Chapter 60 Protecting Each Other with One's Body
Two people emerged from behind the gnarled and thick old tree.
To be precise, only one person walked out; the other was pushed in a small cart that resembled a wheelchair.
Standing was a beautiful woman with a slender waist and curvaceous figure. Although the person being pushed was sitting in a chair and wrapped in a coarse felt blanket from the neck down, Shen Qingqiu recognized the head that was sticking out.
The sword was still moving forward, and Shen Qingqiu had to grip it tightly. He pulled so hard that the blade almost sliced off half of his hand.
His expression remained unchanged as he forced a smile and said, "Miss Qiu, Old Palace Master, how have you been?"
Qiu Haitang's gaze was filled with resentment. The old palace master's head moved, his voice hoarse: "Peak Master Shen, do I look unharmed?"
In other words, it's just a formality. Shen Qingqiu gave a dry laugh.
Upon closer observation, he realized that the word "unharmed" was truly inappropriate for the current situation. The former Palace Master was a figure akin to an enlightened immortal; whether it was their first meeting at the Immortal Alliance Conference or their unpleasant parting at Jinlan City, his appearance and demeanor remained impeccable. But now, the once meticulously groomed, snow-white beard was grime-covered and matted, and his face had aged considerably, with wrinkles more numerous than the withered bark of the old tree behind him.
The old palace master's voice was chilling: "You must be wondering why I've become like this."
Shen Qingqiu thought to himself, "Can I say it's not strange and then you'll let me pass?" But he said aloud, "I've heard that the old palace master has gone into seclusion and travels."
The old palace master chuckled and said, "Retiring to seclusion and wandering? You'll have to ask your good disciple about that."
Although I don't know the specifics, it seems they're looking for Luo Binghe to settle scores with.
Shen Qingqiu remained calm and tucked Luo Binghe behind him, blocking him completely.
Qiu Haitang said bitterly, "Chen Jiu, I told you long ago, I would recognize you even if you turned to ashes. I knew all along that your self-destruction in Huayue City was a trap. To commit suicide to atone for your sins? Heh, how could you be that kind of person? I saw through you at a glance in that demonic witch's territory, and you really weren't dead!"
You only recognized my body, not my soul. What good is that? Shen Qingqiu sighed helplessly.
When Shen Qingqiu was captured at Sha Hualing's Crimson Cloud Cave, he rescued people from various sects and only met her briefly, yet this aroused suspicion. After returning to the Azure Sky Mountain Sect and being taken away by Luo Binghe, Qiu Haitang also crossed the border and followed him to the Demon Realm. Luo Binghe, preoccupied with capturing large numbers of Black Moon Pythons and Rhinoceroses to break the Holy Tomb's barrier, was undoubtedly overwhelmed and mentally unstable, leaving him no time to guard against infiltration. In conclusion: A woman's hatred should not be underestimated.
Shen Qingqiu had never really thought about this pair of people, and he didn't know when they had gotten together.
Thinking of this, Shen Qingqiu suddenly understood: "When Miss Qiu suddenly appeared in Jinlan City, the old palace master must have played a part in it, right?"
Since Zhuzhilang has denied that he was responsible, then someone else must have been stirring things up. Otherwise, how could Qiu Haitang, belonging to such a diverse and miscellaneous sect, have had any chance of getting to the forefront?
The old palace master gave a cold smile, neither answering nor denying.
Tiny white fluff, like dandelion seeds, floated in the air, swaying and drifting past. Shen Qingqiu said, "I, Shen, have never offended the old palace master..."
The old palace master said, "Now that things have come to this, there's no need to hide anything."
