The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 34

She could only see her profile, pressed tightly against the stone table as her tears gathered and fell onto the surface with a soft splash.

Ning Fuyi could not distinguish where she was, nor could she even recall her own name. Yet, the scene before her violently crashed into her mind, carrying an unprecedented sense of familiarity.

It was as if the exact same tears had appeared before her eyes thousands of years ago.

“Do not hurt her,” someone spoke to her from the void, from beyond the boundaries of time.

Do not hurt her. Ning Fuyi suddenly bolted upright, a tearing pain splitting her head. She staggered backward and crashed into the wall once more, causing the hanging paintings to clatter to the ground. A few candles were knocked over, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across the room.

Chu Qingqiu felt the restrictive force upon her slacken. She rose abruptly, gazing at Ning Fuyi through a hazy mist of tears.

“Ning Fuyi,” she called out, her hands trembling.

However, the young girl seemed entirely unable to hear her voice. She felt an intersection of ice and fire inside her body, as if three distinct forces were violently tearing at her heart and lungs. One force scorched her inner being, consuming her with raging desire. Another swallowed her mind, stripping away her rationality and giving rise to absolute ferocity.

And the last force was the weakest, yet it refused to dissipate, remaining as that persistent voice in her mind.

Do not hurt her.

Chu Qingqiu dragged her unsteady footsteps forward step by step. The moment she drew close to Ning Fuyi, her arm was suddenly grabbed by the girl once more. Their bodies spun in a circle, and before Chu Qingqiu could react, Ning Fuyi stood on her tiptoes, and their lips met.

Chu Qingqiu’s eyes widened instantly as the flickering candlelight made her head spin.

A sharp, stinging pain followed immediately. Ning Fuyi had bitten through her lip at some unknown point, causing the crisp, metallic taste of blood to permeate their lungs along with their breath.

Before Chu Qingqiu could raise her hand, the young girl suddenly pulled away again. Extending her hand, the white bone staff on the ground shot up, driven by a sharp gust of wind, and struck the back of the girl’s own head.

With a loud clatter, the white bone staff rolled away, and Ning Fuyi collapsed into a limp heap. Her black garments piled on the floor, draping over her slender frame.

The room fell into a heavy silence. Chu Qingqiu’s body suddenly slid down, leaving her sitting on the floor. Her delicate fingers brushed against her lips, staining her hand with a stark, shocking red.

After a long time passed, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice, “Bailin.”

The moment her words fell, Bailin leapt through the window and landed lightly on its feet. The tiger was visibly startled by the chaotic scene in the room, and it walked over to nuzzle Ning Fuyi’s head.

“Drag her over,” Chu Qingqiu commanded. Deprived of all her strength, she could only watch as Bailin bit into Ning Fuyi’s leg and dragged her to her side.

Chu Qingqiu placed her fingertips on Ning Fuyi’s wrist in absolute silence to check her pulse. Then, she suddenly sliced open her own palm, letting the bright red blood drip down onto Ning Fuyi’s lips.

Even in her unconscious state, Ning Fuyi seemed to taste the sweetness, extending her pink tongue to lap the blood into her mouth.

The blood dripped for an unknown duration, continuing until Chu Qingqiu’s vision went black and she nearly slumped against the wall. Only then did she lower her hand, breathing softly.

“Send her back, and ensure you do not alert anyone,” Chu Qingqiu said feebly. Bailin obediently expanded to the size of a grown man, took Ning Fuyi onto its back, and vanished out the window.

Left completely alone in the room, Chu Qingqiu slowly lay down in silence. Her eyes were filled with irony, alongside a profound sense of confusion she had never shown in front of anyone before.

Chu Qingqiu, oh Chu Qingqiu, you are actually still harboring such thoughts. You have already committed a mistake once, and you nearly committed it a second time.

You are truly beyond forgiveness.

Morning atop Mount Zhaoyao arrived much earlier than it did at the Yunji Sect. The moment the blue luan birds sang in unison, the eastern sky burst into brilliant colors, and the first ray of dawn crossed the continuous sacred mountains, illuminating the auspicious clouds with a radiant red light.

