Countless demonic beasts surged from the Demon Realm, all gazing with reverence at their new Demon Lord. Their eyes then turned to Su Su, their fingers twitching with bloodlust.
Under the scrutiny of all, Tantai Jin turned his head, his crimson pupils coldly fixed on Su Su.
His pale fingers reached out, gripping the girl's chin.
Though his frame was slender, he towered over her, looking down with icy detachment. His eyes were frigid, carrying a hint of cruelty.
This gaze was the very one Su Su had often seen in her childhood nightmares—the eyes of the Demon God.
Five hundred years ago, Su Su had made a mortal boy play a role on a carriage. Now, five centuries later, that scene had become reality.
"Ye Xiwu?" His voice was laced with restrained emotion as he sneered coldly. "You overestimate yourself. Five hundred years ago, you came to my side out of fear—fear of this very day. What makes you think this lord would still be bound by a liar?"
As his words fell, his sleeve lifted, and Chongyu transformed into an Immortal Sword, shielding Su Su. Tantai Jin struck the blade with a single palm, sending Su Su stumbling to the ground.
His fingers tightened around the Heaven Severing Sword as he strode forward without a backward glance. Wherever he passed, screams of agony followed.
Su Su clenched Chongyu tightly. Tantai Jin had figured it all out—the moment he became a demon, he had guessed the reason she had sought him out five centuries ago.
"Su Su!" Yaoguang called out.
Su Su looked up as the demonic beasts roared in triumph, transforming into streams of black energy that surged toward the immortals.
The sky darkened, clouds gathering ominously. The demonic horde poured forth like a floodgate unleashed, rushing toward the mortal realm.
The scene before her overlapped with the history she remembered—
Twilight of the Immortals.
The Tomb of Ten Thousand Immortals.
The nightmare of all immortals had begun at this very moment.
No. This couldn't happen.
Su Su pushed herself up from the ground. "Tantai Jin!"
The reflection of a blood-red sword flickered in the young man's gaunt pupils before he vanished a hundred paces away in the blink of an eye.
A spinning red umbrella blocked Su Su's path.
Jing caught the flying umbrella, her lips curled in a smile, but her eyes were frosty.
"Little girl, you’ve grown too bold. To think you’ve become a demigod. A pity—today, you’ll meet your end here."
For the first time, Jing felt genuine killing intent toward the girl before her, recognizing her as a formidable threat.
Su Su’s mind raced, and a plan formed. She abandoned her pursuit of Tantai Jin and instead turned to face Hanba.
Chongyu transformed into a konghou, hovering before Su Su.
Now that she no longer feared backlash when using Chongyu, the music flowed like water—soft as silk, sharp as a blade.
Jing had assumed she could easily dispatch the girl, only to realize Su Su was far more troublesome than expected.
Her eyes gleamed as she studied the composed young woman before her. "Do you know where I found the Demon Lord? Or why he chose to become a demon?"
Su Su faltered slightly.
Jing’s lips curled mockingly. "A shame—you’ll never know the answer."
Before the words fully left her mouth, a violet light struck Su Su’s body. Jingmie had appeared behind her without warning. Blood trickled from Su Su’s lips as she fell from the sky like a withered leaf.
Jing’s dagger shot forth, aiming straight for Su Su’s heart.
"Su Su!" Yaoguang cried out in desperation.
"Su Su!" Qu Xuanzi shouted.
A black arrow pierced through the dark clouds and struck the red umbrella.
Jing staggered back a step, her smile vanishing. "Demon Lord?"
The black-clad youth stepped forth from the thick demonic energy, his demonic pupils icy. In his arms lay the fallen Goddess. "Withdraw."
At his command, the demonic soldiers retreated into the Demon Realm.
Jingmie hesitated only briefly before kneeling in salute and following suit.
On the verge of victory, Jing turned to glare at the distant mountains, her eyes reddening with frustration.
Tantai Jin’s voice was devoid of emotion. "The last Gathering World Pearl is with Li Susu."
Hearing this, Jing’s sorrow turned to joy.
No wonder the Demon Lord had returned to save this demigod girl—he had discovered the pearl’s whereabouts.
With the final Gathering World Pearl, the Path of Shared Sorrow could be activated immediately.
Now that Su Su was captured, there was no need to continue battling these stubborn immortals.
She sensed someone watching her.
Su Su remained still, keeping her eyes closed.
The cold, hateful gaze lingered for a long time before the figure finally stood and left.
The chilling aura of demonic energy rippled around her. The sound of clanking chains echoed as the girl lay on a smooth stone bed, her wrists bound.
After a long silence, Chongyu spoke. "They’re gone. You can stop pretending!"
Su Su, who had been "bleeding" moments ago, opened her eyes and sat up unharmed. She wiped the blood from her lips—the self-inflicted wound in her mouth had already healed.
She surveyed her surroundings.
Chongyu remarked, "He locked you in the Demon Realm’s Water Prison. Strange—isn’t the Demon Realm supposed to be barren? This place is bright, and there are even flowers."
Su Su looked around. As Chongyu had said, vast stretches of purple lotuses bloomed across the water’s surface. Were it not for the lingering black mist, the scene would have been beautiful.
A few beams of light fell upon her. Su Su glanced up at the openings above, her lips curving into a faint smile.
Chongyu was puzzled. "What’s so funny?"
She didn’t answer.
The man who had sworn to hate her had imprisoned her in the only place in the Demon Realm with light and life.
"Chongyu, proceed as planned."
