76: Chapter 76 Whispers of the Inner Demon: The Beginning of Nangong Xue's Fall

"Xue'er, you're back."

As Nangong Xue stepped into the Heavenly Sovereign Alliance's Inner Hall, a gentle yet slightly weary voice rang out.

On the main seat, a beautiful woman in a light purple palace dress, with an exquisite appearance and dignified, noble demeanor, was looking at her with a smile.

It was none other than the Heavenly Sovereign Alliance Leader, one of the Southern Domain's strongest, Fairy Ziyun.

"Revered Master." Nangong Xue bowed respectfully, her posture as deferential as ever. "Disciple was investigating a case outside, causing Revered Master to worry."

"It's fine, as long as you're back." Fairy Ziyun waved her hand, signaling her to rise.

Her gaze swept over Nangong Xue, and she nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad, your cultivation has improved significantly. It seems this trip down the mountain was quite beneficial for your experience."

Then, her tone shifted, and her expression became a little more serious.

"Xue'er, I called you here because there's an important matter I need to discuss with you."

"Please speak, Revered Master."

Fairy Ziyun pondered for a moment, then slowly said.

"Recently, I observed the celestial phenomena at night and had a sudden realization. The Void Refining Realm Bottleneck that has troubled me for many years seems to have loosened a little."

Nangong Xue's heart stirred upon hearing this.

Is Revered Master about to Breakthrough?

This is a monumental good fortune!

Once Revered Master Breaks through to the Dao Integration Realm, the status of the entire Heavenly Sovereign Alliance in the Southern Domain will be unshakeable!

However, just as this thought arose, a cold voice suddenly sounded from deep within her heart.

"Revered Master is about to Breakthrough? What about your 'dao injury'? If Revered Master uses that saint pill, you'll be dead for sure!"

The voice came so suddenly, so chillingly, that Nangong Xue's body involuntarily stiffened.

dao injury...

Again, that piercing, bone-gouging pain surged from her limbs and bones.

Nangong Xue's face instantly paled several shades.

Her abnormality naturally didn't escape Fairy Ziyun's eyes.

"Xue'er, what's wrong? Why do you look so unwell?" Fairy Ziyun asked with concern.

"N-nothing." Nangong Xue forced a smile. "Disciple is just... happy for Revered Master."

"You child." Fairy Ziyun shook her head helplessly, assuming she was just overly excited, and continued.

"Although I've sensed an opportunity, to Breakthrough, I still need to refine an auxiliary medicine, and I'm missing the most crucial main ingredient—the Nine-leaf Soul Shaping Grass."

"This grass only grows deep within the Ten-thousand-year Ice Caves in the extremely cold lands of the Northern Domain. The environment there is harsh, and it's guarded by Ice Jiao, so ordinary people cannot even approach it. I must go there personally."

"This trip will take a few days at the fastest, or several months at the slowest. During my absence, you will temporarily manage all affairs of the Alliance."

Saying this, Fairy Ziyun handed Nangong Xue a token symbolizing the Alliance Leader's authority.

"Revered Master, this..." Nangong Xue hesitated.

"Take it." Fairy Ziyun's tone was firm.

"You are my Personal Disciple, and the successor to the next Alliance Leader. Sooner or later, you will have to bear this responsibility. I trust you."

Revered Master's trust weighed on Nangong Xue's heart like a great mountain, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

She took the token, her fingertips cold.

"Disciple... will not fail Revered Master's trust."

...

Half a month later.

A purple stream of light streaked across the sky and landed in the Forbidden Ground behind the Heavenly Sovereign Alliance mountain.

The light dispersed, revealing Fairy Ziyun's somewhat disheveled figure.

Her palace dress had several tears, and her aura was somewhat chaotic, clearly indicating she had been through a fierce battle.

But her face bore an undisguised joy.

In her hand, she held a jade box made of ten-thousand-year cold jade.

"Xue'er."

Nangong Xue, who had been waiting there, immediately went to meet her.

"Revered Master, you're back! Are you injured?" Nangong Xue exclaimed, seeing the bloodstains at the corner of her Revered Master's mouth.

"It's nothing, just a minor injury. I'll be fine after a few days of rest." Fairy Ziyun waved her hand and solemnly handed the jade box to Nangong Xue.

