Cong Xia never expected that this was just the beginning.

She had never even been on Yan Chaosheng’s bed, yet he placed Liu Shuang on it. He ordered: “Summon the demon physician!”

Soon, the demon physician was brought over by Fu Hang, his goat beard trembling as he examined the immortal lady on the bed.

“Mountain Master, this immortal lady’s body is very weak. She has just solidified her form, and traveling has taken its toll.”

“Stop the nonsense. How do we treat her?”

His tone had always been cold and detached, but now it carried a hint of anger. The demon physician was frightened and said with a troubled face, “This subordinate doesn’t know.”

These demons had struggled to survive for so many years. Even though he possessed medical skills, they were only mediocre. How could he have had the opportunity to treat immortals?

The two races cultivated different techniques. No matter how skilled he was, he wouldn’t dare treat her rashly.

“Perhaps… perhaps the Mountain Master could transfer some spiritual energy to her.”

“How dare you!” Cong Xia scolded harshly. “The Mountain Master is so noble. Why should he transfer spiritual energy to an enemy…”

“Leave,” Yan Chaosheng said coldly, interrupting them.

The demon physician hurriedly took his leave. Cong Xia already had an ominous feeling and didn’t want to leave, but Fu Hang dragged her out.

The two walked outside the door.

Cong Xia shook him off: “What are you doing? I need to watch the Mountain Master to prevent him from being seduced by that woman.”

Fu Hang remained expressionless: “The Mountain Master doesn’t like you.”

Cong Xia snapped: “If he doesn’t like me, could he possibly like that immortal inside!”

Fu Hang glanced at her, then turned and left.

Cong Xia was extremely annoyed. Just then, the little demon bird waddled over with its enormous body, poking its head around curiously. She kicked it: “Get lost! It’s all your fault. Why did you bring her here?”

It had thick skin and a good temper. Hearing this, it mournfully chirped: “Jiu~”

I liked the little immortal lady inside. Connected to Yan Chaosheng’s heart, whoever its master liked, it naturally liked too.

Yan Chaosheng held Liu Shuang half in his embrace, transferring spiritual energy to her.

She must have just awakened, yet she arrived not much later than he. She truly cared for Bai Zhuixu.

His eyes were calm as endless spiritual energy flowed from his palm into her body. Her ice-cold hands improved somewhat, but she still didn’t open her eyes, her complexion as pale as ice and snow.

Yan Chaosheng planned to have his subordinates send her back to Kung Sang once she was better.

From the moment he killed Bai Zhuixu, he knew there was no longer any possibility between them. No, perhaps even earlier—there had never been any possibility between them.

When her body became warm, Yan Chaosheng finally put her down.

She closed her eyes, sleeping uneasily. Yan Chaosheng tried to withdraw his hand, but she clutched it tightly.

He frowned, wanting to forcibly pull his hand away, but she held it so tightly that her fingers almost turned white. If he used force, she would feel pain.

So Yan Chaosheng didn’t move. He allowed her to hold his hand while taking out the Primordial Mirror he had stored away.

Having absorbed Bai Zhuixu’s soul, the Primordial Mirror was beautiful, almost transparent. Every pattern on its surface was exquisitely detailed.

With his free hand, Yan Chaosheng waved, using the Primordial Mirror to set up a formation.

He didn’t notice that the closed eyes of Liu Shuang on the bed moved slightly, and her grip on his hand tightened.

The formation was established. With an ancient magical artifact as its foundation, the Demon Palace had now become a stronghold for demons throughout the world, sufficient to gradually develop into demon territory.

Setting up the formation with just one hand was somewhat strenuous, yet he never let go of her hand.

Bai Zhuixu’s soul lamp had extinguished.

He died in battle for the immortal race. When soldiers brought the news back to Kung Sang, snow began to fall in the mortal realm.

It was still autumn, not yet winter. Sorrowful cries echoed throughout Kung Sang.

Clan Leader Bai staggered backward, sitting down on a chair: “You say my son… Zhuixu, he…”

Chi Shui Chong hadn’t expected this outcome either. With a deep voice, he said, “Zhuixu sacrificed himself for the Primordial Mirror.” He had given the Primordial Mirror to Bai Zhuixu to protect him and the many Kung Sang disciples, but hadn’t anticipated it would bring such calamity.

Bai Zhuixu had sacrificed himself to destroy the mirror but failed, and his soul had scattered.

Outside, an immortal attendant rushed in: “Reporting to the Realm Master, upon hearing of the First Young Master’s death, the Second Young Master has taken weapons and rushed toward the Demon Mountain!”

Chi Shui Chong’s heart sank: “Order someone to stop him!”

The Demon Palace’s current situation was unknown. One child of the Bai family had already died there; Bai Yuxiao could not come to harm!

