Chapter 63

The commotion outside the house startled everyone.

Shaoyou opened the door and found only a few crushed sand people outside, their red gemstones scattered pitifully on the ground, with no trace of any living being.

Shaoyou frowned.

Immortals, demons, and mortals all had their own distinct auras, but the visitor who had interrupted their conversation left no trace whatsoever.

Zhan Xueyang, however, was unfazed.

“You know, the kind of people who come to me for healing are all sorts. You Mountain doesn’t allow killing, so you can rest assured about the safety of this immortal.”

He wasn’t lying to Shaoyou.

You Mountain was a strange place—it produced gemstones but no living creatures.

Any wounds inflicted within its borders would heal automatically, and no one could cause trouble here.

This was why Shaoyou felt comfortable leaving Liu Shuang here.

Zhan Xueyang needed to trade rare treasures with others and wouldn’t easily ruin his reputation.

Shaoyou took one last look at Liu Shuang and left.

Zhan Xueyang’s gaze swept over the crushed sand outside, hiding a thoughtful expression.

He smiled at Liu Shuang and said, “Follow me.”

He led Liu Shuang to a cave entrance.

“Inside is the Xuanhuang Pool. It can remove all cold energy, but the temperature is quite high. From now on, you’ll enter at midnight every day, meditate inside, and circulate your spiritual energy. You can come out at noon the next day.”

After a moment of thought, Zhan Xueyang added, “To ease your pain, I’ll use acupuncture to seal your five senses. Otherwise, staying in the Xuanhuang Pool for too long would be unbearable. When Jimo Shaoyou returns, I’ll refine the elixir for you.”

Liu Shuang had no objections.

“Thank you, sir.”

Zhan Xueyang waved his hand.

“Don’t thank me yet. The sealing of your five senses that I mentioned is different from what you might understand. You may have heard that in ancient times, the demigod Ming Ye was rescued from the Weak Water and became like a mortal, needing to eat and sleep. You’ll be in a similar state, unable to use your spiritual consciousness or immortal techniques. You won’t be able to see or hear, which will naturally be inconvenient. Only when Jimo Shaoyou returns with the dragon blood can your senses be restored.”

Every immortal is born with the ability to use their spiritual consciousness to interact with the world.

Just like how Shaoyou could sense what she was doing without turning around.

Without the ability to use her spiritual consciousness, even dressing and eating would require fumbling.

Having already jumped into the Weak Water, these small difficulties were nothing to Liu Shuang.

Zhan Xueyang said, “The only thing in You Mountain that can fill your stomach is the spiritual dew from the back mountain. You’ll have to make do with that. I’ll send sand people to take care of you.”

“I understand, sir.”

Zhan Xueyang glanced at her, amused by her trust in him.

She was indeed a young girl, completely unaware of his mischievous nature.

And she was the first to respectfully call him “sir.”

Thinking of the drop of blood he had taken, Zhan Xueyang felt a surge of excitement.

In his good mood, he became more generous and handed Liu Shuang a piece of white mermaid silk.

“This will protect your eyes in the Xuanhuang Pool, so you won’t cry. Choose the sand people you want to accompany you. If there’s nothing else, go to the pool tonight.”

Liu Shuang accepted it and nodded.

When the moon hung in the sky, Zhan Xueyang, brimming with excitement, made his way to the back mountain.

The back mountain had only a clear, transparent stream.

Under the jagged gemstone rocks, a man in dark blue robes sat with his eyes closed, meditating.

Beneath him, a formation glowed with a strange black-gold light under the moonlight, the five elements rotating.

Zhan Xueyang waited idly, playing with the drop of blood in his hand.

Finally, the formation completed a cycle, and the light dimmed.

The man in the formation opened his eyes.

The two locked eyes, and Yan Chaosheng’s gaze was icy.

“What is it?”

If it were anyone else, Zhan Xueyang would have long since kicked such a foul-tempered demon out of You Mountain.

But his ancestors had waited here for thousands of years, just for this man.

Zhan Xueyang could forgive all his bad temper.

“Do you know what this is?” Zhan Xueyang’s eyes sparkled as he showed it to him.

“Your Highness, when the Xiangliu clan fell in battle, their souls dissipated. They couldn’t enter the cycle of reincarnation and instead chose to attach themselves to the spiritual veins, nourishing them with their spiritual energy. The spiritual veins were divided into five parts, with the four major immortal clans each taking one. Since then, the Feng, Ji, Chishui, and Jimo clans have become the rulers of the Eight Wilderness. On the surface, the Xiangliu royal family was wiped out, but the emperor willingly sacrificed himself, leaving behind two hopes. First, you were nurtured for ten thousand years and born from the womb of Princess Mengji, who was originally a human princess. Second…”

Zhan Xueyang drew out his words, hoping to see some interest on the face of this cold-blooded prince.

