She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar-Chapter 114

◎"And my disciples are two Pokémon!"◎

The spatial passage seemed endless, yet there always came a time when it reached its end.

Finally, Yan Luoyue's feet touched solid ground once more.

Her gaze swept across the unfamiliar landscape—now renamed to yet another whimsical peak name—and a wave of nostalgia, almost akin to homesickness, washed over her.

To the rest of the Guiyuan Sect, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang had only been gone for a little over two years.

But for Yan Luoyue herself, she had spent seven long years in the Spirit Realm.

No matter how pleasant a foreign land may be, it could never truly replace home.

At least now, just standing on this familiar ground, countless thoughts surged through her heart.

She wanted to see what new name her peak had been given, to ask her senior brother Jiang Tingbai for another bundle of woven grass crafts.

She longed to soak in the hot springs with her second senior brother, to visit the Alchemy Peak and see Chang Lili’s latest research breakthroughs.

She craved the taste of home—honey-glazed chicken wings, mapo tofu, boiled fish in spicy broth, braised prawns in oil…

And then there was Senior Brother Xiaoyuan, Senior Brother Bashui, her gaming console business…

Only upon returning did she realize just how many things were waiting for her to do!

Meanwhile, a wistful smile also appeared on Wu Manshuang’s face.

He glanced at Yan Luoyue’s expression and effortlessly deciphered a full menu from it.

Teasing her, he deliberately suggested, "Shall we head to the canteen first?"

"No." Yan Luoyue resisted the tempting offer with great difficulty. "We… we should take care of business first."

As they spoke, Jiang Tingbai sensed the presence of newcomers on the peak.

In the blink of an eye, a tall, sword-robed figure descended gracefully on his blade.

"This is the 'Guess-If-I’ll-Guess-If-You’ll-Guess-Whether-to-Rename-It Peak.' May I ask who—Junior Sister? Junior Brother?"

The moment he recognized them, Jiang Tingbai’s tone shifted from formal professionalism to delighted surprise.

Yan Luoyue stood on her tiptoes and waved energetically. "Senior Brother! Manshuang and I missed you so much!"

She and Wu Manshuang had carefully selected numerous Spirit Realm specialties to prepare a maintenance kit for his beloved sword!

They had also packed a bag of uniquely fluffy grass stems from the Spirit Realm, ready to add some ahem "vibrant variety" to Jiang Tingbai’s woven grass materials.

Jiang Tingbai dismounted his sword with a single fluid motion, sheathing the gleaming silver blade effortlessly.

Even though Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang were laden with bags like refugees who had trekked thousands of miles, Jiang Tingbai greeted them with a warm smile.

At the same time, he noticed Cen Mingxiao and the dream-messenger Ji Ying.

"Junior Sister, who is this…?"

Coincidentally, Jiang Tingbai’s question overlapped with Ji Ying’s own.

Ji Ying bowed respectfully and asked, "Honored Mother, how should I address him…?"

—By lineage, since this man was Yan Luoyue’s senior brother, shouldn’t he be called "Uncle Jiang from the Mortal Realm next door"?

Before Yan Luoyue could dig her toes into the ground in embarrassment, Jiang Tingbai’s smile froze, then vanished entirely.

He stared at Ji Ying in shock, particularly fixating on the faint green wings.

Then, the ever-stoic Jiang Tingbai turned an almost horrified gaze toward Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang—both of whom now looked noticeably older.

—Ever since Chu Tiankuo had cryptically warned him, "You’re going to become a hammer," Jiang Tingbai had braced himself for certain possibilities.

But this outcome… was far too sudden!

Just how fast did time flow in the mirror world?! How could his junior siblings have grown up so much in less than three years—and even had a child who could politely call Yan Luoyue "Mother"?!

—And in his heart, they were still just kids!

So… what exactly had his junior brother done to his junior sister?!

Jiang Tingbai’s bewildered thought process was written plainly across his face.

Yan Luoyue had initially intended to correct Ji Ying, but seeing Jiang Tingbai’s rare display of emotion, she couldn’t resist teasing him.

Putting on a solemn expression, she heaved a long sigh.

"A single day in the cultivation world, a whole year in the mirror. It’s a long story, but as you can see… sigh, Senior Brother, maybe we should just address each other separately from now on? You call me 'Junior Sister,' and I’ll call you 'Little Bro'?"

