Chapter 80: Vomiting blood will make one weaker day by day.

Outside the Everlasting Immortal Mountain, a dense crowd loomed like a dark cloud. Among them were those who wanted to take advantage of the situation and get a share of the spoils, as well as those who were simply there to watch the spectacle.

Ji Sui and several other elders from major sects stood before the crowd, displaying the demeanor of righteous leaders. He gazed at the Everlasting Immortal Mountain shrouded in dense demonic energy, a barely perceptible cold smile playing on his lips. He channeled his spiritual power, his voice booming like a bell, echoing across the surrounding area:

"Xiao Bumian! Even now, are you still going to be a coward? The righteous sects of the world have gathered here today to demand that you come out and face public trial! If you still have any sense of justice, then come out and open the barrier yourself! Otherwise, don't blame us for forcibly breaking the formation and flattening your demonic lair!"

The sound echoed through the mountains, further arousing the already excited cultivators below, who shouted and cursed incessantly.

However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a sudden change occurred.

Above the Everlasting Immortal Mountain, where demonic energy surged, two figures silently appeared. Xiao Bumian had actually appeared directly before everyone's eyes!

He stood suspended in mid-air, one arm around Mingjian's waist, his posture relaxed, as if he had simply come out to enjoy the night view. He looked down at the dense crowd below the mountain, his gaze indifferent, as if looking at a group of ants.

"Look! Isn't that the demon?!"

Who is he holding in his arms?

"It's Mingjian! The one the Holy Maiden of the Hehuan Sect was originally going to marry!"

"He actually colluded with this devil!"

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to it, and gasps of surprise rose from all sides. What shocked them even more was Xiao Bumian's appearance at that moment.

The crimson moon hung in the sky, casting an eerie light.

Xiao Bumian unfurled a pair of enormous wings from his back, slowly flapping them and stirring the surrounding demonic energy. Several gleaming white bone chains, as if alive, coiled around his wrists, dangling down and making a soft clinking sound.

A curved, jet-black demonic horn sprouted from one side of his forehead, and the red lotus that had originally been just a mark had now transformed into intricate and bizarre demonic patterns, almost covering half of his face. This inhuman form was not ugly; on the contrary, it added a kind of eerie and sinister aura to him, like that of a mountain spirit or ghost.

"What kind of monster is he?"

"Unlike Yinglong... what kind of demon is this?"

"Whatever kind of monster it is! Today we will rid the people of this scourge!"

The people below the mountain were filled with doubt and speculation, and there was much discussion about it.

Mingjian, held in Xiao Bumian's arms, had only one thought in his mind at this moment: We're doomed!

That old fox Ji Sui definitely chose the night of the full moon on purpose. Xiao Bumian's cultivation was already in the Demonic Tribulation stage and in an unstable state. Now, being forced to reveal his almost complete demonic form, his strength will likely be greatly reduced. No matter how you look at it, today's situation is a one-way street to certain death.

Moreover, Xiao Bumian had offended far too many people over the years. In the vast crowd below, almost everyone both feared and hated him, their eyes filled with a palpable greed and murderous intent.

Even several elders from Jianming Immortal Mountain were among them, their eyes filled with complex emotions, but they were clearly on the opposite side.

Xiao Bumian was completely unconcerned about the hostility from below.

A faint, mocking smile played on his lips as his gaze slowly swept over the crowd below the mountain. Everyone whose eyes met his felt a chill rise from the depths of their hearts, and the noisy discussions gradually subsided, leaving the scene in an eerie silence.

Among the dozens of people at the head, there were representatives from all four major sects.

They knew perfectly well that Xiao Bumian was a half-demon born from the Demon Lord Xie Wuwang and a mortal woman. His flesh, bones, and even demonic essence were unimaginable treasures to them, whose cultivation had stagnated.

Most cultivators assumed they were there to attack Xiao Bumian, but they knew that their cultivation had stagnated and even decreased over the past few hundred years. Therefore, they reached an agreement with Ji Sui that once this matter was settled, everything Xiao Bumian owned would be divided among them.

