Chapter Twenty-One: Sinful Deeds

After parting ways with the people of the Nine Eternal Sects, Jinghong found herself pursued by seven assailants. She fled for some time, but the injuries inflicted by Dao Feiyan at the cave entrance had left her grievously wounded, slowing her escape. Her pursuers were closing in.

At that moment, Li Ruoyu had just recovered from the exhaustion caused by the tribulation. His secret hiding place had been destroyed by the heavenly calamity, so he could now see the sky. As he put away his Great Soul Banner, he saw a woman in crimson, wielding the Divine Chains of Order and carrying the force of heaven and earth, rushing from afar with seven people in pursuit.

The crimson-clad woman coughed blood, clearly gravely wounded and hunted. Li Ruoyu, seeing this, immediately slipped away in another direction, seeking to avoid getting entangled in the conflict.

Though he recognized the woman as Jinghong, a fellow member of the Nine Eternal Sects, Li Ruoyu was not acquainted with her and did not wish to risk himself for her. Without hesitation, he tried to shake off Jinghong and her pursuers, distancing himself from the trouble.

However, it was evident that Jinghong had spotted Li Ruoyu before he could even set out, and she followed in his direction. Jinghong knew in her heart that Li Ruoyu was her only hope for survival. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself onward to chase after him.

After fleeing for a while, Li Ruoyu realized he could no longer avoid the confrontation. He noticed that the seven pursuers chasing Jinghong had an unnatural gleam in their eyes—bloodthirsty and murderous even as they looked at him.

“If I can’t avoid it, then I’ll kill them,” Li Ruoyu thought.

He was decisive, especially after his experiences in the Valley of Fallen Demons, which had made him even more resolute. Summoning his Demon Fist and wielding the Divine Chains of Order, he took the initiative, attacking the foremost pursuer. Upon engaging, he discovered that his opponent had reached the Dao realm, which made Li Ruoyu cautious, knowing he was challenging someone of a higher level.

Yet, he soon realized that having barely begun to cultivate the burial arts recorded in the Heaven-Extinguishing Burial Method, his power at the same realm was incomparable to before, allowing him to utterly suppress and even crush those in the Dao realm. With just two punches, he slew his opponent. Of course, some credit lay with the terrifying Demon Fist.

After dispatching the first foe, Li Ruoyu killed the remaining six with ease, crushing them all. This made him acutely aware of the strength of the Heaven-Extinguishing Burial Method. He had not yet fully cultivated it, and only used one of its techniques, yet it made him so powerful. Though both the Dao and Heaven-Connecting realms were still within the Dust Refining stage, the ease with which he slew seven adversaries made Li Ruoyu feel he was walking a unique path—different from that of ordinary people.

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“Are all contemporary cultivation methods merely misguided paths?” Li Ruoyu wondered.

He glanced at Jinghong, who was still coughing blood. Ignoring the fact that she was half a head taller, he walked over and lifted her onto his back, eager to leave the area lest more enemies arrive. The cultivators who had pursued Jinghong were clearly abnormal, their eyes gleaming darkly and eerily. He had never seen such people upon entering the valley—their robes were tattered, either from battle or the erosion of time. Perhaps this explained the high mortality rate in the Valley of Fallen Demons, and so Li Ruoyu dared not linger.

“What are you doing?” Jinghong protested, struggling.

“Leaving this place, foolish woman—don’t move,” Li Ruoyu barked.

Jinghong, hearing his words and mindful of her own grievous condition, restrained herself and allowed him to carry her away.

Li Ruoyu headed toward the center of the Valley of Fallen Demons with purpose. According to the jade slip he had acquired at the Bone-Melting Pool, the center might hold unimaginable fortune. He hoped to seize this opportunity and break into the Dao Body realm. He knew he had spent too much of the past year focused on the Heaven-Extinguishing Burial Method, causing his cultivation to lag behind others who entered the valley. He realized this when he observed Jinghong’s strength.

Armed with part of a map, Li Ruoyu moved swiftly. After half a day, he found a safe place to rest and recover.

Jinghong, too, took out potent medicine and consumed it to heal herself. She had been wounded by Dao Feiyan, then hunted, and was now nearly depleted.

Two days later, Li Ruoyu saw Jinghong open her eyes from her healing trance, apparently recovered. He said, “Senior Sister, for the sake of our shared sect, I won’t blame you for dragging me into this mess. I’ve guarded you here, fulfilled my duty. Now that you can protect yourself, let us part ways—may the green hills remain and the rivers flow ever on.”

But to his surprise, Jinghong suddenly lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind and said, “Little brother, how are you so formidable? I never noticed you before entering the Valley of Fallen Demons.”

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Jinghong was stunning—like a startled swan, unforgettable at first sight. Her fiery red hair and matching dress, fair skin, and bright eyes gave her an exotic charm and astonishing allure. Li Ruoyu was a head shorter; his age accounted for this. Her embrace made him blush with embarrassment. Though young and precocious, he understood the distinction between men and women, if not the intricacies.

Jinghong blew gently into his ear, then said, “Little brother, I don’t want to part so soon! You saved me—how about I give myself to you?”

Li Ruoyu tried to pull her arms from his neck, seeking to escape her grasp, but Jinghong only tightened her hold. “That won’t be necessary. Let’s part ways—I have important matters, don’t entangle yourself,” Li Ruoyu said, his voice a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

Jinghong was temptingly seductive, hugging Li Ruoyu tightly. She even kissed him on the cheek.

“Troublesome boy, so easily flustered! I was only teasing you. Leaving is impossible now—I’m sticking with you. You saved me, so I belong to you,” Jinghong said jokingly.

Originally, Jinghong only wanted Li Ruoyu to agree to let her accompany him. She saw his extraordinary strength and sought to join him, hoping for an ally in the pursuit of fortune. But seeing how Li Ruoyu blushed when teased, she found it amusing and deliberately provoked him, enjoying his awkwardness.

“What a calamity!” Li Ruoyu lamented inwardly. He had intended to leave as soon as Jinghong could protect herself, heading for the valley’s center to seek fortune and advance further. He never expected his kindness would bring such trouble, that Jinghong would cling to him.

He had no way to deal with Jinghong. She was a fellow sect member; as long as she was not an enemy, he refrained from harshness. So, Li Ruoyu agreed to let Jinghong travel with him—but only after she swore an oath: “If Jinghong follows, within the Valley of Fallen Demons, Li Ruoyu’s decisions shall prevail, and she must aid in both attack and defense.”

In the cultivation world, a Dao oath is a binding contract. It intertwines the will of the one who swears with the oath itself, embedding it in their being. Breaking the oath brings self-inflicted harm, potentially leading to severe injury or death. Thus, Dao oaths are not given lightly, and once made, must be honored.