NOVPUBAs the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder’s divine punishment surged like a torrent, Prajna Venerable had no way of dodging.
His own Prajna confronted Xu Zimei, and if he dodged, Xu Zimei’s slash would land.
He had not expected Xu Zimei to have such an unexpected move.
The speed of the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder strike was so fast that it barely gave Prajna Venerable any time to think.
When the thunderous punishment, fierce as a torrential beast, struck Prajna Venerable’s body,
Xu Zimei could see the scene of his flesh being torn apart, yet Prajna Venerable merely grunted, forcefully enduring without screaming out loud.
Thunderclouds crowded the sky, with numerous purple lightning arcs spreading all around.
With a "boom," the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder pierced through Prajna Venerable, blasting a bloody hole in his chest.
And that mask shattered into pieces.
What came into view was an exceptionally aged face, devoid of any vitality.
"It’s you," Huang Xing exclaimed upon seeing Prajna Venerable’s appearance.
Wasn’t this elder the very same one they had helped out of righteousness in the pharmacy before?
At this moment, Huang Xing and his companions felt deeply that they had fallen into a trap.
The elder did not answer; he had already been seriously injured, not just physically but his True Fate Prajna had been shattered by Xu Zimei as well.
He spat out several mouthfuls of fresh blood and looked at Xu Zimei with a calm gaze.
With Tyrant Shadow in hand, Xu Zimei walked step by step towards the other party.
Looking down on Prajna Venerable from above, he smiled faintly, "You never thought your day would come, did you?"
"I had thought about it long ago; from the moment I joined the True God Cult, I was prepared to accept such an outcome," Prajna Venerable said indifferently.
Xu Zimei looked at Prajna Venerable, noticing no fear in his eyes.
They were like a pool of dead water, turbid and bland.
"Sometimes death is a kind of release," Prajna Venerable said calmly.
Nobody knew his story, and it wasn’t necessary for him to tell anyone anything.
Perhaps with his death, burying everything underground wouldn’t be so bad.
"Brother Xu, please hold off," Huang Ri hastily interjected, seeing Xu Zimei’s intent to kill.
"He is one of the four great kings of the Evil God Cult; taking him back would be a heavy blow to the cult."
Xu Zimei did not answer; he sense that Prajna Venerable in front of him was already dead at heart.
It was as if he was a walking corpse, alive in body only.
Even if they took him back to the Empire, they would likely get nothing out of him.
Whether he killed Prajna Venerable or not was meaningless to Xu Zimei.
He turned his gaze to Huang Yue who stood to the side, holding the Longsword cautiously, watching him.
"She’s all yours," Xu Zimei said to Huang Xing and the others.
After speaking, he stepped aside, watching with interest.
Although the Way of Inquiry poison was powerful, it could only trap someone of the Saint Vein Realm for a short time.
After Huang Xing and the others expelled the poison, they spat out a mouthful of black blood.
Their complexions also improved greatly.
Standing up, Huang Xing and his companion looked at Huang Yue with complicated expressions.
"Why did you betray us?" Huang Xing asked sorrowfully.
"It’s not about betrayal; from the beginning, I was a part of the True God Cult," Huang Yue put down her sword and spoke calmly.
"So you were a True God Cult’s spy," Huang Ri shook his head and replied.
"Even though we lost the battle a hundred years ago during King Anding’s war,
our infiltration had already riddled the entire Empire.
When the time comes, this shaky empire will inevitably be destroyed."
Huang Yue spoke faintly.
"Come back with me to see His Majesty," Huang Ri said with a sigh.
"No need," Huang Yue shook her head slightly.
"Do you even have a choice?" Huang Xing retorted. "Don’t resist anymore. After so many years of friendship as classmates, I won’t hurt you."
Huang Yue smiled slightly but said no more.
Suddenly, her complexion turned dark, and she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Her skin blackened at a visible rate to the naked eye.
Her eyes sunk in, her skin flaked off crazily, and she seemed to age hundreds of years in an instant.
"Yue’er," Huang Xing shouted in unison, rushing over to hold the frail and weak body of the other.
"What’s going on?" Huang Ri asked anxiously.
After examining her, he finally turned to the dying Huang Yue.
With a sigh, he said, "You’re poisoned with the hookworm toxin."
"I took it myself," Huang Yue said with a smile.
Compared to her current state, her smile looked somewhat horrifying.
"Is there any hope for her?" Huang Xing asked Huang Ri urgently.
"If it had been found early, she could have been saved. But in this state, it’s no longer possible."
Huang Ri shook his head.
"Why?" Huang Xing asked, looking at Huang Yue, struggling to hold back his tears.
"From the very beginning, I was an undercover agent from the True God Cult, infiltrating the Phoenix Perching Empire.
I only intended to steal intelligence," said Huang Yue with a wry smile.
As she spoke, she coughed up blood violently, looking extremely tragic.
A dying person’s words are kind.
"Until I met you all, the journey of getting to know each other was the happiest moment in my life.
A person is not a stone or a plant; how can they be heartless?
I planned to poison myself after you died, otherwise I would live in guilt.
But now, seeing that all of you are fine, I’m happy.
I’m sorry!"
As Huang Yue spoke her last words, her hands dropped powerless.
Her body began to emit a rotten smell and started decaying.
Huang Xing watched powerlessly as the person in his arms rotted into a puddle of pus, and cried out in agony.
...…
Prajna Venerable’s eyes were lifeless as Xu Zimei bound him with the Binding Immortal Lock.
Watching the puddle of pus before him, Huang Xing remained silent for a long, long time before finally standing up and slowly walking outside.
"Where are you going?" Huang Ri hurriedly asked from behind.
"Wipe them out," Huang Xing replied with just two words, disappearing into the thick night.
At this moment in the City Lord Mansion, Lue Xiong was also restless, awaiting the outcome from the other side.
The commotion from the earlier fight must have reached his ears, but he dared not venture out.
Whichever side he took in this matter, it would not end well for him.
Just as he was anxiously considering this, he suddenly heard screams coming from outside.
They seemed to be from the servants of his mansion.
"Who is it?" asked Lue Xiong in a panic.
The room’s door was pushed open, and a figure drenched in blood stood at the entrance.
For the residents of Phoenix Hoaring City, it was a sleepless night.
Periodically, screams and booming noises came from within the city.
But these residents dared not go out to check, to avoid misfortune.
The scream lasted until it was nearly dawn, then finally ceased.
...…
The fish belly white rose slowly from the sky, eventually turning into a purple sun.
