Chapter 34 Three-in-One
Today was the most thrilling and exciting hot spring bath Su Yunyu had ever had, and also the most unforgettable one. After soaking and wrapping himself in his clothes, he was about to settle Long Aotian back into the disciple's quarters when he suddenly thought of something:
"You must live in my Northern Underworld Palace."
This disciple's residence is deserted and quiet, and his Beiming Palace is also deserted and quiet. It's better to put them together and make it a bit more lively.
Xiao Shuying paused for a moment, then slowly nodded:
"As Master arranges."
Having received the reply, Su Yunyu glanced at the room and found there was nothing to tidy up, so she directly took Xiao Shuying to the Beiming Palace.
Previously, it was because Xiao Shuying's meridians were broken and she was not suited to the cold air here.
Now things are different. With the meridians successfully repaired, the coldness of the Northern Underworld Palace is no longer a problem.
Pushing open the palace door, Su Yunyu was pleased with the elegant and grand atmosphere of the place when she saw Xiao Shuying looking at a couch next to the main hall piled with several fruits.
"..."
Oh no, I forgot to clean up the fruit I ate on the tatami mat before I left.
However, Su Yunyu pretended not to see it and instead took advantage of the situation to lead Xiao Shuying back into the inner hall where she mainly conducted her activities.
"You can sleep with me tonight, and I'll tidy up the side hall for you tomorrow."
Actually, he could sleep in the side hall, but he had seduced someone today and unknowingly crossed his moral line, so he decided to go all the way and seduce them to the end.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Shuying was even more confused about what Su Yunyu was planning, and hesitated somewhat:
"This bed seems to be only big enough for Master to sleep on."
So Su Yunyu flicked her sleeve, and the bed miraculously widened by several inches. Xiao Shuying had no choice but to change her excuse again:
"My disciple has trouble sleeping in a new bed; he might disturb your peace at night."
Then Su Yunyu recalled the bed she had just seen in the disciples' quarters, and with a flick of her sleeve, the jade bed instantly turned into a wooden bed.
Xiao Shuying blinked a few times, unable to find a reason to refuse, and could only reluctantly agree:
"Since Master is so kind, then this disciple will borrow it for the night."
Upon hearing this, Su Yunyu smiled with satisfaction.
As night deepened, he brought a candle and placed it in front of the bed, pretending not to see Xiao Shuying sitting upright by the bed. He then took off his outer robe and slipped inside.
If she had any thoughts of seduction earlier, now that the moment has come, she has given up and is only concerned with sleeping. As for what seduction is, Su Yunyu has completely forgotten about it.
The Northern Underworld Palace was chilly, so Su Yunyu had specially brought out a thin blanket to cover himself with. Lying on the innermost side, he glanced up at Xiao Shuying, who seemed in no hurry to sleep, and patted the spot beside him.
"Get some rest."
After saying that, he stopped worrying about what happened next, closed his eyes, and began to imagine a bedtime story.
He didn't see Xiao Shuying glance at him in the candlelight, her eyes dark and unfathomable.
Su Yunyu, who always had a good sleep quality, was no exception this time. She fell into a deep sleep halfway through imagining the little story.
In her sleep, it seemed as if someone had pulled away the thin blanket covering her. Su Yunyu, still half-asleep, reached out and groped around.
Then I touched something hard but warm, and immediately pressed myself against it, clinging to it tightly with my hands and feet, just like an octopus.
Once he had warmed up, he was satisfied and drifted back to sleep.
Xiao Shuying, who was being relentlessly pursued by him, frowned deeply, and in her dream, she had returned to her first life.
At that time, his cultivation was already extremely high, and the Three Realms were nothing more than a matter of course. On that day, he returned to Nanlin Prefecture and openly slaughtered the Xiao family.
At that time, the people of the Xiao family looked at his arrival with suspicion and arrogance, and did not take it seriously. They were about to throw him out.
Until the chilling aura was palpable, until everyone who tried to approach Xiao Shuying suddenly exploded into a cloud of blood mist under the invisible pressure.
It was only at this moment that they began to tremble with fear amidst the bloodlust. In their panic, some were determined to fight to the death, some desperately tried to escape, and others went to contact a master.
But all of this was to no avail.
That day, the blood of the Xiao family filled every brick and patch of earth, nourishing the flowers to make them all incredibly beautiful.
