Meeting is Fate

"Pang Yue, you..."

Before He Miao could finish speaking, a melodious sound of a sword suddenly rang out.

This sword hum echoed through the void, reverberating from all directions—utterly divine and wondrous beyond description!

Then...

He Miao witnessed a sword scar streak past, literally cleaving this region of the void asunder!

An icy chill that could freeze the heavens and earth diffused everywhere, frost manifesting in the void and turning everything pure white along the path of that sword scar.

That fierce and malevolent Rakshasa Heavenly Demon was cleaved in two right then and there.

All of its boundless life force was utterly snuffed out.

In the void, Yellow Springs Heavenly Demons surged forth, and the dark yellow river water washed over the giant body of the Rakshasa Heavenly Demon, engulfing it.

The Yellow Springs, originally a hundred miles long, suddenly surged with demonic energy, its waves churning as it abruptly expanded by several miles!

He Miao's expression shifted, and only then did he realize that his former rival had already advanced to the Core Formation stage!

He hurriedly bowed and said, "He Miao pays his respects to True Person Pang, and thanks the True Person for saving my life!"

Deep down, he felt a measure of trepidation. Back in the day, he had tried to stop Pang Yue from attaining the status of an inner sect true disciple, which ultimately forged a bitter grudge.

If the other party were displeased, or possessed a vindictive nature, then perhaps...

At this thought, he hastily added, "True Person Pang, some days ago this disciple discovered a hidden secret realm in the void. That Rakshasa Heavenly Demon came from that very secret realm... only, the location of that secret realm is exceedingly difficult to find..."

Monastic cultivators of the Demonic path naturally possessed their own survival instincts.

In just a short sentence, He Miao revealed three pieces of information.

First, he knew of a hidden secret realm in the void.

Second, that void secret realm was extraordinary, housing Core Formation-level Heavenly Demons.

Third, if you kill me, you will never obtain the location of that secret realm.

Pang Yue gave him a look that was neither a smile nor a frown, then pointed into the distance and asked, "Who is that stunning woman?"

He Miao followed the direction of his finger.

He saw a gigantic golden Buddha sitting cross-legged in the void, shrouded in Buddha light, suppressing a crimson eyeball as large as a mountain.

In the palm of the golden Buddha, a tall and captivating woman in a purple dress was cradled.

"When did he become so powerful?"

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, He Miao respectfully replied, "That is Jiang Li, a true disciple of the True Demon Palace. Her master is Huang Bohao, who is also one of the vice-masters of our sect."

"I seem to have heard this woman's name before..."

Looking at Jiang Li in the palm of the distant golden Buddha, Pang Yue smiled and said, "The second-ranked expert among the ten true disciples of the Demonic Talisman Sect. Her renown back in the day surpassed even yours and mine."

He Miao lowered his head and said, "The gap between the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation stages is like a natural chasm. Now that the True Person has achieved the Core Formation realm, how would a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dare to use the word 'expert' in front of the True Person?"

Pang Yue's gaze landed upon him, and He Miao instantly felt a creeping sense of horror, as if his inside and outside had been seen entirely through!

"You are about to form your core as well."

Pang Yue said indifferently, "Even if you do not walk the path of seizing the Dao of Heavenly Demons, in another ten years, you too will be able to condense your golden core."

He Miao's expression remained calm, neither sorrowful nor joyful, as if he had long anticipated this. His posture merely became even more humble.

Pang Yue looked at him and said, "There is no need to endure like this. We are fellow sect members, and the matters of the past are like passing smoke. Besides, you risked exhausting your cultivation foundation and borrowed my sword head-on; that matter is now considered settled."

"Many thanks, True Person."

He Miao bowed in salute.

While they were speaking.

In the distant void, the Crimson-Eyed Heavenly Demon was converted by the golden Buddha and drawn into the halo of light behind the Buddha.

The golden Buddha, cradling Jiang Li, flew closer.

Within the Buddha light, Jiang Li sat cross-legged upon the Buddha's palm, her eyes tightly closed, her entire body drenched in fragrant sweat, her thin purple gauze dress clinging tightly to her exquisitely curved physique.

She remained motionless, her hands forming a mudra, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as if she were desperately fighting against something.

