When Yan Chaosheng returned to his bamboo hut, many people were secretly watching him.

The outer disciples whispered among themselves: “Wasn’t it said that he had offended the Young Lord and definitely wouldn’t be able to return?”

“Yes, how did he come back? He doesn’t seem to have received any punishment.”

“Could it be that the Young Lord didn’t notice his demon bloodline?”

“How could the Young Lord not know? He must have flattered and ingratiated himself, so the Young Lord spared his life.”

“When he returns and sees what happened to his hut, will he get angry? No one here can defeat him.”

Someone sneered: “What is there to fear? He’s just a demon with a demon bloodline—he never had the right to stay in the Kung Sang Immortal Realm in the first place. I heard that initially, he knelt for half a month, begging Elder Ming Xiao of the pavilion, kowtowing hundreds of times before being allowed to stay in Kung Sang as an exception to receive immortal blessings. He promised not to cause trouble, not to use demon arts, and to be friendly with fellow disciples. Last year, when Senior Brother Ding Feng told him to wash swords at the Sword Washing Pool, he didn’t dare say a word and just went. Now his cultivation has been crippled, and he’s offended the Young Lord—his days are numbered. How would he dare to do anything?”

Yan Chaosheng’s eyes darkened as he returned to his bamboo hut, his gaze growing completely cold.

He saw that his room was in disarray, clearly having been ransacked. The quilt from his bed had been taken, the wooden pillow had fallen to the floor, and the window had been dismantled.

On the ground was a shattered wooden box. Sure enough, the middle-grade immortal sword inlaid with a wolf fang was nowhere to be found.

This sword had been given to Yan Chaosheng by the Elder of the Sword Washing Pavilion before his cultivation was crippled. He had washed it for months in the Sword Washing Pool, enduring the sword’s intent’s torture and the burning flames.

The Elder had said that for hundreds of years, all disciples who entered the Sword Washing Pool complained bitterly. Only Yan Chaosheng came silently at the hour of Chen every day, washing swords without a single word of complaint, and departing quietly at the hour of Zi. The immortal swords that passed through his hands gleamed brilliantly.

The Elder, appreciating his sincere and uncomplaining heart, had gifted him an abandoned, masterless middle-grade immortal sword from beside the sword pool as a reward.

After receiving the sword, Yan Chaosheng polished it daily, treating it with extreme care. This was one of the few acts of kindness Yan Chaosheng had experienced since coming to Kung Sang.

He had planned to use this sword to participate in the grand competition, hoping to win first place, take on a good master, and escape his status as a gate-keeping disciple. To nurture the sword, he had even inlaid it with the wolf fang left to him by the little wolf demon as it died.

This sword carried all of Yan Chaosheng’s hopes.

For three years, he had avoided trouble, yielded at every step, and faithfully performed his duties. He was just three months away from participating in the grand competition and fulfilling his wish.

But blocking the Kung Sang Young Lord that one time had ruined everything.

Before departing for Kun Lun, Yan Chaosheng had not planned to bring this sword. He didn’t know if Liu Shuang would seek personal revenge under the guise of public justice. Though they might not value this sword, it was the only weapon he could wield with dignity. Yan Chaosheng had thought that if the immortal sword were damaged during the journey, his chances in the grand competition would be even more hopeless without his cultivation. He had hidden the sword carefully before leaving, only to return and find his hut nearly destroyed and the immortal sword missing.

How laughable, Yan Chaosheng thought. He had endured humiliation for three years, intending to avoid trouble and work his way up, but, as long as he carried a demon bloodline, everything he did was wrong.

Many were killed for treasure in the Eight Wildernesses, but to take his possessions while he was still alive, they truly considered him as good as dead.

With a calm expression, he picked up the pillow and tidied the room, then stepped outside, showing not a trace of anger, unnaturally composed.

A demon’s hearing was keen. Before walking far, Yan Chaosheng overheard several disciples drinking and laughing not far away: “I told you, he’s used to being a coward. He doesn’t dare confront Senior Brother Ding Feng.”

“In my opinion, with his cultivation gone, he can’t win the grand competition anyway. This sword suits Senior Brother Ding Feng better.”