Countless rare birds took flight from the mountain forests, gathering in midair regardless of their species. Passing through the fiery, auspicious clouds, they bared their throats to sing. This was a magnificent spectacle unique to Mount Zhaoyao, known as the Hundred Birds Courting the Sun.

The site of the divine ruins was saturated with spiritual energy, allowing one’s mind and body to relax into a deep slumber. Therefore, even the loud bird song failed to wake the sleeping crowd, and the pavilions remained shrouded in silence.

Amidst the morning glow, a white figure transformed into a streak of light, weaving through the blooming peach blossom forest before landing silently upon a rooftop. The gentle breeze stirred her robes, making her figure resemble a proud, solitary crane, her eyes entirely devoid of joy or anger.

A peach blossom petal brushed past the bridge of her nose, and she turned her head to dodge it. Reaching out, she unfastened her white bone staff and spun it once in her hand. Instantly, the entire pavilion beneath her feet was sealed off by a barrier, preventing even a shred of aura from escaping.

She then dropped silently into the corridor, the soles of her shoes clean and free of dust as she walked slowly forward.

“Who goes there?” An attendant passing by was just about to reprimand her when they suddenly recognized her identity. They hurriedly bowed in greeting, but Chu Qingqiu ignored them entirely, focusing solely on walking through the crowd and entering the door by following a distinct fragrance.

With a loud bang, the door closed and locked.

“Who dares trespass into my Hehuan Sect? Deity Chu Ling?” The person who spoke was an older woman whose expression changed instantly upon seeing Chu Qingqiu. The tea and pastries she held clattered to the floor, spilling everywhere as she hurriedly forced a smile. “I did not know the Deity would grace us with your presence. Please forgive my lack of welcome. I shall go at once to receive you.”

“Was it you yesterday?” Chu Qingqiu spoke, her voice calm and completely empty of emotion.

The woman swallowed the rest of her words, her facial expressions shifting rapidly before she managed to squeeze out a smile. “I do not understand what the Deity is referring to.”

“What an excellent phrase, ‘do not understand,'” Chu Qingqiu said, stepping toward her as her red lips parted slightly. “Madam Taohua of the Hehuan Sect leaves the scent of peach blossoms wherever she walks.”

“This, this Peach Blossom Source is covered in peach blossoms everywhere, so how does that prove it was me?” The woman picked up the items from the floor, laughing awkwardly.

“Oh?” Chu Qingqiu had already turned her back to her, but she suddenly spun around, her elegant eyebrows twitching slightly. “When did this Deity ever state that the incident took place at the Peach Blossom Source?”

The woman froze.

Before she could offer another explanation, the white bone staff in Chu Qingqiu’s hand suddenly flew out, transforming into a white shadow that slammed into the woman’s chest. The woman instantly spat out a mouthful of blood and flew through the air, crashing down and completely smashing the floral arrangements in the room to pieces.

She screamed for help while crawling out of the mess, her face and body covered in petals and mud, looking thoroughly wretched. “Deity, I truly do not know what the Deity is talking about! Someone, help!”

The moment she finished shouting, Chu Qingqiu’s shadow enveloped her. The woman opened her eyes in terror, watching as Chu Qingqiu extended her palm toward her.

A blinding white light flashed, and the woman let out a shrill scream before falling backward once more.

Chu Qingqiu seemed completely deaf to her screams. Her gaze did not linger on her for even a second as she turned and walked into the inner chamber.

She immediately came face-to-face with Li Handan, who had attempted to flee several times only to be blocked by the barrier.

Li Handan stared blankly at Chu Qingqiu as she entered, offering an awkward smile while smoothing the creases of her dress. She sat down softly, her slender legs exposed as she spoke in a gentle, slow manner, “The Deity’s arrival is so sudden. To what do we owe the honor?”

“I have already destroyed her cultivation,” Chu Qingqiu said, ignoring her question entirely. “Immortals cultivate spells to punish evil and eliminate demons, protecting all living things, rather than leveraging their immortal status to bring harm to others. An immortal who is useless is better off not cultivating at all.”

The expression on Li Handan’s face stiffened for a moment before being masked by a smile once more. “The Deity is correct. I shall educate the members of my sect properly. Deity…”

Her words came to an abrupt halt before she could finish. Chu Qingqiu had materialized in front of her at some unknown point, the white bone staff gleaming with a sinister, cold light as it struck toward her throat. Li Handan leaned back sharply and took flight, her flowing sleeves transforming into a multicolored whip that wrapped tightly around the white bone staff.

