Chapter Nine: The Heart's Destruction and Backlash

He asked in astonishment, "What did you say?"

Since you refuse to lift the poison curse on the fox pearl even in death, then go ahead and die

The brilliant flowers have withered, and a few drops of blood splattered on the face of Sixth Senior Brother, resembling a battle demon reborn in blood from ancient times at first glance. He grasped the Guanhong Lock that he had pulled from his body, and with a twist of his fingers, he pulled me from the other end to stand before him.

The senior brother defended himself, saying: "I only asked your lute attendant to relieve my acupoints, I did not harm her"

As Ye Mingyue's corpse emerged, a slender shadow followed. At first glance, it appeared pale and colorless, lacking any human form. Only when it drew closer—or rather, floated closer—did I see that it had only a flat, snake-like face and half a body, with its lower abdomen completely hollow, devoid of anything.

Bai Ye Dao: "Let me guess, how did you break through the acupoint and come here alone, unaffected by Qian Xue's temptations? When Qian Xue cast her illusion on you, you countered it with your own seductive techniques to control her, didn't you?"

If I had known, I wouldn't have come out. A mouthful of hot blood lodged in my throat, and I forcefully swallowed it back. Why should I accept the demon-slaying order? "Let Second Senior Brother handle it instead"

The sixth senior brother looked at me in disbelief and said, "What did you say?"

Do not dirty my junior sister's hands

I have fantasized countless times that Sixth Brother loves me, and he simply has unavoidable difficulties. However, I could never have imagined that discovering his feelings for me would occur under such circumstances

Bang

He tugged at the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly: "So you already know."

The sixth senior brother let the sword in his hand fall dejectedly, and with a pale face, he asked me: "Do you already know?"

The hand trembles gently, yet not because I wish to move it

"White Night, Ji Li, Qu Qingning! One is proficient in illusionary arts and the art of substitution, one risks their life for a momentary kill to break through the illusion, and one has infused deadly poison into the fox pearl to harm me fundamentally. You are all excellent, truly excellent!"

The universe is boundless, the heavens and the earth borrow the law—kill

As I turned my palm to the candlelight, black smoke shot forth, and three icicles pierced towards my three spiritual points.

It seems I have guessed the answer, yet it also feels elusive. I sway unsteadily and lean against the cave entrance, closing my eyes, forcing myself to stay awake

The white night, who had subdued the demon beast, arrived upon hearing the commotion. At a glance, he saw us covered in blood, seemingly embracing each other, and for a moment, he was somewhat at a loss for words. Once he understood what had actually happened, a rare look of surprise crossed his usually composed face: "You all..."

Who is it

Close your eyes, close your eyes, do not look

Something exploded in the mind, a white expanse, silent as death

Looking at the face bleeding from the seven orifices illuminated by the candle, the Sixth Senior Brother lightly coughed and said: "There is no antidote. I sacrificed the fox pearl to destroy your demonic form, and naturally, I will leave you no way out!"

The fox demon lingering in the mortal realm

Do not ... ...

Thus, he sealed my acupoints and employed the technique of blood exchange on me

Qu Qingning

As she smiled, Bai Ye's expression suddenly turned serious: "What she said is not important! What matters is that when I left, not only did I seal your acupoints, but I also left Qian Xue to keep an eye on you. And what did you do in the end?"

Not far away, Bai Ye beckoned with a finger, and the fan was summoned back into his hand. Although the Sixth Senior Brother was very reluctant, he still turned his head and said thank you.

Facing my astonished gaze, Zhaozhu said with eyes wide open: "Is it strange? A hundred years ago, after the defeat in the celestial realm, I lost my physical body, becoming no different from a wandering soul or a ghost. I have roamed the demon realm for a hundred years, always seeking the opportunity to reconstruct my demonic form. Now, with the Shennong Ding in hand and the essence of three hundred people gathered, it is thwarted by a single poisonous fox pearl"

Unable to hear clearly what he was mumbling about, after a while, Bai Ye said: "Alright, alright, you can take a look now"

I shook my head and did not speak

Amidst the poisonous mist, the wind surged and the clouds roiled, as Bai Ye and Zhao Zhu engaged in a heated exchange, each trying to outdo the other. I understood that Bai Ye was diverting Zhao Zhu's attention, signaling for me and my senior brother to leave quickly. However, I had held my breath for too long, and when my senior brother helped me to my feet, my vision darkened, and I collapsed against him

What do you want to do? Just now, the scene stunned Zhao Zhu, and when he came to his senses, Sixth Senior Brother had already pulled me into his embrace, holding my hand tightly, leaving no chance for any struggle, burying his head in the nook of my shoulder

"Be quiet! After I deal with Qu Qingning, I will take care of you!"

