Chapter Fifty-Six: I Advise You to Be Kind

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A graceful and alluring woman stood just behind Jiang Lan, her figure sinuous, her attire seductive. Beneath the sheer blue gauze, her skin was pale to the point of bloodlessness. Moreover, her third eye was gone. At the sight, Jiang Lan merely raised an eyebrow.

“A tree spirit? Judging by your cultivation, only a few centuries old, yet you’ve managed to refine a human form? I see you’re brimming with resentment; you must feed and cultivate yourself on it. Still, I advise you to be virtuous. As for the one you’re holding captive—let him go.”

Qing Li, the tree spirit, was astonished by this mortal who showed no fear of her. She was originally that cypress tree, with a hundred years of history, nurtured by the incense offered by the villagers. The more her branches flourished, the deeper her roots spread beneath the ground. Wherever she went, she moved in silence.

A few years ago, the local tyrant had sensed something unusual about the estate and had repeatedly invited powerful Taoist priests. But thanks to her hidden root network, she had never been caught. As for Celestial Masters—those lofty figures atop the clouds—not the likes of Xue Dafeng could ever summon them.

Tonight, she had sensed furtive movement within the manor early on, but had chosen to ignore it, never expecting someone would intrude here. A thief? He didn’t look the part. The previous one was clearly a Taoist; this one… she couldn’t tell.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

Jiang Lan was momentarily taken aback. Were monsters so bold these days? Then, recalling his current identity, he understood.

“An innocent man,” he replied.

Qing Li was momentarily speechless. Indeed, someone had been brought into the manor during the day, though she knew little of the details. It seemed to be because of that vile Xue.

“Did you kill Xue Dafeng?”

Jiang Lan was straightforward, not bothering with pretense.

Qing Li laughed, gazing at the young man. Though his clothing was ordinary, his ability to discern her true nature and remain unruffled made him anything but ordinary.

“So? He didn’t deserve to live, did he?”

Jiang Lan pondered carefully before answering, “He certainly deserved to die.”

Watching Jiang Lan pocket his fire striker and stride past her, Qing Li was perplexed. Her bewitching face cracked.

“You’re just leaving?”

Jiang Lan turned, puzzled. “Shouldn’t I?”

“Don’t you want to save your companion?”

Seeing Jiang Lan’s frown, Qing Li sneered inwardly. She had thought him decent, but he was just another selfish mortal, forsaking even his companion.

But Jiang Lan’s next words stunned her.

“You sent him outside the manor, didn’t you? The place is quite safe.”

How did he know? And he wore an expression as if he was fully aware, yet still wanted confirmation.

Qing Li felt a blow to her heart, struggling to breathe.

“Fine, if you want to leave, go ahead.” She had already intended to let him go.

Yet after a while, she sensed no movement. Turning, she saw the mortal youth still there—not standing, but squatting, chin resting on his palm.

His brows alternately furrowed and relaxed; his gaze was fixed on the giant tree behind her.

“Why haven’t you left?”

Qing Li felt both curiosity and aversion, especially toward mortal men.

“If I leave just because you told me to, wouldn’t that be rather undignified?”

“….” This young man was quite proud.

And, of course, annoying.

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“I told you to leave! Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude.”

The squatting youth did not move at all. Qing Li felt irritated, thinking this annoying mortal was simply ignoring her words.

She flicked her sleeve, and from beneath the blue bricks between herself and Jiang Lan, two thick, fierce tree branches shot out, rushing toward him.

Three yards, two, one—

Why wasn’t the mortal moving?

Then, to Qing Li’s shock, the youth merely reached out and gently grasped the branches. Instantly, they froze, no matter how she tried to wield her magic.

“Are you human or monster?” she demanded.

Jiang Lan frowned slightly. This tree spirit was truly foolish. Even the water ghosts, when defeated, knew to flatter and submit, calling him “Great Immortal” with pleasing voices. He didn’t much care for it, but this female demon—tsk, tsk.

Still, Jiang Lan was more concerned with the heavy resentment and the stench of rot lingering on the branches.

As expected! This backyard was no ordinary place.

That tree was no ordinary tree.

He released the branches, which obediently retreated underground.

Paying no heed to the stupefied female demon, Jiang Lan walked straight to the cypress tree. The woman who had snuck here earlier was lying unconscious in a flower bed, bewitched by the spirit.

He sniffed, “No poison, just fainted.”

He ignored her and circled the massive tree, which would require two grown men to embrace.

Qing Li, leaning against the wall, decided to ignore the strange mortal so long as he left the woman alone. Otherwise, she would never forgive him.

Watching the mortal inspect the tree and flower bed, Qing Li’s heart skipped—did he see through it?

She sneered inwardly. No one was that capable.

The mortal walked toward her. “What are you doing?”

Qing Li retreated into the corner, instinct and her recent experience telling her she couldn’t match him, whether he was a Taoist or not.

“You inhaled corpse poison and resentment, falling into demonic cultivation?”

