El joven amo desvergonzado

Capítulo 29

Tan Huan's body trembled slightly. He closed his eyes, then opened them again, and knelt on one knee. "Please, Master, rescind your order."

Baili Liushang looked down at her, "You don't want to cut off his hands and feet?"

Tan Huan shook his head firmly, "Master, just give him a quick death."

"Fine, then. No more chopping. You can just eat his flesh and drink his blood until he dies." A cold voice came from above, devoid of any emotion. Baili Liushang, however, wore a smile. "Huan'er, I've been quite tolerant of you. Don't disappoint me again. The consequences of my disappointment will be severe."

Tan Huan raised her eyes, her gaze cold and clear. She abruptly stood up, her Lonely Dust Sword flashing, its energy surging, piercing the man's throat. She only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him dead, but before she could fully relax, Baili Liushang slapped her hard across the face. "How dare you make decisions on your own? Did I tell you to kill him?"

His face stung; it had been a long time since he'd been slapped. Tan Huan lowered his eyes, remaining silent and respectfully bowing his head.

"You think killing him will solve everything? You think I can't find someone else to torture?" Baili Liushang sneered.

"Palace Master, if you're looking for someone, don't look for people from my side. If all my male concubines are dead, there will be no one to sleep with me." Jiang Shemi pretended to be troubled. "You can't strive for perfection in everything. Your disciple has great talent, but you insist on making her as perverted as you. That's too greedy!"

Baili Liushang glared at her and said, "Shut up and get out."

Jiang Shemi laughed heartily, "Then I'll take my leave first. Palace Master, please be lenient with your little disciple. She didn't grow up in Zhengyang Palace, so it's understandable that she's not familiar with the customs here." After saying that, his figure disappeared outside the door.

Song Lian had no intention of getting involved in this mess. Standing beside the Palace Master when he was angry was suicidal; he wasn't that brave. Whenever the Palace Master was enraged, everyone would run far away. The five Commanders were all quick-witted and agile; even Zhong Ding, that big oaf, knew to escape. Among the Commanders, he was the only one who had suffered and become the Palace Master's punching bag. If it weren't for his high martial arts skills, he would have surely died, leaving him bedridden for half a year.

Song Lian secretly walked towards the door, then thought back to the matter. However, the Palace Master's anger this time was a bit strange. His gaze towards Tan Huan was slightly sympathetic, and he suddenly felt a sense of kinship. Although he was still a little gloating, he still kindly interjected, "Palace Master, your disciple is indeed a bit soft-hearted. Why not lock her up in the Blood Man Corpse Worm and toughen her up properly?"

Baili Liushang's gaze was chilling. He glanced at Song Lian, then fixed his gaze on Tan Huan. "Alright, I'll let her off this time." He smiled faintly. "Huan'er, why don't you quickly thank Lord Song for pleading for you?"

Although Tan Huan didn't understand the meaning of "blood-soaked corpse worms," she still obediently thanked Baili Liushang as instructed. Then, when Baili Liushang locked her in that dark tunnel, the stench of corpses and fish filled her nostrils, and she heard eerie rustling sounds in her ears. She was suddenly terrified. Damn it, is this what you call letting her go?

Unable to see anything, Tan Huan leaned against the wall, her eyes closed, trying to get used to the darkness as quickly as possible. When Baili Liushang opened the stone door, all she knew was that she had been led into a winding, narrow place. There were no lights or fires, and her only weapon was the Lonely Dust Sword in her hand.

However, that was enough. With the Lonely Dust Sword in hand, there was nothing to fear. Her vision was still blurry, and the air currents in front of her became strange. Tan Huan keenly sensed the unusual movement and, without thinking twice, swung her sword. Blood splattered everywhere, a "thud" on the ground, and blood stained her face. Tan Huan paused, gripping the hilt tightly. That feeling just now—had she hit someone?

Tan Huan did manage to cut someone, but before she could react further, more and more people gathered in front of her. It was dark and she couldn't see clearly, so she didn't even sense any killing intent. In her haste, she asked, "Who are you?" But there was no answer. The group of people, who looked like corpses, attacked without warning. Tan Huan's face darkened, and she raised her sword to counterattack.

Strange crawling insects roamed the ground, and seemingly mindless enemies surrounded her. Unable to communicate due to the language barrier, Tan Huan's swordplay, like the roar of a dragon, stirred up a storm of blood and gore in the stone path. The sticky red blood made Tan Huan desperately try to increase her sword speed; the feeling of being stained with blood was awful. Sword after sword, yet even so, the spray of blood onto her did not lessen.

