The pearl illuminated the corners around them.
Once the World-Toppling Flower was awakened, it could neither be destroyed nor reversed. Its ownership could only be forcibly changed before the ritual was completed.
Su Su’s soul was that of an immortal, so the Divine Artifact naturally felt closer to her.
Now that the World-Toppling Flower recognized her as its master, Su Su closed her eyes and drew out a small portion of its power from Tantai Jin’s body.
A purple glow flowed from Tantai Jin’s body into Su Su’s.
Among all things in the world, the purple World-Toppling Flower embodied the most sorrow, resentment, and grief.
The unconscious Tantai Jin’s Adam’s apple moved slightly.
He had indeed deliberately allowed the tree demon to swallow him. The tree demon was foolish—once provoked, it acted recklessly. Tantai Jin followed the clues and snatched the World-Toppling Flower from the tree demon.
Tantai Jin did not recognize what it was, but as soon as the World-Toppling Flower touched his blood, it began to tremble violently. Before he could throw it away, a sharp pain pierced his mind, and he lost consciousness.
Amid boundless darkness and fear, he vaguely returned to the Great Xia palace of his childhood.
He leaned against the back of a rockery, watching the enemy country’s empress wipe sweat from the young prince’s brow.
That woman’s expression was gentle, her eyes holding a light he had never seen.
Tantai Jin heard the empress ask, “Lin’er, what did you learn today?”
The exquisitely delicate Xiao Lin bowed and replied, “Your Majesty, today the Grand Tutor taught the principles of flood control, and General Liu instructed me in archery and horsemanship.”
The empress smiled. “My child, you are still so young. Can you truly understand what the Grand Tutor and the general taught you?”
Xiao Lin nodded. “Knowledge from books alone feels shallow. The Grand Tutor said that learning principles early allows one to practice them sooner.”
The matron beside the empress added, “Her Majesty was concerned that Your Highness might be tired, so she prepared warm soup and has been waiting here for you.”
A palace maid brought over a food box.
The aroma drifted through the air. Tantai Jin, his small figure dusty and unkempt, sat behind the rockery, watching them coldly. His stomach growled with hunger—he couldn’t remember how many meals he had missed.
Lifting his tattered boots, Tantai Jin crushed an ant in the mud and stared fixedly at the empress.
He, too, had once had a mother.
But for him to live, his mother had to die. He had chosen to be born, and in his infancy, he had unwittingly killed his mother.
As Tantai Jin watched Xiao Lin, his hand unconsciously tightened around a blade of grass. He often overheard the palace servants gossiping—
How exceptional the Sixth Prince was, composing poetry at seven, and even the twelve-year-old Fourth Prince could not defeat him;
How benevolent and kind the Sixth Prince was, comforting palace maids who accidentally offended him;
How the emperor doted on the Sixth Prince, even personally teaching him calligraphy. In the future, the Sixth Prince was most likely to inherit the throne. He would be a wise ruler, marry the most beautiful woman in the world, and be beloved by all…
The Sixth Prince, Xiao Lin.
The best mother, the noblest status, a prodigy in martial arts, exceptional literary talent, the brightest future.
Leaning against the rockery, Tantai Jin’s pitch-black eyes held no light.
The empress and Xiao Lin had long since departed when a plainly dressed woman approached. Lady Liu looked at Tantai Jin behind the rockery and said softly, “You saw it, Your Highness. This is how you should have lived. He is the Sixth Prince of Great Xia, and you are the Sixth Prince of Zhou Kingdom. But he is a cloud in the sky, while you have become mud on the ground.”
“All of this should have been yours.”
Tantai Jin asked in confusion, “Should have been mine?”Lady Liu said excitedly, "Yes! So one day you must return to the Zhou Kingdom and reclaim everything that belongs to you. Power, strength, beautiful women—everything that belongs to Xiao Lin should be yours, including his kingdom. When you reign over the world, they will be nothing but ants beneath your feet."
