Even though Xiao Yu was unconscious now, Bai Qi could crush her into a pulp with a mere flick of his finger, as easily as squashing an ant. However, the subsequent consequences would be severe and unbearable for Bai Qi, making it impossible to describe as anything less than a chain reaction.
First and foremost, the most immediate consequence would be the furious retaliation from Chen Long and Old Man due to Xiao Yu's death. While Chen Long was a concern, Old Man had an impressive record in the original work, particularly in the final Scroll of Ages, where he single-handedly sealed eight demons.
Bai Qi dared not provoke the old man.
Even if Bai Qi managed to defeat both Chen Long and Old Man, to eliminate any future threats, he would have to kill them as well. This would then involve the powers behind them.
As a friend of Chen Long, Black would undoubtedly intervene. After Chen Long's death, Black would be relentless in his pursuit of Bai Qi, forcing Bai Qi to kill Black as well. This would then escalate to involving Black's superiors, thus making him an enemy of the entire United States. At that point, S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and the Justice League would all come knocking.
The consequences of killing Old Man would be even more dire, potentially triggering his former sect, thus creating animosity from all of China towards Bai Qi.
Do not mistake Bai Qi's concerns as alarmist. On the contrary, this was a conservative estimate.
If Bai Qi were to eliminate Xiao Yu, the worst-case scenario would be facing a dual offensive and sanctions from both the United States and China. In such a situation, even the Illuminati would decisively abandon Bai Qi.
Furthermore, considering the struggle between positive and dark energy over Xiao Yu, she was highly likely to be the Child of Destiny in this world.
If this were the case, killing Xiao Yu would not only offend the forces of positive energy but also earn him the ire of her Dark Chi mother.
Moreover, wasn't the purpose of all his efforts to win her over? To sway Xiao Yu from the camp of positive energy to the side of dark energy, or at least, if not entirely successful, to at least bring her to a neutral state, so she wouldn't harbor hostility towards him.
Now, perhaps, was an opportune moment.
After sorting through the entire sequence of events, Bai Qi lightly clapped his hands.
Soon, a blue-haired girl in a maid's uniform walked in. Her fair skin and large, soulful eyes were enough to evoke pity in anyone.
"Master."
Upon entering, the girl curtsied slightly, her voice so soft and sweet that a mere two words could make one's heart flutter. Coupled with her maid outfit, she was an absolute fan-favorite for perverts.
Although Bai Qi was now the Sacred Master, he was, after all, a virile young man before his transmigration. Hearing "Master" caused him to momentarily freeze.
"Master, are you... alright?"
Bai Qi, regaining his composure, noticed his momentary lapse and coughed lightly to mask his slight embarrassment.
"Here's what you do. Take Xiao Yu back to her room to rest. Take good care of her. When she wakes up... whether she stays or leaves is up to her."
"Yes, Master."
Just as the maid, with Xiao Yu in a bridal carry, was about to leave, Bai Qi called out to her again.
"Wait."
Stopping the maid once more, Bai Qi thought for a moment before saying, "Here's what we'll do. When Xiao Yu wakes up, don't let her go back immediately. Find a way to appease her. Wait for my instructions before taking any further action."
"Okay."
After Bai Qi dealt with Tarak, word also came that the Suicide Squad had successfully infiltrated the experimental base, destroying the entire building with explosives, and had all retreated.
Just as Bai Qi thought these troublesome matters were finally settled and he returned to his palace to rest, he opened the doors to find the three oafs of the Black Hand, holding the Pan Ku Box.
Judging by their state, they had likely been waiting for him.
Oh, and by the way, the Black Hand no longer existed. After receiving a large sum of gold from Bai Qi, Valmont had reformed, abandoning some of his underworld businesses and venturing into legitimate industries like real estate. His former assets were gradually being laundered.
La So, Zhou, and Finn, as Valmont's old subordinates, initially wanted to continue working with him. However, Bai Qi offered them too much, so they stayed by his side.
Bai Qi kept the three oafs for a simple reason: the Pan Ku Box.
After all, as a primary driving force for the demon saga, it was the three oafs who, in the original work, unintentionally activated the Pan Ku Box each time.
Whether it was a lucky coincidence or fate's design, Bai Qi had spent a considerable sum to keep them around, solely for matters concerning the Pan Ku Box.
However, due to Tarak's resurrection, some issues with the Illuminati, and the instability of his base in Kootor, along with a shortage of talent and some state affairs that Bai Qi had to personally attend to, he had been overwhelmed and exhausted. Thus, the release of the remaining six demons had been temporarily put on hold.
After all, releasing demons was a major undertaking. Each of the remaining six demons held a part of his Chi, and the forces of positive energy were extremely sensitive to this. Therefore, Bai Qi had to dedicate his full attention and meticulous planning to this endeavor, ensuring not the slightest error or omission.
To prevent the three oafs from activating the Pan Ku Box during this period for various reasons, Bai Qi had strictly forbidden them from touching it. He intended to resume the matter after he had finished his current tasks, rested, and recovered his energy.
However, the current situation was somewhat beyond Bai Qi's expectations.
Looking at the Pan Ku Box emitting a green glow in La So's hands, there was no doubt it had already been activated. The timing was perfect; just as he had finished with one matter, another arose.
All signs led Bai Qi to suspect that perhaps his Dark Chi mother did not wish for him to be idle and had thus interfered slightly, causing the three oafs to inadvertently activate the Pan Ku Box.
Otherwise, the timing was just too impeccable.
Never mind, as things stood, there was no escaping this. Releasing the demons was inevitable. Bai Qi was not like Tarak, who, after receiving the boost of Dark Chi, failed to see the bigger picture and contented himself with being a temporary emperor.
As long as the forces of positive energy remained dominant, it was only a matter of time before the proxies of Dark Chi were sealed.
To avoid being sealed again and to live a glorious, safe, and comfortable life in this world, Bai Qi had to ensure that his Dark Chi mother regained dominance, thereby solidifying his own position.
Once the Pan Ku Box left its original resting place, the positive energy within it began to dissipate, especially after opening the gate to Bo Gong's inferno. Even when Bai Qi approached, its influence on him had become significantly limited.
Bai Qi waved his hand, gesturing for La So to bring the Pan Ku Box closer.
Enduring the discomfort caused by the box's positive energy, Bai Qi slowly lowered his head and clearly saw the trigrams on it: three lines, with the top two broken in the middle, and only the third line completely intact. This was the Zhen trigram.
The demon corresponding to the Zhen trigram was the thunder and lightning demon Zhong Su.
What was going on?
According to the plot, the second inferno gate that should have appeared was Xun, belonging to Xiaofeng. Why was it Zhen, belonging to Zhong Su?