From that day on, Xiao Shuying's infamy spread throughout the Three Realms.
Some people used his ferocity as fodder for conversation, describing it vividly; others painted their fantasies about him to create a stir and attract attention.
He could look down on everything, but he had nothing by his side.
Everyone feared, dreaded, and loathed him.
Later, Su Yunyu, who had clearly died at his hands, returned with even more powerful magic than before.
Xiao Shuying was no match for him and was imprisoned in a secret chamber in the back mountain of Tianxuan Sect, where she was subjected to endless bloodletting in darkness.
Looking back, he had experienced all kinds of hardships and triumphs, only to lose them all inexplicably in the end.
He reincarnated countless times, to the point that he forgot to ponder why Su Yunyu defeated him in the first life.
The dream was filled with iridescent, blood-red shadows, until it froze in this lifetime...
The candle burned down to its last flame.
Outside the Beiming Palace, the sky was already bright.
Su Yunyu got up and rubbed her eyes, instinctively wanting to stretch, but then heard a restless, cracking sound beside her.
He turned his head and saw Xiao Shuying gripping the thin blanket tightly with both hands, breathing rapidly, her eyelids trembling with unease. So he tentatively poked her—
Who knew that the next second Xiao Shuying would suddenly sit up, the shock of which was no less than that of a zombie rising from the dead, startling Su Yunyu so much that her hair stood on end. After a shiver, she pretended to be calm:
"What’s wrong with you"
"..." Xiao Shuying gasped for breath, her eyes still dazed and lost in the dream. Hearing Su Yunyu's clear voice, she snapped back to reality and forced a smile.
"I had a nightmare, but I'm fine now."
Su Yunyu didn't dare ask about the nightmare, afraid of reopening old wounds. Hearing this, she simply placed her hand on his back and comforted him.
"Dreams are always the opposite of reality, it's okay."
Xiao Shuying froze, but upon hearing this, she curled her lips into a smile:
"Doesn't Master even ask me what nightmare I had?"
Seeing Su Yunyu withdraw her hand and hesitate slightly, Xiao Shuying then stopped smiling and calmly said:
"Just kidding, I was just dreaming about my childhood."
However, in the real dream, it was Su Yunyu's undisguised killing intent towards him during those countless reincarnations.
Strange, how could such a dream be considered a nightmare and cause him to lose his composure?
*
In the morning, Su Yunyu made an excuse to meditate and sent Xiao Shuying away. It was still early and there was nothing else to do. As Xiao Shuying was pondering, she suddenly thought of a place to go.
It's reasonable for him to go to Wugutang because he needs to eat breakfast in the morning.
Xiao Shuying was very familiar with the way to Wugutang. After entering, she did not rush to get food, but looked around and searched for a certain figure.
It was breakfast time, and most of the disciples were here. Xiao Shuying had also found her target as she had hoped.
In the long queue, Yan Angao had already reached the front. Just as Xiao Shuying approached, he received his freshly prepared hot meal.
Seeing Yan Angao staring ravenously at the plate of food in his hand, barely even looking where he was going, Xiao Shuying smiled, strode over, creating a gust of wind, and bumped into him shoulder to shoulder—
With a loud crash, the congee and side dishes spilled all over the ground, attracting the attention of those nearby.
Yan Angao was also knocked to the ground. After catching his breath, he stood up, supporting himself on his backside, and slowly raised his eyes to look at the person who had come.
But it was Xiao Shuying, who was standing with her arms crossed, looking down at him.
What alarmed Yan Angao was that this person, who had previously appeared as a naive and easily bullied youth, now possessed an unfathomable aura, and his stature had become increasingly formidable.
Yan Angao didn't know what he was planning, so he just smiled and asked:
"Senior brother, would you like me to get you some food?"
I initially thought Xiao Shuying wasn't interested in this, but to my surprise, she nodded.
"Then go ahead."
After saying that, he turned around and sat on the nearest bench. Yan Angao's face was stiff. He glanced at the long line of people waiting to pass through the exhaust vents, sighed, and had no choice but to go and wait in line again.
The lady serving the food was so busy that she didn't even realize he had gotten food twice by himself.
Yan Angao brought the food he had prepared to Xiao Shuying, but Xiao Shuying only stirred it a few times before returning it to him.
I accidentally knocked your breakfast over, so please have this instead.
