Another jolt went through Li Xun's heart.
Only then did it hit him. Back in the tunnel, he'd used a technique from the Netherworld Record. And the one who'd fought him, that "senior brother," would've noticed right away. Didn't he yell out Shadowfire Palm on the spot?
When did Yin Wanderer return? And how much did she actually see?
Li Xun kept a calm face, but inside, his thoughts were spinning like a windmill. He tried desperately to come up with a lie to cover up the Netherworld Record.
But time was short. And under Yin Wanderer's piercing gaze, it was damn near impossible to focus on anything else. Gritting his teeth, he spoke, clinging to the thinnest thread of logic: "I heard the alarm and rushed over…"
He started from the beginning but conveniently left out the part where he used NetherYin Qi when fighting that unknown rogue cultivator. He only said that the man had died from being ambushed by him
That was just a small lie. But when it came to the real turning point, his clash with that "senior brother" from Heavenly Vigorous Sect, he realized: if he didn't go big, he wasn't making it through this.
Screwing up his courage, he told a flat-out, sky-shattering lie: "To my shame, I didn't actually fight anyone from Heavenly Vigorous Sect. As for the one who did fight them… I couldn't even tell who he was."
Yin Wanderer's eyes narrowed. "Then how do you know those people were from Heavenly Vigorous Sect?"
"I was hit by Vast Righteous Qi!"
She smiled coldly, a flicker of icy light in her eyes. "Just now you said you didn't fight them."
Li Xun's eyes widened. For once, he raised his voice a little: ""The disciple truly didn't fight them!"
Then realizing his tone was too sharp, he quickly softened it. "This disciple was also puzzled. I was originally positioned at the top of that small hall, ready to ambush, but suddenly someone popped out and struck at that 'senior brother' with a palm.
"This disciple wanted to take advantage of the chaos and slip out, so I rushed behind that person. But as soon as I entered the corridor, I heard the two of them exchange a palm strike. That senior brother even shouted Shadowfire Palm. Immediately after, a surge of palm force came at me. In my haste, I tried to block, but the power was too great. I couldn't resist and ended up getting injured!"
He blinked, putting on a dazed, confused look. "But here's what I don't get; the mysterious man who suddenly showed up was clearly blocking the attack, standing right behind me. So why was I still hurt?"
Yin Wanderer stared at him like a blade to the soul, as if she could cut straight through to his heart. Li Xun did his best to look confused, even adding a touch of natural fear to the mix. That was the best acting he could manage.
After a moment, Yin Wanderer suddenly smiled and nodded. "Ah… so that's what it was. Soul Binding technique, right?"
She seemed to have "figured it all out" and explained it back to him: "That's one of the tricks from Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect's Soul Binding technique. Makes perfect sense. You've still got traces of NetherYin Qi inside you. Probably because the attacker's cultivation wasn't high enough to fully transfer the palm force onto you. That you're still alive now, I'd say you're quite lucky."
Yeah, real lucky. Honestly, who in this world would know the techniques in the Netherworld Record better than him, aside from people of Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect? Putting that knowledge to use now had paid off nicely
On the surface, he wore a look of sudden realization. But inside, he was anything but calm. What Yin Wanderer had just casually said scared the hell out of him; she'd detected the NetherYin Qi in his body!
Must've been because his Soul Shift Rebirth technique hadn't fully completed due to the serious injury...
Clearly, she had started to suspect him. That's why she was questioning him in the first place. Thank the heavens he came up with that lie on the spot. Otherwise, by now, he'd probably be "greeted" by the Lotus Eight Secrets!
He wiped another drop of cold sweat. The tension was unreal. But damn it, he deserved to celebrate this victory! Lying successfully to Yin Wanderer? That was no small feat!
The mix of nerves and adrenaline was hard to shake off. To divert his restlessness,, he asked about the five people from Heavenly Vigorous Sect.
Yin Wanderer shrugged. They were from major sects, hadn't actually stolen anything, and she couldn't be bothered with the trouble. So she'd let them go.
You let them go?
This time, Li Xun was truly shocked. That was not like Yin Wanderer at all. Was she actually afraid of Heavenly Vigorous Sect?
He looked at her and saw she was already watching him. In that moment, her gaze felt like it could see right through him. Then she stood up, a faintly mocking smile on her lips.
In the end, she never told him the real reason she let them go. Li Xun didn't dare press her either. He lowered his head and just then, caught sight of her whisk swaying gently. Its fine threads flashed with a metallic gleam as they passed before his eyes.
