Chapter 27:

General translation note: The translation below strictly follows the original Chinese text, converting all content into English while preserving the narrative flow, character names in pinyin, and maintaining the context and nuances of the story. The terms in the provided context are also applied accordingly.

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Sang Qiyeh launched a night raid on Yongxue City, rescuing Mu Xuanling and severely injuring Xie Xuechen. The news spread across the Immortal Alliance overnight, shocking the entire cultivation world.

Many cultivators rushed to Yongxue City to investigate, only to receive word that Xie Xuechen had entered seclusion. Those within the Immortal Alliance were well aware that Xie had been captured during the Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation, then endured seven days of punishment at Ranyuan, barely recovering his spiritual senses. He then intercepted the self-destruction of the Fa Mirror, suffering repeated grave injuries without a moment to recover. Facing Sang Qiyeh’s sudden attack only worsened his condition. That night, many witnessed Xie battling a demonic dragon, drenched in blood before finally slaying it. He then pursued Sang Qiyeh, exhausting himself to the brink of death. Su Ningzhen had originally intended to reprimand Xie for not killing Mu Xuanling and leaving behind a potential threat. However, seeing the solemn expressions of the others and acknowledging Xie’s immense sacrifices, she found herself isolated and could only swallow her anger.

Xie left instructions before entering seclusion for a month, entrusting Fu Yuan Ting with temporary leadership of the Immortal Alliance. No one objected, though the planned offensive against the Demon Realm had to be postponed.

Fu Lansheng, unable to resist Bao’s pleas, went to Fu Yuan Ting to learn about Sang Qiyeh’s raid.

Fu Yuan Ting sat leisurely on an armchair, sipping the rare Lingyuan Immortal Tea, worth a fortune per brew. He appeared unfazed by the current affairs of the Immortal Alliance.

“That night was utter chaos. Sang Qiyeh dispatched a demonic flood dragon, nearly as formidable as a Fazhang cultivator, to assault Yongxue’s barrier, drawing Xie away. Meanwhile, he employed a secret technique to infiltrate the city and rescue the Demon Clan’s Holy Maiden,” Fu patiently explained to his son. “I heard Young Master Nan was present at the time, but by the time we reached Yongxue, he had already returned to Yunxiu Villa. He’s merely an ordinary mortal, albeit clever. How could he possibly rival Sang Qiyeh, a half-demon with extraordinary powers? The fact that he survived is remarkable in itself.”

Fu Lansheng felt relieved upon hearing that Nan Xuyue was safe, as he was his friend. However, he had come on behalf of Bao to inquire about Mu Xuanling.

“Father, the Holy Maiden had her demonic powers stripped. Why would the half-demon priest risk so much to save her?” Fu hesitated. “Caught between two supreme cultivators in battle, she must be in grave danger… Did Master Xie say whether she was alive or dead?”

Fu Yuan Ting frowned and shot his son a disapproving glance. “Why do you care? Have you also fallen for that demoness?”

Fu Lansheng immediately denied it. “Of course not! She’s Nan Xuyue’s beloved. How could I ever have ill intentions toward my friend’s love interest?”

Though his father seemed slightly reassured, his expression darkened slightly as he coldly replied, “Focus more on your cultivation. Though your talent doesn’t match Xie’s natural ten spiritual openings, with diligent practice, you can still hope to reach Fazhang before a hundred years. Your mother spoiled you when you were young, letting you play around. The Qiushui Technique may have accelerated your progress, but it made you neglect inner cultivation. Remember, the further a cultivator goes depends on the strength of their Dao heart.”

Fu Lansheng had never been interested in cultivation. He was carefree, indulgent, and lived by the creed of seizing the day. He hated the dullness of cultivation and, sensing another lecture from his father, began planning his escape.

Just then, Duan Xiaorong entered. Her beauty was striking and regal, her presence commanding. Yet she doted on her son, Fu Lansheng, with boundless indulgence. Hearing Fu Yuan Ting scolding their son, she entered with a stern expression.