The white bone staff suddenly unleashed a violent gale, upturning all the furnishings in the room while simultaneously shredding the long whip. Sensing that the situation was dire, Li Handan hastily flew up to stand upon the roof beams. Her long whip restored itself completely, and the white bone staff flew back into Chu Qingqiu’s palm.

“Do not speak only of her. What about you?” Chu Qingqiu said, standing firmly in place.

A brief crack appeared in Li Handan’s beautiful face. After a long pause, her delicate hand brushed over the long whip, and she spoke softly, “Deity, I was wrong. I will never dare to do it again. My actions were truly never meant to harm anyone. It is just that ever since our encounter at Donghuang Ridge, where you spoke up for me on behalf of justice and refused to let those self-proclaimed orthodox people humiliate me for practicing unconventional arts, I have been unable to forget the Deity. I still remember that day when many rogue cultivators with high cultivation found out I was a disciple of the Hehuan Sect, and over ten of them surrounded me to humiliate me. It was you who stood up and protected me behind your back, dismissing those hypocrites with just a few words.” Li Handan cast aside the usual smile on her face. “Since then, I have hoped to see the Deity again. However, despite running to Zixia Peak multiple times, I was always denied an audience. Now that I have finally managed to cross paths with you, I lost all restraint.”

“I spoke up for you because I do not believe immortal spells have high or low statuses of nobility. As long as one does not commit evil deeds, they should not be humiliated,” Chu Qingqiu said, her eyes completely devoid of pity. “I did not think you practiced unconventional arts, yet you now use charms to deal with me. If I had known this would happen, why would I have ever helped you that day!”

Li Handan’s body trembled at her words, and she shook her head repeatedly. “Deity, I并非想真的伤害神尊, I did not truly wish to harm the Deity. I merely wanted the Deity to develop feelings for me. However, yesterday before I could even take action, I was discovered by the Deity, so I did not dare show my face again. Furthermore, if the Deity is unwilling, I will absolutely help you dispel the charm, and I would never…”

“This Deity will never develop feelings for anyone,” Chu Qingqiu interrupted her, the profile of her face stunningly beautiful. “And certainly not for a wretched person like you.”

Li Handan froze in place.

“As the leader of a sect, to think you would actually commit such a disgraceful act!” Chu Qingqiu said in a low voice. Then, extending her arms, several white silk ribbons shot out along with the wind. Li Handan waved her sleeves, causing countless spiritual butterflies to pour out and block the white silk. However, knowing she was in the wrong, she did not strike back.

For a moment, the room felt as though a violent gale had swept through, tearing so forcefully that even the walls were nearly upturned. Amidst the dizzying chaos, the white bone staff suddenly soared through the air and struck her squarely in the chest. Li Handan let out a low groan, her body flying off the roof beams to land staggeringly on the floor, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The violent wind dissipated, leaving not a single intact structure inside the pavilion. Li Handan swayed a couple of times before plopping back onto the couch, clutching her chest as she gasped for breath, her eyes filled with sorrow as she dared not speak further.

“You should rejoice that you failed to harm anyone. Otherwise, I would absolutely disregard the relationship between our six sects and demand your life as forfeit,” Chu Qingqiu said in a low voice, her expression unchanging.

“This matter is not to be mentioned to anyone, and furthermore, do not come near my person ever again.” Once she finished speaking, she strode away, ensuring Li Handan could not see the brief paleness of her complexion.

The white figure vanished into the flower forest, and as the barrier was retracted, the roof collapsed instantly. Amidst the terrified screams, the faint sound of a woman weeping drifted from inside the ruined building, weeping continuously without end.

Ning Fuyi was entirely unaware of these disturbances. When she opened her eyes, she nearly fainted once more from the excruciating pain in her head.

It felt exactly as though several people had been tearing at her brain for an entire night, causing a dizzying sensation to blur her vision. Several scenes from her dream continuously flashed before her eyes. The scenes were highly unfamiliar, making her heart race and her face flush, but she could not see the other person’s face clearly.

