In the end, Liu Shuang couldn’t finish her question. When Yan Chaosheng released her from the bamboo forest, the moon was bright and stars were scattered across the sky as he escorted her away.

In the deep night with heavy dew, she lay in the young man’s palm, shivering slightly from the cold.

His body was still cool.

The joys and sorrows between people rarely resonate with each other. Under the moonlight, Yan Chaosheng was unusually quiet and silent. Liu Shuang could sense that he was still somewhat sad.

The young Demon Lord wasn’t as composed and indifferent as he would later become. His emotions had not yet settled into a dead pool; in his youth, he also felt pain and confusion.

“Have you ever thought about leaving Kung Sang?” she asked, shaking the fluff on her body.

Yan Chaosheng cupped his palm to shield her from the cold night wind, but didn’t respond. Every place was essentially the same to him.

The mortal world had no tolerance for demons, with all Daoists shouting about capturing demons. The mountains and forests lacked food and clothing, and humans would gradually encroach upon them. The Immortal Realm was the same—demons lived in the cracks of society wherever they went.

Kung Sang wasn’t much better, but it wasn’t much worse either. However, there were still things here that he was attached to.

Liu Shuang felt herself being put down.

“You should go back,” Yan Chaosheng said.

She hopped far away, and he remained in place, watching her, but showed no intention of catching her. Liu Shuang breathed a sigh of relief, certain she was safe, and hurriedly flew toward Nine Thoughts Pond.

When she reached the lotus platform, someone was already waiting for her.

Lady Zi caught Liu Shuang: “Child, where have you been?”

Liu Shuang transformed back into human form and smiled: “Mother.”

Lady Zi tapped her daughter’s forehead. Originally, when Chi Shui Chong told her that their daughter had used transformation techniques to leave Nine Thoughts Pond and cause trouble, she didn’t believe it. But after seeing the little furball fly in, she realized Chi Shui Chong hadn’t lied to her.

“In such a short time, Shuang Shuang can already use such techniques. Mother is happy for you.”

“Mother, why are you here?”

Lady Zi sighed: “In a few days, you’ll be going to the Demon Suppression Tower. My heart is uneasy.”

Liu Shuang said, “Don’t worry, Mother. Nothing will happen. I’m not going there to fight or suppress demons; I’m just going to gather information. Father said that the elder has no cultivation power and is bound, so he can’t harm me. If I can learn about the fifth spiritual vein from him, I can redeem myself. If not, I’ll simply stay in the Demon Suppression Tower for fifty years, focusing on cultivation—it’s not a bad thing.”

Seeing Lady Zi still worried, Liu Shuang said, “Mother, don’t worry. I’ve assimilated the divine power; it’s a blessing in disguise.”

Lady Zi could only nod.

She understood that Chi Shui Chong loved their daughter just as much. This punishment seemed severe on the surface, but it was not harmful to Liu Shuang.

Inside the Demon Suppression Tower, each level imprisoned countless evil great demons. Their magical powers were immense, and if any one of them were released, it would throw the world into chaos.

Yet few people knew that the top level of the Demon Suppression Tower held only one demon.

That demon had his pipa bone locked, his cultivation stripped away, leaving him weaker than a newborn kitten in the mortal realm. Although he was once a prominent figure who followed the ancient Emperor Xiang You to pacify the four seas.

Over the years, as the Eight Wildernesses gradually stabilized, people had almost forgotten about him.

After the spiritual veins gradually depleted, Chi Shui Chong slowly remembered him. When the ancient Emperor Xiang You perished, the spiritual veins of heaven and earth were divided into five. Four of them were obtained by the Four Great Immortal Realms, each securing a corner. With a spiritual vein, an Immortal Realm could remain stable for tens of thousands of years, continuing without end.

The remaining fifth spiritual vein had always been missing.

The demon in the Demon Suppression Tower was the only one who knew the whereabouts of the spiritual vein, but no matter who asked or how they tortured him, he remained silent.