The immortal attendant immediately accepted the order and left. When he caught up with Bai Yuxiao, the latter had just left the immortal realm, and Mi Chu had also just returned.

The two were in completely different states.

Bai Yuxiao trembled, his eyes red-rimmed. Mi Chu sat in her immortal palanquin, her face flushed, a spring-like quality to her eyes, like a flower in early bloom.

She smiled: “Yuxiao, I’ve returned. Where are you going?”

Bai Yuxiao, for some reason, recalled how his brother had advised him not to care too much for Mi Chu. She hadn’t gone to South Mirror.

Bai Yuxiao’s face was expressionless as he asked hoarsely: “Where have you been these past few days?”

Mi Chu’s eyes shifted slightly. She said, “I went to visit my father.”

“Oh, is that so?” Bai Yuxiao said. “But I sent people to look for you at the South Mirror Spiritual Vein and didn’t see you.”

Mi Chu was somewhat annoyed by his cold, mocking tone. Bai Yuxiao had never used such an attitude with her. This attitude was exactly what he used against Chi Shui Liu Shuang for her sake!

Her tone also cooled: “Yuxiao, what do you mean? Are you suspecting I did something?”

Bai Yuxiao suddenly said, “Mi Chu, do you know my brother is dead?”

Mi Chu remained silent. She knew. These days, she had stayed with the Celestial Clan, not as the Celestial Consort, but enjoying the pleasure of being the prospective Celestial Consort.

Feng Fuming treated her extremely well. News traveled faster in the Celestial Clan than in Kung Sang. When snow began falling in the mortal realm, Feng Fuming had already received the news: Bai Zhuixu was dead.

But Mi Chu wasn’t sad. From childhood, that gentle man had always looked at her with an all-seeing gaze, which greatly annoyed her.

Just thinking about how upset Chi Shui Liu Shuang must be now that Bai Zhuixu was dead, she couldn’t help feeling delighted.

It would be best if she were so distraught that she sought mutual destruction with that newly emerged great demon!

As for Bai Yuxiao before her, lately she had been feeling so satisfied that she had indeed forgotten that with Bai Zhuixu’s death, Bai Yuxiao would also be devastated.

She had some genuine feelings for Bai Yuxiao before; after all, he was like a very useful spear. Now… having gained Feng Fuming’s favor, maintaining a relationship with Bai Yuxiao didn’t matter anymore.

Mi Chu said, “My condolences.”

Bai Yuxiao gave a low laugh. He clutched his chest and staggered backward, only to be stopped by the commander who had rushed over: “Second Young Master, the Realm Master orders you to return! Do not act rashly!”

But Bai Yuxiao seemed not to hear his words. He grasped Mi Chu’s hand in the palanquin: “Mi Chu, come with me to find my brother’s remaining soul, alright?”

Mi Chu’s hand hurt from his grip, and she grew somewhat impatient: “Yuxiao, didn’t the Realm Master order you not to go?”

“We grew up together. My brother treated you well. If we go to collect his remnant soul, he might still have a chance to live!”

“Yuxiao, calm down,” Mi Chu said. “No one knows the situation at the Demon Palace. Going there rashly could be dangerous. Besides, having sacrificed himself for the Primordial Mirror, how could there be any soul remnants left? Haven’t you seen this great snowfall in the mortal realm?”

Bai Yuxiao looked up at her, his gaze as if regarding a stranger. He spoke softly: “Do you know? If it were you who died today, I would also charge toward the Demon Palace, even if it meant throwing eggs against stones, overestimating myself. If you had even a thread of hope for survival, my brother would also lead troops for you.”

Mi Chu remained silent. She knew Bai Yuxiao spoke the truth.

She coldly said, “You should find Chi Shui Liu Shuang, not me. After all, the person Bai Zhuixu loved most was her.”

Bai Yuxiao laughed sorrowfully.

How ridiculous. He had been foolish in his youth, but his brother had always been wise, seeing through all of Mi Chu’s tricks, yet never exposing her, still protecting her, treating her well, respecting her in memory of her father’s achievements.

But in Mi Chu’s eyes, if one didn’t treat her the best, she wouldn’t even be willing to go to the Demon Palace to collect a soul.

“I don’t need to find the Young Lady,” Bai Yuxiao said. “She will go.”

He knew Liu Shuang would go.

Liu Shuang withdrew her spiritual consciousness and opened her eyes, looking at the person beside her.

He sat at the edge of the bed. Outside, small demons continuously came to report on the Demon Palace’s affairs. Matters requiring Yan Chaosheng’s attention were piled mountain-high.

He had ordered someone to pull a curtain, separating her from the small demons.

She could hear their reports through the curtain.

When she opened her eyes, he immediately sensed it and looked down at her.

She still gripped his fingers, holding just the last two. If he were an ordinary person, fingers held so tightly for so long would probably be congested, necrotic, and unusable.

