Published at 27th of June 2020 7:38 pm

Chapter 43

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

A while ago, the devil king suddenly no longer hung around the mortal realm and returned to the devil realm. If Ling Xi was still at his side, she would certainly not be able to bear the devil aura of the devil realm. Also, it was said that Ling Xi once called high-tiered deity Donghua “big brother” at the Four Immortals’ Association.

She didn’t know what had happened at Cangjia and she also didn’t know why Ling Xi became such a form and appeared into the demon realm. Between thoughts, she suddenly thought about Qing Kui.

He liked Ling Xi so much. Does he know that Ling Xi had become like neither a human nor a ghost and that she even dared to kill her, the demon king? If a misfortune had befallen Cangjia Mountain, was he also in danger? Is he still fine now?

“Qing Kui…Ling Xi, can you let me see Qing Kui once more?” Qing Feng’s phoenix eyes full of vigor was now pained and bewildered. Her voice was low like a mosquito’s, “Ling Xi, let me see him for the last time…I will…give you the internal core then…”

Jing Yan never answered. Her face remained unmoved and the power of the spell didn’t reduce. She stared coldly at Qing Feng.

Seeing that the internal core that was surrounded by purple light was about to come out of Qing Feng’s mouth, Jing Yan’s hand suddenly ached. The spell loosened and the internal core slipped down again. Glancing at the people who came, she pulled the man in purple who was holding Qing Feng and took two steps back.

Ordinary demons had been isolated on the outside by the barrier. The ones who broke in was Qing Kui and Qing Lian. And, what hit Qing Lian’s wrist just now was Qing Lian’s Xinyin hairpin.

Xinyin hairpin had already flown back to Qing Lian’s hair by herself. Qing Lian and Qing Kui looked surprised at Qing Feng who was powerless on the ground. They swept alertly over the man and woman.

“This humble one is Qin Ling and that is my little sister Jing Yan.” The man in purple generously reported his name and then pointed at the woman next to him. He looked smilingly with a deep meaning at Qing Kui and Qing Lian.

Qing Kui and Qing Lian didn’t conceal the enmity on their faces. While holding their swords vigilantly in front of them, they looked carefully at Qing Feng’s injury.

The moment Qing Feng saw Qing Kui, she shed tears.

“Senior, senior brother Qing Kui…” Qing Feng hasn’t recovered yet. Her voice was still weak. She cried, “I never thought…that you will actually appear here.”

“We came to save you.” Qing Kui frowned, turned his head and looked at Qing Lian.

Qing Feng’s tears were like a pearl necklace that had been broken and she fell in Qing Kui’s arms. Qing Kui’s body stiffened, but he didn’t have the heart to push her away.

“Senior brother Qing Kui, I thought that you all will never recognize me as your little junior sister again…” There was still green demon blood on the corners of Qing Feng’s mouth. Tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes. “Can…can you please hug me once more?”

Although, she was now in his arms, Qing Kui only stiffly supported her with his upper body. Seeing Qing Feng’s face covered with tears and she looked so weak, Qing Kui couldn’t bear to refuse, so, he gathered her arms around her.

Qing Feng cried even more fiercely, “Senior brother Qing Kui, do you know that I waited, waited six hundred years for this moment?”

Six hundred years ago, it was he who found her in a mass grave. He said that a little girl shouldn’t cry and one was bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster.

Six hundred years ago, he brought her to Cangjia Mountain and called her little junior sister every day. When he saw her cry, he would coax her into laughing. Seeing that she didn’t know the spells, he would patiently teach her.

Six hundred years ago, it was he who teased her that if she didn’t hurry up and cultivate an immortal body, she would become an old maid and wouldn’t be beautiful anymore. So, she practiced day and night assiduously and finally kept her eighteen-year-old appearance.

Three hundred years ago, after being together all the time, unconsciously, she became fondly attached to him, fell in love with him and became obsessed with him.

She thought that he treated her differently after all.

