Demoness's Art of Vengeance

Chapter 181: An Unconscious Jun Xiaomo

Translator: Minotauruz

After bidding farewell to Jun Xiaomo, Liang Yulong’s originally sullen mood improved substantially. He finally began to understand what Jun Xiaomo meant when she said that she did not mind winning or losing, as long as they could thoroughly enjoy the process of battle. The fact that he had gained a deeper understanding of his abilities and improved his cultivation was well worth the effort despite his loss.

Yet shortly afterwards, when he was faced with Dai Yanfeng’s infuriated expressions, his gladdened heart and relaxed disposition was once again stifled and replaced by a stone that weighed down heavily on his heart.

“Master.” Liang Yulong walked up to Dai Yanfeng, lowered his head and addressed him.

Pak! Dai Yanfeng swung his arm and slapped Liang Yulong on the face. This slap was incredibly forceful, and it even caused Liang Yulong to stumble backwards slightly.

Liang Yulong had already expended most of his body’s energy during the earlier battle, and he was naturally unable to resist the forcefulness of Dai Yanfeng’s slap.

“How dare you return?! Huh?!” Dai Yanfeng gnashed his teeth as he yelled, “How dare you still call me your master? You can’t even defeat a measly piece of trash at the fifth level of Qi Mastery? You may as well have died on the arena for all I care. At least that way you won’t disgrace the sect any further!”

Liang Yulong lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly, but he remained taciturn.

Dai Yue sauntered over to Liang Yulong and added contemptuously, “What’s the matter, brother Liang? Do you think that my father’s criticism is wrong? Why do you look so aggrieved? You’re truly remarkable, you know that? How could you even think about admitting defeat before the battle commenced. Did you already know that you wouldn’t be able to match up to a piece of trash right from the onset, so you decided to admit defeat to reduce the pain and shame? I truly feel ashamed on your behalf.”

That’s right. Dai Yue was incredibly incensed by the fact that Liang Yulong had attempted to admit defeat before the battle even commenced. To her mind, even if Jun Xiaomo won, she wanted Jun Xiaomo to have been reduced to a sorry state and barely be able to defeat Liang Yulong.

At the very least, her victory should not have attracted the sincere applause and adulation of the entire audience.

Liang Yulong looked up and dispassionately retorted, “Back when martial sister asked me to intentionally lose to Jun Xiaomo, why didn’t you consider the fact that I would disgrace the Eternal Summit Sect?”

“You! Don’t malign me! Why would I have asked you to intentionally lose to Jun Xiaomo?!” Dai Yue’s eyes flickered momentarily with panic before she quickly stabilized her emotions.

Liang Yulong doesn’t have any proof anyway. I’ll just deny whatever he says. Dai Yue mocked in her heart.

As expected, Dai Yanfeng bellowed, “Enough! Liang Yulong, haven’t you disgraced the sect enough? Are you even resorting to slandering your martial sister now? I’m revoking your rights to observe all future battles. You’ll return to the sect’s penal hall and reflect on your own actions!”

Since the penal sect was involved, then there was no doubt that Dai Yanfeng had essentially already determined Liang Yulong’s guilt in this matter.

“Yes. Disciple shall comply.” Liang Yulong hung his head low as he relented. Jun Xiaomo’s philosophy of enjoying the process of battle and her invitation to the Heavenly Peak once again crossed his mind, and Liang Yulong’s eyes darkened.

On the other side, Jun Xiaomo returned victoriously to the Dawn Sect’s seating area, but her return was not received by a boisterous celebration. Most people looked curiously and stole suspicious glances at Jun Xiaomo as though she were a monster, or as though they had just seen a side of Jun Xiaomo that they had never seen before.

That said, their behaviour was quite understandable. After all, anyone would be bewildered by the fact that a cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Mastery could defeat a person at the eighth level of Qi Mastery. Some might even suspect something fishy about the entire situation.

Regardless, Jun Xiaomo ignored the bewildered and peculiar looks on the faces of the Dawn Sect disciples and made a beeline towards the Heavenly Peak disciples.

