Chasing The Moon (Moonlight Mystique) - Chapter 88

“I know,” Fan Yue said softly, “I have never not believed you.”

Before Bai Shuo could respond, Zhen Yu coldly spoke up: “Fan Yue, today I will send you off!”

“Nine tails, nine lives!”

“What you killed was just my avatar. You old fox, if I hadn’t used eight tails as a price to create a divine body, I really couldn’t have fooled you,” Chang Mei said with a look of frustration.

“Since when did you two start working together?”

“Since the day she entered the palace,” Fan Yue suddenly waved his hand, and by the lake, demonic energy surged, a panicked Ah Yue fell to the ground.

“Ah Yue?” Bai Shuo was surprised.

Ah Yue was also incredulous: “You’ve been suspicious of me all along? Why?”

“Because I know, you’re not the person in my memories.”

“Impossible, I have all the memories of our past, you know I’m not lying!”

“True, what you say does match some of my memories, but no matter how much you pretend, you’re not her,” Fan Yue’s voice was distant.

“I can’t remember her face, but I remember her eyes at the moment of her death, those eyes told me that if she were to live again and see me, she would prefer to be strangers rather than together.”

For some reason, when Bai Shuo heard Fan Yue’s words, a great sadness struck her heart, causing her to tremble violently.

But Fan Yue didn’t see Bai Shuo’s expression at that moment.

Ah Yue was unwilling: “Just because of a pair of eyes, you don’t believe me?”

“Not just that, your nature, I don’t know, but Bai Shuo would never harm the innocent or stir up trouble for no reason. If she suspects you, I will too.”

“Then why did you drive her out of the Haoyue Palace?”

“If I didn’t do that, how could I lure you into action, and how could I make Zhen Yu believe that the demon gathering  banner was under his control?”

As he spoke, Fan Yue waved his hand, and the demon gathering banner once again emitted a crimson demonic energy.

“Kill!”

The Taotie roared, leading the beasts straight towards Zhen Yu.

In an instant, Zhen Yu’s arm was torn apart, and just as he was about to be devoured by the Taotie, a figure descended from the sky, slashing down with a blade, pulling the half-dead Zhen Yu and flying toward the Crystal Palace.

“Ah Zhao!” Bai Shuo saw the newcomer and exclaimed in surprise.

The Taotie wanted to continue the chase, but Fan Yue, noticing Bai Shuo’s expression, threw out the demon gathering banner, recalling all the beasts.

In that moment, Chong Zhao disappeared into the sky with Zhen Yu.

Bai Shuo was stunned, staring blankly at Fan Yue.

“Big demon, you…”

“Zhen Yu’s divine soul is shattered, even if Chong Zhao saves him, he won’t live past three days.”

A glimmer of gratitude appeared in Bai Shuo’s eyes, but then she remembered Fan Yue’s deception, feeling both angry and aggrieved, she turned and disappeared without a word.

Fan Yue didn’t expect the little half-immortal to have such a temper, and in a moment of carelessness, he failed to keep her, and was about to chase after her.

“Fan Yue!” Behind him, Ah Yue struggled to get up from the ground.

“Don’t you want to know who you are, and who the person you’ve been looking for is?”

She looked at Fan Yue with sorrow, “I’m willing to tell you everything, just… just let me stay by your side.”

“No need,” Fan Yue said indifferently, a divine power falling towards Ah Yue.

Ah Yue thought Fan Yue was going to kill her, but the divine light flickered around her, and black energy escaped from her brow, she felt a sudden lightness.

“You… you released the divine contract Zhen Yu placed on me?”

A glimmer of hope appeared in Ah Yue’s eyes, she reached for Fan Yue’s sleeve, “Why? Why didn’t you kill me, but instead saved me…”

Fan Yue slightly stepped back, avoiding Ah Yue’s hand, looking down: “You and her are connected after all.”

Ah Yue paused: “You… you already know who you are…”

But Fan Yue didn’t let Ah Yue continue, with a wave of his hand, Ah Yue turned into a stream of light heading towards the direction of the Yuanling Swamp.

“I spare your life, from now on, the Luminous Heart Grass must not leave the Yuanling Swamp.”

With those words, Fan Yue decisively chased after Bai Shuo.

“Auntie!”

Mu Jiu rushed over, about to hug Chang Mei.

Chang Mei reached out and grabbed the little fox’s ear, seeing her foolish nephew with tears in his eyes, she looked disdainful: “No backbone. With this bear-like appearance, you still want to subdue Tianhuo? Come, follow me back to the mountain to cultivate.”

