31 Chapter Thirty-One
◎As the Demon Lord, you shouldn't have emotions.◎
Scattered snowflakes drifted slowly across the world, landing on the man's cold and indifferent brows and eyes. After the snow cleared, his dark hair was gradually covered by snowflakes, and his body, already frozen stiff, stubbornly remained kneeling on the bluestone slab.
When Wei Mengqiu saw him, he was only slightly warm, but his back was still straight, as if he was maintaining that insignificant dignity.
"What is he doing here?"
Wei Mengqiu walked into the hall with a slightly cold expression. Xie Shu looked at her senior sister and stood up helplessly, saying, "He wants to learn swordsmanship. Perhaps it's because he was humiliated in the Demon Realm that he feels resentful."
"Yeah?"
Looking into Xue Ji's deep eyes, Wei Mengqiu felt as if he had lost something, more than just half a heart. What a foolish child, just as foolish as he himself had been, manipulated by Chong Li. Perhaps some of this ridiculous stuff should end.
"If he wants to learn swordsmanship, let him learn."
"Didn't Senior Sister say that child wasn't suited to learning swordsmanship?"
"It doesn't matter."
Wei Mengqiu chuckled lightly, knowing he would soon find out that even learning swordsmanship would be futile. She would kill all threats who knew her secrets, and even in death, she would remain the First Sword Master of Shangqing, not a fallen swordsman seduced by the Demon Lord. She had devoted her life to punishing evil and upholding justice in order to become a god, but she was already showing signs of demonic possession; preserving her reputation was already a remarkable achievement.
"I need to go out for a while."
"Senior sister, you're still not fully recovered. Why don't you let Simiao accompany you?"
"No need, I'm just going to see an old friend, I'll be back soon."
Xie Shu wanted to stop her, but he knew he couldn't change his senior sister's mind, so he could only let Simiao secretly follow her, fearing something might happen. There were too many things to do in the sect, and he was already overwhelmed with his own affairs. When Master Erkong learned that Xueji had returned, he tried to ask her about her time in the Demon Realm several times, but Xie Shu stopped him each time.
He speaks bluntly, and Xueji is currently mentally unstable, so let's wait a while before discussing it further.
Xie Shu looked at Xue Ji, who remained kneeling, and sighed helplessly, "Child, get up and come with me to the Sword Tomb to choose a sword. Your master has already given his approval, and you can learn swordsmanship in the future."
Xue Ji opened his eyes. He should have been happy to finally learn swordsmanship, but his heart was not stirred at all.
The Shangqing Sword Tomb contains the swords once worn by our ancestors. Of course, you can reforge them yourself, but their power will be far inferior to the former.
The countless swords in the vast sword tomb sensed someone entering and lit up one by one.
"Let's see if there's anything you like."
A sword swayed over, landed in Xie Shu's palm, rubbed against him, and then slowly moved to Xue Ji's hand.
“This is the Sword of Severance,” Xie Shu frowned and said gently, “This sword is not suitable for you. Why don’t you choose another one?”
"Why?"
"The master of Duan Nian was once a genius who was entrusted with important responsibilities by the sect. Unfortunately, he became infatuated with a demoness and was later publicly executed by the sect as a warning to others."
Xie Shu had only heard about this from other sect elders. Even though hundreds of years had passed, the elders still gritted their teeth and said, "That witch was truly heartless. She could have taken the child away, but she just watched him suffer. Later, the child's master came to seek justice for the child, but he never returned."
Xue Ji stroked the gleaming blade of the sword, her voice calm: "Duan Nian, this sword suits me very well."
Xie Shu stopped trying to persuade him, hoping that the sword could compensate Xue Ji for the suffering he had endured. Although being in the Demon Realm was a hardship for him, he felt a pang of sadness when he thought of Lu Yue's affection for him in the secret report.
He calmed himself down, but he didn't know where his senior sister had gone or whether Simiao had gone with her.
As his master's disciple, Simiao naturally followed closely behind, but after seeing his master disappear into the Demon Realm, he was so frightened that he immediately used a talisman to inform the sect leader, fearing that his master had once again gone mad.
Wei Mengqiu concealed her human form and quickly found what she wanted to see.
Lu Yue sat under the tree watching Yan Qing practice his swordplay. He was much healthier than before. In just a few days, he had learned a set of sword techniques. It was the simplest of basic skills, yet she watched it over and over again.
“Lu Yue, I saw it,” A Yao slowly approached Lu Yue, bent down and whispered in her ear, “You kissed Yan Qing.”
Lu Yue shrugged, "What's wrong?"
Ayao pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes filled with a deep look: "Do you really only see him as your child? Luyue, when will we get married?"
