Chapter 43 Crossroads Demon
"Whoosh..." Sitting on his sofa at home, Qin Chao deeply exhaled a breath of white mist. At this moment, black clouds of smoke were emanating from his body, forming a series of grotesque skulls that raced back and forth in his house.
According to the cultivation method in the "Nine Nether Magic Art," he had already entered the stage of Qi Refinement. However, it seemed that his level had reached a bottleneck and no matter how hard he tried, he could not find a way to enter the third level of condensing spirit. The secret technique that Rosy gave him was just a fragment, with only the cultivation methods for each level written on it.
But the method to break through the bottleneck was not explained in this fragment.
Qin Chao now yearned for quick and powerful strength. Although he was much stronger than an ordinary person, he was still so vulnerable in the face of firearms. The last time he was by the Songjiang River, a policeman's type 54 pistol almost took his life.
If the policeman had aimed for his head instead of his shoulder, this future demon god would have died from a bullet that cost less than a penny.
If this news were to spread, people in the world of cultivation would probably laugh themselves to death.
At this moment, Qin Chao realized how important it was to have a master to guide him.
Thinking of this, the seductive figure suddenly appeared in his mind. Yes, she was the female demon from hell, Rosy.
But for some reason, Rosy, this beautiful female demon, had not shown herself for several days, as if she had never appeared before. Her familiar scent also did not appear around Qin Chao.
Did this little girl get angry with him? Did she not want to bother with him anymore?
"Rosalind!" Qin Chao shouted at the top of his lungs.
The air suddenly cooled down, and Qin Chao's breath turned into white mist. The mirrors in the room also began to frost over, and the lights flickered as if there was an extremely high energy gathering here.
Before Qin Chao appeared a black door, and out from it came a woman with golden hair and emerald eyes, dressed in leather pants and a jacket, swaying her snake-like waist as she walked.
"Dear customer, are you calling for an envoy from the depths of hell?" she asked.
"You're not Rosy!" Qin Chao narrowed his eyes, staring at the demoness who was even more beautiful than Rosy with suspicion.
"Oh my, my!" The demoness twisted her body and rolled into Qin Chao's arms, her strong scent enveloping his nose. "I'm much gentler than that girl Rosy. Dear customer, you can do anything you want with me, as long as you're willing to sign a new contract with me!"
"Sorry, I only talk to Rosy." Qin Chao held the demoness in his arms, but he couldn't conjure up any wicked thoughts. Although the demoness was flawless in her beauty, Qin Chao felt a sense of aversion towards her in his heart.
He didn't know that Rosy had already planted a deep seed in his heart.
"Really, what's so good about her?" The demoness rolled her eyes and said, "You hate her so much, you even used an expulsion spell on her. In order to satisfy our customers, we switched to a new envoy."
"That's between the two of us. I just want to see her." Qin Chao said indifferently.
"Even without Rosy, it's the same. Don't you want to break through the stage of Spiritual Consolidation?" The demoness said with a bright smile on her face, but cursed inwardly.
That Rosy had given this guy too many sweet treats for free.
"Hehe..." Qin Chao suddenly laughed coldly and spat out a word to the demoness. "Get lost."
"Dear customer, don't be so heartless..."
"Do you need me to recite the expulsion spell?"
"Hmph..." The demoness finally returned to her original demeanor, her face showing indifference and disdain. She stood up from Qin Chao's embrace, and coldly said, "Stupid human. If you want to find that bitch, then wait patiently."
After finishing his conversation, the demoness waved her hand and summoned the Gates of Hell, disappearing into it. The room fell back into silence, and Qin Chao sighed softly. It seemed that he was being a bit too emotional, but for some reason, he couldn't let go of that girl, Rosy.
Suddenly, there was a knocking on the door. Qin Chao immediately got up and walked over to the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Qin Chao gege!" The sweet and cloying voice of Li Na came from outside.
Late at night, what was Li Na doing here? Was it because her mother was out of town again and she came to scrounge for food? Qin Chao had no choice but to open the door.
"Little girl, is it because your mother is out of town again?"
Qin Chao's eyes almost fell out of his head when he saw Li Na outside the door. She was wearing a loose nightgown that exposed one shoulder, and her eyes were seductive as silk as she looked at Qin Chao. Her cheeks were extremely red, and she exuded a pure and alluring charm.
"Qin Chao gege, I want it, will you take me?"
Qin Chao dragged the little girl into the room like she had taken some kind of aphrodisiac, and then slammed the door shut.
"Qin Chao gege, don't be so hasty..."
Qin Chao remained silent, his face cold as he pushed Li Na onto the sofa, and then slapped her pert buttocks hard with his hand.