Tantai Jin remained silent for a long time before finally revealing a smile. "It will all be mine."
Yet in the fourteen years that followed, Xiao Lin remained Xiao Lin, while he was still just himself—the Tantai Jin in the cold palace whom everyone could bully and humiliate.
A creature that shunned the light, an ant that Xiao Lin could crush under his foot if he wished.
Unfortunately, being a kind and upright person, Xiao Lin not only refrained from crushing him but often helped him instead.
Tantai Jin wondered, if their roles were reversed, would he help Xiao Lin?
No, he wouldn't. He clearly knew the answer, as a faint voice whispered hauntingly in his mind: You would torture him to death, kill him with sheer delight.
The world was bizarre and bewildering, making him feel suffocated.
The cold palace was scorching in summer and freezing in winter, with scarce clothing and food.
Lady Liu's sharp voice constantly reminded him: Seize it, take it by force! Don't be so useless—it's all yours, every bit of it!
The power of the purple World-Toppling Flower spread through his body.
A surge of brutality grew in his heart, and Tantai Jin's fingers gradually tightened.
But at that moment, someone pried open his lips, and a soft warmth pressed against them.
His fingers twitched, the burgeoning violence halted, replaced by a sense of confusion.
He didn't know what was happening; all his senses converged on that single point on his lips.
He forgot Lady Liu, forgot Xiao Lin and the empress, forgot the power he chased.
At this moment, only one sensation was clear.
Tantai Jin's Adam's apple bobbed. Though his consciousness was still hazy, he wanted to grasp this feeling.
It was warm, with a hint of refreshing sweetness, like the time he sat alone in the palace, watching a delicate yet stubborn flower bloom bit by bit under a heavy rain in the mortal world.
He stared intently, wanting to go over and crush it, but in the end, he remained seated high in the palace, unmoving.
That was perhaps one of the rare moments he tasted fear—a mix of yearning and dread.
He wanted to seize it, but in the end, he didn't even dare to approach.
The sensation on his lips grew more intense, even overshadowing the faint fear. Almost instinctively, he responded fervently, hoping she would give him more.
But before he could fully savor it, a slender finger tapped his forehead. Tantai Jin grunted and lost consciousness.
Su Su had directly knocked him out. She touched her slightly swollen lips, feeling somewhat annoyed. Evil beings were indeed evil beings.
She was sucking the World-Toppling Flower, but what was he doing?
She pried open Tantai Jin's fingers, which were clutching the hem of her clothes, and sat cross-legged beside him.
Tantai Jin needed an eye to survive, and now that the Divine Artifact had entered his body, her eye could remain clear and incorruptible.
It would spare him from having to madly seize the eyes of mortals and demons.
The curved jade was unwilling to awaken, perhaps afraid of crying. It had watched Su Su grow up, protected her for a hundred years, and couldn't bear to see her suffer.
Su Su, however, was remarkably calm.
The so-called Great Path could not be achieved by being generous with others' sacrifices. Whose eye was not an eye? If she wanted to save someone, she would do it herself.
She untied the cloth blindfolding Tantai Jin's eyes. Blood had soaked through the fabric.
Su Su whispered, "I save you today, but when I return from the Desolate Abyss, I will kill you."
The young man lay with his eyes closed, silent and still.
Her slender fingers brushed over his eye sockets. Su Su covered her left eye, the pain making her want to cry.
This lonely path, this cold and desolate mortal world—no matter what, she had to keep going.
*When Tantai Jin awoke, he found himself still inside the Peach Tree Demon's trunk, with a small head resting on his leg.
Su Su's dark hair was spread out, her lips pale as she lay collapsed in his embrace.
He raised his hand to touch his right eye and discovered it had miraculously healed, while the strange, power-filled object that had been in his hand had vanished into thin air.
Could it be that thing had transformed into his current left eye?
Frowning, he pinched the sharp chin of the person in his arms. "Wake up."
Su Su's long eyelashes fluttered as she weakly opened her eyes.
