Chapter 63
Although she was the Demon Sovereign, Tu Shan Liusu felt no sense of belonging to the Demon Abyss. She viewed the demon generals and soldiers as mere ants, especially those aggressive followers of Ming Ji. After revealing herself, she stared at Ming Jian Su for a moment, then, with a flick of her wrist, obliterated the remaining demon soldiers. Only when the battlefield was clear did she turn to Ming Jian Su, a smile spreading across her face. “Indeed, something’s missing,” she said, then added, “Would you two Fellow Daoists care to visit my palace?”
“No need,” Ming Jian Su replied, her eyes flashing. She cast several spells, then retrieved the sword impaling Chang Li.
After her manifestation had been shattered, Chang Li’s cultivation had plummeted. She was now barely clinging to life.
Feng Chiyue leaned forward, her eyes twinkling. “The Minor Realm appeared in the Cold Prison, and yet Ming Ji’s Hall of Heroes was attacked. Don’t you want compensation?” she asked.
Tu Shan Liusu, quick-witted, instantly understood. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?” Why had she ended up in the Demon Abyss? It was all thanks to the Heavenly Emperor! Since the Heavenly Dao was blind, she would find a way to change its chosen ruler! Leaving her intentions unspoken, she changed the subject. “Fellow Daoist, have you received the Selfless Sword sent from Qingqiu?”
Ming Jian Su nodded. “So it was a gift from Fellow Daoist Tu Shan,” she said. “But I’m not sure I understand its significance.”
It seemed that neither the Kingdom Lord nor Tu Shan Xiu Rong had deceived her. Ming Jian Su simply hadn’t grasped its meaning. Tu Shan Liusu thought for a moment, then smiled. “It’s one of Suxin Jianzhu’s swords. If you have time, Fellow Daoist, refine it, and you’ll understand.”
Seeing that she knew quite a bit, Ming Jian Su raised an eyebrow. “Was this sword case also hers?”
“Yes,” Tu Shan Liusu confirmed, her answer validating Ming Jian Su’s suspicions.
After reaching an agreement with Tu Shan Liusu, Ming Jian Su personally escorted Chang Li to the Cold Prison. The Minor Realm’s nascent Heavenly Dao was in her sleeve, and the vortex was gradually disappearing.
“Her Vermilion Bird body likely won’t be harmed by the fire,” Tu Shan Liusu said thoughtfully.
Ming Jian Su’s eyelashes fluttered, and she set up several sword formations within the Cold Prison. Only after she was done did Feng Chiyue reach out, a flame landing on her palm. She scoffed. “You overestimate her,” she said. As soon as she finished speaking, a piercing phoenix cry echoed through the air. Countless flames transformed into crimson phoenixes, surging towards Chang Li. She wouldn’t die, but she wouldn’t escape the agony of being burned. Wisps of black flames from the fire burrowed into her body. She looked up at Feng Chiyue, her face contorted in pain, her eyes filled with resentment.
Having dealt with Chang Li, Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue didn’t linger in the Demon Abyss but returned to Dong’e Mountain. Meanwhile, Tu Shan Liusu’s letter of condemnation, delivered by an emissary from Asura City, reached the Heavenly Emperor’s hands in the Purple Empyrean Palace.
He had been hoping for success from those sent to the Minor Realm and had also believed the rumors about that artifact. Even if they hadn’t found any trace of the Phoenix Sovereign, possessing such a weapon would give him peace of mind. But Tu Shan Liusu’s letter shattered his hopes. After the attendant finished reading it aloud, silence fell upon the hall.
Yu Gao was dead, and Chang Li was a prisoner.
But that wasn’t the worst part. The letter directly questioned whether the Heavenly Court intended to break the treaty established a thousand years ago and reignite the war between gods and demons.
The Minor Realm had clearly appeared in the Cold Prison, and yet the Heavenly Court’s emissaries, instead of going there, had attacked the Hall of Heroes and desecrated the Previous Demon Sovereign’s tomb. This was outrageous.
Hearing about the demons’ misfortune, the officials almost wanted to clap their hands in delight. Ming Ji, in particular, deserved to be torn to pieces.
