Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Chapter 27 – Sleeping through the literature conference

Azure Sky Mountain, outside Five Willow Manor

Just like in old days, the Lord of Demons was accompanied by his two Protectors. His Left Protector stood at the side of his missing arm, while the Right Protector held a pipa, a silk veil over her face. She wore a thin blue robe which accentuated her figure, and was playing the pipa for Wenren È. Inadvertently, she let the scar on her right arm show. It stood out starkly against her fair skin and must’ve been caused by some terrible injury, garnering the pity of anyone who saw it.

They were at a library just outside Five Willow Manor, which was a favored place for mortal scholars to gather and read poetry or discuss literature. It was also a place where the Zhongli cultivation clan recruited disciples.

The greatest difference between a cultivation clan and a sect was that a sect was situated apart from the mortal world, while a cultivation clan participated in it. The Zhongli were a clan of learned scholars, and the main family were cultivators who lived within the Five Willow Manor. The branch family would enter the court through the imperial exams, dedicating their lives to serving the emperor.

This was the path of a cultivation clan. Just like how Wenren È had sought the Dao on the battlefield, the Zhongli clan took the path of sages, writing poetry or books to gain the acclaim of mortal academics, and using that to advance in cultivation. In ancient times, the one known as the Poet Sage, the Azure Lotus Immortal, of “Killing one man in ten steps, unstoppable in a thousand li”[1] fame, had also walked this path.

Therefore, each of the four major cultivation clans would accept disciples from the general public, and each generation the clan head and successor would build up their own reputation. Their admirers and fame served as the foundations of their cultivation. The more people read books in the mortal world, the further their works would spread, and the greater the power of the Zhongli clan would be.

They were split into the same ranks as the righteous and demonic cultivators, but their strength could be drastically different. Those disciples of cultivator clans with many fans could become more powerful the more highly they were thought of in the world, but if they didn’t have fans, they might not even be able to defeat a Body Unity stage at Mahayana.

The cultivation clans had originally been little-known, but the Great Sect War, while causing the cultivation world heavy losses, ushered in a prosperous age for the mortal realm. More and more people had the chance to read books, and even the lower class could learn a few words, recite a few lines of poetry, and remember the names of some sages. Thus, the cultivation clans had now grown in influence. After the fifty years of prosperity won by the war, Zhongli Qian had the clout to steal Baili Qingmiao away from Shangqing Sect.

This time around, because of Wenren È’s personal interference in the Great Sect War, even more spiritual energy had been returned to the mortal realm, and the Zhongli family had grown influential and powerful in just twelve years. The library at Five Willow Manor was bustling, and the fact that Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang were able to get a window seat was only thanks to Shu Yanyan forking over money.

They had come because this was the day several young masters from the Zhongli family would discuss literature here. Scholars came from far and wide to attend, and no one could get in without an invitation.

It was easy enough for them to bluff their way in with an illusion, but the seating was more trouble. Shu Yanyan had pressed a silver into the doorman’s hand, and let her hand brush against his a little. He was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator and no match for Shu Yanyan’s seduction, so pocketed the silver in a daze and showed them to an out-of-the-way position.

The Zhongli clan young masters had not yet arrived, but the seats were already filled. A few people, seeing how Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang were dressed like martial artists and not even wearing scholarly robes, yet had gotten such good seats, came over to pick a fight.

They obviously weren’t going to throw fists, but challenge them to recite poetry.

Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang could beat people in a fight perfectly fine, but they both frowned simultaneously when poetry was brought up. All the reciting sounded like the buzzing of flies beside their ears, and they thought that Shu Yanyan’s twelve heavenly demons would be easier to deal with.

Fortunately, Shu Yanyan was more cultured than they and, strumming her pipa, sang a few poems, the music and verse matching perfectly. She shamed the scholars into silence, and they bowed and bid farewell, leaving the group alone.

Shu Yanyan returned to her seat and gave Wenren È a fawning smile, transmitting, “Venerable, I did well, right?”

Wenren È nodded slightly and raised one finger.

Shu Yanyan’s eyes brightened. “My punishment can be reduced by ten years?” she said excitedly.

Wenren È shook his head.

“One— one year?” Shu Yanyan pressed her lips together.

“One month,” Wenren È said.

“Only one month?” Shu Yanyan cried, feeling frantic. “Venerable, you said if I showed good results, my punishment would be decreased.”

