Chapter 79(2/2): Master, are you there?

“Devil… devil… you’re the butcher, the female butcher!”

Yue Lan trembled as she looked at the blood-soaked Rose Capital, screaming, “Do you realize what you’re doing? How many lives this is?”

“I don’t harm civilians, the old, weak, sick, or powerless.

Besides, I swore in my former world that nothing could stop me from finding Qingmu.”

Lin Qiyou crossed her arms, coldly staring at Yue Lan.

As expected, all that elegance was a facade.

This woman’s eyes hid a sly and sinister nature.

“Yue Qi, Yue Qi, Yue Qi, you demon! An outright demon!

Would you stoop to anything for my Qingmu? Even ally with such devils?”

Yue Lan wanted to ask if Yue Qi had allied with the candidate.

Lin Qiyou was hired by the candidate.

But why were the candidate’s knights and mages attacking Lin Qiyou too?

Was she a discarded pawn?

“Yue Qi? Who?”

Lin Qiyou was momentarily stunned, confused by Yue Lan’s rambling.

Suddenly, realization struck. “Your sister?”

“Still pretending! Still pretending! I know nothing! Kill me, then Qingmu will be safe!”

“I don’t have time for your lies! Where is Qingmu? Speak or I’ll kill you!”

Lin Qiyou raised her sword to stab Yue Lan, who suddenly grabbed Lin Qiyou’s neck.

“Clang—”

The sword dropped.

Lin Qiyou’s eyes widened as she clutched her head, feeling it might fly off to the sky.

Just like when Yue Lan killed someone in the council hall.

Damn, how long had she prepared that spell?

One hour? Two?

If not for her spiritual protection, she might have died—

“Die!”

Lin Qiyou shouted, a powerful gust knocking Yue Lan down, saving her own head.

“Cut off your hand first!”

She kicked the sword up, raising it decisively.

Suddenly, an iron rod abruptly shattered Lin Qiyou’s already fractured sword.

“Lin! What have you done!”

Xiao Ya appeared, blocking Yue Lan, swinging the iron rod and forcing Lin Qiyou back.

“Didn’t I tell you to leave the city?”

“I did! But I heard noises and came back!”

The halfling priest Xiao Ya yelled, tears streaming down her face.

She glared at Lin Qiyou, cursing, “You bastard! You damned Oriental! Look at what you’ve done! How many have you killed? Tell me! Why did you do this?

Kill me too! If you want to do something to the Saintess, kill me!”

“I only kill those who stand in my way with murderous intent.

And do you think she’s a good person?”

Lin Qiyou pointed at the fierce-faced Saintess Yue Lan sitting on the ground.

“Get lost! Lin! I swear, I won’t go easy on you!”

“Then neither will I.”

Both words were true.

Xiao Ya looked at the glowing green light flickering in the crystal ball beside her, tears falling like beads.

She gritted her teeth, clutching the iron rod, trembling wildly.

She could never beat this woman.

She would die—die for sure!

But for faith, for the Saintess, she…

“Saintess Yue Lan, I don’t know how much conscience you have left.

Knights, mages, army—all lie dead in this city.”

Lin Qiyou glanced around the blood-soaked Rose Capital.

“Now, this child stands before you.

Will you still keep silent?”

“Interesting. The perpetrator says I have no conscience?”

Yue Lan narrowed her eyes.

“I just want to know where Qingmu is.

I’m not interested in your life.”

“Hmph.”

“You—”

“Don’t come any closer!”

Xiao Ya shouted, swinging the iron rod clumsily in a reckless charge.

Lin Qiyou furrowed her brows, murderous intent blazing in her eyes.

Xiao Ya…

She raised the broken sword.

Xiao Ya closed her eyes, ready to die.

Yet in the end, Lin Qiyou did not strike.

She grabbed the rod and flung Xiao Ya aside.

“Buzz—”

Suddenly, a blinding light flashed.

Lin Qiyou quickly shut her eyes, stabbing the broken sword toward Yue Lan.

A sound of steel piercing flesh.

When Lin Qiyou opened her eyes again, Yue Lan was gone.

Only faint glimmers floated where she had stood, and blood splattered on the ground—proof that the broken sword had struck.

“Tch! She was teleported away! Was she rescued?”

Lin Qiyou cursed, scanning the surroundings but finding no clues.

“Hah… hah…”

Xiao Ya collapsed, disoriented.

She saw Lin Qiyou falter but didn’t know what to say.

Actually, she sensed something wrong with the Saintess, but…

She wasn’t entirely loyal to the Saintess.

“You’ve killed too many; you can’t keep doing this.”

“Killing a thousand or a thousand and one, what’s the difference?”

Lin Qiyou sighed at Xiao Ya.

“But! That ‘Holy Light’—”

“Enough with the Holy Light.

I never believed.

If it really worked, when I bloodied the church, gods would have punished me—not let me trample every cleric.

And chase the church’s Saintess like a dog through the streets.

Understand?”

Lin Qiyou wiped her hair, standing white-clad amid the blood.

