Chapter 504: Senior Brother, Disciplining Jiu
Since the City Lord had specifically requested it, and Gong Yimo seemed to have made prior arrangements, Ye Anping encountered no issues when he went to the City Lord’s mansion to collect his identity token. He smoothly obtained the “Blood Prison Elder” waist token and a set of Tian Bei City elder’s robes from the Registry Pavilion.
Ye Anping had actually thought that, as a rogue cultivator entering the city, even if he managed to infiltrate Tian Bei City, becoming a mere “retainer” for the Gong family would be the most he could hope for. However, Yun Jiujiu had instantly killed Chen Yu. Moreover, Gong Yue and Gong Yimo, father and son, seemed to find him quite agreeable. They had directly given him Chen Yu’s position. They truly did not mourn Chen Yu for even a moment…
But then again, the position he had taken over was called “Blood Prison Elder.” Although referred to as an “Elder,” it was essentially a ceremonial role, akin to a guardian at the prison gates, with command over only a few dozen rogue cultivators at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage. It was practically a nominal position.
Ye Anping couldn’t help but wonder: if Yun Jiujiu had attacked Gong Yimo instead of Chen Yu, would Gong Yue have directly adopted him? But such a thought was absurd. Regardless, he was now an Elder in Tian Bei City. Even if it was a low-ranking, nominal position, this identity would certainly make it much easier for him to stir up trouble in Tian Bei City in the future. At the very least, he could now use the main entrance to access certain areas of Tian Bei City openly. It was a blessing in disguise, even if all the misfortune had befallen Yun Jiujiu…
By the time he finished the scattered handover procedures at the Registry Pavilion, the sky had already darkened, and a vibrant, decadent atmosphere had begun to fill the city. Outside the gates of the City Lord’s mansion, Gu Mingxin waited, her face covered by a mask. About twenty rogue cultivators at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage stood in a neat line behind her, their dark attire suggesting they were jailers from Tian Bei City’s Blood Prison.
When Ye Anping emerged, Gu Mingxin raised her hand and snapped her fingers. With a “snap,” they all knelt on one knee in unison, bowing towards Ye Anping and shouting, “We pay our respects to Elder Liang!!”
Witnessing this scene, Ye Anping felt such secondhand embarrassment that his toes curled inside his shoes. He didn’t know what to say. Gu Mingxin, however, stepped forward and hugged his right arm, laughing, “Elder Liang looks so majestic and handsome today, I’m practically swooning~~”
Ye Anping completely ignored her and casually asked one of the men, “What about that girl from the Yun family?”
“Reporting to the Elder,” the leading demon cultivator cupped his fists. “According to Madam, the Elder has a penchant for toying with women. We have already sent that girl to your sleeping quarters.”
?
Upon hearing this, Ye Anping glanced at Gu Mingxin, who was still clinging to his arm, and silently blamed her for the persona she had thrust upon him. However, with so many people watching, he couldn’t change it. He simply nodded, took out a few spirit stones from his storage bag, and tossed them over. “Heh… very sensible. You may all disperse now.”
“Yes!”
The men bowed in acknowledgement and, after another round of formal greetings, mounted their flying swords and headed towards the Blood Prison on the east side of Tian Bei City.
After they left, Gu Mingxin, still holding Ye Anping’s arm, gazed at his face and giggled enchantingly, “You look so good in this demon cultivator elder’s robe.”
“What doesn’t look good on me?” Ye Anping shot her a sidelong glance, pointing to his face. “And are you complimenting Kong Huayuan or me?”
Gu Mingxin looked slightly embarrassed and said, “I don’t look at faces, I look at bodies~ This body belongs to Ye Anping, so I’m complimenting Ye Anping.”
Ye Anping shook his head, ignoring her comment, and asked, “How is Yun Jiujiu?”
“Her Nascent Soul is half-shattered, but she’s quite spirited. She’s been shouting nonstop, saying she wants to kill all the demon cultivators in the city.”
Hearing this, a vein twitched on Ye Anping’s forehead. He suddenly felt an urge to go and spank her soundly. However, after a moment’s thought, he dismissed the idea. Yun Jiujiu, with her tough hide, would make spanking her more trouble than it was worth. Still, he decided he needed to set some ground rules with Yun Jiujiu. Trapped in enemy territory, he had to be careful, and he couldn’t have Yun Jiujiu recklessly causing more trouble.
“Sigh…”
The two walked along the street towards the east of the city for about ten miles, eventually arriving at the gates of the “Blood Prison Mansion.” The servants inside, not clinging to the past, knew that “Chen Yu” had left at noon and a new master had arrived. All of them respectfully waited at the gate. Upon Ye Anping’s arrival, they all bowed deeply, stated their duties within the mansion, and showered him with flattery.
Ye Anping dismissed them with a few words and then, with Gu Mingxin, headed towards the sleeping quarters within the mansion.