Jiang Tingbai: "…"

He whipped his head toward Wu Manshuang in disbelief!

Wu Manshuang silently lowered his head, adopting the posture of a dutifully penitent disciple.

Jiang Tingbai remained skeptical—mainly because he had taught a younger Yan Luoyue and recognized her prankster tendencies all too well.

"Did that much time really pass?"

"HAHAHAHA, of course not!"

Yan Luoyue relented with a laugh, waving her hand dismissively.

Led by Jiang Tingbai, the group made their way to the guest hall. Along the way, Yan Luoyue explained the situation.

"…This is important. I should report to Master. Senior Brother, where is Master now?"

Jiang Tingbai replied, "Master went to the Hongtong Palace not long ago."

"Hongtong Palace? Ugh, what an unlucky place. Why would Master go there?"

Then it clicked. "Wait—are we already making moves against Hongtong Palace?"

Only something like this could motivate the usually lazy Ji Qinghong to act so proactively.

Jiang Tingbai nodded slightly before recounting the major events of the cultivation world over the past two years.

As a top-tier sect, Hongtong Palace had long been domineering, accumulating grievances across factions—leaving the world too fearful to speak out, yet seething with resentment.

Once the dark dealings of the Silver Light Arena came to light, Hongtong Palace was thrust into the spotlight.

Initially, they sacrificed a few elders as scapegoats, hoping to placate public outrage.

They assumed the matter would blow over.

Yet the Guiyuan Sect, historically patient and compromising, suddenly joined forces with the Fan Yin Temple and the Snow Domain, pressing Hongtong Palace relentlessly for answers.

What answers could Hongtong Palace possibly give?

Whether Hongtong Palace was rotten to the core—who would know better than Hongtong Palace itself?

Ideally, the cultivation world hoped Hongtong Palace would decline naturally, allowing a smooth transition of power.

But as the party facing "decline," Hongtong Palace had no intention of going quietly.

Cornered, even a dying beast would fight back—let alone a deeply entrenched sect like this.

Recently, tensions between the factions had escalated beyond concealment. freeweɓnøvel.com

Hongtong Palace could no longer endure the slow, excruciating pressure and chose to flip the table entirely.

That very night, thirty-two cities were ambushed in a sudden assault.

The attackers came from within the city—they were once promising young talents held in high regard or esteemed guest elders of certain clans.

These individuals should have had bright futures ahead of them, but unfortunately, in the past few years, they had consumed the blood wine of the Silver Light Arena.

That night, thirty-two cities fell into chaos, with nine of them suffering severe losses due to the internal betrayal.

The Hongtong Palace intended this as a warning to all: beware, for within your own ranks, there may still be undiscovered blood wine drinkers!

Their move was meant to assert dominance, but instead, it provoked widespread fury.

Thus, led by three major factions, the East-West-North Alliance rallied overwhelming support.

Over a thousand sects joined forces to participate in the siege against Hongtong Palace.

To Jiang Tingbai, this siege could very well serve as a rehearsal for the future battle against the demonic hordes.

And nearly every sect that joined harbored the same ambition—to take a bite out of Hongtong Palace and replenish their strength before the real war began.

"At the beginning of this month, both sides struck the first blow... Well, you know Master’s temper."

Between Ji Qinghong and Hongtong Palace lay a grudge steeped in bloodshed.

Now that there was a chance to provoke Hongtong Palace, how could Ji Qinghong possibly stay away?

Just from this description, Yan Luoyue could vividly picture the scene:

Upon hearing the news, Ji Qinghong’s ever-amused expression would surely twist into one of vengeful satisfaction.

As Jiang Tingbai recounted the events, Cen Mingxiao and Ji Ying sat quietly, each holding a cup of tea like the most courteous of guests.

While Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang caught up on the events of the past two years, the two visitors silently absorbed the state of the human realm.

After asking about Ji Qinghong, Yan Luoyue inquired about her second senior brother, Mi Jichen.

"Eldest Senior Brother, is Second Senior Brother still in seclusion with the sect leader?"

Ever since the incident with the Emotion-Devouring Demon in Camellia Town, Yan Luoyue hadn’t seen Mi Jichen again.