However, she had to admit, he also treated the other disciples as well. When he got a good jar of wine, he could neglect her presence. She looked forward to seeing the glister in his eyes of a man looking at the person he loves, but she had never succeeded in seeing it.

When she was still a human, her mother told her that man like the beauty of a woman the best.

She believed it.

She looked in the mirror countless of times to find the various shortcomings on her face.

She thought that if she had the most outstanding face in this world, the eyes he looked at her with would be different.

So, she couldn’t help but fall into temptation and started to steal beauty skins. After she devoured the skin, her skin was soft like butter and her facial features were more refined.

Unexpectedly, she was exposed…

“Senior brother Qing Kui…” Qing Feng’s face was tear-stained like a peach blossom in the rain. “Last time, I wanted to lie in your arms like this. Like this…even if I die, I don’t have any regrets.”

She didn’t wish for much. She only wanted to be like ordinary lovers, hug him and lie in his arms. Even if it was only once, it was enough.

However, even when she died under his sword, he only grabbed her hand in terror and said, “I’m sorry, little junior sister. You shouldn’t have fallen in the devilish ways.”

The her of that time no longer had the strength to lean in his arms and had no strength to ask him to hold her. So, she was unreconciled and was unable to peacefully let go of this lifetime and enter the circle of reincarnation. He said that she shouldn’t have fallen into the devilish ways. So, she entered the demonic ways.

One day, her wait would be worthwhile when he comes to see her and feel the warmth in his arms that she had hoped for, for a few hundred years.

See, just like now. She managed to wait for it.

The corners of Qing Feng’s lips raised slightly. She laughed. A gentle and satisfied laughter.

“Qing Feng, what are you doing?” Qing Kui saw that Qing Feng’s internal core gradually moved up from her abdomen. He quickly gave her some immortal energy.

That internal core still moved up and came out from her mouth. It floated in the air and emitted a faint purple light.

“Senior brother Qing Kui, I know that I had done many wrong things these past few years.”

Qing Feng’s face was pale like paper and she sweated. “I’ve killed so many women…Look, I don’t know how many bones of women are inside this cave of mine.”

Qing Kui closed his eyes. He didn’t want to look at this cave that belonged to the demon king and he also didn’t want to look at Qing Feng’s gradually paling face.

“I should’ve died a long time ago…” Qing Feng exhaled lightly. “I did so many things, just to let you give me one more glance and wished to lie in your arms like this one day…”

Tears fell from Qing Feng’s eyes again. They were like clean luster of gems. She grabbed Qing Kui’s arms and asked with a choked voice, “Senior brother Qing Kui, have, have you…ever liked me even, even if…if it was a tiny little bit? No, no, it’s not like. It’s love…have you…ever loved me, even if it was…a tiny little bit?”

Qing Feng’s body already became lighter. She looked eagerly and expectantly at Qing Kui.

Qing Kui’s fingertips were cold. His hands were trembling slightly. He couldn’t utter a word and he didn’t dare to look Qing Feng in the eyes.

She closed her eyes in understanding. Her tears had wetted her clothes. “Ling…Ling Xi?”

Qing Kui’s body shook once slightly and his eyes turned red.

“Ling Xi?”

- She asked 灵夕呢? that in Chinese has both the meanings: what about Ling Xi and where is Ling Xi. I couldn’t find a way in English to translate it with both meanings, so, I opted for Ling Xi?.

Whether Qing Feng wanted to ask where Ling Xi was or whether Qing Kui had ever loved Ling Xi was unknown. To Qing Kui, his understanding was the former. So, after some silence, he said, “She…is no longer in the world of the livings.”

This was the first time Qing Kui faced Ling Xi’s death.

Before, he didn’t believe it. The whole Cangjia was alive. How could she have died?

But, he went to search in the devil realm, in the netherworld, the sky and the earth, he couldn’t find any trace of Ling Xi.

He saw with his own eyes how her soul was driven out of her body and became fragments. He was unable to protect her corpse and let her be taken away by someone else. He even lost the silver mirror that contained the fragments of her soul.

