The Demon Lord’s grand wedding was a celebration for all.
The Demon Realm, usually shrouded in dark, ominous energy and deathly silence, was today adorned with countless red bridal decorations under the Demon Lord’s decree. Every demon cultivator and demon citizen in the realm was required to appear joyful and festive. Yet, in Demon Qi City—where Xu Wanci had been saved—the atmosphere was genuinely filled with heartfelt cheer.
It hardly resembled the cold, grim Demon Realm; it looked more like an ordinary city in the Immortal Cultivation World.
By the Demon Lord’s command, all high-level demons above the rank of High Demon were to attend the ceremony at the Yingtian Terrace.
Therefore, on the day of the grand wedding, the demon city surrounding the Demon Palace was packed to the brim with High Demons and Ultimate Demons from all corners of the Demon Realm.
Four cultivators from the Immortal Cultivation World moved cautiously among the throngs of demon cultivators, nerves taut.
All four now appeared as Ultimate Demons in cultivation level. As Ultimate Demons, their features had almost entirely shifted to resemble ordinary humans, with only faint, dark demonic markings etched across their faces.
Gu Yunqi listened to the nearby chatter among the demon cultivators and exchanged a subtle glance with the Senior Elder beside her.
Yingtian Terrace?
Demon cultivators didn’t rely on the power of the Heavenly Dao to advance, nor did they undergo tribulations like other cultivators. Thus, there was no place in the Demon Realm that connected with the heavens and earth.
Yet, the Demon Lord had specially constructed a Yingtian Terrace for this wedding—to form a pact and gain the recognition of the Heavenly Dao.
It seemed the Demon Lord truly cherished this Demon Empress with deep affection.
Gu Yunqi, prone to overthinking when nervous, used her spiritual sense to quietly ask the Senior Elder beside her, “What kind of celestial beauty could this Demon Empress be to move the Demon Lord Yan Shuo so deeply?”
“Perhaps it’s not even about her,” the Senior Elder replied. “Maybe the Demon Lord just has unusual tastes. After all, demon cultivators are known for their eccentric preferences…”
“Then, is this Demon Empress a three-headed yaksha? Or a demon beast awakened to intelligence?” Gu Yunqi’s whimsical musings were met with a stern glance from the Senior Elder.
Realizing her folly, Gu Yunqi quickly fell silent and continued forward.
Near the border of the Demon Realm lay the Immortal Cultivation World.
Several late-stage Great Ascension cultivators stood tensely nearby, their gazes fixed on a seated Buddhist cultivator.
The Buddhist wore simple white robes made of coarse cloth. Though his face was strikingly handsome, it was impossible to remember his features at a glance. Instead, one could only feel the pure, tranquil aura surrounding him.
At the moment they saw him, their minds inexplicably calmed.
His eyes were tightly shut. Having prematurely emerged from seclusion, his wounds had not fully healed, and his cultivation had regressed to the early tribulation stage. Every use of spiritual energy was akin to torture.
His face was pale, but there was no sign of pain—only a profound, serene focus.
Using spiritual energy as a medium, he carefully observed everything within the Demon Realm through the magical artifacts carried by Jiang Ze and the others.
When he detected the faint aura connected to Xu Wanci, his voice was like a gentle breeze:
“Take seven steps to the right.”
Inside the Demon Realm, Jiang Ze and the others heard the instruction and moved accordingly.
Following the Buddhist’s guidance, they took each step toward the place where Xu Wanci was being held. But…
Gu Yunqi looked around at the bustling crowd of demon cultivators and transmitted through spiritual sense to the others, “Does something feel off?”
“Isn’t this the direction to Yingtian Terrace?”
“Is the Demon Lord forcing Xu Wanci to witness the ceremony?”
Jiang Ze’s expression darkened with a trace of solemnity, as if a troubling thought had crossed his mind.
By now, the four of them had already arrived before the Ying Tian Platform.
This was a towering hundred-meter-high altar, constructed from countless treasures from both the Immortal and Demon Realms. Demon treasures adorned the exterior, wild and domineering; while spirit treasures lay within, serene and gentle. The mingling of spiritual and demonic energies created an eerie, almost haunting beauty.
The steps were paved with top-grade spirit stones, leading upward, level by level, to the summit.
Atop the platform stood the Covenant of Heaven and Earth, silent and resolute, awaiting the two to be wed, to bind their souls upon it.
Countless high-level demon cultivators gathered beneath the Ying Tian Platform, their faces full of reverence. Even when they dared to look up, it was only a fleeting glance, never lingering.
The usually arrogant top-tier demons were no different from low-level demon beasts in the presence of the Demon Lord.
Though they knew the Demon Lord would not easily slay demons on such a joyous day, they still remained wary and cautious.
Surrounding the Ying Tian Platform, the seven great demon generals stood guard, each stationed separately. Any sign of disturbance would instantly turn the intruder into demon souls under their command.