“You! After all this, you still speak!”

Xiao Ya broke down.

She never expected Lin Qiyou to do these things.

“I said, I’ll do whatever it takes.

Besides, I’m already the most wanted criminal in this world, right?”

Lin Qiyou glanced at the city outskirts, where dense armies streamed in.

“Want to be executed, or run with me?”

“Huh?”

Xiao Ya stared at Lin Qiyou’s outstretched hand, stunned.

“What Holy Light? What’s before your eyes now is a supreme being far stronger than your gods.

I am an immortal—believe in me.”

Her robes and dark hair fluttered.

In the sea of corpses, the lone white figure offered her hand.

She let herself see that the Saintess was no saint, and miracles did not appear when the church was bloodied.

She was an unrepentant heretic and blasphemer.

Yet she carried a divine aura that dazzled Xiao Ya.

Divine aura? What’s that?

She must be crazy.

But…

“Can’t you just apologize?”

Xiao Ya reluctantly extended her hand, trembling.

Lin Qiyou helped her up.

“Apologize for what?”

Lin Qiyou countered.

“Because of you, I’m being hunted.”

Xiao Ya pointed at Lin Qiyou, serious.

“I’m freeing you from the poison of religion.

Don’t be like those bald monks.”

Lin Qiyou stretched out a hand toward the sky.

“Alright, I’ll show you what true miracles look like.”

With that, the sky darkened with thunderclouds.

Lightning snakes writhed like divine wrath, lashing the earth.

The troops entering the city were struck by lightning, blood and flesh flying as they screamed.

“Let’s go!”

Lin Qiyou pulled the stunned Xiao Ya toward another city gate.

“Where are we going?”

Xiao Ya asked.

“To… the Deep Wood District.”

Lin Qiyou answered.

…

……..

Nongli’s Residence, Basement.

Saintess Yue Lan sat at a table laid with sweets and red tea, a sign of the host’s sincerity.

Opposite her sat the host.

“Nongli?”

Yue Lan tidied her hair, her blue eyes sharp with caution.

Though a little disheveled, she maintained calm and elegance facing the nearly two-meter-tall fox woman dressed in black.

“I’ve heard of you.”

“You’re a sponsor of those brave candidates, right?”

“Yes, Lady Yue Lan, you’re quite clever.”

Nongli sipped her tea, eyeing Yue Lan warmly.

“Actually, I don’t only sponsor the brave candidates, but also the Saintess candidates.”

Yue Lan’s expression stiffened, frowning at Nongli.

“So, you’re investigating me?”

“Sorry, I’m investigating too.

I’m afraid the Saintess candidates know the truth.”

“She was killed by me.”

“……”

Nongli made a sour face, then shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter.

As long as you tell me where Qingmu is, everything will be resolved!”

“Again with Qingmu! You’re one of Yue Qi’s lackeys! A running dog! Right?”

Mentioning Qingmu again sparked Yue Lan’s fury.

She stood, flipping the table.

Nongli quickly kicked her chair back, dodging.

“I won’t let you Yue Qi’s lackeys get my Qingmu!

You’re all devils! Devils!

I’m the Saintess.

I uphold justice.

I won’t compromise or surrender to you!”

Yue Lan spoke righteously, her body glowing with a sacred light, making Nongli feel her holiness.

“You uphold justice?

Then were the hallucinogens and forbidden potions for justice too?”

Nongli tilted her head.

Yue Lan suddenly fell silent, then laughed strangely.

Her laugh made Nongli laugh aloud as well.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Hehe… lackey!”

Yue Lan reached for Nongli’s neck.

Suddenly, Nongli’s head was pulled off by an invisible force with a “pop.”

Blood spurted from her neck as her head rolled on the floor.

“Tch… not as good as Lin Qiyou.”

Yue Lan muttered after staring at Nongli’s head a moment.

She turned to find the exit.

Then Nongli said, “Don’t say I’m worse than her!”

Nongli’s body lifted the head and reattached it.

A fingertip wiped the wound, instantly healing.

“What… what exactly are you?”

Yue Lan sat down, frightened by Nongli’s skill.

“I am Nongli, nine-tailed demon fox, a being beyond what your world can imagine.”

Nongli smiled faintly.

“Now, we’ll have a proper talk about Qingmu.

I have many ways to make you reveal Qingmu’s location.

I’ll try them all, okay?”

“Come! Even if you flay me alive, I’ll never betray Qingmu! Come on, Yue Qi!”

Yue Lan looked past Nongli’s shoulder.

Her sister Yue Qi smiled, naked, watching her.

“Yue Qi… you demon!”

…

……..

Deep Wood District, Wood Elf Sanctuary.

Head pounding, nauseous, eyes sore, yet Qingmu opened his eyes, forced to face reality.

The ceiling was still familiar—green, woven neatly with vines and leaves.

He stared at it blankly until someone entered.

He glanced sideways and saw Cuihua.

Seeing his odd state, Cuihua asked, but Qingmu just shook his head.

