Chapter 50
Yu Ling’er’s mouth was stuffed with red dates, her cheeks bulging as she continued in a muffled voice, “Why don’t you just leave Wei Jie behind like before and secretly run away again? Didn’t you say you wanted to live in seclusion at Lingshan Mountain? With the fox tribe protecting you, hiding in the mountains, even if you become demonized, no one will be able to harm you.”
Xiaoxiao turned to look at Ling’er and said, “But I’ve become demonized. If you help me escape, aren’t you afraid of abetting evil and letting the tiger return to the mountains?”
Yu Ling’er replied without hesitation, “Our ancient ancestors did aid evil before, like Da Ji. Her ending was indeed not good… But she was just following the orders of the Goddess Nuwa…”
Perhaps feeling that she had spoken ill of the fox tribe’s patron saint, Yu Ling’er quickly stopped herself. She then grabbed her fox-ear-shaped hair bun and said, “Oh, never mind that! I can’t just watch you die!”
Xiaoxiao knew this little fox had not yet learned human insincerity. When Yu Ling’er said she didn’t care about the consequences and just wanted to help her first, it was a sincere sentiment.
Touched, Xiaoxiao pinched Ling’er’s tender cheeks and said, “Don’t worry, with you and others who truly care for me, I wouldn’t bear to become demonized! I need to find a way to expel the demonic bead from my body!”
In the original trajectory, it was Wei Jie who became demonized and obtained the demonic bead.
Since he was eventually able to separate his demonic nature from his body in the form of the bead, she should also be able to find a way to expel the bead.
The reason she had lost control today was that during her battle with the Ghost Sect cultivator, the backlash had stripped her of her consciousness, allowing the bead to take over her body.
But when she regained her senses, coupled with the aid of Wei Jie’s inner dan, she was able to suppress the demonic bead once more.
However, she had never expected the gap in strength between herself and that Ghost Sect’s Wan Lianshi to be so vast, leaving her powerless to resist being nearly soul-seized.
Come to think of it, she should be grateful to the demonic bead. If it hadn’t flared up at that moment, she might have been completely controlled by Wanlian Master.
For some reason, Xiaoxiao had a premonition that she would encounter this Wan Lianshi again in the future. She hoped her current powerlessness would not be repeated.
This disaster today had also made her re-examine the reality that her Lingshan Talisman Sect had always had a weak and unstable foundation since its establishment.
Her master had originally derived the sect’s talisman scripts from the Ghost Sect’s talisman arts. So how could she use these half-understood, improved talismans to defeat the Ghost Sect’s experts?
Lost in these thoughts, Xiaoxiao fell into deep contemplation…
Meanwhile, Wan Lianshi, who had fled back to the Prince Can’s Manor, did not bother treating the wound on his face and immediately rushed to see the Prince Can.
The Prince Can was seated in his study, admiring a painting depicting a golden phoenix soaring through the clouds with its long tail trailing behind.
When he lowered his gaze to Wan Lianshi’s face, his brows furrowed slightly, “Who inflicted those wounds on you? Why have they festered so badly?”
Wan Lianshi had been enduring the searing pain on his face, but upon the Prince Can’s words, he finally looked into the bronze mirror in the study.
What had previously been just a cut from the sword qi had now festered deeply, exposing the bone!
Wan Lianshi gritted his teeth in hatred. If he had been injured by a powerful expert, he could accept it.
But that Cui Xiaoxiao was just a shoddy imitation of the Ghost Sect! If she hadn’t suddenly become demonized, he would have already flayed her skin and turned her into a talisman himself!
However, when the Prince Can heard that Cui Xiaoxiao had become demonized and used the Punishing Sword to injure Wanlian Master, he excitedly stood up!
The remaining pages of the Book of Life and Death only showed events related to the Prince Can himself, concealing anything irrelevant.
So the Prince Can did not know that someone had already taken Wei Jie’s place and become demonized.
Now, with the appearance of this “world-crossing intruder,” the remaining pages no longer displayed anything.
This made the Prince Can , who had relied on the remaining pages for so long, feel quite uncomfortable.
He had plotted for this opportunity for a long time. How could he bear to let it slip away? Did he always have to be one step behind fate’s chess game?
But now, an opportunity had arisen!
