Chapter 264: Demon Suppressing Physique
Ximen Ren stepped out of his personal flying ark’s cabin with a smile on his face. Alongside him were his trusted bodyguard, Zhao, and Lady Song Wan, the young lady of the Song Clan who supported him.
Today was a good day for him. He had finally gained the upper hand against Ximen Hao.
He had convinced the Elder Council of the Ximen Clan that he should be the one to establish ties with the powerful Underworld Palace rather than the irresponsible Ximen Hao, who was nowhere to be found during such an opportune time.
Of course, he knew that Ximen Hao had come here to help Wei Chen. That was precisely why he had seized the opportunity while Ximen Hao was away to persuade the Elder Council.
And with the Elder Council speaking as one, even his father, Ximen Hong, couldn’t do anything about it. The Ximen Clan was the culmination of many branch families that all bore the surname Ximen. There were countless vested interests within the clan, many of which were hidden even from his father.
Combined with the image of a righteous gentleman who lacked cultivation strength, which he had carefully maintained over the years, it was easy for him to gain the council’s approval. They all saw him as the same kind of person as Wei Chen, someone who disliked killing.
Yes, both he and the Elder Council knew that Ximen Hao had been changing for the better.
But... turning over a new leaf?
That was something they had never imagined. Someone who had lived a life of debauchery for so many years and had only recently begun improving? Who would trust him?
Even if Ximen Hao had truly turned over a new leaf, his years of debauchery and irresponsibility had left behind too many enemies. Some of them were elders on the Elder Council whose granddaughters had been soiled and dishonored by that bastard, Ximen Hao.
That grudge would not simply disappear because Ximen Hao had become a better person. Even though his father, Ximen Hong, had paid an enormous price in compensation to those elders, they still demanded Ximen Hao’s blood from time to time behind his father’s back.
These were all the circumstances that had allowed him, Ximen Ren, to become the official representative of the Ximen Clan in dealing with the Underworld Palace.
As the representative of the Ximen Clan, even if Wei Chen was good friends with Ximen Hao, he surely wouldn’t throw away the reputation of the Underworld Palace for the sake of a good-for-nothing like him, would he?
He would definitely receive him as an honored guest!
With that thought in mind, Ximen Ren stepped onto the smaller flying ark with the help of his trusted bodyguard Zhao and Song Wan.
"Don’t misstep, Ximen Ren! You don’t have any cultivation. If you fall from this height, you’ll definitely be turned into mincemeat," Song Wan warned.
"Hahaha, you’re too considerate, Lady Song. I’m not that... Ah!"
Before Ximen Ren could finish his sentence, his foot became stuck in the gap between the deck and the gangway leading to the smaller flying ark.
"See!? I told you! Watch your feet, you dummy!" Song Wan exclaimed worriedly as she grabbed Ximen Ren without a second thought.
Her chest pressed against Ximen Ren’s back as she held him tightly.
Ximen Ren could clearly feel her soft, ample curves of twin mountains of abundance, and quietly savored the moment.
The small flying ark slowly descended to the ground in front of Wei Chen and his wives.
"Huh? It’s not Ximen Hao?" Mo Xingyao spoke up the moment she got a clear look at the newcomer’s face.
Hearing that, Wei Chen turned toward his people, who had stopped what they were doing.
"Don’t mind them. Just do what you’re supposed to do. We have a schedule to keep up with, guys," Wei Chen said to his people.
"Yes, Mr. Wei."
Both the warriors in black armor and the construction workers resumed their work.
Those carrying materials into the cavern continued doing so, while those who had just come out after finishing their shift headed back to the barracks or the mess tent to grab something to eat.
Seeing this, Ximen Ren felt slightly offended. This Wei Chen didn’t even bother giving him face and simply let his people continue working as though no honored guest had arrived.
Official Ke, who had contacted Wei Chen before, stepped out of the small flying ark.
He waited for Ximen Ren and his entourage to arrive before beginning the introductions.
"Young Master Wei, this is our young master of the Ximen Clan, Ximen Ren. He has come here bearing gifts on behalf of the Ximen Clan," Official Ke introduced Ximen Ren to Wei Chen before stepping aside and allowing Ximen Ren to continue.
Ximen Ren stepped forward alongside his bodyguard Zhao and Song Wan.
