Given the situation in the Land of Exile, those who had a chance to leave did so long ago. Only Wu Jinliang had always followed him.
Last time, Miao Yilan offered him a chance to stay in Far-Gazing Tower, but Wu Jinliang still gave it up, continuing to follow him.
Why? Isn't it because Shi Chun possesses something Wu Jinliang deems worthy?
Wu Jinliang was his only companion, both a brother and a friend.
If he were to be looked down upon by Wu Jinliang, then he would truly be too regretful.
Facing the aggressive questioning, he responded, “I don’t know.
I don’t ask which lineage you belong to, so don’t ask about mine. If you insist on asking, then I’m just a lone demon.
Or rather, what should we do about the current situation? How do you want to resolve it?”
His tone also softened. Since they were all demonic cultivators, he didn't want to leave himself no way out.
If they just reported him to the Heavenly Court, he’d have to hide for the rest of his life. And if he also offended the demonic path, then both the righteous and demonic paths would reject him, making life impossible.
Feng Chi could understand why the other party was unwilling to reveal anything. If he was an undercover agent from an unknown lineage and exposed his background without permission, that lineage might not let him off.
So she no longer pressed the issue, sneering, “How else can we resolve it? Release her quickly!”
Shi Chun: “I do want to release her, but if I do, will you let us go?”
Feng Chi raised an eyebrow and chided, “Has your brain turned to water? A major event is imminent. The Three Demonic Lineages’ Blood Oath has been sworn to consolidate power, cease internal conflict, and only compete fairly, otherwise facing joint retaliation.
As someone from the three lineages, you should uphold the promise.”
Shi Chun: “Agreements are agreements, but even if you strike, no one here will see it.”
Feng Chi was a bit angry. “It’s bad enough that the Heavenly Court belittles us, but what kind of behavior is it to look down on ourselves? Do you think all demonic cultivators are as despicable as you?”
Shi Chun: “Whether a scoundrel or a good person, only those who live have the right to choose what kind of person they are.
You wouldn’t think I’d stake my life on a gamble just because you said a few words, would you?”
Feng Chi: “Didn’t you say the deed of sale isn’t on you?”
The deed of sale? Ever since he learned the other party was a demonic cultivator, Shi Chun inexplicably felt this item was somewhat unreliable and might no longer serve as a shield. Even if it was useful, once he released the person, the other party might seize him and force him to hand over the deed of sale, and the process would definitely involve great suffering.
However, after a quick thought, he changed his mind again.
When first encountering such a situation, anyone would think about how to escape, and he was no exception.
But now that he discovered he was also a demonic cultivator, especially after realizing Demonic Qi could solve his long-standing cultivation problems, he was reluctant to escape.
The reason was simple: if he separated from these two demonic cultivators, where would he find other demonic heroes in the future? He couldn't just go around asking, could he? If asking worked, it wouldn't be his turn; the Heavenly Court would have done it long ago, and the demonic path would have become extinct.
Ultimately, it was an old habit developed in the Land of Exile: reaching out when he saw an opportunity.
So he directly changed the topic.
“Now the biggest problem is, if I release her, how do I enter Wukang Mountain?”
Feng Chi: “How you enter Wukang Mountain is your business, not ours.”
“Not your business?” Shi Chun shook the woman he held in his arms.
“I sold her, completely severing Bian Weikang’s ties with her, so I could present the credit to Bian Jixiong, making it easier to enter Wukang Mountain.
Now she also wants to enter Wukang Mountain.
What does that make me? I literally redeemed a courtesan to be an in-law for the Bian family. Wukang Mountain’s face would be thoroughly slapped.
If Bian Jixiong met me in person, he’d probably want to kill me. To still want to enter Wukang Mountain, that’s not even how dreams work.
Only if you don’t enter Wukang Mountain can I enter. If you do, I can’t.
Do you think it has anything to do with you?”
This was also the biggest reason he decided to sell Xiang Lan’er upon seeing the situation outside Liyun Tower; making money was just a secondary matter.
Feng Chi and the captive Xiang Lan’er were both stunned.
So this was the real reason the other party redeemed and sold her.
Cen Futong had already confessed the truth about how this deal was brokered with various parties.
Thinking about it now, redeeming and selling her was indeed a good way to kill several birds with one stone: it not only pleased Bian Weikang but also Bian Jixiong, and made money incidentally.
Clearly, if they hadn’t run into them, this plan would have worked out very well.
Feng Chi naturally wouldn't agree with his statement. “Blame us? No one invited you; you voluntarily stuck your hand in our business.
You brought this upon yourself.”
Shi Chun: “Her identity already poses a problem for entering Wukang Mountain; under normal circumstances, Wukang Mountain would never accept her.
There’s only one possibility: you already have preparations in Wukang Mountain. If so, entering with one is entering, entering with two is also entering.
How about taking me along?”
Feng Chi refused: “You go your way, we go ours. There’s no need to entangle; we respectfully decline.”
Shi Chun: “A breakdown in negotiations isn’t good for anyone. Why force me to use Miss Xiang as a shield? How about this: take me into Wukang Mountain, and I promise not to interfere with your affairs, nor to compete with you for anything.
If there’s anything we can help with, just ask. Once I get what I want, I’ll return the deed of sale to you.
If we can benefit each other, there’s no need to make a mess of things, don’t you agree?”