At first, when she asked their master, Ji Qinghong had smiled and replied that Mi Jichen had gone into seclusion under the sect leader’s guidance.

Though it was unclear why a master would hand his disciple over to the sect leader, given that it was Ji Qinghong, such behavior wasn’t entirely unexpected.

But in the years that followed, Yan Luoyue never saw Mi Jichen again.

Apart from receiving gifts and red envelopes from him during festivals, Mi Jichen seemed to have vanished from the three realms—like an online friend perpetually offline.

Over time, Yan Luoyue began to sense something amiss from the subtle reactions of those around her.

She had never heard of Second Senior Brother suffering from any hidden ailment.

Unless the sect leader simply needed a white jade brush to sign documents, she couldn’t fathom why Mi Jichen would disappear for so long.

During her seven years in the spirit realm, Yan Luoyue occasionally revisited the incident with the Emotion-Devouring Demon.

She had gradually formed a theory about how Jiang Tingbai knew the name of that shadowy entity, as well as the demon’s peculiar, androgynous voice.

Hearing her question, Jiang Tingbai replied calmly,

"Jichen is in long-term seclusion. You may see him again in due time."

After a brief pause, Jiang Tingbai asked a somewhat odd question.

"Are you looking for Jichen... because of these two guests?"

"No," Yan Luoyue stood up. "But since Master isn’t here, I’ll take them to see the sect leader instead."

Whether it was the truth behind the demons’ imprisonment or the alliance between the cultivation world and the spirit realm, these were matters of utmost importance—Yan Luoyue needed someone with authority to address them.

...

After so long, the sect leader remained as poised and immortal-like as ever.

Millennia of experience had honed his composure to perfection.

Even upon hearing these two monumental revelations, he merely slowed the motion of stroking his beard, betraying no sign of shock.

Yan Luoyue sat nearby, observing.

For some reason, she had the faint impression that the sect leader wasn’t surprised to learn that demons and the foreign invaders were separate entities.

In contrast, the information about the spirit realm seemed entirely new to him.

The sect leader probed Cen Mingxiao from multiple angles, asking detailed questions with earnest attention.

Ji Ying noticed this as well.

Young and forthright, he asked bluntly,

"So, you already knew about the distinction between us and those invaders?"

The sect leader nodded slowly, smoothing his beard with a smile.

"In recent years, as we reviewed the Demon Subjugation War, we uncovered certain inconsistencies. We’ve been working to uncover the truth ever since."

"Young friend Ji, venturing alone into the spirit realm, are nothing short of a heroic figure—let me assure you, we have our own people within the demon realm."

Hearing this, Yan Luoyue blinked thoughtfully.

Not "we received intelligence from the demons," but "we have our own people within the demon realm"?

That phrasing seemed rather deliberate.

Yan Luoyue lowered her head, mulling it over.

When the conversation lulled, she revisited the earlier topic.

With a hint of implication, she said, "Sect Leader, Second Senior Brother has been in seclusion under your care for so long. We’ve imposed on you."

"Not at all," the sect leader chuckled, stroking his beard.

Yan Luoyue’s inquiry was subtle, and his praise carried a trace of suggestion.

"Disciple Ji’s students are all sharp and clever. Jichen is a steady and sensible child—his presence has eased this old man’s solitude."

Neither of them expanded further on the subject.

Soon, the sect leader steered the conversation away from Mi Jichen.

With a genial smile, he said, "I’ve heard that Chang Lili has been refining a special type of pill these past two years, claiming it was inspired by you?"

"Ah, that..."

Yan Luoyue recalled that before leaving for the spirit realm, she had suggested Chang Lili develop a sterilization pill for the hybrid demons.

Curious, she asked, "How is Lili’s research progressing?"

The sect leader replied cheerfully, "I’m not certain of the specifics. But fresh ideas from you youngsters are always welcome. If you’re eager, you should seek her out."

With a wave of his hand, he turned his attention to the other two guests.

"As for young friends Cen and Ji, I’d like to trouble you further for some answers."

Recognizing the polite dismissal, Yan Luoyue smiled and took her leave.

Before departing, however, she didn’t forget to claim a few branches of the Moonfall Tree from the sect leader.

The fleeced sect leader: "..."

With a sigh, he remarked, "This child truly takes after her master..."

