When Xue Yu emerged from the All-Beings Formation, Chao Nian immediately perked up with a start. He hurriedly ran over: “Your Highness, you’re finally out! I’ve been waiting until I nearly died of anxiety.”

Xue Yu was accustomed to his flustered manner and continued walking forward with an unchanged expression, asking: “What happened?”

“Young Master came.” Seeing her slowly stop, Chao Nian explained everything in one breath: “When Young Master came, his condition was very wrong. He wore a mask on his face, his aura was completely chaotic. He reached out to touch the formation but was injured by it, then just stood there for a long time without speaking.”

“When?”

Chao Nian steeled himself: “Yesterday at the chen hour. Your Highness, if Young Master had forced his way in, I truly couldn’t have stopped him. Jiu Feng, Your Highness, and the Sui family young master were also there. Without Your Highness’s orders regarding the All-Beings Formation, I didn’t dare speak of it to outsiders.”

Su You was fine, but no matter how close Jiu Feng and that Sui family member usually were, in matters of great importance, they were people from the demon capital’s side.

Regarding Yedu’s internal affairs, even if given a hundred times the courage, Chao Nian wouldn’t dare speak carelessly to outsiders.

Xue Yu’s steps, originally heading toward the Palace Guard Department, changed direction. She produced a spiritual talisman to contact Su You – no connection. She tried contacting Sui Jinyu – it also flickered for a long time with no response. Finally, frowning, she produced another talisman, infused it with spiritual power, and sent it to Jiu Feng.

This time, the person on the other side responded quickly: “Xue Yu?”

“It’s me.”

There was noisy commotion on Jiu Feng’s side. She stepped to another area, chose a quiet place, and raised her voice slightly: “Just emerged from seclusion? Your timing is perfect – though one day earlier would have been even better.”

Xue Yu entered the pavilion: “What’s the situation? Where is Su You?”

“I’m at the Sui family right now. It’s chaotic – Su You’s condition is very poor.” Jiu Feng thought for a moment, then shifted to stand on her other foot: “Actually, regarding you two, as an outsider, it’s not good for me to interfere. But Xue Yu, I’m not taking sides – there are many things Su You has done that you might truly not know about.”

Xue Yu was silent for a while, pressed her brow, and said quietly: “Speak. I’m listening.”

“Before he entered the ancestral land, both Sui Jinyu and Sui Yu advised him to choose a different time or method to absorb the power within. But he didn’t listen – couldn’t listen. Compared to us, he experienced bone restructuring and lost a hundred years of cultivation time. Even with the Heavenly Wolf bloodline, it still wasn’t enough. To defeat me and be with you openly, he needed that ranking. The frostbite on his face and unchangeable pupils came from that.”

Jiu Feng paused, then continued: “Fighting me, we were both severely injured. Using the Blood Burning Curse at that time was truly dangerous.”

“No matter how strong one’s body, it’s impossible to recover within two days. That’s fundamentally impossible.”

“Originally thought he’d rest well after returning to the demon capital, but this person worried about you and immediately took over the mortal realm’s demon clans without stopping. Those are all troublemakers who could drive anyone to death with anger.” Jiu Feng pulled at her mouth corner: “These past ten-plus days, while running a high fever, taking medicine, and handling these messy affairs, perhaps feeling you didn’t like his frostbitten face, he went to find Shen Jingshi and used the Lique clan’s method to restore his face.”

“Demon clan methods – none are normal. All involve things like cutting tendons, extracting bones, and carving flesh alive.” Speaking here, she added: “Three times. The Lique family head performed surgery on his face three times.”

“He ran a persistent fever, his mind unclear, forcing himself to handle various matters, then heard overwhelming rumors that you and Xu Yunqing had gotten together.”

Xue Yu’s breathing lightened for an instant.

“Even pictures were circulated. His face still hadn’t recovered – he felt inferior, worried, and jealous. Overnight, he had Chen Longzhi open a teleportation array, wearing a mask like a thief entering Yedu, probably wanting to secretly see you and ease his mind. Instead, he saw you and Xu Yunqing in the formation, and your formation even injured him.”

“What’s his condition now?” Xue Yu asked.

“He was about to have an episode right there with you, but fearing his face would frighten you, he held on until returning to the demon capital. He had the episode on the teleportation array – his current state is like when he used the Blood Burning Curse, with no rationality.”

Jiu Feng sighed slowly: “Seeing him like that, Sui Jinyu was heartbroken – even his voice carried tears when speaking.”

Xue Yu pressed her lips, slowly closed her eyes, and said softly: “The formation wasn’t set by me alone. The All-Beings Formation just took shape and can’t be controlled freely. My array threads would never attack him.”

