Long overdue, but thank you Samantha for the Ko-fi!
Editor: Sahloknir
The night wind was cold.
Li Huanhanâs hold on his fingers jolted.
Just as Jiang Yinghe tried to think of something to say, the always silent Little Jiang Shizun System suddenly popped out with a friendly reminder:
[Congratulations on unlocking the small dark room phase!]
He paused and finally realised the status bar that was precariously hovering at 97 had suddenly jumped to a stable 100!
Jiang Yinghe had a bad feeling about this.
âŚWhy did this kind of thing need to be congratulated? System, are you really made to guide disciples?
He looked at Li Huanhan, who appeared the same as always. Only his eyes were slowly becoming deeper and darker, like a pool of congealed blood.
Jiang Yinghe felt a chill run down his spine. He was afraid of his eldest disciple for the first time. Almost unconsciously, he stepped back as a metallic scent similar to blood wafted through the air.
He was only able to retreat a few steps before the other person embraced him tightly. Jiang Yinghe could hear what sounded like flowing water nearby. The brutally cold scent of blood continued to spread as a thick cloud of demonic energy enveloped them.
Jiang Yinghe wanted to speak, but he suddenly noticed the originally normal ground began to leak beads of blood. They converged into streams coming from all directions, then an entire pool was formed.
A fact that laid neglected in his mind suddenly jumped outâgathering blood into a pool to traverse to various locations, wasnât that one of the signature techniques of the Xuehe Demon Lord from a thousand years ago? Although other demonic cultivators have tried to copy or reverse-engineer it, not one of them was able to replicate the details.
The Xuehe Demon Lord from a millennium agoâŚalso had the heavenly demon physique and naturally red eyes.
Jiang Yinghe snapped his head up to look into that darkly amused crimson gaze. He heard his discipleâs hoarse voice.
âCome back with me.â
His tone was as calm and cool as usual. But this time Li Huanhanâs words were no longer a question, but a demand.
At the same time, Li Huanhanâs hidden cultivation progress was revealed. Just like that day when Qin Jun recovered his true body in front of him, his power that was restrained at the Nascent Soul stage began to rise. A short time later, Jiang Yinghe met another Half-step Golden Immortal.
âYouâŚâ Jiang Yingheâs brain that just recovered was scrambled once again. His words were caught in his throat before he managed to force them out. âWerenât you possessed by your internal demons after your tribulation?â
His first disciple was a demonic cultivator from the start.
Li Huanhan did not reply and instead calmly embraced him. The air around them was filled with so much demonic energy that it was hard to breath. Jiang Yingheâs mental state was a mess. The person before him was not his precious disciple.
The blood gathered from all the corners of the rooms to creep up Jiang Yingheâs snow white sleeves like a living creature. Jiang Yinghe could hear Li Huanhanâs heartbeat from how close they wereâit was steady, unlike before.
âYou were also deceiving me?â Jiang Yinghe didnât know how he could ask this. What kind of luck did he have to attract so many Half-step Golden Immortals? Was this a coincidence or were they as common as rice?
Usually, he would hear Li Huanhanâs explanations and clarifications, but now he could only feel the heavy air that the other radiated.
âShizun,â He still called him that, and his tone was as soft as it always was, âIâm going to take you away from here.â
Their minds werenât even on the save wavelength.
Jiang Yinghe ached from his tight embrace. He was just a Hollowed Cave cultivator so his foundation was almost stagnant after being suppressed by the Half-step Golden Immortal. Those blood vines ensnared his body like a vibrantly red cage.
Jiang Yinghe couldnât break free. He turned his head and said, âLi Huanhan.â
He rarely called out the full name of his eldest disciple, and it felt strange on his tongue. This didnât stop the fury burning in Jiang Yingheâs heart. Gritting his teeth, he spoke again, âMust I return your feelings if you like me? The centuries weâve spent together as master and disciple have all been tainted!â
He didnât know why he was so angry. After all, he had already gone through this once with Qin Jun. But even so, the pain in his heart was hard to bear.