My hair clung stickily to my cheeks, and the fishy stench filled my nostrils. My desire for pleasure sank. When would it end?

Blood-bodied Corpse Worms: Whenever Zhengyang Palace captures enemies or punishes traitors, they are imprisoned in the stone passage. Blood-bodied people are two different things. Blood-bodied people are living beings imprisoned in the passage for martial arts training; they are inexhaustible and impossible to kill. For Baili Liushang, there is no better training ground. Corpse worms are particularly strange insects. They like to burrow into bodies and feed on the brain and blood. Although they are terrifying parasites, they will also protect their hosts if they are in danger or injured, healing their wounds as quickly as possible. In other words, as long as the host is not decapitated, the host will never die.

It's not easy to decapitate someone with a single sword strike. Generally, a thrusting sword usually severs the opponent's artery. Unless infested with corpse worms, a normal person would die from a severed artery. Those infested with corpse worms are even less likely to be decapitated. To protect their host, the worms typically congregate on the neck, where the blood is fresh and the area is close to the brain. The corpse worms' exoskeletons are extremely hard, acting as armor.

For Tan Huan, beheading someone with a single sword strike was no difficult task, nor was beheading an opponent infested with corpse worms, provided there weren't many opponents. The surrounding environment was unclear, and Tan Huan couldn't determine the number of enemies, but judging from the air currents, she estimated there were at least a hundred. She sighed, lamenting, "So many seemingly invincible opponents—am I going to die here?"

At first, she felt exhausted, then she became numb. Kill, kill, kill—there was nothing else to do but kill. This was the realm of Asura; indulging in pleasure would lead to exhaustion and death, but her opponents would not. Gradually, her attacks became increasingly ruthless, each move more efficient, without the slightest superfluous action.

The Blood-Soaked Corpse Worms have no food or water. The only chance for those imprisoned here to survive is to be released; otherwise, they face certain death. In the long history of Zhengyang Palace, Baili Liushang is the only exception, having survived for hundreds of years. This martial arts prodigy, a once-in-a-millennium talent, beheaded everyone inside, killed most of the corpse worms, and then the remaining worms, under his terrifying killing intent, did not approach, hiding far away in a corner.

Tan Huan had no idea how long she had endured in the stone passage, nor how many people she had killed. She didn't know how many days had passed outside; she only knew that amidst the mechanical killing, she suddenly felt light shining on her from behind. Stiffly turning her head, she saw a tall, slender figure standing in the sunlight, asking loudly, "Still alive?"

Tan Huan rushed out in an instant, panting heavily. She looked up and saw Luo Yi quickly closing the stone door. Her purple eyes shone brightly, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Tan Huan could no longer hear her. She collapsed onto Luo Yi.

He was unconscious for two whole days.

On the third day, Baili Liushang learned that Tanhuan had been released by Luo Yi without his permission. Upon hearing the news, his gaze was slightly complicated. He lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment before walking calmly to Luo Yi and raising an eyebrow, "Who told you to let her out?"

Luo Yi composed herself and said, "I will accept any punishment from Master."

Baili Liushang chuckled, "I'm not going to punish you. I want to ask you why you let her out."

Luo Yi was always frank with Baili Liushang. After a moment of silence, she said, "If she really died inside, Master wouldn't be happy. Master probably didn't save her and bring her back to Zhengyang Palace to kill her."

“Of course I’m not happy that she’s dead. I was hoping to see her behave well among the blood-soaked corpse worms.” Baili Liushang glanced at the still unconscious Tan Huan and said helplessly, “Forget it, she’s been released. We’ll lock her up again next time. But this time you rescued her, so you’re responsible for taking care of her. We have a guest at Zhengyang Palace today, so I don’t have time to deal with this girl.” With that, he turned and left without looking back.

Tan Huan lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her right hand still tightly gripping the Lonely Dust Sword, not loosening its grip even in her deep sleep. Luo Yi had tried to take the sword from her hand, but he couldn't pry it open no matter what he did, so he had to give up. Looking at the sky, the sun was about to set again, and Luo Yi helplessly relaxed his brows. What was there to take care of such a grown person? He should go eat first. Rescuing her was already more than enough; did he have to serve her like a servant? He was about to step outside when he turned back and saw Tan Huan's sleeping body curl slightly. Luo Yi sighed softly, then went back to get a blanket to cover her.

