The ice-cold voice that could freeze the soul jolted the onlookers back to their senses.
They realized someone was missing.
Liu Lin had vanished.
But as they looked at the sky filled with blood rain, a terrifying truth emerged.
"Ugh!"
Witnessing the gruesome scene and the pungent scent of blood in the air, the innocent Bu Qingyu was stunned.
The brutal impact turned her face deathly pale, and a churning nausea overwhelmed her, breaking her composure instantly.
She collapsed to the ground, vomiting uncontrollably, her eyes filled with daze and unease.
Fortunately, she was far enough from Leng Chi and the others that she wasn't covered in much of the blood splattered from Liu Lin's explosive demise. However, Leng Chi and Tian Meng, who had been almost at ground zero with Liu Lin, were not so lucky.
They were now both covered in blood, their hair, faces, and clothes stained red.
Their eyes were filled with despair.
"Although Master instructed me not to interfere lightly in your affairs and simply to rescue the person," Duolisa said, not turning around, as if talking to herself, "there will always be those who are arrogant enough to challenge the might of lightning. If that's the case, I hope you can accept the price you pay for it!"
With that, the sound of high heels clicking against the ground receded until it completely vanished.
All that remained in the wind were the bewildered figures of the crowd.
...
Following a dazzling saber strike, the Left Protector knelt on the ground, a trickle of crimson flowing from his mouth. His face was almost devoid of color, and his palms were covered in bloody gashes.
The sight of exposed bone was horrifying.
It seemed he had successfully blocked Du Yuemian's strike, but the price was brutal.
Meanwhile, Du Yuemian stood motionless in the distance, twin moons clutched in her hands. Her eyes remained closed.
Her aura was now imperceptible.
"Left Protector, are you alright!"
Lin Cangyun rushed forward to help upon seeing the Left Protector's severe injuries.
"Cough!"
The Left Protector struggled to stand, his body supported. He looked at Du Yuemian in the distance, still shaken. "Fortunately, this woman wasn't at her peak. Otherwise, I fear I would have fallen into her hands."
Du Yuemian's strike, "Moonfall to the Mortal World," was too terrifying. Even recalling it now sent shivers down the Left Protector's spine.
"It's good that you're alright, Left Protector!" Lin Cangyun reassured him.
"Mm."
The Left Protector nodded, highly satisfied with Lin Cangyun. If not for the opportunity Lin Cangyun had created for him to sneak attack Du Yuemian earlier, the outcome of this encounter was truly uncertain.
"Left Protector, what about that woman?" Lin Cangyun gestured to the distance.
"She won't live."
The Left Protector knew the cost Du Yuemian paid for that strike. Looking at her in the distance, a hint of regret flickered in his eyes. "What a pity, such a beauty, to perish like this."
But then, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes. "However, her body is still intact, which means I can study it thoroughly."
It appeared the Left Protector harbored an unspeakable perversion.
Lin Cangyun paid no mind to the Left Protector's words, remaining indifferent.
Then, the Left Protector strode towards Du Yuemian.
The Scarlet Heart Fruit was still on her.
"Hahaha, now I can..."
Just as the Left Protector was striding forward, his eyes fixed on Du Yuemian.
*Bang!*
"Ah!"
His body stiffened abruptly, his eyes widening in shock.
A muffled thud came from behind him. He struggled to turn his head, looking at his assailant with disbelief. "Why... why?"
Blood was now pouring from his back.
The attack had come without any warning.
The attacker was none other than Lin Cangyun.
Lin Cangyun did not answer the Left Protector's question. Instead, he stood rooted to the spot like a puppet.
"Because he doesn't know either!"
At this moment, someone the Left Protector never expected appeared within his sight.
Lin Fengxuan walked towards him step by step. Seeing the confused look on the Left Protector's face, he smiled calmly. "You really don't need to be so surprised!"
"Come here!"
Lin Fengxuan beckoned to Lin Cangyun, who walked towards him like a marionette.
"Do you understand now?" Lin Fengxuan looked at the Left Protector.
At this point, how could the Left Protector not understand?
Lin Cangyun had long been controlled by Lin Fengxuan. What he couldn't comprehend was the method used.
Lin Fengxuan seemed to read his unspoken question and presented the answer before him.
At this moment, a black insect crawled out from Lin Fengxuan's sleeve. It followed his hand and crawled to the tip of his index finger.
"This is for you! It's the Soul Control Gu," Lin Fengxuan said, placing the small insect into Lin Cangyun's hand.
Although the Left Protector was incapacitated, he had Lin Cangyun act to plant the Gu worm on him to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.
"You're a Gu Master!"
Seeing the Gu worm in Lin Cangyun's hand, the Left Protector exclaimed in terror.
He didn't know much about Gu Masters, these special individuals. But he knew one thing for sure: once infected with a Gu, he would be completely controlled.
"No... no... don't come near me!" The Left Protector retreated with all his might.
But due to his previous two severe injuries, how could he possibly escape?
"Ah!"
Moments later, an unwilling wail erupted from the Left Protector's mouth. But as time passed, the color in his pupils began to fade.
"Master..."
Looking at the Left Protector, whose demeanor was now respectfully subservient, Lin Fengxuan's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Although the Left Protector was currently incapacitated, once his injuries healed, he would be a genuine late-stage Martial King expert.
Afterward, Lin Fengxuan turned his gaze to Du Yuemian.
At this moment, she had opened her eyes at some point. She had naturally witnessed everything that had transpired.
"I never imagined you would be the ultimate winner!" a weak voice emerged from Du Yuemian's lips.
Seeing this, Lin Fengxuan approached her.
Unconsciously, he now held two more Gu worms. One of them had faint golden patterns on its surface.
The other was not much different from the one planted on the Left Protector.
"This is called the Meteor Life Gu. It will preserve a sliver of life for you," Lin Fengxuan said, standing before her and pointing to the golden Gu worm.
"You want to control me too."
Du Yuemian's voice was weak as she looked at Lin Fengxuan.
"If I can use you to control the Du family of the provincial capital, then why not?" Lin Fengxuan made no pretense. "Do you still have the strength to care about your own life?"
Indeed, in Du Yuemian's current state, she lacked the ability to end her own life.
Once Lin Fengxuan planted the Soul Control Gu, coupled with the Meteor Life Gu preserving her life force, all he had to do was wait for her injuries to heal. She would then naturally become a puppet controlled by Lin Fengxuan.
What a tragic thought.
"Do it,"
Du Yuemian offered no futile resistance. She knew it would be in vain.
At this moment, she finally realized how weak she truly was.
To be controlled by an ordinary person in the end.
How absurd.
"Girl Du, how about this old man gives you a choice?"
At this moment, a hoarse voice suddenly reached everyone's ears.