Thriving after the Moon Falls (I Can’t Possibly Take Pity On A Demon) - Chapter 40

When Yan Chaosheng returned to his bamboo cottage, many people were secretly watching him.

The outer disciples whispered among themselves, “Wasn’t it said that he had offended the young miss earlier, and he definitely wouldn’t come back?”

“Yes, how did he return? He doesn’t seem to have been punished at all.”

“Didn’t the young miss notice he has a demon bloodline?”

“How could the young miss not know? It must be that he’s been flattering the young miss, and that’s why his life was spared.”

“After he returns and sees the house in this state, won’t he be angry? No one here can defeat him.”

Someone sneered, “What’s there to be afraid of? He’s a monster with a demon bloodline and doesn’t even deserve to stay in the Kongsang Immortal Realm. I heard that when he first came, he kneeled for half a month begging Immortal Mingxiao from the Sect of Immortals, kowtowing hundreds of times, just to be allowed to stay in Kongsang, to enjoy the Immortal Dew. He promised not to cause trouble, not to use demonic arts, and to be friendly with his fellow disciples. Last year, when Senior Brother Ding Feng asked him to wash the sword in the Sword-Washing Pool, he didn’t dare speak a word and just went. Now that his cultivation has been crippled, and he’s offended the young miss, his life is in danger, so how could he dare to do anything?”

Yan Chaosheng’s eyes darkened as he returned to the cottage, and his gaze turned completely cold.

The room was a mess, clearly searched by someone.

The bedding had been taken, the wooden pillow was on the floor, and the windows had been dismantled.

There was a broken wooden box on the ground, and as expected, inside it was the medium-grade immortal sword inlaid with wolf teeth, now missing.

This sword had originally been one that Yan Chaosheng washed in the Sword-Washing Pool for several months before his cultivation was crippled.

He had endured the sword’s intent and fiery burns, eventually receiving it as a gift from the elder in charge of the Sword-Washing Hall.

The elder had said that over the past century, no disciple had ever entered the Sword-Washing Pool without complaints.

But Yan Chaosheng, day after day, silently washed the sword, never complaining, and the swords that passed through his hands were brilliant with light.

Moved by his sincerity and lack of complaints, the elder had given him a discarded, medium-grade immortal sword from the side of the pool as a gift.

After obtaining the sword, Yan Chaosheng had carefully cleaned and cherished it.

This was one of the few kindnesses he had received since coming to Kongsang.

He had planned to use this sword in the grand competition, hoping to win first place, find a good master, and finally escape the status of a gatekeeper disciple.

To nourish the sword, he had also embedded the wolf teeth left to him by the little wolf demon before its death into it.

This sword had carried all of Yan Chaosheng’s hopes.

For three years, he had avoided trouble, stepped back at every turn, and served diligently.

He had only three more months before he could participate in the grand competition and achieve his goal.

But when he suddenly confronted the young miss of Kongsang, everything was ruined.

Before leaving for Kunlun, Yan Chaosheng had not planned to bring this sword with him.

He didn’t know whether Liu Shuang would take personal revenge.

Although they looked down on the sword, it was the only weapon he could rely on.

He thought to himself that if the immortal sword was damaged on the journey, without his cultivation, his chances in the competition would be even slimmer.

He hid the sword carefully before setting out, but when he returned, he found his house almost destroyed and the sword missing.

It was truly laughable, Yan Chaosheng thought.

He had endured humiliation for three years, intending to lie low and rise above, but clearly, as long as he bore the demon bloodline, everything he did was wrong.

There were countless people who killed and robbed for treasures in the Eight Wilderness, yet as long as they were alive, they could take whatever they wanted.

But when it came to him, they treated him as if he were already dead.

His expression calm, Yan Chaosheng picked up the pillow, tidied the room, and stepped outside without a hint of anger—he was eerily calm.

Demons had sharp hearing.

After walking a short distance, Yan Chaosheng overheard a few disciples nearby drinking and mocking him.

“I told you, he’s used to being a turtle, never daring to face Senior Brother Ding Feng.”

“I say, now that he’s lost his cultivation, even if he joins the competition, he won’t win. This sword would still suit Senior Brother Ding Feng.”

The man named “Ding Feng” darkened his face, “Enough, if you can’t speak properly, don’t say anything!”

