Chapter 39: The Donglai Purple Flame’s Awakening

‘Alas, I’ll just wait for the sunrise.’

The demonic cultivator shook his head.

In the end, the disparity in cultivation levels was simply too vast; he was merely at the perfected Core Formation stage, while his opponent had reached the perfected Nascent Soul stage.

Had their cultivation been equal, there was a high probability he could have unleashed the “Blood Rain” portion of his Bloody Storm technique, and this water curtain would never have been able to hold him back.

Yet, none of that was possible. It was all too rushed; only three or four days had passed since his awakening, and he had already burned himself out.

The words on the [Epitaph] felt like an unyielding chain, constantly constricting his breath.

Far away, Qi Ning experienced a completely different sensation.

“The Blood Demon Reversal is indeed a formidable divine ability of the Blood Demon Spirit Body, but why was even his soul restored…?”

The wisdom of an experienced combatant prevented her from drawing any closer, leaving her to observe from a distance.

This situation had become truly troublesome; based on her understanding, after sunrise, the soul inhabiting the Blood Demon Spirit Body would be annihilated along with the body, rendering it impossible to refine.

However, she dared not approach him now, fearing that the young man still held some deadly trump card.

Nevertheless, she could not afford to lose face, so she let out a cold snort.

“Are you waiting for the sunrise? It’s useless. After you’re exposed to the light, and before you disintegrate, I will peel out your divine soul. Self-destruction will be of no avail.”

Rushing forward the very instant he was exposed to the light, at the precise moment his soul began to disintegrate, and then utilizing a Soul Transformation stage soul to strip his soul—this was currently the most stable strategy.

It would, however, severely test her mastery of timing.

‘I’ll just cultivate one last time.’

Su Qin ignored his opponent’s taunts. His fangs assembled themselves into a red and white demonic lotus as he sat cross-legged, beginning his cultivation technique deductions.

He started with the Blood Demon’s technique; a faint red glow flickered, and for a moment, the phantom figure capable of shouldering mountains and parting seas seemed to open its eyes once more.

But it was useless. The current number of beast-like entities was insufficient to support a formation of that caliber.

Next, he recalled a set of cultivation techniques Su Qin had used before becoming a demon.

Having not circulated it for too long, Su Qin could only find faint traces of it within his meridians.

The innate spiritual wood grew rampant, its tendrils extending from the lotus seat and submerging into the water, resembling a lotus blooming brightly in the early morning.

For some unknown reason, the original Su Qin never once used his pre-demonic cultivation techniques or divine abilities before his death; neither the innate spiritual wood nor his fire spirit root had ever been utilized.

Though he possessed both wood and fire spirit roots, he could only sense the wood spirit root, while the fire spirit root remained as dormant as if extinguished.

Qi Ning, seeing this, also sat cross-legged to cultivate.

***

At the Demonic Sword Sect, Bai Zhenye glanced at the gradually brightening eastern sky, her delicate hands clenching her pristine white skirt.

“He wouldn’t lie to me; he will definitely return.”

“He still owes me a child…”

This battle-hardened killing god, whose life was simple to the point of consisting only of combat and cultivation, leaned against a wall with her treasured sword clutched vertically. Due to its position, the demonic sword was perfectly encased by her ample curves.

The immortal maiden, whose face was perpetually cold and expression aloof, now bore a profound worry on her captivating countenance.

Bai Zhenye moved with light, lotus-like steps, heading towards Silver Blossom Hall.

***

Within the Bone Painting Hall’s gloomy subterranean chamber, Xiao Chen completed the final array inscription. Inside the formation, blood-soaked skeletal remains began to reassemble themselves into grotesque forms amidst an eerie green glow.

The skeleton began to take on a rudimentary human shape, its head precisely the one Su Qin had severed.

“The Bone Painting Corpse is complete!”

Gao Pei opened his eyes in delighted surprise, while a flicker of conspiracy danced in Xiao Chen’s gaze.

“Congratulations, Master, on overcoming this danger!”

Xiao Chen barely needed to fan the flames further; Gao Pei gnashed his teeth, his grating voice truly chilling.

“That despicable Su Qin! To dare devise such a sinister plot to harm me, slaughter my descendants, and seize my family’s assets!”

“Master, please calm your anger. Your soul has only just returned to its place; you still require quiet recuperation.”

A hint of a false smile flashed in the corner of Xiao Chen’s eye, though inwardly, he wished for Gao Pei to act immediately.

