Chapter 174: The Beauty Drunk Under the Demon Sealing Well

Chapter 174: Hongyan Zui (Beauty's Intoxication) Beneath the Demon Sealing Well

“The Demonic Cult Leader’s safety!?”

An Jing muttered to himself upon hearing this.

There couldn't be two Saints in the world, so the Demonic Cult naturally couldn't have two Demonic Cult Leaders. This made him recall Zhao Chongyin’s words.

“This newly appointed Demonic Cult Leader certainly has some methods. It is said he is also very young and promising, but unfortunately…”

An Jing touched the Heaven Flipping Seal in his embrace, remembering the Demonic Cult’s supreme martial art Mind-Cultivation Technique, the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex, within it.

Boom!

It was like a bolt from the blue, or like being doused with a basin of cold water from head to toe, leaving his whole body numb.

Lin Tianhai looked at the Ghost Swordsman, who had suddenly become as still as a wooden chicken, feeling a bit strange. His words didn't seem to involve any secrets of the Demonic Cult, and the Demonic Cult Leader was still trapped in the Demon Sealing Well. Why would the Ghost Swordsman react like this?

After a long while, An Jing finally came to his senses and grabbed Lin Tianhai’s collar: “What is your Demonic Cult Leader’s name?”

Lin Tianhai frowned and said coldly: “This old man said he would only answer one question.”

“Alright.”

An Jing released Lin Tianhai’s collar and turned to leave.

“Phew—”

Seeing this, Lin Tianhai couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh. But before he could finish catching his breath, the Ghost Swordsman, who had left, returned and grabbed his collar again.

“Unfortunately, you’ve fallen into my hands again.”

Lin Tianhai: “…”

An Jing calmly stared at Lin Tianhai and asked: “Answer my previous question, and I can let you go one more time.”

Lin Tianhai said furiously: “You are toying with and humiliating this old man. Even if this old man dies today, he will not compromise with a scoundrel like you.”

Lin Tianhai was, after all, a top expert of the Demonic Cult, the Azure Dragon Seat Leader. To be so insulted at this moment, how could Lin Tianhai tolerate such indignity?

“You won’t tell me, huh?” An Jing said in a deep voice.

“Castrate me then. This old man doesn’t need it anymore anyway. You’d best strike quickly with your sword, lest this old man splatter blood on you.” Lin Tianhai closed his eyes, an indifferent look on his face.

Damn it!

An Jing looked at the indignant Lin Tianhai before him and couldn't bring himself to strike for a moment.

What if later…

“Roar!”

At this moment, a low dragon’s roar came from the calm stream, as if calling for something.

“Black Dragon!?”

An Jing’s heart trembled upon hearing this.

This sound was indeed the Black Dragon’s, but it sounded somewhat strange.

That Black Dragon possessed the cultivation of a Three-Qi Grandmaster and was his greatest reliance now. If he lost the Black Dragon and encountered experts from the Zhenyi Sect, it would be a huge problem. Moreover, his Town Evil Sword might be with the Black Dragon.

“Old man, I’ll deal with you later.”

An Jing glanced at Lin Tianhai, then his body leaped, flying off into the distance.

Lin Tianhai watched An Jing’s departing back. After confirming his disappearance, he frantically circulated the True Qi within his body, but the lightning Qi was still inside, obstructing the flow of Qi in his body.

“Damn it!”

Lin Tianhai’s eyes were bloodshot, but the more anxious he became, the more useless it was. Instead, the lightning Qi surged and clashed within his body, making him extremely uncomfortable.

Approximately half an incense stick’s time passed, and the Ghost Swordsman still hadn't returned.

Lin Tianhai couldn’t help but grow anxious. If this Ghost Swordsman truly left, with his current inability to move, he might starve to death in this wilderness.

If this matter were to spread, the Azure Dragon Seat Leader starving to death in the wilderness, wouldn't that become a joke for the entire world?

“Chief Lin?”

Just then, a voice came from not far away.

“I’m here.”

Lin Tianhai quickly responded.

“Swish swish!”

“Chief Lin, are you alright?”

A figure rushed over, covered in dust and dirt. It was Luo Zixiang, an Earth Sect expert of the Demonic Cult.

Originally, she had escaped the Four Symbols Gate, but then she realized Lin Tianhai hadn't come out for a long time. With a resolute heart, she turned back to inquire, and happened to see the Ghost Swordsman carrying Lin Tianhai away from the Four Symbols Gate.

