Chapter 25:

Long, long ago, there was a beautiful and enchanting legend in the demon realm. The story goes that a deity created this world, adding a touch of spiritual energy, some magical treasures, and finally setting the evil miasma when…

Damn, he added too much.

With excessive miasma plaguing the four realms, the newly born creatures suffered greatly and prayed to the heavens. The deity said,

“I’ll add a patch in the next update.”

Everyone waited eagerly, enduring the Dragon-Phoenix War and the conflicts of the Four Realms, but the patch never arrived. Unable to vent their frustration on the programmer, they had to find their own solution.

The solution was that Shen Jin’s ancestor became the scapegoat.

Many years passed, and then an insider leaked news that the new patch would be applied to the Phoenix Clan, with the update scheduled for the next afternoon.

Everyone was overjoyed and waited again. Three years turned into another three, and a decade passed. Finally, the Four Realms received their update.

But…

The deity said, “Sorry, the patch might be a bit overpowered. Just make do with it.”

Everyone: !!!

This wasn’t just “making do”—it was outright unusable. It was like a walking harvester; whoever encountered it would perish.

As the center of attention, the Phoenix Clan didn’t feel any buffs from the new update. Instead, they were nerfed even harder, falling from dominance to subservience, and even had to support their ancestors.

Several days after the 3D fantasy blockbuster ended, Xue Ying hadn’t seen those Phoenix Clan members again. She and Du Yizhou had been squatting at the Heavenly Pleasure Pavilion for days. Humans are like this—give them a long break, and they’ll be happy on the first day, ecstatic on the second, but after a few days, Xue Ying couldn’t take it anymore.

She wanted to go out and fight, to test her swordsmanship.

The two of them discussed and decided to take turns going out for fresh air—Du Yizhou today, Xue Ying tomorrow. A balanced team works efficiently.

Before leaving, Xue Ying even made a special request to the courtesan, “I want to come back to a steaming bowl of minced meat noodles.”

The already resigned courtesan chose to endure, asking, “What time will you be back?”

She was living like a housewife.

Compared to Xue Ying’s leisurely days, the disciples were much more tense. Before stepping onto the stage, they even sought psychological counseling from Bai Zhu. The senior sister of the Tai Su Valley was clearly an expert in this field, opening with, “Which level of counseling do you need, fellow cultivator? A beginner psychologist costs 500 spirit stones per hour.”

Xue Ying looked at the banner behind Bai Zhu: “Tai Su Valley Psychological Counseling—Solving Your Cultivation Woes.”

No problem—medical cultivators could cure all ailments, including mental illness.

Xue Ying thought of her imprisoned master and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Can you treat inner demons too?”

Bai Zhu smiled gently, “For that, I recommend sending them to the Deer Park Monastery for faster results.”

Xue Ying was surprised, “Buddhist cultivators treat inner demons?”

“The Deer Park Monastery offers physical transcendence, lottery reincarnation, and a one-stop service—fast and efficient. I hear the Buddhist Sage is particularly skilled in this.”

They really arrange everything from death to rebirth.

Xue Ying tactfully stepped aside for the next cultivator, but before leaving, she overheard the man lamenting, “Doctor, I’ve been fasting for years, but yesterday I broke my discipline and ate ten plates of spicy rabbit heads, twenty baskets of soup dumplings, five bowls of spicy soup, and ten shaomai. Doctor, am I sick?”

Bai Zhu replied, “That’s not called sickness—it’s called being a glutton.”

Xue Ying didn’t hear the rest as she headed to the nearby arena, where a Tai Chu Sect disciple was competing. Unfortunately, his opponent was Zhang Yue.

After suffering repeated defeats at Xue Ying’s hands, the Heavenly Sound Pavilion’s Saintess had finally risen to the occasion, becoming a notorious bully who specialized in beating sword cultivators.

Seeing her destined rival in the audience, Zhang Yue immediately perked up, showcasing her skills as the “Queen of the Marketplace,” simultaneously promoting products and fighting—a true workaholic.

“Today, I bring you a specialty of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion—the Magpie Bridge Immortal…”

Xue Ying stood below, marveling along with the crowd, her country-bumpkin demeanor secretly delighting Zhang Yue, who forgot her past scars and couldn’t resist taunting, “Disciple of the Sword Immortal…”

Xue Ying scratched her cheek and, with the mindset of getting something for free, asked, “Are you giving this to me for free?”

Zhang Yue: Get lost! Ten Magpie Bridge Immortals are for couples. You sword cultivators aren’t worthy!

