Chapter 34
After arriving at the storeroom, Lin Queli frowned slightly.
Perhaps because it was a warehouse, there were no windows around, and the light was a bit dim. The surroundings looked a bit strange.
Lin Queli turned his head and saw the originally chubby city lord suddenly emitting a strange light, his appearance changing.
His features began to contort, his whole body twitched, and he made a strange sound.
Lin Queli took a step back warily.
What’s going on?
Lin Queli was a little uneasy, but after transmigrating, he felt that he would encounter danger if he wasn’t careful, and he couldn’t hide from it. Lin Queli was getting numb to it.
He had wanted to run out and call Qiansui, but he saw the city lord suddenly stand up straight, tilt his head, and look at him with a grin. “What? Addicted to being a dog for the Righteous Path? Have you forgotten who you are? Are you going to stage a scene of deep master-disciple affection?”
Lin Queli paused, his eyes widening as he looked at the city lord.
What?
The city lord sneered. “I heard you had the shadow guards investigate me recently? No need to be so troublesome. You could have just asked me directly.”
Lin Queli also sneered. “If I asked you, would you answer honestly?”
And in private…
“Da Zhuang! An urgent call for Da Zhuang! Who the hell is this?!”
He looks like a demon, but my bracelet didn’t react?
【Wait, I need to watch a 30-second ad!】
“…Da Zhuang, what time is it now? I’m not short on that 1 point right now.”
【Okay… holy shit, it’s Elder Jin! He made a deal with the city lord. The city lord probably got some benefit from him, so he allowed him to temporarily possess his body!】
This is very clever. Because he’s using the city lord’s body, there’s no demonic energy, and Lin Queli can’t hurt him.
Lin Queli almost fainted.
Jin Chan!!
This is the legendary Jin Chan!!
What is he doing here!
The city lord laughed out loud. “So arrogant… Respected Demon Lord, allow me to remind you.”
He walked up to Lin Queli and said with a fake smile, “Don’t forget you only have seven days left. After seven days, the fire of the Yuan Yang Pill will no longer be able to be suppressed. You’d better kill Helan Xue as soon as possible and take his Extreme Cold Yuan Soul.”
Lin Queli looked at him coldly with the same expression Helan Xue used to look at a dog.
—”Da Zhuang!!!”
Help, why are these all words I don’t understand!
【I’m checking, I’m checking!】
【Oh, oh…! Host, I understand! The original Demon Lord cultivated an evil technique to restrain his furnace cauldron constitution, but because Helan Xue went OOC, the Demon Lord couldn’t capture righteous cultivators with strong yang energy, so his furnace cauldron constitution became more and more serious…】
【Seeing that the furnace cauldron’s evil fire was becoming more and more rampant, Elder Jin took this opportunity to trick the Demon Lord into taking the Yuan Yang Pill. The Yuan Yang Pill is an extremely hot elixir, which can be considered a substitute for the yang energy of those cultivators in the original novel… But finding a cultivator to dual cultivate with is a gradual process, while taking the pill is like drinking poison to quench thirst. How can the furnace cauldron’s body, which is already on the verge of being crushed by the evil fire, withstand it? If no solution is found within a few months of taking it, one will die from bleeding from the seven orifices!】
Lin Queli: “…”
This is really a butterfly effect. How many plot derailments did Helan Xue’s one OOC cause!
【So now the only solution is to kill Helan Xue and take his Extreme Cold Yuan Soul to suppress the evil fire! No wonder the Demon Lord agreed to take the Yuan Yang Pill. Not only was it to solve an urgent need, but also because the immortals and demons are irreconcilable, and he had wanted to kill the Immortal Venerable all along.】
【Ah… so that’s why the Demon Lord stole the Demon Scabbard sacred artifact when we first transmigrated. That must have been the original owner’s last resort. If he couldn’t kill the Immortal Venerable, he would rather die at the Immortal Venerable’s sword than from the furnace cauldron’s outbreak.】
Lin Queli: “…………”
Lin Queli wanted to cry but had no tears. Can’t I not die?
For god’s sake!
If I don’t sleep with Helan Xue, I’ll die. Now, if I don’t kill Helan Xue, I’ll also die!
Kill my ass. If I kill him, who will I dual cultivate with? Impossible!
Lin Queli took a deep breath and said to Elder Jin, “If I… This Lord dies, the Demon Clan will have no chance of turning things around. If you know what’s good for you, find another way for This Lord!”
