Chapter 165: A Secret Engagement - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 165: A Secret Engagement Upon first comprehending the Blood Nerve Sutra, you frequently feel the scorching burn of devilish flames, and unsettling, red blotches often appear on your skin, making for a rather terrifying sight. If, however, you absorb the primordial spirit and flesh of a demonic cultivator, this burning sensation and the blotches vanish. Yet, this relief is short-lived, as a weak demonic cultivator can only sustain the effect for three days. The rest of the days are spent in ceaseless pursuit of demonic cultivators. This leads to demonic cultivators in the area warning one another to avoid detection. Realizing the increasing difficulty of finding targets, you abandon the search and head towards the Blood Sea. By the time you reach Blood Sea, a month has passed, and shortly thereafter, you arrive at the Asura King City. The Asura King City is vast, populated by unsightly Asura males and beautiful Asura females. Due to frequent visits from demonic cultivators collecting ancient blood energy for cultivation or artifact crafting, the Asura people are accustomed to newcomers like you. Soon after arriving in Asura City, Iron Fan senses your presence and comes to the streets. Seeing you truly came to find her, Iron Fan is both surprised and delighted. “You’re really here?” “I thought you were joking before.” Hearing this, you express warmth through your gaze. “Of course I wasn’t joking.” “How could I deceive such a lovely lady?” Iron Fan, who has taken quite a liking to you, visibly brightens with happiness. “In that case, I must fulfill the duties of a host.” “Follow me.” You follow Iron Fan to a particular spot in the Blood Sea. There, an island rises amidst the blood-laden sea, yet lush green plants cover it, starkly contrasting with the surrounding blood aura. You realize these are rare and precious trees, seldom seen in the outside world. Upon setting foot on the island, you feel as if you’ve stepped into a paradise, and the pain from cultivating the Blood Nerve Sutra lessens somewhat. Iron Fan conjures a round table and chairs, and asks you to wait as she picks some fruits. After a short while, Iron Fan returns with a tray filled with various exotic fruits. Some are as large as a child’s head, half-green and half-red peaches emitting a tantalizing fragrance. Others are golden, like grapes carved from jade. A deep emerald apple stands out amongst them. In total, there are twenty-three varieties of fruits, all unfamiliar to you. You inquire curiously. “Iron Fan, what are these fruits?” “I’ve never seen them before.” Iron Fan responds proudly. “These are tributes collected by Asura people for my father. They explore far and wide, and when they encounter peculiar plants and fruits, they uproot them and bring them back to the city.” “My father doesn’t care for them, so he lets me handle them.” “I found this special place and secretly took a piece of my father’s fertile soil to form this island.” “The rich blood aura here nourishes them, so they grow exceedingly well.” “There are a hundred other varieties that haven’t matured yet. Otherwise, they'd make for an even grander display.” “Hurry and try them.” “They greatly benefit cultivation.” Hearing her say this, you stop hesitating and pick up a grape, placing it in your mouth. As you chew, the taste is sweet and refreshing, with a rich fragrance. Your long-stagnant magical power surges significantly. The array of flavors makes your mouth water, leaving you feeling extremely refreshed and invigorated. Each fruit possesses a unique fragrance, sweet as honey, highly beneficial to your cultivation. Iron Fan doesn’t eat any, instead resting her cheek in her hand, watching you intently. For some reason, from the moment she first saw you, Iron Fan feels an inexplicable familiarity, only restrained by her prior engagement. Now that you’ve come to her, her long-held feelings surge forward uncontrollably. Unconsciously, you devour more than half the fruits on the tray. Feeling somewhat full, you notice the enchanting maiden before you has been watching you all along, making you a bit self-conscious. “Sorry, it’s been a long time since I’ve had such delicious fruit.” Iron Fan says nothing, continuing to gaze at you with deep affection. Moved by her look, you can’t control yourself and pull her into your arms. The two of you lose yourselves in each other, your senses overwhelmed by the sweet scent on her lips. As the moment deepens, Iron Fan activates a protective formation around the island, causing a haze of blood aura to rise, making the island look like an inconspicuous bump atop the Blood Sea. In the scene, the bashful maiden's rosy lips slightly part, her translucent skin glowing with a faint blush. Her soft sighs are like celestial music... ... ... The two of you, mutually enamored, quickly commit to one