Zhai Shuo's gaze moved from the discarded sword on the ground to Yuan Shu. He raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"
"I said, surrender and be spared, right, Second Senior Brother? I've called you Second Senior Brother a few times at least, there's no need to be so... ruthless, right?"
Yuan Shu spoke with a grin. She waved her hand, gesturing for the demon subordinates surrounding her to step back, and walked toward Zhai Shuo herself.
The group of demon subordinates looked at Zhai Shuo. The latter gave a faint glance, and the subordinates understood, obediently stepping back and allowing Yuan Shu to walk toward Zhai Shuo.
After all, in front of His Highness, a measly human cultivator in the Qi Refining stage really couldn't make any waves.
However, Yuan Shu's demeanor, her actions, and the way she strolled leisurely through the crowd didn't look like someone about to become a prisoner. Instead, she looked like she was happily going out for a spring outing!
Zhai Shuo narrowed his eyes slightly, a glint of interest rising in them as he looked Yuan Shu up and down.
"Knowing that I am a demon, yet you still call me Second Senior Brother. Should I say you are bold and unafraid of death, or just reckless?"
Yuan Shu tilted her head up, meeting Zhai Shuo's gloomy and cold gaze. She blinked her eyes, looking completely innocent. "Isn't... isn't that the same thing?"
Zhai Shuo's gaze fell back onto Yuan Shu's face.
A small, oval face with exquisitely soft lines, a bit more would be too much, a bit less would be too thin. It was just right!
Complemented by the lively features on that face, she naturally carried a charming and delicate vibe that would draw extra glances wherever she went.
To think Qingyun Peak actually had such an interesting human cultivator?
He had thought that most of those orthodox immortal sects were like Su Lingxi, wanting to have their cake and eat it too. Playing tricks and scheming, treating everyone else like fools!
However, he was not the type to let lust cloud his judgment.
Zhai Shuo merely glanced at her before withdrawing his appraising gaze. "What, you want me to let you go?"
"Ahem, how is that possible? How could I bring up something that would put Second Senior Brother in a difficult position?" Yuan Shu waved her hand in denial.
Zhai Shuo raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "If you don't want to run, then what do you want to say?"
Yuan Shu's smile remained unchanged as she immediately said, "I just wanted to say, when Second Senior Brother takes me away, could you not tie me up? Being tied up is quite uncomfortable!"
"A lowly Qi Refining human cultivator like me is definitely no match for Second Senior Brother."
"Not to mention you have so many demon experts under your command. Even if I had other thoughts, I wouldn't have the strength to act on them."
"I'll willingly go with you, saving you the trouble. How about it?"
As she spoke, Yuan Shu reached out, took the shackles from one of the demon subordinates nearby, and locked them onto her own wrists.
Then, she raised her hands toward Zhai Shuo, showing that she meant what she said and absolutely would not run away.
Zhai Shuo was even more surprised.
Whenever demons struck, weren't the captives always acting like they were parting by death, vowing to resist to the end?
This was the first time someone had actively put shackles on their own hands and volunteered to go with them.
It wasn't just Zhai Shuo who was surprised; the demon subordinates also looked at Yuan Shu with astonishment, as if they were looking at some unbelievable monster.
"Is this okay?" Yuan Shu felt that she was showing plenty of sincerity right now.
Since Zhai Shuo had chosen to use a formation to knock them out, they probably still had some use, meaning he didn't plan to kill them right now.
Therefore, there was a high probability he would agree to what she just proposed.
But unexpectedly, Zhai Shuo suddenly reached out and grabbed the shackles on her wrists.
"Second Senior Brother?"
Yuan Shu raised an eyebrow. She looked at the shackles he had effortlessly crushed to pieces with a squeeze, and then looked back at Zhai Shuo.
What did this mean?
Had her "Second Senior Brother" discovered his conscience and decided to set her free?
However, Yuan Shu quickly realized she had overthought it.
Because, although Zhai Shuo crushed the ordinary demon shackles on her hands, he waved his hand and used dark red demonic spiritual energy to condense a dark red bracelet on her left wrist.
Spiritual energy surged within the bracelet, and it even contained a wisp of Zhai Shuo's divine sense. If anything happened to the bracelet, he would know immediately.
"Wear this, and you are permitted to go unbound by ropes."
Yuan Shu turned her wrist to look at it, her expression barely changing. "That works too."
After all, her survival didn't depend on this.
Zhai Shuo glanced at her and waved his hand to order his troops to fall in. At the same time, he waved his hand to gather the power of the formation.
The surrounding formation space rapidly shrank, condensing into a small ball that merged into the array disk in Zhai Shuo's hand.
Only then did Yuan Shu realize that after walking in the formation for so long, they had actually entered the inner circle of the Death Demon Forest.
Hazy black clouds and mist rose into the sky, blocking the light shining down from above.
The surroundings were dim, the soil was a dark purple, and even the surrounding vegetation had turned the same dark purple as the earth!
Yuan Shu had previously only heard of the infamous reputation of the Luoxian Sect's Death Demon Forest, but had never actually seen it.
She hadn't expected it to look like this!
Yuan Shu was somewhat surprised and a bit curious, craning her neck to look around.
"Hey, be gentle! Third Senior Brother just took a fall in the formation, he can't handle being tossed around so violently!"
Seeing the demons roughly handling Long Yunhui, Yuan Shu hurried forward to stop them.
The several demons gripping Long Yunhui's shoulders looked up at Zhai Shuo, waiting for instructions.
Following their gaze, Yuan Shu turned her head and met Zhai Shuo's cold stare.
"Ahem."
She gave an awkward laugh. "Second Senior Brother, a day as a senior brother means a hundred days of grace. Since Third Senior Brother is still useful to you, making him a little more comfortable isn't a big deal, right?"
"You're quite open-minded!" Zhai Shuo sneered and waved his hand at the violent demons.
Receiving his permission, the demons loosened their grip on Long Yunhui.
They even had someone fetch a stretcher and placed him on it to carry him.
Seeing that these demons were about to give Su Lingxi the same careful treatment, Yuan Shu hurriedly stopped them.
"My Little Junior Sister has thick skin and tough flesh. It doesn't matter if she gets dropped a few times. Just like before, it's fine, it's fine, she won't break..."
The demons looked at each other in dismay. So Yuan Shu actually treated her senior brother and junior sister differently?
However, not daring to act recklessly, they looked up at Zhai Shuo again.
Zhai Shuo sneered, "Do you think this is Qingyun Peak? Treating my people as your own? You're even giving orders now?"
"Oh, come on, Second Senior Brother. We're fellow disciples, practically family. We shouldn't treat each other like strangers, right?"
Yuan Shu stepped forward with a beaming smile, balled her hands into little fists, and attentively began to massage Zhai Shuo's legs as he sat on his palanquin.
Zhai Shuo gave her a somewhat surprised look but ultimately said nothing more.
According to his plan, he would only use these people if that person's power was insufficient.
Letting them rest a bit was no big deal.
As for Su Lingxi, she pretended to be pure and innocent, but the calculation in her eyes practically jumped right into his face.
Even her crying was incredibly fake!
Previously, in order to bring her into the Death Demon Forest, he had to pretend to be cordial with her for a few days, which thoroughly disgusted him.
Teaching her a lesson was fine by him.
Since Zhai Shuo remained silent, the demon subordinates exchanged glances and immediately followed Yuan Shu's instructions, giving Su Lingxi a proper reception.
...
