Heartless Five Poisons (IV)

Under the eerie glow of the Fire Gloom Sparrow's night, demonic shadows roamed outside the cave.
In this strange circumstance, Di Ying's sudden interrogation stunned Chen Dai.
Chen Dai gave a wry smile, "Little Immortal Fairy, surely you misspoke? I am but a mortal; how could I collude with demonic beasts? Which demonic beast would even deign to notice me?"
Di Ying looked at him strangely, "Why not? This demonic beast named 'Wu Zhi Hui' hides within the Five Poisons Forest, keeping its head tucked, never appearing by day, only daring to harm people at night. This proves it must have an unavoidable reason. If I were it, I would — command you, this mortal, to lure cultivators entering the forest to my cave. I specialize in devouring cultivators' soul essence to enhance my Cultivation Base. As for a mortal like you, devoid of spiritual energy, you'd be perfect as my 'tiger servant.'
I could deceive you — as long as you obediently follow my instructions, step by step leading cultivators into my trap, I will not kill you."
The malevolence in her eyes was unconcealed.
Indeed, as she voiced her conjecture, she even found it amusing and chuckled a little — the maiden's laughter was sweet and clear, but that sweet clarity, coupled with her words, made Chen Dai tremble incessantly.
Jiang Xue He looked at Di Ying.
He had thought that she, having lived in seclusion with her Master deep in the mountains and ancient forests, would naturally be an innocent and pure young lady. But in reality… from where did Di Ying's innate "malice," as if effortlessly written, originate?
While Jiang Xue He pondered, Chen Dai forced a smile, quietly moved away from Di Ying, and sat closer to Jiang Xue He. "Little Immortal Fairy, you're joking, aren't you?"
Di Ying replied, "Mhm."
Yet, Chen Dai saw the faint murderous aura in her eyes and truly felt…
After much deliberation, Chen Dai bowed his head in defeat. "Alright, perhaps I am not entirely innocent… But I truly never intended to harm you. Nor do I have any agreement with that Great Demon. A mere mortal like me, how would I dare provoke a Great Demon… I entered the Five Poisons Forest simply because my home is at the foot of the mountain. We live off the mountain, and I came up to catch some prey to sell for money."
Di Ying asked, "My Senior Brother and I must be cautious here, why would you not need to be?"
Chen Dai slowly glanced at the two of them.
In the fiery gloom, even a mortal's gaze like his held a touch of the eerie.
Chen Dai said, "I suppose I don't need to worry about demonic beasts devouring me… Don't you two exist? Isn't this your Yujing Sect's Trial Ground? The demonic beasts in this forest see cultivators like you every day; why would they pay any mind to me?"
Di Ying was stunned.
She suddenly realized, "You knew my Senior Brother and I entered the Five Poisons Forest! You've been secretly following us all along, haven't you?"
Chen Dai's smile was somewhat peculiar.
Di Ying's eyes turned fierce. She clamped a hand around his throat and hurled him against the cave wall.
Chen Dai wanted to cry for help, but the other hooded youth in the cave remained calmly seated from beginning to end. Di Ying went wild, yet that youth remained indifferent.
Even if Di Ying's Spiritual Energy was weak, she was still a Cultivator. Chen Dai gasped violently, realizing he was about to suffocate. He couldn't help but tap Di Ying's hand, signaling her to release him, promising to cooperate.
Di Ying let out a cold snort.
Once freed, Chen Dai quickly scrambled to Jiang Xue He's side, pressing close to him.
He was still terrified and dared not feign innocence, finally speaking honestly:
"What kind of demonic beast this Wu Zhi Hui is, I do not know. But my family has lived nearby for generations, and before this demonic beast died, we all knew it. Back then, it was called Suan Yu and had transformed into a scholar. Our ten-li countryside had all, more or less, received his care.
Originally, everyone lived in peace… Later, hmph, Suan Yu carelessly provoked the Yujing Sect."
Chen Dai fell silent for a moment, then lowered his head to look at his hands, reminiscing:
"The Yujing Sect wanted to exterminate the demon. Suan Yu must have been a very powerful Great Demon; the Yujing Sect seemed to have no way to deal with it. So the Yujing Sect came up with a harmful scheme… Ah, even those great immortal cultivation sects can devise such harmful schemes."
