FFSC_13

Chapter 13: The World Knows You — No Laughing Allowed

Upon hearing Chen Moqing's words, Cang Shun fell silent for a good long while, and in the end said nothing at all.

After a moment, the small snow-white beast poked its head about, pretending to shift its attention elsewhere with an air of great busyness, squirming back and forth through Chen Moqing's hair.

Chen Moqing: "Is this you acting spoiled?"

Before his voice had even faded, he unsurprisingly heard a loud "mew mew mew".

Chen Moqing lifted the yowling little fluffball down, not allowing it to sprawl on top of his head.

The snow-white beast leapt onto his arm, tucked its little paws together, and plopped itself down.

This spot would do too.

Chen Moqing lightly tossed the little fluffball into the air.

Cang Shun, now floating in midair: "……"

"So the Demon Emperor can fly," Chen Moqing said, "How remarkable."

Then he walked on ahead.

Cang Shun: "…………"

In the next instant, a small snow mountain loomed across Chen Moqing's path, its towering shadow engulfing his figure, a long and sturdy tail curling around to hook the hem of his robe.

【Get on.】

Chen Moqing's voice sounded carelessly indifferent, and Cang Shun's gaze also shifted to one side, not meeting his eyes.

Chen Moqing looked at the enormous demon beast lying quietly before him, seemingly not having expected the former Demon Emperor to make such a gesture, and his footsteps paused briefly.

"If others were to see this—"

Cang Shun gave a light snort: 【This is not my true form. Even a thousand years ago, no one ever saw it.】

Chen Moqing: "No wonder."

——No wonder the records describing this Demon Emperor's appearance had always been vague and unclear. Some had even said the Demon Emperor's true form was hideous—blue-faced and with protruding fangs—which was why he never revealed it to others.

The big fluffy Demon Emperor began using his head to nudge him again, bumping him forward a little, his paws lightly pawing at the hem of his robe.

Chen Moqing didn't resist, and settled himself calmly onto the Demon Emperor's back. The snow-white fur was like the finest cushion, with mountain-like powerful shoulders supporting him from beneath. Through the soft fluff, one could feel the formidable strength contained within the sinewy muscles beneath the thick coat.

Cang Shun waited until the young human was completely settled before slowly rising, turned a circle in place, and casually gave the person on his back a couple of jolts.

【Why are you so light?】

Another jolt.

Chen Moqing calmly raised his hand and ruffled the fur on the Demon Emperor's back against the grain.

Messed it up.

【?】

Thwap.

Cang Shun turned his head back, his long slender tail swatting against the hem of that person's robe as it swept down from his back. With one stride, he shot forth like thunder cleaving through the open sky, leaving behind only a fleeting afterimage of lightning.

"What are you trying to do?!"

The sky was obscured by layer upon layer of overlapping talismanic runes, forming chain upon chain, pressing down so heavily that one could barely breathe.

Ning Lili steadied Bai Yue, who was kneeling on one knee and continuously coughing up blood, and cast a look of disbelief upward.

In midair, the Second Elder stroked his beard and laughed. Behind him stood the Grand Elder of Tingyu Sect, who had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage.

"Little Ning girl, hand over that peak fourth-grade magic treasure, and today's matter will be treated as if nothing ever happened."

Bai Yue blocked Ning Lili with one hand and wiped the blood from the corner of her lip: "The treasure chose its master of its own accord, it is already bound to her soul. You cannot take it!"

"Oh? What a pity. If the treasure is forcibly taken, little Ning girl's soul will be scattered and destroyed as well..," The Second Elder sighed and shook his head, "I watched little Ning girl grow up, after all. I truly cannot bear to lay a hand on her."

He smiled amiably once more: "How about this, why don't you do it yourself, Manager Bai? You are her master. Your hand would be gentler, and perhaps both your lives could still be spared."

Bai Yue's gaze turned cold and sharp: "Is Tingyu Sect not afraid that Qianxuan Pavilion will settle accounts afterward for conduct such as this?!"

