Different Paths
Inside the sealed room, the air was almost stagnant.
Mo Yiheng stormed in, radiating overwhelming demonic energy, but his gaze softened when it fell upon Yun Shu. The Soul-Suppressing Golden Lotus seemed to sense this, retracting its demonic flames and carefully lifting Yun Shu's pale and fragile body, as if cradling a dream that could shatter at any moment.
"Master...?" His voice was hoarse as he practically crawled to Yun Shu's side. His fingertips trembled, afraid to touch the flawless jade, lest he make a wrong step and cause his master to shatter and vanish.
On the other side, wherever the clear light of the fan blade passed, the hideous snake head instantly turned to dust. Yun He didn't even glance at Liu Qing; he only saw her eyebrows furrow, a stream of pure immortal power shot into Mo Yiheng's back, and she turned around and cursed, "Restrain your demonic energy! Do you want to hurt him even more?"
The celestial power, clear and refreshing like an icy spring, instantly soothed the surging demonic energy within Mo Yiheng's body. He awoke with a start, immediately striving to suppress all demonic energy, his emotions, however intense, were firmly held back. Only his crimson eyes remained fixed intently on Yun Shu.
This scene, however, pierced Murong Jin's already fragile nerves. He propped himself up, his imperial sword pointing directly at the demon, instinctively slashing at Mo Yiheng with dragon energy: "You vile beast who injured his eyes and poisoned him! How dare you show yourself?!"
Already agitated, and further slandered by the emperor, Mo Yiheng immediately prepared to fight. The Soul-Suppressing Golden Lotus shone brightly, seemingly poised to challenge the Emperor's Sword!
"...Enough!"
With a flick of his folding fan, Yunhe effortlessly deflected the attacks from both sides, and then casually struck each of them, rendering neither the Human Emperor nor the Demon Lord able to get up and continue their antics.
She composed herself and first shouted sternly at the Emperor, "Murong Jin! Even now, can't you see clearly who was behind this poison?!"
Then he turned to the Demon Lord and berated him: "And you, Mo Yiheng! How dare you fight with Yun Shu right next to him?! If he gets hurt anywhere, I'll kick you back to the Demon Realm immediately!"
The effect was outstanding; the escape room instantly became quiet.
Apart from--
"Thump!"
Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw that it was the little palace maid named Jinzhu who had come looking for her for some reason. The four enormous forces around her made it impossible for her to stand up, so she could only hide in a corner, trembling like an ostrich.
He casually cast a protective barrier on her to prevent accidental injury, then flipped aside the inconvenient Mo Yiheng on the ground and gently pulled Yun Shu into his arms. The gentle, flowing light entered Yun Shu's brow, using its abundant immortal energy to soothe the vicious demonic poison, which actually woke him up for a moment.
"Senior Sister..." Yun Shu coughed twice, dazedly grabbing Yun He's sleeve, "Did I... cause you... trouble again...?"
His call was so soft it was almost inaudible, but Yunhe still managed to make out what her junior brother was saying. She tenderly rubbed his drooping fox ears, fed him a dark green pill to help him recover, and said reproachfully, "You little fox ball, when have I ever resented you... I'm just a little angry."
She glanced meaningfully at Murong Jin and continued, "I'm angry that you're so kind-hearted, making yourself look like this... I won't be able to explain this to Master during the ancestral worship this year."
"Cough... Haha..." Yun Shu laughed, with a sense of relief and liberation in her voice. "Then... how will Senior Sister punish me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a wisp of white smoke enveloped him. When it dissipated, the aloof and amiable fox spirit disappeared, leaving only a small, snow-white fox, no bigger than a palm, curled up in Yunhe's palm, humming trustingly.
Yunhe gently scratched the little fox's soft fur with her jade-like fingers, then put him into her medicine bag. She rubbed the little fox's head and teased, "Then how about you play the penalty kick and be my paperweight for two days? Alright, go to sleep now, let's go home."
The fox let out a few soft whimpers. She shook her head helplessly and sighed, "You're so soft-hearted... I promise you I won't kill him, and I promise you I'll take the little girl back, okay? Now, can you sleep peacefully?"
No fox responded; only Yunhe's medicine pouch rose and fell slightly.
