“Hey, have you heard about that?”
“Which one, is it that one?” The person who spoke made a nine gesture with his hand.
“That’s the one.” The person who brought up the topic, seeing that the other party knew about it, instantly became excited: “Who would have thought that that person would be so passionate and have such a romantic past with a female demon?”
“You still don’t know it all. And those others, who helped the demon raise her child, who wept under the moon, the beauty who took her child back to the demon clan…”
“Hmm? Isn’t it that Jiu and Huo both like the same woman, and that woman had to marry the Demon King to save her parents?”
“That can’t be true. The Dao technique that Sect Master Huo cultivates forbids him from being near women. Someone must be taking advantage of the situation to slander Sect Master Huo.”
“What you said makes sense. Could it be that…”
“Not long after that incident was made public, all sorts of other wild rumors started circulating. They must have wanted to use these rumors to cover up what he did. Just look at the rumors that came after, which of them sound real?”
“None of them are like that. The most pitiful one is the young master of the Yuzhen Sect. Someone even deliberately forged his mother’s relics, saying that he is a descendant of the demons.”
“It’s really excessive to fabricate rumors about the deceased. Alas, the late Young Master Jin is graceful and elegant, admired by countless cultivators. I wonder who he offended to be unjustly accused of such a heinous crime.”
The cultivation world was abuzz with gossip and rumors. Some people sympathized with the victims of these rumors, while others privately laughed them off as entertainment. However, the topic that sparked the most discussion was still the matter of Immortal Venerable Bu Ting.
Compared to the rumors about the others, Immortal Venerable Bu’s matter seemed more real, and the plot was full of twists and turns, making it very popular.
“Things started as we imagined, but they didn’t seem to develop as we imagined.” In the Demon Clan’s inn, Jiu Hui looked at the message sent by Jin Qingqiu’s men: “But it’s fine as long as the goal is achieved.”
Yu Li asked Jin Qingqiu seriously, “Immortal Venerable Bu’s reputation in the cultivation world isn’t very good, is it?”
Otherwise, why would everyone be so interested in Bu Ting’s business, but not believe anything else, despite all the gossip?
“It has nothing to do with his popularity.” Jiu Hui tapped Yu Li’s head lightly. “Because Bu Ting is an Immortal Venerable.”
“What’s wrong with being an Immortal Venerable?” Yu Li still didn’t understand.
“People look up to those at the peak with respect, but some people enjoy seeing those in high positions fall from grace.” Jiu Hui poured a cup of tea. “Those who were once high and mighty falling into a slump always brings satisfaction and joy to the mediocre and envious. That is jealousy.”
“So evil?” Yu Li frowned, humans were really terrible.
“Human nature is complex and cannot be simply defined as good or evil.” Jiu Hui took a sip of tea. “Do not judge an entire group based on the actions of a few individuals. Such thinking can lead to prejudice and delusion.”
Jiu Hui saw Yu Li’s confused expression and knew that she didn’t understand yet, so she chuckled and said, “Go to bed early tonight, and we’ll leave the Demon Realm tomorrow.”
“Miss Jiu Hui.” Jin Qingqiu thanked Jiu Hui. “Thank you for your help this time.”
“I simply wagged my tongue and let the entire cultivation world know that the rumors about your esteemed mother were nothing but lies.” Jiu Hui shook her head with a smile. “From this day forward, the five of us shall never speak of this matter again. Young Master Jin, you should forget about it as well.”
When humans, yaos, and demons could live together in peace and harmony, perhaps all of this would no longer matter.
The moon in the Demon Realm seemed to have a faint red hue compared to the cultivation world. Sha Luojia sat in the dungeon, her head tilted back as she gazed at the crescent moon through the small window.
“Princess.” The Princess’s personal guard, disguised as a jailer, approached the cell door and knelt before Sha Luojia. “This subordinate is incompetent. Not only did I fail to find Yin Ji, but I was also unable to invite the young master of the Yuzhen Sect to rescue you.”
“Could it be that Jin Qingqiu isn’t afraid of me revealing his secret?” Sha Luojia finally reacted when she heard that Jin Qingqiu was unwilling to come to her rescue. “Has he gone mad?”
“Princess, the news that Jin Qingqiu’s mother is a demon has spread throughout the cultivation world.” The guard looked up at Sha Luojia and quickly lowered his head again. “But no one believes it.”
“Don’t believe it?” Sha Luojia frowned and said resentfully, “Since Jin Qingqiu won’t listen to my orders, then don’t blame me for being impolite. You spread the things I prepared. I want him to lose his reputation and be despised by the entire cultivation world.”
