Previously, Feng Yongrui had guessed that there was a Gu worm inside the green pendant. However, after looking at it left and right, he still could not see through the pendant.
His "super vision" given by the System did not help either. Feng Yongrui had set the matter aside and concentrated on guiding his disciples while searching for clues. Feng Yongrui also cultivated from time to time.
His experience with Xiang Si had reminded him that even if he was a cultivator at the Soul Formation Stage, people like Xiang Si could have "cheats", or items that improved their cultivation. Feng Yongrui shouldn't let his guard down.
One day, as the four of them were eating breakfast, Zhong Weimin suddenly cleared his throat. Feng Yongrui and his two disciples looked at him, their eyebrows raised questioningly.
"I have something important to tell you," Zhong Weimin said, putting down his chopsticks.
Zhong Weimin's face was stiff like wood and he looked a bit pale. Seeing how tense he was, Feng Yongrui also put down his chopsticks and swallowed his food.
"Hm, go ahead. What is it?" Feng Yongrui asked.
Hou Renshu and Ma Bo eyed Zhong Weimin with their round eyes, and the atmosphere in the room grew cold.
"I... I'm actually a Demonic Cultivator," Zhong Weimin admitted with gritted teeth.
Feng Yongrui resisted the urge to gape like a fish and just stared blankly at Zhong Weimin.
Under everyone's intense stares, Zhong Weimin explained everything. He told them that he remembered his past life, and all the bad things he had done.
He explained that in his previous life, he had a Demonic Constitution like Ma Bo. At that point, Ma Bo's eyes were wider than saucers and he looked like a stunned fool.
As Zhong Weimin explained everything about his background and story, everyone grew more and more shocked.
Zhong Weimin ended his story by telling them that he didn't mean any harm to any of them, and that he was telling them all of this because he trusted them.
"I also want to tell you about those kidnapped children... I think I know who the mastermind is... I also know their motives," Zhong Weimin said.
"Uhh... Yeah..." Feng Yongrui was still processing all the information. Hou Renshu and Ma Bo were similarly silent, chewing on Zhong Weimin's words.
Zhong Weimin did not rush them. He kept quiet and waited for them to respond.
Feng Yongrui tried to look calm on the surface, but in his heart, he was yelling and cursing and screaming.
"System! What kind of plot twist is this?!" he cried. The pet that they had been nurturing for many years was actually... was actually a Demon Lord?!
"Host, calm down..." the System said.
Feng Yongrui rolled his eyes. How was he supposed to calm down?!
"Don't tell me that the plants I've been watering over all these years are actually fairies, or some sort of goddess?" Feng Yongrui exclaimed.
System: "..."
In your dreams, Host.
After a few minutes of silence, Ma Bo finally spoke.
"So... Weimin, you're not here to harm us, right?" he asked.
Zhong Weimin shook his head earnestly.
"I won't harm you, I swear!"
Ma Bo nodded slowly. "Well, then... I guess it's okay. Even though you've been hiding this secret for such a long time..." Ma Bo paused.
"All those memories we spent together aren't fake. I know you treat me sincerely. I-I'm sorry for treating you like a dog, but... for me, whether you're a dog or a man, you will always be my best friend," Ma Bo said.
Ma Bo's eyes were a little wet as he looked at Zhong Weimin emotionally. Ma Bo was, of course, dumbfounded to know that his best friend was actually a Supreme Demon Lord.
But, Ma Bo liked Zhong Weimin. Even as a human, Zhong Weimin was clingy and protective. He was a very good friend.
Ma Bo genuinely liked Zhong Weimin and decided to accept him for who he was.
Zhong Weimin felt his nose turn sour and he held back tears. A former Supreme Demon Lord couldn't cry this easily!
At that moment, unbeknownst to anyone, the progress for the task 'turning the protagonist into the villain's best friend' shot up to 75%.
Hou Renshu, who had been listening on the side, nodded his head as well. "As long as you don't have any ulterior motives, I think you're okay," he said.
Zhong Weimin gave a small smile. All that's left was... Feng Yongrui.
Feng Yongrui gave a small smile. Although he was surprised by the turn of events, he could see that Zhong Weimin was sincere and had not evil intentions.
"I accept you as well," Feng Yongrui said.
Zhong Weimin immediately beamed, but Feng Yongrui spoke again.
"But, there are some rules. First of all, no killing people for no reason at all. Secondly, no harming innocent people. Also, I want to know what kind of cultivating technique you are using right now."
If Zhong Weimin's cultivation technique was inhumane or had a tendency to make him into a bloodthirsty killer, then Feng Yongrui would definitely disagree.
