In the vast sky above,
Xiao Yuyan gazed at Xu Wanci’s calm yet resolute eyes. The heavenly power shielding her silently receded, though it lingered nearby, ensuring her safety.
He already knew her decision.
Even though she was aware it was a trap set for her, even though she knew Yan Shuo had laid an inescapable net there, even though it was merely a place where he had once undergone tribulation—
She still chose to go.
Just as she had done countless times before for him, sparing no thought for herself, giving everything she had.
Xiao Yuyan stood motionless, his eyes—capable of perceiving all things yet transcending the mundane—flickering with a trace of bewildered confusion:
Could what he had done ever outweigh the past she shared with him?
Would there truly come a day when he could stand before her as he was now?
The answer, in truth, was something he already knew.
As he watched Xu Wanci in the mortal realm below, all emotion in his eyes faded into stillness.
Somehow, the void had begun to mirror the storms of the mortal world.
Delicate frost drifted from the endless emptiness, dusting the divine figure in snow.
In the Taiqing Sect, Ning Menglan and the others sensed the Demon Lord’s presence and immediately rushed to the Sword Peak.
Seeing Xu Wanci seated calmly by the dark jade table, seemingly unharmed, they finally relaxed slightly.
Gu Yunqi, the most straightforward and impatient among them, darted to Xu Wanci’s side, grasping her hand to channel spiritual energy into her. Still uneasy, she asked,
"Wanci, are you hurt anywhere?"
Xu Wanci met her concerned gaze and shook her head gently.
"Third Elder, I’m unharmed."
Yet instead of easing their worries, her answer only deepened Ning Menglan’s tension.
"The Demon Lord truly came just now?"
Had the Taiqing Sect’s formidable defenses still allowed the Demon Lord to slip through?
The First and Second Elders immediately swept their spiritual senses across the entire Sword Peak, ruthlessly expelling any lingering demonic energy.
Seeing everyone on high alert, Xu Wanci rose and bowed to them, explaining,
"The Demon Lord did not come in person. He merely drew my consciousness into the Demon Realm."
"Under the Taiqing Sect’s array restrictions, he couldn’t remain for long. As long as I stayed conscious for the duration of an incense stick’s burn, I would be safe."
"So I’m unharmed, and my spirit remains intact."
Yet her words only darkened the expressions of those around her.
They all knew the horrors of the Demon Lord’s realm. Even a few breaths within it would overwhelm most cultivators, let alone an entire incense stick’s worth of time.
Had Xu Wanci’s will wavered even slightly, she might have been ensnared, silently spirited away from the Taiqing Sect.
The sect’s arrays barred demonic cultivators from entering—but they did nothing to stop disciples from leaving.
Xie Tingbai was the first to regain his composure. After a moment’s thought, he sensed something amiss.
His usually gentle voice now carried a note of unease as he fixed his gaze on Xu Wanci.
"Wanci, what did the Demon Lord say to you in the Demon Realm?"
The Demon Lord wouldn’t go to such lengths just for a fleeting meeting.
Under the weight of their anxious stares, Xu Wanci tightened her grip on the Three-Leaf Lotus in her hand.
In the past, she might have buried everything in her heart, quietly scheming alone to seize the slightest chance of escape from the Demon Lord’s grasp.
But now…
Remembering all that the Taiqing Sect had done to save her, her long lashes trembled faintly.
She had never been able to ignore the kindness of others, nor could she bring herself to deceive those who truly cared for her.
Turning her head slightly, Xu Wanci averted her gaze and revealed everything that had transpired in the Demon Realm.
She knew how perilous this path would be, and she knew they would never agree—so before they could protest, she earnestly explained:
"Demonic cultivators are weakened within the immortal realm. Moreover, the Demon Lord’s injuries from before haven’t fully healed. With the Juechen Crystal in hand, my spiritual power now rivals that of a mid-stage Tribulation Transcension cultivator."
"Even if the Demon Lord comes himself, I can fight him."
"Besides… that place is where he underwent tribulation. Its aura suppresses all cultivators, whether immortal or demonic."
"Inside, even against the Demon Lord, I’ll have the advantage."
Listening to her almost frantic reasoning, the others sighed inwardly:
As always, the only one who could unsettle Xu Wanci was the Qingyan Immortal Venerable.
Xie Tingbai spoke first.
"If the Demon Lord is using the Immortal Venerable’s tribulation site as leverage, he must have laid countless traps there."
"The Demon Realm holds many treasures. While the tribulation site weakens cultivators, its effect on artifacts is only halved."
Watching Xu Wanci’s downcast eyes, he sighed softly.
