CH 52

Everything happened in an instant.

When the monster resembling the Lord of Hatred attacked, the group was walking on a cliff-side trail. The sudden change erupted in close proximity, leaving them with no room to retreat.

The air was filled with the distinct fragrance of pine trees. The dark green pine forest contrasted with the gray stone of the mountaintop, immersed in milky-white mist. On the other side, thin mist rolled beneath the cliff, blurring the view of the mountain below into a hazy blue.

What should have been a soothing and relaxing scene had now become incredibly treacherous.

Yin Ci was the first to react, feeling the “ropes” that bound him. The ropes were slippery to the touch, resembling bloody tendons, with eyeballs still wriggling on them, struggling in his palm.

It was Yan Qing who had been affected.

Yan Qing stood at the end of the group, staring blankly at his hands. His eyeball shackles squirmed wildly and shot in all directions, instantly binding everyone tightly.

Demonic qi surged from all directions, but there was no sign of the monster.

Yin Ci coldly snorted and directly broke the flesh shackles on his body. Yan Qing let out a scream, half-kneeling on the ground. A deep wound, exposing bone, appeared on his arm. His grayish-black clothes were soaked with blood, approaching a pitch-black color.

Shi Jingzhi was horrified. “A’Ci?”

“It’s better that Yan Qing got injured than the entire party getting wiped out. That goose demon didn’t give any warnings, so it probably won’t kill anyone.” Yin Ci didn’t hesitate. With a palm strike, he also broke the flesh shackles on Shi Jingzhi’s body.

This time, Yan Qing didn’t even have the strength to scream in pain. The torment inflicted by his inner demon affected him directly. He hunched over and completely sat on the trail as more blood poured out.

Shi Jingzhi: “…” He couldn’t help but feel that his disciple was getting further and further away from the word “honest”, proving Su Si’s argument that “the Kushan Sect isn’t a good group.”

However, while Yin Ci’s methods were cruel, they were also reasonable.

Shi Jingzhi threw the medicine box and decided to make up for the lost opportunity. Unexpectedly, as he approached Yan Qing, several flesh shackles shot out, causing Shi Jingzhi to stumble and nearly fall off the cliff.

Yan Qing, like a spider gone out of control, unleashed the flesh shackles like a spiderweb, attempting to bind everything around him.

“The inner demon transformed. Something’s not right!” Shi Jingzhi swallowed a mouthful of saliva and pressed himself against the rock wall. “The monk’s goal is to drive people away, but this seems… This seems like…” like an attempt to kill and silence them.

Yin Ci didn’t have time to chat with his master. The gap in experience was exposed at this moment—Yin Ci couldn’t fit through the trail with the human headlamp, so he had to climb along the cliff top above the trail. Taking advantage of his inner demon, he climbed up the shadowy rocks, grabbed a few flesh shackles, and pulled Yan Qing up to the cliff top. Lord Bai, seeing the situation wasn’t good, bit onto Yin Ci’s clothes and used the momentum to climb up as well.

Leaving the narrow environment of the trail, the trouble caused by the flesh shackles was instantly reduced by half. Shi Jingzhi stepped onto the rocks and climbed up to the cliff top. Just as he was about to catch his breath, his heart tensed up again.

Su Si hadn’t come up with them.

And until now, Su Si had been too quiet.

Even if the two of them were having a conflict, Su Si wouldn’t be so cold-blooded as to show no reaction when Yan Qing lost control. Shi Jingzhi skillfully dodged several flesh shackles and leaned over the edge of the cliff, trying to find any trace of Su Si.

A gust of black wind rose into the sky, and if Shi Jingzhi hadn’t reacted quickly enough, his head would have been bitten off by that black wind.

A giant snake climbed up to the cliff top. Its pitch-black snake pupils were devoid of emotions, and its snake tongue was a dim black color. The black snake scales were smooth, and the flesh shackles couldn’t bind it; instead, it broke a few of them.

It slithered forward, hissing, exuding complete hostility.

Shi Jingzhi took a breath. “Su Si?”

That snake tail undoubtedly belonged to Su Si. However, at this moment, this person had been completely consumed by his inner demon, devoid of rationality.

Another transformation of an inner demon.

