Chapter 86.2
Editor: SimoB
An immortal cultivator clothed in thin blue robes with his hair down quickly waved his sleeve. A ray of spiritual energy fell on Rong Jue, pulling him back to safety.
“Shizun…”
Rong Jue weakly struggled to turn around and knelt in Shi Qing’s direction like he was grateful: “This disciple thanks Shizun for rescuing me.”
But the look in his eyes was the complete opposite of his tone.
As expected, Shi Qing wouldn’t let him die.
When he raised his eyes again, there was only deep admiration left in his gaze.
If the previous Rong Jue was level 90, then the current Demon Lord Rong Jue was level 999,999,999.
Putting on this act was child’s play to him.
At the same time, a.n.a.lysing others was not difficult for the demon lord either.
He noticed that Shi Qing leaned away slightly in discomfort upon seeing Rong Jue’s beaming admiration. His Shizun’s pale appearance was also noted.
It wasn’t easy to transfer one’s spiritual energy to heal others. After last night, Shi Qing needed to recuperate for at least three months. Rong Jue deliberately lured him out to determine his current state.
He was the supreme elder of Qing Jian Peak who almost never left this domain. Other than excessive loss of spiritual energy, what else could make him look so weary?
Shi Qing was clearly the one who had destroyed Rong Jue’s spiritual root and cultivation, but then he expended a great deal of spiritual energy to heal him.
Rong Jue ruled out the possibility that Shi Qing wanted to use him for something.
After all, his Shizun had never concealed his distaste for Rong Jue, but every moment of last night was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with love and protectiveness.
Love? Protectiveness?
Rong Jue mulled over these two words in his head, feeling that it was rather ironic.
Although he didn’t want to admit it, love and protectiveness seemed to be the only reasons to explain Shi Qing’s actions.
If it had been the previous Rong Jue who noticed this, he would have been delighted, happy that his Shizun cared for him in secret.
But this demon lord, who had struggled on his own for a hundred years to claim his position, felt only scorn.
If Shi Qing truly cared for him, why did he treat him so badly? Why did he ruin him?
His thoughts didn’t prevent Rong Jue from revealing a well-honed look of admiration on his pale face. He looked up at this exalted supreme elder.
Shi Qing was just as he remembered. His features were exquisite yet cold, like a mountain in the depths of winter.
Even his voice was reminiscent of ice. “You’ve ascended the mountain. Have you recovered then?”
Rong Jue seemed nothing but grateful, his voice filled with admiration. “This disciple can move and walk now. In a few days time I might be able to start cultivating again.”
But Shi Qing said, “Now that you have recuperated, leave Chi Yun Sect.”
Rong Jue was completely caught off guard. “Shizun?”
This blue-robed supreme elder with skin as white as jade looked away towards the distant pine forest. His pale lips opened slightly, spitting out cruel words.
“Your cultivation is gone and your spiritual root has been destroyed, so you are no different from a mortal. I have already decided to ask the Sect Master to let you return to the mortal realm.”
Many trains of thought ran through Rong Jue’s mind, but his face showed only the most favorable expression for his current situation.
The corners of this handsome man’s eyes reddened. Trembling slightly in his bloodstained robes, he knelt before the supreme elder and pleaded his case pitifully.
“Please, Shizun, don’t drive this disciple away. This disciple can still gather spiritual energy and cultivate! Shizun, Shizun…”
Rong Jue had once sold himself to continue cultivating. This level of begging was nothing to him.
His pleas were so impa.s.sioned that even those with stone hearts would be touched. But Shi Qing was devoid of even the slightest hint of mercy. With a wave of his sleeve, his eldest disciple was sent flying.
His voice was indifferent. “When you became my disciple, I told you that you were not destined for immortality.”
His words sounded cold.
He also looked very ruthless.
But Rong Jue noticed how Shi Qing never looked at him when he spoke, almost as if he was afraid.
Shi Qing didn’t want to kill him, he just wanted him to leave the cultivation world.
Rong Jue resolved one question, but many more took its place.
To be honest, his memories from a hundred years ago were already quite indistinct. He only remembered that he had been expelled from Chi Yun Sect after losing his cultivation.
But now, looking at Shi Qing, it was more likely his Shizun only wanted to drive him out of the sect. Rong Jue pondered this as he intensified the desperation in his expression.
“Shizun, this disciple doesn’t want to go back to the mortal realm. This disciple wants to stay with Shizun.”
“A mortal like you will face only danger by staying in the cultivation world.” Shi Qing was very insistent. “Mortals can live for a hundred years, which is quite long already. You may take enough gold and silver to live as a wealthy man for the rest of your life.”
Rong Jue could vaguely sense Shi Qing’s reluctance as he pushed him away, but it was only a flicker that disappeared in an instant.
His first thought was that this hypocrite was putting on an act, but after last night…
His reluctance didn’t seem to be feigned.
But the demon lord had a plan in mind. He lowered his head and despaired.
“I grew up on Qing Jian Peak. If Shizun drives me away, where could I possibly go? It’s true that I’m no different than a mortal with my cultivation gone, but only humiliation and disgrace awaits me if I go to the mortal realm, bereft of the care of Shizun and the sect.”
With these words, Rong Jue keenly detected some hesitation in Shi Qing’s jade-white immortal bearing.
He struck again while the iron was hot.
“I know that immortality is no longer possible given that my spiritual root has been destroyed. I can only beg Shizun to let me remain on Qing Jian Peak, even as a servant.”
