### Chapter 310: Thoroughly Cowardly
Before they arrived, nobody was too happy about it. Who wants to deal with an Evil God? No matter how strong or weak, dealing with an Evil God is a no-win situation. First off, Evil Gods don’t have a physical form. Secondly, their curse powers are bizarrely twisted; once you’re infected, it’s a nightmare to shake off. You could be tormented for ages and still end up brainwashed into a Believer.
Even if you’re dead and in ghost form, you’re still not immune to the effects of the curse.
But avoiding the mission wasn’t an option. After all, they were members of the Tianfa Sect. The privileges they enjoyed needed to be repaid at times like this, and there was no room for negotiations.
If they had the choice, they wouldn’t want to be here at all.
The conference room was silent, with many participants silently praying that the Black Sun Goddess would leave soon.
Time ticked by.
The atmosphere, which had been visibly tense, started to ease a bit; people resumed chatting. However, no one dared to mention the mission.
Deputy Sect Master Li glanced at the clock; half an hour had already passed.
According to their knowledge of the Black Sun Goddess, she should have retreated by now.
As for this batch of Believers, they seemed to be sticking around as usual. She appeared utterly unconcerned about whether her followers might get picked off or even if they were taken out in one fell swoop. There was also no need for her to utilize the power of her Believers to expand her influence.
This was something they hadn’t understood thus far.
Other Evil Gods tend to consolidate the power of their Believers after recruiting them; after all, they’re minions who can help deal with plenty of troublesome matters.
Many Evil Gods are tough to handle mainly because they have so many followers. The accumulated power of these Believers should not be underestimated.
In contrast, the Black Sun Goddess just leaves her followers in place after each recruitment. These Believers have no ambitions; they remain in their little corner singing praises of the Black Sun Goddess’s name.
It seemed their sole purpose was to provide an endless supply of faith to the Black Sun Goddess.
“Let’s go.” Standing up, with his hands behind his back, Deputy Sect Master Li exited towards the door, his gaze downcast. “I’ll take responsibility for this mission’s failure. Everyone, head back for now. If there’s another mission, I’ll contact you directly.”
To boost morale, the Deputy Sect Master added a little extra.
“The main reason for today’s failure is that we don’t know enough about our enemy. In fact, today can be considered a success as we’ve gained a general understanding of the Black Sun Goddess’s situation. Next time we face her, we’ll be fully prepared. We absolutely cannot allow such a powerful Evil God to exist in Hejiang City!”
Everyone nodded in agreement, but their expressions remained unchanged.
Those present were veterans—they understood all too well that taking down the Black Sun Goddess was a tall order.
However, when they stepped out of the conference room into the hallway, they discovered the main entrance was already sealed off by bl**d Threads and Tentacles.
They had just seen these bl**d Threads and Tentacles half an hour ago from the perspective of that Evil Ghost. The surroundings had been dark back then, but they could say with 100% certainty that the barriers blocking the hallway now were definitely from the Black Sun Goddess.
“Break down the door!” Deputy Sect Master, at the front of the crowd, could already hear footsteps coming from upstairs. The only other entity inside this building at this time, besides them, was that Black Sun Goddess.
Members on both sides of the sect stepped forward and kicked down the glass door, tossing several red Talismans into the pool of swirling bl**d Threads.
Flames erupted, but unfortunately, their attacks barely impacted the bl**d Threads at all. In the blink of an eye, the marks from the fire had completely healed.
But that wasn’t the worst of it. The moment the Talismans struck the bl**d Threads, threads began appearing all over the walls and ceiling of the hall, seemingly intent on trapping them inside completely.
Now Deputy Sect Master was truly panicking. He pulled out a black, ping-pong ball-sized orb, and it trembled violently in his palm. Without even finishing his incantation, the orb slipped from his grip and flew away.
In midair, wherever that black orb flew by, the bl**d Threads rapidly dissolved. Two formidable Red-clothed Evil Ghosts then appeared on either side, joining forces to attack the bl**d Threads blocking the entrance.
Naturally, those bl**d Threads couldn’t hold them back; it was just a matter of time before they were shattered.
But did they have that time?
