Chapter 69: Senior Brother, I’m Here to Take You Home

Chapter 69: Senior Brother, I’m Here to Take You Home

At this moment, Shen Shuanglian was also dressed in an exquisite ceremonial robe that accentuated her graceful and alluring figure. Her face was hidden behind a mysterious and elegant mask, adding an ethereal charm to her already captivating presence.

Her outfit imbued her with an enigmatic and enchanting beauty.

But no matter how stunning she looked, Chen Yin had no time to admire her now.

He immediately blended into the crowd, moving carefully to Shen Shuanglian's side. Lowering his voice, he transmitted a message to her:

“Senior Sister?! What are you doing here?”

Hearing his voice, Shen Shuanglian turned her head sharply, her eyes lighting up with surprise when she saw Chen Yin standing beside her, his head lowered and mask removed.

“So you really are here.”

“Didn’t I tell you this place isn’t safe? You should’ve left as soon as possible.”

“...But I was worried about you,” she whispered softly.

Chen Yin let out a frustrated sigh.

As expected.

He had hoped she would listen to him, but clearly, he had been too optimistic.

“Ah, you... Can’t you give me a break for once?”

Shen Shuanglian bit her lip lightly, her luminous eyes flickering as they gazed at him.

Chen Yin initially planned to find an opportunity to get Shen Shuanglian out of here. However, they were already being pushed into the center of the crowd, making it difficult to escape. He could only follow the flow of people forward.

“Do you know where they’re going next?”

“The main hall. That’s where the Nether Sacrifice will be held.”

As the crowd slowly moved forward, Chen Yin took the opportunity to repeatedly warn Shen Shuanglian:

“Stay close to me and don’t wander off. Got it?”

“The leader of the demonic faction could very well be a formidable cultivator from the Great Purity Realm. If you’re discovered, it’ll be difficult for me to save you.”

“I don’t need you to save me. I can take care of myself,” Shen Shuanglian retorted, sounding a little indignant.

“Why must you always go against me?”

Chen Yin sighed helplessly. Taking advantage of the lack of attention from others, he suddenly reached out and pinched Shen Shuanglian’s waist.

“—Mmph!!”

Shen Shuanglian let out a soft, stifled gasp, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson.

“W-What are you doing?” she asked, flustered and embarrassed.

“A punishment for not listening.”

Chen Yin replied irritably.

“You’re so childish...”

“And aren’t you the same?”

The two bickered quietly through sound transmission as they were pushed to the gates of the Nether Sacrifice Hall.

When they arrived at the entrance, the crowd finally halted, bowing their heads in prayer toward the hall’s grand doors.

“...Hey,” Shen Shuanglian suddenly spoke after a long silence.

“Hmm?”

“If we go inside... please don’t get too emotional.”

Shen Shuanglian hesitated for a while before taking a deep breath and deciding to tell Chen Yin the truth:

“Actually, your junior sister... is now the Saintess of the demonic faction!”

She said it all in one breath, then quietly waited for Chen Yin’s reaction.

To her surprise, Chen Yin’s expression remained unchanged. He stared at her for a long moment before calmly replying:

“...That’s it?”

Shen Shuanglian froze.

“You... You’re not surprised?”

“Don’t tell me you followed me in here because you were worried I’d lose control when I saw my dear junior sister is the demonic faction Saintess, and you couldn’t leave me alone?”

Chen Yin sighed softly, a trace of helplessness in his tone.

“I’ve known about this for a long time.”

“Even that Yin Mengwan is my junior sister—I've known that too.”

“For a very long time.”

Shen Shuanglian stared at him in stunned silence for a while, then slowly lowered her gaze.

“So... even at the Heavenly Beauty Summit, when you acted, you already knew...”

Her expression turned desolate, tinged with a subtle sadness.

All this time, her efforts had been nothing more than childish self-indulgence.

He didn’t need her help at all.

Seeing her dejected expression, Chen Yin couldn’t bear to scold her. He softened his voice and said:

“Still, thank you. Your concern means a lot to me.”

Shen Shuanglian said nothing, her eyes shimmering as if drenched in water.

Just then, the grand doors of the hall creaked open, and the crowd surged forward again.

“We’ll deal with the rest later.”

Chen Yin gently held Shen Shuanglian’s hand. “For now, stick close to me. Don’t get separated.”

Feeling the warmth and firmness of his touch, Shen Shuanglian was momentarily dazed as she let him lead her forward.

The procession moved even slower than expected.

The massive crowd of demonic faction members slowly entered the hall, filing neatly to either side.

Chen Yin and Shen Shuanglian stayed hidden among them, silently observing their surroundings with only occasional sidelong glances.

At the front of the hall, Chen Yin noticed two figures.

One was Xiang’er, dressed in plain attire, sitting idly next to the main seat, playing with a teacup in boredom, her face showing signs of fatigue.

The other was a man seated in the primary position.

With just a glance, Chen Yin felt a wave of unease emanating from him.