My eyes are shedding tears, yet my mouth is smiling. Having my identity exposed is not surprising at all; he is still very happy. He is forcing me to laugh, laughing wildly and unrestrainedly.

It is raining... Sigh! Bai Ye's tone was filled with melancholy, and the last sigh left him wondering whether it was due to the heavy rain that fell at this opportune moment.

Ignoring the frenzied roar of the candle, he lowered his gaze, silently staring at the rainbow lock that had penetrated his body... Meanwhile, I could no longer contain myself, and a scream, tearing through the air, pierced the vast sky...

The sword pierced my chest, and I heard the sound of my teeth chattering. ... In just a brief moment, he chose death before me twice, decisively and resolutely, without any hesitation

Forcing myself to emit indistinct sounds, I nearly bit my tongue off, the metallic sweetness of blood filling my mouth, flowing from the corners of my lips in a pain that made me wish for death

The sixth senior brother's complexion was slightly flushed, yet his gaze was very clear, as bright as purple jade. However, in the next moment, his handsome face suddenly contorted.

Someone laughed softly behind him

The sixth senior brother had no time to respond, merely holding me in his embrace, staring intently at a folding fan filled with silver needles before us. The silver needles pierced through the ribs of the fan, shooting towards my senior brother, yet they were halted by the spiritual power attached to the fan, barely coming to a stop in mid-air alongside it.

Do not harm my senior brother—do not use my hand—to kill my senior brother

Joy, emotion, sorrow, fear ... ... indescribable sins ... ...

Seeing that the ears of my sixth senior brother were tinged with a faint pink, I smiled even more gently, my fingertips gliding across his cheek, tracing the shape of his lips: "How much do you love me? You chose to remain in this world for my sake, yet you dare not say anything, nor do anything. Have you ever thought that I might be sad..."

"You have misunderstood something," Bai Ye said softly. "From beginning to end, I did not want to make you sad. I am not clear about the agreement he had with Ye Mingyue. He lost the Fox Pearl, which was already very dangerous for him. I sealed his acupoints to prevent him from acting recklessly, thinking of his well-being, giving him a glimmer of hope. It was he who refused it, choosing to drink the punishment wine instead of the celebratory wine. Can this be blamed on me?"

You flatter me, you flatter me

With a willful expression and tears welling in his eyes, Sixth Senior Brother let out a sigh. He smiled bleakly and said, "Don't cry, it won't cause you any trouble. When I was fourteen, Master once said that the lifespan of a fox demon lingering in the mortal world is only a short ten years. I am a half-demon, barely able to hold on a little longer, but... the end is approaching. Even if I retrieve the fox pearl, I will still die"

You have used the art of seduction

"Is what he said true? Did you really condone Ye Mingyue in killing those people, really use your own fox pearl to extend her life, and really let her go?" He laughed so sarcastically, ... but I still do not believe it. The Sixth Senior Brother I know would not be like this; he clearly does not like indiscriminate killing and clearly despises monsters...

Startled by the gaze immersed in desire, he suddenly halted his actions and, breathing heavily, pushed me away

Knowing that one will die, why still choose to remain in the world

Qingning, you here ... ...

He did not cry out in pain, nor did he resist; he simply raised his head to look at me, and then, with his hand, slowly grasped the delicate and slender chain across his chest, pulling it forcefully.

The sixth senior brother raised his sword and chose to perish together.

He released me, and I staggered forward, bending down to lift the serene-faced Sixth Senior Brother, getting mud all over myself

I never expected that the target of the candlelight attack was not Sixth Senior Brother, but me. Just as I was about to use the Seven Star Plate to purify the poison gas, my hand hesitated slightly. In the next moment, I was rolled on the ground by Senior Brother, who held me tightly: "Hold your breath! Give me the Seven Star Plate!"

A wave of inexplicable heat surged within my cold body, making me feel uncomfortable yet strangely tempted. I noticed a hint of desire in the gaze of my sixth senior brother; that ugly desire was not his, but mine. I wished for someone to splash a bucket of cold water on me to wake me up, or to slap me awake, but my senior brother did not do so. In his dark purple eyes, there was a longing that mirrored my own.

