Wang Chongyu lowered his head to look at the sword in front of him.

The pale green ice spike glimmered with a chilling light, but it was nothing compared to the cold, bloodless hand gripping it.

Wang Chongyu stared at it, then slowly raised his gaze to the person he had looked at countless times before.

“Master… what I promised you… I’ve done it all… Please… don’t hurt my senior brother…”

He managed a faint smile, “I don’t want you… to regret it…”

Ling Qingzi’s face remained blank, but he suddenly snapped awake, his long-maintained composure finally crumbling. He roared, “Shut up!”

Without hesitation, he pulled out the ice spike, and blood gushed from the wound it left behind. Bai Fanlu rushed forward, anxiously pressing his hand over Wang Chongyu’s wound.

“Chongyu! Chongyu…”

Wang Chongyu’s body swayed slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but only blood kept spilling from his mouth. Bai Fanlu tried to transfer spiritual energy to him, but the ice spike had struck a fatal point, and no matter what, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

“Senior… brother…” Wang Chongyu, already weak, grabbed Bai Fanlu’s wrist, the veins on the back of his hand standing out as he held on tightly.

“…Don’t blame Master…”

Wang Chongyu’s breath grew short, his chest heaving violently with each word, causing more blood to flow.

“Could you… and him… he really… really needs you…”

His eyes, locked on Bai Fanlu, were filled with a desperate intensity, too painful to witness.

Bai Fanlu shook his head, his eyes reddened, and he forced himself to remain calm. “Chongyu, stop talking.”

Suddenly, a fierce force attacked from behind. Bai Fanlu, not fully recovered, instinctively shielded Wang Chongyu with his body to block the blow.

But just as he raised his hand to counter it, Wang Chongyu reacted faster, using the last of his strength to push Bai Fanlu aside.

Ling Qingzi’s strike landed squarely on Wang Chongyu, who offered no resistance, simply falling backward, powerless.

Behind him, the clouds of Lingjue Peak swirled in the wind, scattering like centuries-old dust.

Wang Chongyu closed his eyes, feeling his blood draining away. His long, unending attachment to that person was now being emptied by the sword and palm of the one he held dear.

In the end, it was all just self-deception.

“Chongyu—” Bai Fanlu cried out, his voice filled with despair. He was about to give chase, but Ling Qingzi pulled him back.

In that brief moment of delay, Wang Chongyu’s figure disappeared into the clouds, never to be seen again.

Bai Fanlu’s face turned deathly pale, his lips bloodless, eyes filled with grief and fury. His mind echoed with Wang Chongyu’s final, barely audible words:

“He really… needs you…”

Even in death, Wang Chongyu had been thinking of him. But their revered master had truly struck him down!

Bai Fanlu felt like he had swallowed broken glass, his vision blurred as if shrouded in dust. He violently shook off Ling Qingzi and flew down the peak without hesitation.

Ling Qingzi took a step forward, silently gazing down. His silver hair whipped in the wind, brushing repeatedly across his cold face.

Gradually, his expression became vacant, and he pressed a hand to his chest, slowly sinking to one knee. He didn’t know why his heart ached, but when he realized it, he too had flown down.

Bai Fanlu saw a flash of green in the sky as Ling Qingzi drew nearer. Thinking he was still trying to stop him, Bai Fanlu was shocked to see Ling Qingzi dive past him, accelerating even faster.

Breaking through the clouds, Wang Chongyu was still falling.

Bai Fanlu tried to catch him with his spiritual weapon, Cangjin, but some hidden force kept disrupting him. Every time Cangjin neared Wang Chongyu, it dissolved into demonic energy.

Ling Qingzi reached out, almost grasping Wang Chongyu’s robes, but at the last moment, that figure was swallowed by a blinding red light.

Sparks and molten liquid erupted like lava, sending scorching waves that forced both Bai Fanlu and Ling Qingzi back.

The dazzling red clouds lit up the sky like a blood-soaked sunset.

When they could finally see again, all that remained was a faint wisp of smoke rising from the giant furnace below.

It was a forging furnace…

Bai Fanlu’s mind went blank.

The base of Lingjue Peak had a forging furnace! Wang Chongyu had fallen into it!

Before Bai Fanlu could process this terrifying truth, something even more shocking happened.

Suddenly, the forging furnace emitted a brilliant red glow, filling the entire sky with radiant colors. Beams of divine light scattered in all directions, creating an illusory mirage, and a ball of golden light slowly rose from the mouth of the furnace.

At first, the light was too blinding to see clearly, but gradually, Bai Fanlu made out its shape—it looked like a key.

