The Demon Lord and I: Frenemies - chapter 39

Chapter 39

Fei Wanghuai looked closely and saw that the other man was draped in a black robe, a mask hanging around his neck, and three bright streaks of paint smeared across his cheeks like the whiskers of a beast. A deep, sunken scar ran down the bridge of his nose, as if it had been slashed by a sharp weapon, giving him a faintly menacing air.

There was no Demon Qi, no features of an Immortal Cultivator from the Four-Symbols Jiuzhou-just a strange Mixed-blood Beast Cultivator who had been tailing him.

“How touching. Afraid of dragging your companion down, you deliberately shook her off.” The black-robed Male Cultivator crouched above, his hands gripping the tree trunk like claws. A vicious glint flashed in his beastly eyes as he said with a hostile expression, “I thought the Lotus Flower Sect always charged in as a swarm, never fighting alone.”

“Would I need her to deal with you?” Fei Wanghuai replied. “She’d only make things messier.”

Shi Yalie, hearing his calm response, looked him up and down, taking in the snowy white Cloud Water Robe: “Tsk tsk, how enviable. A pristine Cloud Water Robe, united and friendly sectmates, an open and upright identity-never shunned by the masses, never dragged off for drug testing. To be a Beast Cultivator and reach this point, even I have to admit I’m jealous.”

In the daylight, he had watched this person with envy. Clearly, they were both Mixed-blood Beast Cultivators of little standing, yet the other lived freely under the sun, while he was locked in a dark cage, enduring torments no ordinary person could withstand.

This world was truly unfair.

Fei Wanghuai paused, finding it almost laughable, and sneered, “You envy me?”

“Never suffered any setbacks since childhood, and at this age, you’ve reached such cultivation. No wonder you’re so arrogant,” Shi Yalie said irritably. “You’ve never tasted hardship, never faced tribulation, so of course you don’t know what’s precious.”

“Do all the cultivators on your islands, righteous or evil, talk this much nonsense?” Fei Wanghuai raised his Silver Fan. “If you want to kill me, just say so. Don’t make up reasons or project your fantasies onto me.”

“Don’t be too confident. Your cultivation is inferior to mine.”

“Try me and see.”

Soul Fire Technique!

Countless ghostly blue flames ignited, like spirit lanterns on a ghost festival night, making the dark forest seem even more eerie and terrifying.

The strange fire surged toward Shi Yalie in the tree. His wide black robe billowed, sparks flying from the hem. Hooking his legs around the trunk, he hung upside down in an uncanny posture-not only dodging the searing fireballs, but also feinting an attack toward his target.

This was not a move an ordinary cultivator could pull off, but Shi Yalie’s body was agile and powerful as a leopard. After dodging, he didn’t even need to gather strength again; his fingernails suddenly sharpened like blades, and with a roar, he lunged at Fei Wanghuai, intent on tearing him to pieces!

His claw struck the chest of the youth in white with a fierce force, causing Fei Wanghuai’s eyes to tremble in pain!

Shi Yalie’s arm was like a weapon, piercing straight through his enemy. He sneered, “Too weak.”

He wanted to stain that Cloud Water Robe with blood, to ease the jealousy in his heart.

Yet the expected scent of blood did not fill his nostrils. Instead, a scorching, searing heat burned his outstretched arm.

In an instant, ghostly blue flames erupted from the youth’s wound. The corpse that Shi Yalie thought he had killed turned into blazing fire, crackling and hissing as it climbed up the black robe like a cold, writhing serpent of flame, about to devour him in an instant.

“What…”

Shi Yalie tried to put out the fire, but the Soul Fire burned him with excruciating pain. He had no choice but to shrug off his black robe, hoping to escape like a cicada shedding its shell.

But the blue fire was even faster. Before he could throw off the garment, it leapt toward his face as if with a will of its own, aiming straight for the scar on his nose, burning him so badly he let out a cry of pain!

The raging flames were like wild, unrestrained claws, the firelight soaring skyward, unstoppable!

On the tree, a pair of silver-edged shoes landed on the trunk-exactly where Shi Yalie had stood moments before. The youth in white, whom Shi Yalie thought he had killed, was unharmed, his black hair still tied high, Silver Fan in hand, not a speck of dust on his Cloud Water Robe.

