How to Handle a Sickly Yandere Demon God - Chapter 27

Xu Xingxing’s breath suddenly hitched, like a butterfly breaking through the final layer of its cocoon, like sunlight piercing through dense fog, like a tender sprout breaking through layers of frost-hardened earth, finally, she could see the warm spring sun spreading across the fields.

She had never thought there could be such a beautiful sound in the world, as if a skylight had been carved open in a damp, dark hell. Even the tiniest gap was enough to envelop her long-stifled and oppressed heart in oxygen. No matter how faint this breath was, it was sufficient to give her drifting soul an instant place to settle.

This must be what they call a sense of security.

“Don’t be afraid, I heard you.”

The voice, gentle as a breeze, continued to drift in.

“Don’t be afraid, the barrier will open in less than half an incense stick’s time.”

“Don’t you be afraid.”

“I’m here.”

From outside came another thunderous rumble, likely Xiao Hei intensifying his technique.

Zhou Qing seemed to sense something amiss. He opened his eyes and frowned slightly. “What is this? That beast?”

The silencing spell had been lifted. Xu Xingxing spat, trying to rid her mouth of the metallic taste. She glanced at Zhou Qing with disdain. “No,”

“It’s your father.”

Zhou Qing didn’t seem angered. Seeing that he couldn’t extract any information, he continued calmly, “Among the cultivators who came from Kunlun this time, aside from you, all are at the Golden Core stage. As for the remaining one, I could tell he was your spirit beast, but I never expected him to possess such ability.”

He looked at Xu Xingxing. “The formation is now complete. In less than an hour, you will break through to the Deity Transformation stage. Are you sure you want him to interfere?”

Though somewhat surprised that Zhou Qing knew about the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission technique, she was more amused by his choice of words:

“What’s wrong with your head? When did I ever say I wanted to break through to the Deity Transformation stage? Right now, breaking this sinister formation, leaving this damned place, and beating you to a pulp are my real goals, okay!”

Zhou Qing stared at Xu Xingxing for a long moment before suddenly breaking into a smile. “You really are like your mother. It’s been a long time since anyone dared to speak to me like that.”

He laughed for a while before saying, “I understand what you’re thinking now, but what about your companion and that serpent in the pool? Do you not want them anymore?”

“Of course I want them!” Xu Xingxing shot a glance at Lin Yue, tightly bound in a blood curse, and cursed, “Release her now, and I might consider sparing your life once I break through this barrier!”

“Although this energy-absorbing method is ruthless, I can see you care deeply for her. I will leave a trace of spiritual power for her so she won’t lose her life, only her youth and beauty. But if the barrier is forcibly broken…” Zhou Qing paused abruptly and asked, “Do you know the purpose of this barrier?”

Xiao Hei had mentioned it to her before, but Lin Yue had only arrived with her today and shouldn’t be connected to this barrier.

“This barrier was created a century ago by a Great Ascension evil cultivator from Kunlun named Shi Chen. He was the leader of a minor sect, obsessed with dark arts, and devised this technique to conceal his deeds.”

Zhou Qing resumed his calm, unreadable expression. “Every brick, every tile, every soul in this place is linked to the barrier. If it is forcibly broken from the outside, I’m afraid your companion and the serpent will be utterly annihilated.”

Xu Xingxing’s pupils contracted. Listening to the barrier being bombarded from outside and looking at Zhou Qing’s composed demeanor, she felt her heart clench once more.

“Xing’er, I am still your elder after all, with more experience and insight than you. How could I be completely unprepared?” His tone remained calm and steady from start to finish. “But don’t be afraid, your life is not tied to this barrier. Even if the barrier is ultimately broken, you will remain unharmed.”

“It’s just a pity about this formation. All my efforts will have been in vain.”

“In the end, the choice is yours to make, Xing’er.”

Zhou Qing closed his eyes and recited an incantation, channeling his power into the formation. Xu Xingxing watched as the blood curse suddenly thickened, and the pain she had just been able to endure instantly intensified. She nearly cried out, unable to suppress it, but bit her lower lip hard, trying to calm her mind. In her heart, she spoke to the person on the other end:

“Xiao Hei, stop.”

The disturbance outside paused for only a moment before intensifying its efforts.

The voice came through: “Is someone threatening you?”

“Lin Yue’s life…”

For some reason, hearing this voice always made her feel inexplicably aggrieved. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes as she sobbed softly. “It’s tied to this barrier. If the barrier breaks… she’ll die.”

“Are you safe?”

“I’m safe, but I can’t channel my spiritual energy. I’ve been poisoned.”

There was no further response from the other side, only the sound of burning growing louder, accompanied by faint creaks as if the barrier was struggling to hold.

Panic surged in her heart, and she hurriedly said, “Xiao Hei, stop now!”

“What does someone else’s life have to do with me?”

