Monsters also need to cultivate immortality scientifically (13): The Iron-Headed Son of the World

A person cannot live their entire life imitating others—there will always come a time when they must rely on their own judgment.  

And when such moments grow frequent, especially in life-or-death situations where hesitation is impossible, the cracks in their facade will widen, eventually becoming too obvious to ignore.  

If Si Qi had not arrived in this world, the original protagonist would have been hunted by the Lingxiao Sect, forced into hiding and unable to enter the secret realm at all.  

Meanwhile, the Son of the World would have led his friends into the secret realm, saved the only son of Immortal Liu—who was supposed to die in this lifetime—gaining the full support of a mighty immortal. He would have also relied on his golden fingers to slay the ancient tortoise elder, whose cultivation had fallen from the Void Realm to the Integration Stage, seizing the treasures accumulated over thousands of years. Finally, he would have “accidentally” discovered the inheritance and, with the help of his friends and senior brothers, obtained countless benefits—including the ancient cultivation manual that had allowed the original owner to advance his cultivation at an astonishing rate in the previous life.  

And those friends, witnessing the Son of the World’s heroic rescues and fearless battles, would have grown even more convinced that he was a righteous and indomitable hero. Their bond with him would have become as strong as their bond with the original owner in the previous life.  

Of course, all of this would only have happened if Si Qi had never come to this world.  

Now, however, the Son of the World had failed to become the senior brother’s savior. He hadn’t killed the tortoise elder, who had been intercepted by Si Qi. Not only would the inheritance never fall into his hands, but he had even aroused suspicion among his own friends, making them realize something was amiss.  

It seemed that ever since entering this secret realm, apart from initially obtaining some honey and golden bee stingers—and later picking up an unknown glowing treasure—he had been constantly plagued by trouble, relentlessly pursued by all kinds of demonic beasts…  

Could this also be a trap set by Si Qi specifically for him?  

No, probably not, Zhou Junyi thought.  

After all, Si Qi didn’t have memories of his past life. He didn’t know who Zhou Junyi was, so he wouldn’t have specifically targeted him…  

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the mountain beneath them trembled violently, and the radiance above grew blindingly bright.  

Countless cultivators, no longer caring about the prowling demonic beasts, desperately rushed forward, hoping to seize the inheritance.  

Unfortunately, the cunning beasts and demonic cultivators subtly—or not so subtly—blocked their path, ensuring that Si Qi reached the summit unimpeded. In an instant, he intercepted the inheritance just as it tried to escape, snatching it away before anyone else could react.  

The dazzling light, having shone for barely a moment, vanished without a trace.  

The cultivators could only watch helplessly as Si Qi’s storage ring flashed briefly in the air, their faces twisting in frustration and resentment.

Seeing this, the Son of the World immediately shouted, “What are you standing around for? Seize it now!”  

“He’s only at Qi Refining stage! No matter how many treasures he has, with so many of us attacking together, he’ll eventually run out of energy! And besides—he can’t kill anyone!”  

Hearing this, the cultivators didn’t even care who had spoken—they only knew that wealth had always moved men’s hearts, and the cultivation world had no concept of polite concessions. Without hesitation, they rushed toward Si Qi, their target clear.  

Are you kidding? Forget just snatching the inheritance from his storage ring—even if they just grabbed a random jade pendant from him, they’d strike it rich!  

At the same time, with the inheritance taken, the secret realm’s exit passage opened.  

Surrounded by a swarm of attackers, Si Qi didn’t panic at all. He patted the jade-inlaid belt at his waist, and whoosh— layer after layer of defensive barriers erupted around him, so thick that just looking at them was enough to make anyone despair.  

Then, right in front of their dumbstruck faces, Si Qi dashed toward the teleportation passage and yelled at the top of his lungs:  

“Masteeer! Save me! Someone’s bullying your precious disciple!!”  

The cultivators nearly choked on their own blood: Oh, come on! You say we’re bullying you, but at least give us a chance to actually land a hit!  

That said, they immediately chased after him through the passage, unwilling to stay behind and become easy prey for the demonic beasts.  

If they followed him out, they might still get something out of this.  

With that thought, they passed through a stretch of pitch-black darkness before their vision cleared again—returning to the area near the Shengliu Sect, where they had once lingered.  

The moment they emerged, they saw that infuriating, smug-faced brat hiding behind a white-robed cultivator whose aura was as cold and detached as frost, his presence transcendent and untouchable.  