But the moment he got within about four meters of Wei Chen, he suddenly felt all the strength leave his body. He dropped to one knee and even had to use one hand to prop himself up to keep his face from slamming into the ground.
"What!? What are you doing, Young Master Wei!? Why are you using your cultivation to suppress him!? Did he offend you!?" Song Wan immediately shouted, glaring at Wei Chen, believing he was using his cultivation to pressure Ximen Ren.
Bodyguard Zhao also immediately unleashed his Nascent Soul Realm cultivation in an attempt to relieve the pressure on his young master, but...
Wei Chen merely smiled.
The smile, however, did not reach his eyes.
"I didn’t do anything... You’ll have to ask him yourself why he suddenly fell like that."
It was the smile of someone who knew something but chose not to say it aloud.
And Ximen Ren understood the meaning behind that smile, but he had no idea what this bastard Wei Chen knew that made him smile like that.
"Young Miss Song, I don’t feel any cultivation pressure," Bodyguard Zhao confirmed before bowing toward Wei Chen with a cupped fist.
"I must apologize, Young Master Wei. I acted too hastily, which led to this misunderstanding," Bodyguard Zhao said as he immediately withdrew his cultivation pressure.
After hearing Zhao’s confirmation, Song Wan also bowed apologetically.
"I apologize, Young Master Wei. I misunderstood you," Song Wan said before helping Ximen Ren to his feet together with Bodyguard Zhao.
Ximen Ren could now only muster all his strength to stand upright while his legs trembled. He cupped his fists toward Wei Chen.
"Greetings, Young Master Wei. I am Ximen Ren, the son of Patriarch Ximen Hong. As the representative of the Ximen Clan, I have come bearing gifts for you!" Ximen Ren said as he gestured toward the freighter-type flying ark hovering in the sky.
"Ah, I know. By the way, how’s the granary? Have you caught the culprit yet?" Wei Chen asked, his eyes fixed directly on Ximen Ren’s.
Then...
Wei Chen’s gaze drifted to the space surrounding Ximen Ren.
From Wei Chen’s perspective, as the cultivator of the Samsara Sovereign’s Scripture, he could see countless lingering grudges clinging to Ximen Ren’s soul. Those grudges had been formed from the cruel and unjust deaths of thousands of people.
And his Demon Suppressing Physique was reacting to Ximen Ren as well. It was doing exactly what it was meant to do: suppress demons.
That could only mean one thing.
This guy cultivated demonic arts. Not just any demonic cultivation, but the kind practiced by truly evil demonic cultivators, the same kind of monsters that even Mo Jue actively hunted down.
And this Ximen Ren must have already cultivated deep into the higher realms. He might have even surpassed the Nascent Soul Realm. No... this guy might have already reached the Soul Transformation Realm through demonic cultivation.
That was the only reason he was being affected so strongly by Wei Chen’s physique.
He was already on the verge of becoming a full-fledged demon.
"What happened, Ximen Ren? Are you not feeling well?" Song Wan asked worriedly.
"I’m... I’m okay... I... huff... I think..." Ximen Ren truly felt exhausted. It was as if all of his strength had suddenly vanished.
He felt as though he had returned to being a useless mortal once again, just as he had been before getting his hands on that manual.
"You’re not okay at all!" Song Wan said anxiously before turning toward Wei Chen.
"Mr. Wei, could you please prepare a tent for this guy to rest in? Maybe he’s exhausted from the long journey."
Wei Chen nodded, the playful smile still on his face. He turned toward Dream Butterfly.
"Yu’er, tell the servants to prepare another two private tents for Young Master Ximen Ren and Lady Song."
"Yes, Lord Husband."
Dream Butterfly nodded and stepped forward.
At the same time, Song Wan and Bodyguard Zhao slowly helped Ximen Ren back. His body finally moved beyond the passive suppression range of Wei Chen’s Demon Suppressing Physique.
Only then did he regain enough strength to take a proper look around.
The moment he saw Dream Butterfly, the flames of lust that he had already satisfied before coming here began burning once more. He had cultivated to the point where he had nearly attained a demonic body, making his desires and beastly instincts far more difficult to suppress.
Fortunately, his will remained stronger.
He allowed only the briefest glint of lust to appear in his eyes.
But even that fleeting moment was noticed by both Wei Chen and Dream Butterfly, whose senses were particularly sharp when it came to such perverse gazes.