Past as Dust (Part 3) — Yun Shuchen Side Story

"I'm just saying," the High Priestess said, lifting the girl's chin, her expression pained as she looked at the bruises and cuts on her face, "that little wretch Tang Wuyue really needs a good lesson."

A sticky layer of medicinal paste was applied to her face—the High Priestess always made her concoctions with a strange, playful scent that was a bit odd, but the effect was remarkably fast. As soon as it was applied, a cool sensation soothed the burning heat beneath.

"But don't blame His Majesty too much," the High Priestess said, setting down the porcelain bowl and tousling her hair. "She's not really after you specifically—most of it is aimed at the Liuyun Sect."

"The two sisters grew up together as close as limbs to a body. Your mother's death grieved her deeply; she's a stubborn one, and until she can avenge the Liuyun Sect, she won't know a moment's peace… Actually, you might not know this, but she used to be a cheerful person."

"You look too much like Yun Zhiyan," the High Priestess observed with a sigh. "When you're not smiling, even more so. Looking at you, she probably feels very conflicted."

"Did my other mother really kill my mother?" she asked, tilting her head up, her lips moving stiffly under the medicine.

"As far as I know," the High Priestess paused, meeting the child's eyes, "that day, the Liuyun Sect set up a great demon-slaying formation; they both perished inside it together."

"There now," the High Priestess said, unable to resist rubbing her little head again. "It's all in the past. Don't think about it."

Yun Shuchen lowered her lashes.

In her blood, the aura of immortal cultivation and demonic energy clashed continuously, causing internal wear—she was frail by nature. Her very existence was more like a mistake committed by her parents.

A curse.

The High Priestess saw her expression sour and quickly changed the subject, recounting how Tang Jiaruo—her mother—had led the Nüwa clan to conquer the Nine Heavens of the Demon Realm, establishing the Jialuo Palace to govern all other tribes.

With a few strokes of the High Priestess's narrative, the fierce, wise, and decisive first female lord came to life.

Across Yun Shuchen's memories, fleeting impressions of "her" lingered—sometimes the way she braided hair, sometimes the lullabies she hummed—but her face could no longer be clearly recalled.

Through the Priestess's low voice, she could briefly savor the feeling of having "her" again, and so these stories were always dear to her heart.

"High Priestess, a child calling herself Yu Li seeks an audience," came a report from the doorway.

"Oh?" The High Priestess paused her story and smiled. "She must be here for Chen'er. Let her come in directly."

A young girl appeared at the threshold, her high ponytail bobbing.

Yu Li had clearly caught wind of something; she hurried in, out of breath, and upon seeing Yun Shuchen's face, her brows instantly furrowed as she turned to the High Priestess. "High Priestess, who did this? I'll go demand justice this instant."

"Hold on," the High Priestess said. "You've got your crescent blade strapped on. Are you planning to pick a fight?"

Yu Li looked down at herself, then nodded. On one side of her neck was a pattern of a green-blue bird, marking her as a descendant of General Yu's household.

Years ago, Tang Jiaruo had helped Yu Li's mother, and so the two youngerlings had been close. Though one was the young lord and the other the daughter of a general, they were still young and had no barriers between them.

"Don't go," the Priestess said with a sigh. "It was Tang Wuyue. His Majesty has already punished her. Could you possibly strike her?"

Yu Li froze, then had nothing to say, so she sat down beside Yun Shuchen and asked, "Are you all right?"

Yun Shuchen shook her head.

Yu Li's gaze traveled from her half-medicated face to the wrist wrapped in bandages, then lingered there. "High Priestess, I don't understand. The former female lord hasn't been dead long, and they dare treat her like this? What's next—"

"You must not speak rashly about His Majesty," the High Priestess cut her off with a glance. "Such an ill-mannered little rascal."

Yu Li gave an "oh" and fell silent. A small pouch hung at her waist, and something inside seemed to be moving. She fished out a small calico kitten and held it up in front of Yun Shuchen, smiling, "Look, I caught it!"

The kitten's chubby paw pads swung in the air, utterly adorable.

At that moment, the young Yun's eyes lit up at once.

This calico kitten had been bought by Tang Jiaruo to amuse Yun Shuchen—one of the few outward keepsakes of her mother's that she could still hold on to.

A few days ago, it had run off without explanation, and she'd grieved it for a long time. To have it return today was sheer luck.

With her uninjured hand, she took it, held it carefully to her chest, stroking the soft fur, her gaze bright. "Where did you find it?"

*

"How is she?"

