Chapter 17: All for the Demon Clan! My Cousin Endures Hardship…

A hundred li away.

Beneath a massive tree that blotted out the sky stood a black shadow, its wide cloak concealing most of its face. In its palm rested a small, exquisite Red Drum.

Untouched by anyone, the drumhead pulsed rhythmically, yet it made no sound.

The surroundings were quiet, shadows dancing in the dim light. With a ring, a long saber unsheathed, its blade tearing through the void. Gu Changhuai appeared like a ghost, saber in hand, slashing down at the shadow beneath the tree.

The shadow turned its head and dodged nimbly. The ground’s grass was immediately carved with a sharp, deep gash. He stared in shock at the saber mark brimming with killing intent.

He really wanted him dead!

“So it’s you.” Gu Changhuai, who had arrived through the air, smiled at the corners of his lips, but his eyes were frosted over. In an instant, Shattered Shadow formed in his five fingers, and he grabbed the shadow’s neck, smashing him viciously against the tree.

The shadow’s cloak slipped off. A slap knocked away the mask, revealing a handsome yet wicked face. Gu Changhuai’s eyes held no warmth as he said word by word in a mild tone, “Xue Lao Er.”

Killing intent spread silently.

The sharp Shattered Shadow seemed poised to pierce his life vein, while the saber mark on the ground still smoked. Xue Lao Er gritted his teeth. “Gu Sanbai! Are you insane?!”

Gu Changhuai raised an eyebrow and laughed even more recklessly. The tooth-white disciple robes of Xinnan Immortal Sect hung loosely on him, with blood-like red plum blossoms blooming at the hem, making him appear a bit thinner and more slender. As the wind lifted his crow-feather-long hair into a gentle dance, his face took on a sickly pallor.

A pale, slender wrist extended from the deep sleeve, clamping Xue Lao Er’s neck. Shattered Shadow gleamed with intimidating chill as he applied slight pressure, his tone languid. “Do you not know whether I’m insane or not?”

Xue Lao Er had shown no resistance from the start and hadn’t intended to fight back, which was why he was so easily subdued.

Realizing Gu Changhuai was genuinely furious—and quite so—he immediately raised his hands in surrender, his tone helpless. “I was wrong, wrong, wrong! I messed up!”

The Red Drum in his raised hand stopped pulsing right then, and at the same moment, the pain in Gu Changhuai’s abdomen faded. He eyed Xue Lao Er appraisingly. “Can’t you send a voice transmission?”

Xue Lao Er gave a sullen glare. “Xinnan Immortal Sect is so huge—how was I supposed to transmit when I didn’t know where you were? I had to use this method to draw you here myself.”

That made sense.

Xinnan Immortal Sect was terrifyingly vast. Even though they now stood a hundred li from the main sect gate, they were still right in the middle of its enormous territory.

Gu Changhuai: “…”

…Damn it.

He really wanted to kill someone.

First Han Ya, now Xue Lao Er—any living thing could trigger the Demon Gu in his gut.

Gu Changhuai accepted the explanation. Shattered Shadow retracted, and he tucked his hands into his sleeves, resuming his harmless, lazy demeanor. He raised an eyebrow. “That drum in your hand—is it from the Demon Venerable?”

Xue Lao Er’s gaze darkened. “Yes. The Demon Venerable gave it to me specifically, saying it was something to make you obey. And sure enough, you came.” He twisted his neck, which had been gripped, and said coldly, “The Demon Venerable wants you to cooperate. During the Heaven Discussion Assembly, kill the young manor lord of Red Feather Manor, Xuan Yao.”

“Just some minor young lord—why kill him?” Gu Changhuai glanced sideways, casually probing.

Xue Lao Er snorted. “If the young lord of the Cultivation World’s top family dies at the hands of the Cultivation World’s top immortal sect, even if it doesn’t spark infighting, it’ll be enough to drive a wedge between the two great powers.”

With that, he handed over a bow striped black and white, his expression grim. “The Demon Venerable specially ordered me to bring two Heaven-Breaking Bows for us to act together. If my arrow misses, yours will be the second. He must die.”

The Demon Realm possessed three Heaven-Breaking Bows in total. Their power was self-evident from the name alone; legend had it one arrow had once slain three Mahayana Cultivators on the verge of ascension.

Bringing two at once was quite the extravagance.

Gu Changhuai lowered his eyes to glance at the Heaven-Breaking Bow. Its bone-crafted body gleamed smoothly, faint wisps of aura matching the bow’s color flickering around it—sinister and eerie everywhere.

“Got it.” He responded indifferently, taking the Heaven-Breaking Bow and sensing the thick, malevolent power hidden within.

Tch.

He had treasures like this but didn’t use them when sending him to assassinate Rong Ye. Yet for killing some minor young lord, he pulled out two right away.

Demon Venerable, you’re starting to disgust me.

In a foul mood, Gu Changhuai sized up Xue Lao Er and nitpicked. “Dressing like that to come to Xinnan Immortal Sect—are you here to play thief?”

A pitch-black cloak—if he hadn’t knocked off the mask, there was probably a terrifying one on his face too.

In this bright and breezy Cultivation World, he might as well have plastered “I’m not a good person” in big letters on himself.

Xue Lao Er: “…No money for new clothes.”

Gu Changhuai: “?”

Xue Lao Er looked awkward. “I gave you all my possessions and rushed here in a hurry, forgetting to kill a Xinnan Immortal Sect disciple to take his identity…”

That Night Luminous Pearl.

It had been his only worldly possession.

Gu Changhuai was speechless: “…”

Xue Lao Er was infamous in the Demon Realm for his cunning and treachery—better to keep him under his nose where he could control him at any time than let him loose to cause trouble.

The Heaven Discussion Assembly lasted two months total, and over half a month had already passed. It was currently paused for the participants to rest, with the next session in five days.

So…

After a moment’s thought, Gu Changhuai pulled out his Tongtian Instrument, found Jin Shuang’s divine sense mark, and sent a transmission: “Does your Wuding Pavilion still take jobs? My cousin wants to come experience the local customs. Oh, arrange some outer sect work digging sweet potatoes or something.”