"Ah!" The little girl let out a painful moan.
"Rosy, damn it, do you have to cosplay every time you come here?"
"Hehe, it's boring if I don't, and you've caught me again!" Li Na turned her head and gave Qin Chao a seductive look. Then, she undulated in a trance-like manner, her figure becoming more curvaceous, and her face completely transformed into another person's appearance.
"You heartless person, I can't believe you still remember me." The female demon, boneless as she was, leaned against Qin Chao and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Last time you cast the expulsion spell, I was really angry. But since you seem to have some interest in me, I'll forgive you this once. However..."
She suddenly reached out with her icy fingers and lightly touched Qin Chao's lips. "I don't want to hear that phrase from your mouth again. Otherwise, you'll never see me again."
"Okay." Qin Chao's lips curled up into a smile. "But in exchange, you can't order me around anymore. You can't force me to do something I don't want to do."
"I like to make deals..." Rosy's face was pressed against Qin Chao's ear. Suddenly, she bit his earlobe lightly and whispered in his ear, "But I really hate making deals with you."
"Hahaha!" Qin Chao burst out laughing. "Rosy, it's so rare for us to meet again. As a celebration, could you help me with a small favor?"
"Hmph!" Rosy let go of Qin Chao and rolled her eyes. Sitting on the sofa, she complained, "I knew it. You never contact me for anything good. Are you trying to seduce some little girl again? Come on, make a wish, and I'll help you get it done!"
"NONONO, I just want to break through the stage of Spiritual Consolidation and become a spiritual being. I just don't know how to do it without any guidance."
"Oh, dear, I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that in private." Rosy giggled. "I'm a demon who lives in the Western Hell. I don't understand your cultivation methods. But if you make a wish, I have the power to help you, oh!"
"Make a wish..." Qin Chao knew it was time to come clean with the female demon. "What do I have to offer in exchange? My soul?"
Rosy's expression became serious, and she stood up. She spoke slowly and deliberately to Qin Chao.
"Yes, trading with human souls is one of our demon's abilities. Have you heard of the Crossroads Demon Deals? You need to take a bone from a cat, a picture of yourself, put them in a box filled with graveyard dirt, and bury it at the crossroads. A demon will appear, and you can make a wish. The demon will grant your wish, and you can become rich, powerful, or even have everything you want. But, you will lose your soul. At that time, you will only have ten years left to live. After ten years, a hellhound will come to collect your soul."
"I'm the same, right?" Qin Chao gazed deeply at Rosy. "If I make a wish to you, will the hellhound drag my soul to hell in ten years?"
"You're not quite the same," Rosy shook her head and said, "You were born with a demonic body and an incredibly powerful soul. Otherwise, do you think you could have defeated the Thousand-Year-Old Demon God of the Rakshasa Sect with just a small Buddhist artifact? It was your soul that was too powerful; the Buddhist artifact was merely a trigger that helped your soul to destroy Luo De's divine consciousness."
"So, for your soul, we have a different plan in Hell. We can fulfill ten of your wishes, and for each wish granted, one-tenth of your soul will be traded. Until all ten wishes are fulfilled, your soul will be completely traded. At that time, the hellhound will come and take your soul away immediately."
"It seems that I am indeed a very special customer," Qin Chao raised his eyebrows and asked, "But what if I only make nine wishes? Won't you be at a loss then?"
"All transactions have risks, don't they?" Rosy answered very playfully. But there was a hint of gloom in her eyes. Making a wish was like taking drugs. Human greed made them involuntarily make a second wish after the first one was fulfilled.
"Well, do you want to make your first wish like me? As long as you make a wish, I can help you break through the Qi refining stage and reach the level of concentrating your mind!"
"Heh, forget it," unexpectedly, Qin Chao waved his hand. "I believe I have a way to enter the Concentration stage. I don't need to use my soul to make a wish."
In Qin Chao's mind, he saw the youthful face and huge breasts of Hua Niang, the snake demon. She had been practicing for so many years; entering the Spiritual Consolidation stage should be a piece of cake for her.
The only difficulty was not knowing where to find her. But as long as fate was on his side, they would eventually meet.
"You will make a wish to me..." Rosy looked deeply at Qin Chao and suddenly turned into black smoke, disappearing from the house.
Chapter 44 Everyone Does Morning Exercises Together
"Qin Chao gege! Open up quickly!" Early in the morning, someone came knocking on Qin Chao's door while he was still half-asleep.
"Who is it... so early in the morning..." Qin Chao was in the middle of a spring dream, with himself and Su Ji as the main characters. He reluctantly got up and then recognized that the person knocking on the door was Li Na.
Thinking of the passionate night before, Qin Chao blushed for the first time in a long while and quickly opened the door.