Her actions left no doubt—Yan Luoyue was Ji Qinghong’s disciple through and through!

...

Yan Luoyue took the Moonfall Tree branches to refine mirror trees.

After confirming the approach of "using body-refining techniques to counter the Puppet Love-Devouring Net," Yan Luoyue decided to conduct a trial refinement using mirror fruits and Moonfall Wood as materials.

Given that mirror fruits possess the unique trait of "symmetrical injury transfer"—where damage inflicted on one half is mirrored on the other—Yan Luoyue planned to refine the fruit into her signature artifact through body-refinement.

However, upon arriving at the Alchemy Peak, Chang Lili presented her with an even greater surprise.

"Typically, mirror fruits replicate injuries to their counterpart halves through gray thread-like connections," Chang Lili explained, standing beneath the tree Yan Luoyue had personally planted years ago, her expression filled with bewilderment.

"But this mirror tree seems to have mutated… Look, even its trunk has grown half-black and half-white."

Yan Luoyue’s heart stirred. "So you mean…"

"I’ve conducted experiments—when a mark is carved into one side of the trunk, the other side instantly reflects the same injury," Chang Lili marveled. "The fruit’s trait has extended to the entire tree. This is an unprecedented discovery, though I haven’t yet unraveled the underlying principle."

Yan Luoyue had a plausible theory: this mirror tree had likely been influenced by her aura.

In the past, wherever she buried a leaf of Moonfall Wood, flowers that never withered would bloom the following year.

Thus, it stood to reason that a tree she had planted, nurtured with visits, water, and nutrient-rich soil, might undergo such a transformation.

With this realization, Yan Luoyue could now refine the entire mirror tree directly!

Coincidentally, the true form of Moonfall Wood was also a tree.

A successful refinement here would grant her invaluable experience for the future.

Borrowing Chang Lili’s workspace, Yan Luoyue began the refinement process.

Body-refinement was inherently challenging.

Song Qingchi’s original research had focused on human subjects. By shifting the target to plants, Yan Luoyue had raised the difficulty by another level.

Add to that her determination to treat this refinement as a rehearsal for her future plans, and the task became exponentially more demanding.

By the time Yan Luoyue successfully refined the mirror tree into a living artifact, nearly half a month had passed.

Examining the final product, Yan Luoyue exhaled deeply.

She recited an incantation, shrinking the tree to the size of a slender hairpin, which she then twirled between her fingers.

Next, she gently patted the flickering flames of Fenfen, Momo, and Honghong.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"—What ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‍about me?" Wu Manshuang interjected from the side, smiling leisurely. "Do I get any praise?"

Wu Manshuang had arrived at the Alchemy Peak the very afternoon Yan Luoyue began her refinement.

Due to his notorious "withering touch"—where any plant he paid attention to would inexplicably wilt—Chang Lili had long banned him from her precious nursery.

Undeterred, Wu Manshuang simply unfurled his wings and descended directly into the courtyard.

As he landed, his broad, feathered wings flapped proudly twice before folding away.

Honghong, on duty at the time, seemed reminded of his own glorious past.

The little flame promptly launched itself at Wu Manshuang, clinging to his face like an overzealous kitten and engaging in a very serious (if one-sided) brawl.

Wu Manshuang: "…"

"You’re one to talk," Yan Luoyue shot him an exasperated look.

"At one point, all three of them abandoned the furnace to fight you. The refinement flame nearly went out."

Wu Manshuang lowered his head in mock contrition, though his tone betrayed a hint of pride. "Still, I won against all of them."

Yan Luoyue: "…"

She massaged her temples. "Why do you sound so pleased about it…?"

And why did this whole scenario feel like some avian courtship display, where the male flaunts his dominance by thrashing rivals?

Even if his Tengserpent form had wings, Wu Manshuang’s true body was a stone, wasn’t it?

The black-and-white mirror tree, now hairpin-sized, was tucked into Yan Luoyue’s bun like an elegant ornament.

After days of relentless refinement, her fingers trembled slightly, and she struggled to secure it perfectly. Strands of her ink-black hair slipped free, dancing in the breeze until Wu Manshuang caught one between his fingers.

Winding the loose strand around his fingertips, he suddenly said, "Let me."

"Eh?"

