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Chapter 1: Demon Lord
November 6th, 2022
From the TL:
Hello! I’m just a casual reader who likes this story a lot, so I thought it’d be neat if more people could read it. This is my first time posting translations, so forgive me and let me know if there’s anything I’ve neglected.
If you enjoy this story, please by all means support the original work. (If you are having trouble with the payment method, personally, I prefer using the iPhone app, since you can pay directly through the app store.)
As a note, this is a xianxia setting, not xuanhuan, so when you see “demon” mentioned, it pretty much always refers to “demonic cultivator,” but that’s just a mouthful sometimes.
Mild warning, the main character makes some passing remarks that hint at passive suicidal ideation in this chapter.
















.
During the frigid winter seasons, Deerspirit Ridge lay underneath a canopy of ice and snow. Looking outwards, a vast expanse of blinding white stretched into the horizon, as if merging into the heavens.
At the foot of the mountain was a sparse handful of rural households. The sky was still dark, but each and every home was swept and tidied, and the the villagers had each changed into clean and tidy clothes, gathering in the empty space at the bottom of the mountain to prepare to welcome the immortals descending from Deerspirit Ridge.
Every year, in the depth of winter, the immortals would come down to perform the sacrificial rites, helping them set up arrays against the cold and passing out provisions to get through the winter.
The winters here were always long, but with the blessings of the immortals, they weren’t as difficult to bear. Thus, the villagers were grateful and reverent toward the immortals of Deerspirit Ridge from the bottom of their hearts.
Among them was a little girl of seven or eight wearing a flower-patterned coat. She had been waiting here since early morning, hungry and freezing, her cheeks flushed from the cold. Truly unable to bear it, she quietly tugged at her mother’s sleeve, her voice syrupy, “Mom, maybe they aren’t coming. Let’s go home, it’s too cold here.”
Children mean no harm, children mean no harm!
An uneasy look surfaced in the woman’s eyes, and she shook her head, softly reprimanding: “Don’t talk nonsense. The immortals will definitely come.”
Although the conversation was whispered and did not travel far, similar doubt and unease had long already spread throughout the villagers.
For generation after generation they had lived here, and the immortals had come year after year. Why weren’t they here this year? Could it be that they would no longer bless them?
Some cautiously lifted their heads, gazing up at the heart of the mountain ridge, that high and lofty peak stretching into the clouds.
Or could it be? That something had happened to the immortals?
















.
Surrounded a cluster of mountains, Lingyun Peak stood like a heavenly blade reaching into the sky, cleaving the entirety of Deerspirit Ridge in two.
Because of the high altitude, the top half was covered in snow year-round. At heights that mortals could never reach, amidst the silver trees and frost and otherworldly mist, were faintly discernible glazed crystal eaves.
The cultivation world’s oldest and most historied cultivation sect, Cloudbank Keep was situated atop Lingyun Peak. Halfway up the mountain on a flat expanse of land stood nine majestic jade columns, contrasting against the white and clean surface of the ground, imposing yet beautiful.
Only, at this moment

 this ethereal, otherworldly place was permeated with the thick stench of blood.
The clean, white ground was splattered with bloodstains, and the scattered ruins of stone walls and broken swords indicated the desperate battle that had taken place here. Even the stone sect steles, tens of zhang tall, were flecked with the dark red of dried blood.
A crowd of densely packed demonic cultivators encircled all of Lingyun Peak so that not even a drop of water could leak out.
The demonic cultivators’ appearances spanned every shape and size, each uniquely adorned. Some looked like skeletons emanating a ghastly air, some covered themselves in black robes, revealing eyes suffused with red, some wore gorgeous attire to complement their charming features, and some bared their torsos, cloaked in murderous auras

 There were men and women, youths and elders. Raucous quarreling and giggling mingled together, like a grotesque demonic banquet.
But neither the horde of demons nor the blood-soaked sect were the most eye-catching thing present.
A sinister black tower of at least ninety-nine stories towered in the midst of the demonic horde. Conical and pitch-black, it appeared to be made of metal and stone, steeped in frigid light, every sharp ledge and corner appearing savage and frightening like teeth and claws selecting a victim to devour.
Even the fiercest and most brutal demonic cultivators subconsciously maintained a distance from the black tower. There was not a single demonic cultivator within several tens of zhang of the tower, each carefully avoiding it, not daring to even make a sound, as if some it held some terrifying existence


