News that the Demon Emperor had appeared to rescue Chimei and Wangliang reached Kunlun. The Lord of Wushan frowned and asked, "Where is Jixue?"
"Lord Yunshan is uninjured. He gave chase and has already left Kunlun; his whereabouts are currently unknown," the messenger Peak Master replied.
The Lord of Wushan added, "Is Jiuping here?"
"Jiuping was ordered back to watch over Yunshan."
The Lord of Wushan stood on the Heavenly Pool platform of Goddess Peak, silent and frowning. He looked toward the edge of Wushan, where the demon black walls had shattered. Peak Master Tan was there handling the aftermath. Within moments, the Lord of Dayin Mountain and Xia Sangyi hurried toward him.
"Jixue left Kunlun to find someone; Jiuping is watching Yunshan," the Lord of Dayin Mountain said as he approached. "Yu Ye is still unconscious in the West Sea, True Lord Chengjing is traveling abroad with no trace, and Sangli and the others haven't returned from searching for the seals. Yunshan is practically empty now."
The Lord of Wushan mused, "Did they seize her just to lure Jixue away from the mountain?"
A cold snort came from behind. The Mistress of Wushan said with a dark expression, "I suspect they risked coming to Kunlun to save their mole because her identity was exposed! The Demon Emperor surely knows that with Lord Yunshan present, there's no hope of conquering Kunlun. Yet he led an army here as if he intended to fight Kunlun to the end tonight. And the result?"
She then looked at Xia Sangyi, her expression softening slightly. "Wenjue is awake. I must trouble you to go take a look."
Xia Sangyi gave a slight nod and followed her.
Only the Lord of Wushan and the Lord of Dayin Mountain remained on the platform.
The Lord of Wushan glanced at his companion. "Xia Sangyi is close with Chang Yao; she favors her. What is your take?"
The Lord of Dayin Mountain gave a bitter smile. "I am certainly on my wife's side."
The Lord of Wushan looked at him with exasperation. "How are you just like Jixue! This is a matter of great importance; how can you be so careless? All evidence now points to Chang Yao, yet Jixue refuses to believe it, insisting she is innocent. But is she truly blameless?"
"Back then, I was quite happy to know he was willing to marry and start a family. Later, I realized I was happy far too soon!"
The Lord of Dayin Mountain suddenly recalled the night Yan Zibian accused Chang Yao. He asked amiably, "Is it not that you have a prejudice against Chang Yao? What time is this? You should set aside those pedantic notions of social standing. Even Jixue doesn't care about a 'matched marriage'."
The Lord of Wushan’s eyes widened in indignation. "How is this about social standing? Xia Sangyi, like Chang Yao, does not come from a great sect or clan. Have I ever said a single word against her?"
The Lord of Dayin Mountain was curious. "Then what is it about Chang Yao that dissatisfies you?"
The Lord of Wushan snorted, holding it in for a while before he couldn't help but vent. "She gives me the feeling of being too fake."
"What?" The Lord of Dayin Mountain was stunned. "Just a feeling?"
"Jixue likes her; anyone can see that," the Lord of Wushan said. "But what about Chang Yao? Can you see even half a bit of affection for Jixue in her?"
The Lord of Dayin Mountain laughed. "You might be mistaken. Just a few days ago, Chang Yao learned how to wrap wontons from Sangyi to make for Jixue. How is that not affection?"
The Lord of Wushan said no more. One could say he was being protective regarding the couple's relationship, but the feeling Chang Yao gave him was indeed unsettling. That discomfort had been there since the first moment he saw her and refused to go away.
He couldn't tell Song Jixue he thought his wife was an anomaly, nor could he say it to others; it would make him seem like a gossip. He hadn't even told his own wife.
"But the matter of whether Chang Yao is a traitor does need careful testing," the Lord of Dayin Mountain added. "Though Sangyi is close to her, she isn't someone who ignores the big picture. If Chang Yao really is... she won't show favoritism."
The Lord of Wushan turned toward him. "What is your plan?"
"We must speak with Jixue first. And..." The Lord of Dayin Mountain paused, speaking seriously. "If Chang Yao truly is a mole, then it’s possible she isn't human, but a demon. A demon hiding her identity in Kunlun for years—her strength cannot be underestimated."
