Su Su stared in astonishment at Gongye Jiewu shielding her—her senior brother actually retained his own consciousness!
His memories hadn’t been erased by Xie Ying.
A flicker of hope ignited within her.
Tantai Jin cast a cold glance at Xiao Lin, his indifference so palpable even Cang Hai could sense it.
His junior brother was deeply displeased.
Xie Ying sighed admiringly, "As expected of the master I’ve chosen. Even with a Demon Core within you, you still remember old acquaintances? What a predicament."
She slowly withdrew her hand, retracting her sharp nails.
"Very well, since the master has spoken, the rest of you, scram back to the Demon Realm. This is no place for you."
Yet no one moved.
Gongye Jiewu turned his head, his gaze lowering coldly upon Su Su as he spat out, "Leave. Now."
Su Su pleaded, "Senior Brother, come with us."
Yaoguang added, "Senior Brother Gongye, return to the immortal realm with us. The sect leader will find a way."
The Demonic Mark on Gongye Jiewu’s neck flickered faintly, creeping upward toward his face.
Su Su saw profound struggle in his eyes—the Demon Core drove an uncontrollable urge to kill, yet buried deep within was an overwhelming, suppressed care.
His hollow eyes fixed on Su Su, swirling with intense emotion, and he clutched his head in agony.
Xie Ying watched with an amused smile, making no move to interfere, as if enjoying a riveting play.
"Senior Brother!" Su Su reached out to steady him.
But Gongye Jiewu’s eyes abruptly sharpened with cold intent, and he struck out violently toward Su Su.
Stunned, Su Su found herself unable to raise Chongyu Qin in defense against this father-like figure.
Tantai Jin yanked her aside, meeting Gongye Jiewu’s palm strike head-on.
Infused with half of Hanba’s power and connected to the Demonic Artifact Marrow Cleansing Seal, the Demon Core within Gongye Jiewu unleashed a devastating blow. Tantai Jin took the full force, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
He turned and sneered at Su Su, "Have you grown tired of living?!"
But seeing her dazed sorrow, his venomous words died in his throat.
For the first time, he tasted this bitter blend of love and hatred, suffocating and inescapable.
He lowered his gaze, afraid that if he looked longer, he might unleash the God Slaying Crossbow and kill Gongye Jiewu.
After his strike, demonic energy churned in Gongye Jiewu’s eyes. Realizing what he had done, self-loathing and murderous intent warred within him.
He staggered back a step, his tone reverting to ice.
"Do you wish to die in my Demon Realm today?"
Yaoguang, heartbroken by his uncontrollable bloodlust, moved to step forward, but Cang Hai pulled her back firmly.
Cang Hai thought grimly, the Hengyang Sect’s head disciple no longer recognized kin or comrades.
If they approached now, Gongye Jiewu might slaughter them before Xie Ying even lifted a finger. While the Demonic Cultivator still retained some reason and could hold Xie Ying at bay, their only chance was to flee.
Su Su, regaining her composure, accepted that they couldn’t take her senior brother today. "Let’s go," she said.
They fled the Demon Realm, Xie Ying watching their retreating figures with a curved smile, making no pursuit.
Jingmie’s face darkened with fury. "Xie Ying, are we just letting them go?"
Her voice dripping with allure, Xie Ying eyed Gongye Jiewu, who stood like a honed blade beside her. "Of course... not. But our master’s heart hasn’t fully embraced the demon realm, which saddens me. Let his old acquaintances become the first souls to fall beneath his sword."
She guided Gongye Jiewu to the edge of the Profound Return Array.
Divine Artifacts feared destruction, yet Demonic Artifacts endured.The three ancient Demon God's artifacts: the Marrow Cleansing Seal, the Heaven Severing Sword, and the God Slaying Crossbow.
The God Slaying Crossbow's whereabouts were unknown, while the Heaven Severing Sword was sealed within the Profound Return Array.
Ordinary people couldn't wield demonic artifacts—not even Xie Ying. But now, this little Taoist who had been transformed into a demon should be able to awaken the demonic artifact, right?