Her chest heaved a few times, her earlier mood ruined, and she vented all her anger on her opponent, smashing them with her pipa until the referee declared the winner. After stepping down, Zhang Yue held the Magpie Bridge Immortal and belatedly realized—she hadn’t sold a single one.

She hated this!

Meanwhile, the culprit had already moved to another arena to watch the excitement.

“Senior Sister.”

Lin Jiujiu’s voice came from the side, laden with complex emotions. When she saw Xue Ying, her face twitched involuntarily, recalling that day digging through the trash.

No one had ever forced her to scavenge through garbage for treasures.

Ignoring that unpleasant memory, Lin Jiujiu took a few deep breaths and forced a smile. “Senior Sister and Senior Brother haven’t been returning to the inn lately. What have you been up to?”

Du Yizhou had spread the news about the ancient demon beast, leading to rampant rumors—from “if you can’t beat them, join them” to “Xue Ying and the Senior Brother both fell for the courtesan, spending fortunes for love.” Now, the rumors even claimed they had a child.

Lin Jiujiu wasn’t afraid of being a stepmother—she was afraid her rival would become her lover, with Xue Ying and Du Yizhou running off together.

Xue Ying felt this wasn’t something to discuss openly and lowered her voice. “There are too many ears here. It’s not convenient.”

What inconvenience? As a reincarnator, Lin Jiujiu knew everything. Annoyed, she retorted, “If you don’t want others to know, don’t do it. Has Senior Sister done something shameful?”

Seeing Lin Jiujiu’s pouting face, Xue Ying softened and relented. “Fine, I’ll tell you, but don’t spread it. Brother Du and I are hunting a fugitive from the Four Realms.”

Lin Jiujiu sneered. A fugitive from the Four Realms? She’d never heard of such a person in her past life. The greatest enemy back then had been Shen Jin, something she only learned after death from a book. Shen Jin had incited conflicts across the Four Realms, claiming countless lives—all for the sake of domination.

He wanted the demon race to rise.

This “fugitive” was just an excuse for embezzlement—one that didn’t even share the spoils with underlings.

She mentally labeled Xue Ying as “unreasonable” and, adhering to the principle of “if the senior sister can visit brothels, so can I,” challenged Xue Ying. “If that’s the case, why not take me along? Maybe I can recognize this person.”

Xue Ying thought it made sense. Lin Jiujiu had reincarnation experience—she might spot the evil phoenix at a glance.

“Let me tell you, the courtesan makes the best minced meat noodles.”

Hand in hand, the two walked off, leaving behind three eavesdropping groups.

Feng Mianyue’s face was dark, his exquisite features twisted with murderous intent. His subordinates clamored:

“Your Majesty, this person dares to interfere in Phoenix Clan affairs!”

“Outrageous! Using a ready-made shop to make minced meat noodles—what ulterior motives!”

“I propose we go to her shop, eat the noodles, and put centipedes in them. Ruin her reputation!”

“You idiot, why centipedes? Cockroaches!”

Feng Mianyue took a deep breath. Without his phoenix feathers, his dreams these days were filled with honey-glazed wings, pickled chicken feet, and cumin hand-torn chicken.

“Calm down, everyone. This person is the Sword Immortal’s disciple. Rumor has it even the Heavenly Sound Pavilion’s Saintess lost to her. Against such a formidable foe, we must use strategy, not brute force. By the way, did we get the hygiene permit?”

At the mention of permits, everyone wilted.

“Your Majesty, Yun Mengze has too many rules.”

“They won’t let us cut in line—not even the green channel!”

“I want to report them! These cultivators discriminate against rare species!”

The feather-plucked phoenix from last time weakly spoke up, “Your Majesty is peerless. Why fear a mere Sword Immortal disciple? Let’s just beat her up.”

Feng Mianyue’s beautiful eyes flashed with righteousness as he scolded, “As phoenixes, we should use wisdom, not pride ourselves on brute force. Such behavior is no different from those four-legged reptiles. Peck him!”

Another round of chaos ensued in the corner. Feng Mianyue clung to the wall, blustering. Once, he had been a king. Then, he lost his phoenix feathers.

His mind cycled through “I’m doomed, I’m doomed, I’m doomed.” He even considered sucking up to Cang Wu. Though he often looked down on Cang Wu, Cang Wu was close to that evil phoenix.

Surely he wouldn’t turn me into beggar’s chicken, right?

