Vol 2 Chapter 54: Life and Death
Using Demon Sect disciples' blood to create talisman seals seemed like the perfect solution—
Except for the part where it was pure madness.
Even though the Demonic Path was in decline, and the status of the Thirteen Demon Ancestors remained uncertain, there was still one undeniable fact—
If you reaped the crops that a Demon Ancestor had cultivated for a million years…
Did you really think they wouldn't come for revenge?
Walking out of the Sect Master’s grass hut, Zheng Fa shook his head.
The talisman seal idea was a no-go.
Not only could it never be made public, but even if it saved a few spirit stones on spirit beast blood, it would also draw far greater enemies.
Not to mention… talisman seals were already a controversial topic within Jiushan Sect.The risk-to-reward ratio simply wasn’t worth it.
"Junior Brother, that Lin Bufan still refuses to say anything. What should we do?"
Senior Sister Yuan asked as she walked beside Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa thought for a moment before turning to her.
"What do you think, Senior Sister?"
"Kill him."
She answered immediately.
Despite her usual cheerful and playful demeanor, she spoke of killing as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Two short words, yet they weighed heavily on Zheng Fa’s mind.
After a long pause, he finally nodded.
"Alright."
Even though he had been educated in the modern world, he now understood the reality—
Modern-day morality had no place in the Xuanyi Realm.
He couldn’t let his own hesitation put the people around him at risk.
This was the safest choice.
Not only had Lin Bufan originally come to assassinate him, but his very identity as a Demon Sect disciple already made him a death sentence in Jiushan Sect.
The only reason Lin Bufan had survived this long was because of two factors:
- His blood was valuable.
- Zheng Fa and the others wanted to extract information from him.
But he clearly wasn’t cooperating.
And while his blood could provide huge benefits, the risks were even greater—
If that unknown sub-talisman in his blood really was linked to the Demon Ancestor, then the Ancestor might still have control over him.
Keeping him in Jiushan Sect was a ticking time bomb.
"One more attempt," Zheng Fa said. "If he refuses to talk today, we’ll end it."
Together, they headed toward Lin Bufan’s confinement chamber.
The moment Zheng Fa opened the door—
He saw something unexpected.
Lin Bufan was kneeling on the ground.
His face was pale, his lips bleeding, and his entire body trembled from weakness.
Clearly, even getting out of bed had been an immense struggle.
And yet—he knelt there, gasping for breath, a desperate light in his eyes.
"I swear loyalty to you," Lin Bufan rasped, his voice weak but firm with determination.
"Just… spare my life."
Zheng Fa blinked.
He turned to Senior Sister Yuan, who looked just as surprised.
"I didn’t say anything to him!" she muttered, confused.
Lin Bufan let out a weak laugh.
"This Senior Sister… didn’t have to say anything," he said.
"But she stopped coming as often."
"And the people healing me stopped showing up."
That alone had been enough for him to realize the truth.
He was about to be abandoned.
Zheng Fa frowned.
This guy… is sharper than I thought.
"Get up first."
Lin Bufan didn’t beg further, nor did he act pathetically humble.
With great effort, he dragged himself up, leaning against the wooden bed frame for support, then stared directly at Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa studied him carefully.
The first time he had heard of Lin Bufan, the innkeeper had described him as a naïve fool, easily manipulated.
The second time he met him, Lin Bufan had seemed numb to everything, carrying only a desperate desire for revenge.
Now, for the third time—
His eyes were filled with reckless madness.
Within just a few days, it was as if he had become a different person entirely.
"You’re clever," Zheng Fa said, narrowing his eyes.
"But I don’t want to take you in."
"Why?" Lin Bufan asked.
"Because even if you want to live, you still want revenge," Zheng Fa said.
Lin Bufan didn’t deny it.
He remained silent for a long moment before slowly nodding.
"My uncle served Lin Yangtian loyally his entire life," he muttered.
"He was more obedient than a dog, yet he was betrayed and killed."
"To others, he was just another Demon Sect disciple—his death meant nothing."
