CH 30

Iris Island, Devil Sect.

Residence of the Young Saint.

Although it was late at night, the hall of the residence of the Young Saint was brightly lit. Ju Hall Elder stood trembling in the hall with a thin boy grovelling by his feet, shivering.

Seeing that the boy was only thirteen or fourteen years old and remembering his previous behaviours, Su Yang felt that his scalp was about to explode—What is this aaa? He is just a child aaa! Ju Hall Elder, that old beast... How could that old geezer arrange for such a child to serve him in bed…?!

Su Yang sat in the main chair wrapped in a huge cloak and pressed his forehead. He pointed at the trembling boy and said, “Lian Jiu, give him a piece of clothing. It’s cold at night, don’t let him freeze.”

When the Lian Hall aide heard the words, he immediately fetched a cloak, draped it on Ju Nian ​​and stood aside sincerely with his head down.

Su Yang roared at Ju Hall Elder: “Earlier, you said that I’d personally brought him back when I was out a few years ago? Aside from him, I’d also brought back several more young boys?”

Ju Hall Elder drooped his head and replied respectfully: “Yes, Young Saint. You traveled back then and brought back many beauties to raise in the Juan Dan Palace. Now you have achieved breakthroughs in your cultivation and you will be crowned in a year. This subordinate thought that it’s time to gather a few to be your bedwarmers. For the past two years, you have not been in the sect. This subordinate had selected two gentle and compliant beauties to be trained—”

Su Yang waved his hand and interrupted the elder’s words.

He bore a furious expression and asked, “Within Juan Dan Palace, what is the total number of people there who are around this age??”

Ju Hall Elder smiled then said:. “Young Saint is burdened with work and has short memories, I have been negligent,” he said and he began to explain to Su Yang the workings of Ju Hall’s Juan Dan Palace.

After listening to Ju Hall Elder’s explanation, Su Yang finally understood that the Juan Dan Palace was set up by Devil Sect’s Young Saint. It was located not far from his residence and was under Ju Hall’s management.

In addition, the Devil Sect’s Young Saint liked men and was especially fond of beautiful young boys who had not yet matured. At the beginning, he used his influence to kidnap, deceive and threaten boys, ranging from eleven, twelve, fifteen and sixteen years old from the large and small provinces within the Central Plains.

Two years later, the children had also grown up. Ju Hall Elder was afraid that he would not like the older ones, so he didn’t pick the boys who had matured and only let the youngest: Ju Nian serve him.

Su Yang hugged his aching head, silently mumbling a few words of ‘maintain the persona, maintain the persona’ and that was how he held himself back from cursing at them.

What’s the matter with the script? Why was it whenever ‘Devil Sect’s Young Saint’ is mentioned, it’s always to say that he likes men!

But if he thought about it, even if this was mentioned in the original book, the screenwriters of the online drama would change it all, otherwise it would likely not be able to pass the censorship board. Now he recalled in detail that certain lines and actions of the Devil Sect’s Young Saint in the script did have a tendency to tease men, but never directly.

After all, it was a supporting role, who cares what you like?

Su Yang’s head hurt.

Although he was now considered a half-professional actor and he did not resist playing the role of a villain who was fond of men, but… the basic principles of the Devil Sect’s Young Saint really make him disapprove.

The kidnapping of the young boys was done by his ‘shell’ previously. Although he was restricted by his cultivation and hadn’t had time to touch any of these kidnapped children, it the end, he was the one who kidnapped them in the first place and he couldn’t just leave it be.

Fortunately, the internal affairs team of the Devil Sect were not in the script. No matter how distorted, it shouldn’t affect the main storyline. There were more matters that he could manipulate.

Su Yang stabilised his mind, shored up his demeanour and spoke with a straight face: “This Young Saint no longer likes them. Take account of where their homes are, revert and issue some severance pay. Then, return them to their respective homes properly.”

Ju Hall Elder was shocked: “That’s impractical, Young Saint!”

