Chapter 122: The Traitor

I did not perform a soul-shifting technique, but rather an incarnation possession from the Great Netherworld Yin-Yang Arts. As long as Gulishasha trusted me completely and did not resist, her own soul would be perfectly safe; it would merely fall into a deep slumber.

My Yin-spirit leaving my body to control her was a massive risk. If not for the dire situation and my spirit power being far superior to the average person, I would never have dared to attempt it.

I sat cross-legged, motionless. Between Gulishasha and me, a vortex formed by soul energy emerged. Suddenly, a flash of green light appeared in Gulishasha’s eyes, and she spoke, "Release me. Let me test the sensation."

No one moved. Pairs of scrutinizing eyes remained fixed on me, seemingly judging the authenticity of the situation. I frowned and looked at Milly.

The moment Milly’s eyes met mine, a smile bloomed on her face. It was that look—it was Breton, no doubt about it. She waved a hand and commanded, "Release the bindings."

As the restraints were removed, I stretched my body and instinctively reached up to support my chest. Don't women find these things a nuisance?

"No problem," I said.

"Breton, is it really you?" Suge walked up to me and asked.

"Yes, Third Young Master," I nodded.

"Haha, excellent. It is indeed you," Suge said, satisfied by my tone and demeanor.

My soul returned to my own body, and I accompanied Milly back to the manor.

"Breton, you did well," Milly said with a smile.

"Of course, I am very capable," I grinned, deliberately emphasizing the last word. Perhaps due to a cultural gap, Milly missed the double entendre entirely.

Milly’s two personal attendants went inside, and suddenly, a fragrant breeze brushed past as Lü Zhiruo appeared before me.

"Do you have a cigarette?" Lü Zhiruo asked.

I was startled, but I remained composed on the surface; I possessed at least that much mental fortitude.

"You smoke human cigarettes too?" I asked, pulling out a pack and tossing one to her before lighting one for myself.

Lü Zhiruo took an elegant drag and exhaled a cloud of smoke into my face.

"You really know how to enjoy life. You must have pilfered quite a lot from the corpses," she remarked.

"It’s alright," I replied, my internal alert level rising to its peak.

"Since I’ve had your cigarette, I’ll sing for you. After all, you’re the only soul who truly understands me in this place," she said.

I wanted to refuse, but under her gaze, I felt a creeping sense of dread. I had no choice but to follow her into the courtyard. Lü Zhiruo cleared her throat and began to sing. It was "Autumn Fairy Tale" again. Her voice was clean and beautiful, far improved from before.

Yet, the question remained: was this truly Lü Zhiruo, or some Netherworld master possessing her body? The doubt constantly surfaced in my mind. I recalled the day I first met Lü Zhiruo; I never would have imagined we would end up face-to-face under such circumstances.

As the song ended, Lü Zhiruo seemed slightly lost in thought.

"Was it good?" she asked.

"It was," I replied, though I wondered if this exchange would happen every single day from now on.

"You said you don't understand the lyrics, but can you grasp the mood?" she asked again.

"Melancholy, hatred, and... longing," I said.

Lü Zhiruo giggled, "You truly are my kindred spirit."

As I left, she whispered lightly, "You really are very capable."

My pupils constricted. I pretended not to hear and quickly returned to my room.

...

In the Spirit City, four people gathered in a small stone hut: Nightingale, Ghost, Gao Pingping, and Yu Hai. They stood in silence, seemingly waiting for something. Just then, a knocking pattern of three long and two short raps sounded.

Ghost stood up abruptly to open the door, and Nightingale gave a signal, causing the others to disperse. They could not let their guard down just because of a signal; they had to remain vigilant until they saw the person with their own eyes. Otherwise, they risked the same fate as the other small teams dispatched by headquarters, who had been identified and suffered gruesome deaths.

Ghost opened the door, and I slipped inside. As he locked it, he said with pleasant surprise, "Brother Qin, you’ve finally arrived."

The other three emerged from the shadows.

"Alright, let's discuss the situation," I said, greeting them before getting straight to the point.

I learned that Nightingale had opened a small stall, Yu Hai had become the captain of a Nether-cultivator squad, Gao Pingping had opened a clothing store, and Ghost was still looting corpses. I then recounted my situation, shocking all four of them.

"The team leader is amazing! I thought I was doing well, but you’ve managed to get right beside the City Lord’s daughter," Yu Hai said, clearly impressed.

"Is the City Lord’s daughter pretty?" Nightingale asked with a smirk.

I coughed twice, regaining my composure, and said, "This is no time for small talk. I need your assistance with something."

