Chapter 6

Having learned his lesson, Shen Qingqiu kept his expression stern for the rest of the journey, finally arriving at Twin Lakes City without further incident.

Though not large, the city was fairly prosperous. After entering, they took up residence in the mansion of the wealthiest man in town—the very Master Chen who had sent the plea for help to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.

Two of Master Chen's beloved concubines had met gruesome ends at the hands of the Flaying Demon, so his anticipation for Shen Qingqiu's arrival was immense. Clutching the jade-like hand of his third, beautiful young concubine, the old man sighed and lamented before the group, tears streaming down his wrinkled face.

"You must deliver justice for us, Immortal Master! I dare not let my Butterfly leave my side for a moment now, terrified that in a moment of carelessness, she too might fall victim to that accursed fiend!"

The overwhelming sense of listening to an NPC's script made Shen Qingqiu's cheek twitch.

He had absolutely no desire to watch a sixty-year-old man fawn over a teenage girl right in front of him!

Fortunately, Shen Qingqiu still had his aura of an exalted master. After a perfunctory meeting, he loftily retired to his room, leaving Ming Fan to exchange pleasantries with Master Chen. Being a master came with privileges; one could act aloof and detached, and no one dared comment. The colder the demeanor, the more reverent the gazes that followed.

Ning Yingying knocked and entered, asking sweetly, "Shizun, Yingying wants to go explore the market. Won't you come with me?"

Truth be told, no man disliked a cute girl acting coquettishly toward him. Shen Qingqiu, who had been facing away, felt half his heart melt at her call. Turning with the other half, he struck the perfect image of an aloof, intellectual master glancing back over a scroll. "If Yingying wishes to go out, she may ask her Senior and Junior Brothers to accompany her. Before dealing with the Flaying Demon, this master has matters to attend to."

Who would she ask to accompany her? Shen Qingqiu knew perfectly well.

Didn't he want to go out and have fun? Previously, cooped up in his bamboo hut on Qing Jing Peak, he had to play the part of the cultured, high-brow master every single day—doing everything with an air of detached elegance. Speaking 'coolly,' smiling 'coolly,' practicing sword forms 'coolly,' acting profound 'coolly'—it was so 'cool' he often had the impulse to sprinkle a handful of salt over his own head. It was agonizing! Finally making a trip down the mountain, only to be confined to his room by the system citing "initial settings: Shen Qingqiu prefers quiet and dislikes crowded, lively places." He didn't even want to pretend to meditate anymore, simply lying on the bed playing dead. Before sunset, Ming Fan entered to report.

Finally, someone to talk to. Shen Qingqiu could have wept. All the perks went to the protagonist; all the loneliness was for the cannon fodder. Accompanying a cute girl to see the lanterns at the market? That wasn't for them.

Ming Fan said, "This disciple has carefully examined the remains." His expression was grave as he presented the objects in his hand.

Shen Qingqiu focused his gaze. They were two stacks of yellow talisman paper inscribed with cinnabar, the paper now turned a rotten-looking black. "You used these talismans to test the demonic aura on the corpses?"

"Shizun's insight is peerless," Ming Fan confirmed. "This disciple used them in two places. One was the soil beside the grave of the woman already buried. The other was on the body at the coroner's that has not yet been interred."

Even the soil by the grave was so saturated with demonic aura. This confirmed it: the Flaying Demon's identity was undoubtedly that of a demon. At least now he knew what he was up against.

Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat, making the following "hmph" sound even more icy. "To dare harm the common folk within a hundred li of Cang Qiong Mountain's territory... Since these lowlifes from the demon realm have delivered themselves to our doorstep, they cannot blame our sect's disciples for meting out heaven's justice."

Believe him, he really didn't want to spout such clichéd, procedural lines. But not saying them would—

Ming Fan's eyes shone with admiration. "Shizun is wise! If Shizun takes action, that demonic creature will surely be vanquished in a single strike, ridding the people of this scourge!"

"..."

It seemed this master-disciple pair had always operated in a "you dominate, I worship" mode, cooperating quite harmoniously.

Honestly, from Shen Qingqiu's perspective, he was exceedingly satisfied with Ming Fan as a disciple. Though a spoiled young master from a wealthy family, not a trace of that arrogance was shown before his master. Instead, he was obedient and reverent. No man disliked being treated as a deity. Ming Fan had also single-handedly managed all the travel arrangements and accommodations for the journey. If not for the uncontrollable drop in IQ and EQ whenever he encountered the protagonist, transforming him into a tyrannical school bully, he'd be a promising young man!

Moreover, for this cannon fodder disciple who would ultimately be thrown into a pit of insects by Luo Binghe to be devoured by ten thousand ants, Shen Qingqiu always felt a certain kinship, a shared plight...

"This trip down the mountain is for experience. Unless absolutely necessary, this master will not intervene. Ming Fan, as the head disciple, you must make careful arrangements. Do not let that demon harm your fellow disciples."

"Yes! This disciple has already set up an array formation. Once that demon—"

Before Ming Fan could finish, someone burst straight into the room, interrupting him. Luo Binghe, his face pale, cried out, "Shizun!"

Shen Qingqiu's heart sank, though his face remained coolly indifferent. "What is all this shouting? What has you so panicked?"

Luo Binghe said, "Senior Sister Ning Yingying went with this disciple to the city market during the day. As evening fell, I urged her to return, but she refused. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone. This disciple... searched the entire street but could not find her. I had no choice but to return and seek Shizun's help."

