Chapter 45:

Two days later, Xie Xuechen and Mu Xuanling returned to the main city of Qiongju Island.

The grand martial arts assembly of the Yao Clan had come to an end. Over the past few days, numerous rising stars from the Yao Clan had emerged, earning widespread admiration. The main city was alive with celebratory feasts hosted by the Yao Clan, and the entire Qiongju City bustled with excitement, filled with the sounds of singing and dancing, exuding a unique warmth of the mortal world. Meanwhile, the experience at Luowu Mountain felt like a dream—illusory and cold.

This was the Hundred-Demon Night Parade held after the martial arts grand assembly. The demon men and women in Qiongju City laughed joyfully and flirted, indulging in a night of passion, just like the dazzling fireworks in the night sky—seeking only fleeting beauty without caring for lasting affection.

Mu Xuanling gazed at the two fox demons embracing each other and couldn’t help but sigh, “My master was correct. Love is the deadliest poison in this world. Once touched, it utterly destroys a person. The demon race is better off—they prioritize primal instincts over human emotions, possessing desires but no attachments, thus sparing themselves the agony of heartbreak.”

Walking side by side with Mu Xuanling, Xie Xuechen listened to her heartfelt words and couldn’t help stopping in his tracks.

“Being emotionless doesn’t necessarily mean being free-spirited, and having emotions doesn’t necessarily mean suffering endlessly.”

A cool voice came from behind. Mu Xuanling turned around in confusion and looked at Xie Xuechen, who had stopped walking. Despite the surrounding liveliness, the bustling crowd, and the cheerful laughter, he seemed to stand apart from the mundane world, lonely and desolate. His deep phoenix eyes gazed at her solemnly. The dazzling fireworks in the night sky couldn’t illuminate the darkness in his eyes. Yet, she vaguely saw her own reflection in his gaze.

She heard him say, as if in a trance: “Even if loving someone leads to shattering into dust, one would not regret it even if dying nine times. Feng Xiang was like this, and Qian Guangjun was the same.”

He gently took her hand, and the two slightly cool hands interlocked perfectly, soon generating a warm feeling.

Mu Xuanling’s long lashes quivered lightly. She lowered her gaze, looking at their tightly clasped palms and the red threads wound around their wrists.

“Master Xie, since the red thread binding us hasn’t been untied, there’s no need to worry about me running away,” she murmured softly, yet made no attempt to pull her hand away, as if she had already gotten used to it.

“Taking your hand… was it just out of fear that you might escape?” Xie Xuechen chuckled softly, tightening his grip on her hand.

Then why…?

An answer was on the tip of her tongue, but she dared not believe it.

Just as she was about to ask, a familiar voice came from afar.

“Master Xie, Miss Mu?”

The voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned her head and saw, where the lights dimmed, a tall man dressed in brocade and wearing a silver fox mask approached, fanning himself leisurely.

“Prince Heir?” Mu Xuanling immediately recognized the person and looked at him in surprise. “Why are you here?”

The man was none other than Fu Lansheng, the Prince Heir of Bixiao Palace. As he approached, his smiling gaze swept over the two hands intertwined, and a flicker of pity flashed in his eyes—meant for Nan Xuyue.

Fu Lansheng first bowed to Xie Xuechen before responding to Mu Xuanling, “Today concludes the grand assembly of the demon race’s martial arts. Bixiao Palace was invited to observe. As my father is in seclusion, I attended on his behalf. I’ve witnessed much of the world today.” He sighed and added, “The beauties of the demon race are truly passionate and affectionate…”

He nearly didn’t make it out—those female demons were intent on draining his vitality! He excused himself from the banquet and fled to the streets, only to be pursued by even more relentless admirers. Left with no choice, he bought a mask to conceal his striking features.

(Note: I adjusted “妖” to “demons” for natural flow in English, and slightly refined the phrasing for readability while preserving the original meaning. Let me know if you’d prefer a more literal translation of any terms.)

“I truly envy you two for not having to worry about being targeted by the demon clan for your looks,” Fu Lansheng said smugly, fanning himself.