Unfortunately, the demons weren’t pushovers. Minor skirmishes were acceptable, but a full-scale war was unacceptable.
The officials exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, a Daoist priest in a tall hat stepped forward. “May I ask why the South Vermilion Lord and Yu Gao Star Monarch went to the Hall of Heroes?”
The Heavenly Emperor’s face was as dark as ink. He couldn’t possibly admit that he had ordered them to attack the demons’ Hall of Heroes. He had been prepared to shirk responsibility from the start. He ignored the question, his mind preoccupied with the Cold Prison. Did the demons know that he had sent Heavenly Soldiers to destroy the Minor Realm? The letter didn’t mention it explicitly, but he felt a sense of threat between the lines.
“The East Abode Master went to the Minor Realm to retrieve its nascent Heavenly Dao. I wonder if she succeeded,” another official said.
“I saw her return earlier.”
The Emperor’s expression turned even grimmer. His plan had failed, and Ming Jian Su had returned safely. Could he still conceal the matter of the Heavenly Soldiers? He frowned, thinking for a moment. “Was she the only emissary to return from the Demon Abyss?” he asked coldly.
The officials didn’t see any problem with her return, but the Emperor’s tone implied something else.
Si Li Star Monarch, his eyes flickering, said, “The South Vermilion Lord is trapped, and yet the East Abode Master didn’t even try to rescue her. Now that she’s back, she should inform us about the Minor Realm.” As he spoke, a message, like a streak of light, entered the Purple Empyrean Palace. The Emperor’s attendant caught it, scanned it, and bowed. “Your Majesty, it’s from Dong’e Mountain.”
Afraid that it might contain sensitive information, the Emperor didn’t let him read it aloud but retrieved it himself. He scanned it quickly, then chuckled coldly. It didn’t mention the Heavenly Soldiers. It simply stated that the Minor Realm was demon-aligned, and its nascent Heavenly Dao, before it could be destroyed, had fallen into the demons’ hands. She had been severely injured and couldn’t rescue Chang Li, the South Vermilion Lord, so she had returned to Dong’e Mountain first. She would apologize for her failure later. He had known that Ming Jian Su was deliberately defying him, but seeing her arrogant and disrespectful words now, a wave of anger surged within him. He handed the letter to Si Li Star Monarch. “What do you think?” he asked.
Si Li Star Monarch was also calculating. The Emperor hadn’t given the letter to anyone else but him. This didn’t mean that he was deeply trusted but rather that this matter was related to his authority. The Emperor likely wanted to use the East Abode Master’s failure as an excuse to strip her of her position. He was completely on the Emperor’s side. Understanding this, he turned to the other officials. “The East Abode Master has failed in her duty,” he said. “She’s no longer fit for her position.” Even if the Celestial Mother intervened, she wouldn’t have a valid argument.
Silence fell upon the hall.
“The East Abode Master is so severely injured that she couldn’t even attend this meeting,” he continued. “It seems she needs to recuperate.”
After a moment of silence, someone finally spoke. “If Ming Jian Su is removed from her position, who will become the East Abode Master?”
“I have someone in mind,” the Emperor said coldly. Even if he didn’t have a suitable candidate, he would use this opportunity to dismiss Ming Jian Su! He made a decision, and a decree materialized in mid-air, its light shimmering. He affixed his seal and, with a flick of his wrist, sent it towards Dong’e Mountain.
The decree reached Dong’e Mountain unhindered, landing in a puppet servant’s hands.
When the puppet entered the hall, Ming Jian Su, claiming to be “severely injured,” was sitting on the bed, braiding Feng Chiyue’s hair. She didn’t even glance at the decree. Only after she was done did she retrieve it, scoff, and say, “As expected, the Heavenly Emperor used this opportunity to dismiss me.”
Feng Chiyue propped her chin on her hand and blinked. “Does this mean you’ll be less busy now, Elder Sister?”
Ming Jian Su chuckled. “Since my return, I’ve rarely attended to my official duties,” she said. “Have you noticed me being less busy, Junior Sister?” She wondered who she had been working so hard for.