Then, the old wine immortal exclaimed, “Oh? Isn’t that the Key of Hengqing?”

The Key of Hengqing!

Bai Fanlu was stunned. Could Wang Chongyu have been the mortal vessel for the Key of Hengqing all along?

Ling Qingzi had already flown to the Key of Hengqing and grabbed it in his hand, paying no further attention to Bai Fanlu, disappearing into the clouds.

The blinding light faded in an instant, leaving only the light of the sky and clouds to bear witness to what had just occurred.

“Senior brother!”

It was Yun Zhan’s voice. With such a commotion near the furnace, it was no surprise that he had come looking.

Without turning around, Bai Fanlu was about to leave but was stopped.

“What’s going on…” Yun Zhan gripped Bai Fanlu’s shoulder. “…No, something’s wrong with you…”

Seeing Bai Fanlu’s back, Yun Zhan forcibly turned him around. He was shocked by the red-rimmed eyes and the cold expression on Bai Fanlu’s face, as though he had just experienced something terrible. Then, Yun Zhan realized something even more shocking—Bai Fanlu’s appearance had changed.

Yun Zhan had seen Lu Lingjue on the floating jade bed, and suddenly it all clicked—the red flowers that had filled the cave when he awakened after his tribulation…

At the time, Yun Zhan hadn’t given it much thought, but now, connecting all the dots, he finally made a guess.

“Senior brother, you’ve been poisoned by the Pudu Flower.”

“…Pudu Flower?”

Bai Fanlu, ready to chase after Ling Qingzi, paused. He knew Ling Qingzi had been using him to resurrect Lu Lingjue, but he hadn’t known how. He had never had the chance to delve into it.

Yun Zhan’s words brought clarity, and Bai Fanlu immediately recalled the ancient texts describing the strange poison.

The Pudu Flower grows in pairs, one flower being planted in a living person and the other in a deceased body, allowing the dead to borrow life from the living when the flowers bloom after 300 years.

The connection between them is established through blood, using the Heart-Eating Grass, which feeds off the host’s blood. The person who consumes the Pudu Flower is forever bound to the one carrying the Heart-Eating Grass.

Bai Fanlu recalled vividly the red pills Ling Qingzi had made him consume for the past 300 years. He had never suspected anything, but now his throat filled with the metallic taste of blood, and his body broke out in cold sweat, his vision going black and red, as if he could barely stand.

“Senior brother!” Yun Zhan supported him. “We need to find Master now.”

Yun Zhan clearly didn’t know what had just happened, but Bai Fanlu didn’t want to explain. “I’ll go myself.”

Frustrated, Yun Zhan grabbed him, “What’s going on? You need to tell me! We should figure this out together, instead of you trying to handle everything alone…”

“Figure it out?” Bai Fanlu, already on the verge of collapse, gritted his teeth. “Chongyu fell into the forging furnace! What solution could you possibly have? Can you bring him back?”

“What!”

Just as Yun Zhan spoke, the ground beneath them trembled violently.

Both of them stopped moving, sensing a surge of energy rising from deep underground.

Lingjue Peak’s surroundings began to collapse as a towering black figure emerged, tearing through the once-peaceful celestial landscape.

Bai Fanlu and Yun Zhan flew toward it.

The once-picturesque Lingquan Mountain split open at its center, crumbling into pieces.

Amid the swirling spiritual energy, Ling Qingzi stood, watching the Key of Hengqing in his hand rotate, reciting an incantation. The legendary Lingquan Seal was completely broken.

The towering figure they had seen was no mountain but a gigantic humanoid creature.

Ling Qingzi watched in eerie calm as the beautiful landscape of Lingquan Mountain crumbled before him.

The disciples of Tianshu Sect scattered in panic, some foolishly attacking the creature, but it remained unaffected.

It let out a terrifying roar, standing imposingly before Ling Qingzi.

The creature radiated a strange, bone-chilling coldness, yet its eyes burned with molten fire. Its skin was covered in cracks like lava, contrasting sharply with the freezing aura surrounding it…

Bai Fanlu felt a shiver down his spine. This strange, cold energy reminded him of something. When he had sealed the rift in the demonic energy fissure, it had felt like a living eye, staring back at him.

This poisonous, snake-like energy, hidden beneath the lava, was the same force he had sensed when he touched the fissure. Now, as he gazed at the creature, he felt a powerful pull, drawing him toward it…

“Senior brother!” Yun Zhan, noticing Bai Fanlu’s odd behavior, called out.

The creature seemed to notice too, turning its head in their direction.

