Chapter 132

Throughout Yun Shuchen's life, she had three mothers. One died before ever knowing she existed; another gave her flesh and blood and the tender care of early childhood.

There was another who raised her to adulthood, accompanying her the longest.

After Xu Xiangjun left, Yun Shuchen was subdued for years, her cultivation making no progress. Her master never pressed her, only saying that all things should follow their course.

Yun Shuchen looked at the vase by her window, where a light red flower had bloomed luxuriantly.

Her fellow disciples noticed that, starting from a certain day, Junior Sister Yun had changed. Compared to before, she no longer seemed so fixated on bitter cultivation. Despite her poor health, she went out more often, dressing herself brightly and neatly. She even went down the mountain to adopt a small flower cat.

Although she never got to see that Moon Lantern, Yun Shuchen carried out all of Xu Xiangjun's dying wishes well.

Years of self-cultivation gradually calmed the hostility in her heart, and she truly acquired the composure of a cultivator.

If not for that year's training expedition—

Yun Shuchen truly thought she could remain composed forever.

Her master's wife had told everyone that her Spirit Root and dantian were naturally defective, incurable by medicine.

Yun Shuchen may have suspected otherwise, but her investigations always ended inconclusively.

It wasn't until she heard rumors in a tavern about the Xu Family, about the family head extracting others' Spirit Roots for cultivation.

Her master's wife had never mentioned her origins, but she bore the same surname—a coincidence too startling to ignore.

Yun Shuchen suddenly thought of a possibility, and it was as if she had been doused with cold water, freezing from head to toe.

She returned to the brothel, released the demon she had recently subdued, and negotiated another deal with Miao Shun.

In exchange for protecting those demons from being hunted by cultivators, she had them investigate the case at any cost.

After several years of digging, the scattered clues pieced together pointed to a single direction.

Her master's wife was not merely of low aptitude; on the contrary, her Spirit Root was of excellent quality.

So excellent that her own biological father had coveted it, using it as a stepping stone on his path to immortality.

Yun Shuchen clutched the evidence, her knuckles white.

Then she let go, powerless.

She told no one. Returning to her peak, she sat alone by the window, staring at the cluster of mountain flowers her master's wife had left behind.

Bright and vibrant.

Yet blooming in a corner untouched by worldly strife.

Like that woman herself—no matter what suffering she encountered, she would brush it aside lightly, leaving no dust behind.

The flowers, carefully preserved with spiritual power for over a decade, had not withered.

Now, they too showed signs of decay.

*

During an external mission, Yun Shuchen, with her master the Sect Leader's approval, pretended to be casual and led a few fellow disciples to the Xu Family's territory for a several-month exchange.

She was resourceful, quickly becoming familiar with the younger generation during her stay, and even earning the appreciation of several elders.

Even within the Xu Family, disciples often dared not speak out against such evil arts. But since it was a matter of utmost inhumanity, no wall could keep it completely hidden, and Yun Shuchen managed to find traces in fragments of conversation.

She heard that the Xu Family head practiced such arts yet had not been attacked by other immortal sects because he had backing—some even mentioned the Supreme Ancestor of Liuyun Sect.

Yun Shuchen merely noted this silently and continued to socialize and exchange pleasantries.

After all, that wasn't the focus of her visit. The web of connections involved too many people, and a life would have to be repaid one by one.

The Xu Family head was several hundred years her senior; she couldn't possibly take revenge alone. So she didn't rush, choosing to lie low for years.

She couldn't stay at the Xu Family that whole time. Having established a foothold, she would train hard at Taichu Sect, and whenever she found an opportunity, she would use the excuse of visiting friends to come and scout around.

She mapped out the three layers of formations guarding the Xu Family's immortal gate and secretly worked hard to decipher them.

The immortal gate had several great seniors; she carefully recorded their names, numbers, and cultivation levels. Year after year, whenever she had free time, she would come to "exchange visits," knowing the place even better than her own sect.

The Xu Family head—Xu Ren—noticed this young junior. He greatly appreciated her, especially her pure, almost natural Five Spiritual Roots. Perhaps seeking a chance to strike, he repeatedly used various excuses to personally guide her cultivation, trying to win her trust.

That was just as well.

Because Yun Shuchen also wanted to gain his trust.