To the extent that where the black tower stood, not a speck of dust entered, making it the only sacred ground in this place.
A clattering sound.
Fang Li’s fingers curled slightly, an ice-cold sensation lingering on his fingertips. He seemed to have accidentally knocked over something while drifting halfway between dreaming and waking.
Immediately, he startled, struggling to open his eyes.
As he slowly turned his head, what entered his vision was a floor laid with thick gray carpet and a gold wine cup inlaid with jadeite toppled on the ground, the clear wine slowly seeping into the carpet


He rested his hand casually on the edge of the soft divan. Beside the divan was a low table, and unless he guessed wrong, earlier, he had knocked the wine cup off of this low table.
But this scene was truly too preposterous, to the point that for a while, Fang Li was somewhat uncertain


He lifted his hand, looking down to gaze at it.
It was a slender, ashen-white hand, the joints of the gaunt fingers protruding, the fingernails a little long, probably not having been trimmed in a while, and the roots of the fingernails tinged with gray. The hand was very good-looking, but it seemed to be suffering from an illness that was far from trifling. Most importantly

 this wasn’t his hand.
Fang Li lowered his eyes.
After about ten breaths, a voice sounded in his head.
【 You’re awake. 】
Fang Li paused, probing, “System?”
【 The System who was just about to introduce itself: 

 】
Fang Li’s voice was gentle. “Could you explain to me what’s happening?”
【 System: “You don’t seem even a bit surprised.” 】
Fang Li shook his head. “I was only giving it a try. I’m actually very surprised that you really exist.”
【 System: 

 】 It didn’t feel that way.
Fang Li tried stretching out this stiff and unfamiliar body, slowly bracing himself against the divan to sit upright, his gaze resting on the center of this cold, dark room.
Someone who originally should have died, appearing in this unfamiliar place, possessing an unfamiliar body. If it really wasn’t some kind of hallucination

 according to contemporary understandings, he had transmigrated.
Although he wasn’t engrossed in webnovels himself, he had a sister who liked to read all kinds of webnovels, so he knew a passing thing or two about popular tropes. Apparently, protagonists often had hacks in the way of something like a System, so he arbitrarily made a blind guess. If there really was a System, it would save himself a lot of trouble.
He had always been a highly accepting, “go with the flow” kind of person.
Seeing that its host was already listening respectfully, it fell silent for a moment, swallowing the words it had prepared for explaining the current situation, and began diligently answering the question.
【 System: This world is evolved from the world of a novel. Because an important character of this world unexpectedly died, you are needed to continue playing the role of this character. You will have to follow the script to complete the main plot line until the end of the novel, when this world will be able to operate autonomously. 】
Fang Li nodded. So it turned out to be book transmigration. “Not interested,” he said.
【 The System’s voice had no inflection: 

. You can refuse, but you’ve already died. If you refuse, you’ll return to being dead. 】
Fang Li laughed lightly. “Didn’t you know, I committed suicide?”
【 System: 

 】 How would I know that?!
The System was choked into silence for half a day.
“How about this,” Fang Li paused, saying with understanding, “Tell me first what kind of world this is, and I’ll consider one more time whether to accept this mission.”
The System hadn’t yet figured out how to convince the host, so seeing him give some leeway, it hastily imparted the script to him, hoping that the host would change his mind.
In the effort that it took to blink, a script appeared in Fang Li’s mind, as if he had read it himself.
After a moment, he sank into silence with a complicated expression.
This kind of trashy, terrifying, dog-blooded Gary Stu novel—it really was his first time reading one.
This world was a cultivation world1 , and the protagonist shou was named Xie Huai.
As this world’s only protagonist, the son of destiny, Xie Huai was a bona fide Adonis. Everyone in the book, whether they were men or women, righteous or evil, fell in love with him. As long as they were a character with a name or some charisma, if they weren’t already in love with him, they were on the way there.
As the book’s main villain, the demon lord Yan Sui was of course no exception. He forcibly seized Xie Huai to bring him back, and although at first it wasn’t sincere, after hundreds of thousands of words of senseless entanglements, moved first by the body then by the heart, he was finally conquered by Xie Huai’s perfection and unyielding. He fell deeply in love, submitting to his every wish, allowing him to take whatever he pleased, only hating that he couldn’t dig out his very heart to present.
Alas, Xie Huai was cold and unmovable, never falling in love with anyone, his heart dedicated only to eradicating evil and defending justice

