Chapter 611 - 295: Zi Yiyi’s Evil Thoughts (Part 2)

"Yiyi acknowledges her mistakes... Please, Head Hua Jing, punish me!"

Zi Yiyi’s voice carried a slight tremor, full of regret.

"You will be punished, but not by me; it will be by the Exorcism Bureau."

Head Hua Jing’s tone was lamenting as both Tiao Yaoyao and Zi Yiyi trembled, knowing full well the meaning of these words—Head Hua Jing would not handle it privately but would send Zi Yiyi to face the tribunal of the Exorcism Bureau.

"Lord Hua Jing, please no! Sister Yiyi was merely momentarily bewildered... Please give her another chance..." Tiao Yaoyao mustered her courage to plead for her sister.

Zi Yiyi’s eyes welled with tears, as she bit her trembling lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Did I not give her a chance? When Divine Son You Su asked her what crime she committed, yet she could not be pardoned. If she merely failed to resist temptation and followed you into the valley without causing a major mistake, how could I blame her?

Before she knelt in submission to the evil, I was already thoroughly disappointed, yet still willing to caution her, but she harbored a fluke, believing I was not my true self. Even if she truly became a minion of the evil, she thought I wouldn’t discover it was by her own volition..."

Head Hua Jing shook her head relentlessly, "But she doesn’t know that, while humans act, the heavens observe. I have seen through all her evil thoughts."

You Su was stunned with his mouth agape, "But aren’t you and Sister Yaoyao minions of the evil..."

Head Hua Jing abruptly looked at him, "Divine Son You Su, do you have such distrust in me?"

"No..." You Su felt somewhat dizzy, "I just thought you were fake, but then you turned real..."

As soon as he spoke, a more horrifying scene emerged!

Head Hua Jing’s head suddenly rolled to the ground without a single drop of blood spilled, and as it fell without the disguise of mist, beneath it was a creased, rough complexion.

You Su was astonished. This supreme female head, her figure carried the grace many women dreamed of, her skin glowing alabaster white, how could it have such an aged and withered face?

Behind her, Tiao Yaoyao’s head likewise clattered to the ground, and her once adorable and youthful face began to change, transforming into one weathered and aged by sun and wind.

You Su then understood, these two were indeed fakes.

Just then, You Su sensed two presences suddenly manifesting from a corner he hadn’t noticed before, yet he couldn’t gaze directly at them.

He knew these were the true Head Hua Jing and Tiao Yaoyao, who had been surreptitiously observing all along.

"Yiyi, do you remember when you joined under my tutelage, I asked you if you had the resolve to join me in pinning the Master of Dreams to the ground?"

Head Hua Jing paced lightly, as this noble head recounted past events, she no longer referred to herself as ’I’.

Zi Yiyi’s hands supported the ground, as a few crystalline tears fell from her eyes, only silent remorse remained.

Of course, she remembered, that was her first meeting with the Head Hua Jing she admired. To stand against the Master of Dreams was doomed to confront innumerable ghosts and demons, but she believed in her resolve and fortitude, akin to Lord Hua Jing, known as the Dream Master’s Nemesis.

But now she...

"You lost your conviction, but you, better than anyone, know I never will. Such heart-corrupting things hold no sway in front of my white pupils.

You saw that puppet kneel on the lotus leaf, knowing it was false, yet hoping it was true, right? As if that could wash away some guilt for willingly worshipping the evil, but alas, I disappointed you, and you... disappointed me too."

At last, You Su understood the whole story, he should have realized earlier, how could Zi Yiyi, as the personal attendant beside Head Hua Jing, be so easily swayed by demons?

Her behavior in front of the Heart Buddha was too fragile, unlike someone who has fought evil for years; with hindsight, it was all deliberate.

"Although she succumbed to desire, Sister Yiyi’s intention was to eradicate the evil."

No matter how clear Head Hua Jing’s words, You Su still felt some guilt towards Zi Yiyi, after all, he was the one who initially had her take him into Luoxing Valley to investigate at night.

"To exterminate the evil? Did you forget the advice I just gave to Divine Son You Su?"

—Do not overly idealize those around you.

"But Sister Yiyi..."