Is it necessary?
Lu Yue still watched Yan Qing dance with his sword, his white robes as pure as snow, his sword flashing like the wind. It was as if she had returned to that small Taoist temple a thousand years ago, where she, a young girl who had just taken human form, sat quietly on a high branch watching the young Taoist dance with his sword, watching him grow up, and then die.
The demon race has a very long lifespan, while the short lifespan of humans is but a fleeting moment in her eyes. But even so, they are still rare companions in her life.
Yan Qing was the same, but fortunately, he lived longer and could stay with her for longer.
"Yan Qing has recovered. When do you plan to let him leave the secret realm?"
“He will never leave the secret realm in his life; it is the safest place for him.”
Lu Yue knew very well what would happen if others saw this face, so only a very few people knew Yan Qing's true appearance.
"Then what am I in your eyes?"
Ayao knew his feelings were one-sided; perhaps Luyue was only infatuated with his body, but that didn't matter—it was the nature of the snake race. He couldn't bear the thought that someone he could only look up to had fallen in love, and even gone to great lengths to consider his needs.
"What are you angry about?" Lu Yue found A Yao's behavior inexplicable. Just as she was about to speak, she changed her mind and said, "Why don't you go back to Chunhu first?"
"good."
Ayao gritted his teeth and turned to leave, knowing he shouldn't act impulsively. Lu Yue was naturally detached and didn't understand love. Even though she had slept with many men, it was merely to relieve her desires.
But he had never seen Lu Yue kiss anyone so gently, still touching their foreheads so carefully.
After A Yao left, Lu Yue got up to leave as well, but Yan Qing excitedly blushed and shouted, "Your Majesty, I want to dance with your sword for you again tomorrow."
"Um."
Lu Yue nodded and reinforced the formation as she left the secret realm. Since Wen Ruo wasn't in the Demon Realm, she should be careful.
She sensed the woman's presence and calmly said, gazing at the Blood Demon Lotus covering the mountain, "You've come."
Why didn't you touch Xueji, that child?
When Wei Mengqiu discovered that his virginity was still intact, he was surprised. He should have been like himself, bewitched by so-called emotions, lost himself, and become a pitiful madman.
Lu Yue didn't understand her meaning and asked in return, "Why would I touch him?"
"It's impossible for him not to be attracted to you, and you're the type to accept anyone, so why didn't you touch him?"
In other words, no man could resist Lu Yue's charm. Even a woman, if she, who is usually ruthless, were to casually bestow a little tenderness upon him, would likely fall for her.
"He has nothing to do with me."
“I saw the wounds on his body. You took Xueji away because of that child, didn’t you?”
Lu Yue knew she would find out, but she didn't expect her to come so quickly.
"It's strange. In the eyes of demons, such a weak and useless person like him doesn't deserve to live at all. Why did you raise him to this age? You took Xueji away for his sake too. Even if you changed his heart, what use is he?"
After Wei Mengqiu figured this out, he found it even more ridiculous; the Demon Realm could not tolerate the existence of the weak.
"It's none of your business."
"How can it have nothing to do with me?"
When Wei Mengqiu gave birth to twins, she knew her weaker brother wouldn't survive. She thought the bone-changing procedure would allow Xue Ji to barely conceal her identity, but she didn't expect it to leave behind a hidden danger. She abandoned the child in the countryside, thinking he could grow up out of sight, but unexpectedly, Lu Yue sent him to Shangqing.
To prevent trouble, she kept Xueji in front of her, mistreating and ignoring him, venting her past pain.
Lu Yue said firmly, "He is my child."
"How ridiculous! Just because you're from the snake clan, does that give you the right to claim this child?"
“I inherited Chongli’s position, which naturally includes his children.”
Wei Mengqiu found Lu Yue utterly ridiculous, but she had never truly understood her. She had only cared for her for a while during the winter, and had no other feelings for her. She was no longer the foolish girl she once was; she now held kindness towards all living beings.
"Shouldn't we show our loyalty and take action against Wei Mengqiu?" Hu Mei, hiding in the shadows, saw that the madwoman from last time had already hidden herself away. Unfortunately, Wen Ruo was nowhere to be found; he always made a hasty escape at times like this.
"Even if we join forces, we might not be able to win." Wu Yan's words were sincere.
Hu Mei thought for a moment and decided to remain hidden in the shadows. Wei Mengqiu's blatant arrival in the Demon Realm and his string of empty words clearly indicated that he and the Venerable One were old acquaintances. There seemed to be a lingering affection between them in their conversation.
She suddenly remembered the legend in the Demon Realm that the Venerable One was indiscriminate in his relationships with men and women, so why couldn't she rise to the top and even step on Wen Ruo's head?
