A Demon's Path Volume 1 Chapter 21

Xiao Zhang felt gloomy as he walked toward Northern Jade City. He didn't believe in Ling Xiao's innocence for even a second. The only thing he couldn't wrap his head around was where Ling Xiao got so many yellow gems from. "I'll get the female brothel keeper to testify. With her word, I can find a way to have Ling Xiao killed!"

A murderous intent flashed in Xiao Zhang's eyes as he quickened his pace.

When he reached the foot of the mountain, Xiao Zhang noticed someone was blocking his way. He squinted his eyes and coldly said, "Ling Xiao, why are you here?"

Ling Xiao giggled. "What is Senior Brother Xiao going to town for? Are you curious to find out whether the rumours are true? Or are you already convinced and just unsure how I forked out those gems?"

Xiao Zhang's heart sank. He didn't expect Ling Xiao to see right through his plans. However, that didn't mean he would cower in fear. "So what if I am? Why should I fear a feral kid like you?"

Ling Xiao indifferently shrugged. "I'm just curious. If you're just jealous, save the trouble of getting yourself evicted from the sect. There's no need to act so recklessly."

"It's none of your goddamn business!" Xiao Zhang growled out. "Get out of the way!"

Ling Xiao didn't argue as he stepped aside and let Xiao Zhang pass.

As Xiao Zhang passed him, Ling Xiao suddenly spoke in a very soft voice, "There's no need to go to town, I can tell you right here. I really did buy that demonic beast for 400 yellow gems."

Xiao Zhang's slightly chubby face was utterly stunned. "Y-you!"

Ling Xiao mischievously laughed. "So what if I did? As long as Master believes I'm innocent and you don't have any proof, there isn't a thing you can do to me."

Ling Xiao threw his head up into the air and heartily laughed before turning around to leave. A malevolent expression formed on his face. Xiao Zhang, oh Xiao Zhang, I made it so easy for you to understand. I really hope you're not too stupid!

Xiao Zhang was unaware of the look on Ling Xiao's face or the thoughts that run amok in his head. After walking for another few minutes, he came to a halt and repeatedly thought things through. Xiao Zhang realised Ling Xiao was right. What could he do even with the female brothel keeper's testimony? There was no way Master would believe Ling Xiao had 400 yellow gems, and he didn't have any solid evidence either.

Proof?! Yes! Of course, the demonic beast! Isn't she some sexy young girl? There's no way Ling Xiao would've gotten rid of her! I just have to find her. Xiao Zhang concluded that the most foolproof way of proving Ling Xiao's guilt was to expose the existence of the demonic beast herself! But where could he be hiding her?

Thinking back to how Ling Xiao normally spent most of his time in the Medicine Warehouse, an evil grin formed on Xiao Zhang's face. "Hehe, no one is allowed to go there except for Master and Senior Brother Yuanhuan. Where else can Ling Xiao hide that demonic beast? Since Master won't kick Ling Xiao out of the sect without proof, let me help him out!"

Feeling pleased with himself, Xiao Zhang took out a talisman and used his orange soulforce to turn it into a burst of smoke. After which he quickly walked back up the mountain.

Ling Xiao walked out from behind a tree placed by the roadside, previously using the Ghostly Roundabouts to hide himself. He rubbed his nose and said, "He's not too stupid after all! Haha! Xiao Zhang, ah Xiao Zhang, let's see how arrogant you can be after today!"

The road became quiet once more as Ling Xiao's silhouette disappeared. He hurried back to the Northern Jade Sect and closed himself up in the Medicine Warehouse. No one knew what he was doing there. Not that anyone particularly cared either, they had become accustomed to his eccentric personality. Cheng Yu even felt he most likely hid there to wail away the trauma he received from the accusations earlier on. Or perhaps he was concocting some shock-suppressants.

Ling Xiao was in fact concocting medicine. But it wasn't a shock-suppressant, nor was it for his own use. Today's pill he specially prepared for Tang Yingying. He held the pill in one hand and grabbed the girl with the other. "Come, eat it."