“Ah… I’m fine.”

“You’re not.

You don’t wake up like this.”

Cuihua didn’t believe him.

She crossed her arms and stared at Qingmu.

He shut his eyes tightly and sat up.

The final day of simulation clearly overwhelmed him.

First, he confirmed the two simulated worlds were one.

Youjianxian was Lin Qiyou.

Then, Benji’s illusion gave him a wound.

Then that fox, Nongli, had eaten him alive.

Qingmu felt utterly defeated, his mental state fragile.

Whether the simulation world, its people, or himself within it.

“Sigh…”

“Long sighs mean trouble.

Don’t think I can’t help if you tell me.

Maybe a little hint and you’ll understand?”

“Should I say it?”

Qingmu wanted to share with someone, even with a wood elf.

“Mm-hmm!”

Cuihua beamed with trust and nodded.

“I was killed.”

Qingmu took a long time to say this.

“Ah? Seriously?”

Cuihua frowned.

“No… I was stabbed by my childhood friend, then eaten by my student.”

“Writing a novel?”

Cuihua touched Qingmu’s forehead, muttering, “What kind of dream is this?”

Qingmu rolled his eyes.

Cuihua pondered and said, “You must have done something wrong?”

“What counts as right or wrong?”

Qingmu felt Cuihua was being difficult.

“Uh… that might be hard to explain?”

Cuihua rubbed her chin.

“If you don’t know what’s right, then just do…”

“Sigh, no use asking you.”

Qingmu lay back down, stomping his feet in frustration.

But it was true.

Cuihua was scatterbrained and had no philosophical sense.

Qingmu thought he had to slowly digest this simulation.

This time felt longer than the first.

Why?

Only a few months had passed, but it felt so long.

Maybe an illusion?

Though no reward came yet, which would only arrive after the second simulation ended, Lin Qiyou had gained much.

Alchemy knowledge.

Partial knowledge of qi-arts.

Though Benji died, he knew the secret was in the demon realm.

Next simulation, bring the goal of searching for the qi-arts?

As for Lin Qiyou and Nongli…

Who would he be then?

What name? What face?

How many years until the next simulation?

How would this fox and girl have changed?

Eh…

Stabbed once, eaten once.

Why did this simulation feel designed for suffering?

Still…

He looked forward to the next simulation.

After all, simulations were false.

For the qi-arts.

For simulation rewards.

To defeat rare Saintesses and Demon Kings.

For world peace.

Though eager and wanting to start soon, Qingmu decided to relax a little.

He told Cuihua he wanted to take a walk today.

She agreed.

Later, Cuihua took him home.

She cooked a table of dishes.

After eating, Qingmu lay on Cuihua’s sofa.

The sofa was very different from the jade bed.

The jade bed was hard.

Now he realized how uncomfortable the jade bed was.

While chatting over dinner, Cuihua said Yue Lan hadn’t come for a long time.

Qingmu felt his plan had succeeded.

His medical record had truly troubled Cuihua and Yue Lan.

Thinking of this, he remembered Maxy.

He and Cuihua agreed to visit Maxy’s clinic after work.

Maxy opened the door, his face stern.

Since Maxy had undone Bruce’s medication, their friendship had grown.

So Qingmu and Cuihua naturally cared.

Maxy first led them to the consultation room, then solemnly said:

“Something big happened in Rose Capital!”

Big? How big?

While Qingmu and Cuihua wondered, Maxy said:

“The church in Rose Capital was bloodied recently.

The king’s army suffered heavy losses.”

“War?”

Cuihua asked.

“No.

It’s because of an… assassin.

I don’t fully understand.

Rumors vary.

Some say it’s church infighting.

Others say it’s an assassin sent by the Demon King’s army.

In any case, Saintess Yue Lan disappeared.

Another Saintess candidate died.”

Maxy frowned.

Qingmu stroked his chin, shocked.

Yue Lan disappeared?

At first glance, this might be good news.

But disappearance depends on how.

If she vanished simply and never returned, the only problem was no revenge.

If not…

Was she hiding somewhere, plotting?

“Do you know anything about the assassin?”

Qingmu asked Maxy.

Cuihua was curious too.

“Assassin…”

Maxy described the assassin.

Though information was unreliable, Qingmu and Cuihua recognized it.

It was the white-clad swordsman they had mentioned before.

Cuihua: “I think Yue Lan did this.”

Maxy: “Agreed.”

Qingmu looked at the two wood elves but didn’t speak immediately.

Something felt off.

Though suspicion of Yue Lan was reasonable, he felt something wrong.

After long discussion, the topic ended.

Qingmu went back to sleep to prepare for the next simulation.

On leaving, Maxy stopped him.

“I have a new book on fox girls.”

Qingmu took it, seeing the title:

《How to Interact with Eastern Fox Women as Adults》

Author: Anonymous.

“Thanks!”

Qingmu nodded to Maxy, then returned to the Wood Elf Sanctuary.

The second simulation of Nongli had begun…