Unfortunately, he was disappointed. Yan Chaosheng’s expression remained calm as he continued, “Second, merge the fragmented spiritual veins into one, use the Heart of Huiling as a sacrifice, and revive the Xiangliu clan.”

“You… how do you know…” Zhan Xueyang stammered.

Yan Chaosheng: “My father sealed within me not only ten thousand years of power but also the memories and scenes of our clan’s fall.”

Zhan Xueyang had initially envied him for inheriting the ancient power of ten thousand years, but hearing this, he suddenly felt pity for him.

The entire clan had perished, and all that remained was endless sorrow and pain.

All the suffering and emotions of his people were now carried within him.

No wonder he rarely smiled, even though his body was still young and his true form hadn’t fully matured.

Perhaps even now, when Yan Chaosheng closed his eyes, all he saw was the blood of his clansmen.

The fact that he could remain so composed was already remarkable.

Zhan Xueyang stopped beating around the bush.

“I thought the Heart of Huiling, which only existed in ancient times, would be nearly impossible to find. But guess what? Jimo Shaoyou brought a young immortal to You Mountain. Her aura attracted the sand people. These little things are soulless, inanimate objects, yet they were overly affectionate toward her. I tried taking a drop of her blood.”

Yan Chaosheng’s gaze fell on his hand.

Zhan Xueyang beckoned.

“You, come here.”

The sapphire sand person obediently approached, followed by a string of other sand people, all envious.

Zhan Xueyang infused the drop of blood into the sapphire’s forehead.

With a soft “plop,” it transformed into a cute sprout, swaying vigorously in the night breeze.

“This is the power of Huiling. With a stronger supply of spiritual energy, it can take on its own form, no different from a real living being, and even cultivate immortality or demonic arts. Unfortunately, a single drop of blood is far from enough.”

Zhan Xueyang’s voice was excited.

With a flick of his fingers, the drop of blood returned to his palm, and the sapphire turned back into a sand person, rejoining the others.

“Are you saying the Heart of Huiling is within her?” Yan Chaosheng asked after a long silence.

Zhan Xueyang nodded eagerly.

“Yes, with this heart, you can restore the Xiangliu royal family, and I can fulfill my mission and leave this wretched place.”

“What happens if the heart is taken?”

“She will die.”

Other immortals could survive without a heart, but Liu Shuang’s soul nourished the Heart of Huiling.

She was the heart’s vessel, and without it, she would turn to ashes.

“I see,” Yan Chaosheng said.

Zhan Xueyang finally sensed something was off.

This thrilling news had initially filled him with joy.

As a descendant of the Xiangliu royal family, Yan Chousheng’s clan had died tragically, and he was born with a mission.

Naturally, he should be even more eager to find the Heart of Huiling.

Something that only existed in legends, something that might never be found in a thousand or ten thousand years, was now right before their eyes.

Yet, he showed no excitement, only a deathly silence.

Yan Chaosheng’s demonic form had awakened, and this was the time when he should be most warlike and bloodthirsty.

Even if he killed thousands, Yan Chaosheng shouldn’t bat an eye; instead, he should feel a thrilling pleasure.

How could such a person ask what would happen to the young immortal if her heart was taken?

Zhan Xueyang: “I just remembered, when you came out earlier, you crushed a few sand people. You don’t know them, do you?”

Yan Chaosheng’s lips moved slightly.

“I don’t.”

“Really?”

Yan Chaosheng said nothing more.

Zhan Xueyang looked at him as if he’d seen a ghost.

“You’re not…”

Yan Chaosheng had come out just as the two immortals were being affectionate.

Over the years, trapped in You Mountain, Zhan Xueyang had spent most of his time reading novels with great interest.

Yan Chousheng: “If there’s nothing else, you can leave.”

Zhan Xueyang gave a mischievous smile.

Look at what he’d discovered—the notoriously cold-blooded Xiangliu royal family had feelings for a young immoratl, and it seemed she didn’t feel the same way about him.

He seemed to harbor some resentment.

From love comes worry, from love comes fear.

When the young immortal took Jimo Shaoyou’s hand, His Highness sat here alone, repairing his true form, feeling quite sour, didn’t he?

