If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The sound of the wind filled my ears.

The feeling of weightlessness gripped my internal organs.

Zhou Yang clung tightly to Qin Shuang. The speed of their descent increased rapidly. The protrusions and vines on the cliff face, like blurry shadows, hurtled upwards at breakneck speed.

The darkness beneath him was bottomless.

boom!

A muffled thud.

It wasn't the excruciating pain of being smashed to pieces that they had expected. They crashed onto a slope. The slope was steep, covered with pebbles and slippery moss. The immense momentum prevented them from stopping; their bodies tumbled and slammed, sliding deeper into the ground.

Zhou Yang shielded Qin Shuang with his back. Each collision of his spine and the rock made his vision go black. Countless grains of sand and gravel entered his mouth and nose, filling his mouth with the taste of earth. He felt as if his bones were about to fall apart.

Finally, the slippery trend slowed down.

They stopped in a relatively flat area of ​​rubble.

Zhou Yang lay motionless on the ground. Each breath felt like a needle pricking his chest. He coughed a few times, his throat filled with the taste of rust. Qin Shuang freed herself from beneath him, knelt beside him, and frantically began to undress him.

His back was completely mangled, with not a single patch of undamaged flesh. The wounds were deepened by the rubble, leaving a bloody mess.

"Hang in there." Qin Shuang's voice was tense. She took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom, poured out white wound medicine, and sprinkled it on Zhou Yang's wound.

Zhou Yang shuddered in pain, but he didn't utter a sound. He squinted, surveying his surroundings.

This is the bottom of a massive fissure. Looking up, only a sliver of hazy sky can be seen. All around are towering rock walls riddled with holes. The air is thick with the smells of mildew and earth.

He saw it.

Dozens of feet above, the figure slid down the rope.

The body of the stone roller.

Or rather, the thing that occupies the body of the stone roller.

He landed silently, like a falling leaf. Then, he loosened the rope, tossing the end up himself, where it precisely hooked onto a protruding rock, and retrieved it into his hand.

He didn't come over immediately.

He simply stood there, his dark red eyes flashing eerily in the dim light. It was a detached, emotionless scrutiny, like a craftsman examining a piece of material about to be sculpted.

"container."

The metallic scraping sound echoed in the empty, deep valley.

Zhou Yang tried to sit up, supporting himself on the ground. Qin Shuang immediately pressed him down. "Don't move! Your internal organs have also been shaken."

"He... is coming." Zhou Yang's teeth were chattering, not from fear, but from the chill brought on by excessive blood loss.

Qin Shuang glanced back, her expression changing. She quickly untied an oilcloth pouch from her waist, opened it, and inside were several gleaming throwing knives and a small, specially made repeating crossbow. This was her last weapon.

"I'll hold him off, you go." Qin Shuang's voice was unusually calm.

"Go? Where to?" Zhou Yang laughed, a laugh that looked more like a grimace. "This godforsaken place is a cage."

As soon as he finished speaking, the "stone roller" moved.

He walked towards them step by step. His pace was slow, but each step carried an indescribable pressure. The gravel beneath his feet made not a sound.

He was getting closer and closer to them.

Thirty zhang (approximately 33 meters).

Twenty zhang (approximately 33 meters).

Ten zhang (approximately 33 meters).

Zhou Yang could even see the unnatural expression on his face. There was no anger, no murderous intent. Only a kind of... calm. A nonchalant calm, like a cat playing with a mouse.

Is it finished?

The thought flashed through Zhou Yang's mind. The power he had gained by burning his lifespan seemed to have reached its limit in the face of this absolutely bizarre existence. His sword was broken, and his body was on the verge of collapse.

Qin Shuang stood in front of him and raised her crossbow.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

A sharp whooshing sound suddenly rang out from the darkness behind them!

Not just one, but more than a dozen!

Those were no ordinary arrows. The arrowheads were tied with burning oil, leaving long trails of flame like fiery snakes, and they were aimed precisely at the "stone roller".

The firelight suddenly illuminated the valley floor.

"Stone Roller" stopped and raised his arm to shield his face. Flames struck his body, exploding into fireballs. The intense heat instantly set his clothes ablaze.

He neither flinched nor cried out in pain. He simply lowered his arm slowly in the firelight.

His body was covered in scorch marks, but there was no blood. The burned skin was visibly wriggling, slowly returning to its original state.

His dark red eyes turned toward the direction from which the arrow had come.

There, on a rock wall, an inconspicuous opening had appeared at some point.

A group of people filed out of the cave.

They were all dressed in black flying fish robes, with embroidered spring knives at their waists. The one in the lead was tall and slender, with long hair tied back and a cold, stern face. It was Qin Shuang.

No, it's another Qin Shuang.

No, that's not right.

