Chapter 30: No One Can Imitate Her

They discussed the situation for a long time until Turi Qi asked, "Where is Senior Brother Song?"

"He hasn't returned yet. He couldn't have been pinned down as well, could he..." Yiling Ke said hesitantly.

Thinking of the black smoke she had lost track of, Zora said, "Then we'll split up to find him."

"That works." Yiling Ke left a letter in his room, packed up, and followed Zora out.

The four split into two groups. Since Zora had seen the demon cultivator, she naturally went to see if the cultivator had left any dangerous hazards. Accompanied by Vane, she retraced her tracking route to look for any residual, undissipated demonic energy. After all, undissipated demonic energy easily attaches to animals and plants, with a small chance of turning them into monsters.

However, since Vane had the Demonic Seed in his dantian, he was bound to be more sensitive to it than she was.

Thinking of this, Zora turned to him and said, "Look carefully for any demonic energy."

Vane merely took it as a reminder, nodded slightly, and gave an acknowledgment.

Following her route back to the inn, the two stayed at every location where they had fought for a while.

Zora pointed to a corner: "The corpse of 'Turi Qi' was right here just now."

The dark, cramped corner was empty. There seemed to be some dark stains on the mottled wall, making it impossible to tell if blood had splattered onto it.

Vane lowered his long lashes, bowing his head to examine the traces on the wall, his hand touching and rubbing them. The youth scrutinized them meticulously, his brow slightly furrowed, his naturally dark eyes holding a focused, sharp intensity.

No demonic energy.

After his investigation, his gaze paused as it turned to Zora.

—She was doing absolutely nothing, watching him with a serious expression as if waiting for his report.

The youth looked dazed for a moment, his lips moving slightly. He looked at the wall and then back again: "No demonic energy."

"Mhm. Next one."

At every location, Zora would point, then wait for him to investigate—like leading a dog, using its nose to find what was needed.

"..."

But he was indeed useful. The "genius youth" of the early original story didn't just refer to cultivation; he seemed to be able to say a thing or two about everything, and even if he didn't know how to do something, he could do it perfectly once he tried.

After several fruitless searches, they eventually arrived at the entrance of the Sanpin Pavilion. Near midnight, it was the busiest time for the pavilion; it was brightly lit, illuminating the night as if it were day.

A wealthy-looking man walked out with a supple, bone-soft woman in green in his arms. He was flirting, his eyes glued to the woman's shy, smiling face, as he spoke to the person at the entrance of the pavilion: "Yi Niang, I'm taking Lotus for a stroll."

The woman named Yi Niang took the gold and silver, her smile charming: "Understood. Lotus, remember to serve the Master well."

Besides spirit stones, gold and silver were also common currency among ordinary people.

Vane scanned the surroundings. The men coming and going here were all physically weak and frivolous, useless individuals with eyes full of filth.

"You came here just now?" Vane asked.

Zora recalled: "Mhm. I also killed two men."

A quick thought was enough to know what kind of trash those two men were. Vane said with a calm expression, "May I ask where their corpses are?"

Perhaps there were residual souls.

"Dissolved," Zora replied casually. "Let's go."

While it was bustling in front of the door, the backyard was cold and quiet. Vane knocked the guards unconscious and watched her skillfully scale the wall, slipping into a third-floor window like a loach. The closed window was opened by her, and after her whole person slid inside, the window closed again.

Vane: "..."

After a long while, the window opened again, revealing her eyes through the gap. She urged: "Hurry and come in."

The window shut again with a thud.

Song Zhihuai was exceptionally easy to find.

Yiling Ke asked a few local citizens at random, and people tremblingly said they had seen him; it was clear how deep an impression Song Zhihuai left on people.

They found him in a deserted, dilapidated courtyard within the county. The sword cultivator’s white robes were stained with blood; he had clearly encountered an ambush. Upon seeing them, he first showed an imperceptible joy, followed by vigilance.

Turi Qi did not approach recklessly: "Senior Brother Song, Junior Sister Zora also encountered that demon cultivator. He can disguise himself as others. We are the real ones."

Song Zhihuai’s vigilant expression relaxed slightly.

