Chapter 76 I'm willing to stay by your side
Xiao Sui glanced at the people of Huaguang Sect and said to the Right Protector, "Proceed according to the usual rules."
"You devil, you'll die a horrible death!" someone cursed.
Xiao Sui didn't care much, not even glancing at him, and put his arm around Ning Qi's waist, whispering, "Let's leave here."
“But…” Ning Qi turned to look at Qian Yu and found that she was also staring intently at her. She whispered to Xiao Sui, “Don’t kill her.”
Xiao Sui narrowed his eyes slightly and remained silent.
The cultivators turned their curses on Ning Qi, saying, "You female cultivator, you're not a demon, yet you're cowardly and consort with a demon god. You deserve to die! You are a disgrace to us cultivators!"
Xiao Sui stopped and looked at him with a gloomy gaze. The cultivator swallowed hard, somewhat afraid, but still insisted, "I'm not afraid of you. Even if you kill me, I will curse you and your woman to a terrible death!"
In an instant, a large amount of demonic energy overflowed from Xiao Sui's body, spreading throughout the entire dungeon. Those with lower cultivation levels turned pale, blood seeping from the corners of their mouths, unable to withstand the pressure of the demonic energy.
The black mist seeped into the cell, wrapped around the neck of the man who had just spoken, and lifted him off the ground, suspending him in the air.
The man struggled with his legs, his face flushed red from lack of oxygen. He was shouting at first, but gradually he couldn't speak anymore.
Just as his legs were about to give way, the demonic energy dissipated, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
The other cultivators surrounded him to check on his condition, but the black mist wrapped around his neck again, lifting him into the air once more.
After this was repeated several times, Qianyu said indignantly, "If you want to kill him, just do it quickly. Why torture him like this?"
"Fine, I'll give you a quick death." Xiao Sui said expressionlessly, his eyes flashing with cold light.
Aside from Qianyu, Ningxi had no good feelings towards these cultivators. Moreover, that person had just cursed Xiao Sui, so she couldn't possibly say a good word for them. She stood silently to the side.
The cell door opened, and demonic energy enveloped their bodies, dragging them to the stairwell and throwing them down.
With a few thuds as he landed, Xiao Sui's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
Ning Qi was afraid that Xiao Sui would go berserk and not even spare Qian Yu, so she quickly followed him down the steps. She heard a series of howls and wails as all the cultivators rushed to the iron fence, calling out, "Sect Master!"
Yan Chongyan's voice sounded particularly pained, "I told you not to come and save me."
The demonic energy solidified, and Xiao Sui appeared beside them. He raised his hand to control the demonic energy and said with a light smile, "Alright, the reminiscing is over. You can die a quick death now."
Qianyu suddenly stood up, looked at Xiao Sui, her gaze calm, "Before you kill me, I want to see the princess one last time."
Xiao Sui paused, then moved his fingertips to manipulate the black energy into the mouths of the others.
"Xiao Sui!" Yan Chongyan shouted, "I said if you want to kill or torture someone, come at me alone! Why can't you let them go!"
“The entire Huaguang Sect deserves to die,” Xiao Sui said indifferently.
These people were unaware of what was happening. They only felt the spiritual energy within their bodies begin to surge uncontrollably, as if thousands of ants were crawling under their skin. They struggled to scratch their skin, and soon their skin broke and bled, but they seemed oblivious to it, wanting to tear their skin apart.
Their bodies began to contort, and their eyes gradually turned pure black.
Ningqi heard the familiar, deep bird calls again.
They're going to turn into corpse demons.
The Right Protector stepped forward and blocked her way: "Seventh Miss, please leave with me first."
Ning Qi shook her head. "I want to go there."
"Then be careful not to get hurt by these corpse demons," he warned.
Xiao Sui immediately noticed her walking this way and quickly used demonic energy to fix the zombie cultivator in mid-air.
A "hoho" sound kept coming from above.
