Chapter 26: The Unrepentant Thief and the Demonic Punishment

‘So, those two pouches must surely hold treasures even more precious than these fangs.’

‘Damn it, the craving has returned…’

Observing Bai Jiaojiao’s expression of profound regret, her hands itching with an unbearable desire, Su Qin’s lips twitched involuntarily.

‘She’s no child, yet after being caught twice, her mind still fixates on those treasures?’

‘How can she offer such a sincere apology, yet simultaneously harbor a persistent desire to continue pilfering?’

“Master~”

Gu Yuhe, insistent and relentless, continued to shake his arm.

“This little imp absolutely must be punished, or she will forever harbor designs on your possessions.”

Hearing this, Su Qin nodded in agreement, recognizing the truth in her words.

This particular scoundrel frequently engaged in pilfering magical artifacts while others slept; indeed, it was not the act of thievery itself that was most vexing, but rather the persistent covetousness of the thief.

What’s more, she appeared to have set her sights upon his very own Fang Treasure Chest.

This was truly no laughing matter; the Fang Treasure Chest represented his sole combat artifact at present. Should it be lost, he would be as helpless as a fish laid out on a chopping block.

Even with unseen eyes observing, a punishment was now imperative; failure to act would undoubtedly sow the seeds of future trouble.

“Big Brother, I truly believe I was under some kind of spell just now; I didn’t mean to utter those words~”

Bai Jiaojiao, initiating her grand plea for mercy once more, dissolved into copious tears, her exquisite, delicate face awash with sorrow. Her eyes, rimmed crimson, gazed up at Su Qin, brimming with desperate entreaty.

“Heh.”

Su Qin simply rolled his eyes.

‘He had offered her several opportunities to gracefully retreat, yet she seemed to truly believe he possessed a dull wit.’

‘A punishment was undeniably necessary, yet it could not be overly severe, while simultaneously needing to align with his identity as a demonic overlord.’

“Yuhe, tell me, how should she be punished?”

Gu Yuhe paused, startled by the question, then swiftly unveiled a somewhat wicked smile that sent a shiver of dread through Bai Jiaojiao’s heart.

“Perhaps, just as Master punishes us, we should administer forty strikes to her backside?”

“H-huh???”

Bai Jiaojiao instantly snapped to attention. ‘A spanking?’

The terrors of her childhood were instantly reawakened; when she still had a family, nothing had filled her with more dread than her mother’s discipline.

Su Qin, observing all of this unfold, found his initial hesitation vanish, and he decisively made up his mind.

‘You’re afraid?’

‘The greater your fear, the more resolute I become in choosing this method, to ensure you remember this lesson well.’

‘Moreover, this particular punishment was neither too harsh nor too lenient, striking a perfect balance. Witnessing her current state, it might even inflict a psychological scar, deterring her from any future attempts.’

‘Yes, this would be most satisfactory.’

“Yuhe, fetch a few branches from that side.”

Were he to use the Companion Spirit Wood for the task, he would be forced to divert his focus, carefully controlling the force of each strike to prevent excessive injury.

Such a method would be futile, as the mere overflow of life force from the wood would instantly mend any wounds, utterly negating the punitive effect.

As Gu Yuhe, a mischievous grin playing on her lips, presented him with a tree trunk as thick as a washbasin, Su Qin’s pupils constricted in shock.

‘No? Was there truly such animosity between them?’

‘This massive club, which Gu Yuhe merely carried as though it were a decorative bauble on a tree, made him wonder: did the girl intend for him to wield this colossal rolling pin and flatten Bai Jiaojiao into a pancake?’

“Ah, you can put that down…”

Su Qin raised a hand and infused a touch of life force into the trunk, causing a tender, pliant branch to sprout forth.

He promptly snapped it off, grasping it in his hand—its thickness, he noted, was precisely the most favored style from his previous life.

“Get over here, you unrepentant little thief!”

Su Qin swiftly pulled Bai Jiaojiao down, laying her across his lap. The little girl, trembling uncontrollably, seemed to have entered a ‘vibration mode.’

‘Hmph! Afraid, are we? It is precisely your fear I wish to instill, lest you return to pilfer yet again.’

With one hand, the demonic overlord secured her soft, tender feet. As the hem of her skirt lifted slightly, a small tiger pattern was revealed, prompting Su Qin to muse inwardly, ‘She is but a child, after all, her attire so utterly adorable.’

Nevertheless, the punishment had to proceed.

Su Qin raised the branch high. Terrified, Bai Jiaojiao instinctively clamped her hands over her eyes, her teeth clenching tightly. It was then that Su Qin detected a faint, distinct aroma of almonds.

This, he realized, was the scent of fear.

