"Hmm?"
"Could it be... Bai Zihe?"
Tian Tai Mountain.
The Evil King looked down and saw Bai Zihe, clad in snow-white robes, his eyes narrowing instantly.
Rage flickered within them.
Hatred permeated his gaze.
Back then...
He had already imprisoned the Gu King, on the verge of prying out secrets from its mouth. It was Bai Zihe's appearance that disrupted everything.
Not only did he rescue the Gu King from the cross,
But he also beat the Evil King into a panicked retreat, forcing him to flee far away and hide.
This hatred...
Had long since seeped into the Evil King's very bones.
Fortunately.
He had recently experienced another fortuitous encounter, which greatly enhanced his power. Only then did he dare to return to Miao Jiang and reclaim his throne.
Now, he...
His strength had far surpassed what it was then.
"Long time no see."
As the Evil King spotted Bai Zihe, Bai Zihe also noticed him. A smile curved his lips, and he greeted the Evil King casually.
"Bai Zihe..."
"I hadn't even left Miao Jiang to find you, and yet you've come knocking on my door. Don't blame me for not being polite."
A sinister smile spread across the Evil King's face.
He hadn't gone out in pursuit.
Because he felt his strength still had room for improvement. He had planned to reach his peak, become invincible in the world, and then deal with Bai Zihe.
As a powerful figure.
The Evil King also understood that Great Xia was undergoing significant changes.
While he was unaware of the matters of the cultivation world, he knew his strength was not yet the strongest. He needed to bide his time and avoid an untimely end.
But now that Bai Zihe had come to his lair, he naturally wouldn't be afraid.
"Oh?"
Bai Zihe smiled, then released his divine sense to investigate.
Upon doing so, Bai Zihe was greatly alarmed.
The Evil King had actually attained the strength of the Mahayana stage.
Moreover, he gave off a very peculiar feeling, an aura of sinister and malevolent darkness, akin to a malevolent, eerie presence.
Could it be...
A thought immediately flashed through Bai Zihe's mind, and he took out the True Spirit Orb.
"Humph..."
Indeed.
The moment the True Spirit Orb appeared, it was covered by a layer of black energy, appearing extremely bizarre and evil, a mark of the malevolent, eerie darkness.
No wonder.
Bai Zihe sneered inwardly.
If it had been before, the Evil King would have likely fled in terror upon seeing him.
It turned out that after being infected by the malevolent darkness, his strength had increased significantly, making him arrogant enough to believe he could contend with Bai Zihe.
"Swish..."
Just as Bai Zihe was sensing this.
The Evil King suddenly leaped from the rooftop and, in the blink of an eye, appeared before Bai Zihe, a mocking smile on his face.
"Bai Zihe..."
"I admit, you are indeed strong."
"But you'll never imagine what will happen next in life?"
This.
Bai Zihe indeed couldn't imagine.
So, he chuckled and said, "Then tell me, what will happen next? Will I swat you to death with one palm, or..."
"You're talking nonsense!"
Before Bai Zihe could finish, the Evil King interrupted him furiously.
He had suffered so many setbacks at Bai Zihe's hands before. Now, believing he had the situation under control, he naturally wanted to humiliate Bai Zihe further.
If violence isn't for showing off, it's meaningless!
This was precisely the Evil King's situation now.
He circled Bai Zihe as he walked, coldly snorting, "Bai Zihe, today I will swat you to death with one palm!"
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river!"
"Today, my strength has far surpassed your imagination. You should think carefully about how to beg for mercy so that you can die a slightly easier death and not suffer so much pain!"
"Hahahaha..."
Because.
Bai Zihe's strength was in the Tribulation Crossing stage, but he only appeared to be in the Integration stage. Thus, after sensing him, the Evil King believed he had Bai Zihe completely outmatched.
Hence his recklessness.
"Beg for mercy?"
Bai Zihe shook his head in disappointment, seeing that all the Evil King could spew were such insults, "Begging for mercy is impossible. You'll never see that in this lifetime."
"However, I do have something to ask you."
Bai Zihe didn't intend to let him continue his nonsensical talk.
But before he could speak, the Evil King preempted him.
"You want to ask about Miao Yinuo's whereabouts, don't you?"
As expected.
When Bai Zihe had probed with his divine sense, he hadn't found Miao Yinuo's presence, leading him to suspect something had happened.
Later, he encountered the Gu King, and naturally suspected the Evil King.
And now, the Evil King's question confirmed it.
The Evil King stared intently at Bai Zihe, a half-smile on his face, exuding an air of complete confidence. "I can tell you, but only on one condition..."
"You hand over your life!"
As the words fell.
The Evil King waved his hand, and countless蛊虫 (Gu worms) flew out.
Gu worms...
Were originally the most Yin and malevolent creatures in the world. Now, infected by the malevolent darkness, each of them had their strength greatly amplified and became even more ferocious.
As soon as they appeared.
A powerful aura permeated the entire area.
And their numbers were vast, tens of thousands, forming a dense, sky-obscuring swarm that inspired terror.
If an ordinary person encountered them, merely seeing them would likely cause their legs to weaken, rendering them unable to move.
"Hiss..."
"Wuwu..."
"Jijiji..."
The Gu worms flew in from all directions, their incessant movements causing one's eardrums to tremble and sending shivers down one's spine.
"Bai Zihe..."
The Evil King glared at him, his expression gradually contorting into a ferocious grin. "Enjoy this feast of Gu worms and become nourishment for my children."
"Hahahaha..."
As his laughter faded.
The Gu worms surged forward recklessly.
However...
Just as the Gu worms were less than an inch away from Bai Zihe, a shield of earth-yellow energy suddenly flashed around him.
In the blink of an eye, the shield completely encased Bai Zihe, leaving no gaps.
And the myriad Gu worms...
Continued to charge forward heedlessly.
"Pfft..."
"Swish..."
"Hiss hiss..."
To the Evil King's utter horror.
As soon as these Gu worms touched the earth-yellow energy shield, they were like moths drawn to flames, or snow meeting sunlight. In an instant, they vanished into thin air, leaving not a trace behind.
This was the defensive technique Bai Zihe employed after awakening his Earth Saint Body.
"This, is impossible!"
The Evil King's face contorted in shock. His gaze at Bai Zihe was filled with disbelief. "My strength has reached an entirely new level!"
"And these Gu worms are extraordinary, a thousand, ten thousand times more powerful than before!"
"You, Bai Zihe, you must have been concealing your strength!"
The Evil King glared at Bai Zihe, his eyes flashing with an intense light.
"Heh..."
A cold glint flickered across Bai Zihe's lips, and he struck with lightning speed.
"Hum..."
Seeing Bai Zihe make a move, the Evil King instinctively tried to escape. But with a thought from Bai Zihe, a powerful pressure descended like Mount Tai, instantly rendering the Evil King immobile.
His mere aura prevented any movement.
"You, you..."
At this moment, the Evil King was truly stunned.
Endless fear showed in his eyes, his disbelief palpable.
"If the strength of a mere nobody like you can constantly improve..."
"Do you think I would remain stagnant?"
Bai Zihe stared at the Evil King with cold eyes, his voice filled with chilling intent. "Speak, where is Miao Yinuo now?"
"If you readily hand her over, I can grant you a swift end!"
"Otherwise..."
Unexpectedly.
Faced with Bai Zihe's interrogation, a hint of mockery flashed across the Evil King's face. His body suddenly began to swell, as if preparing to self-destruct.