"Well, because of the cultivation methods she practices… all her meridians are severely damaged. Your Majesty, if this continues, she certainly won't live more than a few years." The High Priestess arched a brow. "May I ask what is your true intention? To run yourself ragged for nothing, and then torment her to death?"

"Torment?" Tang Jiaye turned, letting out a sudden laugh. "Perhaps that's the right word. Torment her, and torment myself."

The High Priestess subtly caught a softening in her attitude, and a flicker of pleasure rose in her heart, which she quickly suppressed. She probed again, "If Your Majesty no longer wishes to torment herself, then perhaps spare the child as well. Simply depose her from the throne? Then grant her a territory and let her live out her years in peace."

Tang Jiaye said nothing, and the High Priestess pressed on, "She cannot protect herself. Setting her up like this makes her a target, inviting jealousy… That poor little one." She sighed and pressed a hand to her heart. "If her mother could see her now, she would be heartbroken."

Those words stirred a look in Tang Jiaye's eyes, and her fingers, hidden within her long sleeves, tightened imperceptibly.

"No."

The High Priestess felt a chill, but then the stubborn woman spoke: "Even if she does not inherit this position, she cannot continue to make such a spectacle of herself."

"So you are finally willing to relent and let her take another path?" The High Priestess's eyes shot up in surprise.

"We'll see."

Tang Jiaye shook her head.

She had thought a great deal over these past few days—brooding by day, restless by night, and even when she meditated into a light sleep, she would dream vaguely of past events.

As the Priestess had said, this path was not viable.

After trying nearly every cultivation method in the entire Demon Realm, Tang Jiaye was finally forced to admit that the road had led nowhere.

But even if she detested Yun Shuchen, even if she disliked the shadow of that woman—she was, after all, the child of her elder sister, her only remaining blood.

Tang Jiaruo, she had been the pride of the Nüwa clan, and the pride of all Nine Heavens of the Demon Realm.

Even if only for her sake, Tang Jiaye absolutely refused to let her daughter become useless, wasting away a lifetime in mediocrity.

Yet if she deposed her from the throne and let her cultivate the immortal path—even if Tang Jiaye conceded—the methods of various immortal sects were not shared with outsiders, and in the entire Nine Heavens, there was no one who could teach her.

At this thought, Tang Jiaye felt a surge of irritation. For this matter, would she have to send emissaries to plead with the major immortal sects?

That was an impossibility.

Merely thinking of that land made her feel sick. Apart from conquest, she would never send anyone to set foot there again. Besides, the immortal sects had always looked down on the demonic way; they held their heads high and likely would never acquiesce.

Thus, it had evolved into an almost unsolvable situation.

*

Not many days later, the Jialuo Palace issued an order to depose the throne and name a new young lord.

When Yun Shuchen learned of this, her expression remained unruffled, or perhaps she had suspected it would come—if she could not cultivate, she could not keep the throne.

After countless attempts, His Majesty would never choose her again, nor spend any more effort on her.

Did she hate him?

It would be more accurate to say she hated herself, for under the brilliance that her mother had left, she lived like a joke.

Holding the little calico cat, she absently stroked the fur along its back. The open book before her contained ancient, intricate characters.

Since she could not cultivate, she could only read, and the books often recounted her mother's deeds, making her feel less alone.

A faint commotion sounded from outside. Yun Shuchen looked up as the door was kicked open with a bang, flooding the room with blinding light. Several figures walked in.

The one leading was resplendently dressed—it was Tang Wuyue.

Yun Shuchen was not surprised that Tang Wuyue had come to cause trouble, but she immediately grew wary. As she studied the arrivals, however, she froze—one of them was familiar, Yu Li.

Yu Li's face was dark as if smeared with ash, and she stood silently to one side.

After His Majesty gave up on Yun Shuchen, Tang Wuyue naturally became the young lord by order of seniority.

She was at the height of her glory, but just yesterday her mother had sternly warned her to behave and not pull foolish stunts of bullying the weak, which would be a disgrace.

Tang Jiaye knew her own daughter's faults all too well, and was no doubt privately dissatisfied with her.

Though Yun Shuchen could not cultivate, from a young age it was evident she was more intelligent in letters and governance; she had a longer vision, and for her age, could even be called crafty.

Tang Wuyue, despite her decent talent and no problem in cultivation, was headstrong and capricious in temper, and far behind in other respects.

Tang Jiaye had hesitated for years for this very reason.

But this was not like the mortal world's emperors—the difference between someone who could cultivate and someone who could not at all was like heaven and earth.

A demon lord without any cultivation, even if protected by guards, could not command respect, and lived a short life. In the end, His Majesty had to choose the greater good. For Tang Wuyue, she could only be disciplined more in the future, and so she had been warning this rebellious daughter from the very first day.

