From the Yingshan Sect to the Four Kill Realm, the journey took two hours. Within those two hours, Mo Zhu had mastered five levels of the "Azure Lotus Heart Sutra," leaving only the final two levels unlearned.
As soon as the mustard-seed boat arrived at the Four Kill Realm, Mo Zhu opened his eyes.
The fluctuating spiritual energy in his dantian gradually settled, and the "Azure Lotus Heart Sutra" lay in Yu Zhiling's grasp. She lay on the deck with her eyes closed, breathing steadily.
Mo Zhu focused his senses and realized...
She had fallen asleep.
At that moment, an absurd thought crossed Mo Zhu's mind—had Yu Zhiling been possessed? Otherwise, why would she act so strangely? Knowing full well the grievances between them, how could she let her guard down repeatedly in his presence? Was she so certain he wouldn’t strike?
Mo Zhu’s fingers curled slightly where they rested on his knees, his lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t call out to her.
She didn’t seem bothered by the hard deck, sleeping soundly without a care for appearances. Flecks of sunlight danced across her face, warming her cheeks to a soft pink. Her long, thick lashes fanned over her eyelids like tiny fans.
Mo Zhu watched her motionlessly, and for a fleeting moment, it was as if he had glimpsed the green-robed immortal from many years ago—as though the past decade of his life had been nothing but a dream.
Yu Zhiling smacked her lips and mumbled something indistinct. Mo Zhu couldn’t make out the words.
Curious, he wondered what she was dreaming about to sleep so soundly on such an unforgiving surface.
Leaning slightly closer, he strained to catch her murmurs.
"Seven parts sugar... with ice..."
Mo Zhu: "......?"
She seemed to argue with someone in her dream, suddenly slapping a hand against the deck and raising her voice. "Why can’t I have ice? I want it!"
Mo Zhu: "......"
Yu Zhiling’s eyes snapped open—she had woken herself up from the pain of smacking the hard deck.
She blinked, and Mo Zhu blinked back, surprised by how quickly she had roused.
Their gazes met, and Mo Zhu abruptly straightened, retreating slightly as he frowned. "Master, this disciple did not mean to intrude. We’ve arrived at the Four Kill Realm."
Yu Zhiling’s first instinct was to touch her neck.
Was it still there? It had to be, right?
She had fallen asleep in front of this little wolf, yet she had woken up whole—not in pieces?
Unbelievable. A miracle!
She sat up swiftly, springing to her feet in one fluid motion and putting distance between them. Mo Zhu remained seated on the deck.
"We’ve arrived? Then let’s go. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can return."
Without another word, she hurried off the mustard-seed boat, her steps quick as if fleeing from a beast.
Mo Zhu stood and picked up the "Azure Lotus Heart Sutra" that Yu Zhiling had left behind. Flipping through it, he noticed small annotations on some pages—fresh ink, likely added recently.
Had she truly read it beforehand? Did she really intend to teach him?
Suppressing his thoughts, he tucked the manual away.
Yu Zhiling pressed a hand to her chest, only calming her racing heart once she had disembarked.
She knew how much Mo Zhu hated his master—enough that after killing the villainous master in the original story, he had lost his purpose and willingly descended into the demonic abyss.
To prevent this, she had to lessen his hatred and guide him toward his own path, rather than letting him drown in vengeance.
With ten years left until the original story’s conclusion, how could she possibly redeem herself in time?
Yu Zhiling covered her face and silently screamed. With such a disastrous starting point, she was in way over her head!
"What’s wrong? Ashamed to show your face?"
A man’s voice, laced with mockery, came from the side.
Yu Zhiling lowered her hands.
The speaker was a white-robed man draped in a crane-feather cloak. His features were as clear and cold as frost, his expression indifferent. Snow-white hair was tied back with a single jade hairpin, the rest cascading smoothly down his back.
Despite it being May, he wore winter attire, his complexion as pale as snow, giving him a sickly appearance.
For some reason, his name surfaced in Yu Zhiling’s mind, and she spoke without thinking. "Yun Zhi, long time no see."
Her tone was familiar, as though she had called his name countless times before.
The man stiffened, his pupils trembling slightly as if hearing something impossible. He took a step back, frowning.
"Don’t act friendly. Weren’t you the one who said we should cut ties? You haven’t called me by name in years."
Yu Zhiling: "......"
Yun Zhi turned his head away, the tips of his ears tinged red. His grip on his folding fan tightened, his knuckles whitening.
