She had once lost this grasshopper before, searched for a long time and never found it. Only now did she learn that it had actually fallen into Su Liuyun’s hands.
Normally, something like this should have turned brittle and spoiled within a year.
But who would have expected that Su Liuyun would preserve it as something to save his life. Now that a hundred years had passed, this grasshopper, nourished by spiritual energy, had merely turned yellow.
She was very glad that it still retained its original appearance.
Chao Jinsui looked toward Yan Xueyi.
However, the moment his gaze touched that grasshopper, the handsome demon lord’s pupils suddenly contracted.
All kinds of emotions surged into his heart.
As if, in an instant, he had returned to that night of torrential rain.
At that time, he was not yet the Lord of the Demon Realm, merely the lowest, most insignificant little demon in Ten Thousand Demons Cave.
Covered in wounds, baring his teeth in pain, he shrank into a corner, watching the girl being taken away by that well-dressed noble young master.
That was the past he least wished to recall.
In that memory, the little demon tugged at his tattered, blood-stained old robe, yet could only silently watch her leave through the curtain of rain.
He snatched the grasshopper away in one swift motion, said nothing, turned, and transformed into a wisp of black smoke, disappearing.
This time, he disappeared extremely thoroughly—even Xiao Yanjing was taken away by him.
Chao Jinsui stood up, wanting to chase after him—
However, outside the barrier, distant points of light began to glow, and the sound of commotion carried over.
Meanwhile, Peach Blossom Clove was in complete chaos. Even Su Liuyun’s divine soul had not yet been fully burned away, completely cutting off her chance of catching up.
Her gaze shifted to the last wisp of Su Liuyun’s remnant soul as it burned.
Only Su Liuyun could know the truth.
She fell silent for a moment, and before the flames burned away Su Liuyun’s divine soul entirely, she unhesitatingly extracted his memories.
This was actually a forbidden technique.
Being able to do this was also thanks to the fact that in her previous life she had already reached the Deity Transformation stage. However, if it had been her in her previous life, she absolutely would not have done something like extracting memories from another person’s divine soul—after all, this was extremely cruel to the soul.
Yet at this moment, she was also surprised at her own lack of hesitation.
She had no time to carefully examine the memories extracted from Su Liuyun, and hurriedly stored them within her sea of consciousness.
Seeing the lights drawing closer, Chao Jinsui heard a groan.
She turned her head—it was Su Baiyin, who had been knocked unconscious.
He was holding his forehead, about to wake up.
In that lightning-flash instant, Chao Jinsui suddenly remembered what Chao Zhaoyue had said: “Do you want to be hunted to death by both sides working together?”
—Chao Zhaoyue was right. Being hunted jointly by both sides would absolutely not be easy, and it was very likely she would no longer even have a place to stand in the cultivation world. Chao Zhaoyue was by no means exaggerating. Kunlun was already a tremendous trouble, and with the Su family’s power added on top of that, if they spoke with one voice, becoming the target of everyone would not be strange at all.
She wasn’t that great demon, determined to draw the hatred of the entire world onto herself.
The system sensed something amiss and asked, “Host, what do you want to do?”
Chao Jinsui smiled. “Just thought of a good way to make dogs bite dogs.”
She flipped the dagger and walked toward Su Baiyin.
Chao Jinsui had followed Chao Taichu in learning the sword since childhood, and had long grasped seventy to eighty percent of Chao Taichu’s sword intent.
Chao Taichu, in his younger years, had indeed been a highly accomplished sword cultivator. What he was most famous for was not only his overwhelming sword intent, but also the unique shape of his sword—after all, it would leave behind a plum blossom shape in the wound.
Chao Jinsui gave a light laugh. “When going out to kill and loot, it’s better not to be too unconventional.”
She walked over under Su Baiyin’s terrified gaze.
Su Baiyin’s pupils were unfocused. He died very cleanly.
On his body, a standard plum blossom–shaped sword wound—almost identical to Chao Taichu’s.
