C240 He Was on the Verge of Going Crazy!

"We..."

Yu Yuan's voice trailed off as he began to speak, seemingly at a loss for words.

He gazed at her.

Her emerald eyes were as clear and piercing as a secluded, icy lake hidden deep within a valley, cut off from the world, radiating a bone-chilling coldness.

Yet, in the moment Yu Yuan's eyes met hers, it was as though a warm current had unexpectedly stirred within that icy lake.

Since her emergence from the miasma, she had not uttered a single word.

Many in the valley speculated that she, being entirely envenomed, might not possess the ability to speak even in her human form.

But words could never confine a being of such high order.

A mysterious being like her, a remarkable creation of nature, could convey all she wished to with merely a glance.

The meaning in her eyes surpassed that of words, more direct and intuitive!

Right now, the nervousness and anticipation, the fear and unease in her eyes, were unmistakably clear.

"What is she so afraid of?"

Chen Qingyan read a multitude of emotions in her gaze and felt an inexplicable pang of sympathy. The transformed girl, with her dark, thin frame, seemed to bear endless grievances, as if she had endured countless desolate, sunless days and nights.

Her innate intelligence and extraordinary intuition allowed her to perceive far more from the depths of those emerald eyes than the average person could ever see.

"What has she gone through? What has transpired between her and Yu Yuan? It's inscrutable, incomprehensible. Yu Yuan, with his Soul Awakening cultivation, has spent years in the secluded city of Asvetaesi within the Silvermoon Empire. What sort of entanglement could there be between the two?"

Chen Qingyan was brimming with questions.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan, having fallen silent, remained so for an extended period, without a word.

To everyone's astonishment, the two streams of bloody light that had been relentlessly assaulting the cultivators in the valley had quietly vanished into an underground cavern, never to reemerge.

The slain cultivators were left with their vitality drained, their bodies as desiccated as sun-parched corpses.

Those who survived were like startled birds, gasping for air in their weary bodies and souls.

Then, more and more people began to notice something off about Yu Yuan, casting discreet glances his way.

Loong Tianxiao, who had been lingering outside the deep valley, not only gazed upon Yu Yuan but also hesitated briefly before making his way toward him. He was aware of the unspoken bond between Yu Yuan and Ann Jieshan and was confident that Ann Jieshan wouldn't harm Yu Yuan. After witnessing Chen Qingyan join Yu Yuan, Loong Tianxiao deduced something crucial—sticking with Yu Yuan was the safest bet.

"She..."

Yu Yuan began to speak once more.

Chen Qingyan, Mei Qiurong, Loong Tianxiao, Guan Xianyun, and possibly even Ann Jieshan, concealed beneath the earth, were all tuned into his words. Of course, the one most invested in them was her.

"She is the one I care about the most. I should have been here sooner, but I was unavoidably delayed."

Ignoring everyone else, Yu Yuan's gaze settled on her as he continued, "I was held up for far too long. Once I finally had the time and the opportunity, I came immediately. Yet, I was still too late."

His expression was one of deep regret. Yu Yuan let out a soft sigh, his heart brimming with remorse.

"What?"

The meaning of his words eluded almost all the listeners.

Yu Yuan knew, however, that she would grasp the significance of his statement. And then, he saw an astonishing brilliance burst forth from the depths of her emerald green eyes. In that moment, it was as if she had been given a new lease on life.

The confusion, unease, fear, bitterness, and anger that had previously plagued her seemed to be cleansed away by Yu Yuan's declaration. The dark clouds and haze that had shrouded her were swept away as if by a fierce wind under the blazing sun.

Chen Qingyan could even discern a faint smile emerging within her emerald gaze—a smile that radiated pure sweetness and innocence.

"How odd, truly odd," Chen Qingyan whispered to herself, bewildered. "Despite being a venomous creature, responsible for so many deaths, and undeniably non-human..."

With a sharp "sizzle," a fierce, intense light burst forth from Liu Zaihe's chest, streaking across the sky like a rainbow or a flaming meteor. Its unparalleled sharpness rent the heavens!

The intense light struck the chest of the thin, dark girl with such unexpected speed and ferocity that no one could have anticipated it. The carapace that had covered the girl's chest shattered in an instant.

Descending from the miasma, she transformed into a human form just as the shell burst. In that moment, she was hurled into the unyielding rock wall behind her, the white bones of her back emitting a series of sharp cracks.

The catastrophe struck so unexpectedly that no one had time to react.

As everyone regained their composure, they saw her impaled against the wall by a gleaming red short spear thrust into her chest.

With her head bowed, she gazed at the short spear, reaching out with a delicate hand as if to grasp it and pull it free.

A burst of crimson light erupted from the short spear lodged in her chest.

In a flash, her chest was a blur of blood and flesh. Her hand, once reaching for the short spear, suddenly became limp and fell softly to her side.

Yu Yuan, who had just spoken, was now in a state of shock, his mind a blank slate.

He stared, dumbfounded, at Liu Zaihe, who had collapsed from the effects of the Wyrmwhisker Poison, as he slowly rose to his feet. Then, turning to her, pinned to the wall by the red short spear, he felt on the verge of madness.

"How can this be? What happened?"

A tidal wave of sorrow crashed over him, the likes of which he had never experienced in his life, not even during the awakening of his three souls.