Su Yang said irritably, “What’s impractical? They were forcibly taken in the first place and they must want to go home. Wouldn’t it be good to let them go?”

Ju Hall Elder had a complex expression but his voice belied his good intentions: “Young Saint, this… at the beginning when they were brought to the Sect, they were unwilling to give in. We, the subordinates of Ju Hall are responsible for assigning pets for you and Sect Leader. They have experienced countless ordeals and as such will bear a grudge against our Sect. If you ‘release the tiger back to the mountain’*, I am afraid that there will be trouble.”

(*TN : sow the seeds of disaster, set the stage for calamity)

After that, he gritted his teeth and added: “Young Saint, if you dislike them, this subordinate deems that it’s better to kill them all. It’s most convenient.”

Hearing this, Su Yang’s scalp became numb. He pretended to be impatient and waved his hand, “Our Yin Tan Divine Sect is afraid of a few young boys? I ordered you to release them, so release them. You’re not to kill any of them!”

Ju Hall Elder tried to continue persuading: “Akk, Young Saint—”

Su Yang’s eyes widened and he scolded angrily, “Who’s the Young Saint now, you or me? Are you refusing to follow my orders? Then I don’t think you need to serve as an Elder anymore!” 

Ju Hall Elder sighed helplessly and had to receive his orders.

He whispered to Ju Nian, who had been prostrating on the ground. He stood up tremblingly and followed the elder outside the hall.

Before he left, Ju Nian bravely looked back. He saw that Su Yang had risen from the main chair, yawned and turned to walk back to the bedroom.

Ju Nian bit his lip and pulled the cloak tighter around himself. There seemed to be frightening ripples in his lowered eyes.

Su Yang returned to the bedroom. Lian Jiu came up to ask whether he had any further instructions. Su Yang waved him back away, blew out the light and lay on the bed in a daze.

Although he was not meticulous, he wasn’t stupid. Of course he knew that releasing the tiger back to the mountain was not anything good for the Devil Sect. However… according to the storyline, within two years, Gu Feidi would bring the righteous sects to infiltrate Devil City and destroy the Devil Sect. Even if he didn’t take in these kidnapped children, they wouldn’t be able to escape the siege in the future.

It would be better to let them go at this time, doing so might still be able to save their lives.

He knew that this was just a fictional world, but he had stayed here for two years already. When all was said and done, he did bear some affection and sentiment.

Since this world was real to Gu Feidi, to Fan Xi, to Xu Yunzhan… to all the shixiongs and shijies in Lesser Jade House, then it should be true for the others in the script including those without names.

It was still a good thing anyway, if he was able to save their lives.

As he thought about this, Su Yang rolled over, tucked his chin into the quilt, sighed quietly and closed his eyes.

That night, he had a mess of dreams.

First, he dreamed of things outside the script. It seemed that he had finally returned to reality from the book and had gone traveling to the beach. Unexpectedly, he had encountered Gu Feidi and his party there and Gu Feidi had insisted on having a swimming competition with him.

Who knew that when they were swimming, both of them encountered a whirlpool and Gu Feidi was almost caught in it. Su Yang immediately went to save him, holding him tightly in his arms and dragging him out. However, for some reason, he couldn’t use any strength and, in the end, both he and Gu Feidi were swept into the water together by the whirlpool…

After that, there were a number of indistinct fragments.

It seemed that there was someone holding him in his embrace, touching his forehead and his wrist over and over and whispering some unintelligible words in his ear. Later, this person had carried him on his back and wordlessly began climbing up a snow-capped mountain.

It was bitterly cold on the snow-capped mountain, the biting wind pierced into the bones almost to the point of freezing people’s souls. But the person’s back was warm and the continuous flow of heat transferred from his body made Su Yang feel terribly comfortable.

So Su Yang lay decently on the man’s back, allowing him to carry him to wherever he went…

A soft and clear bird’s song came from outside the window.