“Take me away quickly.”

Lin Tianhai was overjoyed to see the newcomer and quickly said: “Quick, that madman might return soon.”

“Alright, let’s go now.”

Luo Zixiang nodded, then helped Lin Tianhai up and walked into the distance.

On the other side, An Jing followed the sound.

A red sun seemed to hang on the westernmost branch, the surrounding colorful clouds solidified like blood, and the distant mountains, verdant and layered, had specks of red, like blood tears shed by the reluctant setting sun.

In the depths of Dragon Hermitage Stream, the surface of the water glowed with an orange light.

Because of the Living Puppet Art, An Jing would have a unique sensation whenever he approached the Black Dragon.

So, when he arrived at the stream, he felt that the Black Dragon seemed to be below.

“Plop!”

Before he could even control the Black Dragon, a huge dragon head emerged from the water.

Its massive eyes opened and closed, looking at An Jing, who was standing on the lake surface, a hint of joy appearing in its eyes.

“Hmm!?”

An Jing looked at the Black Dragon’s eyes and suddenly felt that something was different.

The next moment, the Black Dragon rushed over fiercely. An Jing felt no danger and didn't dodge.

“Thump!”

The Black Dragon directly knocked An Jing into the water, then its own body also plunged into the stream, stirring up monstrous waves.

“What do you want to do? Do you want to kill me?”

An Jing thrashed a few times in the water and roared.

And that Black Dragon was like a child who had made a mistake, floating in the distance, watching him nervously.

“Did this fellow develop sentience?”

An Jing looked at the Black Dragon’s appearance, his brows slightly furrowed.

When he subdued the Millennial Black Serpent, he used the Living Puppet Art, extracting the Millennial Black Serpent’s violent and ferocious Divine Soul. From then on, the Millennial Black Serpent’s body was under his control.

And after the Millennial Black Serpent transformed into a dragon, it also did not give birth to a new Divine Soul, always acting like a Puppet.

But looking at its actions and demeanor today, it seemed to have developed a new Divine Soul.

“Come here.”

An Jing tried beckoning to it.

The Black Dragon seemed to understand his words, its body churning in the water, cautiously floating over. Then, its dragon head prostrated before An Jing, showing a sign of submission.

An Jing’s palm touched the scales on the Black Dragon’s body.

“Whoosh whoosh!”

The Black Dragon’s nostrils exhaled two streams of white Qi, appearing to be very much enjoying it.

“Not bad.”

An Jing’s body leaped, landing on the Black Dragon’s back. “My Town Evil Sword should be on you, right?”

“Hiss! Hiss!”

The Black Dragon opened its mouth wide, and the Town Evil Sword, with its two blades in one sheath, appeared in its maw.

“Whoosh!”

An Jing extended his palm, and the Town Evil Sword, quite spiritual, landed in his hand.

Now that the Black Dragon had returned and he held the Town Evil Sword again, a sense of security finally settled in his heart.

“That old man Lin Tianhai, could he have been eaten by wild dogs?”

An Jing thought of something, then said: “Let’s go back quickly.”

“Roar!”

The Black Dragon let out a low roar, then transformed into a black shadow and flew into the distance.

The Black Dragon was inexplicably excited, not only churning in the water but also stirring up waves.

After about half a cup of tea’s time, the Black Dragon landed beside the previous dense forest.

“Where is he!?”

An Jing found the place empty; there was no trace of Lin Tianhai.

The Black Dragon seemed a little scared, its body crouching to the side, its large eyes cautiously observing its surroundings.

An Jing came to the tree from earlier and muttered to himself: “No bloodstains. Given his injuries, he couldn’t have walked away himself. He must have been rescued. Maybe they haven’t gone far.”

He was very clear about Lin Tianhai’s injuries. It was absolutely impossible for him to have escaped on his own in such a short time.

He still had some questions he wanted to ask Lin Tianhai, but then he suddenly realized that asking or not asking seemed to make no difference… Sitting alone on the green mountain, gazing at the setting sun.

The orange halo sprinkled on An Jing like withered leaves, making him appear serene and at ease. He looked at the endlessly flowing stream in the distance, his eyebrows lowered.

He suddenly felt a bit tired.

“Phew…”

An Jing sat by the Dragon Hermitage Stream.

