Chapter 5:

Although Mu Xuanling had been in the Demon Realm for many years, she was well aware of the general situation of the five major sects of the Immortal Alliance. Originally, the Immortal Alliance consisted not only of five sects but was formed by hundreds of large and small cultivation sects. For thousands of years, countless cultivators occupied various blessed lands, established sects, and recruited disciples. Eventually, smaller sects either died out due to lack of successors or were absorbed by larger sects. The five remaining sects were: the Snow City in the West, Mirror Flower Valley in the South, Azure Heaven Palace in the Central Continent, the Hanging Heaven Temple in the North, and Ling Ju Island in the East.

Actually, ten years ago, the Immortal Alliance had seven sects. However, one sect lost its successors and became an ordinary martial sect, while the other was tragically annihilated. The sole survivor from that sect was Gao Qiumin, the orphan of the Mingyue Manor.

The Mingyue Manor had originally held an extraordinary status within the Immortal Alliance because it housed a primordial treasure—the Chaos Pearl.

According to legend, in the primordial era, the universe was a chaotic void until Pangu wielded his Ax of Creation to shatter it. The chaotic energy split into clear and turbid energies, forming the Divine Realm above and the Six Paths below. However, the chaotic power did not vanish entirely. It evolved into two treasures. One ascended to the Divine Realm and was named the Book of Fate, while the other descended into the human world and was named the Chaos Pearl. The Chaos Pearl passed through many hands in the human world before finally coming into the possession of the Mingyue Manor, which became its generations-long guardians, protected by the pearl itself.

It was said that the Chaos Power defied the laws of strength and weakness, and could even reverse time and alter causality. Yet no one had ever used the Chaos Pearl, nor dared to risk seizing it from the Mingyue Manor.

However, the demonic and beast clans did exactly that.

Seven years ago, the beast and demon clans joined forces and, at a great cost, broke through the barrier of the Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation. The high priest Sang Qi personally led a night raid on the Mingyue Manor. In one night, the entire manor was wiped out, its blood flowing like a river, and the Chaos Pearl vanished without a trace. Some believed it fell into the Demon Realm, while others secretly whispered that it was now in the hands of Xie Xuechen.

By a great coincidence, on the night the Mingyue Manor was destroyed, Xie Xuechen happened to be passing by and rescued Gao Qiumin, but he himself was gravely wounded, nearly losing all his cultivation. Yet within less than a month, Xie Xuechen not only recovered his cultivation but also, on the brink of death, comprehended the unparalleled martial technique of the era—the Jade Gate Sutra. The lower world was filled with turbid energy, making cultivation difficult for mortals. However, the Jade Gate technique could reverse yin and yang, transforming turbid energy into pure energy, allowing rapid progress in cultivation. Thus, Xie Xuechen became the youngest cultivator in human history to reach the Dharma Body stage, his sword cold and bright, leaving the Nine Provinces trembling in awe.

After the fall of the Mingyue Manor, Gao Qiumin was taken in by the leader of Mirror Flower Valley and taught everything the valley had to offer. The current leader of Mirror Flower Valley, Su Ningzhen, was the twin sister of Gao Qiumin’s mother. Their relationship was not only that of master and disciple but also bound by blood. Su Ningzhen had once expressed in the Immortal Alliance her sentiment: to repay Master Xie for saving her life, Gao Qiumin would willingly marry him.

Xie Xuechen never responded, and many people assumed he had silently agreed.

But now Mu Xuanling realized that Xie Xuechen didn’t even know Gao Qiumin.

Xie Xuechen was a swordsman devoted to the sword path, with few desires and little interest in worldly matters. Apart from the sword, very little could catch his attention or stir his heart.

Well, now Mu Xuanling was one exception.

Clearly, Xie Xuechen was quite angered. No matter how Mu Xuanling threatened or tempted him, this time he was firmly unwilling to yield. Mu Xuanling lay on the bed, chin resting in her hand, watching Xie Xuechen. Xie Xuechen sat cross-legged beside her, fully clothed, eyes closed in meditation, trying to steady his Dao heart.

Mu Xuanling lazily sprawled, her little feet dangling and playfully swinging back and forth, producing a series of crisp bell chimes. She softly hummed a tune, the lyrics indistinct, but the melody was lively and cheerful.

“Master Xie’s heart is beating rather fast,” Mu Xuanling said with a mischievous smile, “and all because of me.”

Xie Xuechen ignored her, silently reciting the Jade Gate Sutra.

