The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 44

Chu Qingqiu, who was half-leaning back, choked on something. She covered her lips and coughed until her eyes glistened with unshed water. Jiang Li quickly stepped forward to support her, but Chu Qingqiu raised her hand to wave her away.

“I am sorry. I have always enjoyed playing jokes, so please do not take it to heart, Divine Venerable,” Jiang Li said, reaching out to rub her back. “However, I did not mean anything by it. I simply felt that the Young Sect Master’s attitude toward you is quite different from what the rumors suggest.”

Once her breathing steadied, Chu Qingqiu shook her head, the lamplight flickering within the depths of her eyes.

“She cannot hate me enough,” she said softly.

“I have troubled the Medical Immortal today. Tomorrow,” she began.

Jiang Li had traveled through the cultivation world for so many years and had met all kinds of people. Although she loved probing into secrets, she naturally understood that certain matters should not be questioned too deeply. Thus, she picked up her bundle filled with silver needles from the bed: “Rest well, Divine Venerable. I shall return tomorrow. With daily internal cultivation paired with medicinal baths, I expect you will be fully recovered within a month.”

After saying that, she offered a polite bow and was led back to the guest rooms by an immortal attendant. Chu Qingqiu stared blankly for a moment before looking out the window.

Below the pavilion, it was pitch-black and entirely deserted.

Ning Fuyi had indeed lingered outside the gates for a few paces, wishing to ascertain Chu Qingqiu’s condition. It was only when a silhouette was finally cast upon the window pane inside that she let out a breath of relief and departed from Jingshan Palace.

The moon was bright and stars were scarce. Apart from Jingshan Palace, which disliked keeping lights lit, the other palaces and pavilions all featured scattered dots of lamplight that fell through the tree shadows, looking gentle and serene.

Having slept for several days and nights, Ning Fuyi did not feel the slightest bit drowsy. Instead of rushing back to Zhuguang Pavilion, she turned toward the library pavilion named Du Bu Xia Qu, intending to flip through the collection to see if any ancient texts recorded details about the demon race.

Although she had cultivated as a demon in her past life, the demon race at that time had already fractured into pieces, having long since lost the glory of tens of thousands of years ago when Jun Molan was alive. It was only when she appeared as the God-Defying Fiend that the demon race began to revitalize.

Currently, the demon race was still in a state of decline, and looking ahead into the future, no one across the entire demon abyss would be capable of rivaling her. Therefore, no matter how much she pondered it now, she could not fathom where that particular demon inside the Divine Fall had come from.

The library pavilion was exceptionally quiet. It was a three-story building, and right upon entering, one met a massive bookshelf several yards high. Four rows were arranged from left to right, and the highest sections could not be seen clearly with the naked eye; one had to climb up using a wooden ladder to continue reading.

A row of bronze everlasting lamps was embedded into the walls and bookshelves, illuminating all the scrolls.

Ning Fuyi searched for a long time according to the classifications, occasionally pulling out a few secret volumes of the demon race, but they only discussed matters halfway through and contained nothing she did not already know.

By the time the moon was vanished by layers of clouds, her vision had grown blurred from reading. She had no choice but to set down the bamboo slips in her hand and rub her eyes.

Just then, a sudden noise resounded. Her mind jolted, and she hastily looked toward the source of the sound, where half the corner of a robe was exposed. Having searched for so long without detecting anyone, she realized the other person’s cultivation must be far above her own.

“Who is there?” she asked in a low voice. No one answered, but a fly-whisk rolled out, stopping behind the bookshelf with a rattling sound.

The divine sword materialized before her at the perfect moment. Ning Fuyi raised her hand to grip it, stepping forward slowly. Only then did the person hidden behind the bookshelf gradually reveal himself, dressed in plain cloth garments with a greyish-white beard covering his entire face. He was leaning against the wall with his legs splayed out, sleeping soundly as if oblivious to the world.

Ning Fuyi let out a breath of relief, tossing the divine sword back. She gently picked up the fly-whisk from the ground and set it aside properly.