With the appearance of a demoness similar to Wei Jie’s experience, with snake scales on her arms and wielding the Punishing Sword, the Prince Can felt a sense of regaining a lost treasure!
An individual sharing Wei Jie’s experiences would have undergone the seven trials of life and death.
The number “seven” held profound significance in the study of yin and yang. After a person’s death, they would undergo a sacrificial rite every seven days. Thus, seven marked the boundary between yin and yang.
In Wei Jie’s original destiny, he had undergone these “seven trials,” each more cruel than the last, like being reborn from fire. Almost no one in the world could endure them, but if one did, they would be like the reborn phoenix on his hand, able to ascend to the highest heavens!
But now, Wei Jie seemed to lack the experiences described on the remaining pages, so how could he speak of being reborn?
This had also greatly disappointed the Prince Can, who had coveted Wei Jie’s special destiny and planned to ultimately usurp his position.
But now, things were different! Wei Jie had become unimportant! No wonder the remaining pages had become disordered – Wei Jie’s destiny had already been usurped!
If this was indeed the case, the Prince Can did not need to make any changes. He only needed to patiently “assist” the demonized Cui Xiaoxiao in completing the remaining seven trials.
Once she had passed the seven trials, the Prince Can could still take the opportunity when she was about to attain enlightenment and replace her, ascending to immortality in her stead!
With this thought, the Prince Can quickly returned to his desk and wrote down the “seven trials” he had long since memorized.
In the original destiny, after the snake disaster that caused his fall and demonization, Wei Jie had obtained the Defying the Heavens sword and lost his arm to the Punishing Sword, and was also framed in a case of false accusations in Luoyi City.
It seemed that Cui Xiaoxiao had already undergone the first two trials. However, during her time in Luoyi City, she had inadvertently exposed the ghost doctor’s true face instead of being framed like Wei Jie and suffering a tarnished reputation.
At this thought, the Prince Can let out a light laugh – since Cui Xiaoxiao had already become demonized, it would not be difficult to tarnish her reputation!
As for the trial of losing one’s mother that Wei Jie had faced, it seemed the Prince Can would need to make some arrangements. He just didn’t know where Cui Xiaoxiao’s parents were…
But there was no rush. The Prince Can had always been a patient angler. Now that he was certain the big fish was in the pond, he was not worried about it not taking the bait!
With this thought, he beckoned Wan Lianshi over and gave him detailed instructions. Wan Lianshi understood and nodded in acknowledgment.
Seeing Wan Lianshi’s festering wound, the Prince Can casually picked up a paper knife from his desk and sliced his own palm.
As fresh blood gushed out, he dripped it onto Wan Lianshi’s cheek.
Soon, Wan Lianshi’s facial wound rapidly healed, and the searing pain subsided.
The Ghost Sect had a penchant for collecting strange materials, and Wan Lianshi could not resist his cravings as he greedily eyed the Prince Can’s slowly healing wound while expressing gratitude for the treatment.
Of course, the Prince Can understood the greedy look in the eyes of his loyal dog. He smiled and said, “What’s this? Coveting my blood?”
Wan Lianshi realized his lapse and immediately lowered his head, saying he dared not.
The Prince Can smiled as he wiped his hand with a damp cloth, “I know of your fondness. I had originally intended to procure some fox demon’s blood for you to incorporate into your talismans before you returned to the manor. Their blood can extend one’s lifespan, far more potent than mine. But unfortunately, she managed to escape. However, my blood is not something ordinary people can withstand. If you are too greedy, you may end up harming yourself… Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Wan Lianshi, of course, knew the secret history of the Xia imperial family being protected by the Celestial Emperor. Although the blood of the Xia family’s direct descendants could also extend one’s lifespan, anyone who caused the spilling of a Xia descendant’s blood would suffer a karmic backlash and face divine retribution!
Hence, he immediately lowered his head in flattery, expressing that the king’s favor was as vast as a mountain, and he dared not harbor any untoward thoughts.
The Prince Can´s smile did not falter as he told Wan Lianshi, “Many of you came to serve under me when you had nowhere else to go. You are all destined for greatness, and I will absolutely fulfill my promises to you. You know, that day is not far off!”
Wan Lianshi hastily expressed his gratitude and stated that he would immediately carry out the king’s instructions.
