Chapter 130: You’re a natural-born demon
In just one night, Mo Cunzhi went from being accused of killing a fellow disciple and suspected of being a demonic cultivator to being the innocent victim of a cunning demonic cultivator’s trap.
Bai Feishuang walked behind her senior brother, still able to hear the sect disciples discussing the matter.
Most of the ordinary disciples had not yet fully processed the fact that their senior brother had been locked up for being a suspected demonic cultivator. Suddenly, the situation took a sharp turn—the demonic cultivator was now the junior disciple, and the senior brother had become innocent.
It was hard for anyone to make sense of it.
Bai Feishuang was no exception. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t understand how the mischievous, sweet-talking, and caring junior disciple could have turned into a demonic cultivator.
If even she was unwilling to believe it, how much more so would her senior brother—
Bai Feishuang glanced at her senior brother. His expression was indifferent as he walked through the sympathetic, guilty, regretful, and doubtful gazes of their fellow disciples, heading toward Quxing Peak.
He didn’t seem to care at all about what had happened.
If Bai Feishuang hadn’t gone to the stone prison and seen him so emotionally shaken that he coughed up blood, she might have believed he was truly unshaken.
During this time, Bai Feishuang had noticed how the bond between her senior and junior brothers had grown stronger.
She had never seen her senior brother care about anyone this much. If a day passed without seeing the junior disciple, he would personally go and bring him back to Hanya Peak.
When they went out, he worried so much that he kept the junior disciple by his side, teaching and protecting him.
The junior disciple also relied on the senior brother, unwilling to be separated from him. Whenever he saw something tasty or fun outside, he would say he wanted to bring it back for his senior brother.
He always spoke of him in an affectionate tone.
Bai Feishuang had even secretly wondered if the two of them were about to become Dao companions.
But now, things had turned out like this.
As was the case yesterday, the sect master and others were in the main hall of Quxing Peak, and Xie Ji was there as well.
However, today, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was filled with murderous intent. Although he had suppressed the demonic energy in his body, Mo Cunzhi could still see it clearly at a glance.
The Xie family elder stood behind him, pressing his shoulder to help suppress the demonic energy within him, his expression grim.
Xie Ji was very likely to become the future head of the main branch of the family, but now he had turned into a demonic cultivator. Even if he had been framed, how could the prestigious Xie family allow a demonic cultivator to lead them?
When he returned, there was even a possibility that he would be expelled from the family.
Unlike yesterday, when Mo Cunzhi had stood alone in the center of the hall as if being judged, today he stood before the other disciples, listening to them discuss the junior disciple’s defection.
“He harbored malicious intent, having long known the female demonic cultivator who had infiltrated my Xie family. He even tried to kill me before, but Brother Mo saved me…”
Xie Ji spoke in a suppressed tone as he recounted how he had been captured and humiliated by Yu Le, who had also forcibly turned him into a demonic cultivator.
“To facilitate his smooth defection from the sect, he didn’t even hesitate to frame Brother Mo. And I, unknowingly, abetted him and almost caused Brother Mo’s downfall!”
Xie Ji wobbled as he stood up, the taste of blood in his throat. He bowed deeply to Mo Cunzhi in apology.
Mo Cunzhi looked at him, his voice calm, “Did you see with your own eyes that he’s a demonic cultivator?”
“Of course! Not only did I see demonic energy pouring from him, but those two demonic cultivators, the man and woman from the wilderness, were also at his side, following his orders!”
Xie Ji’s voice was full of hatred, “Brother Mo, these demonic cultivators are masters at deceiving hearts. You’ve been fooled by him too!”
“Because they were all in this together, when you tried to kill that demonic cultivator in the wilderness, that’s why he appeared just in time to stop you!”
Mo Cunzhi listened to his agitated tone, remaining silent for a moment, seemingly unmoved. “I see.”
The sect master, sitting at the head of the hall, was just as he had been yesterday, not showing any relief even after his disciple had been cleared of suspicion. However, the junior brother beside him, Qin Haoran, looked deeply concerned, his expression filled with worry.
“I, too, didn’t notice anything unusual about Yu Rui yesterday, but a disciple who defects from our Wuyue Immortal Sect must be dealt with.”
“You were once close to him, Cunzhi. Today, it will be up to you to capture him and redeem yourself. If you cannot take him alive, as long as you confirm his identity as a demonic cultivator, you may kill him on the spot.”