Yiling Ke’s lip twitched in disbelief.

No way? He trusts people that easily? He’s the complete opposite of Zora... haha...

She joked: "Wait, Senior Brother Song, if we say we are the real ones, do you just believe we are real?"

"..."

Song Zhihuai’s gaze gradually became sharp again.

Yiling Ke: "............"

You’re too gullible again!

Turi Qi hurriedly spoke: "Junior Sister Zora and Junior Brother Vane went out to look for the demon cultivator’s tracks. We must regroup with them as soon as possible."

This time Song Zhihuai grew vigilant: "How do I know if you are real or fake?"

"Tch," Yiling Ke took a step forward and shouted, "Then the only way is to trade a few blows! That demon cultivator can't use December Sect formations or sword techniques anyway!"

Turi Qi looked at her, her thoughts drifting for a second.

Junior Sister Yiling... though she was terrified by Junior Sister Zora, she truly does acknowledge her methods.

Song Zhihuai’s voice was chilling: "Wise words."

"...Wa—wait." Yiling Ke looked at his imposing aura and couldn't help but take a step back, swallowing hard.

A flash of sword light.

...

After a bout of fighting, Turi Qi and Song Zhihuai stood opposite each other.

Turi Qi: "Junior Sister Zora should be at the final location. We agreed to regroup at the Sanpin Pavilion."

Song Zhihuai gave a slight nod.

Prostrate on the ground, the exhausted formation master slowly extended a hand: "Um... I think my arm is broken..."

Turi Qi reset her dislocated arm and laughed helplessly: "Try not to be tripped by your own formations in the future, Junior Sister Yiling."

Song Zhihuai had been very tactful and hadn't hurt her, but Yiling Ke, in her frantic state, had been tripped by a roadblock formation she had cast herself, heavily dislocating her arm in the fall.

Yiling Ke stood up and whispered: "Wise words, wise words."

On their way to the Sanpin Pavilion, Turi Qi perceptively noticed Senior Brother Song’s dejection. After all, his usually unchanging eyes were currently slightly lowered, and his eyebrows were downcast just a bit—for a person with only one expression, a subtle change was enough to be noticed.

Turi Qi: "Senior Brother Song, what is wrong? Is the injury not healed? Or is it because of that demon cultivator? It’s fine, the Sect Leader didn't require us to catch him, and tomorrow they will surely send a disciple more skilled at dealing with face-changers to handle it."

He shook his head gently: "Because I didn't recognize you."

"It's fine, the skin was too similar."

He still shook his head and said no more. He had finally made friends, yet he was easily deceived by others; didn't this prove he knew nothing about them?

...Truly shameful.

At this thought, the youth’s movements remained swift as he moved like the wind, yet his features looked quite wilted.

Yiling Ke: "By the way, what kind of place is Sanpin Pavilion?"

Turi Qi: "Probably the brothel of Ning'an County."

"..." Yiling Ke was strangely silent for a few heartbeats before accurately raising a question, "What is Zora doing there?"

A bit of light returned to Song Zhihuai’s eyes as he said in a flat tone, "Not leaving a single place unchecked; this is an extremely meticulous search. Junior Sister Zora must be a person of great attention to detail."

Yiling Ke looked at him in shock as he praised Zora with an expressionless face.

"..."

Really??

Inside the Sanpin Pavilion, the moment Vane entered, he saw Zora sitting at the table by the bed, eating cakes. In the middle of the room stood a large screen, dividing the room in two. On the other side was another set of table and chairs, larger than the one by the bed. Faintly, the sweet, flirtatious coaxing of a woman and the laughter of an arrogant man could be heard.

"Chun Ling, as expected of the Courtesan... this room is filled with a lingering fragrance."

The woman laughed: "It is you, Master. Come, drink."

Neither of them realized there were intruders on this side of the screen.

Vane turned his head back to Zora, who was eating cakes as if no one were around.

"........."

Zora urged him with her eyes to hurry up. He paused and calmly began his investigation as well. On the other side, the flirtatious words of the two gradually became more explicit. On this side, the expressions of the two youths remained unchanged.

