At this moment within the secret realm, the battle over the expansive lake was drawing to a close.
The massive corpse of the green-scaled water python lay stretched across the surface, its blood staining the surrounding lake water red.
Aside from Lu Zhixue and Lu Zhixiu the siblings who had accompanied them earlier—along with Shen Bingzhang from the Haoyang Sect and Geng Duan from the Yinsha Sect, many other immortal sect disciples had gathered on the shore. Among them was the Luoxuan Sect’s chief senior disciple, the notoriously ruthless Lisu.
Working together, the group extracted the python’s demonic core, only to discover that it, too, was wreathed in wisps of demonic qi, identical to what Yun Mu and the others had encountered earlier.
However, until the secret realm closed, everyone failed to encounter any further traces related to the demon race, so the matter was gradually cast aside. After all, most people had made various gains on this trip and suffered no actual losses.
As for the Luoxuan Sect disciples and the people from the Yinsha Sect, because Geng Duan had deliberately targeted Sui Yue earlier leaving him whose life or death remained unknown until then—coupled with the friction and provocations during the battle with the water python, they had completely torn off all pretense of civility and engaged in a fierce brawl just before the secret realm closed.
Before a final winner could be decided, however, an irresistible force swept them all out.
At the exit of the secret realm, figures dotted the surroundings.
Shi Menglan had originally assumed Sui Yue was in mortal danger or perhaps even buried at the bottom of the lake, yet to her surprise, the moment she raised her eyes, she saw him standing there safe and sound, holding a lifelike paper fox and staring out in a dazed trance.
A complex mix of emotions welled up in her heart, unclear whether it was relief or something else entirely.
Before she could speak, Ling Guang rushed over flusteredly. “Junior Brother Sui! You’re finally out! The senior brothers and sisters have been searching everywhere for you, and everyone was so worried. It’s good that you’re safe!”
Looking back at the sound, Sui Yue reined in the profound depths within his eyes and displayed his usual gentle, harmless demeanor, politely thanking Ling Guang and Shi Menglan, who approached closely behind.
Geng Duan’s sneer drifted across the crowd: “The Luoxuan Sect certainly knows how to pick up scraps. That short sword clearly isn’t an ordinary item; I wonder what kind of unsavory methods were used…”
Before his voice faded, Shen Bingzhang’s frost sword Cold River Snow brushed past Geng Duan’s cheek and struck the ground, instantly freezing a layer of pristine white frost beneath his feet.
“The dog mouth of the Yinsha Sect would do well to spit less dung,” Lu Zhixue’s brother, Lu Zhixiu, stood beside Shen Bingzhang holding his Chixia Sword, while Lu Zhixue’s Gilded Blazing Sun Sword pinned itself right beside Geng Duan’s foot as she shouted angrily, “If you talk nonsense again, the Tianshan Sect won’t mind helping your sect master clean house.”
Seeing this, Geng Duan was utterly deflated on the spot. Grumbling curses under his breath, he turned and stalked away.
Exchanging pleasantries and farewells at the exit, the disciples of the various immortal sects confirmed that their participating members were all accounted for and subsequently departed from Liyang Mountain on flying swords or magical Dharma treasures.
Ever since emerging from the secret realm, Yun Mu’s divine consciousness had automatically returned to his main body.
Having tossed and turned for so long, he felt thoroughly exhausted in both mind and body. All he wanted was to throw himself onto a bed, sleep soundly, and completely relax his taut nerves.
On the second day, the disciples returned to the sect in succession.
Shi Menglan led Ling Guang and Sui Yue directly to Yun Mu’s palace to report their gains from the journey.
Seated at the very top, Yun Mu listened to their reports while maintaining his usual cold, aloof expression, though inwardly he was already fretting over the daily task newly issued by the system.
