When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 49

Zhu Ning nodded slightly. Her hair was done by Lin Xiayan today, and she still wore the white jade hairpin.

“Shall we set out now?” Gu Xi suggested eagerly. “The sooner we go, the sooner we can investigate the situation.”

This impulsive suggestion made Lin Xiayan glance at her, but Gu Xi remained oblivious, her eyes fixed on Zhu Ning, awaiting her response.

“The Pavilion Master of the Hundred Demon Pavilion is unlikely to appear in daylight,” Zhu Ning replied. “We should scout the terrain and assess the situation now. We might even be able to set up an array in advance.” With this agreement, Gu Xi’s face lit up with a smile, and she immediately urged her father to lead the way.

Squire Gu, however, didn’t share her enthusiasm. With a heavy heart, he nodded and strode out of the Gu Residence first.

The same two carriages from the previous day were used again. Considering the ominous nature of the mission and Madam Gu’s inability to protect herself, she was left behind in the residence.

“My lord, I trust you and everyone will return safely,” Madam Gu said simply. Though brief, her words brimmed with boundless love and trust.

Squire Gu stopped before the carriage, disregarding the onlookers. He took Madam Gu’s delicate hand and clasped it tightly. In that moment, their hearts seemed to intertwine.

Zhu Ning stood to the side, staring blankly at the scene, her thoughts drifting. If I were the one venturing into danger, would someone wait for me like this, so worried?

Shaking off these idle thoughts, Zhu Ning reassured them, “While I can’t guarantee I’ll capture the Pavilion Master of the Hundred Demon Pavilion, I will definitely protect you, Squire.”

Madam Gu said, a little embarrassed, “It’s not that we don’t trust you, but my husband knows no Daoist magic and fears he might be a burden. Our daughter is still young, so I also beg the Immortal Venerable to please take care of her.”

Zhu Ning smiled faintly and climbed into the rear carriage, followed closely by Lin Xiayan.

Squire Gu rode with his daughter in another carriage, accompanied only by two coachmen. This was far more low-key than when Gu Xi had returned.

The journey wasn’t long, but it felt unusually heavy and slow. Even the horses seemed to move with deliberate slowness.

Around ten o’clock in the morning, the group arrived before the mysterious abandoned village.

As they stepped out of the carriages, the scene that greeted them was eerie. Deep snow piled high on both sides, and an oppressive silence hung over the place, making their hearts ache.

A solitary tree stood before the abandoned house, with a faded red lantern hanging from its branches.

The candlelight inside the lantern was crimson, as vivid as fresh blood, yet its glow remained dim and oppressive, even in daylight. It was an unsettling sight.

It seemed as though this crimson yet dim lantern was casting a spell of dread over the entire house.

Zhu Ning remarked, “That lantern hanging from the tree is very strange.”

Squire Gu looked around, his face betraying surprise. “A lantern?” he said. “I don’t see any lantern. Could you describe it in more detail, Immortal Venerable?”

Zhu Ning, startled, suddenly sensed something amiss. “It’s hanging from a solitary tree,” she hurriedly explained. “The lantern is crimson, like blood, and its candlelight is dim and eerie.”

Only then did Lin Xiayan react, her expression changing dramatically. “Something’s wrong with that lantern,” she exclaimed. “So this Hundred Demon Pavilion was actually…”

Squire Gu looked utterly bewildered. For once, Lin Xiayan patiently explained, “The paper on the lantern is inscribed with a talisman. When hung on a tree, it causes the yin energy of the house to sink, thereby protecting the demonic ghosts inside.”

Squire Gu nodded. “It was probably set up by a skilled practitioner they encountered on their journey, preventing this vile child-refining technique from spreading elsewhere.”

Zhu Ning stepped forward, examining the lantern hanging from the willow tree. She shook her head, puzzled. “Something’s off. A normal ghost lantern wouldn’t have a dark red candlelight. It should be golden.”

Lin Xiayan also noticed the eerie desolation of the area, sensing something amiss. She nodded in agreement, clutching a talisman in her hand. After careful consideration, she decided to send Squire Gu and Gu Xi away.

Once they were certain the pair had left, the two women activated their Yin-Yang Eyes, slowing their pace as they scanned their surroundings. Through the dense foliage, countless ghosts seemed to lurk in the shadows.

The clear sky illuminated the path, making it unusually bright. They intended to investigate the house, but found themselves inexplicably unable to approach, circling the area repeatedly.

“Xiayan, stop. I think we’ve encountered a ghost wall,” Zhu Ning said, noticing they had passed the same tree for the third time.

Lin Xiayan also sensed something wrong. She paused, scanning their surroundings, her brow furrowed. “We’ve definitely passed this way at least three times. This doesn’t seem like a typical ghost wall. Such illusions are basic tricks. With our cultivation levels, how could we be trapped by something so simple?”

Zhu Ning was equally perplexed. She stamped her foot on the ground—this was real, solid earth. That was what made it so puzzling. A Ghost Wall was supposed to simply trick ordinary people into thinking they weren’t reaching their destination, making them walk endlessly until they unknowingly reached a cliff’s edge.

But this time, there were no traces of such deception. It was as if they were simply walking in place. Both Zhu Ning and Lin Xiayan had opened their Yin-Yang Eyes, which should have protected them from such low-level illusions. Yet the situation they faced was identical to a Ghost Wall.

“Strange occurrences often signal demonic interference,” Lin Xiayan remarked, standing beside her. “Zhu Ning, why don’t you pull out your compass and take a reading?”

