When Destiny Brings the Demon

When the Palace Master of the Moon Palace learned of her daughter Yue Chu Hui's death, she nearly went mad. She had only ever had this one daughter, raised her as a precious jewel, yet her death came so suddenly—her Divine Soul could not be found, and even soul transference or reincarnation was impossible.

With bloodshot eyes, the Palace Master led a vast contingent of Moon Palace disciples to Purple Colt Mountain.

The once-magnificent palace was shrouded in the gloom of death. All the arriving disciples witnessed the devastation on the mountain, but the Palace Master paid them no mind, charging straight into the inner chambers. Someone was already guarding Yue Chu Hui's corpse, though none dared touch it. At the sight of her daughter's mutilated body, the Palace Master let out a wail of grief and threw herself forward.

"Who? Who killed my Chu Hui?!" The Moon Palace Master, no longer the composed and elegant figure she once was, looked like a vengeful demon, clutching Yue Chu Hui's cold corpse in one arm while glaring hatefully at the cultivator nearby.

That cultivator belonged to the Mian family, an external clan affiliated with the Moon Palace. When Yue Chu Hui had come to stay at their estate in Purple Colt Mountain, it was their responsibility to have their women accompany her for amusement, paying daily visits with gifts and pleasantries.

Today, when they arrived, they found the mountain enveloped in the stench of blood, eerily silent and devoid of life. Sensing something amiss, they investigated—only to discover that Purple Colt Mountain had been massacred, with Yue Chu Hui and several Nascent Soul cultivators among the dead. They hastily sent word, and now the one standing here was a promising disciple of the Mian family, one who had often accompanied Yue Chu Hui on outings.

"Speak! Who did this?!" The Palace Master was nearly deranged. The Mian cultivator inwardly despaired—how would he know? Whoever committed such an act was surely no ordinary foe.

He knelt and offered a few words of consolation, but the Palace Master remained consumed by grief and fury. "My Chu Hui came to stay here, and I entrusted her to your care—yet you didn’t even know when she was murdered!" she shrieked.

The Mian cultivator hurried to explain, but the Palace Master struck him in rage, sending him crashing into the distance. The other Mian family members paled, their eyes filled with terror. None dared look up, standing meekly to the side, fearing they too would be struck down by the Palace Master's wrath.

The Palace Master gathered Yue Chu Hui's body and addressed her Moon Palace disciples: "Investigate. Find out who did this. I will have the murderer flayed, their tendons ripped out, their Divine Soul torn apart—they will pay with their lives for my child!"

Then, turning to the Mian cultivators, she said darkly, "Every one of you who attended to my daughter these past days shall atone for her death with your lives."

Yue Chu Hui's death, fueled by the Palace Master's rage, became the most significant matter in Gengchen Immortal Mansion. The woman who had raised a daughter like Yue Chu Hui was no gentle soul. The Moon Palace had been ruled by her family for generations, standing among the most powerful factions in Gengchen Immortal Mansion. Now, with Yue Chu Hui dead, she had not only lost her only daughter but also felt an overwhelming sense of crisis.

The authority of her Moon Palace had been challenged, its dignity trampled underfoot. Until the murderer was found and executed, her fury would remain unquenched, threatening to birth a heart demon.

Within and beyond Gengchen's inner and outer estates, many had already died over this matter. A grieving mother in the throes of madness was capable of anything. As her actions grew increasingly extreme, Sect Master Shi Qianlv had no choice but to step in and counsel her.When Shi Qianlv arrived at the Moon Palace, the Palace Master was in a rage. Her disciples had gone to investigate the cause of Yue Chu Hui's death but found nothing conclusive. They only knew that the killer possessed extraordinary cultivation and ruthless methods, far beyond an ordinary person. Moreover, judging by their actions, it seemed they harbored deep hatred toward Yue Chu Hui, making it highly likely that the culprit was an enemy of the Moon Palace.

The Palace Master had no interest in hearing any of this—she only wanted the murderer found.

"I’ll give you half a month more. If you fail to uncover any useful leads, you’ll all join my Chu Hui in death. Since you were so close to her, I’ll rest easier knowing you’re there to keep her company."

Cold sweat broke out on the disciples’ foreheads as they knelt on the ground, their expressions varying.

