Chapter 332   Demonization?

Was that... the demonic energy? Wasn’t there only a slight whiff of it? It seemed there was a lot of demonic energy. Hua Qiyue’s heart began to worry. As Tianpi gave a muffled snort, her nerves began to tense.

Red hair began to sprout slowly on Tianpi’s face. He seemed like a monkey. He gave another muffled snort and a white circle of light condensed desperately in his hand.

Tianpi struck that white light forcefully on his head. Instantly, the crimson light on his body waned somewhat. But his striking hand had opened up a large gash on his face. Blood trickled down...

Hua Qiyue could not bear to look. She turned away her head forcefully and headed out. Tianpi claimed that he was fine in the day, but he was lying. He must have wanted her not to worry.

After Hua Qiyue left, Tianpi managed successfully to curb that layer of demonic energy. But he knew that every midnight, he would suffer from its attack!

When the demonic energy accumulated and became stronger— overwhelming the righteous Qi in his body— he would end up a devil again!

Tianpi feebly collapsed against the wall, gasping desperately for breath. The new black robe he had on was drenched in blood. He could only stand up and grab a new set of clothes, walking slowly to the outside.

There was no one in the hot spring pool. It was the best time for him to take a bath. In the very temperate water of the hot spring, Tianpi leaned against the wall, immersing his wounds in the water. They throbbed now and then with a stabbing pain.

In his heart, he knew that there was no other way. While he could still control it, Tianpi only wished to stay a while longer by Hua Qiyue’s side. Only a little longer...

This time, he would not allow Tao Xian’er’s tragedy to repeat itself!

—

Hua Qiyue raced out of the Ice Palace, panting with one hand propped against the large Bodhi Tree.

Her heart was throbbing with a dull pain. Although Tianpi was not her beloved, he was at least Tao Xian’er’s lover. He was also her Master in this life.

Right now, watching his torments, she could do nothing. Her helplessness had made her fretful.

“Qiyue, come away with me. Once Tianpi turns into a devil, the tragedy of your former life will repeat itself. The Sun Moon Deity has told me everything. Only by leaving this place can you avoid the past tragedy.”

She had not noticed Yun Shimo appearing behind her. He was persuading her in a quiet voice.

Hua Qiyue raised her head. Heavy snowflakes were fluttering everywhere. The whole world was a wide expanse of white. There seemed to be no horizon in the front.

Let her leave this place?

Then Tianpi would die. She would survive thanks to his grace... but how could Hua Qiyue just leave like that?

“Qiyue, listen to me. If you don’t leave, once he becomes a devil, we won’t be his match. We’ve already discussed this. When Tianpi turned into a devil in the past, Yun Tian, Bai Ling and Xuan Cuo were all at the medium level of Holy God. Tianpi was at the great completeness of Holy God. Under normal circumstances, they could kill him if they joined forces. But since they were afraid of Tao Xian’er’s blame, they did not. Instead, they waited for him to turn into a devil. By that time, they found themselves crumbling under his blows. They could only watch Tianpi kill Tao Xian’er helplessly.”

Yun Shimo spoke in a whisper. A heavy grimness could be seen in his eyes.

“If we stay and wait for him to turn into a devil, all of us will probably die.”

Yun Shimo took a step forward and grasped her hand tightly. “Let’s leave together. Even if you won’t accept and forgive me, think about Tianci!”

Hua Qiyue vigorously retracted her hand. She turned back and stared at him, her pellucid eyes glittering with cold, snowy light. “Yun Shimo, you don’t need to worry about us. Tianci has been brought up by me alone. He is none of your business at all! I believe in my Master. Just like when he barged into Prince Nan’s mansion to stop our wedding... it was because he wanted to tell me the truth! If I had stubbornly chosen to marry you, he would have left me alone!”

Yun Shimo watched her silently and felt a dull pain in his chest. It was like someone boring a hole in his heart. Those throbs of dull pain had almost suffocated him.

“He did not harm me from the start, nor would he ever! I believe in him! Yun Shimo, leave my business alone. Don’t worry about me!” Hua Qiyue remarked coldly. She turned and left for the palace.

Sorrow and pain churned within Yun Shimo’s heart. He fondled his chest. The pain there had suddenly spread. He suddenly tottered and had to sit down under the Bodhi Tree.

White snow fluttered down from the Bodhi Tree, landing on his black hair.

“She’s such a stubborn lass. But since she won’t leave, let’s remain here and see. Tianpi is now at the great completeness of Great Deity. He’s also practicing some spirit art. After he turns into a devil, he may just be able to control himself.” The voice of the Sun Moon Deity rang out from the tree.

Yun Shimo cast it a glance. When did this fellow appear?

The Sun Moon Deity was sitting on the tree, watching the sky lazily. “Trust him for once.”

Yun Shimo said nothing more. Even the Sun Moon Deity had started advocating for Tianpi. Maybe the man might just be able to control himself this time?

He was in a thoroughly bad mood. Yun Shimo walked on. As he took each step, he left behind footprints on the fresh snow—like an inexplicable trail of loneliness.

Yun Shimo walked to the Evil Beasts Forest in his front. He wanted to slay an evil beast to relieve his frustration, but most of them had already run away, thanks to Hua Zun’s frequent hunting trips.

Now and then, there would be a couple of hares. But they were not a heavyweight enough to relieve his frustration.

“Yun Shimo.”

An old voice rang out from within the forest.

Yun Shimo immediately turned his head but saw nothing. Who exactly was talking to him?

