Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Chapter 18 – Elder Qingxue

The blood arts were lost techniques, due to so few people succeeding in them, so very few people in the cultivation world knew of the Blood Severing Technique. However, Yin Hanjiang had followed Wenren È for many years and was there when Wenren È obtained the manual for the blood arts. Therefore, he had some understanding.

Forgetting about the agony the Blood Severing Technique caused oneself, or how difficult it was to succeed in, the most important fact was that ten thousand years ago, the only blood cultivator in the world went mad and became a demon, needing the combined forces of the righteous and demonic sects to slay him.

This was not a demon as in the distinction between righteous and demonic cultivators in the cultivation world, but as in an inner demon.

If the heavens were an elder, a cultivator was a junior. Righteous cultivators would go along with the heavens in order to cheat spiritual energy out of it. They used their techniques to connect themselves to the heavens, trying to become one with the cosmos, so that the spiritual energy of the natural world recognized them and allowed itself to be absorbed by them. Righteous cultivators were careful to obey the principles of heaven and to accumulate merit in order to harmonize with the cosmos. In order to fool the heavens, they must first fool themselves. Thus, they walked the path of cheating heaven.

On the other hand, demonic cultivators were like brats who struck their elders and kicked their younger siblings. They directly stole spiritual energy from the cosmos, their methods greedy and quick, known as the path of robbing heaven.

The righteous cultivators had always disapproved of the demonic cultivators, not because of differences in their ideology, but because stealing was much faster than coaxing. While righteous cultivators spent much time and energy to obtain a tiny bit of spiritual energy from the cosmos, the demonic cultivators essentially stole most of the family inheritance.

If a righteous and demonic cultivator cultivated in the same spiritually-rich spot, more than 90% of the spiritual energy would be stolen by the demonic cultivator, leaving just some leftover scraps for the righteous cultivator.

This was the origin of both sides’ conflict. One was deceivers and the other thieves, so there was no moral high ground either could claim. The whole reason righteous sects found trouble with demonic sects was that they couldn’t beat them in stealing.

However, there were upsides to the righteous path’s techniques. Since they harmonized with heaven, their tribulations were relatively easy to pass. The heavens went much easier on them, letting them off after throwing a few lightning bolts their way. As for the demonic path, the more they stole, the harder the tribulations they faced would be. It was said the immortal realm was full of righteous cultivators, while demonic cultivators were very few, likely having all died to heavenly lightning.

However, the type of demon that the blood cultivator had become wasn’t referring to the distinction between schools of cultivation, but the distinction between gods and demons, demons referring to collections of all the negative energy in the cosmos.

When a cultivator underwent their tribulation, they could absorb the qi that came down from the immortal realm, transforming their own essence completely into immortal essence and ascending. But a blood cultivator was unable to transform immortal essence. They could absorb all kinds of energy in the world, spiritual qi, immortal qi, and even the primordial chaos of the divine realm, but it would all be transformed into blood qi within the body.

A blood cultivator had no limits and could cultivate to the power of a Golden Immortal while still in the cultivator realm. But at the same time, they could never ascend to the immortal realm, and could never become an immortal without immortal essence. None of the upper realms would welcome a blood cultivator, and if Wenren È dared to go there, all the gods and Buddhas of heaven would join forces to destroy him.

Aside from the Blood Hell which was the entrance to the demonic realm, there was now no place in the world for Wenren È.

Once he was corrupted, the demonic nature would overtake his humanity, and he would become a monster only capable of transforming everything around him into blood and absorbing it.

He hadn’t had any of the meat back at the restaurant because his body was now composed of blood mist fused with his soul. Alcohol was a liquid and could be absorbed into his blood without any problems, but as for other foods, unless he dissolved it into blood to be absorbed, it would leave his body unchanged as he could no longer digest food. He was unable to store the Seven Killing Halberd inside his body either, since his dantian no longer existed.

Right now, Wenren È’s body was made of solidified blood mist. He wasn’t unable to use light flash anymore, and in fact, a blood cultivator’s light flash was the fastest in the cultivation world. But if he used it, he would expose himself to Yin Hanjiang.

After he carried out the Blood Severing Technique, the only path left to Wenren È was abandoning his humanity and becoming a demon, with ascension becoming a near-impossibility.

“Venerable!” Yin Hanjiang clutched frantically at Wenren È’s robes, choking on his words and unable to speak further.

Wenren È picked Yin Hanjiang up with his now-solidified hand and climbed back to the top of the cliff. He threw an arm around Yin Hanjiang, patting his back, and said quietly, “Don’t grieve for me. This Venerable is still alive, is he not? And now that I’ve increased my power, I’m afraid there might be no one in this world who can take me on.”