"Got it." Chongyu transformed into a key, perfectly fitting the chains around Su Su’s wrists and unlocking them.
Su Su flexed her hands. The divine mark on her forehead shimmered as she waved her hand, conjuring an identical replica of herself on the stone bed.
Chongyu cheered. "Good thing we anticipated this before coming to the Demon Realm."
Su Su crouched beside the puppet. "I leave it to you."
The puppet on the stone bed smiled and nodded—an eerily perfect imitation of Su Su. Thanks to the fox demon power within Ye Chufeng’s body, this was the only thing in the Six Realms that could briefly rival the Illusion Face Pearl.
Su Su’s form dissolved into the Water Prison.
Even before arriving in the Demon Realm, she had harbored a foreboding sense. If someone vanished without a trace, the most likely explanation was that Tantai Jin had already entered the Demon Realm.
Inspired by Zhang Yuanbai’s Illusion Face Pearl, Su Su had discussed a plan with Ye Chufeng beforehand—if things went awry during their assault on the Demon Realm, they would find a way to infiltrate and destroy the Marrow Cleansing Seal and the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array.
Qu Xuanzi had approved the plan. The old man had even suppressed his instincts outside the Demon Realm to play along with the younger generation’s act.
Poor Yaoguang, oblivious to the scheme, had nearly charged forward when she saw Su Su injured and captured. Thankfully, her master Qingqian had reacted swiftly and pulled her away.
Su Su moved invisibly, carefully avoiding the demonic guards.
This visit to the Demon Palace felt entirely different from the last. Once chaotic, it was now orderly.
Bubbling lava gurgled outside the palace, the air thick with the stench of blood. There was no water, no life—only filth and gore.
"Where would the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array be?" Chongyu transformed into a butterfly, fluttering beside Su Su.
"Wherever is most important."
"And where is that?"
Su Su paused, gesturing ahead.
Among the Demon Palace’s structures, one stood out for its intricate design. A massive creature lay sprawled at its entrance.
Chongyu flew to Su Su’s ear, astonished. "That’s the ancient beast Taotie!"
Su Su studied it. Oddly, the Taotie bore some resemblance to a tiger.
But that wasn’t important now. She tiptoed past the Taotie and slipped inside.
Blue flames flickered dimly along the walls. The black-clad youth lounged on a dais, his demonic pupils lazily surveying those below.
Several cultivators knelt forcibly on the ground, alongside a few demonic cultivators.
Jing and Jingmie stood on either side.
Tantai Jin raised his hand. His eyes were empty as his fingers slowly clenched. The energy—whether demonic or spiritual—was siphoned from the kneeling figures, leaving behind only piles of yellow sand.
Chongyu gasped.
They had stumbled into the Demon Lord’s stronghold—all three of the most powerful demons were here.
Even Su Su dared not move, holding her breath.
Last time, Jing had detected her. This time, she had to be extra cautious. As a demigod, the gap between gods and immortals was vast. If she concealed herself properly, Jing and the others wouldn’t notice her.
Tantai Jin’s gaze swept over the spot where Su Su and Chongyu hid.
Su Su’s heart clenched—had they been discovered? But his eyes soon shifted away as he muttered, "Leave."
Jing and Jingmie bowed and withdrew.
Su Su noticed the difference. Before Gongye Jiewu, Jing had been bold and arrogant. But in Tantai Jin’s presence, she was deferential.
Instinct told her—Jing did not submit to Gongye Jiewu, but she did to Tantai Jin.
So, what had happened to Tantai Jin?
Su Su studied the overwhelming demonic energy around him. Had the demon core within Gongye Jiewu’s body been transferred to Tantai Jin?
Even without the Evil Bone, Tantai Jin possessed the Marrow of the Gods and three demonic artifacts.
In a way, he could be called a Fallen Immortal—or the Demon God.
Where was her senior brother now? Was he in danger?
Once Jing and Jingmie left, Tantai Jin closed his eyes, reclining on the dark dais.
Demonic energy swirled around him, the sinister mark on his forehead glowing as he refined his power.
Things had reached the worst possible outcome.
She didn’t know how to turn back time. Gongye Jiewu might have had a chance to start over—but what about Tantai Jin?
Su Su steadied herself. Now wasn’t the time for confrontation. Destroying the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array was the priority.
The dais had four corners, each bearing the likeness of an ancient beast—a mechanism for activating some kind of array.
Su Su approached the dais. Tantai Jin, still refining his power, remained unaware.
The dais was wide. Su Su lifted her skirt and stepped onto it, holding her breath as she examined the intricate patterns.
Profound Return, Profound Return.
How could she reach the array’s core?
She had studied arrays with the curved jade. Just as she deciphered one pattern and moved to inspect another, the figure beside her suddenly opened his eyes.
Su Su: "…!"
She froze, not daring to move or leave under his gaze.
The youth turned onto his side, resting his head on his arm as he faced her.
His crimson pupils were dark and unfocused—but for a moment, Su Su feared he could see her.
A flicker of panic rose. Was Ye Chufeng’s method truly reliable?
He was so close—another inch, and his breath might brush her cheek.
They remained locked in stillness.
His pale fingers twitched. Su Su tensed.
Just as she thought he might touch her face, a black cloak flew into his grasp.
Tantai Jin rose from the dais, draping the cloak over his shoulders.
Without a word, he strode out.
"Interrogate Qu Xuanzi’s daughter, Li Susu."
Chongyu, still in butterfly form, fluttered beside Su Su. "Are you relieved… or disappointed?"
Su Su glared. "If you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak at all!"
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