Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

Yuan Wugen returned to the Divine Sword Sect, disgraced and dejected.

Thanks to Qiu Yuexin’s interference, not only did he have to watch his son’s killer escape into the city of Hu State, but he had also completely lost his only chance to reclaim the Earth Concealing Star.

The orthodox Star Official Position, which the Divine Sword Sect had managed for generations, had now changed hands.

The hatred festering inside Yuan Wugen was immense.

For a fleeting moment, he even considered charging into the city to tear that brat to pieces, even if it meant sustaining grievous injuries himself.

But what little rationality he had left held him back.

Now that Ling Ye had gotten away, she was certain to report back to the Demon-slaying Bureau and have them come investigate.

The most urgent matter was to hurry back and deal with any potential liabilities.

"Big Brother!"

Cao Renqi hurried over to greet him. "How did it go?"

Yuan Wugen let out a long sigh.

"I failed... That bitch Patrol Envoy Ling Ye ruined everything, and some mysterious demoness showed up out of nowhere to interfere."

Disappointment flickered across Cao Renqi’s face, quickly replaced by a vicious expression.

"Big Brother, don’t worry. The Star Position is lost, so be it. But we must avenge Ying’er’s death! I’ll risk my own life to make that bastard who killed him pay in blood!"

A warmth spread through Yuan Wugen’s heart.

’This sworn brother of mine always treated Ying’er like his own son, doting on him as if he were his own flesh and blood...’

’Compared to him, I really was a lesser father.’

No wonder his wife sometimes complained, saying he wasn’t as good as his second brother.

"I’m going to see Father-in-law."

Yuan Wugen said wearily, "The Star Position is completely lost. Father-in-law must have sensed it. The failure to retrieve it is my fault. I will go and ask for punishment."

With that, he strode into the Sword Tomb.

「Inside the Sword Tomb.」

He Qingyang sat quietly cross-legged by a pool, his eyes slightly closed. The aura around him was calm and ripple-free.

"Father-in-law."

Yuan Wugen knelt before the old man, his face full of shame.

He Qingyang spoke slowly.

"If it’s lost, then it’s lost."

"Things of the Celestial Dao belong to the virtuous and are obtained by the fated. If one stubbornly claims them as private property, it will only invite disaster."

Hearing this, Yuan Wugen secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But the thought of his son’s death sent another pang of anguish and resentment through his heart.

Ever since his wife had broken through to the Eighth Realm, the Cultivation Technique she practiced had rendered her unable to bear any more children.

And as a live-in son-in-law, how could he dare seek pleasure elsewhere?

He Shuangying was his only flesh and blood, his last remaining root in this world.

Now, that root had been severed.

In an instant, his hatred for Jiang Mu intensified a hundredfold.

"Father-in-law,"

Yuan Wugen suppressed his grief and anger. "The Demon-slaying Bureau’s people will likely arrive soon. About the demon lair..."

"Wugen."

He Qingyang opened his eyes, his tone faint. "Do you know why I chose you as my son-in-law all those years ago?"

Yuan Wugen was taken aback, wondering why his father-in-law was suddenly bringing up the past.

"Because you were blessed with great fortune... and successfully attained the Star Official Position of ’Rolling Tongue,’ under the Mansion Lord Mao Riyou."

He Qingyang said.

Mao Riyou is one of the Twenty-eight Star Constellations.

It is the fourth of the seven mansions of the White Tiger of the West.

There are nine Star Officials under it.

They are: Mao, Tian’a, Yue, Celestial Yin, Chuhao, Tianyuan, Rolling Tongue, Tianchan, and Lishi.

These are known as subordinate stars.

Only Seventh and Eighth Realm Cultivators can attain them.

At this level, the path to attaining a star is no longer as relatively free as it is for the Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends.

The Celestial Dao imposes limits; the paths have been fixed.

For example, Yuan Wugen’s ’Rolling Tongue’ Star Position belongs to the Mansion Lord Mao Riyou’s system.

If he wished to advance further and ascend to a higher Star Position, his only target could be Mao Riyou itself. It would be impossible to cross systems and covet the positions of other Mansion Lords like the Cyan Dragon or the Vermilion Bird.

The path of promotion is sealed shut.

And that wasn’t even the most disgusting part.

The cruelest rule was this:

To attain the Mansion Lord’s main star, one must collect the ’Star Pills’ of all the other Star Officials under that same Mansion Lord.

For example, Mao Riyou has nine Star Officials.

If Yuan Wugen wanted to attain it, he would have to kill the other eight Star Official Cultivators and seize the Star Pills within their bodies.

The same was true for the other eight.

Therefore, from the moment these nine individuals attained their Star Positions, they became mortal enemies, destined to fight to the death.

It was a gu-rearing death match set up by the Celestial Dao.

Yuan Wugen lowered his head and said,

"If not for Father-in-law’s help back then, I would have never been able to successfully attain the ’Rolling Tongue’ position."

He Qingyang’s expression was indifferent.

"If fortune was not on your side, no amount of external force would have mattered. Do you know which Star Position Qing’er has attained?"

