Fairy, don't let your golden finger chase after me!

Chapter 22: This fox demon, she looks like a maggot...

After making excuses to Xiao Bai, Dong Mo guiltily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and changed the subject.

"Xiao Bai, how was your rest?"

Xiao Bai sheathed the Purple Nether Sword and replied respectfully.

"Reporting to young master, I have almost recovered and can continue our journey."

"Okay, sure."

Dong Mo nodded and pointed to Gu Ziyue, who was tied up like a dumpling by Xiao Bai and was unconscious.

"Take her with you, let's go find the array plate first."

"Yes, young master."

Xiao Bai casually agreed and bent down to carry the unconscious Gu Ziyue on his shoulder.

Following the guidance of the Purple Nether Sword, Dong Mo traveled through the maze for about four hundred meters before turning left. Suddenly, a simple and ancient-looking circular altar appeared before him.

In the center of the altar, a three-foot square stone array plate was suspended.

"Phew...we finally found it."

Dong Mo strode forward and carefully examined the intricate runes on the array plate.

However, after studying it carefully for a while, Dong Mo's brows furrowed even more deeply.

I've found the array plate, but how am I supposed to use it to solve the maze?

Upon realizing this, Dong Mo immediately transmitted his thoughts to the Purple Nether Sword.

"I've found the array plate for the Purple Nether Sword. Now, how do I control it to solve the maze?"

[Purple Nether Sword: Master~ I don't know how to use it to control the maze either.]

After all, the old master didn't have the patience to solve the puzzles on this array plate back then, so he simply used a spatial magic item to forcibly seal it. He never even bothered to study how to use it.

"Hmph...what use are you!"

Dong Mo sighed helplessly, then turned and beckoned Xiao Bai over to study the matter together.

The two then surrounded the array plate, carefully examining the demonic runes on it, trying to find a way to control the array plate and break the labyrinth's restrictions.

However, Dong Mo and Xiao Bai, who were focused on studying the array plate, were completely unaware that Gu Ziyue, who had been tied up in the corner of the altar earlier, suddenly trembled without warning.

Gu Ziyue's consciousness gradually returned.

The moment Gu Ziyue woke up, an incredibly strong thought instantly flooded her mind.

Pain. An excruciating pain! My whole body aches!

Gu Ziyue's mind was completely blank, as if a bucket of paste had been poured into it.

What... what's wrong with me?

Yes, I remember now.

Just now, in this maze, I was attacked by a group of black snakes.

Those beasts were too numerous and troublesome, forcing her to activate the Demon Emperor's bloodline within her. And then... she remembered nothing at all.

So... I used the power of the Demon Emperor to kill all those black monster snakes.

Then, because he exhausted his strength, did he faint from exhaustion?

Thinking of this, Gu Ziyue tried with difficulty to open her eyes to explore her surroundings, but found that she didn't even have the strength to open her eyes.

She then tried to sense the spiritual energy within her body and discovered that her current strength was only at the Qi Refining stage.

Gu Ziyue was even more confused. In the past, every time she used up the Demon Emperor's bloodline, she would lose all her spiritual power and become completely exhausted, just like an ordinary person. How come she still had some spiritual power left this time?

Hmm? Could it be that his own bloodline has evolved, reducing the side effects of the berserk blood?

Gu Ziyue thought vaguely, then barely managed to open her eyes a crack.

Then, she saw the Soul-Binding Lock on her body.

Huh? Where did this rope come from?

Gu Ziyue tried to break free of the Spirit-Binding Lock, but found that she couldn't muster any strength at all, and the rope was only getting tighter and tighter.

Hiss, wait... No! Isn't this the Spirit-Trapping Lock that humans use to capture their pets?

Damn it! Who on earth dares to compare me, Your Highness, to those lowly demonic beasts?

Upon realizing this, Gu Ziyue's mind instantly cleared.

Then she noticed Dong Mo and Xiao Bai, who were busy around the array plate in the center of the altar.

Huh? That's... a human! How could there be humans in the secret realm left behind by our demon ancestors?

Looking at Dong Mo and Xiao Bai, who were furtively surrounding the array plate, seemingly secretly studying something.

Gu Ziyue instantly understood.

They're tomb raiders! These two bastards are probably just like the shameless old thief Xiao Hongchen from a thousand years ago—tomb raiders who came to steal our demon race's ancestral treasures!

Those despicable tomb raiders... Not only did they plunder the secret realm, but they even dared to use the Soul-Binding Lock to humiliate me!

Hmph... Mother was right after all! These humans are all the same, not a single one of them is any good!

Clearly, Gu Ziyue had misunderstood something, thinking that Xiao Bai and Dong Mo had caught her by chance.

