Feng Fuming brought Liu Shuang through the floating pavilions of the Heavenly Realm to the main gate.

Liu Shuang had never visited the Heavenly Realm before. Unlike the Ghost Domain, this realm of white appeared clean and abundant with spiritual power.

Immortal maidens emerged in succession, instantly arranging a place for rest and negotiation at the gate.

A maiden in white robes carried spirit fruits and teacups, while two others gently waved fans. Liu Shuang, tightly bound, was thrown at Feng Fuming’s feet.

Liu Shuang sat cross-legged, not looking back at Feng Fuming but instead gazing toward the vast territory of the Heavenly Realm. Since birth, she had been to four places: Cang Lan Immortal Realm, the mortal world, the Demon Realm, and the Ghost Domain. The Heavenly Realm was different from all the places she had been before.

Countless auspicious birds with long trailing feathers flew by, breathtakingly beautiful. Liu Shuang stared in a daze, yet despite the beauty before her eyes, she thought of her Qing Luan.

Qing Luan was a demon bird, and because it lived in the barren Ghost Domain, it and Chi Yuan could only nest among rocks, unlike these free celestial birds that could lazily groom their feathers while wandering in a world filled with spiritual energy.

In the past, during campaigns with Yan Chaosheng, as long as Qing Luan and Chi Yuan could fly, they had to join the battlefield even when injured.

Later, as the Demon Realm and Ghost Domain gradually gained status and wars became less difficult, Qing Luan followed Liu Shuang and lived slightly better. Looking at the peaceful Heavenly Realm with its abundant spiritual energy, Liu Shuang suddenly understood why Yan Chaosheng had waged war everywhere for the past hundred years.

A spirit fruit was held to her lips. Liu Shuang looked up to see Feng Fuming smiling: “You like these birds? They’re called Qing Di. Shall this lord give you one?”

“Thank you, Heavenly Lord, but that’s not necessary.”

Liu Shuang initially wanted to avoid the spirit fruit offered by Feng Fuming, but after a moment’s hesitation, she opened her mouth and ate it.

Feng Fuming raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued, and fed her one fruit after another. Liu Shuang didn’t refuse, eating them all.

Feng Fuming eyed her: “You eat quite happily. There’s half a quarter of an hour left until the appointed time. Aren’t you worried Yan Chaosheng won’t come?”

Liu Shuang swallowed the spirit fruit in her mouth without responding.

After traveling for days, Liu Shuang had nearly depleted all her spiritual power. Now, with these spirit fruits, her urgent need was relieved, and immortal power gradually circulated within her body.

In the past, she would never have eaten anything offered by Feng Fuming, single-mindedly hoping for her husband to rescue her.

But after being blocked outside the Ghost Realm, she began to understand that in this world, she could rely on no one but herself. If something were to happen, with spiritual power in her body, she would at least have some ability to protect herself.

Feng Fuming tapped his finger on the jade table, where a colorful hourglass stood. The flowing sand was diminishing, yet in the vast expanse of the white Heavenly Realm, no one had appeared.

Liu Shuang also looked at the hourglass. When the last grain of sand fell, the Heavenly Realm remained quiet, and Yan Chaosheng still hadn’t come.

Feng Fuming looked at Liu Shuang’s reaction, expecting to see sadness and pain on her face. To his surprise, she was more composed than he had imagined, lightly pressing her lips together in silence.

“He didn’t come. Are you disappointed?” Feng Fuming said. “It seems the rumors are true—Yan Chaosheng took a consort but treated her as disposable. In a hundred years, he never gave her any authority in the Demon or Ghost Realms, never brought her to any banquets, merely keeping her as Mi Chu’s substitute.”

Feng Fuming used a jade flute to lift Liu Shuang’s chin, sighing with feigned pity: “Immortal Liu Shuang, he doesn’t even care what tragic fate awaits you in my hands.”

Feng Fuming’s words were like a sharp thorn, piercing Liu Shuang’s heart. Her pupils contracted, and she stubbornly gritted her teeth, refusing to show any disappointment or fear.

In truth, she had hoped more than anyone that Yan Chaosheng would come to save her. Liu Shuang knew she couldn’t remain captive by Feng Fuming’s side. Cang Lan Immortal Realm still awaited rescue. If Yan Chaosheng didn’t come, she and all of Cang Lan would be buried in winter before seeing the spring of the mortal world.

When the hourglass emptied, profound dejection nearly brought tears to her eyes.

