Chapter 30: The Utterly Despicable Leng Qingqiu

“Jie jie jie—”
The laughter scraped like a dull blade on rusted iron, echoing through the sealed palace.
“That’s why your cultivation never progresses…”
The Great Elder coughed violently, a gurgling sound mixed with blood-flecked foam.
“No guts at all! You’d let those righteous hypocrites laugh their teeth out!”

A demon cultivator couldn’t help but speak up.
“But it’s been over forty days since his tribulation failure… The Calamity Plague Emperor Lord is probably… beyond saving.”
“Jie jie jie, though he was close to our Nether Sect, when did I say we were saving him?”
The Great Elder’s eyes glinted.
“That one could kill the Emperor Lord but wouldn’t bother clearing the countless rare plague toxins left in the Rotting Bone Nether River.”
“Our Nether Sect thrives on such necrotic treasures. These past centuries, the righteous sects suppressed us, leaving few chances for slaughter and refinement.”
“Now, with peak Great Vehicle plague toxins up for grabs, if we don’t seize them, where’s the demonic sects’ pride?”
“Plus, securing them will aid the sect leader’s decades-long plan!”

The Nether Sect cultivators nodded, enlightened.
“Right! The risks are high, but the rewards far outweigh them. It’s worth a shot! Jie jie jie!”
“If we fuse the Emperor Lord’s toxins with the sect leader’s plan… neither the Illusory Beast Spirit Abyss Pavilion nor the Taixuan Creation Sect will stand a chance!”
“Heaven shall exalt our great Nether Sect! Jie jie jie!”
In the dim palace, the duck-voiced demon cultivators cackled in unison.
Despite their grand dreams, they only dared target the weakest of the seven immortal sects.
Little did they know, their fantasy was a death knell. Waiting wasn’t treasure but the peak Great Vehicle Calamity Plague Emperor Lord, furious from being resealed.

“Qingqiu, how long can the reinforced seal on that Great Vehicle demon hold?”
“Rest assured, Huaizhou. If my dynasty’s Skywatch Division calculated correctly, we have half a month to prepare.”

In Chu Huaizhou’s chambers, the two sat on the bed, as close as lovers long apart.
Leng Qingqiu’s snow-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, her phoenix eyes brimming with tenderness.
Upon entering, she’d waved her hand, layering the room with three inner and three outer arrays.
Then, like a parched land meeting rain, she threw herself into his arms, her soft warmth nearly suffocating him.
Gone was the icy, commanding empress who awed the masses—her words shifted from “Master” to “Huaizhou,” to “I,” dripping with intimacy.
Her hands roamed shamelessly, venturing to increasingly bold places.
Thankfully, Chu Huaizhou called out her earlier recklessness, accusing her of acting without trust like true partners.
This made her pause, head bowed in apology, halting further advances and settling for their current closeness.

“Mm, thank you, Qingqiu. Are you confident about dealing with that Great Vehicle demon? If not, I have some ideas.”
He was about to spin a tale, claiming he knew the Emperor Lord’s weaknesses to prep early.
But Leng Qingqiu smiled, her hand sliding over his chest.
“Don’t worry, Huaizhou. Everything’s arranged. I’ll handle it in half a month.”

Chu Huaizhou blinked, then chuckled.
Right—she wasn’t the stubborn girl who bore everything alone anymore.
Now, as Hanyuan Dynasty’s empress, wielding the will of countless beings, her true strength could make late Great Vehicle cultivators retreat.
If he knew the Emperor Lord’s weaknesses, her intelligence network likely knew even more.

“Alright, but call Bai Qian and Yinlu too. Remember what I taught you?”
Her phoenix eyes sparkled, answering without hesitation.
“Of course. Your ‘Three Musts’ are etched in my heart.”
“When in danger, retreat behind others. When facing enemies, gang up, never fight alone. When finding a secret realm, call Master.”
“Rest assured, Master, I’ve arranged everything.”

Her words pulled him back to three hundred years ago.
Back then, Leng Qingqiu was aloof and guarded but cherished his teachings.
He’d spoken offhandedly, not expecting her to remember.
To the worldly Leng Qingqiu, the “Three Musts” were childish, like coaxing a kid.
Yet she recalled them instantly.
What a good disciple. Why did his eyes sting?

With preparations so thorough, no accidents should occur—he likely wouldn’t need to act.
Time to hit the auction and secure Emperor Xiaoyao’s soul fragment.
Even if he couldn’t recover his memories or cultivation, Xiaoyao’s Immortal Realm knowledge would help.
In the game, Xiaoyao was a cryptic guide, withholding key info with “it’s not time yet,” likely for later playthroughs.
But Chu Huaizhou transmigrated before reaching those.

Stroking her silken white hair, he said gently, “Are you free these days? I want to go out and look around. How about…”
Before he finished, Leng Qingqiu’s eyes blazed with excitement.
She grabbed his wrist, hard enough to leave marks. “Let’s go now.”
“Wait, I haven’t said where—”
Rip—
Her hand tore space like silk, revealing a glimpse of opulent pavilions and bustling crowds.
Not giving him a chance to back out, she wrapped an arm around his waist and stepped into the void.

Chu Huaizhou’s only thought: Wait, I didn’t bring my giant Bai Li!
Without her, how could he counter Leng Qingqiu?!

Nearby, Bai Li lounged comfortably in Ye Feng’s arms, basking in her praise.
Suddenly, sensing spatial fluctuations from Chu Huaizhou’s chambers, her instincts screamed.
She shot into the room as a streak of white light—too late.
Only his faint scent and Leng Qingqiu’s icy aura lingered.
The human’s scent is right here…
The empty room held only two dents on the bed, proof they were just there.
Bai Li’s nine tails drooped, amber eyes wide in disbelief.
Where’s my human, meow?!
Leng Qingqiu, how dare you, meow! You despicable woman!
Give me back my human, meow!