In the vast meeting hall of Mirror Flower Valley, only Xie Xuechen and Su Ningzhen faced each other.
In just half a month since they last met, Su Ningzhen seemed to have aged considerably. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes had deepened, and her gaze had lost some of its sharpness. She glared coldly at Xie Xuechen, her voice somewhat hoarse as she said, “Sect Leader Xie, coming uninvited and penetrating deep into Mirror Flower Valley’s spirit-concealing grounds is hardly proper etiquette.”
Xie Xuechen stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent.
“When I learned that demons had launched a night raid on Mirror Flower Valley, I came with Master Xuanxin to assist. I had thought Sang Qi would come personally, but he only sent his subordinates to scout.”
Su Ningzhen had believed her defenses were tight, but she hadn’t expected the demons to successfully infiltrate. Her expression immediately darkened. Master Xuanxin had personally intervened, finding all the demons in Mirror Flower Valley and escorting them to the Water Moon Palace for Xie Xuechen and Su Ningzhen to sort out the matter.
Su Ningzhen didn’t seem appreciative. Her face showed displeasure.
“How did Sect Leader Xie learn of the demon invasion?” she questioned.
“Although Valley Master Su is unwilling to speak, I can make some deductions,” Xie Xuechen said. “The woman who was in love with Sang Qi was Su Ningxi.”
Su Ningzhen’s face changed. Her hand gripping the table corner showed blue veins, her knuckles turning white. She stared at Xie Xuechen intently, gritting her teeth in silence.
“It’s not…” her voice was hoarse and weak.
“Over twenty years ago, Sang Qi fell in love with a female cultivator from Mirror Flower Valley. He was maimed, lost an arm, and suffered severe injuries. Afterward, he secluded himself for many years. Upon emerging, the first thing he did was to bloodily ravage Mingyue Mountain Manor. The previous wife of Gao Fengxu, the lord of Mingyue Mountain Manor, was Su Ningxi, the senior disciple of Mirror Flower Valley,” Xie Xuechen recounted the past events. “I may not remember the events from seven years ago, but I know quite a bit. Mingyue Mountain Manor was reduced to a sea of fire and ruins, and the graveyard behind the manor was completely dug up, left in disarray, as if someone was searching for something. He was looking for Su Ningxi’s remains, wasn’t he? But clearly, he found nothing in the tomb, otherwise, he wouldn’t have dug up all the graves.”
Su Ningzhen swayed, her face growing increasingly pale.
“You claimed that Mirror Flower Valley cut off his right arm, and he harbors a deep hatred for Mirror Flower Valley. But that day, he showed mercy to your subordinates, ordering Mu Xuanling to capture you alive, just to ask about Su Ningxi’s whereabouts. The most likely resting place for Su Ningxi would be Mirror Flower Valley.”
Xie Xuechen had deduced the cause and effect flawlessly. Su Ningzhen knew that further concealment was futile. With a dejected face, she let out a long sigh, lowering her heavy head, and said in a hoarse voice, “Sect Leader Xie’s guess is not wrong…”
“Back then, Sang Qi had improper intentions towards my sister, Su Ningxi. But Ningxi was born with a Yin constitution, had extraordinary aptitude, and was deeply favored by our master. She was also already betrothed to the lord of Mingyue Mountain Manor. Sang Qi wouldn’t give up and tried to abduct her, but fortunately, our master intervened. Later, Sang Qi was injured and fled, and Ningxi… married Mingyue Mountain Manor. However, she was ill-fated. On the day she gave birth to Qiumin, she passed away. So many years had passed, I thought Sang Qi had let it go, but when Mingyue Mountain Manor was attacked, I realized he had always wanted revenge.” Su Ningzhen gritted her teeth, her voice trembling slightly, “She was already dead, but he still wouldn’t leave her alone! He bloodied Mingyue Mountain Manor, killed Gao Fengxu, and even dug up Ningxi’s grave!”
Xie Xuechen asked, “Where is Su Ningxi’s real grave?”
Su Ningzhen lowered her eyes and said, “I can’t say.”
Xie Xuechen had no intention of pressing further. “Sang Qi will surely pursue this relentlessly. His obsession with Su Ningxi is too strong. This is the evil cause planted by Mirror Flower Valley. Is Valley Master Su confident in bearing the evil consequences?”
