The Immortal Lord and the Demon Venerable Are Both My Vests - Chapter 9

This was the first time in the decades since Ji Chang’an had transmigrated that she truly understood what kind of mountain of corpses and sea of blood the name ‘Yin Lang’ represented.

Beneath the author’s casual phrases of ‘brutally slaughtered’ and ‘entire clan exterminated’ lay countless wronged souls and corpses unable to close their eyes in death, along with grief-stricken relatives and friends.

Although she had known from reading the original novel just how cold-blooded, cruel, vicious, and murder-loving Demon Venerable Yin Lang was, to Ji Chang’an at that time, the Demon Venerable was just a two-dimensional character. His unpredictable moods and sinister, ruthless personality combined with his handsome, wicked appearance would only be bonus points that made girls scream.

After transmigrating into the book, though she knew full well of Yin Lang’s identity, because whenever he appeared before her he always wore the smiling, scheming face of an Immortal Lord, she would chant about staying away from the demon’s lair and away from the villain, yet had never truly recognized from the bottom of her heart—

That ‘Yin Lang’ and ‘Shen Muxuan’ were essentially the same person.

A demon who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, killing without mercy anyone who stood in his way.

“Senior Sister Ji.” Xu Rong had walked in at some point.

Ji Chang’an was in no mood to deal with the male lead right now. She forced out a stiff smile. “Junior Brother, I’ll escort you back to the inner sect.”

Xu Rong quietly followed her.

Halfway there, he asked with feigned casualness. “Senior Sister, earlier at the Mission Hall, there was a senior sister in yellow robes who fainted. Was she injured?”

Ji Chang’an had to pause to process who Xu Rong was talking about. She moved her lips, hearing her own voice sound rather hollow. “That’s Lin Xinqiao from your batch. She’s… the only daughter of Alliance Leader Lin of the Jihe Alliance.”

Xu Rong let out a surprised cry, then quickly showed a sympathetic expression, cursing under his breath. “Those demonic path bastards are truly conscienceless!”

Ji Chang’an murmured a low response, perhaps not even hearing clearly what Xu Rong was saying.

She rode the wind to escort Xu Rong back to where the inner sect disciples lived, her face pale as she gave a brief greeting before turning to leave.

Xu Rong’s outstretched hand only caught the breeze at the corner of her robe.

Watching the figure departing into the horizon, the perfect smile on the handsome youth’s face shattered inch by inch.

“Well well, if it isn’t our proud and arrogant genius who doesn’t even think the Tribulation stage Enforcement Elder is good enough? What’s wrong, still haven’t managed to beg Tianji Daojun to mercifully take you on?”

Xu Rong didn’t even need to turn around to know who had come.

“Get lost.” He coldly rebuked, too lazy to deal with these wastes destined to languish at the bottom of the cultivation world their whole lives, and walked straight toward his residence.

Inner sect disciples had unified housing. Though the inner sect area was vast, over the years several relatively prosperous settlements had formed. If Xu Rong hadn’t successfully passed through seven trials at the Mountain Opening Ceremony, without being taken as a disciple or assigned to the inner sect roster, he wouldn’t even have qualified to live here.

Having offended a Tribulation stage Enforcement Elder, with talent that wasn’t truly one in ten thousand, which elder would be willing to stick their neck out for him and offend someone?

Xu Rong ground his teeth in hatred.

If everything had gone smoothly, he would have long since been registered under Tianji Daojun’s name and successfully established his foundation. How would he be stuck dawdling in the Qi Refinement stage to hide his cultivation method?

He really couldn’t understand why Shen Muxuan just! wouldn’t! soften! his! heart!

“Heh heh, just saw that Senior Sister Ji from Tianshu Peak escort you back? What, couldn’t latch onto Tianji Daojun so you’re switching targets to seduce Senior Sister Ji?” The person behind him persistently followed, continuing to mock.

Xu Rong turned a deaf ear.

“Don’t think just because Senior Sister Ji escorted you back once that she’s interested in you. That’s the personal disciple of Tianshu Daojun, a powerful cultivator at the Out-of-Body stage. If not for the fact that your face is somewhat passable…”

As the person complained, their words gradually took on a different flavor. “…Hmph, acting so high and pure one by one, but the moment they see someone good-looking they throw themselves at him. Seducing this one then that one, being a whore but still wanting to…”

A faint sound of something cutting through air reached his ears.

