Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 391 - 355: Wooden Box

"Elder..."

Qi Xiu had actually seen through the Mystical Mechanism of the wooden tower at a glance, and even more ruthlessly exposed the Zhao Family’s greatest secret.

Looking at the ferocious figure shrouded in blood mist and bound by iron chains, Zhao Yishi’s gaze was gentle, then it turned resolute.

With a thud, he knelt in front of Qi Xiu and touched the ground with his forehead as he spoke gravely, "This matter has nothing to do with other members of my Zhao Family. If Elder wishes to pursue this matter, please hold only me responsible."

Qi Xiu, with an odd expression, looked at Zhao Yishi, who was kneeling before him in a death-defying manner, and shifted his foot to the side. "Did I say I was going to pursue you?"

"Ah?" Zhao Yishi looked up in confusion, momentarily taken aback.

Qi Xiu rolled his eyes at the foolish man and spoke to Li Jiufang, "Your cousin has indeed found herself an honest man."

Mid-sentence, Qi Xiu glanced at Zhao Yishi again. "However, the man isn’t half-bad."

"Qi, don’t tease my brother-in-law anymore. You mean this abominable creature is indeed my cousin Jia Yufei."

On their journey thus far, Li Jiufang had witnessed Qi Xiu’s almost heavenly abilities. He was now reassured by Qi Xiu’s calm self-possession, understanding that he certainly had a way to save his cousin.

Qi Xiu approached Jia Yufei, whose body was ninety percent demonized, and scrutinized her, ignoring her deafening roar.

"Quite creative indeed, cultivating the Demon’s True Scripture with a human body and actually reaching the Blood-Stained Realm. Li, your cousin truly has some talent."

Upon realizing why Jia Yufei had become so ferocious, Qi Xiu flicked his finger, and a dazzling golden Suppressing Talisman suddenly adhered to Jia Yufei’s forehead.

The surging golden light quieted the roaring Jia Yufei instantaneously, and the diffusing blood mist also retracted into her body. However, her menacing and terrible appearance, covered in red hair, could not be reversed instantly.

"Is there hope for her?" Li Jiufang also arrived at Jia Yufei’s side. Looking at his cousin, who had once been quite close to him but now looked neither human nor ghost, a tinge of heartache appeared in his eyes.

"She can, of course, be saved, but the price won’t be small. She ended up like this because she cultivated the Demon’s True Scripture with a human body, causing a proliferation of demonic energy within her and mutating her flesh. To reverse it, all her Cultivation must be abolished. With some medicine to strengthen the foundation and rebuild vitality and blood, she can recover."

With his sleeves gathered, Qi Xiu looked at Jia Yufei with a calm demeanor.

With my current level of Cultivation, I could also use Mixed Element Qi to help you harmonize the demonic energy in your body, converting it into an alternative form of Yuan. But this woman has a headstrong and wild Temperament. Letting you have too high a level of Cultivation isn’t good for anyone. You might as well become an ordinary person; it’s better to support your husband and educate your children.

"What do you think?" Turning slowly, Qi Xiu asked for Zhao Yishi’s opinion.

Jia Yufei was his wife. Now that she was out of her senses and could not decide for herself, the decision naturally fell on him, her husband.

"Without Cultivation, so be it. It’s still better than being a monstrous abomination that never sees the light of day. Thank you, Elder, for saving my wife. I can never forget this debt."

With gratitude showing on his face, Zhao Yishi gave Qi Xiu a deep bow.

Qi Xiu waved his hand to signal Li Jiufang and Zhao Yishi to step back. Raising his hand, he pointed at Jia Yufei’s brow.

HUM—

Endless colorful light swirled like nectar turning into mist, slowly seeping into Jia Yufei’s body. Under the effect of this Mixed Element Qi, the demonic energy within Jia Yufei was quickly assimilated and subdued. Without the support of this demonic power, the mutated features on her body began to gradually return to normal.

In less than five or six minutes, the demonic energy inside Jia Yufei was completely purified by Qi Xiu, and she transformed from a Blood-Stained Realm monstrous creature back to an ordinary woman with no Cultivation.

"I..." Slowly opening her eyes and regaining her senses, Jia Yufei looked up.

"My lady." Quickly approaching, Zhao Yishi broke the chains that bound Jia Yufei. He carefully supported her, channeling streams of pure Yuan into her body to help her recover her severely depleted essence.

"Husband, you... my Cultivation, how..." Feeling the void inside her, Jia Yufei’s complexion couldn’t help but change. Her hard-earned Cultivation, which had cost her almost her life, was gone.

"This Elder saved you. If we didn’t abolish your Cultivation, you would eventually become a complete demon."

Slightly moving aside and gesturing to Jia Yufei, Qi Xiu gave a faint smile. "Miss Jia, it’s been a long time since we parted in Baoho County."

"Baoho County..." Hearing the words ’Baoho County,’ Jia Yufei was initially stunned. It wasn’t until memories from decades ago passed through her mind that she remembered who this Daoist before her was.

"Is it you?! How can..." Not detecting the slightest hint of Cultivation from Qi Xiu, but recalling her husband’s words that he had saved her, Jia Yufei suddenly realized.

This Daoist’s level of Cultivation had surpassed some boundary. Especially his calm and detached eyes—Divine Luster Inward Concealment, a sign of great power.

