The Beautiful Demon Lord’s Disciple Won’t Pretend Anymore - Chapter 7

As soon as Xu Chengbi finished speaking, Hua Yao’s brows knitted deeply.

Observing his expression, Xu Chengbi saw the same icy indifference as always. Yet, Hua Yao subconsciously bit his lip, revealing a glimpse of white teeth, and a faint furrow appeared between his brows. None of this detracted from his usual graceful demeanor, though it did make him seem more distant, an ethereal figure one could admire from afar but never truly touch.

Xu Chengbi paused, shifting his gaze to the painting of Ren Jun. After a long moment, he said softly, “If you don’t believe me, then so be it.”

With that, Xu Chengbi bent down, rolled the painting back up perfectly, as if it had never been opened, and tied it securely with the cord.

A heavy silence filled the room.

Knowing it was his own demonic pet that had killed the man, Xu Chengbi no longer felt the playful spirit he usually did while tidying up Ren Jun’s belongings. He arranged the items neatly until even someone as obsessed with cleanliness as Hua Yao couldn’t help but say, “That’s enough.” Only then did Xu Chengbi stand up straight.

The two didn’t initiate any conversation on the way back.

In truth, Xu Chengbi wasn’t sulking at Hua Yao. First, with his status, he had no right to sulk. Second, he was reflecting on whether he had been too quick with his words and annoyed Hua Yao.

After all, it was his demonic pet that had killed Hua Yao’s beloved chief disciple, and not only did he lack any sense of remorse, but he had also questioned Ren Jun’s motives right after the man’s death.

…However, would Ren Jun really have made such a simple mistake in drawing the formation, leading him to accidentally break into the restricted area?

Xu Chengbi tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The image of Hua Yao’s downcast eyes kept flashing before him, leaving him feeling rather restless.

A while later, he sat up in the middle of the night and subconsciously glanced toward Hua Yao on the bed.

Since Hua Yao had shrunk, his legs were too short to even climb onto the bed. At night, Xu Chengbi would cradle Hua Yao in his palms to tuck him in.

The moonlight, clear and bright like flowing water, streamed through the window and slowly illuminated the small bed.

Because Hua Yao was smaller, he couldn’t use a quilt, so Xu Chengbi had covered him with a handkerchief.

But at this moment.

Xu Chengbi sat bolt upright, rushed to the bed, and searched it up and down for a moment, but found no trace of the other man.

That’s not right…

Cold sweat broke out on Xu Chengbi, a creeping sense of unease washing over him.

He suddenly realized that, given Hua Yao’s meddlesome, “saintly” nature, he had made no shortage of enemies. Consequently, the world wouldn’t be short of people who hated Hua Yao, and even Ren Jun, his chief disciple, had harbored hidden ulterior motives toward his own master.

Could it be that the things he said today had struck a nerve? Even if Hua Yao didn’t show it on his face, perhaps he had taken it to heart and run out in the middle of the night to cry?

Though he knew the likelihood was slim, Xu Chengbi was still amused by his own thought.

But soon, he wiped away the smile, stood up, and headed out the door.

In fact, Hua Yao was right. The path Xu Chengbi cultivated indeed involved “heartless” cultivation, meaning his spiritual power fluctuated with his emotions, and likewise, he felt things more deeply than ordinary people. In a wanderer, this manifests as promiscuity; in a gentleman, it is seen as deep affection. Whether Xu Chengbi was a wanderer or a gentleman remained to be seen, but he knew he couldn’t just let Hua Yao disappear.

After all, he was still under Hua Yao’s “Heartless Lock.” If he didn’t get it unlocked, Xu Chengbi would never have a moment of peace.

With these chaotic thoughts, Xu Chengbi’s fingertips pressed against the door seam, and with a slight push, he opened the door.

All was silent.

The moonlight was sparse like remnants of snow, brushing gently against the flowering trees as it passed, stirring up the occasional fallen leaf, creating a sense of chill.

The white lotus flowers from the daytime were still in full bloom. Shadows flickered near the pond; perhaps it was some small animal.

No!

That was no small animal!

The realization hit him like a massive wave, causing a sudden turbulence in his heart. Xu Chengbi’s pupils constricted. As his casual gaze swept over the dark shadow by the water, his spine stiffened. The moonlight brightened, acting like a massive luminous pearl, illuminating Hua Yao’s body.

Hua Yao stood by the pond, seemingly unable to feel the cold, as if he were hesitating. Then, before Xu Chengbi could move to stop him, he jumped directly into the icy water.

He let out a small, soft sneeze.

The sound was quiet, fragmented, and carried a weak, adorable nasality.

Xu Chengbi felt a flicker of emotion and was about to step forward to fish Hua Yao out, but for some reason, he hesitated.

Judging by Hua Yao’s previous behavior, he didn’t seem like the type to be so fragile as to commit suicide out of guilt for a disciple’s death, right?

As if to prove Xu Chengbi right, Hua Yao swam for a while in the cold water, then grabbed a lotus leaf, climbed onto the center of the flower, and sat cross-legged.

Then, the white lotus flower petals that Hua Yao was resting on closed layer by layer, and a moment later, they radiated a brilliant, glowing luster.

