The deity's teaching methods were harsh; he would throw people into perilous situations to fight for their lives. When they were critically injured, he would drag them back for healing. The Valley of Medicine Masters had long since become part of his unassailable dominion, with all the miraculous elixirs and top-tier healers at his disposal.
Bai Zihao endured through sheer willpower, repeatedly grappling with the edge of death. Through numerous failures, he found the path of cultivation most suited for him. Later, under the deity's guidance, he established the Tower of Snow and Winds, firmly controlling the Northern Territories, gathering intelligence through bounty missions, and eliminating many looming subversive forces, as well as traitors.
During the long dark era, Bai Zihao was the most ruthless assassin under the deity's command. His orders were absolute, his missions never failing; everyone feared landing on his list of the doomed.
Kong Muhua was consumed by resentment.
After being educated by the deity, Bai Zihao became obsessed with cultivation and missions. He felt like a discarded concubine, gaining favor only after exhausting every beguiling trick. It was a melancholy existence.
Back then, when Bai Zihao discovered Kong Muhua was an ancient monster under the deity's command at the Unfading Summit, Kong Muhua quickly shifted all blame onto the deity. He apologized tearfully for a long time. Bai Zihao felt awkward and uncomfortable but quickly let go of his reservations and reconciled.
Bai Zihao practiced cultivation with all his might, frequently sustaining injuries, losing limbs, and hanging by a thread. It wasn't uncommon for the deity to drag him back in such a state.
Kong Muhua was heartbroken but understood that Bai Zihao needed strength and supported his striving toward his goals.
In the beginning, Bai Zihao was clumsy and inept. Kong Muhua would secretly observe, disguise himself to provide subtle hints, stand vigil when Bai Zihao was severely injured and unconscious, and encourage him lavishly when his spirits were low.
He seamlessly found his place in that wounded heart.
After achieving the Yuanying stage in his cultivation, Bai Zihao shyly confessed his feelings, proposing to become spiritual partners for the journey ahead.
Kong Muhua swore he was just too excited at the moment. In the throes of passion, he involuntarily revealed his masculine form. Bai Zihao, slightly intoxicated, didn't notice the change and was quite cooperative. Softening under the touch, he even let out ambiguous moans.
How could Kong Muhua hold back? Driven by competitive spirit, he was determined to show that the demon race's innate abilities far surpassed those of humans. And so he abandoned all restraint.
At first, Bai Zihao struggled painfully but was held fast by the ancient demon's power. Eventually, he grew accustomed, his cries becoming increasingly alluring. Contradictorily, he said 'no' while holding on tightly. In a moment of excitement, he even spoke vulgar endearments, admitting that Kong Muhua was far superior in bed compared to his trashy ex-husband.
Kong Muhua delightedly reveled through the night, eating and drinking to his heart's content. He was utterly satisfied.
The next day, Bai Zihao put on his trousers and turned hostile, accusing Kong Muhua of lying and deception, insisting on breaking up.
For heaven's sake! Kong Muhua had even displayed his full peacock plumage. Where was the deception?
Kong Muhua never revealed his demon or masculine form, always appearing and behaving as a delicate girl.
Accustomed to perceiving Kong Muhua as a girl, Bai Zihao couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his beloved was actually a peculiar individual who preferred feminine attire. The peacock's display had slipped his mind entirely. Learning the truth in bed, he became furiously embarrassed and refused to engage in intimate relations with a man, not wanting to be ensnared by lust ever again.
Bai Zihao, a practitioner of the Ice and Snow Path, possessed a colder heart than most. Without hesitation, he abandoned his emotions to focus solely on his career.
Kong Muhua was fuming, openly lamenting about Bai Zihao's ungrateful and deceitful behavior. However, Bai Zihao was stubbornly rigid on matters concerning same-sex relations. Unable to transform into a female peacock, Kong Muhua had no choice but to persistently pursue him, finding creative ways to win his affections, occasionally succeeding a time or two.
Bai Zihao's admiration for the deity was common knowledge. He would brave any danger if commanded by the deity.