Yan Chongyan struggled painfully, the iron chains rattling incessantly.
For a protagonist with a strong sense of righteousness, watching helplessly as his disciples turn into corpse demons must be more painful than killing him.
It must be said that Xiao Sui was very good at tormenting people.
Qianyu stood alone, unaffected by the black energy. She looked up at the Huaguang Sect cultivators, her eyes filled with sorrow.
“When the princess was alive, you went into Yuanqing County to kill the corpse demon and save the people. At that time, you were a hero who rid the people of evil. Now you have become the executioner who created the corpse demon and poisoned the people. You have long forgotten your original intentions.”
After Qianyu finished speaking, her gaze fell on Ningxi again. "You submitted to the Demon God to survive, you are nothing but a pitiful substitute. Don't you think you are pathetic?"
These words were indeed unpleasant, but since she was unaware of her own identity, Ning Xi wasn't angry. She grabbed Xiao Sui's arm, fearing he might harm Qian Yu.
Before she could speak, Yan Chongyan said, "Miss Qianyu, you mustn't say that. This young lady had no choice."
Xiao Sui's muscles visibly tensed, and his face instantly turned ugly.
Ning Qi looked at Yan Chongyan with disbelief. She had barely spoken a few words to him, so where did he get this conclusion from?
"I wasn't forced to," she quickly denied, then, thinking about how insecure Xiao Sui was, she added, "I'd rather be his substitute."
Xiao Sui looked at her in shock, a glint in his eyes that stood out starkly in the dimly lit dungeon.
Yan Chongyan looked at her with surprise and doubt, then suddenly shut his mouth as if he had just realized something, and no one knew what he had imagined.
"You really are flexible and adaptable," Qianyu said sarcastically. "You'll never be as good as the princess in that respect."
Ning Qi: "..."
Qianyu said to Xiao Sui, "Take me to see the princess."
Ning Qi quickly said, "I want to go too."
Aside from the time the Right Protector took her into the cave, she doesn't seem to have ever seen her own body up close.
"You'll only feel ashamed of yourself if you go," Qianyu said, adding another sarcastic remark.
Ning Qi had just opened her mouth when the black mass wrapped around Qian Yu's body and sealed her mouth tightly, carrying her towards the cave.
Xiao Sui then reached out and grasped her palm. "I'll take you there."
The two walked hand in hand from the dungeon into the cave, without using any magic.
Ning Qi could feel Xiao Sui's fingers trembling slightly. She quickly took two steps to stand in front of him and saw the tears in the corners of his eyes.
"Why are you crying again?" Ning Qi asked with a chuckle.
Xiao Sui turned his head and wiped his eyes. "No, I'm just too happy."
Ning Xi turned his face around and said, "What sentence made you cry like this? I'll tell you every day from now on."
Xiao Sui said hesitantly, "You are not forced; you are willing to stay by my side."
“So that’s what it was.” Ning Qi smiled and repeated, “I’m willing to stay by your side, no one is forcing me.”
Xiao Sui pursed his lips and pulled her into his arms.
The two hugged for a while before continuing into the cave. Just like last time, they passed through a long passage and finally arrived at a stone chamber with extremely low temperatures.
Qianyu had already been led outside the stone chamber by the black group. She stood there with her arms crossed, panting, waiting for them.
Xiao Sui pulled Ning Qi inside first, followed by Qian Yu.
As soon as she entered, Ning Qi felt a bone-chilling cold, and she quickly released her spiritual power to protect herself.
On the ice bed in the center of the stone chamber, she could finally take a good look at "herself".
Qianyu was even more excited than her. She rushed to the bedside, grabbed her hand tightly, and silently shed tears, "Princess..."
Ning Xi walked over and stood beside her. Her appearance seemed unchanged. She lay there peacefully with her eyes closed and her hands clasped over her abdomen. There were no wounds on her body, and she was wearing clothes that Ning Xi had never seen before.