“Capturing Zhongli Qian can be considered results,” Wenren È said. “You haven’t done anything at all yet.”

Shu Yanyan didn’t dare argue anymore with the Venerable and shrank back, tears filling her eyes. She looked so pitiful that the scholars watching nearly got up and started berating Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang’s lack of consideration for the fairer sex.

Fortunately, the Zhongli clan’s arrival spared the gathering from being massacred by the Lord of Demons.

The current generation of the Zhongli family had three distinguished young masters. The highest ranking was Zhongli Qian, looking cultured and refined as he entered slowly, wearing white robes with a bamboo scroll in hand. He took the main seat, his bearing distinguished, each motion calm and at ease.

“In cloud-like dress, he raises a bow and takes aim at Sirius[2],” Shu Yanyan said, her eyes fixed to Zhongli Qian from the moment he had entered.

She transmitted to Wenren È, “Venerable, do you know how much time I once spent studying poetry in order to foster the image of a cultured woman? It was just so I could hook up with young scholars like Zhongli Qian. Ah… he’s amazing!”

Zhongli Qian was the most favored heir to the Zhongli clan. He had recently broken through to Void Boundary stage and naturally could sense Shu Yanyan’s gaze on him. He gave her a slight nod, then moved his gaze away and didn’t look back.

“Venerable!” Shu Yanyan transmitted in excitement. “The one we’re supposed to lure in is him, right? He’s the best! Back then, I used my seduction when he looked at me, but he wasn’t affected at all. Have I actually found a true gentleman?”

“If you can get him, he’s yours,” Wenren È transmitted back.

If Zhongli Qian could be charmed by Shu Yanyan, then there was no point in setting him up with the female lead. Wenren È didn’t want to create another Hè Wenzhao. He might as well wait for that ghost cultivator to grow up—it should only be eight more years or so.

No reason to not let Shu Yanyan test Zhongli Qian to see whether he really was a true gentleman.

The two young masters accompanying Zhongli Qian were Zhongli Heng and Zhongli Kuang. Zhongli Heng wore a plain green robe and looked very dignified as he followed Zhongli Qian. Zhongli Kuang wore brocade and had a willful and frivolous look in his eyes. When Shu Yanyan accidentally met his gaze, he raised his wine dish and made a toast to her in midair.

Shu Yanyan showed no reaction, turning away and ignoring him completely to sip at her tea.

Without waiting for Wenren È to ask, she answered his question on her own. “I’ve seen too many self-important men like Zhongli Kuang, always after women and liquor. Normally I could fool around with him for a bit seeing as his looks are okay, but now that I’ve caught sight of Zhongli Qian, my appetite’s been whetted and I can’t spare a glance for anyone else.”

Zhongli Kuang, upon seeing Shu Yanyan ignore him, bared a malicious smile, excitement in his eyes.

If Zhongli Heng hadn’t quietly grabbed his robes, Zhongli Kuang might’ve charged right up to Shu Yanyan to toast her.

After the three Zhongli young masters sat, the meeting began. Zhongli Heng would first bring up a topic, and everyone would give their own view. Then Zhongli Kuang would interrupt and shoot down a few people’s ideas, which the majority would applaud for. Everyone was cursing each other out with polite language, and as the debates grew heated, Zhongli Qian rapped his bamboo scroll on his desk and said something that Wenren È didn’t understand. The room suddenly went quiet and respectful, all following Zhongli Qian’s lead.

Wenren È’s eyelids were drooping as he listened. Seeing Shu Yanyan pick up a pen and start scribbling down notes, he scrubbed a hand over his face with some difficulty, and suddenly felt someone’s head bump his shoulder. He glanced over to see that Yin Hanjiang had dozed off.

Realizing that he had neglected propriety and invaded the Venerable’s personal space, Yin Hanjiang bit his bottom lip, his ears burning red. “Venerable, this subordinate must’ve fallen under the Zhongli clan’s enchantment,” he transmitted. “I don’t even know when or how I fell for it. This subordinate’s abilities are too low, and has brought shame to the Venerable.”

Wenren È held back a smile and transmitted back, “If you hadn’t hit this Venerable, I probably would’ve also fallen asleep. Ever since I was young, I always started dozing off the minute I heard poetry recitals. Who would’ve thought that even after becoming a cultivator, I’d be powerless to escape this curse.”

“This subordinate is the same,” Yin Hanjiang said awkwardly.

