Chapter 107 – This Tragic Cultivation Genius – “Your inner demons are you.” (04/06)
Xie Chenyang walked up to Ji Ran, and before anyone could react, he kicked him off the Demon-Suppressing Cliff.
“Qi Xiangyang!”
Xie Chenyang certainly wasn’t going to stand idly by and wait for Ji Hong to make his move, nor was he foolish enough to take on several Peak Masters whose cultivation levels surpassed his own.
He fell backwards off the Demon-Subduing Cliff, laughing heartily. “Now that’s what I call payback! And this piece of trash actually thought he’d go free!”
You Huang was stunned by his reckless move. “Have you lost your mind?”
[I’m not stupid—I can’t beat them all up there.]
You Huang sighed. “He’s going to die anyway; did you really need to go out of your way for this?”
[That’s not necessarily true. After all, this is the Cultivation Realm—it’s different from the worlds I’ve known before. What if they use some spiritual herbs, elixirs, or treasures up there to restore him. . .? Tch.]
He would see it through with his own hands. He wasn’t being kind enough to help Ji Ran cultivate his demonic energy; he had merely temporarily stabilized it.
Ji Ran had fallen into the Demon-Sealing Ravine—he was as good as dead.
“Then you’ll just have to wait until your next lightning tribulation to get out.”
Xie Chenyang didn’t fall all the way to the bottom of the ravine; he stopped midway on a protruding stone platform and sat down cross-legged.
[That’s still not certain. If Xuefeng hasn’t entered seclusion yet, and he comes out early to find me missing, he’ll definitely come to save me.]
“If he has entered seclusion…”
[Then I’ll just stay here for thirty years. Once he ascends, we’ll be able to see each other again.]
You Huang was somewhat surprised. “Can you stand thirty years of solitude?”
[No… because I’ll have you, Dad, to keep me company.]
You Huang laughed along with him. “You’re getting better and better at talking.”
[I’ve always been pretty good with words.]
——– Top of Demon-Subduing Cliff. ———–
A Peak Master who had come with Ji Hong held the grief-stricken man back. “Senior Brother Ji, it has come to this. For Xiao Ran, this is a form of redemption.
“Redemption?” Ji Hong’s breath hitched violently. “I can’t even collect his remains!”
“That is possible.” The newly appointed Sect Master stood behind him, his voice steady. “Ji Ran, driven by jealousy, cast Qi Xiangyang off the Demon-Suppressing Cliff without regard for their fellow disciple bond. Now that Qi Xiangyang has stripped him of his cultivation and sent him plummeting from the cliff, it is merely karmic retribution.”
Ji Hong let out a maniacal laugh. “You’ve just become Sect Master, and you’re already eager to display your authority? Don’t forget that Ran’er once treated you with the utmost respect, addressing you as Senior Uncle!”
The Sect Master frowned. “And what of Qi Xiangyang? I’m simply judging the matter on its merits; the fault here lies entirely with Ji Ran.”
“Stop arguing. Now that Qi Xiangyang has fallen as well, he can’t escape with the seal in place . So in a way…”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means… Great-Uncle!”
Yun Xuefeng had appeared behind them at some point.
Ji Hong: “Great-Uncle! Qi Xiangyang just killed my son! Now that it’s come to this, are you still going to defend him?”
“Great-Uncle,” the Sect Master replied, “after he kicked Ji Ran off the cliff, he jumped down himself.”
Yun Xuefeng said nothing and leaped off the Demon-Subduing Cliff.
From afar, he saw Xie Chenyang sitting on a stone platform, swinging his legs. His voice drifted on the wind as he softly hummed a melody that wasn’t quite in tune.
You Huang stopped playing his flute. “Are you even on beat? Huh? Can’t you just listen to me playing quietly?”
[…Can’t help it.]
“I’m not playing anymore.”
[Don’t do that, Dad! You promised to play a tune to comfort me!]
“Let your wife comfort you.”
Xie Chenyang looked up and saw Yun Xuefeng floating in the air.
Yun Xuefeng landed behind him. “If you want to kill someone, why go to such trouble?”
