After Faking Her Death and Escaping, the Junior Sister Fell to the Demonic Path - Chapter 46

Qin Qingyi finished her recollection, pulling her thoughts back to the present.

She looked at the Sect Master Senior Uncle who was speaking at the head of the table.

And Shangguan Yu, after surveying the many elders around, heavily slapped his sword onto the table, specifically reminding them: “I hope you all understand,”

“There has never been a saying of peaceful coexistence between the human race and the demon race.”

Humans and demons have, from beginning to end, never been on the same side.

Qin Qingyi kept thinking about this sentence on her way back.

What about the yao (demon/spirit beasts)?

What should be the yao’s standpoint?

“What are you thinking about?”

Her thoughts were interrupted by the words of Venerable Wen Qing.

“Master,” Qin Qingyi opened her mouth hesitantly, still voicing the question in her heart.

“I heard from my mother that the yao race was not as reclusive and low-key as it is now. Yao could safely walk in the Xuantian Realm without concealing their yao racial features.”

“If it was possible before, why is it not possible now?”

This was something Qin Qingyi had always been unable to comprehend.

In recent years, she had read many books within the yao race, including the historical records of the various yao tribes.

From these, doubts gradually arose in her heart.

Before the appearance of the demon race, the yao race was no different from the human race. The Xuantian Realm was mixed with humans and yao. Although the various yao tribes looked strange, they were not subjected to any strange glances.

At that time, humans and yao were the same.

But now, yao must hide their features and use the same spiritual power as humans to walk in the Xuantian Realm. They must also be cautious, fearing exposure of their yao identity.

Not only that, but in the world-destroying battle a thousand years ago, the yao race did participate. Moreover, compared to the human race, the yao race contributed more, with all twenty-eight yao tribes drawing upon all Great Yao above the Soul Transformation Stage, going all out to slay the Demon Emperor.

The names of those Great Yao are still engraved on the yao race’s Tower of Heaven. The yao race also once shed blood and sweat, wholeheartedly protecting the Xuantian Realm.

But in the end, when the war was over, the yao race was not in the queue for merit awards.

Instead, they were excluded, suppressed, and isolated.

Even the yao walking in the Xuantian Realm began to be hunted and sold.

Yao became the second creature to be encircled and suppressed in the Xuantian Realm, apart from the demons.

However, the immortal sects at the time all ignored the plight of the yao race.

They even indulged their disciples in openly hunting and killing the yao race.

The yao race was indignant, so they went to the immortal sects for an explanation, but were directly swept out.

The reason they gave was: “Those who are not of our kind are bound to be different in heart.”

The demon race had already proven this point, so the yao, who were also not human, fell into a situation similar to the demon race.

It was difficult to make a living in the Xuantian Realm, and one wrong step could cost them their lives.

Some immortal sect disciples even spoke arrogant words to the yao race envoys: “If we didn’t have to consider the Yao Emperor’s reputation, even you envoys would be killed.”

In the end, the newly appointed Yao Emperor, who was only at the Nascent Soul Stage at the time, could only endure the humiliation and lead the yao race into seclusion.

Up until now, the cultivators of the Xuantian Realm have almost forgotten the existence of the yao race in the Xuantian Realm.

The human race dominates.

But this is not a good thing.

Internal conflicts are constant. After the initial concerted effort to slay the demon race, the human race fell into endless internal strife.

Today you frame me, tomorrow I sneak attack you.

For a treasure, or just because of a slight disagreement, they would turn against each other, fighting to the death.

In Qin Qingyi’s view, humans can never compare to yao.

Yao are pure enough; as long as they are well-fed, the yao race is very content and harmonious.

Life is meant to be happy, and improving one’s strength is also to protect the younger yao.

Just now in the deliberation hall, although she arrived late, she could still understand everything. Among the elders who were deliberating, many clearly did not want to declare war on the demon race.

Especially the junior elder who argued with the Master and almost came to blows.

Qin Qingyi had never seen a yao in the yao race fight or even kill another yao over a fight for treasure or a trivial matter.

So, she didn’t understand.

