Seven days later.
The Bixiao Palace had fallen, now entirely under the control of Lingju Island. Of the five sects in the Immortal Alliance, only three remained.
Xuan Xin had made great contributions during the battle, breaking through to the Fashen realm in the heat of combat. As the people’s choice, he succeeded as the next sect leader. San Qi met his end in Mirror Flower Valley, while Gao Qiumin left with Su Ningzhen’s corpse, their whereabouts unknown. The Grand Elder discovered San Qi’s body in Starfall Valley and ordered the excavation of a jade coffin hidden beneath a tree for twenty years. Inside lay Su Ningxi, as gentle and graceful as she had been in life. Beside her was San Qi’s right arm, severed years ago, which she had infused with life energy for four days and nights. Remarkably, it hadn’t decayed after all these years. Perhaps this was Su Ningzhen’s final act of remorse, unable to deny Ningxi’s last dying wish, she had placed the severed arm in her jade coffin.
The Grand Elder heaved a deep sigh and placed San Qi’s body next to Ningxi, allowing them to be buried together in death.
“Even the mightiest beings in this world must eventually die, buried beneath the earth to nourish the growth of grass and trees…”
These were the words Su Ningxi had once spoken to San Qi, and it became their final resting place.
It took three days for Xie Xuechen’s divine aperture to recover. During this time, he secluded himself in a secret chamber, cut off from the world. When he emerged after three days, his handsome face was cold and even more aloof than before.
For the remaining four days, armed with only his sword, he single-handedly quelled the demon threat and invaded Lingju Island, forcing He Xianwo to confront him directly.
“Sect Leader Xie, killing me alone won’t solve anything,” He Xianwo, unable to match Xie Xuechen, retreated behind a barrier, his face pale. “Moreover, is the justice you uphold truly just? The so-called righteous path of the Immortal Alliance, waving the banner of vanquishing evil and protecting the way, is a den of corruption. They claim to punish the wicked and eliminate evil, but who decides who is wicked and who is evil? Fu Yuanting was killed for a wife and even abandoned his son. Mirror Flower Valley and Bright Moon Manor colluded to harm the Primordial Yin Divine Maiden. These matters are known to all. The Immortal Alliance has lost the people’s trust. How are their actions any different from the demons they claim to fight? Sect Leader Xie, why do you insist on protecting such righteous sects?”
“I have never protected the Immortal Alliance,” Xie Xuechen’s handsome face was as cold as snow, isolated and aloof. “He Xianwo, you are human. Why do you work for the demon race?”
He Xianwo was taken aback, then chuckled softly, “What’s the difference between humans and demons? Sect Leader Xie, the most harmful thing in this world has never been demons, but the malice in human hearts.”
“Then do your actions eliminate the evil in people’s hearts?” Xie Xuechen asked.
“No,” He Xianwo replied proudly, with a slight smile. “But it can deprive them of the ability to do evil. Humans have been dominant for too long, their desires have inflated to the point of madness. There must be a force to keep them in check.”
“Demons are difficult to tame. Won’t they commit evil as well? Using demons to restrain humans is nothing but a foolish dream,” Xie Xuechen’s words were cold, disagreeing with his view. “Your methods are no different from those of the One-Thought Venerable. Though humans have faults, it remains a human matter. There’s no need for demons and fiends to interfere.”
He Xianwo sighed with some regret, “I thought Sect Leader Xie was different from others, not narrow-minded about a single race or person, but focused on all living beings. What difference is there between demons, fiends, and humans? Weren’t they all born from chaos?”
“Indeed,” Xie Xuechen stared at him steadily. “But I am human, so I must prioritize humanity. Even if there are wrongdoers and those with evil intentions among humans, the severe cases should be punished by law, and the minor ones should be educated and corrected. To eliminate evil and support good is the right path. Using tigers to devour wolves will only lead to endless troubles.”
“Do demons and half-demons not deserve the same rights as humans? Are the blessed lands of this divine continent only fit for the Immortal Alliance to inhabit?” He Xianwo said coldly. “Sect Leader Xie was born noble, naturally unable to understand the difficult circumstances of demons and half-demons.”
“I heard you once had a lover who was killed by the Demon Inspection Department for not having a good demon certificate,” Xie Xuechen suddenly said.
He Xianwo’s face immediately darkened, unconsciously clenching his fists.
“The Demon Inspection Department is under Bixiao Palace’s jurisdiction, which is why you’ve always hated Bixiao Palace, but endured for many years,” Xie Xuechen watched the storm brewing in He Xianwo’s eyes and sighed softly, his voice low. “He Xianwo, I understand your intentions. You want to establish a new order where demons and half-demons can be treated equally. However, this method is too extreme and cruel. It will inevitably provoke a backlash from cultivators worldwide. If the three realms of immortals, demons, and fiends engage in all-out war, the divine continent will become a living hell. Only ordinary mortals will suffer.”
He Xianwo’s expression softened slightly as he lowered his gaze, saying in a deep voice, “This is the price that must be paid to achieve great things.”
