Chapter 216

Chapter 216: Only Death Awaits You

Bai Mu Mu had wanted to let Wen Xuan die in the Purplegold Serpent’s jaws, but he was still her mission target, so she could only spare his life for now and pull him out, planning to end the mission later when the time came.

Wen Xuan looked at the others and said: “Its target is only you.”

He turned to Shen Sang Ruo and added: “Little Ruo, if you had chosen to go west and given us your points, or if you had chosen to save us just now, they might not have had to die.”

The Purplegold Serpent, already close to late Nascent Soul, did exactly what Wen Xuan said; it did not search for him again, but fixed its pressing, vertical pupils on the others.

Its triangular head lifted as it opened its mouth; purple spiritual power poured out and fell to the ground, forming a huge half-dome barrier ward.

Everyone stared in shock, and even the Dodder Flower Sprite blurted out: “The Purplegold Serpent can make a barrier ward? How did I not know it could do that?”

Inside this barrier ward, even if they crushed their tokens, they would not be teleported out.

Bai Mu Mu watched them and said with icy calm: “You have only one way left, and that way is death.”

The group suddenly realized the trick came from the malevolent spirit on Bai Mu Mu; they remembered how, back at the Crimson Flame Sea, she had used this same move to control the Fire Phoenix.

Ye Huai, Song Wei Yan, Bai Ruo An, and Su Xi Yu all turned grim. It was clear Wen Xuan had come for them.

Shen Sang Ruo’s eyes burst with killing intent as she snapped at Wen Xuan: “You are asking to die.”

He had dared to strike at her senior brothers and sisters, and real murder rose in her heart.

Wen Xuan stood at Bai Mu Mu’s side, watching the battlefield outside with a calm face.

Shen Sang Ruo and the others looked to the sky; the danger now truly threatened their lives, and the people on Fengling Terrace were surely watching by projection, so True Lord Gu Ci, Immortal Lord Chang Li, and the others would not sit and watch; they would force the secret realm open to save them.

Bai Mu Mu curled her lip and said: “Stop looking. They cannot see you, and no one is coming to save you.”

She had already cut those projections; by the time anyone noticed, their bodies would be cold. Afterward, any investigation would say they died to the Purplegold Serpent, which had nothing to do with her.

Wen Xuan smiled faintly; the thought that her senior brothers and sisters would vanish delighted him even more.

But the very next breath, to Wen Xuan’s shock, the Purplegold Serpent lunged straight at Shen Sang Ruo.

Her companions, ready to fight, went pale and cried out together: “Junior Sister!”

A foul stench wrapped around Shen Sang Ruo as the Dodder Flower Sprite in her hair screamed: “No, no! The Purplegold Serpent’s aura is wrong!”

There was no time to think. Under the almost paralyzing spiritual pressure of the beast, Shen Sang Ruo threw all her spiritual power into a leap and barely escaped the snap of its jaws.

Even so, a few drops of venom from its fangs splashed onto her; her clothing corroded at once, the poison seeped into her flesh, and a sharp, needle-like pain made her hands tremble.

Seeing her wounded, Ye Huai and the others unleashed their full force; even if it cost all four of their lives, they would carve a path for Shen Sang Ruo to survive.

Wen Xuan’s smile died on his lips as horror filled his face; he shouted: “No! That’s wrong! Why is it going for Little Ruo?!”

Bai Mu Mu let out a cold laugh as he finally sensed something was wrong.

He snapped his head toward her and demanded: “Why is this happening? Didn’t you say the Purplegold Serpent would only kill people from the Ninghua Sect?”

Bai Mu Mu’s smile was sweet as she said: “Isn’t Shen Sang Ruo from the Ninghua Sect too? She is their Young Sect Master. You assumed from the start that she didn’t count. That is not my fault.”

Wen Xuan’s voice cracked as he cried: “Your goal from beginning to end was only Little Ruo? You want to kill her? How can you be so vicious?”

He had never imagined Bai Mu Mu would be this ruthless.

Bai Mu Mu stopped hiding anything in front of him; the curl at her lips mocked his foolishness as she said: “So what? Shen Sang Ruo is about to be killed by your own hands, and she will never forgive you.”

Wen Xuan froze as her words crashed over him like a flood, and a bottomless panic rose in his heart; reason returned, and his former resentment toward Shen Sang Ruo vanished at once.

His eyes reddened with rage as he roared: “Let her go! Do not touch Little Ruo! If you dare kill her, I will—”

Bai Mu Mu cut him off with a light voice: “You will what? Kill me?”

She drove the Cold Echo Pearl, and sharp ice shot out, knocking Wen Xuan to the ground.

He was already badly hurt from his injury-feigning tactic; now he had no strength left to stand.

Bai Mu Mu looked down at him and said: “With that little strength, how could you even touch the hem of my robe?”

She let out a shrill, piercing laugh and added: “Enough. Now enjoy the fruit of your hard work: watch with your own eyes as she dies in the Purplegold Serpent’s mouth. That way your little play will not be wasted.”

Those words were more than Wen Xuan’s life could bear. He crawled to her feet, his blood dragging a bright red line behind him, and grabbed the edge of her skirt as he begged: “Please, please do not hurt Little Ruo…”

His voice broke, tears ran down his face, and his hoarse cries showed how close he was to falling apart.

He was drowning in regret for trusting Bai Mu Mu and sending Shen Sang Ruo to her death with his own hands. [How can I accept Little Ruo dying because of me?]

Guilt almost drove him mad and made it hard to breathe. [Why did I crush that serpent egg? Why did I ever think of teaching Little Ruo a lesson? I clearly care for her!] Because he had harbored evil intent, he could not defend his actions. [I deserve to die. It is all my fault.]

[But who will save Little Ruo now?] He was ready to give up all pride to save her, but Bai Mu Mu kicked him away and did not spare him another glance.

Despair filled his eyes; the grief almost made him faint, but he bit his lip until it bled to stay awake. [I must go save Little Ruo. I cannot pass out.]

He forced himself to crawl toward the fight; if Shen Sang Ruo died, he would die with her, for only that could pay for his sins.

Shen Sang Ruo took an antidote pill from her cosmos pouch and swallowed it; the stabbing pain in her arm eased a little. With a few breaths to spare, she finally asked what the Dodder Flower Sprite meant earlier: “What is wrong with it?”

The Dodder Flower Sprite, who knew the serpent’s aura well after being beaten by it before, answered at once: “There is another aura on it.”

The sprite suddenly thought of something and cried out: “It is like it has been tainted by devil qi!”

“Devil qi?” Shen Sang Ruo’s brows furrowed tight.