Chapter 10

Though sickened by the ingratitude of the man he’d toiled to save, Shen Qingqiu felt a profound sense of fulfillment.

Liu Qingge, who was fated to die by his hand, had been pulled back from the brink by a twist of fate.

If he could forge a good relationship with this man, even if his plan to mold the perfect disciple, Luo Binghe, failed, Liu Qingge, as the master of Bai Zhan Peak, would at least shield him out of sect brotherhood!

It was a bit utilitarian, but when one’s life was on the line, lofty principles were a luxury…

Time held no meaning within the cave. Before Shen Qingqiu felt he’d accomplished much, the day of his emergence from the Lingxi Cave had arrived.

Shen Qingqiu sat cross-legged on the stone dais, eyes closed. Only after the last wisp of spiritual energy had completed its circuit through his limbs and marrow did he open them.

After months of focused cultivation, he could now channel his spiritual power with perfect control, reaching a level beyond his original foundation. This state declared his complete, one hundred percent mastery over this body—the last vestiges of dissonance had vanished. The light in his eyes now held a different quality, a new vitality.

He leapt down from the dais. His body felt lighter, his limbs infused with a refreshing strength, brimming with a vigor that belied his years.

Of course, this was likely just his subjective perception. After all, his time in seclusion had passed as swiftly as dragging a video progress bar. In a novel, unless the author padded it with filler, this segment would be over in a single chapter.

Before leaving, he thought he should bid farewell to his neighbor and rapped his knuckles against the stone wall.

“Junior Brother, how fares your progress? This Senior Brother shall take his leave first.”

His voice echoed softly in the cavern’s emptiness, not loud, but enough for someone of Liu Qingge’s cultivation to hear.

As expected, there was no response from the other side. Shen Qingqiu didn’t mind. He had expressed his sentiment (?)—that was enough. With a flick of his sleeve, he strode from the cave, feet seeming to glide on wind, ready to face the brewing storm.

By his reckoning, it was about that time. The upcoming plot was crucial—the first minor climax in the early stages of The Arrogant Devil King’s Path.

A provocation from the demonic race, inciting a great upheaval.

And two of the novel’s important female leads would make their dazzling debut in this minor climax, beginning to take notice of Luo Binghe.

The Lingxi Cave was isolated from the outside world, a place of utter quiet. Yet the moment he stepped out, Qing Jing Peak seemed engulfed in the smoke of beacon fires. Disciples ran in panic everywhere, and alarm bells clanged incessantly.

Shen Qingqiu understood immediately. They were already on the mountain!

Perfect timing—he’d arrived right on cue.

Several disciples—he didn’t know whose—spotted him and rushed over. “Uncle Shen! Uncle Shen, you’ve finally emerged! A disaster! Demonic cultivators from the demon realm have infiltrated Qing Jing Peak! They’ve injured many of our martial brothers!”

Shen Qingqiu patted a head reassuringly. “Stay calm. Where is the Sect Leader?”

Disciple A wailed, “Sect Leader Uncle has urgent business down the mountain. If not for that, these demons would never have dared attack!”

Disciple B spat angrily, “The demons are despicable! Not only did they strike when we were vulnerable, they destroyed the Rainbow Bridges connecting the twelve peaks! They’ve also laid a strange barrier. Qing Jing Peak cannot receive reinforcements from the other peaks!”

Shen Qingqiu already knew all this; his questions were merely a formality. Now, bolstered by his cultivation and the experience of… well, fighting both Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge, he felt a surge of heroic spirit. “Do not panic. Our Cang Qiong Mountain Sect is a mighty institution, brimming with heroes. Are we to fear these leftover dregs of the demon realm?”

The disciples immediately felt they had found their pillar of support and fell in behind Shen Qingqiu like a train. As they moved, others who had been running around like headless chickens hurried to join, and those unaware of the situation tagged along. The procession grew longer and longer until it reached the grand plaza before the main hall of Qing Jing Palace.

Every Cang Qiong Mountain disciple present on Qing Jing Peak had gathered to confront the demons who had penetrated their heartland. The disciples of Qing Jing Peak, as the plot required, had “coincidentally” all come to welcome the emerging Shen Qingqiu and were already assembled. Shen Qingqiu’s first glance was to seek out Luo Binghe’s figure. Sure enough, the youth stood among the crowd, expression solemn.

After this time apart, he had grown noticeably taller. His adolescent frame was like a slender, sturdy bamboo shoot, and that handsome little face was quite striking. Seeing the protagonist was present, Shen Qingqiu’s heart settled, and he shifted his attention to the enemy.

Before the ancient, majestic Qing Jing Palace, over a hundred demonic beings gathered, their auras rolling with sinister energy. The leader of this invasion, surprisingly, appeared to be a girl of only fifteen or sixteen.

Shen Qingqiu felt a small thrill. She’s here! Finally here!

Even among the demon race, known for their eccentric attire, this girl’s style was particularly unconventional. Her jet-black hair was braided into numerous small plaits. Her skin was pale, her eye makeup dramatic, her lips an unnaturally vivid red. Though young, one could already glimpse the stunning beauty she would become. Despite the heat, her clothing was exceedingly sparse—little more than several red gauze scarves wrapped around her body. Silver bangles adorned her wrists and ankles, and tiny bells covering her form tinkled with her slightest movement.

Her snow-white feet were bare against the ground. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but sneak a few sidelong glances.

Not out of any lecherous intent, but rather… Young Lady, you traveled thousands of miles from the demon realm, crossed mountains and rivers, and climbed this high mountain barefoot… Does your feet… do they not hurt?

