FFSC_19

Chapter 19: Resolved in an Instant — It's All the Contract's Fault

Faint light filtered through the bamboo window, falling across a corner of the wooden couch.

The young cultivator sat in the center, eyes closed in concentration, focused on his cultivation. A small snow-white creature was curled up in the corner of the wooden couch, facing the wall alone, tucked into a round little ball.

Cang Shun stared unblinkingly at the repeating grain of the wooden wall, silent, his eyes occasionally flickering with a mix of complex emotions.

Why was he... why did he care so much about this human?

——Several days had passed, and a certain Demon Emperor had finally come to realize this unusual fact.

He didn't like others getting close to this human, and he didn't like this person constantly looking at others.

Yet a thousand years ago, he had no interest in any living creature in this world, let alone a insignificant human.

...Why had he changed after waking up?

Was it because the first thing he saw upon waking was him, or was it...

Cang Shun's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint dark gleam passing through them.

——Because of that contract.

Everything that was different from a thousand years ago lay within that contract.

He had originally thought the contract merely restricted the distance between them, preventing him from leaving this human. Now it seemed it had also influenced part of his emotions, making him instinctively care about this person.

Once the contract was broken, everything would return to normal. From then on, a bridge would be a bridge and a road would be a road—he and he should have nothing to do with each other.

By then, whether to leave or stay would be entirely his own decision, and this human would no longer be able to bind him.

Cang Shun slowly stood up, not a trace of emotion in his eyes.

The clouds had parted, and all had become clear.

Before long, the small snow-white creature began to wander around Chen Moqing, who sat in meditation, head held high, looking very self-assured.

Tilting its fluffy little head up, it stared at the side of the young human's face as he sat quietly with eyes closed, gazing unblinkingly for quite a while.

Once the contract was broken, it wouldn't matter anymore.

With that thought in mind, he carelessly climbed onto Chen Moqing's lap and batted at the hem of his robe with his paw.

The smooth robe hem was kneaded back and forth by that fuzzy little paw. After a short while, the small snow-white creature habitually flopped down onto Chen Moqing.

——Not even a second after lying down, it quietly stood back up, jumped onto the wooden couch, and casually shifted to the side as if nothing had happened.

The sun sank in the west, and the sky gradually darkened.

Cang Shun withdrew his gaze from the person, his eyes shifting slightly as he glanced idly outside.

"Get out here!"

A fierce wind rose, the bamboo grove bent and swayed, and a figure came striding through the air. With each step, billowing clouds and surging winds followed.

"A lowly outer disciple dares to injure my Shou'er, come out and face your death!"

Chen Moqing lifted his eyes, already prepared, and rose to his feet with calm composure.

"Who is here barking like a dog."

A woman's voice rang out, utterly calm and unhurried, and the fierce wind instantly stilled, the surging waves settling flat.

"Yun Buwan!" Duan Ya stepped into the air above the courtyard in a single stride, eyes wide with fury, "I never expected that you would actually stand up for this lowly person?"

Yun Buwan answered with a single word: "Leave."

"......" Duan Ya ground his teeth, "Fine. Fine, then! We'll see about this, when my brother comes out of seclusion, let's see how you manage to hold your footing in the sect!"

His voice thundered like a roar, yet he didn't advance another step. His venomous gaze swept viciously over the small bamboo courtyard before he turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

The confrontation dissolved into nothing in the blink of an eye. Chen Moqing looked across at her and spoke: "Thank you for your assistance, Elder."

"Don't disturb me. Cultivate."

Chen Moqing sat back down on the couch.

Cang Shun wandered unhurriedly around him and said plainly: 【Benzun can also kill him for you and eliminate the threat, using the number of trades we have made before in exchange.】

Chen Moqing took out a stack of talisman paper, with no intention of neglecting his talisman cultivation: "A Nascent Soul built upon a pile of pills, why would one need a Demon Emperor's hand in this?"

He pulled out one sheet of talisman paper and casually draped the remaining stack across the fluffy white creature's back.

Cang Shun: "?"

The small snow-white creature tucked its paws in without a word and didn't move, settling down beside him.

For the following week, Chen Moqing remained in seclusion, cultivating day and night without pause, never once stepping out of his room.

On the eighth day, he emerged from seclusion and was heading to the training room with Cang Shun when he noticed Yun Buwan standing in the courtyard watering plants, her back turned.

Cang Shun lay draped across Chen Moqing's shoulder, watching as he changed direction and walked toward the Nascent Soul cultivator, proposing a sparring match in array arts.

The small snow-white creature, which had been lying there lazily, lifted its head slightly.

Didn't he say he only sparred with him?

It watched as the Nascent Soul cultivator turned around and replied with just one line: "Don't embarrass yourself."

In the small courtyard, several array arts rose one after another, and within the span of just a few breaths, several rounds of exchanges had already taken place.

