From Wudao City to Thunder Sea, they only took half an hour.

Chao Nian and the others, who had received the news early, had already brought Su Yun to the seaside. Su Yun, who had originally been listless and extremely bored, suddenly perked up upon seeing this situation. He squeezed up to Xue Yu, winking and asking: “Has everything been resolved already?”

“More or less.” Xue Yu nodded, looking toward the boundless sea surface, and said: “Call Jiu Feng out. Chen Huainan wants to see Yun Lai.”

“Alright!” Su Yun carefully removed the bracelet woven from soft seaweed from his wrist and soaked it in the seawater. Soon, the seaweed spread its form and bloomed into flower-like shapes. Countless tiny points of spiritual light intertwined in mid-air, forming into a water mirror before everyone.

Before long, the water mirror showed Jiu Feng’s lazy half-face and her ten sparkling fingers pressed against the mirror, her voice carrying the hoarse quality of someone not fully awake: “What’s wrong now, little brat? You’ve been quite bold these past few days.”

“But that’s perfect timing, come see the new color sister just dyed…”

Su Yun coughed heavily, interrupting her words, and said quickly: “The people from the Sacred Land brought Chen Huainan. They want to see you.”

On the other side of the water mirror, ten nails bright as phoenix impatiens suddenly withdrew. Jiu Feng sat up straight with a whoosh, her voice revealing hints of uncontainable joy: “Really brought him? So quickly?”

“The person is already at the seaside.” Su Yun shouted against an unexpected wave that came crashing over.

“Coming right away.”

Almost in the next moment, the undulating sea surface parted down the middle to form a small path. This time, standing behind Jiu Feng wasn’t a gorgeously dressed female demon, but a very gentle man in peach-colored clothing who smiled like a gentle spring breeze. When Su Yun saw him, his eyes immediately lit up.

Seeing this, Jiu Feng snorted coldly, then reached out to push away the annoying little brat and made eye contact with Xue Yu. After a long moment, her gaze moved to the bone-thin Chen Huainan, raising her eyebrows to ask: “He’s Chen Huainan?”

Xue Yu nodded, speaking concisely: “Go see Yun Lai.”

Jiu Feng lazily withdrew her gaze, the silver bells on her hands tinkling as they rang: “Your efficiency isn’t bad. Follow me.”

The ocean floor and land were completely different worlds. Schools of fish and shrimp floated past before their eyes, magnificent corals swayed in flower-like postures, drifting leisurely with the current. Occasionally, some demons who had gained sentience would glance over from afar, but sensing the auras from Jiu Feng and Xue Yu, they would bristle and flee immediately.

The small bridge carrying them extended downward all the way, like a shimmering ribbon of water light, winding seven ways and eight in the sea bottom, extending infinitely.

After about the time it takes to brew tea, the water bridge finally stopped moving, quietly halting before a dilapidated small hall.

The outside of the small hall had been cleaned very carefully, spotless. The upturned eaves and corners of the small hall showed traces of once golden-bright colors, now become mottled and ancient. The courtyard in front was completely barren—even seaweed was unwilling to take root there. Only a crooked plaque hung before the hall’s entrance, with the small and graceful characters “Yun Lai” written on it.

Jiu Feng pushed the door open and entered. Their footsteps were stretched into long, distant echoes.

Chen Huainan, who had been silent and soundless until now, suddenly stopped, reaching up to stroke his prominently protruding cheekbones, then carefully arranged his clothing. Finally, he smoothed every strand of his hair meticulously before straightening his back and stepping toward the hall entrance.

Seeing this, Jiu Feng let out a mocking laugh, her voice cold and thin with obvious sarcasm. Chen Huainan’s body stiffened, but his tightly furrowed brow quickly relaxed again, as if he wanted to display his most natural, most former self in this moment.

The small hall wasn’t large. They quickly made their way to the inner chamber. A few dried flowers were stuck in a vase, a small qin stood upright in the corner. Besides these, only silence and emptiness remained.

It wasn’t until a pearl curtain blocked their view that Xue Yu’s steps paused slightly.

She sensed a dense aura of death qi, yet within the death qi was also a pure and peaceful quality. The two contradictory elements intertwined together, yet strangely merged.