She couldn’t possibly be with Xu Yunqing.

Nor could she possibly think his face looked bad.

She liked him very much.

An indescribable fondness.

“Is he at the Sui family?” Xue Yu held her breath for a moment: “I’ll come immediately.”

The spiritual talisman dimmed. Xue Yu gazed at the calm lake surface, then looked at Chao Nian while walking toward the Sun and Moon Wheel, asking coldly: “These rumors about Xu Yunqing and me being together – where did they originate?”

“Your Highness, I investigated. No one within Yedu dared spread such things. In the following days, Chao Hua and Chou Li even personally investigated up to His Majesty’s level but found no source.” Chao Nian answered quickly: “But yesterday, His Majesty’s people also joined our investigation and discovered many such messages originated from the Chen family. Reportedly, Xu Yunqing’s brother Xu Zihua has a very good relationship with the Chen family’s Chen Lu’an.”

The Chen family did the same business as Chenyu Pavilion – spreading such rumors faster than the wind.

“Tell Qing Luo to investigate this matter thoroughly.”

Xue Yu retrieved the token symbolizing Chenyu Pavilion’s “Young Elder” status from her spirit ring, tossing it to the pavilion’s reception attendant: “Open the teleportation array.”

Just as she was about to step into the teleportation array, both Cang Ju and Lu Qin contacted her simultaneously via spiritual talisman.

Xue Yu stopped in place and opened one of them.

Lu Qin’s side carried the sound of rushing wind. His breathing was urgent as he spoke in a loud voice he’d never dared use with Xue Yu: “Xue Yu, don’t speak first. Time is urgent – listen to me. Half a month ago, I ordered those troublemaking Kunlun elders confined, stripping cultivation from those who refused. This intimidated them, but they didn’t behave. I never dared relax vigilance, sending people to secretly follow them. The past few days were fine, but just now I suddenly received news – those dozen-plus united with other human powerhouses, gathering in the mortal realm’s Xiao City. Don’t know what they’re planning.”

Xue Yu’s heart paused: “What do you mean?”

“When I tried to inquire further, the people I sent out were like stones dropped in the sea – none replied. Feeling something was wrong, I’m already on my way to the teleportation array.”

“Understood.” After speaking, Xue Yu cut the spiritual talisman connection with him, immediately opening Chao Hua’s newly arrived talisman. Chao Hua spoke directly without beating around the bush: “Your Highness, we sent people to follow the Tea Immortal. Previously, she’d been staying in her mountain forest cottage, but this morning she left alone for the mortal realm’s Xiao City, then disappeared without a trace.”

Xiao City.

No such coincidences existed.

Xue Yu’s mind rapidly connected everything while opening Cang Ju’s talisman. His words were very simple: “Song Heng has gone mad. He’s lured tens of thousands of demons into Xiao City, intending to massacre the city. Come quickly.”

Hearing this, even with Xue Yu’s temperament, her mind went blank for an instant.

Song Heng massacred a city.

Xue Yu had never thought in this direction – first because she knew he couldn’t do anything involving ordinary mortals, second because he was also one of the three people personally sent back by the Fusang Tree.

She’d fallen into a logical blind spot of taking things for granted.

She thought the Fusang Tree sent the three back to prevent ancient situations from recurring. Lu Chengze, however foolish, later worked honestly and diligently. This lifetime Song Heng didn’t have such great power, he was severely injured – logically, he shouldn’t be able to cause major waves.

This move, she hadn’t anticipated – truly hadn’t anticipated.

Song Heng had gone mad.

Xue Yu grabbed a stack of spiritual talismans from her spirit ring, throwing them to Chao Nian beside her: “Tell His Majesty to contact other Sacred Land lords and the demon capital’s five great family leaders, sending elite support to Xiao City. His Majesty need not go personally – have him guard the Sacred Land. Also, notify Chao Hua and Chou Li to spread this news to subordinate families. Tell Lu Chen, Jiang Xuejiao, and others to bring human powerhouses and go immediately.”

After speaking, she looked at the Chenyu Pavilion attendant nearby, waved her hand, and said softly: “Not going to the demon capital anymore. Change course – to Xiao City.”

The atmosphere in the teleportation array was especially oppressive. Xue Yu had no mood to talk, and Chao Nian didn’t dare speak much, focusing only on the tasks Xue Yu had just assigned.

Yedu and Xiao City – one south, one north, spanning most of the mortal realm. Even using teleportation arrays and spending massive amounts of spirit stones, it would take nearly two hours.

During these two hours, the spiritual talismans in Xue Yu’s hand never dimmed.