Scarlet phantom figures appeared in the hall, and looking around, there were over twenty Red-clothed entities.
They had essentially walked into half of the Tianfa Sect’s resources, not just within the realm of Hejiang City.
Surrounded by the bl**d Threads, a series of Evil Ghosts began to emerge.
All these Evil Ghosts had come from the underground parking garage and were brought out by Bai Yu.
Just as they were preparing to be surrounded and were gearing up for a last-ditch effort, the Evil Ghosts suddenly scattered.
From the direction of the stairs, a girl wearing a silver-white mask emerged, a sleek black longsword in her right hand, and she walked straight through the midst of the Evil Ghosts towards them.
Seeing these Evil Ghosts made the Tianfa Sect members sigh with relief. If it was just these ghosts, they could easily wipe them out. At that point, breaking the blockade at the entrance would take them less than thirty seconds.
What they feared most was if the Black Sun Goddess decided to join the fray—then it would all be over.
As it turned out, the Black Sun Goddess did intervene, but the way she chose to do so was a bit unexpected.
The moment they saw Bai Yu, everyone felt the immense pressure.
Now they understood why the Black Sun Goddess didn’t need the power of her Believers; every time she brainwashed them, she casually left them there.
The reason was simple: she didn’t need these Believers because she simply wouldn’t use them.
Upon witnessing Bai Yu slice through a Red-clothed Evil Ghost with a couple of quick strikes, effortlessly dispatch two more attempting to ambush with Tentacles, and absorb one more with bl**d Threads, it left everyone—especially the Deputy Sect Master—shocked. He genuinely had never seen an Evil God fighting in this manner.
“Oh, what a shame. I really thought I’d see our sister Yu soaring into the sky, raising a hand to dozens of Red-clothed entities kneeling in worship,” Zhao Mingyue’s voice echoed in Bai Yu’s mind.
She genuinely thought that way. When she knew Bai Yu was targeting the Tianfa Sect members, she intended to record it.
It even delayed her for half an hour, and in the end, it was nothing like she imagined.
“Bai Yu, can you just use your curse power to wipe out these Red-clothed entities?”
“Nope.”
Twenty-plus Red-clothed Evil Ghosts were not your ordinary little ghosts. If she were to reach the level Zhao Mingyue just mentioned, it wouldn’t be until she had fully enhanced her capabilities.
Just to be safe, she would stick to the sword for now.
This group was crucial; controlling them was equivalent to taking over the entire Tianfa Sect.
That would lead to a much larger game.
—
*Knock, knock. I’ve broken my promise, and it turns out I’m too weak. Boo-hoo.*
*I’ll make it up tomorrow.*
### Chapter 311: Zhao Mingyue’s Special Constitution
A Red-clothed Evil Ghost, covered in slashes, flew back and crashed into another Red-clothed entity, instantly releasing a cloud of black mist. In the next instant, swathes of bl**d Threads tore through this black mist and surged towards Bai Yu at high speed—this was an attack by three Red-clothed entities combining their efforts.
At that moment, Bai Yu had just pierced the head of a Red-clothed entity with her longsword. Sensing the incoming attack from her side, she casually raised her left hand. The bl**d Threads and Tentacles rapidly converged outside her palm, forming a sun symbol about half a meter in radius with remarkable speed.
Buzz!
This sun symbol easily intercepted the oncoming bl**d Threads, emitting a black-red glow that visibly dissolved the threads. The three Evil Ghosts screamed in unison, clearly losing control as their expressions betrayed that they were nearing brainwashing into Believers.
Bai Yu turned around and fixed her gaze on the Red-clothed Evil Ghost whose head she had pierced, tightening her grip on the longsword. The sharp points of the sword stabbed out from within the ghost’s head—such a wound would be fatal to a living person, but it didn’t have much effect on an Evil Ghost.
However, that wasn’t the end. The spikes erupting from the sword began releasing the light of the Black Sun, and the Red-clothed entity’s legs quickly gave way as it ceased struggling. Within seconds, it was transformed into a devoted Believer.
After all, “internal application” is always a better route than external uses.
Before she even finished retracting her sword, two more Red-clothed entities lunged at her, their faces twisted with rage, while Bai Yu stood there without a hint of an Evil Ghost’s demeanor.
