Chapter 80: Demon Lord (Arc End)

“Move aside.” Huai You Nong slowly approached.

“Don’t eat him, he doesn’t taste good!” Qian tried to push her terrifying father’s leg, but he didn’t budge, so she had to stand in front of him instead.

Huai You Nong let out a chuckle.

“I won’t eat him, I’ll just kill him.”

“No, no!”

“Then tell me, why not?”

Like a great demon king, Huai You Nong’s massive shadow loomed over the two children.

Qian shook her head desperately, struggling for a long time before squeezing out, “I recognize him as my brother now. He’s my brother from another father and mother!”

…Then wouldn’t that make this little brat on the same level as me?

Realizing what his first thought had been, Huai You Nong’s brow twitched violently. He had almost been led astray by this little rascal.

“I have no such son. Move aside.”

“Waaaahhh!”

The child wailed loudly, her ear-piercing cries giving Huai You Nong a splitting headache.

His daughter was nothing like a demon. She always had this untimely kindness—she didn’t like devouring other demons, nor did she like killing.

Perhaps it was precisely because she didn’t belong here that she was never meant to stay for long.

But that was fine too. Since she cared so much about this little playmate, he could use him to threaten her into obedience. That would save a lot of trouble.

“Alright. Fine.”

The Demon Lord said, “Since you want to protect him, then from now on, you must obediently drink your medicine—three times a day. No more running around. As long as you behave, I’ll let this brat go.”

A moment ago, Qian had stubbornly stood in front of her big brother, but now, hearing this, hesitation flickered across her face.

She blinked, thinking about something, and slowly lowered her arms.

Just as Huai You Nong was feeling both inexplicably annoyed and certain of his victory, Qian suddenly turned to Qu Lingyu and said, “Maybe… you should just let my dad kill you?”

Like a fledgling chick encountering a deadly predator, Qu Lingyu had been trembling slightly but still trying to fluff himself up in defiance. Now, he was struck dumb by her words.

For a moment, even his fear was forgotten. He looked at Qian in shock and indignation.

“You… how could you do this? How can you abandon your partner?”

He repeated himself, feeling that his sincere emotions had been betrayed and trampled on. The strong little man held back and held back, but in the end, he couldn’t stop his tears.

“Wahhh! I don’t want you as my sister anymore!”

“You… you’re a bad person! I won’t be tricked by you again, wahhh!”

Watching the two children’s dramatic falling-out, even the Demon Lord was speechless.

…

He realized that while his daughter had some kindness, it wasn’t much.

Clearing his throat to regain their attention, he darkened his expression and warned, “Think carefully. I really will kill him.”

Qian covered her eyes and, in a tearful voice, urged, “Then hurry up! I won’t watch—wahhh!”

Huai You Nong: “……”

She even added, “And after this, you can’t force me to take medicine anymore.”

With an expression of utter exasperation, the Demon Lord grabbed the crying Qu Lingyu and tossed him outside to Liusha.

“Dump him at the border between the Demon Realm and the Cultivation World.”

He truly had no interest in killing a snot-nosed brat bawling his eyes out.

Liusha: Where did this kid come from?!

Qian crouched by the door, eavesdropping. Hearing Huai You Nong’s footsteps approaching again, she quickly scurried back to her spot, covered her eyes with her hands, and resumed her sobbing performance.

Huai You Nong walked past her and sat down, stretching out his legs.

Qian kept crying and crying… but gradually, it became harder to keep up the act. She snuck a peek and met Huai You Nong’s half-smiling gaze.

“Keep crying,” he said.

The child put down her hands and gave a timid smile.

Huai You Nong’s expression instantly darkened, like a storm rolling in. He leaned forward.

“You still have the nerve to smile? Do you even realize what you’ve done?! Running off on your own—how dare you!”

“If you really want to die so badly, why bother making people refine medicine for you?!”

This time, the child truly burst into tears.

Between sobs, she choked out, “I… I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

Some cats, when sensing their own death approaching, would leave their human caretakers and hide in a place where no one could find them.

Right now, Qian was probably the same.

But Huai You Nong couldn’t understand such complicated thoughts—thoughts far beyond what a child should have.

All he saw was the child crying and retching, suddenly vomiting up dark, foul sludge.

It was the medicine she couldn’t digest or absorb, rejected due to her distress.

