C18 Chaotic Memories

The individual is locked away in Wang Zhi's secret chamber," declared the man who had been lusting after Aying, his pants soaked through, leaving the ground reeking of a fishy stench.

Yang Xiu, with a look of disgust, tossed the man onto the wet floor.

"Lead me there, or it's your life," the other man, whose neck was firmly in Yang Xiu's grasp, quickly agreed.

With Yang Xiu's forceful presence, they made their way to Wang Zhi's domain at breakneck speed.

Lin Yi had anticipated Lin Zhengyang to be the visitor, but to his surprise, it was Yang Xiu. His elaborate preparations were for naught, and his desire to eliminate Yang Xiu intensified.

"Well, it wasn't all for nothing. Taking out Lin Xiu will be satisfying," Lin Yi thought as he stepped out to confront Yang Xiu.

"And where do you think you're going? This is my disciple's home. It's quite rude to just storm in! And why are you holding my disciple captive? Are you challenging Mao Mountain?"

Most people would back down immediately under such an accusation.

But not Yang Xiu.

"I am challenging Mao Mountain. What of it? You should realize what I hold in my hands. Step aside or release my sister. If not, I will stop at nothing until you're defeated."

Yang Xiu stood unyielding, like a wrathful deity, leaving no room for compromise as he tightened his grip on the disciple's neck. "Reveal the location of the secret room. Do so, and I'll let you leave with your life."

Lin Yi, with a sneer, retorted, "Think it over. You're betraying your sect. You know full well the fate of traitors."

Yang Xiu simply scoffed. When life is on the line, the choice is clear: survival comes first.

"Decide now. Trust me, or meet your end."

"It's behind his bed," the man blurted out. The moment the words left his mouth, Yang Xiu hurled him aside and charged in like lightning.

The Demon King wasted no time in bolstering Yang Xiu's fighting prowess as he confronted the Yin Soul Formation within.

This was Lin Yi's snare, a deadly Yin Soul Formation. Without the Demon King's aid, Yang Xiu would surely have perished in its grasp.

There were no ifs or buts about it.

With a thunderous cry of "Great Prison Tablet Hand!" Yang Xiu shattered the wall. Aying was indeed inside, unconscious and visibly exhausted. Her clothes were disheveled, and dirty handprints marred her body.

This sight sent Yang Xiu into a rage. His Star Power blazed brilliantly as he freed Aying, untied the ropes binding her, and carried her out, each step resonating with determination.

No sooner had he reached the doorway than the ambush he had anticipated sprang into action. With Aying in one arm, Yang Xiu unleashed his Star Power with unrestrained ferocity, decimating his foes.

Star Power swirled through the air, each strand claiming the life of an Outer Sect Disciple. These were Lin Yi's forces, and had Lin Zhengyang been the one to face them, not one life would have been taken.

Lin Yi understood Lin Zhengyang all too well, knowing that the latter cherished his sect members above all else. Another confrontation with Lin Zhengyang would surely devastate him.

But the man who had come was Yang Xiu.

This realization was Lin Yi's sole focus.

His desire to kill Yang Xiu intensified. Though he had other pressing matters to attend to, his current obsession with ending Yang Xiu's life overshadowed all else.

Yang Xiu, in the throes of battle, seemed to have lost his mind. As he fought with all his might, foreign memories flooded his consciousness.

The little girl named Aying, who sweetly called him brother, was identical to the Aying he now protected.

Realizing that this girl was the Aying from his memories, Yang Xiu's concentration faltered. His gaze shifted, his aura transformed, and his cultivation soared. The Jiao Mujiao made its presence known, yet he did not let go of Aying. With unstoppable force, he broke through the encirclement and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Lin Yi then confronted Yang Xiu, saying, "So this is the full extent of your power. I must kill you to survive. But if you're looking for someone to blame, blame yourself for choosing the wrong side."

Thousands of Ghost Shadows erupted from Lin Yi's body, swarming toward Yang Xiu with a chorus of hoarse cries, each one carrying a chilling breath. Yang Xiu stood his ground, allowing the Ghost Shadows to envelop him without any attempt to dodge.

"Hahaha! Fortune truly favors me, it favors me indeed." The Ghost Shadows seemed to vanish into thin air upon reaching Yang Xiu, disappearing without a trace.

No matter how many came, he handled them all with ease.

Meanwhile, a remaining Outer Sect Disciple mustered his last ounce of strength to unleash a Ghost Item.

By sheer coincidence, it found its way to Aying.

Lin Zhengyang was also facing a tough battle. Out of eleven elders, five had encircled him. The others had yet to reveal themselves. Lin Zhengyang was managing well against these opponents, but escaping was proving to be an arduous task.

The other disciples stood by, watching their master and the great elders fight, utterly bewildered.

They exchanged glances, unsure of what to do next. The crisis had erupted so suddenly, and amidst the seemingly tranquil crowd, there were those with hidden agendas.

These individuals had been strategically placed by Lin Yi.

Just as Lin Zhengyang was on the verge of breaking free, the disciples erupted in violence, turning on their unsuspecting brethren and slaying them.

Caught off guard by this treachery, Lin Zhengyang was thrust back into the fray, struggling in the thick of battle, silently hoping that Yang Xiu was faring better.

Yet, the situation elsewhere was eerily abnormal. Yang Xiu and the others lay unconscious, while Lin Yi's shattered corpse dangled from a tree branch, his stark white bones exposed to the open air.

In the midst of Lin Zhengyang's draining struggle, Aying made her appearance, her long hair whipping about her, her presence emanating an aura of Ghost Qi.

Her arrival brought everyone to a standstill.

All eyes were on Aying, terror-stricken, including Lin Zhengyang's. A single thought crossed their minds:

It's over, completely over. Not one soul would be left standing.

At that moment, Aying's gaze locked onto Lin Zhengyang. She advanced, leaving a trail of bloody footprints, making it clear that Lin Zhengyang was her intended target. The others stood frozen, taking any opportunity to evade her approach.

However, it was all in vain. Wherever Aying went, she left no one alive; behind her stretched a path of gleaming white bones.

Lin Zhengyang's face, however, showed no fear. With a resigned sigh, he pleaded, "Child, wake up. Look at me. I am your grandfather. Please, no more killing. Wake up."

Lin Zhengyang looked as though he had aged decades in an instant, resembling an old man on the brink of death.

At that moment, Yang Xiu, who had collapsed, struggled to rise from the ground, his eyes a deep, blood-red. "Little girl, I, Jiao Mujiao, have chosen you. You are destined to be my lifelong companion," he declared, his maniacal smile sending shivers down one's spine.

He raced along the bloody trail and quickly reached Aying's back.

"Girl, you are mine," he proclaimed.