Every single person slowed their breathing. Shan Qingyang was collapsed on the ground, trembling. Even in his dreams, he hadnāt 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.
āSomething like killing living beings to cultivate a demonic fetus is normally something that us demonic cultivators do. Not only have you done it, but youāve even thrown the blame onto this lord. Did you ever ask for this lordās opinionā¦ā¦?ā 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 Liās laughter reverberated clearly throughout the cave.
Fang Li lowered his eyes, his gaze falling onto Shan Qingyang, and he raised an eyebrow. āAs for the blood spirit fetus, since youāve already said that it was this lordās doing, then it would be rude to refuse. This lord can only gladly accept it.ā
Shan Qingyang crouched on the ground, his old face full of wrinkles, and revealed the most flattering smile possible. āIf, if this blood spirit fetus, p-pleases Your Excellency, it would naturally be this old manās honor, to offer it to Your Excellencyā¦ā¦ā
āVery well. Then on behalf of the blood spirit fetus, Iāll grant youāā Fang Li smiled faintly, āA quicker death.ā
Shan Qingyangās smile immediately froze on his face. He didnāt even get the chance to speak the rest of his words before Wu Yimeiās whip twisted around him, and a head rolled onto the ground. The old manās 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 theyād been in enough despair before, but now they knew that theyād been wrong.
So it turned out, there was even more despair.
Shan Qingyang already had the highest cultivation here, and heād even presented the blood spirit fetus to that devil, but even so, he hadnāt been able to preserve his life, so how could they save their own lives? Recalling the ways theyād mocked and ridiculed Fang Li previouslyā¦ā¦
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 basicsā¦ā¦
Falling into Night Sky Palaceās hands meant death, but falling into that devilās hands meant a fate worse than death. Since that was the case, then it would have been better to fall into Night Sky Palaceās hands; at least theyād have a quick deathā¦ā¦
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 allā¦ā¦
The taste of it actually wasnāt 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 didnāt need other peopleās understanding, pity, approval, or sympathyā¦ā¦ 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 ātruth and justiceā 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 killedā¦ā¦
A trace of a sneer crept into Fang Liās expression. He slowly raised his handā¦ā¦ 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 Huaiās voice entered his ears like an icy spring. āYour Excellency, donāt forget what you promised me.ā
Strengthen your spirit and guard your heart. Donāt let a momentās impulse lead you to do something youāll 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 clarityā¦ā¦
Just now, heād probably been affected by the atmosphere, and in a split second, it had evoked Yan Suiās past memories. Heād almost been influenced by Yan Suiās violent energy and done something he shouldnāt, 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 Huaiā¦ā¦
Now that he thought about it, this was already the second time Xie Huai had helped him.
Fang Liās eyes curved, and he turned his hand to hold Xie Huaiās in return. The spirit of a demon lord who was deeply in love immediately possessed him, and his tone became devoted yet gentle. āSeeing as this lord made a promise to Yuyi-jun, this lord will certainly do what was promisedā¦ā¦ā
Saying that, he turned to look at the crowd. His lips parted slightly, and he spat out a single phrase. āGet out.ā
The crowd had originally thought that disaster was upon them, and that they wouldnāt be able to escape from a torment worse than death.Ā They were miserable and in distressā¦ā¦ 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? ā¦ā¦ Wait, what had that devil called that person just now?
Y-Yuyi-jun?
