After Zhou Che vanished, the group of cultivators quickly resumed their operations. Some searched the ruined temple for clues, while others had already headed elsewhere.

"Senior Sister, is this person really the demon from the Soul Hook Hall?" A cultivator, seemingly sensing something amiss, asked.

"She is." The woman he asked nodded. "I've seen her before; she does look like this. And the intelligence records are not wrong: she has a superior wood spirit root and a mid-grade variant water spirit root, which matches the characteristics of a Charm Physique."

"Then why didn't she dare to fight us, instead immediately fleeing at top speed? Even though we have Dharma treasures to protect us, her cultivation is at the third stage of the Middle Attainment Realm. None of us here could do anything to her! She must know that fleeing without a fight will boost the enemy's morale, effectively sealing off her own escape routes!" The cultivator posed another question.

The woman shook her head. "No, you're mistaken! It's not that she doesn't understand the stakes; rather, she did this after weighing the pros and cons!"

"Oh?"

"That demon chose today to cause a disturbance, which means she's already prepared to break out with full force. And as she anticipated, we also notified the main forces outside the town early on to guard strictly, and we dispatched several experts into the town.

If she entangled herself in battle with us, she would inevitably be worn down. But she's already severely injured; her current condition is directly tied to whether she can break out. That's why she chose to avoid battle—to conserve her strength and break out with full force!"

After hearing the woman's explanation, the cultivator suddenly understood. "So that's it. What should we do now?"

"Continue searching. Dozens of experts have already entered the town. She can't escape!"

The woman replied, then led the group of cultivators out of the ruined temple.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zhou Che had already teleported to a certain street.

She put away the Frightfeather Secret Talisman and the Soul-Enticing Incense, not continuing her cultivation.

After all, the Frightfeather Secret Talisman could only be used seven times, yet once the cultivators in the town began their search, they wouldn't stop.

So, rather than continuously cultivating to activate the charming trait and drawing the encirclement of the cultivators, it was more practical to stop first, wait until they relaxed their guard after searching in vain, and then stir up chaos again.

After surveying the surrounding situation, Zhou Che removed the veil from her face and changed into another spirit garment.

For her, the most important thing now was not to cause chaos, but to buy time.

She turned and walked through a narrow alleyway, then slipped into a small courtyard.

Now, everyone in Sang Town had been affected by the charm trait. Even if she stopped cultivating, it would take at least an hour for them to regain clarity.

However, just as Zhou Che entered that small courtyard, an overwhelmingly powerful spiritual power transmission resounded over the entire Sang Town.

"The charming trait has already invaded the whole town. Fellow Daoists, please quickly head to each street and ensure the safety of the ordinary people!"

This voice echoed in the air for a long time before ceasing.

But it left Zhou Che somewhat bewildered. Ensure the safety of the people? What did that mean?

In her understanding, the so-called charm was nothing more than an aura that could briefly stir up the desires in people's hearts, not a particularly harmful technique.

So why did this spiritual power transmission mention protecting the safety of the people? Could her charming trait have caused some kind of chaos?

Just as Zhou Che was utterly bewildered, a group of cultivators suddenly appeared and immediately burst through the door, charging at her to kill.

With no time to think, seeing them charge, Zhou Che immediately activated the Frightfeather Secret Talisman and teleported elsewhere.

Standing atop a certain high tower at the edge of Sang Town, Zhou Che felt increasingly that something was wrong.

There were two points she couldn't figure out. One was the extent of the charming trait's influence on people, and the other was how that group of cultivators had found her so quickly.

She had only just arrived at that household's courtyard when she was discovered the next moment. It was as if they could pinpoint her location precisely.

Therefore, she had chosen to teleport to this high tower, wanting to observe the entire situation in Sang Town and find the reason.

Her gaze swept over the darkness below. As a cultivator, Zhou Che's vision was naturally far beyond that of an ordinary person.

As her eyes swept across, the scenes of Sang Town were laid out before her.

‘What is... what is going on?!’ Zhou Che was stunned. Upon seeing the scene in Sang Town, her mind went completely blank.

On the streets below, tens of thousands of ordinary people were emerging from every alleyway, rapidly heading in her direction.

These people's eyes were filled with desire, exactly like Wang Er back then.

They scrambled over each other like evil spirits, incessantly shouting all sorts of obscene and vulgar words, like a torrent trying to swallow her whole.

Watching this scene, Zhou Che instantly understood why those cultivators had been able to find her so quickly.

"Fairy! Fairy!"

"Get lost! Damn you, the fairy is mine, mine!"

Amid the jostling crowd, many people clashed violently, even drawing blades. The scene was utter chaos, and many fell into pools of blood as a result.

Men and women alike, as if possessed, all wanted to win her favor!

Zhou Che was dumbstruck. Her foot slipped, and she fell weakly to the ground.

Recalling Wang Er's demeanor back then, Zhou Che finally understood. It wasn't that Wang Er's heart was particularly wicked; it was that her innate Charm Physique had inadvertently stirred his desires when she cultivated.

‘No... it can't be... how could it be like this! So... Wang Er's actions back then, they were all because of me? Because of my physique?’

Zhou Che's mind, at that moment, seemed to collapse!

She knelt on the high tower, staring dazedly at the crowd surging endlessly below, and at the cultivators who, having spotted her whereabouts, were charging to kill her.

"Demon! You bring calamity upon the people. Today is the day you die!" An exceptionally handsome man with astonishing speed rushed ahead of all the cultivators.

He raised his long sword and thrust it fiercely at Zhou Che.

The tip of his sword sparkled with spiritual light, as if surrounded by immortal clouds, with multicolored radiance slowly coalescing, aimed directly at Zhou Che's brow.

At this moment, Zhou Che had lost all will to fight. Struck by the word "demon" from his mouth, she saw the ever-approaching sharp blade, and from her peerlessly beautiful face, pale tears fell.

"No... I'm not a demon... I haven't brought calamity upon the people..."

Zhou Che shook her head, revealing an endless, mournful beauty under the moonlight.

The man's heart inexplicably clenched.

"I'm not a demon... I'm not!"

Zhou Che's emotions gradually spiraled into madness. In the next moment, the Spatial Pouch at her waist suddenly erupted with boundless spiritual light.

Crack!

With a crisp sound, the Soul-Enticing Incense within the Spatial Pouch shattered.

A spiritual power shockwave violently burst forth. The incense burner body shattered, and what the man saw before his eyes instantly changed.

The long sword aimed at Zhou Che's brow thus hesitated slightly.

"You are...!"

"I am not a demon!" Zhou Che roared. On her pale, mournfully beautiful face, a trace of ferocity suddenly emerged.

Immediately after, a terrifying yin evil aura burst forth. A black evil dragon, just beginning to take shape, carried a faint golden light in its jaws and instantly pierced through the man's chest.

!!!

Everything happened too suddenly. Not only was the man stunned, but even the group of cultivators behind him were utterly shocked.

"Chen Wang!"

A cultivator in similar attire rushed over and cradled the impaled man in his arms.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Che's consciousness somewhat recovered.

She had lost control just now, instinctively activating the Evil Dragon's Four Crossings and the Dao Rune of the Character 'Gate'.

The combination of the two had produced the terrifying power that pierced through the opponent in an instant.

The man called Chen Wang was at the second stage of the Middle Attainment Realm. As he looked at Zhou Che, a glint of astonishment flickered in his eyes.

His lips parted slightly, as if to say something, but he could no longer make a sound.

The cultivator holding Chen Wang glared angrily at Zhou Che, but in the next instant, his face was again replaced with shock.

"You! You're not Tao Yao!"