As soon as she returned to the Heavenly Peak seating area, she received the warm applause and adulation that she deserved. Some even gave her a standing ovation and motioned to give her a celebratory hug. One after the other, several disciples gave Jun Xiaomo a hug, while others tousled Jun Xiaomo’s hair and laughed heartily as they exclaimed, “Great showing, martial sister! You’re our dear martial sister from the Heavenly Sect through and through!”

Jun Xiaomo’s face looked a bit pale, but she did not want to be a spoilsport, so she continued to receive everyone’s praise and adulation graciously with a faint smile on her face.

“Martial sister! Martial sister!” A young man squirmed his way through the crowd and found his way to Jun Xiaomo. His tender, boyish face was even slightly contorted by the time he managed to get through the crowd.

“Martial sister, you’re incredible!” Wei Gaolang finally made his way to Jun Xiaomo after much difficulty. His eyes gleamed with praise and adoration as he idolized his martial sister.

Jun Xiaomo smiled faintly as she patted his head and remarked, “Little Lang will be just as strong in the future.”

Wei Gaolang replied with some measure of exasperation, “I don’t think there’s much hope of that. My cultivation is one level higher than martial sister’s, but my abilities are a far cry from yours.”

Jun Xiaomo chuckled and shrugged, “This is just a slight difference in our combat experience.”

She possessed several hundred years’ worth of combat experience more than Wei Gaolang after all. This was more than enough to deal with some young sprout cultivators who were only at the Qi Mastery stage of cultivation. Yet at the same time, she knew that if their cultivation levels were far too different, or she had encountered a cultivator experienced with combat as well, then these little tricks of hers would not do much to cover for her cultivation level deficiencies.

Regardless, she had to deal with the important matters first – she had to quickly increase her cultivation level.

“Ungh...” Jun Xiaomo’s heart thumped ferociously, and she reflexively bent over and clutched at her abdomen where the Dantian was located – Damn! I’ve suppressed my breakthrough too much and I’m losing control!

The roiling true energy momentarily broke free of her restrains and gushed through her Dantian and meridians ferociously.

“Martial sister Xiaomo, what’s happening?!” Wei Gaolang facing Jun Xiaomo when all of that happened, and he saw with his own eyes how Jun Xiaomo’s face was suddenly drained of the colour of blood.

Beads of cold sweat filled her face densely, and she chuckled bitterly with a smile, “I think...I’ve pushed myself too hard.”

With that, she blacked out and fell backwards.

“Martial sister!” “Xiaomo!” “Martial sister!” ... A series of anxious cries rang out.

Fortunately, Jun Xiaomo fell into a steady and firm bosom.

She no longer had the energy to identify who had caught her, because she only felt herself falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of darkness, and then she thoroughly lost consciousness.

“Rong...Brother Rong?” Wei Gaolang lifted his head to see Rong Ruihan’s suave and charming face. At this moment, Rong Ruihan supported Jun Xiaomo with one hand, while his other hand had shifted to her wrist, and his eyebrows were knitted tightly together.

Moments later, Rong Ruihan softly stated, “We need to get her to a quiet place to sort out the spiritual energy within her body. She’s been too reckless. She knew that she was already on the brink of a breakthrough, but she intentionally suppressed her Dantian and her meridians so that she could continue with the competition. She’s currently suffering from a backlash from the suppressed energy within her body.”

Wei Gaolang was momentarily taken aback. As soon as he regained his senses, he anxiously asked, “Then, let’s quickly bring martial sister back to the inn.”

Without further prompting, Rong Ruihan lifted Jun Xiaomo horizontally and prepared to make haste back to the Heavenly Peak’s inn. However, he was quickly blocked by the other disciples from Heavenly Peak.

“You’re from the Eternal Summit Sect. Where are you bringing Jun Xiaomo?” One of the Heavenly Peak disciples surnamed Chen furrowed his brows as he queried.

“Brother Chen, don’t worry. Brother Rong is martial sister Xiaomo’s friend. When Brother Ye was out on his travels, the three of them had traveled together, so they’re on very good terms with each other.” Wei Gaolang hurriedly explained.

Yet the Heavenly Peak disciples were uneasy leaving their dear martial sister in the hands of a stranger, so they continued to prevent Rong Ruihan from leaving.

