Seeking the Devil - Chapter 35

The ceaseless flow of words from Xue Wan suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

She turned her head, her expression almost dazed with confusion. “How could you not know… the Nine Apertures Glazed Heart?”

Shi Liu thought it was some sort of common cultivation knowledge known by everyone in the mortal world, and she felt a bit embarrassed for a moment. “I’ve only read some ancient medical texts since childhood; I know very little about cultivation.”

“That makes sense. After all, it has never truly appeared before, only existing as a mystical item in the legends of the immortal world. It’s normal for it not to be recorded in mortal world texts…” Xue Wan murmured unconsciously, then suddenly reacted. “Wait, no, you clearly…”

Before she could finish her sentence, snow began to fall within the hall.

—— Dazzlingly white and cold snow, without the slightest wind to accompany it, drifted down softly, silently, brushing past them and finally dissolving as it touched the ground.

Yet, not a single trace of snow could be seen on the ground.

Outside the tavern, it was clearly the bright and vibrant month of April in the mortal world.

The contrast of spring’s radiance outside and the snowfall inside was eerie enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

But Shi Liu didn’t feel that way. In fact, she was a little excited by the novelty — amidst the swirling snowflakes falling around her, she sensed no hostility, only a feeling of closeness.

Even…

Unsure if it was just her imagination, Shi Liu reached out her hand.

Her pale, delicate palm faced upward, and a few cold snowflakes landed on her hand, the faint chill slowly melting into her skin.

Shi Liu closed her eyes, and her lips curled into a slight, involuntary smile.

It really was true—

Every snowflake that melted into her body seemed to carry a rich, dense spiritual energy. They joyfully seeped into each of her parched spiritual veins, like tiny streams slowly converging into a creek.

The creek leaped over rocks, flowed past green leaves, and continuously washed through her spiritual veins.

For the first time, Shi Liu felt such an abundant amount of spiritual energy within her.

But for another person in the same hall, the experience couldn’t have been more different.

Xue Wan didn’t see the beautiful scene of falling snow.

If she had to describe it, the spring sunshine outside the window, softly illuminating the fine snowflakes around her, reflected back a cold, razor-sharp light, like blades.

Xue Wan had never experienced such an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy before, and with it, such an overwhelming… killing intent.

If she made even the slightest misstep in her breathing, the master of this world could wipe her out in an instant with this omnipresent spiritual energy.

So thoroughly that not even a trace of blood would be left behind.

—— Yes, this “world.”

Though it appeared they were still inside the tavern, with the tables and chairs exactly as before, Xue Wan could keenly sense that the creation around them had long been severed from the mortal world. It was more like they were in a small, self-contained world of its own making.

In this world, only one person set the rules. No matter what she did, there was no way she could send out any message before she was annihilated.

And Xue Wan hadn’t even realized when or how she had been drawn into it.

The other person wasn’t bluffing — the golden lotus hidden in her Daoist hat couldn’t save her.

——

The golden lotus could block a fatal blow, yes, but if the world itself wanted her dead, with killing intent surrounding her from all directions…

How could she possibly defend against that?

No wonder her master had foretold that the one destined to bring destruction upon the Three Realms was this catastrophe of a “demon.”

“…”

The little Daoist let out a faint sigh and, recognizing the situation, promptly gave up any thought of resistance.

“I didn’t mean to reveal it,” Xue Wan remained still, making sure not to appear threatening in any way, and sent her voice out into the world through her spiritual consciousness. “I just didn’t know… she didn’t know the true nature of her own constitution.”

“How do you know about the Nine Apertures Glazed Heart?” A voice echoed through the world, cold and emotionless.

But Xue Wan had no doubt about the killing intent in that voice. “Divination.”

“The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion,” came a laugh from the void, icy cold and utterly detached. “Sixteen years ago, while I was still in deep slumber, the one who disturbed my peaceful dreams—what relation does that ant have to you?”

Xue Wan innocently pursed her lips.

An “ant”? Hmm…

Sorry, Master. For the sake of your precious disciple’s life, I hope you won’t mind being referred to like that.

“My master. He passed away years ago.”

The world grew even colder with falling snow. “Then, you can repay his debt with your life.”

