Chapter One Hundred and Fifty: The Hundred-Flower Robe Conceals the Countenance, Tang Yi Relates Events of the Past

A wisp of sunlight pierced through the hall, casting a slanted glow across Tang Yi's left cheek.

Her complexion was pale, for she had just walked back from the gates of hell.

"You're a fine young lady, why on earth do you have to be a constable at the Six Doors and risk your life playing with fire?" Song Mo asked in bewilderment. He felt a deep ache in his heart for the woman before him, though at this moment, it was also proof that the person he loved was indeed a woman and not a man.

Tang Yi smiled, a pair of shallow dimples appearing that looked both desolate and lovely. She slowly raised her hand, reaching toward the sunlight, and peeled off the thin layer of the Hundred-Flower Garment from her face.

Song Mo stared blankly for a long moment; he had not expected Tang Yi's true female appearance to be so stunning, and for a time, he was utterly entranced.

"This is the Hundred-Flower Garment, tanned from petals of a hundred newly bloomed flowers. It can both preserve one's original appearance and forge a brand-new face," Tang Yi said softly as she placed the garment back into the brocade box she kept close to her chest.

Song Mo sat quietly to the side, knowing that Tang Yi would confide everything in him.

"Song Mo, I am so tired. Can I lean on you for a little while?" Tang Yi whispered.

Song Mo did not speak. Instead, he stepped forward and let Tang Yi rest her head against his shoulder.

"Actually, I am an orphan, too," Tang Yi said, and Song Mo could clearly feel her body trembling slightly. "I suppose you've noticed as well that my position in the Six Doors is rather awkward, because—" She paused, as if gathering immense courage to continue, "Because I used to belong to the Demon Suppression Bureau."

Song Mo was not surprised. In truth, judging from Jiang Wanyi's attitude and the actions of the Six Doors, he had already guessed that Tang Yi had some entanglements with the Demon Suppression Bureau.

After revealing this, Tang Yi slowly recounted a past event from her life.

"When I was in the Demon Suppression Bureau, I was in the same demon-slaying squad as Jiang Wanyi. That day, word came that a wolf demon was wreaking havoc in Qingsha Town, a hundred li north of the city. Master Qingyangzi led our squad, and we rushed over that very night..."

Tang Yi spoke in a low voice, her tone gradually returning to the crisp, clear voice of a young woman.

***

That day, it was already late into the night when we arrived at Qingsha Town. The town was pitch black without a single glimmer of light, the air reeking of blood, and gruesome corpses littered the streets and alleys. Master, Jiang Wanyi, and I stood at the end of a street, gazing into the distance, where shrill, unearthly shrieks echoed, making our hair stand on end.

Master and Jiang Wanyi walked cautiously forward.

I followed closely and warily behind the two of them.

Finally, when Master and Jiang Wanyi came to a halt, they noticed something unusual ahead—a thick plume of smoke rising in the distance.

"It looks like there's something over there," Master said. "Let's go take a look!" With that, Master took the lead, and Jiang Wanyi and I followed right behind him.

As we drew closer, we noticed the expressions of Master and Jiang Wanyi growing increasingly grave.

Even Master's face turned extremely unsightly.

"What is it, Master? Is there something dangerous ahead?" I asked anxiously, a dark premonition flashing through my mind.

Master did not answer me, continuing onward until they finally beheld that mass of fire.

"It really is a wolf demon," Master said heavily.

Wolf demons were exceptionally ferocious beast-demons. Because they were among the most vicious wild beasts between heaven and earth, they were called wolf demons. It was said that wolf demons generally hunted at night; the moment they encountered prey or food, they would instantly pounce, tearing it apart and devouring it. A wolf demon possessed terrifying speed and immense strength. Any prey bitten by a wolf demon met only one inevitable end: having all their blood drained dry until they perished.

Hearing Master's words, Jiang Wanyi's expression also turned grim.

"What should we do then? Are we supposed to run away?" Jiang Wanyi asked, her tone laced with terror. Her gaze swept over the distant landscape, where countless fierce beasts and demons lurked. She feared that if she and her senior brother fled, they would draw the attention of those beasts.