By midnight, the outside world was quiet, and the lamp oil in the room burned out, the last flickering flame unwillingly extinguishing.

Suddenly, a faint sound came from inside the room. In the darkness, a shadow the size of a palm darted swiftly across, heading toward the girl lying on the bed. The seemingly sleeping girl slowly turned over, just in time to trap the shadow in her arm.

“You again, Treasure-sniffing rat,” Mu Xuanling whispered with a grin. “After escaping, why come back?”

The Treasure-sniffing rat seemed a bit dazed, poking its short, round nose against Mu Xuanling’s body, its fluffy round body trembling like a ball of fur.

“Did you sense a treasure on me?” Mu Xuanling extended her finger to poke the rat’s chubby body.

“Big sister…” the Treasure-sniffing rat suddenly spoke in a human voice, its childish tone like that of a five or six-year-old child.

Mu Xuanling was startled, leaning closer to examine it curiously. “You can talk?”

The rat nodded. “A… little…”

Mu Xuanling suddenly realized. “You’re half-demon? Your father is human?”

The rat nodded again.

“No wonder you were afraid to speak before,” Mu Xuanling sighed, cradling it in her palm. “If they knew you were half-demon, you’d be in serious trouble.”

The timid Treasure-sniffing rat shivered at the memory of the four cultivators.

In the lower world, the human race was strong while the demon race was weak. Some demons, forced by survival, had to submit to humans—either becoming spirit beasts for cultivation sects or going to the Demon Appraisal Bureau to obtain a Demon Virtue Certificate, which bound them with seals that prevented them from killing or eating meat, lest they explode. Those unwilling to submit lived in the wild, hiding in remote areas, cultivating in secret. These unregistered demons weren’t necessarily evil, but human cultivators had an unwritten rule: encountering unregistered demons, regardless of good or evil, killing them was not a crime. Alternatively, they could be captured and enslaved.

Half-demons, neither fully human nor demon, were the lowest of the low. Born with innate cultivation, they lacked both the human spiritual cavity and the demon’s core, making advancement impossible and reproduction unattainable. Humans saw them as a disgrace and an error to be corrected. The only path for half-demons was to become demon slaves.

Since the Treasure-sniffing rat was a half-demon, its mother must have been a shape-shifting rat demon, and its father a human.

The Treasure-sniffing rat had an extremely sharp instinct. It sensed the presence of a treasure on Mu Xuanling, and also felt a familiar, comforting aura.

“Where are your parents?” Mu Xuanling asked softly.

The rat scratched Mu Xuanling’s hand with its tiny claws, struggling to form words. “Dad… left… Mom… at home…”

Mu Xuanling wasn’t sure what “left” meant, and the little rat might not fully understand it either.

“Should I take you home?”

As soon as Mu Xuanling asked, the rat blinked its round eyes, and large tears began to stream down.

“I… I lost all my treasures…”

“Uh…”

Mu Xuanling’s palm grew wet as the rat sobbed quietly, trying to suppress its cries, looking like a three-year-old who had lost his candy—heartbroken and pitiful.

“You don’t expect me to help you steal them back, do you?” Mu Xuanling said with a helpless smile. As she spoke, the room suddenly darkened. Xie Xuechen had silently approached the bed. Startled, the rat let out a “squeak!” and leapt forward, clinging to Mu Xuanling’s collar, its ears glowing.

Though Xie Xuechen had lost his powers, his aura remained formidable. The rat, guided by instinct, sensed the sharpness of a swordsman far beyond the previous four cultivators, and was naturally terrified.

Mu Xuanling gently stroked the trembling creature and smiled. “Don’t be afraid. He won’t hurt you.”

Xie Xuanling stood tall, frowning slightly. “This beast survives by theft. Though it doesn’t kill, it harms many. It should be handed over to the Demon Appraisal Bureau.”

“I didn’t steal anything…” the rat weakly protested, “they were all dad’s treasures…”

Mu Xuanling shielded the rat with one hand and leaned on the bed with the other, smiling sweetly at Xie Xuechen. “Don’t scare it, Master Xie. It’s just a child. A rat this small can’t possibly steal from others.”

The rat popped its little head out from Mu Xuanling’s hand, eyes glistening. “Mom said Dad was the richest cultivator in the world. All the treasures in our cave were his.”

Mu Xuanling paused slightly at those words—the richest cultivator in the world?

“What’s your father’s name?”

The rat blankly shook its head. “I don’t know. Dad is just Dad.”

“Beasts’ words cannot be fully trusted,” Xie Xuechen coldly said.

