Chapter Eighty-Six: The Eight Winds and Three Evils

Zou Jiren cast a cold glance at him and said, “The Worm, Chang Daizi, and the Red Widow.”

At these words, Huai Yin showed no reaction, but Su He and Que Yunzi’s faces darkened instantly, as though the bottom of a pot.

They muttered, “As expected…”

Meanwhile, the three whom Zou Jiren had named as the ‘three evils’ stood atop the treetops, watching indifferently as the shadow amidst the flowers was hunted.

The Red Widow lounged languidly upon a branch, one hand stroking her blood-marked spider, her voice dripping with allure, “A promising talent indeed. No wonder the Demon Child sent the three of us to protect her.

Now, which of you will bring her back?”

The Worm tossed aside his long hair and grinned, baring his teeth. “Red—ah, Sister, how could we leave empty-handed after entering a treasure mountain? Let’s show the world our might, shall we?” He gave Chang Daizi a meaningful glance.

Unusually, Chang Daizi agreed with him this time. “Indeed, after so long in peace, the world must remember—their nightmare… is back.”

“Exactly, exactly. Back then, the Sea of Desire and Sky Union joined forces to seal Eight Wind Island, causing us and our peers heavy losses. We’ve recuperated long enough. It’s time for our return.” The Worm clapped his hands in delight. This day, they had waited for far too long.

The old hatred was never forgotten, not for a single day. Even hiding in the shadows, living like a wretched rat, their hearts remained unchanged.

Chang Daizi said, “Red Widow, don’t you wish to walk openly in the world again?”

“Of course I do. But for now, we’re still in a collaborative relationship. Is it wise to break it so abruptly?” The Red Widow covered her mouth, laughing delicately, sending shivers down the Worm’s spine.

He caressed his chest, savoring the sensation. “What’s wrong with it? She approached us for cooperation, and now she’s gained her status. We’ve stayed in that wretched place by Yingshan Lake on her account. In terms of sentiment and duty, we’ve done enough.”

“Hmm, you make sense. Then, I’ll leave it to you two.”

“You won’t join in?”

The Red Widow’s beautiful eyes smiled, barely concealing her disdain. “My Little Red doesn’t care for it.”

Just rough men, hairy legs—better left uneaten.

The Worm gazed at her fair hand, imagining it caressing his heart, swallowing hard. “Then you wait here, Sister. Daizi and I won’t hold back.”

If only he were Little Red, he could bask in the beauty’s fragrance day and night. The thought alone was exquisite.

“Little Worm, am I beautiful?”

“Beautiful… ah, no… We’ll go down and help now. Please, hold the fort here.” The moment he heard the Red Widow’s sultry voice, he shuddered, then transformed into a shadow, sweeping toward the crowd.

Chang Daizi followed closely.

Their arrival resolved Flower’s Shadow’s crisis.

Hu Xihe wielded his silver spear, retreating urgently, barely evading a sudden assault. “So, you had backup in ambush?”

Flower’s Shadow knelt on one knee, gripping her ink sword, her laughter cold and mocking. “Surprised?”

The Worm circled her like a specter, intoxicated. “You smell sweet, little beauty. If you want to live, you need a worthy bargaining chip. Dead bodies aren’t rescued.”

With that, he plunged into the crowd with Chang Daizi, unleashing a bloodbath.

They had waited too long for this day; today was their small celebration for reentering the world.

“Yes.” Flower’s Shadow steadied herself. Her mind was sharp and quick. With just a few words, she guessed their purpose.

As she rose and drew her sword, her loyalty to the Demon Child deepened.

The Demon Child had not abandoned her.

“If you want to live, shouldn’t you ask me, Poison Thousand Hands?” No sooner had the words left his lips than locusts rained like arrows.

Yet Flower’s Shadow’s sword became a red thread, then a hundred thousand, weaving a net with a flick of the wind, capturing the locusts and returning them to Poison Thousand Hands.

She transformed her sword again, unleashing the move “Black Sun Devours the Moon,” attacking Hu Xihe.

“Hmph, overestimating yourself.”

Hu Xihe planted his feet, swinging his spear in a wide arc, its force like a dragon overturning the sea. Stones flew, drawn into the air, forming a dragon that clashed with the Black Sun, shaking heaven and earth.

The immense power swept Poison Thousand Hands off his feet, sending him flying.

The locusts, unable to be recalled in time, suddenly went mad for reasons unknown. No matter how he invoked his spells, their ferocity returned; even their master was not spared.

Though brave, Poison Thousand Hands had experience taming them. Once his initial panic subsided, he fought steadily.

But his luck was short-lived. He knew their weakness, yet the locusts, raised by him, had become unusually intelligent.

They acted almost human, employing tactics rather than blindly attacking, forcing him to concentrate completely.

Alas, there are only a thousand days for a thief, not a thousand for those guarding against them. The tighter the defense, the easier the lapse.

Focused on breaking the locusts’ formation, he forgot the old adage that a dam is breached by an ant’s nest—a single fatal mistake is enough.

His trembling hand touched his nape, and suddenly, his head fell to the ground, mouth opening and closing, “Why…”

Recalling his ambition at Dragon Snake Hall, he had achieved neither fame nor success—now, his life was gone.

With the same intentions, he lost by a single move.

Flower’s Shadow forced the poison from her body and escaped a hundred miles.

Had she lingered, she would have ended like Poison Thousand Hands…

Hu Xihe’s silver spear was indeed troublesome—fluid and ever-changing. Once close, there was nowhere to hide from poison.

But she never expected that the arrival of the Worm and his companions would cause Hu Xihe to disregard his allegiance and, for the sake of escape, tangle with her in appearance, but in truth, aimed for Pei Gong.

