Chapter 1035: What’s Going On

Chapter 1035: Chapter 1035: What’s Going On

On the way back, Chen Rui sat in the carriage, a look of smugness on his face.

He gently tapped the window, his gaze looking out through the curtain, seemingly in quite a good mood.

Suddenly, as if he thought of something, he turned his head and instructed Ye Qingchen behind him, "Once we return, go to the pigsty immediately and bring those two fellows to me. I want the Saint Heir to see what these two creatures are all about."

Upon hearing Chen Rui’s order, Ye Qingchen promptly nodded and replied, "Yes, Young Master, I’ll take care of it right away."

He couldn’t suppress a cold sneer in his heart, but outwardly, he maintained his usual respect.

The carriage bumped along the road and soon returned to Chen Rui’s residence.

Ye Qingchen got off the carriage and, following Chen Rui’s orders, walked straight toward the pigsty. However, even before he got close, he sensed something unusual.

The air around the pigsty seemed to be somewhat heavy, as if permeated with a faint Demonic Qi.

This Demonic Qi was exceptionally strange, occasionally intense and sometimes seemingly vanished, like a lurking beast observing everything from the shadows.

Ye Qingchen felt a tightening in his chest, his pace quickening slightly. As he approached the pigsty, the scene before him made him stop abruptly, his heart filled with shock.

The pigsty, originally used to imprison Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao, was now in complete disarray.

The sturdy fence was torn to pieces, wood scattered all over, as if it had just experienced a violent crash.

The ground beside the fence bore deep claw marks and shattered stones, all indicating the fierce battle that had taken place.

Even more shocking was that the air was still suffused with a faint Demonic Qi, the evil aura lingering around, refusing to dissipate.

Ye Qingchen’s heart skipped a beat, knowing this was no ordinary escape, but the result of some terrifying power.

He rushed towards the shattered pigsty, his eyes scanning the surroundings quickly, trying to find any useful clues. His fingers lightly touched the broken section of the fence, his heart filled with uncertainty.

Could Xiao Xiao have been injured?

"What on earth happened here?" Ye Qingchen muttered to himself, his eyes full of disbelief.

He never expected that in such a short time, such drastic changes would occur. The fence was remarkably sturdy, even skilled cultivators might not easily destroy it, and the current situation was clearly beyond his expectations.

Countless thoughts raced through Ye Qingchen’s mind, a strong sense of unease rising within him.

He realized that the Demonic Qi was definitely not ordinary, and it was likely related to the Demonic Qi within Xiao Xiao’s body.

Moreover, such a strange occurrence was definitely not coincidental.

In the center of the pigsty, the two people captured were still tied up in the original spot.

The two seemed to have lost consciousness, leaning against the broken fence, breathing steadily, their faces normal, as if they hadn’t been harmed at all.

The area around the pigsty appeared unusually quiet, but the ground was littered with the corpses of several pigs.

These pigs’ bodies were twisted in an extraordinarily bizarre manner, as if they had died in intense agony.

The ground also bore traces of blood and remnants of Demonic Qi, evidencing the fierce struggle that had just occurred.

Ye Qingchen’s gaze quickly swept across the entire pigsty, trying to find traces of Xiao Xiao. However, the surrounding chaos and residual Demonic Qi made it difficult for him to concentrate, and he couldn’t find anything useful at the moment.

He gritted his teeth, his brows furrowing, and his inner anxiety grew stronger.

"Did Xiao Xiao run away? No, that Demonic Qi from earlier... should still be nearby." Ye Qingchen muttered to himself, his heart burning with urgency.

He began searching around the pigsty, not overlooking any corner. He walked towards the low wall by the pigsty, lowered his head to examine the traces on the ground, and moved to the side of the broken fence, gently touching the still warm splintered wood.

Then, he moved towards the nearby bushes, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

Suddenly, he stopped under a large tree not far away.

His gaze was immediately drawn to the figure sitting cross-legged under the tree, and he breathed a sigh of relief. It was Xiao Xiao, she was meditating with closed eyes, her expression focused and serene.

Xiao Xiao sat cross-legged under the tree, her hands forming hand seals, the aura around her faintly fluctuating, seemingly engaging in some crucial meditation. Around her lingered a faint Demonic Qi, gradually being absorbed into her body with her breath.

Her face appeared slightly pale, but her eyes were determined, clearly trying to control the fluctuations of Demonic Qi within her.

Ye Qingchen quickly went to Xiao Xiao’s side, confirming she was unhurt, and finally his tension eased somewhat. He did not disturb Xiao Xiao’s meditation but instead stood guard nearby, watching for any possible surprises.

He scanned the surroundings, confirming there were no other anomalies, relaxing slightly but still maintaining a high level of alertness. He knew, although no enemies had appeared yet.

Xiao Xiao slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Ye Qingchen’s slightly anxious face.

Seeing him standing in front of her, with concern in his gaze, she sighed in relief, her tense nerves relaxing slightly.

"Young Master, you’re back..." Xiao Xiao said softly, her voice tinged with fatigue but more with reassurance.

Ye Qingchen heard her voice and nodded slightly, but his eyes didn’t leave her face, still fixed on her, his brows gently furrowed. His eyes were full of confusion and concern; then he asked quietly, "Xiao Xiao, what’s with the Demonic Qi around you? Was the commotion earlier because the Demonic Qi within you lost control?"

As soon as these words came out, Xiao Xiao’s heart tightened, her face showing a moment of panic.

She felt her heart sink, thinking: How did Ye Qingchen know about the Demonic Qi within me? Has he already noticed something?

She tried to calm herself and keep her expression peaceful.

She knew that if Ye Qingchen found out the truth, he’d certainly worry about her, potentially putting himself in danger because of it. She didn’t want him to worry for her, nor did she want to implicate him with her problems.

After some thought, Xiao Xiao decided to tell a harmless lie. She tried to make her tone sound relaxed and said quietly, "Young Master, the Demonic Qi within me is no big deal. It’s residual Demonic Qi that Xue Wei put into me back then. Xue Wei is no longer a threat, so this Demonic Qi will soon dissolve by itself, you don’t need to worry."

As Xiao Xiao spoke these words, she wore a faint smile and her tone was gentle, as if truly there was nothing to worry about. However, she knew in her heart that her words were not entirely true.

The Demonic Qi within her was indeed related to Xue Wei, but it was far from as simple as she had said, nor was it something that would "quickly dissolve."