Chapter 187: Humans Are Sometimes Better Off Being Confused
Hmph.
This little trick, did they think they could fool me, the old man?
In midair, the Evil Old Demon, Xuan E Lao Yao, flashed a cold smile.
Naturally cautious by nature, the moment he heard that Hua Jianglian was at his door, he quickly contemplated what preparations they could have to make him die within the supposedly safe Fierce Tiger Sect.
And the instant he saw that disciple, Xuan E Lao Yao figured it out.
Clearly, they intended to use Hua Jianglian to stall the Sect Leader, Ke Qinhux, while sneaky disguised demon cultivators slipped in through the back, intending to quietly kill him with formations, poison, or whatnot.
A clever scheme, indeed.
However, how could I, Xuan E Lao Yao, who has survived this long, lack any vigilance?
That disciple, while appearing just like any ordinary Fierce Tiger Sect disciple, answered all my questions fluently.
But it was precisely because they were so fluent.
As if they had prepared their answers in advance.
Thus, this person must be suspicious!
If this person was a demon cultivator sent by the demonic side, then when they said to wait for him inside, it meant they had secretly laid out formations outside, fearing he would notice and run away.
As long as he escaped before they set up the formations, everything would be fine.
At such times, Xuan E Lao Yao couldn’t help but feel a bit triumphant.
His inherent cautious disposition had saved him countless times in this perilous world of cultivation.
Otherwise, the Ruthless Blood Hall wouldn’t only have him left scavenging for survival.
Now, his goal was to find a place to bide his time.
Hua Jianglian would definitely wear herself out from attacking for so long, and once she realized her plan had been exposed, she would leave.
All he had to do was wait for her to leave, then sneak back, successfully avoiding this life-or-death crisis.
And since Hua Jianglian was more skilled than him, her blood bug would mature faster.
As long as he remained hidden until she was eaten by the blood bug, he could then collect her blood bug…
Then he would be the true champion of this grand escape, with a step toward effortless cultivation!
Imagining that delightful picture, an obscure radiant smile appeared on Xuan E Lao Yao’s old face.
But before long, that smile began to freeze.
Out of nowhere, a small figure in a hooded cloak appeared in his path as he flew.
He couldn’t see the figure’s face, nor could he sense any aura.
Yet, for some reason, it filled him with an immense feeling of unease and pressure.
“Who are you? Why are you blocking my way?” Xuan E Lao Yao squinted and asked.
“You should… remember me,” the person slowly took off their hood.
Xuan E Lao Yao’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he immediately shouted in horror:
“Impossible!”
“Y-young Master!? How could you be here? Weren’t you at the mountain gate…”
“And why do you still look like a child after all these years…”
Hua Jianglian remained silent, gazing at him steadily.
Her beautiful eyes flickered with many fragmented memories.
When she was trapped in the dungeon by her mother, Hua Xue Mo, he had been right behind her mother.
When her mother had her kill her with her own hands, it was he who handed her the dagger.
When she was taken away by an elder of the Ruthless Blood Hall to continue escaping, he suggested locking her up again to force her to cultivate.
But after she finally emerged, killing everyone, she couldn’t find this odious bald old man anywhere.
Actually, Hua Jianglian considered herself not someone who held grudges.
Only occasionally at night, she would suddenly wake from a dream haunted by her mother’s eerie smile, and she would think back on this matter.
It was as if as long as he didn’t die, she would forever be trapped in a nightmare of the past.
Yet at that moment, seeing the terrified and fearful expression on that bald old man, Hua Jianglian inexplicably felt a sense of relief and pleasure.
“I’ve truly looked for you for a long time.”
“If you don’t die, I can’t even sleep at ease,” she slowly extended her hand, murmuring softly.
“N-no way!”
Xuan E Lao Yao shrieked in panic, “I clearly guessed your plan! The escape route was random, how could you possibly be waiting for me here in advance?”
Hua Jianglian blinked.
“I don’t know what plan you’re talking about.”
“It’s just that someone told me to spend some money to find a Fierce Tiger Sect disciple so he could tell you, ‘A woman is attacking the mountain gate. The Sect Leader asks you to hide in place.’ You’d obediently come out from the Fierce Tiger Sect.”
“And all I had to do was wait outside the Fierce Tiger Sect to see who would come out.”
Xuan E Lao Yao instantly froze.
He struggled to swallow and incredulously remarked, “T-that female disciple… was she really a Fierce Tiger Sect disciple?”
It wasn’t until that moment that Xuan E Lao Yao felt a great sense of fear, despair, and powerlessness.
Who was it that understood him better than himself?
Someone knew he was suspicious by nature, and as soon as he heard that sentence, he started to second-guess himself, being deceived by his own mind.
“Who is it!” he howled in anguish, “Who is it!! Who plotted against me from the shadows!”
And in the next moment.
Hua Jianglian knocked him out with a slap.
“Why are you shouting so loudly?”
Hua Jianglian pouted her delicate lips and huffed, “Our employees are just that talented, hmph.”
Having said that, she dragged the unconscious old man away, swaying as she went back.
——
——
Meanwhile, in a small grove.
“Ah, I’m dead.”
“Ah, me too.”
…
At that moment, hiding behind a tree, Ke Qinhux was feeling drowsy.
He simply couldn’t believe that these people had already stabbed each other a dozen times without anyone actually dying. The blood on the ground was nearly forming a lake.
Yet, not a single person died, and those who did just sprang back up to block blades.
Watching it all made him yawn endlessly. He was extremely bored but reluctant to return just yet.
Just as he was about to drift into sleep, the scene suddenly fell silent.
“Ah.”
Sang Zhe, who had just sprung up to thwart a blade for Shi Qingyan, suddenly looked down at his chest.
“My blood bag is empty.”
“Mine too.”
“Same here.”
The four looked at each other, then, acting as if nothing happened, they got up and started brushing themselves off.
“Wrap it up, I’m exhausted. What are we eating tonight?”
“Don’t know, let’s eat something randomly. I’m so tired I just want to sleep.”
“What does my lord want to eat? I’ll go buy it.”
“I want candy cakes!”
…
Watching the four who had been fighting to the death one moment and were now casually chatting the next, Ke Qinhux was completely stunned.
It took him a while to react, finally freeing his brain from the melodramatic drama it had been trapped in.
Damn it!
I fell for it!
“You bunch of fools!”
In the woods, a violent Crossing Tribulation Stage aura suddenly erupted.
Realizing he had been tricked, Ke Qinhux immediately turned to head back to the sect.
But just as he was about to leave.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
“…Sect Leader Ke.”
He coldly turned his head to see a fair man leisurely wearing a mask and slowly placing it on his face.
And beside him stood Master Yu Xia, standing there with her sword.
“Sometimes, it’s better for people to be blissfully confused.”
“It’s good for you, and good for us too.”
“What do you think… right?” Underneath the mask, Sang Zhe’s smile held a trace of devilish playfulness.