His demon body was resilient, so such problems didn’t exist.

He instinctively tried to withdraw his hand, but Liu Shuang didn’t let go. Yan Chaosheng paused, his cold eyes looking over, silently asking: What do you want?

Of course, to collect Bai Zhuixu’s remaining soul.

Yan Chaosheng probably guessed this too. She had an immortal body after all and wouldn’t cough blood and faint. The only explanation was that her spiritual consciousness had projected outward.

These past few days, Yan Chaosheng had maintained this position, finally understanding what she had done.

She had taken advantage of him, holding her to infiltrate the Primordial Mirror with her spiritual consciousness, searching to see if any remnant of Bai Zhuixu’s soul remained.

She was truly reckless, not fearing that her spiritual consciousness might be trapped in the Primordial Mirror, never to return.

Yan Chaosheng’s mood grew more somber with each passing day. Now that she was awake, he showed no joy; his eyes still retained their coldness.

However, he could no longer hear what the small demons outside were saying.

Seeing that Liu Shuang wouldn’t let go, he said coldly: “Release me.”

This voice startled the small demons outside. Yan Chaosheng said, “Everyone, leave first.”

Liu Shuang opened her palm to him. In the dim palace, on his bed, she smiled: “I found it. Bai Zhuixu still has half a breath of soul remaining in the Primordial Mirror. Yan Chaosheng, give him to me.”

Yan Chaosheng’s gaze swept over her smile, his emotions unreadable: “Even if there were still something left, which there isn’t, why should I give it to you?”

Separating a soul from the Primordial Mirror was equivalent to destroying the artifact. Even if the mirror didn’t shatter, it wouldn’t last long.

This was why Mi Chu was certain Yan Chaosheng wouldn’t spare him, who would leave a hidden danger residing in the mirror?

Yet he hadn’t completely shredded Bai Zhuixu’s soul.

She tilted her head and asked him: “Why?”

Yan Chaosheng didn’t answer, saying coldly: “If you’re better now, leave quickly. Otherwise, if I change my mind…”

She pulled his hand and pressed it against her heart: “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”

Liu Shuang’s move caught Yan Chaosheng completely off guard, leaving him speechless. She looked up at him, her black hair spread across the soft pillow, her soft and clear eyes gazing at him.

Under his palm, her heart beat steadily.

That was a treasure that existed only in legends throughout the Eight Wildernesses. Yet under his palm was only her.

To him, she was a treasure no less precious than the Hui Ling Heart.

“You fear my hatred, yet you still want my true heart,” she said softly, yet word by word, as if prying open a rock, revealing what was in his heart. “Return Bai Zhuixu to me, and let’s start anew, alright?”

Start anew.

These words, carrying immense temptation, struck the young Mountain Master’s heart. She spoke correctly. Her eyes were so pure, yet so cunning, easily seeing what he truly wanted. Yes, not the Hui Ling Heart, but her heart. For her to respond to his feelings as he did to hers.

Liu Shuang stared at him, not missing the momentary wavering beneath his cold exterior.

She was like someone watching a small fish testing the bait, continuing to scatter lures, saying softly: “Just like in Taichuan City. You were happy then, weren’t you?”

The “little fish” pressed his lips together, rejecting almost powerlessly: “No.”

She smiled gently: “Zhan Xueyang told me everything. You used your blood as a catalyst to make medicine for me. Yan Chaosheng, whatever happened before, I can let it all go. Just return Bai Zhuixu to me, and I’ll be very happy to stay by your side.”

Yan Chaosheng helplessly closed his eyes, his heart burning intensely.

His sensitive and suspicious mind told him she was lying. Just like before, when she could make him give up his primordial pill effortlessly, if he believed her now, his fate might be even worse than Bi Xun’s.

But another voice said, If you don’t try, you’ll never have a chance again.

After a long while, he said, “Alright, I’ll give you his remaining soul.”

She held his hand, guiding it, her cheek gently rubbing against his palm. He paused but didn’t move his hand away. He even moved his fingers, his thumb lightly tracing her fair cheek.

No wonder, Liu Shuang thought, a person’s true heart is so easy to exploit. Knowing there’s a trap, knowing it will ruin things, being so smart, yet still unable to resist this moment of joy.

The Primordial Mirror… the Primordial Mirror, in the end, had accepted Yan Chaosheng as its master. Seven hundred years later, would he look down from on high, watching her foolishly pleading at the Ghost Realm, then slaughter all her Blue Realm people?

Watching her face streaming with bloody tears, dying under heavenly lightning, at that time, would his heart be like hers now, composed as he watched her fall to her death?

How despicable he was, even having Zhan Xueyang lie to her, saying he used his blood for her medicine.

After the Hui Ling Heart awakened, she had noticed at first glance that in that immortal pill, there was only Shao You’s essence.