Chapter 423


    Baryl continued, “Simon may seem peculiar, but his intentions towards you are genuine. Do you


    understand why he took off his ring earlier but then put it back on?”


    Mauve nced at Baryl, her eyes wet with tears. “Why?”


    Baryl exined, “This ring is a treasure. Simon initially wanted to leave it with you, but he decided to


    take it back out of concern. He didn''t want the ring to inadvertently bring you any trouble or danger.”


    Hearing that, Mauve burst into tears.


    She sobbed for a while before wiping her tears dry and getting to her feet. Without hesitation, she ran


    out and headed toward Heavenly Cave.


    Simon thought he was doomed.


    When he woke up, the sun was up.


    To be exact, it was two in the afternoon.


    Simon discovered he was lying in Baryl''s bed. There was a ss skylight on the roof, allowing the


    sunlight to stream into the room.


    Through the sunlight, one could see the dust floating everywhere.


    There was dust everywhere in this world, and with every breath they took, everyone would unknowingly


    inhale particles of dust. However, the dust was barely visible to the naked eye.


    Right now, Simon could see the dust clearly.


    He sat up abruptly and realized his body was nursed back to health. The golden king silkworm in his


    body had disappeared, along with the poison.


    He felt free, rxed, and strong again.


    He was no longer restrained and could do whatever he wanted.


    Simon let out a loud roar before he jumped off the bed and ran out of Baryl''s house.


    At the mountain''s summit, Simon dashed out, his eyes fixed on the majestic expanse of mountains


    before him. The warm sunlight embraced his body.


    He could feel the exhrating surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, a sensation he had been


    missing for far too long.


    He had been frustrated for too long.


    However, Simon''s delight didn''tst for long. He suddenly realized something was wrong.


    Why did my poison get cured suddenly? Did Marlington King finally take action?


    That thought merely served to increase Simon''s confusion.


    He had only met Marlington King once, but he knew thetter well.


    No one could make the king change his mind.


    However, Marlington King ended up saving me. What made him change his mind? Also, where is


    Mauve?


    Simon''s confusion heightened.


    Right then, Baryl stepped out of his neighbor''s house with a bowl of medicinal broth.


    Simon turned to look at Baryl, who gave him the bowl. “Eat up. This will aid in your recovery.”


    Instead of epting the bowl, Simon said, “I''ve recoveredpletely, so I won''t be needing this.” He


    paused before asking, “What exactly happened? Where is Mauve?”


    Baryl gazed at him and replied, “Some things are best kept a secret. Since you''ve recovered, you


    should leave.”


    As Simon''s breath grew heavy, a realization struck him. The sudden recovery he experienced must


    have been connected to Mauve.


    Marlington King, who initially refused to assist him, eventually intervened. It became clear to Simon that


    Mauve must have made a sacrifice to influence the king''s decision and ensure his recovery.


    Simon''s eyes turned red as he felt a stab of pain in his heart. It felt that he had traveled back in time to


    the summer when Olive died in front of his eyes.


    He couldn''t save her back then, so he refused to let Mauve sacrifice this time.


    Ignoring Baryl, he made his way to Heavenly Cave.


    “Simon!” Baryl called after him. He quickly ran forward to block Simon''s path.


    “Move!” Simon snapped coldly.


    Baryl exined, “You''ll never make it inside. Mauve has sacrificed a lot for you, so don''t make her


    sacrifices go to waste.”


    “What did she sacrifice?” Simon demanded.


    Baryl''s eyes dimmed. He looked up and disclosed, “Mauve has made an agreement with Marlington


    King to be the perpetual Holy Maiden of Sacred Maiden Cave. She has pledged never to venture


    beyond the cave''s boundaries, dedicating herself to preserving her purity and providing her blood as


    sustenance for the holy king silkworm. This was the condition set forth for his intervention to ensure


    your rescue.”


    Simon''s body trembled when he learned the truth. Gritting his teeth, he dered, “I must take her away


    with me.”


    Baryl made a desperate attempt to sway him, “Don''t be stupid. Marlington King and his followers aren''t


    formidable solely due to their cultivation abilities. It''s their parasitic skills that make them truly terrifying.


    By entering the cave, you''re only inviting doom upon yourself. Furthermore, even if you were to die,


    Mauve would still be condemned to eternal imprisonment, tasked with sustaining the holy king


    silkworm. Isn''t it unbearably cruel to subject her to such a fate?”


    Simon''s eyes reddened as he retorted, “Are you oblivious to her tender age? She''s being forced into a


    lifetime of seclusion all for the sake of a wretched Parasite King. How could we tolerate such cruelty?


    Humans are above all beings, and yet she is expected to sacrifice herself for a mere parasite?”


    “But Marlington King doesn''t think that way,” Baryl replied. “It was consensual. You''ve been saved, so


    Mauve must keep her word.”


    Simon remained resolute, his determination was unwavering. “I will not abandon her. Even if it costs


    me my life, I will rescue her,” he dered firmly. With a forceful shove, he pushed Baryl aside and


    dashed toward Heavenly Cave as swiftly as a lightning bolt.


