Chapter 1226: Concealing True Intentions
Upon hearing this, the Crippled Elder's face broke into a smile, though it carried a hint of mystery.
The White-Haired Old Woman intended to face the girl alone. To the Crippled Elder, her true aim was certainly not as she claimed—neither to demonstrate her prowess nor to vent her spleen. In his eyes, these were merely preposterous excuses.
He and the White-Haired Old Woman had known each other for a considerable time, having collaborated on numerous occasions. How could he not be intimately aware of her capabilities? What need was there to "witness" them? The so-called demonstration of her formidable skills was nothing more than a thinly veiled disguise, a pretext to achieve her genuine objective.
Moreover, both were aware that the girl was gravely wounded, making her capture in such a state exceedingly simple. What extraordinary skill could possibly be required?
As for the anger evinced by the White-Haired Old Woman, the Crippled Elder likewise paid it no mind. While it was perfectly natural for her to be enraged by the girl devouring her original Guardian Spirit, in his estimation, the White-Haired Old Woman's fury seemed overwrought. Its very intensity served as yet another stratagem to mask her actual goal. And what that true objective might be, he could largely surmise.
"Heh heh, this Blood-Clad Ghost King is already an arrow at the end of its flight, her strength diminished by eight or nine tenths. Even with your Guardian Spirit gone, dealing with her would be effortless. You old hag, letting me watch from the sidelines—I'm perfectly clear about what you're scheming, you know."
The Crippled Elder chuckled as he spoke. Upon hearing his words, the White-Haired Old Woman's face instantly fell, her brows knitting tightly into a deeply displeased expression.
The ferocious-faced girl had no inclination to listen to their squabbling. Before the White-Haired Old Woman could even reply to the Crippled Elder, she was met with a ferocious assault from the girl.
The White-Haired Old Woman gleaned something from the Crippled Elder's words. Casually parrying the girl's assault, she simultaneously addressed the Crippled Elder in a low, weighty tone.
"Your Guardian Spirit wasn't devoured, so are you truly trying to snatch her from me?"
Seeing that the White-Haired Old Woman had laid her cards so bare, the Crippled Elder ceased his pretense.
"Heh heh, the Blood-Clad Ghost King holds just as much allure for me, an old man, as she does for you. Though my Guardian Spirit hasn't been devoured, I wouldn't mind subduing a Blood-Clad Ghost King to keep in reserve. Should my current Guardian Spirit ever depart, I could then quickly secure another, avoiding your present passive predicament. Wouldn't you agree that's sound logic?"
The Crippled Elder's words made the White-Haired Old Woman's face darken even further. Then, with a sharp clench of her jaw, she seemed to come to a decision.
"Alright, we've known each other for years, and I know your nature perfectly well. You just want a cut, don't you? After I capture this Blood-Clad Ghost King, you'll certainly get your share, and I guarantee it will be enough to satisfy you. Agreed?"
The White-Haired Old Woman spoke, though she hadn't wanted to utter those words. For once spoken, they branded her a fat lamb ready for the slaughter. Yet, leaving them unsaid was clearly unfeasible, given that bringing the girl to such a gravely wounded state wasn't her achievement alone.
"Look at you, talking as if we're engaging in some shady transaction! We've been old friends for so many years; mutual assistance is only proper. Your Guardian Spirit is gone, so of course I'll go all out to help you. Though I genuinely regret giving up this Blood-Clad Ghost King, our long-standing friendship compels me to make this painful sacrifice. Subdue her with confidence; I will cut off all her escape routes, preventing her from fleeing, and I will also fend off any other interlopers, ensuring no one disturbs your subduing process!"
The Crippled Elder's words were a masterclass in eloquence. As for their sincerity, the White-Haired Old Woman knew full well the measure of truth and deceit within them.
The White-Haired Old Woman harbored no desire to argue with the Crippled Elder. However, since he had already said so much, she simply played along with his words to prevent him from prattling on endlessly.
"Since you're so considerate, I'll thank you in advance. I trust that with you keeping watch, absolutely no problems will arise."
To silence the Crippled Elder and avoid disrupting her own efforts, the White-Haired Old Woman spoke disingenuously, though an unsuppressable note of displeasure was still discernible in her tone.
The Crippled Elder, of course, detected the White-Haired Old Woman's veiled displeasure. Astutely, he refrained from speaking further, not out of fear of the old woman, but because she had already promised him satisfactory compensation later. Having successfully achieved his aim, there was no need to ramble on. Indeed, the smile on his face now was considerably richer than before.
The Crippled Elder knew that the White-Haired Old Woman harbored a deep desire for this Blood-Clad Ghost King. Especially now that her own Guardian Spirit had been devoured by this very entity, her yearning for the Blood-Clad Ghost King intensified. This, he recognized, was the White-Haired Old Woman's primary objective.