Mu Xuanling smiled slightly and said, “A few days ago, a powerful snake demon lusted after Master Xie’s good looks.”

Fu Lansheng was startled. “Then what happened?”

“She was naturally beaten into a state of complete tranquility,” Mu Xuanling replied solemnly. “Prince Heir, if you were stronger, you wouldn’t have such troubles.”

Fu Lansheng twitched his lips, feeling as if a knife had pierced his heart. His handsome face beneath the mask wrinkled.

“Sister,” a childish voice came from Fu Lansheng’s waist. Mu Xuanling looked down and saw Abao peeking out from a tiny bag, his two half-round ears quivering excitedly. In the next moment, he jumped onto her shoulder. “Sister, I missed you so much!”

He nuzzled against Mu Xuanling’s neck, and she couldn’t help but smile, raising her hand to gently stroke his soft fur.

“Abao, did the Prince Heir bully you?” Mu Xuanling rubbed his head.

Abao closed his eyes in pleasure, stretching his neck to rub against her warm palm, softly tattling, “Brother said if I’m not good, he’ll get a cat.”

Fu Lansheng said sourly, “Ungrateful little creature, I treat you so well, yet you only remember the part about getting a cat?”

Mu Xuanling couldn’t help laughing. Seeing Abao’s beautiful fur, she knew Fu Lansheng had taken excellent care of him. “Have you found any clues about Fu Cangli these days?”

Upon hearing Mu Xuanling’s question, Fu Lansheng’s expression slightly changed. He lowered his voice and said, “I was just looking for you to help me with something. This isn’t the place to talk. Follow me.”

As the richest man in the world, Fu Lansheng’s accommodation naturally couldn’t be ordinary. This time he came to Qiongju Island by a magical artifact called the Floating Cloud Barge. The Floating Cloud Barge was carved from white jade, inscribed with countless magical arrays. When activated, it could ride the wind and travel eight thousand miles in a day. The barge was elaborately decorated with exquisite beams and painted pillars, exuding extreme luxury. Rare delicacies and beautiful scenery were all available, and there were countless guards and beautiful attendants providing meticulous service, making it a paradise surpassing the mortal world.

When the flying formation wasn’t activated, the Floating Cloud Barge was moored on the sea west of Qiongju Island. The three soared into the air and gently landed on the deck with the sea breeze. From afar, they saw a tall, elegant figure in green robes standing against the wind, his robe fluttering. A crescent moon hung above his head, and the starry river shimmered beneath his feet. His handsome eyebrows and bright eyes held a gentle smile, like a divine being descended into the mortal world.

Seeing the gentle smile in that person’s eyes, Mu Xuanling couldn’t help but smile. Before she landed, she called out, “Nan Xuyue!”

Nan Xuyue stepped forward to greet the three, but his gaze was fixed solely on the person in the middle.

“Xuanling,” Nan Xuyue’s voice carried a faint smile as he warmly called her name. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment before turning to Xie Xuechen beside her and greeting him politely, “Master Xie.”

Xie Xuechen nodded slightly, a flicker of surprise flashing in his phoenix eyes. “Master Nan, you’re here too?”

Nan Xuyue said, “The jade pendant I left for Xuanling showed an unusual reaction, as if it had been attacked and activated the protective formation within. Worried that something might have happened to Xuanling, I traced the pendant’s location to Qiongju Island and took advantage of Brother Fu’s Floating Cloud Barge to come here.”

Mu Xuanling frowned slightly in confusion. “When was the pendant attacked? I haven’t used it.” She said, pulling the pendant from her neck and looking at it. The jade was still as smooth and white as ever, without a single crack. When she turned it over, her expression suddenly changed. On the back was originally engraved a crescent moon, but now it was smooth. Who did this, and when? The implications were obvious…

Nan Xuyue, with his sharp eyes, naturally noticed the change in the pendant and did not miss Mu Xuanling’s suddenly reddening face.

Mu Xuanling mumbled, “Maybe I accidentally triggered the formation…”

Xie Xuechen chuckled softly. “It could also be me.”

