Demoness, Stop! - Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 – Undercover

It was deep into the night—quiet and still, a man and a woman alone in a room.

The unfamiliar woman inside the room left Li Yu momentarily stunned.

He didn’t recognize her.

He had already absorbed a significant portion of the original body’s memories, and at the very least, he knew everyone in Baiyun Temple. But he had no recollection of this woman. Li Yu didn’t have many friends here, and the only one who ever came to visit him was Jiang Li.

Seeing his dumbfounded expression, before Li Yu could say anything, the woman in black looked at him with interest and asked, “What, it’s only been two years and you don’t recognize me?”

Li Yu blurted out reflexively, “You…”

Staring at her face—strange, yet faintly familiar—he had just spoken a word when his body suddenly jolted. A few more fragments of memory flashed through his mind.

There was a cliff.

A young boy, gathering herbs, slipped and fell off a cliff. Just as he was about to meet his end, a streak of light tore through the sky. A snow-white hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back up.

Atop the cliff, the wind howled. The boy stood trembling in front of the woman, respectful and fearful, and asked in a quivering voice, “Are you… an immortal?”

The woman didn’t answer. She simply looked at him and said coolly, “I saved you. From now on, your life belongs to me. Since you have the aptitude for cultivation, I want you to enter Baiyun Temple. Best if you can get into Kunlun. I may need you someday. If you hear anything important, come to Xuan Yin Sect and find me.”

The sudden influx of memories left Li Yu completely stunned.

The original Li Yu in this world had been an orphan, relying on herb gathering to survive.

Two years ago, while gathering herbs in the mountains, he accidentally fell off a cliff and was saved by this demonic cultivator. Upon discovering he had spiritual aptitude, she arranged for him to join Baiyun Temple—as a spy for the demonic sect. And just like that, a humble herb-picking boy was forced onto the path of cultivation…

Li Yu was deeply shocked.

Xuan Yin Sect…

In the original body’s memories, that was one of the top sects of the demonic path—its strength wasn’t much weaker than Kunlun itself. But that wasn’t the most important part.

What mattered most was— he was actually a spy planted by the demonic sect within the righteous sects?!

Li Yu couldn’t accept this.

In his previous life, he’d also worked undercover for five years, but back then, he’d been the good guy. Even when he died in the line of duty, he died a hero—honored at the martyr’s memorial, remembered with respect.

And now?

He’d finally been reborn, only to fall right back into his old job… except this time, as a lackey for the villains!

The woman in black glanced at him and asked, “What’s the matter? Remember now?”

Years of professional training kicked in. Though Li Yu had briefly panicked, he quickly regained his composure. He stepped down from the bed and replied, “Your life-saving grace, miss, is something Li Yu has never forgotten. May I ask if your visit to Baiyun Temple tonight is for anything important?”

The woman responded flatly, “Not really. I was just passing by, and thought of you. It’s been almost two years—why haven’t you succeeded in gathering Qi yet?”

The fact that she could see through his cultivation level at a glance proved her strength was far beyond his own.

Li Yu became even more cautious, though he put on an embarrassed expression and said, “I’ve let you down, miss…”

Her expression remained indifferent. She wasn’t really disappointed—in truth, saving him and planting this “chess piece” had been little more than a whim at the time. She’d never placed much hope in him. This time, passing by Baiyun Mountain, she happened to recall that boy and decided to check in. Now that he still hadn’t succeeded in gathering Qi, it was clear he wouldn’t be selected by Kunlun. Any expectations she had for him were now gone…

She cast Li Yu one final glance, said nothing more, and drifted toward the door.

At that moment, a voice suddenly called from behind her: “Miss, please wait!”

The woman in black turned around to look at Li Yu and asked, “What is it now?”

Rubbing his hands together a little awkwardly, Li Yu said, “Miss, do you happen to have any Qi-Gathering Pills? Could you spare me a few? If I can successfully gather Qi, I’ll have the strength to do more for you in the future…”

Years of working undercover had forged Li Yu’s strong mental resilience.

In just a blink, he had already thought of many things.

Undercover work was a high-risk profession—and high risks often came with high rewards.

