Bearing Thorns to Beg Forgiveness? Fine! I'll Grant You Your Wish!

The atmosphere in the study instantly froze.

Song Nu knelt on the ground, pressing her head to the ground, remaining silent, while Biying stood aside, looking as if it were none of her business.

As time went by, Song Nu's mood grew heavier and heavier, and his body even began to tremble as fear spread.

Compared to a few months ago, Song Nu's thoughts were now completely different.

When he forced Qiu Yan to go to Wuxin City, he was verbally insulted by Qiu Yan and held a grudge. Afterwards, he heard that Qiu Yan was not valued in Wuxin and that Miss Song Household had never even summoned Qiu Yan. Therefore, Song Nu concluded that the other party had no future and would have difficulty turning his life around.

With this conclusion, Song Nu had no more worries. In order to vent his anger, he used his power to put the Liu Household in a difficult situation. However, he did not expect that the situation would suddenly change. At a literary gathering, Qiu Yan suddenly emerged and his reputation spread.

The informant Song Nu had bribed at the Military Governor's Residence reported that Miss Song Household had begun inquiring about Qiu Yan.

Things had developed to this point, beyond Song Nu's imagination. He also had a bad feeling and quickly stopped persecuting the Liu Household. Instead, he tried to make amends by sending them land in the name of the government.

He knew that with Qiu Yan's intelligence, he would definitely see through the trickery, but he was still uneasy, so he prepared another house, ready to present it to Qiu Yan when he returned.

However, before Qiu Yan could return, they were greeted by Biying, the maid of the Song Household family's young lady.

Biying's identity and background were already widely known among the demons under Mountain-Passing Great King's command, but this time, Biying brought news that nearly scared Song Nu out of her wits—

The Tongshan Demon King, who reigned supreme over the Southern Border Jiannan Circuit, has perished!

Despite the unbelievable nature of it, Biying spoke with conviction, and Song Nu's spies also brought unfavorable news, making his heart grow heavier. His backer was gone, while Qiu Yan had a deity supporting him. This made Song Nu realize the severity of the situation. However, he couldn't give up his established business, so he decided to show weakness and seek reconciliation.

The atmosphere in the study grew increasingly heavy, even making Song Nu, the Three Souls old demon, feel suffocated. Qiu Yan, sitting in the chair, brought him heavy pressure, as if he were facing the Tongshan Demon King from the front.

Realizing this, Song Nu became even more panicked, and her body trembled even more violently.

Just then, Qiu Yan finally spoke up, "Master Song, what is the purpose of your attire?"

Hearing this, Song Nu breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that he was drenched in sweat and his trousers were soaked through. For an old demon who had refined Three Souls, this was enough to show the extent of his panic, that he could no longer control his Qi and Blood and pores.

However, Song Nu ignored the cold sweat on her body and dared not raise her head, only saying, "Young Master Qiu, this lowly demon is guilty! Guilty!"

His words were filled with remorse. His voice trembled slightly as he recalled the prepared words, intending to reveal all the things he had done to force the Liu Household when Qiu Yan asked him what crime he had committed. This would make him appear open and honest, thus showing his sincerity. He would then escort Qiu Yan out of the house, building rapport, and finally end with "Do as you please, whether you want to beat or kill me."

Unexpectedly, Qiu Yan shook his head and said directly, "Since you know you are guilty, why bother with the 'bearing thorns to plead guilty' act? Since its inception, this act has almost never actually resulted in punishment. Instead, it has garnered sympathy from many and become a means for exonerating oneself and finding a way to save face. However, I believe that you, Master Song, have come here sincerely to plead guilty, so I, Qiu, will grant your request!"

At this point, Qiu Yan stood up and walked towards Song Nu.

Each step he took, the sound of his footsteps on the ground sent chills down Song Nu's spine, giving him a feeling that disaster was about to befall him!

He was kneeling on the ground, but the more he listened to Qiu Yan's words, the more uneasy he felt. They were completely different from Biying's previous analysis. His fear and anxiety grew stronger. He suddenly looked up and saw Qiu Yan take a step forward, his figure as fast as lightning, and arrive in front of him, raising his hand to strike!

Call!

A powerful wind surged from his hand, and his vigorous Qi and Blood and True Qi burst forth, giving Song Nu the feeling of a gust of wind blowing on his face!

"When did Qiu Yan's cultivation level become so astonishing!?"

With a jolt of fear, Song Nu instinctively tried to retaliate, his arms swelling to break free of the ropes binding him. However, sensing the opponent's True Qi, his strength immediately waned, and he retreated to dodge.

At that moment, a figure flashed in front of them, and Biying appeared between Qiu Yan and Song Nu. She turned her hands, her True Qi surging, and drew circles, dissipating the Qi and Blood in Qiu Yan's palm at the critical moment.

"Since Master Song is willing to admit his guilt, why not listen to what he has to say? One should be lenient when possible..."

However, before Biying could finish speaking, a bookshelf appeared in Qiu Yan's eyes.

Boom!

The study vibrated, sweeping away the loneliness and chill unique to the night, replaced by the sound of reading and a powerful, righteous spirit!

Biying was stunned, her vision blurred slightly, and Qiu Yan in front of her had vanished without a trace.

"Oh no! I've just fallen into an illusion!"

Coming to her senses, Biying looked around, taking in the scene in the room.

Behind him, Song Nu, who was also trapped in the illusion, was rolling on the ground, his face contorted, begging for mercy.

Qiu Yan remained seated in the chair, as if he had never moved.