“This…” The guard seemed very troubled.carpreads.pages.dev
“You can’t do it?” Sha Luojia’s eyes were sharp. “Are you going to betray me too?”
“Your subordinate is loyal to the princess and would rather die than betray her!” The guard, worried that Sha Luojia would misunderstand him, quickly explained, “The handwritten copies of the letters about Jin Qingqiu’s birth mother have spread throughout the entire cultivation world.”
“You sent the letter out without my permission?”
“I wouldn’t dare. The contents of those letters that were spread throughout the cultivation world were all fabricated.” The guard shook his head. “But no one believes it.”
“Don’t believe it?” Sha Luojia didn’t understand. How could the cultivation world not care about such a big matter involving the demons?
“Because there are still several rumors in the cultivation world related to the demons.” The guard did not dare to look up at Sha Luojia’s expression. “The most widely spread rumor is related to you, Princess…”
“What rumors?” Sha Luojia sneered. It was about her and Yin Ji again. She was already sick of it, but the people in the cultivation world were not tired of it.
“They say outside that you, Princess, are not the Demon King’s biological daughter. You are… you are the child born from the affair between Bu Ting of the Jiutian Sect and the Demon Concubine. In order to protect you, Bu Ting arranged for the youngest Elder of the Jiutian Sect to be by your side.” The guard’s head hung lower and lower. “And you killed the Demon King for Bu Ting.”
“Nonsense, they’re just trying to confuse people!” Sha Luojia said angrily. “I was born into nobility, I’m my father’s biological daughter.”
After saying this, she noticed the personal guard secretly glancing at her, which made her even angrier. “What are you looking at?!”
Could it be that he wanted to see how much her appearance resembled father’s?!
She took two deep breaths. Now that she was imprisoned here, she didn’t have many loyal subordinates that she could use. Thinking of this, Sha Luojia suppressed the anger in her heart: “Has this rumor spread to the Demon Realm?”
“My subordinate heard some demons discussing this matter when I entered the city tonight.” The guard saw Sha Luojia’s face turn pale with anger. “Please calm down, Princess. My subordinate will definitely find a way to rescue you and help you kill those gossipers.”
“You can go now.” Sha Luojia waved her hand in dejection. After this rumor spread throughout the entire royal capital, her last shred of hope for the throne was gone.
Even if she could escape, the Demon Clan would never allow a princess whose biological father might be a cultivator to succeed to the throne. All these years of planning and forbearance would have been in vain.
“Princess…”
“Get lost!”
Sha Luojia said angrily, “Get lost.”
Because she struggled too hard, the Demon-Subduing Circle on her body emitted a faint light, and the bone-piercing pain brought her back to her senses.
She watched the departing figure of the guard, and suddenly remembered the scene of her elder brother carrying her back to the palace when she fell and injured her leg as a child.
“Brother, my feet hurt so much.”
“It’s all my fault for not protecting you well, Sha Luojia. Don’t cry.”
“It’s not your fault, big brother. You’re my favorite.”
Sha Luojia gazed at the crescent moon outside the small window in a daze, and let out a soft laugh.
She would never regret it.
Never regret it.
-—–
As the moon rose to its zenith, E’nuo sat quietly indoors until Jiu Hui’s figure appeared outside the door. She stood up with a smile. “I knew you would come.”
“I came to bid you farewell.” Jiu Hui smiled. “After accepting so many gifts from you, it would be rude not to come and say goodbye.”
“Miss, you are a free spirit. E’nuo has lived her whole life on thin ice, and she envies a woman like you the most.” E’nuo bowed gracefully to Jiu Hui and offered her a storage ring filled with gifts with both hands. “I know you won’t stay in the Demon Realm for long, but I will never forget your kindness.”
“I’ll take this storage ring, but you don’t need to thank me. You should thank yourself.” Jiu Hui reached out and took the storage ring. “You haven’t killed any ordinary people, and you’re smart enough.”
E’nuo watched her quietly.
“From this day forward, I will no longer concern myself with the affairs of the Demon Realm. However, if you and Luohe choose to follow in the footsteps of the old Demon King, I will come for you again.” Jiu Hui tossed the storage ring in her hand with a sly smile. “I trust that neither of you would relish me coming to you on my own initiative.”
E’nuo’s face showed a look of awe.
“Alright, I’m leaving.” Jiu Hui casually tossed a medicine bottle to E’nuo. “There are ten antidotes in here. Each pill lasts for ten years. Come back in one hundred and fifty years to get more antidotes for Luohe.”