Every step she took was on a blade's edge; one misstep could spell disaster. But perhaps heaven granted her a sliver of fortune—on many occasions when Xu Ren made his move, Yun Shuchen avoided it cleverly, turning danger into safety.

Those years were spent in great hardship, yet she never regretted them.

At twenty-nine, she broke through to the Spirit Transformation stage.

Yun Shuchen traveled a great distance, carrying all the fruits of her years of effort, and used the opportunity to return alone to the Ninth Heaven of the Demon Realm, knocking once more on the gates of Jialuo Palace.

Years had passed, and Yun Shuchen had grown from a young girl into an adult, while Tang Jiaye's appearance remained unchanged, as beautiful as ever. She wore an ornate black robe and sat upon the most exalted throne of the Demon Realm.

"Who allowed you to return?" the Demon Lord asked, looking down at her with a cold gaze. "What, is life among the immortals not to your liking?"

"Your Majesty."

Her demeanor was still dignified and composed, speaking few words. "I have come for no other reason but to make a deal with Jialuo Palace."

Tang Jiaye raised an eyebrow. The young woman before her produced a scroll from her sleeve, her fingers loosening as it unrolled.

The Demon Lord glanced at it, slightly surprised. It was covered in dense writing—the complete layout of the Xu Family, one of the four great immortal clans—extremely detailed.

She pressed the scroll down. "What is this?"

"The four great immortal clans have power and influence, and the Xu Family is currently at its peak. Located to the north of Liuyun Sect, if we can conquer it, the Demon Realm would advance another step into the heart of the Nine Provinces. That is the first benefit."

Yun Shuchen's tone was unhurried. "Within the immortal gate, there are abundant treasures and elixirs. And the Xu Family head tempers his body with human Spirit Roots. If captured alive, his bones and blood could be refined into pills—also an excellent choice to consolidate Your Majesty's power. That is the second benefit."

"I hear that Liuyun Sect disciples often come to the Demon Realm's borders to cause trouble, calling it training. The Xu Family is closely tied to Liuyun Sect, practically their lackey."

Yun Shuchen curled her lips. "Killing the chicken to warn the monkeys would have a deterrent effect, keeping them quiet. That is also a benefit."

Tang Jiaye stood and walked slowly toward her, pausing by her side.

"Attacking one of the four great immortal clans? That is no small matter." Tang Jiaye said calmly. "Should we lose, it would only be a wasteful drain on our resources."

Yun Shuchen met her gaze, speaking evenly. "Your Majesty, in this world, one must give to receive. But this venture has a seventy to eighty percent chance of success—a rare opportunity."

Hearing this, Tang Jiaye paused.

The first female sovereign had spoken such words when she conquered the heavens of the Demon Realm, with the same calm and confident expression.

Yun Shuchen's features bore more or less a resemblance to hers, especially when she smiled without truly smiling.

Though she looked more like Yun Zhiyan, her nature was closer to that of Tang Jiaruo.

If it were Yun Zhiyan—that self-proclaimed righteous cultivator—she would never conspire with someone she had a grudge against, nor would she propose such a ruthless plan.

Tang Jiaye stared at her for a long while, then slowly circled half around her, musing, "Since it is a deal, what do you want?"

Yun Shuchen closed her eyes, tightened them, then opened them again. "Xu Ren's life. I want to end it myself."

"Is that all?"

"That is all."

"I have the means to break the protective formations that trouble the Demon Realm the most. Moreover, in three days, Xu Ren will host a celebration for his newborn daughter—a family feast." Yun Shuchen added, "Three days from now is the best opportunity, one in a thousand years. Please consider it carefully, Your Majesty."

After Yun Shuchen left, Tang Jiaye was silent for a moment, then suddenly swept her gaze to the sides and ordered, "Go investigate whether this girl's words are true."

"If they are true, what would Your Majesty think?" a soft female voice asked. "Shall we follow her wishes?"

"If true, why not eat the meat that's delivered to our mouths?" Tang Jiaye said. "The Xu Family is indeed one of those so-called immortal sects' lackeys. I'd be happy to disgust them."

A day later, Yun Shuchen, at Taichu Sect, received a pitch-black crow feather. She held it in her palm—after years of careful planning, she had finally placed this last piece on the board.

The Demonic Race showed no mercy toward cultivators; their creed was to uproot the weeds and sever the roots.