She only remembered that the person seemed to be weeping continuously, crying so hard that she herself was covered in tears.

Why was she in her room, and what exactly had happened last night? Ning Fuyi sat up while clutching her head, slowly recalling the events. She only remembered that she had gone to Chu Qingqiu’s place to warn her, and had even helped her destroy the spiritual butterfly carrying the charm along the way.

She had simply not expected the spells of the Hehuan Sect to be so ingenious, actually carving the charm onto the wings of the spiritual butterfly. Aside from touch or scent, merely looking at it would cause one to fall victim, and given her low cultivation, it was impossible to guard against.

It was no wonder Li Handan possessed such confidence to dare employ this method against Chu Qingqiu.

Then did that mean she herself was… Ning Fuyi muttered a curse and looked down at herself. She was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, which were covered in a fair amount of dirt. Several of her fingernails were cracked, and her fingertips bore numerous worn wounds, still carrying remnants of blood scabs.

She pulled open her collar to look inside and let out a sigh of relief. Her garments had not been disturbed, so Chu Qingqiu must have dispelled the charm for her and kept her from acting wildly.

Fortunately. Ning Fuyi lowered her hand, though she wondered if she had made a fool of herself last night. If she had done something inappropriate, Chu Qingqiu would have seen the entire joke.

However, the Emei daggers that should have been within her grasp had now slipped away due to this missed opportunity. Now that the Holy Maiden of Zhaoyao was emerging from her secluded cultivation today, it would be difficult for her to enter the Divine Fall.

Forget it, forget it. As long as she remained on Mount Zhaoyao, there would always be an opportunity. Ning Fuyi let out a heavy sigh. Slowly rising to her feet, she channeled her energy to soothe the pain in her head, then pulled some spiritual medicine from her pouch to apply to her hands, allowing the wounds on her skin to heal smoothly.

After the time it took for half a stick of incense to burn, Ning Fuyi finally felt a bit better. As she stood up to change her clothes, she paced over to the bronze mirror, reaching up in confusion to touch the blood scab on her lip.

How could there be so much blood? Could she have actually vomited blood yesterday?

Just then, a sudden knock sounded at the door. Liu Wenzhu, looking refreshed after a full night’s sleep and wearing her sect uniform, ran inside with a gentle smile. “Yiyi, you actually woke up so early! When I returned last night and saw you asleep, I thought you were thoroughly exhausted from the journey.”

The moment her words fell, she stopped in surprise. “Why are there so many bloodstains on your face? What happened last night?”

She hurriedly stepped forward and waved her sleeve, removing the blood scabs to reveal Ning Fuyi’s originally pale skin.

“It is nothing, it is fine. Perhaps the spiritual energy on Mount Zhaoyao is too heavy, and I am simply not used to it, so I had a bit of a nosebleed,” Ning Fuyi answered with a smile. It was best that such matters remained unknown. Given Chu Qingqiu’s strict temperament that tolerated no flaws, she had likely punished Li Handan already.

Though it looked like Chu Qingqiu had been severely injured yesterday.

Thinking up to this point, she immediately redirected her thoughts. How Chu Qingqiu fared had nothing to do with her, nor was it something she could control. Helping her once yesterday was already fulfilling her duties to the utmost.

“All right then,” Liu Wenzhu said, believing her words as she reached out to help arrange her hair. “Change your clothes quickly, the senior brothers and sisters are all waiting outside.”

“The Zhaoyao Grand Assembly is starting already?” Ning Fuyi asked in surprise.

“It was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but the Holy Maiden of Zhaoyao just sent out invitations, requesting the sect masters and disciples of each sect to head to the Summit of Zhaoyao, stating that they will enjoy an entertaining event together before the assembly begins,” Liu Wenzhu answered, her expression also carrying some confusion. “I do not know what kind of entertaining event it could be.”

Although Ning Fuyi lacked interest, she still left the room with Liu Wenzhu, blending into the ranks of the Yunji Sect to head toward the Summit of Zhaoyao.

This place was the highest point of the entire Mount Zhaoyao, spacious enough to accommodate tens of thousands of disciples. Upon reaching the summit, birds could no longer be seen, and the distant view was entirely shrouded in rolling mist, with occasional sacred mountains revealing their peaks like a painted scroll.

