Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Chapter 48 – Blossoming of the spider lilies

Wenren È wasn’t someone like Zhongli Qian who wouldn’t miss a single detail. When it came to strategy, he knew he couldn’t compare to Zhongli Qian. He couldn’t even match Shu Yanyan’s sense for detail.

But few rulers of the past and present were known for their cleverness. As the Xuanyuan Sect Master, Wenren È didn’t need to consider every detail himself. He just needed to assign the right people to the right places, and be able to trust them.

If all the doubts pointed to Yin Hanjiang, then the situation actually became simple. He only needed to trust Yin Hanjiang to not betray him.

Thus he had called over Yin Hanjiang and asked who he thought, aside from him, might know Wenren È was in possession of two books, as well as who in Xuanyuan Sect could cover up their own identity without any traces.

Yin Hanjiang figured out the first question. He had a good memory, and remembered that though Wenren È was alone with him on the day he obtained the book, there was one person who had kept asking what book the Venerable had obtained, and whether a celebration should be prepared. Yin Hanjiang didn’t easily forget anything involving Wenren È, and even remembered that when Wenren È had been reading, Altar Master Yuan had paced back and forth outside his door several times.

And Altar Master Yuan had only brought up planning a celebration this once. When Wenren È returned after the Great Sect War, having increased his power greatly, Altar Master Yuan didn’t mention celebrating. Neither had he brought it up after their thirty-year seclusion.

After Yin Hanjiang relayed this, Wenren È considered the personalities of everyone in Xuanyuan Sect. Protector Shu was sharp, Protector Qiu was straightforward, Altar Master Miao was secretive, Altar Master Ruan was reckless, Altar Master Shi was cowardly, and Altar Master Yuan was cunning. None of them were lacking in ambition, but the ones who could stay undercover for thirty years without acting after obtaining the book were probably only Protector Shu, Altar Master Miao, Altar Master Shi, and Altar Master Yuan.

Shu Yanyan had died by Cen Zhengqi’s hand in the book. She and Hè Wenzhao were enemies, and the books had all chosen people who appeared to favor the protagonists, so there was no possibility of her having it.

If Altar Master Miao had gotten it, he would’ve wondered why the Violet Spirit Master was a man, and used his gu insects to interrogate him on the location of the third volume. Since he hadn’t, he wasn’t very suspicious.

The remaining suspects were Altar Master Shi and Altar Master Yuan. In order to confirm his conjecture, Wenren È had sent a message to Zhongli Qian, asking him what kind of person would be able to change their name and hide in the Xuanyuan Sect for centuries.

Upon receiving the message, Zhongli Qian was a bit dumbfounded. Why was he, an outsider, being asked to weigh in on Xuanyuan Sect’s internal affairs?

Even so, Zhongli Qian gave the question his proper attention. After listing out multiple possibilities, he arrived at his conclusion—it was most likely to be the person in charge of the register.

Thus, Altar Master Yuan was the biggest suspect. Of course, Wenren È had no evidence, but did you need evidence to act in Xuanyuan Sect? Did Wenren È need to justify his actions before killing one or two subordinates?

However, in order to deal with every threat in one move and obtain the second book smoothly, Wenren È had to wait for a time.

There were only two reasons for the person with the book to lay low for so long. The first was killing Wenren È, and the second was to increase his own power.

Since the second volume took place in the immortal realm, it would probably mention very few opportunities that could be obtained in the cultivation world. The only clue he had was that the Burning Sky Immortal and the Burning Sky Drum shared a name. Since the drum was an immortal artifact, there’s no way it could share a name with the lord of the immortal realm without being connected to him. They would’ve at least shown some respect.

So there were only two places for Cen Zhengqi to go. One was to the Blood Hell, to help Hè Wenzhao kill Wenren È. The other was to the Xuanyuan Sect forbidden ground, to take control of the Burning Sky Drum while no one was around.

At this point, whether or not Cen Zhengqi was Altar Master Yuan was no longer important. They just needed to be stationed at these two places in order to catch him. That was Wenren È’s plan. It was a bit rough and he might’ve overlooked things, but for the most part, it was workable.

It just so happened that he needed to take this chance to enter the Blood Hell. Since Yin Hanjiang might follow him, he had sent him off to guard the Burning Sky Drum. By the time Yin Hanjiang went to find him, whether Wenren È succeeded or failed, it would all be over.

