Chapter 52

When Liu Shuang returned to the Kongsang Immortal Realm with Wu Chen, Chishui Chong happened to be receiving an invitation to the Four Seas Banquet. He was preoccupied, his expression grim.

But it wasn’t because of the Demon Suppression Tower.

In the palace, besides Chishui Chong, there was also a familiar minister and Mi Chu.

Liu Shuang recognized the man from her memories—Lou Xinzhu, Mi Chu’s father, a general of the Lou clan who had been stationed in the Southern Realm for years, guarding Kongsang’s spiritual veins.

His presence in Kongsang instead of the Southern Realm indicated that something major had happened.

Sure enough, Chishui Chong spoke gravely, “The spiritual veins are showing signs of depletion.”

“What!”

Kongsang’s spiritual veins were on the verge of depletion earlier than those of other immortal realms!

The spiritual veins were the foundation of every immortal realm.

Without them, the realm would collapse, and every immortal who had cultivated within it would gradually lose their spiritual essence, eventually becoming mortals and dying.

It was like a once-prosperous dynasty facing its downfall.

They had thought the destruction of the Demon Suppression Tower was a major event, but now Kongsang’s spiritual veins were also in trouble. No wonder Chishui Chong looked so haggard, as if he had aged significantly.

After Wu Chen reported the situation with the Demon Suppression Tower, Chishui Chong said, “You’re saying the Demon Suppression Tower was destroyed seven days ago.”

Wu Chen nodded.

Lou Xinzhu was also surprised, “The spiritual veins began to show problems on the same day.”

Such a coincidence was unsettling.

Liu Shuang said, “Father, I learned from Night Demon Luo about the location of the fifth spiritual vein, but I’m not sure if it’s true.”

Chishui Chong raised his hand, and the others left. Before Mi Chu left, she glanced at Liu Shuang.

“Now that we’re alone, speak.”

Liu Shuang pursed her lips but didn’t immediately talk about the spiritual vein. Instead, she asked, “Mother said you promised not to harm Yan Chaosheng. Why did you go back on your word and try to kill him?”

Chishui Chong’s eyes turned cold, “I initially had no intention of killing him. But Liu Shuang, he showed traces of spiritual energy from the Clear Essence Jade. You gave a divine jade to a demon. If others found out, how would they see you? The young mistress of Kongsang, betraying her realm for a lowly demon? Would they let you off?”

“Father…”

Chishui Chong said solemnly, “You want me to trust you, but you should also trust me.”

He wanted to protect his daughter’s reputation. Killing one demon, or even a hundred or a thousand, was worth it.

“But,” Liu Shuang said softly, “Kongsang is destined to fail in killing him. Humiliation and attempts on his life will only make him stronger…”

However, not only would Chishui Chong not believe this, but even Liu Shuang herself wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t come from seven hundred years in the future.

She felt powerless. Things had escalated to this point, and Yan Chaosheng had left Kongsang with hatred. It was now impossible to reconcile him with Kongsang.

Would she have to choose between Kongsang and Canglan?

Chishui Chong asked, “What about the spiritual vein?”

Liu Shuang, thinking of their current predicament, could only say, “Night Demon Luo told me the fifth spiritual vein is beneath the Weak Water.”

She expected Chishui Chong to be skeptical, but after a long silence, he said, “It seems fate has decided. Nothing can survive beneath the Weak Water. No one can retrieve that spiritual vein. Take a look at this.”

It was an invitation to the Four Seas Banquet.

Liu Shuang had previously learned about the Four Seas Banquet from Bai Zhuixu. After being punished and sent to the Demon Suppression Tower, she thought the banquet would have nothing to do with her. But the tower was destroyed before the banquet.

Chishui Chong said, “This Four Seas Banquet is different from previous ones.”

After Lou Xinzhu and his daughter had walked some distance, Mi Chu couldn’t help but look back at the majestic, mist-shrouded palace.

Lou Xinzhu sighed and patted her head, “Mi Chu, I know what’s on your mind, but the young miss has returned.”

Mi Chu bit her lip, “Father, if she hadn’t returned, would I have been the one to attend the Four Seas Banquet?”

Lou Xinzhu said, “Even if it were you, what difference would it make? This Four Seas Banquet is no longer just a gathering for immortals to exchange skills. Everyone knows it’s to select a consort for Crown Prince Feng Fuming. The Heavenly Emperor is about to abdicate, and a new one will soon ascend. Among all the immortal realms, only the Feng family’s spiritual vein remains intact, ensuring eternal prosperity. Even the lord of Changliu Immortal Mountain will send his daughter. Mi Chu, the Feng family is arrogant. Even if it weren’t for the young miss, could you compete with the descendants of the Ji family from Changliu?”

