Chapter 24

Liushuang watched the raindrops falling from the blue-tiled roof, her mind preoccupied with a question.

Where was the artifact of Taichuan City hidden, and what exactly was it? In her previous life, she had died too quickly to uncover who had harmed Canglan.

Now, this artifact was the closest clue to the truth.

The Red Python was dead, and whoever ended up with the artifact might well be the culprit who sought to harm Canglan.

Lost in thought, Liushuang didn’t notice that Yan Chaosheng behind her had already finished dressing.

The immortal robes naturally adjusted to fit his physique, and the ink-blue garments looked perfectly tailored on him.

The wooden door, unable to withstand the force of the townspeople outside, was knocked down.

“We need to leave.”

Liushuang quickly grabbed Yan Chaosheng and led him through the wall.

The townspeople who rushed in found no one and exchanged puzzled glances.

Liushuang glanced at Yan Chaosheng.

The youth’s face was covered in scratches, his internal organs were damaged, and there wasn’t a single uninjured patch of flesh on his body.

Yan Chaosheng’s dark, pitch-black eyes were cold.

He turned to glance at the people outside the wall, and the chill in his gaze made Liushuang shiver internally.

The demon clan had always been vengeful, their dignity untouchable.

Yan Chaosheng had indirectly saved the people of Taichuan, yet they were shouting for his death.

That expression on his face—it wasn’t hard to understand why.

And what about her and Bai Yuxiao?

The original owner of her body had falsely accused Yan Chaosheng, and Bai Yuxiao had added insult to injury by destroying him, crippling the cultivation he had painstakingly built.

Such a deep-seated hatred—it wouldn’t be surprising if, in Yan Chaosheng’s mind, he had already prepared their graves.

Her decision was clearly correct—she needed to eliminate this threat before Yan Chaosheng became the Demon lord.

Recalling Yan Chaosheng’s gaze earlier when he had pulled her over during the fight with the Red Python, Liushuang felt a wave of fear.

He… he wasn’t thinking of eating her earlier, was he?

Liushuang’s gaze toward Yan Chaosheng shifted.

Well, well, so everyone had their ulterior motives.

No time to waste—she couldn’t delay another moment.

No one would see her here, and she wouldn’t break the timid character of the original owner.

While Yan Chaosheng was unguarded, Liushuang frantically rummaged through her storage bag for something that could kill him outright.

Inside the bag was a delicate dagger.

Liushuang quickly hid it in her hand.

Yan Chaosheng coughed, covering his mouth.

His injuries were severe—Liushuang caught a glimpse of him coughing up fragments of his internal organs.

Only his demon lineage kept him alive; an ordinary person would have died long ago.

If he didn’t die, she would.

Liushuang raised the dagger, ready to strike his heart and finish him off.

Without hesitation, she swung forward, but the boy slid down to sit against the wall at that exact moment.

Yan Chaosheng opened his palm, coughing up a handful of blood.

He raised his eyes to speak to Liushuang but caught sight of the dagger she had nearly swung at him.

Their gazes met, and the air grew still.

Yan Chaosheng glanced at the dagger in her hand, and for the first time, he wondered if he had misjudged her.

She was clearly still the treacherous young miss of Kongsang, the woman who had colluded with Bai Yuxiao to harm him.

Then why had she removed her immortal robes for him, or held an umbrella over him?

Which one was the real her?

He turned his gaze back to her, his voice cold: “What does the young miss intend to do?”

Liushuang: “…”

Liushuang weighed her chances in her mind.

Could she take on Yan Chaosheng?

The conclusion was clear—she could.

Strike while the iron is hot, finish him off while he’s injured.

She was just about to act when she noticed Yan Chaosheng staring coldly at her.

Whether intentional or not, his wide sleeves slipped down, revealing the silver bracelet on his wrist.

Liu Shuang recognized it immediately—it was the Ten Commandments Ring that Chishui’s father had given Yan Chaosheng to restrain her.

Even Bi Xun earlier had been temporarily trapped by it.

Liu Shuang sucked in a breath.

The young man leaned against the wall, watching her calmly: “Young miss, hmm?”

His voice was soft, seemingly inquisitive, but Liushuang inexplicably felt threatened.

She retracted her gaze.

Yan Chaosheng had the Ten Commandments Ring; she couldn’t risk being counterattacked.

No rush—there was always a way out.

She decided to toss him back into the crowd and handle him secretly later.

No matter how powerful the Ten Commandments Ring was, it couldn’t bind her and the townsfolk at the same time, could it?

