CH 86

Villainous Master (8)

Upon hearing Song Xi’s humorous comment, Ning Jing Yu experienced a sense of unease in her heart, and momentarily entertained the idea of publicly executing the new scholar.

Ning Jing Yu also felt a sense of apprehension within herself, causing her to decrease the speed of her sword and distance herself from Song Xu Yi. She glanced down at the Demon who had infiltrated the city with the intention of committing murder.

Unaware of the situation, Song Xu Yi followed behind Ning Jing Yu, but soon noticed her abrupt change in direction as she descended downwards.

The Demon exuded an alluring and captivating aura, emanating a peculiar scent as she moved gracefully, blessed with rare beauty.

Ning Jing Yu detected the fragrance and gazed upon the Demon, but suddenly widened her eyes in surprise.

The Demon had successfully charmed a man and they merrily proceeded towards an isolated inn, only to be caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of Ning Jing Yu.

Upon spotting Ning Jing Yu, the Demon was taken aback and forcefully pushed aside the dazed man beside her, hastily fleeing with long strides.

Unaware that the woman was a Demon, Song Xu Yi only registered her as an exceptionally stunning individual. Before she could even lament the abundance of beauty in the immortal world, the woman dashed off and yelled, “Help! There’s been a murder in the Immortal Sect Market…”

The woman was on the verge of disappearing into the crowd, causing Song Xu Yi to be stupefied. Almost instinctively, she utilized the teleportation formation she had been taught by Ning Jing Yu, allowing for instant transfer.

——In the span of an instant, the quartet teleported to the hill beyond the city gates.

Observing the absence of bystanders to exploit, the Demon’s countenance quickly morphed into one of ferocity, lunging towards Ning Jing Yu!

When Song Xu Yi knocked out the innocent man who had been inadvertently transported from the human world and pivoted back around, the two individuals behind her were already locked in combat.

Song Xu Yi was witnessing Ning Jing Yu engage in a battle for the very first time:

The Demon was a formidable adversary, her hands morphed into obsidian claws, her attacks were brutally swift, barely perceptible to the naked eye, and her movements were akin to that of a specter.

Ning Jing Yu drew her sword with nonchalance.

Ning Jing Yu’s blade was slender and frigid, her combat posture plain and minimalistic, bereft of any superfluous actions. Her visage remained frosty, donning white attire, and her swordsmanship exuded a rainbow-like radiance, which imbued her with an uncommon allure. Alongside her barely detectable undercurrent of killing intent and ice-cold, autumn-water eyes that gleamed with a hint of pinkish hue, she appeared especially formidable and captivating.

It was the first time Song Xu Yi had seen this facet of Ning Jing Yu.

As she gazed upon Ning Jing Yu in such a state, Song Xu Yi found her heart inexplicably quickening.

Gradually, the Demon’s true form was exposed as it transformed into a large black fox, leaving the ground stained with blood and gasping for breath, while Ning Jing Yu, dressed in white, appeared pristine and unscathed as if she had been taking a leisurely walk instead of fighting a battle.

“Where is Ning Kui?” Ning Jing Yu confronted the fox with a cold voice.

The fox glared fiercely at Ning Jing Yu, its fur standing on end, and laughed strangely, “Ning Jing Yu, what does it matter if yoy know where master is?”

“Master has always been in the Black Water Pool, but you couldn’t find him for so many years before, and it’s even more unlikely that you’ll find him in the future!”

“I heard that you were badly injured when you came out of the Black Water Pool, with not a single piece of good flesh on your body. Do you dare to go back in?” The fox chuckled bitterly. “Your mother’s water spirit root was absorbed by Master to heal your wounds, and he couldn’t bear to kill you before luring you into the Black Water Pool to let the other finish you off. You were lucky to survive, so don’t think Master is really afraid of you…”

Song Xu Yi’s eyes widened in surprise as she realized that Ning Jing Yu had been brought into the Black Water Pool by her own father. It’s often said that a vicious tiger does not eat its own cubs, but this was a shocking revelation for Song Xu Yi.

Her heart went out to Ning Jing Yu.

“How did you manage to escape from the Black Water Pool?” Despite the mocking tone of the fox, Ning Jing Yu’s face remained calm, her eyes growing increasingly darker as she focused on the task at hand.

The fox let out another burst of laughter, “That was all thanks to you. When you came out of the pool, you broke the seal and created a crack in it. The demons with low cultivation levels could slip out through the gap——”

“You’re always boasting about your righteousness, but it was you who allowed the demons to come to the human realm. You could have died earlier and brought peace to the world…”

“——Shut up!”

Suddenly, the fox’s voice grew louder and a huge claw materialized in the void behind Ning Jing Yu, hurtling towards her chest——

Song Xu Yi’s eyes widened in alarm, but before she could issue a warning, Ning Jing Yu seemed to sprout eyes behind her head. She twisted her body and sliced the massive claw with her sword!

The fox let out a cry of agony and attempted to flee, but Ning Jing Yu’s sword seemed to have a life of its own, resonating with a shrill buzz as it pursued the fox and plunged into its chest——

A single droplet of blood landed in the corner of Ning Jing Yu’s eye, causing her throat to involuntarily twitch.

In that moment, her normally unremarkable features, snow-white garments, and somber, lifeless gaze suddenly seemed to transform her into a beguiling and vicious devil, radiating a dark and demonic allure.

The fox, which had been stabbed, froze and stared resentfully at Ning Jing Yu before gradually melting away into a puddle of black blood. Song Xu Yi breathed a sigh of relief, her heart no longer racing with anxiety.

Although she had always wanted to help, Song Xu Yi knew she wasn’t strong enough to assist Ning Jing Yu and feared she might become a burden. So, she watched the battle from the sidelines, feeling helpless.

As Ning Jing Yu heard Song Xu Yi’s audible exhalation, the blackness in her eyes began to fade. She closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, her expression had returned to normal. She looked at Song Xu Yi with an indescribable gaze.

“Why are you helping me?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you just use the teleportation array to teleport us here?”

Ning Jing Yu tugged at her red lips, “Aren’t you afraid that I’m really killing innocent people indiscriminately?”

Upon realizing that the black fox in front of her was the only one in the world beside Ning Kui, Ning Jing Yu was filled with anger and resolved to extract Ning Kui’s whereabouts from the black fox. However, to her surprise, Song Xu Yi aided her without hesitation, which had a calming effect on Ning Jing Yu, as if icy water had been poured onto a raging fire.

Knowing Ning Jing Yu’s temperament, the black fox believed it could provoke her. If it weren’t for Song Xu Yi’s presence, Ning Jing Yu might have fallen for the plan. However, she did not want to frighten her disciple and struggled to control her violent tendencies, which resulted in the black fox’s dry demise. Despite this, the young disciple had learned a valuable lesson.

Now that she knew she was a half-demon, half-human hybrid, what would she think?

……

Ning Jing Yu fixed her gaze on Song Xu Yi, unmoving.

“How could Master kill the innocent indiscriminately?”

Song Xu Yi blinked at her master’s words and then smiled. “Master is the most renowned sword practitioner in the world who defeated the Demon Lord singlehandedly. She did it to protect the people. Back then, Master saved the three realms from falling into chaos. But she sustained injuries in silence for many years to recuperate. How could such a selfless and brave person be someone who kills innocents indiscriminately?”

——Song Xu Yi’s eyes held both admiration and heartache, but there was no hint of disgust, which surprised her.

Ning Jing Yu pulled at the corners of her lips, lowered her head, and then boarded her flying sword.

On that day, Ning Jing Yu fell asleep while meditating and had a dream.

A cultivator’s body operates like a machine, controlling the flow of spiritual energy through controlled breathing. Although a cultivator’s physical endurance is impressive, they are not immune to emotions. Sleep is essential for regulating emotions and providing the brain with necessary rest.

Typically, cultivators take a one to two hour break each day, but Ning Jing Yu, who prides herself on her emotional detachment, only rests for fifteen minutes a day at most.

However, due to her fluctuating mood that day, Ning Jing Yu indulged herself with a brief nap.

Ning Jing Yu thought that her worst nightmare would be reliving the memory of her mother being sucked dry by Ning Kui, but to her surprise, she had a dream about something completely unfamiliar to her.

In the dream, Song Xu Yi was riding a tall horse with a young man dressed in white seated behind her. Song Xu Yi looked shyly at the man while they held hands, exchanging loving gazes. The two of them walked away hand in hand, while Ning Jing Yu felt as though she were bound by something and could only watch with growing anger as they went farther and farther away from her.

Ning Jing Yu opened her eyes.

At that moment, Ning Jing Yu’s heart rate, which was usually steady, suddenly increased, and a dark shade crossed her eyes before subsiding, and her attention shifted to the storage bag beside her.

Since beginning her immortal cultivation, Song Xu Yi’s senses had become much more acute, and she was diligent in maintaining the flow of her spiritual energy even during rest, so she immediately opened her eyes when she sensed someone entering her room.

Similarly, Song Xu Yi was surprised by Ning Jing Yu’s unexpected entrance at that time.

“Master, isthere something wrong?”

Ning Jing Yu’s high cultivation level made it effortless for her to enter Song Xu Yi’s room without making any sound, and the fact that Song Xu Yi had detected her presence suggested that Ning Jing Yu had intended to be noticed.

Ning Jing Yu maintained eye contact with Song Xu Yi in silence for a prolonged period.

Is there something urgent?

Ning Jing Yu’s serious expression made Song Xu Yi’s heart race, and she instinctively straightened her posture and met Ning Jing Yu’s gaze with a bright look.

From her storage bag, Ning Jing Yu pulled out a stack of books, with “Love: Its Effect on Swordplay” on the top. She handed them to Song Xu Yi with an intense expression.

“During this period of time, you will read these books thoroughly, and in a couple of days I will test you——”