After Marrying the Disabled Demon Lord as a Substitute, I Ran Away with His Child - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

At first, the people saying these things were all “water soldiers” (internet trolls/shills) from the Xuanxin Pavilion.

Later, after some cultivators heard it, the word spread from ten to a hundred, and a hundred to a thousand.

Some cultivators even began to suspect Bimu because of this: “My youngest junior sister went missing in a secret realm five years ago. We all thought she encountered some other danger, but thinking about it now, perhaps Bimu, who was also in the secret realm at the time, kidnapped her.”

“Did such a thing really happen?”

“I don’t know, but regardless of whether my junior sister was kidnapped by Immortal Venerable Bimu, a person like Bimu is someone I loathe the most. I will join the ranks of Zuo Siqiu and the Hehuan Sect to crusade against him.”

Some female cultivators added, “We are safe today, but who knows if we will be equally safe in the future?”

“Yes, if we don’t speak up for others today, no one will stand up for us when we encounter danger in the future.”

More and more cultivators were paying attention to this matter, and more and more were joining in.

When Blood Demon heard the report from his subordinates, he could hardly hide his shock. “I really never imagined those righteous cultivators would fight together over something that doesn’t involve them personally.”

Yan Jiaojiao, as supportive as ever, chimed in, “The Madam already said they would act this way; you’re the only one who didn’t believe her.”

Zuo Siqiu listened to them speak while looking at the Memory Stone in her hand, thinking to herself: How could I not succeed? The world is originally composed mostly of beauty, and humans are creatures that always yearn for what is good.

Moreover, when a crisis is about to descend upon oneself, the sense of crisis combined with the beautiful part of human character produces a massive amount of energy.

With these people joining, the worry in her heart gradually transformed into excitement.

She was going to work with these people to take down the biggest villain in this book besides Xuan Mo!

…

These messages spread extremely widely and were not hidden from the Sect Leader of the Bixia Sect.

At this moment, Immortal Venerable Bimu stood at the peak of the Bixia Sect mountains, his face full of ridicule.

Even if the world knew, so what? There were still sects and aristocratic families sending over even more “cauldrons” just for the spiritual pills in his hand.

If he had known it would be like this, he wouldn’t have had to be so secretive.

Although he muttered this to himself, it didn’t mean he could truly let it go.

From the start of his cultivation until now, he didn’t know how many years or how much energy he had spent to achieve today’s status and cultivation level.

Yet now, all of this was about to vanish.

They would no longer cast reverent gazes at him, nor would they spend thousands of gold pieces for a single one of his spiritual pills.

Who exactly was behind all of this?

And how did Zuo Siqiu know her sister was in his hands?

For so many years, there hadn’t been a single slip-up. Why were all these things he had done suddenly exposed?

It must be that bitch Fu Gui’s doing! He shouldn’t have trusted her back then.

In all these years, who else had left that Mustard Seed Cave Heaven besides Fu Gui? It seemed she didn’t want to keep her parents alive!

Immortal Venerable Bimu gnashed his teeth in hatred. Fu Gui’s death was a certainty, and her parents would also die a horrible death!

He also had to capture Zuo Siqiu and use the most cruel method to refine her into a pill to vent the hatred in his heart!

Aside from his anger, he wasn’t particularly worried.

Since there were sects willing to voluntarily send cauldrons for the sake of spiritual pills, more people would do the same in the future.

When the time came, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to rebuild his reputation.

Finally hiding his hatred completely, Bimu saw his daughter Bi Zhian flying up. Looking at her complex expression, he knew she had learned about the “cauldrons,” but he didn’t bring it up. Instead, he asked, “You didn’t see Xuan Mo?”

Bi Zhian was startled. She had thought her father would explain the cauldron matter.

She felt a sense of relief and followed her father’s words: “No. The Xuanyun Sect members said that only the Sect Leader’s wife can see him. I… am nothing, so how could I see him?”

Bimu sneered, “Back then, it was you who was unwilling to marry Xuan Mo.”

Bi Zhian said, “Father, I didn’t. It was my Second Senior Brother…”

Bimu said, “You knew perfectly well that your Second Senior Brother dotes on you without limit, yet you told him you were unwilling to marry into the Demonic Cult. Was that not asking him to help you resolve the marriage matter?”

