chapter 73

Don't hurt him. Don't leave him alone again.

Qu Lan Yue stood outside, holding an umbrella as she gazed at Jianhuan Tower.

She hadn't expected Qiu Yinong to succeed. She had long prepared to go in and rescue him herself. Yet, unexpectedly, the overwhelming demonic aura truly began to fade.

For the first time, she witnessed such a grand scene of a demon's demise.

For the first time, she saw a demon surrender without resistance.

The greatest demon king of Du'e City—just like that, without a sound, died in the silence of the night.

The dissipating demonic energy filled the heavens and the earth, its dense darkness nearly obscuring the blood moon.

Even the demons lurking in the shadows were stunned, watching the scene unfold.

No one could understand why Lu Cun Wang, the most powerful demon in the city aside from its lord, had willingly presented his heart before a life-bound sword, taking on the fragile form of a mortal cultivator.

Inside Jianhuan Tower, Qiu Yinong silently watched as Wen Xun's figure scattered into the void.

Her palm could still faintly feel the touch of his fingers—cold, as demons had no warmth.

A creature without even body heat had remained in his true form, waiting for her for ten years.

Qiu Yinong tucked the Hundred-Kill Register into her robes and awakened the power within her.

Zhan Yunwei's voice rang in her mind. "Don't move. Let me try sealing your soul remnants."

Qiu Yinong knew she still wanted to save her.

Her voice took on a lighthearted lilt, as if she had returned to the carefree days in the forbidden grounds.

"Miss Zhan, it's no use. My soul should have scattered ten years ago. It was your family's attic that sheltered me. I held on for this long with nothing but a single thought."

Zhan Yunwei knew Qiu Yinong's condition was beyond salvation.

She asked gently, "Then… do you want to go home?"

She knew Qiu Yinong and Wen Xun once had a home in Du'e City.

Even if she couldn't save her, she at least wanted to send Qiu Yinong home.

Qiu Yinong sniffed and said, "You're so kind. Thank you for your kindness. Did you know? I was born in a small village in the Spirit Realm—Baili Village. I wasn't some noble lady; my father, that wretched man, only brought me back when I was sixteen, just to uphold Qiu Jingshu's reputation."

She sat cross-legged, preparing to return her spiritual body to Zhan Yunwei.

A dying person has things they must say, or they will be buried forever.

"The next year, I married Wen Xun and became his Dao companion. He was a good person. He hated me to his core, yet he never hurt me. In the beginning, he was gravely wounded and was always at my mercy."

Zhan Yunwei didn't know how to comfort her. She could only listen in silence, feeling Qiu Yinong's spirit fade away.

"That year, Wen Xun lost his spiritual core. He also lost Qiu Jingshu. He had no reason to live. It was always me who forced him, forced him to keep going. Even after he turned into a demon, it was me who deceived him—telling him that Qiu Jingshu would come see him."

"But I knew… she would never come. Maybe Wen Xun knew too. That's why he always called me a cunning liar." Qiu Yinong murmured, "And even now, I'm still lying to him—telling him I'll take him home."

"He believed me." Her voice trembled. "That's why he died by my hand."

She paused for a moment, choking up.

"But… where do we even have a home anymore?"

Yongning County in the Spirit Realm was never their home.

The residence in Du'e City had long faded from memory.

Their final destination was to return to the heavens, to return to dust.

Zhan Yunwei felt Qiu Yinong's soul detach from her body and completely dissipate.

"Miss Zhan… if only there were no demons in this world."

If that were the case—

Even without a spiritual core, she could have taken Wen Xun back to Baili Village.

And they could have lived out their days in peace.

Zhan Yunwei reached out but could not grasp Qiu Yinong's soul. She could only sense her fading into nothingness.

A deep sorrow filled her heart.

No matter how much Wen Xun had loved Qiu Yinong—

It was already too late.

But now was not the time for grief.

Zhan Yunwei forced her spiritual consciousness to merge with her body.

Outside, a fierce wind howled, rattling the windows of Jianhuan Tower.

She knew—now that Du'e City's strongest demon king was dead, all the hidden demons would soon emerge.

And she, holding the Hundred-Kill Register, was now a prime target.