After all, taking a spiritual treasure through strength was still somewhat respectable, but stealing someone’s immortal sword was utterly disgraceful.

Before entering Kongsang to seek immortality, Ding Feng had been the son of an official.

He had brought a lot of gold and silver, but unfortunately, his aptitude wasn’t great, so he ended up as an outer disciple.

Such was the way of the immortals—no matter how noble your background, if your aptitude was poor, you couldn’t even enter the immortal sect.

Ding Feng, unwilling to leave, stayed in the Dusheng Bamboo Forest, becoming the leader of the outer disciples.

Immortals didn’t care about Ding Feng’s status, but the outer disciples, who were mostly ordinary people, greatly respected him and looked to him as their leader.

For Ding Feng, the grand competition was also his best chance.

Human lifespans were but a few decades, and three years were precious in the short span of a few decades.

The immortals granted him longevity, and he couldn’t let his three years pass in vain, only to roll down the mountain in disgrace.

Most gatekeeper disciples were of mediocre aptitude, and Ding Feng eventually set his sights on Yan Chaosheng.

This demon-blooded disciple, who originally had high cultivation, was someone Ding Feng had never bothered with, for humans naturally feared demons.

But later, seeing Yan Chaosheng was quieter than anyone else, never lazy during his duties at the Immortal Realm, and kind to others, Ding Feng began to entertain the thought of suppressing him.

No matter what Yan Chaosheng did or how he provoked, he always avoided conflict.

When Yan Chaosheng accidentally obtained the immortal sword, it made Ding Feng envious.

In the past, he didn’t dare to act because he couldn’t defeat him.

But hearing that Yan Chaosheng’s cultivation had been crippled, Ding Feng took advantage of his absence, seized the immortal sword, and claimed it as his own.

Now, several disciples were gathered, drinking and flattering Ding Feng.

When they heard Yan Chaosheng had returned, Ding Feng was initially shocked, but then he realized that in the Immortal Realm, Yan Chaosheng, with his demon bloodline, was inherently inferior to everyone else.

With the competition approaching, he wouldn’t dare cause any trouble, or he’d be kicked off the mountain, so Ding Feng finally felt relieved.

A few male disciples were chatting, mostly about their past worldly experiences, the upcoming grand competition, and the fair appearances of the immortals they encountered while guarding the gate.

Yan Chaosheng crossed his arms and listened to them speak indifferently, never appearing before them, his expression calm to the point of indifference.

One disciple said, “Today, while guarding the gate, I encountered the Young Miss of Kongsang.”

The others immediately showed interest, asking, “Really? We’ve heard the Young Miss is exceptionally beautiful, but we’ve also heard that the Young Miss is ugly and has no charm. What does she actually look like? Which rumors are true and which are false?”

The disciple gave a mysterious expression, almost infatuated: “Not only is she exceptionally beautiful, but she’s said to surpass Daji and Bao Si in beauty.”

(T/N: Daji is a well-known character from the Investiture of the Gods and Chinese historical records. She was a beautiful woman who became a concubine of the tyrannical Shang Dynasty king, King Zhou of Shang. Daji is infamous for her cruelty and is often portrayed as a seductive and malicious figure who contributed to the downfall of the Shang Dynasty. She is often depicted as the epitome of a femme fatale who manipulated her power and beauty to bring harm to the kingdom, including torturing innocent people. 

Where as Bao Si was the beautiful concubine of King You of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Her story is similarly tragic. According to historical accounts, Bao Si’s beauty captivated King You, but she was infamous for her role in the fall of the Zhou Dynasty. King You became so obsessed with her that he neglected his duties as a ruler. Bao Si’s story is especially noted for her role in the burning of the signal fires to alert his troops during a critical time. The fires were set up by the king to please her, but they eventually led to disaster, contributing to the weakening of the dynasty.)

“Is that true? Daji was a notorious beauty who caused national disasters.”

“I saw it with my own eyes, how could it be false?”

The disciples laughed and joked, and the atmosphere lightened, making Ding Feng feel his frustration ease as he relaxed.

Behind the green bamboo, Yan Chaosheng’s long hand stroked his black-and-gold whip slowly, like a hissing snake flicking its tongue.

Before the moon rose, Liu Shuang heard that her father had sent an immortal envoy to find Yan Chaosheng.

