"Alright," Luo Mingyue finally said, "If we stay in the courtyard any longer, it might arouse suspicion. Let's all return to our rooms. No one should mention what happened tonight again."
Everyone agreed and quickly dispersed.
However, the members of Ruthless Peak clearly split into two groups.
Sui Jin and Luo Mingyue walked together, while Liu Juncheng quietly comforted Li Shuang about something, and Jiang Yi silently followed.
Ye Zhaozhao looked at the situation and couldn't help but show a hint of triumph.
Li Shuang, this is just the beginning!
I don't believe you can maintain zero negative emotions forever!
Once they were out of Ye Zhaozhao's sight.
Luo Mingyue let out a long sigh of relief, then her small face wrinkled in distress.
She wasn't someone who could act. When Xiao Shuang suddenly sent her a telepathic message, she could only try her best to cooperate.
She wondered how well she had acted this time...
The most annoying thing was.
For a while, she couldn't appear too close to Xiao Shuang to avoid Ye Zhaozhao noticing anything amiss.
Wasn't this making things difficult for her, Luo Mingyue?
Sui Jin glanced at Luo Mingyue and couldn't help but smile. He sent a telepathic message: "Senior Sister, you can leave the acting mainly to me. When you really don't know what to do, just stay silent."
Luo Mingyue quickly nodded.
The two exchanged a few telepathic words and then separated.
On the other side.
Liu Juncheng had also noticed something. He sent a telepathic message: "Senior Sister and Third Junior Brother..."
"Leaving Third Junior Brother aside, Senior Sister's acting has improved," Li Shuang replied with a smile.
Liu Juncheng smiled slightly.
Indeed.
He had wondered why Senior Sister's expression was so strange when she spoke.
And Sui Jin.
He seemed to be smooth and sophisticated, but he had a habitual gesture when he started to scheme: rubbing his palm with his thumb. He had made that gesture just now.
Jiang Yi looked at Liu Juncheng and Li Shuang with clear eyes.
Liu Juncheng couldn't help but pat her head: "Fourth Junior Sister, you don't need to worry about anything. Just do as you please."
Jiang Yi nodded.
She didn't ask anything, looking completely at ease.
Li Shuang tilted her head and glanced at Jiang Yi, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
Her Fourth Senior Sister usually seemed to have no presence, but at critical moments, she seemed to possess a power to see through people's hearts.
Even without saying anything, she felt that Jiang Yi probably understood in her heart.
The night quickly passed.
The next day.
As the first ray of morning sun appeared, Wu Yong gathered all the cultivators.
Wu Yong glanced at everyone, a hint of vigilance hidden in his eyes.
But his face showed no trace of it; instead, he wore a beaming smile.
"Lord Tong and the others have finished their business ahead of schedule. So, we don't have to wait three days; we can depart soon," Wu Yong's voice suddenly rose. "Once we reach the headquarters, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul! Everything you desire will be yours! Lord Tianzun will bestow everything upon us!"
Wu Yong spoke passionately. Some people's eyes became fervent, while others lowered their heads, their expressions growing more worried.
"Lord Tong is already waiting for us outside the city. Come, the path to heaven is beneath our feet!" Wu Yong waved his hand.
Whether willing or unwilling, everyone could only agree.
A massive flying boat was already parked outside the city.
Wu Yong led everyone onto the flying boat and then arranged for them to enter a cabin.
The cabin wasn't just for them; at a glance, hundreds of people had gathered there.
They were all sitting cross-legged, cultivating.
And Lord Tong, for some unknown reason, didn't even show his face. He seemed to have found a corner in the flying boat and completely hidden himself.
Li Shuang's eyes flickered.
This Copper Demon Guard... was quite cautious.
Last night.
Their formations were repeatedly broken in a short time, and the Copper Demon Guard realized they were being targeted by powerful enemies.
These demonic cultivators gathered for profit, and loyalty was not something they valued.
The Copper Demon Guard was clearly trying to shift the blame now. Even if he knew the person behind it was likely among these cultivators, to save his own life, he would rather pretend not to know and lead these people directly to the headquarters.
If Tianzun could resolve this trouble, then he would be innocent due to ignorance.
If Tianzun fell, he might even get credit for leading the way. Then, with some disguise, he could claim he was forced into the demonic path.
Li Shuang saw through the Copper Demon Guard's careful thoughts at a glance, but at this moment, there was naturally no need to expose him.
Let him hide if he wanted to.
As long as he could take them to the headquarters.
"Everyone, sit down and rest. Chengping Town is the last stop. In five or six days, we'll reach the headquarters," Wu Yong said.
Regardless of their thoughts, everyone obediently agreed and found a spot to sit cross-legged.
Ye Zhaozhao was eager to show her worth.
She had the system check the situation of everyone in the cabin, then secretly sent a telepathic message to Sui Jin: "Fellow Daoist Sui, there are a total of 352 people in this cabin, and 23 of them have already entered the demonic path."
These 23 people were the so-called "伥鬼" (chāng guǐ, or "ghosts of those devoured by tigers," referring to those who lure others to their doom).
They had long since joined the demonic path, but they disguised themselves as ordinary cultivators, using various pretexts to deceive other cultivators onto this path.
Sui Jin nodded: "Thank you for your trouble. Fellow Daoist Fang indeed has no connection with the demonic path."
Ye Zhaozhao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Of course. Eliminating demons and defending the righteous path is our duty."
Sui Jin praised her again.
Ye Zhaozhao couldn't help but smile slightly.
Leaving others aside, it seemed she had completely won over Sui Jin.
Didn't Sui Jin choose a sitting position closer to her, rather than Li Shuang?
This proved that Sui Jin was more willing to be close to her than to Li Shuang.
Next.
Once Sui Jin discovered that those she pointed out were indeed demonic cultivators, his trust in her would reach its peak.
By then.
She really didn't know what Li Shuang would have left to fight her with!
Still claiming to be Ye Zhaozhao?
Would anyone believe it?!
The flying boat sped through the high sky.
Li Shuang, like the others, sat cross-legged and cultivated.
She looked at these cultivators, a flicker of thought in her eyes.
She could tell.
At least half of these cultivators were unwilling, even fearful of this so-called headquarters.
But none of them showed any intention of resisting.
Wu Yong and the others must have used some means to control them.
Li Shuang was curious.
What means did they use?
After they joined, except for Third Senior Brother leaving his name on that yellow paper, no one else was coerced by any means.
Theoretically, if they wanted to leave, they could do so at any time.
Where did Wu Yong and the others get the confidence to believe that they would obediently obey?