Through the eyes of the divine statue, Yu Yi gazed at the light arrows arranged in the sky, reflecting moonlight like a Milky Way flowing through the night.
By now, Qu Chan was completely panicked. It wasn't the real Moon God, but merely an earthworm that had infiltrated the Moon God statue, granting wishes to worshippers in a way that harmed others while benefiting itself, surviving on their offerings to maintain its existence.
There was no need for Xue Chenjing to slaughter everyone in Fengsheng County or overthrow Liang Province - just the most devout believers below could pose a threat to it.
The overwhelming array of arrows in the sky continued to spread their formation but didn't immediately rain down. From Yu Yi's understanding of Xue Chenjing, if he truly intended to kill, he wouldn't show any mercy to the civilians below.
This was a psychological battle - he was trying to make Qu Chan break down first.
If she stopped Xue Chenjing, they would completely lose their advantage, falling entirely into Qu Chan's grasp. But if she didn't, Xue Chenjing might actually release the rain of arrows, massacring the people below indiscriminately.
Many thoughts raced through her mind, but only for a moment - Yu Yi wasn't one to hesitate, as the longer she delayed, the more disadvantageous it became for her.
Surely Xue Chenjing knew she wasn't someone who enjoyed needless killing.
Could she trust him this once?
With her heart in suspense, Yu Yi laughed and said carelessly, "I can barely protect myself, how could I control him? He's right about one thing - the people who could nurture a creature like you aren't good folk anyway. They're all selfish people like the Du family, not worth sparing."
Qu Chan hadn't expected her to say this and jumped in agitation: "You righteous cultivators are all hypocrites!"
Under the night sky, just the threat of suspended arrows was enough to make many people weak in the knees. Seeing they couldn't escape the arrows' range, people stopped their futile running.
They collapsed in despair, going from kowtowing and begging the Moon God to spare them, to eventually cursing at the Moon God Temple, calling it a false deity and demon, saying a true god who loves humanity would never cruelly slaughter their own believers.
As the faith gathered around Qu Chan began to dissipate, and just as the rain of arrows was about to pour down, Qu Chan cried out, "I surrender! I'll release your master, just don't kill them!"
The silver moon disc in the Moon God statue's arms brightened intensely, and a figure tumbled out from the moonlight. As soon as Yu Yi appeared, a tentacle shot out and wrapped around her waist, dragging her behind the statue where someone embraced her tightly.
Yu Yi said, "Withdraw the arrows..."
"I know," Xue Chenjing held her tight, burying his head in her shoulder, his pupils transforming into silver spikes.
The falling rain of arrows suddenly stopped, dispersing into ethereal white mist that covered the screaming crowds below. When the pain didn't come, people gradually looked up, only to meet an eerie pair of silver pupils floating in the mist.
A realization was planted in the minds of all those under the white mist.
The Moon God statue plummeted toward the temple below, nearly crashing before several tentacles caught and carefully placed it back on its altar.
Qu Chan was overwhelmed with gratitude, immediately crying and trying to make amends, but the other two had already vanished from the temple. The tentacles quickly withdrew from the temple, retreating behind it.
In the courtyard just behind the Moon God Temple, Yu Yi was pressed against a thick osmanthus tree, her chin lifted as passionate kisses fell upon her lips.
Xue Chenjing cupped her face, kissing her roughly and without technique, grinding against her lips, his tongue invading her mouth like a snake, entwining with her tongue and drawing it into his mouth, drinking in her essence.
Up close, Yu Yi could see his trembling eyelashes and the small red mole on his lowered eyelid.
She heard his urgent swallowing and beast-like whimpers. Yu Yi felt dazed from his kisses, having the absurd sensation that she wasn't being kissed but rather being tasted and devoured by a wild beast.
"Mmph, Xue..." They were pressed together without any space between them, and she couldn't get a single word out, her tongue stinging from his excessive sucking. Cold sensations crept in through her sleeves and hem, advancing against her skin.