“This disciple can only live for a hundred years, so Shizun will only have to put up with me for that long. I beg you Shizun, please grant my request.”
Anyone who heard his words would feel sympathetic. Anyone who saw his state would shed tears.
The always proud eldest disciple of Qin Jing Peak kowtowed heavily. “Shizun, please grant my request!”
As expected, the distant supreme elder became silent and didn’t speak of chasing him away again.
Rong Jue maintained his posture and continued to kneel.
“This disciple knows that Shizun intends for me to leave the cultivation world because I will be bullied if I remain, but I am an invalid now. If I go to the mortal realm without money, I will live out the rest of my life impoverished. However, even with money, I will have no means to defend myself. Taking my possessions would be like stealing candy from a baby.”
He continued resolutely, “If that is the case, Shizun might as well grant this disciple a quick death. I would rather die cleanly on Qing Jian Peak than a miserable death elsewhere.”
In fact, Rong Jue was speaking the truth. In his last life, Shi Qing drove him away with a large amount of wealth.
But how was an invalid who couldn’t even hold a sword supposed to guard his possessions?
Rong Jue almost died back then.
If he hadn’t fallen off a cliff and happened to receive an inheritance of the demon race, he probably would have never found out about his demonic origins.
At that time, the demon lord believed that Shi Qing’s reasons for giving him so much wealth were twofold. One was to show off his own compa.s.sion, and the other was to guarantee Rong Jue’s death at the hands of bandits and thieves.
But now…
Rong Jue raised his head slightly and looked at Shi Qing. This person was still like jade honed by snow and ice, but now he could detect hesitation from Shi Qing’s slightly furrowed brows.
From his angle, he could see Shi Qing’s slender fingers that were hanging at his side.
The thin, white fingers adorned with neatly trimmed fingernails were light pink and very pretty.
However, these beautiful fingers were currently slightly curled up. Shi Qing’s index finger and thumb restlessly rubbed together.
He was hesitating.
Shi Qing seemed to be worried that Rong Jue would really fall into dire straits like he said, if he left the cultivation world.
In the end, the consistently expressionless supreme elder clenched his fist and hid his hands in his sleeves. He made his decision.
“Since you are so insistent, I will allow you to stay on Qing Jian Peak.”
Embarking on a different path than his previous life…
With a Shizun quite unlike the one he remembered.
Even Rong Jue, whose experiences had led him to become cold-hearted and merciless, couldn’t tell if he had really misunderstood Shi Qing in his first life.
The only thing he could do now was to show just the right amount of joy on his face, like he was still the foolish Rong Jue from a hundred years ago.
“This disciple thanks Shizun for granting his request!”
Rong Jue continued to kowtow, but his fingers moved slightly on the ground.
A tiny bit of demonic energy attached itself to the blue robes of the supreme elder.
Shi Qing, who had just expended a great deal of spiritual energy, was at his weakest. He didn’t notice a thing.
He spoke coldly: “If there is nothing else, then leave. This master– Wu!”
Visible pain flashed by Shi Qing’s jadelike face. His slender fingers pressed on his chest as he stumbled.
“Shizun!”
Rong Jue immediately stood up to help the faltering man. One hand fell to the other’s slender waist. “Are you all right?”
As he spoke, he manipulated the tiny bit of demonic energy to invade the other person’s heart.
The System immediately lit up in alarm: [Host! Something is trying to enter your heart’s meridian!]
It raised its data proudly: [But don’t worry, I’ve stopped it already!]
Shi Qing’s voice contained laughter. [Be good and let it in. I have use for it. Block my pain sensitivity instead.]
System: [???]
It didn’t understand.
It really didn’t understand.
But that didn’t stop it from obeying!
Rong Jue was pleased to see that his demonic energy entered Shi Qing’s heart meridian smoothly. He didn’t care if it was because Shi Qing was severely injured or if it was because Shi Qing had let his guard down now that Rong Jue was an invalid.
“I’m fine.”
Covering his chest with a white face, the supreme elder straightened with great difficulty. He gestured for his eldest disciple to leave with his sleeve. “Leave me– Wu!”
A new wave of agony seemed to hit Shi Qing, sending his trembling body into his disciple’s arms.
Shi Qing had always been a spoiled second generation of the cultivation world, so he had never experienced this kind of pain before. Rong Jue could almost hear the supreme elder whimpering as he held that soft and slender waist.
Of course, he had to be mistaken about that.
How could a supreme elder who valued reputation cry in front of his disciple? But Rong Jue did notice how the other’s eyes became rimmed with red, as well as his soft and suppressed panting.
Rong Jue was quite tall. Even though he was injured, he could still easily hold his Shizun in his arms.
Shi Qing’s powerless body came closer and closer to him due to the pain. Only now did Rong Jue discover how soft the body of the Shizun he had hated for so long was.
When he first realized that he had been reborn, Rong Jue had every intention of taking Shi Qing’s life again as revenge. He just decided to find out what he had missed in his last life first.
But now, as he held onto that soft and thin waist…
A new method of taking revenge occurred to the demon lord from 100 years in the future.
What could be more humiliating than to break the wings of this high and mighty supreme elder and torment him in bed?
Becoming the servant of the disciple he had once abused…
Would Supreme Elder Shi Qing have even a shred of face left then?
Shi Qing couldn’t see it, but the corners of Rong Jue’s lips turned up slightly. His eyes were full of ambition.
“Shizun, this disciple will escort you back to your room.”