Bu Wei

Ning Buwei thought to himself, “This is not good,” and was about to remove the concealment talisman to reveal himself, but was stopped by Chu Jun.

“Chu Xin is preparing to make a move,” Ning Buwei said. “I’ll appear as Wang Zizhuo to mediate the situation.”

Chu Jun coughed lightly and said, “Let me cast a transformation spell on you first.”

“Hm?” Ning Buwei was confused for a moment, then belatedly realized that Chu Jun had somehow undone the transformation spell on him.

It seemed that even in his unclear state of mind, Chu Jun couldn’t bring himself to kiss Wang Zizhuo’s face, and had still remembered to remove the transformation spell.

Ning Buwei felt an indescribable sense of subtlety in his heart and gave Chu Jun a meaningful look.

At the same time, Jiang Yizheng seemed to sense the killing intent from Chu Xin and cautiously took a step back, saying, “What a coincidence.”

Feng Zizhang stepped forward to shield Cui Yuanbai and Jiang Yizheng behind him, saying, “The barrier set up by Dean Hao Zheng is quite peaceful.”

The implication was that although they couldn’t beat them in a fight, Dean Hao Zheng was right there, so starting a fight might not be advantageous.

Xie Jiu smiled slightly upon hearing this and held Chu Xin back, saying, “No wonder it’s so quiet today.”

“Oh my, why is it so lively in the middle of the night?” Ning Buwei, wearing Wang Zizhuo’s face, came out pushing the door open, wearing a slightly wrinkled outer robe. “I was wondering why there was an opening in the barrier I set up. So it’s because Young Master Xie wants to go out late at night.”

A flash of impatience crossed Xie Jiu’s face as he held Chu Xin’s shoulder and said to Ning Buwei, “I’m going out to see off a friend. I didn’t mean to disturb Young Master Wang’s sleep.”

Ning Buwei smiled and said, “It’s no bother. However, the Dao Discussion Conference is tomorrow. It’s best to rest and conserve energy.”

Feng Zizhang and Jiang Yizheng, in a rare moment of quick thinking, took advantage of his conversation with Xie Jiu to grab Cui Yuanbai and run back into the Wanxuan Academy’s barrier.

Seeing this, Ning Buwei feigned confusion and asked, “What are they—”

Xie Jiu, still holding Chu Xin, said, “Just some old friends.”

Ning Buwei put on an uninterested expression, “Young Master Xie, please do as you wish. I’m going back to sleep.”

Xie Jiu nodded, and Ning Buwei turned to close the courtyard door. He vaguely sensed divine consciousness probing, so he casually returned to his room before unhurriedly setting up a barrier.

In the neighboring courtyard.

Feng Zizhang and Jiang Yizheng looked at each other, both still shaken.

“Did you see that?” After a long while, Feng Zizhang finally spoke.

Jiang Yizheng nodded, “Chu Xin… had so much evil energy.”

Although Ning Buwei was also an evil cultivator, he usually kept his evil energy well-concealed. Unless deliberately released, it generally wouldn’t be noticeable. So even though they had been around Ning Buwei for so long, they had never directly faced so much evil energy.

And this person happened to be Chu Xin.

After a long silence, Jiang Yizheng asked again, “How did Chu Xin end up with Xie Jiu?”

The last time they saw Xie Jiu was in the dungeon of Wushi Sect’s Shangong Department, but they were in danger themselves at that time and hadn’t spoken. They didn’t have much interaction with him anyway.

Feng Zizhang asked puzzledly, “He’s in Yunzhong Sect, he’s in Wushi Sect, and now we meet him again at the Dao Discussion Conference?”

Jiang Yizheng asked in confusion, “Is the cooking of Linggu Sect’s disciples really that good?”

Feng Zizhang: “…That is indeed true.”

Cui Yuanbai, being held by Jiang Yizheng, reached out to tug at her sleeve, “Sister, I really sensed Dad and Father’s auras. The black energy around Father is getting stronger.”

Jiang Yizheng’s expression turned serious, “You’re saying there’s black energy around the Venerable?”

Cui Yuanbai nodded, “It’s bad, uncomfortable, very similar to the black energy around that red-eyed person just now.”

Feng Zizhang frowned and said, “Could you have seen wrong? How could there be evil energy around the Venerable?”

Cui Yuanbai shook his head firmly, “I couldn’t have seen wrong.”

“What should we do?” Jiang Yizheng was a bit anxious, “Even the Venerable, who is so powerful, has been corrupted by evil energy, and Father isn’t here now.”

Feng Zizhang was stunned for a moment, then said quietly, “Xiao Jiang, have you forgotten that our father… is an evil cultivator to begin with?”

Jiang Yizheng was immediately at a loss for words. After a long while, he said, “…Could it be our father?”

Feng Zizhang recalled Ning Buwei’s daily interactions with Chu Jun, and said in a low voice, “Given the Venerable’s cold and aloof nature, and his heavenly disposition, it would be normal for our father to use some methods if he loves but can’t have him.”

Jiang Yizheng exclaimed in shock, “Is this normal!?”

Feng Zizhang looked up at the sky, “After all, our father is Ning Buwei.”

Jiang Yizheng instantly dropped her shock, “Indeed.”

The two of them took Cui Yuanbai back to their room, both looking dejected.

“Chu Xin clearly had killing intent towards us just now. If it wasn’t for that Young Master Wang suddenly appearing—” Jiang Yizheng pursed her lips, not continuing.