Seeing Mi Chu about to deny it, Lou Xinzhu said, “You’re my daughter. I know you best. Mi Chu, there’s nothing wrong with seeking a way out for yourself. It’s all my fault.”

He looked at Mi Chu with affection, filled with guilt.

Mi Chu had lost her mother at a young age, and Lou Xinzhu had been stationed at the spiritual veins for years. As a child, Mi Chu had lived near the spiritual veins with the army. Every time the veins showed signs of instability, it felt like the sky was falling.

The Lou clan understood better than anyone the disasters brought by the depletion of spiritual veins.

Marriage and spiritual union were the best ways to escape Kongsang. Lou Xinzhu looked at his delicate daughter, knowing her thoughts. She had always been extremely intelligent and unwilling to marry beneath her station. Of course, she would be interested in the prestigious Feng family.

But in Kongsang, the most revered could only be the young miss of the Chishui bloodline.

Even if Feng Fuming sought a marriage alliance, for the sake of his descendants’ talents, he would choose Liushuang of Chishui.

In the past, Kongsang, with the arrogance of an ancient immortal clan, might not have sent the young miss to become Feng Fuming’s consort. But now that the spiritual veins were depleting, the only way to seek the heavenly clan’s aid was to marry Feng Fuming.

Even if Chishui Chong was reluctant to part with his precious daughter, he would send Liu Shuang to the Four Seas Banquet.

Mi Chu pursed her lips, “How do you know I have no chance? The Ji family of Changliu is as cold as a man, and Kunlun has no direct female descendants of the Jimo family. If Liu Shuang hadn’t returned today, I would have been the one to attend the banquet. Isn’t that what the lord thought too? Otherwise, why would he have called me to the palace today?”

“Father! Since I was a child, you’ve told me to yield to the young mistress. The young mistress has an incomplete soul, but when I interacted with her, I saw how clumsy and foolish she was in learning immortal techniques. Yet, because she’s the young miss, she’s showered with love and indulgence. I’ve always been better than her, but because I’m not of the Chishui clan, I have to yield to her,pacifying her. Every year, when the major clans present their gifts, the Chishui clan claims to treat me like their own daughter, but Liushuang always gets to pick first, and I’m left with her cast-offs. Now, when I finally have this opportunity, she’s trapped in the Demon Suppression Tower, yet she still takes everything from me. I can’t accept it!”

Lou Xinzhu was shocked, “Mi Chu!”

He had thought his daughter only wanted a way out, but from her words, it was clear she harbored resentment toward the young miss.

He remembered the young miss as a child, a girl with an incomplete soul, always struggling behind the crowd, falling and bruising herself. The young miss cared for every plant and tree in Kongsang, loving the realm as much as anyone.

“Mi Chu, the Lou clan has been loyal for generations. How can you think like this? Those things were always meant for the young miss. If not for the lord and lady’s kindness, you wouldn’t have grown up in the Kongsang palace, receiving such care.”

Lou Xinzhu said sternly, “Have you forgotten how the madam took care of you when you were injured during a tribulation and I wasn’t there?”

Mi Chu, seeing that the conversation had reached this point, couldn’t help but say, “That’s because they needed your loyalty. The Southern Realm where the spiritual veins are located is harsh. Every time the veins show instability, many people die. They were afraid you wouldn’t want to guard the spiritual veins, so they treated me well.”

“Nonsense!” Lou Xinzhu felt a chill in his heart, “How can you think like this? We are the people of Kongsang. Guarding the spiritual veins is our duty, a responsibility we owe for the blessings we’ve received. Besides, if it weren’t me, another immortal general would take my place.”

Mi Chu, seeing her father’s disappointed expression, teared up, “Father, I was wrong. Don’t blame me. I was just too upset and spoke without thinking.”

Lou Xinzhu, seeing her shed a tear, as if she truly regretted her words, sighed, “Alright, I’m not blaming you.”

He wiped away her tears, “I won’t abandon you. If the spiritual veins truly deplete one day, I will make proper arrangements for you. Believe me, the lord sending the young miss isn’t unfair to you. Feng Fuming isn’t a good match. He’s known for his philandering. Even before taking a consort, he’s surrounded by countless women. The heavenly clan is cold-hearted. He won’t be sincere with you. The lord would rather sacrifice his own daughter than push you into a pit of fire.”

Mi Chu paused, then nodded.