"But to me… he was the man who raised me."
"I understand."
Zheng Fa waved a hand dismissively.
"But that’s your business. I have no obligation to help you."
"I have value!"
Lin Bufan insisted.
"My blood is valuable! It’s useful to you! It’s useful to that Senior Brother Li!"
"…"
He even figured that out?
"You really are smart," Zheng Fa muttered.
"Do you know why I don’t want to accept you?"
Lin Bufan's eyes flickered.
"Why?"
"Yes, you’re useful…" Zheng Fa said slowly.
"But your obsession with revenge could drag Jiushan Sect into disaster."
Lin Bufan’s expression darkened.
After a long silence—
He suddenly clenched his jaw.
"I am willing to offer my Soul Seal!"
Even Senior Sister Yuan looked shocked.
The Soul Seal was a well-known technique in the Xuanyi Realm.
It was commonly used in the Demonic Path, but rarely practiced by the Immortal Sects.
In simple terms—
If Lin Bufan handed over his Soul Seal, his very existence would be controlled by Zheng Fa.
He would have no free will, no ability to resist.
Zheng Fa’s control over him would be as absolute as the Demon Ancestor’s grip over his disciples.
For many cultivators, choosing death was preferable to offering up their Soul Seal.
Yet Lin Bufan… was offering it freely.
"Tell me," Zheng Fa said, "what is the current state of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor?"
Lin Bufan hesitated briefly but answered,
"The Demon Ancestor’s condition is likely… not good."
"There are rumors that he is not even in this realm."
"If he were in good condition, I wouldn’t be alive right now."
Zheng Fa nodded.
That actually made sense.
For someone as powerful as the Demon Ancestor, if Lin Yangtian had his favor, then Lin Bufan would have been instantly executed.
The fact that Lin Yangtian had failed to kill him suggested that the Demon Ancestor wasn’t in a position to intervene.
"Not in this realm?" Zheng Fa frowned.
Who else could leave this world?
"I don’t know," Lin Bufan admitted.
"Some say the Demon Ancestor is healing."
"Some say he’s been sealed away."
"Others say he’s cultivating an ancient divine technique."
Zheng Fa nodded slowly.
This was useful information.
Lin Bufan was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator—the Demon Ancestor was far beyond his reach.
But his next sentence made Zheng Fa’s expression grow serious.
"But if the Saint Ancestor descends upon the Xuanyi Realm, all of us with his bloodline will feel it… That’s why the sect believes he’s no longer in this world."
Zheng Fa fell into deep thought.
That meant the Demon Ancestor’s location wasn’t just speculation—if the bloodline itself served as a spiritual link, then the sect’s claim that he was not in this realm likely had some truth to it.
After a moment, Zheng Fa asked, "Why choose me?"
Lin Bufan hesitated, then sighed.
"If I’m selling myself, I at least have to sell to someone with potential… And Jiushan Sect only has two geniuses."
His tone was filled with frustration.
"Then why didn’t you say anything before?"
Zheng Fa suddenly understood.
"I was waiting for Zhang Wuyi to return," Lin Bufan admitted. "I told you that someone wanted to deal with her… because I hoped it would make her come back sooner. That way, I could pledge my loyalty to her instead."
"…"
Zheng Fa thought about it.
Senior Sister Zhang not only didn’t return…
She even sounded pretty excited in her latest letter, like she was having fun.
"And since she still hasn’t returned… I can’t afford to wait anymore."
"…"
Seeking Approval from the Sect Master
"You want to accept him?"
Sect Master Yuan studied Zheng Fa carefully.
"Yes," Zheng Fa replied. "He’s right—he’s useful."
"Explain."
The Sect Master didn’t express approval or disapproval, merely waiting for Zheng Fa’s reasoning.
"I don’t actually care that much about his blood," Zheng Fa said honestly.
"But the Great Freedom Demon Sect has already made a move against me and Senior Sister Zhang. Whether we like it or not, we’re already in conflict with them."
"So?"