Luo Yi bent down, the blanket not yet touching Tan Huan's body. In an instant, Tan Huan suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes full of vigilance. The moment his eyelids opened, the Lonely Dust Sword in his hand was also drawn, the cold, gleaming blade aimed straight at Luo Yi's neck.

Luo Yi frowned, immediately jumped back a few steps, and stared coldly at her, "Keep your murderous aura to yourself."

Tan Huan was startled, only then realizing that the person in front of her was her senior brother, who seemed to be the benefactor who had saved her from that hell. Feeling slightly uneasy, she said softly, "I'm sorry, senior brother, I thought I was still in the stone passage."

Luo Yi sighed, her purple eyes fixed on her. "Don't go against your master anymore. I already know the reason why you were locked up. Just do what your master tells you to do. Resisting will only lead to worse results."

Tan Huan muttered, "The so-called terrible outcome is being locked up in a blood-soaked corpse worm?"

“I’ve been inside that place once, but only for a day and a night,” Luo Yi said. “Greedy Pleasure, once your body is corroded by the corpse worms, you will become part of that stone path, a lifelong opponent for others to practice martial arts against, and your self-awareness will be completely devoured by the corpse worms. Master is usually a decent person, but the consequences of angering him are severe. If he hardens his heart and locks you up, he will naturally be willing to see you suffer a fate worse than death. For him, at worst, he can just take on another disciple, but for you, it will ruin your entire life.”

Tan Huan smiled and said, "Senior brother, are you passing on your years of experience?"

Luo Yi leaned against the wall, her tall frame lounging, and said lazily, "Since you entered Zhengyang Palace, you've never let your guard down and genuinely interacted with Master. With suspicion and hostility, how could you possibly understand Master? You don't understand him, you don't like him, and in your eyes, everything about him is wrong. Master is highly skilled in martial arts, and on the surface, you dare not disobey him, but what about your heart? Do you think Master can't see through it?"

Tan Huan remained unfazed and laughed, "Does Senior Brother want me to go against my conscience and say that Master is benevolent, righteous, and has immeasurable merits?"

Luo Yi also laughed and said, "You don't need to deliberately say the opposite of what you mean. It's useless to deliberately say the opposite of what you mean in front of me. It's common knowledge in the martial arts world that Master is not a good person, but since you entered the palace, Master has sincerely taught you martial arts, and his attitude towards you is always the most authentic one. At least in this respect, he is much more honest than you."

Tan Huan's smile suddenly stopped. She glanced at Luo Yi quietly and then abruptly asked, "Where is Master?"

Luo Yi thought for a moment, then pointed, "It should be in the front hall."

Tan Huan nodded, looked up at Luo Yi and smiled sincerely, "Speaking of which, I still owe Senior Brother a thank you. It was Senior Brother who saved me back then, wasn't it?"

"We're like brother and sister, no need to be so polite," Luo Yi said casually.

“Although I don’t agree with many of Master’s actions, and I am wary of him,” Tan Huan climbed off the bed and quickly walked out. As she brushed past Luo Yi, she slowed her pace slightly and said softly, “But I am still grateful to him.”

Grateful? Luo Yi narrowed her purple eyes, gazing at the sycamore tree outside the door, and gave a mocking smile. Her master never cared about other people's gratitude. He had gone to great lengths to save her life, and Luo Yi didn't want any more trouble to happen in the front hall, so she followed behind Tan Huan.

Baili Liushang sat in the head seat in the front hall, and there was another person besides him, Du Suizhi.

Baili Liushang was dressed as usual, his black hair tied back, his eyes clear and bright. He rested his head on one hand and glanced sideways at Tan Huan, who had suddenly barged in, waiting for her to speak first.

Du's eyes lit up, and he said flippantly, "Oh, isn't this my cousin?" Just as he expected, she had grown more and more beautiful.

Tan Huan ignored him, only glancing at him casually as she entered, before fixing her gaze on Baili Liushang and respectfully bowing, "Master."

Baili Liushang wasn't angry at her for barging in; he simply asked, "What are you doing here?"

Luo Yi is right. While she outwardly dared not disobey Baili Liushang, she harbored a deep resentment towards him and was never truly sincere. Pei Jin had treated her with genuine affection, and she reciprocated with all her heart. Baili Liushang now also treated her with genuine affection, though his sincerity was vastly different from Pei Jin's, yet she ultimately failed to treat him well.

