In The Cultivation World, Are There Only Demonesses Left?

Chapter 17: Kneeling to Beg

When the melody ended, the Lake of Lingering Affection spun as if heaven and earth had overturned.

Countless water tornadoes rose from the surface, and from the very center, a speck of azure light shot upward, carrying with it the sound of immortal music.

It was a pill.

Just gazing at it made one feel intoxicated, as if its fragrance could already be smelled.

“The Heaven-Mending Pill has appeared!”

A voice rang out.

“This Heaven-Mending Pill is fated with this little monk. This little monk shall have it.”

No one knew where the monk had come from, but his speed was astonishing.

His hand clawed toward that speck of azure light.

Yet in the blink of an eye, a sword ray cleaved through.

The monk was forced to withdraw, and in that instant, he lost his chance.

The azure object darted away like a firefly.

The monk’s gaze turned cold as he searched around, seeking the one who had ruined his opportunity.

“Which benefactor has spoiled this little monk’s good fortune? Do you not know the great name of the Food-Buddha Sect? Do not let this little monk find you!”

No one answered him.

With a cold snort, he charged into the crowd.

In an instant, the lantern festival turned into chaos, the once peaceful and harmonious scene completely shattered.

All of this was witnessed by Lu Changyuan, seated inside the pleasure boat.

Xia Lianxue softly explained: “That sword ray just now was most likely unleashed by the Sword Heir of the Green Grass Sword Sect.”

Lu Changyuan said: “You can tell?”

“Jade Palace once held a debate with the Green Grass Sword Sect. When Senior Sister fought him, I was present.”

Su Luoqiu stood, gazing distantly at the chaotic center of the lake.

“Mister Lu, are you not going?”

Lu Changyuan gestured toward Xia Lianxue.

She, puzzled, shifted closer to his side.

“I meant for you to pour me tea.”

Xia Lianxue let out a small “oh” and said: “But the tea has already gone cold. Why not drink wine instead?”

On Su Luoqiu’s boat, there was wine and food, but ever since boarding, Lu Changyuan had only drunk tea.

By now, the pot was cold.

Without warning, Lu Changyuan said: “Did Jade Palace send you and Qiu Yuehan together to seize the Heaven-Mending Pill?”

Xia Lianxue lightly shook her head.

“The mission given by my sect was only to investigate the Heaven-Mending Pill, not to take it. More precisely, we were to find out whether the pill was left behind by Daoist Chang’an. If so, we were to discover what else Daoist Chang’an had left.”

The fairy emphasized the words “Daoist Chang’an.”

Su Luoqiu asked doubtfully: “Jade Palace doesn’t want the Heaven-Mending Pill? But that is said to be a divine medicine that can cure all ailments.”

Xia Lianxue looked at Lu Changyuan.

When she saw him nod, she continued.

“Precisely because it is merely a pill, the Nine Gates and Twelve Palaces will not fight over it. Jade Palace is the same. If not for the possibility that the Heaven-Mending Pill was left by Daoist Chang’an, the sect would not even have sent people to investigate.”

There was, in truth, a misconception here.

The Heaven-Mending Pill had two most alluring qualities.

The first was compensating deficiencies and enhancing aptitude, able to turn a person of ordinary bone into a one-in-a-hundred genius.

But the prodigies of the Nine Gates and Twelve Palaces were already one-in-a-hundred geniuses; they had no need for such a pill.

The second was healing old wounds.

Yet the Nine Gates and Twelve Palaces had their own treasured medicines with similar effects.

Their higher-ups naturally had access, so there was no need to fight for this pill.

Thus, aside from Lu Changyuan and Xia Lianxue, those who truly needed the pill were the cultivators of mid-sized and smaller sects.

As for the representatives of the Nine Gates and Twelve Palaces present, almost all had come to investigate the matter of Daoist Chang’an, not to seize the pill.

