing the topic instead.

Boom——

A tremendous noise echoed through the heavens; the ground trembled, and everyone inside the hall looked outside.

“What has happened?” An Elder stood up and inquired.

A disciple came running from the outside: “Reporting to the Sect Master and the Elders, there’s trouble in the Secret Realm. A large amount of Demonic Qi has appeared at the entrance, and the entrance itself has been destroyed.”

The faces of the Sect Master and several Elders all changed at this news.

The Sect Master gave an Elder a meaningful look, and the doors of the hall were suddenly shut.

“Miss Chuzheng, please wait here for a moment.”

“Are you detaining me?” Chuzheng’s voice was calm, showing no sign of irritation.

However, it was precisely this attitude that gave the Sect Master an uneasy premonition.

“Miss Chuzheng, Demonic Qi has appeared in the Trial Secret Realm, surely indicating the presence of the Demon Clan. You are an honored guest of our Sect, and it is our duty to protect you.”

The Sect Master’s words sounded grand.

“What if I don’t?”

Without speaking, the Sect Master’s face darkened slightly, but another Elder picked up the conversation: “Miss Chuzheng, you won’t be leaving this hall today.”

Chuzheng rested her hands on the small table in front of her, slowly stood up, and said, “Is that so?”

No wonder they had called her here; they were plotting against Li Tang.

But…

Li Tang was only Half-Human Half-Demon; why were they dealing with him? Shouldn’t they be dealing with her? Did these people have brains?

“How come she’s not affected?” Seeing Chuzheng stand up steadily, an Elder leaned towards the Sect Master and whispered.

The Sect Master was also perplexed, “That shouldn’t be.”

The effects of the drug should have taken hold long ago.

“Your poison has no effect on me,” Chuzheng explained, looking at them.

A flicker of alarm crossed the Sect Master’s mind; being so directly exposed was not a good look for him.

After all, such underhanded tactics were ill-befitting of a reputable Sect.

“Miss Chuzheng, Li Tang is from the Demon Clan, do you understand that? We know you are close to him, and we’ve had to act this way out of necessity, fearing that you might once again be deceived and used by him. Once we’ve disposed of Li Tang, this demon, we shall make amends with you,” declared the Elder self-righteously.

“Hmm,” they should have dealt with me first, the officially certified member of the Demon Clan. Why bother with someone not even registered? What are these people thinking?

“Miss Chuzheng, you must surely understand the gravity of the situation,” the Elder continued.

I do not.

“He infiltrated the Ziyun Sect, undoubtedly with an agenda, and we will not allow him to succeed. It must be very upsetting for you to have been deceived by Li Tang.”

Not in the slightest.

“We will certainly capture this demon!”

What use is arresting my Good Person Card for!

“He’s coming!”

“Stop him quickly!”

The noise outside the hall suddenly escalated, and the Sect Master, together with some Elders, were caught off guard. They paid no more heed to Chuzheng and, forming hand seals, they left the hall in a flash.

Only a few disciples remained in the hall.

[Miss, hurry, hurry, help!]

Are you going to die? I’ll set off fireworks for you.

[…It’s not me!] The King’s Account cried out frantically; there was no way it would go down that easily! [It’s Li Tang! Your Good Person Card!]

Chuzheng: “…” Another rescue? I’m detained right now, I can barely save myself, so how can I save him? He should save himself!

[…]

Chuzheng glanced at the remaining disciples; she walked toward the hall doors.

“Miss Chuzheng, you cannot leave!” the disciple barred her way.

Chuzheng waved her sleeve, and the disciple was knocked back by an invisible force, as were the other disciples who attempted to approach.

The entire hall was under the effect of some sort of formation, and Chuzheng couldn’t open the hall doors.

If heaven wants to destroy him, don’t blame me.