Her body was deteriorating far faster than anyone had expected.

Xun Peng’s medicines, effective only for a short while, had already lost most of their effect.

Huai You Nong picked up the child, suddenly realizing that she had grown a little since he first saw her—but at the same time, she had become much thinner.

Her once-plump cheeks and chubby arms had shriveled in mere days.

Without her usual antics, she looked disturbingly like a child already dead.

Just like Master Wuxin had predicted—nothing could save her life.

It was just a child. If he wanted, he could have countless more.

And those children would surely be more obedient than this one, more reverent toward him.

Huai You Nong expressionlessly grabbed his own arm.

With a violent pull, he tore it from his shoulder, the bleeding limb dropping in front of Qian.

“Absorb it.”

Qian let out a shriek of terror and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.

“AHHHH!” she screamed inside.

Huai You Nong pulled her out.

“Absorbing blood and flesh of the same origin will let you survive a while longer. So, take it in—understand?”

The struggling child flailed her legs and accidentally kicked the severed arm, sending it flying.

Huai You Nong caught it, but before he could react, she flipped over and—by sheer accident—kicked him in the face.

The Demon Lord’s expression was terrifying.

For a moment, he looked like he wanted to strangle this child… or force-feed her the severed limb.

In the end, the feeding attempt failed spectacularly, because her resistance to eating his arm was even stronger than her aversion to the medicine.

When Huai You Nong reattached the still-warm arm to the wound, the child cried and thrashed around, rolling on the ground like a spinning top practicing martial arts. Only when the alarm was lifted did she finally quiet down.

She panted heavily, still shaken, staring at Huai You Nong’s wound as the flesh wriggled and healed. She retreated to the corner, building a fortress with blankets, wrapping herself up so only her eyes were visible.

“You even despise my flesh and blood? Do you know how many people want to devour it?”

At that, the child covered even her eyes.

Huai You Nong leaned against the bed and suddenly asked, “Earlier, you said you didn’t want to stay here. Then where do you want to go? The Mortal Realm, or the Cultivation Realm?”

The child under the blanket shifted but refused to respond.

Huai You Nong didn’t care and made the decision on his own. He got up and left.

Outside the sleeping quarters, he replaced the guard with Luo Ye.

Luo Ye had heard the young master’s pig-like screams earlier and assumed the Demon Lord had been disciplining the child. He silently said a prayer for the young master.

“Luo Ye.”

“Yes, Demon Lord.”

“Take nine thousand demon soldiers and two demon generals, have the Grand Elder oversee things, and go to the Cultivation Realm. Move the entire Duosheng Pavilion back here.”

“Yes, Demon Lord!” Luo Ye’s lips curled into a bloodthirsty grin.

He never questioned orders—he simply executed them with unwavering loyalty.

Huai You Nong remained in the Demon Palace and did not go with them.

He was mindful of his agreement with Master Wuxin. When he previously went to Duosheng Pavilion alone, the pavilion master had deliberately avoided him, making the trip a waste.

He had given them respect, but they did not appreciate it.

Since that was the case, he would bring the entire Duosheng Pavilion—along with its disciples—back to the Demon Realm and see if their pavilion master could still hide.

Duosheng Pavilion was a unique sect in the Cultivation Realm, specializing in the Dao of Life and Death, particularly in techniques involving souls and spirits.

Huai You Nong had heard that the pavilion master once transferred a disciple’s soul into another body, saving their life.

Unlike the soul-occupation techniques of cultivators, this method did not incur heavenly punishment. After the transfer, the soul lived on as if they had always belonged to the new body.

If Qian’s body couldn’t be saved, then he would simply get her a new one.

Once successful, she could live in the Mortal Realm or go to the Cultivation Realm—wherever she wished.

If it succeeded.

Meanwhile, Immortal Lingyu and his dao companion were searching tirelessly for their child. Just as they were on the verge of storming the Demon Realm in desperation, they saw their son.

Their usually mature and strong-willed child, who never shed tears, was walking while sobbing, his eyes red and swollen. He kept rubbing them with his hands.

“Lingyu!”

“My child!”

The couple was overjoyed, embracing their lost-and-found son.

“Where have you been all this time?”

“Are you hurt? Why are you crying like this?”

When the child, between sniffles and sobs, told them his experience in a jumbled mess, the couple’s expressions turned strange.

