The world is tough, and being a person is not easy.
“A scholar can be killed but not humiliated.” The young hero’s eyes gleamed with unwavering determination and fearless bravery as he resolutely declared, “Even if I die, I will never yield to a Demoness like you!”
Huh?
Hua Yan was taken aback.
She had just gone out for a walk after eating, when a few disciples in green robes pushed this disheveled man in front of her like they were presenting a treasure.
And then, this scene unfolded.
The situation was extremely awkward.
Just as Hua Yan was about to speak, understanding the disdain and contempt in the young man’s eyes, he had already raised his sword to slit his own throat. Blood spurted out, and Hua Yan barely had time to react.
With the handle of her fan, she knocked away the sword that was just about to pierce into his flesh, sighed in relief, and shouted, “Someone, come here!”
The disciples outside, thinking Hua Yan was in danger, immediately rushed in, surrounding her protectively.
“Protect the Holy Maiden!”
“Capture that audacious offender!”
“Quick, subdue him!”
The scene quickly descended into chaos.
In the midst of the confusion, Hua Yan angrily slapped the table and growled, “Stop arguing and save him first!”
***
Hua Yan was the Holy Maiden of the Zhengyi Sect, or to put it more bluntly, a Demoness of the Demon Sect.
Holding this position wasn’t her personal wish; it was mainly because her late mother was the previous Holy Maiden.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Hua Yan was destined to be a Demoness from the moment she was born.
Of course, being a Demoness wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Hua Yan bore a strong resemblance to her mother and, in terms of appearance, definitely passed muster. As long as she led the followers to attack the Zhengyi Sects, seduced a couple of righteous heroes, disrupted the righteous martial world, and acted arrogant and domineering like her exceedingly excellent great-grandmother, she could become a qualified Demoness of the Demon Sect who was loathed and feared by the righteous path.
The problem lay with Hua Yan’s father; he was neither from the Demon Sect nor the righteous path.
Her father was a thorough scholar!
Hua Yan’s father was a scholar, who had been taken a fancy to by her mother during her imperial examination journey and was forcibly captured, making the rice cooked.
Hua Yan’s traditional scholar father believed that since he had compromised a girl’s purity, he had to take responsibility. So, after much deliberation and resolution, he decided to marry Hua Yan’s mother.
The Zhengyi Sect was in a remote location, and her father spent over a decade there, teaching his wife and daughter.
Under her father’s patient guidance, Hua Yan gradually grew into a kind and upright young woman.
When her mother realized that her daughter was becoming more gentle and pure, she couldn’t stand it.
So, her mother decisively blocked Hua Yan’s path to becoming a proper lady and gave her an intensive crash course, teaching her through words and actions what it meant to be a notorious Demoness.
Poetry and literature? Useless!
Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Useless!
As long as she had extraordinary martial skills, combined with some seduction techniques and poison skills, she could dominate wherever she went.
The lessons, combined with practical exercises, left Hua Yan’s father speechless with anger.
Her father had always struggled with the local environment, and as he grew weaker and sicker over the years, no medicine could save him. On his deathbed, he held Hua Yan’s hand tightly and said word by word, “Promise me, be a good person.”
Hua Yan cried her heart out and nodded fiercely.
However, she was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite her inner desire to do good, she bore the mark of the Demon Sect.
Sigh.
She sighed deeply.
“Holy Maiden, Holy Maiden! That pretty boy has woken up!”
***
Perhaps learning from past experiences, this time the “a scholar can be killed but not humiliated” young hero was brought to Hua Yan, tied up like a dumpling.
His neck was heavily bandaged, his mouth stuffed with a rag, and his eyes glared at Hua Yan like saucers, as if trying to bore a hole through her.
Hua Yan pulled out the rag and, at a loss for what to ask, casually said, “Which sect are you from? What’s your name? Why did you come to our Zhengyi Sect?”
The young man was shocked. “Are you going to threaten my sect because I won’t submit to you? Demoness, what a vicious heart you have!”
“……”
“……And what Zhengyi Sect? Aren’t you called the Tiancan Sect? How dare a mere demon sect call itself righteous (Zhengyi)……”
……It wasn’t her idea!
It was the leader of their sect who thought the previous name was inauspicious and changed it himself. What could she do about it?
Hua Yan tried to ease the tension, squeezing out a flowery smile and gently said, “Young hero, I mean no harm……”
Unexpectedly, this frightened the young man even more, looking like he was ready to defend his chastity to the death. “Demoness, what do you want to do? Stay away from me!”
Hua Yan: “……”
“Really?”