Even if he couldn't become the master of the demonic artifact, he could still serve as the sword attendant for the demonic sword.
Gongye Jiewu's originally clear eyes gradually grew turbid under the influence of the Marrow Cleansing Seal.
Xie Ying tempted him, saying, "My lord, awaken the demonic sword, and you shall obtain supreme power."
With overwhelming ambition in his eyes, Gongye Jiewu stepped into the seven-turn Profound Return Array and sent a surge of demonic energy into it.
The entire Demon Realm began to tremble, demonic energy swirling everywhere.
Beneath the Profound Return Array, a crimson light shone forth—the Heaven Severing Sword was about to emerge.
Xie Ying narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled.
What a pity, what a pity. Why wasn't there someone born with an Evil Bone? If he were here, they wouldn't have needed to expend so much effort just to awaken a demonic sword.
One born with an Evil Bone was inherently a master whom both they and the demonic artifacts would submit to.
Otherwise, that person would have been the best candidate, their true monarch of the demonic realm.
Su Su and the others fled the Demon Realm.
Cang Hai glanced back nervously, his heart pounding. "Are they not chasing us?"
He had been terrified, thinking his life was over, but unexpectedly, the situation had turned around, and they managed to leave the Demon Realm unscathed.
Just as he thought this, Tantai Jin beside him staggered and dropped to one knee.
He leaned on the Hunyuan Sword, barely managing to stay upright.
Cang Hai quickly asked, "Junior brother, are you alright?"
He reached out to support him, but Tantai Jin raised a hand to brush him off, gritting his teeth as he tried to stand with the help of the Hunyuan Sword.
"Step aside. Don't bother with me."
Li Susu was still nearby—he couldn't appear so weak just from taking a single blow from Gongye Jiewu.
Unable to persuade his junior brother, Cang Hai had no choice but to refrain from touching him.
Tantai Jin finally managed to stand, but his face turned pale, and he nearly collapsed again.
A pair of soft arms steadied him.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Without even looking up, Tantai Jin knew who it was—the faint scent of epiphyllum from the young woman was right under his nose.
Since their reunion five hundred years later, she had never taken the initiative to approach him. This was the first time.
His heart, which had been like stagnant water, stirred as if brushed by a spring breeze, coming back to life.
Suppressing the urge to smile, he said coldly, "Didn't I say it? Don't bother with me."
Su Su looked at him silently.
The scent of blood on Tantai Jin was strong. That strike from Gongye Jiewu had originally been aimed at her, but he had taken it head-on.
Now, with the senior brother's cultivation no weaker than Hanba's, and Tantai Jin's tenacious vitality, if he couldn't even stand steadily, his internal organs were likely shattered.
He refused Cang Hai's support, but his dark eyes fixed coldly on her.
A mix of resentment and anger.
When he collapsed again, Su Su finally, with complicated emotions, steadied him.
But then he said not to bother with him.
Su Su stared into his eyes. Are you serious or not? If so, I really won't bother with you then.
Just as she was about to let go, Tantai Jin's slender fingers gripped the sleeve of her gauze dress tightly.
The slight lift at the corners of his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by furious displeasure as they drooped, giving him a gloomy appearance.
It clearly conveyed that if she dared to let go, he would strangle her.
Su Su: "..."
If the circumstances were different, if the timing were different, if Su Su were still living in the era five hundred years ago when nothing had happened yet, she would have been unable to suppress the smile tugging at her lips.At this moment, she lowered her gaze and sighed inwardly, helping Tantai Jin to his feet.
This time, he seemed to know she would heartlessly let go. He remained silent, wordlessly following her steps.
Yet his expression remained dark and icy, his thoughts unreadable.
Yaoguang had yet to recover from the shock of Gongye Jiewu becoming a Demonic Cultivator. Her spirits were low, her eyes red-rimmed.
Cang Hai glanced at Su Su, then at Tantai Jin.
Had he been rejected by his junior brother?
They had just stepped from the Demon Realm into the mortal world when they saw dark clouds dispersing in the sky behind them.