Su Yang slowly opened his eyes, was taken aback for a moment and suddenly frowned. He got up and raised his hand to lift up the quilt and noticed that his inner garments were wet.

Su Yang: …

The dream he had last night wasn’t anything unsuitable for children aaa! His body was too self-assertive, right? He was actually at that age where he was so vigorous until it would simply overflow…

No, he shouldn’t be blamed.

Su Yang angrily defended himself:

If anyone’s to blame, blame that old perverse and self-assertive Ju Hall Elder!

……

Although the Devil Sect’s conduct from the highest to the lowest members weren’t compatible with Su Yang’s basic principles, at least they were very efficient in getting things done.

Three days later, the group of youngsters who had been raised in Juan Dan Palace were sent out of the Devil Sect Realm one after another and returned to the Central Plains martial world.

Su Yang summoned Ju Hall Elder again and ordered him to ban all the lodges of Ju Hall on Iris Island. Ju Hall Elder did not try to resist the instruction this time. After taking the order silently, he quickly evacuated all the lodges set up by Ju Hall on Iris Island.

Finally experiencing peace and quiet, Su Yang managed to resume the work and rest habits he had cultivated in Lesser Jade House. Early morning, he practiced swords, then dealt with the affairs of the sect before lunchtime, practiced exercises and meditated in the afternoon and in the evenings, he went to Mei Hall to find someone to spar and practice with.

This kind of idiotic daily life lasted for two months, when finally, a piece of information from Lian Hall was delivered into Su Yang’s hands, interrupting his peaceful life.

This was the news that Su Yang had been waiting for.

——Recently, there were rumours beginning to spread in Jianghu saying that a hundred years ago, Sword Sage Bai Jinghong once accepted a disciple. Now that his disciple’s disciple was about to die, he had revealed that the Tomb of the Sword Sage was located in a hidden place in the Wasteland. According to legend, buried in the tomb with Bai Jinghong were exquisite martial arts which he had created throughout his life including the peerless swordsmanships which he had never imparted to anyone.

As soon as the news came out, it caused a sensation in the martial arts circles.

The commerce roads from the Central Plains to the desert were suddenly crowded with large and small caravans, merchants, traders and such all wanting to go to the Wasteland to find the legacy of the Sword Sage.

“Young Saint, this matter is serious.” Mei Hall Elder said with a solemn expression, “Although I don’t know where the Dubious Tomb of the Sword Sage is located in the Wasteland, but if the Central Plains martial arts circles continue to go deeper in, it is inevitable that one or two teams will discover where our Sect’s headquarters are. We must defend against it!”

Su Yang nodded when he heard the words: “I was just considering this matter too. Instead of letting them reach Devil City, we should send a team to find the Tomb of the Sword Sage. In the event we can find the Sword Sage’s legacy, it’ll be good for the Sect. Secondly, we can also grasp the group’s movements in real time. If they are heading towards Devil City, we can confuse them halfway.”

Mei Hall Elder clasped his fist: “Wise decision, Young Saint!”

Su Yang felt satisfied and laughed out loud: “Then, Elders shall select a team of elites from Mei Hall and hand them over to me. I will personally lead them to find the Tomb of the Sword Sage!”

Hearing this, Mei Hall Elder was taken aback and he immediately spoke in alarm: “Young Saint, how can you place yourself in danger? You only need to stay in the Sect and strategise. There’s no need to handle things personally—”

Su Yang waved his hand: “It’s settled. Elders, go select the team members, I will set off tomorrow!”

Mei Hall Elder: …

Su Yang smiled faintly at the elders, his eyes full of unquestionable determination.

Who’s he kidding, he’s been waiting for this day for two full months! Wasn’t two months enough to be annoyed to death with the internal affairs of the sect? He was here to run with the storyline; not to expand the power and influence of the Devil Sect.

So of course… wherever the protagonist Gu Feidi goes, he would follow him.