Previously, Chu Xin had a deep hatred for evil cultivators, but now he had somehow become an evil cultivator himself.

“Could something have happened to him?” Feng Zizhang frowned. When they were at Wushi Sect before, they were cut off from news at Yijian Peak, and now following Venerable Jinghe to Dao Discussion Mountain, they had even less way of finding out.

“Should we… help?” He was somewhat conflicted.

“But he had already severed ties with us before, and just now he wanted to kill us,” Jiang Yizheng lowered her eyes, “Why should we help?”

“Maybe he has some difficulties…” Feng Zizhang speculated.

“But what if he doesn’t?” Jiang Yizheng shook her head, “Father told us to mind our own business, staying alive is the most important.”

Feng Zizhang sighed.

“Moreover, since he had killing intent towards us and is here on Dao Discussion Mountain, he might be lurking in the shadows to make a move against us…” Jiang Yizheng said calmly, “We must be on guard.”

But when former friends now turn their swords against each other, even if they say they don’t care, it’s hard not to feel desolate in their hearts.

Let alone having to speculate about the other’s intentions with the most malicious thoughts.

In the neighboring courtyard, Ning Buwei put down the barrier and turned to see Chu Jun sitting on the couch, holding an album in his hands, looking at it intently with lowered eyes.

Ning Buwei: “……”

For a moment, Ning Buwei wanted to kill to silence.

Seeing him come in, Chu Jun put down the album on the table as if nothing had happened, “How did it go?”

“They left,” Ning Buwei sat opposite him, “But my sudden appearance made Xie Jiu start to be vigilant.”

He paused slightly in his tone, “What happened to you just now?”

“There was a bit of a problem with my cultivation,” Chu Jun said calmly, “I—”

Ning Buwei rudely interrupted him, “This is the first time I’ve heard of someone kissing people due to cultivation problems.” He reached for the album that was face-down on the table, finding it still open to the page he had been looking at earlier. The position of the two figures on it was a bit too wild, and he couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Chu Jun said in a quiet tone, “Perhaps it’s from looking at the album too much.”

Ning Buwei, caught off guard by this counterattack, narrowed his eyes dangerously and stared at him meaningfully, “If that’s the case, why don’t I teach you?”

Chu Jun remained very calm and was about to leisurely retort when Ning Buwei suddenly struck at him with a palm. He raised his hand to block, but Ning Buwei twisted his wrist, aiming for his vital point.

Chu Jun dodged to the side, but Ning Buwei’s palm hit his shoulder. His face instantly paled, and the evil energy at his shoulder began to run rampant.

Ning Buwei took the opportunity to slap an immobilization talisman on Chu Jun, pushing him down onto the couch. Looking down at him, Ning Buwei sneered, “Such weak techniques. One might think the Venerable Jinghe has been overindulging.”

Chu Jun lowered his eyelids and said softly, “Get off.”

Ning Buwei grabbed his chin and leaned in close, saying teasingly, “I’ll get off if you kiss me back.”

Chu Jun suddenly fell silent, showing no signs of resistance.

Ning Buwei, who had intended to vent his anger, was left speechless. He wasn’t getting the respect a great demon deserved.

Ning Buwei pulled open Chu Jun’s collar, revealing a large patch of black markings almost reaching his neck. This evil energy seemed to be spreading directly from his soul.

The evil energy felt familiar. Ning Buwei was about to ask which bastard dared to plagiarize his blood talisman when he suddenly remembered the palm strike he had given Chu Jun in his sea of consciousness long ago.

It was likely this blood talisman that caused Chu Jun’s cultivation problem.

Talk about reaping what you sow.

Ning Buwei fell silent for a moment, preparing to personally take on the task of drawing out this evil energy, but Chu Jun said, “It’s not necessary.”

“And then wait for this evil energy to draw out all the inner demons in you?” Ning Buwei smiled, “Or is it that the Venerable Jinghe has cultivated the path of tranquility to the point of having no inner demons left?”

Chu Jun cleared his throat and said, “I still have use for it.”

Now Ning Buwei was truly surprised. He said in a complex tone, “You really are not yourself today.”

He had arrogantly and domineeringly pinned Chu Jun to the couch, messed up his clothes, and even complained about his mental state.

Fortunately, Chu Jun had a good temper and calmly negotiated with him, “Get up first.”

He was half-leaning on the couch, eyes lowered, clothes disheveled. The black markings were particularly noticeable on his fair, slender neck. He looked as if he couldn’t resist and was at Ning Buwei’s mercy, yet maintained a calm and composed demeanor as if the sky was falling.

Ning Buwei had always thought beauty was fleeting, believing he could remain unmoved even if a celestial maiden appeared before him. But now, looking at Chu Jun in this state, he found it quite challenging to his moral integrity.

He roughly wrapped Chu Jun’s collar and said harshly, “Tell me first what you plan to do with this evil energy. Otherwise, I’ll teach you how to use that book properly and thoroughly ravish you.”

In the great demon’s imagination, someone with Chu Jun’s cold and aloof nature would surely not tolerate such verbal humiliation. Moreover, this man couldn’t stand even a speck of sand in his eye. In the past at Wanxuan Academy, if he dared to provoke like this, he would definitely receive a solid scolding and be dragged to the self-reflection pavilion to copy sword manuals as punishment—

At the very least, he should be flushed with anger.

However, after a long moment, Chu Jun just quietly looked at him. The room fell into a silent stillness, with only the sound of their breathing.

Ning Buwei: “……”

This surnamed Chu was indeed sent by heaven to specifically counter him.