After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 36

Punishing the Heart (Part II)

Since that night, for several consecutive days, Zhu Shengxi had not seen any sign of Ning Xu.

Those words had been spoken with such cold finality; no matter what intentions Ning Xu had carried in appearing this time, she must have been deterred and had likely… already departed.

Upon realizing this, Zhu Shengxi’s heart did not feel as light as she had imagined. She gazed toward the window, suddenly recalling what her inner demon had said that night.

As expected, she had once again left without a sound. Ning Xu was always like this—appearing abruptly, then leaving without a trace of lingering attachment the moment she realized her goals could not be met.

Zhu Shengxi rubbed the space between her brows, unwilling to dwell on it further, and headed downstairs.

Xie Funing had not appeared for many days, perhaps brewing a new conspiracy. Last night, they had finalized their plan; they could no longer sit and wait for death in the inn—they had to take the initiative.

Seeing that the group had all gathered, Li Yishuang took out a jade pendant and said slowly, “Every disciple who joins the Xuanqing Sect leaves a wisp of their residual consciousness on a corresponding jade pendant. As long as their soul is not completely dissipated, the residual consciousness remains. We can use this to find Ling Zhuo’s location.”

Ji Yanshu nodded in agreement. “Mhm. Ling Zhuo is in league with Xie Funing. If we can find her, we won’t be far from finding Xie Funing.”

Zhu Shengxi glanced at the jade pendant in her hand and couldn’t help but think: The Guiyun Sect also has similar jade pendants, but they are only used to determine whether a disciple is alive or dead. Once one leaves the sect, the pendant is destroyed, and their subsequent whereabouts have nothing to do with the sect.

The rules of the Xuanqing Sect, while seemingly unremarkable, actually bound every disciple tightly to the sect. Once someone betrayed the sect, they would be hunted down and killed even if they fled to the ends of the earth.

The person who formulated these rules clearly possessed a meticulous and calculating mind.

Li Yishuang condensed her spiritual energy, and soon, threads of power were injected into the jade pendant. A glimmer of light flashed across the jade, and it began to float in the air, drifting toward the exit.

Zhu Shengxi asked, “Fellow Daoist Li, did you prepare Ling Zhuo’s jade pendant in advance?”

Li Yishuang shook her head and said, “Before we set out, my Master gave it to me. She is divinely clairvoyant; perhaps she had already guessed back then that the person who kidnapped Junior Sister Ye was Ling Zhuo.”

Zhu Shengxi had never met Immortal Feng Yu, but from Li Yishuang’s brief sentences, she could see that this ruler of the Xuanqing Sect had already developed an intent to kill the moment she guessed Ling Zhuo was the kidnapper.

The jade pendant swayed as it flew out of the inn. Zhu Shengxi suppressed her internal thoughts and followed the pendant with the others.

After leaving Chaosheng City, the jade pendant floated south for hundreds of miles, its glow growing brighter and brighter. Following behind, Ji Yanshu’s expression darkened as she spotted a mountain in the distance.

“It couldn’t be… that mountain, could it?” Shi Su watched the direction of the jade pendant, a flash of dread appearing on her face.

As the jade pendant drew closer to the mountain before them, everyone wore a solemn expression. Finally, the pendant stopped at the foot of the mountain.

Feeling the residual consciousness within the jade pendant stirring restlessly, Li Yishuang said in a deep voice, “It seems she is here.”

Someone hesitated. “Are we really going in? This is Mount Guyin.”

Mount Guyin was heavy with resentment; even from several miles away, one could see the persistent Yin energy surrounding the mountain. Legend had it that Mount Guyin was one of the battlefields of the Immortal-Demon War a thousand years ago. Countless cultivators had died tragic deaths here, causing the resentment to never dissipate. Even great masters who attempted to refine the resentment here were helpless and could only warn their disciples never to enter this mountain.

“If Xie Funing is truly hiding in Mount Guyin and absorbing the resentment and Yin energy within, her current realm is no longer something we can deal with,” Ji Yanshu said with a frown.

The crowd fell into a heavy silence. After a moment of deliberation, Li Yishuang said, “The resentment on Mount Guyin is too heavy; it is indeed inappropriate to enter rashly. You all may head back first.”

“Fellow Daoist Li, aren’t you coming back with us?”

Li Yishuang looked at the grim, shadowy forest, her eyes momentarily complex. She only said, “Ling Zhuo is inside.”

Ji Yanshu didn’t understand the meaning behind these words and asked with a frown, “Are you planning to enter the mountain alone? There’s no need to take such a big risk to catch Ling Zhuo and Xie Funing. It won’t be too late if we go back, prepare, and come again.”

Li Yishuang remained silent, still shaking her head. Zhu Shengxi, knowing the history between her and Ling Zhuo, understood why she was so insistent on going in. She said calmly, “I will go in with you.”

