Chapter 86

At the same time, in a rain-soaked alleyway in the mortal realm, a small grey dog wriggled out from a corner.

It bit open a broken winnowing basket, revealing a small boy inside a bamboo crate.

The small boy had a pair of grey beast ears and eyes like black grapes. He looked at the small dog with longing: “Brother, you’re back.”

The “small dog” whined softly and transformed into human form, lifting his younger brother out of the bamboo crate.

“Only this, Ling, eat it.”

The older boy took out a carrot and handed it to the small boy.

The small boy took it, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

The older boy said, “Make do with this today. Tomorrow, brother will go to a farther place. I heard there’s a residence belonging to Lord Zhang in the city. Tomorrow, I’ll go beg there. Maybe a wealthy family will have a kind heart and give us some food.”

“Brother, don’t go.”

The boy called Yun Ling said, “Ling isn’t hungry. If they find out brother is a demon, they’ll catch you.”

Yun Yang pursed his lips and gently stroked his younger brother’s head, his gaze dimming.

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll be careful. After tomorrow, we’ll move to another place. Today, I saw disciples of the immortal sects passing by here. It’s no longer safe.”

The boy’s beast ears drooped.

He was still young, and his demonic nature couldn’t be concealed.

Even his beast ears couldn’t be transformed.

For a mortal at his age, he would still look like exquisitely carved jade, very adorable.

However, the little demon boy’s face was pale, and his stomach was sunken from hunger.

They hadn’t had a proper meal in a long time and looked like refugees.

Yun Yang held him in his arms, his own stomach aching with emptiness.

In the past two years, he had been hiding everywhere, transforming into an ordinary small dog during the day to beg for food.

However, in these times, even the immortal realm was in turmoil, so how could the mortal realm be any better? There weren’t many kind-hearted people, and some would even beat him severely.

Yun Yang could only endure it.

He couldn’t use his demon powers, otherwise he would easily attract cultivators.

Every time, he could only play dead to avoid them, hoping these people would let him go.

The new Heavenly Lord’s forces were sweeping across the entire Eight Wilderness with overwhelming momentum.

Unknowingly, the world was filled with immortal clans who had submitted to the Heavenly Lord.

These immortal sects obeyed the Heavenly Lord’s orders, and their task was to search everywhere for fleeing demons.

Once found, they would be taken away, and no one knew their fate; they would never be seen in the world again.

Relying on his intelligence, alertness, and extraordinary forbearance, Yun Yang had escaped the demon mountain with his young brother and had been hiding in the mortal realm for three years.

The boy sobbed, wiping his eyes, and choked out, “If only the Mountain Lord hadn’t died.”

Yun Yang covered his lips, his gaze sinking.

“Shh, don’t say it, don’t mention that name. Brother has taught you.”

The boy nodded hastily and began to nibble on the carrot in his arms.

Yun Yang watched, feeling sorrowful.

Tears welled up in his eyes several times, but he swallowed them back down.

Three years ago, during the turmoil in the demon palace, everyone was in danger.

When the immortal soldiers broke through the barrier, the sky was filled with blood.

Yun Yang’s parents had died that day.

Both were powerful great demons who had risked their lives to send their two sons out, and in the end, they had died in battle on the demon mountain.

Over the years, not to mention going back to collect their parents’ remains, Yun Yang and his brother didn’t even dare to approach the demon mountain.

They were used to hardship.

The year they spent on the demon mountain was the happiest and most stable time of their lives.

They didn’t have to hide, didn’t have to fear being beaten or going hungry.

However, with the death of the Mountain Lord and the fall of the demon palace, they had even lost their parents.

The constantly shrinking living space made every breath feel difficult and oppressive.

Yun Yang looked at the grey, heavy sky and lost confidence for the first time.

He hadn’t been able to raise his still-young brother the way his parents had raised him.

Earlier that day, when he went out, he had accidentally encountered a few immortals and overheard them discussing that the Heavenly Lord was about to go to war with Kunlun.

The reason was that the Heavenly Lord’s power had expanded to the foot of Kunlun Mountain, which was practically a declaration of war at their doorstep, making war inevitable.

Such a world…

Before Yun Yang could think further, his keen senses instantly alerted him to danger.

He scooped up his brother and ran, but it was already too late.

A celestial sword fell from the sky, blocking their path.

Several disciples carrying celestial swords stood in formation, the leader being the very person Yun Yang had encountered during the day.

That person said, “I really didn’t sense it wrongly. The demonic aura during the day came from you.”

Yun Yang knew he couldn’t escape and couldn’t defeat these immortal elders.

Trembling, he knelt down and kowtowed desperately.