Sticking his tongue out at them, Si Qi made a mocking face.  

The cultivators fumed: “Damn it! Hand over the inheritance!”  

Chu Feng had just heard his disciple’s cry for help the moment the passage opened—his expression instantly darkened like frozen steel.

But then he saw the usually bold and carefree boy—who had been so lively and fearless in the sect—now pitifully (?) hiding behind him the moment he dashed out of the passage, clutching his sleeve as if terrified.  

A ripple of anger, impossible to suppress, stirred in his usually tranquil heart. With a frosty gaze, Chu Feng stared at the cultivators swarming out of the passage one after another, weapons in hand and aggression in their stance. In one fluid motion, he drew his sword, its gleaming edge flashing coldly as overwhelming spiritual power instantly engulfed the small stretch of land.  

The elders from various sects guarding the passage entrance, waiting for their disciples to emerge, immediately sensed the terrifying spiritual pressure. Their own spiritual energy churned uncontrollably, and they turned in horror toward Chu Feng, never imagining that they had been sharing the same space with such a monstrous existence these past few days.  

A moment later, their eyes locked onto the drawn sword—its blade etched with the emblem of the Lingxiao Sect and the distinctive flowing patterns of pale blue cloud motifs. A collective gasp tore through the crowd as they cried out in disbelief:  

“Immortal Venerable Chu?!”  

Coming from minor sects in remote regions, they had neither the status nor the luck to have ever laid eyes on the legendary Immortal Venerable Chu. Even if they had heard descriptions of his aloof demeanor and transcendent grace, the cultivation world had hundreds of people who fit such vague portrayals. How could they have possibly recognized him just from hearsay? Even if they had crossed paths earlier, they would never have connected him to the Immortal Venerable Chu.  

Not until he drew his sword and unleashed his full spiritual pressure.  

Terror-stricken, the cultivators felt their souls nearly leave their bodies, hearts pounding wildly. They had no idea how they had offended this ruthless powerhouse—if he took even the slightest dislike to them, they’d be dead on the spot!  

And then, they noticed the mischievous boy smirking behind Chu Feng’s back, recalling the plea he had shouted upon exiting the passage. Their faces paled.  

Damn it! What did these reckless disciples do to provoke this golden child inside the secret realm? Did they really chase after him with murderous intent—begging for an early death?!  

Desperate, they shouted, “Immortal Venerable Chu, please reconsider! They’re just juniors—there must be some misunderstanding!!”  

Meanwhile, the group that had just rushed out of the passage, poised to threaten Si Qi into handing over his treasures: “…………”  

What? Immortal Venerable Chu? Why would someone of his stature be here?!  

And—reconsider? Reconsider what? Why was the man standing guard at the passage entrance, shielding that brat, glaring at them like he wanted to slaughter them all?  

Wait… was he really Immortal Venerable Chu?!

In an instant, recalling Si Qi’s appearance—armed to the teeth—everyone’s minds snapped awake: Damn it, how could they forget? Anyone who could afford such gear obviously couldn’t have a simple background!  

They just never expected that guy—who couldn’t even kill a single demonic beast—would turn out to be the disciple of that slaughter deity, Immortal Venerable Chu Feng! And not just any disciple, but one so highly regarded that the Immortal himself waited at the entrance to greet him!  

They had just tried to rob the King of Hell himself!!  

The group paled in terror, hastily halting in their tracks to signal they meant no harm.  

Among them, those quick to read the wind immediately pushed the Son of the World and his party—who were trying to hide—to the forefront, pointing at them and saying, “It was all their instigation! We didn’t know this was your esteemed disciple—we fell for these villains’ schemes! Please, Great One, show mercy and give us a chance to atone!”  

Si Qi didn’t mind these people targeting the Son of the World, but seeing the original owner’s friends—standing behind the Son of the World with a face full of stifled guilt—he didn’t want them caught in the crossfire. He spoke directly, “Those behind the one in green have nothing to do with this. They were just misled by him and trusted the wrong person.”  

The group behind the Son of the World froze, their expressions shifting before guilt deepened on their faces. Zhou Junyi had claimed Si Qi was a bully who relied on his power to commit all manner of evils, a despicable villain. Yet now, even when they had chased him down and his master was ready to draw his sword to teach them a lesson, Si Qi still spoke up in their defense, shielding them instead.  

How laughable—that someone like Si Qi, with such rare sincerity and kindness in the cultivation world, had been misunderstood by them as a villain. They had trusted Zhou Junyi too much, to the point of losing even the most basic judgment.  

