Two blade auras surged forth. One slash severed the black threads coiling toward Lu Liangting, while the other shot straight for the female ghost’s head. In almost the blink of an eye, the ghost’s outstretched arm was sent flying into the air. The blood threads sprouting from the severed limb were instantly blown apart by the erupting Blood Lotus.
From the main gate, Bai Yu, controlling Zhao Mingyue’s body, strode inside.
Her attire was unchanged, and the silver mask still adorned her face. It wasn’t to conceal her identity; that secret was long exposed, and there was no point in self-deception. The moment Lu Liangting’s call came through, anyone who didn’t know her identity learned of it then.
She simply weighed the pros and cons and decided this approach had more benefits than drawbacks.
The main reason Zhao Mingyue was targeted was precisely because of her identity. Everyone knew the Female Lead was the greatest lure for the Male Lead, and it was standard practice for the male and female leads to end up together. Killing Zhao Mingyue was equivalent to eliminating a powerful competitor.
But once this group learned of her and Zhao Mingyue’s identities, they would likely curb their ambitions and avoid making unnecessary attempts. As long as Zhao Mingyue posed no threat to their goals, no one would try to kill her, because there would be no benefit in it.
In other words, if someone took out Zhao Mingyue and lost their own mission target, they would have to turn their attention to retaliating against everyone else. At that point, no one would be able to complete their quests.
Bai Yu’s entrance completely drew the female ghost’s attention.
Compared to Lu Liangting, Zhao Mingyue’s body was clearly the far more tempting prize.
The few game participants withdrew their attacks, retreating one after another to stand beside Lu Liangting, yielding the battlefield to these two powerhouses.
Watching Bai Yu, long saber in hand, showing absolutely no fear of the creature, no one found it unfair. Different identities warranted different treatment; there was nothing to argue about there.
“Be careful, this thing can fly and spit White Mist for long-range attacks. Getting within two meters of it will get your blood drained!” Shen Shuyun called out a warning. As soon as she finished speaking, she grabbed Lu Liangting’s hand. “Stop watching. We’re leaving.”
But before her hand could even touch Lu Liangting’s, a dagger stabbed over first. She deflected it with a flick of her wrist.
“Shadow, not killing you before remains one of my regrets.”
“Oh?” Shadow sheathed her dagger. “You want to rectify that regret? Do you have the strength?”
“Tch. I will kill you, but not now. I’m offering more resources here, so I get him first. No objections to that, right?” Shen Shuyun withdrew her hand. From her pocket, she produced a necklace and casually tossed it toward Bai Yu. The Angel Wing Necklace traced a graceful arc through the air before being steadily caught by Bai Yu.
Having done all this, Shen Shuyun let out a cold laugh, grabbed the hesitant Lu Liangting, and turned to leave.
A joke? She had already handed over the goods. Did they think she would take a loss?
With Bai Yu pinning down the female ghost, the ghost was so suppressed by Bai Yu’s aura that it dared not lose focus. Shen Shuyun stuck close to the wall, openly pulling Lu Liangting to the corner. She glanced back and spoke: “Doctor, including myself, everyone here now owes you one favor. We all agreed on this. If anyone goes back on it, just take them out directly.”
“Stop staring. Staying here is just waiting for death. You can’t do anything. Be careful not to get caught in the crossfire.”
She rapped Lu Liangting on the head. Shen Shuyun’s strength was surprisingly immense as she half-dragged, half-hauled him away.
After Shen Shuyun left, the remaining three departed without a word, merely giving a slight nod to Bai Yu as they passed her, acknowledging their shared understanding. They truly hadn’t anticipated things developing in this manner.
Once the courtyard fell completely silent, Bai Yu made her move.
This ghost posed a threat to her, but not a significant one. Compared to the potential gains, the risk was well worth it.
Ten minutes later, amidst scattered, exploding blood threads, the female ghost—half its head cleaved away, everything below the waist obliterated, throat pierced, and a gaping hole blasted through its chest—flew into the sky and vanished.
