Conquering That Great Demon Lord [Xian Ni Fan Fiction] - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 : Worry

If their words were truethat they had betrayed their sect for each otherit could be considered genuine devotion. Moreover, they had shown no ill intentions toward her. Yet, this was the World of Cultivation, where even the bond between master and disciple could be feigned, let alone the sincerity of strangers with unknown origins.

She pushed aside these distracting thoughts and continued refining her elixir. Using dew as the catalyst, she was preparing the Water Spirit Pill today, which could help female cultivators maintain their youthful appearance and soothe their complexion.

The Sea of Demonic Cultivation was heavy with humidity, and as someone who valued refinement and care, she had no choice but to create her own means to meet her needs.

Ten days later, when she went out again to gather dew, she noticed that the greenery on the mountain rocks bore no dewdrops. Could someone have been here? The only cultivators she had encountered nearby were the couple she had met ten days earlier.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded from behind her. “Thank you, Senior, for the elixir you gifted us that day. After consuming it, my cultivation has fully recovered.”

Li Muwan turned sideways and looked ahead. “It was a trivial matter, not worth mentioning.”

“What may be trivial to you, Senior, was a matter of life and death to me.” The woman spoke with utmost respect, though her partner was nowhere to be seen.

Li Muwan relaxed slightly and nodded with a smile.

“My name is Zhu Xin, and my senior brother is Zhu Feng. We came today to repay your kindness for gifting us the elixir. Having left our sect, we possess nothing of value and can only offer dew as a humble gift. We hope you will accept it and not deem it too meager.” Zhu Xin handed over a gourd.

Li Muwan pondered for a moment before telekinetically taking the gourd. “Thank you. Since we are all unfortunate souls struggling to survive in the Sea of Demonic Cultivation, I gifted you the elixir, and you have repaid me with dew. We are even.”

She mounted her Flying Sword and departed, while a voice called out from behind, “Thank you, Senior. If you ever have need, you are welcome to visit our Cave Residence.”

Having saved time on dew collection today, she remained cautious. Anything passed through others’ hands had to be treated with suspicion. She infused a trace of Spiritual Power into the gourd to ensure it was safe before using it to refine her elixir.

In the following days, Zhu Xin would collect dew early and wait for Li Muwan’s arrival, never mentioning anything else. This brought a sliver of anticipation to Li Muwan’s monotonous days, for in the Sea of Demonic Cultivation, aside from Wang Lin, she had encountered no one else.

Her meetings with him were few and far between. Though Blood Moon was lively and playful, providing some distraction, he could not speak.

Most of the time, she talked to herself, reminiscing about her days in the Luoshui Sect, discussing elixirs and the Dao with her senior brothers and sisters.

Zhu Xin and Zhu Feng’s warmth and kindness just filled the void of care and companionship she had been missing.

Zhu Xin invited her to their Cave Residence several times, but Li Muwan, wary of potential dangers, remained vigilant and declined each time, citing her need to refine elixirs and inability to stay long.

From observing Zhu Xin and Zhu Feng’s daily interactions, Li Muwan could see their deep and unwavering affection. Their willingness to accept exile from their sect for each other spoke of a loyalty worthy of respect.

When Wang Lin emerged from seclusion and found Li Muwan not in the outer area, he instinctively assumed she was bathing in the adjacent Stone Chamber.

Without looking back, he headed out. Meanwhile, Li Muwan, who had just returned to the Cave Residence, was in high spirits. Cradling Blood Moon in her arms, she skipped inside cheerfully, only to collide head-on with Wang Lin as he exited.

Her slender frame was sent stumbling several steps back by the impact. The startled Blood Moon leaped from her arms, landing gracefully some distance away.

The aloof Wang Lin initially had no intention of intervening, but the figure had yet to regain her balance, and the stone wall was mere inches behind hershe was on the verge of crashing into it.

Wang Lin’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Moving instinctively without using his Spiritual Power to catch her, he swiftly grabbed her outstretched wrist seeking help and pulled her into his embrace.

Li Muwan’s cheek collided with his solid chest, pressing tightly against it before she could regain her composure. Both were somewhat dazed, though he concealed it quickly, his flustered expression fleeting.

