Villainous Master (17)
On the journey that followed, Ning Jingyu overcame numerous challenges, cutting down her opponents with ease. Although the battles grew increasingly prolonged, Ning Jingyu never experienced a single defeat.
During the fights, Ning Jingyu continued to shield Song Xuyi’s vision and hearing, but after the battles, she no longer made an effort to conceal anything. Song Xuyi saw the grotesque corpses strewn across the ground clearly.
These corpses looked as if something had sucked them dry, leaving them in an incredibly withered state, while Ning Jingyu appeared more radiant and beautiful, so much so that it was almost unbearable to look directly at her…
Despite being attacked by so many demons in succession, Ning Jingyu remained unscathed. It was impossible to fathom how powerful the previous Demon Lord must have been to inflict such a severe injury on Ning Jingyu, forcing her into seclusion for so many years…
The appearance of these withered corpses further confirmed Song Xuyi’s suspicion that Ning Jingyu could no longer suppress her demonic energy. Demons could enhance their cultivation by absorbing the demonic energy of their kin, and these corpses likely ended up in this state because Ning Jingyu had drained their demonic energy…
A myriad of thoughts crossed Song Xuyi’s mind, leaving her with an incredibly complex feeling. However, she didn’t want Ning Jingyu to notice, so she continued to act as if she were completely unaware of anything.
As they moved further, the blood-red sky gradually weakened, with faint light appearing on the horizon. The surrounding ground became increasingly open, and a faint scent of blood began to permeate the air, growing stronger as they progressed.
Song Xuyi did not know what awaited them ahead, but she understood that they were close to leaving this place.
Song Xuyi remembered the words of the Demon Lord before entering the formation, “70 demons have gathered at the Black Water Pool.”
Throughout their journey, Song Xuyi had been secretly counting the number of demons and demonic cultivators they encountered at the Black Water Pool.
Excluding the demons from outside, they had encountered 69 demons from the Black Water Pool.
This meant that only one more demon from the Black Water Pool needed to be dealt with before they could reach the exit.
However, Song Xuyi dared not be careless. The one guarding the exit was likely the strongest demon, and who knew what other plots awaited them once they got out…
As the scent of blood grew thicker, they encountered the final wave of demons.
It was a massive blood pool, its color so dark it was nearly black, emitting a nauseating stench that filled the air.
“Don’t go near,” Ning Jingyu glanced at the blood pool and warned Song Xuyi, “You’re a spirit body. This pool is filled with demon blood, and a single drop could infiltrate your spiritual roots…”
“Ah, Fairy Ning really cares for her little disciple, how enviable!” A mocking female voice suddenly came from ahead—
Unexpectedly, the final wave of demons was not a large group but consisted of only the current Demon Lord and a strange demon with a cringing demeanor, ancient totems painted on their face, and horns growing from their head.
It was unclear what method the Demon Lord had used, but her face had returned to the beautiful appearance Song Xuyi had once seen, radiantly beautiful, with a seductive smile directed at Ning Jingyu.
“Fairy Ning, it’s not too late to regret now,” the Demon Lord gazed at Ning Jingyu with eyes full of seductive charm, her soft voice sounding like it could melt into one’s bones, “As long as you are willing to join the Demon Realm, I am willing to hand over the position of Demon Lord to you. Together, we can share the splendor of the Three Realms…”
Ning Jingyu seemed not to hear her voice, her expression unchanged.
“It seems Fairy Ning has no intention of joining my world,” the smile on the Demon Lord’s face gradually disappeared, and the gaze she directed at Ning Jingyu took on a familiar hatred. Suddenly, a token appeared in her hand—
The token depicted a black dragon Song Xuyi had seen before, faintly exuding demonic energy.
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Ning Jingyu’s eyes narrowed, and for the first time, she seriously looked at the Demon Lord.
“Let’s escape!”
Before Ning Jingyu could speak, the cringing demon beside the Demon Lord knelt down with a trembling voice, clinging to the Demon Lord’s clothes and crying, “I’m really scared! My illusion can’t trap Ning Jingyu at all! I tried once a hundred years ago, and her heart is filled only with hatred, her will as firm as iron. That time, I was almost shattered, and I haven’t recovered since…”
“A proud Dream Demon, how can you be so cowardly!”
