When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 72

The art of war states: the best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, and the highest form of warfare is to win the hearts of the people.

Lin Ji had been plotting for who knows how long to conquer this city, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with certainty.

Lu Xiaobai noticed that Lin Ji took advantage of his good mood to retreat and advance, and he had never missed his chance.

Was it because he was too soft-hearted, or did Lin Ji understand him too well? Lu Xiaobai was also someone who judged by appearances; when he saw Lin Ji's eyes slightly red, his head lowered as he called out to him softly, his lips wandering over his body, his exquisite features filled with desire, and his long hair cascading down his collarbone and chest, he couldn't help but think:

So beautiful, I love looking at him.

In the heat of the moment, Lu Xiaobai found himself pinned against the wall, Lin Ji kissing him from below, gazing up at him, while he looked down, lost in Lin Ji's beautiful eyes.

At a certain moment, like a spark igniting a fire, their lips pressed tightly together as if they had lost their minds, holding each other as if they wanted to occupy every inch of each other's bodies, merging into one another's very essence.

The feeling of sinking was like drowning, floating and sinking, a bit suffocating yet utterly addictive.

He was unusually different from usual; Lu Xiaobai took advantage of the moonlight to observe every different reaction from Lin Ji, noting the changes that arose from his presence.

Of course, he was well aware that he couldn't remain an outsider either; Lin Ji was equally excited by his expressions or voice at certain moments.

When it came to the real deal, Lu Xiaobai hesitated slightly, mainly because he wasn't used to feeling restrained, but he didn't refuse, letting out a muffled hum.

To ease his discomfort, Lin Ji kissed him and called him "Senior Brother," his voice low and magnetic, like a little animal that could purr.

Lu Xiaobai: "..." Alright then.

Afterward, there was sweat, joy mingling, and the room was filled with a spring-like ambiance.

For the first time, both of them felt a bit inexperienced and awkward; Lin Ji lacked skill but was very careful and attentive, always stopping halfway to ask if it felt good, if he was comfortable.

But Lu Xiaobai thought it was completely unnecessary to ask; did he think that if he said he couldn't move, Lin Ji would stop?

Lin Ji's stamina was also quite good; they kept going until they were too exhausted to continue before finally falling asleep.

Lu Xiaobai felt like he had barely closed his eyes when there was a knock at the door from the inn's attendant asking if they needed breakfast.

He sensed Lin Ji slightly sit up to take a look before lying back down, contentedly wrapping his arms around him, asking if there was anything he wanted to eat.

Lu Xiaobai mumbled an "mm" and casually named a dish; breakfast was nothing more than buns and porridge.

Lin Ji kissed him on the forehead, and the bed beside him sank and then returned to its original state as he got up and left the bed.

While waiting for breakfast, Lu Xiaobai gradually woke up, lying flat on the bed with a dazed mind.

He suddenly realized.

Had he really been completely consumed by Lin Ji?

And he had willingly allowed it; even afterward, while holding each other, he felt nothing wrong.

Lu Xiaobai covered his face; it wasn't regret, but there was a sense of unreality, like a horse stumbling at the last moment.

In the past, he was always the one scheming against others, making them willingly jump into his traps. A Ji usually didn't use much cunning, yet he had a whole set of tricks for himself.

After lying there long enough to accept reality, Lu Xiaobai propped himself up and turned over, finding his body feeling quite refreshed. A complete set of new clothes was laid out at the head of the bed, but the clothes torn apart last night were still scattered on the floor, mixed together, indistinguishable.

Lu Xiaobai didn't believe that Lin Ji was careless; he was doing it on purpose, A Ji's little thoughts...

Finally, Lu Xiaobai glanced at his disheveled body, changed into new clothes, dressed neatly, and looked out the window.

Moments later, Lin Ji pushed the door open and entered.

He had picked up the clothes, eaten the porridge, and even had his mouth moistened with tea. Lin Ji was considerate in every way, and Lu Xiaobai didn't find an opportunity to act out, so he simply enjoyed it.

Lin Ji even suggested combing his hair, and Lu Xiaobai agreed, but with that bashful expression of his, anyone who didn't know would think he had been taken advantage of.

Lin Ji saw a few strands of silver in Lu Xiaobai's hair, and his heart ached; he hugged him tightly from behind: "Xiao Bai, I will definitely help your hair grow back."

Lu Xiaobai held his hand: "Then I'll be counting on you from now on, A Ji."

Song Ruoci and Luo Xiang had different destinations from them; he had specifically gotten up early to say goodbye, but it was almost noon by the time he saw the two of them finish breakfast and head out, with Luo Xiang leaving first.

Lu Xiaobai mumbled a few words to him and then walked ahead, leaving Song Ruoci somewhat puzzled as he grabbed Lin Ji: "Are you guys okay?"

Lin Ji patiently replied softly: "We're fine."

Song Ruoci: "..."

Then why did Lu Xiaobai look a bit gloomy, while Lin Ji had a good mood written all over his face? And why did his voice sound so soft?! Was that really a tone he would use?

Lin Ji withdrew his hand to chase after Lu Xiaobai, feeling elated a thousand times in his heart—Xiao Bai was probably just a little shy.

