The sunlight poured down, illuminating her cold, elegant face, and only then did she smile with satisfaction.
Bai Yu withdrew the restriction, turned around with his hands behind his back, and looked at her, playfully chuckling, "I also liked archery when I was young, but compared to shooting crows, I preferred shooting winged beasts."
Bai Yu reached out, took the bow and arrow from her hand, pulled and drew, and held the bow and arrow in his hand.
He raised his hand, drew the bowstring taut, and an arrow shot into the sky.
Ye Ziling's eyes brightened slightly, and not to be outdone, she cast a spell to shoot an arrow.
Bai Yu's movement was extremely fast, and her spellcasting speed could not keep up with him; she could only barely keep pace with his rhythm.
The two of them, as if injected with adrenaline, competed in archery. In the end, Ye Ziling was defeated. By the time they finished their competition, the flying boat had reached the Demon Capital.
"We're even, right?" Bai Yu looked back at her, a faint smile playing at the corners of his eyes.
Ye Ziling raised her eyebrows, her voice light, "I wouldn't dare. When it comes to archery, if Immortal Lord Bai Yu is second, no one else would dare claim to be first." She knew Bai Yu's abilities well; he had deliberately let her win this competition.
The flying boat gradually sailed away. The surrounding miasma filled the air, and gray mist enveloped the desolate, broken ruins. A black chain hung down from the ruins.
Upon seeing the black chain, Ye Ziling's face immediately turned pale. This place was somewhat strange.
This chain was made from the bones of all the demons, imbued with the resentful souls of countless demons. Therefore, upon encountering a celestial being, it would incite the agitation of the vengeful spirits, causing them to attack the celestial being.
"Bai Yu, be careful!" Ye Ziling warned, then rushed towards the chain. The white silk from her sleeve coiled upwards, attempting to bind the chain.
But the chain seemed to possess sentience. Before Ye Ziling's white silk could get close, it had already retracted.
Bai Yu also noticed this, his brows furrowing slightly. He raised his hand and attacked the chain.
After a puff of smoke dissipated, the chain had long since vanished without a trace, leaving only a scorched smell in the air.
The two searched everywhere but found no clues, so they continued forward.
The Demon Capital was vast. The two patrolled along the city walls but found no abnormalities.
Just then, Ye Ziling smelled a strong demonic aura. Immediately afterward, the chain, taking her by surprise, lunged at her and instantly tightened around her neck.
Ye Ziling was startled and quickly cast a spell to resist.
Bai Yu's brows furrowed tightly. He had just cast a spell to sever the chain around her neck, but it only tightened further.
"Wait for me." Bai Yu's gaze was fixed on her neck. His sleeves fluttered as he cast a talisman.
The chain tightened, and Ye Ziling felt her breathing become difficult. A burning pain also spread across her body.
"Damn it!"
She gritted her teeth and cursed lowly. She raised her hand to forcefully pull the chain away, but unexpectedly, the chain seemed rooted, not budging at all.
She gathered her immortal power and severed the chain with a chop of her hand, only to see the chain quickly extend again and wrap around her arm.
The foul-smelling skeleton dug into her wrist, causing her immense pain, and she immediately felt nauseous.
She severed the chain again with her other hand, but to her surprise, the chain suddenly yanked her into the air, and she didn't react in time.
At this moment, she noticed the rising heat in the distance and shouted to Bai Yu, "Don't... don't worry about me. The divine spring is nearby, I can hold on. You go quickly and break the curse!"
Just then, a white silk appeared in her vision, spiraling towards her waist.
The white silk coiled, binding her waist within its embrace.
"Leave?" Bai Yu, pulling the other end of the white silk, curved his lips into a chilling smile. A talisman appeared, striking the chains beside her, sealing the resentful energy.
He yanked the wristband hard, and Ye Ziling fell from the chains.
He reached out, caught her, supported her shoulders, and lightly tapped the ground with his toes, his voice cool and clear, "Let's go."
Ye Ziling nodded, and then the two of them vanished from the spot, heading towards the divine spring.
Soon, they found the divine spring and placed the jade bottle into it.
A stream of light flashed, and the surroundings trembled violently before collapsing with a rumble, revealing a bottomless black abyss.
"Bai Yu, what's going on?" Ye Ziling stared at the massive opening before her, incredulous.
"Not good, the seal here is about to break!" Bai Yu's gaze deepened. He grabbed her and cast a spell to re-seal the divine spring.
However, this divine spring could only be suppressed by General Jun Lan; no one else's cultivation or immortal power was sufficient!
The rumbling grew louder, and several huge cracks appeared on the ground. A mournful ghostly howl emanated from the deep ravine, as if descending into hell.
Seeing Bai Yu struggling, Ye Ziling cast a spell to assist him. Her spiritual power had barely balanced the spring's power when the ground beneath her gave way, and she tumbled down.
Bai Yu, with lightning reflexes, supported the force with one hand and fiercely grabbed her wrist with the other.
"Bai Yu, forget about me. If the divine spring breaks the seal, all the demons will attack the Heavenly Palace. You go quickly!"
"I am here... these fiends are delusional." Bai Yu said, forcefully pulling her up, then pushing her to a safe side.
Bai Yu's expression changed. He waved his hand, conjured his immortal sword from his sleeve, and looked back at her.
Ye Ziling knew that the power of the divine spring was unstoppable. If it wasn't sealed in time, it would be another heavenly collapse.
She was already a sinner. If she were to unseal the Demon Capital again, the Heavenly Emperor would have to personally execute her to be just.
Even if she could protect her life through her own efforts, she would still be branded a sinner for eternity!
Ye Ziling followed closely, releasing her primordial spirit. Just as she was about to risk her life to block the immense power, Bai Yu stopped her with his hand.
A seductive smile bloomed on his delicate face, and he smiled resolutely, "It's useless..."
His white robe fluttered in the fierce wind, his long hair danced wildly, and his eyes held a look of determination.
"After I seal the divine spring, you hurry and leave this place."
Ye Ziling's heart constricted, her eyes filled with shock.
"...What are you going to do?" Her heart pounded, and a sense of unease arose.
Ye Ziling could easily guess that Bai Yu intended to sacrifice himself to seal the divine spring.
"If anyone is to sacrifice themselves, it should be me. Are you throwing your life away!"
Ye Ziling, in her anxiety, moved to snatch the immortal sword from his hand.
Seeing this, Bai Yu twisted his wrist, and the immortal sword flew out, transforming into a massive greatsword. Its edge was as sharp as a cold gleam, piercing directly into the vortex.
He stood at the edge of the vortex, his hem flying in the wind, his eyes as cold as frost. He looked back at her.
"This life, you need it more than I do."
"From beginning to end... I never cared about the imperial throne."
All along, he simply wanted to help her.
He didn't know why, but at first, he was merely curious about her, and in the end, he found that she was another him.
He hated his inherent identity. Why couldn't immortals have emotions? Why were they bound by a series of tedious, dead rules from birth?
Ironically, to resist was to defy heaven.
And Ye Ziling had done what he had always dared not do.
What heavenly rules, what destiny, were less important than living a life of joy!
At the last moment, Bai Yu's Adam's apple moved, and he slowly looked towards the abyss before him.
He threw the immortal sword in his hand into the cliff, then his figure flashed, and he leaped into the vortex.
"Bai Yu!" Ye Ziling, upon seeing this, ran towards him like a madwoman, only to see him fall into the deep valley and disappear.