Bi Zhian’s face turned pale, her voice weak. “I didn’t.”

Bimu stopped speaking on that topic and only said, “Since you aren’t the Sect Leader’s wife now, it won’t be too late to see him later when you become the Sect Leader’s wife.”

Bi Zhian looked at her father in surprise. “Father…”

Why was he still obsessed with her becoming Xuan Mo’s Dao companion, even though Bi Zhian was no longer as repulsed as before?

And what did her father’s words mean?

Bimu said, “Xuan Mo’s Sect Leader’s wife won’t be living much longer.”

Calculating the time, that medicine should have already altered Zuo Siqiu’s body.

As a mere ordinary Fire Spiritual Root, under the effect of the pills, dual cultivating with someone like Xuan Mo who had a Super-grade Ice Spiritual Root would surely make her excellent material for pill refining.

However, what he needed most was a spiritual pill refined using his own daughter as the “medicinal primer.” That pill would surely help him ascend to immortality soon.

Once he became an immortal, this cultivation world would be his to enjoy as he pleased!

He had already set his sights on many people; some could be cauldrons, some could be refined into puppets, and some could serve as medicinal primers. This cultivation world was merely his playground.

Bi Zhian looked at her father and opened her mouth.

She really wanted to tell her father that many people had gathered at the foot of the Xuanyun Sect mountains. They had decided to attack the Bixia Sect together with Zuo Siqiu, with the goal of defeating her father and rescuing the cauldrons he had imprisoned.

She didn’t want her father to carry such an evil reputation, nor did she want him to be treated by everyone like a demon.

At the same time, she knew her father was stubborn. Even if she advised him now to return those cauldrons to their original families and sects, he wouldn’t necessarily listen.

No, she couldn’t think like that. She wasn’t yet certain if her father had truly done those things.

What if her father was being framed? What if the one in the wrong was her Youngest Junior Sister?

…

While Bi Zhian was hesitating, Long Xiaotian received a letter from his mother and simultaneously rushed to the foot of the Xuanyun Sect mountains.

Upon arriving, he couldn’t believe his eyes. He never thought so many cultivators would gather here.

Currently, there were no fewer than three hundred cultivators within his sight.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and then he went to his mother’s side.

Long Xiaotian’s mother was also very happy to see her son.

However, Long Xiaotian said with worry, “Mother, why have you come here?”

His mother said, “Your father only considers the family’s interests and not your sister. He has even selected several disciples from the clan to send to Bimu. They don’t even hesitate to sacrifice their own wives and daughters for the sake of spiritual pills. I am not only chilled by your father giving up on your sister, but I am also terrified that one day he will give me up for the sake of the family.”

Long Xiaotian felt a piercing pain in his heart.

He never thought things had deteriorated to this point that the Long family would actually hand-pick cauldrons to send to Bimu.

“They truly have no sense of shame. Stepping over their own clansmen to advance their cultivation… are they not afraid of being struck by lightning from the heavens?”

Long Xiaotian’s mother smiled with extreme irony, though her eyes were filled with tears. “What is there to fear from lightning? I only now realize they have no bottom line and are capable of anything.”

“Xiaotian, after Mother rescues your sister, I don’t plan on returning to the Long family. But you are different; you are the next head of the Long family. Go, don’t follow Mother in doing these things.”

Long Xiaotian had finally made up his mind to come here, only to be told by his mother to leave.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his whole body shook uncontrollably. Though his voice wasn’t loud, the sound suppressed in his throat was like a heart-wrenching roar. “Sister only left to look for me. If I hadn’t left home in a rage back then, how could she have left the Long family, and how could she have been taken away by my Master? She is my sister! I watched her grow up since she was a child. I even saved many good things for her in my storage ring, thinking of giving them to her when we met. If I don’t go, how can I face her? How can I face my own future cultivation!”

Long Xiaotian’s mother finally couldn’t hold back, and her tears fell in torrents. “My poor children, why does the world treat you so unfairly? Why must you encounter such things?”

Long Xiaotian didn’t know why, but he had already decided that he was going on this journey no matter what.

…

Before long, the Sect Leader of the Hehuan Sect and Zuo Siqiu walked toward the crowd together.

Looking at the people gathered here, the Hehuan Sect Leader felt incredibly moved.

