33 Chapter Thirty-three
He didn't believe Lu Yue was dead; perhaps it was just a smokescreen.
The collapsing rubble fell mercilessly and wildly, reaping lives. The cries of agony echoed endlessly in the Demon Realm. The lit array trapped the cultivators who tried to escape, forcing them to become mere patterns within it.
The remaining demons were also in a miserable state, unable to move, kneeling on the ground, powerless to struggle. This was punishment for their disrespect towards their sovereign. Not only had they presumptuously disturbed the peace of the demon realm, but they had also dared to covet that supreme position. Starting from their legs, they gradually turned into thick blood, and endless blood demon lotuses sprouted from the cracks, blooming with beautiful flowers.
Wen Ruo slowly walked through the bloody mess and came to Lu Yue's side. He looked at Yan Qing, who was being held in Lu Yue's arms, with disgust. Yan Qing's young, weak, and feignedly innocent face disgusted him.
Even if it meant her death, she would take Yan Qing with her. Was she just going to abandon him so easily, having been loyal to him for so many years?
He underestimated the Lord's feelings for this child, the poor little snake he had raised since childhood, who would personally end his life even in death. This was an unparalleled favor that the Lord had never shown to any of his beauties before.
Wen Ruo was unwilling to give up. He bent down to steady the Venerable One, trying to give her half of his inner core, but there was no response. No demon could survive without its inner core. He looked at the Venerable One's calm face, the black mist emanating from his body growing stronger.
He knelt there blankly for a long time until a soft laugh broke the tranquility.
A faint blue light appeared, and the Azure Sky looked down at Wen Ruo and sighed, "You look so pitiful now, like a homeless dog."
Wen Ruo said calmly, "You saw everything all along."
"Yes, but what's unexpected is that you watched me die, yet showed mercy to Lu Yue repeatedly. You should have supported the new master, so why were you so kind to her?" Qun Qing picked up a strand of Lu Yue's hair, kissing it with eyes full of affection. Being cared for by an old thing like Wen Ruo is not a good thing.
Wen Ruo said with certainty, "You have a way to revive His Majesty."
"Yes, it is, but why should I tell you? You abandoned me without hesitation and chose a new master," Qunqing's smile was eerie, her long blue dress gliding gracefully across the ground as she chuckled, "If you kneel down, maybe I'll tell you."
Qun Qing's eyes narrowed as she stared intently at Wen Ruo. She wanted to see just how far Wen Ruo, who believed in the supremacy of the strong, would go for Lu Yue.
Of course, Wen Ruo still disappointed her. He knelt down calmly without hesitation, and when his knees touched the bluestone slab, Qun Qing's eyes were filled with incomprehension. Her face held a half-smile, mocking herself for underestimating the extent to which Wen Ruo valued Lu Yue.
She sighed softly and used her last bit of spiritual power to tell Wen Ruo the prophecy she had seen: "Just let nature take its course."
Wen Ruo sneered coldly, kneeling quietly beside the Venerable One. He loved gazing into the Venerable One's serene purple eyes, those very pupils that had once held the expression of his own passionate love. He should have been a heartless and desireless guardian of the Demon Realm for a long time, but now he only wished that the Demon Lord he served would forever be Lu Yue.
The trembling demon realm returned to calm, and the illuminated array dimmed. Those cultivators who managed to escape seized the opportunity and fled, leaving only a stunned Hu Mei behind. She thought she was going to die and desperately wanted to know what had happened. She searched for a long time, but her lord had vanished, and her young master had disappeared as well.
What puzzled her most was that Wen Ruo, who was supposed to be her protector, had also disappeared without a trace.
Both the Demon Realm and the Shangqing Realm suffered heavy casualties in this battle.
Five hundred years later, Hu Mei became the new Demon Lord. Although she struggled to gain the support of the people, she still sat on the throne with trepidation. However, it was clear that this position was not easy to hold. Even though she had won over the Chunhu clan leader, Heng Ji was only willing to reap the benefits without giving her any more power. With her birthday approaching, she still had to bite the bullet and write a sincere letter asking Heng Ji to come and support her.
In the Pure Fox Territory, Heng Ji burned the letter without even reading it. Her younger brother hadn't left his cave for a long time, and she was truly worried about him. She had entered without permission and only saw a simple white garment wrapped around A Yao's body.
He was clearly more suited to vibrant red; the cold, pale white made his striking features appear dull and lifeless. He had lost a lot of weight, and with a lingering look, he rubbed his cheek against the clothes left behind by Lu Yue. Her scent had completely vanished from them, but he still numbly deceived himself.
Seeing her younger brother's dejected expression, Hengji shook her head helplessly: "White doesn't suit you."
Her once flamboyant younger brother had become melancholic over the past five hundred years, which also affected her health. The position of Demon Lord was one that anyone could have held, but in the end, it fell to Hu Mei.
“I can’t forget her, even though she doesn’t love me, but that’s not Lu Yue’s fault.”
The serpent race doesn't understand emotions; why force it? If he hadn't left in anger, Lu Yue wouldn't have died. A Yao returned to the Demon Realm and searched for a long time but couldn't find her. That damned Wen Ruo must have secretly taken her body away. Now, he, who originally wanted to die by her side, is left alone in the world.
Hengji didn't want to say anything more, gazing at the distant mountain peaks. Now, the Demon Clan was weakened, while the Shangqing Clan was growing ever stronger. Many demons who once roamed the world had gone into hiding, fearing they would become the victims of the now-famous Sword Master. The turmoil in the distance troubled her. Hengji knew it was that person behind it all, but she could only endure it. The thought that Ayao wasn't the only one suffering brought her some comfort.