In front of the deity, even Kong Muhua's bizarre self-confidence dwindled slightly. Though the deity seemed indifferent and averse to emotions, what if he grew fond of the beautiful Bai Zihao? Kong Muhua envisioned himself as the tragic heroine, crying daily beneath the Phoenix Tree Platform.
Now that the deity is about to marry the Divine Empress, everyone rejoices. Yet, the deity seems to be dragging his feet. One wonders if he's facing any obstacles.
Kong Muhua is anxious, eager to fly over and impart 108 methods for winning affections, helping the deity eliminate all rivals, and swiftly completing the marriage rituals. Alas, he can't even find out who the Divine Empress is and can only fret helplessly.
Upon hearing Kong Muhua's account, Bai Zihao laughed heartily and said, "Congratulations to the deity for finally achieving what he has long desired."
In the past, Bai Zihao was quite intrigued by the love story between Medicine King Immortal Venerable and Yue Wuhuan. Having read many accounts, he was too timid to inquire further. Now that the Medicine King has emerged from seclusion, he wants to seize the opportunity to meet this fascinating individual and clarify the story.
The deity had been incredibly kind to him, holding in his emotions for years, almost like a dormant volcano. Medicine King, on the other hand, seemed like an emotionless piece of wood...
Bai Zihao touched his right wrist and mischievously thought about whether he should teach Medicine King, who also had a single-element water affinity body, how to please the deity.
The deity would surely be delighted...
Once Kong Muhua discovered Bai Zihao knew the identity of the Divine Empress, he clung to him cheerfully, making a fuss about wanting to meet her.
Bai Zihao noticed that the guy was getting increasingly handsy in the midst of his antics, reaching out everywhere while emitting an air of flirtation. Glancing at the wretched corpse nearby and then at the filthy, revolting cave, he immediately put on a cold face, picked up the shameless golden peacock, and tossed it into the snow.
A passing cultivator saw a beautiful young woman flung heartlessly into a pile of snow. Sitting on the ground, she cried softly, a picture of vulnerability as she begged for forgiveness.
As a result, another dark mark was added to the tales of Bai Xianzun's unsavory exploits.
...
Song Qingshi sneezed twice for no apparent reason.
Foundation-building cultivators seldom fell ill, so he didn't give it much thought. Happily, he continued organizing his samples. He was running out of small porcelain vials, but luckily, Feng Jun had brought plenty of transparent ones, solving his urgent dilemma.
In Song Qingshi's memory, such vials were rare and required a hefty pre-order.
Song Jincheng laughed at him for being out-of-date, explaining that these vials were common items. Originally designed by the Medicine King Valley for storing lab materials, they later found broader uses. Tian Gong Pavilion had mass-produced them along with many other transparent containers, making them affordable for all cultivators.
Stunned for a moment, Song Qingshi bent down again, extracted his scalpel, and began dissecting the first Filth Demon he had caught, taking notes as he went along.
This creature had no blood or meridians; its skeletal structure was unlike that of humans. Some parts resembled the exoskeleton of arthropods, while others were boneless and moved through soft tissue. Most had mouthparts, some bore faces nearly human but devoid of expression, creating a horrifying visage.
It was an unprecedented and mysterious creature, tantalizingly rich in research possibilities, practically a siren call to any scientist.
The more he dissected, the more excited he became. Smiling, he skillfully wielded his scalpel, cutting the Filth Demon into small pieces, which he then handed to Feng Jun for categorized storage with labels. He couldn't bring himself to destroy the remaining debris and considered putting it in a coffin for future study.
The inn's patrons, nauseated by the sight of Song Qingshi dissecting body parts, had never seen anyone so peculiar.
They discreetly distanced themselves from Song Qingshi and his scalpel.
Song Jincheng had seen his senior brothers and sisters dissect bodies before but still found it too gruesome. He advised, "These creatures appear frequently. Don't treat this corpse like a treasure; it will disappear after some time."
"Disappear?" Song Qingshi grew more excited, "I want to witness it vanish with my own eyes!"
