(T/N: The title of this chapter is actually part of the title of the book. The book title is something like “A Demonically Charming Smile from the Villain.”)
Qin Kaiyi deeply felt that there might be something wrong with his brain circuitry. If Shen Feixiao came to talk to him, he would certainly feel that Shen Feixiao had problems. But when Shen Feixiao really pretended not to know him… he… even more so felt that Shen Feixiao had problems!
He must be conspiring; he must be conspiring!! Looking at Shen Feixiao standing with several Lingshan Sect disciples, Qin Kaiyi’s mood was very complicated. It could be said that he had watched Shen Feixiao grow up, watching him grow from a malnourished little radish head into the mature man before him. (T/N: little radish head = little kid). To a certain extent, Qin Kaiyi regarded Shen Feixiao as a son he had raised. When he saw Shen Feixiao ignoring him, he inexplicably had a feeling like his daughter had been married off and could no longer be retrieved…
“Wu?” Wei He was obviously more reliable than Qin Kaiyi. He saw Qin Kaiyi’s face change as soon as he saw Shen Feixiao, and thought that Qin Kaiyi had ill will towards this shidi who had forced him. After thinking for a while, he said to Qin Kaiyi, “The competition will start soon, what are you going to do?”
“Find a place to hide,” Qin Kaiyi replied with the courage of conviction.
“…” He long should have known what Qin Shi’s morality and conduct was like. Resisting the urge to cover his face, Wei He said with difficulty, “Could it be that you don’t have any other ideas?”
“Ideas? What ideas?” Qin Kaiyi looked at Wei He blankly. “Thinking about where to hide is relatively safe?”
“…” Wei He instantly felt like he was a chicken trying to talk with a duck. At this moment, he suddenly noticed that Shen Feixiao, who was standing behind Qin Kaiyi, glanced over here with a gaze full of menace and… rage.
Oh, Shen Feixiao was angry that Qin Shi was with him? Wei He touched his chin in a good mood and looked at the unsuspecting Qin Kaiyi. He smiled. “I remember the last time I saw you, you were a disciple of the Lingshan Sect. How come after I didn’t see you for a few years you hooked up with that guy Ziyang Pei?”
“Ah?” Qin Kaiyi didn’t expect Wei He’s thinking to jump around so fast, and he didn’t react for a while.
“I mean,” Wei He explained again kindly while looking at Shen Feixiao standing far away, “It wouldn’t be because something happened between you and your shidi, leading to you defecting to the Hua Lian Sect?”
“…” Qin Kaiyi wanted to say “How did you know”? But his remaining bit of reason made him hold back what he would have blurted out, and he said after a while of silence, “You don’t understand.”
“(⊙_⊙)?” Wei He.
“This is a very long story… I would have to start from Pangu opening the heavens and earth…” (T/N: Pangu = creator of the universe in Chinese myths) Qin Kaiyi narrowed his eyes and made himself look like he was recalling the past.
“…” Wei He decided to give up on communicating with Qin Kaiyi. He now seriously suspected that Shen Feixiao’s illusion damaged Qin Kaiyi’s brain into thinking abnormally. Otherwise, how come he couldn’t communicate with Qin Kaiyi normally?
Just as Qin Kaiyi and Wei He were struggling to communicate, Qin Kaiyi suddenly heard a familiar voice. This voice seemed to have aged a lot compared to seven years ago. That’s right, it was the first person he had seen when he came to this world, and also the old man who was hardest for him to let go of–Qing Xuzi. He actually came here, when he originally should have been staying at Lingshan Sect to oversee it.
It was at this moment that Qin Kaiyi heard the sharp sound of the system prompt [System Prompt: Initiating the demonic attack on the Lingshan Sect plot, please assist Ziyang Pei in attacking the Lingshan Sect. Completion of the task will increase return value 10%. Due to delay in the plot, the reward will double. In the case of failure, deduction will double as well. Initiating the demonic attack on the Lingshan Sect plot, please assist Ziyang Pei in attacking the Lingshan Sect. Completion of the task will increase return value 10%. Due to delay in the plot, the reward will double. In the case of failure, deduction will double as well.]
The sound of the system made Qin Kaiyi’s unceasingly tumultuous emotions upon seeing Qing Xuzi completely freeze. The plot changed again. The plot that should have happened ten years from now began early, and the sect attacking Lingshan became Hua Lian… more importantly, at such a moment of crisis, Qing Xuzi and Shen Feixiao–these two who could turn peril into safety–both were not at the sect!
Yi (T/N: expression of surprise, tone lifts up at the end), wait wait. He seemed to have made one mistake. Suddenly grasping something, Qin Kaiyi’s eyes lit up. Even though the system prompt sounded, it didn’t say when that guy Ziyang Pei would attack the Lingshan Sect. Wu, according to his past experience, the system wouldn’t give him a task he couldn’t complete. Therefore… Zi Yangpei attacking Lingshan Sect must occur after the Kaiyang gathering!
With this realization, Qin Kaiyi finally let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to see Qing Xuzi’s grief as he watched countless disciples fall on the battlefield. He even more so didn’t want to let Qing Xuzi fail his tribulations because of this reason…
But Qin Kaiyi had forgotten a very cruel fact. According to the current circumstances, what hurt Qing Xuzi the most was clearly this “demonic cultivator” who had possessed his beloved disciple’s body.
Wei He stood to the side and watched Qin Kaiyi’s expression change a few times. He restrained himself but in the end couldn’t hold back and reached out a finger to poke Qin Kaiyi.