I finally understand that it must have been when I used the Instant Kill technique that I exhausted too much spiritual power, accelerating the erosion of the Heart Destroying Spell. When I was not paying attention, the Candle had already taken hold of my body, controlling me, and the one entangled with Bai Ye was not his true form at all, but an illusion

The sixth senior brother was so preoccupied with hurrying over that he completely failed to notice his own appearance. His eyes, like Ye Mingyue's, shimmered with a faint purple light. That was the luster of the purple fox, and the light in his eyes betrayed his identity. I believe that if he were not feeling powerless, he would never have been so careless.

Do you not find it very disgusting

Bai Ye looked at the tattered fan with a pained expression and sighed: "Oh fan, why is it that while others are heroes saving the beauty, it is you who suffers?"

The technique of blood exchange, exchanging blood for blood, exchanging energy for energy, he took away my blood, took away the poison that destroys the heart, and gave me all of his blood

Suddenly, a furious shout echoed from the cave, and my feet trembled as something brushed past my cheek. Before I could clearly see what was happening, someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away from the cave.

"Stop, stop..." The expression on Sixth Senior Brother's face was not much better. "I" guided his hand to untie my belt: "Since it has come to this, what is there left to evade... I have gone to such lengths for you, do you still want to continue pretending to be a saint?"

Gentle fingertips caressed the blade on my neck, and in a moment, time seemed to rewind to the past—whenever I was hurt, my senior brother would frown and use his magic to heal me. However, this time, he was smiling.

The sixth senior brother remained silent.

There is certainly no chance of winning

Then you have cut off your own escape route

A warm palm covered my eyes, and Bai Ye supported my dizzy self: "Fool, your senior brother wouldn't want you to see him die, don't let his feelings go to waste."

The warm hand of my sixth senior brother touched the softness of my chest, and I gasped, tears falling onto his face

Qu Qingning! You have such audacity to scheme against me!

It is unclear how much time has passed, when suddenly, laughter echoed from within the cave. With a loud thud, a woman's corpse was thrown out, and as green smoke billowed forth, the corpse instantly transformed into a lifeless fox.

I stood there in a daze, allowing myself to lift my chin. Seizing the moment while my senior was even more stunned than I was, I gently kissed his pale lips. He remained motionless, gazing at me in confusion. I pried open his lips with my tongue, and a blush-inducing moan escaped my throat as I murmured, "What is it about me that you find unsatisfactory? You love me so much, why don't you want me? Qingning, do you want me? Please say yes"

Sixth Senior Brother said that my body belongs solely to me, and he will return to me a body that is entirely free.

The consciousness and the physical actions have separated, and I have completely transformed into another person. Even more terrifying is that I am disregarding my own will and reaching out to touch the face of Senior Brother Liu.

The sound of the sword's chant arose, as the sixth senior brother raised his wrist, a flash of blue light appeared, and the tip of the sword pointed directly at Bai Ye's brow.

"If you use that kind of magic again, you will descend the mountain alone from now on!" The sixth senior brother thought I was frightened to tears by the events of the night. He was both shocked and angry as he struck the mountain wall behind me with a fist. Stones flew everywhere, and I gazed into his eyes and asked softly, "Is there even a future?"

I felt as though I was holding something that should not be held, and I was filled with shame and indignation

A Li

Feeling the presence of Sixth Brother so close, I suddenly opened my eyes and revealed a charming smile to him. I heard myself ask in a low and delicate voice: "Qingning, do you like me?"

Ji Li! He grabbed my icy hand and tried to throw me to the ground, but ultimately did not.

Is it the Heart-Crushing Spell..." he murmured, as if the wounds on his body did not exist

I am a half-demon, not a beast

The poison of the heart was unraveled, the candle lost its support, and deeply afflicted by the poison of the fox pearl, he rushed towards the barely breathing Sixth Senior Brother with a cry of despair. However, he forgot one thing: Senior Brother would never leave any room for mercy in his actions, whether towards others or himself.

Nonsense! I will never be defeated by a mere fox demon!

Although I understood in my heart, hearing my senior brother admit it with my own ears still felt like being struck hard by a heavy iron object. But it was just to capture a fox demon; this fox demon merely had a slightly higher cultivation and a more complex identity. Why has it come to this?