Chao Jinsui thought for a moment, then felt around on him and took out a transmission talisman. She infused it with spiritual energy, and the talisman lit up.
She lowered her voice, using a bit of spiritual energy to alter it. Her voice became hoarse and deep, and when she spoke, it was Su Baiyin’s voice.
She said: “Chao Taichu would rather jade be shattered than tile remain whole. To protect Chao Jinsui, killed Liuyun.”
The transmission talisman flashed once and burned to ashes in midair.
The system froze. “Th-this… Host, will the Su family believe it?”
Chao Jinsui smiled. “Why wouldn’t they?”
Thanks to Chao Taichu being the most hypocritical among hypocrites, whenever he left Kunlun, he loved putting on a display of a kind father and filial daughter in front of others. In outsiders’ eyes, Chao Taichu valued her, the Young Sect Master, extremely highly.
And who would believe that a father would, for the sake of an outsider, rather destroy his own biological daughter with an innate sword bone?
Even the Su family would only think that Chao Taichu still had some conscience left, that paternal love had stirred halfway through, and he had suddenly repented.
Didn’t Chao Taichu like putting on a show?
She personally handed him an excellent script:
Let him become the most loving father under heaven—for the sake of his biological daughter, for the sake of fairness, he would rather break with the Su family, rather fight them to the death. Who wouldn’t call that spirited!
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
Very soon, Kunlun disciples surrounded Peach Blossom Clove.
Not long ago, Su Liuyun’s soul lamp had suddenly gone out!
Chao Taichu immediately knew something had happened and hurried over with his people. Sure enough, he saw everyone inside Peach Blossom Clove sprawled in disarray.
The Su family had originally sent quite a few disciples to guard Peach Blossom Clove. When they were shaken awake, their faces were blank with confusion, but soon they belatedly realized something had happened. Their expressions changed drastically, and they rushed inside.
But faster than the Su family members was Chao Xiaotu.
She rushed in like a gust of wind, yet all she saw was Su Baiyin lying on the ground!
“Senior Brother Su! Where’s Senior Brother?!”
Chao Xiaotu searched for a long time—nothing, there was nothing at all!
Even the last trace of Su Liuyun’s remaining aura had disappeared, as if he had never appeared here at all.
Alive—no person to be seen. Dead—no corpse to be found.
Her face was pale as paper. She covered her face and cried, lost and bewildered.
At this moment, Chao Jinsui was hiding in a tree, looking down.
She heard Chao Xiaotu let out a sob, faintly catching the sounds of weeping and words like “the soul lamp has gone out.”
Even so, she still confirmed it with the system, “System, is he really dead?”
The system sensed for a moment. “Really dead.”
But the system did not seem very pleased.
What it said next made Chao Jinsui freeze where she stood.
The system said, “If he could be killed by you, it can only prove one thing: the Heavenly Dao has flaws.”
Chao Jinsui asked in return, “The Heavenly Dao has flaws?”
She raised her head to look at the sky. Dark clouds rolled across it, vast and boundless, pitch black.
System: “Yes.”
The system had never stopped the host from killing Su Liuyun, because it also wanted to see whether the child of destiny, favored by the Heavenly Dao, could be killed.
After all, from the very beginning, the system had vaguely suspected that in the original world-destroying catastrophe, the Heavenly Dao had not played any role at all!
Now that Su Liuyun’s aura had dispersed, it immediately understood—the Heavenly Dao of this world had disappeared at some unknown time.
Chao Jinsui, who had once sealed a great demon and served as the leader of the righteous path, quickly realized the gravity of the matter.
Even though she knew little about the affairs of the Heavenly Dao, she had once seen a sentence in ancient texts:
When the Heavenly Dao has flaws, chaos reigns under heaven!
Where there is light in the world, there is darkness beneath that light; where there is order, there is chaos.
If the human race represents the side of light, then the demon race is the dark side of this world.
—Like the two sides of a scale.
However, when the Heavenly Dao, which represents order and light, is missing, the scale will begin to tilt.