"I listened to what he said—he has a spiritual connection to the Demon Ancestor," Zheng Fa continued.
"If the Demon Ancestor truly descends into this world, we can prepare in advance."
There was one more reason Zheng Fa didn’t mention—
He wanted to study the Demonic Path more deeply.
Lin Bufan’s blood, his sub-talisman, his insights—
If Zheng Fa could understand their inner workings, he could develop countermeasures for the future.
The Sect Master looked at him, then turned his gaze toward the lands below Jiushan Sect.
Zheng Fa didn’t say anything else.
This wasn’t a personal decision—it affected Jiushan Sect’s security.
He couldn’t make this call on his own.
After a long silence, the Sect Master finally spoke.
"Do as you see fit."
Zheng Fa blinked.
"Master?"
The Sect Master sighed.
"I’ve killed my fair share of Demonic Path scum."
Zheng Fa stared at him.
For the first time, he felt that—
Maybe this old man was actually reliable.
Modern World: The Provincial Capital
Zheng Fa sat in the car belonging to Tang Lingwu’s family.
This time, they weren’t heading to her house—they were going to the provincial capital.
The agricultural expert that Old Bai had mentioned—the elderly woman from the short video—had arrived.
The driver, wearing baggy shorts, drove them while chatting through the rearview mirror.
"Your college entrance exams are the day after tomorrow. Are you sure you’re okay skipping review?"
Zheng Fa knew the driver was talking to him.
After all, Tang Lingwu didn’t even need to take the exams.
"It’s fine," Zheng Fa replied casually.
His rankings in the monthly exams were already stable within the top three.
Most of the points he lost were from essays or subjective questions—things that depended more on luck than knowledge.
As for the other subjects… There was nothing left to review.
Their school had given them two days off before the exams, and it just so happened that the agricultural expert had arrived in the city at the same time.
Less than three hours later—
They reached the provincial capital.
A Luxurious Surprise
When they arrived at the final destination, all three of them—Zheng Fa, Old Bai, and Tang Lingwu—paused.
"This is…?"
They were standing in front of the most expensive five-star hotel in the city.
The kind where even the cheapest rooms cost several thousand yuan per night.
Zheng Fa wasn’t sure about the exact price—
This was simply far beyond the scope of things he would even think about researching.
The only reason he even knew about this hotel was because one of his wealthier classmates had stayed there once and bragged about it to the entire class.
"Old Bai," Zheng Fa turned to him, confused.
"That agriculture professor—is her family rich?"
Old Bai shook his head, looking just as bewildered.
"She comes from an ordinary family," he said. "At least… I never knew she had this much money."
Just then, as they approached the hotel entrance, the doorman suddenly greeted them—
"Welcome, Miss Tang!"
"…"
Zheng Fa and Old Bai turned their heads simultaneously—
And saw Tang Lingwu calmly nodding, as if this was completely normal.
Oh.
So this is what real wealth looks like.
Inside, Old Bai checked his phone.
"She’s waiting for us in the restaurant," he said.
"She wants to treat us to a meal."
The Encounter
Upon entering the restaurant, they immediately spotted the elderly woman.
She sat alone at a large table, surrounded by a feast of dishes, drawing the attention of several nearby guests.
"Did you strike it rich?" Old Bai asked as he walked over, confused.
"Or are you just giving up on saving money?"
The old woman laughed and stood up.
"Of course I’m not saving money!" she grinned.
"I already did the math—my doctor says I have six months left to live."
"So I calculated exactly how much money I can spend in those six months—not a single yuan more, not a single yuan less."
"…"
"So, Old Bai," she added, still smiling.
"Don’t bother finding me a doctor—I’ve already spent all my money. If you actually cure me… I’d just be a broke old woman."
Old Bai fell completely silent.
Turning toward Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu, the old woman beamed.
"You must be Zheng Fa!" she said.
"And this beautiful young lady must be Tang Lingwu!"
"Come, come, sit down and eat!"
She was completely relaxed—
Her face full of joy and freedom.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter