Hiding deep within the earth, Evan Chu could hear every word of the conversation above with crystal clarity. Judging by the speaker’s tone, it was almost certainly the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion Master herself.
If his guess was right, she was probably just another so-called beauty—pretty on the outside, but in reality, an ancient monster beneath the skin.
“Master, that young man can't be more than twenty, but his strength is terrifying. In all the sects, there are only a handful of youths like him.”
And among those, only a couple have real grudges with our Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion. If we investigate those sects, we’re bound to find the killer who murdered our Grand Elder.” A young woman spoke up.
The Pavilion Master swept her gaze over the field of corpses. That flawless, beautiful face twisted into a terrifying mask of rage. “Bury them all properly. The Grand Elder’s funeral will be a grand affair. Notify the other sects—let them witness this inhuman tragedy at Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, and see who truly stands with us.”
“Understood. I’ll see to it at once. Master, you must take care—no one comes back from the dead, but once we find the fiend who killed our people, we’ll tear them to pieces and grind their bones to dust!” another woman vowed.
The Pavilion Master waved her hand. “Take five hundred disciples and search every inch of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion within a hundred li. I have a feeling the culprit hasn’t escaped—he’s still hiding somewhere in our territory.”
Just then, the girl who had gone to inform the Pavilion Master suddenly spoke: “Master, I’ve noticed something strange—maybe it’ll help us find the murderer.”
“Out with it! If you really help us catch the killer, I’ll promote you straight to inner disciple.” The Pavilion Master promised, her tone sharp.
The girl’s face lit up with excitement. “Su—the junior sister who was guarding the teleportation gate—is missing. Her body isn’t here, so maybe the killer took her. I remember Su said the culprit tried something indecent with her. Now she’s gone, it can’t be a coincidence.”
As soon as she said this, everyone realized she was right. Smuggling someone out of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion is nearly impossible—it was obvious the murderer was still hiding within the sect.
“Intensify the search! Turn over every corner of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion—dig three feet into the ground if you have to, but find that criminal for me!” The Pavilion Master roared, her voice sending chills through the crowd—her fury was unmistakable.
Evan Chu didn’t even dare breathe in his hiding place beneath the earth. He hadn’t expected that girl to be so sharp, figuring out so quickly that he’d taken someone. This mess was getting out of hand—he had to find a way to escape, and fast.
Glancing at the unconscious girl beside him, Evan let out a bitter laugh. “If you hadn’t slandered me, none of this would’ve happened. You brought this on yourself.”
He squeezed her soft flesh with a rough grip, venting his frustration. She was pretty well-endowed, but Evan’s mood was foul, and his grip was anything but gentle.
Her softness shifted and bruised under his hand. If her clothes were off, the pale skin would already be mottled with marks.
Evan’s mastery of Earthshift had reached a level that even Sword Spirit Luna found astonishing. Bringing another person into the earth was no easy feat, but he’d managed it with ease—a testament to his extraordinary talent.
Aboveground, a storm of angry voices spilled down through the soil. All of them were cursing him, spewing vile insults. Evan’s blood boiled—he nearly burst out of hiding to slaughter every woman up there.
But his rational mind held him back. This was probably a provocation, baiting him to reveal himself and stumble into a trap.
Evan waited patiently underground. He had no idea how much time passed, but when everything above finally went quiet, he decided to surface and take a look.
“Evan, if you want to get out of here alive, you’ll have to escape through the earth. Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion is one of the Nine Great Sects of the Azure Tide Ruins—their power runs far deeper than you think. If you show yourself, I guarantee you’ll be surrounded in an instant."
There are plenty of people in this world who know strange arts. If anyone discovers you’re hiding underground, you’ll be even easier to deal with.” Sword Spirit Luna cautioned him.
“Damn it, you’ve landed me in this mess! Just thinking about it pisses me off!” Evan glared at the unconscious girl, cursing her. He squeezed her flesh again, nearly hard enough to break it.
After venting his anger, Evan finally let the girl go. He wasn’t usually this kind of person, but the resentment in his heart was burning. Getting framed by a woman—if he didn’t teach her a lesson, she’d think he was easy prey.
Evan listened carefully to the sounds above, waiting in the earth. After a long while, he began to tunnel onward, completely unsure of his direction—he could only keep moving slowly.
Dragging someone through the earth was exhausting. Evan felt his strength draining away, and by his reckoning, several hours had passed. The surface was finally quiet.
He poked his head up to check the situation outside—only to be startled. He’d emerged in a boudoir, and judging by the elegant furnishings, the owner’s status was clearly high.
The room was empty. Evan dragged the unconscious girl up from the earth, and a malicious thought crept into his mind. This place was perfect for what he had in mind.
Carrying her, Evan circled the boudoir and found a huge bath separated by a screen—clearly, the owner knew how to enjoy luxury.
Evan laid the girl on the scented bed. Heat surged in his lower abdomen as he gazed at her unconscious form, a twisted smile on his lips. “It’s been a long time since I tasted a virgin. Didn’t you accuse me of wanting to violate you? Fine—tonight, I’ll satisfy you right here in Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion!”
He tore her clothes apart with savage hands, piece after piece turning to scraps. The more her garments fell away, the more agitated Evan became.
Suddenly, Sword Spirit Luna spoke up: “Evan, what are you doing? How could you even think of doing something like this?”
Clearly, Luna was deeply unhappy with Evan’s actions. But the heat in his body was already surging—Pure Yang Qi was flooding his meridians. Even if Evan wanted to stop, it was already too late.
He was like an arrow already drawn—there was no turning back. More importantly, Evan had no intention of stopping. “I want this girl to know what happens when you cross me. She’s made me a target for the whole Azure Tide Ruins—if she doesn’t pay a price, I’ll never get rid of this hatred.”
Luna was powerless to intervene. She knew exactly what was happening inside Evan’s body, but could only watch as he did the one thing she most wished he wouldn’t…