“Me?” E’nuo gripped the medicine bottle tightly, her eyes revealing a smile.
“Yes, only you can do it.” Jiu Hui nodded. “One hundred and fifty years, is that enough?”
For 150 years, even if Luohe’s disposition had changed, and he had begun to listen to others and no longer trusted E’nuo, he would still be respectful to E’nuo because of this antidote.
“Enough.” E’nuo nodded.
“Even if the path is difficult?” Jiu Hui walked out of the house.
E’nuo followed behind her. “I’ll see you off, Miss.”
The two of them walked in silence, the moonlight spilling over them. E’nuo felt a rare sense of ease and leisure.
After sending Jiu Hui to the palace gate, E’nuo stopped in her tracks and looked back at the towering palace behind her.
“I crawled into this palace like a dog, enduring humiliation and scorn, barely surviving until today, all for this one path.” E’nuo looked up at the palace’s grand entrance. “Being born lowly is not a crime. I must do something for my past self, for my deceased sister, and for the countless ordinary demons.”
“No matter how difficult this path may be, I must try my best.” E’nuo took a step back, clasped her hands together, and bowed deeply to Jiu Hui in the human custom. “E’nuo bids farewell to you, young lady. May your path be smooth and free of obstacles.”
“Get up.” Jiu Hui helped E’nuo up. “I also wish Miss E’nuo to have her wish fulfilled.”
When she heard the term “Miss E’nuo,” E’nuo was taken aback at first, then she broke into a beautiful smile.
“Farewell.” Jiu Hui noticed a carriage parked nearby, and she lifted the curtain to see Yin Ji lying unconscious inside.
She jumped onto the carriage, waved at E’nuo, and the carriage flew into the night sky, gradually disappearing from sight.
E’nuo looked up and watched the carriage disappear until the moon moved west, making her shadow grow longer and longer. She turned and walked towards the royal palace.
Her steps became increasingly firm, and her fiery red skirt blossomed into the most dazzling flower under the moonlight.
-—–
After leaving the Demon Clan, Jiu Hui politely declined Jin Qingqiu’s kind invitation, explaining that she still needed to continue traveling with her cousins.
Jin Qingqiu glanced at the extra carriage and cupped his hands towards Jiu Hui, saying, “In that case, I won’t bother you any longer. Take care, everyone.”
Jiu Hui nodded, gesturing for Yu Li and the other two yaos to board the carriage first. She looked at the elegant Jin Qingqiu and said with a smile, “When I first met Young Master Jin, I felt that he had an extraordinary bearing.”
Zhi You’s eyelids twitched as he glanced at Jin Qingqiu.
Jin Qingqiu smiled and said, “Oh?”
“To be able to invite an entire floor of cultivators to dine, your magnanimity is certainly extraordinary.” Jiu Hui smiled. “Farewell.”
Jin Qingqiu was slightly stunned, then he chuckled softly: “Next time we meet, I will definitely invite you and Fellow Daoist Zhi You to a feast of delicacies from mountains and seas.”
“That won’t do.” Jiu Hui shook her head. “You have to include our entire Wangshu Pavilion.”
“Alright.” Jin Qingqiu replied with a smile.
“Making friends with someone like you is truly a joy for both body and mind.” Jiu Hui cupped her hands in greeting. “See you later.”
Zhi You nodded slightly at Jin Qingqiu. “See you again, friend.”
After seeing off Jiu Hui, Zhi You, and the other three, Jin Qingqiu looked at the sky that was about to turn white and suddenly burst out laughing.
In the past, Jiu Hui and Zhi You didn’t particularly emphasize that they were friends with him, but after learning that he was the son of a human and a demon, they called him a friend.
This was truly… a joyous occasion.
“Wow, Young Master, you actually took so many good things from the demons?!” Yu Li ignored Yin Ji, who was lying unconscious in the corner, and took the storage ring. She scanned the contents with her divine sense, and her eyes lit up. “We’re rich!”
“What do you mean ’take’? They gave it to us willingly.” Jiu Hui put the storage ring back in her sleeve. “We’ll split the treasure when we get back to the village. Right now, we have something else to deal with.”
All five of them turned their heads in unison to look at the unconscious Yin Ji.
Kong Cangnan scoffed, “Just throw him down there directly, what’s there to solve?”
Bai Yan smiled. “We are all kind-hearted people, and we cannot do such a thing. Last year, the Elders discovered a jade mine that is still in need of miners. Why don’t we send him to the mine to dig?”