The Lord of Wushan was startled, falling silent for a long time. The strangeness he had suppressed in his heart seemed to find an answer at this moment.
Chang Yao did not return to the human world immediately after leaving Jiufu Province. Instead, she went to Wujiu Mountain.
Although the Lord of Wujiu had been away for several years, no great demon dared to cause trouble in her absence. This vast mountain range was immense, housing many powerful evil demons who would not emerge unless necessary. But once they did, the human world would surely suffer.
There were also individual great demons who enjoyed causing havoc among humans. Wherever they went, famine or floods followed, affecting villages, towns, cities, and even causing the fall of nations.
After taking charge of Wujiu Mountain, Chang Yao established rules. The interval for specific fierce demons to enter the human world could not be less than sixty years; for some, it was twenty, ten, or even a hundred years—those were the demons whose emergence could destroy a country.
She wasn't doing this out of concern for humanity. Rather, every time a demon brought disaster, it might trigger the awakening of an immortal from the God Realm. Not only would this pave the way for someone else's ascension, but the demon might also lose its life, and as the Lord of Wujiu, Chang Yao would have to deal with the pressure and retribution from both the human and god realms. If such incidents were frequent, she would be exhausted.
Great demons needed the protection of Wujiu Mountain. Every demon who entered the mountain or was born there had a contract with it and had to follow the Lord's orders. Chang Yao was the new Lord accepted and recognized by Wujiu Mountain.
Wujiu Mountain was unlike the ethereal, quiet beauty of Kunlun. Its overlapping peaks towering into the clouds exuded a domineering aura. The deep forests stretching for thousands of miles were dangerous and mysterious. Most enticing were the riverbeds filled with gold and jade, shimmering and changing with the dawn and dusk. When heavy rain fell, jade stones often tumbled out along with the sand and gravel on the washed-out paths.
A mortal would go mad at the sight, but these were of little use to demons, who viewed them as mere pretty trinkets decorating the mountain.
It was dusk when Chang Yao reached the Wujiu Residence; in the human world, dawn was approaching. She walked along the familiar bamboo corridor, her gaze brushing past the slowly turning waterwheel, then passed through the fiery red maple path to reach a cliff at the very end.
At the edge of the cliff was a lone grave with a blank tombstone.
The Demon Emperor had reminded her. Had he not mentioned her father, she might have forgotten that today was the anniversary of her parents' deaths. Chang Yao didn't care much for the date; she would visit if she remembered and let it pass if she didn't.
However, she hadn't expected to see her second brother here—the Nine-Tailed Fox King, Shi Tianhao.
The young man wore purple robes and had a tall, slender build. His peach-blossom eyes seemed naturally smiling. Hearing the movement, he looked back with a gentle gaze and peerless features. The Fox Clan's beauty had always been the finest in the three realms, producing many who were pleasing to the eye or heart-stirring.
"A-Yao, why are you here?" Shi Tianhao was surprised to see her. "Shouldn't you be cultivating at Yunshan?"
"It’s a long story," Chang Yao said lazily as she walked. "Eldest Brother kidnapped me and took me to the Demon Emperor. What was he thinking, actually working under the Demon Emperor?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a black feather hissed into the ground in front of her, blocking her path. At the moment the sun dipped below the horizon, Fu Jin, dressed in a profound robe, stepped down from the clouds and stood beside Shi Tianhao, looking down at Chang Yao with a condescending expression.
Chang Yao composed herself and asked, "I smashed his palace. Did you follow me to settle the score?"
"It wasn't my palace that was smashed. Don't think too highly of yourself," Fu Jin sneered with disdain.
Chang Yao then continued forward to the tombstone.
Shi Tianhao asked helplessly, "What exactly happened?"
Fu Jin glanced at him. "I’d also like to ask what happened with her marrying into Yunshan."
Shi Tianhao paused slightly, his mouth twitching as he also turned serious.
Both siblings held some awe and fear toward their eldest brother.
Seeing the lingering violence in Fu Jin’s eyes, Shi Tianhao quickly said, "I tried to persuade her back then. A-Yao said it was for the spiritual energy of Kunlun to aid her cultivation and that it wasn't true love, so I didn't stop her. I understand these things better than any of you."
Chang Yao pursed her lips in a light smile, while Fu Jin’s face was full of disgust.