    There weren''t many things Simon cared about.


    When he was nine, he was forced to kill Coco, his pet bulldog.


    When he was eighteen, he watched Olive die after getting gang raped.


    Every time something like that happened, he could only watch on as there was nothing he could do.


    He refused to feel helpless this time when Mauve was in danger.


    He was determined to go to any lengths, even if it meantying down his own life in his unwavering


    quest to save her.


    Shortly after, Simon arrived at the entrance of Heavenly Cave.


    This time, two other disciples were guarding the entrance. They were both shocked to see Simon as


    his eyes were unnaturally red.


    “You''re Simon Sandler, right? Are you here to see Marlington King?” one disciple asked.


    Simon nodded without a word.


    The disciple told him, “Okay, you can head in. Marlington King has instructed us to allow you entry.”


    Simon strode into the cave and soon arrived at Marlington King''s stone chamber.


    Marlington King looked the same. He nced at Simon before shing a smile. “You seem to be


    recovering well.”


    Simon dered firmly, “I havee to take Mauve with me. Once she is safe, I will bring another


    youngdy to take her position. I advise you not topel me to resort to force.”


    Marlington King said calmly, “That''s impossible. We''ve made a deal. Since she got what she wanted,


    she would have to keep her word. I cannot ept any other innocent youngdy you attempt to


    substitute in her ce.”


    Rage ran red through Simon''s brain as he dered, “You sly b*stard! I didn''t n on going on a killing


    spree, but you''re forcing me to do it. I shall ask you onest time. Will you release her or not? If you


    don''t, I''ll kill everyone within Heavenly Cave!”


    Marlington King responded calmly, “Well, I don''t think you''re not capable of doing that.”


    Simon snorted icily and said, “Very well. You believe I will engage inbat with you, huh? You clearly


    don''t know me well.” With that, he disappeared from the stone chamber in a sh.


    Marlington King could barely hide his shock. He had spent his entire life in the stone chamber, focusing


    on nurturing parasites. Naturally, hecked the cunning streak disyed by Simon. He assumed Simon


    would engage in a fair and impartial battle with him, but he was wrong.


    Back then, when Simon fought against Jonathan on the deserted ind at Norham, he disyed his


    exceptional prowess by nearly single-handedly wiping Jonathan and his forces out. This incident


    served as a testament to his remarkable abilities andbat skills.


    Outside the stone chamber, Simon bumped into the two disciples.


    Bursting intoughter, he grabbed one disciple and threw him to the wall, causing him to die on the


    spot.


    Simon then bit another disciple''s neck and sucked out a mouthful of blood.


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    Right then, Marlington King stepped out of his stone chamber. Seeing that, Simon threw the disciple''s


    body at him.


    “Sly b*stard, you''re an expert on the Marlingtonian parasites. I know how capable you are. Do you


    seriously think I''ll fight against you?” Simon sneered.


    “I have taken the lives of only two disciples thus far. If you persist in holding Mauve captive, I will not


    hesitate to take more lives,” he warned. “Let us see if the lives of your disciples hold greater value to


    you, or if the holy king silkworm takes precedence.”


    Marlington King broke into a cold sweat. “Okay. I''ll take you to Mauve.”


    Simon told him, “You must release her, and I want to see her in one piece. Do you think I''ll fall for your


    trick?”


    Marlington King said gravely, “It is not a matter of my refusal to release her. At present, the holy king


    silkworm thrives on the nourishment of Mauve''s blood. If she were to leave Holy Maiden Cave, both


    she and the holy king silkworm would meet their demise.”


    Simon''s body quivered uncontrobly. His fury surged as he vehemently proimed, “You despicable


    old scum! Everyone in Heavenly Cave shall meet their maker!”


    “Wait a minute!” Marlington King interjected hastily when he saw how upset Simon was.


    Simon red at Marlington King, his eyes red with fury. He had exercised restraint for far too long, and


    his patience was wearing thin. If Marlington King didn''t provide a solution, he would die along with


    everyone today.


    After killing Coco and watching Olive die, Simon refused to feel helpless for the third time.


    I won''t let that happen!


    Marlington King exined, “If a man is willing to be one with her, there''s a chance he might attract


    the holy king silkworm to enter his body. That''s the only way to save Mauve.”


    “How can I be sure that you''re telling the truth?” Aplicated look crossed Simon''s eyes.


    Marlington King shrugged. “I won''t lie to you. I can''t help it if you don''t believe me and choose to kill


    everyone inside Heavenly Cave.”


    Simon''s gaze bore into Marlington King. He knew thetter somewhat well.


    Despite holding the esteemed title of a king and possessing expertise in parasites, coupled with a


    formidable level of cultivation, Marlington King proved to be naive. His assumption that Simon would


    engage in a fair and honorable confrontation revealed that.


    It was unlikely that he would lie. However, there was a possibility that he might learn from his mistake


    and set Simon up.


    “I can believe you if you agree to take this Maleficent Lethal Pill,” Simon announced as he pulled a


    Spirit Gathering Pill from his spatial ring.