Chapter 99: Desperate Situation

Ling Qingyue had never, from beginning to end, been able to do anything about her. But for some unknown reason, this time, the pink Afterimage had subconsciously taken a step back. She herself was naught but a devilish consciousness disrupting the mind, not even knowing if she truly existed. Yet in that brief moment just now, she had been filled with an overwhelming sense of fear.

“If you have nothing else, do not disturb me again. Your wanton behavior must also come to an end…”

“Then, Shizun, your disciple will take her leave~”

That pink figure still wore an expression of arrogance, but by this time, she had already dissipated. For some reason, an intuition had suddenly risen in her heart: she would truly be eliminated.

Ling Qingyue looked at the Spirit Mirror before her, at Meng Li’s flustered expression, at the unfamiliar woman lying before her. Ling Qingyue had long since seen through her true form. She had originally planned to destroy the Soul Refining Sect that forged the Soul Gathering Banner, to keep her by her own side of her own will. Perhaps then everything would be different.

“Devil Puppet… did you encounter a great fortune, or is this all within your calculations too…”

Ling Qingyue lightly flicked a fingertip, condensing a spiritual sword as thin as a toothpick. A cold gleam flashed from its tip, and it flew directly into the Spirit Mirror. Faced with the Evil Self’s suggestion to counterattack, Meng Li only wanted to safely and quickly establish the contract.

“You! Are you even listening to me? How can I have such a cowardly true body~”

“Stop daydreaming! Qi Refining against Golden Core—no matter what you try, you can’t be her match!”

“That’s why I say we should give it a try. What if we succeed~”

“How many times when I played the game, I’d fought a boss down to half health, only to die because of a ‘what if’…”

Meng Li was completely unable to muster any thought of resistance. After all, she still vividly remembered the other’s bombardment just now, as if possessed by heavy firepower. Although she didn’t know why this Devil Puppet had taken on a human-like form, its own terrifying self-repair ability meant it couldn’t be completely destroyed even if cleaved in two at the waist. Yet, despite that, Ye Qinglian had battered it to the point where it currently showed zero reaction. If she herself resisted, it would just mean two more dirt mounds in the vegetable patch.

“Fine, then do as you like. You can’t bear to run, and you don’t dare to fight. No wonder you still shiver like a dried-out fish when you see Shizun~”

Sensing the aura drawing ever closer, the Evil Self simply gave up, leaning against a nearby tree. Inside, the Evil Self was scheming whether to just sell out the true body directly, so she could find her own path. After all, the other wouldn’t kill her.

Just as the Evil Self was feeling pleased with her perfect idea, a wisp of blue light flashed before her eyes. The Evil Self immediately jolted to alertness. However, before she could react, that deadly blue light had already pierced into the body of the woman lying on the ground.

“What was that just now?!”

Meng Li was also startled by the sudden strangeness. Yet, looking around, she saw no one else. Meng Li feared Ye Qinglian had already arrived. Looking at the maiden on the ground, her heart was filled with unwillingness.

“Damnation! The treasure is right before my eyes, but I can’t refine it…!”

Meng Li also sensed the perception drawing closer and closer. She raised her head to look behind her. The faintly radiating, powerful spiritual energy field was continuously approaching. Meng Li lowered her head, planning to make one last struggle. But when she looked down again, there was no longer any human figure before her.

“You want to refine me…”

Hearing the voice, Meng Li abruptly lifted her head. She saw only the black-haired woman standing upon a tree branch, her eyes coldly staring at her. Seeing this scene, the Evil Self also revealed a mocking expression.

“Desiring safety yet still coveting the rare treasure; in the end, you’ll grasp neither~”

【One Qi Transforms into the Three Pure Ones • Dispel】

The Evil Self slowly straightened her body. As the clear breeze blew past, she completely vanished from the surroundings. Meng Li hadn’t expected that the other could directly return into her own body. Looking at the maiden on the tree branch, she didn’t know what explanation to offer for a moment.