The richest sect in the world was the Azure Heaven Palace. The implication was that the rat’s father was the Palace Master himself—an absurd notion!

The rat shrank its neck, whispering, “I lost Dad’s treasures… I’m afraid to go home…”

Mu Xuanling gently stroked the rat’s soft fur, lowered her eyes for a moment, then smiled. “Then I’ll help you get them back!”

Xie Xuechen said, “I will stop you.”

Mu Xuanling pouted. “Master Xie, it was Gao Qiumin who acted unjustly, taking the rat’s treasures first. I’m helping it get them back—this is only fair!”

Xie Xuechen glanced at the rat coldly. “It is a demon.”

“So demons deserve to be robbed by cultivators?”

Xie Xuechen slightly furrowed his brow. “It is not a registered demon. According to the Alliance’s rules, not killing it is already mercy.”

Mu Xuanling sneered. “Master Xie, you are human, so you naturally side with humans. I am a demon, so I must stand up for demons! You think you’re right, but where is the wrong in what I do?”

Xie Xuechen, naturally a man of few words, could not match Mu Xuanling’s eloquence and was left speechless.

Mu Xuanling shielded the rat and, like a ghost, slipped past Xie Xuechen and reached the door in an instant.

Xie Xuechen couldn’t stop her and had no choice but to follow.

That night, four cultivators from Mirror Flower Valley were on watch in shifts. At this moment, two male cultivators were on the roof. Mu Xuanling, trained in demonic techniques, wielded ghostly skills. She lightly stamped her foot, and the jade-white bell on her ankle emitted a haunting chime, faint and mournful.

Xie Xuechen’s heart trembled slightly, but his cultivation was deep. Even without spiritual energy, he was not easily controlled by artifacts. However, the two on the roof were different. Their cultivation was shallow, and they were already tired. Mu Xuanling effortlessly ensnared their minds. Their eyes glazed over, like soulless statues, unaware of her landing before them.

Following the rat’s directions, Mu Xuanling took one artifact from each of the two cultivators and placed them in her spatial pouch. Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air. Mu Xuanling reacted swiftly, bending her waist backward to dodge. But the arrow, as if sentient, changed direction and pursued her again.

Mu Xuanling gracefully leapt from the roof, landing beside Xie Xuechen. She turned toward the arrow, hands forming a seal. A dark purple formation materialized from her palms, solid and real. The arrow shot into the formation and vanished.

Standing on the roof was a white-robed figure, cold-eyed and gazing down at Mu Xuanling.

“You two are definitely up to no good,” Gao Qiumin said coldly. “Demon cultivation techniques—you must be a half-demon or a demon. Your aura shows no trace of demonic energy, so you must have a high-grade artifact to conceal it, allowing you to evade my detection.”

The round-faced female cultivator beside her woke the two male cultivators and proudly said, “This demon cultivator is full of tricks, but fortunately Senior Gao is smart enough to see through their disguise. Hmph! A couple sharing a bed, yet no shoes under it—clearly a hasty cover-up.”

Mu Xuanling suddenly realized and sighed. “I should’ve known better. Next time, I’ll remember to take off my shoes before getting into bed.”

Xie Xuechen: “…”

As the round-faced girl spoke, Gao Qiumin took out a yellow talisman from her sleeve, recited an incantation, and the talisman burned without flame, turning into six sparks that flew into a hexagon, forming a six-pointed star formation beneath Mu Xuanling’s feet.

This was Mirror Flower Valley’s secret formation—the Six-Pointed Star Crushing Blossom Formation. As the formation activated, countless pink petals appeared in the air, like a dreamy rain of flowers. But Mu Xuanling had no time to admire it. The petals were actually condensed spiritual energy, each as sharp as a blade. When the formation’s controller infused it with power, the petals would become deadly weapons, slicing the trapped person into pieces, resulting in a rain of blood and petals.

Gao Qiumin coldly stared at Mu Xuanling. “Confess your identity. Who sent you to attack me and for what purpose?”

Mu Xuanling’s lips curled into a smile, though her eyes remained cold. She met Gao Qiumin’s gaze fearlessly and slowly said, “I’m just a cultivator who helps the helpless, standing up against four cultivators bullying a little child.”

The Treasure-sniffing rat trembled on Mu Xuanling’s shoulder, claws covering its head, not daring to look up, revealing two golden, shiny round ears.

Mu Xuanling scratched the rat’s head. “Coward. I should’ve thrown you out earlier.”

