Chapter 46

Luo Binghe’s cultivation system was a monument to the absurd—a precarious fusion of two inherently opposing forces. Spiritual energy and demonic qi were forced into a fragile equilibrium, each holding the other in check.

The Heart Devil Sword, however, tipped the scales. Its influence caused the demonic qi to surge, shattering that delicate balance and throwing the entire system into chaos.

His solution was a human conduit.

On the night of the full moon, he would seek out an individual brimming with spiritual power. The excess demonic qi within him would be siphoned into this vessel, and in return, he would drain most of their spiritual energy. Balance, restored.

But Luo Binghe’s demonic qi was too potent, too corrosive. The conduits never survived the process intact. They were disposable, single-use tools.

The tedious work of hunting down these living batteries naturally fell to others. Sha Hualing, ever eager to please, would have them caged and ready for his inspection. All Luo Binghe had to do was cleave open a rift to the demon realm on the appointed night and take what he needed.

The tragic irony was that after all Sha Hualing’s efforts, Luo Binghe had ended up entangled with the three beautiful Taoist nuns she had personally selected from Tianyi Temple. The humiliation was enough to make one’s blood boil.

"Were there others captured when you were?" Shen Qingqiu asked, tossing the sword tassel lightly in his hand. "Do you know where they’re held?"

Yang Yixuan shook his head. "Once you pass through the rift, you’re in that she-demon’s lair, the Crimson Cloud Cavern. Were more people taken?"

"I’d guess so." Shen Qingqiu caught the tassel. He’d decided to take a look. Tonight wasn’t a full moon—no conduit ritual. Luo Binghe would be busy stirring up trouble in the human realm, not paying a social call to Sha Hualing. "Let’s go see."

"I’m coming too!" Yang Yixuan hurried after him. "That demon still has my sword."

"Not afraid she’ll start disrobing again?"

A snort. "I wasn’t afraid. Besides, she’s done it a few dozen times on the way here. The novelty’s worn off."

Passing through the spatial rift felt like wading through a wall of warm, swirling water. On the other side, the demon realm awaited.

While the human world lay in the depths of night, here, dusk was just beginning to fall. The air was parched. Shen Qingqiu stood still for a moment, a wave of lightheadedness washing over him—something akin to altitude sickness. The landscape seemed familiar, yet alien; the trees were sparser, as if the demon realm’s landscaping department had been on a long hiatus.

Yang Yixuan led the way through jagged rock formations until the entrance to the Crimson Cloud Cavern came into view. Shen Qingqiu had heard tales of demonic architecture. Seeing it in person, it was certainly… distinctive.

Demons favored the dark. Their dwellings and palaces were often subterranean. This entrance resembled nothing so much as an excessively ornate tomb.

A large stone mound with a slab out front, Shen Qingqiu mused, carved with those twisted, crimson characters for ‘Crimson Cloud Cavern.’ What else could it be but a headstone?

A pulse of spiritual power gathered in his palm, ready to greet any guards. But as they descended into the tomb—no, the entrance—they found none. It made sense. Demons slipped into the human world to cause havoc; who in their right mind would come here seeking death? Guards were redundant.

They moved silently down a stone corridor, emerging into a vast hall.

The floor was a mosaic of complete pelts from bizarre creatures, giving the unsettling illusion of life. Sha Hualing paced barefoot across the striped hide of a gigantic tiger.

Shen Qingqiu glanced at Yang Yixuan, a warning on his lips, but the boy had already clamped his mouth shut, eyes wide. Good.

Dozens of cages lined the hall’s perimeter. Inside, cultivators of various sects lay bound and gagged. Some were young, others seasoned. Some slumped in unconsciousness, while others glared with impotent fury.

Sha Hualing stopped before one cage, arms crossed. "You Cang Qiong Mountain disciples are so infuriating! Hard to catch, and one slipped away before I could even cage him." Her teeth ground together. "If it weren’t for… I’d break all your legs myself!"

Inside, Liu Mingyan sat in meditation, her face veiled, utterly still as if the world outside held no meaning.

Sha Hualing’s lips curled into a cold smile at the disregard. "Do you ever take that thing off? Or is your face so hideous you’re ashamed to show it?"

Young lady… do you have any idea who you’ll be most jealous of in the future? Shen Qingqiu’s inner monologue screamed. Calling her ugly is the ultimate self-own!