The Second Elder raised a hand with an air of indifference and brushed away nonexistent dust from his robes: "The pavilion master of Qianxuan Pavilion in the Dongzhou Prefecture is no more than peak Golden Core. Even he is as lowly as an ant before that Immortal. What can he do to us?"

Bai Yue's heart sank to its lowest depth. No wonder so many spots had been opened for this secret realm—that sword cultivator from the upper prefectures had long since struck a deal with Tingyu Sect, using them all as stepping stones.

Nascent Soul, Golden Core— one realm apart, yet the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

"Master."

She heard her disciple's quiet murmur. That disciple who was always so naive and carefree wore a smile at the corners of her mouth, yet her eyes were swollen red like a rabbit's. Her palms trembled faintly, but her voice did not waver in the slightest:

"Master, let me go."

Not far away, Liu Piao walked to Liu Ao's side and spoke quietly: "Father, given how Tingyu Sect has acted, there is no guarantee they will not move against the Liu family afterward. If we help Qianxuan Pavilion now, we are also helping the Liu family in the future."

Liu Ao clasped his hands behind his back and said arrogantly: "There are still far too many hands moving the pieces in Qingzhu City."

Liu Piao cursed inwardly, while keeping a carefully composed expression on his face: "Brother Jiang has close ties with Qianxuan Pavilion. Manager Bai may not be without a backup plan, and will likely not be so easily kicked off the board."

Liu Ao said nothing, his eyes holding what seemed like both fear and intense envy as he gazed at the Grand Elder of Tingyu Sect at the peak of the Golden Core stage, and remained unmoved.

Liu Piao tightened her grip slightly in her palm. That sword intent had already returned to her side— though it was Nascent Soul sword intent, her Qi Refinement cultivation could draw out at most the combat power of peak Foundation Building.

Yet she could not stand the sight of those immortals looking down on everyone from on high. She could not stand this way of killing through sheer power.

Beneath the condescending gazes of Tingyu Sect's two elders, Bai Yue looked at her disciple and slowly spoke: "You never liked cultivating in the usual course of things, you loved to slack off and sleep. If not for my insistence on bringing you here..."

Blood seeped from her lips again. She swallowed the rest of her words, and in a voice only Ning Lili could hear, said: "When I count to three, you run."

Tears streamed down Ning Lili's face like rain. Without a word, she suddenly struck her own brow with a reverse palm!

She still could not wield that fourth-grade magic treasure—even the process of refining it had drained her master of more than half her spiritual power standing guard for her, which was why they could not hold their own against those from Tingyu Sect.

She knew that she had always been too lazy in her usual days, not diligent enough, which was why her cultivation had never advanced, and why she relied on her master to protect her in everything.

She also knew that as long as she destroyed her own spiritual sea— she could detonate that peak fourth-grade magic treasure and unleash the might of a Deity Transformation cultivator!

"Master, run!"

"Not good! She's going to self-detonate!"

Ning Lili's movements were truly too swift. The Second Elder's expression shattered, and he reached out to stop her—

Yet there was someone even faster!

Bai Yue suddenly flung out hundreds of talismanic runes, sealing Ning Lili's spiritual veins in an instant. The latter's body, wrapped and swept along by countless runes, was pushed backward, retreating dozens of zhang away in the blink of an eye!

"Seize her!"

In Ning Lili's frozen pupils, dozens of zhang away, her master threw her head back laughing, and rose up with fierce defiance: "You useless lot! Come and fight!"

"Master!!"

High in the sky above, the Grand Elder of Tingyu Sect, who had kept his eyes closed all along, slowly opened them.

"An ant trying to shake a great tree."

Peak Golden Core—his aura surged forth like a tide, bearing down over the entire field—in that single instant, everyone present was unable to move!

Liu Ao was greatly alarmed, not having expected that he too would be suppressed, and immediately called out: "Grand Elder! I am willing—"

The Grand Elder pointed casually with one finger.