Ling Xi was no longer in the world of the livings.

Qing Kui’s eyes was muddled as if his soul had been absorbed in an instant.

Qing Feng slowly opened her eyes and looked in the direction of Jing Yan. Her face turned red because of the sudden rapid breathing and she said intermittently, “Senior, senior brother Qing Kui…she…she is…”

She used all her energy and wanted to raise her arm to point at Jing Yan, but when she saw the tears in Qing Kui’s eyes, her eyes also teared up for no apparent reason.

How much she wished that those tears were for her.

Before she finished speaking, Jing Yan who had been standing quietly at a side suddenly flipped her body over and quickly took Qing Feng’s internal core into her palm.

Qing Lian was distracted by Qing Feng. Her (QL) eyes were still red. Before she could react, Jing Yan had already disappeared without a trace with the internal core. The man who said that he was called Qin Ling moved even faster. She didn’t even see him leave.

Qing Feng’s eyes were still on Qing Kui’s face. Her arms dropped suddenly and her body turned into a white fox.

The barrier on the outside disappeared. A large number of demons instantly surrounded the cave that not one drop could trickle through and howled in pain.

The sky of the demon realm was starless and moonless this night. Two figures suddenly appeared in the dark sky. The woman smiled lovable, “It’s still big brother invisible spell that is powerful.”

“Teach you next time.”

“Keep your word!”

“Why don’t you want to admit that you are Ling Xi?”

“Didn’t big brother say that my name is Jing Yan?”

“Then, where are we going next?”

“Mm…that little king of hell in the netherworld is so troublesome. Let’s go to the immortal realm first!”

Compared to the devil realm, the demon realm could be considered as verdant hills and limpid water.

- Verdant hills and limpid water: enchanting scenery

The sky of the devil realm seemed to be dark all year round without any ray of light. The trees were dry and the flowers and plants had withered. Aside from the dark figures of the devilish beings, no other things could be seen.

There were some places in this devil realm that were similar to the mortal realm. There were pubs, shops and devilish beings that shape-shifted into a human form. Recently, the devils gathered in the pubs. The most discussed topic was this dark sky.

Of course, the sky of the devil realm wasn’t like this all year round. It was also once blue like the sea and full of clouds. The flowers and plants of the devil realm weren’t born withered. A month ago, they were also delicate like new with exuberant flowers. The cause of the withering of the flowers, the decay of the trees and the all black with no daylight sky in the devil realm was due the devil king’s bad mood.

The devil king who the devils had waited for ten thousand years for had finally awakened and had returned to the devil realm once again. It should originally be an exciting matter. However, since the day the devil king had returned, the devils began to worry that before the devil king lead them to sweep the six realms, he would first sweep the devil realm.

“I heard that the devil king brought a woman’s corpse from the mortal realm. Tsk, tsk, he held it in his hand and didn’t leave it for a moment. Those who approached it would certainly die!” A horse-faced devil drunk a big mouthful of wine said mysteriously with lowered voice.

When a tiger-headed devil heard that, he shouted, “Nonsense! How could that be a corpse? Although, there is no breathing, but it clearly has a soul!”

“It’s just a remnants of a soul that had been pressed in the body by the devil king. It couldn’t come back to live. What’s the difference between it being dead?” The horse-faced devil didn’t give in.

“Even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman!” The tiger-headed devil exclaimed, “In the past, the devil king had also descended into the devilish ways because of a woman.”

- Even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman: the heart of a hero cannot remain untouched by a beautiful woman/ the hero becomes a prisoner of love.

“Right!” When the horse-faced devil mentioned this, his whole body shook and he became exhilarated, “That year, my great-great grandfather was still a small head of the devil realm. It was said that that day, the devilish energy pressed the god realm in an imposing manner. The devil king summoned all devils and in one night let all devils bow before him and become his subjects and swept over the god realm! Think about it, even the gods of the ninth heaven were afraid of the devil king. To what extent is the power of our devil king?!”