“Never suffered any setbacks since childhood?” Fei Wanghuai stood above, looking down indifferently at Shi Yalie being consumed by fire. “Just a Taohuo Wolf Mixed-blood, who’s never even left the Qionglian Twelve Islands, and you dare to boast? You can’t even see through half of what I am.”

The Taohuo Wolf was a Spirit Beast unique to the Qionglian Twelve Islands, resistant to water and fire techniques, often hunting enemies with swift attacks. Its strengths were power and speed, and it cared nothing for formation when attacking.

Even among Mixed-blood Beast Cultivators, strength varied greatly. Ordinary cultivators might rise from humble beginnings, but for Beast Cultivators who valued bloodlines, the suppression of weaker blood was ingrained in their bones-survival of the fittest was the highest law. That was why many cultivators looked down on Beast Cultivators: even if they looked human, their hearts were still like beasts.

Fei Wanghuai had experienced many Beast Cultivator battles; he could see through half of Shi Yalie’s bloodline at a glance, but the other clearly could not see through his.

“Once I kill you, I’ll see through your secrets!”

Blue flames flew everywhere as Shi Yalie struggled out of the fire. He pushed off with his feet, leaping into the air, and once again lunged at Fei Wanghuai!
The youth in the tree dodged nimbly, facing the fierce onslaught with an air of calm indifference. He turned his head serenely, avoiding the deadly blow without a ripple of emotion.

In the next instant, the youth transformed into flames once more, roaring as he unfurled a high-temperature, dense net, attempting to trap Shi Yalie within. This time, Shi Yalie was prepared. He leapt down from the tree in a flash, his eyes wary as he scanned his surroundings, searching for Fei Wanghuai’s position with suspicion and uncertainty.

Too strange, too suspicious.

He was already at the Four Leaves Late Stage, nearly advancing to the early stage of Five Leaves, yet he couldn’t even touch the other’s sleeve, nor could he accurately use his Insight. Clearly, the Lotus Flower Sect disciple’s cultivation was inferior to his, but his figure kept turning into ghostly flames, leaving Shi Yalie unsure where to strike.

Everything before his eyes felt like an illusion, so different from past battles.

Shi Yalie halted his attacks, rare for him to calm his mind and search for his opponent’s traces.

Suddenly, the forest fell silent. A chilly wind swept through, dispersing the scent of charred wood.

In the darkness, a cold male voice sounded, ghostly and bewitching, sending chills down one’s spine: “Only now do you sense something’s wrong?”

The voice drifted from behind. Startled, Shi Yalie turned, but saw only towering trees-no place for anyone to stand. For the first time, a chill crept over him from head to toe. Staring at the empty woods, he probed, “Who exactly are you? This isn’t a Lotus Flower Sect technique!”

Not long ago, Shi Yalie had narrowly escaped from the Lotus Flower Sect. Those people used the Lotus Cloud Thirteen Forms and Cloud Step, never such bizarre arts as these!

“Heh, Lotus Flower Sect techniques? Well, yes, I am a disciple of the Lotus Flower Sect. The longer I stay here, the more abnormal I become-my sister who seeks knowledge through investigation, my brother who is impartial and selfless, the benevolent and generous Sect Leader parents, fellow disciples who even consider the innocence of Spirit Beasts when testing medicines, and their willingness to build the Qionglian Twelve Islands in the Mortal Dust Marsh for the sake of mortals…

“Truly worthy of being Immortal Cultivators-so genuine, so kind, so pure. Only I am a villain, and even my petty grudges and ambitions seem shameful before them.”

In the shadows, the youth’s voice rang clear in the night wind, tinged with a trace of sorrow for some reason, piercing the ear with a needle-like chill.

Earlier, when Fei Wanghuai heard the other’s envy, it was as if he’d heard the greatest joke. The Beast Cultivator mistook him for a noble Immortal Cultivator of the Lotus Flower Sect, not knowing that beneath the surface, he was an even darker demon.

Those bright identities were all false, but lately, surrounded by such influence, he was almost starting to believe them himself. Habit is a frightening thing-it could make someone born in chaos lower his guard, even occasionally think the Qionglian Twelve Islands weren’t so bad, as if every cultivator ought to live this way.

