Bai Xi watched the person opposite the lens, the dagger in her hand fell directly onto He Mu's shoulder. With a fierce stab, blood immediately gushed out. "He Mu!"
He Mu still smiled carefree, not even a wrinkle on his brow. "Why is Goddess so unfocused?"
As the words fell, Lin Yun, opposite the video, also raised a dagger and stabbed herself fiercely. The position... was the same as He Mu's injured spot.
Seeing this, Bai Xi's eyes widened even further. "You!"
He Mu's expression was relaxed. "Goddess, there's no need to rush. Actually, it's not just your mother, Lin Yun, that I can use to negotiate with you. There are also countless people you know, like Xili, like those patients I cured after their bestialization, and the young men in the border defense forces who were meant to be your harem... anyone I have ever treated is now in the same state as your mother."
Bai Xi's grip on the dagger tightened, veins appearing faintly on the back of her hand. "So, you used healing them and their trust in you to attack them? Is that it?"
Even with his back to Bai Xi, He Mu could feel the intense killing intent radiating from her, and he felt exceptionally pleased. "So what? These people, whether to you or to me, are nothing more than ants."
Bai Xi's eyes were filled with coldness and sharpness, wishing she could tear the person before her apart and devour him alive.
The reason she climbed to the position of God of War was initially to protect Lin Yun and Bai Han. Now, with Lin Yun right opposite her on the video, she was powerless.
"What exactly do you want?"
He Mu smiled nonchalantly. "My demands, doesn't the Goddess know? You have only two choices now. First, kill me. Second, walk to the Lingtai yourself and offer sacrifice."
Bai Xi stood still, looking at his back.
He Mu continued indifferently, "If you choose the first option, the person on the other end of the phone will react the same way you harm me."
In other words, as long as he died, everyone he controlled would die with him.
"If you choose the second option, I might consider letting them go. After all, I was never interested in them from the start. My interest lies... only in you."
Bai Xi looked at Lin Yun, whose face was expressionless, on the video. She felt as if the dagger Lin Yun had stabbed into her shoulder had pierced her own heart.
After the chaos in Haidao City, she had sent Lin Yun away, thinking her mother was safe. Later, she discovered He Mu's situation. When she learned He Mu was in danger, she ordered a check on everyone He Mu had come into contact with. This check was conducted in extreme secrecy, precisely to avoid He Mu knowing.
Little did she know that He Mu wasn't using poison on them, but a more hidden ability, even reaching the point where he could control them remotely. A slight mistake, and they would die far away.
Now, even if she killed He Mu, he would merely find another target for possession, causing him no significant harm.
This so-called choice was no choice at all. He was using the lives of these people she knew to force her compliance.
He Mu's voice suddenly turned cold. "Goddess, have you made up your mind? Xuanji has always been impatient."
As the words fell, the person in the video moved again. This time, she shifted the fruit knife to her own face. Expressionless, she unhesitatingly slashed a bloody gash across her face.
Blood trickled down her cheek, appearing exceptionally obvious against her clean, white skin.
"A beautiful woman like Madam would find it very difficult to recover if her face were to have too many cuts. It is said that women have always cherished their appearance. I wonder if Madam, even if she survives, will resent her daughter for making her decision too slowly when she sees her face full of scars? Perhaps the God of War should just kill me."
He Mu's voice was naturally deep and resonant, but now, due to Xuanji's threat and deliberate provocation, it sounded particularly dangerous and eerie, even chilling.
"Xuanji!"
Bai Xi dropped the dagger, her eyes scarlet as she stared at the person before her.
Yes, Lin Yun was vain. On normal days, she would feel sad and distressed over a single white hair or a wrinkle. Now, a long knife wound...
In her mind, the scenes of her mother protecting her from the past replayed.
When she was little, thinking she was being naughty, she accidentally knocked over a kettle. The scalding water poured down, and her mother shielded her in her arms. The kettle fell onto her mother's back, near her shoulder. From then on, a scar remained on her shoulder, and her mother could no longer wear the favorite dress her father had given her.
When she was young, it was always her mother who protected them as they grew up. After their father passed away, the three of them relied on each other and lived through particularly difficult times. It was then that she vowed to become strong and protect her mother and brother. But now... she was causing them to be implicated and harmed because of her.
He Mu turned, smiling as he looked at Bai Xi. "Goddess is indeed Goddess; her actions are always lacking in ruthlessness and decisiveness. Since Goddess has made her choice, please walk onto the high platform yourself, drive the eight Zhu Huang Hooks into your body, and let your blood fall onto the altar!"
Bai Xi stood rooted to the spot, looking at the person before her. "..."
He Mu chuckled. "Goddess, there's no need to look at me like that. Aren't these all your own choices? Of course, if you regret it now, it's not impossible. Perhaps I can let your mother..."
As soon as he spoke, he saw Lin Yun on the video pick up the dagger again, raise it high, and place it against the side of her face.
Seeing this, Bai Xi immediately said, "Stop!"
He Mu smiled casually. "You can ask me to stop, but that depends on Goddess's performance."
Bai Xi's gaze sharpened, and with a flash, she ascended the high platform. She grabbed the Zhu Huang Hook that He Mu had pulled down and fiercely drove it into her right shoulder.
The iron hook entered her body, bringing a sharp and chilling pain, yet Bai Xi didn't even frown. "Is this sufficient?"
The so-called Zhu Huang Hooks were actually dragon-patterned, emerging from a dragon's head, with a peculiar design. As they were driven into the body, a special mechanism at the tip of the hook appeared, resembling a tube. Blood flowed down this tube, dripping onto the high platform beneath Bai Xi's feet.
The high platform was adorned with strange patterns, resembling an ancient script. Bai Xi couldn't understand it, but it felt somewhat familiar.
The dripping blood caused little pain, even less than the sharp, cold sensation of the hook piercing the body, yet it brought a desperate feeling of life draining away.
He Mu smiled. "Since Goddess is so sincere, I will naturally offer my sincerity in return."
As the words fell, Lin Yun in the video lowered the dagger and then placed the blade across her throat. Still, if He Mu made any move, Lin Yun would instantly perish.
Bai Xi frowned, her eyes fixed intently on Lin Yun in the video.
He Mu, however, smiled and said, "Now, Goddess, please drive the remaining Zhu Huang Hooks into your body as well. When all eight Zhu Huang Hooks are in place and the Heaven Sacrificial Hall opens, I will release Madam."