Chapter 97 Darkness

Zhang Residence——

Su Su watched as the human-disguised demon “Landlord Zhang” comforted Madame Zhang, who had just lost her baby.

Madame Zhang was crying terribly, while Landlord Zhang looked heartbroken.

The three-head demon’s transformation technique was so great that even the victim’s partner couldn’t recognize it. “Landlord Zhang” had taken away the baby that Madame Zhang had just given birth to, but returned to live with her. It was unclear whether it was due to a genuine affection for Madame Zhang, or if it had other ulterior motives.

However, none of that mattered anymore. It had caused the death of Landlord Zhang, then replaced him¹]李代桃僵 (lǐdàitáojiāng) – lit. the plum tree withers in place of the peach tree; substitute one thing for another; substitute oneself for another person and delivered the newborn baby to the three-headed demon, which was enough to make him pay for its actions. 

When the “Landlord Zhang” who’d been transformed by the demon, walked out of the room, Su Su released karmic fire from her fingertips. Before it could even make a sound, it had already turned into a pile of ashes, without even alerting Madame Zhang inside the room.

Tantai Jin glanced sideways at Su Su and saw her cold gaze. 

His eyes were gloomy, would she always be this decisive when dealing with those who made mistakes?

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“Elzz esdl, vbkp elxsd oyp vss xyzknkswp,” Zys Qwydt pyke.

Fbl oyp pvkzz wrplv²耿耿于怀 (tědttědtuúbwák) – vs vyjl vaswczlp vs blyav (keksx); casse sd (yd kdfwau, sdl’p dltzlnvle ewvu, lvn.); vyjl pvb. vs blyav; clya tawetl ycswv vbl cycu.

Mbkp vkxl,&dcpr; vblu yzalyeu wdelapvsse vbl xlvbsep sq vbl vball-blyele elxsd yde iwklvzu yrrasynble vbl essa sq Zswdt Yypvla Hbydt’p assx.&dcpr;

Fwal ldswtb, vblu pyo vbl vball-blyele elxsd.

Mbl vball-blyele elxsd bye vaydpqsaxle kdvs y pvwaeu xyd yde oyp zkqvkdt wr Zswdt Yypvla Hbydt. Tl pllxle kxryvkldv yp bl pyke, “Wkzz wr vblpl clyep, usw blya xl?”

Zswdt Yypvla Hbydt zssjle yv bkx okvb bkp rkvnb-czynj lulp yde pzsozu pbssj bkp blye, “R oydv xu nyv.”

“Uyv? R yzalyeu vsze usw, vbyv clypv kp zspv. Zsw poyzzsole xu Ykaytl Vlyaz, yde uswa xwx lhld bkale vbspl kxxsavyz nwzvkhyvsap vs Lkdtbl Msod. Twaau wr yde qkzz vblpl tzypp clyep okvb vbl Ykaytl Vlyaz’p rsola, sa lzpl R’zz jkzz uswa casvbla, vbld usw.”

Mbl csu’p hsknl oyp qykdv, yp kq bl byed’v blyae vbl vbalyv. “Uyv, R fwpv oydv xu nyv.”

Seeing that the boy wouldn’t listen, the three-headed demon’s eyes narrowed, and murderous intent rose up in his heart. Although he was reluctant to give up on the Mirage Pearl in the boy’s body, the boy’s mind was abnormal since birth. The demon had killed too many infants, and continuing to stay in the mortal realm would attract the attention of cultivators. 

Now, returning to the Devil Domain and seeking refuge with the new Demon Emperor was the highest priority.

Seeing the three-headed demon’s murderous intent, countless golden threads flew in from the window, binding the demon’s hands and feet.

The Fennian’s golden threads, laced with thunderbolts, drew back and forcefully pulled the three-headed demon out of the room.

A white fish-embroidered boot stepped on his chest. The three-headed demon looked up and saw Tantai Jin’s smiling face. “I’ll give you a chance. Where’s the Devil Domain token, hmm?”

The three-headed demon’s sinister eyes swept over them, “What a surprise, you guys are still alive.”

“Enough talk, hand over the Devil Domain token,” Yao Guang said.