Bai Fanlu snapped back to reality, shocked at how he had been so distracted in such a critical moment.

The creature raised its arm, gathering a swirling mass of ice and wind, preparing to unleash it directly at them.

Just as Bai Fanlu prepared to counter the attack, Yun Zhan suddenly pulled him aside.

Countless lightning talismans struck one after another, forcing Yun Zhan to narrowly dodge. He chanted a spell and stepped onto his flying sword, swiftly carrying Bai Fanlu away.

“You’re running before even fighting!” Bai Fanlu yelled angrily. “What about Tianshu Sect?!”

“Didn’t you notice? That thing’s target is you!”

“…” Bai Fanlu hadn’t noticed, but he did feel something unusual, a strange connection between him and that monster earlier.

If Yun Zhan was right, and the monster was indeed targeting him, then with the Pudu Flower’s influence and the fact that Ling Qingzi’s Heart-Eating Grass had drained some of his spiritual power, it wasn’t a good idea to face it head-on right now.

“So you’re saying the monster is after me? What do you mean?”

Yun Zhan’s eyes flickered slightly, and he simply replied, “Just listen to me. Don’t go near it.”

After reaching a relatively safe place, Yun Zhan set Bai Fanlu down. “I’m going back. Stay here and don’t wander off. Wait for me.”

Meanwhile, Ling Qingzi hovered in the air above the ruins of Lingquan Mountain, looking down without any emotion. With a casual wave, the monster seemed to receive a command, sweeping aside the disciples with a backhand. It stepped on the boundary monument of Tianshu Sect, crushing it to pieces.

Then, Ling Qingzi vanished again.

He no longer seemed to care about what would happen next, allowing the cruel slaughter to begin.

By the time Yun Zhan rushed back, a scene of devastation greeted him.

He immediately charged at the monster with his sword, but the creature was not only incredibly powerful, its body was filled with an indescribable evil aura that neutralized any ordinary immortal magic that came near it.

Yun Zhan couldn’t stop the monster from destroying the buildings and forests of Tianshu Sect. All he could do was protect the disciples, buying time for them to retreat.

Bai Fanlu, of course, didn’t follow Yun Zhan’s instructions to wait. After a brief moment of meditation, he quietly returned and observed the situation from the shadows.

He also wanted to take a closer look at what was happening, but who could have expected that after the monster destroyed Tianshu Sect, it seemed to lose interest in the place and began walking away from the ruins.

Thus, the once-flourishing and powerful celestial sect was reduced to ruins.

Bai Fanlu tracked the monster, wanting to figure out what it really was. But after the creature entered the human world, it vanished from sight.

Bai Fanlu searched for a long time without success, only to be blocked by Yun Zhan. Upon further questioning, Bai Fanlu explained everything that had happened that day.

Yun Zhan finally understood. Wang Chongyu had fallen into the forging furnace, becoming the Key of Hengqing, and Ling Qingzi had used the key to unlock the seal on the Lingquan formation.

“…Could it really not be Senior Brother Chongyu?” Yun Zhan muttered to himself.

“What are you saying?” Bai Fanlu didn’t catch it.

“Nothing,” Yun Zhan shook his head.

“You said earlier that the monster was targeting me. What exactly do you mean?”

Yun Zhan responded calmly this time, “Out of so many people, it specifically chose you to attack. If it wasn’t targeting you, then who?”

Bai Fanlu thought it over carefully. It was true. Among all the disciples of the celestial sect, and even with the old wine immortal nearby, the monster had singled him out… Could it be because of the demonic energy within him?

That didn’t seem right either. He had been standing very close to Yun Zhan at the time. Perhaps it wasn’t targeting him after all. He needed to find the creature and figure it out.

The two continued to pursue the monster. Wherever it passed, it left behind death and destruction—scorched earth, broken trees, and giant footprints filled with the stench of blood and death.

As they tracked the creature, Bai Fanlu vaguely realized that it seemed to be heading toward the Abyss of No Return. His heart sank. If this thing was truly targeting him, could it be heading for the demon realm?

Bai Fanlu hurried back, but he was still a step too late.

The seal at Diaohua Pavilion had already been torn open. Corpses of soldiers and demon civilians littered the ground near the entrance to the demon capital, with rivers of blood flowing everywhere. It was even worse than the hellish scenes in the human realm.

Bai Fanlu watched as Hesang, standing in front of Bai Junming, had his primordial spirit mercilessly drained. The monster then grabbed Xunhuang’s true dragon form in its other hand.

A deafening dragon roar shattered the air. The ancient dragon god, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, was easily killed by this unknown monster.

