Two years later, Pei Xiaoming returned to the Temple again. He was covered in wounds, and sought an audience with the Saintess. He asked her: “I have offended the Punishment Pavilion. Can the Temple protect me?”
The Saintess tilted her head, her raven-black hair falling down her neck like crow feathers. With a slight curve of her red lips, she asked, “How did you offend them?”
“We will fight until either one of us die,” Pei Xiaoming replied.
The Punishment Pavilion was one of the top powers in the Demon World, with several Reunification Realm powerhouses. Though it wasn’t as formidable as the Temple, even the Temple would face significant challenges if it decided to confront the Punishment Pavilion.
The issue was that the Temple had no reason to offend the Punishment Pavilion for the sake of a nominal disciple like Pei Xiaoming.
He himself had little hope, merely coming to ask as a last resort.
The Saintess glanced up at him and said in a calm tone, “As long as it’s not Shen Xing, I can protect you.”
Because Shen Xing was the whetstone Heavenly Way left for you.
Pei Ming didn’t ask Pei Xiaoming how he had offended the Punishment Pavilion; he already knew the gist of it through the token. Moreover, as a Child of Fate, it was common for him to offend people, often to the point of life and death, sometimes without even trying.
Pei Ming himself had once wondered if he had some kind of jinx or troublemaking aura. But back then, he didn’t care about such things. If someone wanted to kill him, they could try. If they succeeded, so be it. If they failed, they’d have to deal with him.
“But… there are some conditions,” the Saintess said, lightly tapping her fingers on the table and smiling.
The fact that the Saintess had offered to protect him already surprised and moved Pei Xiaoming. After all, he was just a nominal disciple and had done little for the Temple besides a few tasks. When she mentioned conditions, he wasn’t surprised or reluctant but asked earnestly, “What conditions?”
“Don’t be in such a hurry,” the Saintess said leisurely. “I haven’t decided yet.”
Pei Xiaoming: “…”
Why does it feel so casual?
You’re about to confront the Punishment Pavilion, yet it feels like you’re just bending down to pick up a piece of paper for me!
“I’ll let you know when I’ve decided. Don’t worry, it won’t be against your principles, but it won’t be too easy either,” the Saintess said as she stood up. “Stay in the Temple for now. I see you’re close to breaking through to the Holy Realm. Take care of your injuries, and I’ll have someone send you the necessary supplies. Once you’re healed, go into seclusion and break through.”
With that, the Saintess walked towards the door.
“Yes, Your Holiness.” Pei Xiaoming responded.
After the Saintess left, he still found it hard to believe that the Temple had agreed so easily. He began to suspect that the Temple and the Punishment Pavilion were colluding, with the Temple stabilizing him only to let the Punishment Pavilion capture him later.
After leaving, he went to the courtyard to pick up Yue Xiuzhi who was reading a book and told him about Pei Xiaoming’s request.
“Is the Punishment Pavilion difficult to deal with?” Yue Xiuzhi asked.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Qlii tf yf rerqlmlber bo er tfiqlcu tlw ilxf atlr? Coafg jii, ogbw tlr qfgrqfmalnf, kf tjnf cb mbccfmalbc,” Tef Wlehtl ogbkcfv.
“Just the fact that he went from the Spiritual Master Realm to the peak of the King Realm in three years makes him worth any investment,” Pei Ming replied.
While Pei Xiaoming was recuperating, Yue Xiuzhi secretly visited him a few times. This child was getting more and more injured, but all he could do was watch. These were trials Pei Xiaoming had to face on his own.
The Punishment Pavilion naturally did not dare to confront the Temple head-on, but this enmity was now established.
Due to Yue Xiuzhi breaking the restriction, Shen Xing’s level in this world was almost a full realm higher than in the previous world. In the previous world, Shen Xing was only a pseudo-Transcendence Realm, but in this world, he had already reached the late stage of the Transcendence Realm.
He had been stagnant at the Reunification Realm due to the restrictions, rendering the spirit vein-extracted pills he consumed ineffective. However, once the restrictions were lifted, his cultivation advanced rapidly with the continued use of these pills.
But Shen Xing was not satisfied. He was a person who would stop at nothing to become stronger. Having reached the Transcendence Realm, he now sought to break through to an even higher realm. The benefits of consuming those pills had made it difficult for him to stop. Now that he was in the late stage of the Transcendence Realm, using the veins of Reunification Realm powerhouses or ordinary geniuses to refine pills had little effect.
The Saintess was sworn to die for the Demon Emperor, so Shen Xing gradually set his sights on her.
The Saintess was incredibly gifted and now she was also a Transcendence Realm powerhouse.
Although she was one of his most capable subordinates, Shen Xing believed that once he broke through to a higher realm, he would have as many subordinates as he desired.
He summoned the Saintess and directly stated his demand.
This event occurred a year after Pei Xiaoming returned to the Temple. Given the Saintess’ loyalty, dying for the Demon Emperor was almost an honor, so there was no hesitation. Even if the Saintess was unwilling, Shen Xing would resort to force if necessary.
“When I reach the Deification Realm, I will certainly restore your spiritual veins,” Shen Xing promised earnestly. Such empty promises were easy for Shen Xing; once the Saintess was left as a cripple without spiritual veins, he could say whatever he liked.