All regions were urgently mobilizing people. Current Xiao City seemed to possess unimaginable magic – once people entered, they couldn’t send messages outside, like a massive prison allowing only entry, or like a beast trap baited with meat, luring endless streams of demons to rush in mindlessly.

Xue Yu opened a talisman to contact Lu Chengze.

Lu Chengze had also just received the news. Currently on a teleportation array with Yin Ling, his head still buzzing with confusion, sometimes feeling he was having an absurd daydream, sometimes feeling this wasn’t something Song Heng could do.

“I ask you – besides the ancient formation that sealed Yedu’s Baizhong Mountain, what else does Song Heng have?” In a previous life, Song Heng and Lu Chengze were closest. Xue Yu wasn’t someone who’d care about others’ opportunities and always remember them, but to understand Song Heng’s current strength in advance, she had to recall the past with Lu Chengze: “Think carefully.”

“I’m thinking, I’m thinking.”

Lu Chengze hugged his head and crouched down, extracting bits from distant memories: “His ancestors contributed to eliminating Mei, which is why the Fusang Tree designated them as the Human Emperor lineage. So he has quite a few ancient formations – all great evil formations that, through amplification, can unleash incomparable suppression and annihilation power.”

“When I heard him mention it, he had three formations.” Speaking here, Lu Chengze felt his brain explode like lightning. He looked up in disbelief, murmuring: “I remember one of them could use cities as threads to isolate the outside world. This was the formation his ancestors used to trap the Mei clan, even referencing Heavenly Wolf clan expertise.”

“What about the other two?” Xue Yu had no time to accommodate his sudden realization, asking coldly: “Both killing formations, right?”

Lu Chengze opened his mouth as if wanting to expel all the shock from his chest: “Yes… his formations have another ability – they can accept sacrifice of fresh blood and full cultivation as the price, multiplying the formation’s killing power several times.”

In ancient times, it was a desperate measure for all living beings to perish together with Mei when driven to extremes. Now, it had become a tool to incite war and slaughter.

When Sui Jinyu received news of Xiao City, he was settling Su You.

Su You leaned against the bed. His face and voice had returned to their former appearance, but his spirit hadn’t.

Sui Jinyu approached him cautiously, each step careful and light, tiptoeing as if stepping on landmines, fearing unpredictable consequences.

Su You was very irritable.

That irritability had already shed human form, returning to the demon clan’s bone-deep, unshakeable essence – this could be glimpsed from the extremely unstable demonic power ripples around him.

But he appeared very obedient – the kind of obedience that seemed harmless, even sweetly compliant.

He feared light, so the Sui family pulled curtains and drapes tight, making the room like a ghost den with only a dim candle lit. When Sui Jinyu entered, bringing a slight breeze, even that candle flame extinguished.

Su You looked over and asked: “Where is Xue Yu?”

From yesterday to today, he’d asked this four times. Sui Jinyu didn’t know how to answer. After considering, he said gently, “She’s busy. I told her – once she finishes, she’ll immediately come to the demon capital to see you.”

“Busy.” This syllable rolled off his tongue with a slow, drawn-out tail, carrying startling killing intent: “With whom – Xu Yunqing?”

Sui Jinyu couldn’t restrain himself. He sat on the bed edge, grasped his wrist: “Nineteen.”

His episodes varied in severity. Light ones were manageable – emotions could be controlled, he recognized people, could sleep briefly with medication. Severe ones meant he recognized no one – even blood brothers couldn’t approach. He only remembered one Xue Yu, now with the addition of the irrelevant Xu Yunqing.

He was truly stimulated to this extent.

“Nineteen, you’re the demon clan’s monarch. You have family now, you have us. The Sui family is your confidence.” Sui Jinyu tried to speak without provoking him: “Liking Xue Yu is too exhausting.”

Like someone else instead.

Xue Yu’s heart held too many people, too many things more important than romantic love. Being with her, even pouring all passion and affection into it, would yield no response.

Long-term, the more passionate the person, the more likely they’d go mad.

Su You looked at Sui Jinyu’s palm resting on his wrist bone. His raven-feather eyelashes drooped without aggressive intent. This proved he retained some rationality. Sui Jinyu thought he could at least listen to a few sentences. Who knew that after long silence, when he tilted his head to speak, his tone carried suppressed melancholy: “Talk to her again. Tell her I’m in pain.”

Tell her I’m in pain, have her come see me.

My temper isn’t bad – one look, a few coaxing words, and I’ll be fine, can continue liking her, liking this world for a long, long time.

Sui Jinyu’s chest tightened.

If this were anyone else, he could directly walk away, pointing at their nose while cursing: Can’t you have some backbone, some dignity?

