The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 20

Ning Fuyi didn’t have time to be surprised. She had to seize the moment before the power vanished, switching to both hands. In an instant, a pink light almost filled the entire rift valley, colliding with the palm-shaped turbid aura. It transformed into a circular gale that exploded outward with a roar.

With a series of crashing sounds, countless fragments of rock rolled down from the cliffs on both sides. Chu Qingqiu suddenly pressed down on Ning Fuyi’s head, shielding her from the falling stones.

“It’s going to be enraged. Get up, quickly,” Chu Qingqiu whispered. She moved to rise as if she didn’t care about the wound on her chest, and Ning Fuyi hurriedly pulled her up.

Just from that one pull, Ning Fuyi’s palm was stained entirely with blood. Her heart hammered against her ribs.

The demonic beast gave them no time to worry about injuries. After the airflow dissipated, the beast seemed thoroughly dissatisfied that its attack had been blocked. It suddenly let out two loud roars and actually reared up on its front hooves—two hooves that shimmered like iron—and slammed them toward the ground like falling boulders.

Ning Fuyi was about to repeat her trick when a furry figure suddenly lunged forward. Her vision went black for a moment, and she reached out to snatch it back.

The figure was Ping’an. He had woken up at some unknown point and, for some unknown reason, had dashed forward.

Fear surged from Ning Fuyi’s heart to her limbs. However, Chu Qingqiu gripped her arm tightly, forcing her to watch as those iron hooves, dozens of times larger than Ping’an, smashed down like falling stars.

Then, they stopped steadily right above the puppy’s head.

The hand gripping Ning Fuyi suddenly let go. She stumbled two steps before steadying herself, staring unblinkingly at the scene.

Ping’an acted as if he hadn’t even seen the hooves; he spun in circles, sat down, then turned around and wagged his tail toward the sky.

The demonic beast stood frozen in place. After a long time, it slowly retracted its front feet to its chest. Its terrifying, massive face lowered, tilting its head as if trying to identify what this furry little fool beneath its feet actually was.

Ning Fuyi didn’t dare to breathe loudly. She couldn’t help but look back at Chu Qingqiu; both their eyes were filled with shock.

Having spun enough circles, Ping’an suddenly started barking at the demonic beast.

“Mother,” Chu Qingqiu suddenly spoke.

Ning Fuyi was even more confused. Her eye twitched, and she turned back. “Huh?”

She was met with a cold glare from Chu Qingqiu.

“I said, he is calling it ‘Mother,'” Chu Qingqiu covered her wound and repeated with great effort.

The level of shock this sentence brought to Ning Fuyi was no less than if Chu Qingqiu had told her that her rebirth was a hallucination. Ning Fuyi’s mouth dropped open as she looked at Ping’an again. That stupid dog was still wagging his tail so fervently it looked like he might shake his black-and-white tail right off.

“You understand dog barks?” Ning Fuyi blurted out.

Chu Qingqiu’s brows knitted tighter, whether from anger or pain. She simply pressed her hands against her wound and panted, “Simple beast language.”

Even more shocking was that the demonic beast actually lowered its hooves slowly. Its ugly head dropped even lower, using the two large black holes on its face to sniff Ping’an’s head. The massive difference in their sizes made the scene incredibly bizarre, without a hint of warmth.

Ping’an stuck out his tongue and licked the beast’s injured, bleeding nostril. With every lick, Ning Fuyi’s heart trembled.

“This is bad, it’s getting dark,” Chu Qingqiu suddenly said. As if answering her, pitch-black turbid aura surged from all directions, sealing off the sliver of sky above. Along with it came a feeling of desperate suffocation, gradually enveloping one’s heart.

Ning Fuyi knew the horror of the Ghost’s Eyes. Every night, the turbid aura filled the rift, devouring all living things within and draining their spiritual intelligence. After one night, even a Great Immortal would lose their mind and remain in this valley floor forever.

The demonic beast also looked up toward the distant sky. It seemed to become uneasy, pacing in circles and emitting a series of neighs.

“What is it doing?” Ning Fuyi muttered. She stood up, shielding herself from the dust, and looked up along with the beast.

The beast’s cries grew more mournful. It suddenly lowered its head and took Ping’an into its mouth. Then, it stomped its feet; several cracks appeared in the ground. With a loud crash, two wings actually extended from its back—bare bone and flesh, without a single feather.

