"I was so close... just a little more, and I would've never seen you again!"
As Ye Chuxue spoke, her tears fell again, one drop after another. In all her years, she had never been so wronged. Song Wanníng bullied her time and again, even tried to kill her.
And why? Just because her master cared for her? But it wasn't her fault.
"What are you saying? How does this have anything to do with Song Wanníng?"
Gu Qingyuan's brows knit tightly. Just hearing the name Song Wanníng made his chest tighten with discomfort.
Back then, the memory of being trampled beneath Song Wanníng's feet, and being completely outmatched by Lu Xingyao, had left a scar that still hadn't healed.
That woman was a curse on his path to immortality.
Ye Chuxue quickly recounted everything that had happened that day. When Gu Qingyuan heard that she had nearly lost her life, fury surged through him like a tidal wave. His rage overtook his body's limits, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He had already been close to collapse. The shock sent him over the edge, and he fainted on the spot.
Gu Qingyuan slumped into Ye Chuxue's arms, startling her so badly she nearly screamed.
"Master? Master? Don't scare me! What's wrong?"
Her voice trembled as she quickly pulled out a pill and pressed it into Gu Qingyuan's mouth.
But his face remained deathly pale. He didn't wake up.
That was when Ye Chuxue noticed the damage to his soul. She suddenly recalled the way he had risked his spiritual sense to shield her.
Tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time, she bit down hard on her lower lip to keep them from falling.
She sat at the edge of the bed, looking at Gu Qingyuan's ethereal, unworldly face. One memory after another flashed before her eyes.
He had always protected her. Always loved her. No matter what she'd been through, no matter what she looked like, he had never changed. He had never once let her down.
And that man she had once longed for? He had only ever scolded her for treating Song Wanníng poorly. Never, not once, had he truly thought for her sake.
A strange feeling began to grow quietly in her chest. She couldn't help but reach out to touch Gu Qingyuan's face.
But the moment her fingers brushed his skin, she recoiled like she'd been burned.
"No. He's my master. How could I even think of something like that?"
Ye Chuxue slapped her own cheeks, trying to clear her mind. There could never be anything between a master and disciple. No matter how good her master was, he could only ever be... her master.
—
In the Demon Palace.
The Demon Sovereign furiously swept everything off the table with a wave of his hand. The heavy thud echoed through the hall as the table itself splintered into pieces.
"Useless! All of you are useless! So much time has passed, and you still can't bring Mo Yuan back? And you even dare ask me for more resources?"
The more he thought about it, the more enraged he became. He lashed out with a kick, sending the demon attendant beside him flying.
The demon servant landed hard on the floor, his body convulsing in pain. He didn't dare make a sound. Trembling, he curled up tightly and struggled to rise.
Qu Shang, the young master of the Demon Palace, gave the servant a look, silently telling him to leave. Once the room was clear, he walked over to the Demon Sovereign and gently pressed him back into his seat.
"Father, don't get too worked up. Mo Yun and Mo Yu must've run into something difficult. Give them a little more time. They'll bring Mo Yuan back for sure.
Mo Yuan has been hiding for years. Now that we've finally tracked him down, he won't escape again."
"Hmph. Those two boasted so much back then. Said they'd have him back in three days. And now?"
The Demon Sovereign's face twitched. The already dark lines on his features deepened, making him look even more terrifying.
"If they can't bring him back, I'll send someone else!"
Qu Shang smiled faintly. "Don't worry. The two Demon Kings will definitely—"
Before he could finish, the Demon Sovereign received a transmission talisman.
Both their expressions shifted. They opened the message at once and heard Mo Yun's anxious voice report that Mo Yuan had escaped again. They'd lost him.
"What did you just say?!"
The Demon Sovereign erupted. Even Qu Shang's expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes.
"There were Dao cultivators helping him. We chased them for a long way, but in the end, they still got away!"
Mo Yun's voice sounded guilty. The Demon Sovereign exploded into curses.
There were people helping Mo Yuan and they hadn't said anything sooner?
If they had, he could've sent more men. They might've caught him by now. But now he was gone, and only then did they speak up?
The Demon Sovereign roared, cursing the two of them for a full fifteen minutes. Neither dared utter a single word in defense. Once his fury had cooled slightly, he immediately issued a bounty. He wanted Mo Yuan hunted down at all costs.
"The Demon Sea is about to open again. If we don't catch him now, we'll have to wait another thirty years!
I've been stuck at the peak of Divine Transformation for decades. This is my chance to ascend. If I miss it... another thirty years!"
For cultivators, thirty years could pass in a blink, or feel like a lifetime. But for those desperate to ascend, or to take the throne, it was far too long.
"Don't worry, Father. I'll take people and go myself. I swear I'll bring Mo Yuan back to you!"
A cold gleam flickered in Qu Shang's eyes.
Mo Yuan, that pathetic failure, had no chance of escape.
Only if Mo Yuan died completely could Qu Shang take his rightful place. Otherwise, there were still those in the Demon Palace who clung to the past.
Mo Yuan had to die the day the Demon Sea opened.
—
After shaking off the pursuit of the two Demon Lords, Song Wanníng brought Mo Yuan back to Wuyuan City.
The more dangerous a place, the safer it was. Those two wouldn't think to search here again so soon. She booked two rooms just as before. Then she bought clean clothes for Mo Yuan, and they had a hot meal before returning upstairs.
Their relationship had changed significantly.
Mo Yuan now followed Song Wanníng like a shadow, obeying her every word. Even the long-standing gloom on his face had started to lift. Sometimes, he even blushed or smiled.
Even though Song Wanníng remained distant, he didn't mind. He was convinced she only looked cold on the outside.
Once they returned to the inn, Mo Yuan immediately began cultivating.
Song Wanníng had treated him exceptionally well. She had even given him another precious eighth-grade pill.
As long as he took it, his manhood would grow back. He could become a real man again.
But unlike Mo Yuan's excitement, Song Wanníng's patience was wearing thin. She had been acting alongside Mo Yuan for some time now. With her goals more or less accomplished, she no longer wanted to waste her time.
Song Wanníng had never enjoyed pretending to be someone she wasn't. Especially not when she had to look at the face of someone she hated every day. Just being around him soured her mood.
Still, her efforts hadn't been in vain. She had gained something from it all. Now, she was ready to track down Ye Chuxue. With the favor of the heavens behind her, Ye Chuxue should have been safe for quite some time.
At the same time, Song Wanníng sent a transmission talisman to the innkeeper, inquiring about Lu Nanfeng's whereabouts.
Upon hearing that he was nearing the demon territory, a faint smile curved her lips. A flash of killing intent passed through her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
As his revered master, Song Wanning had waited long enough to carve a path for her precious disciple. And if she could drag Ye Chuxue into the abyss alongside him? All the better.
Framing her for the murder of a fellow disciple? That would be the perfect move.