Chapter 152 The seduction of her was special.
There is a consensus in the Nine Realms—the Demon Race is born ruthless.
It is said that they have no gender, but all appear as women. As long as evil exists in the world, they will not disappear. Judging from the fragments of early historical records, they have existed in the world since ancient times. Initially, they were not rampant, but rather extremely weak, thus deceiving the cultivators.
However, after several large and small battles among the three races, no one believed they were good anymore. They were originally called "Abyss People" because the Demon Realm has always been a desolate and dark place, the sky is stained with blood, the stars have never protected this place, only the moonlight remains.
The relationship between demons and humans dates back to a long time ago. When the first person to fall into demonhood appeared, the members of the immortal sects realized that they might only be one step away from this race, which was considered impure. If they had intense love, hate, obsession, or anger, they might very well become one of them.
It wasn't until World War II that people realized that demonic energy invading the body could also lead to demonic transformation. From then on, they stopped pushing the battle lines into the demonic realm and only sought to drive the demons back.
As time passed, the more they feared it, the less they could get close, and so the origin of the demon race was forgotten.
Yet the demons themselves knew not where they came from; from the moment they awoke, they were merely numb shells, driven by malice and hatred, plundering, slaughtering, and devouring one another, yearning for life in other realms. Only one person remembered his origins, remembered the collapse of Luochuan, remembered the blade wielded by the god, remembered—
He recalled that he had once been a general in Luochuan and was under the command of the lord of Luochuan.
Unfortunately, the Lord of Luochuan, having undergone the baptism of the River Styx, had forgotten most of his past. Only when his generals came to him did he learn that he had once had three subordinates who had followed him through thick and thin. His past life was like a drifting duckweed, long since vanished, just as Luo Yang himself no longer existed in this world. What remained now was only Qiao Yanshen, an ordinary disciple of Emperor Taihui, who unfortunately possessed some of the demonic energy of Luochuan.
Unfortunately, this person, who remembers everything from the moment he wakes up, is also stubborn, unlike the other two who haven't completely let go of their emotions and can still recall the tender moments, thus accompanying Qiao Yanshen in the present as Luo Yang treated them in the past.
This person's name was Luo You, and he was a child raised by Luo Yang himself.
All the arguments were over in the blink of an eye, so when they carried the unconscious person in their arms to a secluded little house, the surroundings were still quiet.
After setting up a protective barrier to ensure no one could approach, the woman placed Qiao Yanshen on a chair. The young man leaned weakly against the chair, his hair falling down as he drooped his head, obscuring his eyes and brows.
The bleeding had stopped, leaving only the strong smell of rust and her pale face. The large bloodstains on her white clothes were shocking. She was only breathing weakly, and her lips no longer trembled with pain, as if she was only half a step away from falling into complete silence.
With her blood-red eyes fixed intently on the other person, Luo You stood in front of Qiao Yanshen, thought for a moment, reached out to lift her chin, carefully examined her features, and then suddenly chuckled.
"You haven't changed your appearance, nor do you know how to conceal your aura. You've truly forgotten many things from before." She shook her head, her gaze lingering tenderly on that familiar face. "Teacher, why did you still make me find you?"
As the morning light fell, it illuminated the grotesque, crisscrossing stitches on the woman's face, resembling those of a centipede, as if she had been torn to pieces and then forcibly stitched back together. Many other parts of her body bore similar marks. The silk threads, no longer transparent and soft, were now stained crimson, as if to remind her that she had died twice and still could not find peace.
As a general, she naturally received the heaviest divine punishment. While the other two were able to fall into a deep slumber after their souls were shattered, she couldn't forget her past because Luo Yang had personally pieced her soul back together. She could only feel her emotions being stripped away inch by inch. At first, she would shed tears, but later, when her body felt empty, she became numb. When she was banished to the mortal realm and opened her eyes again, something new arose within her.
As the saying goes, "The deeper the love, the deeper the hate," and evil thoughts were the first to take hold of her mind.