One of them hesitated before speaking. "Master, while searching Ziliu Mountain, we found a survivor—a woman locked in a dungeon at the foot of the mountain, unguarded. Her name is Yong Lingchun, the daughter of the Night Wanderer Palace’s young master. It’s said she was imprisoned there after angering Senior Sister Yue. We’re unsure if she has any connection to this matter."

A person standing beside the Palace Master interjected, "Brother Qing has already reported this. Yong Lingchun’s cultivation is weak, and her status is lowly. She merely survived by chance in that dungeon. I doubt she has any ties to the killer. Junior Brother Ruan, you’d do better to focus your efforts on the investigation instead of wasting our master’s time with trivialities."

The Palace Master’s voice was icy. "Whether she’s connected to the killer or not, if she displeased my child, then she dies—if only to ease my Chu Hui’s anger."

At that moment, Shi Qianlv entered with two disciples, his tone indifferent. "Palace Master Yue, it’s best not to add to the bloodshed. Your recent actions have caused quite a stir, and many have come to me with complaints."

The Palace Master sneered. "How noble of you to pretend. In terms of lives taken, do I even compare to you? Spare me the act. It wasn’t your daughter who died—of course you wouldn’t understand how I feel!"

She fixed her gaze on Shi Qianlv and suddenly said, "You wouldn’t interfere in my affairs without reason. Speak plainly—what are you thinking?"

Shi Qianlv remained unperturbed, merely dismissing the others before addressing the Palace Master. "I intend to involve myself in this matter."

"I suspect it’s related to Sima Jiao."

The Palace Master’s expression shifted.

Shi Qianlv continued, "Since that incident, Sima Jiao has not reappeared, but I know he would never let us off so easily. Given the chance, he’ll return. I suspect he’s currently within the Gengchen Immortal Mansion, lying low only because his injuries haven’t healed. As you know, his wounds are notoriously slow to recover. He’s likely still recuperating, and we must find him as soon as possible."

The Palace Master finally spoke slowly. "If what you say is true, why would he kill my Chu Hui?"

Shi Qianlv countered, "Since when has Sima Jiao needed a reason to kill anyone?"

The Palace Master knew Shi Qianlv had been searching for Sima Jiao all this time. At the slightest anomaly, he would dispatch people to investigate, treating every shadow as a threat. Given the scale of this incident, it was natural for him to suspect Sima Jiao. Yet the killer’s brazenness made her doubt it was him.

With injuries so severe, he ought to be hiding like a rat in the sewers. How could he dare to kill her daughter so openly? Unless he truly had no fear of death—yet the fact that he had gone into hiding after being wounded proved he still valued his life.The Palace Master of the Moon Palace pondered for a moment, her tone softening slightly. "Go ahead and investigate if you must. If you can find the murderer who killed my daughter, I won’t forget this favor."

Shi Qianlv returned from the Moon Palace and immediately ordered all those who had met with Yue Chu Hui to be detained. Even Yong Lingchun was locked away in a separate location.

...

Liao Tingyan felt as though she had suffered a high fever, drifting in and out of delirium for several days. By the time she fully regained her senses, days had already passed.

The wounds on her face had healed, leaving her cheeks smooth and soft. The injury on her stomach was also gone, replaced by flawless, taut skin. Even the spiritual veins within her body were completely restored. After waking up, she had transformed from a wounded invalid back into a lively, energetic fish.

Truly, the tales of dual cultivation healing and saving lives throughout the ages had not lied.

Sima Jiao stroked her belly, pinching it lightly, seemingly dissatisfied with the texture. His hand wandered further under her clothes, as if searching for a spot with better feel.

Wait, no.

Liao Tingyan immediately covered her chest and flopped back down. "I’m so weak and fragile."

Sima Jiao: "Do you think I’m blind?"

Liao Tingyan: "..." No, I just thought you’d play along. Forgot you’re a hopeless straight man.

She tugged at her collar and negotiated, "I really can’t. I think I might have kidney deficiency. If we must choose, how about soul communion instead?"

Sima Jiao was both amused and exasperated. He hadn’t been thinking about that, but he didn’t like how she cowered in fear, so he pretended to press down on her.

"Hey!" Liao Tingyan rolled away nimbly, tumbling to the inner side of the bed. Then she realized—this bed wasn’t right. It wasn’t the large bed she was used to, but another enormous one, ostentatious and reeking of extravagance. The location was wrong too. Had they moved to another unfamiliar place?

