The moment she saw Fu Jin, Chang Yao felt a sharp pang of indigestion.
She had a deep-seated psychological shadow regarding this elder brother of hers.
Ever since she lost her mother’s protection, as a weak demon still unable to command Wujiu Mountain, nearly every day and night of Chang Yao’s growth was spent being hammered into the ground by this noble Young Master of the Phoenix clan.
After their mother died, the demons of Wujiu Mountain were restless, all plotting to rebel, bite Chang Yao to death, and take the throne. However, the Phoenix Young Master came to Wujiu Mountain every single day to violently beat the weak, pitiful, and helpless little lord. The rebellious great demons repeatedly stayed their claws, thinking they would wait until the two finished fighting before making a move.
Who knew this fighting would never end? By the time they snapped out of it, the little girl who once only played with rabbits, who was mild and obedient, and who was obsessed with building nests for stray little demons, had somehow left them far behind. Not only had she become incredibly powerful, but her entire personality had transformed.
The rebellious demons didn't just tuck their claws away; they began to wag their tails in supplication, offering smiles and tributes daily to show their loyalty—terrified that this mistress might smile gently at them during the day and come knocking to sack their homes at night.
Fu Jin was responsible for at least half of this outcome.
Chang Yao’s relationship with her two half-brothers was extremely delicate. The siblings didn't have much contact on ordinary days, mostly living their own lives. Occasionally, she could chat for a few sentences with her second brother, the Fox King, but with her eldest brother, it was either fighting or running.
Three years ago, when she got married, she had considered whether to send invitations to these two. On second thought, she decided against it; inviting great demons to Kunlun didn't seem like a wedding invitation so much as an invitation to their deaths. Her eldest brother would certainly be displeased, and if he came to stir up trouble in his annoyance, it would just be looking for unnecessary grief.
In fact, the secret of her marrying Song Jixue and becoming the Mistress of Yunshan was only known to the Demon Emperor and her second brother, the Nine-Tailed Fox King.
Fu Jin had only learned of it from the Demon Emperor's mouth recently.
This made him a hundred times more displeased than if he had been invited to Kunlun to attend the wedding.
Chang Yao hadn't expected Fu Jin to appear here. After the initial shock, her expression became subtle upon hearing his words. "You're working for the Demon Emperor?"
Fu Jin had a violent temper. The cultivation world spoke of his cruel and tyrannical methods, and the demon world nodded in agreement.
Since his interactions with Chang Yao mostly involved killing and fighting, he let out a scoff and flicked out a surge of demonic power toward her. The massive shockwave of demonic energy swept across the area, nearly severing the entire apricot forest at the waist. Flying flowers danced, transforming into countless blades—both a lethal weapon and a sturdy cage.
Chang Yao was far too familiar with Fu Jin’s moves; it was a reaction nearly etched into her blood. Without needing to think, she knew exactly how to deal with it just by moving her fingers.
As she released her demonic power to block the flying petal-blades, she saw Fu Jin say with a half-smile, "Releasing large-scale demonic power in Yunshan will leave traces for your husband to discover. Are you sure about this?"
Chang Yao: "..."
In that brief moment of hesitation, the petal-blades cunningly bypassed her barrier, binding her limbs and seizing her throat simultaneously.
Seeing this, Painted Skin wished he could clap his hands and shout "Bravo!"
Chang Yao glanced at the petal-blades restricting her movements. It wasn't that she couldn't break free, but doing so would require releasing a massive amount of demonic power. She couldn't do that in Kunlun; the risk of exposure was too great.
The closer she got to the God Transformation stage, the less she could afford to overexert her power. She had to maintain her most abundant and powerful state to welcome the Heavenly Tribulation that could arrive at any moment.
Thus, as Fu Jin was about to strike again, she said quite decisively, "I’ll go."
Fu Jin, however, wasn't satisfied. He looked at her with disdain and disgust. "Since you're so afraid of him finding out you're a demon, why did you dare to marry him in the first place? To love a mortal so humbly—it’s simply embarrassing."
Chang Yao asked in bewilderment, "Who said I love him?"
Fu Jin thought there was something wrong with her head. "Then why did you marry him?"
"Kunlun’s spiritual energy helps with cultivation. If I can enter Kunlun legitimately, why wouldn't I marry him?" Chang Yao also couldn't understand Fu Jin; her gaze seemed to suggest that if it were him, he would have married as well.
No demon would refuse the spiritual power of the Kunlun Sacred Mountain.
"Oh?" Fu Jin said with a fake smile. "According to you, Song Jixue is just a stepping stone for your cultivation rather than a sweetheart. So even if I make his blood splatter three feet tonight, you won't care?"