The two were a bit reinvigorated by their private conversation, but they couldn’t resist in the end. As the meeting went on and Zhongli Kuang began asserting his own opinion again, Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang had already stopped paying attention. Though their eyes were open, their heads were tipping toward each other’s again, and they knocked each other awake a second time.

Zhongli Kuang, who had kept glancing over at Shu Yanyan, obviously noticed that the two men accompanying her were nodding off with their eyes open. Furiously, he addressed them, “Do these two sirs have anything to add?”

In this literature meeting, everyone besides the three Zhongli young masters was all referred to as sir. Wenren È never expected someone to use “sir” to refer to him, and since he was half-asleep, it took him a while to realize that Zhongli Kuang was talking to him.

Zhongli Kuang was incensed at this and stood up. “May I inquire as to these two’s names, places of origin, and who they got recommendations from?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang and, seeing that they weren’t dressed like scholars, a hubbub immediately broke out.

Zhongli Kuang’s attitude was unacceptably rude for Yin Hanjiang, and after gaining Wenren È’s approval, he said in a clear voice, “It was not that we came here specifically, but simply caught wind that there would be a literature meeting today. My master and I have been troubled by insomnia for some days, and since we were already dozing off just listening from outside, we were very eager to attend. Indeed, we’ve been able to sleep very soundly, and must thank the honored people here.”

Yin Hanjiang managed to offend everyone in the library all at once, and in particular, Zhongli Kuang’s face darkened further. He gripped a brush in one hand, secretly circulating his spiritual energy, planning to teach the two a lesson.

However, Zhongli Qian stood up. “The purpose of the Zhongli family’s literature conferences is to offer knowledge and aid to all members of society. Even if these two sirs are not interested in literature, Qian is still grateful that this conference could relieve your insomnia.”

His response was so excessively lenient that even Yin Hanjiang couldn’t stay angry. With just a few words, he managed to dissipate the tension in the room, and even if Zhongli Kuang wanted to throw a tantrum, he no longer had an excuse.

Wenren È looked at him appreciatively. Cupping his hands, he said, “Many thanks to Young Master Zhongli. We have indeed gained much from this visit.”

After Zhongli Qian smoothed out the situation, the conference continued, with no one minding when Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang fell asleep again. After all, Young Master Zhongli had said that books could heal the mind, and insomnia was a disorder of the mind. If the two sleeping men’s ailment had been cured, then at least they had gained some results.

“Protector Shu, I’m afraid you won’t be able to get this man,” Wenren È transmitted to Shu Yanyan.

“I didn’t know real gentlemen still existed in this world,” Shu Yanyan said, propping her chin in her hand as she watched Zhongli Qian. “Now that I think about it, even if I can’t get him in my hands, that’ll just further prove his integrity. Just looking at someone like that from afar is good too.”

Everyone in attendance approved of Zhongli Qian. Only Zhongli Kuang, sitting to his left, had a malicious look in his eyes.

Wenren È picked up on his ill intent and was watching him, trying to remember what importance he had to the story, when he felt an odd difference in the space above Zhongli Kuang’s head, in which he saw the faint shape of a book.

He was suddenly reminded of how he had obtained Abusive Romance. He had also felt a spatial disturbance above his head, and when he reached out, his hand had closed around the book.

Seeing that the book was about to fall into Zhongli Kuang’s lap, Wenren È picked up a book on his table and threw it at his head, just managing to knock the other one off course.

“What are you doing?!” Zhongli Kuang couldn’t take it anymore and rose with a slap of his hand against his desk.

“My hand slipped and I accidentally threw over two books,” Wenren È replied casually. He turned to Shu Yanyan. “Can you go pick up those two books?”

Shu Yanyan, who was still under punishment, couldn’t disobey the Venerable’s order. She hurried over to Zhongli Kuang and, seeing that he was stepping on two books, said awkwardly, “Young Master, I beg you to step aside.”

Her eyes were pitiful and sparkling with tears. Zhongli Kuang, with everyone looking at him, couldn’t trouble an innocent girl. Seeing that Zhongli Qian’s eyes were on him, he reluctantly moved his foot, allowing Shu Yanyan to retrieve the books.

After thanking him, Shu Yanyan bent gracefully to pick them up. She saw that one of them was a book of poems she had brought, but the other was a tome as thick as a brick.

Handing them back to Wenren È, she saw out of the corner of her eye the title in bold characters across the cover—God of Annihilation: Volume 1.