As Wan Lianshi exited the Prince Can’s study, the dark clouds in the sky had not yet dispersed, and an even darker layer had been added, signaling the imminent arrival of a violent storm…
As for the Talisman Sect’s group, they were also stranded in that farmer’s courtyard due to the incessant heavy rain.
The downpour was so heavy that the village roads were submerged, and the villagers had not even noticed the arrival of so many outsiders. The village chief would definitely not brave the rain to make a report.
For the time being, they were securely hidden on the farm.
However, just like the unending rain, Xiaoxiao’s attempt to return the lost object was also quite troublesome.
When she was alone with her unruly disciple, Xiaoxiao tried to “return” the inner dan two more times.
But just like the first time, although their kisses eventually became entangled and passionate, with some practice…Wei Jie always “forgot” to absorb the inner dan.
This was truly taking advantage of his young master’s inexperience and ignorance!
After two more attempts, Xiaoxiao saw through Wei Jie’s mischievousness. On the fourth attempt to return the lost object, she first pulled out the “Defying the Heavens” sword and held it against her obedient disciple’s slender, sturdy neck.
Then Xiaoxiao smiled wryly and said, “The Talisman Sect has no use for defective disciples! If you fail this time, don’t blame your master for resorting to violence, and you won’t need to return it anymore!”
Wei Jie arched an eyebrow at his master’s merciless sword. Any man would feel uncomfortable hearing the words “fail” accompanied by such a gesture, but seeing his master’s resolute stance of expelling a defective disciple, he did not seem to be joking this time. So he obediently circulated his qi and absorbed the inner dan back.
In the instant the inner dan left Xiaoxiao’s dantian, she immediately sensed that the demonic bead seemed to have awakened due to the lack of suppression.
At this moment, her blood was boiling, and even without looking in a mirror, she guessed that her eyes had probably turned a deep crimson again…
After recovering his inner dan, Wei Jie had no time to stabilize his qi and immediately turned Xiaoxiao around, letting her back face him. Then he channeled his qi to her spiritual palace, helping her suppress her demonic nature together.
After finally suppressing the demonic nature, Xiaoxiao slowly let out a breath of relief. However, when she looked down at her arms, she felt that the snake scales seemed to have increased again.
Wei Jie had also noticed. He reassuringly squeezed Xiaoxiao’s shoulder and comforted her, “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way eventually…”
Xiaoxiao steadied her mind and couldn’t help but look up at Wei Jie. If not for him sacrificing his inner dan to help her suppress the demonic bead’s nature, she would never have known that Wei Jie had already condensed his inner dan.
That inner dan’s aura was rich and profound, faintly bearing the semblance of a great celestial master of the next generation.
Xiaoxiao knew that if Wei Jie had joined a renowned master’s sect, his achievements and cultivation would likely be much higher than his current state.
Unfortunately, he had casually joined her, a mere ninth-rate sect master.
This was the first time Xiaoxiao felt regret and guilt for Wei Jie’s wasted talent and for having nothing worthwhile to teach him, essentially squandering a promising disciple.
So this time, she sincerely said, “Wei Jie… there are many talented masters in the world. With your innate gifts, if you joined a renowned master, your cultivation would undoubtedly be better. The Talisman Sect has no rule about lifelong master-disciple bonds. If you encounter another capable master, you can actually take them as your new master. I would not blame you. After all… I haven’t really taught you any skills.”
Wei Jie looked at Xiaoxiao’s face, slightly blinking his purple eyes, his lips curled in a casual smile, “Who said you haven’t taught me anything?”
Xiaoxiao struggled to recall, but apart from some basic talisman control techniques, she didn’t seem to have taught him much else.
Wei Jie leaned closer and said, “You are an upright person who punishes evil and promotes good. By following you, I, a stone from a cesspit, have acquired a touch of fragrance. If I joined one of those so-called orthodox great masters, wouldn’t you just be throwing this stone back into the cesspit?”
These words hit the mark for Xiaoxiao! She had taken a detour in life, once engaging in street trickery, and felt ashamed after being taught by Tang Youshu.
Such praise for Xiaoxiao’s uprightness was like praising a beautiful maiden’s exquisite looks, truly sweet words that melted her heart!
After this, even if Xiaoxiao became demonized, her mood was greatly improved.
