Chapter 8

A conversation may seem lighthearted, but when Yan Chaosheng casually mentioned the “Xiang Yao clan,” Su Lun’s face remained smiling while cold sweat nearly broke out on his back.

It was only after Yan Chaosheng left that Su Lun glanced around and touched his neck. Good, his head was still there.

Su Lun had followed Yan Chaosheng for hundreds of years and was considered his confidant, yet he never truly understood his master.

The fox clan was known for its cunning, and Su Lun was the most well-informed person in the Eight Wildernesses. However, what he knew about Yan Chaosheng was limited.

It is said that when Yan Chaosheng was young, he entered the Kong Sang Immortal Realm to learn the arts with his half-demon body. He had half human blood and half demon snake blood. At that time, everyone thought the demon snake’s blood was just from an ordinary demon snake.

Seven hundred years ago was very different from now. Back then, the Immortal Clan led, and the Demon Clan had no status, let alone the repulsive and slimy Snake Clan.

Mortals despised Yan Chaosheng, and the disciples of the Immortal Clan treated him as something filthy and despicable.

His path of cultivation was extremely difficult, and he even suffered the pain of soul extraction. Later, Yan Chaosheng betrayed his sect and burned his own body, and that night, the entire Kong Sang was leveled to ruins. Yan Chaosheng became the first demon ghost in the Eight Wildernesses, re-entering the path as a ghost cultivator.

A young ghost cultivator, he was exceptionally talented, advancing rapidly in just a few hundred years, eventually becoming the Demon Lord and unifying the two realms. No one remembered the once glorious Kong Sang Immortal Realm from hundreds of years ago; they only knew the now formidable Demon Lord.

However, Su Lun did not understand Yan Chaosheng’s origins, and the Xiang Yao clan from ancient times was a taboo secret of the Eight Wildernesses.

Some ancient clans had survived to the present, like noble bloodlines among mortals, inherently full of spiritual energy, admired and revered.

For instance, the Eastern Changliu, the Western Buzhou Mountain, the Northern Kunlun, and the Southern Kong Sang lineages.

These immortals, descended from ancient legacies, were born superior, with even the Heavenly Lord’s successor chosen from these clans. But few knew that a long time ago, the Xiang Yao clan, with immense spiritual energy, had once ruled over all immortals. They were kings of the immortal realm for generations, until their arrogance and cruelty led other ancient clans to join forces and annihilate them completely.

However, no one knew that the supposedly extinct Xiang Yao clan still had one last survivor—Yan Chaosheng, who possessed half Xiang Yao blood.

When Su Lun accidentally discovered Yan Chaosheng’s bloodline centuries ago, he broke out in a cold sweat and immediately knelt down.

Yan Chaosheng, sitting high on the demon throne, looked at the trembling Su Lun with great interest.

At that moment, his bloodline showed its true nature—cold, indifferent, and malicious.

Yan Chaosheng didn’t kill him; he only smiled and said, “It’s fine. Since it’s a secret, there must be a second person to know it and do justice to its dread. I’ll keep you alive; when the third person knows, that will be the day I take your life.”

He kept his word and never killed Su Lun. Knowing the Demon Lord’s secret, Su Lun understood he was on a pirate ship he couldn’t leave. Despite his cunning nature and dislike of being controlled, he had to set aside his crooked thoughts and faithfully serve Yan Chaosheng.

Today, he never expected that mentioning Liu Shuang would lead to this topic.

At that moment, Su Lun felt his head was on the verge of falling off.

Looking at the lush and splendid phoenix tree in the hall, Su Lun smiled bitterly. This was all he could do for the lady.

A lover’s heart is like iron, and a ruler’s mind is hard to fathom. Whether it’s fortune or disaster is uncertain.

Having endured the inferno of shame and torment, Yan Chaosheng could never be a gentle character.

What happens next depends on Liu Shuang’s fate.

On the other side, after parting with Su Lun, Yan Chaosheng walked into the Ruthlessness Hall. Inside, a bottomless white cold pool lay.