Hearing no reply from the disciple, the sect master furrowed his brow slightly and spoke with more severity: “Cunzhi, remember your position. As the top disciple of the Wuyue Immortal Sect, you cannot let your emotions cloud your judgment. At all times, you must shoulder your responsibilities!”
Mo Cunzhi finally responded, “Yes, Master.”
When he raised his hand, the blue tassel on his tightly gripped sword swayed, causing his gaze to momentarily sharpen.
At that moment, his chest seemed to tighten for an instant.
As Mo Cunzhi prepared to leave, Bai Feishuang ran after him. “Senior Brother, I’ll go with you!”
She, too, wanted to ask their junior brother directly if he had any hidden difficulties.
“There’s no need,” Mo Cunzhi refused.
Bai Feishuang had always known that her senior brother obeyed their master without question. If he really encountered their junior brother, he might show no mercy and directly engage him in battle.
“Senior Brother, if Junior Brother really had hidden difficulties, perhaps he didn’t kill the two sect disciples…”
Mo Cunzhi’s voice was hoarse and heavy, carrying a hint of exhaustion. “Do you think I would kill him?”
More than anyone, he wanted to know why their junior brother had done these things. And more than anyone, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to kill him.
Bai Feishuang was silent, and Mo Cunzhi raised his sword, flying away like a shooting star.
Meng Qing rushed outside the hall and saw that his senior brother had already left. He wanted to follow, but his master called him back.
“Master, I’ll go with Senior Brother to bring Yu Rui back.”
“…It’s not necessary.”
“Master!” Meng Qing looked at the master, who had always cared for his junior brother.
“There may be some misunderstanding. Junior Brother grew up in the sect. He’s barely even encountered demonic cultivators. He has no reason to become one, right?”
Qin Haoran remained silent and sighed deeply.
From his master’s complicated expression, Meng Qing detected a clue. “Master, do you already know?”
*
“My Lord, once we pass Mount Chouying and cross the River of No Return, we will reach the demonic realm.”
“Hmm.”
Yu Le had changed out of the Wuyue Immortal Sect disciple robes and was now dressed in a deep purple robe, paired with black boots.
He no longer exuded demonic energy and looked entirely like an immortal sect disciple or perhaps a young master from a prestigious family.
Though he had just defected from the sect where he had grown up, there wasn’t a trace of hesitation or reluctance on his face.
As they neared the boundary of the demonic realm, he didn’t hurry to enter. Instead, he stopped.
Xiao Niang and Su Yugou, having witnessed his skills firsthand, didn’t dare urge him forward.
After a long pause, Yu Le sat down under a tree and said, “Find somewhere to wait. I have some unfinished business.”
Xiao Niang, emboldened, asked, “May I inquire what business remains? If it’s possible, I’d be happy to handle it for you.”
“It’s nothing, really. I’m just waiting for my senior brother to catch up, so I can say goodbye to him,” Yu Le said with a bright smile.
By his calculations, his senior brother should have arrived by now. He just wasn’t sure if he’d come alone or with a group.
This defector from the sect had been anything but subtle. Along the way, he had left trails of demonic energy behind, showing no intention of hiding. If Mo Cunzhi truly wanted to find him, he certainly could.
Yu Le didn’t have to wait long. Shortly after Xiao Niang and Su Yugou left, a flash of swordlight appeared in the distance, streaking toward him.
“Senior Brother, you’ve come quickly,” Yu Le said, jumping down from the tree.
Though only a day had passed, it felt like an eternity.
Seeing him again in person, Mo Cunzhi’s cold demeanor finally crumbled. Pain flickered in his eyes as he slowly asked, “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why become a demonic cultivator? Why leave the sect? Why… lie to me?”
Yu Le observed Mo Cunzhi’s deep anguish and suppressed fury, yet he only smiled, his eyes bright and clear. “The answer to all your questions is the same: because it was fun.”
Mo Cunzhi’s chest heaved as he stared at Yu Le’s face. “No one forced you to become a demonic cultivator?”
“If I don’t want to do something, who could possibly force me?”
“Good, then I haven’t wronged you.”
At that, Mo Cunzhi drew his sword and pointed it at Yu Le.
“Senior Brother wants to fight me? So heartless? And here I was, clearing your name before I left. You don’t even feel grateful,” Yu Le teased, though his tone was lighthearted, contrary to the meaning behind his words.
“But I’ve been wanting to have a proper fight with you for a while now.”
He was a step slower to attack than Mo Cunzhi, but their swords clashed almost simultaneously.
Mo Cunzhi had sparred with his junior brother on Hanya Peak before, back when his junior brother had still been clumsy.