Hearing that she also intended to enter, Ji Yanshu was slightly stunned, looking at the two of them with confusion.

One was from the Xuanqing Sect and the other from the Guiyun Sect, representing their respective sects. Currently, the three major Immortal Sects were all paying attention to the Xie family matter. If she did not enter the mountain now, it would inevitably lead to gossip that the Kunchen Sect did not care about the situation.

After weighing the options, Ji Yanshu said, “Then I shall enter the mountain with you. The three of us have high cultivation levels and can protect ourselves. The rest of you should head back first.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Su looked at Zhu Shengxi. Zhu Shengxi nodded slightly, clearly agreeing. Seeing this, Shi Su led the remaining Guiyun Sect disciples away, and the disciples of the other two sects also began their return journey.

Within moments, only the three of them remained at the foot of the mountain. A chilling wind blew in gusts, making the atmosphere feel even more eerie and terrifying.

Li Yishuang was the first to enter the mountain forest. She gripped the jade pendant tightly, her expression solemn and carrying a hint of anxiety.

“I asked Junior Sister Ye; when she was held captive by Ling Zhuo, they stayed in the city and never left. This means Ling Zhuo has only been hiding in Mount Guyin for a few days.”

Ji Yanshu pondered for a moment and said, “In that case, Ling Zhuo isn’t very familiar with Mount Guyin. Combined with her collaboration with Xie Funing, it’s highly likely she is with Xie Funing right now.”

Li Yishuang nodded slightly and continued forward following the direction of the jade pendant. As they moved deeper into the forest, the surrounding Yin energy and resentment grew thicker. Eventually, the three had to circulate their heart mantras to protect their bodies from being affected by the surrounding malice.

After an unknown amount of time, a cave appeared ahead. Zhu Shengxi formed a hand seal, quietly sensing the flow of energy around them. After a long while, she said in a heavy voice, “The surrounding resentment is gathering toward the cave. There should be a formation inside that aggregates Yin energy.”

“It seems Ling Zhuo is in that cave,” Ji Yanshu said. Just as she was about to approach the entrance, Li Yishuang reached out to stop her.

Li Yishuang’s gaze fixed on a certain spot, and she said coldly:

“Are you still not going to show yourselves?”

As soon as she spoke, two figures slowly appeared at the cave entrance. Seeing this, Zhu Shengxi and Ji Yanshu grew alert, staring intently at that spot.

Ling Zhuo walked out leisurely, holding a dagger pressed against the neck of the person beside her. That person was none other than Ning Xu, whom they hadn’t seen for days.

Ji Yanshu couldn’t help but be surprised. “Miss Ning, why are you here?”

Ling Zhuo raised an eyebrow, looked at the person beside her, and laughed. “Miss Ning? So Sister Axu’s real surname is Ning.” Her voice was beautiful, but the force in her hand did not diminish at all. Ning Xu’s face was exceptionally pale, and her neck was mottled with bloodstains.

Sister… Axu? Hearing Ling Zhuo’s address for this person, Li Yishuang frowned, looking at the two with confusion.

Zhu Shengxi asked coldly, “What do you want to do?”

Ling Zhuo looked at her, the smile on her lips deepening. “What, does your heart ache?” As she spoke, the dagger pressed in a bit further, and blood immediately welled from the wound.

Zhu Shengxi’s heart tightened, but her face remained impassive. “I gave her the bone whistle.”

Hearing this, Ling Zhuo laughed softly. “Don’t be so quick to help her. Don’t worry, I won’t take her life. Back then, she made those souls return to their places, causing me to lose a vital clansman. Naturally, I must make her taste the flavor of loss as well.”

Ling Zhuo pressed the dagger against Ning Xu’s cheek and peered at her tightly closed eyes, asking, “Are you afraid they will see your blood-colored pupils, or are you afraid Immortal Zhu will learn your true identity?”

The person beside her remained silent. Not getting the reaction she wanted, Ling Zhuo suddenly felt it was a bit boring. She withdrew the dagger and gave Ning Xu a push forward.

“Miss Ning is very good at disguising herself. But then again, humans have seven spirits and six souls, and demons have demon cores, while a half-demon hiding among them is indeed not easy to identify.”

The three people opposite them were all stunned upon hearing these words. Ji Yanshu frowned, her gaze toward Ning Xu becoming complex. “Miss Ning, you are a half-demon?”

Ning Xu’s gaze remained lowered, and she did not answer.

Ling Zhuo mocked at the right moment, “You don’t even have the courage to admit it? Did you actually think that by pretending, you could truly be accepted by others?”

Ning Xu was expressionless, slowly standing up as if she intended to leave. Seeing this, Li Yishuang blocked her path and said sternly, “A half-demon is still a demon. The sect’s decree states that all demons and devils must be executed upon sight. Miss Ning, you cannot leave.”

