Wei Yunqing froze in shock, staring at Yunxi. "You mean we're going to be trapped and die here?"
Yunxi gave a cold snort. "You chose this path. You should be grateful I'm here to be buried with you."
Wei Yunqing stomped her foot in frustration, quickly forming a hand seal to push the power of the Nine Luminaries Starfire Wood to another level, holding back the evil spirits closing in. Only then did she speak. "Yunxi, be honest with me. Did you deliberately make me lead the way?"
Yunxi slammed her Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff onto the ground, then cast another wave of thunder-based spells. She rolled her eyes gracefully. "You think I'd want to die with you? Aren't you supposed to be blessed with extraordinary luck? Why isn't it working now?"
Wei Yunqing ground her teeth. "Hmph! Because you restrain me! When have I ever gotten the better of you?"
Yunxi smirked mockingly. "That's because you're shameless. Even knowing you can't beat me, you still provoke me, always trying to suppress me. But you fail every time. You've already developed inner demons. Haven't you noticed?"
Wei Yunqing froze, then snapped angrily, "I have not! You're lying!"
"Hmph! Don't tell me you forgot why you went to Yunmen Temple in the Eastern Region? I forgot to mention, Yun Chen Fózǐ is my friend. Others may not know how close you were to being possessed by an evil spirit, but I know it perfectly well.
You may have successfully formed your Yuányīng, but your dao heart was unstable, and you nearly fell back to the Golden Core stage. You had to go into seclusion at Yunmen Temple and only barely emerged before the Five Region Grand Tournament.
And what did it change when you returned to Haoran Sect? My cultivation still surpasses yours. You will always chase behind me, never catching up for the rest of your life!"
"You!!!"
Wei Yunqing's heart was pierced. She was so furious she couldn't speak, her mind filled with a single thought: kill the person in front of her, and she would never have to endure this humiliation again.
Yunxi looked at Wei Yunqing's bloodshot eyes and shook her head inwardly. She formed a hand seal, summoning a water mirror that appeared before Wei Yunqing. "Look for yourself. Can you still say you're free of inner demons?"
Wei Yunqing stared at her reflection. Her face was twisted, her eyes glowing red. She jumped in fright and immediately waved her sleeve to shatter the water mirror.
She then drew a copper mirror from her crimson bracelet, took a deep breath, and checked again. Her face was calmer now, but the redness in her eyes hadn't fully faded. She looked up in alarm."What's happening to me?"
Yunxi swept her gaze around, pointing to the gray mist. "We're in the lair of evil spirits, and their influence is strong. Someone like you, already tainted by inner demons, is naturally more vulnerable. All I did was speak a few truths. Look how rattled you are. Tsk tsk."
Wei Yunqing put the copper mirror away and tossed a Heart-Clearing Pill into her mouth. She glared at Yunxi. "Yunxi, we're both going to die here. Can't you stop stabbing at my heart? We're sisters, aren't we?"
"Now you remember we're sisters? Where was that kinship when you plotted against me?"
Yunxi rolled her eyes. If she weren't avoiding making another enemy for herself, she wouldn't have bothered warning Wei Yunqing about her inner demons.
Wei Yunqing took another deep breath and decided to stop talking. If she said one more word, her inner demons might overtake her reason. She turned her back on Yunxi and focused on clearing the evil spirits swarming in again.
Having vented her frustration, Yunxi felt lighter. She gripped the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff and resumed her own slaughter of evil spirits.
Neither of them knew how many spirits they had slain. Yunxi only noticed her spiritual energy nearly depleted when a sudden bird cry echoed through the hall.
She raised her head quickly and saw a Bi Fang bird manifest in midair, flames swirling around its body. It dove, circling the hall once, especially tracing every silver pillar before shrinking rapidly and vanishing.
All the evil energy had been burned away by the Bi Fang bird's flames, leaving Yunxi and Wei Yunqing alone in the empty hall.
Wei Yunqing dropped onto the floor, still shaken. "How could a Bi Fang bird appear here?"
Yunxi looked at the countless runes around them. "These are sealing runes, meant to suppress the evil spirits and prevent their escape. The Bi Fang bird is a manifestation of the seal, consuming the evil spirits' power."
Wei Yunqing's face darkened. "So, do you think we can break these runes?"
Yunxi summoned a meditation cushion and sat cross-legged. "If we break the runes, we live, but the evil spirits escape. We'll become sinners of the Weiyu Realm."
Wei Yunqing lowered her head. "If we don't break the runes, we fight to the death here. We won't be sinners, but our path to immortality ends."
Yunxi tilted her head curiously. "So, which would you choose?"
Wei Yunqing gave her a sharp look. "Do I even have a choice? If I dared break the seal, you'd kill me and patch it yourself."
Yunxi smiled knowingly, her dimples deepening. "Now you finally feel like my sister, Yunqing. You understand me well. Not only would I kill you, I'd trap your soul here and let the spirits devour it."
Wei Yunqing shivered at her words, deflating. "Stop smiling, and don't call me sister. It's creepy."
"Tsk. I give you a smile, and you don't appreciate it."
She dropped a protective barrier and began meditating. Though she and Wei Yunqing were now tied to the same fate, she kept her guard up, especially against someone she had always been at odds with.
Wei Yunqing stared at Yunxi behind her barrier for a long time, her killing intent flaring again. She quickly popped another Heart-Clearing Pill into her mouth before sitting to restore her spiritual power.
They had only recovered half their energy when more Nascent Soul cultivators were sent into the hall. About fifty to sixty appeared this time, including Xun Kun, Xun Yan, Yun Chen, Han Lian, Shi Jun, Huan Die, and Qing Zhu.
Yunxi and Wei Yunqing dropped their barriers and looked at the confused newcomers. Just as Yunxi was about to explain, gray mist containing evil spirits surged toward them again.
Wei Yunqing's eyes gleamed as she raised her voice. "Everyone, those gray mists are evil energy. They're filled with evil spirits that will try to seize our bodies. Don't let them get close!"
The group instinctively turned their eyes to Yunxi, trusting her words more. Yunxi nodded. "Everyone, scatter the spirits first. Then I'll share what I've learned."
"Amitabha. This place is steeped in evil. Be cautious and guard your hearts."
Yun Chen Fózǐ gave a reminder, then flicked his wrist. The prayer beads around his wrist spun into the air, glowing gold as they circled him. He began striking down the encroaching spirits.