After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 29

Five Years

The main hall of the Guiyun Sect.

“Five years ago, the Xie family used the pretext of searching for monster beasts to gather several cultivators and took their golden cores. Later, my Master sent me to lead an investigation, but by the time we arrived, only a few domestic servants remained in the Xie family; Xie Funing had already escaped,” Ji Yanshu of the Kunchen Sect said in a heavy voice.

Jiang Lixu pondered for a moment: “At that time, it was in Jiyu City under the jurisdiction of your Kunchen Sect. Now, in Chaosheng City, which is not far from the Guiyun Sect, cases of cultivators’ golden cores being taken have appeared again, just like five years ago.”

Ji Yanshu glanced at the person standing silently beside her and added: “That time, my junior sister almost lost her life as well. Therefore, as soon as a similar situation appeared, our Master sent us here with the goal of thoroughly capturing that evil cultivator who takes golden cores.”

After listening to her explanation, Jiang Lixu nodded slightly. Sect Leader Tan cared most for her three disciples; since Yao Zhixin had nearly lost her life previously, she must desperately want to catch the person behind the scenes. It was not surprising that she sent disciples to assist now.

“Senior Sister.” At the sound of a familiar voice, Jiang Lixu looked up with some pleasant surprise. Not far away, Zhu Shengxi was walking toward them.

“You’ve come out of seclusion?”

“Yes.”

That night after Zhu Shengxi returned to the sect, Jiang Lixu did not receive an explanation; instead, she received news of her entering meditative seclusion. That seclusion had lasted five years.

The other two people in the hall were also drawn by the voice. Looking at the newcomer, Yao Zhixin’s expression froze: “You, you are actually…”

Ji Yanshu asked at the right moment: “Junior Sister, have you met Fellow Daoist Zhu before?”

It was more than just a meeting. Back then, she had spoken rudely to her, thinking she was a cultivator from some small sect; she never expected her to be Zhu Shengxi of the Guiyun Sect.

Yao Zhixin’s eyes flickered: “I met her twice. She also took on the Xie family’s task of searching for the monster beast.”

“In that case, Fellow Daoist Zhu is also clear about the Xie family’s affairs,” Ji Yanshu looked at her and couldn’t help asking, “How did Fellow Daoist Zhu escape at that time?”

Zhu Shengxi was concise: “Once the mist dissipated, I was able to come out.”

Watching her indifferent expression, Jiang Lixu felt an indescribable sense of strangeness, but it wasn’t appropriate to ask directly now. Jiang Lixu suppressed the doubt in her heart and said warmly: “Cultivators’ golden cores have been taken in Chaosheng City, identical to the situation five years ago. Sect Leader Tan sent her two disciples to investigate with us.”

Zhu Shengxi took the initiative to say: “I know some inside information. I will go with them.”

This arrangement was indeed logical, but… Jiang Lixu looked at Zhu Shengxi. She had only just come out of seclusion and hadn’t had time to rest properly before going to investigate the Xie family matter.

Jiang Lixu said to Ji Yanshu and the others: “Go to the guest rooms and rest first. We set out tomorrow.” Having said that, she looked at Zhu Shengxi: “You, come with me.”

The two went to a side hall where Jiang Lixu cast a soundproofing spell. Her first question was: “Have you inspected your spiritual consciousness internally? Is it perfectly clear?”

Zhu Shengxi had entered seclusion without a word after returning that night. Jiang Lixu feared she had developed a heart demon and was stubbornly hiding it.

“Yes.” Hearing the affirmative answer, Jiang Lixu gave her a few suspicious looks and took hold of her wrist.

Zhu Shengxi’s face remained calm, allowing the other to check her pulse. After a long while, Jiang Lixu nodded, “Mhm, your cultivation has progressed quite a bit, and your spiritual energy is very stable.”

“Senior Sister, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”

“Don’t you want to know what happened during these five years?” Jiang Lixu said meaningfully.

