Why Do the Demon King and the Sword Venerable Look Alike? - Chapter 2

The Demon King did a decent enough job of keeping the demon race in line.

Even so, as a precaution, our dynasty had established quite a few Taoist temples.

I had no idea what else the Imperial Preceptor said to bewitch my father in the end.

In any case, I did manage to leave.

I was sent to Kaiyang Temple, fifteen hundred kilometers from the imperial capital.

It was the Taoist temple nearest the border between the human and demon realms.

Disobedient demons frequently caused trouble there.

When I first arrived, no one welcomed me.

They treated me like I was invisible.

Only First Senior Brother was a little better.

Because he was cold toward everyone.

He was responsible for liaising between me and the imperial capital.

The Temple Master didn’t teach me any spells, either. He ignored me completely.

I understood at once.

This was my father’s doing.

He was deliberately leaving me to my own devices and showing me no attention, hoping I would find the place boring.

In the month or so since I’d arrived, I’d barely spoken to anyone except that icy First Senior Brother whenever we had official matters to discuss.

How could they possibly force me home like this?

I’d endured a dozen years of relentless pressure.

Now I was truly running wild.

For more than a month straight, I slept until I woke naturally every day.

No one came looking for me, so I studied cultivation manuals on my own.

I ate, drank, and amused myself however I pleased. Life couldn’t have been more carefree.

My father finally lost patience.

The Temple Master issued a new order: training would begin at five every morning, and everyone had to participate.

Anyone who was late even once would be expelled from the temple.

Heh. Who did they think I was? I used to wake at three.

Another month passed like that.

Every one of my fellow disciples had dark circles drooping down to their chins.

They looked utterly haggard.

The hostility in their eyes whenever they looked at me was painfully sincere.

Even the Temple Master couldn’t take it anymore.

He hadn’t expected me to have such stamina.

Another month went by.

Then the rules abruptly changed again.

Newcomers like me were ordered to descend the mountain and kill demons.

I’d spent more than a decade studying political maneuvering and psychological warfare.

I instantly knew what that father of mine was planning.

He wanted me to face something far beyond my capabilities.

Failure would be inevitable.

Then I would feel defeated and decide I wasn’t cut out for cultivation.

Heh. Even if I, Xiao Jingxuan, were beaten to death by a demon,

I would never go back.

I descended the mountain carrying a worthless iron sword.

And fought a flock of chickens.

There were three of them in total.

Every single one was bigger than I was.

Those chickens were viciously underhanded.

They loved pecking my ass.

I battled them bitterly for three days.

At last, exhausted, I clutched my backside and collapsed facedown.

Where were the people secretly protecting me?

Seriously? They still weren’t coming out, even now?

The prettiest rooster charged at me.

I no longer had the strength to dodge.

Whatever. If I died, I died.

I could live again in my next life.

With that thought, I closed my eyes without hesitation.

The pain I expected never came.

A flash of sword light swept past, and all three chickens fell.

I knew my father wouldn’t really let me die!

The newcomer wore his black hair bound up and was dressed entirely in white. Tall and straight, he had a handsome face and an aloof expression.

One look told me he was an expert.

Still sprawled on the ground, I grinned at him.

“Many thanks, my good man.”

The expert regarded me with disdain. “You can’t even defeat a flock of chickens. What kind of Taoist priest are you? Go home, kid.”

…What a classic line.

I scrambled for an excuse. “Those weren’t ordinary chickens…”

Everyone knew the Demon King’s true form was a phoenix.

“They were incarnations of the Demon King. He must know I’ll beat him black and blue one day, so he came early to strangle me in the cradle.”

The expert snorted. “The Demon King can’t even be bothered with you.”

He turned and walked away. I followed.

He looked back. “Why are you following me?”

Huh?

Wasn’t he the one who’d come to lead me out?

When my fellow disciples brought me here, they never told me how to leave.

Puzzled, I said, “Didn’t you tell me to go home? My home is too far away, so I’ll go to yours.”

The expert seemed at a loss for words. He turned and kept walking.

I followed him.

“What’s your name?”

“Lan Xiao.”