Altar Master Yuan, unaware of their analyses, chuckled and said, “What are you saying, Sect Leader Yin? I was worried about the Venerable, and wanted to use the Burning Sky Drum to help him! Thirty years ago, didn’t Sect Leader Yin sound it in order to help him defeat twenty-one righteous sect experts? Do you think I can’t manage what you did?”

Yin Hanjiang didn’t react, eyes on the book in Altar Master Yuan’s hand. “After all these years, it seems still no one knows Altar Master Yuan’s name.”

Shu Yanyan, Qiu Congxue, Ruan Weiyi, Shi Congxin, Miao Qiuqing, all these names had been on the registers, but where was Altar Master Yuan’s?

Registers in the cultivation world were different from those in the mortal world. They were magic items, upon which one needed to leave a drop of blood while recording their name. That way, if they were to die or meet with a problem in their cultivation, the register would reflect it. Names also couldn’t easily be changed, being bestowed by one’s parents. Even in ancient times, there were traditions of summoning souls by calling their names, showing that a name was connected to a soul. It would be easy to see that a name on a register didn’t match their blood.

“Why are we discussing such things at this time? We have to hurry to the Blood Hell to find the Venerable!” Altar Master Yuan’s face dripped with sweat, but inside, he was calm.

He knew there was no way to maintain his cover anymore. The fact that Yin Hanjiang was hidden here meant that Wenren È suspected him.

Altar Master Yuan didn’t really understand why he had been suspected. Even him guessing that Wenren È had a book with Baili Qingmiao as the protagonist had been a fluke.

Back then, when Wenren È secluded himself with a book, Altar Master Yuan had been suspicious. Wenren È cultivated the Path of Slaughter, and each time he raised his realm, it was on the battlefield. When his subordinates offered him secret manuals, he only gave them a glance, and very rarely studied one in seclusion. At the time, Altar Master Yuan really thought Wenren È had obtained some incredible technique, and had asked Yin Hanjiang several times, to no answer. He had marked it down in his memory, thinking to steal it to read when he had a chance.

Yet thirty years ago, while Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang were out to kidnap Zhongli Qian, a book had hit Altar Master Yuan on the head. It was God of Annihilation: Volume 2. On the first page, Altar Master Yuan was filled with glee upon seeing the previous volume’s summary, saying that Wenren È had been killed by Hè Wenzhao at the Blood Hell.

However, the task he had been assigned at the start of the book was: “Significant deviations have shown up in the events of Volume 1, the probability of Wenren È’s death has fallen, and Baili Qingmiao has grown further and further away from Hè Wenzhao. Thus, the one with the most malice toward Wenren È has been selected in order to change the plot, and help Hè Wenzhao kill Wenren È and win Baili Qingmiao’s heart.”

Reading the second volume, Altar Master Yuan found his real name, Cen Zhengqi, appearing in it. Finding out he was one of Hè Wenzhao’s supporters, he felt dissatisfied. Altar Master Yuan was even willing to kill Wenren È, so how could be willing to be one of Hè Wenzhao’s subordinates? He decided to let Hè Wenzhao and Wenren È fight each other, while he stole the Burning Sky Drum from Yin Hanjiang.

Yet, just after he obtained the book, Wenren È had ordered the sect seclude itself for thirty years. Thirty years later, when Altar Master Yuan had wanted to act, he’d heard that the Violet Spirit Master was a man.

From the Violet Spirit Master, he figured out that the third volume had appeared at roughly the same time as the second. Then the first volume should’ve also shown up at the same time. But that didn’t make sense—Wenren È had clearly gotten a book many years ago, and had already begun changing fate.

After thinking it over carefully, Altar Master Yuan realized that at the start, Wenren È hadn’t harmed Hè Wenzhao at all, instead favoring Baili Qingmiao. He came up with a daring idea. Maybe Wenren È possessed two books, and the second one wasn’t God of Annihilation, but a different one, one where Baili Qingmiao was the protagonist.

Whether or not his guess was correct, he immediately edited his real name in the registers, as well as having the Blood Demon knock out Baili Qingmiao, to prevent his plan being exposed.

He had met the Blood Demon while secretly observing Hè Wenzhao. They had come to an understanding at the time, and made a temporary alliance.

Altar Master Yuan didn’t get it. He had covered all his bases, so how come Wenren È still found him out?

Of course, he had said those words just now not in hopes that Yin Hanjiang would believe him and let him off, but to have Yin Hanjiang think he was still trying to bluff, and therefore let down his guard.

But after a few words, Altar Master Yuan realized it was pointless. Yin Hanjiang was like an emotionless puppet, unmoved by any of his words. His eyes were pinned unerringly on Altar Master Yuan, searching for any weaknesses, waiting for a chance to strike.

