Chapter 385 - Black Yin Worm
Three Demons City.
The sky had not brightened yet. The tall and densely packed buildings blocked out starlight, so this place looked dark and creepy. The three Demon Elders were all sitting in their respective elevated seats in the main pavilion, looking down at a trembling girl.
Murong Yu’s face was ghostly pale. She looked down, and felt her scalp go numb under the three Demon Elders’ gazes. She knew that what she had done had been exposed.
“Xiao Yu, Danfeng is dead. Have you heard?” The Second Demon Elder’s voice came from next to her. She jumped and found that the Second Demon Elder was right there, with her wrinkled face just half a meter away.
Murong Yu was tall, so she was one head taller than the Second Demon Elder.
“He’s dead?” This was a shocking piece of news to Murong Yu. She had only intended to interrupt Yang Danfeng’s plan, and the only person who was supposed to die was He Tian. So why was Yang Danfeng dead?
“Did the Palace Lord kill him?” she asked weakly.
The Second Demon Elder did not reply, but asked another question instead. “Does that mean you admit that you revealed the plan to Long Chen?” Since Murong Yu had mentioned the Palace Lord, then it meant she knew about it.
Murong Yu could only nod weakly. She knew that the three Demon Elders would only call for her this late at night if something major had happened, and they were probably certain that was the mole. That was why she knew that the more she argued, the smaller her chance of survival, and why she had admitted it with no resistance.
“Why?” the Second Demon Elder asked painfully.
“I felt like that method was inappropriate, and I didn’t want to marry Yang Danfeng ...” Murong Yu could not think of another reply.
The Second Demon Elder was stunned.
“Master, I didn’t know this would happen! I thought Long Chen would only go there to kill He Tian! I didn’t think that Yang Danfeng would die ...” explained Murong Yu with tears in her eyes.
“Actually, let me tell you something. Yang Danfeng wasn’t killed by the Palace Lord. He was killed by Long Chen!” spat the Second Demon Elder.
“Long Chen?” Murong Yu froze, then she blurted, “That’s impossible. He’s not strong enough. It must have been the demon wolf!”
“No, it was Long Chen. He is already strong enough to defeat Yang Danfeng. This means that right now, Long Chen can also defeat you with his own strength. If this continues, then the Demon Emperor Sword is as good as his. And he will also be the next Heavenly Demon Lord. If he becomes the Palace Lord, then all three of our lineages will be done for. Xiao Yu, you will be a traitor to us forever! Your selfishness has brought harm to all of us, including your juniors. How could you do this when we raised you for so many years? You ungrateful brat!”
The Second Demon Elder’s voice grew louder and louder until she was screaming. Every sharp accusation made Murong Yu’s heart shudder, and tears flowed from her eyes. The Second Demon Elder was right. Without her, Murong Yu would not be where she was today. In fact, she was Murong Yu’s other parent.
Murong Yu fell to her knees on the ground and kowtowed to her master and the other Demon Elders, crying profusely, “Master, I was wrong! I’m so sorry! I deserve to die! Kill me and let me clear my sins with my death!”
She felt absolutely miserable and could barely breathe.
“Xiao Yu, get up. Although you have committed an error, I have no intention of killing you.” The Second Demon Elder’s voice suddenly turned gentle and she gently helped Murong Yu to her feet.
“But ... Master, I’ve made such a huge mistake, I have wronged you ...”
“Danfeng is dead, and you’re my most prized disciple. How could we also let you die? Then the three of us would not have any more successors!” the Second Demon Elder said slowly.
“Master, what do I do now? Aren’t you going to punish me?” Murong Yu’s heart was torn. She had brought harm to all her fellow disciples and her master, one of the most important people in her life, so she was indeed filled with remorse.
“Forget about the punishment. However, the three of us have discussed and we have decided to give you a task. If you can complete it, we will forgive you,” the Second Demon Elder said in a calm voice.
“Please tell me. I will definitely complete it,” said Murong Yu, nodding hurriedly.
“You need to calm down first. Big Brother, show it to her.” The Second Demon Elder turned to the First Demon Elder sitting at the head of the room.
The First Demon Elder nodded and took out a blue bead from his Universe Pouch. Upon closer inspection, Murong Yu’s jaw dropped and she gasped. “Isn’t that the Frost Soul Essence? Why is there another one?”
