Chapter 36:

In the vast meeting hall of Mirror Blossom Valley, Xie Xuechen and Su Ningzhen stood facing each other alone.

In just half a month apart, Su Ningzhen seemed much older; the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes had deepened, and her eyes had lost some of their sharpness. She glared coldly at Xie Xuechen and, in a hoarse voice, said, “Master Xie, your unexpected visit deep into our Mirror Blossom Valley’s sacred grounds is surely against etiquette.”

Xie Xuechen stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent.

“A demon raid occurred on Mirror Blossom Valley. Upon hearing this, Master Xuanxin and I came to assist. I originally thought Sang Qi himself would come, but instead he only sent his subordinates to spy,” Xie explained.

Su Ningzhen had thought her defenses were tight, but she had underestimated the demon’s infiltration, making her expression darken further. Master Xuanxin personally intervened, locating all the demons within Mirror Blossom Valley and escorting them outside the Moon Water Palace to clarify the situation with Xie Xuechen and Su Ningzhen.

Su Ningzhen did not seem grateful, her face showing clear irritation.

“Master Xie, how did you learn of the demon invasion?” she questioned.

“Although Mistress Su may not wish to speak of it, I can deduce it,” Xie replied. “The woman beloved by Sang Qi was none other than Su Ningxi.”

Su Ningzhen’s face changed, her hand gripping the table edge, the tendons standing out, her knuckles whitening. She glared at Xie Xuechen, biting her lip without speaking.

“No…,” she rasped weakly.

“More than twenty years ago, Sang Qi fell in love with a female cultivator from Mirror Blossom Valley—Su Ningxi. He lost an arm and was gravely wounded. After years of seclusion, his first act upon recovery was to massacre the Bright Moon Village, whose lord, Gao Fengxu, had previously been married to Su Ningxi, the eldest disciple of Mirror Blossom Valley,” Xie recounted the past calmly. “Seven years ago, while I may not remember all the details, I know enough. Bright Moon Village was reduced to ashes and ruins, and the cemetery behind it was completely overturned, looking for something. He was searching for Su Ningxi’s remains, but clearly found nothing in the graves, or else he would not have dug up all the graves.”

Su Ningzhen swayed unsteadily, her face growing paler.

“You claim that Mirror Blossom Valley severed his right arm, and that he bears a deep grudge against the valley, yet he spared you that day, ordering Mu Xuanling to capture you alive, so he could find out where Su Ningxi was. The most likely place for Su Ningxi’s remains would be Mirror Blossom Valley.”

Xie Xuechen’s deductions were spot-on. Su Ningzhen knew further concealment was futile. With a defeated sigh, she lowered her head heavily and whispered, “Master Xie, your guess is correct…”

“In those days, Sang Qi had improper intentions toward my sister Su Ningxi. However, Ningxi was born with a rare Yin constitution, her talent extraordinary, and she was greatly favored by our master. She had already been betrothed to Lord Gao of Bright Moon Village. Sang Qi refused to give up, attempting to abduct her, but fortunately was stopped by our master. Later, Sang Qi fled injured, and Ningxi eventually married into Bright Moon Village. Unfortunately, she was fated to die young, passing away on the day she gave birth to Qiu Min. So many years have passed, and I thought Sang Qi had long since given up, but the calamity that befell Bright Moon Village made me realize he had always wanted revenge.” Su Ningzhen gritted her teeth, her voice slightly trembling, “She is already dead, yet he still won’t let her rest in peace! He slaughtered Bright Moon Village, killed Gao Fengxu, and even dug up Ningxi’s grave!”

Xie Xuechen asked, “Where is Su Ningxi’s true grave?”

Su Ningzhen lowered her gaze and replied, “I cannot say.”

Xie Xuechen made no effort to press further. “Sang Qi will not stop. His obsession with Su Ningxi is the evil seed sown by Mirror Blossom Valley. Mistress Su, can you bear the consequences?”