"After returning to the peak today, I’ll refine more medicinal pills. It’s always good to be prepared."
Xu Wanci suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief and surprise:
Was Xie Tingbai implying…
Ning Menglan also shook his head, wearing a helpless expression:
"I’ll go rummage through the Taiqing Sect’s treasury. Recently, other sects have sent quite a few spiritual treasures—perhaps some might prove useful."
Gu Yunqi clapped her hands together: "Perfect timing! I’ve been studying a powerful protective formation lately."
"This is the perfect chance to test it out!"
Everyone began searching for suitable spiritual treasures, hoping to ensure her safe journey.
Finally, the Grand Elder looked at Xu Wanci with a kind gaze:
"Since you’ve decided to go, naturally, we must prepare for every possibility."
They all knew just how important the Immortal Venerable was to her.
Back then, she had risked her life for just a Three-Leaf Lotus. Now, with this being the very place where the Immortal Venerable underwent his tribulation, even if it meant walking through fire and blades, she would still charge forward.
They couldn’t possibly disregard her wishes and forcibly confine her to the sect.
Xu Wanci stood frozen in place as she took in the resigned yet indulgent expressions of the Taiqing Sect members around her.
This near-unconditional respect sent a surge of warmth through her heart.
Pressing her lips together, she bowed deeply to them, her voice brimming with sincerity and gratitude:
"Wanci thanks the Sect Leader and all the Elders."
Ning Menglan gently lifted her with a wisp of spiritual energy, teasing lightly:
"Just one condition—we’re coming with you."
The original text had mentioned the location of Immortal Venerable Qingyan’s tribulation grounds, but only in vague terms. Moreover, the place had developed a faint spiritual awareness, allowing it to conceal itself.
Xu Wanci had prepared herself for a long search.
Yet, she never expected the journey to be this smooth.
Gazing at the pale blue clouds ahead, she lowered her eyes, hiding her astonishment.
The moment Ning Menglan and the Elders approached the clouds, they were met with an overwhelming pressure, their spiritual energy churning uncontrollably within their dantians.
This oppressive force—
It seemed they had arrived at their destination.
Xu Wanci stepped off the flying boat. When no one else followed, she turned back in confusion, only to see everyone’s faces drained of color, as if carved from the same pale mold.
Belatedly, she remembered the intimidating effect of the Immortal Venerable’s aura on others.
With the Three-Leaf Lotus in her possession, she hadn’t sensed anything amiss. Instead, the spiritual energy here felt refreshing, almost intoxicating.
She asked cautiously, "Sect Leader, Elders… are you alright?"
Under Xu Wanci’s gaze, Ning Menglan shakily disembarked, forcing himself upright as he replied nonchalantly:
"Don’t worry, Wanci. This Sect Leader is fine."
The other Elders nodded with similar ‘composure.’
Gu Yunqi used a formation to scan the surroundings before confirming, "There’s nothing unusual here."
Hearing this, Xu Wanci relaxed slightly:
"All that’s left is to find the entrance to the tribulation grounds."
Ning Menglan’s expression turned grave as he nodded:
The Demon Lord might already be lying in wait nearby. They had to be extremely cautious.
Perhaps due to Xu Wanci’s extraordinary luck, the moment she took a single step forward, an invisible force tugged at her—and in the next instant, she vanished.
The others had no time to react. Even when the Grand Elder swiftly probed the area with spiritual energy, he found no trace of an entrance.
The tribulation grounds had no intention of letting them in.
Meanwhile, Xu Wanci steadied herself within a realm of endless mist, her brow furrowing slightly.
Even with the Three-Leaf Lotus’s protection, the density of spiritual energy here was almost unbearable.
The mist condensed into droplets on her robes, seeping into her body and expanding her meridians.
Instinctively, she began circulating her spiritual energy:
Cultivating here was at least five times faster than outside.
Truly worthy of the Immortal Venerable’s tribulation grounds.
Then, a faint sizzling sound reached her ears—the sound of flesh corroding.
Following the noise, she spotted Yan Shuo at the edge of the mist.
His complexion was paler than the fog itself, his right hand slowly dissolving under the assault of the surrounding spiritual energy.
From his fingers to his wrist, layer by layer, his skin melted away, leaving only exposed bone in its wake.
Yan Shuo chuckled softly as he observed the spiritual energy around Xu Wanci—how it embraced her without the slightest hostility.
"You actually came."
Even if he had guessed she would keep her promise, seeing her here still ignited an uncontrollable frenzy of envy within him.
The deeper he understood Xu Wanci’s devotion to Xiao Yuyan, the more it tormented him, fueling his desire to… destroy it all.
He stepped toward Xu Wanci, leaving a trail of dark demon blood in his wake.
