As midnight approached—the best moment for the ghost gates to open—Liu Shuang still hadn’t seen Shao You.

The moonlight was cold as water. Holding the Heirloom Mirror, she felt a slight dejection. Only now did she realize how fortunate she had been in her previous life, meeting Shao You in her naivety, receiving his care and gentleness without being able to do anything for him.

“Stop waiting. He won’t come.”

Liu Shuang turned around to see Yan Chaosheng standing behind her with folded arms. His eyes carried cold mockery: “I just saw Feng Cai Yi drinking wine with him.”

Yan Chaosheng’s appearance made Liu Shuang realize she hadn’t seen him for many days.

“Where have you been these past days? Why haven’t I seen you?”

Yan Chaosheng laughed coldly: “Why should I tell you where I go? You spend every day waiting for Ji Mo Shao You—would you even care where I’ve been?”

Liu Shuang thought: Why can’t he just speak normally? Why is he so angry? She hadn’t expected such a prickly response to her casual question.

The Heirloom Mirror in her arms gleamed brightly. Their eyes met, and she looked at him in confusion. She had merely asked a question—why was he as explosive as a firecracker? Even when she had swung a dagger at him before, he hadn’t been this sarcastic.

Yan Chaosheng was the first to look away, his face cold as he avoided her gaze.

Liu Shuang pouted. She didn’t care where he had gone as long as he wasn’t causing trouble in Kun Lun Immortal Realm.

With midnight approaching, she had no time to discuss these trivial matters with Yan Chaosheng. Shao You’s absence left her feeling low.

Liu Shuang had anticipated this problematic situation. If Shao You didn’t come, she would still need to go to the Ghost Realm. Bai Yuxiao had only lent her the Heirloom Mirror for one day. If she missed this opportunity and couldn’t find Shao You’s mother’s soul, not only would Shao You fail to change his impression of her, but they also definitely wouldn’t be able to borrow the Shennong Cauldron.

However, Liu Shuang didn’t intend to push herself too hard. She carried an Image-Capturing Pearl. If she couldn’t bring back Shao You’s mother’s remaining soul, returning with an image would be good enough—that way, Shao You would believe her.

Steeling herself, Liu Shuang used magic to draw blood from her heart and dripped it onto the Heirloom Mirror.

The ripples absorbed her blood, becoming even brighter, comparable to moonlight. Liu Shuang pressed her hand against the mirror. The Heirloom Mirror seemed to come alive, its ripples surging like tides, beginning to continuously draw her spiritual power.

Cold sweat beaded on Liu Shuang’s forehead. Bai Yuxiao had told her earlier that using the Heirloom Mirror required paying a price—not only three drops of heart blood but also the user’s spiritual power to traverse the Eight Wilderness in an instant.

How far one could go determined how much spiritual power would be absorbed.

Now, the ripples produced by the Heirloom Mirror grew increasingly turbulent. The mirror was like a greedy mouth, nearly draining all the immortal power she had cultivated during this period.

Liu Shuang was drenched in cold sweat when suddenly a hand gripped her wrist.

“Are you insane?” Yan Chaosheng said. “You’re willing to go this far to borrow the Shennong Cauldron? Or is it for Ji Mo Shao You?”

His tone grew colder as he spoke the last few words.

Liu Shuang quickly said, “Let go of me!”

Once the Heirloom Mirror was activated, if Yan Chaosheng kept holding her like this, he would also be drawn into the mirror.

Yan Chaosheng tried to remove her hand, to break Liu Shuang’s connection with the Heirloom Mirror, but once the mirror had absorbed the user’s heart blood, it wouldn’t stop. He tried several times, but the young woman’s hand seemed fused to the mirror.

They stared at each other.

Yan Chaosheng’s expression grew even more displeased: “You fool, this mirror is almost draining your spiritual power dry. Do you want to die?”

Liu Shuang was annoyed now. He wasn’t even the Demon Lord yet, just a small disciple in their Kung Sang, yet he no longer called her Young Lord but called her a fool? After not seeing him for a few days, Yan Chaosheng wasn’t even pretending to be respectful anymore.

She also provoked him: “Then why don’t you let go of me? Do you want to die with me? You don’t seem that clever either.”

The hand on her wrist stiffened. Yan Chaosheng gave her a cold look and slowly released his grip.

Liu Shuang thought, good, good that Yan Chaosheng let go in time.

In the next moment, the Heirloom Mirror’s light intensified. Liu Shuang’s heart leaped with joy as her figure instantly vanished into the mirror. As the world spun around her, someone seemed to jump in after her.

