Ming Ye stood in the darkness, holding Sang Jiu in his arms.
He suddenly dared not carry her into the sunlight, unwilling to see the look in her eyes at this moment.
In the end, Ming Ye walked out of the dungeon alone, understanding that Sang Jiu would never apologize.
The immortal maid, seeing his pale face, watched him anxiously and said, "True Lord, Saintess Tian Huan is crying."
Ming Ye replied, "I know."
He strode toward Tian Hao Palace.
Before he even drew near, he indeed heard the sound of painful, low sobbing.
Gods possess Divine Marrow, immortals have Spirit Marrow, and Demonic Beasts harbor demonic roots.
Destroying the Spiritual Root is no less agonizing than having one's bones excised. Though Tian Huan had been revived, and Tian Hao had been nursing her with pain-suppressing medicine these past few days, it still could not alleviate her suffering.
Whenever she awoke, she would cry out in unbearable pain.
As soon as Ming Ye entered, Tian Huan grabbed his sleeve and sobbed softly, "Ming Ye, it hurts so much, it hurts so much."
Tian Hao said furiously, "That clam spirit dared to harm Tian Huan, causing her such agony. I want her soul scattered, to repay my daughter for her suffering today."
Ming Ye said coldly, "I forbid it!"
He closed his eyes briefly. "Master, I've already said that Sang Jiu was possessed by a fiend, which caused her to harm Tian Huan. Since Tian Huan has awakened, let this matter rest."
Tian Hao retorted, "You still defend that clam spirit! Do you also believe Tian Huan was at fault? She was carrying out orders to purge the Demonic Beasts—what was wrong with that? These past few days, you've seen for yourself—the Mohe River is teeming with Demonic Aura. Tian Huan did not wrong the Clam Tribe."
Ming Ye said, "The Clam Tribe has resided in the Mohe River for thousands of years and has never harmed anyone."
Tian Hao sneered, "So you intend to shield that clam spirit to the end? Tian Huan has lost her Spirit Marrow. For me to spare the clam spirit is absolutely impossible! Unless... we transplant that clam spirit's Spirit Marrow to Tian Huan."
Ming Ye said calmly, "Since Tian Huan has lost her Spirit Marrow, I wonder if my Spirit Marrow would suffice as compensation?"
Tian Hao was stunned.
Ming Ye's Spirit Marrow—how many people coveted such a thing!
Ming Ye continued, "I will give my Spirit Marrow to Tian Huan, and let this matter be as if it never happened. From now on, I return Shangqing to you, Master, and with it, all debts of gratitude. Venerable Tian Hao, there is only one Three Realms Execution Order. It would be best if you did not waste it on a little clam spirit."
With that, he prepared to extract his Spirit Marrow.
Tian Huan clutched his sleeve tightly, looking at him in disbelief. "Ming Ye, do you know what you're doing? You would do this for that clam spirit..."
Ming Ye said, "A hundred years ago, she already became my immortal consort, my wife."
Tian Huan gave a bitter smile. "At this point, I have no choice but to tell you the truth. The Clam Tribe colluded with Demonic Beasts as early as a hundred years ago. You say Sang Jiu was controlled by a fiend—others may not believe it, but I do. Only, it wasn't control; she was willingly doing everything for the Demonic Beasts."
Ming Ye stared coldly at her.
Tian Huan said, "Do you know why she saw the message you left but refused to wait for you in the bamboo grove? Because at that time, she was with a wolf demon. Shao Ju, one of the Demon God's top generals—you must know him. If you investigate, you'll find that during those days, Sang Jiu was with Shao Ju the entire time."
Tian Huan looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Ming Ye, don't you understand yet? Sang Jiu no longer loves you. She has been consorting with Shao Ju for so long that the entire Mohe River is filled with Demonic Aura. Why must you abandon Shangqing for her sake?"