Su Ningzhen’s trembling hands betrayed her thoughts. She said in a shaky voice, “Sect Leader Xie, the matter between Sang Qi and Ningxi is a scandal of Mirror Flower Valley. It must not be made public. I also ask the Sect Leader to keep it confidential. Qiumin is Ningxi’s only child and will be the future Valley Master of Mirror Flower Valley. We can’t let people know that her mother once had an entanglement with a half-demon.”
“I understand,” Xie Xuechen nodded. He wasn’t interested in others’ private affairs and wasn’t one to gossip. If the entanglement between Su Ningxi and Sang Qi hadn’t been related to the war between immortals and demons, he wouldn’t have dug so deeply into it.
But…
Xie Xuechen could sense that Su Ningzhen wasn’t telling the whole truth. She was likely concealing something very important.
Mu Xuanling suddenly woke from her dream, her chest still faintly aching. Her mind was in a fog, leaving her disoriented for a long while, unable to discern when or where she was.
After some time, she remembered that she had launched a night raid on Mirror Flower Valley and had been pulled into the Cage of Greed by that fool of a Lust Demon. In the Cage of Greed, she had seen a sky full of snow. The snowflakes had blurred her vision, and as she rubbed her eyes, she seemed to have seen a lonely, desolate figure…
And then?
She touched her left chest, feeling as if it had suffered severe pain, but she couldn’t remember why it had hurt. Her eyes also felt sore and swollen, as if she had been crying. She was certain she had lost a segment of her memory.
It must have been some problem with the Lust Demon’s Cage of Greed!
Mu Xuanling came to her senses and immediately got out of bed, wanting to assess her current situation. But as soon as she opened the door, she was stopped by a barrier.
Mu Xuanling’s heart sank—she had been trapped by Xie Xuechen.
This meant the Lust Demon had also been captured.
Mu Xuanling reached out to touch the barrier when she suddenly heard voices arguing nearby.
“Master Xuanxin, this demon woman is Sang Qi’s disciple. She has injured countless cultivators of our Immortal Alliance, and now she even attempts to raid Mirror Flower Valley at night. Why are you protecting her?” A familiar female voice questioned forcefully.
Another clear and bright voice replied, “Cultivator Gao, I have no intention of obstructing. It’s just that this person is wanted by Sect Leader Xie, and neither of us has the right to interfere.”
Gao Qiumin snorted coldly, “Please step aside, Master Xuanxin. This is Mirror Flower Valley, not Xuantian Temple!”
Just as Mu Xuanling figured out the identity of the monk accompanying Xie Xuechen, she saw Gao Qiumin leading four or five female cultivators to the door.
Mirror Flower Valley’s healing techniques were world-renowned. After half a month, Gao Qiumin’s injuries had healed considerably, though a faint pink scar was still visible on her neck. The moment she saw Mu Xuanling, her eyes flashed with a violent light, and the veins on her sword-wielding hand bulged.
“Mu Xuanling,” Gao Qiumin spat out her name through gritted teeth, “You’re so bold, daring to come to Mirror Flower Valley to seek death!”
Mu Xuanling coldly looked at her, the corner of her mouth curling into a half-smile, “Who gave you the courage to speak so boldly in front of me? You think the few of you can take my life?”
“Senior Sister, don’t waste words with her,” a nearby female cultivator said in a low voice. “While Sect Leader Xie is currently discussing matters with Master…”
Gao Qiumin came to her senses. Indeed, Xie Xuechen had personal feelings for Mu Xuanling. She had to seize this opportunity to kill her! Gao Qiumin had also noticed that Xie Xuechen had set up a barrier outside the room where Mu Xuanling was staying to prevent her from escaping. Mu Xuanling couldn’t get out now, making it the perfect time to deal with her!
“Form the formation!” Gao Qiumin commanded in a low voice. Immediately, the four female cultivators behind her spread out in a fan shape, each holding a bronze mirror.
Mu Xuanling frowned, watching the movements of the people in front warily. The five held mirrors in their right hands, chanting incantations. In an instant, the bronze mirrors lit up with a dazzling golden light. Five beams of light converged into one, and the aura suddenly surged, causing the air to thicken. The beam of light seemed to have substance, condensing into a golden arrow that shot fiercely toward Mu Xuanling.