I explained the situation with Gulishasha. "I don't know how she was captured, but the Spirit City intends to use her as bait. I suspect the target is Master Mo Wuji, or perhaps his other direct disciples."

"What can we do?" Nightingale asked.

"If Master Mo falls into the trap, our mission is to find an opportunity to help him escape. He is a Grandmaster-level expert; if he falls here, it would be a devastating blow to our nation," I said gravely.

"But if Master Mo comes, the City Lord of Spirit City will definitely strike. We can't intervene in a battle between two Grandmasters," Yu Hai pointed out.

"We cannot fight them, but we can sabotage their web of traps," I said.

...

On a barren mountain a hundred miles from Spirit City, a stone pillar stood abruptly. Gulishasha was bound to it by strands of green light. Dozens of heavily armored Nether-guards stood watch nearby.

*Zzzzt!*

A bolt of green electricity, as thick as an arm, surged across the pillar. Gulishasha’s body convulsed violently, her eyes snapped open, and she let out a piercing scream. As the electric current intensified, her wails became inhuman.

I was in a nearby cave, hands balled into fists behind my back.

"Will the big shot behind this woman really show up?" I asked.

"Ten to one, yes. She squeezed through a one-way spatial rift. She knows it, and her master knows it too. He will definitely come," Milly replied.

"It’s an obvious trap. I don't think he’ll come," I said.

"Humans are complex emotional creatures. Sometimes they are incredibly clever, but sometimes they are foolish enough to jump into a trap with their eyes closed," Milly said.

No sooner had she spoken than an elderly man with white hair appeared in the void. He wore a simple hemp robe and cloth shoes. As soon as he appeared, the surrounding space became filled with a misty aura. Suddenly, the dozens of heavily armored Nether-guards coughed up blood and collapsed, dead. Even the cave where I was hiding felt the impact.

The two attendants, Green and Jade, unleashed green light from their hands to block the shockwave.

Is this what a Grandmaster is? I was deeply shaken. With a single thought, they could tear the world apart.

At that moment, a massive green rune array lit up, engulfing Mo Wuji. Simultaneously, a Nether-race man flickering with green light rushed into the array.

"Breton, it’s your turn," Milly said.

I nodded, sat cross-legged, and instantly awakened inside Gulishasha’s body. I opened my eyes; two guards were on high alert nearby.

"Eh..." I made a sound, and they looked toward me.

In an instant, the two guards felt as if their brains had been shredded by a blade. Their eyes burst, and they stood frozen like wooden statues. The bindings on my body flickered, and my hands gained some freedom. The entire green rune array, centered on me, began to undergo subtle changes.

Just then, Mo Wuji’s figure appeared amidst the green light in the sky. With a palm strike as heavy as a mountain, he shattered the stone pillar behind me.

"Shasha, let's go," Mo Wuji said, supporting me.

But suddenly, he shuddered. He looked down to see a dagger buried in his waist.

*Smack!*

He struck my forehead with his palm, and my soul instantly returned to my body. In the cave, I opened my eyes, blood streaming from my seven orifices.

"Breton, are you alright?" Milly asked with concern.

"Do I look alright? I won't be able to recover from this for a year or more," I said. Of course, only I knew that I had inflicted the bleeding myself.

"I’ll log this as a merit. When the time comes, I’ll ask my father for a Nether-pill, and you’ll be fine soon," Milly promised.

At that moment, the green rune array was fully operational. "He can't escape now. A human Grandmaster-level expert—the Domain Lord will surely reward us handsomely," Milly said excitedly.

But just then, a breach appeared in the green rune array. Mo Wuji, carrying Gulishasha, vanished through the gap like smoke. Immediately after, the furious roar of the Spirit City Lord echoed through the air.

"Impossible!" Milly’s excitement vanished, replaced by an angry roar.

As the rune array faded, Milly realized that the four Nether-cultivators controlling the array from below had been silently killed. Someone had sabotaged the hub, creating the gap that allowed the master and disciple to escape.

"Damn it! There’s a mole," Milly gritted her teeth.

Just then, Mobie, the City Lord’s eldest son, marched in with a team of heavy armored guards.

"Take him away," Mobie said, pointing at me.

Milly froze, then blocked his path, furious. "Brother, what is the meaning of this? Why are you taking my man?"

"There is a mole among us. Aside from us siblings, this outsider is the only one who knew the details of the plan," Mobie replied.

"He didn't know anything! Only I knew the details. Brother, are you saying I’m the mole?" Milly roared, her bone sword manifesting. "Besides, he suffered heavy injuries to execute this plan, and he even wounded that human Grandmaster. If you let him escape, that is your responsibility!"