Xie Xuechen frowned, “You say this only because you’re not the one paying the price.”
He Xianwo was silent for a moment before saying, “At this point, what else can be done? Sect Leader Xie, your divine skills are unmatched. If you wish to kill me, go ahead. It’s the only price I can pay.”
Xie Xuechen looked at He Xianwo intently and said in a deep voice, “He Xianwo, if you trust me, I promise you as the Sect Leader of the Immortal Alliance that from this day forward, demons and half-demons will enjoy the same status and rights as human cultivators. They will not be arbitrarily killed or enslaved. The Immortal Alliance will order a ban on all acts of enslaving or cruelly killing demons. However, the Demon Kings must come forward to prohibit all acts of killing and plundering by demons, and send suitable representatives to Yongxue City to discuss a ceasefire with the Immortal Alliance.”
He Xianwo was stunned, looking at Xie Xuechen in confusion. “Why? Why… are you willing to stop the war and negotiate? I know that with your current abilities, no one in the world can match you. Even if you were to exterminate all demons, it would only be a matter of time.”
Xie Xuechen replied, “Why should I exterminate them all? Just because I can?”
He Xianwo had no answer.
“The Juntian Sword has never been a sword of slaughter or destruction,” Xie Xuechen raised Juntian, its divine golden light reflecting in his cold, dark phoenix eyes. “It is a sword of rebirth after destruction, a sword of redemption.”
However, it couldn’t save the person he cared about most.
Xie Xuechen lowered his phoenix eyes, sighing inwardly before looking back at He Xianwo.
“I established my authority only to make others listen to me more quietly, and to make it easier for you to persuade those demons,” Xie Xuechen sheathed his divine sword and turned to leave. “Three days from now, in Yongxue City, we await the arrival of Island Master He and the Demon Kings.”
Three days later, He Xianwo arrived at Bixiao Palace with ten Demon Kings, but they didn’t see Xie Xuechen. Instead, they were greeted by a handsome and dignified cultivator, the current head of Xuantian Temple, Venerable Xuan Xin.
Venerable Xuan Xin held prayer beads and smiled, “Xie Xuechen has resigned from his position as Sect Leader. I am currently acting as the temporary Sect Leader of the Immortal Alliance.”
“What!” Everyone was shocked and confused. “Then where is he?”
Venerable Xuan Xin said, “He has his matters to attend to.”
He Xianwo quickly recalled something. That day at Two Realms Mountain, when everyone pressured Xie Xuechen about leaking the Jade Que Scripture, he declared that once he killed San Qi, he would resign as Sect Leader and undergo the punishment of the Myriad Phenomena Thunder Tribulation. He didn’t expect Xie Xuechen to fulfill his promise so quickly.
But He Xianwo understood that whether Xie Xuechen was the Sect Leader or not was no longer important. He had already demonstrated sufficient deterrence. As long as he was alive, he remained the Immortal Alliance’s pillar of support.
A Bao, toddling on her short legs, stumbled her way to Chuixue Tower. Xie Xuechen’s former residence was now heavily warded, with a woman who seemed to be sleeping inside.
Nan Xuyue walked out of the room and saw A Bao standing outside the barrier, her eyes filled with tears.
“A Bao, why are you here?” A faint smile appeared on Nan Xuyue’s handsome but pale face.
A Bao’s eyes were red, her voice childish yet hoarse, as if she had cried herself raw.
“I heard that Big Sister died…” A Bao burst into tears. “I don’t have a father anymore, no big brother, and now no big sister…”
She couldn’t understand what had happened, why in just a few short days, she had lost the most important people in her life. Her father’s body had been cremated by He Xianwo and now resided in a small urn. Her brother said he didn’t want to see her and had gone who knows where. She had come with He Xianwo to see her big sister, only to hear that she had been severely injured in Mirror Flower Valley and had stopped breathing…
Nan Xuyue weakly ruffled her hair, his gaze somewhat dazed. “A Bao, she’s not dead. She’s just sleeping for now.”
A Bao looked at Nan Xuyue through her sobs, “Young Master Nan, don’t… don’t lie to a child. Is Big Sister okay? Then let me see her!”
Nan Xuyue hesitated for a moment before leading A Bao through the barrier. These layers of barriers set by Xie Xuechen could only be passed by him alone or those he permitted.
A Bao tiptoed into the room and, seeing Mu Xuanling lying on the bed, rushed over and grasped her ice-cold hand. She looked as if she were sleeping, but her face was extremely pale, and her body was as cold as stone.
A Bao’s tears immediately began to fall, and she choked out, “Young Master Nan, you’re lying… Big Sister is clearly…”
Nan Xuyue shook his head gently and said in a low voice, “Don’t disturb her.”
A Bao rubbed her eyes and looked up at Nan Xuyue suspiciously. It was then that she noticed something strange about Young Master Nan.
Nan Xuyue stared at the eternally sleeping Mu Xuanling, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, revealing a look of melancholy and sorrow in his eyes. He slowly sat down by the bed, his warm palm covering her cold hand. His usually gentle and smiling voice had lost all warmth, becoming cold and hoarse.