She had just begun to find relief from centuries of suffering and depression, had just started to feel a glimmer of joy from his explanation, only to be dealt such a devastating blow!

The short spear that had pierced her chest, irretrievable, continued to ravage her body.

No matter how fierce or resilient she was, this stealthy attack left her in agony, wishing for death.

Yu Yuan could sense that she lacked even the strength to struggle or to mount an immediate counterattack.

What grave injury had she sustained? How immense was her pain?

"He was the one you brought here!" Yu Yuan's eyes, now bloodshot, bore into Chen Qingyan with an intense glare. "Did you really think that just because he carried the Wyrmwhisker Poison Pill, he could pass through the Shadowflame Blight Array? It was only because of me! Because of our past, I signaled her to let you through, and that's the only reason you and Liu Zaihe were able to enter!"

"Yes, it was me, it was at my request that she allowed passage."

Yu Yuan's words grew incoherent as he continued to fix his gaze on Chen Qingyan, instilling in her a profound sense of dread and urgency. She quickly tried to clarify, "Yu Yuan, I... I didn't know what was happening! After Liu Zaihe took the Wyrmwhisker Poison, there were no unusual symptoms. I truly had no idea what was going on!"

"Heh!"

Out of nowhere, Liu Zaihe, who was gradually getting to his feet, burst into a robust laugh.

The sound of his laughter boomed like a great bell, making everyone's eardrums vibrate.

Clearly, the laughter didn't belong to Liu Zaihe; it sounded like that of a vigorous middle-aged man.

In that instant, all eyes in the valley snapped towards him.

Yu Yuan, on the brink of madness, was brought back to a semblance of sanity by the thunderous laughter and turned his gaze to Liu Zaihe.

Liu Zaihe, gaunt and withered, was adorned with grayish-brown "dragon whiskers." His cheekbones were sunken, giving him the appearance of a skin-draped skeleton.

Yet, his vitality, which should have been depleted, surged with a newfound force as he rose to his feet.

It was as though a secret conduit had opened from nowhere, forcefully infusing him with fresh vital energy at his middle elixir field, the Profound Gate.

His skeletal frame seemed to inflate, swiftly regaining strength and fullness.

After several rounds of laughter, not only did he return to his former self, but the rush of vitality made him even more imposing than before.

He seemed transformed into a completely different person.

"There's been someone inside him all along!" Loong Tianxiao, after observing for a moment, had a sudden realization. "Could it be Ann Jieshan?"

Ann Jieshan had previously employed a similar technique with the Colddeath.

Ann Jieshan had always lurked underground. Just moments ago, he had unleashed two streams of blood light, wreaking havoc on the cultivators in the valley. He had been eerily silent while Yu Yuan spoke to her.

Was it possible that Ann Jieshan had been waiting for the moment when Yu Yuan's words would cause her to let her guard down?

Even formidable figures like Loong Tianxiao and Guan Xianyun had noticed the drastic emotional shift in the black and skinny little girl when Yu Yuan spoke, leading her to expose a critical vulnerability. They seized the opportunity to deliver a lethal strike.

Yu Yuan's words had shattered the little girl's constantly vigilant defenses.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, she failed to prepare in time and thus faced this calamity.

"Of course it isn't Ann Jieshan," Mei Qiurong said, her lips curling into a smile as she exhaled a breath of relief, seemingly confident of her triumph. "In accordance with our agreement, I will capture and suppress Ann Jieshan, who hides beneath the earth, and take him back to our Ebon Star. As for her, she's yours to deal with."

Mei Qiurong's remarks were addressed to Liu Zaihe.

Chen Qingyan's face registered shock. She glanced between Mei Qiurong and Liu Zaihe.

"Chenchen, this doesn't concern you," Mei Qiurong reassured her with a smile. "Rest assured, we mean you no harm. For thousands of years, the Ebon Star, Sunlit Order, and Sword Sect have been the stalwarts of Euwrea. Our covenant is unshakeable."

"Chenchen, I owe you thanks for getting me in here," Liu Zaihe said with a gentle smile, looking at her with the fondness of an elder for a younger relative. "Without your help, breaking through the Serpent's Coils alone would have been a formidable challenge. At the very least, it would have risked exposing my identity and compromised my ability to deal a fatal blow to that anomaly. That would have been less than ideal."

"Thus, the Sword Sect deserves recognition for its indispensable role in this grand undertaking to Banish Evil," he added, chuckling as he stroked his nonexistent beard.

His expression then shifted to one of mild amusement as he realized his gesture was futile. "Ah, the follies of age," he said with a self-deprecating chuckle. "I've forgotten this isn't my own body. This young fellow hasn't even grown a beard."

Mei Qiurong and he conversed as if they were alone, their laughter echoing around them.

Everyone else in Gloomhollow, except for Chen Qingyan, was disregarded.

"Sir, from whence do you hail, and who might you be?" Yu Yuan inquired, taking a deep breath to steady himself. His gaze was fixed on Liu Zaihe, his words deliberate.

He was aware that the man before him was not the genuine Liu Zaihe.

The imposter, still chuckling, twisted a greyish-brown "dragon whisker" between his fingers, which disintegrated into dust upon his forceful pinch.

The man masquerading as Liu Zaihe, with a smile plastered on his face, teased Yu Yuan, who was visibly struggling to contain his fury, "Why not venture a guess?"

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