Altar Master Yuan sighed. “If Sect Leader Yin doesn’t believe me, then I have no choice but to defend myself.”

He brought out his bonded weapon, the Poison Dragon Whip. In all these years, no one in Xuanyuan Sect had seen it.

To everyone else, Altar Master Yuan had always shown himself to be Void Boundary stage, the weakest among the Protectors and Altar Masters. He had harmed his foundation early in his cultivation and was unable to reach Mahayana. In the book, after meeting Hè Wenzhao and becoming one of his companions, Hè Wenzhao had helped him find an opportunity and ascend to Mahayana.

He had found many clues in the second volume and stolen many opportunities thirty years ago, healing his old injury and rising to Mahayana. Without sufficient power, he wouldn’t have dared to use the Burning Sky Drum anyway.

With a lash of the Poison Dragon Whip, poisonous qi suffused the spiritual energy surrounding them. Ordinary poisons had no effect on cultivators, but Altar Master Yuan’s poison was extremely potent. The longer you were affected, the more you would be weakened. Cultivators had to take in natural spiritual energy in battle, so as they fought, Yin Hanjiang’s strength would be diminished.

Altar Master Yuan’s goal was to drag out the battle. He tossed out talismans, spiritual stones, single-use magical items, and quick arrays one after another, trying to delay Yin Hanjiang and force him to absorb spiritual energy.

Yin Hanjiang was only at Void Boundary, not much stronger than Altar Master Yuan, but he was a sword cultivator. Their attacks were especially fearsome, and they had the strongest combat power in their realms. But his weakness was someone who fought a battle of attrition like Altar Master Yuan. Each of a sword cultivator’s attacks expended a large amount of spiritual energy, so they instinctively absorbed natural spiritual energy in battle. Yin Hanjiang was a reckless fighter to begin with. Even if he knew the spiritual energy was poisoned, it was impossible for him to not absorb it.

He failed to defeat Altar Master Yuan within his first ten moves. Growing anxious, he took even more spiritual energy into his dantian. His movements slowed down slightly.

In a battle between experts, even a moment’s carelessness could be an opening. Altar Master Yuan took his chance and swung the Poison Dragon Whip, its spiked tip lashing across Yin Hanjiang’s body. Yin Hanjiang had made no attempt to avoid it. When he was attacking, Altar Master Yuan wouldn’t be able to properly defend himself. Yin Hanjiang had also been waiting for his chance!

At the moment the Poison Dragon Whip hit him, Yin Hanjiang thrust his sword with all his spiritual essence behind it. The single strike held earthshattering power, and even a newly ascended immortal would be seriously injured by it.

Yet Altar Master Yuan was prepared. He patted his chest and a streak of golden light flashed forth. A golden armor appeared in midair, blocking Yin Hanjiang’s sword.

“When Wenren È sent you here alone, did he really think you could defeat me?” Altar Master Yuan chuckled sadly. His body morphed, changing from a short and plump man to a tall, thin, and plain-looking youth.

A cultivator’s appearance wouldn’t change after Nascent Soul, but demonic cultivators naturally had countless ways to reshape their bodies. Altar Master Yuan had grown accustomed to using two identities, one tall and thin and one short and plump—not for any particular reason, just as a precaution.

In volume two, Hè Wenzhao and Baili Qingmiao had ascended first. Later, their friends had followed them, and gave Hè Wenzhao the rundown on what had happened in the cultivation world. Using their accounts, Altar Master Yuan had beaten the Violet Spirit Master to the Golden Immortal Armor that was meant for her. Wearing it, he had managed to block Yin Hanjiang’s strike.

Even if Yin Hanjiang was at Mahayana, how would he be able to pierce the armor the author had created for the protagonist’s main wife?

Altar Master Yuan struck without hesitation. Protected by the armor, he lashed his whip again and again across Yin Hanjiang’s body. With the poison entering his body, Yin Hanjiang felt cold emanating from his dantian, and was unable to summon a hint of spiritual energy.

“Heheheh.” Seeing Yin Hanjiang collapsed on the ground, unmoving, Altar Master Yuan began laughing. “Sect Leader Yin, it’s too bad that, for all your loyalty to Wenren È, you’ll be dying before him. After I deal with you, I’ll be heading to the Blood Hell to enjoy Wenren È’s last moments.”