—The Sun-Chasing Arrow!
Mu Xuanling’s heart skipped a beat. The Sun-Chasing Arrow had tracking abilities. Once locked on by the Golden Light Mirror, it was impossible to avoid. The stronger the power of the mirror wielders and the more Golden Light Mirrors there were, the stronger the power of the Sun-Chasing Arrow. Legend had it that in ancient times when ten suns were born, humans used this formation technique to form an array of ten thousand people to shoot down nine suns. Although the formation Mirror Flower Valley now possessed was incomplete, its power was not to be underestimated.
As the sun began to set, Mu Xuanling held her breath, focusing all her energy on the task at hand. She watched as the Pursuing Sun Arrow struck the barrier, causing it to erupt in a dazzling light. Strange energies swirled, stopping the sharp arrowhead in its tracks. Both sides were at a stalemate.
Gao Qiumin froze for a moment, then grew even more furious. The barrier wasn’t just for confinement; it was also for protection. Xie Xuechen had left the barrier to protect Mu Xuanling!
This realization made her even more enraged. She could tolerate Xie Xuechen not having feelings for her, but she couldn’t bear him indulging and protecting this lowly half-demon who had hurt her! No wonder Xuan Xin didn’t stop her; he already knew that Xie Xuechen’s barrier was enough to protect Mu Xuanling!
But why her? Aside from her face, what did Mu Xuanling have that was better than her?
“Senior Sister, this is Sect Leader Xie’s barrier. We can’t break through,” a nearby female cultivator said softly.
“Not necessarily!” Gao Qiumin said coldly. She then sliced open her left palm with her sword and pressed her bloody palm against the bronze mirror, gently wiping it. Instantly, the light reflected from the mirror’s surface turned a deep crimson, its aura becoming even more terrifying.
The female cultivator behind her cried out in alarm, “Senior Sister, this will damage your cultivation!”
Gao Qiumin ignored her, glaring fiercely at Mu Xuanling behind the barrier. A voice in her mind repeated: Kill her, kill her, kill her…
From the first time she saw her, she felt an inexplicable panic, not just because of Xie Xuechen, but as if it came from her blood, from the depths of her soul – a fear and dread that Mu Xuanling’s existence would erase everything she had.
So she had to kill Mu Xuanling!
This was an attack that risked her cultivation, combining the power of magical arrays. It could even injure someone in the Fashen realm. The Pursuing Sun Arrow changed from gold to crimson, its power increasing further. Cracks immediately appeared in the barrier Xie Xuechen had left. Mu Xuanling knew things were bad and surged her spiritual power, forming armor before her body.
A faint cracking sound rang out as the red light shattered the barrier and shot toward Mu Xuanling’s face. Mu Xuanling used all her strength to strike out with her palm, but this palm didn’t meet the red light. Instead, it struck a figure in white robes.
With a gentle wave of his snow-white sleeve, the seemingly unstoppable Pursuing Sun Arrow suddenly vanished.
Gao Qiumin stared in shock at the suddenly appearing Xie Xuechen. His back was to the crowd outside, having effortlessly neutralized their attack. Now he was looking down at the person in front of him. He had taken Mu Xuanling’s full-force palm strike without any defense. Although protected by spiritual power, his blood churned, and he felt a dull pain.
Mu Xuanling hadn’t expected Xie Xuechen to appear so suddenly. She froze in place, her right hand pressed against his chest, feeling his firm chest and strong heartbeat through the thin cloth.
Xie Xuechen exhaled softly, enduring the pain as he asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Are you alright?”
Mu Xuanling finally withdrew her hand, pressing her lips together in silence, watching Xie Xuechen warily.
Seeing her so guarded, Xie Xuechen felt a trace of melancholy, though he knew it was due to the Heart-Perceiving Water.
When the barrier was attacked earlier, he immediately sensed it and rushed here without saying much to Su Ningzhen. He arrived just in time to see the barrier shatter, blocking the arrow at the last moment. Otherwise, Mu Xuanling would have been seriously injured.
He felt a bit relieved, but more so afraid. He realized his oversight. Mu Xuanling faced enemies everywhere in the Immortal Alliance; a single barrier wasn’t enough to ensure her safety. Perhaps he needed to keep her by his side at all times, within sight.
