Chapter 145 (Extra Chapter) Mother's Love: "...The turbid air of the earth, despised by the Heavenly Dao, is without soul or spirit, and will never enter the cycle of reincarnation..."

"...The turbid air of the earth is abhorred by the Heavenly Dao, devoid of soul and spirit, forever unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation...I could not bear to accept this, so I created this secret realm..."

The sound of low reading echoed in the land of inheritance. She scoffed, turned the book in her hand into dust, flicked her wide sleeves, and walked out of the land of inheritance filled with countless demonic energies.

The master of the secret realm had long since perished, transforming into a drop of demonic energy in the chaotic blood pool, repeating the fate of the former Heavenly Demon.

Rather than calling it the Heavenly Demon Secret Realm, this place should be called the Heavenly Demon's Tomb. The Heavenly Demon, sensing his impending death, created a secret realm for himself in an attempt to conceal the secrets of heaven.

Unfortunately, it still couldn't change its fate; the demon could not escape its inevitable demise.

However, after reading the ancient book that she found extremely unlucky, Li Xiangyue refused to accept the secret realm's recognition of her as its master and left the secret realm on her own.

The unclaimed secret realm has closed its entrance once again, perhaps never to reappear, or perhaps it will welcome a new destined one in the next moment.

However, not everyone who enters the secret realm can emerge as smoothly as Li Xiangyue. Based on her years in the secret realm, she has discovered no fewer than a dozen lost items from different owners.

It is conceivable that the owners of these lost items all perished in the trials of the secret realm, including both spiritual and demonic cultivators, until a demon who had nothing to do and wandered around aimlessly arrived.

*

Having stayed in the Heavenly Demon Realm for too long, I've lost track of time even after emerging.

Following her instincts, Li Xiangyue stopped in front of a restaurant, drawn by her favorite aroma, and went inside.

There were many people there; it must have been lunchtime. The restaurant's main hall was quite full of people. She picked and chose before finally finding the only empty table.

If she had arrived later, she would have had to share a table with someone else.

She refused to share a table, and every diner who tried to do so was changed in their mind by Li Xiangyue's magic, turning away to find someone else to share a table with.

Li Xiangyue finished her meal alone in a corner, and it wasn't until she was paying the bill that she remembered something she had forgotten.

The shopkeeper said, "Young lady, where did you get this piece of junk? We don't accept this."

Li Xiangyue: "Isn't this money?"

Shopkeeper: "I don't care where you got the money, whether you dug it from the ground or picked it up somewhere, we don't accept this kind of money. You have to pay with other coins."

Li Xiangyue rummaged through the storage bag, her expression freezing.

The storage bag contained either mountains of luminous pearls or stacks of gold bricks, enough to buy not only a table of food but also restaurants in the surrounding villages.

If I could break off a single gold bean, I should be able to pay the bill.

The shopkeeper smacked his abacus, clicking away: "Hurry up, what are you dawdling for?"

The waiter blocked the door and said, "Are you trying to dine and dash?"

The noise attracted the attention of nearby diners, who all looked at her. Li Xiangyue paused, her hand reaching into her sleeve.

"You're dressed so smartly, but your clothes are so strange, and you don't have any money. Did you dig them up from someone's grave?"

Annoyed by the constant urging, Li Xiangyue's mind kept replaying the words she had read in the Heavenly Demon Secret Realm.

"Without soul or spirit, it cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation..."

Then what is the point of its existence?

Even humans, as weak as ants, have the opportunity to ascend, yet the demon race, born powerful, has had their path to ascension severed.

We might as well kill them all.

The thought had just surfaced in her mind when it grew stronger and stronger. Her fingers twitched slightly beneath her sleeves; she had decided to kill.

"How much is it? I'll pay for it." A string of copper coins was tossed onto the table.

The shopkeeper quickly raised his hand and pressed down on a string of coins on the table.

The murderous intent subsided.

Li Xiangyue turned her head and saw a woman in light blue standing in front of the door. She had beautiful features and a gentle expression.

Her shoulders were covered with stars, which upon closer inspection turned out to be embroidered patterns on her clothes, densely packed with stars.

They appear to be arranged in a pleasing, staggered manner, and are only for visual appeal. In fact, connecting them with lines creates a magic circle.

As for what kind of magic array it is, Li Xiangyue couldn't tell yet, but it should be something newly created in the cultivation world in recent years.

"Do you have enough money?" Xi Huaizhen looked at the shopkeeper for a moment.

Shopkeeper: "That's enough, that's enough. So she's someone Master Xi knows. Why didn't she say so earlier? If she had, I would have waived the cost of this meal..."