Yu Yi's mind grew hazy, tears forced out by his too-rough kisses, unconsciously beginning to respond to him.
Feeling her weak response, Xue Chenjing lifted his eyelids to look at her excitedly, becoming even more entranced.
Yu Yi finally found a moment to catch her breath and said, "Gentler..."
Her words were immediately sealed back into her mouth. The out-of-control tentacles around them climbed up the osmanthus branches, writhing around the thick trunk, making the crown of the tree shake unstably, scattering fine osmanthus flowers like snow.
When that cold sensation crossed a boundary, touching places it shouldn't, Yu Yi shuddered and pressed her knees together tightly. Her foggy mind instantly cleared as she opened her eyes wide to glare at him, raising her hand to grab his wrist.
Her fingers touched the rotting skin on the back of his hand, making Xue Chenjing grunt in pain. Yu Yi loosened her grip and frowned, biting him.
Only then did Xue Chenjing open his eyes, innocently backing away a little.
He carefully studied her expression, afraid of making her angry, and hurriedly explained, "Yi'er, I wasn't going to kill that person. I just wanted to frighten the Moon God - the person I chose was disguised as a bone demon. It's all because that cultivator interfered that my first arrow missed. But I aimed correctly at the second person, who was also a disguised bone demon. Please don't be angry."
Yu Yi looked up in surprise, not expecting that Xue Chenjing would make such considerations for her sake.
"You..." She had barely uttered a word when she stopped due to the movement under her skirt. She wiped her lips, face completely red, and said angrily, "Withdraw your tentacles!"
Xue Chenjing looked dejected, but the tentacles covering the tree obediently retreated, causing another shower of osmanthus flowers as the tree shook.
Yu Yi's sleeves and skirt billowed as the tentacles reluctantly withdrew from her body, the limbs that had been pressed against her still retained her body heat, showing vague outlines.
Earlier, Xue Chenjing had been mostly focused on kissing, with the tentacles moving on instinct. Now, receiving feedback from the tentacles, different sensations flooded his senses.
He frowned slightly, turning his head to look at that tentacle, carefully savoring the more intense scent of her that it transmitted.
Yu Yi followed his gaze, her cheeks burning like fire. She grabbed the tentacle and used her sleeve to vigorously rub its soft tip.
Xue Chenjing whimpered in pain, "Yi'er, it hurts, it hurts!"
"You deserve it," Yu Yi finished wiping and kicked the tentacle away.
The tentacle retreated dejectedly to Xue Chenjing's side. He picked it up and held it close to his eyes to examine it, even sniffing it.
Yu Yi was so embarrassed by his actions that her head nearly steamed. Her Green Bamboo Sword suddenly appeared at his face, its tip pressing against the tentacle's end. She said with an angry laugh, "Perhaps I should just cut it off for you."
Xue Chenjing: "..." He released his fingers, and the tentacle instantly vanished.
Seeing that she was still angry, Xue Chenjing tentatively raised one finger to gently push away her sword tip. His sleeve fell, revealing a large patch of corroded, festering skin from his hand to his elbow.
Yu Yi's attention was indeed drawn to his injury. She lowered her hand, withdrew her Green Bamboo Sword, and took his hand to examine it. "You transferred my injuries to yourself? Aren't you very afraid of pain?"
"Yes, master, it really hurts," Xue Chenjing's voice was thick with a nasal tone, sounding pitiful and wronged.
Yu Yi rummaged through her storage bag for medicine, carefully applying an ointment to the festering skin. "This is from that earthworm's corrosive poison. I'm not sure if this ointment will work, but it should at least help with the pain."
"It will work," Xue Chenjing said confidently. He could actually heal these injuries himself, but it had been so long since Yu Yi had applied medicine for him. He watched her carefully applying the medicine and asked, "Earthworm? What earthworm?"
Yu Yi briefly explained her conversation with the earthworm inside the statue.
Xue Chenjing clicked his tongue in disgust, "An earthworm? That thing is much uglier than my tentacles, yet it dared to dream of becoming one with you."