Not compete? Feng Chi was a bit puzzled. Could their objective be different from theirs, not to control Wukang Mountain? She immediately asked, “What exactly do you want to do in Wukang Mountain?”
Shi Chun: “Find someone.
I can’t say anything more.”
Find someone? Feng Chi was puzzled, her gaze turning to Xiang Lan’er.
She couldn’t make this decision.
Logically, there was no need to agree, but the hostage was in the other party’s hands.
Turns out the young woman in his arms was the one in charge. Shi Chun realized this and immediately told Feng Chi, “Turn around.”
Feng Chi also saw what he was about to do and immediately turned her back.
Shi Chun moved swiftly, unsealing Xiang Lan’er’s mute point.
Unexpectedly, his good intentions immediately backfired. Xiang Lan’er, who had been unable to speak for too long, opened her mouth with a chilling voice, “Kill him!”
Feng Chi turned around at the sound, looking at her with an inquiring gaze.
Xiang Lan’er emphasized again, “I said kill him!”
Feng Chi’s face instantly showed difficulty. This request was too unrealistic, too emotional.
Shi Chun chuckled. This woman’s brain was problematic.
If they could have killed him, they would have long ago. Why wait until now? He immediately whispered into her ear, “Demonic path is demonic path.
What Three Lineages’ Alliance, what not killing each other—do you believe that yourself? I’ll ask one last time: agree or not? If not, I’ll strip you naked immediately, and then we can talk slowly.”
As far as he knew, women in the outside world valued their purity in this regard, almost as much as their lives.
Xiang Lan’er bit her silver teeth, her face frosty. “You dare!”
The two were already tightly embraced.
Shi Chun didn't even need to move his hands; he simply channeled his magical power, and her outer garment's clasp came undone.
Feng Chi gasped at the sight.
“Stop!”
Xiang Lan’er, however, sharply retorted, “Let him strip me!”
“…” Feng Chi hesitated to speak, her face full of anxiety.
Shi Chun had only unfastened one clasp of the hostage’s outer garment and dared not continue.
He knew that if he really stripped her naked, he would thoroughly offend her to death.
He was just trying to scare her, but who knew she didn't fall for it at all.
He felt a bit helpless, cursing inwardly that he had run into a tough opponent, truly a demonic cultivator who didn't follow common sense.
Xiang Lan’er, however, was unforgiving.
“What, you don’t dare to strip me now?”
Shi Chun was at a loss for words, feeling the situation had stalled. He dared not gamble on simply releasing her.
Just as he was pondering how to reassure both sides, Feng Chi suddenly turned her head to one side and shouted, “Who’s there!”
Shi Chun feared a trick, so he didn’t let his attention be instantly diverted. While maintaining high vigilance towards her, he quietly observed the side with his peripheral vision.
The Demonic Qi lingering in the mountain forest suddenly rippled, and a figure appeared as if out of thin air, piercing through the Demonic Qi. It was a disheveled old man with messy gray hair, carrying a wine gourd, his face obscured by his wild hair, but his bright red, rosacea nose was very conspicuous.
He wore slippers beneath his dirty trousers, looking like a beggar.
The speed of his appearance startled everyone, tensing all their nerves.
Feng Chi quickly glanced at Shi Chun, initially thinking it was a master sent by Shi Chun. However, observing Shi Chun’s reaction, it clearly wasn’t, and she grew even more nervous.
If they were all demonic cultivators, they could resolve it with the Three Lineages’ Alliance oath. If not, outsiders generally wouldn't be polite to demonic cultivators.
Her first reaction was to flee, but the Holy Maiden was being held hostage, which made her very difficult.
The Disheveled Old Man tilted his head and took a swig of wine, then, with a burp, pointed at the lingering Demonic Qi on Feng Chi’s body.
“I was wondering where this Demonic Qi came from. So it’s you.
I’ve visited Liyun Tower before. I never thought you, the madam, would be a demonic fiend.
Since I’ve met you today, consider yourself unlucky!”
After speaking, he pointed a finger, and its momentum was like a thunderstorm sweeping over a mountain ridge.
Feng Chi turned pale with fright.
While rapidly dodging, her Demonic Qi simultaneously formed an emergency shield to protect her body.
Clang! Like a thunderclap, the shield energy disintegrated.
Feng Chi was sent flying like a shooting star, backward into the mountain forest, her spurting blood raining down like mountain mist.
The bank notes retrieved from Cen Futong also fluttered and slowly landed.
Both the captive Xiang Lan’er and Shi Chun felt as if they had been struck by lightning.
Especially Shi Chun, who was utterly terrified.
With a flick of a finger, Feng Chi was defeated so utterly. The newcomer’s cultivation was unimaginable.
Feng Chi’s cultivation was at least at the Grand Attainment of High Martial realm, so there was no need to ask about this Disheveled Old Man’s cultivation—he was at least a Human Immortal.
Having stayed in the Land of Exile for so long, everyone’s cultivation was generally at the same level.
The first job he did after leaving, kidnapping someone, ended up attracting one expert after another, each stronger than the last. He felt numb.
How was he supposed to play this game?
After defeating Feng Chi with a single finger, the Disheveled Old Man turned his gaze back to them. Shi Chun’s scalp instantly tingled, and he cursed himself for seeking death.
Why be a demonic cultivator when he could have been a righteous person? Now look, he was probably the shortest-lived demonic cultivator in the world.
He deeply felt that this hellish life didn’t even give him a chance to choose.