If she had any ill intentions, would he still be able to sit here and talk to her calmly?
The only reason she hadn’t dealt with him casually was that Hua Yan was genuinely curious about what a righteous person was really like.
Speaking of which, she had to mention their base’s location. It was so remote that all she could see was yellow sand stretching to the horizon. No wonder her frail father, who grew up in the water towns, couldn’t live here; he was constantly coughing or wheezing.
Hua Yan, who had just succeeded her mother as the Demoness of the sect due to her mother’s death from old injuries last month, had never left the base’s vicinity.
She remained silent, and the young hero across from her closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face, “I never thought that I, Zhao You of Qingcheng Sect, would…”
“Wait…”
“Demoness, you don’t need to say anything! I know what you’re up to. A demoness like you can’t resist a righteous and handsome disciple like me… Ah, what are you doing? Mmm… mmm!”
Retracting the leg she had just kicked out, Hua Yan couldn’t hold back and snapped, “Shut up!”
She was interested in righteous disciples, but not this kind!
She had heard that this guy had appeared near their base alone. It seemed not only his martial arts were lacking, but his brain wasn’t functioning well either.
To be honest, she was a bit disappointed.
Hua Yan leaned down, sighed, and asked, “I’ll ask you a question, and you must answer honestly. Otherwise, I’ll poison you, ensuring you rot away slowly, dying a painful death over forty-nine days.”
The young man looked at her with wide, tear-filled eyes.
“Do you have anyone in your sect who is…” Hua Yan thought for a moment, “quiet, exceptionally skilled in martial arts, with a strong sense of justice… never mind, who’s the most famous righteous hero in your sect right now?”
“Demoness, why do you need to know this?”
“Just answer the question and stop talking nonsense!”
“Lu Zhenxing… Master Lu!”
Hua Yan’s expression was blank. “I know, he’s over seventy years old. Do you have anyone younger?”
What legendary hero in a story would be over seventy?
“You demoness, why are you so demanding… then… Lu Chengsha… Young Master Lu.” Mentioning this name seemed to give the young man confidence. “Yes, Demoness, don’t be smug. Young Master Lu’s martial arts are unparalleled. When he arrives, it will be your end!”
Hearing the name, Hua Yan didn’t react much, but the people around her shuddered.
Hua Yan stuffed the rag back into the young man’s mouth and gestured for her subordinates to explain. They started talking all at once, describing how terrifying Lu Chengsha was, how he was known for exterminating their sect members without mercy, and how even hearing of his presence made them take a detour.
Hua Yan listened with great interest and couldn’t help but ask, “He sounds even more famous than our sect leader?”
Everyone immediately fell silent.
At that moment, someone chuckled lightly and said, “How can others be compared to the Sect Leader?”
The speaker approached with a clear medicinal fragrance, wearing a moon-white robe with minimal adornments, only a white jade hairpin securing his long, smooth hair. Two strands of hair hung down his forehead, swaying gently in the breeze, making his face look especially gentle and harmless. His slightly upturned lips formed a natural smile, making him appear friendly and approachable.
It was the Right Protector, Yu Ye, the most gentle and easy-going member of the sect’s higher-ups. He was primarily responsible for the sect members’ medical needs. He always spoke softly, was meticulous in his actions, and never got angry. Just by looking at him, one would never guess he was part of the Demon Sect; he looked more like a healer from the Benevolent Heart Valley.
“Protector Yu, you’re back!”
“Protector, you’ve finally returned!”
“Mr. Yu, I’ve missed you so much!”
Here we go again.
Yu Ye had only been away on a mission for a month, yet Hua Yan had already heard no less than ten times, “When will Protector Yu be back?” Her ears were practically growing calluses.
Yu Ye smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to Hua Yan, “I heard you captured a righteous disciple.” His lips curled into a smile, “Impressive.”
“It wasn’t a capture; I found him at the entrance.” Hua Yan was a bit frustrated and pointed to Zhao You, “He’s not like what’s written in the books, weak and all.”
Zhao You, with a rag stuffed in his mouth, could only make muffled protests, but no one paid him any attention.
Yu Ye smiled, “Then next time, capture a stronger one.”
Hua Yan nodded vigorously, then remembered the previous topic, “So, who exactly is this Lu Chengsha?”
“He’s the new generation’s standout from the Lu family of Tingjian Manor, essentially our archenemy.” Yu Ye pondered for a moment, “As for what kind of person he is, I can’t say for sure since I’ve never faced him.”
“Who has seen him then?”