Kong Cangnan: “Then you really are too kind.”
“That won’t do. What if he steals from the jade mine?” Yu Li thought seriously. “Our Yu Village has a big lotus root pond. Why don’t we have him dig lotus roots?”
“You want a free laborer? You must be dreaming.” Kong Cangnan retorted, “Why don’t you send him to the back mountain to quarry stones to repair the road?”
In a daze, Yin Ji seemed to hear people arguing by his ear, some talking about digging stones, others about digging coal, and still others about going to scoop up manure…
So this was where people go after they die, such a noisy place? He opened his eyes with difficulty and found himself lying in a swaying carriage. A beautiful jade pendant hung from the roof of the carriage, swaying as the carriage moved forward.
“Awake?” A cold voice asked by his ear. He propped himself up against the carriage wall and looked at the person who had spoken. “Zhi You?”
“Awake?” The three noisy yaos glanced at him, then looked at Jiu Hui in unison.
Speak up, young master. Should he dig coal, stone, or lotus root?
“Why is it you guys?” Yin Ji clutched his chest and coughed twice. “Where are we?”
“This is the mortal realm. Jiu Hui rescued you,” Zhi You said indifferently. “The old Demon King is dead, and the Demon Realm is in chaos. The Demon Clan has sent a letter of surrender to Fuguang Mountain, promising never to invade the mortal realm. If any member of the Demon Clan violates this order, all three clans may kill them, and the Demon Clan will not offer protection.”
“The old Demon King… is dead?” Yin Ji’s voice was weak. “His cultivation was profound. Could all this just be a plot by the demons?”
“I don’t know if it was a demon plot, but the old Demon King is really dead.” Jiu Hui said confidently, “I watched him die, shortly after you passed out.”
“Who killed him?” Yin Ji turned his gaze to Jiu Hui. “Was it you?”
“I don’t have that kind of ability.” Jiu Hui grabbed a spirit fruit from the table and tossed it to him. “If I had such abilities, wouldn’t I be able to look down on the demons and rule over both the demons and the cultivation world?”
Yin Ji was in a daze. The old Demon King was dead, and the demon clan had submitted a letter of surrender to Fuguang Palace. What should he do now? Return to Jiutian Sect?
“The demons all say that Princess Sha Luojia arranged for the old Demon King to be killed.” Jiu Hui looked at Yin Ji. “Now that the Demon Queen is in power, she despises Sha Luojia, but she doesn’t want to provoke the cultivation world, so she let us go.”
“She’s worried about the cultivation world and let you go, so why did she let me go?” Yin Ji smiled bitterly. “Who in the world doesn’t know about me and Sha Luojia?”
“Hmm…” Jiu Hui whispered, “Do you think it’s possible that the Demon Queen was willing to let you go because of what happened between you and Sha Luojia?”
Yin Ji frowned in confusion.
“Have you ever heard of this rumor?” Jiu Hui glanced at Yin Ji, and after confirming that he wouldn’t be angered to death by her words, she continued, “People outside are saying that Sha Luojia is Immortal Venerable Bu’s biological daughter, and that you followed Sha Luojia to the Demon Clan because you were ordered to do so by Immortal Venerable Bu?”
“What did you say?!” Yin Ji’s face was full of bewilderment. He could clearly hear every word Jiu Hui said, but he couldn’t understand any of it.
“How long have I been unconscious?” Yin Ji began to suspect that he might have been unconscious for a year or two.
“Two or three days, huh?” Jiu Hui said approvingly. “As expected of a cultivation genius. Even with such severe injuries, you only passed out for two days.”
There were many things that Jiu Hui said that Yin Ji didn’t understand, but all his thoughts were shocked by the news that “Bu Ting and Sha Luojia are father and daughter”, and he couldn’t think about other issues at all.
“The Sect Master could never be Sha Luojia’s father.” Yin Ji shook his head with certainty. “That’s all just rumors.”
“I have no idea about that,” Jiu Hui shook her head. “Anyway, people outside are saying that Bu Ting fell out with Immortal Venerable Qiu Hua, who he was engaged to, because of this female demon.”
“The Sect Master and Immortal Venerable Qiu never had much affection for each other. The person he loves is…” Yin Ji paused, hearing many cries of street vendors outside the carriage.
“We’ve entered a human city?”
“Hmm, you’re injured. I can’t just leave you lying out in the wilderness.” Jiu Hui noticed the hint of panic on Yin Ji’s face and asked, “Aren’t you going to ask about Princess Sha Luojia’s whereabouts?”
