"You are the reason why my life and ambitions have been ruined," he held her with one hand and used the other to strangle the poor child in his arms.

The baby started crying but he didn't care about her tears until a thought popped into his head.

​​

"I can't trust the flame sect, what if they come for me, they are too terrifying to undermine," he looked at her again.

"You will be my insurance," he removed his hands from her neck then he dipped his hands into his robe, he removed a bottle of pill then he took one of the pills and started fleeing.

She had almost gotten to her sect when she spat out blood again, she looked at the wound on her chest but the blood on it had turned dark red.

"Poison....that despicable piece of trash, he planned to kill me right from the beginning," she needed to reach the sect alive so she decided to strip herself of her cultivation in order to keep herself alive until she sees her sect leader.

--------------

She slowly opened her eyes, she had thought he was despicable but she couldn't believe he had done all that, even her sect madam doesn't know what happened to her they only thought she died because she stripped herself of her cultivation after she gave birth but he actually poisoned her to death.

"Now...do you still think you can let him leave, kill him and you feel more powerful than ever, you will also be filial by avenging your mother" the demon whispered into her ear.

"You don't deserve to live you despicable and evil monster...you even tried to kill your own child," her body shook in anger, she felt a sudden surge of power as her inner demon slowly engulfed her.

"You can't kill me, you are no match for me," he started laughing again, fueling up her anger.

She lunged into the air and screamed aloud with her whole body engulfed in flame causing a blast sound to resound around the pagoda.

Even those outside felt the impact.

"Huo Li...she is in the thirteenth pagoda," the sect madam remarked looking up at the top of the pagoda.

"That blast is not something she can ordinarily cause, the mind destroyer must have gotten to her and her inner demons have given her more strength," the third elder explained following a sigh.

"No...No...Huo Li," Huo Ying ran forward, she blames herself inwardly for making them have to infiltrate the vitality sect, if it wasn't for her, she would never have done what she did.

"Huo Ying, what are you doing?" Huo Qiang shouted, following after her.

"Huo Li, don't give in, we believe in you!" she shouted with both hands at the side of her mouth.

Inside the pagoda, Huo Li and her father had already started fighting, with every move she makes, a blast sound is sent across the pagoda and outside the pagoda.

"I will definitely kill you, you monstrous man," she swung her sword around then she joined her index fingers together, infusing her flame power into the sword, the word spun very fast then it flew into the air, she lunged into the air, grabbing the sword then she descended fiercely on him.

He caught her leg but she went into him, making a cut on his thigh.

After exchanging a few moves with cuts all over her father's body, she decided to end it all, she drooped her sword on the ground, wanting to kill him with her own hands, she balled her fist and took a fighting stance, she conjured her Qi and waved her hands around, a red aura could be seen around her then she sprinted towards him and lunged into the air with her hands going down on his head.

"Huo Li, don't do it!" Huo Ying shouted outside the pagoda when they felt another wave of power from the pagoda, Bingchen and the other guardians also came forward.

"Huo Li, don't let your inner demons take over you," Bingchen screamed

"Huo Li!" the other guardians shouted

Then all the disciples started chorusing her name and pleading with her not to do whatever it is she is about to do, they could only hope she can hear them.

She stopped mid-air with her hand just above his head after she had made him immobile, her head spun in pain hearing the voices intruding her mind and thoughts.

"Don't listen to them, have you forgotten how your mother died, who will avenge her if you don't?" the demon whispered into her ear with his hands on her shoulder.

"But..." her head spun again.

"No, don't hesitate...did your master avenge your mother? did they bother to take revenge for the injustice you suffered, you don't mean anything to your master, she is only using you, now kill him,". She shut her eyes and opened them again, this time, her eyes had turned red.

She lowered her hands but she didn't touch him when she heard the voices again.

"Huo Li, don't do it, please!" Huo Ying screamed again when they felt another wave of power.

"Remember your promises and the times we spent together," Huo Mei screamed, even though they can't see what is going on, they were sure she is already under the influence of the mind destroyer.

"Don't listen to them, do it now!" the mind destroyer whispered again, he was already getting impatient with her since no one has ever lasted for so long under his influence.

"No...No, I can't" she muttered, the memories of her time with them flashed through her head, she could see herself smiling with them, Huo Ying hugging her and herself in Bingchen's arms, letting down her hair and giving him her hairpin.

Her already dried up tears started falling again, she was resisting the power of the kind destroyer and it is killing her.

"Kill him now!" the mind destroyer whispered aloud

"I said...Kill him, he is despicable and evil, he caused your mother to die, have you forgotten about that?"

"No!" she thundered then she screamed with her arms spread out and her head bent backwards, her scream pushed him out of her mind and caused a loud blast sound resounding outside the pagoda, Huo Ying and the guardians were sent flying back.

They were quickly caught by the elder and her mother.

"She has resisted the mind destroyer, she will make it," her mother said breaking into a peal of laughter in relief. They all looked at the pagoda with a smile on their faces.

"I just knew she will make it, she is stronger than we all think," Bingchen remarked, smiling happily.

As soon as she defeated the mind destroyer, she appeared outside the pagoda, they all watched her as she walked towards them, looking battered and tattered, she smiled with tears of joy seeping out of her eyes.

She is looking at all of them again, the people who care for her and have always been with her, they were too happy to even take a step towards her.

"Master...." she muttered as she stood in front of her master.

"I knew you will make it, you are my disciple after all," she placed her hand on her cheeks and wiped her tears.

"I made it...." she heaved a sigh of relief but her vision blurred.

"Huo Li...." Bingchen mumbled seeing her again, he wanted to hug her at that moment but he couldn't...not in front of everyone.

But she blacked out and collapsed.

"Huo Li!"

"Huo Li!"

"Huo Li!" they all started calling but Bingchen quickly caught her then he carried her on his back and started running as fast as he could while they followed behind him.

Li Bing who was also following after them stopped when she got to where Wu Que was standing with a downcast and angry look on his face, he looked like he would have killed her right there if everyone was not around her.

"You lost the bet," she remarked, standing by his side.

"Leave me alone," he said in a soft but angry tone.

"Have you forgotten...I am now the one who determines your position in this sect, so you are now under my control, I advise you not to mess with senior disciple Huo Li from now on or you won't be able to remain an advanced disciple," she threatened, he clenched his fist and turned to her.

"Don't push your luck," he warned then he grabbed her elbow with their eyes staring deep into each other's eyes.

"No, you don't push your luck, or you will have me to answer to," she retorted then she snapped her elbow from his grip, she smirked and walked away.

The next morning.

Everyone in the sect was celebrating her return and it so happens that today is the day the second young mistress, Huo Lan will be returning to the sect, their joy knew no bounds and they had already started preparing the sect for her return.