Ye Xiao was one of the Seven Demon Generals of the demon realm, a master of the art of Nightmare Weaving.
Her Nightmare Weaving was entirely different from the illusion arrays and nightmares of the cultivation world. Within her illusions, there was both reality and falsehood. Once ensnared, everything around the victim would appear completely normal—their cultivation remained untouched, and no one could discern the thin line between truth and deception.
Even cultivators of equal or higher strength than her would fail to notice anything amiss. Under her Nightmare Weaving, victims would unknowingly lower their guard, accepting everything that followed as natural.
Within the illusion, she could weave dreams into reality, silently granting them their deepest desires: supreme cultivation, unrivaled status, heavenly treasures, spirit stones, beautiful companions…
From the moment they fell under her spell, they would believe their fortunes had turned, that everything was unfolding with unparalleled smoothness—without a shred of doubt.
Until the very end.
Only when they achieved their heart’s desire, when they stood at the pinnacle of their dreams, would she devour them, nourishing her demonic soul.
It was precisely because of her Nightmare Weaving that she saw through the hypocrisy of the cultivation world’s so-called righteous cultivators.
Despite the constraints of karma, many of these self-righteous cultivators committed acts far more ruthless than even the most vicious demonic practitioners.
At this thought, a faint shadow flickered in Ye Xiao’s eyes.
Beneath the Cangqing Tree, the white-robed young master’s aura grew increasingly ethereal, his inky-black hair slightly disheveled against his pristine outer robe. Perhaps due to unbearable pain, his breathing had grown heavier.
Ye Xiao pressed a hand to the wound on her chest, droplets of blood gathering in her palm before silently transforming into an intoxicating fragrance that dissipated into the air.
This scent carried an irresistible allure, amplifying her charm to its peak.
Outside the demon realm, a demonic cultivator’s power was suppressed, limited to a mere tenth of their usual strength.
And here, the oppressive spiritual energy of the Immortal Venerable lingered—an aura that struck fear into countless demons. Not far away, disciples of the Taiqing Sect had yet to depart. She couldn’t act as boldly as she would in the demon realm. Instead, she had to lure Xu Wanci step by step into her grasp.
All she needed was a single moment of distraction—just one, and she could spirit her away without a trace.
Ye Xiao lowered her lashes slightly, a bead of cold sweat slipping from her thick eyelashes like a teardrop.
This was the most exquisite face she had crafted in centuries.
The corners of ‘his’ eyes lifted just enough—any more would be seductive, any less would seem weak. When ‘he’ lifted his gaze, his eyes appeared calm and deep, yet hidden within was an undercurrent of unspoken allure.
Pure, righteous, powerful—yet tinged with a hint of fragility.
It was the perfect image to captivate the female cultivators of the righteous sects.
With this face, she had ensnared countless women, leaving them lovesick and yearning.
Xu Wanci was merely one of her many prey.
At most, her identity was slightly special.
The beloved of the Immortal Venerable.
A scoff echoed in Ye Xiao’s heart:
Did she not understand the so-called love of the cultivation world?
Three hundred years ago, there was a renowned couple in the cultivation world—a pair of immortal lovers, inseparable, vowing to live and die together.
Such unwavering devotion, sworn upon the seas and heavens.
How enviable.
So, she crafted a new form and wandered into Qingyun Venerable’s sight.
A touch of Nightmare Weaving, a whisper of fragrance, a few carefully chosen words—that was all it took for Qingyun Venerable to shift his affections, even daring to dream of keeping both women by his side.
And then?
Amused, she took on another guise, this time approaching Yuyao Fairy.
This one proved slightly more challenging, but it only made her more invested.
She showered Yuyao Fairy with tender care, even risking grave injury to secure a rare opportunity for her. And in the end, she died tragically—right before Yuyao Fairy’s eyes—struck down by Qingyun Venerable’s Soul-Severing Palm.
If she remembered correctly—
Qingyun Venerable and Yuyao Fairy had become mortal enemies three centuries ago.
Now, Yuyao Fairy surrounded herself with countless youths who bore a striking resemblance to her past incarnation.
The love affairs of the cultivation world were far more entertaining than the mindless slaughter of the demon realm.