Yandi Valley was as far as the Snowfield Forbidden Land; the two of them had been traveling for several days, but fortunately, by the time they arrived, Lu Xiaobai felt that the awkwardness in his body had disappeared.

He stepped into the most suitable position, right at the eastern sunrise, where the yang energy was strongest.

The valley was surrounded by high mountains, yet this spot was flat.

Lu Xiaobai used vermilion to draw the formation diagram; after withdrawing from emotions, he became sharp-eyed and quick-witted again, his eyes shining with brilliance.

Lin Ji helped him finish drawing the position, but seeing this made him feel very distressed, flying over to stand beside him: "This time, do you still want to set the formation alone?"

In the current situation, no one could remain an outsider; Lin Ji wouldn't stop Lu Xiaobai from doing anything he wanted, but it would hurt him.

Lin Ji had previously been jealous of Lu Xiaobai for being so revered, but now he felt pained that he was the one bearing all the burdens.

Lin Ji: "Let me help you; if not, there are so many capable people in the immortal sect."

Although he wasn't as proficient in formations and mysterious escape techniques as Lu Xiaobai, he understood them and believed he could learn.

Lu Xiaobai smiled at him: "I never said I wanted to do it alone. On the contrary, I want all the cultivators from the immortal sects to set the formation together, while I won't participate myself."

Lu Xiaobai said that this time he wanted to set the Spirit Binding Formation.

Just like the earth-bound spirits they encountered years ago, it would bind all the evil spirits, resentful spirits, and demonic energy by region, then work together to eliminate them.

However, this formation was unprecedented in scale, destined to change many formations; he had to oversee and command it, or else a slight misstep would lead to failure.

Lu Xiaobai: "I don't want you to set the formation either. A Ji, I hope you can stay outside the formation to command; if anyone sacrifices or is devoured by evil, let someone take their place."

"Your task is to ensure that no evil spirit escapes the formation."

"This position is very important; are you willing to take it?"

He raised his fist in a gesture, and Lin Ji chuckled, raising his fist to bump against it, then tightly clasping their hands together.

They were both partners and the ones who understood each other the best.

After the two of them checked with the powerful cultivators from various immortal sects, the cultivators from the Jiuzhou Immortal Sect all rushed to Yandi Valley.

They adopted Lu Xiaobai's suggestion to set the Spirit Binding Formation together.

Those who couldn't enter the ruins waited on the outskirts to prevent any unexpected situations; if even one evil spirit broke free, they would have to fight to the death.

Although the Spirit Binding Formation could trap evil spirits, how to lure them over was another problem.

Lu Xiaobai: "Bait."

Everyone quickly thought of this.

Right, the Punishment Division seemed to still be holding many cultivators possessed by evil gods, temporarily detained, but their obsessions still existed, and they went mad every day.

Using those cultivators as bait was feasible, but if someone as powerful as Yun Zongzhu regained strength and broke free from confinement, everyone would be in danger.

So every willing cultivator came with the resolve to die.

In the cultivation world, there was a type of magic stone that could identify and absorb demonic energy, a high-grade spiritual artifact, but it wasn't rare or unique.

The various immortal sects gathered together, and there were probably hundreds of them, all put to use.

Although the demonic energy and evil spirits had their own consciousness, their intelligence wasn't sharp enough to perceive human intentions; once they found that the demonic energy couldn't fill the cultivator's body, they would rush in one after another.

The powerful cultivators specifically set up teleportation formations in each ruin to ensure they could arrive quickly.

Choosing the right day and observing the feng shui, the Spirit Binding Formation began to be set up.

The bait was bound in the center with immortal ropes and restrictions, unable to move, while the powerful cultivators surrounded the inside, and the talented disciples sat on the outside, thousands of people setting the formation together.

Lu Xiaobai and Lin Ji, as the leaders of the younger generation, commanded the formation from above on their swords, while one stood guard on the periphery.

Soon, Yun Zongzhu, in a daze, began to go mad, followed by other possessed cultivators also going insane.

The demonic energy saw an opportunity and rushed over, but it was absorbed cleanly by the magic stones.

The first batch of nearby demonic energy was absorbed, and the following batches also rushed from afar, only to be absorbed as well.

However, the demonic energy was clearly more than expected, continuously pouring in.

If this continued, the magic stones would run out, and the energy would surge into the bodies of Yun Zongzhu and the other cultivators present.

At that time, those who hadn't been possessed would have to kill the possessed to prevent the demonic energy from spreading again, leading to mutual slaughter, which would surely be extremely tragic.

Everyone's eyes were filled with despair and determination.

For three consecutive days, the demonic energy continued to surge.

"How can there be so many?"

A cultivator couldn't help but ask, but as soon as his resolve wavered, demonic energy would seep into his body, deliberately finding his dark side and luring him into madness.

Nearby cultivators quickly subdued him, and Lin Ji immediately had someone take his place.

When he approached, he noticed a strange mark on the side of the cultivator's neck.

Lin Ji's whole body trembled.

At that moment, the possessed cultivators at the center of the formation, including Yun Zongzhu, were also flooded with demonic energy, indicating that the magic stones had exceeded their capacity and could no longer absorb the demonic energy.

