Looking at Su Mei, whose eyes appeared to have been gouged out, a chill suddenly surged down your spine, making you feel as though you had fallen into an icy cave. You instantly realized that you had been trapped.

The Li family... No, the people behind the scenes are here!

Without hesitation, you draw on your spiritual energy, sever your heart meridian, and activate the "Life-saving Blood Escape Talisman". A blood-colored demon bat appears above your head, ready to carry you away.

“Hehehe, you're such a decisive boy, but can you really escape?”

A strange laugh comes from inside the room.

Suddenly, a burst of light, like a brilliant galaxy, blooms and condenses into a massive chain. With the power of space, it blocks the "Blood Demon Bat" and interrupts the escape effect of the "Life-Substituting Blood Escape Talisman".

“A heavenly-level talisman! It even has a rare [space attribute]—the legendary [Sealing Talisman]!”

As a talisman master, your pupils shrink and your heart sinks. The "Sealing Talisman" is rarer than the "Life-Substituting Blood Escape Talisman", specifically designed to seal the surrounding space and break all escape techniques.

It’s clear the other party is after you and knows you possess the "Life-Substituting Blood Escape Talisman". This first talisman is now useless.

You don’t know if they have a second "Sealing Talisman", but your heart races as you realize the situation.

Despite the overwhelming pressure, you enter "Supreme Mode", calm yourself, and prepare to struggle.

“It’s just as that person said. You really have a “Life-Substituting Blood Escape Talisman”. If I hadn’t brought the “Sealing Talisman”, I don’t know how much longer this would have taken.”

Suddenly, the door bursts open, and an old man with a gloomy face and a strange aura walks in, smiling wickedly.

“It’s you!”

When you see his face, your pupils shrink in recognition. It’s Ye Wuji, the ghost doctor who had previously left the Li family.

What shocks you even more is the vague, heavenly pressure emanating from him.

He’s a celestial being!

The mastermind behind the scenes has dispatched a celestial being to target you!

Perhaps because he’s confident or believes you're about to die, the other party doesn't attack immediately. Instead, he smiles and speaks.

“Yes, it's me!”

“I never expected to meet a little girl with ‘cursed pupils’ during my ‘business trip’ here.”

"But this girl is stubborn. She refuses to talk and even tried to kill me. If she had succeeded, even I, a god, would be in serious trouble."

“Hehehe, luckily I acted quickly and destroyed her eyes.”

“If she weren’t still useful as bait, I would have killed her long ago and used her flesh to feed my spirit pet.”

Su Mei, curled up on the sofa with bloody holes where her eyes once were, weakly says, “Brother… I… feel… hurt…”

Hearing her words, you look at Su Mei, who has suffered so much for protecting you. The anger inside you boils, and murderous intent fills the air.

After spending so many days together, you have come to see Su Mei as a sister, and now, seeing her disfigured to protect you, rage consumes you.

You regret not ambushing Ye Chen sooner and seizing the “Nine Steps to the Sky.” Otherwise, you would have been prepared to fight the old bastard before you.

Anger speeds up your heartbeat, and the "Supreme Emperor Bone" within you begins to heat up, as though some terrifying power is about to awaken.

The “seal” on you starts to waver.

“Although you didn’t get the ‘Curse Eye’, Lu family boy, you do have many secrets.”

“When you were outside the Li family’s house, you were able to avoid my perception and suddenly disappear. Why else would I go through so much effort to catch you?”

Ye Wuji, the ghost doctor, smiles playfully, knowing you tried to escape earlier. If the “You Can’t See Me” ability hadn’t worked, you would have been caught long ago.

Suddenly, you remember the conversation between the Li family father and son, about someone arriving and capturing Ye Chen...

You glance at the back room where Ye Wuji emerged. You can see a bruised, tortured body lying motionless, and a dying figure with broken limbs.

It’s clear the other party captured Ye Chen to seize the "Nine Steps to the Sky." Since they still have him as a burden, they haven’t yet unlocked the secret method.

That means there's still a chance. You’re prepared to fight for survival.

If you fail, at least you’ll learn the identity of the mastermind.

“Are you the ‘Venerable’?!”

“Jiejiejie, interesting boy, it seems you know a lot!”

Ye Wuji is slightly surprised. Many people know his “Venerable” title, but he didn’t expect you to be one of them.

“The assassin disguised as ‘Liu Ruyue’ was also with you!”

“To be able to use a celestial being as a pawn, your master isn’t someone simple.”

You suddenly speak, recalling Ye Wuji’s earlier comment about being in the magic city for “business.”

Meanwhile, your gaze shifts to Ye Chen, lying motionless in the back room.

When you mention “Liu Ruyue,” Ye Chen trembles slightly.

You silently curse yourself. You know destiny’s protagonists never die easily, and they always have connections, just like the sixth one.

“Jie Jie Jie, Lu family boy, don’t expect anyone to save you. The Lu family is like a clay Buddha crossing the river—unable to protect itself, let alone you.”

The Venerable Ghost Doctor sneers and reveals more.

“The [Supreme Emperor Bone] on you is not something I can touch, but I envy your ability to deceive the perception of heaven and humans. If you hand it over, I can give you a quick death.”