I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 11

Inside the secret realm.

While Lin Shuyi hesitated, Shen Junyu had already stepped toward the formation. The demonic cultivator saw Shen Junyu approach and shifted slightly, giving way by half a step, though most of his body still remained positioned between Shen Junyu and Lin Shuyi. Clearly, Lin Shuyi’s petty tricks had not escaped his notice.

Neither of them spoke, yet they silently reached an understanding through this subtle movement. At that moment, Shen Junyu suddenly looked at Lin Shuyi and offered a faint smile. Lin Shuyi’s fingertips had already tightened around the Blazing Dragon Pearl; he was merely waiting for Shen Junyu to get closer before launching a sudden attack. However, seeing Shen Junyu’s smile, his heart skipped a beat, and his movements faltered.

In the next second, he heard Shen Junyu speak in an extremely calm and indifferent tone. “Why aren’t you making your move yet? What are you waiting for?”

Lin Shuyi was shocked. Before he could even recover from his surprise, Shen Junyu and the demonic cultivator struck simultaneously! Terrified, Lin Shuyi frantically triggered the Blazing Dragon Pearl and threw it out at random.

But how could the prepared duo let him succeed?

With a miserable shriek, the wrist Lin Shuyi used to throw the pearl was ruthlessly snapped in half by the demonic cultivator. At the same time, a magnificent golden sword-light surged into the sky, directly intercepting the pearl’s momentum toward the crowd. The sword qi collided violently with the fire-attribute spiritual energy of the exploding pearl, causing its trajectory to shift slightly. It eventually crashed into a nearby mountain peak.

The thunderous roar of the explosion echoed as rocks shattered and tumbled. It took a long while before the commotion finally ceased. The disciples trapped in the formation had nowhere to hide or run during this sudden upheaval. Their faces turned ashen, and it took a significant amount of time for them to recover their wits.

With a dull thud, dust billowed. The disciples scrambled to look and saw that Lin Shuyi had tried to flee, only to be kicked squarely in the chest by the demonic cultivator and pinned to the ground. The black boot ground into Lin Shuyi’s chest until his face turned purple and bloated. He struggled for breath, losing even the strength to resist. Ultimately, he could only muster a look of soft, piteous pleading as he gazed up at the demonic cultivator.

Seeing this expression, the demonic cultivator’s eyes beneath the silver mask remained as dark as ink, completely unmoved. After a long pause, a mocking smile curled the demonic cultivator’s lips. He looked up indifferently at the disciples in the formation, who were wearing expressions of complicated fear.

“Look. This is your good fellow Daoist,” he said. “We demonic cultivators only seek wealth, but this fellow Daoist of yours wants your lives.”

The disciples were speechless. In the dead silence, the looks they cast toward Lin Shuyi unconsciously grew thick with hidden loathing. Simultaneously, their perception of Shen Junyu and the demonic cultivator became even more nuanced.

Suddenly, Shen Junyu added, “He is wearing a Heaven-grade defensive spiritual tool close to his skin.”

Lin Shuyi was panicked. In the next instant, he began to struggle frantically as if his life depended on it. Meanwhile, the shock and disgust in the eyes of the other disciples could no longer be concealed. Some of the bolder ones even began to hurl insults. He was wearing Heaven-grade defensive gear himself, yet he had used a destructive treasure like the Blazing Dragon Pearl against them. Such sinister intent was truly revolting.

Amidst the disciples’ curses, the demonic cultivator watched the thrashing Lin Shuyi and delivered another expressionless kick. Lin Shuyi coughed up blood and lost consciousness completely. Silence returned to the field. Granted, Lin Shuyi was vicious and cruel, but this demonic cultivator and Shen Junyu weren’t exactly pushovers either.

Having kicked Lin Shuyi into a stupor, the demonic cultivator leaned down and tore open Lin Shuyi’s clothes. Sure enough, a set of shimmering silver soft armor was hidden beneath. The demonic cultivator stripped the armor off and handed it to Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu did not take it. He simply said, “Keep it. This armor doesn’t just defend against spell attacks; it also prevents curses from penetrating.”