However, after this exchange of mutual admiration between master and disciple, there was still a more pressing matter – Siluan had still not been found.
Based on the conversation she had overheard between Wan Lianshi and Qin He in the forest, Siluan had entered the city and was nearly captured by Wan Lianshi, but someone had helped her escape.
Xiaoxiao was very curious about who had helped Siluan and where she was now.
But this answer was soon revealed.
As soon as the heavy rain stopped, someone came looking for them.
The visitor was a guard from the Demon Suppressing Alliance, delivering an invitation from the Alliance’s elderly matriarch for Wei Jie and his masters to join them for a meal by the nearby Qianjiang River.
Xiaoxiao had a deep impression of the previous meal invitation from the Alliance, so she was not very interested in attending this banquet.
However, the Alliance matriarch’s invitation was clearly not one to be refused. Seeing the silver-armored guards outside the farmhouse, Xiaoxiao realized there was no way for her to decline.
Could it be that the Alliance had already learned of her demonization and was now inviting her to a grand banquet to deal with it?
Tang Youshu and Yu Ling’er would also be accompanying them, but the Alliance’s messenger said that the matriarch had only invited the two of them, and no one else was allowed to attend.
Seeing the guard’s solemn tone, Xiaoxiao became more certain that something was amiss with this banquet.
The location of Qianjiang had an interesting terrain. On the riverbank stood a mountain with a circular cliff shaped like an umbrella, completely covering a section of the river and blocking out the sunlight year-round.
Moreover, the sound of the water at this part of the river seemed louder than elsewhere, making it an unsuitable place for drinking and chatting. Xiaoxiao wondered why the Alliance matriarch had chosen this location for the banquet.
When they arrived at the riverside pavilion, they discovered an exceptionally beautiful woman sitting beside the Alliance’s elderly matriarch.
This woman was none other than the long-missing Siluan.
It turned out that when Siluan had returned to Luoyi City, she too had encountered the illusory city. Being from the underworld and not of the human race, her perception of the city was completely different from humans’ – she only sensed an intense, putrid stench permeating everywhere.
Thus, she avoided it and directly entered the real Luoyi City first. However, when she entered, she realized Wei Jie had not yet arrived in the city.
Worried that he might mistakenly enter the illusory city, she left again, but by then the mirage had already disappeared. When she returned, she encountered the Ghost Sect’s Wan Lianshi, who was preparing to return to the king’s manor.
Wan Lianshi’s public identity was the steward of the king’s manor, though he spent most of his time away from the manor.
He seemed to know everything happening within the manor. Even though Siluan concealed her face with a wide-brimmed hat, he still recognized her.
The Ghost Sect truly was the nemesis of fox demonesses! Siluan was no match for Wan Lianshi, and her bewitching songs were useless against him.
Just as she was about to be captured, a fishing net suddenly descended from above, ensnaring Wan Lianshi and allowing Siluan to narrowly escape.
After that, she dared not enter the city again and lingered around its outskirts. However, when she tried to leave, she found that the Alliance’s people had been waiting for her outside the city all along.
It turned out that the fishing net had been cast by the Alliance’s elderly matriarch herself, saving Siluan’s life at the critical moment.
Siluan had privately promised to spend her life with Wei Jie’s father, without the approval of the Alliance elders. It was in a cave behind Mount Qilao that she secretly gave birth to Wei Jie.
So this Alliance’s daughter-in-law, whose relationship was irregular, felt somewhat awkward when she saw the elderly matriarch. The two women, upon seeing each other, could only recall the shared loss of their beloved.
It was not a pleasant memory.
Compared to the initial outrage upon learning that this fox demoness had bewitched Wei Jie’s father, the elderly matriarch’s current attitude towards Siluan could not be called accommodating, but she at least maintained basic courtesy and did not capture or bind the demoness.
Siluan understood that the Alliance’s hospitality towards her was not out of forgiveness, but for the sake of her son Wei Jie.
Hence, the two women sat stiffly in silence, listening to the rushing river waters, until Wei Jie and Cui Xiaoxiao’s Talisman Sect group arrived, finally bringing some liveliness to the occasion.