Yan Angao seemed to understand something. His lowered face was indistinct, yet strangely alluring. He didn't touch the congee, but merely looked up and teased:
"Senior brother, don't you ever wonder why the Immortal Venerable accepted you as his disciple?"
"..." Xiao Shuying stared at him scrutinizingly, noticing that he was not as meticulous and cautious as usual, which seemed strange. Upon hearing his question, she simply replied calmly:
"Naturally, it's because I'm exceptionally gifted."
Yan Angao seemed to choke for a moment, then slowly smiled:
"Actually, the Celestial Venerable took you as his disciple because you have something he wanted."
Seeing his confident smile, Xiao Shuying felt a chill in her heart, but her face remained expressionless. She simply scooped up a spoonful of white porridge and shoved it into his mouth, her tone icy:
"It was my oversight that I allowed you to speak."
"Ugh...cough cough cough," Yan Angao was caught off guard when a mouthful of congee was stuffed into his mouth. He chewed it a couple of times and then crunched it, which hurt his teeth. The congee also had a bloody smell.
Despite this, he only showed a slight pain on his face, and as he swallowed the porridge containing pebbles, he still laughed heartlessly:
"Tomorrow, the Immortal Venerable will take you to your Pinhua Prefecture to support other sects. Just wait and see."
Pinhuazhou
Xiao Shuying frowned, her heart filled with doubt:
How did you find out?
Yan Angao then focused intently on his meal, remaining silent even though the food contained many pebbles that made a constant crunching sound.
Xiao Shuying suddenly stood up, giving Yan Angao a cold look, which scared away the disciples who had wanted to come up and flatter her.
Xiao Shuying, however, remained completely oblivious, and simply retorted sarcastically:
"I think you're just talking nonsense. If you can't control your mouth next time, you might run into me."
Just as she was about to leave, the sound transmission pendant at her waist vibrated. Xiao Shuying paused for a moment, then slowly picked it up and tentatively said something to the other side:
Master
Su Yunyu's clear and aloof voice rang out:
"Come back early, we're going to Pinhua Prefecture tomorrow."
"..."
Xiao Shuying was unsure whether she should respond or not; she simply put down the jade pendant and glanced back at Yan Angao.
Seeing that he was still eating with his head down, looking utterly useless, Xiao Shuying frowned, concealing her unease.
How did he know that, and why was he so certain that he should wait and see?
Could it really be as he said, that he possesses something Su Yunyu desires?
Although Su Yunyu told him to go back sooner, she didn't say he should go back immediately.
For some reason, Xiao Shuying decided to go to the back mountain.
Of all the back mountains of the Tianxuan Sect, only one stands out in terms of intimidation.
That place doesn't have a proper name. It's just that some people who accidentally wandered in survived and created all sorts of horrors, which led later generations to name it "Black Wind Mountain".
Even the wind blowing inside was black, which scared away anyone who was itching to go in.
However, Xiao Shuying knew that the mountain was not actually that terrifying, otherwise the Tianxuan Sect would have dealt with it long ago.
The danger lies solely in the presence of several magical beasts within.
The demonic energy is black, and the mountains have always been dominated by demonic beasts. Over time, the wind that blows there has become black...
However, Xiao Shuying wasn't going to kill demonic beasts; he just wanted to refine some demonic energy.
With his physique, simply infusing spiritual energy into his body wouldn't be enough to accelerate his cultivation; he had to seize every second to become stronger.
After leaving Wugutang, in the blink of an eye, they arrived at the so-called Black Wind Mountain.
Having been a useless person for so long, the feeling of regaining cultivation is truly delightful. Xiao Shuying looked at the familiar place before her and curled her lips in a mocking smile.
Others dare not enter this place, but in his first life, he had no choice but to hide here because of Xiao Qingran's so-called "invitation" to practice swordsmanship.
Even if the black wind howls and wild beasts cry deep in the forest, he can only stay here.
The vast Tianxuan Sect couldn't even find a place to settle down.
Black Wind Mountain, which others feared, was a safe haven for him, a place where he could temporarily escape the chaos.
Without hesitation, Xiao Shuying walked directly into the forest. After his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness, someone looked at the footprints on the ground and followed in them.
Upon entering the area covered with branches and leaves, the ground was all dry, withered branches and leaves crunching underfoot. There was no sign of life here, except for the distant roars that indicated that there were still living creatures.