“I… I said, what happened just now was all a misunderstanding… can that work…”

“Wanting to refine me… This at least is clear, meaning you saw through me. It truly makes one curious… how did you see through me…”

Zui Huayu’s long black hair was tied in a ponytail, swaying with the breeze. Her pale ink-colored eyes betrayed no emotion, but at this very moment, they were filled with killing intent. Seeing this scene, Meng Li couldn’t help but give a self-deprecating smile.

“I thought I’d found an advantage. I didn’t expect it to be so troublesome. Clearly, just moments ago things were fine… how did you suddenly wake up…”

The maiden who called herself Zui Huayu had dense Spiritual Energy swirling around her body. Blood-colored patterns faintly appeared on her forehead. Though she currently had many questions she wanted to ask, at this moment, the maiden also sensed that all-too-familiar Spiritual Power.

“It seems I’ve finally stumbled upon something interesting, such as… another Junior Sister~”

Hearing the bell-like voice, before the figure even appeared, a leisurely melody drifted over. Meng Li spun her head around sharply, but found no one behind her. When she turned back again, she was instantly restrained in place.

“How strange. You were clearly right beside me just now… when did you run off here~”

A pale blue figure had arrived before Meng Li in almost the blink of an eye. Ye Qinglian levitated the box behind her with Spiritual Power. Sensing the strange connection with the box, Meng Li’s heart immediately panicked.

“Could it be that you’re speechless at the sight of your Senior Sister? But, consider this an early preview. This is exactly the state you’ll be in shortly~”

As the box was opened, Meng Li’s eyes instantly widened. She stared at the Good Self, who looked identical to herself. Her hands were currently restrained inside the box, the door open, her clothes torn to shreds. Her eyes were blindfolded, her mouth unable to make a sound. Her entire body was traced with an alluring shade of pink.

“You…”

“How is it? Isn’t it rather interesting~”

Ye Qinglian gently snapped her fingers. The sound instantly traveled into the box. Good Self, blindfolded, felt an intense, strange sensation surge from below, traveling upward. The sudden stimulation caused her body to shudder violently once more, and colorless Spiritual Power instantly splashed from the box.

“My box here is quite spacious. How about I put the two of you in it together~”

Ye Qinglian reached out to grab Meng Li before her. Just as she was about to be controlled like a little white rabbit, in the very next instant, a figure shot out from within Meng Li’s body, snatching the box behind her in one swift motion.

“Everyone else gets to enjoy themselves… why, pray tell, am I the one left out~”

The Evil Self, who had just been saying she didn’t care about Meng Li, after embracing the box roughly her own size, set it aside. Seeing this scene, Ye Qinglian couldn’t help but slowly narrow her eyes, a trace of blue light flickering through the slits.

“There’s another one…”

“My dear true body… what are you considering now~”

Facing Zui Huayu standing on the tree branch and Ye Qinglian appearing before her, Meng Li—who had always been ignored by others—looked at the confident Evil Self before her at this moment. Hesitation finally appeared in her eyes.

“Enough of this! Senior Sister~! Your disciple here has been yearning for your jade-like body for a very long time now!”

Hearing those shocking words coming from behind her, Ye Qinglian couldn’t help but turn her head toward Meng Li’s location. The Evil Self’s originally casual expression also froze at her true body’s words, her eyes widening, becoming excited.

“You want to play? Fine! I’ll play with you!”

Meng Li reached out her hand and fiercely stabbed toward her own heart. Immediately after, the space within her body slowly began to compress. A crimson light started flashing incessantly within the illusory aperture. In that single instant, Ye Qinglian’s eyes snapped wide open as she looked at the Junior Sister behind her.

【Spirit Law: Illusion】

“Trying an Illusion Technique! Too late!”

Seeing this scene, the Evil Self also understood Meng Li’s inner plan. She kicked apart the nearby wooden box with one foot, grabbed the already unconscious Good Self nearby, her eyes shifting. After grabbing her, she began to operate her technique.

“True Body! I’ll assist you!”

【One Qi Transforms into the Three Pure Ones • Return】

A scarlet light appeared in Meng Li’s hand. Immediately following, a Spiritual Power that did not belong to her suddenly swelled. Ye Qinglian also felt a hint of something amiss. Her usually timid Junior Sister was now like a completely different person.

“I’ll fight you all! Great Void Bell!”

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