Chapter 33

For the vast majority of cultivators, a single major realm gap is an insurmountable chasm, making victory nearly impossible. Even among those of the same realm, the outcome is often unpredictable, and it usually takes a significant amount of time to determine a winner.

Let alone a fight to the death.

Even if a sword cultivator of the same realm were to fight a healer, the former would likely prevail, yet killing the latter would remain a difficult task.

Su Zhen, however, prided herself on no longer belonging to that "vast majority." With the experiences of her past life, she could easily defeat cultivators of her own realm. Even against those one realm higher, winning was not difficult; at most, it would cost her a little effort. She even had ways to handle those two realms higher, provided she was willing to use certain methods she usually kept in reserve.

"You are not..."

Huang Lu’s dying groan drifted away on the wind. His body was torn asunder, each fragment becoming withered and brittle. The water and blood within his remains were drained away, serving as nourishment for that bewitching red tree. As the blood-red flowering tree grew increasingly lush, Huang Lu’s body withered further, until only a face whose outline was barely discernible hung in the center of the tree. Countless intertwined, branching twigs sprouted from the mouth, eye sockets, and nostrils of that head. The branches were layered with new leaves, gleaming in shades of purple and red, and a deep crimson, round fruit was slowly taking shape at the tip of a bough.

"You... are..."

His voice, too, became fragmented, barely capable of forming complete words.

Su Zhen stood in mid-air, watching this scene calmly, her heart showing little fluctuation. She had killed far too many demonic cultivators to care about one or two more. As for how Xie Changfeng might rage or Liu Yunyao might grieve, those were merely trivial afterthoughts.

Su Zhen reached out and caught the falling fruit. The skin was free of bloodstains, feeling cold and smooth to the touch, while within it lay a foul, potent surge of spiritual energy. The fruit gradually melted into her palm, being absorbed completely until it vanished.

A jumble of chaotic, broken memories flooded Su Zhen’s mind. They included Huang Lu’s recent trip to the Human Realm, where he had attempted to rescue his companions at the border of the Eastern and Central Domains, only to be heavily wounded by Pei Xun and forced to flee in disgrace. This information was useless to her, as she could simply ask her cousin about it later. However, the reason Huang Lu had been there was that Xie Changfeng had pulled him over. Huang Lu and his three colleagues had originally intended to go to the Central Domain, but because some among them were cultivators of the Lower Seven Realms, they could not easily pass through the boundary gates. Logically, it would have been most appropriate for Xie Changfeng to send them directly into the interior of the Central Domain, but Xie Changfeng could not do that. As the caster, he could only pull people from the Demon Realm to the Human Realm at a point not too far from himself.

One could deduce his true strength from that fact, though for now, it was not a matter of great importance.

Su Zhen looked at the blood-red tree in the air, confirming that Huang Lu was thoroughly dead and his primordial spirit’s strength had been completely drained. This battle had consumed quite a bit of her energy; the spiritual power within the fruit was enough to replenish her, but the memories inside were messy. Aside from the incident mentioned above, she had extracted little of value, especially nothing regarding Shen Du.

It seemed that, in retrospect, it would have been better to leave a fragment of his primordial spirit to scavenge his memories more thoroughly. She had fought so fluidly just now that she had momentarily forgotten the limitations of her current cultivation; even using the same techniques, the effects were far inferior to those of a Golden Immortal.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Yu appeared beside her.

Su Zhen shook her head. "Nothing. I just didn't find as much as I wanted."

Shen Du—the man who had caused her death in her previous life—was a scion of the North Domain’s premier noble family. Unlike the "male lead" Xie Changfeng, whose origins were murky, this "male supporting character" was a genuine aristocratic young master. He had joined the Wuri Palace in his early years. Because the Palace Master was in perpetual seclusion and indifferent to worldly affairs, and because Shen Du, despite his excellent aptitude, had failed to become the disciple of the Yin-Feng Immortal Venerable, he had been forced to study under a protective elder, a situation somewhat similar to Xie Changfeng’s.

The book had never mentioned when exactly he had fallen into the demonic path. When he first appeared, he was already a demonic cultivator of the Soul-Devouring Sect, though he still wore the mask of a righteous cultivator. By then, he was already well-versed in numerous secret demonic arts, clearly having fallen long ago.

Currently, Shen Du’s cultivation was naturally inferior to what it would be four hundred years later, and he spent all his time in seclusion within his sect, rarely venturing out. However, he possessed a sophisticated and charming personality, which earned him a stellar reputation. The Wuri Palace was the number one sect in the North Domain and one of the Five Great Sects; it was impossible for Su Zhen to storm it for revenge.