Between living now and dying of his injuries back in that cave, Wenren È had chosen to live.

He hadn’t wanted to tell Yin Hanjiang because he was worried Yin Hanjiang would obsess over it, beating himself up for being too weak to save his master.

Wenren È didn’t want to see that kind of self-blame. It was so meaningless.

Yin Hanjiang understood Wenren È well. He clung to Wenren È’s sleeve, making choked noises, but in the end did not cry. Controlling himself, he let go of Wenren È’s robe.

He got down on one knee and said resolutely, “It is indeed as the Venerable said. The ultimate victory is survival. This subordinate has pledged to follow the Venerable for life, so this subordinate can only ask the Venerable to take him along to the Blood Hell.”

“Very good. This is more like the child this Venerable raised.” With a sweep of his sleeve, Wenren È lifted Yin Hanjiang to his feet. “You can follow me, but don’t kneel to me. This Venerable doesn’t want to see you kneel.”

“Understood,” Yin Hanjiang said.

The glimpse of pain on his face had already been hidden away, and the hint of youthful vigor that he had shown over the last few days at the border town had also vanished. Yin Hanjiang was once again the expressionless Left Protector, dedicated to his master with no thoughts of his own.

His pain hadn’t vanished. He only forced it back, putting on his habitual mask to cover up his emotions.

Wenren È saw that Yin Hanjiang had calmed and assumed he had been reassured. If he guided Yin Hanjiang a bit now and again, then even if in the end he died like the book said, Yin Hanjiang hopefully wouldn’t go mad.

Neither of them brought up the blood arts again as they continued to search for the spiritual realm. In the end, aside from running into a horde of poison bats, they didn’t manage to find anything after a month of searching.

The strangest part was that around now was the time Baili Qingmiao had arrived at the Golden Coast Cliffs in the book, yet after waiting several days, they saw no sign of her.

After the end of the Great Sect War, Wenren È hadn’t paid much attention to the events of the plot, and hadn’t been interested in looking into the righteous sects’ affairs. All he knew was that Shu Yanyan had taken Hè Wenzhao’s Nascent Soul and broken the Spirit Severing Array, leaving Hè Wenzhao to fall from the sky. Who knew if he had survived?

What if he had really died? Maybe Baili Qingmiao’s heart was broken and that’s why she hadn’t come to the Golden Coast.

That wouldn’t be acceptable, Wenren È thought.

She could grieve all she wanted, but he needed the Shattered Mountain Meteorite. Yin Hanjiang couldn’t go on not having a bonded weapon forever.

“It seems the opening of this spiritual realm is also tied to Baili Qingmiao,” Wenren È said. “We need to go pay a visit to Shangqing Sect.”

Yin Hanjiang didn’t say anything, only followed him in silence. It seemed like the life that had returned to him over the last few days had all been drained out of him.

He forced himself to think nothing, only trusting and following his Venerable. If he thought, his heart would hurt, and if he let his pain show, the Venerable would be disappointed in his weakness. The Venerable wanted him to become a strong and self-reliant sword cultivator, so he had to banish any feelings of weakness.

“This Venerable will ride with you again,” said Wenren È. “I can’t let others see my light flash at this point.”

Yin Hanjiang flew on his sword for a day and night, until the two arrived at a deserted area near Shangqing Sect. To hide their identities, they tweaked their appearances slightly and entered the small town at the foot of the mountain.

Though ordinary people lived and worked here, since they were close to Shangqing Sect but situated outside its protective barrier, they were vulnerable to threats from the sect’s enemies. Therefore, the sect would send disciples to patrol the town daily.

Shangqing Sect’s protective array was anchored to an immortal artifact, and even Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang had no hope of getting in by normal means. But as a blood cultivator, Wenren È had many more options open to him.

They found the new patrol of disciples that had just arrived, a group of Qi Gathering disciples led by a Core Formation stage girl.

Wenren È said quietly to Yin Hanjiang, “Protector Yin, wait for me here. I’ll get Baili Qingmiao off the mountain.”

Seeing Yin Hanjiang assent, Wenren È transformed into a streak of crimson light and entered the leading girl’s body. If he had his choice, even he wouldn’t have preferred to take a woman’s body, but the outer disciples of Shangqing Sect lived outside its wards and had no opportunity to come into contact with Baili Qingmiao. The only one Wenren È could choose was the Core Formation stage female cultivator.

A blood cultivator’s soul was fused with their blood and could tracelessly enter someone’s body and meld with their bloodstream. The body he was in would act like a shield for him, and even an immortal may not be able to discover him.

The girl paused in her stride and stood for a moment with a hand on her head. Her previously soft and anxious gaze instantly became steely. Her consciousness had already been suppressed by Wenren È, and she seemed like a completely different person.

