Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Chapter 45 – This disciple is unwilling

Having figured out his problem, Wenren È took out Abusive Romance, wanting to see how Baili Qingmiao was doing at Shangqing Sect. The Shangqing Sect would have to do something about the matter of Qiu Congxue’s true identity. Wenren È had read this book in front of Yin Hanjiang many times by now, with no intention to hide it, and Yin Hanjiang never tried to look at its contents either. He only stared attentively at Wenren È, watching him read.

The comments were full of heated discussion about the developments at the Violet Spirit Pavilion.

[Wait a minute wait a minute, what just happened? The male lead’s wife, the big female villain, is now a man and wants to marry the MC? Author, what are you thinking?]

[Who knows, but this story’s hits have been shooting straight up, and it’s already in the top rankings.]

[Let’s discuss whether or not the Violet Spirit Master is still the same person. What if he hurt the MC in the original story because he loved her, and wanted her to see what a scumbag Hè Wenzhao is?]

[I don’t think he’s the original Pavilion Master. Maybe something happened, the original Pavilion Master died, and this guy replaced her. He treats her with love and care, leading to all the badass love interests fighting over her. I’m excited just thinking about it.]

[Wake up, previous poster. The true badass Wenren È didn’t approve. He infiltrated the Pavilion, slapped the Pavilion Master down, and wrecked half of True Yin Mountain. My god the Demon Lord is so cool!]

[This book feels like a roller coaster right now. One minute I’m touched by the Pavilion Master wanting to marry the MC, the next page Wenren È is carrying his body like a dead dog. You can’t get attached to characters here. If you feel something for them, the next moment they’ll betray your expectations.]

[Exactly! I’ve been betrayed by my Immortal Qingxue! She, she, she’s actually the Demonic Left Protector Qiu Congxue, instantly turning on Baili Qingmiao’s shixiong, even more vicious than Sister Shu! At least my Sister Shu snatches Nascent Souls. Qiu Congxue took his actual soul! Do both the Xuanyuan Sect Protectors practice the Nine Yin Bone Claw technique[1]? Are their signature moves backstabbing?]

[My XueMiao ship is gone, it’s melted, it’s evaporated. Seeing how sad MC is at her betrayal, it’s like she was just broken. My sweet innocent flower needs a hug.]

[I have a question. How come in the original story when the MC kept being abused I just wanted to beat up both the scumbag and the dumb bitch, but now when Qiu Congxue betrays Baili Qingmiao, I just want to hug her? I don’t even hate Sister Qingxue, facepalm…]

[Because the situation is different, it’s the fault of society, not the MC or Qingxue. And it seems like Qingxue never actually tried to hide her true identity, we were just all blind and selectively ignored her questionable points. I guess… she was too straightforward?]

[Wenren È dragged the Pavilion Master away, but left Zhongli Qian, so what was his purpose? Daddy doesn’t approve of him marrying his daughter, he’s only happy with his own choice Zhongli Qian, so he came to beat him off her?]

[The previous poster’s reasoning is kind of strange, but it’s still a valid explanation.]

[Little Baili managed to pull herself together, she charged into the flames and saved a dozen Pavilion disciples, and even retrieved another Lockheart Herb. Sob, I was wrong, I don’t hate saintly white lotuses[2], as long as they truly are good and selfless.]

[I like saints, but I’m scared Baili Qingmiao will get mistreated once she gets back to her sect. I’ll keep reading though!]

[She shouldn’t be. She got the Lockheart Herb for the Shangqing Sect, so they couldn’t possibly do anything too bad to her.]

Just as the readers guessed, the Shangqing Sect was currently hotly disputing how they should handle Baili Qingmiao and her master.

After they returned to the sect with the Lockheart Herb, Hè Wenzhao left to find the renowned healer immortal Yao Jiaping. He was the one who had written the Sect Master’s prescription. Hè Wenzhao had met him while searching for a doctor and, after fighting a round, became good friends with him.

Baili Qingmiao was temporarily being held in the administration hall, waiting for the Sect Master to wake so he could decide how to deal with her.

As for the Violet Spirit Pavilion disciples, Shangqing Sect offered them a residence in an outer courtyard, allowing them some time to accept the destruction of their sect before they decided what to do next. If they were willing to join Shangqing Sect, they would be welcomed, since Shangqing Sect was still recovering from the Great Sect War, though they needed to hand over the secret techniques of the Violet Spirit Pavilion first.

In the original book, after the Violet Spirit Master married Hè Wenzhao, the two sects merged and exchanged techniques, so this wasn’t a big change.

Hè Wenzhao came back with Yao Jiaping after just one day. Yao Jiaping was very thin and wore blue robes. As he was a wandering immortal, he had a youthful appearance and was quite handsome. Put alongside the male lead and love interests in Abusive Romance, he fell short a bit, but could still be considered within the upper ranks.

He refined an elixir very quickly and, after he gave it to the Sect Master, the Sect Master soon woke. Baili Qingmiao had done the Shangqing Sect a great service, so their hands were now even more tied in punishing her.