 After experiencing innumerable torment, he slayed the demon lord with his very own hand, quelling the demonic calamity, and finally become number one under the heavens.
But no matter how those admirers advanced wave after wave, up to the end of the story, Xie Huai never accepted a single person.
The only one who had a chance to partake was the demon lord, and he ended up with a blade through the heart.
Fang Li suspected Xie Huai was straight. Looking at the script, he couldn’t help but sigh.
The author didn’t stint on heaping all sorts of beautiful descriptions onto Xie Huai—cold and clear, peerless, lofty and aloof, unyielding

 He was single-handedly devoted to the Dao, upholding justice, his will resolute, preferring to break before he would bend. As the current cultivation world’s greatest prodigy, he should have been resplendent like the stars for all his life, admired and looked up to by all the world


Yet precisely this perfect, flawless existence was seized by the demon lord and tormented in a hundred ways, persistently trying to shatter his pride to drag him into the dust and mud.
Although this novel was hundreds of thousands of flowing words, the number of useful lines was actually not many. The majority of it was all sorts of manners and styles of various bed scenes, describing the torment of a proud prodigy in vivid and provocative strokes that made one’s face flush.
If Fang Li had read enough novels, he would have known that a brainless R-rated novel like this truly wasn’t much of an oddity.
The demon lord was just a domineering CEO of the olden days, but Xie Huai wasn’t the average main character who had been coerced.
Faced with suffering, he would neither cry nor plead; faced with others’ love, he would neither smile nor accept.
The only resolve in his heart was eradicating evil to defend justice.
His Daoist core was impregnable.
Not a single person or thing could make him waver the slightest.
Finally, Xie Huai personally killed the demon lord. Once the demon lord died, Hollow Ridge was without a master, and under the Immortal Alliance’s attack, their casualties rose devastatingly. The remaining demonic cultivators fled or surrendered, and peace once again returned to the world.
This ending, at least, could be considered satisfying to read.
It didn’t forcibly have Xie Huai give himself up to the demon lord for the sake of a happy ending.
Perhaps the author had a kind of interest in taking something beautiful and smashing it to pieces for others to see, but one thing never changed from start to finish—Xie Huai’s character setting never collapsed. The Xie Huai who never fell in love with the demon lord was precisely that Xie Huai.
He was cold and unfeeling, resolute and steadfast, a pursuer of the Dao who never indulged in romance.
To the point that even after that kind of torment, he didn’t surrender even the slightest and stayed true to himself. Fang Li felt a bit of admiration in his heart.
Regardless, taking a look at the script was fine, but making him actually go and do it was wholly impossible.
Right now, he wasn’t any other character, but precisely that huge villain, the demon lord who inflicted a hundred kinds of torment on Xie Huai. Leaving aside how he died without an intact corpse, even his ashes were tossed away. It was truly difficult to see where the appeal of this kind of character was.
Fang Li said tranquilly, “I’ve finished reading. You should find someone better qualified after all.”
The System had long guessed that Fang Li might reply this way. This time, the words that it had prepared finally came into use.
【 System: As long as you successfully complete the mission and finish the script, I can help you find a new body in this world. You can have an identity with freedom and continue living in this world. 】
Fang Li raised his eyes and laughed, his expression indifferent to the matter of living or not. He said leisurely, “You’re mistaken, I just can’t act it out.”
【 System: 

 】
【 The System fell silent for a long while, finally compromising with difficulty: 