As for Xu Wanci—could her love be any different?
From what she knew of cultivators, such deep affection was merely a performance, a means to reap the benefits of being the Immortal Venerable’s beloved.
She might fool the hypocrites of the righteous sects, but she could never deceive Ye Xiao.
Even if there was a shred of genuine love, could it truly last a hundred years?
Moreover, she had carefully imbued this incarnation with an air of transcendent detachment.
Though she had never seen the Immortal Venerable’s face, she could mimic his aura, amplified by the lingering traces of his spiritual energy nearby…
With such a flawless trap, crafted specifically for Xu Wanci, how could she possibly resist?
The figure beneath the Cangqing Tree lifted his gaze, his cool, distant eyes tinged with restrained pain, yet his expression held a trace of helpless concern as he looked at the woman before him.
‘He’ furrowed his brows slightly, pressing a hand to his chest as the intoxicating fragrance around him grew stronger.
Xu Wanci stood silently, her gaze fixed on him—no admiration, no worry, no pity. Not even a ripple of emotion.
The three-petaled lotus at her waist silently reminded her: the key to breaking the illusion lay ahead.
Ye Xiao had unleashed her full allure, yet Xu Wanci remained unmoved, her spiritual energy undisturbed from start to finish.
How was this possible?
Even the most disciplined monks of the Nine Buddha Sect would falter before such temptation!
Just as she prepared to intensify the Nightmare Weaving, Xu Wanci finally took a step forward.
Step by step, her expression calm, she approached.
Relief washed over Ye Xiao:
Of course. No one could resist her illusions.
‘He’ watched her approach, his eyes cool yet tinged with resignation—and a hint of seduction.
With a sigh, ‘he’ murmured, "Miss, this place is dangerous—"
Before the words could fade, the ancient divine sword, Nine Heavens Blade, pierced straight through the illusion’s chest.
The blade entered without hesitation, its sword qi razor-sharp, its wielder’s movements decisive.
Ye Xiao stared at Xu Wanci’s serene expression, her eyes widening in disbelief before she vanished into nothingness.
How… was this possible?!
Even if Xu Wanci hadn’t been tempted, how could she possibly bring herself to strike against such a breathtakingly beautiful figure?
Xu Wanci didn’t spare Ye Xiao a single glance. Instead, she focused on the three-leafed lotus still flickering faintly in her consciousness, taking a thoughtful step back.
She was still trapped in the illusion.
The man from earlier had merely been one of the formation’s focal points.
She needed to find the others to break free.
But…
Xu Wanci swept her gaze across the surroundings—so lifelike that not a single flaw could be detected—and flexed her fingers slightly.
Was this truly just an illusion?
Lost in thought, she took a few steps forward, stopping beneath the pale-blue tree where the white-robed man had stood. Guided by the faint pulse of the three-leafed lotus, she reached out and touched the trunk.
The moment her fingertips brushed the bark, the space around her rippled violently. In the next instant, she found herself somewhere entirely unfamiliar.
This was a small realm brimming with spiritual energy, seemingly ordinary—except that here, it was night.
A gentle moonlight bathed the clear lake before her, at the center of which stood an elegant pavilion.
Inside the pavilion lounged a cultivator draped in a crimson robe, his attire half-open. His eyes were the epitome of charm and mischief, their corners tinged with red, yet they carried a sharpness that made him both alluring and dangerous.
At that moment, he was tilting his head back, pouring wine from a flask into his mouth.
The liquid trickled down the corner of his lips, tracing a path along his neck, over his exposed collarbone, down the firm planes of his abdomen, and finally disappearing beneath the loose folds of his robe.
Under the moonlight, the wine’s fragrance was crisp, and the man was devastatingly beautiful.
Watching this scene, Xu Wanci’s expression remained calm, but her heart sank.
She had finally guessed his identity.
Ye Xiao, one of the Seven Great Demon Generals, a master of illusion magic.
Earlier, with just the white-robed man, she hadn’t been certain. But now, faced with this scene in the secluded realm…
This could only be Ye Xiao, who delighted in weaving illusions and testing human nature through his avatars.
She had anticipated danger on this journey, but she never expected the Demon Realm to be involved.
