Bai Fanlu pushed Yun Zhan away and stood up, “Master.”

Ling Qingzi’s expression remained calm, but Wang Chongyu’s face clearly showed discomfort.

It was unclear how much they had seen. Bai Fanlu cleared his throat to break the awkward silence, “Master, there is something I’d like to discuss with you. May we speak privately?”

He didn’t want to continue the entanglement with Yun Zhan here—it was endless, and he was mentally exhausted.

Yun Zhan glanced at him, then walked straight over to Wang Chongyu, “Brother Chongyu, let’s go down.”

Wang Chongyu didn’t say anything and followed him down Lingjue Peak without hesitation. He had something to say to Yun Zhan as well.

Bai Fanlu finally felt relieved. As he quietly adjusted his breathing, he suddenly noticed something different about his body. It dawned on him that Yun Zhan’s hands had been on him earlier…

Was he healing me?

Bai Fanlu composed himself and said to Ling Qingzi, “Master, you have always taught me about right and wrong. After my journey to the demon realm, I’ve gained new insights on these matters. I initially wanted to fully understand them before coming to see you, but since I’m here today, I might as well speak now.”

He sighed inwardly. The immortal wind here was familiar to him, but alas, the world is unpredictable, and things have changed since his return.

“Given my current position, I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but you’ve shown me great kindness, Master. If I don’t speak openly, I fear that when we meet on the battlefield one day… I won’t be able to face myself.”

Ling Qingzi quietly listened to Bai Fanlu and walked over to the divine tree.

His gaze was cold yet gentle, unchanged from when they were master and disciple. It was as if his expression alone reassured Bai Fanlu that he was willing to listen, no matter what he said.

Bai Fanlu spoke slowly because he hadn’t fully sorted out his thoughts. He described what he had seen since entering the demon realm: the desolation, the hardship of the people, and other such matters.

“Before, I had never seen it with my own eyes. When I didn’t know my own identity, I also believed that all demons were evil and should be punished.”

“But after learning of my identity, I began to feel confused. If all demons are evil, what about me? Why, Master, did you never abandon me?”

“Later, when demonic energy cracks appeared in the human realm and many people were corrupted by it, I thought, so demons really are evil, dragging ordinary people into the demonic path and inciting them to kill and commit evil deeds.”

“But when I returned to the demon realm… and saw the ordinary demon populace, I realized that those corrupted people weren’t truly demons. They were just ordinary people whose inner evil was awakened.”

At this point, Bai Fanlu became somewhat emotional. He clenched his fists and looked at Ling Qingzi earnestly, “Master, I suspect that those demonic energy cracks were deliberately created by someone. Although I haven’t yet uncovered the truth, I have a feeling that thing wasn’t caused by the demon realm—it originally existed in the human realm.”

“The demons were simply pushed to the brink and took advantage of it to seize an opportunity to oppose the immortal realm!”

Ling Qingzi hadn’t expected Bai Fanlu to think of these things. His eyes moved slightly as he gazed deeply at his eldest disciple.

At this moment, Bai Fanlu’s expression was resolute, and he spoke with conviction, showing some of the demeanor of that person.

“Master, you’ve taught me well. Even though I’ve become a demon, I’ve done nothing against my conscience. However, due to my position, I have no choice but to oppose you, the Tianxu Sect, and the entire immortal realm.”

“But I still can’t understand the point of this opposition.”

Bai Fanlu lowered his gaze, “Master, all beings in the three realms are equal. Conflict between the two sides will inevitably harm the innocent, and the human realm won’t be spared. No one can remain unaffected…”

“Isn’t it really possible not to fight?” he asked, lifting his eyes again to look at Ling Qingzi intently.

Ling Qingzi returned his gaze and nodded, “If there is no ambition, then it’s possible.”

“It’s not ambition. The demons only want a place to live and survive.”

“Because of this need for survival, it’s the same as the law of the jungle between nations in the human realm.”

Bai Fanlu was silent for a moment. “So, Master, you mean that conflict is unavoidable?”

Ling Qingzi smiled, “That’s not what I mean. If the leaders on both sides have enough strength and are willing to make peace, there is room for negotiation.”

