Chapter 13: A Devil’s Bargain

“Master, Master, I was a little slow in coming just now, and the tea has gotten a bit cold. I should change it for you.”

Could cold tea really not be drunk? Qi Shuyue narrowed her eyes, instantly realizing something was amiss.

“Let’s not bother with that. Just finish the tea ceremony quickly.”

“Hey, little sister, hurry up and offer the tea, or he really will kill us,” Qi Shuyue whispered, reminding her.

Gu Yuhe froze for a moment. Trembling, she walked to the table, hesitantly pouring a cup of bright red, translucent fragrant tea.

“Don’t drink!”

Su Qin could no longer hold back, issuing a warning.

Qi Shuyue wore a gentle smile, offering no response, though her expression was somewhat stiff.

Gu Yuhe picked up the teacup, her small face clouded with worry, and held it aloft for an extended moment without offering it.

‘This little girl is truly too easy to read, posing little threat. However, it seems this fellow knew everything all along.’

‘He’s been selectively leaking information, yet in front of me, he still put on a clueless act, pretending utter ignorance.’

Qi Shuyue puffed out her cheeks in slight displeasure. A sudden urge to stir more trouble for him seized her, prompting her to urge Gu Yuhe.

“Little sister, why are you frozen? Hand it over quickly; he seems to be growing suspicious.”

Gu Yuhe shivered, gritted her teeth, and finally handed over the tea.

“Qi Shuyue, don’t drink it, it’s poisoned! Did you hear me?”

Su Qin was overcome with anxiety. Should she truly drink it, the entire situation would crumble, leaving no room for recovery.

The Azure Profound Sect would surely hunt him to his death, that old man from the Bone Painting Hall would undoubtedly seize the chance to make trouble, and most importantly, if that madwoman Bai Zhenye discovered he had lied, who knew what insane things she might do.

Yet Qi Shuyue appeared deaf to his words, reaching out to take the tea.

“Hey, woman, I order you not to drink it! Didn’t you hear me!”

Qi Shuyue remained silent, single-mindedly intent on drinking the tea. Just as she was about to take it into her hands, Su Qin, with a surge of desperation, bit hard into Qi Shuyue’s soft flesh.

“Oh-hm-ho~”

Qi Shuyue let out a delicate grunt, yet still gritted her teeth, reaching for the tea.

‘Alas, what misery!’

If he were in human form, Su Qin would have already collapsed to the ground. Trapped with no way out, he faced certain death.

However, his premonition did not come to pass.

As Gu Yuhe quickly offered the tea, her hand trembled, and the teacup slipped from her grasp, crashing to the ground and shattering into countless fragments.

“Master, forgive me!”

Gu Yuhe immediately prostrated herself, bowing her head and kowtowing more than a dozen times. She busily used her sleeve to gather the shattered fragments, then retreated as if fleeing.

Qi Shuyue gazed in the direction the little girl had departed, her finely arched brows furrowed slightly in pain.

“This disciple of yours has passed the test, but you truly bit hard. I was trembling all over just now from the pain.”

“Who told you not to listen to my advice? That tea was poisoned; how many times have I told you!”

“Hmph. Then who told you to keep pretending to be clueless, never leaking a single piece of information to me?”

Su Qin, in a fit of pique, spoke with an edge, showing no mercy.

“I have no obligation to tell a captive my battle plan.”

Qi Shuyue scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

“Then you have an obligation to suck a captive’s blood, bite a captive’s body? Or perhaps get a captive drunk and commit improper acts?”

When it came to verbal sparring, Su Qin was no match; he was silenced in just a few sentences. Yet, in terms of being amenable, Su Qin proved far easier to handle than either of the two disciples he had encountered thus far.

“Why aren’t you speaking now? Weren’t you just biting and sucking?”

Su Qin wished he could simply keep his eyes closed, truly hoping all of this was merely an illusion. Yet, Qi Shuyue did not press him further, understanding the need for a balance of tension and ease.

“Now, can you tell me how you plan to deal with tonight?”

