Chapter 146

Yun Shuchen took the letter from the little sparrow, but before she could read it, she flicked her finger and the bird's shadow dispersed instantly.

She stood composed before Jialuo Palace, watching the churning smoke around her, which threatened to engulf the palace perched at the edge of the Demon Realm.

Beside Yun Shuchen stood Fan Yin, and behind them a tide of dark figures surged wave after wave, trying to breach the final barrier of Jialuo Palace.

Fan Yin had once served under Yu Li, but over the years, she had quietly built her own power, spreading her wings.

Yun Shuchen had given her a broad direction, but Fan Yin had managed all the details herself.

As it turned out, the girl had done remarkably well—within a few short years, she could stand as an equal against Yu Li.

Logically, it shouldn't have been so.

Yun Shuchen could only guess that Tang Wuyue, because of the cat incident years ago, did not truly trust Yu Li.

That woman was highly suspicious by nature.

When she had a new, clean slate to use, she would surely strip some of Yu Li's authority over the demon soldiers—and that benefit fell to Fan Yin.

A single Fan Yin couldn't accomplish much, but due to the brutal rule in recent years, quite a few ministers were outwardly compliant but inwardly rebellious. They had begun to gather, yet, held back by their sovereign's deep cultivation and vicious methods, they hadn't dared to stir up trouble.

This surviving descendant was the final straw that broke Jialuo Palace.

But—

"Didn't we agree to wait a few more days? Why today?" Yun Shuchen frowned slightly, leaving her no choice but to stay here, watching closely.

She was likely to miss the Immortal Ascension Assembly altogether.

But with Qing Zhouxue staying at Liuyun Sect, she couldn't be entirely at ease.

Yet this battle was urgent—Tang Wuyue's cultivation was close to hers, and she could not spare a little bird to watch over Qing.

"Recently, she suddenly tested me several times, and then... it seemed Yu Li caught wind of something and spoke with her. Yesterday Tang Wuyue summoned me back to Jialuo Palace."

Fan Yin lifted her eyes and said quietly, "This trip is a Hongmen banquet. Aunt, if I don't fight with my back to the wall, I fear I won't escape this time."

Yun Shuchen regarded her thoughtfully, then suddenly smiled. "Weren't you the one who wasn't afraid of death before?"

Those eyes had been pure years ago, carrying only a fervent thirst for revenge.

But now, as the girl pressed ever closer to Tang Wuyue and edged toward the throne, with years of wielding power and dressing in silks and fineries—something seemed to be breaking through the soil within her, and every flick of her brows and glance of her eyes was steeped in a suppressed, almost explosive quality.

It was a well-concealed ambition.

She didn't want to die.

She wanted that seat. And one day, she might even see Yun Shuchen as an eyesore.

That was somewhat less than ideal.

Yun Shuchen's brows furrowed deeper. She would have preferred someone weaker and more obedient.

But now she had no choice but to help, since they were at this critical juncture.

Hearing this, Fan Yin quickly lowered her eyes. "Aunt, I have no ulterior motives. I only fear that I might let you down."

Yun Shuchen nodded. "And Yu Li's people?"

Fan Yin said, "There aren't many left now, and they're probably all inside the palace."

"Her cultivation is very high. Once inside, don't act rashly."

"Yes."

When the dead and wounded outside fell silent, the sounds dissolving into the soot and ashes until all was quiet, the doors of Jialuo Palace opened of their own accord. Yun Shuchen took only Fan Yin with her, walking in slowly and unhurriedly.

This was the first time she had entered with her head held high.

The last time, she had entered with her head bowed; the time before that, she had even been on her knees.

Yun Shuchen did not look at the woman seated on the throne. Instead, her first glance went to the magnificent and eerie relief carving behind it—the serpent-bodied goddess with a human head.

"So you came back after all."

Tang Wuyue sneered coldly, propping her chin on one hand while the other rested on her knee. "You think killing a few nobodies outside and burning Jialuo Palace is enough to stir up waves?"

She then shifted her gaze to Fan Yin. "Looks like a dog that can't be tamed."

"We're sisters after all—why speak so harshly?"

Yun Shuchen smiled lightly. "You may resent me all you want; perhaps I truly didn't know that was your only precious daughter."

The words stabbed straight into a vulnerable spot. In the next instant, Yun Shuchen felt a gust of palm wind aimed at her face. Her fingers twitched, and in a flash she had retreated several zhang away.

When her robes settled, a folding fan had appeared in her hand. She spread it open, just barely blocking Tang Wuyue.

Yun Shuchen curled her lips. "Cousin, after sitting on the throne for so long, have you forgotten a few rules? Hmm?"

In the Demon Realm, strength always spoke, and there was an unwritten rule: if anyone dared challenge the current ruler in single combat and defeat them, then in full view of all, the realm would acknowledge the new master.

This was why every generation of young lords was chosen from the children with the most cultivation talent—otherwise, they could never hold the throne.

While Tang Jiaruo was still alive, she had been the highest cultivator in the Demon Realm. After her death, Tang Jiaye became the pillar and took over Jialuo Palace as a matter of course.

Even for Tang Wuyue, while Yun Shuchen disliked her, she had to admit that in terms of pure strength, Tang Wuyue was among the best in the realm—more than qualified to guard it against outside intrusion.

Well, at least until her own return.

Tang Wuyue narrowed her eyes at the words. "A cultivator of the Dao has no such qualification."