All things considered, this was much better than what they had feared. At least their child had suffered no physical harm—none to his body, at least.

“This Demon Lord… doesn’t seem as cruel and ruthless as the rumors say. He didn’t kill Lingyu and even sent him back?”

Immortal Lingyu nodded thoughtfully. “This Demon Lord is different from past generations. When I fought him before, I was gravely injured and lost consciousness. He had the chance to kill me but did not.”

Of course, he did not know that he had only survived because Master Wuxin had arrived just in time—not because Huai You Nong had spared him out of kindness.

The family reunion was still ongoing when Immortal Lingyu suddenly saw a massive dark cloud rolling in from the Demon Realm. Within the demonic aura, silhouettes of demon generals could be seen, flying toward the Cultivation Realm.

“What is Huai You Nong planning now?” The immortal, who had just praised the Demon Lord, now looked grim.

“No matter what, he is still a demon. He acts recklessly, indulges in slaughter—we cannot let our guard down.”

The pavilion master of Duosheng Pavilion was an elder with an ethereal, immortal-like appearance. His white beard and hair flowed down, and he wore a robe embroidered with stars. In his hand, he held the Soul-Stabilizing Ruler.

“I am here. I only ask that the Demon Lord spares my incompetent disciples.” The pavilion master sighed.

“Why act as if you’re heading to your death? I simply need your help with something.”

Huai You Nong waved his hand, pulling aside the curtain behind him, revealing the slumbering child.

To keep the little troublemaker from struggling or making a fuss, he had put her into a deep sleep.

The pavilion master took one look at the child’s weak and flickering life force and let out a bitter laugh.

Over the years, those who sought his help all wanted the same thing—for him to perform the Crossing of Souls. However, the conditions were strict, and even in the Cultivation Realm, success was rare—let alone for demons.

“I already know what the Demon Lord wants me to do. I fear that killing me would be a hundred times easier than keeping her alive.”

“Ordinary mortals have three souls and seven spirits, and cultivators have divine souls. But demons are different. They have stronger physical bodies, but their demon souls perish alongside them. Unlike humans, their souls do not linger after death. How do you expect me to cross a soul that doesn’t remain?”

Huai You Nong was unmoved. “I am well aware. But since I brought you here, how can you dismiss it without even trying?”

The pavilion master had no choice. Under Huai You Nong’s gaze, he stepped forward, activating his artifact to examine the child’s soul.

What he saw left him utterly stunned.

This child’s soul was unlike any he had encountered in his lifetime—human, cultivator, or demon.

A shimmering purple barrier surrounded her soul, like a protective shield imbued with an overwhelming power that did not seem of this world.

And while her soul appeared more human than demon, it was bound tightly to her body, just like a demon’s—destined to vanish if the body perished.

He couldn’t even touch it, let alone extract it.

Taking a step back, the pavilion master said, “I am powerless to help.”

Huai You Nong’s voice darkened. “Try again.”

“It will be the same result.”

“You think I brought you here just to hear that?”

Murderous intent surged in Huai You Nong’s eyes. The pavilion master instinctively raised his artifact to defend himself, when suddenly, a figure stepped between them.

The newcomer stood in front of him, gripping a long staff-like weapon. With an effortless motion, he blocked Huai You Nong’s demon-qi-infused strike.

“Wuxin.”

Wu Xin.

No one present could say when he had arrived. They had simply all, at some point, become aware of his presence.

Huai You Nong pressed downward with his hand, but the staff remained unmoving.

Even though he was taller than the monk before him, the other man stood like an unshakable mountain.

The demonic energy in his palm gradually dissipated. Huai You Nong withdrew his hand.

Master Wu Xin maintained his simple, unadorned appearance, tapping his long staff firmly against the ground.

He walked to the bedside and pressed a mark onto the child’s forehead.

“She has three days left. Send her off properly—don’t force it.”

Huai You Nong’s expression shifted unpredictably. “Master, you once said…”

Just then, the system flickering at Qian’s ear emitted a sound.

【Target’s affection level is full.】

【Host has completed the basic mission. Preparing to disconnect—zzzt—zzzt—】

The blue light sphere flickered for a moment, then suddenly fell silent.

Wu Xin looked at Qian and smiled slightly. “You have exchanged your life for hers.”

