The Demon Lord Relied on His Imagination to Get Together with the Protagonist. - Chapter 112

Chapter 112

“Father, why aren’t you wearing the mask anymore?” Tong Siqing squatted by the table like a rabbit, resting her chin on her hands, blinking her eyes as she watched her Father. “Father is so good-looking, why would you cover your face?”

Sheng Wen, holding an embroidery needle, was embroidering something as he replied: “Because your Father is a bad person.”

Tong Siqing: ???

How could that be?

Father must be joking.

Sheng Wen smiled and lowered his gaze. After he restored the world, everything reset, and the immortal mole beneath his eyelid also vanished.

He had waited many years for this day.

After the collapse of order, only those who had awakened their individual consciousness could move freely within the world.

And besides Tong Siqing and Shi Zhihua, he, as the Heavenly Venerable, could also do so.

It was simply because he had awakened his individual will one step ahead of time, long ago.

Earlier than Tong Siqing, and even earlier than Shi Zhihua.

His awakening was accidental. After awakening, he discovered the malevolence instilled by the heavenly mandate in his character. One day, he would force his daughter to practice immortal methods, becoming a very strict and cruel father.

Sheng Wen, who loved his daughter so much, was naturally unwilling to be a puppet of the heavenly mandate.

So he sought out the immortal artifact—the Sage’s Mask.

The Sage’s Mask was a jade mask that, when worn, could suppress all wicked and evil intentions.

He had spent a great deal of effort to find the Sage’s Mask. Since then, he wore the mask in public during the day. It was also only after wearing the mask that he could act according to his true nature at will.

“A new batch of disciples will arrive at Xianning in a few days. You are an adult now. Why don’t you teach them the basics.”

Tong Siqing asked: “But what should I talk about?”

That didn’t matter, Heavenly Venerable Sheng Wen said: “Go ask Qi Maogu. Have him show you the course materials and scrolls from previous years. Any one of them will do.”

Tong Siqing nodded, hurrying off to prepare.

“By the way, since this is your first time instructing junior disciples, the other immortal Sages should also come to observe,” Sheng Wen called out, instructing her. “Prepare well. Don’t disappoint everyone.”

“Yes, Father,” Tong Siqing scurried away.

She arrived at the study of the Nine Immortal Sage, Qi Maogu, and found the great power frantically packing, as if he were leaving on a long journey.

“Are you very busy?” Tong Siqing clung to the door frame, looking curiously at Qi Maogu. “I want to borrow some scrolls from you.”

Qi Maogu was nearly steaming. He wiped his sweat: “Yes, I just remembered something recently. Our eldest disciple is still locked up in the Abode of Indulgence in the Demon Realm. I forgot to rescue him last time. This time, I absolutely cannot forget.”

Tong Siqing: !!!

Oh, right! Senior Brother Ji Siyang is still in the water prison!

How did I forget about that?

“Then don’t worry about me for now. Go save Senior Brother first,” Tong Siqing quickly moved aside to avoid blocking the way. “Please hurry.”

In his busy state, Qi Maogu asked: “What did Immortal Sage Siqing need me for?”

Tong Siqing: “My Father asked me to give a lecture to the new junior disciples arriving at Xianning in a few days. I don’t know what to teach them. Do you have any recommendations?”

Qi Maogu pointed to the bookshelf over there: “Those are the scrolls passed down through Xianning since ancient times. Immortal Sage Siqing can pick any one to lecture on. As for the specific course content… There’s ‘Critique of Immortal Clan’s Immortal Methods,’ ‘Special Topics on Xianning Culture,’ ‘Application of Immortal Techniques,’ and so on.”

Tong Siqing was confused by the long list and felt none of them were quite right. She was only giving one lecture, not teaching the disciples for a long time. Excluding the first one, ‘Critique of Immortal Clan’s Immortal Methods,’ the others sounded quite troublesome.

Then, Critique Studies?

But with so many powerful figures in the Xianning Sect, she couldn’t criticize a specific family’s immortal methods, could she? That would be quite disrespectful.

“It’s alright. Besides the current immortal clans, there are many immortal clans and immortal methods from ancient times. Immortal Sage, you can look on the very top of the bookshelf. Most of those immortal clans are not of the present world. Some have been immortalized for many years,” Qi Maogu, understanding her predicament, offered advice. “Immortalized figures certainly won’t blame you. Please don’t feel stressed.”

Tong Siqing nodded, indicating that she understood.

In other words, I can rely on the fact that they’re dead and can’t speak, allowing me to criticize them without restraint.

Got it.

After the Nine Immortal Sage Qi Maogu left, Tong Siqing went alone to the highest bookshelf in the study. To be safe, she went directly to the innermost part of the top shelf, looking carefully with wide eyes.

“Huh? These few look familiar,” Tong Siqing discovered that a few of them were books her Father had lectured to her on. Father had never offered any criticism, only praise.

As a daughter who never contradicted her Father and was always filial and obedient, Tong Siqing thought, Father praised those books, so I definitely can’t find fault with them. What if Father came to listen to the lecture that day? Father might be unhappy!

Tong Siqing was very filial. She didn’t choose those books, instead continuing to look at the surrounding ones.

She searched and searched, finally finding a scroll her Father had never mentioned.

Tong Siqing: !!!