After a long silence, the sound of fabric rustling could be heard. Luo You knelt by the chair, gently rested her head on the young man's knees, placed her hands on his legs, and peacefully closed her eyes.
Just like they had been in Luochuan before, when she was still an innocent child living with others, she wholeheartedly loved Luo Yang—her teacher, the one who gave her another chance at life—from the moment her innocent feelings began to blossom.
But this time, the familiar cool fragrance was gone; only a strong, sweet, fishy smell filled the air. If the teacher were still awake, would he raise his hand and gently touch her hair again?
"Never mind, whatever happens, happens." After a moment of tenderness, Luo You lowered her eyes and said softly, "Teacher, I have nothing left in my heart now, not even the feelings I once had for you that I couldn't express. What should I do? Please teach me again."
She gently turned her face away, gazing at the soft waist and abdomen beneath the blood-soaked clothes. She had once longed to return here, but now she thought—how fragile. Perhaps with one stab, her teacher's life would have been entirely in her own hands.
Her fingertips lightly touched the young man's drooping hand; it was still slightly cool. In the past, she had wanted to give her all her warmth, only wishing that these hands would not become cold again. As she carefully felt them, a burning sensation suddenly emerged, surging up warily as Luo You silently and imperceptibly infiltrated Qiao Yanshen's body with demonic energy, wanting to drive away this uninvited guest.
The divine fire was no longer the purifying fire once held by the supreme deities; it was surprisingly weak. The demonic energy contained the power of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, completely extinguishing the scorching heat, while a chilling coldness seeped into Qiao Yan's meridians like a tidal wave. Luo You slowly rose, looked down at her, and couldn't help but sigh.
Just that one aura was enough to confirm that the person was now by her side. How annoying, so stubborn, so persistent? The teacher was indeed a devoted person; one lifetime wasn't enough for him, and he wanted to have a connection with her in the second life, even to the point of spiritual fusion and entanglement of divine consciousness.
Their unbridled affection was noticed by everyone else, but the two protagonists, deeply entangled in it, were one step too late to confess their feelings. They never understood "love" until their deaths, yet they had already tasted its flavor.
Luo You was, of course, also favored by Luo Yang, more so than any other citizen of Luochuan. He was the child whom the young man taught to speak little by little, but he was still no match for Ling Guangjun, who had long resided in the other's heart and ignited a raging fire.
In this lifetime and every lifetime, she alone has won the heart of a gentle soul.
Black mist swirled, drawing demonic energy imbued with cultivation from his body, seeping through his skin and eroding his originally pure spiritual power. The aura of Luo Chuan, hidden deep within, surged forth, intertwining like musical notes, harmonizing with the aura Luo You brought. Luo You reached out and cupped Qiao Yanshen's face in her hands. Her bloodshot eyes were lifeless, devoid of any emotion, yet the words from her lips were like a lover's confession, each syllable filled with tenderness:
“Teacher, we shouldn’t have met today, it’s too early. But I really miss you, and I hope you can forgive me and forget this memory.”
The wound couldn't be fully healed, otherwise it wouldn't have left a scar of its own. Her gaze lightly swept over the bloodstains on Qiao Yanshen's body, and she smiled gently.
"Whether it's your important family member or your lover... Teacher, I will destroy everything that is worthy of your love with my own hands. You just have to wait."
She had lost the human ability to measure emotions, and this was merely an act of tenderness she took when she was still a person with a complete soul, as she remembered it. Luo Yang had not allowed her to do anything more, so she did not know how to become more intimate. After stroking Qiao Yanshen's pale cheek, she withdrew her hand, and after all the demonic energy had been poured away, she gently touched his forehead, sealing away the memory of their recent confrontation.
Anyway, teachers are the best at blaming themselves.
If one senses the demonic energy within their body intensifying, they will surely think that it is due to self-harm caused by losing control due to demonic possession, rather than being injured by others.
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My abdomen felt cold, and a moist, burning pain seeped out.
Qiao Yanshen opened her eyes, a lingering palpitation in her chest. She steadied herself and realized her last memory was of the morning when she sensed the demonic energy and set out to search for it. She remembered being on White Dew Peak before fainting.