Talismanic runes above his head formed into a massive glacier, which burst apart, sending countless ice shards shooting outward, blotting out the sky and swallowing all sight.

The lethal ice shards closed in. Liu Ao, in utter panic, did not know from where he summoned the strength to break free of the suppression, and yanked Liu Piao in front of him: "My child, protect me!"

The enlarged ice shards reflected in Liu Piao's eyes. The frigid air nearly froze her very sockets. In that instant she no longer hesitated—a streak of sword intent pierced straight through behind her.

Beneath the ice rain, Bai Yue's eye sockets bled. She pointed two fingers directly at the Grand Elder of Tingyu Sect and burned away her entire cultivation in a desperate final strike. In the distance, Ning Lili strained with everything she had in that last instant, reaching out toward her—

Within the secret realm, a nine-petaled lotus bloomed!

The nine-petaled lotus unfurled in flowing brilliance, its enormous petals drooping gently downward— crystalline and flawless, like the compassionate eye of an immortal slowly opening.

The scent of lotus was piercing and crisp. The ice shards shattered, and a dazzling rain of ice crystals fell. Amid countless spinning fragments of ice and snow, a young cultivator in dark robes descended step by step from beyond the heavens, a snow lotus mark between his brows, his eyes free of all dust— like the sword of Heaven's Way descending into the mortal world.

In an instant, the entire field fell silent.

A fifth-grade magic treasure!

The Grand Elder of Tingyu Sect suddenly fell back a full step. The expression of calm detachment with which he had just passed judgment over life and death shattered, giving way to utter and absolute disbelief.

He had clearly been no more than early Foundation Building before—how much time had passed, and he had already crossed through the middle stage?!

And not only that—within the secret realm, every flow of talisman path aura cloaked that person entirely. At this moment, he was no different from the master of the secret realm!

In that instant, even at peak Golden Core—even knowing himself to be the strongest present—the Grand Elder did not dare make a reckless move. He fixed his gaze on that young cultivator who should have been at early Foundation Building, and felt, inexplicably, a sudden pang of dread rise within him.

Could it be, that all the strange phenomena within the secret realm earlier... had all arisen because of this person?!

The Grand Elder swiftly crushed a jade slip concealed beneath his sleeve and sent a voice transmission to that immortal from the Upper Region, urging him to come quickly to his aid.

Chen Moqing's gaze swept over those below, and he raised his palm slightly.

The nine-petaled lotus, radiant with flowing light, slowly rotated and folded its petals inward, returning to the size of a glass lantern—just as it was about to drift back into his palm, a fluffy paw snatched it away mid-course.

Cang Shun clutched the pretty little lotus flower and drew close to it, his demon pupils reflecting its crystalline glow.

Chen Moqing glanced at the small snow-white beast on his arm pawing at the lotus, patted its fluffy little head, and said casually: "Gungun, go."

Countless jet-black threads burst open in the air and rapidly hooked together into a slender figure. The talisman demon floated behind Chen Moqing, cheerfully raising its noodle-like arms high.

A talisman demon?

The Grand Elder's brow twitched.

It appeared that the magic treasure had consumed too much of his spiritual power, leaving him too depleted to fight further—which was why he had summoned such a negligible talisman demon.

He immediately composed his expression and said mildly with a cupped-fist salute: "Fellow Daoist—"

Boom!

The Grand Elder's figure flew back a hundred meters and slammed into the mountain valley, carving out a pit a full three meters deep.

In the Second Elder's eyes—wide with shock and terror—a jet-black figure had materialized out of thin air in the spot where his own Grand Elder had just been standing, gazing down from above with contempt.

A talisman demon at perfect Golden Core?!

His terrified gaze shifted upward, to the young cultivator behind the talisman demon—those dark, unruffled eyes.

Just who was this person, to have tamed a half-step Nascent Soul talisman demon as a mere servant?!