She never lied to Pei Jin, but she was always deceiving Baili Liushang.

“If Master locked me in the Blood-Soaked Corpse Worms to teach me how to kill, then it’s completely unnecessary.” Tan Huan acknowledged what Luo Yi had just said, but Baili Liushang and Pei Jin were different. “Killing is something you don’t need to teach. How to suppress the urge to kill is what a martial artist should learn most. Master, for me, life at Zhengyang Palace is actually easier than before. I don’t have to worry about my bad side being exposed. My so-called bad habits are nothing in your eyes. But precisely because of this, I have to restrain myself now. I don’t want to become another you in the martial world.”

Baili Liushang remained expressionless, his gaze as indifferent as still water. He glanced at her briefly before looking into the distance. "What's wrong with me? What if I become someone else?"

When she possesses sufficient strength, when she can easily kill her opponent, and when that opponent happens to be her enemy, then killing becomes an extremely simple matter. Tan Huan knew she wouldn't be able to resist. During her first duel with Wu Qingfeng, she thrust her sword towards his throat. Was it truly unconscious then? She had always hated Wu Qingfeng, so the sword unconsciously aimed for his vital points. Tan Huan had to admit that if her opponent had been Pei Jin, she certainly wouldn't have harmed him.

See? In truth, she sees killing as nothing, and Tanhuan sighs almost imperceptibly. Yet, she has always tried her best to stop herself from killing. She cannot bully those weaker than herself just because she is skilled in martial arts, nor can she indiscriminately kill innocent people just because she is unhappy with her life... This is what Pei Jin taught her. She wanted Pei Jin to be happy and wanted Pei Jin to like her, so she always followed his advice.

But what is right? What is wrong? Baili Liushang never thought he was wrong, and neither did Pei Jin. Tan Huan didn't know who was right and who was wrong before, but in the process of getting along with Baili Liushang, she realized that if she could always do whatever she wanted, killing and doing whatever she wanted, it would be too dangerous.

Tanhuan used to restrain herself, so she should continue to restrain herself. If she were to do whatever she wanted like her master, Tanhuan worried that one day in the future, when she looked back, she would suddenly find that she was no longer herself, but a complete stranger.

"Everyone shouts to kill a rat crossing the street." Tan Huan raised his eyes and said, each word distinct and deliberate.

Du Suizhi stared wide-eyed in surprise, stunned for a moment, looking at her incredulously. He had truly seen something new today. It turned out that there were people in this world who dared to speak to Baili Liushang like that? He smiled and thought, "Interesting, Tan Huan. If you were killed by Baili Liushang now, I would definitely pay my respects to you properly on Qingming Festival next year and burn more joss paper for you."

Upon hearing this from outside the door, Luo Yi's face darkened, and she stopped in her tracks. She had already provoked the person she was going to offend; there was no point in going in now.

Baili Liushang actually laughed out loud, "Huan'er, you just woke up, didn't you? You came here as soon as you woke up just to talk about this?"

His reaction was unexpected. Tan Huan pursed his lips and remained silent, pretending to be deep in thought.

"A rat crossing the street is hated by everyone? Are you talking about me?" Baili Liushang laughed again. "I'd like to see if anyone would dare to lay a hand on me if I left the palace now. If there is such a person, I might consider sparing their life out of respect for their courage." He slowly stood up, walked down the steps one by one, and stood in front of Tan Huan. He lifted her chin, his gaze icy cold. "In comparison, aren't you the one who's hated by everyone now? As soon as you leave Zhengyang Palace, I guarantee everyone who sees you will dare to attack you. What do you say?"

Tan Huan nodded calmly, "Master is right."

"Alas, my disciple suffered such treatment upon leaving the palace. It truly disgraces me as his master." Baili Liushang suddenly changed his expression, sighing with a half-smile, "Huan'er, it's time for you to leave the palace and establish your reputation. You need to let the entire martial arts world know that you, Wu Tanhuan, are not some worthless nobody who can be messed with."

After a moment of silence, Tan Huan said, "Master, please give me any orders."

“I just made a deal with Du Suizhi. We have some information about the treasure map. You and Du Suizhi will go to Youming Valley and find a man named Yuan Gu. Bring him back.”

Yuan Gu? What a familiar name. After a moment's thought, Tan Huan immediately remembered Yuan Gu, the world's number one swordsmith who lived in seclusion in Youming Valley. It was this man who had repaired the Lone Dust Sword.