Not bothering to turn around, the gigantic black wings of bl**d Threads opened behind her. The two Evil Ghosts seemed to willingly leap into a trap, getting ensnared within. From the outside, a black orb pulsed with red light, indicating the grim fate awaiting those two inside.
Letting go of the two Red-clothed Evil Ghosts, Bai Yu spun around swiftly and plunged her longsword into the ground.
The remaining Tianfa Sect members, who were thinking of fleeing, came to an abrupt halt as sharp bl**d Threads erupted from the ground before them.
The intent was clear: the Black Sun Goddess didn’t want them to leave.
The Red-clothed entities that Bai Yu either killed or turned into Believers had been meant as the rear guard for this group. Losing them was unfortunate, but as long as they maintained their lives, they wouldn’t face future dangers. They could always recruit more Red-clothed entities, but turning the remaining members into those was a definite no-go.
Pale-faced, they all turned to look back. Bai Yu stood there, wings spread wide, lightly flapping them as she soared into the air.
In reality, she had just jumped while stepping on a bl**d Thread connected to a nearby streetlight. In the dark backdrop, the bl**d Thread was almost invisible, making her appear to be flying.
Her earlier ability to fly was because she was an Evil Ghost, but now controlling Zhao Mingyue’s body limited her.
Zhao Mingyue’s physical capabilities had long surpassed those of her peers or even the limits of the human body. But even so, trying to take flight in her body was still quite impractical.
With the wings behind her fully spread, Bai Yu poured nearly all her curse power into it.
After all, the people present weren’t just any humans—the Evil Ghosts were almost all at the Red-clothed level, and brainwashing them in one go posed a significant challenge. That was why she had to personally take down a few Evil Ghosts first.
From Zhao Mingyue’s perspective, she could see the people and ghosts below frozen in place, gazing up at her as though witnessing a deity’s descent to the mortal realm.
However, the “light” she emitted only served to deepen the surrounding darkness. It seemed to envelop everything in a shadow. The only thing resembling “light” was the dark red hue emitting from her form, which offered neither warmth nor hope in the current environment.
She could clearly see the expressions of the crowd changing dramatically—from panic to calm, and then to fervor. Some knelt in sincere devotion while others struggled against the mental control, but ultimately none could break free.
For humans, this transformation was complex; for Evil Ghosts, it was even more straightforward. Once controlled by the curse power, their eyes lost their wild and violent glint and regained that clarity typical among the living, as if the resentment that once lingered within them had vanished.
It had to be said that this demonstrated the power of mental influence—even Red-clothed Evil Ghosts, which lacked intelligence and acted solely on instinct, could be altered.
“Bai Yu, I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t want to see you turn out like this for quite some time. I thought the power of Evil Gods wasn’t really a good thing, and I was worried it would affect you, changing your personality or something,” Zhao Mingyue suddenly spoke.
“Especially the brainwashing—for both human and ghost alike, it modifies someone’s perception, basically tampering with their soul. That’s even worse than simply killing them.”
“But now, seeing it firsthand, it seems that the Evil Goddess’s ability isn’t half bad.”
“From tonight onwards, those people and ghosts down there will still be themselves.”
“The Tianfa Sect won’t be able to use their newfound powers to harm others, and these Evil Ghosts, used as tools to commit countless evils, will finally be liberated.”
“After all, power itself isn’t inherently good or bad; it’s all about how it’s wielded.”
“Yeah, I just wanted to say that our divine lady is getting more and more stunning!”
Too bad she had to use her body to take flight this time; otherwise, she would’ve recorded this state of Bai Yu for sure.
Bai Yu said nothing, merely increased the output of her curse power.
It must be noted that the power of the Black Sun Goddess was indeed impressive; she previously thought the Black Sun Goddess was a level weaker than the Burning Heart Goddess, somewhat on par with the Thousand Eyes Godmother, but it was clear she had underestimated the power of the Black Sun Goddess.
However, this level of effect could only be achieved due to Zhao Mingyue’s unique constitution; relying solely on her original form wouldn’t have reached this standard.
