The Immortal Lord of the Path of Ruthlessness Bends for Me - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Shrieks of Pain Echo Across the Fields

Zhuang Jinfu was stunned for a moment, then let out a clear, hearty laugh. “My good disciple.”

The two of them left Zhujin Mountain and headed back on foot. Walking beside Zhuang Jinfu, Ling Shu glanced at the sword hanging from the immortal’s waist. She hesitated for a long time before finding her voice. Her throat felt tight as she forced out the first word: “Ma—Master, why aren’t we flying back?”

Zhuang Jinfu looked at her, her voice calm and natural. “Because you haven’t learned how to fly on a sword yet.”

Ling Shu’s heart skipped a beat. So that was it… Even during their first encounter at the sect gates, Zhuang Jinfu hadn’t flown; she had walked every one of the ten thousand steps with her.

Ling Shu looked down at Zhuang Jinfu’s white boots, embroidered with plum blossoms, as they stepped lightly on the bluestone stairs. Her movements were silent. Ling Shu followed, stepping exactly where the other had stepped. Though Zhuang Jinfu was taller, their pace was perfectly synchronized. Ling Shu realized the immortal was intentionally slowing down so she could keep up.

Ling Shu’s heart was full of unspoken thoughts. The sound of her pulse felt as heavy as her own footsteps, echoing through the silent mountain.

Thump—Thump—Thump. Tap—Tap—Tap.

“I will learn as fast as I can,” Ling Shu said resolutely. Zhuang Jinfu smiled. “You don’t even have a sword yet. It is too early to speak of flight.”

Hope flickered in Ling Shu’s eyes. “Then… can I have one?”

“Yes. I shall forge one for you personally.” Zhuang Jinfu’s smile was gentle but held a hint of distance—as if a natural barrier stood between her and the rest of the world. She guarded her inner heart behind it, and it seemed no one could ever break through.

Ling Shu noticed the barrier but didn’t mind. Compared to Wang Lifu’s overt hostility, this slight aloofness was nothing. She beamed a bright, wide smile. “Great! Thank you, Master!”

“Good girl.”

The next day, Ling Shu rose early and headed to Mengxi Peak. This was where the new inner disciples attended classes. The curriculum was divided into two categories: Literary and Martial. These were the mandatory basics of cultivation; only after passing these could a disciple return to their specific master for advanced study.

There were seven literary subjects, including Language, History, Mathematics, and Pharmacy, and six martial subjects like Basic Training, Swordsmanship, and Unarmed Combat. Courses were held quarterly with exams at the end. Because she had arrived a month late, the semester was already well underway.

When Ling Shu walked into the History classroom, the chatter stopped instantly. Groups of disciples stared at her. She walked in calmly, looking for a seat, as whispers filled the room.

“Why is that demon thing here?” “Does she even deserve to sit with us?” “Lower your voice, she has a powerful backer, tee-hee.”

As Ling Shu prepared to sit in a corner, a book slammed onto the desk. The crowd parted as a girl in an orange dress walked over, arms crossed. She kicked the table and said bossily, “This is my seat!”

The onlookers snickered. Someone chimed in, “This is a real high-born lady. Some stray that even her own mother didn’t want is trying to act fancy here.”

Ling Shu’s eyes turned sharp as she glared at them. The speaker rolled their eyes, completely dismissing her. Not wanting a fight, Ling Shu stood up and moved to another empty seat. Before she could settle, the girl kicked her stool. “I like this one too.”

Ling Shu suppressed her rage, got up, and walked to a far corner. The girl followed. “What a coincidence. I prefer this spot as well.”

Ling Shu had reached her limit. She slammed her hand on the desk and stood up. “I am sitting here!”

The girl in orange slammed her desk just as hard, matching her volume. “I’m sitting here too!” She gritted her teeth, refusing to back down.

Ling Shu stared her down, releasing the innate pressure of the thousand-year Demon Core. The air in the room turned stagnant. The pressure of a thousand-year fox demon was comparable to that of a Great Power. Those who had been mocking her instantly shut their mouths, though their disdain remained. The girl in orange struggled to stay standing under the weight, bracing herself against the table. “You’re just relying on your mother’s core. Without it, you wouldn’t be worth our pinky finger.”

Ling Shu saw her trembling and arched an eyebrow. “So what?”