Shi Jingzhi anxiously looked towards Yin Ci, relieved that the headlamp wasn’t moving and didn’t show any tendency to turn into a monster. When he spoke again, Shi Jingzhi’s words were filled with bitterness. “A’Ci, didn’t you say they were just having a quarrel?”

Now it seemed that quarrel had reached the level of long-standing resentment. Shi Jingzhi swung the “Medicine Cures Illness” flag, trying his best to resist the snake’s bite, but he didn’t dare to use too much force, afraid of accidentally killing someone.

Yin Ci shook off Lord Bai and leaped up lightly. He caught his own master off guard, and the two of them leaped onto the headlamp, leaving the transformed Yan Qing and Su Si behind.

“It’s not just a problem between the two of them.” After confirming that he had saved the fox, Yin Ci spoke again. “Close your eyes and sense the demonic qi.”

Shi Jingzhi, who had just been searching for people and dodging attacks, broke out in a sweat. Now that he was brought away from the battlefield by Yin Ci, he finally calmed down.

He tightly grasped Yin Ci’s wrist and closed his eyes slowly.

Seeing everyone affected and the mountain guardian no longer suppressing its aura, the demonic qi around them surged. Compared to that, the hostility of the Greed Butterflies seemed gentle to the point of being negligible. Upon closer inspection, the demonic qi was divided into two forces, with similar intensities. They exuded boundless malice and madness, yet they scattered and drifted, impossible to locate.

“This is…”

“Based on the intensity, both the Lord of Hatred and the Lord of Ignorance have come,” Yin Ci whispered. “What’s Su Si’s condition?”

“He’s been swallowed by his inner demon and turned into a snake. A’Ci, The Lords of Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance are all powerful demons. They each occupy their own territory and shouldn’t have met. This definitely isn’t the work of the monks. Otherwise, we…”

Seeing Shi Jingzhi stop halfway through his sentence, Yin Ci smirked. “Shizun, did you finally figure it out?”

Shi Jingzhi sighed. “Yan Budu.”

They had encountered that madness and malice countless times in the Ghost Tomb.

The Buddha Heart Formation wasn’t often activated, but the mountain guardians were always present. Yan Budu only instructed them to visit the Jianchen Temple, but he didn’t mention that the clue was inside the temple.

Thinking about it, the eminent monks of the Jianchen Temple weren’t just decorations. Even if Yan Budu was strong, he wouldn’t be able to leave a clue that could last for a hundred years in the temple. However, the monks weren’t tainted by greed, hatred, or ignorance, so they couldn’t see the mountain guardians. Even if they managed to see it reluctantly, it would never attract more than one at a time.

Yan Budu played his hand well by hiding the clue connected to the mountain guardians.

…But was this really a clue?

The Lord of Hatred and Lord of Ignorance had been dealt with by Yan Budu, which greatly unsettled everyone’s state of mind and caused their inner demons to transform. Now it seemed more like a trap leading people to a dead end.

Shi Jingzhi’s gaze stopped at the edge of the cliff. Yan Qing knelt on the bare cliff top while blood flowed from his body. Su Si, who had transformed into a black snake, slowly approached, not hiding his killing intent.

Shi Jingzhi was about to go down and rescue him but was stopped by Yin Ci.

“A’Ci, let go. They are members of the Kushan Sect after all—”

“Hatred begets rage, rage blinds the eyes, calamity befalls the innocent. Ignorance begets resentment, resentment engulfs the mind, devouring the self. In that case, Yan Qing has fallen into hatred, and Su Si has fallen into ignorance.”

Yin Ci’s voice remained steady, cold and unchanged.

“Even if Yan Budu made a move, it won’t change the nature of the mountain guardians. If these two can resist the transformation of their inner demons, the Lord of Hatred and Lord of Ignorance won’t be able to force them to their deaths.”

“But they don’t seem like they can resist.”

The two servants were affected, while one disciple was blinded. Seeing the sect on the verge of collapsing before his eyes, Shi Jingzhi was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

“Regardless of whether it was the mountain guardians or Yan Budu who meddled, their inner demons are more easily influenced now. If we continue to just watch like this… A’Ci?!”