His voice was hoarse, as if a lump of phlegm was stuck in his throat: "When Luo Binghe first entered my Illusion Flower Palace, I carefully cultivated him and intended to support him, but he insisted on refusing to become my disciple, let alone marry my daughter, yet he couldn't forget you. Naturally, I had to investigate Peak Master Shen thoroughly to see what kind of person he really was. Who knew that I would uncover so many old stories. I know your background perfectly well. Who your master was, what you did, how you actually joined the Azure Sky Mountain Sect, it's all quite fascinating. Even without the sower incident, you would have been destined for the water dungeon. Who knew there would be another twist, so I didn't have to worry about it."
So, the reason why the disciples of Huanhua Palace treated him so badly back then wasn't because Luo Binghe intentionally guided him, but because the old palace master deliberately influenced him.
Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but glance at Luo Binghe again.
If this child had just used his brain a little and taken someone else as his master, he wouldn't have caused so much trouble. But Shen Qingqiu couldn't blame him for his stubbornness and inflexibility. He could only sigh, "My disciple is grateful for the old palace master's kindness. However, the palace master's two sword strikes just now were clearly aimed at him, which is a bit inconsistent with his words and actions."
The old palace master said, "Things were different back then. Peak Master Shen, please step aside. I want to settle accounts with this brat."
Shen Qingqiu: "I'll step aside. Palace Master, just kill him, don't worry about me?"
Qiu Haitang sneered, "He doesn't care about you, but I'm still here!"
Originally, her combat power was too low to be considered significant, but the current situation is actually quite troublesome.
The old palace master said, "This beast is ungrateful and has harmed me to this extent. I must kill him with my own hands."
Shen Qingqiu said, "If he were truly ungrateful, he wouldn't have spared your daughter's life. He understands the principle of 'to cut the weeds, you must pull them out at the root' better than you or I do."
He never imagined that he would one day speak up for Luo Binghe.
Upon hearing this, the old palace master let out a strange, cackling laugh. Qiu Haitang abruptly threw off the rough blanket covering him. Shen Qingqiu's breath hitched for a few seconds.
Beneath the felt, there was only a flat, square body; all four limbs had vanished.
The old palace master had been reduced to a mere human stump! The once-great sect leader was now huddled in a dilapidated cart, neither human nor ghost, filthy and barely able to move, with only his head able to turn. The scene was utterly gruesome and terrifying.
The original story's Shen Qingqiu's fate has been transplanted onto the old palace master. This is a serious grudge that can't be resolved with just a few words of advice!
The old palace master sneered, "See? He'd be better off being eliminated at the root."
Shen Qingqiu wholeheartedly agreed. Why not nip it in the bud!
These two little fish, one wanted to kill Luo Binghe, and the other wanted to kill Shen Qingqiu. Qiu Haitang's cultivation was insufficient, and she needed someone to help her; although the old palace master was down on his luck, he was much stronger than her. After all, he was once the leader of a sect, and although all four limbs were severed and he was unable to move easily, his spiritual power was not diminished. Men and women working together makes the work easier, just like a blind man carrying a lame man.
Shen Qingqiu broke the sword blade with his bare hands, threw it into the bushes, and stared intently at the two men staring at him menacingly.
He could actually take a gamble.
Although Luo Binghe's cheat codes were useless against Tianlang Jun, a character without any original data, the old palace master was still a character within the original story's scope, and the protagonist's invincible invincibility law should still apply when facing him.
He could try to let go and leave it alone, just like how the Twin Lakes City dungeon tricked and killed the Skinning Demon Butterfly. He could let the old palace master go and kill Luo Binghe, and see who tricked whom in the end.
The old palace master slowly said, "I'll ask you one more time, will you allow it or not?"
Shen Qingqiu lowered his arm, and the blood in his palm, which had just stopped flowing, began to drip again.
He raised his head and said indifferently, "Does the old palace master think the disciples of Qingjing Peak are easy to bully?"
There's nothing we can do; things are different now than they were back then.
No matter what, he couldn't convince himself to rely on the male protagonist's invincible body to stand by and watch others cut Luo Binghe, betting on who was more skilled to win.
If he can still take such a huge risk to use Luo Binghe now, he would truly be a despicable scumbag!
