Le paysage est comme une peinture

Chapitre 14

The man of love knew, of course, that "very smart and very beautiful friend" was not himself, but hearing such a man praise him as "smart and beautiful" made him secretly delighted.

"It was you, my 'good friend,' who plotted against Sister Lan in every way, blinding her two years ago... The bloodstains on this hairpin... You killed her too, you... you devil..." The man suddenly pounced. He knew he was no match for the Demon of Love, but at this moment he must have been determined to die. His pounce was extremely powerful, and the Demon of Love couldn't withstand it. Fortunately, she was very good at light footwork and leaped more than ten feet into the air before landing on the ground.

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Chapter 26: A Seductive Glance for a Blind Man

The man leaped after him again, but the Demon of Passion struck with a palm. The man didn't dodge, and the blow landed on his chest, causing him to cough up blood. The Demon of Passion, however, was also struck on the shoulder. Although this blow couldn't seriously injure the Demon of Passion, it did cause a dull ache in the injured area.

The man didn't even wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, and charged again recklessly, like a mad tiger. The Demon of Love didn't want to kill him, but his frenzied appearance was terrifying. The Demon of Love chuckled and said, "Sister is not playing with you anymore," and then grabbed the painting and left.

The man couldn't catch up and could only watch helplessly as the demon of love disappeared into the distance.

The woman, consumed by passion, ran for seven or eight miles before turning back, only to find the man had vanished. She stopped by a tree by the roadside and unfurled the scroll to examine it closely once more. The first time she'd seen it, she'd only been struck by the man's appearance; now, upon closer inspection, she noticed two small characters in regular script in the lower right corner: "Jun Sheng." The signature was a large seal script character, "Lan." It turned out the man's name was "Jun Sheng," and this painting was undoubtedly done for him by Lan Xisi.

She had a big question in her mind: Fang Gege came to her to deal with Lanxisi at the beginning of this year, so why did the man say that "that friend" had blinded Lanxisi's eyes the year before last?

The news of Lan Xisi's blindness would naturally be a major event if it spread throughout the martial arts world. What's even more strange is that there hasn't been a single rumor about it. Presumably, Lan Xisi's blindness hasn't lasted very long.

Is this "pretty friend" the same person as Fang Gege?

Someone with Lancisi's skills could only have been blinded by her closest friends, who would have been plotted against her. And it is precisely because Lancisi is like that she would not speak out even if she was framed by her friends.

Fang Gege is revered as the "most beautiful woman in the martial arts world," and is now about to marry the renowned swordsman Shi Daming, seemingly enjoying all the good things in the world. The Demon of Love's hatred and resentment towards Fang Gege has reached its peak; therefore, every time he hears of another evil deed committed by this "perfect goddess" in the eyes of the world, his pleasure grows stronger.

At this moment, she felt increasingly smug and couldn't help but giggle: "Haha, Fang Gege, let's see what kind of generous gift I, the Demon of Love, will give you at your wedding."

There were few pedestrians on this road. It was noon, and the weather was gloomy. The Demon of Love laughed for a while, then remembered the man named Junsheng.

The Demon of Love rushed back to the spot, but the man had vanished without a trace. There were only two paths at this location, and the Demon of Love didn't hesitate to chase after one of them.

A short while later, a swaying figure appeared ahead, and it was none other than Jun Sheng.

Although Jun Sheng was struck by a palm, the Demon of Love had no intention of taking his life, so the injury was not serious. However, judging from his staggering steps, he seemed to be seriously injured, obviously due to being overwhelmed by anger and heartbroken.

The Demon of Love was secretly pleased. This was precisely when a person was in this state; the Demonic Voice of Love was most effective, requiring only a small amount of power to achieve its optimal effect. It should be noted that using the Demonic Voice of Love was extremely taxing on true energy, and the Demon of Love rarely used this technique unless facing a powerful enemy.

Dealing with Jun Sheng was effortless for the Demon of Love; she casually plucked a leaf and began to play. This tune was the beginner's skill in the Demon of Love's music; though it couldn't harm anyone, it was most effective at bewitching people.

The music carried far, but Jun Sheng seemed completely oblivious, not even faltering in his staggering steps, continuing to run forward. By the time the Demon of Love finished playing his piece, Jun Sheng had already run quite a distance.

