chapter 65

The next time he saw her, he would still feel joy and a flutter in his heart.

The moon hung high in the sky as Zhan Yunwei walked along the lakeside path. She had no intention of directly confronting the Evil King yet, so she had left the box well in advance.

Zhan Yunwei knew that Pei Yujing was probably looking for her. After changing into the disciple's clothes, she was about to go find her senior brother when she unexpectedly ran into Gui Deng, who was on night patrol.

He passed by her, his face cold and indifferent, holding a black cat in his hand.

Zhan Yunwei guessed from his attire that he was an important figure within the estate. Imitating the disciples, she gave him a greeting. Gui Deng ignored her and walked past, heading toward the pavilion by the lake.

Zhan Yunwei glanced back and saw, from a distance, a seductive woman sitting in the pavilion, smiling as she watched Gui Deng and the cat he was carrying.

After observing for a while, Zhan Yunwei realized that the woman was also a minor Evil King.

In Duer City, there were few well-known Evil Kings, but many smaller Evil Kings who had just started to grow in power. After all, the long days in Duer City allowed them to consume many evil spirits, which helped their cultivation progress in layers.

It seemed like Gui Deng was helping the female evil spirit find a cat.

Zhan Yunwei was about to leave, but something about Gui Deng's back seemed familiar to her, so she stayed in place for a while longer.

Gui Deng handed over the cat and said, "Does the lady have any further instructions?"

The female Evil King, holding the black cat, scolded him slightly before her gaze fell upon Gui Deng.

Most evil spirits were proud, and this Evil King was no exception. Although she knew that Gui Deng held an important position in the estate, she didn't regard him as an equal.

"When will your master emerge?" she asked.

Gui Deng replied, "I'm not sure. Please wait a moment, my lady."

The female Evil King narrowed her eyes, growing a little impatient. Yet, she didn't dare leave the estate recklessly, fearing Lu Cun King's retaliation. Since she couldn't settle the matter with Lu Cun King, she lifted her skirt and said to Gui Deng, "Come here."

Zhan Yunwei hadn't expected to witness this scene. She knew that ordinary evil spirits didn't have desires, but Evil Kings were different—otherwise, there wouldn't be so many unfortunate spiritual practitioners.

However, seeing it with her own eyes was a first for her.

From this distance, she could see the faint blue and white tint of the Evil King's legs, which appeared almost dazzlingly white under the blood moon.

If it were in the past, she might not have understood what the Evil King intended to do. However, thinking back to that morning and what happened with Yue Zhiheng, she couldn't help but understand.

Feeling somewhat awkward, she realized that Gui Deng seemed not to understand at all.

Gui Deng made no move, nor did he look at the exposed legs of the Evil King. His expression was indifferent, his tone unchanged: "Gui Deng takes his leave."

The female Evil King narrowed her eyes. Her first reaction wasn't to think that Gui Deng would refuse her; she assumed that he wasn't at the cultivation level of an Evil King, being unfeeling and unable to understand her intentions. This kind of situation wasn't uncommon, but using Lu Cun King's people made it even more exciting for her.

"Stop. Don't tell me you can't do it?" she demanded.

Gui Deng didn't turn around, his face still unchanged. He said, "Mm."

The female Evil King smiled. "It's fine. I can tell you're almost at the Evil King level. Come here, and I'll show you how to do it."

Gui Deng's tone remained flat. "Please wait a moment, my lady. I'll bring a disciple."

The female Evil King finally realized she had been tricked, and her face changed with anger. "You refuse to drink the wine offered and want to drink the punishment wine instead. I'll give you one last chance, or don't blame me for being rude."

Gui Deng paused for a moment, then turned and walked toward her.

The female Evil King sneered, already planning how to torment him. However, before she could act, she felt a tightening around her neck.

The blood moon reflected on the lake's surface. The female Evil King tried to struggle, but found she couldn't free herself from the restraining spiritual tool around her neck.

She never understood how everything had happened.

