Chapter 64: Internal Strife in the Holy Spirit Cult?

"Are you alright?"

Wang Xian'er looked worried; compared to Zhang Peng, she was more concerned about Xiadie's condition.

Not to mention anything else, the moment Xiadie opened her eyes and locked gazes with her.

Wang Xian'er felt as if she had been pulled into something deeper than death, something called "Destruction."

Her blood and soul felt as though they had frozen solid.

Although it was only for an instant, the clothes on Wang Xian'er's back were already soaked through.

"I'm fine." Xiadie shook her head. "When I broke through, I resonated with the Nether Butterfly and faintly sensed Zhang Peng's situation; it seems to be quite bad."

"What happened to him?" Wang Xian'er asked.

"He must have been discovered doing something, and now that he has betrayed the Holy Spirit Cult, he is being hunted down."

"But we don't seem to have asked him to do anything!" Wang Xian'er fell into deep thought.

"I don't know." Xiadie sighed softly. "He hasn't contacted me, so I don't know the true situation; his mind seems to have some problems."

"Should we try to contact him?" Wang Xian'er asked tentatively.

"What if he gets distracted and gets killed?" Xiadie rejected Wang Xian'er's suggestion.

The Nether Butterfly was something Xiadie had placed with Zhang Peng for communication; it required Zhang Peng to use his soul power to maintain its existence, and it would disappear once the Nether Butterfly's soul power was exhausted.

It was different from a normal Nether Butterfly; it only served as a means of contact and could not be used as an anchor to open space.

Xiadie stood up, looked out the window through the night, was silent for a moment, and said, "Wang Lao, prepare yourself; we are going to the Xiemo Senlin."

Wang Xian'er froze, opened her mouth as if to say something, but seeing Xiadie's serious expression, she finally nodded: "Alright, I will listen to you."

Deep within the Xiemo Senlin, it was shrouded in gray-black mist all year round.

The towering ancient trees were twisted like ghost claws, and the scent of decay permeated the heavens and earth.

A disheveled figure moved as fast as a meteor, stepping on the ground covered with dead branches, making a "creak, creak" sound.

"Hehehe~"

——

"Zhang Peng, don't you obediently surrender and wait for the Cult Master and Vice Cult Master to deal with you."

"Otherwise, you will bring about your own destruction."

The cold, sinister voice rolled over, but Zhang Peng turned a deaf ear to the strange laughter from the black mist behind him.

Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Zhang Peng ignored it entirely and fled toward the outer perimeter of the Xiemo Senlin.

A sentence drifted and remained where he had been.

"Wuyun, your laughter is so ghastly; you are becoming more and more like those dark rats. It seems it would be better to sew your mouth shut."

"Sixth Soul Skill: Scorpion Tail Needle!"

As Zhang Peng's voice fell, black light condensed in the air, transforming into countless flashing sharp needles.

The dense sharp needles blocked every position where Wuyun was pursuing.

"Hmph! Stubborn and unyielding."

Wuyun let out a cold snort, and the black mist flowing over his entire body turned into substance.

"Sixth Soul Skill—Darkness Embodiment!"

The figure of Wuyun, wrapped in black mist, slowed down.

The sharp needles shot into the black mist without causing much impact before being blocked by the black mist barrier.

"Hehehe~ I feared you by three parts when you were in your prime, but now? You're soft and quite cute."

Wuyun accelerated again, getting closer and closer to Zhang Peng's position.

Zhang Peng's pale face had almost no color; he had clearly gone to find Long Qianbei to have him vouch for the identities of Xiadie and Wang Xian'er.

He hadn't expected Long Qianbei to be absent, not knowing where he had gone, and instead, he had encountered an ambush on his way back.

If it were just an ordinary person, that would be one thing, but the one attacking him was actually Zhongli Wu's wife, the Holy Spirit Cult's Vice Cult Master, Feng Ling.

Moreover, Wuyun seemed to have been reporting something to her at the time.

One at the 97th Level peak, and another at the 95th Level—they had charged at him the moment they saw him.

