Ye Yu’s message went unanswered—and a flicker of alarm crossed his mind. Had Old Dog Gou Langtu already captured Hong Zhencheng? Impossible—his efficiency wasn’t that high!
Had he been hiding in the shadows while Bai Shuang and the others fought, waiting for the right moment?
Seeing Ye Yu’s expression change, Xie Buyu hastily asked, “What’s wrong?”
Ye Yu blurted out his fears. Xie Buyu’s face turned grave. She knew all too well the power of the Xuan-Ba Devour-Heaven Axe: if Gou Langtu had seized Hong Zhencheng’s demonic body, he would wield that superior artifact—and dealing with him would become extremely troublesome.
Of course, the simplest solution would be for Ye Yu to strike—at his Shen Jun Realm strength, he could crush Gou Langtu without effort. Yet Xie Buyu recoiled at the thought. They had only just become Dao-partners; asking Ye Yu to fight on her behalf felt too mercenary, as if she’d chosen him only for his power.
No—she insisted that her master’s vengeance must be hers alone to exact.
But matters, unexpectedly, began to tilt in their favor.
Half an hour later, Hong Zhencheng sent word: “Sorry, Supreme Deity, I was busy bonding with my new Dao-partner and couldn’t reply sooner!”
Ye Yu raised an eyebrow. “New Dao-partner?”
“Indeed!” Hong Zhencheng replied enthusiastically. “Your method works wonders—confession really only needs a mouth!” He recounted his own “rescue” of a Dao-partner: before parting, Ye Yu had, using Bai Shuang’s spirit-memory, listed every member of the Dao-partner Sect with their names and locations on one sheet of paper, even gifting Hong Zhencheng portraits from Bai Shuang’s storage ring so he wouldn’t mistake anyone’s name.
Why did Bai Shuang keep portraits in her ring? Because with so many members, she was almost face-blind! She drew each in memory, reviewing them daily to avoid the embarrassment of greeting Sister Red as Sister Green—a faux pas that would sting like brushing against a cactus. (Cactus of Endurance and Prosperity, indeed painful!)
Armed with that information, Hong Zhencheng had set out to take over the Sect. His original plan was to journey to Burning Heaven Mountain and practice with the seemingly gentle goddess Tong Fang. Fate intervened: scarcely had he departed when he encountered Tong Fang on the road. Seizing the opportunity, he introduced himself as Bai Shuang’s close brother, then “inadvertently” let slip of her death. In her moment of private sorrow, he offered comfort—and thus their bond formed smoothly and naturally.
“That’s why I couldn’t reply—I was in the thick of it!” he concluded, triumphant. “And with Tong Fang by my side—a fellow Shen Jun Realm powerhouse—I walk unchallenged!”
Ye Yu was speechless. “Bro, are you sure you’re not a Blood Demon or Luck Demon? We parted only half a day ago and you’re already... ‘finished’?”
Hong Zhencheng then asked eagerly, “Supreme Deity, any more of that Gou’s Wine? It’s a demon-man’s blessing—my power doubles when I drink it! Don’t hoard it; send more!”
Ye Yu laughed. “Men,” he teased. “Complaining about the taste only when you’re sober—double standard.”
Xie Buyu tilted her head. “What is ‘Gou’s Wine’? A demon-man’s blessing? Does it ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ make you stronger?”
Ye Yu froze. How to explain? He wanted to quip, “When men speak, women shouldn’t interrupt,” but recalling her resolute nature, he decided to dodge the question with a vague answer.
Just then, Hong Zhencheng’s voice crackled again, “Supreme Deity, why the silence? Did you and Chief Xie... hehe?”
The world fell silent. Ye Yu and Xie Buyu exchanged stunned, wordless glances. “Hehe? Does he think everyone can jump into bed at the drop of a hat, like he did?” Ye Yu thought. Xie Buyu was decidedly different—why would she think of such things at a moment like this?
Outraged, Ye Yu crushed his Communication Stone in his palm. He glanced at Xie Buyu, who—though outwardly calm—was inwardly panicking. She’d never had a Dao-partner before and didn’t know the proper protocol; but she understood “hehe” well enough. According to Hong Zhencheng, newly bonded Dao-partners immediately did that.
What about them? Hours had passed—should they...?
At that thought, Xie Buyu’s strength drained away. Is this what being Dao-partners entails? she wondered. Is it all happening too fast? What if Ye Yu expects it?
She clenched her teeth and, voice trembling, whispered, “Perhaps we should....”
