At that time, she thought Yue Liangze was quite stubborn. Later, Ling Luo even said, “I don’t play with stubborn people.”

After hearing this, Yue Liangze glanced at her before turning his face away again.

Yu Xiu’s voice brought her thoughts back to the present: “The Sixth Hall Master’s direct disciples are preparing to leave for Dianhua State.”

After reaching the shore, Ling Luo saw Xu Shen and others who had already packed their things and come out. His brows were slightly furrowed, while Chang Fei stood nearby wearing a coat, clearly intending to go with him.

The Sixth Hall Master was Xu Shen’s direct master.

Disciple Dinglan stood beside them with reddened eyes, saying to Xu Shen, “Senior Brother, I want to go too.”

Xu Shen said, “Your cultivation is still shallow. Going to Dianhua State is too dangerous. Just wait for news at Tianji.”

Dinglan clenched his fists and said, “Senior Brother, I’ve already comprehended the life-and-death boundary. I can protect myself.”

This junior disciple had very good talent.

Xu Shen looked at him and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder, reassuring him.

Ling Luo said to Yu Xiu, “I’ll go to Dianhua State with them.”

Yu Xiu hesitated, “Senior Brother is already there…”

Ling Luo whispered, “Second Senior Brother, I’m serious. Master is angry with me. If I wander around in front of him now, I’ll just annoy him more.”

Yu Xiu thought to himself that Master might be annoyed with Senior Brother, but never with you.

The extent of Yun Shouxi’s indulgence toward Ling Luo was most clear to the two disciples closest to him.

In the end, Yu Xiu allowed her to leave with Xu Shen and the others.

When Yun Shouxi finished his discussions and learned that Ling Luo had already left for Dianhua State, he remained silent.

Yu Xiu was a bit worried and hesitantly said, “Master…”

But Yun Shouxi said, “She will always come back.”

More than a month had passed. The various immortal sects and the Three Departments joined forces to protect the mortal world. Many disturbances had been quelled, and the demons causing trouble were diminishing. The one commanding and organizing was the White Bone Demon. Now they only needed to cut off the source to end it all.

On her way to Dianhua State, Ling Luo thought about many things.

In her previous life, she hadn’t given much thought to the battle at the Soul-Bewitching Cave. Her mind had been occupied with other matters, and she had never told anyone about what she saw in the Age Mist.

Thinking about it now, she recalled that when Yue Liangze knelt before the Sacred Sword Sect in the Suffering Karma Flower memory, his senior brother had mentioned thinking Yue Liangze would succumb to demonic possession.

What exactly had this person experienced?

The more Ling Luo thought, the more troubled she felt.

Flying on swords, they reached Dianhua State at daybreak. After landing, they found Tianji disciples who had remained there and saw the bodies of the two deceased hall masters.

Dianhua State was now under the control of Nanshan Snowy River, who had set up camp at the foot of the demon lair mountain.

But the elders of Nanshan Snowy River had no intention of letting these young people enter the demon lair because it was too dangerous.

Ling Luo asked, “Then why was my Senior Brother able to enter?”

The Snowy River Elder answered, “He was captured and taken in.”

Ling Luo said with a straight face, “I need to rescue my Senior Brother.”

The Snowy River Elder blocked her with his hand, “This place is dangerous. You should wait outside. Leave the rescue to your elders.”

Ling Luo looked around and raised an eyebrow, “I’m rescuing my Senior Brother. What does that have to do with you people from Snowy River?”

Though her words were impolite, her expression remained dignified.

The Snowy River Elder frowned, his face showing anger. Nearby Snowy River disciples who heard this looked at Ling Luo in surprise.

At this moment, Ling Luo didn’t seem like someone who had come to help with the rescue, but rather someone who had come to provoke trouble.

“Young people shouldn’t think they’re invincible just because they have some skill,” the Snowy River Elder suppressed his anger, his eyes showing contempt. “You think you can fight the Twenty-Six Demons? I don’t want Cansui Immortal to come looking for his disciple only to take back a corpse.”

Ling Luo blinked and said, “You think the Twenty-Six Demons can fight me?”

The Snowy River Elder coldly snorted and said in a deep voice, “So arrogant. Is this the kind of person who won first place at the Golden Luan Pool Banquet, someone who disrespects elders and knows no humility or etiquette? The Golden Luan Pool Banquet truly gets worse every year!”

Ling Luo smiled and said, “Elder, you flatter me. Going back hundreds of years, has there ever been a champion who won by defeating the Divine Technique Sword Intent? This year indeed had nothing worth watching.”

The Snowy River disciples were in an uproar upon hearing this.