"Senior!" Cold sweat soaked through his robes. The Second Elder immediately cupped his fists, squeezing out a trembling smile, "Just now it was all a misunderstanding, I—"

Boom!

Another deep pit was carved into the mountain valley floor, level alongside the first. The talisman demon swung its wrist idly, then raised its head and waved its arms high in Chen Moqing's direction.

Chen Moqing lowered his gaze, his eyes settling on Bai Yue: "How shall we deal with them."

Before Bai Yue could speak, a voice rang out from beside her: "Kill them!"

Ning Lili's eyes were red as she stepped forward: "Please, Senior Jiang, let me kill them with my own hands!"

Chen Moqing: "Very well."

Bai Yue raised her arm and pressed down hard on Ning Lili's hand—veins bulging—and shook her head, cupping her fists toward Chen Moqing: "The most pressing matter is to leave here as quickly as possible. That sword cultivator from the upper prefectures should arrive soon."

Chen Moqing let fall four flat words: "Pay him no mind."

Bai Yue's eyes stirred. Seeming to realize something, she looked at Ning Lili again and was silent for a full several seconds before slowly speaking: "I will do it."

Chen Moqing said nothing, his palm gently passing over the snow-white beast's soft fur.

She would do it herself—so that her disciple would not be stained with the debt of blood, lest it give rise to a heart demon in the future when forming her Nascent Soul.

Cang Shun felt those fingers carrying a faint fragrance brush across his head. He narrowed his demon pupils slightly, raised his eyes to look at Chen Moqing's profile, and stilled for a moment.

Why did it feel as though he was a little sad?

He placed the pretty little lotus flower into the young human's hand, then raised his paw again.

A warmth spread from his fingertips. Chen Moqing lowered his gaze—the snow-white beast lay in his palm, its fluffy paw resting lightly over his fingers, as surging spiritual power flowed into his body without resistance.

He lifted a finger and lightly flicked that soft, drooping furry ear.

Cang Shun gave a swift little shudder.

【??!】

He touched his ear again!

The little fluffball visibly puffed up by a full size, let out a very loud "mew," and slapped his hand down with one indignant paw.

It glared at him with wide, round demon pupils, bristling with anger, and continued sending him spiritual power.

The two elders of Tingyu Sect were seized by the talisman demon like chicks being grabbed by the scruff, and hung in the air in an exceedingly undignified manner. The Grand Elder was still raging: "You cannot touch us! That Immortal will not let you off!"

The Second Elder meanwhile pleaded without cease: "Have mercy, Senior! Using power to bully the weak is no conduct befitting a gentleman!"

"I am no gentleman," Chen Moqing said with a smile, "Farewell, you two."

The Second Elder dissolved into tears and wailing: "Save me, Senior! Manager Bai! For the sake of our years of acquaintance... Ahhh!!"

Cang Shun paid no mind to the commotion over there. After finishing the transfer of spiritual power he stretched out one long, languid stretch, pressed his chin down onto the back of Chen Moqing's hand, and under his gaze shamelessly rubbed against it twice.

On the other side of the secret realm, two people were facing off.

Liu Ao clutched his chest as blood flowed without stop, staring ahead in disbelief: "You unfilial wretch, you..."

Liu Piao said nothing. When Liu Ao had shoved her in front of him moments ago, she had already driven that sword intent straight through Liu Ao's chest.

She slowly raised her head and looked skyward: "Brother Jiang, does our agreement still stand?"

Chen Moqing: "Naturally."

The moment his words fell, that sword intent transformed into a frost-white sword and hung suspended before Liu Piao.

Liu Piao drew a slow deep breath, received the sword with both hands, and walked toward Liu Ao step by step.

"Do you know what my mother said to me before she passed?"

Liu Ao pressed his chest and kept backing away: "Yu'er, what are you trying to do? You, you need to calm down..."