Zhan Yunwei could only pray that her spirit and body would merge faster, giving her the strength to protect herself.

She had lost control of her physical body for too long. Now, even her consciousness felt faintly unstable.

In an instant, the entire Jianhuan Tower was surrounded by demons.

It had become a true ghost lair.

Moments later, her soul and body fused.

Zhan Yunwei opened her eyes.

A strange place lay before her, and a flicker of confusion flashed through her gaze.

Something hard pressed against her chest.

She reached inside and pulled it out—

A pitch-black artifact, placed carefully in her robes.

She didn't recognize the Hundred-Kill Register, but instinctively, she knew it was important.

Without hesitation, she clutched it tightly and evaded the demons trying to snatch it from her.

Outside, Qu Lan Yue held off most of the demons.

But when she turned back, she saw Zhan Yunwei disappearing beneath the blood moon, taking the Hundred-Kill Register with her.

Even Qu Lan Yue, who prided herself on her intelligence, was momentarily dumbfounded.

Zhan Yunwei fled Jianhuan Tower, concealing her presence while trying to make sense of her situation.

How had she suddenly ended up in Du'e City?

And why were all the demons hunting her down?

Behind her, demons of all sizes swarmed like a tide, nearly swallowing her whole.

Could it be that Yue Zhiheng, out of spite, had exiled her here as a cruel joke?

It wasn't entirely impossible.

After all, this was the third year of their marriage.

Last year, Yue Zhiheng failed to retrieve the Hundred-Kill Register and was severely punished by the Spirit Emperor.

After enduring the agony of soul-devouring pain, he had resumed slaughtering the corrupted mortals.

She found it frustrating—evil men seemed to live forever.

Why hadn't the pain just killed him?

This year, he had returned to the Yue Manor even less frequently.

He had almost completely moved into the Che Tian Palace.

They had not shared a room for over a year.

Theirs was now a marriage in name only—frosted over with utter indifference.

Once there was any movement, this ruthless imperial hound would always know immediately, as if some extraordinary eye had been installed upon her.

Over the past three years, Pei Yuqing had attempted multiple times to rescue her, but each time, before even arriving, he was ambushed by the Black Armored Guards and Chetian Manor, resulting in heavy losses for the immortal sects.

Day after day, Zhan Yunwei cursed Yue Zhiheng in her heart. He was clearly never by her side, yet he knew everything.

As time passed, she began to feel that something was wrong.

Finally, after much effort, she discovered that Yue Zhiheng had an unfair advantage—he had created the Mirror of the World, watching coldly like a cat toying with a mouse as Pei Yuqing came to rescue her.

"…Fine, fine, fine."

So, on this year's New Year's Eve, when Yue Zhiheng returned to the manor, Zhan Yunwei decided to destroy that wretched Mirror of the World first.

Normally, he carried it on him, and with the Spirit Confining Bracelet on her wrist, snatching it away was nearly impossible.

But it wasn't completely hopeless.

She had observed him for a long time and discovered that every three months, Yue Zhiheng would visit the Moonwatching Pool in the rear mountain.

After soaking in its waters, he would always be slightly weakened. It was a secret of his—strange and mysterious.

Since she couldn't use spiritual power, she spent several months using the ground as a talisman paper and her own blood as cinnabar to draw a binding spell within the pool.

At first, she was cautious, afraid that Yue Zhiheng would see her scheming through the Mirror of the World. But after a few tests, she found that he only used it to track the movements of the immortal sects—he didn't bother watching her daily activities at all.

Zhan Yunwei was relieved. If she succeeded, she could destroy the Mirror of the World, and there would be hope.

The Yue family's New Year's Eve was always cold and desolate. After the mute girl's death, the second branch still observed the holiday, but when Yue Zhiheng returned, even the food had to be remade.

—Zhan Yunwei would never order anyone to prepare dinner for him.

Yue Zhiheng had caused so much harm to Pei Yuqing and the immortal sects. She loathed him, and after several arguments, he had started taking his meals in the study instead.

That night, after he finished eating, he headed to the rear mountain.

Zhan Yunwei waited a while before sneaking after him.

The moonlight was like satin, and from a distance, she saw a faint white glow around the Moonwatching Pool.

