Chapter 83
But the little fox was easily swayed by such displays of emotion.
Seeing Tang Youshu’s anguish, hearing him call out their names, she choked back a sob. “Tang Gongzi, I’m here! I’m still alive! Don’t listen to him!”
Cui Xiao Xiao watched the watery mirror silently. The tall man in the reflection remained impassive, as if the two women’s deaths meant nothing to him.
Xiao Xiao knew Wei Jie was connected to the demonic bead within her. He couldn’t be unaware of her disappearance.
He didn’t even need Tang Youshu’s spells to confirm it. He could sense that she was no longer in the mortal realm.
Yet, his handsome face betrayed no sorrow. Even if she wasn’t his lover anymore, they had journeyed together. Did her life truly mean so little to him, a man striving for immortality?
It seemed that with his divine power restored, his perspective had become detached, unlike mortals who mourned the loss of loved ones.
She didn’t want to be a hindrance to his ascension, but seeing his indifference, his refusal to even shed a tear, still stung.
She had clung to a sliver of hope, a hope that the Jie’er who had smiled at her, the Jie’er she knew, would return. But now, she could finally let go.
The Wei Jie who had shed tears of blood for her in the Phoenix Sanctuary… he was truly gone…
She turned away, unable to bear the sight of that mirror.
Once Tang Youshu’s tears dried up, the mirror would vanish, severing their last connection to the mortal realm.
She should be grateful. At least, thanks to Ling’er, she had witnessed her former master’s genuine grief.
Cui Xiao Xiao, burdened by her “ten sorrows,” her life force too strong… she was destined to be alone, without parents, without children, without attachments. Perhaps it was for the best.
Yes, it was for the best…
As she wallowed in her sorrow, a familiar scent wafted towards her – the intoxicating fragrance of the other shore flower…
No! A moment of weakness, and she was already succumbing to its allure! She knew this wasn’t good. A wavering will was easily swayed by the demonic flower.
And here, in the underworld, she needed to maintain her resolve to resist the call of death!
It was too late to hold her breath. The scent seeped into her mind, clouding her thoughts. The River of Forgetfulness materialized before her, the sound of oars splashing against the water echoing through the darkness. Her feet, as if drawn by a magnet, moved towards it, her steps mechanical, her mind detached…
She was aware, yet powerless. She knew she had to turn back, but her body wouldn’t obey. She widened her eyes, desperately trying to regain control.
The demonic bead, fearing for its own existence, screamed at her, urging her to turn back.
Finally, in a desperate attempt, it resorted to listing dishes – crystal pig’s trotters, steamed mandarin fish, crab roe soup dumplings – hoping to tempt her with food.
If only she could respond. Hearing the bead’s frantic attempts to lure her back with promises of delicious meals… she would have laughed.
But she was lost in a haze, her body moving on autopilot.
Suddenly, Yu Ling’er’s shriek pierced through the fog. “Xiao Xiao! There’s… there’s another mirror! A blood-red mirror!”
Xiao Xiao had also heard the sound of dripping water. She gasped, as if waking from a dream, and the demonic influence over her shattered. She could finally turn around…
Beside the mirror formed from Tang Youshu’s tears… blood was dripping, the crimson droplets pooling together, forming a blood-red mirror.
The reflection showed Wei Jie, but he wasn’t in Prince Can’s mansion. He was standing on a hillside on Qilao Mountain, the remnants of the wall he had destroyed still visible!
It seemed that upon learning of her entrapment, he had wasted no time, flying to the entrance of the underworld on his sword.
But he wasn’t crying. His eyes, no longer purple, were now a dark, blood-red.
Xiao Xiao was confused. How had this blood-red mirror of longing formed?
Wei Jie seemed to be clashing with the Wei family’s Silver Armored Guards. But he didn’t seem interested in fighting. He unleashed a wave of energy from his Heaven-Punishing Sword, sending the guards flying, then charged towards the entrance.
Grandmother Wei, along with several elders, stood guard, blocking his path.