Perhaps driven by some primal intuition, Sha Hualing’s dislike for Liu Mingyan intensified. She yanked the cage door open, dragged the girl out, and barked, "Kneel!"

Liu Mingyan, though drained of spiritual power, remained standing, unyielding. Sha Hualing pushed and shoved, but couldn’t force her to bend a knee. Enraged, she reached out and ripped the veil away.

In an instant, Sha Hualing’s already pale face went ghostly white.

Turn around! Turn around! Shen Qingqiu’s mind roared. Let me see! Let me finally see the face of this story’s number one beauty!!!

For years, bound by his status as a peak lord, he could never say, "Hello, martial niece, mind if I take a peek?" like some lecher. The curiosity had been torture!

But before Liu Mingyan could turn and grant him his wish, a murderous glint flashed in Sha Hualing’s eyes. Her fingers curled into claws, shooting straight for the other girl’s flawless face.

A face more beautiful than her own—a face Luo Binghe must never see!

When she was sent flying for the second time that night, Sha Hualing finally couldn’t hold back, spitting out a mouthful of bitter blood. A single, pathetic consolation flickered in her mind: At least my clothes are still intact this time… right?

Shen Qingqiu had knocked her away, but not before her claws had shredded five gashes in his sleeve. A chill ran down his spine. Weren’t those nails cut off half an hour ago? Can they regenerate indefinitely?!

He spun to look at Liu Mingyan and nearly slipped.

In that brief moment, she had already replaced her veil. Would it kill you to let me have one look?!

Yang Yixuan, meanwhile, had been a whirlwind of activity. He’d flung open over a dozen cage doors and was using a recovered sword to sever bonds. Shen Qingqiu felt a headache coming on. He hadn’t realized Sha Hualing had captured so many. His plan was simply to extract Liu Mingyan, who shouldn’t be here—correcting the plot, not derailing it. But if Yang Yixuan freed everyone, what if he accidentally released the three Taoist nuns meant to be Luo Binghe’s conduits?!

Seeing the boy was almost done, Shen Qingqiu sighed and joined the impromptu jailbreak. He opened the next cage and froze, his heart sinking.

Of course. Just his luck.

Qiu Haitang huddled inside, staring at him with shock and suspicion.

Shen Qingqiu paused for two seconds, then feigned ignorance, gesturing for her to leave before turning away as if nothing had happened.

His current appearance was (theoretically) unrecognizable. Besides, countless witnesses had seen Shen Qingqiu blow himself to pieces five years ago. Nothing to be nervous about.

Sha Hualing struggled to sit up, her vision clearing. She pointed a trembling finger. "You? Who are you? To have the audacity to follow me here!"

Yang Yixuan, finally catching up, paused his work to ask casually, "Yeah, Senior, who are you anyway?"

‘Yeah’?! Your timing is impeccable, kid! And that tone—like you’re just making conversation!

As Shen Qingqiu debated resurrecting the ‘Peerless Cucumber’ moniker, Sha Hualing let out a low, cold laugh. "No matter. Now that you’re here, you’re not leaving." She clapped her hands, the bells on her wrists jangling chaotically.

Within moments, the hall’s perimeter flooded with Crimson Cloud Cavern guards.

This was Sha Hualing’s private residence, not a military fortress. Her lackeys were hardly elite. They swarmed around Shen Qingqiu, arms raising and lowering in a bizarre, ritualistic dance. Annoyed and confused, he was about to send them all flying with a sweep of his fan when he felt it—a subtle, web-like constraint wrapping around him.

Immortal-Binding Cables.

Though weak individually, these grunts were trained. Each wielded a hair-thin cable, weaving around him until he was cocooned in a glimmering sphere of restraining energy.

Before Sha Hualing could cheer, Shen Qingqiu chuckled. He stomped down hard.

The sound of snapping harp strings filled the air.

They burst. He had flooded the cables with raw spiritual power until they shattered like glass.

Most of the onlookers gaped, forgetting their tasks. They’d never seen anyone brute-force their way out of Immortal-Binding Cables.

A devastatingly simple solution.

"Go!" Shen Qingqiu commanded.

The other prisoners needed no urging; they were already scattering. Yang Yixuan and Liu Mingyan, their spiritual circulation still unstable after being bound, knew they’d only be a hindrance. Seeing Shen Qingqiu holding his own, Yang Yixuan called out, "Take care, Senior!" and they retreated.