Absorbing both primordial spirits into its body, the monster’s form grew even larger. With a swipe of its hand, the demon palace collapsed. Bai Junming, standing in front of it, was no match at all.

Bai Fanlu barely managed to use Cangjin to sweep Bai Junming aside, avoiding the monster’s next strike.

The shockwave from the monster’s missed attack tore through the scorched earth, filling the air with dust and the smell of blood. Bai Fanlu watched as the creature’s massive foot came stomping toward them, and Yun Zhan, reacting quickly, prepared to fight alongside him.

But then something strange happened. The monster locked its gaze on Bai Fanlu but didn’t attack like it had before. Instead, it paused for a moment, the flames in its eyes flickering as it slowly turned its blood-red gaze to the side.

And then, even more bizarrely, the monster turned away from them entirely, walking toward the exit of the demon capital.

Bai Fanlu and Yun Zhan exchanged a glance, deciding not to pursue. Instead, they turned to help Bai Junming.

Bai Fanlu could feel that Bai Junming’s black robes were soaked with blood. His hands touched the cold wetness, only for fresh blood to quickly flow out again.

Bai Fanlu frowned slightly. The injury wasn’t just external.

Bai Junming, however, acted as if nothing was wrong. He looked Bai Fanlu up and down and sneered, “What happened to you? You look terrible. I can’t stand seeing that face.”

Bai Fanlu tried to heal him with demonic energy, but it was ineffective. The injury had reached his internal organs, and his meridians were shattered. Even if he survived, he would be crippled for life.

“Hmph, it’s the Pudu Flower, isn’t it?” Bai Junming sat up straight, refusing Bai Fanlu’s support.

His face was as pale as a ghost, yet he still forced himself to maintain a tough stance. “Where did that ugly beast come from? It’s terrifyingly powerful!”

“It came from beneath Tianshu Sect,” Bai Fanlu replied.

Bai Junming coughed up blood. “Tianshu Sect? …I see, it must be that person…”

“Uncle, are you talking about the man in green?”

Bai Junming gritted his teeth in anger, “The events with Xunhuang and Hesang were all orchestrated by him… So that’s what it was… Cough, cough! He claimed to be increasing the power of our race, but he had his eye on their primordial spirits all along!”

Bai Fanlu thought of all of Ling Qingzi’s strange actions today. It did seem as if someone was pulling the strings from behind.

“The monster’s aura is similar to the demonic energy fissure. I fear that fissure was part of his scheme as well.”

“How infuriating!” Bai Junming coughed up more blood, pounding his fist into the ground in frustration.

From his words, Bai Fanlu realized that Xunhuang and Hesang both had divine bloodlines. Their primordial spirits could greatly enhance someone’s power, but they were beyond the reach of most people.

That monster… It was unimaginably powerful, even in its battle with Xunhuang!

As for the man in green, he had likely been planning this for a very long time.

While Bai Fanlu was deep in thought, Yun Zhan was also pondering over these events.

He had originally suspected that the man in green might be connected to Wang Chongyu, but today it was proven that Wang Chongyu had fallen into the forging furnace and transformed into the Key of Hengqing. Even after Wang Chongyu’s death, Ling Qingzi could still use the Key of Hengqing to unlock the seal, raising the possibility that there was indeed someone else pulling the strings from behind.

But who could that be?

Yun Zhan recalled that when he was pushed into the Abyss of No Return, Ling Qingzi had been in Tianshu Sect at the time—this was indisputable, and many disciples, including Bai Fanlu, could attest to it. Since Wang Chongyu was not around, and his silhouette resembled that of the man in green, Yun Zhan had initially suspected him. But with this suspicion now cleared, Yun Zhan was left without answers.

Bai Junming’s coughing grew increasingly severe, and Bai Fanlu could clearly sense that his energy was flowing in reverse, a dangerous sign. Although Bai Fanlu had no affection for him and even despised him, he couldn’t just leave him like this. He continued to try healing Bai Junming.

However, Bai Junming brushed his hand away, wiping the blood from his lips with disdain. “What are you doing? I’m not dying!”

“…Uncle, don’t speak in anger.”

Bai Junming sneered and suddenly raised his hand. Yun Zhan, thinking he was about to play some trick, quickly stepped forward and pushed Bai Fanlu behind him protectively.

“Oh? Protecting him now, are we?” Bai Junming said sarcastically.

Suddenly, a ball of purple light appeared in Bai Junming’s hand. “Take it before I change my mind!”

“What is this…?” Bai Fanlu was unsure of what it was.

“It’s a human soul!” Yun Zhan immediately recognized it and grabbed it.

