Chapter 135: Keep an Eye on Him

"Master..."

At the December Sect, a round-faced boy scratched his head with a look of worry.

The barrier to the Demon Realm was abnormal, and a portion of the December Sect's members had already rushed over. Logically, the Sword Sovereign should have led by example, but he had been in seclusion for a long time.

Before his seclusion, he had hurriedly taken a nominal disciple—this round-faced boy. His talent was only slightly above average, certainly not enough to be a disciple of the Sword Sovereign, but his family had influence. They had offered a rare treasure for calming the mind to the Sword Sovereign and managed to squeeze him in.

Then, the round-faced boy spent several years without a master. His family was furious, but assuming it was impossible for the Sword Sovereign never to emerge, they insisted he stay. At the very least, he was borrowing the prestige of the name, and the spiritual energy in this place was truly abundant; it served well as a borrowed training ground.

Every morning, the boy practiced with masters brought in by his family, and in the afternoon, he dazed on the peak, sometimes eating snow. His presence in the sect was minimal. Rumors outside said that Wanghua-jun’s state of mind was declining and his cultivation was unstable.

He felt it might be true.

After Sect Leader Turi and the others left, the boy spent day after boring day. Until one day, a bald woman arrived.

She asked, "Where is your Sect Leader? And the Sword Sovereign? I'm not too late, am I?"

The boy: "?"

"Uh... are you referring to them going to the Demon Realm? The Sect Leader and the others left a while ago; they should be inside by now. As for my Master..."

The late arrival, Qingding: "..."

That's not right. Shouldn't they have held a grand meeting to discuss things before packing up and heading out together?

She realized the gravity of the situation. Qingding glanced at the barrier that ordinary people couldn't see, as if trying to look through it to find the Sword Sovereign who had been silent for so long.

She said no more: "In that case, I shall take my leave."

She then led her fellow disciples waiting outside the sect toward the Demon Realm. Now, the location was easy to find; the barriers that used to roam everywhere were all fixed in one spot, merging together to form a black hole like a vortex.

When Qingding arrived, the black hole was already very conspicuous. The surroundings were cold and deserted; ordinary people had been sent away. Cultivators who weren't of a certain level of strength were stationed at a distance, not daring to approach.

As soon as Qingding drew near, she felt a constant stream of malevolent aura permeating the air, barely contained within a certain range by barriers cast by array masters. The Demon Realm barrier was broken, so they entered easily. The sight before them was desolate, perfectly matching the cultivation world's stereotype of the Demon Realm.

Qingding’s expression turned solemn: "What is that?"

A puddle of black, mud-like creatures wriggled on the ground, a wave of ominous aura hitting them.

"...No vitality, only the aura of death." Qingding frowned and attacked, her staff shooting a golden light at it.

The monster was unexpectedly fragile, bursting instantly. The accompanying Buddhist monks discussed it in low voices. Qingding gazed at the barren, parched land, but a deep sense of unease lurked in her heart due to these unknown creatures and the mysterious shattering of the barrier.

Turi Qi’s group split up as soon as they entered the Demon Realm. The territory was vast; they needed to understand the situation efficiently.

Turi Qi had disguised her clothing, but her face remained that of a middle-aged woman. Halfway through her journey, she encountered a small town. Compared to the prosperity of the human realm, it looked a bit impoverished, but it had its own unique style.

Just as she was about to enter the town, a voice spoke: "Hey—wait a moment."

A woman in her twenties, carrying a person, walked up to her and proceeded to scan her up and down unceremoniously.

"Tsk tsk. Transforming into an older form is truly the destiny of you Sect Leaders. Why does it feel like all your elders and leaders transform into people in their fifties?"

Turi Qi sighed: "Yiling Ke."

"Never mind, forget it. This person seems to be the Demon Lord of the South."

Turi Qi, already alert, became even more so: "The Demon Lord?"

She looked at the elderly man in the woman's hand, who had a face full of resignation.

To be captured alive so easily?

"Yep," Yiling Ke had arrived a few days earlier and had figured out the basic layout. "In the past, one Demon Lord ruled over one area, enjoying supreme status. But now, the Demon Realm seems to have merged; the North and South both belong to one person. However, that person doesn't call themselves a Demon Lord; they still gave that title to the people managing the areas."

"So, the so-called Demon Lord now is just a lapdog."

The lapdog Demon Lord, He Songning: "..."

To be honest, he wasn't at all surprised that his fellow sect members didn't recognize him.

First, although he hadn't practiced demonic arts, his spiritual energy wasn't being used, and high-level demonic cultivators wouldn't expose their aura. Furthermore, over these years, the thing he had focused on most during his cultivation was disguise—learned from watching Zora. That girl was a true genius; she could infer other things from one fact. He Songning had picked up many key tips, so no one in the Demon Realm had discovered he was a cultivator.

Even less did anyone realize that the top person over their heads was also a cultivator.

Second, in order to manage those bastards in the Demon Realm, his appearance had grown older and older. He had even used pills to subtly adjust his features to look more fierce.