In this tender moment, Murong Jin stood frozen in place, forgetting to get up and forgetting his imperial demeanor. Yun He's rebuke, Liu Qing's miserable state, Mo Yiheng's wronged expression, and the faint but finally steady breathing from the medicine bag... all of this was like countless dull knives, repeatedly cutting into his nerves. He stared blankly at his blood-stained dragon robe, then blankly looked at Yun He, at the sleeping white fox, remembering what he had done to Yun Shu these past few days... A metallic taste rose to his lips, even making him feel nauseous.
He silently rose, picked up the longsword that symbolized his imperial status from the ground, and slowly walked towards the now mutilated and terrifying Grand Preceptor, his face ashen. Under Liu Qing's horrified gaze, Murong Jin steadily raised the Imperial Sword and mercilessly swung it down, cleanly severing the head of the gloomy, vicious, serpentine-looking man.
The head rolled to the ground, its face still bearing a twisted and eerie smile. Its lips parted, uttering a final curse: "Murong Jin...you...will...be...desolate...for...ten...thousands...years..."
Blood spurted out, but Murong Jin let it stain his dragon face, as if this action had exhausted all his strength. He slid down the wall in a daze, looking at his blood-stained hands, on the verge of collapse.
What exactly did he do...?
He closed his eyes in despair, hugged his knees, and tried to curl himself into a ball, his whole body ice-cold—just like the first winter night when his mother died beside him thousands of years ago.
That's all... that's all again...
He was lost in thought.
But this time, he pushed away the person who was most important to him.
Yunhe didn't pay much attention to it, and said coolly, "Your Majesty, this matter is over. Considering your past relationship with your junior brother and that you were deceived by treacherous people, I will not kill you, nor will I announce this matter to the world. But from today onwards, junior brother Yunshu and you, the supreme ruler, are completely cut off from each other and have no further connection."
She bent down, grabbed Mo Yiheng by the back of his collar, and threw the Demon Lord into the cowering Golden Lotus of Soul Suppression. Then, she took out a bamboo leaf from her bosom and softly played a calming tune. Her always straight back bent slightly, forming an unbreakable wall for her most beloved junior brother.
Murong Jin shuddered, but did not utter another word to detain him. Only his eyes, filled with despair, looked one last time at the slightly bulging, heaving medicine pouch in the physician's arms. In the blink of an eye, the thousand-year-old emperor's once black hair turned white, and his distinctly heroic and extraordinary face seemed to age at the same moment.
Just as Yunhe was about to leave, another unexpected event occurred.
The body of Liu Qing, whose head was separated from his body, twisted and writhed silently, quietly transforming into a large snake, attempting to sneak away and escape.
However, a woman in pink arrived, pinched the snake's seven-inch mark and crushed its bones, then turned to her Demon Lord: "Your Majesty, may I have this snake to make wine..."
Before she could finish speaking, Wu Ying suddenly noticed the overwhelming celestial aura before her. Yun He stared at her expressionlessly, his folding fan half-opened. Her esteemed master, leaning disheveled against the petals of the Soul-Suppressing Golden Lotus, also silently watched her.
"Your people?" Yunhe tilted his head slightly to ask.
Upon being called out, Mo Yiheng immediately became serious, still feeling lingering fear at his senior uncle's terrifying power. He hurriedly said, "She is Wu Ying, the apothecary of my demon clan. She is currently refining medicine for my master... Please, senior uncle, show mercy."
Upon hearing Mo Yiheng's suggestion, Wu Ying immediately lowered her head and bowed, meekly replying, "...Yes. Some time ago, Your Excellency brought Jin Yelan back. This junior has been consulting ancient pharmacopoeias and is currently tending to several auxiliary herbs according to the prescription...that herb recognizes its owner."
So whatever you do, don't kill her, or you'll have to replant her. Wu Ying thought to herself.
"Hmm. Thank you for your thoughtfulness." Yunhe nodded, put his folding fan back at his waist, and reached out to Wuying, "You can make it into wine, but let me clean it up first."
call.
Relieved, Wu Ying couldn't help but secretly glance at Yun He again.
So powerful...so beautiful.
A ray of golden light etched itself onto the snake's body, completely extinguishing any possibility of Liu Qing's resurrection. Yun He was about to return the snake to Wu Ying, but no one came to claim it. Looking up, he realized the child was standing there, staring at him without blinking.