This person was too arrogant!

“You’re outrageous!” The Snowy River Elder’s expression darkened completely, his anger very apparent.

He favored Feng Tianyao the most, believing that his sect’s young master was the outstanding talent among the younger generation, superior to all others.

Now, not only was this young woman implicitly mocking and ridiculing the Divine Technique Sword Intent, but she was also being so arrogant and presumptuous. It was simply outrageous!

As the atmosphere between the two sides grew increasingly tense, seemingly about to erupt into a fight, Chang Fei finally arrived after being called for help by other junior disciples. She came forward with a smile, making light of the situation as she pulled Ling Luo away.

“Elder, please don’t be angry. She’s just too worried about Senior Brother and spoke offensively in her anxiety. I apologize to you on her behalf.”

Ling Luo maintained her composure as she was pulled away. Chang Fei waved her hands, gesturing for the onlookers to disperse. After walking far enough away to ensure no Nanshan Snowy River people were around, she patted her chest and exhaled.

Chang Fei said frantically, “Ancestor! Aren’t you directly provoking Nanshan Snowy River and slapping their faces? This is their territory. Master Feng is rushing here from afar to save his son. If he learns about what you said about the Golden Luan Pool Banquet, won’t he make you pay for it?”

At the mention of Master Feng, Ling Luo’s expression became inscrutable.

“The entrance to the demon lair isn’t easy to find. It changes constantly within the mountain, seemingly following some kind of formation. Senior Brother and Yuanyuan were pulled in without warning,” Chang Fei shared the intelligence she had gathered. “I heard that young master Feng ran into the mountains wanting to find the Twenty-Six Demons because he couldn’t accept defeat, and ended up delivering himself to them.”

Ling Luo: “Fool.”

Chang Fei sighed, “We should be careful for now. With Senior Brother Yue inside, Yuanyuan should survive.”

Ling Luo looked toward the mountain peak and said, “I know the formation for the demon lair entrance. Tonight at the midnight hour, it will open at the Kan water position.”

Chang Fei: “How do you know?”

“I calculated it,” Ling Luo walked toward where the Tianji disciples had set up camp. “I’ll go then. You stay outside and watch Xu Shen, preventing him from exposing that he knows forbidden techniques if his emotions change due to the Sixth Hall Master’s death.”

Chang Fei was already accustomed to Ling Luo knowing techniques that ordinary people didn’t, so she didn’t doubt the time and location she mentioned.

As the two walked toward the Tianji camp, Chang Fei noticed that Ling Luo had stopped.

She asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ling Luo looked in the direction of several Nanshan Snowy River disciples and said, “Look.”

Chang Fei: “Look at what?”

Ling Luo was silent for a moment, then said, “Not a single female disciple.”

Chang Fei: “…”

She said with embarrassment, “Coincidence, just a coincidence. Nanshan Snowy River has so many people, and we’ve only seen these few. We can’t say they don’t have any female disciples at all.”

Ling Luo said as they walked, “Of course, they’re not completely without, just very few.”

Chang Fei wore an expression of helplessness mixed with a headache, yet she couldn’t help looking toward the Nanshan Snowy River people, unconsciously counting the numbers of men and women.

Ling Luo spent the entire day helping to treat injured disciples. She also noticed more and more people arriving—elders from various immortal sects or outstanding disciples from sects she had met at the Golden Luan Pool Banquet.

Among them was the Grand Elder of the Carefree Sect.

After several years, when the Grand Elder saw Ling Luo again, the hatred in his eyes had deepened.

The little girl who could once be slaughtered at his whim had grown increasingly powerful, fearless in demeanor, even carrying a hint of playfulness and mockery.

“Ling Luo.” A familiar yet strange gentle voice made Ling Luo turn around. She saw a man wearing the robes of the Western Sea Primal Sect.

“Senior Brother Zhan Rong?” Ling Luo went forward and asked, “You’ve come here too?”

Zhan Rong nodded, glancing at Yingxi at her waist. He frowned and said, “I learned that Brother Chu was captured in the demon lair. Worried, I came with Zong Xiu.”

As he spoke, he naturally led Ling Luo away from the Carefree Sect people.

Zhan Rong and Chu Yi were good friends, but Ling Luo didn’t have a deep relationship with him. In her impression, he was a very humble and gentle person.

After chatting briefly about Chu Yi, Zhan Rong was called away by people from the Western Sea Primal Sect.

Ling Luo stood there for a while. When she turned around, she glanced back from the corner of her eye.

Since arriving in Dianhua State, she had been watched by someone who concealed their presence perfectly, not revealing even a trace—a true expert.

Being monitored.