Yin Ci suddenly embraced Shi Jingzhi, his five fingers running through the cool black hair, burying his nose in his master’s shoulder, and taking a deep breath.

It’s all over. The entire sect has gone mad. Shi Jingzhi stood stiffly in place as a wave of grief rose from the depths of his heart—his elder brother actually dared to complain that he was abnormal. Compared to these few, he was incredibly normal to an alarming degree.

“Don’t move. With the inner demons easily influenced now, they probably don’t discriminate in choosing their targets. This might actually be of use to me.” Yin Ci’s voice remained steady.

The situation was perilous. Shi Jingzhi’s breathing quickened slightly, and his body temperature rose even more compared to before. Yin Ci tightened his grip on the strands of hair in his hand, trying to recall that moment in front of the nest of the Greed Butterflies.

That moment when the rosy light broke through the darkness and made him forget the pain of the dark prison.

Shi Jingzhi was young, yet he could still train his mind with the Greed Butterflies and control the demonic lord. He was familiar with various techniques and had the assistance of current spells. If he couldn’t accomplish it, wouldn’t that be laughable?

A surge of enthusiasm exploded from his chest. When Yin Ci lifted his eyes again, his gaze was as cold as frost.

“The techniques of the two demons are powerful and cannot be controlled remotely. They deliberately scattered their demonic qi, probably because they didn’t want to be discovered—they must be hiding nearby. We just need to capture them.”

Shi Jingzhi immediately shook. “Your eyes?”

“Under the influence of the spell, the inner demons are more easily aggravated, but they are also easier to calm down.” Yin Ci released Shi Jingzhi and firmly fixed his current state of mind. “You and I will work together. You will protect the lives of those two, and I will search for the demon lords. How about it?”

Before Shi Jingzhi could answer, Yin Ci smiled lightly. “So this is what my inner demon looks like… No wonder Shizun knew something was wrong at first sight.”

Facing the formidable inner demon like a mountain, Yin Ci appeared unsurprised.

Shi Jingzhi had a thousand questions to ask, but the situation under the headlamp wasn’t good. If they continued to chat, Su Si would swallow Yan Qing for lunch.

He had no choice but to quickly nod and jump down.

Yan Qing was still kneeling in the same spot, with flesh shackles forming a dense web around the eyeballs. He seemed to still have consciousness and was trying to struggle to stand up. Unfortunately, he had no control over the flesh shackles, and the flesh web was like ten fingers connected to one heart. Whenever Yan Qing moved slightly, he would step on his own body, causing him excruciating pain.

Su Si, on the other hand, had completely lost his humanity. The black snake’s mouth opened wide, its sharp fangs tearing at the eyeballs, causing the murky fluid in the eyeballs to splatter with blood, worsening Yan Qing’s condition.

With Yin Ci’s assistance, Shi Jingzhi felt somewhat relieved. Using the force of his descent, he avoided dozens of entangling flesh shackles and struck the snake’s head directly. The black snake let out a painful hiss and fiercely bit back.

“Sect Master, don’t kill him!” Yan Qing desperately shouted.

“I won’t kill him. I won’t. You focus on yourself and stop throwing flesh shackles everywhere!” Shi Jingzhi dodged the black snake and spoke rapidly. “I say, you are so young yet have a broad-minded perspective. Where did you get such a grandiose spirit?”

“I…”

“You attracted the Lord of Hatred, and your brother attracted the Lord of Ignorance, which led to your current state. If you really can’t move, why not say a few comforting words to Su Si first; soothe him back into human form, and then talk—”

Yan Qing’s spirits lifted. “Will that really work?”

Shi Jingzhi: “It’s how it’s done in plays. There’s no harm in trying.”

Yan Qing’s eyes immediately dimmed, and the black snake took the opportunity to bite and crush dozens of eyeballs. In pain, the onslaught of the flesh shackles became even more frenzied, almost binding Shi Jingzhi. The inner demons of the two intensified, and the surrounding pine forests slowly shattered, making the scenery more distorted.

Shi Jingzhi: “…”

He stumbled and ran to Yin Ci’s side, back to back for defense. “Yan Qing is badly injured. Just maintaining consciousness is difficult for him. Su Si’s snake skin is extremely thick. I can’t knock him out. If I have to attack, it can only be a lethal strike.”