- The heaven consists of nine levels with nine having the most powerful gods.

When the tiger-headed devil heard this, he shook his head and suddenly said, “What does this have to do with women?”

The horse-faced devil patted him on the shoulder. “This is what you don’t know, right? the devil king once held the position of god. In the end, that group of gods beat the woman on his heart till her soul dispersed and scattered. See, it is that corpse with remnants of a soul. The devil king is presumably thinking about a way how to bring her back to life.”

“Nonsense! That woman was still alive some time ago! You haven’t seen the devil king descend into devilish ways for that woman with your own eyes. Even more, you have never seen the appearance of that woman. How do you know that the woman of today is the woman of ten thousand years ago?”

“Isn’t this very simple?!” The horse-faced devil said proudly, “I guessed it! Isn’t this how they showed in plays?!”

The tiger-headed devil glared once at him, shook his head and sighed, “Don’t know when this sky would see the light again…”

A house deep in the devil realm was filled with dark mist and hazy light. It was quiet and it uninhabited in a hundred miles range from the house.

There was a rattan chair for two in the yard of the house. A woman was lying on the chair and a man was sitting on it.

The woman’s head rested on the man’s lap as if she was asleep. The man was dressed in black clothes and almost blended in the night. Only the gleam at the bottom of his eyes was clear. He lowered his head slightly. Hi black hair hung down, covering the gleam in his eyes. One hand was resting on the back of the woman’s head. He seemed to be afraid that she couldn’t sleep comfortably. Another hand brushed her long hair.

Not far away, a painted lantern was lit. The woman on the painting was smiling sweetly. Perhaps, it was because of the light from the lantern, the face of the woman was bright and beautiful and her eyes twinkled. A white cloud circled around the lantern. It seemed to have woken up from a deep sleep. A bell-like laughter could be heard, “Keke…you painted Ling Xi truly beautifully.”

As soon as the laughter stopped, the courtyard fell into silence again. Chen Xi dragged her white tail to the woman’s side and circled once around her, “Why does Ling Xi still not wake up? She had already slept for a month. Can you please let her wake up to talk with me?”

The man remained motionless. He still caressed the woman’s long hair. Once and once again, he stroked the woman’s long hair as if time had stopped, as if all living beings had been destroyed and only the two of them were left.

“Since when had you been by her side?” It was unknown for how long the silence went on when Nan Zhu suddenly asked this question.

Chen Xi stopped in the air, “Mm…at the northern city? I think it was the night I went to look for Ling Xi and you weren’t there.”

“Why did you go look for her?” Nan Zhi’s voice was cold as ever.

“Keke…she had the waterdrop pearl that attracted me and I missed her, keke…” Chen Xi circled around in the air again. She circled here and there and was very satisfied. “But she let me stay obediently in the Soul-Suppressing pearl. I listened to here, keke…”

Nan Zhi was silent for a long time again before he asked, “What did she say to you?”

Chen Xi floated to Ling Xi, rubbed her cheeks and giggled, “She told me to stay inside for a few months. She said that she couldn’t bear to part with Nan Zhi. That she would return Nan Zhi to me after a few months. She said that her only wish was to be a few more days with Nan Zhi.”

The night breeze was so cold that it pierced into the bones.

Nan Zhi’s fingertips seemed to be trembling slightly. His loose hair flew across his cheeks by the wind and stiffened at the corners of his mouth.

Chen Xi continued, “However, who is Nan Zhi…Why did she has to return Nan Zhi to me? Keke…is it you? What do I want you for? Keke…”

She floated from Ling Xi’s cheeks and faced Nan Zhi’s eyes, “Huh…why did your eyes become red?”

Nan Zhi didn’t answer. He only asked faintly, “Do you have any wishes?”