Jiu Feng tugged at the corner of her mouth and swept aside the pearl curtain in one motion. After the clattering sound, it revealed a bed of ice jade.

A person was unconsciously curled up on the bed, equally pale-faced but possessing a flower-like countenance. When she closed her eyes and shrank back, her features showed an unconscious, touching vulnerability. Her long hair hung down along the bed’s edge like a pool of soft, melted water.

“Yun Lai, wake up.” Jiu Feng stood to one side with her arms crossed, her voice two degrees lower than before: “The person you were looking for—I brought him to you.”

Xue Yu and Su You stepped aside, making way for Chen Huainan behind them.

After a long moment, the eyelashes of the person lying on the bed suddenly trembled, slowly opening her eyes.

In that instant, Chen Huainan’s breathing came to a standstill.

“How about it?” A murderous intent slowly began to coil around Jiu Feng’s body. She looked at Yun Lai and said, “You have little life force left now. I can kill him for you. This kind of ungrateful, faithless human—every time I see one, my hands itch.”

Xue Yu furrowed her brow and coldly reminded, “Jiu Feng, whether Chen Huainan is guilty and how to punish him is a matter for Yedu and the court. Don’t interfere.”

Jiu Feng whirled around sharply, staring at Xue Yu for a moment, then shook the silver bells on her wrist with malicious intent: “You’re right. How could I forget? People from the Sacred Lands all fancy themselves righteous. When humans commit crimes, it’s understandable, but when the demon race does, it’s unforgivable.”

“Nonsense.” Xue Yu said word by word: “The rules are thus. If you want to manage things, don’t just manage this one case. From now on, hand all of Yedu’s work back to the Demon Capital, and then you can deal with things however you want.”

“But today this case is in my hands, so it can only follow Yedu’s rules.”

Jiu Feng was provoked to anger by her tough words and was about to roll up her sleeves to fight several more rounds with her when she saw the woman on the bed prop herself up on her elbows and slowly sit upright.

She looked at Chen Huainan’s face, examining it particularly carefully, as if confirming something. After a long time, she finally spoke, her voice without emotional fluctuation: “Chen Huainan.”

Chen Huainan didn’t even have the strength to support his body, his legs and feet going limp as he half-knelt before her bed. Hearing this, he choked out an “mm” in response, his expression grief-stricken: “Yes, it’s me.”

“I’m sorry, I came too late.”

He grasped her ice-cold fingertips, pressing them bit by bit against his chest: “The thing I owe you—I’ve come to return it.”

“Too late.” Yun Lai’s gaze followed his palm downward, seeing the thin layer of skin wrapped around bone and flesh. After a long time, she slowly moved her eyes and said: “The one-month agreement—you’re ten years late.”

She calmly spread open her palm, showing him the patterns covered in black lines: “I can’t control myself. I killed people.”

“I’m going to die.”

Having said this, her scallion-like slender index finger traced lines in front of Chen Huainan’s chest. His eyes immediately became as dull as a puppet’s, and large swaths of memories uncontrollably appeared before everyone’s eyes.

Ten years ago, Chen Huainan had the typical appearance of a wealthy young master. Because he had been confined at home year-round without seeing sunlight, his eyes carried a naive curiosity when looking at anything. He would often sit by the forest edge with a book, letting flower petals and leaves fall all over him. Small animals passing by weren’t afraid of him—when familiar, they would even actively nuzzle up to his hands to beg for food.

He treated all things in the world with gentleness and care.

Yun Lai encountered him by chance when she came to find Tao Zhi for business. In the brilliant spring light of April, Chen Huainan lay under a peach tree, smiling as he touched hands with a squirrel in a palm-to-palm greeting. In that moment, Yun Lai felt he was more like a peach blossom demon than Tao Zhi, who was a peach blossom demon.

As a great demon, she disliked contact with humans. Having witnessed this scene, she only paused for a moment before continuing her steps back to the sea bottom without stopping.

But many things in this world seemed to have destined connections—once they began, subsequent intersections would follow one after another.

During that period, Yun Lai saw him many times.

