Demonic Cultivator: Immune To Common Side Effects - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Elder Si Deng’s Recommendation, the Eldest Daughter of Blood Shadow

A white-haired elder in simple cloth robes strode into the Daoist temple, carrying his Lantern Bearer’s staff. This was none other than Elder Si Deng, and no one dared to obstruct his path.

Moon Shadow Daoist hastily rose to greet him. “Elder Si Deng, what urgent matter brings you to our humble temple?” The goat-bearded Daoist bowed deeply, his face etched with deference.

The robed elder, lantern in hand, stroked his white beard and glanced sideways at Moon Shadow Daoist. “Let’s speak inside.”

“Elder, please!”

As Elder Si Deng entered the chamber, his gaze fell upon Li Yan’s unfamiliar face. He turned back to Moon Shadow Daoist. “Who is this?”

Moon Shadow Daoist chuckled warmly. “He’s one of us, Elder. All our own people.”

“Then let’s waste no time. Begin now.”

“This old man has something to…” Elder Si Deng settled into a chair, but before he could finish his sentence, drowsiness overcame him, and he drifted into slumber.

Moon Shadow Daoist followed suit, slumping onto the table and falling asleep.

Seeing this, Li Yan immediately understood what was happening. He leaned against a pillar, feigning sleep.

As the three men in the room sank into their feigned slumber, Elder Si Deng’s shadow began to stir.

Just as Li Yan had suspected, the shadows were manipulating people’s memories, compelling them to act against their will.

The victims themselves remained blissfully unaware of their possession by Shadow Fiends.

Elder Si Deng’s shadow rose from the ground, transforming into a black-haired old man. To the untrained eye, one might mistake the Shadow Fiend for Si Deng’s twin brother.

“Rise,” Shadow Fiend Si Deng commanded, his face impassive.

Moon Shadow Daoist’s shadow also materialized, taking on a solid form.

Meanwhile, Li Yan controlled his own shadow, positioning it nearby to eavesdrop.

Elder Si Deng glanced at Li Yan’s shadow but showed no suspicion. In his view, only shadows could control cultivators, never the other way around.

Unfazed by Li Yan’s presence, Si Deng openly divulged their secret:

“The Secret Realm in Broken Sword Valley has reappeared!”

Broken Sword Valley? Li Yan had just left that place, making him intimately familiar with it.

Shadow Fiend Si Deng continued, “If we can locate Broken Sword Valley, we can retrieve the sacred artifact of the Ancient Demon Shadow Sect—the Blood Glazed Lotus Lamp!”

Great.

The Blood Glazed Lotus Lamp was currently concealed within Li Yan’s Storage Ring. Si Deng probably couldn’t even dream that he was closer to an ancient sacred artifact than ever before.

“If we can retrieve the Blood Glazed Lotus Lamp and present it to the Eldest Daughter of the Venerable One, our status in Mount Mi Shadow City will rise dramatically!”

Shadow City?

Li Yan listened intently. Judging by his tone, there was a hidden city, invisible to cultivators, where Shadow Fiends dwelled.

Intriguing!

He noticed the Shadow Fiends showed almost no caution towards him. After all, since ancient times, no one possessed by a Shadow Fiend had ever successfully resisted.

Li Yan manipulated his shadow to sit nearby, listening without arousing suspicion from Elder Si Deng. The Shadow Fiends simply assumed that any shadow belonged to their clan—kin required no vigilance.

Of course, few cultivators in the world could break free from shadow manipulation. Li Yan’s unique ability stemmed from the ‘Side Effect Reversal’ System; otherwise, he too would be powerless.

This explained their lax attitude. Within the entire Mountain of No Return, he stood alone as an anomaly.

Just then, Shadow Fiend Si Deng continued, “Your mission is to escort the Eldest Daughter to Broken Sword Valley and retrieve the Blood Glazed Lotus Lamp.”