Chen Xi circled twice laughingly, “My wish…of course, it is to be like you all. To be able to walk, eat, make friends and everyone can see me. However, there are only broken parts of a soul inside the Soul-Suppressing peal. There is no way to merge with me unless there is the silver mirror…”

The night wind made the fallen leaves float and rustled. The candle in the lantern snorted. The candlelight flickered and the sky became darker.

—

After Qing Kui and Qing Lian returned to Cangjia Mountain, they told Cang Yu and Cang Hai what had happened in the demon realm. Cang Yu was silent and Cang Hai pondered with a frown.

“In the future, let Feng Shu take care of these matters. There is no need to come ask me.”

At this moment, the four were in Cang Yu’s place. He got up and flung his sleeves. It was a posture that he wanted to drive them out.

“But, eldest senior brother…”

Eldest senior brother also doesn’t take care of affairs…

Qing Kui only dared to mumble secretly. Master must know eldest senior brother’s personality well, but he still insisted on it being like this. Even if Qing Kui was dissatisfied, there was no other way. In the past, Feng Shu used to ignore everything. It was rare for him to show himself in front of people once. Now that he was resurrected, he was even more secluded than before.

“You go back first. This master has to rest.” Cang Yu gestured with his hand.

Qing Kui and Qing Lian exchanged a glance. They then conveyed their worried eyes towards Cang Hai. Cang Hai tilted his beard helplessly and said, “Senior brother, after all, Feng Shu has never…”

“In the future, all matters of Cangjia would be handled by Feng Shu. You can help by giving some pointers.” Cang Yu frowned and said disgruntled, “Grab Cang Qu out of the wine cellar to help a bit. If there is nothing important, don’t bother me.”

Seeing Cang Yu’s firm attitude, the three of them walked out of the hall. Qing Kui sighed, “I will go find junior uncle Cang Qu.”

While he talked, he left on a sword. The task of getting through eldest senior brother, the ice cube…leave it to the two of them…

Cang Hai said directly, “Qing Lian, go tell Feng Shu about what had happened in the demon realm. I…I will go to Dimai peak to see the new recruits of this year…”

Qing Lian looked at his back that left in a hurry and smiled helplessly.

At this time at Cang Yu’s place, a visitor came.

The woman in white has a graceful face. Her eyes had a cold calmness. She stared at Cang Yu and said slowly, “High-tiered deity Donghua was on the verge of becoming a devil and had gone to live in seclusion and shunned the world. The qualifications of the great sects are still shallow and are all washed up. The immortal realm of now, in regards of cultivation, in regards of aptitude and in regards of morality and conduct, presumably…priest Qing Yu is in the head, right?”

Cang Yu was sitting cross-legged on the couch. He didn’t have a reaction even when he sensed another person in his room. Until the woman finished speaking did he slowly open his eyes and said in a low voice, “Ling Xi.”

Ling Xi suddenly froze, looked at him calmly and didn’t say anything.

“Are you here to fetch my true element?” Cang Yu’s voice was calm. It seemed that he had long anticipated Ling Xi’s intentions.

- I have no idea why the author changed internal core to true element.

Ling Xi still remained silent. Her black eyes stared at Cang Yu as if she wanted to see through him.

Cang Yu sighed, “Do you still remember what I told you on my birthday?”

Ling Xi lowered her eyes slightly. Her voice and her tone were not like in the past, “Naturally, I remember.”

“So, do whatever you have to do.” Cang Yu closed his eyes once again. His face was calm as if he was waiting to be slaughtered.

Ling Xi looked at him and didn’t express an opinion. The lusters in her eyes were in pieces and she looked at him bewildered. After a long time did she had somewhat awakened from the absent-mindedness. “You have seen him?”

Cang Yu’s eyebrow moved slightly and nodded as a response.

Ling Xi’s eyes suddenly turn cold. She stood quietly at a side and didn’t take action.

“If taking this master’s true element can unlock the seal of the god realm and open the gate to the god realm, this master didn’t die in vain.” Cang Yu’s voice deepened, “Ling Xi, do what you have to do.”

