Chapter 867: Degenerate Demon

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On a pitch-black night, the black clouds drifted away, revealing a round moon that shone its graceful light upon the cold land and the unmoving man.

Upon a closer look, he was covered in wounds. His clothes were in tatters, his face so swollen only a mother would recognize him.

His brows quivered as the moonlight stirred him, opening his hazy eyes.

“Where am I? W-why am I…”

Confusion laced his gaze from his unsettled mind, but then it all came pouring in. He sat quickly and darted his eyes all over in panic, “Where’s that sicko? Where is he?”

He looked around but there was no one around except for him.

The man nodded for some reason, muttering to himself, “It was all just an illusion. Yes, that’s it. There’s no sicko and that never happened. It was just one horrible nightmare, ha-ha-ha…”

Pa!

His crazed and delusional justification came to an abrupt halt as a stone graced his most sensitive and swollen face, slamming him into the ground.

The flood of pain brought him to tears, his mouth quivering…

“Hey, disciple, who’re you calling a sicko?”

A most familiar and dreaded voice came from the darkness. 

The man shuddered, but he actually remained silent.

[That’s the old demon’s voice. The nightmare is real, the devil is still here!]

Eyes twitching, Shangguan Yulin wailed in tears, “Master, I would never! I was only referring to the people of Flying Cloud manor. Those old freaks suck at even being guards. How could they let just anyone into the city…”

Shangguan Yulin wailed while making excuses as his voice trailed off, growing so tiny no one could hear him.  

He just dumped all his hatred on the guards. 

[What the hell is wrong with you? You call yourself guards and yet you let this sicko disturb public peace?] 

It not once occurred to him that if security was that tight, Shangguan clan had no way of getting in. 

From the shadow, Zhuo Fan listened with a laugh, “Oh, disciple, so you’re cursing the guards. They sure deserve it. They ignore their duties and let anyone in, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan continued, “However, thanks to their sloppy attitude, we got to slip in, no? This is where a Sword King is stationed, you know?”

Shangguan Yulin flushed, knowing fully well the old guy was mocking him, but his mouth remained shut.

“Seeing you all worn out, we’ll leave the hundred kowtows aside for now.”

Shangguan Yulin lit up in joy, “Really? Thank you, master, thank you, ha-ha-ha…”

A total discrepancy from the hatred he felt in his heart.

[This decrepit geezer, I won’t take a sicko like him as master ever, even if I would’ve been put to bow a hundred times. The minute I get to uncle, you’re dead to me.]

[And if I catch you around me again, I’ll sic people on you to skin you alive, flay your flesh and break your bones…]

Zhuo Fan could easily see through those crocodile tears, making a most devious grin, “While the ceremony will be on hold for now, we’re now master and disciple. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“Yes master, absolutely!” Shangguan Yulin bobbed his head with a fake smile.

Zhuo Fan laughed and shook his head, “Heh, do you really think I’ll believe that disciple? That’ll make all those centuries roaming the world for nothing.”

“No no no, master, you have to believe me. I’m serious about having you as my master. My vow shall never be broken…” Shangguan Yulin panicked as he explained.

Zhuo Fan mocked, “It’s fine. I’m not that easy to fool and I came prepared. Now take your shirt off…”

“What do you want to do?”

Shangguan Yulin froze, on high alert. 

[The sicko’s first twisted hobby was enough as it is. Who knows if he doesn’t have any others even worse than this.] 

Zhuo Fan chuckled, “Easy now, disciple, I am a great demonic cultivator, but I won’t ever swing that way. Also, why would I have waited so long if I had that intention to begin with?”

Shangguan Yulin paused for a moment before realizing it as well. So he complied.

Seeing his perfect body riddled with wounds, Shangguan Yulin’s hatred grew hotter. 

[This is all this sicko’s fault!]

“Try using Yuan Qi.” Zhuo Fan said.

Shangguan Yulin did as he was told and on his caved in chest, two words in golden letters appeared.

Degenerate demon.

Shangguan Yulin looked gobsmacked. He pointed at his chest with a dumb look, stammering, “W-what is this?” 

“Ha-ha-ha, disciple, the demonic path has always been unpopular, so anyone who becomes my disciple needs to have these words engraved on them as a reminder. So you’ll never lower yourself again nor get trapped in lofty dreams.”

Zhuo Fan laughed, “You’ll soon leave with me and strike out in the world! You’re best off forgetting everything about inheriting the Shangguan clan. There’s no way they’ll let someone with such words on their chest lead the Shangguan clan. They’re too renowned for that.”

Shangguan Yulin’s eyes twitched, about to explode in anger, “Master, you’ve ruined me. I only ever wanted the supreme glory of the Shangguan clan. We can even rule it together, but please don’t take everything from me…”

“Share, you say?”

Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, “You’re serious?”

Shangguan Yulin bobbed his head, “Yes, of course, as long as I get to lead Shangguan clan, then half of it will be yours, as my master.”

“You truly know how to return favors. I bet your uncle would be fuming if he heard you. But I like it, ha-ha-ha… “

Zhuo Fan made a sign and the gaudy golden letters faded from Shangguan Yulin’s chest. Shangguan Yulin perked up.

A bit too soon though, as Zhuo Fan’s icy tone came right after, “Remember your words, disciple. You are to follow my every word from now on. Or else it won’t be as easy as letters appearing on your chest next time, maybe your life will expire.”

Shangguan Yulin shuddered, but looked confused.

“Why did those words appear? Ha-ha-ha, that’s because I gave you a Blood Curse.”

Zhuo Fan snickered, “As you saw, the words popped on your chest the minute you used Yuan Qi. What you don’t know is that in fifteen minutes you would’ve been splattered everywhere if I hadn’t kept the Blood Curse in check with my signs.”

Panicking, Shangguan Yulin’s eyes bugged out, “No way!”

“Ha-ha-ha, yes way. You just became my disciple and have no idea what I’m capable of. Now do you understand how your 97 senior brothers passed? Humph…”

Zhuo Fan squinted, “Press the sacred pool pressure point on your right hand and use Yuan Qi.”

Shangguan Yulin did just that. He heard a bang then and his right arm exploded in a golden pillar of flames, followed by the breaking of his meridian.

Blood dripped on the ground as the hand now hung limp.

He was now in extreme shock.

He never thought this old freak would be so brutal, planting a bomb in him to detonate at any second.

Zhuo Fan grinned at his dumb look, “The golden flame shows I’m going easy on you. If it were the black flame, then the second it appeared, losing your hand would be the least of your problems. Then again, even this display was only a fraction of the golden flame’s power. If you don’t listen…”

“Master, I’ll do everything you say, no questions asked. Please show mercy and release the Blood Curse!”

Shangguan Yulin was looking afraid now, starting to slam his head on the ground without Zhuo Fan’s urging.

Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed, “Good, now tell me everything about Shangguan clan and why you have come to Flying Cloud City.”

Pausing, Shangguan Yulin sighed after some hesitation…

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