In that sunless underground slave yard, the little Demon who was locked in a cage and hated the entire world. But it did not quite count as a nightmare, because there were her rabbit shoes, the big steamed bun she gave him, the way she called him “Yanyan.”
That was the only stroke of good fortune that descended upon the little Demon’s bleak childhood. Because of her, Yan Xueyi truly found a way to live in the Demon Realm; he no longer had to live humbly like a beast barely clinging to life.
He had thought of going to repay her kindness, for instance, clinging to that little sword cultivator like an evil ghost; he had also heard that single “Yanyan” countless times in his dreams.
Only later, by twists of fate, they went their separate ways.
She saved him once, and he saved her once.
Yet after those two brief crossings, their destinies moved toward two completely different directions.
When they met again years later, the little radish head had become a sword cultivator wielding the Fumo Sword, while the little Demon she once let go had become the rumored cruel and bloodthirsty Demon Venerable.
The little sword cultivator who once carried a wooden sword had grown up, yet she still possessed the same impractical sense of justice and kindness as in childhood. She heard that he committed countless evils, heard that he was ruthless and bloodthirsty—when she awoke from midnight dreams, did she ever regret that moment of softheartedness, letting loose such a calamity?
She must have regretted it, otherwise why would she later meet him blade against blade?
The little Demon’s good fortune seemed to have ended as well.
He once thought that in this lifetime, the two of them could only be called mortal enemies. There would never again be a moment when he could call her Suisui; at most, when making a New Year’s wish, he could only disguise it with a single line, “peace year after year.”
Unable to love, unable to hate.
But it seemed that good fortune had once again favored him.
He heard a voice—
“Yanyan.”
The Demon Venerable in the bathing pool opened his eyes and heard the familiar voice.
He pulled himself out of his memories and saw that familiar figure outside the bathing pool.
She had hurried over, probably thinking that after hearing Chao Xiaotu’s words, he would fly into a rage, lose control, or fall into gloom from recalling the past. The sword cultivator, who was usually unhurried, now actually looked somewhat flustered.
Her undisguised concern made him want to laugh a little: still just as slow-witted as when she was little.
The Demon narrowed his phoenix eyes, leaned back at ease, utterly unconcerned that his upper body was completely bare, his beautifully defined muscles exposed. He looked at her, then at the bathwater. “What, do you sword cultivators have a hobby of barging in when people are bathing?”
She froze, and for once looked a bit embarrassed as she turned around. “Yanyan, put your clothes on.”
He was usually so irritable, always threatening to gouge this one’s eyes out or chop off that one’s head, his mental state extremely unstable, as if he might transform into a demon god at any moment and slaughter everything. Who knew that today not only was his mental state stable, he was even leisurely taking a bath?
She glared at Xiao Yanjing: why didn’t you say clearly?
The guilty Xiao Yanjing immediately slipped away: wasn’t it you who told me to come!
She said, “Since you’re fine, I won’t disturb your bathing.”
“I was indeed very angry. I wanted to kill her, gouge out her eyes, and throw her into karmic fire to be burned.”
Her footsteps paused.
“But you have already upheld justice on behalf of this seat. If this seat continues to pursue the matter, wouldn’t that be somewhat acting spoiled due to favor?”
Even Yan Xueyi himself found it strange. He did not know whether it was because of her defense, or because he had dreamed of the little radish head from childhood, but he found that his temper had improved, and he himself had become far more magnanimous.
Mm, magnanimous.
He smiled. “Afraid this seat will harm the innocent? What do you take this seat for, a madman who kills indiscriminately everywhere?”
It seemed this demon had finally gained a clear self-awareness of his own mental state.
She sighed: “Yan Xueyi, I came to find you only to tell you that I won’t let anyone see that part of the past.”
“Those past things, just the two of us knowing is enough.”
The air fell quiet for a moment, and the demonic aura in the bathhouse, which had been baring its fangs and claws, gradually calmed down.
—She knew it, she had to coax him a little. If she did not coax him, he definitely would not let it go.
She had gradually become proficient in this entire process of coaxing a demon; she could even guess what expression he had right now with her eyes closed.
The words had been said, the demon had been coaxed, and she should be leaving now. Yet just as she lifted her foot, she heard wet footsteps behind her. She caught sight of a naked reflection in the pool’s surface, and her whole body immediately stiffened, growing tense:
“Um, you, you… Yanyan, put your clothes on.”
She did not stop walking. She felt his body temperature appear before her, steaming heat spreading between them. She subconsciously stepped back. Unable to turn her head, she could only stiffen her neck and retreat backward.
She was someone who would not change expression even if Mount Tai collapsed before her, yet this demon always had ways to drive her mad.
And this Demon was shameless—seeing the mask of composure on her face on the verge of collapse, his interest surged. He pressed forward step by step, his breath carrying damp warmth as it approached, strands of his hair even falling onto her shoulder.
She pressed her hand to the sword at her waist and retreated step by step. As if she might draw her sword at any moment.
However, just as his head was about to lean closer, in the next instant—
Plop.
The edge of the bath was too narrow. She stepped back one step—and fell straight into the bath.
The dull sword cultivator’s lifelong reputation, ruined in a single moment.
Great Demon: Pfft hahaha!
The Demon laughed so hard his long hair trembled wildly. Holding his forehead, he crouched by the bath and burst into loud laughter. The sight of her made him indescribably happy.
She stared at him expressionlessly from the water, yanked at the bathrobe on his body, and sure enough saw that the Demon was wearing underpants. Her anger surged immediately. She climbed out, snatched his bathrobe, and draped it over herself.
She warned, “Yan Xueyi, you are not allowed to laugh anymore.”