“We got this Frost Soul Essence a long time ago. We decided that after one of you retrieved that Frost Soul Essence, we would give this one to the other person so that both of you would enter the Ninth River Stage together. That way, the Heavenly Demon Palace would have two Ninth River Stage cultivators and suppress the imperial family. It’s too bad that it was snatched away by Long Chen, and he killed Danfeng ...” The Second Demon Elder sighed in the end.
“Master, didn’t I do something wrong? And you still want to give the Frost Soul Essence to me?” Murong Yu asked in disbelief.
“All is well for those who learn from their mistakes. As long as you can complete the task we give you, then we will feel better giving you this Frost Soul Essence,” said the Second Demon Elder as a creepy smile crept up on her wrinkly face.
“Master, what do you want me to do?” Murong Yu was determined to never disappoint the three of them again.
“It’s simple. During the coming fight for the Demon Emperor Sword, you must win and become the Palace Lord. Most importantly, during the battle for the sword, you must kill Long Chen and avenge Danfeng! That is how you will atone for your sin! If you can accomplish these tasks, you will prove that all the years of effort we have put into you have been worthwhile!” said the Second Demon Elder.
Murong Yu’s face turned pale and she hesitated. “Master, I will do my best for the Demon Emperor Sword and the position of the Heavenly Demon Lord. But must I kill Long Chen?” Thinking of the teenager, she felt like she could not do it.
“Yes. That’s the most important point. You must kill him!” the Second Demon Elder repeated. She walked up to Murong Yu with a cold glare and asked, “Xiao Yu, you have shown Long Chen kindness several times. Tell me, have you fallen for him?”
Murong Yu gasped, then she quickly replied, “No! Never! How could that be possible?” She panicked, and when she recalled Long Chen and Ling Xi next to him, she knew that Long Chen was destined to be a passing visitor in her life whom she would not have any relationship with.
“Very well, then. Since there are no feelings involved, then you two are purely enemies. Do you accept?” the Second Demon Elder asked, looking straight into her eyes.
When she reached the Ninth River Stage, she would indeed be able to kill him, but she could not say it out loud.
“It looks like you’re still hesitating. Xiao Yu, after all these years, I have never forced you to do anything. Today, I am ordering you to do this one thing to prove your loyalty. Don’t blame your master; I had no choice. If Long Chen lives, then the thousand people in Three Demons City might not.”
As she spoke, a black worm the size of a pinky finger appeared in the Second Demon Elder’s hand. It was a fat worm that looked harmless, yet it radiated a cold aura that evoked fear, as well as a cold, dark-green mist.
“Black Yin Worm!” Murong Yu’s face turned pale, and she took a few steps back, staring at the Second Demon Elder in disbelief. “Master, are you going to use the Black Yin Worm on me?”
“Don’t worry. As long as you complete the task well, the Black Yin Worm won’t do anything to you. But if you disobey us, tens of thousands of worms will eat your heart and you will die. As my disciple, I’m sure you know how much of a nightmare this worm is. This will definitely be extremely painful torture.
“Xiao Yu, it’s not that I’m vicious. It’s just that I need to think of your other fellow disciples too! I can’t let you be distracted anymore. Will you be able to forgive me? Don’t worry. After you have won the Demon Emperor Sword and killed Long Chen, I’ll get the Black Yin Worm out of your body. Before that, you will not feel anything. Our faction mustn’t lose again. That is why I have to do this. I hope you understand ...”
Murong Yu’s lips trembled as she retreated into a corner, staring at the Black Yin Worm in terror. The worm flipped its fat body and stopped moving, but Murong Yu knew how terrifying it was.
She felt her stomach churn. If she had not forced it down, she would have vomited.
“Master, I ... I’m begging you. Don’t use the Black Yin Worm. I promise I’ll kill Long Chen! Isn’t that enough ...” Murong Yu begged weakly with tears streaming down her face.
“I can’t risk the lives and futures of so many people. That is why, Xiao Yu, I’m so sorry ...”
Under Murong Yu’s look of despair, the Second Demon Elder planted the Black Yin Worm in Murong Yu’s body. Then she stood up and said in a chiding tone, “Xiao Yu, the Frost Soul Essence is yours. Work hard; all our hopes are on you. You mustn’t die! Think about your parents in Willow Moon City. If you die, people as weak as them will be killed just a few days later! Grudges between families will forever be the most heartless.”