Zhou Yang blinked. He saw it clearly. Only one person came out of the cave. It was Qin Shuang, who was standing next to him.

And this thing in front of us...

He turned around abruptly.

Qin Shuang, standing beside him, had somehow gotten up. She held a hollow bamboo tube in her hand—the very signal tube from which the rocket had just been launched. She looked at the other "Qin Shuang" without a trace of surprise in her eyes.

Is this... a smokescreen by the Embroidered Uniform Guard? A clever escape?

Was the "Qin Shuang" who had been following him actually a fake? Or rather, a replaced Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) spy?

Was Qin Shuang really here all along, waiting for him?

Zhou Yang's mind was in complete chaos.

Looking at the suddenly appearing group of Imperial Guards, a flicker of emotion seemed to pass through Shi Gun's dark red eyes. It was confusion, scrutiny, but still no fear.

"You heretic from the Heavenly Principles Sect, your opponent is our Embroidered Uniform Guard."

The real Qin Shuang's voice was even colder and more decisive than the one Zhou Yang knew. With a wave of her hand, the dozen or so Imperial Guards behind her immediately spread out in a fan shape, surrounding the "stone roller." They all held specially made crossbows, the bolts gleaming with a ghostly blue light. They were poisoned.

She walked over to Zhou Yang, knelt down, and examined his wound. Her brows immediately furrowed.

"So badly injured, yet you managed to hold on until now."

"You..." Zhou Yang opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. Was it anger at being tricked, or relief at surviving a disaster?

"Didn't you know when they changed people?" Qin Shuang didn't even look up, taking out another bottle of medicine from her bosom, this time for internal use. "That spy named Hongxiu, her disguise skills are quite good, aren't they? She's one of my people."

Zhou Yang then remembered. Earlier at the altar, he had indeed felt that "Qin Shuang" was acting strangely. But the situation was urgent at the time, and he didn't have time to think about it further.

It turned out to be the case.

Hongxiu. He remembered that name.

"Where...is this place?" Zhou Yang asked.

"One of our outposts. Codename 'The Crypt'." Qin Shuang finished speaking, stood up, looked at the surrounded stone roller, and said coldly, "Zhou Yang, you come in with me first. The people here will deal with him."

Zhou Yang didn't move. He stared at the monster.

"He wants this fragment of mine." Zhou Yang patted his chest.

Qin Shuang followed his gaze and noticed the dragon spine fragment in his arms. Her pupils contracted sharply.

"Dragon's Spine..."

"Looks like you know what this is." Zhou Yang forced a smile. "Hand him over to your people? Are you confident in your abilities?"

Qin Shuang fell silent.

The Imperial Guards behind her were undoubtedly elite, but she wasn't entirely confident in dealing with such a strange entity. The fact that the rockets hadn't worked was the best proof of that.

"Stone Roller" seemed to have lost patience. He didn't want to get entangled with these "insects" anymore. His target was clear: Zhou Yang.

He moved.

His body transformed into a blur, rushing straight at Zhou Yang!

The speed is astonishing!

The Imperial Guards fired a volley of crossbow bolts, but only struck his afterimage. A series of clanging sounds followed, all the bolts missing their mark.

Qin Shuang's expression changed, and she drew her embroidered spring knife to meet the attack.

clang!

The blade struck "Stone Roller's" arm, sending sparks flying. His arm was as hard as metal!

The immense force forced Qin Shuang to stagger back several steps.

Just as "Stone Roller" was about to break through the defenses and capture Zhou Yang, another unexpected event occurred!

The crossbow bolts that had missed their mark and fallen to the ground suddenly exploded!

boom!

Blue flames erupted instantly, engulfing the "stone roller." This was no ordinary poison, but a secret concoction of the Embroidered Uniform Guard called "bone-dissolving water," which melts upon contact and possesses immense power.

In the instant she parried, Qin Shuang had already activated a mechanism in her hand. She didn't expect to hurt her opponent at all; she was simply trying to buy time and activate the trap.

Amidst the flames and poisonous mist, a non-human roar echoed.

For the first time, that voice carried a clear sense of pain and anger.

The stone roller's body convulsed violently in the firelight, billowing out plumes of white smoke. Its flesh corroded, revealing a black, inhuman structure of intertwined tendons and bones.

"Go!" Qin Shuang didn't hesitate any longer, grabbed Zhou Yang, and rushed towards the cave entrance.

The Imperial Guards behind him surged forward, using their bodies and weapons to block the monster's path.

Zhou Yang was half-dragged, half-carried by Qin Shuang as they rushed into the dark cave entrance. Behind them, there were the sounds of clashing weapons, the roars of the Imperial Guards, and the hoarse, ferocious howls of the monster.

The cave is very deep and is a downward-sloping passage.

After walking about a hundred steps, the view suddenly opened up before us.

