"What do we do now? Are they going to kill that kid Lin?" Liang Xiaoke asked, seeing Ye Jingyu remain unmoved.

"They won't..." Ye Jingyu replied with great composure.

"Why not?" Liang Xiaoke asked, utterly perplexed.

"Because they still need the power of the curse on you to help them open some kind of passage. As long as you don't show yourself, they won't kill Lin. However, didn't you already neutralize that curse's power?"

"I only temporarily suppressed the power of that curse, constantly refining it with the power of the Nine Hells. It hasn't been completely refined yet!" Liang Xiaoke answered truthfully.

"Good then. We still have seven days. Come on, let's follow them!" Ye Jingyu waved his hand, transforming into an afterimage as he bolted after the Minotaur army.

Liang Xiaoke glanced again at Bernice’s substantial bosom, fiercely licked her lips, and then hurried after Ye Jingyu...

Meanwhile, down in the canyon, Bernice watched the Minotaur warriors slowly depart before letting out a profound sigh of relief, then turned and walked into the cave.

Inside the cavern, Monike was bound to a soft, high-backed chair. She was awake now, her face a mask of pure fury.

"Bernice, I'm warning you, you had better kill me right now, or I swear I will make you regret everything you've done to me!" Seeing Bernice enter from outside, Monike immediately lashed out.

"You are my only sister; how could I bear to kill you?" Seeing Monike's enraged expression, Bernice, who had always presented herself as the wicked older sister, let out a heavy sigh.

"Sister? Hahaha... Sister... You still have me, your sister, in your heart? Ever since you placed that curse upon me, I stopped having you as my sister!" Hearing the words leave Bernice’s mouth, Monike burst into laughter—a laugh so manic, so twisted, it was as if she had heard the funniest joke in existence.

"Sigh... Monike, do you remember what Father said when he passed away?" Seeing Monike’s nearly deranged expression, Bernice sighed deeply again, her eyes revealing profound pain.

At the mention of Bernice’s words, the memory of her father’s dying request flashed through Monike’s mind—for them to live well and carry on the legacy of the Heavenly Wolf Giants.

"Father wanted you to revitalize the Heavenly Wolf Clan, but he didn't tell you to plot against your own sister!" Monike spat out through clenched teeth.

"Yes, you have suffered terribly over the years, but do you truly believe I never cared for you? Do you think I am truly some kind of heartless monster, someone who wouldn't spare her own sister?" The look of agony on Bernice’s face intensified.

"Aren't you?" Monike responded with undisguised sarcasm.

"You are my closest kin. If I cannot even protect you, then what is the use of revitalizing the Heavenly Wolf Clan?" Bernice’s face was growing pale, uncertain whether it was from the shockwave of Tagri’s voice earlier or simply the crushing weight of her heartache.

Monike said nothing more, merely staring at Bernice with lifeless eyes, appearing utterly hopeless about her elder sister.

"Father was murdered by the chieftain of the Blood Wolf Clan. After his death, I became the leader of the Heavenly Wolf Clan, but my power was only at the Third Grade. Nearly all the experts of our clan had been slaughtered. In order to ensure the bloodline of the Heavenly Wolf Clan continued, I was forced to seek allegiance under the rule of the Minotaur Tribe. Their demand was the sacrifice of one Heavenly Vein maiden. Monike, you were the only Heavenly Vein maiden in our entire clan!" Upon reaching this point, Bernice let out a heavy sigh.

"So, you placed the curse upon me, making my existence a living hell for all these years?" Monike’s cold smile remained fixed.

"Yes, I wronged you all these years, but was I not in agony too? Although this curse can be passed to anyone one has intimacy with, it can only be placed upon a Heavenly Vein maiden, and it cannot be transferred until a certain amount of time has passed. How do you think you learned these details?" Bernice spoke with heartfelt sincerity, and for the first time, a change flickered across Monike's expression.

"Ever since this curse matured, I have kept you outside. Did you really think I loathed you?" Seeing the shift in Monike’s demeanor, Bernice pressed on.

"The reason I treated you so harshly was solely to avoid drawing the attention of the Minotaurs. I needed to give them the illusion that you and I were at odds, that everything you did outside had absolutely no connection to the Heavenly Wolf Clan. I hoped you could break the curse sooner. The moment I sensed the curse on you was broken, I immediately sent people over—it was all just an act for their benefit..." Bernice poured out the entirety of what lay in her heart.

"Then why did you seek to eradicate my friends so mercilessly?" Monike’s tone had softened slightly. Thinking back, despite Bernice’s atrocious attitude towards her over the years, she had truly never gone for the kill. Furthermore, the secret knowledge she had occasionally stumbled upon was far beyond what her limited power should have allowed her to know. She had always believed some hidden master was assisting her; now, it seemed that master was this sister who had perpetually treated her with apparent cruelty.

"The Minotaur Tribe is already immensely powerful; they are the overlords of this region. If they truly managed to open another plane, even if the Demon Gods of Xinyang did not appear, they would surely send immense power. Tagri’s father is already at the peak of the Ninth Grade, just one step shy of the Demon King realm. If they were to produce another King, it would drastically upset the balance of power in the Demon Realm. The other eight Great Royal Clans are far from us, but once the Minotaurs have a King, as they advance to conquer this territory, our Heavenly Wolf Clan will be the first in line to face the consequences... At that point, we too could be wiped out. Our Heavenly Wolf Clan is not strong enough as it is; we cannot withstand any further catastrophe..." As Bernice spoke, tears streamed down her face. For years, she had to protect her clan on one hand, and secretly shield her sister on the other, all while projecting a fearsome facade toward that very sister. How easy was her role?

Witnessing Bernice’s tears and feeling the sincerity in her eyes, Monike slowly began to grasp the depth of her sister’s suffering...

"Sister..." Unconsciously, the word escaped Monike’s lips, and Bernice’s body gave a slight jolt...