Chapter 85: The Betrayer Betrayed Again—A Trump Card?

This turn of events caught everyone off guard. At such close range, with such speed, not even the big-headed infant could react in time. The dagger drew a slight circle atop his oversized head, and then that slender figure vanished once more.

Only the big-headed infant’s wide-eyed look of disbelief remained, frozen on his face. In the next instant, his enormous head shot skyward in a fountain of blood, and his headless body wavered as it plummeted downward.

Qi, who had been flying, halted abruptly. Who was that slender figure? She had appeared, assassinated, and disappeared again, all in the blink of an eye, vanishing without a trace.

With the unexpected death of the big-headed infant, the Myriad Infant Soul Sail lost its controller. It shrank to the size of a palm and drifted slowly down, only for Qi, who was closest, to catch it and store it away.

“What? The demonic cultivator has actually fallen?” The seductive woman’s expression changed. The loss of the demonic cultivator meant their opponents now had one more free hand, and that the one who killed a Core Formation demonic cultivator was a formidable enemy. It was time to prepare for escape.

In the next moment, her face darkened further, for she saw Qi flying over with a cold sneer, clearly intending to cut off her retreat.

Her eyes flickered, but she smiled charmingly and asked, “Handsome, do you prefer fairies or enchantresses?”

Qi was taken aback, then shook his head with a laugh. “I don’t know—perhaps both, perhaps neither. But I do know I don’t care for wanton women like you.”

“Oh, don’t misunderstand me like that. Though my words and actions may seem brazen, my body remains pure—I’ve never found a man worthy of my attention. Of course, you make my heart race, handsome. Ah—hm.” With that, she gave him an alluring wink.

“Enchantress of the Demonic Sect, enough with your deceit. Daoist Qi, why hesitate? Strike quickly—let us take care of this enchantress first,” the gray-haired woman urged coldly.

Qi cast a curious glance at the gray-haired woman before nodding, ready to join the attack—though he remained cautious. Who knew whether that slender figure was friend or foe? If on their side, why not reveal themselves?

“Young Master, forgive my delay.” Suddenly, a streak of light shot in from the horizon—it was the once-handsome man who had been surrounded by several nuclear bombs. Against all odds, he had survived; the methods of a Core Formation cultivator were truly not to be underestimated.

But now, the big-headed infant had already perished, and the advantage remained with their group. So thinking, Qi retreated to Misaka Mikoto’s side. She had already dispersed her sea of lightning, maintaining it had been a burden even for her.

The gray-haired woman withdrew her own assault and also retreated a distance, though she kept some space between herself and Qi. After all, they had only just met. In the world of cultivators, even acquaintances of a hundred years might betray you for profit, let alone strangers—caution was essential.

The once-handsome man, now in tatters with even his hair and eyebrows burned away, looked every bit a beggar. His speed was much reduced, though his powerful aura allowed the seductive woman to relax, tucking away the jade talisman she’d hidden in her sleeve.

“Are you all right, Mr. Shang?” the seductive woman asked with concern.

“Thank you for your concern, Young Master. I only fell for that boy’s trick—otherwise, I’d never have let him return alive,” replied the ragged beggar as he joined her.

“Good, so long as you’re well. The demonic cultivator has already fallen; our business here is done. Let us depart,” the seductive woman said, casting a deep glance at Misaka Mikoto and Qi.

“Want to leave? You think you can come and go from my Qizong’s territory as you please? Stay!” the gray-haired woman shouted in anger, making a move to intercept them.

Qi glanced at Misaka Mikoto, who, after a moment’s thought, shook her head—she had no desire for further battle. Without her, Qi and the gray-haired woman alone could not stop the other two, so Qi wisely refrained from intervening.

“Oh my, Fairy Xiao Qin, do you think you alone can monopolize the both of us?” As soon as the words fell, the slender figure appeared at the seductive woman’s side—same method, same dagger, a perfect arc slicing toward the terrified woman.

Yet this time, the outcome was different. The once-handsome man at her side moved; before the dagger could cut the woman’s skin, he reached out to seize the slender, jade-like hand that gripped it.

The slender figure responded instantly, chopping with her hand before vanishing once more.

The seductive woman, her expression dark, finally allowed herself a breath of relief—but too soon. The hand that had reached for the vanished figure did not stop; before she could react, it seized her, sealing all her cultivation in the process.

Her eyes widened as she stared at the instigator of all this—the once-handsome man who had always shown her such deference, even admiration, now wore a malicious smile. “My dear Young Master, I’ve long coveted you. But I knew you carried a long-distance teleportation talisman—your life-saving token from the Sect Master. Even if you faced a Nascent Soul old monster, you could escape. So I bided my time, waiting for this moment—this chance to get so close.”

The woman’s eyes, still wide, narrowed slightly. She replied coolly, “That’s not all, is it? You’re with the Devil Lord’s Heir faction, aren’t you? I didn’t expect you to be so well hidden.”

Once, an old monster claiming descent from the Devil Lord had founded a power base, but after his fall, it vanished from sight—only to remain hidden, waiting for the day to rise again.

“As expected of the Young Master—you guessed it all,” he sneered, reaching out to touch her cheek.

“Despicable—I despise traitors like you most.” With these words came a spear of lightning, striking his roving hand dead-on.

The deeper the situation went, the more twists occurred. As if everyone was revealing their trump cards, trying to outdo one another. First came the betrayal of the Demonic Sect, then the clean and swift slaying of the big-headed infant by the slender figure, followed by infighting within the Demonic Sect. What about their opponent’s trump card?

“Hmph, daring to ruin my plans? None of you are leaving today.” The once-handsome man sneered, eyeing the three before him as if they were already dead.

“And where does your confidence come from, thinking you can handle all three of us alone?” Qi replied with a cold laugh, though unease crept into his heart. He recalled his earlier suspicions—that their opponent must have some card up his sleeve, one capable of facing or even defeating them all.