Chapter 2066 - 2055: Fiancée
"Oh!? Pursuit? And who is it that wishes to pursue you, young lady?" The voice was filled with curiosity, as Taihuang Demon, covered in blood, ran to the Demon Ancestor Cave, arousing great suspicion for anyone who saw her.
"A bunch of shameless scoundrels." Taihuang Demon gritted her teeth and said hatefully, "I wonder if the elder might lend a hand? The Taishang Sect will surely repay you greatly in the future."
"Hm!?" The voice’s owner sounded puzzled at first, then slightly excited, "Are you from the Taishang Sect?"
"Indeed."
"And what is your relationship with Taihuang Ziyue, the Taishang Sect’s Hierarch?"
"Taihuang Ziyue was my mentor, but she has already passed away." Taihuang Demon answered truthfully, though she was curious how this elder knew so much; she couldn’t help but ask, "How does the elder know my mentor’s name? Could it be that you were once friends with my mentor?"
Someone suddenly emerged, claiming to be an old friend of her mentor, rekindling Taihuang Demon’s hope for survival. If this person was indeed connected to her mentor, her rescue was highly likely. With this thought, Taihuang Demon dared not show any disrespect, for this was her lifeline now.
"Ah, the fate of beauty is always tragic, ah..." The elder sighed deeply, seeming to have some mysterious connection to the late Taihuang Ziyue.
"She was once my fiancée. Due to certain circumstances, she married a man she did not love, later fell into the Wuqing Sect, and became the Taishang Sect’s Hierarch. Since then, I never saw her again, only heard occasional news of her."
The elder shook his head, sighing again, clearly holding strong feelings and attachments to the deceased mentor.
Of course, Taihuang Demon dared not disclose the true circumstances of Taihuang Ziyue’s death to the elder, for the Supreme Emperor had, in pursuit of becoming the new sect leader and cultivating the Heartless Demon Technique, personally killed his mentor, despite the kindness she had shown him, which dictated that "a mentor for a day, a parent for life".
After personally killing his mentor, the Supreme Emperor achieved his current status. Certainly, Taihuang Demon dared not speak such secrets indiscreetly.
"Elder, although I don’t know what transpired between you and my mentor, I thank you on her behalf for holding her in your thoughts all these years," Taihuang Demon said courteously.
"It’s unnecessary to talk about gratitude; I just didn’t expect, after all these years, to meet the descendant of Ziyue. It must be fate, determined by the heavens." The elder sighed again, slowly emerging from the dense forest.
The figure before Taihuang Demon was a thin, withered old man, with grizzled hair and a wrinkled face. Though he seemed frail and aged, Taihuang Demon was cautious not to underestimate him.
For within his seemingly ordinary and withered frame, there was hidden an overwhelming power that was chilling to the heart!
This elder was undoubtedly a legendary Eastern King!
Even Taihuang Demon could not discern his cultivation level; he might not match the strength of the Supreme Emperor, but was hardly lacking.
"It seems he must be the ancient Eastern King from the Demon Ancestor Cave." Taihuang Demon mused internally, knowing that with such a formidable creature aiding her, survival was guaranteed, and eradicating the Holy Hall disciples would be no challenging feat.
"Elder, given your inexplainable bond with my mentor, I hope you could assist me," Taihuang Demon hesitated not, sharing her plight.
"Are you asking me to rid your pursuers?" The elder levitated ten kilograms off the ground, without a speck of dust.
"I humbly ask for your help," Taihuang Demon said sincerely.
"As Ziyue’s descendant, how can I not lend a hand?" The elder stroked his beard, smiling. "No need for formalities. After I help dispel those who chase you, you must leave quickly. This Demon Ancestor Cave is perilously treacherous; staying longer might hinder your cultivation. With illusions weaving around, it might take a lifetime to find a way out."
"I vow to repay your life-saving kindness, elder!" Taihuang Demon clasped her hands in gratitude.
"Damn it, how did that demoness vanish?" After tracking her relentlessly, they suddenly lost Taihuang Demon’s trail, leaving everyone angry and dissatisfied.
"Have you noticed? The further we go, the thicker the Smoke Barrier becomes, even enveloping our return path. Venturing deeper might truly cut off all retreat."
The elder already noticed the heavy mist here, significantly affecting cultivation. The more Smoke Barrier they absorbed, the more their cultivation weakened.
They feared not finding Taihuang Demon but losing themselves entirely, placing themselves in harm’s way.
"What now? We’ve come this far; should we abandon hunting that demoness?" Jia Zhenjing pursed his lips, irritated. Having pursued this far, halting now felt too regretful.
"There’s no other choice but to follow," the handsome man gritted his teeth. Reaching this point, abandoning pursuit was inconceivable.
However, the immediate challenge frustrated everyone as the oppressive mist clouded the road ahead, leaving no retreat. Was sacrificing their way back truly inevitable?
"Why do you intrude upon my Demon Ancestor Cave?" Just as they resolutely made decisions, an elder’s voice suddenly echoed through the surrounding forest, causing the handsome man’s ears to perk up, immediately understanding.
"Damn, isn’t this the Guardian of the Demon Ancestor Cave?"
"It must be him," the old man squinted, guessing that the voice’s owner was undoubtedly the Guardian. The most likely scenario was that he would help Taihuang Demon, although the relationship between them was unknown. Yet, his instinct suggested the demoness would escape again today.
"I am the Guardian of this Demon Ancestor Cave. Regardless of the deep-seated hatred between you and that young lady, within these grounds, I hope you would lay down your weapons and reconcile with each other." The elder spoke calmly. The voice was ethereal, difficult to pinpoint its direction.
Judging from the ethereal voice, the elder’s cultivation must be extraordinary.
"Oh elder, speaking to us like a mystic isn’t very decent. Besides, knowing the hatred we bear towards her, you wish to dismiss us with mere words? That’s too stingy," the handsome man sneered, finding the Guardian’s approach unreasonable.
Hmph, dismissing them with a few words; the handsome man wouldn’t accept this.