“A-Jie, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice firm. “Don’t you know that the fifteenth of August, every ten years, is the day the gates of the underworld are sealed? Even we, the demon-hunting Wei family, can’t approach the gate on this day. Why are you here?”
Wei Jie’s eyes, now almost black, were fixed on the swirling vortex behind her. “I… I need to bring someone back.”
“No!” Grandmother Wei said without hesitation. “No one can approach the gate on the day of the sealing. It’s an ancestral rule…”
Wei Jie cut her off, his voice low, as if lost in thought. “She’s afraid of the dark. It’s so cold and dark there. She wouldn’t like it…”
A surge of demonic energy emanated from him. He leaped into the air, moving with lightning speed, and landed before the gate.
Before anyone could react, he reached out, his hand touching the swirling chaos.
But on this day, the day of the sealing, the gate was reinforced by the Wei family’s powerful seals. Nothing could enter, nothing could leave.
His hand pressed against the barrier, but it wouldn’t budge.
But Xiao Xiao, from within the underworld, saw his hand, reaching through the swirling chaos.
She lunged forward, pressing her hand against his, calling out, “Wei Jie, I’m here! I’m not dead!”
But her voice couldn’t penetrate the barrier separating the realms.
Wei Jie’s hand clawed at the impenetrable barrier. He slammed his palm against it, unleashing a surge of energy.
With his divine power restored, his strength had grown exponentially. The force of his blow, fueled by his nascent Nascent Soul, shattered the Wei family’s seals, creating cracks in the barrier.
Through those cracks, the wails of countless souls echoed from the underworld.
And amidst those wails, he heard a faint voice, barely audible, calling his name.
It was gone in an instant, swallowed by the chorus of tormented souls.
The shattered seals reformed, silencing the cries from below.
But he had heard her! Cui Xiao Xiao had entered the underworld, trapped, unable to return!
As a member of the Wei family, he knew what awaited those who strayed into the realm of the dead.
She, the woman who constantly tormented his heart, must have been lured by the other shore flower, her soul separated from her body, her mortal remains sinking to the bottom of the River of Forgetfulness.
Why else would he hear her soul’s mournful cry?
He thought, his face impassive, “It’s for the best. With her gone, I won’t be tormented by her anymore, my heart and mind torn apart, every night a living hell. Yes, it’s for the best…”
But even as he thought those words, his face contorted in pain, his eyes burning.
The blue flame on his forehead blazed. Whenever the pain struck before, he had suppressed his emotions, banished thoughts of her from his mind.
But this time, even as his head throbbed, the feelings he had buried deep within him erupted like molten lava, impossible to contain.
The seal that had bound his emotions shattered. His eyes, once cold and distant, were now black as ink. And then, with a roar of anguish, the blood he had held back for so long, the blood of his heart, surged forth, unstoppable, like a river breaking its banks!
Xiao Xiao, deep within the underworld, heard his anguished cry. She knew exactly what was happening!
He… he was shedding tears of blood again! He thought she was dead, lost in the River of Forgetfulness!
A wave of conflicting emotions washed over her – joy and terror.
He cared. He truly cared.
But fear overshadowed her joy. She was trapped! She couldn’t reach him, couldn’t tell him she was alive!
Last time, a few drops of blood had weakened him significantly.
Now, his tears flowed freely, his face stained crimson. If he didn’t regain control, he would die!
The blood-red mirror expanded, and Xiao Xiao, desperate, screamed at the reflection. “Tang Youshu! And those Wei family people! Are you all deaf?! Can’t you see he’s shedding tears of blood?! What about his divine power?! Wasn’t it supposed to sever his emotions?! Why isn’t it working?!”
Yu Ling’er, her own grief forgotten, whimpered, “Xiao Xiao, are we really going to die here?”
Die? No! If she didn’t escape, Wei Jie would follow her into the underworld!
But the situation was even worse than she had imagined.
The Wei Jie in the mirror, his eyes black as night, was charging towards the gate again, determined to break through the seals and retrieve her soul.
He no longer held back against those who tried to stop him. His attacks were ruthless, aiming to crush and destroy anyone in his path.
Several Wei family guards were sent flying, blood spewing from their mouths. Their fates were unknown.