Although only elite disciples had come to Mount Zhaoyao, aside from the six major sects, there were numerous cultivation sects within the martial world. Once they formed a circle, the crowd was vast and numbering beyond count.

A circle of high platforms was erected around the massive Summit of Zhaoyao to accommodate everyone. The seats for the sect masters were at the very front, followed by the seating for the remaining disciples. All the seats were crafted from jade and laden with fruits and tea, showcasing thorough hospitality.

The positions of the six major sects were the highest, while those of the smaller sects were positioned lower, arranged in a staggered formation.

Ning Fuyi and Liu Wenzhu pulled Rong Jin along, finding a spot with a good view to sit down. This high platform was constructed marvelously, allowing one to view the entire scene below simply by sitting.

Mei Chengsi and the three elders had already taken their seats at the front, with people continuously coming and going to exchange pleasantries. Mei Chengsi had just stroked his beard and smiled triumphantly when someone suddenly called out. The crowd that had been surrounding him instantly pivoted in unison, flocking toward the late-arriving Chu Qingqiu.

Ning Fuyi’s gaze lingered on Chu Qingqiu. She was still dressed in white, her hem and cuffs embroidered with flying feathers using silver thread, and the cloud shoulder piece on her shoulders was shaped like a bird, making her look exceptionally powerful.

She nodded politely to the crowd but did not say much. Although her complexion was pale, it remained clear, showing no indication whatsoever that she had suffered a severe injury.

The remaining six sects also took their seats one by one. Ning Fuyi did not see any sign of Li Handan, with only a few disciples sitting isolated in their designated area.

Chu Qingqiu had likely punished her already. Ning Fuyi curled her lips slightly, hoping Chu Qingqiu had struck forcefully enough to compensate for her own anger at failing to obtain the Emei daggers.

Once everyone was seated, presenting a spectacular sight across the massive Summit of Zhaoyao, a sudden vortex emerged on the ground in the distance like swirling water. The figure of a white-bearded old man appeared, and as he opened his mouth slightly, his voice traveled across the vast distance into everyone’s ears.

“We are deeply honored by your presence on Mount Zhaoyao. However, the Holy Maiden is currently indisposed and temporarily unable to emerge from her seclusion to welcome you. She has instructed this old servant to receive everyone, and we hope for your kind understanding. The Holy Maiden worries that everyone might find things tedious, so she has arranged some small competitions before the assembly begins. Participants will be randomly selected from the disciples of each sect, and the victor will receive a bottle of Chasing Cloud Holy Water. This competition will not be counted toward the main assembly, so everyone may rest easy.”

The Chasing Cloud Holy Water was the tears of the Holy Maiden, a sacred medicine for healing that was highly sought after and impossible to buy on the open market. To ordinary disciples, it was an absolute treasure. Thus, the moment these words were spoken, the ordinary disciples with lower cultivation began to chatter with excitement.

The Zhaoyao Grand Assembly had always been an occasion for each sect to elevate their prestige and reputation, especially since it determined the ranking of the six major sects within the martial world. For some smaller sects, if their own disciples managed to distinguish themselves during the assembly, it similarly meant the widespread dissemination of their fame. Therefore, the Zhaoyao Grand Assembly had been highly regarded over the years.

Furthermore, although this current competition was small, thousands of eyes were watching, so they absolutely could not afford to lose face.

While everyone was calculating their chances, the white-bearded old man spoke once more, “Everyone can see the teacups on your tables. If you lift the lid and an auspicious cloud rises, please stand at this spot. Each sect will select one person.”

The moment his words fell, the crisp sound of lids opening echoed all around, accompanied by continuous gasps and screams as clouds rose from the sea of people.

The selected disciples were either excited or terrified, but they all rose from the high platforms and walked down.

“Who is it from the Yunji Sect?” disciples around were asking. However, as the lids were lifted one by one, no one was selected. By the end, even a few elders turned around to look, exchanging bewildered glances.

Rong Jin and Liu Wenzhu had both lifted their lids, but inside were merely clear tea infusions with no sign of auspicious clouds. Ning Fuyi developed a bad premonition, her brows furrowing tightly.