“Little demon has done nothing wrong, please forgive us, immortal elders, and spare my brother. I’ll go with you.”

Yun Ling, who was beside him, burst into tears.

The carrot in his arms rolled out and fell into the rain.

He knelt down and kowtowed with Yun Yang.

“Don’t hurt my brother, immortal elders, catch me instead.”

A younger immortal lord gritted his teeth.

“There’s no evil on them, maybe we…”

The leading immortal interrupted him expressionlessly, “Let them go? How will you answer to the Heavenly Lord? Among all the sects, ours has handed over the fewest demons. If we let them go, will the Heavenly Lord let us go?”

The young immortal lord turned his head away, saying nothing.

This slightly older little demon looked even younger than him, with an aura of pure innocence.

It was clear at a glance that he had never harmed anyone or taken a life, and he was even practicing orthodox immortal cultivation.

But his senior brother was right.

Since their sect had submitted to Feng Fuming, to survive under the new Heavenly Lord’s thunderous methods and endure for thousands of years, they had to show their loyalty by capturing these demons of the world.

The little immortal lord clenched his fists.

The world was cruel, and when gods fought, mortals suffered.

For the first time, he felt that as an immortal, it would be difficult for him to remain purely good.

Clearly, their small immortal realm could have stayed away from the conflict.

“Set up the formation!” the senior brother ordered.

Kowtowing, Yun Yang leaped up, picked up his brother, and tried to rush out.

“This demon wants to break through! Everyone be careful, don’t let them escape.”

Several immortal disciples scattered and set up a formation.

The Heavenly Lord had ordered them to capture them alive as much as possible, so they couldn’t directly kill the two little demons yet.

Yun Yang was forced back several times, his eyes bloodshot.

He knew he was doomed to not escape today.

Remembering the demon spell his parents had used to send him and his brother away before their deaths, he forced out a mouthful of heart’s blood, wanting to do the same to send his brother away.

However, before little Ling could be lifted far, the leading immortal lord flew over quickly and grabbed Yun Ling’s neck.

Yun Yang’s eyes widened in fury.

“Ling!”

He was filled with despair.

But at the next moment, a pitch-black long sword shot out, striking the immortal lord’s wrist.

Yun Ling fell from the air into the embrace of someone wearing a deep blue cloak.

Without much effort, the newcomer lightly swept past everyone, grabbed Yun Yang by the collar, and disappeared into the alleyway.

Leaving all the immortal disciples looking at each other in bewilderment.

“The people were rescued?”

“A demon person? But why didn’t they retaliate against us?”

“Who was it? Did any of you see clearly?”

Of course not.

Besides that black giant sword, they hadn’t even touched the hem of the person’s clothes.

They hadn’t even been given time to react before that person took away the two little demons.

***

Yun Ling nestled in the person’s arms, blinking his watery eyes.

The little boy didn’t smell any demonic aura or immortal energy on this person, just like a mortal.

Oh no, not him, it should be her.

Her embrace was soft and warm, with a faint fragrance.

She held Yun Ling, while Yun Yang below was dumbfounded, lying on the giant sword with fear in his heart.

The woman gently stroked Yun Ling’s head, carrying them away from this area.

She was wrapped up tightly, revealing only a pair of clear, bright eyes that looked very beautiful and gentle.

Yun Ling relaxed, and in his hunger and pain, he unknowingly fell asleep in her arms.

Liu Shuang carried these two skinny little fellows, flying all the way towards the Ghost Realm.

When Bai Yuxiao saw the giant sword in the sky, he curled his lip and came over to look.

“Brought back two more little debt collectors, huh?”

Indeed, in his eyes, that dead young man Yan Chaosheng was a big debt collector.

Even in death, he wasn’t peaceful, making Liu Shuang run around tirelessly for the past three years, rescuing his kin and sending them to hide in the Ghost Realm, setting up formations within the closed ghost gate to let them survive.

Yan Chaosheng was a debt collector, so weren’t these little demons of his just little debt collectors?

Liu Shuang was used to his unrestrained speech.

“What did Chief Bai bring me?”

“A letter, see for yourself. I’m here to see my brother.”

“Wait a moment, let me take them to a safe place first.”

She treated the older child’s injuries and then used the black giant sword to transport them towards the Ghost Realm.

Her residence wasn’t far from the Ghost Realm, yet not within it, making it not too easy to enter or exit each time.

Bai Yuxiao picked up the young demon.

“Let’s go, since we’re here anyway, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

If Bai Zhuixu were truly dead, Bai Yuxiao would probably want to kill every little demon with a single sword strike.

But now that his own brother still had half a life left, these miserable fellows truly had no home.