Yin and yang lose balance, chaos spreads across the world, and the demon race flourishes.
This was indeed bad news—
Worse news than Su Liuyun not being dead.
Once the Demon God returns to his rightful place, there will be no Heavenly Dao left in heaven and earth to restrain him.
And the chaotic and mad Demon God—how much of him is still “Yan Xueyi”?
One person and one system both fell into silence.
All of a sudden, she very much wanted to see that demon—such an impulse, sharp and unmistakable.
However, she lowered her head and looked at the chaos below—
Even knowing this earth-shattering news, she still had to face these matters now.
She could not leave yet. She still needed to add one more spark.
Today, she must fix the opposition between Kunlun and the Su family into a deadlock!
She could not give Chao Taichu any chance to turn the tables!
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
When Chao Jinsui stepped in from outside Peach Blossom Clove, Chao Xiaotu lifted her head. Her tear-swollen eyes widened, filled with anger and grief, and she was about to rush forward. “It’s you! It must be you!”
“It must be you who killed Senior Brother Su!”
Chao Taichu also turned his head, glaring at Chao Jinsui, and shouted angrily, “Rebellious child! How dare you!”
However, Chao Jinsui had long since changed her clothes. She wore a familiar white robe, an exquisitely crafted fox-fur cloak draped over her shoulders, faint rippling patterns shimmering upon it. Her bearing was unhurried and composed, not at all like someone who had just killed someone—rather, she looked like she had just finished bathing, languid and cool.
She did not even look at Chao Taichu, only glanced at Chao Xiaotu and narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Junior Sister, mind your words. Matters without evidence—don’t spout nonsense in front of guests.”
As her words fell, as if to confirm them, the Su family’s Golden Core–stage steward, who had been checking Su Baiyin’s breathing, suddenly pulled open Su Baiyin’s clothes, and his expression changed drastically in an instant.
He froze and said, “Plum blossom!”
That cry rang out with force. The disciples who had all been staring at Chao Jinsui widened their eyes, looking at Chao Taichu in disbelief!
A plum blossom cross-shaped sword wound.
Everyone knew—that was Chao Taichu’s famous mark.
The Su family steward glared at Chao Taichu, nearly exploding with rage. “You old bastard! Is this how your Kunlun treats its guests?!”
Chao Taichu was stunned and said instinctively, “That plum blossom must be forged!”
The Su family steward was furious beyond measure: “The plum blossom can be forged, but how can sword qi be faked!”
That was clearly Chao Taichu’s majestic and domineering sword qi!
Hearing this, Chao Jinsui suddenly stepped forward and softly called, “Father,” looking very surprised.
That single word completely jolted Chao Taichu awake.
His fingers trembled with rage—others might not be able to produce such similar sword qi, but Chao Jinsui certainly could!
However, before Chao Taichu could erupt in anger, Chao Jinsui had already lifted the hem of her robe and dropped to her knees with a thud!
That single kneel stunned everyone completely.
“Father, I misunderstood you.”
“You’re not some venomous, heartless creature—how could you possibly replace your own daughter’s bones for a criminal?”
“We of Kunlun are all unyielding sword cultivators. We would rather break than bend. How could a mere Su family make Father lower his head! Your daughter was wrong—many thanks to Father for your compassion!”
As her words fell, the Su family steward had already taken half a step back, watching Chao Taichu warily.
Chao Taichu’s lips turned bluish with rage as he shouted, “Rebellious child! Shut your mouth!”
Yet aside from calling her a rebellious child, the rest of his words caught in his throat.
He simply could not refute it now!
—Was he supposed to argue that he was indeed a heartless wretch, willing to replace his own biological child’s sword bone just to maintain relations with the Su family?
At this moment, however, most of the Kunlun disciples had already heard the commotion and were hurrying toward Peach Blossom Clove.
Everyone saluted, glanced at Chao Jinsui on the ground, then at the mess everywhere, clearly not understanding what had happened.