Ming Ye clenched his fists, his lips pressed tightly together. His gaze, usually aloof, now sharpened with unprecedented intensity. "Silence!"Tian Huan sobbed and shook her head: "Even you don't know where the demonic aura in Mohe River comes from. With the Demon God dead, aside from Shao Ju, who else could possess such dense demonic aura? You don't understand a woman's heart. You've neglected Sang Jiu for a hundred years. No matter how much she liked you before, what could remain now besides hatred?"
Ming Ye's fingertips turned pale.
He had left a secret message in the bamboo grove, asking Sang Jiu to wait for him seven days. But when he returned for her on the seventh day, he couldn't find Sang Jiu. Instead, he saw thick demonic aura permeating the forest...
Sang Jiu used to be delighted whenever she saw him, but now she wouldn't even let him approach.
Ming Ye said coldly: "I don't believe it. Since Saintess Tian Huan doesn't want my Spirit Marrow, I'll find another way to compensate you. If you truly refuse to let Sang Jiu go, I cannot stop you at all times, but I hope Venerable Tian Hao understands that I haven't been serving as True Lord for a thousand years in vain."
As soon as he finished speaking, an immortal soldier rushed in to report—
"True Lord, the clam spirit in the dungeon has disappeared!"
At these words, Ming Ye's expression changed drastically.
His eyes turned icy cold, and in the next instant, he appeared in the dungeon.
Just as the immortal soldier had said, the dungeon was completely empty.
A faint demonic aura lingered in the air, so familiar that rage and panic nearly made him lose his reason. In the blink of an eye, he followed the demonic aura for hundreds of miles.
Su Su curled up on the back of the giant wolf demon.
Shao Ju's voice was gentle: "If you're tired, sleep for a while. I won't let them kill you."
Su Su whispered: "I'm not afraid of them killing me."
Shao Ju said: "My entry into Shangqing won't escape Ming Ye's notice. He'll catch up soon. I didn't come here without any chance of success. Don't be afraid, I can definitely take you away. However, the situation for demonic beasts isn't good now, so you'll likely suffer some hardships following me."
Su Su asked: "Why are you saving me?"
Shao Ju said: "You saved me."
Su Su laughed bitterly: "I saved others too, but they caused Father King's death."
Shao Ju sighed: "Sang Jiu, kindness is not a crime."
Su Su opened her blood-red eyes and murmured to the sky: "Have I become a demon now?"
Shao Ju smiled gently: "You are an immortal."
Tears silently streamed from the corners of her eyes onto Shao Ju's back. She hurriedly wiped them: "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
Shao Ju said: "It doesn't matter."
He carried her through golden fields, and Su Su realized it was already October in the mortal realm—autumn.
Just as Shao Ju had predicted, they hadn't gone far when an immortal lord with black hair and white robes, holding an Immortal Artifact, stood waiting for them ahead.
Shao Ju put Su Su down.
Su Su looked at the man before her. She thought Ming Ye would be angry—after all, everyone in the Three Realms knew that True Lord Ming Ye valued rules above all, with his steadfast Dao Heart that couldn't tolerate demons.
She had prepared herself to die here today.
Though Su Su clearly knew Shao Ju couldn't take her far, she had still climbed onto his back.
This was probably the most selfish act of her life.
She thought, dying in this beautiful mortal realm was better than dying in a dark dungeon. She had prepared herself to face Ming Ye's wrath, yet the cold-faced immortal lord before her seemed not to notice Shao Ju's presence at all. He forced a smile and reached out his hand to her: "Come here."
Ming Ye said: "Sang Jiu, I know he forced you. Come back with me, and I won't make things difficult for him."
In a hundred years, Su Su had never seen Ming Ye smile at her.Most of the time, he would always look at her with cold eyes, scolding her for having no sense of propriety.
If it were before, she would have dreamed of this very scene—the white-robed Immortal Lord reaching out to her, taking her back to Shangqing.
