Chapter 115: Sweet Little Lele
Mo Cunzhi swept the area with his divine sense and immediately knew that the only formidable opponent in the Baiyun Manor was the Old Demon Dansha, who was at the Xuan Dan stage of cultivation.
A demonic cultivator at the Xuan Dan stage was equivalent to a cultivator at the Void Returning stage in the Immortal Path, which was a level higher than Mo Cunzhi’s current realm.
However, Mo Cunzhi had been slaying demons since his teens, and after years of honing his skills, he had been capable of defeating enemies beyond his cultivation level for the past decade. Naturally, he wasn’t afraid of this aging demon, who was nearing the end of his lifespan and always lurking in the shadows.
Locking onto the Old Demon Dansha’s aura, he instructed his junior brother, “Stay at the perimeter and block anyone else. Don’t come near the center.”
“Yes, Senior Brother,” Yu Le replied as he patrolled the outskirts of the Baiyun Manor, hoping to catch a few useful stragglers.
As the saying goes, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. The battle between Mo Cunzhi and the Old Demon Dansha had startled many of the demon’s servants.
Realizing that a powerful immortal cultivator had come to exterminate demons, the servants fled in a panic, without even knowing where they were going.
The Old Demon Dansha hadn’t taken on any disciples. The servants around him had only learned a bit of rudimentary alchemy to help him refine human pills, so the demonic energy on them was as faint as dew on a leaf.
Internal strife broke out among this group as well, with a few loyal servants berating the others for running away. When they saw Yu Le, brimming with spiritual energy, they grabbed their weapons and charged at him.
Yu Le chuckled at their foolishness and drew his sword to meet them.
He wielded a spiritual sword that had belonged to the original owner, a gift from his master, sharp enough to slice through iron like mud.
With one slash, the ferocious servant lost both arms.
Toying with them like a cat with mice, Yu Le quickly dispatched the other demonic servants who had rushed at him, and he didn’t spare the ones whose expressions changed in terror as they tried to flee.
In the end, only one was left.
Stepping over the severed limbs on the ground, Yu Le approached the last servant, who was so terrified that he couldn’t move.
“Let me ask you, where is the Old Demon Dansha keeping the people he captured? Do you know?”
The man was trembling like a leaf, his eyes glazed over as he stared at Yu Le, lips quivering, unable to utter a single word.
Yu Le reassured him, “Don’t be scared, I don’t kill people. Look, your companions are still alive.”
They were indeed alive, but each one was either missing an arm or a leg, writhing on the ground in agony, blood pouring everywhere. The scattered body parts were so mangled that it was impossible to tell who they belonged to.
It was even more horrifying than seeing a few lifeless corpses. The man stared, feeling as though his own legs were no longer attached to his body.
“Oh, you don’t know? Well, never mind then.”
Yu Le’s sword was already hovering over the man’s shoulder when he suddenly found the will to survive. Crying out, he screamed, “I know! I know! I’ll take you there right now, just don’t cut off my hands and feet!”
Pale as a ghost, the man led Yu Le to the dungeon where the mortal women were imprisoned.
“T-they’re all here. The cultivators, the female ones, are in the master’s inner hall. I-I don’t know any more than that.”
The disciples guarding the dungeon had fled, probably now rolling around in the plaza with their severed limbs.
Yu Le easily freed the terrified young women.
“Sisters, I’ve come to rescue you. You can come out now,” Yu Le said with a cheerful smile, knocking on the door with the hilt of his sword.
His appearance was quite disarming, and upon seeing his face, the women trusted him a little. One by one, they stepped out of the dungeon.
“Y-young immortal, did you come here just to save us?”
“Not specifically, just happened to help along the way.”
The young women exchanged glances, still fearful, and timidly asked, “Could we ask the young immortal to take us home? We have nothing, and don’t know how to get back.”
“Hmm, I see,” Yu Le mused for a moment. “Follow me.”
He led the group of women to the Old Demon Dansha’s treasure room, located on the outskirts of the manor, where only mortal gold and jewels were stored.
Yu Le slashed the door open and said to the group, “Go ahead, take a little each. Consider it compensation from the old demon.”
The women were stunned at the sight of the chests gleaming with gold.
Yu Le reminded them, “I’ll count to ten, then we need to leave.”
“One, two…”
Snapping out of their daze, the women rushed madly to grab the gold and silver, stuffing as much as they could into their sleeves and collars.
Yu Le stood at the doorway, leaning on his sword, smiling as he watched. When he reached ten, he turned and began to walk away.
