The Demon Venerable Is Delicate and Charming (GL) Chapter 34

“The yin energy is so heavy.”
Wen Si was the first to walk over. His face no longer had the strength it had before. The path was too narrow for two people to stand side by side. He leaned slightly toward the edge, and loose little stones fell away. Even after a long while, no sound of them landing could be heard. The height was not truly that great, but it still affected people in their hearts.
Because of that, those who came after moved slowly. After hesitating for a long time, they gritted their teeth and stepped out. Even the smallest cold movement made a dense itch rise on their backs. The backs of their necks kept shrinking as if someone were lightly brushing them. The stone wall was uneven, and one careless movement could cut a hand. Everyone moved forward with great care.
Wen Si glanced back now and then and helped people along for a few steps. The man whose identity had been exposed was even more direct. He openly grabbed the collar of the person in front and pushed them forward. The one who was already afraid of heights became stiff with terror.
Wuzhi watched with his arms crossed, a little interest rising in him. His steps quickened. “Fellow cultivator, what should we call you?”
The man looked at him. His nature was still fairly open. “Shen Duoyi, outer disciple of the Immortal-Entering Sect.”
“Outer disciple?” Wuzhi raised a brow, his eyes curving with a smile. “Fellow Cultivator Shen, your strength is not bad.”
Shen Duoyi snorted coldly. “Not compared to you all.”
Wuzhi bumped Qi San’s shoulder. The two exchanged a look of silent understanding. Wuzhi continued chatting. “If Fellow Cultivator Shen has such strength while only in the outer sect, then the inner sect of the Immortal-Entering Sect must be very powerful.”
“Powerful?” Shen Duoyi gave a cold laugh, his eyes full of disdain. He lifted his chin. “Wen Si is an inner sect disciple. Do you think he is powerful?”
Wuzhi grew even more interested. Shen Duoyi did not seem like someone with many schemes. He was much more straightforward, easier to approach than the experienced Wen Si.
Wuzhi cooperated and considered it. “That is true. From what we have seen so far, Fellow Cultivator Wen’s talent is indeed not top tier.”
As if suddenly thinking of something, Wuzhi made an upward “Eh” sound and deliberately lowered his voice. “Then Fellow Cultivator Shen could not enter the inner sect? That is too unfair.”
He moved extremely quickly and flicked some powder onto Shen Duoyi’s back. With a faint smile, he said, “I think you are more suited to lead the team than Fellow Cultivator Wen.”
Wuzhi’s voice became strange and drifting, like a pulled thread, near and far at once. Shen Duoyi’s eyes instantly blurred. Unfortunately, in the next second, the long whip at his waist fell on its own and startled him awake.
Shen Duoyi shook his head and snapped impatiently, “Who wants this rotten task? Staying in the outer sect is better than going to the inner sect.”
His words were rough, but his movement when putting away the long whip was much gentler.
Wuzhi watched for a few moments and instantly lost interest. He agreed, “As long as you are free and happy, that is good. I think Fellow Cultivator Shen will one day achieve what he wants.”
Shen Duoyi could not let go of his hold, so he lowered his head slightly. “I accept your good words.”
Wuzhi’s gaze shifted. He slowly stepped back and returned to Qi San. Casually, he asked, “Does it have a spirit? It does not look like it.”
That long whip did not look like a magic artifact that had gained a mind. At most, there was a little spiritual power on it, very faint.
Qi San denied it. “No. You were just unlucky. Shen Duoyi has no defenses in his heart. I doubt he knows anything useful.”
Wuzhi had used a low-level illusion spell. He had not expected Shen Duoyi to fall for it so easily. He spread his hands and shrugged, having nothing to say.
Yin Wu had been following behind them without speaking. She still held a copper coin in her palm, rubbing it over and over until its warm surface was damp with sweat.
She casually tossed it upward and caught it again, playing with it again and again. Little White rubbed against her face. Yin Wu had just been about to tell it not to move when her words suddenly stopped.
Countless messy sounds seemed to gather into one tight string. With one light pluck, it gave a sharp note. Yin Wu’s expression suddenly changed. She could feel the mark she had set grow burning hot, and she heard those muffled coughs hidden in the dust. Her hand clenched hard. She stopped, her eyes dark.
Wuzhi keenly sensed something was wrong. His steps slowed. Without looking back, he asked, “What is it?”
Yin Wu’s tone was not fake, but it was casual. “I am going to find My Lord.”
“What did you say?” Only then did Wuzhi look at her. He narrowed his eyes and examined her. “Were you not just feeling as if she did not want you?”
“There are about a hundred people here. Do you think you can still fly over walls and cliffs like before? If you do, you will no longer be a simple traveling companion. This road should not be long. Besides, Ling Xin is there watching over her. Wait a little longer and you will see her.”
Yin Wu did not accept the comfort. She flipped the copper coin in her fingers and felt more and more as if it burned her. “I changed my mind.”
Wuzhi’s smile disappeared. He turned as if humoring her. “How about I send a message to Ling Xin for you and report their situation as it happens?”
Then he suddenly turned his head, held a finger lightly against his lips, and warned her fully. “Little immortal, I do not have that much patience for you.”
Yin Wu turned her head and bit her teeth. She seemed to laugh from anger, letting out a sound. Then she flicked her sleeve and followed with her head down. In a sharp voice, she said to Little White, “Go watch over her. Do not let anything happen.”
Little White snorted through its nose. Obediently, it flew into the air, hid its body, and swam through the mist halfway along the cliff. No one noticed.