The Fox Clan’s love tribulations were famous because they were always tied to mortals. Every single one of them had a hard time passing the trial of love—they either died in the human world or lived out their lives in loneliness, even losing their will to cultivate.
The previous Fox King's love tribulation surprisingly didn't involve a mortal. The clansmen were quite happy, thinking there would finally be no issues, until they realized he had encountered that great demon of Wujiu Mountain.
After the love trial, she had left nonchalantly, but the Fox King had lost his heart. Unable to have her, he was eventually trapped by a heart demon and died during his tribulation.
It was fortunate that the Phoenix King was as carefree as the Wujiu demon; he never developed a heart demon and is still living well today. Or perhaps they both prioritized cultivation, viewing love as optional.
Thus, when the Phoenix King learned the great demon had died at the hands of that mortal, he found it unbelievable, feeling both regret and jealousy.
The Wujiu demon didn't care much for men, but her children were very close to her; it seemed to be a unique bloodline connection. As a child, Shi Tianhao often sneaked away from the Fox Clan to Wujiu Mountain to play with his mother and sister, while the proud Fu Jin only came during festivals.
Shi Tianhao said he understood, not just because he was of the Fox Clan, but because he had failed his own love tribulation.
He added, "Furthermore, I’ve heard over the years that Lord Yunshan dotes on his wife. A-Yao doesn't love him, but I believe Lord Yunshan truly loves her. Even if she married into Yunshan, he certainly wouldn't let her suffer."
Fu Jin said with a fake smile, "I didn't realize you had such a high opinion of this brother-in-law."
Shi Tianhao said helplessly, "Eldest Brother, you just admitted he is a brother-in-law."
I haven't even called him that yet.
Fu Jin gave him a cold glare. Shi Tianhao acted as if he hadn't said anything and looked down at the blank tombstone. "Today is Mother's death anniversary. Did none of you bring anything?"
Fu Jin: "I didn't come for that."
Chang Yao said, "I'll leave after a quick look."
Shi Tianhao sighed and helplessly lit the incense and candles he had brought. He did things with focus and sincerity; the candle flames swayed with the night wind. The three of them stood in silence before the tombstone. Their childhood with their mother hadn't been long, but it wasn't short either; it was deeply ingrained and hard to let go of.
Fu Jin also lit a stick.
When Chang Yao went to take one, Shi Tianhao said, "You have to light two." He handed her a second incense stick.
"I just promised the Demon Emperor that I would help him kill Song Jixue," Chang Yao said casually as she lit the incense. "I didn't expect to inherit even the tradition of mutual slaughter between husband and wife."
Shi Tianhao was stunned and turned to look at Fu Jin.
Fu Jin toyed with a black feather in his hand, looking bored. "She wants to learn news of that man's sect from the Demon Emperor."
Shi Tianhao asked Chang Yao hesitantly, "Why are you so obsessed with that sect?"
Chang Yao placed the incense before the tombstone. "I want to know why they were like that."
The demon world seemed to know nothing of the parents' past. No one even knew the white-clad sword cultivator's name, origin, or history.
The parents killed each other. When the white-clad sword cultivator emerged from the waterwheel barrier, the killing intent he brought as he passed had left an indelible memory for Chang Yao. That fear was etched into her bones, and she occasionally woke up from it in dreams.
She could not understand the overwhelming murderous intent and hatred directed at her. In her dreams, she was always trapped in her father's black sword array, living in the constant terror that even a breeze moving a single strand of her hair would lead to her being pierced by ten thousand swords.
This was her weakness. Chang Yao could not allow herself to live in the fear of the past; it would give rise to a heart demon. An unknown cause makes for an unsolvable knot, which would be a stumbling block for her cultivation and ascension.
The Phoenix King disliked Chang Yao, not just because she was the daughter of a love rival, but because she was nothing like her mother. Her appearance, personality, and way of doing things shared no similarities.
People said Fu Jin inherited his mother's temper, Shi Tianhao inherited her troubled path of love, and Chang Yao inherited her obsessive pursuit of cultivation.
But her two brothers thought she couldn't let go of her mother's death and hated the sword cultivator who killed her, unable to move past the events of that year.
Shi Tianhao looked at her with pity and reached out to pat her head. "A-Yao, the past is the past. You should think carefully about the matter regarding Lord Yunshan."
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