The matter is more or less settled.

At the gates of the Tianyan Sect.

After Chu Xingchen’s words fell, several streaks of rainbow light shot out from within the Tianyan Sect, surrounding Donggua and Wukong from all sides.

Wukong ignored Donggua’s hateful gaze and looked directly at Chu Xingchen, silently questioning what this new situation was about.

Chu Xingchen raised his hand, and in the next moment, Wan Ban flashed forward.

Wukong barely had time to react, only managing to turn his head to watch.

Wan Ban had already pierced straight through Donggua’s chest, blood soaking the thin layer of snow beneath her.

The sheer gap in their cultivation—two major realms—left Donggua with no chance to react. She only felt a sudden chill in her chest as her spiritual energy instantly scattered, no longer under her control.

With a dull thud, Donggua collapsed onto the snow.

"Since I’ve seen your sincerity, I’ll tentatively accept that you truly wish to abandon the darkness for the light," Chu Xingchen said, recalling Wan Ban and leaping to stand before Wukong. "I have no objections to the Buddhist sects fully submitting to you, but you’ll need to clarify where the remaining targets are."

Wukong stared at Chu Xingchen’s arrogant expression, took a slow breath, and replied, "Naturally. But the person I painstakingly brought to you—you just killed her like this?"

Chu Xingchen scoffed. "With annihilation imminent, small fry like her are useless. She was an eyesore. What, are you reluctant to part with her?"

Donggua’s face pressed against the blood-stained snow, her body utterly still, not even daring to breathe. She focused on preventing the gaping hole in her chest from healing.

Chu Xingchen’s sword should have pierced her divine soul, erasing her completely. Yet, within her sea of consciousness, a blooming Noble Flower had appeared out of nowhere, blocking the soul-severing strike.

Now, she merely had a hole in her chest—hardly fatal for a Nascent Soul cultivator. The real trouble was the lingering destructive energy left behind.

For an injury like this, calling it minor wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Donggua remained motionless, but her ears caught every word of their unguarded conversation.

Terror crept through her entire being.

This monk was indeed a true demon, but the demons of the Buddhist sects had betrayed their own.

Chu Xingchen had abandoned the Buddhist sects, while the demons within them had forsaken their fellow demons for the sake of the sects.

This was a transaction—a betrayal.

And she had been the first offering of sincerity… The next would undoubtedly be the other Heavenly Demons.

As Chu Xingchen and Wukong continued their discussion, Donggua memorized their words but stopped dwelling on them. Instead, she focused on finding a way to survive.

Chu Xingchen might believe her divine sense had been severed, but that didn’t mean her body would be left untouched.

This was the Tianyan Sect’s doorstep—not a place where suddenly reviving and making a run for it would work.

Her only hope now lay with the Noble Flower blooming in her sea of consciousness.

Guiding a wisp of her remaining divine sense, she gently reached out to it.

Soon, a familiar voice echoed softly in her mind.

"You’re quite sharp, little one. I’ll give you a chance to live—whether you can seize it is up to you."

Donggua immediately halted all movement, not daring to question further. She focused entirely on every shift in her surroundings, waiting silently for this so-called opportunity.

Chu Xingchen brushed off Wukong’s lingering confusion before turning his gaze to Donggua’s motionless form on the ground.

His system’s detection had one useful quirk—it didn’t work on the dead. The same applied to demons.

Determining whether someone was truly dead was as simple as a glance for him.

As expected, the [Seed of Desire] wasn’t something ordinary. Since she wasn’t dead, he’d let her go.

Such crucial information needed to be spread far and wide, and Donggua was the perfect messenger.

With a merit like this, she’d surely receive the rewards she desired.

When he thought about it, this could be considered a win-win.

Chu Xingchen looked at Wukong and said calmly, "We shouldn’t discuss the finer details here. Let’s continue inside. The cleanup here can be left to the others."

Wukong glanced once more at Donggua’s lifeless form before nodding in agreement.

Chu Xingchen gestured for Wukong to lead the way, then turned his gaze to Chen Baiqing, who had been waiting silently at the Tianyan Sect’s entrance. She had accompanied him here.

His eyes flicked once more to Donggua on the ground before he subtly flicked his fingers.

Chen Baiqing didn’t react outwardly, but her eyes lowered slightly in acknowledgment.

Satisfied, Chu Xingchen followed Wukong into the Tianyan Sect without another word.

Chen Baiqing watched them leave before stepping forward and addressing the inner disciples hovering in the air.

"Thank you for your assistance. This one requires special handling—please follow my instructions."

The leading inner disciple quickly clasped his hands. "Just give the order, Elder Aunt."

Chen Baiqing approached but kept a considerable distance from Donggua. "We won’t need so many people. Two will suffice. The rest may return to your duties."

Too many people would make it impossible for Donggua to escape, even if she had the ability.

Two was enough to maintain the illusion of security while leaving ample room for her to flee.

The leading disciple glanced at one of his companions, and the others took the hint, swiftly returning to the sect.

"Elder Aunt, how should we handle this… corpse?" the leader asked quietly.

He hadn’t expected a mere corpse to require such specific treatment.

Chen Baiqing studied the deep cultivation of the leading disciple before shifting her gaze to another disciple farther away—this one’s cultivation was weaker.

"Drag the body somewhere remote and burn it. Just don’t let it taint the Tianyan Sect’s feng shui. This thing is terribly unlucky," she instructed.

"Ah?" The leader blinked in surprise.

Chen Baiqing tilted her head. "Is there a problem?"

The leader hastily shook his head. "N-no…"

The other disciple quickly bowed before using his spiritual energy to lift Donggua and shoot off into the distance like a streak of light.

Chen Baiqing followed at a leisurely pace, the leading disciple trailing behind her.

Suddenly, the disciple transporting Donggua stiffened as a surge of crimson-black energy erupted from her body.

He reacted swiftly, drawing his spiritual treasure and slashing at what seemed like a resurrected corpse.

From the hollow cavity in Donggua’s chest, a sinister black-and-red flower bloomed, its petals unfolding with eerie elegance. A terrifying aura exploded outward, sending the attacking disciple flying.

Chen Baiqing stopped in her tracks, watching the scene unfold with calm detachment.

The leading disciple beside her tensed, ready to intervene, but she stopped him with a word.

"Wait. Observe first. Don’t act rashly."

The leader hesitated, urgency flashing across his face. "Elder Aunt, life and death are decided in an instant!"

Chen Baiqing’s hand rested on the Qing Tian Treasure Ring at her wrist, but she remained silent, her gaze fixed ahead.

Donggua’s chest rapidly healed as her eyes snapped open. Instead of pursuing the flung disciple, she immediately bolted eastward.

The crimson-black energy swirling around her tore through space itself, accelerating her escape.

Chen Baiqing watched her go before sliding the Qing Tian Treasure Ring back into place.

The leading disciple stared at Donggua’s retreating figure, then turned to Chen Baiqing in disbelief.

"Uncle-Master, should we pursue?"

"No need." Chen Baiqing spoke, stopping the Tianyan Sect disciples who had just regained their composure.

"The fault here lies with me, not you."

"Return to the Tianyan Sect first to tend to your injuries and rest. The mission will still be counted as completed."

The team leader exchanged a glance with his companions, then they cupped their hands in unison:

"Many thanks, Uncle-Master."

Chen Baiqing lowered his gaze slightly with a nod.

With this, the task entrusted by his master was now fully accomplished.

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