Surely…

Meanwhile, Zhang Yue quietly slipped away, pondering the “fugitive” matter. If she could strike first and capture this criminal, she could leverage official recognition for another publicity wave. Fame and traffic would be guaranteed.

Imagining herself back in the headlines while the Sword Immortal’s disciple cried in a corner, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but gloat. She told her disciples, “I have business. Handle the rest.”

The disciples exchanged glances. “Saintess, are you withdrawing from the Martial Evaluation?”

Zhang Yue declared grandly, “I’m tired of this empty, meaningless life. Instead of hawking goods, I’ll do something more meaningful.”

Like stalking Xue Ying and stealing her target.

Having overheard the entire conversation, the Demoness was unsettled. She called Shen Jin again, reporting the situation and asking if they should ally with this “fugitive.”

Bad guys should stick together. Only idiots play nice with the righteous path.

Shen Jin scoffed. “What fugitive? Demoness, are you failing to capture the Sword Immortal’s disciple and looking for excuses to avoid punishment?”

The Demoness knelt. “This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”

Pleased with her obedience, Shen Jin leaned back—as he always did—to scrutinize her.

And promptly toppled over.

After picking himself up, Shen Jin straightened his robes and said gravely, “Dark Lord.”

The Dark Lord handed the Demoness a prepared battle plan.

“Listen. As an assassin—the best in the demon realm—if seduction fails and assassination fails, you have one last option. Poison.”

“Poison?” The Demoness was baffled.

“Exactly. You’ll use poison. Here’s a guide to opening a hand-pulled pancake shop. Study it. You must capture the Sword Immortal’s disciple before the Martial Evaluation ends.”

The Demoness sat copying recipes from the newspaper she’d used to wrap pancakes earlier, muttering, “What does ‘appropriate amount of sauce’ mean?”

The two men discussed solemnly. “One tael? Or half a catty?”

The Demoness chewed her pen. “Pepper is also ‘appropriate amount.'”

Witnessing this, the Dark Lord couldn’t help but marvel. The Daoist arts were truly profound.

—

When Xue Ying and Lin Jiujiu returned, the courtesan was absent, and the table was empty. Xue Ying guessed she was busy in the kitchen. “Little Sister Lin, rest here. I’ll go find her.”

Lin Jiujiu was glad for the chance. Once Xue Ying left, she glanced at Du Yizhou by the door and called softly, “Senior Brother…”

Like all service establishments, the Heavenly Pleasure Pavilion had a lavish front and a shabby back. Xue Ying found the kitchen crowded, with a little girl in pink sitting at the table, pigtails bobbing as she devoured her food. The courtesan patted her back soothingly.

“Eat slowly.”

“Mmm, so good. They never gave me food before.”

Up close, the girl looked pitiful—ragged clothes, dirt-smudged face.

The courtesan explained, “This child has had a hard life. Unloved by her parents, she grew up on charity, only to be sold to a backwater. She barely escaped and hasn’t eaten properly since.”

The girl finished her noodles and started gnawing the bowl. The courtesan stopped her. “You can’t eat that.”

“But I’m hungry.”

The courtesan stroked her head, radiating maternal warmth. “I’ll make you more.”

The girl nodded obediently, swinging her legs. She tilted her head at Xue Ying, sniffed her, frowned, then noticed the aura above Xue Ying’s head and drooled. “So fragrant…”

“My name is Qiuqiu. Are you my destined one?”

For a moment, Xue Ying felt a chill. Bai Lu vibrated in its sheath. But when she looked again, Qiuqiu was just eating hungrily.

Small, pitiful, but voracious.

Probably her imagination.

Dismissing it, Xue Ying asked for a bowl of noodles and turned to leave, but Qiuqiu grabbed her clothes, looking up with big, dark eyes.

“Carry me?”

Xue Ying’s heart melted.

Who wouldn’t love such an adorable loli? She led Qiuqiu back and explained the situation. Du Yizhou frowned—how could she afford to raise a child?

But given Qiuqiu’s age, he held his tongue.

Lin Jiujiu glided over, eager to impress Du Yizhou. She offered her jade pendant with a gentle smile. “Do you like this, Qiuqiu?”

Qiuqiu ignored the gift, staring at Lin Jiujiu before pointing accusingly. “Thief! Give it back!”

Lin Jiujiu stiffened. Xue Ying intervened. “Kids say the darndest things. Don’t take it to heart.”

The conversation died. As they left, Zhang Yue—who’d been tailing them—got locked out by Du Yizhou. Cursing, she decided to climb down from the rafters and hide under Xue Ying’s bed.