A plan that killed two birds with one stone.

Not only did it poison her, but it also spread the poison through his moves, first harming Poison Thousand Hands, then driving his Nine-Trained Locusts mad.

The berserk locusts, apart from dealing with Poison Thousand Hands, also entangled her, and in such a situation, she could not pursue…

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you ran off on your own. Aren’t you afraid of endless trouble in the future?”

“Who’s there?”

“Who matters little, but let me remind you: this time you were saved because someone intervened. Next time, we may not help. Not everyone is worth saving.”

“Did the Demon Child send you?”

The Red Widow descended lightly. “Hmm? Little girl, how can you speak so unpleasantly? ‘Send’? It’s ‘invite,’ understand?”

Flower’s Shadow caught on quickly, bowing respectfully. “Greetings, elder.”

“Pretty face, too bad you’re someone my old friend wants to protect. What a pity, otherwise Little Red could have a fine meal.”

Her cryptic words left Flower’s Shadow feeling lost, but then she glimpsed the blood-marked spider on her hand and broke out in cold sweat.

She sheathed her ink sword and forced a smile. “A willow’s frailty is unworthy of your praise, elder. If you don’t mind, I’d like to return to the Water Pavilion to report to the Demon Child.”

“Oh? Afraid?”

“Not at all. I’m considering Poison Thousand Hands’ death and Hu Xihe’s escape. After I return, the Poison Gate will surely make an issue of it. I must report to the Demon Child to prepare accordingly.”

“Hmm, you make some sense. But since we promised to take you back, we won’t let you go alone. We’ll escort you, whole and intact. Only then will it be complete.”

“Yes. May I ask, elder, how long before we return?” Flower’s Shadow could not fathom the Red Widow’s intentions, so her words were wary and cautious.

She could not gauge the depth of the person before her, but one thing was certain: if this person wished to kill her, it would be a matter of a flick of the hand.

“You’re clever. Why not sit and share some tea with me?”

With a sweep of her sleeve, the Red Widow laid out a table with tea and pastries. “Please, sit.”

At this point, Flower’s Shadow had no choice but to comply.

They sat opposite each other, with the Red Widow personally pouring, while Flower’s Shadow’s hand beneath the table was slick with sweat, though her face remained composed.

“Come, try this Beauty Tea.”

Flower’s Shadow took the cup with both hands, gazing at the fragrant tea, caught between advancing and retreating, and smiled. “Forgive my ignorance, elder, but I’ve never heard of this tea. May I ask… does it make one’s face as blooming as flowers?”

“Yes, but that’s only one aspect.”

“I know not the second, elder. Please enlighten me…”

“Beauty Tea, naturally, is brewed from the most exquisite parts of a beauty. Taste it—you’ll find it rather unique.”

“Elder… ugh…” Before finishing her sentence, Flower’s Shadow put down the cup and rushed beneath the tree, vomiting violently.

It was as if she would cough up her heart and lungs, while the Red Widow watched her with laughter so wild she could barely catch her breath.

Chang Daizi and the Worm, having finished their feast, arrived together, hearing the laughter from afar.

“What’s so funny? Share it with us.”

“Oh, nothing much—just met a rather amusing little demon. Hey, are you two done over there?” The Red Widow turned, and because she was laughing so hard, her collar revealed a hint of spring, a hundred charms in one glance.

The Worm’s nostrils flared. “Oh, Sister Red is so generous today—even serving Beauty Tea. Quick, pour me a cup.”

He reached out, asking for it.

The Red Widow slapped him. “Scram! Giving you some would waste my good tea.”

Chang Daizi said, “Planning to become a big mother worm someday?”

“Go, go! Watch your mouth.” After scolding Chang Daizi, the Worm brushed his hair aside, his face dreamy. “I just want to shape myself, so I can get closer to Sister Red.”

“Ugly toad, unaware of its ugliness.” Chang Daizi shook his head and looked at Flower’s Shadow, still vomiting beneath the tree. “What happened?”

“Oh, nothing. I kindly invited her for tea, and then… well, you see what happened.” The Red Widow fed a piece of pastry to her blood-marked spider. “Little Red, do you like the lotus snow cake?”

Chang Daizi said, “It follows you; how could it not like it?”

“True. Did you leave any evidence?”

The Red Widow bent to play with her spider.

“Relax, we just had a feast, cleaned up, and silenced witnesses. The rest was the locusts’ doing. We did nothing. It’s not our fault they were unlucky enough to encounter mad locusts. Even their master didn’t escape. We did nothing.” The Worm’s sinister laughter was matched by a raised eyebrow directed at Chang Daizi. “Isn’t that right?”

Chang Daizi nodded. The Red Widow, satisfied, called to Flower’s Shadow, “Heard that? You needn’t worry—it’s the Poison Gate itself that should. When those small sects come looking for the Poison Gate, will they have time to trouble you or her?”

At these words, Flower’s Shadow froze, wanting to look back but not daring. Clearly, none of those people survived.

She was no stranger to bloodshed, nor new to the world, but the ruthless efficiency of these people still shocked her.

Those besieging her numbered in the hundreds, if not a thousand. Beyond Hu Xihe and Poison Thousand Hands, there were some whose identities were unclear, but most were disciples of minor sects. While not top-tier experts, they were hardly useless.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been trapped in a desperate struggle.

Now, all gone.

“Enough. Come with us.”

The Red Widow gathered her sleeves, exchanged glances with the Worm and Chang Daizi.

Suddenly, she swept her sleeve around Flower’s Shadow, and together, they vanished.