“Your heart’s blood was taken. If Lu Youque obtained it, he would definitely take the next step. However, during these years, the Demon Sect has not only refrained from attacking other sects, but there hasn’t even been any minor movement.”

“Later, the spies we sent discovered that the interior of the Demon Sect seems to have undergone a change,” Jiang Lixu watched her expression, paused, and continued, “Lu Youque removed the Left Protector and established Fu Qianjiang alone as the Grand Protector.”

Hearing all this, Zhu Shengxi was exceptionally calm, merely nodding slightly to indicate she knew.

Jiang Lixu was surprised by her indifference but didn’t ask further, only instructing: “If you are going, remember to take a few disciples from Xiyin Peak with you.”

Zhu Shengxi gave a slight nod and then departed.

The next day.

Zhao Qicun brought out an immortal boat and raised an eyebrow at Zhu Shengxi: “I finally waited until you came out of seclusion. I haven’t even settled the score with you for the last broken immortal boat.”

Zhu Shengxi took it and said indifferently: “I won’t renege on my debts.”

“That’s enough for me,” Zhao Qicun calculated in her head, stretched out her hand and smiled, “Not a penny more or less, exactly ten thousand spirit stones.”

Zhu Shengxi gave her a cold glance and subsequently handed her a storage bag, “There are ten thousand spirit stones inside.”

Only then did Zhao Qicun give a satisfied “Mhm” and said hypocritically: “Junior Sister Zhu, be extra careful.”

Her words dissipated in the wind. As Zhu Shengxi controlled the immortal boat, she thought to herself: previously, when items on the boat were damaged, this person wouldn’t let it go and asked her for several hundred spirit stones. This time, she actually opened her mouth like a lion, demanding ten thousand spirit stones directly.

Ji Yanshu, having heard their conversation just now, asked curiously: “Was the immortal boat forged by Fellow Daoist Zhao?”

Zhu Shengxi gave a lukewarm “Mhm” in response.

Since her attitude was cold, Ji Yanshu sensibly stopped asking. Although they were all from the three great immortal sects, they hadn’t known each other previously, at most only hearing of each other’s names. Looking at her now, there was always a faint sense of detachment about the person before her; she didn’t seem as easy to get along with as she appeared.

Yao Zhixin, who had been silent beside them, asked at this moment: “Fellow Daoist Zhu, was the woman who was with you before also a disciple of the Guiyun Sect?”

The spiritual energy at Zhu Shengxi’s fingertips faltered for a fraction of a second, then she answered tonelessly: “No.”

The group traveled in silence. Chaosheng City, their destination, was not far from the Guiyun Sect to begin with, and they arrived before long.

Ji Yanshu found the largest inn in the city for them to rest. An inn was a place where fish and dragons mixed; almost all cultivators from various sects stayed here after arriving. If that evil cultivator wanted to strike, it would certainly be here.

Zhu Shengxi took her room token, gave a brief instruction to the younger sisters from Xiyin Peak behind her, and went upstairs on her own.

Ji Yanshu tapped the person beside her and whispered: “When you met her before, was she always this cold?”

Yao Zhixin thought about it and said uncertainly: “I think… so.”

Those two encounters truly weren’t pleasant memories. Yao Zhixin added: “Senior Sister, I’ve sparred with her in swordplay and I couldn’t beat her. Why don’t you give it a try?”

Ji Yanshu looked at her and said unceremoniously: “If your swordsmanship is poor, practice more. Don’t egg me on.”

It was night.

Zhu Shengxi sat cross-legged on the bed, her internal spiritual energy circulating. She clenched her teeth as black qi continuously seeped from her palms.

That raspy voice appeared again: “The Left Protector of the Demon Sect has been abolished. Lu Youque has never been one to tolerate sand in his eyes. Tell me, what do you think will happen to her?”

