《The Demon Lord Only Wants to Follow the Script》 CH 1 November 6th, 2022 From the TL: Hello! I¡¯m just a casual reader who likes this story a lot, so I thought it¡¯d be neat if more people could read it. This is my first time posting translations, so forgive me and let me know if there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve neglected. If you enjoy this story, please by all means support the original work. (If you are having trouble with the payment method, personally, I prefer using the iPhone app, since you can pay directly through the app store.) As a note, this is a xianxia setting, not xuanhuan, so when you see ¡°demon¡± mentioned, it pretty much always refers to ¡°demonic cultivator,¡± but that¡¯s just a mouthful sometimes. Mild warning, the main character makes some passing remarks that hint at passive suicidal ideation in this chapter. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. During the frigid winter seasons, Deerspirit Ridge lay underneath a canopy of ice and snow. Looking outwards, a vast expanse of blinding white stretched into the horizon, as if merging into the heavens. At the foot of the mountain was a sparse handful of rural households. The sky was still dark, but each and every home was swept and tidied, and the the villagers had each changed into clean and tidy clothes, gathering in the empty space at the bottom of the mountain to prepare to welcome the immortals descending from Deerspirit Ridge. Every year, in the depth of winter, the immortals would come down to perform the sacrificial rites, helping them set up arrays against the cold and passing out provisions to get through the winter. The winters here were always long, but with the blessings of the immortals, they weren¡¯t as difficult to bear. Thus, the villagers were grateful and reverent toward the immortals of Deerspirit Ridge from the bottom of their hearts. Among them was a little girl of seven or eight wearing a flower-patterned coat. She had been waiting here since early morning, hungry and freezing, her cheeks flushed from the cold. Truly unable to bear it, she quietly tugged at her mother¡¯s sleeve, her voice syrupy, ¡°Mom, maybe they aren¡¯t coming. Let¡¯s go home, it¡¯s too cold here.¡± Children mean no harm, children mean no harm! An uneasy look surfaced in the woman¡¯s eyes, and she shook her head, softly reprimanding: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. The immortals will definitely come.¡± Although the conversation was whispered and did not travel far, similar doubt and unease had long already spread throughout the villagers. For generation after generation they had lived here, and the immortals had come year after year. Why weren¡¯t they here this year? Could it be that they would no longer bless them? Some cautiously lifted their heads, gazing up at the heart of the mountain ridge, that high and lofty peak stretching into the clouds. Or could it be? That something had happened to the immortals? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Surrounded a cluster of mountains, Lingyun Peak stood like a heavenly blade reaching into the sky, cleaving the entirety of Deerspirit Ridge in two. Because of the high altitude, the top half was covered in snow year-round. At heights that mortals could never reach, amidst the silver trees and frost and otherworldly mist, were faintly discernible glazed crystal eaves. The cultivation world¡¯s oldest and most historied cultivation sect, Cloudbank Keep was situated atop Lingyun Peak. Halfway up the mountain on a flat expanse of land stood nine majestic jade columns, contrasting against the white and clean surface of the ground, imposing yet beautiful. Only, at this moment¡­¡­ this ethereal, otherworldly place was permeated with the thick stench of blood. The clean, white ground was splattered with bloodstains, and the scattered ruins of stone walls and broken swords indicated the desperate battle that had taken place here. Even the stone sect steles, tens of zhang tall, were flecked with the dark red of dried blood. A crowd of densely packed demonic cultivators encircled all of Lingyun Peak so that not even a drop of water could leak out. The demonic cultivators¡¯ appearances spanned every shape and size, each uniquely adorned. Some looked like skeletons emanating a ghastly air, some covered themselves in black robes, revealing eyes suffused with red, some wore gorgeous attire to complement their charming features, and some bared their torsos, cloaked in murderous auras¡­¡­ There were men and women, youths and elders. Raucous quarreling and giggling mingled together, like a grotesque demonic banquet. But neither the horde of demons nor the blood-soaked sect were the most eye-catching thing present. A sinister black tower of at least ninety-nine stories towered in the midst of the demonic horde. Conical and pitch-black, it appeared to be made of metal and stone, steeped in frigid light, every sharp ledge and corner appearing savage and frightening like teeth and claws selecting a victim to devour. Even the fiercest and most brutal demonic cultivators subconsciously maintained a distance from the black tower. There was not a single demonic cultivator within several tens of zhang of the tower, each carefully avoiding it, not daring to even make a sound, as if some it held some terrifying existence¡­¡­ To the extent that where the black tower stood, not a speck of dust entered, making it the only sacred ground in this place. A clattering sound. Fang Li¡¯s fingers curled slightly, an ice-cold sensation lingering on his fingertips. He seemed to have accidentally knocked over something while drifting halfway between dreaming and waking. Immediately, he startled, struggling to open his eyes. As he slowly turned his head, what entered his vision was a floor laid with thick gray carpet and a gold wine cup inlaid with jadeite toppled on the ground, the clear wine slowly seeping into the carpet¡­¡­ He rested his hand casually on the edge of the soft divan. Beside the divan was a low table, and unless he guessed wrong, earlier, he had knocked the wine cup off of this low table. But this scene was truly too preposterous, to the point that for a while, Fang Li was somewhat uncertain¡­¡­ He lifted his hand, looking down to gaze at it. It was a slender, ashen-white hand, the joints of the gaunt fingers protruding, the fingernails a little long, probably not having been trimmed in a while, and the roots of the fingernails tinged with gray. The hand was very good-looking, but it seemed to be suffering from an illness that was far from trifling. Most importantly¡­¡­ this wasn¡¯t his hand. Fang Li lowered his eyes. After about ten breaths, a voice sounded in his head. ¡¾ You¡¯re awake. ¡¿ Fang Li paused, probing, ¡°System?¡± ¡¾ The System who was just about to introduce itself: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°Could you explain to me what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡¾ System: ¡°You don¡¯t seem even a bit surprised.¡± ¡¿ Fang Li shook his head. ¡°I was only giving it a try. I¡¯m actually very surprised that you really exist.¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ It didn¡¯t feel that way. Fang Li tried stretching out this stiff and unfamiliar body, slowly bracing himself against the divan to sit upright, his gaze resting on the center of this cold, dark room. Someone who originally should have died, appearing in this unfamiliar place, possessing an unfamiliar body. If it really wasn¡¯t some kind of hallucination¡­¡­ according to contemporary understandings, he had transmigrated. Although he wasn¡¯t engrossed in webnovels himself, he had a sister who liked to read all kinds of webnovels, so he knew a passing thing or two about popular tropes. Apparently, protagonists often had hacks in the way of something like a System, so he arbitrarily made a blind guess. If there really was a System, it would save himself a lot of trouble. He had always been a highly accepting, ¡°go with the flow¡± kind of person. Seeing that its host was already listening respectfully, it fell silent for a moment, swallowing the words it had prepared for explaining the current situation, and began diligently answering the question. ¡¾ System: This world is evolved from the world of a novel. Because an important character of this world unexpectedly died, you are needed to continue playing the role of this character. You will have to follow the script to complete the main plot line until the end of the novel, when this world will be able to operate autonomously. ¡¿ Fang Li nodded. So it turned out to be book transmigration. ¡°Not interested,¡± he said. ¡¾ The System¡¯s voice had no inflection: ¡­¡­. You can refuse, but you¡¯ve already died. If you refuse, you¡¯ll return to being dead. ¡¿ Fang Li laughed lightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know, I committed suicide?¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ How would I know that?! The System was choked into silence for half a day. ¡°How about this,¡± Fang Li paused, saying with understanding, ¡°Tell me first what kind of world this is, and I¡¯ll consider one more time whether to accept this mission.¡± The System hadn¡¯t yet figured out how to convince the host, so seeing him give some leeway, it hastily imparted the script to him, hoping that the host would change his mind. In the effort that it took to blink, a script appeared in Fang Li¡¯s mind, as if he had read it himself. After a moment, he sank into silence with a complicated expression. This kind of trashy, terrifying, dog-blooded Gary Stu novel¡ªit really was his first time reading one. This world was a cultivation world1 , and the protagonist shou was named Xie Huai. As this world¡¯s only protagonist, the son of destiny, Xie Huai was a bona fide Adonis. Everyone in the book, whether they were men or women, righteous or evil, fell in love with him. As long as they were a character with a name or some charisma, if they weren¡¯t already in love with him, they were on the way there. As the book¡¯s main villain, the demon lord Yan Sui was of course no exception. He forcibly seized Xie Huai to bring him back, and although at first it wasn¡¯t sincere, after hundreds of thousands of words of senseless entanglements, moved first by the body then by the heart, he was finally conquered by Xie Huai¡¯s perfection and unyielding. He fell deeply in love, submitting to his every wish, allowing him to take whatever he pleased, only hating that he couldn¡¯t dig out his very heart to present. Alas, Xie Huai was cold and unmovable, never falling in love with anyone, his heart dedicated only to eradicating evil and defending justice¡­¡­ After experiencing innumerable torment, he slayed the demon lord with his very own hand, quelling the demonic calamity, and finally become number one under the heavens. But no matter how those admirers advanced wave after wave, up to the end of the story, Xie Huai never accepted a single person. The only one who had a chance to partake was the demon lord, and he ended up with a blade through the heart. Fang Li suspected Xie Huai was straight. Looking at the script, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The author didn¡¯t stint on heaping all sorts of beautiful descriptions onto Xie Huai¡ªcold and clear, peerless, lofty and aloof, unyielding¡­¡­ He was single-handedly devoted to the Dao, upholding justice, his will resolute, preferring to break before he would bend. As the current cultivation world¡¯s greatest prodigy, he should have been resplendent like the stars for all his life, admired and looked up to by all the world¡­¡­ Yet precisely this perfect, flawless existence was seized by the demon lord and tormented in a hundred ways, persistently trying to shatter his pride to drag him into the dust and mud. Although this novel was hundreds of thousands of flowing words, the number of useful lines was actually not many. The majority of it was all sorts of manners and styles of various bed scenes, describing the torment of a proud prodigy in vivid and provocative strokes that made one¡¯s face flush. If Fang Li had read enough novels, he would have known that a brainless R-rated novel like this truly wasn¡¯t much of an oddity. The demon lord was just a domineering CEO of the olden days, but Xie Huai wasn¡¯t the average main character who had been coerced. Faced with suffering, he would neither cry nor plead; faced with others¡¯ love, he would neither smile nor accept. The only resolve in his heart was eradicating evil to defend justice. His Daoist core was impregnable. Not a single person or thing could make him waver the slightest. Finally, Xie Huai personally killed the demon lord. Once the demon lord died, Hollow Ridge was without a master, and under the Immortal Alliance¡¯s attack, their casualties rose devastatingly. The remaining demonic cultivators fled or surrendered, and peace once again returned to the world. This ending, at least, could be considered satisfying to read. It didn¡¯t forcibly have Xie Huai give himself up to the demon lord for the sake of a happy ending. Perhaps the author had a kind of interest in taking something beautiful and smashing it to pieces for others to see, but one thing never changed from start to finish¡ªXie Huai¡¯s character setting never collapsed. The Xie Huai who never fell in love with the demon lord was precisely that Xie Huai. He was cold and unfeeling, resolute and steadfast, a pursuer of the Dao who never indulged in romance. To the point that even after that kind of torment, he didn¡¯t surrender even the slightest and stayed true to himself. Fang Li felt a bit of admiration in his heart. Regardless, taking a look at the script was fine, but making him actually go and do it was wholly impossible. Right now, he wasn¡¯t any other character, but precisely that huge villain, the demon lord who inflicted a hundred kinds of torment on Xie Huai. Leaving aside how he died without an intact corpse, even his ashes were tossed away. It was truly difficult to see where the appeal of this kind of character was. Fang Li said tranquilly, ¡°I¡¯ve finished reading. You should find someone better qualified after all.¡± The System had long guessed that Fang Li might reply this way. This time, the words that it had prepared finally came into use. ¡¾ System: As long as you successfully complete the mission and finish the script, I can help you find a new body in this world. You can have an identity with freedom and continue living in this world. ¡¿ Fang Li raised his eyes and laughed, his expression indifferent to the matter of living or not. He said leisurely, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I just can¡¯t act it out.¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ The System fell silent for a long while, finally compromising with difficulty: ¡­¡­ It¡¯s not like you have to follow the script down to the letter. As long as the outline is about the same, being able to smoothly reach the ending is enough. As long as the ending remains the same as the book, you can continue living in this world, and it won¡¯t require too much acting skill. This really is a very good deal¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li asked curiously, ¡°Do I really look like I want to live very much?¡± The System was at a loss for words. It very rarely met this type of unreasonable host. Usually, as long as they were promised another chance at life, most hosts would agree. That was before even mentioning this type of preferential treatment. But even so, the host remained unmoved¡­¡­ not the slightest will to live. Really, the System wanted to switch hosts. But hosts weren¡¯t that easy to exchange. After all, a person who had just died and had a soul compatible enough with the character was actually very difficult to find. ¡¾ The System began to give into despair: But if you don¡¯t do this mission, the rest of the plot won¡¯t happen¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li smiled slightly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡± With a plot like this, reading it in a book was one thing, but if it was a living, breathing person, it would be better if it didn¡¯t happen. ¡¾ The System said numbly, ¡°But right now it¡¯s still the start of the story. This world has only just evolved, it¡¯s not stable at all. If the rest of the plot doesn¡¯t happen, everything will become chaotic and disordered, unable to operate normally. This world will quickly collapse, and everything will return to the void again¡­¡­¡± ¡¿ Fang Li¡¯s movements paused. His eyes lowered minutely, and he suddenly spoke up, ¡°But, it¡¯s not completely impossible.¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­? ¡¿ Fang Li said blandly, ¡°Although I can¡¯t promise that I¡¯ll definitely complete the mission.¡± If Fang Li had said that at the very beginning, the System would have staunchly refused, absolutely bent on persuading him, but right now, after returning from death¡¯s door, it was already overjoyed, not daring to continue discussing conditions with Fang Li in case he became unhappy and resigned. ¡¾ System: Okay, okay, okay! ¡¿ Do whatever you want, worst case everyone perishes together! Hey, the System discovered that after getting over the matter of life and death, all of its worries suddenly disappeared. Had it been infected by Fang Li so quickly¡­¡­? There was only one thing that the System didn¡¯t understand. ¡¾ System: Why did you suddenly change your mind? ¡¿ Fang Li picked up the golden wine cup on the table, stroking it lightly. The carvings on the cup were vivid and lively, heavy in his hand, the chill seeping into his palm. He stepped on the soft, thick carpet, listening attentively to the faintly audible cacophony outside¡­¡­ A truly realistic world. To have it just disappear like this would be a bit of a pity. ¡°I just suddenly thought that giving it a try is fine. After all, I wouldn¡¯t be the one to lose out¡­¡­¡± Fang Li smiled faintly. ¡¾ The System had some doubts: Really? ¡¿ ¡°What else? It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡­¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow, drawing out his words, ¡°You really thought I committed suicide? I was sick of living?¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ Isn¡¯t that what you said?! The System looked at the host¡¯s tranquil and nonchalant appearance¡­¡­ It would still rather believe that the host was seized by a momentary whim. After all, the host said himself that he couldn¡¯t promise he would complete the mission. Regardless, the fact that he was willing to try was a good start! The System was a little moved. Fang Li said blandly, ¡°But there¡¯s one condition, I want Yan Sui¡¯s memories.¡± The System immediately hesitated. ¡¾ System: You already have the original script, you know the past and the future. This is a god¡¯s eye view! Do you still need his memories? ¡¿ ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯m qualified to play this kind of character without his memories?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°If so, then you¡¯ve really overestimated me.¡± ¡¾ The System hastily said: If you¡¯re sure you need them, I can give you the memories. ¡¿ It didn¡¯t mention¡­¡­ For those who weren¡¯t strong of mind, accepting the body¡¯s original host¡¯s memories was likely to cause a clash with their own, to the point that it could cause cognitive impairments. But this was only a possibility; it was also possible that there would no effect at all. The host had finally been willing to accept the mission. The System didn¡¯t want a single mishap, so it guiltily hid the warning. Fang Li said, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡¾ System: ¡°Alright.¡± ¡¿ Accompanying the sound of the System¡¯s voice, Fang Ly only felt a sharp pain in his head. Immediately after, everything before him faded to white, and his gaze became vacant¡­¡­ After a long time, his eyes came into focus again. It seemed like nothing had changed, but a bunch of new things filled his mind. These memories weren¡¯t like a surge being poured into him, but rather like data stored in his mind¡­¡­ As long as he gave it a thought, he could read the memory he needed, as if it were his own. It was actually pretty convenient, moreover¡­¡­ it was better than the circumstances he had predicted by far. The demon lord Yan Sui was mysterious and powerful, his past unknown. Five years ago, he had risen toward the sky like a prophecy of disaster, stirring up a reign of terror across the whole world¡­¡­ A cold-blooded villain like this was bound to have unusual memories, to the point that they could be invasive to the extreme¡­¡­ If Yan Sui had been an ancient monster who had lived for hundreds of years, by comparison, his own memories would be no more than a drop in the ocean. They might even be immediately drowned out, so that he would lose his sense of self and become a demon lord with Fang Li¡¯s memories. Fang Li knew all of this, and he believed the System knew too, but purposefully hid it from him in fear that he would change his mind. But this wasn¡¯t enough to change Fang Li¡¯s decision. Since he had decided to do something, he wouldn¡¯t go in without preparation. Risk and opportunity always went hand in hand¡­¡­ Although the original book only focused on Yan Sui and Xie Huai¡¯s colorful bed affairs, just from bits and pieces, it was evident that this was an immensely dangerous world of high-level martial arts. Without Yan Sui¡¯s memories, it would be hard for him to take a single step, and even surviving past this door would be difficult. If he kept looking over his shoulder for every single thing, he wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish anything¡­¡­ Besides, if he couldn¡¯t even maintain a grasp on his own heart, it would be better to simply give up the mission right now. Fortunately, Yan Sui¡¯s memories weren¡¯t too long, only twenty-something years, similar to Fang Li¡¯s. Moreover, these memories weren¡¯t poured into him but saved in his consciousness to take as he pleased. As long as he put some care into using them and didn¡¯t allow himself to sink into Yan Sui¡¯s past, they wouldn¡¯t affect him too much. Completely within the scope of his control. ¡¾ The System probed: Host? ¡¿ Fang Li laughed, ¡°What do you want to say?¡± The System closely examined the host, finding that there weren¡¯t any changes earlier, and there were no signs of deviation. It let go of its worries for the moment, and its feeling of guilt also subsided somewhat. Evidently, these memories didn¡¯t affect the host at all¡ªit had been overthinking. ¡¾ The System reminded: You should get ready to go see Xie Huai. ¡¿ After connecting Yan Sui¡¯s memories to the script, Fang Li pondered to himself briefly, quickly understanding the situation. Cloudbank Keep gave their all in this attack, but were forced into retreat after retreat. In order to avoid more casualties, they had no choice but to activate the sect¡¯s great protective array, and the sect¡¯s disciples all withdrew into the array. The demon lord Yan Sui led the horde of demons in besieging Cloudbank Keep, leaking the news that if they were willing to hand over Yuyi-jun Xie Huai to offer to him as his plaything, he wouldn¡¯t mind sparing Cloudbank Keep their last breath. These days, the demonic cultivators hadn¡¯t rested, either. They split into groups and attacked the great protective array in turns. According to the script, Xie Huai would appear after Cloudbank Keep had been besieged for forty-nine days, when the sect was on the verge of capitulating. Today was precisely the forty-ninth day. In truth, it wasn¡¯t that Cloudbank Keep was weak. As the first of the cultivation world¡¯s five great sects, with a history of ten thousand years, Cloudbank Keep was actually extremely formidable. But no matter how strong, they were only a single sect, with no chance of standing against the hundreds of demonic sects, the tens of thousands of demonic cultivators. It was difficult for a lone tree to weather the storm¡­¡­ If the righteous sects could also unite to resist the demonic horde together, how could they fall into these dire straits? But it was a pity, that few people didn¡¯t fear death. For an entire forty-nine days, not a single sect arrived to provide support, leaving Cloudbank Keep to face annihilation alone. Human nature was weak, that was all. Fang Li let out an extremely light scoff. He stood up from the divan, black robes embroidered with dark patterns dragging along the floor. The system looked at Fang Li. Today would be the first time that he and the protagonist shou Xie Huai would meet. But at that moment, it only saw Fang Li stretch out his hand to beckon. The cup on the ground flew back into his hand, and he leisurely sat down again. ¡¾ System: ??? ¡¿ Host, weren¡¯t you going to see Xie Huai? ¡°If Xie Huai had appeared, someone would have reported it to me already. Why would I personally go out to wait for him?¡± Fang Li¡¯s manner was languid. He laughed softly, then said meaningfully, ¡°Besides, this lord has more important matters right now.¡± Although it was trumpeted that he wanted to acquire Xie Huai as a plaything, whether Xie Huai came or not wasn¡¯t actually important at all. Yan Sui¡¯s purpose in leading the demonic horde to besiege Cloudbank Keep wasn¡¯t Xie Huai, but to humiliate the righteous cultivation sects. As the strongest sect with the longest history, Cloudbank Keep had great prestige in this world, and it could not be a more suitable target for whetting his blade¡­¡­ If they were forced to hand over Xie Huai, that would be a huge slap in the face to the entire cultivation world. At this moment, everything happening here was being closely observed¡­¡­ Imagining the expressions on the faces of those cultivation sects cowering in their shells as they pretending to be unaware¡­ It must be quite the sight. Using this chance to capture Xie Huai was nothing more than an added benefit. Since the original host didn¡¯t even pay it any mind, Fang Li naturally did so even less. The System was bewildered. Wasn¡¯t following the script the most important matter? There was something more important than that? How come it didn¡¯t know? At that moment, the black symbol on the doorway glistened. Fang Li waved his hand, and the door opened. Following a servant¡¯s guidance, a man walked in deferentially. The man¡¯s long black hair was tied behind his head, and he had a pair of dark red eyes with vertical pupils flashing with eerie light atop his handsome, feminine face. He wore long, deep purple robes, and a whip covered in black scales coiled around his waist. He bowed respectfully, speaking in a hoarse voice, ¡°Your Excellency, today is already the forty-ninth day. Cloudbank Keep¡¯s great protective array is about to collapse. Should we initiate an all-out attack?¡± This was the demon lord Yan Sui¡¯s most trust right-hand man, his Right Emissary Wu Yimei, and also the vicious cannon fodder who caused Xie Huai the most suffering in the original story. That Xie Huai met with so much misfortune was not without Wu Yimei¡¯s encouragement. This person was a crafty and insidious, fierce and ruthless devil, and also Yan Sui¡¯s most capable henchman¡­¡­ An abusive dog-blood melodrama naturally couldn¡¯t go without a character like Wu Yimei to push the plot along, Fang Li remarked. It was just, recalling the plot, if he had been like the other characters and had fallen in love with Xie Huai instead of single-mindedly acting as a vicious cannon fodder, he might not have died. Fang Li retracted his gaze blandly. Instead of replying, he lowered his eyes and poured a cup of wine. The liquid was clear and translucent, the fragrance of wine permeating¡­ Rather than answering Wu Yimei¡¯s question, he looked at the servant whose head was lowered in the corner of the room, and he laughed slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve served this lord for quite some time, and you¡¯ve always received this lord¡¯s trust. Why don¡¯t I reward this cup of wine to you?¡± The black-clothed servant suddenly raised his eyes, a bizarre, cold light flashing in them. Then, the orifices of his face began to leak blood, and he topped straight onto the ground, devoid of life in just a split second. Wu Yimei startled, then quickly understood and approached, his gaze sweeping across the servant¡¯s corpse. In a heavy voice, he said, ¡°To think that he dared to poison Your Excellency?! Why did Your Excellency not leave him alive¡ªthis subordinate would definitely interrogate him to find out the true instigator!¡± The Soul-Refining Tower was one of the demon lord¡¯s spiritual devices, and each and every corner inside the tower was part of his domain. If His Excellency did not will it, this person couldn¡¯t possibly have had the chance to avoid interrogation by committing suicide. Even if it was through extracting his soul, he could have extracted the name of the person behind the scenes. Only, His Excellency simply stood by as this person died in front of him¡­¡­ It couldn¡¯t be that¡­¡­ Fang Li softly put down the cup and smiled at Wu Yimei. ¡°No harm, this lord is well aware.¡± He didn¡¯t have any hobbies of extracting souls or torturing people, nor did he want to personally kill someone and dirty his hands. Since this person was willing to conclude things on his own, there was no need to shed tears over a malicious demonic cultivator who had turned his back on his master to seek personal gain. Fang Li wouldn¡¯t go so far as to show sympathy for this kind of person¡ªletting him die an easy death was magnanimous enough. Otherwise, if left to Wu Yimei, this person would really know the meaning of ¡°a fate worse than death.¡± Death, was also a type of luxury¡­¡­ Moreover, strictly speaking, Yan Sui died precisely at this person¡¯s hands. A life for a life could not be more fair. ¡¾ On the other hand, the System was shocked: What on earth is this about?! ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: You didn¡¯t hear what Wu Yimei said just now? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ It was really too astonished just now. It hadn¡¯t expected a person to die just like that, and in a moment of panic, it even forgot that there were others still present and started asking questions. Luckily the host was quick-witter and knew to respond in his mind, or else it would really have been bad¡­¡­ ¡¾ System: I heard, it was just unexpected¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: I¡¯m even more surprised. Is that to say, you never thought about how Yan Sui died? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: I can only follow the script if I¡¯m alive. ¡¿ Fang Li tapped his finger gently on the table. As someone who had read the whole book, he was more or less clear on who the instigator behind the scenes was, so there was no need to leave the servant alive to interrogate. Or rather, he couldn¡¯t afford to leave him alive. All of this was an accident. Although this Soul-Parting Venom was a rare poison, it shouldn¡¯t have been fatal to Yan Sui. It was only by chance that it happened just when Yan Sui was beset by heart demons, allowing the poison to send him into qi deviation. It could be said that Yan Sui¡¯s death was a coincidence of fate with an exceedingly low probability, and this scene was never written in the book. In the end, was it because this shouldn¡¯t have happened¡­¡­ or that it did happen, but Yan Sui didn¡¯t die, and simply took care of it in passing? After evolving into a complete and all-encompassing world, the original script of a brainless R-rated novel that only focused on papapa became, to the contrary, little more than the tip of the iceberg. With the limited information at hand, Fang Li was currently unable to get to the bottom of what happened. But on the other hand, he knew that he couldn¡¯t afford to get to the bottom of things. First, because the instigator was an important character, and he needed to leave him there to properly follow the script. Second, the number of demonic cultivators who wanted to kill him were countless, each and every one harboring their own schemes. If he went at it too earnestly, wouldn¡¯t he have no subordinates left? But he also couldn¡¯t leave it alone and act as if nothing had happened. He had just suffered a qi deviation and come back from death, and he was at his weakest point. He couldn¡¯t display the slightest hint of weakness, or his enemy would absolutely seize the opportunity to tear him to shreds and devour his flesh and bones¡­¡­ So he pressured the servant to terminate himself, leaving room to both advance and retreat. Without having to confront the real instigator, he furtively struck a blow to his opponent, so that they would be filled with apprehension, worrying whether they¡¯d revealed themselves and whether he intended settle the score¡­¡­ At least, for the time being, they wouldn¡¯t dare to make trouble for him. Wu Yimei waited quietly at one side. Survival of the fittest was the norm among demonic cultivators, and although the demonic horde was cowed by the demon lord¡¯s might and didn¡¯t dare resist, if given the slightest opportunity, all of them would want to eliminate His Excellency and take his place¡­¡­ For His Excellency to behave this way in front of himself, could it be that it was to make an example out of this? Wu Yimei¡¯s expression sank. He got down on one knee and said, word by word, ¡°This subordinate would never betray Your Excellency.¡± Fang Li¡¯s attention returned to the present, and he saw Wu Yimei¡¯s grave and solemn manner. Having read the whole book, he couldn¡¯t doubt those words less. Thinking that Wu Yimei was really overthinking things, he couldn¡¯t help but lift the corner of his mouth, and he gave a soft, rueful laugh. ¡°This lord believes you.¡± Because in those very last moments, the only person who stayed on Hollow Ridge to accompany him to his death, was this vicious cannon fodder character. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. TL Notes 1 The author does actually give the world a formal name, ÁéÏɽç, but I feel like it¡¯s clunky to use in translation and doesn¡¯t really matter for plot, so I¡¯m omitting it. * Cloudbank Keep ¨C ÔƼäãÚ, ¡°ãÚ¡± refers to the watchtowers at palace gates, so this name is something like ¡°watchtower betwen the clouds.¡± I think it¡¯s a really nice encapsulation of their sect being staunch protectors, the first and last line of defense to uphold justice, so I tried going for a word with that kind of feeling * Yuyi-jun ¨C ÓñÒǾý Xie Huai¡¯s epithet, roughly, this is something like, ¡°lord with the bearing of jade¡± CH 2 November 8th, 2022 The last time that Cloudbank Keep¡¯s great protective array was activated had to be traced back to four thousand years ago, when it defended against earth-shaking calamities and rivers of fire that made the entire world tremble. The core of the array was set in Wenxian Hall atop Lingyun Peak, maintained by elders of Soul Formation stage and above in turns. The huge array required several hundreds of spirit stones a day, and despite Cloudbank Keep¡¯s long heritage and abundant knowledge, by the forty-ninth day, even their persistence was stretched to its limit. Thousands of Foundation Building-level disciples silently sat cross-legged outside of Wenxian Hall, expressions solemn. Although their cultivation levels weren¡¯t high enough to operate the great array, at the very last moment, they could still burn out their own cultivation in place of spirit stones to provide the array with spiritual energy. Suddenly, the curtain of light in the sky began to flicker, signifying another attack. The demonic cultivators¡¯ continuous attacks on the array would cause it consume more and more energy. By now, the great array¡¯s light was becoming ever fainter. It looked like¡­¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be able to hold up past today. Xie Huai walked out of Wenxian Hall with slow steps. He raised his head, seeing the curtain of light in the sky fade, as if about to dissipate at any second. Seeing him exit, the disciples keeping watch outside all had reverent expressions on their faces, respectfully greeting, ¡°Elder Sect Brother Xie.¡± As the most senior of this generation of Cloudbank Keep disciples, Xie Huai was an elder sect brother to them all. Despite his young age, his cultivation level was already at Soul Formation, which was why he had the qualifications to enter Wenxian Hall to assist the elders in operating the array whereas they could only stand guard outside¡­¡­ But, even if they didn¡¯t have Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation level or talent and couldn¡¯t help out much, they wouldn¡¯t sully Cloudbank Keep¡¯s name by begging for their lives with tails between their legs. They would stand against the demonic cultivators to the death. Xie Huai looked around at all of the young faces, each and every one revealing a staunch determination to struggle to the end. Even the little sect brothers and sisters who were the most mischievous on a normal day sat upright and stern at this moment, swords gripped tightly in their hands as they faced this crisis of life and death. Not a single one thought to flee, and not a single person¡­¡­ had thought about handing him over to plead for their lives. That¡¯s right, on the first day that Yunxian Keep was besieged, the demon lord had sent someone to relay that if they offered up Xie Huai to the demon lord, they would spare Cloudbank Keep their lives. These outrageous words were doubtlessly an insult to all of Cloudbank Keep. If a dignified righteous sect relied on handing over a disciple to cling to life, they would only become a laughingstock of the entire world with no footing to stand on. At that time, everyone had been incensed, and a bloody battle had been hard to avoid. By now, forty-nine days had passed. Day by day death approached ever closer, day by day their despair grew heavier¡­¡­ yet still, no one gave in. This was the style of Cloudbank Keep¡ªto sooner perish where they stand than to bow their heads to the demonic path. Xie Huai¡¯s footsteps grew heavier as he made his way down the stairs step by step. As he was about to pass by, a hand pulled at the corner of his robes. It was his younger sect brother, Tao Lu. The boy blinked at him, saying, ¡°Elder Sect Brother, you have to live on.¡± This child was normally the most mischievous, often wriggling out of cultivation practice and getting no less than his fair share of his master¡¯s scolding, but right now he was sitting here docilely¡­¡­ Xie Huai slowly asked, ¡°Why?¡± Seeing that no one was paying attention, Tao Lu gave an impish expression, grinning to reveal his cute canine teeth, and whispered, ¡°Elder Sect Brother, you¡¯re the youngest Soul Formation cultivator in the world. Everyone says that you¡¯re a prodigy, the only person in a few thousand years with a hope of reaching Dao Unity. You¡¯re not like the rest of us¡­¡­ So you have to live on, this way, you can get revenge for us.¡± At this, his eyes sparkled, and he was just a breath away from gesturing animatedly, as if he were rampaging on the battlefield, ¡°When that day comes, destroy those demonic cultivators until they¡¯re crying for mommy and daddy, let¡¯s see if they still have the guts to run wild like this!¡± Xie Huai felt a lump in his throat. Tao Lu was afraid of holding him up from important business, so he quickly let go as soon as he was done speaking. He scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°Usually, you¡¯re the one standing in front of us, Elder Sect Brother. This time, it¡¯s our turn to protect you for once!¡± Xie Huai slowly extended his head, rubbing the boy¡¯s head, and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You¡¯re still young, don¡¯t think too much.¡± He turned around, not lingering any longer, and descended from the peak. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Elder Ming Yin was the current sect leader of Cloudbank Keep, one of the few Void Refining-level masters in the world, and a personage of virtue and prestige. Only, recently, he was getting advanced in his years, yet he was still stuck at the peak of Void Refining, unable to breakthrough. Thus, he usually remained in closed door cultivation year-round, and if not for the level of crisis they were suffering¡­¡­ he wouldn¡¯t have come out to deal with the demonic calamity, either. But unfortunately¡­¡­ The white-haired elder sat cross legged, his face wan, his expression feeble, clearly having suffered heavy injury. He slowly opened his eyes, his voice aged. ¡°Huai¡¯r, you¡¯re here.¡± Xie Huai stepped forward respectfully and saluted, ¡°Master.¡± Xie Huai observed the elder¡¯s weak appearance, his heart sinking even deeper. His master had personally gone out to do battle, yet still hadn¡¯t been a match for that demon. Furthermore, his master had been stuck at the Void Refining stage for over a hundred years, the chances of a breakthrough already low. This time, he¡¯d fundamentally injured his health, and he might never have a hope of advancing again¡­¡­ With heavy eyes, Xie Huai said, word by word, ¡°Master, is that demon at the Dao Unity stage?¡± The stage after Void Refining was Dao Unity. Cultivators who had achieved it had completely merged their body and spirit, and their lifespan was nearly infinite. They could draw on the energy of heaven and earth and shatter the void, which is why they were referred to as true immortals. And this world¡­¡­ ever since the last true immortal fell at the beginning of the era, there had not been another in the past thousands of years. If that demon had truly reached that level, not only Cloudbank Keep, but the entire world would be in crisis. Elder Ming Yin shook his head. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be. If he were really at Dao Unity, even the great protective array couldn¡¯t stop him¡­¡­¡± But exactly what stage he was at, Ming Yin was unclear of. Xie Huai¡¯s expression was grave. As long as it wasn¡¯t Dao Unity, there was hope of resistance¡­¡­ Besides, even it was, so what? As long as he was alive, there was fated to be a day that he would take that demon¡¯s head and return peace to the world. Elder Ming Yin sighed softly. Five years ago, that demon took the world by storm, uniting the demonic path with cruel and violent methods until that horde of demons dared not disobey¡­¡­ The rest of the world, at that time, had yet to realize that this was the beginning of calamity. No one knew his origins, and no one knew his cultivation level. They only knew that he was strong, as of yet undefeated, and that all who opposed him would be mercilessly slaughtered. After uniting the demonic cultivators, the demon lord Yan Sui quickly began to expand his influence, wantonly pillaging and plundering resources, his underlings preying on the common folk¡­¡­ Not too long ago, some Cloudbank Keep disciples were traveling away from the mountain, and in order to protect the local residents, they broke out in a clash with a couple of demonic cultivators, not realizing it would lead to the present disaster. To mobilize such a massive force, aiming to exterminate an entire sect, just for the sake of a few sparks¡­¡­ The demon¡¯s actions were unbridled to the extreme, lacking the slightest bit of rationality. Perhaps, the idea was to make an example out of them. While the righteous sects remained scattered like loose sand, without any way to resist. After bloody battle, Cloudbank Keep had no choice but to retreat inside the sect and activate their great protective array. On the day that they were surrounded, Elder Ming Yin sent word to each of the great sects, but to this day, they had received sparse few replies. And despite those sects they were close with saying that they would rush to their aid, after a full forty-nine days, they had yet to see a single one arrive. Elder Ming Yin gave a bitter laugh. After all, with tens of thousands of demonic cultivators gathered here, what sect would dare to come? Perhaps even before they were able to rescue them, they would be annihilated by the demonic horde themselves. Even a righteous cultivator was, in the end, human, and it was human to squabble about gains and losses¡­¡­ But even if it was understandable, in the end, it was a little disappointing. If the righteous sects couldn¡¯t unite¡ªCloudbank Keep¡¯s fate today would be theirs tomorrow. Elder Ming Yin fixed his gaze on the young man in front of him, his expression fond and unwilling to part¡­¡­ by now, they were at the end of their rope, and it was time to make a final decision. Xie Huai was the disciple he had the highest hope for. He had an innate Dao physique and the highest talent for insight. At just twenty, he had reached Soul Formation, and he was a rare prodigy come once in a thousand years. Ming Yin¡¯s path stopped here, but Xie Huai¡¯s future was boundless, and even reaching Dao Unity wasn¡¯t impossible. Only if Xie Huai was alive would Cloudbank Keep¡¯s legacy be carried forward. Elder Ming Yin slowly opened his mouth to speak. ¡°The moment the array shatters, this master will personally engage in battle¡ª¡± Xie Huai¡¯s brow creased. ¡°Master, your wound has yet to heal¡­¡­¡± Elder Ming Yin laughed lightly, cutting off his words. ¡°This master will self-destruct his primordial spirit. This will certainly hinder that demon for a while, and you¡ªcan take the opportunity to leave.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Master¡ª¡± Elder Ming Yin¡¯s expression became grave, and his tone was sincere. ¡°You are Cloudbank Keep¡¯s last hope. This master does not wish for Cloudbank Keep¡¯s legacy to end here, do you understand?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s hands clenched at his sides, his jaw rigid. How could he not understand his master¡¯s thoughts? They all wanted to entrust their hopes to him, to sacrifice themselves to give him a chance to survive, hoping that he would carry on the legacy of Cloudbank Keep and take revenge for them someday. Except, there was no way he could accept this kind of ending. Xie Huai finally made up his resolve. He suddenly laughed softly, his gaze sharp as a blade. ¡°It hasn¡¯t come to that yet. We still have another option, don¡¯t you remember?¡± Elder Ming Yin stared blankly for a moment, then immediately understood his meaning and angrily rebuked, ¡°Nonsense, I forbid it!¡± Xie Huai said calmly, ¡°The demon lord said, with just my one person, he can spare Cloudbank Keep.¡± Elder Ming Yin scowled, ¡°How can that demon¡¯s words be trusted by half?! Those words were meant to humiliate us, nothing more. If you truly go, only death awaits you!¡± It wasn¡¯t that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t thought of this, but¡­¡­ He opened his mouth slowly, ¡°But there¡¯s also a chance that he will truly withdraw his troops and leave¡­¡­ For one, with the whole world watching, going back on his word would also damage his reputation. This time, his goal is only to make an example out of us, to let the cultivation world know the consequences of disobeying him. He holds no deep grudges against Cloudbank Keep, so as long he is given an excuse to leave, he has no need to completely eradicate us. The demonic cultivators have also suffered heavy losses, and many already harbor discontent but are merely too scared to speak¡­¡­ Since he has taken up this position of demon lord, then regardless of how tyrannical he is, he still has to consider the thoughts of his subordinates. To go too far is no better than not far enough. As long as we agree to his demands¡­¡­ the chances that he will take the opportunity to withdraw is high.¡± Xie Huai laid out his reasoning bit by bit, calmly and rationally, as if the topic had nothing to do with giving himself up to become a plaything. Elder Ming Yin¡¯s expression was sorrowful. This was the disciple he was most proud of, with innate talent, exceptional perception, a staunch Daoist heart, and the most rational, level-headed temperament¡­¡­ He should have been pressing forward on the road to seeking immortality, but instead, he was faced with this kind of choice. He had watched Xie Huai grow up. Elder Ming Yin couldn¡¯t bear it, saying, ¡°Do you know what will happen to you if you go with that demon?¡± Each and every person knew of the demon lord¡¯s viciousness. He was afraid that by then, even death would be a luxury. Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°Cloudbank Keep¡¯s legacy should not be left to me alone. Master and the other elders, my sect brothers and sisters¡­¡­ all of you are Cloudbank Keep¡¯s legacy, its future¡­¡­ If there was clearly another possibility, yet I had you sacrifice yourselves so that I could cling to life, it would hinder my Daoist heart. I¡¯m afraid that I would never again breakthrough in this life, and I would betray Master¡¯s expectations.¡± These words left Elder Ming Yin with no way to respond. Cultivators placed the greatest importance on their Daoist hearts, and with Xie Huai¡¯s pride, his would never permit a single blemish¡­¡­ He had obviously resolved not to allow his fellow sect members to die a miserable death for his sake. ¡°Only by living is there hope. Cloudbank Keep has thousands of disciples, and their lives should not end here.¡± Xie Huai said word by word, ¡°Besides, if I go to that demon¡¯s side, I¡¯ll have the opportunity to kill him. Right now, this is our best option.¡± By sacrificing one, they could save the entire sect. As long as there was a shred of possibility, they couldn¡¯t not try. Elder Ming Yin sank into silence for a long time, then said, ¡°What if that demon refuses to keep his promise¡­¡­?¡± Xie Huai smiled, the corners of his lips turning up, his gaze sharp, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Master to cover me for a while. I will be sure to cut a bloody path to escape, and get revenge for all of you in the future.¡± Elder Ming Yin had no more words to argue with. His eyes were filled with tears, his expression mournful and overwhelmed. This was his most beloved disciple, whom he had watched grow up as if he were his own child, whom he had entrusted his highest hopes to. But in the end, Xie Huai was not the only one in Cloudbank Keep¡ªthere were many, many others, and he had no way to refuse Xie Huai¡¯s suggestion¡­¡­ Only by enduring this temporary humiliation was there hope. Elder Ming Yin sighed deeply, then slowly spit out a single word, ¡°Fine.¡± Xie Huai smiled in relief. He arranged his robes to bow deeply to Elder Ming Yun, then raised his head to say, ¡°This disciple has one last request.¡± With this departure, Xie Huai would be hard-pressed to keep his life. Elder Ming Yin was filled with tears as he said, ¡°Speak, this master will agree to anything.¡± Xie Huai said slowly, ¡°If I go with the demons, I hope Master will expel me from the sect. From then on, all of my actions, my honor and disgrace, will have nothing to do with Cloudbank Keep.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. In front of the main gates of Cloudbank Keep, a flock of demonic cultivators were in the midst of attacking the great protective array. At their head was a demonic cultivator wearing black armor, his stature heavy, his skin like copper, his muscles winding. In his hands was a blade, and behind him, hundreds of demonic cultivators were linked in an array, concentrating all of their cultivation onto him. He struck blow after blow, the light of the great array flickering ceaselessly! As the demonic cultivator hacked away, he sneered, saying in a clear voice, ¡°As long as you hand over Yuyi-jun and please His Excellency, he¡¯ll spare your lives. Why so stubborn!¡± A few Cloudbank Keep disciples sat inside guarding the array, their expressions unchanged as they looked coldly at the demonic cultivators outside. The demonic cultivator laughed and laughed, his tone becoming more and more suggestive, taking on an salacious tone as he said, ¡°Look at all of your deathly faces. You really don¡¯t know a thing¡ªyou should be rejoicing! You¡¯re lucky your Cloudbank Keep has famous peerless beauty like this. If it were some ordinary person, His Excellency couldn¡¯t even be bothered. This is your good fortune, you really don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you¡­¡± As for those disciples, although they¡¯d heard their fair share of provocative filth over the past period, every time they heard them, they were still angered beyond restraint. Elder Sect Brother Xie Huai was someone they all admired, Cloudbank Keep¡¯s¡­¡­ No, the world¡¯s number one prodigy! Not only was he this generation¡¯s outstanding talent in terms of cultivation, even his looks were matchless. Such a noble, halcyon existence¡ªhe was Cloudbank Keep¡¯s pride¡­¡­. Yet these demonic cultivators were speaking of him as if he were someone who serviced others with his charm. They only hated that they couldn¡¯t rush forward and stake their very lives! Today was the forty-ninth day, and the great array was clearly unable to endure much longer. The furious disciples took a deep breath and tightly gripped their swords. Nobody was going to come. Even if they all died here today, it was no more than that. Sitting like a turtle in its shell¡ªthey¡¯d had enough of that! They stood up one by one, and just as they were about to fight to the death, they heard the sound of movement. Turning their heads to look, they stared blankly. ¡°Elder Sect Brother Xie, why did you come out here?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Inside the Soul-Refining Tower, Fang Li laughed, ¡°This lord believes you.¡± Then he stretched out his hand and gestured upwards, supporting Wu Yimei to rise. Wu Yimei¡¯s gaze swept over the pale, ashen face of the man in front of them, then quickly lowered his eyes respectfully, suppressing the odd emotion that had unexpectedly bubbled up in his chest in that split second. His Excellency was always cold, ruthless, and sparse with words, and no one knew his thoughts. Although Wu Yimei had been granted the position of Right Emissary, he¡¯d never seemed to have been trusted much. Sometimes, Wu Yimei even thought that this person didn¡¯t know how to trust anyone, that he existed alone in his own world. Even if Wu Yimei had followed him for ten years, accompanying him as they walked out of that sea of blood and mountain of corpses¡­¡­ This person had never treated him any differently, would never reveal a hint of truth to him. But today, His Excellency not only explained his actions to him, but even smiled at him and told him that he trusted him. For once, Wu Yimei was at a bit of a loss. Fang Li instructed blandly, ¡°Have this cleaned up a bit.¡± Sweeping his eyes over the the carpet soaked all over with fresh blood, Fang Li thought, this carpet would have to be thrown out. Just then, they heard an announcement from outside saying that Xie Huai had come out. Fang Li raised his eyebrows slightly. He stood up slowly and leisurely, smiling as he said, ¡°Come take a look with this lord.¡± Wu Yimei immediately said, ¡°Understood.¡± With just a thought, Fang Li and Wu Yimei both appeared outside the tower. As soon as he emerged, their surroundings immediately fell silent. Amidst the solemn hush, the dark, dense mass of demonic cultivators parted like the tide, opening up a path for him. It was an exceedingly magnificent sight. Fang Li ambled between them, his long black robe dragging along the ground¡­¡­ Absent-mindedly, he thought that he¡¯d just acquired an absolute mess, and at this moment he was at his most vulnerable. If any demonic cultivator were to suddenly attack, the probability of killing him was high¡­¡­ His line of sight swept carelessly past each side. The demonic cultivators in both directions were all bowing with their heads lowered, retreating away from him one by one. It was really a pity. It seemed like none of of these demonic cultivators had that kind of courage, truly missing out on this prime opportunity to kill him. Fang Li hooked up the corner of his lips, finally passing through the demonic horde and arriving in front of Cloudbank Keep¡¯s main gate. He raised his head, spotting the white-robed man holding a sword in one hand in a single glance. At this, he finally startled slightly, a bit dazed. Cultivators¡¯ outer robes were usually spiritual tools, coming with the ability to repel uncleanliness. To be untouched by dust and mud was their normal state¡­¡­ but at this moment, the man¡¯s white robes were drenched in blood. Only if the spiritual tool had been damaged, and he hadn¡¯t had any spare time to mend it or change, would he be tainted with blood¡­¡­ It should have been a sorry sight, but on this man, it looked like a clean, snowy-white canvas splashed with thick and vivid pigments, like a lofty, unreachable deity revealing a trace of desperate yet enticing beauty. Even with his white robes soaked in blood, positioned amidst the spectating demonic horde, he remained placid. Even those demonic cultivators who had been arrogant and unbridled had stern expressions at this moment, surrounding him firmly, not daring a moment of inattention. As if he was the dangerous one. Placed in dire straits, yet still striking fear in his enemies¡ªonly blood and slaughter could accomplish this. After waking up, Fang Li had been busy with absorbing the script, then with handling the traitor, then with Wu Yimei¡­¡­ he hadn¡¯t had time to give Xie Huai¡¯s matter extra thought, only thinking of casually following the script and bringing him back first, then figuring the rest out later¡­¡­ Looking at it now, this person that everyone longed for and was conquered by, who made countless people wholeheartedly admire him, truly had his remarkable traits. Yuyi-jun, Snow Blue1 sword. One man, one sword, standing alone apart from the world. At this moment Fang Li thought, that Yan Sui would fall in love with him was not for nothing. After all, treating a person based on appearances was a common ailment of mortals, and Yan Sui was still a mortal. It could not be more understandable. Fang Li had originally agreed to the System with a half-hearted attitude, but he hadn¡¯t actually had much interest in doing this mission. But if it was accompanying this stunning beauty¡­¡­ With a co-worker this pleasing to the eyes, it looked like the task wouldn¡¯t be a bore. Doing it wasn¡¯t out of the question. ¡°This one came here today with only one question. Your Excellency¡¯s words from before, do they still hold true?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s tone was neither base nor arrogant, his expression cold and indifferent, his gaze tranquil without a ripple as he looked at Fang Li. Fang Li¡¯s attention returned, and he nodded. ¡°Naturally.¡± Without even mentioning the fact that he wouldn¡¯t do something like slaughter innocents, even the original Yan Sui hadn¡¯t intended on total extermination. Although the sword cultivators of Cloudbank Keep were rigid and inflexible, they were still straightforward and upright and meant what they said¡ªa bunch of cultivation addicts who dreamed about exterminating demons to uphold justice and traveling the world to save people¡­¡­ unlike those sanctimonious, two-faced sects full of hypocrites. There was really no joy to speak of in killing these kinds of people. Demanding Xie Huai was a slap in the face to the righteous sects. The goal of establishing his might had already been achieved. Xie Huai did not evade, meeting Fang Li¡¯s eyes directly¡­¡­ After a short while, he suddenly flipped his hand and sheathed his sword, saying in a clear voice, ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll trust Your Excellency.¡± At that, he was about to step forward. The Cloudbank Keep disciples behind him all had mournful expressions, urging in succession, ¡°Elder Sect Brother, please reconsider!¡± Xie Huai turned back to look at them, smiling faintly, saying, ¡°All of you, go back.¡± Though his tone wasn¡¯t strict, at a single glance, all of the disciples no longer dared to speak, though the rims of each of their eyes were red. In the end, they only clenched their teeth and no longer came forward. Xie Huai¡¯s one sentence intimidated the entire crowd. Immediately after, he flicked his wrist, placing the sword on his back, then walked toward Fang Li step by step. The cold man was calm and unhurried as he walked through the horde of demons, his expression as tranquil as when taking a stroll, as if he wasn¡¯t on his way to become someone¡¯s plaything, but to attend a banquet as an honored guest. Fang Li narrowed his eyes. That Xie Huai could subdue his fellow sect members saved himself some trouble. After all, at this point, there was no point in further spilling blood. Only¡­¡­ He watched as Xie Huai was about to arrive just in front of him. Wu Yimei suddenly stepped forward, blocking his path. His red eyes were cold and sharp, his face emotionless as he enunciated: ¡°Hand over your spiritual sword.¡± Fang Li looked at Wu Yimei with a glance full of praise. No wonder Yan Sui kept him at his side. At this point, he was temporarily unable to use his cultivation. If Xie Huai approached him with sword in hand, he had no doubt that Xie Huai would give it a shot, to see if he could pierce him in one go. But if he had to personally order something so trivial as confiscating a prisoner¡¯s spiritual weapon, wouldn¡¯t that be cramping the style of a demon lord? There would also be those who would suspect that there was something wrong with him right now, or else what need was there to concern himself over a captive¡­¡­? At times like these, the importance of having a considerate subordinate was self-evident. Xie Huai¡¯s gaze swept past the gloomy, red-eyed man. This had to be the demon lord¡¯s trusted aide and underling, Wu Yimei. As a sword cultivator, handing over one¡¯s spiritual weapon was equivalent to handling over one¡¯s lifeline, to allowing others to trample over you¡­¡­ But these were all within Xie Huai¡¯s expectations. It looked like he could only look for another opportunity. Xie Huai¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he gave his sword to Wu Yimei. Then he calmly retracted his gaze and looked toward Fang Li, the corners of his lips turning up by the slightest degree. Truly an impressive presence. Fang Li was a little moved. In his place, he was afraid he¡¯d long have been unable to maintain Xie Huai¡¯s level of calm. After all, falling into the hands of the ¡°devil,¡± even death might be a luxury. There were those who didn¡¯t fear death, and there who those who didn¡¯t fear fate, but a fate worse than death¡­¡­ there were few who could face that with composure. Fang Li admired someone like Xie Huai from the bottom of his heart. For the sake of his staunch conviction, for sake of protecting the weak standing behind him, he could walk alone into hell. If they hadn¡¯t met in these kinds of circumstances, they could probably even become friends¡­¡­ Only, right now, he still had to follow the script. Fang Li stepped forward. The two of them were just about the same height, their gazes level. He narrowed his eyes slightly, purposefully revealing a ridiculing expression as he looked into the other¡¯s clear black eyes. With a light laugh, he said, ¡°From now on, you belong to this lord.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. TL Notes: 1 Technically, ¡°snow blue¡± is purple, but¡­ that doesn¡¯t have the same ring. * As for everyone¡¯s favorite topic, cultivation levels¡­¡­ The specifics of how they work don¡¯t really matter in this story, you just need to know which ones are higher/lower, and they are pretty genre-typical. Generally, I think the rankings will be pretty self-evident in context, but if anyone wants clarification, if I remember correctly, the relevant ones in this story are: Foundation Building Öþ»ù -> Golden Core ½ðµ¤ -> Nascent Soul ÔªÓ¤ -> Soul Formation ·ÖÉñ -> Void Refining Á¶Ðé -> Dao Unity ºÏµÀ CH 3 November 10th, 2022 TL note: After some thought, I¡¯ve switched the way I¡¯m translating a few of the names: Yunjian Keep -> Cloudbank Keep Fuqiu Mountain -> Hollow Ridge1 The previous chapters have already been edited with these changes. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Countless flying spiritual tools took to the air. Leading them was a large black ship that cast a shadow wherever it went, like a black canopy descending from the sky, causing a shudder in the hearts of those who saw it. Fang Li stood at the head of the ship. Because of the protective barrier, not a thread of his robes was rustled, unaffected by the encroachment of the freezing wind. Yan Sui had only been harmed by the Soul-Parting Venom because of a qi deviation, his soul scattering to pieces and sending the internal energy of this body into chaos. If he acted without thinking, it was highly possible that he himself would also qi deviate¡­¡­ They were fast approaching Hollow Ridge, and if he couldn¡¯t recover his cultivation soon, he¡¯d be hard-pressed to hold the initiative in front of those wild, ambitious underlings. Though, from very the start, he¡¯d never promised that he¡¯d definitely complete the mission ¡­¡­ Fang Li carelessly wondered, what kind of feeling was it to go into qi deviation? Would it be like how it was written in novels? Sinking into paradise, intoxicated by blissful illusions, forever losing sight of yourself¡­¡­ Dying in a beautiful dream could still be considered a type of blessing. Perhaps Yan Sui just didn¡¯t want to wake up from that type of dream. Though, it was a pity that whatever he had dreamed of was beyond Fang Li¡¯s knowledge. Wu Yimei stood respectfully in attendance to one side, his brows slightly pinched. He could more or less guess His Excellency¡¯s reasons for attacking Cloudbank Keep¡ªit was simply to give the righteous sects a show of strength. Cloudbank Keep was the sect with the longest history and the head of the five great sects. It held a venerated position and had always been a model for the righteous sects. Using it to send out a warning could not be more suitable¡­¡­ As for Yuyi-jun Xie Huai, as a young Soul Formation-level expert with boundless potential, he was simply incomparable to those old men waiting for death. Moreover, his martial prowess was so strong that he could contest with opponents of a greater cultivation level, and the cold steel of his blade had taken the lives of countless demonic cultivators. Even if those demonic cultivators charged forward without fear of death, taking turns to exhaust his cultivation¡­¡­ in the end, they still had to rely on His Excellency to step forward in order to injure him. Xie Huai was simply too big of a threat. An opponent like this was bound to become a thorn in his side if given time. He could not be treated lightly¡ªthe correct choice was to cut down the problem at its root. Wu Yumei had thought that His Excellency had exaggerated the matter of making Xie Huai his plaything to insult Cloudbank Keep and to destroy this potential threat in advance¡­¡­ Who could have imagined that he really seemed to have the intention of bringing Xie Huai back¡­¡­? Previously, he had never dared to evaluate His Excellency¡¯s thoughts, but confining someone like Xie Huai to his side as a plaything was simply playing with fire. Just a moment of carelessness, and it was hard to predict who would be the survivor. It couldn¡¯t be that¡­ after seeing Xie Huai in person, His Excellency was also bewitched by his appearance and had developed those sorts of intentions? Wu Yimei mulled over it, his expression solemn. Finally, he spoke, ¡°Your Excellency, this subordinate believes that we should not bring Xie Huai back.¡± Fang Li pulled back his attention and looked at the person beside him with a light laugh. ¡°Oh? Then what do you believe should be done?¡± Wu Yimei said slowly in a hoarse voice, ¡°Xie Huai will not resign himself to becoming a plaything. He will doubtlessly be waiting for a chance to strike at Your Excellency, and he cannot be underestimated. This subordinate believes that we should eliminate the problem at its root to prevent any mishaps.¡± Truly a diligent and conscientious evil cannon fodder. They had only just brought the protagonist back, and he was already urging him to kill him. Fang Li¡¯s expression was languid as he glanced sidelong at Wu Yimei, saying coolly, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be that you believe he poses a threat to this lord?¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s expression changed somewhat. Fearing that His Excellency was displeased, he quickly said, ¡°That was not this subordinate¡¯s meaning. But since Your Excellency has no intentions toward him, what need is there to leave him alive? Wouldn¡¯t killing him directly make those righteous cultivators more fearful?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°Who said this lord has no intentions?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li rested his hand on the railing, a shallow smile resting on the corners of his mouth. His tone was understated, but carried a sort of finality that forbid further questioning. ¡°This lord has already said that as of now, he¡¯s mine. Don¡¯t bring this up again.¡± He still had to carefully guard Xie Huai until Xie Huai came to kill him. Seeing that Fang Li¡¯s decision was already made, Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t touch Xie Huai¡¯s life for the time being, but he still wasn¡¯t at peace leaving someone like that by His Excellency¡¯s side. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, ¡°If Your Excellency intends to accept Xie Huai, why not destroy his cultivation? This way, when you partake of him in the future, he¡¯ll be a little more obedient.¡± Fang Li finally turned his head, his gaze fixed on Wu Yimei. In truth, he hadn¡¯t expected this to occur. In the original book, Yan Sui had indeed destroyed Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation, but it hadn¡¯t mentioned¡­¡­ that Wu Yimei¡¯s encouragement had been involved. Fang Li considered briefly, then said indifferently, ¡°If a beauty like that is all beaten up and bloody, it would ruin this lord¡¯s appetite. Just use the Soul-Sealing Pins.¡± Wu Yimei still wanted to speak, but seeing the cold look on Fang Li¡¯s face, clearly already displeased, he only uttered an ¡°Understood,¡± before bowing and retreating, probably to make preparations to personally carry out the sentence. After all, when handling Xie Huai, not a shred of negligence could be allowed. He had always been a diligent and conscientious subordinate. Only after watching Wu Yimei¡¯s figure leave did Fang Li shake his head and sigh, thinking, I know you¡¯re loyal and devoted¡­¡­ But don¡¯t you know? If you go against the main character, you won¡¯t have a good ending. ¡¾ The System anxiously said: Why did you have Wu Yimei use Soul-Sealing Pins? According to the script, you should be personally destroying his cultivation. ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: What¡¯s the purpose of destroying his cultivation? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: Getting rid of his cultivation. ¡¿ Cough, so you can do with him as you please¡­¡­ ¡¾ Fang Li: What¡¯s the purpose of Soul-Sealing Pins? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: Temporarily getting rid of his cultivation. ¡¿ Demonic sects commonly used them on captives, sealing their cultivation and spiritual energy to take away their ability to resist, so they could be used as they pleased¡­¡­ ¡¾ Fang Li: So, do you still have any questions? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ But those are two completely different things! Once a cultivator¡¯s cultivation is destroyed, it could never be recovered, completely ruining them. On the other hand, Soul-Sealing Pins only temporarily sealed their cultivation, and unsealing it was as easy as removing the pins. One was temporary, one was permanent; one was reversible, one was irreversible¡­¡­ Although, even after having his cultivation completely destroyed, Xie Huai still managed to re-cultivate. Looking at it that way, maybe there really wasn¡¯t much difference¡­¡­ ¡¾ Fang Li: This body just went through a qi deviation. I already have my hands full with that. If I really make a move in person, the first to die might be me. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Of course, I¡¯m not too concerned with whether I die or not. After all, I just died once. If you really want me to go, it¡¯s not like I couldn¡¯t¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ The System forced out a cheerful tone: It¡¯s not like that. ¡¿ Forget it, either way, it was letting him do with him as he pleased! They should be about the same, right¡­¡­? Fang Li lifted the corner of his lips and laughed, then lowered his eyes, pondering. In the original story, not only did Yan Sui personally destroy Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation, but his methods were exceedingly cruel, creating a bloody scene. Not only did he shatter Xie Huai¡¯s dantian, he also broke each of his bones inch by inch, tormenting this gifted prodigy until he was just a breath away from perishing. Treating a cultivator this way was crueler than taking his life by far. A shattered dantian, crushed bones¡ªeven a deity wouldn¡¯t have the heaven-defying ability to escape their fate. Yan Sui had wanted to completely and thoroughly destroy him. After suffering this kind of torment, most cultivators would rather simply die. Only Xie Huai¡­¡­ As the world¡¯s predestined protagonist, only he could stand back up from this desperate situation, and even climb further to unprecedented heights. Had it been anyone else, they could only remain ruined, never again fated to tread the path toward immortality. The book never mentioned exactly how Xie Huai managed to recover his cultivation, but Fang Li imagined that it must have been a road full of thorns. When he had first read the original story, he¡¯d only thought that this passage had been violence for the sake of violence, but thinking on it now, Yan Sui also had his reasons for doing so. Wu Yimei¡¯s suggestion to kill Xie Huai was not without reason. Fang Li understood clearly that eliminating a threat like this was naturally the best move. Even if Xie Huai wasn¡¯t killed, he couldn¡¯t be allowed to recover his strength. If one were arrogant enough to presume that they could toy with Xie Huai as they pleased without first completely ruining him¡­.. that would truly be the most laughable thought. That Yan Sui could deal this kind of vicious hand meant only one thing¡ªat that point, he hadn¡¯t yet become addled by love and was truly that cruel, cold-blooded devil who had united the demonic path. Only, Fang Li felt no need to go that far. He and Xie Huai had no deep grudges between them, and tormenting a respectable adversary was really unnecessary. But if he didn¡¯t do anything at all, the first to die upon returning to Hollow Ridge would be him. He was going die, but it wasn¡¯t the time for that yet, so he could only cause Xie Huai some grievance for the time being. Soul-Sealing Pins were only used to seal cultivation and wouldn¡¯t fundamentally harm him. By the time Xie Huai broke through the seal, it would be about time for Fang Li¡¯s death. Perfect timing. Although the process of events was a bit different, they were just different roads to the same destination. The day after, Fang Li arrived back at Hollow Ridge. The towering, jagged peak before them was like a solitary blade fragment embedded obliquely into the dark, crashing waves of the Fallen Star Sea. This place was rugged and steep with no natural resources, and the monsters in the Fallen Star Sea were savage and fierce. It was a remote and uninhabited natural fortress, and neither demonic nor righteous cultivators were willing to approach. Only after Yan Sui united the demonic sects and erected his doors at Hollow Ridge did it gradually start to look like a proper sect. Because it had only been a short time, the construction at Hollow Ridge couldn¡¯t be considered complete. On the way there, there had been more than a few low-level demonic cultivators improving fortifications, constructing palaces, laying down arrays, and so on. As he passed by overhead, Fang Li just happened to see a demonic cultivator accidentally trip and fall into the Fallen Star Sea. In just a split second, the cultivator was devoured clean by the demonic fish, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye. He shook his head, descending to the palace situated at the top of the mountain. Constructed with huge slabs of black rock, the palace was built much in the style of demonic cultivators. Gloomy, dark, and imposing, as soon as one stepped inside, they would feel the oppressive atmosphere bearing down. Simply standing there, the average person wouldn¡¯t be able to help but feel fear crawl up their chest. He followed his memories to make his way across the black jade-like floor. Wu Yimei trailed quietly half a step behind him, and seeing that Fang Li was about to head to the living quarters to rest, he probed, ¡°Yuyi-jun¡­¡­ How should his arrangements be made? Please instruct, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave those trivial matters up to you,¡± Fang Li said without a care. Wu Yimei agreed deferentially. The reason why Fang Li could give such an order was because the original story also went this way. Although Yan Sui brought Xie Huai back, he hadn¡¯t kept the matter in mind at this point. After destroying his cultivation, he¡¯d simply ignored him and left matters up to Wu Yimei to arrange. Wu Yimei found Xie Huai an eyesore from the start, and maintaining the principles of an evil cannon fodder character, he had placed Xie Huai in the rear garden with the other playthings in order to humiliate him. But that wasn¡¯t important. The important thing was, the next time Fang Li would see Xie Huai was still three months from now. As for how Xie Huai was doing now¡­¡­ Fang Li wasn¡¯t the least bit curious. He was here to follow the script, not to ruin it. He wasn¡¯t some pure-hearted Virgin Mary, and he wasn¡¯t planning to go around playing good Samaritan. After all, in the original story, Xie Huai had undergone much worse, but even after experiencing that kind of torment with half a foot in death¡¯s door, he still managed to tenaciously cling to life. Not only did he not seek out his own death, he¡¯d even sought out an opportunity to take Yan Sui¡¯s life. His endurance was no joke. Putting aside the fact that he hadn¡¯t been injured much and had only had his cultivation temporarily sealed, when it came to suffering a bit of measly disgrace, he must have prepared himself even before coming here. With someone as strong as Xie Huai, rather than worrying about him, it would be better to worry about himself. Fang Li casually instructed the servants by his side that he would be going into closed door cultivation for a while and not to let anyone disturb him, then closed main doors of his palace. Ever since waking up, if he wasn¡¯t surrounded by demons, he was facing off against righteous cultivators¡­¡­ He could only grit his teeth and endure, without a spare moment to closely examine his body. Now that he was finally alone, Fang Li sat down and circulated his internal energy with some difficulty, immediately spitting out a mouthful of blood. ¡¾ The System turned pale in shock: Host, what¡¯s wrong with you? ¡¿ Fang Li wiped away the blood from his lips and laughed. ¡°Being a System must be a pretty easy job, huh?¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­? ¡¿ Fang Li said meaningfully, ¡°After all, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything other than finding a host and waiting for the mission to be completed.¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li closed his eyes wearily. Looking into his dantian, this body really was in shambles. Beneath the gilded exterior was a ruined mess; although it didn¡¯t look too bad on the surface, his veins were dried up and his insides had rotted away to the point of collapse. This state¡­¡­ definitely wasn¡¯t simply due to the qi deviation, but the result of accumulated damage over a long period of time. The qi deviation had simply been the last straw. Yan Sui had been prepared to face death at any second, so his death wasn¡¯t the least bit unexpected. Actually, if he¡¯d just held on a for a few more months, he could have completed the script and gone off to die, but he just happened to bite the dust a few months too early, dragging Fang Li into this world. Fang Li slowly let out a breath. He fished out a black jade talisman from his robes, something that Yan Sui kept on his person at all times. As the conqueror of the demonic path, a monster seldom seen in a hundred thousand years, and the big villain of the original story, naturally, Yan Sui was no normal person. He¡¯d also had his providential windfalls. His windfall was precisely this black jade talisman. Although Yan Sui¡¯s innate talent was already extraordinary, no matter how talented he was, he was only in his twenties. His actual cultivation level was only at the peak of Soul Formation¡­¡­ though he was already an absolute prodigy, he still lost out to Xie Huai by a hair. With his cultivation level, he could carve out a territory for himself in this world, but when it came to conquering the entire demonic path undefeated or heavily injuring the late-stage Void Refining-level Elder Ming Yin who had lived for hundreds for years, that should undoubtedly be no more than a tall tale. Yet Yan Sui managed to do it, to do what should have been impossible¡ªprecisely because of this jade talisman. The black talisman could drain his own lifeblood to drastically increase his attack, granting him an advantage in every aspect, to the point that he could even defeat opponents above his cultivation level. To this day he remained undefeated, so much so that no one yet knew his true cultivation level. But the repercussions were also grave. This was a short-sighted method, and with the severe damage to his lifeblood, his body was like a candle burnt to a stump. At best, he could only use the jade talisman two or three more times before his life force ran dry. Even if he never used it again from this point on¡­¡­ he¡¯d only be living on borrowed time for another year and a half. He was already doomed to die. Fang Li slowly turned his head. There was a mirror to one side, reflecting a man with an pale, ashen complexion. This was Fang Li¡¯s first time seeing his own appearance. The man in the mirror had abnormally white skin without a trace of blood. His long, black hair draped behind him, his long and narrow eyes were shadowed, and his eyebrows were sharp. His thin lips were pale to the extreme, the corner of his mouth raised slightly, appearing sickly and faint. No matter how you looked at it, it was the appearance of a person beyond cure. Why had no one noticed that there was something wrong with him, you ask? That was because Yan Sui had always looked like this. There had indeed once been those who had provoked him or looked down on him, but those people had all died, and died extraordinarily miserably. Besides, there was no shortage of demonic cultivators with all sorts of bizarre appearances. Someone who looked frail enough to topple to a breeze could be a peak level master, someone who looked young and tender could be a wizened elder, someone who looked weak and sickly might not really be ill¡­¡­ Gradually, everyone stopped paying attention to how he looked. Strength and appearance had nothing to do with each other, and he only brought about death and terror. Fang Li lifted the corners of his mouth and laughed, lending that ruthless, sickly countenance a thread of indolence and nonchalance. Only he knew that this body was on the brink of death. When he had read the original book, Fang Li had only thought that the plot was short on logic. Yan Sui hadn¡¯t needed to die, but he¡¯d recklessly courted disaster, finally perishing at Xie Huai¡¯s hand. But Fang Li now understood, this was the ending that Yan Sui had chosen for himself. All of the bizarre and preposterous events in the story had actually been determined long ago. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ In the blink of an eye, Fang Li¡¯s closed door cultivation became three months long. He wasn¡¯t the least bit concerned about the goings-ons outside. Yan Sui had never bothered much with taking charge, so most affairs were left to Wu Yimei to handle, and he thoroughly trusted in Wu Yimei¡¯s management. Previously, Fang Li had thought that Yan Sui was a love-addled demon lord with no work ethic, wantonly doing as he pleased and only willing to spare some attention for Xie Huai¡­ but now he understood. Even if the world descended into chaos after his death, what did that have to do with him? Yan Sui had never intended to properly run Hollow Ridge. He was just a willful madman unafraid of death. As for acting like a freeloader, Fang Li had no qualms about it. The palace was piled with priceless treasures, miraculous tonics, and inexhaustible amounts of spirit stones presented by the demonic sects. Fang Li applied them generously, finally recovering about a third of his cultivation, roughly reaching early stage Soul Formation. In this world, reaching Soul Formation already made one a rarely-seen master. The number of Void Refining-level cultivators, even more so, could be counted on two hands. Aside from the sect masters of the five great sects, there were only a few old ghosts who never showed their faces, and the average person would never have the chance to encounter them in a lifetime¡­¡­ And as the demon lord, he had countless subordinates, so there were few occasions where he¡¯d have to personally act. Even if he really did meet a troublesome opponent, he still had the jade talisman. Moreover, it was about time to see Xie Huai again. These days, the System had been incessantly reminding him not to forget the date, and Fang Li¡¯s ears were about to fall off. According to the script, after kidnapping Xie Huai, he¡¯d ignored him for a whole three months. It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d gone to his rear court to unwind and chanced upon him that he¡¯d found out that Wu Yimei had arranged for Xie Huai to stay there. As for Xie Huai, he¡¯d been cold and unyielding even after suffering that kind of torment. Set against Xie Huai¡¯s peerless looks, the entire court full of pet lovers had lost their color. Yan Sui had been seized by a momentary impulse and had instructed Xie Huai to be brought to him. That was Yan Sui and Xie Huai¡¯s first night. Bored senseless, Fang Li stood up and pushed open the door. The demonic servant keeping watch outside saw Fang Li exit and immediately knelt deferentially. Just as the servant was about to ask what orders His Excellency had, the servant saw Fang Li walk right past him, his black robes dragging behind him. Following his memories, Fang Li arrived at the back of the palace, where Yan Sui¡¯s pet lovers lived. As soon as he entered, he was spotted by two sharp-eyed beauties. The two immediately smiled and welcomed him, one to either side, their coquettish laughter rising in waves. ¡°How did Your Excellency find time to come here?¡± ¡°Yao¡¯r had no appetite night after night, wanting to see you very much.¡± ¡°Did Your Excellency forget Yin¡¯r? Last time you praised this one, saying this one¡¯s eyes were pretty.¡± Fang Li glanced blandly to his sides. One black-haired beauty with gray eyes, called Shui Yao, was a little spirit2 proficient in seductive techniques; a black-eyed beauty with rosy lips, called Feng Yin, was an expert in bed techniques. The ones who could stand guard at the entrance were all rather stubborn. Though it looked incidental, it was anything but. Much like those office workers who wracked their brains looking for ways to curry favor with their bosses, they were using all of their effort and patience. There was no such thing as an easy walk of life, and the bed trade was no exception. Fang Li wasn¡¯t going to look down on the other party. He gave a soft laugh, allowing the two to wrap around him as they walked. Following his entrance, everyone discovered that His Excellency had arrived, and all of the beauties came forward to welcome him. They saw that the places by Fang Li¡¯s side had already been occupied by Shui Yao and Feng Yin, but reflecting on His Excellency¡¯s cold-blooded methods, in the end, they didn¡¯t dare push forward. Quite a few thought viciously in their hearts, His Excellency hadn¡¯t come in so many months, but in just a moment of carelessness of not standing guard at the entrance, they had been taken advantage of by these vixens. To think that His Excellency was even tolerating their impudence and hadn¡¯t shaken them off! The rear court was filled with pavilions and alcoves, every step a beautiful landscape, both luxurious and elegant at the same time. There were beauties of every shape and form, overflowing with laughter and chatter, giving off the feeling of living in the lap of worldly luxury. Fang Li felt like he¡¯d returned to the mortal world. He didn¡¯t find it noisy, and even felt like there was a bit more of a human presence, unwittingly causing his spirits to rise. After ambling for a while, he noticed a pavilion and settled down to rest. The pavilion had a soft couch woven from golden threads, and as soon as Fang Li sat down, Shui Yao and Feng Yin immediately followed suit, sitting down to each side of him, fearing that one of the others would barge in and take their spots. Seeing that there wasn¡¯t the slightest crack to squeeze into, the others coud only viciously swallow their reluctance and circle around Fang Li with smiles on their faces. Looking around, Fang Li only thought that it truly looked like a garden with flowers of every color, each with its charm, the very picture of an imperial wealth. The only pity was that they were all men. And he wasn¡¯t into men. Seeing that His Excellency seemed to be in a good mood today, the crowd hesitated for a while, but gradually gained some courage. They came forward one after another, some massaging his shoulders, some kneading his legs, some pouring wine for him¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s manner was languid as he half-closed his eyes, giving off the air of someone sinking into hedonistic bliss. ¡¾ The System became anxious: Host, host, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re here to see Xie Huai! ¡¿ It thought that the host was already muddle-headed. It had already been half a shichen, why wasn¡¯t he going to see Xie Huai! Fang Li¡¯s eyebrows didn¡¯t so much as twitch, only responding to the System in his mind. ¡¾ Fang Li: Don¡¯t panic. Wait a bit longer. ¡¿ How could the System not panic? He¡¯d never seen a host this careless. Did he really take himself as someone who was here to visit his imperial harem? Oh¡­¡­ Actually, even if he did, it seemed like there wasn¡¯t a problem¡­¡­ The System sank into confusion. Another half of a shichen passed in the blink of an eye. The System wavered ceaselessly, and just as it was considering if it should raise another reminder, Fang Li suddenly stood up. Shui Yao and Feng Yin were the closest to Fang Li and had been nestled up against him for a while. Seeing Fang Li stand up, they thought that he was going to select someone and immediately stood up in excitement. Fang Li estimated that it was about the time. Since he was supposed to be having a chance encounter with Xie Huai while enjoying the pleasures of his rear court, rushing over to Xie Huai the moment he arrived wouldn¡¯t suit the script. The System was truly a little too impatient. It was just a shichen, after all. But if he wanted to see Xie Huai, staying here wouldn¡¯t work. He still had to take a little bit of initiative¡­¡­ There were two types of beauties in the demon lord¡¯s harem: the first were the ones offered up by the demonic sects, who¡¯d recommended themselves up to seek a place in his bed. The other type were the ones who had been taken by force. The ones who had willingly come to serve were naturally eager to come forward to share his bed, while the ones who had been snatched naturally stayed away. Fang Li was perfectly clear where those people were. He wrapped an arm around Shui Yao¡¯s waist with one hand, seemingly heedless as he ambled along the water¡¯s edge, gradually approaching the depths of the bamboo forest in the rear court. Shui Yao and Feng Yin were both a little puzzled. All of the ones who fled to this corner were the righteous sect disciples who were unwilling to serve His Excellency. All of them avoided His Excellency as if he were a poisonous snake, and every time His Excellency came, they would stay far away. His Excellency didn¡¯t pay much attention to them either, always acting as if they didn¡¯t exist¡­¡­ It was all thanks to those tactless demonic sects. Whenever they snatched up someone a little bit good-lucking, they¡¯d send them up to His Excellency¡¯s rear court. Did they really think His Excellency didn¡¯t have his pick of the litter? If Fang Li had known their thoughts, he would definitely have wholeheartedly agreed. Naturally, Yan Sui wasn¡¯t starving for crumbs. In fact, he hardly ever came to the rear court. The one and only person he had a hand in snatching¡ªwas Xie Huai. As for the others, if they weren¡¯t beauties presented to him by his underlings, then they were prisoners his underlings had captured. Although Yan Sui didn¡¯t have a lot interest in these things, he also didn¡¯t care how many people were in his rear court. Whether it was one or ten or a hundred, whether they lived or died, none of it made a difference to him. In his eyes, there was no difference between a beauty and a dried-up skeleton. But seeing that he didn¡¯t refuse them, more and more underlings tried to curry favor with him, and his rear court grew more and more crowded. At the end of the creek was a bamboo forest, and concealed between the vibrant green were hazy silhouettes. Xie Huai should be among them. Shui Yao held onto Fang Li¡¯s arm lightly, his elegant brow slightly furrowed. He was not the least bit eager to have His Excellency go there in case those fellows ruined his mood, but he didn¡¯t dare obstruct him, so he could only follow as Fang Li proceeded forward. A few steps away, their field of view suddenly opened up. In the midst of the bamboo forest were several people sitting or standing, all plainly dressed¡­¡­ Compared to the vivid, eye-catching flowers by his side, it was a different kind of beautiful scenery. Fang Li couldn¡¯t say at the moment which was more beautiful, but he was certain of one thing¡ª¡ª Xie Huai undoubtedly looked the best. Probably only Xie Huai could make a flock of delicate beauties lose all color, and probably only Xie Huai could make it so difficult to move your eyes away from him wherever he stood. Just then, Xie Huai turned to look at him. The tranquil man¡¯s black hair was tied up at the back of his head, and he wore a set of plain white robes. Head turned, blandly glancing over, his sleeves pulled along the edge of the stone table as he held a small stone in his fingertips. Oh? You still have the leisure and taste to be playing a match?3 Fang Li slightly raised an eyebrow. Although he¡¯d seen the original book and had long known that Xie Huai was extraordinary and definitely wouldn¡¯t be sobbing and crying, much less giving up on himself, this person¡­¡­ No matter where he was or what circumstances he was in, he always faced it calmly and steadily, not allowing anyone to see his vulnerable side. These were all things that Fang Li had known for a long time, but seeing it in person still deeply moved him. After all, his cultivation had been sealed¡ª¡ªand he was in the demon lord¡¯s inner court. He was probably clear on what he might suffer, right? Fang Li revealed a taunting expression as he halted his steps, looking profoundly at the other party. He laughed softly, ¡°How come you still haven¡¯t come to greet this lord?¡± Xie Huai still hadn¡¯t reacted, but the people around him already had resentful expressions as if filled with loathing, though they couldn¡¯t conceal the terror in the depths of their eyes. This was what normal people were like, Fang Li thought. Faced with torment that you could just about imagine, falling from being a prodigy of a righteous sect to becoming the plaything of a demonic cultivator¡­¡­ terror and unwillingness were the normal response. But Xie Huai didn¡¯t have these reactions¡­¡­ In the span of time that Fang Li spent sinking into thought, Shui Yao, seeing the circumstances, had begun to contemplate. He wasn¡¯t afraid of those blockheads who didn¡¯t know what was good for them. His Excellency had never spared them a glance, so they didn¡¯t pose the least bit of threat. But this newcomer gave him a strong premonition of danger. He looked at Xie Huai¡­¡­ Although this person was merely sitting there quietly, Shui Yao already felt inferior. What would he do if His Excellency took a fancy to him? Shui Yao made up his mind and suddenly stepped forward, reaching out his hand to yank at Xie Huai, saying, ¡°How dare you! Just sitting there when His Excellency is here!¡± These righteous cultivators liked nothing better than putting on airs. They were clearly all scared to death but still liked to put on a show; it was so fake it made him want to vomit. If they really wanted to die so bad, why not just go kill themselves? That would be preserving their integrity. Shui Yao couldn¡¯t wait to see the look of this handsome, ethereal man as he cried and knelt and begged for mercy. He would show His Excellency that this man was nothing special¡­¡­ Even if he refused to kneel, having him anger His Excellency enough to kill him was even better. Xie Huai¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He only lightly raised his hand, and before Shui Yao had even seen what was happening, grasped his delicate wrist. The next moment. The crisp sound of a bone snapping was drowned out by a miserable scream. Shui Yao¡¯s expression twisted in pain. He cupped his hand as he knelt on the ground, looking at Xie Huai in disbelief. He¡­¡­ He really lashed out right in front of His Excellency! How dare he! The corner of Fang Li¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. He hadn¡¯t stopped Shui Yao precisely because he had wanted to see how Xie Huai would react. It was obvious Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t submit, but the ruthlessness of snapping someone¡¯s wrist without so much as a word¡­¡­ He really didn¡¯t know the first thing about pitying the fairer sex. Too bad for this near-sighted cannon fodder. ¡¾ Fang Li laughed: Looks like the beauty who just arrived is pretty spicy. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 Hollow Ridge ¨C ¸¡Çðɽ I¡¯m choosing to translate this somewhat literally and thematically (hollow as in ¡°superficial¡±), but it might also be a reference to ¸¡Çð¹«, an immortal from ancient history referenced in several classic poems 2 ¡°Spirit¡± here refers to yao, a type of spirit (sometimes translated in other places as demon, but they¡¯re distinct) originally born as something mundane like a plant or animal who can attain human form and sentience with high enough cultivation. There¡¯s no need to think on it too deeply, it¡¯s just an off-hand character/world detail. 3 A match of go, if it wasn¡¯t clear. CH 4 November 11th, 2022 Fang Li¡¯s compassionate gaze fell on Shui Yao. The number one problem of cannon fodder characters was that they couldn¡¯t differentiate whether their opponents were strong or weak. As a high-level master at peak Soul Formation stage and someone with a rare innate Dao physique, even if Xie Huai was currently imprisoned and his cultivation temporarily sealed, he was still more than a match for a little spirit who hadn¡¯t even reached Foundation Building and relied on his looks to get by. Shui Yai cupped his wrist and sat on the ground, his face pale from the pain, his expression full of disbelief. Internal squabbling was strictly forbidden in the demon lord¡¯s rear court, so even if there were disagreements, everyone at least pretended to get along on the surface. Yet this person dared to act so boldly right in front of His Excellency¡­¡­ Shui Yao lowered his eyes, an insidious look flashing past his eyes. Fine then, this was the perfect chance to eliminate him! From the very moment he¡¯d seen Xie Huai, he¡¯d felt an intense feeling of crisis. Shui Yao turned and crawled toward Fang Li on his knees, his eyes full of tears, looking delicate and pitiable as he choked out, ¡°Your Excellency, not only does he not heed Your Excellency, he even dared to attack someone in public. Your Excellency, please pass judgment!¡± Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t take pity on the fairer sex, but Fang Li would. Unable to bear seeing a beauty injured like this, he said with a tender expression, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Shui Yao looked at Fang Li¡¯s face in a daze, unable to help a moment of stupefaction. His Excellency¡¯s normally cold and tyrannical face was currently tinged with gentle compassion, and even his voice had a hint of something that made one fluster¡­¡­ His heartbeat started to pick up. For His Excellency to treat him so specially, could, could it be¡­¡­? After comforting the beauty, Fang Li turned to look at Xie Huai. Xie Huai had already put down the stone in his hand and was looking back at him with a tranquil expression. His unfathomably dark eyes held not a single ripple, cool and indifferent as the day they¡¯d first met, as if he didn¡¯t care in the least about what might happen next¡­¡­ The corners of Fang Li¡¯s mouth lifted slightly as he dragged out his words. ¡°As for him¡ª¡± Shui Yao and the onlookers all around them held their breaths. Shui Yao was so excited he began to faintly tremble, just waiting for His Excellency to order his execution! The others also thought this would be the case. Previously, there had also been those who¡¯d raised a fuss in front of His Excellency. His Excellency hadn¡¯t bothered to ask what had happened or who had been in the wrong before tossing both parties together into the Fallen Star Sea to feed the fish. From then on, everyone become much more restrained. Even if they squabbled, they didn¡¯t dare go overboard; at the very least, they wouldn¡¯t dare squabble around His Excellency. His Excellency¡¯s dignity was inviolable. Not only did this person lack manners, he had even injured someone in front of His Excellency. He was certain to die without an intact corpse, and even flogging his soul or refining his spirit wouldn¡¯t be overboard! Fang Li hooked his lips, saying in a slow voice, ¡°Tonight, bring him into this lord¡¯s rooms.¡± The crowd: ¡°¡­¡­???¡± Shui Yao¡¯s face was sluggish. Meekly, he said, ¡°Your, Your Excellency, this is¡­¡­¡± Fang Li smiled faintly, lowering his eyes. ¡°Seeing as he¡¯s seeking death, this lord will refuse his wish and make him suffer a fate worse than death instead. Are you satisfied?¡± Shui Yao immediately choked. He forced a smile, saying, ¡°¡­¡­ V-very satisfied.¡± If he dared to be unsatisfied, the one to die would be him. Having successfully appeased the victim by force, Fang Li left with a toss of his sleeve, pleased. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Seeing Fang Li leave after throwing down that last sentence, the System finally put down its worries. According to the original script, at this point, Xie Huai had been gravely injured, all of his bones and muscles torn apart. Although his life had been spared, he¡¯d still been more dead than alive, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to snap Shui Yao¡¯s wrist, so this scene hadn¡¯t occurred in the original story. The host¡¯s alterations to the script had caused discrepancies to arise here, but luckily, the host was adaptable enough and had still managed to act it out to the end. Fang Li ambled back to his own living quarters, but he was thinking about something else. As the widely revered Yuyi-jun who cut down demons to defend justice and punished the strong to protect the weak, guarding all the people under the heavens with his sword, Xie Huai¡¯s good name was spread throughout the realm. Everyone said that he was a noble and benevolent gentleman. Reasonably speaking, someone like that shouldn¡¯t stoop to lashing out against a weakling. Yet he hadn¡¯t had the slightest bit of pity or compassion when snapping Shui Yao¡¯s wrist. He¡¯d only been so calm as if looking at nothing at all, to the point that Fang Li thought¡­¡­ if Shui Yao had dared to get one step closer, it wouldn¡¯t have been his wrist that had been snapped, but his neck. Such a merciless, cold-blooded existence didn¡¯t quite seem to match up with the noble and benevolent gentleman from the rumors. Thinking on it further, though, Fang Li came to a realization. It wasn¡¯t a problem with Xie Huai¡¯s character profile¡­¡­ it was that he himself hadn¡¯t adapted enough to this world. This world was divided into the righteous and demonic paths, justice and evil at odds since the dawn of time, and the righteous and demonic paths had always clashed like fire and water. Xie Huai could treat mortals with tolerance and forgiveness, could stretch out his hand to aid the weak, could walk through hell and high water for the sake of the common people¡­¡­ But the nefarious demons weren¡¯t within the realm of his protection. Not only would he not show tolerance, he even sought to exterminate as many as he could. In this world, ¡°facing your demons¡± wasn¡¯t just a metaphor, but a blood-soaked reality. In his eyes, Shui Yao wasn¡¯t a weakling, but an apostate who had sunk into depravity alongside himself, the wicked devil. The ghosts and demons who died to Yuyi-jun¡¯s Snow Blue Sword weren¡¯t categorized into weak or strong. Besides, Shui Yao couldn¡¯t be counted as a benevolent spirit to begin with¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his eyes and looked at his hands. His hands were pale as snow, but though they looked clean, who knew how many lives they¡¯d taken? No matter who they were or what the reason¡­¡­ as long as someone chose to fall to the demonic path, they should shoulder the responsibility of their choice. To the righteous and the common people, Xie Huai was naturally a kind and benevolent hero, but to demons like them, he was a cold-blooded, merciless god of death. After all, killing them also counted as doing a good deed¡ªeliminating evil for the common folk. Cutting down demons to defend justice¡­¡­ It was precisely this ¡°cutting down demons to defend justice¡± that was Xie Huai¡¯s most steadfast resolution from start to finish. At this thought, Fang Li felt like he had a better grasp on things. Even if he threw the game a little and just casually did the mission, it shouldn¡¯t affect the key parts of the plot. Yan Sui¡¯s previous actions alone were enough for Xie Huai to kill him ten thousand times over. If he were someone to worry and waver, then he wouldn¡¯t be that stone-hearted Xie Huai from the original story. Moreover, by now he¡¯d even captured him to become a plaything. With that kind of disgrace on top of the blood feud with his sect, calling them enemies who couldn¡¯t both live under the same sky wouldn¡¯t be overboard. There was no fear that Xie Huai might be swayed. Fang Li leisurely strolled back. He saw Wu Yimei in the distance, standing by beside his door, clearly waiting for him, looking like he had matters to report. Wu Yimei had the same deferential manner as always, lowering his eyes and relaying in a restrained voice, ¡°Following orders, Right Adjutant Du Meng attacked the other cultivation sects in Linxian province. Due to Your Excellency¡¯s might, after Cloudbank Keep¡¯s surrender, the other cultivation sects in Linxian did not resist and surrendered in succession. Within the next few days, the Right Adjutant will lead the Zenith Sky Creed division back to the mountain.¡± Fang Li nodded. Du Meng was one of Yan Sui¡¯s main love rivals in the book; it looked like the show was about to heat up. After concluding the matter of Du Meng, Wu Yimei reported some of the more important events in the past three months. In the past three months, the demonic cultivators under him had presented two hundred and eighty thousand spirit stones, but since constructing Hollow Ridge¡¯s protective array required vast amounts of spirit stones and resources, there wasn¡¯t much of a surplus. There was also how many casualties the demonic cultivators had suffered recently, how many righteous cultivators they¡¯d killed, how many they¡¯d taken prisoner, and so on. Fang Li listened inattentively, not paying it much mind. He said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll leave these matters up to you.¡± His Excellency had always been like this, uninterested in anything. Wu Yimei sighed furtively. With how big Hollow Ridge was, if it wasn¡¯t managed carefully, there were too many hidden dangers that could arise¡­¡­ If His Excellency didn¡¯t manage them, then it could only be left up to him. After finishing his report, Wu Yimei¡¯s expression shifted slightly. He hesitated for a moment but still finally asked, ¡°This subordinate heard that Your Excellency went to the rear court today, and even ordered Yuyi-jun to attend to your bed?¡± Fang Li raised his eyes. ¡°Correct.¡± Wu Yimei tightly pursed his lips. He shouldn¡¯t have asked something like this, shouldn¡¯t concern himself with something like this, but that person was Xie Huai¡­¡­ His Excellency was really going to¡­¡­ How could Fang Li not understand Wu Yimei¡¯s worries? He could only be worrying that he was addled by lust and was going to say good-bye to his soul amidst the flowerbeds¡­¡­ Just like a devoted court official fretting over a muddle-headed monarch. Fang Li thought for a while, finally letting out a light sigh and slowly saying to Wu Yimei, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. This lord has his reasons for keeping Xie Huai.¡± Wu Yimei looked dazedly at the person in front of him. Fang Li¡¯s eyes were clear and tranquil, his expression steady. He didn¡¯t have the least bit of impropriety when mentioning Xie Huai, even less so the appearance of sinking into desire. Wu Yimei suddenly thought, could it be that His Excellency¡¯s actions weren¡¯t because of Xie Huai, but some other plans? Wu Yimei responded after a delay, ¡°Your Excellency, this is¡­¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s tone was unhurried as he said profoundly, ¡°Don¡¯t ask any further. You merely need to know that this lord is only revealing this to you because this lord trusts you the most.¡± Trusts, trusts the most¡­¡­? Wu Yimei¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help but appear overcome. This was the second time His Excellency had told him he was trusted. Although he¡¯d said so last time at Cloudbank Keep¡­¡­ it had constantly felt unreal in his heart. But today, this feeling could not be more clear. His Excellency truly trusted him, and he was even willing to confide in him. Wu Yimei closed his eyes. He had followed this person for a whole ten years, solely because in his most desperate time, this person had reached out a hand to him¡­¡­ But was he doing this to repay the favor of saving his life? He wasn¡¯t really; most likely, it was only because he¡¯d had nowhere to go back then. He¡¯d been so lowly that he could have been trampled underfoot at any time, and it was this person who had given him a goal, given him hope, and so he had stayed like this by his side, accompanying him step by step as they walked out of the mud. By now, ten years had passed¡­¡­ Cutting through the thorns that blocked this person¡¯s path had become a habit already. But Wu Yimei had always been very clear that this person had no feelings, nor would he give him anything he shouldn¡¯t have, and he himself had never thought of wanting anything else, because he didn¡¯t need it, either. The two of them were actually cut from the same cloth. They had crawled out of the depths of hell, discarding all of the feelings that made one human, living like walking corpses. But it turned out that at some point while he was unaware, he had already obtained far more than he¡¯d ever imagined, and this person wasn¡¯t truly devoid of emotion. So, was this the feeling of being trusted¡­¡­? And as for himself, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t that he truly didn¡¯t care¡­¡­ Wu Yimei clenched his fist. For someone like him, the word ¡°trust¡± was too much of a luxury, making it all the more precious. Fang Li spoke again. ¡°You must remember not to treat Xie Huai too severely, and don¡¯t provoke him, either, in case you ruin this lord¡¯s plans.¡± Wu Yimei said heavily, ¡°Yes, this subordinate understands.¡± As expected, His Excellency hadn¡¯t been bewitched by Xie Huai¡¯s looks, but was devising some strategy. If this was the case, he could rest easy¡­¡­ It was only that he didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of scheme this was. Wu Yimei pondered it over a hundred times without gaining clarity, but seeing that His Excellency trusted him this much, if he was still tactless enough to keep asking, wouldn¡¯t that be disappointing His Excellency¡¯s trust? Having successfully bluffed past Wu Yimei, Fang Li nodded with a smile. ¡°You may leave.¡± Watching Wu Yimei depart, Fang Li pressed a hand to his forehead. Starting from earlier, the System had been raising a ruckus in his mind nonstop, making his skull throb. ¡¾ The System was endlessly worried: Host, what are you doing? Why are you telling Wu Yimei not to act against Xie Huai? These lines aren¡¯t in the script! ¡¿ Wu Yimei was an important evil cannon fodder. If he didn¡¯t act against Xie Huai, how were they going to follow the rest of the script? ¡¾ Fang Li said leisurely: There¡¯s plenty of things that aren¡¯t written in the script, this one won¡¯t tip the scale. Or is it that when there¡¯s nothing written in the script, I¡¯m just supposed to do nothing and go to sleep? ¡¿ ¡¾ The System said anxiously: Is that the key point here? ¡¿ Sleeping all day would be better than this! But Fang Li was no longer paying attention to the System. He closed his eyes, and Yan Sui¡¯s past with Wu Yimei swept through his consciousness piece by piece like fleeting shadows. The young boy that Yan Sui had pulled out of the mountain of corpses back then had no sense of right or wrong. He wasn¡¯t considered human, nor was he considered spirit. He was an outsider with nowhere he could fit in, and only Yan Sui had been willing to shelter him¡­¡­ Relying on his dedication and tenacity, he¡¯d followed Yan Sui over mountains of corpses and seas of blood. No matter what the reason, he¡¯d never once done anything to let Yan Sui down. Even his opposition to Xie Huai at the end had been out of loyalty to Yan Sui. Wu Yimei was indeed cold-blooded, deceitful, a killer of countless lives, and someone whose death wasn¡¯t enough to pay for his crimes in the eyes of righteous cultivators, but Fang Li thought he only lacked someone who could guide him¡­¡­ If someone could give him a pull, not letting him continue to slip, he wasn¡¯t beyond help. But Yan Sui couldn¡¯t give him these¡­¡­ In Yan Sui¡¯s eyes, Wu Yimei was merely a convenient underling, no more than that. In the book, Wu Yimei was nothing more than an unimportant cannon fodder. Even without him, Fang Li could follow the script to the end. As long as Wu Yimei didn¡¯t act against Xie Huai, maybe¡­¡­ he wouldn¡¯t end up like that. Fang Li wanted to give him a pull. Maybe it wasn¡¯t too late. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. The System found that it couldn¡¯t persuade the host, nor could it manage the host. Fearing that the host would grow displeased and decide not to act out the important scene that night, it could only shut up. Fang Li was delighted with the peace and quiet and began to idly peruse. He picked up a book to examine; there was a considerable collection of books in this palace, but none of them showed any traces of having been flipped through. Evidently, Yan Sui didn¡¯t read much, but Fang Li read with gusto. He hadn¡¯t imagined that a mere world from a book could be detailed to his extent. What difference was there from reality? It would be quite a pity if it all disappeared, Fang Li thought. Time passed quickly. By the time the sky darkened, the demonic servants had lit the lanterns, and the night pearls in the room had begun to emit soft light. Fang Li knew it was time to see Xie Huai. The scene today was a hundred percent critical. It was after having taken Xie Huai tonight that Yan Sui began to spiral out of control, sinking into a lifestyle where if he wasn¡¯t enjoying the birds and the bees, then he was enjoying the bees and the birds¡­¡­ The pet lovers who attended in bed were all sent to a side palace. Fang Li strolled over leisurely and saw a brightly lit room. That must be where Xie Huai was. Fang Li composed himself and pushed open the door, entering. The room was suffused with warmth, colliding with the chilly night hair. On a daybed across from the door, behind a curtain of flowing gauze, was a vague silhouette. Fang Li closed the door behind him, cutting off the chill of the outside world, and stepped toward the divan. He didn¡¯t feel much embarrassment, righteously lifting open the gauze and lowering his eyes to look at the person lying before him. The other party was also awake, and in a split second, their eyes met. Xie Huai was in a set of clean and simple white robes. His black eyes were long and narrow and deeply profound, his fine hair spread across the bed, handsome and elegant as a deity and seemingly unprofanable. Even though he was the one being looked down upon from above¡­¡­ it was as if the one being trampled wasn¡¯t him. On the contrary, he gave off the feeling of being too lofty to reach. Fang Li, who had read the original text, wasn¡¯t too surprised. If he hadn¡¯t had a temperament that stood out from the crowd and transcended the mundane, how could he have attracted someone like Yan Sui? Yan Sui didn¡¯t fear death either, and he had seen his share of people who didn¡¯t fear death. There were plenty of righteous cultivators who killed themselves the moment they were captured, trumpeting it as preserving their integrity or fearlessly facing death¡­¡­ But wasn¡¯t taking one¡¯s own life so easily also a kind of cowardice? Death was never the most terrifying thing¡­¡­ the most terrifying thing, was living to face it all. What attracted Yan Sui to Xie Huai, what Fang Li admired about Xie Huai, was that he would never seek death. Only by living was there hope. Even if the living world might be more like hell than death itself. Fang Li lowered his eyes, rearranging his robes to sit in front of the low table set near the daybed. An exquisite bronze fretwork incense burner was placed on the table. Fang Li lightly grasped the incense burner in one hand, and within a few moments, the burner became hot as a flatiron, and the incense charcoal buried within the ashes began to burn. Fang Li lifted his sleeves and picked up a porcelain scoop, collecting a spoonful of powder from a china bottle nearby and pouring it onto a mica chip, then lightly placed it into the burner. When the incense smoke began to billow up thickly, Fang Li was satisfied, propping his forehead against his arm to look at the person on the bed. Looking confident and poised, without a care. Appreciating beauty was the nature of humankind, and Fang Li was no exception. Even the most dazzling celebrity from his world couldn¡¯t measure up to a fraction of Xie Huai. But Xie Huai¡¯s beauty wasn¡¯t soft; on the contrary, it was fierce as freezing ice, with a feeling of lofty, unreachable distance, making everyone aware that approaching him would only hurt, yet making you unable to resist reaching out to touch, even if you would be cut apart and drenched in blood¡­¡­ He should have been a god residing in the highest reaches of heaven, yet he¡¯d been yanked down into the mortal world to plummet into hell with Yan Sui¡­¡­ Yan Sui¡¯s possessiveness was deranged. Not a single thing that he did to Xie Huai was forgivable. In his place, he would also want to personally kill the other party, Fang Li thought somewhat absently¡­¡­ Such a beautiful person did indeed have a deadly attractiveness, easily leading one to slip up¡­¡­ Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t into men, and Xie Huai also wasn¡¯t into men. Since they were both straight men, interacting like this couldn¡¯t be considered awkward. The fragrant mist saturated the room, making one intoxicated. The ambience was fine, but the System started to have its suspicions. How come the host still hadn¡¯t done anything? ¡¾ The System hinted tactfully: Host, are you about to start? I can excuse myself. Us systems are very professional, we definitely won¡¯t intrude on our hosts¡¯ privacy. ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: That¡¯s not really necessary. ¡¿ ¡¾ The System turned pale with shock: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ This was its first time meeting such a bold host who was even willing to be watched. It couldn¡¯t be that it was some kind of X hobby? But in the end, should it watch or not, no way, but it was actually kind of curious¡­¡­ No, no way, it was a System with integrity, it couldn¡¯t watch this sort of thing! Just as the System was struggling with its dilemma, Fang Li suddenly stood up and walked toward the daybed. At some point, Xie Huai had closed his eyes. Asleep, the beauty lost a touch of his frigidity and that aura that drove away strangers. ¡¾ Fang Li sighed: He really is a peerless beauty, unmatched in the world. But do you know what the biggest challenge of this is? ¡¿ ¡¾ The System was a beat late: Your¡­ your conscience? ¡¿It was a little embarrassed that it was making the host do something like this. It was understandable that the host was reluctant, but the script had to be followed¡­¡­ ¡¾ Fang Li: Nope. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­? ¡¿What did that mean? Was the host saying he had no conscience??? ¡¾ Fang Li: The biggest challenge is that getting a straight guy to force another straight guy¡­¡­ I can¡¯t get it up. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li lowered his eyes and fixed his gaze on the person in front of him, the corner of his mouth lifting imperceptibly. The incense made from a thousand year old devil¡¯s trumpet could knock out even a Void Refining stage cultivator. For Xie Huai to endure through a full incense stick¡¯s worth of time, he¡¯d almost thought that it didn¡¯t have any effect on him. Fang Li leaned over towards Xie Huai and, reaching out his hand, opened the lapel of his robes. And just around his neck, he pinched out a purple mark. ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡¿ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I¡¯ll never be able to top a man in this lifetime. Xie Huai: No problem, no need for you to step up. Fang Li: ? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. TL Note: I won¡¯t be translating all of the author¡¯s notes but I¡¯ll probably do some of the little extras and jokes. CH 5 November 12th, 2022 After a while, Fang Li lowered his eyes to examine his masterpiece. The beauty¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, his robes disheveled, and the exposed skin on his neck and wrists littered with green and purple marks¡­¡­ Anyone who saw it would think that this was the look of someone who¡¯d been fooled around with. Who would believe nothing had actually happened? He nodded with satisfaction, then turned and left. The chamber door was softly closed shut. At the same time, the person on the bed slowly opened his eyes. The fog from the incense burner still densely permeated the room, but Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were bright and fathomless. He had clearly been awake from start to finish. The sedative incense truly was out of the ordinary¡­¡­ but when Fang Li was lighting the incense, Xie Huai had already noticed that something was off. Everyone knew that he had an innate Dao physique that doubled the rewards of his cultivation practice, but no one knew that ordinary poisons were ineffective against him, so he hadn¡¯t actually fallen under the trance of the incense. But he had still pretended to fall asleep, waiting for Fang Li to become careless, so he could kill this devil in one move. Although his cultivation had been temporarily sealed by the Soul-Sealing Pins, of the possibilities that Xie Huai had predicted, this wasn¡¯t the worst. The worst circumstance would be having his foundation destroyed and the bones of his Dao physique broken¡­¡­ but Fang Li hadn¡¯t done so. Soul-Sealing Pins were commonly used by demonic cultivators on their prisoners. Xue Huai had studied them closely before, and although it was true that the average person would find it hard to break through the seal, his veins were different from others¡¯ from the start. Even under the Soul-Sealing Pins, he could preserve a tenth of his cultivation. Merely a tenth of his cultivation wasn¡¯t enough to face off against Fang Li, but just by preserving this one tenth, Xie Huai could burst through the seal in a split second and detonate his entirety of his strength. But that was a last resort. Breaking through the seal by force would rupture all of his veins. Even if he could put all of his strength into one blow and kill Fang Li, he would also be left with one foot in death¡¯s door. There would only be one chance, and unless he found an absolute surefire opportunity, he couldn¡¯t act rashly, or he would only be giving up his life for nothing. His purpose in coming to Hollow Ridge was to kill that devil. As soon as that devil died, Hollow Ridge would be without a master, its teeth pulled out and its forces scattering to the winds, and the righteous sects would be able to suppress the demonic horde. Before he arrived, he had already prepared himself for the possibility of being brutally tortured, disgraced, and abused¡­¡­ But, to think that that devil hadn¡¯t touched him. A trace of doubt appeared in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. Earlier, he hadn¡¯t missed a single one of Fang Li¡¯s movements. He could tell that this person didn¡¯t have any interest in him. Those eyes couldn¡¯t fool anyone¡ªthey didn¡¯t hold the least bit of craving or desire. Yet he¡¯d still had himself sent over here and had even forged these traces of having done the deed. What for? Xie Huai¡¯s brows furrowed, his eyes darkening slightly. Whatever the reason, since Fang Li had no intentions of touching him for the time being, that just happened to give him time to slowly break through the seal and avoid having to choose mutual destruction. As for precisely what schemes the other party had¡­¡­ Time would tell. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Upon returning to his residential palace, Fang Li was already a bit drowsy, but he still had to deal with the System, or else it was really too noisy to sleep. ¡¾ The System said anxiously: Host, host, host, did you hear what I said or not? If you just leave it like this, how is the rest of the plot supposed to happen! ¡¿The focus of this whole book is Yan Sui and Xie Huai¡¯s that! How can you ignore the core of the script? Fang Li said lazily, ¡°Other than you, me, and Xie Huai, won¡¯t everyone believe that something happened between us?¡± ¡¾ The System sank into silence for a long time: True, but even so¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li spoke again. ¡°If I don¡¯t do that with Xie Huai, would he change his mind and decide not to kill me?¡± ¡¾ The System mulled it over for a while: ¡­¡­That shouldn¡¯t be the case. ¡¿It couldn¡¯t go against its conscience and lie. Fang Li clapped his hands together and smiled, raising his eyebrows. ¡°As of now, in everyone¡¯s eyes, Xie Huai is my plaything, being tortured and humiliated by me in a hundred different ways. And in Xie Huai¡¯s case, even if I don¡¯t do anything in reality, he would only think I have some other schemes. With our differences in position and the blood feud between us, he wouldn¡¯t give up killing me, so the direction of the plot hasn¡¯t changed¡­¡­ Both the substance and the appearance are there, so do you still think there are any problems?¡± ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ The host¡¯s crooked lines of reasoning came one after another. The System kept feeling like something was off, but it didn¡¯t have any way to retort, since it seemed like things really were as the host described¡­¡­ Fang Li added, ¡°Most importantly, I truly don¡¯t have any interest in men. If you really are unsatisfied, why not¡­¡­¡± ¡¾ System: I¡¯m not! ¡¿ QAQ It didn¡¯t want to hear any more of the host¡¯s talk of finding someone more capable! If it could, it would have done that long ago! Forget it, forget it, this was fine. Anyways, it seemed like it was more or less the same. As long as the mission was completed, it probably wasn¡¯t important if the middle had a few differences¡­¡­ It felt like its bottom line was getting pulled down bit by bit. This definitely wasn¡¯t its fault. .¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Satisfied, Fang Li rested for a night. When he woke up the next morning and walked out the doors, he saw the demonic servant attending respectfully outside ask, ¡°Would Your Excellency like to take breakfast?¡± Fang Li was about to nod, but after a bit of thought, he said, ¡°Bring the meal to Yuyi-jun¡¯s courtyard. This lord intends to dine with a beauty.¡± It was just letting everyone know that Xie Huai monopolized his favor; that was simply too easy. By having breakfast together, not only could he show off his pampering of Xie Huai, he could also display last night¡¯s masterpiece to everyone. By the time Fang Li arrived at Xie Huai¡¯s courtyard, Xie Huai was already up. He was still wearing last night¡¯s white robes, sitting calmly and serenely by the table. Seeing Fang Li arrive, he raised his eyes to look at him, his dark eyes fathomless as the dead of night. As if trying to look straight through him. Fang Li ignored Xie Huai¡¯s probing gaze and swept his eyes around the area. Although Xie Huai was wearing wide robes with long sleeves, the marks that Fang Li had left last night were still vaguely visible on his neck. Fang Li immediately let out a pleased smile and turned to order the demonic servant, ¡°This lord will have breakfast here.¡± The style of a demon lord was naturally ostentatious enough. In just a short while, the courtyard¡¯s wide table was packed with fine delicacies. At the head of the table, a chair lined with soft, luxurious brocade was placed, wide enough to seat two. There was only one chair. After all, when the demon lord had breakfast, everyone else could only stand by to wait on him, including the Xie Huai who¡¯d just ¡°received favor.¡± There were more than ten demonic servants in the courtyard, including ones who were pouring wine, ones who were bearing plates, ones who were fanning him¡­¡­ Fang Li enthusiastically accepted his responsibilities and sat down. Turning his head, he saw that Xie Huai was still coolly standing there without the least bit of intention of approaching. He smiled slightly, then directly yanked him over to sit down. The chair was wide enough when it was one person sitting, but two was a bit of a squeeze. Xie Huai was tightly pressed against him, and the scorching warmth seeped over like the magma beneath a glacier. Fang Li saw Xie Huai¡¯s suddenly frigid expression, but his face remained heedless. Fearlessly, he raised a piece of crystalline green bamboo shoot to Xie Huai¡¯s mouth, curving his eyes and laughing, ¡°Eat a little more. Don¡¯t be like last night, passing out so easily.¡± His posture was brazen and suggestive, and his words invited wild delusions. The demonic servants around them all lowered their heads, not daring to look directly, waves crashing in their hearts. To think that His Excellency would pull Xie Huai over to sit together and even personally fed him¡­¡­ and the meaning in those words¡ªit looked like last night was intense. This was their first time seeing His Excellency treating a pet lover so differently. Before, those pet lovers couldn¡¯t even leave the rear court; who would have the honor of sitting side by side with His Excellency? Xie Huai pointed his sharp gaze at Fang Li. He wasn¡¯t afraid Fang Li would kill him; if he had wanted to, he¡¯d had countless more suitable opportunities. There was absolutely no need to publicly proclaim like this to the whole world ¡°what had happened.¡° This devil¡¯s ¡°special efforts¡± must have a purpose. Fang Li¡¯s posture was easy-going yet reckless. His arm was wrapped around Xie Huai¡¯s waist, head tilted slightly in his direction, and he whispered in his ear with the tone of someone who¡¯d had his fill, ¡°As expected of the world-famous Yuyi-jun, the taste is really something special.¡± It seemed like the whispering between lovers, but it was just loud enough for others to hear. It was clearly on purpose. As soon as these words got outside, they would only drag his name through the mud. This devil obviously had the intent of disgracing him. How exceedingly vile. But Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s eyes¡­¡­ They were close as could be, to the point that Xie Huai could clearly see that in this person¡¯s clear, pitch-back eyes, there wasn¡¯t a trace of malice or provocation. There was only an unintentional hint of a smile, to the point that the previously gloomy and ruthless pale face was tinged by that trace of a smile, making it look gentle, warm, and languid, making it impossible to arouse feelings of disgust. Xie Huai¡¯s throat let out a minute exhale. What an impressive ability to lie through his teeth. If he hadn¡¯t been immune to the sedative incense last night, after waking up and seeing his appearance and then listening to Fang Li¡¯s words, even he might doubt what had really happened. Moreover, Fang Li¡¯s absolute lack of restraint here was because he was certain that even if Xie Huai refuted him, no one would believe it. Xie Huai had always thought that he was the most proficient at reading people¡¯s intentions. No matter what kind of demon or monster, they had never been able to escape his sight¡­¡­ but at this moment, looking at Fang Li¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t quite see through them. This person¡¯s hands were clearly full of murder and sin, cold-blooded and merciless, his crimes piled higher than the heavens. When he had besieged Cloudbank Keep, Xie Huai had seen the viciousness in his opponent¡¯s eyes, the madness that sought to incinerate everything. This was a lunatic without a single care, bound to bring bloody carnage to the world¡­¡­ So he had agreed to his demand, not only for Cloudbank Keep, but for the sake of the whole world, to eliminate this scourge. But right now, there wasn¡¯t a trace of malice in that pair of eyes. Even while doing these sorts of things, saying these sorts of words, he seemed like an bystander standing outside of everything. Perhaps he still had that willfulness that lacked a single care, that recklessness that saw everything as nothing¡­¡­ but it was missing aggression. His recklessness no longer came from his hatred toward the world, but from the indifference of being detached from the world. He didn¡¯t want to destroy everything; he simply didn¡¯t care about anything. But if that was the case, then why go through all of this extra effort? Xie Huai furrowed his brow. No¡­¡­ there was still another possibility. Perhaps Fang Li purposefully made others misunderstand to borrow this chance to humiliate the righteous sects, but he didn¡¯t have any interest in Xie Huai himself, so he pretended that something had happened. If there were no other reasons, then only this explanation was left. Yet still, Xie Huai somehow unconsciously felt that Fang Li didn¡¯t hold any malice. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes suddenly became cold, looking away and pursing his lips. It turns out that he had underestimated this devil, and even he had almost been taken in. Fang Li approached Xie Huai just like this. Xie Huai¡¯s body wasn¡¯t cold like his appearance, but rather a comfortable warmth. But not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, right after throwing out that sentence, Fang Li released his hand. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened. Fang Li¡¯s slightly cool fingertips had quickly moved away, like snowflakes softly brushing past. Then he¡¯d turned around and continued eating. Although they were still sitting together, he was considerately maintaining a suitable distance, as if worried about Xie Huai¡¯s feelings. Xie Huai carelessly looked to his side. The gentle early morning light scattered all over the courtyard, and the pale, ashen face of the man beside him seemed to have a touch more liveliness. When eating something delicious, he would reveal just a trace of a quietly satisfied look¡­¡­ Not like a devil who wanted to destroy the world, but an ordinary person who had no quarrels with the world. Because his lips were overly pale, even the smallest tinge of color seemed overly vibrant, and the pair of eyes beneath his lashes held a smile that was tender and warm¡­¡­ Xie Huai fiercely closed his eyes, but underneath his sleeves, his hands that were clenched tight unconsciously relaxed. Now was not a suitable time to act. There were too many demonic cultivators around. He was only doing this to put on an act, to make the righteous sects lose face. When he had had enough of acting, he would release himself, and as for himself, he would have time to break through the seal and look for an opportunity to kill this devil. Xie Huai was clear about what kind of person this was, so he wouldn¡¯t be misled by trifling appearances. Even if he had wavered for a split second¡­¡­ that was only because this devil was too good at bewitching the human heart. Fang Li certainly didn¡¯t care what Xie Huai was thinking about. He thought this demon palace¡¯s delicacies were quite decent, and under the attendance of a crowd of demonic servants, enjoyed the treatment of an emperor. Then he wiped his mouth and turned to look at the person beside him, whom he¡¯d nearly forgotten. Xie Huai still had that cold appearance, calmly looking at him. Fang Li sized Xie Huai up a bit. Honestly speaking, he really did want to send Xie Huai away. Having a danger like that beside him was simply asking for trouble, but this part of the script wasn¡¯t easy to freely adjust. He was afraid he could only cause himself a bit of suffering. Xie Huai could see Fang Li¡¯s unwillingness. He clearly wasn¡¯t eager to interact with himself, confirming his earlier speculations. Sure enough, Fang Li would release him after having acted his fill. The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s lips pulled, and a derisive expression surfaced at the bottom of his eyes¡­¡­ Then he heard Fang Li say, ¡°Have someone arrange a room for Yuyi-jun to live in the side palace.¡± Then he turned to lean towards Xie Huai and fixed his gaze on him, his eyes curving as he laughed, ¡°A beauty like this, how could this lord stand to let you leave? Naturally, we should accompany each other day and night, dawn and dusk.¡± CH 6 November 13th, 2022 In the original book, this segment of the script was a massive banquet with flesh served for every meal. Basically starting from when Xie Huai entered, Yan Sui never did another proper day¡¯s work. Other than indescribable things it was just more indescribable things, in a hundred different varieties and incomparably colorful¡­¡­ with an emphasis on describing how Xie Huai was unyielding, and how Yan Sui¡¯s ferocious urge for conquest was instead subdued. As an abusive, forceful, dog-blood novel where bodies were moved before hearts and the noble and pure protagonist shou was gradually loved because of how he refused to be conquered, it really wasn¡¯t a very unique plot. But in many cases, things that were clich¨¦ had their reasons for existing. For example, in any kind of showdown where both parties have piled up their chips, the loser always has to pay out a little something. It was just a pity that no matter how perfect and stunning Xie Huai was, Fang Li wouldn¡¯t force himself to go sleep with a man. Luckily, he also didn¡¯t need to be with Xie Huai every single moment. This segment of the script spanned roughly over a month. The book seemed like it described that for a very long time, but taking everything into account, only a couple nights were described in detail, so it wouldn¡¯t actually take too much time. This was the difference between reality and a book¡ªromance could never be the whole of life. The only thing that needed attention was this sentence written in the book: The demon lord stayed in Yuyi-jun¡¯s room night after night, lingering until he forgot about returning. Night after night. It looked like he would have to live with Xie Huai for this period of time. But that wasn¡¯t a huge problem; he could just treat it as having a roommate. Xie Huai didn¡¯t seem like the type to talk much, and as long as he didn¡¯t bother Xie Huai, Xie Huai definitely wouldn¡¯t bother him. A quiet, peaceful roommate who didn¡¯t cause trouble and was even easy on the eyes. Fang Li thought that was one hundred percent hard to come by. Fang Li had people clear out the side hall for Xie Huai, and considering that he himself would have to live there for this period of time, all of the furnishings in the side hall were as comfortable as could be. After all, Fang Li didn¡¯t intend on making himself suffer. When everything was prepared, and seeing that the sky was getting dark, Fang Li went out. The System was so moved that a river of tears flowed down its face. It had almost thought the host wasn¡¯t planning to go; to think that the host actually still remembered to follow the plot! ¡¾ Fang Li laughed: You thought I wasn¡¯t going to go. ¡¿ ¡¾The System laughed drily: I didn¡¯t. ¡¿Isn¡¯t it all because you kept not sticking to the script all those times?! And each time you were full of excuses, I¡¯m traumatized now, okay? But who would care about a System¡¯s trauma? Fang Li laughed and shook his head. He didn¡¯t intend to get too intimate with Xie Huai, but just living together wasn¡¯t a big deal. Plus, he still needed to act it out for other people to see. This part of the script couldn¡¯t be cut. If he just brought Xie Huai over here and left him alone, how would he broadcast his ¡°favoritism¡±? After all, not too long from now, he had to deeply ¡°fall for¡± Xie Huai and lose his wits for him. If it was too abrupt, it wouldn¡¯t be very believable. On most days, the demon lord¡¯s palace was extremely empty. Other than himself, there were only the demonic servants waiting on him. Because the side hall had been empty, after clearing it out today and replenishing it with furniture and goods, there was actually a bit more of a presence of life. As soon as he walked into the courtyard, he noticed an object being thrown outside. It just happened to land by his feet with a loud crash, shattering to pieces. He lowered his eyes to look. The shattered jade fragments had a flawless, smooth luster. At a glance, it was obviously high-quality jade, but it was a pity that the original shape was impossible to discern now. Although, scattered nearby, there were also whips, ropes, bells, chains¡­¡­ Cough. Fang Li thought he might have guessed what that jade object had been. He covered his mouth with his fist in a twinge of discomfort and slightly adjusted his expression before walking inside, looking indifferent. Two demonic servants dressed all in black immediately knelt to the ground, trembling with fear as they said, ¡°Your, Your Excellency, Yuyi-jun refuses to let us approach.¡± Xie Huai sat upright on the edge of the bed, his slender stature tall and upright, his posture unhurried. Sitting there calm and composed, it seemed like he was the master, and Fang Li was an unwelcome guest. Xie Huai lifted his eyes minutely. The dark eyes that looked at Fang Li were distant and profound without a trace of warmth. The demonic servants crouched on the ground, shaking with terror, not daring to raise their heads. According to reason, His Excellency¡¯s pet lovers had to be properly trained a bit and prepared before giving to His Excellency to enjoy, but Xie Huai was really a tough bone to pick. Even without his cultivation, he didn¡¯t fear them the least and didn¡¯t even consider them worth his notice. They also didn¡¯t dare use force in fear of harming His Excellency¡¯s person, so they¡¯d been locked in this stalemate. Letting His Excellency see this spectacle was a show of incompetence¡­¡­ Recalling His Excellency¡¯s past methods, the two demonic servants trembled like leaves. Fang Li lifted the corner of his mouth by a hair, the curve of his mouth cold and cruel. His dark, ruthless gaze swept casually over them, and he said blandly, ¡°Useless garbage, you can¡¯t even do this much. Get out.¡± The two demonic servants suddenly let out a relieved sigh. To think that they¡¯d escaped with their lives¡ªthey frantically retreated, half-crawling away! As for Xie Huai, now that he¡¯d angered His Excellency, when His Excellency dealt his hand, he¡¯d naturally suffer a fate worse than death! After the two servants left, Fang Li waved his hand, and the large doors closed shut. Only he and Xie Huai were left. He advanced a step and looked at Xie Huai. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were also raised to look at him, devoid of anger or fear, only sitting there serenely, as if he¡¯d already been waiting for a long time. But Fang Li didn¡¯t continue to step forward. Since he¡¯d changed the plot and hadn¡¯t completely crippled Xie Huai, it was hard to guarantee that there wouldn¡¯t be ripple effects. In the original work, Xie Huai had managed to re-cultivate even under those circumstances, so it was clear he had his hidden trump cards and unique abilities. Main characters were naturally different from other people, and Xie Huai had always been someone to plan first and act later, his stratagems profound¡­¡­ Fang Li definitely wouldn¡¯t underestimate Xie Huai and think that some trifling Soul-Sealing Pins could thoroughly ensure his safety. The Soul-Sealing Pins were only a stopgap measure, and Xie Huai still had to be guarded against. Fang Li didn¡¯t want to see a situation where he and Xie Huai engaged in a course of mutual destruction. Actually, his original intention not to get too intimate with Xie Huai did indeed fulfill the requirements for them to interact peacefully for the time being¡­¡­ After all, rather than risking his life and putting himself in danger to assassinate Fang Li, the chances of success were much higher if he waited until he could break through the seal before coming to kill him. The difference between the two was only a matter of time¡­¡­ as long as he didn¡¯t pressure Xie Huai too much, Xie Huai was a smart person, so he would naturally recognize which path was more favorable. As for himself, he only needed to give Xie Huai one impression: Xie Huai could take his time killing him, there was no need to rush. Since there was a method with no downsides, what need was there to engage in the path of mutual destruction? Fang Li¡¯s disdainful gaze swept past the floor full of ¡°toys¡± and he carelessly curved his lips into a smile. In a ridiculing voice, he said slowly, ¡°The whole world says Yuyi-jun is a prodigy rarely seen in a thousand years, and given time, is sure to become a Unified Dao true immortal¡­¡­ Not only Cloudbank Keep, but all of the righteous sects view you as the pride of your young generation. If they knew that you¡¯ve become this lord¡¯s plaything, those fellows¡¯ faces would definitely be interesting to see.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. This was probably the reason Fang Li had kept him by his side. He¡¯d already guessed as much earlier, so hearing it from his own mouth right now wasn¡¯t actually much of a surprise. ¡°Right now, you¡¯ve fallen into this lord¡¯s hands. The days ahead are long, and this lord has plenty of ways to make you comply¡­¡­¡± Fang Li looked askance at Xie Huai, his tone meaningful. ¡°You¡¯d best think carefully. Don¡¯t refuse a toast now only to be forced to drink a forfeit later.¡± That should count as a threat, probably¡­¡­ Xie Huai looked at the face of the man before him. Although his mouth was full of those kinds of words, his expression was calm and amiable without the least bit of cruelty or murderous intent. Rather than calling it a threat¡­¡­ it would be more accurate to say that he was reassuring him that ¡°the days ahead were long¡±¡ªthat was giving him time to consider, then. At this thought, Xie Huai felt incredibly absurd¡­¡­ It couldn¡¯t be that he was going to wait until he was willing and eager? He wouldn¡¯t see that day in this lifetime. Perhaps those weren¡¯t his true intentions, but at least one point was certain. He didn¡¯t have any intentions at all towards himself, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t really do anything to him¡­¡­ After finishing his speech, Fang Li stopped paying attention to what Xie Huai was thinking, and he didn¡¯t need an answer from Xie Huai, either¡­¡­Anyways, no matter how much he said, Xue Huai wouldn¡¯t believe it and would only think that he had some kind of secret plot. But as long as he didn¡¯t make a move, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t struggle with him to the grave right now. Fang Li sat upright before the table, opened the incense burner, and started to light the incense. It was already the second time. Xie Huai definitely knew that this was sedative incense, but Fang Li just calmly lit the incense right in front of him without the slightest intention of concealing it. Xie Huai lowered his gaze and hid the derisive expression on his face, slowly closing his eyes. After a moment, Fang Li turned around, and seeing that the other man was already asleep, he slowly stood up and walked over, then reached out to give Xie Huai¡¯s wrist a tug¡ªpulling him towards the inside of the bed. The bed was soft and spacious, and sleeping four wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Fang Li couldn¡¯t go as far as to put two beds in his pet lover¡¯s room, but he still had to sleep somewhere during this month¡¯s time, right? So he could only squeeze in with Xie Huai. Right now, the benefits of a large bed became apparent. Fang Li patted the mattress, wrapped his robes around him and lay down, then closed his eyes and went to sleep. System: ¡­¡­ The host sure can sleep. His state of mind is pretty good. Xie Huai lay quietly to one side, maintaining the posture that Fang Li had pulled him into, unmoving. Just then, in the split second that Fang Li had touched him, he had already been prepared to make a move, with this close of a distance¡­¡­ But the other¡¯s slightly cool fingertips had only touched him for a moment before moving away, so quickly it felt like an illusion, leaving only an almost imperceptible feeling of contact¡­¡­ Cold as ice, not like a living person. Immediately after, Fang Li laid down beside him and stopped moving. If not for the faint breathing that was still there, Xie Huai would almost have thought that what was beside him was a corpse. Wherever this person went, what he brought was death and terror, to the point that no one noticed his sickly, pale as ash face, his thin, ice-cold frame¡­¡­ As if the one about to step through death¡¯s door, was him. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Originally, Fang Li had only slept lightly. After all, with that kind of person beside him, he couldn¡¯t be too relaxed or careless, but maybe it was because the bed was too soft or because the incense aroma was too cozy, even though he¡¯d already taken a poison neutralizing pill earlier, he¡¯d slept as deeply as if he¡¯d been affected by the sedative incense. After waking and turning his head, he saw that Xie Huai was sleeping even more deeply than himself, clearly still under the effects of the incense. Only then did Fang Li relax. He got up and ordered the servants outside to bring food. When the room was full of luxurious dishes, Fang Li started eating by himself without waiting for Xie Huai to join him, then left before Xie Huai woke up. Since he¡¯d decided to harmoniously get along with his roommate, maintaining an appropriate sense of distance was an important point in not making his straight roommate uncomfortable. Fang Li began a lifestyle of leaving early and returning late. After having breakfast, he¡¯d go take care of his affairs, pass some time, and occasionally listen to Wu Yimei¡¯s reports about his work, and then he¡¯d return to Xie Huai¡¯s after having dinner. Because of Fang Li¡¯s order, everyone knew that His Excellency¡¯s possessiveness was extremely strong, and he didn¡¯t like it when others touched Xie Huai, so no one else dared to go bother Xie Huai, to the point that they didn¡¯t even dare to approach the side hall. During this period, the two of them got along just as Fang Li had imagined: peacefully without trouble, and with the mutual respect of guests. Lighting incense, sleeping, getting up, leaving, returning, lighting incense, sleeping¡­¡­ there was almost no interaction between them, to avoid too much awkwardness. In the blink of an eye, five days had passed. That night, Fang Li arrived at Xie Huai¡¯s room again. He¡¯d gradually found the manner that made himself most comfortable. With practiced motions, he¡¯d make Xie Huai pass out, then fish out something like a story book or biography and leisurely start reading. When he started to get drowsy, he¡¯d get in bed and sleep. Other than the lack of a phone or computer, his lifestyle was about the same as before he¡¯d transmigrated, regular like clockwork. Gradually, Fang Li even started to admire himself a little. He¡¯d never thought a day would come where he¡¯d become an expert at using sedative incense. Reaching the level he was at, being able to recklessly light the incense, could also be considered pretty unparalleled, right? After all, traditionally, this sort of thing relied on catching the other party unawares. Who would do it right to the victim¡¯s face? Even he himself thought it was a little overly insane. After Fang ¡°Reckless¡± Li finished lighting the incense, he lay down leisurely and contentedly next to Xie Huai. He¡¯d already passed this many peaceful nights, and he had the deepest faith in the efficacy of the incense. At first he¡¯d slept fairly lightly, but later, he could fall asleep very quickly. The person beside him had a cold fragrance that seeped into you, like the air on a snowy mountain¡ªalthough freezing, it gave you an indescribable feeling of peace. Fang Li quickly fell asleep. All alone, he trudged through the wind and snow, an expanse of blinding white all around, deserted without a trace of human presence. Towering skyscrapers were hidden amongst the white fog, occasionally revealing a sinister gray corner. He couldn¡¯t see the road beneath his feet, and he couldn¡¯t recognize the way home. He didn¡¯t know why he was here, and he didn¡¯t know why he hadn¡¯t gone home. After pondering for a very long time, he finally remembered. There was no one waiting for him at home anymore. So, there wasn¡¯t much difference whether he went back or not. Inside the fog, the howling and wailing of the wind permeated one¡¯s consciousness. He was dressed very lightly, and he could feel the temperature getting lower and lower. At first, it felt very cold, but gradually, even the feeling of cold was gone. He thought, forget it, this was fine. No matter which direction he went in, there wasn¡¯t any difference, anyway. Then what was the point of wasting his energy? But he somehow still felt a little reluctant to just give up like this¡­¡­ Fang Li stood where he was, mulling it over for a second. He decided to take one step, just one more step. If he still couldn¡¯t find his way out, he might as well just lie down. Fang Li carelessly took a step forward. But who could¡¯ve known that his foot stepped onto nothing, and he suddenly started to plummet. With a crash, he fell into pool of spring water. The spring water was boiling hot, and all around were snowy white mountains. It didn¡¯t have the least bit of the atmosphere of the modern age, like it was a whole different world. Vast and tranquil, like a heavenly paradise. Even though this world was also cold, in the middle of all this snow and ice, there just happened to be a warm spring. The warmth spread through his body bit by bit, gradually reviving his paralyzed nerves, and his rigid fingers slowly recovered their feeling. He decided he might as well adjust his posture, only leaving his head above the surface of the water, contentedly soaking in the warm spring amidst the snowy, glacial landscape. He didn¡¯t know what kind of place this was, but he wanted to linger, a little reluctant to leave. Fang Li slept groggily, and in the middle of being half asleep and half awake, he started to feel like the spring was starting to get too hot, as if it was about to boil over¡­¡­ He hazily opened his eyes, then immediately snapped awake. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡¾ Fang Li: Why didn¡¯t you remind me that my sleeping posture was bad? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: You didn¡¯t ask me to. ¡¿ Actually, it hadn¡¯t noticed either. The System wasn¡¯t standing at attention 24/7 either, okay¡­¡­ With a wooden face, Fang Li retrieved the hand that had been placed on Xie Huai¡¯s waist, then gently removed his leg from on top of Xie Huai¡¯s leg. Then he breathed in deeply, staring at the other party¡¯s perfect, flawless profile, propped himself up with one arm, and increased the distance between them at the speed of light. After completing all of this, Fang Li finally exhaled. Luckily, Xie Huai had been knocked out. Maybe it was because this period of time had been too peaceful, and Xie Huai had appeared far too nonthreatening, making him relax his vigilance and do something like this. Normally, he was incredibly proper when he slept. Fang Li felt a rare moment of apology and a bit ill at ease. Clearly the person beside him was still asleep, but the space still felt cramped enough to make him uneasy, as if a pair of eyes was staring at him¡­¡­ He decided to leave quietly, except that when he suddenly turned his head to look, he found that after a few days had passed, the marks on Xie Huai¡¯s neck had disappeared. He sunk into thought for a bit. As everyone knew, he and Xie Huai had ¡°passionate showdowns night after night.¡± If there wasn¡¯t a single trace, it would definitely arouse others¡¯ suspicion. It looked like it¡¯d need a little fixing up. Fang Li reached out to pull down Xie Huai¡¯s collar, revealing his pale, slender neck. He composed himself before leaning closer and extending his hand to pinch Xie Huai¡¯s neck¡­¡­ but just at that moment, the eyelashes of the man who¡¯d been deeply asleep stirred minutely, and he slowly opened his eyes. Fang Li fell into the other¡¯s deep, frigid eyes, and his expression shifted a fraction. His hand, which had been just a breadth away from the other¡¯s neck, abruptly froze. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: ¡°Oh, hi.¡± CH 7 November 14th, 2022 TL Note: First of all, thanks everyone for reading and for your comments! It¡¯s really nice and motivating to see that people are enjoying this. And second, in terms of release schedule, I¡¯ve decided to continue shitting out releasing new chapters at roughly this pace until the end of the non-VIP chapters (chapter 13), after which I¡¯ll be switching to a somewhat more sane bi-weekly release schedule. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The air was dead silent. Although it wasn¡¯t the first time, the feeling of doing it while the victim was unconscious and doing it while the victim was awake was like night and day. After all¡ªhe wasn¡¯t really a pervert. Oh, right, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t think that he was trying to pinch him to death, would he? Or maybe¡­¡­ that his desires weren¡¯t normal? Fang Li pretended to be calm as he retracted his hand, glancing to the side without a trace. Sure enough, the incense burner on the table had gone out at some point¡­¡­ A trace of vexation crept into his expression. Xie Huai had truly woken up at a bad time. Fang Li murmured under his breath, then said blandly, ¡°Your blankets slipped.¡± Saying that, he abruptly turned and left with big strides. The System hadn¡¯t expected Xie Huai to suddenly awaken either, and it hadn¡¯t experienced any less of a scare than Fang Li. After calming down a bit, looking at the host¡¯s somewhat rapid footsteps¡­¡­ How rare. So even the host could get nervous! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai watched Fang Li¡¯s departing figure, and his eyes darkened, pensive. Fang Li lit the incense every night, and unless he himself fell asleep, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t approach¡­¡­ He was clearly guarded toward him and wasn¡¯t a self-conceited person, but since he was so guarded against him, then why didn¡¯t he simply thoroughly cripple him and be done with it once and for all? Instead of choosing such a bothersome method filled with hidden dangers. This was the first contradiction. Fang Li in truth had no interest in him, yet he insisted on staying here night after night and pretending to care about him. Was it really only for the sake of humiliating the righteous cultivation sects¡­¡­? There were thousands upon thousands of ways to humiliate someone, there were plenty of dirtier and more ruthless methods. What need was there to stay in a room together? Going to this much trouble was truly over the top. This was the second contradiction. Xie Huai had remained here in order to kill this devil and eliminate harm from the world¡­¡­ but in the time that they¡¯d interacted, every time they got a bit closer, every time he understood a bit more, he would find that this person was the complete opposite of what he¡¯d imagined. Although they were sharing a room, this person rarely spoke and never bothered him¡­¡­ Although they slept in the same bed, this person maintained propriety and never exceeded it by a hair. Although he said he would make himself obey, he¡¯d never so much as touched him once. Refined and polite, gentle and amicable. He was like a mild and tranquil spring, so clear you could see the bottom at a glance, but sometimes¡­¡­ more like an imperceptible fog, concealing everything in unknown depths, impossible to see through or grasp. Everything that he did seemed to have a purpose, but on closer thought, also had no purpose at all. Seemingly necessary, but in truth unnecessary. And he slept beside him in this way night after night, and there were many times that Xie Huai felt a kind of illusion, that killing this person would be very easy. So easy that there was no need to break through the seal, no need to pick a path of mutual destruction. All he needed to do was snap his neck while he was in the middle of a dream. Such a pale, wan, and fragile neck would be very easy to snap¡­¡­ Perhaps it was so simple and so easy that it seemed more like an obvious trap, leading Xie Huai to hesitate. He suddenly felt an urge to probe¡­¡­ So at that moment when he shouldn¡¯t have opened his eyes, he did. Yet that person hadn¡¯t subconsciously revealed any murderous intent, nor had he seized the opportunity to do anything dirty or improper¡­¡­ he¡¯d only seemed a little at a loss, then pretended to be unruffled as he fled. Xie Huai hadn¡¯t missed the split second of embarrassment in the other¡¯s eyes. Why had he been uncomfortable? Why had he avoided Xie Huai? He could clearly follow his desires and do anything he wanted. There was no need to mind whether Xie Huai was awake or asleep¡­¡­ and there was even less of a need to give him ¡°time to consider.¡± Yet he¡¯d instead left in that manner, looking a little bit pitiful, like a child who¡¯d been caught red-handed while secretly playing a prank. Xie Huai had originally thought that his move could capture a hint of the truth hidden beneath those pretenses so that he could confirm his conjectures, so that he could prove that everything was part of that devil¡¯s hidden schemes¡­¡­ but it had only given birth to more doubts, more confusion. It was like he was surrounded by dense fog, thinking that if he took a step forward, he would be able to see exactly what was concealed, but he¡¯d only trapped himself even deeper, and even the way back behind him had become blurrier and blurrier. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Shui Yao¡¯s right wrist was wrapped in gauze. Although Xie Huai hadn¡¯t held back at the time, Shui Yao was still a little spirit, and with the miraculous spirit medicines in the demon lord¡¯s palace, his injury had actually recovered most of the way. But he still hadn¡¯t removed the bandage. It was said that ever since Xie Huai had entered His Excellency¡¯s palace, His Excellency had stayed there night after night, as if he was monopolizing the lord¡¯s favor¡­¡­ Shui Yao paced back and forth inside the room, growing more and more uneasy. Xie Huai really was too beautiful. Even if he didn¡¯t want to, he had to admit that when he had faced Xie Huai, he had felt a kind of shame about his own appearance¡­¡­ With someone like that around His Excellency day and night, could His Excellency¡¯s heart really remain unmoved? Shui Yao didn¡¯t believe it. Irritably, he squeezed the cup in his hands until it shattered. He¡¯d originally wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate Xie Huai, but who could¡¯ve known it would instead backfire and send Xie Huai to His Excellency¡¯s side¡­¡­ If he still didn¡¯t make a move right now, he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t get the chance in the future. Only, without His Excellency¡¯s summons, Shui Yao didn¡¯t really dare to request to see His Excellency on his own. If he angered His Excellency¡­¡­ Just as he was struggling to come to a decision, Feng Yin opened the door and entered. He and Feng Yin had entered the demon lord¡¯s palace at around the same time; their relationship was pretty good, and they had always supported each other. In the rear court where everyone harbored ulterior motives, only by forming alliances could one avoid becoming isolated and helpless, and he and Feng Yin were on the same side. As soon as Feng Yin entered, he said anxiously, ¡°I heard Xie Huai has captivated His Excellency to the point that he¡¯s almost lost his soul.¡± Shui Yao was in the middle of worrying about precisely this, and he became even more resentful after hearing that. With a wave of his hand, he knocked the teapot on the table onto the ground, his chest heaving. ¡°I heard so too.¡± Feng Yin furrowed his brow and said, ¡°We can¡¯t sit here and wait for death.¡± How could Shui Yao not be thinking the same? But they couldn¡¯t even get close to His Excellency, so what could they do¡­¡­? Feng Yin mulled it over for a long time, then suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see His Excellency.¡± Shui Yao suppressed the excitement in his chest and said anxiously, ¡°Have you forgotten, there was someone who had crooked thoughts and went to the lord¡¯s palace in the past, pretending to chance upon him, but he only angered His Excellency and was directly sentenced to death.¡± Feng Yin clearly remembered this as well, and his face became pale. He seemed to retreat for a bit, but finally his ambition won out over his fear. He grit his teeth and said, ¡°That was because he overestimated himself, but you¡¯re different. Perhaps His Excellency won¡¯t be angered.¡± Shui Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°How am I different?¡± Feng Yin side-eyed him, his tone full of jealousy as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. Everyone saw the way that His Excellency treated you that day, you couldn¡¯t not have a clue? When has His Excellency ever treated me that way? Besides, he even had you rest to recover from your injury and rewarded you with all kinds of miraculous cures¡­¡­¡± Shui Yao¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly, and he couldn¡¯t hide his delight. His lips twitched as he said, ¡°Perhaps that was only His Excellency¡¯s momentary whim¡­¡­¡± Feng Yin¡¯s eyes were about to roll back into his head. ¡°Oh, please! There are so many beauties in the rear court, how come His Excellency never had any momentary whims in the past? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s hard enough that His Excellency¡¯s taken an interest in you and treated you so well. Don¡¯t give up such a good opportunity. If you don¡¯t hurry and show your face in front of His Excellency, His Excellency might really get seduced by someone else and forget about you. By then you won¡¯t even have anywhere to cry!¡± Shui Yao bit his lip. A ferocious look flashed past Feng Yin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate. If it comes down to it, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Shui Yao was finally moved. He was a little scared to go by himself, but if someone went with him, he felt a little better. Plus, Feng Yin¡¯s words really did speak to his heart¡­¡­ As expected, it wasn¡¯t just his own misconception; other people also thought that His Excellency had treated him differently. Risk and reward went hand in hand. Shui Yao finally made up his mind. He said, ¡°Alright.¡± Feng Yin finally smiled, saying, ¡°When you make it big, just don¡¯t forget about me.¡± Shui Yao covered his face and laughed. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t.¡± Pet lovers like them lived inside the rear court, which was situated in a corner of the demonic palace. Shui Yao and Feng Yin quietly slipped out with no one the wiser. The two of them carefully made their way to the center of the palace. The buildings outside were extensive and cold, completely different from the romantic, charming style of the rear court. Even the black stone pathways emitted a stern air. After walking for a short while, they arrived near the side palace hall. They could faintly hear a person¡¯s voice to one side, and the two immediately hid behind a fake rock. Not far away, they saw servants entering and exiting in a stream, carrying fine delicacies. Looking at this scene, Shui Yao and Feng Yin were so jealous their eyes became red. Shui Yao said fiercely, ¡°That vixen!¡± This was supposed to be where Xie Huai lived. Everyone said that His Excellency had hidden him away in the side palace, where he passed heavenly days piled in fine clothes and luxurious feasts. Sure enough, Shui Yao was so bitter he was about to grind his teeth to dust. Feng Yin was silent for a long time, then said, ¡°Seeing as we¡¯re already at the side palace, just ahead should be where His Excellency lives.¡± Shui Yao said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I bribed a guard once, His Excellency¡¯s palace is right there.¡± Feng Yin hurriedly said, ¡°You go see His Excellency, I won¡¯t go with you.¡± Shui Yao said in astonishment, ¡°You¡¯re not coming?¡± Feng Yin cast him a sidelong glance, saying unhappily, ¡°If sparks start flying between you and His Excellency, am I supposed to stand to the side and watch? You¡¯ll be fine by yourself, I¡¯m not the kind of person who doesn¡¯t understand tact.¡± Those words resonated with Shui Yao¡¯s heart. Since they had already gotten here without a hitch, he didn¡¯t really want Feng Yin to disturb things, either, so he said, ¡°Alright, be careful.¡± Feng Yin nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He watched Shui Yao walk forward. Then, his eyes flashed and he turned around, walking toward the side hall. Xie Huai had finished dinner and was sitting by the large table in the room. He held a go piece in one hand, playing a match with himself. Ever since he¡¯d left in a hurry, Fang Li hadn¡¯t returned even once in the past several days. Why? Was it because he¡¯d accidentally gotten too close while dreaming? Or because he¡¯d been caught red-handed in the middle of his little trick? Or perhaps¡­¡­ was it merely because Xie Huai no longer had any value to make use of? Was he not going to come anymore? Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened minutely, and he slightly pursed his lips. It wasn¡¯t that he minded whether Fang Li would come or not¡­¡­ only that he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to kill him. Clink, the stone piece landed softly on the table surface. Xie Huai¡¯s expression was indifferent, his voice clear and cold. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The window was blown open with a crash, and Feng Yin walked out from the shadows. He glazed coldly at Xie Huai, raising the corners of his mouth in a mocking voice, ¡°And here I thought you righteous cultivators were the courageous type. I didn¡¯t imagine you were just pretending to be virtuous. To think that the grand Yuyi-jun would also be willing to serve in bed.¡± Xie Huai looked at him steadily, with no trace of resentment on his face. He instead raised his eyes slightly. ¡°Oh, and?¡± Seeing that he remained unmoved, Feng Yin seemed flustered and said viciously, ¡°You don¡¯t have your cultivation right now, what do you have to be arrogant about?!¡± Although he spoke this way, he seemed to have some anxieties and didn¡¯t dare act. Xie Huai suddenly laughed and said, ¡°Why not come have some tea and take your time speaking.¡± Feng Yin hesitated for a long time, then said coldly, ¡°Who¡¯s afraid of who? You think I wouldn¡¯t dare to come over?¡± Saying that, he leapt into the room. There was no one around them, and Feng Yin¡¯s back was against the window, somewhat blocking it. His expression suddenly changed, and he revealed a concerned expression. Silently, he mouthed, ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Xie Huai was pensive as he looked at youth in front of him. The mindless jealousy was only a fa?ade; he had looked for an opportunity to come see him on purpose, but Xie Huai didn¡¯t recognize him. Feng Yin also knew that he needed to acquire Xie Huai¡¯s trust. He advanced a step and dipped his finger in the tea to write two words on the table surface: Feng Ying. Xie Huai¡¯s expression shifted, pondering. Seven years ago, Xiyuan province¡¯s Red Scroll Faction1 had been exterminated by the Ghost Moon Creed, a demonic sect, and the Red Scroll Faction¡¯s leader¡¯s young son Feng Ying had been captured by demonic cultivators. Xie Huai had just happened to be traveling in Xiyuan, and after hearing about the matter, he and his sword had extinguished the Ghost Moon Creed. However, he hadn¡¯t been able to rescue the captured Feng Ying, and he¡¯d only thought that the child had already died. Feng Ying suddenly lifted his sleeves and knelt on the ground, bowing deeply. His eyes were reddened. At the time, after being kidnapped by the Ghost Moon Creed, they¡¯d seen that his cultivation potential wasn¡¯t poor, and he looked fairly good, so they¡¯d sold him to a Hehuan Sect2 elder. The Hehuan Sect elder had personally trained him into a cultivation furnace and sent him into the demon lord¡¯s palace to curry favor with the demon lord. He hadn¡¯t been able to escape in all of those years, and later, it was already too late to leave. He was covered in filth, and he didn¡¯t have the face to confront the past, so he might as well simply sink further into the demonic path. But he had always remembered that his family¡¯s blood debt had been paid for him by Yuyi-jun. He hadn¡¯t thought that he would also have the chance to repay this favor. Stroke by stroke, Feng Yin wrote on the floor, ¡°I have a way to send information outside. As long as you give the word, I won¡¯t hesitate to go to any length.