After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 78 - "As an Evil Cultist, Taming a Fox Demon as a Pet Seems Reasonable"

“Forget it. Feng Yuan would kill me for that,” He Yan muttered, clicking her tongue as she lowered her blood scythe, clearly losing interest in the argument with He Ange.

Meanwhile, Bai Zihua’s heart sank.

He hadn’t expected the person to save him from the clutches of death to be He Ange of all people.

Of course, Bai Zihua wasn’t naive. He knew He Ange had spared him for a reason. No one did anything for free.

People were pragmatic.

If you asked Bai Zihua to submit outright, he would never agree. But if you threatened to kill him, suddenly compromise didn’t seem so bad.

When life and death were on the line, dignity wasn’t worth much.

“May I ask what you two require of me? If there’s anything I can do to assist...” Bai Zihua said, his tone both cautious and ingratiating.

He Ange couldn’t help but marvel at He Yan’s sheer presence. All she had to do was stand there with her blood scythe, and a proud direct disciple like Bai Zihua was reduced to groveling, his attitude taking a complete 180.

Truly, He Yan lived up to her reputation as Feng Yuan’s most ruthless enforcer.

“Senior Brother, you’re a smart man,” He Ange said with a sigh, pulling the Abyss Orb from his robes. “You have two choices: struggle and get knocked out, or submit and accept being corrupted.”

“Corrupted...?” Bai Zihua’s body trembled.

He stared at the Abyss Orb in He Ange’s hand, already dreading his fate.

To be corrupted meant having his mind controlled, reduced to a puppet of the Abyss Orb’s wielder—a fate worse than death.

No cultivator would willingly become a slave to the Abyss Orb. Bai Zihua was no exception.

He began to wonder if he could still escape. If he used his emergency talisman and fled to Yong’an City, would he have a chance?

Qin Shiyan had given him a protective talisman before sending him to Yong’an City. It could grant him a few minutes of invincibility in a dire situation.

Maybe... just maybe, he could make it.

With that thought, Bai Zihua discreetly activated the talisman, channeling his spiritual energy into it.

But before the talisman could fully activate, a cold wind brushed past his ear.

Swish!

Before he realized what had happened, something fell to the ground.

Looking down, he saw his severed right arm, still clutching the talisman.

“Ah... ahhh...”

At first, Bai Zihua didn’t feel pain—only the sheer terror of being dismembered.

Then the pain hit, searing through his body. He collapsed to his knees, clutching the bleeding stump where his arm used to be.

Behind him, he heard heavy footsteps. Turning his head, he saw He Yan standing over him, her blood scythe resting on his shoulder. The blade’s chain hovered dangerously close to his neck.

“Do you think I’m a joke? Or do you think this scythe is a joke?” He Yan asked coldly, her patience visibly wearing thin.

Her mood was as unpredictable as her actions.

If not for He Ange’s intervention, Bai Zihua would have been decapitated the moment he reached for the talisman.

“Please... don’t kill me. I won’t resist anymore. I swear...” Bai Zihua whimpered, his voice trembling as he lay prostrate on the ground.

Sometimes, survival instincts overrode pride. He Yan’s eerie presence, coupled with her swift and brutal efficiency, left no room for defiance.

“Good boy~”

“If you join our sect, I’ll sew your arm back on for you. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt at all~” He Yan said, crouching down to pinch Bai Zihua’s cheek with a smile that was equal parts sweet and sinister.

As she spoke, the bandages that had fallen from her body floated back into place, wrapping around her once more. They also sealed her blood scythe, rendering it dormant for now.

Bai Zihua nodded numbly, too terrified to do anything else.

Satisfied, He Yan stood up and gave He Ange an “OK” gesture.

He Ange swallowed hard, silently admiring her efficiency.

Stepping forward, he held the Abyss Orb in front of Bai Zihua’s face.

“Senior Brother Zihua, I suggest you relax. At least the Abyss Orb won’t tear you to pieces,” He Ange said, his tone almost sympathetic.

…

He Ange successfully corrupted Bai Zihua.

To fully corrupt a peak Core Formation cultivator was no easy feat. After half an hour, He Ange was visibly exhausted.

Fortunately, Bai Zihua had stopped resisting, allowing the process to proceed smoothly.

Once the corruption was complete, He Ange gave Bai Zihua a few simple commands before letting him rest.

He didn’t tell Bai Zihua to forget everything that had happened. Unlike Nightfall, He Ange wasn’t one to take unnecessary risks. Using the Abyss Orb, he manually erased key memories from Bai Zihua’s mind, ensuring there would be no loose ends.

As for whether Bai Zihua would remain loyal after the corruption, that would depend on how things unfolded back at the Shengxu Sect.

The memory erasure was a safety net. Even if Bai Zihua somehow broke free of the Abyss Orb’s control, He Ange wouldn’t lose much.

“Oh, one more thing,” He Ange said, waking Bai Zihua again.

