Chi Muyao was always awake after entering the formation. 

While waiting for Xi Huai to wake up, he was still thinking about how to figure out the path of this ancient heavenly formation to try and find the way out so he could leave with Xi Huai alive. 

However, as soon as he woke up, Xi Huai chose a completely different way of dealing with things.

Xi Huai was going to massacre everyone else to make sure that the person who survived would be Chi Muyao. 

Chi Muyao's method put fate in the hands of heaven.

Xi Huai took fate into his own hands, living on through cruelty.

This was different from the philosophy that Chi Muyao has always adhered to. He was a person who would rather be trapped in the killing formation than implicate others. 

However, Xi Huai was different. Xi Huai just wanted him to survive.

There was essentially no difference between Xi Huai and Su You.

At this time, Chi Muyao realised that Xi Huai was still the number one villain. He would be cruel when necessary. 

Chi Muyao refused to let go of Xi Huai's arm, indicating that Xi Huai had to go through him if he wanted to massacre the innocent.

Xi Huai looked at him uncomprehendingly. He reminded him through transmission, "Don't interfere, the formation's about to open." 

If the formation activated, these people would be dispersed into various rooms. No one knew under what circumstances they would meet again. 

Chi Muyao still refused. "No, I won't let you. Xi Huai, think about it carefully. Su You laid out this trap to save the person in the coffin, which means that he knows a way for two people to leave this formation. We can also leave if we find the right method. There's no need to do this." 

“You still don't understand? Su You has a lot of old, permanent injuries from trying to force his way into the Demigod stage. His body is already in ruins, so he always uses puppet doppelgängers to act. Both he and the person in his coffin need to seize a body. He keeps messing with us because he intends to take my body and have the person in the coffin take yours. Do you understand now?"

Chi Muyao looked at Xi Huai in shock. This was completely different from what he expected. 

Xi Huai continued, "Afterwards, we need to be careful of Su You and the others in the formation. It will be somewhat difficult. And as you just saw, even if we don't kill them they still want to kill us to cut down on the competition. They're thinking about killing the strongest right now using strength in numbers."

“If they come to attack us maliciously, I have no objection to you killing them, but you can't kill innocent people indiscriminately!” Chi Muyao still held Xi Huai's arm and refused to let go.

Xi Huai frowned. He seemed a little impatient. He wanted to seal Chi Muyao so he couldn't bother him. Then he could go on a killing spree.

The formation happened to open at this moment. 

A loud sound could be heard as the rock split, revealing nine cracks.

So the chamber had a mechanism that allowed it to open in this way. Nine cracks opened up, like some nine headed giant beast opening its maw, waiting for its prey to wander in by themselves. 

The darkness beyond the crevices inspired the fear of the unknown.

 It was time to choose.

 No one dared to move lightly. They watched the cracks, refusing to leave the chamber where they were gathered. Here, they could still live. Once inside, only one in ten could survive. 

Who could guarantee they would be the last one standing?

It was better to live on in this chamber.

Unfortunately, the formation did not give them a choice. Suddenly, miasma appeared in the chamber, the one Chi Muyao and the others were familiar with. It would make people lose themselves. 

Chi Muyao held Xi Huai's arm with one hand while running calculations with the other. His gaze swept over the nine cracks.

Some from the Nuan Yan Pavilion had seen Chi Muyao break formations. They knew he was good at it and subconsciously wanted to do that same thing.

Chi Muyao didn't give them the chance. He chose a crack and quickly pulled Xi Huai inside before using the golden clock to block anyone else from following. 

This was the result of his hasty calculations. Chi Muyao was only 70% sure, but that was enough.

After entering this crack, the interior really was safe, which made Chi Muyao breathe a sigh of relief.

The first junction had five paths, one of which they chose.

After entering, Chi Muyao sealed the way, because he knew that Xi Huai would kill anyone else who came in. It would be no different from entering a dead end. 

Xi Huai looked back before looking at Chi Muyao. He was so angry that he shook off Chi Muyao's hand and hissed, "Are you satisfied?" 

“What do you mean by that? Is it wrong of me to not want you to kill innocent people?"

"I'm doing all this to save your life, but you keep interfering. Are you stupid?!"

"I should be asking you that." Chi Muyao finally showed a little anger. "All you can think of is killing innocent people indiscriminately? You brute! As I said, we can figure out another way. We can find Su You's way to let the two of us leave!"

"I really don't understand you..." Xi Huai laughed angrily. "You can say you like me and...even siphon spiritual energy from me for the sake of treating the fox, so why can't you abandon them to save yourself now?"

Chi Muyao finally heard something wasn't right. He widened his eyes at Xi Huai, his nose souring. "That's what you think of me?"

“Yes! You can degrade yourself for the sake of siphoning cultivation, so what are you pretending to be all high and mighty for? Just continue to use me, ah. Use the fact that I like you to the point of irrationality. I can risk my life to keep you alive, but you're too busy pretending to be kind. You wasted the opportunity to kill them before, now how will we get everyone together!"

Chi Muyao looked at Xi Huai. His lips moved, but no sound came out. 

The spiritual energy in his body was extremely unstable right now. Previously, the forced treatment consumed too much of his soul. He was already weak, and now another fire burned in his heart. It ran rampant through his muscles and bones. 