¡± Xie Huai sank into silence for a moment, then said, ¡°I understand.¡± Feng Yin stood up and rubbed his eyes, so stirred up that his hands were faintly trembling. In truth, he had been extremely worried that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t believe him, or that he would look down on his current state¡­¡­ Thank goodness that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t. Xie Huai said slowly, ¡°You took too big of a risk.¡± Regardless of whether Feng Yin was sincere or not, visiting so brashly was exceedingly dangerous and was putting himself at risk. Feng Yin also knew that he had been impulsive. If he hadn¡¯t truly been too worried about Yuyi-jun, afraid that his benefactor wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the demon lord¡¯s torment, he wouldn¡¯t have taken this risk and revealed himself. Seeing that Yuyi-jun was unharmed right now, he also relaxed. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. If you have any matters, please give the order,¡± Feng Yin said in the quietest voice possible, then suddenly retreated a step and raised his voice sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t be so pleased with yourself. His Excellency is simply seeking novelty, he¡¯ll get sick of you soon!¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li sat in the study, reading. These days, he hadn¡¯t gone over to Xie Huai¡¯s, but he¡¯d instructed his servants not to treat him poorly. Actually, missing a few nights probably shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. Right now, who didn¡¯t know that he doted on Xie Huai? As long as the result was the same, it was fine. Fang Li read until he started to get tired, closing his eyes and dozing off lightly. He¡¯d promised to give Xie Huai time to consider, yet he¡¯d taken advantage of him while was asleep to get close, and had even tried to ¡°pinch¡± his neck¡­¡­ What would Xie Huai think of him? He didn¡¯t want to spoil this hard-won equilibrium because of a momentary lapse. Fang Li sighed faintly and pressed his forehead. Suddenly, a shadow landed beside him and spoke quietly. This was the secret guard he¡¯d left by Xie Huai¡¯s side, reporting to him that someone had come to seek Xie Huai for trouble. It looked like in this period of time that he¡¯d ¡°favored¡± Xie Huai, there really were a few people who couldn¡¯t sit still. After searching through his memories for a bit, Fang Li shook his head. Feng Yin, the cultivation furnace that the Hehuan Sect elder had sent over. Only, he didn¡¯t know if these actions were for the sake of the Hehuan Sect, or if he had another purpose? If he was handling something for the Hehuan Sect, that wouldn¡¯t be strange, but why had he left Shui Yao behind to go see Xie Huai? It couldn¡¯t be that his mind had really been muddled by jealousy? Interesting¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his eyes pensively for a few moments, then a smile suddenly stretched across his face. Who cared what his purpose was? If Feng Yin wanted to visit, then he could go ahead. As long as Xie Huai was here beside him and could accompany him in following the script, he could turn a blind eye to everything else and happily take it easy. Besides, the script hadn¡¯t mentioned this part. He wasn¡¯t too clear exactly what role Feng Yin played, so it was better not to concern himself too much with extraneous matters. Fang Li waved his hand. ¡°Enough, don¡¯t bother with it.¡± The secret guard abruptly disappeared. Fang Li stood up and pushed the door open to leave. The System who had been silent for several days suddenly woke up. ¡¾ System: Host, where are you going? ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Someone already came to find trouble for Xie Huai. If this lord just sits by, wouldn¡¯t it look like I¡¯m not paying enough attention to him? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: You¡¯re right, host! Host, you¡¯re so smart! ¡¿Thank heavens, the host was finally willing to go see Xie Huai! Fang Li laughed and shook his head. As soon as he went out the door, he saw Shui Yao coming over. As soon as Shui Yao saw Fang Li, he revealed the expression of a beautiful, lovable consort and said with coquettish indignation, ¡°Your Excellency, did Your Excellency forget Yao¡¯r?!¡± The beauty¡¯s wrist was wrapped in bandages. Logically, the injury should have already healed, but it looked like he didn¡¯t want Fang Li to forget and was reminding him¡­¡­ Fang Li raised the corner of his mouth in amusement. In Yan Sui¡¯s memories, the pet lovers in his rear court would never dare to be this bold and were quiet as could be, not even daring to breathe too loudly when they saw him¡­¡­ He had only been here for a few days, and there was already someone bold enough to come to his door to seek favor. He was afraid he¡¯d given them a misconception that he shouldn¡¯t have given them, leading them to think they could be presumptuous. Fang Li didn¡¯t like to do things that wasted people¡¯s time. He glanced down at Shui Yao from above and said blandly, ¡°I didn¡¯t forget.¡± His Excellency saying that he hadn¡¯t forgotten should have been a happy thing, but Shui Yao looked into Fang Li¡¯s eyes. They looked gentle, but they didn¡¯t have a shred of warmth. Suddenly, a chill went down his spine¡­¡­ His expression slowly froze, and his lips began to tremble faintly. Shui Yao suddenly realized that he¡¯d become muddle-headed and had done something that he shouldn¡¯t have done. Fang Li gave a soft laugh. ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, you needn¡¯t bother going back.¡± After saying that, he walked past Shui Yao and left. Shui Yao¡¯s entire body knelt limply on the ground, barely able to crawl upright. He didn¡¯t understand¡ªHis Excellency had obviously been so gentle, so special toward him. Why was it that in just a few days¡¯ time, he¡¯d become so cold and callous, just like His Excellency from before? Could it be that it really was all his own imagination? After handling the cannon fodder who didn¡¯t know how to use his eyes, Fang Li ambled leisurely into Xie Huai¡¯s courtyard. As soon as he entered, he saw Feng Yin push open the door and fly out in a rage, cursing as he walked, as if he loathed and disdained this righteous sect cultivator¡­¡­ It looked like he¡¯d arrived at the perfect time. Fang Li lowered his eyes. According to the script, at this point, Yan Sui should have already fallen for Xie Huai, and moreover, this work had a central theme that ran through the whole book from start to finish, which was¡ª No matter how much Yan Sui humiliated or tormented Xie Huai, nobody else could touch even a fingertip of Xie Huai¡¯s, or they would die. Thinking about it, had Feng Yin actually touched one of Xie Huai¡¯s fingertips or not? Listening to the report, it sounded like he¡¯d just gone a round of cursing? And it sounded like he hadn¡¯t actually gotten anywhere with his cursing? In that case¡­¡­ the death penalty wasn¡¯t necessary. Some punishment would be hard to avoid, probably. Fang Li cleared his throat, his expression cold and indifferent as he said to the demonic servant beside him, ¡°Be more attentive. Don¡¯t let just anyone in anymore. In the future, if anyone dares to disrespect Yuyi-jun again, kill without mercy. As for him¡­¡­¡± He lowered his eyes to glance at Feng Yin. His next words hadn¡¯t yet come out when the door opened with a creak. Xie Huai appeared, tall and slender in his white robes, his expression cold and apathetic like freezing snow on a high mountain. He said slowly, ¡°I have no right to comment on how Your Excellency handles your people, but if it¡¯s for my sake, then it¡¯s unnecessary. Your Excellency¡¯s deep favor, I can¡¯t afford to receive.¡± Truly cold and ruthless. It seemed like he didn¡¯t care about Feng Yin the slightest and only hated Fang Li¡¯s actions. It was pretty consistent with Xie Huai¡¯s character profile, but was that really all? Although, Fang Li had no intention of executing Feng Yin from the start. He took advantage of the opportunity to neglect Feng Yin, dripping with a cold, tyrannical air as he said, ¡°Seeing as you belong to this lord, naturally, other than this lord, no one is allowed to slight you. Even if you¡¯re unwilling, you have no choice but to receive it.¡± Xie Huai gave him a tranquil look, then spit out two words from his thin lips. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Having said that, he turned and left. The highest level of disdain was to ignore someone, to look without seeing, to treat the other party like air. And right now, Xie Huai truly was treating him just like air. Fang Li was beyond delighted to be treated like air. He hoped Xie Huai could stay just like this through thick and thin, but right now he was the demon lord, and he absolutely couldn¡¯t leave with his tail between his legs, or that would be cramping the style of a demon lord. If it was behind closed doors then he could just forget it, but right now there were people watching, and he couldn¡¯t neglect his reputation. Fang Li appeared to be infuriated. He abruptly stepped forward and tightly gripped Xie Huai¡¯s wrist! And pressed him against the door! He said in a sinister voice, ¡°Who allowed you to speak to this lord like that? It looks like this lord will have to help you improve your memory.¡± A violent, cold-blooded, ruthless, exceedingly possessive, perverted demon lord. Fang Li was beginning to get a feeling for the act. He tightened his grip on his wrist and was just about to drag Xie Huai into the room, but then¡ª Xie Huai¡¯s thin lips curled and he leaned close to Fang Li¡¯s ear, his cool and clear voice flowing, ¡°Is that so? How exactly does Your Excellency intend¡ªto improve my memory?¡± Fang Li, ¡°?¡± It felt like he was being challenged! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Author: It¡¯s said, it¡¯s said~ that wanting to understand someone, is the beginning of love. Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 Red Scroll Faction (µ¤ÊéÅÉ) ¨C Red ink is associated with imperial edicts and also talismans and stuff 2 Hehuan Sect ¨C I¡¯m leaving this one untranslated because¡­ ahem¡­ it is the cultivation sex cult signature, after all¡­ CH 8 November 16th, 2022 Fang Li slightly narrowed his eyes. Saying these kinds of provocative things as a prisoner under someone else¡¯s roof¡­¡­ He really didn¡¯t have the slightest self-awareness of being a fish on a cutting block. Could it be that he really thought Fang Li wouldn¡¯t become enraged and do anything to him? Fang Li suddenly turned his head, his lips nearly brushing past Xie Huai¡¯s ears, and he gave a low, humorous laugh. ¡°What is it? Is Yuyi-jun looking forward to this lord doing a little something? Could it be that you¡¯ve finally realized that belonging to this lord feels pretty good?¡± Even the temperature of the man¡¯s lips seemed to be cool, but only his breath brought a scorching warmth, softly flitting past the ears. The suggestive and enchanting laugh, like a lover¡¯s whisper in one¡¯s ear, really did seem to carry a lingering affection¡­¡­ to the point that Xie Huai felt a moment of alarm. But in just that split second¡¯s effort, Fang Li pushed him into the room and closed the door in passing. He fixed his gaze on Xie Huai and said in a slow voice, ¡°Have you really, thought it through?¡± Giving! You! A! Chance! To! Back! Out! Think! Carefully! Before! Speaking! Again! Xie Huai raised his eyes to look at the person before him. The man¡¯s pale, ashen face was stretched taut, and his eyes were grave for once, but he couldn¡¯t see any kind of happy emotions in them. It looked more like he was bit hard-pressed, as if only fearing that Xie Huai would agree¡­¡­ Seeing as he was trying to sound out this person, now was a perfect opportunity. But Xie Huai looked at the nervousness in the other¡¯s eyes¡­¡­ He suddenly shook his head and said blandly, ¡°Your Excellency misunderstands.¡± Fang Li swiftly let out a breath in relief. Of course Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly comply with him. It had to be that his recent actions had given Xie Huai some suspicions, so he¡¯d tried to sound him out like this. Luckily, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t pressed too hard, or he would really have been in a bit of a tight spot¡­¡­ He let out a cold snort and flicked his sleeves. ¡°Next time, think before you speak. This lord¡¯s patience is limited. Don¡¯t think this lord won¡¯t do anything with you.¡± The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s mouth lifted minutely. The person before his eyes had a proper and solemn appearance, and he knew how to speak vicious words, but he didn¡¯t have much of an air of aggression. Judging a person was based not on what they said, but what they did. Ever since Xie Huai had arrived here, Fang Li had said plenty of vicious things¡­¡­ yet he¡¯d never done a single thing that had truly harmed him. Did he really believe he could strike fear this way? Even the prestigious righteous sects like his wouldn¡¯t be naive enough to believe that they could intimidate others this way, or maybe¡­¡­ he knew it clearly in his heart, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do anything more excessive. Perhaps it was precisely for this reason that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t continued. Xie Huai turned around and sat down as if nothing had happened, pouring himself a cup of tea. At this, Fang Li finally thoroughly relaxed. At least Xie Huai hadn¡¯t asked, ¡°What exactly will you do with me,¡± which could still be considered tactful. Although Xie Huai had backtracked under his ¡°threat,¡± the people outside didn¡¯t know of this. Since he¡¯d already entered the room, it wouldn¡¯t be too suitable to go outside right now, but since he hadn¡¯t come here in several days, he hadn¡¯t replenished the sedative incense after using it up¡­¡­ Xie Huai sat upright at the table. Without lifting his head, his fingertips the color of white jade pinched the edge of his cup, and he said indifferently, ¡°My cultivation has already been sealed. What is Your Excellency still worried about?¡± Don¡¯t mention it, but this sentence really did make Fang Li¡¯s worries disappear. He and Xie Huai had been living harmoniously in domestic bliss under the same roof and bed for several days¡­¡­ Right now, it still wasn¡¯t the best time for Xie Huai to kill him. From his perspective, the risks and the potential benefits of making a move right now weren¡¯t proportional, and Xie Huai had always been an intelligent person who weighed his options. He wouldn¡¯t do something foolish on a momentary impulse. So, the odds that Xie Huai would strike right now were actually very low. As long as he himself didn¡¯t feel awkward, then it was everyone else who was awkward! Fang Li sauntered brazenly toward the bed and lay down. A hundred or thousand reasons weren¡¯t worth as much as going to sleep right now. ¡¾ The System immediately started to fret: Host, host! Wake up! Are you really just going to sleep like this? ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: What else? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: Xie Huai is still awake¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Oh. If he wants to kill, then let him. Stop shouting. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿But if you die, then where am I supposed to find another host? QAQ The tea inside the cup was already cold. The man¡¯s eyes were closed shut, his long and delicate eyelashes casting shadows onto his pale, wan skin. His dense, inky hair draped loosely and freely, covering half of his face, which was barely discernible in the candlelight. Although he always wore layers upon layers of thick and heavy black robes, as long as you got close enough to touch, you would notice that the body underneath his thick and heavy clothes was thin and frail, as if his life had long been sucked dry, leaving only a walking husk of a corpse. When he slept, those long and narrow dark eyes covered, completely unmoving, he seemed like¡­¡­ a delicate porcelain doll. One that would shatter at a touch. Someone like this was an existence who had brought terror to the entire world. If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t believe it. Everyone in this world, whether they were good or evil, man or woman, old or young¡­¡­ Aside from a lunatic, anyone doing anything would leave traces to follow. But your purpose¡­ what is it? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ It was already late by the time Fang Li woke up, and warm sunlight spilled into the room. He propped himself into a sitting position and realized that Xie Huai was still seated by the table, his posture exactly the same as last night. Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t sleep together with him¡ªthis didn¡¯t surprise Fang Li in the least. Even less did he feel any guilt about monopolizing the huge bed; Xie Huai was a cultivator after all, ¡°experiencing labor with the muscles and bones, experiencing hunger with the body and flesh, therefore stirring the heart, toughening one¡¯s nature, and improving what one lacks.¡±1 Compared to achieving the heavenly Dao, what was this little bit of hardship? He trusted Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t mind either. Fang Li didn¡¯t have anything to say to Xie Huai. He patted his somewhat wrinkled robe and walked straight past. As soon as he arrived back at his own residential palace, he saw Wu Yimei keeping watch by the door. Wu Yimei lowered his eyes and bowed. ¡°Your Excellency was with Xie Huai again last night?¡± During this period, even those in the rear court could see Fang Li¡¯s favoritism toward Xie Huai, so Wu Yimei was naturally even more aware. Because Fang Li had spoken with him before, Wu Yimei hadn¡¯t asked again, but he had heard about the orders that Fang Li had given last night¡ªif anyone dared disrespect Xie Huai, death without mercy. The unease in Wu Yimei¡¯s heart rose up again¡­¡­ If it was really only to humiliate the righteous sects, was there a need to go this far? Previously, the person nearest to His Excellency¡¯s side had been him, and no one else could even approach. But ever since Xie Huai had arrived, His Excellency lived with Xie Huai night after night. This was the first time there had been a person who could stay with His Excellency day and night like this¡­¡­ Was His Excellency really not moved, even by a hair? ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s voice was low and hoarse. ¡°There are all kinds of rumors about the way you favor Xie Huai. If this continues¡­¡­ I¡¯m afraid it would be disadvantageous to you.¡± Toying with and humiliating was one thing, doting on and falling for was another. As the demon lord, one shouldn¡¯t have this kind of weakness. ¡°No need to pay attention to it. Let them say whatever they want to say,¡± Fang Li laughed indifferently. Wu Yimei lifted his eyes to look at him. His thoughts stirred, and he could vaguely guess Fang Li¡¯s intentions, but he still didn¡¯t dare to be certain. The corner of Fang Li¡¯s mouth curved faintly upwards. ¡°If the whole world knows that he¡¯s my weakness, but I know that he isn¡¯t, is that a bad thing?¡± Wu Yimei suddenly understood, and his expression relaxed. It looked like he¡¯d been overthinking. He changed the topic. ¡°This subordinate came here to report that Du Meng has returned, and he will arrive at Hollow Ridge tonight.¡± Fang Li laughed. ¡°Then arrange for a feast tonight at this lord¡¯s palace. This lord plans to reward him handsomely.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ It was finally time to follow the plot in the book again. Fang Li had a rare moment of invigoration, a little bit expectant. His number one rival in love was about to take the stage. Du Meng, the great demonic cultivator second only to Yan Sui in the book and a peak Void Refining-level expert. Before Yan Sui took the world by storm, the Zenith Sky Creed that Du Meng commanded was the strongest force among the demonic sects. He vaguely had the influence of head of the demonic sects, and he rampaged throughout the counties and provinces. He was a thorn in the sides of the righteous sects, a devil whose name struck terror in the hearts of the whole world, a considerably ruthless and formidable character. But it just so happened that in this book, such a grand character was a stepping stone used to complement the main characters, a tool used to move the plot along. First, using the power of his jade talisman, Yan Sui had defeated Du Meng in one strike in their appointed duel. Du Meng could only surrender to Yan Sui and command the entirety of the Zenith Sky Creed to enter Hollow Ridge. After the news spread that Yan Sui had defeated Du Meng in one strike, there was almost no one left in the entire demonic path who dared to resist, paying allegiance one by one. And with the addition of the might of the Zenith Sky Creed, the road was smooth as butter, becoming a critical juncture in Yan Sui¡¯s unification of the demonic path. In order to win over Du Meng to become his number one general, Yan Sui appointed Du Meng as his Right Adjutant2, one of his right-hand men. But unlike the ever-faithful Wu Yimei, Du Meng was filled with wild ambition. As the leader of the Zenith Sky Creed who had once been number one of the demonic path, how could he be content to truly pledge allegiance to someone else? It was only because he couldn¡¯t see through Yan Sui¡¯s abilities at the moment that he¡¯d pretended to bow his head, but he¡¯d always wanted to kill Yan Sui and take his place. As for Yan Sui, other than Wu Yimei, he didn¡¯t really have anyone he could trust, nor did he have any forces that he¡¯d raised himself; he¡¯d only relied on absolute power to terrorize his subordinates. Of the horde of demons gathered at Hollow Ridge, Du Meng was the leader of the strongest force, Zenith Sky Creed, so even if Yan Sui knew of Du Meng¡¯s intentions, he pretended not to see. As long as Du Meng followed orders on the surface, Yan Sui couldn¡¯t easily do anything to him, and he even had to make use of him to command that horde of demons and stabilize Hollow Ridge. According to the plot. Tonight, Yan Sui would bring Xie Huai to the banquet, where Du Meng would fall in love with him at first sight. And because of Yan Sui¡¯s special favor towards Xie Huai, Du Meng would begin to scheme, thinking Xie Huai had utilization value, and thus approach him. But instead, he¡¯d become gradually more and more attracted to Xie Huai, and later, in order to obtain him, he would work even harder to oppose Yan Sui. Thinking up to this point, Fang Li couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh. Du Meng definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine that not only had he been Yan Sui¡¯s stepping stone to uniting the demonic sect, but he¡¯d once again become a stepping stone for Xie Huai¡¯s name to shake the earth and heavens. Near the end of the story, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance united to attack Hollow Ridge, and Xie Huai¡¯s sword took Yan Sui¡¯s life. Hollow Ridge crumbled apart and split, and Du Meng was able to become the demon lord just as he¡¯d wished. But his obsession with Xie Huai hadn¡¯t changed, and he kept pursuing him without rest. Sadly, Xie Huai remained unmoved from start to finish, and Du Meng finally lost patience and tried to use force, walking Yan Sui¡¯s old path¡­¡­ But this time, Xie Huai didn¡¯t give him the chance and merely had a formal and proper battle with him, finishing him off under his blade. Unlike the Yan Sui who¡¯d had no will to live and had basically offered himself up to die¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s battle with Du Meng shook the earth and sky and made the whole world tremble. The whole world finally realized that Xie Huai could actually easily defeat a peak Void Refining stage expert like Du Ming and saw firsthand his blade that could split mountains and sever rivers. Everyone guessed that Xie Huai had already become a Unified Dao true immortal, becoming even more powerful than the past demon lord Yan Sui, or else how could he have been able to kill Yan Sui back then? Du Meng¡¯s death thoroughly solidified Xie Huai¡¯s place as the number one under the heavens. His death was truly no trifling matter. This plot device of a character could also be counted as someone who¡¯d reached the pinnacle. Thinking about it, even Fang Li let out a pitying sigh. After all, Du Meng hadn¡¯t even gotten to taste any meat. On the contrary, it was Xie Huai¡ª First killing Yan Sui, then killing Du Meng, getting rid of the two biggest demons in two blows, becoming the final winner! Reality proved that seizing by force never got you a good ending. Fang Li leisurely ran through the script. Today, his mission was to bring Xie Huai in front of Du Meng. Based on Xie Huai¡¯s peerless looks, what chance was there that Du Meng wouldn¡¯t be moved? Du Meng had already been discontented with Fang Li for a long time, and with Xie Huai as an added incentive, he would definitely start to have disloyal thoughts. Fang Li just had to agitate things a little, and there was no way he wouldn¡¯t make a move. Night descended, and the bright moon hung high in the hair. A demonic servant scurried inside and bowed. ¡°Your Excellency, the guests have all arrived.¡± Fang Li stood up and smiled faintly. ¡°Good, go invite Yuyi-jun over as well.¡± The servant said, ¡°Understood.¡± The anterior palace hall of the demonic palace was expansive and grand. The ice-cold black stone surface reflected dim light, and on both sides, candlelight flickered atop golden daises. The walls were inlaid with brilliant pearls, and scantily-clad beauties waited upon the guests. Sumptuous delicacies and wine flowed in like water, the whole scene extravagant and degenerate. Fang Li slowly ambled onto the high dais from the back, sitting upright on the seat in the very middle. Below, the demonic cultivators on both sides saw that Fang Li had arrived, and they all stood up to bow. All of the demonic cultivators who could enter the grand palace to attend the feast had some fame. To the left, Wu Yimei stood at their head, and to the right, Du Meng led. Fang Li lowered his eyes and looked at the man standing on the right side, sizing him up curiously. The man was built tall and sturdy, probably even two meters tall, looking about thirty years old. He had a head of mismatched short hair, bronze-colored skin, and stern features. He had a high brow and deep-set eyes, and he wore agile, tight-fitting black robes, closely wrapped around his rugged stature. To the side of his neck, a light plating of black scales could faintly be made out, and the joints on his fingers were coarse, tinged with a metallic shade. It was rumored that he had the bloodline of a flood dragon, and he had the strength to split boulders and slice through mountains. Although he was standing in the lower part of the hall, when he raised his eyes and looked over, his expression was reckless and unrestrained. The invasive nature of his gloomy black eyes was intense, and he quirked the corner of his lips as he said in a clear voice, ¡°Greetings to Your Excellency.¡± When he was done speaking, he rearranged his robes and sat down with a grandiose air, as if no one else was around. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t too respectful, unlike Wu Yimei¡­¡­ But of all present, only Du Meng dared to act this way, because Yan Sui needed him. Fang Li didn¡¯t mind Du Meng ¡°disposing with trivialities.¡± He waved his hand, and everyone else sat down one by one. He propped one arm on the armrest of his seat and slouched back lazily, giving a faint smile. ¡°The Right Adjutant has gone to great troubles this time. This lord raises a toast to you.¡± Du Meng said with a laugh, ¡°Thank you, Your Excellency.¡± He lifted the cup of fine wine before him and tipped it all down. The beauties in the hall began a fluttering dance. Everyone seated was a demonic cultivator, and more than a few of them had beauties in their laps, young women and men both, all of them playthings or slaves¡­¡­ There were even some who started doing that in front of everyone. It was truly a difficult sight to bear. The brightly lit black hall was lively and colorful, delicate laughter and mournful cries intermingling. It was hard to tell if it was a blissful paradise or an endless hell¡­¡­ Fang Li retracted his gaze. Just at that moment, two demonic servants brought Xie Huai in from the back of the hall. The cool and tranquil white-robed man ambled slowly, his manner unhurried, his appearance unparalleled. As soon as he stepped foot inside, wherever he passed, like a handful of ice-cold snow falling into boiling water, all of the unbearable filth seemed to have nowhere to hide. The hall fell silent for a moment, and all of the gazes swept over in that direction. There was curiosity, there was lust, there was malice, there was infatuation¡­¡­ This was the rumored bearer of an innate Dao physique, the most beautiful under the heavens, Yuyi-jun. Fang Li slightly narrowed his eyes. Perhaps it was because of the backdrop of the demonic horde¡¯s chaos, but Xie Huai¡¯s existence was even harder to move one¡¯s gaze away from¡­¡­ He let out a light cough and recovered from his daze. Revealing a drunk, infatuated appearance, he pulled Xie Huai to sit beside him. The man¡¯s cold, clear aura permeated the air, driving away the greasy, rotten atmosphere, penetrating and cleansing his heart. Fang Li¡¯s mood improved a bit; he still preferred Xie Huai¡¯s smell. Following Fang Li¡¯s movements, the clamor in the hall resumed, and the crowd moved away their gazes one by one. No matter how beautiful, he belonged to His Excellency, and looking for a second too long could result in your eyes getting scooped out. Fang Li shifted slightly to sit closer to Xie Huai. He was very pleased with the effect of Xie Huai¡¯s stage entrance. Du Meng would definitely have noticed Xie Huai. It just so happened that Fang Li had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with that crowd of demons. In order to display his special treatment toward Xie Huai, he simply approached him even more wantonly, his sleeve draping over Xie Huai¡¯s lap as he wound over and lightly pinched Xie Huai¡¯s chin. He fixed his gaze on Xie Huai¡¯s suddenly cold and sharp gaze, lifting the corners of his mouth and laughing fearlessly as he said, ¡°What kind of expression is that? You¡¯ve been here this long and you still don¡¯t know how to serve someone. You¡¯ve truly been spoiled with favor.¡± Xie Huai lowered his eyes to look at the man in front of him. Fang Li was leaning over to approach him, putting him just slightly below Xie Huai in height, and the expression in his eyes as he looked up carried an affectionate smile. Truly an impressive talent for acting. But Xie Huai¡¯s mood right now was just like this person¡¯s fingertips, a freezing cold that seeped into the heart. So this was your true purpose. Your goal was never to humiliate the righteous sects, but to use this phony affection to make everyone believe that you favored me, to make me the bait to lure your prey into a trap. And if I haven¡¯t guessed incorrectly, it¡¯s Du Meng who is your true goal. It was well known that Du Meng had always eyed the position of demon lord covetously. If he knew that you had this kind of weakness, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let it go. But I was never your weakness. The love and affection had always been acted out for others to see. Only the value of being used was real. Xie Huai had always wanted to understand this person¡¯s true motives¡­¡­ Now he finally knew, but there wasn¡¯t the least bit of surprise or anything else. He only felt¡­¡­ So it was no more than this, after all. From the start, he shouldn¡¯t have had any unrealistic thoughts about a devil. Yet he¡¯d almost been led astray by a pretense¡­¡­ Xie Huai lowered his eyes, concealing his ice-cold expression. He allowed Fang Li to approach until he had almost completely sunk into Xie Huai, as if Xie Huai could simply reach out his hand and pen this person into his lap, but it was a pity¡­¡­ In the end, he had to kill him. Fang Li wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised by Xie Huai¡¯s indifference. As the lofty pride of the heavens, being treated so profanely in public like this, what difference was it from all the other demonic cultivators and their playthings below? This was a disgrace of heaven-defying proportions! It was already beyond restrained of him to maintain this level of calm instead of getting angered to the point of directly stabbing Fang Li through with his sword. But he wasn¡¯t too concerned about angering Xie Huai. For Xie Huai to loathe him a little could only be advantageous and not detrimental to the plot. And today, he was nothing but a muddle-headed ruler who¡¯d lost his head to lust. The horde of demons below each had hearts full of conjecture. It was rumored that these days, His Excellency doted solely on Yuyi-jun, favoring him night after night¡­¡­ They didn¡¯t believe it before, but after seeing it with their own eyes today, they realized it was true. Sure enough, His Excellency treated Yuyi-jun unlike the rest¡­¡­ And among the crowd, only Du Meng looked directly up at the raised dais, his gaze unwavering, reckless and flamboyant. The man robed in white had a stature that was straight as a pine tree, his appearance elegant and handsome, his expression indifferent, like an unprofanable deity or an ancient glacier. He truly lived up to his name, but¡­¡­ Du Meng¡¯s eyes shifted to the person sitting beside Xie Huai. The pale, wan man in the black brocade gown had had a bit of wine, and his pale lips were currently tinted with a faint, enticing luster. A hint of pink permeated his fair, translucent skin, and he slouched indolently against the white-robed man. His sickly pair of eyes weren¡¯t dead and lifeless as in the past but languid and willful. Flashes of clear light reflected against his brows and eyes, and a faintly discernible leisurely affection gentled the previous sharpness of his face. Unexpectedly, it had an unusual appeal, just like¡ªa corpse flower blooming atop a decaying carcass. To think that previously, he¡¯d never discovered that this person could be this enticing. In that moment, he couldn¡¯t tell which was more beautiful between the two. Du Meng stroked the cup in his hands. The fragrance of wine seeped out from the cup, yet this priceless wine wasn¡¯t even as intoxicating as the person on the dais. At that time, Yan Sui had only just begun to show his face, a nobody from who knows where who had dared to challenge him to battle. Du Meng had hid his cards up his sleeve and had planned to kill this arrogant fellow, but he hadn¡¯t imagined that he¡¯d be defeated by Yan Sui in one strike. This person clearly looked like he already had one foot in the grave, like a ghost who¡¯d crawled out from the underworld, yet he possessed some indiscernible skill. Was it his own strength¡­¡­ or did he have some other tricks? Unfortunately, Yan Sui rarely personally acted, and his methods were mysterious. Even until now, Du Meng hadn¡¯t seen through them. But the day that he did was the day that Yan Sui would die. He would kill this kid who didn¡¯t understand his place in the world, crush his bones and scatter his ashes and make him understand the consequences of arrogance¡­¡­ That had been Du Meng¡¯s plan before. But today he suddenly thought, killing him straight away was a bit of a pity¡­¡­ If he were to watch him kneel before him and plead for mercy, to submit beneath him, or to sweetly sob and cry, wouldn¡¯t that be more interesting? The look in Du Meng¡¯s eyes grew deeper and deeper, and his throat rolled. As soon as this thought appeared, it spread madly and uncontrollably like crawling vines. Fang Li seemed to feel the other¡¯s gaze. He lowered his eyes and glanced downwards, meeting Du Meng¡¯s eyes. He only saw that the other party was still and unmoving, his expression like a wild beast that was about to pounce and devour its prey, carrying a ferocity that wanted to plunder everything, making one tremble with fear. This was falling for Xie Huai? Demonic cultivators were really something, were they all like this when they liked someone? No wonder none of them met a good end. Seeing that his goal had already been accomplished, Fang Li didn¡¯t have any intention of wasting more time here. He lifted his head lazily from Xie Huai¡¯s side as if he¡¯d finally recalled something and gave Du Meng a slight smile. ¡°Right, this lord prepared a gift for the Right Adjutant.¡± As he spoke, a demonic servant walked in with his head lowered, carrying a square box and presenting it before Du Meng. Du Meng concealed the desire in his eyes and reached out his hand to open the box. After just one glance, his face changed drastically, and he suddenly raised his eyes to look at Fang Li. The corner of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked upwards, and he gave an indolent laugh. ¡°This lord¡¯s gift¡ªdoes the Right Adjutant like it?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: As I thought, he doesn¡¯t love me, he¡¯s only using me. deserted.jpg Fang Li: Was the fact that I don¡¯t love you not expressed clearly enough? Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ (I¡¯m angry but I won¡¯t say it.) Note: ¡°Experiencing labor with the muscles and bones, experiencing hunger with the body and flesh, experiencing poverty on one¡¯s person, and experiencing failure in all one does, thereby stirring the heart, toughening one¡¯s nature, and improving what one lacks¡± ¡ªMencius ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 See author¡¯s note above. Specifically, this is from Mencius¡® book Gaozi 2 Du Meng and Wu Yimei have the exact same title, ÓÒʹ. For some reason when I first read it I kept thinking that one of them was ¡°left¡± even though they both say ¡°right¡± so I differentiated their titles, and now I¡¯m too lazy to stop. But, just know they¡¯re the same. CH 9 November 18th, 2022 Horrifyingly, inside the box was a severed head, its eyes wide open and blood flowing out of its orifices. Du Meng quickly quelled the raging waves inside his chest and creased his brow to look at Fang Li. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Your Excellency?¡± At this moment, the hall was so silent that even a pin drop could be heard. Fang Li leaned forward slightly, looking down from above as he glanced at Du Meng. His careless laughter resounded distinctly throughout the hall. ¡°Earlier, this person tried in vain to poison this lord. After being exposed, he even slandered the Right Adjutant by accusing you of being the instigator. This kind of character deserves to be punished. This lord has already had him executed.¡± The murderous aura in Du Meng eyes burst from the seams, his frigid gaze fixed on Fang Li. After a long while, he lifted the corner of his mouth and slowly said, ¡°Much thanks for Your Excellency¡¯s trust.¡± Fang Li nodded with a laugh. ¡°Naturally, this lord trusts the Right Adjutant, but this action cannot be indulged. The matter of uncovering the instigator will be left to the Right Adjutant.¡± Du Meng laughed coldly, his sharp gaze resting steadily on Fang Li¡¯s face. In a low voice, he enunciated word by word, ¡°I will thoroughly investigate and live up to Your Excellency¡¯s trust.¡± Fang Li exposed a satisfied smile. Du Meng was a smart person and knew that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t act against him now, but he¡¯d already sent someone to poison Fang Li to death, so how could Fang Li not react at all? If Du Meng wanted to soothe his anger this time, he¡¯d have to present something to show his sincerity. At the very least, he couldn¡¯t find just any old scapegoat to muddle through. Most importantly, Yan Sui¡¯s death was an accident that hadn¡¯t happened in the original story. The culprit had already committed suicide in fear of punishment, and Du Meng would definitely make guesses as to whether he¡¯d been poisoned. If Fang Li simply suffered in silence, Du Meng might immediately play his hand¡­¡­ But now that Fang Li had presented this generous gift, Du Meng would start to see shadows everywhere and instead refrain from acting. Besides, Du Meng had long started to have disloyal thoughts. After making him lose face like this, he¡¯d definitely think of a way to make it up. But he¡¯d always been highly suspicious, so now that he¡¯d been attacked like this, he¡¯d instead refrain from acting rashly. Fang Li had also just so happened to have revealed a weakness like Xie Huai, and he wasn¡¯t afraid Du Meng wouldn¡¯t turn his thoughts in that direction. Wasn¡¯t the plot back on track, just like that? Now that he¡¯d accomplished everything that needed doing, all that was left to do was to quietly observe the changes¡­¡­ Fang Li stood up lazily. The crowd of demonic cultivators in the hall said in unison, ¡°Farewell to Your Excellency.¡± Only Du Meng didn¡¯t move at all. Watching Fang Li¡¯s back, his eyes were cold and dim as an abyss. Sure enough, Fang Li suspected him. Gifting him the head in front of everyone was to give him a show of strength and kick him around a bit. This was telling him to offer up a sacrifice. Corpse flowers fed on human blood and flesh. Underneath the seemingly beautiful and harmless appearance was a deadly poison, just like this pale and sickly man¡ªwith a seductive, harmless face, but the most cold and ruthless tactics. But don¡¯t celebrate too early. Everything you¡¯ve done today, I¡¯ll be sure to return a hundredfold in the future. When that day comes, let¡¯s see if you still dare to act so arrogant and unrestrained. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai followed Fang Li as he left, his expression contemplative. Today, he had seen an interesting show. Before Yan Sui had appeared and united the demonic path, the Zenith Sky Creed had rampaged freely across the northern provinces and had been the biggest force among the demonic sects, as well as a thorn in the side of the righteous sects. Du Meng was wildly ambitious and had long had thoughts of uniting the demonic cults. Alas, he¡¯d instead been stepped on by Yan Sui, and all his efforts of a few hundred years had become a free lunch for someone else. Everyone knew that Du Meng wasn¡¯t content with Yan Sui. The righteous sects had always been happy to see the demonic sects¡¯ internal squabbles. As long as they didn¡¯t come out to harm the common folk, letting them fight and kill amongst themselves was a good thing. Looking at today, Yan Sui didn¡¯t want to tolerate Du Meng either and had forced him into a corner in public. If he really wanted to seize control of the entire demonic path, sooner or later, he would have to get rid of Du Meng. Only, are you really so certain that you can win against Du Meng? Du Meng has run wild among the demonic sects for hundreds of years. He won¡¯t be easy to handle¡­¡­ Moreover, the expression that Du Meng had when looking at you, the sinister desire in i, are you aware of it or not¡­¡­? Xie Huai furrowed his brow. Fang Li left the grand hall and only felt that the air was much more refreshing. He didn¡¯t like those kinds of occasions too much. Recalling that he had left in such an unrestrained manner, he wasn¡¯t sure if Xie Huai had followed. Turning back, he saw that Xie Huai lingered several steps behind. His face looked like it was covered by a layer of frost, a few degrees colder than usual. Fang Li gave a laugh. He¡¯d offended Xie Huai rather heavily today and had also hoodwinked Du Meng somewhat, so it could be considered killing two birds with one stone. Fang Li said, ¡°You can go back by yourself.¡± Having said that, he stopped paying attention to Xie Huai and left by himself. It wasn¡¯t until Fang Li¡¯s silhouette disappeared that Xie Huai finally pulled the corner of his mouth, revealing a derisive expression. Perhaps Fang Li did know; after all, as a base and unscrupulous demonic cultivator, Du Meng couldn¡¯t be considered strange. On the other hand, you¡­¡­ seem to be unlike the other demonic cultivators, but I shouldn¡¯t let myself be led astray anymore. Xie Huai¡¯s expression darkened slightly. Someone whose thoughts were so unfathomable and who was so proficient at deceit, who dared to keep Xie Huai by his side and could contend with Du Meng without falling to a disadvantage, must certainly have his own resources¡­¡­ But there were no Unified Dao true immortals in the world, so Void Refining was already the peak. His master had also said that Yan Sui hadn¡¯t reached the level of Unified Dao yet, or else he needn¡¯t be wary of Du Meng at all¡­¡­ Seeing as he wasn¡¯t a Unified Dao true immortal, and his methods were so mysterious, most likely what he relied on wasn¡¯t his true strength, but some trump card unknown to others. Cultivators lived their lives in defiance of the natural order, using any means possible to advance a step further. The world was vast and its treasures abundant, so having attained some kind of windfall wasn¡¯t unusual. Only, what exactly is your trump card? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li didn¡¯t go see Xie Huai these days. Although he didn¡¯t stay with Xie Huai these nights, he couldn¡¯t skimp on showing his affection. Every day, Fang Li picked out something from his collection of treasures to send to Xie Huai, for example, a ten-thousand-year ice crystal fished out from the Frozen Sea, or a pastry made with the glazed fruit that only grew on the tallest and steepest of cliffs, or luxurious brocade robes woven from thousand-year siren¡¯s threads, and so on¡­¡­ Actually, most of the things in Yan Sui¡¯s collection were rare and precious treasures used for cultivating and were practical in nature. There weren¡¯t really many of these decadent but useless things, and they had probably been gifted by other people in the past and then carelessly thrown into a corner to collect dust¡­¡­ But Fang Li still put all of his effort into picking out these baubles to send to Xie Huai. To others, these were expensive gifts, but to Xie Huai, these should also count as a kind of ¡°humiliation,¡± right? After all, since the day he was born, he should have been a sword cultivator facing the world with his blade, not raised like a golden canary. Today, Fang Li was lying on a couch sunning himself and pondering what to give Xie Huai this time when a subordinate came in to announce that Du Meng had requested an audience. Oh? He¡¯d come up with something to show his sincerity already? Fang Li instructed his subordinate to allow him to enter. Du Meng quickly came in. As he walked, fully attired in black armor, the clanking of a golden dagger-axe could vaguely be heard. His tall stature loomed over like a shadow as he stood in front of Fang Li. His murky gaze swept past Fang Li, and he raised his eyebrows. ¡°Luckily, I did not fall short of Your Excellency¡¯s command. I¡¯ve already found the main instigator and brought him here today for Your Excellency to pass judgment on.¡± He waved his hand, and two people brought in a demonic cultivator with a pretty and feminine face like a woman¡¯s. His eyes were suffused with terror, and he knelt to the ground at a push. Fang Li pondered for a moment and recognized that this was a major general under Du Meng named Bi Li. Because of an accident when he was young, he wasn¡¯t able to become a man and had cultivated into this androgynous appearance. His character was perverse, hating everything that was whole and beautiful, and he most enjoyed doing cruel and ruthless things, harming who knows how many people. Although he wasn¡¯t any kind of good person, he was still one of Du Meng¡¯s trusted aides and had carried out many affairs for Du Meng. Unexpectedly, he was pushed out in this manner. Du Meng¡¯s expression was indifferent as he glanced at the person on the ground and said to Fang Li, ¡°He was the one who sought out the Soul-Parting Venom and delivered it to that servant to try to kill Your Excellency and climb the ranks. This matter was due to my negligence with handling my subordinates. Your Excellency, please pass judgment.¡± Bi Li was a paralyzed heap on the ground, his expression in endless despair, as if he wanted to beg forgiveness but didn¡¯t dare. Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept dimly past, then gave Du Meng a slight smile. ¡°The Right Adjutant needn¡¯t blame himself. You have so many subordinates, overlooking one or two is normal.¡± Du Meng raised an eyebrow, saying, ¡°This person will be left to Your Excellency to handle.¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t even move a hair. He sure didn¡¯t feel like handling things. Propping up his chin, he laughed lightly. ¡°Since the real culprit has already been captured and was one of the Right Adjutant¡¯s people, this lord won¡¯t involve himself. The Right Adjutant may clean up his own household affairs.¡± A cold glare flashed through Du Meng¡¯s eyes. He looked at Fang Li¡¯s indifferent and indolent manner, lightly understating his command to have Du Meng personally handle his own subordinate. He gave a cold laugh and abruptly struck out. With a crack, Bi Li¡¯s head was shattered, and his body collapsed limply onto the ground, lifeless. From his fingertips, fresh blood dripped slowly onto the ground. Du Meng suddenly stepped forward and lowered his eyes to fix his gaze on Fang Li. His expression looked like that of a savage beast gathering its strength, and his tone was deep and low as he said slowly, ¡°With this, is Your Excellency pleased?¡± Fang Li hadn¡¯t expected Du Meng to suddenly approach and was a bit taken by surprise, but he quickly regained his calm. Despite Du Meng¡¯s fierce appearance, until he¡¯d figured Fang Li out, he wouldn¡¯t act rashly. Fang Li needn¡¯t abandon his bearing; acting scared was the real danger. Fang Li propped himself up against the couch and stood up, not flinching away in the least. He met Du Meng¡¯s eyes directly and laughed, ¡°Fairly pleased.¡± Du Meng narrowed his eyes. When the man laughed, his eyes curved slightly, easygoing and unrestrained, a dazzling flash of light¡­¡­ like something hooked to the bottom of the heart. He fiercely restrained the desire in his chest, and his gaze shifted downwards. The other¡¯s black robes wrapped around his neck, where bluish veins were faintly visible, though who knew what he looked like under those layers and layers of clothes¡­¡­ Fang Li thought Du Meng¡¯s expression was truly a bit blatant. Was he thinking about how best to murder him to resolve his grudge? Being forced to kill one of his own trusted aides today would certainly have Du Meng aching to flay his skin and rip out his bones¡­¡­ It¡¯s a pity, but you won¡¯t even get a turn to kill me. I still have to leave this life to give to Xie Huai. Thinking about how Du Meng wouldn¡¯t get the chance to vent his anger until the day he died and would even die at Xie Huai¡¯s hand, from a certain perspective, he and Du Meng could be considered birds of a feather with the same affliction¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help becoming a bit warmer as he waved his hand. ¡°Since the matter is already over, the Right Protector may return.¡± Du Meng looked at him for a moment and didn¡¯t make another move in the end, only turning and leaving in large strides. After taking care of Du Meng, Fang Li recalled that he hadn¡¯t visited Xie Huai in several days. Du Meng¡¯s arrival had reminded him that he couldn¡¯t ignore Xie Huai too much. Only sending gifts was still a bit too perfunctory, and he was afraid it would attract Du Meng¡¯s suspicion¡­¡­ Thus, he simply got up and went to the side palace. Only, when he got there, he found that Xie Huai wasn¡¯t in his room. Oh? Did he go out for a walk to clear his mind? Fang Li beckoned, and the demonic servants attending by the door came over. Fang Li asked, ¡°Where is Yuyi-jun?¡± The servants said, trembling with fright, ¡°Yuyi-jun, he, he said he wanted to go out to clear his mind. He said we were a hindrance and forbade us from following.¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t intend on making things difficult for the servants. He was one who had said earlier that if anyone dared to slight Xie Huai, it was death without mercy, so if Xie Huai had any demands, these servants wouldn¡¯t dare to stop him. He was one who¡¯d given Xie Huai this power, so there was no reason in venting it out on these servants. Only, he hadn¡¯t thought that Xie Huai wasn¡¯t the least bit courteous. Instead of being well-behaved and staying put, he¡¯d gone out to ¡°clear his mind¡±¡­¡­ Fang Li laughed. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Xie Huai escaping. He wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the demonic palace and could only wander around inside, and there also weren¡¯t any useful secrets here. If Xie Huai wanted to look, then he could look. Fang Li hadn¡¯t intended on restraining Xie Huai too much from the start, anyways. Seeing as he was already here and just so happened to be idle, he simply asked which direction Xie Huai had gone in and went to look for him by himself. The demonic palace was vast, but there weren¡¯t many traces of life, with only a few sporadic guards and servants present. The farther he walked, the more deserted it became, and gradually even the number of guards became few, until the area before his eyes suddenly opened up, and a small courtyard with a bamboo house appeared. Here, there were no ice-cold black stone floors, no savage palace ledges, only a tranquil and peaceful landscape all around. Weeds grew all around the bamboo house, clearly having been neglected for a long time. Like a forgotten nook. Fang Li was dazed for a moment, then finally recalled that the demonic palace did indeed have such a place. Yan Sui didn¡¯t allow anyone to come here, and it could be considered one of the demonic palace¡¯s restricted areas. Xie Huai just happened to come in this direction. Was it a coincidence, or intentional? Fang Li paused, then stepped forward and entered. With just a light push, the bamboo door opened with a creak. Dust fell with a rustle, and Fang Li covered his mouth and let out a soft cough. The room was simple and crude, empty and without any furnishings. It could be seen at a glance whether someone was here or not. Xie Huai wasn¡¯t here. Was it that he hadn¡¯t come? Or that he hadn¡¯t found any secrets and had left already? Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept around. There was nothing in the room except for a sword that had been laid out. The green bamboo sword was mottled with scars, lying there forlornly. Because no one had come for a long time, a layer of dust covered it like a mark of the passage of time. It had obviously been treasured and carefully hidden away by Yan Sui¡­¡­ but now it¡¯d been abandoned here, unknown to all. The only person who remembered it was no longer present. Fang Li had no intention of delving into Yan Sui¡¯s past, and he had never investigated the memories that Yan Sui had buried deep inside. Everyone had secrets that they couldn¡¯t tell anyone. Not lightly touching the suffering that he didn¡¯t want others to know of was Fang Li¡¯s way of respecting Yan Sui. Fang Li fell into silence for a few moments. Lifting his sleeve, he softly wiped the dust on the sword. As he turned to leave, his fingertip unconsciously brushed against the blade, and a gentle sensation like jade attacked him. Fang Li subconsciously startled, and following a burst of sharp pain in his head, his vision became blurry, as if he had suddenly been transported into another space. Like a box that had been opened without warning, the dust-covered memories overwhelmed him without any portent at all. He sensed that something was wrong and wanted to pull back and leave, but the pain cut through his marrow and left his whole body numb. He was like a wooden puppet, unable to move, sinking into a sea of blood whose waves crashed against the heavens. Savage corpses covered the ground, and crumbling walls and ruins surrounded him. He was lying amidst the sea of blood and the mountain of corpses, and countless hands reached up from the ground and rigidly clung to his hands and feet, trying to pull him into the depths of the ground¡­¡­ Just as he drowned in despair with nowhere to escape to, a flash of sword light cleaved through the air. The sword light cut through those hands, and fresh blood splashed onto his face, leaving some lingering warmth. He seemed to have seen his savior and looked up blankly. A man clothed in white, his face gentle and refined, stood before him and smiled at him. ¡°A¡¯Yan,1 don¡¯t be scared. Shixiong is here.¡± The man reached out a hand to pull him up. He struggled with all of his might, trying to grab the other¡¯s hand. As long as he could grab that hand, he could leave this place and escape, shixiong would definitely protect him, definitely¡­¡­ In his heart arose the hope of seeing light in the darkness, and he struggled with his life to try to leave, using up almost all of the energy in his body. His fingertips finally touched the other¡¯s fingertips¡­¡­ He was just about to leave this place. But in the blink of an eye, fresh blood splattered onto his face. Countless sharp blades pierced the white-robed man¡¯s chest. He was still smiling at him, but his pupils suddenly became dim, and the life left his face in an instant, quickly decaying and festering¡­¡­ But though he was clearly already dead, he still knelt there holding that sword, tightly protecting him in the cradle of his chest. As if telling him, don¡¯t be afraid. He couldn¡¯t see exactly what happened afterwards. There were only screams that made one¡¯s heart palpitate, death that crept along the ground and invaded him, ice-cold chill that made him tremble faintly¡­¡­ There was no longer that green sword light. The hands from underneath the ground once again swarmed up, tightly dragging at his body¡­¡­ But he didn¡¯t even have the energy to struggle anymore. Fang Li¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, viciousness and pain appearing on his face, his expression savage. This was bad, he had opened Yan Sui¡¯s memories without any preparations. In an instant, he had been submerged in Yan Sui¡¯s nightmare, and if he couldn¡¯t escape, he was afraid he would be trapped here, sinking into this endless suffering until his soul scattered into pieces. But even though he struggled with all his might, he couldn¡¯t find any way to struggle free from those hands, sinking bit by bit into the ground. First his feet, then half his body, and even breathing was becoming more and more difficult¡­¡­ His consciousness gradually became blurry¡­¡­ just then, a clear and sharp cry suddenly resounded in his ears. The countless hands suddenly crumbled under that shout, like filthy demonic creatures pierced by bright light. They let out mournful wails, and unable to concern themselves with the prey that was nearly at hand, they struggled with all their might to escape into the shadows. Fang Li was finally able to move. Without the slightest hesitation, he used up the rest of his strength to open his eyes and fiercely step forward, charging out of that endless sea of blood. The view before him suddenly cut into nothing, like a dream. The only things left were that still-vacant bamboo house, and the bamboo sword mottled with scars before him. Fang Li breathed rapidly, his clothes soaked with cold sweat. He weakly lifted his head and saw Xie Huai, his white robes like snow, tranquil and indifferent, quietly standing outside the bamboo house looking at him. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 The ¡°Yan¡± in Yan Sui is Ñá, meaning loathing, and the yan in ¡°A¡¯Yan¡± is çü, a type of jade CH 10 November 19th, 2022 Fang Li lifted his head and looked at Xie Huai in a daze. The white-robed man stood quietly outside the bamboo house, a slight breeze rustling past his clothes, his tranquil complexion reflecting the last rays of the setting sun. Such a beautiful scene¡­¡­ After the nightmare that had just receded, half real and half fake, it was hard to tell for a while if this was dream or reality. ¡¾ The System shouted anxiously: Host, host, host, wuwuwu are you alright?!!! ¡¿Just now it¡¯d been yelling for half the day, but the host had acted like he hadn¡¯t heard at all. It had been worried to death. This was all its fault¡­¡­ It should have told the host earlier that Yan Sui¡¯s memories were dangerous!!! The familiar clamor appeared in his mind. Oh, it looked like this was reality. Fang Li blinked. Just now, he had been caught off guard and had gotten sucked into Yan Sui¡¯s nightmare. If not for that distinct shout, he was afraid he would have been trapped inside, unable to wake. There no was no one else here, so it could only have been Xie Huai. At that moment, he had been at his weakest and most defenseless. Even a tottering child still learning to walk could have held up a knife and killed him. Such a good opportunity¡­¡­ Xie Huai not only hadn¡¯t eliminated him in the name of defending the common people, but had even saved him. Why? Fang Li looked at Xie Huai with a complicated expression, saying hoarsely, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s face was cool and calm, his expression indifferent. ¡°I was looking for a quiet place to clear my mind, that¡¯s all. Is this somewhere I¡¯m not allowed to be?¡± Fang Li had never restricted his movements, and he had effortlessly scouted out the whole demonic palace. There were no secret places, and even the so-called forbidden area only had a single sword set out. Not a divine weapon that could strike the heavens and split the seas, but a common, ordinary sword, mottled with gashes and with very little spiritual energy remaining. How could a sword like this be cherished so much by the magnificent demon lord? That could only mean that its significance was greater than its value. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t see anything unique about this sword. Even when it had been whole, it couldn¡¯t be considered a very valuable treasure. After it had been damaged, it had been left without an owner to nourish it with spiritual energy, and by now, it was little more than a lump of useless metal¡­¡­ But to Fang Li, this sword must have unusual importance. He suddenly felt a bit of an urge to know the genuine, unknown face of this person, so he¡¯d quietly hidden himself inside the bamboo forest. But he hadn¡¯t imagined that Fang Li had simply touched the sword and sunk into a nightmare, faintly showing the portents of going into a qi deviation. If he merely left it alone, there was a high chance that Fang Li would die. He should have left, or perhaps seized the opportunity to kill him, forever resolving this danger. But he¡¯d looked at Fang Li¡¯s painful expression, that pair of eyes shot with blood, the blue veins pulsing on his pale, ashen face. In a split second, Fang Li had been submerged in the suffering of the past, like a drowning man struggling with all his might to escape, but finding in despair that there was nowhere to go. He had been trapped in that eternally unending dream, sinking into an endless hell. Nobody could give him a pull, and even if his soul tore and scattered, he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape¡­¡­ That person had finally shed his pretenses, revealing the genuine side of him concealed within, but was this scene what Xie Huai had wanted to see? Xie Huai had closed his eyes, and before he¡¯d even realized it, he¡¯d already cried out to awaken Fang Li. Why had he done that? Perhaps it was merely because he didn¡¯t want to see that person reveal such a helpless, despairing look. It made one unable to help but wonder what exactly he¡¯d experienced to become like his current self. Why don¡¯t you allow anyone to come here? Is it because the memories here are painful, very painful, yet you still can¡¯t bear to let go¡­¡­? Xie Huai pursed his lips. He knew these thoughts of his were dangerous. This world had tens of thousands of kinds of suffering, and no matter what one¡¯s past, it wasn¡¯t a reason to wallow in corruption. Since he had chosen to enter the demonic path, then he should bear the cost of his choice. That¡¯s right, it wasn¡¯t that he took pity on that person. He was only, unwilling to take advantage of his critical state, that was all. That was what Xie Huai told himself. It was just a pity that he hadn¡¯t acquired any useful information today. Xie Huai slowly and firmly moved his gaze away, not looking at Fang Li any longer, then turned and left. Fang Li watched Xie Huai¡¯s back as he left, not speaking up to stop him. If he still didn¡¯t know good from bad right now, there was a high chance Xie Huai would regret his actions and come back to make up for it with a stab of his sword. He pondered for a long time and came to the conclusion that with he and Xie Huai¡¯s current standpoints, there could only be one reason that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t acted, which was that he was a gentleman of honor and wouldn¡¯t deign to take advantage of another¡¯s moment of crisis. But in truth, the fact that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t killed him was a hundred percent surprising to Fang Li. Although he¡¯d read the original story and knew that Xie Huai dedicated his life to eliminating demons to uphold justice, punishing the wicked and uprooting evil, and he was someone the whole world revered, Xie Huai definitely wasn¡¯t an indiscriminate do-gooder. He didn¡¯t carry a merciful heart, a lenient hand, indecision, hesitancy, excessive sentimentality, and other such problems. On the contrary, he was a hundred percent ruthless when facing demonic cultivators, killing them without blinking. He was unwavering, his way of thinking profound, and he wouldn¡¯t easily be swayed by external factors. He had never been a saint who tried to end the suffering of all living things, but a god of death whose blade cut down evil demons. But now, it seemed like Fang Li had been wrong¡­¡­ Xie Huai also had this side to him. As expected of the protagonist shou who was made of goodness, truth, and beauty! If it had been Fang Li in his place, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to return evil with kindness like this. ¡¾ System: Host, host, host, are you really alright now? QAQ ¡¿ Fang Li finally had the energy to respond to the System. He laughed, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± The System decided to make up for its past mistakes. He shouldn¡¯t have given the host Yan Sui¡¯s memories. Although the host hadn¡¯t run into problems before, that didn¡¯t mean that he wouldn¡¯t in the future! If he met with another accident and Xie Huai wasn¡¯t around to help, who knew if the host would really be unable to wake up? Thinking of this possibility, the System blamed itself endlessly. ¡¾ System: I can help you reseal Yan Sui¡¯s memories. ¡¿ Fang Li smiled and shook his head. ¡°No need.¡± He had truly had a moment¡¯s carelessness just now, but the reason that the nightmare could trap him was doubtlessly because he hadn¡¯t been on guard. The bamboo sword had been a switch that had opened Yan Sui¡¯s memories, and it was only the sudden surge of the nightmare charging at his consciousness that had caused him to be unable to struggle free¡­¡­ But something like this was just like a pitfall; the same disguise in the same location might catch one unawares the first time, but as long as one knew about it, it was no longer of any use. Besides, this was a cultivation world with fatal perils all around. It was hard to say whether the memories or the world itself was more dangerous. Fang Li bent over and picked up the bamboo sword on the ground. Earlier, when he¡¯d been trapped, he¡¯d accidentally knocked it to the ground. The System was just about to persuade the host, but it hadn¡¯t thought the host would dare to touch that sword. It immediately lost all color in fright and was almost terrified into crashing! But what surprised it was that this time, nothing happened to Fang Li at all. He only picked up the sword and gently put it back in place, carefully wiping the dust. System: ? Fang Li slowly walked outside. Before leaving, he turned back to look at the lonely bamboo house. If this world had never given someone a thread of hope, that was still better than giving you hope, then mercilessly and thoroughly crushing it. Regardless of whether his white robes were soaked in blood or whether he was mired in a hopeless situation, the person who had protected Yan Sui in his memories had never ceded a single step. Up until the very last moment, he had wanted to shield him with his body, as if as long as he was standing there, he needn¡¯t fear this world¡­¡­ Just like how Xie Huai had faced the tens of thousands of demonic cultivators back then, carrying his sword in one hand as he stood in front of the Cloudbank Keep disciples, his white robes soaked in blood, refusing to retreat even half a step, willing to plummet into an endless hell in order to protect the people he wanted to protect¡­¡­ Xie Huai was very similar to that person. It was only a pity that the person Xie Huai stood in front of to protect wasn¡¯t him. As for him, he would never in this life meet someone like that again. Fang Li thought he understood a little why Yan Sui had allowed himself to sink. Because he didn¡¯t want to free himself and escape at all. That he would fall in love with Xie Huai wasn¡¯t because of the original story¡¯s so-called ¡°affection borne from time¡± ¡­¡­ Perhaps, he had only always been chasing a dream that could never become reality. Although he knew it was all a fantasy, he still couldn¡¯t bear to let go¡­¡­ In the entirety of his short and tragic life, that was the one and only thing he had wanted to keep, yet had been unable to keep no matter what. Unfortunately, in the end, what didn¡¯t belong to him, didn¡¯t belong to him¡­¡­ Trying to keep something by force was only drinking poison to quench his thirst, only a way of deceiving himself. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ These days, the System was constantly worried. Although the host had said he was fine, was he really completely fine? Fang Li thought the System was truly overthinking things. Compared to those trifling matters, Fang Li was more fed up with the fact that official business was picking up these days. Du Meng had conquered another province, and their territory had expanded again. When the demonic horde banded together, there were almost no righteous sects who could resist them, causing their territory to expand too quickly recently¡­¡­ Expanding their territory would cause the question of dividing the tribute to come up. Because of this, plenty of demonic sects had started to create a ruckus in front of him, quarreling this way and that. Although he didn¡¯t really want to pay attention to it, he could only listen patiently. This position of demon lord was more or less like being the emperor, but handling matters as an emperor was a very taxing job. Only muddle-headed monarchs lived comfortable, carefree lives. Fang Li decided to go through with the ¡°incompetent ruler who destroyed his nation¡± act to the very end. The best way to evade work was to sink into vices of the flesh. Recently, Fang Li was very fond of going over to Xie Huai¡¯s. Because of the matter last time, Fang Li¡¯s favorability towards Xie Huai had increased again. A noble-hearted gentleman who repaid evil with kindness and emitted the dazzling brilliance of a right and proper citizen wouldn¡¯t use base or conniving tactics¡­¡­ Before Xie Huai broke through his seal, they could definitely get along peacefully! Previously, he had been using the heart of a small-minded person to measure the bearing of a gentleman! Plus, according to the progression of the original plot, after experiencing several intense X scenes, Yan Sui¡¯s heart was moved along with his body, and he finally started to fall step by step, giving Xie Huai whatever he wanted, completely bending to his will, and gradually turning into an obedient dog. He only hated that he couldn¡¯t pluck the moon and stars for the sky to exchange for a single smile from the beauty¡­¡­ When Fang Li had first read the book, he¡¯d thought that Yan Sui being moved because of lust to the point of falling in true love was a bit ridiculous and illogical. He could only conclude that it was because this was a PWP novel¡­¡­ But after being trapped in the nightmare last time, Fang Li could understand Yan Sui¡¯s emotions a little, and he understood why it had to be Xie Huai¡­¡­ Because Xie Huai really was very similar to that person. When the novel world was turned into reality and the two-dimensional characters became real, living people, the parts that originally didn¡¯t make enough sense had automatically been filled out. It was a pretty interesting matter. Today, Fang Li was about to go to the grand hall to listen to official matters again, and without the slightest bit of hesitation, he brought Xie Huai with him ¡°to attend court.¡± He held onto Xie Huai¡¯s hand the whole way, leading him to sit by his side. The horde of demons below couldn¡¯t help raising a clamor. His Excellency was being too outrageous! This wasn¡¯t something like a banquet, where bringing a plaything along to toy around with was whatever¡­¡­ To bring a righteous sect cultivator to sit on the demon lord¡¯s throne while the demonic sects discussed official matters, what manner of nonsense was that?! Xie Huai remained silent, his expression indifferent. His hand was grasped by Fang Li without rest, and the slightly cool sensation of the other¡¯s fingertips transferred over. Perhaps it was because they¡¯d been holding hands for a while, but those fingertips gradually stopped feeling cool, as if they¡¯d gained a little bit of warmth¡­¡­ While this person ate and lived together with him, he¡¯d still been somewhat cautious at first, but now he¡¯d become more and more careless. Was it because he was starting to let his guard down? Other than never truly touching him, this person could be said to be totally willing to bend to Xie Huai¡¯s whims. His act of favoritism and affection could be considered to have been acted out flawlessly, to the point that it sometimes gave him the illusion that this person really did like him¡­¡­ But he knew it was all fake. Xie Huai lowered his eyes, meeting Du Meng¡¯s gaze. Hah, so this was Fang Li¡¯s goal¡ªmaking Du Meng think that Xie Huai was his weakness. For this, he didn¡¯t hesitate to go to this extent¡­¡­ Xie Huai pulled the corner of his mouth, lowering his gaze to cover up the chill in the depth of his eyes. Since you¡¯re making use of me, why don¡¯t we make use of each other? Fang Li propped up his chin with one hand, impatiently listening to the underling speak. The Demonflame Sect sect master said, ¡°This time, we attacked twelve sects in Wangyue province, and there are seven hundred and ninety-two righteous sect prisoners. Your Excellency, how should we arrange them?¡± The Demonflame Sect sect master had already planned it all out. The Nascent Soul and above cultivators, they¡¯d refine their souls; the Golden Core and above cultivators, they¡¯d refine into puppets; the rest, they¡¯d divide amongst everyone as slaves. Slaves with cultivation were hot commodities, after all, whether they were to be refined into furnaces or medicinal vessels, they were all top-quality materials¡­¡­ Their Demonflame Sect had contributed a huge effort this time, so no matter what, they should get a bit of a larger share, right? How to arrange them? Fang Li creased his brow, a little troubled¡­¡­ Xie Huai suddenly opened his mouth, his voice cool and indifferent, his expression frigid. ¡°Slaughtering innocents is a violation of heavenly law.¡± What a ¡°slaughtering innocents,¡± what a ¡°violation of heavenly law¡±! The horde of demons below immediately burst into roaring laughter, looking at Xie Huai as if they were staring at a fool. He must have gone mad to say those kinds of words in this place. Didn¡¯t he see what kind of people were here? Did he really think he was still that Yuyi-jun revered by all? Here, you¡¯re nothing but a plaything being toyed around with! Not a sliver of self-awareness! The Demonflame Sect sect master had also started to sneer. When His Excellency spoke, was there any place for a plaything to interrupt? No matter how much His Excellency doted on him, he wouldn¡¯t allow him to act this willfully. Everything thought Xie Huai was ridiculous and laughable. Only Fang Li¡¯s eyes lit up. It wasn¡¯t suitable for him to say those words, but for Xie Huai, it couldn¡¯t be more fitting. This was basically gifting him a pillow just as he was getting drowsy, was Xie Huai the roundworm in his stomach? Fang Li sat up straight and didn¡¯t even look at the people below. His eyes were full of tenderness and doting as he said to Xie Huai, ¡°Alright, whatever you want.¡± Then he turned and said coldly to the Demonflame Sect sect master, whose face was sluggish as he was still caught in a daze, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Seeing as Yuyi-jun isn¡¯t happy, these people won¡¯t be arranged anywhere for the time being.¡± The Demonflame Sect sect master looked at Fang Li blankly. He thought he must have been hallucinating. Everyone present was startled for a moment. A terrifying thought appeared in their heads¡ªcould it be that the one who had gone mad wasn¡¯t Xie Huai, but His Excellency? Because of a single sentence from Xie Huai, they wouldn¡¯t be arranging these people? They had put their all into capturing those prisoners, and they¡¯d had plenty of casualties, too! How could they leave it like this! Everyone revealed resentful expressions one by one! But Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to give them the chance to retort. His voice was steeped in a penetrating chill, and his frigid gaze swept through the lower area as he enunciated, ¡°What is it? Is there anyone who objects to this lord¡¯s decision? Come forward.¡± The room fell into silence. Not a single person came forward. Fang Li leaned back, satisfied. Pretty good, nobody was willing to be the nail that stuck out. Because of this, the look that everyone gave Xie Huai changed. There was a bit less ridicule, a bit more resentment and fear. After a long time, the Blackwater Valley valley master hesitated, then walked forward, bowing and clearing his throat as he said, ¡°It has been said that the demonic palace is lacking in personal servants. This subordinate specially collected eighty-eight young men and women, each top-quality in appearance. This subordinate wishes to send them into the palace to attend to Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai raised his eyebrows. ¡°No need, it¡¯s enough that His Excellency has me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The crowd was furious. Outrageous, truly too outrageous! His Excellency hadn¡¯t even spoken yet! Fang Li simply thought this was absolutely fantastic. He gave Xie Huai a heartfelt look. To think they had this level of tacit understanding! He immediately said impatiently to the Blackwater Valley valley master, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Release them all. And don¡¯t do this kind of unnecessary thing in the future, this lord isn¡¯t lacking people by his side.¡± ¡°!!!¡± Shouting, clamor, shock, bewilderment! Fang Li said, ¡°Anything else?¡± This time, the hall was silent for a long time. No one came forward for half the day. Just as everyone was still in the midst of shock, not knowing how best to proceed, Du Meng suddenly stepped forward. He raised his head and fixed his eyes on Fang Li and Xie Huai, his murky black eyes carrying an oppressive weight. He slowly opened his mouth, ¡°Recently, a few Cloudbank Keep disciples snuck into the areas surrounding Hollow Ridge and were captured. What does Your Excellency think would be the best way to handle them?¡± Cloudbank Keep disciples, huh¡­¡­ Fang Li was already eagerly seeking advice. He smiled and directly asked Xie Huai, ¡°How does Yuyi-jun think it should be handled?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s sharp gaze swept past Du Meng. The corner of his lips lifted slightly, and he said blandly. ¡°Naturally, let them all go.¡± Fang Li had been waiting for this exact sentence. As expected, Xie Huai didn¡¯t let him down. Someone with any less courage wouldn¡¯t dare to seize control like this and might have gotten scared silly by Du Meng¡­¡­ Fang Li gave Du Meng a cold glance, opening his mouth without hesitation. ¡°Let them all go, and if any Cloudbank Keep disciples come in the future, as long as they don¡¯t stir up any trouble, just leave them alone. Understand?¡± These were his in-laws, Xie Huai¡¯s maiden family. Forget doing anything to them, he had to properly offer them his respects! After he was done speaking, he looked at Xie Huai, immediately putting on a warm expression, and said dotingly, ¡°Do you think these arrangements are fine?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed from start to finish, maintaining that cool, indifferent appearance the entire time. He hadn¡¯t even given a single smile, only making a light ¡°mn¡± sound in his throat by way of reply. Fang Li didn¡¯t mind his indifference in the least. He looped an arm around Xie Hua¡¯s shoulders, as if he really were smitten all the way to the bone, saying tenderly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Everyone below was already thoroughly dazed. Was there even a f*cking shred of the natural order left? Outrageous, outrageous, as a mere plaything, this was simply too outrageous! This was being spoiled to the point of arrogance! Is the person in charge here His Excellency, or you, Xie Huai?! CH 11 November 21st, 2022 By the time they exited, Fang Li was exceedingly pleased. He made up his mind to always bring Xie Huai along to discuss official business. He was simply a god-like teammate! As for whether acting this way was a bit overboard, Fang Li wasn¡¯t the least bit worried, because in the original book, Yan Sui had also been this way. As a madman without long to live who didn¡¯t care about anything and only thought about avenging himself on society¡­¡­ For the sake of the only person who resembled his shixiong, he could do anything at all and it wouldn¡¯t be strange. Recalling the time a few days ago when Xie Huai had ignored their past grudges to save him and how he¡¯d helped him out of a tight spot again today, Fang Li¡¯s eyes were full of friendly affection as he looked at Xie Huai. He nearly wanted to pat him on the shoulder and say, ¡°Good work, keep it up!¡± But that wouldn¡¯t match his character profile. Fang Li restrained himself and coughed lightly. He placed his hands behind his back and raised his chin, smiling at Xie Huai. ¡°As long as you agree to be this lord¡¯s, forget these trifling matters, this lord won¡¯t refuse you anything.¡± Xie Huai fixed his gaze on the person before him. Perhaps it was because it was a sunny day, but the other¡¯s skin was suffused with a soft light. When he said those words, the faint hint of a smile floated in his eyes, looking as if he was in a rather good mood¡­¡­ Although Fang Li said over and over that everything he¡¯d done was for his sake, Xie Huai subconsciously thought¡­¡­ that might not actually be the case. It seemed more like he¡¯d wanted to do so himself but couldn¡¯t because of his status. Not only had he not been the least bit angered over Xie Huai¡¯s actions, but he¡¯d even¡­¡­ been in a rather good mood? This kind of delight that came from the bottom of one¡¯s heart was hard to conceal. It definitely wasn¡¯t a false pretense¡­¡­ to the point that Xie Huai was dazed for a moment. Previously, Xie Huai had been certain that Fang Li was pretending to dote on him for the sake of setting Du Meng up, so Xie Huai had meticulously put on an act of becoming arrogant from being spoiled. He knew that although Fang Li would be upset, he wouldn¡¯t refute him in public because he still needed to deceive Du Meng, and Xie Huai could use this chance to protect a few people¡­¡­ But at this moment, that thought suddenly wasn¡¯t so certain anymore. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Ever since acquiring Xie Huai as a teammate, Fang Li felt that he was in a pretty good mood even when going to work. As expected, he hadn¡¯t judged wrongly; the very first moment he¡¯d seen Xie Huai, he¡¯d known that this co-worker who warmed the heart and pleased the eyes would be easy and delightful to work with¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t expected that at present, they¡¯d even have such a telepathic bond and endless cooperation. A colleague who was heartwarming and pleasing to look at and was full of mutual understanding with you. Honestly, if Xie Huai were a woman, who knows, he might even really fall for him. During this period of time, as long as Fang Li had official matters to handle, he would bring Xie Huai along. As long as anyone requested an audience, he would have Xie Huai come over to listen. In short, aside from Wu Yimei¡­¡­ If anyone else came to find him, he wouldn¡¯t avoid Xie Huai in the least. Anyways, there was nothing other than those few demonic sect matters¡ªburning, killing, stealing, pillaging, and every kind of evil on earth¡ªso there was nothing that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t know. Due to Fang Li¡¯s manner, less and less people came to look for him, because¡ªthey couldn¡¯t get past Xie Huai at all! Before, they¡¯d only known that Xie Huai¡¯s personality was proud and aloof, removed from worldly affairs. They sure hadn¡¯t known that he had the talent to be a source of calamity, a femme fatale! They¡¯d really underestimated him! Fang Li was quite pleased. His days were peaceful again. Although he couldn¡¯t say things in the open due to the restrictions of the plot, Fang Li still rather liked being together with Xie Huai. After all, in the whole of this vast Hollow Ridge, only this one person had a similar mindset as him. His days were spent in idleness and boredom. Today, fine delicacies were offered up again. Fang Li had woken up late, and he lazily ordered them to be sent to the side palace so he could have breakfast together with Yuyi-jun. Xie Huai was sitting inside the room. When he suddenly saw the demon servants entering in a stream, arranging fine dishes all across the table, he knew that Fang Li was about to come. That person usually didn¡¯t have a set schedule. Whenever he woke up, he would come over. He sat in the demon lord¡¯s position, but he rarely did anything a demon lord was supposed to do and was more like a spoiled heir leisurely idling his days away¡­¡­ Xie Huai was already used to this attitude of his. When Fang Li came over, he saw that Xie Huai was already sitting beside the table, except that he hadn¡¯t begun eating yet, probably waiting for him. Although Xie Huai still spoke very little and his manner was indifferent, as if he felt it beneath him to talk, Fang Li could sense that things between them weren¡¯t as they were in the beginning, both holding the other at the tip of a blade. Their relationship now was more like friends¡­¡­ Most likely, Xie Huai should believe now that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t do anything to him for the time being. Xie Huai didn¡¯t like to speak, and Fang Li had no intention of holding an awkward conversation, either, so he sat down contentedly to eat. Actually, he could have eaten by himself, but it always felt a little lonely. Fine food was only delicious when shared. When they were about halfway through the meal, a demonic servant rushed in and said in a low voice by Fang Li¡¯s ear, ¡°The Broken Blade Sect sect master requests an audience.¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow in astonishment. To think that there were still people who were bold and tactless enough to come to his door. Were the bitter lessons they¡¯d swallowed earlier not enough¡­¡­? Although that was what he thought, Fang Li still ordered, ¡°Let him come to the side palace.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s eyelashes lifted minutely. Not too long after, the Broken Blade Sect sect master arrived, bent at the waist and head lowered. He got to the ground to greet Fang Li, ¡°This subordinate greets His Excellency.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Fang Li said carelessly, gesturing for him to rise to speak. The Broken Blade Sect sect master carefully looked at Xie Huai, then bowed and said to Fang Li ingratiatingly, ¡°Yuyi-jun has been at the demonic palace for a while now. This subordinate fears that Yuyi-jun might be homesick and unaccustomed to solitude and remoteness of Hollow Ridge. Why not construct a palace here in the style of Linxian province? This way, Yuyi-jun can feel at ease while living here.¡± Oh? Fang Li raised his eyebrows and laughed. These demonic cultivators were really improving, they¡¯d even learned how to use circuitous tactics. With how much he doted on Xie Huai nowadays, constructing a palace from him to please him seemed to be a matter of course, but the Broken Blade Sect sect master obviously wasn¡¯t saying this with a sincere heart. From the start, this demonic palace was built on a foundation of corpses and skeletons, not to mention that when constructing a new palace, there would be plenty of grift to be had. Seeing that Fang Li wasn¡¯t refusing, the Broken Blade Sect sect master seemed a little excited. He was exceedingly delighted, thinking that he might have correctly guessed His Excellency¡¯s thoughts. Hmph¡­¡­ The others would realize sooner or later that currying favor with His Majesty wasn¡¯t as effective as currying favor with Xie Huai. It was only that they still couldn¡¯t put down their dignity, but he didn¡¯t care about such things. As long as profits came to hand, what did it matter if he had to ingratiate himself with Xie Huai? The Broken Blade Sect sect master smiled obsequiously. ¡°If Your Excellency permits, this subordinate is willing to manage the palace construction. This subordinate will be sure to allow Yuyi-jun to feel perfectly at home.¡± ¡°This lord thinks this idea isn¡¯t bad¡­¡­¡± Fang Li gave the Broken Blade Sect sect master a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Though his expression was evidently pleased, he suddenly turned and asked Xie Huai, ¡°Right, what do you think of this proposal, Yuyi-jun?¡± The Broken Blade Sect sect master¡¯s heart went ba-thump. A flash of understanding flitted past Xie Huai¡¯s eyes, and he slowly spoke. ¡°A waste of labor and resources. Unnecessary.¡± At this, Fang Li finally propped up his chin with one hand and looked at the Broken Blade Sect sect master, revealing a derisive expression. This guy really thought he was being clever. Even if this lord was willing to spoil Xie Huai, Xie Huai still had to be willing. Can¡¯t you see such a self-evident ¡°unrequited pining¡±? Do you really think Xie Huai is a pampered little thing? Xie Huai can¡¯t wait to slaughter me already, and you still want to build him a palace so he can feel perfectly at home¡­¡­ It would be stranger if it did make him happy. Fang Li waved his hand and said coldly, ¡°Get out. Don¡¯t bring this up again.¡± The Broken Blade Sect sect master¡¯s face turned pale. Soaked in cold sweat, he rushed out with his tail between his legs. There was peace and quiet again. A trifling little incident wouldn¡¯t stop Fang Li from continuing his meal. Luckily, it hadn¡¯t wasted too much time, and the food hadn¡¯t gone cold yet. Thinking that Xie Huai had just helped him resolve another quandary, Fang Li considerately gave him a piece of fish. He smiled, his eyes curving, as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t bicker with those people. Whatever you don¡¯t like, this lord won¡¯t like, either.¡± Hah, starting to pretend again. Xie Huai¡¯s face was cold. If he¡¯d still had his doubts the first time and hadn¡¯t dared to be certain, then after this period of time he was a hundred percent sure. Fang Li was only using him to refuse the things that he didn¡¯t want to do. He¡¯d clearly decided to use this person, yet instead, he¡¯d been made use of once again. He had tried to find Fang Li¡¯s bottom line step by step, but Fang Li¡¯s bottom line was that he didn¡¯t have a bottom line. He had never refused him even once. Why? Since you¡¯d chosen this road back then, chosen to become a ruthless, cold-blooded devil, what need was there to maintain compassion in your heart? Xie Huai pursed his lips. Although he kept telling himself that he couldn¡¯t be swayed, couldn¡¯t become confused¡­¡­ he couldn¡¯t restrain himself from recalling that scene in the forbidden area. Fang Li had revealed such a pained expression, so helpless and desperate, like the dying thrashes of a drowning man¡­¡­ Just what kind of memories were they¡­¡­? Perhaps, none of this is what you wanted, either. If, back then, someone had been able to pull you up, would everything be different? Even though you became like this in the end, in the depths of your heart, is there still a trace of kindness left in your heart that you¡¯re simply not willing to acknowledge¡­¡­? Xie Huai suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his heart. His line of sight fell on the piece of fish in his bowl. This devil was becoming more and more improper. While forgetting himself in delight, he¡¯d even started to pass food into his bowl. At what point had they been close enough for that? Xie Huai gave him a cold glance and was just about to toss out the piece of fish. But he met Fang Li¡¯s eyes that held a trace of a smile, gentle and bright like rays of light. The natural expression of delight softened the raw edges of his face, and he was looking over happily¡­¡­ This person had just gotten rid of another demonic cultivator. Although it hadn¡¯t been for Xie Huai¡¯s sake, it was still doing a good deed for the common people¡­¡­ Xie Huai gripped his chopsticks tightly and hesitated for a moment, then placed the fish in his mouth. It was creamy and smooth, the flavor exceedingly fragrant. As a dedicated foodie, Fang Li didn¡¯t give Xie Huai another look after giving him the fish and instead started happily enjoying the decadent dishes before him. The added benefits of transmigrating were actually quite superb. Just as the meal was about to conclude, Wu Yimei suddenly arrived. As Fang Li¡¯s most capable and trusted aide, Wu Yimei didn¡¯t need to be announced when he came in. He flashed Xie Huai a glance with his dark red, slit-pupiled eyes, his expression gloomy and his brows furrowed. These days, His Excellency stayed with Xie Huai day after day. Even if he was putting on an act for Du Meng, was it necessary to do so to this extent? Thinking that His Excellency might really have fallen, Wu Yimei was filled with apprehension and hostility towards Xie Huai. Xie Huai also raised his eyes to look at Wu Yimei, his indifferent eyes seemingly covered with a layer of frost. Fang Li never avoided him when meeting with anyone¡ªexcept Wu Yimei. Oh¡­¡­ Fang Li hadn¡¯t thought Wu Yimei would suddenly come, and seeing that the atmosphere between the two of them was a bit off, he immediately stood up and smiled at Wu Yimei. ¡°You have something to discuss with this lord? Let¡¯s go, we can talk when we get back.¡± In the original book, Wu Yimei just couldn¡¯t get along with Xie Huai. At present, Fang Li had gone to no small lengths to relieve the conflict between them, and he sure didn¡¯t want Wu Yimei to go down his old path again. As he spoke, he stood up and started walking outside. Wu Yimei gave a deferential, ¡°Understood,¡± and didn¡¯t look at Xie Huai again, turning to follow Fang Li with brisk steps. Xie Huai sat there, still as a statue. In the blink of an eye, the courtyard was empty¡­¡­ No matter where or when, as long as Wu Yimei appeared, Fang Li would leave without the slightest hesitation. As for what they said, they never let Xie Huai know even a trace of it. Nor did he know what kind of affairs they were up to that couldn¡¯t see the light of day. Xie Huai lowered his eyes and looked at the dishes before him. Suddenly, he lost all appetite, and his expression was cold and indifferent as he placed his chopsticks onto the table. Fang Li led Wu Yimei back to his own residential palace and closed the door before he finally said, ¡°What exactly did you come to find this lord for?¡± No matter what outsiders said about Xie Huai being a source of calamity, or Fang Li being possessed, Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t listen, but he trusted what he¡¯d seen with his own eyes. Even if Fang Li continuously declared that he had no intentions toward Xie Huai, his actions and manners couldn¡¯t deceive anyone¡­¡­ It was hard for Wu Yimei to avoid being worried. He didn¡¯t want His Excellency to be harmed by Xie Huai. But His Excellency would listen to Wu Yimei about anything except for matters regarding Xie Huai. On this, he acted completely upon his own will, not allowing a single comment. Sometimes, Wu Yimei couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Xie Huai had truly put some kind of enchantment on His Excellency, to make him treat him so specially. Wu Yimei pondered to himself for a moment, then said in a low voice, ¡°This subordinate recently discovered that Rending Heart Gate has secretly had treasonous dealings. They have been embezzling large quantities of spirit stones from the yields of the spirit stone quarry, and the amount being sent to Hollow Ridge is less than half. They have been privately raising large numbers of demonic cultivators, and I suspect that they are amassing a private army to expand their influence. Rending Heart Gate is also under the Zenith Sky Creed¡¯s banner¡­¡­ With the severity of the matter, this subordinate did not dare to make a decision by himself. Your Excellency, please instruct.¡± This matter, huh¡­¡­ In the book, it had been over in one sentence, only saying that Rending Heart Gate had been embezzling spirit stones, and Yan Sui had personally gone down to suppress them and had left Hollow Ridge for several days. The process of Yan Sui handling it hadn¡¯t been described. The main purpose of this plot point was to get Yan Sui to leave and give Du Meng a chance to approach Xie Huai. If Yan Sui was guarding Xie Huai every single moment, how would Du Meng and Xie Huai meet? So the script had already gotten to this point, Fang Li realized. Time had flown by pretty fast. Looking at Wu Yimei¡¯s expression, clearly not at ease with him interacting with Xie Huai and afraid that he would fall into danger, it was even possible that Wu Yimei had purposefully looked for an opportunity to send him away¡­¡­ This trip couldn¡¯t be avoided, first, for the sake of the plot, and second, to put Wu Yimei at ease. Fang Li raised his lips into a smile. ¡°Oh? In that case, this lord would like to see just how Rending Soul Gate plans to explain things this time.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Three days later, Fang Li and Wu Yimei were strolling through the streets of Quqing Town. There were only a sparse handful of pedestrians on the roads, and occasionally, there would be demonic cultivators charging through on horseback. Fang Li was attired in simple but elegant dark brocade robes, a jade ornament at his waist and a folded fan in his hand, like a wealthy young noble son. Originally, Quqing Town had simply been an unremarkable little town under the governance of Wangyue province, with an average amount of natural resources and no breathtaking scenery or delights. The town only had a little cultivation sect called High Mountain Sect, and life there was simple and plain, neither good nor bad, up until High Mountain Sect unexpectedly discovered a spirit stone quarry here containing top-grade spirit stones. Spirit stone quarries were a type of natural resource that cultivators fought fiercely for control of, especially top-grade spirit stones, which were exceedingly rare. As soon as word got out, it would definitely incite plenty of envy. High Mountain Sect knew that this wealth would only invite trouble and didn¡¯t dare monopolize the spirit stone quarry, so they invited one of the five great righteous sects, Black Star Tower, to take joint management of it. As soon as Black Star Tower received the news, they sent three elders and tens of disciples forward to take charge¡­¡­ Alas, in a turn of bad luck, they were one step late, and Du Meng¡¯s group of Zenith Sky Creed cultivators slaughtered all of them to the last, including High Mountain Sect. At this point, Du Meng had already surrendered to Yan Sui, so this spirit stone quarry naturally also became the property of Hollow Ridge. Rending Heart Gate was one of the many demonic sects that belonged to Zenith Sky Creed. They had followed Du Meng for a long time and had always been greatly trusted by him, so Du Meng had given this important position to them, assigning them to oversee the extraction of spirit stones in this quarry. Without Du Meng¡¯s incitement, even with a hundred times their usual courage, Rending Heart Gate wouldn¡¯t be bold enough to do something like embezzling spirit stones. Du Meng pretended to be loyal while committing treason behind his back, covertly lining his pockets with embezzled goods¡­¡­ Not only was Fang Li not surprised by this, Yan Sui had known about it all along. Only, Yan Sui had previously been too lazy to take care of it. He had never been one to care what his subordinates usually did, typically handing management of each territory over to whoever had conquered it. For example, the reports that the flock of demons had given in the palace previously were usually just a formality. If not for Xie Huai¡¯s interference, as long as they handed over enough tribute in time and honored his title as lord, Yan Sui wouldn¡¯t meddle much in other matters. The clearest water has no fish. Even the righteous sects couldn¡¯t achieve absolute equality, fairness, and honesty in all things. It wasn¡¯t like he really expected these selfish, ambitious demonic cultivators to be obedient and well-mannered. Since that was the case, why had Yan Sui made a trip here in the original book? Naturally, Yan Sui¡¯s motives weren¡¯t the same as his. Before, he had always looked the other way, yet he¡¯d insisted on personally making a move on precisely this matter. Was it really only because he¡¯d suddenly decided that he didn¡¯t want to continue tolerating Du Meng anymore? Fang Li mulled it over. As Yan Sui¡¯s number one special operative, Wu Yimei¡¯s professional capabilities were absolutely flawless. This time, he¡¯d investigated everything completely thoroughly and had only come to report it after gathering decisive evidence. He followed behind Fang Li deferentially and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Excellency, will we be heading straight for Rending Heart Gate?¡± Why the rush? This was his first time leaving the mountain after transmigrating. He¡¯d finally gotten a vacation, and seeing the hustle and bustle of the human world again after so long, Fang Li decided to properly relax for a time. As for taking care of Rending Heart Gate, that was just something to handle along the way. It wasn¡¯t worth fretting over. A couple of children ran past his feet, and when they accidentally bumped into him, they were so frightened they apologized over and over. Fang Li helped a child who had fallen over get up, then smiled languidly at Wu Yimei. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Wu Yimei, ¡°?¡± But Fang Li didn¡¯t take notice of Wu Yimei and headed directly toward a restaurant by the road. For a while, Wu Yimei was unable to snap out of his daze. With his cultivation level, His Excellency wouldn¡¯t feel hunger¡­¡­ would he? He vacantly followed Fang Li into the restaurant, and just when he was at a loss as to what to do, Fang Li pulled him directly over to a nearby seat to sit down. Shortly after, Wu Yimei heard a soft laugh. ¡°We¡¯re outside, so don¡¯t be so stiff.¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s wrist was grasped by Fang Li. His breath fell almost just beside Wu Yimei¡¯s ear, and his cheerful words brushed past like a spring breeze. Wu Yimei had followed this person for more than ten years, but they¡¯d never been this close¡­¡­ Subconsciously, his whole body tensed. It wasn¡¯t until the slightly cool sensation on his wrist left that he slowly and gradually relaxed. A few Rending Heart Gate disciples had just passed by outside. Perhaps His Excellency only wanted to avoid beating the grass and startling the snake and had pretended to come in to eat on purpose. He also had to properly coordinate; he couldn¡¯t spoil His Excellency¡¯s plans¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s thoughts were in disarray, up until he heard Fang Li sigh lightly. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what you like to eat.¡± Wu Yimel lifted his eyes blankly to look at the man in front of him. Was it necessary to know something like that? Fang Li had scraped through all of Yan Sui¡¯s memories. He knew what Wu Yumei¡¯s cultivation level was, knew his strengths, his weaknesses, how many times he¡¯d been critically injured. After all these years¡­¡­ It seemed like he knew everything about this person, yet he didn¡¯t even know what Wu Yimei liked to eat. Most likely, in Yan Sui¡¯s eyes, it was a trivial matter not worth knowing. But Fang Li didn¡¯t think so. For the most part, a person¡¯s life didn¡¯t have so many grand and dramatic moments. It was only one small thing after another¡ªsweetness, bitterness, sourness, and spice; love, hate, joy, and sorrow¡ªthat made up one¡¯s life. In the book, Wu Yimei had been an evil cannon fodder, a character little more than a tool, but in front of Fang Li¡¯s eyes was a living, breathing person. Yan Sui had saved him back then, but he could only count as having saved him by half. He hadn¡¯t taught Wu Yimei how to live like a person, nor was he capable of teaching someone something he didn¡¯t even know how to do himself¡­¡­ Fang Li only needed to take one look at Wu Yimei¡¯s expression to know that he was overthinking things again. He truly lived up to the role of the dedicated and hardworking tool man¡­¡­ When living, one shouldn¡¯t always be thinking about work; sometimes it was also necessary to look at the scenery passing by. Wu Yimei¡¯s level of professional diligence was far more than 9AM to 9PM six days a week, it was basically 24/7 seven days a week. It was all because the demonic cultivators of this world didn¡¯t have such a thing as humanitarian labor regulations. He sure wasn¡¯t that sort of ruthless boss. He had to give his employees a vacation sometimes, too. These days, your job is just to accompany me to eat and play. Fang Li beckoned with his hand and had the restaurant staff serve each and every one of their dishes. It couldn¡¯t compare in the least to the lavish delicacies in the demonic palace, but it had a different, light and refreshing sort of style. Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept over the table, and he pushed a bowl of clear and translucent sweet soup toward Wu Yimei with a smile. ¡°Try it.¡± Wu Yimei looked at the sweet soup before him, his expression distracted for a moment. Actually, not even he knew what he liked to eat. When he¡¯d been young, he would eat anything, from leftovers and scraps to even rancid water. He ate whatever would fill his belly. After following Yan Sui into the demonic path, he no longer starved for lack of food, but he was often in critical danger, his life hanging by a thread. He had only focused single-mindedly on becoming stronger, and it didn¡¯t matter what he ate. Then after that¡­¡­ high-level cultivators only needed spiritual energy to survive. Ordinary food was completely unnecessary. Thinking about it, he really hadn¡¯t had anything he liked before. To the point that for the moment, he didn¡¯t know how to respond¡­¡­ Wu Yimei lifted his eyes, falling into a pair of smiling eyes that seemed to contain some anticipation. He carefully tried a mouthful. The clear, sweet taste spread over his tongue, and his throat bobbed once. In a low and hoarse voice, he said, ¡°I like it a lot.¡± Because it was something you gave me. Wu Yimei had a gloomy personality and never said anything, so Fang Li had originally been a little worried that it wouldn¡¯t suit his tastes. Now he was finally at ease, and he picked up his chopsticks and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Wu Yimei lowered his eyes to hold back his complicated expression. Ever since capturing Xie Huai, His Excellency had seemed like a whole different person. He¡¯d started to like to laugh, and his expression had become much gentler. As long as he was with Xie Huai, he¡¯d always reveal a side of him that he¡¯d never shown before, as if he loved that person to the extreme¡­¡­ Although he kept saying that it wasn¡¯t love. In the past ten years, Wu Yimei had never gotten close to this person, but because of Xie Huai, he¡¯d started to allow others to approach his heart. It was as if a puppet who¡¯d originally only known how to slaughter and kill had suddenly acquired a human heart and feelings. And now, he was even concerned about what Wu Yimei liked to eat¡­¡­ Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t deny that at first, he¡¯d been a bit bewildered and confused, but when he¡¯d recovered from his daze, he¡¯d found that he didn¡¯t hate these changes at all, to the point that he was a little scared of shattering this scene. In the beginning, when he¡¯d been on the verge of death, it had been this person who had pulled him out and given him a place to go. He had been like a walking corpse, following this person on a journey of slaughter and death¡­¡­ At that time, he would never have imagined that there would be a day like this, a day when he would be able to eat and talk and smile like a normal person. As if the turbulent heavens and earth outside had nothing to do with him, and there was only this moment of joy before him that he greedily clung to. Wu Yimei¡¯s hand clenched minutely. He had no choice but to admit that he was actually jealous of Xie Huai, jealous that he could receive all of this person¡¯s love, jealous that he could stay by his side every moment of the day. Even if it was fake, it was a far-fetched wish that he could never have granted. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: Wu Yimei is the one that he trusts. Wu Yimei: Xie Huai is the one that he loves. Author: Mutual jealousy ? CH 12 November 23rd, 2022 These past few days, Fang Li had visited every part of Quqing Town where there was food to be eaten or entertainment to be had, leaving him quite satisfied. Although the demonic palace had every type of luxury one could think of, it was still somewhat desolate and remote¡­¡­ Even a pay-to-win player needed some free-to-play players as NPCs to make a game fun, right? As for Wu Yimei, at first he¡¯d still been rigid and unable to relax, but he¡¯d gradually become accustomed and stopped bringing up work matters. He was becoming more and more like a qualified party member. Although it was only a world evolved from a book, it was more interesting than expected. As Fang Li leisurely strolled back, a peddler¡¯s cry rang out from the side of the road. ¡°Banyan flower crystal cakes, a Linxian province specialty! Don¡¯t miss out! It¡¯s a Linxian province local specialty!¡± Oh? Fang Li¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. Wasn¡¯t Cloudbank Keep in Linxian province? He¡¯d already been out for several days, and since he was pretending to dote on Xie Huai, it wouldn¡¯t be good to return empty-handed, right? This ¡°Linxian province local specialty¡± couldn¡¯t be more fitting as a souvenir gift. As for why a streetside peddler from the Quqing Town that was ten thousand li away would be selling a so-called ¡°Linxian province local specialty,¡± that wasn¡¯t important, not important at all¡­¡­ It was the thought that counted! ¡°Give me one,¡± Fang Li said, walking over. The street peddler happily took the money and wrapped up the crystal cake to give to Fang Li, saying flatteringly, ¡°Your crystal cake, sir. Come by again later!¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s expression sank slightly. These days, he was the only one by His Excellency¡¯s side, to the point that he¡¯d nearly forgotten that Xie Huai was the one His Excellency cared about. Just a single mention of ¡°Linxian province¡± from a street peddler was enough for him to eagerly head over to buy Xie Huai a present. As soon as he was done with his purchase, Fang Li saw Wu Yimei¡¯s gloomy expression and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Wu Yimei was excellent on all accounts, except that he was too sensitive toward anything regarding Xie Huai. Fang Li coughed lightly and said meaningfully, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Xie Huai is just a chess piece, understand?¡± The underlying meaning was, you¡¯re the one that this lord trusts, so don¡¯t squabble with a chess piece! Wu Yimei pursed his lips and nodded slowly. He wouldn¡¯t refute Fang Li¡¯s words. If Fang Li said Xie Huai was a chess piece, then Xie Huai could only be a chess piece, and as for him¡­¡­ He wouldn¡¯t give Xie Huai the chance to get a single step closer. There was bound to be a day when he would kill Xie Huai. That way, the only one by His Excellency¡¯s side would be him. Fang Li didn¡¯t know if Wu Yimei had really listened to him or was just pretending to agree. He shook his head and kept walking forward. For better or for worse, Wu Yimei was still one of the top experts of the world, and his was potential limitless. What need was there to antagonize the protagonist? By that time, I¡¯m afraid even I won¡¯t be able to save you. The only thing to fear in life was cutting off all of one¡¯s paths forward. Just when they were just about to arrive back at the inn, they saw a crowd of people by the side of the road surrounding someone, and the faint sound of sobbing coming from within the crowd. After listening more closely, Fang Li understood that Rending Heart Gate¡¯s people were snatching a commoner girl by force. Rending Heart Gate¡¯s gatemaster had a problem, which was his lecherousness. He loved the new and hated the old, and he often had his subordinates plunder young men and women for him. No wonder he hadn¡¯t seen many good-looking passers-by on the streets these days, and those on the streets had been mostly elderly or middle-aged. The demonic cultivator hauled a young woman in the prime of her youth, impatiently saying to the elderly woman to the side, ¡°The gatemaster has always been generous, and his interest in your daughter is your good fortune. Tomorrow, she¡¯ll be brought back to you. Here, take these ten taels of gold.¡± Ten taels of gold was truly no small sum. In a place like this where lives were like weeds, it was enough to buy a human life. Calling it ¡°generous¡± wasn¡¯t incorrect, but it was just a pity¡­¡­ the other party wasn¡¯t willing. Fang Li indicated with his eyes for Wu Yimei to remain, then squeezed into the crowd by himself to head over. The demonic cultivator immediately noticed Fang Li, and his expression abruptly became cold. There was someone who dared to meddle in their business in Rending Heart Gate¡¯s territory? Fang Li had a smile in his eyes as he cordially spoke up. ¡°Sir, what do you think of me? I¡¯m willing to recommend myself to attend in bed, but one night will be a hundred taels of gold.¡± The demonic cultivator startled, his anger lodged firmly in his throat as he stared at Fang Li blankly. Once he started staring, he couldn¡¯t move his gaze away. Although this person was a little on the older side, seemingly in his twenties, and looked rather sickly¡­¡­ Each of his movements and gestures had a noble bearing, and his pale and melancholy yet exquisite features unexpectedly had a unique flavor to them. Just standing there, he made the young woman suddenly seem dim and colorless, like dust on the ground. It was truly a rare level of beauty. Looking at his appearance, he seemed like someone from a grand sect or a rich household. Quqing Town didn¡¯t have a single person with a high-quality appearance like that. Fang Li said leisurely, ¡°My household fell into hardship, and I¡¯ve been wandering until now. I only had this thought after seeing how generous the gatemaster is. If this price won¡¯t work, then I won¡¯t disturb any longer.¡± Having said that, he turned to leave. The demonic cultivator immediately released the young woman and quickly stepped forward to block Fang Li. Half courteously and half threateningly, he smiled and said, ¡°A mere hundred taels of gold, the gatemaster won¡¯t be stingy. Young master, please come with me.¡± Fang Li immediately exposed a smile, saying, ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing Fang Li leave with the demonic cultivator, Wu Yimei¡¯s silhouette vanished into the crowd. With His Excellency catching them unawares and using this kind of method to enter Rending Heart Gate, they wouldn¡¯t have to fear that Rending Heart Gate¡¯s gatemaster would be notified in advance and flee. Rending Heart Gate¡¯s encampment was built by modifying the old High Mountain Sect. Due to overseeing the mining of the spirit stone quarry, the number of people had increased greatly, so the area of the sect had expanded greatly compared to before. In a courtyard near the back of the sect, the Rending Heart Gate gatemaster was sitting on a reclining chair, surrounded by beautiful servant women who were eagerly attending him. Only, the Rending Heart Gate gatemaster¡¯s enthusiasm was lacking, and he had an impatient expression on his face. The crowd of demonic cultivators around them stood on tenterhooks, afraid to make a sound. The gatemaster didn¡¯t like the commonplace types, and his favorites were pure and unsullied virgins, so all the young men and women with acceptable looks within a hundred li had pretty much been snatched once. These days, each and every household was on high alert, and trying to find a decent virgin was becoming harder and harder. Plus, the gatemaster hated repetition to the extreme, and he refused to taste even the most beautiful finds a second time. It was truly a predicament for these scurrying underlings. The Rending Heart Gate gatemaster waved his hand and knocked over the glass of wine in a servant¡¯s hand. He gestured for a demonic cultivator to approach, saying angrily, ¡°A bunch of trash. If you can¡¯t find anyone, don¡¯t you know how to increase the reward? As long as there¡¯s enough money, you think those cheap commoners won¡¯t offer themselves up?¡± The demonic cultivator agreed obsequiously, giving a mocking smile. ¡°No more than some mere bumpkins. We¡¯re giving them face but they don¡¯t even want it. What need is there to give them money? This subordinate will search door to door and seize all of the beauties to present to the gatemaster to enjoy!¡± In the eyes of demonic cultivators, those common folk couldn¡¯t even count as human, to be beaten or slaughtered at will. Giving them money was actually quite unusual. The Rending Heart Gate gatemaster smashed a wine cup at him and said unhappily, ¡°A moron is a moron! Even pigs in a pen have to be raised until they¡¯re fat before they¡¯re slaughtered. If you go plundering from door to door like that and scare them all off, how are you going to find anyone to snatch later? Something that a little bit of mortal gold can solve, you want to spend that much effort on. Don¡¯t you even understand not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?¡± Fang Li arrived just in time to hear those words and deeply agreed. No wonder the demonic cultivator from before had still given money when seizing that commoner woman by force. He hadn¡¯t expected the Rending Heart Gate gatemaster to have some skill. Every time he snatched a young man or woman, he¡¯d send them back after a night and would even give plenty of gold as recompense¡­¡­ Most people would swallow their anger, and there would even occasionally be those who coveted wealth and would offer up their sons and daughters voluntarily. Because of this, after more than a year, nearly all of the somewhat attractive young men and women in the vicinity of Quqing Town had been defiled once by the Rending Heart Gate gatemaster¡­¡­ Although these actions were completely outrageous, since enough money was given and there was no fatal danger, the common folk felt that they could still hang in there and make do, and it wasn¡¯t bad enough for them to feel like gathering their entire families to flee. It was only a pity for those children who had been defiled. The demonic cultivator who had brought Fang Li entered briskly and said flatteringly, ¡°Gatemaster, I¡¯ve brought someone back for you.¡± Such high-quality goods, you could search for a long time without finding one¡­¡­ The gatemaster was sure to be pleased. The demonic cultivator looked at the gatemaster with anticipation, then saw the gatemaster suddenly stand up. No way, he was that excited? The next second, he saw the gatemaster plop to the ground, kneeling and bowing staggeringly, his words coming out in a stammer. ¡°Your, Y-y-your, Y-your Excellency¡­¡­ H-h-how did you have time t-t-t-o honor us with your p-p-presence, w-w-without even s-s-s-sending w-word¡­¡­¡± The demonic cultivator in front of Fang Li slowly, gradually, stiffly turned his head, the look in his eyes as he looked at Fang Li terrified beyond comparison. The g-g-gatemaster, what had he called him? Fang Li put his hands behind his back. His expression was mild, and he nodded with a smile. ¡°You may rise. It was on the way. No need to be nervous.¡± The Rending Heart Gate gatemaster trembled as he stood up, asking cautiously, ¡°Your, Your Excellency¡­¡­ This visit, do, do you have any orders?¡± ¡°Not quite an order,¡± Fang Li smiled blandly, his lips curling upwards. ¡°This lord suddenly felt that sentence just now was very reasonable. Pigs in a pen have to be raised until they¡¯re fat before they¡¯re slaughtered. So this lord came to ask, those spirit stones that you owe this lord, when do you plan to return them? You should¡¯ve collected quite a bit by now, right?¡± In the Rending Heart Gate gatemaster¡¯s eyes, the common folk were like dogs and pigs. In the demon lord Yan Sui¡¯s eyes, in what way was he not also a dog or a pig? The Rending Heart Gate gatemaster¡¯s face was ghastly white. He turned and transformed into a ray of light to flee, but just as he scurried away, he was fiercely lashed back with the strike of a whip, tumbling to Fang Li¡¯s feet. Wu Yimei leapt down from the eaves, a long whip in his hand. The expression in his dark red eyes was ice-cold and gloomy. Fang Li pulled back, and Wu Yimei immediately commanded his people to surround the area, ensuring that even a fly wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. Fang Li walked forward leisurely, one foot stepping on top of the gatemaster¡¯s hand. He lowered his eyes and smiled. ¡°Things that are owed to this lord have to be returned with interest.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai sat in the room of the side palace hall, the letter in his hand burning away. Thanks to Fang Li¡¯s attitude, the Cloudbank Keep disciples¡¯ actions nearby hadn¡¯t ever been interrupted, and they¡¯d already joined hands with Feng Yin. These days, information from outside flowed in without end. Fang Li hadn¡¯t concealed any of his movements during this trip, so Xie Huai knew everything he¡¯d done like the back of his hand. After leaving the mountain, Fang Li had first enjoyed the scenery for a couple of days, then had suddenly gone to Rending Heart Gate and destroyed the gatemaster with thunderous force, ordering for his corpse to be suspended naked outside the sect gate. After that, he¡¯d ordered Wu Yimei to take charge of the spirit stone quarry¡­¡­ Normally, he didn¡¯t act, but once he did act, he struck Du Meng to the bone. These days, Hollow Ridge was filled with vigorous discussion. Everyone was anxious, and they were all guessing at Fang Li¡¯s intentions¡­¡­ But Xie Huai recalled that person¡¯s usual indolent appearance and faintly felt that handling Rending Heart Gate might have just been a roadside stop, and only enjoying the scenery was real. These days, Fang Li and Wu Yimei were inseparable, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Perhaps they¡¯d already had so much fun they¡¯d forgotten about coming back. The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s mouth pulled lightly. But there was nothing odd about any of that. Wu Yimei was the person he trusted the most. In front of Wu Yimei, he didn¡¯t need to pretend, unlike with Xie Huai¡­¡­ All of it was nothing more than an empty display of love. Sincere and insincere feelings could be told apart at a glance. Those two were actually mutually trusting companions, unlike with him, where it was just fake civility. Xie Huai pinched at the paper ashes in his hand, his expression detached. These days, he had been attacking the seal without rest. By now, his cultivation had recovered to almost a third, and breaking through the seal likely wouldn¡¯t take too much longer. When the time came¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s expression suddenly became frigid. He got up and pushed the door open to exit, then looked at the uninvited guest in front. Du Meng was dressed all in black, melting into the night scenery as he stole into the side hall without a sound. The candlelight in the side hall had long gone out, but as soon as he¡¯d entered just now, he¡¯d felt a sharp gaze fall onto him. The white-robed man was standing calmly under the eaves of the hall, looking at him with indifferent eyes as if he¡¯d been waiting for a long time already. Du Meng was a little surprised. It was said that Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation had been sealed by Soul-Sealing Pins. According to reason, he shouldn¡¯t have discovered him this quickly¡­¡­ Could it have just been a coincidence? He narrowed his eyes and sized up the other party pensively. He¡¯d seen Fang Li¡¯s favoritism toward Xie Huai these days. At first, he¡¯d been a bit skeptical. He knew deeply how cold-blooded and emotionless that fellow was; he was a madman without humanity, not like someone whose heart would be moved at all. But he couldn¡¯t doubt everything he¡¯d seen and heard in this period of time. That Fang Li could go this far for Xie Huai meant that at the very least, Xie Huai stood out from the crowd to him. Not long ago, Fang Li had brought Wu Yimei to launch a surprise attack on Rending Heart Gate. Not only had he taken control of the spirit stone quarry and confiscated the spirit stones that Rending Heart Gate had embezzled, he¡¯d also had the Rending Heart Gate gatemaster¡¯s corpse suspended naked above the sect gate¡­¡­ Each and every one of these moves were aimed at Du Meng. The look at the bottom of Du Meng¡¯s eyes was ice-cold. At the thought of how he was going to drag that arrogant fellow down from his throne and fiercely torment him until he cried and pleaded¡­¡­ It struck his heart with a persistent itch and a bit of anticipation. But since Fang Li dared to act like this, he would certainly be on guard against him, and he hadn¡¯t yet grasped the details of Fang Li¡¯s abilities. Acting rashly might be playing precisely into his hands¡­¡­ But Xie Huai wasn¡¯t a bad breakthrough point. Right now, Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation was sealed, and he also fully received Fang Li¡¯s favor. Perhaps Fang Li wouldn¡¯t be on guard against him. Previously, Fang Li had been at Xie Huai¡¯s side day after day, preventing Du Meng from finding a chance to approach. This time, Fang Li had left the mountain for once, and Du Meng had decided to seize this opportunity to come see Xie Huai. Du Meng stepped forward directly, his expression sincere as he said in a low voice, ¡°This subordinate has taken the liberty of paying a visit for only one reason¡ªto ask Yuyi-jun to lend a hand.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°These days I¡¯m imprisoned and have my hands full with my own matters. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be of help.¡± But Du Meng maintained an appearance of genuine sincerity, his voice full of sorrow. ¡°Yuyi-jun is such a noble and upright character, yet you have to suffer this kind of humiliation and torment from that brat. Even this one can¡¯t bear to watch¡­¡­ Even though today¡¯s visit is nominally to ask for Yuyi-jun¡¯s help, this one actually also wants to lend a hand to Yuyi-jun.¡± Xie Huai revealed an attentive expression. ¡°Oh?¡± Du Meng said slowly, ¡°These days, Yan Sui¡¯s attention has all been fixed on you, and he might be less on guard against you. This one has a vial of poison. Yuyi-jin need only apply it to his food, and this one can help Yuyi-jun escape that demon¡¯s hands.¡± The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s lips lifted as he said, ¡°Sire is also among the famed and illustrious demonic cultivators. How can I trust that you¡¯re aiding me sincerely, rather than using me to scheme for the position of demon lord?¡± ¡°This one acknowledges that he does have the intention of taking the demon lord¡¯s position¡­¡­¡± Du Meng said magnanimously, ¡°But that brat has truly been too outrageous. These days, from my point of view, the position of demon lord isn¡¯t as important as taking that brat¡¯s life. I won¡¯t hide it from Yuyi-jun, but right now there are many all over Hollow Ridge who are dissatisfied with him. Even if you and I have different standpoints, at least regarding the matter at hand, we have the same goal¡ªthat is, we both want him to die. As long as we can kill that brat, I can promise to retreat three thousand li to recover and recuperate and not to engage in battle with the righteous sects. This is truly a mutually beneficial agreement. Hopefully, Yuyi-jun will give it some proper consideration.¡± As expected. Xie Huai¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but derision flashed through his eyes. Du Meng¡¯s words were half true and half false. He sure hadn¡¯t concealed his raging ambition to seize the throne¡­¡­ But the so-called retreating three thousand li was impossible. If he hadn¡¯t interacted with Fang Li, from Xie Huai¡¯s point of view, both of these people were merely two sides of the same coin, neither of them trustworthy. He might as well let them go at each other¡¯s throats. But right now Xie Huai trusted at least one thing, which was that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t arbitrarily engage in war¡­¡­ but Du Meng was more wild and ambitious, his greed insatiable. If he was really allowed to take control of Hollow Ridge, that would truly be an even greater calamity for the righteous sects and for the entire world. Besides, even if he wanted to kill Fang Li, he wouldn¡¯t stoop to using poison, and even less would he join hands with Du Meng. Xie Huai didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Du Meng and was about to leave, but he suddenly recalled the expression Du Meng had had when looking at Fang Li that day in the grand palace hall¡ªa savage, bloodthirsty expression like a wild beast staring at its prey. Did he really only plan to kill Fang Li¡­¡­? Xie Huai¡¯s footsteps halted, and his eyes wavered. He said coolly, ¡°Does Sire trust me so much that you aren¡¯t afraid I¡¯ll inform him about today?¡± The reason Du Meng had dared to come today was because he was certain that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t tell Fang Li. Xie Huai was being coerced by Yan Sui, and his personality was proud and aloof. He even had the blood feud of his sect between him and Yan Sui, so how could he willingly comply with Yan Sui? So even if he didn¡¯t agree to cooperate, he definitely wouldn¡¯t side with Fang Li. Since that was the case, what need was there to ask that? Du Meng fixed his gaze on Xie Huai for half a day, only seeing Xie Huai¡¯s cold and indifferent expression. He was only unwilling to trust Du Meng and was trying to sound him out, that was all. Du Meng smiled. ¡°This one knows that Yuyi-jun has some misgivings, but this one is sincere.These days, only this one can help you. Yuyi-jun shouldn¡¯t rush to refuse. You can inform this one after some proper consideration.¡± Having said that, he turned and disappeared into the night. Xie Huai coldly retrieved his gaze, lowering his eyes. The embers left over from burning the letter still lingered on his fingertips¡­¡­ Do you know that Du Meng has already made his move? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ With Wu Yimei¡¯s cold-blooded methods, purging Rending Heart Gate only took a trifling two days¡¯ effort until he had uprooted all of Du Meng¡¯s forces and planted his own trusted aides. With such a capable subordinate, Fang Li had nothing to do and idled about until another two days had passed and he¡¯d received Wu Yimei¡¯s secret report. The secret guard that Wu Yimei had left at Hollow Ridge reported that Du Meng had covertly met with Xie Huai, but since the guard didn¡¯t dare to get too close, he didn¡¯t know what they¡¯d said. In the original book, because Wu Yimei had been worried about Xie Huai enthralling Yan Sui, he¡¯d wanted to eliminate Xie Huai, so he¡¯d constantly hinted that Xie Huai and Du Meng were secretly joining hands¡­¡­ But this time, Wu Yimei only described the account in its entirety, giving the report without the slightest hint of bias. Although it was only a tiny, tiny change, Fang Li was fully gratified. He had faith that under his guidance, Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t go seeking the path of his own demise again. After Wu Yimei was done speaking, he stood there calmly, waiting for Fang Li¡¯s orders. Although Du Meng and Xie Huai¡¯s conversation hadn¡¯t been heard clearly, Xie Huai¡¯s conduct was open and upright, and it was unlikely that he would agree to Du Meng. What he could think of, His Excellency could certainly think of as well. If he tried to add oil to the fire to sow discontent, it might make His Excellency despise him for Xie Huai¡¯s sake¡­¡­ His Excellency didn¡¯t like it when he targeted Xie Huai, so he had to carefully conceal his thoughts. At least, he shouldn¡¯t try to act clever during these sorts of matters, repeatedly disobeying His Excellency and causing His Excellency to feel ill will toward him. Fang Li propped up his chin and pondered for a bit. In the original book, Yan Sui had also found out about this matter from Wu Yimei. Although Yan Sui had been clear in his heart that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly sink into the mire with Du Meng, he had still returned in a tyrannical state, interrogating Xie Huai. Naturally, Xie Huai felt it beneath him to explain things to him, leading to cough cough cough¡­¡­ Another section of intense forceful love. Other than manufacturing this bout of conflict and giving Yan Sui another reason to consume meat in a florid manner, this matter hadn¡¯t had much of an effect on the plot. In Fang Li¡¯s eyes, it could completely be categorized as¡ªa useless plot point. During this period of time, he and Xie Huai had been interacting harmoniously. Since he didn¡¯t intend to papapa, and he also didn¡¯t plan to forcefully manufacture misunderstandings, what useless plot points could be cut, should be cut. Fang Li didn¡¯t plan to seek out a confrontation with Xie Huai, but according to the schedule, it was still about time for him to return. Fang Li smiled and got up. ¡°Let¡¯s return.¡± Anyways, the situation in Quqing Town was coming to a close, and his actions this time had not only intimidated a bunch of restless fellows but had also ferociously carved out a piece of Du Meng¡¯s blood and flesh. It could be considered killing two birds with one stone, and staying any longer had no meaning. After a quarter hour, Fang Li arrived back at Hollow Ridge. He sent Wu Yimei off and headed in the direction of the side palace by himself. These days, there were plenty of eyes on him, so he naturally needed to go hang around at Xie Huai¡¯s to show his affection. Plus, hadn¡¯t he even brought a gift? If he didn¡¯t hand it over soon, it was going to go bad. These days, Xie Huai spent his days in seclusion and rarely came out. There weren¡¯t any secret areas in the demonic palace, and he¡¯d gotten a grasp on Fang Li¡¯s character. In order to restore his cultivation as soon as possible, he¡¯d pretty much locked himself inside his room. At nightfall that day, the desolate side palace once again started bustling with activity. Xie Huai slowly turned his head to look toward the doorway. As expected, he saw Fang Li hurrying over. His robes had faint traces of dust from the road, so he most likely hadn¡¯t stopped to rest yet and had come directly here. Xie Huai¡¯s throat overflowed with a low and cold laugh. What, you think Du Meng has taken the bait, so you don¡¯t plan on pretending anymore? As soon as Fang Li entered, he saw Xie Huai¡¯s cold and indifferent expression. He didn¡¯t so much as raise his eyelids, and he emitted an aura that repelled all life by a thousand li¡­¡­ Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but startle for a moment. He¡¯d just gone out for a week, how come it was like all their progress had vanished overnight? Had he done anything to offend Xie Huai? Fang Li had a rare moment of bewilderment, but after thinking it over, he¡¯d done more than enough things to offend Xie Huai; he wouldn¡¯t even be able to count them all on one hand. Xie Huai¡¯s coldness was the normal state of things, he didn¡¯t need a reason not to like him! Fang Li retrieved the crystal cake wrapped in wrinkly oiled paper from his storage ring. He unwrapped it and pushed it forward with a light cough. ¡°It¡¯s a Linxian province local specialty, for you.¡± Xie Huai lowered his eyes to stare at the pastry on the table. His expression finally changed just a hair. Hah, you want to bribe me with a little bit of favor? What a sham. Fang Li cautiously gave Xie Huai a glance. He also thought he might have been a little too perfunctory, uh¡­¡­ Anyways, everyone had already seen that he¡¯d come to see Xie Huai. Fang Li reached out his hand to take away the crystal cake and was about to make a swift exit, but just as he reached out his hand, he saw two long, slender, jade-like fingers lightly press down a corner of the oiled paper. Fang Li¡¯s movements paused. ¡°?¡± Xie Huai was silent for a moment, then lifted the crystal cake. The crystal cake was clumsily made with crude ingredients, and the aroma was cloyingly sweet. Xie Huai furrowed his brow and took a bite. It was dry in his mouth and truly difficult to swallow¡­¡­ What a joke, since when did their Linxian province have a local specialty like this? Hadn¡¯t this devil just been swindled? Fang Li looked at Xie Huai blankly. He¡¯d thought Xie Huai would act as if he hadn¡¯t seen it, or maybe ruthlessly throw it away, and then give him a ¡°Don¡¯t you have any self-awareness?¡± kind of expression, but¡­¡­ Xie Huai had only reluctantly and disdainfully¡­¡­ taken a bite? What exactly was the meaning of this? Forget it, who cared what it meant, it didn¡¯t matter. Just as Fang Li was about to leave¡­¡­ Xie Huai slowly raised his eyes, looking at him coolly and indifferently, enunciating word by word, ¡°You don¡¯t have anything, you want to ask me?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: After going out to play, I must remember to bring home a present for the wife. Husbandly virtue MAX Xie Huai: Although he seems to have been swindled and bought a fake, I should still reluctantly eat it. Wifely virtue MAX+10086 Wu Yimei: Who am I where am I? Where is the killing intent coming from? CH 13 November 29th, 2022 TL Note: As mentioned, I¡¯ll be switching to bi-weekly releases after this, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, starting this weekend. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Your trip this time, wasn¡¯t it precisely for the purpose of misleading Du Meng? You couldn¡¯t possibly not know that Du Meng has visited. Why haven¡¯t you asked? Wasn¡¯t this precisely your goal? Xie Huai fixed his gaze on Fang Li¡¯s eyes, as if he wanted to see through to his genuine thoughts through that pair of eyes. Fang Li fell silent. He¡¯d intentionally pretended that nothing had happened specifically because he hadn¡¯t wanted to go through with this useless plot point that was just for the sake of eating meat. He hadn¡¯t in a million years thought that even if he didn¡¯t bring it up, Xie Huai would actually bring it up himself¡­¡­ You had to know that in the original story, when facing Yan Sui¡¯s interrogation, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t deigned to answer even a single sentence. He disdained Du Meng, and he also disdained Yan Sui. From his point of view, there was no difference between them, and their life and death struggles had nothing to do with him. From start to finish, he stood detached from the matter, coldly looking on. According to reason, if he himself didn¡¯t ask, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t speak up. But, what was the meaning of his actions right now? Why had he brought up this matter himself? Fang Li had his misgivings, but he feigned ignorance on the surface. He raised his eyebrows and laughed lightly, ¡°What should I be asking you?¡± Xie Huai saw through him at a glance and didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of letting him muddle through. Blandly, he said, ¡°Du Meng came to see me and wanted me to join hands with him to kill you.¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Oh, he couldn¡¯t muddle through¡­¡­ Fang Li simply leaned back indolently and gave a teasing laugh, ¡°What, you want to kill me together with Du Meng? You won¡¯t even deign to consider me, it can¡¯t be that you¡¯ve actually developed an interest in Du Meng?¡± Xie Huai pursed his thin lips, looking into his eyes. The pale, wan man with long, narrow eyes had a smile hanging off his lips beheld the whole world in a frivolous manner, but underneath his careless, egotistical words was a visceral certainty. To reflexively speak those kinds of words¡­¡­ He had absolute certainty in Xie Huai¡¯s conduct, that there was no way he¡¯d sink into the mire with Du Meng. Perhaps even he himself wasn¡¯t aware of how much he trusted Xie Huai. Even without asking or looking, he trusted him. Could this also count as a kind of trust? Xie Huai suddenly laughed softly. Something even Fang Li was sure he wouldn¡¯t do, he¡¯d still felt the need to bring up unnecessarily. To think that he wasn¡¯t even as at ease as Fang Li. Seeing as everything is within your expectations, then you¡­¡­ Xie Huai was silent for a long time, then slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Then do you know, Du Meng¡¯s real intentions?¡± Fang Li¡¯s entire body immediately stiffened. He furrowed his brow, and his expression became grave. The conversation had gone in a direction that was completely out of his expectations! Everyone knew about Du Meng¡¯s wild ambitions, so discussing that was no big deal, but you¡¯re even going to talk to me about the fact that Du Meng likes you? What kind of relationship do we have? It¡¯s not to the point where we can talk about such private topics, is it?! In the midst of his daze, he even suddenly had a kind of illusion of drinking beer and eating skewers with his bros as they discussed how so and so was pursuing so and so¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s eyebrows were knit tightly, and he deliberated back and forth. He thought there was only one possibility¡ªbecause he had thrown the game somewhat, it had caused the relationship between him and Xie Huai to be less on edge than the original story. Although it hadn¡¯t changed the you-live-I-die type of hostile relationship between them, at least on the surface, things seemed alright, and they could even civilly exchange a couple of sentences. They weren¡¯t on such bad terms as to get along like fire and water at a single glance. With Xie Huai¡¯s proud and aloof personality, after knowing that Du Meng liked him, he must be disgusted, right? So this was him giving a roundabout reminder¡­¡­ that he didn¡¯t want Du Meng to keep coming over to bother him? As for him, as an obedient puppy dog, an unrequited pursuer, and an exceedingly possessive, tyrannical demon lord¡­¡­ When hearing that the person he liked had other pursuers, what reaction should he have? Fang Li abruptly stood up and laughed coldly. ¡°Even if he has any intentions towards you, so what? Don¡¯t think you can escape from this lord¡¯s grasp. In this entire lifetime, you can only belong to this lord.¡± Xie Huai, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing that Xie Huai seemed to have been knocked flat, Fang Li finally felt like he¡¯d won a round in this conversation. He raised his chin and added, ¡°If he really dares make a move on you, this lord will be sure to give him a fate worse than death.¡± Xie Huai thoroughly sank into silence. He stared blankly at the man in front of him, who appeared truly very angry and indignant over the fact that Du Meng was interested in him¡­¡­ But at this moment, Xie Huai only felt absurd to the extreme. This person had a thousand stratagems and saw the whole battlefield as clearly as a blaze of fire, and even Du Meng¡¯s every move was within his predictions, as if there was nothing that was outside of his calculations. Yet solely on this matter, he was completely baffled, and he couldn¡¯t even tell that the one Du Meng was interested in was himself¡­¡­ After a long time, Xie Huai lowered his eyes and gave a low laugh. Forget it. Those dirty and ugly thoughts¡ªit¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know them. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li leisurely returned to his own residential palace. Everything outside was great, except that he couldn¡¯t get used to the beds; his bed in the demonic palace was still the most comfortable. The System hesitated for a long time, finally haltingly opening its mouth. ¡¾ System: I feel that Xie Huai¡¯s behavior isn¡¯t quite right. I¡¯m worried that the plot is starting to deviate. ¡¿ But Fang Li didn¡¯t pay it much mind and only said carelessly, ¡°No need to worry. Even if he¡¯s in no rush to kill me at the moment because I¡¯ve been treating him fairly well, don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s had his cultivation sealed by me and is being imprisoned here¡­¡­ The peace right now is only superficial. The process isn¡¯t important; as long as the result at the end doesn¡¯t change, then it¡¯s fine.¡± Xie Huai definitely wasn¡¯t the kind of person who could fall in love because of ¡°force.¡± ¡¾ System: But how can you guarantee that the result won¡¯t change¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li laughed. ¡°Wanting to make someone love you is hard, but wanting to make someone hate you is easy. So just relax.¡± System: ¡­¡­? Was that true? The System wanted to keep asking, but Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to keep explaining and simply lay down on the bed and went to sleep. This sleep lasted until late the next morning. The demonic servants began standing in attendance outside early in the morning, not daring to make the slightest noise. Only when Fang Li got up did they respectfully bow their heads and say, ¡°Your Excellency.¡± Before returning last night, he¡¯d given out the order for all the sects to convene today for official business. By this time, all of the demonic cultivators should have arrived already. But Fang Li wasn¡¯t in even a bit of a rush. Under the two demonic servants¡¯ attendance, he washed his face and rinsed his mouth and dressed, then finally headed toward the side palace, neither quickly nor slowly, to invite Xie Huai to come along. In the great hall of the demonic palace, the crowd stood in the lower area, their expressions complicated as they murmured in low voices. They¡¯d already been waiting for several shichen, was His Excellency going to come today or not? Wasn¡¯t His Excellency the one who had gathered them? Ever since Yuyi-jun had come to the demonic palace, His Excellency hadn¡¯t been in the mood for official matters for a long time and had never taken the initiative to summon them. Who knew what important issue this was about¡­¡­? Just as they were in the midst of their discussions, they saw His Excellency arrive with Yuyi-jun in tow. By now, this strange scene was already commonplace to them. Who would think that just a month ago, they¡¯d still been furious and enraged? These days, if someday Xie Huai wasn¡¯t around, they would actually be more unaccustomed to it¡­¡­ They recalled that as long as Xie Huai was at the scene, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything done, so what was His Excellency summoning them for? It couldn¡¯t be that he was bored and just looking for entertainment? It wasn¡¯t impossible¡­¡­ Fang Li reclined languidly in the chair, his gaze sweeping around the room, flitting past Du Meng who was standing in the front, and hooked his lips. Du Meng¡¯s expression was indifferent as he stood there, his back straight as a mountain ridge, his sharp gaze not hiding or evading. Fang Li retrieved his gaze, leaning to the side, and spoke coolly, ¡°When this lord left the mountain recently, I heard that those old cows at Heaven¡¯s Summit1 don¡¯t quite know their place. They¡¯ve been traveling around and visiting the various sects to try to unite the righteous cultivators and attack Hollow Ridge, and they¡¯re even bragging that they¡¯re going to destroy all the demons at my Hollow Ridge.¡± The horde of demonic cultivators below immediately revealed indignant or derisive faces, expressing that those old cows were tired of living and were asking to be wiped out to the last. For a while, the hall was full of filthy curses and jeering, each more extreme than the last. Fang Li nodded with satisfaction, saying, ¡°Since Heaven¡¯s Summit has openly challenged Hollow Ridge, if we don¡¯t teach them a lesson, they¡¯ll think that my Hollow Ridge is scared.¡± Xie Huai furrowed his brow tightly, his expression grave. He looked at Fang Li, not understanding. Du Meng¡¯s expression also became heavy. Seeing that the jeering was coming to a close, Fang Li raised his hand, gesturing for silence. Then he turned his gaze, full of smiles as he looked at Du Meng, his tone lifting slightly. ¡°The Right Adjutant is still the one this lord relies on the most. The matter of exterminating Heaven¡¯s Summit will be left to the Right Adjutant. Certainly, you won¡¯t disappoint this lord, will you?¡± As soon as Fang Li¡¯s words settled, the entire crowd held its breath, fearful and complicated gazes drifting between Du Meng and Fang Li. The hall was so silent that even a pin drop could be heard. Heaven¡¯s Summit was one of the world¡¯s five great righteous sects, and its strength could not be looked down upon. Furthermore, they were Zenith Sky Creed¡¯s sworn nemesis¡­¡­ If His Excellency were to lead the demonic horde to battle himself, amassing the hundreds of demonic sects to attack Heaven¡¯s Summit with the strength of numbers, there was hope of conquering them, just like last time at Cloudbank Keep¡­¡­ But if Du Meng alone was sent on this mission, then it was no easy task. Du Meng¡¯s Zenith Sky Creed hadn¡¯t been able to take out Heaven¡¯s Summon in the last few hundred years, so how were they going to be able to do it now all of sudden? Besides, the righteous sects were on high alert these days, jumping at the slightest movement. If they were really allowed to unite, and the righteous sect cultivators won in numbers¡­¡­ it was hard to say which side would be the one to be eliminated! Taking into consideration how His Excellency had just wiped out Rending Heart Gate a few days ago and had seized the spirit stone quarry, perhaps he really did mean to strike at Du Meng, and he was purposefully sending the members of Zenith Sky Creed to their deaths in order to weaken Du Meng¡¯s influence at Hollow Ridge? For a while, everyone was afraid to make a sound, cautiously peeking at Du Meng. Fearful of drawing disaster upon their heads. Du Meng tightly clenched the blade at his waist, his eyes frigid as an abyss. His gaze swept past Fang Li¡¯s throat, infuriated to the point of laughter. Hah¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. He knew Du Meng and Fang Li¡¯s relationship was conflicted, but if Fang Li wanted to continue to make use of Du Meng, he should be using conciliatory methods to appease him; if he didn¡¯t intend to leave Du Meng around, he should temporarily stabilize Du Meng on the surface, then give him a fatal strike and eliminate him at the root, not¡­¡­ Go about things like this, in such a high-profile manner, closing in on him at every step without leaving any breathing room. Previously, Fang Li had pretended to dote on him to get Du Meng to take the bait, so Xie Huai had thought Fang Li¡¯s purpose was the latter. But today, Fang Li¡¯s actions once again overturned his conjectures. Continuously provoking Du Meng yet not striking the fatal blow like this was truly akin to raising a dangerous beast. If he were arrogant and conceited enough to think that he could play around with Du Meng, he could easily end up burning himself. Xie Huai didn¡¯t think Fang Li was that kind of fool. Making such decisions with absolutely no benefit, to the point that they¡¯re self-contradicting¡ªwhy are you doing so? Could you really not know how dangerous this is¡­¡­? Seeing that the atmosphere in the hall was becoming more and more stagnant, Xie Huai spoke with his brow creased. ¡°You¡­¡­¡± But Fang Li suddenly clasped his hand, interrupting his words, his tone relaxed yet brooking no dispute. ¡°I¡¯ve already made my decision on this matter, no need to continue speaking on it.¡± This was the first time Fang Li had refused him. Xie Huai looked into the other¡¯s pitch-black eyes. The expression in them was firm, and the rest of Xie Huai¡¯s words halted. In the end, they remained unspoken. At this, Fang Li finally smiled at Xie Huai. He knew what Xie Huai was worried about. Xie Huai was the protagonist shou whose heart was full of mercy! He definitely wouldn¡¯t want the righteous and demonic sects to go to war, bringing tragedy to the world. But you needn¡¯t worry even a hair, this battle can¡¯t be fought! Du Meng isn¡¯t an idiot who can be toyed around with. Fully aware that he was being sent to his death, how could he really obediently go forth? Before killing Fang Li, Du Meng would definitely reserve his forces and wouldn¡¯t rashly go to war with the righteous sects. Moreover, Xie Huai had just hinted to him yesterday that Du Meng had intentions toward him. As a madman who loved to get jealous, if he didn¡¯t teach Du Meng a lesson, wouldn¡¯t he be a rather cowardly, good-for-nothing demon lord? Fang Li turned his head, looking at Du Meng without the slightest trace of fear, ignoring the murderous aura in his eyes, and waited for his response with a smile hanging from his lips. Du Meng narrowed his eyes as he looked at Fang Li. After a long time, he slowly loosened his grip on his blade and grinned broadly, his eyes ice-cold like a viper¡¯s. ¡°Very, well.¡± Fang Li let out a satisfied smile, then stood up. ¡°Then we¡¯ll await the Right Adjutant¡¯s good news.¡± The crowd watched Fang Li¡¯s back as he departed, their expressions complicated. In their hearts, they thought, this time His Excellency wouldn¡¯t even listen to Xie Huai, stubbornly going down his own path. It seemed like things were about to get serious, and who knew how Du Meng was planning to respond¡­¡­ They were afraid Hollow Ridge was about to see a new day! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ On the other hand, Fang Li was in a pretty good mood, his footsteps light. This part of the script was advancing rather smoothly. In the original story, Yan Sui had ordered Du Meng to attack Heaven¡¯s Summit in this way. Although Du Meng had agreed on the surface, he¡¯d quietly seethed in his heart, and his patience had reached its limit. When the time came, he hadn¡¯t hesitated to collude with the righteous sects to deal with him. He was only giving Du Meng an opportunity. Hopefully Du Meng wouldn¡¯t disappoint him and his hard work and would properly follow the script¡­¡­ Now that today¡¯s official business was over, was it time to go make up for lost sleep, or to have a meal? Fang Li was a little bit lost in thought when he suddenly felt a grip on his wrist. At the scorching warmth, he turned his head in astonishment and saw Xie Huai tightly gripping his wrist, his brows furrowed as he looked at him steadily. Xie Huai¡¯s thin lips moved slightly, and he slowly spoke. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Don¡¯t you know that you¡¯re playing with fire? Or are you really so certain, so unafraid of Du Meng¡¯s retaliation and revenge? Fang Li¡¯s expression became a bit astounded. Xie Huai never took the initiative to touch him, what was up with him today? It couldn¡¯t be that he was angry over his decision? Maybe so¡­¡­ After all, he was ordering Du Meng to destroy Heaven¡¯s Summit! The demonic sects were going to mindlessly slaughter innocents again¡­¡­ No righteous cultivator could tolerate it. But it wasn¡¯t like he could say, don¡¯t worry, Du Meng and Heaven¡¯s Summit won¡¯t be able to go to war. He murmured to himself for a moment, then revealed a disdainful, arrogant expression, saying, ¡°This lord will do whatever he pleases. Besides, since Heaven¡¯s Summit dares to utter such mad ravings, then they should know the consequences.¡± Oh? Is that really so? Xie Huai was almost angered to the point of laughter. He glanced at Fang Li coldly. Do you even believe your own words? But¡­¡­ What kind of relationship did they even have? On what grounds could he even demand Fang Li to tell the truth? Xie Huai inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. He suddenly let go, then turned and left with brisk strides. Fang Li watched Xie Huai¡¯s silhouette depart, lifting his hand to rub at his reddened wrist. Ah, Xie Huai had used quite a bit of strength. Oh¡­¡­ But¡­¡­ Anger was good, anger was fantastic! He¡¯d really killed two birds with one stone today. Fang Li was even more satisfied. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Because Xie Huai was unhappy, Fang Li simply didn¡¯t go over to Xie Huai¡¯s these days to avoid adding to his displeasure and to give him some peace and quiet alone. Seeing that its host was becoming a couch potato again, the System was full of worry every day. Before, the host had said he was going to make Xie Huai hate him, but exactly what was he talking about? It couldn¡¯t be that he meant the matter with Heaven¡¯s Summit? But every time it asked, the host would always say wait a bit, wait a bit longer¡­¡­ So in the end, was the host thinking about the plot or not? Fang Li was extremely idle these days, living a life of luxury at the demonic palace. Occasionally, he would wander around the mountain, inspecting the state of Hollow Ridge¡¯s affairs a bit, or going to the seaside cliff at the back of the mountain to fish¡­¡­ Today, Fang Li had in his grip a fierce demonic fish with round, thoroughly red eyes and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth when halfway along the road, a man with a head full of white hair but a handsome complexion stopped him. Fang Li pondered for just a moment before he recognized that this was the Hehuan Sect sect master. He immediately reinvigorated himself, knowing that an important plot point was about to happen. The Hehuan Sect sect master smiled flatteringly and bowed. ¡°This subordinate pays respects to His Excellency.¡± Fang Li had on an impatient appearance, walking as he spoke. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master had bribed one of the guards on the mountain in order to get word of Fang Li¡¯s whereabouts. He had put in quite a bit of effort to wait for Fang Li here, and he knew he only had this one chance. Without any hesitation, he said, ¡°This subordinate has a precious treasure to present to His Excellency!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± At this, Fang Li finally stopped his feet, looking at him pensively. The Hehuan Sect sect master bent at the waist, raising up his hands high above his head. Cupped in his hands was a transparent bead, and inside the amber-like bead was a pair of beautiful golden insects. The Hehuan Sect sect master said, ¡°This is our sect¡¯s signature treasure¡ªthe Entangling Threads Love Parasite.2 It¡¯s different from ordinary love parasites, and only our sect¡¯s generations of sect masters can raise them. This subordinate has used much blood and sweat and has only been able to rear this one pair. It can make the person who ingests the child parasite develop an unwavering heart toward the owner of the mother parasite, obeying his every command. Even the most stubborn, unyielding fellow will become obedient and well-behaved, allowing the owner to do with him as he pleases.¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master paused slightly, carefully peeking at Fang Li¡¯s expression. Seeing Fang Li¡¯s interested expression, he thought delightedly, those fellows just don¡¯t understand matters of love. They can¡¯t see that His Excellency¡¯s feelings toward Yuyi-jun are unrequited¡­¡­ But even if they were able to tell, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it. Previously, the Broken Blade Sect sect master had wanted to suck up to Xie Huai, but hadn¡¯t he also been beaten back? In order for the flattery to hit the target, one had to know what His Excellency really wanted. For this matter, other than himself, no one could help His Excellency. At this thought, the Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s heart blazed even hotter. His eyes revealed an ingratiating look, and he smiled meaningfully. ¡°His Excellency only needs to have Yuyi-jun ingest the child parasite, and as the owner of the mother parasite, Yuyi-jun will be unable to defy you, powerless to leave you.¡± Fang Li beckoned, grasping the pearl in his hand, and let out a slow, low laugh. ¡°Good! If this thing truly works, this lord will be sure to reward you heavily.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 Heaven¡¯s Summit ¨C ¾ÅÏöɽ, lit. 9th heaven, the highest layer of heaven 2 Parasite here refers to the practice of gu CH 14 December 3rd, 2022 Fang Li sat in his room alone, fiddling with the amber bead in his fingertips, pensive. Before he¡¯d left, the Hehuan Sect sect master had informed him of all of the uses of the Entangling Threads Love Parasite. According to the Hehuan Sect sect master, there was absolutely no one in the world who could withstand this thing. As long as they ingested the child love parasite, even if they were cultivating the path of apathy, even the most ascetic, iron-willed person would be transformed into cough cough cough cough cough. Aside from flaring up at a fixed interval once a month, any time the owner wanted, it would also be sure to take effect on the person who had ingested the child parasite¡­¡­and only the owner could relieve it. And, the owner could control the other party¡¯s life or death, etc., etc., etc. Tsk. One hundred percent the kind of tool for a PWP setting. In the original story, Yan Sui had made Xie Huai take the child parasite and had threatened that he was going to make him cry and beg, but the result of course was¡ªa total bust. Relying on his extraordinary, otherworldly willpower, Xie Huai had thoroughly restrained himself; and even after using those kinds of methods, Yan Sui wasn¡¯t able to exchange for a single plea or compromise from Xie Huai. The significance of this plot point was to display Xie Huai¡¯s tenacity and unyielding, henceforth leading Yan Sui one step closer to being subdued by him. Fang Li, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t surprised. Although this Entangling Threads Love Parasite was powerful to the extreme, you still had to take a look at just what kind of person Xie Huai was¡ªhe was the original story¡¯s protagonist shou, okay?! Even if no one in the entire world could withstand this love parasite, Xie Huai, who had the main character halo, would be able to withstand it. He was someone who, even if you broke every bone in his body and used the most needlessly vicious, extreme methods, was still impossible to subdue. Toward Xie Huai, Yan Sui naturally both loved and hated him, and then there were more swaths and swaths of forceful love scenes. Put simply: this Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s so-called all-powerful signature sect treasure, the Entangling Threads Love Parasite, to Xie Huai, was nothing more than a crappy that sort of drug without much effect. Its only purpose was to give Yan Sui even more opportunities to eat lots of meat¡­¡­ At least, this once a month couldn¡¯t be skipped. It looked like yet another useless, nutritionless plot point¡­¡­ but Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to cut it this time. On the contrary, this was a very important tool. Fang Li¡¯s fingers tapped lightly against the tabletop. To him, the usage of the love parasite naturally wasn¡¯t for eating meat. During this period of time, for the sake of his own convenience, he¡¯d cut out quite a few plot points, and his relationship with Xie Huai could be considered decent. Xie Huai was an honest and upright righteous cultivator. Although it wasn¡¯t too likely that he¡¯d give up on killing him because of this, and it was even more impossible for him to change his standpoint of exterminating demons to defend justice, even a few small changes could affect the plot¡­¡­ The butterfly effect couldn¡¯t be looked down on. But with this love parasite, it would be different. Once Xie Huai ingested the love parasite, he was bound to experience lust toward Fang Li, someone he despised. And for Xie Huai, no matter how shockingly strong his willpower or how well he was able to restrain himself, simply experiencing this kind of feeling would be enough to disgust him. How proud and aloof of a person was Xie Huai? Even just the thought that someone like him would suffer from being controlled by desire, would be stirred by a devil with whom his sect had a blood feud, would have someone manipulating his feelings and desires, as if he were a wooden puppet on strings, unable to control himself¡­¡­ Compared to breaking all of his bones, no, compared to killing him, that was even harder to endure, a hundred times more humiliating! A fate worse than death was no more than this. Moreover, every new day that the owner of the mother parasite lived was another day that he couldn¡¯t break free from those bonds. The only way to free himself¡ªwas to kill the owner of the mother parasite. Wasn¡¯t the issue of drawing aggro settled, then? Even if he threw the game in other matters, as long as Xie Huai was still under the control of the love parasite, he would have to kill him to find release. This was the escape route he¡¯d prepared for himself. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes, his brows creased. He¡¯d been attacking the Soul-Sealing Pins without end, and it had already loosened somewhat, but recently, he¡¯d reached a bottleneck, and he hadn¡¯t made any progress in several days. But that wasn¡¯t outside of his expectations. Slow and steady was the key. Xie Huai got up from the bed and poured himself a cup of tea. The tea was already cold, but Xie Huai didn¡¯t mind. He lowered his eyes and sipped the tea. Ever since they¡¯d separated that day, Fang Li hadn¡¯t come by in some time. What was he doing? Was he together with Wu Yimei? But his expression immediately became full of self-ridicule. Whatever Fang Li was doing, whether he came or not, what concern was that of his? Xie Huai put down the tea cup and prepared to continue meditating when he suddenly heard a gust of wind fly past his ear, exceeding soft. With a creak, the window opened and then closed again. Xie Huai looked at the black-clothed man who had suddenly appeared, and understanding dawned on his face. Du Meng was going to set out tomorrow to represent the demonic sects in marching against Heaven¡¯s Summit¡­¡­ If he didn¡¯t make any move before leaving, that would be stranger. Du Meng¡¯s expression was heavy. He sighed and said, ¡°This one is afraid he will have to leave for a time. Before leaving, this one wanted to ask if Yuyi-jun has considered the suggestion from before?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression was apathetic, and he didn¡¯t speak. Upon seeing this, Du Meng gave a helpless look, sighing, ¡°The way that brat has been closing in on me at every step, Yuyi-jun has seen as well. This one is afraid that this time, it will be a narrow escape from death. If this one is unable to return, that brat will be even more out of control, and there will be no one able to help Yuyi-jun¡­¡­ Forget it, although this one has good intentions, Yuyi-jun¡¯s misgivings are understandable. You are unwilling to associate with a demonic cultivator like me¡­¡­¡± Shaking his head, he made as if he were about to leave. Xie Huai watched Du Meng¡¯s back figure, a mocking look appearing in the depths of his eyes. He didn¡¯t believe a single one of Du Meng¡¯s words, and he believed even less that Du Meng would give up so easily, but¡­¡­ Xie Huai suddenly spoke up. ¡°Wait.¡± Du Meng¡¯s footsteps halted, and he said, puzzled, ¡°What else does Yuyi-jun want to speak of?¡± Xie Huai slowly reached out his hand. Du Meng seemed extremely pleasantly surprised. He held out a small, white porcelain bottle and placed it in the palm of Xie Huai¡¯s hand, saying in a heavy voice, ¡°Then this one will be troubling Yuyi-jun.¡± After saying that, he left hastily. Xie Huai lowered his eyes and fixed his gaze on the small, white porcelain bottle in his palm. He certainly wouldn¡¯t lower himself to using these kinds of methods. Even if he wanted to kill that person, he would have a proper and honest battle with him. He was an opponent worth his respect¡­¡­ But he still kept the poison Du Meng left him. At this point, Du Meng was in a state where he could erupt at any time, and it was hard to predict his next actions. He might strike out at Fang Li at any time¡­¡­ But if Xie Huai accepted his poison, Du Meng would place his hopes on him and would instead choose to continue lying in wait for the time being¡­¡­ This way, Du Meng could be stabilized for now. Thinking up to here, Xie Huai couldn¡¯t help but startle. Why was he doing this? Fang Li didn¡¯t even care about it himself, nor was he willing to be honest, and he was considerably on guard against Xie Huai¡­¡­ What need was there for these unnecessary actions? Xie Huai closed his eyes and breathed deeply. That¡¯s right, he naturally wasn¡¯t doing this for Fang Li¡¯s sake. It was only because Du Meng was an exceedingly unstable element, and an untrustworthy one. If he was left alone to do as he pleased, perhaps the demonic sects would stir up chaos and bring tragedy to the world¡­¡­ On the other hand, Fang Li at least listened to him on the surface. If he had to leave one, he should leave the one that was easier to control, shouldn¡¯t he? Therefore, leaving Fang Li was the most favorable option at present. That was all. With a sweep of his hand, Xie Huai put away the small bottle, got up, and walked out the door. By now, the night sky had already become dark, and all was dead silent. Xie Huai looked far into the distance and said blandly, ¡°Seen enough?¡± After a brief moment. Wu Yimei slowly walked out of the darkness. The day that Fang Li had ordered Du Meng to attack Heaven¡¯s Summit, Wu Yimel had also had his doubts, not understanding why His Excellency wanted to beat the grass and startle the snake, closing in on Du Meng at every step. But Fang Li hadn¡¯t been willing to explain further, and Wu Yimei had been worried that Du Meng would have some unusual behaviors, so he¡¯d been watching Du Meng closely during this period of time. Even more so for Xie Huai¡¯s side, Wu Yimei had always arranged for a secret guard to shadow him. After receiving word that Du Meng had come by, Wu Yimei had immediately rushed over, but he didn¡¯t dare to get too close for fear of startling Du Meng, so he could only watch from afar. Du Meng had met with Xie Huai again. What had they talked about this time? Although His Excellency kept saying that his heart hadn¡¯t been moved, he had paid out too much for Xie Huai¡¯s sake¡­¡­ Wu Yimei instinctually felt that there would eventually come a day when Xie Huai would harm His Excellency, and as for him, he definitely wouldn¡¯t allow something like that to happen¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s voice was hoarse, his dark red eyes gloomy and cold. ¡°His Excellency hasn¡¯t treated you poorly. If I find out that you¡¯ve done anything that would let down His Excellency, I will definitely kill you.¡± Xie Huai watched Wu Yimei¡¯s gloomy expression and was dazed for a second, but he found it laughable in his heart. Fang Li didn¡¯t feel the least bit of affection for him. Fooling others was one thing, but Wu Yimei was his closest confidante, yet even he believed it¡­¡­ Why would Wu Yimei believe that Fang Li actually liked him? Truly absurd. Wu Yimei furrowed his brow as he looked at Xie Huai. He was clearly threatening him, but instead of getting angry, he had actually laughed. Xie Huai¡¯s completely uncaring attitude infuriated Wu Yimei. Wu Yimei stepped forward, his expression venomous as a snake¡¯s, and he enunciated, ¡°I won¡¯t give you the chance to harm His Excellency.¡± Originally, Xie Huai had no desire to squabble with Wu Yimei, but looking at Wu Yimei¡¯s serious appearance, as if he was truly certain that Fang Li liked him, certain that Fang Li would be harmed because of liking him¡­¡­ Ridiculous. Don¡¯t forget, from the start, we¡¯ve stood on opposing sides. Xie Huai lifted the corner of his mouth and laughed softly. ¡°Oh, how do you plan to prevent me from harming him, then?¡± Wu Yimei was floored. Xie Huai looked into his eyes, his expression derisive, and said slowly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you simply have him kill me?¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s expression immediately became cold, gritting his teeth with hatred. If His Excellency would let him kill Xie Huai, why would he need to come secretly give a warning? Not only could he not touch Xie Huai, he couldn¡¯t even speak a single ill word of Xie Huai in front of His Excellency¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s reckless and wilfullness, his lack of fear, it was all based on His Excellency¡¯s affection for him, and nothing more! Wu Yimei¡¯s rage was past the point of restraint, his chest heaving. His gaze as he looked at Xie Huai looked as if he wanted to slice him into a thousand pieces, and his voice was frosty and dark. ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon. I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you.¡± Xie Huai watched Wu Yimei leave, his expression not moved by a ripple, and the look in his eyes was indifferent. To him, this kind of argument was absolutely meaningless. Even if he won, there was no meaning to it. Because¡­¡­ that person didn¡¯t like him at all. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡¾ System: Host, you haven¡¯t met with Xie Huai in thirteen days already. When do you plan to go see Xie Huai? ¡¿ Ever since the Hehuan Sect sect master had presented him with the love parasite, the System had been asking every day, host, when are you going to go give Xie Huai the love parasite? It was even more precise than an alarm clock. Fang Li pressed a hand to his forehead, saying, ¡°No rush.¡± The System was in as much of a rush as ants on a burning pot, how could it not be in a rush! It still remembered that the host had said he was straight and definitely wouldn¡¯t force another man. Did he even intend to use the love parasite or not? Was it appropriate to cut such an important plot point? The System¡¯s heart was tired. Fang Li suddenly said, ¡°Be quiet, someone¡¯s coming.¡± As expected, not too long after, a demonic servant came to announce that Wu Yimei was seeking an audience. Fang Li had Wu Yimei enter and gestured for the servant to leave, saying with a smile, ¡°Has Du Meng already left?¡± Wu Yimei lowered his eyes deferentially. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s already taken the over eight hundred and ninety members of Zenith Sky Creed away with him, toward the direction of Heaven¡¯s Summit.¡± Du Meng had numerous subordinates under his Zenith Sky Creed¡¯s banner, and the majority weren¡¯t at Hollow Ridge, but the eight hundred plus who remained at Hollow Ridge were his elite troops. This time, he¡¯d brought them all with them, putting on a good show of things. But this was also within Fang Li¡¯s expectations. That day in the great hall, Du Meng had restrained himself and hadn¡¯t openly fallen out with him, so reasonably speaking, he wouldn¡¯t do so now. But that was no more than his conjecture, and Du Meng might very well not play his cards according to reason¡­¡­ Looking at things now, Du Meng was still proceeding according to the original script. At this, Fang Li finally relaxed. Wu Yimei watched Fang Li, but after pondering back and forth, he still couldn¡¯t understand Fang Li¡¯s intentions. If things continued like this, it would be like asking a tiger for its skin¡­¡­ rather than waiting for Du Meng to act, it would be better to take the initiative to strike, directly seizing the opportunity to eliminate Du Meng. Wu Yimei murmured to himself briefly, a cold and decisive look in his eyes, saying hoarsely, ¡°Your Excellency, this subordinate is willing to intercept and kill Du Meng, ensuring that he won¡¯t come back from this trip.¡± Fang Li started slightly, then laughed, saying, ¡°No need, let him leave.¡± Du Meng would definitely be on guard at all times right now, and Wu Yimei¡¯s cultivation wasn¡¯t as high as Du Meng¡¯s, so really asking him to go would be like sending him to his death¡­¡­ That he could make this kind of suggestion meant that he had already tossed the matter of life and death outside of his considerations. Truly loyal and devoted. This was Fang Li¡¯s own business, there was no reason in letting Wu Yimei go to his death. Wu Yimei saw Fang Li¡¯s uncaring appearance and said anxiously, ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± At that, Fang Li felt a bit of guilt for once. Wu Yimei was thinking after him in every way, but he couldn¡¯t treat him honestly in turn. He lapsed into thought for a long time, then smiled consolingly. ¡°It¡¯s just Du Meng, he won¡¯t be able to kill this lord. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He still had the black jade talisman, so he truly wasn¡¯t afraid of Du Meng. Besides, he still had to leave this life of his for Xie Huai. No matter what, Du Meng wouldn¡¯t get his turn¡­¡­ But Wu Yimei¡¯s heart was still full of unease¡­¡­ Fang Li stood up, asking, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Wu Yimei was silent for a moment, then said slowly, ¡°Before leaving, Du Meng went to go see Yuyi-jun.¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow and nodded. ¡°This lord understands.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s expression was detached as he sat in the middle of the room, rolling a go stone between his fingers. Before him was a go board, the pieces arranged in the final turns of a game. Three days had already passed since Du Meng had left. He should have been attacking the seal with a clear mind, but these days, what kept floating into his mind was those words Wu Yimei had said¡­¡­ Whether a person liked someone or not was impossible to conceal. Even the most competent pretender should leave some traces and clues¡­¡­ Fang Li seemed to comply with him in every way, but from start to finish, he kept his manners as well as his distance. When the two of them were alone, he was even more cautious, as if only fearing that Xie Huai might misunderstand that he was trying anything¡­¡­ Although he said over and over that he was going to make Xie Huai obey him, he had never had a trace of affection or desire in his eyes. Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be unable to see this much. But despite such clumsy and perfunctory acting skills, Wu Yimei still thought he liked him and would be harmed by him. How ridiculous¡­¡­ No matter how many times a lie was repeated, it wouldn¡¯t become truth. Du Meng had already left and taken all his people. Fang Li also hadn¡¯t come in several days¡­¡­ Xie Huai lowered his eyes and gave a low laugh. He didn¡¯t care, anyways. It was better if he didn¡¯t come. He could get some peace and quiet. He didn¡¯t have to have his thoughts disturbed by some meaningless person¡­¡­ The top priority right now was to break through the seal. He¡¯d been stuck at the peak of Soul Formation for several years, but while being trapped here this time, through attacking the Soul-Sealing Pins and thus continuously condensing the energy in his veins, he could faintly sense that on the day that he broke through the seal, he would also be able to break through to the Void Refining stage. When the time came, he would be sure to personally end that devil¡ª Just then, Xie Huai¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he saw Fang Li push open the door and enter. For a rare moment, his expression froze, then recovered its usual indifferent, tranquil state. His voice was cool and clear. ¡°Why is Your Excellency here?¡± Fang Li was just about to speak to Xie Huai when his gaze swept through the room and noticed a small porcelain bottle on the low table in the corner. The little white porcelain bottle was casually placed there without the slightest intent of concealment¡­¡­ Was this the poison Du Meng had brought? Just what kind of poison was it? After all, something that could poison Yan Sui definitely couldn¡¯t be some ordinary goods! Fang Li gave it another glance with some curiosity. Moreover, in the original story, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t taken it. How come he¡¯d accepted Du Meng¡¯s poison this time? The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s lips quirked, the look in his eyes uncaring. He¡¯d intentionally placed it there and hadn¡¯t had any thoughts of hiding it from Fang Li from the start. Of course he wasn¡¯t afraid Fang Li would misunderstand¡­¡­ It was only that these days were a critical period for breaking through the seal, and he didn¡¯t want outside matters to cause any trouble, that was all. He hated all kinds of meaningless things. Fang Li only glanced at it before withdrawing his gaze. Asking Xie Huai about it definitely wouldn¡¯t be suitable. As for whether Xie Huai would use the poison¡­¡­ What a joke, asking Xie Huai to poison someone was less promising than waiting for pigs to fly. Besides, since he dared to put it there, he obviously had a clear conscience. Wu Yimei had been so deeply worried and had entreated him to be careful of Xie Huai. He had really been overthinking things. Fang Li placed his hands behind his back and strolled forward. Looking at the go board on the table, he laughed leisurely. ¡°Yuyi-jun is in good spirits.¡± With a sweep of his sleeves, Xie Huai knocked the board on the table into disarray. This person hadn¡¯t come in such a long time. Was he really only here to say this? Xie Huai had always known the other¡¯s intentions and hadn¡¯t minded playing along with his act, wanting to understand his true thoughts¡­¡­ But today, right now, he suddenly felt a bit like he didn¡¯t want to continue. Didn¡¯t want to continue this pretense of civility, didn¡¯t want to see his empty displays of emotion and fake thoughts¡­¡­ Du Meng has already left. Who are you still acting for? An ice-cold distance appeared in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s pitch-black eyes. He said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m tired. If Your Excellency doesn¡¯t have anything else to discuss, please return.¡± Fang Li sighed. How could he do that? He really did have an important matter today. The issue of the love parasite couldn¡¯t be put off any further. It was just that the method of planting the love parasite made things a bit awkward for Fang Li, so he¡¯d kept delaying it all these days¡­¡­ But thinking on it again, it wasn¡¯t actually such a big deal, he was the one who couldn¡¯t open his mind. Fang Li covered his mouth with his hand and coughed lightly. ¡°There is something.¡± Xie Huai lifted his eyes to look at him. Fang Li said, ¡°This lord has given you a considerable amount of time. Today, this lord came to ask if Yuyi-jun is done thinking things over?¡± Xie Huai drew a blank for once. Thinking over what? As soon as Fang Li saw Xie Huai¡¯s expression, he thought, great, alright! These days had gone by so casually that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t even remember the reason Fang Li was keeping him in the demonic palace! If he didn¡¯t fix things up now, it would be too late. Fang Li said in a deep tone, ¡°Being this lord¡¯s¡ªthis matter, are you done thinking it over?¡± Xie Huai, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Oh, so it was about that¡­¡­ If you hadn¡¯t brought it up, I¡¯d have thought you didn¡¯t even remember it yourself. Truly ridiculous to the extreme. You¡¯ve never even once thought about making me answer, so what are you bringing it up today for? It couldn¡¯t be that you¡¯ve been so unbearably bored these days that you¡¯ve come to look for entertainment? Xie Huai¡¯s expression became more and more frigid. He stood up abruptly and was just about to open his mouth to send this visitor away, when he saw Fang Li suddenly step forward. The ashen, pale-faced man pressed closer, unexpectedly closing the distance between them and making Xie Huai¡¯s entire body tense. His fingertips curled slightly for a moment, and he thoroughly held back the instinct to strike out. There was no killing intent, Fang Li wasn¡¯t trying to kill him¡­¡­ Xie Huai lowered his eyes. At such a close distance¡­¡­ He could almost see the bluish-green veins under his pale, wan skin, seemingly containing a sort of translucent fragility. Those lips were almost devoid of blood, like faded rose petals waiting to be soaked by the rain and dew, awaiting the moment they could blossom again¡­¡­ The man¡¯s long, delicate eyelashes quivered softly, his murky eyes fixed steadily on him. His mouth opened and closed, the light, fluttering voice falling into Xie Huai¡¯s ears. ¡°This lord¡¯s patience has a limit.¡± Is that so? Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened, and his throat rolled. It looks to me like you have patience to spare. What kind of act was this today? Since there¡¯s no affection, then don¡¯t keep getting close, don¡¯t do things that would make others misunderstand¡­¡­ Xie Huai suddenly felt a trace of irritation in the depths of his heart. He had always been tolerant and accommodating, but right now, he didn¡¯t want to concede anymore. Aren¡¯t you pretending to like me? Xie Huai lowered his eyes and stepped close, his voice hoarse and seemingly with a bit of teasing. ¡°Oh? So what?¡± If I don¡¯t agree, what do you even plan to do? A hint of derision appeared in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. He was already certain that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t do anything. It would only be another set of lies for the sake of putting on a show of things, and then leaving. It had been like that every time before, and Xie Huai was already accustomed to Fang Li¡¯s routine, never anything new¡­¡­ He calmly waited for this person to leave, but just at that moment, a faintly cool kiss landed softly on his lips. Xie Huai¡¯s pupils shrank in disbelief. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: (Pupils shaking) I thought he wouldn¡¯t dare! Fang Li: Caught off guard GET? CH 15 December 7th, 2022 Fang Li blinked. He looked at Xie Huai¡¯s face that was cold and serene as a celestial. Huh, such a perfect, flawless protagonist¡­¡­ It was very difficult to feel disgusted by him, to the point that when actually doing the act, it turned out that it wasn¡¯t that hard to accept¡­¡­ It was all because the method for using this love parasite was too bothersome. It had to be nurtured with blood from the heart, then transferred to the target with spiritual energy, and the time frame for using it was super precise, and it had to be fed mouth to mouth. As expected of a plot device from a novel of a certain genre¡­¡­ Brother, just think of it as getting bitten by a dog, okay! Fang Li thought a little bit ruefully, who could¡¯ve thought that there would come a day when he¡¯d have to go kiss a straight man¡­¡­ He was actually making quite a few sacrifices too, okay? Taking advantage of the fact that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t managed to react yet, he hurriedly completed the task. Xie Huai looked at Fang Li in disbelief, forgetting to move for a moment¡­¡­ Getting kissed by a cruel, cold-blooded devil, this sort of thing¡­¡­ It should have been as nauseating as swallowing a fly, but Xie Huai dazedly lowered his eyes. What was reflected in his eyes was a fragile, ashy pale, delicate face, and a pair of apologetic, embarrassed, gentle eyes¡­¡­ He was looking at him in that way. As if he¡¯d gathered up an extremely large amount of resolve before carefully, tremblingly getting closer. Clearly, the one being kissed forcefully was himself, but it seemed like he was the one who had no choice¡­¡­ This was another side to this person that Xie Huai had never seen before. The person before him was no longer that languid, easygoing, fathomless cold-blooded devil, but merely a tangled, nervous, uneasy, and inexperienced young man. Two faces as different as night and day, yet Xie Huai somehow felt that this was that person¡¯s true face, as if stripped of all pretenses. The interior that was revealed when all defenses were gone, a soft and genuine side¡­¡­ Compared to his disguise, it was even more bewildering to the heart. It seemed like something had been passed over, and Xie Huai unconsciously swallowed it. Immediately after, the person before him suddenly pushed him away. The sensation of faint coolness went away¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s expression darkened. He spoke, his voice low and hoarse. ¡°What did you feed me?¡± Having just done something along the lines of harassing a beauty, Fang Li was a bit contrite for once. Saying something like ¡°Just wait until you come begging this lord¡± probably wasn¡¯t necessary, right? It was really too awkward, if he acted it out, it would just be super cringe. Fang Li coughed lightly and pretended to be mysterious. ¡°Something to make you like me.¡± Saying that, he hurriedly turned and left. Xie Huai stood completely still where he was, his gaze fixed on Fang Li¡¯s back figure leaving in a rush. If he hadn¡¯t been certain that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything, he wouldn¡¯t have given him the chance to catch him off guard, but why hadn¡¯t he pushed him away at the first second¡­¡­? He¡¯d obviously had the chance¡­¡­ To the point that that faintly quivering, slightly cool, soft touch hadn¡¯t aroused the tiniest feeling of loathing¡­¡­ Xie Huai tightly pursed his lips, a conflicted look briefly flashing through his eyes. Something to make him like him? What was it? Or rather, did he really like him? Before, Xie Huai had maintained that Fang Li was simply putting on an act and didn¡¯t have the least bit of sincere affection for him, which was why he stayed at respectful distance. But at this moment, he suddenly wavered a bit. The gentle, apologetic look in Fang Li¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t been fake, and that fumbling, cautious kiss was even less so¡­¡­ And it definitely wasn¡¯t pretend. It couldn¡¯t be that the reason he¡¯d never touched him wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t like him, but because he was embarrassed? He¡¯d intentionally put on a frightening, callous appearance, but it was actually just to hide his anxiety? It was because he liked him that he sought his approval in so many ways, maintaining both his manners and his distance, not willing to show the least bit of disrespect. Like pure, clueless youth who didn¡¯t understand anything and was completely helpless during his first time liking someone. This was truly even more absurd than the idea that he liked him in itself¡­¡­ But even more absurd was¡­¡­ Xie Huai closed his eyes. He actually cared about it a little. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s footsteps hastily left from there, and he let out a breath. Luckily, his interactions with Xie Huai before had been fairly peaceful, so he¡¯d fed him the love parasite without any problems. During this period of time, he¡¯d have to keep his distance from Xie Huai. Xie Huai still didn¡¯t know what it was, but when he realized in a few days, mn¡­¡­ he¡¯d want to kill him. So Fang Li needed to hide from the storm. As for whether the love parasite would hurt Xie Huai, Fang Li wasn¡¯t too worried about that. In the original story, Xie Huai bore it without even changing his expression. You couldn¡¯t even tell he was under the effect of the love parasite, which had fiercely slapped Yan Sui in the face, so these trifling matters weren¡¯t even worth bringing up to Xie Huai, and Fang Li didn¡¯t need to worry for him. He also wouldn¡¯t intentionally manipulate the love parasite, and even less would he use it to harm his life, so aside from bearing with it a bit once a month, it wouldn¡¯t have too much of an impact on Xie Huai¡­¡­ Using a trick like this on someone who hated you truly wasn¡¯t very honest or upright, and Xie Huai had previously even helped him, so Fang Li couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit apologetic. But in order for the plot to progress smoothly, I can only wrong you for a bit. Don¡¯t worry, I only have a few months left to live, anyway. To cultivators, a few months would pass in the blink of an eye. You¡¯ll be free of me very soon. The only thing he had to pay attention to was to stay away from Xie Huai during the flare-up period. After all, Xie Huai was under the effect of the love parasite, so Xie Huai would suffer from an attraction to him. If he were nearby, it would make it even harder to bear, but without him, it would be much simpler¡­¡­ Just like if someone were starving, and you placed an extravagant feast in front of them but didn¡¯t permit them to eat, compared to putting nothing at all in front of them, the difficulty of bearing the former would be much higher. As long as he didn¡¯t appear, he had faith that Xie Huai¡¯s willpower would definitely let him make it through! After finishing this, Fang Li started living the leisurely, idle days of a couch potato again. According to the script of the original book, he graciously rewarded the Hehuan Sect sect master. The Hehuan Sect sect master seemed to have become the demon lord¡¯s favorite. Ever since Xie Huai had arrived at Hollow Ridge, His Excellency had been acting like he was under a spell. He didn¡¯t bother with official matters, didn¡¯t do anything wicked, and he spent all day hanging around Xie Huai. Nobody could even get a word in, which made everyone distressed without end¡­¡­ Just when everybody was at a loss as to what to do, the Hehuan Sect sect master went from being an unassuming little sect master with no chance to show his face before His Excellency to His Excellency¡¯s closest, most beloved confidante in a single leap. His Excellency¡¯s rewards flowed out like a river, and he would often even allow the Hehuan Sect sect master to stand close to him¡­¡­ Seeing this, everyone¡¯s envy and jealousy were ceaseless. Bah, this old sex fiend¡¯s cultivation wasn¡¯t much, but he understood better than anyone those filthy things between men and women and so on, and he had more underhanded tricks than anyone else. Who knew what kind of treasures he¡¯d offered or what methods he¡¯d used to make His Excellency honorable heart so pleased? Unfortunately, no matter who asked, he refused to answer, not letting the slightest clue slip out. The Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s cave abode was luxurious to the extreme. Hundreds of night pearls were inlaid at the top of the cave, and His Excellency¡¯s rewards were displayed in the most eye-catching location. Just the sparkling, translucent top-quality spirit stones alone were enough to fill an entire chest. Show-off, what a show-off! The Broken Blade Sect sect master had come to pay his greetings to the Hehuan Sect sect master, and seeing the piles and piles of goods, he was so jealous his eyes were practically dripping blood. What a waste, what a waste! The Hehuan Sect sect master, that old sex fiend, was steeped in licentious matters of passion his entire life, and his cultivation was really only average. Even piling these top-quality spirit stones on him probably wasn¡¯t enough to get him to Soul Formation¡­¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that this old sex fiend was His Excellency¡¯s favorite recently, the Broken Blade Sect sect master would¡¯ve even considered killing him to take these treasures. The Broken Blade Sect sect master inhaled deeply, then plastered a smile onto his face and went in to pay his greetings. The Hehuan Sect sect master nested within a pile of beauties. Seeing the Broken Blade Sect sect master come in, he didn¡¯t even move a muscle, but raised an eyebrow and smiled in a deliberately cryptic way. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the Broken Blade Sect sect master? How is it that you have time to visit my humble abode today?¡± The Broken Blade Sect sect master¡¯s eyelid twitched, and he suppressed the heat flaring up in his chest. Normally, he didn¡¯t have much respect for the Hehuan Sect sect master and didn¡¯t have much interaction with him. If not for the sake of consulting him on how to seek favor with His Excellency, why would he personally come here? ¡°Have someone come, bring Sect Master Hu some tea,¡± the Hehuan Sect sect master said. Very quickly, a beauty came over presenting a cup of tea. The Broken Blade Sect sect master took a sip, then spat it out. Pah, to think it was cold tea! He looked at the Hehuan Sect sect master, the look on that arrogant little rat, and was so infuriated that he nearly twisted his neck right on the spot! You¡¯d best pray that His Excellency keeps on protecting you, or you¡¯ll be sure to die without a grave! But the Hehuan Sect sect master wasn¡¯t intimidated in the least. He¡¯d already planned out in advance that His Excellency would protect him. This was only the beginning; after a while, when His Excellency had tasted sweetness, he would be sure to bestow him with even more rewards. And as for Xie Huai¡­¡­ From now on, he¡¯d be nothing to fear. The look in his eyes was insidious. The reason he¡¯d presented the Entangling Threads Love Parasite to Fang Li was to kill two birds with one stone. The first was to seek favor with His Excellency, and the second was to smoothly remove the hindrance that was Xie Huai. As long as Xie Huai was controlled by the love parasite, his proud backbone broken, thoroughly falling to become a plaything, he would never again be able to disturb His Excellency and spoil their matters. These days, plenty of people had come to visit him. The Broken Blade Sect sect master wasn¡¯t the first, nor would he be the last. They only wanted to seek out some clues from him and learn how to earn His Excellency¡¯s favor, but why would the Hehuan Sect sect master tell them? These people had always looked down on him in the past, thinking that he was vulgar and base, but these days, didn¡¯t they all have to plead with him courteously and politely? The Hehuan Sect sect master raised an eyebrow, saying, ¡°What business does Sect Master Hu have to come here today?¡± The Broken Blade Sect sect master forcefully endured his fury, stiffly giving a dry laugh. ¡°This old Hu recently collected some good eggs, all extremely high-quality virgin men and women. You can take them and raise another flock of fine furnaces¡­¡­¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master smiled, saying, ¡°Oh, then thank you very much.¡± The Broken Blade Sect sect master stroked his beard with a smile. ¡°No need, no need. Then, that is, this old Hu has something puzzling me, I wonder if¡­¡­¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master cut short his words, giving a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Something that Sect Master Hu doesn¡¯t even understand, how could this sect master know? Someone come, see Sect Master Hu out.¡± The Broken Blade Sect sect master was swollen to the shade of a pig¡¯s liver, enraged to the point of laughter. ¡°Fine, fine, fine.¡± This old sex fiend with no sense of shame. Receiving his benefits without letting slip a single clue¡ªhe didn¡¯t even want to save face! Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be able to go on with this arrogance. When His Excellency is no longer protecting you, this one is going to rip you limb from limb! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai sat in his room. News from the outside world flowed in without end, and he lowered his eyes, the paper talisman in his fingertips burning away. The rumors from outside said that the Hehuan Sect sect master had offered up a treasure to please His Excellency in order to win his favor and receive numerous rewards. The Hehuan Sect sect master was relying on His Majesty to prop himself up and had seized plenty of benefits recently, strutting around Hollow Ridge extremely pleased with himself¡­¡­ Exactly what had the Hehuan Sect sect master offered up? Could it be the thing that Fang Li had fed him that day? Something to make him like him¡­¡­ Xie Huai tightly furrowed his brow. Ridiculous. How could there be something in this world that could make someone like another? The human heart was impossible to control, yet he had stubbornly taken whatever the Hehuan Sect sect master had said as truth. Did Fang Li wish for him to like him that much? But if he liked him that much, why was Fang Li avoiding him? That person was like a splendid butterfly full of deadly toxin, softly fluttering its wings to land on his heart, flitting away as soon as it landed, neither close yet far and impossible to fathom¡­¡­ He would approach all on his own, then leave without a single warning. Yet he wouldn¡¯t even give Xie Huai the chance to ask. As for himself, his every emotion was pulled along on a string without any self-control. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. Xie Huai tightly pursed his lips, the look in his eyes as heavy as the ocean depths. His emotions shouldn¡¯t be under the control of anyone. Especially not a ruthless, cold-blooded devil. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li sat leisurely in the study. These days, he¡¯d given the Hehuan Sect sect master plenty of rewards. Whatever he wanted, he would give, indulging him to the utmost. But seeing the Hehuan Sect sect master basking in his success, Fang Li gave a pitying sigh. He wouldn¡¯t be able to celebrate much longer. In the original book, Yan Sui had tried to use the love parasite to control Xie Huai, but he¡¯d found that it was unable to make Xie Huai surrender. In his fury, he¡¯d killed the Hehuan Sect sect master straight off. He was just a cannon fodder brimming with evil and past crimes. Fang Li didn¡¯t pay much mind to the Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s fate. With the Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s actions and conduct, even if he died a hundred times, it wouldn¡¯t make up for his sins. Rather than a little clown gleefully hopping around, Fang Li was more concerned about Xie Huai¡¯s circumstances. Today was the start of the first flare-up period. The original story said that Xie Huai¡¯s willpower was exceedingly strong and had restrained the effects of the Entangling Threads Love Parasite, holding back the symptoms internally, treating it as if it were no big deal. But still, this was the Hehuan Sect¡¯s signature treasure. If it were really so easy to resist, the Hehuan Sect sect master wouldn¡¯t offer it up to him as if presenting something priceless. He knew that Yan Sui was cold-blooded and ruthless, and he definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to take out some ordinary thing to trick Yan Sui with. After all, it wasn¡¯t like he was tired of living. Thus, even knowing that nothing would happen to Xie Huai, and even knowing it wouldn¡¯t have much of an effect on Xie Huai, when the time actually came, Fang Li couldn¡¯t help taking some precautions and instructing someone to watch over things at all times, in order to prevent any accidents. After all, he couldn¡¯t have any mishaps happening to the protagonist. At nighttime, the demonic servants from the side palace come over to report, saying that Yuyi-jun hadn¡¯t had dinner that night yet. They¡¯d gone over to ask for instructions and had been ordered not to disturb him, and it had been through a closed door, so they hadn¡¯t seen Yuyi-jun in person. Fang Li reckoned it had already started. At this point, Xie Huai definitely wouldn¡¯t want to be disturbed, so that was normal. Another quarter hour passed, and another demonic servant came to report, saying that the room was quiet and peaceful with no movement at all. Yuyi-jun might have gone to sleep. So quiet? It looked like it was just as the book had written after all. Xie Huai had already gotten a handle on things, and everything would be fine after tonight had passed. Fang Li thought there shouldn¡¯t be anything else that would come up and finally relaxed, turning over to get into bed and go to sleep. ¡¾ The System hesitated: Host, do you really not plan to go over and take a look? ¡¿ Fang Li¡¯s hands were pillowed before him, his sleeping posture completely serene. He said lazily, ¡°What is there to see? In any case, he¡¯s still the pride of the heavens. Leave him some face.¡± Having someone see him like that would be embarrassing to death! He¡¯d probably even start to feel a little murderous¡­¡­ Putting himself in Xie Huai¡¯s shoes, Fang Li could understand very well Xie Huai¡¯s feelings right now. It would be better to let him quietly face it himself as he stewed in hostility. Fang Li wouldn¡¯t go over to add oil to the file. ¡¾ System: But only the owner can relieve the love parasite¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li said with complete confidence, ¡°You¡¯re really underestimating the protagonist. What is the protagonist for? To create miracles and smash preconceptions.¡± In the original story, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t reacted to it even a bit. ¡¾ System: But¡­¡­ ¡¿ Fang Li raised his eyes lethargically, his tone bland. ¡°Or else? You want me to go top a man?¡± The System immediately shut its mouth. It was afraid the host would just throw his hands up and give up. Forget it, forget it, what the host said was probably right¡­¡­ It had to have faith in Xie Huai! Fang Li slept all the way until noon the next day. The demonic servants waiting in attendance outside immediately came up to report, saying that Yuyi-jun hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet that morning, and there still wasn¡¯t any movement in the room. Fang Li was a bit surprised, but his worries quickly vanished. After having something like that happen last night, it was normal for Xie Huai to want some peace and quiet alone, after all. Fang Li instructed the servants not to disturb him, then went off by himself to mind his own business. Eating and drinking his fill, the day quickly passed by. When Fang Li woke up the third day, the demonic servants came to report, saying that Yuyi-jun still hadn¡¯t come out. Fang Li didn¡¯t think there was any problem. Who knew, maybe Xie Huai was pushing himself to the extreme in his efforts and didn¡¯t want to see Fang Li at all, only thinking about how to break through the seal in the shortest possible time to kill him. If he didn¡¯t come out, then he didn¡¯t come out. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ All the way up until the seventh day. When the demonic servants came to tell Fang Li that Xie Huai still hadn¡¯t taken a single step out of the room, and the room still hadn¡¯t had any signs of movement, Fang Li finally felt some unease. No signs of movement for seven days and nights¡­¡­ Although this matter was kind of difficult to bring up, and the proud Xie Huai definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to accept it, he was the protagonist shou with a will of iron, after all. In the original story, he¡¯d suffered more than a hundred kinds of torment and still hadn¡¯t given up on himself and had even broken through in his cultivation in the midst of adversity to kill Yan Sui¡­¡­ He wouldn¡¯t go as far as to shut himself in his room and give up on himself because of a little thing like this, would he? Not coming out for seven whole days was a bit unusual¡­¡­ The System was making a serious ruckus in his ears. Since a few days ago, it had kept bugging him to go take a look, worried that something had happened to Xie Huai. Fang Li hadn¡¯t paid it much mind the whole time, thinking that it was just worried that the sky was falling. He had plenty of confidence in Xie Huai, after all, but at this moment, he suddenly wavered a bit¡­¡­ Something couldn¡¯t really have happened to Xie Huai, could it? Fang Li creased his brow and lapsed into thought for a long time, reviewing all his actions again, but he still hadn¡¯t discovered any slip-ups. Then why was this different from the original story? Fang Li was a bit worried and decided to go take a look in the end. He arrived at the side palace in the middle of the night. The demonic servants attending outside paid their respects, saying as they bowed, ¡°This subordinate has been on watch this whole time. Yuyi-jun hasn¡¯t come out yet, nor has he had any orders.¡± Fang gave an inattentive ¡°mn¡± sound, then went directly through the doors in large strides. The room was completely pitch-black. There wasn¡¯t any candlelight. The night pearls on the frames were covered by brocade, not letting a single ray slip through. The door hadn¡¯t been opened in seven days. As soon as Fang Li stepped inside, a dense and heavy scent permeated his nose. It seemed like wine that had been brewing for many years, and it was so strong that it made one choke a bit¡­¡­ There wasn¡¯t a trace of movement in the darkness. No, wait. Fang Li gathered his senses to listen closely. Behind the curtains of the bed in front was a very, very low¡­¡­ it seemed like the sound of stifled, restrained breathing¡­¡­ Thank goodness, at least he was still alive! There was something off about the circumstances. Fang Li wasn¡¯t able to put too much thought into things and stepped forward quickly, pulling up the curtains swiftly to examine things. But as soon as he reached out his hand, the world spun around him, and a hand as scorching hot as a pair of heated iron tongs tightly grasped his wrist, firmly pressing down! His back crashed heavily against the side of the bed. Fang Li¡¯s face paled, and he looked up with a bit of astonishment, directly meeting a pair of murky, reddened eyes. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: He detests me this much, and he¡¯s the all-capable protagonist, restraining the love~ parasite is a piece of cake, no problem~ (100% confidence) Xie Huai: Seven days : ) CH 16 December 10th, 2022 Fang Li lifted his eyes dazedly. In the darkness, Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were heavy and dark and faintly reddened, gaze fixed on him like a carnivore about to devour flesh. His scorching palm was sealed against Fang Li¡¯s wrist, his fingers pressing so fiercely that there was the crackling sound of joints. The man who had always had a serene, indifferent appearance in the past, facing hundreds and thousands of demonic cultivators without a ripple on his face, was currently like a merciless wild beast. A bone-piercing chill seeped out towards Fang Li, making all of his hair stand on end. This was his first time understanding so clearly and witnessing so intimately Xie Huai¡¯s completely unconcealed killing intent. He really wanted to kill him. Fang Li held his breath, staying completely still. When facing a wild beast on the verge of losing control who might tear you to pieces at any time, the first thing you should do is to avoid enraging it any further. If he made a move against Xie Huai right now, whether he died or Xie Huai died, or they both went down together¡­¡­ None of those were the result that he wanted. It was precisely because he knew that Xie Huai was too dangerous during the flare-up period that he¡¯d kept avoiding him, but seven days and nights had already passed, so why was Xie Huai still in this condition? Fang Li kept running over in his mind exactly where things had gone wrong, and his expression suddenly stiffened slightly. He seemed to have discovered where he¡¯d slipped up¡ªhe¡¯d overlooked a very, very, very tiny¡ªdetail. In the original book, Xie Huai had appeared in control of the effects of the flare-up and hadn¡¯t wavered in the least while facing Yan Sui, but after Yan Sui was done getting angry and being infuriated, he still had relations with Xie Huai every time. After all, from head to toe, the original story was about forceful love¡­¡­ In other words, although Xie Huai hadn¡¯t appeared to need it, Yan Sui had still in actuality helped Xie Huai get through the flare-up period and hadn¡¯t let his condition persist for too long. Fang Li had been too deeply affected by the original story. The book kept stressing how strong Xie Huai¡¯s willpower was, as if restraining the love parasite¡¯s flare-up was ¡°easy.¡± His trust in Xie Huai had led Fang Li to subconsciously develop a kind of misconception that the flare-up period was nothing to Xie Huai, that it was useless, that it would be over if he bore it a little. But looking at things now, that wasn¡¯t the case. It was only because Xie Huai was someone who never showed his feelings on his face and never revealed his weakness or pain in front of others. For example, when Yan Sui had broken every one of his bones and ruined his cultivation, his expression hadn¡¯t changed either, but how could it really not have hurt? Fang Li suddenly felt utterly guilty. Because of his temporary lapse, he¡¯d made Xie Huai endure it for seven whole days more¡­¡­ The Hehuan Sect sect master had said that once the love parasite flared up, without the owner¡¯s help to relieve it, it was a pain worse than death. There were only two methods of relieving it: the first was the kind of thing that Yan Sui did with Xie Huai, and the other was to use the owner¡¯s own blood. Without any hesitation, Fang Li prepared to pick the latter. But the problem right now was¡­¡­ Fang Li was afraid that as soon as he moved, Xie Huai would strike a killing blow¡­¡­ Moreover, how could he persuade Xie Huai and make him believe that a devil who¡¯d coerced him, imprisoned him, and fed him a love parasite didn¡¯t have a shred of improper thoughts under these circumstances and only wanted to help him get past the flare-up period¡­¡­? Ugh, why not just kill him, then? The System was first anxious, then surprised, then finally experienced the apathy of nirvana and started to persuade Fang Li. ¡¾ System: Since it¡¯s come to this, forget it, you might as follow the script? Look, he also has it pretty hard, you can just go with the flow¡­¡­ It¡¯s dark anyways, just close your eyes and pretend he¡¯s a women and it¡¯ll be fine. ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Since it¡¯s so simple, how about I give this body to you, and you do it? ¡¿ ¡¾ The System said, embarrassed: I don¡¯t have the functionality to control the host¡¯s body. That option didn¡¯t exist during factory installation. ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: So what you¡¯re saying is, if you had the ability, you would decide to take over and give it a go? ¡¿ ¡¾ The System hurriedly expressed: That¡¯s not what I meant! How could I think that! ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li said coolly: You aren¡¯t even willing, and you want me to do it? Don¡¯t you know to do unto others as you would want them to do you unto you? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ Wasn¡¯t Xie Huai the beloved of the world that everyone adored? How come you¡¯re making it sound like you¡¯d be taking a huge loss¡­¡­ The System couldn¡¯t help sinking into perplexion again. Actually, it¡¯d previously held a small, ulterior hope that the host would start to have wicked thoughts after seeing Xie Huai¡¯s looks, and after interacting and interacting with Xie Huai, he¡¯d become interested in him and obediently follow the script without needing its urging. However, it had discovered that it had been wrong, and hoping for the host to be led astray by lust was probably impossible in this entire lifetime. The System sighed grievously. After bantering with the System for a bit, Fang Li also regained some calm. With the current state of things, worrying was of no use either. Moreover, even if he¡¯d known about this ahead of time, what had to come would still come. It couldn¡¯t be avoided. Xie Huai had been tormented for a full seven days, so wasn¡¯t his sudden arrival just now like adding oil to the fire? It would definitely have provoked him, but he trusted that with Xie Huai¡¯s willpower, and his immovable stone-cold heart, he would quickly be able to regain his rationality, and they would be able to communicate ¡°amicably.¡± Fang Li simply laid back in a relaxed, natural posture, attempting not to incite him any further so as to allow him to slowly let down his guard. Xie Huai tightly gripped Fang Li¡¯s wrist, lowering his head minutely. His reddened eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the pale, wan man before him. He didn¡¯t remember how long he¡¯d been submerged and drifting in the darkness. At first, he¡¯d faintly been aware of the passage of time, but later, he couldn¡¯t differentiate night and day, he didn¡¯t have the energy to tell what was going on around him. He was using all he had to restrain the strangeness that was permeating him thread by thread as if through the seams of his bones, as if it wanted to completely change him into a different person, into a different, unfamiliar, and wicked self¡­¡­ He drowned in the bottomless sea bit by bit. Deep in the night, in the chilling solitude, every bit of change was so distinct and bone-cutting. Even after grinding him to dust over and over from his soul to his bones, none of it retreated in the least. Endless and infinite, with no escape. Not letting himself make a sound, not letting his expression change, not letting himself move his body. He was like a lifeless statue, completely still as he sank into hell¡­¡­ this was the only thing he could do. He was waiting¡­¡­ for the culprit to arrive. He thought, it should be soon. If this was your goal, if this was what you wanted to see, then you¡¯ll appear. Every minute and second was infinitely long. Xie Huai told himself over and over, soon, soon¡­¡­ But even when he could no longer distinguish time, when everything became indistinct, his consciousness gradually became chaotic, and his rationality was on the verge of collapse, that person still hadn¡¯t appeared. He wouldn¡¯t come. The moment Xie Huai realized that, he felt it utterly absurd. That person hadn¡¯t hesitated to bend down in order to seek his favor, had faked deep affection in order to lull him into complacency, had used up all of his tricks¡­¡­ and finally fed him this so-called thing that would ¡°make him like him.¡± Now his goal was accomplished, but he wasn¡¯t appearing. Was there anything more ridiculous than this? Or was it that that fiend only liked the process of playing with others¡¯ hearts and wanted to see Xie Huai confused by him, wanted to see his appearance as he felt pain worse than death for him? It seemed like other than this, there weren¡¯t any other reasons. And yet Xie Huai had actually believed him, had believed that he liked him. He¡¯d been fooled again. This person was the one and only person in this world who could fool him over and over again. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were suffused with blood, as if ice-cold killing intent were his very nature, as if he wanted to use his gaze to cut this wretched liar into a thousand pieces¡­¡­ Even if this person¡¯s arrival brought him an unprecedented attraction, enticing him to approach¡­¡­ Like a spring breeze causing ripples on the vast sea, like soft light scattering the darkness, like the warmth melting a glacier, as long as he took one step closer, as long as he approached a tiny bit, he could escape from this endless hell and obtain paradise and rebirth. Xie Huai lowered his head exceedingly slowly, his eyes darkening even more. All of this was within your expectations, wasn¡¯t it? Xie Huai¡¯s hands slowly gripped tighter, and he saw the person before him reveal a hint of pain, but he didn¡¯t intend to release his grip, nor did he have the least pit of pity. Does it hurt? ¡­¡­But this little pit of pain isn¡¯t worth bringing up compared to everything I¡¯ve been through. This person always lived haughtily and extravagantly, always looking languid and carefree¡­¡­ Sometimes, it made you forget that he was a ruthless, cold-blooded devil, and only made you see him as a spoiled, aristocratic young master. He used precisely this kind of pretense to conceal his cruelest inner heart, naively cruel like a child¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s fingers used so much force that they turned white, and the corners of his lips turned up in an ice-cold arc. He wanted to see how long he would bear it. You should be getting angry, right? As soon as you move even a hair¡¯s breadth, I¡¯ll strike first and kill you. In the dead silence and darkness, there was only the sound of feather-light breathing to indicate the passage of time. Again, and again, and again¡­¡­ The pale man furrowed his brow in pain, his expression surprised and perplexed, then returned from his daze after a moment and forcefully resisted the pain to use a pair of innocent, clear eyes¡­¡­ to look at him¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t move at all, only lying there quietly. Xie Huai could feel the emaciated bones of the wrist in his palm, faintly trembling as it slowly relaxed, very cautiously, as if in fear of provoking him. Not only did this person not move at all, not resist at all, but instead used a kind of¡­¡­ completely unguarded posture to present himself before him. Like prey that had given up resistance and sat awaiting its fate, presenting itself up as an offering. Letting him do whatever he desired. This person remained completely still, looking up at him, those eyes utterly clean without any desires or requests¡­¡­ Although he hadn¡¯t said a single word, he was using his eyes to say that he didn¡¯t have any ill intent. But, I have ill intent. His last string of rationality snapped. The darkness in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes grew deeper, and amidst the ice-cold bloodthirst and killing intent, it seemed like there was some other, more dangerous thing mixed in¡­¡­ Do you know or not, that using this kind of posture to face the me of right now¡­¡­ what that means? Or is it that you already like me to the point that you¡¯ll go to any means to manipulate everything, just for the sake of offering yourself to me? Xie Huai didn¡¯t have the attention to spare anymore to think about whether this thought was even more absurd, more ridiculous than before. He only stared fixedly at the person before him. Fang Li relaxed his breathing until it was very, very slow, very, very light. When facing a wild beast that wanted to kill you, fleeing, hiding, or resisting¡­¡­ were all extremely dangerous actions. So he only tried hard to meet Xie Huai¡¯s eyes, using all of his might to express with his eyes that this was a misunderstanding! Let¡¯s talk peacefully! But Xie Huai evidently wasn¡¯t easy to dupe, and he was definitely suppressing a bellyful of anger. Fang Li kept completely still with his eyes open, and because he¡¯d kept his eyes open for too long, the corners of his eyes were sore enough that tears started to gather, but Xie Huai still gave no indication of being assuaged¡­¡­ Fang Li thought, this time, he might¡¯ve miscalculated. It was all thanks to the fact that he¡¯d had too much faith in Xie Huai that he hadn¡¯t come to investigate on the second day, causing things to get to this point. In Xie Huai¡¯s shoes, he¡¯d be equally angry. Fang Li wholeheartedly accepted his failure. The real world that had been patched whole was full of danger, with pitfalls everywhere, yet all he had in his hands was a brainless porn novel. The difficulty was truly not low. Only, he didn¡¯t know whether, after he died, the System would be able to smoothly find a second host. Hopefully, the System would be able to maintain its optimism¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s thoughts started to drift further and further, and his expression started to slacken¡­¡­ Suddenly, a scorching hot kiss fell on his lips. Fang Li abruptly widened his eyes. For a moment, his brain crashed and went completely blank. What kind of development was this? Xie Huai was willing to touch him? What was he doing? Didn¡¯t it disgust him?! Because he was overly shocked, the tears that had been gathering in his eyes for a while finally fell. Although it was only an unavoidable biological reaction from having his eyes open for too long, shedding tears was still a little bit disgraceful, and it didn¡¯t fit his character profile, so Fang Li awkwardly closed his eyes. But the man fettering him didn¡¯t want to let him evade, and the taste of blood pervaded between their lips and teeth. Fang Li shuddered from pain for a moment, and the fingers that fell onto his neck slowly tightened, gripping his throat, making it hard for him to breath. Was Xie Huai not actually kissing him, but had decided to kill him with this kind of method? Devouring his flesh and blood, in the literal sense? Wait a minute, with his blood, Xie Huai should be fine, right? Fang Li immediately calmed down. It looked like there really was always a way if you didn¡¯t give up hope. Even without needing him to speak, Xie Huai had drank his blood, unexpectedly passing the flare-up period. Fang Li only needed to bear with it for a bit longer, and it would be fine¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s thoroughly red eyes looked at the person in front of him. The ashen pale man didn¡¯t have the usual languid willfulness, but looked aggrieved and pitiful. Tears had fallen from the corner of his eyes, trailing past his exquisite, fragile face, disappearing along his temples¡­¡­ He seemed unwilling to open his eyes again because of humiliation and fury, only faintly trembling¡­¡­ As if enticing him to take what he pleased. Xie Huai¡¯s throat bobbed. An unprecedented thought arose without his control. Fang Li was already almost unable to breathe, but his mind was completely calm, waiting patiently for an opportunity. Quietly letting time pass¡­¡­ Finally, Xie Huai seemed to relax slightly, like a wild beast that was certain that its prey wouldn¡¯t resist anymore and slowly held back some of its killing intent, relaxing its guard somewhat and instead taking its pleasure¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, this was the moment¡ª Fang Li¡¯s hand stealthily shifted to his side, and he suddenly struck Xie Huai aside with one hand. As long as he got out, he wasn¡¯t afraid Xie Huai would pursue him. This place was filled with his people! Xie Huai was suddenly pushed aside, and his eyes darkened, but he didn¡¯t pursue. After swaying slightly, he didn¡¯t move any further, and only the bluish veins pulsing on the back of his hand, half-hidden under his sleeves, exposed his restraint. Fang Li was long gone without a trace. A chill spilled in from the open doors, blowing away the heavy scent in the room. He could clearly sense that everything that shouldn¡¯t have existed was washing away like the tide, and that frightening, unfamiliar self was gradually disappearing. He had finally awakened from that nightmare, and everything was slowly returning to normal¡­¡­ Only the sweetness of that kiss just now seemed to linger on his teeth and lips, refusing to disappear for a long while¡­¡­ It was a taste he had never experienced before. Rather than that seven days and nights that were like an endless hell, what made him feel more conflicted right now was¡ª He didn¡¯t regret it, and even¡­¡­ Wanted it to last longer. Xie Huai raised his hand to cover his eyes. The corners of his lips lifted slightly in an odd arc as he gave a low laugh. It¡¯s good that you left. If you hadn¡¯t left, you might not even know of the things that I would do. That was the first time that he¡¯d felt such filthy, unbearable thoughts arise toward someone¡­¡­ Was it only because he¡¯d been affected by some foreign thing? It probably wasn¡¯t¡­ His rationality told him that this was a ruthless, cold-blooded devil, and they stood on irreconcilable sides; but his feelings told him that this person wasn¡¯t as he appeared on the surface, and they didn¡¯t need to be like this. That moment of emotion won out over his reason. There was nothing in this world that could control someone¡¯s heart, and the body was merely a hollow vehicle. No matter how many reasons and excuses there were¡­¡­ When all external influences were gone, he no longer had any way to deceive himself. He didn¡¯t actually loathe that person¡­¡­ Xie Huai knew that he shouldn¡¯t be like this, but the reality was, he felt something for that devil. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li: It¡¯s all because my rose-tinted lenses for a certain someone were too thick : ) Xie Huai:: He loves me¡­¡­ he loves me not¡­¡­ he loves me¡­¡­ he loves me not¡­¡­ he loves me¡­¡­ he loves me not¡­¡­ Xie Huai: He might really love me. CH 17 December 14th, 2022 Fang Li thought that as someone who had died once, he had long stopped putting much regard on life and death, but while he was fleeing from Xie Huai¡­¡­ He actually had a sort of feeling that he was fleeing from death¡¯s door. How rare¡­¡­ Pondering on it afterwards, he thought that it wasn¡¯t because he¡¯d suddenly started to fear death, but because of the effect of the atmosphere at the time. Moreover, although the final result was dying all the same, even if he was willing to be pierced through the heart, he still didn¡¯t want to let someone kill him in that way. That¡¯s right, that must be the reason! After returning, the System remained quiet for once. Maybe it had been scared to death by Xie Huai, but it stopped bringing up the topic of having Fang Li do him, and Fang Li unexpectedly got some peace and quiet. Now he finally had some time to calm down and analyze the things that had been out of place earlier. That Xie Huai wanted to kill him wasn¡¯t unusual, but according to reason, his cultivation was sealed, so he shouldn¡¯t have the power to kill him. But at that time, that realistic killing intent¡­¡­ made Fang Li subconsciously, instinctively sense that Xie Huai had the ability to kill him. It couldn¡¯t be that Xie Huai had already broken the seal? Fang Li paced back and forth around the room. In the original book, Xie Huai had had his dantian destroyed and his bones broken. Even under those dire circumstances, he¡¯d successfully restored his cultivation. He couldn¡¯t be measured according to common sense, and Fang Li had always been uncertain about whether the Soul-Sealing Pins could actually seal his cultivation. Looking at it now, his conjectures might have been correct¡­¡­ Xie Huai did indeed have other trump cards, it was just that they must come with a significant price, so unless he had no other choice, he wouldn¡¯t take the risk to use them. Because Fang Li had previously been injured by a qi deviation, he might not be Xie Huai¡¯s match, but the black jade talisman couldn¡¯t be used rashly either, or he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t make it to the end of the script. But, Fang Li pondered, looking at the heavily guarded residential palace, with Xie Huai¡¯s exceedingly rational personality, seeing as he hadn¡¯t followed in pursuit, he should probably have calmed down already? So this matter should count as having been temporarily hoisted through? Thinking too much was of no use either. Fang Li slept until the next morning, then woke up and had breakfast. Just as he was mulling over how to go about the next step, a demonic servant came to report that the Hehuan Sect sect master was requesting an audience. Oh? Fang Li raised his eyes slightly and gave a low laugh. ¡°Let him in.¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master bowed as he entered, his line of sight sweeping toward Fang Li¡¯s face. Immediately, he revealed a suggestive smile and laughed flatteringly. ¡°Did Your Excellency enjoy yourself to your heart¡¯s content last night?¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s words had a salacious undertone. Just looking at the injuries on His Excellency¡¯s lips, one would know that last night¡¯s battle had been intense. It could be seen that Yuyi-jun was passionate to the extreme! The Hehuan Sect sect master had plenty of confidence in his Entangling Threads Love Parasite, and he wasn¡¯t afraid that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t cave¡­¡­ Once His Excellency was in a good mood, wouldn¡¯t the rewards come in? Fang Li gave him a sidelong glance. The Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation, as well as a self-satisfaction that he couldn¡¯t conceal, as if he were certain that Fang Li would reward him. Fang Li stood up, took a step forward, his black robes dragging along the ground. In the book, Xie Huai had restrained the effects of the love parasite, and although Yan Sui had done that to him in his great anger, he hadn¡¯t gotten what he¡¯d desired and had concluded that the so-called love parasite was of no use at all. Therefore, when faced with the Hehuan Sect sect master who had come the next day to claim credit, Yan Sui had been infuriated and had executed him in front of the crowd. On the other hand, Fang Li was thinking about last night¡¯s bitter struggle. He thought, that love parasite was actually pretty effective, to drive Xie Huai into that state, but that¡­¡­ means you should die all the more. Fang Li¡¯s thin lips quirked, and he spit out a single ice-cold, ¡°Get out.¡± The Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s smile immediately froze on his face, and he expression became one of disbelief. He looked completely helpless and at a loss, his lips trembling from fear as he said, ¡°Your, Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± Fang Li lightly brushed at his sleeves, as if flicking off some dust, and said blandly, ¡°Take him away. This lord doesn¡¯t want to see him again.¡± The demonic servants nearby immediately came forward and ruthlessly dragged the Hehuan Sect sect master away. The Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s pleading carried over from far away, then were soon heard no more. Fang Li sat back down at the table and kept eating. The Hehuan Sect sect master had more crimes on his hands than could be counted, and his death wasn¡¯t worth grieving over, so Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to change the script. That old demon¡¯s cultivation wasn¡¯t much, but his personality was arrogant and antagonistic. Previously, because of the plot. Fang Li had no choice but to tolerate him and had even had to pretend to favor him. During that period of time, the Hehuan Sect sect master had been reckless and unrestrained, offending plenty of people, and with no one to shelter him now, he would likely very quickly taste the unpleasant fruits of his labor. As for Fang Li himself, there was absolutely no need for him to dirty his hands for this sort of person. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai sat quietly in his room, a secret letter from Feng Yin in his hands. The letter said that three days ago, the Hehuan Sect sect master had visited His Excellency, but he had somehow offended His Excellency and had been driven away in front of everyone, as well as having been told to never show his face again¡­¡­ As soon as this sentence of His Excellency¡¯s came out, word quickly spread all over Hollow Ridge, and more than a few people waited to see the Hehuan Sect sect master turn into a joke. Yesterday, the Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s servants had found him dead inside his cave abode. Only his head had been left intact, and his state of death was so miserable it made one¡¯s eyeballs want to rip apart, evidencing that he¡¯d suffered no small amount of torment. Although Feng Yin¡¯s letter only described the Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s death in simple terms, and his phrasing could be considered restrained, Xie Huai could sense that the youth had found it difficult to contain his excitement while writing this letter. He had fallen into the Hehuan Sect¡¯s hands to be trained into a furnace, and he¡¯d been sent into the demonic palace¡¯s rear court as a tribute, ruining his entire life. Today, it could be said that a great vengeance of his had been resolved. Xie Huai lowered his eyes and read on. The letter also answered his previous question. As a Hehuan Sect member, Feng Yin had heard that the Hehuan Sect sect leader had a kind of treasure called the Entangling Threads Love Parasite, and its effects were the same as the symptoms Xie Huai had described. It was said this type of love parasite had no cure after it was consumed, and Feng Yin wasn¡¯t too clear on its exact usages. He was exceedingly worried about Xie Hua¡¯s circumstances. If what he had consumed was the Entangling Threads Love Parasite, unless the demon lord died, he wouldn¡¯t be free of it until the end of his life. How vile, that the Hehuan Sect sect master had still left something like that behind to cause harm even after he was already dead! Xie Huai¡¯s expression became pensive. What Fang Li had given him most likely was indeed the Entangling Threads Love Parasite. Then, did he actually know what he had done? If it had been before that night, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t have had a doubt that Fang Li knew everything, and would even be certain that he wanted to torment and control him. But after going through that night, he was instead uncertain¡­¡­ Because Fang Li¡¯s behavior, that expression of astonishment, truly didn¡¯t seem like he knew. But what Xie Huai could be certain of was that when Fang Li had said those words in front of the crowd, he had known that the Hehuan Sect sect master would die because of it. He had done it intentionally, and moreover, he had meticulously let Xie Huai know of this matter. These types of actions and behavior made it seem like he was actually trying to tactfully apologize to him¡­¡­ Could it be that he really didn¡¯t know the use of the love parasite? He¡¯d only been fooled by the Hehuan Sect sect master? He¡¯d thought that by using it, he could make Xie Huai like him? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li avoided Xie Huai for a period of time. He was far too clear about the love parasite¡¯s uses, but he hadn¡¯t expected that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be able to resist it. This mistake would definitely have offended Xie Huai far too miserably¡­¡­ Thus, it wasn¡¯t until news of the Hehuan Sect sect master¡¯s death arrived and several more days had passed that Fang Li finally figured that Xie Huai¡¯s anger should have just about settled, and he started considering going to see Xie Huai. But going there directly was still a little awkward. If he could chance upon him and feel things out a bit first, that would be best, only Xie Huai always stayed holed up in his room and rarely left, so manufacturing a chance encounter wouldn¡¯t be easy¡­¡­ It looked like he could only tough out his embarrassment. Transmigrating into this kind of book and still having to follow the plot¡­¡­ Running into this kind of awkward situation wasn¡¯t actually outside of his expectations. At this point, Du Meng should have almost arrived at Heaven¡¯s Summit, right? On this side, the script had also arrived to a point that he would have to follow. Fang Li mulled it over a bit, sighed, then got up and went toward the side palace. The sunlight today was pretty good, so Xie Huai actually wasn¡¯t staying in his room, but was sitting in the courtyard reading a book. He was dressed all in white, his posture leisurely, looking not at all like someone trapped in captivity, but like he was in his own backyard¡­¡­ Fang Li came to a stop about seven or eight paces away from Xie Huai, a distance which was enough to respond to any unexpected incidents. Then, he lifted a fist to his mouth and coughed lightly. Xie Huai lifted his head and looked at him blandly, then lowered his head again and kept reading, as if he didn¡¯t exist. This attitude of not having anyone in his eyes¡­¡­ made a hint of a smile appear on Fang Li¡¯s face! Fantastic! As expected, Xie Huai had returned to normal. This calm and indifferent Xie Huai was still the most near and dear to one¡¯s heart! Thinking from another perspective, Xie Huai had been controlled by the love parasite until he¡¯d lost his reason, to the point that he¡¯d revealed such a ferocious, uncontrollable appearance. From his point of view, this was truly his dark past¡­¡­ He would definitely want to act like nothing had happened even more than Fang Li. Great, since both parties had re-established a tacit understanding, then the other matters would be easy to take care of. With the weight off his chest, Fang Li ambled over. Xie Huai finally put down his book, his black eyes so deep they were bottomless, and said blandly, ¡°What instruction does Your Excellency have?¡± Because of his remorse toward that matter, Fang Li¡¯s tone was unusually gentle, and he said cautiously, ¡°This lord was afraid you were feeling stifled here. How about taking you out to ease your spirits, is that good?¡± Xie Huai gave Fang Li a profound look, and the corner of his lips quirked. ¡°Is Your Excellency asking my opinion?¡± Well, not really¡­¡­ You have to go on this trip with me down the mountain, because this is necessary for the script. But Fang Li couldn¡¯t tell the truth like this, or else it would break the hard-earned peace in the air. Plus, he was certain that Xie Huai would agree to his suggestion. Compared to being trapped in the demonic palace where every step forward was a challenge, wasn¡¯t it easier for Xie Huai to act if they went out? Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t pass up an opportunity that had been being brought to his doorstep. He had never been the kind of person to mess things up in a fit of rage. Thus, Fang Li smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xie Huai fixed his gaze on Fang Li. After a long time, he said, ¡°Alright.¡± A smile spread across Fang Li¡¯s face. As expected, dealing with smart people was this easy. As long one laid out the conditions and discussed the profits, that was enough. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The next morning, a horse-drawn carriage rode out from the foot of Hollow Ridge. Wu Yimei was dressed in black, sitting outside the carriage as its driver. Fang Li sat lazily inside the carriage. This carriage looked normal on the outside, but the inside was extremely luxurious. It was lined with ferret pelt, extending all the way to the floorboards, and the edges of the soft couch were inlaid with pearls that emitted a supple light. It was both wide and soft, so wide that even if someone wanted to do something, they would have plenty of space¡­¡­ Most importantly, the ride wasn¡¯t bumpy at all. Although it looked like an ordinary carriage, it was actually a custom-made spiritual device. Since they were traveling to enjoy the scenery, naturally, they couldn¡¯t do so with great fanfare, or else wherever they went, everyone would be terrified into running for their lives and startling at the slightest movement. Then what fun would there be to speak of? As soon as he got on the carriage, Fang Li closed his eyes to rest. After this segment of the script involving leaving the ridge was over, and they returned to Hollow Ridge, he could start preparing for his death and escape. Counting down, it was no more than about two months¡¯ time. When he thought of this, his mood couldn¡¯t help but lift. Xie Huai glanced at the man beside him. His whole body was nested there, looking soft and docile. Who knew what he was thinking of, but a shallow smile surfaced on his lips. Are you that happy to be leaving the ridge? What exactly is your goal this time? As for taking Xie Huai out to lift his spirits, Xie Huai didn¡¯t believe a word of it. Fang Li didn¡¯t know what Xie Huai was thinking, but even if he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have paid it any mind. He slept in a daze, up until the System called him awake. ¡¾ System: Wu Yimei called you several times! ¡¿ Fang Li opened his eyes and languidly lifted the window curtains, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wu Yimei didn¡¯t even look at Xie Huai who was inside, only saying to Fang Li respectfully, ¡°Your Excellency, we¡¯ve already arrived at Xining County. Should we stay here to rest for the night?¡± Oh, Xining County. It had some pretty nice scenery and was a very suitable tour stop. He still had to put on appearances; heading straight for the target destination would be too abrupt. Besides, the original book had also written that this journey had taken more than a month. Naturally, they should make their way slowly, so why not just spend some time here? Fang Li gladly agreed. ¡°Alright.¡± Wu Yimei responded with his assent, then drove the carriage into the city. The carriage proceeded very slowly through the city. Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to sleep any further and sized up the scenery outside. Xining County was different from Quqing Town. Quqing Town was no more than a little border town; if not for the spirit stone quarry, it would truly be very unremarkable. Later it had been taken over by demonic cultivators, making everyone anxious, so it was hard to avoid having a somewhat stifling atmosphere¡­¡­ But this Xining County was lively and bustling. People went to and fro along the streets, and everyone¡¯s expression was relaxed. Scholars and merchants brushed past each other, and women and children walked around freely, giving it a harmonious, prosperous appearance. The county metropolis was expansive, and the sect that held influence here was a righteous cultivation sect called the Night Sky Palace. Although it was far from one of the five great righteous sects, it could still be considered a fairly well-known sect in the world. Fang Li looked around pensively. Although it was a prosperous city, there seemed to be too many cultivators on these streets. The cultivators all wore uniforms from different sects, so they evidently weren¡¯t disciples of Night Sky Palace. Moreover, many of them looked like they¡¯d just hurried over. Was something about to happen? Wu Yimei stopped the carriage at a restaurant and lowered his eyes. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± The restaurant had people walking in and out, appearing to be doing very good business. Fang Li was a little sick of the luxurious dishes of the demonic palace, so coming here to try the taste of the mortal world¡¯s delicacies was pretty appealing. Wu Yimei had always been a reliable subordinate, so the place he picked must be decent. Fang Li slowly lifted the carriage¡¯s curtain. He was wearing a moon-white brocade robe with dark patterns, a thick fox fur coat draped over him, and he supported himself on Wu Yimei¡¯s hand as he stepped down from the carriage, looking for all the world like a sickly young master¡­¡­ Fang Li hadn¡¯t used a disguise, since there weren¡¯t actually many people who recognized Yan Sui. After all, many of the people who had seen him were dead, and dead people didn¡¯t tell tales¡­¡­ Moreover, in this world, Yan Sui¡¯s existence was something no one dared bring up. But Wu Yimei had dark-red eyes with slit pupils, which was truly rather eye-catching. At a single glance, you could tell he wasn¡¯t a normal person, and those eyes were extremely recognizable, so he was somewhat disguised. As for Xie Huai, as the world-famous Yuyi-jun, there were simply too many people who recognized him. Plus, his features were simply too dazzling, so he was wearing a curtained hat with a long, white veil draping down, covering his face. The three of them entered the inn. The waiter at the inn saw Fang Li¡¯s appearance and immediately knew that this was someone who didn¡¯t lack for money. He eagerly led them upstairs, saying as he walked, ¡°Guests, are you also here because of the Night Sky Palace¡¯s invitation? Coming to our little place was a good choice. Everyone who comes here has to try our Drunken Immortal brew, or the trip would be a waste¡­¡­¡± Wu Yimei placed a silver ingot on the table and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Bring out all your good food and wine.¡± These guests seemed to be a little taciturn, but what kind of people had the waiter not seen before? As long as they paid, it was fine. Full of smiles, he answered promptly, ¡°Alright! Guests, please wait a bit, they¡¯ll be out right away.¡± After handling the waiter, Wu Yimei turned back and saw that the tea on the table was crude. He creased his brow, then took out the Snow Tip tea that Fang Li usually liked, then used his palm to heat up a pot of Sky Mountain clear dew, his movements focused as he brewed a pot of tea, deferentially presenting before Fang Li. Fang Li was somewhat dazed for a moment, then calmly accepted it, lowering his eyes and lightly inhaling the fragrance of tea at the tip of his nose. Wu Yimei had always been this considerate, approaching every task large or small with seriousness. Only, at that time, Yan Sui hadn¡¯t been himself and didn¡¯t enjoy life much, and even less did he pay any mind to worldly things, living like a walking corpse¡­¡­ To think that after interacting for just a brief period of time, Wu Yimei already remembered his preferences and kept them in mind. He was even using a cultivator¡¯s precious storage device to store these trifling things¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea. Xie Huai¡¯s face was hidden behind the white veil. Looking at this scene, he faintly pursed his thin lips. Although Wu Yimei always acted respectful and restrained in front of Fang Li, looking as if he had no intention of meddling with Xie Huai, Xie Huai could feel his hostility toward him, just like that night when Wu Yimei had come to warn him. It looked like he really did care a lot for Fang Li. This kind of loyalty, was it really only as a subordinate¡­¡­? Or maybe, there was some kind of deeper attachment. The trust and tacit understanding between them couldn¡¯t be seen or grasped, but it was something Xie Huai had no way of touching. His brow creased faintly, and he turned his head to look out the window. Very quickly, the waiter brought their wine and dishes. The wine here was truly a bit unique. The flavor was rich, and it lingered in one¡¯s mouth. Fang Li lazily pinched his wine cup, and the chatter from all around fell into his ears. ¡°Brother Ding, are you also here because of the Night Sky Palace¡¯s invitation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You all as well?¡± ¡°Your Crimson Sunrise School is usually very close with Night Sky Palace, do you know just what the gathering this time is about?¡± ¡°Ah, this time, even I have no clue.¡± Wu Yimei lowered his eyes to listen, then said to Fang Li, ¡°Should I investigate a bit?¡± Fang Li shook his head. It was just a mere Night Sky Palace from Xining County. How big of a matter could it be? If it was really some big affair, there would have been word of it long ago, and the five great sects would also be taking part. Seeing as there was no news of it, then it wasn¡¯t an important matter. The cultivators below discussed for a while but didn¡¯t bring up any important news. Following that, they started to talk about the gossip flying around. Fang Li was originally listening absentmindedly, up until he heard Xie Huai¡¯s name and couldn¡¯t help but glance sideways to look. At the table in front of them sat three cultivators wearing gray and white robes, looking like they belonged to the same sect. Among them was a goateed man, whose small eyes shifted as he snickered, ¡°That¡¯s right, have you heard? There¡¯s rumors that after Yuyi-jun was captured by the demon lord, he¡¯s got the demon lord enchanted silly. For his sake, the demon lord has even killed plenty of his own subordinates!¡± The cultivator beside him said doubtfully, ¡°That¡¯s just hearsay, isn¡¯t it?¡± The goateed man narrowed his eyes, his tone frivolous, ¡°As I hear it, Yuyi-jun and the demon lord are basically inseparable at Hollow Ridge. Who knows, maybe after going to Hollow Ridge, he thought following the demon lord wasn¡¯t bad. With Yuyi-jun¡¯s looks and bearing, as long as he wanted, what kind of man would he not be able to conquer?¡± As he spoke, he raised his teacup and drank a gulp, then lowered his voice and said delightedly, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Yuyi-jun before, you know. Now that¡¯s a world-class peerless beauty! Looking at it now, it seems like his skills in bed aren¡¯t bad either¡­¡­ Who knows how enrapturing he has to be to make the demon lord uniquely favor him like that, heh heh heh¡­¡­¡± Following the goateed man¡¯s lead, the people beside him echoed his words. Gradually, the contents of their talk became more and more unbearable to hear. Their obscenities and vulgar words painted Xie Huai as a calamity who had enthralled the demon lord. Fang Li pursed his lips and cautiously peeked at Xie Huai. Unfortunately, behind the white veil, it was impossible to see Xie Huai¡¯s expression. That there would be rumors and slander was within Fang Li¡¯s expectations, but this was still the first time it had happened to Xie Huai¡¯s face. Fang Li felt a bit of guilt and unease in his heart. Cough¡­¡­ The goateed man spoke with more and more excitement, his thoughts running wild, as if he wished he were there in person and only hated that he couldn¡¯t be the demon lord himself. With a sigh, he said, ¡°Everyone says that Yuyi-jun was only forced to give himself to the demon lord to save Cloudbank Keep, but his master Elder Ming Yin says that he¡¯s not a Cloudbank Keep disciple anymore. That means that he¡¯s been expelled from his sect, right? Who knows, maybe he¡¯d hooked up with the demon lord long ago, and even the disaster at Cloudbank Keep was caused by him, and Elder Ming Yin just won¡¯t admit it because he values face. Tsk tsk tsk, he¡¯s just a pretty face. He looks like a lofty and serene person, but it turns out that he¡¯s like that in secret. Who knows how unrestrained he is, the demon lord really is lucky¡­¡­ Ahh!¡± The teacup in the goateed man¡¯s hands suddenly shattered, and a shard flying out split open the corner of his mouth. Blood trickled down, and he covered his mouth, angrily looking in the direction to the center left of him. At the table to his center left sat three people. One was wearing a white curtained hat, one was wearing long black robes, and one was a sickly young master draped in a thick fox fur coat. His ashen pale, exquisite features shone, and a teasing smiling hung off his lips, but the teacup in his hands was gone. It must have been this sickly guy who¡¯d thrown the teacup at him just now! The goateed man said furiously, ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t move at all. He opened his eyes and laughed lightly. ¡°My hand slipped.¡± This person looked like he was smiling gently, but that irreverent attitude was obviously provoking him. Your hand slipped, my a**! Enraged, the goateed man was just about to make a move, but he was held back by the two fellow sect members beside him. This was Night Sky Palace¡¯s territory, and plus, there were plenty of people passing by here, so randomly starting a fight would bring trouble. It wasn¡¯t that the goateed man didn¡¯t understand this, but looking at that sickly fellow who looked like he was asking for a beating, he felt his anger burning him! No matter what, he couldn¡¯t swallow this frustration. He sized up Fang Li. Of the three people, one looked like an aristocratic young master, one looked like a servant, and one was mysteriously wearing a veiled hat. Judging from their clothing, they weren¡¯t from the same sect, and their manner of dress was rather carefree. They might be cultivators from some small clan. Merely some wandering cultivators, yet they really didn¡¯t know their place! After throwing out that sentence, Fang Li stood up lazily and said to Wu Yimei, ¡°Let¡¯s go, my appetite is gone.¡± He went straight in the direction of the goateed man. As he ambled past him, brushing past his shoulder, he spoke in a voice so low that only the man could hear and hooked his lips and laughed softly, ¡°What do you think you are, to be worthy of talking about Yuyi-jun?¡± The goateed man¡¯s expression abruptly changed. He could only watch as Fang Li left the restaurant. He wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a cold and gloomy look slowly surfaced on his face¡­¡­ You think things are over just like that?! Wu Yimei didn¡¯t ask why Fang Li had acted this way at all, only silently following behind him. As for Xie Huai, it was like the person they had been discussing hadn¡¯t been him at all, and he didn¡¯t express any opinion from start to end. Fang Li¡¯s spirits were rather high, and he strolled along the streets until well into sunset. Only when the sky gradually became dark did he stroll into a little alleyway. The alleyway was narrow and dim and cramped on both sides, and there was no one around. Fang Li walked and walked, then suddenly halted his steps and turned around with a soft laugh. ¡°My waiting wasn¡¯t for nothing. You¡¯re finally here.¡± Three people walked out from the darkness. At their head was precisely the goateed man, and the two behind him were his two fellow sect members. Previously in the restaurant, the goateed man had managed to tolerate it because he¡¯d observed that Fang Li¡¯s group wasn¡¯t from some big sect. He¡¯d followed in secret, waiting for them to go off on their own in order to handle them and teach them the consequences of offending him. And Fang Li¡¯s side had been extremely cooperative. Without even waiting for the goateed man to think of a plan, they¡¯d voluntarily walked into this little alleyway. Originally, he¡¯d been delighted, but looking at Fang Li¡¯s relaxed smile right now, the goateed man¡¯s heartbeat suddenly started to beat loudly, and he suddenly felt like something wasn¡¯t quite right¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s lips held back a smile. If this goateed man had intended to argue with him, he would have thrown down the gauntlet back at the restaurant, resolving everything clearly and distinctly in public¡­¡­ But back then, he¡¯d fully held back his anger and hadn¡¯t spoken a word. Evidently, he was petty and narrow-minded, and all Fang Li had to do was purposefully provoke him with a few words and he would come chasing after. As expected, hadn¡¯t he obediently come? It was time to show off his boyfriend power! Although Yan Sui always hurt and tormented Xie Huai, as a tyrannical demon lord with extreme possessiveness, it was fine no matter how much he abused Xie Huai, but nobody else could get a single bad word out about him. Only he could bully Xie Huai! As for everyone else? That was seeking death. The goateed man said in a heavy voice, ¡°Sir, just who are you?¡± Fang Li said in a mild voice, ¡°Did you know? If we were at Hollow Ridge¡­¡­ if someone said those things to the demon lord¡¯s face, they would have their tongue cut out and get thrown into the Fallen Star Sea to feed the fish.¡± The goateed man frowned. This person¡¯s words were all over the place, completely inexplicable. What did the demon lord have to do with them? ¡°So, as a human being, one should think before one speaks. Don¡¯t listen to gossip and don¡¯t spread gossip¡­¡­¡± Fang Li shook his head ruefully. ¡°Speaking out of turn is very dangerous¡­¡­¡± The goateed man started to get impatient, and a cold gleam appeared in his eyes. Earlier, it¡¯d looked like Fang Li had a card up his sleeve and had been waiting for him¡­¡­ He¡¯d thought that Fang Li was an expert and had lured them over to take care of them. Now, looking at Fang Li¡¯s mouth full of nonsense and his words that were neither here nor there, he only felt that he must have been overthinking it. It looked like this fellow had gotten used to acting arrogant at home and thought that he could act like that outside as well. He was just an arrogant fellow who didn¡¯t know his place! To think that he¡¯d shrunk back just now in front of someone like this. The goateed man¡¯s killing intent immediately rose up! He impatiently gripped his blade and was about to strike¡ª Fang Li paused, then suddenly asked curiously, ¡°Right, you said you¡¯ve seen Xie Huai before. Was that true?¡± Xie Huai had been standing to the side quietly the whole time. Now, he let out a soft sigh. The goateed man already had the intent to kill, and he was just about to make his move when he saw the white-robed man standing silently to the side suddenly lift his hand and take off his hat. The white veil lightly fluttered as it descended, and a face like jade slowly appeared in the darkness of the night. The man lightly turned his eyes to look over, and even the moonlight seemed to dim before him. The goateed man¡¯s heart stopped for a beat. Then he very, very slowly turned his head and stared blankly at Fang Li, cold sweat trickling down. Fang Li was still thinking about how to sort out this guy when he saw Xie Huai suddenly take off his hat, and the goateed man was immediately crushed, looking terrified and in despair. After a moment of silence, Fang Li turned his head and said to Xie Huai, ¡°He wasn¡¯t lying, he really does recognize you.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li: I¡¯m protecting my wife today, too! Xie Huai: Mn. CH 18 December 21st, 2022 The goateed man¡¯s expression was appalled and in despair, and he was hardly able to breathe as he looked at Fang Li. This person, this person, this person¡­¡­ Someone who could make Yuyi-jun follow quietly beside him, who could say the words he¡¯d said earlier¡ªthis person¡¯s identity was on the tip of his tongue. But the goateed man didn¡¯t dare to say those two words, as if as soon as he spoke them aloud, there would be no turning back. His teeth were clenched so hard they made grinding sounds, his whole body shuddering. The two fellow sect members behind him were dazed from looking at Xie Huai, only thinking that that person was truly too good-looking. Even the rumored Yuyi-jun probably wouldn¡¯t look as good as him, right¡­¡­? But how come Elder Sect Brother had suddenly stopped talking, and his face was ghastly pale, and he was even sweating? What was wrong with Elder Sect Brother? ¡°Elder Sect Brother, Elder Sect Brother, are you okay?¡± ¡°These people are way too condescending. We definitely have to teach them a lesson!¡± The goateed man was startled back to consciousness by those words and abruptly spoke in a shrill voice, ¡°Shut up!¡± His two fellow sect members halted, startled. They stood there at a loss. Fang Li turned his head toward Wu Yimei and said, ¡°Earlier, what did I say we would do with these kinds of people if we were at Hollow Ridge?¡± Wu Yimei repeated serenely, ¡°Cut off their tongues and throw them into the Fallen Star Sea to feed the fish.¡± Fang Li seemed a little vexed. ¡°This place is too far from Fallen Star Sea.¡± Wu Yimei said respectfully, ¡°That isn¡¯t a problem. This subordinate can call someone right now to send them over.¡± The goateed man finally collapsed, falling to his knees with a plop and desperately slapping himself. ¡°Your Excellency the demon lord, spare me, spare me, Your Excellency, it¡¯s all my fault for speaking nonsense, I deserve to die, I deserve death¡­¡­¡± The d-d-d-d-d-demon lord? The goateed man¡¯s two fellow sect members looked at Fang Li blankly, looking disoriented as if they were in a dream. Fang Li took a step forward. The goateed man¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he was immediately terrified into fainting, the reek of urine coming from his lower body. The fellow sect members behind him finally realized that something was wrong and turned to flee, but Wu Yimei struck out, and both of them immediately flopped to the ground, unconscious. The alleyway resumed its peace. Tsk, how boring. Fang Li frowned disdainfully and was just about to cover his nose, but as soon as he lifted his hand, his wrist was caught by someone. Fang Li quickly turned his head and ended up meeting Xie Huai¡¯s inky black eyes. Xie Huai¡¯s thin lips pursed faintly, and his expression was a bit complicated. Actually, ever since he¡¯d decided to enter Hollow Ridge alone, he¡¯d known that the situation today would be inevitable. But as a cultivator pursuing the Dao, one should stay true to one¡¯s heart. What need was there to mind these rumors and slander? So even if he heard those things, they were merely within his expectations and passed by his ears without leaving a trace. It was something that even he didn¡¯t pay any mind to, but Fang Li¡­¡­ actually paid it more mind than himself. Had he purposefully baited these people just to let him vent some anger? He really was a childish fellow¡­¡­ Gossip was a formidable thing. How could it be a problem that could be solved through slaughter? Besides, he didn¡¯t want Fang Li to kill for his sake. Xie Huai¡¯s apathetic gaze flitted over the three people on the ground without loathing or pity or even any emotion at all, as if looking at a lifeless object. His entire life, he had eliminated demons to defend the Dao, cutting down injustice with his sword, but that didn¡¯t mean that he wanted to go save every single person before his eyes, nor was every person worth his saving. This person spoke indiscriminately and was petty and small-minded. He schemed unrighteously and bullied the weak and feared the strong. All of this was no more than a disaster he¡¯d brought upon his own head, and even if the one he¡¯d met today hadn¡¯t been Fang Li, sooner or later he¡¯d invite trouble upon himself. Heaven had its laws, and humans had their fates. They could not be overturned by force. But what about you? Do you really want to dirty your hands for no reason, just for people like this? If these words were said aloud, probably anyone would find them absurd. A devil who had countless lives on his hands and saw the common folk as insects¡ªkilling should be as normal as breathing to him¡­¡­ But Xie Huai only believed the things he¡¯d seen with his own eyes. The person he¡¯d seen at Hollow Ridge was reckless and arrogant, but he didn¡¯t actually enjoy killing. So there¡¯s no need to do something you don¡¯t want to do for my sake. There¡¯s no need¡­¡­ It¡¯s not worth it. Xie Huai¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, his voice low as he slowly spoke. ¡°Enough.¡± Fang Li startled a bit, then revealed an expression of epiphany. Xie Huai was afraid he was randomly going to off someone! Xie Huai was even willing to protect this kind of guy who insulted him behind his back¡­¡­ One would expect no less from the protagonist shou whose heart was full of justice, who repaid evil with good, whose chest was filled with mercy, who rescued the dying and helped the injured, the pride of the righteous path! But you¡¯ve misunderstood, I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to off someone for these trivial matters. Besides, are rumors and slander something that slaughter can resolve? If I had to off someone just for this, I¡¯d probably have to off everyone in the world! This person was just unlucky enough to stumble upon him, that was all. But today¡¯s lesson was enough; these fellows for sure wouldn¡¯t dare to speak nonsense again. Actually, I just thought it smelled bad and wanted to cover my nose¡­¡­ To prevent Xie Huai from misunderstanding, Fang Li complied with Xie Huai and lowered his hand, looking at him with an innocent face, as if saying, calm down, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not planning to off anyone! That pair of smiling eyes sparkled like stars, gentle and sincere, making one¡¯s heart suddenly skip a beat¡­¡­ So it turned out he¡¯d misunderstood. Xie Huai¡¯s throat bobbed. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have, but every single time he faced this person, he¡¯d always lose his sense of proportion. Xie Huai let go a little bit pitifully¡­¡­ Just at that moment, he saw Fang Li turn his head and say to Wu Yumei, ¡°Take off their clothes.¡± Xie Huai, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Half a shichen later, three men wearing gray and white robes stood in the alleyway. Fang Li touched his face. Wu Yimei was really multitalented, and even his skills in transformation were first-rate. He really was essential for both the home and outdoors! Wi Yimei had disguised himself as the goateed man, whereas he and Xie Huai had each transformed into the goateed man¡¯s two fellow sect members. Right now, even if they were to return to that restaurant, no one would be able to tell that they were no longer the originals. As for those three¡­¡­ They¡¯d long been stripped bare and thrown into a corner. Wu Yimei¡¯s strike was enough for them to have a nice, long sleep for several days. Fang Li looked at the wooden token hanging off his waist. The three words ¡°Heavy Snow Sect¡± were carved into the small seal. He had never heard it before; there were hundreds and thousands of little sects like this that Yan Sui wouldn¡¯t even give a second glance to before. Wu Yimei tidied up his clothes and fished out a white invitation card with silver trim. The invitation was made of exquisite, satin-like paper, and the bottom right corner was printed with the half-moon symbol of Night Sky Palace. He respectfully passed the invitation to Fang Li. Fang Li opened it to take a look. The invitation said that Night Sky Palace had an important issue to discuss and was inviting Mt. Luan¡¯s Heavy Snow Sect to attend the forum. The time was set for precisely tonight. The goateed man was named Qiu Tian, and he was Heavy Snow Sect¡¯s deputy sect master. In response to the invitation, he had brought two disciples to attend the conference. Moreover, looking at Xining county¡¯s streets full of cultivators, Night Sky Palace evidently had invited more than just the Heavy Snow Sect. Fang Li pinched the corner of the invitation, the corner of his mouth faintly rising. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have somewhere to rest our feet tonight, somewhere that doesn¡¯t cost money.¡± Starting from earlier, Xie Huai had resumed his silence and hadn¡¯t said a word. Just when Xie Huai had thought that Fang Li had set up those people for the sake of letting him vent his anger, Fang had ordered Wu Yimei to strip those three, then had disguised himself as a Heavy Snow Sect disciple and prepared to go to Night Sky Palace to scam their purses. Fang Li obviously didn¡¯t need this little bit of money, so could it be¡­¡­ that Night Sky Palace was his goal? But that also didn¡¯t make any sense. A mere Night Sky Palace could be trampled flat without a second thought. How was it worth having the mighty demon lord change his appearance to disguise himself to scout things out? Recalling back then, he¡¯d brought his vast army to crush Cloudbank Keep. With how arrogant and egotistical he was, if he really wanted to do something, there was absolutely no need to go to this much trouble. So, just what are you thinking¡­¡­ When the three of them arrived at Night Sky Palace, it was already nighttime. Before the Night Sky Palace¡¯s front gates, people collected in streams. The area was brightly lit, and Night Sky Palace disciples in white robes with silver trim stood in attendance at the gate doors, guiding the cultivators from the other sects inside. Fang Li and Xie Huai trailed two steps back, letting Wu Yimei take the lead. Wu Yimei took out the invitation. The Night Sky Palace disciple didn¡¯t actually take it, but merely glanced at it before ordering someone to bring them inside. The main hall of the Night Sky Palace was spacious and vast, enough to hold hundreds of people, and gold-plated pillars held up the palace roof. It looked like a very extravagant sect, but Fang Li had first experienced Cloudbank Keep¡¯s ethereal otherworldliness, then the demonic palace at Hollow Ridge¡¯s imposing solemnity. Seeing the Night Sky Palace after that, it only looked commonplace and ordinary, unendurably plain. Around these parts, the Heavy Snow Sect was no more than a little cultivation sect. Their arrival hadn¡¯t actually aroused anyone¡¯s attention, and Fang Li and the others easily blended into the crowd. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this my old pal Qiu from the Heavy Snow Sect? You left in such a hurry earlier at the restaurant, did you catch up to those three fellows?¡± A brash, carefree middle-aged cultivator in plain robes with hair bound with a wooden stick patted Wu Yimei on the shoulder. He was precisely the Crimson Sunrise School cultivator from the restaurant, and his name was Ding Qian. When Wu Yimei did anything, it was airtight, and he had even preserved the wound near the goateed man¡¯s mouth, his every gesture and movement fitting in both form and spirit. He shook his head as if struck with bad luck, saying, ¡°Those three slipped away faster than a couple of mice, so we couldn¡¯t catch up. Looks like we can only swallow this indignation.¡± Ding Qian chuckled and comforted, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Next time, if I come across them, I¡¯ll definitely tell them off for you. If there¡¯s something to say, let¡¯s properly talk it over, no need to get physical.¡± Wu Yimei said gratefully, ¡°Much thanks, Brother Ding. Then I¡¯ll be troubling you.¡± Ding Qian waved his hand. ¡°We¡¯re all fellow Xining county folk, that¡¯s even better than being fellow sect members. It¡¯s natural to lend each other a hand.¡± Wu Yimei laughed. Ding Qian chatted with Wu Yimei for a short while, then turned and started conversing with other cultivators. No matter who he saw, he was jovial and familiar, as if there was nobody here who he didn¡¯t recognize. Truly a social butterfly¡­¡­ Fang Li looked on with endless admiration, this was a real master of society! He listened to the chatter for a while, then turned to look at Xie Huai. There were so many people here. Were there any that Xie Huai recognized? But Xie Huai only stood there indifferently, that aura of detachment more or less the same as it was on Hollow Ridge. Fang Li pondered earnestly for a moment, concluding that with Xie Huai¡¯s acumen, if he wasn¡¯t willing, then Fang Li wouldn¡¯t be able to observe anything¡­¡­ Anyways, as long as the love parasite was there, he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave him, so Fang Li simply stopped looking after him. After not too long, the large hall was full of people. Following a clear, resounding announcement from the front, a celestial-looking elder with a flowing white beard walked out. This was precisely the Night Sky Palace¡¯s sect master, Shan Qingyang. Shan Qingyang was renowned in Xining county as a person of virtue and prestige. Although he was only of the lowest tier of Soul Formation, as different from a prodigy like Xie Huai as night and day, he was the only Soul Formation level cultivator within a hundred li. It was only because of his existence that Night Sky Palace was granted the place of leader of all the nearby sects. A handsome youth also stood beside Shan Qingyang. The youth wore the standard white robes of Night Sky Palace, but the trim on his sleeves were gold, and his posture was straight and elegant like jade. He was the Night Sky Palace¡¯s head disciple, Xue Qingyuan. Fang Li looked at him a few more times. He was entirely just a very, very, very, poor quality edition of Xie Huai, but in this place, it was enough to make him stand out from the crowd. Everyone here had been called over by the Night Sky Palace, but their invitation had been secretive and mysterious, only saying that there was an important matter to discuss, but not mentioning what it was. Everyone was extremely curious. The elder stroked his beard and smiled, his voice resounding clearly through the large hall. ¡°We¡¯ve gathered everyone here this time because a ferocious beast has appeared in Xining county. A while ago, it harmed quite a few villagers, and Night Sky Palace sent people to capture it, but that ferocious beast was extremely cunning and hid in Mt. Wanxun, refusing to come out. This useless old man had no choice but to invite everyone here to head for Mt. Wanxun to hunt down the ferocious beast together and eliminate this danger for the people.¡± As he spoke, he indicated to the Xue Qingyuan beside him to proceed. The handsome youth took a step forward, holding some records, and said in a clear voice. ¡°The third day of the twelfth month, Xining county, Wangyue Town. The casualties were twelve villagers. Some people witnessed that the demonic beast committing the violence was entirely white with deer antlers and hooves like clouds, swallowing and spitting out billowing clouds and gales. ¡°The twentieth day of the twelfth month, outside of Xining City, the Wu family village. Seven casualties. The demonic beast committing the violence was the same as the one in Wangyue Town. Night Sky Palace sent disciples to track down and capture it, but were too late and allowed the ferocious beast to escape into Mt. Wanxun. ¡°The twelfth day of the first month, the village at the foot of Mt. Wanxun met with an attack. The casualties were twenty-seven villagers. Each body had been torn to pieces by the ferocious beast and died without a whole corpse. ¡°The thirtieth day of the first month, the ferocious beast descended from the mountain to commit violence, engaging in battle with the Night Sky Palace disciples who had been left behind to stand guard. Seven Night Sky Palace disciples were injured, and the ferocious beast escaped into Mt. Wanxun and has yet to reappear.¡± Everyone listened calmly and quietly, each of their hearts fluctuating. No one spoke. Eliminating danger for the people was the right and proper course, and for better or for worse, they were all still righteous sects. If they couldn¡¯t protect the residents of an area and allowed a ferocious beast to run wild, then what difference was there between them and those demonic cultivators? But this matter¡­¡­ if there weren¡¯t any benefits, and they were just supposed to provide manpower and labor, then it wasn¡¯t very appropriate, right? After all, they weren¡¯t members of the Night Sky Palace. Although they were willing to give the Night Sky Palace some face and make the trip, they didn¡¯t have the obligation to follow their dispatches. Entrapping a ferocious beast was a troublesome matter, and the problem had happened in Night Sky Palace¡¯s territory. If someone was going to eliminate danger for the people, then it should be Night Sky Palace. Shan Qingyang could see everyone¡¯s hesitation and slowly spoke in a low voice. ¡°This demonic beast is savage yet cunning, and its power is formidable. It¡¯s harmed many of my Night Sky Palace¡¯s disciples, but we still haven¡¯t been able to capture it. This useless old man consulted with the classic texts and discovered that this demonic beast¡¯s appearance greatly resembles something in the Spirit Beast Records written by the Great Sage¡ªthe description of the Cloud-Swallowing Beast. This useless old man suspects that this demonic beast is very likely to be a Cloud-Swallowing Beast¡­¡­¡± After this sentence came out, everyone¡¯s expression finally changed. A Cloud-Swallowing Beast! The Spirit Beast Records was written by the Great Sage of Origin, and the Great Sage of Origin was the only Unified Dao true immortal in ten thousand years. It was said that four thousand years ago, the natural calamities that occurred were caused by the Great Sage of Origin¡¯s fall. But that wasn¡¯t the point¡­¡­ Back then, the Spirit Beast Records compiled by the Great Sage had recorded many rare and precious spirit beasts and was circulated widely throughout the world. Most everyone had read it before, but it was a pity that the spirit beasts recorded in the Spirit Beast Records would never be seen by most in their entire lifetime. Many of them had already become legend, yet it was suspected that a Cloud Swallowing Beast had actually appeared now. This was no small matter! It was said that the Cloud Swallowing Beast had deer antlers and was entirely white, with hooves like clouds¡­¡­ Its entire body was precious; the beast¡¯s antlers, pelt, and bones were all valuable, and the most precious was the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s spiritual core. It was extremely difficult to get, and it could let a cultivator directly skip a stage. If a Nascent Soul cultivator obtained it, achieving Soul Formation would be a piece of cake, and a Soul Formation cultivator had hope of breaking through to Void Refining¡­¡­ If an average person obtained it, even if they felt it a waste to use it on themselves, they could still sell it for a sky-high price. Most likely, those Nascent Soul and Soul Formation elders would all be very interested¡­¡­ If a Cloud Swallowing Beast had really appeared, even if the Night Sky Palace hadn¡¯t said anything, they still wouldn¡¯t miss such a good opportunity! Although many people had been swayed, there were still some who harbored doubts. A young woman in neat and tidy tight-fitting robes and hair tied up in a ponytail with golden bells said doubtfully, ¡°Sect Master Shan, I remember that the Spirit Beast Records say that the Cloud Swallowing Beast is an auspicious beast and shouldn¡¯t harm anyone. Could you have been mistaken?¡± The one who had spoken was a cultivator from Flying Blossoms Valley, Ji Fangfang. She had asked a question that had been on many people¡¯s minds. Shan Qingyang nodded and said, ¡°Although that ferocious beast is exactly the same as the Cloud Swallowing Beast described in the Spirit Beast Records, it is extremely aggressive and has harmed countless people. This point is somewhat different from the description in the Spirit Beast Records. Thus, we¡¯ve been unable to determine whether it really is a Cloud Swallowing Beast.¡± So that was how it was. If not for the fact that Night Sky Palace couldn¡¯t determine if it was a Cloud Swallowing Beast, and because Mt. Wanxun was truly too vast and difficult to search, they probably wouldn¡¯t have invited them over¡­¡­ Moreover, the legends said that the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s cultivation level was comparable to a Soul Formation level cultivator¡¯s, and it had previously injured many Night Sky Palace disciples. Most likely, the Night Sky Palace did indeed lack the strength to capture it, or else they wouldn¡¯t have let word of this escape at all. No wonder that invitation had been unwilling to give any details, all secretive and mysterious. So they were afraid that the news would be leaked ahead of time. Everyone began to discuss in low voices, whispering in each other¡¯s ears. Some already couldn¡¯t wait. Although Ding Qiao was a little swayed, he frowned and pondered for a moment, then spoke a bit hesitantly. ¡°As an auspicious beast, why would the Cloud Swallowing Beast harm people? It couldn¡¯t be that it has something to do with Hollow Ridge?¡± When the words ¡°Hollow Ridge¡± came out without any warning, the great hall abruptly became quiet for a moment. Immediately after, understanding dawned on everyone one by one. ¡°I was just saying that something was off. So it was something to do with that devil on Hollow Ridge! Now it makes sense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. There¡¯s no evil that that devil on Hollow Ridge won¡¯t do. It must be that that devil used some evil trick to make an auspicious beast harm people, devastating the common folk! As expected of something that devil would do!¡± Fang Li hadn¡¯t expected that his popcorn-eating would suddenly be turned onto himself and immediately perked up, pricking his ears to listen, wanting to see what they could come up with to say about him. ¡°I heard that that devil has to be served by young men and women every day. Who knows how many innocent young men and women he¡¯s plundered to refine into furnaces to suck their vitality.¡± ¡°That devil also takes all the prisoners he captures to refine into puppets or medicinal vessels. It¡¯s really too cruel!¡± ¡°It¡¯s far more than that! He pulls out the souls of those who don¡¯t obey his orders and refines them for a whole forty-nine days, making them suffer a fate worse than death!¡± ¡°The bottom of the Fallen Star Sea is filled with the resentful spirits of those who died with grievances!¡± In his mind, Fang Li thought, Yan Sui actually wasn¡¯t bored enough for all that. As the villainous final boss of the original book and a tyrannical demon lord of some sophistication, where would he find enough free time to do all that¡­¡­ He would kill those who opposed him or refused to follow him, but that was it. Moreover, his goals were clear-cut; it was only for the sake of uniting the demonic sects. The demonic cultivators who¡¯d died at his hand were far more than the righteous ones, or else how would those demonic cultivators obediently listen to his orders? He¡¯d never had the hobby of tormenting others, and even less would he go around plundering the people. Nor was he interested in indiscriminately killing the innocent, since he didn¡¯t care about anything else at all, nor did he care about any rumors or slander¡­¡­ Oh, but these were all things Yan Sui¡¯s underlings did, and Yan Sui didn¡¯t really restrict them. If he was going to shoulder the blame for it, then so be it. But what followed started to become more and more nonsensical. ¡°I heard that the demonic cultivation that that devil practices is completely evil. Every day, he has to eat the hearts of ten virgin men and women! And he eats them live!¡± ¡°There¡¯s rumors that that devil is extremely bloodthirsty. If he doesn¡¯t kill someone every day, then he¡¯ll feel uncomfortable, and if he doesn¡¯t hear miserable screaming, then he can¡¯t fall asleep, so he has people flayed inch by inch, all day and night. That way, at all times of the day, the wretched screaming on Hollow Ridge won¡¯t stop for even a moment.¡± ¡°I heard that that devil is extremely ugly and can¡¯t bear to see good-looking people, so the demonic cultivators under him are each uglier than the next. The uglier they are, the more favored a position they have.¡± ¡°All of you are just repeating rumors. I have reliable news, that devil is a monster who¡¯s cultivated for a thousand years. He lives by sucking the vitality of others, and he has to have live people to cultivate his demonic practice. That¡¯s why he goes around wantonly slaughtering and capturing cultivators!¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Alright, as long as you guys are happy. Fang Li completely admired everyone¡¯s imagination and listened on with gusto, to the point that he even wanted to personally participate and contribute his part to the rumors about him, when suddenly, someone changed the topic and started talking about Xie Huai again. ¡°I heard that ever since Yuyi-jun went to Hollow Ridge, he¡¯s been cruelly tormented by that devil, to the point that he¡¯s too tragic to bear seeing and covered in wounds and can¡¯t even get out of bed¡­¡­¡° ¡°How would Yuyi-jun be willing to surrender to that devil? That devil has so many ways to torment someone. He would definitely use them on him, probably making him suffer a fate worse than death¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yuyi-jun is that good-looking and has the bearing of a celestial. That devil is so ugly, he must be jealous to death. That¡¯s why he purposefully captured him so he could bring him back and humiliate him every day! To satisfy his twisted, vulgar interests.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity Yuyi-jun had no choice but to give himself to that devil for the sake of his sect. What a pity, what a pity¡­¡­¡± At first, Fang Li had been a little nervous, but seeing that nobody was slandering Xie Huai, and they were all focused on cursing himself, he immediately relaxed. It looked like people like that goateed man were the minority, and even if someone did harbor bad thoughts, they couldn¡¯t say them aloud during this type of occasion. After all, the mice hiding in the gutters in the dark wouldn¡¯t find it easy to see the light of day. If they met with Xie Huai¡¯s fans, wouldn¡¯t it turn into a fight on the spot? In a public setting, one still had to care about face. He was the uncontested winner with the most anti-fans in the whole world, while Xie Huai was the uncontested winner with the most fans in the world. The combined might of the two uncontested winners was explosive. Something as shocking as the demon lord kidnapping Xie Huai as a plaything¡ªif this were on Earth, it would be enough to paralyze Weibo for three days and nights. It would be stranger if these people didn¡¯t talk about them. These days, when one spoke of Yan Sui, one had to mention Xie Huai. When one spoke of Xie Huai, one had to mention Yan Sui¡­¡­ If one didn¡¯t know, one would even think they were a pair. Thinking of this, Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He only thought it was extremely amusing and bent his ear, scooting forward a bit¡­¡­ Suddenly, a clear and cool voice said, ¡°Not so.¡± Fang Li startled and turned his head back. Xie Huai¡¯s dark eyes were heavy, and his brow was furrowed. His lips were pursed in displeasure into a line¡­¡­ It wasn¡¯t that he was defending this devil¡¯s crimes, he was only stating the facts when considering that matter on its own. Besides, you aren¡¯t willing to listen to people slander me, so am I supposed to be willing to listen to people slander you? No matter what kind of person you are, it¡¯s not a reason for others to defame you. Perhaps even Fang Li himself didn¡¯t mind these things, but he didn¡¯t want to keep listening. Fang Li was distracted for a moment, then was deeply moved. It was normal for an evil demon to have these kinds of rumors about him, after all. If he didn¡¯t have any anti-fans, then it meant that he wasn¡¯t popular enough; he didn¡¯t mind at all. But to think that Xie Huai, this tight-lipped block of stone, would actually open his mouth to clarify the facts for him¡­¡­ How upright and honest was he?! Seeking the truth in all matters instead of following the herd, righteous to the point that he couldn¡¯t tolerate a speck of dust in his eyes! As expected, he really lived up to the name of the protagonist shou, pure and clean and free from vulgarities, unlike any of these other people! Those people were just in the midst of heated conversation when someone raised a differing opinion out of nowhere. Although his voice wasn¡¯t loud, it was powerful and resonating like an icy spring hitting rock, making it impossible to ignore. It drew everyone¡¯s gaze one by one as they looked over to see just who was so unable to read the room. Yet Xie Huai only fixed his gaze on Fang Li. Although Fang Li only had an ordinary face on right now, that pair of eyes rippled with clear and gleaming light, as if filled with countless words, looking at Xie Huai with gratefulness and deep emotion¡­¡­ After a moment, Xie Huai turned his eyes away a little awkwardly. Don¡¯t misunderstand, I¡­¡­ Suddenly, an unhappy voice rang out. It was precisely a middle-aged cultivator who had been participating in the discussion earlier, and he pelted Xie Huai with admonishments. ¡°What do you know? You¡¯re a junior who doesn¡¯t know his place. If you say it¡¯s not so, then it isn¡¯t so? What, it couldn¡¯t be that you¡¯ve met that devil?!¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I don¡¯t love him, I just can¡¯t watch as people slander him. Xie Huai: I don¡¯t love him either, I just can¡¯t watch as people slander him. Author: Doting on each other ? CH 19 December 23rd, 2022 After a round of scolding, the middle-aged cultivator still felt like he hadn¡¯t let off enough steam and was just about to continue upbraiding this clueless junior when he suddenly met Xie Huai¡¯s cool and clear black eyes. He subconsciously shivered, as if a chill had spread through him from the soles of his feet, and his voice suddenly became weaker as he turned around, cursing, ¡°Really, speaking nonsense when you don¡¯t understand anything¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai blandly retrieved his gaze. He took a look at Fang Li, then the corner of his lips hooked up, and he laughed breezily. Forget it, what was he bickering with these people about? Instead, it was Fang Li who faced these rumors like they were as ordinary as three meals a day, evidently long accustomed to it. The malicious rumors that Xie Huai had suffered were no more than a thousandth of his. The masses ignorantly repeated whatever was said, but Xie Huai had always considered himself someone with understanding¡­¡­ But before arriving at Hollow Ridge, he still hadn¡¯t been able to completely rise above convention, and he had almost made the mistake of falling to prejudice. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too late to start over in understanding this person. It was impossible to erase the blood on his hands, but exactly what kind of person he was shouldn¡¯t be left to others to decide. After this interruption, everyone¡¯s discussion also came to an end, and more than a few people had already come to a decision. The voices in the great hall, some loud and resonant, some lively and clear, some soft and tender, began to ring out. ¡°Eliminating harm for the people is the right thing to do. Our Verdant Forest Grotto will go on this trip.¡± ¡°Our Flying Blossoms Valley will naturally also go take a look.¡± ¡°This old Ding has always followed Night Sky Palace wherever they go.¡± ¡°We will leave everything to Sect Master Shan to arrange.¡± Shan Qingyang watched everyone¡¯s attitudes take a turn one by one and stroked his beard, smiling. ¡°With everyone working in concert, we are sure to capture that ferocious beast and eliminate this danger for the people.¡± After Shang Qingyang struck the ending chord, some Night Sky Palace disciples soon entered, guiding everyone to where they would be staying until the appointed time tomorrow morning to set out for Mt. Wanxun. Fang Li¡¯s group of three followed the crowd to Night Sky Palace¡¯s guest courtyard. The Night Sky Palace disciples arranged everyone¡¯s lodgings according to their roster. Heavy Snow Sect was a little sect of the lowest tier, and they had to wait until all the other sects had been settled before it was their turn. ¡°Qiu Tian, Qiu Fu, Qiu Shou?¡± The Night Sky Palace disciple looked at the roster. Wu Yimei nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The Night Sky Palace disciple looked at the three of them and said with a bit of embarrassment, ¡°There are only two guest rooms left.¡± Wu Yimei said, ¡°No harm, it¡¯s only one night. We can just squeeze together a bit.¡± The Night Sky Palace disciple said, ¡°Alright,¡± then simply left. As a cultivator, sharing a room wasn¡¯t a big deal. Some people didn¡¯t sleep and just passed the whole night meditating. After that Night Sky Palace disciple left, Wu Yimei¡¯s expression changed, and he said to Fang Li deferentially, ¡°Your Excellency, why don¡¯t you sleep in one room, and this subordinate will stay in a room with Yuyi-jun?¡± Xie Huai looked at Wu Yimei coolly. Fang Li almost let his agreement slip out of his mouth, but then his gaze circled between Xie Huai and Wu Yimei, and he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. As a qualified subordinate, it was beyond normal for Wu Yimei to volunteer to guard the prisoner in order to let his master sleep more comfortably¡­¡­ If any other subordinate had said this, Fang Li would immediately allow it, but the problem was that this subordinate was Wu Yimei, the Wu Yimei who was constantly at odds with Xie Huai and wanted to kill him every day in the book. Letting Wu Yimei and Xie Huai stay in the same room¡­¡­ Fang Li was very afraid that after getting up the next morning, one of the two would be dead. Besides, as the tyrannical demon lord, how could he let his person sleep in the same room as someone else? He could only step up to the plate himself after all. Fang Li sighed mournfully, ¡°No need, this lord will stay with him.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s lips quirked imperceptibly, then turned as if the matter had nothing to do with him, leaving only his back to Wu Yimei. Wu Yimei retrieved his cold, gloomy gaze from Xie Huai¡¯s back and pressed down the unwillingness in his expression, saying to Fang Li respectfully, ¡°This subordinate will be next door. If anything comes up, Your Excellency only needs to say the word.¡± Fang Li nodded. He was also a little sleepy, so he turned and entered the room. Night Sky Palace¡¯s guest rooms weren¡¯t bad, but they weren¡¯t great, either. The room only had one bed, one desk, and two chairs. Fang Li retrieved his gaze from the bed and smiled faintly, inviting Xie Huai, ¡°It¡¯s already late, how about Yuyi-jun and this lord go straight to bed together?¡± He couldn¡¯t possibly go sit on the chair; he definitely wouldn¡¯t get a good night¡¯s rest. But as Xie Huai¡¯s admirer, it wasn¡¯t too suitable to chase Xie Huai away to the chair, was it? Thus, Fang Li magnanimously invited Xie Huai to sleep with him¡ªanyways, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t agree. Xie Huai wasn¡¯t willing to approach him from the start, and after going through the matter with the love parasite, forget sitting on a chair for a night; Xie Huai, a cultivator forged through bitter hardship, would sit on icy blades for a night before sleeping with a devil like him. Fang Li yawned languidly, the corners of his eyes a bit damp, and headed directly for the bed, preparing to occupy the entire bed without a shred of guilt¡­¡­ when he suddenly heard a voice. Suspecting that he¡¯d hallucinated it, he turned his head in bewilderment. Xie Huai quirked his lips. His tone bland and his expression tranquil, seeing Fang Li hadn¡¯t heard him clearly, he repeated, ¡°Alright.¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li suddenly regretted not agreeing to Wu Yimei¡¯s suggestion. Maybe they could get along in harmony, and he was the one overthinking things? Compared to his residential palace, this guest room was much more simple and crude, and even the bed was incredibly narrow. Having two full grown men lie there would truly be a little cramped¡­¡­ Being cramped wasn¡¯t a huge issue, he could just treat it as sleeping with a good friend, but the problem was¡­¡­ Why had Xie Huai agreed so straightforwardly? When abnormalities arose, there had to be something afoot. It couldn¡¯t be that he wanted to take the opportunity to kill him¡­¡­? To finish the job that he hadn¡¯t been able to last time? The candlelight inside the room flickered, and the lights and shadows danced alongside the candlelight, dimming and brightening. Xie Huai¡¯s gaze fell on Fang Li¡¯s face, and seeing his appearance of being caught off-guard, his expression darkened slightly. Even under those ¡°special circumstances,¡± this person would still flee in a panic¡­¡­ Exactly who was the one who would be scared? He clearly couldn¡¯t be more inexperienced, and he was painfully shy when it came to that matter and didn¡¯t dare touch Xie Huai at all, yet he insisted on feigning a voracious appearance¡­¡­ Not even Xie Huai himself realized that there was a trace of laughter in his eyes. He asked casually, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Your Excellency going to rest?¡± Fang Li ground his teeth. Xie Huai had already gotten in bed without any courtesy. He was the one who had invited him first, so there was no room for retreat now. After half a day, Fang Li gave a dry laugh and said, ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­¡± Saying that, he went straight to Xie Huai¡¯s side and lay down. Who was afraid of who? Oh, what a hard and cramped bed. Fang Li frowned and closed his eyes. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t slept with Xie Huai when they were at the demonic palace, but the bed in the palace was large enough to sleep four or five people, so they could easily each keep to themselves. But here¡­¡­ Even though Fang Li was basically hugging the edge, the other side of his body was still pressed snugly against Xie Huai¡¯s. Even through several layers of clothing, the other¡¯s scorching hot body temperature dimly seeped through¡­¡­ This person¡¯s body was always blazing hot, like a roiling flood of endless vitality. Only when approaching or coming into contact with him¡­¡­ would you realize that under this person¡¯s cool and clear outer skin, was an aura of intense invasiveness akin to magma. Fang Li was a little scared of the cold. This body of his was like the dying flame of a candle and didn¡¯t have much warmth¡­¡­ but he didn¡¯t dare to get too close to Xie Huai. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like it, but that it felt dangerous. Like a person about to freeze to death, he longed for warmth, but if you put him on top of a fire to roast or inside boiling water to stew, he might die even faster. That wasn¡¯t something he should touch. At some point, the candlelight went out. In the darkness, Xie Huai opened his eyes. The person beside him was completely still, and his breathing was slow and even. He seemed to be deep asleep, but Xie Huai could clearly feel the slight tension in his body. He was still awake¡­¡­ The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but lift, but immediately, his expression sank. This wasn¡¯t his first time getting close to this person, but every time, this person was always freezing cold, cold like a corpse. But looking at their exchanges on the battlefield, Yan Sui¡¯s moves didn¡¯t have any aura of ice or chill, so it shouldn¡¯t be caused by his demonic cultivation. Then why was he this cold? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The sky had just a hint of light when a clamor arose from outside. Fang Li pushed the door open listlessly and saw Wu Yimei waiting just outside. Wu Yimei¡¯s gaze swept past Fang Li¡¯s face, and his brow furrowed with concern. ¡°Your Excellency didn¡¯t rest well last night?¡± Fang Li had faint dark circles under his eyes. He didn¡¯t remember when he¡¯d fallen asleep either, but in short, it had been quite late; it felt like he¡¯d just closed his eyes when the sky began to brighten. Anyway, he didn¡¯t really want to answer this question, so he said, ¡°Is it time to prepare to leave?¡± Wu Yimei saw that Fang Li didn¡¯t want to say any more and nodded. ¡°It is.¡± Fang Li said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Mt. Wanxun was a ways away from here, and the skill levels of the cultivators here were all over the place. Other than a few Nascent Soul cultivators from the Night Sky Palace, it seemed like the most of the other sects had were Golden Core, and the majority of the cultivators were Qi Refining or Foundation Building¡­¡­ Plenty of them didn¡¯t know how to ride swords, so they periodically stopped and rested as they walked. In the original book, Yan Sui had taken Xie Huai on a trip away from the ridge toward Helan province¡¯s Cinnabar Gate sect. They had taken a tour of the scenery for over a month, but if they had flown there directly with a flying spiritual device, it wouldn¡¯t have taken more than a day¡¯s worth of time, so it was clear that they¡¯d taken their time on this trip. The book hadn¡¯t actually described in detail exactly what they¡¯d done on this trip, so Fang Li thought that admiring the landscape while stopping and resting like this wasn¡¯t too bad. The three of them fell to the rear of the procession. Fang Li unobtrusively snuck a glance at Xie Huai. Xie Huai sure seemed relaxed and full of energy. Fang Li found this a little hard to swallow; clearly, he was the one doing the seizing and plundering, so how come the one who couldn¡¯t sleep was himself? Fang Li cleared his throat. Raising an eyebrow, he suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what this lord plans to do by following them?¡± As a renowned righteous cultivator, even if you don¡¯t care about yourself, surely you should care about these hundreds of cultivators¡¯ lives? Xie Huai turned his eyes to look at him and said blandly, ¡°What does Your Excellency want to do?¡± Fang Li revealed a cold sneer, saying the lines he¡¯d thought up way in advance. ¡°They¡¯re all saying that the demonic beast¡¯s rampage was caused by this lord. If this lord really doesn¡¯t do anything, wouldn¡¯t that be carrying this infamy for nothing?¡± After he was done talking, he looked at Xie Huai with a little bit of anticipation, wanting to see how Xie Huai would decide to deal with him. Look, I¡¯m about to start burning and killing, aren¡¯t you scared that Mt. Wanxun is going to flow with rivers of blood? But if you¡¯re willing to plead for their lives, this lord is willing to stay the execution blade¡­¡­ Xie Huai said, ¡°Oh.¡± Fang Li, ¡°?¡± Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s slightly blank eyes, and as if fearing that he hadn¡¯t understood, considerately added a sentence, ¡°Your Excellency¡¯s words have merit.¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Forget it, forget it, he was the one indulging in wild fantasies. Xie Huai was just the kind of person who listened to neither force nor persuasion. It wasn¡¯t like Yan Sui hadn¡¯t done similar things in the book, like threatening Xie Huai with other people¡¯s lives, but Xie Huai had never given in. On the contrary, it was Yan Sui who had admitted defeat time after time¡­¡­ Even Yan Sui didn¡¯t have any way of handling Xie Huai. Fang Li didn¡¯t think he could do any better, so his heart immediately became tranquil¡­¡­ Fang Li turned his head resentfully, then suddenly heard an indifferent voice from behind say, ¡°But these people¡¯s crimes aren¡¯t severe enough for death. I hope that Your Excellency can show some mercy.¡± Fang Li turned his head in astonishment. Xie Huai had actually given in?! This, this was pleading for their lives, right¡­¡­? After half a day, Fang Li snapped out of his daze. He raised a fist to his lips, his eyes swaying, and coughed lightly. ¡°Since Yuyi-jun has even pleaded for their lives, it¡¯s not like this lord can¡¯t reconsider¡­¡­¡± Saying that, he took a few hurried steps forward, leaving Xie Huai behind him. He had to calm down a bit. Xie Huai watched Fang Li¡¯s back as he left in a rush, and an almost indiscernible hint of a smile appeared in his eyes. He clearly wasn¡¯t planning to do anything, but he liked nothing more than to flaunt his sharp tongue¡­¡­ Do you know what a real threat sounds like? Fang Li looked calm and unhurried, but in truth, he was anything but. He didn¡¯t look back for the entire journey. He couldn¡¯t quite fathom Xie Huai¡¯s attitude anymore. Although it seemed like Fang Li had won this round, he felt an inexplicable unease in his heart. Xie Huai seemed to be a little different from before, but exactly what was different, Fang Li couldn¡¯t say. Because of the load on his mind, Fang Li¡¯s attention wandered a bit. Although Wu Yimei was in front, he¡¯d heard everything that had happened, and even Fang Li¡¯s absent-mindedness didn¡¯t escape his notice¡­¡­ His eyes darkened, jealousy and unease in his heart. That Xie Huai had only given him one soft sentence, and His Excellency had been dazed to this extent. If he showed him a bit more color, could His Excellency keep ahold of himself? Wu Yimei clenched his fist. Things couldn¡¯t go on like this¡­¡­ They walked for about three days¡¯ worth of time and finally arrived at the foot of Mt. Wanxun. Other than the Night Sky Palace elders and disciples, the other sects included a few Golden Core cultivators. Their cultivation level could be considered pretty decent, and they were fairly well-known in this group of people. One was the Crimson Sunrise School¡¯s Ding Qian, who was that silver-tongued expert in social settings. There was no one and nothing around here that he didn¡¯t know about, and he could strike up a conversation with anyone. One was Flying Blossom Valley¡¯s Ji Fangfang, the one who had raised a question back at Night Sky Palace. Although she was a young woman in the prime of her youth, she was already a Golden Core cultivator. Her talent was indeed pretty good, so everyone treated her a few degrees more courteously. That skinny and frail Xiong Wei from Verdant Forest Grotto was actually a Golden Core cultivator proficient in divination. Aside from that, the two sect brothers from the Great Whale Chamber were also experts of some renown in this area. As everyone was discussing how to proceed next, the head disciple of Night Sky Palace, Xue Qingyuan, stood forward, expressing that it was already getting late today, and asked everyone to rest a night at the foot of the mountain and to go up the mountain together tomorrow to search for and capture the ferocious beast. Everyone took a seat on the ground, and thinking about how they were just about to climb up the mountain tomorrow, they started chatting here and there. Ding Qian picked up his wine flask and seemed a little uneasy as he said, ¡°If it really is the Cloud Swallowing Beast, why is it being aggressive and harming so many people? I¡¯m afraid this matter isn¡¯t simple. Who knows, maybe it really does have something to do with Hollow Ridge. Everyone must be sure not to drop their guard.¡± Although Ding Qian brought up Hollow Ridge again, and everyone voiced their discontent toward Hollow Ridge, Xining County was a good ways away from Hollow Ridge. In their hearts, nobody really thought that that devil would come to such an unassuming little place. Even if he was going to start fighting or slaughtering, it should be with those famous folks in the five great sects. Although that was the case¡­¡­ it didn¡¯t prevent them from criticizing that devil together. ¡°Brother Ding, you¡¯re right, I also think this matter isn¡¯t simple. Our group will move carefully,¡± someone said in agreement. ¡°Even if it really is one of Hollow Ridge¡¯s schemes, we can¡¯t cower, or what will the common people do?¡± Someone said passionately. ¡°That¡¯s right, if it really does have to do with that devil, then all the more reason that we can¡¯t leave it alone!¡± Hearing them, Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit touched. Truly, what a crowd of righteous heroes! Thus, he spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s said that every part of the Cloud Swallowing Beast is a treasure hard to come by in a thousand years. Especially its core, which can help pass through tribulations. I wonder if it really is so miraculous?¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± The scene became awkward for a while, but Fang Li suddenly seemed completely unaware and looked around curiously at everyone. No one responded for half a day, so in the end, Ding Qian stepped up to mediate. Ding Qian coughed lightly, ¡°Those are just legends, they should be taken with a grain of salt. Besides, it¡¯s impossible to confirm right now whether it really is a Cloud Swallowing Beast.¡± Very quickly, someone echoed, ¡°Right, right, we still don¡¯t know if it is a Cloud Swallowing Beast. As I see it, only a demonic beast released by that devil would be this cruel and bloodthirsty.¡± ¡°If we weren¡¯t worried that that demonic beast would slaughter the common folk, we wouldn¡¯t have gone through such pains to rush here.¡± ¡°As righteous cultivators, eliminating danger for the people is what we¡¯re supposed to do.¡± Fang Li blinked and nodded. ¡°I understand, but what if it really is a Cloud Swallowing Beast¡­¡­? The Cloud Swallowing Beast only has one core, so what should we do?¡± Fang ¡°Conversation Killer¡± Li finished speaking and looked at everyone innocently, waiting for an answer. Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Why was this kid so brash that he couldn¡¯t read the room! The scene fell into dead silence again for a long time. Everyone¡¯s expression was extremely unsightly, but this question¡­¡­ Ding Qian seemed unable to look on any longer and sighed helplessly. He patted Fang Li on the shoulder and advised in the voice of a concerned older brother, ¡°What need is there for us to worry about this kind of thing? Night Sky Palace¡¯s Sect Master Shan is here. No matter what the outcome is, things will naturally be divided fairly.¡± But Fang Li seemed to not have too much faith in the Night Sky Palace and said hesitantly, ¡°Brother Ding is correct, but those are all the Night Sky Palace¡¯s one-sided claims. I¡¯m only afraid that after coming so far, if we don¡¯t get anything out of it in the end, wouldn¡¯t we have worked so hard to make someone else a free lunch?¡± That wasn¡¯t something a righteous cultivator should say! Even if you¡¯re thinking it in your heart, how could you say it out loud with such a dignified attitude?! Ding Qian lectured with a stiff face, ¡°As a righteous cultivator, protecting the people is one¡¯s duty. How can we bicker over gains and losses in such a petty manner?¡± Fang Li revealed an ashamed expression and finally stopped talking. Ding Qian let out a breath of relief. His expression fluctuated for a moment, and as if recalling something, he hurriedly got up and left. After going through such a tangent, no one was able to keep chatting, and they scattered one by one. The ones who were meditating closed their eyes and meditated, and the ones who were sleeping lay down and slept, all of them unconsciously keeping their distance from Fang Li in fear that he would speak up again. Fang Li lowered his eyes and restrained his smile, the corners of his lips hooking up as he reclined lazily against a tree. Xie Huai suddenly said impassively, ¡°The first to bring up Hollow Ridge was Ding Qian.¡± Fang Li narrowed his eyes and said leisurely, ¡°It was.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The next day, when the sky was just barely brightened, everyone got up. As the organizers, Night Sky Palace arranged all of the cultivators into ten or so teams, each guided by two Night Sky Palace disciples, and went up the mountain separately. In Fang Li¡¯s team, other than the two Night Sky Palace disciples guiding them, it was Flying Blossom Valley¡¯s Ji Fangfang who had the highest cultivation, so she took the lead. The reason why Mt. Wanxun was suitable for hiding was because it had a multitude of caves, and the path was rugged and steep; normally, not even hunters liked to come here. Every time they passed an area, they would leave a hidden mark so that if others saw it, they would know that this place had already been searched. If the Cloud Swallowing Beast came by, they would activate a signal as soon as they encountered it so that everyone could come to capture it. But several days passed, and there were still no signs at all. Just as everyone was gradually becoming impatient, a Night Sky Palace disciple said excitedly, ¡°Traces of blood!¡± The ferocious beast had been trapped on Mt. Wanxun with no way to leave to hunt for food. Who knows, maybe it would strike out at the other animals on the mountain. These traces of blood were a rare discovery! Hearing that, everyone immediately became energized and softened their footsteps as they proceeded. The Cloud Swallowing Beast was comparable to a Soul Formation cultivator, and they weren¡¯t its match. As soon as they discovered any traces, they were to send out the signal to ask Sect Leader Shan Qingyang to come over to help defeat it. The traces of blood weren¡¯t obvious, sometimes present and sometimes not, gradually becoming more and more sparse¡­¡­ They followed the direction of the traces of blood and arrived at a sunken mountain ravine. Ji Fangfang walked at the very front, and she bent down to break off a branch in front of her. A piece of cloth hung off the branch, and the cloth was soaked with blood¡­¡­ Everything felt that something was off. It couldn¡¯t be that this was a cultivator¡¯s blood? Someone had already met with danger? The crowd increased their pace, looking into the ravine, and their expressions suddenly changed dramatically. A warped and twisted corpse was crammed inside the crevices of the rock. Only half of the corpse remained, but one could still vaguely make out that it was Crimson Sunrise School¡¯s Ding Qian! CH 20 December 27th, 2022 Although everyone here had seen plenty of dead people before, the state of Ding Qian¡¯s death was really too tragic. More than a few people¡¯s faces paled as they felt nausea well up in their throats. After a long time, someone cautiously spoke up, breaking the dead silence. ¡°Could B-Brother Ding have encountered a demonic cultivator?¡± Only a demonic cultivator would inflict this type of cruel and fearsome death, right? Everyone immediately quivered¡­¡­ There weren¡¯t really demonic cultivators nearby, were there? No way! Just when everyone was in the midst of panic and unease¡­¡­ A cold, crisp voice said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a demonic cultivator.¡± The crowd¡¯s gazes followed the sound of the voice, discovering that at some point, Ji Fangfang had leapt down. The young woman¡¯s features were heroic and charming, her expression calm and collected as she knelt down. As she looked over the corpse, she turned it over so that the side that was torn to shreds was facing the crowd and pointed to the bloody wound. Impassively, she said, ¡°This type of wound is clearly from being ripped apart by a beast.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Oh, good thing it wasn¡¯t a demonic cultivator¡­¡­ As Ji Fangfang turned the corpse over, she pulled off its tattered robes, revealing the bloody gash on its back, and frowned as she analyzed with concentration, ¡°The demonic beast should have attacked him from behind. Ding Qian was only killed because he had been caught off-guard, but the demonic beast only ate half of his corpse, so it might still be wandering nearby.¡± The crowd, ¡°!!!¡± Everyone only felt a cold chill rise up from the bottoms of their feet, unable to help looking toward the thick clusters of trees around them. It felt like the demonic beast was just within, eyeing them like prey, and they immediately felt unwell. As a Golden Core expert, Ding Qian had been rather well-known in Xining county, but even he couldn¡¯t escape with his life. Now there was only a Ji Fangfang here, which definitely wasn¡¯t enough to ward off the beast¡¯s rampage! The two Night Sky disciples were also a bit nervous, but they still reassured the others, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, we¡¯ll immediately send word to Elder Sect Brother Xue and tell him that there are traces of the beast here.¡± After hearing that, although still anxious, everyone temporary calmed down a bit and warily looked around. Fang Li¡¯s entertained gaze swept past Ji Fangfang, and the corners of his lips rose. He suddenly said in a lazy voice, ¡°Why was Brother Ding here by himself?¡° The crowd was still caught within the unease of the beast¡¯s attack when they unexpectedly heard someone speak. Seeing it was that tactless brat again, they immediately felt their teeth ache without end¡­¡­ But thinking it over again, what the brat had asked really was a bit suspicious. Before setting out, Night Sky Palace had instructed over and over that the demonic beast was dangerous and vicious, and no one should act on their own, so why had Ding Qian died here alone? After about an incense stick¡¯s time, one team received the message and rushed over. They were the closest to this place, and they happened to be Ding Qian¡¯s teammates. Seeing Ding Qian¡¯s tragic appearance, each of them felt endless terror in hindsight. Someone asked Fang Li¡¯s earlier question, and the teammates answered, ¡°Brother Ding said he had to relieve himself, so he left on his own and had us go ahead first without waiting for him. He said he would catch up very soon, but he didn¡¯t return for a long, long time. We went back to look for him, but we weren¡¯t able to find him. Who would¡¯ve thought that Brother Ding, he¡­¡­¡± So that was how he¡¯d wandered off¡­¡­ He was really far too unlucky! Very soon, several more teams trickled in, including Night Sky Palace¡¯s head disciple Xue Qingyuan¡¯s team. Seeing that more and more people were gathering, the crowd¡¯s anxiety was soothed quite a bit. Xue Qingyuan wore a suit of gold-trimmed white robes, handsome and graceful, steady and collected. Although he was quite young, he was like a supporting pillar for everyone present. He calmly investigated the corpse, saying, ¡°It does indeed look like what happened to the villagers before. This should have been caused by the beast.¡± Now that Xue Qingyuan had made the final judgment, everyone¡¯s doubts were settled. So it really was that demonic beast. Although they¡¯d known earlier that the beast was vicious and had harmed countless people, because it was speculated to be the auspicious Cloud Swallowing Beast, they¡¯d suspected that the Night Sky Palace might¡¯ve exaggerated their words for the sake of recruiting people to help. A small number of people even guessed in their hearts that those disasters had been fabricated by the Night Sky Palace¡­¡­ but now, it looked like the beast truly was extremely ferocious. Not only had the Night Sky Palace not exaggerated even a bit, but on the contrary, they had understated things a bit. This trip was more dangerous than they¡¯d anticipated¡­¡­ Xue Qingyuan pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°The beast might be hiding nearby. Let¡¯s station ourselves here tonight. But we¡¯ll need to arrange people to take turns keeping watch.¡° Indeed, they shouldn¡¯t split up anymore. Everyone approved of Xue Qingyuan¡¯s arrangements, nodding one by one to indicate their agreement. Except, when it came to the matter of keeping watch, if the beast really attacked, the perimeter would be the first to suffer attack. For a while, nobody spoke up. Fang Li squeezed forward from the back, raising his hand with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m willing to keep watch.¡± Huh, who would¡¯ve thought this brat who made you choke up as soon as he opened his mouth actually had some sense of responsibility. Even Fang Li had spoken up, so several people volunteered in succession. Very soon, ten people were arranged into five pairs to take turns keeping watch nearby. Xie Huai and Fang Li were arranged into a group. Fang Li peeked at Xie Huai with a bit of surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected that Xie Huai would actually come along too, but thinking it over, it wasn¡¯t actually that strange for Xie Huai to do so. As a righteous cultivator who eliminated demons to defend order, he couldn¡¯t possibly allow a devil like Fang Li to go off on his own, so this was Xie Huai feeling uneasy and specially coming along to keep watch over him! He had already lost his own freedom, and he was still worrying for others. One would expect no less of the glory of the righteous path, the protagonist shou! Fang Li took his sweet time arriving outside the encampment. This part of the mountain woods was exceedingly peaceful. Compared to being within that group of people, Fang Li felt more content here. He freely adjusted his posture, leaning comfortably against a tree. Xie Huai had always been silent and taciturn. He wasn¡¯t a good partner for chatting with. At nightfall, a cool breeze fluttered through the woods. Fang Li¡¯s fatigue made him yawn, and just as he was feeling a bit bored, his eyes lit up. The thicket of trees before him rustled slightly. A gray rabbit was nosing through the dirt. Fang Li suddenly felt a little hungry. He narrowed his eyes and closed his fingers around a stone. With a whoosh, it flew out, and the rabbit fell to the ground with an answering thump. Fang Li walked over elatedly. As expected, it was nice and plump. He decided to roast some rabbit. The first thing to do was to remove the skin and fur. Fang Li went at it for half a day, getting blood all over himself and looking incredibly wretched, but he still hadn¡¯t gotten the rabbit clean. With a completely miserable appearance, he creased his brow in distress. Who would¡¯ve thought that roasting a rabbit wasn¡¯t actually as easy as he¡¯d imagined¡­¡­ If only Wu Yimei were here at a time like this. Fang Li shook his head and sighed. He could only blame himself for not having any wilderness survival experience. His goals were lofty but his skills were low. It looked like he wouldn¡¯t be able to have roast rabbit tonight¡­¡­ Just when he put down the rabbit a bit sorrowfully, a slender, jade-like hand suddenly reached out from beside him and picked up the rabbit. Fang Li turned his head, startled. That was when he saw Xie Huai lift the rabbit expressionlessly, his fingertips white as jade nimbly flying up and down. In just a few movements, a rabbit that had been skinned clean was put on the flame to roast. Fang Li watched wide-eyed and open-mouthed, then was immediately overcome with immense respect. His impression of Xie Huai was a celestial who didn¡¯t partake of mortal fare. He was a young cultivator who could survive on morning dew. Such a perfect, immaculate, lofty, unsullied protagonist shou actually knew how to do this kind of mundane work? You really couldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover. From start to finish, Xie Huai¡¯s clothes remained clean and spotless. Only his fingertips were stained with a bit of blood, but those were quickly wiped clean, in distinct contrast to Fang Li¡¯s miserable state. He looked at Fang Li¡¯s astonished expression, his expression dimming minutely. He had also had his youthful, frivolous, rebellious years. When he was young, he¡¯d thought that his mother and father were overly strict, and he¡¯d secretly snuck outside to play¡­¡­ It wasn¡¯t strange for him to know how to do these kinds of things. But sooner or later, people had to grow up. They couldn¡¯t always live in the past. Xie Huai closed his eyes. When the day came that no one was around to be strict with him¡­¡­ He was all alone and was brought back by the Ming Yin who had coincidentally passed by, and he was accepted as Ming Yin¡¯s disciple because of his innate Dao physique. Ming Yin had high hopes for him, and he became Cloudbank Keep¡¯s Eldest Sect Brother, vowing to use his sword to cut down all evil and demons in the world. He began to do things in accordance with his position, becoming a model for the righteous path, shouldering the responsibilities that he was supposed to shoulder. This was the path he¡¯d chosen for himself. Since there were those in this world who fell to the demonic path, then there had to be those who would protect the common people, or else if everyone let themselves fall, there would be no more peace in the world. What about you? What did you experience, for you to make a decision like this? Xie Huai pursed his lips. Before Hollow Ridge had attacked, he had heard plenty of things about Yan Sui. No one knew where Yan Sui came from, but he was just a youth with an unknown name. Before anyone knew to expect it, he used thunderous force to unite the demonic sects. The only trick that he used to make that horde of reckless and willful, lawless and immoral demonic cultivators submit to him was to slaughter until they knew fear. This person tread upon mountains and mountains of bones to stand in his current position. WIthout question, he was cold-blooded and cruel. But the person before him was always gentle and easygoing, tranquil and carefree, to the point that he had compassion in his heart¡­¡­ Xie Huai had never seen him personally kill a single person again. These were two utterly contradictory faces, yet they just had to meet within the same person. Why? But in the end, Xie Huai still didn¡¯t ask, because he knew that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t answer. Fang Li¡¯s eyes were fixed on the rabbit. Although he¡¯d eaten his fill of fine delicacies, this was something Xie Huai had cooked himself! In the whole world, he was the only one who would get to eat it. Even if he told anyone about this kind of treatment, no one would believe it. Because of what happened last time, the System hadn¡¯t appeared for some time. There was really nothing to say; even if it spoke, it couldn¡¯t win against the host¡­¡­ But looking at the two cheerfully roasting meat in the wild, it truly couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. ¡¾ The System reminded tactfully: Host, don¡¯t you feel like this is a bit inappropriate? ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Huh, what¡¯s inappropriate? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: Just, what you¡¯re doing right now, do you think you two look like enemies? ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Don¡¯t we? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: You don¡¯t. ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li: Oh. ¡¿ Fang Li lowered his eyes. Actually, even if the System hadn¡¯t spoken, he¡¯d also felt it. That Xie Huai wasn¡¯t giving him a cold face was strange enough, but earlier, he¡¯d even pleaded leniency with him for the sake of the others. Today, he¡¯d even personally helped him roast a rabbit. They really didn¡¯t seem like things Xie Huai would do. When things were out of the ordinary, something had to be afoot. He frowned in contemplation. Based on his own previous actions, if one were to say that Xie Huai had forgiven him just like that, that was completely impossible. Xie Huai sure wasn¡¯t the type to be blinded by love. Strictly speaking, he was the only one in this book who wasn¡¯t blinded by love; he was a qualified stone-hearted cultivator¡ªa straight man made of steel that nobody could bend. So it was impossible that Xie Huai was acting this way because he liked him. Then the only possibility left was that Xie Huai wanted to lull him into complacency. Although he was an emotionless cultivator who abhorred evil as if they were his own foes, he wasn¡¯t a hot-blooded fool. On the contrary, he was a very cool-headed, rational person who could bow and bend and only acted when he had a plan in place. He knew how to make the most favorable choices possible in circumstances that were unfavorable to him, just as he¡¯d patiently endured and bided his time in the book until he¡¯d recovered his cultivation and killed Yan Sui. Nowadays, Fang Li had replaced Yan Sui and changed the plot. His relationship with Xie Huai had been alleviated quite a bit, and they weren¡¯t as at odds as fire and water anymore. On the contrary, they¡¯d reached a superficial harmony, so for Xie Huai to express some goodwill and make use of his favor to make him let down his guard or achieve some other purpose¡­¡­ That was completely possible. Everything was completely within reason! Getting along with a smart, rational person really was easy. If it were someone who cried and made a fuss all day and kept trying to kick the bucket, he would actually feel more awkward, but Xie Huai was the complete opposite. Thinking up to here, Fang Li put down his worries, retrieving the cooked rabbit without any qualms. Oh, it was roasted just right. Fang Li was completely satisfied, his eyes curving in a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, on the merit of this rabbit, this lord won¡¯t bicker with those people.¡± I don¡¯t mind at all if you keep making use of me like this. As long as it¡¯s not a question of principle, I can agree to anything you want. I hope that until the mission is complete, we can maintain this friendly, mutually beneficial relationship. Xie Huai looked at the man beside him. Although his appearance had been changed, those eyes were still gentle and clear, with a trace of craftiness and delight, as if saying to him¡­¡­ Look, I¡¯ve compromised so much for you. Hah, it was clearly your own decision, yet you keep insistenting on dumping the blame on me¡­¡­ But Xie Huai had no way of feeling even the slightest bit of loathing, so much that he didn¡¯t want to expose him. He recalled again that night when this person had suddenly barged in, helpless and startled and at a loss. Then, this person had let him control him, presenting himself like an offering, that posture of letting him take as he pleased¡­¡­ The love parasite obviously wasn¡¯t in effect, and that unfamiliar feeling didn¡¯t exist, but Xie Huai knew clearly that that thing was still in his body. Feng Yin had said in his letter that the Entangling Threads Love Parasite was the Hehuan Sect¡¯s secret treasure, and it could be used to control others¡¯ lust¡­¡­ Looking at it now, Fang Li had never used it again. Perhaps that day had scared him. Liking, huh¡­¡­ Do you know what liking someone means? Did anyone teach you how to treat someone you like? Just snatching them isn¡¯t enough. Only a child would believe that as long as you snatch the things you like, they¡¯ll belong to you. The human heart isn¡¯t a thing¡­¡­ But, perhaps you just don¡¯t understand that, that¡¯s all¡­¡­ Xie Huai pressed his forehead, covering up the complicated expression in his eyes. He looked at the youth eating roast rabbit beside him. With that focused and satisfied appearance, it was impossible to tell that this was an infamous devil¡­¡­ Who would think that the existence that everyone in the world feared, to the point that they were afraid to even say his name¡­ Sometimes, was even purer than a child? Fang Li let out a satisfied sigh. Now that he was full, his mood was also better. He turned his head and found that Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were lightly closed, and he felt a bit embarrassed. After all, it was Xie Huai who had roasted the rabbit, but he hadn¡¯t even had a bite. Forget it, he could count as having given payment, right? Fang Li lifted his head and looked at the sky. It was already past the zi hour.1 In two more shichen, it would start to get bright. The corners of his lips hooked up. Although he¡¯d promised Xie Huai not to make things difficult for those people, teasing them a bit shouldn¡¯t be breaking his promise, right? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Under the Night Sky Palace disciples¡¯ guidance, the crowd quickly set up camp. They had all been searching in the mountains for several days, and they were all a bit tired. Plus, with the scare they¡¯d suffered earlier that day, by now, most people were already resting. The encampment was completely still, the moon bright and the stars sparse, and there was only the occasional sound of the wind blowing past. In the midst of the tranquility, a sharp sound suddenly arose, tearing through the peace in a split second. Everyone rushed out of their tents in a panic and saw a youth covered in blood, staggering over in a hurry. That, that looked like that brat from the Heavy Snow Sect who could choke you to death just by opening his mouth. What was going on, had he been attacked by the demonic beast? Everyone looked behind Fang Li warily, quickly assuming defensive stances. A couple of Night Sky Palace disciples rushed over, hurriedly asking Fang Li, ¡°What happened? Was the beast the one who attacked you? Is it pursuing you?¡± Fang Li shook his head, his face white, saying in a voice that sounded like his panic had yet to settle, ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t the beast¡­¡­ The one who attacked me was, was a demonic cultivator!¡± What?! A demonic cultivator?! So, not only is there a ferocious demonic beast here, but there really are demonic cultivators? Wasn¡¯t this too unlucky, too nonsensical! Some people started to regret coming. Although it was said that wealth was found amidst danger, you still needed your life to possess it. The Night Sky Palace disciple¡¯s expressions changed slightly, and he said in a heavy voice, ¡°Did you see the person who attacked you clearly? How can you be sure it was a demonic cultivator?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°That person looked extremely ugly and unusually fierce. It must be that devil from Hollow Ridge!¡± The Night Sky Palace¡¯s face turned black, and he yelled angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. If it really was that devil, how could you come back alive?¡± ¡°It should be that he let me come back on purpose. They say that that devil likes nothing more than to play tricks on people. He probably thought it was no fun to kill me right away¡­¡­¡± Fang Li paused. His eyes held a meaningful look, but his voice was completely innocent as he slowly said, ¡°Besides, you were all saying that this is a scheme of that devil from Hollow Ridge. Didn¡¯t you already expect that demonic cultivators would appear? Why are you so surprised?¡± The scene immediately fell silent. A-Although that was the case, we were only running their mouths! Who knew that demonic cultivators would really show up! It¡¯s not like if we say that Yuyi-jun is here, Yuyi-jun would really immediately show up? How come a brash little brat like you just can¡¯t understand how to adapt to the circumstances! But Fang Li seemed unable to perceive everyone¡¯s alarm, adding in a nervous voice, ¡°Besides, I, I saw that demonic cultivator heading towards this encampment, so I gave it my all to come back and report. Did any of you see any traces of that demonic cultivator?¡± What? He was heading over here?! Everyone¡¯s faces drained of color in fright. But they clearly hadn¡¯t seen anything at all! Fang Li looked left and right all around him, his expression grave as he said, ¡°It can¡¯t be that that devil is hiding among us?¡± The crowd: ¡­¡­ We¡¯re begging you, stop talking, that¡¯s even scarier! Xue Qingyuan arrived at the scene a step late. As soon as he arrived, he heard Fang Li say that a demonic cultivator had come, and seeing the crowd reveal terrified, wavering expressions, he frowned. He crossed through the crowd, his tone gentle and calm as he reassured, ¡°No need to panic, everyone. A defensive array has been set up around the encampment. As soon as someone enters, it will immediately be triggered. There¡¯s no way it wouldn¡¯t have been discovered. Perhaps this young brother was mistaken.¡± But Fang Li still shook his head, refusing to give in. ¡°I definitely wasn¡¯t mistaken. He really did head in this direction.¡± Xue Qingyuan¡¯s expression was solemn as he said, ¡°You experienced a fright, and you came back in a hurry. It¡¯s not impossible that you saw incorrectly. Right, where¡¯s your partner?¡± Fang Li narrowed his eyes. Xie Huai was standing silently to one side. The clothes that had still been clean when he¡¯d been skinning the rabbit were currently covered with bloody handprints. Fang Li pretended not to see, turning his eyes to the side. Xue Qingyuan looked at Xie Huai and muttered to himself for a second, then slowly spoke up. ¡°This Dao friend over here, did you also see that demonic cultivator?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: Do you know what the so-called straight man¡¯s thought process is? Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1About midnight (~11-1) CH 21 December 30th, 2022 ¡°Did you see that demonic cultivator?¡± Following Xue Qingyuan¡¯s questioning, everyone¡¯s gazes fell on Xie Huai, their expression nervous and apprehensive, urgently wanting to receive a different answer¡­¡­ Xie Huai stood there in silence, giving Fang Li a fixed look. After half a day¡¯s time, he nodded his head. Right before my eyes. Xue Qingyuan¡¯s brow furrowed, and his tone became a bit heavier as he said, ¡°Then did you see that demonic cultivator come this way?¡± Xie Huai paused, then nodded again. To this very place. Seeing Xie Huai verify Fang Li¡¯s words, the crowd was out of luck, and they revealed uneasy and terrified expressions. A demonic cultivator really had come! The beast¡¯s ferocity was already beyond their expectations, and now even demonic cultivators were involved. You had to know that the demonic cultivators of Hollow Ridge¡­¡­ created rivers of blood wherever they went. If things really did have something to do with that devil, then even their entire group wouldn¡¯t amount to enough to stuff between the cracks of that devil¡¯s teeth. Some people already began to regret. They shouldn¡¯t have come to wade in these muddy waters. Xue Qingyuan fell into contemplation for a moment, then said, ¡°I will report this matter to the sect master. If there really are demonic cultivators causing trouble, we¡¯ll have Heaven¡¯s Summit come over to subdue the demonic cultivators.¡± Heaven¡¯s Summit of the five great sects, huh? These days, they were extremely high-profile, appealing to all the righteous sects to unite and form the Immortals¡¯ Alliance to resist Hollow Ridge together. Although Heaven¡¯s Summit was powerful, the group was afraid that a faraway river wouldn¡¯t be able to quench an immediate thirst. But at present, they didn¡¯t have any other solutions, either. As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Qingyuan left. Because of the chaos, no one was in the mood to rest anymore. They snuck furtive glances at Fang Li. Although this brat spoke unpleasantly, he had actually seen that demonic cultivator with his own eyes¡­¡­ Just as the crowd was hesitating over whether to step up and ask for details, Ji Fangfang walked over. The young woman¡¯s expression was cold as she stuffed a bottle of medicine into Fang Li¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°You should treat your wounds first. If there¡¯s anything to say, speak afterwards.¡± Fang Li was a bit startled, then smiled appreciatively. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Fangfang nodded without much expression, then sat to one side, holding her sword. Fang Li didn¡¯t even look at the medicine before pouring it directly into his mouth, eating it like candy. This body of his was a sieve; whether they were miraculous medicines or fake goods, they wouldn¡¯t have much of an effect on him. They couldn¡¯t cure his wounds, nor would they cause injury. He licked the corners of his mouth. The taste wasn¡¯t bad. Wu Yimei stood to one side without a sound. He could naturally tell that Fang Li was pretending, but the fact that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t exposed him but was instead following along with Fang Li¡¯s act made Wu Yimei somewhat surprised¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s eyes were dark and unfathomable. What had happened between them? After taking the medicine, Fang Li sat onto the ground, his pale, wan face seemingly devoid of blood. He lifted up his robes to rearrange them, then assumed the posture of a storyteller. ¡°Whatever anyone wants to ask, go ahead and ask.¡± Everyone present sank into silence for a while. You were the one who told us to ask, okay? It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t care for the injured. Someone stepped up and inquired, ¡°What exactly did that demonic cultivator look like? Can you describe him in a bit more detail?¡± Fang Li looked as if he still had some lingering fear. ¡°He looked like Zhong Kui1, ugly beyond compare. He was dressed all in black, and he spread out his arms like a huge bat. His laughter was miserable and completely terrifying, and his eyes glowed red in the dark¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai and Wu Yimei, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Someone cautiously spoke up. ¡°There are so many demonic cultivators in the world. It might not really be related to Hollow Ridge. How do you know that it was one of Hollow Ridge¡¯s demonic cultivators?¡± Fang Li sighed and said, ¡°Before that demonic cultivator left, I heard him laugh oddly in a sinister way, and it seemed like he said ¡®this lord¡¯ something something¡­¡­¡± The crowd, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone¡¯s faces became ghastly pale, their hearts getting colder the more they heard. They wanted nothing more than to slap their own mouths. These crow¡¯s mouths of theirs, speaking of the devil! Fang Li let out a mournful sigh, ¡°Right now, I¡¯m just afraid, what if that demonic cultivator is hiding among us. What should we do?!¡± The crowd: That¡¯s right, what should we do?! QAQ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. After exiting, Xue Qingyuan entered a tent. Inside the tent were several Night Sky Palace disciples. His expression changed, and his eyes were ice-cold as he asked the disciple beside him, ¡°Did you arrange those two?¡± That disciple shook his head, saying, ¡°No, we only arranged for Ding Qian. We don¡¯t recognize those two.¡± Hearing that, Xue Qingyuan¡¯s brow furrowed tightly. That disciple¡¯s expression was also rather unsightly, seeming a bit uneasy. After a long while, he cautiously opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Elder Sect Brother Xue, you don¡¯t think there might really be demonic cultivators¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even if there are, so what? You don¡¯t really believe their nonsense and think that it has to do with Hollow Ridge, do you?¡± Xue Qingyuan eyes were disdainful, and a sneer crept onto his lips. ¡°As for those two, whether they were telling the truth or not, and what purpose they have, we¡¯ll know as soon as we snatch them over here to ask.¡± They were just some mere Heavy Snow Sect disciples who could be ground to death like ants. He wanted to see whether they really had encountered a demonic cultivator, or if they were intentionally stirring things up for some other purpose. That disciple had a bit of doubt. ¡°But they came here to help out. How are we to go arrest them? It seems like it won¡¯t be easy¡­¡­¡± Xue Qingyuan¡¯s gaze swept over, and he said indifferently, ¡°They said themselves that there are demonic cultivators here. Then if they¡¯re captured by demonic cultivators, what¡¯s so strange about that?¡± That disciple came to an understanding and answered with a bow, ¡°We¡¯ll go invite them right away.¡± Xue Qingyuan nodded and instructed again, ¡°You must do things cleanly and efficiently. Don¡¯t beat the grass and startle the snakes. As long as they¡¯re alive to talk, that¡¯s enough.¡± Alive to talk, meaning that injuring or maiming was fine. After all, when they were done being questioned, they wouldn¡¯t be alive to talk anymore. Having received their orders, the two Night Sky Palace disciples left. They quietly approached the Heavy Snow Sect¡¯s tent and bent their ears to listen. The inside of the tent was incredibly calm, without the slightest hint of movement. The two looked at each other and lifted up the front entrance of the tent to go inside. As expected, there was nobody in the tent. Where did they go? They couldn¡¯t have fled, could they? Just then, they suddenly heard a clamor from the front, as if many people were gathered together, so they followed the direction of the sound to take a look. They found Fang Li¡¯s group of three in the center of the encampment, where a bonfire was blazing. They were sitting on the ground, surrounded by many cultivators from other sects, at least several tens of them. As for Fang Li, although he had a weak, sickly posture, he was conversing steadily in the middle of the crowd. With this many people, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be easy to act¡­¡­ The two Night Sky Palace disciples looked at each other, then walked over, inquiring in a warm voice, ¡°Sect Brother Qiu, you were just injured. How come you didn¡¯t go back to rest?¡± Carrying a pale, sickly face, Fang Li shook his head and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m timid, I¡¯m scared.¡± The two Night Sky Palace disciples, ¡°¡­¡­¡± They held back their tempers and said, ¡°What could happen inside the encampment? You¡¯re overthinking.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t something happen?¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that a demonic cultivator has snuck inside. Since you guys haven¡¯t been able to catch the demonic cultivator, then he must still be hiding here. Naturally, going off alone is very dangerous. Only places with lots of people are safe.¡± Seeing that he refused to give in to any kind of persuasion, the two Night Sky Palace disciples were already a bit impatient. They ground their teeth and said, ¡°Elder Sect Brother Xue still has things to ask you. He wanted to ask you to come with us for a bit.¡± Fang Li shook his head. He sized them up with a suspicious gaze, suddenly raising his voice to say, ¡°Right now, the demonic cultivator is hiding among us. Anyone might be the demonic cultivator in disguise, so how do I know that you¡¯re not demonic cultivators? I¡¯m not going.¡± The two Night Sky Palace disciples¡¯ faces immediately blackened, and they shouted angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t speak without thinking! Is that something you can say irresponsibly?¡± But Fang Li wasn¡¯t afraid at all. Raising an eyebrow, he said unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m only going to stay here today. Whoever makes a move against me is a demonic cultivator!¡± The two Night Sky Palace disciples were so mad that their chests began to hurt. They looked coldly at Fang Li and said, ¡°Then stay here.¡± Saying that, they left in a hurry. Fang Li turned his head back as if nothing had happened, saying earnestly to everyone, ¡°You should also be more vigilant. Staying together from now on is the only way to avoid giving the demonic cultivator a chance to act.