“Recently, the Tang Clan and the Netherworld Valley have been having some disputes. You can take this opportunity to kidnap Yuan Gu. It doesn’t matter what method you use, as long as you bring back a living Yuan Gu. Oh, and make sure he can speak.” Baili Liushang suddenly seemed to remember something. “However, it’s not safe for you to go alone…” He paused, then said, “Luo Yi, come in. You heard what I just said, right? Go with your junior sister.”

Luo Yi slipped into the door and replied, "I will obey your orders, Master."

"However, my top priority for you is to bring Yuan Gu back. That is the primary objective, understand?"

"yes."

Tan Huan stood quietly to the side. She had lived in the Netherworld Valley for quite some time, so she knew that abducting someone from the valley without being discovered was extremely difficult. Clearly, ordinary methods wouldn't work. Thinking of this, her gaze flickered towards Baili Liushang. Was he implying that she should resort to some underhanded tactics?

“You’re happy to be able to leave the palace, aren’t you? If you want to see Pei Jin, you can go and see him.” Baili Liushang looked at her mockingly and said lazily, “If Pei Jin cares about our past relationship, he might even invite you to his engagement banquet.”

Tan Huan was suddenly stunned, staring blankly at Baili Liushang.

"That woman's name seems to be Shu Yunyao..." Baili Liushang tried hard to recall, then asked Du Suizhi, "Du, do you remember when Pei Jin and Shu Yunyao got engaged?"

"The date hasn't been set yet, but the news has already spread like wildfire throughout the martial arts world," Du Sui added with a smile.

Tan Huan's gaze gradually calmed down, and he stared at Baili Liushang indifferently.

“Huan’er is a good child, and has always despised what her teacher has done.” Baili Liushang stroked her face and said gently, “This time I want to see for myself whether you will actually kill someone.”

Baili Liushang had indeed seen through her; she wasn't a good person, and neither was Wu Tanhuan. Tanhuan gave a self-deprecating laugh, "If I kill them, will you be disappointed?"

"No, I'll be very pleased," Baili Liushang said with a smile, "It means Huan'er has grown up."

Chapter Sixteen: The Female Demon

Some people master unparalleled martial arts to enjoy the feeling of standing at the pinnacle of the martial arts world. They crave the admiration of others and the sense of authority. However, they are also willing to serve others, prioritizing the greater good over personal gain, and are quite cautious when faced with choices. When sacrifice is unavoidable, they understand the importance of making the best choice between two evils.

For example, Pei Gumo is this kind of person. You can't call him hypocritical; it's more like a man's ideal and romance. People in the martial arts world often say he's always been approachable, but the word "approachable" itself carries a sense of condescension.

Baili Liushang was a different kind of person. He became a top martial arts master simply so he could do whatever he wanted, to achieve whatever he desired, whether it was willfulness or ambition, he was truly unrestrained. In his eyes, he didn't need the respect or admiration of others. As long as he could achieve his goals, he didn't mind hurting others, and any sacrifice was worthwhile.

When Tan Huan saw Pei Gu Mo again, she and Luo Yi disguised themselves as servants and followed Du Suizhi into the Netherworld Valley. Their identities as disciples of Baili Liushang would obviously hinder their movements, so Luo Yi suggested disguising themselves along the way.

Before them sat three groups discussing matters: the people of Youming Valley, Pei Gumo, and the Tang Clan. The surrounding area was lush with greenery, and all around were mountains, not high, but quite steep.

Pei Gumo looked much more weathered than before, but his imposing presence remained unchanged. He was diligently mediating the conflict between Youming Valley and Tang Sect. Tan Huan's gaze unconsciously searched her surroundings. Not seeing Pei Jin, she breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a touch of regret.

“Pei Jin isn’t here, huh? Are you disappointed?” Du Suizhi saw right through her thoughts and teased her by whispering in her ear, “But I heard he’ll be coming over in a couple of days.”

Tan Huan's expression tightened, and she avoided his approach.

"Du Suizhi, you even dare to flirt with my master's disciple? You certainly have guts." Luo Yi said expressionlessly, her voice flat. "Tan Huan may not dare to resist now, but once no one is around, do you think you can defeat my junior sister?"

Du Suizhi was taken aback, but the corners of his mouth quickly turned up. "That makes sense. Thank you for the reminder, Young Master Luo."

Luo Yi said, "More than anything else, Du Suizhi, you should tell us about the current situation."