Chapter 51: Absorbing Demonic Energy
Qu Weiyin was startled by her sudden action and froze for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. “I’m not injured. You’re the one who’s hurt. Don’t be so reckless in the future.”
She couldn’t bring herself to express the terror she felt when she had struggled out of Luo Jinxiao’s arms, only to find her unconscious.
In that instant, she’d nearly lost control, potentially causing a disaster. Thankfully, Luo Jinxiao’s injuries weren’t serious.
Otherwise…
“Hey, what are you doing?! My back…” The girl on the ground cried out in pain, clutching her lower back and bottom. She glared at the back of Luo Jinxiao’s head with anger.
Luo Jinxiao acted as if she’d only just noticed the girl’s fall. She turned back with a surprised expression, gave her a quick once-over, then grabbed her arm and effortlessly pulled her up.
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile.
“Little Sweetie,” she called to Qiongqi, “sorry for the trouble, but carry her too. We’ll go from above.” She then turned back to Qu Weiyin and lowered her voice. “Junior Shishu, let me carry you.”
Qu Weiyin’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly shook her head.
“If we walk like this and encounter more demons, it’ll only cause more trouble. Don’t worry, there’s no one here. No one will see us.” Luo Jinxiao coaxed patiently.
Qu Weiyin looked up into Luo Jinxiao’s sparkling eyes. Though she wanted to refuse, the words wouldn’t come out.
Despite the calm surroundings, her heart felt like a tranquil pond disrupted by a sudden spring breeze, leaving ripples spreading across its surface.
“Let’s go.” Luo Jinxiao didn’t wait for a response. She grabbed Qu Weiyin’s sleeve and gave her a playful tug.
“Alright.” Qu Weiyin nodded curtly, her face flushed. “But you can’t tell anyone about this. Not to anyone.”
Luo Jinxiao beamed at her words and promised repeatedly to keep it a secret.
In neither this life nor her previous one had Qu Weiyin been carried by anyone except Qiongqi. She felt a wave of shyness as she looked at Luo Jinxiao bending down, waiting for her. Slowly, she placed her hands on Luo Jinxiao’s shoulders, sliding them down until she was pressed against her back.
The young woman’s shoulders were lean and somewhat boyish, but when she stood straight, there was an inexplicable sense of safety. A pleasant, delicate fragrance wafted into Qu Weiyin’s senses.
She found herself staring at Luo Jinxiao’s face. Her skin was fair with a hint of rosy pink, her earlobes dainty and adorned with a pale blue earring. Behind her ear was a tiny mole that only Qu Weiyin could see.
“Here we go!” Luo Jinxiao said excitedly as she secured Qu Weiyin on her back. She summoned her divine sword and took off, quickly rising high into the air. Within moments, they were high above the ground, leaving the sandstorm behind. From this view, the Demon Realm held a unique beauty. The sky was a deep red, stretching endlessly like an inverted red sea.
Below them stretched a remote wasteland, resembling the rough, withered bark of an ancient tree, punctuated by occasional rises and dips.
Behind them, Qiongqi struggled to fly, flapping its small wings with a grunt as it carried the three unconscious people in its mouth. Qu Weiyin glanced back and couldn’t help but smile.
“Junior Shishu, do you think the Demon Realm is beautiful?” Luo Jinxiao suddenly asked.
“No.” Qu Weiyin shook her head.
“What about Wuhui Mountain, the cliffs of Donghu, the grasslands of Mengshu, the snowy landscapes of Changjing, and the Sea of Exile? Do you like any of those?” Luo Jinxiao continued.
“I’ve seen mountains and rivers in all directions. They’re nothing but vast emptiness, nothing new.” Qu Weiyin scoffed lightly.
“But I haven’t seen any of them. When I was trapped in one place, I used to think that if one day I could travel all over the world and see all the beautiful scenery, it would be wonderful.” Luo Jinxiao said with a grin. As she spoke, she suddenly turned her head. “Junior Shishu, take me with you wherever you go in the future. Maybe with one more person to accompany you, the mountains and rivers will become new again.”
Qu Weiyin’s heart trembled. She avoided Luo Jinxiao’s gaze and didn’t answer.