Having made up her mind, Liushuang quickly and earnestly explained, “Although the Red Python is dead, there may still be unknown dangers in Taichuan City. The townsfolk recognize you, and you’ll need something for self-defense. Look at this dagger—isn’t it beautiful?”

Feigning sincerity, she curved her eyes into a smile and presented the dagger to Yan Chaosheng in an attempt to appease him.

“It’s a gift for you.”

The jeweled dagger was exquisitely crafted, and in the pale hand of the young man, its brilliance shimmered.

Yan Chaosheng raised his eyes and saw a pair of smiling, crescent-shaped ones staring back at him.

At some point, she had put her veil back on, and with the six layers of robes gone, she now wore only a pretty, golden vest.

She seemed to realize she had done something wrong and was eager to make amends, earnestly saying, “Can you stand? Do you need me to help you?”

Yan Chaosheng watched her intently without a trace of emotion, idly playing with the dagger in his hand.

This little dagger was, in fact, quite an impressive spiritual weapon.

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but the ill intent he had clearly sensed from her earlier was now entirely gone.

He had thought she wanted to kill him, but looking again, the girl’s eyes curved into a sincere smile as she handed the dagger over to him with apparent honesty.

Despite her outward demeanor, Yan Chaosheng’s body remained tense, his heart icy as he wondered what trick she was playing.

He put away the dagger and smiled faintly.

“Very well, young miss, help me up.”

Liushuang’s face soured beneath her veil.

Afraid that Yan Chaosheng would realize she had intended to kill him and grow wary, using the Ten Commandments Ring to restrain her, she had no choice but to resign herself to helping him.

She had never so strongly realized that her father, the Realm Lord, was the most fearsome teammate imaginable.

Holding her breath, Liushuang helped Yan Chaosheng up from the ground and dragged him toward the crowd.

Off you go—there’s a group of sorcerers waiting outside!

Whether it was intentional or not, the young man placed all his weight on her, nearly causing her legs to buckle.

At this moment, Yan Chaosheng was thin and frail, even shorter than he would be seven hundred years later. He hadn’t fully grown yet, standing only half a head taller than her at most.

Yet when Liu Shuang tried to support him, she realized he was far heavier than she had expected.

With most of his body leaning against hers, the absence of her six layers of robes left her nearly enveloped by him.

Liushuang quickly activated her spiritual energy, finally alleviating the burden, and continued dragging him along.

Yan Chaosheng had been stewing in anger at the townspeople of Taichuan, but seeing Liu Shuang struggling and panting as she supported him, he felt an inexplicable urge to laugh.

Leaning against her shoulder, he donned his usual mask of false composure and studied her with feigned indifference.

“Young miss, where are we going? Are you sending me into the crowd?”

She forced an awkward smile.

“Of course not. I see you’re seriously injured, so I’m taking you to find a physician.”

“A mortal doctor can’t heal me. Perhaps the young miss could?” Yan Chaosheng deliberately revealed the Ten Commandments Ring on his wrist for her to see.

“I ended up like this for the sake of your Taichuan City, young miss. Will you take good care of this disciple?”

Suppressing her frustration, she replied through gritted teeth, “Mhm, mhm, of course.”

Yan Chaosheng noticed her cheeks puffing slightly beneath the veil in anger, and a faint smile crept onto his lips as he averted his gaze.

Fine.

Since her intentions weren’t entirely clear yet, he’d save her for another time.

“Over here, young miss,” Yan Chaosheng said, his tone casual.

“There’s no one this way. Let’s go here.”

Liushuang had never so urgently wished to see Bai Yuxiao.

She used to find him irritating, but now she couldn’t wait for him to appear so she could yell: “Bai Yuxiao, come deal with this threat already!”

After all, they had offended him together—why should she be the only one handling this dangerous task?

Thanks to her immortal physique, Liushuang found it easy to evade pursuit while carrying Yan Chaosheng through the city.

She made several attempts to draw attention to him, hoping to expose him to the sorcerers, but Yan Chaosheng seemed to have eyes on the back of his head.

He would turn her face back toward him and say, “Young miss, focus on finding the way.”

The destruction left by Bi Xun was immense, and the city was now in ruins.

Under the intimidating presence of the Ten Commandments Ring on Yan Chaosheng’s wrist, Liushuang reluctantly found an empty inn and dumped him onto a bed.

Yan Chaosheng’s face was deathly pale, yet he bit back his pain and remained silent.

Liu Shuang, itching to act, said, “I’ll head out to set up a Spirit Gathering Formation to help you recover.”