Everyone in the ghost realm believed the Ruthlessness Hall was his place for healing, so no one was allowed to enter. A hint of mockery flashed in Yan Chaosheng’s eyes as he sat down cross-legged and waved his hand, causing a gentle and beautiful soul to slowly float up from the cold pool.

But if an expert were present, they would immediately see that beneath her facade, her soul was filled with intense resentment, like a vengeful ghost.

The soul bowed and said softly, “Young master, if I’m not mistaken, did it rain ghost rain in the ghost realm last night?”

Yan Chaosheng replied, “Yes.”

The woman was overjoyed, her eyes shining with a peculiar light. She muttered in delight, “Wonderful. After waiting for ten thousand years, this day has finally come. In an ominous year, when the Eight Wildernesses are filled with the most malevolent energy, with the Heart of Huiling, the Xiang Yao clan can revive their ancient glory!”

She looked crazed and murmured obsessively, “We’ve waited for a hundred years. When will we retrieve the Heart of Huiling?”

Yan Chaosheng said, “It’s not time yet. The bloodline isn’t pure; the power of Huiling cannot be fully utilized. Wait until she passes this tribulation.”

The woman’s cheerful face twisted into a horrifying expression, blood slowly oozing from her seven orifices. She looked at Yan Chaosheng suspiciously and shrieked, “You always use this excuse to refuse to take the heart. After being with her for a hundred years, are you reluctant to do it?”

Yan Chaosheng narrowed his eyes and said, “Meng Ji, you are overstepping.”

The woman tried to discern something from his face, but his eyes were dark and cold, only showing anger at being defied and nothing else.

The woman returned to her gentle demeanor and said, “It’s Meng Ji’s fault. Meng Ji is just too eager for this day. There’s one last bottle of Ganlin Dew; feed it to her, and the Heart of Huiling will mature.”

Yan Chaosheng tapped the edge of the cold pool unhurriedly and said, “I know; there is no need to remind me repeatedly.”

The woman giggled and sank back into the cold pool.

Yan Chaosheng picked up a green jade bottle from the desk and walked out of the Ruthlessness Hall.

When he returned, Liu Shuang was squatting under the phoenix tree, examining how it “died and revived.”

She looked puzzled and, upon seeing him, hesitantly asked, “Husband, why can’t I sense any vitality from the phoenix tree?”

All living things, as long as they are alive, have a sense of vitality. The phoenix tree was more lush and beautiful than before, yet it was utterly lifeless.

Yan Chaosheng watched her for a moment and smiled.

“Perhaps the spiritual energy is different. After all, it was nurtured by ghostly energy.”

Liu Shuang nodded, understanding. She wasn’t unreasonable enough to demand a demon ghost produce immortal energy.

Yan Chaosheng said, “Come here.”

He held Liu Shuang as they sat on the swing. Since he had returned, the ghost phoenix butterflies didn’t dare come near. Chang Huan was usually not in the courtyard, leaving just the two of them in this space.

Liu Shuang asked, “Husband, what’s wrong?”

Yan Chaosheng didn’t reply, simply holding her tightly with his arm around her waist. Liu Shuang reached out to smooth the wrinkles between his brows, sensing something was off.

“Do you have something on your mind?”

Hearing this, Yan Chaosheng responded calmly, “No.”

He gazed at Liu Shuang in his arms. She had been so heartbroken yesterday, but now, having been comforted, she was bright and cheerful again.

Her eyes were filled with warmth and affection, like spring flowers blooming in the third lunar month, making it hard not to be infected by her happiness.

He smiled and took out a green jade porcelain bottle from his pocket. The earlier gloomy mood seemed like just a figment of Liu Shuang’s imagination.

Liu Shuang glanced at the green jade bottle in his hand, took it, and opened it. As she was about to drink, her hand stopped.

She looked up to see Yan Chaosheng’s obscured eyes. He said, “Why are you drinking it so eagerly? Aren’t you afraid of the pain?”