After another roar, the beast took to the sky. Rocks and turbid aura flew everywhere. Ning Fuyi’s mind raced; she threw herself forward, only to be caught by Chu Qingqiu. “Do not be reckless.”

“You never trust me, so what would it hurt to trust me just this once!” Ning Fuyi refused to yield an inch. Her phoenix eyes met Chu Qingqiu’s; in her urgency, her words actually held a hint of grievance.

Chu Qingqiu was stunned, and her grip loosened. Ning Fuyi seized the chance to grab her arm, leapt upward, and caught the bristly fur on the beast’s back.

Then, they soared into the sky.

Tongchuan

Twilight had arrived. The sun, like a ball of fire, had already set, leaving half the sky in orange-gold light. Roars of wild beasts occasionally echoed from the dense forest, startling flocks of birds into the clouds.

The rift valley on the ground looked like a massive, narrow eye—turbid and dark—gazing up at the pure blue sky.

“Elder, it’s dark. There’s still no movement below. Will Yiyi be…” Liu Wenzhu cried until her eyelashes were clumped together. She tried to walk forward for a look, but Rong Jin held her back by the sleeve.

Rong Jin’s condition was no better than hers; his sleeves were damp from wiping his own tears.

“It… it’s dangerous ahead. Fuyi has already met with disaster, you must take care of yourself…” he sobbed.

“Cry, cry, cry, what are you crying for!” Qiu Yi shouted irritably from the side. She paced back and forth with her hands behind her back. “My Master is down there with her. Master is Divine Lord Chu Ling! How could anything possibly happen to her!”

Despite her words, she was so tense she couldn’t stop moving for a second, and the grass beneath her feet had been trampled bare. Although her Master had ordered her to stay at the sect, she couldn’t stay away and had followed at the risk of being scolded. Upon arrival, she hadn’t seen her Master but heard that Ning Fuyi had fallen into the Ghost’s Eyes.

She knew without a doubt that her Master must have gone down after her.

“That damned Ning Fuyi, she only knows how to be a burden. Master has taken so many injuries to save her; once she comes up, I’ll definitely give her a piece of my mind!” Qiu Yi vented.

“What did you say!” The sobbing Liu Wenzhu couldn’t take it. “Yiyi didn’t fall down on purpose! The Divine Lord was kind enough to save her—what right do you have to blame Yiyi!”

“If not for her—”

“Enough, enough!” Rong Jin was overwhelmed. He stepped between them, his eyes red. “Fuyi and the Divine Lord are down there, their lives unknown, yet you are here arguing. How disheartening for them!”

The two glared at each other and finally fell silent. One continued to stomp on the innocent grass, while the other returned to weeping behind her hands.

Rong Jin let out a breath, suppressing his own grief. He walked over to the equally anxious Elder Yuanming and whispered, “Elder, they still haven’t come out. Is there any other way…?”

Daoist Yuanming stroked his chin forcefully and sighed. “Even the Divine Lord has sent no word, so there is nothing we can do. I have already sent messages to Sect Leader Mei and Elder Pingyao to send reinforcements. I’ve also reached out to other sects and the Penglai Realm to see if anyone can help.”

As the sky grew darker, the group’s anxiety peaked. Everyone knew the horror of the Ghost’s Eyes; once the last ray of sunlight vanished, there was no way out for those below.

Liu Wenzhu was already on her knees, hands clasped in prayer toward the horizon, begging for Ning Fuyi’s safety and for the sun to set more slowly. Though in their hearts, most had already accepted the inevitable.

Clearly, prayers were useless. The valley remained silent, and the last sliver of twilight faded. The surroundings were covered in a hazy black veil, and the sky turned a deep, steady navy blue.

Liu Wenzhu’s body went limp, and she collapsed onto the ground, silent, her tears flowing uncontrollably.

Elder Yuanming turned away, wiped his eyes, and pulled the equally despondent Rong Jin aside. “It’s dark. Tongchuan is dangerous. Take them back.”

Though grieving, Rong Jin knew he had to keep control. He sniffed and walked to Liu Wenzhu, pulling her up. “Wenzhu, let’s go back to Furong Town first. Qiu Yi…”

“I’m not leaving. You go if you want. My Master will definitely come out!” Qiu Yi wiped her face and stood firm against the wind.

Rong Jin clenched his fists in sorrow and supported Liu Wenzhu as they turned to leave.

