"Disciple, you've kept these three with you. Are you planning to use them to test your medicine?"
Mo Ci's question made Chen Ye pause. He looked puzzled. "Master, you stayed awake just to ask me that?" He muttered to himself, Wasn't he only supposed to recover his strength by sleeping? How did he still have the energy to fuss over such trivial things?
"I'm only worried you'll expose your identity. Ordinary people may not know you're using demonic methods, but if you run into a righteous cultivator, all it takes is for them to casually let something slip, and you'll be exposed. That business in Cui County was most likely someone impersonating the Qinghe Sword Sect to collect boys and girls. The Qinghe Sword Sect will certainly send people to investigate.
"You think this place is far from Cui County, but the Qinghe Sword Sect's flying sword art is the best in the world. A hundred li is nothing to them—they can cover it in the blink of an eye..."
Mo Ci's words brimmed with worry. He couldn't forget how that clear, cold sword light had effortlessly sliced in two the magic treasure he'd spent half his life painstakingly refining.
The Qinghe Sword Technique being the best in the world was no exaggeration.
With Chen Ye's meager abilities, he probably wouldn't even have time to see the sword light flash before his head was sent flying.
Chen Ye interrupted his master's rambling, brimming with confidence. "If that's the reason, then all the more we can't kill this family of three. When the Qinghe Sword Sect's cultivators see them and ask around, I'll look like a benevolent, kind-hearted cultivator who rescued them."
Mo Ci snapped, "Foolish! If the Qinghe Sword Sect sees the Ten Thousand Soul Banner and the blood pills, how are you going to explain that away? Do you think righteous cultivators are idiots?"
"Don't worry, Master. I've already thought of what to say." Chen Ye cleared his throat, and his voice suddenly changed as though he'd become someone else. "Honored heroes, I truly don't know what crime I've committed. I only found this talking white banner on the road. The old gentleman inside said wicked men had harmed him and sealed him in the banner. He said he'd teach me to cultivate and have me help him escape, and that he could grant me three wishes. I truly didn't know he was a bad man! I swear I've never harmed anyone. I even used the method he taught me to save someone's life..."
Mo Ci watched his disciple's astonishing performance. Every detail, from his expression to his tone, was so convincing that even with Mo Ci's discerning eye, he couldn't spot a single flaw.
And on closer thought, the story wasn't unreasonable. The boy had only just entered the Qiling Realm, and in the months he'd been cultivating, he really hadn't harmed anyone. He was practically spotless. By the Qinghe Sword Sect's rules, the boy might not even be charged with a crime.
But Mo Ci immediately realized something was wrong. He barked, "Wait! You're planning to sell me out and use me to take the fall?!"
An old gentleman in a white banner had bewitched him? Wasn't that basically sending himself straight into the sword cultivators' blades?
Chen Ye looked perfectly matter-of-fact. "What else can I do, Master? We're demonic cultivators. When it comes down to it, I'll certainly sacrifice you to save myself. I'm following your teachings, Master. At the crucial moment, I must never show mercy."
Chen Ye nearly angered Mo Ci into scattering his soul. But seeing the amusement at the corners of the boy's eyes, Mo Ci knew he was teasing his master, deliberately playing the unfilial traitor. If he were truly that ruthless, Mo Ci would have been reduced to ashes long ago.
Once most of his anger had subsided, Mo Ci lowered his voice and asked, "Enough with the cheeky grin. Tell me honestly, what exactly did you have in mind when you rescued that family of three?"
Chen Ye kept walking as he spoke. "I thought Zhao Hezhou was a man of dignity. He fled a hundred li in such a sorry state; who knows how much hardship he endured? Even now, he still has some of a scholar's pride. That's rare, so I gave him a way to save face."
Mo Ci snorted derisively. "Hmph. He just can't bear to lose face. That kind of man isn't even as good as his wife. At least she knows how to make a firm decision."