Su Ningzhen’s trembling hands betrayed her thoughts. She stammered, “Master Xie, the matter between Sang Qi and Ningxi is a disgrace to Mirror Blossom Valley, and must not be made public. I also beg you to keep this secret. Qiu Min is Ningxi’s only child, and will one day be the leader of Mirror Blossom Valley. The world must not learn that her mother was once involved with a half-demon.”

“I understand,” Xie Xuechen nodded. He had no interest in others’ private affairs and was not one to gossip. If not for the fact that Su Ningxi and Sang Qi’s entanglement was tied to the war between immortals and demons, he would not have dug so deeply.

But…

Xie Xuechen could sense that Su Ningzhen was not telling the whole truth. There was something very important she was hiding.

Mu Xuanling suddenly woke from a dream, her chest still aching faintly, her mind in a haze, leaving her disoriented for a while, unsure of the time or place.

After a while, she recalled that she had infiltrated Mirror Blossom Valley at night, only to be dragged into the Lust Demon’s prison of greed. Within that prison, she saw a blizzard, snow blinding her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and seemed to see a lonely, solitary figure…

What happened after that?

She placed her hand over her left chest, feeling as though it had once been pierced with unbearable pain, though she could not remember why. Her eyes also felt sore and swollen, as if she had been crying. She was certain she had lost a memory.

It must have been something wrong with the Lust Demon’s prison of greed!

Regaining her senses, Mu Xuanling immediately got out of bed, wanting to assess her current situation. However, as soon as she opened the door, she was blocked by a barrier.

Her heart sank—she was trapped by Xie Xuechen.

That meant the Lust Demon had also been captured.

As Mu Xuanling reached out to touch the barrier, she suddenly heard arguing nearby.

“Master Xuanxin, this demoness is Sang Qi’s disciple. She has injured countless cultivators of the Immortal Alliance. Now she dares to infiltrate Mirror Blossom Valley at night. Why are you protecting her?” a familiar female voice sharply demanded.

A soft yet clear voice replied, “Senior Gao, I have no intention of interfering, but this person is someone Master Xie has claimed. Neither of us has the authority to act.”

Gao Qiumin coldly snorted, “Then please step aside, Master Xuanxin. This is Mirror Blossom Valley, not Xuantian Temple!”

Mu Xuanling had just figured out the identity of the monk traveling with Xie Xuechen when she saw Gao Qiumin leading four or five female cultivators to the door.

Mirror Blossom Valley was famous for its healing arts. Half a month had passed, and Gao Qiumin’s injuries had mostly healed, though a faint pink mark remained on her neck. Upon seeing Mu Xuanling, her eyes flashed with fury, and the veins on her hand gripping her sword stood out.

“Mu Xuanling,” Gao Qiumin gritted her teeth, calling out the name slowly, “how dare you come to Mirror Blossom Valley to meet your end!”

Mu Xuanling coldly looked at her, curling her lips into a half-smile. “Who gave you the courage to speak so boldly before me? Do you really think you can take my life with just the few of you?”

“Senior apprentice sister, don’t waste words with her,” one of the female cultivators whispered. “While Master Xie is currently discussing matters with our master…”

Gao Qiumin snapped back to focus. That’s right—Xie Xuechen was clearly favoring Mu Xuanling. She had to kill her now while she had the chance! She had also noticed that Xie Xuechen had placed a barrier around Mu Xuanling’s room to prevent her escape. Since Mu Xuanling could not come out, this was the perfect opportunity to strike!

“Form the array!” Gao Qiumin hissed. Instantly, the four female cultivators behind her fanned out, each holding a copper mirror.

Mu Xuanling frowned, watching their movements warily. The five of them raised their mirrors with their right hands and began chanting spells. Suddenly, the mirrors emitted blinding golden light, and the five beams converged into one. The air grew heavy as the beam condensed into a golden arrow, shooting straight at Mu Xuanling.

—The Sun-Seeking Arrow!