But today, Su Su looked at him with crimson eyes and said, "Immortal Lord Ming Ye, I am a Sprite. Isn't that the rule you set? Sprites are not allowed in Shangqing."
Ming Ye calmly replied, "You are not. Having Demon Eyes doesn't mean you've become a demon. Being controlled by others can also cause Demon Eyes to appear. If you don't want to go to Shangqing, then we won't go."
Su Su said, "I killed people—Tian Huan, and a few other fairies whose names I can't recall."
Ming Ye remained extremely calm, stating with certainty, "They will not die."
As long as their souls remained intact, he could save them. She wouldn't bear any karmic burden either. She could return to being the little princess of the Clam Tribe and continue cultivating immortality—as long as she went back with him.
Su Su murmured, "You're truly mad, Ming Ye."
He stubbornly kept his gaze fixed on her.
Su Su placed her hand in his palm. Ming Ye froze, a flicker of joy appearing in his eyes, but then she softly asked, "If I go back with you, can you kill Tian Huan?"
She felt the hand holding hers stiffen.
She continued slowly, "Kill her, shatter her soul, so she can never be reincarnated. And those fairies—I've heard that if a fairy's body turns to dust and sinks into a river, it can keep the water clear for a hundred years. Ming Ye, how many can you kill?"
She watched as his face gradually turned pale and tried to pull her hand back.
But Ming Ye refused to let go. He abruptly tightened his grip, and the next moment, a cold light struck his hand. He grunted in pain, yet his fingers only clenched tighter.
Shao Ju transformed from a giant wolf into human form, looking at Su Su with concern.
Su Su said to Ming Ye, "Let me go, Ming Ye. It's been a hundred years. Consider it my debt to you and Tian Huan. I, a mere Sprite, should never have aspired to the master of the Immortal Realm. Our Clam Tribe was foolish to use past favors to demand repayment, clinging to your side when we were clearly unworthy. You see, I know my mistake now. I will never trouble you again."
Ming Ye's heart ached unbearably.
He desperately wanted to say that it wasn't like this—that he was the one who had missed out on a hundred years.
Su Su said, "From the very beginning, it was my mistake. I shouldn't have met you, shouldn't have yearned for what was never meant to be mine. Now, with the Mohe River flooded and the Clam Tribe dead, Immortal Lord, please be merciful. Think of Sang Jiu of the Clam Tribe as young and ignorant back then. Either let me go or kill me."
Ming Ye's face turned deathly pale.
Su Su looked at Shao Ju and said, "Let's go."
Shao Ju nodded. They hadn't gone far when Su Su heard a low, hoarse voice behind her: "So, you regret it? You've fallen in love with him?"
He asked with difficulty, as if her answering "yes" would hurt him more than carving his heart out.
Su Su didn't turn back. She said softly, "Ming Ye, who wouldn't be better to love than you?"
Her pearls and tears, her love and innocence—all were buried over this hundred years. But the price she paid was too great, so immense that only sorrow remained in her heart.
Su Su didn't look back, nor did she see Ming Ye staggering after her, still trying to make her stay.
He couldn't hold his Trident, couldn't even touch the hem of her robe.
The Immortal Lord who feared no Fiend was now afraid she might turn around—and even more afraid she wouldn't.
He couldn't let her go, nor could he bring himself to kill her.
He followed for a long time, watching the wolf demon lead her across the autumn fields of the mortal world, through meadows blooming with wildflowers, past pristine waterfalls and streams.
They traveled farther and farther, until finally, they vanished from sight.He stood alone in place. What stopped him wasn't the wolf demon, nor her words, "Ming Ye, wouldn't loving anyone be better than loving you?"
It was the rare smile she revealed when she was carefully placed in the stream that made him halt his steps.
He didn't dare approach, truly understanding for the first time that Sang Jiu no longer loved him.
Ming Ye did not return to Shangqing.
He went back to that desolate bamboo forest. On some unknown day, the little earth immortal had moved back. He looked at Ming Ye trembling: "T-True Lord."
