Ch 146: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

Xue Zhongyu felt that in the countless years of cultivation history, there had never been a demon seed as miserable as himself.

Before even reaching Foundation Establishment, he was already hunted by both the immortal and demonic paths.

His grand plan to stir up chaos hadn’t even begun before it dissolved into a dream.

Now, all that mattered was figuring out how to scrape by under the endless pursuit. That was Xue Zhongyu’s short-term demonic dream.

As a demon seed, even without a physical body he could exist in an incorporeal state. But in that form, he had no way to conceal the demonic aura radiating off him.

The only way to cover his aura was to possess someone else’s body.

Cultivators were out of the question—their senses were sharp, and no matter how carefully he hid, there was always the risk of being discovered. Besides, with Taixu Sect’s bounty now in effect, every sect was on high alert. If any disciple acted oddly, they would be immediately restrained and reported.

Demons were also unsuitable. That thought came from pure instinct: he felt he had to stay as far away from the demons—and from that little girl Jiang Ling—as possible.

That left only mortals.

At first, he possessed mortals recklessly. But unable to restrain his cravings, and underestimating how fragile mortal bodies were, he ended up killing several of them.

And once there were corpses, cultivators immediately came sniffing around, forcing him to flee in a panic.

After nearly being cut to mist several times, Xue Zhongyu finally understood. He became cautious.

Now, he carefully picked his hosts, cautiously entered their bodies, made sure not to damage them, and even had to convincingly play their roles without acting too differently from their usual selves.

Xue Zhongyu sprawled on the bed, eyes vacant like a salted fish without dreams. “I’m tired, I’m really tired. Youhuo, why is it that I, a dignified demon seed, have to live so pitifully?”

Youhuo thought for a moment. “It all started when you botched the possession stage. To explain properly, we have to go back to when you ran from the Demon Realm to Crescent Moon Peak—”

Seeing it really intended to analyze things, Xue Zhongyu couldn’t bear it and cut him off. “That’s not what I want to hear. Youhuo, aren’t you supposed to have lived tens of thousands of years? Isn’t there any method to get me out of this situation? Do I really have to keep—”

He gestured at himself: patched old clothes, lying on a broken bed with a missing leg, looking utterly wretched.

“Do I really have to keep playing this pitiful role, living like a rat in the shadows?”

“What else then?” Youhuo considered. “You could always leave this weakling’s body, step out proudly, and announce to the immortals and demons alike that the demon seed is right here!”

“And then what?” Xue Zhongyu asked eagerly. “Do you have a way to make me powerful, or a way to get me out of this mess?”

“No.” Youhuo’s tone took on rare gentleness. “But you could die standing, with dignity.”

Xue Zhongyu: “…”

Youhuo’s voice returned to its usual eerie chill. “In any case, ordinary methods can’t kill you. At most, you’ll die once and revive, just weakened. But since both immortals and demons know the demon seed’s nature, faking death won’t fool anyone.”

Xue Zhongyu: “…”

He was so angry he gasped twice, eyes bulging, chest tight until his vision went white. For convenience, he had chosen to possess the illegitimate son of a large household, tucked away in a remote courtyard where no one paid much attention.

The boy wasn’t only unloved, but also frail from birth, barely hanging on to life.

With Xue Zhongyu’s outburst, the body nearly gave out on the spot.

It took a long time before he steadied himself again.

Bitterly, he sat up and slapped the threadbare quilt. “Which side are you even on? Youhuo, do you want me to die so you can find a new master?”

Youhuo sighed regretfully. “Demon seeds don’t come by easily. I waited over three thousand years for you. Finding a new master isn’t realistic.”

Xue Zhongyu: ? Did you just admit you thought about it?

That made him even angrier.

The courtyard gate was knocked on. Xue Zhongyu had no desire to answer, but the intruder didn’t wait for his response—just pushed the door open.

A cocky little servant strode in, carrying a food box, and shouted loudly, “Sixth Young Master! Here’s today’s lunch, I’ve brought it for you.”

“Sixth Young Master?”

Silence.

The servant glanced around, muttering, “Shouting this loud and no answer… he didn’t die, did he?”

Xue Zhongyu: “…”

His expression twisted.

Youhuo said gravely, “Calm down. Right now Taixu Sect hates you more than anyone. Don’t make a fuss. You’ve seen Xue Wuya’s sword. How many strikes do you think you could withstand?”

Xue Zhongyu: “…” It was the harsh truth—he couldn’t even take half a strike.

From the room came a weak reply, “I’m here. Just leave it.”

