Chapter 1684: Going Too Far

“Anyway, if you enter Xi Huang, you must leave in nine days. Otherwise, you will almost certainly die.”

Ancestor Black Robe did not care what they were thinking and concluded his explanation.

Ye Qing bowed to Ancestor Black Robe. “Thank you for your guidance, senior. We will remember this.”

“Good. I’m leaving now.” As soon as Ancestor Black Robe said this, his silhouette slowly began to turn transparent.

“Until we meet again, senior.”

“See you later, Preceptor.”

Ye Qing, Feng Qingyou and Xiahou Zun all saluted him as they bade him goodbye.

By the time they were finished, Ancestor black Robe was completely gone. He had left just as abruptly as he came. He truly was a mysterious person.

After Ancestor Black Robe was gone, Xiahou Zun could not help but let out a sigh. “You’re quite the blessed ones, you know that? I could not believe that he of all people came to speak with you.”

“It’s the Chief Libationist who convinced him to speak to us.” Ye Qing corrected him smilingly. “I’m confused though. Senior Black Robe is the ancestor of Demonic Mountain, right? Why would he help us?”

“You don’t think that everyone in the Dark Ways desires to plunge the world into chaos and make everyone’s lives miserable, do you?”

Xiahou Zun rolled his eyes at him. “The Demonic Mountain is no Way of Taiping, Maitreya Sect, Court of Chaos, or other similar true heretics and monsters. They do not believe in throwing the world into chaos or massacring lives without purpose. The ‘Demon’ in Demonic Mountain lies not in cruelty or bloodthirst, but the release from all fetters and restraints, the transcendence of one self, and freedom from even the natural rules of heaven and earth.”

“Yes, a demon is indifferent and ruthless to all others, but they do not desire to set disasters upon the world or destroy all living things either.”

“Why else would Demonic Mountain safeguard the Demonic Pond and prevent its demonic qi from leaking into the world? Why else would Ancestor Black Robe step into the fray and save Wei from destruction during its direst moment? Why else would Ancestor Black Robe travel to the Kunlun Ruins to stop the Nine Nethers Demonic Qi from corrupting the world and killing countless?”

“Besides, at the Preceptor’s cultivation level and strength, he had long since transcended the concepts of good and evil; no longer bound by conventional rules and morals. He could be a monster in one moment and a philanthropist in the other. What he does, he does it purely out of his own will. He had long since put the distinction between good and evil; Dao and Dark behind him.”

Ye Qing nodded. “Your words make sense, brother. I should not have been so narrow-minded.”

“Alright. Now that we’ve put that behind us, let us drink.”

Xiahou Zun poured Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou a cup of wine. “I’m sure the two of you will embark on your journey immediately after this, and I do not know when we will meet again. So let us enjoy a drink together while we can. I would also like to wish you success in advance and a smooth journey.”

“I will happily accept your fortunate words, brother.”

“Cheers...”

The Wind Flower Snow Moon complemented the wine, the carefree atmosphere set the mood, and interesting gossip kept everyone entertained. For a time, the host and the guests were all enjoying themselves.

“Show yourself, Xiahou Zun!”

Unfortunately, their merrymaking was interrupted by an angry shout that erupted from outside the Four Seas Restaurant.

At the same time, a terrifying yet bizarre energy rose into the air and warped the weather itself.

“Tsk... I asked for a man, so why did a she-tiger show up?”

Many people would be deeply worried or even terrified to hear this shout, but Xiahou Zun merely scoffed in disdain. He set down his wine cup and said playfully, “Give me a moment to deal with the she-tiger. I do not want her to ruin your good mood.”

Xiahou Zun leaped into the air and hovered above the Four Seas Restaurant. He looked down on a lavishly dressed woman in her thirties whose beautiful countenance was currently marred by stormy anger.

“You should be playing house in your home, queen consort. What are you doing at my Four Seas Restaurant?” Xiahou Zun asked even though he knew exactly why she was here.

The woman was the queen consort of the Pingshun King and the mother of the hedonistic son who offended Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou earlier. She was also the former Saintess of the Demonic Mountain, Yu Shuanglu.

Yu Shuanglu yelled, “Stop pretending and release my son, now!”

“Your son is with me, yes.”

Xiahou Zun feigned puzzlement and said, “But I clearly remember telling the Pingshun King himself to come and get his son. Did I fail to make myself clear, or is there something wrong with your ears?”

Yu Shuanglu slowly floated into the air until she was on the same level as Xiahou Zun. She then said in a frigid tone, “Have I not given you enough face by showing up in person, Xiahou Zun? Do not overestimate yourself!”