Like a prisoner who knew the outcome yet refused to accept it, he stubbornly asked:
"Wanci, come back to the demon realm with me, won’t you?"
Without waiting for her answer, he continued, speaking as if to himself:
"If you don’t want to, it’s fine. I can stay with you in the cultivation world."
Yan Shuo gazed at her tenderly, his voice laced with obsession: "Alright?"
Xu Wanci sensed the madness in his tone, and an uneasy premonition rose in her heart.
Instinctively, she wrapped herself in spiritual energy, her divine consciousness stirring in her mind, ready to strike Yan Shuo down at any moment.
Yan Shuo sighed softly.
"My Wanci is still so wary of me."
He halted his steps, the corners of his bloodstained lips curling into a malicious smile.
"Guess what happens if thirty Demon-Shattering Stones detonate at once? Do you think this place will survive?"
A single Demon-Shattering Stone was enough to obliterate a small sect.
Thirty of them—accumulated over a thousand years as the demon realm’s ultimate weapon against the cultivation world—were now all deployed here.
Xu Wanci clenched her fists.
No matter how prepared she was, she had never imagined Yan Shuo could be this deranged.
Against any other artifact, she might have stood a chance. But Demon-Shattering Stones? Even in the original story, he had never used them—not even against the protagonist, Chu Qingchuan.
Even if she could escape with her life, shielded by countless protective treasures, this sacred land of tribulation would be utterly annihilated.
And with it, the hidden realm within—the one holding the secrets of ascension—would lose its only entrance.
If she missed this opportunity, she might never find another path to transcendence.
The greater the danger, the calmer Xu Wanci became.
Now, she had two choices:
First—kill Yan Shuo before he could act.
But as the Demon Sovereign, his power was immense. Even in this place, where the environment favored her, she couldn’t guarantee a single lethal strike.
If she failed, she would have no strength left to stop him, forced to watch as everything here was destroyed.
The hidden realm would be lost forever.
Second—play along with Yan Shuo, waiting for the hidden realm to reveal itself, just as it had in the original story.
That was where the true opportunity lay.
Existing in a separate dimension, even the Demon-Shattering Stones couldn’t touch it.
Xu Wanci took a deep breath and made her decision.
She could gamble with her life, but she would never stake this chance at ascension.
She had to choose the safest path.
Lifting her gaze, she feigned confusion.
"Yan Shuo, do you understand the significance of the Demon-Shattering Stones to the demon realm?"
"To destroy this place, you’d abandon everything?"
Hearing the way she addressed him, the warmth in Yan Shuo’s eyes deepened. His voice was icy.
"The demon realm?"
"I am its sovereign. All of it exists to serve me."
There was no need to pretend concern for the demon realm in front of her anymore.
After all, no matter what he did, she would never love him.
Wasn’t that right?
Yan Shuo watched her, his voice dripping with the tenderness of a lover.
"Wanci, if you come with me, I’ll spare this place."
Xu Wanci’s hands tightened.
Even if she agreed, he would only use this sacred land against her again.
It would become her eternal weakness, forever under his control.
Just then, she sensed a faint ripple in the air—
The hidden realm!
Yan Shuo noticed it too.
Her expression told him everything.
Not even a pretense of compliance?
She wanted to search for Xiao Yuyan’s soul within that ripple.
Even though he knew it was impossible for that man’s soul to be there, he couldn’t let her have her way.
Yan Shuo smiled gently at Xu Wanci.
If he was in pain, she should suffer alongside him.
Let her witness that man’s soul being destroyed once more.
And those cultivators waiting outside—if something happened to them, wouldn’t she be devastated?
With a soft laugh, he triggered the thirty Demon-Shattering Stones hidden here.
If she couldn’t love him, then let her hate him.
A hatred carved into her bones—that would satisfy him far more than love ever could.
Xu Wanci sensed the surge of demonic energy immediately.
With her treasures shielding her and a teleportation talisman, she could escape unscathed.
Yan Shuo knew this, which was why he had activated the stones without hesitation.
But—
Feeling the presence of the hidden realm nearby, Xu Wanci didn’t hesitate.
If she could enter it, she would seize her destiny.
With her treasures protecting her, she only needed to endure for a single breath.
So what if she gets hurt? As long as she doesn’t die, it’s enough.
Under Yan Shuo’s frenzied gaze, Xu Wanci never once retreated.
Amidst the swirling darkness, she stood as a human shield, stubbornly blocking the manifested boundary of the inner realm.
As if determined to shield, with her own flesh and blood, the faintest sliver of a soul—one that might only have a one-in-a-thousand chance of surviving.