What Yun Shuchen killed was Xu Ren, along with several other hypocrites who extracted Spirit Roots and those who conspired with him.

But with the Demon Realm's help, once the gates of the Xu Family opened, it would likely be a slaughter, leaving no survivors.

Innocent people would inevitably be caught in the crossfire.

Thinking of this, she slowly closed her eyes. She carefully considered her master's wife's background. As far as she knew, Xu Xiangjun was the daughter of a maidservant; her birth mother had long been cast out of the immortal gate, and she seemed to have no other relatives.

So apart from her beastly father and a group of siblings who aided him in his crimes, she would not harm anyone her master's wife cared about.

Yet for some reason, she could hardly suppress the bitterness in her heart. She stood at a distance, gazing at her master's wife's grave for a long time. The long wind blew through her robes, causing them to rustle softly.

"I'm sorry."

After a long while, only a soft sigh remained.

Yun Shuchen had once tried to live like her, but at this moment she truly understood: she could never become another Xu Xiangjun.

On the day of the Xu Family celebration, colorful lanterns were hung, and the atmosphere was lively. Yun Shuchen had mingled there for a long time, so she naturally attended the banquet.

Just as the guests were clinking cups and growing tipsy, a sudden black wind arose.

Before Xu Ren even came to his senses, he found the three layers of guardian formations shattering from the inside out with a resounding crack. Dense demonic qi slithered like a viper up his spine, coiling and constricting, nearly suffocating him.

He was greatly alarmed, and his sons and daughters erupted in chaos as well. But as an elder who had lived for so long, after a brief panic, Xu Ren calmed down and bellowed, "Which demonic fiend dares!"

From atop the outer wall, a few light laughs rang out.

Yun Shuchen stood behind a corridor pillar, taking the opportunity to conjure a white mist that obscured everyone's vision. Just then, thud after thud sounded—bodies hitting the ground—without even a chance to cry out, they fell silent.

In truth, when it came to warfare and killing, the Demonic Race far surpassed cultivators. Their greatest disadvantage was the sparse bloodline of the Nüxi clan, while other tribes relied on brute force but had low intelligence. Otherwise, they would have already unified all the immortal sects.

When the white mist dispersed, a mountain of corpses had piled up, and those still standing calmly were all women in black, waiting quietly for orders.

The woman at their head was the High Priestess. She removed her hood, revealing a half-profile that could enchant the masses.

Xu Ren staggered to his feet, staring in shock at the corpses scattered across the ground, a trace of hatred flashing in his eyes.

She moved almost instantly, seizing Xu Ren by the throat. He remained still, then suddenly struck a palm toward her heart. The woman was blasted back several feet, slightly startled. "This technique is quite formidable."

Xu Ren sneered. His years of cultivation were not spent in vain. He swept his gaze around—though the demons were many, none had higher cultivation than he.

He regained his confidence.

He calmed down completely.

He summoned his longsword, gripping it in hand, and moved like lightning toward the leading demoness. One strike split the floor tiles several zhang wide, sending dust and debris flying.

Yun Shuchen stood in the shadows, quietly raising her hand. The pooled blood on the ground, as if alive, coalesced into a brilliant red dragon in the air.

Xu Ren narrowed his eyes, suddenly sensing a familiar aura from the traces of the spell. Sensing something amiss, the blood dragon twisted agilely around his body, its tail snapping his sword in two and slamming him to the ground, sending up a wave of air.

Shadows surged forward from all sides, demonic qi searing his true essence. Xu Ren knew he might not escape whole today. In his fury, when he opened his eyes again, they were bloodshot.

As he was devoured by the demons, he saw a faint figure.

Standing quietly in the distance, aloof and proud.

After who knows how long, a female voice said, "Stop."

The High Priestess waved her hand, and her minions withdrew.

She turned, offering a slight smile. "Chen'er, His Majesty said to cut him into smaller pieces for medicine. We'll go loot some treasures elsewhere; you take your time with revenge."

Xu Ren lay in a pool of blood, struggling to open his eyes, watching a woman's figure slowly approach him.

As she drew near, the blood in his veins turned to ice. He barked, "Yun... Yun Shuchen... You... with the demons..."

A bloodstained embroidered shoe pressed down on his chest, cutting off the rest of his curses. Yun Shuchen leaned down, her voice faint. "The demons are not as vicious as you. At least they don't harm their own daughters."