"That's the direction of the Demon Realm!"
The Heavy Feather Konghou sensed something and grew restless.
Tantai Jin watched the dense black energy in the sky, behind which ominous Demonic Energy swirled faintly.
The God Slaying Crossbow within him seemed to resonate with something, once again whispering temptations in his ear.
"You've seen it all—who truly occupies her heart. Whether five hundred years ago or now, there's no place for you. She pities you now, but once you recover, she'll revert to her old self, perhaps even avoiding you entirely."
"Haven't you already made your decision? Otherwise, why would you have taken the glazed artifact infused with the Illusion Face Pearl's power from Zhang Yuanbai? If you can wield the God Slaying Crossbow, you can command the Heaven Severing Sword. Such supreme power..."
Tantai Jin's eyes turned sinister. Before it could finish, he fiercely suppressed it.
Silence!
He too had sensed the descent of another Demonic Artifact.
Cang Hai's eyelid twitched incessantly. "Such heavy Demonic Energy. What do we do now?"
This journey had yielded nothing—they neither found their master nor brought Gongye Jiewu back. The only silver lining was learning of Hanba's awakening, allowing the immortal realm to prepare.
Su Su stared at the anomalous phenomenon of the Heaven Severing Sword's emergence, her brow gradually furrowing. "Something's wrong. We must leave!"
No sooner had she spoken than a figure shot out from the Demon Realm.
In his hand was a black longsword, its surface pulsing with blood-red patterns.
If Gongye Jiewu once carried an air of elegance, he was now fully consumed by demonic influence.
The Demonic Mark no longer flickered faintly but had solidified into tangible patterns along his neck.
His once gentle, smiling eyes had transformed into cold, merciless Demonic Pupils.
Yaoguang cried out, "Jiewu!"
The figure hovered mid-air, gazing down at them icily. The Jade Crown on his head shattered into dust under the overwhelming power, his hair spilling loose. Gongye Jiewu raised the Heaven Severing Sword in his hand.
Xie Ying emerged from the Demon Realm in flowing red robes, watching the scene with intoxicated fascination.
Su Su's heart sank. She had known Xie Ying wouldn't let them go so easily. So Hanba's plan was to make Gongye Jiewu kill them himself, ensuring he could never turn back from the path of a Demonic Cultivator.
As the Heaven Severing Sword rose, dark clouds churned overhead like Tribulation Thunder.
Yaoguang's face turned ashen as she stared dazedly at the figure in the sky.
He shouldn't be a demon. If he killed innocent people, how devastated would he be upon awakening one day?
Gritting her teeth, she formed a hand seal and transformed into a stream of light, shooting toward Gongye Jiewu.
Su Su instantly understood Yaoguang's intention—she meant to sacrifice herself to the demonic sword, hoping to jolt Gongye Jiewu back to clarity for a moment.
"Yaoguang, don't!"
Just as Yaoguang was about to collide with the Heaven Severing Sword, countless golden threads rained down like flowing strands, binding the stream of light.
Tantai Jin retracted the Thought-Burning Loop, forcibly pulling Yaoguang back.
His eyes cold as frosty stars, he scolded, "Fool.""
What good would a moment of clarity do? Wouldn't he just continue killing?Tantai Jin glanced at Su Su beside him.
If one day he were to become like Gongye Jiewu—neither human nor ghost—would she, like today, look at him with nothing but sorrow in her eyes, devoid of any trace of disgust?
No, she would not.
Tantai Jin closed his eyes. The moment Gongye Jiewu's Heaven Severing Sword descended, its immense pressure rendered nearly everyone immobile.
Just as Chongyu hummed, determined to protect Su Su and the others at all costs, a dark crossbow met the Heaven Severing Sword.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze, as if a tear had been ripped through reality.
Xie Ying stared at the youth holding the God Slaying Crossbow.
How could a Cultivator wield the God Slaying Crossbow! Watching the rampant Demonic Energy surge from Tantai Jin's body in that moment, Xie Ying's expression turned incredulous. Could he be—
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