Ye Xiao despised human nature and reveled in testing it.
He loved witnessing the righteous turn selfish, the noble fall from grace, the sincere feign affection, and the devoted become fickle.
In the original story, after hearing of Chu Qingchuan’s unwavering devotion to Jiang Qiuning and the praises heaped upon him by the cultivation world, Ye Xiao had crafted an exquisite avatar to approach him.
Using both his unparalleled beauty and his mastery of illusions, he sought to drag this so-called "future paragon of the cultivation world" into the mud.
Chu Qingchuan, protected by the three-leafed lotus, had remained unaffected by the illusions. Yet even after seeing through the deception, he couldn’t bring himself to strike down such a flawless visage, merely refusing with firm resolve.
Unwilling to concede, Ye Xiao had conjured one avatar after another, appearing before Chu Qingchuan time and again.
But from beginning to end, Chu Qingchuan had remained the epitome of a gentleman, never once entertaining improper thoughts.
And so, what began as Ye Xiao’s stubbornness turned into amusement, then obsession—until finally, for Chu Qingchuan’s sake, he betrayed the Demon Lord, becoming just another corpse beneath the throne.
As the scent of wine drifted into her senses, Xu Wanci suppressed all distractions, forcing herself to stay calm and strategize.
When demonic cultivators entered the cultivation world, their powers were suppressed by the ambient spiritual energy. Even if Ye Xiao had artifacts to mitigate this, they likely only worked on his avatars. At the very least, his current limitations were severe—otherwise, he would have attacked her directly.
Perhaps illusions were his greatest—and only—weapon here.
As long as she remained clear-headed within the illusion, Ye Xiao wouldn’t succeed.
The previous avatar’s cultivation hadn’t been much higher than hers. If her sword was fast enough, she could shatter this layer of the illusion.
Just then, a low, seductive voice carried over from the pavilion:
"An outsider?"
In the next moment, the figure appeared right before Xu Wanci.
With his movements, his robe slipped further open, as though a few more motions would send it sliding off entirely.
The muscles of his abdomen were perfectly defined—lean yet powerful. He held a wine flask in one hand, his movements effortless and unrestrained, his gaze brimming with charm.
Ye Xiao studied Xu Wanci’s impassive expression, his eyes narrowing—yet this only added to his allure.
He had misjudged earlier.
No matter how flawless his avatar was, as long as it resembled the peerless Immortal Venerable who had once captivated both the immortal and demonic realms a century ago, Xu Wanci wouldn’t be swayed.
This time, he had chosen an entirely different approach—power, desire, temptation.
He refused to believe Xu Wanci could remain indifferent now.
Ye Xiao closed the distance between them abruptly, his intoxicating wine-scent enveloping her.
His expression was casual, but his attention never left her for even a second. The moment her focus wavered, he would strike.
But this time, the sword came from behind—
Faster and fiercer than before.
Ye Xiao didn’t even have time to react before the avatar shattered.
Xu Wanci found herself back in the original setting, her brow furrowing imperceptibly.
Still trapped in the illusion.
As expected of one of the Seven Great Demon Generals. Even with his cultivation suppressed in the immortal realm, his illusion magic remained formidable.
Despite destroying two avatars, the illusion showed no signs of weakening.
Once again, the surroundings were seamlessly integrated, indistinguishable from reality.
Next, a delicate, submissive youth appeared before her—one who seemed to exist solely for her sake.
Then, a righteous and heroic young man.
After that, a gentle, refined scholar.
Seeing Xu Wanci still unmoved, Ye Xiao’s fury surged. Never in all his years as a demon had he encountered someone so utterly indifferent to both his illusions and his avatars.
Every detail was flawless—no one should have been able to resist his illusions!
If men didn’t work, then he’d try women.
Thus, the next to appear before Xu Wanci was a lively, charming young maiden.
...
Three more layers of illusions followed.
Xu Wanci could feel her spiritual energy and consciousness draining away faster and faster. If this continued, she would soon be completely depleted of power, yet the cultivation level of the illusions she faced remained no different from the first one.
She had thought that destroying enough illusions would shatter the nightmare technique, but it seemed she had underestimated Ye Xiao.
Xu Wanci exhaled slowly.