Yuan Wugen replied,

"My wife holds the ’Sun’ Star Position, under the Mansion Lord Fang Ritou."

"Actually, she doesn’t," said He Qingyang.

"She doesn’t?"

Yuan Wugen was somewhat surprised.

After all, his wife had demonstrated it to him personally.

At their level, one never displayed the Divine Abilities unique to their Star Position to outsiders.

The fear was that it would attract disaster.

Because once used, it would be sensed by the other Star Officials within the same system.

"Husband!"

Just then, a beautiful woman in a magnificent long dress rushed in.

It was none other than Yuan Wugen’s wife, He Shan’er.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, her beautiful eyes were red and swollen, and her face was still streaked with tears.

The moment she saw Yuan Wugen, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing, "Husband, I just heard... I heard that Ying’er..."

A pang of pain, guilt, and pity shot through Yuan Wugen’s heart. He held his wife’s trembling body tightly.

"Shan’er, it’s because I was useless..."

He Qingyang looked at the couple and continued to speak.

"Wugen, all these years, I have never been stingy with resources for you. I’ve given you everything the Divine Sword Sect could offer.

I was hoping you could mature your ’Star Pill’ sooner rather than later. By my calculations, the time should be right."

Yuan Wugen said with shame,

"Father-in-law, I will never forget your immense kindness. In this life, I will never fail Shan’er, nor will I betray the grace of the Divine Sword Sect’s nurturing."

"In that case,"

He Qingyang’s voice suddenly turned cold, "it’s time you made your contribution to the Divine Sword Sect."

Yuan Wugen froze. "I don’t understand what Father-in-law..."

Before he could finish, his wife, who had been crying weakly in his arms, suddenly formed her five fingers into a claw. Wreathed in sharp Star Power, she plunged her hand into his abdomen.

SQUELCH!

Her hand pierced through Yuan Wugen’s Protective Gang Qi and his flesh, closing around the Rolling Tongue Star Pill in his Dantian.

At the same time, a burst of frigid Spiritual Power erupted from her palm.

It instantly sealed all the major acupoints and meridians in Yuan Wugen’s body, paralyzing him.

Yuan Wugen’s eyes flew wide in utter disbelief.

"I’m sorry, Husband."

He Shan’er’s eyes were downcast. "Like you, I am also under the Mansion Lord Mao Riyou. The Star Position I’ve attained is called... ’Celestial Yin’."

’So that’s how it is!’

’So that’s how it is!!’

Yuan Wugen finally understood everything.

The Divine Abilities his wife had shown him before had been a deliberate disguise, created with He Qingyang’s help, all to make him lower his guard.

From start to finish, it had all been a trap.

A years-long killing scheme designed to nurture him as fodder.

The woman said, "Husband, I truly did love you, I really, really did, but..."

But,

when two people’s Star Positions fall under the same Mansion Lord...

they are destined to be enemies!

He Shan’er yanked her wrist outward!

A perfectly round Star Pill, the size of a pigeon’s egg and etched with faint golden patterns, appeared in her hand.

The moment the Star Pill left his body, the Spiritual Power throughout Yuan Wugen’s body dissipated like a receding tide.

He fell to the ground with a THUD.

His Star Position returned to the sea of stars.

The Divine Sword Sect did not yet have the power to control and monopolize a Star Position of this level.

They could only let others fight for it.

The Cultivator who seized it would then proceed to the next round of slaughter.

Yuan Wugen’s gaze quickly dimmed. He looked at his wife holding the blood-stained Star Pill, then at the old, indifferent figure by the blood pool. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"I... will be waiting for you... below."

He closed his eyes, unwilling to accept his fate.

"Big Brother!"

Hearing the commotion, Cao Renqi rushed in.

When he saw the scene before him, his eyes nearly split with rage.

He Qingyang acted as if he hadn’t even heard Cao Renqi barge in, merely giving a quiet order:

"The people from the Demon-slaying Bureau could arrive at any moment. Shan’er, go make the arrangements. Pin the matter of secretly raising demons entirely on Yuan Wugen and his son.

Also, immediately send a message to the General Office and ask that lord to help mediate. The conditions he proposed... we accept them.

At the same time, open the Scripture Pavilion, copy some of our sect’s secret manuals, and donate them to the Demon-slaying Bureau as a show of good faith."

He Shan’er bowed her head. "Yes, Father."

Only then did He Qingyang turn his gaze to the murderous Cao Renqi, his tone flat.

"Little Cao, you are Wugen’s sworn brother."

"When the time comes, we’ll need you to corroborate the story and testify that raising demons was something Yuan Wugen and his son did privately, and that it has nothing to do with the Divine Sword Sect as a whole.

We have to put on a show for appearances. Don’t worry, I will ensure your safety."

"Don’t even think about it!"

Cao Renqi roared, "He was my sworn brother, my closest kin!"

"After this is over, Shan’er will be your wife. And you will be the new Sect Leader of the Divine Sword Sect."

"Alright then."