That was the same as in her previous life.

The Twelve Great Immortal Sects had gathered to discuss the matter of the White Bone Demon.

After nightfall, having given instructions to Chang Fei, Ling Luo silently entered the mountain.

In her previous life, she had calculated the location of the demon gate using her unique incantation heartcraft. Just as she arrived, she encountered a demon devouring a great beast. Both wanted to enter the demon gate and during their struggle, the observer hiding in the shadows launched a fatal strike. Although Ling Luo killed the observer, she was injured and, as she fell into the demon gate, used her last strength to summon a formation that sent her away from the remaining demons.

It was also then that Ling Luo vaguely remembered seeing Yue Liangze before she lost consciousness, though she wasn’t certain. When she asked him later, he denied it, so Ling Luo thought she had remembered incorrectly.

Now she felt that Yue Liangze had been lying.

As Ling Luo walked, recalling details from her previous life, she entered the depths of the forest. She felt subtle vibrations from beneath her feet. The moonlight was dim, and rustling sounds came from the shrubs ahead.

She saw a crack form in the ground and extend along the mountainside. The demon gate opened, and the cracking sound disturbed the demon devouring a great beast on the mountain wall.

Huge black wings spread open, blocking the new moon’s light and casting a large shadow. Ling Luo looked up and met a pair of blood-red eyes. This was a demon called Shenghui, with a human face but a beast body, overall resembling a horse with wings on its back but having only one foot and one arm.

The Shenghui Demon swallowed the great beast’s heart whole with its single hand, covered in blood, looking down at Ling Luo with a half-smile: “Human.”

“Cultivator?”

Ling Luo held Suiwu in her hand, and mist rose in the mountains.

“Want to enter the demon gate?” The Shenghui Demon laughed strangely. Its massive wings flapped, and in the blink of an eye, it appeared before Ling Luo.

Ling Luo glanced at the demon gate, deciding to take a gamble by repeating her path from her previous life to see if she had truly encountered Yue Liangze.

The Shenghui Demon was a heart demon incarnate, cunning and cruel, with strength comparable to a demon king, and difficult to kill. Perhaps because it was formed from heart demons, it most enjoyed toying with human hearts.

Its methods of torture were notoriously filthy and evil.

Ling Luo unleashed her sword energy. The Shenghui Demon stared at her sword and said, “Suiwu, the world’s most beautiful divine weapon sword… Ah, how disgusting! The more beautiful something is, the more disgusting it is!”

Suiwu: How dare you insult me again?!

Ling Luo calmly comforted it: “Don’t mind it. Demons don’t understand art.”

The Shenghui Demon let out a shrill cry. Demonic essence surged in the area, and it gained a layer of black shield. When Ling Luo slashed with her sword, the shield burst open with a whoosh, splattering mud-like demonic essence everywhere.

Ling Luo was inevitably contaminated by some of it. The mud-like demonic essence was foul-smelling and corroded her clothes. Even the small amount that splashed onto the back of her hand made her feel as if countless demonic ants were frantically gnawing at her body.

“Let me see how much darkness lies in the deepest part of a human who possesses Suiwu,” the Shenghui Demon laughed strangely as it flew toward her, its huge wings closing to envelop Ling Luo.

Ling Luo’s other hand pressed on the wrist holding her sword. Golden incantation marks flashed briefly on the back of her hand before being trapped within her body. The sword intent forced into slumber inside her was calling to her—powerful strength she could use if she wished, but which she ignored.

“Senior Sister!” A figure suddenly appeared behind her, and another sword energy slashed at the black feathers trying to close around her.

Disciple Dinglan, who had secretly followed Ling Luo all the way, finally couldn’t resist intervening.

Ling Luo pressed her eyebrows together, turned with her sword energy erupting to drive back the Shenghui Demon, and then coldly looked at Dinglan.

Dinglan knew he was at fault and immediately said obediently, “Senior Sister, I was wrong, but I also want to go to the demon lair to avenge Master against the Twenty-Six Demons.”

The Shenghui Demon roared at Ling Luo in frustration: “Disgusting divine weapon sword! Disgusting human cultivator!”

Ling Luo looked at it coldly, “You dare insult again?”

Her hand was covered in black spots, and blood seeped from where the demonic essence had corroded her skin. The Shenghui Demon smelled the sweet scent in her blood, growing more excited.

The demon gate began to close. Ling Luo flashed toward it.

The Shenghui Demon spread its wings and flew, pointing at Ling Luo with its single hand: “Seize her for me!”

The scattered feathers transformed into what seemed like thousands of troops charging toward Ling Luo.

Dinglan swung his sword: “Senior Sister!”