Feng Jun, familiar with Song Qingshi's research quirks, contemplated their future: no kisses, no cuddles, just the two of them squatting in front of a coffin, staring at an ugly corpse and taking notes. Although he was very fond of Song Qingshi and interested in joining his research, they should at least be doing this in an appropriate location.
Eagerly, Song Qingshi took out spiritual stones and called for the innkeeper to buy a coffin.
"Hold on," Feng Jun finally intervened, offering an alternative, "We lack the proper equipment here, and Jincheng is eager to visit friends at Tianwu Gate. Once we settle our affairs, you can go to Medicine King Valley and consult Mr. Yue. The research labs there have everything you'll need—precise weighing scales, measuring devices, thermometers, and even magical artifacts for material analysis."
The more Song Qingshi heard about the Medicine King Valley, the more he considered it a haven on earth. He was captivated by Feng Jun's description of the research labs, and his heartbeat quickened.
Feng Jun continued to entice him, "When the time comes, I'll provide you with a few live Filth Demons to keep in cages for research."
Song Qingshi readily agreed, "Deal."
Feng Jun was his little angel, gentle and considerate. He needed to quickly clarify those peculiarities that had been bothering him in his memories, ensuring they wouldn't have any adverse effects on Feng Jun.
In this lifetime, the next, and all the lifetimes after, he never wanted to be apart from Feng Jun.
Suddenly, Song Qingshi felt a slight tremor from beneath the earth, making him uneasy.
He looked around to find everyone else unperturbed. Puzzled, he asked, "Was that an earthquake?"
Hao Long shook his head.
Song Jincheng said, "No."
Feng Jun chuckled, "Must be your imagination."
Scratching his head, Song Qingshi felt that perhaps he had been mistaken. He dropped the topic and, acquiescing to everyone else's wishes, regretfully cremated the corpse. Then he went to tend to the lightly wounded nearby. For some reason, their faces registered horror when they saw him, as though they were looking at a maniac. Song Qingshi touched his face, wondering if he looked too menacing, and considered asking the gentle and beautiful Feng Jun for help.
However, Feng Jun was lost in thought nearby and didn't notice the situation here.
Song Qingshi thought for a moment and decided to let it be.
...
Deep within the Endless Abyss, among layers of seals, An Long slowly opened his eyes.
With Song Qingshi's departure and Yue Wuhuan's disappearance, An Long had lost all his loves and hatreds. The Wan Gu Sect was annihilated, Xilin destroyed, and he became a fugitive, scorned by all. Aimless, he wandered through life in a daze.
After the emergence of the Filth Demons, the demon in his mind awakened, exploiting his vulnerabilities to flood him with endless malicious thoughts while transforming his body.
An Long's powers grew exponentially, but he started losing his human appearance. He gradually morphed from a half-demon into a complete demonic creature, ultimately losing his rationality and becoming a creature of sheer bloodlust.
While he still had a shred of human consciousness left, he asked for help from the reincarnated Yue Wuhuan, who was now a god. He sealed himself in the Endless Abyss, letting the demonic energy warp his body. He finally turned into a black monster, a fusion of enormous segments and chunks of flesh. It vaguely resembled a dragon, but every part of it was hideous, exuding a nightmarish aura.
Coiling along the rock walls, he exhaled a massive breath and called out the name of his guardian: "Yue Wuhuan, are you there?"
From the darkness emerged a man in red, wearing a golden-winged mask and holding a luminescent lamp. He came to An Long's side, looked up at the huge, red vertical pupils, and calmly said, "I am here."
When sealing An Long, God Emperor left behind an avatar to guard the seal. However, An Long's sanity wavered, recognizing no one but Yue Wuhuan in his fits of madness. So, the God Emperor left his most lamentable past self to accompany An Long, sealing them both away in this eternally dark abyss.
Anlong shifted his colossal frame, dragging countless chains behind him, shattering the enveloping darkness of despair.
"Wuhuan, I feel that he has returned."
"Wuhuan, have you found a way to completely kill me?"
"Wuhuan, hurry, or it'll be too late..."
"..."
This time, Yue Wuhuan took a long moment of silence before giving the same answer:
"I will find a way to kill you."
"Don't be afraid."