The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 40

A bolt of heavenly thunder followed immediately, and lightning pierced her heart and lungs. It felt as though steel needles were driven through her entire body, causing Ning Fuyi’s vision to go black as a metallic, sweet taste welled up in her throat.

“Ning Fuyi,” Chu Qingqiu’s voice sounded in her ear, remaining exceedingly faint.

Ning Fuyi held her a bit tighter, continuing until that soft body was nearly buried completely inside her embrace.

“Living and dying together,” the man cackled again, laughing as though he were struggling to catch his breath. “Deity Chu Ling, you truly attract people’s affection. Both the elder and the younger care about you to this extent, which is deeply touching.”

“What nonsense are you spouting!” Chu Qingqiu said in a furious tone. She wanted to push Ning Fuyi away, yet she already possessed absolutely zero strength.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The once infinitely glorious Deity Chu Ling is now nothing more than a defeated opponent beneath my hand. I truly wish to call over those individuals who follow you blindly to let them witness the pitiful state you are in today,” the man lamented, slowly raising his right hand as boundless lightning gathered into the Emei daggers, emitting a blinding light.

He did not take Ning Fuyi seriously at all, so he failed to notice the increasingly dense ruthlessness at the bottom of the young girl’s eyes.

“Shut up,” Ning Fuyi said suddenly, her voice low and bizarre.

“Unable to bear hearing it?” the man sneered, the light of the lightning in his hand growing increasingly intense as he refused to stop his insults. “Deity Chu Ling indeed raised an excellent cub, remaining just as oblivious of her own limitations as you are.”

“I told you to shut up!” Ning Fuyi said through gritted teeth, a boundless rage burning in her heart and lungs. She funneled all her strength entirely into her right hand, then raised the sword in her hand, stabbing toward the man with all her might.

“No, Ning Fuyi!” Ning Fuyi had never heard Chu Qingqiu utter such a heart-wrenching sound before. She could only see the grimacing face of the man opposite her, who laughed disdainfully as the Emei daggers spun into a blur, striking toward her life vein along with the rumble of thunder.

The unremarkable stone sword in her hand clashed violently with the Emei daggers in a split second, and in that flash, she noticed the man’s suddenly tensed expression.

Amidst the dense black smoke, a burst of radiance suddenly erupted from the tip of the sword. Distinct from all the surrounding firelight and lightning, that radiance was warm and gentle, glowing with a faint pink hue as it spread slowly into the surroundings.

Following that, it felt as though an ancient song echoed in her ears, and a boundless pink energy permeated the sword body, sweeping across the entire Divine Fall.

For a moment, the entire Divine Fall shook and the mountains trembled, causing countless broken rocks bearing murals to fall from the sky. Ning Fuyi stared in shock at the hilt in her hand, unable to believe her own eyes.

The dark Divine Fall was illuminated by the light, and the originally dense black smoke had long been dispersed. The young girl in billowing black garments stood amidst this light, her hair flowing freely, making it difficult to distinguish for a moment whether she was an immortal or a demon.

“No, no, no!” The man’s furiously howling cries echoed through the ruined walls, quickly becoming buried beneath the collapsing tall tower. Countless massive rocks fell along with the churning currents of air, appearing intent on burying everything here.

The sword continuously drained Ning Fuyi of her strength, and her vision gradually dimmed. The clamor in her ears seemed to be covered by a barrier, becoming less intense.

At the moment the light before her eyes vanished, Ning Fuyi instinctively held the unconscious body in her embrace tighter, and subsequently fell.

Ning Fuyi was awakened by the sound of dripping water once again. This time, the water drops did not fall beside her ear, but splashed directly onto her face, leaving her face covered in an icy, damp wetness.

She opened her eyes, facing a vast emptiness above her head, her mind completely dizzy.

“Chu Qingqiu?” she called out in a low voice. However, the surroundings were dead silent, and no one responded to her, causing Ning Fuyi’s heart to drop to the bottom instantly. She sat up abruptly, accidentally bumping her arm, and furrowed her brows in pain.

What exactly had happened just now? She originally believed she would die at that man’s hands, yet that sword.

That sword? Ning Fuyi held her breath immediately, reaching out to grope among a pile of scattered rocks. However, before she could find anything, a smooth and icy sword hilt actively landed into her hand.