“Mm.” Yin Ci didn’t initiate an attack. Though he was at the center of the battle, he moved gracefully like a falling leaf, devoid of any hint of chaos. “Don’t be impatient. Let’s observe our surroundings.”

In the distorted landscape, the pine forest and the cliff disappeared together. The serene landscape transformed into an extremely ordinary, desolate mountain scene.

Shi Jingzhi: “Could this also be…”

“The two are deadlocked, and their inner demons are further transforming. The speed of their transformation is so fast, probably due to the influence of the Buddha Heart Formation. As I said, ultimately, they must resolve their inner demons themselves. You don’t need to end the battle; just force them to regain clarity.”

“I can only make them hold on for a few more hours. People all have their limits. If this situation is not resolved—”

Yin Ci answered nonchalantly, “If the cause of their inner demons is right in front of their eyes and they still can’t distinguish the importance, then we don’t need these servants. To find Yan Budu’s clue, we have to capture the Lord of Hatred and Lord of Ignorance alive.”

Shi Jingzhi’s actions froze.

He looked at Yin Ci with a hint of confusion. When his sight was restored earlier, that touch of warmth from Yin Ci didn’t seem false, and now his indifference also seemed genuine. This person seemed to have sealed himself in a thick cocoon, observing everything from a distance and making judgments based solely on reason.

As a master, was he also confined within this cold “reason”?

But this thought only lasted for a moment.

Yin Ci was right. Neither he nor Yin Ci could attract the Lord of Hatred and the Lord of Ignorance. Whether it was finding clues or saving lives, Yan Qing and Su Si had to stay alive.

Shi Jingzhi stopped by Yan Qing’s side, swiftly wielding the “Medicine Cures Illness” flag, creating a fierce whirlwind. Although he couldn’t change the course of the battle, the flesh shackles couldn’t approach his body. Shi Jingzhi rummaged through the medicine box, pouring and stuffing medicine into Yan Qing’s mouth, temporarily stopping the gushing blood.

After a while, the scenery on the mountaintop finally stabilized.

Shi Jingzhi recognized the familiar surroundings. It was a desolate mountain near Xizhuang.

Amongst the chaotic flesh shackles and the giant snake, two children appeared. One was delicate and lovely, with a tear mole at the corner of their eye. The other looked like a mummified corpse dug out from a grave, thin to the bone, with only a pair of red eyes retaining a glimmer of light.

It was Su Si and Yan Qing.

The giant snake and the flesh shackles both stopped in mid-air.

The young Su Si cooked and shredded fish, feeding it bit by bit to Yan Qing. The latter seemed like a starved ghost, eating rapidly as if trying to choke himself to death. It was winter, yet Yan Qing’s arms were exposed, covered in various bite marks and bruises.

[He didn’t give you any food? I told you. Hide the meat I gave you. Don’t give it to him.] Su Si complained while feeding Yan Qing. [You should let him starve.]

[…That’s my father. I only have my father.] Yan Qing stopped eating and said sullenly.

Su Si gnashed his teeth. Judging by his expression, he really wanted to say, “Your father is not a good person.” However, judging by the scene, this conversation had likely happened between them before. Uttering those words would probably not lead to any good outcome.

[When I leave, won’t you starve?] Su Si sighed and fed Yan Qing a bit more fish. [The food he gave you isn’t even enough to feed a cat.]

Yan Qing immediately stopped eating. He was so thin that his eye sockets appeared sunken, and his pair of red eyes looked particularly frightening. [You’re leaving?]

[I overheard it. A few days ago, someone from the village came and offered to buy me for one or two silver coins, saying they would take me to the city for a good life.]

Su Si sat on a rock, swinging his legs.

[I knew it. My parents still care about me. I eat a lot, and I can find food on my own. It’s normal for them not to care about me. You see, now that there’s a good opportunity, they still remember me and haven’t sent my brothers away.]

Yan Qing loosened his claw-like hand and furrowed his brows like a little adult. [Go to the city for a good life?]

[Yeah, something about the Nanfeng or Beifeng Pavilion. My father told me this morning that as long as I go with them, I’ll have a full meal every day.]