When she couldn’t help but reveal herself, she would curl her legs and float down from the peach blossom tree like a nimble, light butterfly. She examined him carefully, meeting those eyes gentle as jade, frowning with displeasure as her voice turned cool: “On your body, you bear the lives of three hundred and eighty-one demons.”

The young man was stunned, then smiled brilliantly, bowing to her with a voice even gentler than spring wind: “Miss, you jest.”

He had grown up seeing so few people, let alone demons.

Yun Lai had originally wanted to mock him, but his eyes were truly clean—so clean that with her thousand years of experience reading people, she couldn’t pick out any trace of deception, as if he were naturally such a clean and pure person.

After several days of interaction, Yun Lai even began to doubt whether her perception had gone wrong.

Chen Huainan’s health was poor. He would often lie down and turn pale, but he was filled with curiosity about this world. He would capture the moment flowers bloomed, listen to the rustling wind in bamboo groves, and gently stroke fish’s backs.

He would even hold his breath when learning of Yun Lai’s demon identity, then curiously and politely ask her what demon customs were like, how they differed from humans, finally smiling as he said that demons must also be beautiful and gentle creatures, just like Yun Lai.

That young master at that time was truly extremely charming.

So charming that even the usually clear-headed great demon began to feel dizzy and disoriented, swaying and becoming intoxicated.

During this period, his health grew worse daily, until one day he waited for her early on the beach rocks, carrying a box of exquisite pastries. Upon seeing her, he smiled apologetically, his lips dark and pale, his voice weak: “Yun Lai, I have to go home once.”

“My parents are gravely ill. I must rush back to see them one last time.”

Yun Lai couldn’t describe what she felt in that instant. She stood in the shallow waves, head lowered, and after a long time finally coldly managed to say: “Once you leave, you won’t be able to return.”

Perhaps he would die on the road, perhaps he wouldn’t even see his parents’ final moments.

“Your body is full of death qi. Your time is short.” She looked at him seriously, speaking word by word.

“I know.” The young master seemed to have long seen through life and death, patiently explaining to her: “Yun Lai, we humans value this—the grace of giving birth and raising us is greater than heaven. My brother and I must serve at the window during our parents’ final moments.”

Yun Lai nodded as if she had nothing more to say, then watched as he took out the pastries from the box and handed them to her: “This is what I promised you before—the best-selling apricot flower cakes from the human world’s taverns. But my hands are clumsy, and no matter how I tried to learn, I couldn’t make them look right. If you don’t mind, please try them.”

After speaking, he lowered his eyes somewhat awkwardly, looking ashamed and self-reproachful.

Yun Lai stared at the two or three crooked apricot flower cakes, thinking that if apricot flower cakes looked like this, the tavern probably couldn’t last a day before having to close. But after thinking this, a sour and astringent emotion that couldn’t be suppressed came gushing forth uncontrollably.

She had never seen such a young man, never seen such a human.

Such gentleness, consideration, thoughtfulness.

One glance stirred her heart, and acquaintance meant falling into infatuation.

“If you go back, would you still want to return?” she asked.

In the bright daylight, he nodded, responding gently: “My brother and I will both live permanently in Wudao City from now on. I like it here, so naturally I’ll return here.”

Yun Lai gave him a brilliantly glowing pearl, saying seriously, “I’m lending you my demon pearl. After one month, return to this place and give it back to me.”

“What harm would losing it bring to you?” Chen Huainan held the pearl as if it were a treasure, asking.

“Within one month, I can still manage. If it’s not returned for long, I won’t be able to appear in daylight. If longer still, my temperament will lose control and my life force will drain away.”

That demon pearl immediately became heavier than mountains in Chen Huainan’s hands.

When leaving the village, he thought this parting had a set date for return.

He thought that after his parents passed away, his brother, who cherished him so much, would surely allow him to quietly pass away in that seaside village during his final time, as he wished.

After taking that demon pill, Chen Huainan’s complexion indeed improved day by day, and the long journey caused no great problems.

When Chen Huainan returned home and saw off his parents, while tidying up their belongings in their room, he accidentally discovered some things.

