Ch 49: How To Be A Good Lackey

Shao Ye pulled the garment off his head, looked down to confirm that it really was the lord’s clothing, and thought, how could the lord just toss his clothes around like that? What if the wind blew them away? Fortunately, this time it had landed on his head.

He neatly folded the robe in his hands, then lifted his head and looked toward the lord.

Under the cool moonlight, Xue Du’s bare upper body was illuminated, and only then did Shao Ye notice that his back was also covered in vicious scars.

His heart tightened, his eyes growing warm. The lord must have suffered greatly in the past.

Xue Du tilted his head slightly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Shao Ye staring at his back in a daze, those dark eyes damp, as if they held countless unspoken words. So he really did harbor improper thoughts about him.

Xue Du withdrew his gaze, glanced down at his trousers with an unreadable expression, then after a moment stepped into the Seven-Star Pool and slowly sat down.

Shao Ye, however, didn’t notice any of this. After feeling that wave of sympathy, he snapped back to himself, holding Xue Du’s clothes as he came to the edge of the pool.

He didn’t quite understand why the lord came here to bathe every day.

Seeing that Xue Du had his eyes closed, Shao Ye didn’t disturb him. Instead, he crouched down and reached a hand into the water. The moment his fingers touched it, he felt a bone-chilling cold, as if it might freeze them off entirely. He shivered and quickly pulled his hand back, saying, “My lord, this water is so cold.”

Xue Du raised his eyes to look at him but said nothing. He was wondering what Shao Ye meant by that. Was he trying to act coquettish? Or did he want to get into the pool and bathe together?

Overstepping, Protector.

Xue Du gave a faint hum.

Shao Ye continued, “Why does my lord bathe here?”

“To suppress the poison in my body and stay clear-headed,” Xue Du replied casually.

Still suppressing it? Shao Ye was startled and hurriedly asked, “My lord, is my junior brother’s blood not effective?”

Xue Du did not mention that he had used all of Song Heming’s blood to water the gourds on the mountain. He simply pressed his lips together and remained silent.

Shao Ye took that as confirmation and asked worriedly, “Then is there any other way?”

“Not for now,” Xue Du said.

What should be done, then?

Meeting Shao Ye’s anxious gaze, Xue Du wondered again, did he really like him that much?

Otherwise, why would a proud senior disciple of the Kunlun Sect care so much about the life or death of a demonic lord?

As Xue Du considered whether he should keep someone with such obvious ulterior motives by his side, he heard Shao Ye speak eagerly, “My lord, should we try using my blood?”

If his junior brother’s didn’t work, maybe the senior brother’s would.

Shao Ye lowered his head, looking at his wrist, then touched his neck, wondering which blood would be best. What about heart’s blood?

Xue Du lifted his head and silently scrutinized him, watching as Shao Ye rolled up his sleeves, then tugged at his collar to glance inside, before letting it fall again.

What was he looking at? Hiding something again?

Xue Du ground his teeth slightly. What a clumsy way of trying to entice him. Did he think this would move him?

“No need,” Xue Du said.

“My lord, you haven’t even tried,” Shao Ye insisted.

Try what?

Xue Du’s dark gaze fell on Shao Ye’s chest. So eager to offer himself… were all Kunlun disciples this… shameless?

Tsk.

Xue Du rose from the pool. His white trousers, soaked through, turned half-translucent, faintly revealing the long, well-built lines of his legs beneath.

Shao Ye looked up, puzzled. “My lord, are you done bathing?”

“No,” Xue Du said, turning and sitting down again in a different spot.

That side of the water didn’t feel cold enough anymore.

Shao Ye crouched there, watching ripples spread across the surface of the water, worrying about how he could possibly cure the poison in the lord’s body.

The evening breeze was cool, rustling the leaves of the wutong tree above.

---

News spread from Kunlun Mountain that the Kunlun Sect had joined forces with several other sects in the cultivation world to attack Xiaoyao Palace. Translated on Hololo novels. For a time, unease spread throughout the palace, everyone feeling on edge.