Wenren È could kill her with less effort than raising a finger, but he wasn’t interested in harming those weaker than him. He only temporarily suppressed her awareness and put her in an unconscious state.

“Liu-shijie, are you feeling unwell?” said one of the disciples following her, rushing forward after seeing her steps falter.

“No.” Wenren È didn’t know this girl’s personality, so the less he said, the better.

He was fully capable of using a soul delving technique to read all the memories of this disciple from her soul, so as to prevent himself from slipping up, but that would lead to the certain death of the victim. Wenren È only wanted to get Baili Qingmiao away from her sect, and had no wish to cause further complications.

A female outer disciple in a grey robe said with concern, “Liu-shijie, are you thinking of Hè-shixiong? There’s no need to worry. The elders are incredible, so surely they’ll come up with a way to save Hè-shixiong.”

“No,” Wenren È said. 

He had no interest in patrolling and continued, “We’re returning.”

After taking a few steps, he paused and turned to that outer disciple. “What shixiong did you just mention?”

“Hè-shixiong,” she replied. “Liu-shijie, you look pale. When we get back, you should go to the administration hall and request some calming drugs, so you don’t make yourself ill from anxiety.”

Hè-shixiong? Was there another person named Hè in Shangqing Sect? Unimportant characters in Abusive Romance hadn’t been given names, but of the named disciples, Hè Wenzhao had been the only one with that surname.

Also, what did this disciple just call him? Liu-shijie?

There indeed had been a named female disciple of Shangqing Sect in the book, Liu Xinye, the very female cultivator who secretly had feelings for Hè Wenzhao and forced herself upon him when he was injured, having her foundation drained in order to replenish his essence. She was also the villain who disguised herself as Baili Qingmiao and got refined into lamp oil by Yin Hanjiang.

Seeing as she once… no, more like someday would become an everburning lamp for him, and now Wenren È was possessing her body, perhaps their fates were connected in some slight way.

This wasn’t a body that suited him very well, but he was only trying to find Baili Qingmiao, and anyone would do for that purpose. Liu Xinye had a high position within the sect and could easily reach Baili Qingmiao. It was just a simple errand—he should be in and back in no time.

From what Wenren È remembered of the book’s descriptions, Liu Xinye was a two-faced person who was warm and considerate in front of Hè Wenzhao, but became quite condescending when with the outer disciples.

That sort of temperament wouldn’t be hard to imitate.

With a cold expression, he raised his voice. “As an outer disciple, is it your place to tell me what to do?”

Liu Xinye was typically very highly respected among the outer disciples. In the face of her anger, the disciples were too scared to say anything more and followed Wenren È back up the mountain.

Wenren È only knew Shangqing Sect from general descriptions in the novel, and had no knowledge of its specific layout. Fortunately, the compound was constructed with careful attention to feng shui, and with a little calculation he could figure out which area was most suited for housing the outer or inner disciples, and which area was most suited for the administration hall.

He quickly led the disciples there and in the day’s patrol records, mimicked Liu Xinye’s handwriting from previous days and wrote “Nothing out of the ordinary” down.

The outer disciples used the hall’s jade slips to record their day’s patrol tasks. They would earn a few contribution points this way, and if they saved them up, they could use them to buy elixirs.

After they left, Wenren È first searched through the record of departures, not finding Baili Qingmiao’s name within it. After determining the location of the inner disciples’ quarters, he was about to go look for her, when he heard a completely plain and ordinary-looking Core Formation disciple call to him, “Liu-shimei, haven’t you been concerned for Hè-shixiong? I’m taking care of him tonight, so you can come see him.”

After saying that, he winked, as if to say, “Look how considerate I am, giving you a chance to get close to Hè Wenzhao”.

Wenren È, who had Abusive Romance memorized cover to cover, was very familiar with these words. The plotline they led to was the one where Liu Xinye took the opportunity while caring for Hè Wenzhao at night to give herself to him and help him recover his Nascent Soul.

“I’m not going,” Wenren È replied bluntly.

It was no concern of Wenren È’s whether Hè Wenzhao lived or died. He was only here to find Baili Qingmiao, and after he got Baili Qingmiao away, Liu Xinye could find her own opportunity to sleep with Hè Wenzhao.

The disciple who had fulfilled the role of a pimp in the story was shocked speechless at Wenren È’s words, as he saw Liu Xinye turn away carelessly with no regard to Hè Wenzhao’s well-being.

“No way, shimei,” he said. “Didn’t you like shixiong?”

Wenren È couldn’t raise suspicions right now and had to turn around and say, annoyed, “When he was at Nascent Soul, of course this— I liked him, but now that he’s useless, why should I waste my time on him?”