She had thought that their Hehuan Sect wouldn’t have anyone in the cultivation world to help them. She never expected that Zuo Siqiu would not only take the initiative to seek them out for cooperation but would also draw in so many people willing to crusade against Immortal Venerable Bimu.

Long Xiaotian’s gaze followed the crowd to Zuo Siqiu. Looking at that usually timid and soft Youngest Junior Sister, his eyes were full of grit.

She had betrayed the sect and their Master even before he did, and she had joined this team even earlier than him.

She was no longer the timid and weak little sister the junior brothers used to talk about; she was braver and stronger than anyone.

Long Xiaotian led his mother to Zuo Siqiu. Feeling both relieved and sorrowful, he looked at Zuo Siqiu with a gentle gaze. “Youngest Junior Sister, it seems Eldest Senior Brother was blind. I always used to think you were timid.”

Zuo Siqiu gave Long Xiaotian a smile. “I am still timid now. But even though I’m timid, I have to fight for my sister. Otherwise, she can only be someone else’s cauldron for the rest of her life, unable to see the outside light again even in death.”

Long Xiaotian was moved, and a question suddenly occurred to him. “Youngest Junior Sister, if it were your father who did such a thing, what would you do?”

Zuo Siqiu knew that with this question, Long Xiaotian wanted to ask about Bi Zhian.

Her answer would certainly be worlds apart from Bi Zhian’s. She gave a cold laugh, her soft voice full of chill. “What if the person who did such heinous things was my father? He only dual cultivated once to have me; what has he ever contributed to my life? What should I be grateful to him for?”

“Even if he were a good father who sacrificed a lot for me and loved me dearly, could I ignore the other people who were harmed because of that?”

“Why should being a ‘good father’ mean he gets his daughter’s forgiveness? Or that his daughter should bear everything for his mistakes or do even worse things?”

“Since he did wrong, he should bear all the consequences.”

“I would stand on the right side, oppose him, correct his mistakes, and make him pay the price for everything he has done.”

“But… you are his daughter…” Long Xiaotian’s eyes shone as he looked at Zuo Siqiu.

Zuo Siqiu said, “Then I suppose I am not a good daughter. I am a cold-blooded daughter who doesn’t know how to pity her father. I would only collect his body, bury him, and pay my respects to him. If his crimes aren’t punishable by death and he receives the punishment he deserves, I would also fulfill my duties as a daughter and become someone he can rely on.”

Long Xiaotian was silent for a long time. This question was not just something he wanted to ask Bi Zhian; he also wanted to ask himself.

If their father did such a thing, how should they as children face it?

He had always been lost and hesitant, but today, his Youngest Junior Sister’s words were like clearing away the mist.

Yes, why should he forgive all the mistakes his father made or take on all the responsibilities caused by those mistakes just because of his relationship with his father or his Master?

He could be a filial son and disciple, but he could not be blindly filial.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t ignore the wrongs they’ve done just because he is my father or my Master.”

With those words, Long Xiaotian looked up at Zuo Siqiu, the light in his eyes completely changed.

In his eyes, his Youngest Junior Sister was still such a timid and weak person. Perhaps what she needed was another person behind her to hold an umbrella for her when she encountered these things to shield her from the wind and rain and protect her in their harbor.

…

However, at that moment, Xuan Mo arrived at Zuo Siqiu’s side.

His gaze was extremely unfriendly as he looked at Long Xiaotian.

The gazes of the two even exchanged a thousand rounds in the air.

Long Xiaotian felt that this person sitting in a wheelchair, who couldn’t even take care of himself, was simply not worthy of his Youngest Junior Sister.

Xuan Mo’s aura turned cold. He said to Zuo Siqiu beside him, “Siqiu, push this Deity to find Yan Jiaojiao.”

Zuo Siqiu frowned slightly. The Venerable One was quite adept at using this wheelchair; why did he suddenly want her to push him this time?

However, Zuo Siqiu did not refuse.

A good wife should give her husband plenty of face in front of outsiders.

She immediately pushed Xuan Mo to find Yan Jiaojiao.

After the two left, the people around were still sighing with emotion.

“It seems the rumors aren’t false. I didn’t expect the Xuanyun Sect Leader and his wife to be so affectionate.”

“The fate of these two is also particularly strange. Originally, the one who was supposed to marry into the Xuanyun Sect wasn’t Zuo Siqiu; she was stuffed into the bridal sedan chair to marry in her place after being drugged.”

