Transmigrated into the villain? Watch my epic comeback in the ethereal fairy realm!

Chapter 153 Entering the Demon Palace to Uncover the Truth, Perilous Situations Abound

Before Dai Yao could even strike a cool pose at the gates of the Demon Palace, she was spotted by two sharp-eyed guards. "Halt! Who goes there?" they shouted sharply, their voices booming like thunder in Dai Yao's ears. Their halberds were pointed directly at her. Dai Yao looked up; the halberds gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Dai Yao inwardly groaned: Oh no! Was this entrance a little too conspicuous?

Before she could even think of a solution, the guard recognized the body: "Traitor! You actually dare to come back!" Good heavens, how many bad things had the original owner done? The hatred level was off the charts! Two sharp attacks came straight at Dai Yao, bringing with them a whistling sound. She could only dodge in a sorry state, complaining as she dodged: "Hey, hey, hey, don't be so enthusiastic. I'm a 'guest' after all!" This demonic cultivator's body looked quite intimidating, but in reality, it was all show and no substance. After a few attacks, Dai Yao felt as if her body had been hit by a heavy object, about to fall apart, and every inch of her skin ached.

As she dodged, a deep voice rang out: "What's going on?" The voice seemed to come from underground, muffled and oppressive. Dai Yao looked up and saw a man dressed in a black brocade robe, exuding an imposing aura, slowly approaching. The black robe fluttered in the wind, and every step he took felt like it was treading on Dai Yao's heart. Without a doubt, this was the Demon Lord of the Demon Palace.

The Demon Lord sized Dai Yao up and down, his eyes filled with suspicion: "Who are you? Why do you possess the body of a traitor to my Demon Palace?" Dai Yao inwardly cried out in alarm; this Demon Lord was not to be fooled! She hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, please understand, I am actually..." "No need to say more!" The Demon Lord interrupted her, "The demonic energy on your body is so chaotic; you are clearly someone from the immortal sect in disguise! Speak, what is your purpose in infiltrating my Demon Palace?" Dai Yao inwardly screamed: "Big brother, can't you let me finish?! This misunderstanding is huge!"

Just as the Demon Lord was about to make a move, Dai Yao had a sudden inspiration and shouted, "Your Majesty, please wait! I know a secret about demonic cultivators who switch bodies!" The Demon Lord frowned, clearly sensitive to the term "demonic cultivators who switch bodies."

Taking advantage of the situation, Dai Yao embellished her story, portraying herself as a pitiful victim of a demonic cultivator who had been persecuted by a body-swapping demon, and even hinting that this cultivator might be within the Demon Palace, intending to sow discord. Her words worked; the two minor demonic cultivators beside the Demon Lord immediately began to suspect each other, their eyes filled with hostility, glaring at each other as if their eyes were spitting fire. One burly demonic cultivator pointed at the other, a tall, thin one, and roared, "You shifty-eyed bastard! I saw you acting suspiciously; it must be you!" His voice was so loud that Dai Yao's ears were ringing. The tall, thin one wasn't about to back down, retorting, "What nonsense are you spouting! It's clearly you who has ulterior motives!"

The two argued more and more fiercely, eventually coming to blows, their fists and feet clashing with dull thuds. Dai Yao was secretly delighted: she'd succeeded! Taking advantage of the chaos, she secretly slipped aside, and seizing the opportunity, she vanished into a hidden passage. By the time the Demon Lord reacted, Dai Yao had disappeared without a trace, leaving only two demonic cultivator underlings still fiercely fighting. He roared, "Stop it, both of you!" However, it was too late; Dai Yao had already escaped successfully.

The secret passage was dark and damp, filled with a putrid stench that made Dai Yao wrinkle her nose. She groped her way forward, her fingers touching the slippery, cold walls. Suddenly, she noticed strange runes carved into the walls. These runes emitted a faint demonic aura, seemingly related to a body-swapping technique; the weak demonic energy shimmered eerily in the darkness. Dai Yao's heart leaped with joy, and she quickly approached to examine them more closely.

Just then, a sharp pain suddenly struck, as if something was tearing at her soul, the pain like countless needles piercing her head. Dai Yao groaned, her body swaying precariously, her legs feeling weak, almost unable to stand. "Damn it! It's that body-swapping demonic cultivator!" Dai Yao gritted her teeth; she knew it was the body-swapping demonic cultivator trying to interfere with her. But she didn't give up, enduring the excruciating pain to continue deciphering the runes.

Time ticked by, and Dai Yao's face grew paler and paler. Sweat soaked her clothes, trickling down her cheeks and dripping onto the ground with a soft patter. Finally, she deciphered some key information, a glint of insight flashing in her eyes. "So that's how it is..." Dai Yao murmured to herself, a cold smile playing on her lips. "It seems things are more complicated than I imagined..."

Suddenly, a soft footstep echoed from the depths of the secret passage. The footsteps were so light, as if someone was cautiously approaching. A dark figure slowly drew near, whispering, "Are you... alright?" Deep within the passage, a figure silently closed in. The newcomer was dressed in night clothes, his movements agile and swift as a ghost. Dai Yao could only see a blurry shadow moving in the darkness. Seeing Dai Yao's pained expression, his brows furrowed, and a flicker of worry crossed his eyes.

He didn't rush forward, but instead gently traced three characters on the ground with his fingertip—"Gou Fugui" (苟富贵). This was a secret code known only to the two of them, a joke they made in their youthful arrogance. Seeing these three words, Dai Yao felt a warmth in her heart. Memories of the past flooded back like a tide; those carefree days, the joke they made together, now seemed like a ray of light in the darkness. In this perilous demon palace, this trust was like a warm fire in the cold winter, something she cherished deeply, and her eyes welled up slightly. As the pain subsided, Dai Yao forced herself to nod slightly to the newcomer.

