I Failed to Fake My Death After Scumming the Demon Lord [Transmigration] - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“The Young Alliance Leader’s injuries… the ribs are completely shattered…”

“Five days… not awake?”

The whispers were shallow and unclear. Qin Gu felt muddled and dazed, subconsciously wanting to lean closer to hear them more clearly; but the moment he moved his body, it felt like a dull blade cutting into flesh, a suffocating pain spreading from his chest to his limbs and bones. He couldn’t help but frown and groan.

This pain woke him up completely. His eyelashes fluttered violently, and he slowly opened his eyes.

The conversation stopped abruptly, followed immediately by Shan Cang’s overjoyed cry: “The Young Alliance Leader is awake!”

Qin Gu turned his gaze with great difficulty and saw that all the disciples of the Medicine Supervision Division were there. Shan Cang hurried over, reaching out to take his pulse.

Qin Gu found the scene very familiar; it seemed to be just like this when he had first transmigrated. He laughed weakly for a moment.

Shan Cang’s eyes seemed slightly red: “You can still laugh! You’ve been in a coma for five whole days; this old man hasn’t dared to leave your side for even a moment!”

Qin Gu comforted him: “Don’t I look perfectly fine? I’m full of spirit.”

Before he could finish, a mechanical voice rang out:

Congratulations, you have successfully completed the side quest: The Double Happiness Lady.

Reward settlement in progress…

There was a cacophony of gongs and drums in his mind, noisy enough to make Qin Gu frown slightly.

Successfully rescued the commoners; Main Quest success rate increased by 3%

Resolved the Double Happiness Lady’s obsession; Main Quest success rate increased by 3%

Punished Jia Baogui; Main Quest…

Found the mastermind Yan Baishu…

A string of success rate increase notifications kept going off like fireworks, not stopping until the final item was read, when the mechanical voice deliberately paused:

Others; Main Quest success rate increased by 10%.

??!

If it weren’t for the intense pain in his body, Qin Gu would have sprung up from the bed.

All those miscellaneous entries from before had only rewarded him with a pitifully low amount of success rate; who was this “others” to implement such a breakthrough in decimal points?

The system heard his inner questioning and gave a pretentious, profound “Do not ask,” then went back to ignoring him.

Qin Gu’s lips twitched, thinking that the system’s service spirit was truly remarkable.

Over there, Shan Cang had withdrawn his hand, his expression heavy: “Young Alliance Leader, your injuries this time are truly too severe. Although the broken bones have been set, the lost vitality cannot be recovered overnight. From today on, you must stay in bed and recuperate…”

Qin Gu listened carefully while leaning against the bed frame, nodding knowingly at his words: “Thank you for your hard work, Elder Shan Cang.”

Being able to lie flat with official justification was exactly what he was hoping for.

He suddenly remembered something: “What about Yan Baishu? And Ji Yun…”

Shan Cang had just opened his mouth to answer when the bedroom door was kicked open with a “Bang!” Cold wind leaked in through the door gap, making Qin Gu shiver.

Shan Cang was furious: “Who is so blind! The Young Alliance Leader is seriously injured and cannot be exposed to cold wind—The Demon-Slaying Division?”

Qin Gu turned his face and saw several cultivators in black combat gear bowing to him, but there was no respect on their faces: “Young Alliance Leader, the Alliance Leader requests your presence.”

They gave no reason, nor did they give him a chance to refuse.

Seeing Shan Cang about to argue with them, Qin Gu waved his hand to stop him. He tried to stand up, nearly falling to his knees as he did so.

He struggled to support himself, draped his outer robe over his shoulders, and said calmly: “Lead the way.”

This time, it was the Demon-Slaying Division disciples who looked surprised, their tone becoming a bit more polite: “This way, Young Alliance Leader.”

Qin Gu sighed. It was a pity he couldn’t even lie down for a single moment.

He naturally knew why the Demon-Slaying Division had come. The various divisions under the Immortal Alliance had their own duties, and the Demon-Slaying Division managed not only the suppression of demons but also one extremely important matter.

Executing the Alliance Leader’s judgments and disposing of cultivators who violated the prohibitions.

The disciples led him before the Drink Maple Pavilion main hall and stopped, saying to Qin Gu: “The Alliance Leader is waiting for you inside.”

This was clearly the Drink Maple Pavilion’s main hall, yet the Demon-Slaying Division referred to her as “Alliance Leader,” as if Qin Rulian had nothing to do with the Drink Maple Pavilion, keeping them strictly separated.

