The Immortal Lord Always Pretends To Be Affectionate Towards Me - Chapter 10

Return to the Tianji Pavilion with him?

Yu Zaixi stared at Jiang Yan as if he had seen a ghost. “Are you insane? Is that place some sort of paradise for me?”

Jiang Yan did not give him a chance to refuse. He had already sent a message via spiritual transmission to recall Qin Nai.

It turned out that once Qin Nai noticed the winds rising in the mansion, he had attempted to evacuate everyone. However, the younger disciples of the Tianji Pavilion remained, brandishing their swords and hacking blindly into the wind, insisting they must wait for Jiang Yan. Qin Nai could no longer stand by; while the cultivators might have held their ground, the mortal Wang family members could not endure such conditions. He eventually drew a talisman, erected a formation, and forcibly escorted everyone away.

When the Wang family members returned to find their entire estate in ruins, they sighed repeatedly. Madam Wang, unable to even stand, sobbed quietly, lamenting what sins her family had committed to deserve such fate.

Yu Zaixi watched them with a blank expression. He could not say they were entirely innocent, especially since Wang Zhe had certainly done nothing virtuous. The victim was still lying right there in the courtyard. He had promised Zheng Xueran he would help her reclaim her body, but what of Wang Ting? Her corpse had already begun to decay. One of the two young women was destined to die, and it was all Wang Zhe’s fault.

However…

Yu Zaixi suddenly asked Jiang Yan, “If I can find Wang Ting’s corpse, is there any way to resurrect her?”

Jiang Yan shook his head slightly and turned to listen to the Tianji Pavilion disciple reporting the situation. Qin Nai had just confirmed that everyone had been brought back safely; he lowered his formation and looked around the courtyard, puzzled.

The Wang family members were all outside the gates. Only their own group remained in the small courtyard. Miao Pei was kneeling on the ground, Yu Zaixi was lost in deep thought, and Jiang Yan looked as impassive as ever while listening to the report.

Why was Miao Pei kneeling?

Qin Nai walked over, circling the scene with curiosity. He smiled and asked, “Did you do something wrong? I did not know Brother Jiang would punish someone with kneeling; he is truly strict.”

Miao Pei, who was kneeling, did not answer. His expression looked even more vacant than usual. Seeing he would not speak, Qin Nai stopped asking, though he remained curious. He also felt an inexplicable itch on his face, though he could not determine the cause.

Since Yu Zaixi could find no solution on his own, he turned back to Qin Nai. “Do you have any way to restore a decaying corpse to its original state?”

Qin Nai looked at him as if he were foolish. “There is no such method. Even if an ancient technique existed, defying the laws of life and death would require sacrificing one’s own longevity and cultivation. Besides, it is not something that can be achieved in a moment.”

Yu Zaixi refused to accept this. He turned to Jiang Yan. “When Yuan Qi died, what method did you use to preserve his body?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent. All the Tianji Pavilion disciples held their breath, terrified.

Yu Zaixi realized he had not introduced himself yet. He waved his hand dismissively. “Do not be so surprised. I am Yu Zaixi, not Yuan Qi, nor the Demon Lord. I am simply the third person to use this body.”

His words left the young disciples bewildered. They glanced at Jiang Yan’s darkening expression and dared not make a sound. Jiang Yan swept his gaze over them, offering no explanation and essentially confirming the statement. He turned his attention back to Yu Zaixi. “This body has not decayed.”

“Oh.”

It made sense. If Jiang Yan had chosen to keep the corpse, he would not have let it rot. Moreover, the Demon Lord was not a fool; why would he possess a decaying corpse? Even if they set that aside, this was a world of cultivation; cultivators would not be concerned with such trivial mortal problems.

Yu Zaixi sighed. “I still need to see Wang Ting’s corpse for myself. If I do not, what will become of her?”

Jiang Yan was ruthless enough to ignore such things, but Yu Zaixi could not bring himself to be so cold. There was no reason for two innocent women to suffer, and if he could save at least one, he would. As he turned to leave, Qin Nai followed him. “I will accompany you.”

Yu Zaixi accepted gladly, casting him a meaningful look. Qin Nai chuckled, his tone faintly reproachful. “You should not be this way.”

Yu Zaixi shrugged off the comment and continued on his way. Passing by the Wang family members, he saw Madam Wang hovering between speech and silence, so he followed suit. How could he tell them the truth? It was likely not what they wanted to hear.

Eventually, Yu Zaixi cleared his throat and said sternly, “The truth will only be clear once we track down the beast. You must wait a while longer.”

Offering them any promise was better than Jiang Yan’s stance; based on the illusions and the books, Jiang Yan seemed prepared to leave immediately, indifferent to the fate of the two women. Why was he so different from the version written in the books?

Yu Zaixi recalled this discrepancy and asked Qin Nai, “Did you ever think Jiang Yan was cold-hearted?”

Qin Nai had never met Jiang Yan before, having only heard about him from the sect elders. “Brother Jiang cares for the world. How could he be cold-hearted?”

“But right now, he does not want to investigate the truth of Wang Zhe’s death, nor does he care if those two women live or die. Is he truly that same Jiang Yan who cares for the world?”

Yu Zaixi clicked his tongue. “Let him do as he pleases. I have already promised Miss Zheng that I will return her soul to her original body.”

“Miss Zheng?” Qin Nai was confused.

Yu Zaixi explained, “The one kneeling on the ground is not Miao Pei; it is Zheng Xueran’s soul. The one currently in Zheng Xueran’s body is another soul entirely.”

“If your hypothesis is correct, and her original body has decayed, how can they return to their respective bodies?”

Qin Nai pondered for a moment before asking, “Where is Miao Pei, then?”