“Ling Shu.” A stern, aging female voice came from the podium. “You are all disciples of the same sect. Treat each other with kindness. Do not cause trouble.”

Ling Shu retracted her pressure and snapped back, “She started it!”

“I know. Li Chang, Ling Shu—both of you will copy the Tao Te Ching three times and hand it in the day after tomorrow. Now, let us begin the lesson.”

Li Chang shot Ling Shu a resentful look. Ling Shu rolled her eyes in return, making Li Chang even angrier. “Yes, Master Bai,” she muttered.

Coincidentally, this lesson was about the Great Human-Demon War from four hundred years ago. As the only half-demon, Ling Shu felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. However, she finally understood why the cultivators feared and loathed demons.

Before the war, the Shangqing Realm was ruled by demons. Humans were low-status. Demons were physically superior from birth; while their cultivation progress was slow, they used their physical dominance to hoard resources, driving humans into deep forests. Some demons even raised humans like livestock. High-tier avian demons were known to eat people.

This continued until humans evolved spirit roots. It was as if the overpopulation of demons had tipped the natural balance. Some scholars suggested that the interbreeding of humans and demons had mixed the bloodlines. Regardless, once humans had spirit roots, their progress was astronomical.

First came the Mixed Roots. Humans realized they could use spiritual energy too. This led to the Battle of the Red Forest, where humans were crushed. But the human will to survive was ironclad. When Mortal Roots appeared, the tide began to turn. Human “livestock” pens were broken one by one.

The human spirit burned like an eternal flame. As the demons launched a total offensive, Double Roots appeared. The first generation of Double Root warriors achieved breakthroughs mid-battle, sacrificing demon blood to carve a path of survival.

Ultimately, it was the appearance of Single Roots that gave humans the crushing advantage. Single Root warriors were invincible, allowing humans to form elite armies. It was during this time that humans discovered the demons’ fatal weakness: the Heavenly Tribulation. A demon’s survival to adulthood depended entirely on passing it. Furthermore, demons were slaves to their desires and emotions—though they were fiercely loyal in love, a trait humans exploited. Humans would use “love” to get close, only to kill demon cubs during their tribulations or slaughter adults for their cores to forge weapons.

By four hundred years ago, the demons were decimated. Today, only Wen Ji and her daughter Ling Shu remained.

Ling Shu stared at the textbook. A single tear fell onto the name “Wen Ji.” The history of her people’s blood and tears was condensed into a few dozen words on a page. She didn’t know how to process the shame and grief in her heart.

After classes, Ling Shu had lunch and napped in a tree before the afternoon martial classes. She suffered through the basics and the swordsmanship lecture. When the teacher allowed “free practice,” Ling Shu decided it was a great time to head home and sleep.

But as she tried to leave, three troublemakers intercepted her. Without giving her a chance to speak, two of them grabbed her and used their flying swords to drag her toward the nearby Demon Transformation Valley.

They dropped her in the valley, where a hog-like beast with three horns and a murderous glint in its eye charged at her. Ling Shu didn’t hesitate; she bolted. The three cultivators circled above on their swords, laughing at her desperate scrambling.

Whiz! A sharp cry followed, then the thud of a heavy object hitting the ground. Two more thuds followed in quick succession.

Shrieks of pain soon echoed through the valley.

The three disciples were rolling on the ground in agony. Ling Shu stood safely in a tree, laughing at their misery.

“Damned demon! How dare you hit me with rocks! Ow, ow, ow—it hurts so much!” One disciple clutched her backside, complaining bitterly. Another, with a green sachet at her waist, checked a leg wound. “I told you we shouldn’t mess with her, but you didn’t listen!” The third, bleeding from her forehead, snapped back, “We all did it together, don’t play the saint now!”

The beast, smelling blood, lunged at the three on the ground.

“AAAAHHH!” They scrambled away in terror.

Just then, an orange figure arrived on a flying sword, followed by seven other disciples. After rescuing the three, they surrounded Ling Shu, looking ready to settle the score.

Ling Shu shrugged. “They looked for trouble first, not me.”

Li Chang drew her sword and pointed it at Ling Shu. “I saw you injure our fellow disciples with my own eyes!”

Ling Shu eyed the eleven cultivators surrounding her. One against eleven? The odds were terrible. But she intended to win.

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