Master shook his head. His expression was solemn, yet he remained silent.

"What else can we do, then?" Jiang Wanyi looked around. The devastation before her frightened her, stirring memories of the time she and her father had fled the devil's lair all those years ago.

"Let's leave this place first!" Master said, looking into the distance.

"But there are so many demons over there. What if they notice we're gone after we leave and give chase? What then?" Jiang Wanyi asked worriedly.

Master glanced around, his brows furrowing deeply. This time, he said nothing.

"What do you think we should do now?" Jiang Wanyi looked between Master and me.

Master sighed and said, "This is a catastrophe! We can only minimize casualties if we are to preserve our lives."

Master's meaning was simple: the only thing they could do now was to escape.

"Master, where are we going?" I asked, looking at Master in confusion. This was our only choice now; if we stayed, it would mean certain death.

"We must leave here at once," Master said.

"But where can we go?" Jiang Wanyi asked, scanning the surroundings.

Both Master and I fell silent. Truly, they could not find a way out at the moment.

"Let's go find help!" Master proposed. After all, it was our only remaining option.

"Alright, let's hurry and find help," I said.

With that, the two of us quickened our pace.

Master glanced at me, then said, "Disciple, you already know of the Demon Suppression Bureau's existence by now, don't you?"

I nodded.

"In that case, you must be extremely careful from now on. Your mission is to keep those around you safe. I believe you can certainly do it, for your potential far surpasses mine. Before I die, I hope to see you carve out a world of your own." Master said solemnly.

"Master, please don't say such discouraging things. My life was saved by you. If you were to die, I would carry that guilt for the rest of my life. I will never allow such a thing to happen," I said earnestly.

"Good." Master smiled with satisfaction.

***

We kept searching for a route to escape this place, but scouring the entire mountain yielded no hidden mechanisms or paths to leave. Both of us bore signs of injury; my left arm and hand were scratched and torn by wild thorns.

"Let's get out of here first! If we stay any longer, I'm afraid we'll end up as food for those wolf demons. Even if we possessed divine, heaven-shaking arts, we wouldn't be able to escape. Disciple, let's hurry and leave!" Master urged.

"Alright, let's go right now," I agreed.

Master and I dashed quickly along the narrow path toward the center of the valley. Countless demons prowled about, their roars and shrieks threatening to shatter my eardrums.

My heart was filled with fury.

Master's brow was tightly knit as well, a flicker of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

We ran forward swiftly, streaks of demonic beasts flashing past my field of vision continuously.

Those demons were simply too fast; I could not keep up at all.

"Master, what should we do?" I asked anxiously, looking at Master. "It's too dangerous here, let's get out of this place quickly!" Panic flooded my heart; I was terrified that Master and I would die right here.

"No, we cannot leave. We must persevere, we cannot give up," Master said earnestly, looking at me. "We don't have much time left; we must seize every possible chance to escape," he said gravely.

I nodded. Although what he said made sense, my heart remained filled with dread.

At that moment, the sound of combat suddenly drifted from ahead.

"Who is fighting over there?" I wondered aloud, stepping forward. A group of people came into view, locked in a fierce melee, wielding long swords. Several corpses lay scattered around them.

The sight left me in utter shock.

I had never witnessed a battle before, let alone in the desolate wilderness with wolf demons lurking just behind them. Fighting out here in the wilds was pure suicide!

"This won't do. I must go stop them. We can't let them keep this up, or they'll all be wiped out," Master said.

With that, Master rushed toward the fighting group. Unfortunately, his speed was far inferior to theirs. The moment he plunged into their midst, the entire group turned their hostility toward him. With a series of whistling sounds, dozens of long swords thrust straight toward Master.

"Ah!" Master let out a miserable cry as long swords pierced his shoulders, blood spurting freely.

"Master!" I cried out in terror.

"Don't mind me, get out of here! Remember what I just told you!" Master shouted at the top of his lungs. "Run!"

Fear and anxiety gripped my heart, but since Master had given the order, I had no choice but to obey. I turned and ran forward at top speed.