The original host had ruined the marriage with Kun Lun, and later Liu Shuang had taken away the Clear Ripple Jade. On one hand, Chi Shui Chong needed to appease the dissatisfaction of the people of Kung Sang towards the Young Lord’s reckless behavior. On the other hand, with the smallest hope, if his daughter could find out the whereabouts of the fifth spiritual vein upon visiting the Demon Suppression Tower, that would be the best outcome. From then on, they wouldn’t have to worry about Kung Sang’s spiritual vein depleting.

Liu Shuang’s stay on the top floor, even if she couldn’t learn anything, would be sufficient to appease the immortal clan’s discontent over the destruction of the Clear Ripple Jade as long as she obediently stayed for fifty years.

Parents across the world share the same concern. Although he knew there was no danger, Chi Shui Chong still had Liu Shuang assimilate the power of the divine artifact, just in case.

Lady Zi was worried, fearing something might happen to Liu Shuang. If Liu Shuang weren’t going there for punishment, Lady Zi would have insisted on accompanying her.

“Mother, I want to ask you for a favor.”

“What is it?”

“Today at the competition, the disciple who won first place. Father didn’t reward him at all. According to the rules, everyone who wins the competition should receive rewards.”

Lady Zi was taken aback but recalled: “You mean that disciple with demon bloodlines?”

“Yes, him.”

Lady Zi frowned: “Shuang Shuang, I can agree to other things for you, but this is truly impossible. The demon race is vicious and evil, with malicious intentions. Kung Sang has already been merciful by sheltering him; how could we entrust an important official position within the Immortal Realm to him? Even if I agreed, your father wouldn’t.”

After a pause, Lady Zi said, “To be honest with you, your father already has plans for him.”

Liu Shuang was stunned. She had considered many possibilities—Yan Chaosheng being ignored, perhaps the Realm Master not having a strong impression of him—but she had never thought that long before now, Chi Shui Chong had been investigating Yan Chaosheng and had already made a decision.

“Last time when you went to Kun Lun, your father sent the two young masters of the Bai Clan with you, and later had this disciple follow you. Bai Zhuixu secretly accepted a mission to investigate this demon disciple. Yan Chaosheng came to Kung Sang three years ago with no blood sin. The immortal elder in charge of disciple recruitment, seeing him kowtow sincerely, felt compassion and kept him,” Lady Zi said. “But his bloodline is impure. Even your father couldn’t see through it. Your father was suspicious of his background, so he sent him to Kun Lun and had Bai Zhuixu record any peculiarities along the way.”

Lady Zi continued: “Bai Zhuixu reported that outside the mortal city, Bai Yuxiao used the Ten Thousand Souls Tomb to kill him, yet he emerged unscathed. Liu Shuang, this is already unusual. Moreover, for a demon without sect or lineage to defeat Bai Yuxiao on the Spirit Testing Platform—this person is extraordinary!”

Lady Zi rarely spoke so seriously, her voice stern: “His bloodline is a mystery, his background unknown, his cultivation profound. We don’t know his purpose in coming to Kung Sang. Both you and Yuxiao have injured him, yet he has shown such forbearance, not doing anything to you. Able to endure humiliation, yet ambitious and competitive—such a person, if left in Kung Sang, is truly dangerous.”

Liu Shuang was utterly shocked.

She never imagined that Chi Shui Chong and Lady Zi would see through him so clearly.

“If Father knew he wasn’t ordinary, why would he feel comfortable letting him go with me to Kun Lun?”

Lady Zi said, “You’re still such a child. Are you blaming your father now? Your father naturally wouldn’t let anything happen to you. A restriction was placed on the Ten Commandment Ring—if he harbored killing intent toward you, that restriction would immediately take his life.”

Liu Shuang was speechless for a long time.

Since Yan Chaosheng was still fine, did that mean that on the road to Kun Lun, he had never once thought of killing her?

Several times he had appeared fierce and threatening, but there was no killing intent in his heart, so the restriction never activated.

Including tonight, when he used the Ten Commandment Ring to bind her, he had never thought of killing her.