So, Ye Xiao wanted to find her weakness, to make her falter because of it?
Fine. She would play along—let her "weakness" be revealed.
After so many layers of illusions, Ye Xiao’s patience must already be wearing thin. The moment she made her move, the moment she unleashed her demonic energy—
That would be when Ye Xiao’s own weakness would be exposed.
Xu Wanci lifted her gaze slightly, her eyes as calm and serene as ever. She sheathed her Nine Heavens Sword and strode forward with resolve.
Who was the hunter, and who was the prey? That remained to be seen.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiao’s patience was running out.
She didn’t know how much longer Ye Xing could hold off the Taiqing Sect’s forces. Any further delay would risk ruining everything.
Just as she was about to abandon the nightmare technique and simply seize Xu Wanci by force, she caught the briefest flicker of hesitation in Xu Wanci’s gaze.
That was—
Blue.
Ye Xiao’s eyes narrowed as she took in Xu Wanci’s blue robes, as if recalling something.
What else?
She seemed to be piecing it together, each subsequent probe more meticulous than the last—
Lotus patterns, Rain-Transforming Ephemerals, and… a red mole. A tiny red mole on the left wrist.
Finally, the wind gentled, the skies cleared.
Before her stretched an endless field of Rain-Transforming Ephemerals—flowers that bloomed only at night, now radiant under the sun, nourished by spiritual energy.
At the far end of the field stood a solitary figure, his back turned, his presence cold and transcendent.
Clad in blue robes embroidered with faint lotus patterns, the designs shimmered faintly in the breeze.
But what truly drew the eye was the vivid red mole on his wrist, just visible beneath his sleeve.
Xu Wanci walked toward him, step by step.
She crossed the seemingly endless expanse of Rain-Transforming Ephemerals, her steps slow, almost dazed, until she stood before him.
She stopped but did not look up, her gaze fixed downward.
Ye Xiao listened to the first erratic beat of Xu Wanci’s heart, her own eyes darkening.
With deceptive gentleness, she reached out, pulling Xu Wanci into an embrace—
And in that instant, demonic energy surged forth.
But at the same moment, a blade pierced cleanly through her shoulder—her one vulnerable spot.
Ye Xiao stared at the Nine Heavens Sword protruding from her body, not with anger, but confusion.
How?
Even now, she could hear the frantic pounding of Xu Wanci’s heart.
She had been happy. She had been moved.
How could she have struck down this illusion without hesitation?
Xu Wanci never once looked at the figure before her. Her hollow gaze remained fixed on the dissolving sky.
Her chaotic heartbeat gradually steadied, slowing until it was barely there at all, as if her heart had forgotten how to beat.
When the illusion finally faded, she closed her eyes.
"No one in this world is like him. And no one… could ever be him."
Her voice was eerily calm, yet it carried a sorrow so deep it could bring one to tears.
Somewhere in the void, Xiao Yuyan’s gaze fell upon her—truly looked at her—for the first time.
Just for an instant.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he withdrew, untouched and untouchable.
Fate was already decided.
Yet even he did not notice—amidst the endless chaos of the void, a faint trace of blue had appeared.
Meanwhile, the gravely wounded Ye Xiao listened to Xu Wanci’s words, an unfamiliar emotion stirring within her.
As her form began to dissipate, she stared intently at Xu Wanci’s face, at the bone-deep desolation and grief hidden beneath that mask of calm. Her brow furrowed in disbelief.
How was this possible?
In the world of cultivators, how could a love last a hundred years… and still not fade?
Then, without warning, a presence emerged—one so devoid of detectable aura yet so terrifying that it sent shivers down the spine.
Demonic energy, silent and overwhelming, expelled all spiritual energy from the surroundings.
This was supposed to be a realm rich in spiritual energy, yet in that moment, it felt more oppressive than the demonic realm itself. The thick miasma of demonic power devoured everything in an instant—plants, beasts, all reduced to nothingness.
The injured Ye Xiao materialized at last, falling to her knees, not daring to lift her head. Her voice trembled faintly with reverence.
"Ye Xiao pays her respects to the Demon Lord."
Yan Shuo, the Demon Lord who had been in seclusion for thirty years, had emerged at last.