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t imagine how Su You survived alone during those many years wandering outside, but he knew what Xue Yu meant to someone like him.

“Tell big brother – if this matter is true, what do you plan to do?” Sui Jinyu steeled his heart and asked.

Su You looked at him, storm clouds gathering in his eyes, speaking word by word: “If she truly likes someone else, I’ll lock her up.”

Then oppose her in everything, destroying all the liveliness and beauty she loved, becoming the kind of person she most despised and detested.

Then be killed by her.

Be remembered by her.

His voice was lighter than cotton, showing sun-soaked softness, but Sui Jinyu could only hear his heart-stopping anxiety in every word, even his paused tones showing bravado.

In front of Xue Yu, Su You couldn’t even utter harsh words. Hurt to this extent, he still begged for Xue Yu to come see him.

He was just a little liar who could only bluff to deceive himself.

Jiu Feng’s spiritual talisman lit up at this moment.

Sui Jinyu lifted the bed curtain to go outside, but saw Su You also get down barefoot. During this time, he’d lost a lot of weight. The wide robes hung on him like swaying curtains, moving unhurriedly with his steps.

“It’s Jiu Feng.” Sui Jinyu showed him the talisman, seeing he didn’t speak but kept his gaze fixed, could only open it publicly and ask: “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Usually, hearing such a tone, Jiu Feng would say, “Burning bridges after crossing, turning your back on people again, right?” But today her tone was very serious, words brief: “Message from Xue Yu – Song Heng set up formations in the mortal realm’s Xiao City, intending to massacre the city. Bring capable Sui family members and come quickly. I don’t want to spend most of my remaining life living under Mei’s shadow.”

Hearing halfway, Sui Jinyu hurriedly tried to cover the talisman.

But Su You had already approached.

“What happened to Xue Yu?” He keenly caught those syllables, asking: “Where is she?”

“Your current physical condition can’t go to such places.” Sui Jinyu grasped his shoulder, trying hard to soothe him: “Nothing serious. All Sacred Land heirs went, and I’ll go with Jiu Feng and Sixth Uncle too. Don’t worry – stay home and recover properly.”

Su You stared at him steadily. After a long while, he bent to cough up a streak of blood, then casually wiped it away with his palm: “Where?”

Sui Jinyu was at his wits’ end.

Sui Yu pushed the door open from outside, just seeing this scene. He knocked his knuckles on the door edge: “Hurry up. The teleportation array is already activated. Let’s go together.”

Su You cast a dust-cleansing spell on himself, changed robes that made his back appear solitary and his waist lean and strong, then grabbed a bronze mirror to look. The face in the mirror was fresh and charming – due to the persistent fever, his cheeks held a natural flush, drawing out startling, alluring beauty.

He seemed finally satisfied, slowly pulling a charming smile at the mirror’s reflection.

When Xue Yu arrived at Xiao City, the Sacred Land heirs had all arrived.

What met her eyes was indescribable chaos – the streets were full of vendors’ stalls that hadn’t been cleared in time, with fruits and scattered trinkets covering the ground. Because of that astonishing great formation already operating in mid-air, because of these city gates that allowed only entry but no exit, in this enormous city, people wailed and screamed, holding their heads and weeping – complete disorder.

Xue Yu pulled Shan Shu and Yin Ling over, asking: “Where is Song Heng?”

“Everyone’s looking for him.” Shan Shu shook her head, her usually serene face now filled with anxiety: “Cang Ju and Ji Tingxi arrived early. They’ve turned over half the city but found no one. We speculate he might be in the formation.”

As soon as Shan Shu finished speaking, that enormous formation covering the sky began operating – not forward but in reverse. Streams of spiritual light bloomed like a gigantic flower opening in the city center, wrapping everyone inside before closing.

Thus, the city became an isolated city.

Xue Yu looked up and discovered many elders standing in the formation, with one-armed Song Heng at the center. Their expressions were solemn, looking down at the people in the city with condescending compassion.

Those ordinary people would die in the formation’s indiscriminate attacks.

But there was no choice – to gain something, something must be lost.

For the future, they were destined to sacrifice something today.

Song Heng lowered his eyes, meeting Xue Yu’s gaze. His palm slowly fell in mid-air, pulling out waves of formation ripples – that was suppressive power. His voice carried far and deep like ethereal sounds from the horizon: “Everyone, the human race will remember all who sacrifice themselves for the great dao today.”

“Complete nonsense.”

Xue Yu borrowed force to soar up, rushing toward Song Heng along with Cang Ju and others. Song Heng watched the people attacking directly, completely pressing down his palm, saying softly: “It’s useless, Ah Yu.”