However, at that moment, another figure darted out of the darkness, moving with lightning speed! "Who goes there! How dare you trespass into the Demon Palace!" The newcomer, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, wielding a long sword, his eyes sharp, was none other than Zi Xing, a guard of the Demon Palace. Seeing Dai Yao and the mysterious figure acting suspiciously, he didn't hesitate and immediately swung his sword, the blade whistling sharply as it sliced ​​through the air!

"What the heck! What's going on? I'm getting shot even when I'm lying down!" Dai Yao thought to herself, but her hands didn't slow down at all. She nimbly dodged the attacks, complaining to Zi Xing, "Your attacks are so weak, can't you respect the ranking of the villainous BOSS?", while summoning her magical weapon and engaging Zi Xing in a fierce battle.

Despite her injuries, Dai Yao possessed extensive combat experience. Her movements were lightning-fast, deftly dodging Zi Xing's longsword. Her unique ability to sense the flow of qi was now at its peak, as if she could foresee the trajectory of Zi Xing's next move. She spun around, parried with a backhand, and then followed up with a 'Pointing the Way to Immortals' strike on Zi Xing's pressure points. This series of fluid movements rendered Zi Xing immobile.

"Don't be nervous, I'm just passing by," Dai Yao said with a grin, but the magical artifact in her hand was still pointing at Zi Xing. "However, if you cooperate obediently, I'll let you go." Zi Xing snorted coldly, about to speak, but was interrupted by Dai Yao: "I know, you want to say something like 'A scholar can be killed but not humiliated,' right? Save your energy, I've seen plenty of that." As she spoke, Dai Yao leaned closer to Zi Xing and lowered her voice: "I'm asking you, do you know the art of body swapping?"

A flicker of panic crossed Zi Xing's eyes. He was about to shake his head in denial when Dai Yao grabbed his chin. "Stop pretending. I know everything. You'd better tell the truth, or else..." A cold glint flashed in Dai Yao's eyes, and her tone was icy. "You'll have to bear the consequences."

Zi Xing looked at Dai Yao with a complicated expression. Finally, he slowly spoke: "Deep within the Demon Palace... lies a secret..." Zi Xing's words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

Dai Yao narrowed her eyes, thinking to herself, "There's definitely something fishy going on!"

"Deep within the Demon Palace? What secrets?" Dai Yao pressed, a hint of barely perceptible excitement in her voice. She had a natural love for adventure, and the more dangerous the place, the more she wanted to explore it.

Zi Xing hesitated for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, before finally speaking: "Deep within the Demon Palace lies a forbidden area called the 'Hall of Reincarnation.' It is said that a forbidden technique is hidden there, which can allow people to... be reborn."

"Body swapping and rebirth?" Dai Yao repeated these four words, countless thoughts flashing through her mind. Could it be... that the demonic cultivator who possessed her body used this forbidden technique to seize it?

“That’s right.” Zi Xing nodded. “But the Samsara Palace is fraught with danger, and nine out of ten people who go in never come back. Moreover…” He paused, his expression grave, “The Demon Lord has recently strengthened the guards of the forbidden area, making it as difficult as climbing to heaven to get in.”

Dai Yao laughed, a hint of provocation in her smile: "As difficult as climbing to the heavens? I love challenges!" She wasn't one to give up easily, especially since this concerned whether she could reclaim her body; she had to go!

Just then, a powerful surge of spiritual energy came from afar, accompanied by a deafening roar: "Who dares to trespass into the forbidden area of ​​the Demon Palace!" The surge of spiritual energy swept in like a whirlwind. Dai Yao's expression changed. Oh no, it's the Demon Lord! It seems the conflict between the Immortal Sect and the Demon Palace has escalated. She must leave here as soon as possible!

"Run!" Dai Yao grabbed Zi Xing and ran deeper into the Demon Palace. Zi Xing was stunned for a moment, not expecting Dai Yao to take him with her, but he had no time to think and could only run after her. Their footsteps echoed through the passageways of the Demon Palace.

The two evaded the Demon Palace guards as they sped towards the Hall of Reincarnation. As they ran, Dai Yao couldn't help but complain, "The Demon Palace's terrain is so complicated, it's like a maze! The person who designed this Demon Palace must have had absolutely no sense of direction!" Zi Xing's lips twitched. What kind of time was this to be joking?

Finally, the two arrived before a magnificent hall. The hall was entirely black, exuding a sinister aura, and the plaque above it bore two large characters—Reincarnation! "This is it," Zi Xing said, pointing to the hall, her tone tinged with fear.

Dai Yao took a deep breath, the air surging within her chest, as if infusing herself with courage. Her eyes shone with a resolute light, like stars, dispelling some of the surrounding gloom. "Let's go!" she shouted, forcefully pushing open the heavy, beast-like door. With a dull creak, she stepped into the unknown darkness. The moment she entered, a chilling aura, as if from the deepest hell, rushed towards her, like countless icy tentacles coiling around her. Her body trembled violently, a shiver running through her, but her steps did not falter.

The main hall was pitch black, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. The moment Dai Yao stepped inside, she felt a chilling aura wash over her, making her shiver involuntarily. "Careful!" Zi Xing's voice came from behind her, "Here..." His words trailed off.

Dai Yao turned around abruptly, only to find that there was no one behind her, only endless darkness...

"Zixing?" Dai Yao called out tentatively, but there was no response.

What's going on? Where did Zi Xing go? A sense of unease washed over Dai Yao; she felt as if she had fallen into a huge trap...

"Heh heh, welcome to the Palace of Reincarnation." A sinister voice suddenly echoed in the darkness. "Are you... ready to offer your sacrifice?"