“…Wait!”

Xue Wan looked up solemnly. “If you put it that way…”

“What?”

“He doesn’t have to be my master.”

“?”

“Pffft.” A highly incongruent laugh suddenly erupted.

The door to the back courtyard opened, and the Demon Emperor walked in, slowly wiping blood off his hands, a smile on his lips. “Don’t worry, Master. No matter the circumstances, I would never be like this little liar, who’s so scared of dying she’d even dare betray her own sect.”

Xue Wan defended herself earnestly: “My sect only has a single line of transmission. If I die, that’s when the sect would truly be cut off.”

“Great. In that case, how about I make an announcement to the world on your behalf?” The Demon Emperor finished wiping the last bit of blood from his fingers and stopped in front of the little Daoist.

Leaning against the edge of the table in front of her, he slightly bent down, his blood-red eyes radiating a strange demonic aura.

Xue Wan, recognizing the need for prudence, shrank back a little. “A-Announcement? What kind of announcement?”

“I could declare that from this day on, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s Saintess, Xue Wan, has abandoned her sect and defected to my Demon Emperor’s Palace — how about that?”

Xue Wan: “?”

She was already shocked enough that her identity had been exposed.

Xue Wan said seriously, “Doing that might just bring my master back to life out of sheer anger.”

“Then consider it my filial duty, making sure the disloyal disciple pays respects to her master.”

Xue Wan: “?”

“And, by the way, who was it that said the Saintess of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was pure and flawless, untouched by a speck of dust?” Wen Shifei tapped the table, lowering his head as if to study the “pure and flawless” nature of the little Daoist in front of him.

Unfortunately, he didn’t find it.

Wen Shifei straightened up, arms crossed, and walked around her disdainfully. “Did your pavilion charge people their eyes and brains for all those divinations?”

Xue Wan: “…”

As expected, you can’t expect a demon emperor to talk like a normal person.

She really wanted to hit him.

But she couldn’t win.

Forget it.

Xue Wan praised her own patience in her heart and then turned to look to her side.

Sitting on the bench next to her was a newly formed “little snowman.”

From the moment Shi Liu had closed her eyes, the snowflakes that should have fallen to the ground seemed to change direction, sticking to her from all sides and gradually covering her whole body.

Because they melted quickly, there was only a thin layer of frosty white, as if she were encased in ice.

There was no need to probe any deeper; everyone present could feel it. The “little snowman’s” spiritual energy level was steadily and clearly rising, growing at a slow but noticeable pace.

“The Nine Apertures Glazed Heart truly lives up to its reputation, an item that defies the heavens,” the Demon Emperor said with narrowed eyes, full of admiration. Then he turned toward another direction. “No wonder you keep such a little servant girl by your side.”

“…”

In the direction he was looking, a young man cloaked in white fur silently approached from the midst of the swirling snow.

Feng Ye cast a glance at Wen Shifei.

He understood the demon had misunderstood, but couldn’t be bothered to explain.

He simply lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze carrying a warning as it fell on Xue Wan.

The killing intent in that look remained completely undisguised.

Wen Shifei clearly caught on to the situation and, intrigued, decided to stir the pot further. He asked provocatively, “Such a huge secret, isn’t it better to kill her so no one else finds out?”

Xue Wan: “?”
Master, help, there’s a maniac here.

Fortunately, Feng Ye remained unmoved. “She teaches Little Pomegranate cultivation, and Little Pomegranate considers her the first friend. As long as she never mentions it again, I won’t kill her.”

“Alright then,” Wen Shifei shrugged, a bit disappointed as he turned back around.

Across from him, the little Daoist ground her teeth, then suddenly plastered on a bright smile. She also turned to Feng Ye, poking him lightly with a pale finger. “The Demon Emperor, who’s notorious for being cold-blooded and bloodthirsty, knows about it. With the greatest treasure in the Three Realms right next to him, isn’t he tempted to steal it?”

This time, Feng Ye didn’t need to respond. Wen Shifei sneered coldly, “Unless I were gravely injured, the Nine Apertures Glazed Heart is only useful for ascending to the Immortal Realm for me. You don’t seriously think I, too, am like you frogs in a well from the mortal realm, yearning to go to that so-called Immortal Realm—where hypocrites talk about righteousness and morals, but are filled with nothing but scum—do you?”