“Oh, dear,” Feng Chiyue said, collapsing into Ming Jian Su’s arms, looking up at her with a smile. “It’s all Que Chenyi and Qing Xun’s fault for being incompetent, keeping you so busy.”
Ming Jian Su chuckled, looking down at her, and nodded. “You’re right, Junior Sister.”
She played with Feng Chiyue for a while, then summoned Zhu Wan to the Dharma Hall.
Zhu Wan stood respectfully, not daring to look up at her Master, afraid of another outburst.
“Go and purchase Dong’e Mountain,” Ming Jian Su instructed. “And bring back a new, ten-foot tall black stone.” She might no longer be the East Abode Master, but she wouldn’t leave Dong’e Mountain for her successor. The mountain was hers. She only needed to buy it, then use her vast magic power to relocate it, erecting a new monument. It would belong to her completely. After Zhu Wan left, she asked Feng Chiyue, “What should we call our new home? Heaven Devouring? Emperor Slaying? Evil Eliminating?”
Feng Chiyue: “…” She turned away, expressing her disapproval. Their home… why did it have to be related to that fool?
Ming Jian Su also felt it was inappropriate, but she had always had a flair for dramatic names. She frowned, thinking, then, hearing the birds chirping outside the window, an idea struck her. “Let’s call it ‘Morning Phoenix Mountain,’” she said.
Feng Chiyue hummed noncommittally. She wrapped her arms around Ming Jian Su’s waist and asked, “What about that sword from Qingqiu?”
Ming Jian Su stiffened. She remembered that sword, but a deep-seated resistance welled up within her. From the sword to the sword case, everything was tainted by Suxin’s presence. Sometimes, she felt a sense of unease, as if everything was too coincidental. “I want to craft a new sword case,” she said, avoiding the question.
Feng Chiyue looked at her, puzzled.
Ming Jian Su sighed inwardly. She shook her head quickly. “It’s nothing,” she said.
Her goal was the same as that person’s: to protect her junior sister, to ensure she would never be hurt again.
As long as her junior sister was by her side, her sadness and melancholy were unnecessary.
She thought this, but her thoughts were beyond her control. After a moment, she asked again, “How much do you remember?”
Those memories had fully resurfaced in her Sea of Consciousness. The past was slowly awakening. It was only a matter of time before she remembered everything.
“Quite a bit,” Feng Chiyue replied lazily. She understood Ming Jian Su’s anxiety and smiled at her, reaching out to caress her face. “But what does it matter?” she said casually. “It’s all in the past. We can’t dwell on memories forever. I had many goals in the past, but they’re all gone now.”
“After Nirvana, I am her, but I’m also not her.”
Her tone was indifferent, as if she were talking about a stranger. Those resurfacing memories couldn’t affect her.
This was the Feng Chiyue Ming Jian Su knew, the one who showed her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, but who remained cold and indifferent towards the outside world.
Ming Jian Su felt both grateful for her junior sister’s affection and heartbroken for the injustice she had suffered.
A lump formed in her throat. She embraced Feng Chiyue, calling her name over and over again.
“Are you trying to summon my soul?” Feng Chiyue asked, rolling her eyes, but she responded to every call.
The news of Yu Gao and Chang Li’s attack on the Hall of Heroes couldn’t be concealed.
The Chaos Mirror was abuzz with gossip. When the news of Ming Jian Su’s dismissal spread, the uproar intensified.
“Two of the four generals under the Heavenly Emperor are gone. What’s going on?”
“The South Vermilion Lord actually did a decent job, but she failed.”
“Is another war brewing?”
“No, I heard that the Heavenly Court has already sent emissaries to the Demon Abyss to negotiate.”
“What are the terms this time?”
…
The Heavenly Emperor didn’t want a war with the Demon Abyss. He had indeed sent emissaries to negotiate peace and attempt to rescue Chang Li.
But the demons wouldn’t budge. They not only refused to release her but also demanded compensation from the Heavenly Court. Otherwise, it was war.
The Demon Abyss had spent a thousand years recuperating and had accumulated enough strength to challenge the Heavenly Court.