The disciple was speechless.

The coldhearted “Liu Xinye” finally got away from the nameless disciple, and headed directly for the inner disciples’ quarters.

Wenren È was puzzled by something. If Hè Wenzhao had been saved by the relief teams and brought back to the sect, and this time around Baili Qingmiao hadn’t used the Flesh Mushroom on Wenren È, shouldn’t she have set out to find it for Hè Wenzhao?

Yet she hadn’t searched for the mushroom for him, and hadn’t gone to the Golden Coast Cliffs to get the meteorite for him. What was she doing in the sect?

Thinking this over, Wenren È hurried towards the compound where the inner disciples lived and cultivated. Sword flight was forbidden within the sect’s grounds, so he had no choice but to walk. After some time, he got to the quarters for Core Formation female disciples, and yet didn’t know which room Baili Qingmiao was in.

He saw a plain and ordinary female disciple pass by, who he could tell at a glance was a bit character in the book whose position was far below Liu Xinye’s, so he grabbed hold of her and asked, “Where’s Baili Qingmiao?”

His tone was harsh, but fortunately Liu Xinye often didn’t treat other disciples very nicely, and her attitude got worse whenever she talked about Baili Qingmiao.

The passerby replied, “Baili-shimei… no, now that she’s Nascent Soul stage she should be shijie. Baili-shijie is in seclusion on Dustless Peak with Elder Qingxue.”

Nascent Soul? Wenren È furrowed his brows. When had Baili Qingmiao reached Nascent Soul? This didn’t match the novel’s events. And who was Elder Qingxue? They had never appeared in the book.

After releasing the disciple, Wenren È found a deserted spot and accessed the extradimensional space within his sleeves to retrieve the Abusive Romance novel, wanting to double-check when Baili Qingmiao had reached Nascent Soul in the story. However, when he opened the first page, he found that the first line of text had changed: “Plot holes have been partially fixed. Please continue your efforts.”

Wenren È hadn’t opened the book in eleven years and never imagined the contents were capable of changing. He hurriedly flipped it open and carefully scanned it, looking for alterations.

Abusive Romance was still from Baili Qingmiao’s perspective, but had changed from the Thousand Mile Ice Plains on, perfectly matching the real events that Wenren È remembered. He read up to the Great Sect War, and saw that Baili Qingmiao had rescued a skeletal person in black robes.

Wenren È: …

After she saved them, the black robed person turned out to be a domineering woman and a wandering immortal, following Baili Qingmiao back to Shangqing Sect. The Shangqing Sect leader was heavily injured and unconscious following his battle with Wenren È, just like in the original story, and several wandering immortals had been killed, so the sect was desperately in need of support. They quickly admitted this wandering immortal overflowing with immortal essence who was clearly at a glance not any sort of demonic cultivator. That wandering immortal took the new name of Elder Qingxue.

After helping Elder Qingxue settle in, Baili Qingmiao went looking for her shixiong and found that Hè Wenzhao had had his Nascent Soul taken by a heartless demonic cultivator. Instantly forgetting the reasons for her previous standoff with him, she threw her arms around him and started sobbing.

Hè Wenzhao slowly opened his eyes and, seeing his beloved, said in a heartbroken tone, “Shimei, when I was hurt, all I thought of was seeing you one more time. But where were you then?”

Baili Qingmiao cried so hard she could hardly breathe. She was about to blame herself when she heard a cold voice beside her say, “She went to find the Flesh Mushroom to save me. Got a problem with that?”

Elder Qingxue’s cold gaze swept over Hè Wenzhao. “The Flesh Mushroom certainly could’ve restored you, but if you put a wandering immortal side by side with a disciple who’s lost his Nascent Soul, everyone knows who ought to be saved. Can you possibly bring greater benefit to the Shangqing Sect? Where do you get the audacity to ask Baili Qingmiao to save you?”

Hè Wenzhao was furious enough he could spit blood. Clutching Baili Qingmiao’s hand, he forced out, “Shimei, I— I never said anything like that.”

“I know,” Baili Qingmiao sobbed. She wanted to hug Hè Wenzhao, but was picked up in one hand by Elder Qingxue.

“At your level, even if you want to save someone, you have to consider whether you actually have the ability to,” said Elder Qingxue. “Hurry up and take me as a master, and after you improve your cultivation, you can worry about saving people.”

“B—but I already have a master,” said Baili Qingmiao awkwardly.

“No matter,” said Elder Qingxue. “I can just take your master as an honorary disciple. I’m not worried about the distinction between being your master or your master’s master.”

Baili Qingmiao: …

Wenren È: …