131: Didn't I tell you not to touch me?

The icy killing intent on Luo Ximei's face melted slightly the moment that figure appeared.

She looked at that memory; it was a turning point in her life.

That gentle man would easily drive away those who bullied her, then extend his hand to her, leading her away from this Hell.

This illusion, though boring, replicated the most cherished scene in her heart.

The hostility in her eyes diminished slightly, and she even felt a hint of nostalgia.

However, the scene in the cave did not unfold according to her memory.

Those Cultivators, upon seeing White-robed Su Lin, retreated a few steps in fear.

And the girl curled up on the ground, her hundred-year-old self, burst forth with a light of survival in her eyes.

She struggled, dragging her scarred body, and crawled to White-robed Su Lin's feet, grabbing the corner of his spotless robe with her mud-stained hand.

"Save... save me..."

The girl's voice was weak, yet full of her complete desire for light.

In reality, Luo Ximei's breathing paused for a moment.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on Su Lin's hand.

In the scene formed by the mist, White-robed Su Lin's face showed no expression.

He looked down at the hand gripping the corner of his robe, without the gentleness Luo Ximei remembered.

Instead, there was a distant disgust.

It was as if he was looking at a dirty insect, crawled out from some garbage heap.

This gaze, without warning, pierced Luo Ximei's heart.

"Fake."

She squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, her voice dry.

Of course she knew this was fake.

How could Revered Master look at her with such a gaze?

Impossible, this was just an illusion, the lowest trick of this ghostly place, trying to shake her resolve in this way.

The scene continued.

White-robed Su Lin did not attack those Cultivators, nor did he look at the girl's injuries.

He merely frowned, raised his hand, and with two fingers, pinched the corner of the robe that the girl had grabbed, pulling it free from her hand.

He also raised his hand and dusted off the touched corner of the robe, his actions full of disdain, as if it had been stained with something unbearable.

"Don't touch me."

In the illusion, his voice rang out.

Luo Ximei's pupils suddenly constricted.

She only wanted to destroy this sickening scene before her.

The girl in the illusion, after being pushed away, did not give up.

Her mud-stained little face was filled with the despair of being abandoned by the whole world.

She looked at the indifferent profile of the white-robed figure, and her last shred of reason snapped.

She lunged again, this time, no longer carefully gripping his robe.

She used all her strength, her frail, scarred body, to desperately hug White-robed Su Lin's thigh.

"Please... take me away... don't leave me..."

This was her last straw, her plea, betting all her dignity.

In reality, Luo Ximei's chest heaved violently.

She would never allow such a humble appearance of herself to be seen by anyone!

And even less, to appear before Revered Master in such a posture!

Even if it was fake, it was unacceptable!

"Stop it..." Su Lin felt the destructive energy within her that was about to spiral out of control. He intensified his tone, trying to awaken her reason, "Ximei, that is your past, but it is no longer you now! Don't let it affect you!"

Luo Ximei heard his words.

But she couldn't respond.

Because that scene in the illusion completely shattered all her defenses.

Facing the girl's desperate entanglement, the disgust on that White-robed Su Lin's face finally turned into undisguised irritation and impatience.

He raised his other foot.

That foot, clad in a spotless white boot, in the girl's despairing gaze, cleanly and decisively kicked her in the chest.

This kick used purely physical strength.

But for a severely injured girl, this was an unbearable blow.

"Bang!"

The sound of bones breaking echoed clearly within the gray mist.

The girl's frail body was mercilessly kicked away by this blow, drawing a helpless arc in mid-air, finally falling heavily to the ground several feet away, kicking up a cloud of dust.

She lay on the ground, suddenly spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, her body convulsing, but she could no longer get up.

White-robed Su Lin retracted his foot and looked down at his boot, as if something dirty had stained it.

He looked down at the figure lying in a pool of blood.

"Didn't I say, don't touch me?"

"Fake..."

She repeated mechanically, her fingers gripping Su Lin's hand, the force so great that he felt a slight pain.

Of course she knew this was fake, clearer than anyone.

Her Revered Master, the only light who pulled her from the mire, would never say such words or do such things to her.

But knowing didn't mean accepting.

This illusion did not choose the scenes of her slaughter after falling into the Demonic Path, nor did it choose the images of her ascending the position of Demonic Venerable and looking down on all beings.

It specifically chose her weakest, most humble, and most helpless past.

Then, in front of the most important person in her life, it tore apart this humility, crushed it, and then, in the most cruel way, trampled her last plea and dignity into the dust.

This was not just an illusion; this was humiliation.

It was the most malicious negation of Luo Ximei as a person, from past to present.

"Ximei, calm down!" Su Lin felt the destructive energy within her that was about to spiral out of control. He intensified his tone, trying to awaken her reason, "This is a trap! It is deliberately provoking you!"

His voice clearly entered Luo Ximei's ears, but at this moment, any rational words seemed pale and powerless.

In her world, there was only herself, lying in a pool of blood, unable to even lift her head, and her "Revered Master" standing not far away, looking down at her with a gaze reserved for trash.

Look, this is the Revered Master you have longed for.

When you needed him most, he would only find you dirty, only kick you away.

What salvation, what light, it was all a lie.

She let go of Su Lin's hand.

"Don't move!" Su Lin immediately realized what she was about to do and reached out to grab her, but it was already too late.

Just a moment before his fingertips touched her sleeve, the terrifying Devilish Qi of Great Perfection of Integration Stage erupted from Luo Ximei.

The dark red Devilish Qi transformed into a solid shockwave, without any frills, rushing directly towards the sickening scene before her.

Su Lin's hand was swept away by the aftershock of that energy, and he could only watch as the dark red torrent swallowed the entire illusion.

That scene formed by gray mist, upon contact with the torrent of Devilish Qi, shattered instantly,

Turning into countless scattered gray light points, along with the bullying Cultivators, the indifferent White-robed Su Lin, and the humble girl lying on the ground, all dissipated.