The demon lackeys milled about in confusion, unsure whether to give chase. Sha Hualing’s eyes blazed. She ignored the escaping prisoners, her finger stabbing toward the center of the hall. "HIM! Forget the others! I don’t care if you have to die doing it—HOLD HIM!"

Shen Qingqiu sent several more minions flying with a flick of his fan. "Numbers mean nothing here!"

Against a body forged by the Sun-Moon Dew Lotus, Immortal-Binding Ropes were a joke. He could snap a hundred of them without breaking a sweat.

A sudden, oppressive weight descended from above.

A massive net.

Woven from countless ropes, each as thick as a finger, it crashed down, enveloping him completely.

The sheer weight of it forced Shen Qingqiu to his knees, nearly flattening him against the stone floor.

Where did this monstrosity come from? Are these ropes meant to bind an immortal or an elephant?!

Sha Hualing waited, watching. Only when she was certain he couldn't break free this time did she approach, her earlier disarray replaced by smug triumph. A light, tinkling laugh escaped her lips. "If a hundred ropes couldn't hold you, did you think I wouldn't try a thousand? This Immortal-Subduing Net wasn't meant for you, you know. You should feel honored."

The thing was a massive investment of time and resources, prepared for a far greater purpose. She was just putting it to early use.

Pleased with her presumed success, her scolding even took on a coy tone. "Stop struggling! Behave, and no harm will come to you."

"If no harm will come," Shen Qingqiu replied dryly, "would you mind removing the net?"

Sha Hualing ignored him, continuing her monologue. "With your exceptional talent, think of the power and glory that could be yours if you pledged yourself to our cause. Of course, even if you refuse... certain things must still be done."

So that was why she had focused all her efforts on him, letting the others go.

This little witch planned to gift-wrap him as a living offering for Luo Binghe!

Luo Binghe needed vessels of immense spiritual power. Which of the cultivators she'd captured could possibly rival what Shen Qingqiu currently possessed? The others were worthless to her.

Suddenly, Sha Hualing smoothed a few stray strands of her hair.

Seeing that gesture, Shen Qingqiu felt a cold, prickling sensation crawl up his spine.

It's not the night of the full moon. He shouldn't be here.

Sha Hualing spun gracefully toward the hall's entrance, her voice a silken purr. "Master, the great gift I mentioned earlier... it is right here."

Though Shen Qingqiu couldn't see the newcomer, a rush of hot blood mixed with cold sweat surged to his head.

A burst of raw, desperate strength erupted from within. He gripped the net's cords and channeled the endless torrent of his spiritual energy into a single, explosive release.

BOOM.

Sha Hualing's smile froze. She whirled around, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Her subordinates lay scattered across the hall like fallen leaves. At the center of the Immortal-Subduing Net, a gaping hole smoldered, its edges crackling with dying sparks as tendrils of white smoke drifted upward.

This man is terrifying. He actually blasted a hole straight through it!

A figure moved past her, stepping slowly into the hall. In the gloom of Crimson Cloud Cavern, only a tall, slender silhouette was visible, the subtle silver threads in dark robes catching what little light there was.

A moment later, a voice devoid of warmth or anger spoke.

"Is this your great gift?"

"He... he got away!" Sha Hualing spat, her voice thick with resentment. "A miscalculation!"

Her heart ached as if bleeding. The net, woven from a thousand Immortal-Binding Ropes, was meant for a grander scheme. Now it was ruined, a gaping wound that no simple mending could fix.

The man stood with his back to her, looking down at the wreckage on the floor. He remained silent, lost in thought.

"He is... extraordinary," Sha Hualing pressed on. "I have never seen a cultivator with spiritual power more domineering than his. With him alone, you would never need to change your vessel every month again."

She bit her lip. "If you would just give me... that item."

After a tense pause, her hand shot out, catching a small object tossed her way. Her fingers closed around it tightly.

Elated, she declared, "With your blessing, I swear by tomorrow's full moon, he will be in your grasp!"

"Leave the disciples of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect alone from now on," the man said.

Sha Hualing gave a petulant pout. "As you command."

Secretly, she disagreed. The disciples of Cang Qiong Mountain generally possessed stronger spiritual power than those of other sects, making them ideal vessels. But then she thought, If I can capture that monster from today, what use do I have for Cang Qiong's disciples?

Without another word, without even turning, the man walked out of the hall, seemingly intent on leaving Crimson Cloud Cavern entirely. Sha Hualing stared, momentarily stunned, wanting to call out but not daring to.

He's going to that place again.