She was overjoyed. The spell had worked! Without hesitation, she rushed to the poolside, not caring that Yue Zhiheng was unclothed.

She glanced at him—his face was pale, as if enduring some unbearable pain. His icy eyes stared coldly at her.

Strangely enough, after all these years of mixed emotions toward him, Zhan Yunwei had never really been afraid of him.

Her voice turned frosty: "What are you looking at?!"

She wasted no time arguing with him and went straight for his discarded clothes, searching for the Mirror of the World.

Tossing aside his outer robe and belt, she hesitated when she saw his undergarments, then scowled in disgust, using a fallen tree branch to pick them up and fling them away.

At first, Yue Zhiheng hadn't realized what she was trying to do.

But as he watched her rummage through his belongings, he finally understood—she was searching for the Mirror of the World.

He observed her coldly without speaking. Coincidentally, the Mirror of the World wasn't on him tonight—it was in Chetian Manor. If she could find it here, that would be impressive.

Seeing her wrinkle her nose in disdain and use a stick to move his underclothes as if they were filth, Yue Zhiheng's gaze darkened even further.

Zhan Yunwei, oblivious to his reaction, continued her search.

It was only when she found nothing that she realized the gravity of the situation.

Reluctantly, she turned back to the pool, using her tree branch like a sword, pointing it at him: "Where is the Mirror of the World?"

Yue Zhiheng closed his eyes, too weary to bother with her.

He would deal with her after he left.

The Ice Lotus Qi needed by the ghost soldiers was increasing, forcing him to visit the Moonwatching Pool once more to forcibly awaken his Ice Lotus Blood.

Time was short. The pool water corroded flesh like acid, the pain excruciating.

He had no interest in wasting time with Zhan Yunwei's little tricks.

If Pei Yuqing and the immortal sects still couldn't rescue her after all this time, that was their incompetence.

Her talisman was indeed strong enough to bind him. Yue Zhiheng hadn't expected her to accomplish such a feat without spiritual power—she was truly capable.

But when she saw that he ignored her, she lost her patience.

She didn't want to stay in the Yue Manor.

She didn't want to touch him.

She didn't want to see anything disgusting.

So she jabbed the tree branch at him, hard.

"Speak."

The stick poked his chest, his abdomen—he let out a muffled grunt, opening his eyes to glare at her.

"Take it away." His voice was low and frigid.

Zhan Yunwei didn't think anything of it. She assumed he was finally about to lose his temper and snapped back, "Give me the Mirror of the World, or else—"

"Or else what?" Yue Zhiheng sneered. "Kill me? Do you even have the ability?"

Zhan Yunwei reached into her robes and pulled out a handful of talismans, all drawn with her own blood on torn cloth.

The Master of Changyang Mountain was the greatest talisman master of his time, and she had learned much from her father. These spells, once cast into water, would make the target itch and burn unbearably.

She knew Yue Zhiheng wasn't afraid of pain, but no one could withstand the torment of soul-devouring itch.

One by one, the talismans dissolved into the water.

Yue Zhiheng watched her coldly, unmoved.

After a long silence, his voice took on a dangerous edge: "You'd best be prepared to endure my retaliation."

Zhan Yunwei pursed her lips.

They were already irreconcilable enemies.

She had made up her mind and had no fear of his threats.

But something was off—why weren't the talismans working?

Suspicious, she reached out, intending to test the pool water.

Yue Zhiheng's expression finally changed. His lips parted slightly as he snapped, "Don't touch it! I'll give you the Mirror of the World!"

Zhan Yunwei didn't understand.

Why wasn't he afraid of pain?

Why wasn't he afraid of her threats?

But he wouldn't let her touch this pool?

Still, she had achieved her goal.

Yue Zhiheng closed his eyes, suppressing his anger. "The Mirror of the World is in Chetian Manor. Send a message with a spirit bird—I'll have Chen Ye destroy it."

Everything was going smoothly.

But at midnight, just as she heard confirmation that Chen Ye had shattered the Mirror of the World, a terrible sense of foreboding crept over her.

The talisman had lost its effect. In the blink of an eye, Yue Zhiheng had already put on his robes and stood before her.