Yun Buwan drew back her sleeve, cradling in her palm a formation array she had received from Chen Moqing, and studied the flowing runes woven between the array lines.

"You wove talismans into the array?"

Chen Moqing replied with composure: "The talisman path and the array path share similarities in common, they can be integrated and mastered together."

Yun Buwan was silent for two seconds.

"Don't let those old ones hear you say that. They would certainly call you a heretic who shows disrespect to the ancestors of the array path."

Her tone remained as cool as ever, yet something like a faint trace of amusement seemed to flicker in the depths of her eyes, there and gone in an instant.

"Your mastery of the talisman path is no small thing."

Chen Moqing folded his slender hands together and gave a bow: "I am still lacking in array arts. I humbly ask for the Elder's guidance."

Yun Buwan tossed out three words: "Set a array."

Cang Shun sat expressionlessly in the courtyard, watching the match.

Though that Nascent Soul cultivator appeared cold on the surface, she would teach a diligent disciple everything she knew without holding back.

And so, once again, he saw on the young human's face that same bright, vibrant expression that had only ever appeared when they sparred together.

One who pursues the Great Path will naturally be drawn to the same flickering light of a firefly along that path.

Cang Shun sat down, calm and composed, not the least bit displeased.

One hour later.

Chen Moqing lowered his hands, his robe hem drifting in the breeze, and offered a gentle smile to the array grandmaster: "Truly worthy of a array path master, thank you for your guidance, Elder."

Yun Buwan's composed gaze settled on him, as though she were seeing him truly for the first time.

"The sect assessment is in three months. If you do not take first place, leave on your own."

With those words, she drifted away.

Chen Moqing turned around, the tips of his hair brushing past a falling bamboo leaf.

In a corner of the courtyard, the small snow-white creature sat quietly on the ground, its demon eyes showing no particular ripple of emotion.

——For some unknown reason, the ground around this Demon Emperor had become uneven and pitted, covered all over with holes of various sizes, as though some very hard-to-read little creature had been randomly digging for an entire hour.

Chen Moqing walked over and gently took hold of the fluffy little paw, which was also, for some unknown reason, covered in specks of mud, and slowly swayed it back and forth.

"Let's go, to the training room."

"......"

After two seconds, he heard a low, quiet voice: 【Haven't you already sparred with someone else?】

Chen Moqing lowered his eyes and met that pair of demon eyes, unmoved by emotion.

The human and the demon regarded each other for a few seconds. He raised his hand and let his palm rest gently among the soft, downy fur.

"Elder Yun's greatest mastery lies in array arts. Seeking her guidance has greatly improved my own array path attainments."

His voice was clear and calm, unhurried as he spoke.

"Your Majesty the Demon Emperor's combat path surpasses every cultivator in this world. Sparring with you, I have likewise gained a great deal—with your guidance, my cultivation may advance by leaps and bounds."

As he spoke, he watched the small snow-white creature's slightly drooping ears slowly perk up, one by one, and those cold ruby demon eyes, clear as glass, blinked slowly twice and grew bright and lively.

"And so, I humbly ask for Your Majesty the Demon Emperor's continued guidance."

【...Very well.】

Cang Shun slowly turned his head, tail lifted slightly, and said with unhurried composure.

【Since you put it that way, then, I'll spar with you.】

【Sparring for a longer time is fine too.】

Chen Moqing smiled and reached out his hand.

The small snow-white creature swiftly burrowed into his arms and settled on his forearm, its slender tail swaying back and forth, occasionally sweeping across his robe.

After a moment, it lifted its head and looked at that pair of dark eyes carrying a faint, gentle smile, gazing unblinkingly for a short while, then wagged its tail again.

Chen Moqing patted the little head of this Demon Emperor, stepped over the fallen leaves in the courtyard, and walked with him toward the stream among the bamboo grove.

.

Three months later, the entrance disciple assessment.

On the vast training ground, several senior sect members sat at the high platform, observing the disciples below.

"There are quite a few exceptional ones among this batch of new disciples. I heard there is even a genius with eight spiritual roots? Even in the upper prefecture, they would hold their own against the prodigies of the great sects."

"That is Xiao Mo. He is Elder Duan's last closed-door disciple, very much in the style of Elder Duan in his younger years."

Duan Ya smiled with satisfaction: "You flatter me."

The assessment began swiftly. Dozens of newly initiated disciples took to the stage one by one to spar, while the surrounding ground was packed with the sect's formal disciples watching the matches, bursting into cheers and applause or jeers and boos from time to time.

"Truly worthy of Xiao Mo! Only three months into the sect and he has already far surpassed all the other disciples of the younger generation!"

"In my view the outcome is already decided, the top place this time is certain to go to Xiao Mo! Elder Duan truly has a gift for teaching!"

Amid the stream of praise, Duan Ya grew increasingly self-satisfied, watching with pleasure as his eight-spiritual-root prodigy stood on the stage, undefeated and dominating the entire field.