Chishui Chong had previously mentioned that if Yan Chaosheng completed his task, he would reward him greatly.

Now that the celestial envoy was sent to the Dusheng Bamboo Forest, Liu Shuang guessed there were two purposes: one was to bestow a reward, and the other was to retrieve the Ten Commandment Ring.

In ancient times, the Ten Commandment Ring had its glory; it was said to be able to transform into ten magic rings simultaneously, binding great demons and exorcising evil spirits.

However, over time, the method to tame the Ten Commandment Ring was lost, and its users could only summon a single silver ring, which could only bind temporarily.

It became like a useless relic, not even comparable to regular immortal artifacts.

Although the Ten Commandment Ring was now ineffective, Chishui Chong could not allow it to remain in the hands of outer disciples, so he would send someone to retrieve it from Yan Chaosheng.

Liu Shuang comfortably finished preparing herself and, with a hint of caution, Fu Liu reminded, “The moonlight is beautiful tonight, Young Miss, would you like to go to the Tianfeng Pool to cultivate?”

Mentioning cultivation made Liu Shuang wide awake.

In the past, when the moonlight was bright, the original host liked to go to the Tianfeng Pool to cultivate alone.

The Tianfeng Pool was one of the most abundant in spiritual energy in Kongsang, where cultivation was twice as effective.

Immortals often went there during the day, carving out a space and setting up a barrier to cultivate in peace.

The original host, feeling inferior, knew that her cultivation would never improve despite her efforts, so she didn’t want others to see her secretly working hard and preferred to go after the moon rose.

Liu Shuang thought for a moment and nodded.

It was just right to go and see if anything was different about cultivating there now.

She felt energetic just thinking about cultivation.

Fu Liu smiled and said, “By the way, Clear Essence Jade is also there, Young Miss, you could purify the impurities.”

Liu Shuang thought the name ” Clear Essence Jade” sounded familiar, but she couldn’t remember where she had seen it before.

She left the room without letting Fu Liu follow, making her way to the Tianfeng Pool.

The white mist swirled in front of her, looking dreamlike under the moonlight.

When Liu Shuang stepped into the pool, the water didn’t touch her skirt, yet the warmth seemed to envelop her.

She looked around and found that the Tianfeng Pool was the farthest from the main hall, almost near the Dusheng Bamboo Forest at the edge of the immortal realm.

Eight phoenix-shaped jade sculptures were spitting water into the pool, each beautifully crafted.

The original host had chosen this place to avoid being seen by others.

Liu Shuang practiced for a while, and her progress was rapid.

She should have been happy, but something felt off.

Raising her gaze, she saw a pure white jade stone placed on a high platform outside the pool under the moonlight.

This was the ” Clear Essence Jade ” that Fu Liu had mentioned.

In the original host’s memories, if an immortal had any distracting thoughts, it could lead to the birth of inner demons.

They would use the power of the Clear Essence Jade to purify their bodies, thus avoiding inner demons and their tribulation.

In the four great immortal realms, only Kongsang possessed such a spiritual stone.

The stone was spinning gently and harmlessly, but as Liu Shuang watched, she suddenly realized with a shock.

Something was wrong. This wasn’t Clear Essence Jade at all—it was clearly the “Demon Bone Stone”!

Liu Shuang had once read a biography in the Ghost Realm about the downfall of Kongsang.

The section concerning its demise was vague, only stating that Kongsang had mistakenly treated a demon stone as an immortal stone for worship.

Later, Yan Chaosheng destroyed Kongsang, and with a mere thought, many immortals were turned into demons, falling under his control.

The Clear Essence Jade was not a tool for purifying distracting thoughts as people believed.

Everyone feared the birth of inner demons, thinking it was a treasure, but the path of cultivation required one’s own firm resolve, and each trial could not be avoided.

On the surface, the Clear Essence Jade appeared to offer a shortcut, but in reality, it absorbed the impurities in people’s hearts.

Once controlled by a powerful demon, it could subdue many immortals, causing internal chaos.

This demon stone must not be allowed to remain in Kongsang! The longer it stayed, the more people would be harmed by its backlash.

But because the Clear Essence Jade was a demon stone, no one would believe it if she spoke out.

If not for reading the biography, Liu Shuang wouldn’t have known these truths; she had thought the Clear Essence Jade was just a Kongsang treasure.