【 Starting today, I have to begin the daily task of punching in and abusing Sui Yue… My goodness, what kind of trash task is this! System, can I refuse to do it 】
The System replied: 『 You cannot, Mu-mu. You must know that the protagonist is ultimately destined to become the Barren Sky Fiend God. Without the early groundwork laid by a wicked master, where would be the thrill of the protagonist’s later counterattack? You simply must do it! 』
【 Damn system, you’re practically afraid I won’t die fast enough! 】
The System replied: 『 The requirements have already been relaxed for you. The abusive tasks for punching in are unrestricted, but you must satisfy at least the duration of an incense stick every single day. Mu-mu, for the sake of your next life, for my KPI and energy, charge ahead! 』
【 Heh, having you around is truly my greatest blessing! 】 Yun Mu couldn’t help rolling his eyes inwardly.
Lowering his head, Sui Yue’s gaze flickered beneath the shadows.
It seemed his master was being threatened by that so-called system, forcing him to execute some tyrannical measures against him.
Therefore, he originally hadn’t wanted to harm his disciple?
“Alright, you may all return to rest; Sui Yue, stay behind.” With a cold face and a forced aura of majesty, Yun Mu led Sui Yue into the secret chamber behind the main hall.
Locking Sui Yue’s snow-white wrists with iron manacles, forcing him to kneel with both knees suspended between two stone pillars, Yun Mu brandished a wicked little whip and lightly flicked it against Sui Yue’s back.
A muffled groan slipped past the disciple’s lips, inexplicably tinged with a hint of desire that set the imagination wandering.
“Why does Master strike me?” Sui Yue knew Yun Mu wasn’t acting of his own volition, yet still felt a sense of grievance.
“Do I need a reason to beat you? A master is disciplining his disciple, you need only endure it!” Putting on a fierce facade, Yun Mu continued his whipping.
【 Save my life! Save my life! Protagonist, please don’t turn dark! Even if you go dark, don’t come looking for me for revenge! I have elderly parents and young children to feed… oh no, I’m all alone, if I die I’m truly finished! You wretched, pitfall of a system! 】
Remaining silent, Sui Yue quietly bore it all while his eyes retained an unvanquished residue of hatred and chill.
Regardless of the reason behind it, Yun Mu was utterly unforgivable!
In this lifetime, he would make certain to end up killing him with his own hands.
Thus, over the following period, sounds of Elder Yun Mu of the Luoxuan Sect’s Qianyun Peak “severely disciplining” his rebellious disciple frequently echoed outward.
Yun Mu invariably maintained a poker face with a ‘fierce’ gaze, wielding a whip that looked formidable while deliberately curbing the force behind every stroke so that the system would register the task as completed without genuinely compromising Sui Yue’s foundations.
Once the time of an incense stick elapsed and the notification confirming a successful check-in popped up, this particular master would instantly feed his little disciple top-tier healing pills—unabashedly cowardly to the core.
“…Is Ma—Master truly this disgusted by disciple?” Panting, Sui Yue stared fixedly at Yun Mu, attempting to read some other expression on his face.
Regrettably, it yielded only disappointment.
“Yes, disgusted to the extreme!” Yun Mu said something he didn’t mean in his heart, while the tail of his whip accidentally grazed Sui Yue’s cheek, leaving a bright red scratch.
【 Oh disaster, I don’t dislike you at all, little disciple! It’s over, how did the protagonist’s face get hit by me? Even though it looks miserable, why do I feel like he looks even better this way? 】
Sui Yue’s panting abruptly stopped as a trace of disbelief flashed across his eyes.
【 Tsk tsk tsk! Yun Mu, oh Yun Mu, you’re truly a pervert. No, no, I absolutely cannot harbor such bizarre thoughts. 】
Listening to Yun Mu’s rich, cowardly yet adorable inner voice full of elaborate dramatics, Sui Yue unexpectedly found that this daily routine of ‘punishment’ wasn’t all that difficult to endure; indeed, he even… gradually began to taste a hint of unspeakable intrigue.
He discovered that he didn’t dislike his master’s rambling inner voice in the slightest; on the contrary, he found it somewhat… endearing.
Sui Yue decided he must have lost his mind!
To actually be able to extract a shred of hidden… satisfaction while being viciously abused by his master like this?