Chapter 24: A Master’s Machinations

Before him, Bai Jiaojiao, her face alight with curiosity and mischief, playfully kneaded at his pouch.

Behind him, Gu Yuhe, feigning a massage, subtly extended a mischievous hand, her touch growing increasingly bold.

The demon lord, however, was forced to feign ignorance, unable to even let out a faint hum.

Should he intervene with Bai Jiaojiao, Gu Yuhe might well deduce her actions, shattering the carefully constructed image he had cultivated in her eyes.

Conversely, addressing Gu Yuhe would risk startling Bai Jiaojiao, and if the girl were to leave feeling aggrieved, it could easily invite retaliation.

‘This is beyond my control,’ Su Qin mused. ‘Su Qin, this is your destiny; you must simply endure.’

Su Qin lifted his gaze, observing that the skirmish at the valley floor had escalated into a desperate, close-quarters melee.

‘Where could that girl, Han Zhiyun, be?’

Su Qin’s eyes swept across the landscape, finding Han Zhiyun leaning weakly against a massive tree on the opposite mountain ridge.

Excellent. The ‘soften-suppress-soften’ strategy for winning over hearts proved effective. With so many more disciples awaiting his persuasion, now was the opportune moment to accrue further experience.

‘My dear disciple, your Master will be kinder to you these next few days~’

Su Qin’s lips slowly curved into a smirk, a knowing glint dancing in his eyes.

‘Pray tell, you must harbor rebellious thoughts, amass your confidence and self-respect, gather them all, so that your Master may crush them in a single decisive strike.’

‘Remember this: no matter who you are in the outside world, before your Master, you shall be nothing less than a loyal disciple.’

When dealing with Han Zhiyun, the metaphorical ‘fist’ must strike with even greater force than it did for Gu Yuhe!

According to Qi Shuyue’s deductions, Han Zhiyun likely believed that the individual orchestrating events from behind the scenes had bestowed a great favor upon her.

This disciple held loyalty and righteousness above all else; while her body might be forced to yield, her spirit could never be made to submit.

As for the machinations employed by that petty villain, Su Qin could largely surmise them.

The scoundrel had orchestrated a trap, allowing Han Zhiyun to fall into peril, only to then swoop in with a perfectly timed rescue—a self-directed, self-performed theatrical farce.

Han Zhiyun was immune to glib flattery; only through such a meticulously crafted ploy could her inner resolve be shaken.

For this very reason, the tactics previously employed against Gu Yuhe—a combination of an ‘iron fist’ and honeyed words—would prove utterly ineffective on Han Zhiyun.

She was an exceptionally stubborn and unyielding woman, a ‘fierce maiden’.

While one could use ‘Maiden’s Lament’ (TL Note: 《烈女愁》, Liènǚ Chóu, likely a fictional aphrodisiac or mind-altering substance in this context) to make her compliant… cough, cough, he jested, he merely happened to possess that particular concoction.

For her to undergo a transformation, she had to arrive at the realization and understanding entirely on her own.

If she harbored resentment towards her Master for Su Qin’s previous actions, then the moment she grasped the truth, she would undoubtedly be overcome with tears of anguish, feeling an eternal debt of gratitude for Su Qin’s benevolence.

Yet, he could not simply inform her directly, for such a revelation would merely sound like the demon lord’s manipulative rhetoric, which she would never fully trust.

Even if they were to reconcile, a lingering thorn of suspicion would remain embedded in their future relationship.

At this critical juncture, he needed to exert pressure with an ‘iron fist,’ while simultaneously employing softening tactics to sow confusion, thereby guiding her to uncover the truth on her own.

If, even after all this, she still failed to grasp the demon lord’s true intentions…

…then, regretfully, Su Qin would have to ‘clean house’. He would never tolerate a disciple who harbored murderous intent towards their Master.

Setting aside all else, if matters had progressed to such a state, and she still hadn’t come to a realization…

…if she couldn’t even discern such a simple ‘hero saving the maiden’ ploy, then she possessed absolutely no loyalty to Su Qin whatsoever.

What right did she have, then, to be the demon lord’s disciple?

In tales, the Buddha’s retinue included formidable figures like Subhuti, yet also beings such as Manjushri and Samantabhadra, who could be tossed into a river and nearly drown, or who had to fear being devoured by their own mounts when taking them for a stroll.

However, these venerable Buddhas shared one crucial trait.