“And also,” Wen Shifei’s gaze darkened, fixating on Xue Wan’s finger pointing at him, before a wicked smile curved his lips. “If you point at me again, I’ll snap it off and eat it.”

“?”

Xue Wan immediately clenched her fist and withdrew her finger.

She coughed lightly and rolled her eyes. “What did you find out from those disciples of the Heavenly Origin Sect?”

Wen Shifei casually pulled out a jade slip from who-knows-where and flicked it across the table toward her.

There was still blood on the jade slip.

Xue Wan frowned slightly, but acted as if she hadn’t seen it. She picked it up and quickly scanned the information inside with her spiritual sense — a comparison of confessions from four Heavenly Origin Sect disciples.

It was clearly extracted through forced soul-searching.

Even though she had already anticipated it, Xue Wan’s expression gradually grew serious. Her amber eyes darkened, becoming heavy with contemplation.

After a brief moment.

The little Daoist closed the jade slip and shut her eyes in silent restraint.

Across from her, Wen Shifei sat with his arms crossed, a mocking smile on his face. “You should’ve already predicted this outcome. Why go through the trouble of confirming it? Don’t want to believe that ‘noble’ Immortal sects could do such a thing?”

“An Immortal sect’s actions can’t be judged by divination alone, they require evidence.”

“Ridiculous,” Wen Shifei scoffed coldly. “The so-called ‘Demon’ of the prophecy — did you have even a shred of evidence for that? Or is it that the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has always had one standard for ‘Demons’ and another for Immortal sects?”

Xue Wan fell silent for a moment, then looked up seriously. “Whether you believe it or not, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has never been of one mind. Including myself, there have always been those who opposed publicizing those two prophecies.”

“But it was still spread across the Three Realms in the end.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Wen Shifei paused, narrowing his eyes slightly. Then he laughed derisively. “No need for apologies. Let the Three Realms be destroyed, for all I care. Unlike your Immortal sects, we demons and monsters take responsibility for our actions. We’re not like you…”

His eyes turned cold and sharp as he glanced at the blood-stained jade slip. “Doing such vile, filthy things behind the scenes.”

Xue Wan lowered her eyes, pondering for a moment.

The little Daoist then raised her head. “Fine.”

“Fine, what?”

“As the Saintess of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, I will go with you to the Heavenly Origin Sect and demand justice.”

Wen Shifei couldn’t care less, but a murderous smile spread across his face. “My Demon Emperor’s Palace has never needed anyone else to seek justice for us.”

“This justice isn’t for you,” Xue Wan said. “It’s for the whole world to see.”

Wen Shifei understood her now, and his eyes shifted.

Then he burst out laughing, his blood-colored eyes swirling with a dangerous energy, the kind that reveled in chaos and disorder. “Fine then, I’ll reluctantly take you along—”

Before he could finish speaking, the little Daoist stood up from behind the table and lightly touched the lotus-shaped bulge hidden beneath her Daoist hat.

Swish!

In an instant, her entire appearance changed.

Gone were her simple Daoist robes. She now wore a pristine white gown, embroidered with pale gold threads. The white was as pure and holy as a lotus flower, exuding an air of elegance and inviolable nobility.

Wen Shifei paused for a moment, his blood-red eyes darkening deeply.

Then, he bit the tip of his tongue and laughed.

Meanwhile, the little Daoist frowned as she fussed with the cumbersome Saintess robes, clearly displeased with the troublesome outfit, completely oblivious to the strange look in the Demon Emperor’s eyes across from her.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

“Let’s go,” he replied.

“?”

Xue Wan was puzzled by how agreeable the Demon Emperor suddenly became, but before she could make sense of it, her vision blurred. The next thing she knew, he had grabbed her wrist and was pulling her outside—

“Hey, hey, slow down!”

“…?”

In a corner, Jiao Zhi watched the two figures quickly disappear around the street corner. Then, it looked over at the “little snowman” still sitting there and the master quietly waiting for the snowman to wake up.