Bai Yuxiao cursed himself inwardly.

As he grew older, his heart hadn’t hardened as much as before.

However, he wasn’t helping these demons; he was purely helping Liu Shuang carry the child.

The two of them worked together to send them to the entrance of the Ghost Realm.

The younger child woke up, his dark, round eyes wide open, staring unblinkingly at Liu Shuang.

“What are you looking at, little brat?” Bai Yuxiao said.

His rudeness made Yun Ling think he had fallen into the hands of the immortal sects.

He shrank his neck, and tears streamed down his face.

Liu Shuang held him, feeling a headache coming on, and whispered, “It’s alright, nothing’s wrong. He’s just scaring you. We don’t catch demons.”

“Really?” Yun Ling sobbed, asking.

“Yes, I’m not lying to you,” Liu Shuang said.

“Now I’ll take you to a safe place, and you won’t have to be afraid of being found anymore.”

Such good fortune was almost unimaginable for the child.

He looked at his older brother, whose injuries had already been treated, and wanted to kneel down to kowtow to these noble people.

He was still so young, yet he already understood the ways of the world and the bitterness of being a demon.

Liu Shuang didn’t let him kowtow, gently stroking his hair and lowering her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

The child looked at her, seeming to understand and yet not understanding.

She didn’t explain, formed a hand seal, and watched the two little demons disappear into the dark entrance of the ghost gate.

Bai Yuxiao held his sword.

“Why are you apologizing to them? What happened back then wasn’t your fault. I’ve seen it, that formation won’t take lives. Why are you feeling guilty towards a bunch of demons? You saved them, and you never reveal your identity. What are you trying to achieve?”

His expression was strange.

“Or could it be that you…”

Liu Shuang said, “Do you still want to see the young master?”

Bai Yuxiao laughed. “Yes, why wouldn’t I?”

He raised an eyebrow, finding it very interesting.

He wondered what his brother looked like now.

Liu Shuang had been cultivating day and night these past few years.

The Chishui family’s bloodline was indeed powerful.

Now, even two of him might not be able to defeat Chishui Liushuang.

He also didn’t know what method she had used to actually nurture his brother’s remnant soul and merge it into the body of a dead mortal infant, allowing him to be reborn using that child’s body.

However, although he was alive, he was now considered Bai Zhuizu, not Bai Zhuixu.

From now on, he would be an ordinary mortal, no longer the most favored immortal under the Lord of Kongsang Immortal Realm.

The past was completely forgotten, becoming a blank slate.

Compared to having his soul scattered and vanished, this was already the best outcome.

In the future, after entering the cycle of reincarnation, he might even be able to cultivate immortality again in some lifetime.

The current immortal realm wasn’t a good place anyway.

Being a mortal might be a carefree and happy thing.

Liu Shuang changed her clothes and led Bai Yuxiao to the front of a farmhouse.

In the small farmhouse courtyard, a two-and-a-half-year-old child with dark, round eyes was feeding insects to chickens.

Liu Shuang looked at Bai Yuxiao’s indescribable expression and stifled a laugh.

“There, young master, your brother.”

Bai Yuxiao said, “He’s already a mortal, yet he’s still so mature.”

Liu Shuang couldn’t help but laugh as well.

Both of their moods lightened a bit.

They didn’t appear to disturb him, watching quietly for a while.

Soon, a farm woman came out, picked up the child, and patted him gently to comfort him.

Bai Yuxiao watched silently.

Although that had once been his brother, from now on, he would ultimately live in a different way, unrelated to him.

The last time he had come to see Bai Zhuixu, he was still a swaddled infant.

Now, he was already two years old.

A mortal’s life was surprisingly short, yet surprisingly rich and enviable.

The family Liu Shuang had found for his brother, although not wealthy, truly loved the child.

His brother would surely live a smooth and happy life.

“What about that person’s soul? Have you never thought of reviving him like my brother?”

Liu Shuang lowered her eyes and shook her head.

“He… he’s different from Bai Zhuixu. He can’t come back.”

Having suffered the damage of two great divine artifacts, and with no one to save his soul.

Only later, when Liu Shuang was reshaping Bai Zhuixu’s soul, did she learn that the price for Bai Zhuixu retaining his remnant soul was half of Yan Chaosheng’s inner core.

And on the day Yan Chaosheng died, besides endless pain and loneliness, no one showed him the slightest bit of warmth.

Even though she had searched everywhere for his remnant soul for the past three years, trying all sorts of foolish methods to salvage the situation, even using her own Huiling power… she still couldn’t find even a trace of his aura.

There was no longer any trace of him in the world.

Liu Shuang thought that perhaps he would never return.