The Demon Lord hadn’t expected the Dream Demon to be so terrified of Ning Jingyu and angrily rebuked. She drew her sword and held it to the crying Dream Demon’s neck, gritting her teeth, “Do you think she won’t kill you if you don’t act? If we fight for our lives now, we still have a slim chance!”
“Moreover, this time you may not necessarily fail to trap her.”
The Demon Lord’s gaze quickly shifted from Song Xuyi to Ning Jingyu, raising the token high, “Fairy Ning, you must recognize the demonic energy on this token, right?”
“Today, if you can come out of the Dream Demon’s illusion, I will tell you Ning Kui’s whereabouts!”
Song Xuyi frowned, feeling that things wouldn’t be that simple, and was about to speak to stop her, but Ning Jingyu’s gaze flicked over the token, then to the blood pool behind the Demon Lord, and she coldly said, “Alright!”
“Master—”
Song Xuyi grabbed Ning Jingyu’s sleeve, but before she could speak further, Ning Jingyu cut her off, “I know what you want to say.”
“But Ning Kui is a thorn in my heart. As long as he lives, I will never have peace.”
“Xuyi,” Ning Jingyu’s lips curved slightly, and she patted Song Xuyi’s head. At this moment, she shed her usual aloof demeanor, and her eyes revealed evident gentleness and longing, “Once Ning Kui is dead, I can completely let go of the past and live the days you told me about.”
“I really like that kind of life.”
When someone who is usually cold and seemingly desireless suddenly softens, it is like a lotus blooming on a snowy peak, precious because of its rarity, making one’s heart tremble with awe and a desire to protect it, incapable of refusing.
Seeing Ning Jingyu like this, Song Xuyi’s words of dissuasion stuck in her throat. Taking a deep breath, she could only softly remind, “Then Master, please be careful…”
Song Xuyi wanted to say more, but the Demon Lord, seeing the interaction between the two, was almost overflowing with jealousy. She interrupted with a cold laugh, “Is Fairy Ning afraid and trying to stall for time?”
“Master, I want to watch you!” Seeing Ning Jingyu setting up a protective formation around her and fearing that Ning Jingyu might shield her vision and hearing again, Song Xuyi quickly spoke, “Otherwise, I won’t be at ease…”
Ning Jingyu hesitated for a moment but eventually acquiesced to Song Xuyi’s request, not blocking her senses, only reminding her, “The Demon Lord is full of tricks, do not fall into her trap.”
Song Xuyi nodded repeatedly, watching Ning Jingyu step towards the trembling Dream Demon. The Dream Demon released a strange gray smoke, engulfing Ning Jingyu…
Almost simultaneously as the Dream Demon engulfed Ning Jingyu, a small bottle appeared in the Demon Lord’s hand. From it, she took a strand of black hair. The hair fell to the ground, transforming into Song Xuyi’s likeness, holding the God-Slaying Blade as it entered the smoke…
The God-Slaying Blade was a legendary divine weapon. If it pierced the heart, even an immortal couldn’t save the victim.
“That is your hair. I went to great lengths to obtain it from someone.”
The Demon Lord seemed eager to see Ning Jingyu’s reaction, stepping towards Song Xuyi to break the protective formation Ning Jingyu had placed around her. But no matter how hard she tried, she could only hover about five steps away from Song Xuyi, glaring venomously, “Guess, can Ning Jingyu in the illusion recognize this puppet with your aura? If she is stabbed in the heart by her closest disciple, what kind of feeling will that be?”
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“Tsk tsk, what a pity I can’t witness it myself!”
Song Xuyi didn’t speak, only stared intently at the shifting gray smoke.
To say she wasn’t worried would be a lie, but Ning Jingyu was extraordinarily talented. Song Xuyi didn’t believe she would be deceived by a mere puppet.
“Do you know who Ning Kui is?”
Seeing Song Xuyi remain silent, the Demon Lord’s eyes shifted as she changed the topic, “You don’t know, do you? Your master is not an immortal. Her father, Ning Kui, is actually a demon dragon. Ning Jingyu wanted to kill Ning Kui to hide her demon bloodline from everyone…”
Song Xuyi’s eyes flickered. She secretly took out a Memory Stone to record the Demon Lord’s current appearance while pretending to look shocked as she stared at the Demon Lord, “Impossible, how could my master have a demon bloodline—”
“Your master indeed dared not tell you the truth,” the Demon Lord’s smile grew even brighter upon seeing Song Xuyi’s shocked expression, “Your master is a half-demon, half-immortal monster. Do you think she had any good intentions in taking you in? She only intended to use you as a cultivation cauldron once your skills were fully developed!”
“Don’t try to deceive me,” Song Xuyi widened her eyes, her gaze uncertain, but she still retorted, “How do you know these things?”
“Of course, Ning Kui told me—”
“You’re definitely lying!” Song Xuyi took a deep breath and continued to refute, “If it were as you said, with Ning Kui being hunted by my master like a dog, how could he dare to openly contact you in the Demon Realm?”
“Ning Kui naturally has his own methods,” the Demon Lord’s eyes turned complex, and she curled her lips, “I didn’t expect Ning Kui to turn out like this. If he hadn’t contacted me first, I wouldn’t have recognized him even if he stood before me!”
What had Ning Kui become?
However, the Demon Lord was highly vigilant. After saying this, she stopped, looking at Song Xuyi with a deliberate pity, “I didn’t believe it when I first heard it, but all of this is true…”
Song Xuyi pressed her lips together and lowered her head, putting away the Memory Stone.
She had obtained some clues and didn’t plan to engage with the Demon Lord any further. However, seeing Song Xuyi’s lack of response, the Demon Lord’s expression grew more frenzied—
“Do you know what this blood pool is? It’s the core of the Black Water Pond array, filled with bone-corroding demonic blood. Your master is tough, so I set two deadly traps for her. When she emerges from the array, I will push her into the blood pool—”
“What arrogance and blindness! It’s a pity for her unparalleled beauty, to end up with nothing left in the blood pool—”
“At that time, will you jump into the blood pool to accompany her?”
……
Song Xuyi didn’t want to respond: The Demon Lord was too overconfident! Countless demons had died at Ning Jingyu’s hands; how could she possibly fall to a mere Dream Demon?
Unexpectedly, not long after, a cry of pain was heard from the array-setting Dream Demon nearby. He suddenly fell forward, vomiting blood and dying!
What had happened?
Song Xuyi’s eyes widened, staring at the swirling black mist—
The Dream Demon had died, and the swirling gray mist dispersed. Seeing the scene within the mist, Song Xuyi’s eyes almost burst from their sockets—the fake Song Xuyi had stabbed Ning Jingyu in the chest. Ning Jingyu held the sword, blood dripping, her hand gripping the fake Song Xuyi’s throat, her eyes lowered as if pondering something, but she didn’t act.
“Master!” Song Xuyi shouted!
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This cry seemed to awaken Ning Jingyu. She glanced at Song Xuyi, her fingers tightened, and the fake Song Xuyi fell lightly, turning back into a strand of hair. Song Xuyi was astonished by the intense emotion in Ning Jingyu’s eyes, and almost immediately, the Demon Lord swung her sword—
The powerful strike hit Ning Jingyu, sending her flying into the blood pool like an arrow released from a bowstring.
The Demon Lord seemed surprised that she had actually hit Ning Jingyu. She stood there, stunned, while Song Xuyi watched in horror as Ning Jingyu fell into the blood pool, her body submerged…
Her heart felt as if it were suddenly gripped tightly, making it hard to breathe—
And almost at the same moment Ning Jingyu fell into the blood pool, something seemed to shatter in her mind. The long-dormant system came online again, and Song Xuyi’s eyes brightened. Before she could even say, “System, can you think of a way to save Master,” the system had already sighed in relief—
“Xuyi, you don’t know how hard it’s been for me these days! Luckily, the villain is finally dead!”
The author has something to say:
I’m exhausted. Another day of working hard to meet the Flag…
LP: Re-translated on June 08, 2024
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