The monsters here aren't high-level, so Xiao Shuying was pretty confident she could get a beast core.
He held Mu Ling's hand, parted the jagged, withered branches, and carefully approached the howling sounds, stepping cautiously on the fallen leaves.
Little did he know that someone had already found the magical beast before him. This person was dressed as a disciple, and the bloodstains on his lips could be seen when he opened them. It was Yan Angao from the Five Grains Hall.
The only difference is that here, his eyes are bloodshot, and his gaze is extremely cold.
The person who had just accepted punishment was now completely different from the one who used to follow Xiao Qingran around.
He took out a small amount of powder, rubbed it between his fingertips, then placed it to his lips and gently blew on it.
The fine powder instantly invaded the wind in a mighty torrent, making the wind even more turbid. In the darkness, the beast's cries stopped, and it gasped for breath. Its already red eyes looked even more bloodshot.
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Yan Angao smiled with satisfaction.
He was originally thinking about how to kill Xiao Shuying, but this person actually overestimated himself and walked into this place.
Then you can't blame him for stirring things up.
Yan Angao stopped watching what would happen next, turned around, and flew away as a shadow.
I wonder when these fools will realize that he isn't Yan Angao, but someone else entirely...
*
As Xiao Shuying gradually approached, she heard the sudden silence of the beasts' roars, replaced by an eerie, deathly silence.
what happened
The monsters here are restless and howl incessantly, so why have they all fallen silent at this moment?
Is there interference from someone, or is there a problem with Warcraft?
Before I could think further, the ground trembled, and I heard the sound of a heavy object rushing towards me.
The ground trembled instantly, the withered branches rustled, and even the wind dared not howl anymore. Alarm bells rang in Xiao Shuying's heart, and just as she was about to fly away, a streak of fire shot straight towards her—
Xiao Shuying suddenly raised her sword, deflecting the fireball with ease. She glanced at the panting monster that had just arrived and saw that its eyes were bloodshot and its mouth was watering. She had a bad feeling.
The monster was terrifying in size, yet it was restrained and timid by the Tianxuan Sect. Usually, it would just howl all day and wouldn't even attack people unless provoked. Why was it so frenzied today?
The monster roared, its aura soaring to the heavens, possessing an invincible momentum. It then spewed out several more fireballs, which Xiao Shuying dodged one by one. Just as she was about to strike first, another cataclysmic event occurred, completely obscuring the light and shadow on her left, and another monster appeared.
Xiao Shuying slowly retreated, tightening her grip on Mu Ling as she sized up the two magical beasts. She figured she could kill one first, and if she couldn't defeat the other, she could just run away, since the magical beasts couldn't leave the mountain anyway.
Before it could be implemented, the light and shadow on the right were completely swallowed up, and another towering monster, as imposing as a small mountain, exhaled turbid air with a weighty gait, its scarlet eyes drooling.
Three magical beasts...
If we don't act quickly, there might be more than three.
But Xiao Shuying was certain that a direct attack would only put her at a disadvantage. As she dodged the attacks and struggled to move backward, the demonic beast on her left swung its wooden vines and coiled around her. At the same time, a fireball was almost upon her.
Xiao Shuying raised his sword and cut the wooden vines, but the fireball struck him heavily. He was caught off guard and fell to the ground, crushing a fallen leaf with a crackling sound.
Despite the burning pain in her chest, Xiao Shuying dared not linger. The monster's attacks were overwhelming and left no opening, growing increasingly ferocious with each attack, which made Xiao Shuying feel even more chilled and ruthless.
Who did this? Who wants to kill him?
One name after another appeared and were rejected. When she thought of Su Yunyu, Xiao Shuying's hand, which was wielding her sword intent, suddenly stopped.
No, it couldn't be him.
I don't know why, but I can be so sure.
But that pause gave the monster an opening to attack, and another fireball came down, causing Xiao Shuying to fall to the ground and vomit blood.
He clutched his chest, glanced at the exit about 800 meters away, but had no strength left to evacuate.
Before him stood three menacing, increasingly ferocious magical beasts. Was he truly destined to perish here today?
As the monster's attack came, Xiao Shuying gripped her longsword tightly, deceiving herself as she shielded herself—
Boom!
The mountains collapsed and the earth cracked.
*
The Northern Underworld Palace not long ago.
Su Yunyu told Xiao Shuying to come back early, and then she couldn't resist going back to sleep.