“Lansheng is my son. Who knows his talent and Dao heart better than me?” Duan frowned at Fu Yuan Ting before turning to Fu Lansheng with a gentle voice. “Lansheng, these past days have been busy for the Immortal Alliance. I’ve neglected your cultivation. Have you encountered any difficulties?”

Fu Lansheng, well aware of who truly held power in the household, eagerly poured his mother a cup of tea, flashing a charming smile. “No, none at all.”

Without cultivation, naturally, there were no obstacles.

Duan was pleased with her son’s attentiveness and accepted the tea with satisfaction.

She had borne two children earlier, but at the time, she hadn’t yet reached Fazhang. Her former husband had mediocre talent, and so their children also lacked potential. Though they had opened their spiritual senses, they never advanced further and died young. After enduring two losses, Duan no longer hastily chose cultivation partners. She waited until she reached Fazhang and found a compatible Fazhang companion before giving birth to Fu Lansheng.

Indeed, Fu Lansheng’s talent was exceptional, and Duan doted on him immensely, unwilling to let him endure the hardships of cultivation. That was why she devised the Qiushui Technique, an expensive and unconventional method. Fu Yuan Ting disapproved, but Duan insisted. Though he was nominally the Palace Master of Bixiao Palace, the true authority lay with Duan. In the cultivation world, power dictated everything.

“You’ve always been clever and understanding. I don’t need to worry too much about you,” Duan lovingly gazed at Fu Lansheng and added, “You will surely reach Fazhang one day. There’s no need to rush. Hurrying only disrupts your calm mind. I see that you now maintain a peaceful, desireless state, which is exactly what I hope for.”

Fu Yuan Ting silently sipped his tea, choosing not to argue with his wife.

“There is, however, one matter I must remind you about,” Duan said solemnly. “The war between the Immortal and Demon Clans is imminent. For now, stay within Bixiao Palace and avoid battle to prevent danger.”

Fu Lansheng frowned. “But if there’s a battle, how can I, as the Young Palace Master, retreat in fear?”

“You’re only at the Golden Core stage. It’s not your place to rush into battle,” Duan said earnestly. “Before reaching Fazhang, you must value your life and preserve your safety. Your battlefield lies a hundred years from now. Remember, your ultimate goal is the position of the Immortal Alliance Leader.”

Fu Lansheng’s heart trembled, unable to believe his mother had such high expectations for him. He had always lived freely, without ambition or desire for power, never imagining that his mother saw him as future leadership.

“Master Xie is a peerless genius, unmatched in sword cultivation for a thousand years. At only twenty-five, he’ll likely hold the position for centuries to come, and his strength will only grow,” Fu said helplessly. “Mother, you’re placing too much faith in me.”

“Hmph,” Duan smiled slightly, holding her teacup. “Fazhang cultivators may live a thousand years, but how many truly reach that age? Look at the Fa Mirror Sage, or the Yian Sage? Few ever die peacefully.”

“Mother’s meaning is…” Fu Lansheng sensed her implication but didn’t voice it.

Duan continued, “Even if Master Xie is strong, he’s still just one man. No matter how powerful, a man can still be killed. Have you seen his sword Dao? It’s a path of mourning, where none remain untouched. It’s a path of mutual destruction, leaving no room for retreat. Though unstoppable, it’s also fragile, not sustainable in the long run.”

Fu Yuan Ting nodded slightly, agreeing with Duan. Bixiao Palace maintained a neutral stance within the Immortal Alliance, its strength lying in its deep-rooted foundation. They were like merchants in the mortal world, always seeking peaceful, profitable exchanges. They maintained good relations with Su Ningzhen while avoiding offending Xie Xuechen, skillfully navigating both sides. To them, the fate of the Immortal Alliance or the world itself mattered little compared to their own survival.