The man called “Ding Feng” frowned darkly: “Enough! If you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak!”

After all, taking someone’s spiritual treasure by force would be somewhat glorious, but stealing someone’s immortal sword was utterly shameful. Before seeking immortality at Kung Sang, Ding Feng had been the son of an official. He had brought considerable wealth up the mountain, but unfortunately, his aptitude wasn’t very good, and he ultimately became an outer disciple.

This was the way of immortal clans—regardless of whether you were nobility or a commoner, if your aptitude was poor, you couldn’t even enter the immortal gate.

Unwilling to leave, Ding Feng had settled in the Life-Crossing Bamboo Forest, becoming the leader of the outer disciples.

The immortals didn’t care about Ding Feng’s status, but these outer disciples, originally ordinary mortals, were quite impressed by it and privately followed Ding Feng’s lead.

For Ding Feng, the immortal realm’s grand competition was also his best opportunity.

A mortal’s lifespan was only a few decades. Three years were particularly precious in a short life of just a few decades.

“Immortals caress my head, my bound hair receives longevity”—he couldn’t let his three years be wasted, only to slink down the mountain in the end.

Most gate-keeping disciples were of mediocre aptitude, so Ding Feng had finally set his sights on Yan Chaosheng.

At first, Ding Feng never provoked this disciple with high cultivation and a demon bloodline, as mortals naturally feared demons.

But later, seeing that Yan Chaosheng was more honest and silent than anyone, never slacking when guarding the immortal realm, and always cordial to others, he began to harbor thoughts of oppressing him.

No matter what he did or how he provoked him, Yan Chaosheng would only avoid confrontation.

Yan Chaosheng’s fortunate acquisition of an immortal sword had long made him envious.

Previously, mindful that he couldn’t defeat him, Ding Feng didn’t dare entertain such thoughts. But now, hearing that Yan Chaosheng’s cultivation had been crippled, Ding Feng had taken advantage of his absence to take the immortal sword for himself. Now, several disciples had gathered to drink, all flattering Ding Feng.

Upon hearing of Yan Chaosheng’s return, Ding Feng was initially startled but then reassured himself that in the immortal realm, Yan Chaosheng, with his demon bloodline, was lower than everyone else. With the grand competition approaching, he wouldn’t dare cause any trouble, lest he be driven down the mountain.

The male disciples chatted about their past experiences in the mortal world, the upcoming grand competition, and the beauty of the immortal ladies they had encountered while guarding the gate.

Yan Chaosheng stood with folded arms, listening to their conversation with cold indifference, never appearing before them, his expression calm to the point of coldness.

One disciple said: “Today, while guarding the gate, I saw the Kung Sang Young Lord.”

The others asked with interest: “How was it? We previously heard the Young Lord was exceptionally beautiful, then later heard the Young Lord was ugly and plain. What does the Young Lord look like? Which rumor is true and which is false?”

That disciple’s expression turned mysterious, with a hint of infatuation: “More than just exceptionally beautiful—saying she surpasses Da Ji and Bao Si wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”

“Really? Da Ji was a nation-toppling enchantress.”

“I saw with my own eyes—how could it be false?”

The disciples all laughed and joked, creating an atmosphere that eased much of Ding Feng’s frustration, his brow relaxing.

Behind the green bamboo, Yan Chaosheng’s slender hand stroked his black and golden whip methodically, like a venomous snake hissing and flicking its tongue.

Before the moon rose, Liu Shuang heard that her father had sent an immortal messenger to find Yan Chaosheng.

Chi Shui Chong had mentioned before that if Yan Chaosheng could complete his mission, he would be richly rewarded. Now, dispatching an immortal messenger to the Life-Crossing Bamboo Forest, Liu Shuang guessed two purposes: first, to bestow rewards, and second, to retrieve the Ten Commandments Ring.

In ancient times, the Ten Commandments Ring had once had its glory days. It was said to be able to transform into ten demon-subduing rings simultaneously, binding great demons and driving away evil spirits.

However, later on, the method to tame the Ten Commandments Ring was lost. Often, users could only manifest a single silver ring, which could only temporarily restrain. Like chicken ribs—useless to eat yet regrettable to discard—it wasn’t even comparable to ordinary immortal artifacts.