The person leaning against his chest lost all composure, momentarily forgetting she was still tightly clutching the Fiend’s collar, her pounding heartbeat nearly bursting her eardrums.

“What were you doing outside?” Wang Lin slightly furrowed his brows, showing neither disgust nor displeasure, though his tone remained as cold as ever.

The familiar voice brought her back to her senses. She looked up, her eyes watery with panic, meeting his sharp gaze.

Li Muwan instantly sobered up, released his collar, and retreated half a step. Noticing the wrinkled collar where she had grabbed it, she pursed her lips, wanting to smooth it out but not daring to touch it again.

Stammering, she said, “I… I went out.”

Wang Lin showed displeasure, already knowing she had gone out. Her reply was useless information.

She hadn’t been like this earliershe had been more exuberant than even the Blood Moon.

“What were you doing outside?” Wang Lin repeated patiently.

Li Muwan raised her eyes, cautiously looking at him, and said slowly, “We have neighbors outside our Cave Residence.”

“I just returned from there.”

Neighbors?

Wang Lin pondered, recalling there were no other cave residences nearby. If newly arrived cultivators of unknown origins had moved in, she was being rather carefree. When they first entered the Sea of Demonic Cultivation, she kept saying dangers lurked everywherenow she dared to go out and socialize?

His scrutinizing gaze swept over her. Li Muwan bowed her head like a child waiting for a scolding, twirling her sleeve with her fingertips, looking utterly wronged.

“I promised to protect your safety and send you back to Luoshui Sect after achieving Core Formation. But if you bring trouble upon yourself by going out, I won’t interfere,” Wang Lin said, his eyes filled with cold indifference.

Li Muwan believed she had assessed the pair carefully, only approaching them after several interactions.

“Senior Brother, don’t worry. That couple are sincere people, though they’re also pitiable.”

She spoke eloquently, recounting their story to Wang Lin, who remained in place and listened for half an hour.

Seeing his expression soften slightly, Li Muwan grew less afraid and unconsciously moved closer as she spoke.

“I’ve never seen such devoted cultivator couples in this world. Both would abandon their cultivation paths for each other. People might call them heretics, but such genuine affection is truly rare,” Li Muwan said with envy. “If not for this, I wouldn’t have approached them.”

She looked up and asked Wang Lin, “Senior Brother, have you ever seen cultivator couples who give their hearts so completely?”

Wang Lin glanced at her, disdainful of the affection she described, instead sensing something suspicious beneath the surface.

Zhu Xin remained at the 15th layer of Qi Condensation, a critical moment for breaking through to Foundation Establishment. Zhu Feng was at late Foundation Establishment stagesurviving in the Sea of Demonic Cultivation made achieving Core Formation urgent. How could they have time to idle away with a mere early Foundation Establishment alchemist like her?

Seeing Wang Lin fall silent, Li Muwan didn’t know what she had done wrong this time. “If Senior Brother dislikes me going out, I won’t go anymore.”

“But I’ll still go out to gather dew for you.”

“As you wish.”

“Are you going out, Senior Brother?”

“Mm.” Wang Lin stepped out. Li Muwan waited until he disappeared from sight before turning around. The Blood Moon was lying on the coral outside the Cave Residence, catching fireflies.

Li Muwan called out to it, and Blood Moon cleverly ran over, leaped onto her outstretched arm, and burrowed into her embrace.

“Blood Moon, you’re so disloyal,” Li Muwan scolded while tugging its ears. “You ran far away when I was in trouble. That Fiend scared me so much I didn’t dare breathe, and you didn’t even come to lighten the mood.”

Blood Moon pretended not to understand, staring with its crimson eyes. Li Muwan knew it was begging for spirit fruits again.

“Here.”

Blood Moon would try to please her after eating the spirit fruit.

Wang Lin bypassed the cave residence she mentioned. The cave residence was newly excavated – injured Foundation Establishment Stage and Qi Condensation Stage cultivators who could break through such extremely hard mountain rock must have concealed some special abilities or spells.