Bai Fanlu picked up on the hint in his words, “Then, Master, I have a request. It may prevent this battle, or it may not, but I still want to try.”

“What does Mo’er want me to do?”

“If you’re willing, please return the Key of Hengqing to my people.”

“The Key of Hengqing?”

“Yes,” Bai Fanlu said. “It originally belonged to the demon race.”

But Ling Qingzi shook his head, “At one time, perhaps, but in truth, the Key of Hengqing belonged to the ancient god, Emperor Zhaohe, and should rightfully be an artifact of the immortal realm.”

Emperor Zhaohe…

For some reason, the name sounded very familiar to Bai Fanlu, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

Ling Qingzi would never deceive him, and Bai Fanlu hadn’t expected the Key of Hengqing to have such origins. But he still didn’t want to give up. “Even so, the demons have relied on it for survival until now, and yet…”

Ling Qingzi sighed lightly, “It’s not that I’m unwilling to return it, but the Key of Hengqing was lost in the great battle five hundred years ago. It’s no longer in the immortal realm, so I am powerless.”

“How could it be lost?” Bai Junming said it was taken by the immortal realm. How could it have just been lost? Bai Fanlu was puzzled.

“The matter is rather complicated,” Ling Qingzi seemed unwilling to elaborate, only saying, “But it likely fell into the human realm. I have searched many times but have never found it.”

Fell into the human realm? No wonder there had been no clues in the immortal realm.

But the human realm is vast and even harder to search.

Seeing Bai Fanlu frown in frustration, Ling Qingzi smiled, “Is Mo’er only asking me to return the Key of Hengqing? I thought you would ask me to prevent the immortal realm from attacking the demon realm.”

His tone carried a touch of gentle indulgence and barely perceptible probing, but unfortunately, Bai Fanlu, anxious at heart, didn’t notice.

He only thought Ling Qingzi was joking with him and replied, “I understand that Master has his own position and difficulties.”

Even as the foremost immortal, it would be impossible for him to go against the entire immortal realm on Bai Fanlu’s behalf. Moreover, the demon realm wouldn’t be content to hide behind him like a coward. This wasn’t something the two of them could decide.

But Bai Fanlu was considering principles, while Ling Qingzi was referring to something else.

“If you asked…”

Ling Qingzi suddenly stopped mid-sentence, smiled self-deprecatingly, and said, “Mo’er need not worry. The cycle of fate is like this. You might stop this battle, but you won’t be able to stop the next one.”

“But I can promise you, if there is ever a war between the immortals and demons, I will never be your enemy.”

“Master…” Bai Fanlu was deeply moved and didn’t know what to say.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” Ling Qingzi said as he turned to look into the distance, where the sea of clouds stretched endlessly.

“This Lingjue Peak has a magnificent view,” he pointed to a spot where a crane was soaring through the clouds, “From here, you can see the entire Tianxu Sect, and even the tallest mountains in the human realm.”

Bai Fanlu also walked over and followed his gaze.

“Lingjue Peak, standing tall at the summit—Master once told me that one should have grand ambitions to live a worthy life.”

“That’s only part of it. In fact, the reason Lingjue Peak is called that is because the person who said that phrase was named Lu Lingjue.”

On the same day, Bai Fanlu heard the name Lu Lingjue for the second time, this time from Ling Qingzi.

Wu Yue Shuang had called him “Brother Lingjue,” and she was Ling Qingzi’s junior sister, so it seemed there were many stories among the previous generation.

Ling Qingzi’s gaze drifted far away with the clouds and cranes, as if in remembrance.

“Unlike Lingjue Peak, his ‘Ling’ means spiritual, and ‘Jue’ means a perfect jade—these two characters suited him well.”

Ling Qingzi looked at Bai Fanlu with a slight smile, “Now you know why I gave you the name ‘Lu,’ don’t you?”

So it was in honor of Lu Lingjue?

“Earlier, you mentioned whether there is absolute right and wrong between immortals and demons and whether conflict is inevitable. Your father also spoke of this and often mentioned it.”

Bai Fanlu was shocked, not by Lu Lingjue’s views, but by the fact that “Master, you know that I am…”

“Yes, I knew long ago that you are his child.”