The sudden contact in the darkness startled her so much that she nearly threw the sword away, but she quickly calmed down, slowly gripping the sword and raising it before her eyes.

The sword body suddenly emitted a smooth, ambient light, illuminating a small area around her.

Ning Fuyi stared intently at the originally gray and unremarkable sword in her hand, discovering in shock that while it emitted a glow, the entire sword seemed to cast off its skin and transform its bones, revealing a core that resembled glacial ice.

Where had she picked up this sword? It appeared she had merely grabbed it at random. Just now, she had been determined to face death, completely unconcerned with what she held.

Recalling it now, the position where she had been standing seemed to be the divine sword Chu Qingqiu had spoken of.

She could not help but part her lips slightly. This matter was far too shocking for her. As someone who could only cultivate as a demon in her past life, to think she had easily pulled out the divine sword in this lifetime was an absolute fairy tale.

Yet the fact lay right before her eyes. This sword obediently inserted its hilt into her palm, and with a mere thought from Ning Fuyi, it could brighten or dim according to her mind.

However, there were still urgent matters at hand. Ning Fuyi quickly detached herself from her shock, rising to her feet with the aid of the light emitted by the sword body to search for Chu Qingqiu among the ruins of the Divine Fall.

Finding Chu Qingqiu was not difficult, as she only needed to follow the scent of blood. Ning Fuyi discovered her quickly; the other party was half-slumped over a flight of steps, her body curled up and entirely motionless.

“Chu Qingqiu!” Ning Fuyi called out anxiously. She ran to her side in a few steps, pulled her into her arms with one hand, and hurriedly checked her breath.

It was faint, but there was still airflow.

Ning Fuyi’s tightened heart finally relaxed slightly. She waved her hand to summon her immortal energy, pouring it into Chu Qingqiu’s chest to slowly heal her injuries.

Whether it was an illusion or something else, the immortal energy she channeled appeared to bear a faint pink hue. Furthermore, after the battle just now, her power had not only remained undepleted, but had actually become far more abundant.

An unknown amount of time passed before Chu Qingqiu finally opened her eyes. She appeared to startle awake from a nightmare, gasping for breath as she suddenly gripped Ning Fuyi’s sleeve. Ning Fuyi’s arm and mind both trembled simultaneously, severing the flow of immortal energy.

The hand clutching her sleeve was glistening white yet stained with crimson blood, resembling broken mutton-fat jade.

Once she saw Ning Fuyi’s face clearly, her gasping slowly subsided, and her hand loosened, dropping softly onto her own knee.

“Where is that demon?” she asked in a low whisper.

“I do not know where he went,” Ning Fuyi answered softly. “There is no trace of his aura nearby, so he was likely injured and left the Divine Fall. I will take you out.” Looking at Chu Qingqiu in this state, Ning Fuyi added, completely unaware that her own voice had become gentle.

“Go out?” Chu Qingqiu said, raising her chin with great effort. Ning Fuyi looked in the direction she was gazing, her eyelashes parting slightly.

The divine sword exerted itself even more to emit light, revealing that the originally intact Divine Fall had already vanished. The surroundings now held only a deathly black emptiness, leaving only the floor of the divine temple where they rested.

“He escaped, and the Divine Fall has been destroyed,” Chu Qingqiu said, her voice sounding indescribably ethereal. “We cannot get out.”

Cannot get out? Ning Fuyi stared silently at the surrounding emptiness for a long time without speaking. Then, disregarding Chu Qingqiu’s objections, she forcefully lifted her in a bridal carry and walked toward the ruins.

“Let me go.”

“I do not believe it,” Ning Fuyi interrupted her words, the young girl’s obsidian-like eyes reflecting the light of the divine sword. “As long as we are still alive, we will definitely be able to get out.”

Chu Qingqiu lacked the strength to break free, merely turning her head away to avoid looking at Ning Fuyi’s face, speaking coldly. “I wanted you to leave, so why did you charge in? Do you not dislike me? The way you look at me normally is filled with resentment, so why are you saving me now?”

She had actually noticed it? Ning Fuyi froze, then blurted out, “Then why did you save me?”

Chu Qingqiu’s words were instantly blocked in her mouth.