Just as they took a step, a powerful tremor shook the ground. It felt as if something was churning deep in the earth. Liu Wenzhu nearly lost her footing; she spun around, her eyes wide with tears, looking into the rift.

“Yiyi…” she whispered. At that moment, a wave of turbid aura erupted from the rift like a volcanic explosion. The blast was so strong it uprooted trees for miles. The group hurriedly summoned their immortal power, creating shields before them.

“It’s a demonic beast, get back!” Elder Yuanming shouted. He leaped in front of everyone, spreading his hands. Countless vines surged from the ground to block the turbid aura and the flying debris.

“What is that!” Rong Jin’s voice cracked with fear. He hurriedly summoned his longbow and aimed it at the massive head soaring out of the rift, but Liu Wenzhu grabbed his arm.

“Wait, there’s someone on it!” Liu Wenzhu’s grip was so strong it made Rong Jin’s hand shake. “It’s Yiyi! That’s Ning Fuyi!!”

“Master!” Qiu Yi was overjoyed, but she was blown back by the wild wind.

In mid-air, the demonic beast roared toward the sky. The sound pierced through the void and into their ears like sharp blades, making their vision go black and their legs go numb. One by one, they collapsed.

The people below fainted, and Ning Fuyi on the beast’s back was faring no better. She could no longer see anything; only a stinging pain filled her mind. Using her last shred of consciousness, she clung desperately to the beast’s back.

She felt herself soar into the clouds, then plummet rapidly. Finally, with a sensation like the earth splitting, she could no longer withstand the vibration. Her grip slipped, and she tumbled to the ground.

After a long time, the world fell quiet. Only the wind whistled. Ning Fuyi opened her sand-filled eyes and barely looked up.

She was lying in a large crater. In the center of the crater lay the demonic beast, though it had now returned to its normal form—the size of a tiger, its fur tangled and messy.

Ping’an was unharmed, wagging his tail frantically.

Ning Fuyi’s vision grew blurred. she vaguely remembered Chu Qingqiu, but she couldn’t see her. The demonic beast suddenly stood up and walked toward her step by step.

Ning Fuyi couldn’t move. She tensed her body, watching the beast open its blood-stained mouth toward her. But with a bark from Ping’an, the beast stopped. It seemed confused, tilting its head at Ning Fuyi for a long time. Then, it turned abruptly and ran into the dark forest. Ning Fuyi’s heart finally settled, and her strength faded.

The last thing she remembered was Ping’an licking her face. She smiled and whispered, “Good boy,” before falling into total darkness.

Time passed. When she woke up, she was in the hard bed of an inn. A heavy quilt pressed against her chest. She took a deep breath, threw back the quilt, and Ping’an leaped from the floor onto her, bouncing around.

Ning Fuyi patted his head. Now, he looked like an ordinary little white dog again, having nothing to do with that terrifying beast. Whether it had mistaken him for its child or something else, she would only know once she found that escaped beast.

It was broad daylight. Bright sunlight fell on the roof opposite, and sparrows chirped on the ridge. Behind them were the continuous distant mountains—a scene of infinite life.

Knowing she was still in Furong Town, she checked her body. The injuries from the valley floor were gone. Her skin was smooth and delicate—better than before. She clicked her tongue and sat up.

She had gone to Tongchuan but come back with nothing; the beast had escaped. All that effort for nothing, she laughed at herself. At least she had kept her life.

She still remembered the pink light that had erupted in her moment of urgency. Though pink was an ugly color, that power had not been weak. She tried to circulate her power, but it traveled through her body without finding a single clue. The power was completely foreign—something she had never seen in her thousand years. Where did it come from? Why was it so special? Ning Fuyi stared at the shadows on the floor in a daze.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Yiyi?” A head popped in. Seeing Ning Fuyi sitting up, Liu Wenzhu walked in with a sweet smile and set down some clean clothes. “Elder Yuanming said you’d wake today. It’s a good thing he was here; he’s a Wood-element and knows the way of healing. He restored you completely in just one night.”

“Wenzhu.” Ning Fuyi grinned and made space for her to sit.

She suddenly remembered something. “Where is Divine Lord Chu Ling? How are her injuries?”

“At this hour, she should be in her room,” Liu Wenzhu said, her expression puzzled. “Injuries? The Divine Lord wasn’t injured. Last night, we all fainted when we saw that beast; the Divine Lord was the one who brought us all back to Furong Town.”