Mu Xuanling’s heart leapt. The Sun-Seeking Arrow had tracking abilities; once locked onto by the golden mirrors, there was no escape. The more powerful the wielders and the more mirrors used, the stronger the arrow became. Legend told of ten suns rising in ancient times, and humans used this formation to create an array of ten thousand warriors, shooting down nine of the suns. Though the version Mirror Blossom Valley now possessed was incomplete, its power was still formidable.

Mu Xuanling held her breath and prepared to defend herself. But the arrow struck the barrier head-on, causing it to erupt in dazzling light. The barrier shimmered with strange radiance, blocking the sharp tip of the arrow. The two forces clashed, neither yielding.

Gao Qiumin was stunned, then even more furious.

That barrier was not only to contain but also to protect. Xie Xuechen had left it behind to shield Mu Xuanling!

The realization enraged her even more. She could tolerate Xie Xuechen not loving her, but she could not tolerate him lavishing care and protection on this lowly half-demon who had wounded her! No wonder Master Xuanxin had not stopped her—because he already knew that Xie Xuechen’s barrier would protect Mu Xuanling!

But what did she have that made her so special?

“Senior apprentice sister, this is Master Xie’s barrier. We can’t break through it,” one of the female cultivators whispered fearfully.

“Not necessarily!” Gao Qiumin snapped coldly. Then she slashed her left palm with her sword and pressed her bleeding hand against the copper mirror, smearing it. Instantly, the mirror’s reflection turned a deep, blood-red, radiating a more terrifying aura.

The female cultivators behind her gasped in alarm, crying, “Senior apprentice sister, this will damage your cultivation!”

Gao Qiumin ignored them, glaring fiercely at Mu Xuanling behind the barrier, her mind screaming: Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!

From the moment she first saw her, she had felt an inexplicable panic—not just because of Xie Xuechen, but a deep, instinctive fear rooted in her blood and soul, as if Mu Xuanling’s existence threatened to erase everything about her.

So she had to kill Mu Xuanling!

This was a desperate attack, sacrificing her own cultivation to amplify the array’s power. Even a cultivator at the Dharma Manifestation stage would be hurt by this strike. The Sun-Seeking Arrow changed from golden to crimson, its power greatly enhanced. The barrier left by Xie Xuechen immediately developed cracks. Mu Xuanling sensed danger and poured her spiritual energy outward, forming a protective armor in front of her.

A faint cracking sound echoed, and the red light shattered the barrier, rushing toward Mu Xuanling’s face. She exerted all her strength and shot out a palm strike—but instead of meeting the red light, it struck a white-robed figure.

A snowy white sleeve gently waved, and the seemingly unstoppable Sun-Seeking Arrow instantly dissipated into nothingness.

Gao Qiumin stared in shock at the sudden appearance of Xie Xuechen. He stood with his back to the group outside, effortlessly neutralizing their attack, now looking down at the person before him. He had taken Mu Xuanling’s full palm strike without defense, and although protected by spiritual energy, his insides churned painfully.

Mu Xuanling had not expected Xie Xuechen to appear so suddenly, and for a moment, she stood frozen. Her right hand still rested on Xie Xuechen’s chest, feeling the firmness of his chest and the strong beat of his heart through the thin fabric.

Xie Xuechen softly exhaled, enduring the pain, and asked in a hoarse voice, “Are you alright?”

Only then did Mu Xuanling hastily withdraw her hand, pursing her lips without a word, warily watching Xie Xuechen.

Seeing her caution, Xie Xuechen, though understanding it was due to the Heart-Cleansing Water, still felt a pang of sorrow.

When the barrier was attacked, he had sensed it immediately and rushed over without another word to Su Ningzhen. He arrived just in time to see the barrier shatter and blocked the arrow at the last moment, or else Mu Xuanling would have been gravely injured.

He felt a bit relieved, yet also fearful—he had not thought this through properly. Mu Xuanling was surrounded by enemies in the Immortal Alliance, and a single barrier was not enough to ensure her safety. Perhaps he should keep her by his side at all times, keeping her within his sight.