But Venerable Wen Qing fell into a long silence upon hearing her question.

After a long time, she finally sighed faintly.

“Qingyi, you must know that humans are greedy.”

“Human greed is more terrifying than anything. It makes people lose their minds, harm their own kind, and is a more cruel existence than the Inner Demon.”

Qin Qingyi was thoughtful.

“How is your mother?”

Venerable Wen Qing appropriately changed the subject.

Qin Qingyi nodded: “Mother is well.”

“She also asked me to send her regards to you.”

Venerable Wen Qing chuckled: “I am naturally doing very well too.”

She then gently shook her head: “It’s just that, if you weren’t my disciple, I’m afraid she, the Yao Emperor, wouldn’t even remember my name, and might even try to avoid me.”

The yao race’s commandment is: Do not leave the realm without cause.

If there is a crucial matter that requires leaving the realm, one must maintain distance from the human race.

Do not have overly intimate relationships with any human.

This is an iron rule etched into the bones of every yao.

Because too many instances had occurred where young, inexperienced yao secretly sneaked out of the realm, only to be completely deceived by the human race within a short time, and some even died outside.

This kind of thing happened too many times.

Therefore, Venerable Wen Qing always felt that her ability to connect with the yao race, especially with the Yao Emperor, was an incredible destined encounter.

She had only accidentally performed a divination, and then went to Futu Mountain for a so-called “opportunity,” but she didn’t find the opportunity, but instead picked up a red-furred fox.

A red-furred fox, covered in wounds and on the verge of death.

That was Qin Qingyi.

Hearing her master reminisce about the past, Qin Qingyi couldn’t help but touch her nose awkwardly.

If she had to say it, it was her own fault for being so restless.

Even though her mother repeatedly forbade her from leaving the realm, she still snuck out.

And it turned out that going out was the beginning of her bad luck.

Before she could even enjoy the human world, she was targeted by some unknown demons.

If she hadn’t possessed some life-saving secret arts, she might not even know how she died.

But even though she survived, she was severely injured.

The naturally six-tailed fox lost two of her tails during this pursuit.

Relying on severing her tails for survival, she managed to escape the demons’ pursuit repeatedly.

After finally shaking off those few demons, she used transmission talismans to teleport herself multiple times to avoid their tracking. Eventually, she didn’t even know where she was. After exhausting her yao power, she tumbled into Futu Mountain.

Coincidentally, Venerable Wen Qing was wandering nearby in search of an opportunity. The unconscious fox landed right there and was picked up by Venerable Wen Qing.

Afterward, with healing and nurturing, the little fox’s life was pulled back from the brink of death.

To recover faster, the awakened Qin Qingyi did not transform into human form but maintained her fox form, following Venerable Wen Qing the whole time.

She was proficient in acting cute, begging for favors, taking naps, sleeping, being lazy in cultivation – practically a master of all.

However, all of this seemed very adorable in Venerable Wen Qing’s eyes. After all, it was just a little fox; why be harsh?

And although Qin Qingyi appeared lazy and fond of eating while by Venerable Wen Qing’s side, when she did cultivate seriously for a bit, her strength grew astonishingly fast.

Her talent even astonished Venerable Wen Qing.

The little fox’s talent was far greater than her own when she was young.

A heaven-sent genius.

The only downside was that she didn’t like to cultivate properly.

Thus, Venerable Wen Qing, who had not yet taken any disciples, was moved for the first time by the idea of accepting a disciple.

Although Qin Qingyi was a yao, Venerable Wen Qing didn’t really care about such things.

Whether human or yao, there are good and bad among them; one cannot generalize.

But Qin Qingyi was absolutely unwilling.

At first, she pretended to consider it, but then, upon hearing that becoming Venerable Wen Qing’s disciple meant waking up at the third watch (around midnight) every day to cultivate, the little fox shook her head like a rattle drum. No matter how many enticing conditions Venerable Wen Qing offered, she refused.

Venerable Wen Qing was very helpless about this.

Until the Yao Emperor came looking for her.