Nan Xuyue cast a subtle glance at Xie Xuechen, his folding fan resting against his thin lips as he lowered his eyes and smiled, saying nothing.

Fu Lansheng shivered. “It seems a bit cold tonight… I’ve already prepared a banquet. Let’s go inside first… hehe…”

Then he gracefully slipped away…

—I should be inside the ship, not standing here!

As Fu Lansheng said, he had already arranged a banquet in the cabin to entertain Xie Xuechen and Mu Xuanling. As soon as the three sat down, a stream of delicacies was served, filling the table.

Mu Xuanling couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. No wonder Fu Lansheng had no interest in cultivation—it was just too comfortable here. As the only heir of Bixiao Palace, he was doted on by his parents, without the troubles of sibling rivalry like Nan Xuyue or the heavy responsibilities that burdened Xie Xuechen. Even his cultivation was transmitted to him by others. It must have taken ten lifetimes of good deeds to receive such favor from the Dao.

The bitterness she had endured in this life might have been the result of ten lifetimes of sins.

Fu Lansheng warmly greeted everyone, while Xie Xuechen shook his head lightly and said, “I have long since practiced inedia.”

Mu Xuanling was more than happy to oblige, tasting all the exotic delicacies as Fu Lansheng introduced them one by one. Seeing her enthusiastic response, Fu Lansheng grew even more animated, describing each dish with intimate knowledge.

“This Peony Delicacy is crafted from the belly of deep-sea Star Sand Fish, sliced into translucent thin pieces. The flesh is a smoky pink hue, tender and succulent, a heavenly delicacy that requires no cooking. The Star Sand Fish dwells a hundred miles beneath the ocean, and only Nascent Soul cultivators can dive deep enough to catch them, making it an exceedingly rare and precious ingredient.”

This Snow Peak Vermilion Beauty is the favorite of the East Sea Siren. It is said to preserve youth and exude fragrance. The white layer is made from snow swallow and cow’s milk, while the red topping is the juice of vermilion fruit. The vermilion fruit grows on the edge of the Phoenix Roost Forest—a spiritual fruit brimming with rich energy. Consuming it leaves a lingering fragrance in the mouth that lasts for ten days without fading.

This dish is called “Blue Sea, Azure Sky, and Moonlit Heart.” The “Blue Sea” refers to the spiritual seaweed from the ocean, fresh and sweet, stimulating the appetite. The “Azure Sky” is the fragrant bamboo shoots unique to Lingju Island, exceptionally crisp and refreshing. The “Moonlit Heart” is a fruit called Red Lychee, with crystal-white flesh and delightfully sweet juice.

“This is drunken snow crab, where live crabs are soaked in century-old fine wine, infusing the crab meat with the rich flavor of alcohol—absolutely exquisite… A’Bao, you can’t eat this!”

Fu Lansheng let out a cry, but it was already too late. A Bao had already slurped up half of the snow crab and was swaying unsteadily, even letting out a drunken hiccup that released a rich aroma of alcohol. This century-old fine wine was exceptionally potent, and those with lower cultivation levels couldn’t withstand its strength—just a single sip would leave them drunk for an entire day. Only high-level cultivators, with their exceptionally robust physiques, had the privilege of enjoying such a delicacy. A Bao, being just a small treasure-sniffing mouse, had greedily devoured half of it in one go. How could it handle the lingering effects of such fine wine? Its pitch-black eyes immediately grew dazed, and it began mumbling incoherent drunken nonsense.

Fu Lansheng held his forehead with a headache, while Mu Xuanling couldn’t help but chuckle. Nan Xuyue took out a Clear Heart Pill from his mustard seed pouch and pushed it into Abao’s mouth. Abao smacked his lips twice, frowned, and muttered, “Tastes awful…”

With that, he slumped onto the table and fell asleep.

“Sleep it off and the drunkenness will fade,” Nan Xuyue said with a smile.

Fu Lansheng sighed, “You greedy little thing, always after food and money.” Though his tone was full of mock disdain, he carefully picked it up and placed it in a delicate, soft wooden crib nearby, tucking it in snugly with a blanket.