Ling Qingzi had known all along, even changing his name when he was young. And since Lu Lingjue’s defection from the immortal realm was well-known, Ling Qingzi also knew he had demon blood?

He had known from the beginning, not after his demonic energy had awakened as Bai Fanlu had thought, when everyone else also realized he was a demon.

When Bai Fanlu grasped this, he was even more shaken, “Master knew I was a demon all along. Why did you… still take me as your disciple?”

And treat him so well?

Ling Qingzi looked at Bai Fanlu for a long while and sighed, “Foolish Mo’er.”

Bai Fanlu was confused, but Ling Qingzi’s hand had already brushed lightly over his hair.

“I’ve already answered that question for you.”

“Huh?” Bai Fanlu racked his brain, unable to recall any answer to that question. Could it be that Yun Zhan was right, and his memory was indeed faulty?

He strained to think, his slightly puzzled expression making Ling Qingzi’s pale eyes glimmer.

“You are very much like your father. The only difference is… back then, I only had reproach for him, but now, I can peacefully discuss these matters of the immortal and demon realms with you.”

Ling Qingzi chuckled softly, withdrew his hand, and said, “Enough, return to the demon realm. I’ll handle Yun Zhan for you. Just remember what I told you.”

“Master…”

Bai Fanlu suddenly knelt down and bowed deeply, “Your disciple bids farewell, Master.”

Ling Qingzi understood his meaning.

After this farewell, they would likely be on opposing sides.

Even after Bai Fanlu flew far away, Ling Qingzi continued watching his departing figure. A trace of pain suddenly flashed across his eyes, gripping him tightly and causing him to tremble.

Clutching his chest, Ling Qingzi leaned against the divine tree, taking a long time to regain his composure.

“Is this what they call ‘heart-devouring’…?”

A bitter smile appeared on his lips, “Mo’er, if one day I do something that makes you hate me, remember this: I will never be your enemy. Never.”

At the foot of Lingjue Peak, the sky and clouds shimmered in blue waves, flowing serenely among the immortal mountains, silently echoing his pale words.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Wang Chongyu and Yun Zhan had just finished their conversation, though the atmosphere wasn’t pleasant.

As Wang Chongyu angrily turned to leave, he heard Yun Zhan ask, “Brother Chongyu, did you see with your own eyes when I was pushed into the Abyss of the Endless Realm?”

Wang Chongyu turned around, “What?”

Yun Zhan studied his expression. He had specifically asked the senior brothers present that day in the Abyss of the Endless Realm, and Wang Chongyu hadn’t been there.

“I arrived to assist under Master’s orders, but by the time I got there, you had already fallen,” Wang Chongyu frowned, “What are you asking that for?”

“Nothing. I’ve asked everyone I needed to. I have to figure out who was behind my fall.”

Wang Chongyu coldly replied, “Do as you please.”

As Yun Zhan watched him leave, he narrowed his eyes slightly. Wang Chongyu didn’t seem to be hiding anything, and Yun Zhan had a good understanding of his character. Strange…

Before returning to the demon realm, Bai Fanlu decided to stay in the human realm for a few days.

He planned to secretly observe the demonic energy cracks, but to his surprise, in just one day, he discovered that the previously sealed cracks had inexplicably reopened, releasing an even more terrifying energy into the human realm than before.

He called it energy because Bai Fanlu realized that what was leaking from the cracks wasn’t the same as demonic energy from the demon realm.

This energy was so dark and sinister that it made demonic energy seem mild in comparison.

Bai Fanlu suddenly remembered the strange feeling in his body during previous attempts to seal the demonic energy cracks. He could finally describe it now: it was like a venomous snake, and wherever it went, everything silently disappeared, devoured…

Quickly, under the influence of this eerie energy, more and more people began to “fall into demonic corruption.” Everywhere he went, it was like a living hell.

More and more cultivators gathered in the human realm to combat these “demonic creatures,” and although Bai Fanlu tried to seal a few cracks, his efforts were in vain.

He even discovered that the previous sealing methods seemed to have accelerated the expansion of the cracks!

Could it be that the so-called seals were part of someone’s scheme from the start?

Unfortunately, his investigation didn’t go smoothly. Bai Fanlu was recognized as a demon several times by cultivators, leading to conflicts. He had no choice but to return to the demon realm.