“What’s going on?” Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei had just returned from verifying the results of Jun Xiaomo’s battle. Thus, they had only just discovered the crowd of Heavenly Peak disciples gathered together around one single spot.

“Master, martial sister has fainted, and this man is looking to bring martial sister away.” Now that Jun Linxuan had showed up, the Heavenly Peak disciples could feel slightly more at ease. At the very least, Rong Ruihan would not be able to do anything improper to Jun Xiaomo with Jun Linxuan around.

The Heavenly Peak disciples were unable to trust Rong Ruihan because they knew that Rong Ruihan had attended the competition together with the rest of the entourage from the Eternal Summit Sect.

“Senior, Xiaomo’s Dantian and meridians are in a very bad shape right now, and we need to find a quiet place to sort out the spiritual energy within her body quickly.”

Rong Ruihan remained completely calm despite the overbearing aura emanating from Jun Linxuan’s body.

Jun Linxuan furrowed his brows, and quickly placed his hand over Jun Xiaomo’s wrist and sent a thread of his spiritual energy probing through her body as well. Yet his spiritual energy was very quickly forced out of her body by the clashing and chaotic true energy within.

Jun Linxuan finally realized the gravity of the situation. Thus, he instructed the other disciples around, “All of you remain here. I’ll bring Jun Xiaomo back to the inn with this young man here.”

“Linxuan, let me go as well.” Liu Qingmei looked worriedly at her unconscious daughter.

“Qingmei, we cannot move around at the same time. You need to stay here and helm this place.” Jun Linxuan disagreed. Even though he could sense his wife’s concern for her daughter, but his duty as the Heavenly Peak’s Peakmaster was equally important as well.

The Heavenly Peak disciples were still involved in the upcoming fights today, so Liu Qingmei had to remain around to deter and prevent any shenanigans against their disciples.

Liu Qingmei understood this as well. Thus, she sighed in her heart and watched sullenly as Jun Linxuan and Rong Ruihan turned to leave among the throngs of people.

“Martial aunt, don’t worry. It’s just as brother Rong has said, martial sister Xiaomo has just broken through to the next level of cultivation. This is a good thing.” Wei Gaolang stood beside Liu Qingmei as he consoled her.

She patted the head of her husband’s youngest disciple as she smiled in appreciation, “Martial aunt understands. Thanks, Little Lang, for your consolation.”

He Zhang had also noticed the commotion among the Heavenly Peak disciples. Due to the loud buzz and chatter among the audience, he was unable to make out the contents of the conversations between Rong Ruihan and the other Heavenly Peak disciples. Nevertheless, he knew that shortly after Jun Xiaomo returned victoriously, everyone from the Heavenly Peak surrounded her for a short moment. Moments later, Jun Xiaomo was carried away, unconscious, while Jun Linxuan’s expression was ashen as well.

He Zhang squinted his eyes and exclaimed in his heart – Seems like the Bedeviled Grass is still rather effective, huh? It’s a pity that I didn’t put enough of it earlier, so it had taken a slightly longer time to manifest its effects.

Otherwise, why would a victorious Jun Xiaomo suddenly faint after she returned to the Sect’s waiting area?

He Zhang was incredibly tempted to follow Jun Linxuan and Rong Ruihan to take a closer look at her condition, but he knew that there was already an irreparable rift in the relationship between Jun Linxuan and himself. If he followed along right now, perhaps Jun Linxuan might even grow suspicious of his involvement in this regard.

Therefore, he remained seated as he contemplated the next moves in his schemes.

It’s just a pity that the Bedeviled Grass had not manifested fully on the arena. He Zhang thought maliciously.

Nevertheless, a macabre smile crept up the corner of his lips as he consoled himself – It’s fine. There’s still the next battle. In the next battle, I’ll spike Jun Xiaomo’s food with all the remaining Bedeviled Grass. I don’t believe that Jun Xiaomo will be lucky a second time!

Having made his decision, the tension in He Zhang’s heart relaxed once more, as he leaned back on his chair and thoroughly immersed himself in the upcoming battles.