Seeing Fu Lansheng return, Mu Xuanling finally turned serious and asked, “You mentioned earlier that you had something to ask me. What is it?”

Fu Lansheng glanced at the sleeping Abao, his expression gradually turning grave.

“Ah Bao’s father might be from the Demon Realm,” he shared his findings from the Blood Mirror in detail with the two of them and then asked, “You know the Demon Realm best—are there still humans there?”

Mu Xuanling furrowed her brows slightly and shook her head. “The demon realm only has demonic energy, no spiritual energy. Human cultivators cannot reside there for long—prolonged stay would inevitably harm their bodies.”

“What if he has practiced demonic arts?” Fu Lansheng added.

“Humans possess divine apertures that allow them to absorb spiritual energy for cultivation. Why endure the agony of being cleansed by demonic energy?” Mu Xuanling dismissed the idea. “I think that person merely entered the demon realm by chance and happened to be observed by your Blood Mirror at that moment. On which day did you see them?”

Fu Lansheng mentioned a date. Mu Xuanling thought back—it was two days before her night raid on Mirror Flower Valley. At that time, she had been in the demon realm but hadn’t noticed any human cultivators around. However, it wasn’t impossible… She had spent several hours cultivating under the Fusang Tree, so she might have just missed that person.

“It’s a human cultivator colluding with the demon race,” Xie Xuechen suddenly spoke up. “That person could detect the Blood Mirror’s surveillance—his strength is formidable. Even if he’s not a Dharma Form cultivator, he must at least be at the peak of Nascent Soul realm.”

“Impossible.” Mu Xuanling frowned and muttered, “Then how come I didn’t know about it?”

Xie Xuechen and Fu Lansheng turned to look at her. Fu Lansheng chuckled and said, “Miss Mu, it seems your master doesn’t quite trust you.”

Mu Xuanling was unwilling to doubt Sang Qi’s feelings for her, after all, Sang Qi had saved her life and raised her with kindness.

Fu Lansheng continued, “Nan Xuyue once divined for A Bao and said that the bond between father and daughter was extremely weak, with only one chance encounter. Fearing that Fu Cangli might harm A Bao, I’ve kept her hidden these past days, not allowing her to see anyone. It was only because we met you today that I let her come out of the mustard seed bag.”

Mu Xuanling hadn’t expected that Fu Lansheng, who appeared frivolous, would be so attentive towards Abao. This made her view him in a somewhat different light.

“Let me check back in the demon realm later…” Mu Xuanling paused mid-sentence, glanced at Xie Xuechen, and muttered, “If I can even go back, that is.”

Nan Xuyue let out a light chuckle. Since Fu Lansheng was talkative, he yielded the conversation to him, simply listening with a faint smile. His slender fingers held the jade chopsticks as he quietly added dishes to Mu Xuanling’s plate, carefully observing her preferences. If she showed even a hint of liking a dish, he would serve her more; if she frowned slightly, he would avoid that dish altogether.

“Ling’er, did you go to Luowu Mountain before?” Nan Xuyue asked.

Mu Xuanling glanced at Xie Xuechen and, seeing him nod, she replied, “Yes.”

Nan Xuyue noticed her reaction and turned to Xie Xuechen, saying, “Master Xie, you look grave and troubled. Did something happen during your trip to Luowu Mountain?”

Mu Xuanling was unsure whether she should mention her encounter with Fengxiang and Qian Guangjun. Qian Guangjun had kindly gifted them the Lotus Heart Seed and, upon leaving, urged them not to disclose Fengxiang’s affairs to the outside world, fearing it might bring unnecessary trouble to Fengxiang. Though she considered Nan Xuyue a trustworthy person, she was also unwilling to break her promise to Qian Guangjun.

Xie Xuechen said, “The matter at Luowu Mountain has been resolved, but I still have some doubts in my mind. I’ve heard that Master Nan is well-read in ancient texts, so there are a few things I’d like to inquire about with you.”

