Capítulo 37: Cultivation of the Immortal in Black | Pt.7

"How do you condemn a person who is perceived to be good? Morality based on perception?"

Tora continued to repeat this phrase multiple times.

"I didn't have an issue in 'The Bad Boy and I' because others perceived Sarah as evil. What Sarah did to Allison was perceived as bad. It was the same with Freya but with Julie..."

She understood why the first two worlds had been easy, but her confusion lay with the world of the zombie apocalypse. Julie wasn't someone who had been deemed evil in the eyes of others; only a select few knew she betrayed Nora.

"What is the difference then? What could it be if public perception is not the only thing dictating a person's good or evilness?"

Her head pounded in response to overthinking. She combed through the memories of those she occupied, trying to piece together an invisible puzzle.

Within the shadows hidden above the trees was a white-haired youth scrutinizing Jing Yi's actions and expressions. His eyes brimmed with curiosity, trying to decipher the muted words that escaped the young boy's lips.

Tora had correctly guessed Li Weisheng's action of eavesdropping.

He's quite clumsy for a regressor. Does he think I'm stupid?

Tora saw him. His white hair rode the wind as he hid above a tree. She didn't need to use her senses to probe the area when he stood openly atop a branch. The flare of red from his garment softly reflected the moonlight. It was a sight to behold, just like a hero from the stories.

Should I just wait until the fools openly strike me?

"...Openly strike?"

Tora felt like an idiot. Of course, in all the worlds, THEY attacked me first. How could I overlook such a simple fact?

"Jing Qinru hadn't done anything to me yet."

Jing Yi stole the fan and was kicked down the stairs because he wanted to do it. Jing Qinru even begged the Patriarch to heal Jing Yi's wound.

Jing Yi became Wei Ziyang's disciple and ascended to the Nascent Soul Realm thanks to Qinru bringing him along. Everything Jing Yi accomplished can be attributed to Qinru.

Qinru is still young and impulsive. It should be easy to rile her up.

The heartache and stress that overwhelmed her had long disappeared. Her head felt light and her stomach was ticklish from the excitement. Her sweaty palms rubbed against the soft silk of her clothes, removing the outer layer in a teasing manner.

The only thing Qinru truly wanted was full control of her love interest. I'll be taking that.

Li Weisheng felt his eyes burn at the teasing hands of his Shidi. He felt a sudden surge of itchiness all over his body, and his mind went blank.

The image of his past self with the female version of Jing Yi occupied his vision. The various entanglements and indulgences with his Shidi had originally repulsed him, but now it only made his heart beat faster.

The rhythmic lulls of the cicadas¹ echoed the desire that brewed in his body. His cheeks redden and his lashes tremble in shame. He despises his perverseness for his Shidi but indulges in it nonetheless.

A few feet away stood a beauty in red. Her eyes were bloodshot, nearly bulging, as she glared at the two men. Her hands gripped the branch with such intensity that a minor crack formed beneath it.

Jing Qinru watched the person her heart declared love for, lust over a good-for-nothing imposter. The blurry figure stood rigid atop a tree, stalking the other as he undressed for bed. Her eyes bled liquids of pain and hatred. She hated this cousin of hers.

"Young Lady!? How could you leave on your own—!?" Jing Qinru's maid blabbered the moment she returned. "Young Lady!? What is wrong!?" The maid's body trembled at the sight of her master's tears.

Jing Qinru remained silent. Her body slumped against the chair, showing her defeated figure to the fearful servant.

The maid didn't dare open her mouth again. Her hands shook as they attempted to wipe away the drops of sadness that leaked out of her master's eyes.

Her mind was in turmoil, fearing that she would be caned to death for allowing her mistress to experience distress.

The previous maid was sold to a brothel for accidentally tearing an outfit while washing it. Although the lady was kind-hearted, the Masters of this family were unforgiving.

The maid spent all night tensed and stressed.

The tears didn't stop until the early hours of the day.

The room was quiet, devoid of sound or busy hands trying to dress their Master. Tora had expected to be neglected, but not to the degree of them doing it openly while guests were here.

Her hands rummaged through the closet, taking out a hanfu that had some red in it. The black that overshadowed the red was deep and muted, giving Jing Yi the dangerous glow of a villain.

What a perfect outfit they had ready for me.