"Hey, look at the stage in the southeast corner, that disciple is quite impressive too! He can set up a formation in an instant, and his technique is very polished!"

The training ground had four stages, all active at the same time. In the southeast corner, a young black-robed array cultivator stood firm on the stage, already having won three consecutive matches.

Duan Ya caught a glimpse of that face, and his gaze instantly turned cold. He let out a scoffing laugh: "Gilded on the outside, rotting straw within."

The others read his expression and immediately changed their tune, chiming in one after another: "Indeed, in the end he is nothing more than a Qi Refinement cultivator. Xiao Mo broke through to Foundation Building just last month!"

"In my view that Qi Refinement cultivator is nothing special. He will certainly lose the next match!"

"...Uh, his opponent in the next match is a peak Qi Refinement cultivator, he will certainly lose..."

"...The next match is against a six spiritual root prodigy! He will certainly lose!"

"......"

In the final stage, only two competitors remained, both undefeated.

Chi Fei. Xiao Mo.

Xiao Jibai produced a folding fan and waved it with a leisurely air: "I never expected you to make it this far, Junior Brother Chi. Truly no small feat."

He blinked at the person across from him: "Don't be afraid. I'll go easy on you."

High up in the air, the concealed Cang Shun heard these words and let out a cold snort, glancing toward Chen Moqing.

Sensing the gaze of a certain Demon Emperor, Chen Moqing raised his eyes slightly and their gazes met.

The small snow-white creature floating in the air lifted its paw.

He wanted to slap this pest to death with a single strike.

Chen Moqing looked away.

Not allowed.

Cang Shun: ...Hmph.

He huffed and floated in the air, continuing to watch the match.

"Senior Brother Xiao! Take him down!"

"Senior Brother Xiao is certain to take first place!"

"Brother Chi must win!"

In the crowd, Chu Luo waved his fist high in the air, his voice quickly swallowed up by the waves of people who had already begun congratulating 'Xiao Mo' in advance.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xiao! We won!"

The waves of cheering overlapped one another. Xiao Jibai basked in the grand applause with ease, standing at the top of the stage, looking down upon all beneath him.

He had never feared a fight, nor had he ever worried about losing. Since coming to this world, there was only one person he had ever truly lost to.

——His eldest senior brother, Chen Moqing.

That person was a mountain he could never catch up to no matter what, even with the aid of the system's items, he could not match a single sword strike from him.

What a staggeringly brilliant sword strike it had been—encompassing all phenomena under heaven, slaying demons with a single blade, turning the tide, saving the mortal world.

All of this... should it not have belonged to him, to him, the protagonist?

And so he had been willing to stake his future on it, spending six hundred years' worth of installment points to send his eldest senior brother on his way.

What a pity it had been... after all, his eldest senior brother had been the kindest person to him since he came to this world.

Xiao Jibai smiled faintly.

Perhaps he would miss him for the rest of his life.

High up in the air, a pair of ice-cold crimson demon eyes gazed down in cold indifference.

Cang Shun looked down from above, fixing his gaze on that pest he had taken a dislike to from the very first glance, and once again caught a nauseating scent drifting from him.

The rot of a decaying thing, emanating from the inside out, impossible to dispel.

"What a pity it is—fellow disciples sharing the same sect, yet here we must face each other with blade and sword."

Xiao Jibai stepped forward unhurriedly, snapped his folding fan shut, and took a relaxed stance: "Come then!"

A gentle breeze brushed across the hem of his robe, outlining a tall and slender figure. Chen Moqing raised his hand slightly: "Please."

His figure, reflected in Cang Shun's eyes, was like green bamboo standing in a grove encircled by cool breezes and a clear moon—a single glance was enough to hold one's gaze without release.

Xiao Jibai brought two fingers together, formed a hand seal with one hand, and smiled: "Watch this move carefully, Junior Brother! This move is called—Final Cut*!"

*t/n; Shaqing (殺青, Shāqīng) literally means "killing the green" (referring to the ancient process of drying bamboo slips to preserve writing), but in modern usage it has come to mean "final cut" or "wrap". It can also carry the connotation of "finishing off" or "bringing something to a close," which here implies he intends to end the fight swiftly and decisively.

Thud!

The formation rose.

Xiao Jibai was sent crashing heavily off the stage.

Face down, he slammed into the ground and sank into a deep crater.

The entire venue fell into dead silence, not a sound to be heard.

"......"

Xiao Jibai's mind went completely blank. A long while passed before it laboriously began to work again.

...Wait, what just happened?

How could this be?! How could this possibly be?!

He struggled to lift his aching face. A warm liquid slid down from his forehead, blurring his left eye. He instinctively closed one eye, and with the remaining one he saw clearly—

That tall, upright black-robed cultivator stood atop the stage, his back to the blazing sun in the clear sky, eyes lowered slightly, calmly and coolly looking down at him from above.

"I'll accept the concession."

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