Xie Chenyang stood up to face him, smiling gently. “It’s revenge, after all. It just kinda happened… Didn’t you just go into seclusion?”
Yun Xuefeng was silent for a moment. “Something came up.”
Xie Chenyang pulled him down to sit. “Then put off your seclusion for a bit. Spend more time with me… Have you banished your inner demon yet?”
Yun Xuefeng lowered his gaze to their clasped hands. “Not yet.”
Xie Chenyang: “Why haven’t you banished it yet?”
Yun Xuefeng: “…No rush.”
Xie Chenyang tilted his head slightly and stared intently into his eyes. “Is it troublesome?”
At first, he’d genuinely believed that for Yun Xuefeng; this newly born inner demon could be dispelled with the slightest effort. But the fact that he hadn’t dispelled it yet felt off.
[Dad…]
You Huang: “I thought you wouldn’t notice. You’re getting a bit slow.”
Yun Xuefeng: “It’s not troublesome.”
Xie Chenyang gently stroked his hand. “Your heart demon… has something to do with me? Is it… me?” Xie Chenyang had a sudden realization.
It wasn’t as if sword cultivators couldn’t fall in love; many had dual-cultivation partners and even had children.
But there were also some who practiced the so-called Path of Emptiness. They sealed off their seven emotions and six desires, dedicating themselves entirely to the Way of the Sword.
Emotions and desires gave rise to inner demons.
Yun Xuefeng: “It doesn’t matter.”
Xie Chenyang reached out and pulled Yun Xuefeng into his embrace, lowering his head to kiss his lips as he whispered, “Then let’s put the inner demon aside for now and enjoy the moment.”
No wonder they say cultivating the Dao is so convenient. Even Yun Xuefeng, who was wholly devoted to the Way of the Sword and had no interest in pleasure, could conjure an entire building out of thin air.
It contained everything one could need and was quite comfortable.
But after indulging, there was still business to attend to.
“Xuefeng.” Xie Chenyang, who considered their relationship in this world to be settled, changed the way he addressed Yun Xuefeng. “Must I be killed for you to rid yourself of your inner demons?”
Yun Xuefeng seemed completely unfazed. Sitting perfectly still, he replied calmly, “Don’t worry about it. I won’t kill you.”
“If you don’t kill me, how will you ascend?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“Then…”
Yun Xuefeng stared at him coldly. “Are you asking me to kill you?”
“No, of course not.” Xie Chenyang chuckled softly. “How could I ask you to do something I couldn’t do myself? Killing me won’t rid you of your inner demon; it will only breed a new one.”
Yun Xuefeng continued to stare at him.
“Even if killing me could rid you of your inner demon, I wouldn’t want you to kill me, really.” Xie Chenyang leaned in to embrace him. “No matter the reason, whether it’s for your sake or mine, I won’t let you bear that price. ”
A hint of warmth flickered in Yun Xuefeng’s eyes. He leaned into Xie Chenyang’s embrace and gave a soft, “Mm.”
“What I mean is”—Xie Chenyang tilted his head and whispered in his ear—“if you don’t want to ascend, then don’t. If I am your inner demon, then just go with it. Let it grow, and do… as your heart desires.”
A faint smile touched Yun Xuefeng’s eyes.
You Huang: “Yangyang.”
You Huang: “If you didn’t know there was a future for the two of you, and even if he didn’t ascend and died, would you still make this choice?”
[Why not?]
You Huang: “If this were your real world, if the heart demon were to destroy his path, and if slaying you was the only way to…”
[Dad.] Xie Chenyang gently stroked Yun Xuefeng’s shoulder while speaking earnestly to You Huang in his heart. [Trust me, if I ever pushed him to do something against his will under the pretense of doing what’s best for him, then even if he attained the Great Dao, he would be left with nothing but suffering.]
[Why would you ask that? How could you even think such a thing?]
You Huang: “Just a moment of curiosity.”
Xie Chenyang frowned.
You Huang: “That’s all.”
By the time Yun Xuefeng and Xie Chenyang flew up to the Demon-Suppressing Cliff, there was no one left.