Yu Yi: "??" Is that really the point?
As they were speaking, a sudden commotion erupted from the front hall. Xue Chenjing's lips curled into a smile as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Master, let me show you something interesting."
Yu Yi felt a chill run down her spine at his expression. She hadn't forgotten how the last time he said he'd show her something interesting, he had nearly destroyed an entire city.
Before she could say anything, Xue Chenjing eagerly pulled her up to the roof of the Moon God Temple. He cast a concealment spell, and they lay prone on the damaged roof, peering down through a large hole.
The temple below was brightly lit as many people entered carrying torches. They hurled stones, mud, and even vile-smelling vomit at the Moon Goddess statue, cursing the Moon Goddess as an evil spirit, a demon, a monster.
These people had just experienced such terror – even if they no longer worshipped the Moon Goddess, they should still have felt fear. But now, the crowd below seemed unnaturally enraged.
Xue Chenjing raised his eyebrows triumphantly, "I merely planted a small thought in their minds. They will never offer incense at this Moon Goddess Temple again."
The once-sacred statue was now covered in filth. Qu Chan wept helplessly inside the statue as its faith rapidly drained away. Through her spirit mirror, Yu Yi could see the red lines wrapped around the Moon Goddess statue like blood vessels shrinking inch by inch.
Finally, those red lines retracted into the silver moon disc held in the Moon Goddess's arms. A crack appeared in the silver disc, and it fell from the goddess's hands.
Before the silver disc could hit the ground, a figure darted beneath the statue and caught it.
He Yungeng quickly retreated from the angry crowd to the outside of the Moon God Temple. He performed a cleansing spell to wash away the dirt from the silver disc, then held it up to examine it in the light of the setting full moon.
A distorted, crying face appeared on the silver disc – the face of what appeared to be a child.
Wen Li leaned in to look and sneered, "So you're the little demon causing trouble behind the scenes. How could you be so cruel!"
Qu Chan wept, "It wasn't me! I was threatened! I've been enshrined in Fengsheng County for five years, and all my power comes from the people's offerings. How could I possibly harm them?"
He Yungeng asked, "Who threatened you?"
"It was a demon, an evil demon! He hid behind me, shooting arrows at mortals with his bow. He said he would kill all my believers, slaughter everyone in Fengsheng County, destroy Liang Province, kill everyone!"
He Yungeng scoffed, "What kind of demon would make such outrageous claims?"
Liang Province was under their Carefree Sect's jurisdiction. Anyone wanting to destroy Liang Province would have to get their approval first.
Qu Chan eagerly answered every question, embellishing the details: "A young man with long hair tied back, pale skin, blood-red lips, and sharp teeth – he must have eaten people alive! His eyes were as dark as a ghost's, and he was surrounded by demonic energy. There was also a female cultivator with him – his master."
He Yungeng and Wen Li's expressions grew serious. "A female cultivator who keeps demons?"
Qu Chan continued, "Yes, the demon only obeys her commands. She looks terrifying too, with pale skin and red lips – they must have eaten people together. Her eyes are dark holes..."
Hearing this description, Wen Li curiously pointed at himself and interrupted, "Then how do I look to you?"
Qu Chan looked at him and struggled to describe, "Long hair, pale skin, dark eyes, red lips."
That's how most people looked.
Wen Li burst out laughing, "So does that mean I've eaten people too?"
Qu Chan fell silent. Having lost all its power and at their mercy, it wasn't foolish enough to speak ill of them. "You are righteous cultivators from a prestigious sect. Of course you wouldn't eat people."
Seeing they could get nothing more from its mouth, the two gave up.
He Yungeng said coldly, "The Moon Goddess has temples enshrined throughout Liang Province, yet only Fengsheng County has experienced these strange events. You little demon, using a deity's name to commit evil acts – this is unforgivable."
He threw the silver disc to the ground and thrust his long sword down with force. The disc shattered under the sword's light, and a twisted shadow escaped from within, only to turn to ash under the sword's radiance.
