When Feng Fuming gave such an order, how could the immortals dare to retreat? They all took up their celestial weapons and advanced.

The number of people Feng Fuming brought was hundreds of times that of Yan Chaosheng’s demon forces. Wails filled the air, and demon blood was everywhere.

They transformed into their true forms to fight, but were suppressed by the pre-arranged formations.

Yan Chaosheng used the power of the Xiangyao royal clan for the first time, throwing his followers one by one out of the formation.

“Mountain Lord, don’t mind us, you must leave quickly!”

“Yes, Mountain Lord, our deaths are insignificant. The Mountain Lord must live to lead the demon tribe to restore its former glory someday.”

“Mountain Lord, go quickly! Go quickly!”

Yan Chaosheng’s vision turned blood-red. While sending a Kun Peng great demon out of the formation, Feng Fuming’s Xuanyuan Sword fell, piercing through his true form.

Feng Fuming laughed coldly: “Fighting against this Lord, yet you still care about others’ lives?”

This scene caused everyone’s eyes to bulge with fury. Yan Chaosheng’s fresh blood gushed forth. He transformed back into human form, forcibly retreating to expel the Xuanyuan Sword from his body.

Fu Hang stepped forward to support him: “Mountain Lord, let’s go. If we don’t leave now, it will be too late!”

Yan Chaosheng supported his body with the long halberd in his hand. Qing Luan let out a long cry, stretched out its body, and spat icy frost, freezing a section of immortal soldiers.

It too was wounded in many places, its wings covered in blood, with a hole in its abdomen.

“Qing Luan, quickly take the Mountain Lord away.” All the demons coordinated with remarkable tacit understanding, opening a path for Qing Luan, using their bodies to block Feng Fuming’s long sword.

Qing Luan’s claws grabbed Yan Chaosheng and Fu Hang and flew away.

In ancient times, there was the primordial demon bird Qing Ao, whose outstretched wings could cover the sky. Qing Luan forcibly expanded its body, opened its mouth, and flew away with those Yan Chaosheng had previously rescued.

The immortal soldiers wanted to pursue, but Feng Fuming seemed to remember something. He slowly caressed the blood on the Xuanyuan Divine Sword and curved his lips in a smile: “No need to chase. Someone will effortlessly help us deal with him. With such severe injuries, this can be considered my gift to Liu Shuang’s Spirit Merging ceremony today.”

Did they think he knew nothing?

Yan Chaosheng looked down at the battlefield below.

Blood, nothing but blood. And the corpses of various demons were lying lonely beside the immortal soldiers, slowly vanishing into the air.

And those demons who had fought to give him a chance at survival fell one by one under Feng Fuming’s divine sword.

How familiar it looked. Once in the Demon Suppression Tower, those ancient great demons had also sacrificed themselves to give him a path to survival.

Fu Hang saw Yan Chaosheng’s bloodshot eyes and the veins bulging on the back of his hands. He wanted to comfort him, but didn’t know what to say.

When they left, they had brought three hundred great demons. Now, sitting on Qing Luan’s back, fewer than ten remained. These were the people Yan Chaosheng had risked death and taken the Xuanyuan Sword to save.

The wound caused by the divine sword wouldn’t stop bleeding. They could only watch as Yan Chaosheng’s blood stained Qing Luan’s feathers red.

Qing Luan was also flying more and more slowly, showing signs of exhaustion.

“The Demon Palace has a barrier and is temporarily very safe. Wei Tong, transform into my appearance and stay in the main hall of the Demon Palace. If Feng Fuming has spies in the Demon Palace, with his suspicious nature, he won’t forcibly attack Demon Mountain today. For subsequent arrangements, don’t listen to Su Lun; follow the deployment I’ve left.” Yan Chaosheng said expressionlessly, “You should all go back. What follows is my own business.”

All the surviving demons felt deeply sorrowful. Someone noticed Yan Chaosheng’s restrained calmness and said, “We will go with the Mountain Lord. You need not blame yourself. It was we who threatened the Mountain Lord and voluntarily followed. Today’s events aren’t entirely bad. We fought ahead of the main force and discovered Feng Fuming’s plot and ambush early. This is better than having all demon soldiers die here in a future battle.”

The time for the Spirit Merging of the two young lords of Kung Sang and Kun Lun was drawing nearer. Qing Luan was already flying toward Kung Sang as fast as possible.

They didn’t leave, and Yan Chaosheng remained silent, not speaking again.