Tang Wuyue naturally hadn't expected this; she only felt it absurd that her mother, even now, would protect her cheap cousin?

The last time she'd merely broken one of her hands, she'd been punished with days of kneeling when she returned. Tang Wuyue still felt the ache in her knees at the memory, her heart seething—

Fine, she couldn't touch Yun Shuchen.

But she certainly wouldn't make life easy for her.

"Smash all of this for me," Tang Wuyue ordered her attendants. The maidservants exchanged glances, seeming helpless, but they dared not defy the girl.

"Yu Li?"

Yun Shuchen didn't care as they smashed indiscriminately—after all, there were few worldly possessions left that she cherished.

She stood and looked at Yu Li, puzzled why she had come with Tang Wuyue.

Yu Li met her gaze, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say something.

But Tang Wuyue shot her a glare, as a warning.

The girl with the high ponytail abruptly clenched her fingers, biting her lower lip, and with great effort, slowly turned her gaze away.

In a flash of comprehension, Yun Shuchen understood. Currying favor with the newly established young lord was a wise move for Yu Li's entire household—not to be swayed by momentary friendship.

She lowered her head with a smile, thinking of nothing in particular.

Tang Wuyue, chin raised, found it dull that her face still looked so untroubled.

Her gaze dropped to the little calico cat clutched in Yun Shuchen's arms. She curled her lip: "Hand it over."

Yun Shuchen's lashes shot up abruptly.

Tang Wuyue shoved Yu Li. "You. Go get that cat for me. We'll smash it too."

Yu Li's arm tensed. She spun around. "It's just a cat. It's not even good luck to kill it here. You—I mean, Young Lord—"

"Did you hear what I said?"

Yu Li stood rooted. After a long moment, she felt a heavy weight on her eyelids as she reluctantly met Yun Shuchen's eyes.

Yun Shuchen's breath hitched. She shook her head slightly, retreating a small step.

Yu Li approached with head down. "You… you'd better give it to me."

"This was a gift from the former female lord," Yun Shuchen said coldly. "If you throw her cat away, is that not great disrespect?"

"You said it yourself—it was the former one. That's past now," Tang Wuyue scoffed. "Who rules now? Don't you know? Bring it."

As Yu Li's hand was about to reach the kitten, Yun Shuchen let go early, hoping it would escape on its own. The calico darted down from her body, leaving a streak of shadow as it scrambled toward escape—

Tang Wuyue seemed to read her intention. Narrowing her eyes, she stomped down squarely on the shadow with an unknown amount of force.

A crack of tiny bones shattering.

As if that weren't enough, she picked up the dead cat and, before Yun Shuchen's eyes, hurled it so hard that it burst into a bloody mess. Then she wiped her hands with disdain. "There. Let's go. I can't stand this rotten place for another moment."

The group filed out after Tang Wuyue.

Yu Li deliberately lingered at the back. She paused, pulled out a handkerchief, and offered it to Yun Shuchen, mumbling, "I… I'll catch you another one next time."

Slap!

Her hand was slapped away, knocked far aside.

"This… this was the only thing my mother left me."

Her voice trembled. "Can it ever be the same?!"

That day remained hazy in Yun Shuchen's memory. She felt as if she had breathed the scent of blood for a very long time, wrapping herself in numbness where pain and hatred leaked out.

She was so useless—even the last tangible memory her mother had given her was destroyed without her being able to lift a finger.

In the depths of utter despair, tears had long since run dry. She curled up in a corner of the dusty room, occasionally choking on the stirred-up dust, watching the twilight blur and fade into boundless night.

Yu Li left at some point—she seemed to have said many things, but Yun Shuchen couldn't remember a word.

It had never been just this one incident. There were many, many times. Perhaps the brutal death of that little cat was the final straw.

After the pain and hatred passed, like stripping flesh and pulling tendons, reshaping bone, Yun Shuchen endured that stretch and then abruptly grew calm. Tang Jiaye had abandoned her; Tang Wuyue saw her as a thorn in her eye. She could not keep hoping for others' pity, nor could she grovel for survival at anyone's feet.

A bold idea took shape in that moment, and soon after, she took a decisive, almost ruthless first step.

Didn't the High Priestess say she could cultivate the immortal path?

She could not flourish in the Demon Realm, but she still had half an immortal lineage.

At this moment, it had become her sole salvation—she was like a moth, cornered, throwing herself into the flame.

She would leave this place, grow stronger, and stand astride the world like her mother had. Would the day ever come when she, too, could take life and rule as she pleased, molding others in the palm of her hand?