Liu Shuang had no time to assess the situation and held her breath, containing her scattered immortal power.

Having lived in the Ghost Realm in her previous life, she knew how dangerous it was. Now, seven hundred years earlier, before Yan Chaosheng became the Demon Lord, without his suppression, the Ghost Realm would certainly be more chaotic.

Concealing her spiritual power was safer. She didn’t want to be devoured by ghost cultivators the moment she arrived.

When he jumped into the Heirloom Mirror after Chi Shui Liu Shuang, Yan Chaosheng felt a moment of regret.

He wasn’t usually so impulsive.

On the journey from Kung Sang to Kun Lun, many unexpected things had happened. The most confusing was the Kung Sang Young Lord’s apparent desire for him.

She had been so good to him in various ways—treating his wounds, standing before him, guarding him through the night in the Grave of Ten Thousand Souls… Even when she saw his black, ugly snake scales, she showed no disgust, even removing her clothes for him to wear.

Yet, most infuriating was also her. If not for her willful capriciousness leading to his cultivation being destroyed, he would already be preparing for the great competition, not desperately trying to recover his cultivation.

These past days, two voices had been repeatedly clashing in Yan Chaosheng’s mind.

One said: Her affection isn’t genuine; she’s like those female demons, perhaps only temporarily attracted to your appearance. The Eight Wilderness has many dissolute immortal ladies. As the noble descendant of the Chi Shui lineage and future master of a great immortal realm, how could she be interested in a small disciple with demon bloodlines? You’ve always returned every slight. You shouldn’t let her off this time either. It would be best to use her to restore your cultivation, then dispose of her along with Bai Yuxiao.

The other voice defended her: Bai Yuxiao did everything, and she’s already trying her best to remedy the situation. Moreover, throughout this journey, without her, you might have died already. What harm would it do to spare her once?

At only six hundred years old, Yan Chaosheng was still a youth compared to many great demons. He hadn’t experienced many of the events that would come later, nor had he completely grown cold-hearted and indifferent.

He hadn’t been able to sort out his thoughts—whether to treat Chi Shui Liu Shuang coldly in the future, keep his distance, make her give up her foolish hopes, and spare her, or simply use her and then kill her.

Unexpectedly, she ended up spending every day waiting for Ji Mo Shao You.

Once, as he passed by her, she didn’t even turn her head, heading toward Ji Mo Shao You’s immortal pavilion.

Yan Chaosheng raised his hand and crushed the branches and leaves beside him.

He knew she was only pretending with Ji Mo Shao You to borrow the Shennong Cauldron. But her enthusiasm was truly irritating.

He should have strangled her—he shouldn’t have hesitated.

However, Yan Chaosheng hadn’t expected to become so angry when he saw her recklessly using the Heirloom Mirror.

His suspicion flared again. Was she doing this to restore her face, or to win back her former fiancé, Ji Mo Shao You?

When she angrily asked if he wanted to die with her, Yan Chaosheng immediately released her hand, coldly thinking: Fine, go die then. If she died, he would be spared the trouble of deciding how to treat her.

But when the young woman, face deathly pale, was drawn into the Heirloom Mirror, his mind went blank for an instant. Instinctively trying to grab her, he was also pulled into the mirror.

Yan Chaosheng hadn’t offered his heart blood, so he was much more clearheaded than Liu Shuang, who tumbled down in confusion.

As they were drawn into the Heirloom Mirror, a figure in cyan robes arrived. Ji Mo Shao You had come at the last moment, falling into the Heirloom Mirror with them.

Shao You had ultimately believed Liu Shuang.

For some reason, at that moment, Yan Chaosheng felt a faint displeasure.

Now, Yan Chaosheng stood among a pile of white bones and skulls, with a river of ghostly flames stretching out in the distance.

With a turn of his head, he saw Liu Shuang and Ji Mo Shao You.

Liu Shuang lay unconscious by the river’s edge, with Shao You supporting her. Shao You looked down at her, his expression still maintaining the emotional neutrality befitting an immortal lord. After glancing at the other side of the fire river for a moment, he paused, about to lift Liu Shuang.

A hand stopped him.

Shao You turned to see a coldly handsome youth smiling. The youth curved his lips: “I’ll take care of our Kung Sang Young Lord. No need to trouble the Immortal Lord.”

With his excellent memory, Shao You immediately recognized this youth as one who had come with the Chi Shui Immortal Lady that day.

