He covered his mouth and laughed heartily, "Hahaha! How can she be so interesting!"
Inside the room, Bai Ran clutched the sparkling plaque, her face as dark as ink.
"Whoever did this is pretty!" Xiao Zi couldn't help but sigh.
Bai Ran tossed the plaque aside. After regaining her composure, a rich aura of spiritual energy washed over her.
She drew her Feng Yin Sword and surveyed her surroundings.
The reason cultivation rooms could stabilize one's cultivation was because each room was set up with a special formation.
Within the formation, another self would manifest, possessing equivalent strength and all her abilities.
It could be said to be a very formidable opponent.
A ball of spiritual energy slowly condensed in the air, taking the form of Bai Ran.
It held the Feng Yin Sword, its tip pointed directly at the real Bai Ran.
"Clang—" The blades met, a battle against oneself.
Outside the cultivation room, the man shed his disguise, revealing his true face. "She's quite to my liking."
His communication jade pendant grew hot, and he injected spiritual energy to answer.
"Qian Qiu, have you found her?" Wang Yu's voice rang out.
Qian Qiu smiled faintly and looked towards the closed door of the cultivation room. "I have."
On the other end, Wang Yu's laughter came through. "Find a way to get close to her and gain her trust."
Qian Qiu raised an eyebrow. Indeed, he was also a demonized human, but he could switch between demonic energy and spiritual energy at will.
The so-called demonic energy was the black qi that Bai Ran referred to.
Most demonized humans could not consciously control the release and absorption of demonic energy, but Qian Qiu was different.
He could switch freely between spiritual energy and demonic energy, making it impossible even for Bai Ran to discern his true identity.
"Won't that blind man expose me?" Qian Qiu idly played with his dark hair, his tone a little flippant.
Wang Yu scoffed. "He won't."
After ending the communication, Qian Qiu burst into excited laughter, his face filled with madness. "This way, everything will proceed smoothly!"
Wang Yu, Jiu Zai, and Qian Qiu were directly under the King of the Demonized Humans.
Each of them commanded hundreds of armies of demonized humans. Once the King revived, they would immediately launch an all-out war across all realms.
The most important thing now... Qian Qiu looked towards the cultivation room. It was to gain her trust...
He narrowed his eyes, smiling wildly and unrestrainedly.
"Lord Zhong!" A surprised shout rang out, and Zhong Zi was knocked to the ground by a bear hug.
"I missed you so much, I finally see you!" The man rubbed Zhong Zi's cheek vigorously, much to Zhong Zi's chagrin.
He pushed the person pinning him down and sighed. "Dong Ling, you're still so reckless."
The man before him was Dong Ling, who smiled foolishly. "Why are you looking for me?"
Hearing this, Zhong Zi's expression turned serious. "We've found the King."
"Really!" Dong Ling stared at Zhong Zi excitedly, so close he was almost kissing him. "Who is it? Where? What's their strength?"
Zhong Zi helplessly squeezed his eyes shut and pushed him away. "Calm down. The King is a woman, named Bai Ran."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go see her!" Dong Ling impatiently grabbed Zhong Zi, wanting to go see Bai Ran immediately.
Zhong Zi clenched his fist, deciding to tell him about that matter first.
"Calm down, listen to me first."
Dong Ling turned back in confusion. Zhong Zi's thin lips parted, and he slowly recounted his experience of being captured by demonized humans.
After listening, Dong Ling clearly struggled to comprehend. "What do you mean?"
So stupid... Zhong Zi's veins were about to pop. "I'm asking if you want to tell the King about this."
Hearing this, the person before him fell silent. The problem wasn't whether to tell or not to tell...
The problem was, even if she knew, could it change the outcome...
"Let's not say it," Dong Ling pouted. "Things will work out when they work out."
Sigh, so be it. Zhong Zi rubbed his temples.
He brought Dong Ling back to the academy. By this time, Long Jinhan had already left.
Jiang Ye cheerfully held out a bag of rice. "Little Pig, this is the fine rice I prepared for you. It tastes wonderful!"
Looking at the grains of rice before him, Zhu Que felt his fists itching. "Jiang Ye!!! You really think of me as a chick, don't you!!!"
An insult! A colossal insult!!!
"Huh? No?" Jiang Ye looked at her blankly. "You don't eat rice?"
Why is she angry? This rice is expensive, it cost him a month's savings...
"I am a divine beast!!! Have you ever seen a divine beast eat rice!!!"
It's simply preposterous!!! Zhu Que gnashed his teeth in anger and scattered the bag of rice before him.
"Don't go! What did I do wrong, tell me!" Jiang Ye didn't have time to pick up the rice and quickly chased after Zhu Que, who was turning to leave.
Jing Feng lay on the rocking chair, watching their retreating backs with a hint of helplessness...
He's also a genius, feeding rice to a divine beast...
It seems the path to winning her heart will be long—
Jing Feng's eyes instantly snapped open as he saw the unfamiliar face standing beside Zhong Zi, filled with vigilance. "Who is he?"
Dong Ling scratched his head cheerfully. "My name is Dong Ling. Please take care of me."
Dong Ling... Jing Feng looked at Zhong Zi. "Is he the other ghost clan member you mentioned?"
Why does he look so foolish? He seems unreliable...
Zhong Zi nodded. "The King ordered me to bring him here. He's the Dong Ling I mentioned earlier."
"What are his abilities? What's his strength?" Jing Feng stood up and slowly walked up to Dong Ling.
"Hmm..." Dong Ling furrowed his brows and thought for a moment. "My strength is about the same as Lord Zhong's."
Lord Zhong...? Jing Feng's facial features contorted. He glanced disdainfully at Zhong Zi. "What the hell?"
Zhong Zi lowered his head, his body trembling with embarrassment. "Didn't I tell you not to call me Lord Zhong anymore!"
"Why can that woman call me that, but I can't?"
This incident happened hundreds of years ago. A woman from a pleasure house, finding Zhong Zi handsome, had dragged him into a tavern.
She called him "Lord Zhong" incessantly, with extreme affection and gentleness. Dong Ling had remembered it then.
Jing Feng glanced at Zhong Zi, then at Dong Ling. Something's not right... Isn't he jealous?
Jing Feng bared his teeth. Everyone's coupled up, and he's the only single one.
It seems fate wants me to be alone, and I must be alone...
"Where's the King! Where is the King?" Dong Ling looked at Jing Feng excitedly.
"Miss Bai is in seclusion in the cultivation room. It might take some time before she comes out."
Dong Ling bolted towards the exit. "I'll go wait for her!"
"Hey! Do you even know where the cultivation room is!" Zhong Zi called out. The person before him stopped instantly and returned, then hoisted Zhong Zi onto his shoulder.
Carried on his shoulder, Zhong Zi's face turned red, and he gritted his teeth in anger. "You! Put me down!"
Jing Feng, left behind, took a deep breath. He was truly impressed. Maybe one day he'll find someone who dotes on him like this and show them.
And so, Dong Ling, carrying Zhong Zi, sprinted towards the door of the cultivation room.
But someone was already sitting in front of the door.