The demonic cultivator was surprised. Seeing that Shen Junyu’s refined face held no hint of mockery but only calm sincerity, the demonic cultivator went quiet for a moment. He then pocketed the armor without changing his expression. “Thanks.”

Seeing the demonic cultivator accept the armor so naturally, a flash of softness appeared in Shen Junyu’s eyes. Just as he was about to speak, his heart suddenly gave a jolt. A very subtle sense of unease surged within him. Having studied divination and numerology for many years, he was far more sensitive to external omens and premonitions than the average person. He knew instinctively that this was not a good sign.

Making a split-second decision, Shen Junyu spoke to the demonic cultivator in a low voice. “I’m afraid we shouldn’t stay here much longer. Let’s leave first.”

The demonic cultivator was slightly taken aback, but he quickly remembered Shen Junyu’s identity as the Young Sect Master of the Yuheng Sect. The Yuheng Sect excelled in the secret arts of divination; if Shen Junyu said this, it certainly wasn’t a mere whim. Thus, without hesitation, he kicked the unconscious Lin Shuyi aside and said, “Fine. These people don’t look like they have much more wealth to squeeze out anyway. Let’s go.”

Watching the demonic cultivator kick Lin Shuyi away like a dead dog, Shen Junyu’s lips curled into a slight smile for some reason. “Alright,” he replied.

However, there are times when things destined to happen simply cannot be avoided. Just as Shen Junyu and the demonic cultivator reached the secret realm’s teleportation array and were about to step through to exit, the array suddenly burst with brilliant light.

With quick reflexes, the demonic cultivator immediately grabbed Shen Junyu’s wrist and pulled him behind his back. As the demonic cultivator’s slightly cool, calloused palm gripped his wrist, Shen Junyu’s skin tightened instinctively, but he quickly and discreetly relaxed, allowing the man to shield him.

When the light of the teleportation array faded, a silver-plated longsword emerged from the air, followed by the sight of a very familiar set of black formal robes. It was Yuan Muzhou, who had been entrusted by Yun Suyi to enter the secret realm to find Shen Junyu and bring him back to sustain Shen Siyuan’s life.

As soon as Yuan Muzhou appeared, before the two could even react, the disciples trapped in the formation all assumed expressions of relief. They began shouting frantically, accusing Shen Junyu of being possessed by a demonic cultivator and trapping them there. However, before they could finish their complaints, Shen Junyu standing behind the demonic cultivator, swung his sword toward the formation with a cold expression. The sword-light landed, blasting a spray of crushed stones in front of the formation with a boom.

The hostages were silenced instantly, becoming completely well-behaved. In the ensuing silence, Yuan Muzhou did not spare a single glance for the trapped disciples. He merely frowned, his gaze cold as he looked at the demonic cultivator and Shen Junyu. Meeting Yuan Muzhou’s gaze, the demonic cultivator raised an eyebrow, about to speak. However, Shen Junyu quite candidly met Yuan Muzhou’s eyes in the air and said indifferently, “We are leaving the secret realm. Please step aside, Young Sect Master Yuan.”

The moment Shen Junyu used the word “we,” Yuan Muzhou’s expression turned even darker. A torrential storm seemed to surge within his narrow phoenix eyes. But after a long silence, he did not lash out. He simply descended on his sword and landed before them, saying, “Junyu, don’t act out of spite. I’m here to take you back.”

From start to finish, he believed Shen Junyu was merely throwing a tantrum. He never truly believed Shen Junyu would have any real connection with an anonymous demonic cultivator. Naturally, he didn’t care much.

Shen Junyu looked at him without any expression. Even if the demonic cultivator hadn’t affected Yuan Muzhou’s state of mind, Shen Junyu’s gaze—entirely devoid of emotion—suddenly stung him. However, thinking of the grievances Shen Junyu might have suffered in his previous life, Yuan Muzhou went quiet. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he rarely showed a regretful, softening expression. He said in a deep voice, “Junyu, I misunderstood some things in the past. I know you must feel wronged. But since everything has started over, we can sit down and talk things through clearly.”