âQin Jun wants to eat me, so what about you? You just want to sleep with me?â Jiang Yinghe was so angry that his words came out in rapid succession, âIf itâs like this, then tell me, are all of you lying to me? Not only you, but also Chang Ye?â
Li Huanhanâs silence was frightening. There was only the demonic energy permeating his surroundings and the demon markings that reached down to his chest that held a sickening degree of resemblance to trails of blood.
Almost like validation to his suspicions, Chang Yeâs voice rang out from mid air with a fierce rage that he had never shown before.
âLi Huanhan, have you lost your fucking mind?!â
The entirety of Wanyao City had been awakened by the violent waves of demonic energy. Then the inhabitants were reduced to shivering lumps by the sudden devilish energy that followed.
Chang Ye wore an all-red outfit. The emerald flute in his hand transformed into a jade-like dagger. He seemed to have rushed here after sensing the demonic energy.
The protective seal between his brows glowed silver intermittently. A cold aura surrounded him. That beautifully unique face had a rare yet extreme aggressiveness on display. It was like an evil devil dressed up as a young beast was provoked to the point that it bared its fangs hatefully.
The Duanshe Li sword in his hand swung right at Li Huanhanâs back, but it only managed to reduce the front desk into rubble and pierce deep into the wall.
The blood pool had formed. He disappeared with Jiang Yinghe the same way that he had appeared.
Chang Ye has always been a mastermind who thought thousands of steps ahead. This was the first time that another person had been able to so thoroughly disrupt his preparations. If everything had gone according to the original plan, he would have countless plots to keep Shizun at his side.
The wind was howling under the cold moon.
Chang Ye glared at the severed pieces of the front desk as he descended from midair. He repressed his rage with an iron grip as he furiously slammed Duanshe Li deep into the ground. A fearsome and overwhelming devilish energy bled into the surroundings. The entire population of Wanyao City were scared stiff by the presence of a pureblood. They dropped to their knees and prayed for salvation.
âŚThis lunatic!
He shouldnât have let Shizun leave his sight. Li Huanhan might appear normal, but his brain was more messed up than anyoneâs!
Chang Ye closed his eyes and let out a breath. He reined in his anxiety bit by bit before pulling Duanshe Li out of the ground to look at Devil Baron Sanqing who had hurried over.
âAncestorâŚâ Sanqing peered fearfully at the fractured ground, âJiang Xianjun hasâŚâ
He shut his mouth with a single glance from Chang Ye.
After peeling back his disguise, the normally pure and obedient youth revealed the brutal monster raised in a dark era within.
âLi Huanhan.â Chang Ye repeated his name as if he wanted to tear it to pieces. The anger in his chest had not completely subsided, and the tail on the ground had every hair follicle standing on end, doubling in size.
If the person that he couldnât bear to force was hurt by that demonic cultivatorâŚ
Chang Ye put a hand to his forehead as he felt his eyebrows start to twitch. His heart that contained the instinctual wants and desires of an animal was furiously beating as well.
Devil Baron Sanqing was getting a migraine from all the devilish energy leaking out of his ancient ancestor. He straightened his collar nervously and hesitated before speaking, âAncestor, that demonic cultivator has kidnapped Jiang XianjunâŚwhat should we do?â
Chang Ye pressed down on his brows and only raised his head after a while. His voice was returning to normal when he suddenly asked, ââŚWhat time does your younger brother return?â
Sanqing said, âWu Chengyu? Heâs not in Wanyao City right now. Is there a reason that Ancestor is asking for him?â
âPass on a message to him.â Chang Ye said, âMy Shishu is with him. Tell him to release him. Thereâs no need to put him under surveillance anymore.â
Sanqing was shocked. He stammered out, âUmâŚthat man is your, your Shishu?â
Chang Ye wasnât interested in this topic. He returned the emerald longsword in his hand to its flute form before tying it to his side. Only then did he raise his head and ask, âWhat about it?â
Sanqing didnât dare to tell his Ancestor when he was radiating killing intent like this thatâŚhis little brother has taken this Ancestorâs Shishu as his wife for long enough to cook rice.