“A Bao, she’s not dead, so why won’t she wake up? Is it because she doesn’t want to see me?”
A Bao was startled. In her heart, she thought, Big Sister is dead, why is Young Master Nan saying this… Has he gone mad from grief?
Although her heart was still grieving Mu Xuanling’s death, she still tried to comfort him through her tears, “Young Master Nan, don’t be sad. Big Sister liked you so much, how could she not want to see you?”
Hearing this, Nan Xuyue gave a bitter laugh, lowering his gentle eyes and saying softly, “Because I’m the one who harmed her…”
No one knew, but he was clear that he had indirectly caused Ling’er’s death.
From the moment Xie Xuechen asked him for the Jade Shattering Pill, he had calculated everything. He knew Xie Xuechen would exhaust himself in battle, burn his lifespan, and even fight to the death. San Qi was no match for Xie Xuechen’s trump card, and Mirror Flower Valley was even less of a concern. Ling’er also had the magical tool he had given her, so everything should have been a close call but ultimately safe… Even when Su Ningzhen unexpectedly mentioned the Chaos Pearl, he still had the power to stop San Qi at that time, but he didn’t act. He was waiting for Xie Xuechen to take the Jade Shattering Pill, waiting for San Qi to kill Xie Xuechen…
But he didn’t wait long enough. Even when he saw Ling’er take out the Golden Core, intending to perish together with San Qi, what he thought was – even if Ling’er detonated the Golden Core, with the jade pendant’s protection, she wouldn’t die. And Xie Xuechen would…
He was so fixated on the destiny he had glimpsed, yet he had miscalculated…
The jade pendant he had painstakingly carved was secretly hidden on Xie Xuechen by Ling’er.
“Hahaha…” Nan Xuyue covered his eyes, laughing softly, his broken laughter devoid of any joy, filled only with pain and self-mockery. “It was my baseness that made me lose her…”
“Young Master Nan…” A Bao was startled, fearfully stepping back and falling to the ground, her swollen eyes looking at Nan Xuyue in confusion. “You… you’re scaring me…”
Nan Xuyue lowered his hand from his face, revealing wet, reddened eyes.
“Am I so frightening? Yes… I’ve always been this kind of person… I killed my father and brothers, committed countless evil deeds, destined to never obtain what I love…”
A Bao couldn’t understand why Nan Xuyue said he had killed his father and brothers.
Nan Xuyue sometimes wondered why Ling’er had never asked him how he, a cripple and waste abandoned by his father, had eventually become the master of Yunxiu Manor. Was it because she didn’t care, or because she had guessed…
That day in the dungeon of Yongxue City, Chimeng saw through his obsession and asked him – Is your deep regret because of the people you’ve killed, or because of the person you’ve missed?
The people he’d killed?
Heh… He had never regretted it.
Ling’er’s words had cleared the fog in his heart. If people in this world didn’t like him, why should he grieve for them? He was cold by nature, his gentleness merely a cultivated demeanor, never truly investing any real feelings in anyone, except for her… His palm-sized heart had no room for any more irrelevant people.
The birth father who abandoned him, the elder brother who had harmed him, and the many brothers who wanted to kill him – he had eliminated them all. He still remembered that day when he killed Nan Xingye with his own hands. When Nan Wujiu arrived, Nan Xingye’s blood was still warm, but his eyes could no longer close. He looked up at his father and finally asked the question that had been in his heart for so long.
“Father, would you destroy a living grandmaster for the sake of a dead waste?”
At that time, he had already become a grandmaster in arrays, medicine, mechanisms, and celestial phenomena. Even though he couldn’t cultivate, he was still a pivotal figure in the cultivation world. He watched as Nan Wujiu’s face changed from iron-blue to black, and slowly to resignation.
“Very good,” he said these two words, then left without looking at Nan Xingye again.
Years later, he too died at Nan Xuyue’s hands. As he was dying, he tightly grasped his hand and said hoarsely, “I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me…”
Nan Xuyue shook off his hand, his expression indifferent.
He didn’t know why he could be so calm as if all the emotions in this world were irrelevant to him until he reunited with Ling’er. Seeing her relentlessly chasing after another person’s shadow, wounded all over but still deeply in love without regrets, his heart became hot again.
He was the first to know Ling’er. If it weren’t for Xie Xuechen, Ling’er would have come to him…
This was his obsession, his only obsession, his selfish obsession.
His unspeakable obsession…
Nan Xuyue leaned down and kissed Mu Xuanling’s cold hand.
He could never match up to Xie Xuechen after all. Xie Xuechen loved her without calculation, only with wholehearted protection and a determination to face death without hesitation.
Xie Xuechen said he had a method that might save Ling’er. For that slight possibility, he was willing to risk his life.
“Nan Xuyue, if you feel guilty, then watch over her for me.”
“What if you never return?”
“Then I’ll accompany her in the netherworld.”