Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Chapter 50 – Nowhere to be found

Wenren È hadn’t wanted to hide his plan from Yin Hanjiang. He just wasn’t sure whether or not it would succeed.

Not everyone was capable of reinventing themselves. Wenren È may have had some idea of what awaited him in the Blood Hell, but he was only half certain.

Both books said that Wenren È died in the Blood Hell. This time, he came to face death of his own accord. He was defying heaven, taking his own life back from fate.

If he was destined to die, then he wouldn’t keep it from Yin Hanjiang. Whether Yin Hanjiang chose to die with him or live on after knowing would depend on him. Wenren È wouldn’t force his choice. On the other hand, if he survived, that would be the best outcome.

But it would take some time for his survival to be determined, and Wenren È couldn’t be certain what Yin Hanjiang would do in this time. He feared that, not knowing Wenren È’s status, Yin Hanjiang would enter the Blood Hell. Wenren È had a chance of survival in the Blood Hell, but Yin Hanjiang would certainly die.

So he figured out a plan to cover all his bases—send Yin Hanjiang to battle Altar Master Yuan.

Yin Hanjiang’s strength was about equal to Altar Master Yuan’s. Even if Altar Master Yuan had gotten some advantages from the second volume, gaining an edge over Yin Hanjiang, Yin Hanjiang wouldn’t lose with Shu Yanyan backing him up. Wenren È understood Shu Yanyan. She would certainly choose the side of the more attractive person.

Yin Hanjiang should be injured after his battle with Altar Master Yuan, and be unable to recover in such a short time. Wenren È had already made a deal with Zhongli Qian in exchange for Baili Qingmiao’s safety. Zhongli Qian would be heading to Xuanyuan Sect to hold Yin Hanjiang back while he was injured, telling him Wenren È’s plan and convincing him to wait.

Yin Hanjiang’s injuries should’ve taken a few years to heal. After a few years, whether Wenren È survived or failed would’ve been decided.

By that time, if Wenren È still hadn’t returned, Zhongli Qian wouldn’t prevent Yin Hanjiang from entering the Blood Hell.

Wenren È hadn’t considered the possibility that Yin Hanjiang would far surpass Altar Master Yuan’s strength and score a crushing victory, and then reach the Blood Hell in practically the blink of an eye. Yin Hanjiang’s light flash wasn’t proficient, and typically it would take him a full day to reach the Blood Hell on his sword. Who would’ve imagined that he could cross the entire continent in less than ten minutes?

The last sound that Wenren È heard was Yin Hanjiang’s despairing cry. As he fell into the sea, he thought, this really was the worst possible outcome.

It seemed that Wenren È’s death and Yin Hanjiang’s madness were predestined, impossible to change.

Yin Hanjiang saw Wenren È fall into the waters. Not even a splash was lifted, as if his entire body had been swallowed and dissolved in an instant. He was no longer able to control his own darker nature. He wished to follow, but his Venerable had forbidden him.

He clutched tight to the black-and-gold robe wrapped around him. His burning red eyes swept across the nine experts surrounding him, and Hè Wenzhao, who was currently fighting over Baili Qingmiao with Qiu Congxue. He slowly opened his mouth, the taste of blood filling it. “Righteous cultivators, die!”

As he spoke, a streak of silver cut through the air. The Army Crushing Spike pierced into the Nanguo elder’s body. He had not even had a chance to react.

These flesh injuries were easy to heal, though. The elder swallowed a pill, circulating his spiritual essence, about to force out the blade.

Suddenly, the points of the triangular blade emitted three streaks of harsh light. The Nanguo elder’s body was split into three parts, killed instantly.

His soul fled, but a huge drum appeared in the sky. Somehow, Yin Hanjiang was now kneeling on its surface. He smacked a palm down on the drum.

Bong! The drumbeat roused the demonic and immortal energy within it. The Nanguo elder’s soul was shredded apart under the pressure of the sound, its remnants being absorbed into the drum.

“That’s an immortal artifact! A cultivator of the mortal realm can use an immortal artifact! Retreat!” The Shangqing Sect Master was experienced and made his decision quickly. “A heavenly tribulation is imminent! With it obstructing him, we’ll have a chance!”

He’d barely finished talking when a peal of heavenly thunder struck toward Yin Hanjiang. Using an immortal artifact in the mortal world violated the laws of the three realms, so heaven would now enact judgment on Yin Hanjiang.

