When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 43

The elderly woman felt a wave of sorrow wash over her as she gazed at the darkening sky. The terror that had tormented her these past few days resurfaced from the depths of her heart.

“That demonic creature must be incredibly powerful,” she lamented. “This old woman doesn’t know what she did to offend anyone, to deserve such misfortune.” Zhu Ning could understand the elderly woman’s feelings. After all, if she had lived an honest life, only to have a ghost suddenly knock on her door one night, who wouldn’t feel wronged?

Lin Xiayan, observing Zhu Ning’s overwhelming empathy, couldn’t decide whether to call her naive or simply overly compassionate.

Seizing the moment while the elderly woman wiped her tears, Lin Xiayan pulled Zhu Ning aside and whispered, “Those who have nothing to hide fear no ghosts. The demonic creatures and ghosts of this world may appear terrifying, but their cruelty is merely a means of retribution, not random malice. You see this elderly woman as pitiful now, but what if there’s more to the story? Who is truly the victim here?”

As the situation unfolded, Lin Xiayan no longer believed the elderly woman or her son were entirely innocent. Abusers often disguise themselves as victims to gain sympathy.

This was what Lin Xiayan had learned during her century-long sojourn in the mortal realm. Now, faced with the same situation, her methods seemed unmistakably demonic.

Zhu Ning sensed the weight behind Lin Xiayan’s words, but having little experience with demons beyond Lin Xiayan herself, she couldn’t fully grasp their deeper meaning. “Regardless,” she replied, “I still believe good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds punished. It’s not that retribution fails to come, but that its time hasn’t yet arrived. Seeking revenge through your own means only adds to your sins.”

Zhu Ning knew her words sounded overly saintly, but she meant them to. She wanted Lin Xiayan to remember them, hoping that even if she couldn’t prevent the Female Protagonist’s descent into darkness, at least Lin Xiayan wouldn’t act rashly out of vengeance and provoke the blackened Female Protagonist’s wrath.

Zhu Ning felt like an overprotective mother, not only struggling to protect herself but also trying to find a way out for this so-called Major Villain.

Lin Xiayan, on the other hand, found Zhu Ning’s words utterly incomprehensible. A sardonic smile curled her lips as she thought, Spending too long in the sect has made her naive and foolishly virtuous.

Zhu Ning brushed past Lin Xiayan and headed toward the main hall, her heart pounding. Just being near the Major Villain had felt intensely oppressive.

The atmosphere in the room grew heavier. The elderly woman’s son, the hunter who had chatted with them earlier, now lay pale on the bed, looking as if he were ready to meet his end.

Food sat untouched on the table. Neither Zhu Ning nor Lin Xiayan had any appetite, each holding their bowls but lost in thought.

The elderly woman kept glancing nervously at the door, afraid something might slip in unnoticed.

“Don’t worry,” Zhu Ning said, pulling two Yellow Talismans from her Yellow cloth bag. “With our cultivation, even if we can’t resolve this tonight, we can absolutely ensure your safety. You and your son will get through this unharmed.” As she held up the talismans, they flashed with golden light, already activating their protective power.

Lin Xiayan finally nodded in agreement. She had initially wondered why Zhu Ning was so anxious. Isn’t she the Sect Leader? she thought. Isn’t this excessive?

But she dared not voice her doubts. After all, her current persona was that of a Minor Demon from the Demon Realm. If she appeared too confident, wouldn’t Zhu Ning become suspicious?

The elderly woman naturally trusted the Sect Leader of Yun Cang Mountain’s cultivation abilities. Tears of gratitude streamed down her face as she looked at Lin Xiayan and Zhu Ning. “Thank you both so much. If it weren’t for you, I truly wouldn’t know how to get through this night with my son.”

Zhu Ning couldn’t bear to see anyone cry in front of her, so she quickly turned her face away, gazing at the clear moon and sparse stars outside. The cold wind howled through the surrounding trees, making the night feel eerie.

Perhaps it was because she knew a fierce battle was coming tonight, but even this seemingly ordinary environment filled Zhu Ning’s heart with fear. What use was her high cultivation level? She was still the same atheist who covered her eyes during horror movies. How was she supposed to face this?

Fortunately, the vengeful spirit from the Haunted House had already given Zhu Ning a taste of what was to come. And after spending the afternoon in the Pit of the Dead, she felt her fear threshold had lowered considerably.

“Tonight, we’ll set up an array around your house. You just need to stay by your son’s bedside. If any evil energy or vengeful spirits approach you, simply take out the Yellow Talisman and stick it to yourself and the head of the bed.” Zhu Ning recalled the knowledge she had crammed about warding off evil and capturing ghosts, remembering how to use the talisman. She relayed all the instructions to the elderly woman in one breath.

