Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

These days, within the Seven Illusions Sect of Star Point, Zhu Wuyao, wary of the mysterious woman's surveillance, dared not commit any excessive misdeeds.

They didn't examine the puppets closely enough.

Therefore, not expecting this scene, she knew something was wrong and, upon getting closer, quickly sent a telepathic message to Luo Budao—

"Within the Seven Illusions Sect of Star Point, everyone is a puppet, including your master. Don't be fooled by a mere shell!"

Luo Budao, however, stood rooted to the spot, muttering to himself:

"What if there's still hope..."

Zhu Wuyao heard its murmur clearly, calmed down, and sent a telepathic message to advise it:

"Leaving this empty shell in the world will lead to speculation about his past righteous deeds and whether he had ulterior motives. Your master's reputation will be ruined."

"If you still wish to preserve his posthumous reputation, do not acknowledge him!"

She did not forget her mission.

Looking up to find Gu Yiguan, he finally understood why he had directly challenged him instead of communicating through telepathy—

Gu Yiguan is too far away.

If you weren't familiar with her, you wouldn't recognize her at all.

Zhu Wuyao was still using the identity of "Wu Guihong". She stepped forward and was about to speak when she heard Luo Budao muttering something.

"You say I can't distinguish between truth and falsehood, but you're the one who can't distinguish between truth and falsehood..."

"A mere empty name is meaningless. Without a person, everything is meaningless. I told you long ago that preserving your life is the priority, but you insisted on putting righteousness first..."

It was impossible to tell whether these words were addressed to the sorcerer of Tongzhou or to Zhu Wuyao.

Before Zhu Wuyao could reach the front of the formation, a middle-aged man at the front called out to her:

"Fellow Daoist Wu! Return at once!"

"And that little demon surnamed Luo, whose side are you on? Today we're here to eliminate demons and protect the righteous path, so tell me clearly whether you're on the front or the back!"

Based on his clothing, Zhu Wuyao determined that he was from the Qingyun Sect.

In addition, there were also cultivators from the Juque Sect.

It seems that in order to gain more allies, Gu Yiguan did not reveal her true identity. Otherwise, if the Juque Sect had come to help without plotting against her behind her back, it would have been considered a good deed.

"Uncle Wu!"

"Master, come quickly! Don't be fooled by that sorcerer!"

……

Regardless of whether Wu Guihong was actually afflicted by the Blood Erosion Curse, it's never a good thing for his own sect to have a heretical cultivator in the family.

This is to first control Wu Guihong and then determine whether he has been afflicted by the Blood Erosion Curse within their own sect.

Thinking of this, Zhu Wuyao did not step out of the Seven Illusions Sect's mountain gate, but stood in front of the formation and raised his voice:

"Since the two sides are evenly matched and it is difficult to determine a winner, why not sit down and talk it out? What misunderstandings could there be? Fighting and killing is not a righteous act."

Upon hearing this, the expressions on the faces of those from the Juque Sect changed.

One disciple, his face ashen, said:

"Oh no, Uncle Wu has really been afflicted by the Blood Corrosion Curse. He's even saying things like 'Fighting and killing is hardly a righteous act'..."

Gu Yiguan, who was at a distance, understood the meaning of these words and thus deduced—

There's still hope for Zhu Wuyao.

If her soul had been completely possessed by the "Blood Corrosion Curse," she would have been deceived just now, thus causing her to underestimate the enemy on the battlefield.

Gu Yiguan didn't expect Zhu Wuyao to judge who was stronger or weaker; what she really wanted to know was Zhu Wuyao's current state.

The reason why he rarely sent notes to Zhu Wuyao was also due to this concern.

The two sides confront each other.

Luo Budao, however, was holding hands with the sorcerer from Tongzhou, their eyes filled with tears. It was only because Zhu Wuyao was wearing a disguise that he didn't want to break his persona in front of everyone; otherwise, he really wanted to kick Luo Budao back to the righteous path.

Unfortunately, apart from Zhu Wuyao, no one took Luo Budao seriously.

They wouldn't bother to take care of it.