Fu Lansheng, having lived for over twenty years, now felt as if he had only just begun to understand the world.

“I suspect Master Xie might have developed some feelings for the Demon Clan’s Holy Maiden,” Fu Yuan Ting said, his expression dark. As a man, he understood the look in another man’s eyes when he saw a woman he desired. “This could affect the upcoming war between the Immortal and Demon Clans.”

“I only hope it doesn’t bring trouble to our Bixiao Palace,” Duan frowned, then patted Fu Lansheng’s shoulder. “You’ve always been charming and affectionate. Don’t let yourself be ensnared by some unworthy creature. Only a legitimate disciple of the Immortal Alliance, a daughter of a Fazhang cultivator, is worthy of you. Gao Qiumin, for instance, shows promise of reaching Fazhang and may inherit the Mirrorflower Valley’s leadership. You should spend more time with her.”

Fu Lansheng instinctively recoiled. “Mother, please don’t joke. Gao Qiumin has eyes only for Master Xie.”

“The future is uncertain,” Duan smiled knowingly. “I heard you’ve recently been looking for someone in the palace, requesting disciple records. Have you taken a liking to another female disciple?”

Fu Lansheng sighed. “Mother misunderstood me. I’m looking for a male cultivator.”

Duan frowned. “When did you develop an interest in men?”

Fu Lansheng flinched, his handsome face tinged with embarrassment. No wonder Nan Xuyue looked down on him—his own mother found him too promiscuous. He coughed twice before replying, “I’m helping a friend. The person’s name is Fu Cangli.”

Duan murmured the name twice, frowning slightly. “It sounds familiar.” She glanced at Fu Yuan Ting. “Is this someone from your Fu family?”

Fu Yuan Ting chuckled. “You know how few people are in my family. I suspect this isn’t even his real name. If your friend has the person’s hair, blood, or birth details, we could try locating him.”

Fu Lansheng hesitated. “It’s just a regular friend. You wouldn’t know him. I’ll ask around more.”

Fu Lansheng fled the room and walked a distance before Bao popped out from his pouch.

Her round ears twitched as she whispered, “Big brother, what does ‘Longyang’ mean?”

Fu frowned. “A child shouldn’t ask so many questions.”

Bao lowered her head, looking a bit upset. “Sister said I should listen, observe, and learn to grow.”

Fu couldn’t help but smile, but then Bao added, “But Nan said I can’t learn anything useful from you.”

Fu’s face fell.

“But I still like following you,” Bao said obediently.

Fu softened. “Why? Does your big brother have many good qualities?”

Bao blinked her big black eyes innocently. “Of course, it’s because you’re rich! What other good qualities do you have?”

Fu: “….”

Bao: “Big brother, why are you suddenly unhappy?”

Fu: “You and the others outside are the same—you only like me for my money.”

Bao puffed her cheeks. “Do you have other treasure-sniffing rats outside?”

Fu: “Hahahaha… No, no, one is enough!”

The gates of Zhushen Palace slowly creaked open. A tall, seductive man walked in, his footsteps echoing in the vast hall.

The once dim palace was now illuminated with various candlestands, casting a warm glow.

On the Demon Sovereign’s throne sat a girl in purple robes, reclining on a luxurious seat. One hand supported her head, while the other tossed a demonic pill up and down. Her legs crossed, swinging playfully, the bone bell on her foot jingling softly.

Hearing approaching footsteps, she didn’t turn to look, continuing to play with the glowing demonic pill.

“Reporting to the Holy Maiden,” the Lust Demon knelt with a flattering smile.

“Is it done?” Mu Xuanling’s cold voice echoed in the hall.

“Not quite, there were some… difficulties,” the Lust Demon’s voice trembled slightly.

Mu stopped playing, gripping the pill tightly. Her beautiful peach-shaped eyes glanced sideways, making the Lust Demon shiver involuntarily.