Li Na was wearing a clean school uniform with tight-fitting jeans, which perfectly wrapped her legs and hips.
"What do you want this early in the morning?" Qin Chao asked, trying to hold back his saliva.
"Qin Chao gege, I have a parent-teacher conference today!"
"Parent-teacher conference?" Qin Chao suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh, I remember now. When is it?"
"After school this afternoon, you must remember!" Li Na whispered to Qin Chao, "And don't let my mom find out! I don't want her to worry!"
"Don't worry, I've got this." Qin Chao thought to himself that this was a small matter, much simpler than getting rid of Fang Hua.
"Alright then, Qin Chao gege, you must remember. I'm off to school!"
With that, the little girl bounced away with her school bag, disappearing down the stairs.
Qin Chao sighed, this was youth. When he was in high school, he hated parent-teacher conferences the most. His grades were a mess and his parents were ashamed to go to the meetings for him.
But that didn't matter, he now had a monthly salary of at least 4,000 yuan, much stronger than those graduates from prestigious universities. Many students set their goals too high after graduation, and they don't want to work if the salary is too low or the job is too difficult.
High-paying jobs require either a high degree or long-term work experience. This is just a high wall for recent college graduates.
Upon graduating, Qin Chao applied for the position of clerk at a decent-sized company. The salary for this position wasn't very high, barely scraping 2,000 yuan a month with bonuses. But it was still a highly sought-after job. Despite placing second in the written test and first in the interview, he was mercilessly turned down in the end.
If it weren't for that person's appearance, Qin Chao would probably be working in an office at a large company, as a white-collar worker. He wouldn't have encountered Luo De, who opened the door for him to the world of cultivation. Nor would he have met Rosy, Su Ji...
Fate is truly a mysterious thing.
Lost in thought, Qin Chao finished packing up his things. He rode his bicycle to his workplace, Guangyuan International Economics Institute.
Wang Wenkun was standing outside the school gate, holding a stun gun and stopping those who stayed out all night and came back in the morning. When he saw Qin Chao approaching, he didn't say a word. He simply glared at him with a cold face, sneaking a glance at Qin Chao out of the corner of his eye.
Qin Chao looked back at him and Wang Wenkun immediately lowered his head and stood to the side. In Wang Wenkun's eyes, Qin Chao was like a piece of fatty meat. He couldn't mess with him, but he also couldn't avoid him. As soon as he found the opportunity, he would fire him on the spot.
Qin Chao didn't know what Wang Wenkun was thinking, and at the moment, he himself was in a state of confusion.
After parking his bike, Qin Chao noticed that the chain was a bit loose. He bent down to fix it, getting his hands covered in grease. At that moment, a group of first-year students running morning exercises came into view, shouting an unsynchronized slogan.
Morning exercises for first-year students were a tradition in some universities in northeast China. Though it was a bit tiring, it was indeed good for one's health. Qin Chao often reflected that when he was a first-year student, his dormitory was on the sixth floor, and he didn't feel tired going up and down. By the time he was a senior, the dormitory had been moved to the third floor, and just one trip would make him feel exhausted.
People nowadays are all in a state of sub-health.
As he thought this, the leading female teacher caught Qin Chao's attention.
The teacher was wearing a red sportswear outfit that, although loose, couldn't conceal her figure. Especially when she was running, the outfit tightly hugged her perky buttocks, which looked like two halves of a split watermelon, round and naturally formed.
The students following behind her, most of them with drool running down their mouths, ran and drooled. Following such a beautiful teacher to exercise, even if it was tough and tiring, they were probably enjoying it.
"Hey!" The female teacher's gaze was good, and she spotted Qin Chao from afar, immediately waving at him.
"Wang Feng, please continue to lead them in exercising and dismiss them after two laps." She said to the male physical education teacher next to her. The male teacher was showing off his muscular physique and occasionally pulling his shoulders back in front of the female teacher to display his strong pectoral muscles.
Upon hearing the female teacher's words, the male teacher named Wang Feng immediately patted his chest and said in a thick and rough voice, "Don't worry, Teacher Su, leave it to me!"
"Students, keep up and run five more laps with me!" In order to show off his masculine prowess, Wang Feng shouted loudly and led a group of complaining students to continue running around the track.
"Good morning!" Qin Chao locked his car and smiled at Teacher Su.
"Good morning!" Although she had run several laps, Su Ji's forehead was not sweaty at all. She ran up to Qin Chao and did a few stretching exercises, occasionally bending down and touching her toes with her fingers. Her perfect curves immediately caught Qin Chao's eye.
"Exercising every day is so boring. I prefer doing health exercises, but unfortunately only the boys are willing to learn. The girls aren't interested." Su Ji said.