His vigilance heightened further.

After returning, Li Muwan began preparing to refine pills. When mist spread over the Sea of Demonic Cultivation, it carried much miasma that could affect a cultivator’s physical body and cultivation progress if inhaled regularly.

Zhu Xin had recovered her vitality and was gathering dew for her daily. Li Muwan wanted to refine some anti-miasma pills for both of them as preparation.

Today the mist was particularly thick, but the Nine Li Corpse Bone Formation could keep both the mist and seawater outside the formation.

Therefore, she didn’t often use this item.

Just going out once had left her covered in dampness, making her recall the comfort of bathing that day, though the embarrassment it caused made her dare not entertain such thoughts again.

Wang Lin returned after three days away. As soon as he entered the cave residence, the person sitting at the table refining pills heard the formation opening and came out to greet him.

Wang Lin descended on his Flying Sword, spotting her from afar as she came running out to stand at the cave entrance, tilting her small head up to gaze at him happily.

She rather resembled the young wife in storybooks, eagerly awaiting her husband’s return.

Xu Liguo lay bored within the small sword and remarked, “The little girl is waiting for Master again.”

Wang Lin retracted his sword and stopped not far from her. Li Muwan quickly approached, calling out eagerly, “Senior Brother, you’re back.”

“Is something wrong?” Wang Lin looked at her indifferently as he entered the cave residence, somewhat puzzled.

His strides were large, and Li Muwan followed hurriedly with small steps. “Nothing’s wrong. I heard the movement, knew Senior Brother had returned, and came out to greet you.”

Wang Lin assumed she was being so attentive because she was thinking about the Fifth-Grade Elixir Furnace.

Blood Moon emerged from the coral bushes. Wang Lin naturally extended his hand, and Blood Moon landed on his arm.

Seeing him head straight for the stone chamber, Li Muwan rubbed her hands inside her sleeves, gathered her courage, and followed. Wang Lin noticed she had something to say but was struggling to speak. As he was about to close the door immediately after entering, forcing her to blurt out, “Senior Brother, I have something to tell you.”

Wang Lin glanced back, his eyes darkening, exuding an imposing aura that clearly questioned why she had said nothing was wrong earlier.

Li Muwan approached the stone chamber, afraid he would close the door before she finished speaking.

“Earlier, Zhu Xin and Zhu Feng found an extremely precious herb for me to refine pills. To repay their kindness, I refined some anti-miasma pills as a return gift to bring them.”

Since she had already refined the pills, this wasn’t to seek his permission but to inform him. Whenever Wang Lin went out, he would notify her, though he didn’t always specify his destination.

Besides going out to collect dew water daily, if Li Muwan went elsewhere, she should also inform him for peace of mind.

“Go if you must.”

She should have delivered the pills yesterday after refining them, but she waited an extra day fearing that if Wang Lin returned and didn’t see her, it might cause him trouble.

“Mm, I’ll be back soon.” Having received permission, Li Muwan smiled sweetly and took Blood Moon from his arm. “Senior Brother is going into seclusion. Blood Moon, don’t disturb him. Come with me.”

The sleeve she had touched carried a faint lotus fragrance. Li Muwan had a preference for burning incense and made her own blends, which she lit daily. Whenever he drew near, he could always catch this subtle scent lingering about her.

As the figure outside the stone chamber receded into the distance, Wang Lin raised his sleeve to close the door and closed his eyes to meditate.

“Master, that little girl is quite amusing. She waits by the door every time you return. If other cultivators saw this, they might think you were a pair of cultivation partners,” Xu Liguo remarked leisurely from his seated position on the floor.

Cultivation partners?

Wang Lin’s eyes remained lightly closed. “Noisy.”

Xu Liguo immediately fell silent.

Zhu Xin and Zhu Feng had enthusiastically invited Li Muwan inside. The cave residence was simply furnishednothing compared to her deep-sea corals and dazzling seashellsbut it was clean and tidy.

“Sister Mu Wan, our place is humble, merely a shelter. We apologize for the poor hospitality,” Zhu Xin said as she poured Li Muwan a cup of hot tea. “This tea was brewed with dew collected this morning. Please have a taste.”