Even with Shao You’s discernment, he could only tell the youth carried demon bloodlines but couldn’t determine which type of demon’s blood flowed in him. The youth’s aura was chaotic, as if shrouded in layers of thick fog, making it difficult to see clearly.

The youth laughed coldly: “Ji Mo Young Lord, attempting to probe me with immortal power is hardly courteous.”

Shao You was surprised by his sensitivity, though his expression remained calm.

“I was presumptuous.”

From their confrontational atmosphere, Shao You could tell this Kung Sang disciple didn’t seem to like him. Considering he was Liu Shuang’s companion, Shao You didn’t insist and handed her over.

Yan Chaosheng said nothing more, taking Liu Shuang and carrying her on his back. He turned to ask: “Does Ji Mo Young Lord know where this is and how to proceed?”

Shao You pondered briefly: “If I’m not mistaken, this should be the Ghost Realm, the City of Unforgetting. Crossing the fire river leads to the previous Ghost King’s soul burial ground.”

Yan Chaosheng smiled insincerely: “Ji Mo Young Lord is very knowledgeable.” Yan Chaosheng had also heard legends of the Ghost Realm, though since ancient times, the Demon Realm and Ghost Realm had had little connection. Their only intersection might be that every demon, after death, also became a ghost spirit.

He hadn’t expected Chi Shui Liu Shuang to be so bold, using the Heirloom Mirror to enter the Ghost Realm.

The current Ghost Realm was leaderless, filled with drifting remnant souls. Some wandered out of the Ghost Realm, unwilling to be reborn, and would harm the most vulnerable mortals.

Spiritual power couldn’t be used on the Netherworld Fire River; they couldn’t fly across but had to wade through step by step.

Shao You was the first to step onto the purple-red netherworld fire. His steps were composed, not looking as if he were treading on fire that could burn both body and soul, but rather like taking a casual stroll.

Before long, Yan Chaosheng, frowning, also stepped onto it.

The Fire River was vast, appearing boundless as the sea at first glance.

Shao You had expected the Kung Sang disciple behind him to give up soon and ask for help, but they had already crossed half the river, and he still hadn’t made a sound.

Shao You looked back to see Yan Chaosheng steadily carrying Liu Shuang across the fire river.

Blue flames reflected in Yan Chaosheng’s eyes, like eerie and dark light. Sweat beaded on his forehead, yet he made no sound and refused to hand Liu Shuang over to Shao You.

Shao You sighed. He had cultivated for nearly ten thousand years to have such cultivation, his immortal body refined to be impervious to fire and water. This youth was capable of enduring.

“Let me take the Chi Shui Young Lord.”

Carrying someone across the fire river meant bearing twice the burning pain.

The youth looked at him calmly: “Unnecessary. I can carry her across.”

Having said that, Yan Chaosheng walked past Shao You.

Shao You withdrew his hand without saying anything.

After crossing the fire river, they finally escaped the pain of being burned by the netherworld fire. Shao You remained spotless. He looked back at Yan Chaosheng, seeing his boots almost burned through, but the young woman slept peacefully on his back.

Shao You said, “You’re very good to the Kung Sang Young Lord.”

Yan Chaosheng sneered: “She’s the Kung Sang Young Lord. As a Kung Sang disciple, I naturally want to please her.”

As they spoke, Liu Shuang, who had exhausted her spiritual power, finally awoke.

The first thing she saw wasn’t Yan Chaosheng beneath her, nor the fire river behind, but Shao You beside her with his clean, detached gaze.

Shao You was looking at her. Seeing her awake, he smiled slightly: “Is the Chi Shui Immortal Lady alright?”

Liu Shuang had never imagined that Shao You would follow her inside. He had believed her. Liu Shuang felt joyful and laughed softly: “I’m fine. Shao You, thank you for trusting me.”

A hint of warmth flashed in Shao You’s eyes as he smiled without speaking.

Liu Shuang was about to say something when suddenly her body was lifted into the air and thrown down.

She fell unexpectedly, sitting stunned on the ground, her buttocks so painful that her mouth twitched. Liu Shuang looked up to see a coldly smiling face.

Yan Chaosheng looked down at her with that strangely cold tone: “The Young Lord seems so energetic. I’m sure traversing the previous Ghost King’s soul burial ground alone won’t be a problem.”

He walked away after speaking, leaving only his back.

Liu Shuang’s eyes widened slightly. Yan Chaosheng—how had he also come inside?