As for exposing his identity—that was not simple either. A man who dared to infiltrate a prestigious sect must have his own tricks; he would not be easily exposed. Demonic cultivators were different from the Demon Race; they were much better at hiding. Su Zhen did have ways, but they were incredibly troublesome. Furthermore, if his identity were exposed, she would lose the chance to kill him herself. He might not even die, as his family might find a way to intervene and smuggle him into the Demon Realm to hide. That would be like beating the grass to scare the snake; once a demonic cultivator hiding behind a righteous mask was exposed, many would be watching him to claim the bounty, and he would surely go to great lengths to hide.

Su Zhen wanted to kill him with her own hands and make him die in agony. Since his identity remained secret, while he would act with more caution, finding him shouldn't be too difficult. As a fellow demonic cultivator, she knew very well that while Shen claimed to be in seclusion, he would inevitably sneak into the Demon Realm from time to time. As for how often he came or what position he held, she had no idea. If she asked Yao Wan, he would likely know, but Su Zhen really did not want to seek him out—primarily because she didn't trust him, and seeing him only made her want to slaughter him.

Huang Lu and Shen Du had a personal acquaintance, though it wasn't deep—it was the sort of superficial camaraderie where both sides were merely playing along. If she could have caught a glimpse of even a trace in his memories, Su Zhen could have followed the trail. Unfortunately, the memories were too chaotic.

"What memories are you looking for? Perhaps I know?"

"...It’s just a personal matter."

She and that man were worlds apart now. If she claimed they had a past grudge, it was unlikely, as the gap in their strength was too vast; had they met in the Demon Realm back then, she would surely have died. If she claimed they met in the Human Realm, she would have to concoct other lies. She couldn't be bothered with the effort. "Forget it."

Xiao Yu nodded and didn't press further. "So, next... is it time to collect the spoils?"

Su Zhen couldn't help but chuckle. "Senior, you’re an old hand at this; why ask me?"

The two exchanged a knowing look. The demonic cultivators of the Moon-Worshipping Sect were mostly dead; she casually finished off the remaining stray souls and gathered the intact Qiankun bags and jade accessories. Some had been destroyed in the battle, while others, though damaged, were of high enough quality to be repaired, allowing her to retrieve most of their contents.

"If there’s anything you want, Senior, just say so..." Su Zhen sifted through the miscellaneous materials and picked out a few medium-to-low-grade spirit artifacts. "Though I suspect you won't find anything worth your eye."

"You cleared the map; the loot should be yours." Xiao Yu said nonchalantly, "Suit yourself, no need to ask me."

Su Zhen didn't see anything particularly interesting either, so she tossed the bag aside and moved on to the next. "That’s not quite how it works. If I had come alone, their wounds might have healed by now, and I would have consumed my own spiritual energy just flying this distance..."

"That would only have meant spending a little more time finishing them off." Xiao Yu said indifferently, "Even if this group were at their peak, they wouldn't be your match combined."

His judgment was naturally sharp. Su Zhen didn't bother with further modesty; she simply packed away some rare materials and spirit stones before standing up. "I’m going to check their branch hall."

The sound-transmission stone had already shattered. They stood in the wasteland, surrounded by a small patch of ruins. Columns were broken, walls were fractured, and the ground was paved with rough, square stones, all covered by a thick layer of sand. She walked to a tile in the center and flicked a few beams of spiritual energy, striking three stone tiles to the front-left and right. After a dull thud, the ground in front of them slowly sank, revealing a downward passage. At the bottom of dozens of steps stood a massive bronze door, sealed with three layers of barriers.

From those chaotic memories, Su Zhen had managed to extract the method to break the barrier, but the sequence was difficult to discern, and she had failed after several attempts.

"...You could just smash it open with a punch, couldn't you?" Xiao Yu watched from behind for a long time. "Is it just that you can't swallow your pride?"

Su Zhen slapped the door, and the barrier dissipated, the bronze doors slowly groaning open.

"Finally." She breathed a sigh of relief. "I just wanted to prove those memories could be useful for something. Besides, breaking the door directly might... well, never mind, I won't make excuses. Senior is right."

Xiao Yu couldn't help but laugh.

Su Zhen glanced back at him. "It had nothing to do with you, Senior."

The latter was very calm. "I know." He certainly knew that the object of her frustration was not himself; even if he hadn't been here, she would still have been just as stubborn.