The negotiations dragged on for days without any progress.
Meanwhile, another piece of news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Asura City and eventually appearing on the Chaos Mirror.
“They were both generals. Why did Ming Jian Su return home safely while Chang Li became a prisoner of the demons?”
“Their cultivation levels should be similar. If anyone is more hated, it’s definitely Ming Jian Su. The demons should have done everything they could to kill her.”
“She had dealings with that fox immortal from Qingqiu. Could it be…”
No one dared to voice their suspicions on the Chaos Mirror, but the Celestial Pivot Department received a decree from the Heavenly Emperor, ordering them to investigate Ming Jian Su’s alleged collusion with the Demon Sovereign.
Dao Ling Star Monarch completely ignored the decree, passing the burden to Yunze Young Lord.
His first thought was that the demons were framing her, but then he realized that things might not be so simple. If it were a simple frame-up, the Star Monarch wouldn’t have remained silent. This premonition intensified with each message the Emperor sent, urging him to act.
He stalled for a few days, but he couldn’t delay any longer. He tried to meet Dao Ling Star Monarch but was denied. Left with no other choice, he went to Morning Phoenix Mountain, which had been relocated near the Celestial Feather Ministry.
He didn’t see Ming Jian Su.
The sound of tinkling bells filled the air, and before him appeared Feng Chiyue, radiant and imposing, like a living Yama.
He groaned inwardly. He had always considered her the most dangerous figure in the Heavenly Court. He should have consulted a fortune teller before leaving.
“Ministry Head Feng,” he said, forcing a smile, bowing to her.
She simply glanced at him coldly, her arms crossed. “What do you want?” she asked, her tone indifferent.
He didn’t take offense. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and, after a moment of deliberation, said, “I’m here to inquire about the Demon Abyss.”
Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow. “Does the Heavenly Emperor believe that my Elder Sister colluded with the demons?” she asked.
Yunze Young Lord: “…” Although that was indeed the implication, her words were too blunt! He couldn’t admit it in front of her. “That’s not the case,” he said, shaking his head quickly. “We just… want to know about the distribution of power in the Demon Abyss.” He struggled to find an excuse.
A cold wind blew. The thunder emanating from his chariot ceased, and the black dragons pulling it, initially restless, fell silent. He didn’t hear her response, and his heart sank, a chill running down his spine. An invisible force pressed down on him, suffocating him.
“You want to know how my Elder Sister escaped the Demon Abyss?” she asked slowly, a smile spreading across her face. She glanced at him, then looked away.
The wind seemed to die down, and an eerie silence fell upon the mountain. He lowered his head, speechless.
“Let me tell you,” she said, her voice like a soft sigh.
She extended her hand, her palm open.
A fierce wind suddenly erupted, its howling echoing through the air. Rocks tumbled down the mountain, crashing against the ground.
As if a crimson sun had been plucked from the sky, a brilliant light appeared behind her.
He glanced at it and felt a sharp pain in his eyes, as if pierced by countless needles. His vision blurred.
The crimson light, intertwined with streaks of gold, slowly crept up the sword’s blade. She placed her fingers on the hilt. “Your abode is on Cloud Marsh Mountain, isn’t it?” she asked.
Before he could answer, he was swept away by a surge of sword energy, flung backwards uncontrollably. The blinding sword beam, as bright as the sun, descended upon the distant horizon. He felt the earth groan beneath him. In a daze, he realized that the sword beam was heading towards his abode – Cloud Marsh Mountain! His eyes widened in terror, his soul as if torn apart by a sharp blade.
This terrifying display lasted only a moment. With a flick of her wrist, the sword beam vanished.
She walked towards him, her steps light, her smile bright. “Do you have your answer now?” she asked. Her aura had completely subsided, and she resembled that lazy, delicate immortal once more. He stared at her, fear and despair filling his heart. Under her amused gaze, he couldn’t even muster the strength to stand.
Ming Jian Su favored the sword, and Feng Chiyue excelled in fire, but who would have thought that she also possessed such a sword?
“Cloud Marsh Mountain is no more,” she said casually.