For lower-level cultivators, having their spiritual veins extracted usually meant death. However, powerhouses above the Reunification Realm could survive without them.
Nevertheless, becoming a powerless cripple was a fate worse than death for those who had once commanded immense power.
To maintain the Saintess’ character, Pei Ming couldn’t refuse.
“Your Majesty is too kind. It is my honor to serve you. If my sacrifice can help you reach the Deification Realm, then so be it,” Pei Ming said, portraying a brainwashed fan perfectly.
“Since the Temple cannot suddenly lose me without causing a big turmoil, I wish Your Majesty could give me seven days to arrange the Temple’s matters,” Pei Ming said.
“This is what it should be.” Shen Xing replied. “You may go.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Pei Ming rose and took a final look at his “old friend.”
He had been fighting with Shen Xing for nearly ten years in his world, and this old friend was still the same as before, with a handsome appearance and a cold expression. Shen Xing didn’t seem to care about anything and his only obsession was to become stronger.
“So, you’re going to be captured and have your veins extracted for elixirs?” Yue Xiuzhi asked, frowning. “You don’t have to agree to this.”
Although the Saintess was characterized as a brainwashed fanatic, she had another notable trait in the original story: she was love-obsessed. Before falling in love, she was willing to die for the Demon Emperor. After falling in love, she could kill the Demon Emperor.
Now that the Saintess had “Rong Jin,” it was normal for her not to want to die, without breaking character.
“It’s true, I don’t have to agree,” Pei Ming said. “But once I ‘have my veins extracted,’ I can leave the Temple to that kid. This is also the will of the Heavenly Way.”
“The Heavenly Way? It contacted you again?”
“When Shen Xing summoned me, the Heavenly Way appeared,” Pei Ming said. “The original plan was probably to hand the Temple to Pei Xiaoming through the Saintess. But since the Saintess died due to temporal chaos, it turned me into the Saintess instead.”
“I see…” Yue Xiuzhi pondered. “I thought it turned you into the Saintess just because…”
Just to mess with you, he thought but didn’t say aloud.
“Anyway, I’ll just give Shen Xing some useless spiritual veins and then act half-dead,” Pei Ming said.
“This will test my acting skills a bit,” Yue Xiuzhi laughed, as he would have to play the role of “Rong Jin,” devastated by the loss of his beloved.
“In a few days, I’ll leave part of my consciousness in that body and come find you,” Pei Ming said.
During the next seven days, Pei Ming only did one thing in the Temple. But this one thing left everyone utterly shocked.
He announced that he was going to enter a closed-door cultivation session and appointed Pei Xiaoming as the new head of the Temple. Until he emerged, the Temple would be under Pei Xiaoming’s control.
Everyone thought the Saintess must have lost her mind. To most in the Temple, Pei Xiaoming was an outsider. Even if he wasn’t, he hadn’t reached the Reunification Realm yet, so how could they entrust the Temple to such a young and inexperienced person?
With so many Reunification Realm powerhouses in the Temple, any one of them would be a better choice than this young lad, wouldn’t they?
However, the Saintess said just one thing in the hall: “Pei Xiaoming was at the Spiritual Master Realm four years ago, and now he is at the peak of the Holy Realm. With such talent, why can’t he take charge of the Temple?”
This was the first time they heard about Pei Xiaoming’s cultivation timeline, and they couldn’t help holding their breath in shock.
Four years, from the Spiritual Master Realm to the peak of the Holy Realm, half a step to Reunification!
What kind of talent was this?!
Although they were deeply shocked by such talent, they were still reluctant to let Pei Xiaoming become the head of the Temple. After all, Pei Xiaoming was an outsider, and this was the first time they had even seen him.
Seeing that the elders still wanted to say something, the Saintess simply waved her hand and said, “No need to say more. My decision is final.”
At this moment, no one was more bewildered than Pei Xiaoming himself.
He was suddenly summoned to the hall to attend a meeting with these elders and he was already confused. Who would have thought he’d suddenly be put on the spot and made the head of the Temple?
“Your Holiness, I…” He began, but the Saintess interrupted him.
“Do you remember the condition you agreed to?” the Saintess asked.
“I remember,” Pei Xiaoming said, bracing himself.
“I’ve decided. You will help me manage the Temple,” Pei Ming said.
“…” Although Pei Xiaoming still felt it was sudden and was somewhat reluctant, with Pei Ming bringing up this reason, he couldn’t refuse.
After all, when the Saintess offended the Punishment Pavilion for him, he promised her that, as long as it didn’t go against his principles, he would agree to anything.
And this matter was considered a great pie from the sky by others.
After a long silence, he finally nodded.
He had a feeling that the Saintess’ sudden announcement of entering closed-door cultivation was far from simple.
After all, the Saintess had only recently broken through to the Transcendence Realm. With her talent and comprehension, there was no need to suddenly enter such a deep closed-doors cultivation.
Author’s Note: Before knowing the truth—
Saintess: No matter how great the enemy, I can protect you, and I’ll give you the Temple too.
Xiaoming: [Touched.jpg]
After knowing the truth—
Daming: Here, take it all, take everything. Your master is leaving!
Xiaoming: Screw you!