He couldn’t pinpoint what had changed, but she seemed even stronger and colder since her return. Though she had always been ruthless, there had once been a trace of warmth in her eyes. Now, even when smiling, her eyes remained cold and lifeless, sending chills down one’s spine.

“You’re useless, no brains and even weaker power,” Mu frowned. “Of the original Three Demon Gods, only you remain. Well, not even a third of you remains.”

One-third of his essence had been absorbed by Mu, another third shattered by Xie Xuechen. Now, the Lust Demon retained only a fraction of his former strength. Once he might have dared to covet the Holy Maiden, now he could only beg for mercy.

“Master said that if you succeed, he would grant you the demonic pill to restore your power.”

The Lust Demon greedily swallowed.

“But if you fail, you’ll become the demonic pill yourself.”

Seeing Mu’s icy smile, the Lust Demon froze in terror, immediately pleading, “Mercy, Holy Maiden! It’s not that I failed, but those human cultivators are just too strong!”

“Weaklings always make excuses for their weakness,” Mu said coldly, descending from the throne like a silent cat, the only sound the soft jingle of her bone bell.

“It’s true! Those human cultivators have powerful mentors behind them. They hunt our demon and beast armies relentlessly, scattering and capturing them one by one!” the Lust Demon pleaded, drenched in cold sweat.

The Grand Priest had been in seclusion for nearly a month, and the Demon Sovereign had not emerged either. All affairs of the Demon Realm now fell to the Holy Maiden. It was said that Xie Xuechen, the Immortal Alliance Leader, had also been severely injured and was in seclusion. The current leader of the Immortal Alliance was from Bixiao Palace. Since half a month ago, human cultivators had begun attacking the Two Worlds Mountain, both sides suffering losses. But in the past two days, the humans suddenly grew stronger, launching a one-sided massacre against the demon and beast forces. The Lust Demon, forced to fight, was defeated and barely escaped.

Mu Xuanling’s eyes flickered subtly, deep in thought as she murmured, “Could it be that Fu Yuanjing himself has come out?”

Lust Demon felt somewhat ashamed, since he hadn’t even seen the enemy’s commander.

Mu Xuanling glanced at him and tossed the demon pill toward him, saying, “Here, take this.”

Lust Demon was delighted beyond expectation, never imagining he’d be rewarded without achieving any merit. He immediately expressed his gratitude with a string of flatteries.

Mu Xuanling said indifferently, “Battle Demon has suffered losses, and Obsession Demon is trapped. My master intends to cultivate more high-level demon cultivators to elevate them as Demon Gods. Anyway, demons are all the same—none possess intelligence. We prefer using old ones rather than new ones. Consider yourself lucky.”

“Your Holiness speaks truly. I shall devote myself wholeheartedly and risk my life for you,” Lust Demon tightly gripped the demon pill, his smile genuine.

Mu Xuanling spared him no further glance. Slowly walking outward, she said indifferently, “Let me personally meet this expert.”

The Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation missed the opportunity to repair itself, causing its gaps to grow larger. Consequently, more and more demon soldiers managed to pass through it. To prevent half-demons and demons from invading the human realm, the Immortal Alliance had dispatched many cultivators to guard the Two-World Mountain. These demonic and half-demon troops could attack or retreat as needed, fleeing into the Suoluo Demon Formation when overwhelmed. While the Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation could not stop their attacks on the human world, the Suoluo Demon Formation successfully prevented human cultivators from entering the demon realm, making this battle extremely disadvantageous for human cultivators.

Unless the Suoluo Demon Formation was destroyed, which would require nearly all the Dharma Manifestation experts to unite their strength—an unlikely feat, since the Dharma Manifestation experts within the Immortal Alliance held different opinions and lacked unity.

Currently, the main cultivators guarding the Two-World Mountain were primarily from Yongxue City, Jinghua Valley, and Bixiao Palace.