Zhan Yunwei, standing on the opposite shore of the lake, was stunned. She had seen Gui Deng's compromise and thought he was about to leave. After all, she wasn't interested in watching such things unfold.

Her expression was complex as she stood still, already suspecting who the familiar figure was.

Soon, the female Evil King dissipated into evil energy.

Gui Deng walked toward Zhan Yunwei slowly and stopped in front of her. His expression was calm, as though he hadn't just killed someone, but had merely taken a walk after dinner.

"Have you seen enough, Miss Zhan?"

This was the first time she heard these words from his lips in such a cold tone. Although he had addressed her as Miss Zhan before, it had never sounded so unfamiliar.

This was the first time she had seen Yue Zhiheng since Yue Qingluo's death.

Logically, she knew that Yue Zhiheng might resent her, even take his anger out on her. He certainly seemed that way, but perhaps it was the absurdity of the Evil King's actions that made her unexpectedly recall memories she shouldn't have.

She still felt that Yue Zhiheng couldn't possibly hate her that much, and the atmosphere between them didn't seem as suffocating as she had anticipated.

With that thought, she took a deep breath, lowered her head, and took out the letter from Yue Qingluo. "Sister Qingluo's death wasn't my intention. Yue Zhiheng, can you forgive me?"

"…." Yue Zhiheng stared at her with a neutral expression.

He naturally knew it had nothing to do with her and had never blamed her. In fact, because of Zhan Yunwei, Yue Qingluo had not truly disappeared into oblivion. When he saw Pei Yujing leaving the gathering, Yue Zhiheng had already guessed that Zhan Yunwei had also arrived.

If Zhan Yunwei hadn't lowered her head to retrieve the letter, she would have noticed that Yue Zhiheng had been looking at her the entire time without hiding it.

The blood moon cast its light everywhere, and Yue Zhiheng understood that from now on, every glance would be fewer than the last.

He noticed that Miss Zhan had improved significantly. The letter from Yue Qingluo had indeed been useful; her eyes had regained their brightness, and her complexion was much better than the day before. It seemed that the immortal sect had taken good care of her wounds.

He stared at the letter in front of him. The skin on the young woman's hands was still slightly pale, probably from the injuries she had sustained to her spirit's core. He couldn't ask her if it still hurt or if she still felt unwell.

Despite the softening within her chest, Zhan Yunwei knew she could no longer return to the dynasty. The road ahead wasn't as simple as living and dying together. It wasn't something that could be accomplished just by sheer numbers. In such a deadly situation, countless lives wouldn't be enough to fill the void. He knew Zhan Yunwei was not afraid of sacrifice, but one couldn't sacrifice oneself for nothing.

If there was a prosperous future and the prophecy came true, that would be the place where Miss Zhan was needed.

Yue Zhiheng reached out to take her letter, unfolded it, and unsurprisingly found it blank.

Zhan Yunwei: "..." She almost immediately understood that Yue Qingluo had used Yue Zhiheng's ink—the ink he used for his writings. For confidentiality, it often vanished soon after being read.

She couldn't help but glance at Yue Zhiheng's expression, wondering whether her explanation would convince him, or if he would believe her.

Soon, Yue Zhiheng gave her an answer. He crushed the letter and smiled.

To be honest, the smile on Gui Deng's face, in the night, was rather eerie.

He spoke, "Someone, arrest the assassin."

As Zhan Yunwei heard sounds coming from all directions, and felt the approaching evil energy of the spirits, she couldn't help but look up at Yue Zhiheng. She couldn't be caught by the evil spirits. She had no choice but to leave.

After a long pause, she turned around, and he was coldly watching her beneath the blood moon.

There was no sign of joy or anger, no trace of sadness or happiness.

Did he truly not trust her? Did he even hate her because of it?

Yue Zhiheng watched her presence fade before he withdrew his gaze. All along, he had never told Zhan Yunwei that he loved her. In the past, he feared appearing ridiculous by seeking an unequal response, but now, he was relieved.

Relieved that she didn't know, that there was still a reason to believe that he might eventually turn against her.

Never look back again, Miss Zhan.