If she could leave him here, she’d be free to slip away and bring the sorcerers to surround him.

Yan Chaosheng opened his eyes and looked at her with a haunting gaze.

“Would the young miss abandon me?”

Liushuang shook her head, her expression righteous.

“Never. As the young miss of Kongsang, it’s my duty to care for the disciples. It was my fault before—I caused you to end up like this. Rest assured, after everything we’ve been through, I’ve realized my mistakes and will never abandon you.”

Yan Chaosheng’s face remained wooden as he said, “I’m deeply moved.”

Liushuang failed to see any trace of emotion from him.

She walked to the door, but suddenly felt a chill on her wrist.

Yan Chaosheng’s silver ring split into two, transforming into a pair of silver bracelets, one of which locked around her wrist.

From the bed, Yan Chaosheng moved his hand slightly, and it seemed as if invisible threads tugged at her, pulling her wrist in tandem.

Liushuang steadied herself against the door and raised her eyes.

Yan Chaosheng curled his lips into a faint smile.

“Go ahead, young miss. Just come back soon.”

Grinding her teeth, Liushuang also smiled.

“Of course.”

No matter how much she calculated, she hadn’t anticipated that even now, he still didn’t trust her, fastening the Ten Commandments Ring onto her wrist.

When Liushuang returned after finishing her task, she really wanted to smother the meditating Yan Chaosheng with a pillow—if only it were possible to actually smother him to death.

He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, healing.

Liushuang had set up the Spirit Gathering Formation haphazardly.

Back when she had been a young immortal plant, healing was her specialty, but today she had no intention of helping him recover.

She simply threw something together to look the part.

On her way back, she had snapped a willow branch and turned its leaves into a flock of green paper cranes, sending them off to find Bai Zhuixu and Bai Yuxiao.

A large group of green paper cranes circled around her, calling out in unison, “Master, Master, what are your orders?”

Liushuang formed seals with her hands and infused the cranes with immortal energy before sending them all away.

With the artifact’s suppression lifted, her recent cultivation gains were evident.

Spells that used to be difficult for her were now performed with ease.

Liu Shuang had no intention of searching for the artifact herself.

If she wanted to find the culprit who had harmed Canglan, she could only wait and see into whose hands the artifact ultimately fell.

After releasing the immortal paper cranes, Liushuang found herself idle and went to the adjacent room to cultivate.

Yan Chaosheng didn’t bother her, and the two maintained an uneasy peace.

About three days later, Yan Chaosheng’s injuries had healed significantly.

When he pushed the door open, his face was as calm as ever.

Liushuang couldn’t help but marvel at the demon clan’s incredible regenerative abilities.

No matter how severe the injuries, as long as they could still breathe, they would survive.

She tried to discern any lingering pain in his expression, but he spoke calmly.

“Young miss, it’s time to leave.”

“Where to? Shouldn’t we stay here and wait for Bai Zhuixu and the others?”

Yan Chaosheng continued walking ahead without turning back.

“To kill Xi Yun’er.”

“You… you hate her for inciting the townsfolk to kill you, so you want to kill her?”

“In the young master’s eyes, am I really that petty?”

Liushuang thought, Aren’t you? But such words couldn’t be said aloud, so she expressed her disdain clearly with her eyes.

Yan Chaosheng’s expression darkened, and he said irritably, “Why didn’t the young miss go out to investigate? Has no one told you how many people have died in Taichuan City these past few days?”

Liushuang frowned. “What do you mean?” She had been tied to him by the Ten Commandments Ring, so there was no chance to leave and find out.

“The inner core of a Teng Snake that has lived for seven thousand years—Xi Yun’er, a mere mortal, cannot bear it. If she wants to stay alive, she must keep killing and absorb the life energy of mortals to suppress the demonic energy of the inner core,” Yan Chaosheng explained.

“Just like what happened on the day of the wedding procession.”

At his words, Liushuang immediately remembered the red threads of death emerging from Xi Yun’er a few days ago.

She had assumed at the time that it was Bi Xun’s doing, but now it became clear that the red threads were controlled by Xi Yun’er.

Acting decisively, Liushuang, fearing Xi Yun’er might indeed be killing people, said, “Let’s go check the City Lord’s mansion.”

Sure enough, as Yan Chaosheng had said, the City Lord’s mansion was faintly shrouded in demonic energy, accompanied by a sky-high surge of ghostly aura.

Liushuang’s heart sank.