Qin Gu didn’t understand why they did this, and he felt puzzled in his heart.

He thanked them and stepped into the hall.

The main hall could hold hundreds of cultivators; it was spacious and bright. Qin Gu walked slowly forward, the conversation ahead catching his attention.

A low male voice said slowly: “Yan Baishu’s movements are hard to track. Several of my elite disciples were ambushed by the hidden weapons he left behind. Alliance Leader, how do you intend to compensate the Demon-Slaying Division for its losses?”

Qin Rulian’s voice gave nothing away: “And what does Master Lu intend?”

The male voice was muffled, possessing great deterrence: “The Son of Heaven breaking the law is subject to the same punishment as the commoner. For those who violate the prohibitions, I hope the Alliance Leader will punish them without leniency.”

Qin Gu paused in his steps, feeling a strange sense of being bad-mouthed to his face.

He looked ahead. Qin Rulian stood above the steps, her face solemn and expressionless; a man in black stood below, exuding a dense, murderous aura.

Judging by Qin Rulian’s form of address, this person was the top combat power in the cultivation world today, Lu Mi, Master of the Demon-Slaying Division, who was only a step away from breaking through to the Mahayana stage.

Qin Gu couldn’t help but look at him a few more times. In the original story, after Ji Yun became the Demon Lord, Lu Mi led the Demon-Slaying Division in a battle against Ji Yun for several days and nights, eventually losing by a single sword strike and dying while standing tall;

Ji Yun had returned his corpse intact to the Immortal Alliance as a sign of respect.

One had to know that the fallen Demon Lord Ji Yun didn’t look down on anyone; Lu Mi was an extremely rare cultivator he could acknowledge.

Lu Mi noticed his gaze, and his icy eyes turned toward him.

Qin Gu bowed: “Greetings, Master Lu.”

Lu Mi: “Heh.”

He sneered, flicked his sleeves, and strode away.

Qin Gu laughed awkwardly and turned to look at Qin Rulian in the hall.

This was his first face-to-face meeting with Qin Rulian since he had transmigrated. He had already been incredibly nervous just speaking a few words to her in the water mirror; now that the tension had returned, Qin Gu lowered his head, terrified of being spotted for any flaws.

“Juan Zhi,” Qin Rulian said, “Raise your head.”

Qin Gu screamed for help in his heart. He raised his face little by little, looking into that pair of peach-blossom eyes that were exactly like his own.

Qin Rulian looked at her pale-faced son, her expression softening for a moment: “How are your injuries?”

Qin Gu reported what Shan Cang had said truthfully.

Qin Rulian pursed her lips: “You have suffered.”

The tone was stiff, but Qin Gu heard a trace of concern in it for the first time.

Looking at Qin Rulian’s stiff posture, he suddenly realized:

Qin Rulian was the same type of person as him—not good at getting close to others. This swift and decisive Alliance Leader was probably not close to her own son.

Qin Gu had originally thought that Qin Rulian ignoring the insults Ji Yun received in the original story was out of suspicion that she was protecting her son;

Now, it seemed she probably didn’t know the original body’s true colors at all.

Just as he was lost in thought, Qin Rulian’s voice rang out again, her face changing entirely: “Qin Gu, do you know your crime?”

Qin Rulian had always called him by his courtesy name; this was the first time she had called him by his given name directly.

Qin Gu felt a jolt in his heart. He lifted his robe and knelt on the floor.

“Tell me, what is the Immortal Alliance’s First Decree?”

Qin Gu said: “Those who fall into the demonic path must be slain.”

This prohibition had only been set after Qin Rulian took office. The cause seemed to be a rebellion from many years ago, but the original text had only mentioned it in passing. Qin Gu only knew the general idea but not the underlying truth.

But just the general idea was enough to convict him.

Not only had he not handed Cicada Lady over to the Demon-Slaying Division, he had also assisted her in taking revenge against Jia Baogui.

This meant that from beginning to end, the Demon-Slaying Division hadn’t even touched a corner of Cicada Lady’s clothing.

Even more absurdly, the one who caused all this was the son of the Alliance Leader, the Young Alliance Leader of the Immortal Alliance!

No wonder Lu Mi was angry; the Immortal Alliance had completely lost face this time.

As for Qin Gu, he had knowingly violated the law, adding one crime to another.