“No, I want to go to the Haoyue Palace to find Little Hua!” Mu Jiu struggled, but was still dragged away by Chang Mei.

That night, in the Cold Spring Palace.

Zhen Yu lay dying in the hall, Chong Zhao presented the devil essence to Zhen Yu, but no matter how much was infused, the life in Zhen Yu’s eyes continued to fade.

“Don’t waste your effort, my divine soul is shattered, there’s no way back.”

“Palace master, why can’t even the devil god’s essence save you?”

Chong Zhao’s eyes couldn’t hide his sorrow, whether Zhen Yu was a devil or a demon, if it weren’t for Zhen Yu, he would have died at the hands of the immortal clan long ago.

“The demon gathering banner is part of the demon god’s essence, without the devil god’s presence, this devil energy alone can’t save me…”

“Palace Master!”

“I have schemed for the demon clan all my life, I die without regret. Chong Zhao, they don’t know you are already a devil, you must kill Fan Yue for me, become the demon emperor, open the Nine Nether Purgatory… welcome our lord back to this world…”

Chong Zhao didn’t hesitate, ready to face death: “The world wants me dead, but you gave me new life, your wish, Chong Zhao will try even if it means death.”

“I… I will help you…” Zhen Yu waved to Chong Zhao, “Come here…”

Chong Zhao bent down, Zhen Yu slowly spoke: “All my schemes were for you, including my death…”

Chong Zhao was stunned, but Zhen Yu didn’t wait for his question, a light flashed in his eyes, suddenly pointing at Chong Zhao’s forehead, a black light flashed, pure devil power shot from Zhen Yu’s palm into Chong Zhao’s spiritual core, Chong Zhao was instantly controlled, suspended in mid-air, his eyes empty.

At that moment, the originally calm devil god’s essence suddenly lit up, and along with Zhen Yu’s devil power, shot into Chong Zhao’s spiritual core. In an instant, Chong Zhao directly stepped into the peak of demigod, just one step away from becoming a god.

“To become a devil, one must abandon everything, let me help you, cut off the only bond in this world!”

Zhen Yu looked at Chong Zhao in mid-air, murmuring, a smile on his lips, his body slowly turning into smoke. The moment Zhen Yu disappeared, Chong Zhao opened his eyes, a black light flashed in his eyes, and he landed on the throne.

The moment Zhen Yu’s soul disappeared, Fu Ling rushed into the hall.

“Palace Master!”

There was no Zhen Yu in the hall, on the throne, Chong Zhao slowly turned his head, his eyes deep as ink, without a trace of emotion.

“Ah Zhao… the Palace Master, he?”

“The Palace Master has fallen, from today onwards, I am the new master of the Cold Spring Palace.”

Chong Zhao slowly spoke: “Go, announce to the demon world, in three months, I will battle the Master of the Haoyue Palace at the Purple Moon Mountain. The loser dies, the winner will become the new demon emperor.”

Fu Ling looked at Chong Zhao’s emotionless eyes, a wave of unease rising in her heart.

Bai Shuo angrily pushed open the door of her dilapidated courtyard in the Nanhai City, casually lying down on the broken rocking chair under the tree, covering herself with a leaf pretending to be dead.

“Ahhh, I’m so angry! That bastard!”

Finally unable to contain her great grievance, Bai Shuo couldn’t help but shout out loud.

A drop of water suddenly fell on her forehead, Bai Shuo jolted up, pushing the leaf aside, only to see Fan Yue sitting by the rocking chair with a bowl of iced tea.

Fan Yue was dressed in simple clothes, his black hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, none of the grandeur of the Haoyue Palace Master.

Bai Shuo looked at Fan Yue like this, momentarily stunned.

“It’s hot, easy to get angry, I brought some ice from the Extreme North, put it in the tea, it’s just right.”

Fan Yue handed the teacup to Bai Shuo, the cup exuding a coolness, Bai Shuo blinked, her anger mostly dissipated, she drank the whole cup in one gulp, grumbling: “The Palace Master has many important matters, what brings you to my shabby hut?”

Fan Yue wiped the water from her mouth, softly saying: “To take you home.”

“Home? What home, the Haoyue Palace is too high and cold, I’m just a little half-immortal who can only tell fortunes, I should know my place, aiming too high, next time I might be driven out again.”

Bai Shuo casually picked up a withered flower from the ground, tearing it apart, the more she spoke the more aggrieved she felt.