He slept soundly, dreaming of completing his mission and returning to his original world, full of pride and satisfaction.
He was just sleeping when he heard a hoarse, mocking sound in his ear. He didn't want to pay attention to it, but his sweet dream was already broken.
Su Yunyu sat up abruptly, only to be surprised to find that the hoarse, mocking voice was actually System 111 shouting itself hoarse. Seeing that he was awake, 111 weakly said:
Do you want a chance to be a hero and save the damsel in distress?
Su Yunyu was still dazed, and somewhat disoriented upon hearing this:
"Where there are heroes, there are beauties—isn't that just Long Aowen's catchphrase?"
[Okay,] 111 is extremely inflamed:
[You can think of Long Aotian as a beauty, but anyway, he's in critical condition, I advise you to go there right away!]
The situation is critical, but he won't die.
Su Yunyu was already used to this damn bug.
Upon hearing this, he reacted a beat slow, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise:
"What did you say? Long Aotian is in danger?"
111: [...hopeless]
Su Yunyu's drowsiness vanished instantly, and without even bothering to straighten his outer robe, he rushed out of the Beiming Palace. But as he stood atop the vast and boundless Misty Peak, a question suddenly occurred to him:
"111, you still haven't told me where Long Aotian is."
[...]
Upon learning that it was in Black Wind Mountain, Su Yunyu rushed there and finally found three magical beasts in a noisy and chaotic place.
It was so conspicuous; the monsters were taller than the trees, and the three of them gathered there were particularly eye-catching.
Wait, three monsters!
Then wouldn't Long Aotian be...?
Su Yunyu's breath hitched. She gripped the Xuehua Sword and flew over. Sure enough, she saw Xiao Shuying lying on the ground, vomiting blood.
Faced with three mountain-sized magical beasts, Xiao Shuying appeared too weak and alone, which made Su Yunyu furious. She almost pointed at the magical beasts and yelled at them, "What kind of skill is it to bully the weak with numbers!"
But he still had a sliver of reason. As the magical beasts attacked Xiao Shuying, Su Yunyu unleashed her sword intent. In an instant, all the black winds and yellow dust, all the dark clouds that obscured the sun, were transformed into a dazzling, radiant display of sunlight.
With a fierce sword intent, the demonic beasts sensed something was wrong and tried to flee in three directions. Su Yunyu shouted coldly and stood with her sword in front of her. With one sword, she split into three shadows, each sword piercing towards the demonic beast.
With a mournful howl, the monster's defeat was imminent. Only then did Su Yunyu land safely on the ground. She turned and rushed towards Xiao Shuying, who lay on the ground, and asked sharply:
"Why did you come here? Why didn't you send a message when there was danger?"
While Xiao Shuying was still in a daze, she heard his question and remembered that he still had a communication jade pendant at his waist.
He probably didn't want Su Yunyu to know about this, thinking he could handle it himself, so he forgot about the telepathic communication for a moment.
Undeniably, Su Yunyu's arrival just now did save his life.
But why did it arrive at such a coincidental time, just like the time with the Netherfire Python?
Xiao Shuying stood up, using her sword as a support, clutching her chest with a complex expression, and slowly asked Su Yunyu:
"How did Master know I was here?"
"..."
Oh dear, I came in such a hurry that I forgot about this.
Right, how is he going to explain that he knew Xiao Shuying was in danger?
And the fact that he arrived so timely almost made it seem like he orchestrated the whole thing.
Thinking of this, Su Yunyu lashed out at 111 with a burst of anger:
"You're rushing me like you're trying to kill me, and I've forgotten how to come up with a reason."
111: [...Sound transmission tablet, just say sound transmission tablet, the same as last time]
Su Yunyu's mood shifted from gloomy to sunny, and she echoed the sentiment:
"That's what I think too."
111: [Get lost!]
Su Yunyu remained calm and explained using the same words as before:
"You may have accidentally touched the communication tablet. In any case, I heard the roar of the monsters on your side, and I suspect you are in some kind of danger."
"..."
Is that really the case?
It sounded reasonable, but Xiao Shuying wondered at what moment she had touched the communication tablet...
However, seeing Su Yunyu's calm and composed expression, Xiao Shuying could only nod.
"I see, thank you, Master."
Seeing that Xiao Shuying believed her, Su Yunyu immediately changed her tactics:
"By the way, why did you come here?"