Tang Yingying frowned when her nose got a whiff of the pungent smell of the medicine. "Big Brother Xiao, what is this?"

Ling Xiao looked like a dirty old man. "Good girl, swallow the pill. The bad guys can't get to you if you do!"

Convinced by Ling Xiao's sweet words, Tang Yingying swallowed the pill a little against her will. She choked on the spicy taste of the medicine, followed by a short intense burst of coughing. It was so bad tears almost rolled down her cheeks.

Ling Xiao immediately felt relieved when Tang Yingying swallowed the pill. He beamed with joy as he said, "I reckon it's about time the righteous three grace us with an audience."

"Ling Xiao! Get your ass out here!" A furious roar sounded from outside the Medicine Warehouse. It scared Tang Yingying so much that her frail body was trembling with fear. "Big Brother Xiao, I-I'm afraid."

Ling Xiao amiably patted her back. "Don't be afraid, Big Brother Xiao is here. Everything will be alright as long as you don't make a sound." He cast one more glance at her, then swaggered out the door.

The three Sect Masters from before were standing outside the Medicine Warehouse. They had brought a batch of elite disciples along with them who were now surrounding the whole place. Cheng Qiantai had an ashen look on his face as he stood to the side in a towering rage. "If you guys can't find the whereabouts of that demonic beast, don't blame me for bringing this matter up to the Valley Master!"

Sect Master Luo Shang from the Sunny Spring Sect snorted. "Xiao Zhang, you said you can find that female member of the Demonic Beast Clan. I'll leave you in charge!"

Cheng Qiantai looked at Xiao Zhang with an incredulous look on his face, stunned. "Xiao Zhang, you-"

Xiao Zhang looked like a vile character enjoying his victory. "Humph, I've got eight generations of bad luck for having a demented old fool like you as my Master! Thank goodness Sect Master Luo recognises my worth! I've already transferred over to the Sunny Spring Sect!"

"Master, have you still not figured out who divulged the news of us selling Crimson Soul Pills?" Ling Xiao indifferently asked.

Cheng Qiantai's eyes were wide with rage. "Good, very good! Please, search as you please, dear Sect Masters. If you can really find this demonic beast, I, Cheng Qiantai, will voluntarily disband the Northern Jade Sect and fall under your sects. But if you can’t, I, Cheng Qiantai, will swear this on my soul—the Northern Jade Sect will no longer coexist with any of you!"

Since things had already come to this point, Xiao Zhang dropped all semblance of etiquette. He brushed past Ling Xiao and walked into the Medicine Warehouse with large strides. After spotting Tang Yingying, he grabbed the terrified girl by the hand and dragged her outside.

Xiao Zhang heartily laughed, feeling very proud of himself. "Look, I told you she's in the Medicine Warehouse, right? Haha!"

Everyone from the Northern Jade Sect was shocked. Even Cheng Qiantai was aghast!

Luo Shang had a cold look on his face. "Sect Master Cheng, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Cheng Qiantai glowered at Ling Xiao. "Ling Xiao, you owe me an explanation!"

Ling Xiao loudly laughed. "Sect Masters, are you prepared to exterminate our sect today? I only brought a young girl back, yet you insist on saying she's a demonic beast. You will frame whoever is in your way, condemning them unjust if you must! This young girl is standing right before you. Don't hesitate to inspect her to your heart's content if you believe she's a demonic beast!"

Sect Master Qian Gui from the Everlasting Pool Sect and Sect Master Chen Tao from the Sand Mound Sect stepped forward and searched her with their soulforces. In the end, they turned around helplessly. Chen Tao shook his head and said, "This young girl doesn't have a trace of beastforce on her."

"What? How can this be?!" The complacent look on Xiao Zhang's face morphed into panic. "Did you make a mistake somewhere?!"

Chen Tao had an annoyed look on his face. "Martial Nephew Xiao, mind your words!"

