A servant rushed into the hall, stumbling in his haste.
Mo Ze pressed his brows, his eyes flickering with emotions that were dark and unreadable, terrifying and horrifying like an abyss.
But the next moment, he curved his lips and smiled, the gloom on his face vanishing completely.
Bai Li Xiao looked at Mo Ze, frowning slightly, "Why are you smiling?"
Mo Ze tilted his head, a trace of pleasure flashing in his eyes, "Because I, again and again, have been defeated by the same person..."
For that demon bloodline to save someone, she would definitely not barge directly into the Ten Directions Temple, but would find a way to divert attention, in other words, to feign an attack in the east while striking in the west.
Mo Ze had initially thought so, but reality had dealt him a heavy blow.
That demon bloodline had not used any tricks or schemes. She had openly and directly stormed into the Ten Directions Temple and rescued the man.
"It's truly laughable..." Mo Ze chuckled softly, his ink-black eyes inscrutable.
"Defeated? What is laughable about it?"
Meeting Bai Li Xiao's stern gaze, devoid of any smile, Mo Ze's smile slowly faded away.
"Yes, you wouldn't understand."
The servant bowed, his voice hurried, "Divine Emperor! That woman must not have left the Divine Realm yet, should we pursue her?"
He let out a self-mocking cold snort, glanced at the servant, and his aura turned icy again. "Immediately descend a barrier, dispatch all the Holy Lords, and search with all your might—"
The servant complied and scurried out of the palace. Bai Li Xiao lowered his gaze, his sapphire eyes filled with an unreadable ripple. "Stop."
Hearing this, Mo Ze turned to look, his tone distant and indifferent, "You know all my memories and abilities, yet you are still so arrogant and presumptuous. Do you truly think I won't kill you?"
Bai Li Xiao lowered his gaze and looked again at the iron chain around his neck. This time, the chain, deeply hidden within his collar, was fully revealed.
"What you wear around your neck has already revealed your true heart..."
Bai Li Xiao raised his eyes and met the gaze of the person before him. Mo Ze's long eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly, and his hands, clasped behind his back, clenched into fists.
Brocade robes, thousand-year-old white jade, accessories crafted from gold and silver and gemstones... everything Mo Ze wore and carried was an incredibly precious treasure.
Yet, what he wore around his neck was a small, crudely made, fiery red wooden sword, which looked extremely cheap.
Upon closer inspection, every detail of the wooden sword from top to bottom was identical to the Phoenix Song Sword in Bai Ran's hand...
Mo Ze gritted his teeth, his palm bleeding red blood, "Say another word, and I'll cut out your tongue..."
Bai Li Xiao lowered his gaze and continued, "It's not too late to stop now."
"Shut up..."
"If that day truly comes, it will be too late..."
"I command you to shut up—!!!"
Mo Ze suddenly looked up, his crimson eyes bloodshot, and the spiritual energy around him surged and spread out instantly.
He harbored murderous intent.
"Not good!" Zhong Yi Chuan, who was guarding outside, was alarmed. He exchanged a glance with the Second Elder and was about to rush into the main hall regardless.
But as he was about to step in, he was blocked by a barrier that suddenly appeared, sending him staggering back a few steps.
"This aura! Is it a barrier set by Bai Li Xiao?!" The Second Elder stared at the barrier in disbelief.
"Why? What is happening inside the main hall?"
Zhong Yi Chuan was also full of confusion and bewilderment. They could feel Mo Ze's murderous intent, yet Bai Li Xiao had stopped them from entering?
Inside the hall, Mo Ze's aura was terrifying, his blood-red eyes fixed on Bai Li Xiao, as if he would strike and kill him on the spot at any moment.
"What do you know? And with what authority do you speak!"
"You clearly know I severed all seven emotions and desires long ago and would show no mercy to anyone. Why are you hypocritically trying to advise me!!"
"No."
Facing Mo Ze's roar, Bai Li Xiao merely looked at him with his sapphire eyes, his tone extremely calm.
"If you had truly severed all seven emotions and desires..."
"You wouldn't still be using the Desolate Brilliance Formation today, wouldn't wear the wooden sword made by Mo Huai An's own hands, and wouldn't gaze at that painting every night, all night long..."
He also wouldn't have sent people to find Bai Li Xiao, giving him time to utter so many insolent words—
"Enough... I've truly had enough..."
Mo Ze took a deep breath, his head lowered, his shoulders trembling faintly. "Sending someone to find you was a mistake..."
With that, he turned resolutely and walked out of the palace.
The barrier suddenly dissipated. Seeing Mo Ze walking out swiftly, Zhong Yi Chuan and the Second Elder were startled and quickly made way.
Bai Li Xiao sighed softly, standing still. His slender body looked incredibly frail. He tilted his head back and slowly closed his eyes.
"What happened?! Are you injured?!" The Second Elder and Zhong Yi Chuan rushed into the hall, scanning him from all angles, afraid of seeing any wounds.
Bai Li Xiao opened his eyes and shook his head, "I'm fine... It's just that after today's meeting, I have a desire to return to the Divine Realm..."
There was still time... everything could still be salvaged...
"What!!!" The Second Elder stared at Bai Li Xiao, his eyes widening as if he had seen a ghost.
"What kind of love potion did that scoundrel give you??? Or are you possessed by something foul???"
Facing the Second Elder's panicked and anxious demeanor, Bai Li Xiao merely smiled without speaking, making it impossible to guess his thoughts.
Zhong Yi Chuan stepped forward, eyeing him suspiciously, "Did you find out any news?"
"Yes." Bai Li Xiao looked at him and smiled, "Mo Ze already knew you were a spy."
This time, it was Zhong Yi Chuan's turn to be flustered. His eyes trembled, and for a moment, he couldn't even speak properly.
"He, Mo Ze knew I was pretending to defect to him???"
Bai Li Xiao nodded, a faint smile on his face. "He knew everything, about you, and about the newly appointed Holy Lord."
And... deep within Mo Ze's memories, that fiery red figure...
Bai Li Xiao's eyes darkened. For some reason, whenever he thought of that figure, a dull ache would throb in his chest.
"What was that intense killing intent all about? Can you explain in detail?" the Second Elder asked eagerly.
Bai Li Xiao nodded, looked around, and then lowered his voice, "Yes, let's leave first."
...
At the same time, Bai Ran and her group were blocked within the Divine Realm by a suddenly descended barrier.
"Miss Bai, the teleportation scrolls are useless..." Jing Feng held a scroll, his face full of worry.
Although the White Tiger had been rescued, the entire Divine Realm was enveloped by a massive formation, the teleportation arrays were heavily guarded, and the teleportation scrolls were unusable.
The group was completely trapped within the Divine Realm.