"I still care somewhat," Chang Yao said. "Publicly, he is my husband. If he dies before I ascend, my life in Kunlun will become very difficult. Not everyone in Kunlun welcomes me as the Mistress of Yunshan."
Brother, my life isn't that easy; don't add fuel to the fire.
After a pause, Chang Yao added, "Besides, if you really want to fight him to the death, it's hard to say who would live and who would die."
"You truly will do anything for the sake of cultivation," Fu Jin snorted.
Chang Yao: "You should have known that long ago."
Painted Skin couldn't help but speak up. "You two, if you want to reminisce, how about we leave this place first? If we stay any longer, I'm afraid Yunshan will find out, and when Lord Yunshan rushes over..."
Both siblings turned to look at him simultaneously. Painted Skin felt a sudden chill down his spine and instinctively straightened his back, focusing his full attention. As he backed away, he stepped on the hand of the black eagle, who woke up with a pained howl.
Painted Skin, not daring to retreat further, stepped down hard on him to signal him to shut up.
Chang Yao looked back at Fu Jin. "Are you really working for the Demon Emperor?"
This eldest brother of hers was arrogant and unyielding, a law unto himself. He didn't even show much respect for his own father. It seemed there was nothing in this world that could command or order him. Chang Yao found it hard to imagine Fu Jin being obedient to the Demon Emperor.
Just the thought made her image of her brother crumble.
Fu Jin didn't answer. He raised a finger and pointed vaguely at her. "Go."
Seeing that he was unwilling to answer, Chang Yao kept her doubts to herself and began walking down the steps. The trees in the apricot forest were leaning every which way, leaving only scattered petals and the outer robe left by Lord Yunshan on the ground.
At Wushan’s Heavenly Pool, the Void Mist Snake was still leading a Mountain Lord and several Peak Masters on a chase. He wasn't entirely unscathed either; both sides had suffered minor superficial wounds. Plants were overturned, brilliant and fragile petals were trampled into the dirt, leaving only ugly roots exposed. Even the clear water in the pool had become turbid and black.
The area was heavily corroded by demonic aura.
The Lord of Wushan repeatedly heard messenger birds reporting that ten thousand demons had invaded Wushan. Lord Yunshan had already engaged with another demon general, Chimei, but there was no sign of the Demon Emperor.
Peak Master Tan heard this and shouted at the Void Mist Snake, "Didn't you say you were only looking for someone?"
The Void Mist Snake laughed. "You believe the words of a demon? Are you stupid?"
Its surging form shrank back down but floated even higher. A sweep of its tail brought forth a massive amount of toxic mist, its red eyes flickering within the black fog. "The person has been found, so I won't play with you anymore. Lord Wushan, you should head to the front and properly entertain my demon army!"
"Stop!" the Lord of Wushan roared. "Who did you take from my Kunlun!?"
The Void Mist Snake didn't answer; the crowd could only hear its raspy, cold, and monstrous laughter.
"Quickly go to the front mountain for support!" The Lord of Wushan didn't dwell on it further; he had to repel the demon army first.
On the front lines of Wushan, all outer disciples were being shielded and evacuated to safe areas. As the toxic mist diffused into the mountain, it stopped at Lord Yunshan’s feet, unable to advance a single step further.
Song Jixue stood alone at the threshold. Watching the dense mass of demons emerging from the black walls below, he reached back and drew the long sword from his waist. With a horizontal cut and a vertical slash, he unleashed a ten-thousand-foot golden glow and a sky-piercing blade wall. It sliced through the demon army and, amidst piercing howls, shattered the black demon walls surrounding the mountain.
The greatest swordsman of the current era was not Lord Yunshan, but his senior brother, Yu Ye.
However, if it came to a duel, people would rather compete with the world's number one, Yu Ye, than with Song Jixue.
This was because this man’s sword held too much killing intent—relentless and unyielding. The moment he drew his sword, it was inevitably accompanied by a murderous aura that was hard to stop. No one wanted to cross swords with such a killing madman unless there was a blood feud.
The sword glow was sky-high and dazzling. As the shockwaves swept through, they leveled all toxic barriers, and the mountain lights that had been obscured by the mist shone brightly once again.
Chang Yao, who had already stepped out of Kunlun, caught a glimpse of this familiar sword glow. She paused and looked back, the night wind fluttering her sleeves and hair. Her bright, starry eyes reflected the light in the distance.
For some reason, a premonition suddenly arose in her heart: once she left this time, she might never be able to return.
Seeing her standing still, Painted Skin turned back and asked, "What's wrong, Mistress? Could it be you're still reluctant to leave Lord Yunshan?"
Fu Jin also looked back. The other demons who had been injured by Chang Yao remained on guard.
Chang Yao raised her hand and touched the seal Fu Jin had placed on her wrist. She didn't answer, retracted her gaze, and continued walking forward.
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