Chapter 446: Entering the Game with One's Own Body as a Death Warrant

A strange roar startled Lingxiang, nearly causing her to spill the freshly ground mirabilite; she cursed under her breath while tidying the medicine table, glancing at Guihua from time to time.

Seeing this, Guihua's rage flared up.

What is this dead girl implying? Is she pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree?

Yet Lingxiang was not afraid in the slightest, continuing her work as if nothing were wrong, and even raised her head to glare back in a provocative manner.

Well? What can you do to me?

Watching Lingxiang's nostrils flare almost to the sky, Guihua was so angry her knuckles nearly cracked like firecrackers, but she dared not make a move, forced to swallow her fury.

The refining of the Huitian Pill had been going on for over two years, and Lingxiang truly could not be certain if she would succeed this time.

It was not for the Demon Lord, but merely to prove it to herself.

According to past experience, the reason for failure was that every time she stoked the furnace, she used her own Fire Formula.

As a mortal, the techniques she performed, even if they gathered the spirit of heaven and earth, were still mortal objects, and the Heaven Returning Pill Formula originated from Yaoji, so the furnace fire naturally could not be of Mortal Grade.

When leaving Yunmeng Marsh, Lingxiang had borrowed a fire seed from Yunmeng from Yaoji Xianzi; the reason she had not used it until now was that she was waiting for the Demon Realm to fall into chaos.

Because this batch of pills would be the Demon Lord's death warrant.

Although it seemed very glamorous on the surface, Lingxiang knew that for these three years, her every move had been under surveillance.

What "Imperial Princess of the Demon Realm," what "Capital Princess"—these were merely excuses the Demon Lord used to abduct Lingxiang.

An excuse for the entire Demon Race court.

What the Demon Lord had always wanted was Lingxiang's pill-refining arts, and Lingxiang was well aware of this, but both sides kept it unspoken.

Lingxiang had known all of this from the Dust-Peering Mirror long before the disaster at Yuanqing three years ago, and the reason she had been so resolute toward Long Qi was also because of the mirror's prophecy.

Including the Demon Lord's second invasion of Yuanqing, or the current turmoil in the Demon Realm.

That night, when she emerged from Wuji Hall, Lingxiang began her planning, which was why she had Long Qi take the Hanyu Pill and entrusted Luoli to set up complex Array Formations on Qingwei Peak.

Eternal Firmament had once said to Lingxiang: "Everything began because of you, and it must end because of you."

Although the images in the Dust-Peering Mirror were not detailed, they made Lingxiang understand that everything was destined to happen.

Although Lingxiang did not understand why she had become this cause, since things had reached this point and the path ahead could not be avoided, she would enter the game herself and play against the heavens.

Therefore, Lingxiang appeared arrogant and domineering, spending her days teasing and bickering with Guihua, but her actions were merely a smokescreen.

If she did not do this, she would be unable to deceive those watching in the shadows; in reality, she had been preparing a winning strategy all along.

The caution of the past three years would all come down to this one moment.

The pill the Demon Lord consumed was indeed a Life-Prolonging Pill, but Lingxiang had made some subtle adjustments.

The steps for refining the pill were no different from usual, except she added a dose of Wandering Soul Grass and used Netherfire when suppressing the fire.

Do not underestimate these two items; they were custom-made by Lingxiang for the Demon Lord.

Netherfire is formed from the resentment of various vengeful spirits and ghosts in the Netherworld; though it bears the name "fire," it is an item of extreme Yin. The Wandering Soul Grass absorbs Nether Qi, and its medicinal properties are extremely cold.

For an ordinary person with all Three Fires present and a complete soul, these two things would naturally pose no threat.

But the Demon Lord is of the Demon Race; even after the Possession of Lingxiao's body, his soul remains that of the Demon Race. With a deficient soul, complete Possession is impossible.

The Demon Lord is always moody and unpredictable for this very reason.

Once the pill refined with Netherfire and Wandering Soul Grass enters the body, it will damage the soul and cause instability, making it easier for the Demon Lord to fall into chaos.

She owed this opportunity to the fact that the Demon Race does not understand the Dao of pills; even if discovered, she could find an excuse to smooth it over. After all, Lingxiang was highly skilled at spouting nonsense.

Deceiving people is a necessity; to survive, it is nothing to be ashamed of!

This little Demon Lord's soul has already adapted to the extreme Yin and cold; a single breath of extreme Yang energy would cause it to scatter in an instant.

And this breath is currently held in Lingxiang's hands.

Another strange roar came, followed by a slight tremor underfoot, continuous and lasting for quite a while.

The bottles and jars on the medicine table clattered, *ping-pang-peng*, quite lively.

Could there be earthquakes in the Netherworld?

Lingxiang was stunned for a moment, then chuckled.

How could that be! It must be some troublesome fellow Daoist who has annoyed the short-tempered Grand Marshal.

If they weren't enemies, that old man would truly be interesting!

Lingxiang curled her lip and put away the fire seed in her hand.

The Dantian Fire has been fed enough; this batch of pills should be ready soon, though she did not know what the final result would be.

The tremor stopped abruptly, as if interrupted, and the bottles and jars on the table finally settled down.

Please... add... this... to... your... bookmarks....!

Yet at this moment, Lingxiang suddenly sighed, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the entire Yinxu Hall to hear.

"They are just a few stinking Daoists, yet it requires the Grand Marshal to go personally, and even now they haven't been dealt with. Instead, some subordinates can comfortably hide here; it is truly unheard of."

"What nonsense are you spouting! It's all because of you!"

Guihua blurted out, then realized it was inappropriate and hurriedly looked at the Demon Lord on the throne; seeing his expression was normal, she felt relieved.

In truth, the Demon Lord had frowned for a split second, but he recovered his expression so quickly it was as if it had never happened.

But that instant was captured by Lingxiang.

"Yo! She's anxious," Lingxiang mimicked a theater actor, raising an orchid finger in a pretentious manner. "I haven't even named anyone, why is Yiyou General so eager to admit it?"

She then covered her mouth with her sleeve: "I didn't mean to say you are shirking your duties, I just feel that with a great enemy at the gates, letting an old man charge to the front is somewhat unpleasant to hear. If this gets out, the General's reputation will..."

Lingxiang deliberately left her words unfinished, but Guihua understood.

Every sentence seemed useless, yet every sentence pointed to dereliction of duty.

*Bah! * What kind of bullshit reputation? Do I care about that?

But these words successfully provoked Guihua.

"My Lord, the Grand Marshal has been fighting for a long time; this subordinate is willing to lead troops to attack and assist him!" Guihua requested.

"That will not do!" the Grand Minister of the Masses at the side spoke up to stop them: "The capital's defenses are currently empty; how can the Venerable One be left without anyone by his side?"

What a fine old scoundrel, it is you ruining things again!

Lingxiang looked at the Grand Minister of the Masses with a displeased expression, while the latter cast a meaningful glance at her.

Just as the two were at a stalemate, a guard sprinted into the hall.

"Reporting to the Demon Lord, a member of the Daoist Sect has broken into the palace and is currently rushing toward Yinxu Hall."

"What?" the Grand Minister of the Masses was greatly alarmed. "Have people been sent to intercept?"

"Three teams have already been dispatched, but that person is extremely cunning and seems very familiar with the palace layout; in the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace."

What kind of Daoist, how could they be familiar with the palace!?

The Grand Marshal looked at Lingxiang, who wore an expression of entirely insincere astonishment.

"Oh! Why is the palace being troubled by a Daoist too? Oh my, oh my, whatever shall we do."