Zhu Shengxi remained silent, her hands quickly forming seals. The voice gradually vanished along with them. She expertly wiped away the blood from her lips and gazed out the window.

For a long while, there was no abnormality outside. Zhu Shengxi frowned slightly, but just then, a blood-curdling scream suddenly rang out from downstairs.

When she flashed downstairs, the shop assistant was staring at the doorway in horror. Several corpses had abruptly appeared at the entrance, their deaths gruesome, with their abdomens sliced open.

Without much hesitation, Zhu Shengxi followed a faint aura and leaped out in pursuit.

The aura became increasingly distinct. Zhu Shengxi condensed a seal with one hand, and the Chenque Sword instantly stabbed toward a spot. The sound of tearing cloth rang through the air. With her eyes half-lidded, she landed in an alleyway.

The Chenque Sword returned to her hand. Zhu Shengxi looked at the figure dressed in black before her. Without wasting words, she flicked her wrist and struck directly with her sword.

The person in black dodged nimbly, seemingly somewhat familiar with her sword style. Zhu Shengxi’s eyes darkened, and she immediately changed her sword moves. Visibly, after the change in technique, the person in black became somewhat overwhelmed, and several wounds already appeared on her arms.

Zhu Shengxi’s expression remained unchanged as she lunged several times. The person in black retreated repeatedly. The next moment, the tip of the sword thrust straight toward the neck.

With a crisp clink, the blade stopped just inches from the black-clad person’s neck, blocked by a dark green jade flute.

Zhu Shengxi did not pause. Applying a bit of spiritual energy, sword qi rippled outward. Being so close, the person in black had no time to dodge. Her wrist was jolted by the sword qi, and the jade flute slipped from her hand, falling to the ground.

Immediately following, the cold, gleaming sword was held mercilessly against her throat. The blade pressed against the skin of her neck; one slight movement could slice that fragile throat.

With sword qi overflowing, the veil on the black-clad person’s face had already half-fallen during the fight. It now hung on her face, revealing half of a refined countenance.

In the silent standoff, the person in black ignored the blade and turned her face to the side, seemingly not wanting to be recognized.

Spiritual energy gathered at Zhu Shengxi’s fingertips. Without touching, she pulled the veil away from a distance.

Under the faint moonlight, that face was completely revealed—it was features she knew all too well.

Zhu Shengxi applied pressure, the blade biting in a few fractions deeper. A faint bloodstain immediately appeared on the fair neck of the person before her.

“Ning Xu.” A sentence devoid of any emotion.

The stinging pain at her throat made her afraid to move recklessly. Ning Xu looked up slightly, seeing the other’s icy expression clearly. In the past, she was certain the person before her would not hurt her, but now, the biting chill of the blade and the vague sense of oppression made it impossible to be certain of anything anymore.

She had imagined their reunion many times. Perhaps Zhu Shengxi would question her angrily, or perhaps she would remain silent with a cold gaze. But this person only asked with extreme composure:

“Was it you who took the golden cores of those cultivators?”

“What golden cores?” A look of confusion appeared in Ning Xu’s eyes.

Zhu Shengxi’s gaze was scrutinizing, staring at her for a few seconds, but then she moved the sword away and turned to leave.

“Zhu Shengxi,” Ning Xu called out to her, her lips moving slightly, “Why don’t you kill me?”

It was a strange reaction. She had deceived her and used her, so why was there no resentment or dissatisfaction in her eyes when they met again, but only an expression of utter calm?

Zhu Shengxi didn’t answer and continued walking away. Ning Xu followed for a few steps, “Zhu…”

Before the words could be spoken, a piercing sword wind suddenly struck. Ning Xu was forced back several steps and looked at her.

Under the moonlight, Zhu Shengxi looked at her coldly, an emotion surfacing in her eyes that had never been there before.

“Don’t follow me.”

It was an emotion called “loathing.” Upon realizing this, Ning Xu froze in place, her heart falling as if into an ice cellar.