“Don’t come over!” As Ling Luo battled this demon army, the observer who had been watching her all day finally made their move.

They struck with a killing move, aiming to end her life.

Dinglan’s heart nearly stopped at the sight. Without thinking, he flew forward trying to block the attack: “Senior Sister, be careful!”

Suiwu scattered, and the omnipresent mist that couldn’t be captured transformed into countless sword blades. However, the attacker evaded all the blades, ignoring Dinglan who came to intercept, with eyes only for Ling Luo.

Experiencing this assassination again, Ling Luo still marveled at the attacker’s speed.

The assassin’s sword tip aimed to pierce her heart, but Ling Luo avoided it, and it only pierced her shoulder. Meanwhile, her invisible Suiwu sword severed the attacker’s head.

As Ling Luo fell into the demon gate, she saw Dinglan calling to her. The young man was completely panicked but was swept away by the Shenghui Demon’s wing and couldn’t enter the demon gate.

The Shenghui Demon’s strange laughter filled the entire dark space, only its blood-red eyes meeting hers, bewitching her mind: “Let me see the darkest place deep in your heart—”

Ling Luo was falling. She could feel her consciousness scattering; there was poison on the assassin’s sword.

She landed on soft flowers and grass. The light of Phoenix Descends illuminated the world, yet she saw that the flowers on the ground were all black and sickly, lifeless. Withered trees, dead flowers, flowing blood, and piles of grim human bones.

The Shenghui Demon stood on a pile of bones, laughing loudly.

This time, Ling Luo didn’t use a formation to transport herself away but instead used the incantation Phoenix Descends to illuminate the world.

She wanted to take a gamble.

And she had gambled correctly.

Before Ling Luo closed her eyes, she saw Yue Liangze approaching with his sword.

Why had Yue Liangze lied?

There was nothing unspeakable about seeing her fight with the Shenghui Demon.

Ling Luo couldn’t understand until she saw this memory from the Suffering Karma Flower.

In her previous life, Yue Liangze had stopped the Shenghui Demon from pursuing her.

The black, massive wings could blot out the sky. The Shenghui Demon stared at Yue Liangze and said, “Another one!”

Yue Liangze cast a spell with one hand, trapping the Shenghui Demon in a barrier to prevent it from chasing after her.

The Shenghui Demon laughed strangely as it looked at the barrier erected by the cultivator, reaching out its only hand toward Yue Liangze. In its palm was a jade spirit bead full of cracks.

“I’ve captured that woman’s darkest memory,” the Shenghui Demon said with pleasure and provocation, inviting Yue Liangze, “Would you like to see it with me?”

Yue Liangze didn’t answer but flashed to the Shenghui Demon’s front. The killing intent released by Wusheng broke through the Shenghui Demon’s shield. It used the same trick again, and the splashing mud contaminated his sword.

But the cultivator didn’t stop.

The Shenghui Demon’s huge wings could protect its most important body parts. While fighting the cultivator, it also activated the memory stored in the jade spirit bead.

Yue Liangze inevitably learned about this past event.

A girl locked in an iron cage was chased and torn at by vicious dogs. Her beautiful eyes were full of fear, but though her mouth opened, she couldn’t make a sound.

A haughty young woman standing outside the cage said to the young man beside her: “Let her suffer more. It would be best to scar her face. Although she’s mute, she has a pretty face. It’s unlucky just looking at her.”

This was a brothel where all sorts of people mingled, mostly practitioners of unorthodox techniques. The owner liked to socialize with various cultivators and provided them with all kinds of business.

The brothel had many beautiful girls.

Perhaps Jin Yuan only wanted to send Yu Zhi there to be tortured. She didn’t want Yu Zhi to die, but to live a life worse than death.

But coincidentally, on this day, an important person visited the brothel. The owner personally went to greet them, instructing his people to entertain the guest well.

The staff were told to send beautiful girls to serve tea and wait on the guests. Learning that an important person liked young girls, and the brothel was currently short of such, with the urgent demand from above, the people below turned their attention to the girl locked in the dog cage.

So people rushed in to take Yu Zhi out of the dog cage: “Thank heavens the face isn’t damaged yet. She’s mute, so she won’t be able to say anything when she goes there. Take her down to wash up and teach her some manners.”

But Yu Zhi messed everything up.

She didn’t want to follow these rules. She was afraid and wanted to find her sister.

On the way to the room, Yu Zhi ran away, knocking down one of today’s important guests. Seeing this, the owner slapped her hard, making her fall to the ground.

The owner quickly placated the guest: “She’s new and doesn’t know the rules. She’s offended you, sir. I’ll have someone take her away right now.”