Xu Rong’s eyes flickered slightly. His thoughts moved faster than his body, but not faster than the attack shooting through the air.

By the time the person behind him collapsed to the ground wailing, clutching their profusely bleeding thigh, and Xu Rong saw the bloodstained willow branch embedded diagonally in the ground, only then did he realize what had happened.

He whirled around sharply, and sure enough saw the cold-faced woman in tight fitting clothing standing in midair.

She lowered her eyelids so her expression couldn’t be seen clearly, but her attitude was obviously distant. “Martial Uncle Tianji is willing to give you one chance. But he won’t give specific targets or promises—everything depends on your performance.”

Having delivered this perfunctory message, Ji Chang’an turned to leave.

Xu Rong silently cursed his bad luck.

His earlier failure to rebuke that inner sect disciple must have all been seen by Ji Chang’an.

The favorable impression he’d worked so hard to build up, along with any possibility of learning the specific examination criteria from her… all gone!

Just as he was feeling dejected, a soft female voice drifted over along with a fragrant breeze. “Junior Brother Xu, why are you standing here not moving?”

A flash of disgust passed through Xu Rong’s eyes, but he had no choice but to respond politely. “Senior Sister Hua.”

“Why so formal?”

A woman in white robes, delicate as a willow swaying in the breeze, walked over slowly. She smiled softly, like a white lotus blooming in a summer pond.

Xu Rong unconsciously stepped back half a pace. “Does Senior Sister Hua need something from me?”

Hua Qilan’s fingers gripping her handkerchief stiffened, then she put on her elegant smile again. “Junior Brother is as impatient as ever.” After a pause she said, “About what I mentioned to you last time…”

After leaving Xu Rong’s line of sight, Ji Chang’an turned a corner and landed with difficulty on a nearby flourishing willow tree.

On a tree trunk as thick as an adult’s forearm, the snow-robed Daojun stood steady, holding a freshly broken willow branch in his hand, smiling at her. “Mm, Xiao Chang’an’s perception has improved—you discovered Martial Uncle so quickly.”

“…Thank you for your assistance, Martial Uncle.”

Ji Chang’an’s expression was complex.

Xu Rong had guessed correctly—she had indeed heard all of that inner sect disciple’s foul language, but it wasn’t her who had struck.

She had originally just suddenly remembered she hadn’t conveyed the villain’s assigned task to the male lead, which was why she’d temporarily turned back, but she hadn’t expected to see a side of the male lead that wouldn’t be written in the book.

The appreciation that had sprouted from the male lead’s tenacious spirit in seeking a master and the Dao, making her feel this stallion protagonist might still be salvageable, was instantly doused thoroughly, leaving nothing behind.

On the contrary, the villain…

“No need for courtesy.” Shen Muxuan tapped her shoulder with his folded fan, rarely solemn and serious. “In the future when you encounter such filthy-mouthed things, just kill them directly. No need to be so hesitant. You’re the personal disciple of Taihua Immortal Sect’s Tianshu Sword Master—what do you need to be wary of?”

Based on Ji Chang’an’s years of experience interacting with the villain, at least this statement was completely sincere.

Her heart was incredibly complicated for a moment.

Finally, Ji Chang’an lowered her eyelids and responded in a low voice, “Yes, I understand.”

Shen Muxuan said in surprise, “Eh, why is Xiao Chang’an so obedient today?”

Ji Chang’an suddenly realized her slip and hastily covered with a laugh and feigned complaint. “What do you mean? When have I not seriously completed the tasks Martial Uncle assigned? If you say such things, Chang’an will get angry…”

Cold sweat poured down internally—don’t tell me the villain has discovered something off…

She quickly asked in return. “Where is Martial Uncle heading?”

“Mission Hall.” Shen Muxuan asked back, “Didn’t you hear earlier? The Heaven-rank bounty board has been updated. I remember you sword cultivators are all very…”

Before the last word came out, he covered his mouth with his fan in time, revealing only a meaningful smile.

Ji Chang’an: My fists suddenly feel itchy.

Fortunately, reason still knew the identity of the person before her. She laughed dryly. “Martial Uncle is going to accept a mission? Have you chosen a target? Does Chang’an need to accompany you?”