His lips were pale, and his pupils shimmered with a faint red hue. Beneath the moonlight, he looked like a vengeful ghost demanding retribution. He grabbed Zhan Yunwei and concealed the pain in his eyes with a cold smile. "Zhan Yunwei, you're quite something! I'll give you a chance to apologize."

She clenched her teeth. At this moment, her stubbornness flared stronger than ever—why should she apologize to the one who imprisoned her and slaughtered the innocent and the immortal sects?

She soon suffered the consequences.

Yue Zhiheng found the last two talismans on her, then tossed her into the pool. He made her stay in the water for as long as he had.

He said coldly, "You threw in thirty-six talismans. This is just two—endure it."

The talismans hadn't lost their effect after all. She was itching and in pain, but she refused to bow her head before him or show any weakness. No matter what, she didn't regret what she had done. Now that the Mirror of the World was gone, he could no longer anticipate her sect's movements in advance.

In the end, when Zhan Yunwei had nearly lost all strength, Yue Zhiheng finally had a servant pull her out.

He didn't touch her himself, as if even he found her repulsive.

That New Year's Eve, neither of them had a good time.

But there was one thing she couldn't figure out—what exactly was hidden in Moon-Watching Pool that Yue Zhiheng would rather destroy the Mirror of the World than let her touch its waters?

She returned once afterward, only to find that the pool was now surrounded by formations and sealed with barriers—there was no longer any chance of prying into its secrets.

After that incident, the tension between them only grew colder.

Not long after, news arrived about her father—the immortal sects were preparing yet another attempt to rescue the captive spirit masters.

Zhan Yunwei had learned of the plan early on and waited anxiously.

Surely, this time they would succeed?

But when she opened her eyes, she found herself in Duo'e City, surrounded by swarming fiends out for her blood. Clutched in her arms was a strange spirit tome, and the Spirit-Confining Bracelet on her wrist had vanished—her spiritual power now surged within her, boundless.

She couldn't help but suspect that Yue Zhiheng had discovered something and was deliberately manipulating her.

But something was clearly wrong.

The artifact in her arms was far too ominous—it made her a living target. Zhan Yunwei had no choice but to turn her gaze toward the Dark River.

She had already noticed that the fiends seemed to fear this river.

With no other option—and with even a Ghoul King in pursuit—Zhan Yunwei leaped into the river before she could be swallowed by the horde.

A strange sense of familiarity washed over her as she plunged into the waters.

Countless figures had once chased after her like this before—but back then, hadn't she been protecting someone?

Yet, she had no memory of such an event. And now, there was no boy in sight who needed her protection.

The river burned her eyes with searing pain.

Zhan Yunwei endured it and carried the Hundred-Kill Tome toward the spiritual domain—she knew she had to escape first.

The fiends feared the Dark River, but the Ghoul Kings did not.

Two newly-formed Ghoul Kings pursued her relentlessly, forcing her to turn back and fight them in the river's depths.

Fortunately, her mastery of spirit control had advanced by leaps and bounds. Countless white lights flared like stars, illuminating the waters.

Moments later, the Ghoul Kings dissipated—but Zhan Yunwei had exhausted her strength. She could no longer move, no longer even float. Slowly, she began sinking toward the riverbed.

It was over.

She would likely go blind from this. Maybe even die here.

She stared with wide eyes at the suffocating darkness of the Dark River. The blood moon above was almost entirely out of sight. Beneath her, the riverbed was grotesque and putrid, a stench so vile it was unbearable.

She must look utterly filthy and wretched right now. And no one would ever know she had died here.

Just as tears nearly spilled from her stinging eyes—

She suddenly saw someone approaching.

A figure she knew all too well.

Over the years, she had cursed him countless times in her heart, taken pleasure in his suffering.

Now, an unsettling fear crept into her chest.

Had he come to kill her?

If he finished her off here, he would never again have to obey the Spirit Emperor's orders and guard this nuisance.

But instead, he waded through the violent river currents and found her, buried deep in the riverbed's silt.

She had drained her spirit power slaying the Ghoul Kings and was now utterly immobile.

She could only stare at him, waiting to see how he would kill her.

Yet, she fell into an ice-cold embrace.

He held her up, trying to carry her back to the surface.

She should have hated him, should have been terrified.