"She knew I was within the deep valley; to rid evil, why would she need such a sacrificial method of worshipping the sinister? You think she’s selflessly righteous, when in reality, it’s her feigned sincerity."

"Yet it’s not unforgivable..."

"She ruined my plans, allowing the Heart Buddha to escape, is that not unforgivable? If it were another, I would have ended her sins on the spot. To spare her for the Exorcism Bureau, I’ve already taken past rapport into account."

Head Hua Jing stood with her hands behind her, her presence overwhelmingly dominant.

"Escaped?"

You Su then remembered the most important thing: that mass of flesh died, and Zi Yiyi’s evil aura should have dissipated following the end of their connection, yet he could still see her!

He saw with his own eyes that mass of flesh dissolve into a viscous liquid and merge with the earth...

This could only mean that the real Heart Buddha was someone else!

"Let you die knowing the truth."

Hua Jing spoke coldly, and Zi Yiyi knew it was directed at her.

Tiao Yaoyao was worried, realizing it was her turn to speak.

Yet she, lively by nature, was somewhat unaccustomed to such grim atmosphere, appearing slightly timid, her hands nervously tangled in front of her abdomen, accentuating the roundness beneath her childlike face even more.

"I and Hua Jing secretly concealed our cultivation and infiltrated the valley, discovering the existence of an evil cult. The female demon who brought us in saw how beautiful we were and wished to become like us, giving Hua Jing the opportunity to control them in secret.

Hua Jing discovered that the Heart Buddha was merely a front, an impostor, intending to continue controlling those two demonesses to dig out the real Heart Buddha. But the Divine Son and Sister Yiyi arrived... Hua Jing deliberately warned them, yet it still ended up startling the snake, leading to naught..."

Zi Yiyi listened, her heart devoid of hope, even her tears stopped, as if she could no longer cry.

Because she knew she was truly beyond redemption.

"Speak your reason and perhaps I will show leniency," Hua Jing said.

Zi Yiyi seemed lost, her lips moving silently.

"Because of the Divine Son?"

You Su leaned back, bewildered as to why this involved him.

Tiao Yaoyao looked at her dear sister’s face. Although she liked to joke about Zi Yiyi’s feelings for You Su, she never imagined Zi Yiyi would go to such lengths for him.

"Divine Son You Su, what do you think of my two maids?" Hua Jing suddenly asked.

You Su blinked twice: "They are talented and beautiful fairies."

"Who is better or worse?"

"They each have their strengths, equally matched."

"If the Divine Son does not mind, I can order Tiao Yaoyao to be matched to you."

With those words, both Tiao Yaoyao and You Su widened their eyes in disbelief.

While Zi Yiyi fell to the ground, even more despondent.

"It seems not, or rather, not entirely," Hua Jing observed Zi Yiyi’s reaction with an insightful tone, "The Divine Son’s brilliance made you feel inferior, causing you, who vowed to eradicate evil, to falter. You began doubting yourself, thus, in pursuit of power, you lowered your head."

At this, Zi Yiyi fully submitted to the ground, as if admitting guilt.

Tiao Yaoyao showed bitter regret, lamenting her sister’s misstep and feeling helpless over her refusal to defend herself.

Aside from her role as the head, Hua Jing was also a very rare Truth Seer.

In her presence, there was no possibility of lying.

"If the true form of the Heart Buddha is not eradicated for a day, you will remain as a demoness, this is the consequence you deserve. I won’t let the Exorcism Bureau act against you, you’ll serve at the western battlefront of Zhongyuan Continent, fighting evil to atone for your sins."

Hua Jing issued the final judgement, considering it already merciful from her perspective.

But You Su’s eyes shone, sensing something unusual.

Why could Hua Jing control the demoness?

Moreover, she could easily hide before the fake Buddha without being discovered, completely capable of preventing Zi Yiyi’s transformation into a demon beforehand; after all, she was her personal attendant...

This reminded You Su of the white birds that drew him into the valley, and the Exorcism Bureau surrounded Luoxing Valley so heavily. If these white birds were truly patterned, was he truly the only one who could discover it?

He had interacted with many from the Exorcism Bureau, knowing that most were not fools but talented individuals with a grand mission.

The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed, as if these white birds had become patterned just in time for his arrival.

Could Old Nine... also have been under Hua Jing’s control?