Biying's pupils contracted. "Well done, Young Master Qiu! I underestimated you after all. When did you set up this illusion? Even I fell for it."

Qiu Yan replied, "Miss, your Qi and Blood are abundant, much stronger than mine. It would be difficult to make you fall into an illusion. However, this is my study, my base of operations. Your eagerness to save Song Nu just now caused your mind to reveal a slight flaw."

"Oh? Young Master, you anticipated that I would save Song Nu?" Biying was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "Actually, whether this demon lives or dies is irrelevant, but by keeping him alive, Young Master can use him to control a vast fortune and influence throughout Qingchang, so you might as well spare his life."

She chatted with Qiu Yan like old friends, but as soon as she finished speaking, she heard a clattering sound behind her. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw Song Nu kneeling on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, her eyes glazed over, and muttering strange words—

"Please, sir, have mercy! Please, sir, have pity on me..."

At the same time, hair gradually grew on Song Nu's body, and his face, including his mouth and nose, began to bulge.

Seeing this, Biying frowned and whispered, "Hmm? Even if she's trapped in an illusion, Song Nu is still a great demon who has refined Three Souls. How could she be so weak?"

"Physical strength is important, but mental fortitude cannot be ignored. Song Nu relied on his powerful background and considerable influence in Qingchang County, as well as his vast wealth, which gave him the confidence to commit evil deeds. But now, in the illusion, he has become an old man in the mortal realm, without his background, cultivation, money, and power. He is trapped in a predicament and his family is in trouble, yet he has directly submitted and is only asking for help from others," Qiu Yan replied calmly.

Biying thought for a moment, Spiritual Light flashed through her mind. "Could it be that you've put him in the same situation as Liu Huai?"

Qiu Yan ignored the question and turned his gaze to Biying: "I remember you were Song Qian's maid, and later placed in the ancestral hall. Now that you seem so Qi and Blood, it must be the dwelling that Shi Jianhui prepared for you. Now that Shi Jianhui is dead, you are free. Why do you need to get involved in this mess?"

Biying smiled and said, "Young master, please don't misunderstand. I've come to repay your kindness. If it weren't for you, I would have been taken by someone Biying long ago. To be honest..."

Qiu Yan waved his hand. "Repaying kindness is the right way, but my fight with Shi Jianhui was not to save you, and I don't care about your entanglement with her. Whatever your intentions in coming to Qingchang, you'd better keep them to yourself. My grudges with this Song Nu are none of your business! And don't even think about controlling the situation!"

After saying this, Qiu Yan got up and walked straight past Biying. Then he raised his hand and grabbed Song Nu from the ground. He then shook his arm, making a series of clanging sounds, as if a large spear was bouncing.

The Song Nu he was holding trembled all over, and crackling sounds came from his body.

"This Song Nu has committed numerous evil deeds, even harming innocent people and injuring Qiu's family. Although no one has died, he cannot escape his guilt. Since he has come to plead guilty, I will grant his wish and take away his pretext for evil!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yan's palms turned red, and his Qi and Blood and True Qi surged out, pouring into Song Nu's body, roaring and surging, forcing out his Qi and Blood and essence.

Gurgling!

Qi and Blood and blood transformed into Qi, gushing out from the pores. Qiu Yan grabbed and guided it with his other hand, gathering it together and condensing it into a Blood Pill.

Without the purification of Qi and Blood, Song Nu could no longer maintain her human form. Her body twisted and shrank, her clothes slipped off, and she finally turned into a mongrel dog, which Qiu Yan grabbed by the neck.

"From now on, Master Song Household will be powerless and penniless, having lost his cultivation and wealth. He will stay here to guard the house and property, which will not have been in vain for his act of apologizing with a bundle of thorns on his back."

After saying this, Qiu Yan put the dog down, turned around, and looked at Biying.

Biying's gaze swept over the dog, her smile slightly strained, but she quickly composed herself. "Young Master Qiu looks down on me and refuses to repay my debt of gratitude, but I cannot pretend this didn't happen. I will definitely repay him in the future. As for this Song Nu..."

She shook her head. "Shi Jianhui has many demons under his command. Right now, the demons are leaderless, which is a hidden danger. So he intends to start with this Song Nu and then gradually restrain the demons. Since you don't want me to stay by your side, I will repay your kindness after things are settled! Farewell!" After saying that, she kicked off the ground and, like an arrow released from a bow, turned into a phantom and disappeared into the night outside the door.

Looking at the moonlight outside the door, Qiu Yan sighed softly, "This woman's cultivation is not low. The fact that Shi Jianhui used her as a dwelling shows that she has extraordinary talent. However, her ambition is also quite large. To restrain the demons? This is clearly to use humans to control demons, to succeed Shi Jianhui, and to become the new generation of Demon King!"

After thinking it over, Qiu Yan shook his head, knowing that everyone has their own ambitions, and besides, the demons were leaderless and indeed a considerable hidden danger, so he did not intend to meddle in other people's business.

"These things were just a side issue. Now that we're back in Qingchang, it's time to settle some matters."

After finishing his thought, he tidied up the room, then left the study and entered the kitchen. He raised his hand and made a hand seal, and rays of light immediately appeared beneath his feet, spreading outwards...

The flames flickered!

The stove in the room was originally off, but as soon as Qiu Yan walked in, flames suddenly burst out.

Two beams of light shot out from the fire.

Within the light Soul Shadow flitted about, one a Rhinoceros, the other Rhinoceros Beetle. (To be continued)

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