Lou Xinzhu, thinking she had come around, felt relieved, “I’ve heard that the second son of the Bai family has always treated you well. I’ve met him. Though he’s unruly, he’s deeply devoted to you and would never let you down. If you’re also interested…”

“Father!” Mi Chu interrupted him, “I don’t like him.”

Lou Xinzhu sighed, “Alright.”

As they were about to part, Lou Xinzhu suddenly asked, “During the last grand competition, I heard the winner wasn’t the second son of the Bai family, but a demon-blooded disciple with extraordinary talent. Mi Chu, if you don’t want to marry Bai Yuxiao, I can take him as my disciple and bring him into the Lou clan. He would be a good choice in the future.”

Mi Chu, surprised and feeling humiliated, said, “You want me to marry a demon?”

Did her father think that while Liushuang of Chishui was worthy of marrying Feng Fuming, she could only scrape by with a lowly demon?

Lou Xinzhu was silent for a long time before saying, “Spiritual union with a demon is also a way to break free from the constraints the immortal realm places on its people. If Kongsang falls, Bai Yuxiao won’t survive, but he would. He could bear half the backlash of the realm’s destruction for you.”

Mi Chu’s eyes turned cold, “I’d rather die!”

Lou Xinzhu looked at her intently, “Do you know what I saw before the spiritual veins began to deplete?”

Mi Chu looked at him.

Lou Xinzhu smiled bitterly, “On the day the Demon Suppression Tower collapsed, I saw demonic energy spreading through the nearly depleted spiritual veins. Mi Chu, the balance of heaven and earth shifts. The immortals have dominated for too long, suppressing other beings to the point of suffocation. Even the mortal realm, which is under our protection, is filled with grievances. Heaven sees all and will eventually restore balance.”

Mi Chu’s eyes widened.

So, Lou Xinzhu meant that one day, demons might also live openly under the sun, on equal footing with immortals? No, she couldn’t believe it. How could such a day come?

Even if it did, it couldn’t be a reason for her to choose a lowly demon.

Liu Shuang also hadn’t expected that before she could resolve the issue with Yan Chaosheng, she would face such a choice: either find the fifth spiritual vein or marry Feng Fuming and win his favor to save the depleting spiritual veins.

A wolf in front, a tiger behind.

The situation with the wolf was getting worse, and the tiger was already opening its jaws.

Before Yan Chaosheng could make his move, Kongsang was on the verge of collapse. They needed to infuse new spiritual veins!

If what Night Demon Luo said was true, and the fifth spiritual vein was beneath the Weak Water, it would be impossible to retrieve. As the realm lord, Chishui Chong would rather painfully send Liu Shuang to marry Feng Fuming.

“Father, Chishui Chong is unreliable. We can’t tie the fate of our clan to him. I’m willing to try retrieving the spiritual vein from the Weak Water.”

Chishui Chong, rarely angry, said, “Nonsense! I’d rather you marry him than let you die!”

Liu Shuang tried to persuade him, but Chishui Chong said firmly, “I will send you to the immortal carriage. Someone, take the young mistress away!”

Liu Shuang was confined by Chishui Chong. A few days later, the immortal carriage was waiting outside.

Fuliu helped Liu Shuang dress and groom, muttering, “I heard an immortal from Changliu Immortal Mountain is also attending. Our young miss can’t lose to her. This immortal robe won’t do; it’s not eye-catching enough. This one… this one is better…”

Liu Shuang glanced at it, “That one. I think that one will do.”

With a light tap of her finger, she spun around, and the robe changed into a simple,light red colour, protective immortal garment.

Fuliu quickly waved her hands, “This one isn’t pretty enough, young miss. Change into the one I’m holding.”

Liu Shuang blinked at her, “But it’s the most suitable. Fuliu, trust me.”

Fuliu, seeing that her young miss truly liked it, had no choice but to agree. After all, the young miss was beautiful and would look good in anything.

Liu Shuang stepped into the immortal carriage. This time, unlike her previous trip to Kunlun, she was the young miss of Kongsang, accompanied by eight immortal maids holding Puyao lanterns and a grand procession of immortal soldiers.

As the curtains fell, Liu Shuang found the scene eerily familiar.

The last time she sat in such a beautiful immortal carriage, she had crushed her own heart.

This time, it was because of Feng Fuming again.

What a twisted fate.

She disagreed with Chishui Chong’s perspective. Chishui Chong didn’t understand Crown Prince Feng Fuming. He believed that as long as Liu Shuang formed a spiritual union with Feng Fuming, Feng Fuming would save Kongsang’s spiritual veins.

But Liu Shuang had seen Feng Fuming as the Heavenly Emperor. In her previous life, before the calamitous fire arrived, Liu Shuang had pleaded with the then-Heavenly Emperor Feng Fuming for Canglan.