Just as she landed, a suspicious drooling sound came from behind.

“Big sister, you smell different from others.”

Zhang Yue shuddered, and the last thing she saw before darkness engulfed her was a massive crow’s head surrounded by crimson flames.

When Xue Ying returned, Qiuqiu was sitting there contentedly, her little hands clutching her belly, her face glowing with satisfaction.

“I’m full.”

Even so, Qiuqiu obediently finished the minced meat noodles Xue Ying had brought her, letting out a small burp before saying softly, “Qiuqiu loves minced meat noodles the most.”

Unable to resist, Xue Ying pinched Qiuqiu’s chubby cheeks and crouched down to ask, “Do you have any family?”

Qiuqiu counted on her fingers, “Yes, but Daddy ran away from home.”

“What happened?”

Qiuqiu blinked, “Daddy didn’t want to inherit the throne.”

Xue Ying felt even more tender toward Qiuqiu—adorable, soft-spoken, a little slow, and clearly mistreated. She continued along Qiuqiu’s words, “So you’re a little princess.”

Qiuqiu nodded seriously, covering her cheeks and whispering in Xue Ying’s ear, “Xue Ying sister, you can’t tell anyone, okay?”

Xue Ying chuckled and took the little girl’s hand, leading her toward the bathhouse.

Though she hadn’t encountered the Evil Phoenix or Demon Phoenix, stumbling upon this little girl made her quite happy.

“I’ll help you change into new clothes.”

The little girl was thrilled. “Pretty ones! With little shiny stones embroidered on them!”

By nightfall, Xue Ying was exhausted. She asked Qiuqiu if she wanted to sleep with her, but Qiuqiu was surprisingly self-aware. “No, I might crush Xue Ying sister. I’ll sleep by myself.”

Xue Ying’s heart melted at how adorable she was. She resolved to take Qiuqiu home with her after the martial arts competition ended.

After tucking the little girl in, Xue Ying rummaged through her belongings. She remembered Yuhengzi had once made her a few outfits that no longer fit—perfect for Qiuqiu.

While Xue Ying stayed up all night altering the clothes, Lin Jiujiu pondered the matter of the Four Realms fugitive, wanting to question Lin Shen for answers.

There was no record of such a person in the texts. Who exactly was this fugitive?

Dismissing her maid, she was about to light a talisman when a small head appeared at the window. The little girl from earlier was perched on the ledge, glaring at Lin Jiujiu and demanding, “Give me back my things.”

Lin Jiujiu was staying in a high-end suite dozens of feet above the ground—how had the girl gotten there? Alarmed, she urged, “Come inside quickly, it’s dangerous out there!”

Qiuqiu didn’t budge. Staring at Lin Jiujiu, her voice still sweet, she said, “You’re Xue Ying sister’s friend. Give me back my things, and I won’t eat you.”

Lin Jiujiu believed Xue Ying’s words—this child truly wasn’t right in the head. Though unsure how she’d arrived, Lin Jiujiu still felt a pang of pity and moved to help her inside.

When encountering a predator, do not make sudden movements, lest they mistake it for a challenge.

Golden flames flickered in Qiuqiu’s eyes as a massive shadow loomed behind her. Before Lin Jiujiu could react, the shadow lunged.

Having devoured two people in one day, Qiuqiu covered her mouth and let out a tiny burp, reassuring herself, “No one saw, no one saw.”

—

After a sleepless night, Xue Ying finally finished altering the clothes. The little girl was overjoyed, twirling in front of Xue Ying before hugging her waist.

“Thank you for the clothes, Xue Ying sister! Qiuqiu loves you the most!”

Xue Ying couldn’t resist crouching down to nuzzle Qiuqiu’s cheeks, wishing she could make up for all the childhood she’d lost. “There’s a festival tonight. Do you want to go?”

“Yes!”

The little girl cheered, spending the afternoon swinging her legs by the window. Watching Xue Ying bustle about, she asked curiously, “What are you doing, Xue Ying sister?”

Xue Ying frowned. “I haven’t seen Lin Jiujiu. I wanted to invite her along.”

Qiuqiu covered her mouth and stayed silent. Xue Ying didn’t dwell on it, instead asking Du Yizhou if he’d like to join them.

Du Yizhou initially refused, but under the pleading gazes of the two, he stiffly relented. “Just this once.”

Xue Ying nodded. She understood—the fugitive was important, but this was a rare opportunity not to be missed.