A handbook, a few pages of paper—enough to cast him into bottomless depths.

They completely recorded his background.

When Chen Huainan was still in Mother Chen’s womb, a Taoist who had once received kindness from the family’s ancestors followed the trail of vengeful spirits to the city. He stayed at the Chen family home, which had already fallen into poverty and decline. Seeing Father Chen and Mother Chen sighing and worrying daily, remembering his old relationship with the Chen family ancestors, one day he couldn’t help but tell them: “Actually, the solution is right before your eyes—you just fear your hearts are too soft to make the decision.”

Such words were undoubtedly sweet rain during a drought for Father Chen and Mother Chen at that time. Father Chen repeatedly pressed for details. The Taoist, unable to withstand the persistent pestering, pointed at Mother Chen’s already showing belly and revealed specific information: “This child is the reincarnation of a vengeful spirit. Because of injustices suffered in the previous life, this life’s fortune is quite good. If you can perform the fortune-borrowing technique, the Chen family’s difficulties can be easily resolved.”

“Only thus, this child is destined not to live past fifteen.”

“How to choose—think it over carefully.”

After several days of difficult struggle, Father Chen and Mother Chen finally asked the Taoist to perform the ritual.

Indeed, from Chen Huainan’s birth, the Chen family prospered daily, and all who were close to him gained some of his good fortune.

But facts proved that human hearts are the most difficult things to satisfy. When Chen Huainan reached fifteen and grew thinner by the day, facing the critical moment of life and death, Father Chen sought out evil methods obtained from unknown sources.

They had their eldest son, who had already achieved cultivation success, use various methods to hunt and purchase demons from all places, cutting out demon pills alive and mixing them with demon blood to consume. This could somewhat fill Chen Huainan’s already leaking body.

He was originally the reincarnation of a vengeful spirit and had endured the fortune-borrowing technique—he could hardly be considered human anymore. So though this method was sinister, it indeed worked.

This kept Chen Huainan alive for over a thousand years.

Only in the end, it still couldn’t overcome the power of fate. Who knew he would have another encounter and obtain the demon pill of Yun Lai, whose identity was quite extraordinary.

Chen Huainan looked at the iron-clad evidence in black and white before him, struck as if by lightning. He couldn’t believe it and ran to ask his brother Chen Jianxi.

Chen Jianxi was in high spirits, having risen to the position of City Lord due to his brother’s good fortune. Seeing that matters had been exposed, his face was deeply gloomy, but looking at his brother’s face flushed red with anger, he said nothing.

It had been a long time since he had seen such healthy rosiness on Chen Huainan’s face.

He knew Chen Huainan would be fine now.

The road ahead would be one of steady advancement and bright prospects.

Chen Jianxi imprisoned Chen Huainan, not allowing him to leave the room even half a step. But given their thousand years of brotherly affection, he never mistreated Chen Huainan in any way—whatever he wanted, he provided, only not allowing him to go out.

As for Chen Huainan, he was determined to return to the village in Nine Phoenix Sea. Thinking of the consequences of Yun Lai losing her demon pill, he couldn’t close his eyes day or night. Later, he stopped speaking entirely, only seeking death wholeheartedly. During that period, he relied on the Worry-Forgetting Powder that Wu Neng sent, floating between sleep and wakefulness, gritting his teeth and enduring bit by bit.

Such days continued until a month ago, when the Buddhist treasure was lost from Wudao City. Chen Jianxi, as City Lord, was frantically busy, and hearing that Chen Huainan had nearly succeeded in seeking death, his heart still pounding with fear, he finally took the risk and brought the person to his side.

That very night, Jiu Feng attacked at night, and the flaw was revealed from this.

As the memories were read, tears suddenly flowed from the corners of Chen Huainan’s eyes. He opened his mouth, his fingers holding Yun Lai’s fingertips, trembling uncontrollably: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

He spoke brokenly, as if he could say nothing but apologies, had no words of defense.

The demon pill that had been living in his body sensed Yun Lai’s aura and uncontrollably broke free from his body, returning to its master’s embrace. But even so, Yun Lai’s pale complexion showed no improvement whatsoever. Her body remained filled with deathly stillness, like withered grass stripped of life force.