Without waiting for a reply, he guided her to a stone bench in the courtyard. Using his fingers as a comb, he gathered her hair strand by strand.

His long, deft fingers traced her scalp, sending tiny electric thrills down her spine.

Each time his palm brushed her nape, a cool, soothing sensation followed.

Yan Luoyue stiffened slightly, forcing her voice steady. "Th-this feels a bit odd?"

"Too cold?" Wu Manshuang cupped the back of her neck. "I’ll warm it up."

"—No, that makes it even weirder," Yan Luoyue muttered.

For some reason, she felt like a cat held by the scruff—technically capable of squirming free, but… why bother?

For now, she chose to surrender to the moment.

Ah, cats were such proud creatures, self-proclaimed rulers of the world.

If one deigned to adopt a human, allowing paw-squishing and even performing toe-bean displays, it could only mean they’d willingly "meowed" their heart away.

A gentle breeze drifted through the courtyard as Wu Manshuang’s fingers moved with practiced ease, never tugging too hard.

Enveloped in his familiar, safe presence, Yan Luoyue—exhausted from weeks of refinement—finally relaxed.

She yawned deeply, nostalgia washing over her in the cozy quiet.

"—Done."

Wu Manshuang’s voice pulled her back to the present.

Leaning over her shoulder, he held up a mirror.

"Take a look," he said softly. "Do you like it?"

In the reflection, his chin rested atop her head, their images framed together in intimate harmony.

Unconsciously, ripples of emotion shimmered in their eyes.

"—I do." The words escaped Yan Luoyue, matching the fierce, rhythmic pounding in her chest.

Or perhaps… she wasn’t just answering a simple question.

Adjusting the "mirror tree hairpin," Wu Manshuang chuckled quietly and admitted:

"Back when I was still a stone, my greatest wish was to gather a handful of your branches and hold them close to my chest."

But stones have no arms, so this wish remained just that—a wish.

Until they both cultivated human forms—

No longer limited to a handful of branches, a few leaves, or a single blooming flower.

Now, Wu Manshuang could embrace Yan Luoyue entirely in his arms.

Yan Luoyue slowly closed her eyes, leaning back slightly.

The cool, fresh scent enveloped her, and the embrace behind her felt just as familiar.

But this time, she heard an incredibly powerful heartbeat thudding against the back of her head, so intense it seemed about to burst through the thin layer of skin.

Gradually, the rhythms of their two hearts synchronized, as if they had always been inseparable, fused into one.

"Manshuang."

"Hm, I'm here."

"Manshuang."

"What is it?"

"Hehehe, nothing. Just wanted to say your name."

"Alright. You can do whatever you want."

"Really? Then I'll… hmm, slurp slurp slurp!"

"…Luoyue." Wu Manshuang sighed softly, his eyes still closed. "You’re really…"

Yan Luoyue perked up immediately, tilting her head back in his arms with a mischievous grin. "Really what?"

Wu Manshuang murmured, "You always tease without following through. It’s a little frustrating."

"…"

For a moment, Yan Luoyue’s mind went completely blank.

Damn it, he’s learned from me. Yan Luoyue thought in shock: Manshuang actually evolved behind my back!

…

Just like how the most anticipated moment at a birthday party is blowing out the candles.

For Yan Luoyue, the happiest moment after completing an artifact was naming it.

"If it were a little smaller, needle-sized, and could fit inside an ear, I’d name it 'Ruyi Golden Hoop Tree'."

With her cheek resting against Wu Manshuang’s shoulder, Yan Luoyue rambled half-absently.

Hearing the naming convention, Wu Manshuang thought for a moment, then clasped his hands together in prayer.

"…What are you doing?"

"Praying for it." Wu Manshuang said with exaggerated solemnity.

"Tch." Yan Luoyue scoffed, then loudly declared, "But now, I have a much better name."

Hearing this, Wu Manshuang’s expression turned slightly wary.

Sure enough, the next second, Yan Luoyue announced, "Considering that anyone grazed—no, touched—by this artifact will lose health equal to the damage I take, I’ve decided to call it 'If You’re My Bro, Come Hit Me'."

Wu Manshuang: "…"

Wu Manshuang astutely pointed out the flaw: "What if the other person doesn’t hit you and just runs away?"