Actually… he never considered himself a good person, but he never thought of himself as an utterly wicked person either.

What is Jianghu?

Jianghu is a place of fame and fortune. To wander in Jianghu, to step into this arena of fame and fortune, is to have one foot in the underworld.

Even Grandmaster experts with cultivation as strong as Old Man Qingfeng couldn't escape death and the dissipation of their Dao.

When human relations and etiquette couldn’t solve problems, then only fighting and killing remained. This simple method was always the most direct and most effective.

In Jianghu, killing was a common occurrence. Eradicating the roots and eliminating future troubles wasn't just something written in books.

They would also smash eggs and flood ant nests at the doorstep, so utterly cruel and unreasonable.

“Why?”

An Jing murmured softly, the graceful figure appearing in his mind, that gentle smile, as refreshing as a spring breeze in February. He recalled his first meeting with her… “Why?”

An Jing asked again.

He truly couldn't imagine that such a gentle woman, who couldn't even climb a ladder, that clumsy beauty who would cut her finger on a broken bowl, might have countless people’s blood on her hands!

This was like a dream!

It scattered at a touch, shattered at a bump, all like an illusion… “Why…”

This last question was filled with powerlessness.

After that, there were no more words.

He sat by the bank for a long time. Perhaps as the sky darkened, and the night sky’s stars quietly hung high, the galaxy flowing peacefully, he finally came to his senses. He stood up and slowly returned to the Black Dragon’s side.

At this moment.

The Black Dragon’s body was curled up, its massive head casually resting on the ground. Its eyes, untainted by the mundane world, reflected An Jing’s figure. It was somewhat curious, yet it could sense An Jing’s current state of mind. It gently rubbed An Jing with its head.

“I was deceived… but I don’t know why I was deceived.”

An Jing gave a bitter smile, raising his hand to touch the Black Dragon’s scales.

Lou Xiangzhen once said that by his age, one would no longer be lost, but would always be astray.

He hadn't understood before… but now, he seemed to somewhat comprehend.

“Yes, always astray.”

An Jing murmured softly, “She specifically came to find me, and she took a liking to me at first sight. Now that I think about it carefully, I was indeed deceived by her charm.”

Just then, rustling sounds began, perhaps something moving alone in the grass. An Jing didn’t notice. He sighed softly, stroking the Black Dragon’s head.

The Black Dragon, however, was captivated. It stared at the grass.

In its amber-like eyes appeared a small, plump, snow-white shadow.

It was a rabbit.

It had its back to the Black Serpent, gnawing on a grass root nearby.

The Black Serpent's head stretched forward, its fangs bared.

The rabbit seemed to sense something, it turned its tiny body, looking at the Black Serpent with innocent eyes.

Suddenly.

It hopped forward.

"!"

The Black Serpent immediately retracted its head.

It bumped into An Jing, who was collecting the surrounding branches and fallen leaves.

He was a bit confused, looking at the Black Serpent, then at the rabbit, almost fainting from anger.

"You are a Dragon! A Dragon! How can you be afraid of a rabbit?!"

"…"

The Black Serpent couldn't speak.

It could only look utterly innocent.

Rubbing its head against An Jing, it looked very wronged.

"You're not even as good as the dog Tan Yun keeps!"

An Jing was a little helpless, "Forget it."

He pointed a finger, and a Sword Qi shot out from his fingertip, accurately hitting the rabbit's neck. The rabbit twitched on the ground for a bit, then fell into a pool of blood.

"Consider it dinner delivered right to our doorstep."

An Jing stepped forward and picked up the rabbit by its ears.

Then he skillfully made a fire and placed his soaked clothes on a rack to dry.

"Such a plump rabbit."

An Jing picked up a sharpened branch, skewered the entire rabbit, and placed it on the fire to roast.

Before long, the aroma of the meat filled the air.

The Black Serpent's huge eyes curiously watched the roasted rabbit in An Jing's hand.

It thought it smelled so good.

It was drooling a little.

An Jing took a big bite of the rabbit meat, as if to relieve the frustration and helplessness in his heart.

The moon set in the west, reflecting on the clear stream.

"When intentions are strong, how can one bear to let go; when feelings run deep, there are no regrets."

An Jing looked at the reflected moonlight, and couldn't help but think of Yu Prefecture City, shrouded in mist and rain, "I wonder when I'll be able to return to Yu Prefecture City, or perhaps I'll never go back."

Life is like a long river, the left bank is the laughter that flickers for a thousand years, the right bank is the eternal silence under candlelight, and in between flows the faint loneliness of years and years. What the wind always plays is the floating sorrow, and only the loneliness of a heartless person is the fireworks that the wind can never disperse.

"No matter the outcome, I still want to go and see again. Hearing is not as good as seeing, yes, hearing is not as good as seeing."

"Perhaps I was wrong?"

"Perhaps…"

An Jing looked at the full moon and couldn't help but murmur to himself.

Four Symbols Gate, side room.

The crescent moon hung high, stars dotted the sky, and moonlight shone down like a bolt of silk.

Yang Chong frowned deeply as he slowly walked towards the side room.

"Senior Brother!"

Just then, a bright-eyed, charming girl appeared in front, carrying a food box.

It was Jia Meixian.

Yang Chong asked curiously, "What dishes did you make?"

"I followed Senior Brother's instructions and stewed an old hen to nourish Brother Han's body."

Jia Meixian's eyes held a hint of strangeness, "Senior Brother, why are you coming so late?"

"That… that's good."

Yang Chong stammered, somewhat guiltily, "I was afraid Brother Han would be bored, so I came to chat with him and relieve his boredom."

Saying that, he pushed open the door and called out loudly.

"Brother Han, my Junior Sister and I have come to see you, and we even brought you chicken soup."

The room was silent, without any sound.

Jia Meixian walked into the room and found the bed empty. She couldn't help but say, "Oh, where is he?"

"Not good!"

Yang Chong thought of something, his face changing, "Brother Han wouldn't have been so mortified that he committed suicide, would he?"

Jia Meixian placed the food box on the table and said strangely, "Senior Brother, look at the table."

On the table was a white piece of paper, and next to it was a palm-sized wooden sword.

"What is this?"

Yang Chong picked up the white paper from the table and read aloud, "Brother Yang, Miss Jia, Han is ill with lovesickness and has gone ahead. If fate allows, we shall meet again. I leave this item as a token of my gratitude."

Jia Meixian played with the wooden sword in her hand, muttering, "Is it this wooden sword?"

"Alas."

Yang Chong plopped into a chair, disheartened, "He actually left, it's all my fault."

Jia Meixian asked, puzzled, "Senior Brother, what's wrong?"

She understood Yang Chong; he was not an arrogant, overbearing, or tyrannical person.

"It's the bandits."

Yang Chong shook his head, saying with deep sorrow, "Today I learned from him that he was humiliated by bandits, and both his body and mind suffered great trauma."

Jia Meixian became even more confused upon hearing this.

Yang Chong explained, "How do you think Brother Han looks?"

Jia Meixian thought for a moment and whispered, "Quite good."

Among the thousands of Disciples in the Four Symbols Gate, few were as handsome as that Young Hero Han, especially his eyes.

Yang Chong sighed, "Yes, some people especially like this kind of fair-faced, pretty young man."

"Senior Brother, could it be…"

Jia Meixian's eyes widened, a look of disbelief appearing in them.

Yang Chong looked at the wooden sword in Jia Meixian's hand and shook his head, "Since he wants to leave, we shouldn't force him to stay. You keep this. That Brother Han is also a fated person, alas, how sad."

Saying that, Yang Chong walked out of the room with a look of regret.

Only Jia Meixian was left, utterly stunned, staring blankly at the wooden sword in her hand.

Three days later, Dongluo Pass, Demon Sealing Well.

Zhao Qingmei stood at the bottom of the well, holding a white letter, with a wooden figure beside her hanging a basket containing wine and meat.

"Did it fail?"

Zhao Qingmei's brows furrowed tightly after reading the letter.

Although she was currently in the Demon Sealing Well, she could still control the entire Demonic Cult through Yu Qiurong.

Duanmu Xinghua was loyal to the Demonic Cult, and Zhao Qingmei was still the Demonic Cult Leader, so Duanmu Xinghua temporarily obeyed her orders. As the former Master of the Earth Sect, her words still carried a lot of weight.

Yu Qiurong and the Chief of the Black Tortoise Seat were both promoted by her personally.

Yu Qiurong held the lifeline of the Demonic Cult, and the Chief of the Black Tortoise Seat controlled the Demonic Cult's most powerful and elite armored forces.