Her attire was extremely luxurious; her jade necklace alone was worth over ten taels of gold. Her hair looked exceptionally smooth, as if it had been regularly maintained.
It's clear that her body is being carefully cared for.
Ning Qi glanced at Xiao Sui secretly. Preserving a corpse for ten years must be no easy feat.
Xiao Sui quickly dismissed them, saying, "It's time to leave."
The black mass mercilessly swept the stubbornly refusing-to-leave Qianyu out of the stone chamber.
Xiao Sui walked up to her and said, "You are the princess's maid. I will not kill you. I will send someone to take you away now."
Qianyu shook her head resolutely, "I'm not leaving, I want to stay with the princess."
“Come to my side, Zhizhi is here taking care of me,” Ning Xi suggested.
"I won't serve a fake." Disgust was evident in Qianyu's eyes.
Seeing that she didn't recognize her at all, Ning Qi understood but was still a little sad. She suggested to Xiao Sui, "Let her stay here."
“No,” Xiao Sui refused decisively. “Outsiders are not allowed here.”
Qianyu was enraged by his words, "Xiao Sui, who is the outsider here? I have been by the princess's side for more than ten years, while you are just a servant she bought casually. You have only been with her for a short year, yet you have taken over her body, destroyed her cenotaph, and taken her belongings without leaving us a trace. What right do you have? What qualifications do you have!"
Ning Qi was filled with questions. How could there be such things?
Xiao Sui's eyes flashed with a dangerous light, and demonic energy suddenly gripped her neck.
“If you’re so capable, then kill me in front of the princess!” Qianyu shouted.
Xiao Sui glared at her, his fingers tightening. Ning Qi quickly pulled him back, and he slowly released Qian Yu, saying to the black figure, "Throw her out."
Qianyu coughed incessantly, finally raising her head to look at Ningxi: "I want to stay by your side, will you still accept me?"
Xiao Sui narrowed his eyes and looked at her suspiciously.
Ning Qi nodded without hesitation and immediately agreed.
She sent Qianyu to find Zhizhi, and then chased Xiao Sui out, leaving only Heituan behind.
"Princess, what brings you here?" the black ball chattered.
Ning Xi: "I want to know how Xiao Sui has lived all these years. Can I see your memories?"
“It’s possible,” the black mass said, wriggling around. “But it will hurt a little, and the Demon God certainly doesn’t want you to see it.”
“It’s okay, I want to see it,” Ning Qi said.
The black group rallied and dispatched a demonic group starting with the number 30, saying, "It's the youngest and has the weakest demonic energy. Let it transfer its memories to you."
“Okay.” Ning Qi said, and the little black ball separated from the group, floated to her head, and slowly fell down.
Ning Qi felt as if the top of her head had been forcibly chiseled open, and something had crawled inside.
She covered her head, and everything went black.
Xiao Sui, who was guarding outside the stone room, heard the commotion inside and rushed in in a panic. He was terrified to see Ning Qi lying on the ground.
He picked up Ning Qi and, seeing the blackness shrouding her head, angrily asked the demons, "What are you doing?"
The girl with the first character said, "The princess wants to see how you've spent these years."
"Why didn't you ask for my permission?" Xiao Sui asked through gritted teeth.
The black cricket wriggled twice. "Didn't you say that the princess is your master and we should respect her?"
"I'll settle accounts with you later." Xiao Sui carried Ning Qi's body and teleported into the bedroom, placing her on the bed.
——
Ning Qi opened her eyes and found herself still in the cave, but floating in mid-air like a soul.
She looked down and was shocked to see Xiao Sui covered in bloody holes, almost lifeless, blood dripping from his fingers and soaking the stone.
He was still wearing an eye patch, and two clear, dried, discolored bloodstains, resembling tears, were visible on his cheeks.
Ning Qi immediately realized that this was Xiao Sui from ten years ago!
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Author's Note: The last chapter was about Xiaoqi getting a facial [poor thing]. Did any of you notice?
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