Chapter 89.1
Editor: Sahloknir
True to their word, Chi Xia Peak no longer supplied Qing Jian Peak with pills.
No one in Chi Yun sect said anything, because Qing Jian Peak was one of the most spa.r.s.ely populated peaks. There were only four actual residents, including Supreme Elder Shi Qing.
Now that the former genius Rong Jue had become an invalid, he no longer needed these pills. Only the remaining three inhabitants of Qing Jian Peak did.
So the sect master and other supreme elders turned a blind eye.
Although Chi Xia Peak was in the wrong, they were a bustling peak that supplied the entire sect with pills.
If Shi Qing’s father hadn’t ascended, things wouldn’t have ended up like this. But now Qing Jian Peak’s highest authority was just the pill-popping Supreme Elder Shi Qing. Taking care of him occasionally was natural, but going against Chi Xia Peak on his behalf was ridiculous.
Rong Jue expected this to happen.
Beneath their veneer, the supposed number one immortal sect was no less disgusting than the demon lord realm.
Qing Jiang Peak’s wide-ranging network of connections were nothing more than a bunch of fair-weather friends.
But Rong Jue was curious. What did Shi Qing, who always boasted of his high status in Chi Yun sect, think about this situation?
It was very simple for Rong Jue to find out.
Ever since he was ‘hunted down’ by Zhang Paohui, Shi Qing seemed worried that a similar incident might happen again. Therefore, he kept Rong Jue close to his side.
After all, if he were to go to the mortal world in his current condition, he wouldn’t even match up to a mortal.
If he were to be left at the foot of the mountain, then what was he supposed to do if Chi Xia Peak sought revenge? Even if Shi Qing avenged him afterwards, what would be the point if Rong Jue was dead?
Rong Jue could tell that Shi Qing intended to keep him as a mortal disciple and provide for him for the rest of his life.
He also noticed that Shi Qing’s att.i.tude towards him gradually softened after he became mortal.
Although he was still somewhat cold, it was clear that Shi Qing intended to get along well with him in the future.
Hah. In your dreams.
You destroyed my path to immortality, made me suffer so much, and now you want to pretend to be a good Shizun?
If the past Rong Jue was here, he would have gradually let go of his hatred because of Shi Qing’s improving att.i.tude.
But this Rong Jue was the demon lord who had experienced all kinds of loss and suffering. He was a person who had nothing left to lose.
He could see that Shi Qing seemed to have his reasons, but that didn’t mean he could forgive Shi Qing.
Of course, no matter what thoughts were going through Rong Jue’s mind, before he recovered his cultivation, he would still pretend to be a loyal disciple that knew nothing.
***
Rong Jue was taken straight to the summit of the peak.
There, the duo were confronted with a very awkward problem.
When the house was built, there was no intention of it having a second occupant.
Naturally, it only had one bed.
There were two people, but only one bed.
The demon lord glanced at his shizun, whose furrowed brows suggested he was contemplating this problem.
He volunteered, “This disciple will sleep on the floor.”
The blue-robed supreme elder knitted his pretty eyebrows even tighter. “No.”
Rong Jue was already injured, and now he was a mortal without spiritual protection. What if he caught a cold from sleeping on the floor?
Rong Jue was not surprised by Shi Qing’s reaction.
But his expression was full of hesitation. “But if this disciple were to get the bed, where would Shizun sleep?”
The supreme elder’s jade-like face revealed some frustration.
He had been spoiled all his life so there was no way he would sleep on the floor.
Therefore, Shi Qing waved his sleeve and sat on the bed, announcing, “You will have to sleep with me tonight. I’ll have the servants bring a wooden bed tomorrow.”
“Understood.” Rong Jue agreed immediately.
So now Shi Qing was sitting on his soft cloud bedding, watching his eldest disciple go about his business.
Rong Jue even boiled water and brought it into the house.
His handsome face beamed with a sunny and bright smile. “Shizun, this disciple will help wash your feet.”
Shi Qing: [Washing feet, huh…]
System: [Host, you can say no if you want. You’re a cultivator so you have methods to cleanse yourself. There’s no need to wash your feet.]
Shi Qing: [How exciting.]
System: [???]
System: […]
But even if Shi Qing was interested, there was no way the original host would’ve said yes.
So Rong Jue saw his always impeccably clean Shizun shoot him a look.
“There’s no need.”
He knew full well that Shi Qing was a cultivator, with not a speck dust on his body, but that look in his eyes made Rong Jue’s hand clench the copper basin a little tighter.
Those eyes made him recall his previous life, when he was covered in wounds and lying on the ground like a dog, subconsciously looking up at his ‘wonderful’ Shizun seated high above him.
At the time, Shi Qing looked at him with the same aloof indifference, as if everything was beneath his notice.
Crack—
The sound snapped Rong Jue back to reality. He smiled bitterly at his shizun who was looking at him.
