Huangtongjing...
Cheng Hong understood medicine and naturally knew the efficacy of the Huangtongjing on the forehead of the Six-Eyed Blood Spotted Mother Spider. He was positioned diagonally from Ru Lan, so from his angle, he didn't see what that disciple had done privately.
If he had truly crushed a piece of Huangtongjing in his hand as Ru Lan claimed... Others, not knowing the inside story, wouldn't care what effect a piece of Huangtongjing had. But he suddenly snapped awake.
The person who impersonated "Lu Ziyin" to deceive Ru Lan, the one who killed a top ten ranked disciple, the one who knew how to disguise himself as others to confuse people, might not have been the black cloak at all. It might have been the one playing the trick of "calling the pot black."
And who could that "thief" be, who lied, harbored ill intentions, slandered, and targeted?
Besides Gu Junshi, the one with the dual bodies, who else could it be?
He stood there motionless, like a block of wood, his eyes vacant.
Cheng Hong's heart sank as if a stone were tied to it. He couldn't help but recall the subtle movement of the "black cloak" subconsciously protecting its abdomen when encountering danger. The image that had flashed by inadvertently at the time was now so clear, each frame slowed down.
His usually unperturbed face showed a rare flicker of panic.
Did she, did she injure her stomach?
That Huangtongjing... if she touched it, her condition would become increasingly dangerous. It had just been absorbed into her body, and the fetus, unable to adapt, would stir. It would forcefully accelerate the fetus's growth in a very short period. As the fetus grew larger, to survive, it would involuntarily drain the mother's strength to sustain its own life.
Ultimately, she would either have to decisively abandon the fetus, or let it "ripen and fall" while draining the mother's life force.
But these were only two choices under normal circumstances. For Gu Junshi, the situation would only be more troublesome and dangerous, precisely because her attributes already repelled the fetus.
The more Cheng Hong thought about it, the heavier his expression became. He realized that since he recognized the black cloak as Gu Junshi, he could be sure she was not a demon. The Fox Lord had a close relationship with her, and the ghost cultivator had been burned to ashes by Gu Junshi. The disciples of the Seven Luminaries Sect who were secretly causing trouble to drive a wedge between them and Gu Junshi were also dead. Now it seemed the situation had temporarily come to a close, and there was no need to continue advancing with them.
He had to find her. She needed him now.
His expression sharpened, his eyes clear and distant. After saying "This monk shall take his leave first" to the crowd present, he flicked his monastic robe, and a golden light streaked away.
In the distance, the white pagoda stood like peaks and ranges, as pure as jade. The labyrinthine land had been devastated by the previous fight, leaving behind ruins. The "True Dragon's residual soul" had dissipated, and the "True Dragon's Eye" had been stolen. Only the mist, flowing like cicada wings in the sky, still formed red and white colors with the lava ground. That golden light, like a swaying star, trailed a ripple as it sped away.
Ru Lan's eyes followed Cheng Hong's hasty departure with some bewilderment and confusion. "Hey, hey—"
Where was he rushing off to in such a hurry?
"Master Cheng Hong—" Lu Ziyin was also stunned.
Weren't they supposed to gather and discuss what to do next? Why did he leave without a word?
Danya also looked in the direction Cheng Hong had left. He always felt that Cheng Hong seemed to be hiding something from them.
His reaction was not right.
"Follow him," he said.
At this moment, Yan Tianjiao, standing beside him, cast a glance and said with unspeakable sarcasm, "Can you keep up with his speed?"
Danya looked back at him, their eyes meeting.
Their gazes confirmed that it was someone he disliked.
Seeing Master Cheng Hong break away and go alone, their previously strengthened team became even weaker. Lu Ziyin's eyes darted around as he pondered, "Why don't... we report this matter to the Void Gate? A demon has broken into the Dragon Island Secret Realm. This is not something for novice disciples like us to handle."
Ru Lan saw that he was planning to shirk his responsibility. Although she knew that they couldn't handle this matter even if they wanted to, she said, "The problem is, the Dragon Island Secret Realm won't reopen for another half a month. By then, it'll be too late, and there will be no point in telling the Void Gate anything."
Liu Jiang Fusheng sheathed his immortal sword. He was equally devoid of warmth inside and out. Paired with his pale, bloodless face, he looked quite sickly.
He lowered his long, dark eyelashes like butterfly wings and said indifferently, "Since her objective was the True Dragon's Eye, and she has achieved it, she shouldn't cause trouble for a while. We entered the Dragon Island Secret Realm to seek opportunities and treasures, so there's no need to stick together and leave all at once."
"You want us to split up? What if someone encounters the demon?" Lu Ziyin glared.
"We'll send a message then."
"What message? We'll probably just lie there waiting for someone to come collect our corpses," Lu Ziyin retorted grumpily.
Yan Tianjiao couldn't stand Lu Ziyin's constant need to stick with the group for a sense of security. His eyes were filled with disdain for his lack of ambition, and he sneered, "Just die of cowardice then."
Lu Ziyin, still holding the title of Yan Tianjiao's "savior" in name, no longer feared him and retorted, "I call this caution that ensures a thousand years of peace."
Yan Tianjiao stood casually, his arms crossed over his chest, and tilted his head impatiently. He then leaped into the air and left alone.
Following him was Liu Jiang Fusheng. Ever since the demon was taken away by the fox demon, he had appeared preoccupied and in a bad mood, being indifferent to everyone. The oppressive atmosphere had lingered for a long time. With his departure, the clear sky was returned to them.
With three people leaving one after another, their already fragile temporary alliance collapsed. Only a few scattered individuals, with the sickly one at the bottom, remained, unsure of what to do.
Danya clenched his fist and held it to his lips, coughing softly. He was the "sick" one. He suggested in his gentle voice, "Why don't the three of us go together?"
Lu Ziyin and Ru Lan were not surprised; they were the "weak" ones at the bottom.
For some reason, since participating in the "Newcomer Ranking," these two had been inexplicably drawn together by a mysterious force. They gradually went from being general acquaintances to something akin to accomplices, or rather, companions who helped each other in times of need.
Under normal circumstances, Ru Lan would not have agreed to partner up, but she was indeed quite afraid of the demon. The thought of the broken-limbed, grotesque monsters made her scalp tingle even more.
The two of them exchanged a knowing glance. They considered that although the other person seemed to be quite injured, he was still a top three contender, resourceful, and possessed extensive knowledge. It wouldn't hurt to not reject him outright.
Lu Ziyin asked Ru Lan, "Are you going alone, or together?"
Ru Lan rolled her eyes.
He was asking the obvious.
"Lu Ziyin, don't you find it strange..."