The Alliance’s elderly matriarch had sharp eyes. As her grandson approached, she slightly raised her nose and sensed something amiss, “Ah Jie, have you recently encountered demon tribes? The scent clinging to you is quite strong, as if you’ve been in close proximity.”
This intense, lingering odor that could not be dispelled was not from a mere casual encounter, but from constantly staying together.
Wei Jie raised his eyebrows casually and said, “My master rescued the fox tribe of Mount Tuyun. Since they have temporarily lost their dwelling, they are accompanying my master for the time being.”
The matriarch’s eyes, hidden in wrinkled folds, flashed briefly before she smiled at Cui Xiaoxiao, “Sect Master Cui, by taking in the fox tribe, your Talisman Sect has grown considerably. Congratulations!”
Xiaoxiao dared not consume any more food provided by the Alliance, so she was just idly sitting when she heard the matriarch’s words. She hastily smiled in return, “What is there to congratulate? I’ve only added more mouths to feed. Fortunately, they are not all finicky and in need of being provided for. When hungry, they can go hunt for themselves. Otherwise, even if I performed my stone-breaking street performance every day, I would not be able to support them all. Once I find a suitable place, I will let them settle there. My small Talisman Sect cannot accommodate too many people!”
What nonsense! Just that Yu Ling’er alone was a spendthrift. Sometimes, before Xiaoxiao realized it, her master Tang Youshu would have bought the little fox yet another unnecessary frilly item.
Xiaoxiao felt pained seeing her master’s silver being spent so freely, but she did not want her young master to have to support such a wasteful little fox!
The Alliance matriarch did not seem to expect Cui Xiaoxiao’s down-to-earth response, which sounded more like insincere politeness. Thus, she did not mince her words either, “The Mount Tuyun fox tribe are demon tribes that formed a karmic bond with the Goddess Nuwa in ancient times. Naturally, they have inherited many blessings from the ancient deities. Many have exhausted great efforts trying to bring the fox tribe under their control. Now that the tribe is willing to submit to you, yet you are so dismissive… Sect Master Cui, you truly are quite different from others!”
Hearing this, Xiaoxiao laughed openly and said, “Elderly Matriarch, you need to manage all affairs within the Demon Suppressing Alliance, so naturally you believe that the more assistance, the better, advocating maximum utilization. However, for a free-roaming recluse like myself, as long as my disciples have enough to eat and the seasons remain temperate, I am content to idly pass my days wherever I am. So for people like us, all that matters is ‘destiny’. As for other intentions, I’m too lazy to contemplate them.”
Her words were sincere, but to the cunning elderly matriarch’s ears, she heard a different implication.
This young lady was insinuating that the old woman had no matters too trivial to meddle in, and her invitation must hold ulterior motives!
Upon realizing this, the matriarch’s gaze immediately turned sharp as she smiled at Cui Xiaoxiao, “Unfortunately, there are not many people in this world as free and without desires as Sect Master Cui. Take my Alliance’s disciples for example – from the moment they emerged from the womb, they have shouldered the Alliance’s responsibilities, a burden they cannot avoid…”
Siluan, who had remained silent beside them, suddenly stood up and coldly addressed the Alliance matriarch, “Madam Wei, it was my fault for forming a private relationship with Jing Ling without the elders’ approval. But Ah Jie left the Alliance at a young age, knowing nothing. He has only been learning skills from his master. His young shoulders are too frail to bear too many burdens!”
It seemed Siluan, like Xiaoxiao, knew that the Alliance matriarch intended to assign a dangerous task to Wei Jie, which was why she did not want him to accept it.
The Alliance’s matriarch arched an eyebrow at Siluan, “And what do you think I would make Ah Jie do?”
Siluan gave a bitter laugh, “Of course, it would be something the Alliance cannot directly confront the imperial Xia family over, so you will have this child stand at the fore and do what the Alliance cannot. But that Prince Can is no ordinary man – his subordinates are all vicious fiends like the Ghost Sect’s Wal Lianshi! At his young age, how could he contend against such evildoers?”
At this moment, the Alliance’s patriarch, Wei Jing Feng, finally frowned and said, “In front of my mother, what right do you, an outsider from the demon realm, have to speak? Although you gave birth to Wei Jie, do not forget that he bears the Wei surname, not that of your demon kind. He is an adult now – how can we allow him to continue wandering so indolently?”