Chapter 488: Senior Brother, You’ve Become a Demonic Cultivator
It was already deep into the night when they returned to Qu Long Village from the mountain valley.
In a private room on the top floor of Hong Yan Pavilion, the window was half-open. Ye Anping crouched by the window, stealthily observing the endless stream of low-level demonic cultivators on the nearby streets and eavesdropping on the conversations of passersby.
Not far behind him, at a table, Gu Mingxin was gently peeling Kong Huayuan’s face with a small knife. Xue E, holding the Tian Mo Book Scroll, whispered instructions in her ear: “Mingxin, be a little lighter with the knife here, it’s easy to break…”
“Mmm~”
Feng Yu Die sat on the other side of the table, hugging her sword and pouting. She eyed Gu Mingxin across the table with a very wary expression but said nothing. When they left Xuan Xing Sect, Ye Anping had already told her that he would be accompanied by Gu Mingxin on this journey. Although she detested Gu Mingxin, it was Ye Anping’s request, so she had agreed.
Xiao Tian, sitting on Feng Yu Die’s forehead, hugged her chest sternly, occasionally glancing at the two women and letting out a cold snort: “Hmph!”
Seeing Feng Yu Die staring at her, a playful look appeared on Gu Mingxin’s face. She smiled and called out, “I thought you silly goose would be completely annihilated by the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation. Is it Ye Anping who’s protecting you again? I’m honestly envious, why would he protect someone as stupid as you…”
“I formed my Nascent Soul on my own.”
“Really? Wasn’t it because he prepared earthly treasures for you to form your Nascent Soul, and dual cultivated with you to transfer spiritual energy to you, that you managed to form it?”
Hearing the two bickering again, Ye Anping, who was by the window, sighed and walked over. Before Feng Yu Die could retort, he raised his hand and patted her forehead. “She formed her Nascent Soul on her own. It has nothing to do with me, and I’ve never dual cultivated with her.”
Seeing Ye Anping defend Feng Yu Die, Gu Mingxin’s jealousy surged. She pouted dejectedly, “Anping, I thought you were coming to see me alone. I was so looking forward to it. And you brought her instead…”
“I wouldn’t dare see you alone.” Ye Anping patted Feng Yu Die’s forehead and said, “I need to have someone beside me who can match you in strength.”
Gu Mingxin listened, then fell silent for a moment. She pouted slightly, tilted her head, and glanced at Feng Yu Die, who was now holding her sword. “Match me in strength…”
The next moment, she suddenly raised her hand, and a bloody-colored spirit sword swung directly towards Ye Anping’s neck. Feng Yu Die, who was beside Ye Anping, narrowed her eyes, and her spirit sword was immediately unsheathed.
*Clang—*
Sparks erupted in front of Ye Anping’s neck. Ye Anping’s expression remained calm, as if he had expected Gu Mingxin to do this. Gu Mingxin, however, pouted in dissatisfaction and put her spirit sword back into her soul realm.
“It seems you’ve indeed improved a little.”
Feng Yu Die glared at Gu Mingxin. Seeing that she had sheathed her sword, she returned her own sword to its scabbard and sat down.
“Hmph.”
Ye Anping shook his head, feeling a little tired. He sat down and looked at the half-peeled human skin mask in Gu Mingxin’s hand, asking, “Are you done?”
“Mhm! Almost…” Gu Mingxin smiled and quickly picked up the small knife, continuing to sketch on Kong Huayuan’s face. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she had prepared the mask by mixing it with medicinal liquid refined from several earthly treasures with killing aura.
Ye Anping took the skin, examined it for a while. Although he felt a little apprehensive, it was the best way for him to disguise himself now. Ordinary illusionary magical artifacts could barely escape spiritual sense detection. This method of disguise, used only by mortals, did not require any spiritual energy, making it even harder for cultivators to see through. Moreover, he was already very familiar with Kong Huayuan’s temperament and life. By wearing this face, as long as he didn’t meet Kong Huayuan’s father, he was confident he wouldn’t be recognized.
Ye Anping slightly lifted his hair, raised his hand to place the mask on his face, and looked at himself in a bronze mirror. After letting his hair fall, seeing that everything was in order, he tore off the mask and nodded at Gu Mingxin. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Gu Mingxin propped up her cheek and looked at Ye Anping, smiling. “Ye Anping, I think you’d do better in the Eastern Domain than among immortal families.”