Some demons tried to stop his bleeding, but he brushed their hands away. Wounds caused by the Xuanyuan Sword couldn’t be healed by ordinary healing spells. His true form had been pierced by the divine sword, and he was now at his last gasp—Yan Chaosheng understood this clearly.

Qing Luan flew for a while longer before Yan Chaosheng commanded: “Stop here. All of you get down.”

The demons exchanged glances, guessing what Yan Chaosheng wanted to do.

Everyone was wounded. With hundreds of demons, they might have had the strength to storm Kung Sang, but now, with fewer than ten people, going to Kung Sang was tantamount to suicide.

“We will go with the Mountain Lord. The Mountain Lord’s wife is also the mistress of our Demon Palace. We cannot let her stay in Kung Sang and merge spirits with Jimo Shao You. We will bring our lady back together with the Mountain Lord! Our lives were saved by the Mountain Lord; how could we possibly let the Mountain Lord risk danger alone!”

“That’s right!”

Even Fu Hang, who had never been particularly harmonious with Liu Shuang, bowed his head in silent agreement.

No one said they wanted to return to the Demon Palace, nor did anyone try to persuade Yan Chaosheng to go back. Demons were unlike other races—they were naturally combative, fierce, domineering, and grim. None of them could tolerate someone taking another’s beloved wife.

After the previous great battle, they had all benefited from Liu Shuang’s medicinal kindness. They also hoped Yan Chaosheng could bring Liu Shuang back.

Everyone on Demon Mountain knew that the Mountain Lord valued Liu Shuang more than his own life. He would never give her to Jimo Shao You and allow them to merge spirits.

Wei Tong transformed into Yan Chaosheng’s appearance: “This subordinate will do as the lord commands and return to the Demon Palace. My lord and everyone, please take care.”

Yan Chaosheng’s gaze swept over them, seeing that everyone was resolute. He no longer drove them away and finally smiled, saying: “Let’s go.”

He was always going to bring her home. He had promised her, no matter what the cost.

As long as she was willing to return with them, the heart scale she carried might protect everyone and allow them to safely leave Kung Sang.

Inside the Kung Sang Immortal Realm, Lady Zi personally arranged Liu Shuang’s hair. She knew nothing of Shao You and Liu Shuang’s plan for a false Spirit Merging, nor of Chi Shui Chong and Liu Shuang setting up a great formation at Wuwang Sea in the Heavenly Palace to lure the enemy in. She only thought her daughter was truly getting married today and looked at her with eyes full of affection and reluctance.

“In the blink of an eye, Shuang’er has grown so big.”

Liu Shuang hugged her waist and said softly, “Mother.”

Lady Zi smiled: “Still acting spoiled? Alright, don’t move. There’s one more hairpin. It will be done soon.”

The ice-blue feather flower on Liu Shuang’s forehead was brilliant. Lady Zi, amidst her heartache, couldn’t bear to part with her, no matter how she looked at her. Immortal offspring were already much harder to come by. How could the daughter she had obtained with such difficulty and raised to adulthood be marrying someone else?

Even though the marriage was taking place in Kung Sang, and after Chi Shui Chong stepped down in the future, Liu Shuang would still return to inherit Kung Sang, Lady Zi still felt empty inside.

“Liu Shuang,” Lady Zi said wistfully, “don’t blame your father. I’ll try my best to persuade him not to harm Shao You.”

Liu Shuang embraced her mother’s shoulders but said nothing. If Chi Shui Chong wanted to become the Heavenly Lord, he would harm Shao You, just like Feng Fuming.

Though Chi Shui Chong deeply loved Lady Zi, Yan Chaosheng’s recent near-death experience made it clear that when men faced power, a woman’s persuasion meant little.

The birds pulling the immortal carriage chirped in unison.

Liu Shuang put on the immortal clan’s wedding veil and was helped out by Fu Liu. She turned back and instructed, “Mother, no matter what happens today, don’t panic. Everything will be fine.”

Lady Zi looked at her in confusion, not understanding why she would say such a thing on her Spirit Merging day.

Liu Shuang smiled without further explanation and boarded the immortal carriage.

The carriage circled the Kung Sang Immortal Realm once before arriving at the Heavenly Palace for the Spirit Merging. Shao You had been waiting for her there for some time.

To keep the Spirit Merging with Shao You secret from Feng Fuming, a few immortals from Kun Lun came, but all the immortals from Kung Sang were present.

The immortal realm was shrouded in mist and clouds. From afar, Liu Shuang could see Shao You.