Inside was an abandoned underground palace. Though no lamps were visible, it was exceptionally bright. Because the walls and pillars were cast from crystal, their golden-white luster caught the light, creating a shimmering mist that refracted off every surface, making the room glow. The door led into an empty foyer, with stairs descending from the back. On either side of the top of the stairs floated two yellow orbs of light. Their bodies were much smaller than Huang Lu’s demonic form—only about a tenth of its size—but they still appeared massive in the room.

Su Zhen could tell at a glance that they were in a state of deep slumber. Because she had opened the door using the proper procedure, these creatures wouldn't be easily awakened. If they were "Devouring Demons" ready to prey on humans, the light they emitted would easily burn or even melt a cultivator’s eyes, further damaging their primordial spirit. They wouldn't be as gentle as they were now.

Most of the kin of the Demon God of Luminescence had powers related to light. Huang Lu’s true demonic form, judging by the faces on it, was actually more like a kin of the Demon God of Illusion. Su Zhen reviewed his spiritual characteristics and concluded he was likely a hybrid of the two. No wonder he was close to Xie Changfeng and also very fond of Liu Yunyao; both were essentially his kin. She casually asked the person beside her.

"Yes." Xiao Yu nodded. "The stronger a hybrid is, the more their appearance is... influenced by their own will. Depending on which side their heart leans toward, or what external factors are present, their appearance changes accordingly."

Su Zhen mused, "So, he started out working for the Moon-Worshipping Sect as a ball of light, but later, if he fell for a demon who inherited the power of the Illusion God, he would gradually grow those faces?"

Xiao Yu nodded as if it were a casual observation. "Did you see that in his memories?"

Su Zhen thought to herself that she had actually seen it in the book, and this was just a deduction based on those memory fragments. "Something like that. I probably even know the demon he liked." But she didn't want to discuss Liu Yunyao here, so she quickly brushed the topic aside.

They passed the two sleeping demons without waking them. After descending the stairs, a long corridor appeared, the floor stained with spots of blood, and bronze doors stood on both sides. The doors were painted with complex symbols in gold powder. Su Zhen tilted her head for a moment before pushing open the door in the center on the left.

Inside the room sat a massive teleportation array, and nested within its core was a sealing array, trapping a ball of golden light—it was a cultivator’s primordial spirit. The light was already extremely dim; it had clearly been drained of too much power, and because the array suppressed it, it couldn't replenish itself, leaving it on the verge of death. However, upon sensing someone enter the room, the spirit emitted a sound, though it was nothing but meaningless curses.

Su Zhen approached it, tentatively releasing her divine sense. She briefly entered its consciousness before quickly withdrawing. She rubbed her temples as various scenes of slaughter flashed before her eyes. "It’s a demonic cultivator from the Soul-Devouring Sect... Never mind, Senior must have seen it all too."

This primordial spirit, tethered in the array to act as a source of spiritual energy, had been a typical follower of the Blood God before being captured, having slaughtered countless villages and sects. Hence, its mind was deranged, filled only with thoughts of sacrifice and massacre. Still, Su Zhen wanted to try and see if she could extract anything regarding her enemy.

She waved her hand to close the door and set up a barrier, ensuring that even if she briefly lost consciousness, she wouldn't be ambushed. Turning around, she saw Xiao Yu standing to the side with his arms crossed, watching everything calmly, his expression devoid of ripples.

Su Zhen paused. "Senior..."

She figured he wouldn't think she was looking down on him by setting those barriers, but she still felt compelled to explain. "...In case you had something urgent to attend to, you could leave at any time. If I hadn't set these barriers, wouldn't it have been the same as demanding you stand guard here?"

"Then you could have asked me to set the barriers?" Xiao Yu looked at her thoughtfully. "I believe that’s what you’re thinking, but I feel that’s only your second reason."

Su Zhen was stunned. "Ah?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly. "You completely forgot I was here, didn't you?"

Su Zhen: "..."

That sounded unbelievable, but it was the truth. Moreover, once she entered the Demon Realm, those memories from her past life would always be awakened, and many things had become habits.

Su Zhen sighed. "If I said that directly, would you believe me?"

"I would." Xiao Yu nodded without hesitation. "You are, well, sometimes you can be absent-minded, but when you need to focus, you are entirely absorbed, as if there is nothing in the world but the task at hand. I’ve always thought you were special; you have the traits of a peerless expert."

Su Zhen: "..."

In such a short time, this guy was back to flattering her. And he said it as if he had known her for a long time. Su Zhen looked at him thoughtfully, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Are you the same, Senior?"

