Mu Heng looked up, seeing the familiar white figure standing amidst the disciples. She held no weapons, yet with every step, she forced the disciples to retreat.
A clear and beautiful face, her dark eyes swept coldly over the onlookers, a sneer on her lips as she uttered the familiar line: "Either get out, or die."
Ling Xi's eyes misted over. His narrow, peach-shaped eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, or perhaps were frozen, unable to express what lay within. He could only stand rooted to the spot, gazing at her intently, his gaze burning.
She was not dead!
An indescribable joy surged in Ling Xi's heart, but before he could express it, he saw another man standing beside her.
The man held a long sword, looking down at them from above.
Those handsome, arrogant phoenix eyes held a kingly air, condescending to all, but when he met her gaze, a gentle smile graced his face.
Even though his face was veiled, Ling Xi recognized him. The person beside Ye Ziling was Bai Yu.
The silver sword that had flown out now stood in the sky, emanating a chilling aura, piercing the ground. The sword energy forced the surrounding disciples to retreat repeatedly.
"Demoness, you're not dead..." Shen Qingfeng's voice was filled with rage. His usually calm and composed demeanor was now tinged with ferocity.
The elders of the Seven Immortal Pavilion were restless. They took two steps back and stammered incoherently, "Demoness... you actually..."
Ye Ziling leaped to the center of the execution platform. Her white dress fluttered with her light steps, like a blooming epiphyllum, exuding a breathtaking, cold beauty. She sneered, "It is you who should die."
The disciples of Jiuling Palace, upon seeing this, showed joy in their eyes. Xuan Lang, seated before them, turned ashen-faced, his smile frozen on his lips. He felt a chill on his neck, as if his head could be severed at any moment.
"Disciple greets the Palace Master!"
The Jiuling Palace disciples behind her knelt in unison.
What...?
Palace Master? This demoness was actually the master of a palace?
The disciples were shocked, their hearts jolted.
Then, they had driven her to the Cliff of Ten Thousand Immortals. Was not such a crime punishable by beheading?
Everyone present widened their eyes, staring at the figure on the execution platform with astonishment. Their eyes flickered with various emotions, and their legs trembled uncontrollably.
"Palace Master... you've returned? I've been searching for you tirelessly these past days!"
Xuan Lang's face was pale, his body swaying, nearly collapsing. He crawled towards Ye Ziling on his knees, tugging at her skirt as if begging for mercy or pledging allegiance.
This was the Tu Yao Goddess of the Celestial Realm. Without the Sun and Moon Divine Lamp, if he didn't yield now, his head would surely roll!
Ling Xi gazed intently at the beautiful figure standing on the stage, momentarily shocked, but more so relieved.
Thank goodness, she wasn't a demon.
A hint of moisture gradually appeared in his ink-black phoenix eyes. His thin lips moved, but he remained silent.
He had always wondered why Mu Heng stayed by her side like a subordinate, and why Jiuling Palace had no female disciples except for her. Now, all the answers were clear.
Her pure and flawless appearance, her ethereal aura, her extraordinary skills – how could he have ever associated her with being a demon?
"...Cough, cough."
Mu Heng watched Ye Ziling's back, his heart pounding violently. The tense lines of his face were stiffened with emotion as he let out a couple of uncontrollable coughs.
"Someone, help Commander Mu back to the palace," Ye Ziling ordered coldly, turning around, resuming her usual distant demeanor.
After Mu Heng was helped off the execution platform by the Jiuling Palace disciples, Ye Ziling smiled and stepped onto Xuan Lang's palm, grinding back and forth. His effeminate face contorted in pain.
With a "crunch," blood oozed from his palm, and his bones instantly shattered, leaving a bloody imprint on the floor. The disciples present all closed their eyes, filled with dread.
Watching Xuan Lang's pained expression, Bai Yu's face mirrored Ye Ziling's pleasure, as if watching an exciting play about to unfold.
Xuan Lang cried out in pain, large beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stammered, begging, "Palace Master... please calm your anger."
Seeing Xuan Lang in such agony, Ye Ziling felt a surge of pleasure. She squatted down, looking at him as if he were a dog, her eyes filled with undisguised coldness. "Is this how the Vice Palace Master manages Jiuling Palace for me? Harming fellow disciples, colluding with demons, is this your style?"
Ye Ziling was not in a hurry to kill Xuan Lang. She looked up at Shen Qingfeng, her eyes filled with a hint of mockery. "Sect Master Shen, how should such a crime be dealt with?"
Shen Qingfeng lowered his head helplessly, cupping his hands. "Replying to the Palace Master, in Shen's opinion, he should be beheaded and displayed."
Although Shen Qingfeng was afraid, he had the backing of Emperor Qingbai. He was not afraid, especially since the Emperor had promised to do his utmost to protect the lives of all his Shaolin disciples.
Ye Ziling was not in a hurry; she wanted to deal with them one by one.
Xuan Lang knew Ye Ziling's nature; she wouldn't let him go. Thus, he seized the opportunity when she shifted her gaze and lunged, attempting to escape.
However, as soon as he flew into the air, his neck was tightly grasped by a white silk ribbon, dragging him back to the execution platform.
"Take him back to the dungeon and dismember him to feed the dogs. Whoever dismembers the most beautifully will be rewarded!" Ye Ziling said, word by word, a cold glint in her eyes. She fiercely tightened her grip on Xuan Lang's neck, squeezing little by little until his face turned red, his eyes bulged, and he stopped breathing before she released her hand.
"Yes."
The Jiuling Palace disciples quickly rushed forward to drag Xuan Lang's corpse away.
The onlookers, witnessing Ye Ziling's swift execution, felt a chill run down their spines and fell silent, not daring to even breathe heavily.
The cruel punishments of Jiuling Palace were well-known, and seeing it firsthand today, it truly lived up to its reputation!
Ye Ziling indifferently scanned the surroundings, her gaze passing over each disciple before settling on Shen Qingfeng's sweat-drenched face. The smile on her lips grew brighter. "Sect Master Shen, you'd best confess your guilt obediently. Otherwise, all your disciples combined are not enough for me to kill."
These words were no less than a resounding slap in Shen Qingfeng's face.
The flames of anger in Shen Qingfeng's heart instantly erupted into a raging inferno, but he had to force himself to endure it, trembling as he squeezed out, "Shen was also misled by the schemes of a villain."
This statement clearly pointed a finger at Xuan Lang. Ye Ziling could see that this old fox wanted to shift the blame publicly.
Ling Xi stood beside her, silent, but his ink-black phoenix eyes sparkled with starlight, shining brilliantly.
Ye Ziling's smile did not waver. She suddenly grabbed Shen Qingfeng's throat, squeezing with force, compelling him to look at her. Hatred flickered in her bloodshot eyes. "Do you still remember me?"
Did he ever imagine this day would come when he led several academies to slaughter her Holy Doctor clan?
Shen Qingfeng looked into her pupils, a sense of dread rising within him. He found those clear, cold eyebrows somewhat familiar.
Several familiar scenes flashed rapidly through his mind.
Amidst a pile of corpses, a young girl tugged at his robes, begging him not to kill her parents.
The girl's face was stained with blood, but her enchanting features were still young and beautiful. Tears welled in her clear eyes, evoking a heart-wrenching pity.
And what had he done?
He had killed her parents before her eyes, extracted their organs with his sword, and boasted with a wicked grin that he would make her eat her own parents' entrails.