They remained silent for a while, before Ning Fuyi asked again, “Do you know who that demon is, why he wanted to kill me, and why he acted as though he were familiar with you?” She paused, then added, “Furthermore, whenever I look at him, I find him familiar, yet I cannot recall where I have seen him.”

“I also do not know who he is,” Chu Qingqiu said. “But since you find him familiar, you must pay closer attention when facing the people around you in the future.”

Ning Fuyi offered a grunt of assent, but she did not understand how much truth lay within Chu Qingqiu’s words.

Neither of them spoke further, and Chu Qingqiu did not struggle either, allowing herself to be carried in her embrace as they stepped across a chaotic flight of steps toward the depths of the ruins.

The divine sword followed continuously behind the two of them, dutifully serving as an oil lamp. Chu Qingqiu glanced at the divine sword, and although she was surprised, she said nothing.

Chu Qingqiu was quite tall after all, and as they walked, she began to slide downward. Ning Fuyi used her knee to nudge Chu Qingqiu upward to secure a firmer hold.

Chu Qingqiu closed her eyes abruptly, a flush of crimson rising upon her cheeks in the darkness.

Walking up the steps of the divine temple, there was a section of a collapsed arched gate. Ning Fuyi bent down to pass through, faced with another expanse of ruins, but amidst those ruins appeared to be two human figures, causing her footsteps to halt instantly.

Before she could speak, the divine sword flew forward, illuminating the human figures.

Those turned out to be two skeletons, already reduced to bare bones, appearing to have been buried in this Divine Fall for ten thousand years. However, the garments on their bodies remained completely intact. One wore splendid robes and a beautiful sash, with some jewelry scattered among the bones, showcasing the elegance of her lifetime.

The other wore black armor, and the two sat facing each other in a bizarre posture.

“Could it be that these are the masters of the Divine Fall?” Ning Fuyi said in astonishment. She stepped forward, bending down to set Chu Qingqiu down.

The world only knew that the Divine Fall was the place where ancient gods perished, yet no one knew why they had fallen. Ning Fuyi stepped forward, reaching out her hand to touch their smooth craniums.

“Ning Fuyi!” Chu Qingqiu hurried to reprimand her. “You must not be disrespectful!”

Ning Fuyi thought to herself that the people were already dead, and even they themselves were about to die, so what did respect matter? Nevertheless, she lowered her hand.

“This one wearing armor belongs to the Demon Race,” she said, pointing to the skeleton on the right side. “The other is the master of this Divine Fall. They likely killed each other and perished together.”

“How do you know they killed each other?” Chu Qingqiu hummed softly.

“Why else?” Ning Fuyi’s beautiful eyes revealed a sneer. “Gods and demons have always been this way. You, the grand Deity Chu Ling, would naturally exterminate any demon you encounter completely.”

“Self-righteous,” Chu Qingqiu said in a cold voice, her tone extremely low, so Ning Fuyi failed to hear it clearly.

Finding no further clues, Ning Fuyi explored ahead on her own for a stretch, only to discover that the area behind was entirely empty space, with no path remaining.

Could it truly be as Chu Qingqiu stated, that the two of them could never leave?

Her heart felt a bit heavy, but perhaps because she had just saved her own life, her emotions unexpectedly did not fluctuate too drastically. Thus, she retraced her steps, preparing to call out to Chu Qingqiu, only to discover that the woman had already slumped onto the ground once more.

Her heart tightened instantly, and her body transformed into a streak of light to land beside Chu Qingqiu, pulling her up. However, the body in her embrace was as soft as well-kneaded dough, completely unable to sit straight no matter how she supported it.

“Deity! Chu Qingqiu!” She called her name repeatedly. Chu Qingqiu’s face was completely devoid of color, her messy hair hanging loosely over her shoulders, and her exposed skin was already as cold as ice, appearing to have lost her breath entirely.

Once upon a time, she wished for her death, but now those thoughts appeared to have vanished completely. Seeing her in this state made her feel as though she were about to lose something precious, leaving her so anxious that she had no idea what to do.

She hurriedly funneled her immortal energy, yet it yielded no results after a long time. In her panic, she recalled that death meant the depletion of both breath and blood, so she supported her neck, brought their lips together, and lowered her head to pass air into her.

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