Di Ying listened intently, even enthusiastically interjecting, "What kind of harmful scheme? Let me guess — if I can't defeat a demon, I'll trick it, then seize an opening and kill it with one blow."
Chen Dai scoffed, "Little Immortal Fairy truly has a connection with the Yujing Sect. The harmful scheme they devised is not far from yours — they sent a female disciple disguised as a mortal. By some unknown means, she managed to trick Suan Yu. That female disciple seduced Suan Yu into falling in love and tricked him into marriage.
Then, on the day of their grand wedding, the female disciple led Suan Yu into this Five Poisons Forest and used a pre-arranged Formation here to kill Suan Yu.
For some unknown reason, Suan Yu died, but not completely. Just as you, Little Immortal Fairy, said: after Suan Yu died, he transformed into a Great Demon named Wu Zhi Hui. It cannot leave this forest and specifically opposes people from the Yujing Sect.
With you two here, I naturally dare to go up the mountain. That Great Demon will surely want to kill you, and I can just hide behind you; there'll be no problem at all."
Di Ying listened, dumbfounded.
Chen Dai's story had many inconsistencies, but Di Ying first recalled the ballad "Blood Wedding Dress" still echoing outside, and instantly understood the reason for its existence —
The Great Demon awaited his new bride.
The Great Demon would forever wait for his new bride, yet wished to use the innocent as pawns.
This was a very bitter story, but the listeners, Jiang Xue He, were calm, and Di Ying, indifferent.
The mountain cave was silent, without a sound.
Di Ying looked towards Jiang Xue He, who sat quietly to one side.
Jiang Xue He's hood stirred slightly.
Di Ying propped her chin, "Are you truly not going to exert any effort? Don't you feel there's something amiss with this story? I'll give you the time it takes for one stick of incense to figure out the suspicious points, or else I'll throw you out for the patrolling demonic beasts to eat!"
Chen Dai took a deep breath:… What a wicked woman!
Truly… a perfect match for the hypocritical Yujing Sect.
Jiang Xue He complied.
Di Ying told him to think, and he genuinely did. "As far as I know, the relationship between humans and demons has been quite harmonious for thousands of years. Without special cause, neither humans nor demons would intentionally target each other. The Yujing Sect, after all, is the leader of the Four Great Immortal Sects of the world, usually very busy. Why would they not let go of one demon?"
Chen Dai hummed and hawed.
Jiang Xue He gently said, "In my opinion, perhaps Suan Yu caused some calamity, which then drew the Yujing Sect's attention, no?"
Chen Dai's eyes flickered.
Chen Dai stiffly said, "I am but a mortal, how would I know!"
At this, even the naive little Di Ying could discern the hidden meaning in his words.
Indeed, Di Ying had been on the run and had never encountered humans and demons intentionally at odds. The Yujing Sect was so powerful; why would they fixate on one demonic beast?
Di Ying was about to strike Chen Dai when he hastily said, "No matter what it is, it wasn't my doing! Moreover, the Yujing Sect are truly despicable — unable to defeat the Great Demon, they tricked it into a Formation and killed it.
Killing it wasn't enough; after Suan Yu died, its soul was imprisoned in the Five Poisons Forest, becoming the demonic beast it is now. It cannot leave this place, yet you can enter and exit freely. You newly initiated disciples come once every few years to torment Suan Yu in the Five Poisons Forest. You, you… It's like dogs biting dogs!"
Di Ying blinked.
She said with ill intent, "You seem to have strong opinions about the Yujing Sect. Well, when my Senior Brother and I leave, I'll take you on a tour of the Yujing Sect…"
Chen Dai's face turned pale. "No! Little Miss, I'm just a mortal. Who I like or dislike doesn't affect anything. Please don't torture me."
Di Ying said nothing.
She didn't truly believe Chen Dai's words. A mortal daring to enter the Five Poisons Forest, with words that subtly favored a demon, presented two possibilities.
One, Chen Dai truly colluded with the Great Demon, luring them before it to be killed;
The other possibility was that Chen Dai was instructed by someone to come to the Five Poisons Forest to deceive them, intending to use the Great Demon to eliminate them.