“What does Father plan to do with him?”

Lady Zi sighed: “Since we can’t see through him, we can’t keep him. Every year, many outer border disciples pass away.”

“No!” Liu Shuang felt her heart turn cold when she heard this.

Originally, she wanted to ask her mother to matchmake between Yan Chaosheng and Mi Chu during her absence from Kung Sang. She hadn’t expected to hear such words.

Others who participated in the competition would receive rewards.

But Yan Chaosheng, because of his outstanding strength, would be feared and killed.

That blurry line finally became clear in her mind. In her previous life, seven hundred years ago, without her interference, Yan Chaosheng would still have participated in the competition, but Kung Sang would have feared him and tried to eliminate him.

It seemed they hadn’t succeeded but had instead made him turn completely evil, entering the ghost path in his demon form, bringing about Kung Sang’s destruction.

Liu Shuang broke out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, she had this conversation with Lady Zi today. Otherwise, as soon as she left for the Demon Suppression Tower, Chi Shui Chong would find a way to silently eliminate Yan Chaosheng.

If they were going to kill him, it was no wonder Yan Chaosheng would retaliate.

Thinking of his desolate gaze tonight, his heart was sad and disappointed, but there was no killing intent. Liu Shuang was even more grateful that she had discovered this early.

“Mother, listen to me. You must persuade Father not to try to kill him!”

“Why?”

“Trust your daughter. As Father has sensed, this person is indeed not simple. If the attempt to kill him fails, it may cause a backlash.”

“Child, you worry too much. How could your father fail to deal with a mere little demon?”

Liu Shuang thought, but in her previous life, everyone had died at the hands of this “mere little demon.”

“It’s better to resolve enmity than to create it. Father is not a cruel person by nature. If he doesn’t want to keep him, it’s for Kung Sang’s benefit. In that case, just drive him away; there’s no need to bear karmic consequences. Besides, he’s been in Kung Sang for three years and hasn’t done anything bad.”

Lady Zi was pure-hearted and kind, and upon hearing this, she began to hesitate.

Seeing an opportunity, Liu Shuang quickly said, “Mother, your daughter is about to go to the Demon Suppression Tower for fifty years. I have only this one request—please ask Father not to take his life. If he dislikes him, just send him far away. I have an idea; would you like to hear it?”

She leaned close to Lady Zi’s ear. Lady Zi’s expression turned strange: “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Liu Shuang nodded with a smile: “Mother, trust me, this is a good thing.”

Thinking of her daughter going to suffer in the Demon Suppression Tower, Lady Zi felt pitiful and reluctant, so she nodded in agreement.

Liu Shuang breathed a sigh of relief.

Three days later, Yan Chaosheng was informed that the Young Lord was about to depart for the Demon Suppression Tower.

Although she had committed a great error, her status was still significant, and she had grown up cherished and pampered, so many people came to see her off.

Yan Chaosheng lowered his eyes, carving something in his hand, when someone informed him: “Yan Chaosheng, the Young Lord… no, Immortal Lady Chi Shui commands you to go there too.”

“Did she say that?” Yan Chaosheng raised his eyes to examine the messenger.

His eyes were cold and sharp, making the disciple stammer: “You’ll know when you get there. I’m not lying to you.”

Seeing that the messenger didn’t seem to be intentionally tricking him, Yan Chaosheng nodded: “Thank you.”

The disciple, frightened by the cold aura around him, hurried away.

Yan Chaosheng hadn’t expected that she would ask him to come and see her off. He put down what he was working on and went to the main gate of the Immortal Realm, where indeed many people were bidding her farewell.

Many people were stuffing items into her qiankun bag, and she was smiling and thanking each one.

Chi Shui Chong and Lady Zi weren’t present, presumably having already said their goodbyes. She was surrounded by young immortal clan disciples, with the two young masters of the Bai Clan prominently among them.

Bai Yuxiao had a sullen face: “Chi Shui Liu Shuang, are you going? When the time comes and you cry out with no one to answer, don’t cry. If you change your mind now, I… my brother can still beg the Realm Master to take back his command.”