Jin Chan smiled. “You’re wrong. If you kill the Immortal Venerable, then it’s a win-win for us, and the Demon Clan will welcome a hope that hasn’t been seen in a thousand years. But if you fail and die, then I’ll have to inherit your mantle and lead the Demon Clan in a desperate battle.”
The sinister smile on the face with a few extra layers of fat was severely out of place, making it look a bit creepy. “So this subordinate suggests you think twice…”
Lin Queli sneered.
Think twice my ass.
Lin Queli couldn’t help but be glad that his Shizun’s cultivation was so strong. Otherwise, with so many people coveting and trying to harm him, it would be too dangerous.
But Jin Chan said, “It’s indeed not easy to kill Helan Xue, but it’s not impossible. Taxue Xianzun has cultivated for a hundred years and is on the verge of becoming an immortal. But this verge has been on the verge for hundreds of years… There must be a problem.”
Lin Queli was stunned.
Huh?
Jin Chan: “I have already arranged for the tree demon to let Helan Xue come into contact with the Soul-Severing Powder. The Soul-Severing Powder can induce the inner demons deep within the hearts of these righteous people who cultivate with their hearts and are hypocritical. Even if Taxue Xianzun has no inner demons, he has cultivated for hundreds of years without breaking through. His cultivation must have a bottleneck. After Helan Xue comes into contact with the Soul-Severing Powder…”
Jin Chan threw a brocade pouch to Lin Queli.
“You knock him out. There aren’t many poisons in this world that can threaten his life, but… there are ways to make him lose consciousness for a short time. This is this subordinate’s painstaking work. This subordinate has tried his best.”
The corner of Lin Queli’s mouth twitched.
This Sima Zhao of his is actually on the same side at a time like this.
(TN: A historical reference. Sima Zhao’s intentions were obvious to everyone, so this is a way of saying someone’s true intentions are clear despite their words.)
He held the brocade pouch and took a deep breath, a little worried.
But Helan Xue was so powerful. Even with the Soul-Severing Powder, it probably couldn’t do anything to him, right?
At the same time, Qiansui’s voice came from outside the door.
“Junior Martial Uncle! Are you in here? You’ve been gone for a long time!”
Jin Chan paused.
Then, Lin Queli saw the city lord’s features begin to contort and change again, and a strange green smoke rose from the surroundings, as if he were possessed.
…It seemed Jin Chan was about to leave.
Before he left, Lin Queli quickly asked, “Did you kidnap the people of the Tiandi tribe?”
Jin Chan raised an eyebrow. “Our Demon Lord is actually currying favor with the tribes, and can even make a tribe that has never participated in struggles work for him. This subordinate is truly impressed.”
Lin Queli looked at him coldly. “Let them go.”
“Demon Lord, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t lock them up. If you want to find them, go and ask those hypocritical guys from the Righteous Path. I don’t know which sect they’re hiding in. If you really can’t, just give them some silver, and it’ll be fine! Hahahaha… they’re just a bunch of house dogs wagging their tails for silver…”
In a puff of green smoke, Jin Chan completely disappeared, and the features turned back into the city lord’s ugly face.
Outside the door.
“Junior Martial Uncle!”
“Everyone else has already left and dispersed! Where have you been?”
Now, 19 of the 20 tree hearts had been successfully destroyed, which meant that the Demon Sword fragment was in the last one. Therefore, finding the last tree heart was crucial. The Righteous Path was now in a race against the Demon Clan, and every second counted, so Helan Xue and Shouyang didn’t come to the banquet. The young people also quickly left to continue their search after eating.
Lin Queli shouted, “Here!”
Qiansui pushed open the warehouse door, glanced around, and asked, “Haven’t you gotten the antique yet?”
“I’m getting it, I’m getting it!” The city lord hurriedly turned around to search.
Lin Queli was still digesting what Elder Jin had said.
Hidden in which… sect? Silver?
And there was an even more serious problem now!
“Da Zhuang, what do I do now?” Lin Queli said anxiously, “If I don’t kill Helan Xue, I’ll die in seven days? And that Soul-Severing Powder… it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
【It’s okay, Host. At most, we’ll rewind again… it’s just that, um, the debt might be 100 times more than before?】
Lin Queli: “…”
【I can’t help it, Host! It takes 500 points to rewind within ten minutes. How long have you been here?】
Lin Queli: “Then there’s no difference between me staying here to seduce my Shizun for ten thousand years. Besides rewinding, is there any other way? Like items or something?”