Only Patriarch Wei Jingfeng, Grandmother Wei, and a few elders remained…
Xiao Xiao’s heart pounded. Wei Jie, weakened by his blood loss, was losing control, his demonic nature resurfacing.
She finally understood why they had lured her into the underworld!
They had orchestrated all of this… to force Wei Jie to become a demon again!
At this rate, he would be consumed by his inner demons, losing his sanity, making the fatal mistake of harming Grandmother Wei and her family!
This tribulation… it seemed unavoidable.
Xiao Xiao took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and addressed the demonic bead within her. “Now’s your chance! I need to transform! I need your power!”
If Wei Jie could shatter the seals, so could she!
If she couldn’t leave as a human, then she would become a demon, using that power to break free.
The demonic bead within her was born from Demon Lord Wei Jie. He, consumed by his demonic nature, had been able to roam freely between the realms, his power unmatched.
She would become a demon, amplifying her own power!
The demonic bead screeched in protest. “Have you lost your mind?! Five phoenixes are already living in here! Do you know how miserable my life is?! They’re constantly watching me, their eyes burning into my soul! I can’t even sleep! If I unleash my demonic power, they’ll devour me!”
Xiao Xiao didn’t believe the phoenixes would act up in the underworld, a realm of pure yin energy.
But the bead, traumatized by the birds, refused to cooperate.
Xiao Xiao, losing her patience, threatened to dig it out and crush it if it didn’t help her.
The word “useless” stung. The bead, like some men, had its pride.
Ignoring its protests, Xiao Xiao closed her eyes, recalling the time she had been possessed by Wan Lianshi’s demonic energy.
The key to transformation was to temporarily relinquish control of her soul, allowing the demonic energy to take over…
She took out a soul-stabilizing talisman and handed it to Yu Ling’er. “If I transform, remove this talisman. And stay far away from me. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Yu Ling’er, despite her naivety, realized Xiao Xiao was playing with fire. “Will this… will this work?”
“Just do it!” Xiao Xiao snapped, her voice laced with urgency.
Yu Ling’er flinched, then placed the talisman on Xiao Xiao’s forehead.
The moment the talisman touched her skin, her soul flickered, and her eyes turned blood-red. Her hair, like black silk, rose into the air. She remained motionless, but an undeniable aura of demonic power emanated from her.
Yu Ling’er, remembering Xiao Xiao’s instructions, took a deep breath and ripped off the talisman.
The transformed girl stretched her neck, her eyes, now red and alluring, scanning her surroundings. She looked at Yu Ling’er, a predatory glint in her eyes, as if contemplating a fox meat snack.
Yu Ling’er, remembering Xiao Xiao’s warning, scrambled for cover.
But the underworld was a barren wasteland. There was nowhere to hide.
She transformed into her fox form, curling into a ball, her tail covering her face. “Don’t see me! Don’t see me! Fox meat is smelly! Fox meat is yucky!”
But her worry was unfounded. This time, Xiao Xiao’s transformation was different. A flicker of awareness remained in her eyes. Her nails, now black and sharp, reached for the little fox, then stopped. “Get out of my way,” she said, her voice rough. “I’m going to break through the seal.”
Yu Ling’er, surprised by her unexpected restraint, peeked from behind her tail and noticed a faint glow emanating from Xiao Xiao’s navel.
The spirit stone! The Fox Tribe’s treasure!
It seemed the stone was allowing Xiao Xiao to retain a sliver of her sanity. That was why, despite her harsh words, she still cared about Yu Ling’er’s safety.
The transformed girl, her eyes blazing, took a deep breath and leaped into the air. Gathering her demonic energy, she shot towards the sealed gate like a bolt of lightning.
As she soared through the air, five streaks of colored light emerged from her neck.
Yu Ling’er watched in awe as five phoenixes, their forms shimmering, materialized beside her, their cries echoing through the darkness. They spread their wings, their tails trailing behind them, circling Xiao Xiao as she flew towards the gate.