At that time, Bai Junming was in the council hall, so Bai Fanlu hid in the shadows and listened to their discussion. The demon ministers were all advocating for a decisive battle with the immortals, and there was unanimous agreement, with no opposition.

The demons were eager to end centuries of humiliation and desperately sought more living space, their desire so strong that it left no room for dissent.

After Bai Junming finished the meeting, Bai Fanlu approached him, “Uncle, it was you that day in the Abyss of the Endless Realm, wasn’t it?”

Since Bai Junming had seen Yun Zhan take Bai Fanlu away, he naturally knew this question would come and admitted, “Yes, it was me.”

“…”

The demonic energy surged instantly. At first, the wind and clouds shifted, and then a more powerful dark current violently swirled between the two of them, causing the entire floor of the Demon Palace to tremble faintly.

Bai Junming, being suppressed, flashed a strange light in his crimson eyes. “Bai Mo, you are the young master of our clan, yet you entangle yourself with people from the Immortal Clan. As your uncle, it’s my duty to wake you up.”

Bai Fanlu stared coldly at him. “And if I hadn’t been pulled up, then what?”

Bai Junming replied, “You would have become strong, not like now… clearly filled with hatred, yet unable to act.”

Boom—!

Bai Fanlu’s robe suddenly flared, and the surge of demonic energy forced Bai Junming back several steps.

“Strong?” Bai Fanlu sneered coldly. “More like a killing tool, right?”

Bai Junming curled his lips wickedly, licking away the blood at the corner of his mouth. “And what if it is? Do you want to end up like your mother, caught in her weakness and left without a grave? Killing or being killed—did your former self even have the right to choose?”

“You are her son; her blood flows in you. You must become stronger. You have no right to choose!”

Bai Junming glared fiercely at Bai Fanlu, almost spitting out the last words through gritted teeth.

Mentioning Bai Chuyu always made him lose control.

“…” Bai Fanlu asked, “And what about the demonic energy cracks? I saw them in the human realm. They’re not that simple. Have you considered the consequences of them spiraling out of control?”

“The consequences I want have already occurred. The Immortal Realm is now overwhelmed, which makes this the perfect time for our clan to launch a full-scale attack!”

Bai Fanlu had guessed as much, but the demonic energy cracks still made him uneasy. He felt as though something beneath the surface was stirring, something that would eventually emerge!

It wasn’t the Demon Clan, nor the Immortal Clan. Then what was it?

There seemed to be a third force, hidden between the Immortal and Demon Clans, watching this world…

Bai Fanlu suddenly recalled the powerful green-robed immortal who had fought him at the Abyss of the Endless Realm.

“Who was that immortal with you?” Bai Fanlu asked.

“Him? He’s no immortal,” Bai Junming sneered. “He helped our clan obtain the Blood Flame, and I helped him awaken the demonic energy cracks. It was just a mutual exchange, and our cooperation is now over.”

That green-robed immortal’s goal was also the demonic energy cracks?

But that man was clearly filled with immortal energy—he had to be an immortal. Why would he want to awaken the demonic energy cracks and oppose the Immortal Clan?

And that strange sense of familiarity… It had all happened so quickly that day, Bai Fanlu hadn’t had a chance to discern it. He felt like he had seen that person somewhere before, more than once!

The commotion from their fight had attracted many people, and after Bai Fanlu withdrew his restriction, he parted with Bai Junming on bad terms.

Returning to Shui Liu Ju, Bai Fanlu was still contemplating the issue of the demonic energy cracks in the human realm when Ting Nu arrived and handed him something—a purple spirit pearl.

“The elder instructed me to give this to the young master. It is a relic of the previous master.”

When Bai Fanlu took it into his hands, the spirit pearl unfurled into a spiritual vein—it was the last spiritual vein of Cangjin.

The artifact Cangjin, which had been on his wrist since birth, finally took its true form. At the same time, a wisp of purple energy fell upon Bai Fanlu, lightly tinting his white robes.

The purple mist, like a haze over the cold moon, covered him in the same clothing that Bai Chuyu had worn in the portrait. So Cangjin was something she had left behind.

“What did the elder say?”