Hu Meijing observed the situation, watching as Wei Mengqiu gradually approached the Venerable One.
The woman's eyes softened suddenly, and she chuckled softly, "Actually, I've always wanted to hug you."
Lu Yue was taken aback. Wei Mengqiu smiled gently and slowly approached: "After all, I took care of you before. In my eyes, you are like my child. I remember that winter day you were very well-behaved and would help me sort the medicinal herbs."
Lu Yue's purple eyes became blank as she recalled the past. Wei Mengqiu stepped forward and gently embraced her. Warm breath enveloped her cold body, and the fullness of a woman's breasts pressed against her chest. This was a symbol of motherhood, a warmth Lu Yue had never experienced before, just like back then.
Wei Mengqiu knew that the other party was deceived by his false warmth, and said in a gentle yet cruel tone: "Lu Yue, if you were not a demon, perhaps I would treat you better."
She raised her hand to touch Lu Yue's cheek, then the sharp broken blade mercilessly pierced Lu Yue's heart.
"Don't trust anyone in your next life."
Lu Yue could have gritted her teeth and killed Wei Mengqiu with her poison, but she simply pushed the person in front of her away and looked down at the blood gushing from her chest.
Wei Mengqiu smiled wildly, the blood from her fingers dripping onto the Blood Demon Lotus, making the flower bloom even more profusely. She mocked, "Lu Yue, you're really pathetic. Next time you'll be reincarnated into a good family. You, who are a demon lord in human form, shouldn't have any feelings."
If I had known better, I shouldn't have saved her in the first place. Now I have to go through all the trouble of killing Lu Yue and erasing all that ridiculous past.
Seeing that the Venerable One was injured and remained unmoved, and with Wen Ruo not in the Demon Realm, wouldn't the Venerable One's position be hers? She truly hadn't expected that Lu Yue would be hurt by old feelings; it would be laughable if word got out.
Blood flowed continuously from Lu Yue's chest, and it hurt terribly. She blankly clutched her wound and looked up at Wei Mengqiu.
So she can lie too.
In a daze, Lu Yue thought of Qun Qing, who had once hugged her like this and said she would die soon. It turned out she was warning her. It seemed she had already foreseen that Wei Mengqiu would use their past relationship as an excuse to hurt her.
She chuckled lightly, "Sorry, I'm not that weak."
Lu Yue swept her sword across Wei Mengqiu's face, but Wei Mengqiu knew Lu Yue wouldn't die so easily. He blocked with his longsword but still had to retreat several steps. The gale generated by the sword and saber after they flew into the air made it impossible for Hu Mei and Wu Yan, who were watching from a distance, to see the moves.
Hu Mei cursed inwardly: Where on earth did that old man Wen Ruo go?
A fierce wind howled, swirling snowflakes everywhere. The Northern Domain Palace was already a sea of corpses and blood; wherever his sharp whip passed, there were only his loyal subordinates.
The Northern Domain Palace Master, bewildered by this sudden calamity, held on to his last breath and demanded, "Protector Wen, at least let me die knowing why!"
Wen Ruo's pale face was stained with bright red blood, like a lotus flower blooming on it. He smiled slightly and sighed, "It's nothing, just getting rid of some junk because I was so bored."
With a flick of the whip, the Northern Domain Palace Master vanished instantly, his inner core already merged with the merciless black shadow. Wen Ruo looked at her masterpiece with satisfaction.
Now, all the demon race beings that could threaten the Venerable One have been eliminated by him. Only the Sword Venerables of the sect remain. Although they are somewhat troublesome, he sacrificed them and his own power has become stronger, enough to deal with the righteous path.
Wen Ruo used the clean white snow to wipe the red blood off the whip, and gently stroked it with affection. After all, it was made from the Venerable One's precious scales, and it was indeed very easy to handle.
Six of the Ten Directions Palace Masters have died. When the newly appointed Southern Region Palace Master learned of this, he was so frightened that he dropped the jade cup in his hand. He did not know why Wen Ruo had started such a massacre, but the demons were known for their unbridled behavior. Just as he was thinking about where to escape, his subordinates reported to him.
Wen Ruo has already begun returning to the Demon Realm, and a large number of disciples from the Shangqing Sect have started heading to the Demon Realm, seemingly indicating that they are taking action.
Simiao's plea for help was intercepted by Master Erkong, who saw this as a good opportunity. Four of the Ten Palace Masters are already gone; perhaps internal strife has broken out within the Demon Realm.
A large number of disciples flew there on their swords, countless swords streaking across the sky, forming a silver river. The Shangqing Sect, having suffered humiliation, could finally exact revenge today.
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