After the Demon Lord was Reborn, She Switched to a Master-Disciple Romance Script - Chapter 32

As daybreak approached, Zhu Jiyun left the Kangtuo border and found a secluded spot to meditate and recover.

Spiritual power was scarce in the Human Realm. After two days of meditation, she still hadn’t regained the abundant spiritual power she’d had when she first descended from the mountain. Zhu Jiyun opened her Cosmic Pouch and began consuming medicinal pills while meditating.

Two days later, feeling sufficiently restored, Zhu Jiyun resumed pondering her interrupted experiment.

If malignant qi could devour spiritual power, what about demonic qi?

Would experimenting with demonic qi yield different results?

Zhu Jiyun’s eyes narrowed in deep thought.

In this world, for a cultivator to fall into demonhood and become a Demon Cultivator, simply practicing evil arts wasn’t enough.

They needed to use a secret technique to convert all their previously cultivated spiritual power into demonic qi. This transformation process, known as Reshaping, was a complete overhaul.

After all, the cultivation methods of Demon Cultivators differed fundamentally from those of cultivators. Demon Cultivators relied on demonic qi, which was abundant in the Demon Realm, making it the perfect environment for their growth.

For a Cultivator to Fall into Demonhood was like dyeing a pure white self completely black. This process was agonizing and extreme. Many couldn’t endure the pain, which felt like having every bone in their body shattered and then pieced back together shard by shard. They were tormented to death. Only those who persevered became true Demon Cultivators.

As a result, genuine Demon Cultivators were rare in the Cultivation World. Even those with corrupted hearts usually chose the path of Evil Cultivation, too afraid to endure the agony of Falling into Demonhood.

Legend had it that millennia ago, “Demon Cultivator” was merely a term distinguishing different cultivation methods. But somewhere along the way, it became synonymous with cruelty, slaughter, and all manner of evil.

Zhu Jiyun didn’t know how long ago these “millennia” were, nor did she care about the true nature of Demon Cultivators from that era. She didn’t need to know.

All she knew was that modern Demon Cultivators were indeed mortal enemies of Cultivators, perpetrating unspeakable atrocities. They were universally condemned and hunted down.

Zhu Jiyun took a deep breath and gazed at her own pale hands.

When she had just been reborn, she had instinctively channeled Demonic Qi to save Ji Nianyan. It was a reflex, really; she was simply more familiar with Demonic Qi than Spiritual Power.

But she regretted it instantly. Zhu Jiyun had assumed this body hadn’t fallen into Demonhood and wouldn’t be able to summon Demonic Qi at all.

The truth was the opposite.

Not only could she use it, but the Demonic Qi she summoned was even purer and more potent than her Spiritual Power.

******

Back in her previous life, after falling into Demonhood, Zhu Jiyun had discovered that while other cultivators who fell could no longer use Spiritual Power after the Reshaping process, being limited to Demonic Power, she was different. She could use both.

After scouring ancient texts for an explanation, Zhu Jiyun had guessed it might be because her Spirit Bone had been extracted. During the Reshaping process, some twist of fate had preserved her ability to use Spiritual Power.

But having both hadn’t been much of an advantage. It was more like a useless trinket. After all, she had already become a Demon Cultivator. Absorbing Demonic Qi for cultivation was far more efficient for someone without a Spirit Bone. What use was Spiritual Power then?

This life was different.

In this life, her Spirit Bone remained intact, and she had already become a disciple of Immortal Venerable Qingwu, embarking on a path that seemed different from her previous life.

Even with both Spirit and Demon energies coexisting within her, if a person could still thrive in the light, why yearn for the chilling darkness?

Yet…

Things rarely go as planned.

Zhu Jiyun wasn’t afraid of using Demonic Qi to solve problems. Her real concern was that once she opened this door within her heart and used it too often, she would instinctively become dependent on it.

But Demonic Qi was never an inexhaustible resource to be wielded at will. Without a way to replenish it, she would inevitably be forced to return to the Demon Realm.

Could she truly maintain this facade before her Master indefinitely?

Zhu Jiyun didn’t know.

But she had never been one to hesitate. Now that the idea had taken root in her mind and she had pondered it for so long, it was time to make a decision.

She stood up, raised her hand, and let Demonic Qi swirl from her fingertips, transforming her entire appearance into another form.

This time, Zhu Jiyun didn’t experiment on ordinary mortals.

After scouring the area for days, she finally found an Evil Cultivator preparing to commit a wicked deed.

Zhu Jiyun, cloaked in black robes with her hood drawn low, was completely concealed except for her eyes. In her hand, she carried the Evil Cultivator she had knocked unconscious with a single strike.

This time, she bound the man just as tightly as before, but the ropes, thick as giant pythons, that she flicked from her fingertips were no longer formed from Spiritual Power. They were now made of Demonic Qi.

