The other person snorted and placed a chess piece.
——
When the sacred golden plaque, the only thing that could stop demons, shattered, it lost its original power.
For a demon, bypassing the Imperial Preceptor's mansion's layers of defenses was an extremely easy task.
A cloud of black mist rose from a boundary marker on the back mountain and condensed into the shape of a woman. Under the dim starlight of the night, only her thin face could be vaguely seen.
She crouched down and felt around on the ground with her hands, fiddling with something.
A moment later, after a brief flash of light, a huge cave appeared on the once solid mountain.
The barrier disappeared, and she transformed into a wisp of mist, vanishing into the darkness.
Entering the mountain from the cave entrance, steep stone steps form a loop, extending deeper into the earth.
Push a round boulder down, and the sound of it rolling away will gradually fade into the distance until it is no longer audible to the human ear, and you will still not hear the sound of it stopping.
Above the circular steps, within the walls of the mountain, are embedded grooves, on which strange talismans are affixed.
Some were faintly lit, some were silent and pitch black, and some emitted eerie sounds, as if some kind of creature was imprisoned inside.
The black mist stopped in front of a light-filled groove, then transformed back into human form. She reached out and peeled off the talisman, turning the mechanism in front of the door.
With a rumbling sound, the groove slowly rose up, revealing a stone door.
The light emanating from the door was particularly dazzling in the utter darkness deep underground.
The light from the burning oil lamp illuminated the face of the newcomer, and Lingyan saw a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar—it was Gu Zhong's face.
"Ayan—"
She called out softly.
Lingyan raised her eyebrows and instinctively reached for her waist, wanting to take out her magical artifact.
She only realized that all her magical artifacts had been taken away when she couldn't touch anything.
As someone who has been [illegible], one cannot expect them to leave behind anything of value that could cause destruction.
Fortunately, if the stone door is opened, the talismans used to seal the spells on it will surely become ineffective.
Lingyan immediately began to use the incantation, and with all her might, she resolutely attacked Gu Zhong.
Gu Zhong transformed into black mist once more, perfectly dodging her attack, and appeared beside her in the blink of an eye.
The missed attack struck the stone gate, causing a violent tremor. Gravel and dust fell in a flurry, blurring her vision.
"Ayan, what are you doing?"
Gu Zhong stayed close to her and quickly grabbed her right wrist as she prepared to cast another spell.
"What exactly are you?"
Lingyan, whose left hand was not restrained, delivered an elbow strike to Gu Zhong's waist and abdomen.
Gu Zhong grunted and was knocked back a few steps.
Lingyan immediately stepped forward, grabbed Gu Zhong by the neck with one hand, and pinned her against the stone wall. With her other hand, she formed a white magic seal, which danced and grew stronger at her fingertips, but she hesitated to throw it out.
"That's not the vital point—"
Despite the extremely dangerous situation, Gu Zhong remained calm and chuckled lightly, seemingly certain that Ling Yan's attacks would not cause him any harm.
Ling Yan looked at Gu Zhong in front of her. Her eyes were no longer the pure black of obsidian, and there was no trace of black mist leaking from her body.
If she hadn't witnessed Gu Zhong freely transforming between different forms, she probably wouldn't have been able to discern her true identity—that she was a demon.
Lingyan felt a surge of anger at being deceived, mixed with a sense of helplessness and dejection.
"Where is the demon possession? You are clearly a demon from beginning to end."
She gritted her teeth and looked at Gu Zhong, her eyes filled with sadness and confusion.
Does it really matter what I am?
Gu Zhong sighed softly and slowly removed Ling Yan's hand from her throat.
"No matter who I am, I will never hurt you."
A solemn promise and guarantee were uttered from her lips, word by word.
"But you are a demon, a scourge—a menace—a cannibal—"
Roaring, her hands trembling, Lingyan staggered back a few steps. She thought of the towering black fog in the Taoist temple that night, all the innocent people who had been transformed into demons, and how the once bustling sacred place had become a dead land in the blink of an eye.
"Ayan, am I really that much of a presence in your eyes?"
Gu Zhong stared wide-eyed at Ling Yan, his face full of hurt.
—How do you know I'm not Gu Zhong?
—Even if they may still retain humanity, they are simply unable to control themselves?
Lingyan recalled Gu Zhong's words, her mind a jumble of conflicting emotions.
Humanity and sanity, qualities that demons lack, still show signs of existing in Gu Zhong.
But she was still a demon, and no one had ever been like her, no one!
Lingyan recalled the cold glint of a sword on the night they first met, which had amazed her for life; the many secret conversations she overheard under the camphor tree, the ordinary yet happy days; and the many times they fought side by side, the trust and reliance she had once placed in each other.
None of this was fake.
A demon that retains humanity and memory—that is Gu Zhong.
How did I answer back then?
—Let's end it here.
It's easy to say, but Lingyan now knows that she simply can't bring herself to do it.
“Ayan, the matter of the Taoist temple is not my concern.”
Gu Zhong took a step closer to her, still trying to explain.
Who is that?
Despite her doubts already wavering, Lingyan still glanced at Gu Zhong and pressed him relentlessly for answers.
"—Ling Ying. You are here now not entirely unaware of the truth. The Imperial Preceptor's Mansion harbors a shocking conspiracy."
You shouldn't have gotten involved—if only I hadn't gone to find you.
As he spoke of the later events, Gu Zhong appeared filled with regret and self-reproach.
But you should have come looking for me.
Deep within Lingyan's heart, a voice called out, filled with grief, sorrow, and an unyielding attachment.
“Ling Ying is no longer my cousin, and I don’t believe a single word of the stories they made up.”
If there is more than one demon like you, then Ling Ying is very likely also a demon in disguise.
It's laughable that this entire world, everything, has fallen into the control of demons.
Ling Yan quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts and forced a calm demeanor.
"The most urgent thing is to get out of here."
Gu Zhong glanced outside the door, her brows furrowing slightly. She heard light footsteps coming from the ground.
"Gu Zhong, I don't believe you."
Ling Yan suddenly spoke, which startled Gu Zhong.
"You are a demon, I am a human, our natural positions are different."
However, I don't believe them even more.
I wish I could truly believe you.
The ensuing turn of events eased Gu Zhong's anxious brow.
"You can definitely trust me."
She said this.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently for a moment, and a faint roar came from the depths before returning to calm.
Gu Zhong glanced thoughtfully at the ground below, as if she could see through the thick layer of rock and into the scene below.
"Walk."
She then stepped forward, gently took Lingyan's hand, and pulled her into her arms.
It transformed into a cloud of black mist, carefully enveloping her, and rushed out of the stone gate, spiraling upwards along the steep stone steps.
--------------------
Author's Note:
After all, Gu Zhong is an old geezer.
Chapter 131 Swordsman and Exorcist (Seventeen)
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"By the way, how did you find this place?"
Lingyan was led all the way to this underground prison hidden deep in the mountain, and learned just how secluded it was.
I can't help but be curious about how Gu Zhong was able to find me so quickly.
"It's probably a familiar old spot..."
A muffled sound came from the black mist, as if a veil had been drawn over the mouth and nose.
"The familiar old place?"
Ling Yan seemed to be deep in thought, then she raised her hand as if to gently comfort her.
—What use is this godforsaken place other than imprisoning people?