“Fortunately she was there, otherwise we all would have been carried off by wild beasts while unconscious,” Liu Wenzhu laughed.

Not injured? How could that be? Last night Chu Qingqiu had been in such a state, the wound on her chest was clear as day. Perhaps she simply doesn’t want others to know, Ning Fuyi thought. But to bring everyone back after such injuries… she frowned.

“You’re actually worried about the Divine Lord?” Liu Wenzhu raised an eyebrow and bumped her shoulder. “Rest easy. I saw her this morning; she’s in good health and was meditating in the courtyard.”

“Who’s worried about her,” Ning Fuyi said dismissively. She stood up and changed into the clean clothes Liu Wenzhu had brought—black as usual, looking crisp and capable.

Liu Wenzhu smiled at her back, about to ask what happened in the Ghost’s Eyes, when a commotion broke out downstairs. There was shouting, and she could vaguely hear Rong Jin. They both froze and ran downstairs together.

The inn was also a tavern. Downstairs was the dining area, which was crowded with dozens of people. Now it was in total chaos; a table of food had been overturned, and everyone was crowding around to watch the drama. The waiter stood aside, helpless.

The one surrounded was Rong Jin. His handsome face was flushed bright red. One hand supported a woman kneeling on the ground, and the other gripped a chair back, looking quite at a loss.

“Senior Brother!” Liu Wenzhu shouted, pushing through the crowd to stop beside him. “What is the meaning of this?”

Before Rong Jin could speak, the kneeling woman grabbed Liu Wenzhu’s other hand and began wailing. “Young Master, Young Lady, please save my child! I know you are Immortals from the Yunjisun Sect. Everyone says your sect acts with justice and saves all living beings, you cannot just watch him die!”

“Please stand up first. There are many people here; let’s stand up and talk, alright?” Liu Wenzhu’s heart softened. Having never seen such a scene, she tried to help the woman up, her hand touching her wrist. The woman had no immortal pulse; she was a plain mortal.

“If the Immortals don’t agree, I won’t get up! Please, I beg you, save my poor child!” The woman wailed and kowtowed. Rong Jin and Liu Wenzhu each grabbed an arm. They looked at each other, then at Ning Fuyi standing outside the crowd.

Ning Fuyi, suddenly receiving their gazes, felt her lips twitch.

Meanwhile, in the quietest and most remote room on the top floor of the inn, the fragrance of tea wafted through the air.

The woman was rarely dressed in anything but a high-collared robe. Today she wore a veil of white gauze, sitting cross-legged on a mat, revealing her slender neck. Her long hair was half-pinned with a jade-white crown, and several feather-shaped jade pieces hung from her forehead, swaying gently with her movements. Dressed like this, she looked less somber than usual and somewhat younger, though her exposed arms showed her thinness.

She was removing the baleful aura from several multi-colored crystals on the table. Her movements were slow, but her expression remained unchanged.

After a while, footsteps sounded outside. Chu Qingqiu didn’t look up until the person entered. “Come here.”

Qiu Yi hurried in with tea, set it down carefully, and knelt beside Chu Qingqiu. “Master.”

“Are these beast stones from spiritual beasts?” Qiu Yi was shocked by the stones scattered on the table. “So many, and they’re all high-level… Master…”

“Leaving them there would be a waste, so I collected them,” Chu Qingqiu answered simply. “Once I’ve removed the aura, help me deliver them to someone.”

Qiu Yi kept her mouth shut, not daring to say more. Although beast stones were extremely beneficial for cultivation, people generally didn’t slaughter high-level beasts, so such stones were hard to come by, let alone so many at once. I wonder who has earned such favoritism from Master, Qiu Yi pouted jealously.

The aura removal complete, Chu Qingqiu picked up a stone, preparing to put it in a pouch. As she poured them in, she asked, “Where is Ning Fuyi?”

Qiu Yi scratched her head. “Reporting to Master, she isn’t in the inn.”

Chu Qingqiu’s brows furrowed. Her hand paused. “We return to the sect tonight. Where did she go?”

“I heard the waiter downstairs say she went with Liu Wenzhu to a place of pleasure something called Ruyan Pavilion,” Qiu Yi said, her cheeks turning slightly red.

As soon as she spoke, there was a series of clatters. The stones Chu Qingqiu had been holding so carefully all fell to the floor.

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