Yu Ye showed a wry smile, “I’m afraid no one…”
Hua Yan was shocked, “That formidable? Who’s stronger, him or the Sect Leader?”
Yu Ye coughed.
Hua Yan immediately said indignantly, “Uh… I mean, he’s simply too despicable! If I ever encounter him, I will definitely… do something…”
“It’s best if you don’t encounter him; he’s very dangerous.” Yu Ye smiled, gently patting Hua Yan’s shoulder, “What do you plan to do with this disciple?”
Hua Yan thought for a moment, “Keep him locked up for now; I haven’t decided yet.”
“He’s from the Qingcheng Sect. Judging by his martial arts and attire, he doesn’t seem to be a core disciple, likely just passing by coincidentally. If you can’t get any useful information, just release him.”
Only Yu Ye could say such a thing.
They have the style of a demon sect—oh, I mean the Zhengyi Sect! They’d rather kill the wrong person than let anyone go!
Righteous disciples, enter upright and leave horizontal!
Any other hall master would have immediately chopped him into pieces, but not Yu Ye.
“Protector Yu! I know I was wrong! Save me, ahhhhh!”
There was a thud as a disciple, using all his strength, broke free from his captors and slid at high speed from a distance, ending up kneeling perfectly in front of Yu Ye, clutching his leg. With eyes shut and mouth wide open, he began to wail, “I truly know I was wrong! I was momentarily possessed. I’ll never dare again! Please, Protector Yu, spare me! Save me… I’m begging you!”
Yu Ye: ‘…’
Hua Yan: ‘…’
Not again!
The disciples chasing him wore the same complicated expressions as Hua Yan.
It wasn’t their fault; this scene was all too familiar.
Previously, a disciple had embezzled funds while purchasing poisonous insects. When discovered, the leading hall master was about to throw him into the insect jar as feed. Just then, Yu Ye happened to pass by. The disciple threw himself at Yu Ye’s feet, crying and hugging his leg. In the end, he was only beaten and sentenced to three months of cleaning the sect’s latrines.
Since then, any disciple who made a mistake would rush to hug Yu Ye’s leg, causing the elder of the Punishment Department to go to the sect leader with a stern face, asking Yu Ye to meddle less.
But timing is everything. Hua Yan thought this, and the disciple crying and hugging Yu Ye’s leg probably thought the same.
Yu Ye sighed helplessly, “…What did you do this time?”
The leg-hugging disciple sobbed, “I… I stole the manuals and pills from Master Qi’s room… I swear, I just wanted to take a look…”
Yu Ye understood, “What did Master Qi say?”
“He wants to cut off both my hands and send me to be a pill furnace.”
Hearing this, the leg-hugging disciple immediately continued crying and wailing, “Protector Yu! Save me! I’m begging you! I’ll never do it again… I always follow the rules, and this is the only time…’
Yu Ye thought for a moment and finally smiled, “Since it’s your first offense, thirty lashes, three months’ pay docked, and six months cleaning duty. That will be all.”
The leg-hugging disciple, who had been crying as if his parents had died, now smiled broadly, kissed Yu Ye’s boot, and happily went off to be beaten.
Hua Yan laughed and said gleefully, “The elder of the Punishment Department will be coming to trouble you again soon.’l”
Yu Ye looked even more helpless, “I hope they’ll be lenient since I just got back.”
Of course, that was impossible.
Yu Ye had just promised them before leaving that he wouldn’t interfere with the punishment of other disciples. Who would have thought that he would break his vow as soon as he returned?
However, Hua Yan didn’t dislike this about him; after all, he was still…
Yu Ye looked at Hua Yan’s smiling face, his expression showing a trace of indulgence amidst his helplessness. He was just about to say something when he was suddenly interrupted.
“Pei, pei, pei…” Zhao You used all his strength to spit out the rag, his face flushed red, “What kind of relationship do you two demonic lovebirds have?”
No one expected him to speak, and for a moment, everyone was stunned.
Hua Yan instinctively replied, “He’s my fiancé.”
Zhao You was also taken aback, and then his face turned even redder, “You, you Demoness, you clearly have a fiancé, yet you still try to force yourself on me!”
Hua Yan: “…???”
Zhao You suddenly remembered the previous conversation, “…You even want to seduce Great Hero Lu! Truly, you are a beautiful and treacherous demoness!”
Hua Yan: “…!!!”
That’s not true, I didn’t, you’re making things up!
Zhao You: “I see right through you. There’s no need for you to explain!”
Thus began the infamous journey of a Demoness, with the first step of her notorious reputation starting from now.