Though some were still reluctant to leave, seeing him go prompted them to quickly snatch a few more handfuls of gold and silver before hurrying after him.
Carrying so much treasure, the women were too afraid to leave on their own. They sensed the boy in front of them had a soft heart and began to plead desperately for Yu Le to take them back home.
Yu Le smiled as he listened and led them back to the place where he had just slain the demonic servants.
The sight of blood and the groaning, wounded men scattered across the ground terrified the women into silence. Only one or two continued to whisper their pleas.
Still smiling, Yu Le sighed, “Sisters, there’s no more danger ahead. I have things to do, so stop clinging to me…”
As he walked forward, one of the legless servants, delirious, suddenly reached out to grab his shoe.
Without even looking, Yu Le swung his sword behind him.
An arm flew off, blood splattering onto his boots and the hem of his robe, but his innocent smile remained unchanged. “When I get annoyed, I’m not happy. Be good, sisters, and walk on your own, alright?”
As he spoke, he stepped on another severed hand, the sole of his shoe making a crunching sound.
Terrified, the young women stifled their screams, covering their mouths as they watched him. They no longer saw any difference between Yu Le and the terrifying demonic servants. Clutching their gold and silver, they ran as if ghosts were chasing them.
Yu Le chuckled softly as he watched them leave, then turned his attention to the sounds coming from the center of the Baiyun Manor.
His senior brother and the Old Demon Dansha were still locked in battle, sword energy and demonic energy clashing violently in the sky.
Yu Le saw a massive alchemy furnace gleaming with golden light, placed prominently in the hall, with a roaring fire burning underneath.
Above, there was a long couch for resting, and below, countless meditation mats. Judging by the books, bottles, jars, and numerous medicine cabinets scattered around, the place seemed to resemble a teaching hall of some sort.
On one side of the massive alchemy furnace stood Mo Cunzhi and the Old Demon Dansha, while on the other side were several female cultivators.
Some lay unconscious on the ground, while a few others, barely able to hold their weapons, nervously watched the battle, as if ready to jump in and assist at any moment.
When Yu Le entered, he immediately drew the attention of the female cultivators.
“Sisters, this place is dangerous. Please leave as soon as possible,” Yu Le advised.
“Who are you and this senior?” one of the female cultivators asked.
“That is my senior brother,” he replied.
His body radiated spiritual energy, his appearance was pleasant, and his demeanor was pure. Around his waist hung the disciple token of the Wuyue Immortal Sect. The female cultivators, trusting him, helped each other to their feet.
The two leading cultivators, initially hesitant to leave, had felt uneasy about leaving their benefactor to face the powerful Old Demon Dansha alone, hoping their presence could offer some support.
However, now that the junior brother had arrived and urged them to leave, they had no reason to insist on staying.
“In that case, we are of no help here, so we will take our leave now. One day, we will visit the Wuyue Immortal Sect to express our gratitude!” they said.
Having sent off yet another group of people who might have perished at the hands of his senior brother, Yu Le found a meditation mat and sat down.
The Old Demon Dansha paid no attention to what was happening on this side. He was being forced to retreat, unable to split his focus, and was already at a disadvantage against Mo Cunzhi.
Mo Cunzhi, too, didn’t spare a glance at the others. He had entered a profound and perilous state.
For a long time, Mo Cunzhi had been on the verge of advancing to the Void Returning stage, having accumulated his strength at the Spirit Refining stage. However, he was troubled by his inner demon, unable to control his murderous impulses, and dared not advance lightly.
But as the saying goes, when water overflows, it cannot be contained. The pressure he had been suppressing for so long was bound to break free. This life-and-death struggle with the cunning old demon pushed him toward the Void Returning stage, and the demon core sealed within his body was on the verge of collapse.
As the old demon’s demonic energy seeped into the air, Mo Cunzhi’s mind became increasingly clouded, and by now, he was no longer fully conscious. His fight against the old demon was purely driven by instinct.
Meanwhile, Yu Le, bored, had started counting the hibiscus flower patterns on the window frames.
Finally, the battle reached its conclusion.
With a shriek, the Old Demon Dansha’s body was shredded by Mo Cunzhi’s long sword. Even the demonic soul trying to escape was torn apart by the intense demonic energy that filled the room.
Yu Le walked over to the massive alchemy furnace and tossed something into the fire.
Soon, a faint smoke filled the hall.
What he threw in were some spiritual herbs meant to calm the mind and clear the senses, along with… some other things.