"Senior Sister?"
Someone was calling her. Qiao Yanshen looked up and saw a servant apprentice looking at her with concern. The surroundings were as usual, and she realized that she was not in Bailu Peak, but in the pavilion where the servant apprentice usually received guests. Her clothes were clean as usual.
Something felt off, and for some reason, his temples throbbed, and his head throbbed with pain. Qiao Yanshen struggled to sit up straight, rubbed his temples, and asked, "What just happened...?"
The apprentice shook her head. "I just heard a noise not far away. When I rushed over, I saw my senior sister lying on the ground." After saying that, she pursed her lips, and a look of worry appeared in her eyes.
Qiao Yanshen lowered her eyes, subconsciously checking her internal condition. Sure enough, she felt that demonic energy had already eroded most of her spiritual power, and a pale blue light flowed through her meridians. She bit her lower lip, her brows furrowed, and unconsciously clenched her fists. She had been trying to stop it before, but now it was too late. The magical artifact given to her by her master was only for purifying her mind.
Humans fear demons even more than monsters, which is why demonic cultivators are also hated. Anyone associated with them is considered to have an impure heart, to be controlled by evil thoughts, and to be controlled by inner demons all day long.
Although Qiao Yanshen was not that kind of person, he did not want to implicate his sect.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, the apprentice servant moved closer and whispered, "Senior sister? If you are not feeling well, I will take you to the medicine pavilion. Don't push yourself."
"No need." Qiao Yanshen shook his head after regaining his senses. "Thank you for your help, Junior Sister. I feel much better now."
She slowly rose, forced a smile, and left the pavilion. In her haste to turn, she failed to see the sudden glimmer of crimson in his eyes as the daylight faded.
As the young man watched her figure recede into the distance, he smiled slightly, crossed his legs, and sat down in the pavilion, glancing at the White Dew Peak above with a seemingly pleasant expression.
As the old saying goes, a thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole.
The wind rustled through the grass. Qiao Yanshen had moved away from the vicinity of Bailu Peak, her mind a jumble of thoughts, a rare feeling of anxiety washing over her. She hesitated for a long while before finally summoning her sword and stepping into the familiar mountain forest. The gentle morning breeze could lightly press down the grass and trees, but it could not dispel the bewilderment in Qiao Yanshen's heart, her plans completely disrupted.
She had always been cautious and deliberate. She had never heard of someone being possessed by a demon falling into delirium and losing their memory without even realizing it. Besides, she had been so careful, how could she have been so quickly controlled by evil thoughts? Looking inside, apart from the spiritual energy being a pale blue instead of the original light color, everything else was as clear as ever.
She remembered her master's words, and she also remembered her junior sister telling her through tears, "Don't suffer anymore," but her first reaction was still to hurt herself with a sword?
The more incongruous the feeling became, the tighter Qiao Yanshen's brows furrowed. As she landed on the sword, a thought struck her, and she raised her hand to form a hand seal, intending to test her current level.
The demonic energy was like a cloud obscuring the sky and sun, blurring her senses, though she could vaguely feel her cultivation level rising. However, when she tried to use her spiritual power, she felt something within her break through its shackles and surge forth.
The next moment, Qiao Yanshen's pupils contracted slightly, and he subconsciously took two steps back.
Within sight, flowers, grass, and towering trees began to wither and die at an alarming rate. Like animals whose nutrients and blood had been drained, they instantly lost most of their vitality. Some parts of the grassland even seemed to be corrupted by demonic energy, turning pitch black before turning into dust that could be blown away with a single breath.
The continuous flow of life force is transformed into spiritual energy and flows into the meridians.
Unbeknownst to them, the tree spirit in the tree in front of the courtyard was also startled. Before it could react, the icy chill stripped away its long-accumulated spiritual energy. The branches trembled violently, making dense and intense sounds, as if trembling in fear, pleading with Qiao Yanshen to stop.