After the Sect Master woke up and heard about all that had happened in these past thirty years, he sighed weakly and said, “The Great Sect War was a major event. I can’t make this decision alone. How about the Administration Hall Elder calls in all sect members at Deity Transformation or above to discuss this matter?”

Thus, everyone assembled in the main meeting room of the administration hall. Baili Qingmiao and her disciple Su Huai sat in the middle, with over twenty Deity Transformation cultivators seated around them. Since Zhongli Qian’s position was special, the Shangqing Sect let him sit in on the proceedings as a guest, and he could also make proposals, though whether or not they would be accepted would be decided by Shangqing Sect.

Baili Qingmiao was pale with everyone’s gaze on her, but she still patted Su Huai’s hand comfortingly. Her gaze was firm, and she had already made mental preparations.

Elder Qingrong cared about her disciple despite everything and spoke first. “Baili Qingmiao had been unaware that Qiu Congxue was a member of a demonic sect. She was part of the relief team at the time, and there’s no crime in saving a person. Also, it wasn’t Baili Qingmiao’s decision to allow Qiu Congxue to join the Shangqing Sect; it was by the unanimous agreement of all the elders. Qingmiao also risked her life to pluck the Lockheart Herb from within the sea of flames. I swear upon my soul that Qingmiao has never betrayed Shangqing Sect. She’s a good, obedient disciple.”

Hearing her master’s words, Baili Qingmiao blushed faintly, and a slight smile appeared on her face.

“But my soul is in Qiu Congxue’s hands,” Liu Xinye said gloomily. “Baili Qingmiao gave the Seven-Colored Lotus Heart to Qiu Congxue, letting her manipulate me with it.”

There were two main parties in this debate. One was Elder Qingrong, who cared about her disciple and believed she was innocent. The other was Liu Xinye, who thought that Qiu Congxue had been plotting in the shadows. Baili Qingmiao had traveled with Qiu Congxue for thirty years, so she might’ve already entered the demonic sect, and was returning to Shangqing Sect to continue being an undercover agent. She might’ve saved the Sect Master for show. Maybe that Lockheart Herb she had gotten wasn’t a newly mature one at all, but the previous one that Wenren È had taken from the Pavilion Master and given to Baili Qingmiao.

This entire time, Zhongli Qian didn’t speak, acting like Baili Qingmiao’s fate didn’t matter to him.

Hè Wenzhao also stayed silent. After all, the one accusing Baili Qingmiao was his wife. He gazed at Baili Qingmiao’s pale face, but his shimei never looked at him once.

Finally, he couldn’t bear it anymore. Ignoring Liu Xinye’s pleading gaze, he came forward and stood by Baili Qingmiao’s side. “Master, martial uncles, fellow cultivators. Wenzhao remembers all you have said, so I hope everyone will be willing to listen to a few of my words.”

Hè Wenzhao had gained a solid position at Shangqing Sect over these past thirty years. Though he was a junior, his cultivation was higher than many of his elders, so his words held much weight. With everyone’s gaze on him, he said, “There is no doubt that Baili-shimei obtained the Lockheart Herb. This proves her loyalty to the sect. What everyone’s debating is whether during her thirty years of travel, she came under Qiu Congxue’s control. This is also easy to answer. To repay her life debt to Baili-shimei, Qiu Congxue gave her a token. All we need to do is have Baili-shimei call over Qiu Congxue, while we set up a trap to kill her. That way, we can break Liu Xinye’s spirit vow, as well as strike a blow against a Demonic Sect Protector!”

His idea could save Baili Qingmiao and also free Liu Xinye from danger, so for him and Shangqing Sect, it could be considered killing two birds with one stone. The sect elders discussed amongst each other and found nothing wrong with it, while Liu Xinye also had no reason to object.

“Baili Qingmiao, are you willing?” said the Administration Hall Elder, Qingyue.

Baili Qingmiao, under everyone’s gaze, stood up. She got to her knees, placed both hands against the ground, and bowed her head deeply. “This disciple is unwilling.”

“Why?” Elder Qingrong and Hè Wenzhao cried at the same time.

When she found out that Qiu Congxue was a demonic cultivator, she was clearly heartbroken to be tricked!

Baili Qingmiao had hit her head too hard against the floor, and when she looked up, there was a red spot on her forehead. She shook her head. “After coming to Shangqing Sect, Master Qingxue never did anything to harm the sect. The Shangqing Sect had sustained heavy losses in the Great Sect War and its position as the leader of the righteous sects was shaky. When word spread that a wandering immortal had joined as a guest elder, the other sects stopped challenging our position, allowing us thirty years of recovery.

“During our thirty years of travel, Master Qingxue exposed the Nanguo clan using evil arts to raise their heirs, the disciples of Biluo Valley capturing innocent ghosts to refine near-immortal artifacts, a Buddhist sect kidnapping women to cultivate the way of the Buddha of Joy, and various other matters. I have followed Master Qingxue for those thirty years and witnessed each and every thing with my own eyes, remembering them in my heart.”