Was she referring to the mountain or to him? His terror reached its peak. He lay on the ground, and after a long moment, he finally said, “Yes.” He would resign from his position as the Young Lord of the Celestial Pivot Department after reporting back to the Heavenly Emperor. Jing De Immortal Monarch and the others hadn’t fared well. Ming Jian Su hadn’t targeted Jing De upon her return, and everyone had assumed that the matter was settled. But could it truly be settled? He had also offended Feng Chiyue back then. What made him think he would be spared? He shouldn’t have been so naive.
Feng Chiyue ignored him.
She returned to the mountain and, seeing Zhu Wan peering out cautiously, frowned slightly.
“Immortal Monarch, is that person from the Celestial Pivot Department gone?” Zhu Wan asked eagerly. She had also seen the news on the Chaos Mirror. She had tried to argue with those gossiping immortals, but it had been useless. Someone had even claimed that her Master was injured. Those dissatisfied individuals were getting restless.
“His mountain exploded. How could he not leave?” Feng Chiyue said casually. Even Dao Ling Star Monarch knew better than to interfere. Only that Yunze was looking for trouble. What was wrong with colluding with the demons? They were acting as if they had never seen the world. If “colluding” was a crime, wasn’t negotiating with the demons also collusion? She hated dealing with such matters. Her eyes were filled with annoyance.
Zhu Wan nodded. It definitely wasn’t her Master and the Immortal Monarch’s fault.
Feng Chiyue flicked her sleeve and returned to the hall.
Ming Jian Su was sitting cross-legged on the bed, a sword floating before her.
She had entered a meditative state after refining the Selfless Sword.
Seeing that she was fine, Feng Chiyue didn’t disturb her. She simply placed a few protective talismans around her, then sat down and took out her alchemy furnace, starting to experiment with various elixirs.
Ming Jian Su, lost in meditation, witnessed thousands of years of the past.
The sword’s name was “Selfless,” representing the true self abandoned temporarily.
In her memories, she saw a blurry face, its features unclear. She had initially assumed that she was simply experiencing Suxin’s past, inheriting her swordsmanship, but as she progressed, this belief began to waver.
There were very few records of Suxin in the Immortal Realm. They only mentioned her venturing into the Demon Abyss to retrieve Ming Ji’s head or her obsession with crafting swords, seeking out skilled artisans, her pursuit of swordsmanship never ending, her passion for swords insatiable.
The Suxin Ming Jian Su knew was a construct created by the immortals of the Immortal Realm, an image of a stern swordmaster, diligent and resilient, possessing both the ruthlessness to “kill a person in ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles” and the carefree spirit of a shooting star.
But within the sealed “True Self,” Ming Jian Su saw a lazy person who slept until noon.
She occasionally tended flowers, brewed wine, fished, played Go, or engaged in philosophical debates with fellow Daoists. She never practiced swordsmanship, at most allowing the swords in her sword case to move freely.
Perhaps her most dedicated pursuit was alchemy, her passion undeterred even after countless explosions.
Whenever she parted ways with her fellow Daoists, she wouldn’t gift them tea or wine, only a pot of elixirs.
Judging from their horrified expressions, Ming Jian Su suspected those elixirs weren’t anything good.
Suxin never consumed those elixirs herself. She carefully categorized them, storing them in a meticulously crafted medicine cabinet, their care second only to her sword case.
For some reason, her fellow Daoists stopped visiting, and she enjoyed the peace and quiet. One day, while she was away, a fluffy bird landed on her cave, tore through the barrier, and dragged out a bottle of elixirs from the medicine cabinet.
Suxin wasn’t present. The fluffy creature left a pile of Cinnabar Jade and flew away with the elixirs.
Ming Jian Su couldn’t see what happened to that creature in Suxin Jianzhu’s memories.
A ridiculous thought crossed her mind.
Her junior sister’s body contained traces of poison that hadn’t been completely eradicated by the fire of Nirvana. Could it be from those elixirs concocted by Suxin? What kind of elixirs could make her fellow Daoists abandon her?
If this was true, then Suxin was the root of all evil!
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