Chapter 125: Thunder Soul Stone

The man in the black robe arrived wearing a bronze mask, clearly wishing to conceal his true identity. After all, leaking intelligence about Bai Ruoling to the immortals was tantamount to treason against the demonic path, and in both the immortal and demonic realms, traitors were held in the deepest contempt. Fearing to linger, the black-robed man finished what he had to say and departed by riding a bolt of lightning, just as he had arrived.

Upon learning that the Xuan Yuan Demon Lord who had appeared earlier was a fake, the immortal masters present wore expressions of relief. They would no longer have to fight to the death in tomorrow’s battle, nor would they have to worry about becoming the laughingstock of both realms. The heavy atmosphere of the scene naturally lightened. Lu Yixian then bowed to everyone and said, "I ask that you all continue to pretend you are unaware that the demoness is merely a disguised serpent. Tomorrow, we shall lure her here and execute her to uphold the righteousness of the immortal sects." The masters nodded in agreement, having no objections.

***

Meanwhile, outside Yan City, at Le Yu Mountain, Luo Yunshang stood guard for her master, Qin Xuanxi. Bai Ruoling was also nearby, having reverted to her true form. She sat slumped on the ground in a red dress, her eyes brimming with tears, locked firmly onto her master. She gripped her mouth tightly with both hands, afraid that her overwhelming emotion would cause her to sob aloud and disturb her master’s meditation.

Luo Yunshang leaned down and whispered into Bai Ruoling’s ear, "Junior Sister, now that Master has returned, you must keep that matter a secret from her." She was referring to the time when Bai Ruoling had taken on her master’s appearance, and Luo Yunshang had been unable to resist patting her backside. Although it wasn’t the real Master, the act was a desecration, and if her master ever learned that she had harbored such offensive thoughts toward her noble person, the consequences would be dire. "I, your Senior Sister, will also keep your secret," Luo Yunshang continued in a low voice. "You know which one I mean, right? Since we both have something on each other, let’s agree not to betray one another, all right?"

Bai Ruoling, still crying heavily, could only nod while keeping her mouth covered. Luo Yunshang pulled her into an embrace. "Come here, cry on your Senior Sister’s shoulder."

***

The next day, as soon as Song Ye reported for duty at the yamen, he received notice that all bailiffs were to remain off the streets for the day. The city was beyond the control of the mortal authorities, and Magistrate Wang Demao had issued the order to prevent his men from throwing their lives away. The East Market, usually bustling and snatched up by vendors at the crack of dawn, was deathly quiet. Only a few fearless peddlers had set up shop, not to make money, but to witness the spectacle. An execution platform of this scale, built by the immortals, was something they had never seen in their lives.

The Immortal Decree Sect had announced that the public execution would take place at noon. Even by the hour of the Snake, with an hour still remaining, the area around the platform remained eerily quiet, with no signs of anyone attempting a rescue. However, not far from the platform, a crowd of fearless onlookers had gathered. Most were rogue cultivators from various regions who possessed enough skill to protect themselves should a crisis arise.

Inside the yamen, Zhao Zhigao shoved a sesame cake into Song Ye’s hands. "I’m glad I bought two extra cakes this morning. It’s dangerous out there, so eat this to line your stomach. Once this is all over, we’ll go to the restaurant on Huaiye Street for a proper meal."

Song Ye took the cake but didn't eat it. In truth, he wanted to go see the commotion for himself; he had plenty of self-preservation skills. More importantly, he wanted to see if his fiancée—who had vanished without a trace on their wedding day three years ago—would appear. If he were back in the modern world, he could go on a talk show to call her out. The title of that episode would probably be: *“Beautiful Bride Vanishes on Wedding Day, Honest and Reliable Groom Left Helpless—What Hidden Secrets Lie Beneath?”* He had seen plenty of such emotional disputes, but this was the first time it had happened to him.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind:

*“Ding! Encounter quest triggered!”*
*“Ding! Encounter quest: [Betting on Life]”*
*“Quest: Will the Taiyin Demon Lord, He Yixin, survive today?”*
*“Option 1: Yes.”*
*“Option 2: No.”*
*“If the player answers correctly, they will receive the [Thunder Soul Stone].”*
*“If the player answers incorrectly, they will receive [A Skewer of Candied Hawthorn].”*

[Thunder Soul Stone]: When embedded into the player’s body, all thunder-attribute techniques used by the player will have their damage and effects increased by 10%. This also applies to the player’s guardian skills.
[A Skewer of Candied Hawthorn]: Delicious, with six pieces of candied fruit.

This was the first time Song Ye had triggered a multiple-choice encounter. There was a reward regardless of whether he was right or wrong. If he was right, he benefited; if he was wrong, Song Yan benefited. It was his first time seeing a reward like the Thunder Soul Stone. Based on the description, it was clearly a very useful item. Although Song Ye lacked magic power and couldn't cast spells himself, the buff worked on guardian skills, and he currently possessed one thunder-attribute guardian skill: Guardian Wei Li’s [Thunder Chain Purgatory].

The reward was something he was determined to win. If he won, he could simply buy Song Yan a skewer of candied hawthorn out of his own pocket—a win-win situation. Of course, the prerequisite was answering correctly. Without hesitation, Song Ye chose the first option: [Yes]. He believed that his little bride would not abandon her own disciple; as long as she appeared, He Yixin would surely survive.

With his choice made, he had to go to the execution platform to see for himself. He shoved the cake back into Zhao Zhigao’s hands. "Brother Zhao, I’m going to the noodle shop on Huaiye Street for a hot meal. I’ll pack one for you when I return."

With that, Song Ye dashed out of the yamen. Zhao Zhigao shouted after him, "Brother Song, come back! It’s dangerous out there! Is a bowl of noodles really worth risking your life for?" But Song Ye had already vanished from sight.

Zhao Zhigao paced in circles, anxious. He even took a few steps out of the yamen, but then he thought of his wife, Xu, whom he had been married to for less than a year. If he died, who would take care of her? Her life as a widow would be incredibly difficult. Perhaps she was even pregnant—a hope he nurtured every day. Thinking of this, Zhao Zhigao turned back into the yamen. After all, once married, his life was no longer his own.