Heavy mists were gathering in front. In an instant, myriad flowers started to bloom. An auspicious beast crept out from underground and there was a fissure in the earth. A fiery red tree slowly forced itself up from beneath the earth.

“The Fiery Divine Tree?” Yun Shimo was greatly astounded. He did not expect to see the Fiery Divine Tree here. They had mentioned it a few days ago. It seemed that this Tree had been refined by Tao Xian’er.

“Yun Shimo, you still can remember me. That’s good.” The Fiery Divine Tree slowly shook its branches, as if saying hello to him.

“Fiery Divine Tree, why are you here?”

Yun Shimo had an ominous feeling in his heart. The Fiery Divine Tree was refined by Tao Xian’er. In the past, Tao Xian’er was awe-inspiringly gifted and extraordinarily powerful.

Since Tao Xian’er’s spiritual and physical souls were in Hua Qiyue’s body, the Fiery Divine Tree could surely sense them.

“I could sense my mistress in the Ice Palace. I also detected that man there. So I hurried here.” The lights on the Fiery Divine Tree were flashing. Its voice was filled with a distant plaintiveness from yore.

“You mean to say you know Tianpi’s here? And you’re worried he might harm Qiyue? But she’s so certain that Tianpi won’t harm her.” Yun Shimo’s eyes turned dim.

The Fiery Divine Tree snorted coldly. “Once a person has been attacked by demonic energy, he will become a devil unless he clears the energy. Otherwise, he will massacre the innocent! So the purpose of my trip here is to give you an item.”

Yun Shimo started. Did it have something that could contain Tianpi?

The Fiery Divine Tree stretched out its branches toward Yun Shimo’s front. A red bead lay quietly on one of its massive leaves.

“This Extermination Bead has taken me 10,000 years to refine. Once Tianpi goes out of control, you dip this bead in his blood and he will detonate and die... Then, my mistress can survive.”

The Fiery Divine Tree sighed deeply. “I don’t wish you see the same tragedy. But if you force me to choose, I will naturally choose my mistress. Without her, there would be no me... Yun Shimo, I leave everything in your hands. This is the most I can do for my mistress.”

Yun Shimo held that slightly warm bead and gave the Fiery Divine Tree a deep bow. “Yes, I will surely not let her suffer harm. If there’s an accident, I will do my utmost and protect her with my life.”

The Fiery Divine Tree chuckled. “I know. I had once seen you two together and feel that the two of you make a perfect match. But I can’t stay now. Goodbye!”

The Fiery Divine Tree left as quickly as it came. In an instant, the paradise-like mists had cleared. The Fiery Divine Tree was no longer present on the earth.

As it departed, the myriad flowers which had earlier bloomed slowly wilted.

Yun Shimo had to shake his head. The Fiery Divine Tree must be almost an immortal tree now. That was why it could make this place experience springtime upon its arrival.

He kept that Extermination Bead in his Storage Ring and retraced his steps.

For a few nights, Hua Qiyue could not sleep. Although Tianpi seemed fine in the day, he would suffer from the ill effects of the demonic energy at night.

Furthermore, he would become worse with each successive night. Each successive night would see him suffer more pain. Hua Qiyue did not dare to watch on some nights. She would hide behind the window and hear Tianpi stifle his painful groans. Her heart was also experiencing these pangs.

Tianpi did not want her to worry. In the day, he would laugh in a totally carefree manner. At night, he would endure all these pains by himself.

Not only Hua Qiyue, Hua Zun, Yun Shimo and the Sun Moon Deity were all silently observing him.

Tianpi could be regarded as a victim. If he wasn’t tricked into swallowing the Hallucinatory Pearl, he would not have trodden the Devil’s Path.

But he did not kill one of the schemers, Hua Zun. Maybe in his subconscious mind, he wanted someone to control him when he turned evil.

Early in the morning, Hua Qiyue suddenly remembered something. She dashed into Tianpi’s room and found him still asleep. His face was ashen white. When he saw Hua Qiyue barge in, he involuntarily pulled up the blanket on his body, covering his exposed collarbones.

“Why are you here? Lass, don’t you know barging into a man’s room is a very bad habit?”

Tianpi said, somewhat displeased.

“Master, why didn’t we think of the original plan? That is to say, to seal you back into the green jade gourd again?” Hua Qiyue yelled loudly. She was excited over her discovery.

“Uh huh? Lass, you know how to seal me back in?” The half-smiling Tianpi was lying on the bed lazily.

When they heard the din, the Sun Moon Deity, Yun Shimo and Hua Zun also came. But they kept quiet.

The original seal was by Yun Tian, Bai Ling and Xuan Cuo. But Hua Zun was not around when they sealed him in, since he had sustained serious injuries.

So no one knew how to seal Tianpi in.

As she watched their faces, Hua Qiyue became discouraged. “Hare, since you’re so powerful, you must know some superior sealing art?”

The Sun Moon Deity jerked the corners of its mouth. “Don’t call me Hare!”

“Fine. Your Excellency, the Sun Moon Deity, you must surely know some sealing art?” Hua Qiyue asked with a smile. Her smile was forced. To Yun Shimo it seemed like a barbed sword, thrusting painfully into his heart.

The Sun Moon Deity pouted. “Of course. But I don’t know if it will work!”

Hua Qiyue was overjoyed. Even Tianpi was a little surprised, joy appearing in his eyes. “Bring it out now and let’s see it.”