Her vision took a moment to focus, and a faint purple glow imperceptibly faded from her left eye. She blinked, feeling some dryness.
The eye formed from the World-Toppling Flower remained beautiful, indistinguishable from a real one. Yet this eye was like glass or jade—unable to see.
If she covered her right eye, her world would plunge into darkness.
A rumbling sound echoed within the tree trunk, accompanied by dripping water. Having lost the Divine Artifact, the tree demon had become vulnerable.
Tantai Jin said, "Let's get out first."
Su Su nodded. Supporting herself against the inner wall of the peach tree, she tried to stand, but her mortal body, having forcibly transformed the Divine Artifact, left her completely drained of strength.
Just as she was about to slip down, Tantai Jin wordlessly caught her.
The red-clad youth, his expression icy, hoisted her onto his back.
Su Su remained silent, so he didn't bother speaking either, carrying her out as they went.
Though the inner walls of the peach tree were spacious, the path wasn't long. Su Su's arms rested limply on his shoulders.
When Tantai Jin stepped out of the peach tree and looked back, the Peach Tree Demon was reduced to mere branches. Without the World-Toppling Flower, it could no longer bloom in winter nor move freely, and it stared at them in terror.
Tantai Jin sneered coldly and gestured to the girl on his back. "Summon lightning to destroy this thing."
Mustering her energy, Su Su activated a formation. Centered on the peach tree, dark purple thunderbolts as thick as thighs struck down, causing the Peach Tree Demon to wail in agony.
Without the World-Toppling Flower, it had lost its ability to move freely.
Tantai Jin, carrying Su Su on his back, stood at a distance and watched as the peach tree was struck for half an hour before finally collapsing with a thunderous crash.
As Tantai Jin prepared to leave, Su Su spoke weakly, "We still need to find Xiao You."
Tantai Jin replied, "You promised. Not me."
Su Su leaned exhaustedly against his shoulder.
Tantai Jin carried Su Su, nearly out of the estate, when he suddenly turned back and approached the Peach Tree Demon again. The demon was already charred from the lightning strikes.
"Don't regret looking," he said indifferently.
Su Su opened her eyes and gazed sorrowfully at the female remains beneath the peach tree.
Their bodies had been pierced by the peach tree's branches, becoming nutrients for the tree.
Having grown so large, the peach tree had killed countless people. The corpses of young women, like Young Master Wang, were left as nothing but horrifying husks.
Among so many, it was impossible to distinguish which one was Xiao You.
Su Su said, "Let's go."
Tantai Jin grunted in agreement and left the Wang estate.
Dawn had yet to break, and the streets were still adorned with bright red lanterns. The wind swayed the lanterns, their shadows flickering eerily.
The culprit behind all this had turned into a pile of withered wood.
The red-clad youth, barefoot, carried the girl on his back.
His expression cold, he walked through the sinister streets without a trace of fear.
Tantai Jin asked, "When you came in, did you see what was in my hand?"
Feigning ignorance, Su Su replied weakly, "What thing? When the tree demon swallowed me, I saw you had passed out. I barely made it over before I lost consciousness too."Tantai Jin fell silent, raising his head to observe the entire town shrouded in dark clouds, the intense Demonic Aura striking fear into the heart.
Carrying Su Su on his back for a while, their shadows intertwined under the lantern light, Tantai Jin felt somewhat unsettled, a cold indifference rising in his heart. He spoke coldly, "Considering you helped me kill the tree demon today, I'll take you back to the village. From now on, take care of yourself."
No response came from behind after a long moment. He slightly turned his head to look.
The young girl had lowered her head and, unbeknownst to him, had fallen asleep on his shoulder.
Soon, daybreak arrived.
Chen Yanyan hadn't slept all night, terrified that the substitute marriage would be exposed and her entire family would die before dawn.
At the rooster's first crow, seeing herself safe and sound, Chen Yanyan let out a deep sigh of relief.
Her parents, knowing they were saved, wept with gratitude.