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Under Fang Li¡¯s continuous embellishments, everyone became more and more uneasy. Although they still couldn¡¯t stand Fang Li, when they thought it over, what the brat said wasn¡¯t wrong. At this point, staying together was the safest; who knew where the demonic cultivator was hiding right now? After fermenting for a night, by dawn the next morning, a thought had already sprouted within more than a few people. They were no more than a couple of ordinary, commonplace cultivators. They weren¡¯t prodigies of the righteous path like Yuyi-jun, nor were they disciples of the illustrious five great sects. Most of them would find it hard to reach even Foundation Building, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to cultivate a Golden Core in their entire lifetime. For them, cultivation had never been some lofty pursuit, but simply a way of making a living¡­¡­ Previously, the reason they¡¯d accepted Night Sky Palace¡¯s invitation was because they¡¯d thought that with Night Sky Palace watching over things, nothing would really happen. They would only be lending aid from the sidelines, and although they wouldn¡¯t get a chance at the beast¡¯s core, they could still get some profit. After all, since they¡¯d contributed some labor, Night Sky Palace wouldn¡¯t treat them unfairly. But looking at things now, this trip was unusually dangerous. Not only was the beast savage and fierce, but there really were demonic cultivators about committing evil¡­¡­ Regardless of whether the demonic cultivator came from Hollow Ridge, it probably wasn¡¯t someone they could deal with, and if it really was a powerful demonic cultivator from Hollow Ridge, even with all of them stacked together, the demonic cultivator still wouldn¡¯t be able to get his fill of killing. If they went, they would only be giving up their lives for nothing. Forget it, forget it, they just weren¡¯t fated for the profits here. They only hoped to return alive. After the group of timid and cautious people discussed things over, they went together to Night Sky Palace to ask to resign. Seeing that after just one night, so many people wanted to leave, Xue Qingyuan¡¯s expression became unsightly. His gaze swept coldly past Fang Li. Ever since last night, this person had started scaring everyone with his words, sending everyone¡¯s hearts into turmoil, but because he¡¯d never left the crowd, they¡¯d never gotten the chance to act against him. The group of people resigning were led by Verdant Forest Grotto¡¯s Xiong Wei. He was a thin and frail youth, and he cupped his hands in salute with a bit of embarrassment. ¡°Apologies, but since matters here involve demonic cultivators from Hollow Ridge, it really isn¡¯t something we can deal with. I¡¯m afraid that even if we stay, we won¡¯t be of much help, so we can only bid our farewells to everyone here.¡± Xue Qingyuan urged him to stay. ¡°I know of Brother Xiong¡¯s apprehensions, but it¡¯s still not certain whether things really are related to Hollow Ridge¡­¡­ But regardless of who is causing trouble, it¡¯s safer for us to stay together right now. Wouldn¡¯t splitting apart play precisely into the enemy¡¯s hands and make it easier for them to attack us separately?¡± But Xiong Wei had already made up his mind, saying, ¡°Right now, not only are demonic cultivators causing trouble, but the beast is also lurking nearby. I¡¯m afraid that there will be even more risk as we continue up the mountain, so I urge everyone to also reconsider¡­¡­ Farewell.¡± Saying that, he took his group of people and left. All of a sudden, almost half of the group had left. Of the ones remaining, some felt reluctant to give up or trusted in their luck¡­¡­ But seeing Xiong Wei leave, they started to hesitate again. Xue Qingyuan restrained the chill in the depths of his eyes. He turned back, and his gaze swept around, immediately spotting Fang Li in the middle of the crowd. The killing intent in his heart once again rose up. Fang Li was standing lazily in the crowd of people when someone suddenly patted his shoulder. Xue Qingyuan¡¯s expression was gentle as he looked at him, asking with concern, ¡°This trip will be full of dangers. Young Brother Qiu, since you¡¯re so timid, won¡¯t you be scared? Why didn¡¯t you leave with the others?¡± At this point, Xiong Wei¡¯s group was already far away. If Fang Li agreed to leave, he could borrow the pretense of sending them off to eliminate him on the way. Xue Qingyuan said warmly, ¡°If your group wants to leave, I can¡­¡­¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t wait for him to finish before refusing righteously. ¡°I was originally planning to leave¡­¡­ but after hearing Elder Brother Xue¡¯s words, I felt enlightened by your great wisdom, so I decided to stay.¡± Xue Qingyuan felt like his chest was being smothered, as if blood was surging up. He stared fixedly at Fang Li, then smiled slowly. ¡°It¡¯s very good of you to think this way.¡± Fang Li was all smiles as he watched Xue Qingyuan leave. As soon as he turned his head, he met Xie Huai¡¯s probing gaze. His eyes curved as he revealed a smile to Xie Huai. These days, Xie Huai had been far too calm, and he never messed with Fang Li¡¯s spotlight. Fang Li felt a bit moved, so he gave Xie Huai a smile full of goodwill in return. Xie Huai looked at him. After a moment, he turned his eyes away, his lips pursing slightly. This person was truly easy to satisfy¡­.. Because Xiong Wei had led a group away, suddenly, there were a lot less people. The encampment became sparse, and the atmosphere was much more solemn than before. At night, Fang Li sat beside the bonfire again, dozing off with his eyes half-closed. Ji Fangfang sat down beside him without a sound, her voice ice-cold as she said, ¡°The situation here isn¡¯t simple. Actually, you should have left.¡± Fang Li looked at her. The young woman had a cold face but a warm heart. They weren¡¯t familiar with each other at all, yet she was willing to come give him a reminder. Fang Li gave a small smile. ¡°But I¡¯m very curious about exactly what will happen.¡± Ji Fangfang turned her head, the small golden bells on her high ponytail swaying. Although she had a pretty, youthful face, she gave off a feeling of being much older than her years, and she said slowly, ¡°Curiosity killed the cat.¡± That¡¯s right¡­¡­ Fang Li fixed his gaze on her, then suddenly turned the topic around. ¡°Then what about you? Why didn¡¯t you go?¡± Ji Fangfang¡¯s eyes became heavy. After a long time, she said, word by word, ¡°I have my reasons.¡± Saying that, she stood up and left. Wealth was found amidst danger. Other than those who were greedy and insatiable, of the people who had stayed, who didn¡¯t have their reasons? Fang Li smiled and shook his head. In a low voice, Wu Yimei asked Fang Li for further direction. ¡°There¡¯s clearly something wrong with the Night Sky Palace, and the matter with the Cloud Swallowing Beast is also odd. Should this subordinate go ahead to investigate?¡± Fang Li propped up his chin and laughed indolently. ¡°No need to go the extra lengths. They won¡¯t be able to wait much longer.¡± That night passed peacefully and without incident. Because the number of people was much less than before, Xue Qingyuan suggested that they quickly reunite with the remaining group, so everyone set out early the next morning. Fang Li¡¯s group of three was hated by everyone present, and nobody was willing to answer them. Fang Li scooted over to Ji Fangfang¡¯s side, saying, ¡°Can we follow behind you?¡± Ji Fangfang still had that icy cold expression, but she nodded, indicating that they could follow her. Fang Li revealed a joyful smile, the corners of his mouth rising as he said, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± He had the happy appearance of someone who had someone to cover for him. Saying that, he indicated for Wu Yimei and Xie Huai to follow close behind. Seeing this, the others all inwardly shook their heads. Only a little girl like Ji Fangfang would be willing to mind others¡¯ business and bring these dead weights with her. With how dangerous the mountain was right now, if something happened and she wasn¡¯t even able to take care of herself, where would she find the time to look after others? For the entire trip, everyone was dead silent. Xue Qingyuan was in the front leading the group. Sect Master Shan Qingyang was with the other group, and everyone was in a rush to reunite with them so that they would have a Soul Formation cultivator to watch over them. They walked without sleep or rest for a whole night. Not long after, a Night Sky Palace disciple received a message and said joyfully, ¡°They¡¯re not too far from us. We should be able to reunite with them soon.¡± Hearing that, everyone¡¯s spirits rose. Thank goodness, that was a rare piece of good news these days! Thinking up to here, everyone¡¯s expressions relaxed a bit, and they didn¡¯t intend to rest anymore. Hopefully by tonight, they would be able to meet up¡­¡­ Suddenly, a gust blew through a thicket of trees nearby, and a white afterimage seemed to flit by. Everyone startled. Before they¡¯d even reacted to what had happened, a mournful, blood-curdling scream split the air, then was immediately cut off. A cultivator¡¯s corpse was thrown out, and everyone raised their heads to look. In the darkness, a pair of blood-red eyes emerged. Gradually, its body appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. The demonic beast had a beautiful snowy-white pelt, its body lanky and filled with vigor, and long antlers grew from its forehead like tree branches. It had the body of a white deer, hooves like clouds, and if you ignored the fresh blood dripping from its antlers and its monstrous red eyes, it really did look exactly the same as the Cloud Swallowing Beast in the Spirit Beast Records. A chill crept up from everyone¡¯s feet. Earlier, not a single one of them had seen the beast¡¯s movements clearly. Too, too fast! Everyone took out their weapons. Ji Fangfang held her greatsword up before her, her eyes incomparably fierce, but her nervousness was apparent as the hands that held up her sword turned white. Xue Qingyuan should forcefully, ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± But just as his words fell, the beast started to move again. It was as swift as a streak of lightning, only leaving flashes of white afterimages before everyone¡¯s eyes. Immediately following several miserable shrieks, several more people immediately stopped breathing! Within the beast¡¯s eyes was a bloodthirsty killing intent, as if it couldn¡¯t control its own senses. It let out a painful whinny from its throat, its ice-cold eyes fixed on the crowd. Fresh blood soaked its pelt red, and its hooves scraped impatiently against the ground a few times. It suddenly lowered its head, charging at the young woman holding the greatsword¡ª¡ª Just at that moment¡ª¡ª The youth behind the young woman raised his head. His eyes were dark and violent, and his indifferent gaze fell upon its body¡­¡­ The two people beside the youth also looked at it calmly. Ji Fangfang couldn¡¯t see the beast¡¯s movements at all. When the white flash was just before her, she was already completely unable to move. In that split second, the shadow of death enveloped her. Even though she was already a Golden Core cultivator, in front of this demonic beast, she was no more than a dead thing. Just when she¡¯d already prepared herself to face death, in the next second¡ªthe beast seemed to suffer a fright and suddenly turned, ramming the person next to her to death on its antlers. Ji Fangfang rigidly turned her head, and after a long time, cold sweat trickled down from her forehead. She, actually hadn¡¯t died? Then, she heard the youth behind her cry out in surprise, ¡°Ah, is that Sect Master Shan? Sect Master Shan is here, he must have scared away the beast!¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Cloud Swallowing Beast: Thanks for asking, right now, I am just, very scared. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 Zhong Kui CH 22 January 3rd, 2023 TL Note: A slightly belated Happy New Year¡¯s! Hope everyone has a great 2023! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Ji Fangfang had only just gotten ahold of her scattered wits. Cold sweat soaked her clothes, and she turned toward the people behind her. Fang Li said emotionally, ¡°Thank goodness you were here, or we would be dead for sure.¡± Is, is that right? Ji Fangfang was a bit dazed. But, but she clearly hadn¡¯t done anything. Besides, was it really Sect Master Shan who had scared away the beast? Ji Fangfang looked blanky towards the front. The white-robed elder was as imposing as a mountain with movements like wind as he started to battle the demonic beast. Seeing that it couldn¡¯t get any advantages, the beast turned and disappeared into the forest¡­¡­ It turned out that at some point, the people who had gathered on the other side had come to the rescue. Looking at the situation, it was indeed Shan Qingyang who had driven the beast away with his attacks, but Ji Fangfang creased her brow. She distinctly remembered that when the beast had attacked her, Shan Qingyang still hadn¡¯t arrived. Besides¡­¡­ This beast didn¡¯t really seem to be that scared of Shan Qingyang, either? It had even fought with Shan Qingyang for a while before leaving. But other than Shan Qingyang, there was nobody else present who could threaten the demonic beast. Looking at it this way, it seemed like it really was Shan Qingyang after all¡­¡­ Ji Fangfang¡¯s heart was full of misgivings. Things really did seem to be as Fang Li said, but when scrutinizing them again, there still seemed to be something out of place¡­¡­ Although Shan Qingyang had appeared promptly, there had still been grave casualties. Seeing the people who had just been alive and well beside them become cold corpses while they didn¡¯t even have the power to fight back, only able to let death descend upon them, the atmosphere suddenly became completely grave. Not a single person opened their mouth to speak. The dark forests around them were like open-mawed basins of blood, seemingly about to snatch someone to swallow. If the demonic beast was hiding in the darkness to launch a surprise attack, even if Sect Master Shan Qingyang was present, they were afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect everyone. Shan Qingyang saw everyone¡¯s unease and said in a heavy voice, ¡°This old man knows of a place that¡¯s easy to defend but difficult to attack that¡¯s good for hiding. We can first go there to recover before making any decisions.¡± There was someplace like that? At this point, the crowd¡¯s nerves had already been shattered from fright, and they dared even less to go down the mountain alone. Now, only by listening to Sect Master Shan¡¯s arrangements would there be a hope of survival¡­¡­ Everyone followed the Night Sky Palace¡¯s people and arrived at a place halfway up the mountain. Within the deep underbrush there, an inconspicuous cave was hidden. The entrance of the cave was extremely narrow, only wide enough for two people standing side by side to enter or exit, yet the inside of the cave was exceedingly spacious, enough to fit several hundred people. It truly was easy to defend and difficult to attack. The crowd inwardly let out a breath in relief. There was only one entrance here, and Sect Master Shan was also here to oversee things. The demonic beast probably wouldn¡¯t be able to rampage anymore, so at least they were safe for the time being. One by one, the crowd sat on the ground in exhaustion. Although the ones who had managed to survive hadn¡¯t suffered any injuries, they had been alarmed and frightened and tired the whole journey, and it was truly hard to bear at this point. Ji Fangfang looked at Fang Li¡¯s group of three. Although the three of them were also travel-worn and covered in dust, she inexplicably felt that they gave off a relaxed kind of air¡­¡­ Could it be her misconception? Ji Fangfang cradled her sword, her mind in chaos. The crowd rested for a while, then had some rations and water. Finally, someone spoke up to ask, ¡°Sect Master Shan, what should we do next?¡± They¡¯d originally come to capture the demonic beast, but who could¡¯ve known that the beast would be this fierce and had instead forced them into a corner? Although they were safe for the moment, they couldn¡¯t stay here forever¡­¡­ Shan Qingyang stroked his beard and smiled, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, everyone. This old man has already thought of a plan. As long as everyone works together, we are sure to defeat the beast and return safely together. Qingyuan, why don¡¯t you explain to everyone?¡± Xue Qingyuan stepped forward from the side and spoke. ¡°We can set up an array here and lure the beast into the array. If everyone works together to power the array and entrap the beast, it will leave that evil creature with nowhere to run¡­¡­ As for the matter of luring the beast into the trap, our Night Sky Palace will be in charge of it.¡± This was indeed a good plan! No matter how strong the beast was, it was only a brute. As long as it entered the trap, it would no longer be fearsome. The only difficulty in this plan was how to lure the beast into the trap; whoever acted as bait would be risking their lives. Since Night Sky Palace was willing to take on the risk, and the others only needed to put in some effort, everyone naturally had no objections. One by one, they approved of Night Sky Palace¡¯s righteousness and honor and expressed that they would definitely do their utmost to cooperate and eliminate this danger for the people. Seeing everyone¡¯s approval, Xue Qingyuan revealed a smile and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s begin laying down the array¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, a languid, carefree voice rang out, resounding clearly within the cave. ¡°No hurry.¡± Xue Qingyuan¡¯s pupils shrank as he looked over. Sure enough, it was Fang Li again. A bitter chill flowed through his chest, but the expression on his face remained genial as he asked, ¡°Does Young Brother Qiu still have any questions?¡± Fang Li stood up lazily. Everyone¡¯s gazes fell onto him. During this trip, it could be said that everyone had gotten some understanding of him and knew that whenever this brat opened his mouth, he never had anything good to say. Most likely, he was about to nitpick again. But still, take a look at the situation! Shan Qingyang is a Soul Formation master, he won¡¯t tolerate a brash kid like you picking a fight with your superiors! Don¡¯t you value your life? Besides, Night Sky Palace spoke with reason and grounds and a deep understanding of principle. Can you find fault with even this? Only Ji Fangfang looked woodenly at Fang Li, not a bit of surprise in her heart, as if she¡¯d anticipated this long ago¡­¡­ Why had she felt like Fang Li would speak? Truly strange¡­¡­ Fang Li nonchalantly looked straight at the Night Sky Palace members with not a trace of fear and smiled faintly, saying, ¡°While we¡¯re working to help control the array, we won¡¯t be able to move. If the beast somehow isn¡¯t trapped, wouldn¡¯t we become fish on a cutting board, to be slaughtered at will?¡± From start to finish, Shan Qingyang put on the airs of being the better person and ignored Fang Li¡¯s rudeness, his hands behind his back as he stood there indifferently. Xue Qingyuan laughed and explained amiably, ¡°So that was it. Young Brother Qiu¡¯s concerns aren¡¯t without reason, but we¡¯ve already considered this point. If the beast someone isn¡¯t trapped, the Sect Master will personally act to stall it. We definitely won¡¯t allow the beast to hurt anyone here.¡± Everyone took delight in Fang Li¡¯s stumble. Look, you¡¯re just raising a fuss over nothing! With Sect Master Shan Qingyang here, do you need to worry about these little matters? They¡¯d seen Sect Master Shan in action against the demonic beast earlier, and disrupting the beast definitely wouldn¡¯t be an issue for him. Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up slightly, smiling ambiguously, his tone slow and drawn out. ¡°Will the Sect Master really disrupt the beast?¡± Now this question was malicious enough! Shen Qingyng¡¯s face became heavy in a flash, and he flicked his sleeves in displeasure. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Xue Qingyuan stepped forward, his expression also changing, and he shouted coldly, ¡°We¡¯ve already answered your questions. Why are you still making a fuss for no reason?! Forget your nonsense earlier on; we didn¡¯t feel like looking after you. But for acting so rudely in front of the Sect Master, I¡¯ll be certain to inform Heavy Snow Sect of this matter.¡± Such an ignorant, mannerless junior had even dared to talk back to a Soul Formation stage senior. If Heavy Snow Sect still wanted to make a living in these parts, once Night Sky Palace raised a complaint, they would definitely skin this kid alive. Being driven out of his sect would be a light punishment for him¡­¡­ Ji Fangfang was a little anxious and wanted to persuade Fang Li to forget it, but seeing Fang Li calm and unhurried with an appearance as if it all had nothing to do with him, she suddenly stopped where she stood. ¡°Oh.¡± Fang Li laughed carelessly, an amused look in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Night Sky Palace has heard of a legend like this: it¡¯s said that the most valuable part of the Cloud Swallowing Beast actually isn¡¯t its core.¡± The crowd was stumped. If the most valuable part wasn¡¯t the core, then what was it? Xue Qingyuan¡¯s expression became more and more unsightly, but seeing that everyone¡¯s curiosity had been piqued, if he directly stopped Fang Li from continuing, it would definitely arouse everyone¡¯s suspicion¡­¡­ ¡°Although the Cloud Swallowing Beast is an auspicious beast and won¡¯t harm people, if it¡¯s forcefully fed with blood and vital essence, it will stimulate the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s savage nature and cause it to lose its reason, as well as inducing changes in its core. As soon as it reaches its limit, it will be able to produce a blood spirit fetus.¡± Fang Li¡¯s words were slow and clear as he said, ¡°If a cultivator obtains this blood spirit fetus, they can produce a second nascent soul¡­¡­¡± The crowd was astonished, looking at Fang Li with doubt and disbelief. How come they¡¯d never heard of something like this? A second nascent soul. That would be an incredible stroke of luck! Not only would it make one¡¯s cultivation increase at a breakneck speed, it could also be used to cultivate an external incarnation. For a cultivator, it was basically a second life. It really was far more valuable than a core! This time, not only Xue Qingyuan, but even Shan Qingyang¡¯s expression changed. He looked profoundly at Fang Li, his expression a little bewildered. Fang Li¡¯s eyes were deep and shrouded, and his lips slowly hooked up. ¡°Looking at the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s bloodthirsty appearance, it¡¯s clearly already killed quite a few people¡­¡­ If those of us present are included, it should be enough to produce a blood spirit fetus, right? And this mountain cave is so well-hidden, even if all of us die here today, nobody would know. It¡¯s a good place for hiding corpses.¡° Xue Qingyuan took a deep breath and laughed coldly, saying, ¡°None of us have ever heard of this so-called blood spirit fetus you speak of. It¡¯s not even written in the Spirit Beast Records. It can¡¯t be that you know better than the Great Sage? That you know things that even the Great Sage didn¡¯t know?¡± Seeing that Fang Li¡¯s words were clear and logical, the crowd had almost believed him, and their hearts had fallen into a bit of panic. Hearing Xue Qingyuan speak now, they thought again that maybe they¡¯d been overthinking it. What was written in the Great Sage of Origin¡¯s book naturally couldn¡¯t be false. To think that they¡¯d almost been duped by a couple of words from this brat. But Fang Li turned a deaf ear to all of these, instead looking at Xue Qingyuan and saying cheerfully, ¡°Right, Ding Qian was probably also arranged by you, wasn¡¯t he? You knew that taking the blood and vital essence of living people to nurture a demonic fetus is slaughtering the innocent and goes against heavenly law. If people knew about it, Night Sky Palace would henceforth be condemned by all, so you arranged a chess piece in advance, wanting to shift the blame onto Hollow Ridge¡­¡­ ¡°Ding Qian received some benefits from you and carried out your task, but he was greedy and tried to extort you, so you killed him to silence him¡­¡­ Although, perhaps you never intended to let him leave here alive from the start. After all, only dead people don¡¯t tell tales¡­¡­¡± Xue Qingyuan tightly clenched his teeth. The plot had almost been completely revealed. He took a deep breath and said in a frigid voice, ¡°You¡¯re speaking maliciously without grounds. Just what evil intentions do you have, to frame and entrap our Night Sky Palace like this?¡± ¡°Frame?¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ever since the Cloud Swallowing Beast appeared earlier, it¡¯s been continually attacking us, and not a single Night Sky Palace disciple has been injured or killed. Why is that the case, then? It couldn¡¯t be that the Cloud Swallowing Beast can actually recognize people and knows not to harm you?¡± Originally, everyone had stood on Night Sky Palace¡¯s side, up until Fang Li spoke those words¡ª They turned their heads to look around, and after a moment, their faces gradually turned white. Previously, they¡¯d been fleeing in panic the entire way, and they hadn¡¯t had the time to count heads at all. Looking at it now, that really was the case. Night Sky Palace hadn¡¯t suffered a single loss. Everyone who¡¯d died had been on their side. ¡°It¡¯s said that powder made from the flower of the cypress vine has no color or odor, but it can stimulate the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s savage nature.¡± Fang Li smiled faintly. ¡°If cypress vine flower powder was secretly left on the bodies of those you wanted to kill beforehand, you could make the Cloud Swallowing Beast pick those people to harm, while you yourselves suffer no losses at all. It really is a great plan for killing two birds with one stone¡­¡­¡± Everyone¡¯s expression was extremely unsightly. Although what Fang Li said was bizarre and preposterous and completely unheard of, the reality was, the Cloud Swallowing Beast hadn¡¯t attacked Night Sky Palace and had only attacked them¡­¡­ If they really had used such insidious means to lure them to their deaths, then even if they had to give up their lives, they had to take Night Sky Palace down with them! Seeing that the crowd¡¯s gazes were becoming increasingly unkind, Xue Qingyuan¡¯s expression quickly wavered, and he tightly grasped the sword in his hand. Suddenly, Xue Qingyuan drew his sword and pointed it at Fang Li, shouting angrily, ¡°Now I understand. You¡¯re the demonic cultivator! ¡°When you were keeping watch previously, you said you suffered an attack from a demonic cultivator, but other than yourself, nobody else has seen the demonic cultivator. After that, the demonic cultivator never appeared, either¡­¡­¡± Xue Qingyuan said deliberately, ¡°But if that demonic cultivator is you, everything makes sense. You¡¯ve been concealing yourself among us this whole time, spreading rumors to frighten everyone. Your goal is precisely to lure us into turning on each other so that you can seize the spoils. Everything before this was your one-man act!¡± The crowd looked at Xue Qingyuan, then looked at Fang Li, endless panic in their chests and their hearts tied in knots. What Xue Qingyuan said also seemed to make a lot of sense¡­¡­ Looking at Fang Li, Xue Qingyuan let out a cold ¡°hmph.¡± He was going to insist no matter what that Fang Li was the demonic cultivator and stick the title of ¡°demonic cultivator¡± onto him. That way, Fang Li¡¯s words wouldn¡¯t be trustworthy any longer, and they could directly kill him to silence him! The killing intent in Xue Qingyuan¡¯s eyes flashed past, but just as he was going to strike, he saw Fang Li laugh. The pale-faced man¡¯s fingertips lightly brushed past his lips, wandering between his features, and he let out a soft, languid laugh. ¡°You finally realized it.¡± Xue Qingyuan, ¡°?¡± Everyone¡¯s face was wholly stupefied, their minds crashing completely. Now what situation was this? Was Fang Li really a demonic cultivator? But w-w-why¡­¡­ why would he admit it? But Xue Qingyuan didn¡¯t have time to think it over. It was even better if Fang Li admitted it. At once, he said in a stern voice, ¡°This person really is a demonic cultivator. His words can¡¯t be trusted. Let¡¯s quickly join hands and kill this demonic cultivator!¡± But right now, the crowd didn¡¯t trust Xue Qingyuan either. Just as they were swaying left and right, not knowing that to do¡­¡­ A low, painful cry suddenly resounded from the entrance of the cave. The snow-white beast¡¯s eyes were reddened, and it suddenly knocked aside the cultivators near the cave entrance and charged inside¡­¡­ At some point, Fang Li¡¯s fingertips had lightly pinched an invitation card. His figure was like a shadow, and he was much faster than even the Cloud Swallowing Beast. In a split second, he had stuffed the invitation card into the collar of Xue Qingyuan¡¯s robes. Xue Qingyuan¡¯s expression changed drastically. He didn¡¯t even have time to throw away the invitation card when he saw the Cloud Swallowing Beast suddenly lower its head and charge at him, its twin antlers piercing a hole directly through Xue Qingyuan, raising him up and throwing him heavily away! The scene was deathly silent. That, that invitation card¡­¡­ Wasn¡¯t that the invitation that Night Sky Palace had given them when inviting them? They were all still carrying them¡­¡­ This time, the gears in the crowd ¡®s brains finally started to turn, and they threw their invitations far away one after another! In order to avoid the invitations, the Night Sky Palace members could only hastily retreat to dodge them, and all of a sudden, the crowd was split into two. The Night Sky Palace members were on one side, everyone else was on the other, and separating them far apart from each other in the middle was a pile of invitation cards¡­¡­ They saw that the Cloud Swallowing Beast had lost its target and wandered about, trampling all over the cards without pause. It let out pained cries, as if it was uneasy and suffering. Only Xue Qingyuan¡¯s corpse was on the ground. The invitation that Fang Li had stuffed inside was still on his collar, and his eyes were wide open, even in death. Seeing this scene, even the most dim-witted person could see what had happened. They turned to Night Sky Palace with glowering eyes! What good fellows, so it turned out that what Fang Li had said had all been true! So ever since back then, you¡¯d started scheming against us, wanting us to die here. Our faith in you was for nothing¡­¡­ Now the witnesses and the evidence are ironclad. How do you still plan to make excuses?! Seeing the miserable state of Xue Qingyuan¡¯s corpse, Shan Qingyang finally completely tore off his mask. A Soul Formation cultivator¡¯s presence was boundless, and the old man¡¯s cold and gloomy gaze fell onto Fang Li. He sneered, ¡°Even if everything you say is true, so what?¡± Hearing those words, the crowd felt as if they¡¯d fallen in a pit of ice. That¡¯s right, even if Night Sky Palace¡¯s scheme had been revealed, so what? Not a single person present was Shan Qingyang¡¯s match¡­¡­ Even if Fang Li knew a lot, with that frail appearance that could be blown away by the wind, at a single glance, you could tell he couldn¡¯t fight. Even if he spoke up, it was all for nothing! At this moment, everyone¡¯s hearts were full of endless regret. If they¡¯d known earlier, they should have left with Verdant Forest Grotto¡¯s people. No, if they¡¯d known earlier, they wouldn¡¯t have come at all! This time, they¡¯d completely sent themselves onto the path of no return. Just as everyone was revealing expressions of despair, they saw an afterimage flit past. By the time they could see clearly, they saw the goateed man without much presence who had followed beside Fang Li the whole time strike Shan Qingyang to the ground with a single lash of a whip. He said in a dark, hoarse voice, ¡°Daring to treat His Excellency with disrespect is a crime worth ten thousand deaths.¡± The crowd, ¡°???¡± The crowd, ¡°!!!¡± His, His Excellency what, what His Excellency? Were they hallucinating? Wasn¡¯t Shan Qingyang¡¯s cultivation level at the Soul Formation stage? How come in front of Fang Li¡¯s attendant, such a powerful grandmaster had crumpled after a single strike like paper mach¨º¡­¡­? Shan Qingyang was equally terrified. He still hadn¡¯t had time to react when he was heavily injured by a heavy strike of a whip. On the ground, he lifted his head with difficulty to look at Fang Li, and his lips trembled. ¡°Just, just who, who are you¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s right, just who are you¡­¡­? Everyone looked at Fang Li. Fang Li leisurely took a step forward. Looking around at the crowd, he tilted his head slightly and let out a soft laugh. ¡°You were all saying that this lord was going to come. This lord found your great hospitality hard to decline, so isn¡¯t this lord here now?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Speak of the devil and the devil will appear. Isn¡¯t it fun? Aren¡¯t you surprised? CH 23 January 6th, 2023 The whole place was dead silent. Every single person slowed their breathing. Shan Qingyang was collapsed on the ground, trembling. Even in his dreams, he hadn¡¯t imagined that after being so cautious and prudent, he would actually still end up drawing that devil here. Ji Fangfang looked despondently at the languid, leisurely young man before her. Although he looked gentle and amiable and harmless to anyone, he gave off a concealed air of someone who sat high above and looked down upon everything else as ants or dust. ¡°Something like killing living beings to cultivate a demonic fetus is normally something that us demonic cultivators do. Not only have you done it, but you¡¯ve even thrown the blame onto this lord. Did you ever ask for this lord¡¯s opinion¡­¡­?¡± Fang Li laughed softly. Each and every person in the crowd was trembling, and not a single one spoke up. Only the sound of Fang Li¡¯s laughter reverberated clearly throughout the cave. Fang Li lowered his eyes, his gaze falling onto Shan Qingyang, and he raised an eyebrow. ¡°As for the blood spirit fetus, since you¡¯ve already said that it was this lord¡¯s doing, then it would be rude to refuse. This lord can only gladly accept it.¡± Shan Qingyang crouched on the ground, his old face full of wrinkles, and revealed the most flattering smile possible. ¡°If, if this blood spirit fetus, p-pleases Your Excellency, it would naturally be this old man¡¯s honor, to offer it to Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± ¡°Very well. Then on behalf of the blood spirit fetus, I¡¯ll grant you¡ª¡± Fang Li smiled faintly, ¡°A quicker death.¡± Shan Qingyang¡¯s smile immediately froze on his face. He didn¡¯t even get the chance to speak the rest of his words before Wu Yimei¡¯s whip twisted around him, and a head rolled onto the ground. The old man¡¯s face was still in its open-mouthed state, but that mouth would never be able to speak again. In the time it took to smile and chat, a grand and mighty Soul Formation cultivator had been ground to dust like an ant. Each person remaining had a face as ashen as death. They thought they¡¯d been in enough despair before, but now they knew that they¡¯d been wrong. So it turned out, there was even more despair. Shan Qingyang already had the highest cultivation here, and he¡¯d even presented the blood spirit fetus to that devil, but even so, he hadn¡¯t been able to preserve his life, so how could they save their own lives? Recalling the ways they¡¯d mocked and ridiculed Fang Li previously¡­¡­ It was said that the devil was more cruel and cold-blooded than anything and would seek payback over so much as a dirty glance. Who knew how he would torment them? Flaying their skin or pulling out their tendons would probably be the basics¡­¡­ Falling into Night Sky Palace¡¯s hands meant death, but falling into that devil¡¯s hands meant a fate worse than death. Since that was the case, then it would have been better to fall into Night Sky Palace¡¯s hands; at least they¡¯d have a quick death¡­¡­ Fang Li turned back to look at the crowd. Seeing their terrified, desperate faces, the corner of his lips softly hooked upwards. So this was the feeling of being feared like a ghost by all¡­¡­ The taste of it actually wasn¡¯t bad. He seemed to understand a little why Yan Sui would lose himself in it. Everything in this world was made up. Only power was real. He didn¡¯t need other people¡¯s understanding, pity, approval, or sympathy¡­¡­ What he wanted was the power to overturn the world. Terror was his only nourishment, enough to let him push forward through anything, never to look back. So-called ¡°truth and justice¡± should only be held in his grasp. If he said it was right, it would be right, and if he said it was wrong, it would be wrong. Those who disobeyed him, who doubted him, should all be killed¡­¡­ A trace of a sneer crept into Fang Li¡¯s expression. He slowly raised his hand¡­¡­ Suddenly, a scorching hot palm fell onto his wrist, forceful yet steady. Fang Li slowly turned his head. He fell into a pair of cool and fathomless black eyes. Xie Huai¡¯s voice entered his ears like an icy spring. ¡°Your Excellency, don¡¯t forget what you promised me.¡± Strengthen your spirit and guard your heart. Don¡¯t let a moment¡¯s impulse lead you to do something you¡¯ll regret. Fang Li looked blankly at Xie Huai for a second. Suddenly, the violent energy that had drowned out his entire world receded in the blink of an eye like the tides. His expression slowly resumed its clarity¡­¡­ Just now, he¡¯d probably been affected by the atmosphere, and in a split second, it had evoked Yan Sui¡¯s past memories. He¡¯d almost been influenced by Yan Sui¡¯s violent energy and done something he shouldn¡¯t, but thankfully, Xie Huai had woken him up in time. Who could have known that bringing Xie Huai with him would have this kind of benefit; not even a heart-cleansing pill was as effective as Xie Huai¡­¡­ Now that he thought about it, this was already the second time Xie Huai had helped him. Fang Li¡¯s eyes curved, and he turned his hand to hold Xie Huai¡¯s in return. The spirit of a demon lord who was deeply in love immediately possessed him, and his tone became devoted yet gentle. ¡°Seeing as this lord made a promise to Yuyi-jun, this lord will certainly do what was promised¡­¡­¡± Saying that, he turned to look at the crowd. His lips parted slightly, and he spat out a single phrase. ¡°Get out.¡± The crowd had originally thought that disaster was upon them, and that they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from a torment worse than death. They were miserable and in distress¡­¡­ Who could have known that the person next to that devil would actually persuade him to stop, and that devil would actually listen to him? ¡­¡­ Wait, what had that devil called that person just now? Y-Yuyi-jun? Everyone looked as if they¡¯d seen a ghost, but this wasn¡¯t the time to be astonished. That ¡°Get out¡± was like a blade being removed from their throats, and they half-tumbled, half-crawled as they fled clean away from this place. Ji Fangfang was one of the calmer ones, and she glanced at Fang Li with a complicated expression, then quickly stepped away. Seeing what was happening, the Night Sky Palace disciples left on the other side wanted to take the opportunity to secretly escape¡­¡­ But who knew that as soon as they¡¯d taken a single step, Wu Yimei¡¯s whip would lash out at them. Wu Yimei¡¯s cold and gloomy gaze swept over them, and he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Who said you could leave?¡± The Night Sky Palace disciples¡¯ faces were ghastly pale, each in endless despair. Yet Fang Li paid no attention to all of this. Anyways, Wu Yimei would take care of it. His line of sight moved away, falling onto the Cloud Swallowing Beast. The Cloud Swallowing Beast had been provoked by Night Sky Palace over and over again, and it had swallowed too much blood and vital essence. The presence of the blood spirit fetus put it in endless pain, and right now it was curled up on the ground, trembling, letting out pained, ear-piercing whinnies¡­¡­ When it saw Fang Li approach, its instinctive fear made it want to flee, but a faintly cool hand settled softly onto its forehead. A clear and frigid chill permeated into its body from its forehead, and in the blink of an eye, soothed its pain. It immediately stopped struggling, letting Fang Li stroke it. Fang Li¡¯s hand fell onto the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s forehead. Seeing its eyes reddened from pain, he slowly closed his eyes. A gentle, refined man in white robes walked out from the depths of a bamboo forest. His inky black eyes swept over, and he laughed softly. ¡°A¡¯Yan, you¡¯re reading the Spirit Beast Records?¡± The youth nodded and said in pleasant surprise, ¡°Shixiong.¡± The man in white stroked his head, his gaze flitting past the book in his hand, and smiled. ¡°The Cloud Swallowing Beast, huh¡­¡­ A¡¯Yan, did you know that the most precious part of the Cloud Swallowing Beast actually isn¡¯t its core?¡± The youth said with a bit of puzzlement, ¡°But the book says that it really is the core that¡¯s the most precious.¡± The white-robed man took the book from his hands, lowering his eyes with a gentle smile, his tone slow and leisurely like a cool breeze brushing past his ears. ¡°What¡¯s written in the book might not be complete. Although the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s core is precious, if fresh blood is used to stimulate its vicious nature, and the blood and vital force of a thousand people are used to nourish it, it can produce a blood spirit fetus. A cultivator who obtains the blood spirit fetus can create a second nascent soul. Whether for cultivating or for saving one¡¯s life, it¡¯s much more precious than a beast core.¡± The youth pondered it over earnestly. After a short while, he said, a bit unable to bear it, ¡°It¡¯s much too cruel to collect the blood of a thousand people to feed it with.¡± The white-robed man closed the book and smiled approvingly. ¡°A¡¯Yan really is kind. The first thing you think of isn¡¯t how valuable the blood spirit fetus is, but that this action is too cruel and unjust.¡± The youth¡¯s face reddened slightly, and he said docilely, ¡°If the blood spirit fetus is taken from the Cloud Swallowing Beast, it would have to die, right? I read in the book that the Cloud Swallowing Beast is an auspicious beast. It¡¯s very kind. Not only does it never harm anyone, it will even save people. If something like this really does happen, is there really no way to save it¡­¡­?¡± The white-robed man fell into silence for a few moments, then said, ¡°It¡¯s not that there isn¡¯t a way to save the Cloud Swallowing Beast. As long as the blood spirit energy is extracted from its body before the fetus has completely formed, the blood spirit fetus will lose the energy that nourishes it. After the fetus dies in the womb, it will naturally disappear, and the Cloud Swallowing Beast will be able to live on. ¡°But¡­¡­ The uncontrolled blood spirit energy isn¡¯t anything good. Most people have no way to control this kind of violent energy, and extracting it will harm the body. It¡¯s really a method of exchanging a life for a life. Who would be willing to pay the price of risking their life just to save a mere spirit beast?¡± Hearing this, the youth felt a bit pained and said, ¡°Thank goodness nobody knows about what Shixiong has said, and it¡¯s not written in the book, either. This way, nobody will hurt the Cloud Swallowing Beast.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­¡± The white-robed man smiled, looking dotingly at him as he said, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s precisely because the Great Sage didn¡¯t want anyone to know that he didn¡¯t record it in the Spirit Beast Records¡­¡­ A¡¯Yan, you have to remember, on the path of cultivation, you must guard your true heart and walk the righteous path. Only in this way can it last long, or else, in the end, the backlash will swallow you up.¡± The youth looked with yearning and admiration at his shixiong, solemnly nodding his head. The man in white turned, slowly fading into the distance. Before his eyes, he vanished like clouds scattering before the wind. But the guilt and regret in Yan Sui¡¯s heart seemed to linger for a long, long time. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ In the end, I still betrayed your expectations. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ Fang Li closed his eyes. Then, his gaze fell onto the Cloud Swallowing Beast. He reached out his hand, brushing over its snow-white pelt. The roiling blood spirit energy flooded into his body, and Fang Li felt a sweetness at the back of his throat. But he firmly swallowed back that mouthful of blood, up until the hazy redness in the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s eyes thoroughly vanished. The Cloud Swallowing Beast¡¯s eyes returned to their clear, pitch-black color, and it rubbed docilely against Fang Li¡¯s palm with gratitude. After standing up, it trotted back and forth around him. Fang Li patted the Cloud Swallowing Beast and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten my compensation. You should go.¡± The Cloud Swallowing Beast seemed to be able to understand human speech, and it was a little reluctant to part. Only after a long while did it finally turn around and disappear into the mountains. Fang Li shook his head. When he stood up and lifted his head, he was met with Xie Huai¡¯s concerned face¡­¡­ He smiled. Yan Sui¡¯s shixiong had been correct. After going down the wrong path, in the end, the backlash would swallow you up. Yan Sui struck with unconventional blows and spared no means for his ends, and this body wouldn¡¯t be able to hold up for much longer. A little bit of blood spirit energy was nothing to it, and being able to save the Cloud Swallowing Beast could be counted as fulfilling one of Yan Sui¡¯s wishes. Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s face that was even paler than before, and he couldn¡¯t help but crease his brow. He wanted to step forward and support Fang Li¡¯s swaying body that was on the verge of falling, but within the short span of his hesitation¡­¡­ Wu Yimei had already cut in front of him to lend Fang Li a hand. Fang Li shook his head and laughed softly, raising an eyebrow. ¡°No need to worry. Just now, it was too much of a curative. This lord just needs to take a while to digest it.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s brow furrowed tightly. Was that really the case? Just as Fang Li had said, the blood spirit fetus was indeed a precious treasure, but since Fang Li had let those people go, then right now, the blood spirit fetus shouldn¡¯t have formed yet. Would extracting it at this point still count as a benefit? He looked at Fang Li¡¯s increasingly pale and fragile face. Looking at that appearance, it really didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d gotten any benefits, but rather like he¡¯d sustained an injury in order to save the Cloud Swallowing Beast¡­¡­ Precious few words of truth ever came out of this person¡¯s mouth. Was he putting on a brave face in order to hide something again? Xie Huai lowered his eyes to hold back his complicated expression. He wanted to ask, but in the end, he didn¡¯t speak. From what standpoint could he show concern for him? Besides¡­¡­ On the surface, this person seemed mild and easygoing, but in truth, he was more guarded and fathomless than anyone. He never allowed anyone to approach even the slightest bit, and he didn¡¯t permit anyone to peer into his heart. Why is that¡­¡­ Is it because you¡¯re afraid of being hurt? Fang Li braced himself with Wu Yimei¡¯s hand, and after a moment¡¯s contemplation, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave the mountain.¡± He needed to hurry to rest and regain his breath. Although Xie Huai was a righteous man of honor¡­¡­ In the end, their standpoints were different, and their relationship was a hostile one. At a time like this, Fang Li didn¡¯t dare order Xie Huai to follow instructions. He could only rely on Wu Yimei. ¡¾ The System was anxious: Host, host! What were you doing just now, why did you stick your nose in other people¡¯s business?! ¡¿ ¡¾ Fang Li smiled: Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll survive until the end of the plot. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿Can¡¯t I worry for you? But Fang Li hooked up the corners of his mouth and smiled. Seeing as he¡¯d come to this world and gotten the chance to start over, then he should properly live these last few months in Yan Sui¡¯s place¡­¡­ If Yan Sui were still here, he would probably have made the same choice, wouldn¡¯t he? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ At the entrance of the main suite of the Xining county inn, Wu Yimei stood guard with his hands by his sides, completely still. Seeing Xie Huai come over, Wu Yimei raised his eyes, his expression ice-cold as he said, ¡°His Excellency hasn¡¯t come out of closed door cultivation yet. Please leave, Yuyi-jun.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression sank somewhat. Ever since the events on the mountain had ended, Fang Li had left the mountain and immediately gone into closed door cultivation, letting Wu Yimei stand guard at the door¡­¡­ and not giving Xie Huai another chance to approach. After a long time, the corner of his mouth pulled downwards in self-ridicule. That¡¯s right, it was expected for Fang Li to be on guard against him¡­¡­ While he was in such a weak state, it was naturally only Wu Yimei who he trusted the most who had the right to accompany him by his side. As for himself, what did he amount to? Besides, he shouldn¡¯t have had this kind of thought from the start. From the start, he shouldn¡¯t care about or worry for that person¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s eyes dimmed, and he abruptly turned and left. Xie Huai arrived downstairs. The waiter brought a pot of tea, and he sat there alone, looking out the window at the crowds passing by. After a quarter hour, a youth of around fifteen or sixteen dressed in coarse hemp robes and carrying a bamboo basket, appearing to be a farmer from the village, walked into the inn. The youth had a round face and little dimples when he smiled, as well as a pair of cute, pointed canines. He dillydallied on his way to the table behind Xie Huai and sat down, cautiously looking around to make sure that there were no suspicious people about, then suddenly slipped over to Xie Huai¡¯s side. The youth¡¯s eyes were full of tears as he said with worry, ¡°Elder Sect Brother, you¡¯re okay!¡± The youth was Xie Huai¡¯s younger sect brother, named Tao Lu. The day that devil had besieged Cloudbank Keep, Xue Huai had given himself up to the devil for their sake. All of them had been extremely worried for Xie Huai, and as soon as they thought about how Xie Huai might be enduring torment, they suffered every day and night, finding it hard to eat or sleep¡­¡­ During this period of time, they had tried again and again to approach Hollow Ridge, and they¡¯d been captured several times, but for some reason, that devil had actually released them again. But they still had no way to get even a hair¡¯s breadth closer to Hollow Ridge, and they couldn¡¯t rescue their elder sect brother at all¡­¡­ Plus, all sorts of rumors were coming out of Hollow Ridge, saying that Yuyi-jun Xie Huai was a calamity, that he had bewitched the demon lord until he¡¯d lost his soul, that they spent day and night in the throes of indulgence, describing Xie Huai like he was some kind of person who¡¯d lost himself to depravity. Tao Lu felt angry and aggrieved, but there wasn¡¯t a single thing he could do, until suddenly one day, someone on the ridge sent word saying that Yuyi-jun was unharmed for the moment and that they didn¡¯t need to worry too much, nor did they need to pay attention to the rumors and gossip. Ten days later, that person had someone send word again saying that Yuyi-jun and the demon lord had left the ridge. But no one knew of the demon lord¡¯s whereabouts. Up until two days ago, when Xining county¡¯s rumors reached Cloudbank Keep, saying that the demon lord had brought Yuyi-jun with him to Mt. Wanxun, destroying Night Sky Palace in one act of evil against another to seize the blood spirit fetus, and furthermore, Yuyi-jun had been all intimate and lovey-dovey with the devil, not looking at all like someone who was being coerced. He obviously knew the devil¡¯s identity, yet he didn¡¯t warn the others and had instead aided and abetted in helping that devil trick everyone. They said that Yuyi-jun had long already become that devil¡¯s follower¡­¡­ These days, the rumors said in private were as ugly as anything one could imagine. Tao Lu and the others naturally didn¡¯t believe them. They¡¯d gone to great lengths to finally find Xie Huai¡¯s whereabouts and hurried over to Xining county, just to get a glimpse of Xie Huai. Today, seeing that his elder sect brother wasn¡¯t missing any arms or legs and was living well, Tao Lu felt his tears overflow and said in a choked voice, ¡°Elder Sect Brother, right now, everyone is saying that you¡¯re helping the devil do evil, and that you helped that devil destroy Night Sky Palace, but don¡¯t worry, we definitely won¡¯t believe those stories. It must have been that devil who forced you!¡± Xie Huai lowered his eyes, his expression impassive. As for how rumors would spread in the outside world, he¡¯d already anticipated it. Only, this time, it wasn¡¯t just Fang Li being slandered, but himself as well, that was all¡­¡­ Actually, Fang Li had discovered something odd about this matter from the very start, and he¡¯d also guessed Night Sky Palace¡¯s scheme, but he knew that his status was unusual and had no way to gain the others¡¯ trust, so he¡¯d intentionally scared them off midway in order to give them a chance to escape¡­¡­ The rest of them were mostly the greedy, insatiable type, sending themselves into danger even though they clearly knew it was a dead end. But Fang Li had still given them a chance. Even up until the very end, he hadn¡¯t held any past grudges and had let them go, doing his utmost for both justice and compassion. Fang Li was using his own methods to save lives, saving the lives of those people who, to him, actually really weren¡¯t worth saving¡­¡­ If not for Fang Li, they would already long be dead at Night Sky Palace¡¯s hands. As for Night Sky Palace¡¯s Shan Qingyang and the others, although they looked like righteous cultivators, their actions were those of the demonic path, plotting sinister schemes, and even death couldn¡¯t pay back their crimes. Even if Fang Li hadn¡¯t acted, in his place, Xie Huai would have done the same to uphold justice. It was only a pity that the public was ignorant and looked only at the surface, unwilling to think further about the causes and results. People parroted whatever they heard, hearing the wind and mistaking it for rain. As soon as Tao Lu thought about the rumors outside, his chest was filled with pain. It was bad enough that those people didn¡¯t know how to return one¡¯s kindness, but they even disgraced him like this. Tao Lu opened his eyes wide and said with determination, ¡°Elder Sect Brother, I¡¯ll always believe in you! They must be the ones slandering you! I heard it all, if not for you stopping him, that devil would have killed everyone. Obviously it was that devil at fault, and it has nothing to do with you¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai watched the youth¡¯s resentful eyes and heard his furious words, but what he thought in his heart was instead¡­¡­ The only difference between him and Fang Li was probably that when facing the same condemnation from the world, there were still people willing to believe in his innocence from start to finish¡­¡­ But not a single person would be willing to believe Fang Li. They all thought as a matter of course that Fang Li should be just like the rumors. That Fang Li was forcing him. Xie Huai closed his eyes. ¡°Roadside gossip shouldn¡¯t be trusted lightly.¡± He spoke slowly, his voice cool and clear, every word deliberate. ¡°Those who walk the path of cultivation should have clear eyes and a clear mind. Don¡¯t let emotions and grudges affect your judgment. Since you know that those rumors about me are slander, then why is it impossible for the rumors about Yan Sui to also be slander?¡± Tao Lu was stupefied for a moment. After a long time, he finally reacted. It couldn¡¯t be that Elder Sect Brother¡¯s words were implying that the rumors about that devil were false? Was Elder Sect Brother speaking up for that devil?! Tao Lu sat there in a daze at a complete loss. After half a day¡¯s time, a preposterous notion rose to his mind: Elder Sect Brother couldn¡¯t have, really been bewitched by that devil, could he?! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: The wife doesn¡¯t trust me, I¡¯m feeling disappointed, but I still won¡¯t let others badmouth him. Fang Li: ??? PS: To prevent my dears from overthinking too much, I¡¯ll repeat again, Fang Li isn¡¯t Yan Sui, Xie Huai isn¡¯t Shixiong, this is a transmigration novel, first love on both sides, it¡¯s not reincarnation of a past life, it¡¯s not reincarnation of a past life, it¡¯s not reincarnation of a past life, important things have to be said three times ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ TL Note: As you can see, I¡¯m using Shixiong instead of ¡°Elder Sect Brother¡± for Yan Sui¡¯s shixiong¡­ Mostly because writing it out feels stiff and kind of unnatural for A¡¯Yan. Anyway, he gets special treatment. CH 24 January 10th, 2023 Fang Li remained in closed door cultivation for an entire seven days before he finally suppressed the blood spirit¡¯s energy. Only then did he come out of the inn room. Because of the events on Mt. Wanxun, the identity of the three Heavy Snow Sect members couldn¡¯t be used any longer. Fang Li restored his own features, and Xie Huai put on the veiled hat again. Wu Yimei had long prepared fine wine and dishes. Fang Li smelled the fragrance of the food on the table, and his appetite immediately rose. His spirits were high as he sat down in the large hall to eat. The sound of conversation all around them entered their ears with crystal clarity. ¡°I heard that the devil from Hollow Ridge came to Xining county and destroyed Night Sky Palace on Mt. Wanxun!¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know about that these days? You didn¡¯t just come out of closed door cultivation, did you?!¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that Shan Qingyang was that kind of person? Night Sky Palace encountering that devil just goes to show that evil will always meet with greater evil! It¡¯s just too bad how that Cloud Swallowing Beast suffered from that devil¡¯s vicious hand!¡± ¡°Brother Zhao, I heard you also accepted Night Sky Palace¡¯s invitation, but you left the mountain early? Thank goodness you avoided that disaster!¡± ¡°Right? This old Zhao is a coward, so I managed to flee with my life.¡± ¡°I heard that Yuyi-jun was with that devil the whole time, too. The two of them seemed very intimate¡­¡­¡± ¡°And that devil was extremely cruel and terrifying, and his subordinate was stone-faced like a corpse. Nobody even saw clearly what happened when he killed Shan Qingyang with one strike¡­¡­¡± Fang Li propped up his chin and listened carelessly, long used to these strange occurrences. Thinking about how the cultivation world now had one more terrifying tale about him, the corners of his lips couldn¡¯t help but rise. Just then, a crisp and frigid voice was heard. ¡°All of you, don¡¯t forget, if not for that devil¡¯s actions, you would already have become nutrients for the blood spirit fetus. You sure wouldn¡¯t have the fortune to be wagging your sharp tongues here.¡± Fang Li startled and couldn¡¯t help but turn to look. Ji Fangfang was dressed in neat and tidy, tight-fitting robes. With a bang, she set her greatsword on the table, and her ice-cold eyes were full of ridicule. The crowd¡¯s expressions became a bit unsightly, and they immediately spoke in resentful, displeased voices. ¡°It¡¯s not like that devil did it for the sake of rescuing us. It was only to snatch the blood spirit fetus.¡± ¡°Is that so? This Brother Zhao left because he was scared away. If not for that devil, he would have stayed on Mt. Wanxun to wait for death¡­¡­¡± Ji Fangfang raised an eyebrow. ¡°Besides, in the end, he still let all of you go.¡± Someone said with a stiff face, ¡°That¡¯s because Yuyi-jun spoke up to plead for mercy. Otherwise, how could that devil let us go¡­¡­¡± Ji Fangfang drew out her words. ¡°Oh? Then how come I didn¡¯t see you thank Yuyi-jun? Instead, you insinuate at every turn that he¡¯s fallen to evil together with the devil.¡± One of the crowd became red-faced and said angrily, ¡°He really has fallen to evil together with that devil! Otherwise, why didn¡¯t he warn us earlier? He had plenty of chances to expose that devil! So what if he pleaded for mercy at the end? Does he want to buy us out with a tiny little favor?!¡± Ji Fangfang scoffed. ¡°So to say, that¡¯s how little your lives are worth.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°If I were Yuyi-jun, I would just let you all die.¡± ¡°Seeing as Night Sky Palace can engage in demonic acts, the way I see it, I¡¯m afraid they might not be the only traitors to the righteous path among us!¡± Someone insinuated. ¡°Ji Fangfang, are you standing on that devil¡¯s side?¡± Another interrogated furiously. Fang Li couldn¡¯t avoid feeling a little concerned. This little girl was a little too honest. With a personality like that, she would face a lot of suffering. Just as he was about to make a move to stop things. Two white-robed disciples carrying swords on their backs walked through the door. Their sleeves were embroidered in silver thread with cloud patterns, and jade tassels hung from their long, snow-white swords. Their bearings were overflowing with loftiness and grace, and you could tell at a glance that they were disciples of a big sect. Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted, and he turned to look at Xie Huai. One of the white-robed youths had a round face, and he would probably look very cute if he smiled, but right now, his face was cold and stiff. With a flick of his wrist, he unsheathed his long sword and pointed it at one of the people speaking. ¡°Were you the one slandering Yuyi-jun?¡± The man who the sword was pointed at paled and didn¡¯t dare move. These two were Cloudbank Keep disciples! No matter how much courage you gave him, he still wouldn¡¯t dare speak ill of Yuyi-jun in front of Cloudbank Keep members. He immediately gave a forced laugh. ¡°Perhaps you two sirs misheard. I definitely didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡± Tao Lu gave a cold snort, then turned and cupped his hands at Ji Fangfang, saying gratefully, ¡°Thank you, young lady, for upholding honesty.¡± If the Cloudbank Keep disciples said Ji Fangfang was upholding honesty, then if the rest of them kept saying that Ji Fangfang wasn¡¯t, wasn¡¯t that equivalent to speaking ill of Yuyi-jun? Although the crowd had a bellyful of criticism, they didn¡¯t dare voice any of it anymore and sat back down one by one. They thought, everyone said that Yuyi-jun had been driven out of his sect, but it looked like Cloudbank Keep¡¯s members still defended him¡­¡­ Ji Fangfang was still fairly polite to Tao Lu. Her expression alleviated somewhat, and she made a noise of affirmation, saying, ¡°I was only speaking the truth, nothing more.¡± Tao Lu blinked. Ji Fangfang was someone who had seen the whole process with her own eyes! Seeing as she was also speaking this way, it meant that Elder Sect Brother hadn¡¯t been lying. At least in this matter, that devil hadn¡¯t done anything evil to harm others. Thinking of this, Tao Lu felt endlessly conflicted and in knots. Back when the devil had besieged Cloudbank Keep, he¡¯d injured a great many and had captured their elder sect brother in front of everyone. It would be impossible to ask him not to hate that devil, yet that devil insisted on also doing good and rescuing people. But, but even if that devil saved some people, so what? That didn¡¯t erase all of his actions and conduct. If that devil hadn¡¯t snatched their elder sect brother, how could their elder sect brother¡¯s reputation have been dragged into this? He definitely wouldn¡¯t forgive that devil! But as the disciple of a righteous sect, he absolutely couldn¡¯t do as those other people did and spit out nonsense with his eyes wide open. On this matter, the devil hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. It was those people who had been wrong. Tao Lu knew that Xie Huai was sitting right in this inn, but he didn¡¯t dare look in his direction in fear that that devil would discover something amiss. The two of them sat down and drank a cup of tea, then left in a hurry. Fang Li shot Xie Huai a complicated glance. That Ji Fangfang would speak up for him was within his expectations, but why were the Cloudbank Keep disciples doing so? It couldn¡¯t be that¡­¡­ No way, no way, he must be overthinking things! There¡¯s no way Xie Huai would do something like that. He could only say, one would expect no less of Xie Huai¡¯s fellow sect members. The same tradition of honesty flowed through all of their veins! But in this world, being too honest would make things difficult at every step. It was better to live with one eye open and one eye closed than to be unable to tolerate a single speck of dust in your sight. These days, it was politically correct to curse at him. Forget speaking up for him, even refusing to curse him made one a traitor. Everyone was venting their feelings, so if you insisted on discussing this matter on its own merits and sifting out right from wrong, you would only bring trouble upon yourself. After Cloudbank Keep¡¯s actions today, although these people wouldn¡¯t say anything to their faces, the rumors circulating behind their backs would probably get even uglier. Thinking of this, Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but worry. With just one glance, Xie Huai could read Fang Li¡¯s worries, and a surge of warmth rose up in the depths of his chest. You never pay attention to how others talk about you, yet you insist on thinking on my behalf wherever we go. If I were also to pour the dirty water onto you for the sake of keeping myself clean and to keep my mouth shut even when I know the truth, wouldn¡¯t I be no better than those people? Although going against the flow is difficult, it¡¯s not a reason to sink into vice. Right now, it¡¯s only telling the truth. That should be something that¡¯s taken for granted. The words that you can¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll speak for you. I want you to know that in this world, there¡¯s no such thing as right and wrong that everyone agrees on. Besides, if he were afraid of trouble, he wouldn¡¯t be the Yuyi-jun who drove back all evil in the world with sword in hand. Cloudbank Keep had ten thousand years of legacy. They upheld justice and protected all around them. Even less did they have disciples who were afraid of trouble. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s group didn¡¯t stay in Xining county for long and quickly set out again. Recently, he was in pretty good spirits. The scattered public was just like this. Some people spoke well of you, some spoke ill of you; there were a thousand types and categories of people, and the things that Yan Sui had done were truly overboard¡­¡­ That he wasn¡¯t being cursed one-sidedly right now was already unexpected enough. Fang Li didn¡¯t need any more than that. Fang Li was afraid he¡¯d be a little bored on this trip, so while they were on the carriage, he had Wu Yimei buy a few folk stories and travel journals. The carriage was piled high with all sorts of books. Fang Li was lazily curled up on his side, and the thick fox fur coat was laid out under him. In order not to make Xie Huai uncomfortable, he did his utmost to pass the time by himself. Luckily, the space inside the carriage was big enough that they wouldn¡¯t disturb each other, and they each had a corner. The quality of each of those books was vastly incongruent. Some Fang Li consumed with great interest, while others he put down after just a few glances. Today, he randomly drew out a book from the pile. The cover of the book looked completely ordinary. It was a grayish green color, and only the two words ¡°Refining Passion¡± were written on it in calligraphic script. By its looks, it was most likely a romance novel¡­¡­ Normally, Fang Li didn¡¯t read these kinds of novels. After skimming through it a bit, he was about to put it down when his gaze suddenly froze, and his heart abruptly quickened for a few beats. He seemed to have seen something incredible! Although the book was using aliases, Fang Li could tell at a glance that it was about him and Xie Huai! No way¡­¡­ Did the people of this world have such heavy tastes? They could even ship him and Xie Huai? And even write it into a whole book? He¡¯d accidentally seen his and Xie Huai¡¯s fanfiction¡­¡­ Who would understand this kind of feeling? Fang Li pretended to casually swipe a glance at Xie Huai. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he was sleeping. Fang Li shook out his sleeves, and his fingertips quietly shifted toward the book, sneakily masking the cover. Then, right in front of the person in question, with a feeling like he was committing a crime, he started cautiously reading. And then¡ªhe consumed it all in one go, forgetting to eat or sleep. The author¡¯s writing truly wasn¡¯t bad. Although the plot was completely bizarre and dog-blooded, the story was extremely imaginative, and the plot was full of twists and turns. Every chapter ended on a cliffhanger, making one wonder what would happen next, so even though Fang Li felt thunderstruck until he was charred outside and tender inside, as soon as he stopped paying attention, he ended up reading it all the way to the end. Fang Li¡¯s expression became complicated and moved. This fanfiction was even more bizarre than the original book. Was there really a market for this thing? Who would read it! There was absolutely no way he could let Xie Huai discover this novel. If Xie Huai knew that people were using him as a model to write this kind of shameless, degenerate, vulgar novel, and it had even collapsed his character setting so that he would fall in love with a devil, Fang Li suspected that Xie Huai might feel the urge to kill. The author of the book was only randomly shipping pairings. The crime didn¡¯t deserve death. Fang Li secretly shoved the book back and even deliberately stuffed it toward the inside of the pile, then picked up a travel log and started to read, the perfect picture of someone who hadn¡¯t done anything at all. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were faintly closed, but even with his eyes shut, he could sense the presence of the person beside him. These days, although Fang Li ate and slept beside him, he almost never spoke to him. Even while reading, he flipped the pages softly, as if afraid of disturbing him¡­¡­ Actually, there¡¯s no need to be so careful¡­¡­ Who knew what entertaining book he¡¯d been reading yesterday, but he hadn¡¯t slept for a day and a night, and he¡¯d even let out soft laughs from time to time. Only when the sky began to darken today did this person finally drowsily lean back and go to sleep. Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on this person¡¯s pale white face. Perhaps it was because he was tired from reading, but there were faint, bruised circles under his eyes, and his wide sleeves covered his gaunt hands. He looked frail without a trace of aggression. What had he read yesterday that had made him so delighted and enthralled? And that he was afraid Xie Huai would discover? Xie Huai hesitated for a moment, then reached out his hand and, with perfect precision, pulled out the novel with the grayish green cover that Fang Li had stuffed into the depths of the pile of books. Xie Huai reached out and flipped open the book¡­¡­ And then. Two shichen later, he closed the book with a stupefied face, then silently stuffed it back as if it had never been picked up in the first place. Only the faint redness at the base of his ears revealed that he wasn¡¯t at ease right now. After a long time, Xie Huai¡¯s complicated gaze fell onto Fang Li¡¯s face. So what you were looking at was this? No wonder you were so careful in fear that I would find out¡­¡­ Moreover, even this bizarre, nonsensical story can make you so satisfied and delighted? Do you like me so much, to the point that you have to rely on something like this to console yourself? Xie Huai suddenly closed his eyes, a bit flustered. He wasn¡¯t willing to think on it further. To like someone but to only be able to rely on fantasies was truly too demeaning. Why go this far? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li slept until daylight the next morning and lazily propped himself up into a sitting position. Xie Huai was still closing his eyes and resting, and the book pile still had the same appearance as last night. It looked like nothing at all had happened. They traveled for a few days and arrived at Baihua province. Baihua province was the world¡¯s most famous entertainment district, a free-spirited place. There were no sects in charge here, nor was there anyone here especially to maintain order, but everyone who came here would voluntarily abide by its rules. Not all those who cultivated were without passions and desires; on the contrary, those who cultivated the path of apathy were no more than a handful. Other than the few single-minded cultivation addicts, there were no small number of those who longed to indulge in the luxuries of the mortal world. This was precisely a place for cultivators to enjoy. Arriving at the right time was better than arriving early. When they reached the area, they just happened to chance upon Baihua province¡¯s Flower Queen Election that was held once every three years. That was a grand occasion known all throughout the world! Fang Li decided to go and expand his horizons a bit. Attired like a young master from a rich family, Fang Li arrived at the site of the Flower Queen Election, Glimmer Lake. Glimmer Lake was at least several thousand kilometers wide, and looking at it from afar, it was almost like an ocean. Wu Yimei was Fang Li¡¯s purse. A toss of his hand was extravagant enough to afford the most luxurious pleasure boat. Xie Huai followed Fang Li onto the boat, casting a glance sideways at Wu Yimei. This entire trip, Wu Yimei had remained reticent and sparse with words and hadn¡¯t engaged in any conversation with him, but he could sense the hostility that Wu Yimei had hidden extremely deep. Was this hostility merely because he was afraid Xie Huai would harm Fang Li, or was it because of something else? Xie Huai wasn¡¯t clear. But no matter what Wu Yimei thought, it wasn¡¯t important. Xie Huai retrieved his gaze and looked at the man in front of him. The sickly pale man¡¯s expression was languid, wrapped in luxurious brocade robes, his facial features unrestrained and carefree when they moved. He looked all around him full of enthusiasm, as if everything was interesting to him¡­¡­ Xie Huai couldn¡¯t help but give a very low laugh. When you left the ridge last time with Wu Yimei, were you also like this? Amidst the gentle night breeze, the luxurious pleasure boat traveled lazily forward. Being able to come to the front to spectate was a privilege reserved only for distinguished guests. Both of Fang Li¡¯s hands were propped up on the guardrail, his upper body tilted forward slightly, watching the beauties on the stage proceed in a line. There were both men and women, but every one of them was stunning. There was the charming type, the imperious type, the lovely type, the pure and clean type¡­¡­ A thousand different looks, of every shape and size. The level here was even a slight cut above the flock of beauties in his rear court. Any one of them could send the crowd into a frenzy. It made one¡¯s eyes dizzy. Fang Li was watching the beauties on the stage, but Xie Huai was watching him. In the darkness of night, the streams of light reflected off the river¡¯s surface in glimmers. The man¡¯s pale face and faint lips rippled under the light and shadow, hazy as if covered in a layer of mist and fog, yet he gave off an inexplicable, beguiling pull, making one unable to help but get drunk on the sight. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t suppress the thought, why do you like me? He had never thought about this question before because it wasn¡¯t important. He didn¡¯t need to know why a devil would like him because in the end, he was going to kill him. But right now, at this moment, Xie Huai suddenly wanted to know very much why Fang Li would like him¡­¡­ As soon as this thought arose, it could never be restrained again. Fang Li watched the sight before him with concentration. As the night passed, the Flower Queen Election finally ended. The winner was a beauty whose looks could rival a nation, indeed befitting of the title¡­¡­ Maybe it was because he¡¯d been watching for too long, but he was a little tired. He was just about to return, but when he turned his head, he was met with Xie Huai¡¯s face. Xie Huai¡¯s face was pure and clear as a celestial being¡¯s. Even though he was always cool and impassive, when the night sky reflected off of his flawless features, in that split second, he made the recently crowned Flower Queen look dull and dim in comparison. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but think with amusement, the most beautiful person in the whole world was right next to him¡­¡­ Yet he was ignoring what was right under his nose and looking elsewhere. Perhaps it was due to the enticement of the night air, but Fang Li suddenly felt in the mood for a little teasing. He lifted Xie Huai¡¯s chin with one hand and tilted his head, smiling. ¡°Not even the Flower Queen can compare with Yuyi-jun¡¯s beauty.¡± Xie Huai looked at the man before him. The fingers that were hooked on his chin were suffused with a slight chill, but they seeped thread by thread into the pit of his stomach. It seemed like something had swung open in his heart, and those gentle and affectionate eyes seemed to ripple as if filled with lakewater¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s throat bobbed, and he suddenly reached out and grasped Fang Li¡¯s ill-behaved fingers. His eyes darkened a bit, and he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Is that so? So, is the reason you like me just because of my looks?¡± CH 25 January 14th, 2023 Fang Li had only thought that the atmosphere tonight was excellent and threw out a little bluster in passing. He hadn¡¯t held any hope that Xie Huai would pay attention to him, but who would¡¯ve thought that not only had Xie Huai responded, he¡¯d even asked such a fatal question. To the point that for a second, Fang Li was at a loss. But thinking about it again, there was actually no need for him to panic. He was a tyrannical demon lord, alright? And he was engaging in the act of seizing by force. No matter how you looked at it, he was holding the character setting of a scum man¡­¡­ If it were a real lover, he would naturally need one hundred percent of his wits to face this type of fatal question in fear that he might answer incorrectly somewhere. But he had absolutely no worries of the sort. He was only afraid of answering correctly¡­¡­ Heh, it still stood to be seen just whose life was at stake with this fatal question. I guarantee that you¡¯ll be so mad, you¡¯ll never want to ask another question again. Thinking up to here, Fang Li decided to take his scum man character setting to the end. He approached Xie Huai slightly and looked at him suggestively, his tone frivolous. ¡°Yuyi-jun is the most beautiful person in the world. Who wouldn¡¯t like that? This lord is naturally no exception.¡± Look, look, I¡¯m just in love with your face, that¡¯s all! I just am this shallow and shameless. When he was done speaking, Fang Li looked at Xie Huai with a hundred percent confidence. He had no fear that he wouldn¡¯t get angry. Xie Huai looked deeply into Fang Li¡¯s eyes. Actually, before this, he had indeed considered this possibility. The people of the world were superficial, and more than a few were in love with his looks. It was a peculiarity that he¡¯d long gotten used to. That this devil would get wicked ideas after seeing his face would be completely within reason, to the point that it was very in line with the demonic path¡¯s usual doings¡­¡­ But he still thought that Fang Li wasn¡¯t like that, so he¡¯d asked the question. But he hadn¡¯t imagined that Fang Li would actually admit it outright. The man looked at him recklessly and frivolously, a crafty, pleased look hidden in the depths of his eyes, and he even spoke with a hint of a provocation¡­¡­ Xie Huai was completely familiar with it. Every time this person wanted to hide his true motives, attempting to use lies to disguise himself, he would always have this expression¡­¡­ He was tricking him again. So, it wasn¡¯t because of his looks that he liked him. What a liar. Xie Huai suppressed the corners of his lips. After thick-skinned and shamelessly making his scum man proclamation, Fang Li waited for Xie Huai to leave with a fling of his sleeves, or give him a cold look, but who would¡¯ve thought that Xie Huai would instead smile? Although it was gone in a flicker, and he quickly resumed his impassive appearance, that split second¡¯s countenance made the entire rest of Glimmer Lake lose its color. For a moment, Fang Li was dazed¡­¡­ Wait a second, why did Xie Huai smile? This wasn¡¯t the so-called ¡°angered to the point of laughter,¡± was it? Fang Li felt a bit bewildered and unsettled. Xie Huai looked at Fang Li and said blandly, ¡°You¡¯ve already seen the Flower Queen. When does Your Excellency plan on leaving?¡± Fang Li glanced at Xie Huai warily and saw that his expression was calm and without a single ripple¡­¡­ He thought, as expected, Xie Huai¡¯s shrewdness goes deep. Even after suffering this kind of disgrace, he¡¯s able to tolerate it without any expression. Although it was a little regretful that he couldn¡¯t see Xie Huai¡¯s infuriated appearance, when he thought about how he¡¯d successfully pulled a round of aggro, Fang Li was in good spirits. Wu Yimei stood silently in the distance, his eyes lowered as the hands at his sides clenched tight. He saw Fang Li and Xie Huai together, like a beautiful scene in a painting. They really did look like a pair of celestial lovers, but in the end, everything was fake. If His Excellency continued to lose himself, how would he be able to break free¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s anxiety had no end. The pleasure boat left Glimmer Lake, and Fang Li stepped onto solid ground. By this time, it was already late at night, but Baihua province was still brightly lit, people moving in swarms, bustling and clamorous like a city that never slept. Fang Li carelessly followed the stream of people forward, not knowing where he was going. The throng of people was endless, and when he raised his head to look ahead, he saw that the queue of people was at least several hundred meters long. Just what kind of headliner attraction was this? Just as Fang Li was puzzling over it, someone immediately came to explain. A clerk in a loose-fitting blue shirt with a bamboo basket scurried boisterously before Fang Li. His gaze swept past him and Xie Huai, and he immediately sighed with admiration, saying, ¡°Young master, you and your Dao companion really are a stunning pair. Have you come to our Lover¡¯s Pass to seek fortune in your marriage? The fortune you can get at our Lover¡¯s Pass is really quite effective. There hasn¡¯t been a pair of lovers yet who has come and been left unsatisfied. You¡¯ve really come to the right place!¡± Lover¡¯s Pass? Fang Li contemplated for a moment, then remembered that there really was such a place. Not only was it one of Baihua province¡¯s most famous tourist spots, it was also a well-established holy ground for lovers throughout the world. Every year, couples came here in never-ending droves. Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept around, and he found that the people lined up in front really were in pairs¡ªmen and women, men and men, and women and women were all present. Because of this, he and Xie Huai didn¡¯t actually stand out too much. But he and Xie Huai weren¡¯t real lovers¡­¡­ Fang Li suddenly felt the urge to leave. The clerk took out a sign from his bamboo basket and stuffed it into Fang Li¡¯s hand, his tone vigorous as he smiled, ¡°This lover¡¯s talisman is only three spirit stones, but it can grant you a lovely dream of spending a lifetime together until you¡¯re old and gray. If you don¡¯t buy it, you¡¯ll be missing out! Just think of it as acquiring a good omen for your future. It¡¯s well worth it~!¡± Heh, those are just the words of a salesman. Are three spirit stones not still money? Fang Li sure didn¡¯t have any interest in jumping on this bandwagon. He turned his head, and discovered that Xie Huai¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, and his face was ice-cold and stiff. Fang Li¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help but waver. Just now, he¡¯d only focused on listening to the clerk talk, and he hadn¡¯t even noticed Xie Huai¡¯s displeasure. Now that he thought about it, being mistaken for the devil¡¯s Dao companion and even being told to pray for a lovely dream of spending a life together into old age, what kind of good omen could that be? That was simply a nightmare! For Fang Li, listening to the clerk¡¯s words was nothing, but for Xie Huai, every sentence was basically stabbing him in the heart! Although Fang Li himself didn¡¯t want to go seek some sort of marriage fortune or lovely dream¡­¡­ If for just a mere three spirit stones, he could fill up Xie Huai¡¯s aggro meter, that would truly be worth it. The clerk was still advertising. ¡°Our marriage fortune really is quite effective. There¡¯s nobody it won¡¯t work for. Young master, will you really not think about it a little?¡± The corner of Fang Li¡¯s lips suddenly hooked up, and he drew out three spirit stones from his robes, laughing softly. ¡°Alright.¡± The clerk was delighted. He explained the lover¡¯s talisman and the way to enter the dream one by one, then giddily went to advertise to some other pair of lovers. Looking at that basket full to the brim of lover¡¯s talismans, though the price of each was low, the profits would be high, and they would be able to make quite a bit over the night. Fang Li rubbed the lover¡¯s talisman in his hand. The white stone talisman felt ice-cold to the touch, and the craftsmanship was a little crude. At a glance, you could tell it had been mass produced¡­¡­ He turned his head and inched close to Xie Huai¡¯s ear, teasing with a soft laugh, ¡°Seeing as you¡¯ve become this lord¡¯s, and you won¡¯t be able to leave this lord life after life, this lord thinks wouldn¡¯t be too bad to pray for a union fated across lifetimes with Yuyi-jun¡­¡­¡± He¡¯d just said that he only liked Xie Huai¡¯s face, and now he was shamelessly praying for a union fated across lifetimes, wanting him to be unable to leave him life after life¡­¡­ It was really too scummy, so scummy that even the gods would be enraged. He wasn¡¯t afraid Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t get angry. As for a lovely dream between lovers¡­¡­ To those with feelings for each other, it would naturally be something to be enraptured by, but for enemies, it was another matter entirely. Fang Li suddenly reached his hand out past the side of Xie Huai¡¯s ear and plucked off a strand of hair, then plucked off a strand of his own hair and entwined them together on the lover¡¯s talisman. After completing these, Fang Li laughed coolly. ¡°This lord wants to see today if this Lover¡¯s Pass really lives up to its name. If they can¡¯t satisfy this lord, this lord will burn this place to the ground so that they can never do business again.¡± Xie Huai pursed his lips as he looked at Fang Li. He¡¯d heard of this Lover¡¯s Pass place a long time ago. It was no more than a place that peddled a lovely dream; it couldn¡¯t really grant anything like a union fated across lifetimes, but some lovers still liked to come here. In the end, it was just that lovers in their honeymoon phase wanted to look for a place to visit. Xie Huai¡¯s entire heart was focused on cultivation. He never put his attention on these meaningless matters. Let alone come here with a devil like this. But when Fang Li had reached out his hand and brushed past his ear, then had lowered his head and looked down, his gaunt fingertips pinching their strands of hair, carefully and earnestly winding them around the lover¡¯s talisman¡­¡­ that posture sincere and gentle¡­¡­ He suddenly had no way to refuse. The great and mighty demon lord, holding himself above the whole world. Yet only when it came to the word ¡°love,¡± so humble that he became pitiable. No matter how fiercely he spoke, his every move and action couldn¡¯t fool anyone¡­¡­ In the end, I have no way to return your feelings. But if what you seek is no more than a beautiful dream¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s expression became heavy. Fang Li bound their lover¡¯s talisman according to the clerk¡¯s instructions. After he was done saying those shameless words, he raised his head and saw Xie Huai¡¯s tense lower jaw. He was actually revealing a faint trace of nervousness. Huh? Xie Huai never let anything show on his face, always expressionless. This was his first time seeing Xie Huai act nervous! It looked like he¡¯d guessed correctly. The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips lifted in delight, and he flicked his sleeves, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ There sure were a ton of people here! Fang Li¡¯s expression was stupefied as he stood there. They had stood in line for almost two shichen already, so how come there were still so many people in front of them?! He was the great and mighty demon lord, yet he still had to wait in line here. Fang Li had the urge to give up more than once, but every time he turned to look at Xie Huai, he thought again that he could still hold on a little longer. Seeing as he was making Xie Huai despise him, he had to have at least this little bit of patience, right? He¡¯d already altered quite a bit of the script before this, so he could only make it up in these kinds of places. Increasing their mutual enmity a little. After about another shichen, it was finally their turn. Fang Li stood at the entrance of Lover¡¯s Pass. It was said that if one entered holding the lover¡¯s talisman, one could enter a dream with their lover and spend a lifetime together. He paused, then suddenly grasped Xie Huai¡¯s hand, the corner of his lips hooking up in an expression of deep affection. ¡°Is Yuyi-jun prepared?¡± Having said that, he didn¡¯t wait for Xie Huai¡¯s response and took a step straight forward, and the two of them stepped into white mist together. It was impossible to see anything in the white mist, and it felt light beneath his feet, as if he were drifting far above the clouds. After another period of time, Fang Li¡¯s senses gradually returned. He blinked and discovered that he was in an unfamiliar building. And Xie Huai was already nowhere to be seen. Fang Li wanted to get up and investigate his surroundings, but he found that he couldn¡¯t control his body. After pondering for a moment, he understood what was going on with this lovely dream. This was probably a type of illusion, and the characters and script inside had already been predetermined. He was only possessing one of the characters, like watching an immersive virtual reality film in the first person. He didn¡¯t even have to make an effort himself, how fantastic. Fang Li immediately stopped wasting energy and decided to contentedly watch the show. Probably because the main characters had arrived and the story had started, the man sitting on the bed stood up. He was fully attired in thick, heavy, bright red wedding garments, and he pushed open the door and walked out. The servant outside immediately bowed and greeted him, saying, ¡°Grand Duke, the guests have all arrived.¡± Fang Li nodded, and he heard himself say, ¡°Good, this lord1 will be going.¡± So it turned out his identity was even a grand duke. He arrived at the great banquet hall in front, which was adorned lavishly with red and gold. The inside was seated full with guests, and when they saw him, the guests smiled one after another and greeted him. ¡°My lord, you¡¯re here.¡± He arrived at the seat in the very center and sat down, raising a wine cup and waving it around in salute. ¡°Today is a day of great happiness for this lord. Don¡¯t go home until you¡¯re drunk, everyone.¡± Everyone offered their congratulations one by one. Fang Li watched himself drink cup after cup, thinking, this grand duke¡¯s alcohol tolerance isn¡¯t bad. Then, he watched himself exchange greetings with the crowd. Perhaps it was because everyone was a bit drunk. A youth dressed in luxurious brocade robes scooted over and sighed, ¡°Lord Uncle, actually, even if you really do like him, it¡¯s enough to accept him into your household as a lover. What need is there to marry him as your official wife? When Imperial Brother heard about it, he was extremely unhappy. ¡°A man with unclear origins as the great Grand Duke of Li¡¯s official wife. Even if word got out, no one would dare believe it!¡± The youth thought it was extremely absurd. He normally didn¡¯t dare speak on it too much, but right now, borrowing courage from the alcohol, he spat it all out. Fang Li heard his own voice shift and say in a frigid voice, ¡°Cease your nonsense. In the future, he¡¯ll be your elder. Show this lord some respect. If you let me hear you speak like this again, you¡¯ll be thrown into the barracks to see how you like it.¡± Hearing that, the youth shivered and was immediately scared sober. He knew he¡¯d misspoken, and he apologized profusely. Fang Li pondered in his mind. There had been no small amount of information in that conversation. It looked like this bride that he was marrying was not only a man, but a rather unpopular one¡­¡­ Because of the interruption, he was no longer in the mood to drink. Thinking about how his bride was still waiting for him, he left the place straight away. Fang Li sensed the urgency in his heart and felt even more intrigued. It wasn¡¯t too strange to think of it as an immersive VR movie, but the most peculiar part was that he could actually experience the character¡¯s state of mind and feel his emotions. It really was like living out a life in a dream. This Lover¡¯s Pass really did have a thing or two¡­¡­ No wonder it was so famous, and its stream of visitors never-ending. He ignored the clamor and bustle of the outside world and left behind the room full of guests, just to see more quickly the wife that he thought about day and night and hadn¡¯t even hesitated to defy the emperor to marry. The outside of the wedding chamber was hung with big, red lanterns, and the surroundings were peaceful, the servants in the courtyard having long retired. He stepped forward in great strides and pushed open the door. Red silk was draped all around the room, the festive colors everywhere. A man sat upright on the bed, and the flames atop the red candles flickered and swayed, casting a mesmerizing glow upon the room¡¯s interior. The wedding night. Perhaps it was because his beloved was before him, but even though he was a grand duke who could slaughter without hesitation, right now, he was gentle, careful, and earnest. He walked slowly until he stood before the man and softly called, ¡°Wife.¡± Then, he used the wedding pole to lift the other¡¯s veil.2 A face as clear and tranquil as a celestial¡¯s appeared before his eyes. Fang Li immediately laughed. Sure enough, it was Xie Huai. Forget the fact that the great and mighty Yuyi-jun had been married to a devil like him in a dream, he was even docilely wearing a veil and acting like a bride¡­¡­ Who knew what he was thinking right now? He probably wanted to kill him right this second, didn¡¯t he? How fantastic, how marvelous. This trip really hadn¡¯t been a waste. Fang Li even wanted to tip that clerk a few more spirit stones. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something To Say: Fang Li: Today, I¡¯m still a successful scum man ? Xie Huai: He just loves me more than he can say. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 This is a slightly different ¡°this lord¡± (±¾Íõ) from Fang Li¡¯s usual (±¾×ð). 2 It¡¯s not just a random pole CH 26 January 18th, 2023 Fang Li looked at that face that was exactly the same as Xie Huai¡¯s. He picked up the nuptial wine and walked forward. The beauty¡¯s face looked up at him with deep affection, reaching out to exchange wine cups with him and drink. His lowered eyes were full of tenderness and careful attentiveness, an appearance that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t dare imagine even in his dreams. Fang Li suddenly started to fret a little. Since it was their wedding night¡­¡­ next, would they¡­¡­ Cough cough. Although Xie Huai was indeed extremely beautiful, his sharpness was as evident as icicles on a lofty peak. It was definitely impossible to mistake him for a woman. Besides, even if he were a woman, even if Fang Li was willing to disgust him a little in other aspects, he couldn¡¯t possibly force him to do that¡­¡­ This was Fang Li¡¯s absolute limit. It looked like he¡¯d celebrated too early. He hadn¡¯t thought that this dream would be this stimulating in just the opening act, and that he would encounter a problem so early. But, who knew what Xie Huai was thinking at this moment? He must surely be in an even more awkward state than himself¡­¡­ Fang Li saw himself stretch out his hand and place it on the lapels of Xie Huai¡¯s robes, gently sliding off the outer garment¡­¡­ Taking off the layers and layers of embroidered wedding robes took quite a while¡­¡­ Just when he saw that things were no longer going to be family-friendly¡­¡­ A clamor suddenly arose from outside. ¡°Assassins¡ªProtect the grand duke¡ª¡± Immediately after, accompanied by loud rustling, countless sharp arrows shot into the room at once! Fang Li¡¯s expression abruptly changed, and he wrapped his arm around the beauty and turned sharply and swiftly, raising his hand to unsheathe the blade on the table, cutting the sharp arrow before his eyes directly into two halves! Then, he turned to look at the beauty in his embrace and asked anxiously, ¡°Wife, are you hurt?¡± The beauty shook his head. Although he had a tranquil face, he couldn¡¯t conceal his concern, but before he could speak, his pupils suddenly shrank, and he pushed Fang Li aside fiercely¡ª The next moment, an arrow pierced his shoulder! The beauty staggered and fell into Fang Li¡¯s embrace, his face devoid of color, but his lips trembling as he said, ¡°My lord, you, you¡¯re not hurt, are you¡­¡­¡± Fang Li held the soft and gentle beauty in one hand, his entire being numb from shock. What kind of direction was this plot going in? But after his shock was over, he rejoiced. These assassins had really picked a good time to appear. It looked like they wouldn¡¯t be able to go through with tonight¡¯s wedding night. The beauty had been injured this badly, and it would take at least a month before he¡¯d be able to do that. Seeing as he was deeply in love with him, it was more impossible for Fang Li to make a move while he was recovering from his injury, so it was safe for now. The weight in Fang Li¡¯s chest fell off. Although the plot was a little clich¨¦, if he didn¡¯t feel awkward, then the awkward ones were everyone else. When he thought of it this way, his state of mind immediately settled. He held the injured beauty tightly in his arms, yelling angrily at the guards who had arrived late, ¡°Quickly call for the imperial doctor!¡± Having said that, he carefully placed the beauty on the bed and spoke in a heavy voice. ¡°This lord will make sure nothing happens to you!¡± The beauty¡¯s face was sickly. Although he¡¯d suffered a serious injury, and his life hung by a thread, he still slowly revealed a smile, saying, ¡°Mn, I believe in my lord¡­¡­¡± Fang Li looked carefully at the person before him. Although he had the exact same facial features as Xie Huai, his manner and bearing didn¡¯t share the least bit of similarity with him. Thinking of how Xie Huai had been trapped in this shell, when he saw his own dainty, artificial appearance, he wouldn¡¯t be so disgusted that he¡¯d go into qi deviation on the spot, would he? Fang Li only wished he could look at Xie Huai face to face to see just what expression he had on right now. Who knew that the conversation hadn¡¯t ended yet? Fang Li looked at Xie Huai, who was tightly holding his hand, and said in a hoarse, sorrowful voice, ¡°Why are you such a fool? You must never do this again in the future. This lord doesn¡¯t need your protection.¡± Although the beauty was incomparably weak, he was tender yet staunch. ¡°I owe my lord for your love, to be able to become husband and wife with my lord for a lifetime. Even if I were to die for you, I would do it gladly.¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡¾ Fang Li: System, are you still there? ¡¿ ¡¾ The System¡¯s life was hanging by a thread, as if it¡¯d suffered serious bodily injury: I¡¯m here. ¡¿ ¡¾ For the first time, Fang Li spoke in an uncertain voice: Did I overdo it a little? Will Xie Huai want to kill me as soon as we get out? ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ What do you think? Before coming here, Fang Li had strategized that this lovely dream could be used to disgust Xie Huai, but only after actually arriving did he discover that its potency far surpassed his imagination. Even though he no longer cared about life and death, for some reason, at this moment, he felt a little uneasy¡­¡­ Forget it, forget it, this was his own doing. He was a big, strong, grown man, how could he cower here? That couldn¡¯t happen! Watching himself and Xie Huai embracing each other with sappy adoration again, comforting one another and whispering in each other¡¯s ears¡­¡­ Fang Li was already totally numb. He was starting to suspect that the high customer satisfaction rate of Lover¡¯s Pass was the clerk¡¯s exaggeration. Of course salesmen would only pick good things to say. To think that he¡¯d even believed it; that was his mistake. Very quickly, the imperial physician rushed over. Fang Li heard himself say in an ice-cold voice, ¡°If you can¡¯t cure this lord¡¯s consort, this lord will chop off your hands and feet!¡± The imperial physician was shaking with terror as he took Xie Huai¡¯s pulse over a silk handkerchief. After a moment, he knelt on the ground. ¡°My lord, no need to worry. The grand duchess did not receive a fatal injury, and there is no threat to his life. Only, the wound has harmed his vitality, and he will need proper rest and care. This one will prescribe medicine for the grand duchess.¡± At this, Fang Li¡¯s tone finally relaxed. ¡°Very well.¡± He held the beauty¡¯s hand and comforted, ¡°Wife, be at ease and recuperate well. This lord will investigate the matter of the assassins thoroughly.¡± The beauty nodded docilely, then quickly sank into sleep. Fang Li walked out with a heavy face and called his subordinate, asking about the matter with the assassins. The subordinate shook his head and said, ¡°Those assassins were suicide agents. Some of them escaped, and the rest who weren¡¯t able to escape all took poison and killed themselves. This subordinate is incapable and wasn¡¯t able to capture anyone alive.¡± Fang Li revealed a pensive expression. Following that, a rush of information appeared in his mind; it was the thoughts of this character. Although they hadn¡¯t captured any of the assassins, it was highly possible that they had a grudge against him. As the greatest general in the country, these years, he¡¯d slaughtered countless foes in endless campaigns all over. There were far too many people who wanted him to die. The problem was that the grand duke¡¯s estate was tightly guarded and virtually airtight, yet these assassins had appeared without any warning. That was in fact somewhat strange. He ordered his subordinates to continue investigating and report back if there was any news, then returned inside. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Because Xie Huai had been injured to ¡°save¡± him, Fang Li was completely ¡°moved¡± and fell even ¡°deeper in love¡± with his wife, staying by Xie Huai¡¯s side night and day. The news of the grand duke¡¯s singular adoration for his consort spread around. Previously, many people had looked down on Xie Huai, thinking that his origins were unclear and that other than a pretty face, he had nothing else¡­¡­ Someone like that, and he was even a man, so what right did he have to become the Grand Duke of Li¡¯s grand duchess? A beauty with nothing more than a pretty face could be a plaything at most. Even if the Grand Duke of Li had been temporarily possessed and had married that man as his bride, surely after some time, he would get tired of him and throw him away. But what was outside of everyone¡¯s expectations was that, as the seasons passed, they didn¡¯t hear word of the Grand Duke of Li discarding or abandoning his consort, but actually received stories about the couple being deeply in love. No matter who sent over other beauties, the Grand Duke of Li didn¡¯t accept a single one. Even the ones conferred by the emperor were all chased away. After several months had passed, the Grand Duke of Li still only had his one consort by his side, treating him well with single-minded devotion. Not a single person had thought that the cold-blooded, heartless Grand Duke of Li with his hands full of blood would actually be the devoted type. Fang Li was actually pretty relaxed during this period of time. After all, it was only a fleeting dream. The lovers who came here couldn¡¯t possibly actually stay in a dream for several years, so this period of time passed in the blink of an eye. It didn¡¯t actually unfold in great detail, much like time skips in a movie, and soon, it was several months later. Just as he saw that his consort¡¯s wound was about to be healed, he received a summons from the emperor. Fang Li finally left the rear court. Inside the imperial palace, he finally saw the current reigning emperor, his nephew, a muddle-headed ruler who was passive and mediocre yet was most adept at suspecting others. The emperor needed to rely on his royal uncle to stabilize the country, yet he was also afraid of him, fearing that someday, he would scheme to seize the throne. On the surface, the emperor seemed to disapprove of him taking a male wife and had even attempted to send people into his rear court, but in truth, watching his infatuation with his consort and seeing that he would have no descendents, who knew how happy the emperor was? Fang Li guessed that this cannon fodder emperor wouldn¡¯t have too many scenes, and he was probably just a bystander character, so he didn¡¯t know what this summons was for. The emperor ordered him to go on a campaign to the north to quell the barbarian uprising. Fang Li accepted the imperial edict and returned to the grand duke estate, rushing toward the rear court without rest, and saw the consort who was on his mind at every moment. Xie Huai¡¯s wound was almost healed. Fang Li walked over and held his hand, saying in a heavy voice, ¡°This lord has to leave for a while. Stay in the estate and wait for this lord to return.¡± The beauty looked at him with worry. ¡°Is my lord setting out on a campaign?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The beauty immediately revealed an uneasy expression, as if wholly anxious and reluctant to part, but still restrained himself and only said slowly, ¡°My lord must return safe and sound.¡± Fang Li felt endlessly touched in his heart. He wrapped his arms around his consort and touched their heads together, giving a teasing laugh. ¡°Of course, this lord still hasn¡¯t made up for the wedding night with my consort. This lord will definitely return and sound. My consort, you must sit tight and wait for this lord¡­¡­¡± The beauty revealed a bashful expression. ¡¾ Fang Li said blandly: I think, with how dog-blooded this plot is, I definitely won¡¯t be able to return safe and sound. This flag has been raised here today. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ Aren¡¯t you the one who doesn¡¯t want to return safe and sound?! Fang Li said farewell to his consort, then led his troops off on the campaign. Because this dream was primarily about romance, the campaign naturally wasn¡¯t the emphasis. Every day, he would just go out and slaughter a little; regardless of whether it was arranging battle formations or coming up with schemes, it was all over in a flash. Only when the fast messenger horse came from the grand duke estate bearing a letter would he carefully read it over several times, then pick up a pen to write a response to the consort waiting far away in the grand duke estate. No matter how worrisome the state of the war, no matter if he was hurt or injured, no matter how tired he was¡­¡­ The thing that he looked forward to the most was always the letter from the estate. As if just by receiving that letter from far away, just by thinking of that beloved person waiting for him in the distance, he would have reason to persevere. This war lasted for three years. During these three years, the consort wrote every month, never missing a single one. Although the letters were all about daily trifles, the endless affection in them was evident. For example, today, he made new clothes for him again to wait for him to wear when he returned; or yesterday, the peach trees in the grand duke estate blossomed, and he had plucked some peach flowers to brew into wine; or how he had already waited for three years, and he would definitely wait for the grand duke to return¡­¡­ Every time Fang Li saw those letters, when he thought of Xie Huai¡¯s appearance as he wrote those letters, he couldn¡¯t help a smile from creeping onto his lips. This was truly making things awkward for him¡­¡­ This was probably the online dating of ancient times, right? At this point, carriages and horses were all extremely slow, so a lifetime was only enough to love one person with. After all, he could only receive one letter a month! The amount of anticipation was naturally completely unique. The only thing that made Fang Li a little worried was that the state of the war on this side was going without a hitch. In a couple more months, they would be able to withdraw the troops and return in triumph¡­¡­ He wasn¡¯t really going to return safe and sound, was he? No way¡­¡­ It couldn¡¯t be that the accident was going to happen on the journey back? For example, the emperor was afraid Fang Li¡¯s triumph would overshadow him, so he¡¯d send people to intercept and kill him? Amidst Fang Li¡¯s worries, two months passed in the blink of an eye. He led the troops and prisoners back together, smoothly returning to the capital. After visiting the palace to report his success, he hastily hurried back to the grand duke estate. ¡¾ Fang Li: To think that I actually didn¡¯t get in an accident on the way back¡­¡­ ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ This really didn¡¯t make sense. Such a bizarre, dog-blooded plot wasn¡¯t actually full of plot twists. They were just going to have a perfect happily ever after? Although the character¡¯s feelings were joyous and full of expectation, Fang Li¡¯s were disappointed and solemn. The joy and disappointment intermingled, and for a while, a hundred different feelings were jumbled in his heart. Only, as soon as Fang Li stepped into the grand duke state, he sensed that the atmosphere wasn¡¯t quite right. According to reason, he had just returned in great triumph, so the grand duke estate should be joyous and festive¡­¡­ But right now, the estate was silent as a grave, and all the servants were trembling in fear. When they saw them, they were so scared they fell kneeling to the ground with a plop, not daring to speak even a word. What had happened? The flame of hope ignited in Fang Li¡¯s heart again. His face was frosty as he asked the estate¡¯s caretaker, ¡°What happened in the estate? Where is my consort? Why hasn¡¯t he come out to welcome this lord back?¡± The news that he was returning had long been sent out. His consort was deeply faithful and in love with him, yet he wasn¡¯t waiting at the door to welcome him back. This truly went against common sense. The caretaker was close to sixty years old and had watched the grand duke grow up and was like an elder to him. He knelt, trembling, and said, ¡°This old servant is incompetent and allowed the consort to be kidnapped!¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Was this the so-called return from death¡¯s door? It turned out that the one who¡¯d gotten in an accident wasn¡¯t himself, but Xie Huai! Although his heart was full of endless joy, what appeared were feelings of grief and rage. He heard his own voice become unsteady. ¡°When did this happen, why did no one tell this lord?¡± The caretaker said in a trembling voice, ¡°That, that shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡­ This old servant sent my lord a letter some time ago. My lord didn¡¯t receive it?¡± Fang Li seemed to be startled, then a furious expression appeared on his face, and he bit out word by word, ¡°Good, good, good.¡± Saying that, he turned and left in big strides. He hadn¡¯t even removed his sword when, ignoring the barring of the guards, he burst directly into the imperial palace! The emperor was currently in the imperial palace enjoying himself with his concubines. Seeing Fang Li barging in holding a sword, he was so scared his face became deathly white, and he crawled up, his clothes still in disarray, and said in a trembling voice. ¡°Royal Uncle, what are you doing? Q-quickly put your sword down!¡± Fang Li stuck his sword into the ground and said in a frigid voice, ¡°The news that this lord¡¯s consort was captured, did Your Majesty intercept it?¡± The emperor had originally wanted to deny it, but seeing Fang Li¡¯s murderous face, he was so scared that his soul escaped him, and he stammered, ¡°This, this emperor only didn¡¯t want such a trifling matter, to disturb Royal Uncle, and affect the critical affairs of war over there¡­¡­ Besides, Royal Uncle didn¡¯t have a way to return at that time, either. Even if you knew, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference¡­¡­¡± Fang Li was angered to the point that he laughed instead. ¡°Very good, what ¡®wouldn¡¯t make a difference¡¯!¡± His chest heaved violently, the expression in his eyes ice-cold, and he looked at the emperor as if seeing a corpse. But in the end, Finally, he still turned and left in great strides. The emperor finally fell limply to the ground, paralyzed. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ He returned to the grand duke estate in a rage, staggering as he arrived at the rear court. He saw the building that his consort had once passed through, the daily items that he had once used, and the writing paper that was laid out on the table, imagining that he was there, writing stroke by stroke, his appearance as he tenderly and earnestly wrote a letter to him, and Fang Li was in so much pain he didn¡¯t want to live anymore. It turned out that just two months ago, his consort had gone alone to the temple to pray for him, and on the way, he had been captured by a monster. The monster was a spirit of great renown, and although Fang Li was a noble grand duke with great military strength in hand, in the end, he was a common mortal. How could he be a match for a monster? In order to rescue his consort, he stopped at nothing, forgoing sleep and rest to search for cultivators, hoping to plead for an immortal to go to Nothing Left Peak to mount a rescue. But cultivators were usually like drifting clouds and wild cranes, difficult to catch more than a glimpse of. Even using up every method he had, he wasn¡¯t able to find a trace of a cultivator. Fang Li watched himself busying about everywhere. It looked like in this story¡¯s setting, monsters and cultivators were both very rare, and they weren¡¯t things mortals could contend with, to the point that even a grand duke with great authority throughout the land had his hands tied in this matter. As for Xie Huai¡¯s safety¡­¡­ Fang Li wasn¡¯t the least bit worried. They¡¯d already said this was a lovely dream, so he would definitely be alright. No reward came without struggle; all of the twists and turns right now were for the sake of the future happy ending, after all. Although Fang Li knew everything was just a dream, he still experienced it all for himself and saw himself searching as if he¡¯d gone mad. That anxiety, that sorrow, that worry swirled in his guts, making his emotions complicated. So these were the feelings of caring for someone. They were a bit foreign, a bit intriguing. In order to save Xie Huai, he used every last resort. Since the heaven¡¯s couldn¡¯t be reached. Then he would look to hell. He knew that an evil demon was enshrined in the temple at Thousand Burials Pit. That demon had existed for a very, very long time, and the entire area within a hundred li of Thousand Burials Pit were a forbidden zone that no one dared approach. But he still went. Alone, sword in hand, he arrived before the evil shrine. The demon saw him arrive and transformed into a shroud of black mist. He let out a cruel, uncanny laugh and said, ¡°What is sire here for?¡± Fang Li spoke steadily. ¡°This lord wants unsurpassable power, endless might.¡± The demon said, ¡°I can give you all of that, but what are you willing to give in exchange?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°Whatever you want.¡± The demon had actually coveted the Grand Duke of Li for a long time now. The Grand Duke of Li was of the noble imperial bloodline. He had fought and slaughtered his whole life, and his hands were full of blood, yet he guarded the country and protected the people¡­¡­ If it could devour his soul, its cultivation would definitely improve greatly. But although the Grand Duke of Li was a mortal, he was no normal mortal. Such a god of war would naturally possess a ferocious energy. If he wasn¡¯t willing, then it wouldn¡¯t be able to devour him. The demon revealed a greedy expression and said sinisterly, ¡°I want your eyes, and your soul after death.¡± Fang Li said blandly, ¡°This lord can allow all of that, but if this lord dies now, what point is there in acquiring unsurpassable power?¡± The demon said, ¡°I can leave you with three years of life. I¡¯ll wait until after you¡¯ve died to retrieve your soul.¡± Fang Li nodded. ¡°Very well, this lord agrees.¡± The demon was overjoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t regret what you¡¯ve promised me.¡± Fang Li laughed. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something To Say: Fang Li: Tyrannical prince, charming princess ? Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. TL Note: 1 It has just come to mind that I should probably clarify that the ¡°Li¡± in Grand Duke of Li is not the ¡°Li¡± in Fang Li. The Li in the grand duke¡¯s title is ¡°Àú,¡± as in harsh, strict, or fierce. The Li in Fang Li is ¡°Àè,¡± which can mean a lot of things: multitudinous, a black color, (archaically) sluggishly or unhurriedly. It shows up more commonly in phrases like ¡°ÀèÃñ°ÙÐÕ (the people of the world)¡± and ¡°ÀèÃ÷ (dawn).¡± 2 Also, the title that Fang Li¡¯s character has is ¡°ÍõÒ¯,¡± which is technically a title of peerage that¡¯s above ¡°duke¡± and just below the emperor and is often but not always conferred to royalty, but the more direct and literal translation in some cases would be ¡°prince.¡± (Except that ¡°prince¡± has the connotation of successorship in English which I felt might be confusing, hence why I have it as ¡°grand duke¡± here.) I mention this mostly because when Xie Huai¡¯s character is referred to as ¡°consort¡± or ¡°grand duchess,¡± they¡¯re the same word in Chinese, ¡°Íõåú,¡± which is the title of spouse correspondent with Fang Li¡¯s title. In other words, it¡¯s more like they¡¯re calling him ¡°princess,¡± which is more fitting for the sappy fairy tale vibe of the dream. The reason I have it as two different words in translation is because in my opinion, when others are addressing him as such, they are emphasizing the rank (hence ¡°grand duchess¡±), whereas when Fang Li¡¯s character does it, it¡¯s more to express the intimacy and spousal bond (hence ¡°consort¡±). It¡¯s like the difference between saying ¡°the princess¡± and ¡°my princess.¡± CH 27 January 22nd, 2023 TL Note: This one¡¯s a bit late because of new year¡¯s stuff. On that topic, happy bunny year, everyone! (Or cat year, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re celebrating) ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li left the evil shrine at Thousand Burials Pit. Now he had the power to go save his wife. It truly lived up to the name of a beautiful dream specially created for lovers. Only in a story would someone give up everything for love like this, right? Although he kept looking down on the plot for being clich¨¦ and dog-blooded, if real lovers were to come here, it actually wouldn¡¯t be a wasted trip. Maybe some just had a taste for this kind of thing? Fang Li didn¡¯t return to the grand duke estate, nor did he bring anyone with him, and went alone to Nothing Left Peak. Nothing Left Peak was a bare and barren mountain, looking extremely desolate, like a deserted wasteland without a single inhabitant. Fang Li traveled all by himself on the mountain. There was a massive stronghold at the top of the mountain. There were more than a few servants walking around near the stronghold. They were all slaves that the monster had captured. Fang Li saw the monster inside the stronghold. The monster was surrounded by a swarm of beauties, each of its arms loping around some, but there was no Xie Huai. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow. According to reason, nothing would have happened to Xie Huai. Seeing as Fang Li was holding the script of the hero rescuing the damsel in distress, they couldn¡¯t let Xie Huai die first, could they? Then how would this story progress? It couldn¡¯t be that the monster had hidden Xie Huai away alone somewhere, could it? Fang Li shot the monster an indifferent glance. It was a mottled snake spirit. If it were reality, he could pinch such a low-level monster to death with one hand. Only in a dream could it strut around in front of him like this. Even so, the day of its death had arrived today. After all, he¡¯d just exchanged for unsurpassable power from that evil demon. Fang Li stepped forward, and he heard himself open his mouth to say, ¡°Hand over this lord¡¯s consort.¡± The monster had a strange tone of voice, and it looked down on him disdainfully. ¡°There are so many beauties here. Which one is your consort?¡± Fang Li said in a chilly voice, ¡°He¡¯s not here.¡± The monster gave a cruel, uncanny laugh. ¡°Not here, eh? Then he¡¯s dead, so stop looking and go home.¡± This sentence thoroughly ignited his fury. With eyes nearly splitting at the seams from rage, he raised his sword and struck out without a hint of hesitation! He possessed the unsurpassable power given to him by the demon, but the monster was also extremely formidable and fought with him toe to toe. The entirety of Nothing Left Peak was smashed to pieces in their fight. The monster hadn¡¯t expected this mortal to be so powerful, and it couldn¡¯t gain even a bit of advantage. In the end, it had to reveal its original form, and a huge mottled snake swept toward him. Before it, Fang Li¡¯s figure was as small as an ant¡¯s. The mottled snake thrashed its tail, tossing him far, far away. He spat out a mouthful of blood, then dauntlessly raised his sword again, unafraid of death. They fought like this for three days and nights. Fang Li¡¯s sword pierced through the mottled snake¡¯s skull, finally slaying the great monster! But at that moment, he was also like an arrow at the end of its flight, and one of his arms had been bitten off by the snake. The power from the demon couldn¡¯t be maintained for much longer, and he felt his strength leaving his entire body until he could barely even stay standing any longer. But he still hadn¡¯t found his consort¡­¡­ He used his remaining hand to stab his sword into the ground, his whole body soaked in blood, walking step by step into the snake monster¡¯s stronghold. In the battle earlier, plenty of people had fled, and the stronghold had been smashed to bits, so there were some who had been crushed to death. He searched meticulously everywhere, examining every corner, turning over every corpse, wanting to find his wife. But he wasn¡¯t there¡­¡­ Not a single person was his wife. Time trickled by. He felt his vision becoming blurry, and he knew that he didn¡¯t have much time left before he would no longer be able to see, but he still hadn¡¯t found his wife. They¡¯d promised to be united heart and mind, together until old age, sharing the same path in life and the same tomb in death, so even if it was as a corpse, he still had to find him¡­¡­ But why¡­¡­ Why couldn¡¯t he find him¡­¡­ Despair permeated the pit of his stomach bit by bit, and pain and self-blame tormented his heart. How come he just couldn¡¯t find him? He had already given away everything, yet he still couldn¡¯t save the person he loved. It was all because he¡¯d returned late. If he¡¯d come back two months earlier, just two months¡­¡­ Would none of it have happened¡­¡­? Before dying, had his wife blamed him, blamed him for not being able to come save him earlier? Do you hate me? His heart seemed to be an empty cavern with only endless darkness remaining, just like his vision, which would never be able to see a single bit of light again. He finally toppled over. ¡¾ Fang Li: ¡­¡­ This plot is a little beyond my expectations. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ¡­¡­ ¡¿ As Fang Li had imagined it, after bargaining with that demon for unsurpassable power, he would have a very grand and glorious battle with that monster, then successfully rescue his cute little wife, and the two of them would sweetly and merrily spend three years together. That would also count as a happy ending, after all. That was how most novels were. A hero rescuing a damsel in distress would never go out of style. But he¡¯d already killed the monster, yet he still hadn¡¯t found his missing lover. It couldn¡¯t be that they were going to have a bad ending? Fang Li finally felt a little bit of interest in the remaining plot. He was a little curious how things would proceed next. He didn¡¯t believe that this was a nightmare with a bad ending, or else, with all those customers at Lover¡¯s Pass, it was impossible that no one had raised a fuss. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Next, there was a scene change. When Fang Li opened his eyes again, everything before him was pitch-black. He knew he had gone blind, and he would only be able to hear and not see the rest of the story. The darkness made him more sensitive to everything around him, and the unknown stretched his nerve endings taut. It seemed like the story was getting more and more stimulating. However, right now, his power was gone, his eyes were blind, and one of his arms was gone. He was already a half-dead waste, and although the demon had said that it would give him three years to live, in his state, if he were left unattended, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it past a day. Since he hadn¡¯t died, that should mean that he¡¯d been rescued. Who had saved him, then? Fang Li waited patiently. Not long after, he heard footsteps, and someone arrived in front of him. But even after waiting for a very long time, the other party never said a word. In this kind of silence where he didn¡¯t know a thing, it was hard to avoid feeling a bit nervous¡­¡­ Why didn¡¯t this person speak? What were they doing? He propped himself up on the bed with difficulty and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Sir, who are you? Were you the one who rescued this lord?¡± The other person still didn¡¯t speak. After a while, Fang Li heard himself ask again, ¡°Sir, why won¡¯t you speak?¡± Everything before him was still silent. Fang Li furrowed his brow. Seeing as this person had rescued him, then they must have some kind of request. Why didn¡¯t they speak? He bore his patience and continued, ¡°Sir, please send this lord back to my estate, and this lord will be sure to express deep gratitude.¡± Still, no one responded. At this moment, Fang Li¡¯s emotions were finally in sync with his character¡¯s for the first time, which was¡ªconfusion. Now what kind of development was this? Was this person deaf or mute? Seeing as they¡¯d rescued him, regardless of whether they took pleasure in lending a helping hand or whether they were seeking benefits, it should be one or the other, right? If you stay tight-lipped like this, how will I know what you want? The Grand Duke of Li sure wasn¡¯t someone with a good temper. Bearing enough patience to ask those few questions was already the limit of his compromise. If this had been back when he was well, who would dare act so rudely in front of him? Truly, a fallen tiger can be bullied by hounds. Seeing that that person wouldn¡¯t respond, nor did they make any movements, he had no more patience and simply got up himself and headed outside. Because he had forced himself to stand, all of the bones in his body seemed to rebel, and a burning pain seared his severed limb as if it were still dripping blood, but he slowly walked forward step by step as if he didn¡¯t feel anything. He was going to return to Nothing Left peak. He still hadn¡¯t found his wife. He couldn¡¯t leave him there alone in that ice-cold place¡­¡­ Even in death, he was going to die with him together. Wait, he couldn¡¯t see right now. How was he going to search? He still had to return to the ducal estate first. Only then would he be able to send people out to search. By now, that monster had already been killed. The grand duke¡¯s people could turn the entirety of Nothing Left Peak over. Even if they had to dig three feet into the ground all over, he had to find his consort. That was what he was thinking when his foot suddenly tripped on something, and his entire body crashed to the ground. He unconsciously supported himself on his palms, and the floor was covered in thorny thistles, cutting into his skin until it was dripping with blood. But this bit of pain was nothing to him. He crawled upright with no expression on his face and continued walking. No matter how many times he fell, how many wounds he received, he still refused to give up¡­¡­ Finally, his strength was exhausted. This time, he couldn¡¯t crawl back up again. He was fallen on the floor, as if all his blood had been emptied, yet he only had one thought in his heart. He still hadn¡¯t been able to find his wife¡­¡­ It couldn¡¯t be that he was just going to die here? Just when his heart was thoroughly in despair, a pair of hands lifted him up. It was that person. So he had been here the whole time. As if clutching onto his last hope, he hung onto that person for dear life, like someone at the end of his rope. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Help this lord search, please, go to Nothing Left Peak, and find this lord¡¯s consort, whether he¡¯s dead or alive, as long as you find him, everything this lord has will be yours¡­¡­¡± He sensed the other¡¯s movements pause for a moment, and he waited for a response with some unease. But he was disappointed again. That person still didn¡¯t make a sound, his movements ice-cold and impassive. He brought him back to that room and threw him straight onto the bed, then pushed the door open again and left. The more Fang Li looked at these developments, the more confused he became. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The next day, he woke up. The wounds on his body seemed to have been taken care of. He was extremely famished, and he smelled the fragrance of food in the room, but there was nobody there. He knew he couldn¡¯t die right now; he still hadn¡¯t found his wife, so he had to live on no matter what. Thus, he crawled up with difficulty and reached out his hand to grope in front of him. But as a result, he accidentally knocked over the dishes. The swarms of servants from the ducal estate weren¡¯t here, only his single, solitary self. It was as quiet as a dark prison. He clenched his teeth and grabbed the food on the ground to eat. He regained some energy and tried to walk outside once more. He fumbled about in the darkness for a long time and found the direction of the door. The door wasn¡¯t locked, and he stepped outside bit by bit. Today, the ground was covered in sharp rocks. Every time he fell, it was like walking on sharp blades. Up until he fainted once again. After waking up, he was back in that room again. He ate the food that person prepared and tried for the third time to go outside. This time he walked a little further, and his journey went fairly smoothly. Just when a bit of hope finally arose in him, he tumbled into a pit. The pit was filled with rotten animal corpses, and the vile smell made one want to vomit. No matter how hard he tried, he could climb out. Was he going to die here¡­¡­ But after he woke again, he¡¯d returned to that room again. He made more than ten more attempts like this. Every time, the path was covered in different kinds of obstructions and traps. They either wounded him until he was covered in blood, or, when he finally had a little bit of hope, they would plunge him into endless despair again. From start to finish, there was only a single person who spoke not a word by his side. Every time, after he lost consciousness, that person would bring him back and help him tend to his wounds, not letting him easily die, yet not giving him any hope at all. Gradually, he understood. The reason why this person had rescued him was only to torment him, to see him in despair, to see him suffer. This person was probably his enemy. Who would have thought that the great and mighty Grand Duke of Li, who once had limitless glory and splendor, would one day fall to this? Leaving aside his current state, he had even fallen into the hands of his enemy. Perhaps it was because he¡¯d killed too many, and this was his divine retribution. In this dark and solitary world, there was forever only himself, and this room that he couldn¡¯t walk out of. Not only was he unable to save his beloved, he couldn¡¯t even save himself. That day, he walked out the door once more. Today, the ground outside was covered in sharp flower sprays, emitting an enticing fragrance, yet pricking him until he was covered in blood¡­¡­ He walked for almost a shichen, falling over and over again, then pretended to faint. Not long after, that person showed up again, as expected. Just when that person tried to reach out his hands to pick him up, he suddenly reached out and grabbed tightly onto the other¡¯s wrist, speaking in a raspy voice, ¡°Just who are you?¡± Although he¡¯d asked the question, he didn¡¯t have much certainty, because he didn¡¯t have any kind of bargaining chips right now¡­¡­ The other person could completely ignore him. Time passed, second by second. Just when he thought the other person would do as he had before and wouldn¡¯t respond, the other person actually spoke for the first time. It was an extremely strange and unpleasant voice, like rocks scraping against metal, or like being cut by a knife that had been placed in scorching fire. They said, ¡°Back then, when my lord slaughtered the country of Xi¡¯s royal country, how mighty you were. That appearance of being high above the whole world, to this day, I don¡¯t dare forget it for even a moment.¡± He finally knew who the other person was. That year, the country of Xi had been unwilling to offer tribute, nor were they willing to swear allegiance, and had even attempted to secretly ally with a few other countries and resist the empire¡¯s orders together. He¡¯d been commanded to suppress the country of Xi, up until the country of Xi¡¯s royal family was killed to the last. From then on, the country of Xi was gone. That day, blood flowed like rivers. Whether they were young or old, woman or child, not a single person escaped his blade. To think that there were still members of the royal family of Xi remaining¡­¡­ Then, hating him was natural. Only, the number of enemies he had was truly too high. Even if he knew, the only meaning in it was to die with clarity. There hadn¡¯t been much meaning for him in being alive to start with. He¡¯d committed too many sins of murder in this life, and he was destined to have a bad end. All of this was his divine retribution, but there was one person he still couldn¡¯t let go of. He had no choice but to put down his pride and plead with his enemy. ¡°Could you go to Nothing Left Peak, and find this lord¡¯s consort for this lord? As long as you¡¯re willing to find him for this lord, you can torment this lord however you want.¡± That person laughed as if he¡¯d heard some sort of funny joke and said with amusement, ¡°Can¡¯t I already torment you however I want?¡± He fell into silence. The already dim and lifeless eyes thoroughly lost their color. Just when he¡¯d already completely give up¡­¡­ He heard that person say, ¡°But it¡¯s not impossible. It depends on¡ªwhat lengths you can go to for him.¡± Then that person picked up him and laughed softly and suggestively beside his ear. ¡°You have to live properly and watch how I torment you.¡± They were afraid he would seek death. He was placed back into the bed in that room, but this time, that person didn¡¯t leave without a sound. The other person slowly approached, and slightly cool fingertips rested on the lapels of his robe, hooking them lightly. Fresh blood had solidified on the clothing, to the point that when taken off, it was like his skin and flesh was being peeled off with them, along with his dignity. He knew what this person wanted to do. Fair enough. This truly was a good way to torment him. These years, he¡¯d campaigned on the battlefield, and there was no type of injury he hadn¡¯t received before. Mere torment of the flesh didn¡¯t even itch to him, but this type of torment was indeed something he¡¯d never thought of before and found hard to accept. This person knew that he might end his own life, so they¡¯d accepted his request, giving him a ray of hope so that he would live properly and endure this humiliation. Even if he had no way to guarantee whether or not this person would keep his promise, he didn¡¯t dare gamble. Because this was his only hope. He lay there completely motionless, allowing the other person¡¯s fingertips to rest near his neck, lightly caressing with improper and frivolous air. Like treating a cheap plaything. He didn¡¯t have much expression. Nor did he make a sound. There wasn¡¯t a piece of unbroken flesh left on his body, the wounds bleeding then scarring over and over again, and one could imagine how ugly and nauseating they were. On the contrary, it was this person who didn¡¯t hesitate to personally step up in order to torment him and was willing to touch someone who disgusted them so much¡­¡­ They did indeed hate him to the extreme. Thinking up to here, the corner of his mouth pulled in ridicule. He actually thought it was a little funny. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ In the darkness, the sound of breathing fell softly beside his ear, intermingling with the scent of incense burning in the room. It was like there was a feeling of hazy mist, as if blurring reality and illusion. His eyes were closed the whole time. But just at the last second, that person stopped. That person lowered his head close to his ear and slightly ground his teeth, as if with concealed hatred, and with some kind of almost imperceptible sigh¡­¡­ he said, ¡°You really are the foolishly infatuated type.¡± Then, the other person stood up and moved away from him. They said, extremely slowly, in a bland and indifferent yet merciless voice, ¡°For the sake of your single-minded infatuation for him, I¡¯ll let you have a glimpse of his corpse.¡± As they spoke, he was lifted up. After walking for around fifteen minutes¡¯ time, they arrived at another room. As soon as the door was opened, the smell of decay assaulted him. Even without being able to see, one could guess that the appearance of that corpse couldn¡¯t be pretty. That person put him down. He gathered what strength he had left and walked forward step by step, half kneeling onto the ground, and reached his hand out to probe the corpse in front of him. ¡¾ The Fang Li who had been silently watching the show all these days suddenly spoke: I know what¡¯s going on now. ¡¿ ¡¾ System: ? ¡¿ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: What happened to the promised ¡°hero rescues the damsel in distress¡± script??? Where did such a big wife of mine go??? Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ CH 28 Fang Li withdrew his hand. He heard himself say in a calm voice, ¡°Thank you, I have no more regrets. Go ahead and kill me now.¡± That person made a strange noise, then reached out and pinched his chin, laughing hoarsely by his ear. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll fulfill your wish.¡± Fang Li felt a numbness at the back of his neck, then lost consciousness. When he woke up once more. He found that he was lying on a soft bed, and beneath his hands was the familiar feel of smooth silken embroidery. It wasn¡¯t the room from before. But the grand duke¡¯s estate. ¡¾System: What on earth is going on???¡¿ ¡¾Fang Li laughed mildly: Won¡¯t you know once you keep watching? ¡¿ ¡¾System: ¡­¡­¡¿ You were clearly the one who said you knew, but now that I ask you, you won¡¯t say. Host, do you think being like this is proper? The System was about to burst from curiosity. Fang Li heard himself open his mouth and make a raspy noise. ¡°Someone¡­¡­¡± After a moment, an elderly voice said tremblingly, ¡°My lord, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Fang Li furrowed his brow. His household naturally had maidservants. Uncle Zhang was the estate¡¯s head caretaker, so why would he need to personally wait upon him? ¡°My lord, everything will be fine now that you¡¯re awake, my lord. This old servant will go warm up some medicine, please wait a little while¡­¡­¡± Although the old man tried hard to restrain his sorrow, his voice was still a bit choked up. Fang Li realized that something was wrong, and his character also realized it. Thus, he said in a heavy voice, ¡°What happened?¡± Uncle Zhang fell silent for a while, but perhaps he realized that it couldn¡¯t be concealed and finally said in a trembling voice, ¡°My lord, you left the evil shrine and went alone to Nothing Left Peak, then didn¡¯t return for a very long time. The rumors outside all said that you died at Nothing Left Peak and took that monster to the grave with you¡­¡­ Thus, the emperor expelled you from the imperial family¡¯s ancestral line with the excuse that you disrespected the gods and fell onto the demonic path, then stripped you of your title of grand duke. When the tree fell, the monkeys scattered, and all the people in the estate left after receiving the news. Only this old servant¡­¡­ this old servant didn¡¯t believe that you would die just like that¡­¡­ So, so this old servant has been waiting at the estate all this time¡­¡­ This old servant knew that my lord couldn¡¯t have died, my lord would definitely come back¡­¡­¡± So that was it. This story was actually pretty logical. He¡¯d been missing for such a long time, and it was unknown whether he was alive or dead. The emperor had long found him a hindrance, so wouldn¡¯t he definitely find an opportunity to retaliate? If Fang Li had come back safe and sound, right now, the emperor¡¯s assassins would have already arrived. But he was already half dead, his arm was severed, and his eyes were blind. It could even be considered a so-called fate worse than death¡­¡­ So the emperor instead wouldn¡¯t touch him. Since the emperor hated him so much, he was naturally delighted to see Fang Li turned into a joke. Only, to think that that person hadn¡¯t killed him¡­¡­ Fang Li was pensive. Seeing as he hadn¡¯t died, it meant the story hadn¡¯t ended yet. He already had some guesses, and a general grasp of things, so he started to relax and watch the show again. The ducal estate these days was completely empty, with only Uncle Zhang present. Uncle Zhang was like both father and mother, helping him change and boiling his medicine. He was already an old man approaching sixty, and tending to a disabled person all alone was truly not an easy task¡­¡­ Although it was only a dream, Fang Li was a bit embarrassed. Luckily, the Grand Duke of Li was also a strong-minded character and wasn¡¯t willing to be taken care of in such a way by someone. He stubbornly insisted on doing everything himself, and Uncle Zhang couldn¡¯t win against him, so he could only let Fang Li eat and change himself. Although it was a little difficult, after a period of time, he gradually got used to it. Although the estate was lonely and desolate these days, it was better than that little black room by who knows how much. As a detached bystander watching the show, Fang Li was completely peaced out. Only Uncle Zhang passed his days extremely sore of heart. Aside from his careful attendance, he also wept rivers of tears every day, making the slacker Fang Li feel a little awkward. After all, he didn¡¯t really feel immersed in his character. This sort of daily life passed in complete peace. Time quickly flew by. In the blink of an eye, several more months had passed. The wounds on Fang Li¡¯s body were more or less healed. Just when he was feeling a little impatient with the story and didn¡¯t know how much longer he still had to wait, one day, Uncle Zhang suddenly staggered inside in a rush and shouted with delight and astonishment, ¡°My lord, my lord!¡± It had been a long, long time since Fang Li had heard Uncle Zhang speak in such a joyous tone. What kind of happy occasion was it? With his state, what kind of happy occasion could there be? It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡­ The next moment, he heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching, and a tender, low, hoarse voice said, ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve returned.¡± Uncle Zhang was overjoyed to the point of tears, wiping his face as he stammered, ¡°My, my lord, my lady is back, how, how fortunate, how truly fortunate¡­¡­ My lord, you, you didn¡¯t wait for nothing!¡± These days, the lord¡¯s heart had become like ashes, and he lived like a walking corpse, as if he might disappear at any moment. These days, he was only waiting for death, nothing more¡­¡­ That the lord had become like this was all for the sake of one person. Now, that person had returned, so the lord should also be able to die without regrets. Uncle Zhang couldn¡¯t be more touched, and he looked at Xie Huai as if looking at a savior. He choked, ¡°My lady, this old servant will leave my lord to you to take care of. This old servant will take his leave.¡± Having said that, he conscientiously left the stage to them. What a qualified NPC. Fang Li thought. He had already guessed what was happening, and he knew the direction the rest of the story was going in. Although he couldn¡¯t see, he could sense the other person come to his side and softly grasp his hand, saying in a soft, tender voice, ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve finally returned.¡± The other person saw that he made no response and seemed a little nervous, explaining carefully, ¡°That day, I went up the mountain to pray for my lord. Along the way, I wasn¡¯t careful and was captured by that monster. In order to preserve my innocence, I tricked that monster, saying that I had to think it over for a time¡­¡­ After that, I found a chance to escape with the help of a kind stranger. Who knew that after leaving the mountain, in my hurry to escape, I fell and was injured, and I couldn¡¯t find anyone from the grand duke¡¯s estate¡­¡­ I stayed at a farmer¡¯s household to recover all this time and was finally able to heal¡­¡­ then rushed without rest back here¡­¡­¡± It seemed like a pretty reasonable explanation. This should have been an extremely joyous reunion¡­¡­ But Fang Li felt that his heart was without a ripple. He heard himself say in an indifferent voice, ¡°This lord always knew that the heavens would help the deserving, and that the grand duchess would come to no harm. If someone told this lord you had died, then they must be lying.¡± The other person paused slightly, and the hand grasping his tightened. He seemed to be in pain and full of self-blame, saying slowly, ¡°It¡¯s all because I came back late, or my lord wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡­¡± Fang Li remained tranquil as he said, ¡°These were all this lord¡¯s decisions. They have nothing to do with the grand duchess. The grand duchess mustn¡¯t blame himself..¡± These words seemed to make the other person extremely touched. After a long time, the other person said in a daze, ¡°My lord¡­¡­ I¡­¡­¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t wait for the other person to keep speaking and pressed his lips together, saying word by word, ¡°Only, with the state this lord is in these days, this lord is powerless to defend himself. This lord can¡¯t protect you anymore, so you should leave and not involve yourself with this lord anymore.¡± Those words were said with complete calm and indifference, as if they were discussing what to eat today. The other¡¯s breathing suddenly caught for a second, and after a moment, he said angrily, ¡°Does my lord really think I¡¯m such a fickle and unfaithful person? That I followed my lord only for glory and riches? If that¡¯s what my lord believes, then my lord underestimated my feelings.¡± Normally, at this time, the two of them should embrace each other in tears and swear never to part again no matter what trials they might face, spending the rest of their days together in love and affection¡­¡­ But Fang Li wasn¡¯t like that. He felt himself completely at peace. These were the emotions that his character was transmitting to him. So he only lightly quirked the corners of his lips and said, ¡°What, you didn¡¯t do it for the sake of glory and riches?¡± That frivolous tone carried a bit of mocking intent. Any normal person would be infuriated into leaving. The other person¡¯s breathing suddenly became a bit urgent, and the hand grasping his tightened until there was the sound of joints cracking, as if he was doing his utmost to restrain his anger. After a long time, he said in a very slow voice, ¡°If my lord wanted to use this kind of method to make me leave, that was a miscalculation.¡± Oh, a miscalculation, huh. Fang Li could feel his character¡¯s state of mind. The Grand Duke of Li was indeed thinking that, so he¡¯d intentionally used provocative words, but the other person still wasn¡¯t willing to leave, which did actually surprise him a bit¡­¡­ This dog-blooded play had already come to this point. It wasn¡¯t going to forcefully push a happy ending, was it??? No way??? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Because the grand duchess had returned, the heavy responsibility of taking care of the grand duke fell to him. Uncle Zhang suddenly became much more relaxed; the poor NPC was finally free. Fang Li thought that was probably the only benefit to the grand duchess¡¯ return. That person actually did act like a gentle, considerate wife. Even though there wasn¡¯t a single servant left in the estate, he didn¡¯t complain at all and instead took out all of his own finances to procure more treatment and medicine for Fang Li, and he also personally took care of Fang Li. Although Fang Li was always cold when speaking to him¡­¡­ the grand duchess didn¡¯t mind at all. Seeing all this, Uncle Zhang was incredibly moved, continually persuading Fang Li to treat the grand duchess a little better. Even three lifetimes wasn¡¯t enough to find a true companion like that who would never abandon you. What need was there to drive him away? Fang Li could feel his own helpless exasperation. He couldn¡¯t do anything, either! He was only watching the show¡­¡­ As he watched, another period of time passed by. That day, that person supported Fang Li to sit down as usual and combed his hair for him bit by bit, then helped him change his clothes and bent down to put on his shoes for him. After completing all of this, he said in a soft, smiling voice, ¡°I made my lord¡¯s favorite lotus seed soup today. My lord, why don¡¯t you try it for me and see if my skills have regressed?¡± Fang Li let the other do as he pleased, but after hearing him speak, he didn¡¯t get up, but instead retrieved a letter from his robes and pushed it toward the other blandly, saying, ¡°This lord already knows that the grand duchess is indeed faithful and devoted, but this lord is fickle and unfaithful. Take this divorce letter and find someone proper.¡± The atmosphere fell silent for a moment. After a long time, he heard the other person clench his teeth and say, ¡°Didn¡¯t my lord say that we would spend our whole lives together, even when we¡¯re old and gray?¡± Fang Li laughed, ¡°Those were just some pretty words, nothing more. It¡¯s not like this lord said them only to you. No need to take them seriously.¡± These words seemed to finally infuriate the other person, and he breathed harshly, yanking the divorce letter over and ripping it into pieces, then saying in a frigid voice, ¡°My lord¡¯s heart truly is ruthless.¡± Fang Li thought, you¡¯re still not leaving? The other enunciated word by word, ¡°I won¡¯t be leaving!¡± Oh¡­¡­ Fang Li heard himself speak again. ¡°Then do as you please. This lord doesn¡¯t have long to live anyways. When this lord dies, you¡¯ll have your freedom all the same.¡± He said it casually¡­¡­ But the other person¡¯s aura suddenly became wholly terrifying. He was no longer gentle, tender, and careful like in the past few days. Although Fang Li couldn¡¯t see him, he could sense that the aura of the person before him was cold as if he were about to kill¡­¡­ Drip, drip. It was the sound of the water that had accumulated on the rooftops from last night¡¯s winter rainstorm slowly dripping down. The room was silent and dark. Just like that room in the past that he hadn¡¯t been able to leave no matter what. And the person before him. Just like that cruel person who never spoke a word. Fang Li felt a bit of curiosity. Could it be that the other person finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and wanted to show his hand? Just then, he felt the other person suddenly approach, and slightly cool fingertips softly swept past the side of his neck. That person lowered his head and approached, his lips lightly brushed his ear. ¡°It¡¯s not out of the question if you want me to leave.¡± The other person paused for a moment, his voice somewhat low and hoarse. ¡°Once we make up our wedding night, I¡¯ll leave and never bother my lord again.¡± Fang Li, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He finally panicked! Actually, back in that dark room, when the other party had wanted to do this and that to him, when he¡¯d touched him, the Grand Duke of Li had sensed this person¡¯s identity, and when the Grand Duke of Li had touched that corpse, he¡¯d already understood the reasons behind it all. Fang Li had also understood everything at that time. That person was Xie Huai! His grand duchess. So the story was actually like this¡ª Xie Huai¡¯s identity in this dream was a survivor of the royal family of Xi, and he had approached the Grand Duke of Li for the sake of revenge. Back during their wedding night, those assassins had been arranged by him in order to kill the Grand Duke of Li, but the grand duke¡¯s martial prowess was too high, and they hadn¡¯t been able to succeed, so he¡¯d countered by taking an arrow for the grand duke. First, so he could gain the grand duke¡¯s trust; second, so he could wash himself free of suspicion; and third, so he could avoid really having to have his wedding night with the grand duke. Three birds with one stone. So no matter how the Grand Duke of Li investigated, he couldn¡¯t find out the person behind the assassins, because that person was right by his side, and he had never suspected him by even a hair. Later, the grand duke went to battle. While using letters to settle the grand duke and deepen the grand duke¡¯s feelings for him, he¡¯d also directed and acted out his own disappearance. He hadn¡¯t been captured by that demon at all, so when the grand duke had gone to Nothing Left Peak, he hadn¡¯t been able to find him no matter what¡­¡­ He had watched with eyes wide open as the grand duke exchanged his life for power, then rescued the grand duke while he was on the brink of death. Tormenting him over and over again. It was for the sake of getting revenge on his sworn enemy, to see him lose everything and suffer a fate worse than death. These were all things Fang Li could understand, but what Fang Li couldn¡¯t understand was why he had actually returned to the grand duke¡¯s estate again! The grand duke was also surprised that he would, but after knowing everything, he understood that nothing could return to how it was, so he¡¯d decided to let go. The grand duke was unwilling to expose the other person, so he¡¯d intentionally used cold words to provoke him, wanting him to leave without worry. Who could have known that even like this, he would refuse to leave, and he even wanted to stay and have their wedding night¡­¡­ Fang Li thought for a long time, and the only thing that could explain this was that this nonsensical, dog-blooded story had made Xie Huai fall in love with him, his sworn enemy who had killed his whole family! Help¡­¡­ This wasn¡¯t the start of the story anymore. By now, it was clearly approaching the finale. Although Fang Li hadn¡¯t read many of these types of novels before, he could still guess that in these types of romance novels, during the endings, they would definitely force things into a grand reunion. So it was very possible that in the scene coming up¡­¡­ they were really going to experience the great harmony of life. This time, there wouldn¡¯t be any more assassins to interrupt. In his heart, Fang Li cursed this garbage plot for its absurdity. When they got out, he would definitely give Lover¡¯s Pass a bad review. They were already sworn enemies with the blood of one¡¯s entire family between them, what kind of a happy ending did they still want to shove together?! They might as well just keep hurting either all the way to the end! Seeing that the other person had already approached and lifted him up and was heading toward the bed, Fang Li had already become totally numb! Things couldn¡¯t go on like this. Even provoking someone had to be done in measures. A suitable amount of provocation could make Xie Huai detest him and kill him when his cultivation was recovered, but going overboard with provocation would make Xie Huai want to take the both of them to the grave together right now, immediately. If something really happened in the dream, Fang Li could guarantee that the first thing Xie Huai would do after coming out would be to stab him through with a sword. So he definitely couldn¡¯t go overboard. Or else, it would be very easy to slip up. Besides, there was still a very important point, which was¡­¡­ Even if he had to die, he still couldn¡¯t possibly top a man¡­¡­ Not even in his dreams! When he thought up to here. The strength of Fang Li¡¯s soul abruptly burst out, and his tremendous cultivation charged toward his forehead in a split second, immediately shattering the restrictions of the plot, and he took control of the body in the dream! Then, in a single movement, he drew the sword hanging beside the bed! He couldn¡¯t see Xie Huai¡¯s expression at this moment. So he only lifted the corners of his lips and smiled at him, then, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, slit his own throat! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t touch you even if I die! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I know you would rather die than do it with me, so I¡¯ll end myself first! Xie Huai: Says who : ) Author: That, honey, let me just humbly say one thing, have you never thought, that you might be the one being topped¡­¡­ Fang Li: Impossible, Xie Huai would rather die than get on top of a man. Xie Huai: Says who : ) CH 29 January 28th, 2023 Xie Huai saw himself pick up him. The man¡¯s face was pale white, and those gray eyes were dim and lifeless. The man looked in his direction woodenly, as if he¡¯d thoroughly given up on everything. And all of this had been caused by him. In the dream, this person was his sworn enemy who had destroyed his family. In order to get revenge, he hadn¡¯t hesitated to make use of his feelings, watching with eyes wide open as that person gave up everything for him¡­¡­ Watching him fall from noble, lofty grand duke to the point of being half-dead. Then, Xie Huai had finally appeared and brought this person back. He hated him, and he should have killed him straight away, yet he couldn¡¯t bear to, couldn¡¯t let go. So he¡¯d silently stood guard by his side, watching him brave forward without a second thought time after time despite knowing that the outside was covered in thorns. Knowing that Xie Huai was his sworn enemy, yet putting down his pride just to search for his corpse. To share the same path in life and the same tomb in death. This person had carved this sentence into his heart, never forgetting it for a moment. It was probably precisely because this person had paid his all without complaints or regrets, not sparing a single thing¡­¡­ so the him inside the dream had still fallen for him in the end, despite the sea of blood that lay between them. In the end, he had returned to his side. But that person made him leave, because he knew now, knew that that person was him, but even after knowing the truth, knowing that everything was part of his scheme, that person still chose to let go, to the point that he was unwilling to expose Xie Huai. Probably because this beautiful lie was the only thing he had left. So he couldn¡¯t give it up, couldn¡¯t shatter it just like that. He wanted to take this beautiful dream to the grave with him. Xie Huai looked at him, and in the end, he still fell in love with someone that he shouldn¡¯t love. The emotions in the dream tangled in threads and strands, like mist seeping into the ground, softening the hard, dry ground bit by bit. In the midst of a daze¡­¡­ he¡¯d already picked this person up. He said to him, as long as they made up their wedding night, he would left and never disturb him again. But those words weren¡¯t sincere. He was never going to leave again. He only wanted to accompany him to the last moments of life. He wanted to do many, many things to him, wanted to entangle in affection with him. To take all of those mistakes and make them up to him. Xie Huai knew he shouldn¡¯t continue on like this. This was merely a dream, nothing more. After waking up, it would be nothing. Everything in the dream was fake, and those thoughts weren¡¯t his, yet he was too deep in the dream¡­¡­ Even knowing that all of these were the emotions of the dream, he still madly, uncontrollably wanted to get closer to this person. Even though he clearly knew that he should kill him, he couldn¡¯t strike. Even though he clearly knew that he should leave, he still came back. Tormenting each other without release. Unwilling to part, unable to let go. What would happen next. He was fully aware. For the first time, Xie Huai¡¯s heart was a knotted mess. He knew he shouldn¡¯t, yet he actually felt a trace of anticipation, as if he really were the person in the dream right now, wanting to¡­¡­ It was also precisely at this moment¡ª The eyes of the person in his arms suddenly blazed with bright light. Fang Li had actually forcefully broken through the restraints of the dream! With a single movement, he drew the sword by the bedside and raised the corners of his lips to smile at him, and then, without any hesitation, slit his own throat! This scene happened too quickly. To the point that Xie Huai didn¡¯t have any time at all to stop it¡ª He fiercely stretched out his hand, but all he grabbed onto was thin air when the sight before his eyes vanished like a mirage. He woke up from the dream. Xie Huai raised his eyes in a daze. The pale, wan man was standing calmly in front, his expression languid and carefree, his posture leisurely and relaxed. He was still alive and well, standing there whole and unharmed¡­¡­ Thank goodness, it was only a dream. This was the first, unconscious thought in Xie Huai¡¯s heart. Following that, his eyes dimmed. But even knowing none of it was real¡­¡­ Xie Huai still had no way to forget the scene before his eyes just now, no way to forget the smile that Fang Li had shown him at the end, as well as that decisive, unhesitating swing of the sword. You kept saying over and over that you wanted to pray for union fated across lifetimes, and you¡¯ve already stayed through all of the infatuation and torment just for the sake of a good dream, yet at that very last moment, you would rather end your own life rather than really¡­¡­ why? Are you that scared of really compelling me¡­¡­ Xie Huai closed his eyes, his mood extremely heavy. But¡­¡­ How fortunate that everything in the dream was fake, how fortunate that things between us aren¡¯t really like that. I hope that in the future, no matter what the situation, no matter for whose sake¡­¡­ even for me. You won¡¯t hurt yourself. Only, I¡¯m afraid that I won¡¯t be able to return these feelings that you have. After all, you and I walk different paths. When he thought up to here, he actually felt a trace of guilt. The other person was clearly a vile and unforgivable devil, and he¡¯d once sword to kill him, but in the end, his heart had softened, had wavered. Things shouldn¡¯t be like this between them. After Fang Li slit his own throat, the illusion immediately disappeared, and they came out of the dream. Because they had broken the illusion by force, they weren¡¯t at the exit of Lover¡¯s Pass right now, but were instead standing on a soft surface that felt fleshy to step on. Just what kind of place was this? Was this where the illusions were created? Truthfully, although this Lover¡¯s Pass used a rotten mess of a script, they still had a thing or two. Manufacturing that many dreams night and day without rest and letting thousands of people dream together at the same time wasn¡¯t something an average person could do. Fang Li was a little curious. Although the surface of the ground looked smooth, it seemed to be faintly trembling. Interesting¡­¡­ He narrowed his eyes, then suddenly raised his foot and stomped down hard! Peals of pained cries rang out, and the surface beneath his feet unfurled like flower blossoms, the layers and layers unfolding along with the sound of rustling. It turned out that they were actually standing inside a massive flower. It looked like the dreams of this Lover¡¯s Pass were created by this flower spirit. Seeing that it couldn¡¯t hide, the flower spirit trembled and rustled, instinctively sensing that Fang Li was dangerous. Even after being stomped on, it didn¡¯t make a sound. If it were anyone else¡­¡­ it would¡¯ve tossed them into a nightmare long ago! But faced with Fang Li, it didn¡¯t dare¡­¡­ Fang Li widened his eyes with interest, his gaze roaming around, and he said leisurely, ¡°Didn¡¯t this lord say early that if this dream couldn¡¯t please this lord, this lord would burn this place to the ground?¡± Flower: ¡­¡­ Who did I provoke?! QAQ Xie Huai¡¯s jaw was clenched tight, his lips pressed together without a word. He looked at Fang Li¡¯s reckless, laughing appearance, yet what appeared before his eyes was his withered appearance in the dream, his eyes hollow and vacant. You wanted to seek out a lovely dream, but in the dream, I turned my back on you, so your dissatisfaction isn¡¯t without cause. Fang Li was joking, wanting to scare the flower spirit a little. Who knew that when he looked around, he would see Xie Huai with a stiff face and a grave appearance? His heart couldn¡¯t help but make a thump. He¡¯d obviously already stopped things in time in the end, so why did Xie Huai¡¯s expression look this bad? Had he really gone overboard? Recalling Xie Huai¡¯s dainty, artificial manner in the dream, he thought, it looked like he¡¯d still accidentally pulled a bit too much enmity¡­¡­ With a guilty conscience, Fang Li felt his scalp go numb, and he subconsciously wanted to take a step back. But he recalled that he was the demon lord right now, and making a fool out of himself like that wouldn¡¯t do, so he forcefully stopped his feet. It looked like he could only make his move against the flower spirit for the sake of alleviating Xie Huai¡¯s anger. Who told you to pick such a rotten script? At this point, you can¡¯t escape punishment! Fang Li waved his sleeves, and an imposing aura exploded from his entire body. He said in a dark and foreboding voice, ¡°Do you know what the outcome of offending this lord is?¡± The flower spirit whimpered, scared to tears. As it cried, all of its petals rustled and trembled, opening and closing without pause. The ground beneath their feet was like a wave of flowers, and a sound appeared in their minds. ¡°Sob sob sob, please spare me, sob sob sob, I¡¯m only an innocent little flower, I¡¯ve never, ever hurt anyone, I only wanted to give all of the lovers a lovely dream, sob sob sob sob, forgive me!¡± It hiccuped as it cried, ¡°Sob sob sob sob, there¡¯s, there¡¯s so many people who dream every day, it¡¯s hard to avoid having some that aren¡¯t to our guests¡¯ tastes, but even if we pick a dream that the guests aren¡¯t pleased with, the guests can still choose to end the dream. How would I dare to force our guests to have a dream they don¡¯t like? The reputation of our Love¡¯s Pass is real, everything is done with the customer¡¯s satisfaction as the priority, besides, guests, didn¡¯t you also forcefully come out of the dream? Sob sob sob sob¡­¡­ I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose, sob sob sob¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s expression abruptly froze. It, it seemed like that really was the case¡­¡­ Thinking back on it, he had indeed broken through the illusion very easily, but at the time, he¡¯d burst out his entire strength and hadn¡¯t thought twice about it, and he¡¯d thought it was because he was too strong¡­¡­ So, this dream could actually be ended any time? Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Xie Huai. Xie Huai¡¯s face was heavy as stone, and his expression was even worse than before by a hundred times. Although the dream had been preposterous, bizarre, and ridiculous, when he was inside the dream, he had only paid attention to the person before him¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t thought about this at all, but had allowed himself to sink into it¡­¡­ Crack. The joints of Xie Huai¡¯s fingers cracked. Flower: ¡­¡­ I¡¯ve clearly already explained very clearly, so how come the guests seem to be even more angry? Before, there was only one person looking to kill, but now there¡¯s two! Sob sob sob, just what had it done wrong? Sob sob sob sob sob! Fang Li also sensed Xie Huai¡¯s killing intent, and his whole body shivered. Last time he¡¯d felt Xie Huai¡¯s killing intent had been because he¡¯d accidently left him alone for seven days and nights after using the love parasite on him. Cold sweat dripped down Fang Li¡¯s forehead. He, he really had gone overboard, it seemed¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t in a thousand years imagined that the dream could be exited at any time. The reason that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t freed himself could only be because his cultivation had been sealed, and he had no way to break through the illusion. Now, listening to the flower spirit¡¯s words, he¡¯d immediately thought of his imprisonment and lack of freedom. Being forced to have such a humiliating dream was shameful enough, but now it was even being brought up to his face. How was he supposed to save face? Wasn¡¯t this basically adding oil to the fire? Flower: ¡°Sob sob sob sob, I really don¡¯t dare to force our guests to dream, sob sob sob sob sob sob, I¡¯m only an innocent little flower, I only wanted to give some lovers a nice dream, at, at most, I just take a few spirit stones¡­¡­ sob sob sob sob, how about, I return those three spirit stones to you¡­¡­ No, I¡¯ll compensate with thirty spirit stones! Sob sob sob¡­¡­¡± There were occasionally dissatisfied guests, but if they weren¡¯t especially hard to handle, it definitely wouldn¡¯t return their money¡­¡­ Fang Li said coldly, ¡°Shut up!¡± Flower: ¡°Sob sob sob¡­¡­ hiccup.¡± It was so terrified it didn¡¯t dare cry, only hiccuping. Fang Li cautiously glanced at Xie Huai, then turned his head and looked at the flower spirit under his feet. He gave a light cough and said, ¡°You don¡¯t even know that you should say such an important thing beforehand? Isn¡¯t that your own problem?¡± The flower spirit was extremely aggrieved, but it didn¡¯t dare retort. This time, Fang Li wasn¡¯t in the mood to tease the flower spirit. He only wanted to quickly bring Xie Huai away from here, but just as he was about to reach out to take Xie Huai¡¯s hand, he saw the Xie Huai who was as stingy with words as if they were gold open his mouth to say coldly, ¡°Ridiculous. If they¡¯re truly in love, what use have they for a dream? If not, what use is a dream to them?¡± Very true, very true. As expected of the protagonist shou going the stone-hearted, logical route! He never indulged in tiresome matters of love and looked at desire as if it were manure! Fang Li gave the flower spirit a sidelong glance and reprimanded coldly, ¡°Next time, find a better story. Stop using these kinds of terrible, dog-blooded scripts.¡± Creating dreams wasn¡¯t too bad, but that dream was really too garbage. After killing his entire family, you still want him to fall in love with his sword enemy? It was even more nonsensical than the book he¡¯d transmigrated into! If things went on like this, sooner or later, someone was going to make a fuss! When he was done speaking, Fang Li pulled Xie Huai by the hand and dragged him away. Having weathered the deadly storm, the flower spirit sat there in a daze. Were its stories not good? Its dreams were all made to fit according to each guest. All of the guests before were very satisfied? Besides, what was wrong with that dream? It had all kinds of twists and turns, suspense and stimulation, love and hate, affection and enmity, and at the end, there was a big reunion and a happy ending. It was really a very touching, unforgettable love story¡­¡­ The flower spirit felt extremely aggrieved. Maybe its scripts really were out of date? Recently, it seemed like the story of the demon lord and Yuyi-jun was very popular, and there were tons of different versions of novels about them. Since it was so popular, it should be a good script¡­¡­ Maybe it should fix it up a bit and use that? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li dragged Xie Huai directly away from Lover¡¯s Pass. They stepped out of the white mist. With a single glance, Fang Li spotted Wu Yimei standing guard outside. Wu Yimei really was a good subordinate who gave his all. His boss had gone off with his little lover to play, and he still didn¡¯t know to give himself a vacation¡­¡­ He was really too honest. Actually, even if you ran off for a bit, I wouldn¡¯t blame you. Wu Yimei stepped forward as soon as he saw Fang Li come out. When his gaze swept over them, it fell onto their tightly clasped hands, and his eyes immediately darkened. For the past few shichen, he had waited here without moving, just to wait for Fang Li to come out. He knew Fang Li and Xie Huai had entered the dream. When had His Excellency ever paid attention to these things before? Even less had he cared about things like love and romance, viewing it all as a sham¡­¡­ He was such a cold-hearted, ruthless person who looked down on the whole world, yet he broke precedent over and over again for Xie Huai. He was even willing to go to a little couple¡¯s spot like this with Xie Huai just for the sake of spending a lovely dream together¡­¡­ Before, His Excellency had said over and over that he wouldn¡¯t fall for Xie Huai, that he was only using him. But looking at things now, whether he was making use of him still stood to be seen, but he had clearly already fallen for him. Those words had only been for the sake of reassuring Wu Yimei so that he wouldn¡¯t act against Xie Huai. His Excellency had gone to such painstaking lengths, all of it for Xie Huai¡¯s sake. Wu Yimei tightly clenched his teeth. He took in a deep breath and pressed down all of his jealousy and unease, then stepped forward to welcome them. He said respectfully, ¡°Your Excellency, this subordinate has already made arrangements at the inn. Will Your Excellency rest for the night before departing again?¡± Oh? Considerate as always. Fang Li nodded with satisfaction, saying, ¡°Alright.¡± As it happened, he was a little tired. Wu Yimei led the carriage over respectfully and helped Fang Li inside. As for Xie Huai, he only coolly shot him a glance and pretended not to see him. Xie Huai didn¡¯t even look at Wu Yimei and followed behind Fang Li directly into the carriage. Very quickly, they arrived at the inn. Wu Yimei had considerately prepared three rooms, ensuring that His Excellency could rest well at night. The three of them appeared calm as they each entered a room. Fang Li went into the room lazily. The inn was pretty decent, and what Wu Yimei had prepared was naturally the best. After cleaning up, he was about to rest when he suddenly heard a knock at the door. Wu Yimei¡¯s low, hoarse voice carried over. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± Oh? What business did he have this late at night? Although Fang Li had had his doubts, he still said, ¡°Come in.¡± Wu Yimei pushed the door open and entered, his gaze resting on Fang Li. Fang Li had a crude stone talisman hanging at his hip. The talisman had been bound with red string, and it swung from his waist. His Excellency was used to wearing all black and never liked to wear any kind of accessories, but today, he was carefully wearing this lover¡¯s talisman that cost just three spirit stones, never taking it off once during the whole journey. How was this lover¡¯s talisman a match for His Excellency? His Excellency couldn¡¯t really believe that he and Xie Huai¡¯s hearts could be tied forever this way? Do you really care about that person this much¡­¡­ Wu Yimei finally couldn¡¯t watch on any longer. Xie Huai didn¡¯t like His Excellency at all. Right now, he was only making compromises and pretending to ingratiate himself for the sake of finding a chance to kill His Excellency. If His Excellency insisted on going down the wrong path and loving with someone who wanted to kill him, he was bound to get hurt. But His Excellency didn¡¯t like it when Wu Yimei opposed Xie Huai and warned him over and over again that he wasn¡¯t allowed to stick his hand in matters concerning Xie Huai. If he really did secretly make a move, forget the fact that he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide it from His Excellency, he was afraid that it would have the opposite effect and make His Excellency feel even more affection for Xie Huai and estrange himself from Wu Yimei. Wu Yimei¡¯s expression was somewhat solemn. He stepped forward and said slowly, ¡°This subordinate has something he has to say.¡± Fang Li looked at Wu Yimei¡¯s extremely grave appearance and thought, what kind of important thing was this about¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t help but stand at attention, saying, ¡°Speak.¡± Wu Yimei said word by word, ¡°Your Excellency, in the beginning, you led the demonic horde to besiege Cloudbank Keep and captured Xie Huai in front of the whole world, forcing him to submit to you. Xie Huai definitely won¡¯t like you. No matter how diligent you are, what use is it? There won¡¯t be any results from trying to obtain something by force like this.¡± Fang Li¡¯s expression sank, and he pretended displeasure as he said, ¡°This lord has already said, don¡¯t bring this matter¡­¡­¡± Up again¡­¡­ But Wu Yimei didn¡¯t retreat this time. He suddenly looked up and met Fang Li¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you really like him, it would be better to let him go. That could also count as fulfilling his wishes.¡± Fang Li was startled. He almost thought he was hallucinating. Wu Yimei was actually persuading him to let Xie Huai go??? Instead of telling him to kill Xie Huai??? ¡°Xie Huai won¡¯t be happy being forced to stay by your side like this, but will only hate you more. Are you really willing to watch him be unhappy and depressed¡­¡­ Why not let him go, and maybe he¡¯ll even remember Your Excellency with fondness¡­¡­¡± After he was done speaking, Wu Yimei immediately knelt to the ground. ¡°This subordinate has been too bold. Begging Your Excellency¡¯s forgiveness.¡± He really did want to monopolize Fang Li and didn¡¯t want anyone else by Fang Li¡¯s side, but his concern for Fang Li was also genuine. He couldn¡¯t watch His Excellency continue to sink¡­¡­ His Excellency had always listened to no one but himself and didn¡¯t like it when others argued with him. Today, he¡¯d committed a great taboo, but even if His Excellency punished him, these words still had to be said. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t be allowed to stay! Fang Li looked at Wu Yimei. It looked like all of his efforts had finally paid off! Wu Yimei had finally stopped opposing Xie Huai and opened his mind. Even if his goal was still to drive Xie Huai away, his methods had become much less underhanded, and he no longer tried to convince him to kill Xie Huai, nor did he secretly make trouble for Xie Huai anymore. On the contrary, he was openly and honestly borrowing the excuse of thinking for Xie Huai¡¯s sake to have him return Xie Huai¡¯s freedom. He¡¯d changed his outlook on life! Fang Li felt incredibly gratified. How could he bear to get angry with such an obedient, studious, well-taught subordinate? Fang Li reached out his hand and helped Wu Yimei up, saying gently, ¡°This lord understands your concern for this lord. Why would this lord blame you?¡± Wu Yimei lifted his head and looked at Fang Li, falling into a pair of tender eyes, and his heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat. He, he had said such outrageous things, but His Excellency wasn¡¯t angry at all and was even being so kind to him¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s lips moved slightly, and his expression was complicated. ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± Fang Li was very satisfied with Wu Yimei¡¯s transformation, so of course he wouldn¡¯t attack his self-confidence. At this time, he should be encouraging and affirming and put Wu Yumei at ease, so he sighed softly and said, ¡°This lord will let him go, but not right now.¡± Wu Yimei was a little afraid to believe it. ¡°Your Excellency will really¡­¡­¡± Fang Li slowly nodded, his tone assured as he said, ¡°When has this lord ever lied?¡± Anyways, there was only a little over a month until the end of the story. By then, he would have died, so wasn¡¯t that the same as letting Xie Huai go? It didn¡¯t count as lying to Wu Yimei. Fang Li said, ¡°It won¡¯t be much longer.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Xie Huai¡¯s room was two rooms away from Fang Li¡¯s instead of being lined up together. How could Wu Yimei¡¯s thoughts be hidden from him? Was he that afraid of Xie Huai being together with Fang Li? Although the rooms weren¡¯t together, as a cultivator, Xie Huai¡¯s senses were extremely sharp, and no movement on this floor was hidden from him. So when Wu Yimei knocked on Fang Li¡¯s door in the middle of the night, Xie Huai heard it all. Now what business did that master and servant pair have to discuss? What did they have to say that had to be done so secretively and hidden away from him? Fang Li had always been like this in the past. No matter what it was, he wouldn¡¯t hide anything from him, but only when he was with Wu Yimei, he would never let Xie Huai stay¡­¡­ Before, Xie Huai had told himself that he didn¡¯t need to be curious about these things. Whatever Fang Li wanted to talk about with Wu Yimei, it was his freedom to do so. But tonight. Xie Huai sat alone in the room. He thought about Wu Yimei quietly going to look for Fang Li again. Wu Yimei had always found Xie Huai unpleasant, so who knew what he was saying behind his back? Xie Huai didn¡¯t think Fang Li was someone who easily believed what others said, and even less did he believe that Wu Yimei could incite Fang Li. Besides, even if Wu Yimei said something, it was all true. From the start, he and Fang Li stood on irreconcilable sides¡­¡­ He shouldn¡¯t care about these things But when he closed his eyes, he saw the affectionate, short-lived appearance of the person in the dream¡­¡­ Before he had even thought things through, he¡¯d already quietly gotten up and arrived at Fang Li¡¯s door. Xie Huai pressed his lips tightly together. After a long time, he breathed in deeply. Perhaps, Wu Yimei and Fang Li were discussing attacking the righteous sects. If his moment¡¯s negligence allowed the demonic sects to incite chaos and bring disaster to the world, then that would be his responsibility¡­¡­ So, even if he listened in a bit, so what? Thinking thus, Xie Huai bent his ear to listen. And then he heard Fang Li say, ¡°This lord will let him go.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: It¡¯s all part of the script, don¡¯t take it seriously. Wu Yimei: It¡¯s about one¡¯s outlook on life. Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ CH 30 February 1st, 2023 Fang Li slept soundly and comfortably. Last night, after putting Wu Yimei at ease, he¡¯d ordered him to take care of other matters. So today, it was just him and Xie Huai heading out. They hired a different coach driver. Fang Li and Xie Huai sat inside the carriage, and although Xie Huai still had that indifferent appearance, looking no different from usual¡­¡­ But Fang Li acutely felt that the air pressure around Xie Huai was a little low. Even with his eyes closed, he emitted an icy cold aura that kept everyone at a distance. What was wrong? Was he still mad about what happened in the dream? Fang Li recalled the events of the dream and, with a bit of a guilty conscience, took the initiative to stay farther away from Xie Huai. The two of them sat practically on opposite sides, and for the entire journey, forget speaking to each other, the two of them didn¡¯t even make eye contact once. All the way up until Fang Li fell asleep. Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes and looked at the person before him. He said he would let him go. If he had said those words when Xie Huai had first arrived at Hollow Ridge, he would have only treated them like a joke, thinking that he was being played tricks on¡­¡­ But after experiencing everything that had happened, Xie Huai believed it without a doubt. That did indeed seem like something Fang Li would do¡­¡­ Although Fang Li had captured him, he didn¡¯t dare to touch him even once, keeping to his boundaries and never crossing them. His feelings were reserved yet tender, and even when interacting, he was careful and cautious¡­¡­ So, that someone like him would let Xie Huai go was also only to be expected, wasn¡¯t it¡­¡­ How could this person really bear to hurt him? Thinking about how very soon, he would let Xie Huai leave¡­¡­ Xie Huai actually didn¡¯t know whether he should be happy or not. It seemed like something was weighing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe. Xie Huai didn¡¯t know what feeling this was. Although he didn¡¯t deny that he had felt something for that devil before, and he didn¡¯t hate that person¡­¡­ Neither of those were love. He wouldn¡¯t fall in love with that person. The two of them stood on irreconcilable sides, and they were destined to have no outcome together. Since that person had decided to let go, it was a good thing for the both of them. He should feel relaxed, but why was it that his mood had become heavier¡­¡­ Xie Huai forcefully closed his eyes. It really wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t bear it. Perhaps, it was only because he felt guilt at being unable to return those feelings. He didn¡¯t know why Fang Li would love him this much, but those feelings were careful, tender, and precious, like the treasure that a small child presented, cupped in their hands¡­¡­ Nobody in the world had the right to look down on those feelings, including him. Perhaps Wu Yimei had understood this even earlier than him. So he¡¯d had Fang Li let him go. Xie Huai pulled at the corner of his mouth in self-ridicule. He had actually underestimated Wu Yimei. Just as well. Since that was the case, then when they met again another day, they would be enemies to the death. All of this today, he would think of as a fantasy in a dream, nothing more. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li could sense Xie Huai¡¯s estrangement and detachment, as if they had gone back to the very beginning. He hadn¡¯t thought that the potency of the dream would be this strong¡­¡­ But thinking about it again, it was also a good thing. Somehow or another, he¡¯d dragged the plot back into place! Fang Li very considerately didn¡¯t go to bother Xie Huai and let him sulk by himself. After ten days. They arrived at Helan province¡¯s Mountainview City. Cinnabar Gate, one of the five great righteous sects, was located inside of Mountainview City. Cinnabar Gate had vast amounts of accumulated knowledge and formidable might, and of the five great sects, it had the greatest number of members. Its territory spanned three thousand li, with Helan province at its heart. Cinnabar Gate had rigorous laws and great prestige, and it was more or less the local ruler of this area. And Cinnabar Gate¡¯s Gate Master Chong Wanshan, as a Void Refining level expert who had long made his name known in the world, had overseen Helan province for over a hundred years, his position aloof and transcendent, even more so an object of admiration for all. Fang Li got off the carriage in front of Mountainview City¡¯s city gate, looking up at the gate walls over a hundred meters tall, and narrowed his eyes slightly. After having been off on this journey for such a long time, it was finally time to start the main plotline. This part of the story was extremely important, with danger at every step. He needed to be careful and prudent. Thinking up to here, Fang Li turned back to look at Xie Huai. In the original script, Yan Sui had brought Xie Huai along on his scenic tour all the way to Mountainview City. That whole trip had naturally not been without him doing that with Xie Huai, and he had been extremely frivolous. Not only had he brought Xie Huai into the city as if he owned the place, he had even teased Xie Huai by calling him ¡°wife,¡± even making those who didn¡¯t know the truth believe that they were a married couple. They looked like more useless plot points for the sake of serving up meat in various styles, and calling Xie Huao wife seemed to be only for the sake of amusement between the sheets, but this part of the plot involved another important character¡ªthe deputy tower master of one of the five great sects, Black Star Tower¡¯s Fu Junling. Not only was Fu Junling Black Star Tower¡¯s deputy tower master, but even more importantly, he was Xie Huai¡¯s good friend. Although the book hadn¡¯t ever written that Fu Junling had other thoughts toward Xie Huai, Fu Junling had poured out all of his sweat and blood for Xie Huai¡¯s sake and had sacrificed greatly for their friendship. Fang Li thought that with this book¡¯s piss-poor quality of having everyone fall in love with Xie Huai, Fu Junling was probably secretly in love with him, right? After all, in this odd book, it seemed like everyone but Xie Huai was bent¡­¡­ But whether Fu Junling liked Xie Huai or not wasn¡¯t important. What was important was that he just happened to be staying as a guest at Cinnabar Gate right now, and then, he would meet the Yan Sui who was bringing Xie Huai with him. Seeing Yan Sui insult Xie Huai like this, he would wish for nothing more than to immediately rescue Xie Huai from the devil¡¯s grasp. After that, he would urge Black Star to enter the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance and personally follow the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance in storming Hollow Ridge, making heroic contributions toward the final siege on Yan Sui. This part of the plot involved two of the five great sects, and everyone who made an appearance on stage was a great personage of the world. In order to avoid creating unnecessary troubles, it wasn¡¯t convenient to randomly change the plot. Besides, wasn¡¯t it just calling Xie Huai wife? He¡¯d done it plenty of times in the dream already. He hadn¡¯t seen Xie Huai come out and stab him on the spot, either. He¡¯d offended Xie Huai more than just once or twice. Offending him one more time wasn¡¯t a big deal, either. The more troubles one had, the less one worried. Anyways, when he was done with this, he would be able to go back to Hollow Ridge and wait for death. Thinking up to here, Fang Li made up his mind. He turned back to look at Xie Huai, ignoring his detachment, and smiled faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s enter the city.¡± Xie Huai looked deeply at Fang Li. Mountainview City was where Cinnabar Gate was. Fang Li was not only swaggering in, but was even bringing him along. Was he afraid that other people wouldn¡¯t know who he was? It seems like this was the true purpose of your trip. But Mountainview City isn¡¯t an unassuming little place like Xining county, and Cinnabar Gate¡¯s Gate Master Chong Wanshan, as a Void Refining level expert who¡¯s run rampant in the world for many years, definitely can¡¯t be compared to rubbish like Shan Qingyang¡­¡­ This place is as fortified as a castle, with countless high-level masters. Coming here alone like this, aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll be trapped here? But Fang Li¡¯s attention had already been drawn away by Mountainview City. The reason why this city was called Mountainview City was because it was built encircling a mountain. That mountain stood in the very center of the city, towering into the sky like a jade vessel, and it was the precisely the ancient holy mountain, Mount Cinnabar.1 The streets of Mountainview City were flourishing beyond compare, with pedestrians flowing like streams and carriages and horses weaving through like dragons. Everywhere was richly decorated, exuding an extraordinary air. Compared to Mountainview City, Xining county¡¯s capital seemed like a backwater town. Fang Li sighed with astonishment as he looked. If one were to say that Baihua province was an earthly land of riches and wealth where one lost themselves in luxury, then this was the grand and awe-inspiring celestial capital of a heavenly kingdom. He walked along the path, occasionally seeing disciples dressed in red patrolling along the streets. These were Cinnabar Gate¡¯s outer sect disciples, in charge of maintaining order inside the city. It was said that Mountainview City was the safest place in the world, and nobody picked up lost items on the streets or locked their doors at night, because Cinnabar Gate was unlike any of the other great cultivation sects. Although the other sects cut down monsters and slayed demons, upholding justice and protecting the people¡­¡­ They were still more or less detached from the world. Unless it was necessary, they rarely acted, and most mortals couldn¡¯t come into contact with them, nor would they interfere much with the lives of common people. But Cinnabar Gate was willing to participate in the affairs of the mortal world, exercising control over the people of their territory. All of the city-states under their jurisdiction had to abide by Cinnabar Gate¡¯s laws, and Cinnabar Gate took charge of any conflicts or crimes between mortals. Here, Cinnabar Gate was law, the ironclad justice that nobody could defy. Because Cinnabar Gate enforced their rules strictly and handled matters fairly, everyone approved of Cinnabar Gate¡¯s oversight, and after several hundred years like this, it had long been carved into their hearts. Fang Li watched the two Cinnabar Gate disciples beside him walk past. Picking a fight was strictly forbidden inside of Mountainview City. In front of them, two drunks had started a brawl, and there were already people here to take them away. Fang Li laughed and continued to walk forward. He looked around at both sides of the street with interest when his gaze suddenly shifted and fell onto a restaurant in front. This restaurant was constructed with extreme opulence and was at least a hundred meters wide. The entire restaurant was a hollow ring shape, and in the middle was a man-made lake. In the center of the lake was a tall stage, and atop the stage were celestial maidens in a masterful dance. Looking at the movements of those dancers, each of them had to be at least Foundation Building level in cultivation, and the leader of the dancers even seemed to be a Golden Core cultivator. How lavish. Even the dancers were cultivators, huh. Outside the restaurant, more than a few people craned their necks to watch. Fang Li listened for a while and learned that these were dancing courtesans raised by the Gilded Tower. The Gilded Tower was extremely famous in Mountainview City. It was said that the boss of the Gilded tower was extremely rich and had spent tons of money to find talented seedlings. He had these young women take appearance-preserving pills at sixteen years of age, forever preserving their youthful looks, then used spirit stones to hurry their cultivation. These cultivators never trained in killing techniques, instead spending decades refining their dancing skills. A single dance of theirs was like witnessing the descent of the goddess Xuan Nu,2 and it was hard to even catch a glimpse on a normal day. Outside of the restaurant, one could only catch the occasional sight of them. In order to observe their grace, one had to enter the restaurant, but the spots in the Gilded Tower were extremely expensive. Not just anyone could enter and take a look. Fang Li immediately became interested. He entered the Gilded Tower, and very quickly, a waiter came up to welcome them with a smile, saying, ¡°Sir, did you come to watch the dance?¡± Fang Li nodded. The waiter said courteously, ¡°May I ask which floor you¡¯d like to watch from, sir? Our first floor is a hundred spirit stones, the second floor is a thousand spirit stones, the third floor is two thousand spirit stones, the fourth floor is five thousand spirit stones, and the fifth floor has no fixed price, starting from eight thousand spirit stones.¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow. ¡°The fifth floor, then.¡± The waiter¡¯s expression trembled, and he cautiously sized up Fang Li. This young master looked a little unfamiliar, but he was wealthy and imposing. Could he be an honored guest from another province? Hearing that Fang Li wanted to go to the fifth floor, the waiter became even more courteous and bowed as he led them forward. The fifth floor was extremely spacious, and it had been separated with paper screens into only ten sections, the sections were sparsely occupied and not yet full. In the center compartment sat a young master in luxurious attire. The waiter looked at the empty sections and smiled as he asked, ¡°Which spot would you like, sir?¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t even look at the ones to the sides and pointed directly at the one in the middle, saying, ¡°I want that one.¡± The waiter¡¯s expression immediately changed, and he said, ¡°There¡¯s already a guest there. According to our rules, it¡¯s first come, first serve. Would you please select another one, sir?¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow and laughed softly with amusement. ¡°What, do you think my noble self can¡¯t pay? I¡¯m willing to pay double the price. I want the spot in the middle.¡± The waiter stood there in a predicament. He couldn¡¯t afford to offend the guest in the center section either. It seemed this young master really was from another province and didn¡¯t understand the rules in their Mountainview City, acting like a tyrant and thinking that he could do anything he wanted if he had money. Careful that you don¡¯t suffer both humiliation and defeat! The waiter said politely, neither arrogant nor servile, ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of money. Please forgive this one for being powerless. If the young master doesn¡¯t like any of the others, this one can only ask you to return.¡± Huh, even a waiter could be this firm. It seemed like he trusted Cinnabar Gate quite a bit and wasn¡¯t afraid at all that Fang Li would make a fuss¡­¡­ But Fang Li was here today precisely to make a fuss. He wanted to see whether Cinnabar Gate really was like the rumors, able to enforce the law strictly and impartially without a single blemish. Fang Li didn¡¯t pay any more attention to the waiter and stepped forward directly, patting the young master in the brocade robes with a smile. ¡°Your seat, I want it.¡± The young master was in the middle of watching the dance with rapt interest when he suddenly heard Fang Li speak and couldn¡¯t help but be stunned for a moment¡­¡­ He said, ¡°What did you say?¡± Fang Li repeated patiently, ¡°I said, your seat, I want it.¡± The young master looked at Fang Li, unable to believe his ears. After a long time, he finally confirmed the meaning of his words. This person actually wanted him to give up his spot for him? Was he mad? Why did he have to give up his seat to him? He¡¯d had to pay twenty thousand spirit stones in order to reserve this seat! He wasn¡¯t a lunatic, was he? To think that the Gilded Tower had even let someone like that inside. Next time, he¡¯d have to have a talk with the tower owner and tell them not to let in any random lunatic. He gave a cold humph and ignored Fang Li. Fang Li sure wasn¡¯t in the mood to speak a third time. He directly reached out and tossed the richly dressed young master out of the tower. Now this caused a big stir. Everyone outside the restaurant stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed, and even the dancers on the stage were so startled they stopped. The waiter was nearly shocked unconscious. But Fang Li acted as if he hadn¡¯t sensed anything and pulled Xie Huai to sit beside him, his chin propped up on one hand as he looked at the stage. He opened his mouth to say in a languid voice, ¡°Keep going, don¡¯t stop.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. Fang Li coming here was one thing, but he was even openly making a fuss in Mountainview City. Just what did he want to do? Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re completely alone right now. Because of the worries in his heart, Xie Huai said in a heavy voice, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do this.¡± But Fang Li took Xie Huai¡¯s hand in his and glanced at him with a slight smile, consoling him in a gentle voice, ¡°Wife, there¡¯s no need to worry, this husband has matters in hand.¡± Wife¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s expression froze for a second. He stared fixedly at Fang Li. Now what was he playing at? The one who said he was going to let me go before was you, and now you¡¯re calling me wife, making trouble with no sense of priorities! Besides, who¡¯s your wife? Everything in the dream was fake. Truly absurd. Xie Huai¡¯s face was frigid, and he was just about to retort¡­¡­ But his gaze swept past the lover¡¯s talisman hanging from Fang Li¡¯s waist. Fang Li had carried the lover¡¯s talisman on him ever since leaving Lover¡¯s Pass, not putting it down for a moment. The pale, thin man looked at him, overflowing with smiles, those eyes seemingly brimming with affection¡­¡­ His retort suddenly choked in his throat. That was nothing more than a dream. I won¡¯t take it seriously, and you shouldn¡¯t take it seriously, either. Things shouldn¡¯t continue on like this between them, either, with wavering and hesitation instead of decisiveness, suffering from chaos. Since he¡¯d already decided to draw a clear line between them¡­¡­ Xie Huai took a deep breath and clenched his fist. Forget it. Seeing as we¡¯re going to separate sooner or later, seeing as there isn¡¯t much time left, if you want to make trouble, then go ahead¡­¡­ What need was there to bicker with this person over a few words? On the contrary, that would make him seem equally childish. Fang Li said his lines according to the script, but in his heart, he was actually a little nervous. Looking at Xie Huai¡¯s ice-cold face, he¡¯d thought Xie Huai was going to retort and was just pondering over how to respond when he saw Xie Huai coldly turn his head and fall silent¡­¡­ Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but be a little startled. He fell into contemplation for a few moments and came to the conclusion that Xie Huai was extremely shrewd after all, as well as able to hold his temper. He felt it beneath him to bicker with Fang Li. Fang Li let out a slight sigh of relief and turned his head to continue to watch the show. Not fifteen minutes later, the richly dressed young master brought two Cinnabar Gate law enforcement disciples up and pointed at Fang Li, saying angrily, ¡°He was the one who stole my spot and even publicly committed assault inside the city!¡± Daring to commit assault inside the city, he really didn¡¯t know his place! The two law enforcement disciples looked coldly at Fang Li and said, ¡°Please come with us for a bit.¡± Fang Li turned a deaf ear and waved his hand, and those two disciples flew out, too. This time, no one in the restaurant was paying attention to the performance anymore. They were all staring at Fang Li with their jaws dropped to the floor. The waiter¡¯s expression was terrified, and he fell paralyzed to the ground. Although there were few who dared to raise a fuss in Mountainview City, it did occasionally happen. But daring to raise a hand against the law enforcement disciples in Mountainview City was something that couldn¡¯t be witnessed in decades! The law enforcement disciples represented the law of Cinnabar Gate. To show contempt for Cinnabar Gate¡¯s laws in public, this person wasn¡¯t really insane, was he?! Xie Huai¡¯s thin lips were pressed into a line. Fang Li was obviously doing it on purpose, and his goal was to attract Cinnabar Gate¡¯s attention. But do you know how dangerous this is? You¡¯re putting yourself on the fire together with Chong Wanshan to roast! Cinnabar Gate¡¯s laws were its position in the world. They definitely wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to trample over them. In order to protect the dignity of their laws and the honor of their sect, not a single person who dared to raise a hand against their law enforcement disciples could escape heavy punishment, no matter how noble their birth or how high their cultivation. Cinnabar Gate definitely wouldn¡¯t allow a single person to hold their laws in contempt! Fang Li obviously knew everything, yet he insisted on raising a fuss, stirring up trouble right up to Chong Wanshan¡¯s doorstep, making it impossible for him to ignore. Did he want to start a war with Cinnabar Gate? But why Cinnabar Gate? Cinnabar Gate was the farthest away from Hollow Ridge, and the two had no conflicts with each other. Even if you wanted to use the righteous sects to show off your might, you should have chosen the highest ranked, Heaven¡¯s Summit, so why did you have to choose¡­¡­ the least likely one, Cinnabar Gate? It couldn¡¯t be that Heaven¡¯s Summit had only been a pretense, and Cinnabar Gate was your true goal? Xie Huai¡¯s expression became heavy. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Straight Man Fang: I don¡¯t know why the wife is angry. Xie Huai: When I start a fight, it won¡¯t last more than half a chapter, one sentence is enough to coax me. Author: ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 Known in legend as the birthplace of the phoenix 2 Xuan Nu CH 31 February 4th, 2023 Fang Li turned his head back as if there was no one around and prepared to keep watching the performance, but the dancing courtesans on stage had all withdrawn. In the blink of an eye, all five floors of the restaurant had been emptied, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh ruefully. The people here had had it nice and quiet for too long. Wasn¡¯t it just someone making a ruckus? Was it so bad that they had to act as if faced with some great foe? It really spoiled the mood. Just when Fang Li was a bit bored, a red figure suddenly arrived by sword, and an elderly man disembarked onto the Gilded Tower. The old man wore dark red Daoist robes and a jade band around his waist. From the look of his attire, he was a law enforcement elder of Cinnabar Gate. The Cinnabar Gate law enforcement elders all had Soul Formation level cultivation, and they weren¡¯t the kind of Soul Formation cultivators who were waiting for death like Shan Qingyang. Each and every person who could enter Cinnabar Gate and become an elder was a high-level cultivator with powerful martial strength, and even killing normal Soul Formation cultivators was a piece of cake for them. The red-robed elder looked at Fang Li, his face heavy. Just when he was about to strike and capture this wild little brat, his gaze suddenly fell onto Xie Huai¡¯s face, and his expression changed drastically. Yuyi-jun! Ten days ago, the demon lord had brought Yuyi-jun with him and destroyed Night Sky Palace on Mt. Wanxun. This rumor suddenly appeared in the elder¡¯s mind. He felt a chill rise from his feet, and as he looked at the sickly, pale young man in front of him, the hands in his sleeves began to tremble faintly. This person¡¯s identity was evident even without being said. No wonder, no wonder, no wonder. The disciples behind the elder saw that their master wasn¡¯t moving and were a bit surprised. Just when they stepped forward, about to reprimand Fang Li, they suddenly heard their master yell fiercely, ¡°Everyone, stop!¡± The elder slowly took a step back and looked deeply at Fang Li, saying in a heavy voice, ¡°Sir, why did you not notify the Gate Master that you were coming to stay as a guest at Cinnabar Gate so that we could prepare?¡± Fang Li laughed leisurely and said in a languid voice, ¡°It¡¯s not too late to pass on the news now.¡± The elder took a deep breath and said, ¡°Please wait a moment, sir.¡± When he was done speaking, he turned left without any hesitation. Only when he had flown a thousand li by sword did he realize that in that brief period of time, his entire back was already soaked through with cold sweat. The elder didn¡¯t have time to explain to his disciples and rushed inside to meet with the sect leader. Chong Wanshan was in his residence dining with his guest. He looked to be middle-aged with a long beard and a scholarly bearing. At this moment, he was stroking his beard with a slight smile, speaking to the green-robed man beside him. ¡°This tea came from the tea trees of Mount Cinnabar, which can only be harvested once or twice a century.¡± Fu Junling smiled faintly and said, ¡°The Gate Master is too generous. In that case, I must give it a try.¡± The teacup on the table was lustrous and translucent, the tea clear as water without the slightest trace of impurities, and its fragrance seeped into one¡¯s heart. It truly was a top-quality product. Fu Junling lifted up his sleeves and gently raised the teacup, holding it beneath his nose to sniff. Just when he was about to taste the tea¡ª The red-robed elder rushed inside and said urgently to Chong Wanshan, ¡°Gate Master, I have important news to report.¡± Chong Wanshan frowned. Elder Gan was usually very steadfast. For him to come here even though he knew that Chong Wanshan was dining with a guest meant that the news truly was urgent, so he said in a heavy voice, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Today, there was someone making a fuss at the Gilded Tower, and he even attacked and injured the law enforcement disciples. When I received word, I personally went to investigate and discovered, discovered¡­¡­¡± Elder Gan paused and said, ¡°It was Yuyi-jun and the demon lord.¡± Chong Wanshan¡¯s expression changed. Fu Junling¡¯s movements also paused. Elder Gan was also under a lot of pressure and said fearfully in hindsight, ¡°I didn¡¯t act against the demon lord on the spot, nor did I reveal his identity. I only said that I was going to return to report this matter to the Gate Master. He didn¡¯t stop me and let me come back.¡± Chong Wanshan muttered to himself for a moment, then said slowly, ¡°You did very well.¡± Elder Gan finally relaxed a bit, then asked, ¡°What should we do next? Gate Master, please instruct.¡± Chong Wanshan knit his eyebrows tightly. Actually, he was completely surprised to learn that the demon lord had come. Recently, Heaven¡¯s Summit had continuously been very high-profile, going around everywhere to appeal to the righteous sects to unite and establishing the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance to attack Hollow Ridge. It was rumored that the demon lord had been infuriated and had already ordered Du Meng to eliminate Heaven¡¯s Summit. Everyone believed that Hollow Ridge was on the brink of war with Heaven¡¯s Summit. Yet at this critical time, the devil had come all alone to Cinnabar Gate. Cinnabar Gate was far, far away from Hollow Ridge, and they hadn¡¯t had any conflict before. Why had the devil come all the way here? It couldn¡¯t be that the devil had been creating a diversion and was seizing the opportunity to attack Cinnabar Gate? But if that was the case, why had he not concealed his identity, and had even allowed Elder Gan to return to report? This sort of attitude didn¡¯t seem like he was about to start a war with Cinnabar Gate¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t really be here to take a tour of the scenery, could he? Chong Wanshan couldn¡¯t make sense of the devil¡¯s thoughts. In his heart, he didn¡¯t actually want to clash outright with Hollow Ridge. They were far away from Hollow Ridge, and there was absolutely no need for them to be the nail that stuck out. Even if all of the sects before them declared war on Hollow Ridge, Cinnabar Gate could preserve their strength and make self-defense their primary strategy. But not only had the devil come here personally, he¡¯d even publicly challenged Cinnabar Gate¡¯s laws. If he left things alone, wouldn¡¯t he be mocked for being afraid of the devil? How would he show his face in the future? But if he made a move against the devil, would the devil really have come here all alone? Did he have any other scheme? Would Chong Wanshan just happen to fall for his schemes and walk into his trap? Chong Wanshan was immediately stuck in a dilemma. If he could think of all of this, then Fu Junling could, too. Fu Junling put down his teacup and said slowly, ¡°Regardless of what goal the devil has, since he dares to come here all alone, then he must have some insurance. Before understanding the situation with him clearly, it¡¯s not convenient to act without thinking, or I¡¯m afraid innocent people will be affected.¡± Chong Wanshan didn¡¯t want to act against that devil either, and Fu Junling¡¯s words just happened to provide him with a way out. He said, full of concern, ¡°This one was also worried about the same thing. There are hundreds of thousands of people living in Mountainview City. If the devil starts to slaughter people, I¡¯m afraid that hundreds of thousands of lives will suffer at his hand¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Seeing as the devil hasn¡¯t announced his identity yet, he might not have the intention to attack, either. As Cinnabar Gate¡¯s Gate Master, if you make an appearance now, if things aren¡¯t handled appropriately, there won¡¯t be any room to mend things. On the other hand, I¡¯m not of Cinnabar Gate. Regardless of how the discussion ends up, there will still be grounds for mediation¡­¡­ I¡¯m willing to represent the Gate Master to meet with this devil.¡± Chong Wanshan was thinking the same thing, but he had no way to bring it up. He hadn¡¯t thought that Fu Junling would suggest it on his own, and he couldn¡¯t help but say with gratitude, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be bothering Tower Master Fu.¡± Fu Junling smiled faintly. ¡°You and I are both righteous sect cultivators, it¡¯s natural to join hands when facing this devil. No need for the Gate Master to be so courteous.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ All of the people in the Gilded Tower had fled, and there were few witnesses at the scene. Most people were outside spectating, and they only saw that someone had been thrown outside, and then later, a few more law enforcement disciples were also thrown outside¡­¡­ For many of them, this was the first time in their lives seeing something like this. Someone had attacked the law enforcement disciples in Mountainview City, and the law enforcement elder had come, yet he actually hadn¡¯t captured that person right away, but had turned around and flown back¡­¡­ The crowd felt dazed as if in a dream. Just what status did this person have? It wouldn¡¯t be one of the five great sects¡¯ sect masters, would it? But all of the five great sects¡¯ sect masters were virtuous, well-respected, and capable elders. How could they do such flippant, tyrannical things?! Then other than them, who could make the law enforcement elder afraid to make a move? Fang Li leisurely poured himself a cup of tea, a smile in his eyes, and shook his head at Xie Huai, saying, ¡°Wife, this husband had wanted to take you to see a good show, but it looks like that won¡¯t be possible now. But there are other good shows to see, so don¡¯t be disappointed, wife¡­¡­¡± A good show. Xie Huai thought, it was indeed a good show. He knew this person always made up his mind on his own, and no one could interfere with his decisions, so he simply stopped speaking. He was going to see just what kind of good show was coming up next. Fang Li had just finished making a fuss and wasn¡¯t the least bit anxious. At present, the righteous sects were scattered like loose sand. More than a few were hoping that someone else would charge in front so that they could sit behind and reap the benefits. Chong Wanshan had always been extremely cautious and was the best at looking after his own hide, so not only would he not make a move against him, he wouldn¡¯t even make an appearance. Fu Junling would represent Chong Wanshan to come meet with him. And the more exaggeratedly Fang Li swaggered about without any restraint, the more suspicious Chong Wanshan would become and instead not dare to act recklessly. Fang Li¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but fall onto Xie Huai. The sword cultivators of Cloudbank Keep always regarded all evil as their own foes, unable to tolerate a speck of dust in their eyes. Each and everyone of them took slaying demons as their personal duty, and they would strike whenever they saw demonic cultivators committing evil. Although they¡¯d saved lives, they¡¯d offended Yan Sui and attracted that calamity back in the beginning¡­¡­ But faced with the devil¡¯s threats, each and every one of them had ignored the cost of their own lives and would rather die than compromise¡­¡­ That was why Yan Sui didn¡¯t actually really want to do anything to Cloudbank Keep. He only smeared Cloudbank Keep¡¯s reputation and snatched away Xie Huai before returning. But Cinnabar Gate wasn¡¯t like that flock of fools at Cloudbank Keep. Even more so, Chong Wanshan was full of schemes and calculations, and he wouldn¡¯t get up early if there was no benefit to him. So, he wouldn¡¯t come. Fang Li pinched his teacup and smiled faintly. Not long after, a clamor arose from downstairs. Fang Li lifted his head to look outside. A man in green robes walked over, his features handsome and bright, gentle like jade, elegant as bamboo, his movements as he walked like a clear breeze skimming past. More than a few people recognized him and called out to him respectfully one by one. ¡°Tower Master Fu.¡± Fu Junling smiled and nodded, then said to the richly dressed young master downstairs who was the victim of the case, ¡°The person upstairs is this one¡¯s friend. It might have been a misunderstanding earlier. Young master, I¡¯ll apologize to you on his behalf. This shark spirit pearl is a compensation gift.¡± The richly dressed young master¡¯s face was deathly pale, his legs trembling. He¡¯d already received a confidential message earlier, and he was so scared he was on the verge of collapsing paralyzed onto the ground. Right now, he only wanted to immediately run for his life, and he laughed awkwardly. ¡°It was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. Actually, earlier, that young master said he was willing to pay me double for my spot. I was the one who spoke harshly to him in discontent, so he had no choice but to act. I was really the one who was at fault first, so how could I accept your compensation gift! It¡¯s all water under the bridge, Tower Master Fu, please apologize to your friend in my place for me.¡± Fu Junling said with a smile, ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡± The richly dressed young master said, ¡°That¡¯s what happened! This matter really was my fault at first, I hope the tower master¡¯s friend won¡¯t take offense!¡± Hearing the conversation, the crowd was enlightened. Seeing as both sides were at fault, then it wasn¡¯t someone one-sidedly raising a fuss and injuring someone. If both sides came to a reconciliation, then everything was fine¡­¡­ But, that person had also tossed around the law enforcement disciples. How was that to be explained? Fu Junling looked at the spectators and said, ¡°This one¡¯s friend is at fault in this matter. Everyone, please be at ease, this one will go with him to Cinnabar Gate to ask forgiveness.¡± Since Fu Junling was here to act as guarantor, saying that they would personally go up the mountain to apologize, then there truly was nothing more to say. Very quickly, some law enforcement disciples came over to disperse the crowd. A couple of words from Fu Junling had diverted the disaster. How powerful. Fang Li watched the whole scene completely unperturbed. Only when Fu Junling arrived upstairs did he give a teasing laugh from far away. ¡°How come I didn¡¯t know that I had a friend like Fu Junling?¡± Fu Junling¡¯s manner was relaxed, and he smiled at Fang Li. ¡°I¡¯m good friends with my lord¡¯s wife, so naturally, I also consider myself friends with my lord.¡± As he spoke, he said openly to Xie Huai, ¡°Long time no see.¡± He actually didn¡¯t hide the fact that he and Xie Huai were old acquaintances at all, his attitude completely relaxed and unpressured. Xie Huai had originally been a little worried that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t be able to retreat after making a fuss. Seeing Fu Junling resolve things easily, Xie Huai nodded at him. It looked like Chong Wanshan didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of things either, so he¡¯d had Fu Junling come to mediate. It wasn¡¯t unexpected for Chong Wanshan to act this way; although it wasn¡¯t quite upholding the pride of the righteous sects, it wasn¡¯t impossible to understand, either. In the end, it was better if less killing was involved. Next, Fu Junling said courteously to Fang Li, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will spoil the mood to continue to stay here. This one has prepared a sky-touring ship for enjoying the scenery of Mountainview City. I¡¯d like to invite my lord and Yuyi-jun aboard the ship to partake in the view. What does my lord think?¡± This was leading Fang Li away from places with lots of people, in order to avoid another incident. Fang Li answered cheerfully, ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Huai turned to look at Fang Li. Seeing him answer so quickly, he wanted to speak, but stopped. For you to agree so straightforwardly, aren¡¯t you afraid there might be a trap? This is Cinnabar Gate¡¯s territory. But Fang Li was extremely at ease. The likelihood that there was a trap was very small. Fu Junling had come forward because they didn¡¯t want to make a big deal of things. Besides, the person he was waiting for had already arrived, so why bother with those lackeys? Of course, he was going to go happily to his appointment. Up to here, the plot was progressing extremely smoothly. Fu Junling smiled and said, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re very straightforward.¡± As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a large, magnificent ship came towards them from the horizon. The ship was at least a hundred meters long, and it was carved with numerous flowery engravings, slowly traveling amidst the rosy sunset. Mountainview City¡¯s regulations were extremely strict, and normally, even flying spiritual devices were prohibited from use inside the city. Being able to use this sky-touring ship to enjoy the scenery was a privilege that only a tiny few could have. Enjoying the scenery of Mountainview City from above was bound to be an experience out of the norm. A banquet was already prepared on board, and musical courtesans lightly plucked at the strings of their instruments, the sound of classical music greeting one¡¯s ears. Neither following the script nor enjoying the vacation could be neglected. Fang Li was in good spirits. Fu Junling was very tolerant. Other than that one sentence at the beginning, he didn¡¯t exchange any more words with Xie Huai. From a distance away, he lifted a cup toward Fang Li and said, ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve come far to be our guest. This one will raise a toast first as respect.¡± Fang Li also drank the fine wine, pensive. In the original story, Fu Junling had also taken Chong Wanshan¡¯s place in coming to see Yan Sui. As a result, he¡¯d seen Yan Sui¡¯s recklessness and harassment toward Xie Huai and had been extremely infuriated, resenting that his good friend had to suffer this kind of humiliation. Later, he¡¯d entered the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance to attack Hollow Ridge. So, what he had to do was very simple. He just had to humiliate Xie Huai a little in front of Fu Junling, that was all. He was already way too experienced at doing something like this. Piece of cake. ¡°Good wine,¡± Fang Li narrowed his eyes slightly. When the servant girl filled his cup, he suddenly pinched the wine cup and turned to look at Xie Huai, holding the cup he¡¯d already drank from to Xie Huai¡¯s lips, giving a soft, amused laugh as if no one else were present. ¡°Wife, try some?¡± Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s eyes full of laughter and his intimate posture and couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow. Fang Li hadn¡¯t acted like this in a long time. The last time¡­¡­ had been at Hollow Ridge, when he¡¯d put on a show for Du Meng to see. Then what about this time? He was putting on a show for Fu Junling? Why? The rim of the wine cup was sparkling translucent and slightly moist. It was precisely where Fang Li had just drank from¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened a bit. He and Fang Li had never been this intimate before¡­¡­ You¡­¡­ Do you know exactly what you¡¯re doing? No, you know. But you think I won¡¯t drink. What? You think that a mere cup of wine is enough to make things difficult for me? A trace of soft laughter leaked out of Xie Huai¡¯s throat. Fang Li watched Xie Huai¡¯s seemingly displeased cold laugh and purposefully got a bit closer. How frivolous was he being right now?! Drinking from the same cup right in front of his friend¡¯s face and even calling Xie Huai wife¡­¡­ Tsk, tsk, tsk, just thinking about it made one angry. If he were Xie Huai¡¯s wide, he¡¯d immediately want to beat himself to death! Hurry up and rescue Xie Huai from the devil¡¯s grasp! Don¡¯t let him suffer the devil¡¯s humiliation any longer! Xie Huai would never drink the wine that he¡¯d drank¡­¡­ When that happened, should he use a little force? When Fang Li thought up to here, he was a little nervous, as well as a little¡­¡­ excited¡­¡­ Just as he was psyching himself up for it, about to act out a ¡°tyrant forcing wine,¡± he saw Xie Huai lift his hand and wrap it around Fang Li¡¯s, tipping the entire cup into his mouth, then say blandly, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Fang Li: ¡°?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fu Junling: Tower master here live on-site, I don¡¯t feel like there¡¯s any coercion, I only feel like I¡¯ve been stuffed with dog food. Fang Li: ¡­¡­ CH 32 February 8th, 2023 Fang Li¡¯s hand was wrapped in Xie Huai¡¯s scorching hot palms and led along by a steady force. He saw Xie Huai hold his hand and drink the wine in the cup, calm and unruffled. He tried to dodge, as if he¡¯d been burned, but he found that Xie Huai¡¯s grip was completely firm, leaving him nowhere to escape. Only when he¡¯d downed all the wine in the cup did Xie Huai release his hand and let him flee¡­¡­ Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Where was the promised ¡°tyrant forcing wine¡±? Brother, do you look like you¡¯re being coerced? Fang Li¡¯s expression was a little unsightly. Not good, under his indulgence, Xie Huai had been spoiled into fearlessness. He¡¯d already learned how to flip the tables! This was a show of strength that Xie Huai was giving him¡­¡­ Fu Junling¡¯s expression was just a little sluggish as he looked at the two of them, bewildered and uncertain. Fang Li saw Fu Junling¡¯s astonished face and thought, this was bad. His expression sank, and he flipped his hand over and grabbed ahold of Xie Huai¡¯s. He even stroked Xie Huai¡¯s hand ambiguously a few times, then let out a low, hoarse laugh. ¡°Wife, if you like it, how about another cup?¡± He definitely, absolutely couldn¡¯t look intimidated. He had to win this round back. Xie Huai glanced at him blandly and said, ¡°Alright.¡± The two of them drank one cup after another, back and forth, and two jugs of wine were quickly emptied into their stomachs. They exchanged round after round, neither of them willing to admit defeat. A good while later, Fang Li was a little dizzy and decided to eat a bite and force down his alarm. This time, he had really been too careless, thinking everything would go as smoothly as before¡­¡­ This was no good. If things went on like this, it really wasn¡¯t flippant enough. How could he infuriate Fu Junling? Fang Li was truly a little vexed. After a long time, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Xie Huai¡¯s waist, and pulled¡ªand pulled¡ªand pulled again¡ª And still didn¡¯t manage to pull him over. Xie Huai sat there without budging a fraction, his posture straight as a pen. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but stare blankly, his heart beating like a drum. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t have recovered his cultivation, could he? No, impossible, if he¡¯d recovered his cultivation, how could he possibly not have made a move yet? So, he was someone who¡¯d refined his body? Fine, you win. If the mountain won¡¯t come to me, I¡¯ll go to the mountain. Fang Li simply leaned onto Xie Huai, lazily hanging off of his body, a hand around his waist, the other hand lifting up his chin to say teasingly, ¡°Wife, your alcohol tolerance is pretty good.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change a fraction. He lowered his eyes to glance at the person beside him. On the other hand, your alcohol tolerance is just so-so. Because he¡¯d drank a bit too much, the sickly pale man¡¯s thin, translucent skin had a faint flush to it. Leaning so freely against him like this, his eyes and face full of the smiles of a drunk person¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t know just how enticing this kind of posture was¡­¡­ Yet he insisted on not admitting defeat and doing these flirtatious things¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened a little. Fu Junling sat silently to one side, lifting up his wine cup to hide his awkwardness. To tell the truth. Before coming here, he had indeed been worried about Xie Huai. He¡¯d heard more than a few of the rumors circulating outside. There were versions where Xie Huai suffered miserable torment, there were versions where Xie Huai submitted himself and sank into depravity with the demon lord¡­¡­ But regardless of which version, the demon lord was tyrannical and unbridled, and Xie Huai was extremely pitiful¡­¡­ But the scene today didn¡¯t match a single one of those versions. The demon lord¡­¡­ might be a little unbridled in a cute way, but Xie Huai didn¡¯t look a tiny bit pitiful. The atmosphere between the two was strangely peaceful. No, it wasn¡¯t that peaceful, either. There seemed to be a surging undercurrent? But if one were to say that there was any kind of coercion, then there definitely wasn¡¯t¡­¡­ Friends, but not like friends. Lovers, but not like lovers. All in all, it was just an indescribable kind of strangeness. But there was one thing that Fu Junling had never suspected, which was that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly sink into depravity with the devil. That he could get along with the devil on terms that could be considered, cough, could be considered peaceful could only mean that the devil might be different from the rumors. He¡¯d also heard of the matter with Night Sky Palace. Looking at things now, the version that Cloudbank Keep had circulated was the real one, to the point that it might even have been influenced by Xie Huai¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t thought that this devil would also have a side like this to him. Although his actions were reckless and unreasonable, he would still do things like saving lives¡­¡­ As for the devil today¡­¡­ His words and actions truly were frivolous, but they were somehow impossible to feel repulsed by. It actually seemed like they might not be his true intentions¡­¡­ Xie Huai had probably also recognized this, so he¡¯d intentionally followed along. This round of drinking¡­¡­ It really was hard to say who was taking liberties with who. It couldn¡¯t be that it really was like the rumors said, that the devil was deeply in love with Yuyi-jun and unable to turn away from him? But that was really too absurd! Forget it, forget it. Seeing as Xie Huai was living perfectly well with that devil, there was no need for him to worry. It was just that, things really couldn¡¯t keep going on like this indefinitely. The longer that Xie Huai stayed over at that devil¡¯s, the more unfavorable it was for him. He couldn¡¯t stay like this forever, could he? Fu Junling took advantage while Fang Li was off guard to secretly give Xie Huai a meaningful look, wanting to meet him alone and hear his intentions. There were some things that definitely couldn¡¯t be said to Fang Li¡¯s face. Fang Li¡¯s entire body was practically hanging off of Xie Huai, appearing careless, but in truth, he was two hundred percent alert, all for the sake of finding an opportunity to act out and show off the domineering and unbridled devil that he was. Only, unfortunately, Xie Huai was extremely steady the whole time, and Fu Junling was also easygoing and tactful¡­¡­ Exactly what had going wrong? As Xie Huai¡¯s good friend who would bleed for their friendship, seeing Fang Li disgrace Xie Huai like this, Fu Junling shouldn¡¯t be this calm and unruffled, should he? Just when Fang Li was a little vexed, he saw¡­¡­ Fu Junling secretly signaling at Xie Huai with his eyes¡­¡­ Very good. Making eyes at each other right to my face. Just when I was worrying about not having a chance to act up, you brought one to my door! I just knew that you couldn¡¯t possibly be that simple! Fang Li abruptly raised his eyes and looked darkly at Fu Junling, saying coolly, ¡°What is Tower Master Fu looking at? You wouldn¡¯t be taking a fancy to my wife, would you?¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li lazily supported himself against Xie Huai to sit upright and said sinisterly, ¡°If you look one more time, I¡¯ll dig out your eyeballs.¡± Seeing that the atmosphere was a little stagnant, Fang Li finally lifted his eyebrows and let out a breath. How¡¯s that, are you scared? ¡­¡­ Just then, he heard a very soft sigh. Xie Huai pressed down Fang Li¡¯s hand and pulled him back, his tone clear and bland as he said, ¡°No need to worry, Your Excellency, Brother Fu wouldn¡¯t take a fancy to me.¡± Seeing Xie Huai speak first to clear the air, Fu Junling snapped out of his shock and also waved his hands repeatedly, for fear that his explanation would be late. ¡°Your Excellency, don¡¯t misunderstand, Brother Xie and I are just friends, nothing more. I definitely don¡¯t have the tiniest, slightest bit of improper thoughts about him.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Who wants to hear the two of you explain??? Is whether you like him or not important? The important thing is that I¡¯m provoking you, okay?! As Xie Huai¡¯s closest friend, after seeing him be coerced like this by a devil like me, and after being threatened by me like this, as a man, you should take a stand, right? And Xie Huai, you, what are you explaining for? He couldn¡¯t swallow any more of this wine today. Fang Li flung his sleeves and stood up, saying coldly, ¡°This lord is tired.¡± Fu Junling was very familiar with the art of taking care of guests and stood up, smiling, ¡°This one has already prepared a room for Your Excellency to rest in.¡± Fang Li followed Fu Junling to the room and grabbed Xie Huai¡¯s hand, grinding his teeth as he squeezed out word by word, ¡°Wife, naturally, you¡¯ll be staying in a room with this lord.¡± Fu Junling looked at the two entering hand in hand. The door closed shut right before his face, and he finally showed an expression of unease. The devil was indeed somewhat different from the rumors. No wonder Xie Huai would¡­¡­ But since ancient times, good and evil stood in opposition to each other. No matter what kind of person the devil was, or how he¡¯d changed right now, all of the things he¡¯d done before were destined to never be forgiven by the righteous sects. Moreover, at the beginning, that devil had besieged Cloudbank Keep and taken him prisoner. The animosity that had been laid down was truly a bit high. If Xie Huai had truly fallen for him, he might be the one put in a dilemma¡­¡­ Fu Jinling paced back and forth and let out a gloomy sigh. Perhaps he was thinking too much. Just how cool-headed and self-restrained a person was Xie Huai? How could he like that devil just because of a few sweet words? Fu Junling was nothing more than a bystander. He wasn¡¯t clear of the details, so it would be better if he didn¡¯t make wild conjectures. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li closed the door. He thought, this was his only chance to redeem things. ¡°Disgracing Xie Huai to your face¡± was a dead end, but Xie Huai and I are staying in the same room and spending the night together. Tower Master Fu, think of what will happen? I¡¯m leaving the heavy responsibility of rescuing Xie Huai to you. Can you bear to see your good friend humiliated like this?! As for sleeping together with Xie Huai, Fang Li was long used to it. It was about the same as sleeping in a bed with a good pal. He¡¯d already gotten through it so many times, so there couldn¡¯t be any problem there, could there? The guest rooms aboard the sky-touring ship were extremely luxurious, and the bed was quite spacious. Sleeping two wasn¡¯t a problem at all. Fang Li was a little bit drunk, and he wasn¡¯t in too good of a mood, so he didn¡¯t even say a word and went straight to lie down on the bed and immediately closed his eyes to sleep. Xie Huai watched Fang Li¡¯s figure turned away from him, and after a long time, let out a very, very low laugh. You wanted to put on a show for Fu Junling, and I cooperated with you this well, and yet you¡¯re unhappy¡­¡­ What? Only you¡¯re allowed to put on an act and stage a show, but you won¡¯t let me act a little? Besides, just what are you thinking? Why did you make a ruckus this time? Xie Huai sighed helplessly. This person looked as if everything was written on his face, but his true thoughts were impossible to grasp. Fang Li had already been a little tired from the bumpy trip, and he¡¯d also drank some wine today. Right now, lying on the soft bed, he quickly fell into a deep sleep. It was rare for him to sleep so deeply. In his dream, he was floating and sinking in an endless sea, and he soaked in the slightly cool seawater, extremely comfortable. Suddenly, in the darkness, a vine seemed to wrap around his wrist, fiercely yanking him out from the bottom of the sea. That vine was scorching like a red-hot iron, and the icy cold and blazing heat wove together. He put all his strength into escaping from here, but he couldn¡¯t free himself no matter what¡­¡­ Fang Li floundered a few times, opening his eyes in shock, then met a pair of¡­¡­ dark, gloomy pupils. His wrist was being tightly grasped by Xie Huai, who was looking down on him from above, like a wild beast about to snatch someone up and devour them. Fang Li¡¯s sleepiness was gone in a split second. He quivered. The Xie Huai right now was just like that time¡­¡­ No way, right? It was all because there were no cell phones in this world, or else he¡¯d absolutely have set ten alarms to remind himself, the once-a-month flare-up period was here! Yet he¡¯d actually forgotten such an important thing! Luckily, this time, Xie Huai was right by his side. He¡¯d learned from his mistakes. He definitely wouldn¡¯t be so bad as to make last time¡¯s mistake! But what Fang Li didn¡¯t really understand was¡­¡­ Last time, he¡¯d delayed for seven days, after all. That Xie Huai had been like that was understandable. According to reason, this time, the flare-up had just begun, so Xie Huai shouldn¡¯t be in such a bad state, right? Where was the unrivaled willpower he was so proud of? Xie Huai fixed his eyes on the person before him. Just a while earlier¡­¡­ That familiar abnormality from a long time ago appeared again¡­¡­ Since the last flare-up, it¡¯d been an entire month. Why would it suddenly happen again? Is it you¡­¡­ You said you were going to let me go, so why did you suddenly once again¡­¡­ Do you want that badly, with me, to¡­¡­ Xie Huai stared at the pale white face that was just within reach. Because he¡¯d just woken from a dream, those exquisite, sickly features still had a trace of perplexion and haziness, as well as a seldom-seen well-behaved docileness¡­¡­ His breathing suddenly became a bit heavier¡­¡­ That urge that shouldn¡¯t exist crashed against the pit of his stomach over and over again, like ocean waves dashing against the sky, As if about to overflow. Right now, Fang Li didn¡¯t dare to make any rash moves. He carefully observed Xie Huai, only feeling that his breath was scorching hot, and his eyes looked like they wanted to eat him¡­¡­ Ferocious, and unfamiliar¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t help but be a bit nervous. Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t¡­¡­ be thinking that he had activated it, would he¡­¡­ Anything else was fine, but this misunderstanding definitely couldn¡¯t be allowed! Straight Man Fang rushed to speak. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± He furiously used innocent and sincere eyes to look at Xie Huai and took in a deep breath, cautiously explaining, ¡°Once a month¡­¡­ it will flare up¡­¡­ Really, it wasn¡¯t me¡­¡­¡± Brother, forgive me, I definitely don¡¯t have those kinds of thoughts toward you. You¡¯re the bigger man, don¡¯t hold it against me! I¡¯m only doing it to follow the script¡­¡­ I wish the flare-up wouldn¡¯t happen even more than you! Xie Huai fixed his eyes on the person in front of him. The first thing Fang Li had done after fully awakening was to explain that he wasn¡¯t the one who had activated the love parasite, as if only fearing that he would misunderstand¡­¡­ He paused. Then, his expression became even more dangerous, with a trace of indiscernible shadow. Since you¡¯re so afraid of something happening, why did you give me the love parasite? Weren¡¯t you the one who said that you were going to make me like you¡­¡­ Now, you¡¯re in such a rush to cast everything clean away¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s hand slowly tightened, and he lowered his head, approaching the other¡¯s face, as if he wanted to thoroughly see through this person. Every time, after doing something hateful, this person would put on this innocent expression¡­¡­ to confuse him, to make him waver¡­¡­ But, you¡¯re clearly the one who caused all of this, aren¡¯t you? How are you innocent? Fang Li discovered that not only had his explanation not alleviated Xie Huai¡¯s anger, but had actually made him even more angry¡­¡­ In his urgency, he didn¡¯t have much room to think and hurriedly brought his finger toward Xie Huai, saying hastily, ¡°My blood can relieve it.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression suddenly chilled. The person before him was anxious and uneasy, as if fearing his approach, hurriedly giving him his finger, watching him with urgency¡­¡­ This was the antidote. Last time, he¡¯d unconsciously swallowed his blood while biting in order to make it through the flare-up period. This time, on the other hand, you were well-prepared. Do you plan to muddle through like this once a month, every month? Hah, besides¡­¡­ Once a month, is this your so-called giving me freedom? Letting me leave? This erratic, vile liar. Lovable¡­¡­ yet hateful. Xie Huai suddenly opened his mouth and bit the tip of that long, slender finger, then laughed coldly. Fang Li¡¯s eyes immediately erupted with tears. Shit, shit, shit, shit, what are you biting so hard for?! You didn¡¯t bite off my entire fingertip, did you?! Just a little drop is enough! You don¡¯t need to do it so hard, big brother! But he turned his eyes and met Xie Huai¡¯s eyes that were cold enough to freeze someone to death and immediately lost the courage to complain. He didn¡¯t even dare to withdraw his finger, his face paling from guilt. Forget it, if you want to bite, go ahead. I¡¯m the one who should be sorry to you first¡­¡­ Luckily, there wouldn¡¯t be a next time. It should be less than a month until the end of the script, right? Fang Li pressed his lips tightly together and didn¡¯t make a sound. Time trickled by¡­¡­ Just when he suspected Xie Huai wanted to suck his blood dry like this, the man looking down at him finally raised his head and spared his poor little finger. Fang Li rushed to withdraw his hand and laughed awkwardly. Right now, he didn¡¯t have a trace of arrogance or unbridledness. There was no way to go to sleep anymore. At a time like this, it would be better to stay farther away from Xie Huai¡­¡­ Just as he was getting ready to flee, suddenly, a slightly cool, low voice spoke by his ear. ¡°Your Excellency plans to leave just like this?¡± What else? Fang Li turned his head back, bewildered. Before he¡¯d snapped out of his daze, he was yanked back and firmly immediately pressed down on the bed. The man¡¯s fingertips softly caressed his neck, his expression dark and dangerous¡­¡­ I really don¡¯t want to just let you off like this¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s eyes widened all the way. Was Xie Huai about to kill him? True, that was the way to solve things once and for all¡­¡­ Alarm bells rang in Fang Li¡¯s head, and just when he was pondering whether to strike back¡­¡­ He saw the cool and tranquil man lower his head and emit a nearly indiscernible laugh. ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Excellency want to fake a scene?¡± I¡¯ll fulfill your wish. CH 33 February 12th, 2023 Fu Junling was pacing back and forth in front of Fang Li¡¯s door bright and early the next morning. The sun was already high in the sky, so how come they hadn¡¯t gotten up yet? It couldn¡¯t be that something really had happened¡­¡­ N-n-n-n-n-no way, how proud and haughty of a person was Xie Huai? How could he be willing, by a man, to be¡­¡­ If the devil really did that, then yesterday should be even more impossible¡­¡­ But why weren¡¯t they coming out? Had there been an accident? Fu Junling couldn¡¯t help but worry a bit. He wavered for a while, then finally went to the door. Just when he was about to knock, the door suddenly opened¡­¡­ His expression immediately froze on his face. The one who¡¯d opened the door was Xie Huai. Xie Huai still had that cool and tranquil appearance, looking about the same as last night, even his robes clean and spotless without a thread out of place. But the devil behind him was in a bit of a sorry state¡­¡­ Although his black robes were wrapped tightly around him, there were green and purple traces where his neck was exposed. His sickly pale face looked a little weary, and there were faint shadows under his eyes¡­¡­ Fu Junling gasped, a bit afraid to imagine exactly what had happened¡­¡­ He was the one who¡¯d been narrow-minded. He¡¯d only been thinking that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly be willing, by a man, to¡­¡­ But he had never thought about whether he would be willing, to a man, to¡­¡­ No wonder yesterday was like that. Cough cough, stop, stop¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t go on thinking about it. Fang Li hadn¡¯t been able to get any proper rest all night, and his neck had been pinched purple. Xie Huai really had taken an eye for an eye. As expected, he was getting his revenge, wasn¡¯t he¡­¡­ But back then, he¡¯d been so courteous and polite, okay? Putting aside how Xie Huai had gotten his clothes all scattered, Xie Huai had been so fierce it was like he¡¯d wanted to eat him alive¡­¡­ If not for the fact that Fang Li was in the wrong, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have let Xie Huai do as he pleased! His mood had been poor to start with, and meeting Fu Junling¡¯s astonished, unsettled expression as soon as he went out the door, Fang Li immediately gave him a dark look. What are you looking at? If you keep looking, I¡¯ll dig out your eyeballs! Being looked upon by Fang Li¡¯s murderous gaze, Fu Junling stiffened, and after a moment, he rigidly turned his eyes away. With a tone as if nothing had happened, he said, ¡°Would Your Excellency like to take a stroll outside today?¡± He sure would. Of course he had to take a nice, long stroll. Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted. Now that he¡¯d lost the first battle, it looked like Fu Junling couldn¡¯t be counted on anymore. Luckily, Fu Junling hadn¡¯t been the most important point of this trip to Cinnabar Gate from the outset¡­¡­ Although Fu Junling, as Xie Huai¡¯s good friend, had had a good amount of description in the book, in the grand scheme of things, he didn¡¯t truly have any conclusive purpose. Even if he was no longer in as much of a rush to go rescue Xie Huai because of Xie Huai¡¯s changes, Black Star Tower¡¯s entry into the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance was still inevitable. But since they were short a Fu Junling, then matters on the other side were more pressing. If another mistake happened with matters on that side, the development of the plot might really be affected. ¡°This lord has heard much about the famous Mountainview City. Naturally, this lord must take a proper look,¡± Fang Li raised an eyebrow and said slowly. Fu Junling nodded with a smile, ¡°This one is fairly familiar with Mountainview City. Please allow this one to show Your Excellency around.¡± This meant that he was going to follow Fang Li the whole way to prevent him from causing a stir. The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up slowly. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ As one of the most prosperous great cities, all kinds of rare and precious treasures collected in Mountainview City. It could be said that anything one could want could be found here. The Tower of Ten Thousand Treasures had a long-standing reputation throughout the world, with branch stores opening in tens of provinces, and its largest store was located precisely in Mountainview City. Fang Li brought Xie Huai along and walked inside. This Tower of Ten Thousand Treasures really was quite impressive. Because it had so many valuables, even the clerks and shop assistants running errands about the tower were cultivators of Foundation Building or above. Every floor had a Nascent Soul cultivator patrolling it, and the top floor even had Soul Formation cultivators keeping watch, the security extremely tight. Not to mention that they were also located inside Mountainview City. They were even less afraid of any ordinary person raising a fuss. Fang Li slowly looked over. The first floor had some fairly ordinary spiritual devices, the second floor had fairly expensive spiritual herbs, the third floor had all kinds of high-level spiritual devices, and the fourth floor held all kinds of precious items¡­¡­ As soon as they walked in, a shop assistant began following them. No matter what Fang Li looked at or asked, he could accurately give an answer. The shop assistant saw Fang Li standing in front of a hairpin to give it a look and smiled as he said, ¡°Guest, this jasper hairpin you¡¯re looking at was created five hundred years ago by the great craftsman, Daoist Lian Hu, and it¡¯s one of the finest defensive spiritual devices in existence.¡± Spiritual device or whatever, that wasn¡¯t important, but it did look rather pretty. Fang Li picked up the hairpin and compared it against Xie Huai, smiling faintly. ¡°Wife, it suits you very well.¡± Xie Huai gave him a deep look, not making a sound. Fang Li sure wasn¡¯t asking him. Fang Li said to the shop assistant, ¡°Set it aside.¡± The shop assistant was overjoyed. He¡¯d originally thought that the guest was only casually taking a look and hadn¡¯t thought he¡¯d actually want it. He quickly smiled and said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Fang Li continued to stroll. Because Fang Li seemed open and straightforward, the shop assistant also gave his explanations with ample enthusiasm. Seeing Fang Li pick up a pair of bracelets, he smiled and said, ¡°Guest, you have good taste. This pair of bracelets is a set of first-rate storage devices. Most importantly, they¡¯re a set, so they couldn¡¯t be more suitable for you to wear as a matching set with your wife.¡± Fang Li waved his hand. ¡°Set it aside.¡± The shop assistant was immediately beaming with joy. Following that, he looked at some robes, shoes, belts, and so on. He didn¡¯t look at the price or usage, only going by appearance, and anything that he thought suited Xie Huai, he would have the shop assistant set aside. Not long after, Fang Li was done looking and said lazily, ¡°Just these, then. Let¡¯s go.¡± The shop assistant was so delighted he couldn¡¯t even close his mouth. In all these years, he¡¯d never seen such a straightforward and impressive guest, coming into the Thousand Treasures Tower to shop like one would buy vegetables, not picking and choosing, not asking a word, simply picking whatever caught his eye. The shop assistant tallied it up and said respectfully to Fang Li, ¡°In total, that will be seventy thousand spirit stones.¡± Fang Li glanced at the shop assistant impassively, the corners of his mouth hooking up. ¡°I only said I wanted these. When did I say I would pay?¡± The shop assistant: ¡°???¡± So that feeling that you took whatever you wanted as if the price didn¡¯t matter, was because you didn¡¯t plan on paying? Do you know where this is? The clerk¡¯s expression immediately changed. For someone to dare to make trouble at the Tower of Ten Thousand Treasures in Mountainview City, they must be tired of living! He looked at Fang Li as if looking at a lunatic. Just when the waiter was about to call for someone, a slender hand passed a purse over. Fu Junling¡¯s face was expressionless as he said slowly, ¡°Seventy thousand spirit stones, take a look.¡± The shop assistant startled briefly, taking the purse and counting. Sure enough, there were seventy thousand spirit stones, not a single piece missing. His expression finally became a little better. He had actually thought there really was a lunatic who had dared to come and make trouble, but it was only someone with a sharp tongue. Fang Li glanced to the side briefly, watching Fu Junling with amusement. He knew that Fu Junling was following him to clean up his messes. The reason why he¡¯d intentionally come to the Tower of Ten Thousand Treasures and grabbed nearly a hundred thousand spirit stones¡¯ worth of goods was because he¡¯d wanted to see how Fu Junling intended to deal with him¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t thought that Fu Junling would be such an impressive spender and had actually handed over seventy thousand spirit stones in one go¡­¡­ Fu Junling¡¯s heart throbbed with pain, but he still had a smile on his face, saying warmly to Fang Li, ¡°Where does Your Excellency want to go next?¡± Fang Li gave Fu Junling a profound look. No rush, this was only the beginning¡­¡­ He said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s about time, I believe the next stop is to have a meal.¡± Fu Junling let out a slight breath of relief and said, ¡°This one knows a decent restaurant that¡¯s very well-known in Mountainview City.¡± Fang Li stepped outside first. Fu Junling fell a few steps behind, his face a little heavy, when he suddenly saw Xie Huai turn around with a bland expression and open his mouth to mouth silently: I¡¯ll return the spirit stones to you. The stifled feeling in Fu Junling¡¯s chest immediately disappeared, and his expression also cleared up. Now that was more like it. Since that devil is buying things for you, why should I pay? If anyone is going to pay, it should be you. Not long after, they arrived at the biggest restaurant in Mountainview City. This time, Fu Junling had prepared well ahead of time, and he smiled at Fang Li. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared the best seat for Your Excellency. Your Excellency, please.¡± But Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept around, toward a seat on the second floor near the windows. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°No need, that spot looks pretty good.¡± Fu Junling¡¯s expression stiffened. There was already someone sitting there! Sure enough, this devil really had come out to make trouble! Fu Junling gave Xie Huai a look that held no goodwill. Are you not going to look after your own person? You¡¯re going to just let him cause trouble like this? Xie Huai shifted his eyes away, pretending not to see. Fang Li was still mad at him, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Seeing that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t be counted upon, Fu Junling took a deep breath and smiled at Fang Li. ¡°Your Excellency, please wait a moment.¡± Having said that, he went over to that table, and who knew what he said, but those people quickly departed and left the table to them. Fang Li waited until Fu Junling returned, then sighed with a bit of disappointment. ¡°Forget it, that seat isn¡¯t anything special either. Let¡¯s go to the seat that Tower Master Fu arranged, after all.¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He must have been blind yesterday to think that this devil was cute. Fang Li leisurely started eating with satisfaction. Sure enough, the dishes here had a style all their own, and they hadn¡¯t come for nothing. Only, today, he only paid attention to eating his fill, no longer trying to tease Xie Huai. There was no point in doing useless things. Anyways, neither of these two would get mad. Xie Huai pressed his lips together and coughed lightly. Was he still unhappy? Last night, he¡­¡­ Really had been a little fierce. Fang Li was no longer counting on being able to infuriate Fu Junling, but he wanted to see¡ªfor how long can you help Chong Wanshan suppress the fact that I¡¯m in Mountainview City? Fang Li held his wine cup, his gaze slowly sweeping around, and the corners of his lips suddenly hooked up. To the side, there was someone sneakily stealing glances at Xie Huai. Had he recognized Xie Huai¡¯s identity? With how big Mountainview City was, for there to be someone who¡¯d seen Xie Huai before wasn¡¯t strange. Fang Li suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on that person, and said coolly, ¡°Is my person someone you can look at?¡± That person startled, and before they could react, Fang Li sent them flying with a slap. The restaurant fell silent in an instant. Very quickly, law enforcement disciples charged over, about to make an arrest, but as soon as they saw Fu Junling, they immediately stopped where they stood. Fu Junling slowly shook his head at them. The law enforcement disciples¡¯ expressions were extremely unsightly. Yesterday, they¡¯d received orders from above that during this period of time, no matter what the person Tower Master Fu was accompanying did, they were not to take action. But this person was clearly making trouble inside the city. Why shouldn¡¯t they take action¡­¡­? Even if this person was a powerful expert who they couldn¡¯t handle him, there were still the elders and the gate master. There was absolutely no reason in letting things be! Although the law enforcement disciples hadn¡¯t stepped forward, Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to let things go just like this. He put on an expression of someone looking down from above, as if gazing contemptuously at a bunch of ants, looking at them indifferently and raising the corner of his mouth with amusement. ¡°It looks to me like that¡¯s all there is to Cinnabar Gate¡¯s ironclad law¡­¡­¡± This sentence was light and breezy, yet insulting to the extreme. Those law enforcement disciples¡¯ faces immediately flushed thoroughly red. Ever since entering Cinnabar Gate and becoming outer disciples, they¡¯d devoted themselves to strictly enforcing the law. In Mountainview City, every single person had to abide by the rules. Only then could the city be neat and orderly. They held absolute loyalty toward Cinnabar Gate¡¯s laws, and they felt pride in their own duties, yet today, they had been ordered not to action, unable to deliver punishment even though someone was clearly making trouble¡­¡­ Watching with eyes wide open as this madman did as he pleased, yet still having to be disgraced by his words like this¡­¡­ Why had they gotten orders like this from above? Just who was this person? Why couldn¡¯t they punish him? It couldn¡¯t be that the so-called law of Cinnabar Gate was also made to order based on the person? Was everything that they believed in a joke? Fu Junling¡¯s expression became grave. He finally stood up and said to those disciples in a heavy voice, ¡°You all go back first. I¡¯ll personally explain this matter to the gate master.¡± He spoke very slowly, but the look in his eyes was forceful. Those law enforcement disciples took in a deep breath and left with dissatisfaction. After this fuss, the atmosphere in the restaurant was utterly quiet and strange. Fang Li said leisurely, ¡°The mood is ruined, it¡¯s hard to keep eating.¡± Having said that, he got up and left. Leaving behind a crowd of bewildered and unsettled spectators. Fang Li played around for three days like this. In these three days, Fu Junling¡¯s expression became worse day by day. This devil was obviously stirring up trouble on purpose. Even if Fu Junling followed along to wipe his ass, he couldn¡¯t wipe it all away, and the worst part was, the rumors were nearly impossible to suppress at this point¡­¡­ Some people had recognized Xie Huai. Everyone was speculating that the person making trouble at Mountainview City was that devil from Hollow Ridge, and some had recognized that the person causing a stir at the Gilded Tower previously had also been that devil, saying that that devil hadn¡¯t gone to Cinnabar Gate to apologize at all, but was instead wreaking havoc all over Mountainview City. Fu Junling¡¯s words that day had only been for fooling them¡­¡­ Moreover, the devil was making trouble in Mountainview City, yet the law enforcement disciples actually weren¡¯t enforcing the law, but allowing the devil to do as he pleased. It looked like that was all there was to Cinnabar Gate¡¯s law, just bullying the weak and fearing the strong. There were also people saying, with this devil stirring up trouble like this, it was impossible that Chong Wanshan didn¡¯t know, so why hadn¡¯t he appeared? It couldn¡¯t be that he was afraid of that devil? Not only did these rumors spread like wildfire among the common folk, but even within Cinnabar Gate, more than a few disciples had started to harbor doubt and dissatisfaction. They¡¯d received orders that they weren¡¯t allowed to take action against the person stirring up trouble, but the higher-ups hadn¡¯t said just who that person was, nor had they given a clear explanation. Wasn¡¯t burying their heads in the sand and retreating over and over like this doing exactly as the rumors said, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and cowering before that devil? Was this the conduct of a righteous sect? How would they have the face to call themselves members of one of the five great sects in the future? They might as well call themselves turtles hiding in their shells! For a while, the voices clamored. Fu Junling¡¯s mood was heavy. If things went on like this, it would shake the very foundations of Cinnabar Gate. When that time came¡­¡­ Chong Wanshan would have no choice but to show himself, and a battle would be difficult to avoid. That night, Fang Li sat by the edge of the boat, enjoying the view. Xie Huai was by his side. He gave Fang Li a deep look and said slowly, ¡°If you¡¯ve made enough trouble, let¡¯s go back.¡± Fang Li turned to look at Xie Huai. Under the night sky, Xie Huai¡¯s brow was slightly furrowed, seeming to contain a trace of worry. Fang Li thought, sure enough, Xie Huai¡¯s face was cold but his heart was warm, and he actually was worried about the people here, fearing that Fang Li would continue making trouble and end up fighting with Chong Wanshan, harming countless innocents. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t harm any innocents. I only want to force that old turtle to show his face, nothing more¡­¡­ Fang Li gave a faint smile. ¡°No need to worry, wife, I have matters well in hand.¡± Well in hand. Last time, you also said that, but as I see it, you don¡¯t have things in hand at all. Coming all alone to Mountainview City and challenging Chong Wanshan, do you really think you can get out in one piece? Xie Huai pressed his lips tightly together, but what else could he do? This person wasn¡¯t even willing to speak a single honest word. Why would he be willing to listen to Xie Huai? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Early morning the next day, Fu Junling came to knock on Fang Li¡¯s door. Fang Li glanced at him lazily, smiling, ¡°What business does Tower Master Fu have?¡± This time, Fu Junling didn¡¯t smile. He gave him a complicated look, then said, ¡°Gate Master Chong would like to meet with Your Excellency.¡± Fang Li raised his eyebrows. The person he¡¯d been waiting for had finally come. Fang Li gave a cheerful laugh. ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Huai finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He grabbed Fang Li¡¯s hand and slowly shook his head, his eyes deep and dark. But Fang Ly only laughed. ¡°No need to worry, wife.¡± Having said that, he shook off Xie Huai¡¯s hand and left with Fu Junling. Xie Huai pressed his lips together, but he could only follow along. The location of the banquet was the Gilded Tower, not Cinnabar Gate. It looked like Chong Wanshan still didn¡¯t intend to rip off the fa?ade of peace for the moment, so he¡¯d specially chosen a place outside of Cinnabar Gate to meet with him. Of course, he might also have been afraid that Fang Li would be on guard and unwilling to attend the meeting. Fang Li leisurely entered the hall. Chong Wanshan had already prepared the feast, and he stood up from a distance aways and cupped his hands toward Fang Li, laughing heartily. ¡°Your Excellency has come a long way to be our guest. This one missed out on welcoming you.¡± Fang Li sized up the other person. Chong Wanshan was a cultivator who had lived for over two hundred years. He looked to be middle-aged, with a long, scholarly beard, wearing red-bottomed white robes. As a sect master of one of the five great sects, his every move and action gave off an imposing air. But Fang Li wasn¡¯t the least bit afraid. He leaned back lazily in his seat and glanced sideways at him with a shallow smile. ¡°The Gate Master is too polite. What was the reason for inviting this lord here today?¡± Seeing Fang Li¡¯s lazy and disrespectful attitude, not holding any regard for a great and mighty sect master, Chong Wanshan recalled his outrageous actions during this period of time, and anger surged into his heart, but his face remained warm and friendly as he said, ¡°Not at all, it was this one who wanted to ask Your Excellency exactly what your purpose was for coming to my Cinnabar Gate?¡± Fang Li said blandly, ¡°This lord has merely heard much about Mountainview City and wanted to come take a tour, nothing more.¡± Chong Wanshan sneered inwardly. Is this what you call taking a tour? He gave Fang Li a deep look. ¡°If Your Excellency has anything to say, please say it straight.¡± Fang Li slowly twisted the wine cup in his hand and laughed. ¡°This lord has always been a blunt person with no fondness for useless pleasantries. What I¡¯ve said is straight talk.¡± Chong Wanshan¡¯s expression became slightly heavier. Fu Junling and Xie Huai sat to one side, not speaking a word. After a long time, Chong Wanshan fixed his eyes on Fang Li¡¯s eyes and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Then this one would like to know how long Your Excellency intends to continue touring?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°That would depend on the Gate Master.¡± Chong Wanshan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Oh?¡± Fang Li gave a faint smile. ¡°If the Gate master shows enough sincerity, it¡¯s not out of the question for this lord to find another place to go touring.¡± Chong Wanshan thought, as expected. He¡¯d previously guessed that Fang Li was scheming something. This devil was excessively greedy and couldn¡¯t possibly be willing to leave easily. If things could be handled with money, it was still an acceptable solution¡­¡­ Chong Wanshan clapped his hands. Immediately, some servants carried in two chests. The servants opened the chests. Immediately, the glimmer of glistening, crystal clear spirit stones lit up the entire hall. All of these were top-grade spirit stones, and a single piece was worth a hundred times as much as a normal spirit stone. These two chests probably contained at least twenty thousand! Chong Wanshan stroked his beard and smiled, saying, ¡°These twenty-thousand top-grade spirit stones are a gift for Your Excellency. Your Excellency can say that this was not a wasted trip.¡± Two million spirit stones, at the drop of a hat. How generous. The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up in amusement. Chong Wanshan could be said to have paid out his sweat and tears in spending this money to send off the plague that Fang Li was. If he had come seeing wealth, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad deal to take these spirit stones and go. After all, this kind of leeching could be done often. He was suffering no losses in this artless business deal, but unfortunately¡­¡­ Fang Li withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened and laughed mockingly, saying coolly, ¡°What, is the Gate Master trying to send away a beggar?¡± Chong Wanshan¡¯s smile froze on his face, and his expression suddenly became cold. Fu Junling was a little uneasy. Fang Li¡¯s attitude gave him the sense that what would happen next might far exceed his expectations¡­¡­ Xie Huai stared fixedly at Fang Li, his hands clenching inside his sleeves. Exactly what do you want to do¡­¡­ Fang Li ignored the grave and somber atmosphere inside the room and laughed casually, looking straight at Chong Wanshan as he said, ¡°This lord wants half of Cinnabar Gate¡¯s revenue in taxes, paid in tribute annually. What does the Gate Master think?¡± The surroundings immediately became dead silent, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Chong Wanshan looked at Fang Li in disbelief, his chest heaving, seething with rage. Ridiculous! Absurd! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: In the future, if there¡¯s anyone still saying that I don¡¯t have unparalleled willpower : ) Fang Li: Nothing you see is true Fu Junling: ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ TL Note: I¡¯ll be switching to Sundays for the second update day from now on (instead Saturday) CH 34 February 15th, 2023 Chong Wanshan seethed with fury, his eyes fixed on Fang Li, as if wanting to see through this person and find out whether he was serious, or joking¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s expression was mild and indifferent, returning Chong Wanshan¡¯s gaze directly without hiding or dodging from it. The smoke from the incense on the table billowed out thickly. The servants who had brought the spirit stones remained kneeling on the ground, afraid to raise their heads. Everything was just like a silent painting. After a long time. Chong Wanshan¡¯s breathing gradually evened out. His solemn gaze was fixed on Fang Li, saying word by word, ¡°This is no small matter. This one will need time to consider it.¡± He actually hadn¡¯t refused at once! Fang Li smiled, as if everything was within his expectations. He said, ¡°Very well, then this lord will wait for good news from the Gate Master.¡± Having said that, he stood up lazily. His gaze swept past Xie Huai, and he smiled tenderly, saying, ¡°Wife, this matter is concluded. Let¡¯s go.¡± Xie Huai hadn¡¯t said a word from start to finish. His dark eyes looked deeply at Fang Li, then he stood up and left with him. Fu Junling sat on tenterhooks, his expression complicated. Only when Fang Li and Xie Huai had both left did Fu Junling stand up and look at Chong Wanshan, his brow furrowed as he said, ¡°The Gate Master¡¯s actions just now were not appropriate.¡± Chong Wanshan faced Fu Junling, his features recovering their amiable look. He said, ¡°Why were they not appropriate?¡± Fu Junling¡¯s expression was grave as he said, ¡°Since ancient times, good and evil have stood on irreconcilable sides. The Gate Master should have rejected such an outrageous demand from that devil on the spot, instead of saying that it requires consideration. If that devil believes that us righteous sects can be bullied around, it will only aggravate matters.¡± Fu Junling didn¡¯t deny that in this period of time, interacting with Fang Li had changed his perspective somewhat, but Fang Li¡¯s overbearing and forceful manner just now truly had been intolerable. If Chong Wanshan also endured that, and was even willing to give out half his revenue in taxes, how was it any different from sinking into degeneracy with the devil? In the end, the demonic path was the demonic path. The fundamentals of right and wrong couldn¡¯t get mixed up. He definitely couldn¡¯t agree to this. Chong Wanshan¡¯s expression shifted. How could he be willing to tolerate that devil? The devil¡¯s actions this time had already touched his bottom line. That demon had to be eliminated. Chong Wanshan¡¯s heart was full of murderous intent, but now wasn¡¯t a good time to strike. During this period of time, he had already observed that devil for a while. The devil truly had come forward all alone, reckless and conceited. Just now, when he¡¯d said that he needed time to consider, it wasn¡¯t because he had any intention of accepting the devil¡¯s terms; it was merely a scheme to relax his guard. Moreover, there were some things that Fu Junling needn¡¯t know of¡­¡­ Chong Wanshan revealed a helpless expression and sighed, ¡°I just don¡¯t want Mountainview City to flow with rivers of blood. For the sake of the countless people here, I can only temporarily stabilize that devil, then think of ways to face off against him.¡± Fu Junling gave a cold snort. During this period of time, he¡¯d helped wipe Chong Wanshan¡¯s ass, following the devil wherever he went and watching Chong Wanshan act like a turtle in his shell. After waiting this long for no action to be taken, he¡¯d already become somewhat dissatisfied. Things had already come to this, and his mouth was still full of righteousness and benevolence. In the end, he was just afraid of the devil, nothing more. ¡°If the Gate Master really agrees to the devil¡¯s terms, when word of this gets out, Cinnabar Gate¡¯s reputation will be smeared onto the ground. I hope that the Gate Master considers carefully¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling said coldly. Having said that, he flung his sleeves as he left. He couldn¡¯t manage what was happening here. The two parted in disharmony. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai watched Fang Li¡¯s back, his eyes heavy. Half of Cinnabar Gate¡¯s revenue in taxes. This was asking for half a life from Chong Wanshan. If Chong Wanshan agreed, from then on, he would never be able to lift his head in public again, to be cursed and spat upon by all. In the beginning, Cloudbank Keep had been pushed to the brink by the massive demonic army, and only when left with no other choice as a matter of life and death had they been forced to compromise, and they had only handed over a single person¡­¡­ But even so, they¡¯d been scolded and cursed by plenty of people behind their backs, and all sorts of rumors had spread. Yet Chong Wanshan had watched with eyes wide open as the devil ran rampant in Mountainview City, and not only had he been afraid to respond, to even accept such humiliating terms of surrender¡ªif word got it, it would be a hundred times more humiliating than Cloudbank Keep. From then on, Cinnabar Gate would have no more face to call itself a righteous sect. Xie Huai stepped forward and said in a heavy voice, ¡°Chong Wanshan can¡¯t possibly agree.¡± Fang Li smiled carelessly. ¡°How can we know without giving it a try?¡± With how greedy that old coot was, half his revenue in taxes was like asking for half a life from him. How could he be willing to agree? In truth, in the original book, Chong Wanshan hadn¡¯t agreed either. Not only had he not agreed, right now, he should already be calculating how to kill him, right? Xie Huai watched Fang Li appear as if without a care. So carefree, that it was like he didn¡¯t mind at all what the consequences of his actions would be¡­¡­ During this period of time, he¡¯d continually followed Fang Li, witnessing this person¡¯s actions and conduct with his own eyes. Although this person was a bit frivolous and reckless, occasionally appearing wild and unrestrained, in truth, his actions were done with reason and measure, to the point that he acted with kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness. He never did anything that would truly harm others. So he¡¯d previously always thought that once Fang Li had made enough of a fuss, he¡¯d withdraw. But this time, Xie Huai suddenly couldn¡¯t understand. He didn¡¯t understand why Fang Li would put himself in such a dangerous situation, and even less did he understand why Fang Li was forcing Chong Wanshan¡¯s hand, not leaving him a single bit of leeway. It couldn¡¯t be that you really intend to start war with Cinnabar Gate? Xie Huai¡¯s expression darkened, his hands clenched tight, a conflicted look in the depths of his eyes. He truly wasn¡¯t willing to see things come to this, but¡­¡­ If you insist on starting a war, engaging in slaughter and dragging innocents into your wake, I can¡¯t possibly¡ªturn a blind eye. Fang Li saw Xie Huai¡¯s grave expression and couldn¡¯t help but curve his eyes and laugh a little. This person always thought too much, putting too much weight on his shoulders. Living like that is very tiring, you know¡­¡­ He tugged Xie Huai by the hand and laughed softly. ¡°Come for a stroll with me.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li left Mountainview City. Outside of Mountainview City was God¡¯s Rest River, and God¡¯s Rest River ran through Helan province, stretching and winding for ten thousand li without pause. About a hundred or so li away from Mountainview City, nestled against God¡¯s Rest River, was a village. The village was sparsely scattered with small bamboo buildings. The villagers dressed plainly, and both the young and old had bright smiles on their faces. What an otherworldly paradise, surrounded by rivers and mountains. Walking along the tranquil little path, looking at the mountains and rivers stretching out, the streams flowing into the distance, truly brought delight to one¡¯s heart¡­¡­ Only, why did Fang Li want to come here? Xie Huai looked at him, pondering. But Fang Li didn¡¯t pay attention to Xie Huai¡¯s thoughts. He slowly continued walking forward. Everything here was so familiar. Even without consciously thinking about it, even with his eyes closed, he knew where to go, as if Yan Sui¡¯s memories were carved into this body¡¯s bones. This was the place in the depths of Yan Sui¡¯s heart that he hadn¡¯t been able to return to in ten years. Luckily, it was still the same as before. He remembered that not too far ahead, there was an old grandpa who sold sugar figurines. Because he liked them, every time Shixiong went down the mountain, he would bring sugar figurines that the old grandpa had made¡­¡­ He remembered that every year when winter came, the auntie on the eastern side of the village would make sugared hawthorns for the children in the village. Occasionally, he would secretly sneak down the mountain and beg for candy to eat with the village children. He remembered that when he didn¡¯t want to cultivate and wanted to slack off, Shixiong would always secretly bring him down the mountain, and would even get the villagers to help keep their secret and not tell their master¡­¡­ This place contained everything that he¡¯d held dear¡­¡­ So, before dying, he absolutely had to return for a visit. At first, when reading the book, Fang Li hadn¡¯t understood why Yan Sui had to challenge Chong Wanshan, nor did he understand why he had to come here for a visit. The abrupt plotline and the meaningless troublemaking and provocation all seemed to be merely for the sake of making evident that he was a devil with enough sins to deserve a thousand deaths. But after he became Yan Sui and possessed Yan Sui¡¯s memories, he understood all of it. Everything that he¡¯d done was merely for the sake of returning to his homeland and killing his sworn enemy with his own hands. For this, he hadn¡¯t hesitated to transform himself into this state. He could only succeed. He couldn¡¯t fail. So don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely properly finish this part of the script. Everything that you¡¯d accomplished, I¡¯ll complete for you, too. The corners of Fang Li¡¯s mouth lifted upwards. Xie Huai fell half a step behind Fang Li, watching him slowly walk forward here. The man¡¯s pale face had a smile, looking reminiscent, occasionally lifting the corners of his mouth, occasionally looking pensive. Even without looking at the road, he knew where to go. He strolled as if in his own backyard, seemingly very, very familiar with this place. Familiar to the point that it seemed to be an instinct carved into his bones¡­¡­ For some reason, Xie Huai suddenly subconsciously thought that this wasn¡¯t Fang Li¡¯s first time here. Did this place have something to do with his past? The world only knew that the devil Yan Sui had appeared out of nowhere. No one knew where he¡¯d come from, and no one knew where he was going. He was just like a ferocious ghost that should never have existed, crawling out from the depths of hell, bringing hatred and terror to the entire world¡­¡­ But nobody came from thin air. Every single person had a past. Xie Huai believed that human nature was kind, and Fang Li was even more so. Then his past¡­¡­ just what kind of past was it¡­¡­ Fang Li walked slowly and unhurriedly. Suddenly, he stopped in front of a bamboo building. Xie Huai looked over. This bamboo building¡­¡­ was very similar to the one in the forbidden area of the demonic palace. A waiter walked out of the bamboo building. Seeing Fang Li standing at the door, he smiled and said, ¡°Guests, are you planning to stay here?¡± Fang Li nodded. The waiter happily invited them inside and prepared tea for them, smiling as he said, ¡°This place is pretty remote, so we don¡¯t get many guests, and the rooms are usually empty with no one to stay in them. Please wait a moment, and I¡¯ll tidy them up for you.¡± Fang Li smiled faintly. ¡°No rush. Right, your family¡¯s bamboo house has seen some years, but it still looks pretty sturdy.¡± The waiter immediately laughed and said, ¡°Guest, you don¡¯t know this, but this bamboo house is already more than a decade old. It may only be a bamboo building, but it can withstand wind and rain. It¡¯s very tough! It was that old cultivation sect called, called, what was it¡­¡­ Oh, right, the Windbearer Sect¡¯s disciples who helped construct it.¡± The waiter was the talkative sort, and he clearly liked to chat very much. Once the chatterbox was opened, the words came surging out without end. ¡°Before, there used to be a little sect in the mountains. Although it didn¡¯t have a lot of people, the people of the sect were all very good, and they would often come down the mountain to help out. That year, our family¡¯s bamboo house was knocked over by a windstorm, and the Windbearer Sect saw that me and my mom and dad had no home to return to, so they came and helped us rebuild this new bamboo house, and even especially used cultivation techniques to reinforce it. By now, we¡¯ve used it for over a decade, and there¡¯s been no problems!¡± Fang Li nodded and smiled. ¡°It really is a very good sect.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Everyone liked them very much!¡± Having spoken up to here, the waiter sighed gloomily. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, such a good sect, yet they were completely wiped out by demonic cultivators.¡± ¡°Demonic cultivators?¡± Fang Li lifted his eyes, asking. The waiter said, ¡°I never saw that scene, but my dad and mom secretly went up to look that year. It¡¯s said that the blood flowed like rivers, and it was extremely tragic¡­¡­ Afterwards, Cinnabar Gate¡¯s people also came, but they weren¡¯t able to rescue a single person, saying that the demonic cultivators had killed everyone. What a pity, what a pity¡­¡­ That year, I was still young. When I found out about it, I was so sad that I even had a big cry¡­¡­¡± The waiter spoke up to here and scratched his head, embarrassed. Fang Li murmured, ¡°It is a pity.¡± The waiter slapped his head and laughed awkwardly. ¡°Look at me, once I start talking, I can¡¯t shut my trap. Sirs, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go tidy up your rooms!¡± Having said that, he scooted up the stairs. Fang Li leaned indolently against the edge of the bamboo building, reaching out his hand to stroke bamboo poles of the railing. After the long years, with the howling of wind and the beating of rain, the bamboo poles were covered in a layer of sediment. His fingertips stroked the surface softly, and where two bamboo poles connected, he felt out a blurry leaf engraving. It was the signature that Shixiong had left. Afterwards, Yan Sui had also built a bamboo building in the demonic palace, copying Shixiong¡¯s style, but in the end, it was still somewhat different from the one that Shixiong had made. After all, it would never again be made by that person¡¯s hand. He leaned wearily against the pole. Looking out at the scenery. The pitter-patter of light rain fell down on them. The village took on a hazy, faraway beauty, as if existing within the rainy mist and fog. Xie Huai watched Fang Li quietly without a word. This was his first time seeing such a side to this person. Quiet, gentle, and a little lost, like a child who¡¯d left home for a long time and had gotten lost. Underneath the quiet exterior, there was a fragility that was impossible to hide. No matter how solid the outer shell, the moment he¡¯d arrived here, it¡¯d been smashed to pieces in an instant, leaving behind the softest truth¡­¡­ This place, is your home. Right? But the people who destroyed that sect, were they really demonic cultivators? Xie Huai¡¯s expression became complicated. He seemed to know why Fang Li had done all of this. Fang Li was greatly enjoying this peaceful, quiet atmosphere. Before dying, he naturally had to take Yan Sui¡¯s place and properly return here to take a look. Not long after, the waiter came back and smiled at them, saying, ¡°The rooms have been tidied up. Guests, you can go up. Right, do you want to eat dinner? If you do, I¡¯ll have my mom make some and bring them to you.¡± Fang Li¡¯s eyes curved in a smile. ¡°We do, thank you.¡± The waiter waved his hands. ¡°No problem, no problem, it¡¯s no trouble.¡± Fang Li went upstairs. The waiter had cleaned up two rooms. Fang Li said to Xie Huai, ¡°We¡¯ll rest here for the night.¡± Having said that, he went into a room by himself and closed the door. Actually, in the original book, it wasn¡¯t like this. In the original book, Yan Sui had brought Xie Huai here, and they had stayed in the same room. That was the only time that they¡¯d slept on the same bed, yet hadn¡¯t done that thing. That night, Yan Sui had only held Xie Huai. Quietly holding each other into sleep. In a brainless porn novel, for the big villainous devil who could go into heat at any time or place to suddenly become ascetic, when reading the book at first, Fang Li had only thought that this part of the story was abrupt and strange without much meaning to it. But looking at it now, it couldn¡¯t be more reasonable. Yan Sui had finally returned to his hometown, staying in the bamboo house that his Shixiong had built with his own hands, reminiscing on that person who would never return. And just by his side, just within reach, was a person who was just as good as his Shixiong, yet who was someone he couldn¡¯t obtain with threats or forceful tactics. No matter how close they were, no matter how many times he¡¯d possessed him¡­¡­ he was fated never to have that person. Only, he would also be tired. At that moment, he no longer wanted to wish in vain for something that didn¡¯t belong to him. He only wanted to stay by his Shixiong¡¯s side and rest peacefully for a night. But in the end, Fang Li wasn¡¯t Yan Sui, and he couldn¡¯t do something like use Xie Huai as a substitute to seek consolation. Even less did he have any reason to hold Xie Huai into sleep on a night like this. So staying peacefully by himself was pretty good, too. That night, Fang Li slept very soundly. He¡¯d originally thought that he would dream, but he didn¡¯t. After waking up, he ate the food that the waiter¡¯s mother made, and when he was sleepy, he rested in the bamboo house. Ever since transmigrating here, it was Fang Li¡¯s first time passing such simple, tranquil days. There was no lavish demonic palace, and no exquisite delicacies, nor were there countless servants¡­¡­ Only peace and simplicity. But it was something that Yan Sui could never have again in this life. Three days¡¯ time passed in the blink of an eye. In these three days, Xie Huai didn¡¯t open his mouth again. He didn¡¯t tell him to leave, nor did he talk about Cinnabar Gate again, or even say that he shouldn¡¯t do this or that¡­¡­ He just stayed there quietly like this. Although he didn¡¯t speak, he would let you know that he was always by your side. Fang Li thought, actually, Xie Huai really was a very gentle person. It was only a pity that he and Yan Sui¡¯s meeting wasn¡¯t suitable. It wasn¡¯t the right place, nor was it the right time¡­¡­ The Yan Sui that he¡¯d met didn¡¯t understand what love was. Only hatred was left in his heart, and he wanted to grab onto the only hope in his life and plummet into hell together¡­¡­ When he thought of it like this, it was also fortunate that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t met Yan Sui this time. After all, it was enough for there to be one unfortunate person. The rain lasted for three days. Today, Fang Li was leaning against the railing and looking at the scenery outside as usual when he suddenly turned his head and looked at the cool and tranquil man beside him. He smiled at him. ¡°Thank you for keeping me company on this trip.¡± Xie Huai fell into his pitch-black eyes. At this moment, the pretense had been cleared away from those eyes, and they were clear and tranquil, a shallow smile undulating through them, like wind blowing ripples onto a pool of spring water¡­¡­ His heart suddenly skipped a beat. Just like this, was it worth thanking him for? He clearly hadn¡¯t done anything at all. Because, he also didn¡¯t know what he could do for this person¡­¡­ So, why are you thanking me? Xie Huai¡¯s lips moved slightly. He wanted to ask, but Fang Li had already turned his head and continued to look outside the window. Amidst the hazy fog and rainy mist. An old man in red robes gradually got closer and closer. It was an elder from Cinnabar Gate. The old man in red looked at Fang Li from a distance, and he presented an invitation in his hands, saying respectfully, ¡°The Gate Master invites Your Excellency to Mayfly Manor for a gathering.¡± Fang Li beckoned, and the invitation flew into his hands. The fiery red invitation was inscribed with golden letters. He stroked it lightly, then slowly lifted his eyes and hooked up the corners of his lips in a soft laugh. ¡°Tell the Gate Master that this lord will make sure to be on time.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: If he engages in slaughter and drags innocents into his wake, I can¡¯t possibly turn a blind eye¡­¡­ Oh, revenge, that¡¯s fine. Fang Li: ? CH 35 February 19th, 2023 Mayfly Manor stood outside of Mountainview City. It was situated within the mountain range, surrounded by its peaks, and the scenery here changed every season. It was Chong Wanshan¡¯s private estate. Guided by the Cinnabar Gate elder, Fang Li made his way along the cobblestone path that was littered with fallen blossoms of every color and shape. In the distance, Chong Wanshan welcomed them from the entrance, a smile on his face as he said, ¡°Your Excellency, Yuyi-jun.¡± Fang Li still had that careless, indolent manner, and the corners of his lips held a trace of an indiscernible smile. Xie Huai¡¯s expression was cool and indifferent. Only the depths of his black eyes betrayed a hint of unease as he glanced at Fang with worry. The two of them followed Chong Wanshan into the mountain villa. A banquet had already been prepared inside the mountain villa, each and every dish one of Helan province¡¯s finest delicacies. Dancers fluttered in rhythm inside the grand hall, their long sleeves lifting and rising like a graceful setting sun. Fang Li¡¯s line of sight fell onto Chong Wanshan, and he gave a soft laugh. ¡°Is the Gate Master done considering?¡± Chong Wanshan¡¯s brows knit slightly, and he sighed, saying, ¡°This one can agree to Your Excellency¡¯s request, but this is no small sum. Would it be possible to extend the deadline to a later time¡­¡­¡± Fang Li raised his eyebrows, laughing. ¡°This lord has always been understanding and sensible. Extending the deadline isn¡¯t out of the question, but there will be interest. For every month it¡¯s delayed, the amount will be increased by a tenth. What does the Gate Master think?¡± The veins on Chong Wanshan¡¯s temple bulged, and he fiercely suppressed the fury in his heart as he said in a heavy voice, ¡°Is Your Excellency joking?¡± Fang Li looked at Chong Wanshan, his eyes mocking. ¡°Does this lord seem to be joking?¡± The smile on Chong Wanshan¡¯s face gradually faded away. Thump, thump, thump. It was the sound of the dancers rising and falling on the ground. A sweet fragrance drifted, and the sound of bells filled the air. Suddenly, countless silver threads appeared out of nowhere, entangling and intertwining, heading straight for Fang Li to strangle him to death! Fang Li coolly lifted his eyes and struck the table with his palm, and silent shockwaves shattered the silver threads into pieces, but before he could counterattack, the runes of a spiritual array lit up beneath his feat, and the entire hall began to emit a droning noise. A formless pressure came bearing down with the weight of a mountain. It turned out he was already standing inside of a spiritual device. Chong Wanshan slowly stood up, his sinister eyes watching Fang Li full of naked killing intent. He snorted coldly. ¡°Ignorant brat, how brazen.¡± Originally, he hadn¡¯t wanted to rip off the fa?ade of peace with the devil¡­¡­ Seeing as Heaven¡¯s Summit was jumping up and down and clamoring about how they were going to eliminate those monsters and demons, then he might as well let that bunch charge ahead. When Heaven¡¯s Summit and Hollow Ridge had both exhausted their resources in battle, then he could swoop in and take advantage. Alas, that devil hadn¡¯t gone to Heaven¡¯s Summit, but had come here instead. This devil¡¯s path had probably been too smooth until now, making him ignorant and fearless. He had given this devil a bit of face, yet the devil had stepped all over it, believing that Chong Wanshan feared him. Not only had he acted so vilely to his face, he¡¯d even dared to ask for five-tenths in tribute! If even this could be tolerated, there would be nothing left! That day, the intent to kill had taken root in his heart, so he¡¯d intentionally pretended to consider the offer, then planted this trap ahead of time, not hesitating to use Cinnabar Gate¡¯s greatest treasure, the God-Quelling Cauldron, to eliminate this devil. Originally, he¡¯d worried that the devil would be too on guard to agree to attend the banquet. He hadn¡¯t imagined that that devil was truly so arrogant as to actually come. Well then, today, he¡¯d kill that devil, and from then on, he would be the leader of the righteous sects. Who would dare oppose him?! Chong Wanshan laughed coldly. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere left for you to escape.¡± Fang Li sat up straight, imposing and unwavering as he looked around him and said slowly, ¡°So the Gate Master has set a trap for this lord. But, Gate Master, this trick of yours really isn¡¯t very honorable.¡± Chong Wanshan said, ¡°Trivial details aren¡¯t important when eliminating demons to protect the Dao. What¡¯s the use in being so honorable when killing a devil like you for the sake of the people? Naturally, one should use whatever methods are effective.¡± Fang Li laughed and deeply expressed his approval. ¡°This opinion of the Gate Master¡¯s truly has the style of us demonic cultivators.¡± Chong Wanshan heard the ridicule in his words and was infuriated beyond restraint. This madman¡ªeven at this point, he still dared to be so arrogant. Chong Wanshan immediately shouted with fury, ¡°You¡¯re looking for death.¡± Fang Li murmured to himself with a sigh, ¡°Killing me is fine, but Yuyi-jun is also here. What does the Gate Master intend to do with him?¡± Chong Wanshan¡¯s temple twitched. Word of today¡¯s events naturally couldn¡¯t be allowed to spread. A savage look appeared in his eyes, and he said, ¡°Yuyi-jun was killed by the devil during the chaos of battle. What business is it of mine?¡± As long as Xie Huai wasn¡¯t around, in the future, the world would only know that he, Chong Wanshan, had nobly and honorably killed the devil. His prestige mustn¡¯t be allowed the slightest blemish. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but clap. ¡°Marvelous.¡± Having said that, he turned to look at Xie Huai and clasped Xie Huai¡¯s hands, comforting him in a warm voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this lord won¡¯t let that old thing touch a single hair on your head.¡± As of today, Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation was sealed. Since he had dared to bring Xie Huai here, of course he had the confidence to protect him. He was the big villain, the tyrannical demon lord, after all. He couldn¡¯t possibly let his acting cool implicate others, especially Xie Huai¡­¡­ That was the person Yan Sui had placed in the very depths of his heart to protect. Xie Huai stared fixedly at Fang Li, falling into the shallow smile in his eyes, and suddenly¡­¡­ his worries really did disperse. Actually, he¡¯d already recovered seven-tenths of his cultivation. Because he was worried that Fang Li would fall for Chong Wanshan¡¯s schemes, just now, he¡¯d been thinking that in the worst case, even if he had to forcefully break through the seal and reveal the fact that his cultivation had recovered, he still had to stop Chong Wanshan. But right now, looking at Fang Li smile confidently like this, based on his understanding of Fang Li, Fang Li probably really did have some kind of insurance. It looked like he wouldn¡¯t need to take action¡­¡­ The rumors said that the devil¡¯s power rivaled the heavens, unmatched in the world. Today, he would be able to see with his own eyes if that really was the case. Xie Huai said impassively, ¡°No need to look after me.¡± In his heart, Fang Li gave Xie Huai a big thumbs up. To be able to stay so calm even after Chong Wanshan said that he¡¯s going to kill you, and with your cultivation still sealed¡ªas expected of the protagonist! Chong Wanshan had just finished letting loose his fierce speech, and he¡¯d thought that the devil would become nervous and panicked, or at the very least consider carefully how to respond. Who would¡¯ve thought that the devil would turn around and start flirting with Xie Huai? The veins in his temple bulged. This brat really didn¡¯t have any regard for anyone! How hateful! Chong Wanshan didn¡¯t waste his time on any more words and immediately activated the Gods-Quelling Cauldron. More than a thousand jin of weight immediately came bearing down on Fang Li! The tremendous pressure made all of Fang Li¡¯s bones crackle and complain, but he remained unmoved. The corners of his lips curved up, and a black stone halberd appeared in his right hand. At the same time, the black jade talisman appeared in his left. Fang Li lifted his eyes, and with a wave of his hand, the black stone halberd struck the top of the Gods-Quelling Cauldron, carrying with it an unmatched force, as if it came from the heavens. Chong Wanshan sneered as he watched at Fang Li. This was Cinnabar Gate¡¯s most divine weapon. Even faced with a Unified Dao true immortal, it would still be able to resist for a few moments. How could it be smashed so easily? Just as he was ridiculing Fang Li¡­¡­ He saw a blinding ray of light tear through, and in a split second, a hole had been poked into the ceiling. Chong Wanshan looked at the ceiling in disbelief. In, in just a few moments, it had been broken? I-Impossible¡­¡­ In the short span of time that Chong Wanshan was distracted, Fang Li¡¯s figure flashed quick as lightning, leaving behind a black afterimage. In the blink of an eye, he arrived in front of Chong Wanshan. His long halberd swept through the air, striking Chong Wanshan away heavily! Chong Wanshan crashed into the wall, all of his internal organs burning with pain. In his panic, he didn¡¯t hesitate to throw out all the spiritual devices he had! At this point, running would only bring a quicker death; only in battle was there a trace of hope. He gripped his sword in one hand and yelled furiously, then charged forward! A mocking smile hung off the corners of Fang Li¡¯s mouth, and his left hand activated the jade talisman without pause. The surging spiritual energy created from burning away at his soul gave him unmatched strength, and Chong Wanshan¡¯s counterattack wasn¡¯t worth paying attention to at all. He simply thrust out with his halberd, and when the halberd clashed with the sword in Chong Wanshan¡¯s hand, it sent the sword flying straight out. Chong Wanshan left out a miserable shriek, and his right hand also fell down limply as if completely boneless. He staggered backwards several steps in retreat, his hair in disarray, his eyes suffused with red as he looked at Fang Li. He saw Fang Li holding the long halberd, coming toward him step by step. The pale man¡¯s expression was languid. His black eyes looked toward him indifferently, like a demonic god that looked down on everything. He was completely undefeatable. It, it shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­¡­ He had planned out all his machinations, used all of his divine weapons, yet he still couldn¡¯t stop this person¡­¡­ Such a powerful being couldn¡¯t possibly exist. He didn¡¯t believe it! Chong Wanshan watched Fang Li get closer and closer, the hatred and unwillingness in his eyes stormy and dense, as well as the madness of imminent death. Was he about to die? Why, why was it him¡­¡­ He had never provoked this devil, he¡¯d even compromised and endured the whole way. Regardless from what angle, it shouldn¡¯t be him! Fresh blood surged out of his mouth, despair, terror, pain, and unwillingness flooding his chest¡­¡­ Then, he saw Fang Li stop in front of him. He put away his black stone halberd with a wave of his hand, then slowly, slowly took out a mottled green bamboo sword. Fang Li hadn¡¯t actually killed him right away. Chong Wanshan was dazed for a moment. Why? No, something was wrong, that bamboo sword¡­¡­ Suddenly, Chong Wanshan¡¯s pupils shrank. He remembered, he remembered now, he knew whose sword that was. But that was impossible, that person had already died! Chong Wanshan¡¯s lips trembled faintly, his voice hoarse and frenzied. ¡°I-Impossible, it couldn¡¯t be you, it couldn¡¯t possibly be you¡­¡­¡± He finally knew why Fang Li had come here, why he¡¯d come looking for him. So everything had been planned from the start. He¡¯d thought he was the one plotting against Fang Li, yet he hadn¡¯t known that he was also being plotted against. But Fang Li couldn¡¯t possibly be that person. No, that wasn¡¯t right, he knew who Fang Li was. It was that brat who¡¯d escaped back then. It was him, who¡¯d taken the Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure and escaped¡­¡­ Causing the net he¡¯d cast to come up empty. Chong Wanshan understood everything in a flash. He eyed the black jade talisman in Fang Li¡¯s hand, a greedy, voracious look in his eyes. He muttered, ¡°The Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure¡­¡­¡± This was the object he¡¯d been unable to obtain back then, even after going so far as to wipe out the Windbearer Sect. One would expect no less of the Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure, to be able give such an ignorant brat power to rival the heavens. If he had been the one to obtain it back then, the one to unite the world would be him! He was unresigned¡ª Fang Li watched Chong Wanshan¡¯s eyes and knew that he¡¯d already understood everything. He lifted the corners of his lips and laughed softly, then pierced Chong Wanshan¡¯s heart in a single, swift, clean stroke. There was no need to waste words on someone like this. Fang Li didn¡¯t even bother giving him a single sentence. Chong Wanshan lowered his eyes and stared blankly at the sword in his chest. He knew he was about to die. But he was unresigned¡­¡­ Really unresigned¡­¡­ The Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure¡­¡­ It should have been his¡­¡­ His¡­¡­ Chong Wanshan¡¯s eyes slowly lost their light. He lowered his eyes, kneeling on the ground, completely still. He had died. Fang Li slowly pulled out the sword. Fresh blood dripped onto the ground, drop by drop¡­¡­ Like long-awaited spring rain. He closed his eyes. Raging flames surging into the sky, the clamor of battle. His master had called him and his Shixiong over, his expression grave as he entrusted the black and white jade talisman to the two of them, instructing them to separate and each take one half of the jade talisman away, to flee in different directions, and not, under any circumstances, to let the black and white jade talisman fall into hands of those with evil intentions, or it would bring calamity to the world. He clenched his teeth tightly, tears in his eyes as he accepted the black half of the jade talisman, saying, I¡¯ll definitely bring the jade talisman and escape. Unless he died, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let the jade talisman fall into the hands of evil. He ran with all his might. His once peaceful and tranquil home was now a sea of flame, like purgatory on earth. He heard the sound of a blade piercing flesh, and he saw his sect brothers fall to the ground one by one, but he didn¡¯t dare turn his head, continuing to run straight forward, because his master had told him that he absolutely had to take the jade talisman away¡­¡­ He was already at the end of strength. But the sound behind him was getting closer and closer. A sword lunged toward him, and he rolled on the ground to dodge, but with just this small delay, even more Cinnabar Gate members had caught up. They were all powerful experts, and he was just a tiny, little Foundation Building cultivator¡­¡­ Just when he¡¯d already given up, a white figure suddenly appeared. He lifted his eyes blankly. His Shixiong was standing in front of him, blocking the swords and blades for him. His Shixiong turned and smiled, saying, ¡°A¡¯Yan, don¡¯t be scared.¡± A single ray of hope. Only, why had Shixiong returned? Their master had told them to separate. Now that you¡¯ve come back to save me, if you¡¯re also killed, what will happen? He was anxious and scared, wanting to tell his Shixiong to leave quickly and to not worry about him, but it was already too late¡­¡­ A sharp blade pierced through hisShixiong¡¯s chest. His Shixiong remained completely still. Even though his chest had been pierced, and his white robes stained with blood, he still held back the people behind, looking at him gently and resolutely, saying, ¡°A¡¯Yan, hurry and go.¡± Although it was only four words. But he knew that Shixiong was using his life to seize an opportunity for him to leave, and to let him escape with the jade talisman, so¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t betray his Shixiong¡¯s expectations. He couldn¡¯t let his Shixiong die for nothing. His heart was a hollow cavern, his eyes suffused with red, his entire body stained with blood, staggering forward as he ran. He would definitely take the jade talisman away. Definitely. Fang Li opened his eyes and let out a soft sigh. At that moment, Yan Sui¡¯s despair and grief weighed down on his chest until he nearly suffocated, as if carved into this body¡¯s bones. If not for coming back to save him, his Shixiong wouldn¡¯t have died. But his Shixiong had still come back. He¡¯d left him the opportunity to live and had told him to escape alone. Their master had instructed him that he absolutely mustn¡¯t let the jade talisman fall into the hands of those with wicked intentions and had used up all of his strength, and sacrificed his life and his cultivation to let them separate and take the jade talismans away. But their master hadn¡¯t imagined that¡ª In the end, the one who would bring calamity to the world was precisely that youth who¡¯d walked out of that sea of blood. In the end, he¡¯d become the kind of person that he¡¯d never wanted to become. Because when he¡¯d seen his Shixiong standing in front of him, pierced through with a blade, from the moment that he¡¯d crawled out of that pile of corpses, he was no longer the A¡¯Yan from before, but a vicious ghost that had crawled out of hell. Every action had its destined outcome. Infringing on the Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure, holding only the half that was the black jade talisman, endlessly devouring his own lifespan. But he didn¡¯t care, because every day that he lived was his punishment. Only death was his escape. The only thing he wished for was to complete his revenge. Other than that, nothing mattered. Fang Li slowly looked around him. The God-Quelling Cauldron was already destroyed, Chong Wanshan was already dead, and the rest of the Cinnabar Gate members had been scared witless. They were fleeing every which way. But very quickly, they were forced back by demonic cultivators. Wu Yimei had long received the order to infiltrate Helan province, just for this moment. The Cinnabar Gate disciples had lost their will to fight and were killed to last by the demonic cultivators led by Wu Yimei until not a scrap of armor remained, and blood flowed in rivers. Fang Li narrowed his eyes. This scene was actually rather similar to the one from ten years ago. Only, the roles had been reversed. All of the people who had come today to ensnare and kill him were Chong Wanshan¡¯s trusted aides. Yan Sui still remembered some of the faces among them; no matter what, he couldn¡¯t forget that night at the Windbearer Sect, when they¡¯d cut down his fellow sect members with slash after slash, brutally and ruthlessly eliminating them to the last¡­¡­ Perhaps not everyone present right now had participated in that night¡¯s slaughter, and perhaps not all of the people who had participated in that slaughter were here today. But since they¡¯d chosen to follow Chong Wanshan and help him do things that couldn¡¯t see the light of day, then even if they were all killed, so what? Those who killed were ordained to be killed. Xie Huai stood silently to one side. He was the only one there standing motionless, his white robes unblemished by a speck of dust, as if standing outside it all. Before Fang Li had gone to that village, he¡¯d once made his resolve that if Fang Li were to slaughter innocents and start a massacre, he wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch¡­¡­ But if it wasn¡¯t slaughtering innocents, but taking an eye for an eye and settling his revenge? Although Fang Li hadn¡¯t said a single word to him, Chong Wanshan¡¯s expression alone had already made everything clear. Just as he¡¯d guessed, Chong Wanshan was the murderer who¡¯d destroyed the Windbearer Sect back then, for the sake of the Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure. Since that was the case, he didn¡¯t have any reason to stop Fang Li. The heavenly Dao turned and turned, every sin would receive its retribution. Every single person had to pay the price for their choices. This was the ending that Chong Wanshan deserved. Fang Li stood there quietly. Only when the surroundings became completely still did he lower his eyes and slowly, bit by bit, clean all of the blood off the green bamboo sword¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. The owner of that sword, who were they to you? He couldn¡¯t help but recall again the forbidden area in the demonic palace back then. In the empty bamboo building, there was only this green bamboo sword, carefully and preciously hidden away, not permitted by anyone to touch¡­¡­ That person must have been very important to you. Xie Huai clenched his fists. For some reason, his chest felt heavy and stifled. Fang Li slowly cleaned off the bamboo sword, not looking at Xie Huai. Right now, he definitely didn¡¯t look very good. The reason Xie Huai hadn¡¯t stopped him was probably because his cultivation was sealed, or there was no way he could sit still and watch him commit a massacre. Killing so many people today should make Xie Huai despise him a little more, right? Fang Li turned. He knelt down next to Chong Wanshan¡¯s corpse, his black robes trailing amidst the dark red, like a black lotus unfurling in a sea of blood. He stretched out his hand and searched through Chong Wanshan¡¯s corpse, his storage devices, checking them all thoroughly¡­¡­ then furrowed his brow. He didn¡¯t find the other half of the treasure, the white jade talisman. That shouldn¡¯t be. That day, Shixiong had died in order to protect Yan Sui, and the white jade talisman should have fallen into Chong Wanshan¡¯s hands. He couldn¡¯t possibly not bring such an important treasure with him wherever he went¡­¡­ Why didn¡¯t Chong Wanshan have the white jade talisman here? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: Acting cool ? Xie Huai: Not stealing the wife¡¯s spotlight. CH 36 February 26th, 2023 Was Shixiong still alive? Fang Li¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. Impossible¡­¡­ Yan Sui had seen Shixiong die right before his eyes. Had Shixiong already hidden the white jade talisman before coming to rescue Yan Sui? It was very possible that he had done so in order to prevent the jade talisman from falling into Chong Wanshan¡¯s hands. Then where was the white jade talisman? Fang Li¡¯s expression wavered for a few moments. Forget it, although the jade talisman was the Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure, from his point of view, it was simply an evil thing. It would be best if it never appeared. Wu Yimei had already cleared the surroundings, and several hundred demonic cultivators clothed in black stood in grim attendance nearby. Wu Yimei said respectfully to Fang Li, ¡°Your Excellency, how should Cinnabar Gate be handled?¡± The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up, and he laughed softly. ¡°Since they dared to try to kill this lord, naturally, they have to suffer the consequences.¡± Xie Huai looked at Fang Li in puzzlement, a sudden unease rising in his chest. Then, he saw Fang Li pick up Chong Wanshan¡¯s corpse with one hand. Wu Yimei immediately understood Fang Li¡¯s meaning and gestured with his eyes, and the demonic cultivators collected all of the other corpses one by one. Fang Li waved his hands, and a huge black ship appeared in midair. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ In the middle of Mountainview City. People were sampling teas and chatting leisurely in the restaurants, and beautiful courtesans were dancing gracefully aboard the flower boats by the river. All along the streets, street peddlers called out their wares¡­¡­ The very picture of peace and prosperity. Up until a huge black shadow suddenly loomed overhead. The people in the restaurants stopped their conversations, and the dancers paused their footsteps. The peddlers ceased their shouting, and everyone lifted their heads to look at the sky¡­¡­ What was that? In the center of the city where Cinnabar Gate stood, several hundred silhouettes came flying out. They were all Cinnabar Gate disciples, and they stood in formation at the ready as they looked at the huge ship in the sky, the hands that gripped their swords glistening with sweat. The main gate of Cinnabar Gate was at least a hundred meters tall, towering and majestic, and the stone placard was engraved with intricate, ancient characters, as if it had been standing here since ages long past. The huge ship stopped directly above the main gate. All of the Cinnabar Gate disciples¡¯ nerves were stretched taut. They thought about the rumors in the city these days, thought about how that devil might be in the city right this moment, thought about how Cloudgate Keep had been besieged by the demonic horde back then¡­¡­ It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡­ Just when everyone¡¯s hearts were in a flurry, a black figure appeared at the bow of the huge ship. That person had a sickly pale face, and his gloomy black eyes seemed to harbor a contemptuous, ridiculing look. With a wave of his hand, he threw a corpse down in front of Cinnabar Gate¡¯s main gate. Thump! The corpse plummeted down from a hundred meters in the air, crashing to the ground into a puddle of ruined flesh. But every member of Cinnabar gate could recognize at a glance that this was the Gate Master that they¡¯d looked up to as a god¡ªChong Wanshan. The surroundings became deathly quiet. Terror spread silently throughout the crowd. Only the soft, leisurely laugh of the black-robed man towering above resounded through the area. ¡°Chong Wanshan is dead. This is the outcome of disobeying this lord.¡± Following his words, Wu Yumei signaled to the demonic cultivators under him to throw down the other corpses. The dead bodies rained down in front of the gate one by one, fresh blood splattering everywhere, creating a wretched scene, like an earthly hell. Some of these people were Cinnabar Gate elders, and some of them were inner disciples, but each and every one of them was of Cinnabar Gate¡¯s elite, and if they hadn¡¯t been of a high and lofty standing in the past, then they had been a force to be reckoned with. Yet right now, they were merely¡­¡­ corpses without a trace of life, their bodies distorted, their eyes still wide open. All of the people raised their heads and looked toward the black-robed man atop the huge ship. Terror and anger flooded their hearts. Unwillingness and hatred suffused their eyes with red. Fang Li seemed very satisfied with this effect and lowered his eyes languidly, giving a careless laugh. ¡°You have three days¡¯ time. After three days, this lord will raze Cinnabar Gate to the ground. From then on, Cinnabar Gate will be no more.¡± He was actually going to destroy Cinnabar Gate! Xie Huai stood behind Fang Li. Seeing this scene, he finally knew what Fang Li was going to do. His expression suddenly became heavy, and he pressed his lips together, his chest surging with a rare fury. Killing someone like Chong Wanshan was one thing. It was natural for you to take your revenge. But seeing as the great debt has been settled, what need is there to go this extra step? I know that there was a reason you killed Chong Wanshan, but none of these people know. To so furiously spread word of destroying Cinnabar Gate¡­¡­ Do you know what the consequences will be? Cinnabar Gate is no tiny little sect, but a sect with thousands of years of tradition, held in awe throughout the world, of the same standing as Cloudbank Keep, one of the five great cultivation sects! And this time was different from the previous one. Although the battle at Cloudbank Keep had been tragic, in the end, only one person had been taken away. Although Cloudbank Keep had lost face, its foundations hadn¡¯t been harmed, and the sect had remained intact. The people of the world were just so. Unless left with no other choice, they would hold on to hope of being spared and wouldn¡¯t stake it all on a single toss of the dice. But this time, no matter what reason you have, in the eyes of the world, it was you who killed Chong Wanshan, destroyed Cinnabar Gate¡¯s backbone, razed it to the ground, and completely erased Cinnabar Gate from the world¡ªsomething like destroying a sect in a moment of displeasure has already surpassed the righteous sects¡¯ lower limit! If even the grand and mighty Cinnabar Gate, one of the five great sects, couldn¡¯t escape such an ending, then even if they had to struggle to the death, they would still join hands. You¡¯re making the whole world into your enemy! Xie Huai grabbed Fang Li¡¯s wrist and fixed his own eyes on his, as if to thoroughly see through this person, saying word by word in a cold voice, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± He didn¡¯t understand. If Fang Li really wanted to eliminate Cinnabar Gate to the last, he wouldn¡¯t have given them three days¡¯ time. Three days was more than enough for those people to escape. But seeing as you don¡¯t intend to kill them all, then why did you insist on saying such insane words, making the whole world misunderstand you? These days, Heaven¡¯s Summit was calling out to form the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance and march on Hollow Ridge. More than a few people were currently waiting and watching, wavering left and right¡­¡­ As soon as word of today got out, the ranks of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance would be filled! In the end, the righteous sects and Hollow Ridge would go to battle. Stirring up a great battle between the righteous and demonic sects, bringing devastation to the world. Is that really what you wish for? I don¡¯t believe it! Fang Li was looking down from high above, watching the crowd¡¯s terrified and loathing appearance and feeling pleased with his flawless acting, when he was pulled back by Xie Huai without warning. As soon as he looked up, he met Xie Huai¡¯s eyes that were dimly brimming with anger, and he couldn¡¯t help but startle slightly. Since capturing Xie Huai, this was his first time seeing such visible emotion in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. No matter when or in what circumstances, this person always had that tranquil and indifferent appearance, like nothing in the world could faze him. But today, he was angry. Fang Li suddenly felt a bit guilty, then understanding dawned on him. Just now, he¡¯d been too preoccupied with acting cool and saying tough lines, and he¡¯d almost forgotten that to Xie Huai, his actions looked incredibly savage. Destroying a sect at the slightest hint of displeasure¡ªthis was stirring up a great battle between the righteous and demonic sects, bringing devastation to the world! As a righteous cultivator who placed the whole world in his heart, it couldn¡¯t be more natural for Xie Huai to get angry. But don¡¯t worry, I have matters in hand. In the original book, after Yan Sui killed Chong Wanshan, he¡¯d led the demonic horde to surround Cinnabar Gate. At that time, Yan Sui¡¯s heart had been flooded by hatred and he¡¯d killed as if possessed, harboring the thought that he would rather mistakenly kill innocents than let a single enemy escape. He¡¯d slaughtered for three days and nights, turning the place into a river of blood, not sparing even a chicken or dog. Thoroughly wiping Cinnabar Gate off the face of the earth. But Fang Li couldn¡¯t do something like that. Although Cinnabar Gate included those as deserving of death as Chong Wanshan, it also had many innocents who didn¡¯t deserve to die. Seeing as the main instigator and his close confidantes were already dead, then for the rest, even if he were to let some escape, he didn¡¯t want to kill an innocent by mistake. Thus, he¡¯d given them three days¡¯ time. Three days was more than enough for these people to pack up their belongings and flee for their lives. He¡¯d thrown down the corpses and given his tough lines before the crowd. Three days later, after everyone had fled, he¡¯d raze Cinnabar Gate to the ground. The effect of it would be about the same. After all, it was still destroying the sect. It wouldn¡¯t change the direction of the plot, nor would it require starting a massacre. It was truly perfect on all sides. Moreover, outsiders wouldn¡¯t know that he had a score with Chong Wanshan, and even less would they know that Chong Wanshan had struck first. They would only know that he¡¯d killed Chong Wanshan and destroyed Cinnabar Gate. The more savage he acted, the more scared those people would be. When the terror reached a certain point, they would want to resist. Heaven¡¯s Summit was sending out calls to form the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. They¡¯d spent plenty of effort, but the results weren¡¯t too good. Fang Li was truly worried for them and had decided to give them a good push. He sure was giving Heaven¡¯s Summit a big helping hand. Hopefully, these righteous cultivation sects would work a little harder. At this point, stop hemming and hawing and pausing to look behind you at every step. Hurry up and fight your way up Hollow Ridge, I¡¯m waiting to finish the mission and go offline. Everything was within his plans. Not many people would die! Fang Li looked at Xie Huai¡¯s angry appearance and recalled that during this period of time, they had more or less been seamless collaboration partners. In his heart, he had long started considering Xie Huai a friend, but he couldn¡¯t say these words to Xie Huai, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little guilty¡­¡­ Fang Li fell silent for a moment, gritting his teeth. He shook off Xie Huai¡¯s hand and smiled indifferently. ¡°Is this lord¡¯s business something you have a say in?¡± Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s eyes, his chest heaving. I don¡¯t believe that you don¡¯t know the consequences of doing this. You clearly don¡¯t want to kill, you clearly still have kindness in your heart, you clearly¡­¡­ Why are you doing something like this, why are you not leaving any room for retreat, why do you have to make the whole world into your enemy? Why, won¡¯t you treat yourself a little better? Xie Huai¡¯s voice was cold as ice. He said, word by word, ¡°Fine. I have no say in Your Excellency¡¯s business.¡± Fang Li watched Xie Huai turn around. He¡¯d always been like this, doing what he was supposed to do, making the plot progress smoothly, making Xie Huai loathe and detest him. He wasn¡¯t afraid that Xie Huai would misunderstand. In reality, this was precisely what he wanted¡­¡­ This was the result that he should want. But right now, for some reason, his heart seemed a little empty, a little uneasy. After a long time, Fang Li awkwardly touched his nose. Oh, maybe it was because this time, Xie Huai was really angry. After all, they counted as friends. In the end, making a friend unhappy was wrong. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Because they were in the middle of a cold war. Fang Li didn¡¯t tactlessly go over to where Xie Huai was. Although he was a little sorry¡­¡­ he would just let Xie Huai continue to be angry. Maybe by a stroke of luck, it would allow him to smoothly go offline¡­¡­ With the situation at this point, there was nothing more important than completing the mission. There was no path of retreat left for him. Fang Li stayed at Cinnabar Gate for three days. After three days, all of the people in Cinnabar Gate had fled. Fang Li ordered his subordinates to wipe Cinnabar Gate clean. At the moment, there wasn¡¯t much left in Cinnabar Gate, but in the end, they were one of the five great sects, with a great mass of accumulated history. There were some things lrft that no one had had time to take away, which could be considered a reward for the demonic cultivators under him. As for the common people of Mountainview City, Fang Li had issued a strict command not to slaughter innocents. After that, Fang Li brought his subordinates away on the huge ship, leaving behind a swathe of broken walls and rubble. It was time to go home. The journey back was very short, and in just a few days¡¯ time, they arrived at the foot of Hollow Ridge. These days, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t said a word to Fang Li. He stood silently at the edge of the boat, solemnly watching the person before him. His fists were clenched at his sides, his impassive face seemingly covered with a layer of ice. He had been waiting the whole time for that person to explain, even if it was only a single sentence, a single reason, but there was none¡­¡­ Walking his own path, not willing to give even a sentence of explanation. When he thought up to here, Xie Huai closed his eyes with self-derision. Exactly what was he hoping in vain for? That person¡­¡­ hadn¡¯t he always been like this? Not a single word of truth in his mouth, not allowing anyone to approach his heart. Nobody could stop him from doing what he intended to do, and nobody could guess his true thoughts¡­¡­ Impossible to grasp, like clouds and mist. So, you¡¯ve never changed. It was I who changed. Fang Li stood alone at the head of the great ship, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked at the people coming to welcome them, the corners of his lips rising slightly. The plot had arrived again. This part of the plot could be considered a small climax near the ending, and it was also the last time Yan Sui had gotten to eat meat in the original book. In the book, Du Meng had been sent off to attack Heaven¡¯s Summit, but though he appeared to obey, he was plotting behind the scenes. Not only did he secretly make a deal with Heaven¡¯s Summit and betray Yan Sui, he also arranged for a wave of assassins at the foot of Hollow Ridge. This was called making preparations with both hands¡ªscheming to have Xie Huai make trouble for Yan Sui on the one hand, and cooperating with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance on the other, advancing at every step and moving the pieces on both sides, swearing to destroy Yan Sui! But although he¡¯d sent people over, Du Meng knew that directly plotting against Yan Sui held little hope of success, so this time, his scheme was directed at Xie Huai. During this period of time, Yan Sui¡¯s affection and pampering of Xie Huai was known throughout the world. Du Meng was betting that Yan Sui wouldn¡¯t watch Xie Huai die, so he¡¯d command his people to coat their blades with poison and assassinate Xie Huai, thus drawing in Yan Sui. Du Meng¡¯s plan could be considered as having hit the target on a fluke. Yan Sui had just used the black jade talisman to kill Chong Wanshan and was still weak. He hadn¡¯t thought that the person attacking him would suddenly charge at Xie Huai and was caught unprepared. Although he had killed that person, Xie Huai had been injured and poisoned. Yan Sui naturally couldn¡¯t possibly watch Xie Huai die and forcefully drew the poison from Xie Huai¡¯s body onto himself, cough cough cough¡­¡­ As a little smut novel, there was no need to elaborate on the method of drawing the poison. In short, Fang Li thought this was yet another completely useless plot point for the sake of serving meat. He couldn¡¯t possibly draw away the poison, so wasn¡¯t it fine if the poison was avoided altogether? Moreover, this part of the plot had no meaning at all in the grand scheme of things. On the contrary, it was to exhibit Yan Sui¡¯s deep love toward Xie Huai in the later period, not hesitating to sacrifice it all for the sake of rescuing Xie Huai¡­¡­ Fang Li shivered. There was absolutely no need for this kind of plot, right? Skip it, skip it. Anyways, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be moved. In the original book, even after Yan Sui had done that, carving out his heart from his chest and nearly giving up his life, Xie Huai had still been stone-hearted. He couldn¡¯t possibly accept someone who had disgraced him like that. Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to have such intimate contact with Xie Huai, nor did he want to act out some deep love toward Xie Huai at this last, critical juncture. So Fang Li decided to simply mow through the problem and quickly resolve these assassins, then go home. At the foot of Hollow Ridge, a crowd of demonic cultivators stood respectfully in attendance, kneeling on the ground and greeting in unison, ¡°Respectful greetings, Your Excellency.¡± Fang Li disembarked from the great ship in slow steps, appearing languid and carefree, but in truth on high alert. He knew that all of the people welcoming him here today were Du Meng¡¯s people. Du Meng intended to catch him off guard¡ªhe was certain that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t believe that anyone would dare make a move against him on Hollow Ridge. Yan Sui indeed hadn¡¯t thought so, which was why he¡¯d allowed Xie Huai to fall for the scheme, but Fang Li had the script in his hand and was long prepared. He definitely wouldn¡¯t give them the chance to hurt Xie Huai. Fang Li proceeded step by step. Just when he was no more than three steps away from the crowd of demonic cultivators, the glint of blades flashed! Wu Yimei had received his command long ago and was currently on guard. The demonic cultivators under him immediately began to fight with Du Meng¡¯s. Du Meng¡¯s people hadn¡¯t thought that they would already have preparations and were instead caught off guard, and the two sides soon became drawn into a chaotic battle. Fang Li¡¯s expression set slightly, throwing aside someone who had come piercing toward him, when suddenly a black shadow flashed past the corner of his eye. He laughed coldly, his fingers curling into a claw, his figure demonic as he seized the neck of the demonic cultivator leaping toward Xie Huai. With a crack, he threw the cultivator away! If anyone dared make a move against Xie Huai, he would kill them as they came! Fang Li firmly stood guard in front of Xie Huai, giving those demonic cultivators absolutely no way to approach. Fresh blood splattered all around, weapons clashing. Entangling in a tragic image. Following the gradual flow of time¡­¡­ More and more people fell to the ground, and those still standing became fewer and fewer. Seeing that the circumstances were dire, Du Meng¡¯s people prepared to stake it all on one throw and charged at Xie Huai with no regard for their lives¡ª They had long received the order that if they couldn¡¯t touch His Excellency, then they should start with Xie Huai. This was their only opportunity! Fang Li also summoned all of his concentration, not relaxing his guard just because of the opponents¡¯ death throes. A cornered beast was the most dangerous, and regardless of the occasion, carelessness was the greatest foe¡­¡­ Xie Huai quietly watched Fang Li skillfully guard him with ease. This scheme¡­¡­ it looks like you¡¯d prepared for it long ago. As expected, this person knew everything and didn¡¯t need him to worry for him at all. The number of people remaining became fewer and fewer¡­¡­ Yet another one came charging at Xie Huai, once again being killed by Fang Li, to no surprise. Xie Huai knew that this melee was about to end¡­¡­ But just at that moment, Xie Huai¡¯s expression suddenly trembled. Among the crowd, one person suddenly turned their blade and pointed it at Fang Li¡ª Xie Huai struck out without a hint of hesitation, simultaneously letting out a fierce shout, ¡°Be careful!¡± Fang Li had just finished crushing the neck of a demonic cultivator and hadn¡¯t thought that one of the people in the ground would suddenly turn their blade on him. At the same time, another person pointed a sword at Xie Huai, one in front and one behind¡ª Fang Li didn¡¯t even think before striking out at the one charging at Xie Huai, then nimbly turning around and sending a blow at the person behind him! That person gave Fang Li a savage grin, and just before being sent flying, suddenly threw the long blade in their hand! The blade sliced through Fang Li¡¯s black roves, leaving a shallow wound at his waist. But that demonic cultivator laughed delightedly, then ended their own life without any hesitation! Fang Li¡¯s expression was a little unsightly. He felt half his body quickly becoming numb. Although he had the script in his hand and had made preparations long ago, he still had no way to control all of the abrupt happenings that arose. Every single person here, even a nameless cannon fodder, was capable of making unpredictable decisions on the brink of life and death¡ª They¡¯d seen that plotting against Xie Huai was hopeless and would result in certain death, so someone had staked it all on striking against Fang Li directly. The human heart was the most difficult to predict¡­¡­ Very quickly, Wu Yumei cleaned off the last of the assassins. Wu Yimei quickly arrived before Fang Li and said anxiously, ¡°Your Excellency, are you alright?¡± Fang Li¡¯s body wavered, his consciousness becoming blurry. Fang Li gave a very faint smile. No problem, it wasn¡¯t a big deal if he got poisoned. He was going to die anyway. His last thought before he fainted was¡ª Thank the heavens and earth that Xie Huai was fine. He didn¡¯t need to draw out the poison. When that person had attacked, Xie Huai had charged forward without any hesitation to stop it, but he had been late by a step. Luckily, Fang Li¡¯s reaction had been swift and had killed that person with one strike, only suffering a light wound. But at this moment, seeing Fang Li smile, Xie Huai suddenly felt that something was wrong. Then, he saw Fang Li topple straight to the ground¡ª Xie Huai subconsciously reached out and cradled Fang Li in his embrace. He watched that pale, white face take on an unnatural tinge of red and immediately realized that that demonic cultivator¡¯s blade had been smeared with poison! It was all his own fault. He had actually already recovered over half of his cultivation and didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s protection, but Fang Li didn¡¯t know that¡­¡­ If not for the sake of protecting him, he wouldn¡¯t have been caught off guard and fallen victim to the scheme. Xie Huai¡¯s hand that was holding Fang Li suddenly tightened. Wu Yimei had also been shocked upon seeing Fang Li topple over, and he reached out to take Fang Li from Xie Huai, saying coldly, ¡°Hand His Excellency over to me.¡± But Xie Huai only tightly held the person in his embrace. He suddenly raised his eyes, those eyes dark and frigid, and Wu Yimei couldn¡¯t help but startle. Xie Huai¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, speaking slowly and deliberately. ¡°Regardless of our standpoints, he just saved me. Do you really think that I would hurt him right now?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: The hero rescues the damsel in distress ? Xie Huai: The wife is always making me angry and never consoles me, I¡¯m angry! ¡­¡­ [10 seconds later] Forget it, my heart hurts. CH 37 March 1st, 2023 How could Wu Yimei be willing to give Fang Li to Xie Huai? Just as he was about to snatch him back¡ª He saw Xie Huai¡¯s black eyes, dark and heavy as an abyss as he said word by word, ¡°Saving him is what¡¯s most important. Are you really going to fight with me right now?¡± Wu Yimei looked at Fang Li¡¯s weak, pale white face, then met Xie Huai¡¯s cold, fierce eyes that held not a trace of compromise or retreat, and suddenly realized that this person wasn¡¯t going to let go. And right now, His Excellency was most important. It wasn¡¯t the time to lose his temper with Xie Huai. Wu Yimei grit his teeth and hatefully lowered his hands. Wu Yimei left his subordinates behind to clean up the battlefield, and the three of them quickly returned to the demonic palace. Xie Huai held Fang Li tightly, returning to the residential palace with quick steps, and placed him down gently on the bed. The man¡¯s pale white face was tinged with a shallow red flush, his expression peaceful and still, looking as if he were only asleep. But Xie Huai knew that Du Meng¡¯s poison couldn¡¯t be simple. He carefully untied Fang Li¡¯s black robes and exposed the wound at the side of his waist. The fresh blood on his wound appeared ashy purple, and the edges of the wound looked as though burnt¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s brow furrowed tightly. Just then, he heard Wu Yimei say in a cold voice, ¡°It¡¯s Dreameater poison.¡± Wu Yimei could tell from a glance at Fang Li¡¯s wound that although this Dreameater wouldn¡¯t immediately take his life, it would cause the victim of the poison to sink into a deep sleep. If the antidote wasn¡¯t taken, the victim would die in his sleep. The tricky part of this poison was that the catalyst for the antidote was exotic and bizarre. If the right catalyst couldn¡¯t be found, the antidote was impossible to make. Du Meng knew that Wu Yimei was an expert at poisons, so he¡¯d intentionally chosen Dreameater. Even if Wu Yimei knew how to make the antidote, he had no way to find the correct catalyst in a short amount of time. This poison would then be incurable. Xie Huai thought about it for a brief moment and also understood, his expression sinking. He gripped Fang Li¡¯s hand tightly, a trace of pain flickering in his eyes. I said early on that leaving Du Meng alive was inviting trouble, but you insisted on listening to no one but yourself¡­¡­ After a long time, Xie Huai said slowly, ¡°Do you have any solutions?¡± Wu Yimei looked at him with hatred. If not for Xie Huai, how would His Excellency have been poisoned? He¡¯d just known that sooner or later, His Excellency would suffer death because of Xie Huai. But right now, resenting Xie Huai was of no use, either. Wu Yimei said coldly, ¡°I can use a ten thousand-year frostgrass as a catalyst to create an antidote and temporarily suppress the poison, but this method only cures the symptoms, not the cause. If the right catalyst can¡¯t be found, it can only be delayed, nothing more.¡± Xie Huai said without any hesitation, ¡°Use this method first to suppress the poison.¡± Wu Yimei was also thinking the same. Regardless of anything else, they should first suppress the poison and allow His Excellency to wake up, but there was no need for Xie Huai to give the order. He gave a cold snort and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to speak on His Excellency¡¯s affairs. Since we¡¯ve returned to the demonic palace, please go back, Yuyi-jun.¡± He still wasn¡¯t at ease that Xie Huai was here, and moreover¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t want Xie Huai to stay by His Excellency¡¯s side. Xie Huai seemed to have restored his calm. He raised his eyes, his voice slow but resolute as he said, ¡°Seeing as he was injured in order to protect me, I won¡¯t leave before he wakes up.¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s eyes became frigid, his fingertips twitching. Xie Huai said impassively, ¡°Do you want His Excellency to know that you raised a hand against me as soon as he wakes up?¡± Wu Yimei: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Wu Yimei was infuriated to the point that his chest heaved. After a long time, he took a deep breath and looked at Xie Huai maliciously, saying in a frigid voice, ¡°If you dare to harm a hair on His Excellency¡¯s head, I definitely won¡¯t let you leave Hollow Ridge alive!¡± Saying that, he left with a fling of his sleeves. Creating the antidote was the most pressing matter. Xie Huai saw the door close, and only he and Fang Li were left in the room, but he didn¡¯t feel any delight from having won against Wu Yimei. He only closed his eyes wearily. The man¡¯s hand was icy cold without a trace of warmth. If not for his faint breathing, one would think that he was already dead¡­¡­ And this kind of awareness made Xie Huai¡¯s chest incomparably heavy, as if weighed down by a mountain. He tightened his grip, wanting to warm Fang Li¡¯s fingertips, but to little avail. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were dim. I hope that in the future, no matter what you encounter, you¡¯ll protect yourself properly. I don¡¯t need your protection¡­¡­ Understand? Xie Huai sat completely motionless by the bed, like a stone statue. Up until the middle of the night. Wu Yimei brought the antidote back and fed it to Fang Li. Xie Huai said in a hoarse voice, ¡°How long until he can wake up?¡± Wu Yimei said, ¡°He should be able to wake up in one or two days.¡± As he spoke, he gave Xie Huai a fierce look. Although in his heart he wasn¡¯t willing to admit it, Xie Huai was indeed a righteous person of honor and wouldn¡¯t take advantage of His Excellency¡¯s moment of crisis to harm him¡­¡­ If Wu Yimei drove Xie Huai away, when His Excellency woke up, he would probably be angry at him again. Forget it, he would just let Xie Huai stay here. Wu Yimei also wanted very much to stand guard at Fang Li¡¯s side, but right now, he had no way to do as he pleased. Wu Yimei had already suppressed the news that His Excellency had fallen victim to Du Meng¡¯s scheme, because once it was revealed, it was bound to lead to turmoil in Hollow Ridge. When the time came, he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect His Excellency, and the only thing he could do right now was to help His Excellency conceal the news and stabilize the situation until His Excellency woke up and could make further plans. In order not to be suspected, he couldn¡¯t not show his face. He needed to act as usual, and there were hundreds and thousands of matters for him to handle outside. Wu Yimei couldn¡¯t stay. Xie Huai could see his conflict and hesitation and slowly said, ¡°You can go. I¡¯ll watch over things here. Nothing will happen.¡± Wu Yimei took in a deep breath, his dark red eyes fixed on Xie Huai. After a long time, he turned and left. Xie Huai went back to watching over Fang Li. Due to the poison, the man¡¯s pale, exquisite sleeping face was suffused with a faint flush of red. Right now, he didn¡¯t have that insolent recklessness, making him appear peaceful and lovely, and those pale lips were like petals on the verge of drying and wilting. Xie Huai didn¡¯t know why, but he very much wanted to touch him¡­¡­ But when he lifted his hand in midair, he stopped. After a long time, his fingers curled slightly. And fell to his side. After a day and a night. Xie Huai didn¡¯t close his eyes and didn¡¯t sleep, to the point that his line of sight never left that person¡¯s face even once. I definitely won¡¯t let anything happen to you. Du Meng will be sure to pay the price for his actions. Time passed minute by minute¡­¡­ Perhaps it was because the antidote had taken effect, but the person on the bed faintly furrowed his brow, his expression pained, like he was trapped in a dream and wanted to wake up, but couldn¡¯t¡­¡­ A trace of anxiety appeared in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. He clasped Fang Li¡¯s hand tightly, watching him without blinking. Fang Li seemed a little uneasy as he frowned, his lips faintly parting and closing, as if murmuring to himself. His hand subconsciously gripped Xie Huai¡¯s in return, his fingertips unconsciously curling lightly against Xie Huai¡¯s palm, like a feather brushing past his heart. In a split second, even Xie Huai¡¯s breathing slowed. He pressed his lips together, lowering his head toward Fang Li, wanting to hear what he was saying¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, these days¡­¡­ I¡¯ve wronged you¡­¡­¡± ¡°Very soon, it¡¯ll be over¡­¡­¡± ¡°I definitely, won¡¯t let anything happen to you¡­¡­¡± The corners of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes suddenly became hot. So, even in your dreams, the one you¡¯re worried about is still me. So these are the true feelings that you¡¯ve never spoken aloud. I¡¯ve finally heard them. Why do you always have to act strong, why do you always have to conceal your true self, why are you unwilling to say them aloud¡­¡­ If you don¡¯t speak, how do you know I won¡¯t believe you? Xie Huai clenched his jaw tightly. As soon as he thought about how this person might die, his chest became so stifled that he almost couldn¡¯t breathe. This was probably, the feeling of caring for someone¡­¡­ Xie Huai softly lifted his right hand, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, finally rested it at the center of Fang Li¡¯s brows, as if he wanted to smooth away his worries for him. His expression was tender as he said in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m very well¡­¡­ So, you must wake up.