“I was born the Young Master of Hundred Lotus Sect. My parents are both immortal cultivators. Why would I choose to cultivate demonic arts?”
Gu Mingxin lowered her eyes and sighed. “How great it would have been if you were born in the Eastern Domain…”
“… …”
“You would have met me first, become my friend, and accompanied me…”
“There are no ‘what ifs’.” Ye Anping interrupted, slowly raising his head. “Ah Gu, when we get to Donghuang, you have to help me break the city defense formation of Donghuang.”
Gu Mingxin lowered her eyes and nodded. “Okay.”
“Won’t you consider it further before agreeing? If you help me, you’ll be an enemy to demonic cultivators.”
“I know.” Gu Mingxin narrowed her eyes slightly, revealing a look of adoration. “Anping, thanks to you, I have nowhere to return now. My adoptive father sees me as a traitor, the Grand Elder of Tian Mo Sect has been scheming against me countless times, and now all the demonic sects in the Eastern Domain regard me as an abomination.”
“… …”
“I want you to compensate me. You owe me, and you owe the life of this silly Feng.”
“What do you want?” Gu Mingxin’s eyes widened slightly. She stood up, propped herself on the table, and leaned her face close to Ye Anping’s. “You have to give me a place to belong.”
Ye Anping’s brows furrowed slightly. He looked at Gu Mingxin in silence, then nodded slightly. “…Mm, I can.”
“Then no matter what you do, I’m willing to help you…” Gu Mingxin sat down, her cheeks flushed. She propped up her cheeks and looked sweetly at Ye Anping opposite her, pursing her lips and smiling. “Heehee~”
Ye Anping let out a slight breath. He took out the eye mask and chains she had prepared from his storage bag and threw them onto the table. “Put them on yourself.”
?
Gu Mingxin was stunned for a moment. She looked at the eye mask and chains Ye Anping had thrown over, blinked her eyes, but didn’t ask any further questions. She nodded and picked up the two items. “Okay~”
… …
——
Before dawn, the lights of the brothels in Donghuang Immortal City still burned unceasingly. Strange moaning sounds could be heard from the streets and alleys. Suddenly, two flying swords shot over from outside the city. This drew the attention of several Ghost Spirit Sect disciples on the street. Seeing that the person at the front of the flying sword was dragging a blindfolded black-haired woman with a chain, they were puzzled and hurried towards the landing spot of the flying swords.
Ye Anping, accompanied by Feng Yu Die, holding the chain, landed in front of a secluded courtyard. Seeing the Ghost Spirit Sect disciples rushing over, he immediately lowered his voice and hoarsely shouted, “Go! I’ll make you shrew remember this lesson!!” With a forceful tug of the chain in his hand, Gu Mingxin, who was blindfolded, stumbled and fell directly onto the ground.
The Ghost Spirit Sect disciples who rushed over upon hearing the commotion saw the eldest young master of the Kong family returning with two girls. They didn’t think much of it at first. Kong Huayuan was known to be a scoundrel; bringing a few women home to dote on was not a big deal. However, seeing his furious expression at this moment, they were greatly startled. One of them quickly stepped forward, cupped his fist, and asked, “Young Master Kong, who is this woman…?”
“Young Master of Tian Mo Sect, Gu Mingxin.” Ye Anping looked up and sneered at the person. “Just now, I, along with Elder Chen, cooperated with Elder Liang of the Tian Mo Sect’s Prison Hall to apprehend this shrew. Unexpectedly, this shrew…”
“… …”
Ye Anping took a deep breath, tugged the chain again, calmed himself, and said, “Go report to my father. I’ve captured Gu Mingxin, but Elder Chen and Elder Liang from Tian Mo Sect’s Prison Hall had their Nascent Souls severed by this shrew.”
“Ah?! What? Elder Chen… Elder Chen was…?”
“Aren’t you going quickly?!”
“Ah… Yes! We’ll take her there now…”
“Wait!! I expended quite a lot of energy to capture her. After I recover, I’ll send her to prison.”
“Ah… Yes.”
*Boom—!*
Ye Anping glared at the Ghost Spirit Sect disciples and kicked open the courtyard door in front of him. He pulled on the chain attached to Gu Mingxin and strode into the courtyard. Feng Yu Die, wearing the mask, followed beside him. Although she knew it was just an act, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of joy. Xue E, on the other hand, looked worried. She floated from Gu Mingxin’s forehead to Ye Anping’s side and cursed, “Ye Anping! Be gentler!! You’re hurting Mingxin…”
“It’s fine… I like it~ Heehee…” Although Gu Mingxin’s eyes were covered by an iron eye mask, a smile still lingered on her face.