If it were only the Kunlun Sect, Xiaoyao Palace could handle it. But with so many sects gathered together, they might not be able to withstand it. The Four Demon Kings, however, were not overly concerned. When the time came, they would use the captured Kunlun disciples as hostages. For every step those righteous cultivators advanced, they would kill one. They didn’t believe those so-called righteous people could truly ignore the lives of their own disciples.

Even if things came to the worst, they could simply flee. In this cultivation world, who didn’t have some method of saving their own life?

Moreover, if those righteous cultivators actually managed to eliminate Xue Du, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for them. The Four Demon Kings each harbored their own schemes. Among all of them, the only one genuinely worried about Xue Du’s safety was probably Shao Ye, the former senior disciple of the Kunlun Sect.

It couldn’t really be considered “former,” since up to now the Kunlun Sect had not removed his name from their rolls.

Wan Qian now held Shao Ye in utter disdain. He had a strong feeling that the whipping he received a few days ago might have had something to do with Shao Ye. Although there was no evidence for this at all, their lord was not someone whose thoughts could be judged by ordinary logic.

A flash of inspiration struck Wan Qian, and he immediately proposed to Xue Du, “My lord, the Protector is a disciple of the Kunlun Sect and should be quite familiar with them. So before the various sects reach Xiaoyao Mountain, I suggest sending the Protector with some men to intercept them. What does my lord think?”

This would both test whether Shao Ye was truly loyal to Xiaoyao Palace and deal a blow to those so-called righteous sects. Wan Qian could already imagine the colorful expressions on their faces when they saw the Kunlun Sect’s senior disciple turned into Xiaoyao Palace’s Chief Protector.

Before Xue Du could respond, Shao Ye rejected it outright. “I’m not going.”

What if they took advantage of his absence to harm the lord? That old fox Wan Qian clearly had ill intentions.

Wan Qian raised his voice. “At a critical moment like this, when Xiaoyao Palace faces danger, shouldn’t the Protector contribute his strength? Or is it that the Protector still harbors attachment to his old ties in Kunlun and hasn’t truly joined us?”

Now he was trying to pin a charge on him? Shao Ye ignored Wan Qian and turned directly to Xue Du. “My lord, I don’t want to go.”

Xue Du nodded. “If you don’t want to go, then don’t.”

Wan Qian: “……”

Since when had their lord become so easy to talk to?

Could he also say he didn’t want to go watch the old Demon Lord get carved up anymore?

Wan Qian truly thought his plan was brilliant, killing two birds with one stone. He wanted to push a bit further, but when he looked up and met Xue Du’s cool gaze, he silently swallowed his words.

The lord’s attitude toward this newly appointed Protector was far too strange. Did he really not suspect Shao Ye at all?

In the end, they still failed to come up with a reliable countermeasure. Xue Du simply sent the Four Demon Kings down the mountain to gather information.

He didn’t seem particularly concerned about the joint attack of the various sects. At a time like this, he even had the leisure to go into seclusion in the back mountain.

But the demonic cultivators below did not share his composure. They feared that at any moment the righteous sects might storm Xiaoyao Palace. Everyone was distracted, and even the guards had grown lax.

Seizing the opportunity, Song Heming slipped out. Under the cover of night, he used some tricks to obtain the keys to the ghost prison and rescued his fellow disciples. He had expected that even with his senior brother’s help, their lives in the ghost prison wouldn’t have been good. But now, looking at them, they seemed… a bit plumper than before.

Before he could ask, one of his senior sisters spoke first. “Junior brother, it’s only been a few days, and you look like you’ve filled out quite a bit.”

Song Heming: “……”

Alright, so everyone had been eating chicken legs.

All the captured Kunlun disciples had now been gathered except for Shao Ye. But this senior brother of theirs… they had no idea where to find him.