Caught off guard, he was severely injured by that woman's Spirit Power; there was no need to think—it was likely that the matter regarding Wang Xian'er and Xiadie had been exposed.

Otherwise, a dignified Vice Cult Master of the Holy Spirit Cult wouldn't have needed to launch a Spirit attack to subdue him before he had even said anything.

The Holy Spirit Cult had already made its move, and he could only think of a way to leave; it wasn't that he hadn't thought of asking Xiadie and Wang Xian'er for help, but distant water cannot quench a near thirst.

The Nether Butterfly on his arm was not the kind Xiadie had used to open a portal back then.

It only had a simple communication function and had to be nourished with his own soul power, otherwise, it would dissipate.

When using it, he also had to concentrate his Spirit Power specifically; he now felt as if his brain was about to explode, suspecting a deficiency in his soul or martial soul origin, to the point where even concentrating his mind caused splitting headaches.

"Too slow."

Black flames fell from the clouds; sensing the aura of these flames, Zhang Peng's expression changed abruptly.

"Boom—"

Vegetation was uprooted, gravel splashed everywhere, and smoke swirled.

Scorching heat waves rolled, and the black flames spread, devouring the surrounding vegetation.

A gust of wind rose, blowing away the smoke and dust, revealing a graceful figure: a woman with silver-gray hair tinged with purple, a black gauze hood covering the upper half of her face, and a black outfit wrapping her body, making her figure appear even more exquisite. Yet, her entire being exuded a cold and indifferent temperament.

"Evil Phoenix Douluo, Feng Ling."

Zhang Peng's body tensed, as if every cell was warning him of the arrival of extreme danger.

"I have already verified your information; it is indeed as Wuyun said."

"Zhang Peng, those who betray the Holy Cult shall die!"

"Betray?"

Zhang Peng sneered, "Vice Sect Master, have you forgotten what we Envoys are also called?"

"Guests."

"This was decided personally by the Sect Master."

"I am a guest invited here by Sect Master Zhongli Wu; as an Envoy, or rather, as a guest."

"If I am dissatisfied with this place, I have the right to choose to leave."

Zhang Peng's voice paused, his gaze shifting slightly to land on Wu Yun.

"Compared to my minor issue, when I was carrying out a mission for the Sect Master, someone sent the Abomination Douluo to assassinate me; that is likely more serious, isn't it!"

"What do you say, Your Excellency Evil Phoenix?"

Seeing Zhang Peng's fire concentrated on her, Wu Yun's expression changed, and she rebuked, "Zhang Peng, you are at death's door and still want to use glib talk and sophistry."

"The Abomination Douluo wanting to kill you just shows you have poor social relations; what does that have to do with me, Wu Yun? He did ask me for your location, but that was all."

"Other than that, I know nothing."

"Heh." Zhang Peng shook his head, "No point in saying more, let's see the real results in action."

"Seventh Soul Skill—Scorpion Tiger Avatar."

Black soul power surged from Zhang Peng's body, and the pressure belonging to a Super Douluo was unleashed without any concealment.

The massive soul power condensed and took shape, turning into a giant tiger five or six meters tall with black markings.

Just then, the giant tiger claw was raised and slammed fiercely toward Wu Yun.

The sound of wind breaking the air formed bursts of sonic booms.

"Seventh Soul Skill—" Seeing this, Wu Yun was just about to unleash her Martial Soul Avatar.

"Ninth Soul Skill—Sun of the Evil Phoenix."

A phoenix cry suddenly rang out, the shrill sound echoing in the air.

Black-purple flames formed the phantom of a phoenix, charging straight toward Zhang Peng's Martial Soul Avatar.

There was no terrifying explosion; the Evil Phoenix seemed to pass directly through, all its power acting upon Zhang Peng's physical body.

The Martial Soul Avatar shattered layer by layer, and Zhang Peng fell heavily to the ground, mouthfuls of blood spraying from his mouth.

Feng Ling slowly descended from the air to the ground, standing before Zhang Peng, looking down at him, and said, "I will accept the origin of your martial soul."