The Demon of Love was taken aback; this was the first time she had encountered such a situation since she had mastered her Demonic Love Technique. She was both shocked and frightened, and unwilling to give up so easily, she immediately took out her specially crafted zither and unleashed her ultimate skills, determined to capture him completely.

The zither used by the Demon of Love is quite different from ordinary zithers. It is a zither made of special sandalwood, much smaller than ordinary zithers, making it easy to carry around.

The Demon of Love played her zither more and more urgently, while Jun Sheng ran faster and faster ahead. By this time, the Demon of Love had already been aroused and unleashed all her skills. When she finished playing the piece, she was drenched in sweat, while Jun Sheng had already disappeared from sight.

The Demon of the Harp threw down her harp. Disappointment and fear suddenly made her feel exhausted. In the woods ahead, a gust of wind rose, and a flock of startled birds flew by with strange cries. The Demon of Love still did not notice and stood there blankly until a sharp sword pierced her back.

The Demon of Passion regained her senses, and even though she reacted extremely quickly, the sword still pierced her waist at an angle, causing blood to gush out.

"Hehe, the legendary love demon is nothing special."

At this moment, the Demon of Love realized that he was surrounded by four masked men in tight-fitting clothes. All four men were wearing specially made earmuffs, and upon successfully striking, they immediately ripped off their earmuffs.

The Demon of Love naturally has many enemies. These four men must have been following her for who knows how long. Although they are ruthless and their moves are deadly, they deliberately use many different martial arts styles so that it is impossible to tell which school of martial arts they are from.

"Ah, you all know how to pick your timing." The Demon of Love sighed deeply, her voice filled with sorrow. Such a face paired with such a sorrowful sigh, plus the bloodstains on her waist, would make even the most hard-hearted person retreat.

The leader sneered, "Love Demon, stop pretending. You won't be able to use your demonic powers for three days. You can't escape today. Haha, that kid really helped us a lot. I don't know what evil he's been under, he's like a puppet, he can't hear your Love Demon voice at all. You're just putting on a show for the blind."

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Chapter 27: A Flirtatious Glance for a Blind Man

The Demon of Love closed her eyes, let out a long sigh, and then suddenly chuckled softly. The laughter was so gentle and alluring that the four involuntarily took a step back. The Demon of Love's laughter grew even softer and gentler, and she murmured, "Besides Fang Gege, who else could command the rogue swordsman Wang Hao to risk his life for her?!"

Upon hearing the name "Wang Hao," Meng Yuanjing's heart skipped a beat. Wang Hao was none other than Wang Jun's father. He glanced at Junyu furtively and noticed that Junyu's eyes were still closed, as if she were asleep.

The ghostly voice of the Demon of Love, echoing after twenty-two years, was still utterly sorrowful and tragic, as if one were present in that very moment.

The Demon of Love, who had roamed the martial world with her Demonic Power, found her magic inexplicably ineffective against Jun Sheng this time, even severely weakening her. Surrounded by powerful enemies and badly injured, she understood that without her magic, despite her beautiful appearance, she was utterly helpless against Fang Gege's fervent admirers. For the first time in her life, the Demon of Love tasted the bitterness of fear.

The man, suddenly exposed, took a step back and promptly ripped off his mask, revealing himself to be the wandering swordsman Wang Hao.

The Demon of Love laughed: "To deal with the infamous Demon of Love, it seems reasonable for a swordsman to launch a sneak attack, doesn't it? If you kill me today, you can not only become famous in the martial arts world, but also win the heart of a beauty. It's a win-win situation. Alas, I fear that the Demon of Love's filthy blood will stain the hero's precious sword. I am terrified."

Wang Hao's face flushed red and then turned pale. He sneered twice and took several steps back.

Seeing Wang Hao retreat, one of the other three winked at the other two, "You love devil, no matter how sweet your words, today is the day you finally get your due punishment..."

The three understood and immediately attacked. The Demon of Love laughed, picked up the small zither from the ground, and everyone heard a continuous "ding-dong" sound. The Demon of Love, disregarding his serious injuries, took his last breath and brought out the climax of the demonic music.

The three people's earmuffs had already hit the ground, and they were no match for the demon. They quickly fell into a state of confusion, and the demon of passion finished them off as easily as cutting melons and vegetables. However, his own true energy was completely dissipated. By the time of the final move, the demon of passion was lying on the ground, and the strings of his zither were completely broken, so he could no longer make any sound.