Someone sighed. “Where did senior brother go? Yesterday he told me he’d bring me the last volume of Legends of Liuxiang. Why hasn’t he come today? Did something happen?”

Another guessed, “Could it be he angered the Demon Lord and got… dealt with?”

“Probably not.”

“Don’t talk here, it’s too dangerous. Those demonic cultivators could come at any moment. Let’s leave Xiaoyao Palace first, then figure out how to rescue senior brother.”

With the spirit-locking rings still around their necks, any random demonic cultivator could subdue them easily. Rather than discussing how to find Shao Ye, it was more important to figure out how to escape Xiaoyao Palace without alerting anyone.

Fortunately, on their way to rescue Song Heming, they had already studied the layout of Xiaoyao Palace. After some discussion, the only viable escape route was to go around the back mountain, avoiding most of the patrols.

After finalizing their route, using feints and diversions, they finally made it safely to the back mountain. Translated on Hololo novels. But there, they discovered someone standing directly in their path. They were startled, thinking they had been discovered. Looking closer, wasn’t that their senior brother?

“Senior brother?” Song Heming called softly.

Hearing him, Shao Ye turned around, surprised to see them. “You’re out?”

“Senior brother, why are you here?” Song Heming asked.

Shao Ye answered frankly, “I’m guarding the door for my lord.”

Xue Du had said he was entering seclusion and was at a critical stage of cultivation, where he could easily suffer a backlash, so no one was to disturb him for the next few days.

Xue Du had not actually ordered Shao Ye to stand guard. This was entirely his own initiative.

When Song Heming heard Shao Ye address Xue Du as “my lord,” he felt a strange numbness. Was his senior brother getting a little too into this role?

That was normal too. If his senior brother wanted to blend into Xiaoyao Palace, he would naturally have to address things the same way those demonic cultivators did. He had probably just gotten used to it.

Song Heming said, “Senior brother, come with us now.”

Shao Ye shook his head. He had already risen to the position of Chief Protector in Xiaoyao Palace, with boundless prospects ahead. If he returned to Kunlun Mountain now, wouldn’t his grand ambitions be ruined?

“I can’t leave,” he said firmly.

Song Heming thought it over. His senior brother was now the “entrusted” Chief Protector of Xiaoyao Palace. If he left with them, it would surely anger the Demon Lord even more. And if they were captured again along the way, at least his senior brother, as Chief Protector, could still continue to feed them chicken legs.

His refusal to leave was most likely for their sake.

But Song Heming also couldn’t bear to knowingly leave his senior brother here to suffer alone.

What should he do? Knock his senior brother out and carry him away?

And if he were to knock him out… how many steps would that take?

Song Heming wracked his brain for a solution, unconsciously stepping forward a couple of steps. Shao Ye immediately called out, “Junior brother, you can’t go any further.”

“Huh?” Song Heming stopped, puzzled. “Why?”

Shao Ye said, “My lord said no one is allowed to disturb him right now. If you go any further, you’ll reach the place where he’s cultivating.”

Song Heming looked ahead along the path. At the end was a tightly shut stone door. They had studied this before, there was a narrow, inconspicuous crack beside it that they could slip through.

He immediately understood Shao Ye’s concern. His senior brother was afraid they would be discovered by the Demon Lord. He said, “Senior brother, we’ll be careful. We won’t be discovered.”

On their way here, they had heard demonic cultivators mention that the Demon Lord was in seclusion. During seclusion, one had to be fully focused. As long as they moved quietly, they shouldn’t be detected. And given that the Demon Lord’s cultivation technique was said to be dangerous, prone to backlash, perhaps they could even take this opportunity to seriously injure him.

Shao Ye still shook his head. “No.”

“Senior brother, we’ll definitely be careful,” Song Heming pleaded.

Shao Ye still refused. “This really won’t do.”

It wasn’t about being careful or not. The lord had said no one was allowed near.