“The Haoyue Palace will only ever have one mistress,” Fan Yue wasn’t annoyed, sitting beside Bai Shuo, slowly saying.

“That person is a little half-immortal, living in the Nanhai City, with a little disciple named Mu Mu.”

Bai Shuo’s hand tearing the flower paused, she looked up, reaching out to touch Fan Yue’s forehead, bewildered.

“Palace Master, are you not sick, why are you talking nonsense…”

Bai Shuo’s hand was caught in mid-air, Fan Yue looked at her steadily.

“I’m not talking nonsense, I just feel that this sentence was said too late.”

The Haoyue Palace Master’s gaze was too focused, Bai Shuo’s throat choked up, her lips quivered, her voice carrying a sob.

“But you’re not just the Haoyue Palace Master, you’re also the Bodhi Divine Tree, you have someone you love, sooner or later you’ll remember her…”

“No. There will only be one Fan Yue in this world, there will be no more Bodhi Divine Tree.”

“Wha-what do you mean?” Bai Shuo was dumbfounded.

Fan Yue’s palm moved, a crystal clear green stone floated, with a flick of his finger, the stone flew like a spirit into Bai Shuo’s spiritual core.

Bai Shuo suddenly felt the spiritual energy in her core surging, as if she was on the verge of breaking through to demigod.

“What is this?”

“This is half of my spiritual essence, as long as I don’t take it back, even if I regain my divine power, I will never recover my memories.”

“Are you kidding! Bai Shuo was shocked, jumping up, “Big demon, you’re crazy, you gave me half of your spiritual essence, if I die, you die too!”

“Then we’ll die together,” Fan Yue held Bai Shuo in his arms, his firm voice falling by her ear.

“Since I woke up in the Extreme North, everything I’ve done has been to regain my divine power and recover my memories, but Bai Shuo, from the day I brought you back to the Haoyue Palace from the Wutong Island, I had already decided. No matter who I was, it no longer matters, I just want to be Fan Yue, your little disciple.”

“Idiot, who wants to be your master! If you don’t return to being the Bodhi Divine Tree, you’ll die!”

Bai Shuo’s eyes were red, pounding on Fan Yue’s chest, full of fear.

“No, I’ve refined the demon god’s demon gathering banner, I’ve already extinguished the soul-suppressing fire on my body, I won’t die.”

“Really?” Bai Shuo was astonished, pulling open Fan Yue’s clothes, indeed the seven stars on his chest had disappeared, “They’re really gone!”

Bai Shuo hugged Fan Yue tightly, tears streaming down, falling on Fan Yue’s shoulder.

Fan Yue felt Bai Shuo’s tears and her trembling body, raising his hand to stroke her hair.

“Come home with me, okay?”

A slightly smiling voice sounded by her ear, Bai Shuo didn’t hesitate, nodding heavily.

Ever since Bai Shuo returned to Haoyue palace, she had been pestering Fan Yue to remove the barrier outside the hall. As a result, the little fox came by every day, causing such a ruckus that the blacksmith could hardly bear it. But now that the little half-immortal and the little fox were in cahoots, Hua Hong, whose words carried little weight, could only spend her days searching for places to hide from his unwanted visitors.

But this relaxed and comfortable good life didn’t last long, the atmosphere in the Haoyue Palace became heavy and oppressive again.

Zhen Yu of the Cold Spring Palace was dead, but a new demigod was born—Chong Zhao.

Chong Zhao’s methods were more ruthless and cruel than Zhen Yu’s, in a short time he intimidated the Cold Spring Palace, and three times led the demon clan to attack the South Sea, reclaiming the Hundred Miles  Blessed Land, his fame in the demon clan reaching its peak.

Chong Zhao also announced to the three realms that in three months he would battle Fan Yue at the Purple Moon Mountain for the position of demon emperor.

Bai Shuo heard about this and hurried to find Fan Yue, who was half-lying taking a nap, she brought tea back and forth, hesitant, not knowing how to wake Fan Yue, nor what to say if she did.

A hand suddenly grabbed Bai Shuo, steadily holding the teacup, pulling her into his arms.

Bai Shuo looked up, meeting Fan Yue’s somewhat cold gaze, her heart skipped a beat, indeed, Fan Yue’s slightly cold voice sounded.

“Are you afraid that I will die at his hands, or that he will die at mine?”

“Neither!” Bai Shuo blurted out, her panicked expression calming down when she saw the slight dimness in Fan Yue’s eyes.