【I’m not sure, Host. Why don’t you pay off your debt first? After you’ve paid it off, we’ll know what we can exchange for!】
Lin Queli scratched his head.
“Junior Martial Uncle…”
Qiansui was about to say something when he suddenly heard the sound of fireworks rising from not far away.
He turned his head alertly and saw a bright light rising in the sky not far away.
Qiansui and Lin Queli looked at each other.
This was the signal of the Myriad Sword Sect, and it was cast with a special spell that only the Myriad Sword Sect members could see.
…Someone had found the last tree heart!
“Junior Martial Uncle, your injury hasn’t healed yet. You go back first. I have to go and provide support!”
Lin Queli had wanted to agree. After all, he would just be a burden if he went. But thinking of the Soul-Severing Powder that Elder Jin had mentioned…
The opportunity he mentioned, could it be this opportunity?!
“I’ll go with you!”
After receiving the city lord’s gift, the two of them rushed out of the city on horseback.
“That direction… is the Fog Forest!” Qiansui “tsked” in frustration.
The Fog Forest, literally, was shrouded in fog all year round, making it difficult to move and see the direction. If the tree demon was in there, it would be very difficult to track.
And because the fog obscured the terrain, it was not good to ride a horse in there, for fear of tripping.
After the two entered the forest, Lin Queli thought to himself, it really lives up to its name. The fog is so thick I can’t even see the trees around me.
The surroundings were damp and cold, and Lin Queli also smelled a sweet, fragrant scent.
“Be careful…!” Qiansui covered his mouth and nose and held his breath. “This is the tree demon’s sap. It can cause hallucinations and make you lose your strength in a trance.”
It seemed that not only were they anxious about this last tree heart, but the tree demon was also anxious and was using all its strength to drive away the intruders.
Lin Queli swallowed hard.
Just then, he heard the faint sound of tree roots rubbing against the ground.
“Qiansui…!”
He was about to turn around and remind him when he saw that there was no one around him.
…?
Lin Queli’s eyes widened.
Where’s Qiansui?
He called out a few times but got no result.
Lin Queli anxiously circled around a few times. He didn’t see Qiansui, but he did see… Helan Xue not far away?!
“Shizun…!”
Lin Queli was overjoyed. He was about to pounce on Helan Xue when he saw that Helan Xue’s golden eyes had turned…
Blood red?
Helan Xue looked at him with a cold face.
Although Helan Xue usually looked at people with a cold face, the person before him was fierce, cruel, and sinister. Even though he had the same white hair and clothes, his temperament was completely different from his noble and jade-like Shizun.
Lin Queli was stunned.
Is this Shizun?
“Helan Xue’s” face was gloomy. “Rebellious disciple, still not coming over?”
Lin Queli trembled all over. He hesitated and took a step, wanting to go forward and take a closer look.
“Lin Luo.”
The next moment, his wrist was grabbed. He turned around, and it was another Helan Xue?!
Lin Queli met those familiar golden eyes, then looked back again, and the red-eyed Shizun not far away had already disappeared.
Helan Xue frowned and flicked his forehead. “Come back to your senses.”
Lin Queli felt a cold wind brush past him. When he regained his consciousness, he found himself standing on the edge of a cliff.
“…!”
Helan Xue: “Were you hallucinating?”
Lin Queli nodded and patted his chest.
He had almost been tricked off the cliff by that fake Shizun!
“What did you see?”
Lin Queli paused. “I saw… a very fierce Shizun.”
Helan Xue frowned.
A moment later, he said, “Your injury hasn’t healed yet. Why did you come here on your own?”
“Umm… I came with Brother Qiansui.” Lin Queli gave a dry laugh and asked directly, “Shizun, have you found the tree…”
Thump—!
The next moment, several thick tree roots rushed up from under the cliff and stabbed at the two of them. Helan Xue’s gaze sharpened. He put one arm around Lin Queli’s waist and summoned his longsword with the other, swinging it at the tree roots.
Lin Queli noticed a ball of black qi under the cliff. The fragment must be down there.
Before he could see clearly, he was held by Helan Xue and dodged the attack of the tree roots, leaping off the cliff.