"That's true. His wife is remarkable too, and even stronger than Zhao Hezhou. The couple clearly lived comfortably, and they're still young. Having another child wouldn't be difficult. But to leave everything behind and flee to another land for their flesh and blood—that's not something just anyone can do. Master, we've traveled through plenty of places these past few months. When others face the authorities forcibly requisitioning their children, they just shut themselves indoors and cry, convincing themselves that their child really has joined an immortal sect. How many would actually flee with their whole family? Zhao Hezhou may be a frail scholar, but if he were truly weak and useless, how could he have held out through a hundred li of flight? He'd have abandoned his wife and child long ago."
Chen Ye's words left Mo Ci silent for a while. It wasn't that Chen Ye had made some particularly compelling argument. Mo Ci had simply noticed that Chen Ye always looked for the good in people, while he himself was forever fixing on their flaws.
In the end, the boy was still young. He hadn't yet been worn down by the years into suspecting everyone, always thinking others meant him harm.
Before, Mo Ci would have given Chen Ye a good scolding, to teach his disciple just how treacherous people could be. But after Chen Ye brought out the Ten Thousand Soul Banner to preserve his soul, Mo Ci felt he no longer had any standing to criticize him.
If his disciple had truly been as cold and ruthless as Mo Ci had taught him to be, would Mo Ci still be clinging to life now?
The Ten Thousand Soul Banner might sound like a demonic treasure, but to Chen Ye, it was nothing but a burden. It was completely useless to him and only made trouble more likely.
If he truly wanted to teach Chen Ye how to avoid danger and seek good fortune, shouldn't he tell him to throw away the Ten Thousand Soul Banner first?
Seeing his master fall silent, Chen Ye offered another reassurance. "Master, I only said all that to joke with you. There's actually just one reason I rescued that family of three."
Mo Ci asked curiously, "And what is it?"
Chen Ye smiled. "I cultivate the demonic path. Isn't the whole point to do as I please? Why did I save them? Because I wanted to. That's reason enough. Why would I need another?"
Mo Ci: ...
The boy truly was a demonic cultivator. It was impossible to tell which of his words were sincere. Never mind. He'd go back to sleep.
Mo Ci gave a cold snort, sank back into the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, and said no more.
Chen Ye took it as nothing more than an ordinary chat between master and disciple. Unaffected, he strode off and disappeared into the mountain forest once more.
Before long, birds burst from the trees, and wolves howled one after another.
From sunrise to sunset, Chen Ye carried several dead wolves back to the ruined temple.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw that the two bound wild boars had died. Their tusks were broken, blood poured from all seven orifices, and their bodies were horribly mangled. The little birds in their cage had also lost most of their feathers and were covered in wounds. Without a doubt, every one of the animals had suffered terribly before dying.
Seeing Chen Ye return, Zhao Hezhou's face went white as paper. His hands trembling, he offered up the sackcloth and said, "Hero, I carefully recorded what the boars and birds looked like before the poison took effect. Please have a look."
After Chen Ye took the sackcloth covered in charcoal writing, Zhao Hezhou finally seemed unable to hold it in any longer. He hurried to one side and began retching.
Chen Ye didn't mock Zhao Hezhou for being fainthearted. He carefully studied the notes, and after a moment, delight appeared on his face.
Chen Ye hadn't misjudged him. Though Zhao Hezhou was a frail scholar, he still had a scholar's backbone. He'd thrown himself into the task he'd promised to do. He'd recorded the whole process in painstaking detail, from the poison taking effect to the end. His language wasn't the kind of flowery, rambling prose that said nothing; instead, he'd described everything precisely and vividly.
Looking at Zhao Hezhou now, Chen Ye couldn't imagine how he'd managed to force himself to watch it all.
And Chen Ye found the crucial clue in the record. Whether boars or birds, their symptoms had similarities despite the differing times it took for the poison to take effect. When the poison struck, they all let out long cries. Though the sounds differed, they all stretched their necks and tilted their heads back, much like wolves howling. As they struggled, they also bit wildly at everything around them. Birds could only peck with their beaks, yet these ones had opened their mouths and torn at things like wolves, swaying from side to side.
Zhao Hezhou had recorded these details especially clearly. They were probably true.
Could the Wolf Blood Pill make those who took it acquire a wolf's habits?
Chen Ye raised an eyebrow, feeling he'd found the key clue.
Before you continue