Xu Mu spread out his perception, ready to take advantage of the chaos to send Fang Chu to the heavens.
In this pitch-black world where one couldn't see their own hand, his perception was a lethal weapon.
He swept through the area carefully until, inside one of the buildings, he found Fang Chu and Zhao Gang—
and the scene between them looked uncannily intimate, like the "love" between two dogs.
The one on the receiving end was Fang Chu.
Through perception, Xu Mu could clearly make out Fang Chu's humiliated, furious face… and strangely, there was even a trace of shame.
Had he… started to get used to it?
Fang Chu was now moaning rhythmically.
But since everyone's voices sounded the same in this formation, no one could even tell male from female.
Xu Mu gripped his black longsword and charged toward the building.
Just as he reached the doorway, a ghostly figure shrouded in blue qi appeared in the distance, glowing bright enough to illuminate a few meters around him.
Xu Mu's expression hardened, and he dashed into the building.
The Grandmaster-realm cultivator followed right after—and the instant he stepped inside, he froze at what he saw.
"Liang Yi!"
The Grandmaster blurted it out; anyone with eyes would instinctively assume the tangled pair before him were a man and a woman.
"It's me! Help! Help me!"
Fang Chu screamed desperately.
The Grandmaster instantly struck at Xu Mu.
Boom!
A massive blue palm print materialized in front of Xu Mu, nearly as tall as he was.
Hum—
Xu Mu activated Starshift, letting the palm smash into him.
The moment it touched his body, it vanished—
and the next second, that same enormous palm print reappeared, slamming down toward Fang Chu.
"What!?"
The Grandmaster stared in disbelief.
He instantly flashed in front of Fang Chu and struck again.
[Fate Points – 50]
Boom!
The blast tore through the air, and the whole building exploded into rubble.
Xu Mu was thrown out with the debris, but he steadied himself midair with Cloud Step, landing lightly on the ground.
He opened his storage space, drew out his Desert Eagle, and fired an entire clip at Fang Chu.
Bang bang bang bang…
The Grandmaster waved his hand, releasing blue qi that formed a barrier and blocked every bullet.
"Courting death! You dare harm my disciple—I'll take your life!"
Swish!
The Grandmaster charged straight at Xu Mu.
"Damn it!"
Xu Mu turned and ran.
As expected of the protagonist—of course a Grandmaster would take him as a disciple. What absurd luck!
Meanwhile, Fang Chu was still… enduring his "impact."
After running a while, Xu Mu realized the Grandmaster hadn't followed.
He shook his head—perhaps that man wasn't fated to die yet.
He expanded his perception again. Time to find more bracelets—each night brought casualties.
If he found just one more and met up with Miao He, they could finally leave this cursed place.
While searching, he suddenly sensed something—Liang Yi.
She was curled up in a corner of a building, struggling in self-salvation.
Xu Mu blinked. As expected of the Immortal Research Institute—she knows how to counter Spring Night Grass.
If he himself were affected, he'd have done the same; once the drug took hold, the mind lost reason, craving only primal release.
While still lucid, one had to "resolve it" fast, or die trying.
Liang Yi, however, had waited too long—her arms and fingers had gone stiff, beyond control.
"Sigh… when will I stop having this meddling habit of helping others?"
Xu Mu walked inside.
At the sound, Liang Yi froze, even holding her breath.
But the more she tried to resist, the worse it became—the unbearable itch crawled over her skin like countless ants.
She couldn't hold back a small moan.
Xu Mu crouched before her. He could now see her face clearly, feel the heat of her breath.
Likewise, Liang Yi saw the ghost-like face of Xu Mu.
He first removed the formation bracelet from her wrist.
"Kill… me."
Her hoarse voice trembled.
"Why should I kill you?"
Xu Mu had been debating whether to end her life—but her words made him pause.
"I… deserve to die."
She collapsed completely, strength drained, eyes closing.
Through perception, he could see the tears sliding down her cheeks.
"What's wrong with you?"
Xu Mu frowned slightly, but she stayed silent, eyes shut tight.
He sighed softly. In the end, he decided—his "Judo Club" would gain another member.
"What are you doing!?"
Liang Yi suddenly roared.
"Relax. I'm a woman," Xu Mu said calmly. "And I'm a doctor. When I approached, I could already smell the Spring Night Grass on you."
That made her relax a little. She still had doubts, but if this person were really a man, he'd have already pounced on her—not offered help.
So she had no choice but to believe.
At least she was grateful that, in this formation, everyone's faces looked the same. He couldn't see her current expression.
After several long minutes, Liang Yi rolled her eyes back—
and just then, daylight returned.
Night in this place only lasted about ten minutes.
When Liang Yi finally looked at Xu Mu before her, her mind went blank.
Her brain refused to command her body—her thoughts froze entirely.
A storm of emotions flooded her: anger, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, panic…
"Xu Mu!"
After a long while, she screamed, tears spilling down.
"I'll kill you!"
"Xiao Yi," Xu Mu said, standing up and taking a few steps back, "you've tried to kill me again and again, yet I've spared you every time. Don't you want to know why?"
"Because… you look just like my childhood sweetheart."
Liang Yi froze on the spot.
"But her parents said she was kidnapped when she was little," Xu Mu went on.
He had his reasons for saying so. Most Immortal Research Institute members were trained from childhood—
and those children had to come from somewhere.
Likely through illegal means. The earlier storyline had hinted as much.
"Then how do you even know my name? My master gave it to me."
"One of your subordinates once showed off in front of me. After I taught him a lesson, he mentioned your name and position."
Xu Mu patted his chest.
"I'm from the great Righteous Demon Sect—knowing about the Immortal Research Institute isn't strange, is it?"
Liang Yi's face turned cold again. She stood, pulled up her robe, and strode away.
"But I'm not your childhood sweetheart!"
"I think you are," Xu Mu said, glancing back. "Because on your left thigh, there's a birthmark shaped like red peach-blossom petals."
"Shameless!"
Liang Yi's face flushed crimson as she turned to glare at him.