He held two ancient formations in his hands, with a hundred predecessors willing to sacrifice themselves for the human race’s future standing behind him. That terrifying killing power couldn’t be resisted by a few Sacred Land heirs and demon capital heirs.

“I know you have the All-Beings Formation.” Song Heng gazed at Xue Yu, his voice still gentle: “I also know that between the All-Beings Formation’s defense and attack, you’ll choose defense. You can’t bear to watch people die, nor can you bear to watch those things die.”

“Song Heng, this is your plan? Your grand ambitions?” Lu Chengze roared angrily. He looked at Song Heng with complete absurdity, feeling this person was completely unrecognizable, from beginning to end, only a stranger remained.

Song Heng looked at them quietly: “Those not of our race must have different hearts.”

“The mortal realm cannot accommodate the demon clans.”

“You’re insane.” Xue Yu took a deep breath, articulating clearly: “The Fusang Tree gave early hints – too much killing, too heavy right and wrong, Mei will reappear in the world. When that time comes, the human race will bear the brunt and absolutely cannot remain unaffected.”

“Ah Yu.” Song Heng looked at her and Lu Chengze, smiling helplessly. Looking this way, fine wrinkles had appeared at his eye corners: “The demon capital still keeps so many demons. I don’t believe this. You cannot understand me – without taking a gamble, the human race has no future.”

Things had reached this point – more words were useless. He couldn’t stop now.

Song Heng bowed to the hundred human elders behind him: “Please, predecessors, act.”

“For the human race’s great cause.”

“For future descendants.”

“For ourselves.”

Those people gave a distant salute, then calmly stepped into the formation center. As human powerhouses entered one by one, the formation in the sky was dyed a rich red. Exploding blood mist filled the entire city. Wherever it reached, weak demons opened their eyes and turned to blood plasma, thick red slowly sprinkling on the ground.

The bloody stench reached the heavens.

“What do we do?” Shan Shu and others looked to Xue Yu – only she understood formations best here.

“This is a double-layered formation – the inner one kills people, the outer one protects itself. For now, we can’t break through this formation.”

Xue Yu looked at this city filled with panic, and blood everywhere. She tried hard to stay calm, speaking rapidly: “Attack the outermost city-sealing formation. Once broken, both people and demons will run outside.”

“You all attack – I’ll protect the people in this city.”

At this time, the eight self-proclaimed great demons in the mortal realm also realized something was wrong. They opened their eyes in furious cursing, all beside themselves with rage.

In this world, why was there no place for them to shelter? Even just living was so difficult.

Xue Yu released the All-Beings Formation. Song Heng was right – between powerful killing force and solid protective force, she could only choose one.

She had no choice but to defend.

The vast formation centered on her, spreading at an extremely fast speed, extending thousands of meters outward, weaving like lightning to fall on every person along the way.

Deaths and injuries were slowly decreasing.

However, Song Heng was right – Xue Yu was just one person’s power. With no one sacrificing behind her, she only had herself.

Such an enormous formation absorbed all the spiritual power from her body. This consumption was astonishing – at most a quarter hour, and she could drain herself completely.

Shan Shu took a deep breath, rose to mid-air, and spoke in soothing, comforting tones: “Evildoers cause trouble, wanting to massacre the city to fulfill private desires. I hope everyone capable of acting will climb the city gates together to attack outward. Once the formation locks on the city gates open, things in the city won’t threaten everyone anymore.”

At such times, the Northern Wastes Buddha Woman’s reputation was more useful than anything.

Gradually, many people, demons, and ancient immortals truly united, following the Sacred Land heirs led by Cang Ju, Ji Tingxi, and Yin Ling to attack the city.

Xue Yu half-crouched on the ground, spiritual power flowing from her body like water. Sweat beads hung on her nose tip and eyelashes. She slowly raised her head, turning her gaze to look around.

Even so, many people still weren’t protected. Fresh lives like brilliant summer flowers opened and then lost their vitality.

The dim lanterns by the roadside were dyed with fresh colors again. As human and demon blood splashed on them, they perked up as if having absorbed enough juice, connecting in patches like twisted smiling faces bending in the wind.

“The dark energy is too heavy.” Cang Ju casually grabbed at the sky, his expression especially grave: “Speed up.”

Hearing this, the demon capital people who had just arrived didn’t even ask about the situation clearly before rolling up their sleeves and joining the city-attacking queue.

That was indeed considerable assistance – for current Xiao City, it was help in the snow.

Shan Shu scattered Buddha light to save people while looking at Jiu Feng and others: “Arrange people to go to Xue Yu’s side. She can’t support such a large formation alone.”