Chen Yanyan looked at her reflection in the mirror and couldn't resist touching her face.
Though not beautiful, she was at the prime of her youth, her every movement carrying a unique allure.
Changing into a clean floral dress and tying her hair into two braids, Chen Yanyan went to the village entrance.
A white mist rose in the forest. Chen Yanyan's heart tightened with nervousness as she thought of that breathtakingly handsome man. She felt both ashamed of her own inadequacy and filled with longing.
She sat dazedly on the large rock at the village entrance until footsteps sounded from the forest. Chen Yanyan quickly jumped off the rock and indeed saw the red-clad youth.
The woman's bun he had worn yesterday was already undone, his jet-black hair matching his pupil color.
Though the wedding robe was torn, he paid it no mind. Chen Yanyan's heart raced, finding something fascinating in his aloofness.
She approached him, stammering, "I... you, are you both alright?"
Tantai Jin, carrying Su Su on his back, walked into the village without even glancing at her.
Chen Yanyan followed closely behind him. "This humble girl thanks you for saving my life."
Even Su Su, deep in sleep, was awakened by the noise.
Rubbing her eyes, she saw Chen Yanyan beside her. Noticing Su Su was awake, Chen Yanyan nervously lowered her head.
Su Su asked her, "Miss Chen, is everything alright with you?"
Chen Yanyan shook her head. Su Su patted Tantai Jin's shoulder. "I'm feeling much better now. Thank you, you can put me down."
Without another word, Tantai Jin let her walk on her own.
Chen Yanyan looked at Su Su, feeling a twinge of jealousy.
In Chen Yanyan's mind, Young Master Wang was extremely terrifying. Before yesterday, she had even considered preferring death to getting into the wedding sedan. If not for her mother's desperate pleas, she might have already taken her own life.
But... since Tantai Jin returned safely, Young Master Wang must be dead.
He had protected her.
Chen Yanyan clenched her fingers in her clothes and spoke to Su Su, "Miss Ye, has that Young Master Wang been eliminated by you?"
Su Su nodded and briefly explained about the tree demon to Chen Yanyan.
Chen Yanyan said, "So it was a Peach Tree Demon. Now that it's dead, the village girls won't have to live in fear anymore..."
Tantai Jin turned back, giving Chen Yanyan a faint glance.
Chen Yanyan instantly noticed his gaze, her cheeks flushing crimson.
Tantai Jin's dark eyes turned cold, a strange smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
Su Su didn't notice the atmosphere between them, the World-Toppling Flower in her eye still uncomfortable. Previously rushing to save people, she had forgotten another important matter—she should have asked the tree demon about the method to enter the Desolate Abyss.What weighed even more heavily on Su Su's heart was that Xiao You had died—Xiao Ling and the elderly couple must be devastated.
Lost in thought, Su Su walked ahead of the other two. Her clothes were less tidy than Chen Yanyan's, her neatly tied hair had come loose, and her small face was smudged with dirt. She hugged her arms to keep warm in the morning mist.
Chen Yanyan suddenly felt a surge of confidence. She lifted her eyes to glance at Tantai Jin, only to find his dark pupils fixed on Su Su ahead, his expression devoid of any emotion.
Jealousy coiled like a venomous serpent in her heart. Chen Yanyan said nothing more and returned home.
When the village chief learned that the Peach Tree Demon had been slain, he felt both grief and relief.
His own daughter had also been taken by the tree demon.
That day, families who had lost their daughters went to Squire Wang's residence in town to retrieve their children's remains.
Xiao Ling, her eyes red-rimmed, tried to kowtow to Su Su.
Su Su stopped her and gently stroked her hair. "Xiao You died protecting you all. Your happiness is her greatest wish. Xiao Ling, you must live on for your sister's sake as well."
Xiao Ling sniffled and nodded.
She leaned close to Su Su's ear, wrapped her arms around Su Su's neck, and suddenly whispered, "Miss Ye, you must be careful of Chen Yanyan."
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