***
Inside the sleeping quarters of the Blood Prison Mansion, there were everything one could need – alchemy furnaces, spirit gathering arrays, and a bookshelf filled with cultivation method classics previously collected by the former Elder Chen from various parts of the Eastern Domain. In a corner, there were also some elixirs used by demon cultivators.
Behind a screen in the corner, on a eight-step couch, Yun Jiujiu lay there with a collar around her neck and special spirit-binding chains on her hands and feet, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her mind was filled with the memory of Ye Anping casually deflecting her two sword strikes earlier.
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Ye Anping was her elder sister’s cultivation partner. Therefore, she had always thought that Ye Anping was probably similar to her elder sister, a brainy but weakling. She had to admit that Ye Anping was indeed a little smarter than her… but…
*Clang!*
The muffled sound of sword blades clashing still echoed in her mind. Yun Jiujiu remained silent for a while, then turned to Feng Yudie, who was standing guard, and asked, “Without considering other factors, when the hell did that Leaf guy become so strong?”
“Hmm?”
Feng Yudie, who was looking at the “Mysterious Woman Sutra” given to her by Xiao Yunluo, glanced over. She shrugged and said, “Young Master Ye has always been quite capable.”
“He wasn’t like this before… Hiss—Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him fight before…” Yun Jiujiu frowned, feeling inexplicably frustrated. She accepted defeat against Feng Yudie, but why did she have to lose to Ye Anping, whom she had always perceived as a weakling? Doesn’t this just prove that Ye Anping is not only smart but also a formidable fighter? And most importantly, Ye Anping has the goods!! What kind of man is that if not a good one? Thinking this, Yun Jiujiu glanced enviously at Feng Yudie, feeling even more unbalanced. Her elder sister had found a good man, but what about her? The man she found… lacked the goods!!
“Tsk…” Yun Jiujiu clicked her tongue, then looked at the ceiling as if her life was over and asked, “Without considering other factors, how are things between you and that Leaf guy?”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t you like him?”
“What about it?”
“Did it happen?”
“Um… I don’t know.” Feng Yudie lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment. “Anyway, I told him, but Young Master Ye hasn’t replied yet…”
*Creak…*
The door to the sleeping quarters was pushed open from the outside. Ye Anping entered with Gu Mingxin. After closing the door, as a precaution, he quickly took out several talismans that isolated spiritual sense and placed them around the room.
Yun Jiujiu sat up, staring at Ye Anping’s face for a long time.
“… …”
Ye Anping, noticing her gaze, furrowed his brow and asked, “What are you staring at me for?”
Yun Jiujiu shrunk her neck, pursed her lips, and retorted, “I vaguely remember you not looking like this before?”
“… …” Ye Anping was speechless. He raised his hand and tore off the human skin mask on his face. “Like this?”
“Oh… Then what’s with this killing aura?”
Ye Anping gestured to Gu Mingxin behind him. “Hers.”
“Ah? Isn’t this Pei girl? Oh… Pei girl’s chest isn’t this big. Who is this?”
A dark line appeared on Ye Anping’s forehead. Just as he was about to speak, Gu Mingxin behind him removed her mask, put on a sneering expression, and said, “I’m your sister.”
Yun Jiujiu was utterly bewildered. Upon seeing Gu Mingxin’s face, she instinctively felt a sense of threat and could sense the intense blood energy radiating from Gu Mingxin. She immediately raised her hands and pointed at her, asking, “Leaf guy!! Isn’t this a demon cultivator? Where did you find her…”
Seeing her reaction, Ye Anping sighed again. He took a step closer to the bed and gently patted Yun Jiujiu’s shoulder.
“En…”
“What are you doing?!”
“Healing your injuries.”
Ye Anping said calmly, grabbed Yun Jiujiu’s shoulder, flipped her over in mid-air, and landed her on the bed.
*Bang!*
Yun Jiujiu, in pain, gritted her teeth and forced herself not to cry out.
Seeing her like this, Ye Anping directly said, “Elder Sister Feng, please prepare some needles for me.”
!!
Hearing the word “needles,” Yun Jiujiu’s eyes widened. She quickly turned her head and shouted, “I’m fine! I’m not! I don’t need you to heal me!!”
Ye Anping completely ignored her. After Feng Yudie had prepared the silver needles with her spirit fire, he pulled open Yun Jiujiu’s clothes with one hand, infused the silver needles with spiritual energy, and plunged them directly into her back.
With the first needle, Yun Jiujiu’s eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but let out a piercing scream: “Ahhhhhh—! It hurts!! Damn it!! Where are you sticking that?!”
Ye Anping gave a contemptuous smile and did not reply, instead deliberately aiming for the most painful meridians. Coupled with the physiotherapy techniques he had tried on his junior sister before, he inserted two more needles within moments, causing Yun Jiujiu to cry tears.
“Leaf guy!! You wait for me… Ahhhhhh—!!!”