Since he was a demonic sect’s spy, wasn’t it perfectly reasonable to request a few benefits from them? How could they expect the horse to run without giving it grass to eat?

The woman in black hadn’t expected Li Yu to ask her for Qi-Gathering Pills, but upon thinking it over, what he said made sense. If he managed to enter Kunlun, he might become a valuable pawn the demonic sect could embed in the righteous world. A bit more investment early on would be worth it.

Besides, Li Yu was her plant—her only plant. It was only right to treat her own people a bit better.

With a turn of her hand, a small jade bottle appeared in her palm.

With her current cultivation, she had long since outgrown the need for Qi-Gathering Pills. This particular bottle was something she had used to replenish spiritual energy back during the Qi Refining stage.

This scene stunned Li Yu again. Summoning an item out of thin air—she must have had a space-type artifact on her. In the cultivation world, such items were extremely rare. Even the Kunlun elder at Baiyun Temple in the Foundation Establishment stage didn’t have one.

The woman in black took out a small milky-white pill, about the size of a pinky fingernail, from the jade bottle and tossed it to Li Yu. Just as she was about to leave again, he called out once more.

She asked, a bit impatiently, “What now?”

Li Yu said, “Miss, could I trouble you for just one more Qi-Gathering Pill?”

The woman replied with annoyance, “One pill is enough. Taking more won’t help. What do you want so many for?”

Li Yu explained, “I have a friend who I think has great potential. I want to win him over—he might become another helper for you in the future. Anyway, with your level of cultivation, you probably don’t need these pills anymore…”

The woman thought for a moment, then tossed him another pill.

Li Yu took it and continued, “If it’s possible, could I have just one more? I think another friend of mine also has potential to be developed into an undercover agent…”

Qi-Gathering Pills were valuable. Even if he couldn’t use them all himself, he could sell them. Among cultivators at the Qi Refining stage, Qi-Gathering Pills were extremely sought-after.

He could use the spirit coins from selling them to buy talismans, artifacts, or other protective items.

This was a rare opportunity—who knew when he’d see her again if he missed this chance?

After a short silence, a jade bottle came flying and smacked him right on the head. Li Yu, who had been planning to shamelessly squeeze a little more out of her—maybe an artifact—looked around the room, only to realize the woman in black had already vanished.

He picked up the jade bottle from the floor, opened it, and saw there was only one pill left inside. Including the two she’d already given him, that made just three.

Li Yu tucked the two earlier pills into the bottle, curled his lips, and muttered, “So stingy… I thought she had a whole bunch…”

As soon as he finished speaking, a huge force slammed into his butt, launching him into the air. He landed flat on the bed in a frog-like position. Li Yu quickly scrambled up, stood respectfully by the bedside, and said loudly, “Thank you, miss…”

There was no response for a long time—she had truly left this time.

Li Yu closed the door tightly and dared not mutter another word.

Up in the sky above Baiyun Temple, the woman in black stood suspended in the air. She cast one final glance downward, then disappeared into the darkness.

Back in the room, Li Yu did not begin cultivating. He sat at his desk, a serious expression on his face.

“Traitors die terrible deaths.”

That was a lesson he’d learned in his past life—paid for with his very life.

If he had a choice, he wouldn’t want to be a spy for either side.

But unfortunately, he had no choice.

In the world of cultivation, power was everything. Without strength, one was just a piece of meat on the chopping block.

If the righteous sects discovered he was a demonic spy, his end would be miserable. And if he betrayed the demonic path, his end would be even worse…

Anyone else in his shoes would probably be panicking by now. But Li Yu wasn’t panicked at all.

With his meager strength at the Qi Refining stage, there was hardly anything he could actually do.

As long as I’m a useless weakling, no one can use me for anything.

What could a Qi Refining stage weakling possibly accomplish?

The troubles of the future could stay in the future.

As for how he would juggle between the righteous and demonic paths later—that was a problem for future Li Yu to figure out. Thinking about it now was pointless.

Li Yu lowered his head and looked at the pill bottle in his hand.

At least for now, being a spy for the demonic path…wasn’t such a bad deal.