Xie Xuechen slowly turned to face the furious and angry Gao Qiumin, saying coldly, “I have already stated—Mu Xuanling belongs to Yuxue City. No one is to harm her.”

Gao Qiumin clenched her fists, blood dripping from between her fingers. She stared at Xie Xuechen in disbelief, “Master Xie, how long will you keep deceiving yourself? She is a half-demon, a servant of the demons. She doesn’t truly love you!”

Gao Qiumin’s words echoed Mu Xuanling’s own doubts.

What exactly was Xie Xuechen trying to do?

If, before, Xie had been deceived by her false affection, why was he still protecting her now that he knew the truth?

Mu Xuanling, naturally suspicious, speculated that Xie Xuechen was using the same methods against her—pretending to love her to manipulate her against Sang Qi. But she was prepared and would not be easily deceived.

Xie Xuechen coldly glanced at Gao Qiumin, unwilling to answer any of her questions. He slightly turned his head and looked at Su Ningzhen, who had just arrived.

“Mistress Su,” Xie Xuechen nodded toward Su Ningzhen, “Please control your disciples.”

Gao Qiumin’s face turned pale as she ran to Su Ningzhen, crying, “Master, you mustn’t let this demoness escape no matter what!”

Su Ningzhen looked at Mu Xuanling with a frown, then at Xie Xuechen. After a moment, she rasped, “Master Xie, I understand.”

Gao Qiumin stared at Su Ningzhen in shock, exclaiming, “Master, what’s wrong with you…”

Mu Xuanling was also somewhat surprised. Su Ningzhen had always wanted to kill her—why was she suddenly so compliant?

Master Xuanxin appeared slowly, smiling, “Now that this matter is settled, I should return to Xuantian Temple. Master Xie, I will take the Lust Demon with me.”

Xie Xuechen nodded, “Thank you, Master Xuanxin.”

Xuanxin looked meaningfully at Xie Xuechen and said, “Master Xie, take care on your journey.”

After bidding farewell to everyone, Xuanxin left Mirror Blossom Valley.

Xie Xuechen had no desire to stay longer. He grasped Mu Xuanling’s wrist and pulled her into his arms before soaring into the sky.

Gao Qiumin watched in fury as Xie Xuechen took Mu Xuanling away. With tears in her eyes, she asked Su Ningzhen, “Master, why did you do that? Master Xie keeps indulging this demoness, and one day it will lead to irreversible consequences!”

Su Ningzhen gazed blankly at the ground, still thinking about Xie Xuechen’s earlier words.

“The evil of Sang Qi today does not stem from me, but from Mirror Blossom Valley.

“It was Mirror Blossom Valley’s actions toward Sang Qi that led to today’s bitter consequences.

“If it weren’t for me, Mu Xuanling would become tomorrow’s Sang Qi.”

No one understood better than Su Ningzhen that Xie Xuechen’s words were the truth.

She recalled bringing Ningxi back to the valley, joyfully telling her she had fallen in love with a half-demon—powerful yet lonely, cold yet gentle. She loved his silver hair, his moon-like eyes, and his soft ears. Every time she touched them, his pale, handsome face would flush a lovely pink, making her want to embrace him.

“Sister, he is a demon priest, Sang Qi. He hates humanity and is our enemy,” she remembered herself saying with disgust.

“No, A Zhen,” Su Ningxi gently replied. “He never hated this world. What he hated… was himself.”

She rejected the position of leader of Mirror Blossom Valley, resisted the marriage arranged by her master, and even abandoned her younger sister, the only family she had ever known, just to stay with that half-demon.

Su Ningzhen hated that half-demon for stealing her only loved one. She did everything she could to keep her sister, but in the end, she lost everything.

She feared that Mu Xuanling would become the next Sang Qi, but the Sang Qi of today was nothing but the bitter fruit sown by Mirror Blossom Valley long ago.

Who truly killed Ningxi—Sang Qi… or herself…