But in her heart, a quiet longing began to grow.
“The exit is just ahead, where the wind is coming from,” Qu Weiyin finally said.
“Alright!” Luo Jinxiao responded cheerfully. She urged her sword forward, and the air instantly turned cool and refreshing, ruffling the hair on her forehead and billowing her robes.
The bright light of the mortal realm was a stark contrast to the Demon Realm. Luo Jinxiao blinked rapidly for a while before her eyes adjusted. Below them was the small town they had passed earlier, looking even more picturesque in the morning light.
Once Qiongqi had flown out, Qu Weiyin released one hand, her palm glowing with spiritual energy. In an instant, she sealed the exit, leaving no trace behind.
“We’ll stay here for a few days,” Qu Weiyin said softly. “They’re injured and won’t cause trouble for a while. Those two fellow disciples are severely hurt and can’t travel. We need to expel the demonic energy from them nearby.”
Luo Jinxiao nodded in agreement. She scanned the town below and pointed at a decent-looking inn. “How about that one?”
“Alright,” Qu Weiyin agreed.
To avoid alarming the townspeople, Luo Jinxiao found a secluded spot to land. Qiongqi transformed back into her human form, and the three of them, each supporting an unconscious disciple, entered the inn to rent rooms.
The innkeeper didn’t ask any questions, and they settled in without any issues.
The two injured disciples were in critical condition, drifting in and out of consciousness throughout their journey. The male disciple was in a worse state, black energy seeping from between his brows.
Qu Weiyin stepped forward to examine him, but Luo Jinxiao quickly stopped her, pulling her back. “Junior Shishu, you’re not in good shape yourself. Let me do it.”
“I’m fine. Your cultivation is too lower, you’ll be affected by the demonic energy,” Qu Weiyin insisted, pushing Luo Jinxiao’s hand away.
“Junior Shishu.” Luo Jinxiao’s tone turned firm, her almond-shaped eyes filled with a hint of reproach. “You look extremely pale. Let me take a look at you first.”
Qu Weiyin sighed and pulled her hand away. “I said I’m fine.”
“But you don’t look fine at all.”
“Luo Jinxiao!” Qu Weiyin snapped, her voice sharp with a mixture of annoyance and something else, something hidden. Her phoenix eyes flashed with irritation.
Taken aback, Luo Jinxiao fell silent.
Qu Weiyin clutched her chest, her throat working as she spoke in a low, detached voice. “I’ll do it. Don’t let the demonic energy contaminate you.”
She walked over to the male disciple, her long, slender fingers spreading out over his face. Slowly, wisps of black mist began to flow steadily from between his eyebrows.
This process continued for about an hour. Gradually, the disciple’s sickly dark complexion returned to its normal color. Blood flowed back into his cheeks, and his lips regained their healthy redness.
Throughout the entire process, Luo Jinxiao’s gaze remained fixed on Qu Weiyin. She was relieved to see that aside from a slight weariness, Qu Weiyin appeared only slightly more tired, with no other significant changes.
“The next one,” Qu Weiyin said flatly, pushing open the door to the next room. Luo Jinxiao glanced back at the male disciple; he was now breathing steadily, sound asleep.
The female disciple was in better condition, with less demonic energy clinging to her. It didn’t take long for Qu Weiyin to draw it all out. She simply closed her eyes for a moment, and the disciple’s healthy color returned. She even opened her eyes and weakly thanked Qu Weiyin.
“There’s no need for thanks,” Qu Weiyin said with an air of indifference. She strode out of the room, pausing for a moment at the threshold. “Inform the Wuhui Sect that there’s no immediate danger, and ask them to send some disciples to eliminate the remaining demonic seeds in the city.”
Without waiting for a response, Qu Weiyin disappeared out the door.
Luo Jinxiao sighed and closed the door behind her. She went outside to send the message. Turning back, she noticed the girl they had rescued earlier also sending a message.
Luo Jinxiao’s eyebrows shot up. She swiftly intercepted the paper in the girl’s hand. The girl tried to snatch it back, but Luo Jinxiao raised her arm high above her head, well out of reach.
