Chapter 924: A Knife

Hm?

"Interesting, you can even reverse‑track my location based on my spell? Seems the spell on her has long been broken," Yan Buji smiled.

On the other side.

"Finally willing to show up?" Lin Qingli sneered, flipping the Mystic Iron Token of the Demon Extermination Office in her palm: "Did you really think a crude Heart‑Devouring Curse could control me?"

She flicked her fingertip, shattering the water‑mirror image into a tracking sigil. Lin Qingli rose, the head's splendid robes glinting coldly in the candlelight.

"Come."

A Demon Extermination Guard outside the gate knelt on one knee: "What are your orders, Head?"

"Go to the Drunken Immortal Tower."

Yan Buji leaned by the window, watching Lin Qingli stride in with fierce aura; he had no intention of leaving, but watched her with keen interest.

"Lord Lin, your illustrious presence is a rare honor," he said without turning, his voice lazy.

Lin Qingli's Ice Veil silently wrapped the four corners of the elegant hall, sealing every escape route.

She coldly said, "Ji Daoist, did you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

Yan Buji finally turned, his gaze sweeping over the Demon Extermination Office token hanging at her waist, then landing on her neck, where the Heart‑Devouring Curse should have left a mark, now only a shallow scar remained.

"Broken?" he raised an eyebrow: "Seems the Inspector has been generous to you."

Lin Qingli lifted a fingertip, the Ice Soul Sword hovering three inches before Yan Buji's throat: "Did you think that crude spellwork could control me?"

Yan Buji smiled.

He leisurely poured a cup of tea and placed it before her: "Lord Lin, do you truly believe you can attain this position through strength alone?"

Lin Qingli squinted: "What do you mean?"

Yan Buji tapped the table lightly; ripples formed on the tea's surface, revealing the hidden chessboard the Inspector had set up around Celestial City, with many pieces surprisingly near Lin Qingli's Demon Extermination Office.

"... Lin Qingli is merely a pawn; once she cleanses the factions, we can use her to eliminate that Daoist and finish them all in one sweep," Yan Buji said calmly.

Lin Qingli's pupils narrowed sharply: "Nonsense!"

Yan Buji admired her expression, continuing: "Then why do you think the Inspector allows you to kill so many? Do you believe the Celestial Alliance truly doesn't know how many 'traitors' were framed? Or even if there are genuine traitors, should a newly‑appointed head of the Demon Extermination Office be the one to investigate?"

He stood, stepping closer: "Lord Lin, you are nothing but a knife, and a knife… when worn out, must be broken."

Lin Qingli's Ice Soul Sword trembled slightly.

Yan Buji chuckled low: "Now, you still think I'm the one controlling you?"

Lin Qingli slumped into the chair, her fingertips gripping the armrest tightly.

Yan Buji lounged opposite, twirling a Lingying Jade Tablet in his hand: "The Inspector has long been investigating traitors in Baihe Celestial City, and you....."

He lifted his gaze and sneered: "It just became his excuse to purge the factions."

"Impossible!" Lin Qingli retorted sharply, "The evidence I uncovered shows those people indeed colluded with the demon race!"

"Evidence?" Yan Buji scoffed, "Are you sure those 'evidence' weren't just something you 'happened' to find?"

He tossed a Demon Pill; its pattern matched exactly the one Lin Qingli had once seen on an elder in the Ten Thousand Poison Cave.

"This is a special 'Demon Puppet Pill' from Baihe Celestial City; after ingestion, a cultivator's body bears demon spots."

"You might not be clear about what Baihe Celestial City is; it's a secluded sect that excels at cultivating various Spiritual Materials and Celestial Materials. Most of the Celestial Alliance's beast materials also come from people of Baihe Celestial City."

Yan Buji smiled: "No need for me to fabricate this; you could have learned it yourself by asking around."

Lin Qingli's face turned ashen.

Yan Buji leaned forward, his voice slithering like a poisonous snake into her ear: "Lord Lin, every person you killed is someone the Inspector wanted dead. And you...."

He laughed lightly, "... are his slaughtering knife."

Lin Qingli sprang to her feet, the Ice Soul Sword pointing straight at Yan Buji: "You're spouting nonsense!"

Yan Buji neither dodged nor flinched, simply rising at a leisurely pace, his cold eyes on her: "In this world, only one kind of person dies."

"The clever don't die, because they know how to seek profit and avoid harm; the wicked don't die, because their misdeeds are not unpunished, the time simply hasn't arrived; the virtuous also rarely die, because those who have attained the Dao receive much aid, while those who have lost it receive little."

Yan Buji smiled: "Only a fool like you meets death first!"

"You!"

"Stop the nonsense; if we cooperate, there might still be a sliver of hope."

Lin Qingli bit her teeth, suddenly recalling something: "You secretly framed so many Elders; you come to me—doesn't that mean you can't escape either?"

"Are you sure I can't run? Then where do you think I've been all this time?" Yan Buji said calmly.

Lin Qingli's face darkened, instantly recalling that Yan Buji had indeed appeared out of nowhere.

Lin Qingli inhaled deeply, as if to swallow all her resentment and anger, then slowly said, "Exactly how do you propose we cooperate?"

His mouth twitched upward, revealing a sly smile, as if he had anticipated Lin Qingli's reaction. He replied unhurriedly: "It's simple—you only need to keep acting as you are now."

Lin Qingli furrowed her brows, clearly unsatisfied. She pressed, "What do you mean by continuing to maintain your current state?"

"It means doing what you were already doing—trouble the Celestial Alliance's internal Elders, create some hassles for them," he explained casually.

Lin Qingli's complexion grew even sicker; she widened her eyes, glaring at him, asking, "What does that mean? What do you think I am?"

He was unfazed, even laughing, "Ha ha, don't be so worked up, Lin Fairy. I didn't think of you as anything; I just believe you have the ability and courage to do these things."

"Do you think I'm a dog?!" Lin Qingli finally lost restraint, her hair bristling, voice an octave higher, "Should I bite whomever you tell me to bite?!"

Yan Buji also looked at her oddly, thinking she wouldn't believe that breaking through the Refining Void Stage would let her defeat him and become this arrogant, would she?

"Aren't you?"

"You!"

Lin Qingli bit her teeth, her fury blazing.

But now she also knew it wasn't the time to fall out with Yan Buji; this guy seemed even stronger after returning, and even though she had barely broken through the Refining Void Stage, it felt no different from before.

Damn, why can this old fool advance so quickly?!

Thinking of that, Lin Qingli calmed her inner anger, looked at Yan Buji: "That's fine, so what do you intend to do?"

"My role is to help you, to help you deal with those inside who oppose you."

"You?"

Lin Qingli frowned: "Wouldn't doing this only make the reputation of the Exorcism Office worse? When the public gets angry, I'm afraid the Inspection Envoy will also have to go after us."

Yan Buji shook his head: "If we have a legitimate reason, it doesn't matter."

Lin Qingli instantly understood.

"Or is it still that framing‑and‑blaming trick?"