Because Chun Ling had said her wealth and life were hers, Zora had unhesitatingly finished her cakes. She was still a bit hungry and looked around, but found no other food.

Suddenly, Chun Ling and the man stood up. With his arm around her waist and his hand touching her face, they walked past the screen, preparing to enter the bed curtains.

However, they abruptly met the gaze of the girl who had just saved her. In the corner stood a youth in black martial attire, standing still with his back to them, seemingly checking something. Chun Ling could only see his high ponytail hanging down and a silver belt at his waist outlining a lean, narrow waistline; even from behind, he looked like a handsome young man.

The man was startled, his drunken state half-cleared. Noticing it was a good-looking and truly cute girl, he immediately laughed and said, "Chun Ling, is this a gift you’ve sent to—"

The sound ended abruptly. Before Chun Ling could stop him, the man collapsed onto the floor. Chun Ling looked up only to see the youth had slightly turned at some point. The candlelight reflected off his profile; his dark eyes were like stars, infinitely deep.

It was as if he were looking at a corpse, a piece of meat.

Chun Ling’s entire body went stiff. He withdrew the hand that had flicked the stone to knock the man unconscious and turned back with a calm expression to continue using his spiritual power to investigate. He had indeed found some demonic energy here, but it would take some time to eliminate it completely.

Ignoring the man on the floor, Zora walked straight to her and asked, "Has any strange person approached you?" The original story didn't mention how the demon cultivator found her; what if it was the demon cultivator from this mission?

Chun Ling shook her head: "No, only this man."

"Alright then."

The air was silent. Chun Ling couldn't help but say cautiously, "Would the Benefactor like to sit and rest?"

This "Benefactor" was called out much more softly and sincerely than the "Master" from before, drawing a glance from Vane. He scanned Chun Ling, his gaze like a sharp blade scraping over her. After scrutinizing her for a moment and finding no ulterior motives or signs that she was a disguised demon cultivator, he withdrew his gaze.

Chun Ling didn't dare meet his eyes, yet she still broke into a cold sweat while keeping her head down. This youth was a completely different person from when she first saw him. If the one who broke in the first time was an ordinary cultivator, then this one was now some cold-blooded executioner, like a dark-minded henchman.

Zora sat on the chair on the other side of the screen. Chun Ling arranged food for her. Without the youth’s gloomy vigilance, she looked at Zora and her mind gradually relaxed. She even felt a trace of joy because the "Master" from tonight had been very brutal.

A short while later, Vane walked to the table. "The demonic energy is eliminated. Are we still looking for him?"

"I don't know. We'll wait for Senior Sister Turi." Zora took a bite, and Chun Ling served her appropriately.

The youth looked down, his brow slightly furrowed, appearing somewhat restless, yet he forcibly suppressed it. Chun Ling seemed to sense something; the hand picking up food became increasingly cautious.

"Sit down." Zora noticed nothing and gave him a look.

Vane sat silently on her other side, one hand resting on the table. He didn't look at them, his straightened lip line adding a bit of gloom. The round table was too large; Chun Ling had to stand up to pick up dishes from the far side, which was quite a hassle. Thus, Zora looked at Vane: "I want to eat cabbage."

"..." Vane paused for a moment, scanned the table, and casually picked up a pair of clean chopsticks.

Chun Ling glanced at him cautiously, seeing that his mood had improved significantly after being ordered by his Benefactor, and she also slowly breathed a sigh of relief.

When Yiling Ke and the other two arrived, they saw Zora sitting in the middle of the large round table, with a person on either side helping her pick out food. The mature woman on the right was stunningly beautiful. The youth on the left, with his black clothes and tied hair, originally had a look of innate ferocity, yet when he lowered his eyes, he showed a strange compliance.

Yiling Ke cried out: "The world is declining! This looks awesome!"

Zora stopped eating. After hearing her account, Turi Qi said, "Then we will search for another two hours. if we can't find him, we’ll leave it to the fellow disciples who arrive at Ning'an County tomorrow." She paused. "Then I'll handle this person’s matter for Miss Chun Ling first."