This was a huge natural cavity. Several luminous crystals were embedded in the surrounding rock walls, emitting a cold, eerie glow. The ground was dry, and there were some tables, chairs, weapon racks, and even a makeshift stove. A dozen or so Imperial Guards were waiting here; upon seeing them enter, they all saluted.

Qin Shuang placed Zhou Yang on a cot and immediately ordered: "Seal off the entrance! Set fire to the wolf dung! Everyone, level one alert!"

The commands were given in an orderly and efficient manner.

Soon, the sound of rolling boulders came from the cave entrance, completely blocking the passage. A strong smell of smoke drifted out through the ventilation shaft. This was a signal being sent to the people on the surface.

Zhou Yang lay on the cot, feeling all his strength drained away. He looked at the unfamiliar Qin Shuang in front of him, and then thought of "Hongxiu," who had accompanied him all the way.

I can't describe the feeling in my heart.

Qin Shuang had someone bring clean water and medicine, and personally cleaned Zhou Yang's wounds. Her movements were swift and professional, but still carried an aloofness that kept people at a distance.

"You knew he was following us all along?" Zhou Yang asked.

"I know. Our sentries spotted you the moment you fell," Qin Shuang replied. "I've seen this kind of evil magic from the Heavenly Principle Sect more than once. It's called 'possession' or 'spirit possession.' The person possessed becomes a vessel for a god, feeling no pain or fatigue, and their strength and speed are greatly enhanced. But the only weakness is that the vessel itself is mortal and cannot withstand too much damage."

"So... the poisonous smoke from earlier could have harmed him?"

"Yes. But we can't kill him. As long as his core divine sense remains, he can slowly repair himself." Qin Shuang finished bandaging Zhou Yang's wounds, straightened up, and carefully took the two dragon spine fragments from his arms.

She pieced the two pieces together.

The moment the gaps met, the two fragments simultaneously glowed faintly, emitting a low, resonant hum. An ancient and desolate aura spread out.

"Where did you get this from?" Qin Shuang's voice carried a hint of excitement that she herself didn't realize.

"Stolen." Zhou Yang said succinctly.

Qin Shuang gave him a deep look and didn't ask any more questions. She wrapped the fragments in a cloth and carefully put them away.

Then, she took a parchment from her bosom and unfolded it on the table.

"This is intelligence I bought from a traitor within the church."

On the parchment scroll was a hand-drawn map, covered with numerous dense markings in vermilion.

"The main force of the Heavenly Principle Sect has already assembled on the north bank of the Blood River. Their target is Yan Yun City, a key town in the northern border." Qin Shuang pointed to a red circle on the map.

The map provided by Qin Shuang, besides showing the mountains and terrain around the Blood River, also marked many hidden passages and secret doors in extremely small print. These were the result of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's years of painstaking efforts.

She circled one of the routes heavily with her ink pen.

The entrance to the passage is behind this "cave" outpost. Its exit is a hundred miles away in a place called "Celestial Rift Valley".

They bypassed all of the Heavenly Principle Sect's defensive positions.

"You want me to leave from here?" Zhou Yang looked at her.

"Yes. You're just a burden now," Qin Shuang said bluntly. "Following us will only hold us back. Only by getting out of this secret passage can you survive."

She paused, then added, "Yan Yun City, I must go. It's my mission."

Zhou Yang fell silent.

He looked at the map, then at Qin Shuang. This woman always arranged everything for him, both in the past and now. It was as if he would always be a pawn on her chessboard, needing protection.

But he didn't like that feeling.

"Where is the entrance?" Zhou Yang suddenly asked.

Qin Shuang paused for a moment, then pointed to the other end of the cavity, a corner covered by a black cloth.

Zhou Yang propped himself up and sat up. The excruciating pain made his face turn deathly pale, but he still stood up and walked step by step toward that corner.

He pulled off the black cloth.

Below was a huge square stone slab. Engraved on the slab was a complex constellation pattern. This was the entrance to the secret passage.

"What are you doing?" Qin Shuang frowned.

"Didn't you tell me to leave?" Zhou Yang turned around and grinned. His face was covered in blood, but his teeth were very white.

"I'm getting ready to leave."

Qin Shuang looked at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She couldn't tell what this man was thinking.

Zhou Yang placed his hand on the star chart on the stone slab. He felt the faint fluctuations emanating from it.

He suddenly said, "Qin Shuang, I'll help you solve that problem at the door."

"You?" Qin Shuang exclaimed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. "You can't even hold a knife properly now."

"Who said I was going to use a knife?" Zhou Yang's smile carried a hint of madness.

He touched his chest with his other hand.

There, besides the fragments, there was something else.

He had just sneaked over from the stone roller.

It was a black, cold bead.

There were still faint fluctuations of divine thought on the bead, echoing the divine thought left by the "stone roller" at the cave entrance.