The elders of Sword Bright Immortal Mountain felt slightly uneasy. What they wanted was Xiao Bumian's blood essence. This surviving half-demon, not to mention his profound cultivation, could imbue even a mindless monster with self-awareness with just a drop of his blood. If they could obtain it, nurturing a sword spirit and enhancing the power of their natal magic weapon would be a piece of cake.

The elders of the Thousand Machines Sect looked disgusted, but if they could obtain the monster's bones, they could use them to strengthen the mechanical puppets in the future.

The people present had different thoughts, but their goal was surprisingly the same.

Seeing that the atmosphere was intimidated by Xiao Bumian's imposing aura, Ji Sui immediately stepped forward, feigning a heartbroken expression, and shouted sternly, "Xiao Bumian, you have wasted the years of cultivation and deep concealment of the immortal sect. You are truly a demon without a doubt! Over the years, you have manipulated the entire cultivation world at will. What are your true intentions?!"

He was overjoyed! Thinking of how Xiao Bumian had repeatedly thwarted his plan to possess his body, seized the Heavenly Grade Bone that rightfully belonged to him, and severely injured him time and again, Ji Sui wished he could tear this brat to pieces.

"Is Xie Wuwang really dead?" someone else asked loudly from the crowd, their voice filled with doubt.

Xiao Bumian was listless at the moment, the discomfort of the Demon Tribulation stage making him extremely irritable. He really didn't want to say another word to them, and if it weren't for Mingjian still being there, he would have really wanted to kill them all.

It's so noisy.

"You demon, put down the Holy Son-in-law at once!" Just then, a disciple of the Hehuan Sect following behind Yun Hanyi said boldly, as if to show his loyalty.

However, before he could finish speaking, and before anyone could even see what Xiao Bumian did, the disciple's face suddenly turned blood red, veins bulged on his neck, his eyes bulged out, and a strange "hoarse" sound came from his throat. Then, he spat out several mouthfuls of blood and died on the spot, falling straight down.

The crowd erupted in uproar.

Xiao Bumian's tone remained gentle. He chuckled softly and said, "It was I who married him, so how could he be a son-in-law of the emperor?"

He was absolutely fed up.

Why do these people always try to take away his wisdom?

They all deserve to die.

Mingjian had initially held onto a sliver of hope that communication might be possible, but seeing the current situation, he knew it was utterly impossible. Xiao Bumian was now radiating demonic energy, his appearance terrifying. In the eyes of those self-proclaimed righteous cultivators, he was nothing short of original sin, with absolutely no room for leniency.

He took a deep breath, took Xiao Bumian's hand, intertwined their fingers, and said, "I'm sorry, but I did it voluntarily."

Those at the foot of the mountain were already shaken after witnessing Xiao Bumian kill the disciple, and now, hearing Mingjian's words, they felt something was amiss.

"You are a cultivator! Do you know that the so-called Immortal Venerable beside you is actually an out-and-out demon?"

"You've just been brainwashed by this monster."

"You must have been bewitched by this demon! You've been brainwashed!"

Mingjian twitched the corner of his lips, too lazy to argue.

Not only did he know, he also knew that in the original story of Xiao Bumian, all those hypocritical people were dead.

This time, Xiao Bumian was much more obedient. He felt the warmth of Ming Jian's palm, and the violent killing intent that was growing wildly in his heart was strangely suppressed a little.

Seeing the situation was turning against him, Ji Sui's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Why waste words with this person who has been bewitched by a demon? Killing this fiend and ridding the people of this scourge is the most urgent matter. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire!"

Damn it, the consequences will be endless!

Mingjian was so angry at the old man's shamelessness that he almost laughed.

He and Xiao Bumian were having a bad time, and he would never let Ji Sui have an easy time either! He immediately raised his voice, which clearly reached everyone's ears, "Immortal Venerable Ji Sui, the transformation of the entire Qiyun Town into its accomplices and the collapse of the Yunlai Immortal Mansion secret realm—every single one of these events was your doing. You keep claiming to be acting for the righteous path, why don't you first ask yourself, where exactly is your path?!"

He didn't care what kind of trouble his words would cause in other people's ears, and after he finished speaking, he left the Everlasting Immortal Mountain with Xiao Bumian.