“The elder said that now that the young master’s demonic blood has awakened, you should inherit the will of the late king. The future of our clan depends on the young master, and they hope…”

“Hope for what?”

“Hope that the young master will consider the rise and fall of our clan…”

Ting Nu had softened the message. Bai Fanlu understood; Bai Junming wanted him to weigh his options.

Looking again at the portrait of Bai Chuyu on the wall, Bai Fanlu felt a complex, heavy emotion that he couldn’t quite define.

The war between the Demon and Immortal Realms had resumed after five hundred years.

Bai Fanlu followed the developments of the conflict and learned that two Immortal sects in the north had joined forces to resist the Right Guardian of the Demon Realm. They were on the brink of defeat when Yun Zhan, the leader of the Tianxu Sect, arrived in time to temporarily push back the Right Guardian.

Bai Fanlu had never seen the Right Guardian before, but when they finally met, he was shocked.

For someone as proud as Xunhuang, an ancient god, to have joined the Demon Clan and allowed himself to be commanded by Bai Junming was unimaginable.

When Bai Fanlu asked Xunhuang about it, he replied, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

Seeing Bai Fanlu in the Demon Realm, Xunhuang scoffed. “You’ve adapted to this identity quickly. When did the Immortal Sect disciple become a demon?”

Bai Fanlu smiled. “Your Excellency, Dragon God, as an ancient god, have you ever heard of Emperor Zhaohe?”

Xunhuang’s face immediately darkened, his aura becoming as sharp as knives, pressing toward Bai Fanlu. “What is your relationship with him?”

“Is he your enemy?”

“Enemy? It’s more than that! My thousand-year imprisonment was his doing.”

“Then why not take revenge on him directly?”

Bai Fanlu wondered, with Xunhuang being a god of over ten thousand years, shouldn’t he still be around? Where was Emperor Zhaohe now, and where was the Key of Hengqing?

“Hmph! He’s dead.”

Xunhuang seemed extremely bitter. “I waited ten thousand years for him, and he dared to die! A coward, just like he was back then!”

Emperor Zhaohe… dead?

Bai Fanlu felt as if something had struck him hard. “… If he’s already dead, does Your Excellency still want revenge?”

“He died too easily! His followers, all spouting nonsense about righteousness and virtue, will all die by my hand. Only then will my hatred be appeased!”

So that was it. Such deep-seated obsession…

Bai Fanlu asked, “Did Emperor Zhaohe leave behind the ‘Key of Hengqing’?”

“Oh?” Xunhuang’s face twisted in mockery. “Did you hear that the Key of Hengqing was his?”

Ling Qingzi did say that the Key of Hengqing belonged to Emperor Zhaohe.

“Hmph!” Xunhuang scoffed, “That was actually the relic of Mo Jiuli, not of that wretch Qi Zhao. But after all this time, the Key of Hengqing is useless. Why are you asking about it?”

Hearing the two names from Xunhuang’s lips, Bai Fanlu froze. Something flickered rapidly through his mind, but he couldn’t grasp it.

What was going on…

Steadying himself, Bai Fanlu said, “The Key of Hengqing once provided spiritual veins to my clan. During the war five hundred years ago, the Immortal Clan took it. It’s said to have been lost in the human realm, and I want to find it.”

“Lost in the human realm?” Xunhuang raised an eyebrow, as if amused. “Then don’t bother looking for it.”

“Why?”

“The Key of Hengqing is a spiritual object. Once it entered the human realm and absorbed human energy, it would easily take on a mortal form. How will you find it now?”

“That…”

So, the Key of Hengqing might already be living among the masses? Bai Fanlu hadn’t anticipated such a possibility.

Just as he was about to ask more, the sound of war horns suddenly echoed from the outer square.

Xunhuang’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Heh! It’s finally starting.”

The vast army of demon soldiers, clad in black armor and wielding dark swords, disappeared into smoke the next moment, vanishing from the demon realm.

It turned out that by the southern river of Nanmengxi, a group of Immortal soldiers from two sects had gathered and were ambushed by Bai Junming’s forces. However, the Immortal Lords of those two sects also appeared on the battlefield.

Both the Demon and Immortal Clans were now sending reinforcements, and with the escalation of the conflict, a great war was about to break out.