If the world truly cared as little about the divide between immortals and demons as she did, if everywhere was as free and joyful as the Qionglian Twelve Islands, then perhaps his great cause of demon restoration was mistaken.

But the world outside was not like this. Outside was far crueler than within the islands.

“How strange. Outside the islands, open and covert strife, rivers of blood; inside, prosperity and harmony, like a paradise conjured by illusion.” Fei Wanghuai advanced with Cloud Step, flashing instantly to his enemy’s side, the sharp tip of his Silver Fan pointed at the man’s throat as he said coldly, “But no matter how real an illusion, there are always flaws-like your sudden appearance.”

A flash of silver gleamed at Shi Yalie’s cheek-he had no idea where Fei Wanghuai had come from, and was about to have his throat slit!

“Thank you for coming to kill me. It seems I am the normal one, and they are the abnormal ones.”

Blood splattered everywhere.

Even this pure land had its filth. It was only that the sunlight was so dazzling, it blinded people to the shadows where conspiracies lurked.

*

A sudden blaze lit up the forest. After returning to her room, Chu Zaishuang meditated for a while, then noticed a glow outside her window. She hurriedly roused her companions, calling them to look at the ghostly blue fireball.

By the time the group stepped outside, the blue flames had already faded, and the distant woods had returned to darkness and silence.

Li Jingjie exclaimed, “What was that just now?”

“He must be fighting someone. I knew nothing good would come of him sending me away.” Chu Zaishuang crushed a jade talisman. “There are Lotus Flower Sect disciples in the nearby village-they’ll probably be here soon. Let’s go check it out first.”

This place wasn’t as remote as a small town; there were fellow disciples in the neighboring village, so help would arrive quickly.

Su Hongli asked, “Was that Fei Wanghuai’s technique?”

“Yes, I’ve seen his Primordial Spirit Flower-it’s a Rosa Multiflora entwined with blue fire.”

The three dared not delay any longer and hurried toward the forest.

*

Drops of blood fell, staining the scattered leaves on the ground, congealing into a dark patch.

Shi Yalie clutched his neck. At this moment, his throat was covered in golden-red fur, his body showing signs of beast transformation, like the furry neck of a giant wolf. He growled, “Who told you to interfere? Mind your own business!”

In the darkness, countless silver threads spread out like spider silk. This sudden dense web blocked the attack of the sharp Silver Fan, preventing it from slicing through Shi Yalie’s neck.
Countless threads converged into the hand of one person-a masked, black-robed cultivator, hidden behind a nearby thicket.

A woman’s voice came from beneath the mask: “Withdraw now. The Lotus Flower Sect is coming. Don’t forget the lord’s instructions.”

“I told you to shut up!” Shi Yalie’s arm transformed into a beast’s claw, golden-red fur covering it, his beastly eyes flashing with a hint of madness as he roared and lunged at Fei Wanghuai. “If I don’t kill him today, I can’t quell the hatred in my heart!”

The struggle between beasts is a law of the world-two tigers cannot share one mountain, and Beast Cultivators are no exception.

Fei Wanghuai evaded with Cloud Step, flicking blood from his Silver Fan, his gaze landing on the masked Female Cultivator. He frowned, “A man and a woman, wolf fur and silver threads-you two are the Evil Cultivators who slaughtered the entire village?”

The Lotus Flower Sect had pursued these Evil Cultivators before, but the pair had managed to escape.

“That’s right. And now we’re going to slaughter you too!”

“Shi Yalie-”

Lu Ge watched as Shi Yalie stubbornly refused to listen, chasing after Fei Wanghuai despite knowing he was outmatched. Frustration welled up in her heart, and she bit her lip hard.

She took out a Jade Flute from her bosom, its surface glowing with a strange, lustrous light-clearly of extraordinary quality. This was a magical artifact given to her by the lord, with instructions to play it if Shi Yalie lost control again.

It seemed she had no choice but to use it now.

Lu Ge placed the flute to her lips, and a melodious tune rang out, infused with spiritual energy that spread far on the wind.

Fei Wanghuai felt a stabbing pain at his temples. He immediately covered his ears and stopped in his tracks, the world spinning around him. “This is…”

A catalyst artifact targeting Beast Cultivators!