But instead, an inexplicable wave of sorrow and relief welled up inside her.

His body was covered in sword wounds—she recognized them as Senior Brother Pei's handiwork.

He held her without a word. Both of them remained silent.

He did not immediately kill her.

Zhan Yunwei found his behavior utterly contradictory. He seemed to be saving her, yet his expression was frigid, restrained, devoid of any warmth.

Blood from Yue Zhiheng's wounds spread in the Dark River, mingling with the filth.

She must be disgusting right now, soaked in the river's stench.

But the man carrying her in one arm showed no sign of distaste.

At last, she glimpsed the blood moon again.

After a long while, they reached the riverbank.

The smell of the riverbed's sludge nearly choked her.

Yue Zhiheng wordlessly reached out and took the Hundred-Kill Tome from her arms.

Zhan Yunwei's eyes burned with fury. "Give it back."

Yue Zhiheng lowered his gaze coldly.

He had already noticed something was wrong with her.

In truth, he was well aware of the side effects of borrowing a spirit body.

Yue Zhiheng didn't know exactly which point in time her memory had reverted to, but the way she looked at him now—there was no joy in her eyes anymore.

That was fine.

Now, he would never have to worry about her returning.

She sat up, as if instinctively knowing the Hundred-Kill Tome was important. She clutched at his robes. "Give it back, Yue Zhiheng!"

He pulled his sleeve free and no longer looked at her, as if the only reason he had fished her from the river was to take the tome.

Just then, a figure emerged from the Dark River, sword aura slashing straight for Yue Zhiheng.

Zhan Yunwei's eyes lit up with joy when she saw who it was.

She called out eagerly, "Senior Brother Pei!"

Yue Zhiheng paused.

He had seen that look in her eyes before—when she was younger, whenever she was with Pei Yujing.

It was the same expression.

He blocked the incoming sword aura with an ice shard and spoke coldly, "You just won't stay dead, will you?"

In truth, Pei Yujing had been searching for Zhan Yunwei ever since she jumped into the Dark River.

He had only arrived a moment too late.

Hearing Zhan Yunwei's bright, joyous call of "Senior Brother Pei," Pei Yujing momentarily fell into a daze.

How long had it been since she last called him that?

It almost gave him the illusion that the shattered fragments of the past had been pieced back together. So much so that when Yue Zhiheng's ice spike came straight at him, he was momentarily frozen in place, afraid that everything before him was just a dream.

Zhan Yunwei had been watching them. Seeing the ice spike about to pierce Pei Yuqing's dantian, she was shocked and instinctively raised her hand to stop it.

Threads of spiritual energy coiled from her palm. Yue Zhiheng, his back to her, was struck through the shoulder by her power, and the ice spike was blocked.

Zhan Yunwei hadn't expected this—hadn't expected Yue Zhiheng to be unguarded against her.

For three years as cultivation partners, he had always opposed her at every turn, wary of her every move. In the past, even the slightest action from her would have put him on high alert.

She stiffly withdrew her hand, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, as though she had done something wrong.

The ice spike fell from Yue Zhiheng's grasp. A moment later, he finally lowered his gaze to the wound on his shoulder, his expression difficult to read. His eyes were cold and distant.

Pei Yuqing snapped back to reality and raised his sword.

Both of them were cultivators with nine spiritual veins, and Yue Zhiheng was not weaker than Pei Yuqing. But tonight, he had stayed in the dark river for too long, accumulating new wounds.

Soon, he showed signs of defeat.

Yet they were only a few steps from the Spirit Domain, and when Zhan Yunwei looked up, she caught sight of the imperial army's black-armored guards. Leading them was none other than the Crown Prince himself.

She realized that he was here to claim credit.

Whether he killed Pei Yuqing, killed Yue Zhiheng, or seized the ominous artifact that made her uneasy, it would all be to his advantage.

Zhan Yunwei called out, "Senior Brother, we have to go! The black-armored guards are here!"

Pei Yuqing knew he couldn't afford to prolong the fight, but he also couldn't let the Baisha Lu fall into the hands of the dynasty.

Yue Zhiheng's gaze flickered. The two clashed again, and the Baisha Lu cracked open, its pieces falling into the dark river.