Bai Junming scoffed, “At least someone here still has some sense.”

Is he implying that I’m not thinking clearly? Bai Fanlu felt a bit displeased but also sensed that Bai Junming seemed to be doing this on purpose, as though he were… making his final arrangements.

“Keep your eyes open from now on. Even someone as sharp as me got tricked—what chance do a fool like you have?”

Bai Junming didn’t care about being likable and added, “And that face of yours, get rid of it as soon as possible. It annoys me.”

“…” Bai Fanlu was speechless.

Bai Junming snorted, patted his clothes, and stood up straight as if he hadn’t been injured at all. “Go to the Ghost Realm and find Wu Zhong. He can teach you how to detoxify yourself.”

“The demon realm is destroyed. There’s no need for you to stay here. Leave while you can.”

Without turning back, Bai Junming suddenly dispersed into a black mist and vanished.

The demonic aura he left behind was thick with the smell of blood. Bai Fanlu, struck by a thought, immediately sped off in a specific direction.

At Shuijing Residence, on the floor in front of Bai Chuyu’s portrait, a black demonic crystal lay silently, and not far from it was a fresh pool of blood.

Bai Fanlu stood before the demonic crystal for a long time.

Yun Zhan arrived at his side shortly after, and upon seeing the figure in the portrait, began to understand.

Bai Fanlu gazed at the painting, and in a daze, both the portrait and the demonic crystal seemed to conjure blurry images before his eyes.

It was said that in the demon race, those close to death would leave behind a vision of what they held most dear, to be passed on to their blood relatives, whether for revenge or remembrance.

And what was Bai Junming’s vision?

The painting showed Bai Chuyu, dressed in purple, holding a brush and writing at her desk, which was piled high with documents.

“Junming, I know you don’t like the celestial race, but Lingjue is different.”

“Hypocrites!”

At this point, Bai Junming appeared to be quite young, his tone even more arrogant and unruly, though still marked by youthful immaturity. “Ever since he came along, you’ve hardly paid attention to me.”

Bai Chuyu shook her head and set her brush down. “That’s not true. My relationship with you is different from my relationship with him.”

“‘Different’ again! Why should those celestial beings get to act righteous and be praised by everyone, while we demons can’t?”

“Oh, I understand now,” Bai Chuyu smiled, her voice clear as silver bells. “Our little Junming is jealous because he wants to be a hero too.”

“I’m not! I… I’m leaving!”

Moments later, another figure appeared beside Bai Chuyu—the one Bai Fanlu had seen in the water mirror and could never forget: Lu Lingjue.

“I heard everything. It seems Junming has grand ambitions.”

Bai Chuyu sighed, “He’s determined and earnest, but sometimes too extreme. I worry… if one day I’m no longer around to guide him, he might go down the wrong path.”

“Do you have so little faith in your brother, Chuyu?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust him. It’s just that he wants to become stronger so badly, and he wants the demon race to grow stronger as well. If one day…”

Her sigh trailed off like dust scattering in the wind, blowing away the peaceful scene.

In the vision, Bai Junming gently touched Bai Chuyu’s shoulder. His trembling hand hovered in the air for a moment, hesitating before gently brushing against her—there was no breath left.

At that moment, his blood-red eyes seemed as though they could cry, but not a single tear fell.

Lu Lingjue lay beside her, his white robes soaked in blood, still bleeding profusely. He was barely hanging on, looking at Bai Junming, shaking his head repeatedly, his expression urgent, as if trying to convey something.

“It’s all because of you.” Bai Junming also looked at him. “I won’t kill you, because my sister would blame me. But I know you’re as good as dead.”

Bai Junming let out a cold laugh and slowly lifted Bai Chuyu in his arms, turning away.

“Don’t worry. After you die, I’ll use your appearance to keep you ‘alive’ in this world.”

“I’ll do both good and bad things in your name. I’ll do whatever I want… You celestials, with your lofty morals, I’ll make you feel the burden of living in disgrace, surviving in shame!”

Boom! A rumble of thunder filled the air as divine light seemed to descend from the heavens. The vast celestial army formed an array, preparing for the final assault to destroy the demon race.

Carrying Bai Chuyu, Bai Junming resolutely walked toward the darkness. It was unclear who he was speaking to, but he said, “I’m telling you, the demon race will not perish. Even without demon blood, I will become stronger.”

“Sister, watch me. If I fail, I will die trying!”

Bai Fanlu’s heart trembled as the vision slowly faded, leaving behind only a faint sigh echoing in his mind.

“At last, I can be with you… Sister…”