Ji Sui's face was extremely ugly. He suppressed his anger, turned to face the surprised and uncertain gazes of the crowd, and said with all his might, "This boy has been completely controlled by that demon. Everything he says is nonsense! My grandmaster Ji Sui has been gone for many years. How can I allow him to slander me like this? Before that demon gets far, hurry up and chase after him!"

What he said makes a lot of sense.

Furthermore, even if Ji Sui is not the leader of the Hehuan Sect, Xiao Bumian is more important than him now.

Moreover, those dozens of elders were all very capable, and they were also afraid of passing away and being possessed. They had considered the possibility of being possessed, but they couldn't bear to give up their cultivation.

After a moment's thought, they each led their sect disciples in pursuit of Mingjian and Xiao Bumian in the direction they had disappeared.

—

Xiao Bumian's demonic tribulation period was far from over, and he had forcibly activated his power after the confrontation just now. Before long, Mingjian could clearly feel the arm holding him trembling slightly, and Xiao Bumian's breathing became extremely disordered and unstable.

Mingjian hurriedly told Xiao Bumian to put him down.

The two fell into a dense forest below and found a hidden cave to take shelter in.

The cave was dark, with only a few rays of moonlight filtering through the cracks. Xiao Bumian rested his head on Mingjian's lap, looking listless, pale, and with the demonic markings on his forehead dimmed, appearing unusually fragile.

He knew that the most sensible thing to do at that moment was to send Mingjian to a safe place and let him face the pursuers alone.

He'll come back to Mingjian after he's dealt with everything and killed all the threats.

But he didn't want to.

He was afraid that those people would hurt Mingjian after he left. He was even more afraid... that Mingjian would really leave him and abandon him while he was away.

So no matter what, he was determined to keep Mingjian by his side. Even if it meant death, they would be together.

Xiao Bumian's eyes darkened slightly.

Mingjian was unaware that Xiao Bumian was thinking about this; he was currently reconciling accounts with the system.

The system seemed a little guilty: [Host, this really has nothing to do with 051. According to the original storyline, you should have completed the fake death plot point, but Yun Hanyi isn't dead, and in other people's eyes, you're alive and well. Therefore, you haven't completed the fake death plot point.]

Mingjian had a terrible headache. "Then tell me, where am I supposed to find a fake death scene for you?" Did he expect him to die again in front of everyone?

The system weakly replied: [If the host fails to complete this task, from now on, you will grow weaker day by day until the day you truly die, in accordance with the original ending.]

Seeing that Mingjian didn't speak, he knew that what the system said was probably true.

In the original story, he was already dead at this point, but he is still alive now because he knows what will happen later.

If he fails to reach this final crucial point of feigned death, then the fate of death that belongs to this cannon fodder character will eventually befall him.

But how does he proceed with this plot point now?

He didn't want to die. He had promised his master that he would live well, and he also had Xiao Bumian. What would happen to Xiao Bumian if he died?

The two traveled for several more days.

Now they plan to go to the Demon Realm, which is much safer than the Immortal Cultivation Realm.

Xiao Bumian killed many cultivators along the way. On the Spirit Mirror, the two of them were even put on a bounty, and their value was extremely high, which attracted more and more cultivators to join the hunt.

The two were able to manage at first, but gradually became overwhelmed.

Mingjian's cultivation level was only at the Golden Core stage. Furthermore, because he had cultivated several levels with Xiao Bumian, his cultivation level had increased too quickly. He hadn't had time to go down the mountain to gain experience, so his cultivation level was not very stable.

Although Xiao Bumian's cultivation level was high, he was still in the Demon Tribulation stage, and his spiritual power and demonic energy clashed within his meridians, preventing him from unleashing his full strength.

In addition, there were too many people coming, and after killing one batch, another batch would come, and it was impossible to shake them off, which was very annoying.

Fortunately, they were not far from the border of the Demon Realm. Seeing that Xiao Bumian was not in good condition, Ming suggested that they rest for a while in a small border town along the way.

"The weather near the Demon Realm is really strange. I didn't expect it to start snowing at this time of year." Mingjian bought two candied hawthorns from a vendor and handed one to Xiao Bumian.

Xiao Bumian merely glanced at it without reaching out to take it.