Di Ying thought of those who had pursued her all along the way.
She entered the Five Poisons Forest and met Senior Brother Jiang. She and Senior Brother Jiang braved dangers together in the Five Poisons Forest, and those who pursued her did not enter the Five Poisons Forest…
In Di Ying's dark eyes, malevolent thoughts were evident, with a fleeting hint of killing intent.
Chen Dai fell to his knees with a thud, startled by her.
Di Ying feigned innocence, "Why are you kneeling to me? I want to join a great immortal sect; I would never do anything to a mortal like you."
She added in her heart: *I'll use you, a mortal, to eliminate those who oppressed me. As long as it's done cleanly and the Yujing Sect doesn't find out, I'll still be the pure and innocent little immortal fairy about to join the Yujing Sect.*
As Di Ying plotted her wicked intentions, she noticed Jiang Xue He had been silent for a long time.
A thought stirred in her heart: *If I want to do something bad, it seems I can't avoid this unfamiliar Senior Brother.*
She then looked up and asked, "Senior Brother, what are you thinking about?"
Jiang Xue He slowly said, "Junior Sister, you've never heard of 'Wu Zhi Hui,' have you?"
Di Ying was a country girl from the countryside; she truly had never heard of "Wu Zhi Hui." But —
Di Ying's eyes didn't even flicker. "A powerful Great Demon? Who hasn't heard of one?"
Jiang Xue He seemed not to hear her words. "When Heaven and Earth are without Demons, Wu Zhi Hui is born."
"…" Di Ying suspected he was explaining it to her.
Jiang Xue He patiently said, "It is said that a thousand years ago, there were demons in the mortal world. Legend has it that a Mighty Figure of the Yujing Sect at that time originally had the fortuitous encounter to become an immortal, but abandoned it to sacrifice himself for the Dao, using his own body to seal the Great Demon. From then on, Heaven and Earth had neither immortals nor demons. Humans and demons governed their separate realms and began to attempt peaceful coexistence.
In Heaven and Earth, there is always some filth aura with nowhere to go. The resentment and filth aura of living beings after death combine to give birth to 'Wu Zhi Hui.' Demonic beasts manipulated by Wu Zhi Hui are called Filth Ghosts. Filth Ghosts have no sentience, appear without a trace, and have always been a headache for cultivation sects.
In the era of demons, Wu Zhi Hui would become a demon. The existence of demons encouraged the filth aura of Heaven and Earth, and even without doing anything, it would cause suffering among the common people. Now, no living being in Heaven and Earth can become a demon, and the filth aura of Wu Zhi Hui, having nowhere to return, causes Filth Ghosts to multiply."
Chen Dai listened, dumbfounded.
Di Ying listened with a touch of unease.
Jiang Xue He voiced the unease in her heart, "Currently, though Wu Zhi Hui cannot become a demon, it is still very powerful."
He was puzzled, "Would such a powerful demonic beast be a test the Yujing Sect gives to disciples seeking apprenticeship? The Yujing Sect had to use schemes to kill Suan Yu. How can they expect uninitiated disciples to deal with Wu Zhi Hui?"
Di Ying quickly picked up the Jade Slip again and read every word carefully.
After reading it, she looked up. "… Senior Brother, I'm truly sorry."
A Junior Sister who is too obedient usually means trouble.
Jiang Xue He's emotions were stable. "Mhm?"
Di Ying obediently said, "The Yujing Sect merely told us to leave the Five Poisons Forest within 5 days and did not want us to encounter Wu Zhi Hui. If we didn't turn back, Wu Zhi Hui wouldn't find us. Leaving the Five Poisons Forest within 5 days would count as passing the trial.
But now…"
They seemed to have provoked Wu Zhi Hui.
Was this the blessing of not liking to read?
Di Ying defended herself, "I recognize every word, but when they're put together, it's very obscure, and I don't like to read it."
Jiang Xue He thought to himself: *If you don't like to read it, then you simply won't.*
Unsure if Di Ying had seen through the thoughts behind his silence, she surprisingly asked, "Otherwise, what?"
Chen Dai, to the side, burst into laughter, "Oh dear, two fools, ha ha ha ha ha…"
He was knocked unconscious by Di Ying.