Liu Shuang felt embarrassed. “A little scared, but I can’t always let you comfort me.”

Every ten years, Liu Shuang would drink the dew from the green jade bottle. Yan Chaosheng had told her it was to protect her from being corroded by ghostly energy. Marrying a demon ghost as an immortal inevitably came with some sacrifices.

The first time she drank it, the pain made her bones tremble, and she nearly screamed. He had watched coldly, telling her to endure it.

Since then, Liu Shuang had almost developed a phobia of the dew and always tried to find excuses to avoid it, though she never succeeded—he could always see through her tricks easily.

But today, Yan Chaosheng was acting strangely. Liu Shuang thought she should just get it over with quickly this time, yet the one with the complicated expression was Yan Chaosheng.

He held her hand and the porcelain bottle with it.

“Husband, you’re hurting me,” Liu Shuang couldn’t help but say.

Yan Chaosheng closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, the complexity was gone, and he released her hand.

Liu Shuang looked at the green jade bottle. “Then I’ll drink it?”

Yan Chaosheng’s tone was indifferent.

“Mm.”

Recently, so much had happened between them that Yan Chaosheng had comforted her more than he had in the past year. Though Liu Shuang was affectionate, she was also quite strong and not overly delicate.

She suppressed her inner fear. When the dew began to take effect, despite being mentally prepared, the pain made her tremble violently. She bit her lip hard, almost drawing blood, to keep from crying out.

At first, Yan Chaosheng watched coldly, then he chuckled, grabbed her chin, and offered his wrist.

Liu Shuang clutched her heart, which felt like it was shattering and reassembling, not understanding what he was doing. She hesitated.

Yan Chaosheng said, “If it hurts, bite me.”

Liu Shuang, struggling to hold on, shook her head. His eyes darkened further, and he forcefully shoved his wrist into her mouth.

“When I tell you to bite, you bite!”

Liu Shuang was dumbfounded, holding Yan Chaosheng’s pale wrist in her mouth. Yan Chaosheng had dispelled his indestructible demon form and didn’t defend himself at all. If she bit down, he would surely bleed profusely.

How could she bear to hurt him? In the end, Liu Shuang endured the pain and gently kissed the protruding bone on Yan Chaosheng’s pale wrist.

Yan Chaosheng was stunned for a long time before finally hugging her tightly and laughing heartily.

Perhaps Liu Shuang was dazed from the pain, but at that moment, she felt Yan Chaosheng’s laughter was both resolute and desolate.

After a while, the pain subsided.

A cold kiss was pressed onto her forehead.

But when she looked again, Yan Chaosheng had disappeared at some point, leaving her alone on the swing. Liu Shuang blinked and touched her forehead, unable to tell if the kiss had been real or an illusion.

Yan Chaosheng rarely kissed her. The demon lord didn’t have that habit. Sometimes, when she tried to kiss him, he would coldly pinch her cheeks and mercilessly say, “Get lost.”

Even during the few tender moments over the past century, he always restrained himself. Whenever he reached her lips, it seemed he would forcibly turn away, both hating and loving her, lightly biting somewhere else on her body.

Liu Shuang pressed her hand to her heart. Each time she drank the dew from the jade bottle, her heart grew stronger. It was undoubtedly beneficial for her body.

Liu Shuang calculated the days; the fire at Canglan Lake would soon return. When she was young, she had been protected by her older siblings and elders. Now that she had grown up, it was her responsibility to protect the younger ones at Canglan Lake.

Mutual support and love within the clan ensured the long-lasting legacy of their race.

Liu Shuang called out, “Chang Huan.”

Soon after, Chang Huan entered. “What is it, madam?”

“Have Qingluan help me send a letter back to Canglan Lake to Grandpa Tree. Tell him I’ll return in a few days to protect them from the fire.”

Liu Shuang thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Wait! Tell him a bit later.”

Since Yan Chaosheng was now in the ghost realm, she wanted to ask him if he would be willing to go back with her to the place she had long dreamed of settling down with him.