Their dissatisfaction with Zhou Junyi grew, and for the first time, they felt a pang of disappointment.  

Zhou Junyi, seeing Si Qi actually turning against him, felt a strange discomfort—aside from the very end of his past life, when Si Qi discovered his schemes and killed him with a single strike, he had always been treated with warmth and kindness by Si Qi. When had they ever stood on opposing sides like this?  

He was used to reaping benefits from Si Qi, used to being treated as one of his own. Now that Si Qi had turned against him, fury blazed in his heart.  

What did Chu Feng matter? He was the darling of the heavens—even Chu Feng couldn’t touch him!  

He had that premonition!  

With a cold expression, he confronted Chu Feng and Si Qi, demanding, “Immortal Venerable Chu, what are your intentions, harboring a demonic beast in Lingxiao Sect and even taking it as your disciple?!”

Several cultivators who had emerged from the secret realm alongside the Son of the World hurriedly distanced themselves from him, lest they be caught in the lightning strike when it came down—why was this guy so stubbornly reckless?  

The original owner’s close friends and beloved, unable to forget the life-saving favor he had once done for them, stood with their heads bowed behind him, resolved to plead for mercy if Immortal Venerable Chu moved to kill Zhou Junyi.  

Meanwhile, the group saved by Si Qi grew increasingly angered by Zhou Junyi’s relentless accusations and couldn’t help but speak up: “What’s wrong with you? Why do you keep targeting Brother Si and smearing his name?”  

“Brother Si’s actions have been righteous and honorable. At such a critical moment, he saved us and even generously gave us top-grade healing pills. Without him, we wouldn’t be standing here today!”  

“Even now, he hasn’t lifted a finger against you—isn’t that proof enough of his innocence?”  

“If he truly had something to hide, he would have silenced you the moment you exposed him as a demon beast!”  

The surrounding cultivators initially assumed these speakers were merely currying favor with Chu Feng. But upon hearing how a mere Qi Refining cultivator like Si Qi had shielded them from an army of Nascent Soul-level demonic beasts and selflessly gifted them supreme-grade pills, their eyes turned green with envy—they wished they could encounter such good fortune too!  

Then, as they listened to the group’s defense of Si Qi, they couldn’t help but nod in agreement. It made perfect sense—had they been slandered so shamelessly by juniors, they wouldn’t have shown such restraint. Blood would have been spilled!  

That bright-eyed, innocent-looking youth was simply too kind-hearted, sheltered by his elders and untainted by the world’s harshness. Ah…  

Glancing between the venomous, aggressive Son of the World and the gentle, pure-hearted youth hiding behind his master, their sympathies instantly leaned toward Si Qi—and, naturally, the imposing Chu Feng standing before him.  

To side with the Son of the World now and provoke Chu Feng and his disciple would be suicidal. They weren’t as foolish as that guy.  

Hearing their words, the Son of the World nearly laughed in disbelief—expecting Si Qi to silence him preemptively? With Si Qi’s naive, upright nature, that would never happen! In his past life, before Si Qi had fully grown into his power, at least eighty, if not a hundred, people had known his true identity as a demon beast. But the guy had never even thought to hide it! It was just that those around him, recognizing his noble character, couldn’t bear to expose him and instead helped keep his secret!  

As for Chu Feng—this so-called paragon of virtue—he was nothing but a hypocrite! Knowing full well his disciple’s true nature, he had feigned ignorance all along, too cowardly to admit it. Disgraceful!

Si Qi poked his head out and said to the Son of the World, “You keep going on and on about ‘you demon beast this, you demon beast that.’ But even if—just for argument’s sake—I were a demon beast, what have I ever done to you? Why are you so fixated on targeting me? Clearly, you just despise me and want to pin a crime on me so you can steal my treasures and inheritance. Otherwise, back in the secret realm, when demonic beasts were everywhere, why didn’t you go on a bloodthirsty rampage against them with all that hatred of yours?”  

The crowd fell into silence, thinking to themselves that this little guy was quite sharp—he saw right through the fact that the Son of the World was just making up excuses to go after him. Not completely naive after all.  

Those standing behind the Son of the World grew increasingly uneasy, finally realizing they had been manipulated by Zhou Junyi from the very beginning. They didn’t know why Zhou Junyi hated Si Qi so much, but seeing how easily he spouted outrageous lies like “Si Qi is a vile monster” and “Si Qi is a demon beast,” his true intentions were obvious.  

