Editor: Casey

Rong Jue slightly clenched his fists and pursed his lips, “Shizun?”

But Shi Qing didn’t respond to him. Instead, Shizun called out to the person outside with a hint of a smile in his voice. “Come in.”

His second disciple Shang Lu immediately pushed the door open like he always did. Shang Lu’s smile grew more joyful when he caught sight of Rong Jue, and he saluted the two of them respectfully.

“This disciple greets Shizun and Da-shixiong.”

Shang Lu didn’t notice Rong Jue’s slightly gloomy face when he got up. He directed a look of sunny admiration towards Shi Qing and spoke warmly.

“This disciple just heard about Shizun’s pill refinement talent after leaving seclusion, so I came to offer my congratulations.”

“What’s there to warrant celebration? If it wasn’t for Chi Xia Peak being too overbearing, I wouldn’t have needed to do it myself.”

The supreme elder smiled and beckoned his second disciple to approach with a gentle look in his eyes. “Since you’ve exited seclusion, has your realm made a breakthrough?”

“Unfortunately, this disciple is foolish and has not made a breakthrough.”

Although he said that, Shang Lu was still as eager as ever.

Of course he would be happy. After all, he just learned that his Shizun was a genius pill refinement master. More importantly, Shizun seemed to have put aside his scruples for Da-shixiong and was willing to take care of him.

He even gave a Longevity Pill to Da-shixiong.

Shang Lu looked up to both his Shizun and Da-shixiong, so Shizun’s apparent dislike for the latter has always troubled him. Of course he would be glad that their relationship was improving.

“You’ve always been unable to concentrate enough.”

With a smile, Shi Qing stretched out a slender white fingertip and poked Shang Lu on the forehead, pretending to scold him, “Little monkey.”

Shang Lu was a young adult, so he was embarrassed to be scolded by Shizun in front of his Da-shixiong. He peeked at Rong Jue, “Shixiong’s injuries seemed to have greatly recovered. I must congratulate Shixiong as well.”

After changing into a new set of white robes, Rong Jue regained his handsome appearance. It was difficult to tell that he had been injured at all.

Rong Jue forced himself to smile thinly back at his shidi.

But all he felt right now was ridicule.

Before, he had thought that he and Shi Qing had something special.

Only after observing his interaction with Shang Lu did Rong Jue realize what an actual harmonious master-disciple relationship was like.

Rong Jue knew that Shi Qing was close to Shang Lu, but he had thought it was because Shang Lu was a descendant from Shi Qing’s mother’s family.

There was a blood relationship, so naturally, they should be close.

But his Shizun literally said just now that he valued Rong Jue the most.

Shang Lu didn’t notice anything wrong with his Da-shixiong. He was still droning on as usual to Shi Qing, who was both an elder and a teacher to him.

“This disciple doesn’t know why. I clearly felt my cultivation easing up, but I couldn’t break through to the next realm. I was only getting more frustrated as time went on, so I came out of seclusion. After being surprised with such good news, I came here to offer my congratulations.”

From start to finish, Shi Qing listened quietly to his second disciple’s chatter with a gentle and patient gaze.

Although he didn’t say a word, anyone could tell how well the duo got along.

Behind his back, Rong Jue’s right hand clenched tighter and tighter.

A faint trace of demonic energy spread out from his palm, which he suppressed.

Finally, with a smile, he addressed Shang Lu.

“Shidi, you’ve just left seclusion so you should focus on consolidating your cultivation. Otherwise, if you don’t stabilize it, it will become more difficult to break through next time.”

Rong Jue has always been held in high regard by his younger martial siblings. Shang Lu immediately nodded, “Da-shixiong is right. I’m going down the mountain to consolidate my cultivation.”

“Shizun, this disciple will come to see you another time.”

Shi Qing nodded with a smile. When he saw that his second disciple was about to leave, he suddenly called out to him, “Wait.”

Shang Lu turned back, dazed. Then he saw Shizun waving his sleeve and sending nearly ten jade bottles to him.

“There are pills made by this master inside. Some calm the mind, others replenish energy, and the rest will aid your cultivation. Take these back and share them with your shimei once she exits cultivation.”

“This disciple thanks Shizun!”

Shang Lu didn’t dawdle. He accepted the pills and shoved them into his pocket.

He suppressed the urge to act spoiled like he usually did, out of consideration for Rong Jue, and took his leave.

But his Shizun who has always favoured him had other ideas. Shi Qing took out another pillbox and sent it to Shang Lu’s side with a wave of his sleeve.

The fragrance of the pills permeated through even the closed box. Shang Lu raised his eyes to his Shizun in disbelief.

“Shizun, this is..?”

Shi Qing smiled at his silly disciple, “It’s a Longevity Pill.”

“It’s of Pill Aurora grade, so it can extend your lifespan by at least a hundred years.”

“This Longevity Pill is for you.”

–Crack!

Rong Jue clenched his fist fiercely.

What most valued disciple.

What cherish and care.

What refining pills for him.

It was all a lie–

The System was given a violent shock. It sounded the alarms.

Rong Jue’s animosity value: 500

/100

Rong Jue’s animosity value: 550

/100

Rong Jue’s animosity value: 600

/100

Rong Jue’s animosity value: 660

/100!!!!!

The System was about to go insane: Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!! Host what to do, what to do, what to do?!? We’re going to d-d-die!!

Shi Qing was still unbothered: Don’t panic and calm down.