Turi Qi was referring to the unconscious man on the floor. Chun Ling stood up, lowered her head slightly, and gave an acknowledgment of thanks.

The other four vaulted out of the Sanpin Pavilion. But after Turi Qi came out, she said, "That Miss Chun Ling wants to follow us."

Yiling Ke: "But we can't bring mortals back to the sect."

Zora thought of the original story. The Sword Sovereign indeed had special privileges. Before she could speak, Turi Qi pondered for a moment and said bluntly, "According to what Junior Sister Zora said, she may have caught the eye of a demon cultivator. Perhaps I can send her to another sect. Some sects with good reputations have been taking disciples recently."

"That works," Song Zhihuai listened carefully and finally found an opening to join in. "Although the four major sects are no longer taking disciples, she can live quite well in another sect."

The matter was settled in a few words. While searching for the demon cultivator, Turi Qi suddenly recalled Chun Ling’s words. The woman had first said she wanted to follow Zora, then hesitated for a moment and gave up.

"He seems to like Miss Zora... yet he truly treats her like a master. Even if he develops transgressive possessiveness, it is suppressed very deep, as he prioritizes Miss Zora's will..." The woman had smiled gently. "Apologies... it's just that he ties himself too tight. It's better if I don't draw near."

Finishing her recollection, Turi Qi glanced at her junior sister and brother and smiled.

...

Zora read through that plot point in the original story again while searching. That demon cultivator confused Chun Ling, killed the Sect Leader, and threw the December Sect into chaos. At that exact moment, Vane was undergoing the "Nail-to-the-Bone" punishment, locked in the Black Suspending Sea. As a result, everyone said the demon cultivator had come to rescue the Demonic Seed. Part of the blame for the Sect Leader’s death was placed on Vane’s head, though nothing was done to the youth in the Black Suspending Sea beyond more infamy.

Deep within the Black Suspending Sea, the youth was at his last gasp, and people from the Demon Realm took advantage of his weakness to persuade him to return. At that time, the youth could not refuse. He wanted to live. To live well. At all costs.

Mhm... Zora looked again.

Fine, nothing was missed. It wasn't the decisive factor in his return to the Demon Realm, nor did it reveal his location after returning. It truly had little to do with the mission.

...

After reading the plot point, Zora and the others searched for another hour. Finally, they found the demon cultivator hiding and healing in the wild. Vane was indeed very sensitive to demonic energy; the other three hadn't noticed anything wrong and only thought he was exceptionally cautious and observant.

The demon cultivator was a thin, weak man. His face contorted for a moment, and he suddenly set an array, causing white mist to rise all around. Zora was wary of her surroundings when she suddenly heard the muffled sound of a spear piercing flesh. The white mist dissipated instantly, and the demonic energy vanished along with its master's death.

Vane withdrew his spear with a calm expression. "Zora" looked at him in shock, as if unable to believe his judgment had been wrong. Clearly, given his attitude toward the girl, it should have been the easiest to succeed, even just to buy a little time. Who would have thought the youth would kill him brutally in an instant.

Blood surged as "Zora" fell, turning back into that small, thin man, blood still bubbling from his throat.

Yiling Ke looked at Vane, then at Zora, and muttered, "Birds of a feather..."

Zora had no particular thoughts, only assuming he followed his own method of differentiation. Vane looked at the demon cultivator. His inner state was unlike his outward calm; a thick killing intent was churning. He suppressed it one by one while keeping his features seemingly peaceful. Hearing Yiling Ke’s words, the corners of his lips curled.

How were they the same?

She would strike regardless of whether it was real or fake, while he knew with absolute certainty it was a fake before he killed it. For some reason, he differentiated the real Zora from the fake very quickly—almost in an instant.

Vane looked at Zora. She was staring at the corpse, watching Yiling Ke fumble through the things the demon cultivator carried. Her eyes were clear, and her features spoke of a harmless cuteness, yet she held no reverence for life or death. It was a unique personality and expression—at least, so rare in the Demon Realm and the Immortal Cultivation Realm.

Maybe it's because no one can imitate her,

Vane thought. And anyone who attempted to imitate her would only provoke his killing intent.