"What do you mean?" She frowned and explained seriously, "I have no hobby of killing innocent people."
Wu Ying suddenly realized what was happening. She quickly took the snake and put it away. Then, she transformed into a fragrant breeze and ran out of the imperial city to meet up with Ye Xiuluo.
"...Am I really that scary?" Yunhe touched her face suspiciously, but quickly put the thought aside. She walked to the corner, squatted down in front of the trembling little palace maid, and asked, "Qiuqiu asked me to find you a good place. Is there one you like?"
That little fox ball just loves to pick up babies everywhere.
I am clearly just a child myself.
Yunhe was thinking seriously, completely ignoring the fact that Yunshu had cultivated for ten thousand years and could not possibly still be a "little fox".
Jinzhu opened her big eyes, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks like pearls: "I...I...I want...I want to follow the Fox Fairy..."
After doubting his own appearance once again, Yunhe sighed and rubbed the little head in the medicine bag twice more.
Qiuqiu is truly... a femme fatale.
Never mind, Yunhua isn't short of money to raise a child.
"Then come with me... Can you still stand up?"
Jinzhu wiped away her tears, nodded heavily, and, supporting Yunhe's arm, stood up shakily.
Yunhe raised an eyebrow—good aptitude.
My clothes were stained with two clumps of tears, but in return, I'd take this child into the inner circle. It's not a bad deal.
She led Yun Shu, a demon, and another person, walking step by step towards the outside. She didn't stop for a moment when passing Murong Jin.
Murong Jin subconsciously reached out, as if trying to grasp that ethereal, beautiful dream, but in the end, he only touched the cold air in the secret chamber. He was left alone in this extravagant palace, watching the figure in green robes, accompanied by the pure white fox spirit, resolutely depart, and then watching Mo Yiheng, who had followed and protected him closely. A piece of his heart had been ripped out, leaving only an unfillable, bleeding void.
He lost his little Xue.
The person he cherishes most.
Forever.
After a long while, he finally got up with the help of the palace servants who rushed over.
Gazing at the starry sky, he finally made his way to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Half an hour later, he issued an edict of self-reproach to the world, stating that his own oversight had allowed treacherous individuals to deceive the emperor and disturb the fox spirit's peaceful cultivation. The fox spirit, to heal its old wounds, had already retired to Yunhua, and the world was not to disturb its tranquility.
Furthermore, he issued a series of ruthless decrees: the Imperial Advisor Liu Qing and his cronies were to be uprooted and exterminated for their crimes of harming auspicious omens and disrupting the court.
Murong Jin also ordered the reconstruction of all the Fox Fairy Temples in the land, but strictly prohibited any incense offerings.
At dawn, sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating Yun He's beautiful face. She stopped, gazing back at the majestic imperial city, a thousand emotions swirling within her, ultimately coalescing into a sigh. She glanced at Mo Yiheng, who followed her like a tail, and said indifferently, "Why are you following? Have you arranged the affairs of the Demon Realm?"
Mo Yiheng choked, then immediately released a firefly to relay his message, urgently saying, "I have ordered Night Asura to handle everything for me. This junior... only asks to stay by Master's side, to serve him medicine, and to protect him from malicious attacks! I beg my master uncle to grant my request!"
Yunhe did not respond immediately, but only looked ahead at Yunhua Mountain, which was shrouded in mist, exuding an ethereal aura, and gradually revealing its outline.
Just as Mo Yiheng felt a chill in his heart and thought he was about to be driven away, she spoke slowly: "Go back and be a good Demon Lord. When you have free time from official duties... there is an abandoned cottage in the bamboo forest at the foot of the mountain where you may stay temporarily. You are not allowed to go up the mountain without my permission."
This is tacit consent.
Overjoyed, Mo Yiheng immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Senior Uncle!"
"Hmph." Yunhe led Jinzhu and said, "Your medicine-making assistant should also stay at the foot of the mountain. In case of any unforeseen circumstances during the medicine-making process."
"yes!"
Before the gates of Yunhua Mountain, the disciples who had received the news were already waiting. Seeing the sect leader return, with his medicine bag still containing his seriously injured senior uncle/grand-uncle, they all showed expressions of indignation. Some of the more impatient ones wanted to go down the mountain to demand an explanation, but before they could even lift their feet, Yunhe stopped them.