The aura was overwhelming, bloodthirsty—like a sea of corpses and rivers of blood concealed within his calm gaze.

Was this the leader of the demonic faction?

Chen Yin quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention.

Soon, as the lines fell into place, a priest-like figure stepped forward and announced loudly:

“One life sacrificed, a hundred spirits appeased.”

“The Nether Sacrifice begins now!”

Immediately, the hall’s perimeter was illuminated by a dim, eerie light. Two rows of people in unusual attire stepped forward and began a rhythmic, mesmerizing dance.

The demonic faction members on either side softly chanted in unison.

Chen Yin glanced around and saw they were entirely surrounded by the demonic faction members. Any movement now would be too conspicuous, so he decided to do nothing, watching the ritualistic dance with interest instead.

The rite was long and solemn. The rhythmic, graceful dance carried an exotic beauty that was strangely captivating.

Chen Yin watched in quiet focus.

Beside him, however, Shen Shuanglian had no interest in the mesmerizing dance.

She lowered her head slightly, stealing glances at Chen Yin from the corner of her eye.

Surrounded by the deep and somber chanting, she was dressed in an elegant ceremonial gown.

Suddenly, she found the scene incredibly beautiful.

It reminded her of those TV shows she’d watched as a child, where brides in pristine white gowns walked down the aisle of a grand church, exchanging vows in an atmosphere of sacred romance.

The naive little girl back then would always be moved by the bride’s radiant smile, imagining if she would one day meet a great man who would take her hand and lead her into such a sacred moment.

That, she thought, would be the happiest thing.

She tightened her grip slightly on Chen Yin’s hand.

“...What’s wrong?” Chen Yin turned to ask softly, concerned.

“...It’s nothing.”

Shen Shuanglian pursed her lips, then gave him a gentle smile.

Chen Yin was momentarily stunned. He rarely saw her smile.

In his memory, Senior Sister was always a quiet and reserved girl, with a tranquil air about her. She would speak more only when she was with him.

She blushed easily at his occasional teasing words but rarely smiled. Yet, when Shen Shuanglian did smile, it was truly beautiful—reminiscent of a lakeside pavilion during the plum rain season. A smile so clear and pure, it seemed to cleanse one’s heart.

He froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh and pinch her cheek.

"Ow… What are you doing?"

"Senior Sister, your smile is so beautiful; it’d be a shame if you didn’t smile more often."

Faced with Chen Yin’s teasing, Shen Shuanglian shyly lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

Time passed slowly, and the dance and sacrificial ceremony finally approached their conclusion.

After the dance ended, the officiant stepped forward and spoke loudly:

“Eternal night without the moon brings no light. We now invite the Dao Lord to ignite the pyre on the Nether Altar, bestowing the only light upon the eternal night.”

As his words fell, the man seated motionless on the platform finally stood up.

With steady steps, he approached the edge of the stairs and gazed down at the crowd of demonic faction members gathered in the grand hall. His sharp eyes scanned the room, gradually narrowing.

“Eternal night without the moon brings no light.”

“One life offered, countless spirits spared.”

“Our path, passed down through the ages, is the only candle in the long night and the only moonlight amidst the shadows.”

“In a world where Heaven and Earth are merciless, treating all as mere pawns, where all beings suffer—who among you is willing to trade one life to grant peace to countless spirits?”

His words were cryptic, but Chen Yin only understood the last part.

—Could it be that this so-called Nether Sacrifice required a living human as the offering?

The Dao Lord’s piercing gaze swept over the dense crowd below, his sharp eyes finally settling in one direction.

“How about we let the naïve little rabbit who wandered into the tiger’s den—”

“—fulfill this sacred mission?”

Chen Yin’s pupils shrank violently.

At that moment, as the Dao Lord’s voice fell, all the demonic cultivators around Chen Yin and Shen Shuanglian simultaneously stepped back, clearing a large space around the two of them.

Shen Shuanglian looked around in confusion and instinctively tightened her grip on Chen Yin’s hand.

“Don’t be afraid,” Chen Yin reassured her softly.

“Tell me, how are you enjoying our demonic faction’s sacrificial ceremony?” the Dao Lord asked in a slow, deliberate voice from above.

“Oh dear, it seems we’ve been discovered.”

Chen Yin sighed, then stopped pretending and slowly removed his mask.

“Didn’t expect the demonic faction leader to be even more hospitable than I imagined.”

“Well then… we’ll graciously accept your warm invitation.”

As the mask came off, Yu Xiang, who was on the platform, widened her eyes in shock and stood up as if electrified.

No matter what, she had not expected that the face she had longed for day and night, the one that appeared in her dreams so often, would now be standing calmly in the midst of countless demonic cultivators, looking at her with a faint smile.

At that moment, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her.

“Senior—” Her voice seemed stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

“Well, Xiang’er, long time no see. Did you miss your senior brother?”

Chen Yin smiled lightly and waved at her, speaking gently:

“Your senior brother—”

“—has come to take you home.”

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