Ning Xu acted as if she hadn’t heard, quickening her pace. Throughout the entire process, she didn’t cast a single glance toward the three of them.

Li Yishuang narrowed her eyes, just about to strike, when she suddenly saw Zhu Shengxi leap forward. In the next instant, Ning Xu’s hands were bound by a silver rope. She seemed to suddenly lose all her strength and fell to her knees.

Ning Xu was dazed, her gaze moving from the rope to the face of the person in front of her. Zhu Shengxi’s expression was cold, and her voice seemed covered in a layer of thin ice:

“This is the Demon-Binding Rope; it works on half-demons as well. We will kill her after everything is investigated.”

Ning Xu’s eyes dimmed, and she let out a self-mocking laugh.

As expected, once her identity was exposed, this person ruthlessly used the Demon-Binding Rope on her without hesitation.

This must be the power of the Heart-Severing Pill. However, between them, there was no “old affection” to speak of to begin with. The moment her heart’s blood was taken, Zhu Shengxi probably wanted to kill her.

Seeing that she had been restrained, Li Yishuang looked back at Ling Zhuo and asked straightforwardly, “Where is Xie Funing?”

Ling Zhuo stared at her, but what she said was completely irrelevant. “Feng Yu gave you the jade pendant with a wisp of my residual consciousness?”

Knowing it was a rhetorical question, Li Yishuang didn’t bother to answer and repeated, “Where is Xie Funing?”

“Have you ever looked at that wisp of my consciousness?” Another non-answer.

Li Yishuang spoke no more. She pressed two fingers together, and the Thousand Frost Sword unsheathed with a shhh, carrying layers of biting frost.

Ling Zhuo snorted, retreated several steps, and answered, “It’s useless even if you find her. She has absorbed a monstrous amount of resentment and has jumped several minor realms. For the sake of our past friendship, I advise you not to go and seek your own death.”

A flash of disappointment crossed Li Yishuang’s eyes. “You want to use Xie Funing’s hand to kill Master? Ling Zhuo, look at yourself—surrounded by gloomy energy and in league with evil cultivators. Do you still remember your original intentions?”

“Heh, I don’t care about all that. I only know that blood must be paid with blood. Feng Yu caused the death of my clansmen, so she must pay with her life.”

Her heart gradually sank. Looking at the person before her, Li Yishuang only felt they were utterly unrecognizable.

Suddenly, a gust of Yin wind swept through. Ling Zhuo smiled and said, “Senior Sister Ashuang, we shall meet again if fate allows.” With a slight flick of her sleeve, she instantly vanished into the air along with that gust of Yin wind.

Li Yishuang withdrew her sword and looked at Zhu Shengxi with an inquiring gaze.

Zhu Shengxi tightened the Demon-Binding Rope in her hand and said calmly, “I will handle this half-demon.”

Hearing her say this, Li Yishuang didn’t ask further. Since Ling Zhuo had escaped again, there was no point in staying at Mount Guyin. The group left the mountain and flew back to the inn on their swords.

In the inn, when the disciples of the three major sects saw them return, they all crowded forward to ask questions. Seeing the Demon-Binding Rope in Zhu Shengxi’s hand, Shi Su asked in surprise, “Miss Ning, what is this?”

“She is a half-demon.” There was no concealment. Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at Ning Xu. In those gazes, there was disgust, disdain, and disbelief.

After all, the person being bound looked no different from a human in appearance and aura, except for the color of her eyes.

Ning Xu’s face was wooden, and she accepted these gazes of malice or abandonment as if she were accustomed to them.

Zhu Shengxi glanced at her blood-stained neck and then said to the crowd, “She knows a thing or two about the Xie family matter, which might be helpful to us. Moreover, we haven’t investigated her purpose for lurking here yet. This half-demon cannot be killed for the time being. I will keep a watch over her; everyone need not worry.”

Zhu Shengxi was from the Guiyun Sect, so naturally, no one objected to her words. Ji Yanshu shot her a secret glance; in recent times, this was the first time she had heard her speak so much.

Her intuition told her that the relationship between Zhu Shengxi and this half-demon was profound, but Zhu Shengxi was, after all, an elite of the righteous path and was unlikely to shield this half-demon.

Ji Yanshu suppressed her thoughts and said coldly, “Once everything is clear, she should be executed immediately.” The other disciples couldn’t help but nod, echoing those words.

Ning Xu’s expression was indifferent. Hearing them chatter and discuss her final disposal, she felt as if her ears were covered in thin cotton—noisy and chaotic.

“Naturally,” Zhu Shengxi’s voice rang out. Compared to the others, only this voice was extremely clear.

Ning Xu heard her answer those people in such a certain tone, and saw those people show satisfied expressions.

How similar this scene was to what she had experienced in her childhood. Years had passed, and people and things had changed, but one point remained the same.

The identity of a half-demon meant that she was destined to never be accepted by others.