Zhu Wuyao, the only one willing to help Luo, is himself caught in the vortex.

Finally, Ruan Ayao couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward to say:

"Fellow Daoist Wu, do not speak nonsense. Punishing evil and eliminating wickedness is our duty. How can we shake hands and make peace?"

"And that Luo Budao, if you have any acquaintances in the Seven Illusions Sect of Star Point, then hurry back and join us in conquering this place and rescuing your old friend!"

She then joined in on Zhu Wuyao's act, clarified Luo Budao's connection to the Seven Illusions Sect, and continued:

"Where is the sect leader of the Seven Illusions Sect? Why doesn't he come out and meet us?"

As soon as these words were spoken, many points of light appeared out of thin air.

Before long, they transformed into countless butterfly shadows.

Upon seeing this scene, Ruan Ayao frowned, and that vague sense of familiarity resurfaced in her mind.

Like a memory sealed away, shake off the dust.

I slowly turned back to the previous chapter.

The seemingly real yet illusory butterfly shadows gathered together, slowly outlining the shape of a human.

Zhu Wuyao heard a familiar soft laugh in his ear—

"Since it is an invitation from an old friend, how can I not refuse?"

The fluttering butterflies suddenly dispersed, revealing the woman's face to everyone. She was dressed in a flowing gauze, as if made from the clouds, exquisitely beautiful, just like the shimmering scales on the butterfly wings.

Judging by its appearance alone, it is gentle and serene.

No one would have guessed that this was the true mastermind behind the Blood Erosion Curse.

Ruan Ayao's breath caught in her throat, and she instinctively called out the name of an old friend—

"Ah Die...!"

Zhu Wuyao instantly recalled the name.

That night, she chatted with Ruan Ayao under the moon in Zhongling City, hearing the story of the five people traveling the world together, among which—

Frosty cold congeals into purple, referring to Gu Yiguan of the Star-Picking Tower, who wields both a long halberd and purple lightning; the wind travels ten thousand miles, referring to Ruan Ayao, whose spiritual roots are rooted in the Taibai School.

The moon shines over the southern city, naturally referring to Zeng Xiaolou of the Juque School;

The one with the silver saddle and white horse is Xu Liuxing of the Qingyun Sect.

But this "Silver Butterfly Flowing Light" is the only one that remains a mystery, since the people from the four sects are all present, but the origins of this "Ah Butterfly" are unknown.

Previously, Zhu Wuyao thought that Adie was a prodigy from a small sect.

Now I realize that Ah Die is probably a member of the demon race.

But... she isn't...

Zhu Wuyao hesitated for a moment, and then Ruan Ayao's words from that night resurfaced in her ears:

"Xu Liuxing died saving Adie. Zeng Xiaolou and I wanted to turn back and rescue Adie, but Gu Yiguan forcibly took us away."

Zhu Wuyao felt a chill run down his spine.

She had no prior relationship with this girl, Ah Die, so naturally she assumed the worst of her.

This girl, Ah Die, is probably neither a victim of the bat demon's machinations nor cursed by the Blood Erosion Curse.

Perhaps, she is the real mastermind behind it all.

The estrangement between the four factions.

The divide between humans and demons.

Back then, these five were renowned prodigies in their sect, entrusted with great expectations, and traveled the martial world together. In the end, three of them perished, Ruan Ayao was seriously injured, and only Gu Yiguan escaped unscathed.

Everyone suspected that Gu Yiguan had secretly harmed the others for the sake of the sect's interests.

Now, upon closer examination, it seems that A-Die, for the benefit of the demon race, might be secretly using the Blood Erosion Curse to control the human race's prodigies.

Once these disciples, on whom the four sects have placed their hopes, have grown up and taken up important positions, the demon race can secretly plot their grand scheme.

Zhu Wuyao suddenly looked up and gazed in Gu Yiguan's direction.

But then a streak of light appeared in an instant, heading straight for Ah Die—

"You heretics and evil spirits, how dare you disguise yourselves as old friends and disturb our Daoist hearts!"