"Is it you who crippled me?" Staring at Qi Xiu, Jia Yufei remained silent for a long while before suddenly blurting out the question. As soon as the words left her mouth, Zhao Yishi, standing beside her, twitched violently, looking as if he desperately wanted to cover her mouth.

"Don’t look at me like that. To save your life, this was the only way. Moreover, your husband agreed to it." With a sweep of his sleeves, Qi Xiu’s expression was natural.

"That’s right, that’s right! It was I who begged Elder to save you," Zhao Yishi hurriedly added, all the while cautiously eyeing Qi Xiu, fearful that his hot-tempered wife would say something to anger the senior.

"Thank you."

The surroundings were somewhat quiet. Li Jiufang, who had never seen his cousin like this, looked on in astonishment. Zhao Yishi, who had shared a bed with her for decades, was equally shocked, as if he had seen a ghost.

Only Qi Xiu seemed interested as he glanced at Jia Yufei and nodded slowly. "It is never too late to turn back from the bitter sea. Rest well; we will return tomorrow."

"Someone! Please lead our distinguished guests to rest." At Zhao Yishi’s call, several graceful maidservants immediately appeared and respectfully led Qi Xiu forward.

"Cousin, you rest first. We will catch up tomorrow." Li Jiufang also waved to Jia Yufei and quickly followed the striding Qi Xiu.

「The next day.」

Clad in a light blue silk dress, her hair draped over her shoulders, and her face unadorned by makeup, Jia Yufei walked into the living room. Compared to the ferocious and fearsome appearance she had the day before, shrouded in a mist of blood, today’s Jia Yufei seemed reborn. Even her gaze seemed to carry a hint of elegance and gentleness.

"Qi, you’ve truly given my cousin a complete transformation," Li Jiufang remarked, stunned as he beheld Jia Yufei’s demeanor. He could say that in all their years of sibling-like affection, he had never seen his cousin so peaceful and calm. She seemed like a completely different person than before.

"I am Jia Yufei. Greetings to my benefactor." With dignified manners, Jia Yufei came before Qi Xiu, respectfully offering a cup of tea. "Benefactor, you disregarded past displeasures to save me; you are benevolent and compassionate. Please have some tea."

Watching Jia Yufei, who had lost all her Cultivation and undergone a significant change in Temperament, Qi Xiu raised his hand to accept the teacup. "Cultivating the Demon’s True Scripture with a human body—I’m curious, who taught you such an elaborate idea?"

Seeing Qi Xiu inquire about this, Jia Yufei appeared somewhat embarrassed. "Indeed, nobody taught me. It was just that, at that time within my clan, my Cultivation had reached the Peak of Dao Entry, but I was distressed by the lack of a follow-up Dharma Gate. The Dharma Gate I practiced was difficult to merge with other True Scriptures. So, I thought of taking another route. Demons do not cultivate through meridians and acupoints; they solely accumulate mana in their flesh. Thus, I had the idea of adopting its advantages to see if it could lead to a breakthrough. Yet, I never expected that. Although I managed to break through the bottleneck of Dao Entry, it led to uncontrollable demonic energy and a mutation of the flesh, leaving me unable to extricate myself. If not for my benefactor’s rescue, I fear I would have become a demonic creature without any humanity."

"Prodigious! Accumulating demonic mana within the flesh without your body exploding, instead merging the demonic energy with your own flesh and blood. If your soul Cultivation hadn’t been too low, preventing you from controlling the overbearing demonic energy, perhaps you truly could have developed an unusual path of cultivation."

Nodding, Qi Xiu praised Jia Yufei’s whimsical ideas and her exceptional talent for cultivation, but thought to himself:

Fortunately, she wasn’t successful. Otherwise, this woman, blending the strengths of both the Human Race and Demons, combined with her stubborn Temperament and talent for cultivation, would in time have become an unprecedented Devil Head.

After some idle conversation, Li Jiufang spoke. "Cousin, do you remember the item I sent you thirty years ago? Do you still have it?"

"Yes, I transferred it to your brother-in-law before I lost control. I guessed you came this time for this item, so I’ve already asked your brother-in-law to retrieve it."

Zhao Yishi came over, holding a brocaded box tied with thirty-six fine, long yellow cords.

Is this the strange object related to the Food Demon Sect?

Qi Xiu’s eyes flickered with a purple light as he gazed upon the yellow-corded wooden box, observing the marvels hidden within.

In his special vision of black and white interlace, a jet-black vortex floated ominously inside the wooden box. This deep and bizarre vortex spun, each rotation distorting the space around it, as if it could connect to another unknown world. Its edge flickered faintly with a dark luster, emitting a suffocating chill. Anything that approached it was mercilessly pulled in. Their noise, shape, and even the traces of their existence were swallowed by this bottomless darkness. Merely by glancing at it, Qi Xiu felt as if his gaze would be sucked into that vortex. Such a peculiar and terrifying power indeed closely resembled the Food Demon Sect from the legends.

"Open it and see."

With a focused gaze, Qi Xiu slightly raised his fingertip. A torrent of Cloud Seal Suppressing Talismans surged out, instantly turning into a Ninefold Suppression Talisman Seal Skill hidden in the void. If there was anything amiss with the contents of the box, he would suppress it immediately.

As each yellow cord was untied,

CREAK—

The wooden box was opened.