He hit himself on the head before following Chang Ye. He leaned in and asked, âAncestor, what should we do now ah? Should we steal Jiang Xianjun back or unite the cultivation worldâŚâ
He saw a sick smile appear on Chang Yeâs beautiful face.
âWeâll be going to the Nether Realm,â he said, âto pay a visit to my dear Qin-shixiongââ
âI need to see for myselfâŚâ The smile on his lips grew wider as his words sent goosebumps down everyoneâs spine, âDoes he want to hack me to pieces more or join forces with me to kill Li Huanhan first?â
â-
Jiang Yinghe began to question his life for the 101st time.
He tossed and turned on the bed aimlessly as he stared at the completely blackened status bar. Then his gaze shifted over to the small candle by the window.
He feels like he got caught up in a serial kidnapping case.
The perpetrator was the disciple he personally raised.
At first, he was shocked, regretful and angryâŚbut after half the night had passed he managed to reach some semblance of calmness.
The bedding that Jiang Yinghe was lying on was very soft. There were many layers arranged on it, and the blanket was made from an extremely valuable material. The embroidery was top-notch and the vibrant colours were carefully selected to give off a surreal yet realistic flair.
He felt like he was in a surreal reality too.
He was in the Tiao Muo School Sect Masterâs palace, sitting on Li Huanhanâs bed. The Blood Pool was bubbling merrily to one side, its depths glowing with a deep red light. Opposite to that was a small candle covered by a lampshade with illustrations of green mountains and graceful cranes, just like the one back on Qing Jing Peak.
That wasnât the most ridiculous thing.
Jiang Yinghe lifted his hand, which caused the light sound of his shackles colliding to echo through the room. He stared at the narrow wrist before him that had an unremovable restriction artifact secured to it. The chain went all the way to the peak of this palace. Even if the metal ring wasnât tight and didnât really touch his skin at all, there was no way to take it off.
âŚRidiculous.
Li Huanhan was just at his side a moment ago. He personally secured this restriction artifact. Even if Jiang Yinghe wanted to make a move against him he couldnât. With this thing on, the otherâs cultivation was able to fully suppress his.
At the time Jiang Yinghe was furious and rebuked him harshly. In the end, the other party still locked him up without a hint of hesitation or emotion.
Jiang Yinghe laid on the bed as he reviewed the scenes from before. He tried to find a silver lining in all this⌠That wasnât Li Huanhan anymore, but Niohuru Huanhan⌠His kind and caring nature was all a fucking sham.
His unrequited feelings, self-imprisonment and internal demons would be explainable if he had his eyes on a world-class beauty, but Jiang Yinghe was an old man! How was he worth all this effort? How did someone that seemed fine blacken to this degree?!
Jiang Yinghe restlessly rolled over again to stare at the small candle for a while. Then his eyes were suddenly covered as a familiar voice spoke.
âDonât look at it anymore. Itâs bad for your eyes.â
âŚFuck, he canât even hear Li Huanhan when he comes back anymore.
Li Huanhan and Qin Jun were cut from the same cloth. His little disciple was probably not much better. The last time he saw Chang Ye before he was taken away from Wanyao City, his strength was much greater than a fully-fledged Golden Core cultivator.
This ShizunâŚprobably couldnât beat any of them.
Jiang Yingheâs eyes fluttered shut. The embers of his anger began to burn anew. He said coldly, âYouâve already done so much, so why pretend to care?â
The hand in front of his eyes slowly withdrew. The deceptively strong fingers moved his head so that Jiang Yinghe was no longer in front of the light.