These two tomb raiders must have taken advantage of the situation after they were exhausted and unconscious, using the Soul-Binding Lock to bind themselves.

Gu Ziyue never even considered the possibility of being defeated head-on!

After all, she possesses the bloodline of the Taotie, so how could she possibly be defeated head-on after going berserk?

Damn it! I have to get out of here as soon as possible before they realize I'm awake!

Then, Gu Ziyue, the dignified princess of the Southern Wilderness demon clan, suddenly began to wriggle like a maggot, silently and frantically turning towards the fork in the road at the corner of the maze.

Beside the altar, Xiao Bai seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around to look in Gu Ziyue's direction.

Feeling the sharp gaze from Xiao Bai, Gu Ziyue's body instantly stiffened, she even held her breath, and closed her eyes tightly to continue pretending to be dead.

"Xiao Bai, what's wrong?" Dong Mo asked, turning around.

Xiao Bai frowned, expressing some uncertainty.

"Um...Young Master, that fox spirit girl...did she just move?"

At this moment, Dong Mo was preoccupied with how to decipher the array plate, and had no time to worry about anything else.

Therefore, after hearing Xiao Bai's words, he merely glanced at Gu Ziyue casually, then waved his hand dismissively at Xiao Bai.

"Uh...no, you must have misread it."

Then Dong Mo and Xiao Bai turned their heads away and continued to study the array plate.

The array plate is covered with densely packed rune nodes, seemingly conforming to some special pattern.

Dong Mo tried to channel his spiritual energy into the array plate, but the light on the array plate only brightened slightly before fading away again.

Xiao Bai, who was in charge of deciphering the runes on the array plate, frowned and said dejectedly, "Young Master, the runes on this array plate are too ancient, and they are completely different from the array plate rune system commonly used in the current cultivation world..."

Looking at the array plate in front of him, Dong Mo rubbed his temples, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

Since this place was designed by a powerful demon from ten thousand years ago, it is a trial realm.

So, as the bloodline left behind by the ancient Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor, does the Devouring Heaven True Blood know any inside stories?

Realizing this, Dong Mo quickly transmitted his voice to the Devouring Heaven True Blood within his body, asking, "Devouring Heaven, do you recognize the runes on this array plate?"

[Devouring Heaven True Blood: Mom! I don't know...]

[The Devouring Heaven True Blood stated that she knew nothing.]

Sigh... I really shouldn't have had any illusions about this foodie junior...

Dong Mo sighed dejectedly, then suddenly froze, as if he had suddenly thought of something!

Hmm... According to the classic tropes from those cultivation novels and games from my past life...

When encountering ancient magical artifacts of unknown origin and whose usage is unclear, simply applying blood to bind them to their owner can resolve the vast majority of problems!

Thinking of this, Dong Mo cut his finger and tried dripping his blood onto the array plate.

However, the array plate in front of them did not react at all.

Tsk...no response at all!

Is it because I'm not a demon? But I do have some Devouring Heaven True Blood in my body! Could it be that the concentration of the Gluttonous Bloodline in my body is too low?

Wait a minute. Don't I already have a demon princess right here?

Then Dong Mo turned around and gave instructions to Xiao Bai.

"Xiao Bai, could you please take a few drops of blood from that fox demon lady and drip them onto the array plate?"

Upon hearing Dong Mo's words, Gu Ziyue, who was almost at the crossroads, suddenly trembled all over.

Hmph... Damn humans!

I knew it! Those two were up to no good! They actually wanted to take my blood!

"Yes, young master, I'll go right away."

Xiao Bai turned his head in response and looked with Dong Mo at the corner where Gu Ziyue had been placed.

The corner was empty. The two followed the drag mark on the ground and slowly moved their gaze to the maze fork in the road a few feet away.

There stood a demon princess, bound like a dumpling, in a comical cocoon-like position, her buttocks sticking out, her long purple hair scattered on the ground, and her face covered in a thick layer of dust.

Seeing this, Dong Mo scratched his head and asked his maid with a face full of curiosity, "Xiao Bai, was this fox demon girl lying here just now?"

Xiao Bai tilted his head, his eyes full of confusion.

"Hmm...it doesn't seem so."

Upon hearing Xiao Bai's words, Dong Mo's gaze instantly sharpened.

Upon hearing Dong Mo and Xiao Bai's words, Gu Ziyue could no longer pretend to be dead.

Suddenly, she sprang to her feet with a somersault, bouncing and leaping like a newly awakened zombie as she darted into the depths of the side path.

"Hmph! Damn humans!"

"You won't be able to capture me! I will not let your schemes succeed! The demon race will never be slaves!"

Gu Ziyue jumped up and down while turning around and roaring, her purple eyes filled with humiliation and anger.

But paired with her bundled-up appearance, it made her look nothing but ridiculous...