As the wings behind her retracted, Bai Yu stepped forward, and bl**d Threads automatically formed into a staircase beneath her feet.
Standing before the Deputy Sect Master, Bai Yu spoke with a calm demeanor, “Are you the Deputy Sect Master?”
“Indeed. I’m Li Ping, the Deputy Sect Master of the Tianfa Sect.”
“Take your people and leave. Act as if we never crossed paths tonight,” Bai Yu said before turning away without saying another word. She didn’t seek any information about the Tianfa Sect or offer them her contact details.
Forget about tonight; just act as if nothing had happened at all, and later, they could explain it however they wanted.
After walking away, Bai Yu exited Zhao Mingyue’s body. Her silver-white mask dissipated into bl**d Threads, and her outfit transformed back to her familiar JK uniform.
Zhao Mingyue turned back to catch a glimpse of the Tianfa Sect members as they slowly got to their feet, bewildered and looking around as if trying to make sense of what had just happened. The now-returned Evil Ghosts were gathered and tucked away, and the members of the Tianfa Sect proceeded to leave without any further ado.
Zhao Mingyue felt puzzled and pulled out the Rabbit Plush Toy from her pocket, “Bai Yu, are we just letting them go? They’re a sizable force, and soon they’ll be occupying half of the Tianfa Sect’s territory!”
“We don’t need them for now; letting them go aids in my future plans.” The plush toy’s eyes sparkled with life, and its peculiar look made it seem as if it had been tossed straight from a horror movie set.
“I get it, keeping the bait to catch the big fish?”
“About that.”
Bai Yu needed those individuals to return without a single trace; only if they remained oblivious would her identity not be exposed, and the grass wouldn’t tremble with suspicion.
Half the power of the Tianfa Sect wasn’t enough for her; she needed the entire sect, along with the Gatekeeper.
Releasing that group would also create a bit of chaos for them.
It wasn’t that it would have no impact at all; it’s just that the influence would be appropriate, mainly showing up in their mindsets.
When they returned, they wouldn’t broadcast that recording; they’d only go around boasting that the Black Sun Goddess wasn’t all that tough, just that her curse was formidable, claiming that if they ever managed to ambush her main form, they’d have a shot at victory.
Strictly speaking, this wasn’t false information. To those individuals, their understanding would be that the Black Sun Goddess was weak.
While this operation had failed, they would only think of it as the Black Sun Goddess “escaping.”
The Red-clothed Evil Ghosts she had eliminated could easily be spun into a narrative of “pursuing the enemy too far and getting ambushed.”
Certainly, there were some holes in this scheme, but overall, it wasn’t a big issue; she wouldn’t let the Tianfa Sect have any time to verify whether that narrative held any truth.
Additionally, the power of Evil Gods was terrifying precisely because of this: it could subtly alter a Believer’s perception without significant cost—a mere thought combined with a curse could accomplish it.
One could also blame it on the strong will of the Evil Gods; their intents must align with the curses they wielded.
“Do you think what I did was disrespectful to the deities?” Zhao Mingyue tugged at the plush toy’s ears, “Not only did I impersonate a deity to develop Believers, but I also yanked at the deity’s hair?”
“Not really, since I was controlling your body.”
“That’s true, how could the Maiden’s actions be considered impersonation?”
Once back at the hotel, the first thing Zhao Mingyue did was drag Bai Yu to take a bath together. She wanted to discuss the mission with Bai Yu.
Over these past days, Bai Yu wasn’t the only one working hard; Zhao Mingyue had been putting in effort too. At least she managed to complete a three-star mission by defeating a Red-clothed ghost on her own, but her progress in power enhancement was limited.
“Ah, I was hoping to stay a bit longer, but I can’t ignore the Dragon Lady’s side,” Zhao Mingyue sighed with a frown.
Bai Yu’s strength seemed to change daily while Zhao Mingyue felt stuck in place.
“Your strength is important to me, Mingyue,” Bai Yu stated softly, the towel on her head slightly askew.
“Why do you say that, divine lady?”
“I mean to say, don’t be disheartened. Your potential isn’t limited to this; I suspect your abilities will truly be manifested once you cross into the Ghost Gate world.”