Qin Banruo, who finally realized her daughter was missing, quickly tracked Qin Qingyi’s location through bloodline tracing and rushed over without stopping.

Seeing her mother’s hand about to fall, Qin Qingyi, desperate, quickly ran and hid behind Venerable Wen Qing, claiming that she had already taken Venerable Wen Qing as her master.

Venerable Wen Qing naturally tried to persuade the Yao Emperor, and after much pleading, managed to spare Qin Qingyi a beating.

After much deliberation, Qin Banruo agreed to Venerable Wen Qing’s suggestion and let Qin Qingyi try out training in the immortal sect.

A young bird that is always under the wings of the Great Bird will never grow up.

Since then, Qin Qingyi followed Venerable Wen Qing to the Sword Sect.

At first, she pretended to cultivate diligently, but over time, her true nature was exposed. She stopped attending classes, stopped practicing her sword, and found all sorts of excuses to be lazy every day.

Fortunately, Venerable Wen Qing remained doting.

With her protection, even if the little fox were to poke a hole in the sky, she would be able to fix it.

After all, she was the descendant of the contemporary Carefree Sword. Her swordsmanship was among the top ten in the Xuantian Realm, plus the reputation of the Sword Sect. Even if Qin Qingyi walked sideways outside, no one would dare say a word.

“What does your mother think about the demon race matter?”

Venerable Wen Qing asked casually.

She and Qin Qingyi were walking one after the other, leaving Zhijian Peak. Having not seen each other for many years, the master and disciple had a lot to talk about, so neither of them rode their swords, but walked down the mountain step by step.

“Naturally, it is a fight to the death.”

Qin Qingyi relayed Qin Banruo’s stance.

“Mother naturally detests the demon race deeply. It was true before, and even more so now.”

“This time, your disciple returned and assisted Mother in dealing with many demons attempting to sneak in.”

As she spoke, Qin Qingyi showed a look of disgust: “Those filthy things killed our yao kin and refined their fur into magical artifacts, attempting to deceive our yao realm’s barrier.”

Venerable Wen Qing’s eyes also showed disgust: “Indeed, it is the demon race’s style. After so many years, they are still despicable and foul.”

The two chatted on and off. Suddenly, Qin Qingyi remembered something—

“Master? How is Junior Sister now?”

Qin Qingyi recalled the strangely familiar light garment the child tried desperately to conceal last night, and her thief-like manner of creeping over when she was not fully asleep.

Hearing her ask about Zhou Zhixue, Venerable Wen Qing sighed even more.

“Since she began cultivating the Heartless Dao, her cultivation has risen steadily, and she is much stronger than you now, but in the end…”

Her words clearly implied something unsaid.

Qin Qingyi raised an eyebrow: “In the end?”

Venerable Wen Qing shook her head: “You don’t know yet, cultivating this Heartless Dao requires stripping away a part of one’s emotional threads with each layer.”

“The so-called emotional threads are a person’s seven emotions and six desires. Now that she has cultivated to the fifth layer, she should be almost emotionless. But in the past two years, I can clearly feel that there seems to be a barrier blocking her during cultivation, which she cannot break through no matter what.”

With that, Venerable Wen Qing sighed again.

“As this child grows older, I am gradually unable to fathom her thoughts.”

Qin Qingyi immediately understood.

So, she was yearning for love.

Hmm… but do humans use that term? What did their yao race’s “yearning for love” translate to in human terms?

It seemed to be… falling in love?

“I understand. Master means that Junior Sister’s cultivation is currently blocked, but you don’t know where the blockage comes from. She always keeps silent and neither explains nor reveals anything.”

Venerable Wen Qing nodded: “Precisely.”

Qin Qingyi’s fox eyes narrowed, and she quickly analyzed the root of Zhou Zhixue’s problem.

“Master, you have protected her too well.”

“She has not been exposed to the mortal world for a long time, and has not personally experienced the seven emotions and six desires, the sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy of the human world. It might not be that easy for you to make her strip away her emotional threads.”

Hearing her say this, Venerable Wen Qing became interested: “Then, according to you, she should go down the mountain and travel for a while first?”

“Exactly.”