NOVEL WEB Chapter 78: Wu Ping
Chapter 78: Wu Ping
At the sound of that command, the crowd surged toward the cave entrance like a tidal wave.
Inside, the fleeing civilians desperately tried to escape, while outside, rescuing cultivators attempted to enter. Inside were ferocious fiends chasing them down, and outside was the eerie, pervasive mist.
Chaos and despair burned like an eternal inferno from hell, scorching the soles of everyone’s feet and weighing heavily on their hearts.
You Su knew this place was no longer safe. He tightened his grip on Ji Lingruo’s hand and blended into the crowd, preparing to leave.
However, the sheer press of bodies made it nearly impossible to move. You Su decisively scooped Ji Lingruo up by the waist, holding her tightly against him as he employed the Wishful Wind Control Technique to weave through the sea of people.
“You Su.”
In the midst of his frantic escape, You Su suddenly heard someone call his name. But with the chaos all around, he couldn’t pinpoint the source of the voice despite focusing intently. Ignoring it, he continued rushing toward the cave entrance.
“You Su.”
The voice called out again, irritating You Su further. Upon reflection, he realized with shock—it was Wu Cheng’s voice!
In a daze, amidst the swirling tide of humanity in You Su’s mind, one figure became increasingly clear. Standing motionless in the crowd, Wu Cheng caught You Su’s attention. You Su paused to look in his direction.
Wu Cheng smiled at You Su from afar, his grin confident and unrestrained, as if he were watching prey that couldn’t possibly escape.
Though You Su couldn’t see Wu Cheng’s eyes, he felt a chilling sensation crawl up his spine. Without hesitation, he resumed running.
But Wu Cheng pursued relentlessly, creating a tense game of cat-and-mouse across the crowded space.
You Su’s agility gave him the edge, allowing him to reach the cave entrance first. The panicked masses fought desperately to squeeze through, completely clogging the exit.
“Senior Brother, what do we do?”
Ji Lingruo, still cradled in You Su’s arms, grew anxious. She had already guessed that “Master’s Wife” was likely the mastermind behind everything. If captured, the consequences for her would be dire.
You Su didn’t respond but held her even tighter. At that moment, someone halfway out of the cave lost their footing and fell back, knocking over a group of people behind them. You Su wasted no time helping; instead, he timed his leap perfectly and vaulted out of the cave.
In a way, these panicked refugees were no different from zombies—selfishly driven by survival instincts, showing no mercy to those trampled underfoot in the chaos, using their bodies as stepping stones to fill the cave entrance once more.
Outside the Auspicious Cave, many civilians had already gathered. Anxious cultivators worked to restore order, while others took a detour through a narrow emergency path to assist inside.
You Su kept his head down, blending into the crowd. His heart remained unsettled—not because of Wu Cheng, but because of the elusive Dream-Eating Ghost lurking somewhere, manipulating events from the shadows.
Several more civilians struggled to squeeze out of the cave. Like drowning victims gasping for fresh air, they greedily pushed themselves forward, desperate to escape. But suddenly, as though gripped by a ghostly hand around their ankles, they were yanked back inside.
The cave entrance emptied momentarily, revealing a handsome young man who casually leapt out with one hand braced on the ground.
“Brother Wu, your… your leg is healed?” a trembling cultivator asked.
“It’s fine now,” Wu Cheng replied after a brief pause, patting the man’s shoulder warmly. “I remember you were with Sect Leader Bai when I was found this morning. Thank you!”
The cultivator, a low-ranking outer disciple of the Mystic Firmament Sect, felt a surge of pride at being thanked by someone as lofty as Wu Cheng. “It’s nothing, Brother Wu.”
“Mm, I’ll go report to Sect Leader Bai.”
With that, Wu Cheng scanned the surrounding crowd. His gaze lingered on the open side gate, and just as he prepared to step forward, he overheard the cultivator mutter softly, “Thank goodness Brother Wu Cheng survived…”
Before the words fully left his lips, the cultivator was startled to see Wu Cheng turn back, placing both hands on his shoulders and locking eyes with him. “Wh-what is it, Brother Wu?”
The cultivator stared at Wu Cheng’s sinister smile, wondering how someone so handsome could produce such an ugly expression.
“As thanks, here’s a gift.”
Wu Cheng patted the man’s shoulder encouragingly before dashing toward the side gate and disappearing into the mist.
The cultivator stood frozen, unsure what Wu Cheng meant by “gift.” Then, screams erupted around him as a blood-red octopus emerged from his seven orifices, its tentacles draining him dry.
“Senior Brother, where are we hiding?”
Ji Lingruo had been set down and now walked hand-in-hand with You Su through the fog.
They were in a narrow alleyway, the outlines of low walls visible through the mist. Earlier, they had slipped away from the City Lord’s residence in the chaos and had already traveled some distance.
You Su abruptly stopped, causing Ji Lingruo to collide with him.
“We’re not hiding,” You Su said coldly as he steadied her. “We’re waiting to kill someone.”
Ji Lingruo’s eyes widened in realization, quickly understanding whom You Su referred to.
Just then, faint footsteps echoed. Ji Lingruo quickly stepped away from You Su and turned toward the source of the sound.
“Why’d you stop running? You Su, I haven’t had enough fun chasing you yet.”
Wu Cheng’s tall figure gradually emerged from the fog, his expression serene, like an old friend stopping by for a chat.
“You’ve been possessed.” You Su positioned himself protectively in front of Ji Lingruo, his Black Pine Sword unsheathed and humming softly in his hand.
“Aren’t you the same?” Wu Cheng shrugged, feigning curiosity. “What’s there to make such a fuss about?”
“Your brother would be ashamed of you.” You Su lowered his stance, his dark eyes piercing.
Wu Cheng’s face stiffened imperceptibly. “What are you talking about? I only have a younger brother, no older one.”
“There’s no need to pretend, Wu Ping. Your stench is easier to recognize than that of any fiend.”
Hearing this, Wu Cheng hastily lifted his shirt to his nose and sniffed deeply. Frowning slightly, he detected no foul odor.
Seeing his reaction, You Su couldn’t help but sneer, a laugh that sent chills down Wu Ping’s spine, sparking hostility.
“You think I’m talking about a literal smell? Wu Ping, your ugliness can’t be hidden, no matter how good a disguise you wear.”
Wu Cheng tilted his head slightly, glaring coldly at You Su. “Even my mother didn’t notice. How did you figure it out?”
“Your brother protected your master so fiercely last night. How could he possibly abandon him like you did, crawling back here shamelessly?”
Wu Cheng laughed bitterly, his tone light and mocking. “Is wanting to survive a crime? Everyone keeps telling me how glad they are that Wu Cheng lived, as if everyone assumed I should’ve died out there. Even my own mother thought so. So, I sent her to meet her only son.”
You Su gripped his sword hilt tightly, recalling the woman drained dry by the fiend earlier.
“The only one truly glad you’re alive is you, Wu Ping! Because only by surviving can you take revenge on us ‘animals’ who judge by appearances!”
“If that’s how you feel, why use your brother’s body?”
Wu Cheng smirked, his demeanor unbothered. “What are you talking about? I ate his flesh—it’s part of me now. How can it still be considered his body?”