He fixed his gaze on the sharp sword in Liu Piao's hands, then looked up, lingering on his eldest child's expressionless face—and also saw the young cultivator in dark robes standing at ease behind her.

Liu Ao forced out a smile and mustered a few measures of rusty tenderness: "I have wronged Yu Niang... What did she say?"

Liu Piao stared at him for a full several seconds before saying coldly: "That is not my mother's given name."

"And I am not my younger brother either."

"What?! You—"

Liu Ao went through shock first, then wide-eyed fury and a torrent of curses, then endless pleading—even promising that as long as they got out, he would pass the position of family head to Liu Piao.

Liu Piao watched this spectacle with complete indifference. Only after he had finished his final words did she give a nod and say "alright".

And then, in Liu Ao's eyes—just filling with relief—she brought the sword down.

...

Wind passed through forest leaves. The sun sank in the west.

The secret realm's entrance lay just ahead. They had been inside for no more than a single day, yet Bai Yue felt as though everything had changed while nothing stayed the same.

She looked down at Ning Lili clinging to her like a bear rubbing against a tree, and the corner of her mouth twitched—that moment of wistfulness instantly dissolved without a trace.

Black threads drifted aimlessly through the air. A talisman demon circled around Chen Moqing, looking not quite willing to return to the storage pouch.

Cang Shun cast it a sidelong glance.

The talisman demon shrank trembling behind Chen Moqing, only a small head poking out, its single white eye drooping down in the most pitiable manner imaginable.

Cang Shun: "?"

Chen Moqing glanced at the talisman demon, then at a certain Demon Emperor.

Cang Shun lifted his chin high: And so?

Chen Moqing raised a finger joint slightly.

The snow-white beast immediately covered its ears.

The corner of Chen Moqing's mouth curved upward. His hand came to rest, stroking those soft, downy wisps of fur.

Cang Shun went quiet at once.

After being petted a few times by that beautiful hand, he lazily went limp and melted into a soft little round disc.

Several black threads drifted over quietly, attempting to wind themselves around that snow-white fluffball.

Cang Shun brought a paw down.

The black threads scattered in an instant. The talisman demon let out a shriek and bolted back into the storage pouch.

Chen Moqing watched as the snow-white beast in his arms lifted its head with imperious dignity, leapt onto his shoulder, lay down and pinned several strands of his dark hair beneath it, then shamelessly rubbed against him once more.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Jiang," Bai Yue said with a smile as she walked over, "Not only have you broken through to mid-Foundation Building, you have also obtained the secret realm's inheritance."

Ning Lili, hanging from her arm, blinked her eyes wider: "Huh?"

When they had first met, had this Senior Jiang not still been at peak Qi Refinement?!

Chen Moqing calmly pinched a certain Demon Emperor's fluffy paw and lifted it free, rescuing several strands of his own hair: "I ask that everyone please keep the matter of my obtaining the inheritance in confidence."

His voice had barely faded.

【The one who has received the inheritance of my Xingyun, Jiang Yu】

The ancient voice resonated like the tolling of an old bell, reverberating through the secret realm, its echoes rolling outward in endless, layered waves.

Qingzhu City, indeed the entire Dongzhou Prefecture, heard it!

Bai Yue: "...Ha ha, Fellow Daoist Jiang, who under heaven would not know your name now."

Ning Lili: "Ha ha."

Liu Piao: "Ha ha."

Chen Moqing: "......"

He turned his head. The little fluffball on his shoulder was laughing—pff pff pff—its fur trembling with each laugh like dandelion fluff stirred by the wind.

Chen Moqing looked at this puffed-up little fluffball and said only three words: "Dried little fish."

Cang Shun sat up straight and composed himself with solemn gravity.

【What just happened?】 His voice dropped low.

Chen Moqing said nothing.

A figure slowly descended to his side.

At the sight of this person, the smiles on the faces of Bai Yue, Ning Lili, and Liu Piao vanished at once.

It was that Tianshu Sect immortal... Murong Zhou!

–

TL: Muji

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