The black-armored guards joined the battle. Surrounded by so many opponents, Pei Yuqing, already wounded, found himself in grave danger. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, accompanied by skilled formation masters, shouted excitedly, "Trap him!"

One formation after another lit up, and Yue Zhiheng watched coldly as Pei Yuqing's injuries worsened.

Zhan Yunwei knew they had to escape. Gritting her teeth, she pushed her spiritual core to its limit, sending waves of pain through her body. A chessboard pattern spread beneath her feet, momentarily dulling the senses of everyone present.

Yue Zhiheng was not within the pieces of her board. He merely stood there, silently watching as she exhausted herself to save Pei Yuqing. The wound she had given him still throbbed with pain.

Perhaps it had been foretold long ago—the Soulmate Fate Stone had never glowed.

It lasted only a moment, but it was enough for Pei Yuqing. Blood staining his lips, he soared into the sky on his sword and extended his hand to her. "Yangyang."

Zhan Yunwei took his hand.

She had waited day and night for this moment.

Yet for some reason, just before they left, she instinctively looked back.

That man stood beneath the blood-red moon, looking at her.

Three years as cultivation partners, forever scheming against each other—this was their true parting.

But she didn't feel happy. Yue Zhiheng was covered in wounds, and the deepest one had come from her.

The man behind her must have sensed something. He wrapped his arms around her, his voice trembling slightly as he whispered, "Yangyang, don't look at him. Don't look at him again. Let's go home."

For the first time, she heard Pei Yuqing's voice laced with a plea.

Yue Zhiheng was no longer in sight. All that remained were the black-armored guards giving chase.

She heard her own muffled response: "Mm."

This was right, wasn't it?

Yet her palm ached so fiercely it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

A voice within her protested, No. This isn't what you want.

She lowered her gaze, and for a brief moment, the pain in her palm seemed to tug at her heart.

Scarlet cinnabar markings surfaced on her skin, revealing delicate handwriting:

The Yue family are good people. No matter what happens, don't harm Yue Zhiheng.

Don't hurt him. Don't leave him alone.

The rain in the Spirit Domain grew heavier. Yue Zhiheng averted his gaze.

A year ago, he had never imagined he would one day clear the path for Zhan Yunwei and Pei Yuqing.

In his youth, he had mocked the tragic lovers trapped beneath Jiusi Ravine. Even now, he still looked down on Pei Yuqing.

Zhan Yunwei had always had poor taste.

But he wanted her to live.

To live, no matter who she was with.

If one day he died, then he would simply pretend he never knew.

Sometimes, Yue Zhiheng resented the unfairness of fate. If someone had to be sacrificed, why did it have to be him?

If someone had to be with Zhan Yunwei, why couldn't it be him?

But in truth, he had already been given much in this life.

His world had been painted with color at sixteen. He had learned to read and write. He had been granted a bed of silk and a roof over his head.

The only thing never meant for him was a wife, a child, or a companion. He would walk this road alone.

He recalled Zhan Yunwei's panicked, incredulous expression. He knew she hadn't meant to hurt him. In that moment, she hadn't intended to attack.

Even with her memory fractured, her soul unsteady, she had still looked at him with guilt and helplessness.

Yue Zhiheng thought to himself, It's enough. What more could I ask for?

A mere sliver of Miss Zhan's affection was enough to last him until death.

The Crown Prince roared at his guards to continue their pursuit of the sword cultivator his father loathed the most. "They're both injured! They won't get far! Kill Pei Yuqing tonight!"

But he never expected that the blade piercing his heart would come from behind.

This year, the Spirit Emperor was set to name his heir.

The Crown Prince, eager to prove himself, was far less composed than the Second Prince. His ambitions swelled further after his wife became pregnant a few days prior.

Desperate to secure his father's favor, he had rushed to claim this achievement.

As he fell, a hollow laugh escaped his lips, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Yue Zhiheng watched coldly. What Wen Xun failed to do, he could do just the same.

The storm raged on as Yue Zhiheng retracted his ice spike. He stepped forward, standing between the remaining soldiers and their targets.

"If you've come this far," he said icily, "you may as well stay."

Let this be the last thing he did for this ill-fated bond.