The old palace master suddenly glared and let out several loud shouts.
Having lost his limbs, he channeled his spiritual power into his shouts, unleashing them with each strike. With each roar, Shen Qingqiu felt a powerful surge of spiritual energy crashing down upon him like a knife or axe, its force no less than a violent blow. The grass and trees trembled violently, leaves flying in disarray. Shen Qingqiu used his still-bleeding right hand to grip the scabbard and parry a few times. The tremors caused excruciating pain in his palm, but he dared not switch hands; without his left hand to hold Luo Binghe, he feared he would drop him!
Even though he had been reduced to a human stump, the old palace master's spiritual power remained undiminished. No wonder Qiu Haitang relied on him. Just as he was thinking this, the old palace master suddenly let out a long roar, and the scabbard of the Xiuya Sword made a very slight cracking sound, ultimately failing to block the attack.
A powerful force struck, and Shen Qingqiu was thrown backward. During the fall, he turned over, using himself as a cushion to prevent Luo Binghe from falling to the ground, but was still crushed by Luo Binghe's weight, making him see stars.
The old palace master finally stopped howling, and Qiu Haitang pushed him slowly closer.
After calming down for a moment, he looked down at Shen Qingqiu, who was holding Luo Binghe: "You really are protecting him."
Shen Qingqiu thought to himself that if Luo Binghe were awake, he probably wouldn't be protecting him like this.
The old palace master said, "Why didn't you use your spiritual power to retaliate? Are you perhaps already exhausted and on your last legs?"
Shen Qingqiu did not answer. Strands of fine white fluff flew by, about to touch Luo Binghe's pale cheeks. He gently blew on them, and the fluff flew off crookedly.
The old palace master thought this was a sign of resignation and waiting for death, so he ignored him and turned his gaze to Luo Binghe's peacefully sleeping face.
His previous shouting seemed to have been erased, suddenly disappearing, revealing a dazed state.
Shen Qingqiu: "..."
That expression...something's really off.
The old palace master stared at it for a long time, then sighed, "It looks most like it when it's asleep."
His furry eyes darted up and down; if he had hands, he would have touched Luo Binghe's face. Shen Qingqiu felt slightly nauseous and involuntarily pulled Luo Binghe's head closer to his chest. The two were now in a position where Luo Binghe was nestled tightly against him, his head resting on his chest.
Shen Qingqiu said in a deep voice, "Look carefully, this is not Su Xiyan."
Perhaps the name awakened the old palace master, who said viciously, "If they could just obey, what wouldn't I pass on to them—power, status, the entire Illusion Flower Palace? But one after another, they've all become ungrateful. Ungrateful!"
After roaring dozens of times about being ungrateful, his expression suddenly softened, and he hummed, "Xi Yan... come here... let Master... let me..."
The old palace master was lost in a daze, drool sliding down the corner of his mouth. Qiu Haitang quietly retreated, her face showing disgust.
Shen Qingqiu understood perfectly, and her nausea grew stronger.
No wonder the old palace master had always been strangely kind to Luo Binghe. No wonder Su Xiyan, despite being his most beloved disciple, showed no attachment to the Illusion Flower Palace, betraying her sect without hesitation and running off with the young man from the Demon Realm.
This kind of "beloved" is almost tantamount to molestation. The old palace master's favor towards Luo Binghe must be because he found the shadow of his former beloved disciple in him. His morbid possessiveness towards Su Xiyan has extended to Luo Binghe, and he has a delusion that he can mold him into an obedient child.
But judging from his arrogant attitude, it's probably not as simple as just wanting Luo Binghe to be his successor. "Obedience" also means far more than just the literal meaning.
No wonder Luo Binghe wanted to turn him into a human pig.
Shen Qingqiu placed one hand on the back of Luo Binghe's head, pressing his face against her chest to stop the old palace master from continuing his lewd fantasies about him. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she said, "That's enough!"