Nan Xuyue smiled and said, “You flatter me. Please feel free to speak, Sect Leader Xie.”

Xie Xuechen said, “Have you ever heard of the ancient divine race?”

“The ancient divine race exists only in legends,” Nan Xuyue said slowly. “Legend tells that Pangu separated the chaos into yin and yang, creating the three realms—the upper realm as the Divine Realm, the middle as the Mortal Realm, and the lower as the Netherworld. The deities of the Divine Realm possessed the power to command wind and rain, each wielding divine authority to maintain the stability of the three realms. They received the worship and faith of humanity, sheltering them to flourish and prosper. However, ten thousand years ago, a fallen deity used sinister methods to breed inner demons, leading humanity in an uprising against the Divine Realm. After their defeat, the fallen deity was suppressed and sealed within the Molten Abyss by the divine race. The corruption of the fallen deity tainted that land, and from then on, the Demon Realm emerged in the Mortal World—a place devoid of sunlight, illuminated only by a crimson demon moon. Disgusted by humanity’s greed and depravity, the divine race vanished, leaving humanity without their protection, and the Mortal Realm plunged into endless chaos.”

Regarding the legends of creation and the origins of the divine clans, the people of the Shenzhou Continent have heard more or less about them. However, as these tales were passed down orally, countless versions emerged. What Nan Xuyue recounted was the most orthodox account circulating within the cultivation world.

Seeing that Nan Xuyue was indeed quite knowledgeable about the divine race, Xie Xuechen asked further, “Then have you heard of the name of the Supreme Deity Lun Jing? Or perhaps… the deities Si Chen and Si Ming?”

Nan Xuyue was somewhat suspicious of Xie Xuechen’s motives for asking, but still answered truthfully: “The divine beings are named after their authorities—there are the Wind God and the Rain Master, who wield the power over wind and rain, so naturally there are also deities like the Lord of Seasons and the Lord of Fate. The Lord of Seasons is the divine official who governs the seasons and the hours of the day. As for the true names of these deities themselves, they remain unknown. As for the Lord of Fate, it is said to be the divine official who governs the destinies of all living beings… though there are also some rather intriguing legends about them.”

Mu Xuanling and Fu Lansheng were intrigued, staring curiously at Nan Xuyue and urging, “What legend? Tell us quickly.”

Nan Xuyue smiled and said, “Pangu separated the chaos to create heaven and earth, splitting the primordial qi into two. The primordial qi, originating from the primordial essence, disregards strength and weakness, cause and effect—it is both one and all. After being split apart, the primordial qi did not vanish entirely but transformed into two supreme treasures of heaven and earth.”

Fu Lansheng exclaimed loudly, “I know this—it’s the Book of Destiny and the Chaos Pearl.”

Mu Xuanling’s eyes flickered: “The Chaos Pearl… has always been enshrined at the Bright Moon Villa.”

Since obtaining the Chaos Pearl thousands of years ago, the Bright Moon Villa became its guardian. The world knew the Chaos Pearl was mysterious and powerful, and no one dared to provoke the villa that possessed it. However, seven years ago, Sang Qi used the excuse of seizing the Chaos Pearl to massacre the Bright Moon Villa, after which the pearl vanished without a trace.

Everyone present was already familiar with this section, so Nan Xuyue didn’t elaborate further. He said, “Just now, Sect Leader Xie mentioned the God of Fate. According to legend, the God of Fate is the divine official who governs the Book of Destiny. The Chaos Pearl can alter the course of the world, while the Book of Destiny can inscribe cause and effect. The two are equally formidable, and neither is a treasure that any single person or deity can control.”

Turn the tide and write the cause and effect…

Mu Xuanling silently recited these eight words and suddenly remembered what Qianguang Jun had said—this world, it’s all fake…

Mu Xuanling looked at Xie Xuechen, who was also gazing back at her. Both of them had the same thought at that moment.

There is a “person” who wrote a false world in the Book of Destiny!

Only the Book of Destiny can deceive all beings and distort everyone’s perception.

But what is a lie, and what is truth?