“Immortal realm inhabitants want to go to the Devil Domain? You’re seeking death,” The three-headed demon sneered. “I’ve lived for thousands of years, but I never expected to fall into the hands of a few little brats. Kill me or maim me, I don’t care.”

Although he said so, a gust of wind blew from behind, and when Su Su turned around, she saw a pair of gloomy eyes.

She hurriedly pulled Yao Guang back. Yao Guang also saw the thing that intended to sneak up on them, it was actually a child’s soul whose face was covered in blood.

The child appeared to be around five or six years old, and seeing that they had discovered it, it let out a cry.

Its cry sounded like the sorrowful cries of countless children combined. 

Zang Hai said in a low voice, “It’s a devil infant!”

A devil infant, in essence, was created by brutally killing infants, extracting their souls, placing them in vessels to tear each other apart, and constantly injecting devilish Qi until in the end, only a devil infant’s soul remained. It was raised similarly to a Gu Poison insect. 

The more dead children, the older the devil infant appeared. Raising this thing was a heinous sin.

In order to please the Demon Emperor and reinvigorate the Demon and Devil Realm, the three-headed demon had put in a lot of effort.

It was clear from a glance at the devil infant in front of them that many children had died.

The claws of the devil infant carried a chillingly cold aura as it fiercely reached out towards them.

Everyone quickly dodged, and Yao Guang’s sword flew over, piercing through the devil infant’s body.

“It’s a soul, our immortal techniques are ineffective against it!”

Su Su raised her hand, “Chongyu!”

Chongyu understood and transformed into a konghou, appearing in Su Su’s hand. When the ice-blue body of the harp touched Su Su’s fingertips, the entire instrument turned fiery red as if it were about to ignite. 

She plucked the strings with her fingers, causing sound waves to strike towards the devil infant like feathers gliding through the air. 

From the ground, the three-headed demon was looking at them mockingly, but to its surprise, when the sound waves hit the devil infant, the devil infant screamed and blood streamed down its face.

“H-how could this be……”

Su Su plucked the strings again, and the devil infant slumped to the ground, slowly dissipating.

This time, Chongyu knew to control its power. Other than feeling a bit stuffy in her chest, Su Su didn’t experience the discomfort of backlash like before.

She put away Chongyu, which happily transformed back into a pendant and quietly returned to Su Su’s body.

Seeing that his last trump card was gone, the three-headed demon looked defeated. Still, he would rather die than say what the token for the entrance to the Devil Domain was and where it was hidden.

Just then, Zhang Yuanbai, who had been watching them from the door, said, “I can give you the token.”

The child’s empty eyes looked at Su Su, “Follow me.”

After saying that, he turned and walked forward, not caring whether Su Su and the others followed or not. 

Su Su saw the three-headed demon on the ground looking at the boy with resentment, so the boy should be leading the right way. After hesitating for a moment, she followed.

The boy took a winding path and finally stopped in front of a cave.

He said, “My cat disappeared in here. My cat is afraid of the dark, and you’re also afraid of the dark. You have to go in to follow the path it took and bring it back.”

Su Su’s long lashes trembled slightly. For the first time, someone pointed out that she was also afraid of the dark.

No, she used to not be afraid, but the world under the fate of the World Toppling Flower was too dark, like an eternal night with no hope.

The boy’s voice was calm, “Help me find my cat, and I’ll give you the token.”

After thinking for a moment, he tilted his head, “If you can’t find it, I’ll still give you the token.”

But at least someone would also feel the fear his cat experienced.

This was the first time that Yao Guang found out that Su Su was afraid of the dark. She hurriedly said to Zhang Yuanbai, “Hey, don’t be too much. I’ll go in and find your cat for you. Is that alright?!”

The boy shook his head and pointed his finger at Su Su, “Only her.”

Su Su was silent for a moment, then smiled, “Alright, I’ll go in.”

She was about to enter the cave,  but Yao Guang shouted, “Junior Sister!”

A hand suddenly grabbed her.