Among the demon cultivators, Jiang Ze fixed his gaze steadily toward the platform, slowly clenching his fists:
Why, on the Demon Lord’s grand wedding day, were there not only demon treasures on the Ying Tian Platform but also numerous spirit treasures, rare even in the Immortal Realm?
Unless...
At that moment, the seven demon generals knelt down in unison toward a certain direction.
The demon cultivators around the platform did not hesitate either; with deep respect, they all dropped to their knees.
Jiang Ze stared intently at the two figures appearing beneath the platform’s steps, a chill radiating from his body though he forced himself to suppress it.
Beside him, Ji Wang and the two elders of the Taiqing Sect wore equally stunned expressions.
The eldest elder was the first to react, using his spiritual energy transformed into demonic energy to pull the three of them down. In an instant, their figures were swallowed by the sea of demon cultivators.
No one had expected that the person standing beside Demon Lord Yan Shuo would be Xu Wanci.
From the Immortal Realm, through Jiang Ze and the others’ gazes, the Buddha Disciple Bai Zhou, seated cross-legged on the ground, also saw Xu Wanci standing shoulder to shoulder with Demon Lord Yan Shuo.
Xu Wanci wore the red and black wedding attire of the demon clan’s grand marriage, lavish and exquisite. Beneath her dark golden, noble hair crown were a pair of calm, innocent eyes, devoid of any emotion.
This grand wedding, celebrated throughout the entire Demon Realm, seemed to her nothing more than a soulless task to be completed.
Even seeing Xu Wanci’s current status as Demon Queen did not move Bai Zhou’s gaze. He merely observed the demonic energy surging around her carefully, his voice carrying across the miles to Jiang Ze and the others’ ears:
“Cultivator Xu is most likely under the Demon Lord’s control.”
Bai Zhou’s words snapped the four from the Demon Realm back to reality. Even Ji Wang, usually quick to anger, quietly knelt in place, suppressing all emotions until only cold calmness remained in his eyes.
The others shared similar expressions.
They had assumed that the Demon Lord’s grand wedding would throw the Demon Realm into chaos, providing the perfect opportunity to find Xu Wanci and take her away.
All these plans hinged on one premise: that the Demon Lord would be too occupied to notice them, let alone take action against them.
But now, around them stood hundreds of high-level demonic cultivators. On the Ying Tian Platform above, there was even Yan Shuo, the Lord of the Demon Realm.
Under Yan Shuo’s overwhelming demonic aura, the talismans that allowed them to leave the Demon Realm might not even function properly—let alone bringing Xu Wanci out of the Demon Realm.
Yet despite this, there was not the slightest hint of retreat in the eyes of the four.
Since Xu Wanci had not left willingly, then they would risk everything to take her away!
A desperate gamble might still carve out a sliver of hope.
Below the Ying Tian Platform, Yan Shuo gripped Xu Wanci’s wrist and steadily advanced toward the high platform.
Sensing several streams of spiritual energy behind him, faintly disguised to mimic demonic aura, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly:
Cultivators from the Immortal Realm had also arrived.
Fine.
Just a few cultivators—what kind of storm could they possibly stir up in the Demon Realm?
Better to let them witness with their own eyes—
Witness the supreme Immortal Sovereign Qing Yan’s beloved, today becoming his Demon Queen.
When those sanctimonious cultivators hear this news, their faces will surely darken.
No bloodshed today.
After the grand wedding, then they will be dealt with.
Yan Shuo glanced sideways at the person walking beside him. Beneath her dark golden hair crown, her gaze seemed tinged with a faint innocence. Her lips were tightly pressed, not once did she smile.
She walked forward quietly, never once looking at him from start to finish.
His grip on Xu Wanci’s wrist tightened, forcibly suppressing the unease swelling in his heart:
It was probably because he had been channeling the demonic domain too frequently lately, disrupting her cognition.
Once the grand wedding was over, he would naturally ease the demonic domain’s influence on her, and she would return to her former self.
Return to the Xu Wanci who loved him, trusted him, and would carefully tend to his wounds with gentle concern.
Xu Wanci felt the faintly turbulent demonic aura beside her, her heart sinking slightly, but her steps remained calm and unhurried:
Had something happened that she didn’t know about?
Why did Yan Shuo’s reaction feel... off?
In just an instant, she suppressed all her panic:
The more dangerous the situation, the calmer she became.
As long as they reached the Ying Tian Platform, that would be enough. Whatever happened afterward was no longer her concern.
She quietly looked ahead, her eyes carrying the obedient innocence that came with Yan Shuo’s control.
Before reaching the Ying Tian Platform, she could not afford a single mistake.