"The Four Kill Realm matter is partly your responsibility. Don’t think acting chummy will get you out of it. Zhaoyan couldn’t come, so I can’t handle this alone."
Alright, Yu Zhiling had guessed his identity.
The Frost Immortal, Yun Zhi.
The other was the Dawn Immortal, Wu Zhaoyan.
But something felt off. In the original novel, these two immortals were only referred to by their titles—never their real names. So when reading, Yu Zhiling hadn’t known that the Jade-Cleansing Immortal shared her name.
Yet just now, she had called Yun Zhi by name effortlessly, just as she had inexplicably mastered sword techniques overnight.
Yun Zhi mistook her silence for reluctance and grew even more irritated. "Yu Zhiling, do you remember what you vowed when you ascended as an immortal?"
Yu Zhiling snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
Yun Zhi scoffed. "Never mind. Why bother reminding you? It’s pointless."
Yu Zhiling: "............"
What had she done now?!
Yun Zhi’s gaze shifted past her.
"That’s your disciple, isn’t it? Mo Zhu."
Yu Zhiling turned.
A figure approached along the forest path, clad in black robes, his expression cool. Though still a youth, his stature was tall and poised.
"To form a golden core at such a young age is rare even in the Central Continent," Yun Zhi remarked with approval. "His talent rivals yours in the past. If nurtured properly, he could become the next Immortal Alliance sovereign."
"But Master, he’s a snake demon..."
A youthful voice interjected.
A young man, no older than seventeen or eighteen, stepped forward. Dressed in golden robes, his sharp brows and bright eyes radiated youthful vigor.
Yu Zhiling recognized him—Shu Feng, Yun Zhi’s head disciple, who often appeared alongside him.
Mo Zhu had now reached Yu Zhiling’s side, having overheard Shu Feng’s words.
Yun Zhi scolded, "Silence."
Shu Feng, spoiled since childhood, refused to back down. "I’m not wrong! How could a snake demon ever become an Immortal Alliance sovereign? Everyone knows what their kind did in the past. A lowly creature like him has no place among the noble families of the Central Continent—"
"Shu Feng!"
"Enough!"
Two voices cut him off simultaneously.
Yun Zhi had been about to reprimand his disciple when Yu Zhiling’s sharp rebuke overtook him.
He stared at her, startled by the pressure of her unleashed aura—she was truly furious.
When a Great Perfection realm cultivator was angered, their oppressive aura caused Shu Feng's face to pale, his chest churning with disrupted qi as blood seeped from the corner of his lips. Yun Zhi frowned and swiftly flicked his sleeve, releasing a surge of spiritual energy to shield Shu Feng and repel Yu Zhiling's oppressive pressure.
Yun Zhi's voice was icy: "Shu Feng, apologize."
Shu Feng glanced up at Yu Zhiling and Mo Zhu. The young man didn’t seem angered, merely puzzled by Yu Zhiling’s protective stance.
But Yu Zhiling’s expression was cold—her naturally aloof demeanor now downright intimidating.
Shu Feng knew he was in the wrong. Lowering his head, he clasped his hands in a respectful bow. "Esteemed Immortal Zhuoyu, Fellow Daoist Mo, this disciple spoke out of turn and acted discourteously. I offer my sincerest apologies to both of you."
Yu Zhiling herself didn’t know where that sudden surge of anger had come from. Now that her rationality had returned, faced with the awkward tension, her introverted tendencies flared up again.
"You… as long as you recognize your mistake, that’s enough. Don’t repeat such words in the future."
Shu Feng wiped the blood from his lips and bowed again. "Understood. Shu Feng acknowledges his fault."
Yun Zhi waved a hand, signaling Shu Feng to step back behind him.
His gaze shifted between Yu Zhiling and Mo Zhu, who stood behind her. "Let’s proceed. The sooner we handle this, the better."
Once he left, only the master and disciple remained.
Yu Zhiling didn’t dare turn to see Mo Zhu’s expression. Clearing her throat softly, she feigned nonchalance. "Let’s go. We have business to attend to."
"Yes, Master."
She walked slowly, and as her disciple, Mo Zhu couldn’t walk ahead of her, so he followed a step behind.
Mo Zhu prided himself on knowing every facet of Yu Zhiling’s character. Yet since returning to the Yingshan Sect, in just two short days, she had become increasingly inscrutable to him.
Every move she made, every word she spoke, defied his expectations. He hadn’t predicted a single one correctly.
While Mo Zhu’s thoughts were in turmoil, Yu Zhiling was nearly freezing to death.
