"What? The person hidden beside A'ying is actually him (her)!"
Ouyang Qinglin subconsciously called Gu Qianying A'ying.
This was a name he had come up with during his days of unconsciousness, a name that belonged only to him.
A'ying!
He remembered that Nangong Mo often called Gu Qianying "silly girl."
And Old General Gu and Gu Yefeng called Gu Qianying "Little Shadow."
So, he thought, he should have a name that he alone could call her.
A'ying! Yes, A'ying.
In his dreams, A'ying would accompany him for drinks, chats, and playful banter.
He knew that in this lifetime, he could not hold her or possess her.
But if he could stay by her side, watching her happy and joyful, even if he remained unmarried and solitary for life, he would be willing.
"Who? Who is she? Is she going to deal with my sister? National Master, can you be more clear?"
Duan Xifeng could also see the words on the white paper, but he didn't recognize their meaning.
He couldn't understand the oracle bone script, which was not from the Central Plains.
Ever since he learned that Gu Qianying was Duan Xingyue, Duan Xifeng had taken it upon himself to refer to Gu Qianying as "sister."
Gu Qianying was his sister whom he had been searching for many years!
It was also after learning that Gu Qianying was his sister that he was so excited that he couldn't sleep for several days.
At this moment, if it weren't for the蛊 (gu) poison that Old Man Bai (Bai Shengjun) had placed within him, preventing him from leaving.
Otherwise, he would have been eager to see Gu Qianying quickly.
"This person is unfamiliar to you, but I know (him/her). This person will bring danger to A'ying. It seems that you and I cannot just sit idly by any longer."
Ouyang Qinglin wanted to break free from the chains, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from their restraint.
Seeing his plight, Duan Xifeng also tried to help him.
But even with the dagger in his hand, its blade pitted and uneven, he still couldn't cut through the chains binding Ouyang Qinglin's limbs.
"There is only one way now."
Duan Xifeng hid the chipped dagger back into his sleeve, bent down, and began to erase the traces of their attempt to cut the chains.
Restoring the dungeon to its original state.
The vivid internal organs on the tray were still in their original positions, left there.
Duan Xifeng casually hacked at the bloody organs with the nicked dagger in his hand.
The cuts were uneven, with notches, making it look as if they had been gnawed upon.
After finishing this, Duan Xifeng left a small piece of the bloody organs and buried the rest in a hidden spot in the dungeon.
He tidied his robe, walked to Ouyang Qinglin, squatted down, and whispered, "The Evil Emperor said he would throw you into the Serpent Spirit Cave in three days. That will be our only chance."
"I heard from the people here that this Serpent Spirit Cave is extremely ferocious. I don't know if you can survive. If you can survive, then you will possess demonic power like the people here."
"And during this time, I will do my best to find a way to break the蛊 poison within me. If I can't, I will help you leave here to find my sister and tell her everything we know here."
As he spoke, Duan Xifeng glanced behind him to ensure no one was there.
He turned back again, handed his dagger to Ouyang Qinglin, and quickly said, "As long as you can leave safely, don't worry about me dying. But you must promise me, when you see Gu Qianying, don't tell her that she is Duan Xingyue, my sister."
If he could survive, he naturally hoped that Gu Qianying would know he was her brother.
However, if he died, he would rather Gu Qianying forget him.
This way, Qianying wouldn't be sad.
Thinking back to how he had drugged Gu Qianying before.
Duan Xifeng was filled with regret.
He deserved to die!
How could he drug his own sister!
Fortunately, after he thoroughly understood Gu Qianying's character, he abandoned his cooperation with Old Man Bai.
From then on, he never considered revealing Old Man Bai's true face to Gu Qianying.
Even after becoming close friends with Gu Qianying.
He had never thought of betraying Old Man Bai.
His life was given by Old Man Bai.
He had sworn that he would never betray Old Man Bai.
And now, his thoughts had changed.
Ouyang Qinglin agreed with the strategy of facing death to find life.
As Duan Xifeng had said.
Three days later.