When fighting, it was your body that was hurt.

Right now, these attacks rained down on his heart, making it ache something fierce. 

“You-you thought I was pretending all this time?” Chi Muyao's tears came out. They slid down his cheeks and splashed on his collar.

Xi Huai's heart softened for a moment at the sight, but his anger had not dissipated. He still said bitterly, "Isn't your He Huan Sect the best at pretending? Acting pure in front of your prey is what you do best.”

"I wanted to save the blue fox to dissipate the miasma and save everyone. Was my willing drop in cultivation also part of an act?" 

"You've always liked spirit beasts more than people. You're with them so much of the time it was no surprise that you would do so."

I thought I could wash away the lead, cast aside mortal affairs and become immortal.

In the end, I was told by the one I loved that I was just a He Huan Sect cultivator, unworthy.

What hurt him the most was probably the one who said it...

Chi Muyao covered his chest, which felt like it was splitting open, he forced himself to ask, "So you can see that I like spirit beasts, that I'm pretending to be pure, but you can't see that my heart belongs to you?"

"Of course I can see if you like me or not." Xi Huai laughed self-deprecatingly.

Chi Muyao did not know that, while they quarrelled, Xi Huai was looking at the Cultivation Partner Knot between them.

Chi Muyao's side remained pure white, with no colour at all.

So he knew that Chi Muyao didn't like him, not one bit.

Who was he crying and saying all these lies for?

Chi Muyao no longer spoke to Xi Huai, as if one more sound would make him break down again. 

He shuffled to the corner of the small room and tried to sit down and cross his legs, but his body crumpled to the ground. 

Xi Huai subconsciously moved forward, but did not walk over.

Chi Muyao also did not want Xi Huai to come over and help him. He pushed himself to sit cross-legged. He rested his hands on his knees and made the hand sign of the lotus blossom.

Xi Huai did not argue with Chi Muyao anymore. 

He was just angry because he felt that Chi Muyao's indecisiveness cost them the best opportunity.

He was still plotting about what should be done to ensure that Chi Muyao could leave.

He sat alone against the other wall. When he sat down, he noticed that his injuries seemed to have almost healed. He just needed to calm down and stabilise his state. 

This made him look up at Chi Muyao. 

Chi Muyao was still resting with his eyes closed. Perhaps he was really overwhelmed, but tears trailed uncontrollably down his cheeks. His lips were tightly pursed, but he couldn't contain his trembling. 

Xi Huai was in pain, but he felt that he was right.

The Cultivation Partner Knot was obviously white, so Chi Muyao was just lying. He hadn't cried yet, but Chi Muyao was already like this.

He was the one who should be sad.

The two stayed on their own, with nothing to say to the other.

Just like when they had first met.

In this confined little space, they only had the other as time passed.

Chi Muyao sat quietly in the corner and did not move. He was afraid that any movement would disturb the other person.

Xi Huai was just too stubborn to move or say anything. If it was like this, then so be it.

After who knew how long, the wall of the small room opened and three cracks appeared again.

Chi Muyao opened his eyes and stood up. He faced south and did some calculations. 

Xi Huai rose as well and took out a defensive artefact from his Myriad Treasure Bell. Even if they entered a dead end and were attacked, he could resist one or two blows.

Chi Muyao walked towards a crack. Although he didn't turn back, he listened until he was sure Xi Huai followed him. 

Before Xi Huai detected anything, Chi Muyao realised something was wrong. 

The golden clock had already recognised its master. If something it could not resist forcibly entered its radius, it would alert Chi Muyao.

He looked back and saw nothing.

Xi Huai walked in front of Chi Muyao, holding the artefact in his hand. If there was danger after entering, he could guard against it and shield Chi Muyao.

While he was readying himself in front of the crack, he suddenly noticed Chi Muyao taking out Dingding from his qiankun bag and throwing it in one direction. 

Xi Huai turned around to see a scarecrow suddenly appear and leap towards Chi Muyao. 

Chi Muyao pushed Xi Huai into the crack before the scarecrow arrived. 

Naturally, Xi Huai would not go in alone. He wanted to come out but was cut off by the golden clock. He watched as the previous room was torn apart, as Chi Muyao dragged the scarecrow into the abyss. 

The golden clock could protect its master, but if necessary, it was also the best cage. 

Chi Muyao chose to push Xi Huai away at the critical moment and seal himself and the scarecrow together so that Xi Huai would be fine. 

The crack closed like that.

The crack in front of Xi Huai turned into a wall again. He stood alone in an empty small room. He looked around and knew that Chi Muyao had once again chosen the right path. 

But...Chi Muyao didn't come.

"Chi Muyao..." After Xi Huai made a sound, he realised that his voice was trembling. He suddenly realised that the person he had admonished for pretending to be pure and liking him had sacrificed himself for his sake.

How many times had Chi Muyao saved him...

Why did he forget all about it? 

"Chi Muyao!" Xi Huai roared fiercely, attacking the wall before him with Shukuang. 

However, the stone walls in this formation were extremely sturdy. No matter how hard he attacked, he could not even scratch them.

He resorted to using his fists, to no avail.  

"Chi Muyao...A-Jiu!"

He roared hysterically, his eyes turning red.

It'd been a long time since the last time he went mad...