 It’s not like you have to follow the script down to the letter. As long as the outline is about the same, being able to smoothly reach the ending is enough. As long as the ending remains the same as the book, you can continue living in this world, and it won’t require too much acting skill. This really is a very good deal

 】
Fang Li asked curiously, “Do I really look like I want to live very much?”
The System was at a loss for words. It very rarely met this type of unreasonable host. Usually, as long as they were promised another chance at life, most hosts would agree. That was before even mentioning this type of preferential treatment. But even so, the host remained unmoved

 not the slightest will to live.
Really, the System wanted to switch hosts.
But hosts weren’t that easy to exchange. After all, a person who had just died and had a soul compatible enough with the character was actually very difficult to find.
【 The System began to give into despair: But if you don’t do this mission, the rest of the plot won’t happen

 】
Fang Li smiled slightly, “Isn’t that good?”
With a plot like this, reading it in a book was one thing, but if it was a living, breathing person, it would be better if it didn’t happen.
【 The System said numbly, “But right now it’s still the start of the story. This world has only just evolved, it’s not stable at all. If the rest of the plot doesn’t happen, everything will become chaotic and disordered, unable to operate normally. This world will quickly collapse, and everything will return to the void again

” 】
Fang Li’s movements paused. His eyes lowered minutely, and he suddenly spoke up, “But, it’s not completely impossible.”
【 System: 

? 】
Fang Li said blandly, “Although I can’t promise that I’ll definitely complete the mission.”
If Fang Li had said that at the very beginning, the System would have staunchly refused, absolutely bent on persuading him, but right now, after returning from death’s door, it was already overjoyed, not daring to continue discussing conditions with Fang Li in case he became unhappy and resigned.
【 System: Okay, okay, okay! 】 Do whatever you want, worst case everyone perishes together!
Hey, the System discovered that after getting over the matter of life and death, all of its worries suddenly disappeared. Had it been infected by Fang Li so quickly

? There was only one thing that the System didn’t understand.
【 System: Why did you suddenly change your mind? 】
Fang Li picked up the golden wine cup on the table, stroking it lightly. The carvings on the cup were vivid and lively, heavy in his hand, the chill seeping into his palm. He stepped on the soft, thick carpet, listening attentively to the faintly audible cacophony outside


A truly realistic world. To have it just disappear like this would be a bit of a pity.
“I just suddenly thought that giving it a try is fine. After all, I wouldn’t be the one to lose out

” Fang Li smiled faintly.
【 The System had some doubts: Really? 】
“What else? It couldn’t be

” Fang Li raised an eyebrow, drawing out his words, “You really thought I committed suicide? I was sick of living?”
【 System: 

 】
Isn’t that what you said?!
The System looked at the host’s tranquil and nonchalant appearance

 It would still rather believe that the host was seized by a momentary whim. After all, the host said himself that he couldn’t promise he would complete the mission.
Regardless, the fact that he was willing to try was a good start! The System was a little moved.
Fang Li said blandly, “But there’s one condition, I want Yan Sui’s memories.”
The System immediately hesitated.
【 System: You already have the original script, you know the past and the future. This is a god’s eye view! Do you still need his memories? 】
“Do you really think that I’m qualified to play this kind of character without his memories?” Fang Li said, “If so, then you’ve really overestimated me.”
【 The System hastily said: If you’re sure you need them, I can give you the memories. 】 It didn’t mention

 For those who weren’t strong of mind, accepting the body’s original host’s memories was likely to cause a clash with their own, to the point that it could cause cognitive impairments. But this was only a possibility; it was also possible that there would no effect at all.
The host had finally been willing to accept the mission. The System didn’t want a single mishap, so it guiltily hid the warning.
Fang Li said, “I’m sure.”
【 System: “Alright.” 】
Accompanying the sound of the System’s voice, Fang Ly only felt a sharp pain in his head. Immediately after, everything before him faded to white, and his gaze became vacant

 After a long time, his eyes came into focus again. It seemed like nothing had changed, but a bunch of new things filled his mind.
These memories weren’t like a surge being poured into him, but rather like data stored in his mind