“Then perhaps these two really are a match made in heaven. Otherwise, for a sect like Xuanyun, being deceived by the Bixia Sect like that and not killing Zuo Siqiu—now the whole sect is even helping Zuo Siqiu crusade against Immortal Venerable Bimu with us.”

“If you had such a Dao companion, wouldn’t you tuck her into your heart and cherish her? Cultivator Siqiu is beautiful and cute, her voice is soft, yet she doesn’t have a cowardly or fearful temperament. Moreover, the spiritual pills she refines are all top-grade. I don’t know how the Bixia Sect could bear to let such a person marry in someone’s place.”

These voices were particularly grating to Long Xiaotian’s ears.

The one who was originally supposed to marry into the Xuanyun Sect wasn’t his Youngest Junior Sister at all, but his Third Junior Sister.

The most talented female disciple in Bixia also shouldn’t have been the Third Junior Sister. He had heard that the spiritual pills the Youngest Junior Sister refined had more spiritual energy than the ones the Third Junior Sister used to make.

The Third Junior Sister’s father had even kidnapped the Youngest Junior Sister’s sister to use as a cauldron.

He took a deep breath. Something in his heart gradually shattered, and another high wall was built anew.

…

Zuo Siqiu brought Xuan Mo back to Yan Jiaojiao’s side. As expected, neither Xuan Mo nor Yan Jiaojiao had any other important matters. She knew Xuan Mo was just flaunting his “big man” temper in front of everyone.

So Zuo Siqiu squatted down and looked up at Xuan Mo. “Venerable One, I didn’t refuse when you made that request just now. So, for the debts I have on your account in the future, can I get a 20% discount?”

Xuan Mo: “Do you want a ‘bone-breaking’ discount instead?”

Zuo Siqiu glared at him. She originally wanted to snap back a couple more times, but seeing his jade-like face and his fierce, cold eyes, she could only get up and leave.

…

By attacking the Bixia Sect this time, Zuo Siqiu had essentially brought forward the most important plot of the entire book.

With the male lead joining, it was more advantageous for their team. But why hadn’t she seen Bi Zhian’s figure?

In the original text, Bi Zhian had betrayed her father, stood on the side of justice, and attacked the Bixia Sect along with the male lead.

Around them, more and more people gathered.

There were all the disciples of the Hehuan Sect, disciples of the Shadowless Sect, and many aristocratic families; these were all members or close associates of the victims’ sects.

And even more were those carrying a heart of justice, wanting to crusade against Bimu together. Some feared they might one day suffer the same fate, while others simply wanted to stand on the side of justice.

Of course, Zuo Siqiu also heard these people expressing surprise at the appearance of the Xuanyun Sect.

She turned her head again to look toward the place where the Xuanyun Sect group was located.

She knew the people of the Xuanyun Sect were willing to help her because of her status as the Sect Leader’s wife and also because of Xuan Mo’s orders.

She saw Xuan Mo sitting in the middle of the crowd, yet it was as if he could never blend in, a person separated by wind, frost, ice, and snow.

She thought back to Xuan Mo’s various actions in the original work and the things he said to the female protagonist.

This person seemed to have always existed in this world in such a lonely and isolated way.

Clearly, in the original book, he took limitlessly from the female lead and didn’t know what it meant to give.

But after meeting her, it seemed that besides getting sugar beans from her and a “tough guy” persona, he was the one giving more.

Perhaps because Zuo Siqiu had been looking for too long, Xuan Mo looked up and met her gaze.

Zuo Siqiu instinctively turned her face away to escape his gaze. Her heart began to thud in her chest like a spinning rattle-drum.

Her escaping gaze landed on the male lead, Long Xiaotian. This man, whom she had thought was dignified and upright when she read the book, now seemed like nothing special.

His features weren’t as exquisite as Xuan Mo’s, and his voice wasn’t as pleasant. Although Xuan Mo was always sitting, his legs seemed longer than the male lead’s.

Moreover, Xuan Mo’s frail and thin sense of brokenness made him look more like a fading flower in the wind; it made one feel pity for him.

Zuo Siqiu: “???”

No, I’m here to save my sister. What am I thinking about?

She shook her head, her face turning solemn, deceiving herself into thinking she hadn’t thought of anything just now.