Sitting alone atop a high hill, Mu Xuanling gazed distantly at the human cultivators’ camp, pondering which faction had dispatched an expert to disrupt the balance of battle. She decided to send out demon soldiers under cover of night to probe the enemy’s strength and weakness.

On the demon side, the demon and half-demon armies took turns launching nightly raids, forcing the human cultivators to divide into two teams and take shifts guarding against surprise night attacks by demon forces.

At the first watch of the night, several squads of low-level demon soldiers, each led by a half-demon commander, silently infiltrated the human cultivators’ camp. These demon soldiers were impervious to ordinary blades and difficult to kill, possessing immense strength. Without protective spirit energy, cultivators below the Golden Core stage couldn’t even withstand three punches from them. When confronted by stronger enemies, the demon soldiers would hide in the shadows, needing only to fulfill certain conditions to possess human cultivators. Mu Xuanling ordered the half-demon commanders that this assault must not alert the enemy. Their mission was simply to possess human cultivators and secretly gather intelligence to identify which immortal sect had sent the expert.

Though low-level demon soldiers lacked intelligence and were easily tricked, they had the advantage of absolute obedience. Following their half-demon commanders’ orders, they refrained from initiating attacks. This night, with clouds obscuring the moon and darkness prevailing, was the perfect time for demons to strike. In the pitch-black night, the demon soldiers blended silently into the shadows like ink drops sinking into darkness, infiltrating the human cultivators’ camp.

Balancing on the tip of a thousand-year-old tree, Mu Xuanling was caressed by the night breeze, her soft black hair and flowing robes fluttering like a beautiful night butterfly.

Her cold eyes slightly narrowed, perceiving every movement from a hundred miles away as if it were directly before her.

Suddenly, three separate human camps lit up with golden light, illuminating a corner of the night. A faint, ethereal chanting of Buddhist sutras rose and fell in waves, solemn and majestic.

“The Prajna Heart Sutra?” Mu Xuanling’s gaze sharpened as she quickly understood. Before his death, the Venerable Master had handed over the secret cultivation technique of Xuantian Temple—the Prajna Heart Sutra, the most effective method against demons. Normally, a human cultivator possessed by a demon could only face death, but the Prajna Heart Sutra was the only mystical technique capable of exorcising demons. Because of this technique, Xuantian Temple had earned reverence and respect from the world. However, now that the Immortal Alliance had every cultivator practicing it, it posed a significant disadvantage to the demon race. Even if each cultivator had only practiced it for half a month and their cultivation was shallow, their sheer numbers made it impossible for demons to hide when everyone began chanting together.

Mu Xuanling closed her eyes slightly tilting her head upward. At that moment, the wind blew away the clouds, allowing a gentle beam of moonlight to fall softly, illuminating her exquisitely pale and flawless face, as beautiful as a forest sprite or a celestial maiden beneath the moonlight. She inhaled deeply, sensing the spiritual energy infused with the essence of sun and moon flowing into her divine aperture, bringing comfort to both body and soul.

Cultivators practicing demonic arts would inevitably be affected by the Prajna Heart Sutra. Fortunately, her demonic energy had already dissipated, and Xie Xuechen had infused his core spiritual energy into her body, opening her divine aperture. Since then, her cultivation had progressed rapidly, and she had already reached the threshold of the Dharma Manifestation realm. However, breaking through to the Dharma Manifestation realm was extremely difficult, requiring the establishment of a firm Dao heart. Some cultivators could be stuck at this threshold for centuries without advancing.

“Xie Xuechen’s spiritual energy is truly wondrous,” Mu Xuanling gently touched her brow, her eyes shimmering with an emotionless allure. “Even more effective for dealing with the Immortal Alliance cultivators.”

She curved her lips slightly, leaned forward, and her figure vanished from the spot.

Inside the human cultivators’ camp, countless cultivators sat cross-legged, chanting the Prajna Heart Sutra with their hands forming seals. Golden light radiated from their palms, connecting together, subtly intertwining to form a grand demon-slaying formation.