another. You and Iron Fan indulge on Blood Island for a month, never having felt time pass so swiftly. Eventually, you struggle to restrain the expanding red blotches from the Blood Nerve Sutra. Fearing to show such an unsightly condition before your beloved. Reluctantly, you bid farewell to Iron Fan, promising to return soon to formally propose marriage to her father. Though Iron Fan’s eyes reveal her unwillingness to part, she trusts your sincerity. “If only I could, I’d leave with you, Su Lang.” At present, unable to control the side effects of the Blood Nerve Sutra, your heart softens seeing Iron Fan this way. “Iron Fan, if you’re willing to leave with me, wait on this island for a short while. I’ll return in no more than three days.” Iron Fan nods at your words. “Return swiftly.” Flying away from the Blood Sea’s island, you search for any sign of people. Reaching the outskirts, you sense a presence beneath the sea’s surface. Most of those who come to the Blood Sea are demonic cultivators, making you eager. Absorbing this person’s primordial spirit could ease your discomfort. Without hesitation, you drive your flying sword towards the sea’s bottom. “Ah!” A cry of pain follows, as a figure radiating golden flames leaps from the depths. “Who has destroyed my body!” This figure, the head of a sect neighboring the Blood Sea known as the Xuanyang Sect, goes by the Tao name Zhenyangzi. Three hundred years prior, he achieved a pure yang primordial spirit, becoming a local celestial loose immortal. This time, his visit to the Blood Sea aimed to collect pure blood pearls to strengthen his disciples’ physiques. Now, without considering the cause, you’ve destroyed his five hundred years of cultivation. Thus, you’ve unwittingly shouldered the burden of his five-hundred-year celestial tribulation. Realizing you mistakenly harmed an innocent, the muddle in your mind clears a bit, and you hasten to apologize. “Senior, I sincerely apologize.” “I mistook you for a demonic cultivator, hence my heavy hand.” Enraged, Zhenyangzi’s primordial spirit hurls insults at you. “You dare call Daoist Grandpa a demonic cultivator? You’re the real demon!” “Daoist Grandpa is the head of Xuanyang Sect!” “What kind of person are you?” “Didn’t your sect elders teach you?” “You ill-mannered thing!” “You’re motherless!” “How could your father create a creature like you…” “…” Zhenyangzi, with his lost corporeal form and unanchored primordial spirit, lets his true nature show in his words. His curses, increasingly offensive, gradually ignite your ire. Initially calm, his escalating abuses become intolerable, disregarding you entirely. Though your temper has mellowed over the years, old habits die hard. Angered, you open your mouth wide, swallowing Zhenyangzi’s primordial spirit in one gulp. “Keep insulting me now!” As Zhenyangzi's primordial spirit enters your belly. Instantly, an indescribable pleasure sweeps through your body, a sweetness you’ve never experienced, far surpassing even Iron Fan’s gifted fruits. It’s a sensation no vile demonic cultivator’s polluted spirit can compare to. In this moment of delight, you discover astonishingly, the Blood Nerve Sutra is surging as if fueled by supreme elixirs, elevating your cultivation level with astounding speed. Very quickly, you achieve a level of mastery akin to entering the inner sanctum. You even realize that the bothersome red blotches will never trouble you again. Yet, after the initial exhilaration, fear grips you, for you have killed a revered and righteous loose immortal of a respected sect and even consumed his primordial spirit, condemning him to eternal damnation. Despite his abusive words, your actions felt excessive. This insight terrifies you, making you fear that the influence of the Blood Nerve Sutra is gradually steering your behavior towards the demonic. Once your mind stabilizes, you dive into the depths of the Blood Sea to retrieve Zhenyangzi's corpse, intending to present yourself to the Xuanyang Sect for penance. With his body in tow, you set out for Xuanyang Sect. Xuanyang Sect is a small faction. It comprises no more than twenty members, both male and female. The buildings are modest, resembling a village, with a large, intelligent dog guarding the entrance. Seeing a stranger, the dog barks at you incessantly. The commotion draws the sect members out of their abodes to see what has transpired. Bringing back Zhenyangzi’s body shocks and deeply saddens everyone at Xuanyang Sect. “Senior Brother!” “Master!” “Patriarch!” “How could this have happened, who did this to you?” “…” Seeing these cultivators, who share Zhenyangzi's teachings, fills you with remorse. Yet, a persistent voice echoes in your mind. “Kill them, consume their pure yang primordial spirits, and your Blood Nerve Sutra will ascend to a higher level!” “Then you will fear no demon king!” “Even Sun Wukong won’t be an issue for you!” (End of the Chapter)