Yan Qing vigorously shook his head. [Don’t go. I heard from Mr. Bai that it’s—it’s not a good place.]

Su Si was stunned for a moment, showing a trace of anger. [Don’t talk nonsense. You must have misheard! Can my father deceive me?]

[I can read! I’ve also seen it before. It’s a job of the lowest class, and it will invite criticism…]

[Then tell me, what is the lowest class, and how does it invite criticism?]

Yan Qing saw his friend getting angry and became anxious, his face turning red. [I-I don’t know, but it’s not good. Books don’t lie.]

[My parents wouldn’t deceive me!] Su Si raised his voice. [You just don’t want me to go, right?]

Yan Qing grabbed Su Si’s clothes and shook his head vigorously, but he didn’t know how to refute him. Seeing Yan Qing about to cry, Su Si calmed down on his own. [When I have a good life, I will definitely come back to see you.]

[Don’t go. I beg you.]

[They’ve already given the money… Listen, I dried a lot of meat on the mountain, enough for you to eat for a year or six months. Eat it secretly. Don’t foolishly give it to your father.]

[I’m begging you.] Yan Qing repeated incessantly.

The two children’s figures suddenly disappeared.

In the next instant, the mountaintop remained the same, but the people had changed—Yan Qing packed a small bundle and followed Su Si firmly, showing signs of transforming into a human-shaped shackle. Su Si, on the other hand, changed into new clothes and walked towards the outskirts with a fat, middle-aged man.

When he saw Yan Qing, he couldn’t help but laugh and cry. [Don’t follow me. If your father finds out you skipped work, he’ll beat you when you go back.]

[I don’t care.] With a middle-aged man watching from the side, Yan Qing closed his eyes cautiously. [If you don’t stay, I’ll follow you until you agree to stay.]

[Don’t make a fuss. We’re going to take a carriage later.]

[I don’t care.]

Yan Qing straightened his small, upright back as if he had gathered all his courage, speaking slowly and deliberately.

[The place you’re going is not a good place. I’m not lying.]

The middle-aged man pulled Su Si and didn’t pay it any mind. [Alright, let’s go. Whatever he does, let him be.]

The small carriage was piled high with mountain goods. Su Si squatted among a pile of dried herbs, looking out towards the outside of the carriage. Yan Qing truly followed behind, stumbling and never stopping. After watching for a while, Su Si seemed unable to bear it and let down the curtain.

“I remember.” Yan Qing sighed beside Shi Jingzhi. “In the end, I couldn’t keep up with him. I can only follow from afar.”

“You followed all the way?” Shi Jingzhi sighed.

“Not exactly.” Yan Qing closed his eyes, and the flesh restraints around him calmed down slightly.

The conflicting scenes eventually favored the inner demon on Su Si’s side. In the next scene, only the young Su Si and the middle-aged man’s corpse remained.

That middle-aged man didn’t successfully bring him out of the mountain.

[You despicable person, how dare you offend Taiheng.] Shi Zhongyu stood with her sword hanging down as blood dripped from its tip. She looked much younger than she was in the Ghost Tomb, still appearing as a young girl. A female disciple, around fourteen or fifteen years old, hid behind her, tears still streaking on her face.

After comforting the female disciple, Shi Zhongyu turned to the frightened Su Si and her tone softened. [Do you know where he was planning to take you?]

Su Si stammered. [H-He… He told my parents he would take me to the Nanfeng Pavilion, where I would eat well.]

Shi Zhongyu patted his head, and her tone showed a hint of reluctance. [Poor child, that’s not a good place.]

Upon hearing this, Su Si’s eyes immediately reddened. He was at a loss but clenched his lips, stubbornly refusing to cry.

In the heart of a child, parents were everything. Yan Qing, who had been beaten until he was barely alive, still dared to hold onto a glimmer of hope. How many children were willing to face the collapse of heaven and earth head-on?

Seeing that he was sensible, Shi Zhongyu’s tone became even gentler. [Your physique is not bad, and your appearance seems to indicate talent. I happen to need a young attendant for my sword. Would you like to accompany me and join Taiheng?]

As the leader of the righteous path, even if it was as secluded as Xizhuang, they still knew about the Taiheng Sect.