Jiu Feng and Cang Ju both withdrew, reaching Xue Yu’s All-Beings Formation in a few leaps. They pressed their palms out, unreservedly integrating their demonic power and spiritual energy into the formation.

“Still lacking a bit. The city-encircling formation has already cracked open.” Jiu Feng looked coldly at Song Heng, observing the situation in mid-air: “Once this matter is resolved, please invite this bored troublemaker to take a trip to the demon capital’s private prison and let him taste what the Jiu Feng family’s one hundred eighty tortures feel like.”

“How is it?” Xue Yu looked at Cang Ju: “Still within Tai Hua’s tolerance range?”

“Manageable.” Cang Ju’s eyes flickered slightly: “Your formation is good – it protected many people. This death toll is still bearable, but the aftermath will be tricky and needs time to handle.”

Xue Yu pressed her lips, moving silently.

She always felt things weren’t that simple.

“By the way, Su You came too.” Seeing Xue Yu’s face show a kind of exhausted pallor, Jiu Feng couldn’t help mentioning a topic that interested her: “Sui Jinyu was furious, cursing me the whole way, insisting my spiritual talisman was sent at the wrong time.”

Xue Yu paused slightly, instinctively frowning, saying quietly: “With such severe injuries, what did he come for?”

“What do you think he came for?” Jiu Feng clicked her tongue, shaking her head repeatedly in disappointment: “Think about it, think carefully – he’s already feverish without rationality, having difficulty even getting out of bed, yet forcing himself to come. It couldn’t be because he’s worried about Cang Ju and Chao Nian, right?”

“Chu Yaoxiang.” Cang Ju swept her a cold glance: “Can you speak properly? Can you say something normal?”

Xue Yu hadn’t yet found that familiar figure when she sensed something and looked up toward the sky. Song Heng also looked at that gradually expanding crack, his expression unsurprised. He slowly spread his arms, closing his eyes and standing against the wind.

“Human sacred artifact, this moment is the best opportunity for you to eliminate the demon clans.”

His voice spread throughout Xiao City.

“What does that mean?” Now, not only did Xue Yu and Cang Ju’s expressions change, but even Jiu Feng sensed something and frowned heavily.

“Plop.” Like a stone forcefully thrown into a calm lake’s surface, the entire city trembled lightly at a certain moment, as if something enormous had drilled out from underground. Looking around, one could only see a heavenly path rising from nowhere.

Someone held an umbrella, walking from one end of the path toward mid-air.

Under the umbrella was a gentle, lovely face.

Xue Yu had seen this face before – in Yedu’s private prison during her interrogation. The Tea Immortal had cried like pear blossoms in rain, curled in a corner like a small white flower trembling pitifully in cold wind.

“The human sacred artifact is actually…” Xue Yu slowly articulated: “Her.”

She hadn’t expected it, Lu Chengze hadn’t expected it, and even Song Heng himself was stunned for a long time.

“Thank you.” In the eerie stillness where time seemed to stop flowing, the Tea Immortal climbed the final step, standing beside Song Heng, her voice clear and graceful: “Pacifying the mortal realm’s demon clans was a wish made by the Human Emperor in both past and present lives. I am a human sacred artifact, born for this purpose.”

The right opportunity – this phrase was quite mysterious. Even as a human sacred artifact, the Tea Immortal couldn’t act to annihilate everything when no one was scheming and the time wasn’t ripe.

The former required her to bear all consequences herself – once acting, she would immediately turn to ash and smoke. Now, she was just a sharp blade in Qiu Tong and Song Heng’s hands.

She maneuvered everywhere in female form, lurking and falling into slumber, even serving with her beauty and flattering with bent will – all for today, mission accomplished.

“Come.” The Tea Immortal smiled with relief, her body transforming into a dagger that could cut gold and jade, falling before Song Heng: “You’re right – the timing has finally come. Complete the human race’s long-cherished wish, and I can go home too.”

“Stop him!!”

Cang Ju and Jiu Feng shouted simultaneously. Sui Jinyu, Sui Yu and others immediately withdrew to block him. Lu Chen and others who arrived latest finally reached them. Seeing the situation, they also stepped forward to fight for that dagger radiating brilliant snowy light.

But they were a step too late.

Song Heng gripped that dagger and, like tearing the sky’s curtain, heavily slashed downward.

Space split, time stopped, heaven and earth fell silent – all movement ceased under that strike.

Countless demon bodies were cut in half, broken into two pieces, hanging from tree branches, roof beams, and roadside. Hot blood splashed in gushes, the bloody stench on the nose tip reaching a viscous degree.

Jiu Feng and the demon capital people’s eyes reddened, seeing this scene.

That was a living human purgatory.