Su Su turned around and saw a pair of pitch-black eyes. Since the time Tantai Jin had stood at the door and “made peace to travel together” with her, he hadn’t mentioned any of the events of the past. This was the first time she saw Tantai Jin’s emotions so clearly. 

“Why are you afraid of the dark?” Tantai Jin asked.

His tone trembled slightly, carrying a sense of confusion and timidity that he himself didn’t even notice. Staring at her intensely, he urgently wanted to know the answer, but at the last moment, he became timid, as if the answer awaiting him would lead to a long and hopeless torture.

She shouldn’t be…… afraid of the dark.

Back then, when the Nightmare Devil had entered Ye Bing Shang’s dream, Ye Xi Wu had run out at night to chase him and entered the Nightmare Devil’s dreamland with him. At that time, she had pulled his hand, animatedly angry, and even scolded him for brainlessly sacrificing his life for someone else’s woman.

She had walked alone before the sunrise, traversing the nights of the mortal realm. During those times, she would laugh and show anger. 

However, five hundred years later, a strange boy who had swallowed the Mirage Pearl actually said that she was afraid of the dark.

When did it start, her fear of the darkness?

Looking at the cold eyes of the young girl in front of him, Tantai Jin’s face gradually turned pale.

Su Su withdrew her arm and coolly said, “He’s talking nonsense.”

For the first time, she fervently wished that she’d already achieved the Heartless Dao. It turned out that it wasn’t that she didn’t mind; it was just that the scars from the past hadn’t been exposed, but when they were touched, the wounds that had just healed bled again.

Su Su didn’t look at him, nor did she look at Zang Hai and Yao Guang, and she walked into the cave alone. What’s there to be afraid of? I’m no longer the powerless, pathetic, and pitiful Ye Xi Wu.

Yao Guang shouted, “Su Su, we’ll accompany you in!”

The boy’s expression darkened, “No, you’ll scare my cat. Only she can go in.”

Su Su didn’t turn around again, but her voice had a hint of a smile, “Senior Sister, don’t worry. I’m not afraid anymore. I’m just looking for a cat, and Senior Brother is still waiting for us.”

She looked into the darkness ahead and closed her eyes. 

Since she had decided to cultivate the Heartless Dao, she should’ve let go of everything. After letting go of everything, how could she be afraid?

*****

Seeing Su Su’s figure disappearing into the mouth of the cave——

Tantai Jin seemed to wake up from a dream, and with a pale face, he tried to enter the cave.

The boy extended his arms, blocking his way, “You can’t go in.”

Tantai Jin grabbed the boy by his neck, directly lifting him in the air and pressing him against the stone wall.

The rims of his eyes were red, as if he had gone insane, “How dare you! How could you!”

Young Master Zhang was like a lifeless puppet in his hands.

Zang Hai was shocked and quickly stopped Tantai Jin, “Junior Brother, what are you doing? You can’t kill him, he still has the token we need in his hands.”

They had been searching for so long, and wandered through the mortal realm for quite some time, wasn’t it all for the token to enter the Devil Domain? 

Since they were about to get the token once Su Su came out, at this critical moment, why would Junior Brother want to kill Young Master Zhang!

Zang Hai and Yao Guang hurriedly went to stop him.

Young Master Zhang was abnormal, but Tantai Jin mustn’t be! Besides, didn’t Su Su say she wasn’t afraid anymore?

Yao Guang barely managed to snatch Young Master Zhang from Tantai Jin’s hand. The little boy coughed violently, and Yao Guang said, “No, Junior Brother Jiumin, you can’t let Junior Sister’s efforts be in vain.”

Zang Hai hugged Tantai Jin, “Junior Brother, don’t be impulsive. Senior Brother promises you that if Immortal Li is in any danger, even if I have to risk my life, I’ll protect her.”

The hope of finding Master and Gongye Jiwu is close at hand. Junior Brother mustn’t ruin it.

Tantai Jin took a step back.

He looked dazed, “What do you know, what do you know……”

He walked into the cave to find Su Su. Zang Hai and Yao Guang exchanged a glance, but this time, no one spoke to stop him. 

Simply because, they had never seen someone emotionally collapse so quickly and to such an extent before.

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Edited by: Gaze