Luo Shang knew the outcome would be the same as the other two if he were to search the girl. But since he single-handedly orchestrated today's events, there was really no way for him to deal with the aftermath if he couldn't find anything amiss with her. He stepped forward like the other two had done and did a once-over on the girl. Sure enough, there was no indication she was a demonic beast. She was a bonafide human.

Ling Xiao slightly smiled, but anyone could see it was a very cold one. "You claim that I'm fooling around with the Demonic Beast Clan! What bold accusations you've made to tarnish my good name! Did you three devise such a malicious plan because you don't want to pay us our cut of the profit from selling the Crimson Blood Pills?"

Qian Gui, Luo Shang, and Chen Tao were speechless seeing as they were in the wrong. Ling Xiao, on the other hand, was speaking more vehemently now as he felt indignant at the injustice he was facing. "If you guys don't want to give us the gems, just forget it. At best, we'll consider it as feeding these gems to the dogs. But you guys, you guys are despicable! Worse than demons! Trying to force our Northern Jade Sect to close the doors through your oh so righteous way! I've heard nothing but ridiculous excuses. At least, demons kill with a reason. If you must, kill me, kill whoever it is you must, but don't you dare vilify the good name of our Northern Jade Sect!"

Ling Xiao's words had all the disciples from the Northern Jade Sect fired up. They loudly roared out, "Don't you dare tarnish our sect's good reputation!"

"Get lost, pathetic waste of human space!"

The three Sect Masters didn't know how to wind the successive wrathful roars down.

Luo Shang wasn't quite willing to give in yet. He shouted over the loud clamour, "In any case, the Northern Jade Sect is a sect for Celestial Soul Masters. You actually dared to abduct a young girl! This is a serious crime!"

"You jest!" Ling Xiao coldly said. "Wang Batian even took your junior disciples out as a team to visit prostitutes! So what if I've brought a young girl with me?!"

Wang Batian was embarrassed to the bone. He never expected that Ling Xiao would use the excuse he'd given to attack his sect.

"You!" Luo Shang was fuming, but he couldn't find an excuse to attack Ling Xiao or the Northern Jade Sect anymore.

"Get out of here!"

"Beat it!"

The disciples from the Northern Jade Sect were aggressive as they directed their anger against the same adversary. These three sects had bullied them for so many years. And today a disciple of theirs had almost been accused of fooling around with the Demonic Beast Clan. How could they not explode in anger?!

Luo Shang was panting with rage and was about to leave when Cheng Qiantai blocked his path. "Sect Master Luo, where's the money you owe me?"

Luo Shang had a cadaverous look on his face, not a peep was heard from him. Qian Gui quickly plastered his face with smiles as he said, "Sect Master Cheng, it's a misunderstanding. Sect Master Luo only came here with the best intentions. If the rumour was true, it wouldn't just end here. The Sunken Wind Valley and all its branch sects would be implicated! We couldn't let this happen!"

"You really know no shame! We're talking business now, not about my disciple! I'll naturally go to the Sunken Wind Valley and fight for Ling Xiao's justice!" Cheng Qiantai sneered.

Seeing Cheng Qiantai's unyielding attitude, Qian Gui quickly tackled this matter from another standpoint. "We weren't careful either and let Sect Master Luo deceive us. It's nothing to do with both our sects. Isn't that right, Sect Master Chen?"

Chen Tao quickly drew a clear line between him and Luo Shang. "That's right. This actually has nothing to do with us. As for the profit we gained from selling the pills, my third of the portion is right here."

Chen Tao and Qian Gui quickly took out their respective share of the gems to settle the matter peacefully. The disciples were bedazzled by the gems piling up on the ground and they quickly shifted their attention over in that direction.

Luo Shang glanced at his companions, expressionless. "Good, very good!" He took some gems out of his storage space. The gems he retrieved amounted to the 20% he owed. "They're all here! Can I go now?"

Cheng Qiantai kept the gems in his storage space and said to Luo Shang, "Sect Master Luo can leave, but that traitor stays behind!"

Chapter end