Unwavering!

Loyalty!

Ability was secondary; as long as loyalty remained, the bond of master and disciple would ensure a place for them on the future battlefront.

Su Qin was rather covetous… ah, no, he was quite fond of such grateful immortal maidens.

Especially upon discerning the legacy of his own assassin’s path within her, a sense of profound camaraderie and satisfaction washed over him.

Yet, if a scheme of this magnitude could leave her disoriented and sow the seeds of rebellion in her heart…

…even if he were to nurture her into a formidable presence on the front lines, what an enormous hidden danger she would become if a more cunning plot were ever devised?

Could Su Qin truly rely on her to be a steadfast pillar, to become his very wings?

She could only save herself; only through her own enlightenment could she truly succeed.

‘Either she becomes a loyal hound, or she faces the blade.’

Su Qin’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint, chilling killing intent, palpable even from thousands of meters distant, sent a shiver down Han Zhiyun’s spine.

She found herself utterly paralyzed, unable to stir.

Moments ago, as that verdant pillar threatened to pulverize the demon lord, she had been so exhilarated she nearly leaped for joy, believing she would finally escape the oppressive shadow of the fiend.

At last, she wouldn’t have to acknowledge the husband status she had, by a twist of fate and hometown custom, unwittingly bestowed upon Su Qin, nor would she have to weep alone into the nights as she once did.

Yet, how could the demon lord possess such immense power?

That green pillar represented a formidable technique far beyond her comprehension; it was clearly a full-force strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator, and by all logic, a Golden Core cultivator should have had no chance of survival.

Nevertheless, the demon lord had merely raised a hand, shattering the very valley with a single palm strike.

How was this demon lord’s growth so increasingly terrifying? Each time she believed she could glimpse his retreating figure, reality delivered a brutal slap to her face.

Could she truly hope to defeat such a monstrous being?

“Zhiyun,” Su Qin’s voice reached her, “It has been too long. Your Master has missed you dearly.”

The gentle words from Su Qin, whispered close to her ear, instantly plunged Han Zhiyun into a chasm of icy dread.

Who, oh who, could help her? Who could help her flee the demon lord’s looming shadow? She harbored no desire to become the demon lord’s wife, yet the wedding date loomed ever closer…

If Qi Shuyue wished to be his principal wife, then let her have the position; Han Zhiyun certainly wouldn’t covet it.

Dragons sought dragons, phoenixes sought phoenixes; a demoness was a fitting match for a demon lord.

She simply couldn’t comprehend why everyone, from her relatives back home to Qi Shuyue herself, kept discussing how she would surely regret breaking the engagement.

Could she possibly be so perverse as to fall in love with a demon lord who had subjected her to prolonged torment?

Han Zhiyun turned her head, casting a glance at Xiao Chen beside her. He was entirely engrossed in observing the valley floor, and the undisguised avarice etched onto his face struck her as utterly alien.

Nevertheless, she ventured to speak:

“Xiao Chen… perhaps we should just leave?”

Xiao Chen, who had been in high spirits, frowned, his tone tinged with displeasure.

“Why?” he demanded.

The battle below was fiercely contested, and the ‘fruit’ of their efforts was on the verge of ripening. With just a little more patience, the Immortal Slaying Array would activate.

Why should he not seize this unparalleled opportunity?

“My Master has arrived…”

“Heh,” Xiao Chen scoffed, a cold sneer twisting his lips.

What did it matter if her Master had arrived? He was merely a Golden Core cultivator. In his Xiao family, even the lowliest servants began their cultivation journey at the Golden Core stage.

His arrival was perfectly timed; he would serve as excellent material for refining a demon soul clone!

His only regret was the escape of so many Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators. Had there been more lives, the resulting clone would have been even more potent.

“You are no match for him.”

Recalling the earth-shattering attack from moments before, a profound worry creased Han Zhiyun’s brow.

Xiao Chen’s lips twitched in a cold, disdainful manner as he cast a glance at the trembling, enervated Han Zhiyun.

‘Is this truly the extent of your courage?’ he thought. ‘To be so terrified of a mere Golden Core cultivator? What an utterly ignorant village girl.’

“It’s almost here,” Xiao Chen murmured, “The critical point is upon us.”

Gazinge at the brutal conflict raging at the valley’s depths, a wicked smile perpetually played upon Xiao Chen’s lips.

“Such a grand opportunity, it rightfully belongs to me!”