Li Yan subtly moved his fingers, signaling Moon Shadow Daoist to ask:

“Elder, what about the Su Clan traitor? Should we still capture Su Chongyue?”

Si Deng scoffed. “That’s none of your concern. Compared to capturing a traitor, securing the ancient Sacred Artifact—the Lotus Lamp—is our true objective.”

“As you command.”

“Prepare to modify Moon Shadow Daoist’s memories. He will personally escort the Eldest Daughter with his disciples.”

“The Eldest Daughter’s palanquin will arrive shortly.”

“Understood, Elder.”

Moon Shadow Daoist’s shadow began to writhe, altering his memories.

All of this, of course, was happening with Li Yan’s authorization.

It was crucial that Elder Si Deng not detect any anomalies. Li Yan still needed to remain hidden within this Shadow Fiend guise.

At that moment, Shadow Fiend Si Deng turned to Li Yan. “You’re new here, aren’t you? Your shadow looks fresh, recently born.”

“Reporting to the Elder, I only awakened consciousness a few days ago,” Li Yan replied.

He had fully immersed himself in the shadow persona. Without a flicker of unease, he controlled the shadow to respond fluently.

Shadow Fiend Si Deng scrutinized Li Yan from head to toe, nodding in satisfaction.

“Excellent. Your host body appears young and possesses impressive strength.”

“You’re the youngest prodigy in our Shadow Fiend Clan. When you escort the Eldest Daughter later, I’ll ensure you have plenty of opportunities to distinguish yourself!”

Seeing Li Yan’s youth, Shadow Fiend Si Deng believed this newly born shadow held immense potential for the future.

The Shadow Fiend Clan never hesitated to invest in its younger generation. Parasitic on Human cultivators, their survival depended on mutual support. As the old saying went, “When you spot one Shadow Fiend, you’ve likely stumbled upon a whole nest lurking in the city.”

Li Yan had intended to keep a low profile, but Elder Si Deng mistakenly identified him as a promising young talent within the Shadow Fiend Clan. The elder even planned to recommend Li Yan to the Venerable One’s eldest daughter, hoping to give him a chance to impress the esteemed lady.

“Elder, isn’t this inappropriate?” Li Yan protested, still wanting nothing more than to quietly infiltrate the clan.

But Shadow Fiend Si Deng replied with righteous conviction, “I personally transformed Moon Shadow Daoist into a Shadow Fiend. As his disciple, you’re practically my grand-disciple. I won’t neglect you—just follow my arrangements!”

The elder remained completely unaware that the seemingly harmless Li Yan before him was actually a ruthless predator who devoured his prey whole, bones and all.

He patted Li Yan’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t be nervous. I’ll personally recommend you to the Venerable One’s eldest daughter.”

“The Eldest Daughter should have arrived by now. Follow me.”

Shadow Fiend Si Deng donned a conical hat and veiled his eyes, concealing the fact that his true body was asleep. Using his shadow form to control his host, he led Li Yan out of the Daoist Temple.

As they walked along the quiet forest path, Li Yan spotted a group of veiled women trailing behind an Immortal Carriage in the distance. The carriage hovered in mid-air, and through the dark silhouettes cast on the white curtains of its windows, he could faintly discern the figure of a long-haired woman seated inside.

It’s her! The Eldest Daughter of the Venerable One!

Even before Li Yan drew near, he felt a chilling aura emanating from the carriage.

Elder Si Deng bowed respectfully. “Eldest Daughter, these are the escorts for your journey. They will accompany you to Broken Sword Valley.”

A low, imperious female voice echoed from within the carriage. “Understood. Let the carriage proceed.”

Elder Si Deng then reverently presented Li Yan to the Eldest Daughter. “Your Ladyship, this young man is a Shadow Fiend who recently awakened.”

“Oh?”

The Eldest Daughter of the Blood Shadow Venerable One clearly took an interest in Li Yan.