Lin Ji quickly flew on his sword to observe from the periphery of the formation, noticing that every possessed cultivator had a mark, but they were all oddly shaped and irregular.

Lin Ji covered his head, suddenly feeling a splitting headache.

He remembered when he practiced evil techniques in his past life, his sword had always been shaking, spilling demonic energy into his body.

Later, during a fight, his sword was suddenly shattered in one place, leaving a missing corner.

Could it be that these marks were left by the fragments of the sword in the ruins? No wonder they were so irregular and unrecognizable!

Seeing that Lin Ji seemed to waver in his resolve, the demonic energy rushed toward him eagerly.

Meng Wanqiu, at the center of the formation, shouted in worry: "A Ji!"

As he got closer, Lin Ji suddenly wielded his sword to drive away the demonic energy that wanted to tempt him, stabilizing his mind.

However, when Lin Ji looked up, he saw Lu Xiaobai actually entering the formation, his figure floating down lightly.

Everyone was puzzled, and the Sect Leader frowned and asked: "What's wrong?"

Lu Xiaobai's lips curled into a smile, but it was vastly different from before; it was a sinister, triumphant smile:

"Thank you all for making me a wedding dress."

The next scene shocked everyone.

Around them, the magic stones and the demonic energy on the cultivators surged into Lu Xiaobai's body, and he accepted it all.

Soon, the evil energy also rushed in, all pouring into his body.

He absorbed all the evil spirits and demonic energy in the world.

Meng Wanqiu shouted: "Xiao Bai!"

He was about to fly over, but was firmly stopped by the Sect Leader.

"How can this be happening?"

All the cultivators were caught off guard, their eyes filled with panic and despair.

With a casual wave, Lu Xiaobai broke the Spirit Binding Formation, "Because today, it was all orchestrated by me."

The evil god declared that he was no longer himself; the original consciousness had been devoured by him.

Lu Xiaobai was the body they had chosen from thousands, and he was their host.

Lin Ji flew forward with his sword: "You targeted Lu Xiaobai in the Lingxu Ruins, didn't you?"

"Yes, originally I was targeting you," the evil god said bluntly.

At this point, the evil god no longer needed to hide, loudly boasting about his journey.

To be precise, they were not a single person or a specific consciousness, but a collective of the resentments of many failed cultivators; they were unwilling to die, even more unwilling to fall midway, wanting to ascend and regain their former glory!

The resentment of one cultivator was useless, but what about the resentment of thousands?

To the point of obsession, resentment became demonic energy, tempting all cultivators who could be possessed, gathering their resentments to strengthen their own power, gradually becoming the evil god.

This had been going on for over a hundred years.

But the evil god ultimately had no physical form; unable to ascend through demonic energy, he naturally had to find the most suitable host, seizing his body and vitality to survive.

Thus, some of the demonic energy that had been attached to the sword in the Lingxu Ruins, after endless waiting, finally found the most suitable host.

At first, the demonic energy targeted Lin Ji's qualifications and body, attaching itself to the sword, wanting to be taken out by him, but he unexpectedly changed his mind at the last moment and switched swords.

The Jueying Sword was about to forcefully attach itself when the summoning ceremony of the ruins took effect, and a power they couldn't assess suddenly appeared in the ruins!

Taking advantage of the chaos, they saw that Lu Xiaobai's body housed such a powerful primordial spirit. Although his qualifications were quite ordinary, he was on the path of change and was about to succeed.

The opportunity was rare, so the Jueying Sword shattered, and when Lu Xiaobai was ambushed from behind by a cultivator, it took the chance to cut into his shoulder, injecting the demonic energy.

To this day, the evil god descended.

The cultivators retreated countless feet, standing ready for battle.

At this point, the mask was torn off, and they could only fight to the death.

However, the disciples of the Peifeng Sect still couldn't believe it, feeling dazed; how could their Senior Brother Lu...

Meng Wanqiu's heart had originally sunk, but he noticed that Lin Ji, who remained in place, said nothing, showing no signs of collapse, and his heart raced as he silently prayed.

The evil god looked at Lin Ji: "What, do you want to be the first to die?"

Lin Ji sneered: "Have you ever heard the saying, 'the villain dies from talking too much'?"

Evil God: "?"

Before the words fell, Lin Ji swung his sword mercilessly at the evil god.

He and Lu Xiaobai were both at the same stage of Nascent Soul cultivation, so the power gap wouldn't be too great.

But now the evil god had absorbed all the demonic energy, his strength was extraordinary, and Lin Ji was at a disadvantage.

Moreover, he had his concerns, not wanting to harm Lu Xiaobai's body.

Just as Lin Ji was knocked back by a palm, the powerful cultivators rushed forward to help, but the jade pendant around Lin Ji's neck suddenly emitted an extreme spiritual light, blinding everyone.

Lu Xiaobai's primordial spirit emerged from the jade pendant, his long hair like snow, floating like the wind, as if a deity had descended.

He took Lin Ji's hand, facing the evil god together, and smiled: "I should be the one thanking you."

"Thank you for walking into the trap."