Ancient scenes seemed to reappear before their eyes, even more tragic and heroic.

Xue Yu’s protective formation had no effect against the human sacred artifact’s attack – that was, after all, part of the Fusang Tree, incomparable to human power.

Unknown how much time passed before the agonized wails gradually faded.

Then, with a “crack,” everyone looked up numbly at this crisp sound.

They saw strange creatures suddenly crawling out of Song Heng’s formation – dark green with bizarrely elongated limbs and highly arched spines. Smelling blood, they were like snakes that had slept through winter, eager to feed, greedily absorbing ground blood and flesh at flying speed while visibly growing rapidly.

The older generation had never seen their appearance or such momentum, but Xue Yu and others froze from head to toe at first sight.

Those were Mei.

“It’s useless now.” Cang Ju coldly pressed the wrinkles at his eye corners. Things had reached this point – everything was finished anyway, so he didn’t worry about heavenly tribulation anymore.

He looked at the incredulous Song Heng, gritting his teeth: “These are Mei sealed in dragon breath, already restless from absorbing various evil things Qiu Tong fed them. Thanks to your excellent performance, adding fuel to the fire, they’ve finally broken through their prison.”

“Your human race’s grand plan for eternal prosperity – how is it? Proceeding to this step, are you satisfied?”

Only now did the flood-like curses, accusations, and resentments from the human race truly pour into Song Heng’s ears sentence by sentence. He stood in the formation’s protection, watching those things outside that began madly attacking people, falling into unprecedented deep confusion.

So it was all wrong.

Self-righteousness was wrong, strategic planning was wrong. Everything he did for the human race received no reward whatsoever. Instead, his stubborn persistence harmed all living beings in this world.

Song Heng seemed drained of all vitality, his hands and feet suddenly cold, standing there lost and bewildered.

The younger generation had all experienced Mei’s power. Seeing such things made their backs run cold while realizing this world’s peaceful days were over.

Everyone’s good days had ended.

“Defend the city – absolutely cannot let Mei escape.” Among everyone’s panic, Xue Yu was the most composed person. She slashed open a Mei lunging at her, turning to ask Cang Ju: “Are there many?”

“Not many now, but these things are like inextinguishable weeds – one lurking out immediately causes disaster.” Cang Ju scanned the winding corners and alleys throughout the enormous city: “These things can immediately advance after absorbing enough blood energy. You know how troublesome and difficult the royal Mei are to deal with.”

The main issue was that this city was now covered in blood and flesh.

For Mei, this was a great tonic medicine.

Things fell into a desperate situation.

Xue Yu silently laid threads, converting the All-Beings Formation to killing mode. She knelt in the formation center, her white clothes dyed blood-red, her expression showing cold indifference that revealed no emotion: “All go defend the city, kill Mei.”

The All-Beings Formation’s effect in killing Mei came faster than pure human power, but Xue Yu had already been drained of over eighty percent of her spiritual power by the previous wave of protective force. She was exhausted yet didn’t stop her actions, instead calmly drawing a spiritual blade to cut her wrist.

Her eyelashes didn’t even tremble once.

A Spirit Array Master’s blood was the best nourishment for spirit arrays. Xue Yu tirelessly, painlessly repeated this process. When one hand couldn’t squeeze out blood drops anymore, she switched to the other. Her snow-white wrists were covered with wounds.

Shan Shu couldn’t bear to watch. She gently called from outside the formation: “Ah Yu, this way you’ll drain yourself completely.”

Xue Yu shifted her ankle: “There’s no faster method. I cannot let these things leave Xiao City alive.”

Suddenly, the wind rose behind her. A startling force made her body turn around. Sensing something, she raised her eyes to see a familiar face with eye corners and cheeks reddened by high fever.

He had lost much weight, his aura showing the exhaustion of being hollowed out after severe injury. His lip color was dark and pale, soft lines spread at his eye corners, and his dark pupils seemed to hold a pool of water – compared to his previous cold indifference, he appeared much more vivid.

“Enter the formation.” Xue Yu tugged his sleeve, not saying much: “It’s too dangerous here. You have no self-protection ability now. Leave with Sui Jinyu later.”

Su You’s gaze fell on the tip of the iceberg – the wounds revealed after her sleeves slipped down. He didn’t move, asking: “What about you?”

Xue Yu didn’t speak, just tugged him again.

Su You knew she wouldn’t leave – she loved this world more than anything.

She would rather sacrifice herself to the formation than let Mei flow to other cities.

Su You looked at her, greedily tracing the contours of her eyebrows and eyes. At a certain moment, he suddenly coughed heart-rendingly, coughing until his lips were covered with blood, his spine bending down under the unbearable burden.