Soon, the other white lotuses in the pond lit up with a faint, uniform light, as if something was channeling spiritual power through their veins to Hua Yao in the center. A moment later, all the lotuses in the pond withered and dried up, scattering in the wind.

Only the one Hua Yao was sitting on remained, slowly opening to reveal him sitting in the center with his eyes closed.

His expression was god-like, devoid of either sorrow or joy.

Xu Chengbi turned on his heel, hiding himself behind the door and covering his mouth to prevent himself from making a scene after witnessing something he shouldn’t have.

Could it be that Hua Yao is a white lotus spirit?

Why couldn’t he be?

This thought persisted until the next day when Hua Yao woke up in his human form, leaving Xu Chengbi feeling completely distracted.

According to the meager memories of this body, Xu Chengbi knew that in the three realms—Human, Demon, and Spirit. Spirits were at the very bottom. They weren’t like humans, who could cultivate and ascend using the pure spiritual energy of the world, nor were they like demons, born with bodies and power. Spirits first had to temper their “spirit roots” and take on human form before they could begin further cultivation.

But this process was clearly too slow. Many spirits would transform into seductive forms to lure humans or demons into dual cultivation, draining their spiritual energy and cultivation to use for themselves. Therefore, spirits were always the most despised and shunned beings in the world of cultivation.

Xu Chengbi held his rice bowl, staring at Hua Yao, who was writing, feeling that everything he saw last night had far exceeded his expectations.

If Hua Yao were indeed a white lotus spirit, everything he saw yesterday would be explained. Perhaps Hua Yao had used his appearance to make the siblings of the Yulong Kingdom fall head over heels for him. Little did he know that the younger brother secretly harbored an obsessive love for his sister and could only watch her be with Hua Yao, leading him to harbor resentment. Hua Yao, seeking a “sucker” to provide spiritual energy, had brought the brother back to the sect.

In the end, when the brother was no longer of any use, he kicked him aside and staged a fake death to escape.

Xu Chengbi frowned while eating, thinking the more he contemplated it, the more plausible it seemed. He had no idea how intense his gaze was, almost as if he were trying to bore a hole in Hua Yao.

Feeling uncomfortable under his stare, Hua Yao turned his head while holding his brush and blinked.

“Why are you looking at me?”

Warning bells rang loudly in Xu Chengbi’s heart:

Look, he’s trying to seduce me!

Hua Yao had no idea that he had already been cast as a “white lotus spirit” in Xu Chengbi’s mind. He blew on the ink to dry it, summoned a Que-Mei bird, tied the letter to it, and released it. Only then did he turn back to Xu Chengbi.

“I have to leave for the Yulong Kingdom tomorrow. You…” He hesitated for a moment. “Can you stay in the restricted area?”

“I, um…”

Xu Chengbi was still eating, and at these words, he panicked. He quickly swallowed the rice in his mouth, his cheeks bulging like a hamster.

“I’m going with you!”

Just kidding, he thought. If he let a “white lotus spirit” like Hua Yao go out alone, he didn’t know how many more people might be harmed.

…Actually, Xu Chengbi didn’t want to admit it, but he still had lingering suspicions about Ren Jun’s death. He didn’t want to be blamed for it, so he wanted to follow Hua Yao to investigate personally.

“But…” Hua Yao looked hesitant. “My uncle, the Sect Leader, might not…”

Bang!

Before he could finish, a loud crash erupted from outside.

The next second, the gates of the Heartless Hall were violently shattered. Xu Chengbi felt a sudden gust of wind brush past his cheek. He nimbly ducked and dodged, and the next second, a whip appeared in his hand, lashing out like a swimming dragon toward the hooded man in front of him.

The man in the hood was the Sect Leader of the Xianxian Sect. He didn’t seem to have revealed his face at all, showing only a glimpse of a refined chin. He soon clashed with Xu Chengbi.

His cultivation was far beyond Xu Chengbi’s, and his blows were lethal. Yet, for some reason, every killing move was accurately, perhaps even prematurely, sensed by Xu Chengbi, allowing him to dodge nimbly.

Seeing the two clashing, Hua Yao frowned and was about to step in, but a single sentence from the Sect Leader froze him in place:

“Don’t interfere in things between him and me.”

Of course, Hua Yao couldn’t just stand by; if the fight continued, his Heartless Hall would be all but destroyed.

“Uncle, there must be some misunderstanding here…”

“There is no misunderstanding.” Taking advantage of Xu Chengbi’s momentary distraction, the Sect Leader struck him with a palm. It was a full-force blow. Xu Chengbi’s back slammed into the wall, and he tumbled to the ground in a pathetic heap, spitting out blood.

“Uncle!” Hua Yao’s expression changed drastically, and he stepped in front of Xu Chengbi. “Why must you kill him?”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

The Sect Leader’s voice was cold and hard, but as he looked at Hua Yao’s tense expression, his tone softened involuntarily. “You spared his life at first only because you felt his crimes didn’t warrant death. But since he has made you owe him a debt and has hindered your path to cultivation, then…”

The Sword of Slashing Wind in his hand was already unsheathed.

“Then I will kill him, take his heart blood, and send his body back to the Demon Realm.”

The Sect Leader’s pale lips curled slightly, looking somewhat morbidly insane.

“He wants so badly to return to the Demon Realm, so by doing this, I am simply helping you repay your debt of gratitude.”

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