No one had ever seen the consistently cold and proud Young Sect Master Yuan show such a submissive, plea-for-forgiveness attitude toward anyone. The crowd was astonished, and their previous suspicions were further confirmed. They believed Yuan Muzhou must have been two-timing. Otherwise, why would the grand Young Sect Master of the Sword Sect lower himself to such an extent?

Listening to Yuan Muzhou’s words, Shen Junyu’s refined face showed no emotional ripple. After a long while, he gave a slight, cold chuckle. “I have long since had nothing left to say to you.”

Yuan Muzhou’s brow twitched violently, while the previously silent demonic cultivator couldn’t help but let his lips curl up slightly. Then, Shen Junyu looked at Yuan Muzhou expressionlessly again. “Furthermore, if you truly felt you owed me, you would step aside right now.”

Yuan Muzhou’s thin lips pressed into a line, his expression somber. He did not speak. Shen Junyu’s patience was reaching its limit. His hand had already silently moved to the hilt of his sword when suddenly Yuan Muzhou spoke. “Junyu, I am not trying to block your path, but Siyuan’s condition is not good.”

Shen Junyu replied, “Oh? And what does that have to do with me?”

Yuan Muzhou’s brow twitched again. After a long silence, he suppressed the irritability in his heart and said as calmly as possible, “Aunt Yun said that you and Siyuan share a bloodline. As long as you use your Golden Core to nourish Siyuan’s dantian, we can ensure his dantian doesn’t wither. You are his elder brother, after all.”

“Bullshit.”

Yuan Muzhou’s face changed instantly. Unable to endure it any longer, the demonic cultivator finally let out a cold laugh, looking at Yuan Muzhou with endless mockery. “I didn’t expect the grand Young Sect Master of the Sword Sect to be an even bigger hypocrite than us demonic cultivators. To describe killing someone to steal their core in such a refined way is truly admirable.”

The moment the demonic cultivator said this, the disciples who were quietly watching the drama inside the formation broke into an uproar. They cast suspicious and uncertain glances toward Yuan Muzhou. Yuan Muzhou’s face was ice-cold, his aura as heavy and vast as the sea. “Do you think just because Junyu is protecting you, I can’t do anything to you?”

The demonic cultivator replied indifferently, “Wait a moment, Young Sect Master. I didn’t mean to provoke you. But regarding this theory of using a Golden Core to nourish a dantian, I have three questions. I wonder if the Young Sect Master could enlighten me and the Eldest Young Master Shen?”

The moment the demonic cultivator proposed the questions, Yuan Muzhou wanted to snap, asking who he thought he was. But hearing the man mention Shen Junyu, and seeing Shen Junyu’s indifferent attitude, he suddenly fell silent. After a long while, Yuan Muzhou struggled to suppress the fire in his chest and said coldly, “Ask.”

The demonic cultivator said, “To use one’s Golden Core to nourish another’s dantian, does one have to extract their own core first?”

Yuan Muzhou’s pupils shrank slightly, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart. But after a moment of silence, he said, “A Golden Core cultivator can manipulate their core for battle. Even if it leaves the body, as long as it isn’t for too long, nothing will happen.”

The demonic cultivator sneered. “Fine. Then my second question is this. Young Master Shen’s condition sounds very poor. If the Young Sect Master here is to nourish his dantian, will the Young Sect Master’s Golden Core be unable to be returned during that period?”

Yuan Muzhou suddenly fell silent. The disciples listening to this also broke into an uproar. This was terrifying to think about.

At this point, before Yuan Muzhou could say anything, the demonic cultivator’s gaze turned sharp. He looked at Yuan Muzhou’s cold face, which was now filled with unease, suspicion, and gravity, and asked the final question. He asked, “And if Young Master Shen never finds a way to repair his own Golden Core for his entire life, can the Young Sect Master’s core ever be returned? After all, this core seems easy to borrow, but might not be so easy to return.”

As the demonic cultivator finished his last sentence, the entire area fell into a dead silence. Originally, the disciples were just watching the drama, but having reached this point, they couldn’t help but start trembling violently.

Now that they knew such a dark, unspeakable secret of a major sect, would they be silenced forever afterward?