MD Ch 2 Part 10

Knowing we were nearing the Heavenly River boundary, I quickly adopted a dignified demeanor, maintaining a stiff, game character-like expression as I looked at the people ahead.

The strongest always appeared last. And so, I had the honor of arriving dead last. The Domain Lords were already waiting in the sky above the Heavenly River, each on their own mount. Whether by coincidence or design, the Immortals and Demons were evenly matched, facing each other in two distinct formations.

Upon spotting me and Song Qiyuan, the crowd erupted like a calm lake disturbed by a thrown stone.

The Immortals were the most enraged, especially their leader, Ruan Shijiu, as well as the Cheng Clan, close allies of the Song Clan, and the Mo Clan, who had their young master abducted. They were filled with indignation, their eyes burning with the desire to destroy me.

As fate would have it, the middle-aged woman from the Mo Clan, Mo Sang, was present. Her eyes were bloodshot with the fury of a woman facing her sworn enemy. She brought back unpleasant memories.

However, this time, she couldn’t brandish her whip. Despite her anger, she had to restrain herself. After all, this was my territory, and with my cultivation far surpassing theirs, no one except the old monsters of the Immortal Realm could challenge me.

Looking at Ruan Shijiu, I was taken aback by his appearance, which differed greatly from my description in the novel. Xingjiu Zhenren (Sobering Master) – this title was bestowed upon him by his master, an old monster of the Qingcang Sect, who told him to never drink again once he sobered up.

Ruan Shijiu loved alcohol as much as life itself, drinking with every meal and being unable to eat without it. Once a cultivator reached a certain level, they no longer needed food, but he couldn’t give up alcohol, earning him the title “Jiuxian” (Wine Immortal). While it was a flattering title, in my eyes, he was just a drunkard.

Drunkards were usually depicted as burly men of the grasslands, unconcerned with their appearance and dressed in rags. But the Ruan Shijiu before me looked like a frail scholar!

He was short and delicate, with high, red cheekbones and a small, pale face, a wine gourd strapped to his back. He roared at me furiously,

“Yu Ke, you wicked beast! If you have any conscience left, release that child immediately!”

He seemed to be the only one truly enraged.

Cheng Yuan, the Clan Leader of the Cheng Clan, stood tall and imposing like a pillar. While anger clouded his face, it seemed more like a deliberate display of rage. Mo Sang bit her lip so hard it turned white, a pomegranate-colored whip clutched in her hand. She was seething with rage, but remained inactive.

In the face of absolute power, people tended to choose silence when there was nothing to gain.

After all, it wasn’t their clan that had been annihilated. Unity was easier said than done. The Immortal Realm was currently just a scattered force. In its current state, without the “Unified Cultivation World” that Song Qiyuan would later establish, they couldn’t touch the Demonic Realm.

“Shut your filthy mouth, Ruan Shijiu. Don’t forget you’re in the Demonic Realm. Remember that if the Demon Lord wants your life, it’s only a matter of time.”

Wang Duoju hurled insults in my stead, then turned to me with a fawning look. I glared at him fiercely.

I couldn’t recognize anyone on our Demonic Realm side. I was already bad with faces, and the large crowd made it even more difficult.

Gu Jincheng, leaping from his lion onto Ah Jiu’s back, spoke to me.

“Demon Lord, the aura of death around Jiang Gui is even stronger than when we last met.”

Upon hearing this, I immediately identified Jiang Gui of the Bone Domain. He was the gaunt, bamboo-like figure hiding at the furthest edge of the crowd. His hands rested on the back of his skeletal mount, his cheeks hollow, his ashen face and unfocused eyes making him resemble a walking corpse.

…Was he drugged?

Although I didn’t observe Jiang Gui for long, I sensed something was wrong with him. After dealing with today’s matters, I would bring him back to the Demon Palace. Even a brief examination would reveal the problem.

Wang Duoju had mentioned a strange undercurrent of activity within the Demonic Realm recently, warning me not to ignore it. Not only did I not know the future storyline, but I also couldn’t discern the true intentions of those present. I couldn’t even predict Gu Jincheng’s actions, let alone the seemingly calm and composed Domain Lords.

They berated the Immortals with excuses about how they couldn’t tolerate such vulgar language and how it was beneath their dignity.

Despite their contorted faces of fury, Cheng Yuan and the Mo Clan remained silent. It seemed their education system lacked instructions on how to engage in a proper exchange of insults.

Suddenly, Ruan Shijiu stepped forward and introduced someone considered the bottom-feeder of the Cultivation World. This man, though short in stature, exploded like a concentrated bomb the moment he was provoked. He unleashed a torrent of insults at the demons, not backing down in the slightest.

His face flushed crimson as he roared obscenities, making my head pound.

He was cursing me directly. Something about me dying in a man’s bed someday, and other such nonsense.

Dying in a man’s bed!!!

These words were absolutely intolerable, and rage consumed me. With a flick of my wrist, I channeled my immense profound energy, striking Ruan Shijiu’s wine gourd with invisible speed. A loud bang split the air as the large gourd exploded, showering the surroundings with the pungent aroma of strong alcohol.