It seemed that even after dissolving their bond, her memory still trusted that man—trusted that Yan Chaosheng could protect her as he had for the past hundred years. Even with tribulation thunder rolling in the sky, his figure in dark clothes, standing proudly before her, was like a war god who looked down upon everything, ensuring all storms would pass.

If Yan Chaosheng had never been kind to Liu Shuang, she probably wouldn’t have harbored hope. But he had sheltered her time and again for an entire century, making Liu Shuang believe that even if Yan Chaosheng didn’t love her, he wouldn’t truly abandon her.

She had overestimated Yan Chaosheng’s pity for her and underestimated his affection for Mi Chu.

Liu Shuang wouldn’t cry in front of Feng Fuming. Yan Chaosheng wasn’t a good person, and neither was Feng Fuming. She didn’t want to lay her feelings bare before this man for his amusement.

Feng Fuming looked at her with great disappointment: “Not upset after all? I was anticipating a good show in vain. Come, poor thing, as this lord’s prisoner, you’ll have to pay for the resentment toward Yan Chaosheng these days. After all, His Majesty the Demon Lord showed no mercy to this lord’s subordinates recently.”

His final words were spoken through gritted teeth.

Just as Feng Fuming was about to take Liu Shuang away, someone called out: “Wait.”

Hearing this familiar voice, Liu Shuang quickly turned around. The newcomer wore cyan robes with a jade fan and silk headband, appearing dignified.

“Lord Su Lun!”

“Greetings, Heavenly Lord. Greetings, Immortal Liu Shuang. My Demon Lord has sent me to discuss a transaction with the Heavenly Lord.”

“Oh?” Feng Fuming glanced at Liu Shuang. Though he smiled lazily, his eyes revealed a dangerous light. “Yan Chaosheng sent you to talk? By not coming himself, is he looking down on this lord, or is he afraid, trying to be a coward?”

Su Lun responded neither humbly nor arrogantly: “Heavenly Lord, you and His Majesty the Demon Lord have fought for a hundred years. Has our lord ever retreated half a step? Today, the Demon Lord couldn’t come because Immortal Mi Chu’s soul is unstable, and the Demon Lord needs to help stabilize it. As you know, entering the Reincarnation Mirror means stepping into the cycle of reincarnation. Immortal Mi Chu’s body is currently in poor condition. Additionally, since you disregarded your past relationship and extracted Immortal Mi Chu’s life-essence jade bamboo, her situation has become even more precarious.”

“You’ve come for Mi Chu?”

“Indeed.” Su Lun smiled, taking out a brocade box. “I hear the Heavenly Lord has sought the Floating Island Red Lotus for hundreds of years without success. As it happens, the Floating Island Red Lotus is one of the Demon Realm’s treasures. Today, we are willing to part with it for the Heavenly Lord, as long as…”

Su Lun’s gaze swept over Liu Shuang, and he continued: “As long as the Heavenly Lord hands over Heavenly Consort Mi Chu’s life-essence jade bamboo remains to me.”

Feng Fuming’s smile widened: “The Floating Island Red Lotus—this lord indeed needs it. Su Lun, this lord will grant you a favor. Today, you may choose to take either this little celestial herb or that shattered jade bamboo.”

Su Lun’s gaze remained steady: “What the Demon Lord needs is only Heavenly Consort Mi Chu’s life-essence jade bamboo.”

“Then take it.” Feng Fuming tossed the object in his hand. What had been a flute in his palm instantly became a translucent spiritual object resembling jade bamboo.

So Feng Fuming had transformed Mi Chu’s life-essence core into a flute for his amusement.

Su Lun also kept his promise, delivering the Floating Island Red Lotus.

Feng Fuming said, “Take a message to Yan Chaosheng for this lord. His consort is extremely beautiful. It’s a pity she will have to serve my crude forest-guardian subordinates.”

Su Lun smiled: “The Heavenly Lord jests. The Demon Lord has never had a consort. I take my leave.”

Su Lun’s figure retreated far into the distance, leaving only the lingering images of flying Qing Di birds in the Heavenly Realm. Feng Fuming didn’t even look at the Red Lotus, tossing it to the immortal maiden behind him, and said to Liu Shuang: “In his eyes, you’re worth less than a broken piece of jade bamboo. Poor thing, hmm? How did you end up in such a state?”

He shook his head with mock sympathy: “Mi Chu is called the number one beauty of the Eight Wilderness. How embarrassing to have a face similar to hers.”