The Chief Elder suddenly let out a long snore, opening his eyes with a grunt. When those cloudy eyes caught sight of Ning Fuyi, he suddenly bared a row of blackened teeth: “Little Changfeng.”

Ning Fuyi paused, shaking her head as she said, “Elder, I am Ning Fuyi, not Ning Changfeng.”

“Where is Changfeng?” the Chief Elder asked blearily.

“Mother has passed away,” Ning Fuyi answered patiently.

“Oh,” the Chief Elder was truly advanced in years. He stared with open eyes for a good while before waking up completely, raking through his beard a couple of times with his hand as he sat up slowly.

“Why are you sleeping here?” Ning Fuyi could not help but ask. In her past life, the Chief Elder had also spent his time either in a deep slumber or in secluded cultivation, rarely remaining conscious. Consequently, she had not interacted with him much, only knowing that he had lived for a very, very long time. It was only after she turned into a demon that this elder finally passed away.

“Yes, I dreamed of some past events from your mother’s youth. Back then, this old man could be considered half a master to her,” the Chief Elder said with some effort, picking up the fly-whisk to tuck it into his waist. He lifted his drooping eyelids to look at Ning Fuyi, “You do resemble your mother indeed; for a moment, I mistakenly took you for her.”

Ning Fuyi did not speak, merely touching her own face.

She had always felt that many people understood Ning Changfeng far better than she did.

“This disciple ventures to ask you about a certain matter,” Ning Fuyi dropped into a half-squat beside him, speaking directly. “How many years have you lived?”

She had initially thought the question might be offensive, but upon hearing it, the Chief Elder’s cloudy eyes widened instantly, looking more alert than he had in ages.

“When this old man cultivated to the Mahayana stage, your mother was still a babe,” he chuckled merrily. “From the divine realm above to the underworld below, there is nothing this old man has not heard of. If you have a question, just ask.”

That was perfect. Ning Fuyi said in pleasant surprise, “Does the Chief Elder know if there was anyone within the demon race capable of rivaling Divine Venerable Chu Ling after she came into the world?”

“The demon race,” the Chief Elder stroked his beard as he pondered. “Ever since Jun Molan perished, the momentum of the demon race has severely declined, unable to make any waves for ten thousand years.”

“Except for that ancient evil spirit that emerged a thousand years ago,” the Chief Elder added, as if recalling something.

Ning Fuyi’s heartstrings trembled, and she hastily pressed further, “What sort of entity was that evil spirit? Was it not said to have died at the hands of my mother and the Divine Venerable?”

“The evil spirit had no name, but it came from ancient times, possessing a bizarre and boundless power capable of turning the world upside down and slaughtering living beings in an instant. Back then, the five great sects and the four great clans joined forces alongside the Penglai Realm, yet they still failed to eradicate it.”

“At that time, your mother had just broken through to the Mahayana stage, full of youth and high spirits. She planned to seek out that evil spirit to slaughter the demon and save the world, meeting the Divine Venerable along the way, who had appeared from some unknown location. The two of them became acquainted from then on.”

“Back then, the Divine Venerable was not yet the Divine Venerable; her name had not even been heard of in the cultivation world. Your mother was bold as well, feeling that they shared a fateful connection, so she kept pestering her constantly.”

“Your mother was just that sort of person, charging forward into everything with her long spear as if she feared nothing. It is said the Divine Venerable was thoroughly annoyed by her, yet she paid no heed whatsoever. It was also a stroke of luck that she met the Divine Venerable; otherwise, given her cultivation at the time, she would certainly have died.”

“No one knows clearly what transpired that day. They only know that half the heavens were obscured by dense clouds, and after three days, the evil spirit dissolved, restoring peace to all living beings. Everything that followed after that, you already know.”

Saying these few sentences seemed to leave the Chief Elder so exhausted that he nearly gasped for breath. He fished out a medicinal pill from his sleeve and swallowed it, only then recovering his energy before continuing, “Hexen, this evil spirit is a matter from a thousand years ago. It has never appeared again since it dissolved. Why do you suddenly ask about it? Is it because of that matter at Mount Zhaoyao?”