While he spoke, his hand never stopped. Altar Master Yuan was an extremely cautious man, and obviously wouldn’t give Yin Hanjiang any chance to stand up. The Poison Dragon Whip was nearly thirty meters long, so Altar Master Yuan stood as far away as possible.

The Army Crushing Sword clattered to the ground. Yin Hanjiang was no longer capable of flying on it. He heard Altar Master Yuan say that his Venerable would soon die as well, and suddenly stopped struggling, or moving at all.

“What’s this? Have you dropped dead? Or are you pretending?” Altar Master Yuan wasn’t about to fall for any tricks. He wouldn’t stop attacking until he had Yin Hanjiang’s soul in his hands.

At Altar Master Yuan’s command, the Poison Dragon Whip transformed into a shadowy serpent. It dove at Yin Hanjiang, about to rip his soul out of his body.

At the moment the serpent was about to sink its fangs into Yin Hanjiang’s neck, a far-off drumbeat sounded.

The whip stilled, blocked by some force.

“What happened?” Altar Master Yuan said, feeling anxious for no discernable reason. He lashed his whip at Yin Hanjiang again, but the Army Crushing Sword, which had been sitting silently on the ground, lunged up and pierced through the whip. It had changed its shape, no longer a longsword, but a vicious-looking triangular spike[1].

It was no longer the Army Crushing Sword, but the Army Crushing Spike.

Bong bong! Two drumbeats sounded. Yin Hanjiang, who had been lying on the ground and unable to move, stood up. At some point, he had put on a ghost mask.

Altar Master Yuan backed up several steps, powering the golden armor with his spiritual energy as he frantically called the Poison Dragon Whip back. Seeing the situation had reversed, he was already planning his escape.

A Mahayana cultivator wasn’t easy to kill. Even if he couldn’t win, if he put his efforts toward escaping, he could manage that.

Bong bong bong! The drumbeats grew louder. A huge drum rose out of the ravine, hovering behind Yin Hanjiang.

Beneath the mask, Yin Hanjiang’s expression couldn’t be seen. He seemed to no longer be affected by the poison. In a flash, he appeared next to the Army Crushing Spike, grabbing the whip with one hand. With a yank, he managed to pull Altar Master Yuan’s bonded weapon out of his grasp.

Yin Hanjiang’s eyes showed a heartless smile underneath the mask. With a wave of his hand, he beat the whip against the Burning Sky Drum.

Bong! This was hardly a blow against the drum. Yin Hanjiang was using Altar Master Yuan’s bonded weapon in order to attack his soul.

Seeing the situation was bad, Altar Master Yuan instantly severed his connection to his bonded weapon. Even if it injured him, it was better to escape.

Yet as he dropped the Poison Dragon Whip and tried to run away, countless spider lilies blossomed, blanketing his retreat path.

“Oh my.” Shu Yanyan’s face, more beautiful than a hundred blooms, appeared from within the lilies. She said with a laugh, “That terrified me. I thought Sect Leader Yin wouldn’t be able to beat you. If that had happened, then I would’ve had to betray the Venerable.”

She had been hiding all this time, already planning to support Altar Master Yuan if he won, and Yin Hanjiang if he did.

“Since you’re a Mahayana cultivator, I don’t dare to touch you. But now that you’re weakened from having to sever your connection to your bonded weapon, how can I miss this chance?” Hidden beneath Shu Yanyan’s beautiful appearance was her usual ruthless manner of action.

The spider lily stamens trapped Altar Master Yuan within them. The stamens drank blood, while the petals sucked away spiritual energy. Shu Yanyan stood amidst the field of flowers, smiling as she watched Altar Master Yuan struggle, like an alluring and carnivorous bloom. “Good thing Sect Leader Yin won, or I would’ve had to embarrass myself.”

She took a glance at Altar Master Yuan’s completely unremarkable face and shook her head. “If I kiss up to someone, they at least have to be good-looking.”

As she spoke, Altar Master Yuan’s body completely vanished. The soul of a Mahayana cultivator flew out, trying to make one last stand.

Before it had the chance, a spike blade stabbed into it. Three streaks of light split Altar Master Yuan’s soul apart. Just like that, a Mahayana cultivator perished, body and soul.

The ghost mask still on his face, Yin Hanjiang picked up the book of God of Annihilation: Volume 2, which Altar Master Yuan had never had the chance to put away. He flipped it open and immediately saw the beginning summary—Hè Wenzhao killed Wenren È at the Blood Hell, finally avenging the deaths of his family and reclaiming his shimei. The couple ascended together to the immortal realm, becoming legends in the cultivation world.

The eyes underneath the mask burned red.