Uncontrollable. It was as if it wasn't instinct, but some self-aware entity parasitizing her, plundering her for her own sake. Only when her spiritual power was so abundant that it was just a hair's breadth away from breaking through the shackles did Qiao Yanshen feel the surging chill subside.
However, there was hardly any living thing left around. Flowers, trees, birds, and insects all disappeared in the encroachment, showing that the technique of controlling blood had been mastered to a high degree.
—Is this the plundering nature inherent in demons, or the power of Luo Chuan to control life and death?
The question suddenly popped into his mind, and Qiao Yanshen raised his hand and gripped one of his arms tightly, his fingertips digging into his clothes and piercing his skin.
Fortunately, the area is not large; it only covers the area in front of the hospital.
Yet a stubborn thought arose within her, whispering in her ear—why not continue until she reclaims the power of the Supreme God and becomes the Lord of Luochuan once more.
Whether she was Luo Yang or not was no longer important. From now on, she no longer needed to be a pawn on anyone's chessboard, no longer needed to suffer day and night because of someone's resentment towards her. She would stop at nothing to achieve her goals; Qiao Yanshen knew that once the layers of her principles were peeled away, only this one remained.
And it really hurt. Even though she had forgotten everything that had just happened, she still began to remember the origins of the wounds on her body. What had been as smooth as snow before was now covered with shocking red streaks, mottled and intertwined, dark, cold, and heavy, and could not be healed no matter what.
Why should she be the one to repay Luo Yang's debt? Why is she resisting so fiercely? She only uses Luo Chuan's power when her life is in danger—in the end, this danger was brought about by someone related to Luo Chuan.
Does everyone have to hurt her once before saying they love her?
Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes, his heart aching, his spiritual energy churning erratically, causing a burning, metallic taste to rise in his throat.
We might as well accept it this way, but we'll have to say goodbye to everything we currently have.
But at that very moment, she heard the voice she least wanted to hear.
"Senior Sister..."
The words we had agreed to before resurfaced, and a thousand tender feelings briefly relieved the almost unbearable pain.
The boy stood not far behind Qiao Yanshen, taking in the entire scene of ruin. In astonishment, he spoke softly, calling her name.
When she woke up in the morning and couldn't find her, and sensing something was wrong, Shen Lixia began searching for Qiao Yanshen. Following the faint scent and her senses, she returned here, only to stumble upon this scene.
The tree spirit's mournful cries still echoed in her ears, but now it was weak and on the verge of death. Shen Lixia felt a coldness in her palms, the slickness of cold sweat. Seeing that Qiao Yanshen had stopped but did not respond, she could only take a deep breath and walk towards her.
The next moment, a chill swept over her as sword energy materialized, condensing into dozens of sharp blades that blocked her path and left a long gash on her face.
A burning pain shot through my face, and beads of blood quickly seeped out, sliding down my cheek.
But Shen Lixia did not stop. Flames gradually rose around her, dissolving the restless azure spiritual energy, and she walked step by step to Qiao Yanshen.
At this moment, the young man finally raised his head, allowing his face to come into her view.
Those deep blue eyes, however, lacked the cold sharpness that came with confrontation; instead, they were filled with a soft sorrow. Qiao Yanshen's face was so pale it gave the illusion of being drenched in rain, yet the weather was sunny and the light so bright it made her appear even somewhat fragile. Her nose was red, and she finally couldn't hold back her tears, letting them fall silently, carrying her pain.
Shen Lixia was startled, her brows furrowing slightly. Forgetting all about the pain, she reached out and hugged Qiao Yanshen. It was as if if she didn't do this, she would lose something very important.
Without needing any special connection, Shen Lixia understood Qiao Yanshen's feelings in the instant their eyes met.
She felt wronged and sad.
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Author's note: If you guys keep acting like a mother tonic towards your senior sister, she's going crazy.
I only realized after reviewing the plot that everyone connected to Luo Yang actually had a somewhat complicated relationship with her senior sister…
Xia expressed strong disagreement with this approach, believing that loving someone means making them happy and preventing them from getting hurt...
A very special bird.
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