He had smiled, his gaze cold, “The calamitous fire are the fate of all plant spirits in the world. This lord cannot intervene.”

Unlike his weak father, this man was ruthless and decisive.

He wouldn’t help Kongsang. Moreover, after her experiences in her past life, Liu Shuang understood that men were unreliable.

If you tied all your honor and disgrace to them, you would only end up with endless, laughable sorrow. The demon lord Yan Chaosheng from her past life was like this, and Heavenly Emperor Feng Fuming was no exception.

Even if Feng Fuming agreed now, if he were in a bad mood one day and withdrew the spiritual vein, how would Kongsang survive?

They couldn’t rely on others forever.

The only one she could rely on was herself. She had misunderstood Yan Chaosheng’s feelings for Mi Chu, and now it was hard to fix. To protect Kongsang, they had to do two things: first, prevent the spiritual veins from depleting, and second, become strong enough to deal with Yan Chaosheng.

Neither of these could be achieved by marrying Feng Fuming. The only way was to find the fifth spiritual vein.

Chishui Chong, unaware of the future, wouldn’t believe that a mere “demon” like Yan Chaosheng could pose such a threat. But Liu Shuang had to firmly do what was right. She had to retrieve the spiritual vein, no matter what.

So when the immortal carriage was halfway there, a maiden lifted the curtain and found only a letter inside.

It read: I’ve gone to find the spiritual vein, to give it my all for Kongsang. I know my father’s love and care, but only this method can ensure Kongsang’s survival. Father, don’t worry.

The maiden was horrified, “The young miss is gone!”

As everyone panicked, a female immortal flew over.

Someone said, “Immortal Mi Chu!”

Mi Chu, who had been secretly following the procession, looked at the empty immortal carriage and clenched Liu Shuang’s letter in her hand, her grip tightening.

She said, “No need to panic. The lord said that if anything unexpected happened along the way, I should handle it. Now, we… will continue to the Heavenly Palace.”

While the immortal carriage procession continued toward the Heavenly Palace, Liu Shuang was already at a small tea house at the foot of the demon mountain.

A barrier stood before the mountain. Beyond it lay the desolate demon realm of seven hundred years ago.

The Weak Water was different from other places. Having more people wouldn’t help. She wanted to see the situation for herself.

Liu Shuang touched the slightly sore spot on her forehead, where Night Demon Luo had struck her consciousness before his death.

He had said, “I wish you good luck beneath the Weak Water.”

Night Demon Luo might have guessed that she would eventually venture into the demon realm’s Weak Water to take a chance.

Seven hundred years later, no one dared to linger outside the demon mountain. But now, there was actually a mortal-run tea house at its base.

As Liu Shuang was invited to drink tea, she sat down.

She concealed her appearance, her features blurred as if shrouded in mist. The mortals couldn’t see her clearly, but the waiter wasn’t surprised. Instead, he approached her and struck up a conversation, curiously asking, “Miss, what kind of demon are you? Are you also heading into the demon realm to seek survival?”

Liu Shuang was puzzled, “You know about demons? Aren’t you afraid I might harm you?”

The waiter laughed, “I know a little. We do business here at the demon mountain, and we’ve seen many demons come and go. Of course, I’m afraid of being hurt, but first, if a demon harms a mortal, the immortals will come to punish them. It’s not worth it for the demons. Second, the demon palace is just beyond that mountain. The demons who come here are usually desperate and have no time to cause trouble here. They have more important things to do.”

He was quite perceptive, treating the most dangerous place as the safest.

Liu Shuang placed a top-grade spirit stone on the table, using it to gather information, “What do you mean by ‘seeking survival’?”

The waiter happily accepted the spirit stone and spoke freely, “Recently, a mountain lord has appeared in the demon realm. Many female demons have been offering themselves to him. It’s better to follow him than to live in fear outside. He takes in demons with nowhere to go and offers them protection, as long as they have something he values.”

“Mountain lord?”

The waiter smiled ambiguously, “I’ve heard he’s cruel and picky, but given your extraordinary aura, miss, you might as well give it a try.”

He was treating Liu Shuang as a female demon offering herself.

Liu Shuang didn’t correct him. She twirled her teacup in her hand. She had never heard that the demon palace had a mountain lord in the past. She was both surprised and curious. What was this mountain lord’s background? She remembered that Bi Xun had also been a mountain lord.

If this mountain lord was as powerful as Bi Xun, he would undoubtedly be a major obstacle.

But to reach the Weak Water, she had to pass through here. It seemed she would either have to find a way to avoid the mountain lord or face him directly.