Even though the Ten Commandments Ring wasn’t very useful now, Chi Shui Chong couldn’t possibly let it remain in an outer disciple’s hands and would send someone to retrieve it from Yan Chaosheng.

Liu Shuang comfortably finished grooming herself as Fu Liu reminded her, “The moonlight is beautiful tonight. Would the Young Lord like to cultivate at the Heavenly Phoenix Pool?”

At the mention of cultivation, Liu Shuang was no longer tired. In the past, when the moonlight was clear, the original owner liked to go alone to the Heavenly Phoenix Pool to cultivate.

The Heavenly Phoenix Pool was one of the most spiritually abundant immortal pools in Kung Sang. Cultivating there yielded twice the results with half the effort.

Immortal ladies and lords usually went during the day, cordoning off a space with a barrier for quiet cultivation. The original owner, feeling inferior, knew that no matter how hard she tried to cultivate, her progress wouldn’t be good. Unwilling to be seen striving in vain, she only dared go at night after the moon appeared.

Liu Shuang thought for a moment, then nodded.

It would be good to see how cultivating at the Heavenly Phoenix Pool differed now. The mere thought of cultivation filled her with energy.

Fu Liu smiled and said, “The Clear Purity Jade is also there. The Young Lord can purify turbid energy.”

Liu Shuang felt the three words “Clear Purity Jade” sounded familiar, but she couldn’t immediately recall where she had seen them before.

She left without letting Fu Liu follow, making her way to the Heavenly Phoenix Pool. Before her, white mist swirled, appearing dreamlike and beautiful under the moon. Liu Shuang stepped into the pool water, which didn’t wet her clothes but enveloped her in warmth.

Looking around, she discovered that the Heavenly Phoenix Pool was the immortal pool farthest from the main hall, almost bordering the Life-Crossing Bamboo Forest outside the immortal realm.

Eight phoenix jade sculptures spouted water from their mouths, each magnificently beautiful.

The original owner had also chosen this spot to avoid being seen. Liu Shuang cultivated for a while, making rapid progress.

She should have been happy, but something felt wrong. Looking up, she saw a piece of pure white jade being enshrined on a high platform outside the pool under the moonlight.

This was the “Clear Purity Jade” Fu Liu had mentioned, capable of purifying turbid energy and distracting thoughts. In the original owner’s memory, if immortal ladies and lords had stray thoughts that might develop into heart demons, they would draw upon the Clear Purity Jade’s power to purify their immortal bodies, thus achieving clarity, avoiding heart demons, and evading the heart demon tribulation.

Among the four great immortal realms, only Kung Sang possessed such a spirit stone.

It rotated gently and harmlessly, but as Liu Shuang watched, her heart suddenly jolted.

This was bad—this wasn’t Clear Purity Jade at all, but clearly “Demon Bone Stone”!

Liu Shuang had once read a chronicle in the Ghost Realm about Kung Sang’s destruction. The chronicle was vague, only stating: Kung Sang had mistakenly enshrined a demon stone as an immortal stone.

Later, when Yan Chaosheng destroyed Kung Sang with a mere thought, many immortal lords and ladies transformed into demons under his command.

The Clear Purity Jade wasn’t something beneficial that purified distracting thoughts. Everyone feared developing heart demons and believed it was a treasure, but one’s spiritual heart needed to be strengthened by oneself, with no trial to be avoided.

The Clear Purity Jade seemingly offered a shortcut, but absorbed all the stray thoughts from everyone’s hearts. Once controlled by a powerful demon, it could control many immortal clan members, causing internal chaos.

This demon stone absolutely couldn’t remain in Kung Sang! Each day it stayed, more people would be affected.

But the Clear Purity Stone was a demon stone—no one would believe her if she said so. If Liu Shuang hadn’t read the chronicle, she wouldn’t know about this either and would consider the Clear Purity Stone a Kung Sang treasure.

She had to find a way to destroy the Clear Purity Stone.

But this thing was indestructible. Should she take it to the Shen Nong Cauldron for refinement?

