Chapter 34: You Truly Betrayed the Demon Venerable! And I Still…

“I’ve already yielded once. Why are you cultivators still trying to steal my Yi’er from me?!” Lady Mengying’s eyes burned red as she glared furiously at Jin Shuang in midair, gripping her rose vines tightly to prevent Pei Tianyi from being pulled away.

Jin Shuang was drenched in sweat, channeling all his spiritual energy into controlling the Immortal Binding Lock to resist the force of Lady Mengying’s vines and avoid losing control.

With the Immortal Binding Lock and rose vines stretched taut at either end, Pei Tianyi hung in the center like a tug-of-war prize, his face a picture of utter despair.

Both sides were locked in a stalemate for the moment.

Neither willing to let go.

Gu Changhuai looked up at Pei Tianyi dangling in midair, at a loss for words.

…No.

While you’re fighting over him, could someone please consider the young master’s well-being? He looked like he was about to snap.

He glanced around and noticed that only Jin Shuang had arrived from outside the barrier. Gu Changhuai quietly asked him, “Where’s Rong Ye? Where is he? How could he not come for something this big?”

Jin Shuang had no idea and simply replied, “The Immortal Venerable left after helping the Enforcement Hall brothers dispel the Dream-Making Flowers yesterday and hasn’t returned.”

Gu Changhuai: “?”

What a reversal!

The righteous Immortal Venerable goes AFK, leaving two undercover agents to handle the rescue?!

Gu Changhuai: “You’re doing all the work, and you won’t even complain about him?”

Jin Shuang faltered for a moment. He hadn’t expected Gu Changhuai to say something so irrelevant amid the tension. After a long pause, he muttered, “Uh… we’re under someone else’s roof here.”

The Immortal Venerable’s whereabouts and actions were his own business—something Jin Shuang couldn’t question, and even if he did, he might not get an answer.

Besides, this trip was meant as training, so they had to handle everything themselves. The Immortal Venerable wouldn’t appear unless it was a dire emergency; he was probably watching from somewhere and wouldn’t abandon them.

As they spoke, the standoff between the two sides inside and outside the barrier continued.

A streak of light shot in from the horizon. A sword decisively sliced through Lady Mengying’s rose vines. Her grip loosened, and as she lost control of Pei Tianyi, her expression changed. She tried to summon more vines, but the Enforcement Elder suddenly blocked her path and severed two more.

In that brief instant, Jin Shuang had already yanked Pei Tianyi outside the barrier.

Lady Mengying’s eyes nearly popped out in rage. She screamed, “Yi’er!” Her voice cracked. “I’m your mother! Yi’er! Look back at your mom!”

Having been dangled in midair during the tug-of-war for so long, Pei Tianyi was dizzy and nauseous, barely holding back from vomiting.

He had no attention to spare for the shouts from below the barrier. He just gulped down fresh air and cursed at Jin Shuang, “Were you trying to strangle me so you could inherit my Tongtian Instrument?!”

He’d thought he was done for!

“It wasn’t just me pulling,” Jin Shuang retorted. His refined face twisted in disgust, wearing an expression of ‘I don’t want to save you but I have to.’ “And I’d like to hear a thank you.”

Their eyes met, and they both snorted coldly before turning away, neither willing to acknowledge the other.

Gu Changhuai thought to himself that it was best if they didn’t talk—they were like oil and water. A few more words, and they’d probably start fighting like last time…

Meanwhile.

Inside the barrier, at Zhuangzi Manor.

Blocked by the Enforcement Elder and unable to reach Pei Tianyi, Lady Mengying turned all her hatred and fury toward him.

Her rose thorns surged with demonic energy, countless vines swirling around her like a swarm of blooming flying serpents. She unleashed them wildly at the Enforcement Elder and roared, “It’s all your fault! Why do you insist on taking Yi’er away from me? Why?!”

The Enforcement Elder looked at her with sorrow. He only used his sword to sever the thorns that sought his life, blocking them with spiritual energy without harming Lady Mengying in the slightest. “Yingniang, don’t compound your mistakes!”

Seeing Jin Shuang about to fly off with Pei Tianyi on his sword, Lady Mengying let out a beastly wail, her demonic energy growing even thicker.

But she was entangled in combat with the Enforcement Elder and couldn’t break free, let alone attend to the departing pair.

At that moment, the sound of a golden bell rang out from nearby. Pei Tianyi’s body stiffened, unable to move. The formation and chains hidden within him suddenly manifested, his eyes rolling as he lost the ability to speak.

Gu Changhuai’s gaze sharpened. He turned toward the source of the bell. With all this commotion, Xue Lao Er couldn’t possibly be unaware—he was coming.

Sure enough, a streak of light sped toward them, the bell’s chime accompanying it. It arrived before Jin Shuang in an instant and erupted with a burst of power.

The golden bell exuded a sinister, chilling aura that forced Jin Shuang to halt. He couldn’t block the explosive shockwave in time and was flung back into the barrier, sword and all.

He barely had time to curse before grabbing the immobilized Pei Tianyi and landing steadily on a rooftop.

As he prepared to summon his sword again, a figure burst from the demonic mist and blocked their path.

Xue Lao Er’s eyes beneath his mask were icy cold. He reached out to recall the golden bell, shook it once more, and the chains emerging from Pei Tianyi solidified further. Perhaps because the seal on his demon vein connected to his core, the more solid they became, the more pain he felt—Pei Tianyi’s face twisted with barely contained agony.

Seeing this, the Enforcement Elder leaped forward, but this time Lady Mengying blocked him. She shouted at Xue Lao Er, “Quick! Break the seal!”

“Attack his left shoulder, three inches above the dantian,” Gu Changhuai sent a voice transmission to Jin Shuang, pointing out the weakness. “Then seize the golden bell in his hand.”

Jin Shuang received the message and immediately charged at Xue Lao Er with his sword. Though his cultivation was inferior, knowing Xue Lao Er’s weakness allowed him to hold his own in a fierce clash.

Gu Changhuai leaned against a pillar, glancing now at the Enforcement Elder and Lady Mengying entangled in the courtyard, then at Xue Lao Er on the rooftop as he manipulated the emerging seal while fending off Jin Shuang’s attacks.

Hm.

This was interesting.

The best fights were the ones others fought.

Xue Lao Er dodged Jin Shuang’s thrust at his left shoulder, repelled him with a wave of his hand, and spared a glance at Gu Changhuai. His voice was grim: “Gu Sanbai, did you truly betray the Demon Venerable?! Why aren’t you acting?!”

“…” Gu Changhuai denied it threefold: “I didn’t, I haven’t. Don’t spread lies—you’ll get sued for defamation!” He lifted his chin slightly, declaring righteously and resonantly: “I’m a neutral judge!” Whoever sneaks an attack gets judged!

Infuriated by Gu Changhuai’s words, Xue Lao Er sneered coldly, “…We’ll settle accounts properly after this is over!” He then turned back and unleashed his full wrath on Jin Shuang.

Instantly, Jin Shuang fell back on the defensive, his face stern as he guarded against Xue Lao Er while protecting Pei Tianyi from opportunistic strikes.

The still-immobilized Pei Tianyi: “…”

He shot pleading glances at the only idle person present—Gu Changhuai. Meanwhile, Gu Changhuai casually fed a piece of fruit to Han Ya perched on his shoulder.

Han Ya, borrowing his prestige, preened smugly and flapped its wings. “Well? Am I still ugly?”

He: “…”

He couldn’t speak at all!