Of course, the Crippled Elder likewise coveted this Blood-Clad Ghost King. After all, her power vastly outstripped that of other ghosts in the same realm. If one could possess such a Blood-Clad Ghost King as a Guardian Spirit, their overall strength would undoubtedly achieve a colossal leap.
However, the Crippled Elder's current Guardian Spirit was still with him. Not only was it formidable, but he also harbored profound feelings for it. He would not discard his existing Guardian Spirit simply for the Blood-Clad Ghost King's superior might.
As for the Crippled Elder's talk of subduing the Blood-Clad Ghost King as a backup, those words were merely for the White-Haired Old Woman's benefit. He knew full well that the Blood-Clad Ghost King was not easily subdued – indeed, no Blood-Clad entity was. The reason lay in their overwhelming resentment. If they were as pliable as other spirits, how could they have attained the Blood-Clad state in the first place?
It was precisely because the Crippled Elder had weighed these factors that he didn't contend with the White-Haired Old Woman for the Blood-Clad Ghost King. In his view, the White-Haired Old Woman would undoubtedly capture the grievously wounded Blood-Clad Ghost King today without issue. However, if she wished to truly subdue this Blood-Clad Ghost King and compel her to willingly enter a Guardian Spirit contract, that would prove exceedingly difficult. He believed the chances of success were pitifully slim.
However, the Crippled Elder wouldn't fret over this. It was the White-Haired Old Woman's affair. As long as she delivered the agreed-upon, satisfactory compensation after capturing the Blood-Clad Ghost King, that was all that mattered. Once he secured his benefits, whether the White-Haired Old Woman successfully forged a contract with the Blood-Clad Ghost King was entirely irrelevant to him.
Confronted by the girl's furious offensive, the White-Haired Old Woman appeared completely at ease. Regardless of the methods the girl employed, not an iota of harm befell the old woman, every assault effortlessly neutralized one after another.
At this moment, though the White-Haired Old Woman's expression remained grim, the intense killing intent she had previously shown towards the girl had vanished. After all, her intentions had been seen through, and she had consequently laid her cards on the table. There was no longer any need for pretense.
The White-Haired Old Woman intended to sign a contract with the girl, so naturally, she wouldn't strike to kill. If she truly scattered the girl's soul, she would have forfeited a Blood-Clad Ghost King. Therefore, the White-Haired Old Woman's actions were precisely measured. She avoided any killing blows, and apart from rare instances of appropriate counterattacks, she mostly parried, aiming to exhaust the girl's dwindling strength. Only by completely depleting the girl's remaining power could she successfully capture her without damaging her fundamental essence.
At this moment, the White-Haired Old Woman had already resolved her plan. After capturing the girl, she would employ every method and means to compel the girl to sign a Guardian Spirit contract with her, even if it demanded a considerable price. For if she successfully sealed the contract with the girl, her overall strength would far exceed her peak, and she might even become the foremost expert below the Spiritualist King!
Pondering the rapid ascent of her own power, the White-Haired Old Woman couldn't help but swell with complacency, and her unpleasant expression eased considerably.
"Little girl, cease your resistance. With your current paltry strength, you are as pathetic as an infant before me. Surrender now, and you might spare yourself a little suffering."
"Hahahaha, 'little girl'? You truly dare to utter such a term? Do you know how many years this young lady has existed in this world? When I was busy spilling blood, your previous life likely hadn't even run its course."
The girl retorted with a ferocious grin, the murderous intent in her voice not diminishing in the slightest. It was merely that the force of her attacks was now considerably weaker than before.
The White-Haired Old Woman's expression had only just begun to soften when, upon hearing the girl's words, her aged face immediately darkened once more.
"It seems that unless I give you a taste of hardship, you won't comprehend your current predicament!"
The White-Haired Old Woman's words not only failed to frighten the girl, but instead intensified the ferocious grin on her face.
"Heh heh, if you two are sensible, you can still scram now. But if you provoke this young lady beyond measure, I'll abandon some of my cultivation, at worst, and today, I'll ensure you two old fogeys are utterly annihilated, your souls scattered to the winds!"
The girl's threat was dismissed not only by the White-Haired Old Woman but also by the Crippled Elder observing from the sidelines. In their collective experience, countless individuals, when cornered and helpless yet unwilling to accept their grim reality, would utter precisely such words.
In their eyes, the girl was precisely one of those trapped in a desperate situation. They, of course, paid no heed to her threats. Meanwhile, the White-Haired Old Woman was preparing to marshal more of her Communication Power, intent on giving the girl a proper lesson. Only by beating the fear into the girl would subduing her become a simpler task!
Comments