“Yours has not been opened yet,” Feng Ge, who was sitting in front, suddenly spoke, looking at Ning Fuyi with an unpleasant expression.

Ning Fuyi glanced at her, reached out her hand, and flicked the lid open. Instantly, a massive auspicious cloud erupted and soared into the sky, completely exposing her to the crowd.

“Look quickly, it is Ning Fuyi!” someone turned around to stare at Ning Fuyi, their face filled with pity.

“How could it be her? We are finished. The Zhaoyao Grand Assembly has not even started, yet our Yunji Sect is already going to lose face.”

“Yiyi…” Liu Wenzhu quickly grabbed Ning Fuyi’s sleeve. However, Ning Fuyi offered her a comforting smile, rose to her feet, and walked down.

The gazes of countless people seemed focused on her, carrying either irony or worry over the Yunji Sect’s guaranteed loss. Occasional murmurs could be heard, but by the time Ning Fuyi looked over, those people had already lowered their gazes.

Chu Qingqiu did not look at her, staring blankly at the scene below the platform. Ning Fuyi’s gaze swept over her as she straightened her back and walked straight toward the old man in the distance.

Once everyone arrived, there were fifteen disciples present in total. The oldest was from the Tianji Sword Sect, a man with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes dressed in grand attire, holding a rare precious sword in his hand. The participant from the Guijian Sect was a slender youth with a stiff body and a darkened forehead. The representative from the Hehuan Sect was a beautiful woman who was currently touching the spiritual weapon in her hand, her eyes filled with complete disdain.

A young girl with ordinary looks squeezed over behind Ning Fuyi, whispering to strike up a conversation, “Fellow immortal, are you afraid?”

“I am not afraid,” Ning Fuyi replied, shaking her head. What use was fear? Moreover, the main assembly had not even begun, and this was merely an appetizer.

“My heart is pounding wildly. Look at them; they are all exceptional talents, and their cultivation must surely be above the Transformation Realm.”

The moment her words fell, the white-bearded old man suddenly raised his sleeve to summon a rainbow. The arched rainbow instantly transformed into a massive gate, the image within it blurred and indistinct, looking like some sort of wild beast.

“This is the Nightmare, an exotic beast captured by the Holy Maiden at Tongchuan. It can pull everyone into an illusion. If you can break out of the illusion, you win. If you cannot, you fail. However, rest assured, this exotic beast is not a ferocious beast and will not claim your lives,” the white-bearded old man said with a smile, extending his hand in a gesturing motion.

The fifteen disciples looked at one another and walked through the arched gate in sequence, their bodies vanishing from the spot. The arched gate then expanded drastically, becoming large enough for the people sitting at the very back to see the images upon it clearly. At the same time, the display split into fifteen sections, each depicting the face of one of the fifteen entering disciples.

A collective gasp echoed through the crowd, everyone thoroughly amazed.

“I forgot to tell you that this beast, the Nightmare, possesses a peculiar trait. Its illusion does not welcome a single individual, so it will summon the closest and most important person to each of you present to enter alongside you.”

The moment his words fell, figures began to vanish from the high platforms one by one, subsequently appearing with shocked expressions inside the images within the arched gate.

The most important person? Standing in absolute darkness, Ning Fuyi heard the words from outside. It would likely be Liu Wenzhu, she thought, wrapping her arms around herself.

At the same time, Liu Wenzhu on the high platform also prepared herself, gripping the magic weapon in her hand tightly.

“Deity, this year’s Zhaoyao Grand Assembly is indeed different, producing so many gimmicks. This Holy Maiden of Zhaoyao must have traveled the mortal realm for ten years, altering her character completely,” Elder Yuanming said with a smile while holding his teacup. Yet, the moment he raised his eyes, he froze on the spot.

“Deity Chu Ling?” He blinked, drawing the attention of the others simultaneously. Everyone stared at the seat that Chu Qingqiu had suddenly vacated, failing to comprehend what had just transpired.

“Look quickly! Right there!” someone pointed at the arched gate and shouted loudly.

Everyone raised their heads in unison, discovering to their absolute horror that the renowned Deity Chu Ling was currently holding a cup of freshly poured tea, standing within the image with her brows tightly furrowed.

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