“Shizun…please let this disciple do this. Now that this disciple can no longer bring honour to Qing Jian Peak, I can only do what I can as a mortal to earn my keep.”
The blue-robed supreme elder sitting on the cloud bedding was startled by his words.
Even his tone seemed to have softened a little.
“Fine. Bring it here.”
“Yes!”
Rong Jue’s smile widened, as if he was delighted. He placed the copper basin beside the bed.
Seeing that Shi Qing was about to lean over slightly to remove his boots, Rong Jue put one of his long, slender hands on the supreme elder’s ankle to stop him. He looked up with a smile.
“Shizun, let this disciple serve you.”
The supreme elder seemed very unused to human contact. This was evident from the way he subconsciously shrunk back from the demon lord.
Rong Jue lowered his eyes, looking very disappointed. “Does Shizun also feel disgusted that this disciple is now an invalid? Am I not worthy of even serving you now?”
Like always, this trick worked like a charm.
At least it did on Shi Qing.
The demon lord easily gained the right to remove his shizun’s shoes and socks.
He first took off the boots, which were as spotless as their owner. Then he removed the white silk socks inside.
Shi Qing’s feet were no different from what Rong Jue had imagined, white and rounded and cute. It was clear at a glance that he had led a privileged life.
Heh. That made sense.
Of course Supreme Elder Shi Qing was showered with affection and fortune just for being born.
How could he possibly have suffered?
The demon lord gripped that slender ankle firmly and gently rubbed Shi Qing’s toes like he was reminiscing about something.
It was only after the supreme elder raised an eyebrow and shifted irritably that he dipped that pair of pale feet into the water, as if nothing had happened.
“Shizun, is it a little too hot?” He asked as he splashed the water onto his shizun’s feet.
“Not really.” The blue-shirted supreme elder replied faintly.
As he watched his disciple gently wash his feet with his hands, his eyebrows grew more and more scrunched.
He said, “You don’t have to do this.”
Rong Jue responded quickly, “This disciple has nothing to do on Qing Jian Peak anyways. Shizun, please let this disciple serve you.”
Shi Qing was silent for a while. When he spoke again, he suggested with some hesitation, “Although you are no better than a mortal now, there are many who are interested in pursuing immortality in the mortal world. If this master took you to them, they would surely treat you—”
“Shizun.”
The always docile eldest disciple suddenly interrupted Shi Qing forcefully. Rong Jue raised his head, his handsome face full of animosity.
He didn’t act pitiful this time. “This disciple grew up on Qing Jian Peak—this is my home. If you want me to leave, where am I supposed to go?”
Shi Qing seemed to be taken aback.
The supreme elder paused for a long time before saying hesitantly, “But you’ve lost your cultivation. It will be very inconvenient for you to remain in the cultivation world.”
“This disciple doesn’t mind hardship.”
Rong Jue’s demeanour gradually returned to wholehearted admiration. He was already half kneeling, so he put his other knee down as well. Ignoring how his shizun stiffened, he leaned forward and gently rested his head on Shi Qing’s knee.
His voice was trembling, almost pleading. “Shizun, you are like a father to this disciple. Now that this disciple has become an invalid, I know that I have less than a hundred years left. This disciple knows that Shizun was so strict with me before to temper me. But since this disciple can no longer continue his journey to the Dao, Shizun, can you…please let me stay by your side and fulfill my filial piety for the remainder of my life?”
Every word seemed to be utterly heartfelt.
That was, if you disregarded the way he said them while holding his shizun’s knee with a hand stained with murderous intent and demonic energy.
Rong Jue could feel his shizun’s body, which had stiffened slightly because of his overly intimate actions, softening slowly as he said these words.
Until finally, a hand with a slight bit of warmth slowly fell onto his hair.
Shi Qing sighed, “Towards you, this master was too…”
He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he gently touched Rong Jue’s head and whispered.
“Since you are so reluctant to leave, you can stay at Qing Jian Peak. This master will protect you for the rest of your life.”
Rong Jue looked up with bright eyes.
“This disciple thanks Shizun for granting his request!”
That night, the two slept on the same bed.
The demon lord didn’t do anything this time. He just casually closed his eyes and worked on his demonic cultivation beside a supreme elder of an immortal sect.
He had cultivated to the apex in his first life, and demonic cultivation was known for sacrificing the opportunity to ascend in exchange for immediate power ups. Therefore, his strength rose at a terrifying rate.
While cultivating, thoughts of the rare times Shi Qing was gentle to him occasionally came to mind.
In those moments, he was almost like a good Shizun who was devoted to his disciples.
But Rong Jue quickly suppressed such thoughts.
He was no longer the child who would become ecstatic after a single compliment from his shizun.
When he reached the Amalgamation stage…
It would be time for this game to end.