Chen Huainan’s breath visibly weakened. His body had long been ruined by various chaotic substances. Previously, he had relied entirely on Yun Lai’s demon pill to barely hold on. Once the demon pill was lost, he immediately exhaled more than he inhaled.

The former young master, once like spring wind, had long changed his appearance. His cheeks had only bone structure left, and with his deathly pale complexion, he even looked grimly frightening. Only his eyes remained round. He struggled to turn around, looking toward Xue Yu pleadingly, speaking brokenly: “Everything is, is my fault. Cause and effect, good and evil have their rewards.”

“This has nothing to do with Yun Lai.”

Jiu Feng looked at him with complex emotions. After going through all this, she no longer mentioned anything about ingratitude or fighting and killing, only pursing her lips and saying very reluctantly: “Yun Lai is a sun-moon flower, formed by the convergence of heaven and earth’s spiritual essence, receiving goodwill from all directions. Once innocent, vengeful souls are on her hands, her bloom comes to an end.”

“Two years ago, when she lost control while looking for you, lightning struck and killed a five-year-old child and over ten women.”

Chen Huainan opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but his pupils gradually became unfocused.

“My entire, my entire life.”

Chen Huainan’s head tilted to one side as he suddenly collapsed softly beside the bed.

His entire life, he had never been expected, never been treated well. The only girl he liked, because of him, had blood on her hands and was about to perish.

What lucky star—it was nothing but a monstrous lie.

Yun Lai slowly bent down, leaning forward to carefully arrange his hair at the temples. Her ice-cold hands closed his eyes for him. After completing all this, she seemed unable to bear it and closed her eyes. In the next moment, her body began emitting scattered spiritual light from all sides like a broken glass doll.

“For a man.” Jiu Feng coldly watched this scene, seeming to have great resentment: “To make yourself into this state.”

“I don’t understand what you’re thinking.”

“Jiu Feng, thank you.” But Yun Lai suddenly showed a shallow smile. She quickly and lightly arranged everything, down to the smallest detail: “After I die, take the demon pill away. This is the payment I promised you.”

Having said this, she looked toward Xue Yu again, speaking melodiously: “The Buddhist treasure was stolen by monks from the temple under my magical influence. It’s placed on the screen behind the hall—I used it to temporarily preserve my lifespan. Please take it back with you later.”

As her words fell, a pure white, flawless flower bloomed with a “pop” in the air, surrounding the overlapping figures of the two. It gradually transformed into countless points of spiritual light before everyone and disappeared without a trace.

“Huainan.”

The last thing echoing in the empty chamber was a woman’s low, soft sigh: “I don’t blame you.”

I love you. I will carry the sun and moon of the human world, the spring winds of all seasons, to love you.

Such an ending was unexpected to both Jiu Feng and Xue Yu. In the empty hall, a demon pill emitting brilliant golden light floated before Jiu Feng. Intense struggle flashed in her eyes as she said viciously: “For this matter, I lived in this broken cave for nearly half a year—”

Taking this bit of interest would be considered little.

“Once the demon pill is gone, they won’t even have a chance at reincarnation.”

Jiu Feng’s hand was already halfway extended, her nails dyed with phoenix impatiens juice trembling several times, but she just couldn’t bring herself to take it.

“Hey.” After a long moment, she looked toward Xue Yu and said impolitely: “Want to do something with me? It’ll cost you some spiritual power.”

As soon as the words fell, Jiu Feng laughed self-mockingly: “Forget it, you people from the Sacred Lands…”

Xue Yu raised her eyes, her gaze clear and cold, showing no emotion. She interrupted Jiu Feng: “I can.”

Jiu Feng’s latter half of the sentence immediately got stuck in her throat.

Xue Yu quietly lowered her eyes, removed her gloves, revealing a pair of jade-like white palms. She ordered behind her: “Chao Nian, by my command, send down the decree: Wudao City Lord Chen Jianxi used base methods, and his virtue doesn’t match his position. Now strip him of his City Lord position and immediately escort him back to Yedu for trial.”

In her voice, her methods were so forceful that even Jiu Feng looked sideways at her.