My Love Life With The Sect Masters in Xianxia (Patreon)

Chapter 108: Li Ran's Path of Demonic Cultivation

Li Ran and Qin Ruyan left the Sacred Hall and began walking down the mountain.

At Rakhasa Peak, the Emperor's Dao rules prohibited flight, including the use of flying treasures. Anyone who wished to pass through the mountain gate had to walk through it on foot; otherwise, they would be crushed instantly by the rules of the Dao.

Qin Ruyan followed behind him nervously.

Their first meeting had been unpleasant, and now they were at Li Ran's home base. 

How could she not be anxious? 

But thankfully, Li Ran didn’t seem to want to pursue the matter any further. He remained silent as they walked.

"Holy Son."

"Greetings, Holy Son."

"Greetings to the Holy Son."

Along the way, disciples greeted him with great respect. 

Qin Ruyan could tell that these disciples were not greeting him out of fear for his position but from genuine respect and admiration.

She was a Saintess, second only to one, but she had never felt this kind of admiration in her own sect.

She couldn’t help but comment, "It seems that Holy Son Li holds great prestige in the sect."

Li Ran responded indifferently, "You only gain people's respect when you care for their lives. In return, they’ll defend your dignity."

Previously, most of the disciples had feared him, but after he returned from training with every disciple alive and unharmed, he earned their respect. This was a mutual exchange.

Qin Ruyan fell silent.

She knew that he was indirectly mocking her.

That day, she had watched as her fellow disciples died under his spear and did nothing to stop it. She even felt a bit relieved that it wasn’t her who died.

But wasn’t the Demonic Sect supposed to be all about self-interest and ruthlessness? That’s what she had been taught since childhood, and it’s how most people viewed the Demonic Sect.

"Holy Son Li's way of thinking is quite unique," Qin Ruyan thought for a moment and said, "It’s not like the other demonic sects, who are always scheming."

"Scheming?" Li Ran chuckled coldly, "I take what I want directly. Why would I need to scheme? Cultivation should be a path of unstoppable momentum. Those who are constantly plotting will never reach the pinnacle."

Qin Ruyan was taken aback and then shook her head. "You sound more like a sword cultivator from the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion than a Holy Son of the Demonic Sect."

"Then what do you think it means to be demonic?" Li Ran asked in return.

Qin Ruyan thought about it but couldn’t come up with an answer. 

She only knew how to survive in the Demonic Sect but had never really thought about what being ‘demonic’ meant.

“To defy the heavens, to seize control of the Dao, to manipulate the forces of nature and yin-yang, never to be constrained.”

“My will is the will of the heavens. My law is the law of the universe!”

“That is what it means to be demonic!”

Li Ran sneered, "Cultivation is about contending with the heavens. Those who focus only on scheming will eventually become corpses paving the path to immortality."

This was what he had always believed, and now he took the opportunity to express it.

Qin Ruyan was stunned.

In her impression, the Demonic Sect seemed like it was always hiding in the shadows, never able to stand openly under the heavens. The world belonged to the righteous sects.

But Li Ran’s words shook her to the core.

To defy the heavens and seize the Dao? To manipulate yin and yang?

Such audacity and vision!

"No wonder Holy Son Li is unrivaled, crushing all the prodigies. His mindset and scope are far beyond anything we can match," Qin Ruyan said with a bitter smile.

These words were not flattery but from the heart.

However, Li Ran was unmoved. He sneered, "Don't compare me to you lot. Plundering maidens and absorbing their essence? In my eyes, your Hehuan Sect is worse than worms in the mud!"

There was too much injustice in the world for him to deal with, and he had no intention of doing so. But that didn’t stop him from despising the Hehuan Sect.

Qin Ruyan turned pale at his words.

Yet, she didn’t get angry. Instead, she lowered her voice and said, "My sect is more complicated than that. Sect Master Liu believes in the harmony of yin and yang, never forcing anyone. It’s only that old ancestor of ours, Huanxi, who practices yin-yang absorption..."

"You don’t need to explain to me," Li Ran interrupted her. "I’m not interested."

Qin Ruyan's breath caught, and she smiled bitterly, saying nothing more.

...

The two of them walked to the mountain gate, where Li Ran stopped.

“Saintess Qin, this is as far as I’ll see you off. Take care,” he said, preparing to leave.

"Wait."

Qin Ruyan called out to him. "I have one last question."

Li Ran, a little impatient, asked, "What is it?"

Qin Ruyan said, "That servant of yours, she has the Charming Maiden Spirit Marrow Body. Are you aware of that?"

“I know,” Li Ran nodded.

Qin Ruyan continued, “This constitution is highly tempting to any cultivator, especially dual-cultivation sects, which would be eager to obtain her.”

She took out a black token from her chest. “This is the Hehuan Sect’s Saintess Token. With this token, no dual-cultivation sect in the entire vast land would dare touch her.”

Li Ran frowned.

What did she mean by this? He had just been rude to her and insulted her sect, yet she was now offering him a token?

Was she a masochist?

Qin Ruyan noticed his confusion and explained, “Don’t misunderstand. Your words about the ‘demonic’ path just gave me some insight, and this is simply a gesture in return.”

Li Ran refused, “She’s my person. I’ll protect her myself. You don’t need to worry.”

Qin Ruyan quickly added, “I know you look down on the Hehuan Sect, but for her safety, I still hope you will accept it.” She then added, “The previous incident was just an example. You can’t always be by her side, right?”

Hearing this, Li Ran thought for a moment before reaching out to take the token. 

He had checked it with his Miragefree Sight and found no hidden tricks.

“I’ll accept the token, and I’ll owe you for this favor,” he said, then turned and left.

Seeing him accept her token, Qin Ruyan, for some reason, felt a subtle happiness inside.

“Li Ran… really is a special person.”

She took one last serious look at his retreating figure, her smile enchanting, and then her form dissolved into a wisp of smoke.

...

The cold wind howled, and snowflakes danced in the air. 

The weather was getting colder, and the Frostfall Festival was drawing near.

Inside the sect master’s sleeping quarters.

Leng Wuyan propped her chin on her hand, gazing out the window in boredom. “I wonder what Ran’er is up to. He hasn’t come to see me even once these past few days…”

“Could it be that he’s forgotten about our agreement?”

“Lately, the female disciples in the sect have been acting a little unruly. They’re always hanging around Ran’er, giving him gifts…”

Suddenly, she sat up straight, as if a realization struck her. “That’s right, gifts!”

“He’s gone to great lengths to prepare so many things for me, but I haven’t given him anything in return!”

“How foolish of me!” Leng Wuyan smacked her own head in frustration.

“He’s probably upset that I didn’t prepare a gift for him, and that’s why he hasn’t come to see me!”

“Hmm, a gift…”

Leng Wuyan tugged at her hair, wracking her brain. “But what should I give him?”

Unlike Li Ran, she had no idea what would make a good gift…