Like her, he had changed into the immortal clan’s Spirit Merging wedding attire—pure as snow white, with jade beads forged in the Shennong Cauldron adorning his crown, making him appear even more divinely handsome and unparalleled in the world.

She descended from the immortal carriage and met Shao You’s gaze. Looking at her, he smiled gently. Just as Liu Shuang had reassured Lady Zi, he was silently telling her: Don’t be afraid. What you’re doing today is right, and I am with you.

Liu Shuang felt a warmth in her heart, and the tension she felt lessened slightly.

The immortals gathered at the Heavenly Palace. The Kung Sang Immortal Realm had not been this lively for thousands of years.

The ritual official chanted in a drawn-out tone as auspicious immortal cranes flew in formation. Liu Shuang placed her hand in Shao You’s palm. His palm was warm as he led Liu Shuang toward Kun Lun’s most magnificent Heavenly Palace.

Chi Shui Chong was waiting for them in the seat of honor.

His gaze occasionally fell on the outside of the Heavenly Palace. Liu Shuang knew he was waiting for Yan Chaosheng.

Liu Shuang lowered her eyes to look at the completely hidden formation beneath her feet. Having received the divine power of the Fu Xi Seal, she might be the only one who could sense this formation.

According to the Spirit Merging ritual, they needed to receive the blessings of ten thousand immortals, speak their vows, draw blood from their hearts, have their soul-infants embrace, and unite as immortal partners for the ceremony to be complete.

After the immortals had given their blessings, Yan Chaosheng still hadn’t appeared. Liu Shuang wasn’t sure if she hoped for Yan Chaosheng to appear or not.

When the ritual official was about to continue presiding over the blood-drawing, Liu Shuang looked at the person in the seat of honor and said: “What about Father’s blessing? Could we use the merging of spiritual veins to celebrate my and Shao You’s joyous occasion?”

The immortals smiled, thinking the immortal maiden was too eager to protect her husband.

Shao You turned his head to look at Liu Shuang. She had chosen to say these words herself, and in the future, all blame would be borne by her. She had always been protecting him.

Chi Shui Chong also smiled: “Very well, let the spiritual veins merge.”

Liu Shuang looked at Chi Shui Chong’s already somewhat aged countenance from afar. Chi Shui Chong didn’t know that she and Shao You were planning a false merging. If only he didn’t want to control Shao You, how much better would that be?

They watched as the elders and Chi Shui Chong guided the spiritual veins to merge. The magnificent spectacle drew continuous praise from the immortals. This was the first time the spiritual veins had merged since they had been separated.

The ritual official said: “Please, Immortal Lord and Immortal Maiden, draw blood from your hearts, exchange ten thousand years of good fortune, and let your souls merge.”

Once this step of the Spirit Merging was taken, the ceremony would be nearly complete, and the two would be considered immortal partners.

Everyone looked over, including Mi Chu and the much thinner, more mature Bai Yuxiao beside her.

At this moment, Yan Chaosheng still hadn’t come.

Shao You looked at Liu Shuang. Neither of them moved. Until whispers arose among those present, and even Chi Shui Chong’s face showed signs of suspicion.

Shao You sighed, raising his hand to form a legal seal.

“Wait!” someone said coldly.

Suddenly, fierce winds raged through the Heavenly Palace’s great hall. A group of demons burst in, bringing with them the scent of blood.

The leader, in dark battle armor and holding a long halberd, stood on the back of an enormous demon bird. Looking down from above, he said coldly, “You want to merge spirits? Did you ask for my permission?”

The Spirit Merging ceremony was interrupted. The appearance of the demons threw the previously peaceful Kung Sang Heavenly Palace into chaos.

Some who didn’t recognize Yan Chaosheng exclaimed angrily: “Where did this demon come from, daring to cause trouble in our Kung Sang!”

“Ruining our young lord’s wedding—are these demons tired of living?”

Those who had followed Bai Zhuixu to the battlefield and participated in the immortal-demon war recognized Yan Chaosheng and said uncertainly: “It’s the Mountain Lord from the Demon Palace. How did he appear here?”

Having fought against the demons, they knew that under Yan Chaosheng’s leadership, the demon tribe’s morale and strength were nothing like before.

Such a fearful intrusion was, for the immortal clan, no less than the most disrespectful offense. However, deeply buried in their hearts was intense fear and apprehension.

Kung Sang had a protective boundary formation, yet they still managed to break in. In less than two years, had they grown so powerful?

“His mount—look, isn’t that the great demon Qing Ao?”

“Remnant evil has appeared in the world—it must be eliminated!”