As soon as he could no longer see that face, the old palace master's facial muscles immediately slumped, twitched spasmodically, his eyes were filled with resentment, and he suddenly opened his mouth.
But he didn't make a sound. His eyeballs bulged out, and he suddenly froze into a stone statue.
Shen Qingqiu held her breath for a moment. The old palace master's throat gurgled, and bloodshot veins crept up his eyes.
But I just can't move.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
It's finally here!
Do you really think he's such a stupid, saintly father who wouldn't fight back when he's being beaten?!
Do you really think he's so weak just because he dragged one more person along that he can't slap him in the face and get back at him?!
Qiu Haitang asked in surprise, "What's wrong?"
She seemed about to draw her sword, but Shen Qingqiu said, "Miss Qiu, let me give you a piece of advice: do not draw your sword, and do not recklessly use your spiritual power, unless you want to end up like him."
Qiu Haitang turned around in front of the old palace master in confusion and screamed "Ah!"
Between the old palace master's aged face, dense wrinkles were covered with green buds, as if he was in excruciating pain, unable to move or even speak.
Qiu Haitang asked in a trembling voice, "What did you do?"
Shen Qingqiu said, "I didn't do anything. But don't forget, this is someone else's tomb. Do you think the demons wouldn't have any protective measures?"
The white fluff floating in the air, resembling blown-out dandelions, is actually a magical plant called "Love Threads."
This plant can seed itself on living things, and it's especially attracted to people who radiate energy. Randomly activating spiritual or demonic energy will draw the seeds to the body. This is why Shen Qingqiu tried to stick to hand-to-hand combat instead of using spiritual power.
The "love threads" penetrate the flesh, causing only a slight itch and no pain. They use flesh and blood as soil, and once they sprout, they break through the skin, each inch of growth causing excruciating pain, like tearing flesh and drawing blood. Moreover, the more spiritual energy is used, the faster they grow. If you dare to unleash a critical strike, they can grow wildly for a while and sprout instantly.
The old palace master had been attacking with roars, and the spiritual energy gathered in his head and throat, now covering his face with fleshy buds. The stems of these buds looked like blood vessels, with a thin layer of downy hairs on the surface, and the roots were growing under the skin, eventually connecting closely with the nerves.
Shen Qingqiu clicked his tongue and said, "Old Palace Master, please don't shout anymore, otherwise the love threads will grow wildly and enter your brain, and then there will truly be no way to save you."
The sight was both disgusting and terrifying. Qiu Haitang covered her mouth, trembled for a while, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. Her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
One was unable to move, and the other was unconscious. A complete victory!
Shen Qingqiu breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to his feet while holding Luo Binghe.
The old palace master's muscles were tense, and he mumbled, "Don't be too happy yet, you're not much better off."
Just uttering a few words caused his face to contort in pain, and the fleshy growths all over his face trembled.
Shen Qingqiu responded with a chuckle.
A hysterical pain crept up from my right arm to my shoulder, penetrating deep into my flesh.
When I first came in to block those two swords, I was forced to use my spiritual power, and now it has finally sprouted.
Fortunately, Luo Binghe wasn't tricked this time.
Author's Note: Thank you Lunatic and orli GN for the rocket launchers. Thank you Rorrim___, Night Love, and Aqi GN for the grenades. Thank you Xi, gooee, Rorrim___, Yo Youth, 16415314, Selling Imported Indian God Oil, zzzsl, Shadow, Beyond the Shore, Withered Summer, and Gn for the landmines.
Ice Bro must wake up on Singles' Day
I'm bowing down to all the amazing people in the group! _(:з)∠)_ Please accept my deepest respect, everyone!
Qing Ping Le GN [So beautiful! So beautiful! CRY! But why isn't the background a bed? (Hey!)]
Yukka GN [Sheep Demon King Luo Xiaomei Mwah Mwah]
Lu Guang GN [Meatball! Meatball! Give me Master Shen's meatball!]
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