Many things are often most natural when unintentional, like a sudden sneeze or words from the heart that slip out.

Shen Qiyuan couldn’t help but think: was this person’s brain broken? What would he be jealous of her for? He wished nothing more than for her desires to be fulfilled and her life to go smoothly. Naturally, the only one he could be jealous of was Wei Zijue.

Having reached this point in their exchange with no graceful way out, he simply flicked his sleeves and walked away.

After taking two steps, he turned his head and discovered that Liu Ruyi had stopped in place and hadn’t followed.

“Not returning to the city?” he asked impatiently.

Ruyi crossed her arms and snorted with laughter. “If I’m going back, I won’t take the same route as you. We’ve just accomplished the only thing we’ve ever reached consensus on. The great road stretches to the heavens—let’s each take our side.”

Shen Qiyuan found this absurd: “There’s only one road back to the city.”

Ruyi grew impatient: “If I tell you to go first, then go first. Why so much nonsense?”

She was fine until she shouted, but once she did, Shen Qiyuan simply walked backward to return to her side.

“What are you doing?” She defensively raised her crossed arms.

He looked at her and said seriously, “Back then at Soul-Seizing Cliff, you also told me to go first like this.”

Ruyi was stunned, her long lashes trembling slightly.

Soul-Seizing Cliff—that was when they were still cultivation partners. At the time, they were surrounded by deadly formations. She didn’t want him to risk approaching, so she lied and said she was fine, telling him to take the treasure they had worked so hard to retrieve back to Qidou Mountain first.

As soon as Shen Qiyuan left, she was struck by a scorpion’s tail. Despite her desperate resistance, she was still thrown off the cliff by that scorpion.

At the critical moment, he had rushed back and grabbed her hand.

Ruyi had been very angry then: “What did you come back for?”

“You can’t fool me,” he had said, looking down at her seriously. “I can always tell what you’re thinking in your heart.”

Two thousand years had passed. She had completely changed into a different person, yet she still couldn’t fool him.

Shen Qiyuan now stood before her, just like back then at Soul-Seizing Cliff, looking at her with eyes full of anger and resentment: “What are you hiding from me?”

Ruyi clicked her tongue and pushed him away: “I’m already a demon. What would I need to hide from you? Every single thing I do goes against you.”

“That’s not right.” Shen Qiyuan planted his feet and refused to retreat despite her pushing, his dark pupils narrowing slightly. “Our enmity is ordained by fate. You wouldn’t conceal it or show consideration, but now there’s something that makes you want to send me away, and this matter has nothing to do with me.”

Exasperated by his persistence, Ruyi gritted her teeth: “Are you leaving or not?”

“Not leaving.”

“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “If you won’t leave, then watch.”

Letting Wei Zijue go meant mission failure. According to her prior agreement with the Demon King, she had to cut her blood to feed other demons.

Ruyi flew backward and sat on the high branches of the locust tree. Dark clouds rolled in to cover the clear sky, and the brilliant sun behind her transformed into a blood moon. She crossed her legs, flipped her hand, and a gash opened on her right wrist.

The surroundings instantly shook.

Shen Qiyuan realized something was wrong and also flew up to a nearby branch. She glared at him fiercely, looking extremely angry, but as her demon blood scattered into droplets, she still waved her hand and smeared one drop on the corner of his robe.

Thus, when thousands upon thousands of little demons surged forth, they automatically regarded Shen Qiyuan as one of their kind by scent and didn’t attack him. They only passed by him, greedily rushing toward Liu Ruyi.

Ruyi casually flicked blood droplets, each pearl-sized bead causing the demons to fight with bloodied heads. She swung her legs idly, like a leisurely young lady feeding fish in a back garden.

However, even across the distance of two trees, Shen Qiyuan could see her face growing paler and paler. Countless blood droplets scattered away, yet the demons below remained unsatisfied, using hands and feet to climb over their kind, trying to open their mouths to bite her.

Shen Qiyuan’s face darkened as he prepared to act, but Ruyi’s voice drifted over: “Does My Lord want to try the death of that elephant in Yujin Garden?”

That elephant from the Tianzhu tribute in Yujin Garden had somehow provoked ants and was gnawed day and night by more than ten ant colonies, dying within seven days. Shen Qiyuan glanced at the demons below—they were no fewer than those ants. If he acted rashly, even if he didn’t die immediately, he probably wouldn’t last seven days.

But he still placed his hand on his sword sheath: “If I don’t act, you’ll die too.”

The fresh, sweet blood of the great demon attracted far too many demons. Even if she scattered all her flesh and blood, it might not be enough.

Ruyi snorted with laughter: “So what of it?”

Yes, so what of it? He was now an immortal, she was a demon—they were enemies. If one succeeded, the other was destined to fail. Even if she died here, he did not have to save her. Moreover, this scene before him should be what he despised most.

Greedy and bloodthirsty demons, every inch of filth harboring human lives. They crowded and scrambled, as if Ruyi were a bright moon. But looking carefully, the moon was also pitted and dirty, perfectly harmonious with them.

Back then in the palace, his parents had also been devoured by such demons swarming upon them.

His fingertips trembled as he released the sword sheath. Shen Qiyuan took a deep breath and turned his back to her.

She had chosen Wei Zijue, so this was the consequence. No matter how painful, it was hers to bear alone—he had no business interfering.

Besides, with her level of cultivation, even if her physical body was destroyed, she would surely still have a chance to preserve her demon soul.

Even if she couldn’t preserve her demon soul and it shattered, the Demon King would find a way to save her.

He still had to protect Great Qian’s people. He still had many things to do. He must leave this place immediately.

Having thought of more than ten reasonable justifications, Shen Qiyuan nodded with deep conviction.

However, his feet still hadn’t taken a step forward.

“Liu Ruyi,” he spoke with a hoarse voice.

“Mm?”

“If I could do it over again, I would probably still board that painted pleasure boat.”

If he could do it over again, he would still choose to act selfishly and shield the countless gods and Buddhas from view. He would still rack his brains to summon her to the mortal realm. He would still be filled with joy at her invitation.

He had never wanted to have anything to do with her. Never.

A sudden wind arose in the forest, blowing the hair at her temples into gentle flight. Ruyi slowly widened her eyes and saw a flash of pure white imbued with immortal energy streak past, thunderously carving out a path three zhang wide before her.

Someone leaped from the treetops, flying toward her. In his ink-black pupils were hatred and annoyance, but even more were soft and warm things that surged toward her like a rising tide, then swept her down beneath the waves.

She was suddenly at a loss, only staring blankly as he approached.

Shen Qiyuan swept her up in his arms and, borrowing the path he had carved open, shot forward like an arrow for ten zhang. The demons behind quickly reacted, shrieking and wailing as they gave relentless pursuit. Demonic energy churned through the forest like miasma, and in the distance where the sky hung low, the sound of thunder and lightning faintly rumbled.