"..."
This caught Xiao Shuying off guard. According to his original plan, he could obtain the monster core without Su Yunyu knowing about it.
Unfortunately, the whole thing took a strange turn from the very beginning.
Xiao Shuying lowered her head, feigning embarrassment, and murmured:
"I only heard that there is a place in the sect where the wind blows black, so I was curious and wanted to come and see for myself."
Regardless of whether Su Yunyu believed it or not, Xiao Shuying quickly changed the subject:
"Master, why are the magical beasts here so ferocious? They're even attacking me on their own. Is someone doing this on purpose...?"
"Not necessarily," Su Yunyu pondered. The demonic beasts were dead, and their talisman had vanished. He had no way of knowing why the beasts had gone berserk; he was simply trying to make the answer less of a conspiracy theory.
"Perhaps the leak of demonic energy in the secret realm affected the demonic beasts here. Since no one comes here normally, they didn't even know the demonic beasts had gone berserk."
This doesn't seem like a deliberate frame-up. After all, Long Aotian has his protection in this life, so who would be so foolish as to attack him?
Furthermore, if such a person truly exists, how did they manage to arrive here so discreetly, and what methods did they use to drive the magical beasts mad?
Unable to come up with any clues, Xiao Shuying could only nod.
"Perhaps that's true."
But his intuition told him that things weren't that simple...
The sect that went to provide support this time was another major sect in Pinhua Prefecture called the Wind Array Sect. They were skilled in array formations and had heard that strange things had been happening to them recently, so they specifically requested the help of the Tianxuan Sect.
It was said that it wasn't a big deal. Originally, all that was needed was for the Tianxuan Sect to send a few people with similar cultivation levels. There was no need for anyone particularly strong. However, Su Yunyu wanted to see a new sight, so she took on the job without hesitation.
Of course, it wasn't just him and Xiao Shuying who came to help; it's said that there were several other disciples, but no one knows exactly who they are.
When they arrived at the Wind Array Sect via the teleportation array, they were greeted by a natural landscape reminiscent of the Peach Blossom Spring.
If Baiyujing is a place of serene desolation and Yexiaoxiang is a place of wealth and prosperity, then Pinhuazhou is a beautiful but not particularly bustling place.
Because the lake has many streams, the spring is long and the flowers are abundant, and the boats are drawn to the lotus and water chestnuts, the name contains the word "flower".
When Su Yunyu first arrived here, she had already made a plan to send Long Aotian away for a few days after the mission was over, and then have a good time eating, drinking and having fun.
His arrival was no secret, so Yuan Hongchou, the head of Qingyin Pavilion, led several of his most promising disciples to wait in front of the sect early on.
After Su Yunyu arrived, Yuan Hongchou rushed forward without stopping, his face beaming with joy.
"Welcome, Immortal Venerable. However, this matter is merely a trivial one for our sect. How could we possibly trouble you with such a small matter?"
The disciples behind him were seeing Su Yunyu for the first time, and they were completely dumbfounded when they saw such a divine figure.
No wonder that, although there are many people with outstanding temperament and good looks in the cultivation world, there is really only one like Su Yunyu, who has such high cultivation, is aloof and peerless, and is cold and beautiful.
Su Yunyu responded calmly, unaware that Xiao Shuying behind her was glancing at the disciples who were staring in a daze.
The disciples felt a chill run down their spines and quickly looked around, but saw nothing unusual.
The only odd thing was Xiao Shuying behind Su Yunyu.
Aside from his strikingly handsome appearance and tall, upright stature, he wasn't particularly eye-catching, especially in terms of cultivation level...
Yuan Hongchou finally turned his gaze to Xiao Shuying. As the saying goes, a great teacher produces outstanding students, so Su Yunyu's only disciple must also be extraordinary. Therefore, he smiled and said:
"Your son is truly a handsome and talented man, and must be exceptionally gifted to carry on your mantle."
Su Yunyu was very pleased with these words. As a dragon prodigy and the chosen one of heaven, Xiao Shuying was indeed exceptionally talented.
However, the disciples didn't think so. They quietly tugged at Yuan Hongchou's sleeve, and only then did Yuan Hongchou take a closer look at Xiao Shuying's cultivation level—
It was discovered that only the later stages of Qi Refining were available.
...
Yuan Hongchou wondered if this cultivation level was a bit too low.