Her lips curled up softly as she leisurely left the room. She swiped a fan from the treasury, casually fanning herself without a care in the world.

The fan itself was made from golden silk, handwoven by the most skilled, into the pattern of a tiger. Its simple black jade handle was cool to the touch, giving it the elegance needed for such an exquisite piece.

The sight of maids kneeling before the main house greeted Tora. Her eyes glanced at the Patriarch who sat with a gloom on his face. He looked greatly annoyed, lines forming from the frown that decorated his wrinkles.

Behind him were Jing Yi's Uncles, Aunts-in-law, and cousins. Jing Qinru quivered like a newborn quil, hiding behind the large body of her Father. Her eyes were red and swollen, making her look pitiful in the eyes of bystanders.

The guests from yesterday pooled on the right side of the lot, their eyes brimmed with curiosity and scrutiny as they judged the Jing household.

On the left was Li Weisheng. He was carefully served with tea and refreshers while he sat and watched the chaos.

Li Weisheng was the first to notice Jing Yi.

"Jing Yi..." The Patriarch had also noticed his sudden appearance. His gloomy eyes flared slightly at the fan in Tora's hands. His nostrils contracted and flared as he tried to control his surging anger. "Give me an opinion on how to deal with this issue."

With a heavy tone, he commanded his least favorite grandson to sit beside him. His eyes continued to stare daggers at the hand that held the treasured Lengjing Fan.

"Hmm...What happened?" The fan playfully brushed back and forth.

"These useless servants dared to cause Ru-er grief. What shall we do with them?" His tone of voice was stern. His gaze was filled with a hidden agenda.

He wants to test my loyalty?

"I heard a Demon Lord is on the rise recently." Her out-of-the-blue statement greatly baffled many. No one knew how to digest that information.

Tora's eyes subconsciously darted toward Li Weisheng. His body jerked slightly at the mention of a Demon Lord.

"What does that have to do with this?"

"It means that trivial things like these are none of my business. I will take my leave." Tora stood up and prepared to leave.

"Young Master!!! Young Master, please! Help this servant!" A haggard-looking servant stepped in front of her. Tora recognized the maid. "Please listen to this lowly servant's side of the story!"

The maid was one of Jing Qinru's most trusted aides. Her once lively features and neat hairstyle were now coarse and messy. She could barely walk from hours of kneeling on the cold jaded floor.

The sorry figure of the poor maid did not move Tora's heart. Without a second thought, she flicked the fan and disappeared.

The overly extravagant household vanished and was replaced with an overview of a market. Tora's heart tickled in amazement at the teleportation spell she learned from the novel.

Her steps were light and pleasant as she hiked down the mountain. The sound of birds chirping and bugs crying was delightful to her sore ears. How long has it been since I've reconnected with nature?

Her heavy shoulders and stiff muscles unclenched themselves. She felt free for a short moment, greatly relishing in the quietness of the forest.

No yapping people, no protagonist, and no drama!

It was tempting to abandon everything and live a quiet life behind a waterfall, but that wasn't why Tora came here.

The chirping of birds was soon replaced with the chaotic babbling of a marketplace. The golden fan sparkled under the sky, greatly attracting the greedy eyes of the nearby merchants. They wanted to snatch away the prized item, but the young man's aura was fearsome.

They watched the young man with great interest, wondering where he was going. That was until his steps halted in front of a large building.

"The Fountain of Youth," read the bold carvings of the sign. Tora felt her eyes water at the intensity of the perfume that leaked through the open door.

"Welcome Young Immortal! Our Fountain of Youth has the best wines and dishes for you to choose from," the middle-aged female chattered excitedly at the prospect of a new guest. Her eyes secretly scanned the young man in front of her. The more she looked, the more pleased she was.

"Our top fairies have been eagerly waiting for a fresh face. Such a handsome young man! My, my, even this old lady can't help but admire such an exquisite young man." She was a master at flattery, spitting out as many compliments as she could to please the young master in front of her.

"This fan in my hand is considered an immortal's treasure. I'm willing to part with it if you're willing to trade." Tora waved it back and forth in front of the lady. "I'm looking for Ningli."

That name startled the lady. Her greedy eyes quickly shifted into that of a sharp and intense gaze. She looked Tora up and down, trying to figure out the intentions behind the young man.