“Oh, Owner Xin, why bother with a little girl?” The man smiled, grabbing Yu Zhi’s chin to force her to look up. He praised, “She’s quite delicate, with fair skin. What’s your name?”

Yu Zhi couldn’t speak.

Someone beside them carefully said, “She’s a mute.”

“A mute?” The man’s eyes reflected deep desire as he pulled Yu Zhi to her feet. “That’s refreshing. But it doesn’t matter. Even if you’re a mute, I can make you scream.”

This world is full of beasts in human clothing.

Yu Zhi desperately tried to escape but was dragged into the room.

Once in, she would never come out again.

The Shenghui Demon looked at the scene in the room and laughed unrestrained: “Filthy! Disgusting! This is the human world! Such a beautiful scene should be seen by more people!”

Black feathers fluttered, summoning countless demon spirits. Numberless red, evil eyes watched the scene released by the jade spirit bead.

Yue Liangze’s brows slightly furrowed. He unleashed both incantations and sword techniques, slaying the countless demon spirits.

His attacks were powerful and domineering, all killing moves.

The Shenghui Demon showed some annoyance: “Human! What are you rushing for? That woman’s darkest memory is so filthy and disgusting, that I want to savor it slowly. Since you’re pursuing so relentlessly, I’ll let you see the darkest place in your own heart too!”

The blade stood on the black wing bones, and the fierce wind and immense spiritual energy even sent the piled dry bones below flying.

Yue Liangze held his sword standing in midair, looking down to meet the Shenghui Demon’s blood-red eyes with contempt and mockery: “You want to see?”

The sword’s cry was ear-piercing. When the Shenghui Demon peered into the man’s heart, a blood-colored dusk occupied the sky, and the wind was filled with a nauseating smell of blood.

What the Shenghui Demon saw was endless darkness. Within the darkness were twisted figures and ferocious faces, with exaggerated features and screeching voices. They were cursing or condemning, and each pair of unique eyes was filled with fear and hatred.

All filthy, disgusting, and sickening.

The Shenghui Demon widened its eyes in shock. Peering into the dark world, it was instead counterattacked by this darkness. Wusheng cut off the huge black wings. Yue Liangze listened to the Shenghui Demon’s piercing scream, wiping the black blood from his face with an indifferent expression.

“No! Impossible! You’re more disgusting than the memory in this jade spirit bead!” The Shenghui Demon cursed at him, “Do humans know that a disgusting monster like you has infiltrated their world? Such a filthy creature is not tolerated in the three realms!”

Yue Liangze stepped on the other wing, and the descending sword pinned the Shenghui Demon to the ground, unable to move. The blood-colored dusk above the barrier faded away. Facing the anger and hatred in the Shenghui Demon’s eyes, he merely indifferently swung his sword down.

The Shenghui Demon dissipated into residual shadows.

The jade spirit bead fell to the ground, still full of cracks.

The final scene showed Yu Zhi discovering the jade spirit bead being activated before her death. Struggling, she said very, very softly: “Sister…”

Yue Liangze’s eyes darkened. As he picked up the jade spirit bead, a wisp of black energy transferred from the bead into his body.

The Shenghui Demon had left one final move.

It had crept into the darkest depths of Yue Liangze’s heart and hidden itself.

Yue Liangze wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and put away the jade spirit bead.

He searched for Ling Luo for a long time, finally seeing her in the Soul-Bewitching Cave.

Yue Liangze didn’t want Ling Luo to know that she had lost her jade spirit bead, and he was even more unwilling to let her know that the memories in the jade spirit bead had been seen by others.

So he told Ling Luo that he wanted to have a match with her.

During the sword duel, Yue Liangze discreetly returned the jade spirit bead to Ling Luo.

In this life, he no longer needed to be so cautious.

Yue Liangze turned to look at the unconscious Ling Luo. After returning the jade spirit bead to her, he bent down to pick her up and left.

The sky in the demon lair was always dark and gloomy.

Ling Luo woke up in Yue Liangze’s arms.

As Yue Liangze looked down at her, she turned her face to avoid his gaze, burying herself completely in his chest, her fingers tightly gripping his clothes without letting go.

Yue Liangze, who had been walking through the demon lair for a long time, unknowingly arrived at the Soul-Bewitching Cave.

He stood at the cave entrance as the rich flower fragrance wafted over him. Below the stairs was the red and white flower ground.

Yue Liangze asked softly, “The poison has been cleared. Does the wound still hurt?”

Ling Luo bit her lip tightly, her nose feeling slightly sour.

So she had once lost her jade spirit bead, and Yue Liangze had seen it.