He knew that when he saw her again, he would still feel joy and a fluttering heart. But he also knew that one day, the pity he had for her would fade into the wind.

Pei Yujing hadn't expected that, in just a short while, Zhan Yunwei would be chased by a horde of evil spirits.

The two of them had barely managed to change identities to escape the spirits.

"What happened?"

Zhan Yunwei took a breath. "I saw Master Yue. He is that Gui Deng."

Pei Yujing also seemed to have an inkling. "Did he order people to capture you?"

Zhan Yunwei was frustrated. She had always known that Yue Zhiheng didn't play by the rules, but it was the first time she had seen him turn so suddenly. Yue Zhiheng didn't trust her, and that moment of misunderstanding did make her a little angry.

If she didn't have her memories of the past life, she might have thought this person was hopeless, stubbornly seeking the Emperor of Spirits for the Hundred Deaths Spirit.

But she knew Yue Zhiheng's eventual fate—he died in that winter, in the battle against the Emperor of Spirits.

Along with countless soldiers of the dead, the entire Yue family met a tragic end.

She also understood how painful it was to extract a spiritual core, but Yue Zhiheng still left the spiritual core for her.

Even in her past life, Yue Zhiheng had been like that—would the current Yue Zhiheng really distrust her, or even vent his anger on her because of a misunderstanding?

After a moment of reflection, she took out a stone from her pocket. It was something she had picked up that day by the cold pool. "Senior Brother Pei, do you know what this is?"

Pei Yujing wasn't a tool cultivator, and the stone didn't seem to be something from the past hundred years. He shook his head.

Zhan Yunwei put it away, knowing that some things could be slowly verified.

Her thoughts turned, and no matter what Yue Zhiheng thought, it didn't stop her from doing what she wanted to do. All she hoped for was that, in the future, Yue Zhiheng wouldn't regret it.

The urgent task now was to find the Hundred Deaths Spirit.

Since there were many Evil Kings in the estate, Zhan Yunwei didn't dare to rashly unleash her spiritual power.

Such an important thing would either be beside the Evil Kings or sealed away. The worst-case scenario would be if the Hundred Deaths Spirit were in their hands.

Pei Yujing clearly considered the possibility as well, his face serious.

If the Hundred Deaths Spirit really was in their hands, today would not be the best time to act. The two of them arrived at the front yard, and Zhan Yunwei looked around at the increasing number of Evil Kings and spirits in the estate. "It seems like half of Duer City's Evil Kings have come to offer tribute?"

Pei Yujing hadn't expected that, in just a short while, more and more people had arrived, yet the master of the estate still hadn't appeared.

As the blood moon rose to its peak, Yue Zhiheng, wearing the guise of Gui Deng, stood behind the main seat, and someone finally announced.

"Lord Lu Cun has arrived."

The blood-red lanterns in the estate swayed, and it felt as though countless shadows were gathering on the ground, finally converging on the main seat, forming a towering, monstrous figure.

The dark energy seemed to cover the sky, and Zhan Yunwei felt a chill run down her spine for a moment.

How many evil spirits must this Evil King have consumed to become such a figure?

The disciples below were filled with both reverence and fear, kneeling on the ground, not daring to raise their heads. The Evil Kings had their own ambitions, coveting the power that lay on the main seat.

Gradually, as the lanterns stopped swaying, the figure on the main seat began to take shape.

The monstrous figure disappeared.

It turned around, and in its place was a handsome, elegant young man. Yue Zhiheng lowered his gaze, seemingly unsurprised.

The man sat down on the main seat, smiling as he asked, "Is everyone here?"

Yue Zhiheng answered in Gui Deng's voice, "Yes."

Zhan Yunwei, hidden among the crowd, looked up. When she finally saw the figure on the main seat, she was stunned.

No matter how much she had guessed, she never imagined that the greatest evil spirit in Duer City, the feared Lu Cun King, would be Wen Xun!

Eighteen years ago, she had seen him in Yue Zhiheng's mirage—a man who had fallen into evil but whose sword, like moonlight, still shone brightly.