Yun Shuchen responded with a cold laugh. She turned her gaze to Yu Li, who was ready to protect her lord at a moment's notice, and raised an eyebrow. "Not worthy?"

For a moment, Yu Li was stunned.

To Yu Li, the descendant of the first female sovereign naturally had the right to battle, provided she had enough strength.

And once Yun Shuchen made such a demand, Tang Wuyue couldn't refuse—the throne stood in a period of transition, and it was still unknown who would win or lose.

Yu Li and the remaining remnants halted their steps, watching to see how things would unfold, and automatically made a circle for the two of them.

Yun Shuchen withdrew her gaze, knowing that Yu Li would not act. She turned her eyes once more to the relief sculpture behind Tang Wuyue. Tang Wuyue seemed to calm down in an instant, assessing her warily.

In that moment, her heart sank back into stillness.

Like the revenge many years ago—last time for her master's wife, this time for herself—yet still, she felt no sense of catharsis from vengeance.

...Right. Let's end this conflict soon; there's a silly girl back home waiting eagerly for her to return and watch the competition.

She closed her eyes, steadied her mind, and one by one five points of light lit up in her palm.

There was no wind at that moment, yet her long black hair came loose of its own accord, floating out behind her.

*

The sky was high, the clouds pale, and the breeze was gentle.

Before the finals, the atmosphere outside the arena was quite restless. Some had even secretly started betting—high or low—until they were scolded by the patrolling disciples of Liuyun Sect, who then scrambled to hide the operation.

The patrolling disciple gave it a casual glance, not at all surprised.

At the Immortal Ascension Assembly, Liuyun Sect had never lost.

Nearly all the banknotes were wagered on them, and he wondered what the point of such a gambling pool even was.

But after the patrolling disciple left, the betting pool was quietly flipped back over.

"Stop staring," Lin Xunzhen said, patting Ruan Mingzhu on the shoulder. The girl was still annoyed and wanted to add a sum to Taichu's side, and no one could stop her.

In the end, Lin Xunzhen ended up with her hand pressed down as she wrote another one, so she simply let it be. Before long, Bai Su also picked up a brush and lightly set down a stake.

Qing Zhouxue found such gambling meaningless, but then she recalled fragmentary memories of her master's expressions, a sigh over a missed trick, and the Sect Leader's face, along with Uncle Yue's vow to beat those junior disciples to a pulp...

After a moment's thought, she left her own name.

In all, four people and eleven characters looked lonely on the paper. But the still-wet ink, touched by the sunlight, shimmered at the edges, unintentionally revealing a spirit of boldness.

Even if no one dared to bet on them, betting on oneself was never a loss.

Gu Ruoshui and the others were already waiting on the field. Before long, Qing Zhouxue and her companions stepped up onto the arena.

Once again, Qing Zhouxue faced those cold, arrogant eyes across the ring. The last time they had traded such a gaze, she had still feared thunder, and so missed the first opportunity.

Later, she had danced with her sword, shackled beneath heavenly thunder for a long time, and then cut down a tribulation lightning when she broke through.

The lightning fire had tempered her whole body, and after facing her fear head-on time and again, now there was nothing left but a placid heart.

Qing Zhouxue was no longer stirred, silently waiting for the match to begin. Her coldness was always tinged with softness, unlike the sharpness on the other side; she stood quietly, exuding a much more peaceful air.

Thus, no one could imagine that the young woman before them had once cut down the final strike of the nine-layered heavenly tribulation.

Gu Ruoshui couldn't imagine it either, but she knew that this battle against Qing Zhouxue and her group would definitely be much harder.

A drumbeat echoed.

It was like a spring thunder suddenly born, slowly rippling out over Liuyun Sect, sending waves in all directions.

The decisive battle of the Immortal Ascension Assembly finally began.

Ruan Mingzhu stood at the front, her blade tip touching the ground as she habitually drew a line of fire on the floor.

Guan Qianqian smiled slightly, raising her hand and whispering a few words. But oddly, the crowd couldn't see anything produced by her spell.

Yet at that very moment, the line of phoenix true fire flared fiercely and surged instead toward Qing Zhouxue's side.

Fortunately, she retreated quickly enough, so the sparks didn't leap onto her robes.

Ruan Mingzhu was taken aback. This was... a wind spirit root?

The wind phase was derived from the wood phase and wasn't among the five elements—it was also quite rare.

No wonder... apart from Gu Ruoshui, as they had fought their way through, those spellcasters had hidden their abilities, using only pure spiritual power to suppress their opponents. And Gu Ruoshui never even drew her sword; a single bolt of thunder would knock people out and send them flying out of the ring.

They had watched for a long time, and Liuyun Sect's style was always so brutal, relying purely on cultivation to crush the opposition. So across many matches, there was no way to see anything underneath.

Her flames couldn't be blown out, but they easily rebounded onto herself. Ruan Mingzhu wasn't arrogant enough to try to out-control a spellcaster, so she instead reduced the flames to a low, creeping layer on the ground, like a patch of fuzzy grass, so she could manage it.

Gu Ruoshui still hadn't drawn her sword. She stood in place, even taking a step back, as if conserving her strength.

The three spellcasters took their positions, with Guan Qianqian at the lead. To prevent any close-quarters surprise attacks, a small tornado formed at the center of the arena almost at once.

It was a very traditional tactic—spellcasters always tried to keep their distance from opponents.

At that range, with so many on the enemy side capable of controlling spells, they would hold an absolute advantage.