No. That wasn’t the point!

The point was, this was Sha Hualing—one of the most popular female leads (arguably the most popular) in The Arrogant Devil King’s Path.

Sha Hualing was a pure-blooded demon, ruthless, cunning, and willfully spoiled. Yet, she would fall desperately in love with Luo Binghe. After attaching herself to him, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill for him, even daring to commit the ultimate treason of betraying her own race.

While such brainlessly devoted girls were often criticized nowadays, there was no helping it—many male readers adored them. Sadly, such a fiery, passionate girl was a blessing only the male protagonist could enjoy. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t resist glancing at Luo Binghe. Coincidentally, Luo Binghe’s gaze swept over at the same moment. Their eyes met, and both froze momentarily. Luo Binghe seemed on the verge of speaking but stopped himself. Shen Qingqiu gave him a slight nod.

At this moment, with the Rainbow Bridges severed, the various Peak Lords either asleep, in seclusion, shopping, or away on business, Shen Qingqiu’s arrival as a senior was undoubtedly a powerful dose of reassurance. The disciples’ courage returned. Ming Fan was the first to shout, “Demon wench! My master is here now. Let’s see you remain so arrogant!”

The crowd swelled. Hundreds of disciples in uniform robes, faces fierce with outrage, formed an encircling ring, trapping the invaders before the hall. A few demons tried to break through the encirclement, giving Shen Qingqiu a perfect chance to test his hand. With casual ease, he grabbed them and tossed them back at Sha Hualing’s feet.

Sha Hualing had always been clever and sharp. Her earlier arrogance stemmed from bullying Cang Qiong Mountain’s long-held position as the top sect, its defenses grown lax and complacent. She had also seized the opportunity with Yue Qingyuan away on external business, leaving Qing Jing Peak without a senior to hold the fort. Now, realizing the situation had turned against her, she immediately changed her tune.

“My clan’s ascent to this mountain was never intended for conflict. We have long heard of the abundance of talent within Cang Qiong Mountain of the Central Plains. Our curiosity piqued, we wished to come up and exchange pointers, to see for ourselves.”

Shen Qingqiu fanned himself leisurely. “Well said, well said. But if you only wished to exchange pointers, why choose a time when our Sect Leader is absent? Why sever the Rainbow Bridges? And why injure so many of our disciples? I’ve never seen such a method of ‘exchanging pointers.’”

Sha Hualing bit her lip, deploying a weapon unique to young maidens. She lifted a stray lock of hair fallen before her cheek and said in a mellifluous voice, “You must be the renowned ‘Elegant Sword,’ Senior Shen Qingqiu. Truly, seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. Ling’er is young and failed to properly restrain her subordinates. If there has been any offense or misunderstanding, I beg for the Immortal Master’s magnanimity.”

No matter how sweetly she spoke, Shen Qingqiu wouldn’t be moved in the slightest. No one understood the ins and outs of this situation better than he did.

To put it bluntly, this entire commotion was because Sha Hualing had recently been appointed a Demon Saintess. Proud and overconfident, unaware of the true heights of heaven and depths of earth, she aimed to storm the First Peak of Cang Qiong Mountain in one fell swoop, seize the inscribed plaque of Qing Jing Palace as a trophy, and return to the demon race to claim credit, while also issuing a warning to the human realm.

Shen Qingqiu said, “And has the Young Lady reached a conclusion now?”

Sha Hualing pursed her lips in a smile. “Although my clan is currently at a disadvantage, that is only because your sect has greater numbers. Ling’er dare not draw a definitive conclusion.”

Shen Qingqiu slipped into the role of a condescending senior with practiced ease. “Oh? Then what would it take for you to reach a conclusion?”

Sha Hualing parted her vermilion lips and proposed a method that seemed fair and just.

“How about we each select three representatives for three rounds of competition?”

The method was a good one. After all, the human and demon realms had maintained a precarious balance for years without tearing the facade of peace. Wiping out Sha Hualing and her motley crew in one go was possible, but it risked escalating into a full-blown incident. The demon race would not let her be eliminated without consequence, potentially provoking a greater conflict that seemed unwise. Simply letting them leave was too humiliating—they couldn’t allow these outsiders to come and go from Qing Jing Peak as they pleased. Setting terms, competing, teaching the other side a lesson, then having both sides retreat a step to save face seemed the best course of action.

Shen Qingqiu remembered this segment from the original work fairly clearly, as it was a minor climax.

The first bout was set: Shen Qingqiu versus the demon clan's one-armed Elder.

In the original plot, to highlight Shen Qingqiu's despicable nature, he had of course resorted to underhanded and dirty tactics to secure victory. This would then create a stark contrast with Luo Binghe's honorable conduct in the third match, leaving readers with a powerful sense of dissonance.

But here, Shen Qingqiu had no intention of tarnishing his own reputation for nothing.

The one-armed Elder, clad in somber shades of purple and black, stood silent and stoic. At Sha Hualing's command, he stepped forward into the cleared space.

Disciples of Cang Qiong Mountain cheered for their Master Shen, voices raised in encouragement. Shen Qingqiu, who knew exactly what this Elder was capable of, offered a faint smile. "With only one arm, even if I defeat you, the victory would feel hollow."

Sha Hualing covered her mouth with a delicate hand. "Oh? Ling'er has an idea. Why doesn't… Master Shen sever one of his own arms? Then it wouldn't be a hollow victory!"

A wave of angry shouts rose from the crowd. Unfazed, Shen Qingqiu's smile merely deepened as he slowly unfolded his fan. "How about I use no hands at all?"