This shopkeeper is greedy for money; even if he is, he wouldn't give it away for free.

If you hire a chef at a high price just to make money, and then you offer to waive this and that, how can you even run a business?

Xi Huaizhen: "You're the one who came to help? I'll show you the way, let's go."

Was I mistaken for a fellow traveler?

Li Xiangyue raised an eyebrow and actually followed him out.

She didn't know what had happened on the Xuankun Continent recently. She had just left the secret realm and entered a restaurant, but judging from the current situation, the continent didn't seem to be very peaceful.

Li Xiangyue followed the cultivator in front of her, but as they walked, the place became more and more remote, and there were fewer and fewer people around. She didn't know where the other person was taking her.

Just as she was thinking this, Li Xiangyue's eyes lit up. She was dazed for a moment, and when she realized what was happening, the ground beneath her feet lit up.

A magic circle, which had formed at some unknown time, was beneath her feet, entwined with deep green spiritual energy, emanating a distinct sense of constraint.

Even without understanding the runes above, Li Xiangyue knew that this was a binding formation.

Xi Huaizhen, who was walking ahead, turned around, the gentleness in her eyes gone, replaced by wariness: "What is the purpose of the demons coming to the cultivation world?"

The faint smile on Xiang Yue's lips faded: "So you knew all along."

Actually, she wanted to ask how the other person could tell. She had been wandering in the human world for so many years, and no one had ever been able to tell that she was a demon.

But what he said next was something else entirely: "Why didn't you make your move in the restaurant? I remember there are quite a few cultivators around you who could help you kill me."

"I don't know you. If I act rashly, I won't come out on top." Xi Huaizhen looked unhappy. "In your eyes, am I very weak?"

She was so weak that she needed someone else's help to hurt her.

The demon opposite him remained silent, but chuckled, his eyes clearly conveying the same meaning.

"..." Xi Huaizhen was a little angry.

It's truly remarkable that Xi Huaizhen has cultivated to the Mahayana level and is also the master of the Immortal Palace, making her undoubtedly the number one in the world.

Yet, among this unknown and unfamiliar demon race, they are weak. When did the Demon Realm produce so many demon talents?

Despite her anger, Xi Huaizhen did not choose to act rashly. Carefully observing her opponent is the most important quality a fighter should possess.

She had killed quite a few demons, at least eighty or a hundred, but none of them gave her the same unfathomable feeling as the demon before her.

Xi Huaizhen asked again, "Who exactly are you? How come I've never seen you before?"

Looking at the spiritual energy that seemed to be wrapped around her like vines, Li Xiangyue felt no threat at all and answered with her name.

"Separation from the Moon".

Most demons live in the Demon Realm. This race is mysterious and powerful, but for some reason, they rarely leave the Demon Realm on their own initiative.

Those demons who left the Demon Realm and mingled with demonic cultivators all had names and surnames.

This race is rare and powerful, so the cultivation world has to be on guard against them repeatedly.

But I've never heard of the name Li Xiangyue.

“I haven’t heard of that, so you shouldn’t be my enemy.” Xi Huaizhen pressed her hands down, withdrawing her killing intent.

A look of surprise flashed in Li Xiangyue's eyes: "You're so decisive?"

She had never heard of it, because the demons admired strength, and Li Xiangyue was revered as the Demon Lord in the Demon Realm.

The demons are used to calling her Demon Lord and rarely mention her name. She has been away from the Demon Realm for so many years, and the new generation of demons may not even know that she exists.

Those demons who escaped the Demon Realm and mingled with demonic cultivators were already unable to survive in the Demon Realm, and had no chance of knowing Li Xiangyue's name.

Another point is that if she wanted to kill someone, she would have done it already, and wouldn't have waited until she was suspected of being a tomb raider before getting angry.

Xi Huaizhen didn't voice this thought, feeling that if she did, the other person would really get angry.

"Palace Master Xi?"

A voice calling Xi Huaizhen came from afar overhead. Xi Huaizhen swallowed the words she was about to say and looked up.

"Palace Master Xi, it really is you." The sword-wielding cultivator said, "The patriarch has been looking for you everywhere, wanting to ask you some questions."

Xi Huaizhen said, "Okay, I'll go shortly."

The cultivator said, "Palace Master Xi, are you busy? May we go now?"

Xi Huaizhen subconsciously said, "I have things to do right now..."

Looking ahead, the demons had already vanished.

Where are they?

*

She thought she would never see that strange demon again. Several months passed, and Xi Huaizhen devoted herself to the war, forgetting the fleeting glimpse of him.

