Chapter Forty-Two: Let's Equip the Sect Leader with Computer Accessories

Henry’s heart sank halfway. Dealing with a half-demon was already difficult enough, and now, out of nowhere, a figure who might be the half-demon’s master had appeared. The situation was now three against two—could they possibly win? There was no chance.

Henry was not at all surprised by this conclusion. He exchanged a glance with his remaining two companions. Escape was equally unrealistic.

Taking a deep breath, Henry allowed the fangs at his lips to recede, the ferocity on his face swiftly fading. He smiled and said, “This is all a misunderstanding.”

Under the lights, in the same venue with the same people, the atmosphere had utterly changed; he had once again reverted to the courteous, genteel vampire. “We’re willing to pay compensation, and even swear a blood oath never to set foot in Xia again.”

Henry’s tone was tinged with pleading, soon turning faintly threatening. “I admit you’re powerful, but we are far from ordinary vampires. I am the grandson—most beloved—of Prince Fred, one of the thirty-six councilors of the Blood Moon Council. Should anything happen to me here, he would never let my killer go unpunished. On the other hand, he is always generous to friends.”

After listening, Bai Yujing’s expression did not shift in the slightest. His wide sleeves fluttered gently in the night breeze, and his voice was calm: “Enough talk. Let’s get this over with.”

The words hit Henry like a bucket of ice water, dousing his last flicker of hope.

“Kill him!” Henry roared. All his teeth thickened, sharpening into fangs like those of a great hound. His pale skin darkened as if enveloped by shadow.

Crack! His shirt split apart as a pair of enormous bat wings erupted from his back. His eyes blazed crimson, his handsome features twisting into a mask of terror.

He pushed off with his foot, shattering the ground beneath him with a thunderous boom.

Murderous intent surged through the air. Shrouded in a foul wind, Henry lunged at Bai Yujing. The water in the pool, stirred by his spiritual pressure, rose up in a crashing wave toward Bai Yujing. Meanwhile, his two companions flanked from either side.

Bang, bang, bang!

Bai Yujing struck three times in a single second.

His fists moved so quickly that Henry saw nothing—he didn’t even feel the blows. In the instant they landed, his body exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

The same fate met his two companions.

The three of them fell as a rain of blood to the ground. The wave from the pool, before it could crash down, was swept back by an invisible force and settled once more into the pool.

Zhu Ying glanced at the bloodied scene and asked, “Master, why not simply rule the world and wipe out all the demons?”

“If I did that, I’d become the great demon king, hunted by all,” Bai Yujing replied, shaking his head. “Every country, every race, has its own culture. To crush them all by force would only create a sea of blood. It’s better to use gentle means, to guide people toward the right decision, not to dominate them outright.”

Zhu Ying was unimpressed, her tone cold: “With enough power, you could kill all who oppose you and, in a hundred years, those who remain. Centuries from now, all other cultures and histories would be forgotten; only the history you teach would remain.”

“I don’t want to become a tyrant on a throne, nor do I need to go to such extremes,” said Bai Yujing after a pause. “I will lead Qingyun Sect to become the head of the righteous path. It may take longer, but the foundation will be solid.”

At this, Bai Yujing placed a heavy hand on Zhu Ying’s shoulder, speaking earnestly: “Remember, you don’t have to shoulder the world’s burdens alone. If something can be left to others, let them do it. One person can only do so much.”

“Coming from you, Master, that’s hardly convincing.” Zhu Ying retorted. “With your strength, you could do what I suggested—stand alone against all humans, demons, and half-demons, striking fear into the hearts of the entire world. Why not? Don’t you think there are too many countries and people in this world? Destroy all nations except Xia, then wipe out half of Xia’s population. Faced with extinction, people would unite as never before.”

“I’ve told you, one shouldn’t be too extreme.” Bai Yujing slapped his own forehead, seeing from Zhu Ying’s expression that his words had not taken root. This disciple was truly stubborn.

Fortunately, he enjoyed tackling difficult problems.

“If I can’t even change your mind, how could I hope to change the hearts of the world? Enough of this topic. Let’s return and fulfill our order.”

“No need to clean up here?”

“Let the Six Gates come and tidy up.”

…

It was one in the morning. The night was deep, the city’s clamor gradually silenced.

Liu Shuangling concluded her experiments. Her research into scriptures for soul extraction had failed once again. It seemed her current level of knowledge was still insufficient for such studies.

She thought of the newly established library at the sect. In the morning, she would try to persuade Bai Yujing—have him write out every spiritual art he’d ever learned, to enrich the library’s shelves. That way, she could study even more techniques, perfect the soul extraction scripture, and move on to the next phase.

With her mind occupied by these plans, she used a high-level Yubu step to return to the living room of her rented apartment.

“Hey, Senior Sister, working until after midnight—is there a special reason for that?”

A teasing voice came from the sofa. Liu Shuangling turned to see Tia sitting there, legs crossed, an amused look on her refined face.

“Second Sister, is there something you need from me?” She did not mention what she’d been doing outside.

Tia did not press, but pulled a small purple bottle from her tight leather pants. “I had this potion specially made. Add it to breakfast tomorrow.”

Using online provocateurs against rival sects was one method, but not the only one. She had been pondering other ways to get rid of Bai Yujing.

“What is it?” Liu Shuangling took the vial.

Tia’s lips curled in a mischievous smile. “This time I’m giving the sect leader an aphrodisiac.”

Liu Shuangling glanced at Tia’s curvaceous hips—indeed, she was a rare and energetic beauty.

Reading her look, Tia pouted. “With the sect leader’s disposition, he would never succumb to an aphrodisiac. He’d try to suppress it. While he’s struggling with desire, we strike. But I need to know your shikai ability, Senior Sister. Only then can we coordinate and create a chance for Junior Sister to land a fatal blow.”

“Why isn’t Junior Sister here?”

“She’s still copying that ‘I was wrong, I won’t do it again’ a thousand times.” At the mention, Tia couldn’t hide her schadenfreude.

Liu Shuangling thought for a moment. “Will this really work?”

“It’s not a poison; it’s an auxiliary potion, harmless to the body. It simply amplifies the sect leader’s natural instincts a hundredfold.” Tia cupped her ample chest with both hands, proud. “With the three of us, just a bit of temptation will be like tossing a match into dry hay. The sect leader is sure to lose control, at least for a moment.”

Liu Shuangling considered, then answered honestly, “My shikai ability is to control the five senses.”