"Let us talk some more upstairs." Her graceful bearing did not reflect the depravities happening in this building. "Would you like some tea? A drink perhaps?"

"I'm not fond of drinking from strangers." Tora heard a soft chuckle as the lady poured herself a cup of tea.

"Young Master Jing Yi of the Jing Clan, how did you come to know of such a name?" The lady felt it appropriate to get straight to the point. Her flattering manners from earlier were nowhere to be seen.

"The position of the Demon Lord." The lady's hand jerked, her eyes sharpened with a dangerous glow as she returned to the seat. "Do you think you can protect it?"

Tora wasn't lying when she mentioned the rise of a Demon Lord. Just like the status of the Immortal Lord, it is a position one needs to acquire. The disparity in hierarchy is extremely prominent in these types of silent societies.

Li Weisheng, in a spur of luck, stole away the position of Demon Lord from someone else.

"How does the Young Master know of such a thing?" This was the second time she asked about Tora's relation to the topic. Tora gracefully smiled and placed the fan down on the table.

"Tell Ningli I wish to establish friendly relations. A vile creature is eyeing the position of Demon Lord. He will be taking it soon."

"I will deliver the message." The lady bowed and left the room.

Tora mulled over what she knew of Ningli. Her action was a gamble, as the novel barely mentioned this mysterious person.

The five youths of Mount Xue had miscalculated the danger level. Their sudden appearance triggered a hidden rune, opening a realm of illusion as their minds slowly sunk into a dream.

The treasure hunt quest was put on hold as they subconsciously tried to navigate the dream.

Li Weisheng was the most affected. His weak mentality from the regression was incapable of self-preservation against a mental attack. The illusion had brought him back to the moment before everything began.

It had been ten years since he joined the Xingrong Sect and became Wei Xianjun's core disciple. The youngest disciple had just exited his ten-year closed-door cultivation when they were all invited to Jing's Patriarch's Birthday celebration.

Li Weisheng didn't realize the vision was an illusion created by a mind-trapping rune. He spent his time enjoying the drinks and taking walks, occasionally, Jing Qinru would take them down to the marketplace for fun.

Gradually, the clear sky became pitch black, indicating the passing of time. They had long separated to enjoy their form of entertainment, whether it was watching a play or reading books, everyone had their own thing going on.

Li Weisheng placed the glazed cup on the table. His white hair glistened amidst the candlelight, greatly captivating the passerby. He left the teahouse, leaving behind a golden nugget as payment.

The market lit up from all the lanterns, but few were present to witness its beauty. His peaceful strides were interrupted by a screech.

His righteous personality forbade him from ignoring the maiden in distress. As he dashed through an alleyway, the smell of iron greeted his sensitive nose.

A beautiful lady casually mauled a young man. Her sharp nails sliced through his skin, slowly tearing it off the muscles. Her long pale tongue slurped the blood, licking it clean as she expertly skinned the young man alive.

Her vile act caused his stomach to twist. He felt sick at the display of gore, but steadied his heart and pulled out his famous sword. The blade of frost glowed a dangerous glare, once touched by its art, the opponent's soul would freeze entirely.

The vicious demoness was too occupied by the fresh meat in front of her, by the time she noticed Li Weisheng, her body was sliced and her soul shattered. This was the death of the Demon Lord named Ningli.

Li Weisheng didn't know this. If he had known the other was a Demon Lord, he would've fled instead. Only someone in the realm of Immortal Lord could kill a Demon Lord without consequences.

Out of the body of Ningli was a black fire, deeper than the pits of hell, as it engulfed the person who dealt the final blow. The World refuses imbalances. Its influence wrapped around Li Weisheng, digging into his dantian and sprouting a seed that slowly corrupted his immortal core.

Li Weisheng was chosen as the next Demon Lord. His vision blurred and he fell unconscious. Jing Qinru had found him collapsed in the alleyway and brought him back to the Jing clan.

"Shixiong!" A faint calling interrupted the world he was in. The surroundings wiggled as if it was underwater. "SHIXIONG!"

Alas, Jing Qinru had saved him once again. Li Weisheng had returned to reality. His weak mind regained its vitality. Jing Qinru's worried face occupied his vision. This was the moment he decided this person was the love of his life.