Yin Wu’s gaze fell on Wuzhi without showing it. Suddenly, she smiled. Her tone was full of disdain as she muttered to herself, “It had better be so.”
With a flick of her fingertip, the copper coin flew out like a sharp blade. It landed exactly on the remains at the bottom of the mountain, reflecting the miserable sight of bones everywhere. In the next instant, it shattered into powder.
Yin Wu slowly calculated Li Lingjiang’s fate. When she lifted her eyes, they were full of coldness.
Little White flew very quickly. Its form was more graceful than Little Black’s. It accurately found Li Lingjiang half kneeling on the ground. Its eyes widened slightly. It came to Little Black’s side and swept him with its tail.
Li Lingjiang knelt on the ground, clearly without strength. She closed her eyes and did her best to adjust her chaotic breathing. With effort, she stood. In the next instant, she staggered back two steps. By instinct, she braced herself behind her. Sharp pain pierced her palm, making her shrink back, and she pulled her hand away with effort. Broken bits of stone rolled down to the bottom of the cliff.
Ling Xin stood beside her with his head lowered. He did not move. Instead, he stared straight at Li Lingjiang. The loss in his eyes was not hard to see. He blinked and said hoarsely, “My Lord, put on another outer robe.”
He had rarely seen Li Lingjiang hurt so badly that she could not stand. He had rarely seen her reject him so clearly. The glaring red in her palm even made him unable to face it, and he turned away as if escaping.
Only in this moment did he clearly understand how poor Li Lingjiang’s body had become. The day her lamp ran dry was not a distant topic. Ling Xin had thought that with medicine and careful care, she could slowly improve. But things had gone against his wishes. He did not dare guess how long Li Lingjiang could keep holding on.
“I have not worn it. I specially had it prepared and brought it here. The cold air on No-Return Mountain is heavy.” Nervously, Ling Xin searched through his storage space and found a pure white outer cloak. He licked his bitter lips.
Li Lingjiang wiped the sweat from her forehead. Hearing him, she looked over and made a very soft “Mm” sound.
Ling Xin grew anxious as soon as he heard it. He quickly walked over. Though he was much taller than Li Lingjiang, he still seemed much smaller. Counting his age, he was still like a child.
“Give it to me.” In the end, Li Lingjiang softened. She reached out, still not touching Ling Xin. She felt the texture of the fabric and breathed out silently. “The king’s.”
Ling Xin nodded. “It is the king’s, and also yours. It was left from when you ruled. I selected and organized some things to bring with me. You simply do not remember. This cloth was made because you once said the color was good.”
Li Lingjiang was silent. In the end, everything returned to silence. She unfolded the outer cloak and draped it over her shoulders. The pure white made a sharp contrast with the black she wore, yet it also blended perfectly with the fur collar.
Yin Wu was much more careful than she had imagined. Neither piece of clothing had been stained with another clan’s aura.
Only then did she notice the white dragon flying beside her. Her gaze softened. “Why did you come?”
She looked around but did not see the reckless Yin Wu. “I am fine.”
Little White breathed out a puff of white air. It opened its mouth in a yawn and turned its head away, clearly not believing her. Its proud look was easy to see.
Just like its master, Li Lingjiang thought, a little dazed.
Little Black moved close and whimpered a few times, glancing at Li Lingjiang now and then. Li Lingjiang was not skilled in dragon speech. She could only faintly make out the words “take care” and “liar.”
Li Lingjiang curved her lips. Her whole body was still weak and heavy. There was a faint heat at the back of her waist. She touched it but felt nothing unusual.
“They will arrive soon. Let us go ahead first.”
Ling Xin looked at her with clear disagreement, but his voice lacked force. “My Lord, why not rest a little?”
Li Lingjiang lowered her eyes and did not look at him. She stepped forward. “I have not reached the point where I cannot walk. Let us look ahead. We should reach the end soon. I remember there is a cave ahead where we can stop. It is getting dark. We should find a place to rest.”
“All right.” Ling Xin clenched his fist, not knowing what he felt. He lowered his head for a long while before managing his emotions. Then he strode forward. The demonic energy in his hand spread without being hidden, clearly telling Beiluan Mountain who they were.
Beiluan Mountain’s pressure on them lessened greatly. Without much difficulty, the two found the cave from Li Lingjiang’s memory.
Ling Xin took out a glowing pearl and checked the surroundings. Only after finding nothing strange did he relax. He sniffed the air and frowned in disgust. “What a strange smell.”
He touched a stone. It was clean.
Demon creatures lived on Beiluan Mountain. He sent out a strand of aura to investigate, but after searching all around, he found nothing.
Li Lingjiang was tired. For the first time, she felt weak all over, unable to gather her spirit. She sat on a small stone at the cave entrance and closed her eyes for a brief rest. Her beast ears were still upright. One ear twitched, shaking away the mist that had gathered on it.
“Perhaps it left.” Little Black cushioned her back and half lifted an eyelid to look at his old home.
This was where Li Lingjiang had picked him up.
Still uneasy, Ling Xin circled the place several more times. “It had better have.”
“Have they still not arrived?”
Li Lingjiang gave a soft “Mm.” Feeling she had recovered somewhat, she stood again and waved a hand. “I will go look.”
“You do not need to follow.”
The outer cloak covered all the copper coins at her waist and also scattered an aura that did not belong to her over her. Night gradually fell. No one noticed the brief flash of light on it.