Chapter 23: The Demon Cult Enchantress and the Aloof Buddhist Devotee (9)

“Junior Brother! By no means—ah!”

Before Grandmaster Kong Jing could finish speaking, he pitched forward from his seat. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth, and his body trembled faintly.

Fan Sijin took two steps forward and laughed like silver bells. “Old monk, I was speaking to Kong Xuan. What does it have to do with you? Or are you planning to keep Kong Xuan here and have everyone present buried with him?”

Her attack had been so swift that words could scarcely describe it. Not one of the heroes gathered there had seen through her movements, much less understood how she had wounded Kong Jing.

Kong Jing was one of the most formidable figures in the martial world, yet beneath this young girl’s hand he had been utterly incapable of defending himself.

There was no doubt in anyone’s mind: if she wished it, they might all die here today.

So… if there was a chance to live… even if that chance came at the cost of Grandmaster Kong Xuan, they would not utter a word.

That was human nature.

“All right, let’s go.” Fan Sijin waved to Xiao Xiao, signaling for him to follow.

Go? Xiao Xiao stared at her as though she had lost her mind. “You don’t want the position of Martial Alliance Leader?”

Fan Sijin was speechless for a moment. “You really do look clever, but all you ever do is one foolish thing after another. These people never intended to elect a Martial Alliance Leader. They merely wanted to wipe out the Heaven-Defying Cult in one stroke. Father would never be as foolish as you. He wasn’t going to come.”

Who could have known Xiao Xiao would be so impulsive? He had wanted to avenge Tan Qin and earn merit, only to walk straight into someone else’s trap with his eyes wide open.

“Help me take him away.”

For some reason, Xiao Xiao did not dare speak recklessly in front of Fan Sijin. He cast her a wounded glance, then turned and snorted at Kong Xuan. “Are you coming or not?”

With Fan Sijin present, no one dared obstruct them. They could only watch as an elegant sedan, light as a drifting cloud, appeared from nowhere and floated onto the platform.

Fan Sijin suddenly seemed to remember something. She stopped and introduced herself. “Oh, right. My name is Fan Sijin. From today onward, I shall be the Heaven-Defying Cult’s Left Protector. Be sure to remember me.”

Then she looked toward the Emei Sect. “As for these gu worms, all you need to do is endure ten days without touching meat, and they will dispel themselves without medicine. Otherwise…”

She left the final words unsaid. Fan Sijin leapt into the sedan and bound Kong Xuan with ropes, forcing him to follow on foot. Before long, the group vanished, leaving behind only the clear, tinkling sound of bells.

They disappeared as mysteriously as they had appeared.

With no one left on the platform, it was almost as though the earlier scene had never taken place.

Just what was this little fiend’s origin? With her in the Demon Cult, how could anyone hope to destroy it?

Regardless of how the orthodox martial artists agonized and struggled until their heads spun, Fan Sijin paid them no heed. The only person she cared about was Kong Xuan.

Back in the Miao borderlands, she had cultivated a great many gu worms, but had never found any use for them. Since Kong Xuan had willingly offered himself up to suffer, she would have felt she had wronged herself if she did not make him suffer properly.

Upon returning to the Heaven-Defying Cult, the first thing Fan Sijin did was go to see Father.

If there was one thing the Cult Leader hated most, it was those so-called orthodox martial artists who filled their mouths with false benevolence and righteousness.

Because of such people, his wife had died a tragic death, and the Miao borderlands had nearly suffered annihilation.

That battle had taught him a bitter truth: the so-called righteous always proclaimed themselves to be in the right, yet the moment they felt threatened, they would stop at nothing to eliminate you.

Outwardly, the orthodox martial artists were paragons of virtue. In truth, they were more hypocritical than anyone.

For this very reason, Father was intensely hostile toward Kong Xuan.

The moment he saw Kong Xuan, he gave a cold snort and asked Fan Sijin, “Why did you bring him back? Don’t let him sully your home.”

Fan Sijin smiled and slipped her arm through his. “Father may not know this, but Grandmaster Kong Xuan is the Buddha’s favored one. He is a martial genius by birth and immune to every poison! I think he may prove useful, so I kept him. Besides, regarding Sister Tan Qin, don’t you want to give her an explanation?”

Tan Qin.

Remembering that loyal subordinate, the Cult Leader’s gaze grew colder still.

He doted on Fan Sijin, but he loathed Kong Xuan to the depths of his being. He struck immediately, sealing several of Kong Xuan’s pressure points.

“You may keep him if you wish. Just be careful. His inner power is unfathomably deep, and I do not know when he might break through his restraints. But this monk is hidebound and refuses to take life. If you wish to control him, act quickly.”

Fan Sijin obediently nodded.

Father then took a walk with her for a while, telling her that he planned to enter seclusion and cultivate for a month. During that time, she was to make her own decisions regarding any matters that arose; everyone throughout the cult would obey her.

Fan Sijin nodded. With a smile, she watched Father leave before returning to her residence.

The Cult Leader’s love for Fan Sijin was no pretense. The residence he had arranged for his daughter was practically an exact replica of her home in the Miao borderlands.

The valley was warm as spring, filled with countless exotic flowers and rare herbs. A small bamboo house stood beside the water, and every morning a thin mist curled around it. It was truly a paradise on earth.

In all likelihood, although he had not gone to see her in more than a decade, he had never severed contact with the Miao borderlands. Otherwise, how could even the style and furnishings of the bamboo house be exactly the same as those of her former home?

Though his inner power had been sealed, Kong Xuan still looked like the compassionate monk who grieved for all living things.

He sat beneath a tree with his palms pressed together, surrounded by an air of solemnity.

Hearing footsteps, he opened his dark eyes and asked, “Little benefactor, have you come to kill me?”

“Kill you? Of course not.” Fan Sijin smiled. “You are Sister Tan Qin’s beloved. She certainly would not want me to kill you. However, I am the only person living in this valley. From today onward, you will be responsible for cooking my meals, washing my clothes, and serving as my test subject.”

Kong Xuan froze. He had never encountered such a shameless young woman. Before coming here, he had assumed he was on his way to hell. He had never expected…

“I truly want to know what Sister Tan Qin sees in you.” Fan Sijin leaned closer to examine him.

Kong Xuan was exceptionally handsome, but the compassion and noble bearing surrounding him made his appearance seem secondary.

A man like him appeared impossibly distant. The Buddha loved all people; he could never love only one.

It seemed that cold and aloof enchantresses were forever destined to fall for monks of boundless mercy and compassion. If good and evil had always stood opposed, why did people so often become hopelessly entangled in one another?

“Monk, if I spend enough time with you, do you think I might come to like you too?”

She was asking out of pure curiosity. Kong Xuan could tell that the girl understood nothing of love between men and women, so he did not panic. He merely sighed softly.

“I accidentally killed Benefactor Tan Qin in the past. The guilt has already become unbearable. How could I ever become entangled with you?”