Chapter 4 - 1: Fallen Fairy
THUD.
That was the sound of his head hitting the ground.
’How is this possible!’
The last thing the Heart-Eating Monk saw was Lu Changyuan gently flicking the blood from his sword as he spoke.
"A fine sword. If it weren’t for this blade, I wouldn’t have been able to take his head."
Qiu Yuehan let out a sigh of relief, but her heart leaped into her throat a moment later.
Lu Changyuan had killed the Heart-Eating Monk.
But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t kill her too.
’If I were in Lu Changyuan’s shoes, I’d kill them both right now, take all their treasures, and go cultivate in secret.’
’The treasures from key figures of two Major Sects would be enough to sustain a mountain Wild Cultivator for a very long time.’
"Fairy, why are you looking at me like that?"
Lu Changyuan smiled. "Are you thinking I might kill you too, Fairy? The people of this Cultivation Realm are as simple and honest as ever."
’Man plots against man, heart against heart.’
’It feels just like coming home.’
Qiu Yuehan didn’t say a word. She just slumped to the ground, collapsing against a pillar with a soft thud, looking utterly pitiful.
’Show the enemy your weakness, buy yourself some time.’
’At the very least... at the very least, I need to recover enough for one sword strike. It doesn’t matter how powerful it is, just one is enough!’
Lu Changyuan crouched down and used the tip of his sword to lift Qiu Yuehan’s chin.
"Actually, there’s a favor I’d like to ask of you, Fairy."
Qiu Yuehan’s breath hitched, and her beautiful eyes fluttered. "Name it. As long as it’s within my power to do so."
"I would like to ask you, Fairy, to take me into your palace to cultivate."
"I can!"
Qiu Yuehan agreed in an instant. "I’m not lying. I’m a True Inheritor of Miao Yu Palace. I can bring one person into the palace to cultivate—anyone at all. I can even find you any Cultivation Technique the palace possesses."
Fearing that Lu Changyuan didn’t understand Miao Yu Palace’s standing, Qiu Yuehan quickly explained while trying to recover her energy, "Miao Yu Palace is a leader among the Nine Gates and Twelve Palaces. Our Palace Master is a Great Cultivator at the Seventh Realm Yao Guang, only a single step away from Ascension!"
’So another Yao Guang Cultivator has appeared.’
’This Cultivation Realm certainly produces new talents in every generation.’
’They’re like chives—cut down one crop, and another sprouts in its place.’
Lu Changyuan nodded in satisfaction. "Then I’ll be counting on you, Fairy."
A flash of joy went through Qiu Yuehan’s heart, but in the next moment, she saw Lu Changyuan reach out and gently tap her on the left shoulder.
A searing heat instantly flooded her body.
"What... did you do?"
"I did humiliate you, after all. I figured you wouldn’t just let it go."
"I don’t hold any grudge!"
Lu Changyuan didn’t look at Qiu Yuehan. He simply said, "I think you do."
After a long moment.
Qiu Yuehan finally regained some mobility. She hastily turned around, pulled down the collar of her robes, and inspected the source of the heat.
There, on her fair, tender skin, was a new, blood-red pattern.
The Heart-Devouring Demon Pattern.
’Just a little trick every Cultivator should know before leaving home. It requires no Magical Power, only a state of mind powerful enough to crush an opponent’s. This was just one of the fruits of his labor this past month.’
He possessed the Five Deficiencies Body.
Naturally, he couldn’t step into the First Realm of Cultivation, nor could he practice any Attack Skills.
But.
Attack Skills were one thing, but a Heart Method was another.
He couldn’t achieve Introducing Qi into the Body, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t reach the Great Perfection of Heart-Mind Union!
Chang’an Daoist had cultivated the Supreme Pure Spirit Forget Immortal Technique to its very peak, so when it passed to Lu Changyuan, the Heart Method was naturally maxed out.
That was why the Heart-Eating Monk’s Enchanting Spell had been useless against him. Activating the Heart-Devouring Demon Pattern with such a powerful Heart Method was effortless—and with Qiu Yuehan unable to fight back, it was even more so.
The rain outside had lightened, and dawn was breaking in the distance. Sunlight pierced the clouds, bringing with it a gentle warmth.
"You!!!"
"Once you bring me into the sect to begin my cultivation, Fairy, I will naturally remove the Curse Pattern for you."
Qiu Yuehan quickly calmed herself. "Who are you, really? An ordinary person shouldn’t be able to use a Curse Pattern like this."
Lu Changyuan didn’t answer, simply tossing the sword back to Qiu Yuehan.
Day was breaking.
Lu Changyuan replied, "Just an ordinary traveling physician."
Qiu Yuehan sneered, but Lu Changyuan had already shouldered his medicine basket and swept her up into his arms.
"What are you doing!?"
She was too weak to struggle.
"We’re going back to my place to rest first. Otherwise, in your wounded state, you’re liable to get eaten by a tigress up in these mountains."
Qiu Yuehan couldn’t help but gasp, "You!!!"
The Fairy’s body was cool like jade, full and succulent to the touch. Lu Changyuan adjusted his grip slightly and said, "Save your strength. And by the way, don’t try to kill me just yet. After all, if I die, you die too."
Blood-red text abruptly appeared in his vision once more.
[Three days remaining until Qiu Yuehan is killed by the sword of her junior sister, Xia Lianxue.]