Apparently hearing the commotion outside the door, several servants in the courtyard ran out. A demonic cultivator woman with flamboyant clothing saw Kong Huayuan’s enraged expression and quickly stepped forward, hugging his left arm. “Young Master Kong, how did you get injured like this… What’s going on with these two girls?”
Ye Anping frowned slightly and didn’t push her away. If he remembered correctly, this woman should be a demonic cultivator cauldron kept by Kong Huayuan, a low-level cultivator from Hehuan Sect. She was quite attractive, so Kong Huayuan kept her at home. He really couldn’t remember her name and quickly signaled to Xiao Tian, who was hovering above Feng Yu Die’s head.
However, while Xiao Tian was rummaging through the woman’s storage bag, Xue E had already reacted. She dove her head into the storage bag at the woman’s waist and then said, “Ye Anping, her name is Xu Mei, a disciple of Gui He Sect. Her bag is full of charm pills and… strange things.”
*Ah…* Xiao Tian felt useless again. She twisted her eyebrows and suddenly felt wronged.
Ye Anping paused, then simply reached out and hugged the demonic cultivator woman’s waist, smiling. “Mei’er… This silver-masked girl was originally Elder Liang of Tian Mo Sect’s immortal cultivation cauldron. Unfortunately, Elder Liang died before, so I brought her back. As for this girl… Heh… This is the cauldron I’ll be enjoying tonight…”
Hearing this, the demonic cultivator woman’s eyes clearly showed a hint of hostility. She glanced back at Feng Yu Die and smiled, “Then this concubine will also serve you…”
Ye Anping clearly hesitated for a moment, but said nothing. He nodded, then with her waist in his arm, headed towards the sleeping quarters at the back of the courtyard.
Not long after, the clanking of chains echoed from within the sleeping quarters. After the demonic cultivator woman led Ye Anping into the hall, she immediately waved her hand and closed the hall door with a spiritual art. Then, she reached out and deliberately pulled down the shoulder of her already revealing clothing.
“Young Master Kong… How do you want to… today?”
However, just as she reached for Ye Anping’s belt.
Suddenly, *crack—*
The iron chain let out a sharp snap. Gu Mingxin broke free from the chain that bound her and instantly appeared before the woman. She raised her hand and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her high.
“Ah… Cough cough—”
“He’s mine, you Hehuan Sect trash dare to touch him?!”
The demonic cultivator woman didn’t react to what had happened. Realizing she was no match for Gu Mingxin’s strength, she could only reach out to Ye Anping for help. “Save…”
However, as soon as the word left her lips, Gu Mingxin’s red eyes widened slightly, and the demonic cultivator woman’s neck was crushed by her right palm. After struggling for a moment, she stopped moving and was then thrown aside.
Ye Anping glanced at Gu Mingxin, sighed with a hint of helplessness, then walked forward. After confirming the demonic cultivator woman was dead on the spot, he said, “Ah Gu, you killed her. How am I supposed to explain this later?”
“… Mm, I killed her.” Gu Mingxin paused for a moment, then spread her hands. “This person was Kong Huayuan’s cauldron anyway. Who knows if Kong Huayuan would have killed her himself one day. If anyone asks, just say Elder Chen died, and you were so angry you accidentally strangled her.”
“… …”
Ye Anping rubbed the bridge of his nose. After thinking for a moment, he picked up the chain from the ground and put it back on Gu Mingxin. Then, with a slight pull, he threw her onto the bed in the sleeping quarters. Afterward, he took off his upper garment and stood by the bedside. Then, he turned to look at the stunned Feng Yu Die and said, “Senior Sister Feng, you come lie down too… When I tell you to scream, you scream. Kong Xiangmo can’t stand to see his son like this. He’ll definitely come over, but if he hears the commotion, he’ll most likely turn around and leave. If he sees your face, my identity will surely be exposed.”
“Ah… Oh.” Feng Yu Die blinked, glanced at the corpse of the demonic cultivator on the ground, and then prepared to take off her clothes. Seeing her action, Ye Anping quickly raised his hand and said, “No need to take off your clothes.”
“Oh…”
Then, Ye Anping looked at Xiao Tian and Xue E, who were floating nearby, and said, “You two go outside and keep watch. If Kong Xiangmo arrives, come in and inform me.”
“*… Oh.*” “Okay~”