Liu Shuang remained silent, her heart dully aching. The Immortal Binding Rope cut deep into her flesh. When Lord Su Lun arrived, her joy was indescribable.

But Su Lun had come only for Mi Chu’s life-essence jade bamboo.

After a hundred years together, she was the only one who had taken it seriously.

Liu Shuang was brought back to the Heavenly Realm’s palace. Feng Fuming leaned close to her, saying with malicious intent: “Make yourself look pretty. Tonight you’ll be sent away. Those forest guardians work so hard—you’re the greatest reward this lord has given them in a thousand years. How about this: since you’ve been by Yan Chaosheng’s side for decades, tell this lord his weakness, and this lord will let you go. How about it?”

Liu Shuang opened her mouth.

She desperately wanted to leave. No one could understand her torment at this moment—what she was about to face, along with the fate of the Cang Lan Immortal Realm, all filled her with despair.

For a moment, she resented Yan Chaosheng, but she knew Feng Fuming couldn’t be trusted. After verifying the truth, it would likely be too late to save Cang Lan. Even if he were trustworthy, once she revealed Yan Chaosheng’s secrets to Feng Fuming, the consequence would be that Yan Chaosheng’s hundred years of effort would come to nothing.

Su Lun, Fu Hang, Qing Luan, Chi Yuan, Chang Huan…

And the rhinoceros demon, who had once protected her, these people would be killed one by one.

Liu Shuang felt as if all her strength had been drained. Thinking of Chang Huan, who still guarded her courtyard, she shook her head: “I know nothing.”

Feng Fuming narrowed his eyes at her, having to admit for a moment that he felt somewhat envious of Yan Chaosheng.

If it were Mi Chu, for the sake of her people and herself, she would likely have revealed everything without considering the consequences. He couldn’t help but smile.

No matter. If Yan Chaosheng didn’t want her, he was quite willing to take her. There will be a time in the future.

The maids took Liu Shuang away. Feng Fuming encountered Immortal Lord Xun Xi. Despite failing to exchange for Mi Chu, Feng Fuming’s mood wasn’t bad—it was unusually bright. Xun Xi noticed his good spirits: “Heavenly Lord, is there cause for celebration?”

Feng Fuming smiled: “Naturally. Issue a decree—tonight this lord will hold a grand wedding and appoint a consort.”

Although he had deliberately tried to anger Yan Chaosheng and frighten Liu Shuang, he hadn’t intended to throw Liu Shuang to those men to be violated.

The little celestial herb was quite adorable, with tears nearly filling her eyes but held back, afraid he would see her vulnerability. She was inherently simple, with all emotions written in her eyes, though only she believed she hid them well.

Disappointment, sadness—she was truly heartbroken. Much of what Feng Fuming had said was to deceive her, to see if she would reveal Yan Chaosheng’s secrets after becoming disappointed in him.

After all, having been Yan Chaosheng’s adversary for centuries, the man truly annoyed him and proved difficult to handle.

But Liu Shuang had said nothing.

Several immortal maids took Liu Shuang away, carefully bathing her. The Immortal Binding Rope remained on her body, forcing her to let them manipulate her.

Immortal mist curled in the pool. The maids looked at her, a flash of amazement crossing their eyes.

At this desperate juncture, Liu Shuang became completely calm.

Today, Mi Chu’s jade bamboo reminded her of something else. She touched her beating heart beneath her palm.

In the Eighth Wilderness, everyone had a spirit core, the foundation of cultivation and the cornerstone of soul condensation. With the spirit core intact, one could live long and prosper; without it, like Mi Chu, one’s soul would become unstable, even leading to death.

Liu Shuang had nothing left. She was alone, with only her heart remaining.

At her birthplace, Tree Grandfather had told her this was her spirit core. Originally, small celestial herbs didn’t have hearts—it was just a cold purple jade stone.

Later, somehow, it began to beat like a mortal’s heart.

Mi Chu had paid the price of shattering her life-essence jade bamboo to be with Yan Chaosheng. Liu Shuang could also crush this heart to escape the Heavenly Realm and return to the Cang Lan Immortal Realm. Whether she lived or died, she wanted to find her original self and be with her people.

She touched her heart.

It beat so powerfully. She had used this heart to love Yan Chaosheng for a hundred years, to sense joy, pleasure, sorrow, and happiness. Now she would have to crush it herself, severing all ties to the past.

Go back, she heard a voice say. Go home.