Chapter 83

Pei Ji and Zheng Weiqi were the most ruthless in their killings, with faint bloodshot eyes and hoarse voices: “There are only four of us in the city. We can’t risk our lives just for the level of the tower.”

Although the illusion within the tower was just that, the damage incurred was very real. Once sacrificed to the formation, the loss would be irreparable.

Zheng Weiqi looked quite relaxed about it.

“If we can’t pass this time, then so be it. After all, there’s no limit to the number of trials in the tower. If we fail this time, we can try again next time.”

He Zhizhou sighed, “I never thought that after so many years, I would have to see ‘victory and defeat are common in the art of war; let’s start over, heroes.’ I thought we did quite well. Where did we go wrong?”

Soul-crossing Formation, Soul-refining Formation.

Using a living person as a catalyst.

Chen Lubai, the Locust Tree Spirit.

Ning Ning tightened her grip on the sword hilt, her brow furrowing.

Zheng Weiqi noticed her change in expression and asked in a gentle tone, “Junior Sister, what’s wrong?”

Her voice was very clear in Ning Ning’s ears, but her mind was a mess, and even the sound was blurry, making it difficult to discern what was being said.

She seemed to understand something.

About a secret that none of them had been able to figure out.

There were so many flaws in the previous illusion, so many inconsistencies, but now, looking back, all the loopholes have become traceable.

Without spiritual consciousness but using the Nightmare’s setting, the locust tree that could be easily found out, and the completely different temperament of Chen Yueming in the illusion compared to the original.

All these were things that could be easily thought of. Since the Locust Tree Ghost was the creator of the illusion, it must have been aware of the various doubts in the illusion. But instead of correcting them promptly, it waited on the side, as if…

As if it were specifically waiting for them to discover it.

Because all the flaws were so obvious, they became even more suspicious.

If from the beginning, this was a trap set by the Locust Tree Ghost, deliberately wanting them to leave the illusion?

It was being monitored and couldn’t openly release everyone from the illusion, so it used this indirect method to tell them that everything was an illusion.

The final letter was likely also being trailed by Ning Ning and others. With unwavering confidence, it seized it without hesitation, expressing its earnest desire for them to grasp the truth and learn about the soul-refining formation.

As for why it helped them escape, perhaps it was because its conscience was not completely gone and it couldn’t bear to harm the innocent, or…

Once the sacrifices escaped, the demon cultivators in the city would naturally spare no effort to capture them. At that time, there would be few guards by the formation, and if it wanted to modify the soul-refining formation, the difficulty would be greatly reduced.

The locust tree was just a demon, unable to find a living person as a catalyst, so even if it modified the formation, it would be useless. But if…

What if ‘it’ wasn’t a demon?

“Besides us, there may be one more person in the city.”

Her heart was pounding wildly, and Ning Ning’s voice was trembling: “Do you guys realize that if a demon spirit possesses a person, does that person gain demon powers?”

Although Pei Ji spoke the least, unexpectedly, he always understood her meaning first.

The young man frowned slightly at her words and replied in a deep voice, “Indeed. Are you speculating that what we saw was not the Locust Tree Ghost, but Chen Lubai herself was possessed by it?”

Zheng Weiqi shook her head. “But when a demon spirit possesses someone, the person’s body does not change. Everyone also saw that the arms and cheeks on Chen Lubai’s body had clearly turned into the appearance of a tree.”

“Perhaps it’s—”

Ning Ning’s voice lowered significantly. “Those two parts no longer exist. With the help of the Locust Tree Ghost, she then… transplanted the trunk of the locust tree onto herself.”

“But that doesn’t make sense either! The Chen Lubai we saw in the illusion had intact limbs.”

He Zhizhou paused, his eyes full of disbelief. “No way! Could it be—”

Pei Ji and Ning Ning glanced at each other, and a rare hint of surprise appeared in their calm pupils: “She was harmed by demon cultivators and severely injured; or witnessed the destruction of Goose City, personally cut off her arms, and pretended to be a demon.”

Both Zheng Weiqi and He Zhizhou were astonished.

“Then she is now——”

What did Chen Lubai deliberately say when she left?

The formation and the banquet were both in the Lingquan Temple.

“See you at Lingquan Temple.”

What did the narrator say just now that seemed so sinister?

Don’t run away; just go back to the Lingquan Temple and serve as sacrifices.

Senior Sister said that the purpose of adding the narration was to provide hints when necessary. Although the narration was talking nonsense from start to finish, could that seemingly joking remark actually be a subtle hint?

And Chen Lubai. She mentioned the Lingquan Temple twice. Was it an inadvertent act, or…

Was she trying to tell them something without leaving a trace?