Her face, hidden beneath the black robe, remained as cold as ice. Zhu Jiyun raised her hand and flung the man out with lightning speed.

Then yanked him back.

When the man appeared at the other end of the rope for the first time, Zhu Jiyun’s eyes, long dimmed, suddenly blazed with light.

She pressed her hand to the Evil Cultivator’s nostrils, checking for breath. He was still alive.

Relieved, Zhu Jiyun took his pulse and quickly retrieved a Primordial Return Pill from her Cosmic Pouch, shoving it into his mouth.

Now all she could do was wait for his reaction.

Zhu Jiyun stayed by the Evil Cultivator’s side for three days before he finally opened his eyes.

The moment he saw the Demon Cultivator who had nearly beaten him to death still beside him, the Evil Cultivator’s face, which had just regained some color, instantly paled. His legs trembled. “W-what do you want?”

Zhu Jiyun stared at him. “How does your body feel?”

Under the Demon Cultivator’s cold, deep gaze, the Evil Cultivator stammered, “F-fine. Pretty good.”

No sooner had he spoken than he finally succumbed to the metallic tang he’d been suppressing for so long, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Zhu Jiyun’s gaze lingered darkly on the blood staining the ground.

The Evil Cultivator coughed violently several more times, his lips stained red. “But… but my dantian feels warm,” he stammered, “it actually feels quite comfortable.”

He stumbled over his words, barely managing to string together a coherent sentence.

Zhu Jiyun remained silent.

Beneath her black robes, her hand reached out and took the Evil Cultivator’s pulse.

The Evil Cultivator stared at the black-robed Demon Cultivator, who was now standing very close. His eyes flickered nervously.

With a swift, almost imperceptible motion, Zhu Jiyun struck. Before the Evil Cultivator could even register what had happened, his head had been severed from his body.

Zhu Jiyun stepped over the lifeless eyes, which remained wide open in death, and continued forward.

Five days later, Zhu Jiyun watched another Evil Cultivator, who had never taken the Primordial Return Pill, convulse violently on the ground before slowly growing still. After checking for any signs of life at his nostrils, she finally left the area.

When Zhu Jiyun reappeared in a bustling town filled with the warmth of human life, she had already resumed the appearance she had adopted upon first arriving in the Human Realm.

“Sister!”

At the sound of the voice, Zhu Jiyun turned to see Ji Nianyan, dressed in practical green attire, approaching her with a radiant smile.

She returned a faint smile. “Is everything taken care of?”

Ji Nianyan nodded. “Everything is resolved.”

As she spoke, it was as if she had finally shed a heavy burden she had carried for too long, an indescribable lightness radiating from her entire being.

“That’s good,” Zhu Jiyun replied.

Ji Nianyan gestured to the table laden with delicious dishes. “Come, I ordered so much good food. After this meal, who knows when we’ll get to taste such Human Realm delicacies again?”

The mouthwatering aroma made Ji Nianyan’s appetite surge.

For weeks, she had been consumed by her mission and revenge, her heart heavy and her mind preoccupied.

Now that everything was settled and she was reunited with someone familiar and dear, a wave of exhaustion washed over her.

After savoring a bite of the fragrant, spicy duck, Ji Nianyan gazed at Zhu Jiyun, whom she hadn’t seen in ages, and felt a surge of emotion. “Sister, I could have handled this alone. You didn’t need to come all this way.”

Zhu Jiyun smiled calmly. “Your mission was quite special. Of course I had to come and see you.”

Ji Nianyan’s chopsticks paused mid-air. She lowered her head and gulped down several mouthfuls of soup before looking up, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion.

“Sister,” she said, “I killed him.”

Zhu Jiyun listened quietly.

“Sister, do you know? I always thought he treated my mother so badly because he resented her for ruining his engagement with that woman, keeping them apart for over a decade. But when I went back, I found he’d taken several new concubines.”

Women who even resembled my mother.

“And that woman…” Ji Nianyan smiled, a bitter twist to her lips. “When I looked at her, I saw a reflection of my mother when she first learned the truth.”

The same anger, rage, pain, and disbelief.

The same way that man held them in his palm, choking their throats, leaving them no escape.

“But she’s far more ruthless than my mother ever was,” Ji Nianyan said calmly. “I didn’t seek revenge on her. I know that with that man dead, her days of luxury are over.”

Before killing him, I exposed his corruption, bribery, and sale of official titles. The entire Sun Residence was seized. A woman who had enjoyed half a lifetime of wealth and glory was suddenly stripped of everything. The extreme fall from grace means endless suffering awaits her.

If she can pull herself together, she might live a simple life, but it won’t be easy.

But over the years, that man had indulged her so completely that her character had become utterly distorted.

She couldn’t endure hardship.