Xie Xuechen slowly turned around, looking at the agitated and angry Gao Qiumin. He said coldly, “I’ve said before, Mu Xuanling is a person of Yongxue City. No one is to harm her.”
Gao Qiumin clenched her fists, blood dripping from between her fingers. She looked at Xie Xuechen in disbelief: “Sect Leader Xie, how long will you continue to deceive yourself? She’s a half-demon, one of the Demon Clan. She doesn’t truly care for you!”
Gao Qiumin’s words echoed Mu Xuanling’s questions.
What exactly did Xie Xuechen want?
If before, Xie Xuechen had been deceived by her false affection, now that he knew he had been tricked, why was he still protecting her?
Mu Xuanling couldn’t help but judge by her standards. She guessed that Xie Xuechen wanted to pay her back in kind, to deceive her feelings and use her against Sang Qi. But she was on guard and wouldn’t be easily deceived by Xie Xuechen.
Xie Xuechen coldly glanced at Gao Qiumin, unwilling to answer any of her questions. He turned slightly, looking at Su Ningzhen, who had arrived late.
“Valley Master Su,” Xie Xuechen nodded to Su Ningzhen and said, “Please keep your disciples in check.”
Gao Qiumin’s face turned pale. She ran to Su Ningzhen’s side and said, “Master, we can’t let this demoness escape no matter what!”
Su Ningzhen frowned, looking at Mu Xuanling, then at Xie Xuechen. After a moment, she said hoarsely, “Sect Leader Xie, I understand.”
Gao Qiumin looked at Su Ningzhen in shock, her voice failing her, “Master, what’s wrong with you…”
Mu Xuanling was also somewhat surprised. This Su Ningzhen had always been calling for her death, so why was she suddenly so agreeable?
Master Xuan Xin appeared unhurriedly, smiling as he said, “The matter here is settled, I should return to Xuantian Temple. Sect Leader Xie, I’ll take the Desire Demon with me.”
Xie Xuechen nodded, “Thank you for your trouble, Master Xuan Xin.”
Xuan Xin looked at Xie Xuechen meaningfully and said, “Sect Leader Xie, be careful on your journey.”
After bidding farewell to everyone, Xuan Xin left Mirror Flower Valley.
Xie Xuechen, not wishing to linger, grasped Mu Xuanling’s wrist and pulled her into his arms, holding her waist as they took to the air.
Gao Qiumin watched angrily as Xie Xuechen took Mu Xuanling away. Tearfully, she asked Su Ningzhen, “Master, why did you do this? Sect Leader Xie’s repeated indulgence of this demoness will one day lead to irreparable losses!”
Su Ningzhen stared blankly at her feet, her mind still dwelling on what Xie Xuechen had said earlier.
“Sang Qi’s evil today is not because of me, but because of Mirror Flower Valley.”
“It was Mirror Flower Valley’s actions towards Sang Qi that led to today’s bitter fruit.”
“With me here, Mu Xuanling will not become tomorrow’s Sang Qi.”
Su Ningzhen knew better than anyone that what Xie Xuechen said was the truth.
She remembered when she brought Ning Xi back to the valley, how happily she had told her that she had fallen in love with a half-demon. He was strong yet lonely, cold yet gentle. She loved his soft, shiny silver hair, his moon-like cold eyes, and his fluffy ears. Every time she touched them, that pale, handsome face would blush adorably, making her want to hug him.
“Sister, he is the Demon Clan’s priest, the half-demon Sang Qi. He hates humans and is our enemy,” she heard herself say with disgust.
“A Zhen, it’s not like that,” Su Ningxi said gently. “He has never hated this human world. What he hates… is only himself.”
She refused the position of Valley Master of Mirror Flower Valley, rebelled against the marriage arranged by her master, and even abandoned her sister, with whom she had grown up, just to be with that half-demon.
Su Ningzhen hated that half-demon for taking away her only family. She tried her best to keep her sister, but in the end, she kept nothing.
She worried that Mu Xuanling would become tomorrow’s Sang Qi, but wasn’t today’s Sang Qi the bitter fruit sown by Mirror Flower Valley years ago?
What truly killed Ning Xi – was it Sang Qi, or was it her…