Realizing they were somewhere new, she rolled right back to Sima Jiao’s side and clung to his arm. "Where are we?"

With her clinging to him, Sima Jiao lost the urge to tease her further. Lying on the plush bed, he explained casually, "Wind Flower City. You’re now the city’s master, Shi Yuxiang."

Shi? Liao Tingyan caught the surname and glanced at Sima Jiao again. Had they infiltrated enemy territory?

Wind Flower City was a small but strategically located city within the inner reaches of Gengchen Immortal Mansion. Shi Yuxiang was a member of the Shi clan’s inner circle, holding a relatively high status. She was the granddaughter of Shi Qianji, the younger brother of the sect leader Shi Qianlv—also known as the owner of the fish pond from before.

Though Shi Qianji couldn’t match his elder brother Shi Qianlv in most abilities, he far surpassed him in one area: procreation. Among the top figures in Gengchen Immortal Mansion, he was a standout, having sired a multitude of children, who in turn produced even more offspring. Shi Yuxiang was one of Shi Qianji’s many granddaughters—not particularly favored, but thanks to her Shi family lineage, she still enjoyed ample resources, allowing her to live a carefree and indulgent life.

This Lady Shi Yuxiang had a penchant for pretty young men. She turned Wind Flower City into a lavish pleasure hub to make money and surrounded herself with a harem of handsome companions. As a result, outsiders often referred to her Wind Flower City as the City of Romance.

A figure with status yet low visibility, a fringe member of a powerful family, left largely unchecked—Sima Jiao certainly knew how to pick them.Moreover... his current identity was that of Shi Yuxiang's kept lover. He truly had no qualms about such trivialities—able to bend or stretch as needed.

Liao Tingyan: "You should know I'm not much of an actor, right?" When heaven is about to place a great responsibility on me, I refuse.

Sima Jiao didn't know at first, but later found out. He glanced sideways at Liao Tingyan: "Do you think I have a screw loose?"

Anyone with a functioning brain wouldn't send her to be a spy.

Liao Tingyan: "Of course not." Though my mouth says no, my heart screams yes.

Sima Jiao: "No need for you to do anything. Just sleep."

Liao Tingyan relaxed and lay down.

The Little Black Snake slithered over excitedly, its tail wrapped around a white mouse.

Liao Tingyan: "...If you're going to eat mice, do it over there. Not on the bed." She thought to herself that if she fell asleep, her ancestor probably wouldn't feed the snake—no wonder it was so hungry it had to catch mice itself.

The Little Black Snake wriggled and placed the white mouse bound by its tail right in front of her.

Liao Tingyan: "No thanks, you eat it. I don't do mice."

Sima Jiao: "Pfft."

Liao Tingyan: "?" What now? Suddenly laughing at people again?

Sima Jiao pulled her close: "You understand my meaning when I laugh, yet you can't grasp what this stupid snake is trying to say?"

Liao Tingyan: This guy was tricking her into sweet talk—what a schemer.

Sima Jiao: "This mouse is Shi Yuxiang."

Now Liao Tingyan understood. The Little Black Snake was introducing her to a new playmate. She didn't ask what happened to the two little pheasants or the ox-demon couple. Fewer questions made for an easier life.

The white mouse, looking utterly resigned to its fate, was dragged around by the Little Black Snake. After being paraded before Liao Tingyan, it was taken away to play.

Left alone, the two of them lay quietly until evening when Sima Jiao got up and scratched Liao Tingyan's neck. "Get up. We're going somewhere."

Liao Tingyan: "Oh."

She had thought Sima Jiao was taking her out for some romantic escapade, but instead, he brought her to plunder a treasure vault, hauling away piles of high-grade magical artifacts.

Sima Jiao strolled through the dust-covered vault as if browsing a supermarket, glancing at the artifacts and spirit tools on display. If something suited her, he handed it to Liao Tingyan.

As she flipped through the seemingly powerful artifacts, Liao Tingyan found it odd—Sima Jiao had never cared for such "worldly possessions" before.

"What are these artifacts for?"

Sima Jiao: "Defense."

Liao Tingyan: "And?"

Sima Jiao: "Defense."

Liao Tingyan: "Anything else?"

Sima Jiao: "I said—defense."

Liao Tingyan: "..." So, every single one was a defensive artifact.

Understood. These were all for her.