Xiao Yu laughed outright. "Haven't you noticed? We often let our conversations drift far away, just like now. Do you even remember the original intent of this dialogue? Look at where we’ve ended up."

Su Zhen was silent. "So we are both peerless experts. Not bad."

Xiao Yu shook his head slightly. "I’m still far behind you."

Su Zhen: "?"

Why could someone lie so convincingly while looking her in the eye?

Xiao Yu saw her expression and added, "No, I didn't even reach the Divine Transformation Realm when I was your age."

Su Zhen blinked. "Really?"

There were many rumors about this man in the Tianyuan Sect, and many books even mentioned him, but most spoke only of his life after becoming an Immortal Venerable. Even before that, they only spoke of how he won consecutive victories in sect tournaments, dominating everyone, but they never specified his age or realm.

Xiao Yu smiled. "Really. You are more talented than me, so next time I praise you, you don't have to give me that 'what kind of nonsense are you spouting' look."

Su Zhen curved her lips, joking, "I can't. If the Immortal Venerable praises me all day, I’m afraid I’ll become too complacent and lose my way."

Xiao Yu waved a hand. "Not a problem. We’ll look for it together."

Su Zhen: "..."

Su Zhen looked at him helplessly and turned to deal with the primordial spirit. Even with the barrier behind her and the number one sword cultivator of the Nine Realms standing beside her—the moment she released her divine sense, she instinctively scanned a radius of a hundred miles, just as she had been accustomed to for over a hundred years, to ensure there was no danger.

Wait!

A strange ripple of spiritual energy rushed in from afar. She only took a hurried glance before withdrawing her divine sense. Because the distance was so great, the impact was minimal; otherwise, she likely would have been injured. Su Zhen withdrew in time, and the primordial spirit wasn't truly damaged, only its energy slightly agitated. She stumbled back a step. "It’s Cui Xing! The master of the sword Liuchun!"

He was about to die!

Xiao Yu reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. "Your control over your divine sense is also exceptional, much stronger than mine was at your age. So, are we going over?"

Su Zhen looked up. "Stop with the flattery for now. Let’s wait a moment, until he’s completely kicked the bucket."

Xiao Yu let go and laughed.

Su Zhen frowned. "What for? Isn't that your hometown dialect?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, it is. I just find it amusing to hear you say it."

Su Zhen said huffily, "You’re the one who led me astray, Senior, and now you’re laughing at me."

"My mistake." Xiao Yu apologized earnestly. "And I wasn't laughing at you; I truly like hearing you say it. It feels very intimate."

Su Zhen couldn't be bothered to entertain him and released her divine sense once more to feel the area. The vibrations had completely subsided, leaving behind only a trace of spiritual pressure, which clearly belonged to the deceased. She nodded in satisfaction, reached out, and grabbed Xiao Yu’s right wrist. Her fingertips touched his clear joints and lean muscles through the smooth fabric of his clothes.

The latter froze on the spot.

Their builds were vastly different; Su Zhen’s fingers couldn't encircle his wrist, so she could only grasp it and pull upward. Her hands were slightly cool, though not icy; her slender, agile fingers were like delicate willow branches in spring, and even after basking in the sunlight, they held no warmth. Just like that, through his sleeve, she silently pulled his hand up and placed it on her shoulder, then let go with a satisfied expression.

Su Zhen looked up. "Shall we go?"

Xiao Yu: "?"

He remained motionless, his hand not exerting any pressure, just hovering lightly, barely touching her clothes, not even settling firmly. Su Zhen turned her head to look at the hand with its prominent knuckles resting on her shoulder. His hand easily covered her entire shoulder, his fingertips touching the peak of her shoulder, his palm hovering just above her shoulder blade, radiating a faint warmth.

Su Zhen turned back. "Are we not going? Or did I offend you, Senior? I was just in a hurry; I wasn't even sure he was here. Who knew it would be such a coincidence? It was my rudeness."

"No!" Xiao Yu finally snapped out of it, looking somewhat startled. "No, no need to apologize. You didn't offend me. I was just... surprised."

He looked down at her, conflicted. "If you hold onto me, I can take you there directly. You don't have to put my hand on you like that?"

Su Zhen blinked. "I thought you didn't really like me touching you? Because every time you’ve been very stiff, as if you weren't very happy?"

"No!" Xiao Yu took a deep breath. "Next time you have such thoughts, you can just ask me directly. That was just, I... well, in short, there’s nothing I don't like. If you’re willing, you could even ride on my head."

Su Zhen: "?"

Su Zhen imagined the scene. "...I think I’ll pass."