Hearing this, Zhongzi and Qianqiu turned around, only to see Bai Ran looking at them with a heavy expression.
Sensing Bai Ran's unusual mood, Zhongzi quickly stopped Dong Ling, who was about to pounce.
"Master...?" he called out cautiously.
Bai Ran glanced at Qianqiu, who was standing not far away, "Why haven't you left yet?"
Qianqiu wiped the blood from his hands and smiled at her, "The spiritual energy in this cultivation chamber is the most abundant. I thought I'd borrow it after you came out."
Borrow the cultivation chamber? Recalling the mess inside, Bai Ran shook her head, "I'm afraid this cultivation chamber can no longer be used."
Qianqiu smiled, "It doesn't matter."
Bai Ran turned her head and looked at Dong Ling again, "And you? Who are you?"
Just as Zhongzi was about to explain, Dong Ling pushed his hand away and excitedly rushed in front of Bai Ran.
"My name is Dong Ling, and I am yours!" His eyes were like a small dog seeing its owner and wagging its tail.
Bai Ran frowned. Hadn't Zhongzi told him to call her Master when they were outside?
Zhongzi met her gaze and felt a sense of unease, "I..."
"Tidy this place up, then follow me." Bai Ran turned and left. Zhongzi and Dong Ling quickly followed after cleaning up.
Qianqiu tilted his head and smiled, leisurely following a few steps behind them.
...
"Ah! Get away from me! I get annoyed just looking at you!"
Zhuque walked ahead, Jiang Ye chased after her, and Jingfeng watched from the side.
Upon seeing Bai Ran's arrival, Jingfeng hopped up to greet her, "Miss Bai, you're back."
"Mm," Bai Ran nodded, and Zhuque rushed to her side aggrievedly.
Master was finally back! She was being driven crazy by this person. "Master, quickly recall me..."
Before she could utter the words "recall me into the spatial realm," Zhuque saw Qianqiu standing behind Bai Ran.
So close, she almost blurted it out. There was an outsider.
Hearing the word "Master," Qianqiu raised an eyebrow and looked at Bai Ran, "Master? King?"
Suddenly, a fiery red sword was placed at his neck, piercing a fraction of an inch and drawing bright red blood.
Bai Ran knew he was a smart person, and he seemed to have sensed something. He couldn't be left alive.
"Hey, I just asked casually, why are you trying to silence me?" Qianqiu blinked his eyes, feigning confusion.
Zhongzi tensed up, looking at the two of them hesitantly.
Bai Ran glanced at Zhongzi's expression and instead smiled, "You're not a student of the academy, are you? How do you know Zhongzi?"
He looked so anxious, as if he didn't want this person to die.
Zhongzi fumbled for words, unsure how to speak. At that moment, Dong Ling spoke up.
"Yes, when we were hiding in the Upper Realm, he was the one who found us a place to hide."
Hearing this, Bai Ran loosened her grip on the sword, but it still rested against Qianqiu's neck. "Judging by your swift and cruel actions just now, are you from the Nine Heavens? Which faction do you belong to?"
Demonized humans don't belong to any faction... Zhongzi clenched his sleeves tightly, not daring to look up.
"Divine Realm," Qianqiu answered with a smile, not seeming to be lying.
The Ghost Clan were all dead beings. The Demon Clan could transform into ears and tails. The Demon Lord's direct subordinate, Jingfeng, was also present. It would be easy to check.
Naturally, only one answer remained.
Although Jiang Ye was also from the Divine Realm, he had been driven out of his homeland after becoming a fallen immortal. He was unaware of the changes in the Divine Realm over the years, so there was an opportunity to exploit.
Fortunately, when Bai Ran was cultivating earlier, Zhongzi had already provided him with information about these people. Otherwise, he would have been exposed now.
Indeed, upon hearing the answer, Bai Ran lowered her sword. "Zhongzi, you answer. Should we kill him or not?"
He had heard secrets and should be killed. However, he had also helped Zhongzi and Dong Ling. Killing him would be ungrateful.
Qianqiu squinted at Zhongzi. As expected, Zhongzi chose not to kill him.
Bai Ran glanced at Zhongzi, who was lowering his head. "If you make a heavenly oath, I won't kill you."
"Alright," this was exactly what Qianqiu wanted. He slowly began to speak.
"I, Qianqiu, shall not reveal anything I have heard or will hear, now or in the future. If I violate this, may I be struck by heavenly lightning and be annihilated."
He didn't guarantee that what he had said before was true...
Bai Ran raised an eyebrow. If not the Divine Realm, then the other major factions were also unlikely.
The only remaining identity was a demonized human. But if he were a demonized human, Zhongzi could see through his soul and would never protect him.
Moreover, she hadn't seen any dark energy on Qianqiu. Therefore, Bai Ran could only believe that his identity was real.
She sheathed her Phoenix Cry Sword and looked at Dong Ling, "Just call me Master when we're outside."
Dong Ling obediently nodded, "As you command!"
Bai Ran then walked towards Qianqiu again, her eyes cold. "Not killing you doesn't mean I trust you. You can leave."
Qianqiu's expression stiffened, but he quickly masked it. It was truly difficult...
He couldn't rush things. Thinking this, Qianqiu nodded, "Alright, then I'll take my leave first."
He waved goodbye to them and left the courtyard.
"Miss Bai..." Jingfeng called out cautiously. He hadn't spoken because he saw Bai Ran was in a bad mood.
"Actually, Dongfang Wuji has been waiting for you inside for many days..."
Dongfang Wuji had arrived? Bai Ran raised an eyebrow and walked into the room alone.
"Master..." Zhuque looked at her retreating back with a pitiful expression. "Why don't you recall me first..."
Jiang Ye scratched his head, full of confusion. "Little Pig, why do you hate me so much?"
"What do you think!" Zhuque glared at him and then quickly flew away.
Dongfang Wuji, who was usually neat and handsome, now sat with a sallow complexion and a disheveled beard, looking utterly dejected.
"She really left..."
"She lied to me..." Once again, he had lost the one he loved.
Bai Ran sighed and sat opposite him. "Dongfang Wuji, look at yourself."
As a direct guard of Long Jinhan, one of the five great demon generals of the Demon Realm, he had fallen to such a state.
"You don't understand... For her, I can give up everything," Dongfang Wuji's voice was very soft and tremulous.
Love is the most incurable illness in the world, and he, Dongfang Wuji, was already deeply afflicted.
"Even if it was fake... I just wanted to see her, to be with her..."
"Why... why don't you give me even this sliver of hope..."
These past few days, watching Jiang Ye clumsily chase Zhuque had already pushed him to the brink.
It was so familiar, so reminiscent of the past... Not long ago, he had chased Luo Qianqian in the same way...
"Dongfang Wuji! Can you stop bothering me!" Luo Qianqian glared, angry. "My food is about to burn!"
Dongfang Wuji smiled foolishly, "I just want to accompany you."
"Get away from me! I get annoyed just looking at you!"
Even though Luo Qianqian was angry, Dongfang Wuji still found it as sweet as rock candy.
...
"I... what should I do... Tell me..."
Dongfang Wuji's body was filthy, but his face was exceptionally clean.
Tears streamed down his face, flowing onto the only clean area.