While struggling to support the formation, she worriedly reached out to him.

In this posture, he suddenly gripped her wrist tightly, stroking with his fingertips over and over. In the sky-filling slaughter, he said: “I waited for you for a long time.”

“Many people said you and Xu Yunqing got together.”

“I didn’t believe it.”

Speaking to the end, he used a stubborn, firm tone: “Say it – there’s no one else, you only like me.”

Xue Yu looked at him, feeling the scalding temperature in his palm, remembering what Jiu Feng had said. Her heart gradually softened with her breathing rhythm. She earnestly clarified: “There’s no Xu Yunqing. I only like you.”

Su You carefully examined her face, not missing any subtle expression. After studying for a long while, he moved close to her. His long eyelashes rested on her nose bridge like butterflies, smiling charmingly with tender tones, speaking the sweetest words of love: “I also like Ah Yu, only like Ah Yu.”

“I’m willing to do anything for Ah Yu.”

Xue Yu suddenly sensed something. Just as she was about to look at his expression, he pressed her fingers to touch his eye corners, cheeks, nose bridge, and lips bit by bit. All those tender things bloomed completely in her palm.

“Look.” He seemed to be showing off something lost and regained, saying softly: “It changed back.”

“Now, everything is… the way Your Highness likes.”

As his words fell, torrential rain began falling from the sky. As water poured down and wild thunder danced in the tearing, a primordial giant beast quietly manifested its phantom.

Su You lingered to bite and bite again at Xue Yu’s lips, using this attention-claiming method to paint blood in a long streak, like imprinting the most ancient oath. Finally straightening up, he slowly blinked away raindrops on his eyelashes, uttering: “Heaven-Imprisoning Cage.”

The giant beast raised its head in a long howl. Tail feathers fell, unfolding a space vast as the sea, like shaking out a giant net, instantly wrapping all the turbid energy of the Mei clan in Xiao City.

The sounds of slaughter gradually stopped.

Everyone watched this scene.

Sui Jinyu’s eyes were about to split: “Nineteen!”

Jiu Feng, Cang Ju, and others all rushed over.

Xue Yu’s ears were covered by Su You. He stood straight, but his form scattered as the Mei decreased, gradually dissolving like foam in the rainwater.

A feather fell to the ground.

Xue Yu was like someone awakened from dreams, too late to react to anything, dully confused, only knowing something had dropped, bewilderedly bending to pick it up.

She couldn’t pick it up.

Chao Nian ran over, seeing this scene, he froze.

For the first time, he knew that even a Heaven-grade Spirit Array Master’s hands could shake like that.

“Chao Hua, evacuate the crowds, bring Song Heng down, then seal the city.” After several attempts, Xue Yu finally picked up that feather, her sleeves slowly drooping.

She opened several bottle caps from her spirit ring, pinching several recovery pills and swallowing them.

This was her first time taking such things.

Before long, the formation intent more dangerous than the All-Beings Formation spread outward.

“Xue Yu, you…” Jiu Feng said, “What are you doing?”

“I cannot just leave him here like this.”

Xue Yu said, “The Heaven-Imprisoning Cage isn’t an existence meant to cover for others’ mistakes. I start over, save him, accommodate and yield everywhere – not so he can ultimately die alone in self-imposed isolation.”

Author’s Note: Dragon breath will be explained, Chao Nian has a follow-up, and Su You will live. The five-star mission Mei also has an explanation. Xu Yunqing isn’t tortured for torture’s sake – he’s a minor supporting character who appeared early on, to help the daughter perfect the All-Beings Formation and advance the daughter and Su You’s relationship line. The All-Beings Formation has a follow-up, more than just this small effect. The Fusang Tree will be explained. Shan Shu and Shen Jingshi’s subsequent management of the mortal realm will also appear.

Seeing everyone’s comments, the ending was indeed a bit rushed, but I updated 17,000 words today – not aiming for a sloppy ending.

Previously marked as “Grand Finale Part 1” because I thought there were still 20,000 words of middle and end parts, enough to explain everything clearly.

But this might seem hasty, so listening to everyone’s opinions, I decided to separate and write in detail.

This is indeed my first attempt at writing this type of story, this kind of male and female lead character setup, so some areas might not be handled maturely enough. Thank you for all the opinions in the comments – critical and praising alike, I’ve read every one.

It’s just that in this story, the male and female leads’ character settings won’t change. The daughter and Su You indeed have this interaction mode – the daughter doesn’t know how to talk about love, Su You lacks security, slowly exploring and feeling love, and being loved.

Finally, love you all, good night, sleep early, don’t get angry, don’t argue – reading novels is for happiness.