Often, what you think is absolutely worth fighting for, in the eyes of others, may be nothing more than dispensable.

Su Luoqiu said blankly: “But that monk...”

Xia Lianxue continued: “If I am not mistaken, that was the Hand-Eating Monk, junior brother of the Heart-Eating Monk. The Food-Buddha Sect’s situation is different. Some years ago, because of excessive evil deeds, they were uprooted by Daoist Sect, Green Grass Sword Sect, and three others together. They indeed need this pill, for many of their people suffered hidden injuries in that battle.”

That also explained why the Sword Heir of the Green Grass Sword Sect had unleashed that strike.

The pill could be forgone.

But it must not fall into the hands of the Food-Buddha Sect.

Lu Changyuan chuckled.

“No wonder Qiu Yuehan wanted to hunt down the Heart-Eating Monk. Seems the cultivation world shuns the Food-Buddha Sect indeed.”

Xia Lianxue hummed lightly.

“They went too far, even consuming the hearts and livers of mortals.”

Boom!!!

A violent explosion resounded in the distance.

The Hand-Eating Monk roared in fury: “Who is it that keeps stopping this little monk!?”

It seemed the Sword Heir of the Green Grass Sword Sect had struck again.

Lu Changyuan, watching this scene, calmly picked up his chopsticks and chewed slowly.

Xia Lianxue, helpless, could only indulge him as he treated it like entertainment.

When there was no more wine, she poured more; when there was no food, she carried a dish from afar to place before him.

Su Luoqiu’s face turned pale and bluish.

“Mister Lu... You can still eat, seeing such a scene?”

One could not blame Su Luoqiu.

The nearby sight of flesh and blood flying was indeed nauseating.

In the distance, giant waves surged, as if they would churn up the very bed of the lake.

“This is just the beginning. By the way, do you want the Heaven-Mending Pill?”

After draining half a pot of wine, Lu Changyuan suddenly asked.

The fairy’s delicate shoulders trembled slightly, and even her beautiful hair quivered.

“M-me?”

Of course, she wanted it.

With the Heaven-Mending Pill, she could restore her former cultivation realm, without having to painstakingly re-cultivate.

The fairy bit her lip until her rosy lips paled.

Lu Changyuan, in truth, loved watching her tangled expression.

She desired it but dared not ask, knowing that asking would mean owing him a favor.

The more favors owed, the greater the debt—until the day it could not be repaid.

Expressionless, Lu Changyuan said: “The first lesson in cultivation is to face your own desire.”

This indeed was the first lesson of most sects in the cultivation world.

Jade Palace was no exception.

Xia Lianxue drew a deep breath and whispered: “I want it.”

For an instant, it was as if she saw Lu Changyuan seated high above the Nine Heavens, while she could only kneel before him, fawning and begging him to grant her the pill.

But that was only an illusion.

“Good. You have faced your own desire. Only by facing desire can you avoid being tainted by the Desire Demon.”

She thought he would mock her.

In fact, she was prepared for it.

But Lu Changyuan only said:

“Then go seize it. What we cultivators desire, we must obtain.”

Xia Lianxue dumbfoundedly raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

Could it be that Lu Changyuan intended to fight for the pill?

Naturally, he did not.

“What does Mister intend to do?”

“Of course, go home and sleep. What, stay here watching them fight?”

“But... but the pill...”

“That may not even be the Heaven-Mending Pill.”

Rising, Lu Changyuan stretched lazily toward the night sky.

“Many thanks, young lady, for keeping the boat steady.”

Ripples spread through the air.

Only then did Xia Lianxue realize that their boat had unknowingly been trapped inside a birdcage.

“Mister!”

“Don’t panic. They mean no harm. Without this cage, the waves from their battle would have overturned our boat.”

The birdcage slowly faded, shrinking, and fell into the hand of a young girl.

Someone stepped forth from a place unseen, unknown, and unheard.

She said:

“You’re welcome.”