Yan Luoyue widened her eyes, looking at him as if it were obvious. "Then there’s still you, isn’t there?"

"True." His gaze darkened slightly, as if envisioning something, and a slow, anticipatory smile curled at his lips. "I’ll always be here."

The Mirror Tree was already a rare marvel in the cultivation world, and artifacts forged from it were naturally high-tier, effective even against Mahayana-stage cultivators.

Add to that the branches of the Moonfall Wood Yan Luoyue had infused during the refining process.

It could be said that with "If You’re My Bro, Come Hit Me" equipped, aside from the Puppet Devouring Love Net, there was virtually no one left in the world who could stand against Yan Luoyue in a single exchange.

Armed with this divine-tier equipment, Yan Luoyue was itching to test it out, practically desperate to find a boss to experiment on.

Coincidentally, the conflict instigated by Hongtong Palace had only just begun.

Before eagerly charging into battle, Yan Luoyue left a few remaining Mirror Fruits from the refining process with Chang Lili as thanks for her care of the Mirror Tree.

In return, Chang Lili gifted Yan Luoyue a large pouch of specially formulated medicinal powder.

"That anti-fertility drug for Othermother Demons you asked me to make—I’ve developed a few versions, but I still need test subjects to verify their effectiveness."

Chang Lili frowned. "Luoyue, if you encounter any Othermother Demons on your way, remember to test the medicine for me—oh, and the powder might have some side effects on demonic creatures. Make sure to note them all down, okay?"

Yan Luoyue agreed readily, then set off with Wu Manshuang toward Hongtong Palace.

…

Before they even reached Hongtong Palace, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang encountered a group of highly unusual cultivators along the way.

Their eyes were blood-red, their expressions vacant—clear signs of having consumed the Blood Wine.

These Blood Wine drinkers were locked in battle with a group of cultivators flying the banner of the "Righteous Alliance."

In terms of cultivation, both sides were roughly evenly matched, hovering around the Golden Core stage.

Yet the Blood Wine drinkers showed no fear of injury. Even when gleaming blades pierced their bodies, not a flicker of pain crossed their faces.

When their gazes met, one could see the dull, mindless look in their eyes—almost like zombies swarming a city.

"Are these even alive anymore?" someone snarled mid-fight. "They’re practically walking corpse puppets! Damn you, Hongtong Palace scum!"

At this point, they were no longer living people—just puppets of an alien force, bred solely for battle.

Seeing this, Yan Luoyue immediately descended in her flying vessel to assist.

The moment she landed, the Righteous Alliance cultivators shouted, "Be careful, friend!"

As soon as another fighter joined the fray, the puppet-like cultivators chose to self-destruct, their flesh exploding into a gruesome firework of gore.

Yan Luoyue swiftly deployed an artifact barrier, shielding the Righteous Alliance cultivators and preventing further harm.

"Thank you, friend." The group exhaled in relief.

Yan Luoyue glanced at the remains of the self-detonated cultivators, puzzled:

"Were there really this many Blood Wine drinkers? How are they still not all rooted out?"

Logically, after the incident at Silver Light Arena, all major sects had conducted screenings.

Later, when Hongtong Palace incited the Night Calamity across thirty-two cities, another thorough sweep had followed.

Yet now, these Blood Wine puppets could still be encountered so casually on the road—it was unexpected.

One cultivator spat bitterly, "It’s not like that—these puppets, they were all originally disciples of Hongtong Palace."

Yan Luoyue blinked, studying the tattered robes, and indeed recognized the sword patterns unique to Hongtong Palace.

"…"

"Hongtong Palace has gone mad," another murmured. "Our campaign against them was only meant to eliminate the ringleaders. The ordinary disciples were to be spared, given a chance to atone."

After all, cultivators weren’t serial killers.

For a top-tier force like Hongtong Palace, slaughtering every last member would be too horrifying to contemplate.

Yet who could have guessed? While the Righteous Alliance intended mercy, Hongtong Palace itself was determined to exterminate its own disciples.

The man spoke hoarsely, "We only discovered upon arriving here that all disciples were given blood wine upon entering the Hongtong Palace. As for daily cultivation, the palace routinely uses blood wine as an aid..."