The crisp sound of an object shattering resonated through the air, followed by a rancorous clamour as the formation on the west wall was forcibly broken. The treasures hanging on the wall all fell to the floor.

The blue-robed supreme elder, who used to be looking at his second disciple with a shallow smile, turned sharply to the eldest disciple standing at his side.

Rong Jue still had his right hand behind his back, but this time, he made no moves to conceal the terrifying amount of demonic energy he wielded.

As Rong Jue took in the disbelief in Shizun’s expression, a smile slowly blossomed on his handsome face. He extended a tendril of demonic energy to wrap around Shang Lu’s neck. Because his realm was insufficient, his little shidi had no idea what was going on.

The supreme elder blanched as he watched this happen.

“Rong Jue!”

Shang Lu’s cultivation wasn’t high enough, so he was puzzled as to why his Shizun and Shixiong were suddenly staring at each other.

“Shizun?”

The other was unaware that his life could end any second now, thanks to the wisp of demonic energy wrapped around his neck.

With a slight motion, Rong Jue sent the demonic energy that only Shi Qing could see into Shang Lu’s body, where it settled in his heart meridian.

Panic flashed across Shi Qing’s jade-like face. He knew that his second disciple could be decapitated with the slightest flick of the demon lord’s fingers. He unconsciously snapped.

“How dare you!”

Rong Jue was done pretending. The smile playing on his lips continued to widen as the sadistic and bloodthirsty aura of a demon filled the entire room.

“What is Shizun talking about? This disciple is now an invalid, I don’t dare to do anything in front of you.” He laughed as undisguised pleasure and resentment flashed by in his eyes.

Although he hadn’t fully recovered to his peak state, Rong Jue could definitely soundly beat any of the supreme elders down.

As such, what’s the point of continuing this charade?

Then the demon lord glanced at Shang Lu, who was staring blankly at them. “Wasn’t Shidi getting ready to leave?”

Shang Lu didn’t know what was happening, but he had a strange feeling for some reason. He subconsciously answered, “I want to stay a while longer.”

“Alright.”

Instead of getting angry, Rong Jue’s smile became gentler. He still acted like a genial Shixiong who looked after his younger martial siblings. “With how close you are to Shizun, it’s only natural for Shidi to want to accompany him.”

He turned back to the blue-robed supreme elder with a cruel look in his eyes, not concealing his threat at all.

“You agree with this disciple, right?”

“Shizun.”

Shi Qing paled and turned to reprimand Shang Lu, “Get out!”

Shang Lu was utterly lost: “Shizun?”

“This master told you to get out!”

“But Shizun…”

Seeing that he was still not leaving, Shi Qing directly waved his sleeve and stiffly threw his second disciple out of the house with a burst of energy.

“This master is going into seclusion. Neither of you should come to disturb me during this time.”

After suddenly being thrown out and tumbling on the ground, Shang Lu was even more confused when he heard these words before he could get up.

“Shizun? What’s going on, Shizun? Da-shixiong?”

Shi Qing’s cold and clear voice came from inside: “Why are you still here?! Do you want to be hit again?!”

How could someone like Shang Lu withstand another hit from a cultivator at the Amalgamation stage? With a stomach filled with grievances, the youth struggled to his feet pitifully and limped down the mountain.

Only when he sensed that Shang Lu was gone did the blue-robed supreme elder let out a sharp sigh of relief.

But in the next second, the demon lord’s gloomy remarks made him tense up again. “Shizun really is partial to Shidi. You’re still thinking about his safety when you can’t even guarantee your own.”

Shi Qing’s pale face remained tinged with disbelief. “Who are you?”

“Don’t be like that, Shizun. You’re making this disciple sad.”

Rong Jue smiled at him, but there was no admiration or warmth in his expression. There was only sadism and aggression.

“Although this disciple is not as well-liked by Shizun as Shang Lu, I’ve also grown up by your side. How can Shizun not even recognise me?”

“No…”

The supreme elder grit his teeth, his jade-like face full of determination, “You are not Rong Jue. Rong Jue would never show those kinds of emotions.”

“Then what kind of emotions would he show?”

The demon lord looked at the supreme elder in front of him and suddenly burst into mocking laughter. He laughed like he was insane, and he only grew louder over time.

Then he suddenly stopped and said indifferently, “Did Shizun really expect his eldest disciple to remain as foolish and obedient as before after his own Shizun destroyed his spiritual root?”

The supreme elder’s face drained of all colour.

When Rong Jue smiled and took a step forward, Shi Qing subconsciously took a step back.

The demon lord laughed even more joyfully, “Is Shizun afraid of me?”

“So even someone like you knows fear…”

“Did you ever think that a day like this would arrive when you destroyed my spiritual root?”

The supreme elder was dumbfounded for a few seconds. He suddenly turned and fled towards the entrance, only for his body to almost immediately stiffen.

Like thick vines, dense demonic energy surrounded him from all directions and trapped him tightly.

A large, slender hand suddenly landed on his waist.

With overwhelming possessiveness, it tightened its hold on Shi Qing’s entire body and pulled him in closer.

The demon lord’s deep, dulcet voice whispered pleasantly into his ear.

“Shizun, all the things you owe me…”

“It’s time for you to pay them back.”

I have to warn you guys about the next few chapters. There is going to be ‘noncon’ (quotations because Shi Qing is having the time of his life). The descriptions are pretty vague, so please decide for yourself if you want to read them.