A few steps away, Shi Yalie also collapsed in pain, his body arching on the ground like a boulder. As the flute’s melody grew colder and more lingering, the fabric on his back was suddenly torn apart by sprouting fur. The golden-red wolf fur instantly lost its color, his body swelling to several times its size, the fur turning gray!

Surging spiritual energy overflowed, but the golden-red beast eyes grew dim and vacant, as if the soul had been drained from a dying beast. Shi Yalie completely lost his cultivator form, transforming into a true werewolf, attacking everything around him without consciousness!

“What did you do to him?” Fei Wanghuai gathered spiritual energy at his temples, forcing himself to stay awake through the flute’s sound, but still failed to dodge a swipe from the werewolf, leaving several wounds on his left arm. “You actually made him revert to a Taohuo Wolf.”

The Jade Flute disrupted Beast Cultivators, forcing Fei Wanghuai to concentrate and dispel the illusion created by soul fire.

But Shi Yalie, now fully beast, was completely out of control-perhaps near death, his cultivation exploding far beyond the Four Leaves level.

Behind the mask, Lu Ge felt a hint of panic. She had long known the lord was displeased with Shi Yalie, but hadn’t expected that the so-called ‘handling’ would turn him into a beast, no longer human. If she were alone here, she might also be attacked, and survival under those wolf claws was far from certain.

Did the lord not care if she died?

Layer upon layer of soul fire blocked the beast’s claws, but the werewolf was inexplicably frenzied, stabbing into the flames without hesitation. Those claws carried bone-deep hatred, as if determined to drag Fei Wanghuai into hell even in death, striking his blocking left arm with such force that he grunted in midair.

A suddenly advanced, crazed werewolf; a black-robed Female Cultivator lurking nearby; the eerie Jade Flute sounding again at some unknown moment. Fei Wanghuai dodged and fought while keeping a wary eye on the Female Cultivator’s movements, stretched thin and struggling to keep up.

He needed to break the werewolf’s rhythm and find an opening to counterattack.

But the rampaging werewolf’s strength was astonishing, leaving no room to catch his breath. Spirit Beasts are stronger than cultivators of the same level, and Shi Yalie’s cultivation had always been higher. Now, fully beast, he was even more formidable.

Fei Wanghuai guessed the werewolf’s frenzied state would only last for a while, but feared he wouldn’t last that long and would be slain beneath those claws.

If there was no opening, he would make one!

The white-robed youth’s face was spattered with fresh blood, his dark eyes gleaming coldly. Facing the oncoming beast claw, he made a split-second decision and stabbed out with the tip of his Silver Fan, aiming for the beast’s eyes-a blow for a blow!

This move would likely decide the outcome: either the werewolf would fall, or he would. But even if he killed the werewolf, the Female Cultivator remained, and in his wounded state, victory was far from assured.

The wolf’s claws whistled through the air, the Silver Fan’s sharp edge difficult to block-both sides intent on killing each other.

Fei Wanghuai landed his strike, blinding the werewolf with force. He felt a strong wind brush past his chest, sensing imminent danger-his guts and heart were about to be ripped out!

In a flash, a thin rope snapped into place, a Sleeve Arrow catching on the werewolf’s rough fur. The Cloud Brocade Rope whirred as Chu Zaishuang yanked the claw aside, causing it to barely graze Fei Wanghuai’s ribs instead of tearing open his abdomen!

Xiao Shi cheered: [We made it!]

The blinded werewolf howled in agony, clutching his bleeding face, his frenzied state ending and losing all ability to fight.
Fei Wanghuai was also struck by the wolf’s claws, his body sent flying uncontrollably. Yet instead of crashing onto the hard ground, he landed on a soft, plush cushion of flesh. Turning his head, he saw the massive Heavenly Treasure Weasel blocking behind him, now larger than a tiger, no longer the petite creature that could perch on a cultivator’s shoulder as before.

“Restoration Technique!”

With that command, the Heavenly Treasure Weasel shrank with a pop, returning to its original, delicate form.

Li Jingjie, seeing his companion land safely, finally relaxed his tense heart: “Wanghuai, you saw an Evil Cultivator-why didn’t you call for help? You’re always so withdrawn, and now you’re in danger, you still act like it’s nothing!”

The Lotus Flower Sect had strict rules: missions must not be faced alone, and in case of danger, one must contact others promptly to avoid being isolated and killed.