The sword in his hand felt heavier than ever, and beneath his anger lay a deeper sense of exhaustion.
This crushing weight—he couldn’t tell whether it came from his inner turmoil or from facing his once-gentle junior brother, now ruthless.
Mo Cunzhi quickly realized that Yu Le’s cultivation was far beyond what he had expected, yet he remained eerily calm.
From the time he had first descended the mountain as a teenager to slay demons, Mo Cunzhi had always known he would one day die at the hands of a demonic cultivator. Now, it didn’t feel any different.
Yu Le wasn’t using his cultivation to overwhelm Mo Cunzhi, and it didn’t seem as effortless as it appeared.
His senior brother truly wanted to kill him—his sword strikes were more ferocious than ever, showing no concern for the injuries he sustained. His attacks were wild, as if he had no regard for his own life.
A top-tier demonic cultivator fighting with such reckless abandon wasn’t easy to deal with.
However, Yu Le noticed a small flaw in his attacks.
Twice, when Mo Cunzhi was about to land a blow on his abdomen, he instinctively pulled back at the last moment.
Realizing this, Yu Le chuckled and lost interest in continuing the swordfight. Demonic energy surged from his body, and he subdued the stubborn sword cultivator using a demonic technique.
“Senior Brother, it seems like you’re afraid to strike my abdomen. But you already know I’ve been lying to you all along. Do you still think the so-called child I mentioned was real?”
Mo Cunzhi, bound by ropes of dark purple demonic energy and pinned against a tree, closed his eyes at those words.
He had already suspected the truth. The endless lies, and Yu Le’s reluctance to let Meng Qing know, were clear signs of deception.
“I lied to you. There’s no child.”
Yu Le leaned in close to his ear, his tone light and playful, like an innocent child who had no idea of the mischief he had caused.
“How could a man possibly get pregnant? Of course I was lying to you. Senior Brother, you’re way too easy to fool.”
Mo Cunzhi recalled everything he had endured over the past few months, swallowing the metallic taste of blood in his throat.
“Why? Going to such lengths—was it all just to toy with me?”
As he spoke, blood dripped from his lips.
Yu Le glanced at him, slightly surprised. “Are you that angry? So mad you’re coughing up blood.”
He blinked, then reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of Mo Cunzhi’s mouth.
Mo Cunzhi’s expression turned cold as he stared back, his eyes devoid of any warmth.
“I’ve lost. If you want to kill me, do it. I won’t be your plaything any longer.”
Yu Le’s smile faded slightly as he looked at him. “Senior Brother, that’s a bit disappointing.”
“Let me tell you a secret.” Suddenly, Yu Le leaned on Mo Cunzhi’s shoulder like he used to and whispered softly, “Actually, you’re a natural-born demon.”
“Didn’t you ever wonder, Senior Brother? Why it seemed so easy for you to develop heart demons and lose control over your bloodlust?”
“Why is it that while others can’t see through the disguise of a demonic cultivator, you can sense it? It’s because of your natural-born demon core. The stronger it is, the more attuned you are to demonic energy.”
“Remember your friend Xie Ji? He mentioned how the demon-trapping array in the room you stayed in was corroded by demonic energy. Didn’t you ever wonder why, Senior Brother? You must have felt uncomfortable while staying there, right? The demon-trapping array only bothers demons, after all.”
As Yu Le continued speaking, Mo Cunzhi’s breathing grew more labored.
“You’re lying again,” Mo Cunzhi said through gritted teeth.
But was he truly unaware of these things?
Yu Le chuckled softly, leaning against Mo Cunzhi’s shoulder as if watching him struggle in vain.
“Senior Brother, are you about to say that if you were truly a demon, the sect master would’ve noticed?”
Yu Le cupped Mo Cunzhi’s face, forcing him to look directly at him, and said slowly, “That’s because the sect master, your master, concealed your true identity.”
“Because you are the child of his most beloved junior sister and the former Demon Lord.”
“That’s why he raised you, yet subtly showed disgust and indifference toward you.”
“That’s why he kept you distant from your fellow disciples, constantly reminding you of your duty and identity, fearing that one day you might lose control and harm the innocent.”
“That’s also why he didn’t dare agree when Xie Ji asked to verify your identity yesterday.”
One by one, Yu Le’s words shattered all of Mo Cunzhi’s doubts and faint hopes.
In the end, Yu Le leaned in and pressed his face against Mo Cunzhi’s pale cheek with a look of pity. “Senior brother, you’re a demon.”