The fluctuations of magical power on her body were thoroughly chaotic, raging and colliding within her like a runaway wild horse.

"To be able to endure for so long within the Core Formation-level Crimson-Eyed Strange Light—the firmness of this woman's Dao heart is truly remarkable."

Pang Yue looked at Jiang Li, a trace of appreciation in his eyes.

Reading the situation, He Miao cupped his fists and said, "I beg the True Person to extend a helping hand. Otherwise, Senior Sister Jiang might fall into Qi deviation, ignited by her own magical power and burned to ashes."

Pang Yue shook his head and said, "It is already too late. I have already used the Buddha light to dissolve the demonic intent in her mind, but her divine soul has already been tainted by the Crimson-Eyed Strange Light. The only thing that can save her now is her own Dao heart."

"There is one more method..."

He Miao interjected, "Essence-wise, the Crimson-Eyed Strange Light is a method of arousing desire and bewildering the mind. If she can open her heart, guide the romantic desires outward, and have someone use a spirit-cleansing technique to enlighten her divine soul at the critical moment, the hidden danger can be eradicated."

Pang Yue raised an eyebrow and asked, "Such a thing is possible?"

He Miao nodded and replied, "If we speak of cultivators in this world who have studied Heavenly Demons, perhaps none surpass our Demonic Talisman Sect. This method was obtained by me from the sect's Scripture Pavilion, and many sect predecessors have already tried it, so there should be no mistake."

Pang Yue pondered for a moment, looked at He Miao, and said, "Why don't... you go save her?"

Since He Miao and Jiang Li had appeared together deep in the outer void to explore the secret realm in tandem, they likely shared some degree of friendship.

He Miao gave a bitter smile and said, "This disciple's strength is meager; I am afraid I am unequal to the task..."

Pang Yue smiled and said, "Since that is the case, you stay here and keep watch."

With that.

He released the Great Dao Desolate Pagoda, causing this stone tower to stand tall in the void, bathing in the Buddha light of the Infinite Light Buddha.

Next, he stepped into the void and walked onto the Buddha's palm.

Sensing something, Jiang Li abruptly opened her pair of beautiful eyes.

Her gaze was like water, her charming eyes filled with amorous allure.

In her eyes, a complex array of emotions flashed: curiosity, panic, despair, grievance, anticipation, excitement, and bashfulness.

"You... do not... come over."

She whispered, her melodious voice trembling slightly.

Pang Yue sighed and said, "We have reached this point, and you still wish to hold on?"

Jiang Li bit her red lips and trembled, "I... can do it myself... no need... for you... you..."

Before her words finished.

Jiang Li's gaze grew hazy as she struggled desperately to restrain herself. The magical aura on her body became increasingly chaotic, and an invisible flame suddenly burst forth!

In an instant, her purple dress turned to ashes.

A surge of cold intent welled up from Pang Yue, instantly suppressing her rampaging magical power.

Following that, a scroll of pale green gauze flew from his hand.

This was one of the congratulatory gifts he had received at his Core Formation Grand Ceremony.

Woven from Core Formation-level spirit silkworm silk, it could be refined into magical tools or treasures, as well as ritual robes, possessing numerous wondrous uses.

At this moment, however, it was shaken open by him, wrapping around the pale, dazed beauty layer by layer.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Li was swaddled into a curvaceous, slender, and alluring cyan chrysalis.

The layers of pale green gauze folded into a deep, enchanting indigo hue, with smooth, white skin peeking through the gaps in the wrappings. She looked both like a hazy, mesmerizing corpse of allure and the embodiment of feminine physical charm.

Cradling her smooth, rounded hips wrapped in cyan gauze, Pang Yue flashed and entered the Great Dao Desolate Pagoda.

The Infinite Light Buddha stood guard outside the pagoda, shrouded in Buddha light, repelling all evil.

He Miao stood with his hands down, quietly waiting in the void.

Vaguely, he seemed to hear a heartbroken, bewitching cry.

Pleading and sorrowful...

But soon, that sound faded into nothingness, evidently blocked by some kind of barrier.

He Miao let out a long breath, feeling a sense of surviving a catastrophe.

His expression returned to composure, his eyes bright and brimming with radiant light, though no one could know what he was thinking.