 As long as he gave it a thought, he could read the memory he needed, as if it were his own.
It was actually pretty convenient, moreover

 it was better than the circumstances he had predicted by far.
The demon lord Yan Sui was mysterious and powerful, his past unknown. Five years ago, he had risen toward the sky like a prophecy of disaster, stirring up a reign of terror across the whole world

 A cold-blooded villain like this was bound to have unusual memories, to the point that they could be invasive to the extreme


If Yan Sui had been an ancient monster who had lived for hundreds of years, by comparison, his own memories would be no more than a drop in the ocean. They might even be immediately drowned out, so that he would lose his sense of self and become a demon lord with Fang Li’s memories.
Fang Li knew all of this, and he believed the System knew too, but purposefully hid it from him in fear that he would change his mind.
But this wasn’t enough to change Fang Li’s decision. Since he had decided to do something, he wouldn’t go in without preparation. Risk and opportunity always went hand in hand

 Although the original book only focused on Yan Sui and Xie Huai’s colorful bed affairs, just from bits and pieces, it was evident that this was an immensely dangerous world of high-level martial arts. Without Yan Sui’s memories, it would be hard for him to take a single step, and even surviving past this door would be difficult.
If he kept looking over his shoulder for every single thing, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything

 Besides, if he couldn’t even maintain a grasp on his own heart, it would be better to simply give up the mission right now.
Fortunately, Yan Sui’s memories weren’t too long, only twenty-something years, similar to Fang Li’s. Moreover, these memories weren’t poured into him but saved in his consciousness to take as he pleased. As long as he put some care into using them and didn’t allow himself to sink into Yan Sui’s past, they wouldn’t affect him too much.
Completely within the scope of his control.
【 The System probed: Host? 】
Fang Li laughed, “What do you want to say?”
The System closely examined the host, finding that there weren’t any changes earlier, and there were no signs of deviation. It let go of its worries for the moment, and its feeling of guilt also subsided somewhat. Evidently, these memories didn’t affect the host at all—it had been overthinking.
【 The System reminded: You should get ready to go see Xie Huai. 】
After connecting Yan Sui’s memories to the script, Fang Li pondered to himself briefly, quickly understanding the situation.
Cloudbank Keep gave their all in this attack, but were forced into retreat after retreat. In order to avoid more casualties, they had no choice but to activate the sect’s great protective array, and the sect’s disciples all withdrew into the array.
The demon lord Yan Sui led the horde of demons in besieging Cloudbank Keep, leaking the news that if they were willing to hand over Yuyi-jun Xie Huai to offer to him as his plaything, he wouldn’t mind sparing Cloudbank Keep their last breath.
These days, the demonic cultivators hadn’t rested, either. They split into groups and attacked the great protective array in turns. According to the script, Xie Huai would appear after Cloudbank Keep had been besieged for forty-nine days, when the sect was on the verge of capitulating.
Today was precisely the forty-ninth day.
In truth, it wasn’t that Cloudbank Keep was weak. As the first of the cultivation world’s five great sects, with a history of ten thousand years, Cloudbank Keep was actually extremely formidable. But no matter how strong, they were only a single sect, with no chance of standing against the hundreds of demonic sects, the tens of thousands of demonic cultivators.
It was difficult for a lone tree to weather the storm

 If the righteous sects could also unite to resist the demonic horde together, how could they fall into these dire straits?
But it was a pity, that few people didn’t fear death.
For an entire forty-nine days, not a single sect arrived to provide support, leaving Cloudbank Keep to face annihilation alone.
Human nature was weak, that was all.
Fang Li let out an extremely light scoff. He stood up from the divan, black robes embroidered with dark patterns dragging along the floor.
The system looked at Fang Li. Today would be the first time that he and the protagonist shou Xie Huai would meet.
But at that moment, it only saw Fang Li stretch out his hand to beckon. The cup on the ground flew back into his hand, and he leisurely sat down again.
【 System: ??? 】 Host, weren’t you going to see Xie Huai?
“If Xie Huai had appeared, someone would have reported it to me already. Why would I personally go out to wait for him?” Fang Li’s manner was languid. He laughed softly, then said meaningfully, “Besides, this lord has more important matters right now.”
Although it was trumpeted that he wanted to acquire Xie Huai as a plaything, whether Xie Huai came or not wasn’t actually important at all.
Yan Sui’s purpose in leading the demonic horde to besiege Cloudbank Keep wasn’t Xie Huai, but to humiliate the righteous cultivation sects. As the strongest sect with the longest history, Cloudbank Keep had great prestige in this world, and it could not be a more suitable target for whetting his blade