“That’s a letter I wrote to my father! Give it back!” The girl’s eyes welled up with tears.
“I don’t mean to steal your letter,” Luo Jinxiao said seriously, holding the paper between her fingers. “I just need to check it’s not meant for anyone else.”
“Are you saying I might be sending a message to the demons? How dare you accuse me!” The girl was incensed, practically leaping at Luo Jinxiao.
Luo Jinxiao quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back. “Calm down. I didn’t say you were sending it to the demons. But this is a serious matter, and I don’t know you. I have to be cautious.”
The girl shook off her hand, fuming. “See for yourself! This is a letter to my father, asking him to come and get me!”
Luo Jinxiao unfolded the letter. The contents were ordinary, indeed a family letter. The paper itself held no hidden messages. Satisfied, she handed it back to the girl.
The girl snatched it back, her lips pressed into a thin line.
“Are you from the Baiyue Sect?” Luo Jinxiao asked.
“Yes! My father is the Sect Leader!” The girl puffed out her chest, folding the letter with a snap.
So that’s why, Luo Jinxiao thought. It was the Baiyue Sect, which now claimed to be the second strongest sect in the world. No wonder their young sect leader was such a handful.
Compared to her, even Yan Ying’s willfulness seemed childish.
“If you’re the Young Sect Leader, why did you go to the Demon Realm alone and get captured?”
The girl’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She blinked, her voice softening. “My father sent cultivators to eliminate demons, but no one returned. He always keeps me confined in the sect, so I wanted to have an adventure on my own. Who knew…”
Luo Jinxiao chuckled. As expected of a sheltered young sect leader. It was no wonder she didn’t know how to heal, fight, or do much else besides cultivate.
“Alright, go find your father. I’m going back to my Junior Shishu.” Luo Jinxiao waved her hand dismissively and turned to leave, but the girl called out to her.
“Hey, you saved me. My name is Tang Lan’er. What’s yours?”
“Luo Jinxiao,” she replied before striding into the inn.
It wasn’t mealtime, so there were few customers inside. Luo Jinxiao climbed the stairs and stopped in front of Qu Weiyin’s room. As she raised her hand to knock, she heard faint gasps coming from inside.
The breathing sounded pained but suppressed, barely audible unless one listened closely.
Alarmed, Luo Jinxiao knocked urgently, calling out, “Junior Shishu?”
The sounds from inside ceased instantly. A moment later, Qu Weiyin’s voice rang out, calm but laced with a hint of weariness. “What is it?”
Her composure was so convincing that Luo Jinxiao almost doubted what she had heard.
“Junior Shishu, I need to speak with you. May I come in?” Luo Jinxiao fabricated an excuse.
“Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow. I’m resting,” Qu Weiyin replied.
Luo Jinxiao’s eyes darted around as she thought quickly. She knocked again. “It’s urgent. I forgot to mention something earlier. It’s not safe to talk about it out here. Someone might overhear.”
Silence reigned inside the room once more. Then came the sound of footsteps approaching the door. With a creak, it opened.
Qu Weiyin stood in the doorway, clad only in a thin inner robe. She nodded curtly. “Come in.”
Luo Jinxiao slipped inside and closed the door behind her. She studied Qu Weiyin, who stood calmly with an impassive expression, but tiny beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
As if realizing this, Qu Weiyin casually brushed her hand over her forehead, wiping away the sweat.
“What is it? Speak quickly.”
Seeing through the act, Luo Jinxiao reached out, grabbed Qu Weiyin’s wrist, and pulled her towards the bed. With surprising strength, she pushed Qu Weiyin down onto the mattress.
“Luo Jinxiao, what are you doing?!” Qu Weiyin tried to break free, but she found herself strangely weak, unable to resist Luo Jinxiao’s grip.
“Luo Jinxiao, let go of me.” Qu Weiyin glared at her, struggling in vain.
Luo Jinxiao remained silent, her expression grim. She channeled her own spiritual energy into Qu Weiyin’s body. What she sensed made her gasp.
“Junior Shishu, when you were healing me earlier… did you absorb the demonic energy into yourself?”