Forget refinement—if Liu Shuang took the Clear Purity Stone and ran, she wouldn’t even make it out of Kung Sang before being caught and reprimanded by Chi Shui Chong.

No, there was another way to destroy the Clear Purity Stone.

After much thought, Liu Shuang realized the future Demon Lord could surely suppress the “Demon Bone Stone” and melt it!

Liu Shuang flew up to the high platform. The platform had a forbidden barrier. She cut her finger, letting her Chi Shui immortal clan blood drip onto the barrier. The barrier instantly dissolved, and she took the Clear Purity Stone and headed toward the nearby bamboo forest.

She hoped to destroy this ominous, harmful object before the Realm Master discovered and stopped her—if Yan Chaosheng would cooperate.

Yan Chaosheng was killing someone.

Deep in the bamboo forest, a figure hung high in the air, with the black and golden whip tightening around his neck.

Ding Feng’s eyes were wide open, his face turning liver-colored from blood congestion, his pupils filled with terror as he looked at Yan Chaosheng in the bamboo forest.

“Pl…plea…please…”

Yan Chaosheng’s slender fingers tightened, and the whip around the male disciple’s neck also tightened. Just as he was about to suffocate, Yan Chaosheng’s hand loosened again.

Over and over, Yan Chaosheng’s expression was mocking as he slowly tortured him.

For three years, how many times had Ding Feng humiliated him? He remembered them all. Yan Chaosheng didn’t particularly enjoy killing, because someone had once told him that taking life creates karmic debt; each person killed would increase the debt to be repaid during future tribulations.

However, the grand competition was just half a month away.

Yan Chaosheng needed cultivation power desperately.

If someone truly had to die, that person would be Ding Feng. Among all the disciples, Ding Feng was the only one who had obtained an opportunity and painstakingly cultivated spiritual power.

After sufficient torture, Yan Chaosheng opened his hand, and ethereal white energy floated from Ding Feng’s body toward Yan Chaosheng’s forehead.

Yan Chaosheng had been planning this all along, allowing Ding Feng to humiliate him for three years, take his immortal sword. Today, calculating karmic cause and effect, if he took Ding Feng’s cultivation and his life, their sins might roughly balance, and his karmic burden shouldn’t be too heavy.

Just as he was about to finish absorbing the cultivation, footsteps came through the forest—footsteps he was familiar with.

Yan Chaosheng frowned, his hand hesitating for a moment before withdrawing. Ding Feng fell from midair onto the bamboo forest floor, unconscious.

Yan Chaosheng retracted his whip, just in time to see the young woman emerging under the moonlight.

Liu Shuang asked: “What are you doing here?” She looked suspiciously at Ding Feng behind him.

Yan Chaosheng’s expression remained unchanged, his heart steady as he said: “He was injured outside, and I followed him here out of concern. I was just saving him.”

Her expression was peculiar as she looked at him, then at the barely breathing Ding Feng.

Being caught in such a scene, Yan Chaosheng coldly asked: “Why are you here?”

She walked over, tugged at the hem of his clothes, and whispered: “Come with me first.”

The young woman’s soft breath brushed past his ear, ticklish. Yan Chaosheng pressed his lips together, ignoring the unconscious Ding Feng behind him as he followed her.

The two walked to another place where her eyes shone brightly as she took out an object and handed it to him.

“I said I would help restore your cultivation. Look, I brought you a gift.”

Under the moonlight, a luminous white stone gleamed.

“You brought this specifically for me?”

“I saw you trying to kill someone,” she suddenly said softly.

Yan Chaosheng’s gaze turned cold as he considered how to handle the aftermath, running through all the worst possible outcomes in his mind. But then he heard the young woman continue.

“Eat this, and your cultivation can return. Don’t kill people, Yan Chaosheng. Killing creates karmic obstacles.” Under the moonlight, the immortal lady spoke softly, “He’s not worth it. You need to take care of yourself.”

Yan Chaosheng suddenly looked up.

Under the moonlight, the young woman in a sky-blue flowing, immortal dress was also looking at him. Her peach-tinted cheeks and eyes reflected his image.

She said, “Yan Chaosheng, killing creates karmic obstacles. He’s not worth it. You need to take care of yourself.”