Jiang Lan observed the retreating female demon. He had been distracted by her appearance, not noticing the black demonic mark beneath her tousled bangs.

“How do you know?” Qing Li shrank further into the corner, her most guarded secret exposed. She felt as if her heart had been torn open—painful and terrifying.

Seeing her break into a cold sweat, Jiang Lan was puzzled—was it because she was ugly?

“Those corpses Xue Dafeng couldn’t handle—he buried them here, didn’t he?”

Qing Li’s eyes widened. That wretch Xue, though useless, was devoutly afraid of revenge from the women he abused. Each was pinned with soul nails, their corpse qi purged, buried deep, very deep.

“I can cure this, restore you. But the necessary item isn’t with the one you sent away. Bring him back.”

Jiang Lan thought his stern demeanor might frighten the female demon, so he softened his voice.

Those women were pitiful—after death, they suffered unspeakable torment, their souls locked, never to reincarnate, imprisoned here. The tree spirit absorbed nutrients from the soil, and thus was infected by corpse poison.

Once the poison entered her, the resentment grew unchecked, turning her into a demon cultivator.

Since she was young and seemed kindly enough, Jiang Lan felt obliged to act, given his identity.

“Can you really?” Qing Li’s eyes shone with hope; her intuition told her the mortal was formidable.

Jiang Lan nodded. Though he had been reckless in youth, he had spent time learning from his father and grandfather, encountering similar cases. Yet now, with no magic power or tools, he might struggle.

“Great Immortal, please wait!”

Sanmu, before being knocked out, had heard a voice in his mind screaming “danger, danger.” He knew it, but was powerless—his strength paled, and before he could react, he was unconscious.

When he awoke, he found himself no longer in the manor, but lying on a desolate road, surrounded by cold silence.

He tried to stand, but dizziness struck again.

Luckily, he wasn’t knocked out this time—a blessing.

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Squinting, lying low, Sanmu’s pores were all alert for any danger.

He heard two familiar coughs, and quickly opened his eyes, freeing himself from his awkward position.

Seeing Jiang Lan unharmed, and thinking of his own ordeal, Sanmu felt aggrieved.

“Your Highness! Great Immortal! You must stand up for me!”

He scrambled forward, hugging Jiang Lan’s legs, sobbing pitifully—though tears were nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Lan, arms crossed, tried to kick off the clingy pest, but the coward, truly frightened, held fast.

Helpless, Jiang Lan threatened again.

“If you don’t let go, I’ll have Qing Li toss you out again—and farther this time.”

“Qing Li? Who?” Sanmu, still hugging Jiang Lan’s legs, looked up just as a youthful head popped out.

“Mother of mercy, a female ghost!”

Jiang Lan frowned—this Taoist was truly mediocre.

“She’s a female demon!”

He corrected impatiently.

“Oh, a female demon. What—A female demon?!”

Sanmu promptly fainted, and Jiang Lan kicked him over to Qing Li.

“Wake him up.”

Sanmu felt a sharp pain on his philtrum and leapt up, only to see the youthful female demon’s face, leaf-covered hair, and wished he hadn’t woken.

“Stop fainting, we have work to do.”

Sanmu, now clear-headed, rushed to Jiang Lan’s side.

The young female demon, though formidable, seemed afraid of the Great Immortal’s power. The yellow books were right—best to cling to His Highness, or he’d never return home today, oh woe~

“Do you have a formation disc?”

Sanmu hesitated, then responded, rummaging in his bag and handing Jiang Lan two palm-sized discs.

Jiang Lan took them, scowling at their shoddy make—ugly, poor quality, just like their creator.

Ignoring that, Jiang Lan sat cross-legged and began altering the device.

Sanmu watched in awe—was it even possible to use it this way?

His admiration grew—no wonder the Great Immortal so easily overcame those formations. He truly had skill!

Qing Li couldn’t fathom what the mortal was tinkering with, but judged from Sanmu’s expression that he was indeed powerful.

This mortal was truly remarkable!

After half a quarter hour, Jiang Lan handed the modified disc to Sanmu, instructing him to place them around the tree according to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams.

Sanmu, thrilled, received the discs and got to work.

Jiang Lan turned to the female demon, whose name, “Qing Li,” he had just learned—pleasant to the ear.

“The bodies beneath the flower bed will soon be discovered by the authorities, who can remove the soul nails—those are simple tasks.”

Qing Li blinked, realizing the Great Immortal meant such labor wasn’t worth his effort.

On second thought, it was true.

“The formation I’ve altered can purify demonic and evil qi. In time, the resentment will leave your original body. If you wish for a complete cure, stay here and cultivate; the demonic qi will dissipate.”

Qing Li, overwhelmed, knelt down. “Great Immortal, your assistance is invaluable. I can never repay you. I only hope, once the evil is purged, to serve by your side.”

Jiang Lan’s eyes widened—this sounded like a line from the popular tales he’d read.

“No need!”

He refused hastily, lest trouble arise!