“But it matters to me! Do it for my sake!”

The sound of the barrier cracking finally ceased. Xiao Hei remained silent for a long time. Just as Xu Xingxing thought he wouldn’t speak again, a cold voice echoed in her heart:

“Don’t forget the beast contract between us. Protect your life.”

Hearing this, Xu Xingxing felt an inexplicable pang of sorrow in her heart. But there were more pressing matters at hand. She said, “Xiao Hei, I have an idea.”

Seeing that the outside had quieted down, Zhou Qing chuckled softly. “It’s good that Xing’er is obedient.”

“It hurts too much, Uncle. Could you go a little easier?” After saying this, she realized how strange the line sounded, but there was no time to dwell on it. Every moment she could buy was precious. If the absorption continued at this rate, Lin Yue’s cultivation would be drained within half an hour.

Zhou Qing looked at her for a moment before saying, “Just endure it a little longer.”

“…”

Xu Xingxing spoke again, “Uncle, what’s your real name? I can’t keep calling you Zhou Qing forever.”

“It’s not important.”

“Uncle, I do want to reach the Nascent Soul stage, but if my father finds out I used such a forbidden technique, he’ll disown me!” Xu Xingxing rambled on, trying to distract him. Without his assistance, the blood curse would slow down slightly.

Zhou Qing stiffened slightly and smiled bitterly. “That sounds like him.”

“What should I do then?” Xu Xingxing said pitifully. “I’m meant to save the world. How can I just leave Kunlun?”

“What does leaving matter? Just come with me.”

“Uncle, you have such lofty aspirations and care for all living beings. Why are you helping Zhou Wuxia?”

Zhou Qing seemed to think she was being too noisy and was about to raise his hand to silence her. Xu Xingxing was all too familiar with this technique of manipulating spiritual energy and quickly said, “No, no, Uncle, I won’t ask anymore.”

In her heart, she urged, “Xiao Hei, are you ready yet?”

There was no response from the other side.

It must be difficult.

Yue Baiyin had once said that if the bond between a human and a beast reached a certain level, they could even share their cultivation techniques.

When she had asked about the method back then, Yue Baiyin shook his head, indicating he didn’t know. He said the process was entirely controlled by the spirit beast and required the beast’s complete trust in its master. Only when the two shared a life-and-death bond could the spirit beast use this method to protect its master at a critical moment.

Just now, when she explained it to Xiao Hei, his response had been somewhat dismissive. Thinking about it, it made sense, for the two of them, even the hurdle of trust couldn’t be overcome, let alone something as profound as a life-and-death bond.

She still had to rely on herself.

Her body, soaked in excruciating pain, had grown somewhat numb. Xu Xingxing tried to mobilize her spiritual energy to break free from the restraints. Zhou Qing noticed her movement and said:

“Don’t move.”

“It hurts too much, Uncle. It really hurts.” This was the truth. Her entire body felt as if it were being gnawed by ants, her meridians stretched by an external force. From the inside out, there was no part of her that didn’t ache.

Zhou Qing paused, then withdrew his spiritual energy and said, “Endure a little longer. It’s almost over.”

The pressure beneath Xu Xingxing eased, and the intense pain immediately lessened considerably.

Perhaps because her suffering was so evident, he actually answered the question she had asked earlier: “Zhou Qing came to me seeking the soul-forging method. At the time, I was on the verge of breaking through to the Refinement Void stage, and he was no virtuous man himself. So, I absorbed his cultivation technique. However, the method of absorbing power is unorthodox, and my mortal body couldn’t withstand so much spiritual energy. It rapidly deteriorated, so I took over his body and became Zhou Qing.”

“As for my name, I’d rather not mention it. Just consider him dead.”

Xu Xingxing attempted to break his immobilization spell, but the toxins in her body hadn’t cleared, and her spiritual energy was sluggish. Afraid that Zhou Qing might notice, she could only channel a sliver of energy and slowly wear it down.

She continued questioning, “And so you willingly help this Zhou Wuxia?”

“He can provide what I need. Why shouldn’t I help him?” Zhou Qing replied. “Initially, he only wanted to keep his mother’s soul by his side. I helped that woman switch bodies, and in exchange, he built this house for me and gave me authority. Now I can freely do as I please. It’s a win-win situation, why wouldn’t I help?”

“But…” Xu Xingxing was momentarily speechless. If that were the case, then Rongjun’s death seemed more like something Zhou Qing had facilitated…

“If a great war never breaks out later, would you regret what you’re doing now?” Xu Xingxing finally asked.

She thought of that story: a train, two tracks, one person on one side, a hundred on the other, how does one choose?

Zhou Qing’s nature wasn’t inherently evil, but he was stubborn and prone to fixating on details. According to him, everything he did was for the sake of all living beings. Thus, he could ruthlessly and decisively choose the train’s path, even if the person on that track was entirely innocent.