Yu Zaixi laughed. “Miao Pei is likely still drifting around this courtyard.”

Qin Nai could not help but clear his throat, covering his mouth to hide a laugh. He rubbed his forehead. “So that was why I felt my face itching just now; he was right in front of me, was he not?”

“Perhaps.”

The two headed toward the alley. Yu Zaixi scanned the area again; the young beggar should still be guarding Wang Ting’s corpse. When they reached the alley entrance, the child heard them coming and shrank behind a pile of broken wood. Yu Zaixi stepped inside, and a pungent odor immediately hit him.

There was no need to lift the straw mat; Qin Nai also realized that the situation was beyond hope. It was late summer, the days were scorching, and ten days had passed since the incident. It was truly a difficult situation.

“There is truly no way,” Yu Zaixi sighed. He had come holding only a glimmer of hope, but now, seeing the reality, he knew it was gone. However, noting the child’s kindness, Yu Zaixi stepped further inside despite the smell. “I will leave you some money. You should not stay here; the heat is making everything decay.”

When the child did not respond, Yu Zaixi placed a pouch of silver on the wall. Thinking it might not be enough, he added two silver ingots. “This is all I have. Buy something to eat and do not let anyone steal it.”

The child remained motionless. Yu Zaixi glanced back at Qin Nai, who shook his head slightly, and turned to leave. A few steps later, he heard a rustle. Yu Zaixi clicked his tongue. “I told you to come out earlier. Are you afraid of me?”

When he turned back, he was stunned. The child stared at him shyly. He was perhaps five or six years old, skin and bones, covered in grime that hid his skin, yet his eyes were remarkably bright.

This child looked…

Yu Zaixi turned to look at Qin Nai, then spread his hands to show himself. Qin Nai was also shocked, verifying the appearance twice. His voice wavered. “Little Yu, this must have something to do with you.”

Yu Zaixi scoffed. “What could it have to do with me? Unless he is my son, which I would surely know.”

The young beggar looked exactly like a miniature version of Yu Zaixi. Their features were identical, even the hint of defiance in their eyes. Yu Zaixi sighed and stared at the child. “Who is your father? Are you a cultivator? Are you a relative of Yuan Qi?”

He could think of no other explanation. The child did not react to his questions. The two stood there staring at each other for a long time until Yu Zaixi murmured, “Have you never seen a mirror?”

Where would a child beggar like this find a mirror? Just surviving without starving was a feat in itself.

Qin Nai restrained Yu Zaixi. “Perhaps we should take him with us and help him find his parents. He might be a relative of yours… or Yuan Qi’s.”

Yu Zaixi laughed. “Yuan Qi had no relatives. He was a beggar too; he would have starved to death if he hadn’t been discovered by the immortal master for his talent.” Yuan Qi had led a miserable life in the lower realms before the age of seven, frequently beaten for a scrap of food until he was nearly dead when he encountered the Immortal Master Duze. Qin Nai did not know this; he only knew Yuan Qi as the genius disciple of the Tianji Pavilion, a brilliant figure among the sect’s disciples.

They were both geniuses—geniuses who acted on impulse and did not cherish their gifts.

As the two discussed whether to take the beggar back, the child grabbed the silver from the wall and ran off. When he passed them, Yu Zaixi reached out to grab him, but the child ducked and avoided him.

Yu Zaixi turned to Qin Nai. “You see? With agility like that, he will not die. Let him be; we have enough of our own troubles.”

Qin Nai withdrew his gaze and sighed. Their life forces were still bound to Jiang Yan, and no one knew what Jiang Yan was truly thinking.

When they returned to the Wang residence, the Tianji Pavilion disciples had already left, but a cloud boat waited at the gate, clearly for Yu Zaixi. Jiang Yan was not there, but “Miao Pei” waited anxiously. When he saw them, he rushed forward. “Immortal Venerable, can you swap my body back now?”

Yu Zaixi gasped. “I can, but then Wang Ting will have to die.”

The Wang family members gathered around, horrified. Yu Zaixi, feeling a wave of inexplicable guilt for their helplessness, explained the situation. He emphasized Wang Zhe’s role in murdering Zheng Xueran. The Wang family was devastated, refusing to believe their son was capable of such a thing—and now both their children were dead.

Yu Zaixi understood their grief and sighed. “Please accept my condolences.”

He then asked Zheng Xueran, “Where is Jiang Yan?”

Zheng Xueran shook her head in a daze. “The Immortal Jiang left suddenly. I do not know where he went.”

He had likely gone ahead. Yu Zaixi sighed. “Very well, come back to the Zheng residence with me.”

Zheng Xueran hesitated. “Immortal, what of Miss Wang?”

Yu Zaixi said sternly, “Her body has decayed; there is no hope. We can only send her into the cycle of reincarnation.”

Wang Ting was innocent, but she had been unlucky in love; there was no turning back.

Zheng Xueran followed Yu Zaixi back to the Zheng residence, her eyes red, unable to speak since she was inhabiting Miao Pei’s body. Qin Nai followed, promising to help Zheng family set up a formation in case the demonic wind returned. Yu Zaixi praised his thoughtfulness and entered his room in a daze, preparing to swap the souls of the two women.

Wang Ting seemed to have anticipated this outcome and remained calm, offering a bitter smile to “Miao Pei.” Just as Yu Zaixi prepared to use the bone whistle, a cyan light flashed in the room. Jiang Yan entered via a formation, carrying the young beggar.

The child was stubborn, but he had exhausted himself from struggling and could only grit his teeth as he was held in mid-air. Jiang Yan looked at Yu Zaixi and said, “There is a way to resurrect Wang Ting.”

The room went silent, and everyone looked toward him.