The inferno in the Dan Sect raged for three days and three nights before finally extinguishing.
When the flames died down, of the once sizable sect, only four lonely figures remained, along with a conspicuously placed coffin.
According to Liu Buli, he owed Yun Xiang and Ao Lie a wedding ceremony. So, regardless of what others thought, he was determined to retrieve all the scattered dragon bones, scales, tendons, and blood. He would craft a new wedding dress for Yun Xiang and properly hold the ceremony they had planned.
The others found his resolve heartbreaking, yet none uttered a word of refusal.
After all, Liu Buli was not the only one who had anticipated their wedding.
It was a promise made, and they all remembered how Yun Xiang had appeared shy yet delighted when the topic was mentioned. Even without her words, everyone understood the young girl's feelings. As for what the dragon was thinking, it was plain for all to see.
A story of lovers finally united. If it couldn't be fulfilled in life, then providing them with the wedding they desired was certainly not a wrong deed.
With only four people left, Liu Buli pondered for a long time before assigning the most capable among them, Lu Wuming, to craft Yun Xiang's wedding dress.
Upon learning the circumstances that led to Yun Xiang and Ao Lie's current state, Lu Wuming, unusually, raised no objections to the arrangement. He diligently shut himself away in the Jin Yi Pavilion to create the new attire.
Meanwhile, Liu Buli tidied up the areas destroyed by their actions. You Siqi accompanied Shen Muzhi to piece together Ao Lie's dismembered body, while Liu Buli sat by the ice coffin, lost in thought, gazing at Yun Xiang within.
Quite a few people in the Dan Sect had taken dragon remains, though each had only taken a small portion. Combined with what they had acquired from the city and seized from the Jin Gang Sect, they had only managed to assemble a little over half of the skeleton. Most of the bones and scales were still missing.
Upon reaching this conclusion, Shen Muzhi felt an indescribable sadness.
Liu Buli, however, seemed to have anticipated this outcome. He let out a long sigh and said, "It will likely take several months to collect it all. Too many people desired parts of the dragon. Ever since he was dismembered, his remains must have scattered everywhere. I had already foreseen this, and more importantly, the process of collecting them will undoubtedly not be easy."
Hearing his words, Shen Muzhi fell silent for a moment, then gently shook his head, refuting his idea. "I actually think things might be different than you imagine."
"What do you mean?" Liu Buli raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting the people who took the dragon's remains will willingly return them to me?"
He had spoken those words casually.
After all, such a scenario was unthinkable. How could anyone foolish enough to possess something valuable willingly give it back to others?
Yet, after he spoke, Shen Muzhi met his gaze with utmost seriousness. After a moment of silence, Shen Muzhi nodded with firm conviction and said, "You're right. In my opinion, they will likely be coming to us willingly before long."
Liu Buli furrowed his brow.
He had indeed fallen into demonic possession.
But at this moment, he felt that Shen Muzhi was clearly crazier than he was.
Their eyes met, and Shen Muzhi immediately understood Liu Buli's thoughts. He quickly waved his hand and said, "I'm telling you this seriously. I'm not crazy, nor do I intend to go mad. I simply mean that, based on my understanding of those who call themselves righteous, your current state and the things we've done will soon spread throughout the cultivation world. And then, what do you think they will do?"
Liu Buli blinked.
Indeed, a great many things had happened recently, but his mind was still functioning normally.
Thus, with Shen Muzhi's reminder, Liu Buli immediately arrived at the correct answer. He slapped his thigh and said with a touch of excitement, "I know! A Demon Slaying Assembly! Given their usual behavior, they will definitely organize something like that! And the majority of those participating in this demon-slaying operation will likely be the ones who took the dragon's remains. To prevent me from seeking revenge, they would prefer to unite and strike first. After all, if I die, no one will hold them accountable for this matter!"
Seeing Liu Buli's rationality return and him quickly reaching the correct conclusion, Shen Muzhi's face showed a hint of relief. He nodded gently, agreeing with his speculation.
However, after a moment of silence, Shen Muzhi's gaze returned to Liu Buli's blood-red eyes. Carefully choosing his words, he asked, "But what about you? Do you really intend to remain like this forever? I mean... the feeling of being possessed by demonic energy can't be that pleasant, can it?"
For every cultivator, during their initial training, their elders would always teach them never to be disturbed by inner demons and fall into the demonic path. Although such a transformation could greatly enhance one's abilities, it came with both physical and mental torment. Most cultivators, after falling into demonic possession, could not endure the torment for long before actively choosing to end their lives.
Shen Muzhi had always been an exceptionally diligent student with a solid foundation. Because of this, among those around them, he was likely the one who understood Liu Buli's current condition the best.
However, in response to his question, Liu Buli offered his usual nonchalant smile. He gently shook his head and said, "It's indeed not very pleasant. There's a constant craving for blood. There's no sense of guilt when killing; in fact, it feels incredibly exhilarating and satisfying. It's like doing something that brings extreme joy. That's how I feel, and my sword feels the same way. And you see, less than two days have passed since our last battle, and I'm already itching for action again. If my mental strength wasn't so strong, I might have already lost control and attacked the two of you."