Gao Qiumin noticed the rat on Mu Xuanling’s shoulder and sneered. “So it’s about treasure after all. I originally intended to make this rat my spirit beast, but since it already has a master, I’ll have to kill both of you.”

“If your master were here, I’d show her some respect. You want to kill me?” Mu Xuanling chuckled, her gaze sharp and mocking. “You dare?”

Gao Qiumin’s temper flared. She pointed her sword, Autumn Water, at the formation. The pink petals in the air trembled slightly, then erupted with killing intent, spinning rapidly like a whirlwind, rushing toward Mu Xuanling like a storm.

Mu Xuanling was prepared. As soon as Gao Qiumin raised her sword, she bit her fingertip, drawing blood, and quickly drew a formation in the air. The formation glowed crimson, expanding from the size of a palm until it covered both Mu Xuanling and Xie Xuechen.

The delicate petals instantly withered and turned to ash upon touching the bloodlight, easily defeated by Mu Xuanling’s formation.

Gao Qiumin was shocked. Mirror Flower Valley’s formation was known for its deadly power, ranking among the Four Deadliest Kill Formations in the world. She had never failed with it before, yet now it was utterly crushed by Mu Xuanling.

Mu Xuanling smiled sweetly. “The strength of the Six-Pointed Star Crushing Blossom Formation depends on the cultivator’s spiritual power. If it were Su Ningzhen forming it, it would indeed rank among the Four Deadliest Kill Formations. But in your hands, it’s far inferior.”

Gao Qiumin had always been praised for her talent, treated like a rising star in Mirror Flower Valley. No one had ever spoken to her this way, especially not a demonic cultivator. Even Xie Xuechen, the greatest swordsman, had been driven to emotional instability by Mu Xuanling. Gao Qiumin’s face, though half-hidden behind a veil, was clearly flushed with anger.

Seeing the situation turn dire, the other three cultivators quickly said, “Senior Gao, this demon cultivator is extremely dangerous, likely a demon spy. We should notify our sect immediately!”

This was a way to save face for Gao Qiumin, an excuse to flee.

Mu Xuanling sneered. She clenched her fist, and the crimson demonic formation flared with intense light, swallowing the entire Crushing Blossom Formation. In an instant, she darted forward like a ghost, closing in on Gao Qiumin’s group.

Gao Qiumin immediately turned and fled the roof, leading her three companions in a panicked retreat.

Mu Xuanling caught up in a few breaths, but to her surprise, Xie Xuechen was just as fast. He blocked her path with a cold gleaming sword—one of the male cultivators’ swords left behind.

Mu Xuanling narrowed her eyes at Xie Xuechen. “You’re blocking me?”

Xie Xuechen coldly replied, “I won’t let you kill anyone.”

Mu Xuanling’s smile turned icy. She stomped her foot, and the bone bell emitted a piercing chime, like a sharp arrow slicing through the air. The three lower-cultivation cultivators instantly screamed in pain, clutching their ears and kneeling.

Gao Qiumin’s soul was also shaken, her steps faltering. In that brief hesitation, Mu Xuanling caught up.

With one hand, Mu Xuanling snatched Gao Qiumin’s spatial pouch and tucked it into her robe, staring at her mockingly like a cat toying with a mouse. Gao Qiumin, once so composed and proud, now showed only terror in her eyes.

Xie Xuechen stood in front of Gao Qiumin, sword raised, blocking Mu Xuanling’s hand. Though he couldn’t channel spiritual energy, his sword techniques were still peerless. His sword qi formed an impenetrable net. Mu Xuanling was slightly grazed on the cheek, but she dodged quickly, only losing a strand of hair.

Mu Xuanling stared at Xie Xuechen in shock and anger. “You actually used your blood as a sword!”

Unbeknownst to her, Xie Xuechen had cut his hand. The low-grade sword, now stained with the blood of a Dharma Body cultivator, radiated golden light, making it difficult for demons to approach. Even Mu Xuanling had to retreat slightly.

However, using blood as a sword further weakened Xie Xuechen’s already injured body. His pale lips grew even paler.

Xie Xuechen gazed at her and said softly, “You use blood to protect demons. I use blood to protect humans. Though our paths differ, we both have those we must protect.”

“You have no spiritual energy. Even with blood, I can defeat you a hundred ways,” Mu Xuanling stared at him, then suddenly pouted, feeling a deep ache in her heart. She murmured, “You’re just relying on me liking you, knowing I won’t hurt you.”

Xie Xuechen was stunned.