Ning Fuyi was still immersed in the words from just now, nodding her head only upon hearing his question.

“These matters are not for a young girl like you to worry about. The sect masters and elders will handle them. Talented individuals emerge from the immortal realm in generation after generation, so there is no need for concern,” the Chief Elder waved his hand.

“Yes,” Ning Fuyi replied. She wanted to say something more, but looking down, she found the other person had already fallen asleep again, letting out soft snores.

Ning Fuyi shut her mouth. She found a large sheet of rice paper to cover him before exiting the library pavilion.

This trip had not been in vain; at least she had heard the full story of Chu Qingqiu and Ning Changfeng. It appeared that their acquaintance had been forced by her mother. Ning Fuyi walked down the steps slowly.

As for who that man truly was, she would need to pay close attention in the future.

After finishing her thoughts, she summoned her divine sword and flew back to Zhuguang Pavilion.

The subsequent days passed very peacefully, like a gently flowing stream. The tranquility was such that Ning Fuyi would occasionally experience an illusion, feeling as though the events of her past life were blurring and that she truly remained the Ning Fuyi who had never entered the demon path.

She rested alongside the other disciples every day, participating in morning cultivation and heading to the Xuanliang Courtyard to listen to lectures. Although no one knew about the massive surge in her cultivation yet, due to the changes in the attitudes of managing disciples like Feng Ge and Hong Ying toward her, her days at the Yunji Sect became extraordinarily pleasant. While the other disciples still considered her cultivation low, their demeanor had undergone a complete turnaround.

Since sleeping for several days and nights without feeling hunger, Ning Fuyi discovered to her surprise that her body had unknowingly achieved total fasting, making her resemble a true cultivator.

Furthermore, through her continuous practice, the divine sword was now able to obey the commands of her divine consciousness. Although the divine sword would nuzzle against her every time a practice session ended, it represented a long overdue advancement.

Time trickled by. Ning Fuyi had not seen Chu Qingqiu since that day. Finally, on the thirtieth day after Jiang Li’s arrival, news came from Jingshan Palace that Divine Venerable Chu Ling had fully recovered, bringing celebration across the entire sect.

At that moment, Ning Fuyi was practicing swordplay with Liu Wenzhu in the back mountains. There was a large clearing covered in fallen leaves in the back mountains, facing a cliff. Below the cliff, white clouds rolled past, and distant mountain peaks shrouded in mist emerged like strokes of ink.

Liu Wenzhu’s magical weapon was the exact opposite of her gentle and fragile appearance; it was a thousand pound mallet as large as a washbasin. Weighing a full thousand pounds, it currently created a whistling wind within her slender arms.

Meanwhile, Ning Fuyi held the divine sword in her hand, her posture like a gentle breeze passing through tree shadows as she spun and dodged mid-air. Her pale pink immortal energy intertwined with Liu Wenzhu’s flames in a display of unspeakable harmony.

The divine sword collided with the thousand pound mallet, letting out a dull thud. The only remaining tree in the distance snapped in response, its canopy crashing pitifully to the ground. Only then did the two of them halt their hands, floating down lightly.

“Yiyi, your cultivation has advanced significantly these past few days; you can actually fight to a draw with me!” Liu Wenzhu said in delight. She spun the massive mallet once in her palm to store it away, running quickly toward Ning Fuyi.

Ning Fuyi forced a smile, tucking away her divine sword with a reverse grip. Although her cultivation had advanced, the pink hue that manifested every time she cast magic gave her a massive headache.

It seemed that ever since her cultivation surged, no matter how she wielded her immortal energy, it always turned a piercing pink. When others cast magic, it carried an immense aura of power, but when it came to her, it looked incredibly delicate and dainty.

For a demon king who used to swallow thunder and spit lightning with grand magnificence in her past life to have her immortal energy turn into this was like the King of Hell going to perform a seductive dance; it was bizarre no matter how she thought about it.

