Chapter 672: Great Demon 35

Shi Miao nodded. "It’s almost certainly true. When I went to the Demon Market, there were indeed many young demon beasts. But I didn’t see Qing Ming, and I can no longer sense our blood connection."

"That means the Golden Ring Snake has already solved the problem of the half-demons’ rampaging bloodlines," Shi Qian finally opened his eyes. "You and Qing Ming no longer have a mother-son relationship. With that cultivator essence blood removed, you two are now mortal enemies."

"And there’s still the matter of Qing Ming’s father’s life between you," Yun Qi chuckled. "I’m really looking forward to this."

The Sect Leader glanced at Yun Qi, a headache brewing. "Senior Uncle, please, that’s enough..."

Yun Qi raised a hand and wisely fell silent. In any case, all he had to do was wait to watch Shi Miao’s drama unfold. Any affection he might have had for her had evaporated the moment he discovered her treacherous intentions.

Thankfully, his powerful family and his own formidable strength had prevented Shi Miao’s plot to kill her husband to further her Killing Path from succeeding. Still, the woman was truly ruthless. Unable to make a move on a fellow Cultivator, she found a demon beast to use as a stepping stone instead.

Shi Miao even went so far as to give birth to a Half-demon for this purpose. And what was the result? Now the Half-demon was no longer a Half-demon and would one day return for revenge. The thought of it put Yun Qi in an even better mood.

Shi Miao showed no reaction to Yun Qi’s mockery. She and Yun Qi were now simply Shi Qi’s and Shi Yuan’s parents. If not for their two children, why would Yun Qi have ever come to her immortal cave?

They were at a point where they would likely never interact again for the rest of their lives.

With a *SHING*, Shi Yuan drew her sword. "I’ll go kill that Qing Ming snake right now! The Demon Market? The Golden Ring Snake? Who cares! I will kill it, no matter what!"

"With so many senior uncles and grandmasters in the sect, how could we possibly be helpless against a mere Demon Market?"

But her words had barely faded when, out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning shot through Shi Miao’s immortal cave, striking Shi Yuan with terrifying speed and precision. Still only at the Golden Core stage, Shi Yuan was no match for the Heavenly Thunder. She was immediately knocked down a major realm, her cultivation regressing directly to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

"Shi Yuan!" Shi Qi cried out in alarm, rushing to support her. He quickly fed her a Solid Essence Pill. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why did this suddenly happen?"

Shi Miao looked at Shi Yuan, whose face was pale from the strike, and finally explained what had happened at the Demon Market. "The Golden Ring Snake made me swear on your life and Shi Qi’s. If I was allowed to leave the Demon Market safely, I could not repay her kindness with enmity in the future. The penalty would be having my lineage cut off and my path to immortality severed forever."

Shi Qi’s expression changed drastically. "Mother!"

’How could Mother make such an oath? If she holds a grudge against the Demon Market and tries to get even later, does that mean the retribution will fall on me and my sister?’

Shi Miao was agitated. "This is a grudge between me and Qing Ming; it shouldn’t involve the Demon Market. As long as you don’t harbor any malicious intent toward the Demon Market or that Golden Ring Snake, the oath will likely not be fulfilled."

Shi Yuan slumped to the side, dejected. "But Mother, I worked so hard to reach the Golden Core... Why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Shi Miao refused to take the blame. "You spoke so rashly, how was I supposed to know?"

Shi Qian also figured it out. "So, it was because you made a heavenly oath that you were able to leave the Demon Market safely?"

Shi Miao gave a slight nod. Shi Qian sighed. "That Golden Ring Snake... back then, she was only at the Eighth Rank. Just a few decades ago, she barely passed her Ninth Rank Heavenly Tribulation and reverted to her Golden Ring Snake ancestry. How could she have the power to trap you?"

Yun Qi chuckled. "The God Trapping Array. Has everyone forgotten the power of the God Trapping Array?"

"That’s true. Shi Qi and Shi Yuan hadn’t been born yet, so of course they’ve never witnessed the power of the God Trapping Array."

The faces of several Supreme Elders darkened. How could they forget? Back then, the demon beasts had stormed their gates. The sect was forced to hand over various demon beasts and pay enormous compensation. It was one of the sect’s greatest humiliations. How could they possibly forget?

Shi Miao said, "In a one-on-one fight, she’s definitely not my match. But her Array Dao is truly unparalleled. Inside the God Trapping Array, I couldn’t last for the time it takes an incense stick to burn."

Though arrogant and cold-blooded, Shi Miao knew not to underestimate her enemies. When facing a foe, one must naturally unleash their full power. Even if Tan You’s own cultivation was low, with the God Trapping Array at her side, it would be incredibly difficult to take her life.

Shi Qian closed his eyes again. "When the God Trapping Array appeared back then, more than half of the Tianyuan Sect’s upper echelons were killed or injured, including many Ascension Stage Cultivators. The only reason you made it back from the Demon Market alive is that the Golden Ring Snake had no intention of killing you."

Shi Miao nodded. "I know. I even know her purpose in letting me go. The karmic bond between me and Qing Ming can only be resolved by us. She won’t kill me. By the same token, as long as Qing Ming remains in the Demon Market, I can’t do anything to him."

Yun Qi had heard enough and had no intention of listening further. He rose unhurriedly. "Since Shi Miao isn’t dead, I’ll be leaving. This is her own business and has nothing to do with me."

Shi Qian’s fingers moved ceaselessly, as if performing a divination. "The sect cannot interfere in the grudge between you and Qing Ming. For years, the sect and the Demon Market have kept to themselves, and we will not get involved."

Shi Miao nodded. "I understand. This is a mess I made, and it has nothing to do with the sect. From now on, I will also restrain Shi Qi and Shi Yuan and forbid them from going to the Demon Market."

The Sect Leader sighed. "It’s good that you understand. The sect can’t help you with this."

Shi Yuan pouted. "What do you mean you can’t help? If you just kill that Qing Ming snake, Mother wouldn’t have all these problems. Father, can’t you help Mother?"

Yun Qi stopped in his tracks. He studied Shi Yuan carefully for a long moment before letting out a laugh. "Shi Miao, your daughter... she has the exact same personality as you. Congratulations, your Killing Path has found a successor."

"Your mother tried to kill her husband to prove her Path. I’ll be waiting to see how many people you kill in the future."

Shi Yuan’s gaze shifted evasively. "Father, I’m not wrong. Before, he at least had half our bloodline connecting us. But now it’s a full demon beast. It has nothing to do with us anymore, so killing it is no big deal."

"This way, we resolve Mother’s lingering worries, and my brother and I are no longer threatened. Isn’t that killing three birds with one stone?"

"Father and Mother were husband and wife once, after all. Can you really not help?"

"No," Yun Qi said flatly. "I’m merely at the late Tribulation stage. Why would I wade into the Demon Market’s murky waters? I’ve cultivated painstakingly for so many years, not for Shi Miao to reap the benefits."

"For you, of course, it’s a great deal that kills three birds with one stone. But for me, it has a hundred downsides and not a single benefit. Everyone must walk their own path. No one else can help you."

Leaving those words behind, Yun Qi departed from Shi Miao’s immortal cave without a second glance. He would never come here again, not unless Shi Miao was dead.

Seeing that all avenues for help were closed, and that the senior uncles of the sect wouldn’t help either, Shi Yuan pouted and looked at Shi Qi. "Big Brother, what do we do now?"

Shi Qi had also calmed down. "How should I know? If you hadn’t thought of sending him to an auction house to be humiliated back then, would any of this have happened?"