Perhaps it was the Heavenly Dao’s design, still waiting for Ye Chuxue to come and offer him salvation. In any case, the Mo Yuan of today was in a truly wretched state.

To treat the "foul affliction" plaguing his body, he had no choice but to risk returning to the Demon Realm and contacting his mother’s old loyalists.

But unexpectedly, word of his return was leaked. His loyalists were killed, and he was forced to flee, hunted every step of the way.

His journey was fraught with hardship.

Now, having narrowly escaped with his life, he had no idea where to go.

His physical affliction remained uncured, and his Cultivation had stagnated. And yet, that father and son?

They were sitting comfortably on the Demon Lord’s throne, enjoying a life of luxury!

They had seized all the resources his mother had left behind, raised the son of a mistress, and persecuted their own flesh and blood...

These were all things that animal had done.

Mo Yuan’s expression was shadowed and grim. His tragic life had long since twisted him into something dark.

But as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Before he could even catch his breath, his pursuers appeared before him once more.

"Mo Yuan, where do you think you’re running? Surrender now, and maybe the Demon Lord will spare your life!"

Wang Da, gripping a large hammer, glared at Mo Yuan with a face full of malice.

This waste of space had actually dared to run, getting them all thoroughly chewed out.

If they failed to drag him back this time, they would be the ones to suffer!

He was flanked by three or four lackeys, the weakest of whom had a Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivation.

This time, there was no escape for Mo Yuan!

"Cut the crap. If you have the guts, then kill me!"

Mo Yuan sneered, the corners of his mouth lifting in a bloodthirsty smile.

’That animal is waiting for my blood to open the Demon Sea. He wouldn’t dare kill me just yet.’

"Hmph, still talking tough? Today, I’ll show you what it means for your prayers to go unanswered!"

With that, Wang Da and his men charged, attacking Mo Yuan in unison.

The two sides were quickly locked in a chaotic battle.

Song Wanning had been hiding in the shadows, watching with a leisurely expression.

She was waiting for the right moment to make her move.

In his past life, Mo Yuan had been utterly devoted to Ye Chuxue, only because she had saved him a few times, giving him a sense of salvation.

’If Ye Chuxue could do it, so can I.’

In their past life, while Mo Yuan hadn’t personally acted against the Song Family, he had certainly put in no small effort when it came to hunting Song Wanning down.

Back then, she had already become a Demon Cultivator, so hiding in the Demon Realm was the perfect choice. Unfortunately, by that point, Mo Yuan had already reclaimed his position as the Demon Lord.

At Ye Chuxue’s behest, he had ordered a realm-wide hunt for her, forcing her to flee like a stray dog.

Seeing him in this state now, Song Wanning felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

’I’ve finally started to grasp the essence of dealing with the Heavenly Dao. Why get my own hands dirty when I can use others?’

As the devoted second male lead, Mo Yuan’s status and fortune were not at all lacking. His early suffering was merely a plot device to forge the bond between him and the heroine.

’Therefore, the best method is to make the two of them kill each other. Then we’ll see who the Heavenly Dao truly favors.’

’If I can send one of them to their death, even better. My own hands will stay clean.’

A cunning glint flashed in Song Wanning’s eyes before quickly vanishing, her expression returning to one of leisurely ease.

Meanwhile, Mo Yuan could no longer withstand the combined assault and collapsed to the ground.

The spike on Wang Da’s hammer pressed against his neck, and beads of blood soon began to roll down his skin. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Hmph. You’re coming back with me to see the Demon Lord."

With that, Wang Da took out an Immortal Binding Rope and tied Mo Yuan up.

"To hell with you—"

Mo Yuan spat, glaring daggers at Wang Da.

’These lapdogs... they all deserve to die!’

But no matter how sharp his gaze was, it was of no use. He could only watch helplessly as he was taken away.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky, landing in front of him.

The person wore a long black robe, and their aura was concealed by a wide-brimmed conical hat.

However, judging by the delicate boots, the person was likely a woman.

Wang Da and his men jumped in fright. Their expressions hardened as one of them shouted angrily, "Who goes there? How dare you obstruct the men of the Demon Lord?!"

The men immediately fell into fighting stances.

Song Wanning said nothing. She simply unleashed her spiritual pressure, sending them all flying.

They flew through the air like discarded dolls and were already injured from the force by the time they landed.

"Who are you?"

Wang Da was stunned, his hammer-wielding hand trembling.

This person’s Cultivation was immense; they were no match at all!

Seeing Song Wanning slowly raise her hand, Wang Da and his men were terrified. Forgetting any tough talk, they scrambled to flee into the distance.

Terror was etched on their faces. They used every escape technique they knew, terrified that Song Wanning wouldn’t let them go.

Fortunately, Song Wanning didn’t seem to have any intention of pursuing them. Only when he had fled very, very far away did Wang Da dare to stop and catch his breath.

"Damn it! A High-Rank Cultivator just appeared out of nowhere, scared the hell out of me!" "Good thing we ran fast, otherwise we would have been done for back there!"

"To think Mo Yuan has a powerful expert helping him. This matter is serious. We must hurry back and report to the Demon Lord!"

...

Mo Yuan’s hands and feet were bound by the Immortal Binding Rope. There wasn’t a trace of gratitude in his eyes, only suspicion and gloom.

He didn’t believe that someone would save him out of the kindness of their heart.

He simply stared, his gaze fixed on Song Wanning.

Mo Yuan froze when she lifted her conical hat, revealing a face that was both familiar and strange.

’How could it be the owner of the auction house?’

He had seen Song Wanning only once before, prior to the auction.

But her stunning face and her eyes, which seemed to disregard everything, were impossible to forget.

"It’s you?"

’What is she doing here?’ Mo Yuan couldn’t help but wonder. ’Is she here to settle a score?’

’But I didn’t get anything. In fact, that bitch...’

Mo Yuan clenched his fists tightly, the Yin Qi around his body growing heavier.

Song Wanning looked at him coldly, her tone questioning as she asked, "Why are you here?"

"Did you quit your job at the auction house?"

These words revealed several important pieces of information.

’Song Wanning doesn’t know I stole the Elixir Pills. She doesn’t even know I’ve been gone from the auction house for so long.’

’Then again, I was just a lowly clerk. If I vanish, I vanish. Who would even care?’

Mo Yuan smiled self-deprecatingly. But then, a new thought struck him. ’This woman’s Cultivation is profound. If I can use her, maybe I can escape this manhunt!’

So he fabricated a story. "True Monarch," he began, "this disciple happened upon the trail of a Demon Cultivator. Unfortunately, he discovered me and abducted me, dragging me to the Demon Realm..."

"I finally managed to escape, but I’ve been hunted ever since... Those people claim to be the Demon Lord’s men. I don’t know why I’ve offended the Demon Lord..."

He lowered his head, trying his best to look more pitiful.

Out of his line of sight, the corners of Song Wanning’s lips curled into a smirk.

’As expected of Mo Yuan. He never disappoints.’

"How dare a Demon Cultivator act so brazenly? Preposterous!"

Song Wanning barked angrily, but then her tone shifted. "Rest assured. As long as I am here, I will not let that Demon Lord have his way!"

"Come. We’ll leave this place for now."