With that, she used spiritual power to drag him up, his blood leaving a long trail across the tiles. Then Yun Shuchen opened the door to an inner room and pulled him inside.

A terrified scream suddenly erupted within.

Lady Xu clutched her infant, backing away, trembling all over.

She looked up at the young woman before her, whose expression was calm but whose face was splattered with blood—like an asura crawling out of hell.

Yun Shuchen drew a dagger from her sleeve, slashed downward, and cut open Xu Ren's abdomen. With a miserable howl, she carved out several Spirit Roots still steaming with fresh blood.

With trembling hands, Yun Shuchen picked up the finest water-attributed Spirit Root. A gentle, encompassing pale blue light enveloped her palm.

A familiar aura.

This was Xu Xiangjun's.

She carefully tucked it into her palm and pressed it against her heart.

"Why... why are you doing this?!" Lady Xu sobbed from the side.

"Why?" Yun Shuchen lowered her head, gazing at the water Spirit Root. Even without moonlight, it gleamed brilliantly.

"Do you know whose Spirit Root this is? With such talent, she could have reached for the moon in the ninth heaven and ascended to immortality. Yet she spent her whole life growing old and dying like a mortal."

Xu Ren had only a breath left, too weak to speak further. Yun Shuchen turned her blade and stabbed deeply several more times into his dantian.

This pain was not merely skin-deep; it cut into the soul. She didn't completely pierce his dantian, so he couldn't die easily. His body trembled continuously, screams ringing out without end. Yun Shuchen asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

No one answered her.

But she laughed. "I thought you couldn't feel pain."

Her small blade worked deftly, scraping out the entire dantian bit by bit—a slow torture. At first, Xu Ren's body twitched, then it became like a lump of dead flesh, unmoving.

She hadn't intended to kill him completely yet, but he had already breathed his last.

He had died from sheer pain.

Yun Shuchen sealed the acupoints around his body to prevent it from decaying, then slowly stood up.

A loud cry suddenly burst forth, cutting through the thick stench of blood. Lady Xu, terrified, covered the child's mouth, her face pale as paper, muttering, "I'm innocent, I know nothing, please spare us... I beg you..."

Yun Shuchen stood still, watching her for a long moment. Then she leaned down and scooped the infant from Lady Xu's arms.

Lady Xu's hands tightened, but she was frozen in fear, unable to move even an inch.

Yun Shuchen raised her hand, stroking the child's tender cheek, brushing it lightly, then slowly closing her fingers around its fragile neck.

The infant's cries grew more heart-wrenching.

Lady Xu's breathing became increasingly ragged. When Yun Shuchen's fingers tightened, she completely broke down and lunged forward——

Yun Shuchen turned her body aside; the dagger floated in the air and shot toward the attacker, followed by the sound of a heavy body hitting the ground.

No more sound.

Her hand was already around the tender neck, but her expression was dark and ambiguous. It seemed she finally hesitated, and her grip slowly loosened.

Just then, the infant instinctively sucked on her finger, and suddenly stopped crying.

Yun Shuchen's hand froze.

After a moment, she finally put the child down.

With no parents, it would hardly amount to anything. Perhaps even without her intervention, it wouldn't survive long.

She dragged Xu Ren's mutilated body and opened the door. The High Priestess was waiting for her. Seeing her approach, she smiled slightly. "All done?"

When the moonlight fell on Xu Ren's corpse, even the High Priestess gasped and raised an eyebrow. "Ruthless."

Yun Shuchen said nothing, handing the body to them. The High Priestess said, "We'll take our leave then."

The woman in black took a few steps, then turned back, looking at Yun Shuchen with a complex expression.

"Chen'er."

After a long pause, she let out a soft sigh. "Actually, you are more like our kind than the immortals."

Hearing this, Yun Shuchen's eyes flickered, then lowered. She stood amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. When she came to her senses, the demonic qi around her had dispersed.

They had all left.

Yun Shuchen expended some effort gathering the bodies together, then, using the corpse fat and oil, broken wood, and debris, she set a great fire.

The flames illuminated the colorful lanterns hanging high, making everything as bright as day.

She walked far into the night, and when she looked back again, the towering blaze had scorched half the night sky red.

The entire Xu Family immortal gate was consumed by the searing heat.