Just moments ago, they had watched Fei Wanghuai nearly have his heart ripped out by the vicious wolf, almost scared out of their wits. Thankfully, Chu Zaishuang reacted quickly, using her Sleeve Arrow to block half the attack, barely saving him.

Fei Wanghuai’s hair was stained with blood, his ribs aching terribly, yet facing the worried trio, he felt a strange unfamiliar sensation, stunned into silence for a moment. Of course he knew the sect’s rules, and even the werewolf said the Lotus Flower Sect always swarmed together. But he was not an Immortal Cultivator, and he was not truly their companion.

That odd feeling, which had first arisen on the Qionglian Twelve Islands, returned again.

“Don’t bother with a child; he’s always been spoiled and thoughtless.” Chu Zaishuang, confirming the werewolf was down, flashed forward with Cloud Step, charging into the bushes. “There’s more than one Evil Cultivator-the fight isn’t over!”

Li Jingjie: “Hong Li, you stay and watch over him. Wait for the others to arrive; we’ll be right back!”

Su Hongli: “Let me check your wounds.”

Fei Wanghuai watched the two leave, trying to stop them, frowning: “That person’s cultivation is unknown. If you rush after them…”

Su Hongli cast a healing technique, her expression earnest as she advised, “Trust them. Our cultivation may not be as high as yours, but we’re not that weak.”

“…Trust them?”

Fei Wanghuai found it absurd. He had never trusted anyone-not even Bone Elder.

One didn’t even have a Primordial Spirit Flower, another couldn’t control her Spirit Beast-how could they be so confident in trusting each other?

Yet, they had indeed saved him.

*

In the shadows, Chu Zaishuang and Li Jingjie darted through the forest, relentlessly pursuing the black-robed Evil Cultivator ahead.

Cold wind brushed their faces, and several threads shimmered into view. They seemed harmless, but could slice hair with a breeze; a single misstep and one would be cut to pieces. The Heavenly Treasure Weasel leapt nimbly to the front, scouting for danger, biting through the silver threads blocking the way, opening a path for the two.

Chu Zaishuang: “You dare attack my junior? You must have a death wish!”

Li Jingjie: “…Now that Wanghuai isn’t here, you finally get to take advantage of him?”

The black-robed Evil Cultivator was extremely fast. Seeing the distance widen, Chu Zaishuang fired her Sleeve Arrow to hook onto a branch, kicked off, and soared through the air like a swing, skillfully dodging the threads and using the gaps between the spider silk to lunge at her target!

Li Jingjie watched her move as nimbly as a sparrow, even gathering spiritual energy beneath her feet, exclaiming, “I thought your cultivation wasn’t that high-how are you faster than me!?”

“I’m always being chased by him, so I’ve mastered the ‘Flash’ of Cloud Step!”

Chu Zaishuang was already at the Three Leaves Late Stage; this was her first real combat since advancing, and she chose the lighter ‘Flash’ instead of the offensive ‘Charge’ of Cloud Step.

This was her unique method-because she had more spiritual energy than most, her ‘Flash’ was almost equivalent to two ‘Charge’ moves by others. ‘Charge’ consumed more energy and was more aggressive, but had a shorter jump distance, only half that of ‘Flash’, which was better for escaping.

But her spiritual energy was solid, so she could add aggression to ‘Flash’ without sacrificing distance, making her even faster than Li Jingjie’s ‘Charge’.

The black-robed figure hadn’t expected Chu Zaishuang’s sudden appearance. Just as he was about to sweep silver threads at her, he caught sight of her face and hesitated for a moment.

Chu Zaishuang was about to use the threads to cast Golden Lightning Technique, but the enemy abruptly withdrew, disrupting her strategy. Her technique couldn’t conduct far; to hit accurately, using the silver threads as a conduit was best.

But the Evil Cultivator didn’t attack.

The silver threads fell, the lightning missed.

Their gazes met briefly, then the black-robed figure leapt away, with Chu Zaishuang in close pursuit.

“So strange.”

[What’s wrong?]

“Why didn’t he attack?” Chu Zaishuang chased after the black-robed Evil Cultivator, puzzled. “Did he use Insight to read my thoughts? Or is there another reason?”