Ling Xi stared at him fixedly. She was about to cast a spell with her hand when she paused again. Then, her hands turned into fists and laughed, “Since you are so devoted to righteousness and want to sacrifice yourself for others, you can hand over your true element yourself. Why do I have to do it personally?”

As soon as Ling Xi’s words fell, Cang Yu summoned his energy. The temperature of the room rose instantaneously. Cang Yu was covered with a bluish-purple light. His silver true element floated up from his abdomen.

At the other end, Qing Kui went to search for Cang Qu. Cang Qu wasn’t on the mountain during that strange night. The second day he returned with a body smelling of alcohol. He must’ve gone down the mountain to drink wine in secret. So, he either doesn’t know what had happened that night at all or he understood the whole story clearly.

However, no matter how Qing Kui asked him, he had an appearance as if he was drunk from fine wine. It was the same now.

“Hey, wake up, wake up!” Qing Kui had always been cheeky with Cang Qu. At this time, Qing Kui pushed him while he said, “Do you really not know what had happened to Cangjia Mountain that night? Or is it that you know but don’t want to talk about it?”

Although, Cang Qu loved wine in the past, he had never been so drunk like in the recent days. He was practically never sober the whole day.

“If you still don’t speak, I will smash your wine cellar!” Qing Kui said angrily.

Only now did Cang Qu became a bit awake. He pulled Qing Kui’s sleeve and said drunkenly, “Silver…eh, silver…silver mirror….”

“Silver mirror? What happened to the silver mirror? Speak quickly!” That day, after Ling Xi’s soul was forced out of the body and became fragments, fortunately Qing Lian had the silver mirror on her and took those fragments inside the silver mirror. Otherwise, it was unknown whether her soul would’ve been scattered. Presumably, it would directly become scattered ashes and dispersed smoke! However, after that…

- Scattered ashes and dispersed smoke: to vanish in a puff of smoke.

Nan Zhi stopped the soul-calling spell and chased after Qing Lian. Qing Lian threw the silver mirror at him (QK) in a moment of rush. He naturally didn’t want Ling Xi to fall into Nan Zhi’s hands again and threw the silver mirror down Cangjia Mountain. He planned to go down the mountain and look for it later.

Unexpectedly, Nan Zhi disregarded Ling Xi’s body and even if he had to blood-wash Cangjia, he had to find the silver mirror.

At that time, Qing Kui looked at Ling Xi’s body and only felt hundreds of pains pierce his heart. Everything in these six realms became nothingness. He could only tell himself that she was only asleep. When the sky brightens, she would wake up again and call him “senior brother Qing Kui” like before.

However, he was unable to protect the body. The second day, after Cangjia miraculously resurrected, the silver mirror could no longer be found.

Cang Qu’s face was red from drunkenness. He shook his head and said, “Can’t…can’t tell. Senior brother…senior brother said can’t tell…”

Qing Kui gritted his teeth. He threw Cang Qu, turned and rushed to Cang Yu’s place.

At this side, Ling Xi just put Cang Yu’s true element into her palm. Cang Yu slowly fell on the couch. The vitality on his face gradually disappeared. He muttered, “Ling Xi, this master…has wronged you…”

She didn’t have time to ponder about the meaning of Cang Yu’s “wronged you” when she heard footsteps coming over. She flew out from the window.

When Qing Kui saw the woman in white leap out of Cang Yu’s window and flew away in a blink of an eye, he recognized that it was Jing Yan. His heartbeat quickened. Cold sweat appeared on his back. He rushed panicked into the room. He saw Cang Yu lying on the couch. His eyes were slightly open, his lips were pale and he no longer have vitality.

Ling Xi put Cang Yu’s true element in the pocket on her chest. Just after leaving Cangjia Mountain, a lazy male voice sounded in her ear, “It went unexpectedly smooth.”

Ling Xi never spoke.

“Sad?”

“People without a conscience wouldn’t be sad.”

That male voice chuckled and asked, “Where to go next?”

“Devil realm,” Ling Xi answered without hesitation.

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