Among the inherent traits of his Blood Demon Spirit Body was the unique ability to discern emotions through scent, proving particularly sensitive to the aroma of fear.

‘Truly, this body was a born battle physique, an undeniable truth.’

Possessing exceptional all-weather vision, imperviousness to both water and fire, and immunity to myriad poisons, it boasted an acute spiritual energy perception system capable of anticipating an enemy’s every move. This, coupled with its emotional sensing ability, allowed him to pierce through illusion and grasp reality.

Once engaged in combat, not a single flaw in his adversary could elude his discerning gaze.

Just as now, this subtle almond fragrance served as a potent reminder to Su Qin that this particular punishment was precisely what was needed to ensure she learned her lesson thoroughly.

Yet, there was another scent, one that was somewhat ‘machachong’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘mǎchāchóng,’ referring to a seductive or alluring quality, often implying lust or flirtatiousness), growing increasingly intoxicating with each breath, signifying an extreme state of arousal.

That particular aroma, he had only ever encountered on Lingge. Each inhalation drew him deeper into its intoxicating embrace, stirring an unbearable itch within his heart, rendering even coherent thought somewhat arduous.

This was precisely why, prior to his arrival at the Immortal Slaying Valley, he had not hesitated to expend a single Blood Demon Reversal, knowing that without it, he would be utterly incapable of calmly facing the night’s unforeseen developments.

“I shall ask you one final time: do you still harbor any desire to pilfer my magical artifact?”

Bai Jiaojiao’s body stiffened, her eyes betraying a complex mix of palpable fear and an undeniable yearning for Su Qin’s artifact.

“Big Brother~, I swear I’ll never dare again.”

Witnessing her reaction, Su Qin’s brow furrowed into a deep frown.

‘Even at such a juncture, she persisted in her act. Had she truly been repentant, her words would have been, ‘Senior, this junior shall never again presume to offend you.’

‘Yet her current tone, was unmistakably identical to her earlier pleas for mercy.’

‘Just how desperately did she covet it?’

While killing to seize treasures was already a rarity, to strip someone of their life-preserving artifact was tantamount to offending them unto death.

‘She had already attained the Golden Core stage; did she truly lack such fundamental understanding of social decorum?’

‘A punishment, and a severe one at that, was absolutely essential.’

Su Qin’s gaze sharpened decisively. The branch moved with such blinding speed it left a faint afterimage, yet, just before making contact with her delicate skin, it decelerated almost imperceptibly.

–Whap!

“Mmm-ah~”

‘What?’

‘What was that peculiar sound? Su Qin cast a suspicious glance at the branch in his hand, perplexed, for he had certainly not allowed any life force to leak.’

Gu Yuhe, keenly observing Bai Jiaojiao’s reaction, was instantly reminded of her senior sisters, who had once vied to receive punishment in her stead, and the subsequent sight of their flushed faces.

Could it be… The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place within Gu Yuhe’s mind, and a look of profound realization dawned upon her delicate face.

“Master~, there are still thirty-nine more strikes remaining~. Why have you ceased? Have you perhaps run out of strength?”

Gu Yuhe stifled a delicate laugh behind her hand, her gaze lingering on Bai Jiaojiao, who appeared on the verge of spontaneously combusting. Su Qin’s expression, however, darkened considerably.

‘Was she provoking him?’

‘Was this not tantamount to questioning his capabilities?’

‘Damn it, his strikes lacked force, and now even his disciple was beginning to question him.’

‘This was a matter demanding utmost seriousness, for it could very well determine the future dynamic of power between master and disciple.’

Su Qin steeled his resolve. Infusing a surge of life energy, he allowed the branch to grow several inches, then unleashed a flurry of strikes, so swift they left lingering afterimages.

This time, Bai Jiaojiao clamped a hand over her mouth, trembling violently in agony.

Su Qin lifted his gaze, observing the visibly startled Gu Yuhe, and a flicker of smug satisfaction stirred within him.

‘To truly punish the errant, it was essential to instill fear even in those who were currently faultless. Judging by the present reactions, this objective had clearly been achieved.’

‘It was time, then, to tend to her injuries. Should he genuinely harm her, the powerful figure behind her would undoubtedly be displeased.’

Su Qin, with a mere thought, summoned forth a portion of his stored spiritual liquid and gently applied it to the wound. The little girl’s body instantly shuddered, and tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

“Ah~ It hurts so much, it hurts!”

Su Qin’s brow furrowed. ‘Was it truly that painful?’

Su Qin’s lips twitched, utterly at a loss for how to proceed, when abruptly, the entire valley began to tremble violently.

In the distance, Xiao Chen’s face was alight with wild ecstasy as the ancient array formations of the Immortal Slaying Valley began to glow with an archaic luminescence.

“The Immortal Slaying Array—it is complete!”