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Early the next morning, Wu Yimei came by again. Xie Huai asked in a raspy voice, ¡°You said he would wake in one or two days. Today is already the second day.¡± Wu Yimei also found it a bit unexpected and hesitated, uneasy. ¡°Wait a little longer.¡± Xie Huai said, ¡°Alright.¡± He paused, his eyes darkening slightly, and asked again, ¡°Are there any traces of Du Meng?¡± At the question, Wu Yimei¡¯s expression took on an icy chill, and he said hatefully. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s hidden himself. He definitely won¡¯t come back right now.¡± Du Meng was a veteran schemer and cautious to the extreme. Right now, he wasn¡¯t sure whether Fang Li had been poisoned and didn¡¯t have a grasp on the current situation at Hollow Ridge, so he must be hiding somewhere where he couldn¡¯t be found. There was no way he would throw himself into a trap, so the likelihood of finding Du Meng within a short span of time was beyond dismal¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s heart sank. Wu Yimei stayed there for a while, then left in a rush again. Xie Huai stood guard alone by Fang Li¡¯s side. He had never felt time pass so slowly before, so slow that every minute and second was a kind of torture¡­¡­ The sky slowly darkened. The setting sun dipped into the west. Yet another day passed by. But Fang Li appeared to be trapped in the nightmare and showed no signs of waking. It shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­¡­ Since Wu Yimei had spoken like that, he must have had some amount of certainty. According to reason, Fang Li should be awake by now. Then¡­¡­ What exactly was the problem? Xie Huai¡¯s heart inexplicably felt uneasy. The person on the bed remained deep asleep, occasionally furrowing his brow, occasionally mumbling in his sleep, his fingertips occasionally twitching, yet he remained unconscious¡­¡­ Xie Huai contemplated for a moment, then put his fingers to Fang Li¡¯s wrist and closed his eyes to listen to his pulse. After a short while, Xie Huai creased his brow. Fang Li¡¯s pulse was normal and showed no problem, nor did he have any hidden illnesses. Then why¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s expression wavered. After a long time, he finally seemed to come to a decision. He gathered his consciousness and sent his spiritual energy into Fang Li¡¯s body, examining it closely. The reason why Xie Huai hadn¡¯t done so from the beginning was because such conduct was truly somewhat rude. Normally, one wouldn¡¯t allow others to use their spiritual energy to examine one¡¯s body unless they were intimate and held in absolute trust. This was equivalent to putting the entirety of oneself in another¡¯s hands without any secrecy to be had. If Fang Li were still awake, he wouldn¡¯t allow him to do so. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together. He couldn¡¯t go on like this anymore, not knowing anything, unable to do anything, tormented by worry and unease¡­¡­ The warm spiritual energy trickled like a slow stream into his meridians, circulating through his whole body in numerous tiny threads. After a quarter of an hour. Xie Huai suddenly opened his eyes. He fixed his eyes on the person on the bed, his face ghastly pale¡­¡­ He knew now, he finally knew everything. So this person, was about to die. All of the things that he hadn¡¯t understood before, all of the doubts and mysteries, had their answer at this moment. He finally understood why Fang Li was clearly unwilling to kill, yet insisted on madly proclaiming in public that he was going to destroy Cinnabar gate. It was because it was completely his intention to incite the righteous sects. He didn¡¯t want to live anymore, so he acted arrogant and reckless, turning the whole world against. He finally understood why Fang Li knew full well that Du Meng was treacherous, yet still refused to eliminate him completely. He¡¯d known long ago that Du Meng would betray him, but he didn¡¯t want to live anymore, so he¡¯d intentionally indulged Du Meng at every time, not bothering to take care of him. All of the insane, unreasonable things that this person had done before were all just because he didn¡¯t want to live anymore¡­¡­ You know that your sins are unforgivable and have no way to forgive yourself. Now, your revenge has been settled, and you have nothing left to live for¡­¡­ This is the death that you¡¯ve chosen for yourself. Even if you turn the whole world against you, so what? Because even if you¡¯re going to die, you still want to die grandly and thunderously. You aren¡¯t willing to explain yourself to me, and you disdain letting the world know. Even until the very last moment. You still want to make the world fear you. This is your most solid, indestructible outer shell. But why does it have to be this way? Xie Huai let out a wretched, nearly indiscernible laugh. He stared blankly at that person, his expression mournful and powerless, with the despair of one at a dead end. This body was a candle about to go out, his meridians heavily damaged, his life force nearly at an end. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t help but recall the dream in the illusion¡­¡­ In order to save him, this person hadn¡¯t hesitated to trade his life to the demon for power. Xie Huai had thought it was only a dream, and he had even rejoiced back then, thank goodness, reality wasn¡¯t like this¡­¡­ But he had been wrong. The Great Sage¡¯s holy treasure. It gave you power unmatched in the world, letting you take over the demonic path and remain invincible, but it also stole away your life force and burned away your soul¡­¡­ What holy treasure¡­¡­ Such an evil thing shouldn¡¯t exist in the world! Xie Huai¡¯s chest heaved up and down without rest. He took in a deep breath, his eyes red as he stared fixedly at the person on the bed¡­¡­ But you knew full well that such an evil thing would cause your death, yet you still charged ahead without looking back, just to take revenge¡­¡­ For the sake of revenge, you let yourself become like this¡­¡­ Why are you so foolish? There¡¯s more than one way to take revenge. Why did you insist on choosing the method of taking them with you into the grave? Why won¡¯t you cherish yourself? Is there really nothing else in the world that can make you want to stay? Xie Huai gripped Fang Li¡¯s hand so tightly that his veins protruded, as if he wished he could grasp this person tightly like this and interrogate him about why he insisted on doing this¡­¡­ But even if he asked, what use was it? Everything was already set in stone. After a long time, Xie Huai closed his eyes in collapse, the corner of his lips pulling in self-ridicule. When he had first arrived on Hollow Ridge. He had once made his resolve to stop at nothing to eliminate this devil and restore peace to the world. Now, without needing him to lift a finger, this person was about to die, but his heart didn¡¯t have a trace of joy, only pain and unwillingness¡­¡­ Hating that he couldn¡¯t exchange his own life for his. Were these emotions really only guilt? They weren¡¯t¡­¡­ It turned out that at some point, when even he himself hadn¡¯t known¡ªhe had already fallen in love with this person. This love was like a tiny stream, or like a slow and gentle breeze, quiet and unconscious¡­¡­ Yet he had been submerged in it since long ago, unable to extricate himself, yet because of their standpoints and the grievances between them, he¡¯d ignored his feelings and denied his heart. But¡­¡­ Even if he said over and over that he had no way to return Fang Li¡¯s feelings, even if he warned himself over and over that they didn¡¯t walk the same path, that it was impossible¡­¡­ Right now, he finally couldn¡¯t deceive himself anymore. He had spent his life eliminating demons to protect the Dao, once swearing to cut down all of the evil in the world with his sword, but in the end, he had fallen for an evil demon, unable to control his feelings. Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes, his eyes decisive. He pulled up Fang Li¡¯s wrist, and on each of their palms, sliced open a small cut, then intertwined their fingers together, palm to palm. He had an innate Dao physique, and normal poisons couldn¡¯t hurt him at all. Even for an unusual poison like the Dreameater, he was about half sure that he could suppress it. Only by drawing the poison into his own body would Fang Li be able to wake up. There must still be another path¡­¡­ Don¡¯t just give up like this¡­¡­ So, wake up. Okay? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Author: Uh, little Xie, do you know that there¡¯s another way of drawing out the poison, that¡¯s not allowed to be described? (Sincerely and earnestly Xie ¡°Righteous Person of Honor¡± Huai: ? Author: ¡­¡­ That¡¯s fine, you¡¯ll understand in the future. CH 38 March 5th, 2023 Fang Li had a terrifying nightmare. In his dream, he failed his mission, and this world disappeared. All of the people, Xie Huai, Wu Yimei¡­¡­ vanished into smoke and mist before his eyes one by one. He reached out to grab hold but caught hold of nothing but thin air, and the terror immediately woke him up. Fang Li opened his eyes, his breathing frantic for a few moments, soaked in cold sweat. That dream was far too terrifying. After a long time, Fang Li finally calmed down and looked around him. He was in his own sleeping quarters. Since he¡¯d awoken, it meant that Wu Yimei had used an antidote to temporarily suppress the poison, just like in the original book. Although it couldn¡¯t cure the poison completely, it was enough for him to make it to the end of the script. Because he¡¯d used the black jade talisman not long ago, then had undergone a bout of commotion, his body was still somewhat weak right now. Fang Li coughed lightly, then propped himself up into a sitting position and was just about to pour himself a cup of tea¡­¡­ The System¡¯s anxious voice, which had been missing for a while, rang out in his ears. ¡¾System: Host! Bad news! Xie Huai drew out the poison in your body into his!!!¡¿ The hand that was holding the teacup shook, and Fang Li¡¯s eyes became empty. After a while, he used a slow, wooden voice to squeeze out word by word, ¡°How, did, he, draw, it, out?¡± ¡¾System: ¡­¡­¡¿ ¡¾The System processed his words: Relax, nothing happened! Look at your right hand.¡¿ Fang Li hurriedly raised his right hand and opened his palm to take a look. The cut on his palm had already scarred over. So, the poison had been drawn out by cutting open their palms? Oh, his body didn¡¯t seem to have any irregularities, either. He immediately let out a long breath, his eyes full of the relief of having survived a great tribulation¡­¡­ As expected of the ascetic Yuyi-jun, the righteous, honorable protagonist shou. How would he know that there was also a method of drawing out the poison like this? True enough, this was the normal method of doing it, right? It was all because he¡¯d been affected by that nonsensical little smut novel that the first thought in his brain had actually been that kind of method¡­¡­ How shameful! Fang Li coughed lightly to cover up his embarrassment. This was what it meant for chaos to arise from haste. Actually, even without thinking about it, one would know that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly do such a thing to him, after all¡­¡­ But since Xie Huai had drawn the poison into his own body, then what was he to do? Didn¡¯t I go to such painstaking lengths to cover for you precisely so you wouldn¡¯t get poisoned?! And you just make all my efforts go to waste like this? When he thought up to here, Fang Li couldn¡¯t sit still anymore, his eyes full of anxiety and worry. Without any hesitation, he got up and started walking outside¡­¡­ But he¡¯d just arrived at the door and was about to push it open when he thoroughly stopped in his tracks. No, he couldn¡¯t go. What could he accomplish by going over there now? Playing out on a tragic and touching scene of mutual self-sacrifice just before he died? He wasn¡¯t here to win favorability points from Xie Huai. Doing so was of absolutely no use to advancing the plot, and might on the contrary even cause more changes. With the situation at this point, he couldn¡¯t let the final step fall through. Fang Li slowly clenched his hands into fists, his eyes wavering without end. He took in a deep breath, then turned and sat back down on the bed. ¡¾Fang Li: What did I get poisoned with?¡¿ ¡¾System: Dreameater.¡¿ Du Meng had still used the same poison as in the original book, so there was a solution. The difficulty of the Dreameater poison came from the antidote¡¯s bizarre and unusual catalyst. He remembered that in the book, Du Meng had mentioned that the catalyst was the prismglow herb. With that, Wu Yimei would only need to create a portion of antidote, and things would be fine. But just in case, he still needed to double-check. ¡¾Fang Li: As my system, can you analyze the poison on me?¡¿ Perhaps it was because it involved the safety of the protagonist, Xie Huai, but this time, the System was very quick-witted. ¡¾System: I already analyzed it when you got poisoned. It¡¯s the same as in the original book, the catalyst is the prismglow herb.¡¿ ¡¾Fang Li said, moved: You¡¯re finally a System with some use. ¡¿ ¡¾System: ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡¿ Suddenly, I regret telling you a little. Fang Li let out a slight breath of relief. Since that was the case, he could guarantee Xie Huai¡¯s life without worries. Actually, he¡¯d been so cautious before in fear of Xie Huai being poisoned precisely because he was worried that the changes in the script had given rise to unknown variables. What if Du Meng had switched the poison he was using, or the System couldn¡¯t analyze the poison? Anything could happen¡­¡­ and he would be powerless in the face of it, so even if he had to take the risk himself, he definitely wouldn¡¯t allow Xie Huai to be poisoned. Thank the heavens, this part hadn¡¯t changed. Having gone through both shock and worry just now, his emotions had been taken up and down like a roller coaster ride¡­¡­ Now, after confirming that Xie Huai was in no danger, Fang Li finally started to contemplate why Xie Huai would do such a thing. First of all, Xie Huai obviously couldn¡¯t have put himself at risk to draw the poison onto himself because he¡¯d fallen in love with him. Fang Li had absolutely no way to conjure up such a ridiculous, nonsensical, and terrifying fantasy from Xie Huai¡¯s indifferent, ascetic face. After thinking back and forth, there was probably only one possibility¡ªXie Huai didn¡¯t want to owe him any favors. This did seem extremely reasonable. Right now, from Xie Huai¡¯s point of view, not only had Fang Li savagely destroyed Cinnabar Gate, he was also about to stir up a great war between the demonic and righteous sects. Seeing that the world was about to be plunged into chaos, he would have to make a resolution. Regardless of how this period of time had gone, their positions had already been decided¡ªin those final moments, they were fated to stand on opposite sides. The battle was inevitable. With Xie Huai¡¯s lofty pride, how could he accept that his enemy had been poisoned to save him on the eve of the great battle? This way, even if he won, it would be a dishonorable victory. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t do such a thing. Fang Li hadn¡¯t done this and that to him like Yan Sui had, so Xie Huai naturally wouldn¡¯t treat him like Yan Sui. There were no personal grudges between them, only the conflict of good and evil. That Xie Huai would make such a decision was within reason. First, clear all debts, then hold the decisive battle. It made complete sense. After all, that was precisely the kind of sincere and honorable person Xie Huai was! Fang Li felt a profuse respect in his heart. It was just too bad that it wasn¡¯t too convenient for him to see Xie Huai right now. Fang Li called in the demonic servant outside the door and said, ¡°When did Yuyi-jun return?¡± The servant said, ¡°Two shichen ago.¡± Fang Li said casually, ¡°He returned by himself?¡± The servant said, ¡°Yes, Yuyi-jun returned on his own.¡± Fang Li pondered to himself. Xie Huai had drawn out the poison, but hadn¡¯t fallen unconscious and had even been able to return on his own without revealing any irregularities to others¡­¡­ It looked like he¡¯d had some measure of certainty when he¡¯d done so, but just in case, the antidote still had to be prepared as soon as possible. He wouldn¡¯t allow Xie Huai to have a single mishap. Fang Li spoke again. ¡°Having Wu Yimei come see this lord.¡± The servant accepted the command and left. Wu Yimei arrived very soon after receiving the news. Seeing that Fang Li had finally woken up, he looked extremely excited and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Your Excellency¡­..¡± Fang Li¡¯s eyes softened. Wu Yimei was sure to have worried his heart out after he got poisoned. He said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± But Wu Yimei wasn¡¯t consoled, and his expression was heavy. The antidote that he¡¯d created could only temporarily suppress the poison. If the correct catalyst couldn¡¯t be found as soon as possible, sooner or later, His Excellency would still¡­¡­ Just then, he heard Fang Li say, ¡°Fetch the prismglow herb and create another portion of antidote.¡± Wu Yimei suddenly lifted his eyes, staring at Fang Li blankly. Fang Li smiled faintly, giving off the air of having everything in the palm of his hand, and said mildly, ¡°Is a mere Dreameater supposed to be able to confound this lord? Go ahead and do as this lord says.¡± A joyous surprise appeared in Wu Yimei¡¯s eyes. Although he didn¡¯t know how His Excellency knew the catalyst, His Excellency had always been full of schemes and plans, and Wu Yimei would never ask too many questions. He quickly said, ¡°Understood.¡± Saying so, he left in a hurry. A shichen later, Wu Yimei brought the antidote back. He respectfully presented the antidote to Fang Li, and Fang Li accepted it and casually put it to one side, turning back to Wu Yimei to ask about the situation outside. Fang Li said slowly, ¡°During the time that this lord has been unconscious, has anything happened in the outside world?¡± Wu Yimei said in a heavy voice, ¡°Because of Cinnabar Gate, right now, the hearts of the people across the world are anxious. More than a few cultivation sects have joined the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, and the influence of Heaven¡¯s Summit is like the sun in the sky. They might attack Hollow Ridge at any time.¡± Fang Li was extremely pleased when he heard this. Everything was going as planned. He hadn¡¯t eliminated Cinnabar Gate to the last like Yan Sui had done and had only killed Chong Wanshan and his trusted confidantes, letting the rest of the Cinnabar Gate disciples go as much as possible, but the Cinnabar Gate disciples fleeing for their lives sure wouldn¡¯t feel gratitude toward him for sparing their lives. Rumors were a terrifying thing. Tens of thousands of stray disciples left with no home to return to would spread word of the despair and terror he¡¯d brought upon them throughout the entire world. Although his methods had been different from Yan Sui¡¯s, the result he¡¯d obtained was the same¡­¡­ To the point that the effect might be even better than Yan Sui¡¯s. The ranks of the Thousand Immortal¡¯s Alliance must certainly be full to the brim. The plot was still on the right track. Fang Li revealed a mocking expression and said languidly, ¡°A flock of fools. Even if they join hands, so what?¡± Looking for all the world like he didn¡¯t hold any regard for the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. But Wu Yimei wasn¡¯t so relaxed. Du Meng had turned traitor and had probably already joined hands with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. Nowadays, the members of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance were united in heart and mind, whereas the people of Hollow Ridge were filled with anxiety. Those demonic cultivators only feared His Excellency¡¯s methods and had no choice but to submit to him, and it was unlikely they could be relied upon at the critical moment. Their circumstances actually weren¡¯t too good¡­¡­ If war really broke out, the ones to lose would probably be themselves¡­¡­ Just when Wu Yimei was hesitating over whether to persuade His Excellency to temporarily take shelter from the storm, he heard Fang Li speak again. Fang Li said blandly, ¡°Spread word of this lord¡¯s order. This lord wants all the righteous sects of the world to hand over their allegiance and come to Hollow Ridge to bow before this lord within ten days. Those who refuse to submit¡ªCinnabar Gate¡¯s ending will be theirs.¡± Wu Yimei looked at Fang Li with disbelief, the blood on his face draining away. Fang Li¡¯s eyes were gentle as he looked at him, but his tone of voice brooked no dissent. He said slowly, ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s fists clenched tight. He finally, understood what His Excellency meant¡­¡­ His Excellency was doing it on purpose. He wanted precisely to force the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance¡¯s hand. He wanted precisely to turn the whole world against him. But why did he have to do this? Wu Yimei¡¯s expression was confused and pained, and he looked at the person before his eyes in a daze. Ten years ago. It was this person who had picked him up out of that pile of corpses and taken him home. Time had flown by, and he had gone from an ant that anyone could trample underfoot to a great demonic cultivator whose name shook the earth. This person had given him the dignity and respect of being a human, and had also given him the trust and care that he¡¯d never once imagined he could wish for. Everything he had today had been given to him by this person. That this day and moment existed was enough for him in this life. So, if you want to die on Hollow Ridge, I¡¯ll accompany you to die on Hollow Ridge. Other than by your side, I have nowhere to go, anyways. Wu Yimei knelt deferentially and bowed, his hoarse voice sounding slowly. ¡°I will be sure to follow Your Excellency¡¯s command and spread the word.¡± Then, he turned decisively and left. Fang Li watched Wu Yimei¡¯s back as he went. Falling into a faint silence. Wu Yimei knew perfectly well what outcome his command would bring, but he was still marching forward bravely without looking back¡­¡­ So, you want to accompany me to die here? Just like in the original book. Fang Li lowered his eyes and sighed softly, his expression complicated. But, I won¡¯t allow you to die here. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai sat cross-legged, his eyes shut tight, his face occasionally tinged with an ashy purple, occasionally with a faint red, up until a whole three shichen passed, and Xie Huai suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He slowly opened his eyes and wiped away the trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. This poison truly was a bit thorny, but luckily, he had still been able to suppress it in the end. Had Fang Li awoken yet? Xie Huai inhaled deeply and immediately stood up. When his feet reached the ground, his body swayed faintly, and then he heard the demonic servant from outside say, ¡°Yuyi-jun, His Excellency has instructed me to send this tea brew to you.¡± His Excellency? Xie Huai¡¯s expression shifted. Fang Li had woken up? He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Come in.¡± The servant pushed open the door and entered, presenting the tea brew with both hands and saying respectfully, ¡°His Excellency said this was prepared especially for you. Please be sure to enjoy it while it¡¯s still hot.¡± Saying so, the servant stood there, actually intending to personally watch Xie Huai drink it. Xie Huai¡¯s expression was impassive. Without looking or asking any questions, he picked up the brew and drank it to the last drop. The servant took the empty bowl and smiled, saying, ¡°Please rest well.¡± Having said that, the servant left. Xie Huai lowered his eyes slightly. As soon as the brew entered his body, it flowed through like warm spring water, cleansing every corner of his body. The poison that he¡¯d finally been able to suppress without regard for damage to his cultivation immediately melted away like snow¡­¡­ It was the antidote. The real antidote. Xie Huai creased his brow with confusion. How had Fang Li known the real catalyst? And had he guessed that Xie Huai had drawn out the poison for him in such a short amount of time? True enough, he was that intelligent, like there was nothing in the world he didn¡¯t know¡­¡­ Only¡­¡­ What would he think? Would he understand Xie Huai¡¯s feelings because of this? When he thought up to here, nervousness arose in Xie Huai¡¯s heart for the first time. It was his first time so urgently wanting to see a person, yet wavering with indecision because he didn¡¯t know how to face him¡­¡­ After a long time, he took in a deep breath and pushed the door open to leave. Just when he was about to leave the courtyard, his gaze swept around. The courtyard was empty without a trace of life, and in an inconspicuous corner, two letters were stuck among some tree branches. They had been sent by Feng Yin. What was so urgent that he had to send the letters now? Xie Huai¡¯s footsteps paused, and his brow furrowed as he opened the letter. One of the letters had been written personally by his master. In the letter, his master explained that the world had been shaken because of Cinnabar Gate¡¯s destruction, and Cloudbank Keep had already entered the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. They were currently selecting a date to attack Hollow Ridge, and they wanted him to cooperate from the inside. They must eliminate this devil at all costs and return peace to the world. Xie Huai gripped the letter. If it had been before, he would certainly have agreed without the slightest hesitation, because this was the reason he had come here¡­¡­ But right now, at this moment, he only felt that it was ridiculous and absurd¡­¡­ Because, that devil was going to die from the start. What need is there for me to act? He¡¯s been waiting this whole time for you to come and kill him. Everything is exactly as he wants. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes dimmed, and he opened the second letter. This letter was written a bit sloppily, and the ink hadn¡¯t even dried yet. It had clearly been written in a hurry, and there was only one line of text on it: The demon lord just gave out the order, all sects are to submit within ten days, those who disobey will be killed without mercy. Xie Huai looked at this line of words¡­¡­ Intently, thoroughly, over and over again, as if to carve them into his eyes. A metallic taste suddenly arose in the back of his throat, the taste of blood filling his mouth. Xie Huai closed his eyes and let out a miserable laugh. As soon as this order went out, it would be the final straw for the righteous cultivation sects. They couldn¡¯t possibly submit, and right now, the ranks of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance were overflowing. They were sure to strike full force. Ten days. So that¡¯s how impatient you are? Even when dying, you have to set yourself a deadline? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li quickly received the demonic servant¡¯s report, saying that the servant had personally seen Yuyi-jun drink the brew, and he finally relaxed. Ten days. He could finally end things. He thought about how it had only been a few months since he¡¯d arrived in this world, but at this moment, it somehow felt like a lifetime ago. It turned out that he¡¯d already gone through so many things¡­¡­ Now, only the final step remained. Fang Li idled his time away, bringing his fishing pole to the mountains in the back to fish. Previously, when he had nothing to do, he liked to go to the seaside to fish. It calmed his heart and made time fly by. The seaside cliffs were located to the back of Hollow Ridge, and below was the dark, bottomless Fallen Star Sea. Powerful gales raged, and monstrous waves crashed against the sky. It was an extremely dangerous place, but even in such a fierce and dangerous location, there were still fish who could survive here. Only, these fish were extremely ferocious. In the past, Yan Sui liked to throw the people who disobeyed him in here to feed the fish. In just a few moments, a living person who fell in would be devoured until not even a scrap of bone remained. As soon as Yan Sui so much as spoke the words ¡°feed the fish,¡± plenty of people would be so terrified their legs would tremble. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but laugh and shook his head. He didn¡¯t have the hobby of feeding fish, but the fish here tasted pretty good, the flesh tender and flavorful, and he liked it very much. He sat there idly and contentedly. The wind on the cliff was a bit strong, violently stirring up his robes, when his eyes suddenly lit up. He¡¯d gotten a bite! Fang Li flung the fishing pole fiercely. A savage-looking black fish was sent flying over, and Fang Li nimbly caught the fish by the tail. The fish glared at Fang Li fiercely, opening its mouth of razor-sharp teeth, and snap¡ªFang Li slammed it into the ground, where its jaws crushed a piece of solid rock into bits. Having missed that vile person and instead getting a jawful of rock, the monstrous fish was infuriated into letting out wild howls, struggling without rest in Fang Li¡¯s grip to bite him again! Fang Li laughed cheerfully, his eyes sweeping up and down, pondering whether to steam it, or roast it, or fry it¡­¡­ When a figure in white slowly appeared at the shore. Xie Huai¡¯s robes billowed up from the wind. He stood there quietly, his dark, black eyes heavy, watching him without blinking. Although Xie Huai didn¡¯t say a word, Fang Li instinctively sensed that Xie Huai wasn¡¯t very happy right now. With a bit of a guilty conscience, he tossed the fish back into the sea with a flick of his hand. You¡¯re a lucky one, I¡¯ll let you off today. Then, he coughed lightly and gave Xie Huai a slight smile. ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s chest heaved faintly, his eyes fixed on the person before him. His eyes were complicated and gloomy. Inside them were emotions that Fang Li didn¡¯t understand. Fang Li was stared at by Xie Huai until his scalp began to tingle. It looked like Xie Huai already knew about his order. This was a naked intent to stir up a war between the righteous and demonic sects. Right now, Xie Huai must be at the peak of his anger and had definitely come to interrogate him. He suddenly didn¡¯t really want to face Xie Huai right now¡­¡­ Because other than deceiving him, he didn¡¯t know what he could say. And he didn¡¯t want to deceive him anymore. Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s evasive expression, a chill trickling through his chest. So you also knew that I wouldn¡¯t be happy¡­¡­ You know everything, yet you still intend on doing this. And what more can I ask you? Should I ask, if you really want to die this badly? That sentence lingered on the tip of Xie Huai¡¯s tongue, yet no matter what, he couldn¡¯t get it out. He no longer had any way to watch this person continue on like this. After a long time, Xie Huai slowly opened his mouth, saying in a low and hoarse voice, ¡°Let¡¯s leave this place, okay?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang ¡°Blockhead¡± Li: He wants to clear all debts with me. Xie Huai: ¡­¡­ Author: You can even come up with a reason for this? (Thumbs up) CH 39 March 8th, 2023 Fang Li¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, his mind going blank for a moment. What exactly did that sentence mean? He understood every single word, but when they were strung together, he didn¡¯t understand it anymore. If not for the fact that he knew very clearly his relationship with Xie Huai, just looking at Xie Huai¡¯s appearance right now, he would have thought that Xie Huai wanted to run off and elope with him¡­¡­ Fang Li was scared silly by his own terrifying thought and quickly shook the idea out of his mind. Impossible. Fang Li contemplated for a moment. He knew the reason now. It looked like Xie Huai had discovered the state of his body while drawing out the poison. With Xie Huai¡¯s intelligence, how could he not have guessed Fang Li¡¯s plans? So Xie Huai knew that he was arranging his own death. If he were really going to incite a great war between the righteous and demonic sects, plunging the world into disaster, then Xie Huai would certainly eliminate him without any hesitation for the greater good. But after knowing that Fang Li only wanted to die¡­¡­ his heart had instead softened. After all, that was just the type of kind and benevolent person that he was. He wouldn¡¯t kill someone who was unquestionably about to die. Even if that person was his enemy. Having Fang Li leave this place and even feeling sympathy and pity for him was also for the sake of avoiding the final battle and reducing casualties as much as possible¡­¡­ This was his compassion. Fang Li¡¯s expression was a bit complicated, a bit moved. At the beginning, when he¡¯d read the book, the author hadn¡¯t stinted on piling all of the good and beautiful phrases in the world onto this painstakingly crafted protagonist. At that time, Fang Li had thought that it was a bit overboard. How could such a perfect person exist in the world¡­¡­ but looking at it now, it truly was the case. This person should by nature be perfect and flawless. He had his standpoints that he would firmly hold to, and he also had forgiveness and compassion. Although it looked like he always had that cold and indifferent face on, in truth, he also had a very gentle side to his heart¡­¡­ He really was a very, very good person¡­¡­ It was no wonder that Yan Sui had fallen in love with him in the end. After Shixiong¡¯s death, in Yan Sui¡¯s heart, the only good and unsullied person in the world was also the only person in the world with the right to kill him. If he was fated to die, then dying by Xie Huai¡¯s hand was the best ending. Yan Sui had been charging to the top his entire life, never showing weakness in front of others. Even until his death, he never spoke one sentence of apology to Xie Huai, but he chose to use his life to clear Xie Huai¡¯s name for a lifetime. Fang Li had decided long ago to properly complete this last step in Yan Sui¡¯s place. And right now, having Yan Sui die in front of the world was the best and only way to pacify things and restore peace to the world. So he couldn¡¯t leave. Nor could he retreat. Fang Li smiled at Xie Huai and said mildly, ¡°Yuyi-jin is joking, where could we go?¡± After throwing out that sentence, he turned his eyes away and didn¡¯t look at Xie Huai any longer, leaving cleanly and swiftly. Xie Huai stood there, motionless. He looked into the direction Fang Li had left in, painfully closing his eyes. You want to restore peace, even willing to pay out your very life to atone for everything¡­¡­ But have you ever considered? This world still has people who care about you. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li returned to his living quarters. After a long time, he let out a gloomy sigh. All of his actions would change the plot to a certain degree. That was within his expectations. But that Xie Huai would discover that he was about to die and sympathize with him because of it truly exceeded his expectations¡­¡­ Luckily, the situation overall was still within control. Fang Li sat in the room alone. That night, Wu Yimei came to visit him. Fang Li pondered to himself for a bit, then said to Wu Yimei, ¡°Return the Snowblue Sword to Xie Huai.¡± The script was about to end. The great and mighty Yuyi-jun was going to eliminate this demon to protect the Dao in front of the entire world, and his name would soar to lofty heights. How could he not even have his sword? Wu Yimei¡¯s heart trembled. Then, he said respectfully, ¡°Understood.¡± Wu Yimei took the Snowblue Sword and went to Xie Huai¡¯s side palace, but didn¡¯t see Xie Huai. He made inquiries among the palace servants, finally finding Xie Huai at the seaside cliffs near the back of Hollow Ridge. The night sky was heavy and dense. Xie Huai stood there quietly, completely motionless for who knows how long, seemingly blending into the scenery. He saw that Wu Yimei had come, and his gaze fell onto the sword in Wu Yimei¡¯s hand, his expression painful and dim. Wu Yimei took in Xie Huai¡¯s appearance and frowned, a little puzzled, but he didn¡¯t really care about how Xie Huai was, He only held out the sword to Xie Huai, saying coldly, ¡°His Excellency had me give this to you.¡± Xie Huai lowered his eyes, staring at the sword in a daze. This was his lifebound sword. At the beginning, he had made his resolve to stake everything on this one toss of the dice. When he had arrived in front that person, he had handed over this sword that was bound to his heart and mind. At that time, he had never imagined that one day, he would gladly and willingly hand over his heart along with it. Now, you¡¯re returning this sword to me. So, you¡¯re fulfilling your promise and letting me go? Before, I didn¡¯t understand how you would let me go without releasing the love parasite. Now I know. So, you didn¡¯t lie. Because you really will set me free. After a long time. Just when Wu Yimei was getting a little impatient from waiting, Xie Huai finally slowly reached out his hands and accepted the Snowblue Sword. Wu Yimei looked at Xie Huai with displeasure. He had known from the start that Xie Huai would harm His Excellency. If not for Xie Huai, how could His Excellency have been poisoned and barely escaped with his life? Even at a time like this, what His Excellency cared about in the end was returning Xie Huai¡¯s sword. Maybe the person His Excellency cares about most in his heart is you¡­¡­ But the only one who can accompany him to die on Hollow Ridge in the end is me. Now, on the eve of war between the righteous and demonic sects, Xie Huai would inevitably stand on the side of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. His staying here would only increase His Excellency¡¯s heartache. When he thought of this, Wu Yimei looked at Xie Huai coldly and said, ¡°No matter what, during this period of time, His Excellency hasn¡¯t treated you poorly. If you have a heart, then leave.¡± A cold and sorrowful look suddenly appeared in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. He gripped his sword so tightly that the veins on his hand protruded¡­¡­ He said, word by word, in an extremely slow and restrained voice, ¡°Is this your intention, or his?¡± The look in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes made Wu Yimei shiver. He kept feeling like there was something wrong, but he couldn¡¯t say what¡­¡­ But if His Excellency didn¡¯t want Xie Huai to go, why would he return his sword? Wu Yimei said, ¡°This is His Excellency¡¯s intention.¡± Xie Huai suddenly laughed coldly, his eyes like daggers, every word spoken with deliberation. ¡°If this is his intention, then have him come and say it to me himself.¡± Wu Yimei frowned and gave a cold snort. ¡°His Excellency is very busy. He doesn¡¯t have time to look after you. Go off on your own.¡± Having said that, he left with a fling of his sleeves. Xie Huai¡¯s chest heaved up and down, the look in the depths of his pitch-black eyes like that of a trapped beast. His lifebound sword sensed his emotions and trembled faintly in his hand, letting out an uneasy, mournful cry. Xie Huai tightened his grip, and the spiritual sword immediately quieted. After a long time, the corner of his lip pulled in self-mocking. Back then, you were the one who made me come here. Now you want to send me away so easily? In, your, dreams. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ After returning the sword to Xie Huai, Wu Yimei went back to report to Fang Li. When he received word that Xie Huai had taken back the sword, Fang Li relaxed a little. The Snowblue Sword was Xie Huai¡¯s lifebound spirit sword. To a sword cultivator, their sword was as important as their life. When he had stolen Xie Huai¡¯s sword at the beginning, that had been a massive disgrace. Now that it was finally being returned to its owner, he hoped that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t hold too much of a grudge¡­¡­ But Fang Li immediately startled at that and laughed in spite of himself. He was about to leave, so why was he concerning himself with whether Xie Huai would hold a grudge or not? When Xie Huai¡¯s matters had been arranged, Fang Li began arranging matters at Hollow Ridge. Although he was already prepared to go to his death, there were still some affairs that needed to be put in order to reduce the amount of casualties as much as possible. According to the original plot, because Du Meng had turned traitor, more than a few demonic cultivators betrayed Yan Sui during the final battle. At the critical moment, they let the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance¡¯s people up the mountain, allowing the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance to charge straight in. Only Wu Yimei fought to the death to resist, finally dying on Hollow Ridge. After Wu Yimei¡¯s death, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance met with little resistance, quickly reaching the demonic palace. This time, Fang Li would find an opportunity to send Wu Yimei away ahead of time. Without Wu Yimei, the rest of the demonic cultivators would either turn traitor or scatter like a flock of startled birds. They wouldn¡¯t be able to start a battle with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, and neither side would suffer many deaths. As for everything else¡­¡­ Fang Li pondered to himself for a moment and said, ¡°This lord doesn¡¯t need to be attended upon by so many people. Remove the dancers, servants, and the people in the rear courtyard, so that they don¡¯t disturb this lord¡¯s mood.¡± Wu Yimei pressed his lips together, his eyes pained. In the end, he still said, ¡°Understood.¡± His Excellency was preparing to meet his death all alone? But if those people are going to leave, then let them leave. They didn¡¯t matter from the start. But I will definitely stay by your side. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The mission was about to be completed, so Fang Li was rather idle these days. Because everyone had been sent away, even the servants were gone. The demonic palace suddenly became much more cold and lonely. Fang Li thought it was very nice, very peaceful and suitable for sleeping. This body of his was like an arrow at the end of its flight, and after using the black jade talisman, it wasn¡¯t holding up too well anymore. Lately, he was craving sleep more and more. A moment of inattention would have him dozing off into unconsciousness, and it was also very difficult to wake up. Fang Li was afraid he would sleep past the big final battle, so he instructed the System over and over again to remember to wake him up when the time came. The System expressed, no problem. The weather today was quite nice, the sunlight just right. Fang Li didn¡¯t like the chill inside, so he personally lugged a reclining chair outside and sat in the courtyard to sunbathe. The soothing warmth setlled on him, and Fang Li quickly fell asleep. There was not a person to be seen in the silent demonic palace. Only the rustling of the wind softly brushing past leaves. The dappled sunlight draped over the stone path. A silhouette in white slowly walked over. Xie Huai lowered his eyes to look at the person before him. He was still wearing those thick and heavy black robes, the long sleeves dragging along the ground. His sickly pale white face was peaceful and content, and when he was asleep, his eyelashes cast shadows below his eyes, his expression gentle and lovely¡­¡­ He slept so soundly. Who would know that he was about to die? Xie Huai was a bit lost in a daze. The scene before his eyes seemed to become a little blurry. In the haze, it was like he had returned to that dream. In the dream, this person hadn¡¯t had much time left to live, his body ruined and his eyes blinded, but he had also treated it calmly like this, cheerfully facing his predetermined end¡­¡­ He was so calm. As if he wasn¡¯t facing death, but only concluding a dream, nothing more. Now, this person was going to once again die before his eyes. This time, for real. Xie Huai fiercely closed his eyes. After a long time, he slowly reached out his hand to cup this person¡¯s face, as gently as if he were holding a fragile piece of porcelain. You have made many mistakes. But I know that your compassion isn¡¯t gone, that you still have kindness in your heart, and the more you¡¯re like this, the more you¡¯re unable to face everything you¡¯ve done. You¡¯ve had your fill of torment, you don¡¯t want to suffer the pain of your innermost heart, you don¡¯t want to continue on anymore¡­¡­ Sometimes, living is more painful than dying. I can understand your choice. But since your revenge is complete, why not give yourself another chance? I definitely won¡¯t let that scene play out again. I won¡¯t let you so obstinately make the decision to leave all by yourself¡­¡­ Xie Huai took a deep breath. He suddenly lowered his head, and kissed this person¡¯s lips. Other than the time the love parasite had flared up, he had never done anything so improper again. He had once thought¡­¡­ he would never do so again in his whole life. To have uncontrollable feelings for a devil. But the truth was, he did, to the point that he was unwilling to stop. He savored the taste of his lips like this, reluctant to part. They were clear and cold and sweet, gentle and soft, completely unlike his violent outward appearance, taking over one¡¯s thoughts, impossible to forget, making one want to hold this person tightly, to make him stay by one¡¯s side¡­¡­ It made one want to warm his ice-cold body and tell him, you¡¯re not alone anymore, you¡¯re no longer all by yourself. The kiss was fierce and decisive. After a long time. Xie Huai finally lifted his head. Within his gloomy, bottomless eyes was the resolve to press forward and stake everything on this one shot. In the ancient Kunlun secret domain was the Nine-Petaled Lotus, which grew in red lotus hellfire, and it had the properties of restoration and rebirth. The place was arduous and filled with all kinds of dangers. In the past thousand years, not a single person had been able to retrieve it. But I will definitely retrieve it for you. So, you have to wait until I come back¡­¡­ Keep on living¡­¡­ I¡¯ll accompany you in spending the rest of our lives to atone. CH 40 March 12th, 2023 Fang Li slept until the middle of the night before finally stirring groggily. When he opened his eyes, he saw that it was already late. He had really slept too long. Luckily, there wasn¡¯t really anyone in the palace right now, or he might have even been killed without knowing it. This body was becoming more and more unable to endure hunger, and Fang Li was about to get a midnight snack to eat, but his lips seemed to hurt a little, and when he touched them, he actually found a tear¡­¡­ No way, was he already so hungry that he¡¯d started gnawing on himself? The system remained quiet as a mouse, wanting to speak, but stopping. Actually, when it had seen Xie Huai kiss the host, it had already been shocked silly and had crashed right on the spot. It could tell that because the host had changed the plot, Xie Huai didn¡¯t hate him or want to kill him as much anymore, to the point that he might even not dislike the host¡­¡­ But the system had never in a million years thought that Xie Huai would have those sorts of thoughts toward the host. Hadn¡¯t he hidden it a little too well?! How had Xie Huai started liking the host? When had he started liking him? You couldn¡¯t tell at all! When it thought about how the plot had collapsed into this state without anyone¡¯s knowledge, the System suddenly felt its heart turn to ash. It was over. The mission couldn¡¯t be completed anymore. This world was about to disappear. Maybe it was because its heart kept crumbling and crumbling¡­¡­ but the System slowly reached nirvana. If it were still back during the beginning of the plot, the System would have been sure to give the host a good nagging and tell him to properly follow the script¡­¡­ but at this point, what use would it be to say all of that? The plot was already impossible to recover! When it thought about how the script couldn¡¯t be completed, this world would disappear, and the host would disappear along with it¡­¡­ The System suddenly couldn¡¯t bear to tell the host what had happened. It still remembered clear as day the ruthless vigor with which the host had slit his own throat in that illusory dream. With things at this point, it would still be better to avoid telling him and upsetting him, right? Just let him go about in peace. It could be seen as a final act of care. Because all of the servants had been sent away. Fang Li groped his way to the kitchen by himself, overturning cabinets in search of food as he mumbled to himself, ¡°Since I was biting my lips, it probably means I¡¯m craving meat. I should find something with meat to eat. The System¡¯s heart was full of pity and sympathy. It zipped its mouth shut, pretending to be mute. Luckily, although the demonic palace was empty of people, it was stocked with plenty of luxurious delicacies. Even though he was doing the preparations himself, Fang Li had more than enough to enjoy. When he was full, he went back to sleep again. Fang Li didn¡¯t wake up until late the next morning, then called Wu Yimei over. Wu Yimei still had that respectful appearance. ¡°Your Excellency, what orders do you have?¡± Fang Li pondered to himself for a moment. He was about to die, and all the unimportant people had also been taken care of now. Now, only Wu Yimei was left. He slowly opened his mouth.¡±There is a matter that this lord would have you take care of. This lord can only trust you.¡± Wu Yimei immediately said, ¡°Your Excellency, please give the order.¡± Fang Li said, ¡°This lord already knows where Du Meng is. He¡¯s at the Qing clan¡¯s Returning Spring Valley. Capture him and bring him back.¡± Having said that, he waved his hand, and a little black pagoda appeared in his palm. This was his spiritual device, the Soul-Refining Tower. ¡°Du Meng¡¯s cultivation is too profound to measure. You likely won¡¯t be a match for him. Bring this lord¡¯s Soul-Refining Tower, so that even if you aren¡¯t able to capture him, you can still defend yourself,¡± Fang Li said. Wu Yimei¡¯s expression suddenly changed. His dark red eyes seemed to be dripping with blood. For the first time, he didn¡¯t accept the command right away, but instead said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You want me to leave right now?¡± The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance could attack at any time, and Returning Spring Valley was far, far away. With the trip there and back, regardless of whether or not he captured Du Meng, he couldn¡¯t possibly make it back within ten days. Moreover, the Soul-Refining Tower was one of His Excellency¡¯s most important spiritual devices, as important as his lifebound weapon, the black stone halberd. At a critical time like this, he was actually giving the life-preserving card up his sleeve to him¡­¡­ His Excellency was driving him away. He was going to stay here alone to meet death. Wu Yimei knelt down, his forehead knocking against the ground, as he said word by word, ¡°You are more in need of people by your side right now. This subordinate can capture Du Meng in the future¡­¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s voice became cold, ¡°Are you defying this lord¡¯s command?¡± Wu Yimei remained completely still, looking at Fang Li imploringly. ¡°Please allow this subordinate to stay.¡± But Fang Li remained unmoved, his expression increasingly frigid. His voice was cool as he said, ¡°It looks like this lord really is no good anymore. Even you dare to defy this lord.¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡­¡­¡± I only, want to stay here and accompany you by your side. Fang Li leaned over teasingly and fixed his eyes on Wu Yimei, laughing softly. ¡°What kind of expression is that? Do you think this lord is about to die? Do you think so little of this lord?¡± Wu Yimei looked at Fang Li with grief, his expression full of pain and despair. Why do you have to drive me away? I¡¯ve followed you for so many years. I only want to follow you to the end. Is even such a tiny, tiny wish no good? Fang Li looked at Wu Yimei¡¯s expression, his heart a bit unable to bear it. But he couldn¡¯t let Wu Yimei stay. He toughened his heart and turned, saying in a frosty voice, ¡°Leave. If you don¡¯t leave, then don¡¯t ever appear before this lord again. This lord doesn¡¯t need any subordinates who would defy this lord¡¯s commands.¡± Wu Yimei looked at Fang Li¡¯s cold, decisive back, his heart feeling like it¡¯d been soaked in ice. He knew this person was telling the truth¡­¡­ His Excellency never needed anyone who would go against him. In all these years, he had stepped over mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and everyone who had defied him had become a vengeful ghost under his throne¡­¡­ If Wu Yimei defied his order, he didn¡¯t even need to die. It was only that they would never meet again. That was also this person¡¯s mercy. But if he followed the order, perhaps¡­¡­ he would never see this person again. For a while, he didn¡¯t know exactly which choice held more despair. Just then, Wu Yimei heard the person before him open his mouth to say mildly, ¡°Do you believe in this lord?¡± Wu Yimei lifted his eyes in a daze. Fang Li said, ¡°If you leave today, perhaps there will be a day we can meet again. If you don¡¯t leave, then there won¡¯t be.¡± When Fang Li spoke this sentence, his tone was extremely calm, yet it held a certainty that couldn¡¯t be doubted. Just like every time before, every sentence that this person spoke held the weight of a mountain, and Wu Yimei had never doubted a single one of his decisions before. But this time, Wu Yimei didn¡¯t dare believe him. His face was ghastly pale, and he said blankly, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true¡­¡­¡± Fang Li smiled. ¡°When has this lord ever deceived you?¡± He paused, then said slowly, ¡°If you live, then we¡¯ll meet again.¡± Wu Yimei fixed his eyes on him. His dark red eyes seemed to be steeped in blood. On their entire road together, this person had never deceived him¡­¡­ So, this time, you wouldn¡¯t lie to me either, right? The room was completely silent. There were only two people, one standing, one kneeling. After who knows how long. Finally, Wu Yimei stood up slowly, and the Soul-Refining Tower flew into his arms. He gave Fang Li a fond look, full of reluctance to part¡­¡­ I will definitely return. I will definitely see you again. That¡¯s what you promised me. Fang Li heard footsteps behind him leaving. Only when he was sure that Wu Yimei was far away did he turn around again, his expression complicated. It wasn¡¯t really deceiving him. If we both live this time, maybe there will be a day where we meet again¡­¡­ So, you must live on properly. The System looked on silently, finding it difficult to bear. If this world disappears, then what meaning is there to everything you¡¯re doing right now? The System couldn¡¯t resist tactfully reminding the host. ¡¾System: Actually, you don¡¯t need to be like this. If the mission isn¡¯t completed, even if you send him away, he won¡¯t be able to stay¡­¡­¡¿ Everything in this world would disappear. Fang Li didn¡¯t like to hear such disheartening words. He¡¯d been working so hard for so long, so how could the mission possibly fail? Fang Li said, ¡°I think it can be completed.¡± ¡¾The System said again tactfully: I think Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly be willing to kill you.¡¿ Hearing that, Fang Li fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions before the moment has arrived.¡± The System thought, is this jumping to conclusions? I have an omniscient viewpoint! If Xie Huai is willing to kill you, I¡¯ll call you Daddy from now on. But Fang Li had on the airs of someone with cards up his sleeve. He said mildly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is already in place, just waiting for the push to set things in motion. The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance will quickly attack. As long as Xie Huai is present, I have a way to complete the script.¡± ¡¾System: Ha ha.¡¿ It truly didn¡¯t know where the host¡¯s confidence came from. Even if you don¡¯t know that Xie Huai likes you, you should be able to tell that he doesn¡¯t hold any killing intent toward you, right? It was all because I got hoodwinked by you at the very beginning that I fell for you saying this or that was about the same¡­¡­ Now the plot has collapsed into this state. Is this the ¡°about the same¡± you were talking about back then? Tired, I don¡¯t want to talk anymore. Fang Li saw that the System wasn¡¯t speaking anymore and also delighted in the peace. Speaking of which, it¡¯d been a few days since he¡¯d seen Xie Huai. After all, Xie Huai was the protagonist of this book, and he was an important VIP of the final plot. Fang Li decided to go visit Xie Huai and see what was going on¡­¡­ But when he went to the side palace to look, Xie Huai wasn¡¯t in his room. Where had Xie Huai gone? Fang Li walked through the entire demonic palace and still didn¡¯t find Xie Huai. Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He¡¯d talked too big just now. Although all of his machinations were in place in all other matters, the only thing he hadn¡¯t expected was that Xie Huai would run! No way¡­¡­ This didn¡¯t match up with Xie Huai¡¯s style of doing things¡­¡­ Did he seem like the kind of person who would flee just before the battle?! But right now, the truth was¡­¡­ Xie Huai wasn¡¯t here. It couldn¡¯t be that he¡¯d gone too overboard previously and had really angered Xie Huai into leaving? If the protagonist wasn¡¯t present, no matter how many plans he made, the most clever housewife in the world couldn¡¯t cook without ingredients! Fang Li¡¯s confidence immediately crumbled a little, but he had just made a pledge in front of the System, saying that he could complete the mission. He couldn¡¯t go and slap his own face now¡­¡­ After a long time, Fang Li coughed lightly and said casually, ¡°That, if Xie Huai isn¡¯t here when the time comes, and I die at the hands of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, that also counts as completing the mission, right? Look, after all, I¡¯ve already made it to this step and completed ninety-nine percent. It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal if I¡¯m only missing one percent, right?¡± ¡¾The System¡¯s voice was stupefied: You¡¯re saying Xie Huai is that one percent?¡¿ Cutting some other parts of the script was one thing, but this related to the future development of the world, the final ending that would determine the track of the protagonist¡¯s destiny! You think it won¡¯t be a problem if the protagonist isn¡¯t here? This world is already about to collapse, okay?! Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Fang Li said heavily, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, maybe he only went back to his sect temporarily, and he¡¯ll arrive along with the rest of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance when the time comes. It would save some effort.¡± ¡¾System: Hah¡­¡­¡¿ If not for the fact that the host was about to disappear, it would have definitely roasted him a few times. Do you even believe your own words? Fang Li¡¯s hands were behind his back, his footsteps heavy as he returned to his residential palace. Three days passed. Fang Li sat at the entrance of his residential palace day after day, almost like a watchdog. Even eating and sleeping lost their flavor¡­¡­ He¡¯d gone to such painstaking efforts to bring the plot up to this point, and he was only missing the last tiny bit, yet the protagonist had turned in his resignation letter and decided not to do it anymore? Was that something a human would do? I even thought of you as a brother, yet you¡¯ve left me behind and run off on your own? Fang Li was very angry. But after getting angry, he was completely helpless. In the end, he couldn¡¯t blame Xie Huai. Who told him to keep changing the plot? The human heart couldn¡¯t be controlled. It was his mistake. So this time, he wasn¡¯t sure either¡­¡­ He wasn¡¯t sure whether Xie Huai would return. Fang Li let out a low laugh in self-ridicule. In the blink of an eye, another three days passed. Fang Li was too lazy to sit by the palace door anymore and decided he might as well leave everything to fate. Every day, he stayed at the seaside cliff behind the mountains, fishing to practice his patience! Besides, this was a great place for a decisive battle, very in line with the style of the demon lord. In the original book, this was precisely where Yan Sui had met his death. There wasn¡¯t much time left anyways, and he didn¡¯t want to bother moving, so he might as well stay here. He sat on a rock, the black stone halberd stuck into the rock by his side. His robes billowed up in the cold wind, rustling fiercely, the atmosphere perfectly solemn and grave. Look, I¡¯ve prepared everything, so how come you haven¡¯t come yet? The System accompanied the host silently the whole time. Although it had had some disagreements with the host in the past, after a long and bumpy road together, on the eve of their separation, it also felt a little emotional. When a person died, it was like extinguishing a light, and they wouldn¡¯t know anything after that. The System decided to say something pleasant to hear. ¡¾System: Relax, if the mission isn¡¯t completed, then forget it. If it does get completed, I¡¯ll definitely pick a good body for you.¡¿ Normally speaking, the hosts would care very much about their bodies after they died, and before their deaths, they would double-check over and over again before feeling at ease. Some hosts would even have requests for their new bodies regarding age, gender, appearance, talent, and so on¡­¡­ ¡¾System: Do you have any requests for your new body? As long as it¡¯s not anything overboard, I can fulfill them.¡¿ Fang Li said, ¡°Male.¡± ¡¾System: ¡­¡­ That¡¯s it?¡¿ Fang Li opened an eye lazily and made a noise of confirmation. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest up to you.¡± ¡¾System: ¡­¡­¡¿ The System was suddenly a little bewildered. Had the host already given up, so he didn¡¯t even care about this anymore? It couldn¡¯t help but recall the first time it had met the host. The host had had this very same appearance of being indifferent to everything. At the time, it had been very worried that the host wasn¡¯t willing to properly follow the script and would nag from time to time. After that¡­¡­ starting from who knows when, the host had started to seriously and earnestly complete the mission, and it had gradually stopped speaking. I thought you had changed. Had it only been my mistake? But if you didn¡¯t care, then what need was there to go to such lengths? Actually, you could have collapsed the plot whenever you wanted. Seeing that the host had stopped talking, the System also fell silent. It didn¡¯t know what else it could say. Fang Li sat on the boulder beside the seaside cliff, his eyes lowered, his fingertips fiddling inattentively with a white stone talisman. It was precisely the lover¡¯s talisman that he and Xie Huai had bought for three stones at Baihua province. After leaving the dream, he¡¯d kept it on his person the whole time in order to disgust Xie Huai. Looking at things now, it hadn¡¯t had much effect¡­¡­ He recalled the path he¡¯d walked with Xie Huai. Although their standpoints were different, they¡¯d unexpectedly walked it quite smoothly. As expected, Xie Huai was just like he¡¯d imagined in the beginning, a very good colleague and collaboration partner. They could also count as friends forged through crisis, right? When Fang Li thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The sound of weapons and fighting drifted over from far below the mountain. The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance had charged over so quickly, huh¡­¡­ There wasn¡¯t even someone to report the news¡­¡­ In the end, aside from Wu Yimei, Yan Sui was still alone without any family or friends¡­¡­ Perhaps Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t come. Fair enough. There was no need at all for him to kill a devil who was already seeking his own death. How could Xie Huai do such an unnecessary and dishonorable thing? So it was understandable that he would leave now. Fang Li let out a soft sigh. He stood up slowly. Just then. He saw a white silhouette approach from afar, appearing before his eyes. Fang Li¡¯s eyes slowly widened, looking out in disbelief. Xie Huai had actually come back. He had never awaited a person with so much eagerness as right now. Fang Li¡¯s hands trembled slightly. It looked like he hadn¡¯t actually been as calm as he¡¯d appeared on the surface¡­¡­ But following Xie Huai¡¯s approach, Fang Li¡¯s brow suddenly creased. Xie Huai held his sword in one hand, and his white robes were splattered with blood, as well as traces of burn marks. He looked to be in a very tragic state¡­¡­ Even when being besieged at Cloudbank Keep, he hadn¡¯t looked nearly as tragic as right now. Just where had Xie Huai gone, what had he been doing? How had he gotten himself into such a state? Fang Li¡¯s lips moved, wanting to ask, but when the words reached the tip of his tongue, he ended up swallowing them back down. In the end, Fang Li only said softly, ¡°You came back.¡± Xie Huai looked at the person before him, his eyes blazing hot. Thank goodness, you¡¯re still here. Thank goodness, I made it in time. I¡¯ve already retrieved the Nine-Petaled Lotus. You won¡¯t die. Seeing that the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance was about to charge over here, the most important thing right now was to leave this place. Xie Huai said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I have something to say to you. Let¡¯s leave first.¡± But Fang Li stood there without moving. He laughed softly. ¡°Do you know what the world will say about you if you leave with me today?¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression sank, his lips pressed firmly together. Of course he knew, but he didn¡¯t care what the world said. He only wanted this person to be safe and sound. Even if the road before them was full of thorns, he would still walk it by his side¡­¡­ Fang Li looked at Xie Huai¡¯s appearance right now and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit touched. His actions had ended up changing many things after all. Some were within his expectations, and some were not. What he hadn¡¯t expected was that Xie Huai would be willing to go this far for him¡­¡­ Why? Do you also think of me as a friend? Or is it because your heart is full of pity, pity for someone like me facing certain death, and you¡¯re unwilling to see me die here? Fang Li let out a low laugh. But right now, the reason wasn¡¯t important anymore. I can¡¯t leave with you. If I leave with you today, it would serve as proof for the rumors outside. Afterwards, everyone would say that Yuyi-jun fell gladly and willingly onto the demonic path and sank into depravity with the devil. And no matter what Xie Huai said, from then on, all of the world would curse and revile him. As soon as one stepped onto that path, there would be no turning back. Fang Li absolutely wouldn¡¯t permit something like that to happen, he couldn¡¯t allow Xie Huai to become the next Yan Sui. It was enough for Yan Sui alone to suffer a thousand torments with no hope for reprieve. Xie Huai should by nature be noble and honorable, the pride of the heavens looked up to and admired by the whole world, not a devil who could only live in darkness for the rest of his life, forever sinking into an endless hell. Not even Yan Sui could bear to let Xie Huai fall to such a state. In the end, he¡¯d chosen to use his life to fulfill Xie Huai. So how could Fang Li be willing to bear it? Do you know? I¡¯ve never regretted changing the script. I¡¯m very thankful that none of those dark and painful things happened to you at all. And as soon as today is over, everything will return to its proper path. You¡¯ll still be the Yuyi-jun revered by the whole world. And I will be just another devil cut down by Yuyi-jun¡¯s blade, nothing more. Dark clouds roiled in the sky above the Fallen Star Sea, the sound of thunder booming. The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance was already storming over, the four great sects marching shoulder to shoulder, bloodstained banners billowing. Fang Li narrowed his eyes, sweeping over those angry, terrified, hateful faces¡­¡­ Fang Li gave a smile to Xie Huai. With things at this point, he could finally say something from the heart. He softly raised the corners of his lips, a faint smile in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that I had you by my side to keep me company these days.¡± To him, this world was strange and unfamiliar and icy-cold. But the person by his side was boiling hot and full of life. He was so vivid, so real, so perfect, that Fang Li hadn¡¯t felt a single bit of boredom or loneliness in this strange and unfamiliar world. He didn¡¯t know from what time it was that he had started seriously completing the mission and following the script¡­¡­ Fang Li looked at Xie Huai. Because you made me feel that this world was worth existing. So, in order to allow you and this world to keep existing, no matter what¡­¡­ I have to complete the mission. Nobody will disappear. Xie Huai looked at Fang Li¡¯s expression, and for some reason, a powerful unease suddenly arose in his heart. The sound of yelling and fighting behind him was just within reach, there was no time¡­¡­ No matter what else you have to say, we can talk after we leave first. Xie Hua¡¯s face set, and he reached out to pull Fang Li away¡ª That was what he had thought¡ª But the hand that stretched out was his right hand that was holding his sword, and his blade pierced right through the chest of the person before him. Xie Huai stared blankly at his own hand. This, was this really his hand? Why was it like this? He had clearly¡­¡­ only wanted to pull that person away, to take him away from here¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s body was shaking. He wanted to pull his hand away, but he couldn¡¯t move his hand. He wanted to speak, but he couldn¡¯t open his mouth. He was just like a wooden puppet, trapped inside a shell of a body. Fresh blood soaked through Fang Li¡¯s black robes, but the person before him revealed a crafty, delighted smile. On that pale, white face was the delighted look that he was familiar with. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were about to split open. The love, parasite. This was the trump card Fang Li had left for himself. Fang Li had planted the love parasite but had never used it to control Xie Huai precisely because he didn¡¯t want Xie Huai to be vigilant of it, because someone like Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t give someone a second opportunity to control him. So¡­¡­ there was only one chance. He had to be taken by surprise. Xie Huai stood there completely motionless. Only his eyes were suffused with red, as savage as a ghoul¡¯s. Inside his body, every single strand of his meridians was screaming with pain, every vein in his body trembling and threatening to tear. Fresh blood trickled down from the corners of his eyes¡­¡­ Fang Li knew that Xie Huai was about to free himself from his control¡­¡­ He gave Xie Huai an apologetic look. From now on, you¡¯ll still be that noble and honorable Yuyi-jun who has devoted your life to slaying demons and protecting the Dao. Being able to die by your hand was Yan Sui¡¯s good fortune, as well as my good fortune. I¡¯m fulfilling you by clearing your name for a lifetime, and you¡¯re fulfilling my death in its proper place. But I don¡¯t wish for Yan Sui¡¯s body to be trampled on and humiliated after my death, so I can only say goodbye to you here. Fang Li took a step backwards. The sword slid out of his chest. His body toppled downwards, the strong winds sending his robes billowing upwards. Fang Li raised his head and gave Xie Huai a smile. I¡¯m very happy to have met you. Good-bye. CH 41 March 17th, 2023 Fang Li¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, his eyelashes trembling without pause. He seemed to be trapped in a dream. Disjointed memory fragments poured continuously into his consciousness, those memories flashing past like carousel lights. Rather than calling them memories, they were more like pictures and scenes¡­¡­ After around a quarter of an hour. Fang Li¡¯s furrowed brows slowly smoothed out, and he opened his eyes. It looked like the mission had been a success. He propped himself up into a sitting position on the bed and looked around him. Below him was a huge mahogany bed, and before him was a folding screen decorated with mountains and rivers. In the incense burner beside his bed, a soothing scent billowed out¡­¡­ He reached out his hands to take a look. It was a pair of thin and slender hands, a little sickly in pallor. It looked like this body wasn¡¯t in very good shape. Fang Li sunk into contemplation, putting together those unconscious memory fragments. His new body seemed to be a fool¡­¡­ Just what kind of body had the System picked for him? It wouldn¡¯t be both foolish and sickly, would it? Fang Li closed his eyes and retrieved the memories in his consciousness to analyze them and quickly figured out what was going on. His current body was originally the young master of a wealthy family. Because he liked to play around as a child, he accidentally fell into a mountain cave. Who would have known he¡¯d have such bad luck¡­¡­ No, it should be said that his luck had been overly good. That mountain cave just happened to have produced a ten thousand year old jade of distilled mountain essence. If a cultivator had obtained such a treasure, it would be perfect beyond measure for assisting their cultivation, but if a mortal with absolutely no exposure to cultivation obtained it, they would have no way to absorb and assimilate such strong spiritual energy, and it would only break out and kill them. Luckily, this child¡¯s meridians were naturally unique. He had the extremely rare and hidden Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique. On the surface, the Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique couldn¡¯t be discerned and was difficult to detect, but it made one¡¯s meridians much stronger than the average person, and one could naturally hold much more spiritual energy than a normal person. That was the only reason he hadn¡¯t died immediately upon absorbing the ten thousand year mountain jade. An absolute prodigy with the Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique who had unexpectedly stumbled upon a ten thousand year mountain jade¡ªthis should have the script of an OP protagonist obtaining a cheat code, rising above the masses from the very start. Alas¡ªhe had only been a six-year-old child with absolutely no cultivation and a still immature consciousness. His soul was far too weak, and the colossal spiritual energy surged through his body in a split second. Although it didn¡¯t immediately burst apart his body and kill him, it did smash apart his soul, causing him to develop a grave illness after returning. When he woke up again, he had become a fool. For over ten years, he had been muddle-headed and confused. The spiritual energy of the ten thousand year old mountain jade remained in his body, and because it had still not been absorbed, he was hanging on on purely through the might of the Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique. These years, it had been slowly and steadily consuming his body¡¯s strength, which was why he looked so weak and sickly. If things went on like this, he would die sooner or later. Before Fang Li had entered this body, the last trace of his soul had just happened to disappear, and this body had become a hollow shell. The System had probably gone through careful deliberation when picking this body for him. When he had arrived in this world, he had descended directly into Yan Sui¡¯s body and inherited everything of Yan Sui¡¯s. After death, he retained a part of the strength of his consciousness. Right now, he still possessed the powerful consciousness of a peak-level Soul Formation cultivator, which could be considered his reward for completing the mission. He possessed such a powerful consciousness, and he was proficient in cultivation techniques. Absorbing the ten thousand year mountain jade¡¯s energy in his body was only a matter of time, and he even had the Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique, which would double the returns of his cultivation. Given some time, he would certainly be able to return to the peak of Soul Formation, and his potential was limitless. The System truly had fulfilled its promise. As long as the mission was complete, it would pick the most suitable body for him. With this body, he could possess enough power to keep himself safe in this world, living free and unrestrained and never having to worry about those things for a lifetime. Being a leisurely wealthy young master idling his days away was also pretty good. The System did have a heart. When he thought about how the mission was complete and the System wasn¡¯t around anymore, he actually felt a little nostalgic. But now this world should be able to proceed on its own, right? Fang Li stood up lazily. He pushed the door open and went outside. Outside, there were two servant girls in the courtyard, eating seeds and chatting in the forest shade. When they saw Fang Li come outside, they smiled and stood up, saying to Fang Li, ¡°Young master, are you hungry?¡± Although Young Master Fang was silly and foolish with the IQ of a three-year-old child, the Fang couple thought it had been their carelessness back then that had allowed their child to have an accident. These years, out of guilt, they treated him as the apple of their eye and didn¡¯t neglect him because of his affliction, so the servants of the house didn¡¯t treat him poorly, either. In the past, if he was hungry, he would come outside on his own, which was why the servants attending him would ask such a question. Young Master Fang couldn¡¯t understand anything else, but he just happened to understand the word ¡°hungry.¡± Fang Li nodded. He really was a bit hungry. This body didn¡¯t know any cultivation techniques and had endured the spiritual energy that it was unable to absorb for many years. It expended a considerable amount of energy, and it got hungry very quickly. The servant girl immediately smiled and said, ¡°Please wait a moment, young master, I¡¯ll go prepare something to eat right away. If you¡¯re bored, have Huang Tao play with you.¡± Huang Tao was a young servant girl wearing a goose-yellow garment and skirt. She scooted over, smiling cheerfully, and said, ¡°Young master, what do you want to play? Why don¡¯t we throw stones?¡± Fang Li¡¯s eyes curved, and he said, ¡°Mn.¡± He crouched down and started throwing stones with the young servant girl. Say what you will, but without using spiritual power and only using normal tricks, he almost lost to the young servant girl. The warm and cozy sunlight fell upon him, and the laughter of the servant girl rang through the courtyard. A slight breeze gently brushed past him, everything beautiful and serene, yet so vivid. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but half-close his eyes. He¡¯d just known that this world must be very good. Not long after, the servant girl who had left earlier returned with a box of food. Inside the box was an array of exquisite dishes. Although they were all the home-cooked cuisine of mortals, it only took Fang Li a single glance for his appetite to rise, and he sat down in the sunlight to eat with satisfaction. It wasn¡¯t too long before he was full, and Fang Li stretched lazily, allowing the servant girl to wipe his mouth for him and tidy his disheveled clothes. Then, he got up and headed outside. He had just woken up, and he didn¡¯t know what had happened after the battle that day, or whether Xie Huai had become the famous number one in the world just like in the original¡­¡­ There were many things he was curious about, but as a fool, it wasn¡¯t convenient for him to ask directly, in case he scared someone. If he went out and wandered around, perhaps he would find out. The servant girl thought he only wanted to wander about aimlessly like in the past. The members of the family also had experience, so nobody stopped him, only following him out the door. Hualin Town was only so big, anyways. The Fang family was the richest in town, and everybody recognized Young Master Fang, so even if he went outside, nothing much could happen to him. Fang Li followed his memories as he headed outside and arrived on the streets of Hualin Town. This was a flourishing little town, and people bustled here and there along the streets with extreme liveliness. Fang Li remembered there was a teahouse in the town, which was a place where news spread like wildfire. As expected, after walking for not too long, he saw where the teahouse was. Inside, people sat in little groups. Fang Li had on a set of sky blue brocade robes, a jade pendant at his waist. He strolled in leisurely and looked around, finding a seat and sitting down. The servant girl behind him had plenty of experience and took out some silver to give to the waiter, saying with a smile, ¡°Give our young master a pot of your best mountain green tea.¡± The waiter agreed with a cheerful smile. The Fang family had nothing if not money. No matter what it was, they wanted the very best. The waiter couldn¡¯t help but take another glance at Fang Li. Everyone in Hualin Town knew that when he was young, Eldest Young Master Fang had gotten into an accident and was now a fool. Sooner or later, that Fang family business would be inherited by the second young miss, so reasonably speaking, a fool definitely wouldn¡¯t have a good life¡­¡­ But the Fang family husband and wife treated their son like the apple of their eye, and the talented and capable second young miss also watched over him like a mother hen, not allowing anyone to bully her older brother. So even if he was a fool, he could still live leisurely and abundantly for a lifetime. Living sober and clear-headed but having to labor about for a lifetime wasn¡¯t even as good as being a carefree, worry-free fool. Besides, although Eldest Young Master Fang was a fool, he really was very good-looking. Even after being entangled in prolonged illness, and looking a little sickly and pale, his features were extremely exquisite, and he was always peaceful and quiet and never made a fuss. He liked to smile at people for no reason, and his smile was pure and clean, making it impossible to dislike him. He really was the town¡¯s lucky charm! Fang Li sat idly in the teahouse, his fingertips fiddling with his teacup. The servant girl next to him was peeling peanuts for him. The storyteller in front spoke in a clear, resonant voice. He was telling the story of Yuyi-jun killing the devil. ¡°It¡¯s said that nine years ago, Yuyi-jun killed the devil with a single strike of his sword, that one strike like swans covering the sun, giving that devil no chance to strike back. All of the demonic cultivators on Hollow Ridge were suppressed, and seeing the devil die, they immediately scattered like startled birds¡­¡­¡± Fang Li was a little startled. Nine years? So much time had already passed. Just what had the System been doing, taking so long to pick out a body for him? If not for the fact that the System was already gone, Fang Li would definitely have asked. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t too important of an issue. He concentrated on continuing to listen. ¡°When the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance charged into Hollow Ridge, they just happened to see the scene of Yuyi-jun killing the devil. It¡¯s said that that day, Yuyi-jun¡¯s eyes were red as he struck the killing blow. One can see just how much he hated that devil. After killing the devil, he also collapsed to the ground, his meridians thoroughly broken and his strength exhausted. It¡¯s rumored that after returning, he was unconscious for a whole month before waking up!¡± The people below asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit exaggerated? Old Zhou, even if you¡¯re telling stories, you still have to follow logic a little, okay? If all the meridians in his body were broken, how could he still be so powerful today? Killing until Du Meng is too scared to even show his face?¡± The storyteller gave a glare. ¡°How is it exaggerated, this is the insider story from Cloudbank Keep! I had to go to all sorts of trouble to find out about it. It¡¯s said that after Cloudbank Keep rescued Yuyi-jun, they almost thought Yuyi-jun would be ruined forever, but not in a million years did they think that Yuyi-jun is Yuyi-jun after all. He could still stand back up after that and even go further. His title of number one in the world isn¡¯t for nothing!¡± Fang Li furrowed his brow, his lips pressed tightly together. Other people might not believe this story, but back then, he¡¯d seen with his own eyes Xie Huai¡¯s savage appearance, so he actually did believe it¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t thought that Xie Huai would go so far to free himself from his control. In the end, he had still hurt Xie Huai. Unease and guilt immediately filled his heart. After a long time, he let out a light sigh. Luckily, just like in the original book, not only had Xie Huai restored his cultivation, he had even become number one in the world¡­¡­ He was still that Yuyi-jun looked up to by the whole world, while Fang Li was no more than a foolish young master living out his days in ignorance. In the future, they would have nothing to do with each other. Surely, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t go so far as to seek him out to take revenge. The storyteller paused first, then said fervently, ¡°After successfully regaining his cultivation, the first thing Yuyi-jun did was to chase after Du Meng to take his head! Tsk, tsk, tsk, Yuyi-jun really does hold all the living things of the world in his heart, the light of the righteous sects who takes slaying demons to protect the Dao as his personal duty. He had just suffered serious injury for the sake of killing the demon lord, but without even waiting to fully recover, he went off to chase after the remaining fiends from Hollow Ridge, swearing to eliminate all the evil and demons in the world. Such fearlessness and self-sacrifice, a role model to us all!¡± ¡°Back in the day, Du Meng was also a devil second only to Yan Sui. Who would¡¯ve known that not only was Du Meng not a match for Yuyi-jun, he was even cornered into scampering around like a rat. If not for the fact that he¡¯s quick to flee for his life, he would probably have long died under Yuyi-jun¡¯s sword! In the past nine years, forget returning to his Zenith Sky Creed, Du Meng doesn¡¯t even dare to show his face anymore. Who knows what corner of which mountain he¡¯s hiding in!¡± Fang Li cheered with the crowd. Well said. But what surprised Fang Li a little was that Du Meng actually hadn¡¯t gone to harass Xie Huai? In the original book, Du Meng had been killed because he¡¯d been harassing Xie Huai without rest¡­¡­ How come listening to today¡¯s story, it sounded like Du Meng hadn¡¯t gone to look for Xie Huai at all, but rather, Xie Huai was actively pursuing him? Who would¡¯ve thought that Du Meng would encounter a stroke of luck in his misfortune. Although he was being chased into fleeing for his life, he had instead managed to save his life¡­¡­ Fang Li sank into contemplation. It looked like things were just as he¡¯d hoped back then. The path of the destined protagonist Xie Huai¡¯s fate was the foundation for this world¡¯s existence, and whether a bunch of side characters lived or died wasn¡¯t really important. Neither Du Meng or Wu Yimei had died¡­¡­ Now, nine years had passed, and the original story of this world had long concluded, yet it continued to exist. It looked like it had already completely stabilized. Never again would there be an original story for the development of the world to follow. Instead, it would develop naturally. The storyteller first took a sip of tea, then revealed a reverent expression, saying, ¡°But the most admirable thing is, not only did Yuyi-jun kill the devil Yan Sui and resolve the demonic calamity, but after finishing all of this, he continued to stand guard along on Hollow Ridge for nine whole years¡­¡­ Personally suppressing the devil¡¯s resentful soul on Hollow Ridge, forever preventing that devil from being reborn and bringing harm to the world again! This is the real meaning of holding the whole world in his heart, fearlessly sacrificing himself for all living creatures under the heavens!¡± Fang Li: ¡°Cough cough cough cough cough¡ª¡± This was him choking on a peanut. Seeing this, the servant girl beside him paled in shock and hurried to pat Fang Li¡¯s back and give him water. It took a while before Fang Li finally managed to calm himself, his expression complicated. The first part had been fine. Although it was probably a little off from reality, it seemed more or less correct¡­¡­ But how come this part was an absolute mess? Although he and Xie Huai had some grudges between them, when a person died, it was like wiping the slate clean, and the things of the past would scatter like dust. How could such a noble and benevolent and forgiving person as Xie Huai be so bored as to stay at Hollow Ridge to suppress him and forever prevent him from being reborn? Besides, what lingering soul was there to suppress? This lord¡¯s lingering soul is right in front of you¡­¡­ But if Xie Huai wasn¡¯t doing it for the sake of suppressing him, then why didn¡¯t he return to Cloudbank Keep, instead staying all alone on Hollow Ridge? Fang Li didn¡¯t quite understand. It seemed like a lot had happened in nine years¡­¡­ But as long as he knew that Xie Huai was doing well, just like in the original book, then he didn¡¯t have much to worry about. Fang Li lay there, relaxed and content. The spot he¡¯d picked was perfect, just in the right place for him to sunbathe, and after not too long, he started to doze off. After waking up hazily from his nap, he found that the storyteller had already left, and the other people in the teahouse had started chatting. ¡°Did you hear? It¡¯s rumored that the demon lord left behind a treasure vault at Grieving Wind Valley!¡± ¡°I know of it, recently lots of sects are heading that way, all trying to get a piece of it.¡± ¡°It would be more strange if you didn¡¯t want to. That¡¯s the demon lord¡¯s treasure vault! Whose eyes wouldn¡¯t turn green.¡± ¡°Nine years ago, how arrogant was that devil? Taking over the demonic sects, making the world bow down. Who knows how many treasures he¡¯s collected. It¡¯s rumored that there were piles of top-grade spirit stones as high as mountains, and precious treasures just scattered all over the floor.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know how many good things must be left in the devil¡¯s treasure vault. Even if I get just a glance, I¡¯ll have no more regrets in this life!¡± Fang Li¡¯s eyelids drooped lazily as he pondered a little and recalled what this was about. Grieving Wind Valley did have some things that Yan Sui had left behind. Back then, in order to curry favor with Yan Sui, those demonic cultivators under him kept sending things his way all day, all kinds of miraculous pills and spiritual devices and spirit stones that were too numerous to count, as well as the spoils of victory that Yan Sui had obtained from taking over the demonic sects. There were so many that Yan Sui couldn¡¯t fit them all in his storage device, so other than carrying some important items with him on his person, Yan Sui threw everything else into Grieving Wind Valley. After that, he didn¡¯t even give it a glance. Nine years ago, he had died on Hollow Ridge, and all of the demonic cultivators under him had scattered. For news of it to come out only after so many years, that sure was slow enough. After staying out for a day, he¡¯d heard everything he needed to know. Fang Li got up and went home. By the time he got him, it was already late. As soon as he entered the front door, a girl wearing a lake-blue skirt with a sweet and clear smile welcomed him in. The girl¡¯s eyes brightened, and she came over to pull his hand as she smiled, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re finally back! We were waiting for you to eat together!¡± As she spoke, she tugged Fang Li by the hand and headed inside. This was his sister, the Fang family¡¯s second young miss¡ªFang Qiongyi. Fang Li entered the room. Inside the room sat a portly middle-aged man with a kindly face, his father Fang Mingyuan, and next to him, with a graceful bearing and a gentle smile, was his mother, Xin Ruiyan. Seeing his children enter, Fang Mingyuan said jovially to Fang Li, ¡°Li¡¯r, you went out for a stroll again today?¡± He knew that his family¡¯s little fool of a son wouldn¡¯t answer him, so he only asked in passing, then said to Fang Qiongyi beside him, ¡°How old are you already? Don¡¯t cling to your brother all day, hurry and sit down and eat.¡± Xin Ruiyan smiled as she watched the two kids. When they had sat down, she reached out and put food into Fang Li¡¯s bowl, saying in a gentle voice, ¡°Li¡¯r, eat some more, you¡¯ve gotten thinner again these days.¡± Fang Qiongyi raised up her own bowl and pursed her lips, ¡°Mom, where¡¯s mine?¡± Xin Ruiyan glared at her with no goodwill. ¡°How old are you? You don¡¯t know how to eat on your own?¡± Fang Qiongyi made a face, then went to eat by herself. Fang Mingyuan shot a doting glance at their family¡¯s foolish little son. Although he ate plenty every day, he was still getting thinner and thinner. When Fang Mingyuan thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh, his heart heavy, and concealed the worry in his eyes. Fang Li started to eat cheerfully. Being a fool really was happy and carefree, and he didn¡¯t even have to go out of his way to pretend. The meal passed by happily and harmoniously. His parents on one side, his sister on the other, all of them caring and sincere, full of smiles and laughter¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his eyes, revealing a nostalgic expression. He had never imagined that he would still have a day like this¡­¡­ Able to gather the whole family and share a meal together. Everything in this world was very good. Everything he¡¯d worked hard for wasn¡¯t without meaning. How wonderful. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ After dinner, Fang Li returned to his room. He sat cross-legged and looked into his dantian, then started to absorb the spiritual energy in his body. Because of the manipulation of his powerful consciousness, the originally restless, chaotic energy immediately became obedient and docile, quickly turning into thin trickles and slowly warming his dried up meridians. These days, other than eating, Fang Li stayed in closed door cultivation. Because his body originally belonged to a fool with no logic to his actions to speak of, even if he didn¡¯t leave his room, no one would pay attention. Seven days passed. That night, Fang Li suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of light seemingly flitting past his pupils. After the past few days of recuperation, his body was already much better than before, but after so many years of accumulation, his body was like a machine that had rusted over. Rushing things would only backfire on him, so he still had to slowly absorb it and build his foundations in order to make ascending easier in the later stages. Fang Li got out of bed. His footsteps were full of force as they hit the ground, no longer weak and floaty. Although this body looked sickly, it was different from Yan Sui¡¯s that had been like a nearly burnt out candle. In truth, this body was brimming with vitality, and recovering to normal was only a matter of time. Fang Li was in pretty good spirits and was just about to rest when his ears twitched, and he heard a sound coming from the back courtyard. His eyebrows furrowed faintly, and he pushed the door open to leave, leaping lightly onto the rooftop. He looked out in the direction of the rear courtyard and saw two demonic cultivators sneakily jumping over the wall to enter. One demonic cultivator had a blade in his hand, and the other was carrying a cudgel. The demonic cultivator with a blade said, ¡°Everyone says that Hualin town¡¯s Fang family is rich, but it looks just so-so to me.¡± The demonic cultivator with a cudgel said, ¡°It¡¯s a rich family in a small town, after all. What were you expecting?¡± The demon with the blade said, ¡°Although these mortal families probably don¡¯t have much, killing everyone and taking the money to have some fun in a brothel is pretty good, too.¡± The demon with the cudgel said, ¡°This place is very close to Grieving Wind Valley. Let¡¯s not waste too much time. It would be bad if something happened.¡± As they spoke, the two were just about to proceed when they suddenly felt a strong breeze past their ears. The demon with the blade felt a chill by the side of his neck. He turned around fiercely, only seeing a leaf sink deep into the wall behind him like a knife! The demon with the blade¡¯s expression abruptly changed, all the hairs on his body standing up. Being able to make a fragile dead leaf cut into a stone wall required adhering spiritual energy to it without letting it scatter, which one would probably have to be at least a Golden Core cultivator to do. They hadn¡¯t heard that the Fang family had a cultivator! The two of them raised their guards, looking up in panic. Under the big tree in front, they saw a sickly looking young man with a pale face standing there. His figure was thin, making his robes look unusually wide and loose, and his expression was languid and carefree. Right now, he was looking at them full of smiles¡­¡­ The two demonic cultivators were soaked in cold sweat. They had only gotten pumped up and wanted to rob a house, yet they could even bump into a master in a place like this? Fang Li¡¯s long sleeves covered his hands, which he held behind his back. He looked at the two people in amusement, saying slowly, ¡°Where did these two juniors who don¡¯t know their place come from? To think you dare covet this mighty one¡¯s things.¡± The two of them looked at Fang Li nervously, one of them recognizing Fang Li. ¡°You, you¡¯re the Fang family¡¯s¡­¡­¡± When he spoke up to here, his voice suddenly halted, his face paling. Before they¡¯d arrived, they¡¯d spent some time observing, and they recognized all the members of the Fang family. This person was clearly the Fang family¡¯s foolish young master! How was that possible? The corner of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up in amusement, and he helped him complete the rest of his sentence. ¡°Fang Li¡¯s foolish young master, right?¡± Their expressions became increasingly alarmed, and they were drenched in cold sweat. They¡¯d miscalculated! Everyone said that Fang Li¡¯s eldest young master was a fool, but looking at him now, where did he resemble a fool in the least bit? He was obviously a powerful demonic cultivator! You had to know, possessing someone¡¯s body required one to be at least a Nascent Soul cultivator! So, the Fang family¡¯s eldest young master had actually been possessed by a great demonic cultivator, and the Fang family was already in his pocket, yet they¡¯d accidentally barged in. Naturally, they¡¯d offended this mighty demonic cultivator! The demonic path had always been one of survival of the fittest. It would serve them right to be killed for daring to covet the meat in this mighty demonic cultivator¡¯s jaws. The two of them immediately changed their expressions and apologized profusely. ¡°We didn¡¯t know the Fang family belonged to you, sir, that¡¯s why we accidentally barged in. We¡¯ll leave right away, we definitely won¡¯t bother you!¡± As they spoke, they carefully took a step back. Seeing that Fang Li wasn¡¯t about to stop them, the two of them took in a deep breath and suddenly leapt back out over the wall, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye. Fang Li coolly watched the two of them leave, the corner of his lips hooking up. And a hundred meters away, atop an inn¡ª A man in white watched this scene impassively. Originally, he¡¯d only unexpectedly caught sight of the two demonic cultivators about to plunder a household and was about to kill those two in passing. He hadn¡¯t expected a young man to suddenly come out, possessing a weak, sickly appearance, his bearing languid and unrestrained, scaring away those two demonic cultivators with a mere couple of sentences. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t help but give him another look. His gaze fell on the other¡¯s pale white face, looking at those eyes that seemed to hide a light-hearted craftiness within their languid and carefree look. Suddenly, a feeling surged up in his chest that caused his heart to palpitate, and his grip on the teacup in his hand tightened. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I¡¯ve offended Xie Huai miserably, I still have nightmares thinking about it now, so I can only play the fool to get by for a bit T T Xie Huai: Where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife where¡¯s my wife going insane ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ TL Note: Chapter was a bit delayed because work has been hectic, unfortunately¡­ Anyways, happy start of the second half of this story. At 34 chapters, it¡¯s a bit shorter than the first half. CH 42 March 19th, 2023 An inexplicable familiarity surged into his chest¡­¡­ No, it couldn¡¯t possibly be that person. This was just another one of his vain hopes, nothing more. Xie Huai closed his eyes tightly. After a long time, he finally loosened his grip on the teacup in his hand. With a crack, the teacup shattered into pieces. Tao Lu had been sitting cautiously to the side the whole time. Seeing Xie Huai shatter the teacup with his grip, he quickly cast a spell to collect the tea that was spilling in all directions, managing to prevent the scene from looking too unsightly. Now what was wrong with Shixiong? Tao Lu took a look at Xie Huai¡¯s ice-cold face which seemed to be covered in frost and didn¡¯t even dare breathe too loudly. He let out a gloomy sigh in his heart, his expression complicated and pained. He didn¡¯t know exactly what his Shixiong had suffered at the hands of that devil nine years ago¡­¡­ In short, after killing the devil, his Shixiong¡¯s meridians had been completely broken, and he¡¯d sunk into unconsciousness for more than a month before waking up. After waking up again, it was like he¡¯d become a different person¡­¡­ Although Xie Huai still looked about the same on the surface, Tao Lu had been at his Shixiong¡¯s side since he was little, and he could very clearly sense that his Shixiong had changed. The most evident change was¡ª In these nine years, Tao Lu hadn¡¯t seen his Shixiong smile even once. If one were to say that in the past, although his Shixiong had a cold exterior, he had actually been warm and gentle inside, then right now, this person was thoroughly frozen inside and out. His Shixiong, who had always been scarce of word, spoke even less these days, like a ten thousand year old glacier that would never melt, causing anyone who approached to be unable but to feel reverence. Gradually, all of the sect brothers who had been close to him before didn¡¯t dare to bother him anymore¡­¡­ Furthermore, after the devil on Hollow Ridge died, their master had told Shixiong to come back time after time, saying that he would forever be a disciple of Cloudbank Keep, but Shixiong refused to come back and would rather keep watch all by himself on Hollow Ridge¡­¡­ Accompanied by loneliness night and day. Why? Why had Shixiong become like this? Tao Lu truly couldn¡¯t understand it. Although everyone said that the devil was evil and black-hearted to the core with enough sins to warrant a thousand deaths, he remembered very clearly that Shixiong had even spoken on that devil¡¯s behalf at Mt. Wanxun, saying not to blindly follow the words of others, and that that devil wasn¡¯t that kind of person. At that time, Shixiong¡¯s eyes had clearly been full of light. Yet now, he was like a frozen shell without a soul. Tao Lu lowered his head and picked up the fragments of the teacup on the table one by one and threw them away outside of the inn, then lifted his hand and wiped at his reddened eyes. So, just what had that devil done to torment Shixiong? To make such a fearless person like Shixiong who held fast to his Daoist heart and wasn¡¯t even afraid of death turn into such a half-head, half-alive state? Tao Lu couldn¡¯t imagine it. He¡¯d just known that in the end, a devil was a devil. How could he have been a good person? Back then, Shixiong must have been deceived to make him fall to this state! There were still a few Cloudbank Keep disciples downstairs who didn¡¯t even dare to come upstairs. It wasn¡¯t that Yuyi-jun was very fierce¡­¡­ Yuyi-jun would never do much. But even if Yuyi-jun didn¡¯t speak, they still felt enormous pressure! It was only because Tao Lu had more courage and had always been close with Yuyi-jun before that he dared to stay beside Yuyi-jun. Seeing Tao Lu¡¯s reddened eyes, one of the Cloudbank Keep disciples hurried over to ask with concern, ¡°What happened to you?¡± Tao Lu sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The disciple said, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t go upstairs after all. Shixiong likes peace and quiet. He must not want to be disturbed.¡± Tao Lu nodded, in low spirits. Actually, they hadn¡¯t seen Shixiong in a long time, either. This time, after hearing that the demon lord had left his treasure vault at Grieving Wind Valley, all of the sects had been stirred up, so the four great sects were naturally also sending people over. Cloudbank Keep wasn¡¯t actually sending people over to steal treasure, but as a role model for the righteous sects of the world, they naturally had to go along to maintain order and prevent the situation from descending into violence for the sake of looting and plundering. After considering that this trip would be extremely dangerous and would require someone who could watch over things, Elder Ming Yin had personally written to Xie Huai to ask him to lead the group during the journey. Originally, everyone had thought that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t go. After all, Yuyi-jun never paid attention to these mundane affairs, and it was even more impossible for him to be interested in the demon lord¡¯s treasure vault. For the past nine years, he had never asked about what was going on in the world and rarely left the ridge¡­¡­ But what surprised everyone was that this time, Xie Huai had actually agreed. Their party had set out for Grieving Wind Valley, and Hualin Town was an unavoidable stop on the way to Grieving Wind Valley. They¡¯d hurried on the road for over ten days in a row and were finally stopping to rest for a night at the inn in town. Atop the inn. Xie Huai sat alone with eyes closed, the air all around him grave like unmeltable ice. After a long time, a trace of derision appeared at the corners of his lips. So, exactly what was he looking forward to¡­¡­ Going anywhere that that person had once been, searching for traces of that person in every crumb and pebble left behind¡­¡­ But, in the end, he was only fooling himself. Even if he flipped the whole world upside-down, he would never be able to see that person again. Because that person was long gone. He had been killed by his own hands. His soul scattered to pieces, not a trace of his corpse left behind. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Only after Fang Li had returned to his own room did his face finally pale, his body wavering slightly. He had only just arrived in this body and had been left with no choice but to use the power of his consciousness to forcefully apply spiritual power to the leaf and scare those two demonic cultivators away. Right now, waves of dizziness crashed against his mind. Moreover, using this type of bluff once or twice was fine, but if used continuously, sooner or later, it would be exposed. If those two demonic cultivators came to their senses and came back for a sneak attack, or if he encountered a stronger demonic cultivator next time, he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t have the power to protect the whole family. Although this body of his had good potential for cultivating, unfortunately, the last ten plus years had been wasted, and this body had been continuously attacked by spiritual power, so his damaged meridians needed time to recover. Furthermore, after being reborn, he didn¡¯t have a cent to his name. Forget these types of cultivation resources, he didn¡¯t even have half a spirit stone. Under these circumstances, regaining his power would require at least a few years¡¯ time. Originally, Fang Li had been indifferent about it. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to gain accomplishments, only wanting to cherish his present life. But looking at it now, he still needed to recover his strength as soon as possible. After all, he was no longer all alone without friends or family. Fang Li pondered to himself for a moment, his expression wavering. He recalled what was inside Grieving Wind Valley. Back then, Yan Sui had truly collected too many spiritual stones and items, and many of them had been thrown into Grieving Wind Valley. Those things were useless to the Yan Sui of the time, but Fang Li remembered that there were a few types of spiritual herbs within them that would be perfect for helping his body recuperate right now. Seeing as everyone who went would get a piece of the treasure, it wouldn¡¯t be overboard for him to grab a few things that had originally belonged to him anyways. Fang Li made his decision after a bit of contemplation. Only, his current identity was that of a fool. Wandering around Hualin Town was well and fine, but if he were to go to Grieving Wind Valley on his own, his family definitely wouldn¡¯t agree. That was indeed a bit tricky. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ These few days, Fang Li would wander around outside whenever he had nothing to do. Every time he was about to leave the village or strayed a bit too far, the servant girl by his side would immediately grab hold of him and shepherd him back home with coaxing and persuasion. His family treasured him like the apple of their eye and feared nothing more than that he would wander off and get lost, so they watched him extremely closely. Later on, Fang Li simply stopped going outside. These days, he would stay at home. He heard noises coming from the front gate, indicating that a guest had arrived. He headed to the front hall where guests were entertained and saw a middle-aged man in long, yellow robes with a short beard. The man had two long blades at his waist, and although those blades appeared low-quality in Fang Li¡¯s eyes, they were in fact genuine spiritual weapons. This man should be a cultivator. Eldest Young Master Fang¡¯s memories did include this person. In the past, he¡¯d frequently come to their home, and he was Fang Li¡¯s father¡¯s good friend. Every time he came, he would bring delicious treats, so Young Master Fang liked this uncle very much. Hualin Town had a little cultivation sect called Golden Blade Sect, and today¡¯s visitor was the Golden Blade Sect¡¯s sect master, Lu Hongdao. When he saw Fang Li come over, his expression was full of fondness, and he laughed in a bright voice, ¡°So little Li is also here. Perfect, I¡¯ve brought your favorite Golden Silk Pear Blossom cake.¡± Fang Mingyuan laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re still so polite.¡± Lu Hongdao took a look at Fang Li, then turned back to Fang Mingyuan and said, ¡°This child¡¯s life hasn¡¯t been easy. He should have some more delicious things to eat while he can¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, is he about to turn twenty this year¡­¡­?¡± Hearing that, Fang Mingyuan¡¯s expression dimmed, and he nodded. Lu Hongdao also immediately fell silent. For a time, the atmosphere was a little solemn. Because Fang Li was a fool, the two of them didn¡¯t hide their conversation from him in the least. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit puzzled. What was wrong with turning twenty? Lu Hongdao let out a sigh and changed the topic, switching to formal matters. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about Grieving Wind Valley, and I also plan to head over to try my luck.¡± Fang Mingyuan said with a bit of worry, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there are hundreds of sects rushing over there. Who knows, maybe some leftover demonic cultivators will go, too. It would be better if you didn¡¯t join in, it¡¯s still hard to say if it will bring good fortune or misfortune.¡± Lu Hongdao said with a laugh, ¡°The four great sects have all sent people over, so nothing big should happen. I¡¯m just going to take a look. What if I really am able to pick up a little something¡­¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just follow behind the four great sects, I definitely won¡¯t stick my neck out. Besides, if a cultivator never struggles for anything at all, then what kind of piss-poor cultivating would they be doing?¡± Fang Mingyuan said helplessly, ¡°I think that living a good, honest life is pretty good, too.¡± Lu Hongdao said with a laugh, ¡°You¡¯re always like this. That¡¯s why back then, you wouldn¡¯t enter the sect even if someone were to stick a knife to your throat. You only wanted to become a rich old man.¡± Fang Mingyuan said, ¡°Being a rich old man has its own delights. I knew full well that I don¡¯t have that ability, so I didn¡¯t want to bother wasting my efforts.¡± Lu Hongdao smiled. ¡°Anyways, I only came to give little Li some treats today, and also to tell you that it might take a while before I return from this trip.¡± Fang Mingyuan said, ¡°Be careful on your way.¡± After that, Lu Hongdao left. Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted, and he turned to head out the door. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Golden Blade Sect was only a little cultivation sect, but it still had hundreds of members. Lu Hongdao had brought a good number of people with him this time, and they stopped periodically as they went. It was only after about ten days¡¯ time that they finally arrived at Grieving Wind Valley. That day, when a disciple went to the back of the horse-drawn cart to get some dry rations from a basket, he suddenly cried out in alarm. Lu Hongdao immediately went over to take a look. When he saw what was happening, he also got a fright! Fang Li was hiding in one of the baskets, arms wrapped around a pile of corn, sleeping soundly. Probably because he¡¯d been woken up by the cry of alarm, he slowly opened his eyes and revealed a disoriented expression, then looked at Lu Hongdao and gave him a slight smile. Lu Hongdao: ¡°¡­¡­¡± This old man is about to have a heart attack! When did this child hide in here! Fang Li smacked his lips and said, ¡°Golden Silk Pear Blossom cake, I still want.¡± Lu Hongdao: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He immediately felt a terrible pain in his skull. What was he to do now? He¡¯d only brought Fang Li a piece of cake, and Fang Li had ended up following him all the way here! It would be one thing if they were going anywhere else. At worst, they could just bring Fang Li with them, but this was Grieving Wind Valley! Right now, both righteous and demonic cultivators were gathered here, and aside from the numerous dangers lurking around, a fight could also break out at any time. If Fang Li ran into some kind of mishap, how was he to explain it to Old Fang?! Lu Hongdao felt like his heart was being crushed by a mountain, feeling an unprecedented pressure, and even his back seemed to hunch a bit more¡­¡­ They were already at Grieving Wind Valley now, and it was too late to send Fang Li back. How had this child managed to hide for so many days without being discovered? Lu Hongdao was completely baffled. But thinking about these things was of no use anymore. He carefully lifted Fang Li out of the basket. When touching the young man¡¯s thin frame, Lu Hongdao was terrified that he might shatter him by accidentally using a bit too much strength, and he rubbed his hands uneasily as he said, ¡°There aren¡¯t any Golden Silk Pear Blossom cakes right now¡­¡­¡± He saw Fang Li¡¯s eyes immediately redden. Lu Hongdao¡¯s words promptly turned into, ¡°But I¡¯ll buy some for you as soon as we get back!¡± Lu Hongdao¡¯s disciples were also very at a loss. Wasn¡¯t this the Fang family¡¯s foolish young master? How come he¡¯d secretly followed along? Now what were they to do? Lu Hongdao muttered to himself for a moment, then waved his hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s enter the valley first and talk later.¡± Although the valley might be dangerous, it was even more impossible for them to leave Fang Li outside by himself. Leaving aside the demonic cultivators, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to bear it if a wolf came along and carried Fang Li away. Fang Li smiled cheerfully and followed the Golden Blade Sect members into the valley. The entrance of Grieving Wind Valley was covered in thick fog, and after one walked inside and the fog dispersed, there was a ravine entrance shaped like the mouth of a gourd. In front of the entrance, there were plenty of sects already gathered. Because Cinnabar Gate had been destroyed, there were only four great cultivation sects in the world today. The four great cultivation sects currently all had representatives present. Dressed in tight-fitting silver and black robes were Jade Hawk Palace¡¯s female cultivators. Wearing black Daoist robes were the cultivators from Heaven¡¯s Summit. Dressed in plain green garments were the cultivators were Black Star Tower¡­¡­ and lastly, the ones wearing white robes with jade swords on their backs were the sword cultivators of Cloudbank Keep. The four great sects each occupied a corner, and the other little sects were all settled around them. Lu Hongdao looked around. Jade Hawk Palace¡¯s female cultivators could be ruled out first, as they prioritized protecting female cultivators, and the cultivators around them were all women. It wasn¡¯t too appropriate for them to go over. Black Star Tower¡¯s cultivators had arrived early, and the area around them was full of people, most of them from the Black Star Tower¡¯s subordinate sects. Because they¡¯d made a name for themselves back then when marching against Hollow Ridge, Heaven¡¯s Summit vaguely had the posture of being leader of the righteous sects, but because their reputation was too great, the area around them was crammed so full that there wasn¡¯t even a crack to be found. There was really absolutely no way for them to squeeze in! Lastly, Lu Hongdao¡¯s gaze fell in the direction of Cloudbank Keep. Cloudbank Keep¡¯s sword cultivators had arrived last, and they were situated right by the valley entrance. Although this bunch of sword cultivators were a bit too aloof, each of them took evil as their sworn enemy and had incredible battle power. Most importantly, Yuyi-jun was also there! At the very least, if they followed Yuyi-jun, they couldn¡¯t die. Lu Hongdao promptly decided to bring his disciples to squeeze on over. Their luck wasn¡¯t bad, and there was still space. If they had been any later, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to squeeze in! When Fang Li saw that Xie Huai was also here, he was actually extremely surprised. To his understanding, Xie Huai didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who liked to join in on this kind of excitement¡­¡­ But with Grieving Wind Valley¡¯s treasure vault making an appearance, the leftover demonic cultivators might make an appearance, and the righteous sects might also break into a fight at any time over treasure¡­¡­ Some who cared about the living beings of the world as much as Xie Huai certainly wouldn¡¯t watch as this place descended into slaughter, so it wasn¡¯t unreasonable that he was here. Because Xie Huai was present, Fang Li didn¡¯t really want to go over to where Cloudbank Keep was. He sure didn¡¯t want to expose his identity¡­¡­ But right now, he was a fool, and there truly was no easy way for him to express his dissent. He could only follow along and sit down in the corner furthest away from Xie Huai. He snuck a peek at Xie Huai, his emotions complicated. Although it had only been a short moment to him, to Xie Huai, nine years had already passed¡­¡­ Although he¡¯d long heard from other people¡¯s mouths that Xie Huai was doing very well right now, he hadn¡¯t thought that they¡¯d meet again so soon. Xie Huai was still in that full set of white robes, his features cold and clear as icicles atop a towering mountain. His eyes were closed in meditation, looking as though asleep, and where he sat, the disciples around him sat with backs straight as a pen, not speaking a word, the atmosphere unusually solemn. Fang Li pressed his lips together. Xie Huai seemed to be the same as before, with no change at all, but he also seemed to have changed somewhat¡­¡­ The air he gave off seemed to have become a little colder? Perhaps it was just his misperception¡­¡­ A powerful master like Xie Huai would be able to sense it as soon as someone started watching him. Fang Li didn¡¯t dare to look too long and quickly withdrew his gaze. As long as Xie Huai was still doing well, then he was at ease. Lu Hongdao¡¯s party took a seat on the ground, each of his disciples full of excitement. Who would¡¯ve thought that they¡¯d be able to see the real, live Yuyi-jun with their own eyes! Even if they didn¡¯t obtain a single thing on this trip, it was worth it! One of the disciples said in a small voice, ¡°Yuyi-jun is even better-looking than the rumors. He really is just like a celestial.¡± Another disciple said, ¡°Isn¡¯t he basically a living celestial, able to kill the demon lord with one strike of his sword? It¡¯s said that nobody in the world is his match right now!¡± The disciples sobbed, ¡°Being able to see Yuyi-jun¡¯s magnificence with my own eyes, I can really die without regrets!¡± A smile hung off the corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips, and he listened boldly and openly. It hadn¡¯t been a waste of all of his painstaking efforts to hand off his life to Xie Huai. Everything was just like in the original book, and Xie Huai was still the Yuyi-jun admired by the whole world. Fang Li listened and listened, then let out a sigh, a little regretful. It was a pity he couldn¡¯t brag that Xie Huai had once been his good brother. On the other hand, the Cloudbank Keep disciples nearby sat at attention, holding their breaths, unable to sit at ease. None of them dared to look in Xie Huai¡¯s direction. The conversation nearby couldn¡¯t escape their ears, and they all felt agitation in their chests. These outsiders didn¡¯t know, but as fellow sect members, they couldn¡¯t be more clear that the demon lord was a forbidden topic that couldn¡¯t be brought up in front of Yuyi-jun! As soon as Shixiong heard the words ¡°demon lord,¡± his aura would become extremely frightening, so in all these years, the thing they feared most was speaking those two words in front of Xie Huai. Yet it turned out that as soon as they went outside, everyone was talking about it¡­¡­ They couldn¡¯t even hide from it. Tao Lu watched as everyone spoke with increasing vigor, his heart sour. The world only knew of the glory of Shixiong striking down the demon lord in one blow, but they didn¡¯t know of the things that Shixiong had suffered in secret, those humiliations and torments unknown to anyone. Although these seemed to be words of praise, every single sentence was pouring salt into Shixiong¡¯s wounds! They were reminding Shixiong of that unbearable past! Tao Lu finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and quietly stepped over, arriving at the crowd nearby to carefully implore them one by one. The Golden Blade Sect disciples on this side were just in the middle of a fiery discussion when they saw a Cloudbank Keep disciple come this way. That disciple had a cute baby face, but right now, his expression was solemn, and he entreated in a very low voice, ¡°Yuyi-jun doesn¡¯t like noise, so please be a little quieter¡­¡­ Especially, you mustn¡¯t bring up the demon lord in front of Yuyi-jun, understand?¡± Fang Li was sitting silently to one side, and when he heard those words, his heart immediately went ba-thump. After waking up and seeing that the mission was complete and that everyone was doing well, he¡¯d only had celebrating in mind and hadn¡¯t had time to think much about anything. Besides, although he¡¯d only made Xie Huai kill a devil who was already supposed to die¡­¡­ But, after all, his methods hadn¡¯t been too honorable, and he¡¯d gone against Xie Huai¡¯s will. With Xie Huai¡¯s stubborn, proud personality, being controlled by the love parasite to kill someone whom he didn¡¯t want to kill¡ªthat time, he¡¯d definitely offended Xie Huai miserably¡­¡­ He was afraid that what little camaraderie they¡¯d had before was completely gone now. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but recall before his eyes the image of Xie Huai being forced to pierce him with his sword, those ghastly, savage, bloodshot red eyes¡­¡­ He immediately felt a shiver go through his whole body. He definitely couldn¡¯t allow Xie Huai to recognize him! Definitely! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I¡¯m not scared at all. Author: Heh heh. CH 43 March 22nd, 2023 Good brothers should just forget each other and go their separate ways.1 Fang Li tried very hard to lower his sense of existence to zero and didn¡¯t give Xie Huai¡¯s direction another look. One by one, even more sects arrived. Lu Hongdao fretted his heart out over Fang Li, worrying here that he was hungry, or worrying there that he was cold. Luckily, Fang Li was very well-behaved and stayed there quietly, not making a fuss. At night, everyone split the dry rations and ate. Lu Hongdao saw that Fang Li was done eating, and his short beard twitched. He said in a gentle voice, ¡°Little Li, are you sleepy? Do you want to sleep for a while?¡± Fang Li looked at him with perplexion. Lu Hongdao folded his hands together by his ears and tilted his head to mimic a sleeping posture, saying with great effort, ¡°Sleep, sleep.¡± After a long time, Fang Li made an expression of realization and nodded. Lu Hongdao immediately laid out some bedding for him. Seeing Fang Li lie down to go to sleep, he carefully pulled the blankets over him, then let out a long sigh. In the valley, each of the sects lit their torches. The firelight swayed and flickered. The shadows danced left and right on the ground, drawing out constantly shifting images. Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes. His frigid gaze was even darker than the night sky, and it fell on Fang Li¡¯s figure. He remembered this young man. Previously, at a household in Hualin Town, he¡¯d still had a languid, carefree bearing, his manner of speech calm and unruffled, easily scaring away those two demonic cultivators. Yet right now¡­¡­ He was actually acting like a dazed fool. Hah¡­¡­ To put on such a show, he must have ulterior motives. But as long as he didn¡¯t do any misdeeds, Xie Huai didn¡¯t feel like bothering with it. He withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes again. Fang Li wasn¡¯t actually asleep yet. His back faced Xie Huai, and his whole body tensed. Xie Huai was extremely sharp, so he had to be extra careful on this trip. Sigh, he¡¯d only wanted to come here to pick up some things to help his body recover. Who would¡¯ve thought that he could run into Xie Huai with just that? The world was really too small! The crowd stayed there for three days. During those three days, demonic cultivators occasionally came to harass them with attacks, but because Xie Huai was present, none of those demonic cultivators were able to create any waves and quickly retreated. Seeing that just about all of the sects who were supposed to come had arrived. The four great sects held a discussion and decided that they would lead the way in front and enter the valley together. The entrance to the valley had a seal that had been left behind by the devil back then. Heaven¡¯s Summit specially brought their sect¡¯s divine weapon to indicate that they were willing to step forward to break the seal. The one leading Heaven¡¯s Summit was an elder with white hair. Although he was the senior, when facing Xie Huai, he was extremely courteous and respectful. He smiled as he said, ¡°What does Yuyi-jun think?¡± From start to finish, Xie Huai had that indifferent expression. He didn¡¯t say a word, only slightly nodding his head. The Heaven¡¯s Summit elder let out a breath. If Xie Huai weren¡¯t here, then Heaven¡¯s Summit, which was vaguely the leader of the righteous sects today, would be the ones to call all the shots. They wouldn¡¯t need to be so cautious at all¡­¡­ But when Xie Huai was present, it was different. Yuyi-jun was the publicly recognized number one in the world. It was rumored that he might very well have already become a Unified Dao true immortal, and even sect masters had to be courteous when greeting him. He naturally didn¡¯t dare to ignore Yuyi-jun¡­¡­ Luckily, Yuyi-jun never liked to bother with things, or else Heaven¡¯s Summit wouldn¡¯t even get a turn to step forward these days. The Heaven¡¯s Summit elder turned around and waved his hands, and a spiritual device shaped like a jade bottle appeared in his hands. He activated his spiritual energy to control the jade bottle, and a huge wave of spiritual energy surged out. A deafening roar thundered, and the seal on the valley entrance crumbled with a boom. The white mist ahead of them dispersed, revealing a grassy, overgrown plain. Fang Li stood silently amidst the crowd, evaluating the scene with contemplation¡­¡­ Yan Sui hadn¡¯t come here very often, but he still remembered clearly where to go. This expanse of weeds and grass looked ordinary and plain, but it was actually a killing array with layers of misdirection. If it were just that disorganized band of fellows recklessly charging in, then they would certainly suffer heavy casualties, but with members of the four great sects present¡­¡­ Especially with Xie Huai here, a mere illusion array was nothing to sweat about, so he didn¡¯t need to worry. Following Xie Huai and the others would be good enough. All of the cultivators present were also extremely cautious. Although the demon lord¡¯s treasure vault truly did make one¡¯s eyes turn green, they still needed to be alive to take it. They still had that bit of self-awareness, so nobody rushed to charge ahead, and they all watched the members of the four great sects proceed. Heaven¡¯s Summit stubbornly occupied the position of lead. That elder had already put away the jade bottle and gave a faint smile. ¡°This old one will take a step first.¡± As he spoke, he stepped inside. There was obviously nothing in front of them, but as soon as he stepped inside, he vanished before everyone¡¯s eyes in a flash. More than a few people¡¯s hearts trembled. So there really was an array! Heaven¡¯s Summit and the sects following behind them quickly stepped inside after the elder. Following that were Black Star Tower and Jade Hawk Palace¡¯s people. Lastly, was Cloudbank Keep. Lu Hongdao was completely on edge. He grabbed Fang Li¡¯s hand and gave it his all to squeeze forward toward Xie Huai. The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips twitched helplessly. He very much wanted to say, actually, it would be safer for you to follow me. After all, I¡¯m familiar with this place. But right now, he was a fool, and he couldn¡¯t say those words, so he could only allow himself to get pulled over to where Xie Huai was¡­¡­ Don¡¯t look at Lu Hongdao¡¯s rough, bear-like appearance, but in truth, he was careful and timid. Right now, he didn¡¯t have time to think about things like face, and he stuck close to the Cloudbank Keep disciples, not falling a step behind. Seeing Xie Huai¡¯s back close enough to be within reach. Fang Li was truly a bit uneasy and didn¡¯t really want to get any closer, but Lu Hongdao held tight to his hand, like a mother hen grabbing her chicks¡­¡­ In the calm, quiet brush thickets. There was only the sound of people walking forward and their heavy, cautious breathing¡­¡­ Suddenly¡ª A glaring cluster of darkness flashed abruptly ahead of them, and countless sharp vines and thorns appeared out of nowhere, completely surrounding the crowd as it came piercing toward them! Lu Hongdao anxiously held his breath, so terrified that he didn¡¯t dare move¡­¡­ In front, Xie Huai¡¯s cold, gloomy gaze swept around. He didn¡¯t even lift his hand, but those thorny vines seemed to hit some kind of invisible barrier and crumbled into dust in a split second, settling to the ground like snowflakes. This whole scene came in the blink of an eye and disappeared just as quickly. The crowd still hadn¡¯t had time to come to their senses yet, and the attack had already been eliminated. After a moment, they finally felt a lingering terror in their hearts, and at the same time, they looked at Xie Huai with reverence and fear. Lu Hongdao wiped the sweat from his forehead. Thank goodness they were following Yuyi-jun, or else at that moment, he would have become minced meat¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t know if Fang Li had been scared or not. He looked back with worry, but Fang Li still had that perplexed expression. He thought to himself, being a fool sure was good, he didn¡¯t even know to be scared¡­¡­ Fang Li gave Lu Hongdao a bashful smile. He was a fool, okay, he didn¡¯t understand about arrays or whatever. What was there to be scared of? Xie Huai¡¯s cold, sharp gaze swept all around. Suddenly, it stopped for a moment on Fang Li¡¯s figure. The sickly pale young man stood there leisurely with perplexion, a nearly indiscernible smile hanging off of his lips. Not only was there not a trace of lingering fear in his expression, he looked like he was strolling in his own home, completely at odds with the grave, anxious expressions of the people around him. Xie Huai¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. If the young man really were an ignorant, muddle-headed fool, then that would be one thing, but he was very clearly a clear-headed person with full understanding, yet he was able to not reveal the slightest flaw in his act even under these circumstances¡­¡­ Either he¡¯d already expected this, or his mental fortitude was beyond the norm. Regardless of which one, it meant that he was no ordinary person. This person was playing the fool, yet was enigmatic and unfathomable. Exactly what purpose did he have for following them? Had he been sent here by demonic cultivators? It was indeed very possible that a demonic cultivator had possessed this fool¡¯s body and come along to set a trap for the righteous cultivators. With that thought, the chill in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes grew deeper. Fang Li could sense that Xie Huai was looking at him, and his back tensed, but his face still had that perplexed expression! He definitely couldn¡¯t let Xie Huai discover any flaws. After a few breaths, Fang Li saw that Xie Huai had finally turned around and continued walking. Only then did he let out a small breath. Xie Huai¡¯s gaze was much more ferocious than before. Just that one glance was enough to freeze a person to death. Fang Li feared neither heaven nor earth, but the only thing he did fear were those eyes of Xie Huai¡¯s. Probably, this was the so-called¡­¡­ indebtedness? Because Yuyi-jun was in front to open up a path, the journey was full of scares but no real danger and went extremely smoothly. Very quickly, they left this patch of grass. Although Cloudbank Keep¡¯s disciples had been the last to enter, they were the first to exit. Not too long after, the members of the other three great sects also arrived one after the other. Some people had suffered injuries, but nobody had really died. Fang Li wasn¡¯t actually surprised by that. This place had just been where Yan Sui tossed his extra belongings, so he hadn¡¯t really put much effort into installing any kind of mechanisms. The first illusion array, especially, wasn¡¯t really particularly dangerous, and the four great sects wouldn¡¯t fare so poorly as to not even be able to pass through that. But the second trial was a little more dangerous. What appeared before the crowd¡¯s eyes was a gloomy, dense underground river. This underground river was over a hundred meters wide, and the pitch-black surface of the river gleamed with reflected light, looking extremely peaceful. But Fang Li knew what dangers were hidden inside the water. Oh, at the time, Yan Sui had thought that the fish in the Fallen Star Sea weren¡¯t bad, so he¡¯d hauled a bunch over in passing to raise here¡­¡­ Now, it had been nine years since anyone had come here, so these fish kids and fish grandkids were probably ravenous¡­¡­ Although the Cloudbank Keep group hadn¡¯t been injured, the other groups had more or less suffered some damage. Nobody knew whether there were any mechanisms in the river, so they didn¡¯t rush to proceed, but instead sat down where they were to recover. Fang Li sat down lazily with his legs crossed and touched his stomach. Lu Hongdao immediately took out a piece of corn and laughed awkwardly as he said, ¡°Little Li, we were in a rush when we left this time, so there isn¡¯t much to eat. Make do with this for now, heh heh.¡± There was no other option, only corn was left! Fang Li turned his head aside disdainfully, looking down his nose at it. For better or for worse, he was someone who¡¯d been the demon lord. Did you really think he would eat anything? He wasn¡¯t going to eat raw corn! Because Fang Li was a pitiful little fool, he looked very unusual in a crowd of cultivators, so Tao Lu had been paying attention to him the whole time. He didn¡¯t know what on earth these people from the Golden Blade Sect were doing. Such a dangerous place, and they¡¯d brought along a fool who didn¡¯t even have the strength to truss a chicken. Right now, looking at how he was hungry but didn¡¯t have anything to eat, Tao Lu thought this fool was really too pitiful. Tao Lu got up and walked over, smiling at Fang Li, ¡°I have some crystal cake here, go ahead and eat this.¡± Fang Li looked up with surprise, looking at the youth in front of him. The youth¡¯s round face was giving him a kind smile, two little dimples appearing on his face. He held the cake in one hand, opening his mouth and mimicking an eating gesture. He then blinked, instructing patiently, ¡°Something to eat.¡± Fang Li immediately felt touched, and the youth seemed to emit a brilliant light. One would expect no less of Cloudbank Keep¡¯s disciples. Just like Xie Huai, they were all living saints with hearts full of compassion and mercy! He reached out to accept the crystal cake in the youth¡¯s hands. The crystal cake was glossy and translucent, emitting a clear fragrance, neither overpowering nor overly sweet. Just from its appearance, it looked extremely delicious¡­¡­ Fang Li took a bite with satisfaction, and as expected, the taste was marvelous. As Fang Li ate and ate, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the so-called Linxian province specialty crystal cakes that he¡¯d bought for Xie Huai on that trip back then. As expected, they¡¯d been fakes, hadn¡¯t they? He immediately let out an embarrassed smile. This was the real and genuine Linxian province specialty, huh. Xie Huai¡¯s line of sight swept blandly past their direction. He saw Fang Li eat the crystal cakes and reveal such a full and content appearance. Even the curve of his lips when the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted was so similar to that person¡­¡­ For a second, he actually couldn¡¯t help but recall that person again¡­¡­ Xie Huai suddenly closed his eyes, the air around him icy cold. Why, did he always feel the familiarity of that person from this fellow with untoward schemes? This shouldn¡¯t be. When Fang Li finished eating the crystal cakes, there were still crumbs stuck to his mouth. Lu Hongdao came over to help him wipe his face, then said gratefully to Tao Lu, ¡°Thank you, young hero, if not for you, this nephew of mine would have to starve!¡± Tao Lu put on a stern face to scold, ¡°This is such a dangerous place. Why did you bring him?¡± Lu Hongdao¡¯s face looked miserable. ¡°He came on his own and hid in the basket with the dry rations. We didn¡¯t even notice him¡­¡­¡± So that was it¡­¡­ The anger in Tao Lu¡¯s chest dissipated a bit. He paused, then instructed helplessly, ¡°Then be careful, and remember to follow close during the trip.¡± Lu Hongdao nodded fervently. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, much thanks, young hero!¡± When he was done speaking, Tao Lu returned to Cloudbank Keep¡¯s side. Xie Huai¡¯s peripheral vision flitted past Tao Lu. This child was still so sentimental and easily worried. That fellow was all kinds of crafty and clever. He¡¯s not a fool in the least, he¡¯s just making a fool out of all of you. Only¡­¡­ Xie Huai looked deeply into the distance, his brows furrowing slightly with a trace of puzzlement. Although that fellow had been very secretive, very careful¡­¡­ Xie Huai could still sense that he was meticulously avoiding him. Why? He didn¡¯t recognize this person, and there were no grudges between them, so why was he avoiding him? The only people in the world who would hide from and be afraid of him were evil demons, but he hadn¡¯t sensed any presence of demonic cultivation on this person¡­¡­ Had this person hid it too well, or was there another reason? Just what did you come here for? After everyone had recovered for a time. They prepared to continue onwards. The river was calm, but nobody dared to relax their guard. One of the Heaven¡¯s Summit cultivators received an order and headed out, trying to cross the river by sword, but just when he¡¯d flown to the middle, a huge magnetic force suddenly pulled him downwards. In a split second, he fell into the river water, and the originally calm surface seemed to roil up. Countless fish with vicious, bared teeth sensed the movement and began to stir, ripping him into pieces in the blink of an eye, leaving only a slowly expanding splotch of dark red on the surface of the lake¡­¡­ The area immediately became dead silent. They¡¯d just known that this river wouldn¡¯t be simple, but looking at this scene and watching with their own eyes as a living person was ripped to pieces in the blink of an eye, they still felt a shiver run up their spines, terror and alarm coiling around everyone¡¯s hearts¡­¡­ Moreover, this mechanism had truly been sinister. It couldn¡¯t be discerned from the start and would only suddenly activate when one had flown to the middle of the river, catching one by surprise with no way to advance or retreat. There wasn¡¯t even time to flee for your life! The crowd was full of curses. ¡°As expected of a trap laid by that devil, it¡¯s really too sinister, too despicable, too vile!¡± ¡°Such a ferocious devil really deserved his death and more!¡± ¡°Thank goodness that devil was killed by Yuyi-jun, or else who knows what kind of disasters the world would be facing today!¡± Fang Li lowered his head, not making a sound. Yan Sui was only raising some fish. If you didn¡¯t come here, wouldn¡¯t you not get fed to the fish? Everyone was viciously cursing Yan Sui. Only the Cloudbank Keep disciples all had their heads lowered, their expressions anxious, not even daring to steal a look at Xie Huai¡­¡­ Gradually. The crowd sensed that something was wrong. Y-Yuyi-jun seemed, not too happy? Xie Huai¡¯s gloomy, black eyes were fixed on the surface of the river. The fresh red dying the surface of the river was reflected in his pupils, mingling together with that bottomless black, like the luster of blood congealing at the depths of an abyss. He forcefully closed his eyes. But what appeared before him was the scene of that person smiling at him and plummeting into the Fallen Star Sea¡­¡­ After that, although he¡¯d exhausted every method he had, he hadn¡¯t been able to find even a shred of that person¡¯s clothes. Because, he hadn¡¯t been able to leave anything behind. Xie Huai suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes dark and fathomless. His Snowblue Sword appeared in his hands in a split second and came thundering down without any hesitation! With his strike, a cold light radiated out without a sound. But the entire river was split in two by his sword, and a ravine a hundred meters deep appeared in the middle of the lake. The crashing river water sucked countless ferocious fish into the ravine, and as soon as those fish touched the sword qi, they were turned to dust without exception. The scene immediately fell silent again. The crowd had originally been whole-heartedly cursing the demon lord, and nobody had thought that Xie Huai would split the lake straight into two halves without even saying a word. They looked at Xie Huai fearfully, trembling and on edge, too scared to say a word. Y-Yuyi-jun was indeed the number one in the world. Probably no one in the world could block that one sword strike, right? As expected, ¡°strong enough to level mountains and split seas¡± wasn¡¯t an exaggeration! Moreover, sure enough, Yuyi-jun really did hate that devil to the core, or else why would he have been angered? Fang Li vaguely felt that something was wrong and subconsciously took a step back. Although he¡¯d previously felt that Xie Huai seemed to have changed somewhat¡­¡­ At this moment, it was especially clear. The fish hadn¡¯t bothered him, so what need was there to be so vicious? It couldn¡¯t be that he was taking out his anger on them? Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t really hate him to the core, would he? But after making that one strike of his sword, Xie Huai put away his sword and recovered his usual indifferent appearance, as if nothing was different from usual. He turned his head blandly, his gaze flitting past Fang Li. His lips parted slightly and spat out one word. ¡°Continue.¡± That word wasn¡¯t exactly said to Fang Li. But in that split second, Fang Li only felt his scalp go numb, as if he were being stared down by some fierce, abyssal beast. Was there really still time to flee right now? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: Don¡¯t take your anger out on the fish. Xie Huai: What else then? : ) Fang Li: Forget it, take your anger out on the fish after all. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 The original text ¡°ÏàÍüÓÚ½­ºþ¡± comes from a parable about two fish in a dried up lake trying to keep each other alive by breathing on each other. In this context, the idea is something like, rather than holding on to old attachments and staying in a miserable situation, it would be better to forget each other and turn over a new leaf somewhere else. CH 44 March 25th, 2023 Fang Li took a deep breath, composed himself, and followed the rest of the group forward. Because Xie Huai had split the river in one blow and directly destroyed the array underneath it, everyone crossed without a hitch. On the other side of the river was a craggy stone forest. The stone pillars grew in all sorts of bizarre shapes, chaotically piled together without clear distinction and exuding a horrifying, eerie aura. This trial would be much more dangerous than the previous ones, but most likely, it wouldn¡¯t be able to stop Xie Huai. Most importantly, the treasure vault was just past here, and there weren¡¯t really any traps past this point. Now was the best chance to avoid the others and move on his own. Fang Li lowered his eyes pensively. If he didn¡¯t slip away now, it would be too late. Lu Hongdao was still following the Cloudbank Keep members closely. He had more or less witnessed Xie Huai¡¯s might, so naturally, he was going to cling tight to this big thigh the whole way. As long as he followed Xie Huai and didn¡¯t wander off, there probably wouldn¡¯t be any risk to his life¡­¡­ The crowd walked into the stone forest, but they unexpectedly found that there was no change at all. The surroundings were calm and peaceful, as if it was only a regular stone forest. But Fang Li knew that things weren¡¯t so simple. In the middle of walking, someone suddenly shouted angrily and took out his sword, thrusting it toward the person beside him, his expression savage, his eyes bloodshot. Xie Huai promptly turned his head back, his black eyes glancing coldly at him, and the person¡¯s movements stopped abruptly, as if he wanted to move, but couldn¡¯t. That person¡¯s body shook without pause, and after a few breaths, he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Fang Li watched this scene impassively. That person had fallen into an illusion, and although Xie Huai had forcefully stopped him, he¡¯d still fainted due to damage to his soul. Xie Huai realized the stone forest¡¯s method of attack and signaled to Tao Lu with his eyes. Tao Lu fished out a jade-colored bell and shook it in his hand. The clear, crisp sound reverberated through the air. Lu Hongdao had originally thought everything was normal. It was just that for some reason, he felt something strange beside him and turned around to see Fang Li looking at him, dripping blood from all his facial orifices. He was so shocked his legs nearly folded out from underneath him, but as soon as the bell sounded, the Fang Li before his eyes returned to normal, still smiling at him. At this, he finally understood that he¡¯d entered an illusion. Fang Li smiled as he watched Lu Hongdao. Seeing that he¡¯d come back to his senses, Fang Li finally relaxed. Illusions weren¡¯t the stone forest¡¯s only method of attack, but the illusions were the most likely to take one by surprise. The other attacks, Xie Huai could easily block, and since Cloudbank Keep had brought a mind-cleansing spiritual treasure, he didn¡¯t need to fret. Seeing that they were almost halfway through the stone forest¡­¡­ Fang Li suddenly pointed at a stone pillar and revealed a brilliant smile, saying, ¡°Bird, bird.¡± Lu Hongdao turned and saw that the stone pillar did look a bit like a bird. He was just about to helplessly coax Fang Li a bit, but unexpectedly, Fang Li suddenly struggled free of his grip and started running in that direction! Unable to react in time, Lu Hongdao was shaken off by Fang Li. He was about to give chase, but in the blink of an eye, Fang Li¡¯s figure vanished from sight. Even the bird-like stone pillar from just then was no longer in its original spot. In a flash, Lu Hongdao was soaked in cold sweat. He, he¡¯d lost Fang Li! After nimbly concealing himself in the stone forest and freeing himself of Lu Hongdao, Fang Li traveled very quickly the whole way, perfectly avoiding the traps and swiftly exiting out the other end of the stone forest. Before his eyes was a narrow walkway, the stone walls all around him littered with caverns. This wasn¡¯t the front of the treasure vault, but the side. Those people could walk in through the front door, while he would quietly slip in through the back. When he¡¯d gotten what he needed, and Xie Huai and the others had left¡­¡­ he could just leave the valley and find a chance to meet back up with Lu Hongdao. As for how to explain it? What did a fool have to explain for, it was all luck. The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up, his footsteps light. Just then, he vaguely heard sounds coming from ahead. His expression suddenly quivered, and he hid himself inside one of the caverns in a flash. Du Meng¡¯s deep, resounding voice carried over as he laughed coldly. ¡°How far have Xie Huai and the others gotten?¡± The demonic cultivator under him responded, ¡°They¡¯re about to arrive at the front hall.¡± Du Meng said hatefully, ¡°Good, is everything prepared? Remember, don¡¯t take action until they¡¯ve entered the hall. This time, I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s no return for him.¡± As they spoke, the two seemed to have walked into the distance. Fang Li slowly left his cavern, his expression sinking. Although he¡¯d only heard bits and pieces, he quickly pieced together the whole of the matter. Previously, he¡¯d even thought it a bit strange that the news about Grieving Wind Valley hadn¡¯t gotten out any sooner or later but just happened to spread now. It looked like everything was a plot against Xie Huai. Rumor had it that these years, Xie Huai had been constantly going after Du Meng¡¯s head, until Du Meng was basically like a dog without a home, not daring to show his face in the last nine years. How could such a petty and vengeful person as Du Meng tolerate the life of being threatened by Xie Huai day after day until he could only hide and cower? Of course he was going to look for a chance to get revenge. After Fang Li had died, Du Meng had taken in a portion of the Hollow Ridge demonic cultivators under his wing and had gained knowledge of the treasure vault here. These days, he¡¯d intentionally released the news for the sake of drawing Xie Huai here to ambush and kill him. But Fang Li wasn¡¯t actually too worried about Xie Huai. With the demon lord¡¯s treasure vault appearing and both righteous and demonic cultivators congregating, Xie Huai might have already made preparations¡­¡­ Besides, Xie Huai was the ¡°number one in the world¡± anointed by the author of the original work themselves. With his cultivation level right now, Du Meng shouldn¡¯t be able to kill him and was most likely just setting himself up to be humiliated. But he was afraid those ordinary cultivators who¡¯d come in search of treasure wouldn¡¯t be so lucky. When the demonic cultivators under Du Meng killed, they didn¡¯t care who you were. It would be hard to avoid implicating others in this disaster, and Xie Huai might not be able to protect all of them. The others were one thing¡­¡­ But Lu Hongdao absolutely couldn¡¯t be allowed to run into any accidents. He sure didn¡¯t want his dad to lose a friend in his middle age. At this thought, Fang Li let out a gloomy sigh. This really was troublesome¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ On the other side, seeing Fang Li wander off, Lu Hongdao was hopping up and down with anxiety. He didn¡¯t even have time to worry about the difference in status and grit his teeth to charge toward Xie Huai, pleading, ¡°Yuyi-jun, that nephew of mine has gotten lost, he¡¯s a poor, foolish child¡­¡­ Please save him, I¡¯m begging you!¡± They all said that Xie Huai was the paragon of the righteous cultivators, devoting his life to slaying demons to defend the Dao and rescuing the wounded, basically like a living bodhisattva. Lu Hongdao looked at him with eyes brimming with hope. Yuyi-jun definitely wouldn¡¯t watch someone die before his eyes, right? Right now, only Yuyi-jun could come to the rescue! Xie Huai lowered his eyes impassively to cast a sidelong glance at the middle-aged man. The man was looking at him with an anxious, uneasy expression, and the worry in his eyes wasn¡¯t fake. It looked like he was just yet another person being played for a fool by that fellow. That fellow was clearly escaping from you on purpose to sneak off in secret. What does he need you to worry about him for? It looked like this place had been his goal, and he¡¯d finally given himself away¡­¡­ A trace of derision appeared in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. He withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened and walked directly past Lu Hongdao. Lu Hongdao stood there blankly. Xie Huai¡¯s white robes brushed past his field of view without the slightest pause. In that split second, the chill in Xie Huai¡¯s eyes had practically frozen him solid, and he didn¡¯t dare to try to stop him again at all¡­¡­ How come¡­¡­ Yuyi-jun seemed, to be a little different from the rumors? That person was as cold as the ice at the bottom of an abyss. There wasn¡¯t a trace of pity in those eyes. No¡­¡­ even the emotions of a living person were missing. He wouldn¡¯t come to the rescue. Lu Hongdao¡¯s hands immediately grew cold. If Yuyi-jun didn¡¯t go, who would rescue Fang Li? He thought about how his moment of carelessness had allowed Fang Li to wander off like this. How was he going to explain it to Old Fang when he got back?! It was all his fault, if only he¡¯d held on a little tighter. Tao Lu glanced at Lu Hongdao with a bit of pity. He could tell that Lu Hongdao wholeheartedly loved and protected that fool, but under such dangerous circumstances, Shixiong couldn¡¯t possibly leave behind all these people for the sake of rescuing one fool, could he? There were levels of priority to things. That fool could only depend on his own luck now. Seeing that Xie Huai was getting farther and farther and that Lu Hongdao was still standing there foolishly, his disciples started to get anxious and all huddled over to drag him away, continuing forward behind Xie Huai. Fang Li was definitely down on his luck now, but they couldn¡¯t let Lu Hongdao fall here, too! All the way until they exited the stone forest. Lu Hongdao still looked like his soul had left his body. His heart full of endless regret. If he¡¯d known earlier that this would happen, he wouldn¡¯t have come to join in on the excitement. He would have gone straight home when they were at the entrance of Grieving Wind Valley. It would have still been better than this! Xie Huai¡¯s expression was indifferent, his eyes faintly closed. Ever since entering the valley, that fellow playing the fool had been completely calm and unruffled. No matter what kinds of traps they encountered, it was like they had all been within his expectations, and he¡¯d remained steadfast without a trace of fear. Plus, he¡¯d even dared to enter the stone forest alone¡­¡­ It looked like he was very familiar with this place. Just what kind of person was he? After leaving the stone forest. There was an expanse of empty space before them, and the mountain walls all around them were littered with pitch-black caverns. They looked dark and sinister, causing a shiver to run down one¡¯s back. And near the front, in the very center of this expanse, was a huge, thick, and heavy black door made of darksteel. This was the main entrance of the treasure vault. Heaven¡¯s Summit¡¯s members stepped forward to investigate the door. There were no more traps on it. At this, the crowd finally let out a breath. The Heaven¡¯s Summit elder said in a clear voice, ¡°When this old one opens this door, everyone can enter in order. Everyone who has come here to the demon¡¯s treasure vault will have a share. Heaven¡¯s Summit will be sure to fairly distribute¡­¡­¡± Before he was done speaking, a thin, pale young man suddenly came out of who knows where, staggering as he ran. He looked all around him in alarm, then charged in Lu Hongdao¡¯s direction, his eyes red as he said, ¡°I, couldn¡¯t find you, scared¡­¡­¡± Lu Hongdao had originally already fallen into despair. The stone forest was such a dangerous place, and Fang Li had no chance of surviving after wandering off by himself. He hadn¡¯t thought that Fang Li would suddenly charge out and was immediately shocked silly with joy. He pulled Fang Li by the arm, checking him up and down. Seeing that he hadn¡¯t been injured, his heart was finally at ease. A fool had fool¡¯s luck! The Heaven¡¯s Summit elder hadn¡¯t expected to be suddenly interrupted, and his expression was extremely displeased, but how could a great and mighty elder of a righteous sect squabble with a fool? So he only coughed lightly and continued, ¡°Heaven¡¯s Summit will¡­¡­¡± Who knew that the fool would speak up and interrupt him again. Fang Li pointed at the caverns on the stone walls, trembling and revealing a scared expression as he said, ¡°I, I saw in those caves, people, they, they were so fierce¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai¡¯s expression suddenly sharpened. At the very moment Fang Li had spoken, a deadly arrow had been shot straight towards him! Because his attention had been on Fang Li the whole time, Xie Huai struck without any hesitation, his sword splitting the arrow straight into two halves. The broken pieces fell onto the floor with a sizzling sound, clearly having been laced with poison¡ª Xie Huai laughed coldly. He¡¯d long known that Du Meng wouldn¡¯t be so well-behaved. So it turned out he¡¯d been waiting here. The Snowblue Sword hummed softly in his hand, and with a strike of his sword, cold light thundered toward the caverns on the walls. Du Meng and the others had been hiding among the caverns the whole time to wait until Xie Huai¡¯s group entered the treasure vault so that they could set a trap outside to surround and slaughter them. Who would¡¯ve expected that a fool would suddenly show up from who knows where and expose them in some bizarre turn of events? In his haste, he¡¯d wanted to kill that fool to silence him, but he¡¯d been stopped by Xie Huai. Seeing that Xie Huai had already discovered them, Du Meng immediately took out his spiritual weapon, squeezed out a flurry of countless arrows to delay Xie Huai, then turned and fled without a trace of hesitation, not even bothering to look after his subordinates! In these past few years, he¡¯d gotten plenty of experience being chased. When facing Xie Huai, one absolutely couldn¡¯t stay and fight. If not for the skill in fleeing that he¡¯d developed, he would have died a long time ago! Xie Huai furrowed his brow as he struck with his sword, blocking the countless poisoned arrows! But a few still slipped past, and a couple of miserable screams rang out from beside him. In the blink of an eye, the life was gone from those people. Du Meng¡¯s subordinates still hadn¡¯t had time to react when they saw their leader run away, and they were also scared into turning tail and running as fast as they could, fearing that if they were a step late, they¡¯d become the sacrificial lamb! In the blink of an eye, the demonix cultivators had scattered in all directions. The Heaven¡¯s Summit elder stood there dumbly, his eyes wide in stupefaction, looking blankly at Xie Huai. This, was this was the might of the number one in the world¡­¡­? Right, where had those demonic cultivators come from? It couldn¡¯t be that those demonic cultivators had planned to wait until they¡¯d entered the hall to spring a trap on them? No wonder, no wonder. Ever since arriving here, the four great sects had already exchanged blows a few times with the demonic cultivators who¡¯d come to harass them, but those demonic cultivators hadn¡¯t lingered to fight. As soon as they saw that they couldn¡¯t win, they¡¯d retreat, allowing the righteous sects to occupy the entrance of the valley. They¡¯d even thought that the demonic cultivators didn¡¯t dare approach to anymore¡­¡­ So it turned out that it¡¯d all been for the sake of lowering their guard. In truth, they¡¯d been hiding here, waiting for them. In that case, if not for this fool accidentally stumbling onto the demonic cultivators, they¡¯d be in big danger right now. After all, there was only one Yuyi-jun. But Fang Li appeared to be completely oblivious to it all. He cowered behind Lu Hongdao, his brow wrinkled, putting on a pout, saying, ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡­¡± Just then, his wrist was suddenly grasped by a scorching hot palm, and Fang Li was immediately lifted up. He looked up with astonishment, meeting Xie Huai¡¯s cold, sharp eyes, and his chest immediately tightened. What was going on? His performance shouldn¡¯t have had any flaws, right? Although his appearance had been a little sudden, he was a fool, okay¡­¡­ A fool had fool¡¯s luck, don¡¯t you know? A dark expression surged in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on Fang Li¡¯s sleeve. Fang Li looked down at his own sleeve with some puzzlement. Oh, just now, Du Meng had released a flurry of arrows before leaving, and one of them had accidentally brushed against his sleeve. There was a small cut on his sleeve, but it hadn¡¯t touched his body at all, it was no big deal¡­¡­ He had matters in hand. Even if Xie Huai hadn¡¯t acted, he had confidence that he could have avoided the poisoned arrows. But Xie Huai¡¯s expression was truly a little scary¡­¡­ Had he discovered that there was a problem with Fang Li? Just when Fang Li was anxious and uneasy, his scalp starting to tingle, Xie Huai suddenly released his hand. Inside his sleeve, Xie Huai¡¯s fingers curled slightly. In the moment that Fang Li had said that demonic cultivators were hiding here, he¡¯d understood Fang Li¡¯s meaning. Fang Li had come back on purpose to warn them. He¡¯d clearly already left, but he¡¯d come back for the people here. Was it because of Lu Hongdao? There was a complicated, murky expression in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. He¡¯d originally thought that this was a crafty, deceitful liar who¡¯d come for the demon lord¡¯s treasure vault, but he hadn¡¯t thought that this person would also have a sincere desire to protect these people. It wasn¡¯t a waste of Lu Hongdao¡¯s concern for him. Only, exposing Du Meng¡¯s plot like this, did you not understand that Du Meng would raise a hand against you? Why did you have to put yourself in danger like this? Why, do you cherish yourself so little? He knew he shouldn¡¯t. This fellow pretending to be a fool obviously couldn¡¯t possibly be that person, yet time after time¡­¡­ he made Xie Huai uncontrollably think of that person. At this point, Lu Hongdao finally came back to his senses and thanked Xie Huai with endless gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Yuyi-jun, if not for you, this child would have died for sure. He¡¯s suffered a lot in his life, you know. If he really died here, how would I tell his father?!¡± He¡¯d misunderstood Yuyi-jun before. Yuyi-jun only had a cold face, but his heart was warm. He actually was a good person! Lu Hongdao¡¯s heart was full of gratitude and guilt, and he pulled Fang Li¡¯s hand, about to kneel¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s sleeves fluttered, and a formless force stopped Lu Hongdao. Only indifference was left in his eyes. Whether or not Fang Li had needed his saving was still up for debate, but he has saved all of your lives. If not for Fang Li, many more people here would probably have died. He¡¯d originally thought that Fang Li had ulterior motives and might be a spy for the demonic cultivators, but looking at it now, Fang Li couldn¡¯t possibly be on Du Meng¡¯s side. Then exactly why had he come here pretending to be a fool? There were layers and layers of fog around this person. Xie Huai gave Fang Li a profound glance, then turned and left. Fang Li¡¯s heart finally fell back into place. It looked like he¡¯d muddled through. There shouldn¡¯t be any kind of danger after this. It would still be best if he hurried and got what he needed, then brought Lu Hongdao away from here. Where would a lofty and high up person like Xie Huai find time to bother with him? He didn¡¯t need to worry overly much¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his head and restrained his expression, following the crowd into the treasure vault. Everyone was extremely cautious, but no accidents happened after that. The danger was truly gone. Only. Everyone¡¯s face looked extremely unsightly. The treasure vault was in absolute disarray and completely empty. Obviously, it had already been plundered a long time ago. But Fang Li still had that perplexed expression, smiling completely obliviously. The moment he¡¯d seen Du Meng appear, he¡¯d expected this outcome. Du Meng was sure to have robbed this place clean before releasing news of this place to lure others over. How could he have left a single thing behind for the righteous cultivators? These people were destined to have come here for nothing. But he wasn¡¯t very disappointed. Wu Yimei had been the one to oversee construction of this treasure vault back then. Even if Hollow Ridge had dispersed later and news of this place had unexpectedly fallen into Du Meng¡¯s hands, there were some hidden passages that Du Meng couldn¡¯t possibly know about. Seeing this scene, the crowd was full of frustration, not believing that they¡¯d worked so hard to come all this way just to return empty-handed. Although the hall was already in chaos, they still rummaged and searched all around, unresigned. The surroundings were noisy and clamorous, everyone in their own world. Fang Li couldn¡¯t be less conspicuous. Seeing that Xie Huai was far in the distance and had his back facing him, Fang Li slipped away quietly from the side. But he didn¡¯t notice that as soon as he left, Xie Huai turned around. Xie Huai had been pretending not to pay attention on purpose so that Fang Li would relax his guard. He wanted to see precisely what purpose Fang Li had for coming here. He followed Fang Li at a distance into the side hall. In front of him, the thin young man in plain cotton clothing walking through the hall nimbly, his footsteps light, quickly turning into a corner with nobody around. He reached out to brush his hand against the smooth, clean walls, and a secret door immediately appeared on the wall. Xie Huai¡¯s expression became heavy as he followed Fang Li into the hidden door. As soon as he entered, the door closed behind him again. As soon as the young man put away his dazed, confused expression, a careless smile hung off the corners of his lips, and he walked through the secret passage as if strolling through his own home. Xie Huai fixed his eyes on the person before him. Why would you know of a secret passage that even Du Meng doesn¡¯t know of? You¡¯re definitely no ordinary person, and even less are you an ordinary demonic cultivator. Just what kind of person are you? Xie Huai¡¯s hands slowly curled into fists, and his breathing couldn¡¯t help but slow, his chest slightly rising and falling. In all these years, he¡¯d gone to any place where that person had left a mark just to search over and over for a trace of that person, hoping in vain that that person had only been deceiving him once again¡­¡­ Perhaps he was still alive in some corner of this world¡­¡­ But in the end, he knew in the depths of his heart that all of it was just him deceiving himself. His hopes were dashed again and again, and as time passed, even fooling himself became harder and harder. He knew he shouldn¡¯t hope in vain. That person would never appear again. He had absolutely no lingering attachments to this world, which was why he¡¯d left so decisively. To the point that he hadn¡¯t been willing to leave him even a single keepsake. But right now, Xie Huai gazed at the figure of the person before him. The pale young man knew where to go without even looking, his footsteps easygoing and carefree¡­¡­ Just as if, he was the owner of this place. In the midst of Xie Huai¡¯s daze. This person¡¯s figure, seemed to overlap with that person¡¯s. Xie Huai didn¡¯t dare to move his gaze away, as if afraid that as soon as he moved his eyes, this person would disappear again, and Xie Huai would never see him again¡­¡­ In that moment. An absurd, uncontrollable thought suddenly emerged in his mind. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: The wife is pretending to be a fool, I have to keep a close eye on him. Fang Li: Don¡¯t talk about it anymore, losing in the opening moves is no good : ) Author: Got nuttin¡¯ to do with me, shrugs. CH 45 March 29th, 2023 Fang Li ambled leisurely through the secret passage. At the time, when constructing this treasure vault, Yan Sui hadn¡¯t actually cared about whether this secret passage existed or not. It had been Wu Yimei who had insisted on building it just in case. Recalling it now, Wu Yimei had still been the one to consider things more thoroughly. Or else, he was afraid he would have come all this way for nothing this time. From the others¡¯ idle chatter, he¡¯d gotten wind that in these years, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t really gone after Wu Yimei, only relentlessly pursuing Du Meng. After leaving Hollow Ridge, Wu Yimei had set up his own faction, and these days, he was also a big and mighty demonic cultivator, giving Du Meng some trouble from time to time. It looked like his days were going pretty well. Fang Li recalled how he¡¯d fretted his heart out and wracked his brain over what to say in order not to let Wu Yimei end up on the old road of a vicious cannon fodder, guiding him over and over again. It looked like it had been pretty successful after all. Fang Li was completely satisfied. Because all of the things in the main hall outside had been plundered clean, Fang Li hadn¡¯t been able to get ahold of those herbs, but here, he was able to find plenty of bottles of pills for supplementing qi, nourishing the soul, and forging the body. Although they weren¡¯t as specific to his problem as those herbs, they were still acceptable for helping his body recover. Plus, there were also a good amount of high quality spirit stones. This was the hard currency of the cultivation world, after all. Fang Li found a storage ring and put a portion of the pills and spirit stones inside. As long as there was enough to use, it was good enough. The rest could just be left here. With these pills and spirit stones, his body would be able to recover as quickly as possible. Only then would he have the capital to live his life peacefully in this world. When he was done with all of this, Fang Li turned back and left through the secret passage. It was still as lively and bustling as a marketplace outside, and even after digging through the whole place, none of those people had been able to find anything. In their exasperation, several people had already started to curse and swear. Although the people from Heaven¡¯s Summit were more or less able to hold their tempers, their faces didn¡¯t look too well, either. Xie Huai still had that indifferent expression, like he didn¡¯t care about anything in the world. Even the position he was standing in was completely the same as before Fang Li had left, so he probably hadn¡¯t noticed him. Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept around, and he saw Lu Hongdao. Lu Hongdao was standing there, completely at peace. From the start, he¡¯d only come to pick up the leftovers, and even if there were any big profits to be found, the probability that he would get a chance to reap them was very low. If one had no expectations, then one couldn¡¯t be disappointed. Lu Hongdao, who had plenty of self-awareness, was actually quite calm, thinking, ah¡­¡­ Sure enough, he¡¯d come all this way for nothing. In an odd way, it was actually within his expectations. His disciples hadn¡¯t moved either. Some were standing there in a daze, and some were sitting there, yawning. Seeing that all the disciples around him were alive and well, Lu Hongdao thought with satisfaction, the fact that everyone could go home alive without any harm was also a result of his good leadership as a sect master! Only, where had Fang Li that kid run off to? Had he slipped off somewhere again? There wasn¡¯t really any danger right now, so Lu Hongdao wasn¡¯t actually very worried. The heavens would naturally assist those who were deserving. Nothing had happened to him earlier even in such dangerous circumstances, so nothing would happen now, either. Just when he was about to go look for Fang Li, he saw Fang Li return. The young man had a curious and perplexed expression, his eyes wandering left and right, and then he gave a brilliant smile. Lu Hongdao immediately took Fang Li¡¯s hand and said with a laugh, ¡°We¡¯ll be able to go home very soon.¡± Fang Li looked as if he didn¡¯t understand, only smiling blankly. A few of the Golden Blade disciples nearby just happened to be a bit bored. Seeing Fang Li return, they promptly circled around him to play with him. They knelt down on the ground to throw stones, having a good time. Lu Hongdao stroked his short beard, looking at Fang Li with fondness and pity, then let out a gloomy sigh. Who knew how much time this child still had left¡­¡­ At this thought, Lu Hongdao¡¯s spirits fell again. While he was in the midst of his melancholy, Lu Hongdao suddenly heard someone calling him and looked up. It was the baby-faced sword cultivator from Cloudbank Keep, the one who had given Fang Li crystal cake before. He seemed to be called Tao Lu or something¡­¡­ Tao Lu had come on Xie Huai¡¯s instruction. Shixiong had told him to figure out Fang Li¡¯s circumstances. When he had first heard Shixiong¡¯s request, Tao Lu had been astonished. Because in these nine years, Shixiong hadn¡¯t had a single care for anything in the outside world. He had never asked him to do anything, as if the whole world had nothing to do with him¡­¡­ In all this time, this was actually the first time Shixiong had told him to do anything. Although he didn¡¯t know the reason, it was still far, far, far too hard to come by for Shixiong to finally speak up of his own accord. Naturally, Tao Lu had to see this thing done properly! He asked Lu Hongdao, ¡°Why is he like this?¡± He was asking about Fang Li. Lu Hongdao sighed. ¡°This child suffered an accident when he was young, and after that, he became dazed and foolish. Even seeing doctor after doctor was no use!¡± Tao Lu frowned. ¡°What kind of accident was it?¡± Lu Hongdao scratched his head. ¡°I heard from his dad, it seems like when he went into the mountains to play, he fell into a cave and hit his head.¡± Tao Lu nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡± After speaking up to here, Lu Hongdao paused, shooting Fang Li a cautious look, then turned his face aside and whispered to Tao Lu, ¡°Plus, ever since getting very sick for a time, his body hasn¡¯t been too well. His dad went to find lots of fortune tellers, and they all say that he won¡¯t live past twenty. This child¡­¡­ is turning twenty this year. Tao Lu was startled, and his expression when he looked at Fang Li was immediately full of pity. No wonder Lu Hongdao was willing to follow along in whatever Fang Li wanted. So that was it. Fang Li was utterly speechless. Because I¡¯m a fool, you guys aren¡¯t avoiding the subject at all, is that right? Even if you lower your voices, I can still hear you clearly¡­¡­ But the fortune tellers hadn¡¯t actually been wrong. This child indeed hadn¡¯t been able to live past twenty, so before turning twenty, his soul had scattered to the wind, and Fang Li had arrived. In the distance, Xie Huai looked like his eyes were closed to rest. But his fingers suddenly clenched inside his sleeves with so much force that he was practically shattering his bones. Why, why was everything about him so similar to that person¡­¡­ Even his short remaining lifespan¡­¡­ All of it was the same. It¡¯d been nine years¡­¡­ More than three thousand days and nights. It wasn¡¯t that he¡¯d never held foolish hopes before, trying to summon a trace of that person¡¯s lingering soul, but even that had been impossible¡­¡­ Under the Snowblue Sword, no soul remained. That person¡¯s soul had long scattered into the wind, and not even his body had been left behind. Xie Huai had long gotten used to having his hopes shattered again and again. Every time he despaired, he would fall deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the abyss¡­¡­ and gradually, he had no choice but to accept reality. But this time¡­¡­ Is it really possible that it might be you¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Because there wasn¡¯t much left here, everyone dispersed after not too long, and the journey home was much smoother. The Heaven¡¯s Summit elder said to Xie Huai in a respectful voice, ¡°Then we¡¯ll part ways with Yuyi-jun here.¡± The leaders of the Jade Hawk Palace and Black Star Tower groups also came to bid Xie Huai farewell, then took their people and left. As for those little cultivation sects, they didn¡¯t even dare to get too close to Xie Huai. Fang Li hid himself in the crowd, completely inconspicuous. Very good, this time, he¡¯d successfully gotten some useful items. As for Xie Huai, the two of them lived in completely different worlds now. After parting ways, they wouldn¡¯t need to see each other again. To him, knowing that Xie Huai was well was good enough. In this life, the winds and storms of the world would have nothing to do with him. He only wanted to live a life free and unrestrained like the clouds in the sky. Lu Hongdao brought Fang Li home. Fang Li naturally didn¡¯t need to hide in the basket anymore on the way home. He sat comfortably in the carriage, enjoying Lu Hongdao¡¯s attentive and meticulous care. Lu Hongdao had only brought some dry rations for the trip, but when he thought about how Fang Li might not be used to eating those, he was afraid of causing the child grievance, so as soon as they left Grieving Wind Valley, they headed straight for a nearby village to find something to eat. There wasn¡¯t much in this little place, so he got some roast chicken for Fang Li. Seeing Fang Li look quite happy as he ate, Lu Hongdao rubbed his short beard with satisfaction. After he was done eating, Fang Li wiped his hands on his clothes and touched his stomach with satisfaction. Then he rolled over lazily as if getting ready to go to sleep. As he shifted, he accidentally let a pouch fall out. The opening of the pouch wasn¡¯t fastened, and with a clatter, a pile of sparkling, translucent high-quality spirit stones rolled all over the carriage. There looked to be tens of them, and Lu Hongdao, who was just about to throw away the chicken bones, immediately widened his eyes until they were about to fall out. He sat there blankly, his expression dazed. Fang Li looked like he¡¯d suddenly remembered something and laughed delightedly, grabbing a handful of spirit stones. ¡°Sparkly, pretty, fun.¡± Lu Hongdao¡¯s beard was trembling. When he looked at Fang Li, his face looked like he¡¯d seen a ghost. Just where did you find these high-quality spirit stones?! Those people from Heaven¡¯s Summit had turned the whole place over and hadn¡¯t found a single spirit stone, but you just casually brought out a whole bag? And they¡¯re all precious high-quality spirit stones?! The high-quality spirit stones that are worth a hundred regular spirit stones each? He was just a cultivator from a small town. He¡¯d only seen this kind of expensive high-quality spirit stone once before in his life and hadn¡¯t even gotten to touch it¡­¡­ The brilliant light was nearly blinding to him. Fang Li pushed the spirit stones toward Lu Hongdao. Lu Hongdao said in a trembling voice, ¡°For me?¡± After he spoke, he wanted to slap himself. How could Fang Li understand him?! The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips rose, and he smiled. ¡°Golden Silk Pear Blossom cake.¡± Lu Hongdao: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Did this child mean that he wanted to trade the spirit stones with him for cake? After he was done speaking, Fang Li was too lazy to bother with it further and gave Lu Hongdao some time to digest the news. He yawned languidly and lay down on the couch to sleep. Lu Hongdao was in the midst of a daze. He looked at the floor covered in spirit stones. So¡­¡­ in the end, the only person who¡¯d gained anything out of this trip was actually himself? And it was such a huge fortune that¡¯d fallen out of the sky? He raised his hand to give himself a slap. Ow, so it wasn¡¯t a dream¡­¡­ Lu Hongdao looked at Fang Li with a complicated expression. How was this a fool, this was a lucky star! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Every day, Fang Li ate and slept, then slept and ate. After ten days, they finally returned to Hualin Town. Lu Hongdao sent him straight home, and Fang Mingyuan was so excited that the corners of his eyes turned red. Xin Ruiyan hugged him, crying so hard she couldn¡¯t speak, and Fang Qiongyi stood quietly to one side as she kept wiping away at her tears. Not a single one of the three could bear to take their anger out on Fang Li. After all, it was already fortunate enough that their foolish little son could come home. They¡¯d originally thought they¡¯d never find him again! When they thought about how Fang Li might have been kidnapped, sold, or killed¡­¡­ They¡¯d been stewing in anxiety for the last month or so. After a long time, Fang Mingyuan finally remembered Lu Hongdao and said, ¡°Brother Lu, how did you find little Li?¡± Lu Hongdao was a little nervous. He swallowed and said, ¡°Little Li was the one who hid in our cart by himself. We, we didn¡¯t discover him until we were at Grieving Wind Valley¡­¡­ Fang Mingyuan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± If not for the sake of their decades-old bond, their friendship would be over today! Lu Hongdao also felt extremely guilty. It was all because he hadn¡¯t discovered Fang Li earlier. Seeing that Fang Mingyuan was about to explode, he slipped away hastily. Because of the incident of Fang Li getting lost. The whole Fang family¡¯s nerves were suddenly stretched taut. Previously, they¡¯d allowed Fang Li to go out and wander about, thinking that it would be fine as long as there was someone following him. Besides, everyone in town recognized Fang Li, so they¡¯d never felt like Fang Li could actually wander off and get lost¡­¡­ But after returning home this time, as soon as Fang Li stepped outside his room, a servant girl would trail close behind not more than a step away, and the main doors of the Fang household were shut tight day after day, so he couldn¡¯t even get out the door. The repercussions were quite severe, Fang Li thought helplessly. Luckily, he didn¡¯t plan on going outside for a while anyways. He used the defensive spiritual devices he¡¯d obtained from the treasure vault to set up a barrier around the Fang family. Blocking out demonic cultivators under Soul Formation wouldn¡¯t be a problem, ensuring the Fang family¡¯s temporary safety. After that, he stayed in his room every day. Staying in closed door cultivation to recuperate. Seeing him stay inside all day, Mother and Father Fang thought he¡¯s suffered a scare while outside and didn¡¯t come in to disturb him, so Fang Li was actually quite at ease. About ten days passed like this. Fang Li¡¯s health gradually took a turn for the better. He was contemplating the matter of how, after a few more months, he would be able to start cultivation again¡­¡­ That day, he¡¯d just gotten out of bed, yawning, and was about to eat when a servant girl came in from outside, coaxing him to go to the front hall, saying that the master was looking for him. Fang Li was a bit doubtful. What could Fang Mingyuan be looking for him for? He was a fool, after all. In the past, even when inviting physicians over to treat him, they were all brought straight to his room. This was actually the first time someone had come to bring him out so seriously. Fang Li followed the servant girl to the front hall. With a single glance, he saw the cold, white-robed man standing in the center of the room, and he immediately stiffened, his expression almost collapsing. Why had Xie Huai shown up here?! Fang Li was bewildered and unsettled. These days, Xie Huai was the number one in the world, while the Fang family was no more than a few mortals from a little town. The difference between them was like that between ants and a god. Regardless of whether he went back to Hollow Ridge or returned to Cloudbank Keep, he shouldn¡¯t be here¡­¡­ Fang Li immediately had a bad premonition. He¡¯d already been very careful back then, but had he actually revealed any flaws? Exactly which part had drawn Xie Huai¡¯s attention? Although his heart was full of misgivings, he didn¡¯t show any of it on his face. He stood to one side with a dazed and confused appearance, as if he didn¡¯t know who Xie Huai was at all¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s gaze swept past Fang Li¡¯s face, a probing expression emerging in the depths of his eyes. He turned to Fang Mingyuan and said in a bland voice, ¡°This is your son?¡± Fang Mingyuan wrung his hands nervously, stuttering and stammering dazedly, ¡°Oh, yes, Yuyi-jun, this is my son¡­¡­¡± Tao Lu was standing to the side with a smile. Seeing that Fang Mingyuan looked like his soul had fled his body in his astonishment, he reassured in a gentle voice, ¡°Mister Fang, there¡¯s no need to be too nervous. Yuyi-jun heard of the situation with your son and couldn¡¯t bear it in his heart, so he came here to take a look. Maybe he¡¯ll be able to cure him.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Listening to Tao Lu¡¯s words, Xie Huai had come here to treat him out of the goodness of his heart. But those words¡ªusing them to coax Fang Mingyuan was fine. But Fang Li didn¡¯t believe a word of it! He narrowed his eyes. Although Xie Huai was indeed the light of the righteous sects, dedicating his life to slaying demons to protect the Dao and defend the common people, that didn¡¯t mean that he was a living saint who would go around helping old ladies cross the street. He was an aloof and lofty cultivator, okay, and he was a sword cultivator! Minding other peoples¡¯ business had never been Xie Huai¡¯s style. Xie Huai sure wasn¡¯t that bored. Besides, even if he was willing to mind it all, with all the suffering in the world, the number of people who needed his help was simply endless. Could he possibly take care of them all? As far as Fang Li knew, these years, Xie Huai had stood guard on Hollow Ridge, descending very rarely and never asking after worldly affairs. Would he go help treat a fool of his own accord? Fang Li would have to be out of his mind to believe it. The problem was, Fang Mingyuan had absolutely no misgivings about it and was so excited he nearly fainted. What kind of jackpot had he struck?! Although he hadn¡¯t shown it, during this period of time, whenever he thought about how this child didn¡¯t have many days left and was about to turn twenty, he was filled with worry day after day. He hadn¡¯t imagined there would be a light at the end of the tunnel, and he would actually encounter a living celestial like Yuyi-jun himself! A true bodhisattva! As expected of the Yuyi-jun praised by all! What a saint! Fang Mingyuan took Fang Li¡¯s hand and pulled him over, and even his voice was trembling. ¡°Y-Yuyi-jun, take a look however you want. Even, even if you can¡¯t cure him, it¡¯s okay!¡± It was already good enough that Yuyi-jun had stooped to coming here, but he was a sword cultivator, and they hadn¡¯t heard anyone say that he was proficient in medicine. Although Fang Mingyuan was very happy, he didn¡¯t dare to hold too much hope. He watched Fang Li shrink back a bit, looking like he didn¡¯t want to step forward, and he yanked Fang Li¡¯s hand, stuffing it into Xie Huai¡¯s. Fang Li¡¯s hand touched Xie Huai¡¯s scorching hot palm, and he immediately wanted to flee as though he¡¯d been burned¡­¡­ But before he could take back his hand, Xie Huai had already grabbed ahold of it. Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s dark eyes watched Fang Li attentively, not letting a single expression on his face escape him. As soon as he¡¯d entered the Fang household, he¡¯d sensed the hidden array set up around it. The setup of this defensive array was extremely ingenious, and ordinary cultivators wouldn¡¯t be able to perceive it at all. Unless a cultivator was above Soul Formation, they wouldn¡¯t be able to break through it, and it definitely wasn¡¯t something just anyone could set up. Right now, the only person in the Fang household who could possibly have done it was Fang Li, and he had just returned from Grieving Wind Valley and obtained defensive spiritual devices. Although this person was playing a fool, his identity suspicious and his goals unknown, he seemed to care for his family very much¡­¡­ Truly contradictory and strange. As if surrounded by layers and layers of fog. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes, recalling the first time he¡¯d met that person. His expression became heavier, and his spiritual energy suddenly probed into Fang Li¡¯s body. Fang Li felt Xie Huai¡¯s spiritual energy enter, and his entire body stiffened, firmly pressing down the instinct to resist! Allowing his spiritual energy to push straight in. The feeling wasn¡¯t actually painful. Xie Huai¡¯s spiritual energy was warm and gentle, like a stream from a warm spring, quickly flowing through his dried up meridians. A tingling sensation slowly radiated outwards from inside¡­¡­ Fang Li clenched his teeth tightly. If not for the fact that he was a fool right now, he, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let Xie Huai do such a thing! But right now, he couldn¡¯t resist. Or else, it would be like announcing that he wasn¡¯t a fool. Luckily, he hadn¡¯t been in a rush, and although he¡¯d spent all his time recently recuperating, he hadn¡¯t formally started cultivating yet. This body was only just a little bit better than it had been when he¡¯d first arrived. This was Xie Huai¡¯s first time investigating, so he shouldn¡¯t be able to find any abnormalities. He just had to hold himself steady¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s gaze rested on Fang Li¡¯s face without blinking. On the young man¡¯s pale, clean face, a trace of discomfort emerged. His long eyelashes quivered, his exquisite brows furrowing, looking aggrieved and ill at ease over the fact that he wasn¡¯t able to free himself. His thin wrists trembled in Xie Huai¡¯s palms¡­¡­ but, from start to finish, he didn¡¯t use his spiritual energy to resist Xie Huai¡¯s probing. Hah¡­¡­ What a good performance. If not for the fact that Xie Huai had witnessed the other side of him, he would probably also have been fooled. He was just as good at deception as that person¡­¡­ Xie Huai examined Fang Li all over without any mercy and quickly found where the problem was. Fang Li actually had the extremely rare Heave¡¯s Spirit physique, but because he was unable to absorb the enormous amount of spiritual energy in his body, he had this weak and sickly appearance. As soon as he absorbed that spiritual energy, he would be able to recover. If he were really a fool, there would be no way to treat him, and it would indeed be a thorny problem¡­¡­ But seeing as this person was only pretending to be a fool and was able to cultivate, then naturally, there was no problem. But that wasn¡¯t even the most important part. The most important thing was that he hadn¡¯t discovered any traces of possession. When a demon or spirit possessed a mortal, it wasn¡¯t their own body, after all. The body and the soul weren¡¯t compatible enough, and there would more or less be traces of it to find¡­¡­ But not only was there absolutely no trace of a demon or spirit¡¯s aura on this person, there wasn¡¯t a trace of disharmony between his body and his soul. Now that was strange. If it wasn¡¯t possession, then why was he pretending to be a fool? But¡­¡­ Sooner or later, he would get to the bottom of these things. The corners of Xie Huai¡¯s lips hooked up softly. He loosened his hand and said blandly to Fang Mingyuan, ¡°I can cure his illness.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I want to give up treatment. Xie Huai: Not allowed : ) CH 46 April 1st, 2023 Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted slightly, his heart sinking. Xie Huai should already understand his circumstances. In this situation, no treatment would work at all. Only cultivating could dissolve the spiritual power in his body, but as a fool, how was he supposed to cultivate? But Xie Huai was saying he could cure him. Just what did he mean by that? It couldn¡¯t be that there really was a way to cure him? Or was it for the sake of sounding him out? On the other hand, Fang Mingyuan was absolutely beside himself with joy at the unexpected news. He was so excited his entire body started trembling, nervous and uneasy and fearful of letting the chance slip as he said, ¡°R-really? He can be cured?¡± Heaven knows how many doctors he¡¯d invited in these past years, but they¡¯d all said that there was no way¡­¡­ The fortune tellers all said that this child wouldn¡¯t be able to live past twenty. Watching with his own eyes as this child got thinner day after day, his time limited, yet still completely ignorant to it all, as a father, who knew how much heartache he¡¯d been in? Xie Huai gave Fang Li a profound look and said slowly, ¡°Even if his madness can¡¯t be cured, I can at least promise he¡¯ll live a long life of a hundred years.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Mingyuan fell to the ground kneeling with a plop, tears in his eyes. ¡°A long life of a hundred is good enough, it¡¯s good enough! If Yuyi-jun can cure him, you¡¯ll be my Fang family¡¯s savior in this life and the next. I¡¯m willing to put up a longevity tablet¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai waved his hand, and Fang Mingyuan felt a formless force pull him up. Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a longevity tablet. Only, your son¡¯s disease has persisted so long that it¡¯s become severe. Curing him will take more than a little bit of time. He will need to come back to the ridge with me, is that fine?¡± What wasn¡¯t fine about it? Fang Mingyuan didn¡¯t hesitate at all and said decisively, ¡°I¡¯ll give this foolish son of mine to Yuyi-jun! Everything will be done according to Yuyi-jun¡¯s arrangements!¡± Fang Li¡¯s expression nearly froze solid. Just like that, he was sold out by his cheaply gotten old man. If not for the fact that he was a fool, he definitely wouldn¡¯t agree! But if he were to expose himself right now, the Fang family would only think that he¡¯d been possessed by a spirit or demon, and Xie Huai was bound to slay him as a spirit or demon. Now that he¡¯d boarded this train, it was hard to get off, so he could only continue to pretend. But do you think that as long as you tell me to go, I¡¯ll go? Do you think that a fool doesn¡¯t have opinions? Fang Li had a look as though he didn¡¯t understand anything at all, standing there completely unmoving. As the great and mighty Yuyi-jun, you must leave yourself some face, would you really go as far as to use force? But before Xie Huai had any reaction at all, Fang Mingyuan, seeing Fang Li¡¯s appearance, immediately came over to pull his hand and drag him outside. His foolish little son didn¡¯t understand. How rare was it that Yuyi-jun was willing to cure him and save his life, how could he cause trouble for Yuyi-jun?! What if Yuyi-jun left and didn¡¯t bother with him anymore?! Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Seeing that Fang Mingyuan had already stuffed him into the carriage, the corners of Fang Li¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red. He grabbed onto Fang Mingyuan¡¯s sleeves and refused to let go. Are you really going to cruelly send your son far, far away? Fang Mingyuan looked at his son¡¯s confused, imploring eyes, and his heart immediately softened. He couldn¡¯t bear to let Fang Li leave either, okay? This child had never left home before, and no matter how good Yuyi-jun was, he was still a high and lofty cultivator. He looked cold and aloof, and who knew if he would be able to take good care of this child. He feared that Fang Li would be cold or hungry or suffer grievance on the ridge, but as soon as he thought about how this child was just about to turn twenty¡­¡­ Those were nothing. Being able to live was more important! Compared to living a long life of a hundred, none of these little trifles were important. Fang Mingyuan steeled his heart and ripped away Fang Li¡¯s hand. Although he knew that Fang Li couldn¡¯t understand him, he still instructed earnestly, ¡°After you go, you have to behave well and do as you¡¯re told. Don¡¯t give Yuyi-jun any trouble, understand?¡± Fang Li: ¡­¡­ It looked like there would be no choice but to leave today. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help a trace of worry from flitting through his eyes. Not wanting to reveal his identity was one facet of things, but more importantly, everyone in the Fang family was a mortal. What would they do after he left¡­¡­ At the thought of the incident from last time, he truly couldn¡¯t feel at ease! Xie Huai had originally already turned to leave, but his line of sight swept past Fang Li, not letting the flash of worry in Fang Li¡¯s eyes escape him. He couldn¡¯t help but pause his steps. Could it be¡­¡­ Fang Li was unwilling to leave with him because he was worried for his family? Regardless of why he was hiding his identity or what his purpose was, it looked like¡­¡­ At the very least, his care and protection of his family members was sincere. When he thought about how the first thing Fang Li had done after returning home was to set up the array to defend against demonic cultivators, Xie Huai pondered to himself for a moment, and three jade charms appeared in his hand. Xie Huai waved his hand, and the jade charms landed in Fang Mingyuan¡¯s hands. He said impassively, ¡°These are sword talismans that I¡¯ve personally made. They contain a sliver of my sword intent, and they can be used for self-defense.¡± Protective charms personally made by the number one in the world, Yuyi-jun! Fang Mingyuan¡¯s hands were trembling as he cupped the jade charms. Such precious things, and he¡¯d been given three of them at once. Y-Yuyi-jun was really far too generous¡­¡­ What had he done to deserve it¡­¡­ This jackpot falling out of the sky had struck him dizzy, but it still wasn¡¯t over yet¡­¡­ Xie Huai then said, ¡°If you miss your child, you can come to Hollow Ridge to visit him. If you encounter any difficulties, you can also come to the ridge to find me.¡± This time, Fang Mingyuan wasn¡¯t the only one who was shocked. Even Tao Lu was shocked silly. S-Shixiong was¡­¡­ Giving the Fang family a pledge? Not even he had seen sword talismans personally made by Shixiong before. One had to know that not even a Void Refining cultivator would be able to block a sliver of Shixiong¡¯s sword intent! A single charm would be enough to drive the whole cultivation world mad, and he¡¯d given out three of them at once. The problem was, giving the protective charms hadn¡¯t been enough, and he¡¯d even pledged to protect the Fang family. With Shixiong¡¯s words, who in the world would be blind enough to dare make a move against the Fang family? Tao Lu was in a daze¡­¡­ This time, he truly didn¡¯t quite understand. Doing a good deed wasn¡¯t done like this, was it? Just what was so extraordinary about the Fang family, to be able to make Shixiong go this far? Fang Li¡¯s heart also quivered. He couldn¡¯t understand why Xie Huai was doing this either. Just where had he revealed any flaws? It couldn¡¯t be that it was because he¡¯d exposed Du Meng¡¯s plot and had instead attracted Xie Huai¡¯s suspicion? Fang Li lowered his eyes. Seeing as there was no more leeway in the matter, it looked like he could only go with Xie Huai first. He needed to be on his best behavior in order to lower Xie Huai¡¯s guard and find an opportunity to escape¡­¡­ After all, it was very normal for a fool to wander off and get lost, wasn¡¯t it? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai originally could have traveled by sword, and it wasn¡¯t impossible to bring someone else on his sword, but to a mortal who¡¯d never cultivated before, it was more or less not very comfortable, so they specially rented a carriage. Tao Lu sat outside driving the carriage, his ears pricked, curiously listening to the sounds coming from inside. But there wasn¡¯t any sound coming from inside at all. Xie Huai sat with his back straight inside the carriage, his probing gaze resting on Fang Li¡¯s face. The young man¡¯s expression was uneasy and aggrieved, playing the part of a fool to perfection¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s eyes darkened. He thought about how that person had also always liked to pretend. Back on Mt. Wanxun, he¡¯d tricked that whole crowd of people into running in circles just like this¡­¡­ He had the carelessness of someone who treated life like a game, but he also had a kind and gentle heart that wanted to protect others. Just like the person before his eyes. Even while playing the fool, he thought about his family at every turn. Everything¡­¡­ was so similar to him. Xie Huai suddenly didn¡¯t dare to think any further. In these nine years, the bone-cutting despair time after time had long made him realize that he shouldn¡¯t cling to any foolish hopes. To the point that¡­¡­ When there was suddenly someone who was truly so similar to that person, he actually didn¡¯t dare to believe¡­¡­ He was afraid that it was just another fantasy. Fang Li snuck a cautious peek at Xie Huai. The closer one got to Xie Huai, the more apparent it became that Xie Huai really was a bit different from before. The thoughts of the Xie Huai of right now were deeper than the Fallen Star Sea, and his every move and action were impossible to fathom. Even if Xie Huai suspected him because of the matter with Du Meng, was there any need to go this far? Xie Huai was so insistent on bringing him away¡­¡­ It couldn¡¯t really be because Xie Huai was going to treat his illness, could it? Fang Li was also tired from pretending for a while, so he simply closed his eyes to go to sleep. Forget it, at this point, he could only figure things out as he went. He didn¡¯t intend to walk the demonic path in this life anyways, so seeing as he wasn¡¯t a demon and wasn¡¯t doing anything bad, no matter what, Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t take his life. No matter how Xie Huai changed, he still had complete faith in Xie Huai on this point. Xie Huai definitely wasn¡¯t the kind of person to slaughter innocents or prey on the weak. The carriage was pretty cozy, and it had been reinforced with spells so that it didn¡¯t jostle. Fang Li soon comfortably fell asleep. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ By the time Fang Li woke up again, the carriage had already stopped. He crawled up lazily, about to take a look to see where they were. Tao Lu squeezed inside to smile at Fang Li and say, ¡°You must be hungry, I¡¯ll take you to go eat.¡± Fang Li avoided Xie Huai¡¯s gaze and grabbed Tao Lu¡¯s hand to get down from the carriage. This kid was still so kind and likable. Fang Li had found him pretty cute back then¡­¡­ As expected, he had a good eye for people. They arrived at the county capital. Tao Lu led Fang Li by the hand to the biggest restaurant in town. He didn¡¯t know what Fang Li liked to eat either, so he ordered a tableful of all kinds of dishes. Seeing the table full of delicious food, Fang Li¡¯s mood improved even more. Xie Huai¡¯s younger sect brother sure was much easier to get along with than Xie Huai himself¡­¡­ Fang Li truly was a bit hungry, as this body of his got hungry very quickly, so he didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and started chewing. Xie Huai didn¡¯t touch his chopsticks at all, only lowering his eyes impassively to look at Fang Li with contemplation. Fang Li knew Xie Huai was looking at him, so he ate with even less restraint, playing the part of a fool with as much vigor as possible. Plus, he intentionally avoided his favorites from before to prevent Xie Huai from getting suspicious. Tao Lu didn¡¯t eat much either. During the meal, all of his attention was focused on taking care of Fang Li, because when Fang Li wasn¡¯t knocking over this, then he was dropping that, turning the whole table into a chaotic mess. Tao Lu felt his head throb. He really didn¡¯t understand why Shixiong had insisted on bringing this fool along. If he weren¡¯t nearby to take care of things, and his cold and lofty Shixiong and this fool were left by themselves¡­¡­ Tao Lu couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of terrifying image it would be. Forget it, forget it, it was still better to leave taking care of Fang Li to him! Xie Huai watched and watched, and suddenly, the corners of his lips quirked up faintly. Fang Li¡¯s acting really was good. If not for the fact that he¡¯d stumbled upon the events of that night, perhaps he¡¯d even suspect that Fang Li really was a fool, but because he¡¯d seen this person¡¯s other side a long time again, watching him now, Xie Huai instead thought that his performance was a bit meticulous. Besides, Fang Li hadn¡¯t even made this much of a fuss when he¡¯d been with Lu Hongdao. He was intentionally trying to put the blinders on him, huh¡­¡­ You¡¯re that unwilling to go with me? Xie Huai¡¯s fingers curled softly, and he looked blandly at Tao Lu, saying, ¡°No need to bother with him.¡± Tao Lu was startled. ¡°But¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai¡¯s eyes cooled slightly as they rested on Fang Li without blinking. He said meaningfully, ¡°You¡¯re getting in the way of his illness acting up.¡± Tao Lu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s hand, which was holding a chicken leg, trembled faintly, and his heart went thump. That sentence of Xie Huai¡¯s had been rather pointed. Had Xie Huai discovered that he was pretending to be a fool? That, that shouldn¡¯t be the case, right¡­¡­ Although Tao Lu was a bit reluctant, Xie Huai had already spoken, so he sat down obediently to one side and stayed put, watching Fang Li eat by himself. Fang Li quickly became full and had no more energy to mess around. He wiped his hands carelessly on his clothes a few times, then revealed a silly smile. Xie Huai slowly got up and said, ¡°If you¡¯re full, let¡¯s hurry on our way.¡± It was still Tao Lu who truly couldn¡¯t watch on and helped Fang Li with a cleaning spell to get him tidied up before finally leading him back to the carriage. Time passed day by day. Every day, if Fang Li wasn¡¯t hungry, then he was tired. If he wasn¡¯t missing home, then he wanted his mom, truly driving Tao Lu to the point of tearing his hair out. Fang Li himself was also completely worn out, but Xie Huai¡­¡­ remained completely unmoved. Fang Li glanced at Xie Huai. Fine, you win. Seeing as this trick was useless, then there was no need to waste time on it. After a few more days, Fang Li acted as if he¡¯d gradually accepted his fate and finally stopped raising a fuss. Every day, he would only have a listless, downcast appearance, docilely allowing Tao Lu to lead him around. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. Once again, they stopped at a little town. Xie Huai and Tao Lu could practice inedia, but Fang Li had to eat every day, so they hadn¡¯t been traveling very quickly. Although Xie Huai might suspect him, he wasn¡¯t mistreating Fang Li in terms of living conditions¡­¡­ The dishes made by the restaurant in this little town were just average. After a whole journey¡¯s worth of food, Fang Li thought he could at most give them a six out of ten. Don¡¯t mention it, but with all the stops along the way, he¡¯d actually gotten to enjoy all the different kinds of delicacies in this world. He thought he could even become a food blogger now. Fang Li occasionally felt a bit rueful. If not for the fact that he¡¯d offended Xie Huai so badly just before leaving and that Xie Huai definitely wouldn¡¯t forgive him, it would have been pretty nice to take Xie Huai as a travel buddy for vacationing¡­¡­ Tao Lu was also getting more and more experienced at ordering food. All of the dishes on the table were things that Fang Li liked. Fang Li still ate all by himself. Xie Huai still had that appearance of being immovable as a mountain. The man¡¯s cool face looked indifferent, but in reality, he had been silently observing Fang Li the whole time. Although Fang Li¡¯s acting was indeed very good, and he had even avoided behaving similarly to before on purpose, a person¡¯s likes and habits, those things that were carved into their bones¡­¡­ were impossible to change so easily. Underneath that flimsy pretense, the person who revealed himself before Xie Huai¡¯s eyes was more and more similar to that person¡­¡­ Neither of them were very good at handling spice. Although Fang Li pretended to like it and always intentionally picked spicy things to eat, as soon as he had a little too much, his eyes would be full of tears. After reaching the limits of his endurance a few times, he quietly gave up. Neither of them liked the taste of bitter saltbush. Although Fang Li meticulously avoided the dishes that he¡¯d liked before, when it came to any dish that had bitter saltbush in it, he would still rather die than let his chopsticks touch it. When they ate something that they liked, the satisfaction at the corners of their eyes¡ªperhaps even he himself had never noticed that it was still exactly the same as before¡­¡­ And when they slept, that completely relaxed and languid posture, and even the habit of having one arm bent and one arm hanging down when sleeping on his side was still just like back then¡­¡­ Through these little details that were unconsciously revealed even when meticulously concealing himself, what was displayed was instead this person¡¯s genuine side. In the depths of night, Xie Huai had once dreamed of the past time and time again, closing his eyes to sketch out time after time that vision of that person when he had still been here¡­¡­ Carving all of that person¡¯s tiny expressions and little movements deep into his mind. So that he wouldn¡¯t be unable to recall so much as what he had looked like as time went on¡­¡­ And with every passing day that he interacted with Fang Li. It was like the illusion that had wandered through his dreams hundreds and thousands of times had finally walked out of the nothingness, appearing vividly before him¡­¡­ The emotions in Xie Huai¡¯s chest were practically impossible to suppress, weighing down on him until he was nearly suffocating. This was the first time in the past nine years that he¡¯d been so close to that person¡¯s shadow¡­¡­ So close that he could nearly touch it. So, could it be you? But if you really are him, then when did you wake up, and why must you hide your identity? If one were to say that you lost your memory, you also clearly remember the secret passage in the treasure vault, and you even know how to set up an array to defend against demonic cultivators. No matter how one looks at it, you don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve lost your memory¡­¡­ But if you didn¡¯t lose your memory, then why are you avoiding me, why aren¡¯t you willing to acknowledge me? Do you really want so badly to sever all ties with the past? Then what about me¡­¡­ Am I also a part of the things you want to throw away, the things you want a clean cut from? Do you not feel any lingering attachment at all? Xie Huai¡¯s heart felt like it was being squeezed tight, the depths of his eyes dim and pained. Do you know how I¡¯ve been surviving for the past nine years? Just as you wished, I¡¯ve lived up to those things that you were willing to pay with your very life to obtain for me¡­¡­ Acting as the swordsman who slayed the devil and protects the common people in the eyes of the world. But as for you, why must you be so ruthless to me? Unwilling to come back and see me even once. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: The wife is so cruel to me. Fang Li: My bro has become my bitter enemy. CH 47 April 4th, 2023 Fang Li finished his meal without a sound. Actually, he did have a tiny bit of mysophobia, but ever since pretending to be a fool, even his OCD was about to be cured¡­¡­ Fang Li sighed sorrowfully in his heart. Out of habit, he was about to wipe his greasy-covered hands on himself when suddenly, a scorching hot hand grabbed his wrist. Fang Li raised his head in astonishment, then looked at Xie Huai timidly. After all, right now, his character setting was a fool. Xie Huai was such a big block of ice, it was normal for a fool to be scared of him. But Xie Huai only lowered his eyes, his long, jade-like fingers grasping Fang Li¡¯s wrist as he took out a silk handkerchief and wiped Fang Li¡¯s fingers clean one by one. His movements were slow and focused, brooking no resistance yet also tender, the blazing warmth passing through the skin¡­¡­ Fang Li wanted to pull his hand back uneasily, but he couldn¡¯t pull it away. He could only allow Xie Huai to continue cleaning, his fingertips trembling slightly¡­¡­ After a long time, Xie Huai finally let go, his eyes still indifferent as he stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Fang Li retrieved his hand in a flash as if just pardoned from execution. Tao Lu couldn¡¯t be more emotional as he watched this scene. To think that Shixiong would help wipe someone¡¯s hand so tenderly, sob, Shixiong was finally starting to understand how to take care of someone! Although it was only a very, very small detail, he finally no longer had that ice-cold appearance without a shred of human warmth! In that moment, Tao Lu felt like the Shixiong from before had come back again. Although he didn¡¯t know why Shixiong was so attentive towards this fool, in short, it was a good thing! Tao Lu¡¯s eyes were full of gratitude as he looked at Fang Li, and he didn¡¯t even feel any of the hard work he¡¯d done to take care of Fang Li recently anymore! Fang Li returned to the carriage with his head lowered, avoiding Xie Huai¡¯s gaze as he sat there docilely. He thought Xie Huai seemed a bit off¡­¡­ But he also couldn¡¯t say where the problem was. Was it because Xie Huai had helped him clean his hands? Xie Huai¡¯s warmth still seemed to linger on his fingertips, scorching, scalding, and impossible to ignore¡­¡­ like the magma below a glacier wanting to erupt. Fang Li curled his fingers tight. You¡¯re a fool right now, okay, he¡¯s helping you wipe your hand out of the goodness of his heart. He¡¯s just showing concern for the disadvantaged, that¡¯s all, what are you getting nervous for?! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Time quickly flew by. In the blink of an eye, more than half the trip had passed, and it wouldn¡¯t be much longer before they arrived at Hollow Ridge. If he waited until they were at Hollow Ridge to run, that would be difficult¡­¡­ These days, although he¡¯d been playing the fool, he hadn¡¯t attempted to escape even once. He¡¯d appeared completely resigned to his fate, just for the sake of not raising Xie Huai¡¯s guard too much. Two more days passed. They arrived at Yangsu province. He remembered that not too far forward was Xining county. Back then, he and Xie Huai had passed by and resolved the matter with Night Sky Palace along the way¡­¡­ Right now, the city was brilliantly decorated with lanterns and colors, and people swarmed through streets in flocks, the air filled with voices. It seemed like it was some kind of holiday. Fang Li lay in the carriage by the window, looking out pensively, and he quickly recalled what it was. The second day of the third month, that was the day the Great Sage had fallen four thousand years ago. Although Xie Huai was the number one in the world today who no one could rival, and everyone guessed that he might have already become a Unified Dao true immortal, Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation level had actually always been a mystery. Moreover, Xie Huai never paid attention to the matters of the world and very rarely personally took action, so nobody knew what his real cultivation level was. But the Great Sage of Origin was known by all to be the only Unified Dao true immortal in ten thousand years. In the age of the Great Sage, the power of the demonic path had waned, and the righteous sects had flourished. The Great Sage¡¯s presence spread prosperity to the common people, and he was beloved and trusted by all the world. Today, four thousand years had passed. Many of the records and scrolls that the Great Sage had compiled were still in circulation. The Spirit Beast Records that the Cloud-Swallowing Beast had been recorded in, for example, was one of the Great Sage¡¯s scrolls. There were also the Spirit Herb Scrolls, the Scroll of Remedies, the Scroll of Oddities, etc¡­¡­ But even such a peerlessly powerful entity had still fallen in the end. There were many versions of the story spreading around, the most popular of which said that the Great Sage had wanted to go one step further and explore the territory of the void, but in the end, he had failed and fallen. On the day that the Great Sage had fallen, the heavens had wept with sorrow, and catastrophes and rivers of fire had engulfed the land, bringing disaster to all the living creatures of the world, not abating until many centuries had passed. In order to commemorate everything the Great Sage had done for the people, they would hold a memorial celebration every year on the second day of the third month. Today just so happened to be the second day of the third month. So the provincial town was unusually lively. Amidst the bustle, Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted. When the crowds were packed, it was just the time for escaping. He¡¯d stayed put in such a well-behaved manner for so long precisely for this moment. But it wasn¡¯t the time for a meal yet, so if he wanted to get off the carriage, he needed a suitable reason¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s line of sight fell onto Tao Lu. This child was lovable and kind, and his thoughts were pure, unlike Xie Huai who was always so shrewd. He was much easier to deal with than Xie Huai. Fang Li and Tao Lu were more or less familiar now. He yanked Tao Lu¡¯s sleeve and pointed outside, stammering, ¡°Sugar, sugared hawthorn, hawthorns¡­¡­¡± Tao Lu immediately understood what Fang Li meant. He wanted to eat sugared hawthorns. Because of Fang Li, Shixiong was even starting to have a bit of humanity to him now. Tao Lu was getting more and more fond of Fang Li and wanted nothing more than to fulfill every single one of his requests, so he smiled and said, ¡°Wait for a moment, I¡¯ll go buy some for you.¡± But Fang Li hung on tight to Tao Lu¡¯s sleeve, refusing to let go. He had on an expression as if he wanted to go with him and wouldn¡¯t release him¡­¡­ Tao Lu was a little helpless. He shot a careful at Xie Huai. Here, Xie Huai was still the one who called the shots. Xie Huai¡¯s murky gaze flitted past Fang Li. You sure are close with Tao Lu. Is it because you can tell that he¡¯s easy to fool? The corners of his lips twitched, and he said blandly, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Fang Li was inwardly overjoyed. But as soon as he got off the carriage with Tao Lu, he saw Xie Huai following along as well. The cold man¡¯s robes were whiter than snow, his attitude as aloof as ice, and he stood there quietly beside them. Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Forget it, if you want to come along, then come along. With all the people here today, sooner or later, there would be a chance to escape. Tao Lu bought some sugared hawthorns for Fang Li. But after Fang Lu took the sugared hawthorns, he refused to go back. He insisted on strolling forward, wanting to scoot over and take a look at every single thing, wanting to buy whatever he looked at. After not too long, Tao Lu¡¯s hands were full of sugar figurines, snowflake cakes, meat pies, and all sorts of streetside snacks1¡­¡­ But Fang Lu remained full of vigor, not showing any intention in the least of returning. Xie Huai lowered his eyes to glance at Tao Lu. Seeing him fumbling in disarray, he said impassively, ¡°You can go back first.¡± Tao Lu actually wanted very much to go back, too. Although he was kind-hearted, in the end, he was still a cultivator, after all. He wasn¡¯t very proficient at taking care of someone, but Xie Huai was even worse! Although Shixiong seemed to have changed just a tiny bit and wasn¡¯t as cold and alienated towards Fang Li as he had been at the beginning, and he would occasionally even personally take care of Fang Li, to leave Fang Li to Xie Huai alone¡ªold nanny Tao Lu just couldn¡¯t feel at ease. He was just about to say that he was fine, he could stay, but he suddenly met Xie Huai¡¯s cold eyes and immediately felt a shiver run down his spine. N-never mind, it would be better if he went back after all. Shixiong wouldn¡¯t be unable to so much as take care of a single fool! Fang Li still had a perplexed expression on his face, but his heart couldn¡¯t help but thump in his chest. He didn¡¯t know what Xie Huai meant by this. Forget it, without Tao Lu around to lend a hand, he¡¯d sure like to see how long Xie Huai would put up with him. Xie Huai remained two steps behind Fang Li, watching the young man attentively. The young man looked perplexed and bewildered, as if he was curious about everything. He would occasionally go look at the street performers, occasionally take a bite of sugared hawthorn, and occasionally reveal a satisfied smile. He walked among the crowd of people, amidst the red dust of the mortal world, as if this was the place where he was most comfortable¡­.. He liked the hustle and bustle of the mortal world. That person had also been like this. Although that person had had an identity that made the whole world shiver in fear, and everyone had said that he was cold-blooded and heartless, with every minute and second that Xie Huai had interacted with him, every time he¡¯d understood him a bit more, he¡¯d realized that hidden underneath that icy exterior was a tender and carefree heart. His gentle calmness had been like a breeze on a spring day, entering one¡¯s heart without the slightest sound. He hadn¡¯t liked being the demon lord. He¡¯d liked living just like this. Being a normal person without any worries or cares¡­¡­ In these nine years, he¡¯d imagined again and again the ridiculous fantasy that if that person was no longer the demon lord, if he had a next life, if he would have precisely this languid, worry-free appearance. And perhaps the two of them would be able, like hundreds and thousands of common folk, to stroll through the bustling streets together, never again having to face such bitter choices, with no need to walk toward such an irreversible ending. Now, it was like his dream had become reality. But, would the heavens really give me such a chance? Xie Huai didn¡¯t dare to think about it too deeply and closed his eyes. Fang Li pretended to have not a care in the world as he intentionally scooted towards where the crowd was densest. It seemed like there was a commotion to look at in front, so Fang Li nimbly squeezed on over. When he got to the very front to see, it turned out that there was an altar on a tall stage, and there was a monk in the middle of a ceremony at the altar to commemorate the Great Sage. The monk was chanting a sutra. Fang Li couldn¡¯t hear it clearly, and he didn¡¯t dare turn his head back to see, but with all the people crammed together here without so much as a crack to squeeze through, who knew if Xie Huai had followed along or not¡­¡­ Just as he was contemplating to himself, there was a huge clamor from all around. It seemed like everyone was extremely excited. A white silhouette flitted past softly, and a spirit beast landed on the altar. The beast was covered in a coat of snow-white fur, with long deer antlers and cloud-like hooves. Its long, slender neck swiveled about, the arc of it beautiful and flowing. It walked comfortably and leisurely on the altar, its pitch-black doe eyes looking down below¡­¡­ The crowd knelt down one by one. ¡°An auspicious beast, it¡¯s an auspicious beast!¡± ¡°An auspicious beast has arrived, it must be a lucky year!¡± ¡°Holy beast, bless us!¡± Fang Li alone stood there, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Everyone was kneeling, so for him to be the only one standing there, wasn¡¯t that a bit too conspicuous? But he was a fool, and nobody had told him to kneel, so was it appropriate for him to understand by himself? Fang Li thought about it and decided, forget it, it would still be better to stay standing. He smiled as he looked at the snowy-white spirit beast on the altar. It hadn¡¯t been a waste for him to have saved its life back then. Now it was making a pretty good living for itself, and it even knew to show its face during the holidays and get some delicious food and drink, and there was even a crowd of people to worship it¡­¡­ The Cloud-Swallowing Beast strolled along the altar. It watched the crowd kneeling below, with only a single youth still standing all alone, currently smiling at it. The Cloud-Swallowing Beast¡¯s pitch-black eyes looked at Fang Li. After a moment, it suddenly galloped up in a flurry of clouds and arrived before Fang Li, rubbing against Fang Li¡¯s hand intimately with its nose, then happily running in circles around him. Fang Li: ¡­¡­ This fellow shouldn¡¯t have recognized him, right? It was only because he¡¯d been the most conspicuous, standing alone in the crowd. That had to be it, right? The Cloud-Swallowing Beast rubbed against Fang Li for a long time. Seeing that Fang Li was only smiling at it, not speaking or moving, its expression became extremely baffled. It opened its mouth and spat out a five-colored stone, butting its head a few times to butt the rainbow stone into Fang Li¡¯s arms. It then blinked at Fang Li expectantly as it watched him. Fang Li could only accept the five-colored stone. The stone¡¯s surface was overflowing with colorful lights. At a single glance, one could tell it was immeasurably precious. Fang Li pondered for a moment and recognized that this was a sky stone. The Cloud-Swallowing Beast had swallowed the stone into its stomach, nurturing it day after day, giving the sky stone the power to help recuperate the mind and body. It was a valuable spiritual treasure for assisting in cultivation that one could only hope to stumble upon¡­¡­ Moreover, it was precisely what he needed right now. With this sky stone, his body would be able to recover even faster, nurturing his damaged meridians as soon as possible. But¡­¡­ Fang Li looked back cautiously. As expected, Xie Huai was still by his side. Xie Huai¡¯s expression was still impassive. He didn¡¯t even give the Cloud-Swallowing Beast a single glance, as if he didn¡¯t care about any of it. But Fang Li inexplicably felt like the stone in his hands was suddenly scalding hot, and he accidentally let it fall to the ground¡­¡­ At this, Xie Huai¡¯s eyelashes finally stirred slightly, his line of sight sweeping past Fang Li¡¯s face. He bent down to pick up the stone, stuffing it into Fang Li¡¯s hands, then said slowly and deliberately, ¡°Seeing as it gave this to you, you should properly accept it. All things have a soul. Don¡¯t betray its sincere intentions.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know why, but he kept feeling like Xie Huai¡¯s words had another meaning to them¡­¡­ It must be his misperception, right? Fang Li held the stone tightly in his hands, took in a deep breath, then raised it to the sunlight to look at it. His eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Lovely, pretty.¡± Then he put it by his chest like a precious treasure. I¡¯m accepting it carefully, can the two of you let me go now?! Xie Huai didn¡¯t have much of an expression on his face. Seeing Fang Li accept the stone, the Cloud-Swallowing Beast let out several delighted snorts, then circled around Fang Li a few more times before finally reluctantly stepping upon clouds to leave. The crowd that was kneeling around them finally stood up, all of them looking enviously at this little fool of a fellow. Who would¡¯ve thought that a fool would have fool¡¯s luck? Because he¡¯d been standing and hadn¡¯t knelt, he¡¯d unexpectedly received the Cloud-Swallowing Beast¡¯s gift. This was probably fate, wasn¡¯t it! Only Fang Li¡¯s heart was full of burdens. The Cloud-Swallowing Beast¡¯s appearance had truly been untimely¡­¡­ But, that couldn¡¯t prove that he was Yan Sui! It could also be because he¡¯d been standing, so the Cloud-Swallowing Beast had coincidentally picked him, after all. Everything was just a coincidence! As long as he didn¡¯t admit it, what could Xie Huai do? It wasn¡¯t like the Cloud-Swallowing Beast could talk. The sky stone was tucked into the lapels of Fang Li¡¯s robes. He¡¯d only come out for a stroll and had ended up receiving a spiritual treasure. But this truly was like being gifted a pillow when he was sleepy. Now, with the sky stone, even if he didn¡¯t do anything at all, his body and soul would be constantly recuperating, which would cut down on a lot of time for him. Only, Xie Huai¡­¡­ Fang Li let out a gloomy sigh in his heart. How pure and tranquil of a person had Xie Huai been back then? At Hollow Ridge, he¡¯d been Fang Li¡¯s comrade, the only person whose thoughts had been interconnected with his, but the Xie Huai right now was impossible to see through, his every word and action impossible to fathom, and even looking at him made one nervous¡­¡­ If Xie Huai found out his identity and knew that Fang Li had tricked him like this, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let him off lightly. No way, he had to leave after all. Because the Cloud-Swallowing Beast had already left, the ceremony also gradually came to a close. Seeing that the crowd was about to disperse¡­¡­ Fang Li suddenly looked toward a man beside him. The man unexpectedly met Fang Li¡¯s eyes, and light seemed to flash through the young man¡¯s black pupils. The man suddenly felt an onset of dizziness, and he crashed into Xie Huai, who was standing next to him. The man grabbed onto Xie Huai dizzily, shaking his head. After a moment, his head cleared up again, and he apologized with embarrassment, ¡°Sorry, sorry, maybe it¡¯s too hot¡­¡­¡± At the moment, it was noon. The sun was bright in the sky, and plenty of people had been standing all day. It was normal to be a bit dizzy. Xie Huai shook off the man without a sound. When he lifted his eyes again, Fang Li was already gone without a trace. Fang Li had cast a little spell to have that person stop Xie Huai for a moment, then had followed the flow of the crowd to escape. There really were a lot of people here. The crowd was dense and thick, and having a fool wander off and get lost would be all too normal. Fang Li let the flow of people take him. Only after a long time had passed did he step out of the crowd. His expression shifted, and he walked in the direction of the city center. When Xie Huai discovered that he was gone, he would definitely look for him. If he tried to leave the city now, wouldn¡¯t he get caught right away? He prepared to find a place inside the city to hide first, and after Xie Huai had left, then he would see. With all the people here, he didn¡¯t believe Xie Huai would be able to catch him. When the time came, he would quietly return home and pretend that Xie Huai had told him to leave. With all certainty, his dad wouldn¡¯t dare to go looking for Xie Huai to confront him¡­¡­ The corners of Fang Li¡¯s lips hooked up. His movements were nimble as he turned into a little alleyway. But just as he turned the corner, he was caught unprepared and ran into someone. He was just about to apologize when he raised his head and met a pair of murky eyes, and his words immediately caught in his throat. The white-robed man looked at him profoundly, the expression in his dark eyes murky and unreadable. His lips parted slightly and he said slowly, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Cloud-Swallowing Beast: Did I show up at a bad time? Fang Li: What do you think : ) ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ 1 This part made me super hungry so everyone else should be too. CH 48 April 10th, 2023 Fang Li¡¯s smile froze on his face. He¡¯d earnestly and diligently pretended to be a fool for this long just for the sake of lowering Xie Huai¡¯s guard, so how come Xie Huai had still found him so quickly? He couldn¡¯t have been waiting for him to run away this whole time, could he? There was no time to ponder about it. He had to handle this first. Fang Li suddenly blinked, and the corners of his eyes reddened. He said in a choked up voice, ¡°Mom, I saw my mom, I want my mom¡­¡­¡± Can you bear to criticize a fool who wants his mom? I was only running off to find my family! A derisive expression appeared in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes, but his chest seemed to surge with a frigid wave. He couldn¡¯t forget for a single moment the pain from that day of being utterly powerless even after thoroughly severing his meridians¡­ That person had also been like this. Normally, he looked gentle and harmless, and even when doing such vile deeds as using the love parasite, he still had an innocent appearance, as if he would never, ever harm you, as if he would never do anything to make you suffer. But in reality, all of it was just a trick for the sake of lowering your guard¡­¡­ His true purpose was to give you a fatal blow. Utterly heartless. Utterly despicable. Even this part was still exactly the same. He¡¯d pretended to be well-behaved for this long for precisely this moment. For the sake of leaving me. But as for me, I¡¯ll never fall for your tricks again. Xie Huai¡¯s fingers curled slightly inside his sleeves, and he firmly pressed down the raging emotions surging up in his chest. He looked at the person before him with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes and slowly opened his mouth, his voice low and hoarse. ¡°Your mom is waiting for you at home. I¡¯ll take you back right now.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Do you take me for a fool?! Oh, but right now, he really was a fool¡­¡­ Caught in his own trap! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Tao Lu sat on the carriage all by himself. The carriage was full of all sorts of snacks, and he propped up his chin, looking outside with boredom. Just when were Shixiong and Fang Li coming back? He was super bored here all by himself, okay¡­¡­ Tao Lu let out a gloomy sigh. Just when he was so bored that he almost fell asleep, Shixiong finally came back with Fang Li in tow. Fang Li had a piteous and aggrieved appearance, looking to be in low spirits with his head down. Shixiong still had that detached face, like nothing had happened at all. But something seemed off with the atmosphere¡­¡­ Tao Lu¡¯s heart immediately went thump. Shixiong hadn¡¯t been bullying Fang Li, had he? He was a fool, okay, can¡¯t you be a little lenient with him? How could you bully a fool? Tao Lu immediately looked at Xie Huai indignantly. Even if you¡¯re my deeply revered Shixiong, you can¡¯t do something like using your strength to bully the weak! Was bullying a fool the conduct of a righteous cultivator? Tao Lu had just opened his mouth to speak when Xie Huai suddenly lifted his eyes to give him an impassive glance. Tao Lu felt a chill rise up from the bottom of his feet, and his entire body froze up. After a long time, he awkwardly turned his head away. M-maybe he had been overthinking it, how could Shixiong be the kind of person to bully the weak? It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Shixiong, he just had complete faith in Shixiong¡¯s character, Shixiong definitely wasn¡¯t that kind of person. There must have been some unknown circumstances! Xie Huai withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened, then sat down in the carriage and closed his eyes to rest, not speaking another word. Fang Li lay down listlessly, closing his eyes and going to sleep. Since he couldn¡¯t escape for the moment, then he might as well go with the flow. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Ten days later, the carriage stopped at the foot of Hollow Ridge. Xie Huai got out of the carriage. Fang Li also climbed out lazily. Although the two of them looked fairly normal, Tao Lu inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was a bit off. These days, he hadn¡¯t even dared to speak, but with their imminent farewell, he hesitated over his words for half the day. In the end, he still cautiously decided to ask, ¡°Shixiong, will you really not come back to the mountain with me? Master and the other sect brothers all miss you very much¡­¡­¡± In the blink of an eye, nine years had passed. He truly couldn¡¯t bear to leave Shixiong all by himself on Hollow Ridge. If this place was full of painful memories, then wasn¡¯t staying here only a torment to himself? Only by returning to Cloudbank Keep could he cure the wounds in his heart, but all of Shixiong¡¯s actions and conduct¡­¡­ sometimes actually made Tao Lu think that Shixiong didn¡¯t want to forget the pain at all. He really was here to torment himself¡­¡­ But, why? Why do you have to torment yourself for the sake of a devil who isn¡¯t worth it? You should walk out of this place. We¡¯re all waiting for you¡­¡­ But Xie Huai¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He only said, ¡°You should go back now.¡± Tao Lu had originally already been accustomed to Shixiong¡¯s indifference, but watching Shixiong change during this period of time, hope had sprouted in his heart once again. He wanted to give it another effort, and maybe he would be able to help Shixiong walk out of here? His brain spun, and he looked at Fang Li and said, ¡°If I leave, who will take care of him? How about I stay here, I can do lots of things!¡± Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°That¡¯s not something for you to concern yourself with.¡± Tao Lu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Shixiong was still so cold T T Fang Li looked at the kid with some sympathy. He really was whole-heartedly thinking for Xie Huai¡¯s sake. Why did Xie Huai have to be this way? Actually, he really should return to Cloudbank Keep. There were people who cared about him there. Fang Li couldn¡¯t understand, but seeing that they were about to bid farewell to Tao Lu, he actually felt a bit of reluctance. This child really was pretty cute¡­¡­ But Xie Huai didn¡¯t intend on carrying out a tearful goodbye party with Tao Lu at the foot of the mountain. He grabbed Fang Li¡¯s hand and said in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± Fang Li trembled faintly. He lowered his eyes and didn¡¯t speak. Xie Huai didn¡¯t mount his sword, nor did he use a flying vessel. He only led Fang Li by the hand up the stone steps winding up the steep cliff walls, climbing up step by step. The sea breeze occasionally swept through the mountains, carrying a trace of saltiness within the chill. Fang Li remembered that the first time he had come here, there had been a sea of demonic cultivators standing respectfully in attendance at the foot of the mountain, and at the top of the mountain, there had been plenty of people doing construction and fortification. The whole way up, there had been people paying respects and bowing to him. Heaven-defying power and a terrifying reputation. Now, nine years had passed. Hollow Ridge was still that Hollow Ridge, but there was nobody left. The stone steps that had previously been clean without a speck of dust were now covered in moss, and the cracks in the stone walls now had green sprouts peeking through, growing stubbornly in the raging wind. The deserted scenery without a trace of human presence should have felt more desolate, but because of the greenery spreading throughout the black stone mountain, the view was no longer an endless expanse of darkness¡­¡­ It actually, unexpectedly brought a touch more exuberance to the previous cold bleakness. The mountain truly was a bit high. It was a bit taxing for a mortal¡¯s body. By the end, Fang Li was a bit tired and simply let Xie Huai lead him along, all of his energy resting in Xie Huai¡¯s hand. The man¡¯s palm was scorching hot, steady, and strong. Finally, they arrived at the top of the mountain. The demonic palace towered majestically at the top of the mountain. The outer walls were a bit damaged, probably from the day the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance had attacked, but on the whole, it was still fairly intact and retained its previous dignity¡­¡­ But as Fang Li walked further in, his expression gradually became complicated. It was as if this place hadn¡¯t changed¡­¡­ Aside from the fact that there was no one here and it was unusually lonely, everything was exactly the same as before, with the exception of the vines crawling up the corners of the walls without anyone to prune them after all these years, looking a little reckless and arrogant. At the end, Xie Huai¡¯s footsteps stopped in front of Fang Li¡¯s residential palace. He turned his head and said to Fang Li, ¡°You¡¯ll be staying here.¡± It took a great deal of effort for Fang Li to prevent his expression from collapsing and for him to maintain his perplexed appearance. This was the demon lord¡¯s living quarters! There were so many rooms in the demonic palace. Which one of them can¡¯t be used, for you to insist on having me stay here? Does that make sense? This absolutely must be a test, right? If any normal person were to stand here, after listening to this kind of request, they would refuse incredulously¡­¡­ but right now, he just had to be a fool. Even if matters were this preposterous, he still had to pretend that he didn¡¯t understand. This really was putting his acting skills to the test a bit. Fang Li steeled himself and said in a low voice, ¡°This place, isn¡¯t my home, I want my mom¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai gave him a profound look and said, ¡°From now on, this will be your home. If you behave well and stay at home, your mom will come see you.¡± Fang Li still refused to step forward¡­¡­ Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°If you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll tell your dad.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Do you realize that you¡¯re threatening a fool with the IQ of a three-year-old? Hm? Number one in the world Yuyi-jun? Xie Huai lowered his eyes slightly. He watched the young man¡¯s eyes redden slightly with an aggrieved look, and the corners of Xie Huai¡¯s lips rose minutely in a teasing arc. Good acting. He pulled Fang Li by the hand and led him into the room. Fang Li walked inside and stiffened. Today¡¯s frights were coming one after another, and he was nearly unable to keep ahold of himself. If he hadn¡¯t been sure that he¡¯d died, sure that nine years had already passed, he would have believed that hadn¡¯t left this place at all¡­¡­ The outside of the palace still showed traces of the passage of time. But here, everything seemed to have stopped at nine years ago. The furnishings in the room were exactly the same as nine years ago. Dark brocade bedding covered the heavy, black wooden bed, the table was set with the cloudy quartz tea set that he often used, the four corners were arranged with night pearls the size of a fist, lighting up the place like it was daytime, and everything in the room was clean without a speck of dust, as if this place was frequently taken care of¡­¡­ Why did it look like this? The whole world knew that in these nine years, only Xie Huai stood guard alone at Hollow Ridge, so there couldn¡¯t possibly be someone else doing all of this. Why had Xie Huai kept this room, and why had he maintained its original appearance? For a while, Fang Li¡¯s thoughts were tangled into knots. He couldn¡¯t understand. They were obviously sword enemies who couldn¡¯t live under the same sky. Even if Xie Huai was a merciful person and hadn¡¯t wanted to kill someone who was already about to die in the end because Fang Li had been throwing the game a little, that was only pity, nothing more. Xie Huai turned his eyes to watch the person beside him. Murky emotions surged in the depths of his eyes. He pressed his lips together and finally only said, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying at a side palace nearby. If you have any business, you can come find me.¡± Having said that, he left, leaving Fang Li behind by himself. Fang Li¡¯s expression was complicated. No, Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly like him. If one were to say that Xie Huai had left behind all of this just for the sake of reminiscing about him, then that would truly be the most absurd, ridiculous idea. If it wasn¡¯t because Xie Huai liked him, then why? Fang Li suddenly recalled the topic that everyone had been discussing the whole journey¡­¡­ People said, Yuyi-jun stood guard alone on Hollow Ridge for the sake of suppressing the devil¡¯s vengeful soul, preventing the devil from being reborn for all eternity, never again to bring suffering to the world. People said, Yuyi-jun lived alone in the demonic palace, recalling the bitter taste of humiliation and sharpening his blade for the sake of reminding himself at every moment not to forget the calamity that the devil had brought upon the world. People said, Yuyi-jun hated that devil to death. In his entire noble, pure, and flawless life, only the devil had brought him such humiliation. It was something that even death couldn¡¯t wash clean¡­¡­ Fang Li closed his eyes, replaying in his mind all of the things he¡¯d done after arriving in this world. On the day that he¡¯d arrived, it had just happened to be the forty-ninth day of the siege on Cloudbank Keep. The borders of Cloudbank Keep had been stained with fresh blood, and although they hadn¡¯t been his actions, Xie Huai didn¡¯t know that. Then, he¡¯d taken away Xie Huai¡¯s lifebound sword in front of everyone and sealed his cultivation to bring him back to Hollow Ridge, imprisoning him by his side and causing him to be slandered and vilified by the world. He had used the love parasite on Xie Huai, yet he¡¯d left him there for seven days and nights without paying attention to him. Then, after that, he¡¯d insisted all on his own on destroying Cinnabar Gate and persisted in provoking the great battle between the righteous and demonic sects. Although that hadn¡¯t been his true intention, at least on the surface, that had appeared to be the case¡­¡­ In the end, when he¡¯d left, he¡¯d even used the love parasite to control him and force him to do something that had gone against his will, causing his meridians to be severed inch by inch, his life hanging by a thread. After a long time, Fang Li¡¯s lips curved in a bitter smile. Perhaps it was because too much time had passed, or perhaps it was because when they¡¯d interacted during that period of time, he¡¯d felt like it actually wasn¡¯t so horrible¡­¡­ to the point that he¡¯d nearly forgotten that he¡¯d done so many terrible things. If there was one person in the world that he owed, then it would be Xie Huai. Even if it was only for the sake of completing the mission, even if he¡¯d done his best to minimize the harm¡­¡­ there were some things that, once done, were done. During this period of time, he¡¯d heard people discussing it all over the place, but Fang Li had never once bothered to pay them any attention. He¡¯d thought that the people of the world didn¡¯t understand Xie Huai as well as he did, that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be like that. But thinking about it now, he was the laughable one. He¡¯d given away his life and thought that things were past. But the victim might not think so. If he really could put it all down and look past it, then how would things be like this? Was this the so-called not being able to see the forest for the trees? To think that he hadn¡¯t even seen things as clearly as the people of the world. That Xie Huai would hate him was natural and expected. Forget it, forget it. Regardless of what Xie Huai thought, or whether he was still unable to put down the past, with things at this point, Fang Li could only take things one step at a time. If there really came a day when he couldn¡¯t hide it anymore, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid certain doom no matter what he chose, then he might as well just let Xie Huai make his demands, and he would pay Xie Huai back. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li slept soundly on the huge bed. He¡¯d originally thought that he wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep, but in the end, he¡¯d slept until morning. He opened his eyes and lay on the bed for a while in a daze. Suddenly, he laughed with relief. What was he thinking so much for? Fang Li slowly pushed the door open and walked out. There was already food prepared outside, but nobody was there. Xie Huai hadn¡¯t gotten this food, had he? More than a few of them were dishes that he¡¯d liked in the past. If it had been before last night, Fang Li might still have been a bit uneasy, but now he¡¯d thought it through. Wasn¡¯t it just testing him? He could play the fool, and when he couldn¡¯t pretend any more, then he would think of something else. When the time came, they could have an open discussion about it. It was just returning any debts and settling any revenge. As long as Xie Huai didn¡¯t like him, everything was easy to handle. Fang Li ate his meal with contentment. In the afternoon, Xie Huai came by again. He asked Fang Li, ¡°Have you gotten used to living here?¡± Fang Li pretended not to understand and said with teary eyes, ¡°Mom¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not your mom.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I¡¯m not calling you my mom either, I¡¯m saying that I want my mom, understand? Xie Huai softly lifted his hand and placed his fingertips on Fang Li¡¯s shoulder, smoothing out his clothes, then said impassively, ¡°As long as you were comfortable, it¡¯s fine.¡± Fang Li: Huh? How did you come to that conclusion? Xie Huai only came to take a look at him, then left. Fang Li began an idle and leisurely life here. Every day, he ate then slept, slept then ate. Xie Huai was just like the little snail maiden. Although he never personally showed up, every day when Fang Li got out of bed, he would see the food that had been prepared. Because he didn¡¯t need to face Xie Huai, he was fairly content and at ease. Every day, he ate well and slept well, and he even had the sky stone to nourish his mind and body. After several days like this, Fang Li thought he seemed to have gotten a bit plumper¡­¡­ Today, after finishing his dinner, he got into bed early. The night pearls in the room were covered with a layer gauze, emitting a gentle light. Because of a temperature-moderating array, the residential palace felt like spring year-round and was much more comfortable than the Fang family residence. Plus, there weren¡¯t all of those trivial tasks to take care of anymore, nor were there so many subordinates here to bother him. If not for the fact that he had to worry a little about Xie Huai, Fang Li would actually be quite happy to live here¡­¡­ Perhaps it was because he¡¯d eat a bit too much tonight. For a long time, Fang Li couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Outside was the rustling of the wind. He vaguely felt that something seemed wrong and sat up warily. These days, he hadn¡¯t seen Xie Huai at all, but Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly just leave things like this. It couldn¡¯t be that Xie Huai was observing him in secret? A dark shadow suddenly fell upon the doorway. Fang Li¡¯s brow creased. He got up and went to open the doorway, then startled. What appeared before his eyes was a malicious-looking man with dark red eyes dressed in black. It was precisely Wu Yimei, who he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. A trace of joyful surprise appeared in Fang Li¡¯s eyes. Although he¡¯d gotten wind during this period of time that Wu Yimei was fine, after nine years without seeing him, the unexpected reunion still made him pretty happy¡­¡­ But before Fang Li could think of what to say, he saw Wu Yimei¡¯s expression become freezing cold, his eyes like a venomous snake¡¯s as he said in a chilly voice, ¡°Who are you, to be worthy of staying in His Excellency¡¯s palace?¡± As he spoke, his hand flashed, and a poisoned vine whip came thrashing toward Fang Li! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: I couldn¡¯t even see things as clearly as the people of the world. To think that the clown was me. Author: Just keep lying to yourself ( CH 49 April 13th, 2023 Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Should he dodge or not? If he didn¡¯t dodge, this strike of the whip was asking for his life. But if he dodged, wouldn¡¯t that be equivalent to revealing his identity? Fang Li¡¯s entire body was stretched taut, his eyes sharpening. Just as the fatal moment arrived, a flash of cold light swept past, and Xie Huai¡¯s white-robed silhouette blocked in front of him, flinging aside Wu Yimei¡¯s whip with a single strike of his sword! Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were black as an abyss, his voice ice-cold. He said with deliberation, ¡°Cease.¡± Although Xie Huai had already been fairly restrained and had used the back of his blade, preventing the vine whip from being sliced in half in one blow, Wu Yimei still staggered, blood welling up in his chest. Seeing Xie Huai stand guard in front of that person, he glared at Xie Huai hatefully, pain and resentment in his eyes. That year, he¡¯d obeyed His Excellency¡¯s orders and left. Who could have known that before he¡¯d even reached Returning Spring Valley, he received the news that His Excellency had died on Hollow Ridge. And the person who had killed His Excellency was Xie Huai. In front of the entire Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, Xie Huai had killed His Excellency in a single blow and pushed him into the Fallen Star Sea so that not even His Excellency¡¯s body remained. He¡¯d rushed back in such grief that he wished he were dead, but he hadn¡¯t even made it back in time to see His Excellency one last time¡­¡­ Wasn¡¯t it you who told me that as long as I lived, there would be a day we would meet again? You¡¯ve never lied to me. But this time, why didn¡¯t you keep your promise? I just knew that sooner or later, Xie Huai would hurt you. Your heart was full of infatuation for him, but what was the result? If, back then, I had killed Xie Huai even if it meant disobeying you, would none of this have happened? These years. Killing Xie Huai in order to get revenge for His Excellency had become the only thing possessing Wu Yimei to stay alive, but unfortunately, today, Xie Huai was already the number one in the world. He wasn¡¯t a match for Xie Huai at all, suffering defeat after defeat at Xie Huai¡¯s hands. Now, he couldn¡¯t even keep safe the place where His Excellency had lived¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s pupils were so vividly red that they looked like they were about to drip blood, and the hand that was clenching his whip crackled loudly. He would rather die at Xie Huai¡¯s hands. Yet Xie Huai persistently refused to kill him and would let him go every time. This was a humiliation toward him, letting him know how powerless he was. Not only was he unable to get revenge, he couldn¡¯t do anything at all¡­¡­ He could only watch his sworn enemy take over their home. Even if you and His Excellency stood on different sides, could you really not sense how His Excellency treated you? Why are you letting an unrelated person live in His Excellency¡¯s residence, why do you have to trample on everything of His Excellency¡¯s like this¡­¡­ This person was clearly cold-blooded and ruthless, he was clearly someone without a heart, yet the foolish people of the world praised him as a living celestial. How laughable. A single grievous cry leaked out of Wu Yimei¡¯s throat. He once again grasped the whip in his hand, and his cultivation erupted throughout his entire body. His blood-red eyes watched Xie Huai with reckless abandon. Xie Huai¡¯s brow creased. Wu Yimei was burning his spiritual energy in order to try to take Xie Huai with him to the grave. These years, Wu Yimei frequently came to the ridge to assassinate him. Although he knew full well that he wasn¡¯t a match, he kept bothering him without rest, obviously harboring the intention of seeking his own death. He was just a devil with his hands full of blood, nothing more, and he didn¡¯t know what was good for him at all. Reasonably speaking, Xie Huai might as well kill him¡­¡­ But Wu Yimei was the person who Fang Li had stopped at nothing to protect just before his death¡­¡­ So no matter what, he wouldn¡¯t kill Wu Yimei. The Snowblue Sword in Xie Huai¡¯s hands sensed danger and buzzed loudly, its fighting intent surging. His sleeves fluttered in the wind, a battle about to erupt at any moment. Fang Li¡¯s expression finally became worried. Wu Yimei wasn¡¯t a match for Xie Huai. Back then, he¡¯d gone to no small lengths to persuade Wu Yimei to leave the ridge, and it sure wasn¡¯t for the sake of letting Wu Yimei come back to give away his life. If things went on like this, he would be forcing Xie Huai to strike. Did he really want to die here? But right now, Fang Li couldn¡¯t expose his own identity and order Wu Yimei to retreat. Fang Li¡¯s heart was full of endless anxiety. Seeing that the two were about to start fighting, his mind raced, and he grabbed onto Xie Huai¡¯s arm, putting on a frightened expression. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡­¡± Although Xie Huai was always icy cold, Wu Yimei had almost killed him just now. As a fool, asking Xie Huai for help wasn¡¯t out of the question, right? Xie Huai¡¯s arm was suddenly hugged by Fang Li, the young man¡¯s thin body clinging tightly to him, seemingly terrified into trembling faintly. His pitch-black eyes looked at Xie Huai nervously, full of worry and unease¡­¡­ As if Xie Huai was his only support. But Xie Huai looked into the depths of his eyes. He knew that all of it was a lie to confuse him. The worry and unease in those eyes, just who was it for? Are you that worried about Wu Yimei? So impatient to stop me? A cold current swept through Xie Huai¡¯s chest. These days, although he hadn¡¯t appeared, he had actually been observing silently the whole time. Wu Yimei¡¯s appearance was an accident, and it had originally been a good opportunity to probe Fang Li and force him to reveal a mistake¡­¡­ But in the end, he couldn¡¯t bear for Fang Li to encounter a single accident, so he¡¯d immediately acted to stop it¡­¡­ But Xie Huai hadn¡¯t missed the joy in Fang Li¡¯s eyes the moment he¡¯d seen Wu Yimei. So, you were very happy to reunite with Wu Yimei. Those eyes couldn¡¯t deceive anyone. But why, when you¡¯re facing me, do you only hide and flee? Even if Wu Yimei nearly hurt you, you still think of protecting him, fearing that I might hurt him. For that, you don¡¯t even hesitate to play the fool and put on such an appearance¡­¡­ Wu Yimei is someone you worry and care about. Then what about me¡­¡­ Am I not worth even a shred of your care? Did you really ever like me? Ever since coming across this person. Xie Huai had hoped day after day, night after night, that if there came a day where he could reunite with him again, he would be sure to tell him in person the feelings that he hadn¡¯t had a chance to speak aloud¡­¡­ But when they really did meet. Everything was telling him that this person didn¡¯t actually want his feelings. The only thing he wanted was to leave him. An undercurrent swept though Xie Huai¡¯s eyes, on the verge of breaking through its restraints. In that split second, he really did want to kill Wu Yimei, so that this person¡¯s eyes could never look at someone else again, so that he could never again wound his heart for the sake of someone else¡­¡­ Since you were so heartless to me, it¡¯s not unreasonable for me to be a little bit heartless, right? But in the end, it was only a thought. He couldn¡¯t bear to see this person suffer or despair. If I kill Wu Yimei today, I¡¯m afraid there will never be any possibility between us again. Wu Yimei¡¯s whip was already thrashing toward them. Xie Huai suddenly looked up, his eyes as frigid as an abyss. The Snowblue Sword in his hand turned slightly. This time, it was no longer the back of the blade, but the sharp edge that met the whip. The cold tip struck out, and in the blink of an eye, it split Wu Yimei¡¯s whip into two halves¡ª Following a shake of Xie Huai¡¯s arm, the back of Xie Huai¡¯s blade struck Wu Yimei¡¯s chest and sent him crashing violently away! Wu Yimei spit out a mouthful of blood, his body swaying, on the brink of collapse. Although the blow hadn¡¯t been fatal, it had seriously injured him, and he couldn¡¯t take another step forward. He looked hatefully at Xie Huai. Why, why did it turn out like this again, why must you leave me alive? Why don¡¯t you just kill me?! Fang Li¡¯s hands suddenly tightened around Xie Huai, and he held his breath. Because one of Xie Huai¡¯s hands was being held by Fang Li, he had only struck with one hand, but he still hadn¡¯t given Wu Yimei any chance to retaliate. When he struck, he hadn¡¯t concealed his killing intent at all, letting Fang Li understand very clearly that at that moment¡ªXie Huai had wanted to kill Wu Yimei. He¡¯d really wanted to kill him. A demonic cultivator who had provoked him time and time again¡ªif he killed him, that was it. Although he didn¡¯t know why Xie Huai had spared Wu Yimei in the end, things couldn¡¯t go on like this¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s worries were heavy. Xie Huai watched Wu Yimei with an ice-cold gaze. His thin lips parted slightly, and he spat out a single word. ¡°Leave.¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s blood-red eyes were full of fury and pain. He knew Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t kill him. His heart was unwilling. But continuing to stay here was only seeking out more humiliation for himself. He finally took a deep breath, then turned and disappeared into the night. When his wounds healed, he would come again. He wouldn¡¯t let matters rest with Xie Huai until death! Only after seeing that Wu Yimei was finally willing to retreat was Fang Li able to relax slightly. He¡¯d managed through no small effort to complete the plot, but Wu Yimei still insisted on seeking death and couldn¡¯t make peace with Xie Huai. If he really died by Xie Huai¡¯s sword, it would be a waste of all of his bitter efforts. He thought about how he was no longer the demon lord, yet he still had to worry about his subordinates. Just when would he be able to clock out? Fang Li let out a gloomy sigh in his heart. Just as he was about to let go of Xie Huai¡¯s hand, he suddenly saw Xie Huai turn to look at him. In the depths of those murky eyes were a darkness that made one¡¯s heart quiver, and Fang Li¡¯s movements couldn¡¯t help but stiffen. Xie Huai, seemed to be very unhappy¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s gaze was fixed on the young man beside him. His jaw was clenched taut, as if fiercely suppressing something. Back then, it was you who didn¡¯t hesitate to use even your life to carve out a bright future for me. You weren¡¯t willing to let me fall into hell with you, you pushed me aside and had me return to being the Yuyi-jun admired by all¡­¡­ You also once cared about me, right? Xie Huai couldn¡¯t understand. Why could this person treat him with profound affection on the one hand, but act so coldly and ruthlessly toward him on the other. Making him fall hopelessly for him, yet leaving without any hesitation. He had hundreds, thousands of words in his heart to interrogate him with, asking him why he was doing this. Xie Huai¡¯s lips moved, but in the end, he didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he turned and left decisively. He was afraid of getting an answer he didn¡¯t want. Fang Li stood there blankly. Only when Xie Huai had left did he finally realize that his back was soaked in cold sweat. The Xie Huai in that moment just now had felt both terrifying and unfamiliar. After a long time, he let out a sigh with a complicated expression. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Originally, Fang Li had thought his days were nice and leisurely. He was happy and content being a fool. The Fang family was safe and sound anyways, and there wasn¡¯t much to worry about for him all by his lonesome¡­¡­ But because of the situation with Wu Yimei, his heart was full of worries these days. Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t let things rest so easily. If there was a next time, would Xie Huai still let Wu Yimei go? He had to think of a way to leave and look for an opportunity to meet with Wu Yimei so that he could tell him not to come seeking death anymore. Only, Xie Huai was still on Hollow Ridge. He didn¡¯t believe he could escape from right under Xie Huai¡¯s nose. The Xie Huai from that night had truly been a bit terrifying. Fang Li decided not to provoke him for the time being, so these days, all he would do was eat and sleep, and he basically had his doors closed without stepping foot outside. Xie Huai also seemed to have no intention of seeing him. Other than the food prepared every day without exception, he practically never appeared before him. Several days passed just like this. Xie Huai finally came by again. When the cold, white-robed man walked into the courtyard, he seemed to bring with him a gust of wind and snow. There wasn¡¯t a trace of warmth in his deep, gloomy eyes. Fang Li immediately became alert, putting on a perplexed, ignorant expression. He was playing the part of the fool through and through. Xie Huai lowered his eyes to glance at Fang Li. His gaze swept past Fang Li¡¯s dirty robes, his messy hair, and the grime on his face¡­¡­ In order not to be recognized, he sure was putting his heart into it. He still remembered how much this person had once loved cleanliness. His robes had always had dirt-repelling spells cast on them, and if they got even a little bit dirty, he would change. Now, he wasn¡¯t even paying attention to these things. Xie Huai inwardly laughed mockingly at himself. He had originally intended to let Fang Li go on like this, but in the end, his fingers twitched, and he still cast a cleaning spell for Fang Li, erasing the stains on his robes. He said blandly, ¡°Come here.¡± Fang Li hesitated for a moment, but still walked over. Xie Huai¡¯s slender fingers placed a jade bottle on the table, and he said, ¡°I have to leave for a few days. These are inedia pills. Eat these for now.¡± Fang Li was still looking at him with confusion. Xie Huai didn¡¯t intend on explaining any further. He put down the jade bottle, then turned and left. He didn¡¯t even give Fang Li a glance before his figure disappeared through the courtyard entrance. As soon as Xie Huai left, Fang Li¡¯s expression returned to normal, his eyebrows raised. He picked up the jade bottle and fiddled with it, opening it up to take a look. The jade bottle was filled with little pills, all of them high-quality inedia pills. A single pill could last a month, but they looked dark and black, and the smell wasn¡¯t great, either. At a glance, one could tell they wouldn¡¯t taste good. How could a fool understand what Xie Huai had said, and why would a fool eat these pills that looked like they would taste horrible just from their appearance? Fang Li let out a faint sigh. This test was really too obvious. But he had no choice but to accept it, this was an obvious ploy¡­¡­ It looked like he would have to spend these few days hungry. He didn¡¯t know when Xie Huai would return, either. But if Xie Huai left, would he be able to think of a way to escape? But it might also be Xie Huai¡¯s scheme to lure the tiger out of its den¡­¡­ Fang Li went back to his room and lay down on his bed. He couldn¡¯t act hastily. If Xie Huai had only pretended to leave and was actually observing him in secret, acting hastily would only play into Xie Huai¡¯s hands. When he woke up the next day, as expected, there was no food prepared. Luckily, there were some pastries left inside the room. Fang Li ate the pastries and made it through the day. On the third day, still no one showed up. Fang Li circled the place and picked the fruit from the trees to eat. The fourth day¡­¡­ The fifth day¡­¡­ Fang Li was already so hungry his stomach was complaining. Xie Huai still hadn¡¯t returned, and his entire body was on the verge of collapse. He looked outside with vacant eyes¡­¡­ His gaze hovered back and forth around the inedia pills, but in the end, he still fiercely turned his head aside. Then, with a plop, he fell onto the ground in front of the door. Fang Li was pretending to have fainted. He just didn¡¯t believe Xie Huai would watch him starve to death here. Xie Huai definitely couldn¡¯t do something like trampling a human life like grass. Fang Li kept lying on the ground and accidentally fell right asleep. But when he woke up, he was still in his original position, and the room still had no traces of anyone having come by¡­¡­ Had Xie Huai really left the ridge? Fang Li pressed his lips together. If Xie Huai had really left the ridge, this was a good opportunity for him to escape. He slowly crawled up off the ground. He strolled around, seemingly without any purpose, as if looking for something to eat, and wandered toward the entrance of the demonic palace¡­¡­ Although Xie Huai shouldn¡¯t be here, Fang Li still wasn¡¯t overly careless and remained cautious. He circled around the entrance of the demonic palace. As expected, there was a barrier set up around the entrance. He could see it at a glance, but he still crashed into it head-first, the pain causing tears to well up. Fang Li turned back and left. He walked through the entire demonic palace, but there wasn¡¯t a single crack to be found. Finally, he arrived at the area behind the residential palace. When he saw the bamboo house in the forbidden area, Fang Li¡¯s expression finally changed. The bamboo house was still there. Although the outside held some marks and traces of age, it still maintained its original appearance. Back then, when he¡¯d died and left, he hadn¡¯t been able to bring anything with him, so in the end, Yan Sui¡¯s shixiong¡¯s bamboo sword could only be left in the bamboo house¡­¡­ This bamboo house was ordinary and plain, and the sword was also mottled and damaged. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t draw the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance¡¯s attention, so it could be preserved? Although that had been the case, he¡¯d known the chances were slim. When the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance charged in here, how could they not pick the demonic palace clean? So, he¡¯d thought this place would be long gone. Only, he hadn¡¯t thought that after all these years, Hollow Ridge would still be exactly the same as back then. Xie Huai had preserved everything, including this bamboo house. That bamboo sword. Might still be there. Fang Li fell silent for a moment, his expression complicated as he walked inside. The bamboo house was still empty. The mottled green sword was placed peacefully atop the table. Sure enough, it was still here¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his eyes and laughed softly. Only, when his gaze moved aside, he couldn¡¯t help his expression from stiffening. Beside the bamboo sword was a black stone halberd. Back when he¡¯d plummeted into the Fallen Star Sea, he¡¯d left this black stone halberd on the seaside cliff. It turned out Xie Huai had even brought this back? This was Yan Sui¡¯s lifebound spirit weapon. After transmigrating over, he¡¯d inherited everything of Yan Sui¡¯s, including this black stone halberd. When he recalled the past, it was like a lifetime ago. Fang Li unconsciously stepped forward and softly stroked the handle. The moment he touched it, the black stone halberd that had remained silent for years hummed softly. It was obviously a ferocious killing device that had drunk the blood of countless victims and caused the people of the world to shudder, but in front of Fang Li, it was like a child waiting for its master, emitting intimate ripples of energy¡­¡­ full of longing and unwillingness to part¡­¡­ Apologeticness sprouted in Fang Li¡¯s heart, and his eyes softened. This was the lifebound spirit weapon that was linked to his consciousness. Yet it¡¯d been thrown aside and left all alone for nine years. He could sense the black stone halberd¡¯s joy and exhilaration¡­.. Only, the whole world knew that this was the demon lord¡¯s weapon for slaughter. If he were to take the black stone halberd, it would be equivalent to announcing the demon lord¡¯s return to the whole world. He was afraid it would once again summon forth oceans of blood. In this life, he only wanted peace and quiet. He had no intention of getting wrapped up in the turmoils of the world, nor did he want to cause the slaughter of innocents. So, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t take you away. Although his heart was still full of apologies and unwillingness to part, Fang Li still let go. As his touch disappeared, the black stone halberd fell silent once again. Emitting a quiet, solemn aura. Xie Huai was standing in the air just above the demonic palace, and the entire demonic palace was shrouded within his spiritual consciousness. He saw Fang Li enter the bamboo building, and his hands couldn¡¯t help but clench tighter. Then, he saw that black stone halberd full of raging bloodthirst that ordinary people couldn¡¯t even approach let out an intimate hum in Fang Li¡¯s hand. Only its master could cause this arrogant, unyielding killing device to submit. Because this was his lifebound spirit weapon. Although Xie Huai had long anticipated Fang Li¡¯s identity already, and all kinds of evidence had indicated that he was that person¡­¡­ how exactly had Fang Li survived? And how had he arrived in his current body? There were too many doubts and mysteries in his mind, and in the end, he still had a trace of uncertainty. But right now, at this moment¡ª ¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a trace of doubt left. Fang Li really was that person. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: Observing in secret, ding¡ª CH 50 Content Warning: Contains a dubiously consensual non-explicit scene ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li reluctantly left the bamboo house and touched his stomach. He really was very hungry. The sunlight outside was a bit blinding. He lifted a hand to shield his eyes, swayed slightly, then fell to the ground with a plop. This time, he¡¯d fainted for real. By the time he woke up again, he was already back in his room. Because he¡¯d been hungry for too long, his entire body was devoid of energy. He lay on the bed, not wanting to budge a centimeter. Fang Li took a deep breath, and an enticing scent wafted in from outside. He was startled out of his dying throes and sat up, scooting to the door to push it open and run outside. As soon as he saw the table full of dishes, his eyes lit up. But when his gaze turned, he saw that Xie Huai was actually sitting to the side. Fang Li¡¯s footsteps couldn¡¯t help but falter. Xie Huai was sitting upright with his eyes lowered. Seeing that Fang Li had woken, he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You must be starving. Eat.¡± Fang Li contemplated for a moment. He was just acting the part of a fool who didn¡¯t recognize inedia pills, it wasn¡¯t like he wanted to starve himself. Since there was food here, of course he was going to eat! What did it matter if Xie Huai was here or not? Fang Li immediately sat down with a clear conscience. As expected, food tasted much better when one was hungry! As he ate and ate, he was inwardly endlessly touched¡­¡­ Thank goodness Xie Huai had come back in time, or else he might really have starved to death¡­.. At the thought, Fang Li felt a wave of terror in hindsight. After all, dying wasn¡¯t scary, but dying of hunger was pretty terrifying. He¡¯d pretty much put all of his heart into covering up his disguise. He didn¡¯t even know how he¡¯d endured it¡­¡­ Xie Huai watched this scene silently, his face expressionless, but his hands clenched underneath his sleeves. He still remembered that although this person had had a lax, sloppy appearance day after day, only when it came to eating would he put his heart into it, and he would never short-change himself on that. But now, you would rather starve yourself into this state than reveal your identity, for fear that I¡¯ll recognize you¡­¡­ Xie Huai closed his eyes, covering up his pained expression. Was the person who¡¯d once cared about me not you? Was everything from back then false? If I had really left, or if I hadn¡¯t come back in time, what would have happened to you? Would you have disappeared like this before my eyes once more¡­¡­ Xie Huai watched the person beside him blankly, the emotions in his chest seemingly about to burst, but in the end, he only said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t eat so quickly. You¡¯ll choke.¡± Fang Li had been eating somewhat urgently at first, but after filling up his stomach a bit, he slowed down. After all, after starving for so long, it wasn¡¯t good to overeat. As he drank the porridge, he began to space out. He subconsciously lifted his hand, but just as he was about to wipe his mouth, his hand suddenly fell into the other person¡¯s palm. Fang Li startled a little. He saw Xie Huai grasp his palm in one hand and softly wipe the corner of his mouth with the other, slowly and unhurriedly helping him wipe the corner of his mouth clean. Then, Xie Huai lowered his eyes and helped him neaten his clothes that had fallen into disarray. Xie Huai¡¯s movements were very tender, but Fang Li became even more nervous, his entire body stretched taut. There was something off about Xie Huai¡­¡­ Had he exposed himself? After all, Xie Huai was such a sharp and intelligent person, and he¡¯d even preserved Fang Li¡¯s lifebound weapon so well. Perhaps he¡¯d sensed his identity? But if he¡¯d exposed himself, would Xie Huai remain so unperturbed? Didn¡¯t Xie Huai want to accost him for his crimes? After all, Fang Li had hidden so many things. Just the matter of coming back to life after dying alone was very difficult to explain¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s heart was full of guilt and unease. Xie Huai¡¯s gaze fell on the young man¡¯s face. He seemed a little nervous, his lips pressed tightly together, his eyes uneasy and evasive¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s heart felt like it was suspended in an icy river, but his lips rose faintly. There are no more barriers between us, and we can clearly be together now, yet you want to leave me with all your heart. If I were to expose your identity, and you persisted in wanting to leave, how would I make you stay? Just this is fine, too¡­¡­ If you don¡¯t want me to recognize you, I can pretend that I don¡¯t. If you want to continue playing pretend, I can play along with you, can¡¯t I? As long as you¡¯re still by my side. Fang Li watched Xie Huai¡¯s departing figure blankly. He didn¡¯t know why, but his heart clenched. Just what was wrong? He couldn¡¯t understand. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai took back the inedia pills and had food prepared for Fang Li every day. Because he¡¯d just gone hungry for several days, Xie Huai was afraid he¡¯d eat too much all of a sudden, and all of the food he¡¯d prepared these days were clear porridge and light dishes. Fang Li¡¯s complexion quickly recovered quite a bit. These kinds of days really were very boring¡­¡­ He was about to become a pickled fish with no pursuits in life. That day, he was staying inside his courtyard with nothing to do, lying there to sunbathe, when Xie Huai finally came by again. Xie Huai still had that cold, detached appearance. He said to Fang Li, ¡°Come with me.¡±¡¯ Fang Li looked at him with confusion. I can¡¯t understand you, okay? Xie Huai didn¡¯t get angry, either. He smiled faintly, then led Fang Li by the hand and headed out. Fang Li could only let Xie Huai pull him along. The demonic palace was pretty big, full of gardens and buildings and streams with little bridges¡­¡­ Back then, it¡¯d been constructed with the utmost extravagance, but there were many places that Fang Li hadn¡¯t been to yet. Yan Sui had been a living corpse with no feelings toward any external matters, and as for himself, he¡¯d been solely focused on the mission at the time. Every day, he¡¯d been thinking about clocking out from work and getting out of there, and moreover, the demonic palace¡¯s gloominess hadn¡¯t been to his tastes, so other than the residential palace, he very rarely went anywhere else¡­¡­ But now, the entire demonic palace was empty, the trees casting shade all over the place, vines growing rampant along the walls. Walking through here was like walking through some tranquil ruins. Finally, Xie Huai brought him to a side palace. This was a side palace that he¡¯d never been to before. A trace of doubt surfaced on Fang Li¡¯s face. Xie Huai pushed the door open and entered. The white mist from inside met them head on, and in the middle of the room was a warm spring pool constructed from white jade. But right now, the pool wasn¡¯t filled with spring water, but with a translucent white mixture. The fragrance of herbs wafted into his nose, and Fang Li sniffed lightly, discerning the scent of rejuvenation grass, phoenix sprigs, freshblood flowers, and so on. They were all valuable medicinal herbs, and there was actually a whole pool soaking with them. Fang Li¡¯s feelings were complicated. He hadn¡¯t thought Xie Huai would actually be pretty rich¡­¡­ Back then, he hadn¡¯t been able to retrieve any herbs from the treasure vault, but here, Xie Huai had prepared a whole pool full of them for him, and they were all things that he just happened to need¡­¡­ Xie Huai was really going to treat his illness? Then he wouldn¡¯t be polite about it. Seeing the pool full of herbs, Fang Li was already itching to give it a try¡­¡­ Xie Huai glanced to the side at him and said, ¡°Go ahead and disrobe.¡± Fang Li: ? Disrobe what, I can¡¯t understand. The pool full of medicine does look very appetizing, and it truly is like being sent coal in the middle of a snowstorm. But I can take a soak all by myself, you can go now. The young man before him exposed an ignorant appearance, as if he couldn¡¯t understand him at all. But Xie Huai wasn¡¯t the least bit annoyed. A teasing smile appeared at the corners of his lips. He reached out and brought Fang Li into his arms and lowered his head slightly, saying in a hoarse voice beside his ear, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know how. I can help you.¡± Fang Li: ?? The man¡¯s body was just as warm as always, his innate Dao physique burning like lava. Xie Huai¡¯s aura completely enveloped him, his breathing ticklish as it fell on his ear¡­¡­ For two big men, this distance wasn¡¯t too appropriate, was it? Fang Li¡¯s whole body immediately stretched taut from nervousness, and he wriggled a little with unease. Xie Huai easily stopped him and said impassively, ¡°I promised your father to make sure you live a long life of a hundred years, so, don¡¯t move.¡± As he spoke, his fingers softly hooked the front of his robes. There were clearly several layers of clothes separating them, but Fang Li felt like he¡¯d been burned. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, I can¡¯t understand! I can do it myself! The person in his arms was still squirming uneasily, and Xie Huai¡¯s breathing suddenly became heavy. His fingers curled slightly, as if using all his energy to suppress something, his black eyes as obscure as a bottomless abyss. After a long time, he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°If you can do it yourself, just tell me, and I¡¯ll let you do it by yourself, hm?¡± Fang Li: ??? You want a fool to personally tell you, I¡¯m fine, I can do it myself? You¡¯re picking on someone¡¯s weak spots, you know that? Fang Li was originally going to keep making a fuss, but he suddenly met Xie Huai¡¯s murky eyes¡­¡­ Forget it, forget it, why don¡¯t you do it, then. Xie Huai fixed his eyes on the young man¡¯s face. On his face was nervousness that was difficult to conceal, but he would rather continue to pretend than be discovered by him¡­¡­ As for him, exactly what was he hoping for? The ridiculous one was himself. Xie Huai let out a soft laugh, but his eyes became even darker. He wrapped his arms around the restless fellow in his arms, fingertips brushing past his neck, and with a light pull, the front of his robes fell open, revealing his faintly discernible collarbones¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li was tossed completely bare into the pool. He didn¡¯t know whether it was because of the hot steam or something else, but his entire body was flushed in a layer of red, like a cooked shrimp. Calm down, calm down, it was just having an herbal soak, that was all. What was a big, strong man getting afraid of being looked at for? Just think of it as taking a bath in the public baths. They were both big, old fellows, what was there to be embarrassed about? Besides, how proper of a person was Xie Huai? He was only treating a fool, kindly curing his illness out of the goodness of his heart. He hadn¡¯t done anything out of line at all. Was there anyone in this world who was more of a person of honor and integrity than Xie Huai? Xie Huai couldn¡¯t possibly do anything to him. At this thought, Fang Li immediately calmed down and sat docilely in the pool to soak. This pool of water had been steeped with expensive spirit herbs, and the gentle medicinal effect slowly seeped into his body. His eyes started to close in comfort. This probably counted as a blessing in disguise, right? Other than from Xie Huai, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain such good conditions for recuperating. This was just like a penniless little fellow from a third world country suddenly entering a top-level specialist hospital in a rich country with tons of specialty medicine getting piled onto him for free. There was no bigger jackpot than this. Right now, he had a body that was suitable for cultivation, and the only things missing were the difficulty of taking the first step, and cultivation resources. But Xie Huai had everything here. Waiting until his body had recovered to escape didn¡¯t seem too bad either¡­¡­ Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to take advantage of Xie Huai. After he¡¯d re-cultivated successfully, he would think of ways to earn money and pay Xie Huai back. He remembered that this world had lots of secret domains. When the time came, he could retrieve some precious treasures. Although this pool of medicine was expensive, he would still be able to pay it back. Just as Fang Li was contemplating how to pay Xie Huai back¡­¡­ the still surface of the water was disturbed by layer after layer of ripples. He lifted his head, startled. The white-robed man stepped, clothed, into the pool. In the dense white mist, the man¡¯s cold, celestial face looked like that of a deity untouched by dust and dirt. There wasn¡¯t a trace of emotion on his ascetic face, his black eyes as abstruse as the sea, his white robes slowly fanning out in the water¡­¡­ Like a god from the highest heaven stepping onto the red dust of the mortal world. Fang Li¡¯s eyes slowly widened. He watched Xie Huai approach step by step. Coming closer and closer to him¡­¡­ Wait a second, what was Xie Huai doing? It¡¯s none of your business over here, you can wait outside! The mist condensed into fine drops on Xie Huai¡¯s hair and lashes, like the dewdrops on the willow leaves on a spring day. Even if there wasn¡¯t a hair out of place on that face, cold and aloof, it inexplicably gave off a fluttery feel, making one unable to help but hold their breath. His pale, thin lips parted slightly. ¡°In order to allow your body to absorb the effects of the medicine better, you¡¯ll need the help of my treatment technique.¡± So, so it was only treatment¡­¡­ Fang Li suddenly let out a breath of relief in his heart. It was normal, normal. It wasn¡¯t a lie, either. Moreover, with an expert like Xie Huai to help clear his meridians, it would definitely help him absorb the effects of the medicine more quickly. Only, he was already satisfied with a pool of herbs like this, so he¡¯d never even thought about having Xie Huai personally treat him¡­¡­ Besides, right now, he instinctively didn¡¯t want to get too close to Xie Huai. Xie Huai fixed his eyes on Fang Li, his cool, low, hoarse voice resounding. ¡°If you don¡¯t oppose, I¡¯ll take it to mean you agree.¡± Fang Li: ¡­¡­ He was a fool, okay, how would he oppose? How would a fool understand these things? In just the few moments that his attention wandered¡­ The man had already leaned forward toward him, his scorching hot aura and the steam mingling together. Fang Li¡¯s body stiffened, nearly unable to breath. The temperature here was truly too high¡­¡­ Xie Huai propped up his chin with one hand so that he wouldn¡¯t move about, and his other hand rested at the back of his head. He said impassively, ¡°The Baihui acupoint.¡± I, I know it¡¯s the Baihui acupoint¡­¡­ Fang Li quivered faintly in his nervousness. His chin was forced to stay raised, and his gaze fell on Xie Huai¡¯s throat, the distance just before his eyes. He couldn¡¯t see Xie Huai¡¯s face. He only saw the man¡¯s throat move up and down, his cool, clear voice carrying over from above Fang Li¡¯s head, his movements slow and tender, not carrying a hint of other intentions, yet they still made Fang Li have a kind of feeling as if he were sitting on pins and needles¡­¡­ The flow of water softly swept past. The man¡¯s clothes lightly bumped into him. Like a feather brushing past again and again. The man¡¯s fingers moved up gently, half inserted into his hair, and paused for a moment, pressing in circles near his pressure point, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy. ¡°The Shenting acupoint.¡± Fang Li didn¡¯t dare move at all anymore. His head was trapped in place by Xie Huai, like a patient lying on the operating table, his whole body injected with anesthesia, allowing the doctor to operate on him. Don¡¯t be nervous, don¡¯t be nervous¡­¡­ Xie Huai was the number one in the world, after all. There definitely wouldn¡¯t be a problem with something as simple as massaging pressure points. Fang Li took in a deep breath and told himself to calm down. The man seemed not to notice his unease at all. His movements remained neither slow nor rushed, steady and powerful, the spiritual energy at his fingertips penetrating through the pressure points to harmonize with the medicine in the pool and nourish Fang Li¡¯s damaged meridians¡­¡­ ¡°The Fengchi point.¡± ¡°The Tanzhong point.¡± Fang Li¡¯s eyelashes trembled, and he squeezed his eyes shut. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°The Qimen point.¡± ¡°The Weilu point.¡± Following the cool, calm voice, the man¡¯s hand seemed to have the power of foresight. Before Fang Li could dodge, he was pressed firmly against the side of the pool. Xie Huai¡¯s voice was calm, yet without a trace of warmth. ¡°If you move about, and I press the wrong place, I¡¯m afraid it could be life-threatening.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± His gaze was a bit misty. He didn¡¯t know if it was because of the fog, or something else¡­¡­ The shame made him clench his fists. At this moment, he was incomparably glad that his back was facing Xie Huai, so he didn¡¯t need to let Xie Huai see his current appearance¡­¡­ Why was it like this? Xie Huai was clearly only helping him cure his illness, and his movements hadn¡¯t been the slightest bit out of line. In the doctor¡¯s eyes, all patients were the same, just a piece of flesh, nothing more¡­¡­ There was nobody in this entire world who was more of a person of honor and integrity than Xie Huai! Back then, even when helping him draw out the poison, it had been done hand to hand. Xie Huai couldn¡¯t be more pure, he was helping Fang Li treat his illness without any ulterior thoughts, yet Fang Li himself was¡­¡­ This definitely couldn¡¯t be Xie Huai¡¯s problem, but a problem with himself. It was his thoughts that were too filthy, too sinful. At this thought, Fang Li¡¯s gaze became stupefied. He clearly hadn¡¯t been like this before? He and Xie Huai were two big men, and they were both straight men, what was there to be embarrassed about¡­¡­ He hadn¡¯t really been poisoned by this nonsensical little smut world, had he? Fang Li shut his eyes tight. Silently reading a heart-cleansing mantra. Trying as hard as possible to ignore the sensations that Xie Huai was giving him. Calm down. No stray thoughts. The doctor is benevolent. You must be the one overthinking things! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: The doctor is benevolent, it isn¡¯t Xie Huai who¡¯s dirty, but my thoughts. Xie Huai: I have to be careful, I can¡¯t scare away the wife. Author: Boiling a frog in warm water ? CH 51 April 22nd, 2023 Xie Huai looked at the young man who was leaning against the side of the pool. Probably because he¡¯d been soaked through by the effects of the herbs, he was already deep asleep. The young man¡¯s hair was damp from the steam, clinging messily to his back and the sides of his face. His skin, which had originally been on the pale side, was slightly flushed red from the herbal soak. When he was asleep, he had the same calmness and contentment as in the past. Xie Huai slowly reached out and carried the young man out of the pool¡­¡­ After a long time, an unsuppressable greed emerged in the depths of his eyes, greedily taking in the sight of the person before him. Right now, this person was alive and well before his eyes. He would cry, he would laugh, he would play the fool¡­¡­ And only at this moment did Xie Huai dare to be so unrestrained in approaching this person without having to face his avoidance¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s hand tightened slightly around the young man, as if wanting to melt him into his own bones, a hint of murky obsession in the depths of his black eyes. He lowered his head, and a soft kiss fell onto the young man¡¯s lips. You¡¯ve finally come back. How could a life of a hundred years be enough? I¡¯ll make it so that no one in the world can ever hurt you again. Everything you want, I can give it all to you. So, please don¡¯t leave me again. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Fang Li turned over groggily. He slowly opened his eyes and stretched out his arms. The weariness throughout his entire body seemed to be gone, and he only felt full of energy. It seemed like yesterday¡¯s herbal soak had been pretty effective. Cough, Xie Huai¡¯s treatment had probably also had an effect¡­¡­ Or else, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to absorb it so quickly. Fang Li propped himself up into a sitting position, cracking open his sleep-lidded eyes to discover that he was dressed in an unlined white robe, and that he was clean and dry. Had Xie Huai helped him dress? He couldn¡¯t help but recall what had happened yesterday¡­¡­ His ears became slightly hot. But when he turned his head, he found Xie Huai sitting quietly to one side, and his expression immediately froze on his face, and he thoroughly woke up right away. What are you being so quiet for! Fang Li scrambled up with a shiver¡ª But Xie Huai only glanced at him impassively, getting up and pressing him back down. Then, he got down on one knee and grasped his foot with one hand, slowly and unhurriedly helping him put on his shoes. Fang Li quivered faintly. Just now, he¡¯d been too nervous and had forgotten to put on his shoes before¡­¡­ He lowered his eyes. The man in front of him had a face as cold and aloof as a celestial¡¯s, the expression on his face as bland as water, but even with such a submissive posture, his back was straight as a pen, with an existence that was as impossible to ignore as a god¡¯s. Looking down at him from above, Fang Li could see distinctly each of his eyelashes, and underneath the high bridge of his nose, his thin lips softly pressed together with a hint of indifference¡­¡­ He slowly helped Fang Li put on his shoes, and only then did he raise his head and stand up, saying blandly, ¡°Come out and eat.¡± Fang Li¡¯s feet were shaking. Although, although he was a fool right now, but, but Xie Huai didn¡¯t need to play along with him to this extent¡­¡­ Really. The demonic palace felt like spring year-round, and the floor was extremely clean. Running around barefoot was fine¡­¡­ But Xie Huai had already turned around. Yet Fang Li¡¯s heart trembled. After a long time, he took in a deep breath and pushed the door open. In the outer room, the table was already arranged full of dishes. He silently recited to himself three times. He was a fool, he was a fool, he was a fool. He didn¡¯t understand anything at all. Only, even if he kept reminding himself, his thoughts remained a tangled mess. Xie Huai acted as if he hadn¡¯t sensed anything, as if he hadn¡¯t done anything at all. He only looked at Fang Li as if nothing had happened. ¡°Eat, or else it¡¯ll get cold.¡± Forget it, forget it, he really was a bit hungry. No matter how big the problem, it could wait until after he¡¯d eaten. Fang Li started to eat with his head down like an ostrich. Xie Huai¡¯s gaze rested on the person beside him. Could you be any more obvious in your avoidance? Since that was the case, then back then, why did you¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s fingers clenched tight. Only when Fang Li was done eating did Xie Huai glance at him and say, ¡°Today, we¡¯ll continue the medicinal bath.¡± Fang Li: ¡­¡­ He was led by the hand with heavy steps, returning once more to the side palace with the white jade pool. Although the medicinal bath really was very effective, if yesterday¡¯s events were repeated, and he wasn¡¯t able to control himself and accidentally revealed his ugly state, then he¡¯d die of embarrassment on the spot¡­¡­ After all, Xie Huai was only treating his illness! Yet he was¡­¡­ But Xie Huai wrapped one arm around him to help him disrobe¡­¡­ Fang Li grit his teeth and said, ¡°No¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai¡¯s movements paused. After a moment, he slowly and unhurriedly opened his mouth. ¡°If you don¡¯t need me to help you, say it more clearly. With this¡­¡­ How should I understand what you mean?¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s lips hooked up slightly, the expression in his eyes as turbid as the sea. ¡°It looks like you still need my help.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Several minutes later, he was lifted into the pool again, and everything from yesterday was repeated. Clearly, Xie Huai was still being perfectly proper. But Fang Li wished he could simply faint. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ For three days in a row, Straight Man Fang experienced the most difficult to endure period of his life. Although the damage to his body and meridians recovered at a godly speed, his spirit suffered an enormous attack¡­¡­ No matter when or where, as long as he closed his eyes, he would see Xie Huai helping him treat his entire body, not overlooking a single pressure point, seriously clearing out his meridians. The cold man¡¯s face had no expression, and his voice was icy without a trace of warmth, his movements methodical to the letter, yet it still somehow made Fang Li¡­¡­ Things couldn¡¯t go on like this. Although Xie Huai¡¯s looks were as otherworldly as god¡¯s, no matter how good he looked, he was a man, after all. Xie Huai was only helping him cure his illness with no ulterior thoughts¡­¡­ His own thoughts were simply a profanity toward Xie Huai! But this wasn¡¯t even the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing was, Fang Li didn¡¯t even like men at all. Why were things like this¡­¡­ Just whose problem was it? It couldn¡¯t be his own problem, could it? Or, was this just a man¡¯s instinct? Fang Li sat on the bed, his eyes vacant. His stomach rumbled with hunger. He knew that just outside was a table full of delicious delicacies. But he didn¡¯t want to go outside. Because Xie Huai was just outside waiting for him¡­¡­ These days, Xie Huai was no longer a little snail maiden. Every day, like clockwork, Xie Huai would accompany him to eat, meticulously taking care of him no matter how big or small the task, so that Fang Li couldn¡¯t even find an opportunity to avoid him¡­¡­ Fang Li felt tremendous pressure. But if he didn¡¯t go outside soon, Xie Huai would come inside. He took a deep breath. Then got up and went out the door. As expected, Xie Huai was already waiting for him, and the table was full of dishes that he liked. Fang Li walked over silently. Going on like this wasn¡¯t a solution. He needed to think of a way to make Xie Huai stop watching over him all day. Besides, you¡¯re the great and mighty number one in the world, a sword cultivator detached from earthly desires. Aren¡¯t you busy, don¡¯t you need to cultivate? Even if you¡¯re treating a patient, you don¡¯t need to give it your all to this extent, right? Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted. As he ate, he suddenly reached out and grabbed a piece of braised meat, bringing it to Xie Huai¡¯s lips. His eyes curved as he smiled at him, ¡°You, you also, eat¡­¡­¡± Although he was a fool. But Xie Huai would toss food his way every day without rest. Sharing a bit of food with the person feeding him wasn¡¯t out of the question, right? Xie Huai¡¯s eyes lowered slightly. The young man¡¯s slender, milky fingertips were coated in grease, and just like that, he grabbed a piece of braised meat in his hand, looking at Xie Huai with expectant eyes. And in the depths of those eyes¡­¡­ was a trace of familiar craftiness. As if afraid that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t eat, he purposefully scooted closer, his greasy fingers grasping the meat, practically poking Xie Huai in the face. What? You want to drive me away that badly? A faint trace of laughter leaked out of Xie Huai¡¯s throat. Although Fang Li was secretly a little nervous, how lofty and cold of an immortal was Xie Huai? Seeing me grab a piece of braised meat in my hand, how are you going to eat¡­¡­ Fang Li was just waiting for Xie Huai to turn his face aside¡­¡­. At the very least, he would dodge a little, right? But what happened was that the man before him, who was cold as a celestial, opened his mouth and ate the piece of braised meat in one bite¡­¡­ along with his fingertips. The man¡¯s eyes were slightly lowered, his long, delicate lashes quivering slightly. The edges of his teeth slowly and unhurriedly ground a bit, then his throat rolled, and he swallowed the piece of meat. Fang Li¡¯s face immediately flushed red. He abruptly withdrew his hand as if electrified, but even if it had only been a second, the tips of his fingers still felt the lingering sensation of the other person¡¯s, cough¡­¡­ the other person¡¯s tongue and teeth. Help¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s hand was shaking. What was one supposed to do with that? But there wasn¡¯t a trace of emotion on Xie Huai¡¯s face. He still looked extremely aloof, as if nothing had happened. So¡­¡­ Had he been overthinking things again? Fang Li lowered his head. He¡¯d never dare to harass Xie Huai again. He properly finished his meal with a good deal of resignation to his fate. He didn¡¯t dare try again at all. Xie Huai shot him a bland look. Just this, and you¡¯re embarrassed? I thought you had even more tricks up your sleeve? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ In this way, another three days passed. Pretty much all of the medicinal effect of that pool had been absorbed. Fang Li felt that the meridians all over his body were completely smooth and unhindered, and his old injuries of over a decade were completely healed. Even the other old, hidden injuries on this body had all been thoroughly cured. Now that the foundations were built, he could start to cultivate. With just a little bit of prompting, spiritual energy would quickly be absorbed by his body. The pace of the Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique in absorbing spiritual energy was truly incredible. Fang Li tried it a little and then hastily stopped. In fear that with a moment¡¯s inattention, he would reach Foundation Building level. That would be revealing that he wasn¡¯t a fool. These days were far too difficult. He could only make it through by pretending to be a fool. Or else he really didn¡¯t know how he should face Xie Huai¡­¡­ But Fang Li let out a small breath of relief. Because the injury to his meridians had already healed, and he didn¡¯t need to soak in the herbal bath anymore. He finally didn¡¯t need Xie Huai¡¯s help to get treated anymore¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t want to recite heart-cleansing mantras anymore. But that night, after finishing dinner, Xie HuI didn¡¯t leave. Fang Li suddenly shivered inside. Since he was already cured, what was Xie Huai staying around for? Right, Xie Huai was only keeping him around because he suspected him. Was he finally going to act? Was Xie Huai going to expose him? Should he stay silent to the death, or stay silent to the death, or stay silent to the death? But Xie Huai only took out a lustrous gold pill and said blandly, ¡°Eat this.¡± Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Although I don¡¯t recognize this pill, at a glance, I can tell it¡¯s expensive. He looked at Xie Huai doubtfully. Xie Huai slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Your dad told you to listen to me.¡± Fang Li: I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Xie HuI let out a soft sigh a little helplessly, then reached out and gathered Fang Li into his arms. With Fang Li held in his arms, his thumb softly pressed against Fang Li¡¯s lip, and with a little bit of strength, he forced Fang Li to open his mouth, coaxing in a tender voice, ¡°It¡¯s candy, eat it.¡± A fool didn¡¯t have speaking rights, if you say it¡¯s candy, then it¡¯s candy. Fang Li quivered, swallowing it with a gulp, and the pill was swallowed into his stomach. Xie Huai¡¯s fingertips brushed past like feathers, and the corners of his lips rose slightly. Then, he quickly let go of Fang Li. Fang Li immediately scampered away. I¡¯ve even eaten the pill. You can go now, right?! Xie Huai gave him a profound look, his cool voice simple and elegant as a spring. ¡°This is a Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill.¡± Fang Li stared blankly for a moment. Cough cough cough¡ª He almost spat the pill right out. This was too valuable, he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t be able to pay it back! This was a Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill! Legend said that the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pills had been made by the number one pill refiner a thousand and eight hundred years ago, Daoist Ning You. Daoist Ning You traveled far and wide and unexpectedly found a set of dragon bones in the depths of Bluewave Sea. He extracted the essence of the dragon bones and used eighty one types of spirit herbs and a full ten years to refine just three pills. From them on, these three Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pills became known as masterpieces, and they were said to be the absolute best medicine for forging the body. If a cultivator could acquire a Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill to forge their body and establish their foundations, their body and soul would naturally be many times stronger than an average person. One had to know that in this world, cultivators mostly prioritized training their qi, and the body was frequently a cultivator¡¯s weakness. The Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill could make up for this weakness, causing a cultivator¡¯s battle power to increase, becoming practically without match against other cultivators of the same level, and even becoming able to fight against those of a higher cultivation. He already had an innate Heaven¡¯s Spirit physique, and with the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill, his last flaw was also patched. He basically had no weaknesses¡­¡­ Even an OP protagonist¡¯s eyes would turn green seeing this¡­¡­ This¡­¡­. Who would give this kind of pill to their enemy? Was this the way to hate someone? Fang Li¡¯s mind was an expanse of white. He couldn¡¯t keep thinking about it. But Xie Huai¡¯s tone was extremely flat, as if he hadn¡¯t just given out a one-of-a-kind pill, but some worthless, offhand thing. He slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Only, the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill¡¯s medicinal effect is too strong, and the body forging process is particularly painful. Right now, you only have a mortal body that hasn¡¯t cultivated yet, and you don¡¯t know how to cultivate by yourself to digest the pill. If there¡¯s no one beside you to aid you, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to withstand the body forging process¡­¡­¡± Fang Li very much wanted to say, actually, I can cultivate by myself, digesting this won¡¯t be any problem at all, but he¡¯d already realized that Xie Huai still had more to say. As expected. Xie Huai said coolly, ¡°Little fool, since you can¡¯t digest the medicine yourself, in order to avoid having your body burst and die, it would be better if I safeguarded you. ¡°These few days, you need to stick by my side like my shadow.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± At that moment, an absurd notion suddenly arose in his consciousness. Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t have gone so far as to use such a valuable treasure as the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill just for this, would he? This¡­¡­ could this still count as a doctor¡¯s benevolent heart? Fang Li stood there in bewilderment. At some point, Xie Huai had already pulled him over to the bed. Xie Huai lowered his eyes and smiled at him. ¡°Go to sleep. With me by your side, you can¡¯t die.¡± But that night, Fang Li couldn¡¯t fall asleep no matter what. His mind was an utter mess. As if he had a thousand thoughts, but no matter what, he couldn¡¯t get them in order. The truth that he was seeking had been hidden who-knows-where, and even after searching all night, he didn¡¯t find it. Xie Huai¡¯s body was as scorching hot as always, the temperature of his innate Dao physique impossible to ignore. Fang Li knew he was just by his side. Back then, he¡¯d also slept in the same bed as Xie Huai night after night, and at the time, he hadn¡¯t thought anything of it. It was just sleeping together with a good friend, nothing more¡­¡­ But now¡­¡­ Fang Li squeezed his eyes shut, the emotions in his chest in disarray. As if there were many, many fragments floating past his consciousness, and he wanted to reach out and grab something, but couldn¡¯t. Or maybe, there were some things that had always been just before his eyes, but he¡¯d been meticulously ignoring them. Fang Li truly didn¡¯t want to sleep anymore. But this body of his was temporarily still that of a mortal, and in the end, he couldn¡¯t withstand it and fell asleep. Somewhere between sleeping and waking. Perhaps it was the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill taking effect, but his entire body felt like it¡¯d been thrown into a furnace to cook. Every bone in his body was crackling, as if being roasted again and again inside a pill furnace. He furrowed his brow a bit in pain, but before he¡¯d had time to react¡­¡­ Warm spiritual energy swept through his entire body, immediately scattering much of the pain. Although it still hurt, it was like he was soaking in the middle of a spring, and the pain was separated by a layer of mist, no longer so difficult to endure. Xie Huai¡¯s low, hoarse voice spoke gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± Fang Li thought blankly. Had Xie Huai not slept the whole time? That was why he¡¯d been able to protect him so quickly? In the midst of his daze, the fragments in his mind that he hadn¡¯t been able to see clearly slowly became clear¡­¡­ Three sword talismans. A room that didn¡¯t change. A pool full of herbs. The Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t possibly convince himself any further that all of this was because of hatred. That nearly impossible answer suddenly appeared in Fang Li¡¯s mind. But no matter how he thought about it. He couldn¡¯t understand why Xie Huai would like him¡­¡­ To Fang Li, this was a riddle that he truly couldn¡¯t solve. He grit his teeth. Remaining completely still. Xie Huai¡¯s palm was on his back, protecting his heart, cutting off the pain of the body forging pill, dissolving bout after bout of spiritual energy¡­¡­ With the number one in the world personally safeguarding him, naturally, nothing could happen. To the point that the process was even more relaxed than expected¡­¡­ This kind of good fortune as tall as the heavens. The people of the world could only pray for it. But Fang Li only felt like his heart was endlessly heavy, a hundred times more ill at ease than if Xie Huai wanted to kill him. He¡­¡­ Truly didn¡¯t like men! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Author: May I ask, what your thoughts on this life of having cracked the cheat code? (Raises mic Fang Li: I can¡¯t find any more excuses, my good bro might really like me, what should I do, waiting online, urgent! CH 52 April 25th, 2023 When Fang Li woke up the next day, Xie Huai was already gone from his side. But the sensation from last night of Xie Huai close to him still lingered faintly. Xie Huai had carefully safeguarded him, consuming spiritual energy to block out the pain for him and dissolve the effects of the medicine¡­¡­ Fang Li suddenly felt a bit nostalgic for the System. Although the System couldn¡¯t come up with anything useful to say, at least it could listen to him talk¡­¡­ The corners of Fang Li¡¯s mouth pulled in a bitter smile. If Xie Huai really did like him, then when had it started? Thinking about it now, back then, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t drawn out the poison for him in order to clear all debts between them, but because he liked him? Or maybe, it was from even earlier? Fang Li didn¡¯t know. To the point that he didn¡¯t even know where he¡¯d gone wrong. Was it just because he¡¯d changed the plot? Speaking truthfully, he wouldn¡¯t even be as distressed as he was now if Xie Huai hated him and wanted to kill him. At most, he could just give Xie Huai this life of his, but if Xie Huai liked him, how was he to repay him? Feelings were hard to repay. Although Xie Huai really was a very exceptional person, and back then, Fang Li had felt enormous appreciation of and respect for him, no matter how good Xie Huai was, he was still a man! Fang Li had never thought about being together with a man before. He¡¯d even once fantasized that if he really had the chance to live again, he only wanted to be together with his family and live out a common, ordinary life. If he were to meet a wife of one heart and mind as him, he could also have a few kids and spend his days with only the necessities. Fang Li took a deep breath and, carrying the heavy emotions of someone entering the execution grounds, pushed open the door and walked out. Xie Huai had already prepared the table with dishes. He said blandly, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Although Xie Huai¡¯s cool face had his usual aloof expression, Fang Li was unusually nervous today. The meal passed in an exceptionally dead silence. Fang Li didn¡¯t even have the heart to play the fool, his acting completely half-hearted. He didn¡¯t know how to face Xie Huai. But before he¡¯d even finished his meal, The effects of the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill started again. This time, the bones in his entire body felt like they were being smashed by rocks, the bone-piercing pain making him tremble faintly. Right at this time, Xie Huai had already grabbed hold of his hand. The man¡¯s voice was low and heavy. ¡°Concentrate, brace yourself.¡± Warm spiritual energy swept through his whole body, surging turbulently, causing much of the pain to dissipate in a split second. Moreover, it protected his insides, making it not so impossible to endure. Fang Li¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together, the expression in his eyes somewhat heavy. Even for Xie Huai, sending him spiritual energy like this without a moment¡¯s pause wasn¡¯t a trivial burden. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Nine days passed. As expected, Xie Huai didn¡¯t leave for even a moment. If an average person were to use a godly pill like this, enduring the eighty-one rounds of body forging would be about as painful as having one¡¯s skin flayed and bones smashed. But under Xie Huai¡¯s safeguard, Fang Li didn¡¯t endure any of this. Not only did he completely absorb the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill¡¯s effects, he even passed the time in relative relaxation. Although there was a bit of pain, it was all bearable. Today was the last time. Fang Li sat cross-legged on the bed. Xie Huai was behind him, sending him spiritual energy to protect him. Perhaps it was because it was the last round of body forging, but the pain this time was greater than any of the previous rounds. Fang Li¡¯s entire body shook, his face deathly pale, and his clothes were soaked through with sweat. Every bone in his body felt like it was being crushed and then glued back together¡­¡­ Xie Huai sensed his pain. His voice held a hint of fatigue, but he still consoled in a gentle voice, ¡°Endure it for a little longer, it¡¯ll be over very soon.¡± Fang Li closed his eyes. He forcefully shifted his thoughts away from the pain in his body. The little bits and pieces of his time ever since he¡¯d met Xie Huai appeared in his mind¡­¡­ The first time he¡¯d seen Xie Huai was at Cloudbank Keep. The white-robed man had been cold and aloof as a celestial, his white clothes soaked with blood. Although it had been the first time they¡¯d met, Fang Li had instinctively thought¡­¡­ he should be someone who was easy to get along with. Later, they¡¯d been together day and night. As expected, Xie Huai was just as described in the book, a perfect and flawless person of honor and integrity. Even though Fang Li had clearly done so many excessive things, Xie Huai had still repaid evil with good and had saved him from the nightmare. Actually, Xie Huai had helped him a lot¡­¡­ Even though they stood on different sides, Xie Huai had never done a single thing that went against his morality. He had a heart that wanted to protect the people of the world, and he also had his forgiveness and tenderness. So later, Fang Li had thought, he absolutely had to complete the mission and let this world remain¡­¡­ Regardless of what else, the two of them still counted as brothers-in-arms who had faced life and death together, right? He already owed Xie Huai so much. Did he have to break his heart, too? Fang Li truly couldn¡¯t carry through with such a thing¡­¡­ His heart was tangled in endless conflict¡­¡­ Just when he didn¡¯t know what to do, a lightbulb flickered in his mind. He thought of Xie Huai as a brother who¡¯d faced life and death with him, so why couldn¡¯t Xie Huai be the same? Xie Huai was such a sharp, perceptive person. How would Xie Huai not be able to tell that he didn¡¯t have the intent to harm anyone and to see through his true intentions¡­¡­ He had probably been able to sense all of this, right? Yet he¡¯d thought Xie Huai had only seen what was on the surface, believing all on his own that Xie Huai hated him. He¡¯d really thought too little of Xie Huai. He¡¯d taken him for the masses who repeated whatever was said to them. Looking at it from a different perspective. If his own brother who he¡¯d faced life and death with was poisoned, he would definitely also think of a way to help him cure the poison. If his own brother who he¡¯d faced life and death with wanted to seek death, he would definitely also try to think of ways to stop him. And also¡­¡­ If his own brother became ill and landed in dire straights, would he really sit around and do nothing? Regardless of whether it was before or now, Xie Huai had never said that he liked him, nor had he done anything that crossed the line. Even when drawing out the poison, he hadn¡¯t touched him, and when treating his illness, he¡¯d adhered strictly to propriety. Xie Huai had such an upright character¡­¡­ Appraising Xie Huai¡¯s intentions in such a way, he was really looking down on Xie Huai! That¡¯s right, as long as Xie Huai didn¡¯t personally speak up, he would just take it as fraternal love. They could still be friends. It was natural for good brothers to help each other. If some other day, Xie Huai were to encounter hardship, he would also risk life and limb and go through hell and high water for Xie Huai¡¯s sake! But¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s brow creased faintly. If Xie Huai also saw him as a brother, yet he¡¯d ignored Xie Huai¡¯s will and had forced him to kill him, then how big of a blow had that been to Xie Huai? No wonder he¡¯d become like this, his emotions unstable and his thoughts unfathomable¡­¡­ At this thought, Fang Li felt unbearably guilty. If the one to be treated like this were himself, when he caught the person responsible, even giving them a beating wouldn¡¯t be enough. He¡¯d at least have to give them three beatings, until they couldn¡¯t even get out of bed! To think that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t blamed him and was even putting so much effort into helping him treat his illness. What a magnanimous heart, he was practically emitting a holy glow. It made Fang Li endlessly ashamed and full of guilt. The most important thing was¡­¡­ Xie Huai didn¡¯t even know that he wouldn¡¯t die. He¡¯d thought he¡¯d really died¡­.. The last round of the body forging pill¡¯s effects finally passed. Xie Huai stood up from behind him, his voice somewhat hoarse and weary, and said slowly, ¡°Get some rest.¡± Having said that, he left. Fang Li watched Xie Huai¡¯s back as he departed and let out a gloomy sigh. He¡¯d done such outrageous things, and Xie Huai was still returning his evil with good. But as for himself¡­¡­ how was he to face Xie Huai! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li thought he had to properly calm down. Luckily, the body forging process was already complete, and he didn¡¯t need to stay with Xie Huai night and day. Fang Li sat in the courtyard in a trance. Because his mind was wandering, with a crack¡­¡­ he accidentally crushed the stone in his hand into pieces¡­¡­ Oho. Although he hadn¡¯t yet formally started to cultivate again, the effects of the body forging were already astounding. Fang Li suddenly recalled how back then, he¡¯d sealed Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation and placed him in his rear court. At the time, Xie Huai had still been completely ruthless, and faced with Shui Yao¡¯s provocation, he¡¯d single-handedly snapped Shui Yao¡¯s wrist¡­¡­ Cough. As expected, it looked like Xie Huai wasn¡¯t just a sword cultivator, but a sword cultivator who¡¯d forged his body. Life on the ridge was extremely bland. Staying alone with Xie Huai every day, Fang Li felt tremendous pressure. It was precisely during this time that Hollow Ridge finally welcomed a long-absent guest¡ªFu Junling. The green-robed man held a folding fan in his hand, looking scholarly and refined, his demeanor elegant and breezy. He¡¯d come looking for Xie Huai, but at first glance, he saw Fang Li, who was sitting in the courtyard sunning himself, and Fu Junling couldn¡¯t help but stand there blankly. There was actually someone else here on Hollow Ridge? Fu Junling¡¯s eyes wavered in bewilderment as he looked at Fang Li. Fang Li sat there lazily. He was a fool right now. Not needing to waste his time dealing with other people was actually a plus. But why had Fu Junling come here? Was he here to visit Xie Huai? As the only friend of Xie Huai¡¯s with a name in the book, coming over to visit his friend who was living alone wasn¡¯t out of the question. Fang Li suddenly felt a little rueful. Hollow Ridge¡¯s desolate loneliness truly worried him. When he thought about how after being forced to kill him, Xie Huai was living here all alone, Fang Li couldn¡¯t stop blaming himself¡­¡­ But Fu Junling¡¯s appearance meant that Xie Huai still had friends. At a time like this, how important was it to have a friend who would come to your door and show concern for you¡­¡­ Seeing Fang Li sitting there and looking at him without speaking, only revealing a strange smile, Fu Junling¡¯s heart pounded a little. Just who was he¡­¡­ In these years, other than the few people who had pretty good relationships with Xie Huai, and the people from his sect, no one else could even get onto the ridge, forget living here. Although this young man had a set of good looks, it looked like he was only a mortal. Why was Xie Huai keeping someone like this here? Fu Junling¡¯s heart was full of doubts. He was just about to step forward and ask when Xie Huai came over from the side. Xie Huai walked straight over to stand in front of Fang Li, blocking him from Fu Junling¡¯s probing gaze, his brow furrowing slightly. ¡°What did you come here for?¡± Fu Junling sighed. ¡°If I don¡¯t have any business, I can¡¯t come here to visit you?¡± Xie Huai looked at him impassively. Under his gaze, Fu Junling¡¯s expression froze slightly. After a moment, he said, ¡°I came to invite you to attend the Ascension Conference.¡± Fang Li began to contemplate. He knew about the Ascension Conference that was held every ten years. It was one of the grandest occasions of this world, and the five great sects¡­¡­ now the four great sects, would collaborate to organize this convention. Anyone in the world could participate, regardless of age, gender, cultivation level, etc. As long as one caught the eye of one of the four great sects during the Ascension Conference, they would have a chance to enter the four great sects. One had to know, the bar for getting into the four great sects was extremely high. Unless one was favored by the gods, there was no way to enter, and usually, there were all kinds of trials to being selected. Without exceptional innate talent or being born into an influential family, ordinary people could only look on in awe. But at the Ascension Conference, there were no restrictions at all. It was like giving the whole world a chance to take the college entrance exams on an equal playing field. Ordinary cultivators also had the chance to leap to the skies in a single bound, so every Ascension Conference, participants came in swarms. This was precisely the so-called ¡°rags to riches.¡± If one could stand out at the Ascension Conference, even if one couldn¡¯t enter the four great sects, there was still the possibility of catching the eye of another big cultivation sect. Who wouldn¡¯t want to go all out? Fu Junling smiled and said to Xie Huai, ¡°Look, you haven¡¯t come outside in so long. Why don¡¯t you go out and get a change of pace? You don¡¯t need to do anything, all you have to do is show your face.¡± Although the demon lord had been dead for nine years, the shadow of the demonic calamity still hadn¡¯t completely dispersed. The leaders of the four great cultivation sects¡¯ meaning was that they hoped Xie Huai would participate in this time¡¯s Ascension Conference. Even if he only sat there and didn¡¯t do a thing, it would still have raise everyone¡¯s spirits. After all, Xie Huai was the number one in the world right now. He was the one who¡¯d killed the devil with his own hands and returned peace to the world. He truly was the idol of this world! For this year¡¯s Ascension Conference, it just so happened to be Black Star Tower¡¯s turn to hold the conference. Thus, Fu Junling had come to personally pay a visit and invite Xie Huai to oversee the conference. Xie Huai glanced impassively at Fu Junling. How could he not be clear on Fu Junling¡¯s thoughts? But he had no interest in going there to be an ornament and refused cooly. ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡± You don¡¯t have time? You¡¯re the most idle person there is, okay? Fu Junling refused to give up, asking, ¡°Oh, what are you busy with these days?¡± Xie Huai pointed at Fang Li, saying, ¡°I have to treat his illness.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling thought to himself, was this person ill? Was that true or fake? He hesitated for a moment, then asked, ¡°What illness does he have?¡± Judging from his appearance, he looked healthy as could be, and there were even shattered pieces of rock on the ground. Clearly, he¡¯d been born with godly strength. Xie Huai said slowly, ¡°Insanity.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li cooperatively gave Fu Junling a pure and simple smile. Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling took a deep breath and said, ¡°This illness is probably impossible to cure, isn¡¯t it?¡± Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°That¡¯s why I have no time.¡± Fu Junling¡¯s teeth started to hurt. The sect master had implored him over and over again to invite Xie Huai. If he were to go back without any results, it would be hard to explain. Fu Junling refused to give up just like this. His expression shifted, and he waved his fan, saying, ¡°I know a thing or two about medicine. Maybe I can cure him, let me help you take a look.¡± Xie Huai frowned. ¡°No need.¡± Fang Li¡¯s identity was rather sensitive. Just in case, it was still better if others didn¡¯t know. Fu Junling sighed to himself. Xie Huai was still impossible to persuade, but before he¡¯d come, he¡¯d anticipated that this trip wouldn¡¯t go very smoothly. Wanting to get rid of him just like that was impossible. Fu Junling smiled. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. I¡¯ve long heard that the scenery on Hollow Ridge is unique. I¡¯ll just stay here for a little while, just take it as me enjoying the scenery.¡± Xie Huai couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with him. Whatever he wanted. Sure enough, Fu Junling shamelessly started to live here. Hollow Ridge was home to a block of ice and a fool. There was no one at all to pay attention to him, but he was completely content and didn¡¯t take himself to be an outsider in the least. Xie Huai wasn¡¯t easy to get close to, but Fang Li, the little fool, was actually pretty cute. Although he didn¡¯t know who Fang Li was, Xie Huai paid so much attention to him. For Xie Huai to pay such close attention to someone¡­¡­ If he were to coax Fang Li properly, perhaps Xie Huai would be willing to go? Fu Junling brought delicious food for Fang Li every day. Fang Li hadn¡¯t thought that another person would show up to toss food at him, and he continued to act the fool with absolutely no qualms. Sigh, he would stop thinking about the tangled mess on Xie Huai¡¯s side for the moment. Fu Junling¡¯s appearance actually wasn¡¯t bad. It alleviated the grave atmosphere quite a bit, allowing him to breathe a little easier. At the very least, he didn¡¯t need to stay alone with Xie Huai day after day! Today, Fu Junling came again, bringing Fang Li some cake. The young man ate slowly, a trace of a smile on his delicate features. He licked his lips, and when he narrowed his eyes, his posture was lazy and satiated, his bearing carefree and indifferent. Looking at him like this, he didn¡¯t actually look like a fool. Only, when he spoke, his sentences couldn¡¯t flow at all, and he had no more than an empty pretty face. It was rather a pity. Fu Junling felt sympathy for him. Today, he brought some toys to accompany Fang Li to play with. Fu Juling took out some candy, pastries, spirit stones, spinning tops, rattle-drums, and so on, placing them on the ground, evenly spaced apart. Then, he took out a stack of golden rings and smiled as he coaxed Fang Li, ¡°Whatever you can land a ring on is yours.¡± Oh, he sure knew how to play. Fang Li lifted an eyelid. Even without considering those snacks and toys, even the sparkly spirit stones were sure to be liked by children. Fang Li had actually been pretty bored recently. Although Xie Huai had taken care of him in every possible aspect, perhaps it was because he felt guilty inside, but he always felt not quite at ease when facing Xie Huai. On the other hand, when interacting with Fu Junling, he felt much more relaxed and content. Fang Li smiled cheerfully as he accepted the golden rings and started throwing them. He simply tossed them randomly. If they didn¡¯t land on anything, it was fine. Fu Junling was very familiar with entertaining children. After Fang Li played for a while, he scooted over and smiled at him, saying, ¡°Let me have a try, too.¡± Saying that, he also started tossing. Fang Li was full of admiration. Who would¡¯ve thought that the great and mighty Deputy Tower Master of Black Star Tower was so friendly and approachable? Although, when they¡¯d met last time, this person had also been pretty gentle. The two of them took turns tossing, and Fang Li found a bit of childish delight from his youth. The two of them played quite cheerfully. Hollow Ridge even felt like it had a bit of human presence. When Xie Huai came over, he just so happened to see this scene. The young man¡¯s eyes were faintly sparkling, a languid smile hanging off his eyes and brow. He stood together with Fu Junling, making for a comforting and harmonious image¡­¡­ But Xie Huai suddenly thought it was somewhat harsh on the eyes. When Fang Li was with himself, if he wasn¡¯t dodgy and evasive, then he was careful and cautious¡­¡­ But now, he was playing pretty happily with Fu Junling. So you can get along well with anyone, yet you only face me in that way? Xie Huai let out a cold laugh. Fang Li was just in the middle of playing happily when a shadow suddenly fell upon him. The white-robed man had arrived behind him, his murky eyes watching him impassively. ¡°I¡¯ll try too.¡± Fang Li felt a bit of shock inside. Was Xie Huai also going to play this? That didn¡¯t quite match Xie Huai¡¯s character setting¡­¡­ While Fang Li¡¯s attention was still wandering, Xie Huai had already taken the golden rings from his hands¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s fingertips held the golden rings, his expression impassive as he tossed the golden rings out. As expected of the number one in the world. Even when tossing rings, every toss was precise. It smashed the candy, turning the candy into powder with a crash. It smashed the spirit stones, turning the spirit stones into powder with a crash. It smashed the spinning top, turning the spinning top into powder with a crash. Fang Li let out a breath of cold air. Fu Junling¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. H-he, just how had he offended Xie Huai? Xie Huai expressionlessly threw out all of the gold rings in his hands. At this point, the ground was a complete mess, and there was nothing left at all. Only then did the corners of his lips hook up leisurely, and he said blandly, ¡°Apologies, I didn¡¯t control my strength.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai turned his head, looking at Fang Li profoundly, his voice slow yet low and hoarse. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to play. It¡¯s time to go back.¡± Fang Li felt his scalp tingle a little, but under Xie Huai¡¯s calm gaze, he still went back meekly into his room. Xie Huai followed him inside, closing the door behind him. Fang Li stood there resentfully. If you¡¯re not going to play, then don¡¯t play. How old are you, what are you taking your anger out on the toys for? Although he had a bellyful of complaints, seeing Xie Huai¡¯s appearance, Fang Li didn¡¯t dare voice them aloud, only revealing a silly smile. Xie Huai¡¯s gaze was fixed on his eyes, and the dissatisfaction in Fang Li¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t escape him. The corners of his lips hooked upwards teasingly, and he said blandly, ¡°What, are you unhappy?¡± Fang Li immediately shook his head. But Xie Huai lifted his hand and rested it softly on Fang Li¡¯s shoulder, suddenly saying, ¡°If you really want to play, I can play with you.¡± Fang Li: ? He feigned ignorance as he said, ¡°Play, play what¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai seemed to ponder for a moment, his cool, indifferent eyes watching Fang Li. After a second, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s play hide and seek.¡± Fang Li thought to himself, what was so fun about that¡­¡­ But before he could react, Xie Huai suddenly lowered his head and got close to him. A black silk ribbon appeared in his hand, and one hand held the back of Fang Li¡¯s head steady as he slowly yet gently covered his eyes with the silk ribbon, tying a knot at the back of his head. Fang Li¡¯s field of vision suddenly became pitch-black. His heart quivered faintly, and he heard Xie Huai¡¯s low, hoarse voice beside his ear, one word falling after the other. ¡°Come catch me.¡± The black silk ribbon was cool to the touch, causing Fang Li to feel a bit ill at ease. Everything before his eyes was black, and he couldn¡¯t see anything at all. He could only feel Xie Huai¡¯s breath, scorching and scaldingly hot¡­¡­ The next moment, Xie Huai seemed to have left him. There was only darkness and dead silence. Fang Li¡¯s entire body was stretched taut with nervousness. No way, was he really going to play hide and seek with Xie Huai? He¡¯d been playing with Fu Junling earlier, and now Xie Huai wanted to play with him. Xie Huai wasn¡¯t jealous, was he? Was Xie Huai such a childish person? Are you a grade schooler? Fang Li was completely speechless, but at this point, he could only grit his teeth and step forward. He absolutely didn¡¯t dare use his spiritual consciousness to probe for Xie Huai, but if he couldn¡¯t use his consciousness to search, then he could only grope about blindly¡­¡­ Luckily, he was familiar with this room. Fang Li took a deep breath, raised his hands, and slowly inched forward¡­¡­ It was far too still. It was clearly such a huge room, but he couldn¡¯t even hear Xie Huai¡¯s breathing. Fang Li staggered around in a circle, but he didn¡¯t even manage to touch a corner of Xie Huai¡¯s clothes. This was a scam, wasn¡¯t it?! Fang Li thought, he just had to put on an act and that would be enough. It wasn¡¯t like he really wanted to catch Xie Huai. Xie Huai was the great and mighty number one in the world. If he didn¡¯t want to be caught, then how could Fang Li catch him? He pretended to get impatient and was just about to rip off the silk ribbon on his eyes, but as soon as he raised a hand, he heard Xie Huai¡¯s cool voice. ¡°It looks like I¡¯m not worthy of playing games with you.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li immediately put his hand down. He could only brace himself and keep on groping. He pricked his ears, listening attentively. Suddenly, within the silence, there seemed to be a very, very soft noise¡­¡­ Fang Ly abruptly turned and grabbed in that direction, catching ahold of the lapels of Xie Huai¡¯s robes, but because his movement had been too abrupt, and he hadn¡¯t steadied himself, he tumbled directly toward Xie Huai! Xie Huai¡¯s arm wrapped around his waist, protecting him, his entire body pressed underneath. Fang Li¡¯s breathing faltered for a moment. Oh, thank goodness the bed was underneath, or else both of them would have fallen to the ground. His hand was still pulling on Xie Huai¡¯s clothes, his entire body leaning on top of him. Fang Li reflexively wanted to get up, but Xie Huai pressed him down, and Fang Li¡¯s hand was also caught in his. Thump, thump, thump. The room was completely silent. The only thing in his ear was the sound of Xie Huai¡¯s heartbeat, steady and powerful, as if pounding on his heart over and over again. After a long time, he heard Xie Huai make a tiny, tiny sound, like a sigh that had traveled over from long, long ago, covered in the dust of time. ¡°You caught me.¡± Fang Li trembled faintly. His hand was being gripped firmly. Clearly, you¡¯re the one who caught me. CH 53 April 28th, 2023 Perhaps because he sensed Fang Li¡¯s unease and avoidance, Xie Huai very considerately didn¡¯t appear the next day. Fang Li¡¯s emotions were extremely complicated. He felt just like a prisoner on death row. He knew that sooner or later, the executioner¡¯s blade would fall, but as long as the date of his sentence hadn¡¯t been set, he still harbored hopes that fortune would smile upon him, and that day would never come¡­¡­ After a long time, he laughed bitterly. Since when had he become so hesitant and indecisive? But¡­¡­ If he were really to bring things out into the open with Xie Huai, what if Xie Huai wanted something he couldn¡¯t give? Whenever he thought about how Xie Huai might feel pain or despair, Fang Li would immediately falter. He still wasn¡¯t willing to hurt him. And moreover, he actually didn¡¯t hate Xie Huai¡¯s closeness¡­¡­ When Fu Junling came over to pay Fang Li a visit, he only saw him sitting there in a daze, looking dispirited and emitting a melancholy air from his entire body. Immediately, Fu Junling felt a bit of heartache. Yesterday, Xie Huai had obviously looked angry. Although he didn¡¯t know why Xie Huai had been angry, bullying a fool wasn¡¯t appropriate, was it? At the beginning, Fu Junling had been accompanying Fang Li to play out of respect for Xie Huai, but after a period of interaction, he found the little fool pretty cute, and he was actually sincerely a bit worried for him right now. He slowly stepped over, giving him a warm smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to play outside.¡± Fang Li was a bit hesitant. Fu Junling hadn¡¯t hoped for a fool to be able to say much. He pulled Fang Li along and left, taking Fang Li to the seaside cliff in the mountains out back. Fang Li stood at the edge of Hollow Ridge¡¯s cliff. As far as his eyes could see was the endless expanse of the Fallen Star Sea, towering waves crashing and fierce gales howling. Back then, this was where he¡¯d fallen off the cliff, and he couldn¡¯t help but fall into a daze for a moment. At the time, he hadn¡¯t once thought that the day would come when he would be back here again. He¡¯d thought that none of this would have anything to do with him anymore. Fu Junling was afraid the strong gales would blow Fang Li away, and he set up an array to block out the wind. Then, he retrieved from his storage space some firewood, a rack, and so on. Oh, was he preparing to have a barbeque out in the wilderness? Fu Junling smiled a little and said, ¡°Wait a bit, let me catch a fish first.¡± Fang Li perked up a little bit of interest. Don¡¯t mention it, but he actually missed the fish from the Fallen Star Sea a little. The flavor really was very fragrant, and you couldn¡¯t find it anywhere else¡­¡­ To think that Fu Junling was actually in the mood for such idle entertainment. Not bad, not bad. Coming out to get some fresh air was pretty nice, too. Fang Li sat there indolently, lifting his hand as he yawned. Fu Junling was pretty decent at fishing. He attached the bait to the hook and cast the line far, far out in one toss. When the fish in the Fallen Star Sea smelled flesh, they immediately swarmed up in droves, and the fishing line was quickly pulled taut¡ª With a flick of his hand, Fu Junling hooked up a fish. Fang Li looked at the sharp-toothed, gaping-mawed fish. Although the fish looked ferocious, it really was a bit stupid. As soon as it saw flesh, it would bite, so it was very easy to hook¡­¡­ Fu Junling raised his eyebrows in a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the fish in the Fallen Star Sea are extremely fragrant, and the flavor is first-class. Today, I¡¯ll finally have a chance to try it.¡± He spread a piece of cloth on the ground, then neatly and tidily scaled the fish and put it on a skewer to roast over the fire. Fu Junling was also someone who knew how to enjoy life. He sprinkled some spices and all kinds of seasoning on the fish, and not too long after, a fragrant aroma wafted up from the fire. Fang Li¡¯s eyes were fixed on the fish. Although it hadn¡¯t been too long since he¡¯d died and then returned, it felt like he hadn¡¯t had it in ages. Fu Junling took a look at Fang Li¡¯s impatient, wide-eyed expression and gave the fish straight to him, then fished himself up another one and began to roast it. Fang Li lowered his eyes with satisfaction. Fu Junling watched the young man eat with a satiated expression and laughed softly. Following that, he then sighed softly, suddenly saying, ¡°This was where that devil died.¡± Fang Li¡¯s movements paused for a moment. He knew Fu Junling¡¯s words weren¡¯t directed at him, but that he was talking to himself. As expected, Fu Junling revealed a reminiscent expression, saying, ¡°The day that the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance attacked Hollow Ridge, I didn¡¯t come. It was only later that I heard that when Xie Huai had been rescued, all of the meridians in his body had been severed, and it had almost been too late to save him¡­¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s chest became heavy. Fu Junling let out a bitter laugh. ¡°You might not even believe me when I say that I¡¯ve met the devil before, and at the time, he¡­¡­ Actually wasn¡¯t so terrible. And moreover, Xie Huai seemed to somewhat¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling paused, then said a little uncertainly, ¡°Xie Huai seemed to like the devil.