Ming Ye nodded.
Before he couldn't see, but now even with his eyes closed, everything felt familiar.
He stayed for a while but couldn't bear to remain, so he left.
The little earth immortal settled his mushrooms and butterfly sprites, muttering: "What a strange person."
For Ming Ye, a relationship couldn't occupy his entire life. From the moment spiritual consciousness awakened, every sprite's dream was to become a God.
They evaded the ruthlessness of the Heavenly Dao, gradually gaining the ability to turn stone into gold and condense water into ice. Unless absolutely necessary, no one would give up halfway.
Ming Ye's cultivation was lonelier than anyone else's.
He carried Merit upon his body, favored by the Heavenly Dao.
By this time, he was almost becoming a God. He had opened his own cave abode, cultivating day and night.
The Flood Dragon transforming into a dragon - only one step remained.
How few Gods remained in the world? If he truly became a God, he would be the hope after all things were restored.
Above Ming Ye's cave abode, the legendary dragon's roar could often be heard.
Tian Hao came to visit, saying: "Tian Huan has lost her Spirit Marrow, making her path of cultivation extremely difficult from now on. I promise not to issue the Three Realms execution order. If you truly become a God, protect Tian Huan."
Ming Ye nodded indifferently and accepted the Three Realms execution order.
Tian Hao looked enviously at the faintly visible divine patterns between Ming Ye's brows, said nothing more, and left.
Everyone thought Ming Ye was about to become a God, but only he himself knew that the divine patterns between his brows were growing increasingly dim.
Flood Dragons only have two claws, but when he manifested his Original Form, he had eight claws.
His Dao was beginning to leave him.
That night, for the first time, he tried to track the Conch Princess's whereabouts.
The paper crane he sent out fluttered its wings and returned, saying: "She and the wolf demon are at the Unmelting Peak, searching for newborn stones."
Ming Ye nodded calmly.
"Newborn stones" were usually prepared for soon-to-be-born little sprites. He remained silent for a long time, the divine patterns between his brows growing even dimmer.
Ming Ye had forgotten how many years he had lived, and no one had told him why such changes were occurring in his body.
He tied the newborn stone from his cave abode to the paper crane. Just as the paper crane was about to fly away, he coldly caught it again.
In that moment, for the first time, he conceived the thought of killing the wolf demon.
The paper crane looked fearfully at the blackening divine patterns between his brows. He lowered his gaze, his voice like fragile jade: "My apologies."
The divine patterns returned to their sacred white color.
In the end, he didn't let the paper crane take the newborn stone.
When spring arrived, he suddenly realized that Sang Jiu had already left him for three years. His paper crane flew back, chirping:
"The Conch Princess is doing well."
"She isn't unhappy as you hoped, Immortal Lord."
"Immortal Lord, Immortal Lord, you cannot go fetch her."
"They've found many newborn stones."
He raised his hand and destroyed the paper crane. The air instantly fell silent.
But his heart could not find peace.
Over these two years, Tian Huan had come twice, but he never saw her.The paper scraps drifted in the air, and the last crane clumsily brought a small piece of honey. He didn't know where the paper crane had stolen it from—it was nearly stung into a sieve.
He raised his hand, gazed at it for a long time, and then set it free.
The paper crane flew farther and farther away, eventually leaving him behind.
Ming Ye knew this couldn't go on. With Merit bestowed upon him, he should have long ascended and faced his tribulation. Yet the sky remained silent, and the Tribulation Thunder did not descend. He understood then that his trial was not here.
He knew he might never achieve ascension.
Stepping out of his cave abode, he felt a surge of resentment toward the Conch Princess, so strong that he wanted to seek her out. To ask why she could stop loving him so easily.
An immortal's life is too long, and Sang Jiu's appearance was, to him, as brief as an Epiphyllum bloom.
Just a young girl's love, he thought. How fleeting and cheap—she left him without a second glance, all because of a wolf demon.
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