In his view, saving a hundred people was the righteous path, even if it meant sacrificing one guiltless individual.

Zhou Qing looked at her and said coldly, “The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is never wrong.”

Suddenly, Xu Xingxing sensed something. She curled her lips into a mocking smile and said, “Zhou Qing, don’t be so obstinate. There are countless ways to save the world, yet you choose the most extreme one. You slaughter innocent people under the guise of a savior, as if they died for a grand cause and not because of you. Wake up! Don’t push yourself further into the abyss!”

Zhou Qing frowned slightly and was about to retort when,

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Xingxing abruptly mustered her strength, summoning ice and snow to freeze him solid. In an instant, a dark green Nether Serpent shot out from the blood pool, its jaws wide open, and swallowed Zhou Qing whole!

Forcing herself to use spiritual energy without permission, the poison in her body began to wreak havoc, causing her to violently cough up a mouthful of blood.

A worried voice came from Xiao Hei in her mind: “What’s wrong? Why are you pushing yourself again?”

“It’s nothing,” Xu Xingxing wiped the blood from her lips. “I won’t die.”

The Nether Snake turned and bit the chains restraining her, tearing at them with all its might. Before long, it actually managed to rip the chains right out of the wall!

Once freed, Xu Xingxing didn’t hesitate. She immediately summoned ice to freeze the squirming blood curse. Seeing the formation finally stop, she spat out another mouthful of blood. Before she could even catch her breath, she saw the Nether Snake suddenly let out a miserable cry as Zhou Qing burst right through its abdomen!

Blood splattered everywhere as the Nether Snake collapsed weakly. The blood sprayed onto her, but she didn’t avoid it. Instead, she flew forward and used her magic to freeze the snake’s wound. Having learned some healing techniques for spiritual beasts, she continuously channeled energy into the Nether Snake.

Toxins surged within her body, violently attacking her meridians, but she seemed unaware, focusing solely on healing the snake.

“Xing’er, you’re too reckless.” Zhou Qing stood without a single stain of blood, his aura completely unchanged.

Xu Xingxing had no energy to argue with him. Her mouth was filled with the taste of blood – if she opened it, her energy would escape and she’d lose the ability to channel spiritual power.

Sensing her condition, Xiao Hei’s voice came again: “Are you trying to get yourself killed!”

She no longer had the strength to respond.

Her life was already flashing before her eyes. She smiled bitterly inwardly, wondering what she had been trying to achieve. It seemed she couldn’t do anything right.

“Xu Xing’er, say something!”

My name isn’t Xu Xing’er, it’s Xu Xingxing.

She wanted to say this, but could no longer speak.

If she died here, no one in this world would remember her.

Whether from the toxin release or spiritual energy loss, she felt extremely cold – colder than when she had been in the blood pool.

She missed her grandfather dearly, wanted to go home, wanted to sleep in her warm bed, worrying about her graduation project.

She had been forcing herself not to think about it – if she died in a car accident, her grandfather would be devastated. He had always doted on her most.

Maybe dying like this was for the best. She just didn’t know if she could return to her own world, even if just as a spirit to visit her grandfather in his dreams and bid him farewell.

Her consciousness grew increasingly blurry, but at least the wound was under control.

This snake is pitiful too, but sorry… it seems I can’t take you out with me…

Suddenly, a wave of heat surged through her body, forcibly cleansing all her meridians. In an instant, it diluted all the toxins in her system!

Her previously confused and muddled mind suddenly felt light and clear. She actually felt full of energy again!

Brother Hei! From today on, you’re my real brother!

“Xing’er, by forcibly interrupting the technique, we’ll have to start over from the beginning,” Zhou Qing approached her. “You shouldn’t push yourself like this. After reaching the Divine Transformation stage, I’ll give you this creature, alright?”

The Nether Snake weakly raised its head and flicked its tongue at him, wrapping its body protectively around Xu Xingxing.

Xu Xingxing paid no attention. All she felt now was her spiritual power boiling within her, a hundred times better than her usual state.

Two opposing spiritual powers that should have conflicted were now miraculously merging within her. She placed her hand on the chain piercing through the Nether Snake’s body and with slight effort, ice instantly froze the entire chain before fire power directly shattered it.

She patted the Nether Snake’s body and asked:

“Still have strength? Let’s break out together.”

Xiao Hei was seriously channeling his magic when he suddenly heard an extremely clear “Xiao Hei!” calling from the air.

There, the woman who had captured his thoughts rode a massive green serpent, bursting straight out of the flames. Behind her, fire erupted everywhere, and the sound of the shattered barrier echoed through heaven and earth. Yet even the towering inferno could not outshine the brilliance in her eyes. With a wild, radiant smile, she called out to him:

“Xiao Hei, catch me!”