The moment Yan Shuo and Xu Wanci stepped onto the high platform, the pitch-black platform suddenly lit up. Beneath the soft glow, the scroll of the Heavenly-Earth Covenant was gently lifted by spiritual energy, standing silently at the center of the platform.
The power of the Heavenly Dao gently bathed the platform.
As long as their souls signed the Heavenly-Earth Covenant, their relationship would be recognized by the Heavenly Dao—sharing honor and disgrace, life and death together.
No matter where they were, they could sense each other’s news, know whether the other was safe.
Yan Shuo glanced at Xu Wanci beside him and led her to the Heavenly-Earth Covenant.
Once the ceremony was complete, whether she regained her memories or not, it would be impossible for her to escape his side.
Below the Ying Tian Platform, many demonic cultivators lifted their heads, witnessing the birth of the Demon Realm’s first Demon Queen in hundreds of years.
Jiang Ze and the others also looked up.
Their bodies’ spiritual energy silently converged onto the Half-Step Divine Artifact, the Demon-Subduing Bowl. Thousands of miles away, Bai Zhou controlled the accumulated spiritual energy within the bowl using his Buddhist power, his face growing increasingly pale.
With the power of the Demon-Subduing Bowl, even in the Demon Realm, it was enough to wound the Demon Lord Yan Shuo.
But merely wounding him was far from enough. They had to unleash, in an instant, the spiritual energy from half of their spiritual veins, bombarding all the demon cultivators—including the Demon Lord himself—with spiritual energy, then whisk Xu Wanci away at top speed.
Even if they played all their cards, the chance of success was less than one percent.
The Demon Lord was the strongest being in the world today, and they were deep within the Demon Realm.
Yet they had no other choice.
Even if the odds were only one percent, they had to save Xu Wanci.
The four of them looked up, their eyes fixed intently on the two figures atop the dais.
They watched Yan Shuo carve his soul’s essence onto the Heavenly Contract. Then, Xu Wanci reached out her hand toward the same contract.
Once the souls of both were etched onto the Heavenly Contract, their bond would be recognized by the Heavenly Dao itself—never to be separated.
They couldn’t wait any longer!
The spiritual energy within Jiang Ze and the others had already reached its peak, ready to explode at any moment. Thousands of miles away, Bai Zhou’s soul and spiritual energy were also attached to the Demon-Subduing Bowl.
But the one who moved first was Xu Wanci, standing on the dais.
Under the tense and expectant gazes of everyone on the platform, Xu Wanci’s outstretched hand gently descended.
Yan Shuo watched her movement, a wave of uncontrollable panic surging within him. He concealed all his emotions and softened his voice, coaxing her:
“Wanci, are you too tired?”
“It’s alright. As long as you leave the aura of your soul on it, everything will be over.”
“We’ll go home, alright?”
Despite his caring tone, Xu Wanci did not respond.
She took a step back and lifted her head. The obedience that once controlled her eyes was gone, replaced by a strange unfamiliarity. Her voice was soft:
“You’re not him.”
Those words swept through the chaos like a fresh breeze, clearing away the lingering fog that had clouded their minds for days.
In the horizon, Xiao Yuyan felt a strange yet familiar heartbeat in his chest. He quietly closed his eyes, the corner of his lips curling into a faint smile, almost imperceptible.
The seed once planted deep in his heart was quietly taking root.
Joy and sorrow both stirred because of one person.
From the void, a gentle breeze blew, and the blue hue deepened.
Below the dais, Jiang Ze and the others heard Xu Wanci’s voice. Their spiritual energy gathering abruptly ceased.
As if struck by a sudden realization, disbelief flashed across their eyes:
Could it be that Xu Wanci had mistaken the Demon Lord for... the Immortal Lord???
That was why she agreed to the grand wedding, why she appeared here.
But if the Demon Lord knew, with his temperament, he would probably kill her in a fit of rage just to vent his fury.
On the dais, Yan Shuo stared into Xu Wanci’s eyes filled with unfamiliarity and estrangement, his heart plummeting into an abyss.
He had clearly already accepted her confusing him with Xiao Yuyan—so why was she still not satisfied? Why did she have to sense that something was wrong?
He didn’t want to know whether she had regained her memories, nor did he want to hear any words from her mouth.
Almost at the very moment Xu Wanci’s voice fell silent, he deepened the demonic domain to its utmost limit, trying to force her into signing the Heaven and Earth Pact.
But this time, Xu Wanci was no longer the obedient girl she had been before. She looked into Yan Shuo’s bloodshot eyes with a clarity she had never felt before.
Feeling the Tianhua Ginseng within her fully fused with her dantian, she took a step back.
This time, she coldly removed the hairpin from her head, her voice more resolute than ever before:
“You are not him.”
The moment her words fell, her aura surged violently, skyrocketing from the late Nascent Soul stage straight into the Realm Transformation.
Above the horizon, thunderclouds suddenly appeared.