The screams echoed through the pavilion. Yun Jiujiu thrashed on the bed like a salted fish, but the bed was sturdy. Although it creaked continuously, it did not collapse.
Feng Yudie, who was helping prepare the needles, looked at Ye Anping’s expression with a bit of surprise. Even she could tell that Ye Anping was clearly venting his anger. Meanwhile, Gu Mingxin, on the other side, watched Yun Jiujiu, who was screaming her life away on the bed, with great interest and envy, as if she also wished to be pricked by Ye Anping a few times.
“Ahhh—! Leaf guy, you damn—!! Ahhh—”
“Call me Brother-in-law.”
Yun Jiujiu, hearing this and perhaps due to her stubborn nature, bit her lip tight. But as Ye Anping inserted the next needle, she could no longer hold back and yelled, “Brother-in-law!! Brother-in-law!! Please!! Stop!”
Hearing her call him this, Ye Anping’s mood improved slightly. He stopped deliberately targeting the acupoints that would make even his junior sister cry out in pain and focused on using his spiritual sense and energy to mend Yun Jiujiu’s meridians. The acupuncture session lasted for about an hour. During this time, Ye Anping borrowed Feng Yudie’s Spring aspect spiritual energy and combined it with several high-grade pills from his storage bag to repair Yun Jiujiu’s Nascent Soul.
The injuries on Yun Jiujiu’s body were not actually inflicted by him or Gong Yimo and his companions. It was because she had intended to fight to the death and directly crushed her own Nascent Soul.
—Cultivators at the Core Formation Stage who shatter their cores can temporarily possess cultivation equivalent to Nascent Soul stage cultivators.
—Nascent Soul stage cultivators who shatter their nascent souls can temporarily contend with Deity Transformation stage cultivators.
However, in reality, most people would not resort to such measures even when pushed to their absolute limits. After all, most cultivators in this world believe in “reincarnation.” Shattering one’s own Dao foundation means they cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation in their next life and will simply dissipate into nothingness. Ye Anping was unsure if this saying was true or not, but he knew one thing for sure: Yun Jiujiu seemed to care little about her future reincarnation. When she was still at the Sword Sect, Yun Jiujiu had once shattered her own meridians to protect Yun Yiyi. And just now, without hesitation, she was prepared to shatter her Nascent Soul.
“Sigh…” Ye Anping let out a light sigh, pulled out the more than a hundred silver needles from Yun Jiujiu’s back, sat by the bed, and said, “Setting aside other matters, you could have feigned surrender, or pretended to be dead. Gong Yimo and the others wouldn’t have killed you if they thought you had fainted. Instead, you were ready to shatter your nascent soul and fight to the death? What were you thinking?”
Yun Jiujiu, sniffling, felt an inexplicable sense of pressure, turned her head to look at him. “Leaf guy…”
Ye Anping raised the silver needles.
“… Brother-in-law.”
Ye Anping lowered the needles and admonished, “Stop thinking about fighting to the death all day long. If I hadn’t happened to show up this time, you might never have been able to return to the Sword Sect.”
“… What’s the big deal? We’re killing demon cultivators anyway… If we can kill one more, we kill one more.”
“The premise is that you have to survive.”
Yun Jiujiu pouted and looked at Feng Yudie, retorting, “… Anyway, I already lost my life back at the Sword Sect.”
Ye Anping shook his head slightly and said, “Feng Yudie saved your life back then, so you should prioritize your own survival even more. Otherwise, you’ll owe her a life. Demon cultivators can be dealt with anytime, but life is only lived once. If you die, Yiyi and the others would be heartbroken.”
“… …”
“Besides, I went through so much trouble to save the lives of you three sisters…” He paused. “Never mind…”
“Huh?” Yun Jiujiu blinked, not understanding what Ye Anping was referring to, but she relaxed slightly, lying on the bed, and asked, “So what’s going on? I…”
“Were you bringing three Sword Sect disciples with you?”
“Yes, they’re disciples from Xi Ri Peak, why?”
*I knew it…* Ye Anping blinked, feeling even more exhausted. He explained, “Those three are all spies.”
“… …”
Yun Jiujiu fell silent for a moment, then glanced at Ye Anping, her entire face erupting with veins. “Damn it!!! I knew it!!! That bastard Yun Xi…”
Just as Yun Jiujiu was cursing, she suddenly noticed a small silver dagger in Ye Anping’s hand. The veins on her face disappeared, and she asked with genuine fear, “Brother-in-law, what are you going to do now?!”
“I’m going to cut off a lock of your hair and send it to your father.” Ye Anping said calmly, grabbing a lock of hair from the back of Yun Jiujiu’s head. With a swift motion, he cut it off and said, “I’ve also taken your Sword Sect identity token.”
Yun Jiujiu didn’t know what he was planning to do but weakly nodded. “… Oh.”
