Chapter 254: Actually, You’re a Half-Demon
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Su Ming’s face was filled with a complicated mix of emotions.
He wasn’t sure whether to marvel at Quan Ye’s dumb luck or to despise his unreliable parents for abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself.
“Old Five, I have a secret to tell you. Brace yourself mentally before you hear it.”
Quan Ye noticed that Su Ming had an unprecedentedly serious expression. This prompted him to adopt a solemn attitude as well.
Su Ming slowly began, “Actually, you’re not fully human.”
Quan Ye: ?
“You’re a half-demon.”
Quan Ye: !
“And not only that, but you’re a half-demon with unknown parentage.”
Quan Ye almost exploded in anger.
“Su Ming! It’s bad enough for you to insult me, but now you’re dragging my parents into it? You’re asking for a beating!”
Su Ming jumped back hurriedly and explained, “Old Five, I’m not insulting you, I swear. Haven’t you noticed the differences between yourself and us? The reason you’re in such excruciating pain is that your bloodline is awakening.
“Also, we’re currently on Green Hill Mountain, the territory of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan. Master Qing Yan brought you here specifically to help you through this dangerous period.
“You were unconscious when we brought you up the mountain, and I carried you here. You can’t repay kindness with hostility.”
The flood of information Su Ming revealed left Quan Ye completely stunned.
Was he really different from others?
Well, of course. He was a Body Refining Path cultivator, naturally taller, stronger, and more physically powerful than others. But aside from that, he’d never noticed anything out of the ordinary. No one had ever suspected anything either.
Yet, Su Ming spoke with such certainty, and with their master nearby, if Su Ming were lying, Master Qing Yan would surely intervene. So there was a good chance Su Ming was telling the truth.
Did that mean he was really the half-demon Su Ming described?
In his long-held beliefs, demonic beasts were nothing more than prey or food for humans. They could never be equals, let alone companions. Before reaching higher cultivation stages, most demonic beasts lived like savage animals. Even after transforming into human forms, they still carried the stench of beasts.
Quan Ye had always harbored a strong hostility toward demonic beasts. Learning that he himself might be one of them left him feeling as if his world had collapsed.
For the first time, the carefree Quan Ye tasted the bitterness of despair.
Oddly enough, Su Ming felt much better seeing Quan Ye so distraught. Feigning concern, he comforted him, “Old Five, don’t worry. None of us will discriminate against you for being a half-demon. You’ll always be one of us from Lone Moon Peak.”
Quan Ye’s eyes reddened with emotion. “Third Senior Brother…”
But before he could feel touched for long, Su Ming’s next words sent him plummeting back into despair.
“However, you have to be extra careful. Your bloodline is quite special, and many demons covet it. If they manage to lure you into staying with them, you won’t be able to return to Lone Moon Peak.”
“Third Senior Brother, I’ll remember that. Thank you.”
Having lived in the Five Elements Dao Sect for years, Quan Ye had long considered Lone Moon Peak his second home. He had no intention of abandoning his identity as a disciple of the sect to become a lowly demon.
Resolving firmly in his heart, he swore that no matter how much the demons begged, he would never stay with them. Little did he know, some decisions might not be his to make.
…
Three days later.
Quan Ye still hadn’t met Master Qing Yan, but a stranger entered his room.
“Get out!”
Quan Ye scowled at the strikingly beautiful woman who suddenly appeared in his room, his voice sharp with irritation.
The woman ignored his words, her eyes slowly scanning his muscular physique with a look of satisfaction.
Though fully clothed, Quan Ye felt as though the woman’s gaze had stripped him bare. Alarmed, he clutched his robes defensively. “I’m warning you, my master is Master Qing Yan. Don’t get any ideas.”
“Oh? Don’t you know your master pawned you off to me?” The woman chuckled, her laughter filled with a thousand charms.
Quan Ye was momentarily stunned, but he quickly shook himself free of the daze. “Impossible!”
Master Qing Yan, revered throughout the cultivation world, wouldn’t possibly stoop to such underhanded dealings. This had to be a trick to drive a wedge between them.
“If you don’t believe me, go check with your senior brother. See if he’s still in the room next door. This morning, I personally saw him and Master Qing Yan off the mountain.”
Hearing this, Quan Ye dashed out like a whirlwind.
Indeed.
The neighboring room was completely empty. All traces of Su Ming’s life there had vanished, as though he’d never been there.
Quan Ye stood at the doorway, lost and despondent. Why had Su Ming, who had been so warm and friendly yesterday, left him without a word? Why had his master handed him over to a stranger without even consulting him?
“Come here,” the woman called, her finger beckoning as she smiled playfully.
Shame and anger flared in Quan Ye’s eyes. “Whatever deal you struck with Master Qing Yan has nothing to do with me. I’m leaving.”
“Leaving?” Her smile grew more mocking. “This is Nine-Tailed Fox territory. Without our permission, even an ant can’t leave. Be good and stay. Wait for your master to redeem you.”
Grinding his teeth, Quan Ye glared at the woman with hatred. To her, he was nothing more than an object without agency.
But the situation left him with no choice. Swallowing his pride, he asked, “When will Master Qing Yan… come for me?”
He couldn’t bring himself to say the word “redeem.”
“That’s hard to say. It could be a month or two, or maybe three to five years.”
Quan Ye’s anger surged. “What task did you send my master on?”
“That’s not your concern. Now, come with me. I’ll take you somewhere nice.”
Quan Ye stood rooted to the spot, refusing to move.
“Oh?” The woman chuckled, neither angry nor impatient, and turned to leave. Quan Ye assumed she’d given up, but moments later, his feet started moving against his will.
Terrified, he shouted, “Let go! I can walk on my own!”
This time, no amount of yelling elicited a response. The woman ignored him completely.
Stumbling and unwillingly following her, Quan Ye passed through a forest. The scenery abruptly opened up, revealing a lush grassland.
“The clan leader is here.”
“Big Sister Clan Leader!”
“Hmm, another stinky man.”
“…”
The grass was dotted with hundreds of foxes in varying colors, some lounging, others sitting upright. Most had two to four tails, while a select few boasted five.
Under the scrutiny of countless round eyes, Quan Ye uncharacteristically felt uneasy. But soon, he glared back fiercely, scaring some timid foxes into hiding behind their companions.
The rest seemed unbothered, exchanging whispers and shrill laughter that set Quan Ye’s nerves on edge.
What did the Nine-Tailed Fox clan leader want by bringing him here? Could his parents have been part of this clan? Was this some kind of reunion?
A strange expression crossed Quan Ye’s face as his thoughts wandered.