They went straight to Yun Xuefeng’s cave residence. The new Sect Master and several Peak Masters were waiting outside the door. A chill emanated from Yun Xuefeng’s aura.
They exchanged courtesies.
The Sect Master said, “Great-Uncle, Ji Hong has defected from the sect.”
Yun Xuefeng: “If he’s defected, so be it.”
The Sect Master glanced at Xie Chenyang beside him and said, “After leaving the Wuji Sect, he went to other sects and spread the news, claiming…”
Yun Xuefeng: “What?”
“He claims that you, Great-Uncle, have fallen into the path of demons, allied yourself with them, and are protecting a demon cultivator. He fears you may become the leader of the remnants of the demon race and lead them in a resurgence. He says… the cultivation world is in grave danger.”
Yun Xuefeng: “Is that your opinion as well?”
“This disciple dares not! Though many years have passed, the animosity between the human, demon, and beast clans runs deep… I fear Ji Hong might incite other sects to surround…”
Yun Xuefeng: “Let him come.”
His cultivation was currently unmatched in the world; he was simply in a different league from those people, no matter how many would come.
They posed no threat to him, and it was impossible for them to harm Xie Chenyang in the slightest under his protection.
The Sect Master said helplessly, “Great-Uncle, of course you are unafraid, but without us, our sect will inevitably be branded as demonic. Many disciples within the sect are already wavering…”
Yun Xuefeng: “Then I shall leave the sect.”
“You mustn’t!” The Sect Master, normally a composed man, now looked flustered. “How can you, Great-Uncle, leave the sect just because of a single traitor? Besides… I fear that even if you leave, Ji Hong will not let this matter rest.”
Ji Hong had lost his beloved son and his position as Peak Master; his temperament had changed drastically. It was likely that…
Yun Xuefeng: “What do you propose?”
The Sect Master had long sensed Yun Xuefeng’s protection of Xie Chenyang. With great difficulty, he suggested, “If Xiangyang abandoned the Dao to practice demonic arts, might he not return to it by renouncing the demonic path? If he is not a demonic cultivator, then Ji Hong’s accusations would be baseless. No one would believe him.”
But with such a prominent demonic cultivator right here, and Yun Xuefeng’s inexplicable defense of him, Ji Hong’s scheming might just succeed.
Yun Xuefeng’s gaze grew icy. “Impossible.”
The Sect Master had already sensed this outcome; he’d merely been testing the waters. Upon hearing this, he replied respectfully, “Then this cultivator will join the other Peak Masters in stabilizing the disciples’ morale within the sect. We will be ready to fight at any moment.”
After they left, Xie Chenyang gave a soft snort. “Truly father and son.”
Both were nothing but petty schemers.
Yun Xuefeng: “There’s no need to fear him. If he comes, he dies.”
“Of course I’m not afraid~ I have you to protect me.”
“Mm, I can protect you.”
The Sect Master and several Peak Masters made their way down the mountain.
“Really…”
The Sect Master cut him off, “I know you and Ji Hong are close, but you must face reality. He has now gone mad. Even if Xiangyang has turned to demonic cultivation, do you think he’ll spare the Wuji Sect?”
“With Grand-Uncle here, even if many sects follow Ji Hong’s orders and come to ‘slay demons and eliminate evil,’ so what? At Grand-Uncle’s level, a hundred Great Perfection cultivators wouldn’t be enough.”
“But what about the disciples…”
They were sworn enemies of demons and evil spirits. Slaying them and eliminating evil was the righteous path. This was a belief many have held in their hearts since they were old enough to understand.
Sect Master: “As our Great-Uncle said, Xiangyang is still human. Even if he practices demonic arts, he’s not inherently evil… In short, regarding our disciples: those who can be reassured, reassure them; those who cannot be reassured. As for the truly stubborn ones, send them out on missions; and those who go too far, expel them from the sect.”
“Might makes right. If we hadn’t won back then, and the demons had triumphed instead, who would be considered righteous or evil now?” the Sect Master said impatiently. “That’s all. I’ve already gone along with your suggestion and spoken with our Great-Uncle. You’ve seen his stance.”
“Go back and tell the disciples on your peaks to prepare for battle. We have no other choice.”
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