—He had gotten those pills from Vane. God knows when that guy learned alchemy. He Songning only knew that he had truly had enough of this world full of geniuses.

Although at this very moment, the fierce-looking old man had an expression of utter hopelessness.

At some point, he had indeed developed a sense of responsibility for the South. He was already a busy person; once he wanted to accomplish something, he turned into a top being whipped.

It never ends. It truly never ends.

Zora didn't care about the education of the Demon Realm. She never thought about training the denizens into her believers, nor did she think about making them ignorant barbarians. She only needed to solve the crisis threatening life in the Demon Realm; the remaining tasks were delegated.

He Songning, as a "stowaway" from the cultivation world, had once rolled up his sleeves in an attempt to civilize the people of the South.

...He couldn't teach them. He simply couldn't. You tell them to learn to write, and they immediately go and carve threatening insults on their enemy's house. You tell them to farm... thank you, there's no soil.

Dealing with government affairs every day, or trivial matters that the people of the Demon Realm just happened to care about particularly. From being made uncomfortable by the Demon Realm’s atmosphere to now facing it calmly and mediating disputes with steady experience, He Songning had endured too much.

Yiling Ke was still belittling him: "This Demon Lord hardly fights back. I suspect both Demon Lords were chosen for their ability to handle affairs; they're lacking in strength."

He Songning held his breath: "..."

Who would have expected to suddenly encounter fellow cultivators.

So this is Senior Sister Turi?

He Songning glanced at Turi Qi. Her middle-aged form was exactly how she would look when middle-aged; those who knew her could still recognize her.

As the two were discussing, Yiling Ke used spiritual energy to knock him out. This was a special technique against demonic cultivators; unless there was a gap in cultivation, it rarely failed.

He Songning paused for a split second, then immediately feigned unconsciousness. He didn't know what he was doing, but he knew he absolutely didn't want to be discovered by his acquaintances. He Songning’s disguise was exquisite. After all, he could be called a half-disciple of that pair. For his main cultivation, he could only rely on himself, but he had learned those "crooked paths" to a point of extreme proficiency.

Yiling Ke: "I heard that the Master of the Immortal-Slaying Pavilion currently controls the Demon Realm. Why don't we use this guy?"

Turi Qi: "How? What if that Master doesn't care?"

Yiling Ke curled her lip: "True. I've been investigating for days, and no one actually knows the Master's name. Those who did are either dead of old age, or would rather die than speak. Their prestige is deep. Even though they've handed over a large portion to the two Demon Lords, they still maintain a deterrent force. They certainly aren't soft-hearted."

Turi Qi: "I have a disciple who is well-versed in the art of disguise. Why don't we just take his heart-blood..."

Yiling Ke: "I think we should try first. I want to see if this Master has anything to do with the strange occurrences in the Demon Realm."

He Songning: "I think you'd better release him to build some goodwill. I really advise you not to provoke the Master; she isn't someone who cares about old sentiments."

"..."

"..."

The two looked at the man who had naturally inserted himself into their conversation. He Songning returned to his original appearance before Yiling Ke could strike—he had to, for he feared them actually clashing with the Master more than he feared embarrassment. Zora might have had friendships in the past, but she wasn't the type to hesitate because of them.

"...Senior Brother He?" Turi Qi asked in shock.

Yiling Ke: "...Huh?"

He Songning gave an awkward smile and forced himself to the point: "Listen to me. I know you want to solve the problem of the evil spirits in the Demon Realm, but you must never approach the Master with a hard-line attitude... She’s actually quite reasonable, haha. She'll listen if you speak nicely."

For example, when he begged her to teach him a few techniques, he went every day and was almost killed by Vane. He Songning was probably the cultivator who knew that couple best.

Zora is innocent, but when she encounters a problem, she truly kills. She has feelings, but to expect her to back down because of them is a pipe dream.

Vane has elegance and his smile is like a spring breeze, but he is truly cruel. Being his subordinate is no easy task; who knows how many people have tried to pull him down over the years, only to end up as corpses, or worse, wishing they were dead.

The more he knew them, the more He Songning trusted them. Zora has a truly sincere nature, and Vane is cunning but listens too much to Zora. The Demon Realm has been stable over these years—stably having a few fights every day—but all factions other than the Immortal-Slaying Pavilion have been rooted out, so there's much less trouble.

Turi Qi glanced at him and followed his lead by not asking about his experiences. She only asked, "Senior Brother, you have seen that Master?"

He Songning stood up, looked at Turi Qi, and then at the bewildered Yiling Ke.

"Mhm... the Master is Zora."

Now, he didn't call her Junior Sister. No other reason than habit; her status as the Master was much more prominent than that of a junior sister, and he had grown accustomed to being her subordinate...

As his words fell, the surroundings went silent.

The Immortal-Slaying Pavilion.

Beside the pavilion stood a tree of modest size. A girl lay on a branch, one leg dangling with the hem of her light dress. Sunlight passed through the fabric, forming bright spots of light. A book covered her face; she looked as if she had fallen asleep while reading. The tree shadows were gentle in the wind, and the fragmented sunlight melted over her; she seemed to be the brightest color among the trees.