Cornered, the Son of the World couldn’t possibly admit that he had deliberately targeted Si Qi all along, so he pivoted dramatically: “My parents, my family—every last one of them—were slaughtered by demon beasts! How could I ever let a single one escape my vengeance? I swear eternal enmity against their kind! You, a demon beast, hiding among us cultivators with sinister motives—I may be insignificant, but I will never cower before the might of Lingxiao Sect or Immortal Venerable Chu! One day, the world will see your true nature and understand my righteous cause!”  

His impassioned speech left the onlookers cringing—this guy was laying it on way too thick. At this point, he probably believes his own nonsense!  

Si Qi couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, so one demon beast killed your family, and now you want to slaughter every demon you see? By that logic, if it had been a human cultivator who murdered your loved ones, would you go on a genocidal rampage through the entire cultivation world? What kind of twisted reasoning is that?”  

Some cultivators who had almost bought into the Son of the World’s argument: “…………”  

…Well, he got a point.  

The Son of the World faltered, then snapped, “Don’t twist my words! Humans and demons cannot be compared!”  

“Heh.” Si Qi had no interest in wasting more breath on him—this guy would never admit he was wrong, no matter what. Grinning mischievously, he said, “Fine. You say you want revenge on the demon that killed your family? I’ll make sure your wish comes true. I’ll help you find that big, bad demon and personally tell him you’re coming for him.”  

The Son of the World’s face paled. He couldn’t very well say “I don’t actually want revenge,” so he just stared at Si Qi, suspicion and dread flashing in his eyes.  

He opened his mouth, ready to spout some dramatic “Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—do not mock the youth for his poverty!” declaration, but Si Qi had already lost interest. Instead, he beckoned to the people behind the Son of the World. After a moment of hesitation, they cautiously stepped forward.

Si Qi smiled at them and said, “Hello there! Somehow, I find you all so familiar—it feels like we shared a bond in a past life.”  

The Son of the World’s face instantly tensed, glaring at Si Qi with full vigilance.  

The others chuckled awkwardly, “You jest, fellow cultivator.”  

Who in their right mind would claim to share a past-life connection with someone who nearly killed them? Only this eccentric little guy before them would say such a thing.  

Si Qi continued, “Come, come, a little gift for each of you.”  

He could fulfill the Son of the World’s wishes, but he couldn’t force theSon of the World to remain friends with these people forever. These small gifts would serve as compensation—even if the original owner of this body no longer maintained ties with them, he would surely understand.  

Watching as they curiously accepted the porcelain bottles and instinctively moved to open them, Si Qi quickly stopped them, “Ah, save it for later. Open them in private, when no one’s around.”  

The disciples of Shengliu Sect watching from a distance widened their eyes—Good heavens, those bottles look so familiar. Could they be filled with top-grade elixirs?  

After all, Si Qi had once openly admitted that he only carried supreme-grade pills—he couldn’t even produce high-grade ones if he tried!  

The original owner’s friends and the others had no idea what Si Qi was up to. Some even suspected he might be playing a prank, giving them something bizarre to mess with them. Amused yet exasperated, they accepted the bottles without giving them much thought.  

It wasn’t until later, when they casually opened the bottles in their private quarters, that the overwhelming medicinal fragrance and the sight of perfectly round, exquisite supreme-grade elixirs nearly made their hair stand on end!  

After hurriedly contacting the others who had been present and learning that they, too, had received such treasures, their impression of Si Qi soared to indescribable heights—What kind of miraculous, kind-hearted youth was this? If they could turn back time, they would deeply regret not treating Si Qi better, not speaking to him more, and not properly thanking him for his generosity.  

Instead, at that moment, they had simply accepted the bottles with a nod and a smile before walking away.  

The Son of the World didn’t know what was inside the bottles, but his instincts told him that, given Si Qi’s temperament, it couldn’t be anything shabby. Just like how Si Qi used to willingly share precious items with him and others, he must have given them something valuable. The thought made him seethe with resentment.  

These things used to be shared with him too—why were they given to these people who also had grudges against him? It had to be deliberate spite.  

Driven by this thought, the Son of the World couldn’t resist stirring trouble again: “Do you think handing out gifts will silence everyone’s doubts?”  

The other cultivators: Who’s ‘everyone’? We’re certainly not part of that.  