“I’ll leave now. But, the Kunlun spiritual veins are drying up. From what I gathered, the young immortal intends to merge the spiritual veins to save Kunlun.”

Zhan Xueyang said in a teasing tone, “Oh my, I wonder what kind of situation would build trust between the two clans and allow the spiritual veins to merge. Could it be a marriage alliance?”

Yan Chaosheng lowered his eyes, not even bothering to look at him.

Seeing him like this, Zhan Xueyang couldn’t quite figure out what Yan Chaosheng was thinking.

But even if there was some affection, in his eyes, the young immortal was now nothing more than a Heart of Huiling with immense power.

Zhan Xueyang suddenly found it all rather dull and got up to leave.

After Zhan Xueyang performed the acupuncture, Liu Shuang entered the Xuanhuang Pool.

She covered her eyes with the mermaid silk.

At first, it was very uncomfortable, but fortunately, there was no pain.

For the first time, she experienced what it was like to be a mortal, unaware and unfeeling.

There was no sound of wind in her ears, and her eyes saw no colors.

On the first day, she fell several times.

The little sand people gathered around her, exclaiming in surprise, and helped her up.

Now, she had familiarized herself with the path from the Xuanhuang Pool to her dwelling and rarely fell.

The little sand people all adored her, vying to take care of her.

Every day at dawn, they would collect the freshest spiritual dew from the back mountain.

At noon, when Liu Shuang emerged from the Xuanhuang Pool, they would lead her to the back mountain to bathe—

After all, without the ability to use spiritual energy, she couldn’t use cleansing spells.

They formed a human ladder, surrounding her from all sides to ensure she didn’t take a wrong turn.

Once, Liu Shuang walked in the wrong direction, and they were frantic.

“Oh no, not that way! This way, this way. There’s a big monster over there, very scary.”

Liu Shuang couldn’t hear them, but they managed to guide her back.

After bathing, it was the sand people’s favorite part: feeding her the spiritual dew.

They fought over who would get to feed her because, after taking care of the young immortal, her beautiful, flower-like lips would gently kiss their cheeks.

She was lovely and gentle, and taking care of her was no trouble at all.

Unlike the master of You Mountain, who bossed them around and crushed their bodies, forcing them to wait a hundred years to reform into a new sand person.

And that new one wouldn’t be them anymore.

Sometimes, they would jump into her arms to snuggle, and she never shooed them away, giving each one a hug.

The little sand people experienced the happiest days of their lives.

Until today, when that happiness came to an end.

They had collected the spiritual dew and were on their way to the Xuanhuang Pool to fetch her when they saw a figure in dark blue robes from afar.

He was tall, with an intense aura of killing intent.

Just standing outside the Xuanhuang Pool, none of them dared to approach.

The sapphire sand person anxiously paced in circles, and all the sand people became like ants on a hot griddle—it was noon, and they were supposed to form a human ladder and lead her to bathe.

The god of slaughter stood there, and not a single one dared to go forward.

No one wanted to wait a hundred years to reform, and even then, it wouldn’t be the same them.

At a quarter past noon, the sapphire’s “eyes” reflected the young immortal groping her way out.

She stumbled along, feeling the rocks.

“Little sand people?”

Finally, she reached the man, and all the sand people stopped and stared with their “gemstone eyes.”

“Don’t play around; I can’t see.”

The man wasn’t one of them, so he didn’t reach out to take her hand.

Her hand touched his chest, and she sighed in relief, smiling.

“Let’s go.”

The sand people collectively gasped.

They “saw” the cold, ruthless demon in dark blue robes standing motionless, looking down at her.

Liu Shuang found it very strange.

Usually, these sand people, though mischievous, were always vying for her attention, wanting her to hold them.

But today, they were late to fetch her, and when she finally found them, they didn’t move at all.

Did they want her to hold them?

She opened her arms and gently embraced him.

She couldn’t feel temperature, but today, the “person” they had formed seemed unusually tall, much taller than her.

The mermaid silk covering her eyes made her face appear even more delicate and small.

Yan Chaosheng coldly watched as she nestled in his arms, looking particularly petite.

As his true form stabilized, he had grown taller, and his aura of gloom and killing intent had intensified.

This was the first time he had seen her since they parted at the Weak Water.

Behind them, the sand people squealed in panic.

Under their sorrowful and terrified gazes, he grabbed her hand.

“Walk,” he said coldly.

Unable to see, she could only obediently follow him, completely unaware of the danger.

The sapphire sand person tried to follow, but he crushed it underfoot without mercy.

“Get lost. Try following us again,” he said coldly.