She and Yan Chaosheng approached the vicinity of Xi Yun’er’s chambers and saw this scene: five mortals had been drained into dry corpses, collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

Xi Yun’er, her face rosy and glowing, caressed her cheek with satisfaction, smiling as she commanded, “Drag them out and bury them. Don’t let anyone find out.”

The guards she ordered stood with bowed heads, their expressions grim and pale.

Liushuang and Yan Chaosheng concealed themselves.

Xi Yun’er didn’t notice them, but she suddenly slapped one of the guards behind her.

“Didn’t you hear my command? Or do you all wish to die too? Let me tell you—don’t betray me! Even that snake demon died by my hand. What do you think you amount to?”

The guards hastily began dragging away the bodies.

When Xi Yun’er was left alone, she played idly with the red threads growing from her palm, murmuring to herself, “This inner core is truly marvelous. With time, I’ll certainly ascend to immortality—never falling ill, never aging, never dying.”

Her delicate, beautiful face radiated joy, a stark contrast to her earlier disdain and rejection of the demon core when she had forced Bi Xun to his death.

Yan Chaosheng asked coldly, “Young miss, according to the Immortal Law, does Xi Yun’er deserve death?”

Liushuang silently nodded.

The next moment, Xi Yun’er felt a sudden gust of wind brush past her ear.

The powerful demonic core within her sensed danger, and her face contorted with panic.

Yet she had no idea how to control the immense power she possessed.

In her desperation, the red threads began to whip through the air chaotically, trying to locate the hidden threat.

A sharp pain struck her abdomen, and Xi Yun’er dumbly looked down to see a hand piercing through her body, gripping the red inner core.

Her face twisted in fear and panic as she desperately tried to reach for the core, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

“G-give it back… it’s… mine…”

Yan Chaosheng watched coldly as she collapsed to the ground.

In her final moments, Xi Yun’er stared blankly into the distance, as if she had suddenly remembered something.

Her lips quivered subconsciously as she murmured, “Bi Xun… save… save me… one more time…”

Large tears rolled down her cheeks.

A breeze swept through the courtyard, but the powerful yet foolish demon who would have clumsily given everything for her was no longer there.

Her pupils gradually dilated as she finally recalled the Taoist’s words: a demon without its inner core is worthless. Fearing he might take the core back, she had pushed Bi Xun to his death.

In Yan Chaosheng’s hand, the inner core radiated a dazzling red light.

He lowered his gaze to the Teng Snake’s core, his expression unreadable.

Liushuang tensed up, instinctively wary that he might swallow the core.

With such a core, all the spiritual energy he had lost could be instantly restored.

To her surprise, he walked over and, with apparent disdain, shoved the core into her hand before turning away.

The inner core was hot in her palm, still tainted with Xi Yun’er’s blood.

Liushuang hastily cast a cleansing spell and stored it in her storage bag.

Chasing after him, she asked incredulously, “You’re really giving it to me?”

Yan Chaosheng’s eyes remained cold as he spat venomously, “A fool’s inner core isn’t worth keeping.”

“So you came specifically to kill Xi Yun’er?”

A flicker of mockery crossed Yan Chaosheng’s eyes.

“When I was young, I heard of Bi Xun. He was a mountain lord, ruling over a demon-infested territory. For thousands of years, he never ventured out or caused trouble. The demons under his rule never stirred up conflict.”

Bi Xun had fallen in love with the city lord’s daughter, Xi Yun’er.

When she was on the brink of death from illness, Bi Xun, unable to bear her demise, gave her his inner core. All the killings were initiated by Xi Yun’er herself, including those on the day of the wedding procession.

But Xi Yun’er refused to admit it and shifted the blame onto Bi Xun.

Bi Xun accepted the blame without objection and was eventually forced to his death by Xi Yun’er.

It was laughable.

How could there be such a naive and foolish snake demon in this world?

Liushuang seemed to grasp something and, looking at Yan Chaosheng’s expression, asked knowingly, “Did you admire him when you were young?”

Yan Chaosheng sneered, “Who would admire an idiot? Anyway, in that woman’s eyes—and yours too—demons are all inherently vile, born despicable and destined to die.”

That wasn’t right, Liushuang thought.

“I believe,” Liushuang said.

“I believe Bi Xun was a good demon.”

Yan Chaosheng’s steps faltered.

He pressed his lips together and turned back to look at her.

Standing in the sunlight of Taichuan City, she said, “I know not all demons are bad.”

After all, her Qingluan was a good demon.

Is she talking about me? Yan Chaosheng suddenly felt his throat dry.

Forcing down the slight curl at the corner of his lips, he avoided her gaze.

“What you believe has nothing to do with me.”