My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

All around was as black as ink, even the light from the torches appeared ghostly.

Neither the White Lotus Sect nor the Dragon and Tiger Taoists wasted much time; they swiftly crossed the lake with their souls first, then jointly performed a technique to transport their bodies back.

The entire process was smooth and efficient, without anyone accidentally falling into the water. The souls indeed crossed the lake, proving that what the White Lotus Sect had claimed was true.

Yin Weiyin instinctively took a step closer, only to see the lake surface glistening like a mirror, yet it seemed like molten iron, with not a single ripple.

The clear lake reflected her image, which was the visage of Miss Donggong; even Yin Weiyin had to admit, this stupid girl may not be very bright, but her looks were not far off. Of course, when considering everything, she was indeed the victor.

Yin Weiyin restrained her thoughts and glanced again at the souls floating across the lake; now was not the time to argue over who had won.

If anything went wrong, it wasn't just a matter of whether she could get out of bed or fulfill her path training; even her identity as First Lady could become meaningless!

Without realizing it, Yin Weiyin clenched her fists, her breathing gradually growing quicker.

Suddenly, her shoulder was tapped.

Her heart nearly stopped, as Chen Yi's voice landed beside her ear: "It's almost our turn, don't be afraid."

The voice was especially gentle, making one lean upon it. For a moment, Yin Weiyin felt the impulse to confess everything and plead for mercy.

Perhaps surrendering would mean losing only half, especially with Xiao Yin urging peace from the sidelines. A quick compromise might mean losing just a quarter...

However, when she caught a hint of apprehension in Chen Yi's gentle gaze, Yin Weiyin's thoughts instantly vanished; in such major affairs, surrender was not an option.

In the end, had it not been for the fears about what might be hidden within this body, many of Chen Yi's plans would have already changed, and her tactics, to put it bluntly, were another form of undermining.

Yin Weiyin gritted her teeth in frustration, wondering why she clashed so much with Donggong Ruoshu. The Joyful Sect was her domain, and Shantong City was hers too; even now, the dead Donggong could still scare away the living Goddess.

No matter how refined her methods, encountering Donggong Ruoshu inevitably led to the situation turning contrary to her desires.

In her view, people had already safely landed in the distance, their souls re-entering their bodies, which greatly encouraged everyone, causing their actions to unwittingly quicken, like incense burning faster as it reaches its midpoint in a temple.

A drop of cold sweat slid down from Yin Weiyin's forehead.

Retreating wasn't an option, advancing wasn't either. In this deadlock... how could one sew life?

Chen Yi slightly narrowed his eyes and silently stepped back half a body length.

This way, even if her mind suddenly unleashed three scarlet tentacles at him, he would have time to react.

Having been together for some time, they were somewhat familiar with each other, but with the Old Saintess's warning and the peculiar circumstances, Chen Yi had never let down his guard.

Having lived two lifetimes, he had heard and seen many strange tales and events in the Jianghu; no matter how good the relations between two people seemed, they shouldn't be completely trusted. The hardest to guard against are those closest to you, like the demon known as Painted Skin, which often showed its beautiful visage to deceive Jianghu guests and wandering scholars, only to feast on them until not even bones remained by morning.

Chen Yi had slain many demons and had seen corpses that fell victim to Painted Skin; the more lustful someone was, the more vigilant they were about this, as if a thorn were in their back. Only those who loudly claim moral integrity are most easily swayed from their true selves.

Who knows what kind of creature occupied this enticing shell?

Chen Yi silently moved his hand toward the hilt of his blade.

Time flowed by, little by little. Donggong Ruoshu remained rigid and motionless within the small area around her, making the atmosphere increasingly eerie.

Chen Yi glanced at the shore; many people on the other side had already touched down, while half remained on this side, including Qing Yuan. The time was drawing near.

Thus he stepped forward and spoke out, "It's our turn soon, get ready..."

Before the words fully left his lips.

"Pain..."

"What?"

"It hurts, hurts so much..."

Her body began to tremble, initially with slight quivers, and in a breath or two, escalating to violent shakes. She clutched her head, and all of a sudden, it seemed as if countless things flooded into her mind.

Chen Yi's brow furrowed instantly, his hand already on the hilt.

"Pain... there... there's a voice..."

Chen Yi's blade had yet to fully emerge from its sheath when Donggong Ruoshu suddenly staggered back two steps, appearing to endure excruciating torment. Her eyes grew increasingly unfocused, her voice becoming hoarse.

She seemed to be suffering from a splitting headache.

Chen Yi's breath caught as he was about to reach out to support her, but then she let out a sudden scream that nearly pierced his eardrums,

"There's a voice!"

A voice?

Chen Yi tensed his nerves, his back slightly hunched, yet despite his acute sense for sound, he didn't hear a single unusual tone.

Where was the voice coming from?

The people at the shore noticed the abnormality here, halting their actions and directing their attention over.

The words at that moment stirred their minds; the eerie silence of the environment sent a chill through their spines, leaving a tinge of fear creeping down their backs.

Chen Yi did not act rashly; the others' gazes trembled too, and no one dared to make a move, with some beginning to tremble slightly — a natural reaction when facing impending danger.

"It's..."

After a long while, fragments of sound escaped her throat as she suddenly turned around,

"Over there! Someone's calling me!"

The next moment, before anyone could react, she rushed over with reckless abandon.

Chen Yi, startled for a moment, immediately set off in pursuit.