Chao Jinsui smiled.
“Junior brothers and sisters, this matter was not Father’s true intention. He was also forced into it.”
Chao Taichu had a bad premonition.
Sure enough—
“Su Liuyun colluded with the Hehuan Sect and plotted harm against me. Considering it was his first offense, crippling his sinews and bones was already leniency. Who would have thought the Su family harbored wolfish ambitions, actually wanting to use the bone-replacement technique, forcing me to exchange my entire body’s sword bone—truly going too far in bullying others!”
The disciples around them widened their eyes upon hearing this.
Lingyun was furious. “Is this true?”
Chao Jinsui stared straight at Chao Taichu.
“Every word I have spoken today is true. Heaven and earth bear witness!”
As her words fell, the crowd was instantly stirred into outrage.
“What nonsense is this? What do they take Kunlun for?!”
“The dignified Kunlun—how can we allow such humiliation?!”
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
Meeting Chao Taichu’s blazing eyes, Chao Jinsui let out a soft laugh.
She knew that his silence now was only to preserve the dignity of the Sect Master.
After all, she had already forced him into this position from the start.
If he had even a shred of pride, he would not speak at this moment.
—Even though his fury was practically ready to ignite Chao Jinsui where she stood, his gaze wishing to kill her.
But it was still not enough.
She brushed the snow from her body and stood up.
She turned to look at the Kunlun disciples behind her. Her eyes were like a pair of cold stars in the night, sweeping over everyone present.
“All disciples are here!”
“Today I ask you one question: does Kunlun still have even half a shred of spirit left?!”
Those present, swept by her gaze, all shuddered.
For a moment, every one of them was stirred with fervor, their eyes burning as they looked at her.
The Young Sect Master had accumulated authority over many years. Her words struck the ground with force, like gold and jade clashing.
“Today, we would rather jade be shattered than tile remain whole.”
“Between me and the Su family—until death without rest!”
After a brief silence.
Wuya stepped forward. “Between me and the Su family—until death without rest!”
“Until death without rest!”
The sound shook the clouds.
With one call, a hundred responses—that was how it should be.
Chao Taichu trembled with rage from head to toe, but he could not speak. The initiative had been completely seized the moment she dropped to her knees with that thud.
And with so many Kunlun disciples present, he could not damage Kunlun’s reputation.
So he could only stand there with a livid face, saying nothing, staring fixedly at Chao Jinsui. For a moment, the wariness in his heart surpassed any he had ever felt before!
But an even more troublesome thing happened.
At this moment, even Chao Xiaotu was looking at her own father with that kind of disbelieving gaze.
—Clearly, even Chao Xiaotu thought he had done it.
Not to mention the Su family members.
The Su disciples immediately sent a transmission to their family head.
Even when Chao Taichu walked toward them, they all retreated a step in unison, drawing their long swords, surrounding Chao Taichu so tightly that not a drop of water could pass through.
The leading steward glared furiously:
“Chao Taichu, you old bastard—what exactly do you mean by this!”
“Our eldest young master—alive, no person to be seen; dead, no corpse to be found. Don’t think you can muddle through this! Our Su family is not so easy to bully!”
“If you want to walk out of Peach Blossom Clove today, you must give us an explanation!”
Peach Blossom Clove descended into chaos.
Now, even if Chao Taichu wished to value harmony, the Su family would likely not agree.
Seeing that the dust had settled, Chao Jinsui swiftly turned and ran down the mountain.
—She hoped that demon had not gone far.
Just now, she had rapidly gone through Su Liuyun’s memories.
She thought that, in the end, she had not inherited Chao Taichu’s heartlessness.
The Demon God shedding black blood-tears before the grave overlapped with the little demon in the torrential rain from that memory.
In the end, it became his tightly pressed thin lips as he left, the knuckles clenched so hard they turned pale.
She had an extremely strong intuition—she could not let him leave just like this.
She thought that she had probably lost something very, very important.
Even if she were to die tomorrow, she still had to chase him back!