The gloomy demon was still trembling with laughter.
She ground her teeth, sat there, and listened as he laughed for nearly five full minutes before finally stopping. She wiped the water from her face and said faintly, “Yan Xueyi, I’m going to kill you.”
After a while, he finally laughed enough. Facing her murderous glare, he turned his head aside and gave a light cough:
“I’ve already obtained the Mingxin Art. In a few days, I’ll be setting out to return to the Demon Realm.”
Demon: “Don’t you lack a place to stay? Since you can’t go back to Kunlun anyway, there’s plenty of room at my place.”
Sui: “If I don’t go, then what?”
The demon pondered, smiled slightly. “This seat will personally carry you away in the middle of the night. You’d better not close your eyes when you sleep.”
The Demon narrowed his eyes. “Don’t forget—would Taixuan Wuji let you off so easily? You want to obtain what you seek? It won’t be that simple. You need this seat.”
Sui: “If they want to preserve their reputation, they will naturally fulfill their promise.”
The Demon: “Ha.”
The Demon: “Hahahahaha!”
She was not foolish. Naturally she knew exactly what sort of people Taixuan Wuji were—
But he was laughing a little too loudly. Was he really this happy today?
The great Demon patted the back of her head. “Come. This seat will take you to watch the excitement.”
She glared furiously.
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
They casually picked a teahouse by the roadside and went in.
As soon as they entered, they heard a cultivator slam the table:
“These past years, Taixuan Wuji has only issued a red-grade wanted order twice in total and both times, they judged wrongly…”
“Shh, keep your voice down! Be careful your name gets added to tomorrow’s Red List!”
The teahouse erupted in laughter, porcelain cups clinking with crisp sounds.
This was Taixuan City—where even cultivators dared to openly mock Taixuan Wuji. This colossal force that maintained order in the cultivation world was losing its final authority.
They went up onto the city wall again, and saw that the queue at the city gate stretched all the way to the horizon.
Chao Jinsui looked at the various sect emblems on the waists of the gray-robed cultivators. “These people are?”
The great demon leaned against the wall bricks and smiled.
“These are all people who heard about what you did and rushed overnight to Taixuan Wuji to demand a retrial of old cases. Over the years, Taixuan Wuji has handled too many complicated cases. Their procedures only seek speed—there are far too many loopholes to exploit.”
“Do you know how big a mess you’ve caused for Taixuan Wuji?”
She looked at the endless line. “I expected this day would come. I just didn’t think it would come so quickly.”
Great demon: “Do you think the other great sects and factions of your human race don’t know Taixuan Wuji’s conduct? But why is it that for thousands of years, you were the only one who charged into Taixuan Wuji?”
She was like a fuse, a spark. Once ignited, the prairie fire that followed was beyond anyone’s control. Whether that blaze could be extinguished, whether it could be contained—remained unknown.
“You’re playing with fire.”
Chao Jinsui: “I know.”
Taixuan Wuji was the balance and standard of the cultivation world, yet it had rotted to this extent. Since it had rotted, then destroy it. Someone had to break this stagnant pool. As for what others thought or did, she did not care.
Demon: “I’ll stay three more days. You can change your mind anytime.”
Demon: “If you need this seat’s help…”
He looked at her with a half-smile.
She said, “You called me out just to say this?”
Great demon: “Of course not.”
—Of course it was to trick her into coming out for a stroll.
He casually stuffed a candied hawthorn skewer into her hand.
Sui: …
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
Meanwhile, on the other side, Taixuan Wuji was steeped in gloom.
After listening to Chao Jinsui’s words, Shi Chunqiu hurried back to his sect to activate a secret technique.
Naturally, he could not find the slightest trace of his granddaughter’s soul. Only after awakening from grief did he come to his senses: his granddaughter had passed away decades ago and long since entered reincarnation—how could her soul possibly be summoned back?
This was clearly a trap set while his mind was in turmoil.
Realizing this, Shi Chunqiu flew into a rage. “Despicable villain! You dare toy with this old man!”
Aunt Ping, who had hurried over, trembled with anger as she leaned on her cane. “Fool, do you really think she was toying with you?”
“Think carefully—what exactly happened!”
With her reminder, Shi Chunqiu recalled Chao Xiaotu’s words—“I know your secret”—and immediately reacted. What kind of secret could make Chao Jinsui attack on the spot?
It had to be something extraordinary—an immense secret that forced Chao Jinsui to use methods immediately to silence them. Perhaps it was the key to Taixuan Wuji’s reversal this time.
Yet when Aunt Ping, having grasped the crux, hurried over, Chao Xiaotu had already had her soul scattered due to Shi Chunqiu’s urgency.
Aunt Ping angrily struck the ground with her cane. “How cunning! What upright sword cultivator, she’s clearly a thousand-year fox!”
Shi Chunqiu had been toyed with again and again by Chao Jinsui. By now his eyes were bloodshot with rage. “This old man will not let her off!”
“Aunt Ping, she has humiliated Taixuan Wuji to this extent—are we truly to hand over the sect’s treasured relic with our own hands?”
Aunt Ping said slowly, “I have already agreed to give it to her the day after tomorrow.”
“However, that is only if she lives to take it.”
The tone was incomparably cold.
After toying with Taixuan Wuji to such an extent, wanting to retreat unscathed was nothing but a dream.
The atmosphere inside Taixuan Wuji grew increasingly tense. No matter where Chao Jinsui and her group went, hostile gazes from Taixuan disciples followed like shadows.
Even Lingyun nervously picked up the studies she had left behind back at Kunlun Sword Sect, afraid that when battle came, she would hold everyone back.