Most of the Kunlun disciples sided with Song Heming. Opportunity lay in risk. They felt their senior brother was being overly cautious, nothing like his usual self. Had he been worn down by his time in Xiaoyao Palace?

They were about to force their way through when they suddenly noticed a demonic cultivator flying toward them from the horizon. To their shock, their senior brother actually stepped forward as if to stop him. The group hurriedly covered his mouth and, ignoring his struggle, dragged him into the nearby bushes.

Fortunately, the spirit-locking ring was still around his neck. Otherwise, they might not have been able to hold him back.

Their senior brother… might really have gone a bit off the rails.

The demonic cultivator was intent on settling accounts with Xue Du and paid no attention to these minor figures. Slipping through the crack beside the stone door, he disappeared inside.

Then, in the blink of an eye, there was a thunderous boom.

Looking up, they saw a nine-headed demon dragon soar out from the stone door, one of its heads gripping the intruding cultivator. It flung him into the air, then opened its mouth and released a blast of dark blue flames. The cultivator let out a shrill scream before being reduced to ash in an instant, not even a trace left behind.

The demon dragon flicked its tail, snorted, and returned through the stone door.

Hidden in the bushes, the Kunlun disciples were completely stunned, cold sweat breaking out all over them.

If they had ignored their senior brother and forced their way in just now, they would have ended up exactly like that demonic cultivator.

At once, the looks they cast toward Shao Ye were filled with admiration and gratitude.

Senior brother was truly wise.

Shao Ye shot them a glare. He could have stopped that demonic cultivator and performed well in front of the lord.

Just then, a low voice came from behind the stone door. Xue Du said, “Protector, come help me change.”

Shao Ye instantly switched to a bright, eager expression, waved at them, and happily ran toward the stone door.

The shaken Kunlun disciples watched his departing figure with tearful eyes. Their senior brother, the dignified Chief Protector of Xiaoyao Palace, was actually doing the work of helping the Demon Lord change clothes, and even had to force a smile.

Ah… their senior brother was truly suffering. Back in Kunlun, he had never endured such humiliation.

—

Author’s note:

[Isn’t the lord a bit too scheming? Deliberately spreading news that his cultivation is fragile and cannot tolerate the slightest disturbance]

And when disturbance came, it was annihilated completely.

: Earlier I was wondering why Xiaoyao Palace’s defenses were so lax. Turns out it was intentional. The lord is really something.

: In other streams, without No. 6 stopping them, the Kunlun disciples all went in. Translated on Hololo novels. Casualties everywhere. They even thought they had broken the seal and released that demonic dragon themselves, and now they’re drowning in guilt.

: Miserable, truly miserable.

: If No. 6 goes back to Kunlun later and they don’t make him sect leader, that would be ridiculous.

: No. 6: is sect leader even comparable to being chief steward of Xiaoyao Palace?

: ??? Isn’t he the Chief Protector?

: The Kunlun disciples in streams 1–5 struggled so hard just to end up like this. Meanwhile No. 6’s stream is just calmly eating chicken legs in the ghost prison.

: Same with the volunteers in other streams. After all that effort, might as well just latch onto someone powerful.

: If No. 6 stops streaming, he should write a book. I’ve already got the title: Choice Matters More Than Effort

: Instant bestseller!

: What exactly is the lord cultivating? Six major sects are about to attack and he doesn’t seem worried at all.

: Classic bait.

: I’ve always wondered, the lord always has No. 6 help him change clothes… is that also bait?

: I think when No. 6 ripped his clothes open in front of the lord earlier, that was bait too.

: Wait, when did that happen?

: The first time they met. I swear I heard fabric tearing.

: At this point it’s all just gourds anyway. Whether anything happened or not is whatever we say it is.

: Fair enough.

: Speaking of that, I’m still annoyed. At least in the Golden Laburnum Academy they let us see No. 6’s body. Now they won’t even show that. Refund!

: No. 6 is so sly.

: Here it comes again, the “tea No. 6” theory returns.

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