“But shimei is still in the hands of the demonic sect!” Hè Wenzhao cried.

“There’s no time! Let’s go!” The Sect Master grabbed Hè Wenzhao, flying back to the sect. Shangqing Sect’s wards were supported by an immortal artifact, so they couldn’t be broken easily.

The remaining eight experts fled in eight other directions. Yin Hanjiang had already memorized their faces. His first target was Hè Wenzhao at Shangqing Sect.

The heavenly tribulation gathered overhead, yet Yin Hanjiang made no attempt to avoid it. Using the Burning Sky Drum, he blocked the first lightning strike head-on. With a wave of his hand, the Army Crushing Spike returned to his grasp. Yin Hanjiang was hot on Hè Wenzhao and the Sect Master’s heels as he pursued them back to Shangqing Sect.

“How is he so fast? Doesn’t he care about the heavenly lightning?” the Sect Master exclaimed.

When Yin Hanjiang was just on the verge of catching up to Hè Wenzhao, who had fallen a step behind, a second bolt of lightning, dozens of meters in width, struck and caused him to hesitate.

Yin Hanjiang stood within the lightning, seeming to not feel pain. He raised his head to look at the ever-thickening clouds gathering above. If he didn’t deal with the tribulation, he would never catch up to them.

He raised both hands. An endless supply of natural spiritual energy gathered in his palms, slowly forming into two circulating collections of qi, in the shapes of two drumsticks. He let go of them, using hand signs to manipulate them as they beat the drum.

Bong bong bong bong bong! Amidst the fierce drumming, red and gold flames rose from the drum’s surface.

The fire gave off pure golden rays of light. It wasn’t mortal fire, but the celestial flame of the immortal realm which had been hidden within the drum for hundreds of thousands of years. The flames transformed into a golden dragon, charging towards the heavens to meet the lightning, giving off blinding radiance. Waves of gold light rippled across the sky. The clouds dispersed upon a single strike from the dragon, and rain gradually began to fall.

The dragon returned to within the drum. Yin Hanjiang felt like his internal organs were being shredded. He was using Mahayana stage power to forcibly activate the Burning Sky Drum, and each move he made overtaxed his strength.

It wasn’t enough. He wiped blood from his chin and continued his pursuit in the direction of Shangqing Sect. The Burning Sky Drum’s light flash was exceptionally fast and soon caught up with the two. Seeing Yin Hanjiang approach, the Sect Master grabbed Hè Wenzhao and dove behind the Shangqing Sect array.

The array closed before Yin Hanjiang could reach it, stopping him from continuing.

Yin Hanjiang, eyes red, glared at Hè Wenzhao and the Sect Master from the other side of the array. He knew the true mastermind who had plotted against his Venerable was the Blood Demon, right inside Hè Wenzhao’s body.

He pointed at Hè Wenzhao. “Come out.”

Hè Wenzhao gripped his sword. “Yin Hanjiang, Wenren È was a blood demon. The presence of a demon threatens the entire world. This isn’t a matter pertaining to only the righteous sects. His death helps you too, don’t—”

“Shut up!” With a hand sign, Yin Hanjiang beat the drum with a force that shook everyone’s souls. Pressure waves assaulted the Shangqing Sect’s wards. The array trembled, on the brink of collapse.

Dong! The deep sound of a bell resonated out. It was the Shangqing Sect’s immortal artifact, the Moon Pool Bell.

Elder Qingyue, seeing the desperate situation, had activated the bell to counter the Burning Sky Drum. They were both top-grade immortal artifacts, and though the Burning Sky Drum actually outmatched the Moon Pool Bell, Yin Hanjiang no longer had the strength to use it.

The tenth drumbeat was canceled out by the bell’s ring. Yin Hanjiang, at his limits, could not continue.

He glared at Hè Wenzhao through the ghost mask, clutching Wenren È’s robe to his chest.

He had plenty of enemies, and plenty of time.

Holding the Army Crushing Spike, he pointed at the Sect Master and Hè Wenzhao. “I want the lives of these two. I’m unable to stop you from hiding behind your wards today, but I don’t believe you can hide in there for your whole lives. I, Yin Hanjiang, swear to refine your bodies into lamp oil, to light an everburning lamp for my Venerable!”

He thrust his blade viciously at the barrier, though the Moon Pool Bell blocked it.