“She may be a demonic cultivator, but she has never deceived me. She has never said she was of the righteous path. It was I who stubbornly tried to save everyone. It’s true that the righteous and demonic paths cannot coexist peacefully, and if conflict starts again and we find ourselves on opposite sides of the battlefield, I will show no hesitance.

“But when it comes to using Master Qingxue’s debt of gratitude, using her trust towards me to harm her, Baili Qingmiao is unwilling!”

She looked directly at the elders seated above her, her gaze unwavering. “I have not committed a crime by being friends with a person. Causing my shixiong to get injured at Master Qingxue’s hands and allowing the demonic sect to have control over Liu-shijie’s spirit vow were crimes, and I am willing to accept any and all punishment for them.”

Her back was straight, and it seemed her tiny shoulders could hold up the weight of the world.

Zhongli Qian clapped softly. Addressing the crowd, he said, “Miss Baili has my deepest admiration. I will not plead for mercy for her, and will not stand in the way of her decision.”

He spoke no more, and it seemed Baili Qingmiao’s life was of no matter to him. But everyone knew Baili Qingmiao was connected to the Crane-Haired Wanderer with a heart-linking parasite. There was no way he would let Baili Qingmiao die if things really came down to it.

“Shimei!” Hè Wenzhao fell to his knees and grabbed Baili Qingmiao by her shoulders. “Why are you being so foolish?”

“Don’t touch my master!” Su Huai brought out a thin iron rod. The moment Hè Wenzhao saw it, he felt an ache in some part of his body, and quickly let go of Baili Qingmiao.

Liu Xinye was furious to see Hè Wenzhao touch Baili Qingmiao right in front of her. With a dark look on her face, she shrieked, “Baili Qingmiao has been brainwashed by the demonic sect! This disciple hopes the elders will decide in her favor!”

Shangqing Sect was in a difficult position. With Zhongli Qian there, they couldn’t easily punish Baili Qingmiao. After some discussion, Qingyue said, “Baili Qingmiao, we have decided to confine you and Su Huai to the Cliff of Self-Reflection in the back mountains, and give you some time to think. We hope you will come to the right decision soon. If you insist on being foolish, then we’ll have to take action.”

“I understand,” Baili Qingmiao said. Her expression was calm as she accepted her punishment.

She and Su Huai were confined to the forbidden ground in the back mountains, placed under house arrest like in the original story.

Originally, it was because the Violet Spirit Master, wanting to marry Hè Wenzhao, had said that Baili Qingmiao was surrounded by disasters and had to be locked up, or she would endanger the entire sect. The Shangqing Sect hadn’t believed her, assuming she was just jealous of Baili Qingmiao’s relationship with Hè Wenzhao. But when they brought in a fortune teller, they found that Baili Qingmiao’s fate was an expanse of crimson, and not even celestial signs of disaster were as ominous as the signs on her. She must’ve been the reincarnation of some demonic god.

The readers all thought that this was a trick by the Violet Spirit Master, but Wenren È knew the fortune teller was right. Baili Qingmiao was disaster incarnate, and her fate indeed looked like that.

Baili Qingmiao hadn’t believed that her fate was such and had rebelled against her sect’s orders, so her scapula had been locked. She was as pitiful as could be.

But now, she was different. Baili Qingmiao was resolute in her decision, and had Zhongli Qian protecting her. Despite being under house arrest, her heart was calm and steady.

That very night, Hè Wenzhao came to beg her to reconsider. She had said, “Shixiong, don’t ask me to betray my principles, and don’t act so close with another woman when you are already married. Don’t destroy the image I have of you in my heart.”

Hè Wenzhao could only return defeated. He didn’t spend that night with Liu Xinye. Gritting his teeth, he said to his master, “Wenren È and Qiu Congxue must’ve used some evil technique to control shimei. What can I do to save her?”

“Let’s see…” said the Blood Demon Elder with a dark chuckle. “I have an idea. But you’ll have to give your body to me temporarily.”

After a moment of hesitation, Hè Wenzhao agreed. Neither book had progressed past this point. Both books were written from their protagonists’ point of view, so God of Annihilation would be deliberately leaving out what the Blood Demon Elder was doing right now, in order to raise suspense.

After finishing reading the revisions, Wenren È faintly got a bad feeling. He had three books in his possession and could check on the progression of the plot at any time, but now that Hè Wenzhao was taking action against him, the book was leaving it out.

Wenren È was aware that the book couldn’t show everything. What could be included in it was only the tip of an iceberg, but now that it was precisely leaving out action taken against the Xuanyuan Sect, Wenren È was wary.

Could it be…?

He still hadn’t discovered the whereabouts of the second volume. Was the second volume different from the other two books? Or was this recipient much smarter than the others, and had figured out how to conceal his actions?

Wenren È flipped through all the revised portions. One person’s name hadn’t shown up at all.

That person was Cen Zhengqi.