“If someone—like Master or another powerful cultivator—discovers you’ve been corrupted and breaks the control, you’ll tell them it was the Moon Sect that used the Abyss Orb on you. Remember, it was the Moon Sect.”

“Understood,” Bai Zihua replied mechanically, the psychological suggestion taking hold.

Satisfied, He Ange let him rest again.

The Abyss Orb’s corruption didn’t erase Bai Zihua’s consciousness entirely. It simply suppressed parts of his will and implanted suggestions and commands.

Even if Qin Shiyan freed Bai Zihua from the Abyss Orb’s influence, the psychological suggestions would linger, subtly guiding his actions.

With these safeguards in place, He Ange felt confident. He had learned from Nightfall’s mistakes—trusting the Abyss Orb blindly was foolish. Precautions were necessary.

“Little He Ange, still as cautious as ever,” He Yan teased from her perch on a tree branch.

He Ange looked up to see her swinging her bandaged legs like a child on a swing.

“How boring. Since we’re out here, why not take me to Yong’an City for some fun?” she suggested.

“Let’s not. The city is crawling with cultivators and guards. I barely escaped. I’m not going back to die,” He Ange replied.

“Chicken!” she pouted, sticking out her tongue.

He Yan’s role under Feng Yuan was primarily as an enforcer. She was impulsive and carefree, the complete opposite of He Ange’s cautious nature.

But among the many evil cultivators, He Yan enjoyed He Ange’s company the most.

After all...

He Ange was the only “normal” person in their sect.

And because he was so different, he was all the more intriguing.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take you somewhere fun next time,” He Ange said, trying to placate her.

He Yan jumped down from the tree, stepping over the unconscious Bai Zihua to inspect the fox demon girl.

“Little He Ange, this fox demon is pretty cute. That man is yours now, so can I keep her as my collection?” she asked, crouching beside the girl.

“That... might not be appropriate, Senior Sister,” He Ange replied, frowning slightly.

He Yan stood up, pouting. After a moment, she seemed to have an idea. Pulling out Xu Daoyun’s severed head, she held it out to He Ange with a grin.

“How about I trade this for her?” she offered.

“I don’t want it,” He Ange said flatly.

He Yan froze, her expression turning icy. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she glared at him.

“But when I return, I’ll tell Master that Senior Sister He saved my life and played a crucial role in retrieving the Abyss Orb,” He Ange added quickly.

Hearing this, He Yan’s mood brightened.

“Haha! Little He Ange, you’re so thoughtful~” she said, her grin returning.

Reluctantly, she conceded the fox demon to He Ange and walked away, her hands clasped behind her back.

As she left, she glanced up at the sky and murmured, “Well, I suppose it makes sense. Little He Ange is almost an adult now. As a grown man in our sect, it’s perfectly reasonable for him to tame a fox demon as a pet.”

“Wait, when did I ever say—”

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“Relax, I was just joking. I won’t actually take her from you. And I definitely won’t tell Feng Yuan about this,” she said, cutting him off with a mischievous smile.

“??”

…

Northern Secret Realm, Abyss Gorge

In the palace at the end of the abyss, Feng Yuan sat on a long bench, her youthful appearance at odds with her ancient aura. Her phoenix-like eyes were calm as she stared at the cold tea on the table before her.

She was waiting.

Waiting for news from He Ange and He Yan.

Feng Yuan trusted He Ange’s abilities and He Yan’s combat prowess. As long as He Ange successfully retrieved the Abyss Spirit Orb and Abyss Orb, even the Dragon Empress herself wouldn’t be able to stop He Yan from bringing him back safely.

But the wait was taking longer than expected.

What was keeping them?

Feng Yuan sighed, closing her eyes as she resumed her meditation, mentally counting stars to pass the time.

When she reached the 1,234th star, the palace stirred. A black vortex appeared on the floor, and a black-clad boy emerged, kneeling before her bench.

Feng Yuan opened her eyes, her phoenix-like gaze sharpening as she straightened her posture. Crossing her pale legs beneath her gown, she gestured for He Ange to speak.

It was rare for her to show such interest in a subordinate’s report. Most of the time, she barely acknowledged them.

“Master, thanks to Senior Sister He, I’ve returned safely,” He Ange said, bowing deeply.

“Rise,” Feng Yuan said coolly, her tone tinged with approval.

But He Ange remained kneeling, his hesitation evident.

“Master, I only managed to retrieve one of the treasures,” he admitted.

“Hm.”

Feng Yuan didn’t seem angry. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, bringing back even one treasure was a significant achievement.

“But... Master... I also used the treasure without permission. And now... the Abyss Orb...” He Ange trailed off, his expression awkward.

Summoning the Abyss Orb, he held it out with his head bowed, unable to meet her gaze.

Under the warm light of the chandelier, Feng Yuan noticed the orb’s dim, lackluster glow. It looked... wilted.

“The Abyss Orb... doesn’t seem to shine anymore,” He Ange said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“?”