Si Qi glanced at him and remarked, “Speaking of which, that sword you pulled out in the secret realm earlier—wasn’t that the lifebound artifact left behind by Immortal Venerable Mu Ran? At the very least, it’s a high-grade spiritual weapon.”

The cultivators present were shocked by these words, their gazes sharpening as they turned toward the Son of the World—like predators eyeing an unguarded treasure trove, just waiting to be plundered!  

The Son of the World was furious. Just as he was about to explode in anger, Si Qi added, “Oh, and that cultivation-boosting pill you took earlier—tsk tsk—such potent effects, it must’ve been a supreme-grade elixir, right? Do you have any more of those? Better hide them well, or someone might just take them from you!”  

The Son of the World snarled, “Shut your mouth!”  

But Si Qi had no intention of stopping. Grinning mischievously, he continued, “Oh my, that pendant on your waist looks so familiar. Could it be the long-lost protective artifact of the Founding Ancestor of Qiming Sect? And that jade hairpin—doesn’t it resemble a treasure crafted by Master Qi Ling? Wow, you’re just covered in priceless treasures. You really ought to be careful when traveling, lest someone decides to rob you halfway.”  

With every word Si Qi spoke, the gazes of the surrounding cultivators grew hotter, burning with greed. The Son of the World, now both terrified and enraged, no longer dared to linger and argue. Without another word, he turned and fled—but not before tearing apart an immensely valuable teleportation talisman without hesitation.  

The onlookers’ pupils contracted at the sight, and they instinctively shouted, “He really does have countless treasures on him! After him!”  

The original owner’s group of friends didn’t join the chase. Hearing Si Qi expose one treasure after another—especially those the Son of the World had been wearing before they even met—they could only smile bitterly.  

Finally, the truth dawned on them. That “life-risking” rescue, the wounds covering his body, the unwavering determination—it had all been an act, carefully crafted to deepen their gratitude.  

Their sincere feelings had been deceived. Hearts heavy, they clasped their hands toward Si Qi and Chu Feng, offering repeated apologies before turning away in dejection.  

Once everyone had left, Si Qi looked up at Chu Feng with a cheeky grin, his expression screaming, “See how amazing I am, Master?”  

A faint amusement glimmered in Chu Feng’s eyes. “Mischievous.”  

Far from ashamed, Si Qi beamed proudly, nuzzling affectionately against Chu Feng like a little beast clinging to its beloved family. “Chu Feng, Chu Feng,” he said playfully, “that guy earlier called me a demon! Do you… hate demons?”  

Chu Feng’s heart softened with pity, worried that his disciple might now live in fear within the sect. He immediately reassured him, “No. Your master does not harbor such prejudices.”  

Si Qi giggled. “I thought you’d say something like, ‘Even if you were a demon, I wouldn’t care. Even if the whole world sought your life, I would stand against them all for you.’”  

Chu Feng: “…………”  

But… the world wasn’t that foolish. No one would dare oppose the strongest cultivator in the realm over a little demon.  

Frankly, given the cultivation world’s reverence for power, even if Chu Feng were to bully others or seize what he wanted, no one would dare criticize him. As long as he didn’t massacre entire sects, he would forever remain untouchable, enshrined atop the divine altar of reverence.  

Gently stroking Si Qi’s head, Chu Feng silently transferred some of his own fortune to the boy. “Did you suffer any grievances inside?”  

Si Qi puffed up proudly. “A genius like me? Loved by all, adored by flowers—how could I possibly suffer? I was extremely popular!”  

Chu Feng didn’t ask whether this “popularity” came from humans or demons. Having heard Si Qi mention that the secret realm led to the demon realm, filled with demonic beasts and cultivators, he felt mostly at ease. His gift of clothing hadn’t been in vain—his fortune-blessed disciple had indeed avoided further misfortune.  

Perhaps this was something he could do more often in the future.  

With that thought, Chu Feng said, “Let’s go back.”  

“Okay~” Si Qi nodded, clinging to Chu Feng without excuse, babbling nonsense. “Chu Feng, Chu Feng, I’ve noticed something—when I touch you, my bad luck disappears! So from now on, you should touch me more, hold me more, okay?”  

Chu Feng mused that the little guy was quite sharp to have noticed. With pure, untainted fondness (really!), he nodded. “Alright.”  

Si Qi smirked triumphantly. “Hehe…”  

Chu Feng actually believed such an obvious lie—proof that he liked him, was smitten with him, and was just using this as an excuse to agree.  

What a tsundere!