Su Si was only seven or eight years old and hadn’t experienced such ups and downs. He stared blankly at the white-clad horses of the Taiheng Sect for a while, his soul seemingly absent. [Is it true? Can I have enough to eat if I join Taiheng?]

Shi Zhongyu chuckled. [Naturally.]

Su Si looked at the blood on Shi Zhongyu’s sword, gathered all his strength, and choked out a question, [C-Can I become one the Greats like Big Sister?]

[As long as you want to.]

Su Si’s three souls and seven spirits finally returned. He wiped his face haphazardly and gained some determination in his eyes. [Uh, yeah. I think I can help Big Sister now! The mountain road is difficult, but I know this place better than anyone else… Big Sister, why did the prestigious Taiheng Sect come to this desolate mountain?]

[To hunt down evil people.] Shi Zhongyu squatted down and draped a warm cloak over him. [Do you have any red-eyed people in your village? They’re not human; they are demons that must be eliminated.]

Although wrapped in a cloak, Su Si became even more stiff. He struggled to maintain a faint smile and put on an obedient look.

[…No.] He sniffled. [I know everyone in the village, and there are no red-eyed people.]

Su Si’s expression twisted. He was just a young boy, and Shi Zhongyu thought it was due to his recent realization of being abandoned by his parents and not being able to control his emotions. She didn’t suspect anything. [I’ll inform my master later and register your name. When we reach the Zhuangzi, I’ll also greet your parents.]

[I…]

[What is it?]

[Big Sister, I can’t go with you.] Su Si’s tone was calm, but tears kept flowing. [I have to take care of my little brother. If I’m not there to watch over him, he’ll starve to death.]

Shi Zhongyu was surprised. [You…]

[I’m going back first.] Su Si stood up.

[You can come with us—]

[No, he’s worried about me. He’s definitely still running on the mountain path.] Su Si said with a trembling voice. [When I grow up and settle him down, I will definitely go to Taiheng and become one of the Greats.]

Shi Zhongyu shook her head. [I understand you’re frightened. Follow me back to the camp for now, and tomorrow I’ll take you back on horseback, so you can return more easily… Wait, why are you running?]

Su Si threw off the warm cloak and rushed into the nearby bushes. The terrain was strange, and with just one run, he left Shi Zhongyu far behind. She had to take care of her junior sister*, so she couldn’t catch up.

*[Shimei] (师妹). Term used to refer to a girl younger than you within the same sect.

Yan Qing had been crawling and scrambling in the mountains for a day and a half, covered in bruises from falls. Just as he propped himself up with a branch, planning to continue forward, Su Si ran back.

[Taiheng is coming to arrest you. I came back using a shortcut and bought some time.]

As soon as he saw Yang Qing, he spoke hoarsely.

[Hide first. I’ll go back and inform the people in the village. They’re afraid of a bad reputation, so they’ll definitely help hide your father… Your father doesn’t have the ghost eyes, so he can hide well. Y-You must hide well.]

Yan Qing’s mind was still focused on helping Su Si escape the ordeal, and this sudden speech left him bewildered. However, seeing that Su Si had returned on his own, he simply hugged him and obediently went into hiding as instructed.

In a place where Su Si couldn’t see, his eyes were red the whole time. When Yan Qing was hidden and there was no one around, Su Si finally let out a sob and cried uncontrollably in the darkness.

In the end, he couldn’t let go of his only friend.

Perhaps the children back then couldn’t perceive it, but as they grew into adults, they became acutely aware—this matter became their inner demon, almost naturally so.

There was a moment when Shi Jingzhi couldn’t bear to turn his head and look at Yan Qing’s expression beside him.

If on that day Su Si had followed Shi Zhongyu, his suffering would have ended forever. With his innate talent as a guarantee, after more than a decade, Su Si’s position in Taiheng would undoubtedly be high.

However, on that day, he turned around and let go of the only thread of hope in his life, rushing towards an endless darkness in the future.

From then on, donning white clothes and wielding a sword, freely roaming the rivers and lakes, became an unattainable dream.

Kinky Thoughts:

Ah, I really love Su Si and Yan Qing…

This chapter is heartbreaking in more ways than one… Because they’re actually not a CP…