When she spoke of the Demon Lord, one could clearly see a deep reverence in her eyes—a devotion rooted not just in awe, but in her very soul. It was a reverence that could not be erased, already etched into her bones. Her soul belonged to that Demon Lord.
"The demon concubines in the Demon Consort Palace are gifts prepared by us, his loyal followers, for the Demon Lord's future rebirth. Once his reincarnation is complete, these demon concubines will truly become his consorts and receive his favor."
"There are nine Crystal Sky Coffins in the Demon Consort Palace. These are said to be Innate Spirit Treasures, holding miraculous power. Anyone lying within them enters eternal slumber, allowing the body to be nourished and cultivation to grow. The slumber itself is induced by the power of the coffins. Each coffin carries a permanent Slumber Curse, which once activated, continues regardless of whether one stays inside or leaves. The coffins are so precious that only the most breathtakingly beautiful women—those of absolute divine beauty—are worthy of lying within."
"These three demon concubines are the forbidden ones in the Demon Lord's heart, personally selected by him. They passed through the Demon Emperor Hall without being devoured by the Blood Pool, a sign of his approval. To lay a hand on them is to provoke the Demon Lord himself. Surely you understand—no man would calmly watch as his women are taken before his eyes."
"Each of these coffins bears the mark of the Demon Lord. No matter where you flee, not even the ends of the earth can escape his perception. When that time comes, you will not escape death."
Bai Ruxue spoke with unwavering certainty.
If the Demon Lord were not in the midst of reincarnation and thus unable to act, none of them would have made it out of the Abyss alive. A mere flick of the Demon Lord's finger could have ended them all.
This fact was beyond question.
"Is that so? Even if he wants to kill me, he'll have to climb out of the Abyss first. And when that time comes, will he truly be able to crush me? Who wins or loses, no one can say until the very end."
Yi Tianxing remained unaffected by her threats.
He had accepted the consequences the moment he took the demon concubines. Since it was fate, he had already mentally prepared himself. It was just another problem to face when it came.
"Let the river bridge itself when the boat arrives."
Perhaps, the Demon Lord wouldn't be able to crush him after all. Yi Tianxing had never doubted himself.
"How do I break the Slumber Curse?"
he asked again.
"That's impossible. Only the Demon Lord knows how. No one else could ever undo it. At least… not you."
Bai Ruxue replied with a mocking smile.
"We'll see about that."
Yi Tianxing stepped closer to the crystal coffin holding Gongsun Daniu, reaching out and lifting the lid. A flash of light revealed a wondrous divine tree emerging above the coffin.
It was the Innocent Heavenly Sound Treasure Tree.
Each leaf on the tree resembled a musical instrument, and as they trembled, they naturally produced a crisp, melodious sound that fused into a heavenly harmony.
"What kind of treasure is this? This sound… it's strange."
Bai Ruxue's expression shifted as she heard it. She sensed an involuntary urge to submit to Yi Tianxing. The feeling was subtle, yet powerful. If not for her strength and strong will, she might have succumbed right away.
The heavenly sound could purify the mind, dispel evil, and suppress inner demons.
Ding ding ding!
With a thought, the leaves quivered even faster, producing **a symphony of sounds—zithers, flutes, lutes—**all harmonizing into an extraordinary melody. It was not chaotic but instead entered the soul, cleansing and tempering it. All distracting thoughts were washed away.
"What a treasure,"
Liu Feng murmured, lost in the sound. Yet for some reason, he had a strange urge to swing his axe at the tree. It felt like instinct—to chop down a good tree upon seeing it.
Bathed in this heavenly music, Gongsun Daniu's expression softened. Even in slumber, she seemed comforted by its beauty.
Clang!!
Suddenly, the Soul-Shocking Bell appeared beside the treasure tree. As it rang, its chime pierced directly into the soul, unleashing a powerful force designed to awaken a sleeping soul.
One side was gentle harmony, the other brutal shock. Together, they formed a bizarre yet effective combination.
It was like ice and fire—together, they delivered a soul-shaking blow. Gongsun Daniu's face changed from peaceful to pained in an instant, as if caught between a beautiful dream and a nightmare.
"Two treasures, using opposing forces to break the Slumber Curse…"
Bai Ruxue frowned. Whether it would work or not was unclear, but the emotional fluctuations on Gongsun Daniu's face showed it was having an effect.
"No restriction is flawless. If a flaw hasn't been found yet, it just means the right method hasn't been discovered."
Yi Tianxing sneered in his heart.
"Dreamcloud Illusion Butterfly—enter the dream realm!"
Slumber was dreaming. And dreams, in Yi Tianxing's view, were not unbreakable.
With a silent shout, a radiant, ethereal butterfly—the Dreamcloud Illusion Butterfly—appeared. It shimmered like mist, brilliant and otherworldly. At first glance, one might lose themselves in its beauty.
It danced gracefully through the air and gently landed on Gongsun Daniu's forehead. In an instant, it vanished—as if it had entered her consciousness.
The treasure tree and Soul-Shocking Bell continued their assault, their forces working in tandem to shock her soul and draw her back.
"Can it really succeed…"
Bai Ruxue's face twisted in doubt. Her confidence began to waver.
She knew, as Yi Tianxing did, that nothing in the world was truly unbreakable. Every lock had a key—just undiscovered.
If he succeeded, the Demon Lord's handpicked concubines would no longer be safe.
Eyes glued to Gongsun Daniu, she waited anxiously for the outcome.
Time passed silently. Liu Feng said nothing either, waiting as well.
No one cared how long it had been.
Then, at an uncertain moment, the Dreamcloud Illusion Butterfly reappeared, fluttering above the coffin as if emerging from Gongsun Daniu's body.
"Did it fail?"
Bai Ruxue exhaled in relief. She smiled coldly.
"You truly believed the Slumber Curse could be broken so easily? Give up. The Demon Lord's methods are beyond you."
But just as her words left her lips, Gongsun Daniu's eyelashes quivered. Her eyelids slowly lifted, revealing clear, radiant eyes.
"Daoist Gongsun, you're awake,"
Yi Tianxing said warmly, a smile on his lips.
"It's… Daoist Yi. Am I still dreaming?"
Gongsun Daniu stared at him blankly before murmuring to herself.
Clearly, she thought she was still dreaming. How else could she see Yi Tianxing the moment she woke?
"You've been asleep quite a while. It wasn't easy waking you up."
Yi Tianxing chuckled.
"It's not a dream… Daoist Yi, you really came to Skyhawk Island. What time is it now? No—wait, I was supposed to go to the Skyhawk Court alone, to assassinate the Skyhawk King. But I was dragged into the Abyss by some dark force and put to sleep. How long was I out? Did you save me?"
Her mind quickly cleared. Her swordheart stabilized in an instant as she pieced everything together.
Seeing Yi Tianxing gave her an overwhelming sense of hope. The feeling was more profound than words.
"A promise is a promise. I said I'd come, didn't I?"
Yi Tianxing said with a smile.
Gongsun Daniu blushed faintly. She hadn't forgotten that promise.
"Impossible… You actually broke the Slumber Curse. How?"
Bai Ruxue's face twisted in disbelief. Her expression was one of absolute denial.
This was the Slumber Curse—even grandmasters had failed to crack it.
And now… it had been undone right before her eyes.