The servant thumped the box onto the ground, pouting. “So you’re not dead. Next time, answer quicker. I’ve got meals to deliver to the other young masters, I don’t have time to waste.”

His footsteps faded away.

Xue Zhongyu sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate.

That arrogant servant had humiliated him so openly. One day, when he regained his strength, he would surely—gurgle.

Xue Zhongyu froze, then clutched his stomach.

Now that he was in this frail body, its hunger was his hunger too.

Hungry.

With his pride, he naturally refused to eat this meal.

But…

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.

He really was hungry.

Youhuo said quietly, “Go eat. Forcing yourself to hold out—you’re the one who suffers.”

In the end, Xue Zhongyu gave in to the instincts of the body.

He wobbled to his feet, went into the courtyard, and opened the food box.

A few breaths later, he cried out in grief, “They didn’t even give me meat!”

Youhuo: “…”

Its gaze fell dark and quiet on its master, all its ambition and grand hopes blown away like smoke.

No saving him. Just let it be.

*

Three years later, Junior Brother Mu of Medicine Peak successfully formed his core, and when he crossed his tribulation he stirred up a heavenly phenomenon, shocking the entire Taixu Sect.

A fourteen-year-old core formation cultivator—even if Mu Xing had been low-profile before, his reputation spread from Taixu Sect throughout the whole cultivation world.

At that moment, Xue Zhongyu—who had just managed to scrape by in another body and was searching for a second vessel—“…”

After all these years, with nothing but grief and rage, and feeding off countless stray thoughts of the mortal world, he had finally reached foundation establishment.

Hearing the news, he felt tangled and resentful: “If—if only Crescent Moon Peak had shown some backbone back then, not let Medicine Peak take him away. Right now, the prodigious golden core cultivator would be me.”

A teenager reaching core formation. If he had reached that realm, he could choose a new vessel again. Just imagine how wonderful that would have been.

Youhuo murmured, “Don’t think too much. Lately demons have been showing up often in this area. I suspect they’ve already found us.”

Xue Zhongyu: !

*

Another three years.

Xue Zhongyu was cornered in a back alley by a group of cloaked figures.

This body was a poor scholar, stubborn and pedantic, not liked by others.

After seizing him, Xue Zhongyu hadn’t dared to overdo things. Even so, relying on his own cleverness, he managed to be accepted by his neighbors and scraped a living copying texts to feed himself.

Sensing danger, he tried to flee, but his retreat was already blocked.

These people—clearly not mortals.

The leader pulled down her hood, revealing a face as stunning as a peach blossom.

Xue Zhongyu felt she looked familiar. When he saw those faintly violet eyes, he suddenly realized: “Jiang Ling?”

Jiang Ling giggled sweetly. “So many years apart, yet Brother Yu still remembers Ah Ling. Ah Ling is so happy.”

Xue Zhongyu felt nothing but dread.

He swallowed and said softly, “Ah Ling, all these years, Brother Yu has missed you.”

Jiang Ling said, “Ah Ling has missed you too. Ah Ling watched you every day, saw you trapped in that frail body, bullied by others, saw you working so hard copying books.”

A chill crept down Xue Zhongyu’s spine. He stared at her in horror.

The beautiful girl before him smiled sweetly: “Brother Yu, don’t be afraid. Those who bullied you, Ah Ling already killed them.”

Inwardly, Xue Zhongyu thought, “After a few years apart… how has she gotten even more deranged?”

Youhuo nodded in approval, satisfied: “Now that’s more like a demon.”

Xue Zhongyu forced a smile. “Ah Ling, you were watching me?”

Jiang Ling laughed with delight. “Yes, I found you long ago. But I knew Brother Yu is very good at running away. Even if I caught you, you’d escape. So I just had them follow you. I had to think of a way to keep you by my side.”

“Now Ah Ling has found a way.”

Xue Zhongyu’s skin crawled.

The next instant, his chest turned cold.

A blood-red longsword pierced his heart without warning.

He tried to abandon the body, but the sword emitted a strange suction. His true self turned into black mist, dragged into the blade and sealed.

He didn’t know what this sword was, but once his true self entered, it was like plunging into an endless inferno, his very soul seared with burning pain.

He let out a scream, staring in terror through the sword at Jiang Ling’s smiling face—

“This is the Holy Sword Burning Heaven. Brother Yu must know it, right? I know you like it very much. I searched so long to find this method.”

“Locked inside Burning Heaven, you’ll never escape again.”

❣╰(⸝⸝⸝꒳⸝⸝⸝)╯❣

Sandy: Ahh so she’s reborn