Bai Zhuixu concurred: “Indeed.”

An immortal lady beside them said, “Mi Chu is also willing to help as much as possible.”

“Having made a mistake, how can I avoid punishment? Thank you all for your concern. I will return safely, and if I’m lucky, it won’t take fifty years.”

In the rising morning sun and mist of the Immortal Realm, her smile was sweet, without resentment. She didn’t look like someone going to be punished at all. This smile infected those who came to see her off, and the atmosphere wasn’t very heavy.

Yan Chaosheng didn’t know how to feel. Since his core pill had absorbed the Clear Ripple Jade, it had been in a state of fullness.

He had now secretly recovered his demon form, but its instability made him reluctant to approach her.

When she was a little furball, he didn’t have such concerns. Now that she had changed back, Yan Chaosheng feared a repeat of what had happened that day.

He stood far away at the side of the celestial steps, not planning to approach immediately. Unexpectedly, Liu Shuang’s sharp eyes spotted him, and she waved: “Yan Chaosheng, over here!”

Yan Chaosheng had never experienced such a feeling. Every bit of his reason warned him that demons were fond of beauty, and he couldn’t resist the lust in his nature. If he were smart, he would stay far away from her, but his body was already moving toward her.

The young woman carried the scent of spring sunshine. Her clothes were still embroidered with blooming begonias, and today she wore a warm, golden-colored long dress.

Seeing him, she said formally, “I heard you won the competition a few days ago. Congratulations.”

She seemed quite convincing, and Yan Chaosheng felt like smiling, though a part of his heart seemed to collapse, softening before everything else.

He stayed several steps away from her, not daring to get close, and said: “Thank you, Young Lord.”

Beside them, Bai Yuxiao let out a cold snort.

“But I heard you didn’t receive any rewards,” the young woman winked at him. “Before departing, I asked my father about the reward you deserve.”

Yan Chaosheng raised his eyes to look at her.

“Would you like to go to Zhao Ran Palace to be in charge of patrol?” She stepped forward and took his hand with her left hand.

Yan Chaosheng’s mind went blank. He had never imagined that she would approach him actively and suddenly touch him. Feeling her soft, warm little hand, he barely heard what she was saying. His heart raced, and heat rushed to his face. His eyes saw only their clasped hands.

His heart was still in chaos when, unexpectedly, she guided him to take another fair hand.

Yan Chaosheng suddenly looked up, finally sensing that something was wrong.

Liu Shuang had never felt so close to success. Although she would temporarily be away from Kung Sang, the plan had progressed smoothly so far.

“Immortal Lady Mi Chu,” Liu Shuang held Yan Chaosheng’s hand in one of hers and Mi Chu’s in the other, bringing their hands together and solemnly saying, “From now on, he will be in charge of patrolling your palace. Please get to know each other.”

She looked at Mi Chu.

Mi Chu paused, glanced at Yan Chaosheng, and said softly: “Since he’s your friend, Liu Shuang, I will look after him.”

Liu Shuang then looked at Yan Chaosheng.

His expression was terrifyingly unpleasant. He jerked his hand away, his chest slightly heaving: “You called me here just for this?”

His gaze was as cold as ice crystals. Even a few days ago, when Liu Shuang bit him, his expression hadn’t been this bad.

Wasn’t he always fond of Mi Chu? Now that he was so close to his beloved, why was he looking at Liu Shuang as if he wanted to devour her alive?

Liu Shuang: “Aren’t you pleased?”

In her memory, Yan Chaosheng treasured Mi Chu greatly. He had sought treasures from all over the world to pacify her soul and forbade anyone from entering the palace where Mi Chu had lived. When she once trespassed, he became furious—it was the epitome of cherishing someone dearly. Now that his wish was fulfilled, shouldn’t he be overjoyed?

He laughed coldly, staring into her eyes: “I’m pleased. Very pleased.”

The word “pleased” sounded like he was saying it out of spite.