The demon fox silently licked its paws.

Somehow, it felt a strange sense of loneliness, cold and a bit melancholic.

—

When Shi Liu finally awoke from her long, unknown period of cultivation, the mortal world had already fallen into deep night.

They were still in the same tavern, on the same street, in the same village.

But outside, it was pitch dark. Tonight’s moon was hidden behind thick clouds, with only a few sparse stars peeking through, veiled as if shrouded in mist, barely visible.

Under those stars, the distant green mountains blended into the night, like a blurred ink wash painting with soft, faded contours.

Within that painting, there was only one point, far off, seemingly on the other side of the sky, unreachable yet unmistakable—

Over there, flames blazed against the night.

Across the vast earth and countless silent villages, Shi Liu strained her ears and could almost hear the sounds of fierce fighting, pained screams, the crackling of raging fires, and the cold, sharp sounds of blades piercing flesh.

The air itself seemed to carry an inescapable scent of blood.

The joy Shi Liu had felt from her spiritual energy breakthrough vanished in an instant.

The young girl turned anxiously to the side and saw the man in the fur cloak standing at the window. He gazed coldly in the direction of the flames, as indifferent as a god surveying the mortal realm, entirely unmoved.

Only then did Shi Liu realize that the entire hall was empty, leaving just the two of them.

Even the Demon Emperor and the little Daoist were gone.

Shi Liu felt a vague unease in her heart and glanced once more at that distant, fiery spot.

“Do you want to go take a look?” Feng Ye suddenly asked, turning around.

Shi Liu asked, “Did the little Daoist go too?”

“Mm,” Feng Ye replied, raising a pale hand from beneath his cloak, his cold, jade-like fingers extending toward her. “That little Daoist’s name is Xue Wan. She’s the Saintess of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.”

Shi Liu instinctively placed her hand in his, but she trembled slightly, unsure if it was because his hand was so cold or because the news had shocked her.

She looked up at Feng Ye, her eyes wide with surprise.

Feng Ye held her soft, warm hand and led her toward the door.

Shi Liu, still a little unsettled, asked nervously, “I remember you said on the boat that Wen Shifei came to the mortal world to kill the Saintess of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion?”

“He followed her,” Feng Ye said, leading his little attendant through the night. For the first time, a faint smile appeared in the demon’s usually cold, stern eyes.

Ever since he had arrived in the mortal world, his mood had been terrible, especially after hearing the results of the soul-searching done by Wen Shifei in the tavern’s kitchen. His mood had worsened to the point where he wanted to kill—preferably a lot of people.

But, strangely enough…

The moment Little Pomegranate woke up, his mood improved considerably, and it seemed like it could get even better.

And she didn’t disappoint him.

The girl’s fingers trembled slightly as she looked up at him with wide, worried eyes. “Will Xue Wan be in danger?”

“She might die,” Feng Ye replied casually, his tone light, but with a hint of malicious delight.

“!”

That answer triggered an even bigger reaction.

Shi Liu immediately grabbed his hand with both of hers.

“Wen Shifei listens to you. Can’t you save her?” Shi Liu was so anxious that she tugged at Feng Ye, pulling him to a stop.

The entire street in the town was cloaked in darkness.

His features were hidden in the deep, inky blackness of the night, leaving only his voice, low and enchanting, to be heard.

“I could,” the demon said slowly, “but why should I save her?”

“…”

In the still night, the young girl lowered her head little by little.

She seemed at a loss for what to do.

Feng Ye frowned slightly, glancing down at her.

He realized he’d developed an odd habit recently—whenever he had nothing better to do, he found himself enjoying teasing Little Pomegranate, watching her subtle and varied expressions and reactions.

Each new reaction he uncovered improved his mood considerably.

But every time she frowned or looked upset, his fleeting pleasure was quickly replaced by an overwhelming wave of irritation—far more intense than before. This feeling was unfamiliar to him, yet it was becoming increasingly common.

Just like now.

Feng Ye shifted his gaze away, already considering letting her off the hook.

And then it happened.

In the quiet night, the girl finally forced out her words, painfully hesitant and awkward.

“P-Please… I’m begging you… Master.”

“——”

“?”

“!”