His heart clenched.
Never before had he realized so clearly: this beautiful, calm, and elegant Daoist woman was one of the most terrifying beings in the world.
There were few in all the lands who didn't fear her.
Li Xun bowed even lower. And in that moment, he suddenly realized something; he actually admired Yin Wanderer a little.
Maybe even... envied her.
Would there ever be a day when he could look at the world like she did, from such a height, with that kind of cold detachment?
Li Xun hoped that day would come.
Strangely enough, just thinking that thought made it feel like... maybe it wasn't so strange that she let those juniors go.
She might be a demonic overlord, but she was still a Grandmaster of her generation. She was cunning, manipulative, ruthless even; yet… there was still pride in her.
That pride wouldn't allow her to kill juniors for no good reason.
Of course, that was something she'd never bother explaining to Li Xun.
Aside from making sense of what just happened, Li Xun also realized something else. If those five from Heavenly Vigorous Sect had been killed, their sect definitely wouldn't have let it slide. If things escalated and they decided to come for blood, Yin Wanderer could just walk away, vanish like smoke.
But him? Li Xun didn't have that kind of power.
Thinking about it that way… maybe letting them go was the smarter move.
Just as he turned to leave, he noticed Yin Wanderer shifting her gaze—now staring at the unconscious Consort Qin lying on the bed. She didn't say a word or even change her expression, but Li Xun's face flushed red all the same.
Of course, Yin Wanderer wasn't going to scold him for that. She just kept looking at Consort Qin's naked body with mild curiosity, almost like she was admiring a piece of art.
"I didn't expect you to be into this kind of method too," she said, her voice casual. "But this technique... it's way too domineering. At this rate, I doubt she'll survive more than ten rounds."
She retracted her whisk with a faint smile, casting a side glance at Li Xun. "You don't seem the type to pity beautiful women... Shall we spar one day, hmm?"
Her tone was light, almost playful;it was impossible to tell how much was teasing and how much was serious. But whatever the intent, the color drained from Li Xun's face. He forced a bitter smile. "Have mercy, Master Aunt…"
As soon as he said it, something clicked in his mind.
The way he and Yin Wanderer interacted now…. it was different.
Before, he never would've dared say something with that kind of humor or sarcasm. But now? He'd said it without a second thought.
And what was even more surprising...
He stole a glance at her. That peerless enchantress, whose beauty was easily on par with the naked woman on the bed, didn't look angry at all. She simply reached out, tracing the smooth curve of Consort Qin's leg with a fingertip. The room filled with soft, breathy moans.
She wasn't looking at him anymore.
In that instant, Li Xun finally understood what she meant. Something twisted inside his chest. Sour and bitter, like he'd just swallowed something vile.
Then, out of nowhere, a crude old saying popped into his mind. He couldn't remember who'd said it to him, but right now, it felt way too fitting:
"How do real men bond? By wearing the same pants... and sharing the same woman."
Yin Wanderer wasn't a man, sure. But in her bones, she had that same thing.
His mind buzzed like it had been struck by lightning. Still, his face didn't betray a thing. Without another word, he bowed silently to her, then turned and walked out of the room.
In the outer hall, Xing'er was waiting. When she saw him coming out, she was about to kneel and greet him. But just then, from inside the room, Consort Qin let out a long, drawn-out cry. It was laced with pain, and tears.
Xing'er's eyes went wide. When she looked at Li Xun again, her gaze had completely changed.
Li Xun pressed his lips together, picked up his pace, and left the Lanxue Courtyard in a flash. The faint moans from the room rose and fell, soft and trembling. The farther he got, the clearer they became. In their echo, his eyes slowly turned red again.
"What the hell is this? What even is all this? What kind of fucking..."
His thoughts screamed in his skull like knives scraping against iron, and his feet moved faster and faster.
He wasn't pitying Consort Qin. That wasn't it.
He just felt humiliated.
Disgusted.
That filthy feeling boiled up from his heart and spilled into his blood, like drops of black poison, corrupting everything, making his veins burn.
Then he suddenly turned and slammed a fist straight into his own face.
Bang!
Blood gushed from his nose. The heat rushing to his head finally found a way out, and the strange red glow in his eyes began to slowly fade.
After a long while, he let out a hoarse, quiet laugh. "So what? It was hers to begin with... she's just a woman, after all."
His voice, cracked and broken, drifted into the night like a dark-winged bat, flapping in slow, ominous circles through the shadowy air.
A chill wind whispered past in the darkness.