Thus, when the great battle began, countless disciples of Hongtong Palace—regardless of whether they had ever considered abandoning the dark side—were turned into the most loyal puppets under the control of the spell.

"Just like earlier, when we were evenly matched, they fought us head-on. But as soon as you joined and they realized they were at a disadvantage, these Hongtong Palace disciples simply self-destructed."

By this point, the man's voice was practically dripping with hatred:

"I truly don’t understand—given Hongtong Palace’s status and prestige, why would they betray humanity and side with the demons? What benefit do they gain from treating their own disciples this way?"

Yan Luoyue remained silent, shaking her head lightly.

Clearly, both the human realm and the demon realm had already sensed the coming of this great war.

Thus, the cultivation world had organized a force to crusade against Hongtong Palace, hoping to eliminate the traitors before the war officially began.

Meanwhile, the Puppet Heart-Devouring Demons sought to deplete the cultivation world’s vital forces.

And so, without hesitation, they thrust Hongtong Palace onto the frontlines as cannon fodder.

As for why Hongtong Palace would betray humanity and side with the demons...

Yan Luoyue murmured to herself, "Either the upper echelons of Hongtong Palace have all been controlled by the Puppet Heart-Devouring Demons, or human nature truly is this despicable."

She had seen how the Puppet Heart-Devouring Demons operated. Those under their control acted like mindless automatons, rigid and fearless in their actions.

Given that Hongtong Palace had concealed their treachery for three thousand years without exposure, Yan Luoyue leaned toward the latter explanation.

With a soft sigh, she patted the man’s shoulder.

"I’m heading to the main battlefield of Hongtong Palace now. As for the answer to this question... I’ll pry it from their mouths myself."

She would demand an answer—for the disciples who had unknowingly joined Hongtong Palace, for the sacrificed elders of the cultivation world, and for herself, the Moonfall Tree.

And then, she would grip them by the throat, slam their heads into the ground, and force them to kneel forever in the direction of the Towering Sword Pavilion.

...

By the time Yan Luoyue arrived at the main battlefield of Hongtong Palace, Ji Qinghong was already fighting one against four.

These four were all Great Ascension cultivators—venerable ancestors in their own right.

That they would stoop to ganging up on Ji Qinghong spoke volumes about how seriously they took him.

When Yan Luoyue arrived, Ji Qinghong’s sleeve had already been torn, and a lock of his snow-white hair had been severed. Yet, strangely, he didn’t look the least bit disheveled. If anything, the four opponents facing him seemed far more enraged.

"You damned rabbit! Since you dare to spout such arrogance, leave your life here today!"

"Leaving my life behind isn’t such a big deal," Ji Qinghong replied breezily. "Ah, still better than you shattering your kneecaps for eight lifetimes groveling before demons."

Before the words had even faded, sensing a familiar presence he hadn’t felt in over two years, Ji Qinghong raised an eyebrow and swiftly retreated, laughing, "My disciples have arrived."

"—No matter who comes, you’re dying today," another Hongtong Palace ancestor growled darkly. "If one comes, they’ll die with you. If two come, they’ll die as a pair."

Hearing this, Ji Qinghong’s smile deepened, as if he were watching a grand play finally begin.

He drawled lazily, "It seems you still don’t understand."

"Then again, your so-called disciples are nothing more than feeble chickens and mangy dogs. But my disciples..."

As he spoke, a flash of realization passed through Ji Qinghong’s eyes.

For a moment, Yan Luoyue almost thought her identity would be exposed right then and there.

But in the next second, Ji Qinghong pivoted smoothly, praising cheerfully, "—My disciples are two marvelous treasures!"

Wu Manshuang: "..."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Yan Luoyue wanted to bury her face in her hands.

Listen to that.

Those in the know would understand he had abbreviated "divine wonders + prodigies + beloved treasures when in high spirits."

Those not in the know would probably think he’d crossed dimensions!

But since Ji Qinghong had already hyped them up like this, Yan Luoyue certainly wouldn’t let him down.

With a faint smile, she pulled the black-and-white hairpin from her bun and blew lightly on it.

"Really? Someone actually wants to kill me?" Yan Luoyue feigned surprise. "How touching—it’s been so long since I’ve heard such an ambitious goal."

Then, with utmost sincerity, she enunciated each word:

"Well then... you’d better try harder!"