"I've brought back the Nine-leaf Soul Shaping Grass."

Fairy Ziyun looked at her beloved Disciple with a face full of relief, her tone filled with trust.

"I've already prepared the other auxiliary medicines for refining this pill; they are all in the Alchemy Pavilion. Take this item now and go to Elder Wang of the Pill Hall, and have him immediately open the furnace to refine the pill."

"I need to immediately enter seclusion to heal my injuries and will only emerge when the pill is complete."

"Yes, Revered Master."

Nangong Xue held the cold jade box, her head lowered, making her expression unreadable.

"Go." Fairy Ziyun waved her hand wearily and turned to enter her seclusion chamber.

The stone door slowly closed.

Nangong Xue stood rooted to the spot, holding the heavy jade box, motionless for a long time.

She slowly raised her head, casting a complex glance at the tightly shut stone door.

Then, she lowered her gaze to the ring on her right index finger, carved with strange purple patterns.

Inside the ring, a black jade bottle lay quietly.

The bottle contained a purplish-black liquid that emitted a heart-palpitating aura.

"If Revered Master Breaks through and uses the saint pill, your dao injury will flare up, and you will surely die..."

That chilling voice once again echoed in her mind, like a devil's whisper, full of temptation.

"Are you truly willing to die like this?"

"You've sacrificed so much for the Heavenly Sovereign Alliance, for her. Do you not even have the right to live?"

Nangong Xue's hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

Holding the jade box, she walked step by step towards the Alchemy Pavilion.

Each step felt like treading on knife edges.

Her mind was a battlefield of heaven and man.

On one side were images of her Revered Master treating her like her own daughter, meticulously teaching her, her kindness as vast as a mountain.

On the other was the agonizing pain of death, 'Dao Foundation collapse,' and the destruction of her Divine Soul.

That fear of death was so real, so intense, it almost swallowed her rationality.

Nangong Xue stopped.

Standing on the white jade bridge leading to the Alchemy Pavilion, looking at the gurgling water below the bridge, her heart was caught in an unprecedented struggle.

"I can't... I can't do this... Revered Master's kindness to me is as vast as a mountain, how could I..."

"Kindness as vast as a mountain?"

The voice in her mind let out a sneer.

"If she truly considered you her own Disciple, why wouldn't she directly give you the saint pill? She clearly knows you suffer from a 'dao injury,' yet for her own Breakthrough, she makes you wait anxiously!"

"No... that's not it! Revered Master doesn't know about my injury..."

"She doesn't know? Then make her know! But do you dare to say it? If you say it, will she believe you? She'll only think you're coveting her saint pill!"

"I..." Nangong Xue opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.

Indeed, this inconceivable 'dao injury,' which even she herself couldn't fully grasp, who would believe it if she spoke of it?

"See, you have no choice at all."

The voice coaxed her on.

"Heaven and earth will destroy those who don't act for themselves. Revered Master has a long Lifespan; what does it matter if she Breaks through a few years later? But what about you? If you die, you truly will have nothing left!"

"I just... I just want to live..."

Nangong Xue murmured, the struggle and guilt in her eyes slowly being eroded by the desire to survive.

"Yes, that's it. You just want to live, what's wrong with that?"

"As long as you get the saint pill and heal your injury, you can find a way to compensate Revered Master later, couldn't you?"

"This is just... borrowing it for a while... I'm sure she, the elder, will understand your difficulties."

Under the insane self-justification and self-hypnosis of that voice.

Nangong Xue's last trace of clarity was finally replaced by a resolute and strangely excited glint.

Her expression became incredibly calm, frighteningly so.

She then opened the strange purple storage ring and took out the jade bottle containing the purplish-black liquid.

Looking at the liquid in the bottle, which squirmed like a living creature.

Nangong Xue's lips curled into a sinister smile, completely different from her usual cold Fairy image.

Then, without the slightest hesitation, she turned and strode towards the Alchemy Pavilion.

The sunlight shone on her, casting a long, twisted shadow on the white jade ground, like a demon ready to devour someone.

The former Righteous Path Prodigy, the pure Fairy, shattered completely at this moment.

In her place was a fallen being, one who, to survive, for that illusory 'dao injury,' would not hesitate to betray her benefactress and resort to any means necessary.