Qin Rulian sighed, a trace of anger between her brows: “Ji Yun and the twins from Qingsong Temple have all come to plead for you, but Qin Gu, I want you to tell me yourself: why did you do what you knew you shouldn’t?”

Qin Gu caught the words in her sentence and breathed a slight sigh of relief—Ji Yun and Qing Li were both fine, that was good.

As for himself, suffering some physical pain didn’t matter.

He crossed his hands and performed a deep bow to Qin Rulian, then told her the cause and effect of the matter between Cicada Lady and Jia Baogui, point by point.

Finally, he said: “The disaster at Qingsong Temple was not Cicada Lady’s fault, but Jia Baogui’s. You once taught us that this cultivation is for the sake of protecting fairness and justice in the human world. Juan Zhi is guilty, but not wrong.”

The last three words were spoken clearly and forcefully. Qin Gu knew this was treacherous speech, so he lowered his eyes.

Qin Rulian laughed out of extreme anger: “Whose fault this case is, and what the fault is, is for the Immortal Alliance to judge. When did it become your turn to uphold justice?”

The Immortal Alliance had a clear division of labor; what Qin Gu did was indeed overstepping his authority.

Qin Gu stopped arguing and bowed again: “Please punish me, Alliance Leader.”

Qin Rulian’s scrutinizing gaze landed on his face: “You know you were wrong?”

Qin Gu repeated: “Please punish me, Alliance Leader.”

This was not admitting to the mistake, only accepting the punishment.

Qin Rulian flicked her sleeve: “Fine. Since you accept your guilt, then we shall act according to the decree. Considering you were severely injured while protecting the commoners, I will not have you imprisoned.”

As she spoke, the golden characters representing the Alliance Leader’s judgment materialized in the air: “From this day forward, you are to reflect on your mistakes in your room. In three days, you will be handed over to the Demon-Slaying Division to be punished by the whip.”

The whip punishment.

Twenty-one lashes. Every lash would see blood, every lash would bite into the bone.

Qin Gu’s Adam’s apple bobbed a few times: “Yes.”

The Alliance Leader’s decree flew off as a golden edict. Qin Gu stood up, bowed to Qin Rulian, and turned to leave.

The moment he walked out of the hall, he was suddenly stunned.

He saw Shan Cang, Qing Yu, and Qing Li waiting outside. Seeing him come out, they hurried to greet him. Shan Cang supported him, while Qing Yu and Qing Li bowed.

Qing Li still had bandages wrapped around his head—obviously left after being knocked out by Yan Baishu—and asked: “Young Alliance Leader, what did the Alliance Leader say?”

Qin Gu smiled: “Let’s go back first.”

He finally felt that his injuries were not light. In this short hour, his whole body felt cold, frozen to the marrow.

Seeing Qin Gu’s face turning blue, Shan Cang pressed two fingers against his chest, injecting spiritual power into his dantian. Shan Cang said: “The Young Alliance Leader is hurt so badly; the Alliance Leader surely won’t truly punish you. She’ll probably just lock you up for a few days.”

Just then, the decree flew over, the words “Whip Punishment” shining brilliantly.

Shan Cang: …

Shan Cang’s face turned white instantly, looking even worse than Qin Gu’s: “Whip punishment?! Your current body can’t even withstand a single lash—no, no! This old man must go and argue with the Alliance Leader!”

Qing Li beat his chest and stomped his feet: “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault. I was careless and fell for that demon’s trap, harming the Young Alliance Leader… I will go with Elder Shan Cang!”

Qing Yu nodded: “Go.”

Warmth flowed through Qin Gu’s heart, but looking at the three of them, he felt something was missing.

He asked: “Is Junior Brother Ji well? Are his injuries severe?”

Who would have thought that as soon as these words were spoken, the few looked at each other in silence, and eventually, Qing Yu shook his head gently.

Qin Gu’s heart jumped into his throat: What does this mean? Didn’t they say Ji Yun pleaded for him? How could he not be well?

Qing Li spoke slowly: “Junior Brother Ji… he requested to kneel at the mountain gate, to receive the punishment in your stead.”

Qin Gu was shocked, his breath catching in his throat, and he coughed violently: “How long has he been kneeling?”

Qing Li’s voice grew softer and softer: “He has been kneeling for as many days as you were in a coma… until today… it has been… the fifth day…”

Qin Gu’s vision went black, and he nearly fainted again.

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