¡± Fang Li: ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡± He almost choked on a fish bone! Fu Junling rushed to pat his back, then shook his head. ¡°But maybe it was just my misperception. The devil hurt Xie Huai that badly, how could Xie Huai still like him? Plus, if the devil had cared about him even a little bit, he wouldn¡¯t have hurt him to that extent, and then left him all alone, don¡¯t you think so¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling paused, then laughed. ¡°What am I saying these things to you for, it¡¯s not like you understand. ¡°But it¡¯s good that the devil is dead. Only, Xie Huai still refuses to return. I¡¯m afraid he still can¡¯t let it go in his heart¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling let out a gloomy sigh. Fang Li gripped the fish in his hand tightly. It was obviously extremely fragrant, yet it suddenly became hard to swallow. That¡¯s right, it was good that he¡¯d died. The plot was already over, and they shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with each other anymore. So, why did you have to find me again? Regardless of whether it was Tao Lu, or Fu Junling¡­¡­ By Xie Huai¡¯s side were friends who sincerely cared for him, yet because of himself, Xie Huai would rather keep watch over this place all alone. He would be hard-pressed to escape the blame for Xie Huai becoming like this, but to him, this was truly a problem that was difficult to solve¡­¡­ If he were to leave, would Xie Huai forget him and become like before? Fang Li sat there blankly. Xie Huai had come back from his trip down the ridge to buy food, but he didn¡¯t find Fang Li in the residential palace. He circled around and finally saw Fang Li in the back mountains near the seaside cliff. The young man was resting on a rock, his head lowered, emitting a solemn aura from his entire body, as if he might leave at any time. Just like nine years ago. Fang Li had also been sitting here like this, waiting for him. He had come back half-alive after retrieving the Nine-Petaled Lotus, wanting to enter this endless hell together with him, yet Fang Li had only smiled at him, then used the love parasite to control him to kill himself. That moment. Was like a nightmare that was impossible to shake off. Ever since then, he¡¯d never stepped foot onto the seaside cliff even once. A dark red seemed to appear in the depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes. That day, even after all the meridians in his body had been severed, he hadn¡¯t been able to struggle free of his restraints. Even today, he couldn¡¯t free himself. It was he who had killed this person with his own hands. It couldn¡¯t be that you¡¯re going to leave me yet again? Are you that unwilling to stay by my side? Before he himself had even come to his senses, Xie Huai had already stepped forward and grabbed hold of Fang Li¡¯s hand! Fang Li was suddenly hauled up by Xie Huai, and the roast fish in his hand fell to the ground. He raised his head and met Xie Huai¡¯s eyes, which faintly held a savage expression, as if they¡¯d returned to that day¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Xie Huai¡ªwhat was up with him? Fu Junling was also completely surprised, looking at Xie Huai with a frown. He¡¯d only brought Fang Li here to eat roast fish. Was Xie Huai going to get angry over even this? He¡¯d never seen Xie Huai look so terrifying. Before, no matter when or where, this person had always been aloof and at ease, leaving no room for doubt that even facing death wouldn¡¯t be enough to change the expression on his face. But right now, Xie Huai looked like he was going to kill. Fang Li¡¯s body had undergone the Dragon-Bone Body Forging Pill and was actually already very strong, but Xie Huai¡¯s strength still caused his bones to crackle, as if he was going to be thoroughly crushed. His brow couldn¡¯t help but crease in pain. Fu Junling became anxious, worried that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be able to control himself and would hurt Fang Li. He rushed forward to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, I was the one who brought him here¡­¡­¡± Fu Junling¡¯s voice clogged up. He saw Xie Huai turn his head to look at him, those eyes bone-cuttingly frigid. Xie Huai said, word by word, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have brought him here.¡± Fu Junling knew Xie Huai had really gotten angry. He might have unwittingly touched a nerve of Xie Huai¡¯s. Just why was this fool so important to him? Although he didn¡¯t understand, he still followed along with Xie Huai to say, ¡°I was the one who was wrong. Hurry and let go, you¡¯re hurting him.¡± Xie Huai lowered his eyes, and only then did he realize that Fang Li had a pained expression. His hand couldn¡¯t help but loosen, and then he revealed a self-mocking smile. He was the one who¡¯d lost his composure. But what about you, do you really not understand my feelings at all? Or, do you not want to understand? Xie Huai closed his eyes and simply dragged Fang Li away by the hand. Fang Li was pushed by Xie Huai into his room. If one were to say that yesterday, Xie Huai had only been a little bit unhappy, but had still been willing to patiently play games with him, then the Xie Huai of today was like a ferocious beast who¡¯d already lost control, as if he wanted to rip him to shreds at every moment. The dense, raging emotions in his eyes were murky and unclear, yet made one¡¯s heart beat wildly¡­¡­ Just like the day the love parasite had acted up, and Fang Li had suddenly barged into his territory. Only, at that time, Xie Huai had only had killing intent, but the Xie Huai right now seemed to hold more complicated feelings¡­¡­ Fang Li knew that right now, he had to keep steady. He instinctively felt that Xie Huai was on the brink of losing control, his expression uneasy. Xie Huai watched Fang Li¡¯s current appearance. What, so you can also feel fear¡­¡­? Since you can also feel fear. Then why did you act so decisively back then? Why did you insist on having me kill you with my own hands? You thought it was for my own good, but did you ever ask my thoughts, did you ever ask me if I wanted you to do such a thing¡­¡­ Did you ever ask me if I would rather have this meaningless reputation, or to fall into hell together with you, never to part? After a long time, Xie Huai let out an extremely low, soft laugh. He said in a slow, hoarse voice, ¡°Your body has already recuperated now, but in order to truly completely recover, you¡¯ll have to cultivate to dissolve the spiritual power in your body. I have a method that can let even a fool cultivate normally.¡± Fang Li was a little startled. There was even a method like that? Xie Huai gave him a profound look and said, enunciating each word, ¡°Dual cultivation. Even if you don¡¯t understand anything at all, don¡¯t do anything at all, you¡¯ll be able to cultivate without any obstructions.¡± Fang Li¡¯s entire body went stiff, goosebumps appearing on his skin, every hair on his body standing on end. Dual cultivation was absolutely impossible! That was his absolute limit! He didn¡¯t know whether Xie Huai¡¯s words were true or false, whether they were for the sake of testing him, but he didn¡¯t dare take the risk. How could he dual cultivate with Xie Huai? Did he really have no choice but to lay his cards on the table? That was just as well. Going on like this in such a vague manner wasn¡¯t a solution. It would be better to say things clearly, and when the time came, Xie Huai could kill him or dice him as he pleased. Anyways, dual cultivation was impossible! After Xie Huai spoke those words. His gaze was fixed unblinkingly on Fang Li¡¯s eyes, not letting a single trace of emotion in his eyes escape him. Sure enough, this was something Fang Li couldn¡¯t accept. It was also his limit. Xie Huai¡¯s mouth pulled in derision. At this point, this moment, there was no way for him to fool himself any longer, no way for him to escape the answer that he¡¯d vaguely sensed but had been unwilling to face ever since their reunion. Which was¡ªperhaps Fang Li had never loved him. If Fang Li loved him, he couldn¡¯t possibly leave him alone to suffer pain and torment even while clearly being alive, unwilling to come back and see him even once. If Fang Li loved him, he wouldn¡¯t be unwilling to reveal his identity after he¡¯d been discovered, only wanting to leave him. If you really loved someone, cared about someone. How could you bear to see them suffer and be in pain, how could you want to leave them? But if Fang Li didn¡¯t love him, everything made sense. Thinking about it now. Even back then, Fang Li had never once said that he liked him. He¡¯d tied him to his side, yet had strictly maintained propriety, unwilling to cross the line. Not because Fang Li liked him, but because he didn¡¯t like him. He¡¯d used the love parasite on him, yet had been unwilling for anything to happen between them, not because he was unwilling to cause Xie Huai grievance, but because to him, the love parasite had been a trick for the sake of controlling Xie Huai to kill him. And during this period of time, it was impossible for Fang Li not to have sensed his feelings, but the closer he got, the more Fang Li wanted to avoid him. Only if he didn¡¯t feel love would he be like this. So, everything had been his one-sided fantasy. His own wishful thinking. But even so, he¡¯d still fallen for him, finally giving away his whole heart. To think that at this point, he was still unable to give up this person. Only, the one thing that Xie Huai couldn¡¯t understand was, if Fang Li had really had no feelings at all for him and hadn¡¯t cared about him in the least, then why had he treated him like that? Back then, he¡¯d trapped him by his side and had wanted Xie Huai to become his. Fang Li¡¯s protection toward him and the kindness that he¡¯d occasionally exposed couldn¡¯t have been a lie, and even when he¡¯d planned to die at the end, he¡¯d still thought about using his own life to clear Xie Huai¡¯s name, wanting to die by his hand. And it had been precisely these contradictions that had caused Xie Huai to become unable to extricate himself, finally falling in love with him¡­¡­ But if everything you did wasn¡¯t because you loved me. Then¡ªwhat was it for? But no matter what, no matter what Fang Li¡¯s real purpose had been, Xie Huai could never let go of this person again. He couldn¡¯t bear the pain of losing him once again. Thinking about it now, the feelings that he hadn¡¯t had time to speak aloud had been nothing more than a joke. If I were really to speak them, you would definitely leave without any hesitation, wouldn¡¯t you? Because that¡¯s just the kind of person you are. Appearing gentle and mild, carefree and indolent, as if you don¡¯t care about anything at all. But in truth, no one has ever been able to change your mind about the things you¡¯ve decided. The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s lips pulled in self-mocking. During this period of time, Fang Li had also been steeped in torment. He steeled his heart and was just about to lay his cards on the table, opening his mouth to speak, when he heard Xie Huai let out a soft, derisive laugh. Those black eyes held not a trace of warmth, glancing at him coldly. ¡°But, I won¡¯t dual cultivate with you. I¡¯ll find another method to cure you.¡± Sure enough, that sentence had been for swindling him? But he still felt a bit of hesitation in his heart. Although he felt extremely guilty toward Xie Huai, dragging things on like this wasn¡¯t a solution¡­¡­ Xie Huai didn¡¯t let slip a single fluctuation on Fang Li¡¯s face. Before he could open his mouth, Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°Do you know what this place is?¡± Fang Li looked at him. Of course I know. Xie Huai¡¯s cold, gloomy eyes were fixed on him, and he said slowly, pausing after each word, ¡°Before, there was a devil who lived here. He was crafty and treacherous, and not a single word of truth came out of his mouth. He tricked me until I was running in circles, and if I were to learn that that devil hasn¡¯t died, but has been living a carefree life, I¡¯ll be sure to give him a fate worse than death and make him taste every single thing I went through.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Forget it, forget it. Laying his cards on the table could wait for another day. Another day! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Xie Huai: Since you don¡¯t love me, why did you have to provoke me? A heartbreaker is bound to die a painful death! Author: Shixiong¡­¡­ Fang Li: (Frantically covering mouth) Stop talking nonsense! CH 54 May 3rd, 2023 Fang Li had a nightmare that night. In his dream, he saw Xie Huai, and he wanted to ask Xie Huai if he was doing well. He reached out his hand and put it on Xie Huai¡¯s shoulder, and he saw Xie Huai¡¯s face turn toward him. Blood was flowing from his eyes, those eyes as savage as a ghoul¡¯s, fixed dead on Fang Li. Every sentence and word sounded like it was coming from hell. He said: I love you so much, so why are you so cruel toward me? Is it, that you¡¯ve never loved me? He said: You¡¯re a liar. You¡¯ve been alive this whole time, you¡¯ve tricked me so miserably. Fang Li woke from fright with a shudder. That dream had really been too terrifying. He wiped away the sweat on his forehead. After a long time, Fang Li let out a low, bitter laugh. He¡¯d thought that once he completed the mission, everything from the past would have nothing to do with him anymore. He was the one who¡¯d been naive. Fang Li let out a deep sigh and got up to go outside. As usual, Xie Huai had prepared some dishes, but the person himself was missing, which allowed Fang Li to relax a little. Although last night¡¯s dual cultivation had been Xie Huai frightening him, as soon as Fang Li recalled it, his heart would clench. He would rather Xie Huai kill him than to dual cultivate! After finishing his meal, Fang Li sunbathed idly, chancing upon Fu Junling, who was pacing nearby. As soon as Fu Junling saw him, he looked Fang Li up and down. Only after confirming that Fang Li was fine did he sigh, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re fine.¡± But after experiencing yesterday¡¯s events, Fu Junling didn¡¯t dare to bring Fang Li out to play again. Yesterday, Xie Huai had looked like he¡¯d wanted to kill. And he obviously kept a very close eye on Fang Li¡­¡­ Just who was this fool? Sure enough, after not too long, the white-robed Xie Huai walked over. His face looked extremely calm, and he glanced calmly at Fu Junling, saying, ¡°Now what business do you have?¡± It looked like Xie Huai had already returned to normal. Fu Junling let out a slight breath. He couldn¡¯t see through the current Xie Huai, and he hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t bicker with a fool.¡± Oh, you¡¯ve only known each other for a few days, and you¡¯re already so concerned about him. Besides, you say he¡¯s a fool? This person was more than intelligent. And only he would be able to fool me again and again, without leaving me with any way to deal with him. Where does he need you to worry for him? Xie Huai opened his mouth impassively. ¡°If you have no other business, it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± This was showing him the door. Fu Junling gave a dry laugh, pressing his lips together. ¡°You know I came here with business¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai didn¡¯t have any interest in participating in the Ascension Conference. Seeing that Xie Huai was about to refuse, the expression in Fu Junling¡¯s eyes shifted, and his gaze settled on Fang Li as he said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to go out, you should take him out for a trip, right? A fool can¡¯t stay inside all day. Who knows, maybe if he goes out for a change of pace, he¡¯ll improve? Look at him¡ª¡± Fu Junling pointed at Fang Li. ¡°I¡¯ve only been here a few days, and his complexion looks worse day by day. His illness is going to get worse.¡± Fang Li: ? Where does it look like my illness is getting worse? Xie Huai looked at Fang Li. Although the young man still had that careless posture, standing there lazily, he seemed to emit a vaguely melancholy air¡­¡­ As if he was being plagued by a difficult problem day after day¡­¡­ Had he been pressuring Fang Li too much? At this thought, Xie Huai¡¯s heart immediately softened a bit, finding it hard to bear. He¡¯d finally managed to find this person. Even if Fang Li didn¡¯t love him, that wasn¡¯t his fault. That Xie Huai had mistaken his feelings was also one of the reasons. In the end, he couldn¡¯t bear to restrain him too much. Seeing that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t immediately refused, Fu Junling hurried to add, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to go, I can explain things to the tower master and ask for a Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill. Even a pig would be able to gain sentience after eating it. Who cares whether he¡¯s a fool or a madman, I guarantee that I¡¯ll cure him for you!¡± At this, Xie Huai¡¯s expression finally alleviated somewhat, becoming pensive. Although Fang Li was only pretending to be a fool, the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill was a divine pill that only the Black Star Tower had. Even if he had no illness, if a cultivator were to use it, it would have a fantastic effect on strengthening their consciousness and would be of help in passing tribulations in the future. It was an extremely difficult pill to come by, so getting one for Fang Li to eat wouldn¡¯t be extraneous. But Fang Li immediately became nervous. What? Even a pig could gain sentience after eating it. There was even a godly pill like that? If he were to eat it, how would he continue to play the fool? Although he¡¯d initially rather looked forward to going out for a bit, as soon as he heard this sentence, he no longer wanted to go out. It would still be better for him to stay here properly. But Xie Huai nodded at Fu Junling. ¡°Alright.¡± Fu Junling was overjoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do just as I say, I¡¯ll definitely get it for you.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The once-a-decade Ascension Conference was one of the grandest occasions in this world. This year, it was hosted by Black Star Tower of the four great sects. Early that morning, Fu Junling sent a letter to the tower master to bring up the matter of the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill and obtained the tower master¡¯s affirmation, then took Xie Huai and Fang Li and set out. Fang Li sat on Fu Junling¡¯s flying spiritual device. He¡¯d been on this sky-touring boat before at Mountainview City. At the time, Fu Junling had come on behalf of Chong Wanshan to see him and had gotten tossed around by him for quite a few days. Fang Li had even tricked him out of seventy thousand spirit stones¡¯ worth of purchases¡­¡­ At this thought, Fang Li snuck a peek at Fu Junling. As the host this time, Fu Junling naturally had to arrange their itinerary. Only, they could¡¯ve originally sped up the journey, but Xie Huai had insisted on stopping and resting regularly the whole way there. On this day, they would stop at this city and bring Fang Li out to have a meal. The next day, they would stop at that county and bring Fang Li out for a rest. At first, it was fine, but later on, Fu Junling didn¡¯t understand. Was it necessary to be meticulous to this extent? There was no need to be that diligent for a fool, was there? Today, Xie Huai wanted to disembark again. Fu Junling said awkwardly, ¡°Look, we¡¯ll be able to arrive in Fengming county in just a few days. We can disembark once we get there, too. Our Fengming county¡¯s delicacies are also very outstanding¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who said that going outside more would help alleviate his illness?¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He let out a sigh and still put away his flying device, entering the city with Xie Huai. This was a bustling little town. Previously, when traveling around the world, Xie Huai had once stayed here for a few days. The local delicacies were rather unique, and Fang Li should like them. Since they had come out to travel, naturally, they had to see the local sights and taste the local foods, or else, what pleasure was there to speak of on this trip? Xie Huai still remembered that before, this person had liked nothing more than to leave the ridge to tour and travel. So, when you¡¯re with me, I can also accompany you to do all the things you like to do. On the market streets, people bustled to and fro. Xie Huai held Fang Li¡¯s hand tightly, walking through the stream of people. When Fang Li had been following the script before, he¡¯d held Xie Huai¡¯s hand plenty of times and had never thought there¡¯d been anything wrong with it. It was all required by the script anyways¡­¡­ Later, after he¡¯d been reborn and had been discovered, Xie Huai had also led him by the hand frequently, but when he considered that he was a fool, there was no need to think too much about being led by the hand¡­¡­ But now, he suddenly felt a bit stricken. He would never be able to remain as unruffled as before¡­¡­ Fang Li thought he needed to reorder his thoughts a bit. Seeing as he could only think of Xie Huai as a good brother, continuing to interact with him like this in the manner of a sweetheart wasn¡¯t too suitable¡­¡­ His mind raced, and he looked toward the side of the street where they were selling sugar figurines and was about to withdraw his hand, saying, ¡°I want that one¡ª¡± But Xie Huai seemed to have already anticipated it, and in the moment that Fang Li pulled at his hand, he suddenly increased his strength, firmly keeping Fang Li¡¯s hand in his grasp. Only then did he walk over and buy a sugar figurine for Fang Li. Fang Li¡¯s fingertips were grasped in Xie Huai¡¯s palm, and the burning warmth seemed to scald him. Just what kind of cultivation was Xie Huai practicing, how come his body was always so hot¡­¡­ His ears dimly felt a bit feverish. Unresigned, he tried to struggle again, but he saw Xie Huai lower his eyes to glance at him, saying coolly, ¡°Don¡¯t move. It wouldn¡¯t be good if you wandered off and got lost again¡­¡­¡± Fang Li: ¡­¡­ Those with previous records couldn¡¯t have confidence. He ate his sugar figurine with melancholy. Forget it¡­¡­ Wasn¡¯t it just holding hands! As long as it wasn¡¯t dual cultivation, anything else was fine! Xie Huai watched embarrassment flash past the young man¡¯s face. Although at the beginning, he had been a little reluctant, but in the end, he still docilely stayed still and allowed Xie Huai to lead him by the hand, strolling leisurely through the crowd. At the start, Fang Li was extremely unused to it. But he thought, in the past, he was also always holding Xie Huai¡¯s hand. At that time, he¡¯d even been a devil who¡¯d taken Xie Huai by force, and even then, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t resisted him. How could he not possess even this little bit of tolerance? He was a big, strong man. If he could do it, then he could take it. If you want to hold hands in return, then go ahead! Along the way, they walked and ate. Whatever he glanced at, Xie Huai would buy for him, occasionally helping him wipe his mouth. Fang Li slowly got accustomed to it. As long as Xie Huai didn¡¯t say anything, he would act as if it didn¡¯t exist. Don¡¯t think too much, don¡¯t make up worries for yourself! They walked and walked, arriving at a little restaurant where people came and went. This restaurant wasn¡¯t the biggest in town, but the surroundings were fairly clean, and they had plenty of business. Xie Huai led Fang Li by the hand and entered. Fu Junling very discerningly went to find a seat and pay. Xie Huai didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and sat down with Fang Li, smiling faintly at him. ¡°The lamb soup here is first-class. I once traveled the world and visited this place. It¡¯s been over ten years, so I don¡¯t know if the taste has changed.¡± Fang Li¡¯s eyes lit up. Something that Xie Huai had eaten when he¡¯d traveled the world? Since even he said it was delicious, then it must be good. Speaking of which, Fang Li was only a transmigrator, and in Yan Sui¡¯s memories, ever since the Windbearer Sect had been destroyed, there really hadn¡¯t been any parts involving enjoying life. If it wasn¡¯t seas of blood and mountains of blades, then it was killing people to take revenge. Fang Li didn¡¯t want to take a second look at those memories unless there was reason to. He actually still knew very little of the beautiful parts of this world. But Xie Huai was a sword cultivator who¡¯d traveled the world! Previously, Fang Li had thought he didn¡¯t partake in earthly affairs, but looking at it now, he¡¯d also been a bit biased. Actually, wasn¡¯t walking through the mortal world without being stained by its dust of an even higher level? It didn¡¯t take long for the steaming hot lamb soup to be carried over. After taking only a single whiff, Fang Li squinted in satisfaction, his index finger moving. Sure enough, Xie Huai¡¯s recommendation wasn¡¯t bad. He was a great companion, a great companion! It really was a pity. How great would it be if they could be good brothers forever¡­¡­ With delicious food in front of him, Fang Li was too lazy to think about those troublesome things and started eating leisurely with satisfaction. Xie Huai also had a bowl in front of him, and he ate slowly and unhurriedly. Even while sitting in a streetside alleyway where people came and went, he still had the graceful air of being untouched by the world¡­¡­ Fang Li soon became full, sitting there lazily. At this time, an ill-fitting sound burrowed into his ears. At a table on the first floor, a few men were in the middle of chatting loudly. ¡°I heard that Yuyi-jun will also be appearing at the Ascension Conference this time.¡± ¡°The rumors came from inside Black Star Tower. They said Yuyi-jun will be coming. In order to admire Yuyi-jun¡¯s grace, more than a few people who originally weren¡¯t planning on participating are all getting ready to do so now.¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s an especially large number of female cultivators, tsk tsk.¡± ¡°Cough, as expected of Yuyi-jun. Even going through something like that hasn¡¯t affected the number of admirers he has¡­¡­¡± At this, they lowered their voices a little. ¡°Speaking of which, back then, when Yuyi-jun was trapped on the ridge by that devil, in the end, did the devil¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Do you need to ask? He definitely did. With those kind of peerless looks, who wouldn¡¯t look at him and be moved?¡± ¡°The devil is human too, or else what did he snatch Yuyi-jun away for? You think he just enjoyed the view from afar and didn¡¯t have his fun?¡± ¡°True, or else Yuyi-jun wouldn¡¯t hate the devil so much. In the end, even his eyes were red as he killed him. What a pity, such an exceptional person, yet he just had to suffer the devil¡¯s humiliation¡­¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s expression shifted minutely. He cautiously turned and peeked at Xie Huai. Xie Huai remained expressionless, as if he hadn¡¯t heard. Fang Li¡¯s heart was immediately filled with guilt. He turned and looked at those people, the fury in his heart flaring up. This lord gave away his life and even ended up offending Xie Huai this badly, and it still isn¡¯t enough to plug your mouths? All you know how to do with your mouths is squawk, squawk, squawk. Do you not know how hard this lord¡¯s life is? Who says you can¡¯t just enjoy the view of such a peerless beauty from afar? You just had to poke at the elephant in the room! What a mood-killer. Fang Li swept a cold glance in their direction, picked up the bowl and plate in front of him, and simply sent them flying in that direction, perfectly smashing into the two people¡¯s heads. The amount of force he used sure wasn¡¯t small. Although they were two cultivators, they were smashed so hard they started howling, looking all around to see who¡¯d hit them. Fu Junling had originally been eating just fine. As soon as he lifted his head, he saw Fang Li using his plate and bowl to smash people. The young man leaned against his chair languidly, a playful expression hanging off his eyes and brow. In the midst of a haze, that arrogant, reckless appearance¡­¡­ Fu Junling couldn¡¯t help but recall the terror of being driven around by the devil back then in Mountainview City. How come this fool was so good at making a fuss? Only, Xie Huai watched this fool too closely, and he had no way to stick his hand into their affairs. Thus, he hurriedly looked at Xie Huai, hoping Xue Huai could stop Fang Li. Xie Huai received Fu Junling¡¯s gaze and slowly put down the empty bowl in his hand, pushing it lightly toward Fang Li as he said, ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, use mine.¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡± If you¡¯re not going to stop him, fine, but why are you even helping him commit crimes? You¡¯re even worse than before! Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fang Li indeed hadn¡¯t had enough of smashing, but when he considered that he was a fool right now, he thought that being a little restrained was also fine. Who could¡¯ve known that Xie Huai would push his own bowl over, too¡­¡­ For a moment, he was shocked and uncertain. He didn¡¯t know whether Xie Huai was serious, or if he really meant the opposite. Fang Li glanced at Xie Huai, but Xie Huai was only watching him mildly. In the depths of his black eyes, there seemed to be a trace of a smile, as if he was in high spirits for once¡­¡­ During this period of time, Fang Li had seen a Xie Huai with abstruse thoughts, an unfathomable Xie Huai, a Xie Huai with unpredictable moods, a Xie Huai as murky and deep as the sea¡­¡­ Yet he had never once seen Xie Huai so relaxed, wearing a smile¡­¡­ He pondered for a moment. This probably wasn¡¯t a trap for him. Thus, without any courtesy, he grabbed Xie Huai¡¯s dishes, and with a thump, thump, there was another two crashes. Nice. This time, those two found the culprit who¡¯d been throwing things at them. As soon as they turned their heads, their eyes met with a weakly-looking young man who was currently smiling unperturbed at them, looking quite secure with his backup. Furious, they were just about to charge over, but when their gazes swept around, they fell on Fu Junling and Xie Huai¡¯s faces. Immediately, their entire bodies went stiff. Then, they turned tail and ran. Fang Li hadn¡¯t expected the two to simply be scared into fleeing and clicked his tongue with disinterest. It looked the two deities beside him really were quite famous¡­¡­ He lazily withdrew his gaze. The corners of Xie Huai¡¯s lips lifted slightly. After a moment, he restrained himself and pressed them back down. Fang Li was still the same as before, unable to watch others speak even a single ill word of him. If not for his sincere protectiveness, and those various actions that made one misunderstand¡­¡­ His heart wouldn¡¯t have been moved, either. He¡¯d thought everything from the past had been fake. But in reality, that wasn¡¯t the case. How could a complete falsehood fool someone? Although I don¡¯t know why you insisted on treating me well even though you clearly don¡¯t love me¡­¡­ At the very least, you also care about me a little, right? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Author Has Something to Say: Fang Li: As long as it¡¯s not dual cultivation, anything is fine. Xie Huai: If you want to open a window, first you have to lift the roof. May 3, 2023 heliotraipse The Demon Lord Only Wants to Follow the Script The Demon Lord Only Wants to Follow the Script ruyi says: May 3, 2023 at 2:23 am ¡®Xie Huai still remembered that before, this person had liked nothing more than to leave the ridge to tour and travel. So, when you¡¯re with me, I can also accompany you to do all the things you like to do.¡¯ AU spinoff with Fang Li and Xie Huai¡¯s various blog posts as they go around the world sampling delicious food and visiting tourist-y areas. ¡®Xie Huai received Fu Junling¡¯s gaze and slowly put down the empty bowl in his hand, pushing it lightly toward Fang Li as he said, ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, use mine.¡± Fu Junling: ¡°¡­¡­¡±¡¯ Oh NO lmao Xie Huai is enabling Fang Li¡¯s behaviour sldkfsdklf CH 55 May 10th, 2023 Seeing this scene, Fu Junling¡¯s temple throbbed briefly. He turned, saying heavily with a weary heart, ¡°Let¡¯s quickly be on our way after all.¡± Fearing that Fang Li would make trouble on the way again, Fu Junling drove the vessel day and night at a breakneck pace, finally making it to Black Star Tower. Black Star Tower was situated inside Taiming province¡¯s Myriad Star Estate. Looking down at the Myriad Star Estate from the sky, it resembled a Taiji divination trigram. Half of it was land, and half of it was lake. There were over a thousand islands in the lake, like the myriad stars in the sky. Black Star Tower sat atop the largest island, and around the large island were eighteen little islands, like a constellation circling Black Star Tower. The islands contained an array installed by Black Star Tower, and in a critical moment, they could be used to activate the sect¡¯s great protective array. Fu Junling smiled at Xie Huai. ¡°The Tower Master heard that you were coming and has already arranged a feast to welcome you.¡± Their ship descended into the river, and the three of them stepped onto the island. At the door stood an elder in scholarly green robes with his hair arranged with a wooden pin. This was the tower master, Qi Ding, and he smiled, saying, ¡°You¡¯re here, Yuyi-jun. This humble old man has been looking forward to your arrival.¡± Xie Huai nodded in greeting, saying, ¡°The tower master is too polite.¡± Qi Ding gestured to welcome them inside, smiling. ¡°Yuyi-jun, please.¡± This year¡¯s Ascension Conference was being arranged by Black Star Tower while the other three great sects assisted from the sides, so after hearing that Xie Huai had been invited, they¡¯d already circulated the news all over. Today, the cultivation world was a hotbed of discussion, talk of the conference abounded, and the number of participants was also higher than before. The Ascension Conference had to be planned perfectly this time. But Xie Huai wasn¡¯t in a rush to enter. Instead, he turned back and took Fang Li¡¯s hand. Only then did he continue inside. Qi Ding stood there in a daze. Fu Junling hurried to transmit a message to him, explaining that this was the fool Yuyi-jun was treating. Yuyi-jun wasn¡¯t at ease leaving him on his own, which was why he kept him by his side. Qi Ding immediately understood. So this was that lucky fool. Xie Huai had even been willing to ask for the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill for him, so he must be very important to Xie Huai¡­¡­ Qi Ding felt a rare bit of curiosity, but since Yuyi-jun hadn¡¯t spoken, it would be rude of him to abruptly ask. They entered the Black Star Tower. Inside of Black Star Tower, there were many towers floating in midair like scattered constellations, creating a dreamlike scene. Fang Li couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances. This was also a very beautiful place. They walked slowly along the floating staircases, walking into a splendid, imposing pavilion. Inside the pavilion, delicious wine and delicacies had already been prepared, and many cultivators in green robes were standing there respectfully. By their clothing, they seemed to be Black Star Tower elders, and they had also come to participate in the feast today. They smiled, saying, ¡°Tower Master, Deputy Tower Master, Yuyi-jun.¡± Aside from Qi Ding and Fu Junling, there were also plenty of other elders in attendance, so it could be said that they were giving quite a bit of face. Under Qi Ding¡¯s invitation, Xie Huai sat, and Fang Li sat beside Xie Huai. All the elders were extremely curious about Fang Li, but they didn¡¯t dare look too much in order to avoid displeasing Yuyi-jun. The mood at the banquet table was jubilant. But Xie Huai didn¡¯t say much, only whole-heartedly taking care of Fang Li. Whatever dish Fang Li ate a bite more of, Xie Huai would bring the platter to him. The fruit wine at Black Star Tower was pretty good, and Fang Li liked it, so he let Fang Li drink a bit more of it. Fang Li wasn¡¯t the least bit self-conscious sitting amongst a crowd of high-level cultivators, eating and drinking by himself. Black Star Tower¡¯s food was good and the wine was fragrant, delicious, he¡¯d give it nine points! On the other hand, the spectators thought to themselves, sure enough, a fool¡¯s ignorance was bliss. Any normal mortal would have started trembling a long time ago when faced with a group of cultivators like them. Who would be able to act so oblivious to all else? Xie Huai always had that aloof appearance, and just from his looks, you could tell he didn¡¯t talk much. Qi Ding pondered for half the day, not knowing what to converse about. Seeing that Xie Huai¡¯s attention was all on Fang Li, he stroked his beard and smiled, saying, ¡°Yuyi-jun really does have the benevolent heart of a doctor. As for the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill, because the refinement and preservation method are unique, opening the furnace to extract the pill will need to wait until the full moon, but it won¡¯t take too long. After the Ascension Conference has ended, this humble Qi will be sure to present the pill to Yuyi-jun.¡± Fang Li had originally been eating happily, but when he heard this, his hands paused. His heart sank. There wasn¡¯t much time left to him to pretend to be a fool¡­¡­ Xie Huai turned and said to Qi Ding, ¡°Much thanks to the Tower Master for the trouble.¡± Qi Ding said, ¡°Yuyi-jun is the hero who killed the devil and rescued the people. Being able to help Yuyi-jun is this one¡¯s honor.¡± Xie Huai smiled, turning to look at Fang Li. Fang Li immediately lost all appetite. No matter where they went, there were people reminding Xie Huai of the things he¡¯d done! Were they going to let him have a meal in peace? Fang Li let out a mournful sigh. Now he understood a little how the Cloudbank Keep disciples had felt back then. No wonder Tao Lu had been so sensitive¡­¡­ Xie Huai could tell at a glance that Fang Li didn¡¯t want to stay anymore. He got up and said blandly, ¡°Much thanks to everyone for your hospitality. I should take him back to rest.¡± Everyone could see how important that fool was to Yuyi-jun. The fool was only a mortal, and he had no sense of scale. Today, he¡¯d drunk a great deal of Black Star Tower¡¯s wine and was probably already drunk silly. Returning at this time was only natural. Fu Junling had already arranged a place for Xie Huai to stay, and he brought Xie Huai and Fang Li to a solitary, secluded pavilion. He smiled at Xie Huai. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, send me a message.¡± Having said that, he left. Although that was what he¡¯d said, the pavilion had already been fully prepared. It had absolutely everything and truly wasn¡¯t lacking at all. Fang Li gave his head a shake. He let go of Xie Huai¡¯s hand, but as a result, he stumbled and nearly fell onto the floor. At this, he finally felt a little dizzy. At the time, he¡¯d only thought the wine was delicious, but he hadn¡¯t thought the effects would be so strong. He hadn¡¯t started cultivating yet, and if not for Xie Huai helping him forge his body, he would definitely be as drunk as a pig right now. Fang Li was just about to crawl into bed. Time to sleep, time to sleep. But Xie Huai scooped him up. Xie Huai gave a soft, helpless laugh next to his ear. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You smell like wine. Wash up before you sleep.¡± Right now, there was nothing more important than sleeping. Did it matter if he didn¡¯t wash up¡­¡­ Fang Li still wanted to crawl over, but Xie Huai lifted him up and went to the next room. Inside was a pool with steam slowly wafting up from it. Dazedly, he remembered the medicinal baths and immediately sobered up a bit, laughing awkwardly. ¡°No need.¡± Xie Huai didn¡¯t pressure him. He only suddenly spoke. ¡°Everyone says that I¡¯m a hero for killing the devil, but I don¡¯t think so.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then he saw Xie Huai¡¯s expression cool slightly, giving him a profound look. ¡°That devil took me by force, seducing and then abandoning me, letting the whole world slander and insult me, yet in the end, he concluded it all by dying, casting everything clean away¡­¡­ Tell me, if I were to discover that he was still alive, how should I get my revenge on him?¡± Fang Li very independently walked into the pool. Because he was drunk from the wine, the young man¡¯s eyes were a little misted, and that dejected appearance with his head hung low¡­¡­ So, you¡¯re also aware of how terrible you were. Xie Huai fixed his eyes on him. In his heart, he hated this person¡¯s ruthlessness to the extreme, yet¡­¡­ in the end, he couldn¡¯t bear to harm him. Whose fault was it¡­¡­ That it was all his own wishful thinking? Only, since he didn¡¯t love him, then why did he have to provoke him¡­¡­ Xie Huai slowly walked into the pool, his murky black eyes fixed on Fang Li. He said coldly, ¡°Wash up before you sleep.¡± Fang Li felt the man¡¯s hands untying his clothes. His entire body was ill at ease, and his mind was foggy, but as soon as he thought of Xie Huai¡¯s accusations just now, like he was a scummy man who¡¯d been caught in the act, he didn¡¯t dare say a single word. Meekly letting Xie Huai wash him. Anyways, as long as it wasn¡¯t dual cultivating, it was fine¡­¡­ Xie Huai watched the young man in his arms. He was clearly embarrassed beyond belief, his body stiff, yet he insisted on keeping his eyes closed, pretending to be an ostrich with his head in the sand. His pale pink lips were pressed tightly together, his guilty conscience making him unusually docile, looking as if he wanted to leave but didn¡¯t dare¡­¡­ Ha, so that¡¯s all the courage you have. Making it impossible to become angry at him. If he was bullied any more than this, he would probably start to cry. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ When Fang Li woke up the next morning, he¡¯d more or less sobered up. He¡¯d really miscalculated yesterday. Who would¡¯ve thought the aftereffects of Black Star Tower¡¯s wine would be so strong? It was all his own fault for getting in over his head before his cultivation had recovered. He gave his head a shake. Yesterday¡¯s memories weren¡¯t quite clear, and he only vaguely remembered that Xie Huai had cleaned him up again. When he ate after that, Fang Li didn¡¯t touch a drop of wine. Five days passed in that manner, and it was finally the day of the Ascension Conference. The setting for this Ascension Conference¡¯s trial was one of the islands. Countless cultivators were already waiting there, and in the center of the island was a tall platform a hundred meters high. The platform was divided into two layers, top and bottom. The lower layer was where the various cultivation sects¡¯ sect masters and elders sat, whereas the upper layer was arranged with four tables, for the four great cultivation sects¡¯ sect masters. Right now, the other sects¡¯ sect masters and elders had all arrived, leaving only the seats on the upper layer empty. After a moment, a large ship stopped beside the platform. The first one to disembark was Black Star Tower¡¯s Qi Ding. Dressed in green, the old man¡¯s presence was out of the ordinary, and as the official host, he sat unabashedly in the very middle. The second to descend was Jade Hawk Palace¡¯s Ji Yuyao, a stunning woman in a black veiled dress, her clothes fluttering. Atop her high bun, the adornments on her golden hairpins dangled and swayed, like black lotuses atop an icy mountain. The aura she emitted was even colder than Xie Huai by a few degrees. The third to come down was Heaven¡¯s Summit¡¯s Xin Hanzhou. Xin Hanzhou was attired in gray Daoist robes, a longsword on his back. Although he had the appearance of a youth, his expression was grave and stern, and eyes were murky, with an imposing air that was impossible to ignore. Xie Huai was the last to exit. Cloudbank Keep¡¯s Elder Ming Yin was in closed door cultivation for a trial of mortality. Originally, they were going to invite some other elders to take his place, but after hearing that Xie Huai was going to attend, they simply had Xie Huai represent Cloudbank Keep. Xie Huai led Fang Li by the hand, slowly stepping out of the large ship. Fang had originally decided not to come join in on the excitement. He didn¡¯t have much interest in this Ascension Conference. If Xie Huai was going to go be a mascot, he could have a few days of unrestrained freedom, and taking the chance to visit Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t be bad either. Who could¡¯ve known that Xie Huai would even bring him along for an occasion like this? Atop the platform, the sect masters of the three great sects and the sect masters and elders of all the sects around them were all experts at the pinnacle of the righteous sects. And below them were the tens of thousands of cultivators who had come to participate in the trial. If a normal person were to see this scene, their feet would probably already be shaking. But Fang Li, who had once been the demon lord, had a calm expression. After all, back at Hollow Ridge, he could summon hundreds at his beck and call, and when he¡¯d attacked Cloudbank Keep with tens of thousands of troops, it had been an even more imposing spectacle than this. He wouldn¡¯t be unable to hold it together for such a trifling occasion. His only vexation was that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do as he pleased these few days. Fang Li¡¯s expression was casual, but everyone else present was full of astonishment. Although Qi Ding had witnessed Fang Li¡¯s importance to Xie Huai, he hadn¡¯t in a million years thought that Xie Huai would even bring Fang Li to an occasion like this, so he was truly a bit surprised. Ji Yuyao had originally been cold and indifferent, looking as if she didn¡¯t care about anything at all, but seeing this scene, she couldn¡¯t help but give Fang Li a few more glances, as if she wanted to see what was special about him. Xin Hanzhou¡¯s sharp gaze swept past Fang Li, and his eyebrows lifted slightly, pensive. Faced with the measuring stares of the crowd, Fang Li stared back without any courtesy, a shallow smile hanging off the corners of his lips. Aside from Cloudbank Keep¡¯s Elder Min Yin who was absent, the three main figures of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance were all here. Xin Hanzhou was the person who had advocated creating the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance and attacking Hollow Ridge that year. As a master of the cultivation world who had made his name hundreds of years ago, he unexpectedly had the appearance of a worldly young man. This was actually the first time he¡¯d met face to face with Xin Hanzhou and the others. They probably wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine even in their dreams that the devil they¡¯d besieged back then was right in front of them today. At this thought, a curious emotion arose in Fang Li¡¯s heart. But Fang Li didn¡¯t actually have any grudges against these people. It was no more than the struggle between good and evil, and although Heaven¡¯s Summit was a bit preoccupied with glory, their actions did protect the common people, so there weren¡¯t any major problems. After all, you couldn¡¯t possibly ask people to do good without seeking any reward, could you? Doing good for the sake of one¡¯s reputation was understandable. When he thought up to here, Fang Li even gave them a friendly smile. Xie Huai pulled Fang Li along by the hand. Seeing that there was only one chair before the table, his brow furrowed slightly. With a wave of his hand, a soft divan appeared next to it, and he settled Fang Li there to sit. Xin Hanzhou and Ji Yuyao¡¯s expressions both wavered. Exactly who was this? He looked to be no more than a mortal who had never cultivated before, and although Fang Li¡¯s appearance really wasn¡¯t bad, with an exquisite face, standing next to the world¡¯s number one¡­¡­ beauty, Yuyi-jun, he looked rather ordinary. Moreover, they¡¯d never heard of Yuyi-jun raising a pet lover before. Besides, it wasn¡¯t very respectable for a righteous cultivator to be raising a pet lover, after all, so who would bring one to a public occasion, much less have him sit side by side with Xie Huai like this? Only after Xie Huai had supported Fang Li to sit down did he look toward the three of them and say mildly, ¡°He and I have a fated union from a previous life, and he¡¯s also my future Dao companion.¡± Qi Ding, Ji Yuyao, Xin Hanzhou: ¡°!¡± The expressions on the faces of all three pinnacle-level masters changed. The future Dao companion who had a fated union from a previous life with Yuyi-jun? How come they¡¯d never heard of this before? Xie Huai had always been ascetic and aloof, detached from worldly desires. Those who didn¡¯t know would even believe he was cultivating the path of apathy, yet without so much as a whisper, even a Dao companion had appeared? Seeing as it was his future Dao companion, then naturally, he had the right to sit by Xie Huai¡¯s side. Qi Ding looked at Fang Li absently. Although he¡¯d known earlier that Fang Li was important to Xie Huai, this sentence still shocked him into a daze. So that was it, so that was it¡­¡­ If this person was Xie Huai¡¯s future Dao companion, then it was natural to ask for the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill for his sake. If that was the case, then it all made sense. Although this person was a fool and a mortal, with such a fated union with Yuyi-jun, was there any fear that his cultivation wouldn¡¯t show results? Even a pig could be carried along. Once his illness was cured, they would probably be hearing good news from Yuyi-jun! Who could¡¯ve thought, who could¡¯ve thought? On the other hand, Ji Yuyao and Xin Yuyao didn¡¯t know of this matter, and they stared at Fang Li with creased brows, as if they were trying to look for something different about him. Fang Li had originally been leisurely preparing to watch the show, but who could¡¯ve guessed that a single sentence from Xie Huai would push him into center stage? His body immediately stiffened. He still remembered that those words were things he¡¯d said at Lover¡¯s Pass for the sake of harassing Xie Huai¡­¡­ Just as Fang Li was finding it hard to sit still, Xie Huai leaned slightly closer into his ear, saying in a low, hoarse voice that only he could hear, ¡°Back then, there was someone who prayed for a fated union across lifetimes with me, wanting me to be unable to escape from his grasp across every lifetime, but it¡¯s a pity¡­¡­ Now, that person has forgotten all of it.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± What fated union across lifetimes, that was all marketing from that stupid flower in the Lover¡¯s Pass. If something like that were to be effective, that would be even stranger, wouldn¡¯t it? He immediately began to regret the lines he¡¯d added for himself back then, insisting on taking Xie Huai to Lover¡¯s Pass. In the end, he hadn¡¯t managed to disgust Xie Huai; instead, he¡¯d dug a pit for himself right now. Sure enough, karma always struck sooner or later, didn¡¯t it? Fang Li felt ill at ease in his entire body. Luckily, after saying that sentence, Xie Huai quickly let him go. The Ascension Conference was about to start. The others also stopped looking at Fang Li. As Black Star Tower¡¯s deputy tower master, Fu Junling was also in charge of hosting the trial this time. He faced the tens of thousands of cultivators below, his voice gentle and calm, yet traveling distinctly into everyone¡¯s ears. Fu Junling said, ¡°The venue for the trial will be the Mirage Star Trial Domain. Those participating in the trial have already received a jade talisman. Each of you can use your jade talisman to enter the trial domain, and as soon as you encounter danger, you can leave the trial domain by breaking the jade talisman. The trial period will last for three days, and inside the trial domain, there are silver mist beasts. The top ten scorers who can hunt the most mist beasts will be able to enter the four great sects.¡± When he finished speaking, he waved his hands, and ten pillars of water shot towards the sky around the island, forming a whirlpool entrance in the air above the island. Fu Junling said in a clear voice, ¡°Trial participants may enter.¡± The tens of thousands of cultivators below raced to be first to fly inside in a flurry. Fang Li watched this scene with interest. The pillars of water were coming out of the lake, so there should be a huge array at the bottom of the lake, creating this unique space. To be able to create such a trial domain that was isolated from reality¡ªsure enough, Black Star Tower was the sect most proficient in mechanisms. This style sure was grand! After everyone had entered, the entrance disappeared, becoming a huge screen of water in front of the crowd. Displayed on the water screen was the inside of the trial domain. Inside the trial domain were a jagged mountain range, floating clouds, and blue waters, making for a scenic paradise. There were many spiritual beasts with silver pelts inside that looked similar to wolves, but their eyes were also silver. These were the silver mist beasts that Black Star Tower raised inside the trial grounds. When they weren¡¯t hosting the Ascension Conference, normally, they could also be used for the sect disciples to train with. Fang Li¡¯s chin was propped up in one hand. His line of sight fell on the scene inside the trial domain. Unexpectedly, although they were all cultivators from small sects and families, there were also some pretty promising young talents among them. Some were full of latent talent, some were clever and quick-witted, and as they displayed their tricks, many of the silver mist beasts were quickly slain. But there were also some pretenders or unlucky fellows who encountered silver mist beasts as soon as they entered and couldn¡¯t even defeat a single one, hurrying to break their jade talismans to exit and leaving with ashen faces. Fang Li ate from the fruit platter in front of him and sampled the tea, and very soon, a shichen had passed. He yawned, bored. He wouldn¡¯t have to sit here for three days, would he? Fang Li was pondering whether he should discuss it with Xie Huai so that he could leave first. Just as his interest was flagging and he was starting to doze off, the eyes of one of the silver mist beasts inside the trial domain suddenly turned red, and its cultivation rose explosively by a level, immediately snatching the arm of a cultivator in its jaws. The cultivator was about to break their jade talisman in a panic, but before they had time to act, the rampaging silver mist beast ripped them into shreds! The accident happened in the blink of an eye. Seeing that someone had died in the trial domain, Fu Junling¡¯s brow creased, and he was just about to move that person¡¯s corpse out when the eyes of all of the silver mist beasts in the trial grounds turned red, and their tempers became incomparably irascible, pouncing ferociously at the trial participants with no regard for death. Some people quickly broke their jade talismans, but they didn¡¯t get transported out and were instead despairingly ripped to pieces. The trial domain sank into a miserable state, and the faces of the crowd changed in astonishment. Before everyone had come back to their senses and realized just what was happening, a black mist shrouded the entire screen of water, and the scenery inside the trial grounds couldn¡¯t be seen anymore. A demonic cultivator with a face as gaunt as a skull appeared in the water screen, his entire body cloaked in demonic energy, and he gave a cruel, uncanny laugh. ¡°My master bade me present everyone with a grand gift.¡± Everyone on the platform abruptly stood up. Fang Li¡¯s expression sank, his face becoming grave. At a single glance, he recognized that this demonic cultivator was one of Wu Yimei¡¯s subordinates. Could Wu Yimei have sent this person here? CH 56 May 13th, 2023 Fang Li¡¯s brow furrowed minutely. That wasn¡¯t right. Based on his understanding of Wu Yimei, Wu Yimei was a person who paid every debt to back its owner. Even if it was for the sake of avenging Fang Li, he would only act against the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. The people who¡¯d come to participate in the trial today were all disciples from little sects and families, and none of their cultivation levels could be considered high, to the point that some of them had been too young to participate in the attack on Hollow Ridge. Could it be even considered revenge to slaughter all of these innocent people? Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Moreover, Wu Yimei had just suffered an injury at Xie Huai¡¯s hands not too long ago, and even his lifebound weapon had been broken. How could he be provoking the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance right now? But this demonic cultivator was indeed Wu Yimei¡¯s subordinate, so he was afraid the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance would immediately think of Wu Yimei. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes also became grave, looking pensive. Ever since Fang Li had died on Hollow Ridge nine years ago, Wu Yimei hadn¡¯t given up on seeking him out for revenge, and he would also occasionally clash with Du Meng and the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, but it was all for the sake of avenging Fang Li¡­¡­ The rest of the time, he would stay in his corner and never really did anything harmful or atrocious. As for the conflicts between cultivators, those have been never-ending since the dawn of time, and Xie Huai didn¡¯t really pay attention to them. This was also one of the reasons he had never dealt Wu Yimei a killing blow. If Wu Yimei really had gone mad to the point of slaughtering innocents, even if he was the person Fang Li had protected back then, Xie Huai couldn¡¯t have stood by and allowed him to bring harm to the world. There was something strange about this. Fu Junling¡¯s expression was extremely unsightly. He was the one responsible for operating the trial domain, but right now, although the jade array disk in his hand was glowing, it couldn¡¯t open the entrance at all. The trial domain had gone out of control. The people inside couldn¡¯t get out, and the people outside couldn¡¯t enter. If this went on, the thousands of cultivators inside were just waiting for death. Qi Ding frowned and asked Fu Junling, ¡°Is it possible to let them out?¡± Fu Junling shook his head, ¡°It won¡¯t work, the connection between the inside and outside world has been completely severed.¡± Ji Yuyao creased her brow and said, ¡°What is Black Star Tower doing? Such an important trial, and you didn¡¯t even notice that demonic cultivators had snuck inside?¡± Faced with Ji Yuyao¡¯s rebuke, Qi Ding¡¯s expression was ugly, but he had no way to retort. This truly was their oversight. Xin Hanzhou laughed coldly. ¡°The demonic cultivator just now was Wu Yimei¡¯s subordinate, Yin Kui. Wu Yimi has been laying low for so many years, who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d be waiting for us here? He¡¯s probably here to get revenge for the devil.¡± Xie Huai spoke up impassively. ¡°It¡¯s too early yet to come to a conclusion. The most important task at hand is to first rescue the people inside.¡± The silver frost beasts were clearly suffering from the effects of the demonic energy, each of them becoming bloodthirsty and irascible. The cultivators inside definitely wouldn¡¯t be a match for them. Qi Ding was also very worried about the people inside. If the casualties really did become grievous, it would be difficult for Black Star Tower to bear the blame! But the Mirage Star Trial Domain was Black Star Tower¡¯s greatest treasure, reinforced generation after generation by Black Star Tower¡¯s greatest refiners in the last several thousand years. It was like an independent world, and now that the trial domain had been sealed, it was difficult for them to even enter to mount a rescue¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s gaze swept past Fang Li, not missing the worry in the depths of Fang Li¡¯s eyes. Thinking of the people trapped inside the trial domain, he pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to go inside to scout out the situation.¡± Qi Ding looked at Xie Huai with joyous astonishment. With Xie Huai¡¯s cultivation level as the number one in the world, forcing his way inside should be possible. Qi Ding was grateful that Xie Huai was willing to volunteer and immediately said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll be troubling Yuyi-jun.¡± Seeing that Xie Huai was going to go, Fu Junling thought for a moment, then said seriously to Xie Huai, ¡°There is an eye of the array inside the Mirage Star Trial Domain that¡¯s connected to this jade disk in my hand. The jade disk has lost control, which should be because the connection between the eye of the array inside the trial domain and the outside world has been severed. After you enter, go to the tallest mountain peak at the center of the trial domain. The eye of the array should be underneath that peak. This is our Black Star Tower¡¯s token, it will let you move freely inside the trial domain.¡± Xie Huai accepted Fu Junling¡¯s token, and without speaking another word, picked up Fang Li in one hand and was about to set out. Fang Li had just been thinking that he wanted to go inside and look around to see whether or not things really did have to do with Wu Yimei. He had even been worried that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be willing to bring him along, but he hadn¡¯t thought that before he¡¯d even spoken up, Xie Huai would voluntarily bring him along. Their hearts still resonated so well! On the other hand, when the rest of the crowd saw that Xie Huai wanted to bring the fool along, they couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. The trial domain was already under the control of demonic cultivators and contained countless ferocious, cruel, out of control beasts. Even if Xie Huai was protecting him, it was still very dangerous, and Xie Huai¡¯s purpose this time was to rescue people. Wouldn¡¯t Fang Li be dead weight? Qi Ding hurried to stop him. ¡°Yuyi-jun, why don¡¯t you leave him here? Rest assured, this one will be sure to look after him.¡± Xie Huai shot Fang Li a meaningful glance. ¡°Do you want to stay here?¡± Fang Li grabbed hold of Xie Huai¡¯s hand and shook his head. Xie Huai turned back and said blandly to Qi Ding, ¡°Seeing as he¡¯s my fated Dao companion, naturally, we¡¯ll face both life and death together. We won¡¯t trouble you, Tower Master.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Qi Ding: ¡°¡­¡­¡± You really wouldn¡¯t be able to tell from his looks that when it came to matters of the heart, Yuyi-jun was a little, cough, obsessive¡­¡­ Xie Huai didn¡¯t say any more. His expression sharpened, and his sword, Snowblue, appeared in his hand, striking the water screen in the sky. A seam was sliced straight through the screen of water, and he brought Fang Li to fly inside. In the blink of an eye, the seam closed again behind them. The scene before Fang Li¡¯s eyes wavered slightly, and in a flash, they appeared inside the trial domain. Black mist filled the air, and they couldn¡¯t see past a meter in front of them. The demonic energy around them was thick and eerie. To be able to fill the entire trial domain with demonic energy and even cause all of the beasts to go into a rampage definitely wasn¡¯t something an average demonic device would be able to accomplish. He pondered for a moment, recalling that in the past, in the Demons¡¯ Abyss, Yan Sui had once acquired a demonstone. The demonic energy emitted by the demonstone was extremely dense and assisted in demonic cultivation. He¡¯d brought the demonstone back and given it to Wu Yimei in passing. But for the demonic energy to spread so rapidly, it should be more than just the result of the demonstone. There should be some other array assisting it. Fang Li¡¯s expression flashed. They were surrounded on all sides by dense black mist. There was no way at all to discern the directions, and countless rampaging beasts were hidden inside. It was indeed very dangerous, and if they couldn¡¯t clear away the black mist in front of them, each and every step would be difficult. If it had been someone else who¡¯d entered, it would indeed have been a bit thorny. But Fang Li knew these demonic tricks like the back of his hand. How could a mere smokescreen trouble him? Yan Sui had been the one who¡¯d taught Wu Yimei these arrays back then. All he needed to do was observe for a bit, and he could sense the tiny differences in the demonic energy. After a bit of contemplation, he started walking in one direction. Xie Huai stepped over right away to follow him. After not too long, the sounds of urgent panting and screaming came from in front, mixed with the roars of beasts. They had encountered cultivators. Xie Huai¡¯s sword Snowblue suddenly struck out. The sword darted through midair, circling around like a streak of light, and in the blink of an eye, the sound of the beasts ceased. The black mist before their eyes was also burned clean away. Several injured cultivators appeared before them, some male and some female, and there was even blood on them¡­¡­ Some had had arms bitten off, some had had legs chewed, and there were even some dismembered corpses on the ground, their appearances terrifying and tragic¡­¡­ They couldn¡¯t see in the black mist, and they had become just like the beasts¡¯ prey. Originally, they had already completely lost hope and hadn¡¯t thought that they would manage to survive. They hurried to look over and saw Xie Huai at a glance. Immediately, they fell to the ground to bow, ¡°Thank you, Yuyi-jun, for saving our lives!¡± Xie Huai gave a slight nod, and with a wave of his hand, they were supported up in midair. Those people rushed to sit and meditate and swallow some medicine. After recuperating for a breath, their gazes finally shifted to Fang Li, full of curiosity. Previously, when entering the trial domain, they¡¯d seen Fang Li on the tall platform from afar. At the time, he¡¯d been sitting right next to Yuyi-jun, but they couldn¡¯t hear what was being said on the platform, nor did they know Fang Li¡¯s identity. But to be able to sit next to Yuyi-jun, he must not be an average person¡­¡­ But looking at him now, Fang Li seemed to be only a mortal. Everyone was a little puzzled. Could it be that this person¡¯s cultivation level was so high as to have returned to nature, to the point that it couldn¡¯t be seen at all? Fang Li didn¡¯t pay any mind to the other¡¯s measuring looks. His eyes were slightly closed, and when those people had rested for a bit, he opened his eyes and continued to walk forward. Although the black mist was swept away wherever Yuyi-jun was, everywhere else was still an expanse of black mist, and amidst the black mist were the demonic wolves who would snap them up and devour them. They didn¡¯t dare to get left behind alone, so they hurried to follow Xie Huai and Fang Li forward. Fang Li wasn¡¯t relying on his eyes to see. He could sense the slight fluctuations in the demonic energy within the black mist and estimate the location of the demonic array. On the way, they encountered injured cultivators one after another, and Xie Huai would rescue them in passing. Those people all followed along, and gradually, their party increased to quite a size. Finally, Fang Li stopped. He randomly picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it into the black mist. It seemed to hit something and made an echoing clang. Fang Li turned back to smile slightly at Xie Huai. ¡°Here.¡± Without a trace of hesitation, Xie Huai¡¯s sword struck out. A wave of energy emanated outwards, and the black mist before their eyes quickly dispersed. On the ground in front of them, an octagonal bronze bell that had been split in two was revealed. Fang Li walked over and picked up the bronze bell to inspect it. There should be eight of these bells in total, forming the array that had caused the demonic energy to spread through the entire trial domain. These¡­¡­ were indeed Wu Yimei¡¯s things. But he didn¡¯t believe Wu Yimei would do such a thing. Had something happened to Wu Yimei? Fang Li was a little anxious. There were already hundreds of people in the party that was following them, and they were all people that Xie Huai and Fang Li had rescued along the way. In the beginning, they had all taken Xie Huai to be the decision maker, but during the journey, they found that although Fang Li hadn¡¯t done any fighting, he seemed to know this place like the back of his hand and hadn¡¯t gone the wrong way even once. Not only had he rescued many people, he¡¯d even found the demonic array. They thought, as expected of the person beside Yuyi-jun! At the beginning, a few people had been afraid that Fang Li would go the wrong way, but later, they followed Fang Li without any hesitation, not the least bit worried. Because the bronze bell had been broken, much of the black mist had dispersed. Fang Li turned toward another direction and started walking. Finding the vertices of the array wasn¡¯t actually difficult, but this trial domain was really too big, and he hadn¡¯t started re-cultivating yet, so he was starting to get a bit tired from walking. The trial domain didn¡¯t allow flying or traveling by sword, or else he would be able to have Xie Huai bring him along, which would be much faster¡­¡­ Fang Li lowered his eyes, thinking carelessly that when they returned, maybe he should just start cultivating after all. Seeing as Xie Huai didn¡¯t intend on exposing him, even if he started cultivating, it should be fine, right? It wasn¡¯t like Xie Huai was going to pursue the matter, right? Fang Li was a bit tempted to rest for a while, but when he thought about how in the time that he tarried, many more people would die, in the end, he still sighed and continued walking. Xie Huai watched Fang Li¡¯s face. The young man was noticeably somewhat tired, but he still persisted. Moreover, during this trip, he¡¯d intentionally walked toward where people were located so that Xie Huai could save those people. It was precisely this gentle, protective heart so at odds with his identity as the demon lord back then that had given Xie Huai the impulse to probe deeper. Although he never said so aloud, there was kindness in his heart. This part had never changed, either. The depths of Xie Huai¡¯s eyes softened. He stepped forward and caught Fang Li¡¯s wrist in one hand, sending spiritual energy into his body. Fang Li was a bit startled, but he didn¡¯t resist. If Xie Huai was willing to help him right now, then naturally, he wouldn¡¯t refuse it. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ After Fang Li and Xie Huai had destroyed several vertices of the array, more than half of the black mist inside the trial domain had already dispersed. The number of cultivators gathered right now was already very high, and even if they were left behind, they should be able to defend themselves, so Fang Li didn¡¯t intend on bringing so many people along anymore. Traveling alone was still a bit more convenient. Xie Huai took a look at the crowd. There were a few among them whose cultivation level was pretty high. He instructed them to set up arrays here and defend against the demonic wolves together, then left together with Fang Li. When Fang Li was hungry, he would eat a little, and when he was tired, he would rest for a bit. When it was enough, he would continue walking. Luckily, although he hadn¡¯t cultivated yet, he¡¯d already forged his body, and he also had a powerful consciousness, or else he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to endure. Three days later. The last bronze bell had been found, and Xie Huai shattered the bell in one blow. All of the black mist in the domain had been scattered, and those beasts had also returned to normal. At the least, the people here weren¡¯t in danger anymore. In the center of the trial domain was a mountain peak. According to Fu Junling, underneath that mountain was the eye of the array. Only by finding the eye and restoring the connection to the outside world could they send the people here outside. Two shichen later. Fang Li stood at the foot of that peak, but he didn¡¯t approach, only slightly furrowing his brow. In order to ruin the trial domain with demonic energy, that demonic cultivator hadn¡¯t hesitated to use the demonstone and the eight-cornered bronze bell. Moreover, setting up all of these things at once wasn¡¯t something that could be done alone. There must be plenty of demonic cultivators hiding in here, but when he¡¯d broken those bronze bells, he hadn¡¯t encountered any obstructions at all. Not a single demonic cultivator had come to stop them¡­¡­ Of course, it was also possible that they¡¯d seen Xie Huai and hadn¡¯t been willing to give their lives away, but Fang Li still thought something was off. Xie Huai had also noticed it. ¡°There¡¯s most likely a trap here.¡± Fang Li also thought so. But even if it was a trap, for the sake of those people outside, they could only advance right now. On the other hand, Xie Huai hesitated for a moment. If there really was a trap inside, bringing Fang Li would be very dangerous. But if Fang Li were to stay outside by himself, there might also be demonic cultivators hiding amongst the people outside. Fang Li had only just recovered and hadn¡¯t started to cultivate yet¡­¡­ Just as Xie Huai was caught in a dilemma, Fang Li had already walked straight inside. Xie Huai was startled, then let out a helpless laugh. He could only follow along. True, how could Fang Li be at ease staying outside by himself? There was a metal door in front of the mountain cavern with complicated mechanisms on it, but right now, the entire door had already been destroyed. Fu Junling¡¯s token was of no use. They walked straight inside. They followed the long, long passageway to the end, and their field of view suddenly expanded. At the heart of the mountain was a lake, and in the center of the lake was a huge sphere made of jade. There were many little openings on the jade sphere, and light peeked out of those openings like hundreds of thousands of little threads connected to the stone walls of the mountain cavern. This was the core of the Mirage Star Trial Domain. But right now, the lake and the jade sphere were both shrouded in a thick layer of black mist. Where the black mist met the white light, it emitted crackling hisses, and the jade sphere seemed to be on the verge of plummeting¡­¡­ And there was a chunk of black stone right at the bottom of the lake. This was precisely the demonstone that was emitting demonic energy, and because the demonic energy had contaminated this place, it had caused the jade sphere¡¯s connection with the outside world to be severed. There was nobody else here. Had they all fled? Fang Li¡¯s gaze swept around, and he saw the silver threads in the water. Those silver threads were about as thick as strands of hair, and underneath the shimmering lake surface, they couldn¡¯t be seen at all without close observation. This was a type of poisonous bug refined by demonic cultivators. So this was where the scheme lay. Fang Li¡¯s eyebrows raised minutely. This was also one of Wu Yimei¡¯s unique, secret arts. Fang Li was very familiar with Wu Yimei¡¯s methods. Could this matter really be related to Wu Yimei? But regardless, taking out the demonstone was still the priority. Fang Li just happened to know the way to deal with this demonic insect. He forcefully directed some spiritual energy through his fingertips and formed a spell. With a wave of his hand, he shot the spell into the water, and at the bottom of the lake, it formed a rune diagram. The poisonous insects felt the call of the runes and swarmed toward it, quickly forming a sphere of silver threads. Fang Li was a little dizzy. He only needed to wait until the insects gathered together, and then he could have Xie Huai kill them all with one slice of his sword. Xie Huai saw Fang Li forcefully use the spell and glanced at him with worry. Fang Li shook his head to indicate that he was fine. Xie Huai knew that the matter at hand came first, and seeing the insects gather together, Snowblue appeared in his hand, striking toward the clump of silver threads in the middle of the water¡ª And at the same time¡ª- A skeletal demonic cultivator in black robes suddenly flew out from behind the jade sphere, appearing in front of Fang Li in a flash! Fang Li laughed coldly. Everything here looked to be related to Wu Yimei, but he¡¯d just known it wouldn¡¯t be this simple, so he¡¯d been carefully watching his surroundings the whole time and hadn¡¯t let down his guard. Thus, he was able to react in time and unhesitatingly dodged behind Xie Huai! Hiding behind him right now wasn¡¯t disgraceful! After all, he was still a mortal who hadn¡¯t cultivated yet. Similarly, Xie Huai hadn¡¯t let down his guard just because there was no one here. The edge of his blade turned without a moment¡¯s hesitation away from the poisonous insects in the water. He grabbed Fang Li to shield him, and at the same time, pierced the demonic cultivator with his sword! The demonic cultivator hadn¡¯t expected the two of them to react so quickly. He had gone to so much effort to find this opportunity, but he hadn¡¯t even been able to touch a corner of Fang Li¡¯s clothes before a strike of the sword severed his arm and sent him flying. He let out a miserable scream and glanced hatefully at the two of them, then promptly self-destructed on the spot. Only after seeing that the demonic cultivator was dead did Fang Li¡¯s brow crease slightly. If he hadn¡¯t dodged in time just then¡­¡­ Only, that demonic cultivator had just happened to wait until he¡¯d controlled the insects and Xie Huai was about to kill them to launch a sneak attack. His purpose in concealing himself and lying low had been clear-cut, as if¡ªit had been directed at him? Who would go to such great lengths just for the sake of dealing with him? It couldn¡¯t be that his identity had been exposed? CH 57 May 14th, 2023 Xie Huai gripped the sword in his hand tightly, his expression grave. That demonic cultivator had been hiding here, charging straight for Fang Li, as if Fang Li was his target¡­¡­ But why? It shouldn¡¯t be so. Fang Li was pensive. He hadn¡¯t actually met many people after being reborn, and Xie Huai naturally couldn¡¯t have done such a thing, so who else could it be? Could it have been that the demonic cultivator had seen that attacking Xie Huai was hopeless, so he¡¯d simply staked it all on going for Fang Li? Everyone knew that Xie Huai was the number one in the world, and even Du Meng could only flee in panic when facing Xie Huai. That the demonic cultivator would act this way was also reasonable¡­¡­ Yet Fang Li subconsciously thought that things weren¡¯t so simple. The whole world knew that Wu Yimei was his trusted aide, and everything here was related to Wu Yimei. It looked like paying Wu Yimei a visit would be absolutely necessary. Fang Li took a deep breath. Since that demonic cultivator was already dead, then there was no way to interrogate him, either. The priority at hand was still to rescue these people. Right now, there was no one else in the mountain cavern, and Xie Huai destroyed the poisonous insects in one blow and scooped up the demonstone from the pool, sealing it and placing it inside a storage space. The black mist quickly dispersed, and without the obstruction of the black mist, the thread-like light restored its connection to the cavern walls as usual. Xie Huai activated the token in his hand, and the two of them appeared outside the trial domain. Fu Junling hurried over to welcome them, saying worriedly, ¡°Are you two alright?¡± Although what he said was ¡°you two,¡± his gaze was directed only at Fang Li, looking him up and down with concern. After all, Xie Huai was most likely fine, but Fang Li was a mortal, and going inside was still very dangerous to him. But aside from looking a little pale, Fang Li looked completely fine. Qi Ding came forward and said with gratitude, ¡°Much thanks to Yuyi-jun. If not for you, I¡¯m afraid those demonic cultivators would have had their way this time!¡± Ji Yuyao said coldly, ¡°What are you in such a rush to get happy over? With all those people dead, does it not count as letting the demonic cultivators have their way?¡± Qi Ding¡¯s face sank, his expression ugly. Xin Hanzhou frowned and asked Xie Huai, ¡°What was the situation inside? Where are the demonic cultivators responsible?¡± Xie Huai said impassively, ¡°The leader has already self-destructed.¡± But he paused, then said, ¡°But there should still be more demonic cultivators hiding inside. I¡¯ll trouble Tower Master Qi to properly investigate the remaining people.¡± Qi Ding nodded, saying, ¡°Please be at ease, Yuyi-jun. This one will be sure to investigate thoroughly.¡± Having said so, he took Fu Junling and hurried away. There were many tasks left for them to take care of. The people inside the trial domain hadn¡¯t been released yet, and they needed to investigate them one by one. They definitely couldn¡¯t allow the remaining demonic cultivators to walk free. Since the Ascension Conference had become like this, naturally, it couldn¡¯t be held anymore. The people from the other sects were also full of worry, and for a time, discussion abounded. Although Wu Yimei had occasionally clashed with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance these years, he had never acted against ordinary folk. For him to do something like this so suddenly, was he really going to make all of the righteous cultivators in the world his enemies? After Qi Ding handled the remaining tasks, he quickly returned and invited all of the sect masters back to Black Star Tower. The crowd began to confer inside the main hall. Only then did Qi Ding ask Xie Huai, ¡°Did Yuyi-jun discover anything inside the trial domain?¡± Xie Huai held out the demonstone and said impassively, ¡°The demonic cultivator was using this to contaminate the trial domain, isolating the domain from the outside world.¡± The crowd didn¡¯t recognize the demonstone, but everyone recognized the skeletal demonic cultivator who¡¯d appeared at the very beginning. He was a rather well-known demonic cultivator under Wu Yimei who practiced ghoul cultivation, named Yin Kui. Xin Hanzhou¡¯s eyes were frigid as he said, ¡°Yin Kui is one of Wu Yimei¡¯s people. This matter must be related to Wu Yimei.¡± Xie Huai¡¯s brow furrowed faintly. ¡°It¡¯s too early to come to a conclusion.¡± Ji Yuyao said coldly, ¡°Without Wu Yimei¡¯s orders, why would Yin Kui risk death to disturb the Ascension Conference? Would Yin Kui really dare to challenge the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance all by himself?¡± Qi Ding said worriedly, ¡°Wu Yimei was the person the demon lord trusted most back then, and he¡¯s been at odds with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance all these years. If it¡¯s for the sake of taking revenge for the devil, it¡¯s not impossible that he would do this.¡± Fang Li stood silently in the corner. In his heart, he felt that there was something odd about this matter, and it shouldn¡¯t have been done by Wu Yimei. But Yin Kui was indeed Wu Yimei¡¯s subordinate, and all of the evidence pointed at Wu Yimei. A great number of people had died in the trial domain this time, and the crowd had been worked up into a fervor. Some said that they should have Wu Yimei repay an eye for an eye. Some said that the matter needed to be discussed at length. After half a day¡¯s arguing, they still weren¡¯t able to come to a conclusion and finally dispersed at nighttime. Xie Huai took Fang Li back to where they were staying, looking at Fang Li¡¯s anxious expression. So, are you worried about Wu Yimei? Xie Huai¡¯s chest felt a bit suffocated. You really do keep Wu Yimei on your mind. But this matter was unfavorable for Wu Yimei, so it was also natural that Fang Li would worry about him¡­¡­ Only, compared to Wu Yimei, Xie Huai was more worried about Fang Li. The situation inside the trial domain¡­¡­ wasn¡¯t simple. If this matter hadn¡¯t been done by Wu Yimei, then who was pushing things along behind the scenes? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai remained at Black Star Tower Qi Ding kept his promise and retrieved the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill on the day of the full moon. He presented a transparent crystal box, and inside the box was a milky white pill. ¡°Yuyi-jun, once you have Young Master Fang take this pill, it will be sure to cure his condition of foolishness.¡± Fang Li sat to one side. Originally, he¡¯d still been pondering over the matter of Wu Yimei, but hearing those words, his expression stiffened minutely, and he peeked cautiously at Xie Huai. Xie Huai appeared not to have seen Fang Li¡¯s expression. He accepted the pill and gave a nod. ¡°Much thanks to Tower Master Qi.¡± Tower Master Qi sighed, saying, ¡°No need for courtesy, Yuyi-jun. To be able to be of service to Yuyi-jun is this humble Qi¡¯s honor! Moreover, Yuyi-jun has done a great favor for this humble Qi this time. If not for Yuyi-jun, many more people would have surely died. This humble Qi should have prepared much more generous gifts.¡± Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°Tower Master Qi is too polite. Helping those in need is our responsibility.¡± Qi Ding gave a few more sentences of praise. He was also pretty busy these days, so after that, he quickly left. Xie Huai withdrew his gaze and held the crystal box in his hands, giving Fang Li a profound look. Fang Li looked at the pill in Xie Huai¡¯s hands, his scalp tingling. Was Xie Huai going to make him eat it? If Xie Huai said it was candy again, should he eat it or not? If he ate it, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to pretend to be a fool anymore. But if he didn¡¯t eat it, then that was equivalent to exposing his own act. This was really an impossible dilemma! Xie Huai¡¯s fingertips stroked the crystal box absent-mindedly as he watched Fang Li¡¯s evasive, apprehensive gaze. Suddenly, he put away the crystal box and said coolly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that giving you such a divine pill would be a waste. I still need to consider it for a while.¡± Fang Li immediately let out a breath of relief. True, it wasn¡¯t like he was really a fool. Giving it to him was really too wasteful. Besides, he still hadn¡¯t figured out how to face Xie Huai¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s original thought was that he hadn¡¯t wanted to pressure Fang Li too much, but seeing Fang Li¡¯s current appearance, his temper started to rise again. This fellow sure was very clear on how to provoke his anger. And yet, Xie Huai couldn¡¯t do a single thing about him. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ These days, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance had been discussing day after day, and the grand hall was full of never-ending debate. Xie Huai had been invited to join the meeting, so he didn¡¯t have time to look after Fang Li. Fang Li would stroll around everywhere, occasionally standing to the side to listen, and no one stopped him. Everyone knew that he was Yuyi-jun¡¯s future Dao companion, his identity venerated, so naturally, they were a bit more courteous toward him. Besides, right now, he was still a fool, so they weren¡¯t afraid of him listening in from the start. The people from Black Star Tower investigated for over ten days without sleep or rest. Finally, they caught all of the demonic cultivators hidden within the group inside the trial domain. Eight in total, and they were all escorted over. Qi Ding, Ji Yuyao, Xin Hanzhou, and Xie Huai each sat at the head, and below them were sect leaders of the other sects. They were all people with some renown in the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. After those demonic cultivators were brought in, they were shoved to the ground kneeling, covered in blood. Evidently, they¡¯d already been interrogated, and restrictions had been cast on them so that they couldn¡¯t commit suicide. Right now, their faces were savage, looking at the crowd with hatred. Qi Ding said, ¡°We¡¯ve already interrogated them. They were the ones who hid inside the trial domain. As soon as they entered the Mirage Star Trial Domain, Yin Kui took the demonstone to the eye of the array, and they split up to set up the eight-cornered bronze bell, causing demonic energy to cover the entire trial domain, leading to the tragedy in the trial domain.¡± Xin Hanzhou looked down coldly. ¡°Did Wu Yimei send you?¡± The demonic cultivator sneered and spat, ¡°You¡¯re not fit to say our master¡¯s name!¡± To think they would be so arrogant even when facing their ends! Having said that, the demonic cultivator spoke again. ¡°Just kill us, if you have the ability. Our master will be sure to get revenge for us!¡± Hearing that, the crowd was filled with rage. Sure enough, it was Wu Yimei! Back then, after laying siege to Hollow Ridge, Wu Yimei had taken a part of the survivors of Hollow Ridge and fled. These years, they had been hiding in the Ghost Abyss, occasionally causing trouble for the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. If not for the fact that the Ghost Abyss was dangerous to traverse, shrouded in poison and disease year-round, and a natural fortress that was difficult to attack, and that Wu Yimei hadn¡¯t caused any major ruckuses, how could they have allowed Wu Yimei to live until today? But they hadn¡¯t thought that Wu Yimei would be so mad as to provoke the righteous sects in public at the Ascension Conference. Thousands of people had died in the trial domain¡ªthe slaughter of innocents, a heavens-defying crime. They should have eliminated every single survivor of Hollow Ridge to the last back then! In the great hall, the mob began to work itself into a frenzy, voices rising one after another, shouting to destroy the remnants of Hollow Ridge and enact punishment on behalf of the heavens. Xin Hanzhou stood up to speak, his voice resonating. ¡°Since Wu Yimei is looking for death, then we¡¯ll answer his wish. It just so happens that everyone is present here today. Are you willing to march for the Ghost Abyss with me to eliminate those demons?¡± Below, the sound of agreement was practically unanimous. There was also a very small minority that hesitated. The Ghost Abyss was extremely dangerous, and it would be difficult to avoid some casualties on this trip¡­¡­ But right now, the current opinion was overwhelming, and these people could only follow along and agree. Xin Hanzhou looked at Xie Huai and smiled faintly. ¡°Is Yuyi-jun willing to come along?¡± These days, Xie Huai had been listening silently the whole time and hadn¡¯t yet expressed any opinion. Hearing those words, he fell silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping past Fang Li in the corner. In the end, he gave a nod and said, ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll come.¡± Right now, all the evidence pointed at Wu Yimei. Even if he were to oppose on his own, it would be of no use, but if he went, he would have an opportunity to find out the truth. Seeing that Xie Huai, the number one in the world, had also agreed, the people from all of the sects were even more at ease. Although Wu Yimei had very high cultivation and was one of the pinnacle-level experts of the cultivation world, he was only about the same as Du Meng. Killing him would be as easy as breathing for Xie Huai! With Yuyi-jun present, they would be sure to succeed in eliminating the demons this time! Fang Li¡¯s heart sank. Forget the fact that he didn¡¯t have any evidence that this situation was unrelated to Wu Yimei, looking at this frenzied mob, even if it really had nothing to do with Wu Yimei, they would probably still want to seize the opportunity to eliminate the survivors of Hollow Ridge, wouldn¡¯t they? It looked like the terror he¡¯d left them back then had still been very deep¡­¡­ Only, what about Xie Huai? Exactly what was he thinking? Wu Yimei had provoked Xie Huai again and again in the past, and last time, Xie Huai had wanted to kill Wu Yimei. If he had decided that Wu Yimei was responsible for this matter, then he surely wouldn¡¯t let Wu Yimei go¡­¡­ At this point, it was already too late to stop things. Fang Li could only go with them, and perhaps, there would be a chance to see Wu Yimei. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance had a grand and imposing total of nearly ten thousand people, all of them masters from mighty sects, rushing together toward the Ghost Abyss. The Ghost Abyss was tens of thousands of li away to the southwest. It was covered in infectious miasma year-round, and poisonous insects abounded, like a sinister haunt for ghosts, and it was a natural fortress that was difficult to attack. Back when Hollow Ridge had been defeated, Wu Yimei had brought some people to hide near the Ghost Abyss. It was absolutely impossible for normal people to approach this place, and at the time, the pursuers from the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Abyss had been unable to follow them and had retreated. Wu Yimei was also very cautious and wouldn¡¯t go outside rashly, which was how he¡¯d escaped. These years, Wu Yimei had been resting and recuperating, and his subordinates had also gathered quite a few demonic cultivators. Some of them were those who had escaped when Hollow Ridge had been defeated, and some of them were demonic cultivators who had been left with nowhere to go by the righteous sects. In these nine years, their power had slowly grown. Taking care of Wu Yimei wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. If Wu Yimei hadn¡¯t wreaked havoc on the Ascension Conference and slaughtered so many, stepping on the faces of all the righteous sects in the cultivation world, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance likely wouldn¡¯t be able to join forces again, either. They were afraid that Wu Yimei would hear the news and flee, so they didn¡¯t get too close, but instead hid themselves a hundred li away to discuss their attack strategy. The biggest obstacle in the Ghost Abyss was the poisonous miasma. The intense poison in the miasma here was extremely thorny. Although all of the major sects had anti-poison artifacts, it would still be difficult to give one to every person. Within a valley in the mountain range was a swath of tents, and within one of those tents, Xie Huai was sitting in meditation, eyes closed. Fang Li was pretending to be asleep nearby, but his heart was full of worries. Xie Huai had stuck close to him the whole time, so it wasn¡¯t very convenient to slip away¡­¡­ The inside of the tent was quiet. Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes to look at Fang Li. These days, he¡¯d taken full notice of all of Fang Li¡¯s concern and worry for Wu Yimei. Wu Yimei was the faithful subordinate who¡¯d accompanied him through his entire journey, facing life and death for him. Fang Li¡¯s care and worry for him was natural. How could Xie Huai compare to those feelings? The corner of Xie Huai¡¯s mouth pulled in self-mocking. The voice of a disciple traveled in from outside the tent. ¡°Yuyi-jun, the sect leader is asking you to attend the discussion.¡± Xie Huai withdrew his gaze and got up and left. Fang Li suddenly opened his eyes. After Xie Huai had left for a quarter of an hour, and he was sure Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t be coming back for the moment, he left the tent. As Yuyi-jun¡¯s future Dao companion, even if Fang Li was a fool, everyone was beyond courteous to him. No matter where he went, nobody asked too much, and moreover, Fang Li had always been very well-behaved during this period of time, never wandering off. Those people didn¡¯t pay too much attention to Fang Li, thinking that he was only going for a stroll as usual and would come back by himself in a bit. After all, this fool only stuck to Yuyi-jun¡¯s side. Just like that, Fang Li arrived at the edge of the campgrounds without a hitch. The two disciples standing guard by the campgrounds finally did look at him in surprise and attempted to stop Fang Li from leaving, saying, ¡°Young Master Fang, please return quickly. It¡¯s very dangerous outside.¡± But as soon as they met Fang Li¡¯s eyes, they sank into a daze, standing there blankly, allowing Fang Li to walk leisurely past them. After a long time, the two came back to their senses and scratched their heads. ¡°What happened just now? Nobody came here, did they?¡± At the same time, a few hundred meters away in the main tent, Xie Huai suddenly stood up. Qi Ding and the others were just in the middle of arguing over how to launch the attack. Seeing Xie Huai stand up, they said with surprise, ¡°Yuyi-jun, what is it?¡± Xie Huai said impassively, ¡°Go ahead and discuss. I have a little business, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li touched his storage ring. Thank goodness he¡¯d taken a trip to the treasure vault back then, or else he wouldn¡¯t have a penny to his name, and even if he wanted to see Wu Yimei right now, it would be difficult. Fang Li successfully found a poison-repelling pill and took it. This was a poison-repelling pill that Wu Yimei had personally refined, so it would be more than enough to guard against Wu Yimei¡¯s poison. Aside from that, he also found a flying device and forcefully sent in some spiritual energy to activate it. In the blink of an eye, it swept toward the black mist enveloping the Ghost Abyss like a streak of light. The poisonous miasma that normal people couldn¡¯t even get close to and would be deadly if they so much as touched it didn¡¯t have the slightest effect on Fang Li. He traveled unhindered the entire way, arriving at a tall precipice. Below the precipice was a deep ravine, so dark that the bottom couldn¡¯t be seen. It looked like it had been split open by a blade, and the inside was deathly silent and grave like a hellish abyss. Fang Li¡¯s face didn¡¯t even twitch as he flew into it. He landed softly on the ground, narrowing his eyes minutely. Before his eyes was a killing array composed from stone. It looked like Wu Yimei¡¯s handiwork, but he was also very clear on how this killing array worked, so naturally, it couldn¡¯t stop him. He walked easily past it. Beyond this killing array was a sprawl of buildings, eerie and dark, very fitting for the style of demonic cultivators¡­¡­ Fang Li hid himself and snuck inside. Listening to the conversations of the patrolling demonic cultivators, he quickly confirmed where Wu Yimei lived. It was said that after Wu Yimei had returned some few days ago, he¡¯d been in closed door cultivation inside his dwelling the whole time, which matched up with when Wu Yimei had been injured. Inside the cavern dwelling. The ominous man¡¯s face was ghastly pale without a trace of blood. Before him was a whip that had been split in two. His eyes were shut tight as he circulated his energy to treat his injuries, but his injuries this time were heavier than before, and it looked like he wouldn¡¯t be able to recover completely for at least a few months. He recalled what he¡¯d seen that day on Hollow Ridge. Wu Yimei suddenly opened his eyes and threw up a mouthful of blood, full of loathing at his inability to kill Xie Huai! His dark red eyes were full of hatred when his expression suddenly sharpened and looked coldly at the door. The stone door was pushed open. Who would dare to disturb him without his permission? Moreover, there was a barrier at the entrance of his dwelling, so why hadn¡¯t he discovered that someone had barged in at all? Poisoned needles instantly appeared at Wu Yimei¡¯s fingertips. Just as he was about to strike, he saw a young man walk slowly and unhurriedly inside. The young man¡¯s posture was languid and carefree, strolling as leisurely as if in his own courtyard. He gave Wu Yimei a shallow smile. This person¡ªwas precisely the unknown young man he¡¯d seen in the demonic palace at Hollow Ridge. In the blink of an eye, Wu Yimei was startled into a daze. A bizarre yet unbelievable feeling suddenly arose from the depths of his heart. This person, just who was he¡­¡­ In the time that it took for him to fall into a daze, the young man waved his hand, and the Soul-Refining Tower by Wu Yimei¡¯s chest flew into the young man¡¯s hand, obediently spinning in his palm, as if it had returned to its master¡¯s arms. The young man smiled faintly at him and said, ¡°This lord told you, as long as you¡¯re alive, there will be a day we meet again.¡± CH 58 May 16th, 2023 Wu Yimei stood there in a daze, staring with disbelief at the person before him. His hands trembled faintly, and the poisoned needles in his hands fell to the ground. Only His Excellency¡­¡­ Only His Excellency could command the Soul-Refining Tower to recognize him as its master, because it was His Excellency who had given it to him back then, and only His Excellency could take it back now. Only His Excellency could treat his barriers as if they didn¡¯t exist, because back then, he was the one who¡¯d personally taught them to him. Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him. And only His Excellency knew the words he¡¯d said to him on that day. So¡­¡­ His Excellency hadn¡¯t lied to him. They really had meet again. Wu Yimei¡¯s ice-cold chest was flooded with warmth, as if the chasm of nine years had been instantly filled. His eyes reddened as he looked at the person in front of him, falling directly to the floor, kneeling. ¡°This subordinate pays respects to His Excellency.¡± His voice was shaking, and he didn¡¯t dare move his eyes away for fear that it was just a hallucination. In the blink of an eye, Wu Yimei understood everything. No wonder Xie Huai would let someone live in His Excellency¡¯s residential palace. It turned out that it was His Excellency, and Xie Huai had recognized him long ago, yet hadn¡¯t told Wu Yimei, causing him to nearly injure His Excellecny by mistake. Wu Yimei¡¯s heart was full of regret and self-blame, saying word by word, ¡°This subordinate previously offended Your Excellency. Your Excellency, please state your punishment!¡± Fang Li supported Wu Yimei up and said in a gentle voice, ¡°There is no guilt if you didn¡¯t know. How could I blame you?¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s voice was choked up. ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡­¡± In these nine years, there wasn¡¯t a single moment where he¡¯d forgiven himself, regretting that he¡¯d left back then. If only he hadn¡¯t left and had accompanied His Excellency to die on Hollow Ridge. But whenever he wanted to follow His Excellency into death, he would recall the day His Excellency had given him the Soul-Refining Tower and forced him to leave, recalling how His Excellency had said that as long as he was alive, there would be a day they would meet again¡­¡­ He¡¯d thought His Excellency had tricked him. These years, he¡¯d carried the notion of taking Xie Huai with him to the grave and had attempted to assassinate Xie Huai again and again, because other than that, he didn¡¯t know what else he could do. To the point that he couldn¡¯t even take revenge for him¡­¡­ Wu Yimei¡¯s heart had been full of unending grief. Fang Li let out a faint sigh, his voice low and soft. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± And in the air above the Ghosts¡¯ Abyss, Xie Huai floated alone in the air, hearing all of it. He¡¯d just known Fang Li wouldn¡¯t stay put and was sure to go see Wu Yimei, so as soon as Fang Li had left, he¡¯d quietly followed behind¡­¡­ Wu Yimei absolutely wouldn¡¯t lie to Fang Li, so this was a good opportunity to learn the truth. If that matter really hadn¡¯t been done by Wu Yimei, Xie Huai certainly wouldn¡¯t allow the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance to start a war and fall for the instigations of the evildoer, causing yet more lives to be lost in the war between the righteous and demonic sects. Although he told himself over and over that he had come for the sake of learning the truth, right now, seeing Fang Li¡¯s completely unhesitating acknowledgement of his identity to Wu Yimei, he still felt his chest tighten, unable to breathe. The reunion and acknowledgement that he had been waiting for from start to end without being able to receive, Fang Li had given to Wu Yimei without a moment¡¯s hesitation. He¡¯s the one you actually care about, the one you can open your heart and entrust everything to¡­¡­ And what did he himself amount to? Even though he knew very well that he shouldn¡¯t bicker with Wu Yimei, jealousy still tore at Xie Huai like a vile beast trapped in a cage, thrashing against the walls again and again, trying to break free. Xie Huai¡¯s hands tightened into fists, his jaw clenched tight as he continued to listen. Inside the cavern. Wu Yimei looked cautiously at Fang Li and asked, why was Your Excellency at Hollow Ridge? Fang Li smiled. ¡°Xie Huai discovered me by chance. We¡¯ll talk about that in the future. The reason I came to see you today was because I have something to ask you.¡± Wu Yimei said, ¡°What is it?¡± Fang Li said, ¡°Ten days ago, Black Star Tower was hosting the Ascension Conference, and Yin Kui sent people to stir up trouble. He used the demonstone and the eight-cornered bronze bell, causing countless casualties during the Ascension Conference¡¯s trial. Were you the one who ordered it?¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s brow furrowed, and he said without hesitation, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of this matter. Ever since the day I left Hollow Ridge, I¡¯ve been recovering from my injuries the whole time. After that, a subordinate reported that Yin Kui had taken the opportunity to steal the demonstone and the eight-cornered bronze bell and fled. He¡¯s never really been content with his place, and I was unable to deal with him at the moment, so I allowed him to go. So it turns out he¡¯d gone to the Ascension Conference.¡± Fang Li nodded. It was about the same as what he¡¯d guessed. Yin Kui¡¯s actions had evidently been directed by someone else, and their goal had been to frame Wu Yimei¡­¡­ or, in other words, to sound out Fang Li. Fang Li said in a heavy voice, ¡°The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance believes that you were the one who directed it and has already brought a large army to lie in ambush a hundred meters away.¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s expression chilled, and he said, ¡°I¡¯ll set traps right away. Let them come, and see if they can still return!¡± Cough cough cough, Fang Li sure hadn¡¯t come to leak the news so that Wu Yimei could instead ambush the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. He said, ¡°You mustn¡¯t. Take your people and retreat immediately, don¡¯t engage in conflict with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance.¡± Wu Yimei didn¡¯t actually care about the matter with Yin Kui. He¡¯d long found the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance a thorn in his eye. There were all his sworn enemies who¡¯d attacked His Excellency back then, and he wasn¡¯t going to rest until they were all dead, anyways! So even if he was being framed right now, he didn¡¯t mind in the least. He might as well fight back. Only, he hadn¡¯t thought that Fang Li would instead have him retreat. If they really retreated just like that, wouldn¡¯t the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance think that he was afraid of them? Wu Yimei said reluctantly, ¡°Why?¡± Fang Li sighed. ¡°If you really clash with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, wouldn¡¯t you be falling for someone¡¯s trap? Right now, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance has the advantage of numbers, and I¡¯m afraid your side won¡¯t be their match¡­¡­¡± Wu Yimei was just about to say that he wasn¡¯t afraid to die. But Fang Li looked into his eyes and said firmly, ¡°This lord knows that you¡¯re not afraid of fighting the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance, but this lord is worried for you¡­¡­ Besides, right now this lord has no one who can be relied on. You¡¯re the only one who can be trusted. Are you also going to disobey this lord?¡± Wu Yimei¡¯s chest immediately warmed, and he said respectfully, ¡°This subordinate obeys.¡± He was the one who¡¯d been rash. Since His Excellency had returned, then naturally, everything would be done according to His Excellency. He still had to preserve this life of his in order to continue serving His Excellency. Fang Li saw that Wu Yimei had been placated and was satisfied. He instructed Wu Yimei some more and arranged all of the following matters, then prepared to leave. Wu Yimei said hesitatingly, ¡°Your Excellency, are you going to go back? ¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t you leave with me?¡± Fang Li fell silent for a few moments. Actually, it seemed like there really wasn¡¯t anything wrong with leaving with Wu Yimei right now, but he thought about how he¡¯d left in secret, and Xie Huai might not have found out that he¡¯d left yet. When Xie Huai came back and saw that he was gone just like that¡­¡­ He would definitely feel hurt, right? Although he and Xie Huai¡¯s relationship couldn¡¯t be sorted out cleanly, in the end, he owed Xie Huai somewhat. If he hadn¡¯t known that Xie Huai liked him, running would be fine, but now, he couldn¡¯t do so anymore. Even if he was going to leave, he should talk things out clearly with Xie Huai face to face¡­¡­ Something like leaving without a word again, he truly couldn¡¯t do. Fang Li said slowly, ¡°No, this lord still has to stay for the time being.¡± Wu Yimei was completely puzzled. Xie Huai was the enemy who¡¯d killed His Excellency, and even he wished for nothing more than to kill Xie Huai, so why was His Excellency willing to stay by Xie Huai¡¯s side? It couldn¡¯t be that His Excellency still couldn¡¯t let go of Xie Huai to this day? But Wu Yimei also didn¡¯t understand why, now that Xie Huai had already discovered him and His Excellency¡¯s cultivation hadn¡¯t recovered yet, Xie Huai didn¡¯t simply deal the killing blow. He couldn¡¯t understand the relationship between the two of them. Fang Li saw through Wu Yimei¡¯s doubts and thought to himself that he couldn¡¯t let Wu Yimei¡¯s misunderstanding go on like this. What would he do if he weren¡¯t here anymore in the future, and Wu Yimei continued to look for Xie Huai to seek death? Fang Li paused and said slowly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Xie Huai won¡¯t harm me.¡± Wu Yimei was startled. Fang Li really had no way to tell his loyal subordinate that back then, your boss actually committed suicide. That was really too cruel to Wu Yimei, so he could only say, ¡°You need only keep one thing in mind. Remember, you mustn¡¯t go to Xie Huai to look for trouble. What happened back then wasn¡¯t as you¡¯ve heard.¡± Wu Yimei had far too many questions and doubts in his chest, but His Excellency had already spoken to this extent, so he could only answer respectfully that he understood. Fang Li gave Wu Yimei a communication talisman, then turned and left. From the night sky above, Xie Huai silently watched this scene, and the pain and dark thoughts clamoring in his chest were suddenly melted without a trace by a surge of warmth. He trusted this much that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t harm him. He was going to return to his side. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fang Li returned the way he¡¯d come and smoothly slipped back inside, discovering that Xie Huai hadn¡¯t returned yet. He probably hadn¡¯t been caught, right? Everything on Wu Yimei¡¯s side had been arranged properly. Fang Li plopped into bed and was finally able to have a good night¡¯s sleep. He slept all the way until noon the next day, and when he woke up, he found that Xie Huai was sitting beside him, Xie Huai¡¯s abstruse eyes fixed on him. Fang Li was immediately wide awake. Xie Huai looked at him for a long time, then said mildly, ¡°The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance has decided to launch a sneak attack on the Ghosts¡¯ Abyss today.¡± Fang Li blinked, oh. He rolled over and was about to go back to sleep, but Xie Huai picked him up in one hand. Xie Huai looked at him profoundly, the corners of his lips hooking up, and said in a meaningful tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go take a look?¡± It¡¯s not like they could get in a fight anyways, what was there to see? Fang Li mumbled blearily, ¡°Sleepy¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai watched his innocent and perplexed appearance and, recalling how he¡¯d been scheming with Wu Yimei just last night, let out a low laugh. How can you not take a look at the good show that you arranged yourself? Just like that, he took Fang Li with him. Outside, the forces of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance were already waiting to set out, and the heads of all of the major cultivator sects were already on the main ship. Seeing that Xie Huai was still bringing Fang Li at this time, Qi Ding and the others were astonished. No way, right? Bringing this fool along to the trial domain was one thing, but now they were going to attack the Ghosts¡¯ Abyss! He was going to bring this fool along for something as dangerous as that? Absurd, far too absurd! Qi Ding and the others couldn¡¯t resist trying to persuade him out of it, but Xie Huai¡¯s expression remained placid and unmoved. ¡°He goes wherever I go.¡± Seeing that Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone, the crowd could only give up in the end, thinking, it couldn¡¯t be that Xie Huai actually didn¡¯t like this destined union of his, so he was constantly bringing him to these dangerous places on purpose? Just in case this fool accidentally died, he wouldn¡¯t have to take him as his Dao companion? Cough, that idea truly was a bit dark. Using these kinds of thoughts to measure Yuyi-jun was heresy, heresy! Perhaps Yuyi-jun just had the confidence of a master and was sure that he could protect his own? Fang Li gave the crowd a smile. Don¡¯t worry, no need to be nervous, nothing will happen to any of you! Nobody will die today. The crowd saw how this fool was still giving them a silly smile at a time like this, completely oblivious to the danger he was about to face, and immediately felt pity and a bit of tenderness in their hearts. Only Xie Huai sensed a trace of the true meaning behind Fang Li¡¯s smile, and the corners of his mouth tugged helplessly. Jade Hawk Palace was proficient in medicine and arrays, so the matter of repelling the poisonous miasma was left to them. Several hundred female cultivators in tight-fitting black robes alighted before the miasma and sent out a copper mirror in front of them. The copper mirrors shot out eye-piercing light, and the light from hundreds of copper mirrors gathered together, cleaving open a path through the miasma with a deafening roar. The cultivators from Heaven¡¯s Summit entered the path first, swords on their backs. Cloudbank Keep and Black Star Tower¡¯s cultivators followed. The other sects then followed behind. Because the poisonous miasma had been abruptly split apart, the poisonous insects and beasts in the dark forest ahead of them were suddenly revealed. Some fled in a panic, and some began to attack the cultivators, but they had made preparations ahead of time and didn¡¯t allow the creatures to retreat. A few patrolling demonic cultivators appeared in front of them, and before the demonic cultivators even had time to respond, they were all cut down before they could make a single sound. Their journey progressed extremely smoothly. The people of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance arrived at the bottom of the Ghosts¡¯ Abyss and saw that the demonic cultivators¡¯ nest was just before their eyes. They hadn¡¯t thought things would go so smoothly and that they would manage to kill all of the demonic cultivators who¡¯d resisted along the way. The crowd was overjoyed. Just at this time, all of the demonic cultivators that they¡¯d killed previously suddenly crawled up from the ground. Their bodies still had bleeding holes and were in all kinds of wretched states, and they turned their heads one by one, revealing horrifying smiles at them. Xin Hanzhou immediately realized that something was wrong, and with a wave of his hand, a blazing fire barreled towards those demonic cultivators. One demonic cultivator was burnt to a crisp with a roar of the flames, and paper ashes slowly fell to the ground. It turned out that all of the demonic cultivators they¡¯d killed along the way had been made of paper! Those paper demonic cultivators couldn¡¯t be killed and would continuously revive, revealing terrifying smiles at them. The sound of countless poisonous insects swarming towards them traveled over from afar¡­¡­ From start to finish, not a single living person had appeared. The people of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance finally realized that they¡¯d fallen into a trap. All of this seemed to have been waiting here for them! There were some who turned tail and tried to flee, but when they turned around, they found that the path was gone and the scene before their eyes changed, tossing them into an unfamiliar place. They were trapped inside a labyrinthine array, and this array was clearly very masterful, to be able to trap so many experts in the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. Not knowing how many poisonous bugs and traps were hidden in the darkness, many people¡¯s hearts began to chill, already regretting this trip. This time, the casualties were sure to be grave! Only Fang Li remained unperturbed, even yawning with boredom. Xie Huai had been holding his hand the whole time and lowered his eyes to glance at him. The maze array shifted and changed, quickly separating the people of the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. Many fell into the encirclements of the poisonous insects, and some had already begun to despair. But what surprised them was that those poisonous insects surrounded them, but didn¡¯t attack¡­¡­ Just what was going on? Xin Hanzhou and Ji Yuyao watched this scene coldly. They were peak-level masters of the cultivation world, and although a moment of unpreparedness had caused them to fall into the demonic cultivators¡¯ trap, breaking free was only a matter of time. Ji Yuyao waved her hand, and a black silk ribbon appeared in her hand. The black ribbon looked soft, yet it was incomparably tough, and the insects that touched it turned to dust in an instant. The crowd joined hands to break through the array. Half a shichen later, Xin Hanzhou finally found the eye of the array and sliced it into pieces with a single blow of his sword. The maze array finally scattered, and everyone exchanged glances. Because they¡¯d discovered¡­¡­ Although they¡¯d been trapped for so long, it seemed like, not a single person had died? Qi Ding led his subordinates forward to the demons¡¯ lair, but the lair was completely empty, with not a single living demonic cultivator to be found. Even their belongings had been taken away. At this point, everyone had realized the problem. Wu Yimei had probably gotten the news long ago. There was a traitor among them! At this thought, the crowd¡¯s faces became ugly. Xin Hanzhou pondered for a moment and said in a frigid voice, ¡°They left in a hurry, so they can¡¯t have gone far. We¡¯ll chase after them.¡± Xie Huai, who had been silent the whole time until now, finally opened his mouth placidly. ¡°The other party clearly made preparations a long time ago, using the maze array to trap us, yet not harming anyone. Clearly, they have no intent to start a war, so it¡¯s evident that the matter at the Ascension Conference earlier wasn¡¯t done by Wu Yimei. Sect Master Xin, what need is there to hunt them down so ruthlessly?¡± Xin Hanzhou said coldly, ¡°Demonic cultivators are crafty and full of tricks. How do we know this isn¡¯t a ploy to confuse us?¡± The corners of Xie Huai¡¯s lips quirked in ridicule. ¡°Then why did they never deal a killing blow? If it were really Wu Yimei¡¯s doing, he held the advantage, and every person he killed would chip away at our strength. Naturally, it could only be beneficial to him, with no disadvantages.¡± Xin Hanzhou¡¯s face became grave. Although he didn¡¯t want to let those demonic cultivators go, what Xie Huai had said did indeed make sense. Demonic cultivators had always been cold-blooded and ruthless, yet they hadn¡¯t harmed anyone despite having such a good opportunity, even abandoning their nest to flee. It looked like they truly didn¡¯t want to start a war with the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance. If the situation at the Ascension Conference really had been their doing, how could they not have started a massacre with all of them trapped here? Was there really another mastermind behind the scene? Although everyone had been infuriated at the start, after calming down for a bit, many people also thought of this point. Xie Huai glanced at Fang Li profoundly, then turned back and said slowly, ¡°If we fall for someone¡¯s provocation and start a war between the righteous and demonic sects before investigating everything thoroughly, aren¡¯t we allowing their scheme to prevail?¡± After a bit of contemplation, everyone thought, that truly was the case! Besides, in truth, it would be difficult to avoid casualties if battle arose. If they could avoid war, then that was naturally best. Many people were already starting to entertain the idea of retreat. Even a rabbit would bite when cornered. Why pursue a bunch of stray hounds to the death? If those demonic cultivators were forced into a dead end and turned around to bite them, they would also lose a chunk of flesh and bone. If one could live their days peacefully, who would be willing to fight and kill? That was what Qi Ding thought. It was evident that there was a problem here, so of course they couldn¡¯t continue on. Instead, the most important things were to figure out just who had been the culprit at the Ascension Conference, and who among them was the traitor. Thus, he said, ¡°Yuyi-jun¡¯s words are reasonable. This matter needs to be discussed further.¡± Plenty of people had yet to recover from their fright. If not for Wu Yimei pulling his punches, they would have died here. Right now, they also approved of Qi Ding¡¯s suggestion. Seeing this disaster vanish without a trace, Fang Li let out a slight breath of relief. But without Xie Huai¡¯s words, there was no way everyone could have been handled so quickly. Fang Li looked at him with a complicated expression. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Very soon, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance left the Ghosts¡¯ Abyss. Xie Huai brought Fang Li back. Seeing that there was no one beside them, Xie Huai suddenly reached out and pulled Fang Li into his arms, placing his chin next to the young man¡¯s neck, his breath slow yet heavy. Fang Li hadn¡¯t anticipated Xie Huai¡¯s sudden movement, and sensing his powerful embrace and scorching breath, he immediately didn¡¯t dare move. What was going on? Had Xie Huai discovered something? Xie Huai held Fang Li¡¯s waist tightly, his gaze resting on the side of the young man¡¯s face. You don¡¯t wish for there to be war between the righteous and demonic sects, and I don¡¯t wish for it either. So those words that you can¡¯t say, I¡¯ll say in your place, just like back then on Hollow Ridge¡­¡­ In that moment, Xie Huai recalled the past again, the depths of his eyes gentle. Besides, you do still feel a bit of sentiment for me, right? Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t you have simply left with Wu Yimei? Why would you come back to my side¡­¡­ This person was always so fickle and inconstant, making you hate his cruelty and ruthlessness, yet also treating you gently so that you couldn¡¯t help but feel hope. Impossible to grasp. Just as Fang Li was filled with unease and was thinking about struggling free, a low, soft sigh suddenly fluttered past his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t move¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai¡¯s lips brushed past the back of his ear, giving it a bite, and then he laughed quietly. ¡°Who knows how Wu Yimei got the information? There must be a traitor among us. If the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance were to find the traitor, I wonder how they¡¯d cut him up and stew him¡­¡­¡± Fang Li¡¯s body stiffened minutely. Sure enough, Xie Huai knew it was him! But¡­¡­ You definitely wouldn¡¯t sell me out. Besides, you also know that this is the best outcome, right? At the time, if not for Xie Huai¡¯s words, the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance wouldn¡¯t have retreated so easily. But Fang Li finally realized why Xie Huai was angry. He¡¯d secretly snuck out to see Wu Yimei and had even hidden it all from him. Xie Huai was sure to be unhappy, but he really hadn¡¯t done it on purpose¡­¡­ It wasn¡¯t that Fang Li didn¡¯t trust him. It was just that he still hadn¡¯t figured out how to explain things to Xie Huai! CH 59 May 19th, 2023 From the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance¡¯s point of view, since the incident hadn¡¯t been Wu Yimei¡¯s doing, then the task at hand was to find the true culprit behind the scenes. Moreover, who exactly had leaked the news to Wu Yimei? Seeing as there was a traitor among them, this was an extremely important matter! The Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance remained busy. But Xie Huai didn¡¯t intend on lingering any longer and brought Fang Li to bid farewell to Qi Ding. These days, Fang Li¡¯s thoughts were a bit of a mess. Staying with Xie Huai day and night during this period of time, it was hard to avoid times where they interacted intimately. Logically, Fang Li shouldn¡¯t like it, to the point that he should even hate it, but looking back on this long stretch of time, he¡¯d actually never once disliked Xie Huai¡¯s closeness. It was only his reason telling him that he didn¡¯t like men, that he and Xie Huai had no future together, and that was the only reason he would get the urge to resist¡­¡­ Exactly what kind of feelings did he have toward Xie Huai? Did he like him? There was the liking of friends, there was the liking of an outstanding person, there was the protectiveness of a brother-in-arms, but only¡­¡­ the kind of liking one had for a lover, he had never thought about before, nor did he really wish for things to develop in that way. Forget it, this was too complicated. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d be able to figure it out in an hour or two. He might as well take his time thinking about it. Fang Li had originally thought Xie Huai would take him back to Hollow Ridge, but instead, Xie Huai went in a different direction and brought him to Helan province¡¯s Mountainview City. This time, Fang Li looked around curiously, feeling rueful. He thought about how he¡¯d raised such a big fuss here back then¡­¡­ Although Fang Li had never responded to him during this period of time, Xie Huai still very considerately explained that after Cinnabar Gate had been destroyed, the remaining disciples had fled in all directions, up until the Thousand Immortals¡¯ Alliance had attacked Hollow Ridge and the devil had died. Only then had the leftover disciples dared to return and rebuild Cinnabar Gate in Mountainview City. But because Chong Wanshan and his group of subordinates had died, the Cinnabar Gate of today didn¡¯t even have a single Soul Formation cultivator and had long been kicked out of the ranks of the five great sects, completely falling into oblivion. Now, they were just a plain and ordinary sect in the cultivation world. Fang Li thought, that just about matched what he¡¯d planned. But Mountainview City itself hadn¡¯t actually changed much. It remained prosperous, only without those strict rules or the law enforcement disciples in every corner. It had gained a bit of a relaxed air, and although one could occasionally see people making a clamor or a ruckus, they didn¡¯t cause too many waves. On the contrary, the people walking the streets looked much more at ease. Xie Huai brought Fang Li to stay there for a few days and sample the current delicacies of Mountainview City, then finally took him to the little town by God¡¯s Rest River. At this, Fang Li was finally a little moved, a complicated expression on his face. Had Xie Huai done all of this for the sake of taking him back here for a look? This was the home that had constantly been in Yan Sui¡¯s thoughts, and it was the place he¡¯d been determined to return to even at the point of death. At the time, he¡¯d only come here because the plot had required it, and for the sake of fulfilling Yan Sui¡¯s last wish. He hadn¡¯t actually explained anything to Xie Huai beyond a few scattered words, but Xie Huai was so sharp and intelligent, so perhaps he¡¯d already sensed something? Or else what reason was there to bring him here? Although this person never said anything, he was gentle and attentive. Yet Fang Li had no choice but to hide so many things from him. He felt even more guilt fill his chest. Xie Huai led Fang Li by the hand to the bamboo building they¡¯d stayed at before. At the door was that same waiter, and he recognized Xie Huai at a single glance. After all, he was such an elegant, good-looking nobleman, the best-looking person he¡¯d seen in his entire life. He really was a sight that was hard to forget! The waiter said happily, ¡°Young master, you¡¯re here again?¡± He looked curiously behind Xie Huai and didn¡¯t see the other nobleman who¡¯d been traveling with Xie Huai. Instead, he¡¯d brought someone the waiter never seen before. The waiter smiled and said, ¡°Where¡¯s that young master you were traveling with last time?¡± Xie Huai glanced at Fang Li meaningfully and said to the waiter, ¡°He¡¯s busy. He won¡¯t be able to come for the time being.¡± The waiter didn¡¯t ask any more, saying with a smile, ¡°Shall I prepare two rooms again?¡± Xie Huai said blandly, ¡°One is enough.¡± A bit of surprise finally appeared on the waiter¡¯s face, and he looked at them a little oddly. Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xie Huai gave him an ingot of silver and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be having dinner here.¡± The waiter took the silver in a daze and left. Fang Li¡¯s hand was still being clasped by Xie Huai. Although he had stayed together with Xie Huai plenty of times in the past, in the end, the meaning of it this time was different¡­¡­ Besides, how considerate had he been last time? I even skipped the original script and didn¡¯t sleep together with you, but you on the other hand insist on making this part of the script back up? Fang Li¡¯s feelings were complicated. Dinner was still the dishes prepared by the waiter¡¯s mother. It was delicious countryside home cooking, but Fang Li¡¯s mind wandered as he ate. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes were lowered as he slowly and unhurriedly took his meal. He saw Fang Li¡¯s attention wandering to the point that his food didn¡¯t even make it to his mouth and very naturally helped him wipe it away, saying placidly, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Fang Li glanced at Xie Huai, a bit discomfited, and didn¡¯t make a sound. After finishing dinner, he was brought upstairs in a stupor by Xie Huai. The room they were staying in was the one he¡¯d stayed in last time. That time, he¡¯d stayed here alone. Fang Li thought about it and decided that this still wouldn¡¯t do. He was just about to slip away, but Xie Huai caught him in one hand and gathered him into his arms, laughing softly by his ear. ¡°What are you afraid of? Do you think I would really do anything to a fool?¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was brought onto the bed by Xie Huai. The whole night, Xie Huai didn¡¯t say anything, only holding him in his arms. Xie Huai gazed at the young man in his arms. The young man seemed to be very uneasy, his eyes closed as he slept, but his quivering eyelashes revealed that he hadn¡¯t actually fallen asleep¡­¡­ Xie Huai let out a faint sigh. This is the place that you had to return to back then no matter what, so I¡¯ve brought you back. Perhaps your home has disappeared, perhaps your family is gone, but at least, I¡¯m still here. I won¡¯t let you be all alone¡­¡­ Xie Huai closed his eyes. Greedily inhaling the scent of the person in his arms. Regardless of whether this person loved him, at least he was right by his side. Xie Huai told himself again and again that he had to be a little more patient, and sooner or later, this person would be able to open his heart to him, but Xie Huai couldn¡¯t help but recall that green bamboo sword. That sword had been carefully treasured by Fang Li, and in the end, he¡¯d used it to personally kill Chong Wanshan. Just what kind of person had that sword¡¯s owner been? Were they your mother or father, or your sister or brother, or perhaps your fellow sect member? But whoever they were, they must have been incredibly, incredibly important to you. So important that you kept that sword until the day you died. So important that you were willing to fall into the demonic path for them, to suffer a thousand tribulations. If that person were still here, you definitely wouldn¡¯t avoid them, you definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to wait to return and reunite with them, right¡­¡­ Xie Huai knew he shouldn¡¯t be jealous. He had no way of comparing to a dead person, and besides, that person might be Fang Li¡¯s family. But he couldn¡¯t help but uncontrollably hope against reason for the day when Fang Li would be able to keep him in his heart in such a way. Xie Huai¡¯s arm wrapped around the waist of the young man in his arms, his eyes closing. Back then, this was the person who¡¯d wanted to snatch him and keep him by his side, doing things that caused people to misunderstand, to the point that even when returning to this place, he¡¯d brought Xie Huai along. He still remembered that that day, it had been raining lightly, and the young man had been leaning against the railing listening to the rain when he¡¯d suddenly said, thank you. Thanking him for coming with him on this trip. That was a gentle Fang Li that he¡¯d never seen before. At the time, he¡¯d wanted to ask why he was thanking him, why he¡¯d brought him along, why it had to be him¡­¡­ But unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t been able to say the words. But no matter what, if you want me to accompany you, I¡¯ll accompany you the whole way. Fang Li was held tight in Xie Huai¡¯s arms. All around him was Xie Huai¡¯s scent. But his mind was a chaotic mess. Xie Huai really was a very good, very gentle person. Even though he¡¯d tricked Xie Huai so many times, Xie Huai had still been thinking about bringing him back here. If he really were Yan Sui, perhaps he really would have been moved. This was what Yan Sui had so desperately wished for yet hadn¡¯t been able to obtain¡­¡­ But unfortunately, he was only an outsider. He was making a waste of Xie Huai¡¯s feelings. Should he explain everything to Xie Huai? But now, the original plot had already ended, and the System wasn¡¯t around anymore. As a transmigrator, even his sole ability of foresight was gone, so how could he prove his words? He would definitely be taken for a lunatic. Besides, with Xie Huai¡¯s pride, how would he be able to accept this kind of truth, to accept that everything was fake and that he was just a character in a book whose destiny had long been set in stone? Forget it, he would think about it later. Maybe he and Xie Huai wouldn¡¯t reach that point. Maybe they would separate after not too long. When the time came, if they became normal friends, or if they drifted apart and forgot each other, there would be no need to talk about these things. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ When Fang Li woke up the next day, Xie Huai was already gone from his side. He arrived downstairs, and Xie Huai was waiting there for him, breakfast already prepared. The two of them ate in silence, and the waiter¡¯s voice traveled over from the side. ¡°Mom, last time Uncle went up the mountain to hunt and said it looked like there was someone living on the mountain, was that true?¡± The waiter said. ¡°The mountain¡­¡­ You mean the ruins of the old Windbearer Sect? There shouldn¡¯t have been anyone there for a while,¡± the waiter¡¯s mother answered doubtfully. The waiter scratched his head. ¡°I found it strange, too. There hasn¡¯t been anyone on that mountain for over ten years. Maybe Uncle saw wrong?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡­¡± Fang Li was pensive, but he didn¡¯t think about it too much. It was such a big mountain, and so many years had passed. It wouldn¡¯t be strange even if someone were living there. It might be some hunters on the mountain, too. But Xie Huai¡¯s brow furrowed. Nine years ago, after Fang Li had died, he¡¯d come here several times and had also gone up the mountain to take a look, but there hadn¡¯t been any signs of people living there¡­¡­ How come there was suddenly someone there now? Was it a coincidence? His gaze swept around and landed on Fang Li¡¯s face. He said impassively, ¡°Eat. When we go up there and take a look, we¡¯ll know.¡± Fang Li really was a bit curious, and besides, these were Xie Huai¡¯s good intentions, so he didn¡¯t refuse. Since they¡¯d already come all the way, they might as well take a look before leaving. He could count it as taking a look on Yan Sui¡¯s behalf. He and Xie Huai went up the mountain. He remembered that there¡¯d been a little trail going up the mountain in the past. It hadn¡¯t been maintained in many years, and the trail had been covered by weeds long ago and couldn¡¯t be seen at all anymore, so their journey wasn¡¯t very easy. Around halfway up the mountain, they finally saw a flight of stone steps that were also covered in weeds. About another hundred meters up, they arrived at the ruins of the Windbearer Sect. As far as the eye could see was an expanse of bamboo forest, and within the bamboo thickets, some buildings could vaguely be discerned, but because of the destruction and fire back then, there were only a few ruined walls left now. Fang Li¡¯s expression was a little rueful, and he let out a faint sigh. Perhaps the waiter¡¯s uncle really had seen wrong. How could there still be someone living here? They¡¯d already taken a look and done everything that should be done. Since there was nobody here, Fang Li didn¡¯t intend to delay here any further. But just as he turned to leave, his expression suddenly sharpened. In the depths of the forest, a black silhouette flitted past. There really was someone. Fang Li gave it a deep look, and then let out a laugh, turning to head back. This bait was a little too obvious, wasn¡¯t it? He sure wasn¡¯t going to chase after it. What did Yan Sui¡¯s past have to do with him? Forget it, forget it, he wasn¡¯t that curious. Fang Li went down the stone steps. But after walking and walking down the steps that had only been a hundred meters long earlier, he still hadn¡¯t reached the end. And then he saw that on the stone steps that had still been empty when they¡¯d arrived, right now, there was a darksteel sword stuck in the ground. Fang Li¡¯s expression became a little dazed for a moment. This was¡­¡­ Yan Sui¡¯s sword. No, this was the sword of that youth who still hadn¡¯t fallen into hell, named A¡¯Yan. On the night of those towering flames, he¡¯d been cut down among the mountain of corpses and sea of blood¡­¡­ The scene before his eyes made him unable to tell for a moment if it was reality or an illusion. But this sword couldn¡¯t possibly be appearing here whole and undamaged. Fang Li turned back to look at Xie Huai, but since who knows when, Xie Huai was no longer there anymore. The mountain was quiet and still, and he was the only one standing there. Not good. He¡¯d fallen into an illusion. Fang Li¡¯s expression finally became grave. This illusion really was very adept, for neither he nor Xie Huai to have noticed it. At what point had he entered it? Was it at the bamboo forest? Or when walking up the mountain? Or perhaps even earlier? But seeing as the other party had set up an illusion but hadn¡¯t struck at him directly, just what was their goal¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s brow creased faintly. He looked around him vigilantly, waiting for the other party to act. But after waiting and waiting, nothing happened at all. Fang Li avoided the sword in front of him and turned to go back. He walked and walked, walking into the depths of the mountain forests, when he suddenly saw that darksteel sword again. The sword was stuck in the ground, waiting there quietly in front of him. Fang Li turned and left. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been walking, but no matter which direction he walked in, that sword would always appear in the end. The darksteel sword seemed to be calling to him, telling him to pick it up¡­¡­ This is your sword. You left it behind here¡­¡­ Fang Li felt a dull pain in his forehead. He suddenly couldn¡¯t remember why he had to keep walking¡­¡­ His subconscious told him to leave, told him not to touch that sword. But there seemed to be another voice telling him, that belongs to you. Fang Li bit through the tip of his tongue and turned around again. But after who knows how many times¡­¡­ When he once again saw the sword before his eyes, he fell into a daze for a moment. Wasn¡¯t that his sword? When had he lost his sword? Right, who was he? Why was he here? Fang Li pressed a hand to his forehead, trying hard to recall what he¡¯d forgotten, but he couldn¡¯t figure it out no matter what¡­¡­ He walked over and picked up the darksteel sword. As soon as the longsword was in his hand, he felt a close and familiar feeling transmitted from it. This was his lifebound spirit sword, how could he have left it lying on the ground? He must have gone silly. Fang Li strapped the sword to his back and turned to head down the mountain. As he walked, he saw a figure in white robes. The white-robed man stood within the mountain forest, looking ethereal and otherworldly. On his back was a bamboo basket, and the basket was full of freshly-picked herbs. He raised his head, revealing an elegant face as he smiled at Fang Li. ¡°A¡¯Yan, you¡¯ve been running around again.¡± The instant he saw the white-robed man, admiration and fondness welled up in his chest. This was his Shixiong, the person he was closest to and liked the most in the world. Shixiong had come out to pick herbs today, and because he¡¯d been bored, he¡¯d nagged Shixiong to bring him along. But as soon as they¡¯d gone up the mountain, he¡¯d started running around catching rabbits, and he didn¡¯t know how long Shixiong had been waiting for him. He excitedly called out, ¡°Shixiong,¡± and ran over happily. Shixiong patted his head and lowered his eyes with a faint smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Xie Huai also saw the black silhouette that flitted past. He was just about to persuade Fang Li not to act impulsively when he saw Fang Li turn to leave, and he let out a breath of relief. There was something odd about this place. If Fang Li could calm down, that was best. He led Fang Li by the hand to head back down, but after a few steps, he saw that Fang Li wouldn¡¯t move no matter what. The young man was standing there blankly, his eyes vacant, his expression bewildered. Xie Huai¡¯s expression changed. Not good. To think that Fang Li had fallen into an illusion at some point. Yet he¡¯d been by Fang Li¡¯s side the whole time, and nothing had happened to him. Why was Fang Li the only one who had been affected? Xie Huai furrowed his brow and traced through his memories of the trip. This was Fang Li¡¯s home. It held his past, his memories. Everything here had a different meaning to him, yet Xie Huai was only an outsider and wouldn¡¯t be moved by anything here¡­¡­ Perhaps that was the very reason only Fang Li had been affected and had fallen into the illusion. Not even Xie Huai had seen such skillful methods before. After all, neither he nor Fang Li had noticed any peculiarities on their way here. The ancient texts did have records of similar techniques, but those had long been lost. Silent and imperceptible, impossible to defend against. Xie Huai¡¯s eyes became grave. Just who was it? Why would they know a technique for crafting illusions like this, and what was their purpose for controlling Fang Li? The other party must have some motive for pulling Fang Li into his memories, such as information that they wanted to retrieve, so Fang Li¡¯s life shouldn¡¯t be in danger for the time being¡­¡­ If he were forcefully awoken, that might instead harm his consciousness. Right now, he could only have Fang Li wake up by himself from within the illusion. But Xie Huai truly wasn¡¯t at ease leaving Fang Li alone like this. He didn¡¯t know exactly what might be in the illusion, and he was afraid Fang Li would be led astray by it. If Fang Li remained unable to wake up, he might very possibly become trapped in the illusion, unable to leave. Xie Huai¡¯s sharp gaze looked around. Their surroundings remained calm without a trace of human life, but he didn¡¯t dare let down his guard. He set down a barrier around them so that he would be able to wake up immediately if anyone approached. Then, he placed a finger on the center of Fang Li¡¯s brow and sent a sliver of his consciousness into Fang Li¡¯s dream to wake him up from within his illusion! Xie Huai¡¯s consciousness traveled through layers and layers of mist, suddenly falling into a mountain forest. At a glance, he saw the youth in the forest with a sword on his back. It was precisely Fang Li, who was currently trapped in the illusion. But this illusion was created from Fang Li¡¯s memories, so Xie Huai didn¡¯t exist at all. If he couldn¡¯t find a vessel for his consciousness in time, he would very quickly be expelled¡­¡­ Xie Huai¡¯s gaze fell on the youth¡¯s sword, and without any hesitation, his consciousness attached itself to the darksteel sword. This sword was the youth¡¯s lifebound spirit sword, so he could find an opportunity to call to him and wake him up¡­¡­ But Xie Huai had only just entered the sword, his consciousness not yet stabilized, when he saw the youth run happily toward a man in white robes, calling in a voice full of joy and admiration: ¡°Shixiong.¡± CH 60 June 3rd, 2023 Because this illusion was created from Fang Li¡¯s memories, Xie Huai had no way to possess his own body here and had no choice but to attach himself to the youth¡¯s lifebound sword. He tried to call Fang Li awake, but Fang Li couldn¡¯t hear his voice at all. Fang Li scurried over to Shixiong, his heart and eyes brimming with joy. He smiled and said, ¡°Shixiong, are we going home now?¡± Shixiong patted his head and said helplessly, ¡°A¡¯Yan, you can¡¯t bear to go home?¡± Fang Li laughed impishly. In the quiet mountain forest. The white-robed man walked in front, carrying a bamboo basket. The young man followed behind, matching him step for step. Fang Li¡¯s steps were quick and light, and his spirits were high. It was at this time that he felt the sword on his back vibrate faintly, as if making a fuss in his mind. He sensed the sword¡¯s agitation and unease and inexplicably felt a little strange, but he didn¡¯t give it too much thought. He hastened his footsteps, following Shixiong back up to the mountain. The Windbearer Sect was located in a valley surrounded by peaks. The mountains were lush and the waters were clear, like an otherworldly paradise. When the other sect sisters and brothers saw Fang Li return, they all greeted him amiably. Although the little sect wasn¡¯t very big, it was peaceful and harmonious, and all of the fellow sect members were close as family. A¡¯Yan had no mother or father. His master had fished him out of God¡¯s Rest River and brought him back, and his master was like a father to him. Shixiong was like his older brother, and the others were his brothers and sisters. He had been brought up by Shixiong and the other sect members, and although his master was a little strict with a cold face, he had a warm heart. Shixiong was especially gentle, teaching him to read and write, and he was the person A¡¯Yan revered and liked the most. Fang Li watched Shixiong¡¯s back, full of admiration and fondness. He thought, he wanted to be together with Shixiong for the rest of his life. At this thought, he became a little startled and felt like he seemed to have forgotten something, but¡­¡­ it probably wasn¡¯t anything important. He accompanied Shixiong to wash the herbs that had been collected and put them out to dry in the courtyard. As he washed, he discovered that there was some fieldgrass mixed in. The fieldgrass was very delicious, and when chewed, sweet juice would burst out. He tossed it happily into his mouth and started chewing. When he turned his head, he saw Shixiong looking at him with a helpless and indulging expression. Shixiong¡¯s eyes were tender as he said, ¡°I know that you like these, so when I saw them, I picked some along the way.¡± Fang Li threw his arms around Shixiong¡¯s waist. ¡°I knew Shixiong was the best!¡± The spiritual sword that had finally quieted down suddenly started to clamor restlessly again. There weren¡¯t any bad people here. It didn¡¯t need to be this nervous, did it? He was only a Foundation Building cultivator right now and couldn¡¯t retrieve the spiritual sword into his body. Speaking of which, Shixiong had been to one to forge this darksteel sword for him. He had only established the connection between it and his consciousness not too long ago, and he could only vaguely sense the spiritual sword¡¯s emotions. It had clearly been just fine before, but it was being quite strange today. Fang Li didn¡¯t think about it too much. He simply took off the sword and placed it randomly to one side, finally getting some peace and quiet. At this sight, Shixiong said helplessly, ¡°How many times have I told you, your lifebound sword is very important. You must bring it with you properly to become closer to it.¡± Fang Li pretended not to hear. What did he have to be close to a sword for? He only wanted to be closer to his Shixiong. At a glance, Shixiong could tell that he wasn¡¯t listening and sighed again. ¡°You only want to play. When are you going to reach Golden Core?¡± Fang Li thought heedlessly, what was so important about cultivating? He thought that things were very good as they were. There was no point in having such high cultivation. It wasn¡¯t like he enjoyed fighting and killing. He just wanted to remain in the sect and be together with Shixiong and the others. Fang Li busied himself for the day and finished washing all the herbs before finally reluctantly leaving Shixiong. He returned to his own room with his spiritual sword in his arms, and, recalling Shixiong¡¯s words, simply held the sword as he went to sleep¡­¡­ This was close enough, right? That night, Fang Li slept very deeply. As soon as he woke up, the spiritual sword started to clamor again, as if yelling in his mind. Please¡­¡­ It¡¯s not like I understand what you¡¯re saying, what are you yelling all the time for? Fang Li ignored the spirit sword¡¯s clamoring. But as soon as he went out the door, he ran into his master. His master asked him, ¡°Which level of the Cottonwind Sword technique have you practiced up to?¡± Fang Li stammered, ¡°The second, probably¡­¡­¡± How could his master not know that he¡¯d been slacking off again? His master was so infuriated that he huffed into his beard and widened his eyes into a glare. Just as he was about to scold Fang Li, Shixiong came by. With a smile, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t blame him, master. A¡¯Yan is still a child, being a little playful is normal.¡± Their master couldn¡¯t give much of a scolding to his sensible and reliable eldest disciple, so he could only glare at Fang Li in a foul mood and say, ¡°Don¡¯t keep spoiling him. Look at him, sixteen years old and still only at Foundation Building¡­¡­¡± Shixiong said, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany him to practice the sword today. I¡¯ll be sure to supervise him well.¡± At that, their master finally nodded and left. As soon as their master left, Fang Li laughed happily and said, ¡°Shixiong, are we going down the mountain today?¡± Shixiong fixed his eyes on him and said, ¡°I just promised Master to supervise you today as you practice your sword. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll go to the rear mountains for sword practice.¡± Fang Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Although he was full of unwillingness, Shixiong had spoken, so he could only go. Shixiong was only a few years older than him, but he was already a Nascent Soul-level expert of extraordinary talent, and in the Windbearer Sect, his cultivation was only second to their master¡¯s. Everyone in the sect held Shixiong in very high regard. In the bamboo forest. Shixiong stood alone, clothed in white robes, a green bamboo sword in his hand as he smiled at Fang Li. ¡°Keep practicing your Cottonwind Sword technique today.¡± Fang Li tried to wriggle out of it. ¡°How about I practice it tomorrow instead? Shixiong, you¡¯re so powerful, you can just protect me. I don¡¯t need to practice, do I¡­¡­¡± Shixiong looked at him with tenderness and indulgence, sighing, ¡°What if one day, Shixiong isn¡¯t here anymore?¡± Fang Li laughed. ¡°Impossible, I¡¯ll never leave Shixiong.¡± But today, Shixiong refused to spoil him and remained unmoved in the face of his sweet talk. Seeing that he could only properly practice his sword, Fang Li grumpily picked up his darksteel sword and kept trying to recall the Cottonwind Sword technique. What was the first move again? Last time, when he¡¯d been taught it, his mind had been wandering¡­¡­ Oh, he finally remembered. Fang Li gripped the sword in both hands and charged forward. Shixiong¡¯s cultivation was higher than his. He held the sword in one hand and didn¡¯t actually use any spiritual power, only focusing on returning Fang Li¡¯s blows. He parried every one of Fang Li¡¯s strikes with his sword and said in a serious voice, ¡°That strike, too slow.¡± Fang Li grit his teeth and continued to charge. Shixiong said, ¡°That strike, off-target.¡± They practiced dozens of strikes like this, but Fang Li wasn¡¯t even able to touch a corner of Shixiong¡¯s clothes. He made a fuss about how he wasn¡¯t going to practice anymore and swung his darksteel sword randomly in front of him. He couldn¡¯t beat Shixiong at all, okay! Who could¡¯ve known that in the moment that his attention wandered, bitingly cold sword energy erupted from the darksteel sword, unstoppable as it shot out! Shixiong hadn¡¯t expected the darksteel sword to suddenly explode with such power and actually suffered a cut on the back of his hand. Fang Li¡¯s face paled in shock, and he stared blankly at his own sword. What was going on? When had he gotten so powerful that he was able to shoot sword energy from his sword? But that wasn¡¯t important. What was important was¡­¡­ He¡¯d actually injured Shixiong on accident! Fang Li¡¯s grip loosened, and he immediately dropped his sword, rushing over to cup Shixiong¡¯s hand. When he saw the fresh blood flowing out of the wound, he was so anxious his eyes reddened, and he stammered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡­¡± Shixiong saw his guilty expression and consoled gently, ¡°It¡¯s normal for accidents to happen while practicing the sword. This little injury is no big deal. On the other hand, you¡¯ve improved a lot. That last strike was pretty good, your Shixiong is very happy.¡± But Fang Li still felt unwell inside. He cupped Shixiong¡¯s hand carefully and pulled him back to the sect¡¯s infirmary, gently applying medicine to Shixiong¡¯s wound, then carefully wrapping it up. He blew on it and said quietly with reddened eyes, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Shixiong¡¯s eyes were tender as he gazed at him. ¡°The pain¡¯s been blown away. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Only then did Fang Li smile. Shixiong said, ¡°Today¡¯s practice was good. Go back and reflect on it properly. Don¡¯t forget, understand?¡± Fang Li nodded obediently, carrying his sword in his arms and returning. After closing the door. He immediately started to scold his sword. Fang Li glared at the black darksteel sword. ¡°What was wrong with you today? Shixiong is the absolute most important person to me. No matter who you hurt, you can¡¯t hurt him. Don¡¯t mess around next time, understand? Or else I won¡¯t want you anymore!¡± Although he knew that his spiritual sword couldn¡¯t make sense of human emotions and wouldn¡¯t understand him, Fang Li still ran his mouth for a while before his heart settled down. That night. The spiritual sword was unusually silent without a single reaction. Fang Li thought, the spiritual sword should have learned its lesson. As his spiritual sword, how could it harm Shixiong? Fang Li went to sleep reassured. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Over a month passed. Every day, other than cultivating and slacking off, it was slacking off and cultivating¡­¡­ The days flew by, simple and joyful. As for his spiritual sword¡­¡­ Maybe it was because it¡¯d learned its lesson after last time¡¯s scolding, but it hadn¡¯t made a fuss even once after that. It remained completely silent, not making a single sound. If he didn¡¯t know otherwise, he¡¯d have thought the sword was gone¡­¡­ This had Fang Li a little worried. Was it throwing a tantrum at him? Hadn¡¯t he just scolded it with a few sentences? This spiritual sword sure had a temper. Wasn¡¯t it a little too petty¡­¡­ Or was it because he¡¯d accidentally let his spiritual sword die? Shixiong saw through his worries and asked him what was going on. Fang Li said dejectedly, ¡°My sword doesn¡¯t seem to be responding anymore. I didn¡¯t mess up raising it, did I?¡± Shixiong pondered for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. You¡¯ve only recently gotten your lifebound sword. It¡¯s normal not to be able to sense it occasionally. Communicate more with your sword, talk with it a bit and let it become familiar with you, understand?¡± Fang Li gave an ¡°oh.¡± Actually, he¡¯d spoken with it plenty, but the sword didn¡¯t seem to like to listen too much. Shixiong paused. He could tell that the youth was in low spirits, and he smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you out to play today.¡± Hearing that, Fang Li¡¯s devastation was swept away, and he also stopped caring about the matter of his sword. He said happily, ¡°Okay!¡± Fang Li joyfully followed Shixiong down the mountain. When passing by the village at the bottom, Madam Zhang saw Fang Li and gave him a pack of sugared hawthorns. Fang Li thanked her repeatedly. Madam Zhang smiled and said, ¡°What are you being so polite for? Come play again when you have time, A¡¯Yan.¡± Fang Li ate the sugared hawthorns as he leisurely followed Shixiong. Today, Shixiong had to go to Mount Xingyang to pick herbs. There was a bustling town at the foot of Mount Xingyang, and Fang Li¡¯s eyes darted around as he said, ¡°Shixiong, how about you go do your work, and I¡¯ll go up the mountain and find you in a bit.¡± How could Shixiong not know what he wanted to do? But he didn¡¯t stop him, only saying indulgently, ¡°Remember not to come back too late.¡± Fang Li nodded his head repeatedly. Having said that, he strolled over to the town at the foot of the mountain. The town had delicious food to eat and fun things to do. Fang Li liked coming here the most. Fang Li ate as he strolled, and he spotted a wine vendor to one side. In this town, the Liu family¡¯s wine wasn¡¯t bad, and Fang Li bought two jars, then went over to buy two roast chickens. He said delightedly to his sword, ¡°Tonight, let¡¯s drink and eat chicken with Shixiong, what do you think?¡± The sword naturally wouldn¡¯t pay attention to him. It remained silent. Fang Li remembered that Shixiong had said that when he had nothing to do, he should communicate with his sword and nourish the feelings between them some more, so he didn¡¯t get discouraged and kept chattering nonstop the whole way. ¡°When I was little, I sure was stupid. It was Shixiong who taught me how to read and write. At the time, I didn¡¯t even know how to write my own name, and Shixiong taught me dozens of times, hand in hand.¡± ¡°Master is too busy, so normally, Shixiong was always the one who took care of me. I like Shixiong the most. When I was younger, I even fought with my other sect sisters and brothers over Shixiong, and he gave me a fierce scolding¡­¡­ ¡°Once, I was slacking off and slipped out to play, and Shixiong discovered me. Master was very angry and said that if I didn¡¯t practice my sword technique ten times, I wouldn¡¯t be allowed to go back and eat dinner. It was Shixiong who saw that I was terribly hungry and snuck me some food, but Master found out and punished Shixiong, too.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯ve never had a mom or dad, I don¡¯t feel bad at all, and I don¡¯t want to know why they threw me away, either, because having Shixiong is enough for me. Shixiong definitely wouldn¡¯t throw me away.¡± As he spoke and spoke, he smiled. It turned out that in this life of his, everything was related to Shixiong. By the time Fang Li arrived at the foot of Mount Xingyang, the sky had already gotten a bit dark, and sunset was approaching. He thought about it and decided to go up the mountain to look for Shixiong. When he¡¯d walked halfway, he saw a gray wolf, and Fang Li¡¯s eyes brightened. If he caught this wolf and took it home to cure it, how delicious would it be? Thus, he started to give chase without any hesitation. The gray wolf ran very quickly, weaving about the mountain with familiarity. Fang Li picked up a handful of rocks and threw them as he ran. The wolf finally let out a pained cry, and its foot seemed to have been hit as it limped and staggered. A fierce expression appeared in its eyes, and it continued to run into the depths of the mountain forests! Fang Li raised his eyebrows. That wolf would definitely be his today. Seeing that the wolf was already having difficulty running, Fang Li hurried his steps. Just then¡ªthe ground beneath his feet suddenly became empty, and his whole body tumbled into a mountain cavern. Shoot, to think that the wolf had known of a place like this. It had intentionally lured him into this trap! Fang Li thought to himself, once he got out, he would be sure to catch that wolf, but what he hadn¡¯t expected was that this cave was much deeper than he¡¯d imagined. He slid for a long time and still didn¡¯t reach the bottom. Fang Li finally felt a bit of panic. He promptly pulled out his sword and stuck it into the cavern wall, trying to slow down his descent, but he hadn¡¯t imagined that the walls of this cave would be so hard that not even his darksteel sword could pierce them! He slid down the cavern for about a quarter of an hour, finally crashing heavily to the ground. Fang Li grimaced in pain, and his face was pale. He crawled up and looked around him, discovering that this was a massive underground cavern. The scene before his eyes was unimaginable, making one gasp with wonder. The entire cavern was constructed from white jade with no visible seams from being joined together. How was that possible? Although the Windbearer Sect was only an inconspicuous little sect, he¡¯d read quite a few records and novels, and he¡¯d heard his fair share of gossip from the cultivation world, but he¡¯d never heard of a place like this. Not even the secret domains created from the deaths of Void Refining cultivators were as spectacular as this! Being in the place made one unable to help but feel awe in their heart, immediately sensing one¡¯s own insignificance, like dust. Just what kind of place was this? Fang Li looked around curiously. Everywhere was an expanse of white. He followed the edges of the cavern in a circle, but there wasn¡¯t a single crack in the walls. He took out his darksteel sword to poke at it, but it didn¡¯t so much as leave behind a mark. He immediately lowered his head dejectedly, regretting that he hadn¡¯t properly practiced his cultivation. Fang Li could only continue forward. He finally saw a small entrance at the end of the cavern. The entrance was only as tall as a single person, and on both sides were white stone walls. He walked through the entrance and looked around. The walls of the stone passageway were finally no longer plain and bare, but were carved with images. The images depicted the Great Sage instructing the people of the world, the Great Sage bringing rain to dry lands, the Great Sage erecting a sect surrounded by tens of thousands of kneeling worshippers¡­¡­ Fang Li¡¯s heart suddenly thumped fiercely. Was this place the remnants of the Great Sage? It had already been four thousand years since the Great Sage had passed, and no one had ever known just where his remnants were. It was one of the unsolved mysteries of the world. His luck couldn¡¯t be so good that he¡¯d even chance upon the Great Sage¡¯s remnants, could it? Fang Li took a deep breath and continued forward. At the end of the long, long stone passageway, there was a room. The room had nothing at all except for a white jade casket. Inside the casket were two jade talismans, one black and one white. Aside from that, there was nothing else. Fang Li looked at them with both curiosity and nervousness. He couldn¡¯t find the way out, and he¡¯d been wandering around in here for over a day already¡­¡­ So he started fumbling around the room. Perhaps there was a mechanism in here for leaving? Alas, the room was just as clean and bare as the jade walls outside. Forget a mechanism, there wasn¡¯t even a seam. Finally, Fang Li¡¯s gaze fell onto the two jade talismans. Was this some kind of treasure? Maybe he could use it to escape from here? If he still couldn¡¯t find the way out, he¡¯d be trapped here until he died¡­¡­ Fang Li grit his teeth and finally walked forward, picking up the black and white jade talismans. The moment he picked them up, the entire room started to shake, and countless cracks appeared on the walls. Sure enough, it was some kind of mechanism! Fang Li held the jade talismans and ran outside. He ran at lightning speed, finally escaping before the stone passageway collapsed. The white jade cavern outside had also started to break down, and blocks of jade came tumbling down from above. Fang Li didn¡¯t dare look back. He had to escape, or else he¡¯d die here. He leapt across nimbly, too panicked to tell where he was going right now. He would run wherever there were no chunks of jade raining down, and because the ground and walls had all split apart, a crack finally appeared on the cavern wall. Fang Li quickly squeezed into the crack. There seemed to be many tunnels underground. He didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d originally been there, or if they¡¯d just been split open. Fang Li ran for a long, long time. Finally, it became quiet outside, and the shaking seemed to have stopped. But he looked around and discovered that it was pitch-black all around him, and he didn¡¯t know where he was at all. He could only brace himself and continue walking. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d walked or how many turns he¡¯d made. He¡¯d eaten all of his rations, but he couldn¡¯t even see a shred of hope of getting out¡­¡­ There wasn¡¯t the tiniest trace of light, and the underground chill seeped into his clothes, making him shiver. Finally, he had no energy left to walk and sat down against the stone walls, hugging his sword. There was nothing left to eat or drink. His stomach was rumbling from hunger. He¡¯d only just reached Foundation Building not too long ago and couldn¡¯t practice inedia. Although his body was stronger than the average mortal, he wouldn¡¯t be able to last very long without food or water. Was he going to die here? He suddenly felt regret in his heart. It was all because he only thought of playing. If only he hadn¡¯t chased that wolf, then he¡¯d already have returned home with his Shixiong right now, and he¡¯d be sitting in the mountain forest drinking wine and eating chicken. His lips were frozen purple, and his body was trembling. The tips of his fingers felt a bit numb. There was only endless darkness and solitude here. Just when he¡¯d nearly lost consciousness, the darksteel sword in his arms started to emit heat, and threads of warmth started to seep through his skin, allowing Fang Li¡¯s head to clear a little. He tightened his arms, tightly crading the darksteel sword in his arms, absorbing this last trace of warmth. Although this sword didn¡¯t seem to have a very good temper and was a little irritable, in the end, it was linked to his heart and mind, and it finally reacted at this critical moment, using its feeble power to warm his body. Fang Li suddenly felt a bit emotional, and a little miserable. Emotional because his sword spirit was still here and wasn¡¯t ignoring him, and had even remembered to protect him¡­¡­ Miserable because the sword spirit wanted to protect him even if it meant burning out itself like this, yet he couldn¡¯t bring it out of this place¡­¡­ They were about to die here. Fang Li hugged his sword, his head drooping, and he rested his chin on the handle of his sword, laughing softly. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re here.¡± Although it was only a sword and couldn¡¯t accompany him to talk, at this moment, in his most desperate time¡­¡­ Even if it was only a sword accompanying him, it was also good¡­¡­ It was linked to his heart and mind. They were as intimate as could be. Fang Li thought and thought and let out a gloomy sigh, lowering his eyes as he said, ¡°Shixiong must be worried to death since he can¡¯t find me¡­¡­¡± The sword spirit was emitting a faint warmth, but warmth came and went, as if even it was having a difficult time holding on and was finding it hard to maintain, but from start to finish, it never disappeared. Silently accompanying him the whole time. Fang Li felt his eyes becoming heavier and heavier. He couldn¡¯t speak anymore, and his tongue had also become stiff. His hands around his sword slowly started to loosen¡­¡­ Just then, A white silhouette suddenly appeared before his eyes. Was it Shixiong? He wanted to reach out, but he couldn¡¯t move. The man lifted him up, and a gentle voice fell in his ears. ¡°I¡¯ve found you. You¡¯re alright now, you¡¯re alright.¡± It was Shixiong¡­¡­ He used the last of his strength to say in a faint voice, ¡°My sword, don¡¯t leave it¡­¡­¡± Then he closed his eyes. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ When Fang Li woke up again, before his eyes was a familiar ceiling. He¡¯d returned home. In the end, it had been Shixiong who had saved him. If not for Shixiong, he would have died in the depths of that empty cave with no one around. Fang Li struggled to move. Although his body was still weak, he had no major ailments anymore. He turned his head and saw a white-robed man sitting beside him. He didn¡¯t know how long the man had been waiting beside his bed, and the man¡¯s elegant face seemed a bit haggard. The man suddenly reached out and pulled him entirely into his arms, his usually calm voice containing a rare trace of unease, quivering faintly. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Fang Li immediately felt apologetic. His heart was full of guilt. It was all because he¡¯d only thought about playing. He must have made Shixiong worry. If Shixiong hadn¡¯t found him, how much would he have blamed himself? Within a few moments, the white-robed man had already recovered his calm. He let go and rubbed Fang Li¡¯s head, finally admonishing, ¡°Don¡¯t wander around next time, understand?¡± Fang Li nodded. This time, he¡¯d also scared himself to death. Shixiong took his pulse and confirmed that he was fine before saying, ¡°Rest properly these days.¡± Fang Li saw that Shixiong was about to leave and suddenly remembered something. He said hurriedly, ¡°Shixiong, wait.¡± Shixiong turned back to look at him, his eyes tender as he said, ¡°What else do you need?¡± Fang Li took out the black and white jade talismans from his robes. In the chaos, he¡¯d accidentally brought them out. He said, ¡°The place I fell into seems to be the remnants of the Great Sage. There were two jade talismans inside. It was because I touched these two jade talismans that the remnants collapsed. I don¡¯t know what the talismans are for either. Shixiong, why don¡¯t you give them to Master to look at?¡± Shixiong looked at him helplessly, as if saying, how could there be such a thing as the remnants of the Great Sage¡­¡­ Although he didn¡¯t really believe Fang Li¡¯s words, he still reached out and took the jade talismans¡­¡­ In the moment that he took the jade talismans, his face suddenly paled, and his body swayed, a trace of bewilderment on his face. Fang Li was immediately shocked and asked with concern, ¡°Shixiong, are you alright?¡± The strangeness only lasted a second. Shixiong had already come back to his senses. He shook his head and smiled, saying, ¡°I¡¯m alright, I was just dizzy for a moment. I¡¯ll give them to Master, don¡¯t worry.¡± Only at this did Fang Li relax. After finishing his meal, he went to sleep. But when night came, one of his sect sisters came to tell him that there was trouble, Shixiong had fainted! Fang Li couldn¡¯t be more anxious and hurried over. Outside was a mess. Fang Li heard that after Shixiong had left from here, he¡¯d gone to see their master, but he¡¯d fainted as soon as he¡¯d come out. Their master himself was adept at medicine and had examined Shixiong, but not even their master had been able to find any abnormalities, as if Shixiong was only sleeping. But he just wouldn¡¯t wake up. Fang Li was incredibly anxious. Why had Shixiong suddenly fainted without being able to wake up? Just what was wrong with Shixiong? He had no mind to worry about himself any longer. Although his body hadn¡¯t recovered yet, he remained by Shixiong¡¯s side without sleep the whole night. His fellow sect members urged Fang Li to leave, saying that staying here was of no use, and that when Shixiong woke up, they would be sure to tell him right away. But Fang Li refused to leave. Because he kept feeling that this was his fault. Something must have happened to Shixiong for the sake of rescuing him. Had Shixiong gotten injured inside the remnants? If not for his wandering about¡­¡­ Would they all be perfectly fine right now? Would nothing have happened at all? Fang Li laid against the side of Shixiong¡¯s bed and grabbed his hand, murmuring, ¡°Shixiong, how come you still won¡¯t wake up¡­¡­¡± But Shixiong didn¡¯t react at all. As if he¡¯d sunken into a dream that he wouldn¡¯t wake up from. Even their master only shook his head after seeing him. He said that he¡¯d never seen this kind of circumstance before. There was obviously no wound at all, nor had he suffered any poison or illusion, so why wouldn¡¯t he wake up? Fang Li took care of him without even time to sleep or change. Time passed day by day¡­¡­ He thought, if Shixiong never woke up, then he would take care of Shixiong for a lifetime, just as Shixiong had taken care of him. He definitely wouldn¡¯t leave Shixiong behind. He smiled at Shixiong. ¡°Shixiong, you have to wake up quickly. I¡¯m still waiting for you to teach me the sword.¡± He kept the darksteel sword placed beside him. Ever since coming out of the remnants, the spiritual sword seemed to have quieted down again. No matter what he said, it wouldn¡¯t respond to him at all. Fang Li was also completely helpless¡­¡­ He thought that he couldn¡¯t understand the sword spirit¡¯s temper at all. It had obviously been so good inside the mountain cave, sparing nothing to keep him warm. If not for the spiritual sword, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it until Shixiong came to rescue him, so how come it had become so icy-cold again now? The sword spirit remained quiet without a sound, and Shixiong remained asleep without waking. Fang Li let out a sigh. Time passed day by day¡­¡­ Fang Li remained beside Shixiong¡¯s bed. Just when he¡¯d already lost hope, he saw Shixiong¡¯s finger twitch. Fang Li¡¯s eyes immediately opened wide, watching Shixiong nervously. Was Shixiong finally going to wake up¡­¡­ He held his breath with excitement, fixing his eyes on Shixiong. Finally, the white-robed man on the bed slowly opened his eyes. Only, for a split second, those gloomy, deep, pitch-black eyes seemed completely unfamiliar.