Yin Ji fell silent.
“Princess Sha Luojia is imprisoned in the Demon Clan’s dungeon, but the Empress Dowager didn’t kill her.” Jiu Hui said with a strange tone, “If you can’t bear to part with her, maybe the Empress Dowager will allow you to be imprisoned with Sha Luojia for the sake of the cultivation world.”
Yin Ji looked at Jiu Hui. “You’ve already guessed it?”
“So… you were really ordered by the Sect Master to go to the Demon Clan to protect his biological daughter?” Jiu Hui opened her sparkling big eyes, her face full of the words “I want to watch the excitement”.
“Sha Luojia isn’t the Sect Master’s daughter.” Yin Ji felt powerless, but he didn’t know how to refute it. He glanced at the bustling human city outside the carriage window. “I can’t travel with you. The entire cultivation world is after me. If you’re with me, you’ll be implicated.”
“Not really. Everyone is very understanding and sympathetic towards you now.” Yu Li consoled him kindly. “I heard that everyone in your cultivation world is saying that you, a genuine cultivation genius, have suffered a great injustice protecting Immortal Venerable Bu’s daughter…”
“Poof!”
Yin Ji, who had been holding back for a long time, finally spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? I was trying to comfort you, why are you spitting up blood?!” Yu Li scooted back, looking at Jiu Hui with a wronged expression. “Sister, it’s not my fault he’s spitting up blood.”
Kong Cangnan looked at Yu Li with disdain. “You’re a fathead fish who’s only a few hundred years old. How do you have the nerve to call Jiu Hui ‘Sister’?”
“Good boy, I understand.” Jiu Hui handed Yin Ji a handkerchief. “How about… we send you back to Jiutian Sect right now?”
“No need.” Yin Ji shook his head in dejection, his face pale. “My natal sword is broken. What can I do if I return to the Jiutian Sect?”
“Just fix it and it’ll be fine.” Yu Li muttered softly, “It’s not a big deal.”
“The best weapon refiner in the cultivation world can’t perfectly repair a sword cultivator’s broken natal sword.” Yin Ji said in a daze, “Forget it.”
“I am a sinner. How can I have the face to return to being the Daoist Master Yin Ji again?” Yin Ji bowed to Jiu Hui. “Fellow Daoist Jiu Hui, I was wrong in the past. I will accept any punishment you give me.”
“You committed evil deeds in Taolin City. According to Taolin City’s rules, you should turn yourself in to the Taolin City government.” Jiu Hui looked away. “If you truly wish to atone for your sins, then conceal your identity and go to the City Lord’s mansion in Taolin City to accept your punishment.”
“Alright.” Yin Ji’s face was pale, and he had lost all his energy and spirit.
The carriage stopped, and a plain-looking white-haired man stepped out of the carriage. He looked at the bustling street and was about to leave when Jiu Hui called out to him.
“Zhang San*.” Jiu Hui tossed him something wrapped in cloth.
TN: the Chinese equivalent of John Doe
He took it and saw that it was his broken sword and blade wrapped inside.
“This is Taolin City. The City Lord’s mansion is just up ahead.” Jiu Hui raised an eyebrow. “You go in. I’ll watch you go in.”
He understood in his heart that perhaps Jiu Hui would not let him return to the Jiutian Sect at all, which was why she had brought him, unconscious, to Taolin City.
Tao Gongshou was throwing a tantrum in his mansion, demanding to go to Wangshu Pavilion. When he heard that a cultivator had turned himself in, he scrambled to his feet. “A cultivator turned himself in?”
It was truly a rare and curious event. A cultivator had actually taken the initiative to turn himself in to the City Lord’s mansion. He had to go and see the excitement.
“I am Zhang San. I have come to Taolin City to atone for my sins.”
Tao Gongshou ran to the outside of the City Lord’s mansion’s public hall and saw Jiu Hui and Zhi You there. He quickly went over to them and said, “Fairy Jiu Hui, Immortal Zhi You, long time no see. Who is this Zhang San?”
“That’s not important. What’s important is to convict him according to the laws of our Taolin City.” Jiu Hui crossed her arms over her chest. “Let’s just say he’s a lost soul who needs to do some community service… reformed through labor?”
Cultivators had thick skin and strong flesh, and they could do manual labor for many years. One of them was better than a hundred ordinary people!
Author’s Note
Little Garlic Chive: Taolin City has endless fruits to pick, roads to repair, mines to dig, and bricks to move! Taolin City’s infrastructure needs you, Madman Zhang San!