His outer disciples, like Xiao Shuying, were already in the mid-to-late stages of Foundation Establishment.
Just as Yuan Hongchou realized he had misspoke and was trying to make amends, Su Yunyu smiled faintly and said:
"He is destined for great things."
Then Yuan Hongchou shut his mouth and just smiled apologetically.
Although he had doubts about the Immortal Venerable's judgment in accepting disciples, he dared not question it.
Upon entering the main hall of the Wind Array Sect, Yuan Hongchou invited Su Yunyu to sit with him in the upper hall, while the disciples stood respectfully below. Among them, a beautiful woman at the head of the group truthfully reported the strange events that had occurred in the sect:
"Immortal Venerable, recently several people in our sect have been inexplicably injuring others. Even my senior brother, who is usually my best friend, recently fought with me..."
As she spoke, the woman glared fiercely at a disciple standing to her right, while Yuan Hongchou interrupted her, clearly annoyed:
“Yuan Xiaorui, when you give a report, don’t let your personal emotions get in the way.”
The girl named Yuan Xiaorui just pouted, acting very spoiled.
At this moment, Yuan Hongchou whispered to Su Yunyu that Xiaorui was his daughter. Su Yunyu immediately understood, said it was alright, and then asked:
"But what inner demons have possessed them?"
Yuan Hongchou shook his head: "There is no trace of inner demons."
Su Yunyu pondered for a moment: "Could it be that I've fallen into an illusion?"
Yuan Hongchou shook his head again: "We haven't found any illusions either."
Just as Su Yunyu's several possibilities were being rejected, Xiao Shuying, who was standing next to him, slowly frowned and smelled a strange scent.
The smell was like rust, but very subtle. If it weren't for his special constitution, no one would have been able to smell it.
The smell of rust, which could hurt people for no reason, made Xiao Shuying think of a possibility.
In his first life, he encountered a demon with particularly strange techniques that could inexplicably disturb people's minds. It was formless and shapeless, and only when you got close could you smell the rust.
As for why she knew it was a demon, it was because Xiao Shuying's cultivation level was hundreds of times higher back then, so she could naturally tell the difference.
However… he glanced at the people in the hall, unsure if he could recognize them.
After listening to several rounds of discussion, Xiao Shuying pretended to be casual and said:
"My disciple once read about a demon in a book; it possessed a technique that could drive a person insane..."
Before he could finish speaking, a familiar voice came out from below, seemingly speaking sarcastically:
"I find what you're saying strange, senior brother. I wonder which book or which kind of demon it is, so that the sect leader and the immortals can also see for themselves."
Xiao Shuying glanced over and saw that it was Yan Angao.
There were indeed other people who came this time, but I didn't expect Yan Angao to be here as well.
If the previous inexplicable words only made Xiao Shuying suspicious, then Yan Angao's current state made him suspicious.
As far as he knew, this man was Xiao Qingran's underling, and he always liked to follow Xiao Qingran around in order to receive generous rewards.
This person, instead of following Xiao Qingran, directly attacked him, which defies common sense.
Without waiting for a test, Su Yunyu coldly rebuked:
"Don't be rude!"
After finishing his drink, he asked Xiao Shuying, "Do you still remember what kind of demon it was?"
Xiao Shuying, however, felt that the matter was full of doubts and chose to be cautious, so she shook her head:
"I must have confused myself with some kind of inner demon. I was just acting rashly, please forgive me, Master."
That was the end of that matter.
Seeing that they couldn't come up with any clues through discussion, Yuan Hongchou invited Su Yunyu to reinforce the sect's formation first to prevent any oversights. So Su Yunyu told Xiao Shuying to go back to the prepared room and wait, and he would go back later.
With Su Yunyu and Yuan Hongchou gone, the people in the hall naturally prepared to disperse. As Xiao Shuying was pondering this, the metallic smell grew stronger. He looked up in alarm, then suddenly felt a splitting headache—
It's like a huge noise swirling in your heart, disturbing you so much that you completely forget who you are and what you're supposed to do.
Xiao Shuying's eyelashes trembled, and her gaze slowly darkened until it locked onto one person, at which point her murderous intent rekindled.
He leaped forward and swung his sword down. Yuan Xiaorui, who was attacked, cried out in surprise and froze. It was only by her senior brother grabbing her and dodging to the side that she was able to avoid the sword.