Ning Fuyi brushed the dust from her clothes crossly, gesturing toward Ping’an, who had been hiding to the side to watch her practice. Ping’an let out a few joyful barks and dashed over, leaping into Ning Fuyi’s embrace.

Ning Fuyi’s waist instantly went soft, and she nearly toppled backward onto the ground. Fortunately, Liu Wenzhu was quick of eye and swift of hand, grabbing her to save her from the fall.

The very first source of worry recently was Ping’an. Ning Fuyi struck Ping’an crossly with her palm. When had Ping’an ever been this fat in her past life? His fluffy body had swollen into a ball, his four legs kicking amidst the white fur; if one did not look closely, his head could barely be found.

“In the future, I must hang a plaque over your head, allowing you to be fed only one meal a day. If you keep eating like this, you will truly die of fatness,” Ning Fuyi said, tossing him back onto the ground to rescue her arms.

Ping’an then began to bounce around her joyfully.

Hearing this, Liu Wenzhu covered her lips and laughed. She was about to say something when she was suddenly interrupted by the voice transmission token at Ning Fuyi’s waist: “Yunshen Hall, come quickly.”

It was Elder Pingyao’s voice, sounding extremely urgent. Ning Fuyi handed Ping’an to Liu Wenzhu to bring back, rushing to Yunshen Hall by herself.

The moment she stepped inside, she felt a chilly wind brush past her back. The hairs on her arms stood on end, giving her goosebumps, and her hand instinctively moved toward her prayer bead.

“Ning Fuyi.” A stern voice called her to a halt. Looking up, she saw a thoroughly exhausted Elder Pingyao gesturing for her to approach.

The grand hall, which should have been as bright as the outside world, was currently very dark. The doors shut tight the moment Ning Fuyi walked inside, forcing her to channel two points of immortal energy into her eyelids before she could see the figures standing within the hall clearly.

The key members of the sect were all present; she caught sight of Chu Qingqiu and Mei Chengsi. Apart from them, a strange figure dressed in white stood in a corner, with disheveled hair that looked like an upside down broom from a distance.

As she drew closer, Ning Fuyi tilted her head away in disgust. She saw that the person’s tongue hung down very low, and his eyes were two bloody holes, with two streaks of blood continuously trickling down from them, making a dripping sound.

“Ning Fuyi, this is a judge from the underworld,” Elder Pingyao introduced curtly, appearing equally reluctant to look upon the judge’s face.

Ning Fuyi nodded toward him symbolically, and the judge’s head turned toward her with a creaking sound, his sticky tongue swaying up and down.

Ning Fuyi closed her eyes.

Just then, Chu Qingqiu’s voice resounded, speaking coldly, “Since the underworld has sent someone to request my assistance, I shall accept it. However, it is enough for me to go alone; there is no need to involve anyone else.”

“The underworld is in chaos, and Emperor Fengdu has stated clearly that this situation can only be resolved by the Divine Venerable. However, the Divine Venerable possesses an absolute yang constitution, and her yang energy is too heavy; if she is recognized by thousands of vicious ghosts, it will ultimately cause trouble,” the judge with the hanging tongue said in a blurred voice. “Only by having an individual of absolute yin constitution follow beside her can the yin energy suffice to blend into the mass of ghost souls.”

After saying that, those two bloody holes turned toward Ning Fuyi once more.

Without another word, Ning Fuyi knew exactly who this individual of absolute yin constitution referred to.

“But the judge stated just moments ago that living persons are forbidden from entering the underworld, and even if an exception is made, only one person is permitted to enter. Is that not a contradiction?” Elder Pingyao demanded sternly.

“No contradiction, no contradiction,” the judge let out a chuckle. His pale finger pointed toward Ning Fuyi, and a layer of mist quickly shrouded her vision.

She hastily tried to wave it away with her fluffy paws, but she instantly lost her balance and sat flat on the ground. Opening her eyes, a pair of massive feet materialized before her.

When she looked up again, a massively magnified Elder Pingyao was standing there with a grim face, looking down at her!

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