Until one day, she was betrayed by her allies, who led her into a formation set up by the demonic cultivators.

With her limbs bound and her spiritual power restricted, even a master of formations like her couldn't escape quickly; it would take time.

During the long wait, Xi Huaizhen recognized the long-lost Fuxian Formation.

This formation is extremely brutal; anyone who accidentally enters it is certain to die. To successfully set it up, a powerful cultivator must be sacrificed to the formation, and at least two cultivators at the Void Refinement stage or above must be stationed at each location outside the formation to continuously replenish its magical power.

All of the above must be included; otherwise, all efforts may be in vain.

It's ironic that the demonic cultivators were so wary of her that they resorted to such a self-destructive method to kill eight hundred enemies.

It would take twenty demonic cultivators, plus the cultivators sacrificed in the array, to kill her. It would take twenty-one lives.

Xi Huaizhen felt she hadn't lost out.

The demonic cultivators outside the formation had no idea that the cultivators trapped inside had already decided to perish together with them.

"So you're the best in the world right now. No wonder you were so unhappy that day."

When Xi Huaizhen first heard voices, she thought she had misheard. But when she opened her eyes, she saw the blurry figures in the distance gradually becoming clearer.

A demon dressed in black emerged from the depths of the formation, his eyes full of tenderness and his face exquisite.

"What are you doing here?" Xi Huaizhen's breath hitched for a moment. "Could it be you..."

Li Xiangyue: "If it were me, you wouldn't still be alive."

Xi Huaizhen: "..."

She spoke with arrogance and confidence, but Xi Huaizhen had no doubt whatsoever; she knew the other party had such abilities.

With her limbs bound and a thin line of blood trickling down her lips, Xi Huaizhen was too weak to wipe it away: "If it wasn't you, what are you doing here? Aren't you afraid of being wiped out along with me?"

The Immortal Subduing Formation is designed for spiritual cultivators, but demonic cultivators or demons who mistakenly enter it will also suffer. Once the formation is activated, no one will survive.

Li Xiangyue: "I fell asleep in a cave nearby, and when I woke up I found myself here. I'm so unlucky."

Xi Huaizhen closed her eyes, a faint smile appearing on her lips: "Indeed unlucky."

Li Xiangyue looked at her for a while: "Want to go out?"

Xi Huaizhen: "You want to help me? But this is a Demonic Immortal Subduing Formation that the demonic cultivators specifically set up to target me."

In order to kill her, the demonic cultivators of the abyss went to great lengths, devising a plan to lure her here, where twenty Nascent Soul stage demonic cultivators simultaneously set up an array to trap her.

The Subduing Immortal Formation cannot instantly kill a Mahayana cultivator, but it can trap her and slowly wear her down.

"In my eyes, demonic cultivators and spiritual cultivators are all human; there is no difference," Li Xiangyue said calmly. "Didn't you say I was a demon?"

Xi Huaizhen had nothing to say.

After a long silence, Xi Huaizhen said, "I owe you my life. As long as it doesn't harm the demands of the cultivation world, I can help you with anything."

"If not, then let me perish like this."

The cultivation world is full of talented people, and there are also Su Ying and Xiao Cunzi outside. It is not impossible to win this war.

She is upright and honest, and unwilling to do anything that violates her principles.

In order to survive, I'd rather agree to a request against my will and then accept unknown conditions than die here now.

Someone will avenge her.

"There's no need to go through all that trouble."

The woman in the distance suddenly approached, knelt down on one knee in front of her, wiped the bloodstains from her lips, and kissed her lips.

"I have received your payment."

Xi Huaizhen suddenly opened her eyes, and the black-clad demonic cultivator smiled sweetly at her.

The sky surged continuously. She stood up, raised her hand, and gently pulled, as if reaching into the clouds, tearing down the surging lightning. The bright white and black lightning was caught in her hand. Her fair palm clenched into a fist, and the twisted lightning was like a mad python, writhing and struggling.

The Fuxian Formation was interfered with, causing the sky to surge continuously. The demonic cultivators outside the formation all coughed up blood. Those who were still able to sit down swallowed a handful of pills to calm themselves down and mobilized more demonic power into the formation to kill Xi Huaizhen.

Unbeknownst to the demonic cultivators outside the formation, the one fighting against the Immortal Subduing Formation had long since been replaced.

The woman standing in the center looked down on everyone else, breaking through the formation with a simple method, as easily as poking through a spider web in the corner of a wall.

She quelled the thunder and lightning, calmed the wind and rain, and didn't forget to use her wide sleeves to shield Xi Huaizhen from the wind and rain.