Disappearing at this critical juncture was no joking matter. It was almost dark! Ming Fan immediately leapt to his feet. "Luo Binghe! You—"

Shen Qingqiu swiftly flicked his sleeve. The teacup on the desk shattered, serving both to intimidate and, crucially, to stop Ming Fan from digging his own grave without breaking character.

He feigned barely restrained anger. "What's done is done. More words are useless. Luo Binghe, come with me. Ming Fan, take several Junior Brothers, seek Master Chen's assistance, and search for your Junior Sister."

Ming Fan agreed resentfully and hurried out. Luo Binghe hung his head, silent.

Shen Qingqiu knew this absolutely wasn't his fault. Because Ning Yingying wasn't just the cute, charming female character; she was also the female character specialized in dragging everyone down at critical moments. In the original work, the twists and delays caused by her sudden disappearances or last-minute blunders had stretched the plot by at least a hundred chapters. Sometimes, Shen Qingqiu had to admire Luo Binghe. The momentum with which he collected his harem was awe-inspiring, accepting all comers. To dare take in one so prone to causing trouble and still not get fatally ensnared... one could only say the protagonist was indeed outrageously, domineeringly awesome. Such a peerless beauty was more than ordinary men could handle.

Luo Binghe, likely thinking Shen Qingqiu had kept him behind for a scolding or beating, said softly, "This matter is entirely this disciple's fault. If Shizun wishes to punish me, this disciple accepts without complaint. I only beg for Senior Sister Ning's safe return."

Seeing how pitiful he looked, Shen Qingqiu wanted to pat his head but forcibly restrained himself due to the system's presence. He said coldly, "Come here. Take me to where you and your Senior Sister were separated."

Luo Binghe and Ning Yingying had been separated in the busiest part of the market.

Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes. A faint thread of demonic aura, gossamer-thin and nearly imperceptible. Following that tenuous, almost-breaking strand, he walked on. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing before the entrance to a rouge and cosmetics shop.

Shen Qingqiu: "..."

Was the culprit someone from the rouge shop? Could it be that simple?

Yet, upon entering the shop, the demonic aura sputtered out completely, dissipating into nothing.

Or perhaps the culprit wasn't hiding in the shop, but had merely visited recently? Entering a rouge shop... was the Flaying Demon a woman?

Shen Qingqiu speculated wildly for a moment, then sent Luo Binghe inside to ask a few questions. It yielded no results.

This was a side quest opened specifically to level him up, with no original plot to reference. Shen Qingqiu also admitted he was no meticulous, deductive genius. In the past, playing escape rooms or murder mystery games had left him utterly stuck. Just as he was growing frustrated, the system kindly offered a prompt: [Detected difficulty in User's progress. Deduct 100 B-Points to activate Easy Mode?]

Shen Qingqiu: "Damn it, you have an Easy Mode and you didn't say so earlier?! Activate, activate!"

He fixed his gaze on the "Yes" option for three seconds. The option turned green and vanished. Then, a certain sensation made goosebumps crawl up his spine.

So... so thick! The demonic aura!

It was practically screaming "Here I am!" as if afraid no one could find the target!

Easy Mode, you do not lie!

Not feeling the slightest shame about using Easy Mode, Shen Qingqiu cheerfully followed the direction of the spreading demonic aura. After five hundred paces, he gradually left the city proper, arriving before a derelict, abandoned mansion.

This was definitely the place! Look at those ghastly white paper lanterns! Look at those dilapidated gates! A certified haunted house if there ever was one!

Shen Qingqiu adjusted his expression and instructed Luo Binghe, who had been silently trailing him. "Return to the Chen residence. Inform Ming Fan to bring all magical tools and fellow disciples here at once."

Before Luo Binghe could voice his assent, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Seeing him stare fixedly behind him, Shen Qingqiu knew it was bad. Yet, it was too late. A chilling wind swept past, and the gates slammed open with a bang.

"Shizun! Shizun, wake up!"

And so, Shen Qingqiu woke up.

Upon waking, he saw Luo Binghe, bound tightly, facing him with an expression of acute anxiety. Seeing Shen Qingqiu awake, he seemed to relax a fraction, his eyes brightening as he called out again, "Shizun."

Ning Yingying was bound together with him, also crying out with a woeful face, "Shizun."

Shen Qingqiu felt somewhat dizzy and disoriented, unsure if whatever ghostly substance the demon had sprayed had any lingering side effects.

He was in a very bad mood.

This Easy Mode was really simple and brutal! It had delivered him straight into the little boss's mouth!

The worst part was that the illustrious Master of Qing Jing Peak had been knocked out in front of his own disciples by a minor BOSS. The moment he regained consciousness, the system blared an ear-splitting alert: [OOC. Coolness Points -50.]

He’d just spent 100 Coolness Points to activate Easy Mode, and now another 50 were gone. It was impossible not to feel the sting. With Shen Qingqiu’s original strength, dealing with a demonic creature should have been like using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken. The shame lay in the fact that the butcher’s knife had somehow failed to kill the chicken.

But soon, he discovered something that made his mood plummet even further.

Something felt off. A chill clung to his skin, accompanied by a faint, prickling pain. He looked down.

He! Was! Stripped! Naked!

A strangled curse died in his throat.