Su Qin remained silent for a long while before finally squeezing out a single sentence.

“What exactly do you want?”

“I want you.”

Qi Shuyue stated it without reservation.

“Don’t joke around. We’ve only known each other for a few days. What exactly do you want to do?”

Qi Shuyue gently caressed her soft chest, precisely where Su Qin’s head rested.

“If the previous reason fails to convince you, then my other reason should satisfy you: my objective is the same as yours. I wish to use this opportunity to see things clearly.

The Demonic Sword Sect and the Azure Profound Sect have long been in equally precarious situations. If someone could poison you, then someone could just as easily poison me.

This is a perfect chance to use this opportunity to eliminate these informants. Isn’t that what you’re thinking?”

Su Qin remained silent, acknowledging the truth in Qi Shuyue’s words.

“Therefore, Mr. Devil, this time we’re both getting what we need. Hearing me say this, are you feeling a bit more at ease? So now, can you tell me how you plan to deal with tonight?

Honestly, I am truly curious to see what you will do.”

Qi Shuyue toyed with the paperweight on Su Qin’s desk, one hand propping up her cheek.

“From my perspective, at least four factions will be seeking to harm you tonight.

My master, Zhao Shuyun, is a reserved person who only ever treats me well, and she genuinely intends to trade with you; that goes without saying.

However, those Demonic Sect spies within the Azure Profound Sect might seek to seize this opportunity to snatch resources.

The fervent proponents of the righteous-demonic war in the Azure Profound Sect also wish to kill you to escalate matters.

Then there are your hostile elders within the Demonic Sect, and finally, those foolish disciples of yours, along with a scoundrel who is misleading them.

Oh, and that woman who severed your right arm that day; she also seems rather… unbalanced.

From my current perspective, even if you are a Golden Core cultivator, you would undoubtedly have been strangled to death in the ensuing chaos. Yet, you give me the distinct impression that you’re not anxious in the slightest.

Therefore, I am incredibly curious. Quickly tell me how you’ve prepared for this.”

Su Qin sighed. Although this Saintess seemed restrained, her cunning and depth were exactly as described in his previous life. Moreover, at only nineteen, she had yet to fully mature.

Never mind, I’ll just tell her. She’d likely figure it out within a quarter of an hour at most anyway.

“I can tell you, but I need to suck two more mouthfuls of your blood.”

Approximately 100cc, and given her cultivation, it would have little to no effect on her, yet it would significantly boost his chances of survival.

“Alright, I agree.”

Su Qin let out a long breath, then slowly began to explain.

“It’s not difficult at all. As long as some die, others will live.”

Qi Shuyue’s eyes instantly lit up, and she couldn’t help but feel a touch of admiration.

“The more factions that want to kill you, the more disunited they are… Are you saying! Don’t go tonight, and let them fight among themselves?!”

“No, we must go, but as a fisherman watching from the sidelines!”

“You devil!”

Qi Shuyue excitedly patted her chest, truly pleased that being captured had led her to such a satisfying individual.

“You truly make me so happy!”

“Stop patting, my ears hurt,” Su Qin grumbled.

“So, when do we depart? I can’t wait to see the spectacle!” Qi Shuyue was clearly very excited.

“Aren’t you at all conflicted? Many of your fellow sect members might die tonight.”

Qi Shuyue, however, showed no trace of sadness.

“Let them die, then. They only cause trouble; without them, the righteous path would have revived long ago.”

Su Qin pursed his lips, thinking to himself that without these people, the Demonic Sword Sect might have been annihilated — so what was she talking about?

“I will tell you the plan when night falls.”

“Good!” Qi Shuyue agreed instantly, her eyes full of anticipation for tonight’s fierce battle.

***

The wind was high and the moon bright. Qi Shuyue sat weakly, her eyes filled with the shock of betrayal.

Her cherry lips trembled slightly, and her cool, delicate face was etched with grievance, a sour feeling of humiliation bringing tears to her eyes.

“So, this is your plan? You’re going to abandon me?”