She had to find a way to destroy it.

But this thing was indestructible.

Should she take it to the Shennong’s Cauldron to refine it?

Even worse, if Liu Shuang took the Clear Essence Jade and tried to escape, Chishui Chong would catch her before she even left Kongsang, and reprimand her.

No, there was another way to destroy the Clear Essence Jade .

Liu Shuang thought carefully.

The future Demon Lord would be able to suppress the “Demon Bone Stone” and melt it down!

Liu Shuang flew up to the high platform, where a forbidden barrier stood.

She sliced her finger and let her blood from the Chishui Immortal Clan drip onto the barrier.

The barrier dissolved instantly, and she took the Clear Essence Jade and headed for a nearby bamboo forest.

Hopefully, before the realm lord discovered and stopped her, she could destroy this ominous, harmful object, assuming Yan Chaosheng would cooperate.

Yan Chaosheng was killing someone.

Deep in the bamboo forest, a figure was hanging high in the air, the black-gold whip tightening around his neck.

Ding Feng’s eyes were wide with terror, his face turning dark purple from blood congestion, his gaze filled with fear as he looked at Yan Chaosheng in the bamboo forest.

“Please… please…”

Yan Chaosheng’s long fingers tightened, and the whip around the disciple’s neck constricted further.

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, Yan Chaosheng loosened his grip.

Back and forth, Yan Chaosheng’s expression remained mocking as he slowly tortured the disciple.

For three years, Ding Feng had insulted him countless times, and he remembered every instance.

Yan Chaosheng didn’t particularly enjoy killing, for someone had once told him that all killing was a sin.

Each person killed would result in more karmic debt when it was his turn to face the consequences.

However, the grand competition was only half a month away.

Yan Chaosheng needed power—desperately.

There was someone who was destined to die, and that person was Ding Feng.

He was the only disciple who had gained an opportunity and diligently cultivated his spiritual energy.

After tormenting him for a while, Yan Chaosheng opened his hand, and faint white mist drifted from Ding Feng’s body towards his forehead.

Yan Chaosheng had long been planning.

He had allowed Ding Feng to insult him for three years, taking his immortal sword.

Today, by calculating the karmic balance, if he took Ding Feng’s cultivation and life, the sins wouldn’t be too severe.

Just as he was about to take the last of Ding Feng’s cultivation, footsteps echoed in the forest—footsteps he recognized.

Yan Chaosheng’s brow furrowed, his hand hesitating for a moment before retracting.

Ding Feng fell to the ground, unconscious.

Yan Chaosheng withdrew his whip, just in time to see a young woman emerge from the moonlight.

Liu Shuang asked, “What are you doing here?” She glanced at Ding Feng behind him, her expression suspicious.

Yan Chaosheng remained unflustered, saying, “He was injured outside. I was worried, so I followed him to check and was in the process of helping him.”

Her expression was subtle as she looked at him, then at Ding Feng, who still had a breath left.

Seeing this scene, Yan Chaosheng coldly asked, “Why are you here?”

She stepped closer, tugging at his sleeve and whispered, “Come with me.”

The sound of her voice brushed his ear, tickling it.

Yan Chaosheng pressed his lips together, not paying attention to the unconscious Ding Feng, and followed her.

They walked to another place, and she, with bright eyes, took something out and handed it to him.

“I told you I would restore your cultivation. Look, I brought you a gift.”

Under the moonlight, a translucent white stone gleamed brightly.

“Did you bring this just for me?”

“I saw that you wanted to kill him.”

She suddenly spoke softly.

Yan Chaosheng’s eyes grew cold as he thought about how to handle the aftermath, running through all the worst-case scenarios in his mind, when he heard the young woman speak again.

“If you eat this, your cultivation will be restored. Don’t kill him, Yan Chaosheng, killing brings karmic retribution.”

In the moonlight, the immortal maiden said softly, “He’s not worth it. You should take care of yourself.”

Yan Chaosheng suddenly raised his gaze.

Under the moonlight, the young woman in a sky-blue flowing immortal dress was also looking at him. Her cheeks were faintly pink, and in her eyes was his reflection.

She said, “Yan Chaosheng, killing brings karmic retribution. He’s not worth it. You should take care of yourself.”