"Activate the mountain-protecting formation. The disciples on duty that day must maintain the highest level of vigilance. No one is allowed to enter or leave Yunhua without my order," Yun Shu instructed, her voice echoing throughout the mountains and forests. "From today onwards, I will go into seclusion to heal my junior brother's injuries. All affairs within the sect will be temporarily handled by the Grand Elder."
"I will obey the sect leader's command!"
Yunhe said no more, but simply carried the little fox ball and the golden pearl, and headed straight for the forbidden area in the back mountain—the source of the Yunhua spiritual vein and the place where the sect leaders of all generations had cultivated in seclusion.
"Qiuqiu," she said softly as she took the unconscious Yun Shu out and gently placed him on the jade platform in the center of the spiritual spring, using the spiritual energy of the heaven and earth to nourish his nearly exhausted body. "We're home."
One month later, atop Yunhua Mountain.
The spring was shrouded in mist, and the forbidden area was filled with the astringent yet calming fragrance of herbs and trees. Yun Shu was soaking in the warm spring water. The black veil over her eyes had been removed. Although her eyes were still dull and lifeless, her complexion had regained some color and was no longer so transparent and fragile.
Yunhe sat upright by the pool, his fingertips radiating a clear, cool immortal energy as he patiently cleansed the stubborn demonic poison from his body.
Today, having been granted special permission to visit, Mo Yiheng was standing guard on a nearby bluestone. The demonic energy had been completely contained, but its source remained fixed on the fox spirit, only able to feel at ease once he confirmed his master's safety with his own eyes. He didn't even notice the spirit fish nibbling at his clothes as food.
Perhaps out of boredom, or perhaps simply finding Mo Yiheng amusing, Yun He chuckled, “Your little apprentice is quite diligent. Not only is the Demon Realm well-organized, but he also travels all over the country searching for spiritual herbs… Whenever he has free time, he stays at the foot of the mountain to guard it, yet he doesn’t dare ask me for the right to go up the mountain, for fear of disturbing your peace.”
Mo Yiheng's ears twitched slightly by the pond, and he immediately sat up straight, pulling the spirit fish until it was dizzy.
Yun Shu's pale lips curved into a smile, tinged with guilt: "Heng'er... he's not a bad person at heart. It's just that I..."
"Alright, I understand what you mean." Yunhe withdrew his immortal power, helped the person up, and straightened their clothes. "They're still sick, so don't worry about them too much."
There was a rustling sound at the stone gate; it was Jinzhu bringing food again. She quietly put down the food box and then hurriedly ran off as if someone was chasing her.
This child is good in every way, except that he is a little timid.
"Never mind." Yunhe shook his head and did not try to invite Jinzhu to join him again.
Mo Yiheng had already cleaned the stone table and invited the two elders to take their seats.
During the meal, Yunhe suddenly spoke up: "Mo Yiheng."
"Disciple is here!" He immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks and sat up straight.
"Qiuqiu... the demonic poison in your master's eyes and body cannot be cured by the Ash Leaf Orchid alone. Therefore, I still need to find the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Soul of the Far North Snowfield and the Molten Jade Marrow of the Western Regions Yellow Sands. You..."
"This disciple will proceed immediately!"
Before he could finish speaking, Mo Yiheng was about to rush out, but Yun He pulled him back with one hand.
"Get back here." Yun He frowned. "Both places are guarded by ancient ferocious beasts. What are you going there for, to die? If I go, your medicine doctor will have to come with me. I just wanted to call you to take good care of the auxiliary medicines you grow in the Demon Realm. Don't let something go wrong on your end when I come back."
Now, Yun Shu was unwilling: "Senior sister, you..."
"Shut up. As your senior sister, I can't just let your demonic poison cause trouble." Yunhe stuffed a piece of cake into his mouth, and then said to Mo Yiheng, "Remember this? Not everyone in your Demon Realm is willing to submit to you. If your infighting delays Qiuqiu's recovery, don't blame me for being ruthless and ruthless."
Mo Yiheng opened his mouth, then kowtowed heavily: "Yes, junior obeys."
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