Gu Ruoyun looked at Cang Ming and asked calmly, "I'm only curious, based on your powers, I'm afraid that I don't have much room to retaliate against you. Why had you put me into that illusion? What's the use in that?"

This time, before Cang Ming could reply, Zixie's voice chimed in, "He knows that if you were to find out that Qianbei Ye had fallen, you would disregard everything else to avenge him. Knowing you, you would never want to drag your friends down along with you so you would have certainly severed your contract with me. If our contract was broken, the Ancient Divine Pagoda would once again become an item with no Master."

Zixie paused before he continued to speak, "Little girl, his final goal isn't only to break through to the Full Circle State, he's after the Ancient Divine Pagoda as well!"

This means that Cang Ming had set up that illusion to trick Gu Ruoyun into breaking her contract with Zixie. Otherwise, even if Gu Ruoyun were to die, the Ancient Divine Pagoda would never fall into his hands and would only wait for Gu Ruoyun every lifetime.

Gu Ruoyun understood the opposition's true motive after Zixie's explanation and her eyes grew even colder.

"Cang Ming, were you also the person who had murdered me in my past life?

"That's correct."

Cang Ming curled his lips into a disdainful smile. "However, Zixie is far too stupid and he thought that it was Qianbei Ye who had killed you. Hahaha! Qianbei Ye had discarded his life's power for your sake, how could he ever bear to kill you? However, it's too late for you to find that out now, I won't let you walk away alive."

Boom!

Suddenly, powerful energy exploded from Cang Ming's body. He clearly has no desire to waste time making idle conversation with Gu Ruoyun and the others as he launched an attack towards them immediately.

The once azure sky turned a magnificent red as if it was being blanketed by a fiery light. The scene looked the same as the illusion Gu Ruoyun had just experienced and caused her heart to thump anxiously.

"Gu Ruoyun, everything that you've just experienced in that illusion was real because it will happen very soon! Hahaha."

Cang Ming's maniacal laughter filled the tranquil sky once again and Gu Ruoyun's heart clenched.

She knows that if she was to truly lose this battle, everything she had seen in the illusion would come true. Whether it was the Four Divine Beasts, her father, mother, older brother, or Xiao Xun'er and the others, they would not be able to escape adversity...

Wham!

Qianbei Ye gently raised his hand and blocked Cang Ming's attack. His demonic red eyes were locked onto the man in front of him as he curled his lips.

"Cang Ming, I won't let you have your way."

"Hehe, I'm afraid that this decision is not up to any of you! If my guess is correct, you, Gu Ruoyun, have loved ones on the West Spirit Mainland. Those loved ones seem to be called... Dongfang-something. Am I right?"

Cang Ming smiled and glanced at Gu Ruoyun as a light flashed across his eyes.

Gu Ruoyun's heart instantly sank. Her black eyes glared fixedly at Cang Ming's cold and arrogant features as she said, "What have you done to the Dongfang family?"

"Hahaha!" Cang Ming laughed maniacally. "Do you think that these are the only subordinates that I have? I still have another portion of my men who have made their way to the West Spirit Mainland and I reckon that they should have just reached their destination. Do you think that those people on the West Spirit Mainland would be able to withstand my subordinates' attack? I'm pretty sure that it won't take very long before everyone in the Dongfang family are wiped out."