... ...

The thick poisonous mist surrounded me and my sixth senior brother. He snatched the Seven Star Plate and threw it to Bai Ye behind him. Bai Ye, busy dealing with the monsters released by Zhao Zhu, cursed loudly but dared not refuse: "Lord Moon Monarch, if I were you, I would definitely pretend to be mad and run away upon encountering Qu Qingning. After a hundred years, what is there to worry about not being able to make a comeback?"

No matter how much blood there is, it will never be more than that which flowed from the chest of the Sixth Senior Brother. That broken piece, like a useless iron lock, possessed no magical power; yet, it was this very iron lock, devoid of any magic, that pierced through the Senior Brother's chest by my hand

It is difficult to say, he is not only a fox demon, but also has half human blood. He is insidious, cunning, hypocritical, selfish, petty, filled with malice, and cold-blooded... Such a treacherous person, who would dare to confront him directly? You have caused the death of his stepmother and aunt, how could he possibly hand over the antidote willingly? Moreover, disciples of the Esoteric Buddhism are known for their lethal strikes, and they are very keen on mutual destruction, harming others without benefiting themselves

Yes, it is not her, it is me! But what does that matter? Don't you love her? What, are you afraid that your feelings will overwhelm you and reveal your true self, letting her discover that she is entangled with a fox? Do you lack the courage to face her? Qu Qingning, how long can you survive after losing the fox pearl? Think about it; if you do not want it now, you may never have the chance again, and you will regret it until death!

As the speech concluded, with a gentle push of the finger, the sound of the wind and the cries of the cranes echoed, and all the silver needles on the fan were sent back into the cave: "The Heart-Piercing Needle is invincible, a treasure that can be encountered but not sought within the Five Realms. Lord Moon Monarch can unleash a hundred needles in one go, truly a remarkable display of prowess"

It seems like I am watching a very funny joke, yet in the bright night, there is not a trace of warmth in the smile: "Do you think you have a chance against me in a battle of wits?"

"It is Ye Mingyue..." I exclaimed in a lost voice

If it were not for my senior brother arriving in time, I might have truly lost my life. Yet, I sat there blankly wiping away my tears, feeling not a trace of joy from having survived the ordeal

Blood flowers bloom silently in the air, large and abundant, appearing within sight

It seems that a strong light flashed by, and there is a faint sound of muffled thunder overhead

I watched helplessly as "I" coiled around Senior Brother Liu like a water snake. Senior Brother Liu struggled to push me away, but he was flustered because he did not dare to use force against me. ... Zhao Zhu seemed to find this an amusing game; the more Senior Brother resisted, the less willing he was to give up ...

He said: "I am sorry, Ali. Letting you know that the person you have liked all these years is not just one person. The way I reveal my true self might be even more pitiful than my aunt. You should not look."

There was a hint of melancholy in the voice of the sixth senior brother, but more than that, there was despair and sarcasm

The candlelight maliciously undermined my senior brother's reason, plunging me into a state of collapse

I do not know how long I have been standing, the pouring rain is hitting my cheeks, cold and icy.

In the voice, there is an undeniable rejection: "You are not my junior apprentice! A Li would never do such a thing, she would never... she is not that kind of person—"

Get lost

At the age of fourteen, that was when the Sixth Senior Brother was assigned to supervise me in reciting my lessons. In the end, he fell asleep on the back mountain with a book covering his face, while I was busy chasing butterflies and fighting crickets...

The sharp teeth pierced the blood vessels in my neck, and the lips of the sixth senior brother pressed against my icy skin, beginning to suck my blood little by little. Meanwhile, a strong and domineering warmth spread from my wrist to every part of my body, gradually dispelling the chilling cold that penetrated to the bone.

Cunning words and flattering expressions conceal a heart that deserves punishment

My instant kill technique did not harm Yue Jun Zhao Zhu, at the moment of the backlash from the myriad of ghosts, he had already left Ye Mingyue's body, framing her for everything

"Bai Ye, do not lay a hand on my senior brother." Although the one drawing the sword is my senior brother, it is Bai Ye whom I am pleading with.

No, no, no, this is not me, this cannot be me! I would never speak to my senior in such a frivolous tone, I would never be so presumptuous as to lay hands on him!

Do not stop

How could I possibly say such a thing