She remembered that there was another enemy, Wang Hao, and knew that she had no chance of survival today. However, when she tried to look around, she found that Wang Hao had already disappeared.

After this battle, the Demon of Passion was bedridden for two years, nearly paralyzed. Fortunately, a doctor saved her, allowing her to stand up again. She had no choice but to retire from the martial world and spend more than ten years cultivating her skills before regaining her former prowess. However, she still couldn't take revenge on "Love Lotus Manor" on her own, so she spent another ten years recruiting disciples and gathering power.

The dew in the forest was thick, and everyone was exhausted. Meng Yuanjing's vest was torn by an iron hook, and his clothes were ripped into strips, making it impossible to tell their original color.

Zhu Yu was hit by a golden cymbal from Master Danba, and then his right leg was struck by a cultist's staff. He was limping, disheveled, and looked quite pathetic.

Meng Yuanjing glanced quickly at Junyu and found that although she was also disheveled and covered in blood, she was not as wretched as he and Zhu Yu. On the contrary, she appeared more dignified, elegant, and radiant.

Junyu kept her eyes slightly closed. Zhu Yu sneered, and Meng Yuanjing quickly looked away, feeling a burning sensation on his face. He had always respected his uncle and aunt as if they were his own parents, and now, hearing Zhu Yu's sneer, he felt as if a whip was lashing his face.

"Fang Gege, your good days are numbered, haha."

The Demon of Love's laughter was both shrill and drawn-out, the accumulated resentment of over twenty years sounding like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, sending chills down one's spine.

At this moment, the Demon of Love had completely fallen into a state of madness: "Over the years, my demonic arts have become even more refined. Countless heroes and valiant warriors have fallen to my demonic voice. Even Elder Muli of the Holy Palace's 'Hall of Wisdom' gave me his pair of door gods..."

Tuosang, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up and said calmly, "Master Muli passed away the day after losing the guardian of the 'Hall of Wisdom'."

The Demon of Passion sneered, "Killing one more won't make a difference. You demonic monk, are you here to avenge Muli?"

Tuosang's voice remained calm: "You're wrong. You didn't kill him. Everyone should pay the price for their choices and actions. The price Muli paid was his death. That was his own choice."

The Demon of Love paused for a moment.

Junyu, who had been keeping her eyes closed, slowly opened them: "Jiang Zhilin is your man, isn't he?"

The Demon of Love nodded, her smile instantly turning alluring and seductive: "The scene of Miss Shi being auctioned off was quite amusing, wasn't it? Bullying, ravaging, degrading, and falling into depravity... these are all the sins that the Shi family girls should repay for their mothers. Hahaha..." She glared at Junyu, "So, it was you, you brat, who caused trouble and ruined my good deed."

Before the word "I" could be uttered, the Demon of Love suddenly let out a strange howl, pointed at Junyu and made a strange gesture. Everyone was shocked, and the two hunchbacked lions that had been standing beside her like door gods rushed towards Junyu like the wind.

“Mahagehama Wula, Chabasamsdingya,” Tuosang said, and the two menacing mongooses suddenly lowered their bodies.

"Mahaghama Wula, Chabasamsdingya... Mahaghama Wula, Chabasamsdingya," Tosang raised his voice and chanted several times. The golden fur of the two large beasts stood on end, and they trembled all over. Suddenly, they let out a terrifying long howl, and a whirlwind-like sound swept up the earth-shattering wind as they rushed far away.

The Demon of Love uttered several strange commands, seemingly directing the two large beasts, but the two beasts had already vanished without a trace.

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Chapter 28: If you don't die, we'll meet again.

The lantern's light had dimmed to the point of almost going out, but the sky was beginning to brighten. Although the two "hunni" beasts' pounce had failed to harm Junyu, her face was now unusually pale.

Junyu leaned against the small tree. In the dim morning light, Tuosang noticed that the bark of the small tree had turned dark red. He quickly reached out to help her, but Junyu shook her head and tilted her body slightly, inadvertently covering the bloodstain.

Those two mythical beasts were originally the guardian deities of the "Hall of Wisdom," the sacred palace of a famous sect in the Western Regions where Master Danba resided. Only Master Muli knew how to command them. The Demon of Love had finally obtained them from Master Muli. Along the way, these two beasts had killed countless heroes of the martial world. With these creatures, the Demon of Love was truly empowered, and she even had the intention of challenging "Love Lotus Manor." Now, watching helplessly as the two mythical beasts ran away and could never be called back, she felt an extreme hatred for Tuosang.