Bai Yu didn’t care where the creature fled. Killing it wasn’t the main objective; her quest was merely to provide rescue support.
“Have you seen enough?”
Dispelling her blade of blood threads, Bai Yu spoke calmly.
“Not at all. In comparison, your combat style is truly an art. Not a single wasted stroke, every detail handled with absolute perfection. I think this is probably the biggest reason you’ve surpassed us all.”
On the rooftop, the petite figure of the Dragon Girl appeared.
She sat on the edge of the eaves, hands cupping her cheeks, her little feet swinging back and forth.
“You know, I’ve observed you the most out of everyone.”
The Dragon Girl’s eyes curved, her smile adorable. “I like watching you kill. Of course, what I like even more is being the one fighting you to the death.”
“It’s quite a contradiction, you know.”
“On one hand, I love admiring your combat form so much. On the other, I detest seeing you fight anyone other than me.”
“Ah, forget it. Let’s not talk about that. Why must you go to the Rear Mountain Ancestral Hall?”
Bai Yu tilted her head up, gazing at the little girl perched on the eaves. Her voice was even. “Quest.”
“Ah, a quest. You’re always so sparing with words. Didn’t you want to cooperate with me? I agree. But before that, you must do one thing for me, and that is…”
“Do not set one step inside that place!”
“Especially, do not bring the person you’re possessing. Truly. If a living person goes in, they will die.”
Bai Yu looked away from her, lowering her head to examine the necklace Shen Shuyun had thrown to her. “You are also one of my quests.”
“Me?” The Dragon Girl pointed a slender finger at her own face, tilting her head.
“Yes.”
“If you absolutely insist on going, it’s not entirely impossible. Didn’t you say you wanted to cooperate? How about this: you leave the girl you’re possessing behind and possess me instead. Just imagine—my body, paired with your strength.”
Saying this, the Dragon Girl stood up. She clasped her hands at her chest, like a maiden in prayer. “When that happens, those Evil Gods will be like ants you can casually crush!”
“Ah~ just thinking about it is so thrilling. I can hardly wait to merge with you~”
Just as she finished this coy, flirtatious pose, her expression instantly returned to normal. “The prerequisite is that you must come by yourself. I don’t want to see a third party.”
“You say I’m your quest. Fine. In five months, I’ll be waiting for you at the Rear Mountain Ancestral Hall. I hope you understand my meaning.”
As the Dragon Girl finished speaking, Bai Yu’s quest details shifted.
[Quest: Dragon Scale]
[Quest requirements have changed]
[Please arrive at Eternal Life Village (Rear) to meet the Dragon Girl in five months]
The Dragon Girl departed. Bai Yu’s gaze became thoughtful, and she too left the large courtyard.
With that, the quest was officially over. By the time she and Zhao Mingyue followed the small path back to the concrete road leading to the city, it was already 11:30 PM.
Throughout the journey, Bai Yu remained silent, mostly pondering the necklace Shen Shuyun had given her.
Walking ahead, Zhao Mingyue was sulking. She had decided to give Bai Yu the silent treatment for an entire hour!
As they walked, Bai Yu’s voice sounded from behind.
“Mingyue.”
“Huh?”
A huffy Zhao Mingyue turned her head instinctively, just in time to see Bai Yu step forward and personally fasten the exquisitely crafted Angel Wing Necklace around her neck. After securing it for her, Bai Yu stood no more than thirty centimeters away.
“Wear it. It suits you very well.”
Zhao Mingyue froze. She felt a sudden sting in her nose, and tears nearly spilled out of control.
She knew full well that Bai Yu had gotten injured while fighting that female ghost for this necklace.
Bai Yu clearly hadn’t needed to go. She hadn’t agreed to the previous conditions, but the moment she heard about this necklace, she agreed without a second thought.
“Bai Yu, thank you…”
“Don’t thank me. I’m afraid you’ll die.”
“Damn it! I just finally worked up my emotions!” Zhao Mingyue’s composure shattered instantly at Bai Yu’s words.