Everyone looked as if theyād seen a ghost, but this wasnāt the time to be astonished. That āGet outā 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 escapeā¦ā¦ But who knew that as soon as theyād taken a single step, Wu Yimeiās whip would lash out at them. Wu Yimeiās cold and gloomy gaze swept over them, and he said in a hoarse voice, āWho said you could leave?ā
The Night Sky Palace disciplesā 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 whinniesā¦ā¦
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 Liās hand fell onto the Cloud Swallowing Beastās 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. āAāYan, youāre reading theĀ Spirit Beast Records?ā
The youth nodded and said in pleasant surprise, āShixiong.ā
The man in white stroked his head, his gaze flitting past the book in his hand, and smiled. āThe Cloud Swallowing Beast, huhā¦ā¦ AāYan, did you know that the most precious part of the Cloud Swallowing Beast actually isnāt its core?ā
The youth said with a bit of puzzlement, āBut the book says that it really is the core thatās the most precious.ā
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. āWhatās written in the book might not be complete. Although the Cloud Swallowing Beastās 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 oneās life, itās much more precious than a beast core.ā
The youth pondered it over earnestly. After a short while, he said, a bit unable to bear it, āItās much too cruel to collect the blood of a thousand people to feed it with.ā
The white-robed man closed the book and smiled approvingly. āAāYan really is kind. The first thing you think of isnāt how valuable the blood spirit fetus is, but that this action is too cruel and unjust.ā
The youthās face reddened slightly, and he said docilely, āIf 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. Itās 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 itā¦ā¦?ā
The white-robed man fell into silence for a few moments, then said, āItās not that there isnāt 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.
āButā¦ā¦ The uncontrolled blood spirit energy isnāt anything good. Most people have no way to control this kind of violent energy, and extracting it will harm the body. Itās 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?ā
Hearing this, the youth felt a bit pained and said, āThank goodness nobody knows about whatĀ ShixiongĀ has said, and itās not written in the book, either. This way, nobody will hurt the Cloud Swallowing Beast.ā
āThatās rightā¦ā¦ā The white-robed man smiled, looking dotingly at him as he said, āPerhaps itās precisely because the Great Sage didnāt want anyone to know that he didnāt record it in theĀ Spirit Beast Recordsā¦ā¦ AāYan, 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.ā
The youth looked with yearning and admiration at hisĀ 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 Suiās heart seemed to linger for a long, long time. Iām sorryā¦ā¦ In the end, I still betrayed your expectations.
Iām sorryā¦ā¦
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 Beastās eyes thoroughly vanished.
The Cloud Swallowing Beastās eyes returned to their clear, pitch-black color, and it rubbed docilely against Fang Liās palm with gratitude. After standing up, it trotted back and forth around him.
Fang Li patted the Cloud Swallowing Beast and smiled. āIāve already gotten my compensation. You should go.ā
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 Huaiās concerned faceā¦ā¦
He smiled.
Yan SuiāsĀ shixiongĀ 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 wouldnāt 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 Suiās wishes.
Xie Huai looked at Fang Liās face that was even paler than before, and he couldnāt help but crease his brow. He wanted to step forward and support Fang Liās swaying body that was on the verge of falling, but within the short span of his hesitationā¦ā¦ 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. āNo need to worry. Just now, it was too much of a curative. This lord just needs to take a while to digest it.ā
Xie Huaiās 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 shouldnāt have formed yet. Would extracting it at this point still count as a benefit? He looked at Fang Liās increasingly pale and fragile face. Looking at that appearance, it really didnāt seem like heād gotten any benefits, but rather like heād sustained an injury in order to save the Cloud Swallowing Beastā¦ā¦
Precious few words of truth ever came out of this personās 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 didnāt speak. From what standpoint could he show concern for him?
Besidesā¦ā¦ 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 didnāt permit anyone to peer into his heart.
Why is thatā¦ā¦ Is it because youāre afraid of being hurt?
Fang Li braced himself with Wu Yimeiās hand, and after a momentās contemplation, he said, āLetās leave the mountain.ā
He needed to hurry to rest and regain his breath.
Although Xie Huai was a righteous man of honorā¦ā¦ In the end, their standpoints were different, and their relationship was a hostile one. At a time like this, Fang Li didnāt dare order Xie Huai to follow instructions. He could only rely on Wu Yimei.
ć The System was anxious: Host, host! What were you doing just now, why did you stick your nose in other peopleās business?! ć
ć Fang Li smiled: Donāt worry, Iāll survive until the end of the plot. ć
ć System: ā¦ā¦ ćCanāt I worry for you?
But Fang Li hooked up the corners of his mouth and smiled. Seeing as heād come to this world and gotten the chance to start over, then he should properly live these last few months in Yan Suiās placeā¦ā¦
If Yan Sui were still here, he would probably have made the same choice, wouldnāt he?