The Demon of Love stared intently at Tuosang, and laughed bitterly, "You damned demon monk, you broke my demonic voice, ruined my appearance, and now you've driven away my divine beast, you..." The Demon of Love's voice grew increasingly strange, filled with resentment and fear, "Who exactly are you?"

The moment the word "person" left his lips, the Demon of Love let out a maniacal laugh, and instantly, a woman's mournful cry of utter despair echoed through the silent forest. The voice was not loud, but rather hoarse, sounding as if it came from hell itself, a heart-wrenching sound, suggesting that the owner of the voice had suffered countless torments and tortures.

"Lan Ni!" Meng Yuanjing exclaimed in surprise.

In the woods, a group of people gathered from all sides. The one leading them was Jiang Zhilin, his fat jiggling, his gaze shifting, and his expression extremely smug. He turned to bow to the Demon of Love, his smug expression suddenly turning into one of shock, as if he had seen a ghost. He quickly bowed and averted his gaze.

After the Demonic Sound of Love was broken, her appearance reverted to that of an old woman in her sixties, which wasn't particularly strange. However, Jiang Zhilin, who had been captivated by her beauty for many years, was horrified to see her in this state.

The Demon of Love snorted coldly. Jiang Zhilin, who was probably terrified of the Demon of Love, dared not say a word and stood aside with his head down.

Beside him, a man held a small, gleaming knife against Shi Lanni's neck.

By now, it was already broad daylight. Shi Lanni's hair was tangled, her face was ashen, and she looked so haggard that she was unrecognizable. She kept her head down, not looking at anyone, her expression blank and her gaze unfocused.

Meng Yuanjing was both anxious and furious. With a roar, he pounced on him.

Suddenly, Shi Lanni let out a scream. Meng Yuanjing stopped in his tracks. The knife had already pierced Shi Lanni's neck an inch deep. Crimson blood flowed down her neck. A tear slid from her lowered face to the ground, splashing up a small cloud of dust before returning to stillness in an instant.

The Demon of Love chuckled: "You brat, if you take another step forward, your cousin will immediately perish."

Meng Yuanjing turned around angrily and looked at Zhu Yu: "Wasn't Lan Ni with you? How could this happen?"

Zhu Yu stood there helplessly, speechless when Meng Yuanjing questioned him. Shi Lanni had indeed been with him before, but they had separated five days ago. He had even sent two guards from the Prime Minister's residence to escort her back, but who would have thought she would fall into the hands of a love demon.

Junyu slowly stood up and said in a deep voice, "Demon of Love, what do you want in return for releasing them?"

The Demon of Love stared into those dark, jade-like eyes, let out a long sigh, and seemed somewhat lost in thought. After a while, he chuckled and said, "Release them? Haha, why should I release them? I still want to wait for Fang Gege to come and see this wonderful moment in person..."

As they were talking, they suddenly heard the man holding Shi Lanni groan. A leaf hit his arm, and the knife fell to the ground.

Beside them, Meng Yuanjing and Zhu Yu rushed forward quickly, one on each side. Jiang Zhilin reacted swiftly, pulling Shi Lanni and turning to retreat. Immediately, three women wielding long swords and five men in tight-fitting clothes surrounded them, blocking Meng and Zhu.

Soon, more and more people gathered around. Everyone already knew that the Love Demon wasn't just "telling a story," but was stalling for time to wait for help. However, the case from back then was too far-reaching, so even though they knew it was a scam, they couldn't care less.

At this moment, Junyu had already rushed forward, quickly repelling the men around him, and shouted at Meng Yuanjing, "Why aren't you chasing after them?"

The resentment and malice in the heart of the Demon of Love are so deep that if Shi Lanni cannot be saved this time, then what awaits her is even more endless humiliation and torment, probably until the end of her life.

However, surrounded by enemies, Meng and Zhu had no way to break through in time. Junyu drew his long sword and "Chasing Flight" shimmered with a faint red light in the rising sun.

Tuosang exclaimed, "Junyu, no!"

He knew that Junyu was already seriously injured, and if he used this sword technique again, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Junyu ignored him, took a deep breath, and leaped more than ten feet into the air.