“You?” Xiahou Zun scoffed. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“You—!” Yu Shuanglu was so furious that her face turned deathly pale, and her chest heaved mightily for a moment. Then, her true qi formed the image of a heavenly woman behind her.

The heavenly woman had two faces and eight arms. One of the faces was as beautiful as a celestial, whereas the other face was as ugly as a monster.

It was the Demonic Mountain’s Bluefall Yin Heavenly Woman Image.

As soon as the image took form, all sorts of phenomena took form in the surroundings. The spectators were either bewitched by its beauty or stunned by its ugliness. All were panicking.

“I am the first wife of the Pingshun King, the Saintess of the Demonic Mountain, and a first rank Madam of Gaoming[1], and you dare to humiliate me?”

“Blah blah blah. I’m the Martial Sovereign of the Martial Garrison. So what if I humiliate you?”

Xiahou Zun sneered, “Also, you are the former Saintess of Demonic Mountain. Stop blowing your own trumpet.”

“You are courting death, Xiahou Zun!”

Enraged, the Bluefall Yin Heavenly Woman Image behind her back raised all eight of its arms and faced toward Xiahou Zun with both faces. Both expressions were hostile to say the least.

Shiing!

In response, Xiahou Zun simply narrowed his eyes. There was a sound that sounded like a blade unsheathing, and the world plunged into darkness for an instant. Everything returned to normal immediately after though.

“Ugh!”

Before the others could figure out what was going on, Yu Shuanglu let out a muffled groan and turned as pale as a sheet.

At the same time, the heads of the Bluefall Yin Heavenly Woman Image rolled off its shoulders, and the expressions on the beautiful and ugly face flickered erratically and rapidly.

When the heavenly woman bows her head, Buddhas and demons perish into nothing.

The next second, the Bluefall Yin Heavenly Woman Image crumbled into nothing. A trickle of blood also slid down Yu Shuanglu’s lips.

“Who gave you the gall to attack me?”

Xiahou Zun looked at her coldly. “It’s only been a few days since you became queen consort, and you already forgot yourself?”

“You... you...” Yu Shuanglu’s eyes were hateful, but she did not dare to act recklessly. After all, it was true that she was no match for Xiahou Zun. In fact, five of her would have been no match for him. After all, she was just a Half-Sage and Xiahou Zun was a Sage.

Literary wise, there was only one word of difference between Half-Sage and Sage. But in reality? It was the difference between heaven and hell.

Yu Shuanglu forced down the hatred in her chest and said coldly, “Are you really not going to give the Pingshun King Office even a sliver of face, Xiahou Zun?”

“And when have you given I, Xiahou Zun, face?”

Xiahou Zun sneered. “First, your precious son disregarded all advice and openly caused trouble in my Four Seas Restaurant and bothered my friends. Now, you are openly taunting me.”

“Do you really think I am a clay doll that you can mold as you please?”

She neither had the high ground nor the strength to beat Xiahou Zun. So, Yu Shuanglu could only swallow her indignance and ask, “What do you want?”

Xiahou Zun replied indifferently, “I already told you. Tell the Pingshun King to come and get his son himself!”

Yu Shuanglu raged, “You are going too far, Xiahou Zun!”

“Going too far?” Xiahou let out a cold chuckle. “Would you like to wait and see if I would capture you as well?”

Yu Shuanglu was both shocked and furious to hear this. “You would dare?”

Shaking his head in disdain, Xiahou Zun took a step forward. Yu Shuanglu immediately felt suffocated and immobile as if she was suppressed by a clump of mountains. Xiahou Zun asked her, “What do you think?”

“Xiahou Zun! You—!”

Yu Shuanglu was beyond angry and aggrieved, but there was nothing she could do about this. She could not even speak properly because she was, as much as she loathed to admit it, intimidated by Xiahou Zun right now.

1. Madam of Gaoming (诰命夫人), granted to attendants of imperial princesses (公主), mothers of imperial consorts and their female clan members if anyone of them was holding a title of princess consort or imperial consort. The rank of Madam of Gaoming was determined by the rank of her spouse. Madams of Gaoming could be further promoted along the promotions of her family member being an imperial consort. However, only 1st and 2nd rank Madams of Gaoming were styled as furen (夫人), while 3 rank ladies were styled as shuren (淑人), 4 rank ladies were entitled gongren (恭人), 5 rank ladies were entitled yiren (宜人), 6 rank ladies were entitled anren and 7 rank ladies were styled as ruren (孺人) ☜