Her demonic energy had awakened the five phoenixes, but her power, amplified by the spirit stone, was too much for them. They circled her excitedly, their energy intertwining with hers, becoming her guardians.
Meanwhile, outside the gate, the battle raged on.
Wei Jie, consumed by grief and his demonic nature, was relentless, determined to break through the gate and retrieve Xiao Xiao’s soul.
Obsession was a breeding ground for demonic energy. And for someone like Wei Jie, with his nascent Nascent Soul, to succumb to his demonic nature… it would be a disaster!
Grandmother Wei, watching her grandson’s transformation, felt a pain so deep it was like reliving the agony of her eldest son’s suicide.
She had realized that his desperation stemmed from Xiao Xiao’s entrapment.
Would both father and son be destroyed by love?
Patriarch Wei Jingfeng, protecting his mother, had taken a direct hit from Wei Jie.
If Tang Youshu hadn’t arrived in time, creating a shield with his energy, Wei Jingfeng’s meridians and organs would have been shattered.
But even Tang Youshu’s shield couldn’t withstand Wei Jie’s power. He was sent flying, landing hard, unable to get up.
Grandmother Wei stood before her grandson, clutching several silver needles. If A-Jie, consumed by his demonic nature, attacked her, she wouldn’t dodge. She would use her last breath to plunge those needles into his acupoints.
If her death could restore his sanity, she would gladly sacrifice herself…
Just as Wei Jie, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, was about to reach her, a guard cried out, “Patriarch! Something’s happening at the gate!”
The Wei family turned their attention to the entrance. The seals were pulsing, as if something powerful was trying to break through from the other side!
The fifteenth of August, a day of celebration for most, was a day of vigilance for the Wei family.
Every year, perhaps influenced by the full moon, something tried to breach the gate. Their ancestral teachings mandated a state of high alert on this night.
And this year, the moon was an ominous red, a sign of impending chaos.
They hadn’t expected Wei Jie’s sudden transformation, his attempt to force his way into the underworld.
And now, something was trying to escape.
The Wei family elders chanted spells, channeling their energy into the seals, trying to contain the situation.
But the next moment, a piercing phoenix cry echoed from the cracks in the barrier, and the seals shattered.
Five phoenixes, their forms shimmering, emerged, then merged into one, disappearing into the swirling chaos.
And then, a girl with long black hair, bathed in a five-colored glow, as if adorned with phoenix wings, burst forth from the darkness.
Her white robes billowed around her, her hair whipping in the wind. Her eyes, now red and alluring, met theirs, her entire being radiating a demonic aura.
As she landed, the Silver Armored Guards surrounded her, their weapons drawn. But Xiao Xiao only had eyes for Wei Jie, his face streaked with blood, his attack aimed at Grandmother Wei.
She unleashed a wave of energy, scattering the guards, and landed before him, shoving Grandmother Wei out of the way.
She had become a demon, shouldered his burdens, faced countless tribulations. She wouldn’t let all of that be in vain!
Whether Wei Jie succumbed to his demonic nature… that was her decision!
She channeled her energy, meeting his attacks head-on, her voice clear and strong. “Wei Jie, I’m alive…”
But he was too far gone, his mind fixated on breaking through the gate, on finding her soul. Even her presence couldn’t break through his obsession.
He attacked her, his movements even more ferocious, his sword sheathed, his palms striking out, targeting her arms, her shoulders, her neck.
Anyone else would have faltered, their defenses crumbling under his relentless assault.
But Xiao Xiao was no longer human. She was a demon.
And her demonic power had awakened the five phoenixes within her. The Fox Tribe’s spirit stone, nestled in her navel, protected her core. With all of this, if she couldn’t handle him… what was the point of all this power?
Those watching saw two figures, one clad in black, the other in white, clashing in the air. The girl, her movements swift and graceful like a phoenix, dodged his attacks, her bare hands deflecting his blows. She was his equal!
Even Grandmother Wei stared in disbelief, muttering to herself, “The red moon… was it a sign of two demons emerging? What is she? I’ve… I’ve never seen anyone use five phoenixes as guardians… Is this… the rise of a Demon King, come to unleash chaos upon the world?”
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