The Four Slaughter Realm was located in the western region, deep within a dense forest. The moment one approached, the overwhelming pressure of its barrier could be felt. This place had once been a battlefield, burying countless bones beneath its soil. The lingering resentment and yin energy clung to intruders like maggots to rotting flesh.
Yu Zhiling despised this sensation. As they ventured deeper, Mo Zhu noticed her tugging her sleeves tighter and rubbing her arms for warmth.
Finally, Yun Zhi halted. "We’re here."
They had reached the end—as if standing at the edge of the world itself.
Now deep within the Four Slaughter Realm, nourished by its yin energy, the towering trees blotted out all sunlight. Though it was daytime outside, the realm was shrouded in gloom, especially at its heart.
Before them stood a stone stele, its surface carved with bold, crimson characters: Four Slaughter Stele.
Behind it, the earth seemed to have been gouged into an abyss—a sheer cliff plummeting thousands of feet into a swirling black mist. The endless darkness pulsed with oppressive demonic energy, writhing yet unable to breach the stele’s barrier.
This was the Demon Abyss, the passage leading to the demonic domain of the far north. For demons to enter the Central Continent, they had to emerge from this abyss. Yet the Demon Abyss was suppressed by the Four Slaughter Stele, and beyond the stele lay the Four Slaughter Realm, riddled with demon-slaying arrays.
Now, faint cracks had begun to spiderweb across the stele’s surface.
Yun Zhi spoke gravely, "Two days ago, the Four Slaughter Realm suddenly trembled. When I investigated, I found cracks on the stele. Do you understand the severity of this?"
Yu Zhiling hadn’t expected it to be this dire.
The Four Slaughter Realm was vast, but at its core stood the Four Slaughter Stele—erected through the combined efforts of elders and mighty cultivators from the three sects and four great clans. It was the true seal suppressing the Demon Abyss.
The stele housed thousands of defensive formations, including lost ancient arrays, all infused with the full cultivation of hundreds of powerful experts. As long as it stood, no demonic force from the abyss could break free.
Yun Zhi’s expression darkened. "By the time I arrived, the stele was already cracked. There were also signs of demonic energy tearing at the realm’s outer barrier."
Yu Zhiling grasped his meaning. "There are demons in the Central Continent."
"Yes." Yun Zhi met her gaze. "And their cultivation is not weak."
Shu Feng peeked at the abyss, seeing only blackness yet feeling as if countless eyes were watching him. Hugging his arms, he whispered, "But how did the demons break out in the first place?"
Yun Zhi turned to Mo Zhu. "What do you think?"
Yu Zhiling looked over, and Shu Feng’s gaze also settled on Mo Zhu.
The silent Mo Zhu could no longer remain mute. Calmly, he replied, "The demons didn’t break out. Someone broke in."
Yun Zhi raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"
Mo Zhu’s tone remained even. "The Four Slaughter Stele isn’t fully shattered, so the demons couldn’t have escaped. But the outer barrier shows signs of being torn, and the stele is cracking. That suggests someone forced their way in—to destroy the stele and release the demons from the abyss."
Shu Feng blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
Yun Zhi’s lips curled slightly. "Are you certain?"
Mo Zhu nodded. "Certain."
Yun Zhi glanced at Yu Zhiling, who lifted her chin with unmistakable pride.
"Your disciple is impressive. More astute than Shu Feng."
Shu Feng pouted. "Master, no need to compare us like that."
Yu Zhiling felt the urge to show off her disciple. Patting Mo Zhu’s shoulder, she boasted, "Of course! Whose disciple do you think he is?"
Her playful, familiar tone made both Yun Zhi and Mo Zhu pause, their expressions turning complicated.
Yu Zhiling then pressed something into Mo Zhu’s hand. "A reward for answering correctly!"
Mo Zhu: "…?"
He looked down to find a fruit candy wrapped in sugar glaze resting in his palm. As a member of the Tengshe clan, his keen senses immediately caught the sweet, pear-like fragrance.
Yu Zhiling rose on her toes to ruffle his hair, smiling brightly. "Good boy! Well done!"
Teaching a disciple was like raising a child—balance was key. Reward and punishment must be clear, and encouragement was essential to foster confidence and independence. In short:
Praise, reward, and never suppress or punish harshly!
Only then could one nurture an outstanding disci—no, child.
So declared Master Yu.
Meanwhile, Mo Zhu stared at the candy in silence.
Was this…
A new poison?