"Hehe, if it weren't for you teaching, I'm afraid even the boys wouldn't be interested." Qin Chao chuckled and tried to pull his eyes back in, saying, "Su Ji's charm is irresistible."
"Hmph, sweet talk won't get you to be my personal chef." Su Ji pouted playfully, punching Qin Chao's shoulder with her fist. "Take me out to eat!"
"Okay, KFC, McDonald's, your pick!" Qin Chao said.
"I won't eat that junk food! I want to eat what you make. I'll come to your place tonight, and you can cook me a big meal!" Su Ji said.
"Okay." Qin Chao nodded. He suddenly remembered that there was a parent-teacher conference with Li Na that evening, so he said, "Let's meet up at night. After work, I have to go to Second High and help Li Na with the parent-teacher conference."
"Oh ho!" Su Ji immediately stared at Qin Chao in a strange way, as if trying to read something from his face. "Li Na is your neighbor's little sister, right? Indeed, she's very cute. But what are you to her? Let me guess... her lover?"
"Get out of here... Don't talk nonsense!" Despite having thick skin, Qin Chao's face turned red. "I don't have a thing for young girls. Her mother is just busy and this child doesn't want to worry her parents, so she asked me to go instead. She's doing well in school, so there probably won't be any problems at the parent-teacher conference."
"Oh, the way you speak, it seems like you care about her a lot." Su Ji rolled her eyes. "You even said you're not into young girls."
"I really am not... Her parents divorced early, and she's from a single-parent family. Her mother often goes on business trips, so this child always comes to my house for meals. I treat her like a younger sister."
Su Ji rolled her eyes at Qin Chao again, thinking to herself that he shouldn't assume that Li Na thinks of him as a brother. Then, she smiled mischievously and said, "Well, since I have nothing to do this afternoon, I'll accompany you to the parent-teacher conference."
"Um... That's not necessary."
"What's wrong? It's a parent-teacher conference, and it's best if both parents attend."
"What does that make us then?"
"Colleagues! You, this guy, are you trying to take advantage of me and make me your wife? Hmph, the last time was a special case, and the situation forced it. Don't expect it to happen again!"
"Yes, yes, you are Her Highness the Princess, and I, Qin Chao, would never dare to have any thoughts about you with Prince Li Chao around."
"Go away. What does Li Chao have to do with me? I don't even like him."
"But he likes you, with flowers and princess treatment."
"Actually, every time he calls me that, I feel quite nauseous, hehe... But this guy has thicker skin than you, and I have no choice."
There's a saying that goes, "Don't talk about people during the day, and don't talk about ghosts at night." Just as the two were talking about Li Chao, the secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, his black Audi Q7 pulled up at the school gate.
"Secretary Li!" This Q7 with a police license plate was known to most people in Sunan City who had some common sense. Wang Wenkun, who claimed to be an upper-class person, was no exception.
Seeing Li Chao getting out of the car, he immediately greeted him respectfully.
"It's not your business," Secretary Li ignored him completely, waved his hand, parked the car at the door, and walked towards Su Ji with a gentle smile.
Wang Wenkun felt a little embarrassed, he looked around, held his waist, and shouted to a few security guards.
"A few people come here and watch Secretary Li's car. Don't let anyone get close! Zhang Li, come here and stand guard! If there is a scratch on Secretary Li's car, your bonus this month will be deducted!"
The security guards had to follow orders, but they cursed in their hearts. This Wang Wenkun flattered Li Chao and made trouble for the people below him. He was really a beast!
But Li Chao didn't appreciate it at all. His eyes were only on Su Ji, the beauty.
"Princess, I have booked the best seat at the Anthony Hotel. May I have the honor of inviting you to a romantic dinner?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I have an appointment tonight," Su Ji shook her head apologetically.
"An appointment?" Li Chao immediately frowned and asked, "With whom?"
"Qin Chao, he also invited me to dinner. I promised to go to his house for dinner, hehe." Su Ji quickly pulled Qin Chao out and made him her shield.
"Oh?" Li Chao raised his eyebrows and then saw Qin Chao standing next to him, leaning against a Forever 28 bicycle, covered in grease.
"Who is this?" As the saying goes, the privileged forget easily. But in just a few days, Li Chao had already forgotten Qin Chao. He didn't know if he was too busy to remember or selectively ignored him.
"Hello, my name is Qin Chao." Qin Chao chuckled and deliberately extended his greasy hand to pat Secretary Li's spotlessly clean shoulder twice, "You look very familiar, where have we met before? Also, the school gate prohibits non-motorized vehicles from parking. If you don't mind, please move your car away. Thank you for your cooperation."