Retrieving the Burning Sky Drum, Yin Hanjiang departed in a streak of light. Seeing him disappear, the Shangqing Sect Master finally let out a breath. With a bitter look on his face, he said, “We’ve just eliminated Wenren È when now this Yin Hanjiang appears. His mind is in disarray, and he is already showing signs of deviation.”

After relaxing a moment, he suddenly remembered something. “We must go check on Qingyue-shidi!”

He took Hè Wenzhao and some disciples who could still move and ran towards the Moon Pool Bell. Qingyue was half-kneeling before the bell, his hair white, all his spiritual essence expended.

He lifted his head, his formerly youthful face now filled with wrinkles. “It seems heaven was on our side,” he murmured. “If he had struck one more time, I would’ve had no power to activate the Moon Pool Bell again.”

“Shidi!” The Sect Master supported Elder Qingyue. Seeing his haggard face, he knew Qingyue’s foundation had been damaged and he would never be able to regain his former strength.

Just who was this Yin Hanjiang? How was he so strong? They had seen no such displays of power from him in the Great Sect War!

Yin Hanjiang had planned to fly to the Blood Hell, but halfway in the journey, his strength failed him and he fell from the air. He landed heavily in a snowdrift, not knowing where he was.

He picked himself up from the snowdrift, taking off his mask. After such fierce fighting, the ordinary mask was already covered with cracks.

He glanced at it, then smiled bitterly. His Venerable was gone. There was no need for him to wear a mask anymore.

He had used the mask to hide his expression when he could not suppress his feelings. The person he wanted to hide them from was no longer here, so there was no more use.

After replacing the mask in his storage belt, Yin Hanjiang sat in the snow, staring at his surroundings in a daze.

Finally, he recognized it. “So it’s the Thousand Mile Ice Plains.”

Thirty years later, after Wenren È had messed it up twice, it no longer extended for a thousand li around. Only the area in a hundred li would be covered with snow in winter, which melted in the spring as flowers bloomed.

Every direction was a boundless expanse of white. Yin Hanjiang seemed to see a figure in the distance, beckoning him. He approached and found it was his Venerable.

His Venerable exposed a wrist, slashing it open and extending it to Yin Hanjiang. His cold voice held an undercurrent of warmth. “Your body is chilled and can’t withstand the Ice Plains. If you drink my blood, it can sustain you for a few days.”

Yin Hanjiang blinked at him, then bowed his head obediently, dipping his mouth towards the cut, but he only tasted the bitter wind.

Wenren È, who had been looking at him warmly, had vanished.

It was an illusion.

Yin Hanjiang covered his face. He heard another voice near him. “This is the Snow Flame. If you absorb it, it will dispel the yin energy within your body.”

He dropped his hand, looking around. It seemed each snowflake had transformed into Wenren È, surrounding him on all sides. He reached out a hand, but they dissipated back into snowflakes, being blown away by the wind.

All false. They were all illusions caused by his inner demons.

Only this one was real. Yin Hanjiang hugged Wenren È’s robe to his chest, curling up in the snow, closing his eyes and covering his ears, not wanting to see or hear.

He didn’t dare open his eyes, lest he see his Venerable everywhere. He only shrank into the snow, shivering in the cold, gradually taking in spiritual energy in order to heal his wounds.

He didn’t know how long he slept in the snow. Eventually, the snow melted, spring came, and flowers bloomed.

Yin Hanjiang awoke from the ice that had been covering him. After a bit of walking, he came upon a blossoming apricot tree.

Wenren È seemed to be sitting in the tree, extending a hand to him. Yin Hanjiang also reached out, trying to snatch his hand, but didn’t touch him. He only grabbed an apricot flower.

“Fake.” Yin Hanjiang clenched his fist. The fragile flower was crushed in his palm.

He opened his hand and let the fragments of that flower blow away in the wind. In the scattering petals, he seemed to see Wenren È’s figure, leaving him.

“Also fake,” Yin Hanjiang told himself to not look or listen. It all was the delusions of his inner demons and couldn’t be believed.

He had unfinished business and couldn’t be overcome by his inner demons.

Step by step, Yin Hanjiang walked out of the Ice Plains being warmed by spring winds. It no longer resembled the place where he and his Venerable had come before, and his Venerable was no longer here.

In heaven or the underworld, he was nowhere to be found.