Li Muwan took a small sip. “It’s delicious.”

“Zhu Xin stays cooped up in the cave all day. She’s mentioned several times wanting to visit you, but feared disturbing your household. We’re sorry to trouble you to make this trip to deliver the elixir,” Zhu Feng added, sitting close to Zhu Xin.

“It’s no trouble. Staying in a cave residence for too long does make one crave fresh air. However, the Sea of Demonic Cultivation is dangerous, so it’s best not to venture too far.”

“Miss Li, you don’t live alone in your cave residence, do you?” Zhu Feng refilled her tea, his words carrying a hint of probing.

Li Muwan lifted the cup and inhaled its aroma, smiling. “This tea is more fragrant than what I brew.”

Zhu Feng laughed awkwardly. “Miss Li, please don’t mind us. Zhu Xin and I consider you a friend and were just asking casually. If it’s inconvenient to answer, feel free to ignore the question.”

“I live with my elder brother,” Li Muwan replied offhandedly.

“Elder brother?” Zhu Xin said. “Sister Mu Wan, your Pill Crafting is exceptional. Your brother must be highly skilled in cultivation. Anyone who can reside long-term in the Sea of Demonic Cultivation is no ordinary person.”

Unwilling to discuss Wang Lin with outsiders, she merely smiled and let the subject drop.

Seeing her reluctance, the two refrained from further inquiry, not wanting to overstep and create distance.

“Here, Sister Mu Wan, have some more tea.”

Darkness had fallen outside the cave residence. Zhu Xin and Zhu Feng, engrossed in seeking guidance on Pill Crafting, kept Li Muwan for a long time. She spoke eloquently for hours, immersed in the discussion, and lost track of time.

Inside the stone chamber, Wang Lin, deep in meditation, noticed the absence of movement outside. Extending his Divine Sense, he found the area empty save for Blood Moon curled up asleep on her usual desk.

The Pill Furnace showed no heatshe hadn’t returned yet.

“Master, it’s grown dark. Could that girl have run into danger?” Xu Liguo ventured.

Seeing Wang Lin remain unmoved and composed, Xu Liguo added fuel to the fire. “If she died out there, it would save us some trouble.”

A visible coldness sharpened Wang Lin’s expression. Xu Liguo quickly backtracked, “It’s just a pity about the mobile Pill Furnace you went through the trouble of snatching from that Core Formation cultivator. She hasn’t even finished refining the Sky Sundering Pill for you yet.”

“We can’t let her die, Master. You should go look for her.”

“Once I merge my three pills, the Sky Sundering Pill will be essential,” Wang Lin said, his eyes icy as he stood and left the stone chamber.

Xu Liguo slipped back into the small sword, crossing his legs. “Is it the Sky Sundering Pill that’s essential, or are you worried something might happen to the little girl?”

The night over the Sea of Demonic Cultivation was shrouded in thicker fog, blotting out the starlight. Groups of glowing jellyfish dotted the sea surface as Wang Lin sent his Extreme Awareness ahead to scout the path.

Soon, he arrived at the cave residence where Zhu Xin and the others lived.

Without a word, the small sword spiraled through the air and stabbed into the rocks above the cave entrance. Fragments of stone clattered down intermittently. Inside, Li Muwan was instructing Zhu Xin in pill refining when the disturbance interrupted them.
Zhu Feng grew vigilant, his Divine Sense stirring as a Mystic Ice Hammer materialized in his hand. “Someone has trespassed into our Cave Residence, and their intentions seem hostile. I’ll go investigate.”

Zhu Xin and Li Muwan followed closely. A threatening voice echoed from outside, “Cultivators within, come out now!”

Zhu Feng observed the intrudera fellow Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivatorwhose Divine Sense was firmly locked onto him. The oppressive aura made fear creep into his heart. Those indifferent, merciless eyes gazed down as if looking upon insignificant ants.

“Fellow Daoist, what brings you to intrude upon my Cave Residence?”

“I’ve come to claim someone.”

“It’s him?” Li Muwan froze in disbelief. How could that Fiend be here?