Dozens of Shangqing disciples, dressed in flowing white robes, gathered in the pool to clean up the mess. One disciple, speaking respectfully with his hands clasped, said, "Sword Master, you are incredibly brave. This snake demon has harmed countless people. If we hadn't met you, we probably wouldn't have been able to deal with it."
"Um."
Beneath the man's aloof and solemn demeanor lay a face as cold as ice. A child in the distance, seeing this ethereal man for the first time, stole glances at him from afar.
A pretty young girl, newly promoted to inner disciple and a sword cultivator, gazed at Xue Ji from afar. She had been saved by Sword Master Xue Ji and realized he wasn't as cold and aloof as rumored.
I heard that he once volunteered to go to the Demon Realm during the Shangqing's crisis, and was humiliated by the previous Demon Lord for a time. It's said that the Demon Lord was utterly wicked and licentious. Such a handsome and otherworldly swordsman must have suffered greatly in the Demon Realm. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Xue Ji, and even knowing his body was defiled, she was still willing to become his Daoist partner.
But when she mustered up the courage to express her feelings, all she received was a cold turn away from him.
She even stepped forward and shouted, "I don't mind what you did in the Demon Realm. Although your body is dirty, your heart is purer and cleaner than theirs."
But Xueji still didn't turn around.
He always kept to himself and kept his distance from the other disciples.
Five hundred years had passed since her master's ascension. Xueji heard that the people at the foot of the nearby mountain had built a temple for her master, so she decided to go and pay her respects. The main hall was exceptionally spacious, and the golden statue on the platform was solemn and noble. Xueji lit an incense stick and was about to leave when she heard a noise behind her.
"You seem to still miss her."
"Master?"
When Xue Ji turned around, Wei Mengqiu's true form walked down from the stage. Dressed in gorgeous clothes and a golden crown, she looked more gentle than before.
His long eyelashes trembled slightly, and he blurted out, "Is she really dead?"
“She is indeed dead. Outsiders all believe that I killed her, but in reality, she was killed by Yan Qing, your brother. If she hadn’t been implicated by him, Lu Yue would not have lost her senses. Even after I stabbed her in the heart, she was still able to move freely.”
"You know my younger brother." Xueji's voice trembled, thinking that her master already knew that her biological father was Chongli.
"Of course, he is my son."
Xueji looked bewildered, her gaze fixed as she pondered her words.
“I am your mother. To be honest, I didn’t expect you to come to Shangqing. You may be wondering why I brought you back and then neglected you. In reality, I don’t care about your life or death. It was Lu Yue who transformed into my appearance and sent you here.”
I was once curious; she was never one to value loyalty or righteousness. Even if I had saved her life, Lu Yue might not have shown me any mercy. Later I learned it was all for Yan Qing's sake, because his body was too weak and he needed a heart transplant to survive. And you were merely a medicinal ingredient for him.”
Xue Ji's eyes were deep and thoughtful. No wonder he felt a sense of familiarity with Lu Yue. But even if it was her, so what? It was all for the sake of his so-called younger brother. Shangqing had washed away the humiliation of the past and was no longer ridiculed by other sects. Everything would soon fade into silence.
He became a respected swordsman, and he no longer cared about those old matters. He was naturally extremely happy to have avenged his great enemy.
The Shangqing Immortal Pool is surrounded by dense bamboo groves, with hot water swirling within. Xueji has shed his boyish shyness and youthful innocence, his body now mature and composed, with full, smooth muscle lines running from his arms to his abdomen. His honey-colored chest is full and soft, with a very faint scratch on his chest.
Xueji's inner turmoil subsided at this moment, but when she closed her eyes, she felt as if she had returned to the Demon Realm. She could smell that sweet and alluring fragrance again, and she fed him medicine with her own hands as if caring for a child. Even though she knew that brief tenderness was only to give his heart to that so-called younger brother, she couldn't help but recall it.
Lu Yue never admitted anything; he was simply confused and infatuated by that little bit of feigned tenderness, mistakenly believing that she genuinely liked him.
Xueji knew she shouldn't care anymore. Luyue acted licentiously, not even sparing her close advisors; she deserved to die.
But why was he a substitute? All those sweet words and actions, even the only birthday celebration, were for her younger brother. Yet in the end, her master discovered her weakness and used Yan Qing to kill her.
Lu Yue, have you ever regretted it?
A cold smile played on Xue Ji's lips. His full pectoral muscles rose and fell with his chest, almost bursting forth, and his fair skin glowed a faint pink from the steam. He casually tossed a strand of hair from the water, revealing the taut, sensual lines of his arms. As he rose from the bath, water droplets traced his narrow waist and shapely buttocks. Every part of him was flawlessly perfect, and even the simple white undergarment draped over his shoulders seemed to fuel endless fantasies.
Looking at her reflection in the water, Xue Ji sneered. If Lu Yue had met him back then, she would have been eager to press him down on her bed and favor him as soon as she entered the Demon Realm.
After all, she didn't mind Wen Ruo's frail health at all.
Xue Ji slowly fastened his waistband. He didn't believe Lu Yue was dead; perhaps it was just a smokescreen. He wanted to live a peaceful life with his so-called younger brother, free from worldly strife.
Lu Yue, I hate you. I will not believe it until I see your bones with my own eyes.
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