I don’t want to, I don’t need to, please refuse.

“Originally it wasn’t necessary.”

Ji Chang’an had just relaxed when she heard him continue, “But seeing as Xiao Chang’an is so enthusiastic, you can come along with Martial Uncle.”

“…” Serves you right for running your mouth!

Ji Chang’an tearfully followed Yin Lang to the Mission Hall.

Clearly this wasn’t his first time here. He walked in with practiced familiarity, and immediately an elder responsible for the Mission Hall came out to greet him, efficiently producing a pile of available missions.

“Tianji Daojun came after hearing about the Seventh Venerable’s matter, right?” The white-bearded elder laughed heartily as he pulled out the Jihe Alliance’s missions. “Haha, rest assured, unless Tianshu Daojun takes action personally, none of the sword cultivator kids in the entire sect have the ability to accept a Demon Venerable level bounty!”

The Mission Hall’s tasks were open to the entire sect; it was just that sword cultivators were notoriously… poor, which was why they rushed to take anything available.

Generally speaking, Demon Venerable level missions were handled by the sect’s various elders as friendly gestures, going over to have an earth-shattering battle while promoting the sect’s prestige.

But as Ji Chang’an listened, her composure cracked.

She watched helplessly as Yin Lang swiftly accepted all missions related to the ‘Seventh Venerable,’ while the Mission Hall staff around them found nothing unusual about it.

A senior brother who had been in the sect for many years said to her, “It’s normal that Junior Sister Ji doesn’t know. Before you entered the sect, all missions related to the Seventh Venerable were handled by default by Martial Uncle Tianji. These years he hasn’t stirred up any major trouble, so it’s been rare to see Martial Uncle at the Mission Hall.”

He added admiringly, “Don’t let Martial Uncle Tianji’s usual lazy demeanor fool you—he’s actually incredibly powerful! Last time he went over and demolished half of the Seventh Venerable’s palace, crippled one of his valued subordinates and still came back unscathed. Instead, it was the Seventh Venerable who claimed to be in seclusion recovering from injuries for three years…”

Ji Chang’an: “…”

Fighting yourself, with both victory and defeat decided by yourself—of course that’s impressive, isn’t it?

What impressive tactics, what impressive tactics. Can’t compare, can’t compare.

The senior brother from the Mission Hall was still sighing. “After nearly a hundred years, we’ll finally be able to witness the brilliance of the Tianji Sword unsheathed again!”

The Tianji Sword.

Ji Chang’an frowned. This was a question she’d been unable to figure out for decades.

Taihua Immortal Sect had the treasure of the sect, the Seven Swords of Taihua. The seven swords were named after the Big Dipper stars, and currently only four swords had masters. Especially after Shen Muxuan took the Tianji Sword, the remaining three swords had shown no movement for nearly four hundred years.

The sword masters were all known by their sword names, and anyone who could gain a celestial sword’s recognition was invariably a person of extraordinary talent and loyalty to the sect. Though there were inevitably certain unspoken priorities, this iron rule could not be changed.

Having read the original novel, Ji Chang’an knew even more clearly that the reason the Seven Swords of Taihua held such an important position was not just because they were celestial artifacts, but most importantly—the Seven Swords of Taihua were the array cores and energy sources for all of Taihua Immortal Sect’s formations.

In more straightforward terms, they were keys.

Anyone who controlled any of the seven swords could easily shut down one-seventh of the mountain protection formation. As long as one person harbored malicious intent, Taihua Immortal Sect’s gates would be wide open in the blink of an eye.

Ji Chang’an really couldn’t figure out how Demon Venerable Yin Lang… had managed to pass this character assessment?

While she was still deep in thought, Yin Lang had already finished his business.

Her shoulder was suddenly tapped. Ji Chang’an reflexively stepped back, barely controlling the impulse to draw her sword. “…Martial Uncle.”

Yin Lang stared at her for three seconds, then burst out laughing without warning. His laughter made Ji Chang’an’s heart panic, but he said nothing, walking toward the exit with leisurely steps.

Ji Chang’an looked left and right, then had no choice but to follow.

Before she’d taken three steps, the person in front suddenly stopped.

Ji Chang’an looked up. On the open ground in front of the Mission Hall, a delicate woman in white robes with eyes like water pools, clutching a handkerchief, was gazing sorrowfully in this direction.