Standing calmly amidst the storm, the fierce winds charged with thunder roared, whipping her robes wildly and sending her long black hair flying. Under the utmost danger, her smile was the most genuine and captivating he had ever seen in the demon realm.
For the first time in thousands of years, a cultivator was undergoing a tribulation in the demon realm.
The thunderous energy of the tribulation forced Yan Shuo to retreat, unable to approach Xu Wanci even a step.
At that moment, everyone realized what Xu Wanci was doing—she was courting death.
The demon realm lacked the spiritual energy needed for her tribulation. The pervasive demonic energy would flood into her body like spiritual energy during the tribulation, causing unbearable agony, as if a demonic blade were torturing her flesh.
Not to mention the thunder tribulation itself, which was already difficult to endure even in the Immortal realm.
The moment she resolved to undergo the tribulation, the outcome was already sealed.
There was only one possible end... death.
Yan Shuo understood what Xu Wanci intended:
She would rather die than stay with him.
Ignoring all consequences, he pushed the demonic domain into the very heart of the storm. This time, he had only one command:
“Stop.”
Watching the still raging thunder tribulation, he finally relented, “If you stop, the wedding will be immediately called off.”
Once again, the demonic domain had no effect.
Xu Wanci felt the strange yet familiar memories flooding her mind and blinked slowly:
Everything before and after crossing over—she remembered it all.
With Yan Shuo’s temperament, one wrong step could have meant her death.
She hadn’t expected that after losing her memories, it was still her deep love for Qingyan Xianzun that had given her a sliver of hope.
From this perspective, Xiao Yuyan was truly the destined “benefactor” of her life.
Yan Shuo watched as Xu Wanci lowered her gaze and smiled gently, as if she were willingly embracing death, and a panic unlike any he had ever known suddenly surged within him.
Under the thunder tribulation, no one could escape.
He was truly going to lose her.
His bloodshot eyes were filled with madness and... the sorrow buried deep within that madness.
The demonic domain within the thunder tribulation had already drained all the demonic energy from his body; even the demonic pearl inside him was nearly exhausted.
The severe toll that the overdrawn demonic energy had taken on her injuries—if this were the Xu Wanci of the past, she would have already rushed over in a panic.
But now, she stood quietly amidst the storm clouds, not even sparing him a glance.
Some things, only after losing them, do we realize how precious they truly were—and the desire to possess them fiercely grows even stronger.
He spoke each word deliberately:
“I can become him.”
“If you wish, I can become a second him.”
Xu Wanci lifted her gaze to the darkened horizon, where the Demon Realm still held no blue sky—only the pitch-black demonic aura and oppressive storm clouds.
She let herself be swept up by the raging winds, surrounded by the thunderous energy, willingly surrendering to the embrace of death.
Her eyes closed peacefully, her voice gentle yet resolute:
“There will never be a second Xiao Yuyan in this world.”
The Tribulation of the Divine Transformation stage was already swift, and a double Tribulation was all the more fierce. Moreover, Xu Wanci’s single-minded wish for death left no room for even a moment’s negotiation with Yan Shuo. In just a few words, the Tribulation had fully gathered—the first bolt of lightning could strike at any moment.
Below the Celestial Platform, Jiang Ze and the others watched the scene unfold. Almost in an instant, they made their decision.
Compared to taking Xu Wanci away, the most important thing now was to keep her alive.
They had to provide as much spiritual energy as possible to help her survive the Tribulation.
Half a spiritual vein’s worth of energy was gathered without hesitation, ready to be sent up to the platform once fully concentrated.
Even if it meant facing the siege of half the Demon Realm afterward, they did not hesitate.
As they acted, the surrounding demonic cultivators sensed something amiss and began converging toward them.
On the Celestial Platform—
Xu Wanci remained serene, eyes closed, waiting for that moment of Tribulation, when she melted the Heavenly Spirit Pill in her dantian.
But no heavenly thunder came.
A gentle breeze scattered the storm clouds, dispersing the ever-dark sky of the Demon Realm. A soft blue hue gradually enveloped Xu Wanci.
An endless sea of blue transformed the sky into a vast ocean of azure, beneath which Xu Wanci’s cultivation steadily solidified.
This was... a celestial phenomenon!
Yet, the spiritual energy of the Demon Realm was ultimately insufficient for Xu Wanci to successfully ascend to Divine Transformation.
Just as Jiang Ze and the others struggled to survive amidst the many demonic cultivators, tossing the gathered spiritual energy into the air—
A spatial fluctuation, unnoticed by all, quietly arrived.
Everyone saw Xu Wanci enter the Spirit-Concentrating Secret Realm, a place that appeared only once every few hundred years and allowed only one to enter.
In the next moment, the secret realm vanished from their sight, leaving behind only a profound silence.
When Heaven favors someone, even a predetermined dead end can transform into an opportunity coveted by all.