“In the future, we will meet again.”

Qian had only fallen asleep, but upon waking, she found that she no longer felt unwell—and her bad father had suddenly become kind to her.

He no longer forced her to drink medicine and even told her she could eat whatever she wanted.

He even asked her if she wanted to capture the son of Immortal Ling Yu to keep her company for a few days.

As Qian ate the everyday food she hadn’t had in a long time, she looked at her father in puzzlement.

“Are you sick too?” she asked.

It was clear that, for a moment, her bad father wanted to lose his temper, but he held back.

“I want to go out and play?” Qian tested.

“Go ahead,” he actually agreed.

Qian ran to find Liu Sha and saw that she was making clothes for her.

“They’ll be ready soon. Once you put them on, Young Master will look even better.”

She went to find Luo Ye and saw him “playing” with Xun Peng—one laughing wildly, the other crying in pain.

With a shudder, Qian dared not disturb them and ran off to find Han Qiu instead.

He was still in the Demon Palace, but most people had already nearly forgotten about him. At the moment, he was rummaging through Xun Peng’s medicinal herb storehouse.

The sight of medicine made Qian flee immediately.

She also made a round to visit several elders.

The last one she went to was the Ninth Elder, Changchun Jia.

“Here’s your fan back.”

Changchun Jia looked at the fan with an odd expression. “Does the Young Master not like it anymore?”

Qian shook her head. “No, I just don’t need it anymore. Here, take it back.”

She placed the fan on the table and turned to dash out of the mist-shrouded pavilion on the island.

By the time she returned, Liu Sha had finished her clothes.

She helped her change into the new outfit, then took her to pick out fresh ingredients for the day’s meal.

Qian looked at the golden little fish in the pool, feeding them crumbs of cake.

“They’re really pretty. Should we set them free?”

Liu Sha: “But I heard that their bellies are delicious. Does the Young Master not want to try?”

The child changed her mind: “Then let’s keep the bellies and release the rest.”

Liu Sha: “…”

Qian played in the Demon Palace for two peaceful days—then suddenly disappeared again.

In the end, it was Huai You Nong who found her inside the Shifang Mountain Scroll.

The painting had already been unsealed, revealing vast stretches of green mountains. The child was hidden beneath a flowering tree, hugging her knees as she watched ants carry fruit and petals at her feet.

“Why are you hiding again?”

Huai You Nong swept aside the branches and plucked her out from beneath them.

She didn’t struggle—perhaps because she didn’t have the strength to.

Held in Huai You Nong’s arms, she fidgeted slightly and mumbled, “If I died, would you cry?”

“I wouldn’t shed a tear even if I were dying myself—let alone for you.” Huai You Nong scoffed.

The child huffed as well. “Then I’ll just keep hiding.”

Huai You Nong: “You’re lazy and useless, unwilling to put in effort. If you’re gone, so be it—saves me the embarrassment you’d bring me in the future.”

The child instantly perked up, shouting in anger, “You’re the one who’s embarrassing!”

She suddenly recalled the young master she had freed before and raised her voice. “Qu Lingyu’s father has a hundred thousand believers—you don’t even have one! You’re the one who’s embarrassing! You’re not trying at all!”

Huai You Nong: “?”

He let out a laugh, both amused and annoyed.

“I rule the Demon Realm. Immortal Ling Yu is nothing but someone I’ve defeated—how dare you compare him to me?”

“But you don’t even have a temple! Qu Lingyu’s father has lots of temples! And lots of people like him! You have none!”

“…Say that again?”

Huai You Nong grabbed her arm, pretending to bite her. Qian instantly fell silent, trying her best to shrink her arm away.

But she couldn’t move—it was held too tightly.

Her bad father carried her along the mountain path within the painting.

Suddenly, Qian remembered being at Xishan Temple, where Brother had carried her up the steps on his back.

She gradually leaned against her bad father’s shoulder, blinking drowsily.

“…Brother.”

Huai You Nong gazed at the drifting white clouds over the mountaintop and ignored her.

Qian murmured again, “……Father.”

“……”

Huai You Nong halted halfway up the mountain path.

The mountain winds suddenly stilled.

The small breaths against his shoulder ceased as well.

“Mm.” Only then did he finally respond in a low voice.

【Host has completed the basic mission. Disconnecting from this world—】

——(Arc End)——