Zhu Jiyun said, “You’ve done so well, so very well.”

Those simple, gentle words broke Ji Nianyan’s composure.

Her eyes rimmed with red, she whispered, “Mother, I’ve avenged you.”

Zhu Jiyun gazed at her quietly.

After a moment, seeing her emotions had calmed, Zhu Jiyun began to recount the details of her trial mission, hoping to distract her.

Ji Nianyan listened, her eyes widening at each twist and turn of the story.

When Zhu Jiyun finished, Ji Nianyan finally closed her gaping mouth. “That was truly full of ups and downs, utterly unbelievable!”

Who could have imagined that the kind-faced Elder Yue was such a person?

Ji Nianyan remembered catching a glimpse of Elder Yue from afar once, and at the time, she had marveled at how approachable and kind he seemed with his constant smile.

Truly, appearances can be deceiving.

After finishing their meal, the two women began their journey back.

As they reached the Qingmiao Sect and Ji Nianyan was bidding Zhu Jiyun a respectful farewell, she noticed Zhu Jiyun’s eyes light up. “Master!” she called out to someone behind Ji Nianyan.

Ji Nianyan froze, quickly composed herself, and slowly turned around.

Zhu Jiyun had already moved past her to stand beside Immortal Venerable Qingwu.

Ji Nianyan hastily bowed her head in greeting. “Immortal Venerable.”

Though it wasn’t her first time meeting Immortal Venerable Qingwu, Ji Nianyan still felt incredibly nervous.

Xun Juexue gave a slight nod.

Her gaze swept lightly over Ji Nianyan before settling on Zhu Jiyun. “Why were you gone so long?” she asked.

Zhu Jiyun’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she held up four fingers, as if making a solemn promise. “Master, I truly didn’t help Xiaoyan with her task.”

The words Ji Nianyan had been about to speak vanished from her mind. Hearing Zhu Jiyun’s assurance, she quickly chimed in, “That’s right, Immortal Venerable.”

She absolutely couldn’t let the Immortal Venerable think she was someone who couldn’t even complete a simple task.

Though Ji Nianyan always felt nervous around the Immortal Venerable, it was the nervous admiration and reverence one feels for a powerful figure. She certainly didn’t want to leave a bad impression on the Immortal Venerable!

Xun Juexue watched the two of them make their assurances with perfect coordination, especially her little disciple, who was beaming at her.

Her heart skipped a beat.

What she wanted to ask wasn’t whether her disciple had helped with the task, but rather… if she was just checking on the situation, why had she stayed away so long?

But how could Xun Juexue possibly voice such a question?

Besides, she couldn’t shake the feeling that asking would make her seem like a clingy master.

This wasn’t good.

So Xun Juexue simply hummed in response.

Seeing that the Immortal Venerable hadn’t misunderstood, Ji Nianyan breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to disturb Zhu Jiyun and the Immortal Venerable’s time together, so she bowed again and hurried away.

Once she was gone, only Zhu Jiyun and her master remained.

Zhu Jiyun walked close beside her master, their sleeves occasionally brushing as they moved. She asked curiously, “Master, why did you come down the mountain?”

After a moment, she blinked mischievously and added, “Did you miss me? Just like I missed you! I couldn’t wait to come back to Forgotten Solitude Peak to see you as soon as I returned!”

Zhu Jiyun was just teasing, trying to lighten the mood. She knew her master wasn’t the type to admit such things.

But then she heard her master murmur a soft “hmm.”

The sound was as light as a feather brushing her ear, barely audible. Yet Zhu Jiyun caught it.

Her breath caught in her throat, her pupils widening as she stared in disbelief at the slender figure ahead.

What did Master just say?

She missed me?

A radiant smile, completely unconscious, bloomed across Zhu Jiyun’s face. She rushed ahead of Xun Juexue, her voice trembling with excitement. “Master, did you just say ‘hmm’? Does that mean you missed me too?”

Her face was full of anticipation, a smug satisfaction that came from knowing the answer but wanting to hear it confirmed.

Xun Juexue watched her disciple’s ear-to-ear grin at her soft “hm,” a flicker of embarrassment and annoyance flashing in her eyes as her ears grew warm.

Her voice remained cool and composed, betraying no hint of her inner turmoil. “You were gone for too long. Can’t a Master even miss her disciple a little?”

Zhu Jiyun nodded eagerly. “Of course, of course!”

“It would be even better if you just said you missed me,” Zhu Jiyun muttered to herself, falling a step behind.

Xun Juexue: “……”

This child!

She quickened her pace, soon leaving Zhu Jiyun in the dust.

Only then could she hide the blush on her earlobes, like white jade stained crimson beneath her frost-white hair.

If the Master had access to the internet, she might one day post a question: If a Master acts this way toward her disciple, will she eventually lose all her authority?

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