Ruan Shijiu hastily gathered his profound energy, attempting to collect the alcohol that filled the sky, but it was no use. His face turned crimson with fury. He charged towards me, brandishing a frost-covered sword.

Despite the sudden turn of events, Yu Ke’s body still possessed innate combat instincts. I instantly reacted, reaching out to catch Ruan Shijiu’s blade.

In truth, my heart was in turmoil, trembling from within. Yu Ke’s appearance was feminine, but his fighting style was ferocious. He always fought with his bare hands, and his black gold gauntlets were far more formidable than any divine artifact. Ordinary weapons were rendered useless after passing through his hands. ‘Yu Ke’ found immense beauty in personally snapping necks and being splattered with fresh blood.

As expected, a pervert was a pervert.

But this body was now mine, and I didn’t possess such a strong mentality. As the chill of the blade pierced through my palm and reached my heart, fear gripped me. Despite the whirlwind of thoughts, I didn’t hesitate. However, what happened next completely defied my expectations.

The moment I grasped the sword, Ruan Shijiu released his grip and charged towards the lion right in front of me, heading straight for Song Qiyuan’s metal cage. Attacking me had been a feint; his true objective was to take Song Qiyuan.

My mind raced, trying to decipher Yu Ke’s tactics. If I gave up on the idea of subduing Ruan Shijiu with one hand and saving Song Qiyuan, I could comply with Wang Duoju’s words, assert my authority before both sides of the 《Heavenly Demon Tribulation》, and solidify Yu Ke’s position in this world. But then I would have to truly eliminate Song Qiyuan. Could I really do that?

Just then, Gu Jincheng vanished at lightning speed. By the time I regained my senses, the situation had already changed.

The metal cage lay in pieces, and Song Qiyuan was held captive in Gu Jincheng’s grasp. The boy, completely immobilized, trembled in the autumn wind, looking utterly pathetic.

“Gu Jincheng, hand over the child! If you don’t hand him over today, I, Ruan Shijiu, swear on my life that I will kill you all!”

Ruan Shijiu’s white robes billowed in the wind, his face a mask of fury and unwavering determination that defied death.

I suddenly felt that the Ruan Shijiu I had created was a truly righteous man, possessing an inner strength that belied his outward appearance. His words carried the weight of his honor. The expressions of the Cheng and Mo Clan leaders, as well as the other sect representatives, changed drastically, their previous composure vanishing.

“Yu Ke, you know full well why we are here today. If you don’t hand over the child, I will not stand idly by.”

“Demon! If my son loses his life at your hands, I, Mo Sang, will not let you go!”

Despite their united front, Gu Jincheng remained impassive, holding a long staff in his left hand and Song Qiyuan in his right, confronting Ruan Shijiu.

Somehow, I had a feeling that Gu Jincheng, far from being perturbed, was inwardly amused. As expected, the corners of his lips curled upwards, and he spoke for the first time that day.

“The remnants of the Song Clan will never leave here alive.”

A sense of foreboding washed over me. My intuition was never wrong. Without a moment’s hesitation, Gu Jincheng released his right hand, and Song Qiyuan plummeted downwards. Ruan Shijiu on the opposite side reacted instantly, using his profound energy to pursue him, but Gu Jincheng blocked his path. Simultaneously, a chaotic battle erupted.

The scene descended into utter chaos, leaving me dazed. I lowered my head, gazing at the churning waters of the Heavenly River below. Song Qiyuan was nowhere to be seen. I knew he had fallen the moment I heard the splash, but I couldn’t accept it.

Was it Gu Jincheng, not I, who had eliminated him? Why was Gu Jincheng acting so rashly?

Listening to the ceaseless churning of the Heavenly River below, I knew that countless hidden currents and monstrous creatures lurked in its depths. They could easily devour Song Qiyuan’s frail body. The sword I still gripped in my hand snapped cleanly in two as I unconsciously tightened my grip, yet I felt nothing.

I wanted a moment of stillness.

I scanned my surroundings, searching for a hidden figure who might save Song Qiyuan, but to my disappointment, the Immortal Realm individuals who wished to rescue him were all incapacitated.

The clang of weapons clashing filled the air, and profound energy swirled around us. Suddenly, a faint, shimmering light flickered before my eyes, darting towards the Heavenly River with incredible speed. It was so subtle and swift that no one else noticed, but it couldn’t escape my sight.

The shimmering light didn’t originate from Ruan Shijiu, but from someone within the Demonic Realm. The fighting was too intense for me to discern who it was. However, I could clearly see that the light, devoid of any killing intent, was heading straight for Song Qiyuan beneath the water.

Gu Jincheng’s sudden rebellion had advanced the storyline, easing my worries, but the fear I felt watching Song Qiyuan fall was unsettling.

That shimmering light was undoubtedly Song Qiyuan’s fortuitous encounter, a sign that he wouldn’t die. Yes, this was the protagonist’s halo.