This is the most upright and indomitable woman Xi Huaizhen has ever met.

After a deafening roar that shook the earth, the Immortal-Subduing Formation was broken.

The shackles binding Xi Huaizhen's limbs shattered with a snap, and after freeing her limbs, she instinctively looked at Li Xiangyue.

The warmth on her lips vanished in an instant, but lingered in her heart for a long time.

She didn't understand why this demon would do such a thing.

Li Xiangyue did not explain: "You humans don't like me, so you can deal with the rest of the demonic cultivators outside yourself."

Just like last time, she left without waiting for Xi Huaizhen's reply.

Xi Huaizhen suppressed her shock, seized the opportunity to break out of the formation, and wiped out the twenty demonic cultivators outside the formation.

Upon returning to the cultivation world, she killed those who had betrayed her and revealed the truth.

But she did not reveal the demon she encountered within the formation; the demon came and went like a gust of wind, disappearing silently.

*

Seemingly knowing that she was not accepted by the cultivation world, Li Xiangyue always appeared in unexpected corners, often when Xi Huaizhen was alone.

Sometimes Xi Huaizhen would be startled by people who suddenly appeared, but over time, she got used to the demons who would suddenly appear and disappear.

He even personally returned the kiss left by the other party within the formation.

Occasionally, when she has free time, Li Xiangyue would appear with some food and ask if she wanted to eat together.

After refusing several times, the Palace Master Xi, who was in charge of the great battle, saw the demons arrogantly occupying her residence for food and drink, and, exhausted, accepted Li Xiangyue's invitation.

"Stir-fried bamboo shoots, still warm, eat up." Li Xiangyue didn't let the dazed and tired Xi Gong do it, and washed the chopsticks and handed them over.

He grabbed a bowl and, with his other hand, picked up the wine pot and poured wine into the white jade cup beside the bowl.

Xi Huaizhen glanced at the steaming food and fragrant wine, then looked at the enthusiastic Li Xiangyue: "..."

He felt as if he were a great general keeping beauties in his tent.

He goes out to fight during the day and enjoys the warmth and softness of love at night.

"..." I can't think about it anymore.

Xi Huaizhen didn't mention those annoying mundane matters. She drank one cup of wine after another until her face was flushed.

Hiccuping, Xi Huaizhen pulled Li Xiangyue, who was happily occupying his food spot, aside and couldn't help but ask, "You...you've come and gone countless times, what exactly are you? I've sent so many people and still haven't been able to find out your background..."

Li Xiangyue paused, her hand holding the wine glass still.

To tell a demon in front of a demon that you need to investigate her background is incredibly audacious.

Xi Huaizhen raised her watery eyes: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Sigh, to tell you the truth, I am the Heavenly Demon." Li Xiangyue put down her chopsticks. "The demons of today are just a branch of the Heavenly Demons of yesteryear. All the Heavenly Demons are dead, leaving only the demons."

"The demons are far inferior to the Heavenly Demons of yesteryear, so rest assured, I will not join forces with the demons to fight against the cultivation world. Heaven will not tolerate me, and I will die even faster."

"..."

Li Xiangyue's voice softened: "Actually, I value my life quite a bit."

"..."

There has been no response from those around me.

Li Xiangyue felt as if her sincere feelings had been misplaced. Looking down, she saw the person at the table slumped over the table, drunk.

Li Xiangyue: "..."

It turns out he wasn't testing her, but was genuinely speaking his mind after drinking.

After tidying up the things on the table, Li Xiangyue helped the person up and led them to the bedside. This wine was indeed very strong; a few hours of rest would be enough to make them feel better.

She placed the person on the bed, pulled away the sleeve that Xi Huaizhen had been pressing down on, and prepared to leave.

Just as the person was about to leave, he stopped abruptly. His sleeve was tugged, and Li Xiangyue lowered his gaze, which met Xi Huaizhen's open eyes.

"I didn't tell you to leave."

The fingers gripping the crimson sleeve tightened, pulling it towards him.

"come over."

Perhaps the other person was too strong, or perhaps she never even thought of resisting. She was pulled down and pressed onto the bedding, with a shadow carrying a faint scent of wine looming over her.

The curtains hanging beside the bed were drawn down, blocking out the still bright light outside.

It's unclear who made the first move, but their warm lips touched, and their clothes became disheveled.

As their feelings deepened, they lingered in the space shrouded by the bed curtains, forgetting everything else.

Clothes gradually fall away, filling the room with springtime passion.

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Both sides are inherently overly cautious, yet remarkably stable, acting as mutual stabilizers.