Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Nine: Her Most Beautiful Fantasy
Life is always full of amusingly twisted coincidences.
Not to mention Xuan E Lao Yao didn’t see it coming. Young Master Sang didn’t expect it either; while he was out on a date shopping with Gu Yingmian, he just happened to bump into a Demon Cultivator, who would later become key to saving Hua Jianglian.
Young Master Sang really wanted to explain to Xuan E Lao Yao that it was all just a coincidence.
But at that moment, Xuan E Lao Yao’s pale, zombie-like face left Young Master Sang completely speechless.
“Uh. That…”
Seeing Xuan E Lao Yao with a vacant stare, Young Master Sang cautiously said:
“I’m not joking. It really was just a coincidence. Sorry about that.”
Xuan E Lao Yao mechanically turned his head towards him, and after a moment, tears filled his eyes.
“…I beg you, tell me this was all part of your master plan?”
“If it really was just some random dog-shit coincidence, I’ll never die in peace.”
Young Master Sang coughed awkwardly and patted him on the shoulder.
“My bad, guess you’ll have to die then.”
Then he turned to look at Hua Jianglian.
Hua Jianglian calmly nodded.
Until the scythe severed his head, Xuan E Lao Yao’s face still displayed a mix of anger and existential crisis.
He couldn’t fathom why heaven was playing such a cruel joke.
Meanwhile, his head tumbled to the ground, rolling twice.
Everyone, including Hua Jianglian, just watched silently.
Young Master Sang took off his mask and wiped the blood from his hands.
Soon, a blood-red orb began to coalesce from Xuan E Lao Yao’s headless corpse.
Just like what had burst forth when he killed Demon Cultivator Wei Luo in Chen Zhou.
The little orb floated up and in an instant darted straight towards Hua Jianglian.
Hua Jianglian merely crushed that blood bug without a hint of hesitation.
“Well, can we say it’s a win-win?”
Young Master Sang sighed in relief, stretching lazily, “Finally, we can go back and talk about promotions and raises, right?”
“This time, there’s no way anyone else can cut in on my position as head of the Punishment Department——”
He hadn’t even finished speaking when an obscure, profound aura suddenly surged from Hua Jianglian.
Everyone’s expressions turned serious. Master Yu Xia’s beautiful eyes widened in shock as she murmured:
“Promotion…?”
“Y-You’re about to break through to the Major Transition?”
Hua Jianglian looked down at herself and muttered, “Seems like it.”
“The restrictions from the blood bug have disappeared, and it even completely replenished the spirit energy that it devoured from my mom.”
Ironically, this might be the only gift her mother, Hua Xue Mo, left for her.
But this gift felt so bittersweet.
“Looks like I can’t go back for now.” Hua Jianglian shook her head regretfully.
Young Master Sang’s expression grew serious: “Should we guard you?”
“No need.” Hua Jianglian nonchalantly turned her eyes away, “The Demon Cultivators can’t do without me anyway, you don’t need to summon them all.”
“Let them head back. You just stay here and watch over me.”
Young Master Sang was taken aback, and Master Yu Xia exchanged glances with Shi Qingyan.
“Then… should we head back now, Master…?”
Looking at Master Yu Xia’s questioning gaze, Young Master Sang could only helplessly shrug, “The boss has spoken; what can I say?”
“You guys better head back to avoid any trouble. And give Little Ying and the others a message that I’m okay.”
“After the Sect Leader breaks through, I’ll take responsibility for bringing her back.”
Seeing Young Master Sang say so, Master Yu Xia and the others had nothing more to say, grabbing Yi Yi and reluctantly leaving the forest to head back to the Demon Cultivators.
Meanwhile, Young Master Sang stayed with Hua Jianglian, casually excavating a cave in a nearby desolate mountain.
He set up some formations, marking the makeshift cave.
Time was short, so the temporary cave was hastily arranged with just two grass bundles for cushions.
After tidying up, Young Master Sang casually said, “You focus on your breakthrough, I’ll keep watch at the door—call me if anything happens—”
“Don’t go.”
Hua Jianglian suddenly called out to him.
“Stay here with me.” Her long eyelashes fluttered as she stared intently at Young Master Sang.
Young Master Sang wasn’t quite sure if there were any taboos during the Major Transition breakthrough.
But with the stubborn look in Hua Jianglian’s eyes, he had no choice but to obediently sit down on the grass bundle next to her.
Hua Jianglian sat down too.
The atmosphere in the cave suddenly became very quiet.
Afraid to disrupt Hua Jianglian, Young Master Sang could only suppress his boredom, not daring to make a sound or play with the communication device.
He just sat there, drumming his fingers on the ground, watching her.
In fact, he had seen Hua Jianglian like this many times before.
Every time he accompanied her to read comics or helped clean her room, there were moments where she’d suddenly fall silent.
Not a word spoken, hugging her knees and curling up like a quiet, obedient doll.
Perhaps after having adapted to the mysterious and aloof image of the Demon Cult Sect Leader these past few days, Young Master Sang was almost forgetting how she once looked so radiant, sharing her favorite comics with child-like joy while sitting in his lap.
No. Not like.
She was still just a little girl who hadn’t grown up.
“… What are you looking at?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be breaking through? How can you still be distracted talking to me?”
“It’s not as nerve-wracking as you think.” Hua Jianglian said softly, “Strictly speaking, my cultivation isn’t entirely self-earned.”
“Compared to those who truly climbed to the Major Transition through diligence and talent, I’m just a scoundrel who took shortcuts.”
Young Master Sang pondered for a moment and said, “But it wasn’t your choice.”
“Yeah.”
Suddenly, she looked a little dejected, her gaze drifting downwards: “If I could, I wouldn’t want such high cultivation.”
“I’d rather just be an ordinary girl who hasn’t stepped into cultivation.”
“Do you think if I didn’t have the aptitude for cultivation…”
“Would my mother have to kill so many people? Would she have to hold my hand and stab a dagger into her own heart?”
“Would we have lived peacefully in some small village far from the Ruthless Blood Hall?”
“I could have enjoyed my parents’ love like any other child, growing up carefreely?”
Young Master Sang fell silent.
Although he wanted to say that even without the aptitude for cultivation, it probably wouldn’t change your mother’s nature.
But he didn’t say it.
Such words weren’t necessary.
After all, this was the most beautiful and warm fantasy Hua Jianglian could hold onto.
She must really despise being regarded as a remnant of the Demon Cult from birth.
No matter where she went, being hunted down and living in a world with no place for her.
If her fantasy came true, then right now, she wouldn’t be showing that lonely and lost expression, sitting there a bit isolated.
Like a homeless little stray animal.
(These days have been a bit slow, but starting tomorrow, I’ll work harder and even add more to last month’s vote bonus.)
