Hearing Bai Shuanglian’s words, everyone else also fell into thoughtful silence.
“Cooperation for mutual benefit? That does seem highly plausible given the current situation,” Su Taosheng nodded, accepting Bai Shuanglian’s conjecture.
“But if they are merely cooperating, what is the organization that researcher belongs to planning to do? What exactly is this ‘Perfect Evolution’? Could it truly be, as they claim, that they are conducting drug trials for the sake of all spirits?”
“Maybe…”
Su Lihua also chimed in, feigning contemplation.
But as soon as her words left her mouth, Su Taosheng gave her a sharp rap on the head. The older sister shot a look at her foolish younger sister.
“I find it hard to believe that a drug developed through such bloody experiments is truly being researched for the benefit of all spirits.”
Hearing this, Su Lihua scratched her head sheepishly, realizing her comment was indeed inappropriate, and offered no rebuttal.
“Let’s set that aside for now. There are more pressing matters at hand,” Ling Xiaoyou interjected.
“A Demon Grand Duke is collaborating with a research institute to study the ‘Bomb Disease.’ Our immediate priority is to figure this out.”
She paused, a note of worry entering her voice.
“I have a feeling this incident is far from simple. Something terrible is likely about to happen.”
The others fell silent at Ling Xiaoyou’s concern, for they shared the same foreboding.
A contagious disease that could spread and cause spirits to explode… Even the most foolish person could see the Demon Grand Duke was up to something. And this was no small matter; it was likely to involve a large portion of Eastern Radiance!
“I’ll contact my father,” Su Taosheng said, pulling out her phone. “I’ll have him increase vigilance in the Underworld to prevent any demons from spreading the ‘Bomb Disease’ there.”
Just as she was about to dial her father’s number, the elevator doors shuddered violently—
A hairy, crimson arm suddenly smashed through the elevator door! Its fist clenched, carrying immense force as it hurtled towards the people inside!
Fortunately, Bai Shuanglian had remained on high alert, not relaxing her guard even after the recent events.
The moment that massive fist burst in, she raised her longsword and slashed at the crimson arm.
Clang!
The blade met the fist, producing a sound like clashing metal.
Bai Shuanglian’s gaze sharpened. A biting chill instantly erupted from her sword, spreading across the crimson arm in the blink of an eye, freezing it solid.
Su Taosheng reacted then, swiftly putting away her phone. Her Fangtian Huaji materialized in her hands. With immense force, carrying the momentum of a collapsing mountain, she brought it down upon the frozen crimson arm.
However, the crimson arm merely gave a slight shake. The seemingly unbreakable ice shattered and fell away completely. Then, it met Su Taosheng’s descending Fangtian Huaji head-on, forcing her back before retracting the arm.
In that split-second exchange, the elevator doors were left utterly ruined. Looking at the mangled wreckage, no one would believe it had been a smooth, intact door just seconds before.
“Enemy attack!”
Ling Xiaoyou snapped to attention, staring at the shattered elevator door.
Through the bent, crack-filled gap, she saw the figure that had attacked them.
It was a crimson-skinned demon. Coarse hair hung loosely over its body. Sharp, long horns protruded from its head. Its eyes were blood-red, fixed unblinkingly on the people in the elevator. Its face was expressionless, making its emotions impossible to read.
“Xuan You Realm… the sixth realm for ghost cultivators…”
Ling Xiaoyou murmured, then her eyes widened as she realized something.
“No, not quite. But it’s not far off.”
The crimson demon seemed disinclined to communicate. It glanced at its right hand, which had just been covered in ice, a thoughtful look flashing in its eyes.
Then its gaze locked onto Bai Shuanglian. Its figure blurred, appearing before her in an instant, its right fist swinging out with devastating speed!
The speed was so great it left scorch marks on the floor!
Bai Shuanglian’s pupils contracted. Instinctively, she raised her sword with both hands to block.
The next instant, a terrifying force crashed against the blade, numbing her hands from the impact. She was sent flying, slamming hard against the elevator wall!
Luckily, Ling Xiaoyou was right beside her. Seeing this, she immediately transformed into her water form, appearing behind Bai Shuanglian to absorb most of the impact.
Being in a water form, physical attacks had an effect on Ling Xiaoyou, but it was significantly reduced.
“So you blocked it?”
“As expected, the greatest threat among these people is this exorcist.”
The crimson demon frowned, looking at its own fist, then at Bai Shuanglian and Ling Xiaoyou, who were slowly getting to their feet. It was clearly dissatisfied with the result.
Just as it prepared to strike again, it suddenly seemed to sense something and whirled around!
Behind it, the air abruptly distorted.
In the next instant, a masked girl appeared out of nowhere! Her Fangtian Huaji descended like lightning, aiming straight for the demon’s vital spot on its back!
Yet the demon reacted with astonishing speed. A fist the size of a sand pot tore through the air, accompanied by a sonic boom as it smashed against the long halberd, sending Su Taosheng flying back, weapon and all!
In that same breath, Bai Shuanglian had already moved to fill the gap.
Her ice-blue longsword now blazed with fierce golden flames. The golden firelight shone upon the demon, causing its skin to crack and bleed in an instant. Even the surrounding tile walls began to melt!
Yang Flame!
Ling Xiaoyou stared in shock at the terrifyingly powerful Yang Flame, realizing now that Bai Shuanglian had always held back when using this technique before. This was its true power.
While thinking this, she kept her eyes on the clash between Bai Shuanglian and the crimson demon. Simultaneously, she released a water membrane, shielding Su Lihua before the Yang Flame could spread.
Fortunately, Ling Xiaoyou had developed some resistance to Yang Flame by now. Otherwise, by the time Bai Shuanglian and Su Taosheng finished fighting and looked back, the two of them might have been reduced to ashes by the residual energy.
Of course, that was just a joke.
Bai Shuanglian was quite controlled. She did her best to restrain the Yang Flame from affecting Ling Xiaoyou and Su Lihua. It was just that the battle was too intense; some residual energy inevitably spilled over. At most, it made Su Lihua feel like she was being baked under a scorching forty or fifty-degree sun.
On the other side, Su Taosheng seemed to have activated some magic art or used a spirit tool. As she was sent flying, clouds and mist suddenly materialized beneath her feet, greatly cushioning the impact.
The ground cracked like a spiderweb as she landed firmly.
She glanced up at Bai Shuanglian, who resembled a sun descending upon the mortal realm. After a moment’s thought, she placed a warm, smooth jade disc above her head. It hovered there on its own, isolating her from the searing Yang Flame.
The next moment, she stomped hard on the ground.
The already fractured floor instantly collapsed into a deep pit. And her figure, in that split second, charged back into the fray.
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