Zhao Qingmei knew very well that as long as this elite force was in her hands, the Demonic Cult would always be in her hands.

Furthermore, Jiang Shang was not interested in Demonic Cult affairs and left in a hurry, while Jiang Renyi was honestly cultivating in seclusion in the Dongluo Desert, seemingly seeking an opportunity to Breakthrough to the Grandmaster realm.

The Demonic Cult was still very stable to this day.

The only worry was the old fellows on the Demon Sealing Platform.

"Hmph."

Zhao Qingmei mused, "Jia Shiwu really gave Zhao Chongyin a big gift. Tianji Pavilion is probably finished. Xiao Ruoyun is truly foolish."

The Tianji Pavilion Master once said this matter was foolproof, but he didn't expect the most crucial link to have a flaw. If Tianji Pavilion is found guilty of harming the Crown Prince, then it will likely be annihilated in the Great Yan Jianghu.

"It seems the Ghost Swordsman has defected to Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin. It was truly a mistake not to kill this person in Yu Prefecture City back then. Now he has become a thorn in my side."

Zhao Qingmei took a deep breath, then crushed the letter in her hand into powder.

The Azure Dragon Seat Leader of the Demonic Cult was severely wounded by the Ghost Swordsman's sword, and then almost died by his hand. This was an undeniable act of hostility against the Demonic Cult.

From the looks of it, the Ghost Swordsman had already defected to Zhao Chongyin, so recruiting him was unlikely.

"I can only resolve these matters once I get out."

Zhao Qingmei picked up the food box, and as usual, sprinkled Hongyan Zui (Beauty's Intoxication) into the dishes, then walked towards the stone cave.

According to her calculations over the past few days, the dosage for today was about right. Even if Nan Weiping had the strength of a top Grandmaster, she would find it difficult to clear the poison of Hongyan Zui (Beauty's Intoxication).

Soon, she arrived inside the stone cave.

Zhao Qingmei said indifferently, "Senior Nangong, today's meal has arrived."

"Good, what delicious food is it today? Bring it quickly."

Nan Weiping, who was still lying on the ground, immediately became interested, quickly stood up, her eyes gleaming.

The meals of these past few days had made her increasingly delighted; she seemed to have become inseparable from the delicious dishes Zhao Qingmei brought.

Zhao Qingmei placed the food box in front of Nan Weiping and said, "Pearl Jade White Jade Soup, Bletilla Pig Lung Soup, Sugared Lily Water Chestnut Puree, Char Siu Deer Meat, and a pot of good wine."

"Good, good, good."

Just listening, Nan Weiping felt her taste buds tingling and eagerly opened the food box.

Zhao Qingmei quietly watched the ravenously eating Nan Weiping, saying nothing.

"Why aren't you writing in your diary? What are you doing watching me eat?"

Nan Weiping held her food and asked Zhao Qingmei, who remained motionless.

Today's Zhao Qingmei seemed a little different from usual.

"No hurry."

Zhao Qingmei's beautiful eyes were as calm as water, and she said, "I'll wait until Senior Nangong finishes eating. I want to ask a question."

Nan Weiping continued to swallow her food after hearing this, "Asking me a question? That depends on my mood."

A rare smile appeared at the corner of Zhao Qingmei's mouth, "Then that might not be up to Senior Nangong."

"What do you mean?"

Nan Weiping also heard the deeper meaning in her words, and her actions stopped.

Zhao Qingmei's lips curved slightly upwards, saying, "Senior, haven't you noticed yet?"

Zhao Qingmei was exceedingly beautiful, and even more so when she smiled, but at this moment, Nan Weiping felt a chill in her heart, a coldness rising from her spine directly to her crown.

"This Hongyan Zui (Beauty's Intoxication) is colorless and tasteless."

Zhao Qingmei's steps were unhurried as she said, "You have been taking it for several days, and by now the poison has already invaded your internal organs."

Nan Weiping's gaze was cold and deep as she said indifferently, "This old woman is not afraid of death."

Zhao Qingmei smiled at Nan Weiping, her red lips parting slightly: "There are certainly people in this world who aren't afraid of death, but I believe Senior Nangong is definitely not one of them."

If Nan Weiping truly wasn't afraid of death, she would have long since committed suicide under the torment of this dark and endless Demon Sealing Well. How could she have managed to survive until now?

She was a person who cherished her life immensely.

PS: I'm organizing the outline today.