 If they were forced to hand over Xie Huai, that would be a huge slap in the face to the entire cultivation world. At this moment, everything happening here was being closely observed


Imagining the expressions on the faces of those cultivation sects cowering in their shells as they pretending to be unaware
 It must be quite the sight.
Using this chance to capture Xie Huai was nothing more than an added benefit. Since the original host didn’t even pay it any mind, Fang Li naturally did so even less.
The System was bewildered. Wasn’t following the script the most important matter? There was something more important than that? How come it didn’t know?
At that moment, the black symbol on the doorway glistened.
Fang Li waved his hand, and the door opened.
Following a servant’s guidance, a man walked in deferentially.
The man’s long black hair was tied behind his head, and he had a pair of dark red eyes with vertical pupils flashing with eerie light atop his handsome, feminine face. He wore long, deep purple robes, and a whip covered in black scales coiled around his waist. He bowed respectfully, speaking in a hoarse voice, “Your Excellency, today is already the forty-ninth day. Cloudbank Keep’s great protective array is about to collapse. Should we initiate an all-out attack?”
This was the demon lord Yan Sui’s most trust right-hand man, his Right Emissary Wu Yimei, and also the vicious cannon fodder who caused Xie Huai the most suffering in the original story. That Xie Huai met with so much misfortune was not without Wu Yimei’s encouragement. This person was a crafty and insidious, fierce and ruthless devil, and also Yan Sui’s most capable henchman


An abusive dog-blood melodrama naturally couldn’t go without a character like Wu Yimei to push the plot along, Fang Li remarked.
It was just, recalling the plot, if he had been like the other characters and had fallen in love with Xie Huai instead of single-mindedly acting as a vicious cannon fodder, he might not have died.
Fang Li retracted his gaze blandly. Instead of replying, he lowered his eyes and poured a cup of wine. The liquid was clear and translucent, the fragrance of wine permeating
 Rather than answering Wu Yimei’s question, he looked at the servant whose head was lowered in the corner of the room, and he laughed slightly. “You’ve served this lord for quite some time, and you’ve always received this lord’s trust. Why don’t I reward this cup of wine to you?”
The black-clothed servant suddenly raised his eyes, a bizarre, cold light flashing in them. Then, the orifices of his face began to leak blood, and he topped straight onto the ground, devoid of life in just a split second.
Wu Yimei startled, then quickly understood and approached, his gaze sweeping across the servant’s corpse. In a heavy voice, he said, “To think that he dared to poison Your Excellency?! Why did Your Excellency not leave him alive—this subordinate would definitely interrogate him to find out the true instigator!”
The Soul-Refining Tower was one of the demon lord’s spiritual devices, and each and every corner inside the tower was part of his domain. If His Excellency did not will it, this person couldn’t possibly have had the chance to avoid interrogation by committing suicide. Even if it was through extracting his soul, he could have extracted the name of the person behind the scenes. Only, His Excellency simply stood by as this person died in front of him


It couldn’t be that


Fang Li softly put down the cup and smiled at Wu Yimei. “No harm, this lord is well aware.”
He didn’t have any hobbies of extracting souls or torturing people, nor did he want to personally kill someone and dirty his hands. Since this person was willing to conclude things on his own, there was no need to shed tears over a malicious demonic cultivator who had turned his back on his master to seek personal gain. Fang Li wouldn’t go so far as to show sympathy for this kind of person—letting him die an easy death was magnanimous enough.
Otherwise, if left to Wu Yimei, this person would really know the meaning of “a fate worse than death.” Death, was also a type of luxury