Leaving a lookout at the inn, the trio headed to the night market. Xue Ying knew the food stalls well, and Qiuqiu shared her enthusiasm. The two ate their way through the street while Du Yizhou silently paid.

Meanwhile, Feng Yuemian was growing impatient. After chasing off yet another customer, his subordinate fretted, “What if they don’t come?”

Feng Yuemian rolled up his sleeves. “Step aside.”

He’d cook himself—surely the girl wouldn’t resist.

Seven parts lean, three parts fat, thinly sliced. Fry until three parts done, add ginger. At six parts done, add vinegar. The fire must be just right. When the minced meat was ready, Feng Yuemian wasn’t surprised to see Qiuqiu drooling by the stove.

Forcing a smile, he mimicked the other vendors. “Please, come in!”

Qiuqiu looked up. “Noodle man, it’s you.”

Feng Yuemian’s face twisted. All this effort to disguise himself—for what? “This king—I mean, I’m not Feng Yuemian, just a humble noodle seller.”

“I told you before—you’re so good at making noodles, you should sell them.”

“…No.”

Damn brat. Just wait till we get back.

Xue Ying caught up, and Qiuqiu pointed at Feng Yuemian. “Xue Ying sister, I want noodles.”

Seeing his plan half-successful, Feng Yuemian relaxed slightly. Soon, a steaming bowl of minced meat noodles was served. Qiuqiu asked, “Aren’t you eating, Xue Ying sister?”

Having eaten noodles daily, Xue Ying declined. “I’m not hungry. You go ahead.”

That wouldn’t do! Before Feng Yuemian could protest, a nearby crepe vendor called out, “Try our crepes! Freshly made!”

Xue Ying turned and smiled at the woman whose face was mostly covered. “Fellow cultivator, it’s you!”

The woman—Nü Hou—choked on her words. “No, it’s not.”

Xue Ying, “I thought you’d gone home after your defeat. Still in Yunmengze—did you run out of travel funds?”

Nü Hou, “I’m not—I mean, yes.”

She truly was broke, but that wasn’t the reason she stayed.

Kindly ignoring the lie, Xue Ying bought a crepe to support her. But when she held it, she froze, finally understanding why Nü Hou had no customers.

It barely qualified as a crepe—more like abstract art.

Under Nü Hou’s hopeful gaze, Xue Ying forced a smile. “I’m… not hungry right now.”

Nü Hou looked crushed. “Not even a bite?”

Though Xue Ying wasn’t picky, even she had limits. Just as she was about to politely decline, Qiuqiu leaned over and devoured the crepe in front of everyone.

Then, with boundless energy, she turned to Feng Yuemian. “Noodle man, more!”

After ten bowls of noodles and three crepes, Qiuqiu left with Xue Ying, leaving both Feng Yuemian and Nü Hou speechless.

Wait—there was enough sedative in that to knock out ten grown men. Why wasn’t she affected?

Watching Qiuqiu skip away, Feng Yuemian questioned his life choices. Cautiously, he sipped the broth to test it—and promptly collapsed alongside Nü Hou.

Witnessing the disaster, the ever-helpful Du Yizhou arranged for Feng clan members to contact Baizhu of Taisu Valley, sending Nü Hou along as well.

As Nü Hou was wheeled into surgery, she faintly heard Baizhu calling her.

“Fellow cultivator, who is your guardian?”

Dazed, Nü Hou mumbled, “Shen—”

Then, her grand ambition stirred. Clutching Baizhu’s hand, she declared, “Yuhengzi. My father is Yuhengzi.”

The Taisu Valley disciples gasped. The Sword Immortal had a daughter?!

Baizhu quickly regained composure, ordering preparations for surgery. Hours later, he emerged, removing his mask to address Du Yizhou and Xue Ying.

“The surgery was successful. She’ll recover. But one thing puzzles me—who is Sword Immortal Yuhengzi’s partner?”

Xue Ying was baffled. “My master never married.”

Under their questioning stares, she genuinely had no idea. “Ten years ago, Master left Taimen Sect to train. He returned alone and never spoke of romance.”

Baizhu understood—a love tribulation. No cultivator could escape it. A decade ago, Yuhengzi likely fell for a demoness, then regretted it, deeming her unworthy and killing her in a rage. Now, her daughter sought revenge, befriending his disciple to infiltrate the sect.

Given demonic traits, no one could’ve guessed this beauty was underage—or the depths of past grudges.

Baizhu sighed deeply. “Killing one’s wife to prove one’s Dao—truly befitting a Sword Immortal.”

Yuhengzi, how ruthless!