The elderly woman clung to Zhu Ning’s words like a lifeline, repeating them in her mind, terrified of missing a single step. She clutched the Yellow Talisman tightly, the paper’s texture against her palm filling her with a sense of security.

The meal was tasteless for everyone. The elderly woman had no appetite for cleaning up and simply left the dishes on the table, rushing to her son’s bedside to keep watch.

The dim candlelight flickered in the breeze, casting eerie shadows that made the room seem haunted. A sense of impending doom settled over everyone.

“Remember what I told you,” Zhu Ning said, leaving with Lin Xiayan for the courtyard. She firmly closed the hall door behind them.

The moon was hidden behind dark clouds, fulfilling the old saying: “On a dark and windy night, murder and arson thrive.” Lin Xiayan scoffed at the dramatic atmosphere. We’re both demons who’ve cultivated for centuries. Why does he have to make such a show of it?

Zhu Ning, however, was fully immersed in the manufactured terror. The Zhōng Yuè in her hand glowed with golden light. The bell, which normally remained silent no matter how hard she shook it, now chimed softly with every gust of wind.

Zhu Ning knew this was a demonic wind, and her opponent tonight was likely not a ghost, but a demon.

As Zhu Ning tried to gauge the demon’s distance by the sound of the Zhōng Yuè bell, a baby’s cry pierced the dark, silent night.

A baby’s cry was already unsettling, especially on a night like this.

Even knowing it was a trick, fear still gripped her.

Unsure if the demon had entered her array, Zhu Ning hesitated to activate it. She told Lin Xiayan to wait in the courtyard, then steeled her courage, grabbed Zhōng Yuè, and stepped outside to see if it was a real baby or something else.

As Zhu Ning pulled open the gate, she saw a small, black figure directly in front of her, about the size of an infant.

Horror movie scenes of ghost babies flashed through Zhu Ning’s mind, and she froze, unable to take another step.

“Don’t worry. Walk forward boldly,” Lin Xiayan’s voice echoed in her mind. “Though I’m just a minor demon, I can easily protect you.” Her words carried an unexpected hint of romance.

Zhu Ning felt an invisible force pushing her forward. She gripped Zhōng Yuè tightly in her hand, and with a command, the gourd expanded, bathing the small area ahead in golden light. The infant’s cries grew even more piercing, as if burned by the light.

In the golden glow, Zhu Ning finally saw the infant’s true form. It was wrapped in a black cloth stained crimson with blood. A gaping wound on its body bled incessantly, explaining its incessant wails.

Horrified, Zhu Ning pulled a stack of Yellow Talismans from her Yellow cloth bag, preparing for defense. In this world, a talisman was far safer than a sharp blade.

“This is a Blood Infant,” Lin Xiayan analyzed objectively, though inwardly she marveled at the Demon Realm’s grand scheme. “Born with deep Resentful Energy, it’s further exploited after death. They’re rare to encounter. Tonight’s opponent is indeed formidable.”

Though Zhu Ning knew the Blood Infant was dangerous, she refused to yield. Zhōng Yuè’s golden light alone could temporarily immobilize it. She refused to believe that with all her cultivation, she couldn’t defeat a mere Blood Infant. Besides, the mastermind behind this couldn’t possibly be the infant itself, could it?

As expected, the Blood Infant resisted for only a moment before vanishing without a trace. The world fell silent once more, but this quiet was unsettling.

“Even the Blood Infant was just a pawn in their plan. Can we really defeat the mastermind behind all this?” Zhu Ning asked bluntly, cutting through the complex situation. Lin Xiayan remained unfazed. “Just trust that I’m from the Demon Realm, and you’re the youngest and most accomplished Sect Leader of Yun Cang Mountain. Let’s just observe how things unfold, shall we?”

Zhu Ning didn’t know how to describe Lin Xiayan’s confidence. It was both reassuring and infuriating.

Before she could retort, another wave of Evil Wind erupted, this time striking from all directions out of the darkness. The Yin energy surged like hidden arrows, catching them off guard.

“Be careful. You already clashed with the Blood Infant. That means you’ve directly confronted him. Who else would he target now but you?”

“Was that even a clash?” Zhu Ning retorted, fixating on the term. She couldn’t understand the logic of these villains. But there was no time to dwell on it now. Her desperate dodging of the Yin energy made her look utterly pathetic.

Zhu Ning immediately activated the Magic Array. As soon as it sprang to life, all the malevolent energy was blocked outside. And there, within the array, stood the big boss she had been trying to find.

But the figure was shrouded in a swirling cloud of dark energy. Its silhouette was surprisingly short, almost as diminutive as the old man she had seen earlier that day in the Pit of the Dead.

“Who are you, really?” Zhu Ning demanded.

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