The Evil Emperor's most trusted subordinate, Ling Chu, personally entered the dungeon, unlocked the chains on Ouyang Qinglin's hands and feet, sealed his acupoints, gagged his mouth, and blindfolded his eyes with a black cloth.
Ouyang Qinglin was brought before the Evil Emperor.
The Evil Emperor did not look at Ouyang Qinglin.
His sinister gaze fell upon the Serpent Spirit Cave in the distance, a place emitting a chilling aura and gathering all evil spirits.
The cave entrance glowed green, with black mist swirling around it.
The Evil Emperor raised his hand towards Ling Chu and said, "Throw him in."
"Yes, Evil Emperor."
Unable to speak, Ouyang Qinglin had his acupoints unsealed and, under Ling Chu's push, jumped into the Serpent Spirit Cave.
After he jumped in, Bai Shengjun arrived.
"Bai Shengjun, today's good show is about to begin. Please."
To witness a good show,
The Evil Emperor ordered his subordinates to set up wine.
His black robe billowed as he sat down gracefully.
Two alluring maids served him by his side.
Bai Shengjun sat beside him.
There was a man pouring wine next to him, and Duan Xifeng stood behind him.
Bai Shengjun raised his hand.
A large spirit pearl rotated in the air.
Soon, a scene appeared.
Inside the Serpent Spirit Cave, several serpent spirits were attacking Ouyang Qinglin.
At this moment, Ouyang Qinglin had removed the blindfold and the gag.
The tattered, oversized crimson robe offered no clue as to whose blood it was.
His reddened eyes stared at the serpent spirits below, their forked tongues flicking.
Some serpent spirits had three heads on one body and were very large.
Others even had wings and two feet, with gaping mouths.
Each serpent spirit had a pair of glowing green eyes.
It was as if they hadn't feasted on fresh blood and bones for days.
The way these serpent spirits looked at Ouyang Qinglin was filled with bloodlust and a hint of excitement.
Soon, Ouyang Qinglin was cornered.
He refused to wait for death. He took out the chipped dagger hidden in his sleeve.
This was left for him by Duan Xifeng.
Gripping the dagger, he began to hack at the serpent spirits beneath him.
The smaller, less aggressive serpent spirits were all killed by Ouyang Qinglin.
But when he encountered the strangely shaped serpent spirits, Ouyang Qinglin was bitten several times.
Bright red blood flowed down his arm to his palm.
A hint of ferocity entered his reddened eyes.
A three-headed serpent spirit was just a few steps away from him.
It swayed its three heads back and forth, as if teasing a clown, provoking Ouyang Qinglin.
Ouyang Qinglin glanced at it, and as he tossed the dagger into the air,
He bent down, picked up the serpent spirits he had killed, pried open their bellies, extracted their gallbladders, and swallowed them.
Five small serpent spirits, five gallbladders, all swallowed.
Soon, a power began to surge within his abdomen.
A different color appeared in his reddened eyes.
Following this, he leaped up, the tip of the dagger descending rapidly above his head.
He reached out and grabbed the hilt of the dagger, slashing horizontally at the three-headed serpent spirit.
Before the three-headed serpent spirit could react, its head was severed.
Blood gushed out, splashing onto Ouyang Qinglin's face.
Ouyang Qinglin casually wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve.
Without pausing, he flipped and leaped up. As the serpent spirit, now with only two heads, hissed in pain,
He stood on its body, three inches from its neck, and fiercely stabbed with the dagger's tip.
The serpent's body twisted back and thrashed wildly.
As he leaped down, the massive serpent spirit collapsed softly.
His movements were fluid, without any hesitation.
At this moment, in the Evil Hall, watching the scene within the spirit pearl.
The Evil Emperor frowned.
"Having devoured fresh blood and bones for many days, its consciousness remains so clear, and its movements so agile. Ying Mo only eats flesh and gnaws bones. This person has not been tamed. It seems someone did not follow my orders..."
As he spoke,
The Evil Emperor looked at Duan Xifeng with a half-smile...
Bai Shengjun also turned to look at Duan Xifeng...