The demonic energy saturating the hall was no longer just the blood-tinged energy from the Old Demon Dansha. It was now mixed with a purer, deep purple-black demonic aura.
This energy belonged to Mo Cunzhi, and sensing the kindred force, the demon core inside Yu Le’s body began to rotate on its own.
Yes, this was the demonic energy he had been seeking.
Yu Le drew his sword, facing his senior brother, whose eyes had turned pitch black and whose aura had become dangerously unstable.
“Senior Brother, wake up.”
At the sound of “Senior Brother,” Mo Cunzhi’s gaze cleared for a brief moment, but the overwhelming demonic energy soon clouded his mind again.
With only one person left standing in the hall, Mo Cunzhi instinctively moved toward Yu Le, his killing intent palpable.
“Well, looks like we’ll have to fight,” Yu Le said.
Since the day Yu Le had opened his eyes in this world, the first thing he’d seen was Mo Cunzhi’s cold, infuriating face. He had always wanted to teach him a lesson, but the opportunity never arose.
Today, he would finally put the protagonist’s demon core to the test.
The spiritual sword in Yu Le’s hand was quickly enveloped by demonic energy.
The sharp clash of swords rang out, each sound like a piercing needle stabbing into Mo Cunzhi’s muddled mind.
The smoke from the mind-clearing herbs spread through the hall, and Mo Cunzhi’s instincts sensed something was wrong. In his foggy vision, he saw a familiar face in front of him.
“Little… Junior Brother…?”
Yu Le sparred with him for a while but was already starting to struggle. After all, the demon core was not yet fully refined, and his cultivation level was lower than Mo Cunzhi’s, so it was only natural that he couldn’t win.
Noticing that the calming herbs were taking effect, Yu Le seized the moment when Mo Cunzhi hesitated. Without hesitation, he pulled out the Phoenix Flame Cone and stabbed it into Mo Cunzhi’s shoulder.
The Phoenix True Flame immediately suppressed the overwhelming demonic energy surging inside Mo Cunzhi.
Clang. Mo Cunzhi’s sword fell from his hand, and Yu Le caught his collapsing body.
He had fought the Old Demon Dansha alone, already long exhausted. It was only the demonic energy driving him that had kept him fighting for so long. Now, amidst the soothing smoke and the pain in his shoulder, he managed to regain some clarity.
Leaning against his junior brother’s chest, he vaguely caught a faint, pleasant scent.
Suddenly, a strange sensation stirred within him, as if vines were growing from his very flesh—itching and painful.
A pale hand lifted his lowered face. Mo Cunzhi instinctively frowned and saw Yu Le gazing down at him.
That expression looked as though he were admiring a beautiful ornament or an object of interest.
After staring for a moment, Yu Le suddenly smiled and leaned closer, asking, “Senior Brother, are you alright?”
Mo Cunzhi gritted his teeth in pain, struggling to suppress that unfamiliar impulse. Even though his mind was still not fully clear, he managed to stand up with effort and pushed Yu Le away.
“Leave.”
“Where is Senior Brother going?” Yu Le asked with a playful smile, watching as Mo Cunzhi stumbled and sat down again on a meditation cushion. Stepping forward, Yu Le pressed him down gently.
“Senior Brother is injured. Take some medicine first.”
Injured… Was he injured? When did he get injured, and how?
Mo Cunzhi shook his head, confused about what had just happened. All he felt was a warmth at his lips as a soft fingertip pushed a fragrant pill into his mouth.
Gradually, he regained some strength, but then, suddenly, a raging fire seemed to ignite inside his body.
Breathing heavily, he lay there, his hair jet-black, blending with his always somber black clothes, exuding a cold, oppressive aura.
His normally pale and distant face now flushed slightly, and his eyes were clouded, a mixture of pain and thirst.
Yu Le sat beside him, leaning in to observe, savoring this rare sight that occurred perhaps once in a hundred years.
Propping his chin on his hand, he watched.
He watched as Mo Cunzhi struggled, endured, and finally gave in.
The injured hand, covered in wounds, could no longer resist and reached for Yu Le’s knee.
Yu Le pressed down on his hand, his expression genuinely puzzled. “Senior Brother, what are you doing? You’re injured; why aren’t you resting instead of moving around?”
Yet as he spoke, he deliberately leaned closer, their breaths nearly mingling. He gazed into those pure black eyes, now clouded with chaotic desire.
Suddenly, his collar was grabbed, and Yu Le was pulled into Mo Cunzhi’s chest, his entire body pressed against him. Then, in a swift move, Mo Cunzhi flipped him over, pinning him down firmly.