The Prajna Heart Sutra was a true nemesis for demons but posed no threat to other races.

Like a nimble cat, Mu Xuanling landed lightly on a nearby tree. She observed the demon soldiers trapped and immobilized by the Prajna Heart Sutra, writhing in pain as black mist steamed from their bodies. She immediately realized that their positions were no coincidence—certainly arranged by an expert to coordinate their efforts and form an interdependent formation.

Some formations were highly adaptable—each cultivator added or removed altered the formation’s configuration. Having studied formations under Sang Qi for many years, Mu Xuanling possessed considerable expertise. She naturally understood that the absence of one or two cultivators wouldn’t affect the formation’s effectiveness. However, the true way to break such a formation wasn’t difficult—just kill them all.

—Twenty-four Golden Core cultivators must be eliminated within three heartbeats, or they would activate the formation.

—Still somewhat challenging.

She smiled silently, opening her palm. A purple vine appeared, obediently rubbing against her fingers. The next moment, it transformed according to her will into a purple flute.

Her previous artifact, the Judgment Demon Vine, had been confiscated and destroyed by the Immortal Alliance. Sang Qi had forged a more suitable artifact for her, named “Broken Memories.” Already possessing a bit of sentience, Broken Memories displayed even greater power after Mu Xuanling bound it with her blood as her core artifact. It could change forms and had protective instincts. After a century of nurturing and refinement, it would develop a true artifact spirit. With Broken Memories in hand, Mu Xuanling became even more formidable, intimidating the demon realm.

She placed the flute to her lips. As her red lips parted slightly, a sharp, piercing flute sound pierced the sky, shattering the golden light of the Buddhist chanting like ghostly wails. Several cultivators with lower cultivation directly spat blood and collapsed to the ground, suffering from backlash. The remaining Golden Core cultivators were pushed back a step by the immense spiritual force within the flute sound, causing the Buddhist chanting formation to break instantly. Several demon soldiers seized this brief respite, vanishing swiftly into the shadows.

The leader of the Golden Core cultivators turned pale—not because the flute sound contained overwhelming power, but because he sensed the spiritual energy within it was neither demonic nor bestial. It likely belonged to a top human Nascent Soul expert.

Could it be that the Immortal Alliance had another traitor?

“Form a defensive formation!” he shouted fiercely, summoning his core artifact and bracing for battle.

The cultivators present came from various sects, though most were white-robed sword cultivators from Yongxue City. Dozens of flying swords hovered in midair, forming a sword formation poised to unleash its might.

Suddenly, a purple vine slithered out from behind a tree like a serpent, its tip emerging before abruptly plunging toward the sword formation. The strike carried an overwhelmingly domineering sword intent, giving the leader of the Yongxue sword cultivators an eerie sense of familiarity. Though momentarily bewildered, he instinctively raised his sword to block.

When fully solidified, the sword formation could generate a defensive force far surpassing their individual strengths—capable of withstanding even a full-powered strike from a Nascent Soul expert. Yet, under the vine’s assault, the formation cracked.

As the sword formation neared collapse, green waves of energy rippled outward from the ground. A vast surge of vitality, like the first spring rain awakening the earth, erupted from the soil, enveloping the cultivators in a thick, nurturing force that formed invisible armor. The human cultivators’ strength surged, and the sword formation solidified once more.

The purple vine circled the sword formation rapidly, tightening its coils to strike at its weakest points, but met with unified resistance from the cultivators.

Meanwhile, in a nearby tent, the curtain was lifted slightly by the wind.

A faint fragrance drifted in with the night breeze. The intruder clearly had no intention of hiding her presence. She moved like a breeze, gracefully landing on the only chair inside the tent. Leaning back casually, she crossed her legs and smiled at the man before her—dressed in a long robe, elegant as a cypress tree or a willow by the moonlit river.

“I knew it was you, Master Nan.”