Moreover, strictly speaking, Yan Sui died precisely at this person’s hands. A life for a life could not be more fair.
【 On the other hand, the System was shocked: What on earth is this about?! 】
【 Fang Li: You didn’t hear what Wu Yimei said just now? 】
【 System: 

 】 It was really too astonished just now. It hadn’t expected a person to die just like that, and in a moment of panic, it even forgot that there were others still present and started asking questions. Luckily the host was quick-witter and knew to respond in his mind, or else it would really have been bad


【 System: I heard, it was just unexpected

 】
【 Fang Li: I’m even more surprised. Is that to say, you never thought about how Yan Sui died? 】
【 System: 

 】
【 Fang Li: I can only follow the script if I’m alive. 】
Fang Li tapped his finger gently on the table. As someone who had read the whole book, he was more or less clear on who the instigator behind the scenes was, so there was no need to leave the servant alive to interrogate. Or rather, he couldn’t afford to leave him alive.
All of this was an accident.
Although this Soul-Parting Venom was a rare poison, it shouldn’t have been fatal to Yan Sui. It was only by chance that it happened just when Yan Sui was beset by heart demons, allowing the poison to send him into qi deviation. It could be said that Yan Sui’s death was a coincidence of fate with an exceedingly low probability, and this scene was never written in the book. In the end, was it because this shouldn’t have happened

 or that it did happen, but Yan Sui didn’t die, and simply took care of it in passing?
After evolving into a complete and all-encompassing world, the original script of a brainless R-rated novel that only focused on papapa became, to the contrary, little more than the tip of the iceberg.
With the limited information at hand, Fang Li was currently unable to get to the bottom of what happened. But on the other hand, he knew that he couldn’t afford to get to the bottom of things. First, because the instigator was an important character, and he needed to leave him there to properly follow the script. Second, the number of demonic cultivators who wanted to kill him were countless, each and every one harboring their own schemes. If he went at it too earnestly, wouldn’t he have no subordinates left?
But he also couldn’t leave it alone and act as if nothing had happened. He had just suffered a qi deviation and come back from death, and he was at his weakest point. He couldn’t display the slightest hint of weakness, or his enemy would absolutely seize the opportunity to tear him to shreds and devour his flesh and bones


So he pressured the servant to terminate himself, leaving room to both advance and retreat. Without having to confront the real instigator, he furtively struck a blow to his opponent, so that they would be filled with apprehension, worrying whether they’d revealed themselves and whether he intended settle the score

 At least, for the time being, they wouldn’t dare to make trouble for him.
Wu Yimei waited quietly at one side. Survival of the fittest was the norm among demonic cultivators, and although the demonic horde was cowed by the demon lord’s might and didn’t dare resist, if given the slightest opportunity, all of them would want to eliminate His Excellency and take his place


For His Excellency to behave this way in front of himself, could it be that it was to make an example out of this?
Wu Yimei’s expression sank. He got down on one knee and said, word by word, “This subordinate would never betray Your Excellency.”
Fang Li’s attention returned to the present, and he saw Wu Yimei’s grave and solemn manner. Having read the whole book, he couldn’t doubt those words less. Thinking that Wu Yimei was really overthinking things, he couldn’t help but lift the corner of his mouth, and he gave a soft, rueful laugh. “This lord believes you.”
Because in those very last moments, the only person who stayed on Hollow Ridge to accompany him to his death, was this vicious cannon fodder character.
















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TL Notes
1 The author does actually give the world a formal name, 灔仙界, but I feel like it’s clunky to use in translation and doesn’t really matter for plot, so I’m omitting it.
* Cloudbank Keep – äș‘闎阙, “阙” refers to the watchtowers at palace gates, so this name is something like “watchtower betwen the clouds.” I think it’s a really nice encapsulation of their sect being staunch protectors, the first and last line of defense to uphold justice, so I tried going for a word with that kind of feeling
* Yuyi-jun – 玉ä»Ș搛 Xie Huai’s epithet, roughly, this is something like, “lord with the bearing of jade”