“Fear not, I saw it with my own eyes: Su Qin is trapped within the formation, entangled in battle with a Soul Transformation stage expert. There’s no way he can escape!”

A Soul Transformation stage expert—Xiao Chen’s expression shifted, and he secretly committed this information to memory.

“Now, this old man will go and seize his Silver Blossom Hall! I will destroy all his accumulated wealth!”

Gao Pei hastily clutched a handful of talismans, summoned a few bone soldiers, and rushed towards Silver Blossom Hall.

***

Within Immortal Slaying Valley, Su Qin slowly opened his eyes, concluding his cultivation, and exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

The demonic lotus beneath him rotated gently, and a branch from the innate spiritual wood snapped with a crisp sound, plunging into the water.

To the east, the sun finally crested the horizon, and the Blood Demon’s body instinctively recoiled.

“If I must die, then so be it; I will not show weakness.”

Su Qin maintained the dignity befitting a demonic cultivator; even when facing the complete annihilation of his body and soul, he displayed no trace of fear.

After all, according to the original plot’s ending, he would eventually be incinerated by the sun anyway.

This was merely happening a little sooner.

Qi Ning dared not relax. With a flick of her hand, she abruptly raised the lake’s water level.

Su Qin had no choice but to fly upwards, gradually ascending away from the valley’s shadows.

Finally, a wisp of purple qi emerged from the east, and the golden-red sun slowly climbed above the verdant horizon.

Watching the demonic cultivator’s body begin to crumble, Qi Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seizing the opportune moment, she teleported several times, intending to extract his soul.

However, upon seeing that wisp of purple qi, Su Qin detected an unusual stir within his dantian.

“This is…”

Before Su Qin could discern the anomaly, a cold, gleaming treasure sword pierced his chest, and a merciless hand clamped around his neck.

It was as if an invisible hand gripped Su Qin’s divine soul, and everything was rapidly spiraling towards the worst possible outcome.

“So that’s how it is…”

A flash of realization ignited in the demonic cultivator’s withered eyes, transforming his previously dim countenance into one brimming with hope.

“You’re blocking my light.”

Because Qi Ning was anxious to extract his soul, she inadvertently blocked the light in front of Su Qin, thereby slowing the disintegration of his body.

Moreover, after being exposed to the sunlight, a surge of purple flame (TL Note: ‘紫火’ typically refers to a rare and powerful spiritual fire) was quietly igniting within Su Qin’s dantian.

The purple flame burned silently, without a sound, not even appearing to be a physical entity.

Yet, from the moment it appeared, Su Qin’s dantian was subjected to intense pain; although this was nothing to a demonic cultivator, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

“Donglai Purple Flame…”

It arose from the morning purple qi, capable of incinerating countless demons.

Qi Ning noticed the flame, and just as an alarm blared in her mind, she was engulfed by the purple fire.

A silent scream, chaotic spiritual energy—Qi Ning instantly lost her balance and plunged into the lake.

“Aren’t you a demon yourself?”

Su Qin’s lips curled into a cold smile. The water curtain dispersed with a roar, and he spread his arms, basking in the sunlight.

A flash of red light later, an unharmed Su Qin reappeared in the shaded area on the outskirts of the valley, his last resurrection ability now depleted.

However, it was of little consequence; he had altered the almost predetermined fate inscribed on the epitaph, finally dispelling the gloom that had shrouded his heart ever since his awakening!

Well, actually, it was still quite important.

The sun had only just risen, and the shadows of the mountains still covered the Demonic Sword Sect; if he waited much longer, he wouldn’t be able to return.

Moreover, the Donglai Purple Flame continued to burn away his demonic energy.

“F-f-fire! I’m on fire!”

Su Qin sprinted frantically towards Sehua Hall, expending every ounce of his strength. The mountain shadows were rapidly shrinking, and he was close to escaping Sehua Hall’s reach.

Finally, after a quarter of an hour, he sighted the pavilion of Sehua Hall.

It was still early. Chu Lingge had just draped on a nightgown and opened her window, her beautiful eyes silently gazing towards the distant Silver Blossom Hall.

After bidding farewell to Su Qin last night, her heart was still pounding rapidly, and she had dreamt a dream she hadn’t experienced in decades.

This mature yet youthful immortal maiden, the dignified and unchallengeable Hall Master of Sehua Hall, now wore the shy, infatuated smile of a young girl.

***

With a ‘thump,’ a purple mass collided into her tender cleavage. Her alluring body, made somewhat sticky from her pleasant dreams, caused Su Qin to slide directly down.

“Ally, save me!”