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
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, āHis Excellency hasnāt come out of closed door cultivation yet. Please leave, Yuyi-jun.ā
Xie Huaiās 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 doorā¦ā¦ and not giving Xie Huai another chance to approach.
After a long time, the corner of his mouth pulled downwards in self-ridicule. Thatās right, it was expected for Fang Li to be on guard against himā¦ā¦
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 shouldnāt have had this kind of thought from the start. From the start, he shouldnāt care about or worry for that personā¦ā¦
Xie Huaiās 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 Huaiās side.
The youthās eyes were full of tears as he said with worry, āElder Sect Brother, youāre okay!ā
The youth was Xie Huaiās 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 sleepā¦ā¦
During this period of time, they had tried again and again to approach Hollow Ridge, and theyād 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 hairās breadth closer to Hollow Ridge, and they couldnāt rescue their elder sect brother at allā¦ā¦
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 heād lost his soul, that they spent day and night in the throes of indulgence, describing Xie Huai like he was some kind of person whoād lost himself to depravity.
Tao Lu felt angry and aggrieved, but there wasnāt 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 didnāt 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 lordās whereabouts.
Up until two days ago, when Xining countyās 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 devilās identity, yet he didnāt 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 devilās followerā¦ā¦
These days, the rumors said in private were as ugly as anything one could imagine.
Tao Lu and the others naturally didnāt believe them. Theyād gone to great lengths to finally find Xie Huaiās whereabouts and hurried over to Xining county, just to get a glimpse of Xie Huai.
Today, seeing that his elder sect brother wasnāt missing any arms or legs and was living well, Tao Lu felt his tears overflow and said in a choked voice, āElder Sect Brother, right now, everyone is saying that youāre helping the devil do evil, and that you helped that devil destroy Night Sky Palace, but donāt worry, we definitely wonāt believe those stories. It must have been that devil who forced you!ā
Xie Huai lowered his eyes, his expression impassive. As for how rumors would spread in the outside world, heād already anticipated it. Only, this time, it wasnāt just Fang Li being slandered, but himself as well, that was allā¦ā¦
Actually, Fang Li had discovered something odd about this matter from the very start, and heād also guessed Night Sky Palaceās scheme, but he knew that his status was unusual and had no way to gain the othersā trust, so heād intentionally scared them off midway in order to give them a chance to escapeā¦ā¦ 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 hadnāt 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 werenāt worth savingā¦ā¦
If not for Fang Li, they would already long be dead at Night Sky Palaceās hands.
As for Night Sky Palaceās 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 couldnāt pay back their crimes.
Even if Fang Li hadnāt 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 didnāt know how to return oneās kindness, but they even disgraced him like this. Tao Lu opened his eyes wide and said with determination, āElder Sect Brother, Iāll 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 youā¦ā¦ā
Xie Huai watched the youthās resentful eyes and heard his furious words, but what he thought in his heart was insteadā¦ā¦
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 finishā¦ā¦
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.
āRoadside gossip shouldnāt be trusted lightly.ā He spoke slowly, his voice cool and clear, every word deliberate. āThose who walk the path of cultivation should have clear eyes and a clear mind. Donāt 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?ā
Tao Lu was stupefied for a moment. After a long time, he finally reacted. It couldnāt be that Elder Sect Brotherās 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 dayās time, a preposterous notion rose to his mind: Elder Sect Brother couldnāt have, really been bewitched by that devil, could he?!
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
The Author Has Something to Say:
Xie Huai: The wife doesnāt trust me, Iām feeling disappointed, but I still wonāt let others badmouth him.
Fang Li: ???
PS: To prevent my dears from overthinking too much, Iāll repeat again, Fang Li isnāt Yan Sui, Xie Huai isnātĀ Shixiong, this is a transmigration novel, first love on both sides, itās not reincarnation of a past life, itās not reincarnation of a past life, itās not reincarnation of a past life, important things have to be said three times
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TL Note: As you can see, Iām usingĀ ShixiongĀ instead of āElder Sect Brotherā for Yan SuiāsĀ shixiongā¦ Mostly because writing it out feels stiff and kind of unnatural for AāYan. Anyway, he gets special treatment.