Zhu Ning, initially confused, understood the implication behind Lin Xiayan’s words. “This… this must be the work of a nearby demon.”

“A demon?!” Lin Xiayan had never heard this word spoken in the mortal realm before. Could the Demon Realm be involved now? Is this Gu Xi’s doing?

This time, Lin Xiayan had truly misunderstood Gu Xi. The place was called Shepan Mountain, home to countless snakes of all sizes. Legend had it that a century-old serpent demon dwelled here, which was why no one lived here and travelers preferred to take the long way around.

Zhu Ning, having lived in modern times for so long, wasn’t familiar with the legends. She’d only heard vague rumors. But now, thanks to Lin Xiayan’s reminder, she remembered: wasn’t this the treacherous Shepan Mountain from the books, easy to defend but difficult to attack?

After briefly explaining the situation, both women quickly shifted into combat mode, ready for any sudden dangers.

Zhu Ning’s cultivation was still recovering, so Lin Xiayan drew the Serpent Sword and positioned herself protectively in front of her.

The silence was broken only by the occasional cicada’s song, bringing a flicker of life to the late summer gloom.

Zhu Ning frowned, puzzled. She’d divined before leaving and found no sign of evil spirits. Why was this happening? Had the divination arts failed her?

As she pondered, a swift rustling sound came from the forest. Given the mountain’s name, Shepan Mountain, the approaching creature was likely a massive python.

Zhu Ning felt a surge of anxiety. The magical techniques she had learned were meant to combat ghosts and evil spirits, not real creatures like snakes. If it truly was a snake, she had no immediate idea how to deal with it.

Just as Zhu Ning drew her long sword, a massive python burst from the forest, lunging straight toward them. Its long, forked tongue flickered in the air. The scales on its body shimmered, and a black, fleshy crest, about twelve inches long, adorned its head. The serpent’s body stretched for over sixty feet.

Cold sweat beaded on Zhu Ning’s forehead as she tightened her grip on her sword. The python’s charge forced them apart as they scrambled to evade. As if targeting Lin Xiayan, the python first whipped her away with its tail.

Thrown violently to the ground, Lin Xiayan lay dazed and furious.

Seeing Lin Xiayan sent flying, Zhu Ning moved to help her, but the python blocked her path. The serpent opened its gaping maw, its razor-sharp teeth glinting coldly, clearly intent on swallowing her whole.

Though Zhu Ning had some martial arts training, she barely managed to dodge the python’s onslaught. Despite wielding her silver sword, she remained on the defensive.

The giant python changed its tactics. Just as Lin Xiayan was about to get up, the python coiled its body around Zhu Ning, binding her tightly as its sharp teeth slowly approached the struggling woman.

Zhu Ning repeatedly stabbed at the python’s coils with her blade, but the snake’s skin was too tough. Even when she managed to pierce it, it seemed to have little effect.

Could I really die here? Watching the fangs draw nearer, her own helplessness, and Lin Xiayan’s desperate efforts, Zhu Ning felt a wave of pessimism. What good is all my Daoist magic when faced with such overwhelming force?

Just as the situation reached its critical moment, a majestic voice boomed from the heart of the forest: “Cease your arrogance!”

The moment the words faded, the python—as if terrified by some unseen force—immediately released Zhu Ning. It retracted its crimson tongue and slithered timidly into the depths of the woods.

If not for the lingering pain from the python’s earlier attack, Zhu Ning might have thought the whole ordeal had been a hallucination.

Long-distance communication? The only one with such power is likely the legendary century-old serpent demon.

As Zhu Ning pondered this, a woman helped her up. The woman carried a cool, fragrant scent, and her fingers were soft yet icy cold. Zhu Ning looked at her and saw that she was alluringly beautiful, not like an ordinary person. Appearing in this desolate mountain wilderness in the dead of night, she couldn’t possibly be human.

The woman had narrow, elongated eyes and wore a fiery red dress that accentuated her snow-white skin. But remembering the bone-chilling coldness from her fingers, Zhu Ning still felt a lingering fear.

“May we ask for your name, young lady?” Lin Xiayan asked first, her words carrying an overwhelming pressure that made her meaning clear.

The woman understood immediately. “I have no name,” she replied. “I’m merely a century-old serpent demon. My subordinates failed to recognize your worth and offended the two Immortal Venerables. I hope you will forgive us.”

As Zhu Ning had guessed, the serpent demon could only take human form after reaching a century of age. Though her origins remained unclear, she was clearly no ordinary being.

Lin Xiayan recognized her: Hong Ji, the youngest daughter of the Serpent King of the Demon Realm. Legend had it that their father-daughter relationship was strained, which led Hong Ji to come to the mortal realm and settle on a mountain.

Hong Ji had already identified Lin Xiayan’s identity earlier, but out of respect for Lin Xiayan’s warning, she hadn’t exposed her. Instead, she presented a well-reasoned argument that left no room for criticism.

Even if Zhu Ning didn’t know Hong Ji’s true identity, the fact that the daughter of the Serpent King was humbling herself to apologize to two cultivators left a favorable impression. “Miss,” Zhu Ning said, “I detect no trace of human blood on you. You must have cultivated the righteous path. And you’re willing to humble yourself before us? Such noble conduct… I truly feel ashamed to be in your presence.”

Hong Ji remained silent, her eyes flashing coldly as she stared at Zhu Ning. Then, with a hint of regret, she said, “This Immortal Venerable has only six days left to live? What a pity.”

Zhu Ning gasped. “Can you really see how much longer I have to live?!”

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