After a while, a youth entered the courtyard. The remnants of evil spirits on him had been washed away; he looked exceptionally refreshed.

There happened to be a space on the branch, and the youth sat down lightly without making a sound. He sat right near the top of her head. With his ponytail partly over his chest, Vane leaned down slightly toward her. A tiny bell tied to the end of a red hair ribbon on his chest moved downward first. It touched the book gently; it was a silent bell.

Sensing something, Vane straightened up, and the bell returned to his chest. He took the open book from her face.

With the book removed, Zora’s amber eyes were slightly raised, staring at him. Vane withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes, and began to read from the page she had opened.

"...Of old, those that attained the One: Heaven attained the One and became clear; Earth attained the One and became peaceful*..."

His reading voice was neither sharp nor overly gentle, but perfectly clear. Matched with the warm sunlight, it was truly comfortable. Zora looked at the leaves above her, which appeared vibrantly green because of the light. She was listening, but her face looked as if she were in a daze. Her dangling foot swung relaxedly in time with his reading.

For a time, the only sound in the courtyard was the youth reading aloud. No one dared to disturb them here.

Vane read the section with single-minded focus. Looking at the end of the text, he didn't look at her. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke: "The people from the December Sect have arrived."

Zora’s foot was still swinging. Hearing this, she gave an "mhm."

Vane’s thoughts were complicated. Sometimes he truly wanted to tear all the evil spirits to shreds. He thought he had found satisfaction, but when those people from the past arrived, he couldn't help but become irritable. He only wanted to live here with her, just the two of them, forever.

He knew it was impossible, but as so much time passed, he occasionally harbored some extravagant hopes in such quiet moments. He thought he was satisfied, but the word "love" would torture him repeatedly; every day brought new thoughts.

Zora had clearly said they could be together, but now that the people from the December Sect had arrived, he was terrified. It was clear she treated the cultivation and demon realms with equal indifference, but she had also never developed any sense of belonging or reliance on either place. Consequently, Vane now couldn't help but wonder if she would go back once the evil spirits were resolved.

On one hand, he thought she was already in the Demon Realm and was a defector, clearly having no feelings for the sect and even being quite dissatisfied. On the other hand, he couldn't help but wonder... what if?

What if she wanted to go back? His Demonic Seed was gone, but he was still someone who had been cast out of the sect. Vane wasn't afraid of those cultivators; he was afraid of failure. What if they insisted he leave? Vane couldn't help but become obsessed at this thought, as if he truly saw her entering the sect again while he was shut out. At this thought, a sense of tension radiated from deep within his bones.

Furthermore, given Zora’s current status, how many people would turn from her fellow disciples into her enemies? Would she mind?

She likely wouldn't. But Vane would. What if she was careless because they were former disciples? He was wary of her contact with them, to the point where he watched them one by one from the shadows with malicious eyes, memorizing their faces.

Zora always broke through schemes with raw power, but cultivators had many techniques. Who knew if some fool would have a trick up their sleeve to catch her off guard? And regarding the evil spirits—it was as if the seal had been broken, with spirits pouring out endlessly. He was desperate to solve the source, investigating without rest. He utterly loathed these creatures that disturbed his and Zora’s peaceful life.

Some were like black mist, some like black mud.

Vane smiled and said as if nonchalantly, "Those old acquaintances are here too. If they learn of our identity..."

Zora shot him a strange look: "If they know, they know."

"After all these years, I don't know how they've changed. The human heart is hard to predict; there will surely be insolent people among the sect."

Zora looked up at him. The youth spoke unhurriedly and his expression was calm, making it impossible to tell that he had already started to be wary of everyone. Just as he had been wary of everyone in the Demon Realm while working for Zora all these years, he would always scrutinize them.

Zora raised her hand. Vane leaned down, and the book was swept into the storage bag in an instant. He almost nuzzled his face against hers. Zora’s sleeve slid down, revealing red marks and tooth indentations on her forearm. Vane met her gaze, his hand holding her arm, his thumb stroking the shallow tooth marks.

It was an itchy sensation, almost like flirting. Zora was stunned.

Mhm... she actually wanted to take the book.

As he leaned in, she also saw the bite marks on the edge of his collar; they were heavy. When Vane bit her, he poured out all his dark yet restrained affection. When Zora bit him, it was a genuine bite because she was overwhelmed by comfort, mixed with tears, while Vane liked to talk into her ear and lick around.

Zora glanced at the storage bag that had taken the book, then stopped caring. Anyway, she had taken the book just to put it back in the bag. He had succeeded in anticipating her move.

"If they're insolent, just say something back," Zora said nonchalantly. Vane often asked strange questions; she was used to it.

Zora thought of the protagonist: "Has Wanghua-jun arrived?"

Vane’s eyes shifted slightly: "Not yet."

"Let me know when he arrives."

"..." Vane nuzzled her palm. "Okay."

He would definitely keep a very close eye on him.