The noise grew louder and louder. Xiao Shuying tried to clear his mind, straining to discern the sounds around him. He heard someone say:
"Oh no, he's been infected too!"
"Quickly, subdue him!"
Are you still conscious? Do you know what you're doing?
Xiao Shuying wanted to say that he was being interfered with by demons, and that his consciousness was clearly unclear. But strangely, it was as if he had been split in two; the other half of his consciousness was perfectly clear as he spoke:
"I know who I am, and I know what I am doing."
Damn it!
Xiao Shuying never expected that this demon's techniques would be so bizarre.
He underestimated his enemy. In his previous life, the demon fled without a fight, and he happened to be at the peak of his cultivation, so he naturally looked down on it.
Therefore, they also underestimated this monster, thinking it was no match for them.
But why target him?
Without a moment's thought, the split half of his consciousness, increasingly disturbed by the noise emanating from the depths of his heart and the abyss of his soul, became even less lucid, and the disturbed half began to run rampant—
So the disciples saw Xiao Shuying wielding a sword, each strike aimed at killing Yuan Xiaorui, especially her eyes filled with murderous intent, yet she remained perfectly sober when questioned.
To prevent any further complications, the disciples joined forces and subdued Xiao Shuying, binding him and saying apologies as they led him away.
"Sigh, this senior brother seems a bit different from how he's been lately."
"Yeah, he only attacked once and then stopped. He said he was conscious just now but couldn't control himself for some reason. It's like this senior brother has gone mad..."
"Shh, if you dare use such words and the Immortal Venerable finds out you said his disciple went mad with demonic possession..."
Intermittent sounds came, and Xiao Shuying's head throbbed with pain. To make matters worse, that damned demon was still arrogantly controlling the other half of her consciousness, saying:
"If you dare arrest me, you'll be sorry when my master returns!"
This only intensified the discussion:
"This looks more like someone has gone mad with demonic possession."
"Yes, and it seems like they really want to kill Senior Sister Yuan. Could it be a premeditated act of revenge?"
"How terrifying, it's getting stranger and stranger. Quickly go and invite the sect leader and the immortal venerable one back."
As she watched, like a wandering ghost, her body being led into a dungeon, Xiao Shuying felt a magnified anger:
"Whoever locks me up in the dungeon, who is that?"
Whether he was conscious or not at this moment, even Xiao Shuying himself could not tell. His consciousness seemed to be split in two, but those two halves were still himself.
There was no obvious manipulation by anyone, no interference from inner demons, and no misleading illusions. It was just that the emotions were amplified to an extreme degree, and the noise in the heart caused the consciousness to split.
Only after the prison doors were locked and the disciples had all left did that eerie, maddening feeling slowly fade away.
Xiao Shuying looked around. Although it was a dungeon, the interior was exquisite, with couches and cushions, just like a guest room.
Even so, the place was cold and gloomy, and there was no sunlight. Xiao Shuying curled up on the bed and slowly hugged herself, burying her head in her arms.
His weary consciousness had not yet recovered, and this place reminded him of the cave where he was imprisoned and bled in his first life.
It was so cold and gloomy, so devoid of sunlight.
Every day is a blur, I can't distinguish between day and night, only the constant pain in my heart is real.
So, who caused this suffering...?
It's Su Yunyu.
Upon hearing this name, Xiao Shuying suddenly paused. When she looked up, her gaze swept over the surroundings, and the smell of rust filled her senses. A certain emotion was rapidly swelling within her.
Su Yunyu...
Will you come to witness my pain again this time?
What no one could see was an invisible and shapeless demon floating in mid-air above the prison.
He chuckled as he watched Xiao Shuying become trapped in the negative emotions amplified by his influence.
Since Xiao Shuying almost revealed his identity, he couldn't be blamed for targeting Xiao Shuying first.
I never expected that the disciple of the so-called number one person in the world would be so weak. It seems that he is all talk and no action.
The triumphant monster was overjoyed and floated away to find its next prey.
After he left, Xiao Shuying, whose eyes had been bloodshot, gradually calmed down, only glancing vaguely at the distance.
The rusty smell has disappeared.
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Author's Note: Here comes my three-in-one masterpiece! This is my first time as a struggling author to achieve a paid subscription, and I'm incredibly excited. The story isn't very well written, so thank you so much for reading. Love you all! [Sprinkling flowers][Three-colored cat emoji]
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