These familiar small movements triggered Jiang Yingheâs memories.
He looked up to see that the demon markings that were at Li Huanhanâs neck had fully encircled his heart. His blood-red eyes were still occasionally filled with a dark light.
Jiang Yinghe avoided his hands. âI see you all as just my disciples. That is why Iâve protected and loved you three for so long. YouâŚmust I choose one of you?â
He tried using sweet words to touch the other person and maybe pull back the black status bar an inch.
But it fell on deaf ears. Jiang Yinghe could clearly hear the metallic sound of his shackles being unlocked in this dimly lit environment.
His heart clenched. Suddenly his foot was grabbed and stripped bare.
Jiang Yingheâs body was lithe and toned. It was even more apparent after taking off some of his clothes the narrow line his calves struck to his heel. His foot was tense. It was the same sheen of white as his entire body.
All cultivators have cleansed their meridians and washed their marrow clean. Most of the impurities in their bodies have been eliminated already. Their cultivation usually had no scent. Only a select few individuals were different due to factors related to their body, their techniques and how they cultivate. This was true for both men and women.
After cultivating for a thousand years, Jiang Yingheâs body could be described as a frosty piece of jade. His bones were narrow. When Li Huanhan held his heel, he was dominated completely and unable to move even a single inch.
He anxiously tugged on the limb but he was unable to extract it. Then he heard a crisp sound as something cold clicked onto his skin. The metal chain shifted.
âŚHe left for so long to get something like this?!
Jiang Yinghe felt his blood pressure rise. He slapped the bed. âYou have to chain me there too?!â
Li Huanhan gazed down at him as he nodded calmly like he usually did. If it wasnât for the continued movements of his hands, Jiang Yinghe might be deceived into thinking he was a true gentleman.
After Jiang Yinghe hit the bedding, the chain on his hand clinked and joined the restraint on his ankle in a cold melody.
Li Huanhan was steadfast. He fastened the restriction artifact he had retrieved to the other snow-white ankle as well. He quietly said, ââŚNow Shizun canât be lured away by anyone.â
Jiang Yinghe choked as he thought back to how he and Chang Ye escaped from the Nether Realm before. He had a suspicion that Li Huanhan was trying to provoke him.
âIâve set up many dimensional and misdirection arrays here.â Li Huanhan said lightly, âNo one can find Shizun.â
Jiang Yinghe pulled his ankle out of his grasp. He was annoyed by how loud his restraints were. With a dark face, he asked, âIsnât this Tian Muo Schoolâs territory?â
âŚHow can it be safe?! Youâre clearly the biggest security concern here!
Jiang Yinghe sighed deeply. He thought back to the words that Sword Saint Taichu had carved. A strange sense of confidence filled him.
If that senior was able to predict the small dark room phase, then was he also right about him not being forced�
Just as he became distracted, he was brought back to reality by the frighteningly calm voice of his eldest disciple.
âThereâs one more place that needs to be locked up.â
Jiang Yinghe had a very bad feeling about this. He cautiously shifted back several paces until his back met a corner. Then he saw theâŚmetal ring.
âŚFuck.
âHave, have mercy..â Jiang Yingheâs eyes were fixated upon the thing in his hand, âLi Huanhan, it wonât fit, I canât, IâŚâ
He almost seemed to forget that the disguise on his head was not removed yet. That pair of bunny ears that moved according to his emotions shuddered before curling up in embarrassment and fear.
Authorâs Corner
Bunny ears: QAQ
Bunny tail: QAAAAAQ
HeHe: âŚWhy are you two so scared?! Iâm the one that should be scared, ah! Me!
Rain
Adding onto Authorâs CornerâŚ
Bunny d***: QAAAAAAAQ (sorry not sorry _(:3 ăâ )_ )
Sahl
Jiang Yinghe, tied up in Huanhanâs bedâŚwhy do I feel things are about to get really interesting?!