“What are you doing?” Qin Kaiyi looked at Wei He in bewilderment.
“Did you offend the Lingshan Sect?” Wei He touched his nose and dryly coughed.
“Why do you ask?” Qin Kaiyi looked at Wei He strangely.
“… Look at their expressions.” Wei He sighed with feeling at Qin Kaiyi’s nerve.
Qin Kaiyi heard this and turned his face, discovering that it really was as Wei He said. Of the Lingshan Sect disciples assembled under Shen Feixiao’s lead, not one of them didn’t look at him like he had killed their dad. Wu… actually compared to that group, Shen Feixiao’s gaze at Qin Kaiyi was super friendly…
“Ah, aren’t I a demonic cultivator? They all think that I possessed Qin Shi’s body,” he said these universally shocking words and then casually continued, “their expressions count as normal…”
“… Why don’t you explain it?” Wei He’s face was very distorted. “Do you know…” How serious possession is, and that if the cultivation world found out that you are a demonic cultivator possessing another body, how you would be chased to be killed?
Pity that Wei He didn’t finish his sentence before he was interrupted by a sudden thunderous sound: “Thank you all for participating in this Kaiyang gathering and bestowing us with honor. Without further ado, the rules have been announced. Then I declare that the competition has officially started. To reiterate, please do not take actions to harm your opponent’s life. If this is discovered, without exception, you will be driven out of the competition.”
“… When were the rules of the game announced?” Qin Kaiyi’s mouth twitched and he looked at Wei He.
“Did you not receive the paper crane?” Wei He looked at Qin Kaiyi very innocently. “It’s the one in my hand.”
“… Why didn’t I?” Qin Kaiyi’s face was almost covered in blood.
“Ah, probably because you are going to hide, so things like the rules aren’t useful to you,” Wei He earnestly teased Qin Kaiyi.
“…” Qin Kaiyi’s face told Wei He that he didn’t think this joke was funny at all.
Then the game just bafflingly started. Qin Kaiyi, who didn’t know the rules at all, stood beside Wei He like a pillar. Only when the people around him were almost gone, he realized suddenly, “… the Lingshan Sect disciples have such scary expressions. They’re still not going?”
“I have told you that possession is a very serious matter.” Wei He took it as a matter of course. “If my apprentice were possessed, I would flay the skin of the demonic cultivator who dares to possess him.”
“When did you tell me it was serious!” Qin Kaiyi pointed out angrily, “You didn’t tell me anything!”
“… Eh?” Wei He was stunned, and then immediately came back to himself. It seemed he really hadn’t said so, he’d just said it for himself to hear… 囧 how can an unreliable me save an unreliable you…
However, before Qin Kaiyi could conclude this baffling conversation, some people in the Lingshan Sect couldn’t restrain themselves. Liu Ling’er, who still had that same graceful bearing after the years he hadn’t seen her, jumped out from the crowd. She hoarsely shouted, “You demonic ghost possessor!!! Return my shixiong’s body to me! “
“…” When did Qin Shi’s body belong to you, Qin Kaiyi secretly ridiculed. He gave a demonically charming smile. “Hmph, I didn’t expect to meet people from the Lingshan Sect here today. You want Qin Shi’s body? Then take it yourself!”
Undoubtedly imperious, Qin Kaiyi secretly applauded himself. I haven’t spoken the villain’s lines so straightforwardly for a long time!
“You!!!” Liu Ling’er did not expect Qin Kaiyi to be so… shameless? She was almost enraged to tears.
“Since daoist friend has said as much, then let me bring Qin’er’s body back.” Qing Xuzi’s words instantly sent Qin Kaiyi from heaven to hell.
“… Are you sure you want to fight me?” Qin Kaiyi said stubbornly, “This is Qin Shi’s body; his consciousness has not disappeared. If you kill me, don’t think of ever seeing your apprentice again.”
“You!” Not expecting the person in front of him to be so despicable, Qing Xuzi seethed with anger (T/N: lit. hair stood up in anger and tipped off his hat).
“Shifu.” Shen Feixiao heard this and gave Qin Kaiyi a deep look, then turned around and whispered in Qing Xuzi’s ear. Qin Kaiyi couldn’t hear what he said at all.
It wasn’t clear what Shen Feixiao said to appease Qing Xuzi, but the old man who had smoke coming from his head from rage calmed down. He glared coldly at Qin Kaiyi and turned away. The way he looked at Qin Kaiyi like he was a hated enemy filled his heart with bitter pain for a moment.
“It’s over?” Wei He, who was watching the show, blinked. “Aren’t you going to find a place to hide?”
“…” Can you let me be sad for a while? Qin Kaiyi gave Wei He a dissatisfied glance. “How do you feel about this person, Shen Feixiao?”
“This person…” Wei He touched his chin again. “I am not interested in people who are taller than me.”
“…” Am I asking you this??? Qin Kaiyi was about to give Wei He’s head a smack, when he suddenly realized something: “Eh… how come I just realized I’m taller than you.”
“What?” Wei He froze. “This is impossible!”
“Really!” Qin Kaiyi was pleasantly surprised. “I just found out ai!”
“This is impossible!!!” Wei He shouted himself hoarse, “Don’t lie to me!!!”
“Good boy.” (T/N: 乖 = obedient. Affectionate term of endearment for young children). Qin Kaiyi pet Wei He’s head to appease his almost collapsed mental state. “Let’s go find a place to hide first and then discuss this issue.”