Mingjian was surprised to see that Xiao Bumian had become so lazy. He turned his head to look and saw that since the demonic markings on Xiao Bumian's face could not be hidden, he was wearing a veil. The thin veil covered his face, and he could only see that his long eyelashes were slightly lowered, and he seemed to have no interest.

This small town is located near a wild and untamed place, where the wind and sand are very strong. Not only young ladies from noble families, but also many men wear veils to cover their faces, so they don't stand out too much when they walk on the street.

Seeing that he was not used to wearing it, he simply changed his appearance. As long as he did not deliberately use his spiritual power to investigate, no flaws could be found.

Having finally shaken off the group from the Thousand Machines Sect, Mingjian, not wanting to be idle, decided to go out for a stroll together and inquire about any nearby inns where they could rest.

Akemi felt somewhat uncomfortable from constantly using the cleansing technique.

Seeing that Xiao Bumian did not take it, Mingjian did not care and was about to eat it himself when he saw Xiao Bumian lower his head slightly and, through the thin veil of the veil, gently bite off a candied hawthorn from the string of candied hawthorns that he was holding.

Mingjian was silent for a moment, then held a string of beads in one hand and said, "Alright."

As long as the little yandere is happy.

Xiao Bumian was genuinely happy. His eyes crinkled with joy. He was happy every day as long as he was with Mingjian.

"Don't you like it?" Xiao Bumian asked with a smile.

"What do you like?" Mingjian hadn't reacted yet. He liked symmetry. He counted the candied hawthorns on his right hand; there were only four left. He hadn't eaten the other string of candied hawthorns yet; there were eight left. So he took a bite of one and then held the string to Xiao Bumian's mouth, urging him to eat another one.

Xiao Bumian eats with extreme elegance. He likes sweet things, and although this candied hawthorn is a bit sour, it is mostly sweet. He took a bite and then handed it back to Mingjian.

Then she said softly, "It's snowing."

Mingjian shook his head. "I like it."

After he finished speaking, he thought about it seriously for a moment and said to Xiao Bumian, "When we get to the Demon Realm, if the snow falls heavily, we can go see the snow together."

Xiao Bumian was actually quite ordinary; he used to think winter was too cold.

But after Mingjian said that, he thought about it and realized that he would also like to be with Mingjian.

Xiao Bumian then smiled, the thin veil of his hat unable to conceal the joy in his voice, "Hmm, if you like, I have a cave in the Demon Realm, where snow accumulates year-round, and the scenery is beautiful. We can sleep there at night."

Mingjian: "..."

He imagined spending the night in a snow-covered cave and couldn't help but shudder.

“I couldn’t even sleep one night inside; I froze to death the next day,” Mingjian said.

Xiao Bumian was stunned for a moment before remembering that Mingjian was a cultivator, not a demon, and his smile widened.

“Okay,” he said, slightly disappointed.

Mingjian lowered his head and finished eating most of the candied hawthorn in his hand.

Xiao Bumian actually wanted to try another one, but more than that, she wanted to share the food in Mingjian's hand and feel that intimacy. Mingjian took a bite of her own skewer and subconsciously wanted to hand it over, but for some reason, she paused and then withdrew her hand.

Xiao Bumian wasn't really greedy, and he didn't mind when he saw Mingjian take it back; his mind was entirely on Mingjian. He took a few steps forward in a good mood, his steps light and quick.

Mingjian, however, fell behind.

He swallowed the last bit of candied hawthorn. After the sweet taste subsided, a faint, metallic sweetness, like rust, lingered in his mouth.

Xiao Bumian took a few steps and realized that Mingjian hadn't followed, so he stopped and turned to look at him.

On the bustling streets of the small town, pedestrians thronged and the noise was deafening, as if everything had been blurred into a flowing background.

Despite the presence of so many people around, Mingjian could only clearly see Xiao Bumian's figure wearing a veiled hat.

He thought he liked Xiao Bumian a little more now than he did yesterday.

Xiao Bumian's expression softened as she asked, "What's wrong?"

Ming shook his head, quickly stepped forward, and reached out to take Xiao Bumian's hand, saying, "It's nothing."