"Also, you should tell me what you know about the kidnapped children, so that we can quickly resolve that matter. If we keep dragging this matter, who knows how many more children will get hurt."
Zhong Weimin agreed with Feng Yongrui's rules. He wanted to turn a new leaf anyway.
First, he explained that he was already at the peak of the Golden Core Stage. The cultivation method he was using was called Boundless Earth. It was a cultivation technique specifically for cultivators with an earth spirit root.
"It's called a Demonic Cultivation Method because it requires the person to break his bones and meridians before cultivating. After successsully cultivating the first three steps, the broken bones and meridians will heal by itself. It's a risky method, and 95% of people fail to cultivate and fix their broken bones and meridians..."
Feng Yongrui shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, what a cruel method..."
"I agree, but it was the best choice for me at that time," Zhong Weimin said. "It has no side effects, and it won't turn me into a monster or a bloodthirsty killer. It just hurts a bit in the beginning, and it's risky."
"I see..." Feng Yongrui pursed his lips.
Zhong Weimin continued and explained that he recognized the array that Xiang Si had. That array was something he had discovered and gave to Smiling Tiger. By absorbing the blood of young children, the array would be activated and raise a person's cultivation level permanently.
With enough blood, the array could even make a cultivator reach the Godly Realm Stage.
"But, the array that Xiang Si had was incomplete... I think whoever made the array doesn't know the full version," Zhong Weimin said.
Feng Yongrui nodded in understanding.
"Wait, didn't you say that Smiling Tiger was that guy who betrayed you?" Feng Yongrui asked.
"Yes," Zhong Weimin gritted his teeth. "And now, his family is a prominent one in Nanjiang..."
"Their family surname is Hu, and the Hu family owns a lot of shops, inns, and brothels..."
Feng Yongrui suddenly felt a flash of inspiration. The surname Hu...
"Hu Zemin?!" Feng Yongrui cried out in surprise.
Zhong Weimin nodded his head gravely. "That's right. Hu Zemin is the young master of the Hu family. I don't know whether he's involved with the children's kidnappings or not, but I know for sure that his father, Hu Feizi, knows how to use the array."
Feng Yongrui sucked in a deep breath and looked back on the past. He gave a start and looked at Zhong Weimin.
"You... last time in the Intoxicating Fragrance House, you saw Hu Zemin too, right? I remember that you snuggled in his arms! Why was that? I thought he's the descendant of that traitor!"
"Ah, I wanted to talk about that as well," Zhong Weimin said. "At that time, I remember feeling a very familiar and cozy energy coming from his tummy, so I went over and sniffed it..."
"Also," Zhong Weimin corrected him. "I didn't snuggle in his arms. I simply lay on his abdomen to investigate."
"That's just the same thing, you know," Feng Yongrui grumbled under his breath.
"...I beg to differ," Zhong Weimin replied coolly.
Feng Yongrui scoffed and changed the topic.
"In any case, you said you felt a familiar energy from his tummy, right? Do you know what it is?" Feng Yongrui was testing him if he knew about the Mystic Stone or not.
"I'm sorry, I don't know," Zhong Weimin replied. "But after snooping around the Hu residence, I found that there were many Demonic Cultivators around Hu Zemin. They often mention something about a demonic artifact..."
Zhong Weimin gave a slight pause before continuing. "In any case, this Hu Zemin's spirit root is special. It's a light spirit root. But there's Demonic Energy in his abdomen."
"So, I deduced that someone put the demonic artifact inside Hu Zemin's body, trying to corrode and corrupt his light spirit root..." Zhong Weimin spoke slowly.
"I think one of the Demonic Cultivators did it without Hu Zemin's knowledge. Because of the opposing nature between the light spirit root and the demonic artifact, Hu Zemin's body is always frail..."
Feng Yongrui kept nodding his head in understanding. It all made sense now!
The Hu family was a rotten one. Hu Feizi, Hu Zemin's father, was a greedy person who wanted to raise his cultivation level. So, he used the ancient array to absorb the children's blood...
Xiang Si was nothing but a pawn, who thought the array could bring his dead sister back to life. In truth, Hu Feizi had lied to Xiang Si...
As for Hu Zemin, he was the poor young master of the Hu family. He was tricked by the people around him, who were actually Demonic Cultivators. They inserted the Mystic Stone inside him to corrode his pure, light spirit root...
***
Feng Yongrui: System! How come the pet we've been raising is actually a former Demon Lord?
System: So what? Do you finally understand how awesome my little cutie is?
***
What do you all think of Hu Zemin?
Comment below~