This is good! Father never mentioned it and never spoke to her about it. It must be bad! That’s why Father didn’t want to bring it up.

Tong Siqing read the title: “The Sage’s Mind Method.” Hmm! It seems very famous. Although Tong Siqing had never learned it, nor had her Father taught her, she seemed to remember many people in Xianning knowing this mind method.

Perfect. I’ll use it as the subject of my critique.

This book was on the highest shelf, so the author must have been immortalized many years ago. They wouldn’t kick open their coffin lid to argue with her.

Tong Siqing picked up the book and noticed that the pages showed signs of being flipped through many times, much older than the other books.

She was very satisfied. What did this mean? It meant that Immortal Sage Qi Maogu also read this mind method often.

A good book!

I’ll take it.

As Tong Siqing walked back, she quickly flipped through it but, as expected, couldn’t find the author’s name.

Could it be… that the author can no longer be found?

Is it that ancient?

Tong Siqing thought, Such an ancient classic, I must study it well. Even if I find faults, I must find them well and in abundance.

This is it!

A few days later, Tong Siqing brought the scroll to teach the junior disciples.

The hall was packed. Besides the new disciples, all the other immortal Sages, masters, and powerful figures were present.

Heavenly Venerable Sheng Wen also came, having been “invited” by Shi Zhihua.

Shi Zhihua knew her rabbit had prepared thoroughly and would definitely perform well, so she invited Sheng Wen. Furthermore, she knew without a doubt that Sheng Wen, as a father, would definitely come to watch. All she had to do was casually ask, and he would definitely agree.

Indeed, as Sheng Wen sat down below, his whole demeanor seemed indifferent, but he kept looking at his daughter, his face full of satisfaction.

Shi Zhihua breathed a sigh of relief.

She hoped the rabbit would show her bearing as an Immortal Sage and complete the lecture well.

But before she could fully exhale, she suddenly heard Tong Siqing on the stage say a book title that sounded very familiar.

Shi Zhihua: ???

Even I, the Demonic Venerable, find it familiar! What book did the rabbit choose this time? It must be a classic!

A book so classic… how dare she?

Shi Zhihua frowned, about to turn her head to ask Heavenly Venerable Sheng Wen… Then she saw Sheng Wen’s face completely clouded over.

Shi Zhihua: “…”

What’s wrong with the old man? Why the scowl?

Shi Zhihua was momentarily speechless, so she looked at the others—and then she saw many disciples directing their gazes towards Heavenly Venerable Sheng Wen.

In the distance, people whispered:

“Isn’t that ‘The Sage’s Mind Method,’ compiled by the Heavenly Venerable? Why is the Immortal Sage lecturing on this book?”

“Such a classic mind method, has the Immortal Sage never studied it?”

“It seems the Immortal Sage doesn’t know about this book, huh?”

Shi Zhihua: “…”

She instantly understood the whole situation. Most likely, Sheng Wen, as a father, never taught Tong Siqing this book. Firstly, as a father, he was too self-conscious to teach his own book to his daughter. Secondly, even if he did occasionally teach it, he wouldn’t reveal who wrote the mind method. He might even intentionally remove the name on the mind method, pretending it belonged to some long-dead predecessor.

Shi Zhihua thought, Isn’t this his own doing? Sheng Wen secretly hid this book, yet let the other disciples diligently study it. He must have known his daughter was simple-minded and not well-informed. She definitely wouldn’t know who wrote this thing.

The scene that followed was a public execution.

The more seriously Tong Siqing had prepared, the darker Heavenly Venerable Sheng Wen’s face became.

“…It’s evident that the author of this book has a benevolent heart for the world, but is too impatient. The cultivation method itself carries a sense of reckless eagerness for quick success, as if stuffing the mind method into everyone’s throats, fearing they won’t learn it,” Tong Siqing even provided a vivid example. “It’s like an overly doting old father, afraid his children won’t learn, desperately pulling shoots to help them grow, making the child run when they should still be crawling, supported by two arms.”

The disciples below burst into laughter.

“This reminds me of my Father,” Tong Siqing said, her eyes meeting Sheng Wen’s below as she spoke excitedly. She spoke without restraint: “My Father is not like that. Father, when teaching us, is like a gentle breeze, a bright moon, imparting the mind method to us in a way that ‘nourishes without a sound’…”

Sheng Wen: “…”

Shi Zhihua covered her forehead, unable to watch anymore.

Tong Siqing on the stage didn’t realize that the mind method she had just criticized was created by her own Father. She continued to tirelessly praise him.

Her thought process was simple she felt she had always been undeserving of her Father and hadn’t talked to him much, never even praised him.

Why not seize this opportunity to sing praises to her Father in front of everyone in Xianning?

Finally, Tong Siqing concluded with deep emotion: “It is clear that ‘The Sage’s Mind Method’ is too hastily implemented. Everyone, when practicing daily, must not be impatient. You should learn the excellent qualities of Heavenly Venerable Sheng Wen and take him as a role model…”

The disciples below held back their laughter, glancing at each other, not daring to turn around and see what expression their Heavenly Venerable wore.

Tong Siqing ended with one last sentence: “If the Heavenly Venerable has time one day, we can invite him to write a book for us. It will certainly surpass this book a thousandfold.”

Sheng Wen raised his hand to cover his face, making the exact same motion as Shi Zhihua covering her forehead.

Neither of them could bear to look.

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